H2 SX / TRIUMPH ROCKET 3 GT / BMW CE 04 / TIGER 850 SPORT /
GOODBYE: DR650 / POTM: THALLON / MAP: QUEENSLAND / SF: OILS
VOL 10
The Harley-Davidson™ Ultra Limited, experience premium touring performance with zero compromises to the ride. For riders seeking the fully-loaded touring experience. Bold styling and comfort with a vented batwing fairing. Twin-Cooled™ Milwaukee-Eight™ 114 engine and heated grips.
H-D.com/Test Ride Book a test ride
Shannons are giving motoring enthusiasts the chance to win the American Dream Team – a 1967 Ford Mustang Coupe and the all new 2022 Scout Rogue Indian Motorcycle! Including up to 12-months Shannons Comprehensive Car and Bike Insurance and Shannons Roadside Assist1. Plus $5,000 cash for eligible Shannons Club Members2. Born in the USA and entrenched in American motoring history, the Mustang is both stylish and sporty – the original ‘Pony Car’. The car on offer is sympathetically restored and in the original left-hand drive configuration.Finished in Dark Highland Green with matching green upholstery and powered by a V8 engine with an automatic transmission. This new Scout Rogue is a lean, mean cruiser with barely tamed power that demands attention. The modern style features a sport style seat, mini ape hanger handlebars, distinct quarter fairing and a 19” front wheel. The liquid-cooled, 1133cc, 70kW V-twin delivers punchy acceleration. You could win up to $101,000 in prizes!
OILS AND LUBRICANTS
There’s only quality here
KAWASAKI NINJA H2 SX
Supercharged electronica
BMW CE 04
So Futuristic charge
TRIUMPH TIGER 850 SPORT
Just like the OG
TRIUMPH ROCKET 3 GT
2.5 litres of powerhouse
PUB OF THE MONTH
It’s a ripper…Francis Hotel,Thallon
BURT MUNRO CHALLENGE 2023
Book now for this must-see event
LAND OF VINEYARDS TOUR 2023
Vino, corners and fine food – YES!
KINGSCLIFF TO NERANG, QLD
Don’t get eaten by Yowies
BACKSIDE…TRACKSIDE
Stuart finally gets a go
GOODBYE, OLD TIMER
Suzuki’s DR650 rides off into the sunset
LONG TERMERS
Oh yes, oh yes!
SLOWING THE SALES
More wheels creates drag
TRIUMPH TE-1
Could be promising for electric bikes
USED & ABUSED
He’s a bit excited
I’VE ALWAYS BEEN PARTIAL TO THE IMAGE OF LIQUOR AS LUBRICATION, UNFORTUNATELY YOUR ENGINE WON’T LIKE THE TASTE STUART
Editor Stuart Woodbury
Contributing Editor J Peter Thoeming
Sales Manager Chris Pickett chris@ausmotorcyclist.com.au
Designers FriendsLoveDesign.com
Photographers Nick Wood Creative, Half Light Photographic
Contributors Nick Edards, Robert Lovas, Boris Mihailovic, Ralph LeavseyMoase, The Possum, Colin Whelan, Nick Wood, Bob Wozga
Editorial contactus@ausmotorcyclist.com.au
Subscription enquiries ausmotorcyclist.com.au, contactus@ausmotorcyclist.com.au
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YOU MAY HAVE READ in the last issue, “Death is Upon Us”? The ‘socalled’ brainiacs of the EU have legislated the death of petrol (fossil fuelled) powered vehicles by 2035. I have serious concerns about this and really don’t think it has been properly thought out.
First point I have is the infrastructure simply is not there and will cost billions to be put in place across the world. The second point is no electric vehicle can charge fast enough to be even close to filling up a petrol-powered vehicle and the on-flow effects of thousands and thousands of vehicles waiting to be charged is simply ridiculous.
The next point is no current electric vehicle, especially motorcycles can travel any respectable distance. Sure, if you live inner city or even out to the inner west of most cities you will be able to ride an electric motorcycle to and from work, but if you want to go for even a ‘short’ 200km blast on the weekend and really enjoy yourself, forget it. Every single electric motorcycle I’ve ridden for the last 14 years has not once been able to ride 200km on a full charge, and that’s on the least amount of power available and using regeneration as much as possible. Put any electric motorcycle in full power and 100km, yes, only 100km is not achievable in the real world. Australia is a hilly country and hills eat electric charge quicker than Jaws having a feast at the local beach. On any electric motorcycle you can see the battery indicator tick down almost as fast as the seconds hand ticks on your analogue watch.
I also don’t see just over ten years being enough time to bring us into a world of where we currently are with the convenience of a petrolpowered vehicle. We have essentially over one hundred years of development and no
electric vehicle is going to get near that level of efficiency in just over ten years.
Then we come to environmental impact of electric vehicles. Everyone thinks the ‘zero emissions’ of driving/riding the finished product is the only thing to look at. Well, take the massive environmental impact of producing batteries for electric vehicles and then see if you think they’re, ‘so green’.
How about this fun fact I found thanks to Mr Google… “The weight of an average electric car battery is approximately 500kg. To make this car battery, 10 tons of salt is required to be processed for lithium, 15 tons of ore for cobalt, 2 tons of ore for nickel and 12 tons of ore is required. A total of 200 tons of soil is excavated for a single battery.”
Now tell me how this is better for the environment than what we currently have with fossil fuelled vehicles? No, you can’t think of anything, can you.
I am all for helping the environment, but it simply is not electric powered vehicles. I think methanol, maybe hydrogen or some other type of liquid fuel is the way of the future. Infrastructure is already in place worldwide to accommodate the filling of liquid into ‘fuel’ tanks, also helping to reduce the impact of whatever buildings are needed to allow vehicles to be recharged would cost. You can also convert most vehicles to use something like methanol and
6.5” TFT COLOUR INSTRUMENTATION FIND
More technology, more comfort and more convenience. The Supercharged Ninja H2 SX is the first mass-production bike to be fitted with Bosch’s Advanced Rider Assistance System (ARAS), providing real world benefits including Adaptive Cruise Control, Blind Spot Detection and Forward Collision Warning. The Ninja H2 SX also features improved seating for greater comfort on long rides, plus a new 6.5” colour TFT instrumentation panel featuring Kawasaki’s advanced SPIN Infotainment system.
VHA - VEHICLE HOLD ASSIST
TFT COLOUR INSTRUMENTATION
KAWASAKI SPIN INFOTAINMENT SYSTEM
KIPASS - KAWASAKI INTELLIGENT
PROXIMITY ACTIVATION START
FCW - FORWARD COLLISION WARNING
ESS - EMERGENCY STOP SIGNAL
KQS - KAWASAKI QUICK SHIFTER
ARAS - ADVANCED RIDER ASSIST SY STEM
TPMS - TYRE PRESSURE MONITORING SYST EM
ACC - ADAPTIVE CRUISE CONTROL MAINTAINS SPEED & DISTANCE
HEATED HAND GRIPS STANDARD FITMENT
BSD - BLIND SPOT DETECTION
Shannons are giving motoring enthusiasts the chance to win the American Dream Team - a 1967 Mustang and a new Scout Rogue Indian Motorcycle! Including up to 12-months Shannons comprehensive Car and Bike Insurance and Shannons Roadside Assist.
Plus, $5000 cash if you’re an eligible Shannons Club member. That’s up to $101,000 in prizes for one lucky winner.
Get in touch and grab an eligible quote or policy and instantly get in the draw. Don’t wait and let your mates be green with envyshannons.com.au or call 1300 712 369.
Triumph’s all-new Tiger 1200 Rally Pro has become the world’s first large-capacity adventure bike to enter – and conquer – the gruelling 24hr trial, in South Australia, where the endurance of rider and machine is tested to the absolute limit.
Ridden by none other than Cameron Donald, two-time Isle of Man TT champion and avid off-road rider and racer, the Tiger 1200 Rally Pro made for an unusual sight among a sea of lightweight enduro bikes over the weekend of July 9-10.
“Physically, that was one of the toughest things I’ve ever done on a motorcycle,” Donald said. “To ride out there in that terrain on these bikes over four six-hour laps for 24 hours was such a battle. It was brutal.
“A lot of people told us we were crazy, not expecting us to finish a single lap let alone four laps to finish the race. Worse yet, an experienced competitor who’s finished the race 24 times said this year’s course was by far technically most difficult.
“There were boobytraps everywhere including ledges
four-feet high and bulldust two-feet deep, often hiding rocks and roots. But the bike’s momentum and offroad oriented 21-inch front wheel allowed you to point and shoot.
The 24-Hour Trial, historically known as the 24Hour Reliability Trial, has been running since 1924 and is Australia’s oldest motorcycle race. It comprises four six-hours laps with each lap consisting of 12 competitive sections, which are timed (the rider with the lowest cumulative time wins) and 13 transit legs. Three evenly spread fuel stops allow 15 minutes for basic motorcycle maintenance and rider sustenance. Outside assistance is not permitted.
Of the 138 competitors in this year’s event, 91 finished and 40 did not (DNF).
On Friday 15th July, Royal Enfield Australia and Urban Moto Imports were able to donate a beautiful Continental GT 650 Mister Clean for the 30th Anniversary Gala Ball for Ronald McDonald House Charities (RMHC), raising $13,000 towards this great charity.
This is the 6th year Royal Enfield and Urban Moto Imports has participated at such an important event, where money raised assists those families and individuals through difficult times.
“We’re grateful that we could assist in some way that can help children and families during some of their most difficult times. Our small contribution will hopefully help towards the incredible support that RMHC continue to provide, to those that need it most.”
Rideet, the developer of the first smart black box for bikers, now has an ingeniously simple solution: an intelligent valve cap that monitors tyre pressure and temperature.
Once installed, Rideet TPMS checks during the ride whether the tyres are losing air or running too hot.Via
Bluetooth interface, the data ends up in the free Rideet app on your smartphone.
Simply remove the existing valve caps and screw on the smart Rideet caps. That’s it. The cap contains a small transmitter and a battery. It will last at least two years, because the battery is also intelligently monitored. If the batteries run low, they can simply be
Want to be trackside for the Season Finale of the 2022 FIM World Superbike Championship?
Here’s your opportunity to be part of the non-stop racing action. Pirelli is offering a 3-Day World Superbike General Admission/Paddock Pass for the weekend of Friday 18th November 2022 to Sunday 20th November 2022.
The details are - simply by purchasing a pair of Diablo Supercorsa SP, Diablo Rosso IV Corsa, Diablo Rosso IV, Diablo Rosso Corsa II, Diablo Rosso III, Angel GT II, Angel GT, Night Dragon/GT, Scorpion Rally/STR or Scorpion Trail II tyres from a bricks and mortar store between July 25th and Oct 31st unless sold out.
Then, jump onto linkint.com.au/2022-wsbk.html and redeem your ticket!
- Joseph Elasmar, CEO Urban Moto Imports.
To learn more about RMHC, become a volunteer or to make a donation, visit rmhc.org.au
replaced with standard button cells. During the ride, at every stop or at the end of a ride, the sleep mode activates to maximize battery life. Don’t worry: If for some reason the tyres lose pressure during the rest, the system wakes up immediately and immediately informs about the air loss.
Rideet TPMS is priced at 69,90 EUR, and available at rideet.com.
Iconic Italian scooter brand Lambretta has unveiled two new models as part of its 75th birthday celebrations: the rangetopping G350 and the sporty X300.
Monsoon 3 Pannier Bags by Enduristan are 100% water, dust, mud and snowproof, the outer most layer of the 3-layer fabric is made from heavy-duty polymer, which acts as superior wear protection. With an allwelded design, it makes the Monsoon 3 even tougher.
The middle layer consists of 1000D Nylon mesh, which is densely woven, yet flexible to allow the 1000D Nylon threads to align in the direction of the stress.
The inner most layer of the 3-layer fabric is made from red vinyl for perfect visibility and 100% water proofness. Unlike hard panniers, the roll-top closure does not permanently bend in the case of a crash, keeping your items fully waterproof.
At the front, underneath the rear a high impact plastic has been added to protect the content of your bags from loose gravel and branches.
Each bag has a 30-litre capacity and Monsoon 3 fits many bikes without having to install pannier frames, which keeps the set-up narrow and the weight close to the centre. Jump onto motorradgarage.com.au to purchase
The G350’s roots can be tracked back to the ‘G325 Special’, which was exhibited at the 2019 EICMA motorcycle show – and on the cusp of a 2020 production launch before the pandemic scuttled that plan.
Two years later, the G325 has now morphed into the higher-displacement G350, positioned at the top of the premium classic scooter market and representing the high-end extension of the existing V-Special range.
Its design is inspired by the classic Lambrettas of the past, and underneath the bodywork is a steel monocoque frame with interchangeable side panels.
The model has double linkage front suspension, 12-inch tyres, dual-channel ABS and a TFT display, while the 330cc liquid-cooled engine produces 19.2kW and 25.5Nm.
footboard and side panels all made from steel.
The X300 also has double linkage front suspension and shock absorber, as well as dual-channel ABS, LED lighting and keyless start.
It’s powered by a 275cc engine, with only marginally less grunt – 0.75kW and 1Nm – than the G350.
Both scooters are slated to start production at the end of 2022, with pricing and colours to be announced by Lambretta Australia closer to the pair’s arrival date in 2023.
Meanwhile, the innovative X300 was a real showstopper in Milan, with the ‘X’ naming convention the beginning of a new product line for the company.
The X300 features sporty and tapered lines and the signature Lambretta fixed fender (it points straight ahead irrespective of handlebar position), while the chassis is a semimonocoque design with the shield,
The V-Special 50 and V-Special 200 currently retail for $3590 (plus ORC) and $4990 (plus ORC) respectively, available with the traditional fixed or flex fender. For more information, visit lambrettaaustralia.com.au.
BALLISTIC TOURING IS WHAT the Kawasaki Ninja H2 SX is all about, but the new 2022 model has been given the electronics treatment which now makes the H2 SX a cyborg on wheels.
How about front and rear radars as a start, the H2 SX is fitted with Bosch’s Advanced Rider Assistance Systems (ARAS). ARAS uses millimetre-wave radar sensors to sense other vehicles in proximity and provides three new features – Adaptive Cruise Control (ACC), Blind Sport Detection (BSD) and Forward Collision Warning (FCW).
Silky smooth and mind-blowing fast acceleration is what spins up with the supercharged 998cc in-line fourcylinder engine. For this latest model Euro 5 emissions have been met, but there’s also more mid-range torque which is an area of the previous H2 SX I felt was lacking – it’s now an arm tearing blast off into oblivion. To meet Euro 5 most of the changes are to the exhaust and an additional O2 sensor has been added to monitor the exhaust gas and enable more precise fuel injection management, which in turn benefits emissions. To achieve the extra mid-range cam timing has been changed, along with the exhaust piping being ‘straighter’.
Panniers don’t come standard; however, the mountings are there ready to go as part of the grab rail and travelling is what the SX is simply great at. I took the SX for a good day touring over the mountains and comfort is excellent, there’s only light forward pressure on your wrists and the screen works magic at keeping everything feeling like you’re in slow motion. In fact, I reckon it would be hard to keep your licence owning the SX, you don’t realise just how fast you’re going until you actually take a peak at the digital speedo, it’s probably also because the SX is so quiet and smooth. The footpegs are a perfect blend of sport and tour and pillion comfort is “One of the best” – from the pillion-in-a-million – the pillion
seat is now a touch wider, and the front of the seat is higher to stop any unwanted sliding forward under hard braking. Heated grips are now also there for the cold days and fairing protection around your legs is great too. Two front seats were designed for the SX: a Comfort Seat offering taller riders a relaxed knee bend and thicker urethane cushioning now featuring a wider shape and revised foam density; and a Low Seat (15mm lower) that prioritises an easy reach to the ground (unchanged from before). Seat height is 835 mm for the Comfort Seat; 820 mm for the Low Seat. Which seat is fit standard varies by market, of which we get the Low Seat: 820mm; the alternate Comfort Seat is available as an accessory. I would have appreciated the 835mm seat for my extra-long
Silky smooth and mindblowing fast acceleration is what spins up with the supercharged 998cc inline four-cylinder engine
pins, however even at 820mm I had no real complaints with seat to peg comfort riding all day.
Paintwork is simply stunning on the SX, the sparkle green metallic is something I could stare at all day long. Kawasaki’s special, “Highly Durable Paint” features a special coat (in high wear areas) that allows scratches to repair themselves, enabling the paint to maintain its high-quality finish. Soft and hard segments in the coat work together like a chemical spring, creating a trampoline effect that absorbs impacts. I did ask the Kawasaki Marketing people if I could test it out with the key. A blunt, “Um, no” was the answer. They did mention the paint will not recover in the case of scratches caused by a coin or key, or zip fasteners. Very light scratches, maybe from a tank bag or similar is what will repair itself and in some
cases, it takes more than one week for recovery – better than having to shell out your hard earned and get the tank repainted!
Styling has been given an updated look. The front fairing is similar to that of the Ninja H2.
Simple surfaces make the restyled front fairing look even more aggressive, while elsewhere sharp, angular lines contribute to a slim, compact impression, and even with the addition of the radar sensor, the upper cowl is no larger than before.
The front radar sensor is positioned below the headlight, and you might not notice it most of the time.
Designers took great care to integrate it into the design and the radar sensor itself sits behind a cover, specially designed (thickness and material were carefully selected) to not interfere
with the radar function – a first in the motorcycle industry.
LED lighting sees the headlight now more compact to accommodate the radar and combined with the cornering lights I found the SX shoots out a very good spread of light at night.
The rear radar is integrated into the tail extension, which also mounts the indicators and obviously the number plate. It is well disguised, however there will be no fitting a tail tidy on this bike and with panniers fitted you probably have no need to change the rear appearance of the bike.
A large, easy-to-read 6.5-inch fullcolour TFT instrument panel adds a high-tech touch to the cockpit. Complementing the multiple display windows and smartphone connectivity, compatibility with Kawasaki SPIN app offers numerous infotainment possibilities.
The screen’s background colour is selectable (black, white or automatic
switching), and screen brightness adjusts automatically to suit the available light. The instrument panel’s home screen display is divided into three areas: upper, middle and lower. Display functions in the upper area include: integrated riding mode, gear position indicator, distance setting indicator, ACC indicator, tachometer, KQS indicator, Kawasaki Engine Brake Control indicator, and a multifunction gauge that visually shows the boost pressure plus the rider’s choice of throttle application,
front brake pressure or G-force (acceleration/deceleration).
In addition to a large digital speedometer, display functions in the middle area include: cornering light indicator, service indicator, VHA indicator, and Economical Riding Indicator.
In the lower area, a multifunction display allows the rider to scroll through a number of functions: odometer, dual trip meters, bank angle display and max bank angle recording function, tyre pressure (yes, TPMS comes standard), boost pressure, boost (intake air chamber) temperature, current and average fuel
consumption, remaining range, average speed, total time, and battery voltage. Additional display functions include: fuel gauge, outside temperature, ice warning, connected device indicator, clock and coolant temperature. Now that is a lot to keep you entertained! And, if that wasn’t enough, in addition to the standard display mode, you can switch to Kawasaki SPIN mode to view various apps on the instrument panel. Kawasaki’s new smartphone-based infotainment app enables various third-party applications to be downloaded and mirrored on the cockpit’s TFT display. Basic functions available in the app include telephone, map display, music, calendar, and contacts. Additionally, you can opt to download third-party apps to add to their Kawasaki SPIN library to be able to interact with them
on the TFT display, I used Google Maps, which didn’t give me turn-byturn instructions as I had no Bluetooth headset, but I see it as a great, quick view if you’re unsure of where you’re going. Some other available third-party apps include Sygic (navigation), SENA (headset communication) and the like. Even more wizardry includes, KIPASS (Kawasaki’s Intelligent Proximity Activation Start System), which is a master key system that allows remote activation of the bike’s main switch and steering lock. With the key fob (portable immobiliser) in your pocket, KIPASS allows you to remotely release the bike’s steering lock and main switch simply by approaching the bike – now that is freaky! When the key fob is close to the bike, the signal it sends out is picked up and recognised by the ECU. Like immobiliser keys, each fob key has a unique signal, making this system also useful as a theft deterrent. The key fob can be recognised when in a jacket pocket, so there is no need for you to remove the key to operate the bike’s main switch.
A new IMU (Inertial Measurement Unit) enables inertia along 6 DOF (degrees of freedom) to be monitored. With the new unit, acceleration along longitudinal, transverse and vertical axes, plus roll rate, pitch rate and yaw rate are all measured (previously, yaw rate was calculated). Feedback from the IMU is used to give a clearer realtime picture of chassis orientation. This is all needed for the new ACC (Adaptive Cruise Control). ACC maintains the speed set by you, but adjusts the vehicle speed to maintain a suitable following distance from the
vehicle in front, this can also be set to Near, Medium or Far. I had it set on Far and while I’m not a fan of this kind of thing in a car and especially not a bike, it does work as intended. Some of you might like it.
FCW (Forward Collision Warning) is another function the radar is used for. When the system determines that continuing at the current speed may result in a collision with the vehicle in front, it warns you. The system alerts you by using a bright flashing red LED light above the instrument panel. A warning is also shown on the TFT display. You can set the alert timing according to preference: Early, Medium, Late and it can be turned off. At night this would be the only time you’d notice the lights flashing as you should be watching where you’re going, not staring at the dash. I didn’t notice the red lights flashing during the daytime, until I purposely tried to activate the system and was then looking for the lights to flash.
BSD (Blind-Spot Detection) is a world first on a motorcycle. While more than common in cars, the SX uses the rear radar sensor to monitor the bike’s surroundings and alerts you to the presence of a vehicle approaching in your blind spot by illuminating an orange LED triangle in the left or right mirror. I find this very useful and a very welcomed addition to motorcycling. Most of use would be used to it in your car and while you should still do a head check (Mr Mum talking) BSD is one of the best safety
devices I can think of that’s now fitted to a motorcycle.
Even more electronic features are fitted to the SX. To give you a run down of the rest, they include Vehicle Hold Assist, Emergency Stop Signal, KCMF (Kawasaki Cornering Management Function) - KCMF oversees the following systems:KTRC (including traction and wheel lift control) – KLCM (Kawasaki Launch Control Mode) - KIBS (Kawasaki Intelligent anti-lock Brake
ACC maintains the speed set by you, but adjusts the vehicle speed to maintain a suitable following distance
System), which includes pitching and corner braking control, and Kawasaki Engine Brake Control.
Power modes consist of Full, Middle, Low and can be set with the Sport, Road, Rain and Rider (manual) riding modes. Sport was my go-to mode as it allowed a little bit of front lift and a little bit of traction control – perfect for such a powerful bike on the road.
An up and down quickshifter is standard and works above 1600rpm. Handling is sublime, it didn’t matter if the roads were rough or silky smooth, I could point the SX at a corner and it would whip around.
KAWASAKI NINJA H2 SX
MODEL: Kawasaki Ninja H2 SX
PRICE: $32,160 (ride away)
WARRANTY: Two years, unlimited distance
SERVICING INTERVALS: Every 10,000km or 12 months
ENGINE: 998cc liquid-cooled cylinder, 76x55mm bore/stroke, DOHC, 4 valves per cylinder
POWER: 147.1kW @ 11,000rpm (154.1kW with ram-air)
TORQUE: 137.3Nm @ 8500rpm
TRANSMISSION: 6-speed, wet multi-plate slipper clutch, chain final drive
SUSPENSION: Front, 43mm inverted fork, adjustable preload, compression and rebound, travel 120mm. Rear, monoshock, adjustable preload, compression and rebound, travel 139mm.
DIMENSIONS: Seat height 820mm, weight 266kg (wet), fuel capacity 19 litres, wheelbase 1480mm
TYRES: Front, 120/70/ZR17. Rear, 190/55/ZR17
BRAKES: Front, twin 320mm discs with radial four-piston cornering ABS calipers. Rear, 250mm disc, two-piston cornering ABS caliper.
FUEL CONSUMPTION: 7.57 litres per 100km, premium unleaded
THEORETICAL RANGE: 250km
COLOURS: Emerald Blazed Green/Metallic Diablo Black/Metallic Graphite Gray
VERDICT: Blast off!
The 266kg weight aids the planted feeling and until I actually read the specs sheet, I didn’t think the SX weighed this much. It feels at least 30kg lighter while riding. If you’re carrying luggage and/or a pillion, there’s a remote preload adjuster on the right side and if you feel the need, you can adjust rebound and high and low compression. You can also adjust preload, rebound and compression on the forks. The standard settings were great for an overall mix of rough and smooth road riding, but I would certainly add a little more preload for luggage and/or a pillion.
Stopping such a swift machine means you need the best brakes. 320mm discs, Brembo calipers and now a Brembo radial pump master cylinder (combined with the electronics - Bosch 10.3ME ABS unit)
Handling is sublime, it didn’t matter if the roads were rough or silky smooth, I could point the SX at a corner and it would whip around
stops the SX…fast. Steel braided lines are standard too. If you’ve not had braided lines fitted to your bike before, they help in giving more brake feel.
Fuel capacity for touring is a handy 19-litres, if you’re up it for the rent the entire time you’ll be up around 8L/100km, but I averaged 7.57L/100km which gives you a theoretical range of 250km. I’m sure if you’re cruising along some straight stretches fuel consumption would improve somewhat.
There aren’t too many accessories available but the ones that are certainly are what you’d want. Panniers, inner bags, reduced reach bars, frame sliders (as fitted to our test bike), comfort seat, oil filler cap bling, paddock stand, and a short or smoked screen are the majority of them.
If you want all the bells and whistles a bike could possibly have, there’s only one that has it all – the Kawasaki Ninja H2 SX. It’s ballistic touring with control. D
SO ANYWAY, IT MIGHT be a surprise but it’s nothing short of fitting to find out that Wazza, the not exactly introverted bloke I find behind the bar of the Francis Hotel’s an ex-railway man.
Used to drive passenger trains in Brisbane until a fatal collision in 1985 scarred him, saw him laid up with some serious PTSD for a while before falling into a few jobs eventually ending with a stint on the road as a country rep for Coke beginning in 2015.
He stuck it out for 6 years until dealing with dopes got too much for him:
“Every time you’d go over the speed limit by 10kph a report automatically went back to head office.”
(That’d go well on bikes, eh?)
Anyway, one month he racked up 36 violations and when he got back to head office he was called into a meeting.
“They sat me down in front of one of the screens in the HR department and my boss who’d only been in the job for 3 months read out each offence: things like 134kph for 112 metres in 110 kph zone, on June 10th at 9.34 am. I said yep, I done the lot, so let’s go through and I’ll tell you about each one and I turn to my boss, Ben, and I say you’ve never been out to the bush have you and he says no. But he’s planning on getting to.
So we go from the top, and I point to the first one and say this one was probably behind a cattle truck coming into Dirranbandi. It was doing 100 and I’m entitled to do 110 and I ask Ben: ‘You ever been behind a road train loaded with cattle and piss and shit are flowing out from the drains at the back of the last trailer and out of the sides of the trucks and it’s clogging up your air-con? Ever had that pleasure, Ben?
Ben shakes his head.
Well, Ben, I was trying to ensure that the minimum amount of shit was getting into the car and into my lungs, so I accelerated past the 53 point 2 metres of the road train as quick as I could. In the interests of health and safety.
So, he asks me, ‘Did you make sure it was safe before you pulled out?’
“Fuck, no,” I told him, “I waited until a school bus loaded with kids was coming the other way so I could run him off the fucking road!”
It was about then that Wazza knew his time at Coke was finite. The job was fast losing its fizz, but the travel had shown him a lot of country pubs - “some that were going great and some that were being run into the ground and thought it’d be a nice change away from the Ben’s of this world.”
And one that stood out to this exrailway man was The Francis Hotel, here at Thallon.
This place’s always been a railway town. The settlement here was named in January 1911 after the railway station – which represented
the only building in the place and which in turn was named after James Thallon who by then’d been the Commish for Railways for over a decade.
Just months after this ‘mere geographical point’ and railway station without as yet a railway was named, a bloke named JM Borger announced plans for a 15-room hotel in the town.
The regional rag noted that “(j) udging from the price, which is said to run into four figures, the hotel … will be rather an imposing building,” before condescendingly adding, “considering the surroundings.”
Work began on it on September 6th 1911 and it was licensed two days short of a month later. Tradies must’ve been a bit easier to find back then.
Three weeks later the cause for Borger’s faith in this red-soil flyspeck was actualised when the Qld Premier along with the then leader of the Opposition and a dozen or so other politicians rocked up.
By train. If you’re going to be on the gravy train, you might as well also be on a train.
Anyway, it was the opening of the new rail extension down from Tallwood to this township.
Unfortunately, JF Thallon, the fella after whom the place was named was a scratching. He’d died just six months earlier.
Look, you’re not going to go into any pub in any state and sit yourself down next to two blokes with their mugs on bottles of wine; or where there’s a more incandescent publican; or where you’re going to laugh more; or where
you’re going to immediately feel more welcome and at home.
Just as the Stockman up in Texas sets the benchmark for being motorcycle friendly, this place sets the bar for character and inclusiveness. Off the scale for unique character.
There are 4 rooms upstairs - 1 double and 3 twins. Across the road at the railway quarters there’re 8 dongas – 2 doubles, 2 twins and 4 singles all with shared amenities. There’s also a self-contained house down the road a bit. It’s $66 a single, $77 for twins and another $11 for the doubles. Pretty standard out here. There’s undercover parking for bikes at the back of the pub.
There’s camping over near the silos and Wazza’s bought a courtesy bus to shuttle people across from around 6.15 each evening.
The pub’s café opens from 7 each morning with coffee, cakes and B&E rolls.You can get a feed most times of the day and Wazza cuts every side of meat that arrives and crumbs every schnitzel and parmi.
180 on the value scale and no prizes for guessing it’s 5 gold helmets. What a top joint.
In 1926 Mr H. Francis of Ipswich bought the Thallon Hotel and it didn’t take him long to personalise the place. Just three years later the Balonne Beacon noted the ‘transfer of license of Hotel Francis, Thallon, from H.W. Francis to H.W. Deeley,’ had been granted, and it’s been the Francis Hotel ever since. Three years working gets you immortality. Seems a deal, heh?
The first iteration of the pub, still owned by H. W’s widow was destroyed by fire in January 1941. It was rebuilt in the second half of that year, and it’s been pretty much the same ever since.
I’ve seen the silos before so I head straight down, past the Wombat and around to the pub where the bar’s empty apart from the aforementioned Wazza whose personality, it soon becomes apparent, could light up half of Queensland.
I ask if there’s anything even slightly local to drink and he replies, ‘well kinda, sorta very’ and plonks down three bottles of wine – a white, a rosé and a red.
The Pinot Grigio’s label is headlined “The Pom” and features a painting of an old bloke in a hat, the rosé’s called ‘Colly’ and has another fella’s portrait whilst the Cabernet Merlot is “The Dog” and carries a photo of a tannish cattle dog. And all the labels have a footer of “Thallon Queensland, thallonpub.com.au”.
What’s going on?
“Well, these two blokes’ll be in shortly, the Pom’ll sit there,” as he points to a stool at the bar’s bend, “and Colly’ll be there in the corner,” at which Wazza whistles and we’re joined by a canine. “And this is the dog on the Cab Merlot label. Local enough for you?”
I don’t want to offend the dog, so I grab one of his and it’s worth cocking your leg for. Not bad at all…
I could’ve opted for a schooner of the special “Silos” beer which is ‘exactly the same as what they serve up at Nindigully as Nindi Gold, only cheaper’ and when he asks if I’d like a beer, I can stand a straw in, I tell him maybe. In a bit. After I pat a few more of Dogs. Just as I’m draining the glass a second
time, in troop Colly and the Pom. Wazza and partner Rinnie took over the pub on March 12th 2021. By that stage Colly hadn’t been in the place for 14 months, another long-term local had been boycotting it for 2 years. They soon got to work, winning back the locals giving them the holy trinity of ‘cold beer, good food and a noisy bar.’
Their first weekend in charge coincided with a long table dinner for 255 people for the unveiling of the silos. They’d been painted by Travis Newton aka The Zookeeper who’d got on great with Colly and whilst scouting around the silos and their railyards where Colly worked, banged off a few pictures of the old fella.
When he’d finished the silos, Zookeeper
had some paint left over so he painted some wombats on the pub’s rainwater tanks and then quietly headed down to the old Moonie River Bridge just to west of the town and, using a shot of Colly as reference, painted his portrait on one of the old pylons.
Colly was chuffed but he’s one of the nicest, gentlest blokes you’ll ever come across. Later in the pub one of the locals tells me he’d ‘cut off his arse and shit through his elbow if he thought it’d help you’. Not sure what that means but sounds good. In a country sort of way. Anyway, at some stage of that Saturday, Colly had a word to Zookeeper that his portrait was a bit lonely out there on the old bridge all alone.
I’ll let the Pom take over: “for ages they were trying to get a photo of me for some reason and I wouldn’t co-operate but then on the Thursday night after he’d finished the silos, I got on the piss with
Trav and he bought me a drink or maybe two and then said hey let’s get some photos and so he did”.
Wazza: “The following Tuesday Pom comes in and we’re all saying, “All Hail the Pom” and stuff like that and he asks what the hell is going on, so someone takes him down to the old bridge. Sometime between Friday and Monday Zookeeper’d found time to scoot down there and paint the Pom on the pylon next to Colly. He came back with a tear in his eye.”
So, they had the artwork of these two characters and the next step of reproducing them on special labels of De Bortoli was pretty straightforward.
and the evening bounces along. Milo (‘they call me that coz I’m not Quick’) comes in with his partner only to be thrashed at pool by a kid who can hardly see over the table. The town’s young stud gets on his knees to have a teeth-toteeth battle with the Cabernet Dog. Wazza parades in the paint-spattered shorts that Zookeeper slung him. (‘I checked ‘em for skiddies. He was rough but he was clean’), Colly shows off some of his beautiful woodwork including a case for his relatives’ service medals.
Colly thinks it’s a hoot that his wine is a Rosé, the same name as his exwife. And he doesn’t especially like either.
The Pom’s never tasted his Pinot Grigio, but he’s signed the odd bottle. As for the dog, sorry can’t say.
In 1928 HW Francis was busted by the cops for selling adulterated rum. He was fined two quid and had to
forfeit ten gallons of the hooch to the descendants of the Rum Corps. So, this place has form for selling questionable booze but once I’ve downed enough courage water, I’m up for the thick shake – end of barrel Coopers in which, yes, I do manage to stand a straw. It’s fuller-bodied than Mama Cass and just like that I have a new yardstick for memorable schooners.
At 6ish Wazza clears out in the courtesy bus to collect campers from the silos to bring them over for tea,
And all through a great night, Rinnie - as in mandarin as in real name Amanda – Wazza’s long suffering, does her best to make sure that no-one in this this railway town pub, goes too far off the rails. D
Disclaimer: Sometime during the evening Rinnie checked my T-shirt and I ended up with a bright green Pub embroidered shirt. Apart from that, contrary to standard industry practice I neither sought not was offered any freebee, bribe or inducement to say nice stuff!
On the 1911 train trip out to officially open the Thallon line the ministerial party stopped at Inglewood for a leg-stretch and to check-out another, more revolutionary train – the original pre-cursor to the road-trains that’d got Wazza into so much strife back in his Coke days.
Charles Renard was born In Damblain, France in 1847. Brilliant at maths, he went on to invent the dirigible parachute, the first automatic pilot, marine boilers, the hydrogen generator and designed improvements to balloon stability. And in 1903 he unveiled his astonishing Reynard road-train at the Paris Salon. It consisted of a tractor coupled to six-wheeled vehicles driven and steered by a power-offtake from the tractor, enabling as many as four trailers to be towed. Daimler acquired
the exclusive British rights and began to make Reynard road-trains from 1908. Half a dozen were imported into Australia with the Qld Govt paying £4000 for theirs.
They were brutally noisy and mechanically temperamental and were only used for three years or so before being dispatched to rust in forgotten fields.
The trailers from the Qld one
are now part of the Machinery Mile opposite the Wellshot Hotel at Ilfracombe and another complete unit including tractor that was used at Farina in Sth Aust is in the Port Pirie Motor Museum. Just might be the only reason to ever stop at Port Pirie and to check out the precursor to our 53 metre units. No shit.
Sarajevo, Mostar, Adriatic coastal road, Zadar, Hvar Island, 5 UNESCO World Heritage Sights: Plitvice National Park, Durmitor National Park, Kornati Archipelago, Kotor, Dubrovnik, Split.
AUG
THE BMW CE 04 (when first shown) would never make it into production. No one would want something so futuristic or unusual, but BMW has in fact released the outer space like CE 04 and given it electric power.
The Australian launch was held for basically non-motorcycle publications, which is fine, but doesn’t really hit the target market. This is probably why you have possibly only seen a photo of the CE 04 and nothing actually telling you about it until reading this!
My time with the CE 04 was relatively brief – fitting in a decent ride between the extreme rainfall we’ve had was tricky, and of course, I didn’t want to get electrocuted! Just kidding! This can’t happen with this bike.
The “04” reference in the model name, “CE 04” means this bike is a 400cc equivalent combustion engine size. Over half throttle it’s about right for a 400cc bike, but from a closed throttle to half the CE 04 will eat a lot of other bikes on the road much larger in capacity than a 400cc combustion engine.
31kW are zapped out from the liquidcooled electric motor – yes, there’s a radiator up front, and you get whisked away to 50km/h in around two and a half seconds. This equates to a real word feeling of “Fast!” and means virtually nothing will touch you getting away from traffic lights. Put simply, the CE 04 doesn’t accelerate; it takes off.
Around 65km/h the power does taper off as your eyeballs catch up with the speed and the CE 04 maxes out around
125km/h (not that I did that, officer!).
All this propulsion is powered by the 8.9 kWh battery, the same type of cells found in batteries that fuel BMW’s own iX and i4 cars. These cells are claimed to provide a range of up to 130km in Eco mode. The most I got was around 90km and when you switch up the mode to either Rain, Road or Dynamic the range goes down from there. For example, in Dynamic I only got 58km on relatively flat roads. You’ll also hear the CE04 isn’t electric quiet, it zings and zips which does make onlookers snap their necks in amazement.
The CE 04’s all-important charging times are: empty to full in four and a half hours, but I found at least six hours was optimum for a little more range. With the optional BMW Wallbox quick charger, this takes it down to
just under two hours and from 20 to 80 percent in 45mins. If you don’t like coffee, tea or a milkshake – you better. The batteries themselves are arranged flat under the bike’s long floorplate. It’s a clever way of keeping that weight low for stable handling, although all that electric stuff does weigh a bit. The CE 04 tips the scales at a hefty 231kg. Putting this in context, that’s heavier than the F 750 GS. That weight isn’t so noticeable apart from the long 1675mm wheelbase which does make turn in slow at suburban legal speeds. The CE 04 prefers smooth, arcing turns, although at walking pace the CE 04 is very manageable and turns easily.
One thing I find whenever I ride any scooter is I ride much faster than
normal, trying to keep the speed up. I notice this mostly while lane filtering, I was zapping through the traffic that quickly I was surprised lightning bolts weren’t shooting off the rear tyre!
Almost everything to do with electric mobility comes down to battery, battery, and battery. The capacity of your bike will affect your ride from speed to range. The CE 04 has ambitions to take riders out of the central and outer city to the suburbs with the option of weekend trips on those faster roads. Unless you want to ride not too far and have prearranged the wall socket, it just won’t happen.
Our photographer, Nick lives at Bilpin, which is a slow mountain climb out of Sydney up Bells Line of Road, and leaving my place, knowing the battery was going to chomp the range
fast would be the ultimate test.
It’s about 45km to Nick’s from my place and leaving with 100% charge, switched to ECO mode and arriving with 14% left shows this bike is never going to be more than an outer rim city / city bike, which is no doubt the intended use…I just wanted to see what would happen if you rode it on a short weekend ride somewhere like Bells Line of Road which many motorcyclists do. I think I would have been lucky to make it to Lithgow.
The BMW CE 04 does have regeneration on deceleration but heading up Bells Line of Road there was essentially none of that, apart from some of the flat sections around
McGraths Hill and Richmond. To get back home I enjoyed Nicks company and the cups of tea and coffee he kindly made for me. Two and a half hours later the CE 04’s dash informed me there was 64% charge on ECO mode. I felt this was enough to get me home, so off I set, using as much regeneration as I could. I made it with 10km and 8% left, phew!
Firing up the bike is a cinch. Hold the rear brake and hit the ignition button, the instrument panel will tell you you’re ready to go. One great feature of the CE 04 is the sidestand. It acts as the ‘handbrake’ and while down you cannot wheel the CE 04 around, clever stuff. Parking? Hold down the reverse button, twist the throttle and the bike
instantaneously switches to a backward parking gear.
I mentioned the regeneration previously, this ‘braking’ while off throttle harvests power back into the batteries. Throttle off and that regeneration braking pulls the bike up in a strong way at lower speeds. It’s possible to ride down steeper hills using only the regeneration system to control your speed.
You’ll soon end up adjusting your riding style accordingly. One question I did have for myself was how road users behind you would know you’re slowing without seeing the brake lights come on. Well, the regeneration system is smart and wired for safety, the rear brake
lights are activated when you roll off the throttle - a clever and necessary touch. The bike’s Wi-Fi and Bluetooth manage a host of modern connectivity needs. The CE 04 has a wide range of options, from nifty dual helmet, intercom, phone and contact-synching to music-sharing and mapping. The bike’s partner app, Motorrad Connected, features an Efficient Routefinding service that aims to use minimal energy, a range display radius on a map to show how far you can travel on a charge, and the all-important location of charging stations. The onboard system manages technical data on tyre pressures, service intervals, and the usual trip info. Navigation itself comes via a large 10.25-inch TFT full-colour screen.
On-bike storage is reasonable, with a side-loading, under-the-seat compartment for a full-face helmet and charging lead. Up front, there’s another actively ventilated compartment for your phone with a USB-C port. The idea is that the phone is always paired for communication, powering your navigation and sharing data through the app.
Riders looking to lug the bike into small front gardens, up curbs, or into trickier parking spaces will find the BMW a bit of a beast, even with that effective reverse gear. How you ride and where you can park should be serious considerations when looking at the BMW. There’s a trade-off for that speed. After all, the CE 04 is in essence a smart motorbike disguised as a scooter.
The CE 04 is kind of comfortable. There is an abundance of footwell room, even my long pins could stretch out (almost). The seat wasn’t too bad for what looks like a skateboard.
And there’s no disguising the price. The CE 04 starts at $21,690. That’s a serious outlay for what is being modelled as a scooter, even as a maxiscooter.
So, who is the CE 04 for? Someone who values the riding experience, is looking for bleeding-edge design, and I’d suggest this is also for a rider with off-street parking at both ends of their commute with a wall socket within reach.
If you want to be noticed and not always heard, the BMW CE 04 will zap your senses. D
BMW CE 04 AVANTGARDE
MODEL: BMW CE 04 Avantgarde
PRICE: From $21,690 (ride away)
WARRANTY: Three years
SERVICING INTERVALS: Every 10,000km or 24 months
ENGINE: Permanent-magnet liquid-cooled synchronous motor, 8.9 kWh battery
POWER: 31kW @ 4900rpm
TORQUE: 62Nm @ 1500rpm
TRANSMISSION: 1-speed transmission, belt final drive
SUSPENSION: Front, telescopic fork, non-adjustable, travel 100mm. Rear, monoshock, adjustable preload, travel 92mm.
DIMENSIONS: Seat height 780mm, weight 231kg (wet), wheelbase 1675mm
TYRES: Front, 120/70/R15. Rear, 160/60/R15
BRAKES: Front, twin 265mm discs with four-piston ABS calipers. Rear, 265mm disc, single-piston ABS caliper.
RANGE: 55-90km
CLAIMED RANGE: Up to 130km
COLOURS: Light White
VERDICT: A Star Wars Speeder
WE’VE COVERED A BIT of this area before but until you’ve ridden the area of Kingscliff, Uki, Woodenbong, Beaudesert and Canungra in Queensland you won’t know what you’re missing out on. I recently rode this area again on the recent Royal Enfield Scram launch. Apart from watching out for potholes (as is the case along the entire Eastern Seaboard), this route offers great sights and fun corners.
KINGSCLIFF
Built mostly on sand, the southern part of Kingscliff is where you want to be – it’s fresh and modern with a number of nice cafes and restaurants.
MURWILLUMBAH
Watch out for stray cows running on the road, Murwillumbah is the quintessential NSW hinterland town. Set in the middle of an extinct
volcanic caldera, the sleepy village offers cultural and natural attractions, from the world’s largest expanse of tropical rainforest to world-class galleries.
UKI
Uki (pronounced yook-eye) in the heart of the ‘Green Caldera’. This historic village of diverse people, and a thriving arts and crafts community, is situated in the foothills of The Three
Starting out of Kingscliff where we stayed at Peppers Resort (very nice by the way) head out along Cudgen Road, as you get near the Motorway Tropical Fruit World is worth a look if you have time. Turn right on Cudgen Road at the T-intersection and head under the Motorway, turning left on Tweed Valley Way
Once you get into Murwillumbah, jump onto Kyogle Road follow it all the way to the end and turn left. As you head into Kyogle you need to turn right at the Caltex service station and follow Summerland Way to the end and turn right. Head north on Summerland Way and watch out for the Yowie’s crossing the road. They will eat you if you get near them. As you cross the border into Qld, the road is now Mount Lindesay Hwy Continue up to Rathdowney and ride on through up to Beaudesert
When you get to the first set of traffic lights turn slight right (not a full turn right) onto William Street and head out of town on Beaudesert Nerang Road up towards Tamborine
Follow this south into Canungra and head east on Beaudesert Nerang Road to Clagiraba Road and turn right. Follow this over to Nerang and it’s time for lunch or an afternoon dip in the ocean at Surfers Paradise
Fuel – Kingscliff, Murwillumbah, Uki, Kyogle, Beaudesert, Canungra, Nerang Distance – 268km Road conditions - qldtraffic.qld.gov.au
Sisters and Mt. Warning. If you want a nice place to go for lunch, check out Mavis’ Kitchen and Cabins.
They call Kyogle, the Gateway to the Rainforest. This charming hinterland town began life as a timber camp in the 1830s and is a great base for exploring nearby UNESCO World Heritage rainforest and the tiny villages built around them.
LINDESAY
Hawkins after a station at Mudgee, which was owned by Henry Bayley, whose forebears were linked with the family of Paget. The origins of Beaudesert’s name have been the subject of debate for many years.
The Outpost Café is the place to be seen on a motorcycle. On any given day of the week and especially weekends the place is packed with motorcyclists. If you fancy something a bit more special, there’s Canungra Valley Vineyard nearby.
A hop, step and a jump from Surfers Paradise, welcome back to civilisation. D
Just a landmark – keep riding! Watch out for Yowie’s though.
RATHDOWNEY
If you’re hungry, check out the Rathdowney Hotel or there’s a number of Olive Groves around the area with a couple of cafes available.
BEAUDESERT
A rural town which offers most conveniences. There are many different versions of the origins and the meaning of Beaudesert. These range from “Beau Desert” meaning beautiful desert to “Beau Desert” being the ancestral home of Henry Bayley in Staffordshire, England. Beau Desert was named by Edward
IREMEMBER WHEN THE TRIUMPH Tiger 800 was released many years ago – it was a new thing from Triumph and needed to prove itself in the big bad world of adventure. Of course, it did and went on to be one of the most popular midsized adventure bikes on the market. Roll on a few years and the Tiger has grown to a 900 and is now even more off-road focussed. This is where the Tiger 850 Sport slots in – as an adventure bike that won’t be used as a full -on adventure machine, rather see most of its time riding on bitumen with mostly maintained dirt roads thrown into the mix.
Differences between the 850 and 900 aren’t as drastic as you might think
One question I do think to myself as I ride along – “If Triumph has a base model 900 that is very similar to this bike, where does the 850 Sport exist?” It’s, in a nutshell, a more basic model than any of the 900 versions and does come with a much cheaper price tag. Differences between the 850 and 900 aren’t as drastic as you might think to achieve a $3000 price difference.
The 850 Sport uses the same engine as its big brother, an inline threecylinder, T-Plane crank with the unique 1-3-2 firing order, boasting 888cc, the same bore 78mm, stroke 61.9 mm and compression ratio 11.27:1. So, it should have the same power, right? Technically it should. But they put a slightly different tune on it that makes the numbers a little less than the Tiger 900. The 850 Sport comes in at 62.5kW at 8500rpm (900 is 70kW), with torque coming in at
82Nm at 6500rpm (900 is 87Nm). The 850’s max torque is at a lower rpm than the 900, this should also in theory make the 850 feel a little torquier at lower speeds. However, unless you were riding both the 850 and 900 back-to-back, you’d not notice much difference as they both feel similar, and both give you that symphony of triple cylinder delights when you crack the throttle. As a long-distance tourer, the 850 Sport has a 20-litre tank capacity and with decent fuel consumption you’re well over the 350km mark per tank –even better if you’re not fanging it like I was.
The Tiger 850 uses the same twinsided cast aluminium alloy swingarm, tubular steel frame and bolt-on
subframe as the Tiger 900. Wheels are also borrowed from the Tiger 900 GT model, with a cast 19-inch front / 17-inch rear and come mounted with Michelin Anakees as standard. These sizes still offer an array of popular ADV-style tyre options for those who want to get a little deeper off-road. The suspension is where we start to see the main differences, as the 850 Sport still uses Marzocchi components, just with fewer bells and whistles. Front forks are 45mm upsidedown Marzocchis offering 180mm of travel with no adjustability. The rear Marzocchi unit offers only manual preload adjustability with 170mm of travel. I found the suspension is perfectly capable of tackling a wide array of terrain, it’s just that you
wouldn’t hit at the same sorts of speeds you might on the ‘tougher’ 900 suspension offerings.
Braking is borrowed from the GT 900 line and uses the same twin 320mm discs up front, with Brembo Stylema four-piston Monobloc ABS calipers. The rear uses a 255mm disc paired with the Brembo single piston ABS caliper, offering great levels of power and feel.
As you’d expect at this price point, the 850 Sport still offers a few bits of tech, just not as many as its big brother.
The TFT display is the old Tiger 800 unit with a 5-inch crystal-clear panel. I did, however, find that in full light behind me it was hard to read the screen. The same toggle switch (as the 900) is used to easily navigate through the available modes and cluster configurations. The 850 Sport only offers two rider modes: Road and Rain. ABS is on all the time and can’t be disengaged, which in my opinion is fine since this model is intended to bring riders into the adventure segment.
Traction control is offered on most bikes these days and the 850 Sport is no exception. It can be turned off for on or off-road fun as long as you are at a dead stop and will always revert to “on” mode when you switch the key off – as per just about most bikes these days.
Having two height adjustable seat position offers up the 850 Sport to a huge range of sized riders. I started out in the low (820mm) position and found it was a little cramped for my long pins, but still more than
manageable if that was all that was available. The higher 840mm setting was great. I could ride the 850 Sport all day and I even found the adjustable screen worked better for my height. The screen is manually adjusted simply by pushing forward on the top of the screen and sliding it up or down to the four different heights available.
Accessories are well thought out (as per the Triumph way) with over 60 individual items available, along with a couple of ‘pre-prepared’ packs to make choosing far easier. You can also get that centre stand if you wish.
All in all, the Triumph Tiger 850 Sport checks off all the boxes for the rider looking to get into the adventure segment with their first bigger bike purchase, or someone looking to get off a bigger adventure mule and have something a bit lighter. At this price point, I would like to see some adjustability on the suspension components and a centre stand. Either way, the Tiger 850 Sport is the right bike for many riders out there. D
TRIUMPH TIGER 850 SPORT
MODEL: Triumph Tiger 850 Sport
PRICE: $18,250 (ride away)
WARRANTY: Two years, unlimited distance
SERVICING INTERVALS: Every 10,000km or 12 months
ENGINE: 888cc liquid-cooled in-line three cylinder, 78x61.9mm bore/stroke, DOHC, 4 valves per cylinder
POWER: 62.5kW @ 8500rpm
TORQUE: 82Nm @ 6500rpm
TRANSMISSION: 6-speed, wet multi-plate slipper clutch, chain final drive
SUSPENSION: Front, 45mm inverted fork, non adjustable, travel 180mm. Rear, monoshock, adjustable preload, travel 170mm.
DIMENSIONS: Seat height 820-840mm, weight 192kg (dry), fuel capacity 20 litres, wheelbase 1556mm
TYRES: Front, 100/90/19. Rear, 150/70/R17
BRAKES: Front, twin 320mm discs with radial four-piston ABS calipers. Rear, 255mm disc, single-piston ABS caliper.
FUEL CONSUMPTION: 5.43 litres per 100km, premium unleaded
THEORETICAL RANGE: 368km
COLOURS: Graphite Diablo Red, Graphite Caspian Blue, Graphite Baja Orange
VERDICT: Great for many adventurers
THE WEATHER FAIRY PARTLY waved her magic wand over Round 3 of the PCRA (Post Classic Racing Association) Championship being held at SMSP (Sydney Motorsport Park). I say, ‘partly’ because she didn’t make it a warm one, despite being mostly sunny!
All the planets aligned, and I finally got to race, The Beast for the first time! One of my friends couldn’t believe this was the first time. He said, “You built this bike, why haven’t you raced it before?” Sure, I got one and touch practice sessions in at Superbike Masters three years ago before the engine went bang, but actually racing it, this was my first time.
The temperature was a ‘fresh’ one degree and being the first qualifying session out it was going to be a slippery one on a big powered bike. The temperature had risen all of one degree to two! First lap on brand new Pirelli slicks I just rolled around, then lap two I started to twist the throttle a touch more, one guy lost the front at turn three in front of me and then another guy lost the front at one of the other corners which really didn’t help the confidence. I was still passing plenty of others in the combined Period 6 1300, Pre Modern Unlimited and Pre Modern Supersport classes, so at the end of qualifying I wasn’t too fussed with where I might have been as I knew I’d be close enough to the front
First race I got into third or fourth and overtook a guy under a yellow flag (naughty boy, Stuart!)
In all races I was first in class, which gave me the win for Period 6 1300
bike for classic or modern racing.
More people to thank are Pirelli for the tyres, I’d tried a larger rear and it worked in helping make the bike turn a little faster (as it’s taller than previous) and supplying far more grip than I had the balls to try and light up. Both Alex and Jack have ‘complained’ that they wheelspin everywhere on the FZR, so hopefully this latest tyre will solve most of this. More thanks to Kenma for the NG Discs, Venhill brake lines and the amazing SBS Brake Pads and Link International for the Motul 300V oil. D
to get into the mix for the races, which had a progressive grid for each race. I was on grid 8 and first P6 bike.
First race I got into third or fourth and overtook a guy under a yellow flag (naughty boy, Stuart!). The officials put me back to seventh, of which the second race I got back to fourth. For the final race I rolled off my starting position but stopped before the lights went out – this still resulted in me getting a 10-second penalty which put me in fourth, when I had got into second and one second off the Pre Modern Unlimited leader. In all races I was first in class, which gave me the win for Period 6 1300.
I didn’t set any lap times on fire and really felt quite slow out there, despite knowing I would be able to push much harder. I guess seeing a number of guys crash on the slippery cold track put the wind up me and I did what was needed for the win. No use pushing super hard on a club day, I’d rather keep this big dollar bike in one piece and fresh for the next race meeting, which will probably be the Australian Historic Titles with Jack Passfield on board.
As always, I must give a big thank you to D Moto Motorcycle Engineering, without the expertise of Shaun this bike simply wouldn’t exist, he is THE MAN if you want a competitive
Without oil or lubrication your moving parts on a motorcycle will soon become coarse and either seize or break – if you’re riding the bike at the time, it can cause you a lot of misery, even hospital time (or worse) if it’s catastrophic! So, always make sure your motorcycle is well lubricated and quality oil is used for the engine – it will save you a bucket load of money in the long run. We put the call out to the various distributors, as we always do, to let you know of their latest and greatest you might consider using. This is not a feature on how lubrication works, just the products available so you know what is quality – we won’t show you rubbish products. We use/have used many of the following in our personal bikes.
MOTUL
linkint.com.au/motul-oils
5W30, 10W40, 15W501L - $42.90, 4L - $159.90
100% Ester Core synthetic engine oil, this is Motul’s racing motorcycle lubricant and benefits from the latest Ester Core innovation to provide exceptional performance. Involved in racing for many years at the highest levels, Motul has developed specific racing motorcycle lubricants to satisfy demanding riders in terms of power, torque and clutch response during gear shifting. Motul 300V provides extra power by minimizing engine internal frictions without any compromise on clutch response. This is one of the best engine oils on the market. Stuart uses it in his FZR1000 race bike, and it has provided ballistic power and been ultra-reliable.
5W40, 10W30, 10W40, 10W50, 10W60, 20W501L - $32.90, 4L - $119.90
100% synthetic engine oil with Ester, using improved ester lubricant technology with ester providing anti-wear additives and improved shear resistance which provides improved gear protection and gear life.
Specification JASO MA2 ensures optimal clutch performances at start-up, acceleration and constant speed and specification API SN providing improved high temp deposit protection, more stringent sludge control – 7100 is a great road bike engine oil for greater protection between oil change intervals.
Moto 4T – 10W50 - 1L - $15.90, 4L - $49.90
Motul Moto 4T is premium mineral oil. Designed to be used in a wide variety of 4 stroke motorcycles, quads and scooters. Also perfect for those older air-cooled motorcycles like the big bad Katana’s, Zeds and CB’s.
3100 Gold - semi-synthetic oil - 15W50, 10W40 - 1L$21.90, 4L - $74.90
A perfect lower cost, high protection semi synthetic oil with excellent anti-oxidation which helps prevent premature oil thickening and ageing due to high temperature stress. High lubricating properties decreases friction and wear and increases engine life and there’s high detergent and dispersive properties to help keep the internals clean.
5100 - semi-synthetic oil – 10W30, 10W40, 10W50 - 1L - $28.90, 2L - $47.90, 4L$89.90
Ester synthetic engine oil, reinforced by Ester base stock which offers greater antiwear properties and improved gear protection. 5100 has an improved oil film resistance at high temperatures for greater engine durability. Specification JASO MA2 ensures optimal clutch performances at startup, acceleration and constant speed. A good all-round oil if you’re looking for a great oil at a cheaper purchase price.
DOT 5.1 Brake Fluid 500ML$24.90
DOT 5.1 brake fluid that’s 100% synthetic, long lasting and specially developed for anti-lock braking systems (ABS).
DOT 3&4
Brake Fluid –500ML - $17.90
100% synthetic for all types of hydraulic brake systems. Meets DOT 3 and DOT 4 manufacturer’s
Fork Oil Factory Line –2.5W, 5W, 7.5W, 10W – 1L - $32.90
Remember your fork oil should also be changed periodically. Factory Line is 100% synthetic, Ester based hydraulic fluid in a range of weights for upside down, cartridge and standard forks.
Power1 4T oil – 5W404L - $96.99
Power1 4T Engine Oil with Trizone Technology is a premium-quality, full synthetic 4-stroke motorcycle oil designed to ensure maximum power and performance, even under the most demanding riding conditions. Its anti-friction formulation is actually proven to increase acceleration, compared to conventional motorcycle oils.
-IPONE
iponeoils.com.au
Stroke 4 Racing fully synthetic oil - 5W40, 10W40, 10W50 - 1L$32.90, 4L - $119.90
Stroke 4 is a 100% synthetic ester-based motor oil developed in collaboration with the technical teams of the MotoGP Red Bull Rookies Cup, and is suitable for all racing 4-stroke, track and off-road motorcycles that are subject to very strong demands during competition. Less internal friction = less wear and tear on parts.
Full Power Katana fully synthetic oil - 10W40, 10W50 - 1L - $26.90, 4L$99.90
Full Power Katana is a 100% synthetic ester-based and high-performance motor oil for 4 Stroke motorcycles,
M4 4-stroke mineral oil - 20W50 - 1L$14.90, 4L - $49.90
M4 is a 20W50 mineral motor oil for 4 Stroke motorcycles. Recommended for older consumption and provides optimum engine protection even during prolonged periods
10.3, 10.4 & 15.5
4-stroke semisynthetic oil10W30, 10W40, 15W50 - 1L$16.90, 4L - $59.90
Semi-synthetic motor oil, for 4 Stroke motorbikes, which provides optimum lubrication and complete engine protection. Suitable for
R4000 RS semi-synthetic oil - 10W30, 10W40, 10W50 - 1L - $22.90, 4L -
R4000 RS is a semi-synthetic, esterbased, high performance motor oil for 4 Stroke motorbikes for regular use. R4000 RS offers anti-corrosion and anti-oxidation and resistance to wear
Brake DOT 5.1 fluid - 500mL -
Brake DOT 5.1 is a 100% synthetic brake and clutch fluid recommended for use in hydraulic braking systems of motorcycles. It has a dry boiling point: 270°C and is compatible
wedrfghjfghjk Brake DOT 4 is a 100% synthetic brake and clutch fluid recommended for use in hydraulic braking systems of motorcycles. It has a dry boiling point: 270°C, is compatible with ABS braking systems DOT 3.
A semi-synthetic fork oil available in a variety of weights, developed for road and off-road use. The oil ensures a progressive suspension and better handling with perfect Brake DOT 4 fluid -
penriteoil.com.au
MC-4ST 10W-30 (4 Stroke Engine Oil) - 4L - $68.99, 1L - $27.99
A superior performance premium engine oil with 100% PAO & Ester, full synthetic base oils combined with advanced additive technology including FULL ZINC+ for maximum engine, gearbox & clutch protection against wear, corrosion, oil oxidation, piston deposits and sludge under all conditions. Also available in 10W-40, 10W-50, 10W-60,
Chain Cleaner - 400mL - $17.99
A super strength, solvent-based chain cleaner that rapidly dissolves and cleans chain and sprocket dirt, sand, grime, chain grease, wax, oil silicone as well as other lubricating solids and fluids used on chain drives. Its Non-Chlorinated, Non-Corrosive and Non-Staining formulation is fast, effective, convenient and easier to use than conventional solvents. Also available in the Road Chain Pack & 10 Tenths Race Chain Pack.
Chain Lube Race500mL - $39.99
A 100% full synthetic, white, thin film, ultra-high performance chain lubricant engineered for on and offroad applications. Designed not to fling off in competition competitions at high speeds or temperatures or attract excessive amounts of dirt / mud / sand when off road. It provides exceptional anti-wear and anti-corrosion properties whilst maximising drive efficiency by lowering friction between the chain and sprockets. Also available is Chain Lube Road.
Foam Filter Oil - 400mL - $27.99, 1L - $44.99
A mineral solvent based, super tacky, foam filter treatment which effectively stops the ingestion of sand, dirt and dust into the engine allowing the engine to breathe only clean & particle free air. Also available in 1L Liquid and as part of the Foam Filter Cleaning Kit with Foam Filter Cleaner.
Power Sports Grease100g - $16.95
A water resistant, high temperature, multi-purpose grease that contains a special anti-rust additive for enhanced protection against rust and corrosion. It also contains a tackiness agent to provide increased protection during severe performance conditions allowing for exceptional water wash out resistance and spray off resilience. Also available is Rubber Grease and Cam Assembly Lube.
belray.com
EXS Synthetic Ester 4T oil – 10W40 - 4L - $134.95
Bel-Ray EXS Full Synthetic Ester 4T Engine Oil is a premium motorcycle oil that uses the finest quality synthetic hydrocarbon and ester base fluids combined with unique Extreme Pressure,
anti-wear additives and shear resistant VI improvers to meet the demands of highperformance applications. Lowers engine temperatures and increases horsepower.
THE SAYING, “ALL GOOD things must come to an end” is certainly one that everyone will be dreading with the end of an era for the venerable Suzuki DR650. Yep, that bull of adventure riding will be discontinued pretty much as of now. Suzuki Australia did try to get as many units as possible from the factory, but just about all of them are sold. If you do want to grab one, I urge you to hunt around as best you can and don’t just stick to your local Suzuki dealer (unless they’ve got one, of course!).
The reason the DR650 is heading off into the sunset – new regulations and not being able to meet them are the basics of it. This really is such a shame, so we thought we’d give you a look back at the history of this formidable adventure machine.
1990
At the end of the 1980’s the DR600 was the biggest off-road bike Suzuki had to offer. Honda had already put out its 650 Dominator and Suzuki’s DR600 wasn’t quite powerful enough for the customers who knew there were bigger machines available on the market. Therefore, Suzuki decided to make a larger and upgraded version of the DR600.
The DR650 arrived in the beginning of 1990s in two different versions: DR650R and DR650RS. The appearance was quite different between the two models, but they shared the same mechanics. The main difference was the RS version had a fairing, whereas the R was more traditionally styled like a trail bike.
The DR650 engine was an evolution from the DR600 design with a larger bore and stroke 640cc, the whole package (frame, suspension etc) was a generation ahead of the DR600.
Both DR650 models featured 21L fuel tanks and a massive aluminium luggage carrier.
1991
The introduction of the DR650RSE with electric start and automatic decompression system. The RSE was 15kg heavier than the RS thanks to the electric starter, larger battery (12Ah instead of 5) and higher output alternator (200W instead of 180W).
For easier handling, the RSE had 5mm shorter trail and wheelbase compensating for the increase in mass.
1992
The 1992 iterations received smaller fuel tanks (17 litre instead of 21) and the aluminium rear carrier was replaced with a new smaller one. The changes,
along with other refinements, reduced 8kg in dry mass. The exhaust system was enlarged for better low-rev torque and the rear suspension was also improved.
1993 – 1995
Only cosmetical changes.
1996
Every time I’ve been out adventure riding you come across someone riding a DR650
The DR650SE was introduced as a new model for 1996 with a new engine, improved handling, and less weight. The new, more compact 644cc engine produced slightly less peak power than before (31.6kW from 33.6kW) but delivered a broader range of power and enhanced performance in the lower RPM range. These changes negated the need to keep the revs above 3000rpm
to avoid engine stalls and making for a more enjoyable rider experience. The smoother engine power was achieved by upgrading the exhaust system (again) and increasing the bore by 5mm and shortening the stroke by 8mm. The new engine ran very smoothly and didn’t vibrate nearly as much as the previous engine from the RSE. Additionally, only a single, gear-driven balance shaft was used instead of the usual dual chain drive versions found in most singles of the time. Suzuki
Composite Electrochemical Material (SCEM) was also used for the cylinder for the first time, improving durability substantially over the previous cast bore design. A new oil cooler was also added.
Overall weight was reduced in several areas. The seat was narrower, and the fairing reduced to an ‘enduro-like’ headlight shroud without a windshield, the suspension and frame totally new and improved. The new DR650SE weighed 19kg less than the DR650RSE.
Seat height could also be optionally
lowered by 40mm (845mm – 885mm) by means of suspension adjustment, opening this bike up to even more riders.
1997
The introduction of the XF650 Freewind. Based on the DR650SE platform, this new model offered less ground clearance and was more street/ touring focussed. Featured a 19-inch front wheel instead of the DR650SE’s 21-inch wheel.
1998 - 2005
Only cosmetical changes.
2006
Updated 3rd gear.
2007 - 2009
Only cosmetical changes.
2010
Feedback and liaison between Suzuki Motor Corporation and Suzuki Australia resulted in several minor technical updates for MY10 and onwards. A countershaft seal retainer was introduced as well as improvements made to the shift drum tooling and manufacture.
2011 - 2015
Only cosmetical changes.
2016
Header pipe no longer painted black, now finished in raw stainless.
2017 – 2021
Only cosmetical changes.
2021 (Final Edition)
Australian locally developed variant, the ‘DR650SE Tanami Edition’ offered as an official model in Suzuki
Australia’s price list as the model heads to end of life in the Australian market.
The MY21 iteration will mark the end of an era with the DR650SE being discontinued from the Australian market.
Recognising the DR650SE’s remarkable success in
Australia, the final release will be offered as a Tanami Edition equipped with an 20L Acerbis fuel tank, Genuine Suzuki aluminium bash plate, Barkbuster VPS hand guards and ‘Tanami Edition’ decals.
Inspired by the remote northern Australian desert; famous for its undulating rocky terrain and rugged scenery, the Tanami Edition has been developed specifically with Australian adventure riders in mind, featuring a collection of accessories that heighten the model’s already renowned off-road capability.
THE SUN SETS
That’s it folks. Something I will miss about the DR650 is every time I’ve been out adventure riding you come across someone riding a DR650. That’s just how popular this bike is. I guess the momentum will still be there for a little while but slowly the venerable DR650 will be a rarer sight out on the trails. A sad day. D
• 12,918 DR650SE units sold in Australia (13,369 units including DR650R & DR650RS)
• 1997 RRP $8199 + ORC in 1997. $8199 in 1997 is equivalent in purchasing power to about $14,669.96 today, an increase of $6470.96 over 25 years.
• MY22 DR650SE Tanami Edition (Final Edition) RRP $10,790 + ORC / $11,890 Ride Away
• The RRP increased to $8690 + ORC in the 00-02 period. Model was considered being discontinued from the Australian market due to slow sales.
• Australia fought to continue selling the model, introduced a lower RRP for 03 ($7690) sales began to rise again and as they say, the rest is history!
• Cordless Re-chargeable tyre inflator
• Built-in torch
• Set and store four separate pressures
• Sturdy EVA bag
Cordless Re-chargeable Mini Tyre Inflator
• Ideal for inflating motorcycle, ATV, car and bicycle tyres. Pressure range from 3 to 120 PSI and accurate to +/- 1.5 PSI. Pumps a 90/90 R21 tyre from 0 to 32 PSI in under 3 minutes.
• Set and store up to 4 separate pressures. The pump will automatically shut OFF when a pre-set pressure is reached.
DESIGNED IN AUSTRALIA
• Can be recharged from most USB outlets. (charger not supplied). We recommend a 2A outlet. Charge times are between 3 and 5 hours depending on the state of the battery.
• 12,918 DR650SE units sold in Australia (13,369 units including DR650R & DR650RS)
• 1997 RRP $8199 + ORC in 1997. $8199 in 1997 is equivalent in purchasing power to about $14,669.96 today, an increase of $6470.96 over 25 years.
• MY22 DR650SE Tanami Edition (Final Edition) RRP $10,790 + ORC / $11,890 Ride Away
• The RRP increased to $8690 + ORC in the 00-02 period. Model was considered being discontinued from the Australian market due to slow sales.
• Australia fought to continue selling the model, introduced a lower RRP for 03 ($7690) sales began to rise again and as they say, the rest is history!
• Cordless Re-chargeable tyre inflator
• Built-in torch
• Set and store four separate pressures
• Sturdy EVA bag
• Product size: 107mm wide x 83mm high x 33mm deep.
• Weight: 471g
DESIGNED IN AUSTRALIA
Cordless Re-chargeable Mini Tyre Inflator
• Ideal for inflating motorcycle, ATV, car and bicycle tyres. Pressure range from 3 to 120 PSI and accurate to +/- 1.5 PSI. Pumps a 90/90 R21 tyre from 0 to 32 PSI in under 3 minutes.
• Set and store up to 4 separate pressures. The pump will automatically shut OFF when a pre-set pressure is reached.
• Can be recharged from most USB outlets. (charger not supplied). We recommend a 2A outlet. Charge times are between 3 and 5 hours depending on the state of the battery.
L O N G T E R M E R S
Pyramid Flyscreen with Puig screen
Price - £163 plus postage
PROBABLY ONE PART OF the Z900RS that needs making stylish is the fitment of a Pyramid Plastics Flyscreen. A bespoke design specifically for the Z900RS, manufactured from acrylic with a hand painted finish. I first saw the Pyramid Plastics Flyscreen when they sent me a press release about a year ago. My father had an ugly screen with an adjustable lip on his Z900RS (don’t tell him I said that!) and I thought enough was enough, I contacted Pyramid Plastics and bought their colourmatched flyscreen in Candytone Brown/Candytone Orange.
Shipping was more than reasonable at £24.99, and it turned up on my doorstep much faster than expected –awesome!
The flyscreen is packaged super well, so there’s not even a smidgen chance of it getting damaged. I couldn’t wait to unwrap it and, WOW, it is simply amazing. A proper moulded plastic ‘fairing’ and the paintwork is first class. The supplied Puig screen fits perfectly, so then it was making time to head to my father’s place to fit it. That was within a couple of days as he and I
I’ve fitted up the latest sticky hoops from Pirelli to my mighty Bandit at D Moto Motorcycle Engineering, but I’m yet to get out and give them a proper workout. The weather has really stuffed me up this last month. My ‘test’ roads have been chopped up quite bad, so hopefully by the next issue I’ll have my report on this exciting new tyre. SW
were hanging to see it on the bike.
Fitting instructions are supplied and are available on the Pyramid Plastics website. Fitment was super easy, and no modification was needed to the bike – the supplied brackets fit on the standard headlight bolts. There are ‘locking’ studs to stop the screen slowly moving back over time, which I thought to be a great design thought.
The fit is perfect, nothing is out of line and/or touching anything – this is a high-quality product, of which I’m super impressed.
As you’ll see in the photos the colour match is virtually spot on and boy does it look awesome.
My father has reported it moves the air away from his body up to his
neck – another perfect design feature and most of all he’s overly happy with how it looks. I’m sure you’ll agree it is stunning. As I’ve mentioned before in various News pieces I’ve run about Pyramid Plastics products, check them out at pyramid-plastics.co.uk, they have an extensive range for all sorts of makes and models of motorcycle. SW
IT’S NOT OFTEN IN this world of ever tightening regulations, that you can attend a motorcycle festival where just about anything goes. In the racing sense that is. Street racing, circuit, hill climbs, drags, speedway, beach, the Burt Munro Challenge has it all, and spectators aren’t an afterthought like they are at many other racing events.
The Burt Munro Challenge has been going since 2006, getting better every year. Just in case you don’t know who Burt Munro is, he took a healthily modified fifty-year-old Indian to the Bonneville Salt Flats in Utah, United States from Invercargill at the bottom of New Zealand’s South Island. There he set world speed records when both he and his bike were well past retirement age. A huge effort for a bloke and his machine at any time, but remarkably so at that age and that time in history.
His 1967 record of 183.58mph still stands today, and he also managed to hit 190.07mph during a qualifying run which is the fastest ever recorded speed on an Indian motorcycle.
Munro was immortalised in the 2005 film, “World’s Fastest Indian”, starring Sir Anthony Hopkins. If you’ve never seen it, then “Do Yourself a Favour”, as Molly Meldrum would say, and check it out.
The Burt Munro Challenge entails a whole heap of motorcycle races of different genres, with some able to be crossed over. It is action, packed so close you feel you could touch the bikes as they go past.
The Burt Munro Challenge is on from 8 – 12 February, 2023. Running for
five days, the event has something to suit all spectators. Here’s what’s on:
• WED 8 SOUTHLAND HONDA TRACK DAY
8.30am, Teretonga Park, Sandy Point
• THU 9 STAR INSURANCE NZ HILL CLIMB CHAMPS
10am, Flagstaff Road, Bluff
• THU 9 HARLEY-DAVIDSON TWILIGHT DRAG RACING
6pm, Teretonga Park, Sandy Point
• FRI 10 INDIAN MOTORCYLE BEACH RACING & NZ CHAMPS
11.30am, Oreti Beach, Otatara
• SAT 11 E HAYES & SONS TERETONGA SPRINT RACES
9am, Teretonga Park Sandy Point
• SAT 11 SUPER SELLER SHELLEY SPEEDWAY
3pm, Sievwright Oreti Park Speedway, Pit Road
• SUN 12 HONDA INVERCARGILL STREET RACES
9am, Bill Richardson Drive, Invercargill
You get super close to the action, so that side of the event is great for racing fans. But there’s so much more to see at the event and within the Invercargill area, and indeed sampling the local seafood, cafe culture and immersing yourself in the awesome natural beauty of the area, which includes Stewart Island, Fiordland and the whole Southland area is all worth investigating.
Everyone going to the Burt Munro Challenge, will love the Burt Munro display and a must is a visit to both Classic Motorcycle Mecca and Bill Richardson’s Transport World, where loads of vehicles, large and small, are on display.
There’s loads of places to stay, although the earlier you book the better, but if luxury isn’t your style, there’s plenty of camping and the Burt Munro Challenge Rally near Oreti Beach caters for enthusiasts who’ve ridden down for the event. Back in 2007 I competed in the event. It was only the second year but was very well run by the Southland Motorcycle Club. It wasn’t as big as it is now but what a time to be alive.
I had talked my wife into taking her to New Zealand for her 40th birthday. Of course, we should take in the Burt Munro Challenge during the trip I mentioned. I failed to mention the Challenge WAS the whole trip.
I hired an old van in Christchurch, headed to Dunedin to pick up a new KTM 530, apparently the first one in the country, and supplied to me by KTM NZ. They also kindly supplied some motard wheels. And I had the small factory tool kit to do any repairs needed.
After checking in to an Invercargill caravan park it was down to Oreti Beach for the racing. As expected, it was raining and blowing a gale. As I lined up for the 50-mile race I noticed a wide variety of Mad Max type motorcycles, like the 1200cc Yamaha V-Max with knobby tyres. Bloody hell I thought that rider’s keen. It was fast though, in a straight line, and the rider must have had a ticker as big as Phar Lap.
Around half distance I came in to pit for fuel. My goggles were totally fogged up, the wind and rain was near horizontal, and I’d just about had enough. I told my lovely wife I was retiring. Like a good crew chief, she told me to wake up and get back out there. “You’ve come all this way and it would be a shame if you didn’t finish the race”, would be a very polite way of describing her ‘pep’ talk. Out I went and I did finish the
race, which was a bit of a war of attrition to be honest, but what a feeling of elation I felt. I was closer to the back than the front, but I didn’t care.
Off to the Teretonga road racing circuit the next day was just as exciting. A hose down to rid the bike of sand and changing the dirt wheels to Motard was all the prep needed. All classes were pretty much catered for, from the Motards right through to Superbikes. In the race briefing we were informed there was no qualifying, and whoever managed to get to the start line first during the warmup/sighting lap would get pole position. Needless to say, there were bikes spearing off the track before the race even started. And what a start line. Not three or four to a line, it was handlebar to handlebar (I think it’s a little more structured now – Ed).
Now I’d started quite a few races in my time at that stage off my racing hobby, but I’d never experienced this before. I managed to stay on board at the start of each race and had a ball.
Day three saw us out at Wyndham, a little town not far from Invercargill, where the street racing was to take place. This was the highlight of the weekend for me, being a proper road racing fan, like the Isle of Man TT for example. Our pits were a side street off the circuit. Hay bales lined the streets, and spectators hung over them everywhere. Locals were cooking Maori style Hangis in their front yards, of which we had to sample of course, and the racing was fun and fierce. I spent most of my time in the Motard races wheel-standing and waving to the crowd, but also managed to spear myself into a massive hay bale at one stage, sending fans diving in all directions.
Then it was all over, but in-between the races we checked out the speedway night races, gorged ourselves on Oysters, and generally had a fantastic time. Whether you’re a spectator or a competitor, like I was, the event as a whole is a blast to be involved in.
For those keen on taking a longer look around the beautiful NZ landscape, but also taking in the Burt Munro Challenge, there’s a number of motorcycle rallies and festivals in the Southland area to take in either side of the BMC.
20-21 JAN DRUMMOND RALLY
27-29 JAN WOODSTOCK RALLY, HOKITIKA
3-5 FEB VINCENT COUNTY RALLY, GALLOWAY, ALEXANDRA
8-12 FEB BURT MUNRO CHALLENGE, INVERCARGILL
First weekend MARCH HARE RALLY, WAIMATE SHOWGROUNDS
Mid-MARCH HOKITIKA WILD FOODS FESTIVAL RALLY, KIWI BUSH TUCKER
All of these motorcycle rallies are held on local reserves and are very popular. The last March Hare Rally attracted around 1200 motorcycles.
So, there you have it. The BMC is a fantastic event to experience, whether you hire a bike, buy one in NZ or ship your own motorcycle over with a firm like Get Routed. If you can’t get to the IOM TT, then check this out. Better still, do both.
For more info on the BMC, visit burtmunrochallenge. co.nz, and for bike shipping go to getrouted.com.au. D
IT’S BEEN A WHILE since I plonked my backside on the latest iteration of the Triumph Rocket 3. In fact, the last time I rode one was at the Aussie launch where I set the fastest time up Rob Roy Hillclimb. This time I wanted to do some cruising on this beast of a bike and see how it rolls, rather than blasts along.
The Rocket 3 has always been about the engine and the GT has an engine larger than probably your four-wheeled tin top! Two point five litres! Yes, 2.5
litres (just to spell it out both ways) is housed as part of a hollow back frame which helps reduce weight and also adds stiffness (believe it or not) for great handling.
As you can well imagine, the 2458cc three-cylinder engine is the largest of any production motorcycle. Amazing acceleration from 221Nm of torque and 123kW of power provide all-day any-gear effortless riding, twoup or on your own. I took my better half (62kg) for a quick spin and the bike
didn’t even know she was there. The massive amount of torque really does rocket you into oblivion. I also managed to have a little play with a current Ducati Panigale and while I didn’t know the skill level of the guy riding it the Rocket 3 GT had him covered off the line and up to around 100km/h.
Speaking of the masses of torque, the Rocket 3 engine does have the highest torque figure of any production motorcycle available, that 221Nm is an astounding 71% more than its closest
competition.
The distinctive hydroformed threeheader exhaust is a great design detail on the Rocket 3 GT. This has been innovatively engineered for the perfect exhaust routing, flowing from the header into the combined cat box and onto the triple exit silencer – two on the right and one on the left, delivering a distinctive and unique deep growling triple Rocket soundtrack, with nice pops and bangs on overrun.
This being the GT model comfort is
The Rocket 3 engine does have the highest torque figure of any production motorcycle available, that 221Nm is an astounding 71% more than its closest competition
one thing you’d be expecting to be first class…and it is. The riders seat is nicely sculpted and comfortable for all-day riding and heated grips are great for cold weather riding. The footpegs can be adjusted to three settings, so no matter how tall or short you are, you’ll get the perfect setup. The GT also has a low 750mm seat height, and the handlebar is placed comfortably with arms bent in a relaxed way.
The torque assist clutch makes the
clutch lever pull light and smooth to use and for the pillion reports received are the seat is nice, but not overly big and the little backrest was great to stop any unwanted launches off the back under swift acceleration. For even more long-distance comfort I think the accessory tall screen would be a consideration to move a bit more air away from the body.
Handling is great. You’d expect this big brute to be heavy but weighing in at 294kg (dry) turn in is pretty reasonable. Sure, you do have to use a little bit of muscle to muscle this muscle bike around but not to the point that it’s tiring and while cruising
through open sweepers there’s virtually no effort required. Depending on your preferences, the Rocket 3 GT has fully adjustable Showa monoshock with piggyback reservoir (adjustable rebound, compression and preload), and 47mm adjustable Showa front forks (with rebound and compression adjustability).
To stop this big bad brute, the highest specification Brembo Stylema calipers pull you up quick smart – sportsbike level stopping power.
As you would expect, electronics feature heavily on the GT. A 2nd generation full-colour TFT panel which is sophisticated and can be personalised
is a nice touch. You can also adjust the angle of the panel for optimum visibility. When I say personalised, there are two information layouts to choose from and you can add in a personalised message/name that is displayed on the start-up screen.
Cornering ABS is great to have if things get out of hand and Cornering Traction Control maintains the optimum level of traction control for the lean angle of the bike. I must say the traction control was active quite a bit and with so much torque it’s when you least expect the rear to kick sideways, that it will. I turned it off to feel the difference and I almost thought I was
Handling is great. You’d expect this big brute to be heavy but weighing in at 294kg (dry) turn in is pretty reasonable
Triumph Stunt rider, Lukey Luke at times.
Four riding modes can be chosen - Road, Rain, Sport and Riderconfigurable mode which adjust the throttle response and traction control settings to suit your preference.
All-LED lighting with a distinctive Daytime Running Light looks the business. Other great features include Hill Hold control, Cruise Control, Keyless ignition and steering lock, heated grips (as mentioned) and a 5V USB power socket, located under the seat.
Over 50 accessories are available for the Rocket 3, but to highlight some of the more premium options, there’s Triumph Shift Assist (up and down quickshifter), World first integrated GoPro control system - this feature enables GoPro camera operation, which is facilitated by an accessory fitted Bluetooth connectivity module. The connection and control is displayed on the TFT instruments, enabling intuitive video and photo operation via the switchgear. Turn-by-turn navigation system powered by Google, which does require downloading the free My Triumph app for iOS and Android phones. Integrated phone and music operation via Bluetooth and Tyre Pressure Monitoring System (TPMS)
For enhanced rider safety and control, both Rocket 3 models can be fitted with the accessory TPMS.
Pricing for the GT depends on colour – for the Sapphire Black, it will set you back $35,490 ride away and the twotone colour we tested, costs another $900 at $36,390.
If you love hard acceleration and want a motorcycle with a truck sized engine (in motorcycle speak), the Rocket 3 GT will give you touring delights you won’t get on any other motorcycle out there. D
TRIUMPH ROCKET 3 GT
MODEL: Triumph Rocket 3 GT
PRICE: $36,390 (ride away)
WARRANTY: Two years, unlimited distance
SERVICING INTERVALS: Every 16,000km or 12 months
ENGINE: 2458cc liquid-cooled in-line three cylinder, 110.2x85.9mm bore/stroke, DOHC, 4 valves per cylinder
POWER: 123kW @ 6000rpm
TORQUE: 221Nm @ 4000rpm
TRANSMISSION: 6-speed, wet multi-plate torque assist clutch, shaft final drive
SUSPENSION: Front, 47mm inverted fork, adjustable compression and rebound, travel 120mm. Rear, monoshock, adjustable preload, compression and rebound, travel 107mm.
DIMENSIONS: Seat height 750mm, weight 294kg (dry), fuel capacity 18 litres, wheelbase 1677mm
TYRES: Front, 150/80/R17. Rear, 240/50/R16
BRAKES: Front, twin 320mm discs with radial four-piston Cornering ABS calipers. Rear, 300mm disc, four-piston Cornering ABS caliper.
FUEL CONSUMPTION: 7.86 litres per 100km, premium unleaded
THEORETICAL RANGE: 229km
COLOURS: Sapphire Black, Carnival Red/Sapphire Black
VERDICT: Be the Rocket Man
IN LAST MONTH’S SAGA of the Aprilia RSV1000R rescue, I thought I’d bought a lemon. This may still be the case, but I thought I would simply replace the missing battery, and all would be right in the world of Aprilia ownership. This was not to be and would send me on a quest to find fuel filters, fuel hose, good hose clamps and other things not easily found at Supercheap.
After changing the oil and filter, a pretty simple job for most ham fisted back-yarders, it was on to firing this beast up. Now this wasn’t to be as simple as I thought. The tank had stuff all fuel in it. What was there was stale for sure, but I topped it up with slightly less stale fuel from my daughter’s mower drum. Bike would not go. It didn’t even look like firing. Hmm?
mate who confirmed it was the same as a Ducati 999. Perth’s Ducati dealer had one in stock, but it was a 1.5 hour round trip from home. I wanted this bike running so into the car I went. There is also a short 7.9mm hose from the pump housing to said filter and this is prone to cracking according to Aprilia gurus, so this sent me on a quest to three different Repco stores. The
I had plenty of ideas to go on from the Aprilia RSV1000 forums and Facebook, one of which told of all sorts of issues with split hoses and gummed up filters inside the fuel tank. That was to be my first port of call, and I was hoping there would be no issues with split/damaged O-rings and the like. Any Aprilia only part was no doubt going to cause me problems. I’d already spoken to the local Perth Aprilia dealer who had no fuel filters. Of course, I didn’t know if the filter was Aprilia only but once I’d removed the pump and ancillaries from the plastic tank, I could see it was a FIAAM brand filter, something I guessed would be used by a few different Italian bike manufacturers. I took some pics and sent them to a Ducati specialist
correct hose to use is submersible fuel hose which is designed to be immersed in fuel without degrading in short order. Two Repco stores didn’t have any, one said they did but when I drove the 30 minutes to them, they couldn’t find it. Autobarn, Supercheap and the
like had nothing. Stuff me. I spent near enough to half a day chasing up this unobtainable hose. I ended up putting some regular high pressure fuel hose in there just to get the bloody thing going. So, let’s call it a day, getting the filter, hose and cleaning the pump arrangement and then the engine would still not fire.
Spark was checked. Yes, very fat ones. Good. In desperation I sprayed some injector cleaner down the throttle bodies and hit the go button. Boom! We had life for a fleeting second or two. Right, on to the injectors. There was nothing spraying out of them when I was turning over the engine. One bright spark had mentioned this on FB, saying it was a 90 percent chance it was blocked injectors from sitting too long. How the hell do I clean them? Of course, I could pull them out and get them professionally cleaned but that was more driving, more time and more money. And I was to be driving back to NSW from WA the very next day. Did I mention I wanted this bastard going
Make sure the tilt switch is right way up when you change the battery
before I left?
On to Doctor Google and a couple of enterprising sounds showed homemade injector cleaning rigs so I set about doing the same. Once I had pulled the injectors out (easy really), I got some fuel hose to fit on the inlet end of the injector and used smaller hose and different sized heat shrink to get it down to the thin nozzle attached to my injector/carb cleaner spray can. There are two electrical connectors on the injector, so I made up two wires to attach to them. It didn’t matter which one, as there’s no positive or negative as such on the injector. I then attached one write to the negative on a 12v battery, started spraying the injector cleaner into the injector and at the same time I’m speaking the other wire on the positive terminal of the battery. You still with me? This clicks the solenoid inside the injector on and off and with the injector cleaner cleaning as it’s all happening at millisecond pace. It didn’t take long to see the jury rigged set up was doing the job and in no time at all I had clean injectors.
I must say I was slightly nervous as a close friend who is a brilliant mechanic told me I was likely to catch on fire, I was a tight arse, and I should have them cleaned by someone smarter than I, which he assured me was lots of people.
He was either wrong, or I was lucky. Needless to say, do not try this at home kids.
In the injectors went with a little spit on the O-rings for lubrication on re-entry. It all hooked up nicely and after priming the fuel system 4-5 times, it would still not start. Argh! In desperation, I again sprayed some carb cleaner down the throttle bodies and away it went and kept on running. It revved up nice, the engine sounded great and when I stopped the engine, it would start straight up again. Result! Then I noticed fuel pissing out from the throttle bodies and the fuel pump housing, more specifically the banjos that attach to those two parts. These connections have two flat alloy washers, just like where a banjo attaches to a caliper. I re-used them, after cleaning and filing them oh so slightly, but they are a one-use item. I hoped to get away with it but no. Another trip to the local auto parts store and I had a couple of alloy washers and a couple of copper ones. I annealed the copper ones, put them all on and no more leaks. Another result.
Now I need to replace the brake and clutch fluids, look at the fork seals and get this thing on the road. Onwards and hopefully forwards. See you next month. D
THE FIRST HALF OF 2022
I don’t know if you’ve ever noticed that governments and their instrumentalities sometimes fix problems that don’t exist, because they can’t work out how to fix the ones that do – or because there is no way to fix those. I suspect that ATVs pose a problem of the last kind – an unfixable one. But the Australian Consumer and Competition Commission (ACCC) needed to do something, and chose, I think, to fix another problem, one that didn’t exist.
Back in October 2021, the ACCC issued an optimistic press release about the new Quad Bike Safety Standard.
The safety of most new or imported second-hand quad bikes sold in Australia will be substantially improved from 11 October [2021] as a result of increased safety features and improved design standards.
From this date, new and second-hand imported general use quad bikes sold in Australia must meet the second stage
The steep drop in ATV sales dragged total motorcycle sales in Australia down by 14.2 per cent
requirements of the mandatory Quad Bike Safety Standard.
Stage two requires any new or imported second hand general use quad bikes to be fitted with operator protection devices and meet minimum stability requirements. Six people have died in quad bike accidents so far this year, and 2020 had the highest annual death toll with 24 quad bike fatalities.
“Quad bike accidents are the leading cause of death and injury on Australian farms and the mandatory safety standard will be critical in saving lives,”
ACCC Deputy Chair Mick Keogh said.
Well, yes and no. The standard, which mainly requires roll-over
protection, will possibly save lives, but not because the quads will be safer. It will save lives because no more will be imported – at least by major companies. They don’t think the answer is protection and are refusing to go along with the ACCC. The Federal Chamber of Automotive Industries, the industry association, explains:
Off-road vehicle sales are down 45 per cent compared to the first six months of 2021. This follows the decision by the major ATV brands to stop importing ATVs into Australia due to safety concerns with the new quad bike standard. Abnormally high sales in previous years coincided with a huge rush by farmers to buy their
favourite brands of ATVs before they sold out.
A senior industry figure told me that the main cause of death on ATVs is carelessness by the rider, and “you can’t fix stupid”. In Mandy Rice-Davies’ immortal words, [he] “would say that”. But the facts appear to bear him out.
The ACCC insists that research “indicates that almost half of quad bike accidents involved riders who had 20 or more years of experience operating them, while less than two per cent of accidents involved an operator with less than three years’ experience”. Basic math’s disagrees, seeing that of the 150 people who have died in quad bike accidents since
2011, 23 were children. Two per cent of 150 is three, not 23.
The steep drop in ATV sales dragged total motorcycle sales in Australia down by 14.2 per cent in the first half of 2022, compared with the previous year. That was despite rises of 4.8 per cent for road bikes and 11.4 per cent for scooters. Off road bike sales were down as well, a total of 12.7 percent. For road riders, those figures don’t look bad at all. The problem is that fewer sales in any category mean less cash flowing through the tills of bike shops, making them less profitable. That’s not good for anybody.
Certainly not farmers who will be using old ATVs. D
TRIUMPH HAS BEEN DEEP in the design and testing of their electric TE-1 motorcycle and it has hit the final prototype stage and ready for a motorcycle to be designed for sale. Sadly, Triumph tell us the bike you see in the pictures will not be the bike that goes into production. Judging by the range on full power, which just about halves the claimed 161km range, we assume this could be more of a track bike than a roadie, but you never know by the time it rolls into production. The charging time to 80% is a promising start though.
Triumph says… “The official completion of the TE-1 electric development project, with the release of the final prototype test results that exceed the project objectives and demonstrate the incredible success of this unique collaboration are in.
The TE-1 significantly exceeds the
“The prototype demonstrator has exceeded many of our initial targets and expectations”
real-world range of the equivalent electric motorcycles available today with a category-leading 161km / 100mile range, based on live testing and official projections. 130kW (177PS / 175bhp) peak power delivers an incredible standard of acceleration, achieving 3.6 seconds 0-60mph, and an outstanding 6.2 seconds 0-100mph combined with a game-changing 20-minute charge time (0-80%), faster than today’s equivalent electric motorcycles. At 220kg, the bike is up to 25% lighter than comparable electric motorcycles supporting a classleading power-to-weight ratio.
The unique collaboration between 92 www.ausmotorcyclist.com.au
Triumph Motorcycles, Williams Advanced Engineering, Integral Powertrain Ltd, and WMG, University of Warwick, funded by the Office for Zero Emission Vehicles through Innovate UK, was set up to create ground-breaking developments in specialist electric motorcycle engineering and innovative integrated technology design. The extensive live testing programme, which involved numerous assessments of the bike’s performance on the rolling road, as well as on track, provided vital direction into the final set-up and calibration of the TE-1 prototype demonstrator, which has now delivered on all of its targets and objectives.
With phase 4 officially completed, the live testing phase of the Triumph TE-1 project has seen the prototype demonstrator exceed expectations and achieve some incredible outcomes, delivering on all project objectives of accelerating electric motorcycle development and innovation, setting new standards for the sector overall, including final battery and range performance. The expertise and capabilities developed throughout the project now pave the
The expertise and capabilities developed pave the way for the exciting electric future
way for the exciting electric future to come from Triumph Motorcycles.
Exceeding the real-world range of the equivalent electric motorcycles available today, the Triumph TE-1 prototype has achieved all project
targets with regards to the energy capacity of the Williams TE-1 project developed battery, with an incredible 161km / 100mile range, based on official testing and projections.
Regenerative braking has been successfully implemented for TE-1, with scope for further optimisation, as well as greater efficiencies in the motor generator unit and transmission, which could improve the range further for the future of Triumph electric motorcycles.
Advances in battery and charging technologies that have been developed as part of the Triumph TE-1 project, in collaboration with Williams Advanced Engineering (WAE), have resulted in a game-changing 20-minute charge time (0-80%), successfully delivering against the ambitious targets laid out by Innovate UK, the government’s research and innovation agency that supports business led R&D funding and UK business growth.
“WAE are delighted to have been involved in this exciting programme to deliver the TE-1 prototype. Since its conception in 2018,
all the partners have worked with collaboration, innovation and passion to bring the boundary breaking prototype to life. It is pleasing to hear positive rider comments which confirms that the dynamics of the bike are aligned with Triumph’s DNA. This has been underpinned by the classleading Battery and Control System that WAE has produced within a lightweight and integrated package. This core WAE technology has allowed us to exceed performance and charging targets for the battery which we look forward to seeing in future
powertrains.” Dyrr Ardash, Head of Strategic Partnerships, Williams Advanced Engineering.
“We are incredibly proud to be able to share such positive outcomes from the completion of Project Triumph TE 1, where the prototype demonstrator has exceeded many of our initial targets and expectations. Everyone on the team is thrilled with the results we have achieved with our partners, and how the outcomes of the project will feed into the electric future to come from Triumph.” Nick Bloor, CEO, Triumph Motorcycles. D
It’s hard to believe, but this iconic image is now more than 20 years old. It’s a bit grainy; we took it on our first Andes tour, waaay back in the late 90’s.
World On Wheels, Leading the way for 27 years
Ph: 0408 770 480 E: Adventure@WorldOnWheels.Tours
will keep your hands nice and toasty for extended periods of time when set on one of the four heat settings, and they can be turned off, and this is the big feature I found most useful for our winter days. As we all know, our days usually start off cold in the winter months, warming up to 15 degrees plus (most of the time) and having the option to turn the heat settings off without the need to disconnect a battery and so on is pure bliss. If there’s two things that are hard to handle on a bike and that’s freezing cold or sweaty overheated hands.
The ION RTX heated gloves are made from soft and supple goatskin leather, and a special lining constructed out of a blend of Softflex and Bremberg textiles. It gets an inner RTX breathable membrane which is also responsible for producing water and wind-proofing properties. As for protective features, the fingers and back of the hand come equipped with standard EVA protectors, while the outer leather of the glove itself offers impressive abrasion resistance.
To test the batteries, I headed back to the mountains for a freezing cold ride (again!). The things I do to test products for you! LOL! I started off the morning on setting one (the lowest setting) and once I got up into the mountains and the mercury plummeted to around 3 degrees and a cold cloud cover, I switched to setting three. My entire fingers and the back of palm were warm the whole ride – excellent. How did the batteries last? Well, I got an excellent, just under five hours out of them. Sure, if you pump up the setting to max the entire time this will reduce battery life, but I am thinking about three hours which is usually more than enough to get you over the coolness of the day. I also found the highest setting to be hot – great if you feel the cold. As with just about all heated clothing you can get cords to plug it into your bike for all day hot stuff.
LED indicators on the top of the hand let you know how the battery is travelling and which heat setting you’re on. Lowest setting is Blue, 2nd level is White, 3rd level is Red and the hottest setting is
Without heating turned on the ION RTX is a great winter glove on its own. Other features include wrist and cuff Velcro closures, visor wiper on both gloves, touch tip for use on devices, however I couldn’t get it to work on my iPhone. A water exhaust at the bottom of the wrist lets water escape and not accumulate between the outer layer and waterproof membrane, which has to be a very smart idea. I haven’t noticed the gloves getting waterlogged, so something must be happening there! Another great feature is the inner lining doesn’t come out when your hands are hot or wetperfecto!
Sizing is bang on the money, I take a 2XL and the ION RTX fits like a glove. Ha! Sizing does range from S-4XL. So impressed am I with the Macna ION RTX gloves if you’ve ever considered a heated glove, these are the ones. I did miss out by a month or so from getting their latest and greatest ‘Progress’ heated gloves, which are claimed to be even better again. SW
April 11-25, 2023
The weather is 18-25Cbeautiful spring riding and everything is green – what more could you want!
AFTER CONSULTATION WITH THE GREAT FOLK at IMTBIKE we’ve decided to postpone our Land of Vineyards tour until 2023. It appears as though many of you are still not happy to travel overseas –I guess the mainstream media in this country has done its job by putting the fear of Godzilla in you. I can tell you that every European based tour operator I’ve spoken to has said their bookings are now better than ever and the general population in every country is back to pre-covid life. Australia is a bit behind the 8-Ball, unfortunately. So, here we go…join our Land of Vineyards tour with the awesome IMTBIKE crew and of course, Stuart will be heading along for you all to have a great laugh with. This tour will be one not to be missed. Only Aussies know how to have the best time, so book now and reserve your spot. You know you want to do it, so book it!
Tour Facts
Start / End – Madrid
Total Distance - 1,770 miles / 2,850 km
Total Time - 15 Days
Riding Days - 13 Days
Rest Days - 2 Salamanca, Porto
Breakfast - 14 Included
Dinners - 11 Dinners
Daily Mileage - 165 miles / 275 kms.
Hotel Overnights - 14 Nights
Riding Season - Spring, Autumn
Highlights: 6 cities declared World Heritage by UNESCO: Segovia, Ávila, Ciudad Rodrigo, Salamanca, Porto and Guimarães. All of them connected by the best imaginable roads. Wine, wine and more wine! This tour goes through the major wine regions of Spain and Portugal.
Accommodations: Awesome hotels.
Included in Tour:
• Airport pickup on the first day of the tour.
• Overnight accommodations in high quality hotels
• A gourmet evening meal every night (except on rest days).
• Complete buffet breakfast every morning.
• New model BMW motorcycle fully equipped with 3 BMW cases.
First-class historical Pousadas and Paradors plus a few specially selected boutique hotels with local flair. Pousadas and Paradors are Castles, Palaces & Fortresses converted into motorcyclefriendly hotels.
*All IMTBIKE lodgings are hand-picked for their quality of service, local charm and strategic locations.
• Tour handbook (normally about 70 pages-very comprehensive) and highlighted map.
• Expert multilingual guide on a motorcycle.
• Multilingual guide in support vehicle which will carry your luggage, any oversized purchases you make; or even a passenger or two.
• Tour Souvenirs.
Not included in Tour:
Air ticket, lunches, gasoline, drinks, tolls, personal spending and tips
The Bear Says Seriously, folks, that’s cheap for the experience of a lifetime.
IMTBike says…
THIS DREAM TOUR WILL lead you through some of the most prestigious wine regions in Spain and Portugal. You’ll begin
capital, and travel through charming wine regions such as La Rioja, Ribera del Duero, Rueda, El Bierzo, Douro, Porto and the area in which “Vinho Verde” is produced. This magnificent motorcycle route will wind you over
and through infinite vineyards. You will also visit millenary villages, castles and fortresses that still remain as proud vestiges of the once mighty region of Castile.
Combine amazing wineries with fun twisty roads with impeccable asphalt and you are in for an amazing vacation! On this journey you will see for yourself why this route is designed for connoisseurs of great motorcycle roads, wine, history and gastronomy.
Transfer from the Airport to the Hotel is included. You will have free time to rest or visit the city until the welcome meeting at the hotel in the afternoon.
We will enjoy a welcome dinner after the meeting at a typical Spanish restaurant. The first and last day in the itinerary correspond to the arrival and departure days of the tour. You may have to leave a day early depending on your country of origin. Please book your flights taking this into account.
Day 1: Madrid Arrival
Day 2: Madrid – Soria
Day 3: Soria – La Rioja
Day 4: La Rioja – Ribera del Duero
Day 5: Ribera de Duero – Salamanca
Day 6: Salamanca – Rest Day
Day 7: Salamanca – El Bierzo
Day 8: El Bierzo – Bragança
Day 9: Bragança – Guimaraes
Day 10: Guimaraes – Porto
Day 11: Porto – Rest Day
Day 12: Porto – Ciudad Rodrigo
Day 13: Ciudad Rodrigo – Ávila
Day 14: Ávila – Madrid
Day 15: Flight home
The price € 5645 - The base price of every tour is calculated for a single rider on a BMW G310R and sharing a double room
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.
NOT ONLY ARE WE the leading monthly motorcycle magazine in Australia, but we also hit the shelves in Unzud and worldwide via the Zinio app, and it’s always great to hear from those OS that really enjoy the magazine. While Ron won’t be able to take advantage of the Motul Chain Pack, I’m sure he’ll love reading that he’s our first worldwide winner! Onya Ron! No matter if you’re overseas, always check out the Motul range of oils and lubricants to keep your ride the best it can possibly be - linkint. com.au/motul-oils
Cheers, Stuart
Well, hello from the Great White North! I’m fortunate enough to be able to read the online version of your fine magazine via our local library. You folks sometimes have a different point of view of some bikes than we do, probably due to the differences in climate and geography. I would like you to answer a question for me, if you’d be so kind. The pricing info that’s part of each road test gives a price and then says, “Ride Away”. What exactly does that little phrase mean? I await to be enlightened!
Thanks, and happy riding!
Ron (Bronson) Wheeler
Hi Ron,
Great to hear you’re enjoying our mag from a far!
Ride away means there are no on road or dealer costs (registration, pre-delivery and whatever is required for the bike to be ready for an owner to ride), you pay the stated price and ride out of the
showroom.
Happy riding to you, too.
Cheers, Stuart.
Hi Stuart,
Oh, so that price includes the bike licence plate? Up here you would pay for the bike plus predelivery inspection plus taxes, but then have to buy insurance before going to the licence bureau with the VIN and insurance numbers to get a licence plate for the road. Is bike insurance run by the state or is it a private industry? Up here it’s privately run, so we get to pay through the nose, depending on the displacement of the bike. I ride a 1996 Suzuki DR650 and pay $800 per year with what we call bare bones insurance. Liability only, no fire and theft. So, that’s my cost on a 650 after riding for 52 years. My buddy of the same age and experience rides a 1994 (?) FJ 1200, and his insurance premium gets bumped up to $1500 per year, only because of the engine displacement, also for bare bones coverage. I would pay the big bucks even if I plated my 1973 Yamaha RT360. What rubs salt in the wound up here, is that if you own a classic car, you pay about $150 per year for full coverage at an agreed upon value, set by an appraiser. But because bikes don’t qualify for any relief like that, most working-class folks like me can only afford to ride one bike on the street, while the others just sit and get looked at. Well, I kind of went off on a tangent here, didn’t I? I truly appreciate you getting back to me, not only quickly, but at all. So many people don’t respond to simple questions these days. Anyway, have yourself a great day, eh?
Ron
Hi Ron,
Yep, that includes pre delivery, the registration, number plate and our
compulsory third party insurance (for injuries). For insurance on the bike itself being covered for accident damage to the bike or other vehicles/property, that is extra but isn’t compulsory though. Usually around $600 for full coverage on average.
Yeah, it’s crazy how the world goes round at times.
You have a great day too, mate.
Cheers, Stuart.
Hey Stuart, I fair dinkum give up. This bullshit about the EU mandating electric vehicles is absolute rubbish. No way I’ll be driving or riding some electric piece of shit. I’ll run my bike on racing fuel if it comes to it!
Not happy Jan,
Rob Jackson Penrith, NSW
Hi Rob,
Yeah, I’m not happy about it either. I think it’s way too early for the world to transition to full electric just yet. The range and charging times just aren’t there.
Cheers, Stuart.
Hi Stu,
I read the piece on, “Death is Upon Us” in issue 114. I don’t know what other people, think but the EU are a bunch of imbeciles. There are so many other fuel alternatives that obviously haven’t been seriously looked at. Or are the people in charge at the EU putting a brown paper bag in their back pocket each month? Kings Cross Detectives all over again.
Regards, Simon Heffer
Stuart,
Jack Pearson “Aren’t They All” in AMM 114 says, regarding sidecars,
continued on page 106
Supplied by our friends at Motorrad Garage
to improve my biceps
continued from page 104 ...
continued from page 104...
to improve my biceps
Hi Harry,
to improve my biceps
Hi Harry,
Hi Harry,
Hi Stuart,
too bad, but will certainly consider Mick at MJM. I know a few people who have had their seat done by him. Thanks for the kind words. Merry Xmas!
‘Someone at some point in time must have put ... a lounge chair on a homemade frame...’.
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.
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
COVID 1
Dear Stuart,
Cheers, Stuart LOVE IT
COVID 1
mighty story to tell!
Punjabi Possum
Scourge of the Khyber Pass
Hi mate,
Jack must have been in Mt Barker S.A. about 55 years ago and seen a Panther with a faded red velvet lounge chair in the sidecar frame taking about 6 passengers to the pub. I have a photo somewhere, but it might be issue 120 before I can find it.
Gents,
Cheers,
Dear Stuart,
Dear Stuart,
Jeff Cole
Mparntwe (Alice Springs)
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).
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.
Hi Stuart,
Maybe a laugh or two for you?
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).
Firstly, great mag, love it each month. The Kawasaki Versys 1000 S you reviewed in the last issue (97) was great. I was looking at the electronic suspension version last year but you have just sold me on this new model. Not only is it cheaper, which is great for keeping things happy with the “boss”, but as you mentioned you’d be hard pressed to 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.
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.
During this endeavour, we are doing the Border Run, and plan a circumnavigation of the country.
Regards, Mark, QLD
As of Tuesday 26th, myself and my mate are off on a Royal Enfield jolly.
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 love the Culture article in the last issue (#107). It was a great to be taken back to a more freer time and having topless painted girls is just one of those good times when people weren’t so caught up on how someones shirt has to be “this long” and not “that long”. I remember back a few years ago when you ran a cover shot with a girl and a rusty bike and the reaction some ‘special’ people wrote into you about. They all need to relax and just realise times were different and a bit of history every now and again is a good thing.
Braidwood. Purpose to ride, have a social get together and have some food whilst out. Now, no such trips. I know there has been panic in terms of buying up of products like loo paper, tissues, hand sanitizer, pasta, canned tomatoes and other products. This panic buying has been ridiculous in my opinion and created a problem of store supply where there was no need to stockpile goods at home. I note that the news reports say that a small supermarket group Drake’s has refused to buy back 150 x 32 roll packs of toilet paper and 150 x 1 ltr sanitizer. I am GLAD they refused a refund as the 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!
Braidwood. Purpose to ride, have a social get together and have some food whilst out. Now, no such trips. I know there has been panic in terms of buying up of products like loo paper, tissues, hand sanitizer, pasta, canned tomatoes and other products. This panic buying has been ridiculous in my opinion and created a problem of store supply where there was no need to stockpile goods at home. I note that the news reports say that a small supermarket group Drake’s has refused to buy back 150 x 32 roll packs of toilet paper and 150 x 1 ltr sanitizer. I am GLAD they refused a refund as the 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!
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
Braidwood. Purpose to ride, have a social get together and have some food whilst out. Now, no such trips. I know there has been panic in terms of buying up of products like loo paper, tissues, hand sanitizer, pasta, canned tomatoes and other products. This panic buying has been ridiculous in my opinion and created a problem of store supply where there was no need to stockpile goods at home. I note that the news reports say that a small supermarket group Drake’s has refused to buy back 32 roll packs of toilet paper and 150 x 1 ltr sanitizer. I am GLAD they refused a refund as the 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!
Good luck and hope you have a good time. Cheers, Stuart.
Hi Peter/ Stuart, I would like to throw in my two bobs worth regarding exhaust noise. 10 years ago I decided that I would do mobile machine servicing throughout NSW and beyond (if they pay) 98% of my work traveling is by motorcycle. After about 2 years I decided to fit a set of Staintune exhaust which raised the decibels slightly, and I did find that it did catch the attention of surrounding vehicles better than with the standard exhaust, this was a good safety feature for me as I am constantly traveling slightly quicker than surrounding traffic and being noticed certainly helps you do it safer. I must say 98% of the motorists on the road weekdays are very accommodating in allowing you to do your bit without adding extra pressure on your riding.
for speeds between 5 & 8 kilometres over the limit) and when you are lane splitting and you come across a good sort sitting in her car with a short skirt on try and keep your eyes focused on the gap ahead and not the gap beside you as your motorcycle will happily head in the direction that you are looking.
Hi Hugh,
Thanks for the kind words, although I don’t think the shiny paper would go too good as shit paper. LOL!
Cheers, Stuart.
Yours in Motorcycling, Ian Gregory, Regents Park
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.
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.
All the people dissing Boris “Get a Life”. Don’t read it, you know where it is. Last page! Ignore it!
Cheers, Peter
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.
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 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
A big ask the mighty 500 Classic’s, but we have serviced and re-tyred and fettled the things and are hopeful of a successful outcome.
Catch you when we get back, with a
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
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
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 exceeded by a week’s worth or less perhaps of the
#1 - congratulations on completing the ‘Trials Education’, I would say that your knowledge is now far greater than that I gained on my Bultaco ‘Sherpa T’ in a remote mining camp. On days off it was a case of ‘which way shall I go’? on reaching the edge of town. Due to these sorts of decisions I had to be sure that I managed to get back to base on my own as if I didn’t, nobody had a clue as to where I went and what happened if I didn’t make it back as I left no information in my quarters. The Great Sandy Desert was a great place to play in. There were many beautiful aspects of a Trials bike in these situations as the lower gears were just great to ‘poke around’ amongst the boulders and washouts in that
A couple of little tips from someone who does traffic riding every day whilst concentrating on zipping through the traffic you tend to not remind yourself of speed camera locations and they are becoming very savage nowadays (been booked 4 times
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
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.
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.
No name provided
BORIS 2
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 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.
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.
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 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
Hi Bear, I had a really good laugh at your comment “somebody stop me before I modify another perfectly good motorcycle” (AM #105) - as this is so quintessential of me! If you view the included pictures of my last two bikes you will see that I could not help myself trying to make my BMW F700 into what I considered the best tourer for exploring out of the way places. Likewise my poor Suzuki GSX S750 was piled up with all kinds of add-ons to make it into my perfect road tourer. I just can’t help myself – LOL.
As for the couple of blokes that sent letters in the last issue, I think
I try to reduce my listening/reading/ watching to once or twice a day to keep up with developments - more than that is
area, plus top gear was good for about 110kmh (as long as you remembered to clench your teeth together to prevent the fillings working their way out). I have tried a few different bikes with differing engine sizes and the following is a sort of constant. Smaller engines gave a tremendous distance to a tank full of fuel, but it was a painful experience to have to claw your way across a dry riverbed as it mostly had to ‘dig’ its way across usually taking a fair while to do so too. Really big engines (say 350cc or bigger) had no problems crossing dry riverbeds. A case of how quickly can I do this, perhaps. Fuel range on a tank was not good however and there were times when I wondered if I was going to have to push it back into town. 250cc seemed to be the optimum, enough power to get up on top of the sand and get over it. And with a reasonable fuel economy too. I have often wondered if a modern version of the Trials bike (aka Sherco) would fit the bill for a similar off-road exploration experience. Sadly, I think not. The Sherpa T at least had a seat (25.4mm padding, acceptable when one is at
the ‘bullet-proof’ age). Whereas the Sherco lacks this necessity which becomes important if it is going to take some considerable time to get to the area one wants to explore. If I ever find an acceptable compromise, I will let you know.
#2 - BEAR – liked your snake cartoon in the back of June ’22. If you want to see another version of this, I would suggest you watch ‘Bran Nue Dae’ Aussie movie where a snake becomes a temporary fan belt.
#3 - BEAR – re ‘Bear Tales’ in the same issue. Suggest you watch ‘Another Round’, a Scandinavian movie which explores this same premise. A bunch of moribund teachers hear about a uni researchers’ theory that one had to be on .05 just to be average. The theory being the higher the level the better one functions.
Keep up the good work. Cheers
John of Tewkesbury
Like you I fell in love with the looks and simplicity of the Triumph Street Twin (in polar blue), but was told by the dealer after paying a deposit that it will not arrive here in South Australia until May or June. The years (2 years your junior) have not mellowed my impatience (I too am “considering the end” and have a “timescale for planning”). The dealer suggested the limited edition EC1 as an alternative ($17,150 vs- $16,590) which is due to arrive in January – so I forgo the polar blue model (you lucky lucky bastard –a nod to Monty Python) and ‘settled’ for the EC1 in matt aluminium silver. Now we come to the most important part of new motorcycle ownership – what modifications to make? I have similar views to yours on the evolution of my Street Twin – I have outgrown any unrealistic views on my abilities to be a café racer (my ex son-in-law stirs me about the ‘chicken-skin’ left on the edge my tyres). So, I concur with you that my Street Twin will become more of a Tearoom Twin. My daughters and wife caution me about ruining the looks of a such a good looking motorcycle (how well they know me)!
following from the Triumph dealer:
• main stand (a real necessity for servicing the chain when touring around)
acknowledgement and receiving your next issue. I really enjoyed your 113 magazine. It was my first time read of Australian Motorcyclist. Keep up the quality. If you have any queries, please don’t hesitate to contact me.
• clear touring screen and mounting kit (as I am only short I found a small screen adequate on the Suzuki and can use an extender on top if necessary)
Cheers, John Doherty
Pascoe Vale South
• bar end mirrors (I don’t like the looks of the standard mirrors and due to my wide shoulders found the view restricted with standard mirrors)
Hello Stuart,
• radiator guard (I occasionally ride graded gravel roads in the Flinders Ranges and have experienced stone damage on the radiator on the Suzuki)
Reading the Bear’s article on the KLR 650, where he mentions the myriad of ways of detecting our speed, made me think locally (like shopping).
I have sourced on the net:
We spent a couple of days in Sth Gippsland the other week, the influx of 80km roads is simply insidious, to the point of almost frightening. The authorities will have us all walking soon and fine us for running!
• a sidestand extender plate (I had the unfortunate experience of the side stand on the fully loaded BMW GS 700 sinking into soft ground and crushing my ankle and breaking a few bones)
naughty. Most of the roads near me are well-made, well-maintained C class sealed roads with very little traffic, very little population and lucky to see a copper twice a year. See where I’m coming from? Someone I know frequently exceeds the posted limit by anything up to 50km, still has a license and hasn’t, as yet, died. Yes, try this in the city, you’d be locked up and rightly so too! Every car parked on the roadside, anywhere, could be revenue raising but in the middle of nowhere it’s unlikely to even be there.
of the Hepco and Becker C BOW holders/bags (particularly the lockable and waterproof Orbit side cases). I have always fitted tank bags (using tank ring mounts) to my bikes but this mounting method is not feasible with the offset screw cap on the Triumph. I have seen many tanks scratched by magnetic tank bags and harnesses and so am rather reticent about going down that path.
So, finally I look forward to following your modifications to your Tearoom Twin and would love to get your advice on possible additions my Triumph.
Have a safe and merry Xmas.
Regards Mike
So, whenever this person I know gets tired of dodging law enforcement on 80kph roads, he alights either the Guzzi or the Spyder and goes in search of a well-maintained C class road.
Riding really is good for the soul. Thanks Stuart.
Cheers, Peter Glasson.
Due to delays in obtaining parts here in Adelaide I have ordered the
Hi, Please find attached my subscription application for 12 months commencing with your edition 114. I look forward to your
• A RAM mirror mount to screw into the hole vacated by the standard mirror to mount my Garmin GPS I currently have an expandable Nelson Rigg seat bag which will serve as storage for non-touring riding, but I plan to fit rear bags for touring and am impressed with the quality and fitment
In Central Vic. where I live, we also have an overabundance of 80km speed roads. I might add, by my observation, at least half the traffic still does 100kph, or more, on these roads. We also have a goodly supply of roads, still at 100kph, that we can ride. Now here is my point, block your ears if you don’t want to hear anything
Hi Stuart, Apologies in advance, it’s winter and I’m unwell with too much time on my hands.
Hey Mike, we just did the photos for my Tearoom Twin today, so you should be able to read about my alterations and additions in the next issue. I agree with most of yours, but I’ve taken it a bit further. I reckon it would be great for the two of us to go no a ride together to compare our changes. Send me your email address and maybe we can sort that. I seem to spend a lot of time in SA lately –
The Bear D
Death and taxes, the 2 certainties of continued on page 108
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
MOTORRAD TOURS – Worldwide office@motorrad-tours.com www.motorrad-tours.com
TOURS – Europe www.romaniamotorcycletours.com office@romaniamotorcycletours.com
SOUTH PACIFIC MOTORCYCLE TOURS – New Zealand www.motorbiketours.co.nz office@motorbiketours.co.nz
EDELWEISS BIKE TRAVEL – Worldwide tours* *Guided, Self-Guided + Rental www.edelweissbike.com
IMTBIKE TOURS & RENTALS
– Spain, Portugal, Morocco, Europe and Thailand www.imtbike.com tours@imtbike.com
PARADISE MOTORCYCLE
TOURS – New Zealand & European Alps www.paradisemotorcycletours.co.nz
RIDE THE WORLD
MOTORCYCLE TOURS www.ridetheworldmotorcycletours.com david@rtwmotorcycletours.com
TEWAIPOUNAMU 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
continued from page 107
life. People die every day, everywhere, at home, at work, on holiday, in war, on the road, it’s unavoidable. If the law makers think they can prevent it with draconian, punitive rules then they are no more than fools. I can understand their desire to curb road fatalities, I can remember the Victorian campaign 1034 in the late ‘70s. I can also remember when Victoria had an open speed limit. It has been better driver education and training along with improved car design that has reduced road fatalities worldwide not restrictive rules and heavy enforcement. If we all rode horses there would still be death on our roads, you cannot avoid or prevent it!
In Victoria the road code is devised, largely, by 3 groups, VicRoads: a road design and construction authority: TAC: a Government owned insurance company: and Vic Police: a law enforcement agency. I’ll go out on a limb here, but I would
doubt that there is any one in these organizations that holds a master’s degree in road management, safety or use. They simply use statistics to make policy. Statistics don’t lie but liars use statistics, and they use them very selectively.
There are plenty of examples worldwide where higher speed limits do not effectively increase road deaths. If this were true, then why doesn’t Germany: open Autobahn speed and 3.7 deaths per 100,000 population: and the US: 12.4 per 100,000 top the road death charts. Australia has 4.4 per 100,000 (sourced from Wikipedia) Socio economic influences are the greatest factor in road trauma, not speed, age or stupidity. Take Libya:26.1 per 100,000 and Liberia 35.9 per 100,000 as examples here.
The reverse is also true, lower limits do not prevent road deaths.
Sweden 2.2 per 100,000. There are too many other influencing factors to just blame speed. The only thing lower speed limits improve is the
opportunity to raise revenue. Unfortunately I doubt I’ll live long enough to see common sense prevail and we make a return to sensible road laws and Governments stop seeing road users as cash cows. That much is certain!
Thanks for indulging me again, Stuart.
Cheers, Peter.
Hi Stuart, My Indian FTR-S now has 1200km on it after a run from Kalbarri to Horrocks Beach a couple of days ago. All I can say is wow, just WOW! Brilliant handling, fantastic acceleration (and we’d best not mention the top speed!).
All the best, John Kennedy
Hi John, Top stuff, mate. Cheers, Stuart.
E W B I K E P R I C E S
G 310 GS
F 750 GS
F 750 GS Tour
F 750 GS Low Susp
F 750 GS Tour LS
F 850 GS
F 850 GS Rallye
APRILIA
aprilia.com.au
BENELLI
bmwmotorrad.com.au ROAD G
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
R 1250 GSA Rallye X
R 1250 GSA Exclusive
R 1250 GSA Spezial
SCOOTER
C 650 Sport
C 650 GT
CE 04
BROUGH SUPERIOR
broughsuperioraustralia.com.au
SS100 (Euro3)
SS100 (Euro 4)
Pendine Sand Racer
Lawrence
Anniversary
AMB 001
CAN-AM (BRP)
can-am.brp.com
Ryker
Spyder F3
Spyder RT
CF MOTO
R 1250 R
R 1250 R Spezial
R 1250 RT
R 1250 RT Sport
R 1250 RT Elegance
R 1250 R Spezial
K 1600 B
$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
$31,590
$30,790
$30,540
$14,150
$14,990
$TBA
ducati.com.au
*All Ducati prices are ride away ROAD
$105,000
$110,000
$105,000
$119,000
$168,000
$185,000
$13,799
$29,299
$39,299
cf-moto.com.au
ROAD 150NK
E W B I K E P R I C E S
G 310 GS
F 750 GS
F 750 GS Tour
F 750 GS Low Susp
F 750 GS Tour LS
F 850 GS
F 850 GS Rallye
APRILIA
aprilia.com.au
BENELLI
bmwmotorrad.com.au ROAD G
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
R 1250 GSA Rallye X
R 1250 GSA Exclusive
R 1250 GSA Spezial
SCOOTER
C 650 Sport
C 650 GT
CE 04
BROUGH SUPERIOR
broughsuperioraustralia.com.au
SS100 (Euro3)
SS100 (Euro 4)
Pendine Sand Racer
Lawrence
Anniversary
AMB 001
CAN-AM (BRP)
can-am.brp.com
Ryker
Spyder F3
Spyder RT
CF MOTO
R 1250 R
R 1250 R Spezial
R 1250 RT
R 1250 RT Sport
R 1250 RT Elegance
R 1250 R Spezial
K 1600 B
$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
$31,590
$30,790
$30,540
$14,150
$14,990
$TBA
ducati.com.au
*All Ducati prices are ride away ROAD Scrambler Icon
$105,000
$110,000
$105,000
$119,000
$168,000
$185,000
$13,799
$29,299
$39,299
cf-moto.com.au
ROAD 150NK
$31,445
HUSQVARNA
husqvarna-motorcycles.com/au
KAWASAKI
kawasaki.com.au
ROAD
Z125 Pro KRT
lambrettaaustralia.com.au
MOTO GUZZI
www.motoguzzi.com.au
ZX-6R 636 KRT
S
S SE
S Café
900 Classic
900 Custom
ADV TOURING
mvagusta.com.au
KTM
ktm.com.au
piaggio.com.au
PEUGEOT
peugeotmotorcycles.com.au
$31,445
HUSQVARNA
husqvarna-motorcycles.com/au
KAWASAKI
kawasaki.com.au
ROAD
Z125 Pro KRT
lambrettaaustralia.com.au
MOTO GUZZI
www.motoguzzi.com.au
ZX-6R 636 KRT
S
S SE
S Café
900 Classic
900 Custom
ADV TOURING
mvagusta.com.au
KTM
ktm.com.au
piaggio.com.au
PEUGEOT
peugeotmotorcycles.com.au
royalenfieldaustralia.com
*All Royal Enfield prices are ride away
ROAD
Meteor 350 Fireball
Meteor 350 Stellar
Meteor 350 Supernova
Classic 350 Halycon
Classic 350 Signals
$7890
$8290
$8690
$7990
$8290
Classic 350 Dark $8690
Classic 350 Chrome $8790
Interceptor 650 Classic $10,790
Interceptor 650 Custom $11,090
Interceptor 650 Chrome Mk2 $11,390
Continental GT 650 Classic $10,990
Continental GT 650 Custom $11,290
Continental GT 650 Chrome $11,590
ADV TOURING
Himalayan 410 E4
TRIUMPH
triumphmotorcycles.com.au
*All Triumph prices are ride away
ROAD
Trident 660
Street Triple S 660
Street Triple R
Street Triple RS
Street Twin
Street Scrambler
Bonneville T100
$7690
Himalayan 410 Base $8190
Himalayan 410 Mid $8390
Himalayan 410 Premium $8590
SUPER SOCO
supersoco.com.au
*All Super Soco prices are ride away
ROAD
TC Café $5490
TC Max alloy wheel $7990
TC Max wire wheel $8290
SCOOTER
CUX $4990
CUX Special Edition Ducati $5490 CPX
CPX dual battery
SUZUKI
suzukimotorcycles.com.au
ROAD
GSX-S125
/ LAMS $10,490
GSX-S1000
GSX-S1000GT
GSX-S1000 Panorama GT
GSX-S1000 Katana
GSX-R1000
GSX-R1000R
GSX1300R Hayabusa
1050 XT
$12,840
$14,990
$18,140
$19,950
$16,190
$18,590
$18,290
Bobber $22,490
Bonneville T120 $20,890
Speedmaster
Thruxton RS
Speed Twin
Tiger Sport 850
Speed Triple 1200 RS
Speed Triple 1200 RR
SPECIAL EDITION
Street Twin EC1
$17,150
T100 Goldline $19,190
T120 Goldline
Street Scrambler Goldline
Bobber Goldline
Speedmaster Goldline
Scrambler 1200 XC Goldline
Scrambler 1200 XE Goldline
T100 Bud Ekins
T120 Bud Ekins
Thruxton RS Ton Up Edition
Tiger 1200 Alpine
Tiger 1200 Desert
Rocket 3 R 221 Edition
Rocket 3 GT 221 Edition
LIMITED EDITION
Street Twin Goldline
Street Scrambler Sandstorm
T120 Diamond
T120 Ace
Scrambler 1200 Steve McQueen
Daytona Moto2 765
CRUISER
Rocket 3 R
$22,090
$19,490
$23,790
$23,790
$24,690
$26,090
$18,000
$19,900
$27,150
$27,250
$28,750
$35,850
$36,850
$16,900
$18,990
$20,350
$20,650
$26,100
$28,990
$34,450
Rocket 3 GT $35,490
ADV TOURING
Scrambler 1200 XC
Scrambler 1200 XE
$23,450
$24,890
Tiger 900 GT & GT Low $21,150
Tiger 900 Rally
Tiger 900 GT Pro
$22,390
$24,190
Tiger 900 Rally Pro $24,790
TRIUMPH FACTORY CUSTOM (TFC) triumphmotorcycles.com.au
*All TFC prices are ride away ROAD
Thruxton TFC $33,990
Bobber TFC
3 TFC
VESPA vespa.com.au *All
royalenfieldaustralia.com
*All Royal Enfield prices are ride away
ROAD
Meteor 350 Fireball
Meteor 350 Stellar
Meteor 350 Supernova
Classic 350 Halycon
Classic 350 Signals
$7890
$8290
$8690
$7990
$8290
Classic 350 Dark $8690
Classic 350 Chrome $8790
Interceptor 650 Classic $10,790
Interceptor 650 Custom $11,090
Interceptor 650 Chrome Mk2 $11,390
Continental GT 650 Classic $10,990
Continental GT 650 Custom $11,290
Continental GT 650 Chrome $11,590
ADV TOURING
Himalayan 410 E4
TRIUMPH
triumphmotorcycles.com.au
*All Triumph prices are ride away
ROAD
Trident 660
Street Triple S 660
Street Triple R
Street Triple RS
Street Twin
Street Scrambler
Bonneville T100
$7690
Himalayan 410 Base $8190
Himalayan 410 Mid $8390
Himalayan 410 Premium $8590
SUPER SOCO
supersoco.com.au
*All Super Soco prices are ride away
ROAD
TC Café $5490
TC Max alloy wheel $7990
TC Max wire wheel $8290
SCOOTER
CUX $4990
CUX Special Edition Ducati $5490 CPX
CPX dual battery
SUZUKI
suzukimotorcycles.com.au
ROAD
GSX-S125
/ LAMS $10,490
GSX-S1000
GSX-S1000GT
GSX-S1000 Panorama GT
GSX-S1000 Katana
GSX-R1000
GSX-R1000R
GSX1300R Hayabusa
1050 XT
$12,840
$14,990
$18,140
$19,950
$16,190
$18,590
$18,290
Bobber $22,490
Bonneville T120 $20,890
Speedmaster
Thruxton RS
Speed Twin
Tiger Sport 850
Speed Triple 1200 RS
Speed Triple 1200 RR
SPECIAL EDITION
Street Twin EC1
$17,150
T100 Goldline $19,190
T120 Goldline
Street Scrambler Goldline
Bobber Goldline
Speedmaster Goldline
Scrambler 1200 XC Goldline
Scrambler 1200 XE Goldline
T100 Bud Ekins
T120 Bud Ekins
Thruxton RS Ton Up Edition
Tiger 1200 Alpine
Tiger 1200 Desert
Rocket 3 R 221 Edition
Rocket 3 GT 221 Edition
LIMITED EDITION
Street Twin Goldline
Street Scrambler Sandstorm
T120 Diamond
T120 Ace
Scrambler 1200 Steve McQueen
Daytona Moto2 765
CRUISER
Rocket 3 R
$22,090
$19,490
$23,790
$23,790
$24,690
$26,090
$18,000
$19,900
$27,150
$27,250
$28,750
$35,850
$36,850
$16,900
$18,990
$20,350
$20,650
$26,100
$28,990
$34,450
Rocket 3 GT $35,490
ADV TOURING
Scrambler 1200 XC
Scrambler 1200 XE
$23,450
$24,890
Tiger 900 GT & GT Low $21,150
Tiger 900 Rally
Tiger 900 GT Pro
$22,390
$24,190
Tiger 900 Rally Pro $24,790
TRIUMPH FACTORY CUSTOM (TFC) triumphmotorcycles.com.au
*All TFC prices are ride away ROAD
Thruxton TFC $33,990
Bobber TFC
3 TFC
VESPA vespa.com.au *All
WORDS BORIS MIHAILOVIC
LET’S JUST SPEAK BRIEFLY about the whole Ride Mode paradigm, and then never mention it again.
So many of you ageing chieftains are doubtlessly enamoured of the whole Ride Mode button thingo.
Yes, that’s the one where when you press it, your bike’s computer changes the engine mapping and your bike feels different.
Most bikes have three modes, but lots have an extra two which you can program almost like you have the vaguest clue about what you’re doing.
All my friends ride. I don’t even know people who don’t ride. And many of them have high-end bikes with all the technological wonders such ownership entails.
And do you know what?
Not one of them, not ever, not on any of the many rides we’ve been on, has ever held up his hand and brought us all to a halt, and said: “Hang on a sec! I’m just gonna change engine modes because it’s raining/the surface has changed/I’ve had an aneurism”.
Do you know why none of them has ever done it? No, it’s not because the tech is so good these days you can do this on the fly on most bikes. It’s because they are not strobing wankers with a burning desire to be kicked to death.
Everyone I know who has a bike that has these changeable engine modes finds one they like, and that’s where the bike stays – rain, dirt, or aneurism.
Not one of
them is sad, anal, or irritating enough to inflict Mode-changing on his mates. Surely even the biggest anoraks understand this whole changeable engine map thing is a gimmick? Sure, it’s a great way of making 200 horsepower manageable by a muppet with the riding skills of a goat, but once said muppet has found a workable map, it’s job done. Ride on. I am a great and true believer in many of the modern rider aids. I think ABS is one of the greatest things ever invented, and it’s kept so many of us from the traction ward, despite what some of the more ridiculous dickheads attest on social media. Chief, you’re not going to out-brake ABS. You’re just not. So it’s a great and good thing. As is cornering ABS and to a lesser degree, traction control, though I could mount a solid argument in favour of not having that when there are girls watching.
But the switchable engine modes? Come on. It’s not as if you’re a high-end pro-racer so sensitive to the nuances of your power-delivery that you feel you have the wit to screw
Because you’re not, you know. So very, very few of us are. And as you might understand, the pro-level riders out there almost always turn off every electronic rider aid so they can stare down Death on their own terms. I get that. I also get it’s nice to have options where you decide what kind of power delivery you’d like on your bike. In all honesty, and from what I have seen, most riders
would be much happier tooling around in Rain mode even when it’s sunny.
One of the biggest-selling bikes of recent times was the Yamaha Tenere 700. Great value for money, and a bike with no engine modes. You ride what you get.
Creating bikes with staggeringly complex electronics adds to the cost of the bike and allows the manufacturer to tell you it’s “all new” – which it is as far as its CPU is concerned.
And of course, staggeringly complex electronics add an entirely new dimension to the amount of suffering you’ll be in when those electronics choose to have a conniption. You won’t be fixing that with a screwdriver and a rock any time soon.
I am not one of those fools who looks back on the 70s, 80s, and 90s, with any kind of rose-coloured nostalgia. The bikes back then were diabolical in so many ways, and we are all much happier and faster with today’s crop of machines.
Yes, I know some of you dodderers believe you ache for the pounding only an SS Ducati could provide, or the angst only that six-neutral gearbox on an old Guzzi would give you, but I’m thinking your meds might be dialled up too high.
The Good Old Days were anything but good. I’m pretty sure none of you are in a rush to replace your marvellous modern riding gear with that smelly old Belstaff shit.
We are blessed to be living and riding in a time when bikes are truly marvels of engineering. They give us joy and pleasure, and thrill us to the very core of our being. As they should.
But I’m convinced anyone who is unhinged enough to go swapping his engine mapping as he wobbles along the road has completely forsaken whatever magic motorcycling may have once offered him.
And it sucks to be that guy. D
It’s getting hard to get new bikes, how about this one I found out the back?
