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Contributors Emma Ayres, Elspeth Callender, Robert Crick, Joern Delfs, Phil Duncan, Mike Grant, Jim Green, Tony Hill, Robert Lovas, Phil Gadd, Ryan Lucas, Lester Morris, Brendan Nelson, The Possum, Dimitra Schonekas, Guy Stanford, Stuart Strickland, Michael Walley, Colin Whelan
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what’s he blabbing on about now?
As much as everyone probably thinks that The Bear and I are riding bikes all the time, you’d be surprised to know that 90% of the time we are stuck in the office typing, just like I’m doing right now! But I got out on the new Ducati Multistrada the other day and decided just to go for a ride, which I haven’t done other than for “work” purposes for quite some time.
The weather was magic – around nine degrees first thing in the morning, creeping up to a beautiful fifteen degrees by lunchtime. There were some wispy clouds in the sky, but otherwise it was clear as far as you could see. I rode a familiar route, one that I have done hundreds of times over the years, but when you’re riding a different bike (and a comfy one at that) from one you’re used to, it makes all the difference.
I got to my “usual” turn around point and was really enjoying the riding, so kept going, basically until I needed to fill up with fuel. This was some 300km, making it a 600km day.
At the end, I’d felt like I’d only done the first 300. My batteries were charged and I was feeling great – oh the joy of motorcycling! So if you’re feeling a bit crappy, take a day off and just enjoy the wonderful buzz you can only get on a motorcycle!
In this issue we have our transport and tyre special features. For a long time I used to wonder how to get my bike transported, or if I bought a classic bike from overseas (keep dreaming, says Alana), how would I get it here? And, most importantly, would my pride and joy be looked after along the way? Well, we have just the people to do that for you in this issue.
As for tyres, many people don’t worry about them
until it’s time to have them replaced, but these round and black things are so, so important. They affect how your bike handles and how well it copes with varying conditions. So have a look at some of the new tyres that are being released and consider grabbing a set to fit to your ride.
And, I keep banging on about tyre pressures: they are extra important to get maximum life and the best possible handling from your machine. I can usually feel a two pound drop, but I’ve ridden some bikes lately that have sat around, with the pressures dropping over this time and making the bikes ride like the wobbliest jelly you’ve ever experienced. While this is an extreme, please make sure you check your tyre pressures regularly. Not only will you enjoy your riding more, your wallet will be covered in spider webs!
Sadly, this will be our last issue featuring the MOTOmania comic strip. We’ve used up all the ones that really make any sense and relate to motorcycling in general. The others are more German specific comedy and even The Bear struggles to understand them!
Anyone know how to draw and make people laugh?
Cheers, Stuart.
motoguzziau
WHAT CHANCE HAVE WE GOT?
“Ateenager narrowly escaped death after her car was hit by a tank in Germany,” reads a recent report. “Police say she pulled out in front of the tank to make a left turn… She apparently didn’t see the tank.”
I’ll say it again. What chance have we got when drivers can’t even see a Challenger 2 Main Battle Tank?
THERE’S A FIRE DOWN BELOW
Just in case you think that I’m picking on Triumphs in these stories here, I’ve got one about a BMW. I didn’t see this myself, but I heard about it from several people including some who are totally incapable of lying after the third bottle of Stone’s.
Apparently one of the tried and true methods of getting BMWs started on really cold rally mornings is to roll them over the fire so that the coals are below the sump. This warms the sluggish oil
“Well,” writes Karen Hill from Bathurst, “the construction quality of the sign and the competence of the signwriting would certainly make you feel good about getting welding or painting done here…”
This fairly standard pinup photo ran on one of our favourite motorcycle blogs, Cyril Huze Post (cyrilhuzeblog.com/). It attracted plenty of comment, too; almost all of which complained about the fact that the girl hides too much of the bike…
GRIZZLING
and makes it easier – or even possible! –to start the bike.
Inevitably someone got too keen and didn’t just roll their bike over the coals; he stoked the fire instead and added a few more branches. Perhaps he was in a hurry; who knows? At any rate, the flames licked at the sump of his bike which, although he clearly did not know this, was made of magnesium.
Yes, it caught fire. Yes, it then dumped the by now pleasantly fluid oil all over the fire, raising the flames even more and making it impossible for him to roll the bike out of the way. It was left a burnt-out hulk, so I’m told. If anyone out there can confirm the name and date of the rally where this happened – I am hoping it only happened once! – I would be grateful.
THE MEANING OF BIKE
I’ve just returned from a two-week ride in the Balkans, visiting some places I remember and others I have never had the chance to visit. It’s a very beautiful place, and Adriatic Moto Tours (www. adriaticmototours.com – tell them The Bear sent you) took us on some amazing roads. You’ll read about it here, of course – maybe even in this issue – and I can only recommend it. The grin is
still plastered all over my face. Hmm, maybe it was fixed in place by the 100km/h winds on Hvar island…
PARK RIGHT HERE, MATE
Melbourne’s example of tolerance for bike parking is spreading, it seems.
Peter C, one of our Bear Army troopers, writes; “In Bendigo recently, en route to southern manoeuvres, I was told it’s ok to park on the footpath??”
How about sending in any examples you have of local councils taking a sensible attitude to motorcyclists and motorcycling? Email to thebear@ ausmotorcyclist.com.au, please, or snail mail to MOTORCYCLIST, PO Box 2066, Boronia Park NSW 2111. Let’s give credit where it’s due!
Karen also sent in this roadside image. She has some misgivings.
“If it’s really a good forest you wouldn’t need to emphasise it, would you?” she writes.
“If, on the other hand, it’s a dump…”
Peter ‘The Bear’ Thoeming
HOW DID THEY GO?
Aussies at the 2015 IomTT
Abag of mixed results for the three Aussies who tackled the Isle of Man TT this year. The best was Dave Johnson who bagged a 10th in the Superbike race, an 11th and 10th in the two Supersport races, an awesome 6th in the Superstock race and a 9th place in the prestigious Senior TT. Popular Cam Donald on the Norton finished 18th in the Superbike race but didn’t finish in the Senior TT. Cam was also riding for Padgetts Honda in the two Supersport races, scoring 13th in both.
Alex Pickett had the worst luck ever, right from the word go at his team’s own private practice until his exit in the Superstock race, where his bike was playing up resulting in a crash. Alex got a helicopter ride to Nobles Hospital, which he can’t remember, saying to Stuart, “One minute the bike was playing up, the next I woke up in hospital. I got a helicopter ride and can’t remember it, I’m spewing!” At least he hasn’t lost his sense of humour. Good luck to all next year.
BURKE & WILLS EXPEDITION
150 years in the making
explorers have a single source for pre-ride advice, rental bikes, tours and support no matter where they roam across Oz.
On 20 August 2015 the Burke & Wills Expedition adventure ride will depart Melbourne, following in the footsteps of our brave pioneers. The ride north to the Gulf of Carpentaria in Queensland will cover some 3600km over 10 days and is open to all makes of Adventure and Enduro motorcycles that are up to the challenge of covering this vast land.
Maschine is the company behind this grand adventure and they are well versed in staging supported group adventure rides of this scale, having managed the popular BMW Safari events over the past fi ve years. Get along and be the envy of many. To get the full details on this grand adventure head to www.maschine. com.au or call +61 3 5428 8433.
AN AUSSIE FIRST BikeRoundOz
The merging of three of Australia’s largest tour and rental operators means that ‘Down Under’ two-wheeled
BikeRoundOz has been serving the region for 14 years. By joining forces with the Australian division of worldwide tour operator Compass Expeditions and Bikescape, who are Sydney’s largest rental and tour company, the new organisation has a central booking offi ce with collection and drop off depots in Sydney, Melbourne, Perth, Brisbane, Cairns and Adelaide. For more information visit www.bikeroundoz.com or e-mail
HOW MUCH, DID YOU SAY?
Honda RC213V-S coming to Oz
Being sold directly through Honda, the amazing RC213V-S is priced at $244,000 and you have to go through a customer qualifying process to purchase, with a lead time of 6 to 12 months before you get your bike.
Billed as a genuine MotoGP bike for the road, only those with enough moolah will ever get to experience such exclusivity. For those who like to dream, visit the global minisite www. rc213v-s.com
SIGNING
SEMIOTICS WITH YOUR BIKE, SIR?
One of the things it’s hard to convey about the big international shows is the inadvertent humour you find, especially in signs and slogans. When you’re covering something like IFMA in Milan, your readers want to see the latest bikes – okay, and maybe some of the non-motorcycle models. They don’t really find funny photos all that appropriate if they replace a photo of a new bike!
So I’ve kept some of my photos of the show to give you a laugh (or maybe just a snicker) now. PT
1. I know, I know! It’s killed my emotion more than once. Not on a bike, though.
2. Better tell Gt to stop before he goes blind…
3. Right. All we have to do now is find some freeks to buy these.
4. Well, I should think so, too. Try to learn how to spell “orange” as well, would you?
5. A top bit of reasoning, here. Pity the product is a particularly ugly enclosed three wheeler.
6. And what does everyone else wear?
7. Umm, yeess… the leads, eh? More power to the leads, right!
8. EVERY single cell of your body?
9. Look, I’m not absolutely sure I want my road scratched. Then again…
Ducati
Multi-ply the fun
WORDS Stuart Woodbury PHOTOS nick Wood
Since the Ducati Multistrada’s introduction a few years ago, Ducati has been spruiking its “4 bikes in 1” philosophy. That has now changed - in a big way. Technology has always been at the forefront of Ducati motorcycles, but with the introduction of features like DVT (Desmodromic Variable Timing) and Cornering ABS, the “4 bikes in 1” has become more than just “four” , at least in our eyes.
DVT is a big part of how much smoother the new Multistrada rides. By independently varying the timing of the camshaft that controls the intake valves and the camshaft that controls the exhaust valves, the DVT optimises highrpm performance to provide maximum power. At low-to-medium rpm,, it instead smoothes operation, making power delivery more fluid and boosting torque. This is where you notice the biggest difference over the previous model. Before, just about anything under 3000rpm would have you bucking around like a jockey at the local rodeo, but now you can hold a higher gear and bring it down to around 2300rpm and still accelerate away smoothly. In practice, this is an engine that changes its characteristics as rpm varies while complying with Euro 4 specifications and giving good fuel economy.
When designing an engine one of the key performance parameters is intake and exhaust valve overlap. This is defined as the interval of crankshaft rotation, expressed in degrees, during which both valves remain open simultaneously.
“TECHNOLOGY HAS ALWAYS BEEN AT THE FOREFRONT OF DUCATI MOTORCYCLES, BUT WITH THE INTRODUCTION OF FEATURES LIKE DVT (DESMODROMIC VARIABLE TIMING) AND CORNERING ABS, THE “4 BIKES IN 1” HAS BECOME MORE THAN JUST “FOUR”, AT LEAST IN OUR EYES”
With the all-new GSX-S1000 the GSX line enters a bold new era. Made for the street, it’s designed to get your blood pumping and pulse racing. Be one of the first to ride the bike destined to become a legend.
Overlap, which occurs between the end of the exhaust phase and the start of the intake phase, is usually a fixed parameter - but not with the DVT.
The DVT system is divided into two parts: an external housing rigidly connected to the timing belt and an internal mechanism connected to the camshaft: the latter is coaxial to the former and can rotate in advance or delay with respect to the housing depending on the oil pressure in special chambers. This oil pressure is adjusted by dedicated valves and the timing of each cam is controlled dynamically by a sensor in the cam covers. Overall it is a pretty smooth operation (although still noticeable), much smoother (for example) when
compared to the variable timing system fitted to the Honda VFR (VTEC).
The Testastretta DVT engine uses the Desmodromic valve actuation system that has made Ducati’s Bologna-built bikes famous worldwide, but we have never explained the technical features of what “Desmodromic” is. Forgive me if you already know.
This system closes the intake and exhaust valves mechanically, with the same precision as they are opened. The term desmodromic stems from the Greek words desmos (link) and dromos (stroke), and refers to mechanisms with one control to operate them in one direction (e.g. opening) and another to activate them in the other (closure or return).The
Stuart is wearing a Shark Speed R Carbon II helmet, BMW Streetguard jacket, Ixon Pro Contest HP 2 gloves, Draggin jeans and Sidi Vertigo boots.
value of this system, used on all Ducati models, is demonstrated by its utilisation on Ducati Corse’s Superbikes and MotoGP bikes.
In the Testastretta DVT engine, Desmodromic valve actuation is claimed to provide an advantage over traditional valve springs; at low revs the system requires less force because there are no springs to be compressed. This makes it possible to keep the individual valve timing adjusters compact, which
minimises their weight and allows them to be integrated smoothly.
The next major feature fitted to the new Multi is Cornering ABS. Designed together with Bosch, this system is more for panic situations and providing maximum safety. For example, should you be riding at 60km/h around a corner and an animal is in your path, you smash on the front and rear brakes in a panic. Normally the bike would stand up straight and run you into the oncoming traffic, or into the awaiting bush or rock wall to mess you up. With Cornering ABS, the system uses lean angle, wheel speed and all sorts of algorithms to apply the brake pressure required to let you steer the bike. I tried the system out on a wet road as I tipped into a slight bend (with plenty of room if things went bad!), grabbing a whole heap of front brake. While it felt strange, probably because I was trying to anticipate what the bike would do, it did work. A great technology advance that will help many riders in panic situations.
Handling is sublime with excellent leverage with the wide, upright bar. If you find the suspension needs some refinement for your riding style – it is fully adjustable front and rear.
Comfort was great on the previous model Multi, but Ducati has redesigned the seat to be a little narrower at the front allowing easier access to the ground for your feet, and made it 20mm longer for more room. You now also get 20mm of height adjustment and one thing that Ducati has thoughtfully supplied is a trim kit. When the seat is in the high (845mm) position, you don’t have any large gaps under it. But when the seat is on its low position (825mm), you simply fit the trim to the rear seat so there’s no unsightly gap there. Is this the Audi influence coming into play? Maybe.
Pillion comfort has also been revised on the Multi. The seat pad is more comfy and the grab rails are more ergonomically designed for comfort. I took Alana for a spin on the Multi and she loves it. She liked that she just felt relaxed and she even commented on the smoother engine over the previous model and how much happier she was on this one.
Adding to the comfort factor is cruise control as standard, which is operated via the backlit, very easy to use buttons on the left switch block. Scrolling and changing modes on the new Multi is much easier than on the previous model. Ducati has added wheelie control to the Multi, alongside traction control and ABS modes. You also have the Sport, Touring, Urban and Enduro modes, each individually set with power, traction, wheelie and ABS levels. I played with the modes quite a bit while riding the Multi and as much as I normally like traction, wheelie and ABS turned off, I liked the default settings in Sport mode which allowed maximum drive forward under hard acceleration. Much harder than with it all turned off, and still with that safety factor for a relaxing ride.
Riding the Multi at night also showed how good the new headlight is. It is very bright on low beam, with high beam adequate enough, but a set of fog/ driving lights would be of benefit for those extra dark country roads at night. On the upcoming S model, you have headlights that “corner” with you, (can’t wait to try them out).
Four accessory packages are available for the Multi, and you can buy all sorts of other accessories from the Ducati range. The bike you see here has the Touring Pack: heated grips, panniers and centre stand (with its annoying arm that gets in the way of your left foot), but you can also get the Sport Pack: road-legal exhaust (homologated only for EU) Ducati Performance by Termignoni, carbon fibre front mudguard, machinedfrom-billet aluminium brake and clutch reservoir caps; the Urban Pack: top case, tank bag with lock and USB hub, or the Enduro Pack: supplementary lights and Ducati Performance components by Touratech: engine protection bars, radiator guard, oil sump guard, bigger kickstand base and off-road footpegs.
As a touring motorcycle, which is no doubt what the majority of owners will use this bike for, the new Ducati Multistrada 1200 DVT is top shelf in terms of comfort, ease of use and safety. One thing that sealed the deal for me is that I just wanted to keep riding while on the new Multistrada, and so will you.
BRAKES: Front, twin 320mm discs with radial mount four-piston cornering ABS calipers. Rear, 265mm disc, dual-piston cornering ABS caliper.
FUEL CONSUMPTION: 5.79 litres per 100km, premium unleaded
THEORETICAL RANGE: 345km
COLOURS: Red
VERDICT: OH SO MULTIPLE.
BEAUTIFUL, BLOODY BALKANS
THE WAR IS OVER; NATURE ABIDES
WORDS THE BEAR PHOTOS THE BEAR & PRIMOŽ “PINEAPPLE”BRIC
Hvar is not the place for boy racer games. So what was Claudio’s R 1200GSA’s front wheel doing trying to get the inside line into the next corner?
Not that he had a hope; I squirted the F 700 GS a little harder and leaned a lot further and the big Brazilian dropped back into my mirrors instead of my peripheral vision. By the time we left the neat little set of three corners he was far enough back so that even his overwhelming power advantage wasn’t necessarily going to let him catch me before the next lot of bends. If, that is, I really got on the gas – which I did, with the little BMW’s rear Metzeler squirming on the uneven tar…
What exactly is going on here? Isn’t this a story about a sedate motorcycle tour through the scenic beauties (and remembered terrors) of the Balkan countryside? And what is this about Hvar, a long, thin cigar of an Adriatic island? It isn’t that it’s exactly known for the quality of its roads, sorry, road, is it? It’s true, it’s true, I shouldn’t really be writing about this. Let’s get a bit more responsible. The one major road forms a kind of spine for the island, beginning in the east after the short ferry ride from the mainland and ending in the vineyards of the west. Hvar’s northern side, facing the mainland at an angle, is scoured down to the rock by the frequent strong katabatic winds that descend from the coastal range. The sheltered southern and western coasts produce high quality
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wines, while the rest of the island is famous for its delicate sheep cheese flavoured by the herbs that grow in every nook and cranny of the limestone.
Wow! I got “nook and cranny” into a story! Been trying to do that for years…
But that road… The problem with it is that it has no runoff. None. Get a corner wrong and you’re either tangled in the downhill chain link fencing held up by star pickets – a metre above the vineyards - or shedding paint, bits of bike and body parts as you scrape along the craggy uphill limestone wall on the other side of the road.
Well, actually that’s not the only problem. Another one is that Croatian road engineers have not yet quite got their heads around the concepts of camber and drainage. As a result the roads feature puddles, or perhaps I should write “puddles” – they’re more like lakes - up to six inches deep, when it’s raining.
It was raining. Not hard. Not yet… But perhaps I should start at the beginning, in Ljubljana. Adriatic Moto Tours picks you up from the airport, which not all tour operators do, and it’s a nice touch. They also put you up in one of the best hotels in town, the Hotel Lev. I was feeling fresh enough to take a walk around the city’s old quarter, and that was well worth it. Ljubljana is a lovely place.
You get a final chance to specify accessories at the Adriatic garage, where you pick up your bike. I managed to score a very handy tank bag. Our very personable guide Dušan warned us that we would be facing peak hour traffic when we left town for the first day’s ride, but it was a bit like peak hour in, say, Launceston. Nothing like Sydney, that’s for sure. Dušan set a brisk but by no means overly fast pace, and once we were off the motorway on our way south to the Plitvice Lakes it was easy to keep
up and to admire the countryside. Spring is a wonderful time anywhere in Europe, but especially wherever there are deciduous trees. The brilliant, almost unbelievable green of their new leaves lights up the entire countryside. The roads in Slovenia were generally good, although that changed a bit when we crossed the border into Croatia. It’s funny, actually- Dušan warned us about the quality of the roads both here and in a number of other places, but in fact they were generally better than many Australian roads… Things have changed politically since I was last in what was then Jugoslavia. It’s now several countries, and you keep running into borders. Fortunately the formalities are pretty laid-back.
Our last stop before the hotel at the lakes was Slunj, which despite the rather grunty name is a pretty little place with water flowing through it in several streams. Once at Plitvice, we
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checked into the hotel, changed into walking gear (instructions in the guide book suggested that we “Wear snickers or other comfortable walking shoes”) and then caught a bus set up like a little toy train to the top of the chain of lakes. From here we walked down, following some of the well laid-out wooden and gravel trails.
I find it very hard to tell you how beautiful Plitvice Lakes are. I had seen them from the main road, and they had certainly looked intriguing with their calcium-rich water which forms travertine barriers. But that was nothing to being close up. We almost walked through some of the hundreds of waterfall which connect the lakes descending the hillside.
Our group dined together that night; evening meals on ride days are included in the cost. The guide and van driver, the redoubtable Primož (nicknamed ‘Pineapple’ by an American traveller on
a previous ride, because he couldn’t pronounce the name) ate with our mixed group of 13. This included George and Gertruida from South Africa, Mark and Amy as well as Philippe from the US, Hector and Sergio from Mexico, Claudio and Claudia plus Marcio and daughter Ana from Brazil and Peter and me from Australia. Despite our different backgrounds and languages we were all to get on well.
On the way back to our hotel, Peter and I stopped to have a drink in the bar (well, two – drinks, not bars) and got chatting to the barmaid. This was our first real encounter with the devastating civil war; she told us about arriving here as a refugee from over the border in Bosnia, a little girl with only her mother and brother but almost no possessions. “We had nowhere even to lie down to sleep,” she said.
We crossed that border early next morning on our way to Sarajevo, where
1. Lakes and streams are everywhere.
2. Bear above Dubrovnik –good pose, eh?
3. I’ll have… meat for lunch, I think.
we would learn a lot more of the story of that war. But it’s actually hard to dwell on the subject when you’re riding through beautiful mountain scenery, and encountering history at every revolution of your wheels. About a hundred kilometres down the road from our overnight stop, we turned off into the forest to go and see the train from which Tito ran the guerrilla campaign in World War II. It’s weird to see three small and badly neglected carriages and what looks like a toy locomotive, stuck in the forest. Riding out we found a reminder of more recent hostilities: signs in the roadside trees warning of land mines.
History is so thick in Sarajevo, the capital of Bosnia and Herzegovina,
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that you almost feel you have to push your way through it. The assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand here started WWI; we stood on the exact spot where it happened. Sarajevo is a major religious centre for Catholic and Orthodox Christians, Muslims and Jews. That didn’t stop the horrendous siege that held the city in its iron grip for more than four years. The city was also an administrative centre for both the Ottoman Turks and the Austrians.
Our hotel was terrific, right on the wall of the old town – which now holds restaurants and markets – and across the road from the Hotel Europe, the best place in town. The Russian embassy held an afternoon gathering there, and I’ve never seen so many bad suits in my life.
On our first rest day, we took a tour of Sarajevo that included some of the highlights, if you can call them that, of the siege. You get to sample a few metres of the tunnel dug under the UN-held airport, to connect the city with the rest of Bosnia. That was fascinating. So was finding out about things like the Sarajevo Roses – gouges in the pavement that mark spots where three or more people were killed by a mortar or cannon shell.
Peter, Philippe and I were having a beer at an outdoor café when I decided that I wanted to take one of the glasses home. I asked about a price, which sent the waiters into a huddle with the manager, accompanied by much gesturing and muttering. I finally said “I’ll give you two Euros” and had the glass packed in a plastic bag, in seconds. We had dinner that night in the beer hall attached to the brewery, an excellent choice.
Despite its cruel history, Sarajevo is a cheerful place. We were pretty cheerful, too, after sampling the various brews including an excellent brown ale.
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4. Dušan’s morning briefing was always interesting and useful.
5. Sorry about the fuzzy shot, but I wanted to show you the Kotor road.
6. The Kotor road again, just one of the many hairpin bends.
5 6
TRAVEL
Heading for Mostar the following day we had no less beautiful countryside (you can take this as a given in the Balkans, really) but we also needed to keep our eyes on the road a bit more to dodge fallen rocks, as well as flipping up tinted visors in the unlit road tunnels. No big deal, but you don’t want to hit a rock and dent your wheel rim; that’s one of the few things that the (included) insurance doesn’t cover. We also had lovely weather, which made our stop at the Sutjeska WWII monument even more poignant. It was here that Tito’s partisans broke the German occupation, and the monument is appropriately brutal.
Lunch was wonderful. We turned off the main route to Blagaj, where an Ottoman (no, not that kind of ottoman) monastery hugs the 200 metre rock wall next to the gap through which the river Buna springs from the mountainside. After crossing the river by a narrow stone pedestrian bridge, we had an outstanding seafood lunch right by the water. Mostar might have been an anticlimax after that, but in fact the town with its famous bridge offers pleasant walks in the Turkish quarter through little alleys and some relatively interesting souvenir shops.
After crossing the bridge on foot, quite an eerie experience, we ate at an outdoor restaurant with much hilarity and local wine and beer. It’s terrific being surrounded by so much Islamic history –but still being able to get a drink!
While Pineapple collected our bags from outside the rooms, a service he fulfilled every morning (as well as returning the bags to our rooms before we reached our hotel in the evening) Dušan emphasised at our morning briefing that we would probably find the next border crossing, into Montenegro, a slow one and that we should watch out for cows on the road. The former turned out to be true (although it was pleasant enough) but we saw no signs of the latter, except for copious droppings. We took a detour this day, to avoid a pass that was apparently still snowed in. “They don’t clear the snow here,” said a resigned Dušan. “They wait for it to melt.” His caution paid off, because we rode up to the pass from the other
side just to check the snow, and found the warning well justified. Mind you, I for one didn’t mind the detour – we actually ended up riding more twisty and spectacularly scenic road than we would have if we’d gone the original way!
That night we stayed in a ski resort, quiet in the off season as many of them are, and Peter and I had an opportunity to sample some more local spirits and liqueurs. There was quite a range on offer… After riding through forests of four hundred year old black pine, we stopped at the bridge over Tara Canyon, apparently the secondlargest in the world after that one in America. In a display of the usual Balkan disregard for rules, we just parked in the middle of the bridge and took photos. As so often, the scenery just got better as we went along and I blessed the invention of the digital camera. If I’d had to shoot this trip on film I would have been broke before it ended.
Just before lunch we rode down into Kotor, along the modern version of the ancient mule path known as The Ladder of Cattaro. This is one of my nominees for the best bike roads in the world – it’s one hairpin after another, broken by various lengths of sort-of straight road, and with constant staggering views across to the Adriatic Sea. Mind you. For maximum effect you should ride it up –not down.
More scenery on our ride up the coast to the old walled city of Dubrovnik, now with the Adriatic on one side and cliffs on the other. Our hotel was some way out of the walled town, further around the coast in a beautiful little bay. One of its attractions was an underground bar, where a natural limestone cave had been floored and fitted with electricity. Amazing.
7. Philippe carves up some corners along the coast.
8. Amy digs into one of the seafood platters.
9. When you’ve got lots of cartrice cases, make toys out of them…
The rest day in Dubrovnik went very quickly, with a walk (halfway) around the battlements, a look over the geometric web of streets and pathways, and a few quiet drinks at a small bar. It was a strange experience for me; last time I was in Dubrovnik was before it was bombed and half destroyed, and here it had been completely restored; the only difference I could see was the new roof tiles everywhere. If you ever get the chance to visit, don’t miss Dubrovnik. I’ve been there half a dozen times now and I never get tired of it –even though it is a bit of a tourist trap. We ate just outside the walls; better food, and cheaper than inside!
And then it was off to Hvar! The road along the coast is not always the best, but it would be worth riding if it was a mule track. The views along the road, of ocean and stony mountains and sky,
are priceless. We stopped for coffee in Mali Ston, a small town surrounded by a dizzying web of ancient stone walls, and I was treated to an explanation
of the cooking style where coals and ashes are piled onto an inverted metal bowl, which cooks the food from above. Looked delicious, but it was too early for lunch.
We had returned to Croatia on the way to Dubrovnik, but now we passed through the 14km stretch of Bosnia Herzegovina which gives that country its access to the sea. Nobody at the customs or immigration posts seemed to care about us at all.
And then we took the ferry over to Hvar. Well, we tried to. The loadmaster thought the locals were more important than a dozen bikes, so he loaded them first – and filled the ferry. Mind you, he promised to come right back for us, and he did keep his word. And that is where you came in… When we got to the hotel at the western end of the island, after our
10. Plitvice Lakes are full of unexpected, beautiful little cameos.
In the meantime the weather finally decided that it had been nice to us for long enough. Horizontal rain stopped
11. Mostar’s internationally famous bridge, rebuilt like so much of the country.
little island chase, I leaned over to Claudio as we parked our bikes.
“You have a big heart, my friend,” I said and patted him on the chest. He grinned, and his diminutive wife and pillion Claudia said, “What about me?”
“You too, Claudia,” I said, but refrained from patting her on the chest. The brotherhood of the road only goes so far…
Hvar was excellent, and I used the last of our rest days to ride around the place checking out old fortifications and the Španjola fortress above the town. Sadly, when I tried my usual habit of parking anywhere I damn well liked down in Hvar town I was sternly directed to the dedicated motorcycle parking, which charged. I rode off in a huff.
It was a longer ferry ride to Split in the morning, and then we mostly took small roads through remote valleys to the bridge that leads to Pag island. It’s only a short bridge, but we were to find that it would pose a problem, the next day…
SONG
SONG
RDS
TRAVEL
accompanied us most of the way north-west to our hotel, and it was just as well that I had my BMW Comfort Shell suit on. My gloves and boots, unfortunately, did not fare quite so well – I had selected neither of them for waterproofness – so I was a little damp when we reached our hotel, a small and beautifully appointed place that had begun its life as a winery. We ate in –the weather just kept getting worse.
The next day we found that the ferries off Pag had been cancelled and even the short bridge we had crossed was closed due to the strong wind. We had to move hotels but the new one proved to be fine, and close to a small township where there was a choice of eateries. Naturally most of us chose seafood, again! I took the opportunity to do a bit of photographing.
The enforced day of leisure meant we would not be able to stay a night in Rovinj in Istria as planned. To catch our various flights we had to return to Ljubljana directly. Once again (it’s amazing how this happens in the Balkans) we had the most wonderful ride through the mountains, broken by an excellent lunch of local goulash and pork medallions. Ah…
The weather was pretty good too, and I suspect that everybody would have been happy enough if Dušan had opted to keep going instead of turning into the Adriatic garage…
A stylish dinner at the castle above Ljubljana’s old town concluded the ride. Beautiful country, wonderful roads, top ride, excellent guide and van driver and flawless organisation from Adriatic Moto Tours. Congratulations to all concerned, including my fellow tourers.
The Bear took Adriatic Moto Tours’ Beautiful Balkans Adventure by courtesy of the company. Our next issue will feature a short piece about the gear he used.
12. Turkish Town in Sarajevo, with handcrafted copper utensils.
13. The Tara River canyon.
14. My noble steed – I do like BMW F 700 GSs.
PRICE OF 95 PREMIUM UNLEADED - $1.60.9
TOTAL WEEKLY KILOMETRES (5 DAYS X 64KM) – 320KM
2015 Aprilia Scarabeo 200
NEW PRICE - $4850 (+orc)
AVERAGE FUEL USED PER 100KM – 3.72L/100km
AVERAGE FUEL USED
PER WEEK – 11.9 L - $19.14
AVERAGE WEEKLY RUNNING
COSTS - $84.87
AVERAGE TIME EACH WAY – 34 minutes
2003 Holden Commodore S
NEW PRICE - $36,995 (drive away) (Current second hand price - $7000) AVERAGE FUEL USED PER 100KM – 14.2L/100km
AVERAGE FUEL USED
PER WEEK – 45.44 L - $73.11
AVERAGE WEEKLY RUNNING
COSTS - $240.75 (NRMA Motoring & Services)
AVERAGE TIME EACH WAY – 1 hour and 6 minutes
You may have seen a number of commuting “tests” done over the years where a car is run against a push bike and/or public transport. For some funny reason none of these “tests” include a motorcycle or scooter, so we decided to grab a reasonably priced scooter – an Aprilia Scarabeo 200 - and compare it against a run of the mill Holden Commodore from 2003, which would be priced on the market
just slightly more than the Aprilia. It’s a car that’s still highly popular with the general population.
The route was from north-west Sydney to the AMM office at Lane Cove West. A 32km door to door route (each way) smack bang in the middle of peak hour traffic in both the morning and afternoon peaks. Our picture was taken right at the start of the afternoon peak as it was only just starting to build up.
The leader of the pack!
Despite having to brave the varying weather conditions when commuting on a motorcycle/scooter, you can never factor in the amount of fun it is to be on two wheels. No matter how good a car is, sitting in traffic is as boring as the proverbial and wasting hours away in traffic is only going to drive you mad.
The 32km, each way commute was done over a period of two weeks for each vehicle so we could get a really good average time of the trip in varying traffic conditions which can obviously fluctuate on different days and different periods.
There always seems to be more traffic on a Monday, Tuesday; then the amount of vehicles on the road
seems to drop off on a Thursday and especially Fridays – everyone having a long weekend?
The Aprilia was very stable in its average time. Traffic never really made any difference, as lane filtering keeps things flowing, with the longest commute time being 37 minutes. The Holden on the other hand had a couple of really long commute times, the
longest being 1 hour and 41 minutes. To put this into perspective, this is an average speed of just 19km/h!
Most people could ride a push bike faster than that!
The only “positive” thing an outsider might see as a bonus, driving a car, is that you don’t get wet, or more to the point, have to put all that wet weather gear on and have somewhere for it
You r r ide. YOU R WAY. Is Now Even Bet t er!
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to dry when you get to your destination; the one word is, convenience. Apart from that we cannot see any benefit to driving a car to commute in peak hour traffic. The Aprilia is much cheaper to run, has you on the road around half as much and is much more fun to be on.
As for running costs, this is where owning a scooter (or motorcycle for that matter) comes into its own. Roughly a quarter of the cost of a car, which is astounding. In monetary terms over the course a year, this equates to an $8105.76 saving!
The cost of fuel per week used for this commuting distance equates to $995.28 per year (assuming you work every week of the year) for the scooter and $3801.72 per year for the car.
A $2806.44 saving, just by riding the Aprilia. And that doesn’t include any charges for parking, which would favour the scooter enormously.
We used 95 Premium Unleaded from the same service station for each vehicle. As most people are aware, the price of fuel can vary from day to day, and if you’re at the right time of the cycle, 95 Premium Unleaded can be around 15 cents cheaper. We found the average at the time of this test was $1.60.9.
As for the amount of time saved per year by commuting, you’re looking at 177 hours and 20 minutes total riding the Aprilia and for the car, 276 hours total travel time (again, assuming you’re working every week of the year). The saving in travel time is 99 hours and 20 minutes. That’s a lot of time to be wasting away in the car and more time you could be relaxing at home, enjoying time with family, or tinkering on that special project you’ve got in the garage.
As I type out all of these facts, it becomes even more clear that commuting on a scooter (or motorcycle) has massive benefits. Sure, you might think your car is more convenient, but think about the convenience next time a scooter or motorcycle zips by while you’re stuck in traffic, and they’re sitting at home with a cold beer, feet up, relaxing!
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ON THE BRIDLE TRACK
BEYOND BATHURST WORDS/PHOTOS BOB WOZGA
Iremember as a child on family holidays looking out the passenger window of our old Simca at groups of motorcycles overtaking us on country roads or parked along footpaths in front of weatherboard shops in whatever town we were passing through. I didn’t know if they were bikie gangs or just groups of friends going on a long ride. They never seemed menacing and would give a wink or smile when they caught you looking at their bikes.
There was always something adventurous about these people. With weathered looks, leather and canvas luggage strapped to their bikes, they had an air of purpose and a destination to reach. It’s almost as if they were on a personal quest to some far flung part of the country. They weren’t always young guns out to prove something, often they were to my eyes older people with nothing to prove. They were just
being themselves. Even as a young boy looking through that window I often thought, that would be great adventure. The bikes were a far cry from the touring and adventure bikes we have today. Even the riding gear was more in the line of “Whatever will keep me warm and dry shall do”.
As realities of life take over, thoughts of adventures are put aside. Not forgotten nor discarded, just placed in
“I HAD A MEETING WITH MYSELF ON HOW TO TACKLE THIS URGE TO HAVE THE LONG AWAITED ADVENTURE AND CAME TO A SOLUTION. I WOULD NEED A BIKE”
the road has subsided down the cliff. It is still worth a visit to see what pictures I can get.
the corner of the mind to be revisited at the right time. I found the right time was once the kids were older and no longer dependent on you for everything. And the fact that they began to get grumpy every time I stopped the car to take a photo of something that caught my eye. I had a meeting with myself on how to tackle this urge to have the long awaited adventure and came to the correct solution. I would need a bike. After extensive research, the best bike available to cater for my needs was the DR650. A couple of modifications, ie a larger tank, heavier springs in the front forks, windscreen, handguards and luggage rack, the bike will be perfect.
One of the roads I always wanted to travel on was the Bridle Track. This is a stretch of road built by convicts during the Gold Rush of the Central West, NSW. It starts at approximately 18km north of Bathurst on the Duramana Road and ends at Hill End. I had always heard stories about the treacherousness of this road. “It can only be done with a 4x4. It is only wide enough for one car at a time. No one in their right mind would travel on it”. Having heard all that, it sounds like a road that should be investigated. Research on the net indicates the road has been closed due to a landslide at Monaghan’s Bluff. Pictures show a boulder is blocking the road and part of
I planned a two day ride to make the trip comfortable with an overnight stay at one of the numerous camping grounds along the Macquarie River. The planned route is Lithgow via Katoomba, Bathurst via Tarana and O’Connell. I wanted to check out some trout fishing spots along the rivers. It is a waste of a ride if you go from A to B without seeing anything except white dots flashing on the bitumen. The road takes me over rolling hills, through hamlets with their stone buildings, pubs and general stores. The ride on the Great Western Highway through the Blue Mountains isn’t as bad as some people make out. It has improved substantially over the years. If you are able to travel during the week, the traffic flows very smoothly. The only criticism I have is that the road now reminds me of travelling through a tunnel. High walls on either side block the scenery. In some respects, it reminds me of playing an arcade car game. Coming into Medlow Bath, the Hydro Majestic glistens in the midmorning sun. Tradesmen are completing the final touches and should be open very soon. Note to self – will have to bring my wife here for coffee sooner rather than later. Cruising down Mt Victoria Pass, through Hartley and into South Bowenfels, the DR doesn’t miss a beat and the roadhouse beckons to stop for coffee and apple pie.
Taking the Lake Lyell turnoff, the sky opens to cloudless blue inviting you to just keep going over the next hill or bend to see what lies beyond. Depending on the time of day, the Tarana Pub is lined with motorcycles along the veranda; along the Fish River fishermen stand midstream casting their flies vying for that prized trout. At O’Connell, Grey
Nomads drink tea and eat their sandwiches under the shade of a tree, enjoying their freedom.
Bathurst has grown since the last time I was there. New housing and industrial estates have sprung up and the town has a busy atmosphere. It is no longer just the town with the world’s greatest car race. 18 kilometres north of Bathurst along Duramana Road is a nondescript street sign indicating the Bridle Track. A little further along the lane is a larger sign, weathered, rusty and leaning to one side. The word WARNING has faded over time giving the feel that this is an ancient path that hasn’t been used since the early 1900’s. It states the Bridle Track starts 16km past this point and is unsuitable for buses, articulated vehicles and caravans. I’m waiting for someone to place a picture of Gandalf on the sign. The bitumen road runs up to the Box Range Road junction then changes to gravel climbing into the hills surrounded by drying grass dotted by grazing sheep. An abandoned car left in a paddock has become part of the landscape. Weathered by time, only its exoskeleton remains. Grass now grows in the boot and ghosts stare through the windscreen. A bright light appears on the dusty road, a lone rider approaches, wearing a bush hat and carrying what appears to be a pick and rake strapped to the front rack of his AG bike. He pulls over to have a chat. It’s a funny thing about travelling on a bike. People are inquisitive and like to know where you have been, where you are going and where you have come from. The locals are a good source of information regarding road conditions, alternative routes and things to stop to see. He tells me that the road is blocked at Monaghan’s Bluff. You can get through on a thinner bike but you would want some help with manoeuvring past the bolder. It’s a long way down if you lose your footing. Some chap was airlifted out of there about a year ago. The better campsites are also on the Hill End side of the blockage. The best route to Hill End from here is to go along Box Range Road. It goes through two gates and then meets Turondale Road. It’s about 50 km to Hill End.
Arriving at Hill End is a step back in time. The pub and general store look as they do in John Vander’s paintings.
Plaques of Brett Whitley’s painting of the town plan and Russel Drysdale’s painting of a church are on footpaths. With what is left of the town, it is hard to imagine this was a thriving town in the 1800s full of the noise of machines, the sound of miners in pubs and of horses clomping along the streets. The town has submitted a petition to have the Bridle Track repaired as it attracted 4x4s and thus tourists bringing money to the town. A new sign marks the beginning of the Bridle Track. It warns of poor road conditions and caution should be taken along the road. The road is blocked 19km ahead.
Snaking down the mountain between gum trees, long shadows fall across the road making it harder to see potholes. Wild goats scamper off the road and into the brush. This land is only good for goats. Stopping to take in the view of the valley below, I have to admire the determination of the miners 100 years ago carrying their worldly possessions with a dream of making their fortune. The road is peaceful now. Back then it would have been alive with the noise of clanking metal pots, clomping of hooves and voices of miners telling stories of how they have a plan to “make it big”.
Turon Crossing Reserve is the first camp ground along the river. A few campers are scattered along the river. Tents are up, firewood collected and happy campers relax in their chairs watching the river for trout jumping out of the water to catch insects. One couple I spoke with tell me they come to the same spot every year. The fishing has always been good. Unfortunately, this year there seems to be more carp than trout in the river.
There are a number of camping grounds along the Bridle Track. It is a matter of having a look to see what looks comfortable. I settle on a site off the track, Mary Flynn Reserve, 10Km from Hill End. The river here is more like a series of large waterholes and the air is alive with sounds of birds and insects. Sitting by the waterhole having a beer, I look for ripples and shadows in the water’s surface. An occasional splash is heard to the other end of the waterhole. I return with the rod and metal lure. After a few casts in the direction of the ripples, I get a solid bite and a flash of gold flies into the air. It is only a carp but it was a decent size and gave a reasonable fight. Being a carp, it was duly disposed of. As the sun begins to set behind the hills, I cook a meal and wash it down with a couple of beers that had been kept cool in the river. Travelling light, you can still camp with certain amount of comfort. There is a certain peacefulness you can get when camping in secluded spot. You become attuned to the sounds around you. The breeze rustling leaves, thumping of a kangaroo through the scrub, the sound of birds and insects in the air. Some people are afraid of being along and isolated. Maybe they have watched too many horror movies, maybe
they are afraid of their own thoughts or maybe they discover they have no thoughts. Regardless, it is relaxing watching the sky change colour and stars appear one by one until the heavens are a mass of sparkling dots. Travelling alone tests your independence, to rely solely on yourself for everything from repairing a flat tyre to keeping yourself company in the middle of nowhere can be a challenge for many people. For others, it is a preferred method of travel. It’s not anti-social, it’s just being self-reliant. The morning rays light up the roof of the tent and I can hear feral goats close by. The sky is a clear blue and a slight breeze rustles leaves in the trees. Down at the waterhole, a platypus is spied duck diving on the opposite bank searching for its breakfast. I’m the only one camped here overnight and have the whole area to myself. It is very peaceful sitting on the bank eating breakfast without a radio squawking or voices from a TV telling you what tragedies had occurred overnight in whatever part of the world. Ahhh, the serenity. One of the things that struck me while exploring the campground was the lack of litter. There are a number of old campfires but no garbage bins and hardly any garbage left anywhere. It just goes to show, the people who come to these places respect the area and take their garbage with them. I wish this would happen closer to home.
Having packed up camp, the track beckons me. Following the Macquarie River, it narrows to just over a car and a half wide. When a 4x4 comes in the opposite direction, I realise this track is much easier to do on two wheels instead of four. The track is a combination of gravel, bits of sand, mud and occasionally littered with tennis ball sized
rocks to dodge. You would only tackle this track in the dry. There isn’t much margin for error due to the track hugging the cliff face, it’s a long way down if you are unfortunate. I find a second sign and a dirt mound and barricade at a clearing surrounded by a couple of dwellings. The sign simply states – Use extreme caution, one lane only, sound horn on bends and no stopping. There is no Gandalf telling me not to pass, so I ride over the dirt mound and continue. The track is becoming overgrown and I have to duck under the occasional low lying branch. Rusty signs on the cliff face tell me where passing bays are and where to honk my horn. Erosion is beginning to take its toll on the track. In places, it is crumbling and covered with loose rocks. I keep close to the cliff wall as barricades have fallen off the road around some bends. Riding slowly, seeing how bends on the road have been held up by rocks all placed by hand , backfilled and compacted, you realise this was an engineering feat for the day. It was built through necessity and necessity found a way to build it. It’s doubtful if it would ever get funding to be build today.
At Monaghan’s Bluff, the track stops again at a dirt mound and a boulder near a bend a little further on. Part of the track has slid down the hillside. There is not much room between the cliff face and edge of the road. Seventy metres below, a wreck of a car lies on its roof near the river. There is only a narrow gap between the boulder and cliff face and my bike would not get through with its panniers. Being on my own, I don’t want to chance getting through. Instead, it is time to brew a cup of tea and take in the view. This really is a magnificent ride and not too far from Sydney.
I wonder if this was the place the bike riders I saw as a child, would ride along on their adventures with their dusty luggage and mud splattered bikes. I wonder if their adventures were the same, days in the saddle and nights under stars, learning of places that aren’t on a big map and listening to people’s stories. I wonder if their quest wasn’t to find some mysterious crystal that will save the world, but to find themselves and discover what they are capable of and what the world has to offer.
TURISMO VELOCE 800 Tradition reinterpreted. The in-line 3-cylinder Turismo Veloce engine powers the bike through time and space. Through the MV Agusta glory years. Through endless two-wheeled adventures.
Standard features such as the 5” TFT display, full LED headlights, excellent longrange 22 L tank, and slide-shift screen easily adjusted with one hand, ensures the Turismo Veloce will also take you down undiscovered roads in maximum comfort.
SPECS
Pick an exhaust, any exhaust! Pick a colour, any colour!
the R3 a tight and stable package with plenty of feel, and being very light weight (169kg wet), the R3 is a motorcycle that is very easy to ride and flicks from side to side through tight corners easily, while retaining stability.
Comfort is surprisingly good, even for tall riders. The reach to the bars is roomy and the seat to peg height is sporty but with enough “room” for long legs, and of course perfect for short riders.
Featuring a wide range of information, the multi-function instrument panel includes an analogue tachometer and digital speedometer – and to underline its strong R-series heritage the R3’s instruments feature a shift timing indicator lamp similar to the design used on the YZF-R1. There’s also a gear position indicator, fuel gauge, water temperature gauge as well as fuel economy information, clock, tripmeters and more.
A big part of the R3 is the line of accessories available. Three different
types of exhausts are in the shops – all from Akrapovic. For just $420 you can get a GP styled stainless steel slip-on. It sounds the business too. Not too loud with just the right amount of bark to get the thumbs up from your mates. Second is the carbon fibre slip-on for $649. Just a touch louder than the standard pipe, but also the one that produces a good power gain. Finally you can get a full system for only $849. It is quite loud, even with the baffle in, but I’m sure the young fellas who’ll be the main buyer of a system like this will love it.
Other accessories available are a colour coded rear seat cowl, frame sliders, sport screen, and some bling like the fork cap set, stem cover, pivot cover set and swingarm spools. You can get them in four different colours to match your bikes colour or preference.
If you’re going to use the R3 as a commuter, or to do a bit of travelling (which it will do quite nicely), Yamaha has a seat- and tank bag available, or you can fit the rear carrier and the 39 litre topbox.
The new Yamaha R3 has rocked on into the party at just the right time. It’s turned the music up and is ready to dance.
hether you travel by hook (via Kalbarri) or by crook (out to Denham) or even in a more or less straight line (to Mullewa), Geraldton’s surroundings have a lot to offer.
GERALDTON
Founded as a sleepy outpost of the Swan River colony and later a port that relied mainly on shipping out the bounty of wheat produced by its hinterland, Geraldton is now quite a tourist centre, and is well worth a visit – especially if you’re heading up or down the Coastal Highway. The climate is mild in winter and hot in summer, when Geraldton also gets most of its rain. There are several museums in town worth seeing –check with the Visitor Centre at 246 Marine Terrace, call 1800visitgero
or email info@visitgeraldton.com.au. There is plenty of accommodation of all kinds (although see next item below).
DONGARA/PORT DENISON
My favourite memory of Dongara is of sitting in a canvas café chair in the shade of an enormous fi g tree (I think) which was one of many lining the streets of the town and providing a welcome respite from the brilliant summer sun and broiling summer heat of the Coastal Highway. I can still taste the icy apple juice I used to cool my insides.
Dongara and Port Denison are pretty seaside towns, and the latter especially has a substantial range of accommodation at prices generally lower than Geraldton’s. The Visitor
Centre is at 9 Waldeck Street, call 08 9927 1404.
MULLEWA
About 100km east of Geraldton along a good road, Mullewa is famous for two things: its wildfl owers, especially the rare wreath fl owers which grow in few other places, and the Church of Our Lady of Mt Carmel and the Holy Apostles St Peter and St Paul. The latter was designed and built (often as a labourer) by Monsignor John Hawes, a remarkably talented and vigorous priest. It and Hawes’ house, which is now a museum, make a visit to Mullewa worthwhile even by themselves. And that’s from a non-Catholic! Late winter and spring are the best times for wildfl owers.
NORTHAMPTON
There isn’t really much at Northampton, but the town has a bit of a nice arty-crafty vibe. The Geraldton to Northampton railway was the fi rst government railway built in Western Australia, and the Mary Street Railway Precinct has all sorts of rolling stock and other railway bits and pieces. Call Bob or Mary on 08 9934 1118 if you want a guide, otherwise just wander around. I like the way they’ve put the Visitor Centre in the old police station. Call 08 9934 1488 or write to info@ northampton.com.au. Port Gregory and Horrocks are beach holiday spots nearby; the former lies on the road up to or back from Kalbarri.
KALBARRI
Last time I was in Kalbarri, I stayed at the Murchison River Caravan Park, which faces the –you guessed it – Murchison River just before it fl ows into the sea. It
was exceptionally well located and pleasant. Kalbarri is a pleasant town all round, with two attractions that I’d consider outstanding. The remarkable Kalbarri National Park is accessible from the road that leads in from the highway, and Rainbow Jungle lies a little to the south of town. It’s a kind of artifi cial rainforest, and among other things is famous for breeding rare species of parrots. Worth a look.
HAMELIN
Considering that hardly anyone lives there, it’s remarkable that Hamelin has two remarkable tourist attractions. One is the Old Telegraph Station, which is just what it says but has been turned into a fascinating museum. Well, fascinating to me – I love old technology and its stories. The other attraction is the pool of stromatolites of Hamelin Bay. These look like rocks but are in fact the oldest “living fossils” on Earth. They
date from some 3.5 billion years ago and were instrumental in producing the oxygen that made it possible for animals, and eventually humans, to evolve. So don’t forget to go down there and say “thank you”. You can stay at the caravan park or the homestead, but it isn’t far from Hamelin Bay to Denham and Monkey Mia.
DENHAM
As the nearest town to Monkey Mia, famous for its dolphins, Denham sees a regular fl ow of tourists. It is a bit of an attraction itself, especially for fi shing and boating, With many of its buildings made of compressed seashells and a remarkable view of Australia’s most westerly islands, Denham makes a useful and pleasant package. The caravan park/resort at Monkey Mia is favoured by many people, but I quite like the additional choice of accommodation and eating that the town offers.
Some people say that Küryakyn means a small, treasured object that might become a gift. Others tell us that it means “the flight of the eagle” in Navajo. There were a couple of other definitions there, too, I’m sure. But we don’t care, nossir. To us, the many classy custom bits made by Küryakyn in the US mean a wonderful way to personalise your Harley (and a number of other brands); in this case, the Bear’s much-loved Sportster 72. Like a lot of other owners customising their bikes, the Bear would prefer to make parts himself (a somewhat scary idea), or have them made to order for his bike. That way you can get a consistent look that’s entirely yours. But who has time to actually do that? Earning a living has to be fitted in there somewhere, and so does making enough money to pay for absolute custom builds.
Fortunately we found an alternative which still provided a consistent look, at a reasonable price – and that could be ordered from a catalogue. The Küryakyn catalogue. This American parts and accessories company offers its products for Harleys and a small handful of other brands. They are designed in such a way that they go together, and improve the look of whichever bike you fit them to as well as, in many cases, improving the bike’s usefulness.
A detailed look through the catalogue showed us that we could achieve a lot of the results we were after just
by ordering a range of products from Küryakyn. Below is a list, along with the recommended retail prices from Rollies Speed Shop, the Australian Küryakyn importer (www. rolliespeedshop.com). Rollies is at 10 Ross Street in Newstead, Brisbane (07 3252 5381) in case you feel like dropping in to take a look at all the goodies (take your credit card – you will want to use it) but your local bike shop can also order whatever you want in the Küryakyn range from them. What we wanted to achieve was very simple. Firstly, it was a matter of making the bike look as light as possible. The easiest way to achieve that is to chrome the parts, but Küryakyn offers a more economical and no less attractive alternative with things like the Fork Skins. Secondly, we wanted to upgrade the overall look of the bike. Replacing the original and rather utilitarian handlebar grips and footpegs did a lot towards that, as did the very stylish Crusher exhausts. Finally, we were after a safer ride. The addition of spotlights certainly helped there.
The Küryakyn parts were fitted to the bike by the blokes at Iron Heads Custom Motorcycles, (03 9749 0379) at 3/180 Old Geelong Road, Hoppers Crossing in Victoria (motorcycles. melbourne.com.au) who did a terrific job. Our thanks go to them, to Rollies and of course to Küryakyn in the US who supplied the parts. Their catalogue is a treasure house of ideas!
K7202 FORK SKINS $272
Quick and easy to install, the Fork Skins give us a chrome front end without all the work and costs associated with actually chroming the fork legs. It also adds a substantial and effective fork brace to the front end of the 72. You can’t beat the combination of good looks and extra stiffness; we will be looking at upgrading the insides of the forks and we have already fitted the Ikon shocks to the rear.
K7280
FUEL CAP$64
We have always been suckers for Art Deco design, and this fuel cap is one of the nicest we’ve seen. It replaces the rather plain original item and livens up the top of the tank.
K5013
DRIVING LIGHT KIT (PAIR) $408
Watch out, night-time traffic! You will definitely be able to see the Sportster coming with this tidy pair of spots that snuggle up next to the headlight, and the rider can see a lot further as well. The spots are elegant enough so that they don’t add any extra visual weight to the front end, while providing an amazing amount of extra light.
K2507 Torpedo bra K e/ indicaT or ligh T s (pair) $127
If you thought the original H-D combined turn indicator/brake lights/ rear lights were a smart idea (which they were), wait until you see the same functionality in these much smaller and tidier, but just as bright, torpedo shapes.
K1499 Mirrors (pair) $259*
They look smart and do what all mirrors do – reflect – very well. But they also have scalloped turn indicators incorporated in their rims, an idea that you see a lot on cars –but hardly with this kind of style! The only thing to keep in mind here is that these indicators really need to be run in conjunction with other, more traditional, blinkers.
These ISO (vibration dampening) grips look terrific with their strips of rubber contrasting with the chrome grip. They work, too, and the Throttle Boss on the accelerator grip is handy (sorry) to say the least.
K8004 shifTpeg $22
Even the small touches have been
considered by Küryakyn, so that the shift peg is also styled in the ISO look. It works well, for exactly the same reason.
K8885 peg adapTer MounTs (pair) $37
What can we say – if you’re going to mount pegs, you need peg adapters. Easy to use and smart looking.
K7965 f oo T pegs (pair) $51
Also in the ISO design, the footpegs add to the integrated look of the bike
and also reduce vibration. As well as that, the rubber grips your boot soles and holds them in place.
K1432 power poinT $101
To keep your phone charged or feed the GPS, a power point is priceless on any bike – not just a tourer. So we are going to add one to the Sportster, but for some reason it missed the date of this build. Never mind, something for the future.
K1699 Tech connecT device $82
Want to be able to see the screen of
K6212 h andgrips (pair) $123
your Smartphone or GPS? Here’s the way to do it, with this universal attachment for your handlebars. The Bear will not be getting lost any more, and maybe he’ll answer his phone, too!
K596 MAVERICK 2-INTO-2 PIPES $843*
The look of the pipes can often make or break a build. We looked at the headers-and-all Crushers with their black tips and we fell in love. They went straight on and they look absolutely terrific, especially since their slim shape makes the whole bike look slimmer and more integrated.
K482
EXHAUST GASKETS $14
Hmm, yes. What can we say about gaskets? They work, folks.
*There are two items which did not work out quite as we had expected. Neither were shortcomings on the factory’s part. Both were our problem.
The blinkers incorporated in the mirrors are not really powerful enough by themselves, and we will be augmenting them – probably with some more bullet indicators, or with ring indicators on the forks. We would have known that they are only suggested as additional, not as main, blinkers if we’d read the catalogue more carefully… d’oh.
The other items that didn’t quite turn out the way we’d expected are the Crusher pipes. They suit the bike exceptionally well and look superb, just as we had hoped, and their sound is powerful and deep. The only problem is that, for a suburbanite
like the Bear, the sound is a bit too powerful. He wants to keep his neighbours on side, so even with the baffles installed in the pipes they are too loud. Not for the city, probably, but for the ‘burbs. We’re not quite sure what the answer is here.
We are certainly not criticising the pipes! It’s more that the Bear is a little… conservative.
Say What?
Here’s an extract of what Küryakyn says about its products and attitudes: “Küryakyn has been in the business of improving and beautifying motorcycles since before many of today’s riders “ran ‘er through the gears” for the first time... [offering] well thought out parts that work, fit, and most of all, look great! Each Küryakyn accessory is intended to look fantastic by itself, but is usually a member of group of parts that combine to create a “look”. This allows each rider to add accessories a couple at a time, or go for the full complement all at once, without the end result looking like an arbitrary hodgepodge of parts that can leave you wondering if they were all supposed to go on the same bike.
“At Küryakyn we believe innovation is manufactured at the intersection of Performance and Style.”
JACQUI & MO HEAD EAST
PERTH TO… FOWLERS BAY?!
WORDS/PHOTOS JACQUI KENNEDY
Aftera short break tucked up in Sydney whilst Mo, my trusty little postie bike has been languishing in Perth, I was anxious to get back on the road for the second half of my journey around Australia at 70km/h.
Having crossed the Nullarbor by plane heading east, I was now returning westward by train on the Indian Pacific. Four days to cover 4300 kilometres under the power of two locomotives pulling 26 carriages averaging 85 km/h – slightly faster than Mo. It was a magnificent trip with spectacular desert sunsets and gourmet meals but I was very disappointed to learn that they no longer take motorcycles on their vehicle carriages. No doubt some number-cruncher has disregarded the twowheeled tourist market concocting some lame excuse about insurance. I could probably have hidden Mo in a suitcase and smuggled him into my cabin.
My third crossing of the Nullarbor began a few weeks later with great anticipation. Was Mo up to it? How bored would I get on the endless ribbon of tarmac? How numb can one bum be?
I had been crossing paths with Linda Bootherstone on her Sherpa and after seeing her photographs of the unsealed Nullarbor in 1971 when she had tackled it on a BMW, I dismissed any lingering concerns that Mo wasn’t up to the task on today’s tar seal.
Linda and I spent a few days in Kalgoorlie, admiring the big hole in the ground and enjoying some miner hospitality. There are some excellent
“I COULD PROBABLY HAVE HIDDEN MO IN A SUITCASE AND SMUGGLED HIM INTO MY CABIN”
museums at both Coolgardie and Kalgoorlie including a splendid WWI exhibition.
A few days before departure I learned of the death of a young Australian rider while living the dream in America.
Alistair McFarland was a dear friend of my daughter and a little blanket of sadness accompanied me across the desert. He was a bright, joyous lad with an infectious optimism and his loss was felt deeply by all who had met him.
Norseman in WA to Ceduna in SA - 1201 kilometres with a handful of roadhouses to break up the journey. With Mo’s long range fuel tank providing a 450km range, I was never concerned about petrol but always aware of distances between toilet stops. I had allocated a week to make the crossing at a comfortable 250 or so kilometres a day. I was not interested in the Iron Butt challenge which many riders utilise the Nullarbor for – I wanted to experience it, absorb it, feel its moods and find its magic. I did not want to just tick it off a list – it deserves more respect than that.
Expedition Pannierz have had a makeover for their tenth birthday.
While the architecture of the Pannierz hasn’t changed, the way they secure to the support frames has. There are four added elements to achieve this. Take a closer look online.
So, headphones on, listening to an audiobook about early Australian explorers, with the wind behind me and a layer of clouds preventing the sun from burning out my eyeballs, Mo and I set forth to conquer the treeless plain.
The traffic was very light and just like the Stuart Highway up the centre, the road trains were perfectly well behaved and with vision for kilometres ahead,
there was never any problem when they were overtaking us.
Although I was keeping the fluids up, at Balladonia I thought I was hallucinating. There at the fuel pumps were two gyrocopters filling up. Two Spanish guys were doing a lap of Australia in these tiny machines with one change of clothes and the back seat full of petrol canisters. Some people are mad!
boots from Forma
Headliners, Balaclava, Nekz
Extra Length Sokz Adventure Boots
Merino Wool Thermalz – Topz and Pantz
Reactor Thermal Sleeping Bag Liner
Jetboil
Bahco tools
I spent the second night at Cocklebiddy where, with an audience of Patriot bikers, Mo decided to have a little lie down due to the strong crosswind. The third night at Eucla was just over half way. I stopped in to see the Old Telegraph Station but the old building was defaced with graffiti and not terribly interesting.
The next morning I crossed into South Australia and longitude stole 2.5 hours of my day. The road followed the cliffs
with regular glimpses of the Southern Ocean reaching the true Nullarbor, treeless plain, by lunchtime. Curiously, the iconic signs near the Nullarbor Roadhouse marking the western point and the eastern point of the Nullarbor Plain are just 20km apart, which must confuse the foreign tourists.
Averaging four hours in the saddle each day, with frequent photo stops, I was always off the road in ample time to enjoy the long afternoons, comparing
stories with fellow travellers and delighting in the glorious sunsets. At no time in the past five days was I ever bored with the scenery – it actually does change subtly if you keep an eye on it.
Although I’d only done about 300km easy riding each day, I still feel like I had “rushed” it and had missed experiencing the real Nullarbor. I had a weird desire to turn Mo around and go and do it all again.
After Nundroo I took a detour off the main drag to a tiny little hamlet called Fowlers Bay. Perched on the edge of the water with only 19 permanent residents, Fowlers Bay was pure delight. I stayed two days to prolong the inevitable, my return to civilisation.
The final leg of the Nullarbor Crossing was just 160km into Ceduna. I felt ridiculously proud that we had made it. I mean, it’s been done thousands of times before on big bikes, on small bikes, even bicycles, even before it was sealed... but this was the first time I had done it... me and Mo togetherwhat a team! www.postienotes.com.au
EVENTS
3 4
TOURATECH TRAVEL
CHARLIE DROPS IT IN WORDS/PHOTOS LANCE TURNLEY
Whetheryou’re an experienced adventure rider or an absolute novice the annual Touratech Travel Event is for you. Billed as Touratech Australia’s main event of the year, the weekend in the Victorian alpine country town of Bright is a perfect mix of information and riding. It’s also the perfect base for day rides into the mountains.
After Friday registration there was the opportunity to test ride Triumph and KTM motorcycles or just relax and catch up with like-minded riders. Nearly all of the riders were from far away and happy to relax and chew the fat. After a smorgasbord dinner there was a first aid talk from paramedic and keen motorcyclist Ricardo Hafon, followed by a presentation by Brian Sommerville of GPS OZ in Sydney.
On Saturday there were two ride choices. Experienced riders could be led on an enduro ride that was navigated by
the corner man system. The trails were a little more technical than the average adventure rider would experience but there were many who were happy to raise the bar on their regular ride challenges. For novice riders there was a rider training morning for those who wanted to hone their skills. Nick Selleck from BMW Safari, who is a skilled rider, demonstrated and drilled the attending riders in various techniques. As you would expect, the feedback was overwhelmingly positive where most riders overcame their fears and felt able to take on greater riding challenges in the future.
That night we were unexpectedly treated to a presentation by Charlie Boorman. Charlie shared plenty of stories you won’t encounter on his shows or in his books. His co-host and manager Billy Ward acted as the show mediator and between the two of them they provided an entertaining
1. The wide open spaces of the Omeo Valley.
2. Touratech consultant Evelin Ritchie.
3. World traveler Sherri Jo Wilkins with Glen Hough.
4. Shallow creek crossings were a welcome relief from the dust.
show. It lasted over an hour and featured stories from tense, dangerous situations to dropping his phone into a steaming pit toilet.
The Sunday adventure ride was an all-in GPS navigation trip that took the riders along dirt and tarmac roads around the Alpine country. That night Sherri Jo Wilkins, who was a presenter last year, gave a detail talk and slide show of her time in Peru.
To find out more about the next Touratech Travel Event go to touratech. com.au and subscribe to their newsletter or phone 03 5729 5529.
TTHE POSSUM ELEVATES HIS HEART RATE 1 2 4 5
46TH ALPINE RALLY
he promise of good weather on the June Long Weekend drew the faithful out for this year’s Alpine. I left home with the temperature hovering at 16 degrees and by the time I was skirting Lake George it was down to 10!
After a pleasant night in Canberra with a mate, we launched for a leisurely run to Tumut for lunch at the bakery.
Up Talbingo Mountain and we started to see snow along the sides of the road. About a kilometre from the camp site I had a very close encounter with Skippy who seemed determined to end it all under my wheels. Disaster was narrowly averted and we arrived with an elevated pulse rate at the rally site.
On arrival we were greeted by Henning who informed us that earlier that morning the site had been covered with snow, the last remnant was in the shade of a tree and being quickly burned off by the brilliant sunshine.
The rest of the day progressed at a lazy pace and the majority of the arrivals spent the evening around one fire watching the moonrise and solving the problems of the world.
The official temperature recorder announced on Saturday morning that we had an overnight low of - minus 8!
The thick frost supported that.
From about lunchtime, bikes started rolling in thick and fast. It was a multi-denominational roll up, with at least five Can-Am Spyders, three Laverdas, an assortment of Harleys,
large numbers of BMWs of all ages, and most encouragingly, a scattering of P Plates.
If anyone asks, there was NOT an excellent display of pyrotechnics Saturday evening.
Sunday morning and the official low was announced as minus 9! Sunday morning also saw the badges handed out and all 160 disappeared quickly and a number of folk left money and addresses for the mailout of their badges later. As an effort to encourage younger riders, all those under 23 years of age got their badge free! Something other rally organises might consider.
The loads of wood Henning arranged for the camp site were appreciated by all and he also announced that any
1. Claude is still riding the Matchless.
2. Ben rode all the way from Wales – the Old North Wales.
3. Bree from Holbrook – at home she rides a Postie bike.
4. The under 23s got their badges free. Top idea.
5. Bush furniture – it would be worth a fortune in Paddington.
6. Where did Skippy go?
7. A pleasant red at room temperature.
profits would go to the Snowy Helicopter Rescue Service. As the temperature rose, so did the numbers of bikes leaving the site, a hardy few remained on to finish their rally on Monday and to feast on the foodstuffs and grog left by those departing on Sunday.
Another excellent rally, and next year the Alpine will be held at the Brindabella site for the final time as the property owner there has some health issues. Will the Alpine then be permanently at Cottrells Cottage? Stay tuned .
And pleAse note:
Please consider the BMWTCNSW rally at Tottenham in September (The Far Cairn Rally) and the BMWACT rally at Geehi in October (The Kosciusko Rally) . Will we be there? Does the Bear…
» Weighs only 570g
» Inflate a low or flat tyre quickly and safely
» Ideal for use on motorcycles, ATV’s and scooters
Tubeless Tyre Repair
» Made in the USA from billet 6061 aluminum
» Lightweight. No reaming. No glue.
» Store spare plugs in the end cap
» Reduces wind & road noise
» Enhances situation awareness
» Comfortable, washable & re-usable
» Allows communication & intercom use
BMW R7
ACyclone board tracker sold recently at the Las Vegas bike auctions for three quarters of a million dollars - US. It failed to make the million, which some people had predicted it would reach, even though it had been owned by Steve McQueen. Usually, previous ownership by McQueen adds at least a quarter to the value.
This bike, on the other hand, has never been owned by anyone other than the firm which built it – but I don’t think it would need any celebrity provenance to make that magic million bucks. There are many reasons, but they are basically simple. The bike is strictly one of a kind, it has serious significance both as a bike and a piece of industrial design, and… it’s beautiful. The bike has been described as an Art Deco design, and that is probably appropriate. Certainly it was designed
ART DECO DREAM MACHINE
WORDS THE BEAR PHOTOS FACTORY
and built during the heyday of the Art Deco movement; but just what defined that movement is another matter. For one thing, the name only came into use in the 1960s. For another, very few people can agree on what it describes.
“To this day, opinions are divided between two main camps on the definition…”writes Alastair Duncan of the Art Deco Society of NY, “… whether it was the highly colorful and playful geometric style which ruled the Paris Salons in the immediate post-WWI years… or that of the crisp angular patterns, most with American modernistic impulses, including zig-zag, jazz-age, machine-age, and streamlined aesthetics, to which architects were drawn towards 1930.”
At the time, “Modern man’s imagination”, Duncan continues, “was stirred now by the enormous tensile
strength and brilliant sheen of steel, technology’s newest building aid.”
Just as well that technology’s newest building aid wasn’t, say, reinforced concrete… that would have made some rather heavy bikes, not to mention the difficulty of getting a smooth paint job…
But seriously, BMW design engineer Alfred Böning got it pretty right with this design. The bike has the traditional pressed-steel frame (which was to be the design’s downfall) and telescopic forks. It’s sometimes claimed that this was a first for motorcycles, but in fact British manufacturer Scott had telescopics back in 1924, when BMW had just started making motorcycles. And if you mean hydraulic telescopic forks, Nimbus beat BMW into production by a year. The R7 doesn’t need spurious claims to make it special, anyway.
The R 7 shows off its clean design. That H-shaped gearchange gate is classic.
The bike weighs 178kg and has a 790cc engine, a capacity often described as optimal for horizontally opposed boxer twins. It hangs from the pressedsteel bridge frame and is matched to a four-speed transmission with a hand gear change. It produced 35 horsepower which gave it a top speed of 145km/h. The kick starter operates inline, rather than at right angles to the bike. Leonhard Ischinger designed the engine for BMW. It had a forged, one piece crankshaft for extra strength, and the cylinders and cylinder heads were a single component, with hemispherical combustion chambers. This monobloc design eliminated the need for a head gasket, a weakness in engine technology at the time. The camshaft was under the crankshaft, so the cylinders were positioned relatively high which allowed effective valve positioning and even more ground clearance than its siblings. The pair of chrome fishtail exhausts is a work of art in its own right. The bike has a colour scheme which
was later to almost become standard for BMW motorcycles (for a while it was possible to order them in any colour that was being offered on cars). So it has all black body panels with white pinstriping. The wire wheels are painted black to match the rest of the bike. The smooth lines of the bodywork and mudguards with their pierced valances give the bike an unmistakable appearance. The engine is hidden by sheets of formed metal to both aid its aerodynamics and add to the appearance. Unusually for BMW, the exposed cylinder heads are an aerodynamic dome shape as well. The fuel tank is covered by the bodywork and the chromed top cover holds an oil pressure gauge. Electrics are hidden by side covers around the rider’s knees and alloy foot boards support the feet. The headlight cowling holds the speedometer. In a classic piece of industrial design, the lower covers and the smooth rocker covers taper down to the rear axle. The upper
“…SOMEONE OPENED THE R7’S DUSTY PACKING CRATE AND REALISED WHAT THE CONTENTS MEANT.”
bodywork blends neatly into the rear mudguards.
The R7 was originally intended as a production model, but BMW was changing its emphasis to lighter, sportier models and tube frames suited that style better. With World War II approaching, nobody at the factory really knew what to do with this beautiful but rather pointless prototype. It ended up in a crate, and was left alone. Well, except for occasionally being stripped for parts. It’s amazing that the crate survived the bombing during the war.
Finally, in June of 2005, someone opened the R7’s dusty packing crate
1. Let’s not forget present-day Art Deco bikes; Arlen Ness’ Smoothness is one of the best.
2. Hand-built bodywork covers a Henderson 4 in possibly the most beautiful Art Decom bike ever.
and realised what the contents meant. Almost a third of the parts were gone and much of the rest was severely damaged by rust. Acid from a ruptured battery had caused corrosion damage; the mudguards were a rusty mess and the frame needed to be rebuilt. But that’s okay; BMW has the resources for this kind of thing at its Classic department.
The Bavarians stripped down the engine and found that some parts were available from other bikes of the time, but many others had to be made from scratch. Luckily, the original design drawings still existed. The gearbox was rebuilt, the electrical system replaced, and the metalwork in the body effectively recreated over some two years. It is now a runner and part of the BMW Group’s historic collection in Germany.
And just in case you’ve got an Art Deco motorcycle of some kind (or any object from the period) lying around in the shed, you might want to consider dragging it out. In 2009, a ‘Dragon’ Art Deco armchair from the estate of Yves Saint Laurent was hammered down for 20 million Euros. Rather makes the exSteve McQueen Cyclone board tracker which just sold for US$775,000 pale in comparison, doesn’t it? I wonder: would you pay more for something that Yves Saint Laurent or Steve McQueen had sat on?
ROUND, BLACK
AND NEW
WHAT’S HAPPENING IN THE WORLD OF TYRES?
COMPILED BY STUART WOODBURY
Whether they’re round and black, or square and white (eh?), everyone needs tyres. They are the things that keep you from ending up in a box sooner than you anticipated, so having the right ones for your needs is essential to maximise your motorcycling enjoyment. Tyres are ever evolving. More and more we are seeing multi-compound treads in all types of road tyres,
where not too long ago a touring tyre (for example) would only feature one compound across the tyre. We have compiled a list of some of the new tyres on the market recently, from the extensive range available from the great brands available in Australia. Unfortunately not all distributors got their information in on time before we went to the printers (hint!).
AVON
Ultra range, Storm 2 Ultra, Storm 3D X-M, Classic, Road Rider, Cobra and Venom. We’ve used a number of the Avon range for a wide variety of bikes and they have been excellent all-round.
Avon has an extensive range of tyres to cover all types of riding, priced well within the market. Their road range includes the 3D
Avon’s new adventure touring tyre, the Trailrider, is a 90% on-road, 10% off-road tyre that features a new super rich silica compound using the very latest technology to enhance wet grip. Multi-compound treads on radial rears enhance mileage and grip; interlocking three dimensional points hidden in the sipes improve stability and grip, limit tread fl ex and allow the tyre to warm up quickly; and a high tech carcass construction and next generation compounds deliver superb grip and handling. Check the entire range out at your local Avon dealer, or www.proaccessories.com.au .
TYRES Special Feature
SHINKO
Shinko is a brand that’s still expanding into new areas of motorcycling, but for cruiser riders the SR777 is an amazing tyre at a highly amazing price. We’ve used a set of these on The Bear’s H-D Sportster and loved them. Also new to the Shinko range is the sport touring Verge 2X and for adventure riders, the E804/805 and E705 range has you covered. To find your local dealer, visit www.bce.net.au .
HEIDENAU
This well-known brand from Germany offers some of the (claimed) best adventure touring tyres you can get.
The K60 Scout, which comes in different profiles and dimensions based on the size of the tyre, is a true 50/50 adventure touring tyre. The Heidenau K60 Scout brings a proven balance of performance on and off-road, with an improved tread and compound. To find your local dealer, visit www.bce.net.au
PIRELLI
Pirelli is a brand that we use over and over again. The consistency of feel and wear is what we love. Basically, we’ve used everything from their racing slicks to their adventure range and the latest in that particular range is the Scorpion Trail 2. Standard fitment on the new Ducati Multistrada 1200 DVT, we’ve ridden on them and love them. They are
more of a road biased adventure tyre over the normal Scorpion Trail, which gives the majority of adventure tourers
a tyre they’ll love. The ever popular Angel GT is now available in an “(A)” specification. This is suited for heavier road bikes and even some adventure touring bikes that won’t see any dirty stuff.
Pirelli’s range consists of the Supercorsa SP, Diablo Rosso Corsa, Diablo Rosso II, Angel GT, Angel ST, Diablo Strada, Sport Demon, City Demon, Night Dragon, MT66 Route, Scorpion Trail, Scorpion Trail 2, Scorpion MT 90, MT60, MT60 RS, MT21, Scorpion Rally and Diablo Scooter. So no matter what you ride and where you go, Pirelli has you covered.
CONTINENTAL
Continental is a high end brand that offers a wide range of tyres. Their range consists of the Sport Attack 2, Road Attack 2 EVO, Road Attack 2, Conti Motion, Conti GO, Twist, LB & K62, Milestone, Trail Attack 2, TKC70 and the ever popular TKC80. New for Conti
are the TKC70 and the Road Attack 2 EVO.
Conti’s new RA2 EVO combines the performance of a true sports tyre with the mileage of a sports/ tourer. The TKC70 is a specially developed tyre to fit where the majority of adventure tyres need it - with a 60/40 road/dirt
Ridersmate, the world’s only dedicated GPS safety and tracking device, automatically texts your loved ones in the event of an accident.
Ridersmate attaches easily to any motorcycle and has a detachable jack plug that tethers to your belt loop or clothing.
Should you fall off, the jack plug will detach from the Ridersmate unit and send out an emergency text message to up to three chosen contacts if you don’t reattach it within 35 seconds.
With Ridersmate, you can relax, safe in the knowledge that your loved ones know exactly where you are, and that medical experts
$399+p/h
will be able to respond as quickly as possible.
While not a GPS device, Ridersmate uses advanced GPS and GPRS technology.
It works a little like your mobile phone, with a SIM card inside, and uses the GPRS data service to send SMS messages when activated. Multiple use: Motorcycles, bicycles, horses, mountain bikers and bushwalkers.
• Lightweight construction. • Simple set up. • Advanced rechargeable battery with 8+ hour life. • Easy USB recharging. • Rugged and durable housing. • Accurate location tracking to 1m2. • Worldwide GPS tracking. • Attaches quickly and easily. • Tracks your ride if you become separated. • Built-in data logger.
• Full Google Maps integration. • Share rides with other users on www.ridersmate.com.
Never be left stranded, injured and alone if you fall off your bike
Order direct from Xenonoz: www.xenonoz.com, frank@xenonoz. com, 0417 008 461. Delivery available throughout the Asia Pacific region. Dealer enquiries welcome.
everything from “Racing Track, Racing Street, Hypersport, Sport/Touring, Cruiser, Custom/Retro, Adventure, Off-Road and Scooter/Commuter”. So no matter what you ride, Bridgestone will have a tyre for you.
The new tyres just released are the T30 EVO sport/touring, RS10/RS10R, S20 EVO, BT-39, Accolade, A40 and BW-201/202. We’ve ridden on many of the new tyres, but the ones we can’t wait to try are the new T30 EVOs. The normal T30 is a great tyre and the improvements for the EVO should be excellent. Watch for a review soon within these pages. these pages.
focus, and thanks to Conti’s “Traction Skin”, they require no break in period. See your local Continental tyre dealer or www.ronangel.com.au
BRIDGESTONE
Bridgestone has released quite a number of new tyres onto the market recently. The entire range covers
The RS10/Rs are high end sports tyres and both work very well, even as a track day tyre. The S20 EVO is a hypersports tyre with even more improvements over the previous S20. The BT-39s are for the smaller capacity bikes, like the Ninja 300 and R3. They give excellent grip wet and dry. For those custom and retro nuts, the Accolade range of old school looks with modern performance
is just the thing to have. For the adventure touring market, Bridgestone has two new tyres, the A40 – a road biased tyre for the big bore capacity bikes and the BW-201/202, an on-road tyre for smaller capacity adventure bikes.
Apologies for not featuring all brands, but our lead time must have been a bit short for other manufacturers. We’ll try to get them in next time.
FOR LIFE’S GREAT ADVENTURES
THE NEW ADVENTURE SPORT TYRE
Winding coastal roads leading to open blue sea vistas. Snow capped mountains rising above oceans of evergreens. Imperious castles silhouetted against dazzling azure skies. Let the world be your backdrop, the open road your stage and let Avon performance tyres race with your imagination to take you where you want to go.
Avon. The great British tyre that’s taking on the world.
Manufactured in the UK
• Typical fitments include BMW GS1200, Triumph Explorer, Yamaha XT1200 Tenere, Honda 1200 Cross Tourer
• Enhanced wet grip with new super rich silica compound and latest compounding technology
• Superb handling delivered by a high tech carcass construction
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YE ‘RE A LONG TIME DEID
COMPILED BY THE BEAR
So the Scots say, and they are spot on. So if you’re hesitating over a trip, get over it and get going. And you don’t need to go far; you don’t even need to own the “right” kind of bike (if there is any such thing) as our first item this month will show you…
TOTO, I DON’T THINK WE’RE IN KANSAS…
No, you’re in Australia, equipped by Australia’s new nationwide motorcycle rental and tour company –BikeRoundOz.
The merging of three of Australia’s largest tour and rental operators means that ‘Down Under’ two-wheeled explorers have a single source for preride advice, rental bikes, tours and
support no matter where they roam across Oz.
BikeRoundOz has been serving the region for 14 years. By joining forces with the Australian division of worldwide tour operator Compass Expeditions and Bikescape, who are Sydney’s largest rental and tour company, the new organization has a central booking offi ce with collection and drop off depots in Sydney, Melbourne, Perth, Brisbane, Cairns and Adelaide.
“The key things that ensure fellow
riders enjoy their time in Australia are high quality advice from real people that have ridden the routes many times, expertly prepared bikes, attention to detail and fast support no matter where you are in the country,” says Selena Thurbon, the new MD of BikeRoundOz. “The country is vast and without good knowledgeable advice you can miss all the good stuff. Our daily focus is to ensure clients make the most of their time here whether it’s a day trip from the city or a cross continent, gravel road epic!”
1. Have you ever seen the Red Centre?
Don’t you want to?
2. Lockhart, NSW, Australia – as worthwhile a travel target as anywhere else in the world. And where else has the Big Corrugated Iron Kangaroo and Emu just outside town – eh? Certainly nowhere in Kansas!
The merging of these experienced rental, self-guided and guided tour operators provides riders a seamless one stop shop no matter which part of Australia you are exploring and type of trip you’d like. Choose from a simple rental, on or off road, more than 60 self-guided tours and both sealed and enduro guided trips.
LOST AGAIN? NOT FOR A WHILE 1
The extremely popular “Outback Ready” bikes will be available out of all depots and as the name suggests are equipped with everything you’ll need to venture into Australia’s iconic outba ck.
The national fl eet is focused around BMWs and Harleys but Japanese bikes are on the list and even scooters for zipping around Sydney.
For more information visit www.bikeroundoz.com or e-mail mark@bikeroundoz.com , and say hello to Selena for us!
Riders of the Lost Trail in Spain is taking its regular summer break for the months of June, July & August. They do this for two reasons. Firstly, it is illegal to ride in the hills and mountains during the summer months due to the risk of fire. Secondly, it just isn’t any fun riding enduro bikes when it is 40 degrees plus.
They say they’ve had an extremely busy Winter/ Spring period and it looks like the Autumn/Winter
TOP TOURS & TRAVEL
season is going to be even busier. They also want to clear a couple of things up.
“We are hearing increasing dissatisfaction from a growing number
of riders who have been charged for breakages while riding with other companies here in Spain. We feel it important to state very clearly what our policy is on this topic: we pay for
all damage and breakages as long as riders are riding sensibly. This means that you, as our clients, can feel at ease. If you fall and bikes are damaged, WE cover the cost - not you the rider.”
WHERE TO, PRIJATELJ?
In case you’re wondering, as we were, that means “friend” in Slovenian, and – what luck! –Slovenia is where Adriatic Moto Tours is based! They have just posted the dates for next year’s tours and we suggest that if
you’re interested in visiting “the Balkans, Alps, Greece, Corsica, Krakow, Tuscany, Romania, Albania, Hungary, Prague, Austria, Sardinia, the Dolomites, Budapest, France, Vienna, Croatia, the French Riviera, Nice, Switzerland, Montenegro, St. Tropez, Slovenia, Turkey, Italy and much more” you should take a look at http://www.adriaticmototours.com/
Peter Van Geuns from Toowoomba takes a corner high in the Bosnian hills on our Adriatic tour.
Guided-Tours/Calendar . Adriatic does terrific tours, as you’ll be able to see from The Bear’s story in this issue. Make sure you tell them that you’re a friend of his… then again, prijateli, maybe not…
NORTH TO ALASKA
“Being born and raised in Alaska has its advantages and disadvantages,” says Phil Freeman, the founder of MotoQuest.
“Sure, your stomping ground is one of the most sparsely populated regions on earth with limitless opportunities for outdoor activities. But there always is an element of separation between Alaska and the real world. We are like a large island and some joke we are the smallest town in the world. With the land size almost as big as Mexico, and a population of just 700,0000, we Alaskans have plenty of space to ourselves!
“I think the most noticeable differences in traveling Alaska than anywhere else are the open and friendly people and the unfathomable vastness of wilderness.
In a land where you are part of the food chain, the locals help one another. It’s hard to get stranded too long at the side of the road before someone lends a helping hand. Alaskans take care of one another.
“As for enjoying a pristine environment, you can be riding along on your motorcycle and stop just about anywhere and stand off to the side of the road. Chances are, you are the first person to ever have stood there.
“Anyone who comes up and rides Alaska for few days becomes mesmerized by the sheer enormity of this place. Add to it the element of solitude, endless
mountains, glaciers and rivers, and you have natural history as it should be. To explore Alaska is to explore, truly, the Last Frontier. To experience it by motorcycle can only be described as EPIC.
“I encourage you to come up to Alaska on your own. If you don’t have a motorcycle, rent one and spend a week traveling from mountain range to mountain range with literally NO TRAFFIC at all. If you like the social element of touring on a motorcycle, and want to go with experienced guides and support, then I recommend the following tours:
Light Adventure: Best of Alaska Adventure Sunday, Jun 28th 2015Tuesday, Jul 7th 2015
Can you see yourself in this photo?
Medium Adventure: Northern Lights Adventure Saturday, Aug 29th 2015Sunday, Sep 6th 2015
Heavy Adventure: Backcountry Explorer Friday, Jul 24th 2015Saturday, Aug 1st 2015
“If you have any questions regarding our program here in Alaska, do not hesitate to ask me. I know a thing or two about Alaska. I even co-authored an award winning book about it: “The Adventurous Motorcyclist’s Guide to Alaska.” Feel free to call or write me about riding in the 49th state.
Phil Freeman, Founder, MotoQuest. Email: phil@motoquest.com, Phone: 1(907) 441-1944.
VIETNAM ON THREE
A little while ago, I asked David John, who lives in Hanoi, if he could put us in contact with someone who runs sidecar tours in Vietnam. He came through in spades.
“My friend Cuong has been restoring and repairing Ural sidecars in Hanoi for 12 years or more. He offers guided tours on Ural solo machines as well as on Ural sidecar outfits and on Minsks and some Honda trail bikes. Tours can be arranged for 2 or 3 days to 3 to 4 weeks and can be tailor made for the customer. On the guided tours, as well as a guide there is a mechanic to look after every engineering need.
“His website is Cuongs motorbike adventure.com , or You can send email to: info@cuongs-motorbike-adventure.com
No, I said Vietnam on three… not four!
SHIPPING
MOVE THAT BIKE WORDS THE BEAR
We try to be like the Marines, here at MOTORCYCLIST, and leave no rider or bike behind. But it doesn’t always work out. A couple of times in my long moto journo life, test bikes have ‘failed to proceed’ and have had to be left behind. One was at Nullarbor Station, predictably enough in the middle of the Nullarbor Plain; the other was in Queenstown, Tasmania, down in the far south-west. In both cases, the distributors who had provided the bikes had to use non-specialist transport companies to get their bikes back. I’ve never seen bikes, other than ones that had been totalled in a crash, with so much damage.
Admittedly I didn’t see one other, almost legendary, pickup disaster: the Goldwing that had been dropped by a magazine I once edited (not when I was there), and had had its left side wiped out. When a flattop truck was sent to collect it, its crane broke and the bike
hit the edge of the truck with its right side… spectacular was hardly the word for it.
So it pays to get experts to shift your much-loved machine. Fortunately, these days there are quite a few to choose from for local, interstate or international shipping.
We’ve divided the shipping tasks into four: Local will probably mean picking you up from the roadside after you’ve suffered some kind of mishap, or perhaps dropping your bike off at a workshop for maintenance or whatever. Interstate would include things like getting your bike taken somewhere for a holiday (yours, not the bike’s) or having it sent home from somewhere to save time, or delivering a bike you’ve bought or sold from or to somewhere too far away to ride. International is
essentially the holiday market, where you send your bike to New Zealand or Britain and follow by aircraft. Finally, buying internationally is just what it says – you’ve bought a bike and need it brought home, and perhaps compliance and so on.
We’ve given you examples of companies who do each of these jobs.
LOCAL
This is actually probably the most difficult of all transport tasks to arrange. Not that it takes any more than a phone call when it’s needed; but selecting whom you’re going to call is not so easy. Why is that? Well, the operators who specialise in this kind of work are usually small, sometimes with only one van or even just a trailer. That doesn’t make them bad; if they’ve got their
A Sydney Motorbike Network van.
1. A Bikes Only semi, out on the Darwin run.
2. Lift platforms are fitted to all Just Bikes vehicles.
territory worked out and they can offer convenient and well-priced service, there is no reason why you shouldn’t use them.
Well, almost no reason.
There is a danger of encountering cowboys. That means primarily someone without adequate insurance and also covers people without appropriate experience and equipment or the inclination to take the kind of care of your bike that you know it deserves. I’m not saying that there are a lot of
these people, and by their nature they come and go.
Obviously then what you want is someone who has adequate insurance, experience, equipment and attitude. We looked at Sydney Motorbike Network as an example of what you should look for when you’re getting your bike moved locally. Partly because Terri, our sales manager, has personal experience.
“When I needed to transport my precious MV Agusta back to Sydney from Gosford, I was a bag of nerves,” she says.
3. Bike strapped securely into a Bikes Only vehicle.
4. No, we don’t think they move guitars…
“I asked around, and Surfside Motorcycle Garage in Brookvale, which has to transport dozens of unique motorcycles, recommended Mark Travers at Sydney Motorbike Network. Mark went out of his way to make an unscheduled trip for me.
“Mark was a motorcycle courier and he loves bikes and is a motorcycle mechanic.
He can arrange transport from practically anywhere to everywhere at very reasonable rates, including interstate. He also has an office in the Riverina that services the Western Plains, Broken Hill and the ACT.
“Mark can arrange rescue and recovery if you’ve broken down, and has been authorised to attend motorcycle accident scenes so your bike won’t end up being dragged on its side onto the back of a truck (see Goldwing story above). “
We suggest that you keep SMN’s numbers in your wallet or preprogrammed into your phone – just in case of emergency. They are 1300 36 35 33 or 0414 509 323. You can also check SMN’s website for a quote (www. sydneymotorbikes.net.au).
INTERSTATE
It’s not all that easy to pick an interstate transport company either, but once again we have personal experience. This time it’s me: I had to get our project Sportster from Iron Head Customs in Hoppers Crossing near Melbourne to Motorcyclist HQ in Sydney.
Like Terri, I asked around and the name that came up most often was Bikes Only. I took a quick look at their website and then called them; they were able to give me a specific pickup and delivery date, which they kept scrupulously. I got a call on the day before they were due to deliver the bike to confirm arrangements. Although I wasn’t able to be home when the bike was due, it arrived on schedule and in perfect condition, and they left it exactly where I’d asked for it to go.
Ray Callen, the National Operations Manager of Bikes Only, says “We have about $7 million’s worth of trucks, rigids and vans on the road. All of our vehicles have tailgate lifters, so there is never any danger of damage to bikes being collected or delivered. Transit insurance is included in freight costs.
“You can get a quick quote from our website, www.bikesonly.com.au and you can also pay on the website. Alternatively, you can ring 1300 735 468.
“We have set routes all across Australia. Our trucks run on schedule; we do not consolidate, which makes a big difference because it means we are always
punctual. Apart from the main capitals we ship to places like Cairns, Darwin, Perth and Hobart, as well as operating a regional network, and our depots in all States are fully secured. We’re also now the company of choice for Australia’s biggest internet sales operators, Bikesales and Bike Point.”
A very useful association Just Bikes has is with an escrow company, which ensures that you get paid when you sell a bike and send it to the new owner.
INTERNATIONAL
Once again, while there are several companies shipping bikes overseas for holiday and, I suppose, other purposes, the one that comes up most frequently is Get Routed. And of coursed the destination that’s by far the most common is New Zealand. But geez, I don’t know – is Get Routed New Zealand really going to win any friends across the Tasman?
Where Australians are concerned, Kiwis notoriously lose their sense of humour.
Well, never mind. Clive McFadden
JUST LIKE COMING HOME
SOUTH WESTERN HOTEL, TOOMPINE QLD
WORDS/PHOTOS COLIN WHELAN
RATED 3 OUT OF 5 HELMETS
I’m pretty sure everyone knows that pubs are ‘pubs’ because they started out as public houses: houses which were open to the public. Often a married couple would simply set aside the largest room in their home, fit it out with seats around the walls for guests and set aside another back room where they’d keep the drinks, the glasses and any snacks.
The public would come to their house and so it became known as a ‘public house’ and soon this was contracted back to just a ‘pub’. Any workers were classified as ‘servants’ and the boss was the ‘host’.
This all changed in the mid-1800’s when pubs began installing barriers in the lounge between the guests and the stock. This enabled the drinks to be kept within easy reach and sped up the service, especially once the barriers came to be topped with a counter of sorts.
Just as ‘public house’ was contracted over time to its first three letters and became a ‘pub’ so too did this ‘barrier’ get slimmed down to ‘bar’ (and of course over time this name of establishments’ central locus came to be moniker for the entire place). A place with a bar was a ‘bar’ in the same way a room with a toilet is a ‘toilet’!
Bars didn’t just separate staff and clientele on the physical level, they also separated them in a more figurative and emotional sense. Guests became ‘customers’, servants became ‘barmaids’ and ‘barmen’, and the host became the ‘licensee’.
But now when I look at good pubs and think about what makes them great, one of the essentials is the blurring of this ‘us and them’ barrier. It’s the pubs which make me feel ‘at home’ or at the very least in the host’s home that rise above the good and become memorable. It’s the pubs which are run by hosts who reach across the bar both literally
and figuratively to their guests that are the opals in the rock.
And if you find such a place at the end of a long or taxing day it seems to shine even more brightly. Few pubs have had a higher lux for me than the pub at Toompine between Thargomindah and Quilpie. Its official name is the South Western Hotel, but to every traveller who’s ever visited, it’s simply, “The Toompine Pub.”
I’d come up the dirt road from Tharg. The red dirt of the centre, of the outback. The red that magnifies every other colour: the sky, the clouds, the vegetation. Out here, every few hundred
kilometres or so I just pull over and switch off the engine. Clear the head of noise and fill it with the quiet. These are the roads where I can park the bike slap in the middle and spend 20 minutes shooting a panorama, confident no vehicle will be seen, heard or forced to go around.
Because it’s not just the colours that are magnified, it’s other stuff as well.
Physics tries to teach us that there is no such thing as darkness, only absence of light; no such thing as cold, only absence of heat and no such thing as quiet, only absence of sound.
Physics lies.
Out in the red heart, where the city has given way to the country, the country yielded to the bush and the bush surrendered to the outback, you will find a silence which is past quiet. This is a silent which has its own density and mass.
This is The Silence. It is not the absence of anything. It is itself.
Stop the bike in the heat of the day, when even the flies are cowering on the dark side of leaves and twigs, and absorb the silence. If a crow or corella or magpie happens to cry out, it’s as though something tangible has been torn, ripped, damaged.
And it seems no co-incidence that excepting the dingo, not a single of our mammals or our reptiles has a loud call. They too respect the Silence. Silence is the music of the harsh. I savour it several times on the ride north to Toompine.
When I come in from the Silence and the dust, Dogger meets me at the door of the pub. He reckons I look like I need a drink and he gets no argument.
The pub has no draft beer so I get a long cold water and a freezing stubby for a reasonable five bucks and Dogger joins me in the mid-arvo sun out front. Blokes in utes drop by for a drink or some takeaways and all are up for a chat. Dogger’s real name is Glen but fewer people call him that than call the pub the ‘South Western.’ He’s the boss along with his wife Robyn. With each arrival he jumps up, serves the fella then comes back outside to continue the yarn.
Pretty soon Bobbie wanders over from his caravan parked fifty metres away. He’s been here three days so he’s considered a local and he and Dogger reckon seeing as I’m doing nothing I might as well make myself useful and go down the creek with Bobbie to empty the yabbie traps and get some dinner. Sounds a plan!
The Toompine Pub has what has to be Australia’s biggest beer garden… It’s on 8,500 acres and it’s cut through with creeks and waterholes. Pretty soon Bobbie and I are in his ute and headed down to a creek with still a decent bit of water. He’s already emptied the nets this morning and got a few dozen good ones.
We pull in half a dozen traps with maybe 20 blue claw all up and Bobbie reckons it’s about time to move the nets to a new billabong a bit further down.
We load the traps with pickled pork (“the buggers can’t resist this stuff,”), chuck ‘em into the brown waters, take the haul back to base and reunite ‘em in with their mates from the morning. Tight squeeze in the kitchen as we all help pull tracts out of the yabbies before Bobbie turns them all orange in a boiling hot bath, loads them onto a massive platter and brings them all out front where a shady mob of usual suspects is gathered. There’s blokes from surrounding farms buggered after a hard day at it, a shearer on his was north to Adavale for just three days work with on a small mob, a truckie having a break on the way east to Dalby; all with stories and, in the fading light, great, character-filled faces.
One of them has the most genuine sweat and red dust stained hat I’ve ever seen and I tell them how a bushie mate of mine described Bob Katter with his pristine Akubra as, ‘all hat and no cattle’. They smile knowingly. As the darkness takes over and the Silence seems a long way distant, we all hoe in and there’s plenty to go around. Come to Toompine and you’re welcome to throw your nets into the creeks and have your efforts cooked up for free in the pub. You won’t be able to camp by the creeks but there’s plenty of space around the pub itself, including beside the pond right behind the pub. I
camped right beside the front door.
If you’re not a camper, there’s a total of 7 rooms, all with air-con available for guests: 3 doubles and 4 singles at $70.00 and $50.00 respectively. If you want to throw a swag but prefer indoors there’s plenty of space in the pistol club hall about 80 metres from the pub.
All are welcome to use the toilet near the gun club but keep your eyes peel coz like so many country dunnies, the water attracts frogs and the frogs can attract snakes. The week before I got there a particularly keen blackie had to be forcibly removed!
There’s no TAB, no Keno, no ignorant, untrained backpacking staff and a prominent sign proclaims, No Cockheads.
There’s undercover parking in the shed around the back but if you’re there when it pours, get me a photo! And there’s as much need to lock up your bike as there is to hide it from the rain.
Robyn will cook you up a feed from a pretty decent menu any time you want. “If the door’s open the kitchen’s open,” she tells me toward the end of the night. She and Dogger have managed the pub for just under a year and are trying to
get the lease. Both are from out west, Dogger’s the older brother of Donna who, with husband Phil, runs the motel down in Tharg, the most hospitable licensed place down there. After a lifetime of shearing and running catering at places like the Roma Saleyards, they’re keen to make this their patch.
As we sit around chatting like you’d chat with friends who’re putting you up for the night, I see a couple of laminated typed sheets on the wall and it turns out they are a short history of the pub.
And there near the bottom of page two, it all becomes clear:
The pub was built in 1893 by a Mr Power whose descendants still live in and around Tharg and Qulipie. It was built not as a pub but as ‘a homestead with five central rooms surrounded by a wide veranda and a separate kitchen block… over the years there have been alterations but in the main the appearance remains unchanged.’ And, I think to myself, if the writer had added, ‘character and feel’ to ‘appearance’ they’d have summed this place up perfectly. This is a ‘pub(lic house)’ with a bar but no barriers.
The season here stretches from Anzac Day to September, outside this it’s just too damn hot for most tourists so you’ve still got time to get out there this year.
It’s worth the effort.
It may be lacking in some amenities but the richness of its character and of its characters make it a truly iconic outback pub, and for me it even surpasses outback greats like Nindigully and Hebel.
It rates three helmets on our scale with a value rating of 122, neither of which reflects the sheer enjoyment and memorable experiences you’ll have when you drop in. Get there!
The South Western Hotel at Toompine Qld Street Address: Don’t worry, you’ll find it T: 07 4656 4863
Full Disclosure: Dogger reckoned I’d spent enough on refreshments (‘and besides you caught dinner’) so he waived any camping fee. This didn’t influence any of my review or comments.
HOT RODS, STINGRAYS AND PUPPIES
high speed. I was more than happy to go with one. I’ve used an NXR on the road for a number of months and now getting one for the track means that I don’t have to readjust to the characteristics of a different helmet – I can just “get into it”.
Another plus with the NXR is that it comes standard with a Pinlock visor insert. Nothing is worse than barrelling down into a corner at well over 200km/h and not being able to see where you’re going – the Pinlock fixes this problem. Don’t have a Pinlock insert in your helmet? It is a MUST! I recently introduced a friend to the Pinlock and he said he wonders what he’d been doing all this time.
The Shoei NXR is compact, lightweight and aerodynamic. It is one of the lightest full face helmets available, which makes it comfortable to wear. It is also a quiet helmet and comes in an industry leading four
shell sizes to ensure a custom fit for heads between the sizes of XS-2XL. Sizing is bang on the money with other helmets, too.
Ventilation performance is excellent. I run the NXR with the top three vents closed and only on the hottest days are they open.
The NXR’s QR-E base plate system facilitates quick visor changes and is very easy to use.
A dual layer, multi-density EPS liner not only improves impact absorption with varying densities of foam in key areas around your head, it is also designed to allow cool air to travel unrestricted through channels created in the EPS, further improving the NXR’s superior ventilation. In addition to enhanced impact absorption and ventilation, the precision placement of multi-density EPS liner material creates a more compact, lightweight design.
Emergency
Quick
Release System
(EQRS), using technology borrowed from the X-12 helmet, allows emergency medical personnel to easily remove the cheek pads from an injured rider’s helmet. When the cheek pads have been removed, the helmet can be safely lifted from a rider’s head without creating unnecessary strain around the neck.
The helmet has a fully removable, washable, adjustable and replaceable 3D Max-Dry System II interior. The 3D centre pad is three-dimensionally shaped to match the contours of a rider’s head, allowing for an extremely comfortable fit while maintaining the firm hold necessary for distraction-free, high-speed riding. Additionally, the NXR’s 3D-shaped cheek pads are available in multiple sizes for a customisable fit, and Shoei’s Max-Dry System II liner material absorbs and dissipates sweat
and moisture twice as fast as traditional Nylon helmet interiors. Available in a wide range of plain colours and graphics, you need to try one on when next buying a helmet. See your local bike shop or www. mcleodaccessories.com.au SW
STEVE IRWIN’S REVENGE
Held Titan gloves
Price - $300 (Special AMM Price!)
Have you ever seen a glove with stingray in it? Held has top level Titan gloves which offer what could be the highest level of protection from any glove on the market. I’ve seen what can happen to your hands if you use them as sliders along the bitumen, even if you’re wearing (cheap) gloves. This is why I’m a massive fan of the highest amount of protection money can buy and Held gives this to you with the Titan.
They’re made from 100% kangaroo leather and Kevlar, with stingray skin panels in vulnerable slide areas for maximum abrasion protection. Why stingray? Well, apparently Stingray offers the slipperiest surface with the least resistance of any product known. Continue up the bottom of the hand onto the palm and you’ll find a small carbon fibre slider, and a huge patch of
stingray hide sewn in across the base of the palm to promote sliding in a wreck. There’s also another carbon fibre slider at the base of the thumb. None of which get in the way when using the controls. Other features include shock absorbing memory foam in the wrist/ cuff, Kevlar lining in vulnerable areas, ring and pinkie finger bridges reinforced with Kevlar ceramic polymermatrix coating and carbon and titanium knuckle protection.
Sizing is as per your normal size. I went with the size 11 (2XL). They were a touch tight when I first put them on, but after wearing them only twice, they are starting to mould just nicely to my hands – exactly what you want. For so much protection you think it’d be cumbersome, but they are anything but. In the end, these offer the best protection I’ve ever seen out of any glove. Grab a pair, or check out the entire Held range at www.heldaustralia. com.au SW
FIRM AND SQUEEZY Grip Puppies
Price - $29 + postage.
We tested the Grip Puppy comfort handlebar grips on a Suzuki DRZ-400E fitted with knobby tyres, which vibrates quite a lot.
Installation was easy. There’s no need to remove anything (but you have to undo the hand guard stem if you have one). You lather up some ordinary soap in your hands and rub the lather onto the existing handgrips. Then simply slid the Grip Puppies over the slippery surface and you’re done. As a test to see how good the Grip Puppies are, Rob fitted one Grip Puppy onto the left hand grip only, leaving the stock hand grip alone on the throttle hand. His experiment lasted about three hours on a mix of sealed roads: suburban back streets, 60km/h arterial roads with traffic light stops, expressways and country highways. The result - a noticeable benefit. He says it wasn’t as if one hand felt better or worse than the other while riding; but he did notice that at the end of ride, his left hand did not have the post-ride tingles while his right hand did. So it definitely does make a difference and helps in reducing rider fatigue. Grab a pair from our good mate, Andy at Andy Strapz - www.andystrapz. com Ph: 03 9770 2207, or email: info@andystrapz.com
TEN TIPS FOR SURVIVAL
It is not necessary to change. Survival is not mandatory.
W. Edwards Deming
U
nfortunately for riders it’s more perilous than ever riding a motorcycle these days. Congestion, drivers using mobile phones, tailgating, poor road surface and just a general disregard for fellow human beings by aggressive drivers is making riding a motorcycle around Australian cities just not as much fun as it should be. Here are ten tips to help you ride to live – and incidentally to have fun as well. You don’t have to do this, of course. As Professor Deming says, survival is not mandatory…
1 WEAR GOOD GEAR
Good riding gear is a must and can help hugely in reducing injury should the worst happen. There is a lot of cheap rubbish out there so
always buy the best protective clothing and helmet you can afford.
2 SORT OUT YOUR ATTITUDE
It’s not fair that drivers use their mobile phone or tailgate. Sure. But it’s important for riders to take responsibility for spotting these hazards. We are the ones who get hurt if it all goes wrong.
3 COVER THE BRAKES
Sometimes you need to react quickly and having your fi ngers on your brake lever reduces the time you’ll take trying to fi nd it in an emergency.
4 SCAN
You should always be scanning for hazards looking forward and in your mirrors, whether it is road conditions, blind spots, texting drivers and so on. Make sure you are looking far enough ahead, too.
5
GET SOME TRAINING
As a trainer I see huge student skill gains after even one day of advanced training. Motorcycles are a lifelong journey and you should get regular training to keep your skills sharp. It’s a lot of fun too.
6 PRACTICE EMERGENCY BRAKING
Emergency braking should be intuitive and therefore practiced regularly. Start with using only the front brake and practice your way to including the rear plus changing down into fi rst gear - just in case you have to make a hasty getaway from the tailgating cagers.
Start off by fi nding a quiet area with a slight uphill and make sure no one is behind you. Think of braking in two stages. First setup; with light pressure, this will make the bike pitch forward, transferring vertical load onto the front tyre which increases grip. Then squeeze the brake lever
RIDE TO LIVE WORDS MARK MCVEIGH PHOTOS COLIN WHELAN
progressively, until you come to a complete stop. Never snatch at the brakes as this can cause the tyre to skid. If the tyre begins to skid quickly release the brake and reapply.
Fifteen percent of motoDNA students have the throttle on when they fi rst practice emergency braking. We recommend you also pull the clutch in when you apply the brake, which overcomes this common issue.
7 POSITION YOURSELF ON THE ROAD
Your road position is dynamic which means it should change depending on the risk around you. Imagine you are at the centre of a safety bubble, the dimensions of which change in relation to the proximity of other road users, junctions and the condition and width of the road. This creates a buffer zone between you and hazards, giving you more time to see, be seen and react. Resist pressure to get pushed along
by cars following too closely behind you. It’s important that you keep that 3-second gap to the car in front so you can react in time to any hazards. This also makes you more visible to other traffi c users and you can see more clearly around the car in front.
8 GET TO THE FRONT
Bikes are lighter, narrower and more manoeuvrable than other vehicles, which is great for lane fi ltering. Getting to the front of the traffi c at the lights means you can zoom away from the cars and get some space. [This may not be legal in your State… - Ed]
9 NEVER TRUST A GREEN LIGHT
When you approach any junction you should be scanning for hazards. Never accelerate through the junction, cover your brakes, adjust your road position and scan that a
1. Scanning is vital, even if it isn’t always easy. Skippy could be waiting to surprise you.
2. Roadside hazards can get tricky, like here in Quilpie…
3. On the open road, stock is not your friend.
car is not going to run their red light or stop sign and come out in front of you.
10 WATCH YOUR SPEED
If you are fanging around the city in a rush it’s not going to end well for you. Chill out and reduce your risk by watching your speed.
THE AUTHOR: Mark McVeigh is a Moto Journo and Director of Coaching at motoDNA Motorcycle Academy. Read more of Mark’s work on the motoDNA blog, or follow motoDNA on Twitter and Facebook.
black or white. Promoto’s Oggy Knobbs take the brunt of impacts and road surface abrasion and can significantly reduce repair costs after a fall. Only the strongest, most resilient materials are used to ensure strength, performance and appearance. We’ve used Oggy Knobbs numerous times and love the high quality fit and finish. We’ve also seen
the result after a crash (not ours) and they really do reduce the amount of damage – a lot!
See your local bike shop or www.kenma.com.au
SPORTIER OUTFIT
Ural cT
The Ural factory has tweaked its outfits to get an even better ride
from a well proven design and released the “cT” model. The factory has made a small compromise in ground clearance and lowered the whole outfit a little by running 18” wheels all round. Then they have used the retro sidecar suspension to bring the chair itself down a couple more centimetres. All this lowers the centre of gravity to increase stability and cornering ability. Still suitable for road or adventure riding, there is more to the mods. The mounting brackets have been expanded to push the wheel track wider. A wider wheel track has created more stability and less inclination to lift the chair when on fast or off-camber turns. Ural Australia has landed the new “cT” with 2015 specs in Gloss Grey, Terracotta or Yellow. Supplies are limited and you can find out more from www.imz-ural.com.au or 02 6778 7436.
NEW IN THE SHOPS
MAKE IT REAL
Carbon Barkbusters – Ducati
Scrambler
Price - $121.95
The Barkbusters handguards are a perfect complement to the Scrambler’s wide, upswept one piece handlebar. With the wide variety of Barkbusters guard options the final look of the Scrambler can be tailored to suit the
needs of every rider; from the sleek look of Carbon to the greater wind protection offered by Storm, with the Jet and VPS also giving you plenty of other options to tailor to your needs. Visit your local bike shop to grab a set, or visit www. barkbusters.net
NO SLOW, IN THE COLD
Andy Strapz Thermalz
Price - $85 top, $93 pants
Keeping warm is not about bulk but effi cient layers and the best fi rst layer is superfi ne Merino. Andy Strapz Thermalz have been a staple of the Aussie bike scene for over a decade. As Andy’s design drive is to always improve and refi ne his gear, the fabric has been changed from a hollow fi bre poly knit to a superfi ne, itch free, Merino. The fabric is very stable, extremely resistant to pilling and machine washable. Andy’s Thermalz are unisex for him or her. Contact Andy on Ph: 03 9770 2207, email: info@andystrapz.com Visit: HQ at 16F New St, Frankston,
3199 or visit the website: www.andystrapz.com
ITALIAN PROTECTION AND
STYLE
Gaerne GP1 boots
Price - $499.95
Want some of the best protection for your feet and ankles? Grab a pair of the latest from Gaerne – the GP1 boots. Featuring a unique Gaerne fl oating system made of carbon composite, which allows the foot to move naturally and prevents ankle twisting without compromising fl exibility; a shock absorbing heel cup; adjustable calf closing system; fully washable and removable inner sole and available in 3 colours (Black, Red or White) you will enjoy high levels of protection with comfort. See your local bike shop or visit www.cassons.com.au
estimated 7.14 horsepower gain to the 950cc Bolt. As with all K&N fi lters, this unit is washable, reusable, pre-oiled and ready for installation.
See your local bike shop or visit www.ctaaustralia.com.au
STRYKING
Yamaha Stryker Bullet Cowl
The new Yamaha Stryker Bullet Cowl brings a tougher look and excellent wind protection to the popular 1300 liquid cooled V-twin. The look reinterprets classic custom chopper styling for an aggressive feel. On sale now for $15,599 (+orc), see your local Yamaha dealer.
OUTBACK NSW
NOT ONLY FOR THE MAD WORDS STUART WOODBURY PHOTOS CAIN MAITLAND
This month’s adventure map takes you to see some pretty and stunningly vast countryside. Just for the sheer excitement value, I recommend basing yourself at White Cliffs, at the Underground Motel. But, depending on where you’re coming from you can base yourself in Wilcannia, Menindee or Broken Hill.
WHITE CLIFFS
White Cliffs is an opal-mining town in which residents mainly live underground to escape the heat. It’s 98km from Wilcannia in Outback NSW and set in bizarre moonscapelike country comprising thousands of hillocks of earth dug and discarded in the quest for opals. When visiting the White Cliffs area, stay in unique caveand station-style accommodation for an authentic outback experience. Fuel, including Premium, is available, along with most essentials. A great place to use as a touring base.
WILCANNIA
Wilcannia is a historic Darling River port town, 200km east of Broken Hill
and part of the White Cliffs area. The town’s role in the prosperous riverboat era is evident today in the many heritage buildings built from sandstone quarried locally. The Darling River, which cuts through the town, softens the surrounding semi-arid landscape. Stay in unique nearby accommodation, including underground caves, stations, caravan parks and even an old train compartment. Just be wary of the locals, they can be a bit rough. Fuel is available, and so are most essentials.
MENINDEE
Menindee is the gateway to Kinchega National Park, where the Darling forms a chain of natural lakes. Make sure you see this amazing sight as the sun sets over the dead river gums in the lakes. Or, as I have done, watch the sunrise with the thousands of birds flying around the lakes. A very pretty place to experience. Menindee has fuel, accommodation and basic essentials. I’ve stayed at Maidens Hotel and eaten breakfast at the Redsands Take Away.
BROKEN HILL
Broken Hill was built on the world’s largest silver, lead and zinc mine run by Broken Hill Proprietary Company Limited, now BHP Billiton, one of the world’s largest mining companies. These days, Broken Hill offers much more than mining tours and museums. More than 30 art galleries exhibit work by artists inspired by the Broken Hill and its surrounding landscapes. It is a major outback town, so you can get all you’ll need in Broken Hill.
SILVERTON
Only 25km from Broken Hill, Silverton has for decades attracted filmmakers. The famous Silverton Hotel, circa 1880, and its surrounds have featured in Australian productions including Mad Max 2, A Town Like Alice and Dirty Deeds. Drink in the atmosphere at the hotel with its exhibition of film and television memorabilia. Make sure you visit the Mad Max Museum and you’ll be passing the famous Mundi Mundi lookout, great for those Mad Max fans. No fuel is available, but you can stay at a couple of places in Silverton or camp if you don’t want to stay in Broken Hill.
MAGICAL IMPROVEMENTS
AND ONE SAYS GOODBYE
The Suzuki Wee Strom has gone to a good home in the country, where it can enjoy some long and challenging dirt rides instead of constantly being dragged out onto the tarmac in the city. We’re going to miss it – it was just so convenient and user-friendly. All of us are happy to suggest it to anyone who might be looking for
a medium-sized, versatile bike that won’t let them down. But to move on.
You will fi nd a special “Long Termers” story elsewhere in the magazine with details of the Kuryakyn bits we fi tted to our H-D Sportster 72. It looks the goods, let me tell you, and the Crusher exhaust certainly makes
sure that it and its rider get respect on the road!
Meanwhile the Ducati Scrambler Icon is taking over the Suzuki’s duties! We hadn’t expected that, and it is a little awkward at this stage because we haven’t yet got the Ducati accessories, including the luggage, that we asked for – but it is also proving to be
amazingly versatile. So keep an eye out for that one.
Most of this month’s article is taken up by Stuart raving about the MT-07. One of the nicest things about the Big Fella is how enthusiastic he gets about bikes and other stuff – he just loves motorcycling, so anything that improves the experience for him tends to get big ups. This time that’s taken him maybe just a little bit further than he expected – we doubt very much that he will be able to give the Yamaha MT-07 back! Alana actually has her eyes on it, so it will probably become a member of the family. Anyway, enough from me – enjoy what we’ve enjoyed! PT
YAMAHA MT-07
COMFORT SEATS
Price - $343.71
Standard, the MT-07 riders seat is not too comfy. It is okay for short distances, but anything more and you suffer. The genuine Yamaha accessory Comfort seat was a top priority with our MT-07 and not only has it improved the looks, but comfort is much improved. Another added bonus is it has made the seat height about 5mm taller. Great for my long legs! When you buy the Comfort seat, it also comes with matching pillion seat. Both have a suede type fi nish, with red stitching and the front edge of the pillion seat has an etched “MT-07” logo.
Fitment is simple and took about fi ve minutes. Yamaha has a range of Comfort seats for a number of models. Visit https://yshop.yamahamotor.com.au/ or your local Yamaha dealer. SW
RIZOMA MAGIC ELISSE MIRRORS
Price - $124.17 Euro ($182.60 Aus) each. Mirror adaptor - $7.92 Euro Have you seen Rizoma awesomeness in the fl esh? If you have you know that Rizoma is the bee’s knees when it comes to aftermarket accessories. We have received a box full of Rizoma
awesomeness to fi t to our MT-07 and we thought we’d start off by showing the amazing Elisse mirrors.
This particular mirror is made from billet aluminium and has 3D machining for an exquisite look. The glass features an amber coloured antiglare mirror, which is also highly water repellent, making it much easier to see things behind you when raining. Fitment is supreme, as you would expect from such a high quality product. For the MT-07, it required mirror adaptors and setting them up is easy.
As a mirror, the Elisse is very stable and it’s easy to see what’s in the mirror. The antiglare works a treat and looks like it’s been gold plated. If you want the best from aftermarket accessories, look no further than Rizoma. There are a number of Australian dealers.We had a Rizoma ad in the last issue showing them with all their details. Alternatively, you can visit the Rizoma website to fi nd a dealer – www.rizoma.com SW
DUCATI SCRAMBLER ICON
THE GOFER
I owned a GT750 Ducati for a while, and I’m still kicking myself for getting rid of it. Then again, I did trade it in for a round case 750SS, so I didn’t exactly go backwards – except in
terms of comfort. The GT was a perfectly normal midsized naked bike, with an upright riding position and a seat that accommodated my (somewhat less demanding, at the time) backside well and ergonomics which were certainly not perfect, but not bad either. Um, well, there was the clutch, which gave my hand more exercise than it really wanted –but so what.
In a way, the Scrambler is a modern version of the GT but with a much nicer – also wet - clutch.
In fact, everything is much nicer on this smaller reincarnation. The bike is almost supernaturally easy to ride with a near-perfect upright riding position, even nearer perfect ergonomics and a reassuringly aggressive (if also mechanically a little loud) engine. The bike is smaller than the GT and the engine is larger, which is fi ne by me.
In fact the whole bike is fi ne by me – so fi ne that it has turned from an interesting project bike to my daily transport. We’re currently waiting for some genuine Ducati parts and accessories to play with, so keep an eye on this department for more Scrambler talk. PT
CLASSIC MORRIS
THE 50 KLICK DUKE
DID YOU KNOW THAT DUCATIS WERE FIRST IMPORTED INTO AUSTRALIA BY A HARDWARE SHOP?
WORDS LESTER MORRIS
People who live in the many nations remote from the Great South Land might be very surprised to discover that the ‘Island/Nation/ Continent’, or ‘Down Under’ – as Australia is so often called - is not only by far the biggest island in the world, but that its area is almost exactly the same as the land mass of the United States of America, if one excludes Alaska. It’s true, because it is almost the same distance from Darwin, in the Northern Territory, to Adelaide in South Australia as it is from America’s Great Lakes to New Orleans. It is also nearly the same distance from Perth in Western Australia to the Nation’s most populous city, Sydney, in New South Wales, as it is from New York to Los Angeles.
But there the comparison ends, because America has a population of some 350-odd million, while Oz has a population of just over 23 million people, most of whom are living almost in the water on the Nation’s east coast, with a few settlements a little further inland. On the other side of the huge Island, Perth, the capital city of Western Australia, sits almost alone as the most isolated major capital city on earth.
In pointing out these facts, I am reminded of the executive from the small, newly-established Ducati motorcycle factory in Italy who arrived in Australia in the early fifties with the all-new 65cc Cucciolo ‘Turismo’ ultra-lightweight motorcycle with a plan to ride from Sydney to Melbourne on the miniscule device as some sort of publicity stunt to help promote the machine.
It was clear from his statements to the Press at the time that the Ducati
factory executive had no blind idea of just how huge our land mass was, or how far he had to ride the little bike on his long journey from Sydney to Melbourne. He could also have had no idea how long it would take at the little biker’s stated 44mph (50Km/h!) top speed – downhill?- when he announced his intention to introduce his new, ultra-lightweight machine to the Australian public.
This was of course in the very, very early history of Ducati in this country, for it had crept into Australia, as it did into other countries, without publicity or fanfare. The company had been formed as far back as 1924, but had originally been involved in the manufacture of radio parts; the new lightweight Cucciolo machine was its first serious foray into the manufacture of motorcycles.
Ducati had arrived in Australia in early 1948 with the announcement that its new, bolt-on engine called the Cucciolo (‘Little Pup’, or ‘Puppy’, depending on who you were talking to at the time, and named after its ‘yapping’ exhaust note) was imported into NSW by Nock and Kirby, which was then the biggest hardware store in the country. Nock and Kirby was looking to diversifying its interests and was spreading its wings into new territory with the adoption of this new engine kit for pushbikes as well as a number of inboard marine and outboard engines imported from England.
The little Ducati engine was a 48cc four-stroke with exposed overhead valves operated by pull-rods, not pushrods, a one-piece cylinder head and barrel, a large, external flywheel behind which its magneto lurked,
a two-speed gearbox, and its spark plug pointing directly ahead, waiting to be doused by road spray in wet weather. The neat little power-plant was intended to be clamped to your ordinary pushbike where the pedal cranks were, to provide a miniscule power source. There was a set of pedals fitted to the engine which could be used to start the device and then they were held in different positions to change from the low first gear to the (not much) higher second gear. I rode one of these things back then, which was quite an experience, but I cannot remember exactly where the pedals were supposed to be. I think they were at quarter-to-three when you took off, and at quarter-past-nine for the higher gear, or it might have been at six o’clock for one gear and half-pasttwelve for the other, but I must say I can’t remember if this is right or not. But what I do remember was the stern admonition to never turn the pedalcranks backwards, but I am not sure why: I suspect it might have confused the gear-change mechanism.
If I don’t know the exact position of the bicycle pedals in selecting one gear or another, what I do know is that any English Vicar’s obese and elderly maiden aunt could probably blow one of these ‘powered’ pushbikes into the weeds while normally seated on a Raleigh pushbike with ‘situp-and-beg’ handlebars, and do so without raising a sweat.
It has been suggested that the little engine - which was designed in 1945 by Aldo Farinelli and built by Ducati from 1947 onwards, after its original manufacturer S.I.A.T.A couldn’t keep up with demand - was said to be a surprise package in its performance,
and perhaps the ‘Little Pup’ might beat pedalling your steed everywhere you went. But not by much, I suggest, because I remember you still had to stand on the pedals to provide much needed assistance to the engine on most ‘reasonable’ gradients. You would probably have to leap off and trot alongside your pushbike in low gear on anything steeper.
In the normal process of evolution there was – God help us! - a 60cc road-race version of the Cucciolo engine fitted into its own frame, but without pedals, and it in fact won quite a number of races – including a nine-day ( 9 DAY!!) event held in Italy. I don’t know what these pocket rockets were actually racing against, but it’s a fair bet the things were not overly endowed with anything from great speed to even greater handling or brakes, though fuel consumption (which was said to be an astounding 225 mpg!) was probably not much of a concern.
A larger, 55cc version of the little 48cc Ducati engine shortly appeared as a complete machine with a slightly heavier frame, drum brakes, pedals and lightweight front forks. It is said that somewhat more than 200,000 Cuccioli were sold by 1950, I assume as bolt-on kits just prior to the introduction of complete machines. This would have greatly helped the Ducati coffers, and almost certainly established the factory as a serious manufacturer of lightweight motorcycles. The success of the little engine may have provided the reason for the Italian’s executive’s promotional visit to Sydney.
Further into the Cucciolo’s evolution, the 65cc upgrade in 1950, which the Italian visitor rode, had the bigger engine mounted into a ‘proper’ lightweight frame, and it was fitted with a modern looking swing-arm rear suspension and slightly heavier telescopic front forks. Though not far removed from a heavy pushbike, it was nonetheless built as an ultra-light motorcycle, with a power output from the ‘larger’ engine of some 2 (that’s TWO) horsepower. Valve gear was now enclosed, the cylinder head detachable, with the bicycle pedals removed and a three-speed gearbox incorporated.
This is the machine our earnest Italian was going to ride from Sydney to Melbourne, poor bugger. If he had no idea how far this distance was, then he was soon to find out as he was pointed in the right direction one morning and waved away from Sydney’s GPO, replete with floppy, black felt hat and large overcoat, a photo of the event carried in one of Sydney’s morning newspapers. Quite some time later – probably three or four days! - he arrived in Goulburn, and asked one of the friendly natives if this was indeed Melbourne! According to legend, he was told that he had just covered less than one fifth of the journey, but there is no record of how he felt about that, or what he did.
I cannot recall hearing any more about this brave soul, but can only assume he may have managed to get a lift back to Sydney, with his bike either flung savagely into the roadside bushes or tucked underneath his arm. For all I know he may still be on the
road somewhere between both cities, a bit like a precursor to Forrest Gump, who, if you remember the film, started running one day and didn’t know how to stop again for some considerable time.
If this was the case, by now the hapless Italian may well be heavily bearded and unkempt, his large felt hat bleached by the sun to an ugly grey and stiff as an ironing board, his large, flapping coat tattered and filthy with age. He would by then have every right to be twitching and muttering to himself, the while still searching the horizon with bloodshot, red-rimmed eyes, aching for his first glimpse of this Great Southern Metropolis.
He may also have the shards of many an overtaking semi-trailer’s mirrors adorning his garments, or even the powdered rubber of numerous shredded tyres glued to his face.
What an absurd scenario I hear you groan, as the highly-steamed Editor of this odd piece has assuredly done –and not for the first time.
On the other hand, of course, our hero probably told us all to get stuffed and simply flew back home again. In the first available DC3 aircraft!
If he had waited two years until 1953 he could have given the new Ducati Cruiser motor scooter a squirt and enjoyed a somewhat quicker, and certainly more comfortable, ride. The smart looking new scooter employed a 175cc, 12BHP, four-stroke engine, with electric starter and automatic transmission. It was amongst the best of its time, and would have been amongst the fastest as well, but was too expensive to compete with the
CLASSIC MORRIS
biggest selling machines, the Vespa and the infinitely better Lambretta, both of which also hailed from Italy.
Ducati managed to manufacture just 2000 of their fine scooters, the other two Italian scooters accounting for many millions between them.
Vespa, of course, survives to this day, while Lambretta, made under licence in Germany for years as the NSU Prima, and in nearly a score of other countries including India, is currently in limbo, with vague promises of someday re-appearing in all its glory.
As a postscript to this story, Lambretta once announced a worldwide competition for the longest single ride on one of its scooters, and offered several million lira (which was probably worth about Twenty Five Pounds ( $50 then, but about $1000 in today’s money) to the stalwart who could manage to achieve this feat. A local lad, who must have been at once desperate and should have known better, decided the simplest way to achieve his fortune was to ride his little scooter half-way around Australia, which he then proceeded to do.
It wasn’t too bad, he said, (I suggest it wasn’t too good, either) when riding along sealed roads but the device must have been more than a handful on the unsealed road across the Nullarbor Plains back in the early fifties, where potholes hidden in loose bulldust and long stretches of corrugations were a challenge to the skateboard-sized 8” wheels and short-travel, rudimentary damped suspension system.
Again, he would have had nothing to grip with his knees, other than his wedding tackle – which he probably gripped by hand every now and again for a swift, relieving massage, particularly after negotiating several potholes and numerous other irregularities into which the little scooter’s wheels would surely have
plunged. Perhaps he carried a tengallon fuel tank on the machine’s footboard to ensure he managed to cross the forbidding stretch of track without running out of fuel. He could certainly grip that with his knees, but at what cost to the little bike’s handling?
I (exceedingly) dimly recall reading something about the bloke’s ordeal, in which he related, as he was just near the end of the Nullarbor Plain at the first sighting of some foothills near Kalgoorlie, that he spotted a small cloud of dust which seemed to be descending a small hillock in the middle distance. As the cloud approached it proved to be a pack of wild dogs: not dingoes, he said, but previously domestic canines which were probably wild because someone had dumped them on the side of the road and then driven off. They were barking like crazy and looking not only mean but lean as well.
With the throttle wide open and the little bike gyrating underneath him like a Mallee bull with a flank strap attached, he ploughed – why put a pun in at this stage of the drama, you might ask? – through the dirt ahead, hoping against hope that one of the three most likely things that could happen wouldn’t happen. He could (a) fall off the bloody thing, and be consumed on the spot; (b) the engine could overheat and seize or have the spark plug conk out; (c) the spark plug could grow a whisker across its terminals and conk out anyway; (d) he could run out of petrol; or (e) be overtaken by the swiftest of the meateaters and be plucked from his scooter. That’s five I know, but (f) he said he was about half-a-mile an hour quicker than the fastest of the pursuers, and was just able to keep them at bay, though I am sure he would not have looked over his shoulder to see how far behind they were!
He rode that thing as far and as fast as he could before pulling up for a rest to void his loins or to throw up his lunch at the side of the road, and there can be no doubt he was mightily relieved (Please, not another pun!) to fi nd no sight, or sound, of his erstwhile pursuers.
To traverse this large Island Continent from one side to the other, or one end to the other on two wheels has always been a daunting task, but to have attempted the feat on a small, softly-sprung, mini-wheeled, under-powered scooter over a mostly unmade, pot-holed, corrugated and dust covered ‘road’ more than sixty years ago? That would have to have been an act of either supreme courage, or the act of a hare-brained crackpot, for it was said at the time that there was no support vehicle of any type to accompany the youth. Quite apart from the distinct possibility of being gleefully consumed by a pack of ravenous wild dogs at some point of that long and perilous journey, it remains a wonder that he managed to survive to tell the tale.
Happily, the Island Continent of Australia is not peopled by predatory animals like lions, tigers, leopards, bears or other dangerous man-eating critters, while the inquisitive Dingo or large (herbivorous) kangaroo can be shooed away fairly easily, but there are sometimes small packs of ‘wild’ dogs to be seen which can be quite menacing. It was probably quite a surprise to our enterprising youth to have come across such a small pack of ravenous creatures which were camped just outside that fi rst glimpse of civilisation at Kalgoorlie, but it might have been a different matter had they crept up to his fl ickering camp fi re in the dead of night to descend savagely upon him!
WELOVE 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. Then you can read many, not just a couple. We do reserve the right to cut them and, unless you identify yourself and at least your town or suburb and state, we will print your email address instead. Please address letters to thebear@ausmotorcyclist.com.au or Australian Motorcyclist Magazine, PO Box 2066, Boronia Park NSW 2111. All opinions published here are those of the writers and we do not vouch for their accuracy or even their sanity!
This month’s winner is Eoin Peters, who learned a lesson from something as humble as one of our neck tubes. We hope he learns something from one of Andy Strapz’ excellent Shoulda Bagz as well. We have one of these and it gets a lot of use both as a kind of courier bag and for trips into the country, when it holds a cut lunch and a small thermos. Perfect! And don’t worry, Eoin, they’re not woosy “manbags”…
Another letter we quite liked was the one from Philip Shaw from Mount Crosby in Queensland. Phil wrote to us in something of a minor rage, but then cooled down after Stu wrote back to him. Not that he didn’t have the right to get angry. We all have the right to object to things people say and write. If
only I could get that through to some of our parliamentarians… Here’s a secret: Boris sometimes gets my blood boiling, too. But that’s fine; in fact, it doesn’t boil nearly often enough. PT
HEY,WOOSE! COLD, ISN’T IT?
G’day Bear, I recently renewed my subscription to Australian Motorcyclist & received one of the Neck Tubes in the mail shortly thereafter. When this thing arrived, I thought to myself, “What a woosy thing to wear. Why, in heaven’s name would someone ever wear something like that?” Having thought all those things, I put the neck tube into my tank bag. Last week, a mate & I had some time to kill, so we decided to go for a ride. I really enjoy touring in the winter months. The heated grips keep my hands lovely & warm & the heated seat, well, what can I say. There is nothing more pleasant then feeling your ass being warmed, unless of course it is someone else, doing the warming. In addition to these two items, I also ride behind an acre of plastic, which diverts the cold air away. However, riding in the summer heat can become very challenging. I ride a BMW R1200RT & find that this bike does everything I want from a tourer. Anyway, I digress, we rode to Canberra,
then Jindabyne, Mallacoota & finally Bermagui before returning home to the Illawarra. At Jindabyne, I then pulled on a fleecy throat coat & did the collar of my jacket right up. I thought this might stop the irritation I felt as the jacket collar was rubbing against my throat. This worked, but it was very restrictive, so I took it off.
I put the throat cover in my tank bag & saw the neck tube looking out at me. I pulled it on, did up my jacket, put my helmet back on & continued riding. I have to eat my words; this is the best thing ever. Thin enough to not be restrictive at all, easily tucks into the collar of my jacket & really comfortable. So, I just wanted to thank you for this free gift. I have no doubt that it will make my hours touring much more pleasant.
Enjoy the mag, keep up the great work. Yours Sincerely, Eoin Peters
Hi Eoin, would you think we’d give you a “gimmick”? LOL! Wait until you wash it with some fabric softener, it gets even better! Enjoy your riding, mate! Cheers, Stuart.
Iron on medium heat, Eoin, or maybe you could just dry it on your heated seat! – The Bear
THE WINNER IS…
BOILING ABOUT BORIS
Dear Stuart,
I read issue 27 which got the blood boiling, re motorcyclists not being part of a fraternity.
I usually give or receive a nod from a few other two-wheeled users on the road, apart from scooter riders and cruiser riders who usually don’t nod nor acknowledge. I don’t wish to stop and hug them and swap life histories; it is merely a quick and painless acknowledgment that someone shares my love of riding.
However, now I find that Boris doesn’t like some of us who indulge in this weird behavior. If someone doesn’t like me I won’t hang around to be told twice. I’ll walk away. Please cancel my subscription and refund the balance.
Kind Regards,
Philip Shaw
Mount Crosby Qld
TO WHICH STU REPLIED:
Hi Philip,
Think about what you’re saying here. You want to cancel your subscription just because of Boris? He writes columns like this just to stir people up – most of the time he doesn’t mean it. Are you also saying you don’t enjoy the rest of the magazine?
Let me know.
Cheers, Stuart
AND PHIL WROTE BACK:
Hi Stuart,
I love the rest of the magazine, and congratulations on your expanded role. (Love your informative bike tests.) I followed the Bear over from his last magazine when he set up this one. I have written to Bear and had letters
published, and came and said g’day at the Brisbane motorcycle show last year. I don’t make it a habit of writing to magazines, but this one has, dare I say it, a more mature feel about it. I’m 60, so I no longer buy the bike magazines that interested me twenty years ago. The funny thing is; I emailed re Boris’ previous article about speeding, as I fully agreed. Sometimes we have to speed up to avoid danger, or ride quicker than the surrounding traffic so as not to stay in a blind spot. Apart from that having a good fang is good therapy, as is just riding a bike daily. (CBF1000; can’t afford a Beamer or Guzzi as mentioned in Boris’ article). Which is why no doubt I’ve blown Boris’ comments out of proportion this time. Having been clinically diagnosed with the black dog but refusing to take medication any more it’s the little things that get me through. If I’ve had a shit day, having someone give me a nod while riding toward me is enough to give me a lift. So that’s why I was fired up at Boris’ latest article.
Um, OK. I’ve finished sooking. Don’t cancel my subscription.
Thanks for taking the time to email me back, Stuart.
Kind Regards, Philip Shaw
Mount Crosby Qld
Actually, Philip and Stuart, Boris usually does mean it. And we actually need to be reminded of the things he writes about. You certainly don’t need to agree with him – we’d be a pretty poor excuse for a magazine if we only published stuff that everyone agrees with – but it pays to read his column, and to think about it – The Bear
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MANY OLD MEN
Hi, Bear.
I had to laugh. There in the Ulysses magazine was a letter from some bloke who has a cap from the Happy Birthday Australia Rally in 1988. He was wondering if the logo on it was the fi rst appearance of the Ulysses Old Man. Now, for a start he is fi ve years out, because the club was formed in 1983 and I seem to remember that you designed the Old Man even before there was a club. But also he seems to think that everything revolves around the club.
If I remember correctly (and I was at the HBAR) the logo had nothing to do with Ulysses?
The Old(ish) Man Broken Hill, NSW
True, true. I did that drawing and it is in my style, as is the real Ulysses Old Man, but it is by no means a copy. If you look long enough you’ll find other badges and such that I’ve designed that look a bit like the Old Man (think of the Dumb Bikers Run), but they’re all original – The Bear
BAZ GOES POSTAL
As AustPost declines and profi ts drop, in its wisdom, it is becoming very strict with postal etiquette and procedures.
For instance, I needed the correct address of a local resident who had a private box; so fronting up to the counter, I asked if I could have the box number.
“We are not allowed to divulge that type of information,” came the curt reply from the other side of the counter.
www.ausmotorcyclist.com.au
HOTEL GRANYA
great place to have a break and a burger when enjoying the riding around Granya in Victoria's High Country.
“So! If I post this letter to a private box without the actual box number on it, you will return the letter as incorrectly addressed?” I asked.
“Yes,” came the immediate reply.
“No wonder you’re going broke,” I retorted, “AustPost and the Police Station are the only institutions where the customer is always wrong,” I cried triumphally.
The Postal Person back pedalled slightly. ”If you hand the letter to me personally, I will place it in the correct box.”
I handed the Postal Pierrot the letter and left totally convinced the inmates are accelerating their demise faster than Cockey Hockey can smoke a cigar.
Barrie Hayman
Somewhere, Vic
This has nothing to do with bikes, but Barrie is an old mate (and performer of one of the most spectacular delayed action motorcycle crash injuries ever – I’ve written about it) and the letter is about an all-too-familiar experience… - The Bear
GETTING HIGH PAINLESSLY
Hi there,
There’s a problem which traditionally only affects short guys and girls, and then there’s Adventure bikes: the seat height of their preferred motorcycle creates issues when doing anything other than riding the bike.
Particularly when:
• Parking at the edge of a road which curves steeply into the gutter.
• Getting the bike back off its side stand when you’ve parked in
such a place.
• Waiting at the lights when there’s strong cross winds.
• Holding the bike while a pillion climbs on or off.
The accepted solutions are to reduce suspension preload to increase sag; or slide the forks up through the triple tree and fi t alternate length drop/ drag links; or sell the bike and buy something smaller so you don’t have to ruin the handling of your pride & joy.
So I came up with my own based on an infl atable bladder installed inside the seat foam which effectively gave me the option of sinking down to the plastic seat base when I need to, so getting my feet 2” closer to the ground. Then once riding again the seat re-acquires its comfort factor by infl ating the bladder to my chosen level of fi rmness – an unexpected bonus on longer trips when I can change the seat’s fi rmness to give my backside a rest.
I also had to come up with an automatic defl ation system so that my feet reached the ground even if I forgot to deploy it. So it works well as a solution which doesn’t affect handling, but is very model-specifi c in terms of installation (placement of components and electrical connections) and so not an easy retro fi t. But it is possible on most bikes which start out with suffi ciently padded seats; so I put it on youtube and got a few hits and then thought maybe that level of interest might convince you to consider a short article on the issue.
This is the address I use: https://youtu.be/isIYwP7d8QA
and this is what is displayed once there: https://www.youtube.com/ watch?v=isIYwP7d8QA&feature =youtu.be
The only fly in the ointment from an article perspective might be my location: Auckland, New Zealand. The reason I’m writing to you: I just got a copy of Australian Motorcyclist Magazine.
Kind regards,
Tim Masterbikes Auckland, NZ
Well thank you for thinking of us for the introduction of your invention, Tim. You know many things that are hidden… sorry, just a little Monty Python joke. So, I suspect that there are several people among our readers who would be interested in this, and if you’d like us to ride your prototype and report on it next time we’re in Auckland, we’ll do our best to do just that – The Bear
LOOPY LOOP
Just read letters June issue. Yes you are mistaken: the Devil’s Elbow is not a loop. It’s a very tight downhill left hander that’s very good at catching out new players especially when cold & wet. Uphill wasn’t as bad, but still. It is part of the old road you used to come around that and line up for the right hander that used to be Readymix Corner, that section’s gone now, though, with the new road.
Craig Baxter Adelaide SA
The Chief agrees, Craig, and so do I on reflection. Well picked – The Bear
country. Things like special deals, cashbacks, factory discounts and bonuses are what you’ll find. Bear in mind all prices (unless indicated) exclude dealer and on road costs and some prices may have changed at the last minute as we went to the printer.
CAN-AM (BRP)www.brp.com *All
BENELLI
CONFEDERATE MOTORCYCLES
LIFE’S A PARADE
Everyone loves a parade.
Such displays have been part of human history and social cohesion since the first whip opened the first slave’s back.
And there are parades which are meaningful, or poignant, or redolent with grandeur. You only have to see how the Russians mark their victory over the Nazis each year in Red Square to understand how all three of those qualities are best displayed.
So I quite like a parade myself. But it has to have meaning. There has to be some kind of point to it. Are we commemorating something worthy of remembering, or are we celebrating something of cultural or social import?
Because if we’re just trundling along with flags flapping, engines revving, and heads nodding, all we’re doing is advertising a circus.
Circuses used to parade their wares down the main streets of towns to advise the citizens that there’s a show on – a show full of trained beasts, freaks, mummers, acrobats and clowns, which the townsfolk could come to see that very evening. But traditional circuses have declined in recent times. Seems like people don’t really want to see animals being tortured, which was
always one of the main drawcards. So I’m good with that.
But what I’m not good with is the replacement for the travelling freakshow that sectors of the motorcycling community have seen fit to provide. The circus and its marketing procession, it seems, is alive and well.
A big chunk of motorcyclists have become just that – a self-indulgent pseudo-spectacle of self-absorbed strobbers who imagine their form of transport is somehow worthy of a parade.
These parades take place every weekend.
I know this because they impede, albeit briefly, my progress upon on the Queen’s byways when I come across them.
I like to go for a ride with my friends just as much as the next bloke. But these are rides. Death is cheated, brakes are overheated, corners are carved and world-land speed records are set between bends or on long straights – sure, not constantly, but it’s pretty much how it ends up most of the time. It is the stuff of life. It is what motorcycling is all about.
What motorcycling is not about, and never has been about (until apparently quite recently) is trundling along at or just below the speed limit in shameful pelotons of selfindulgence.
What are you? Pushbike riders?
Do you clowns have mirrors? Do you somehow fail to see (or hear) the race-piped clot of lunatics behind you, gearing madly down to avoid skittling you all like so many shining ten-pins? Are you deaf as well as arrogant? Or have you wired yourself for sound? Is that it? Is your hamplanet pillion jabbering complaints about her swollen bladder into your blue-tooth-fed ears? Is that why you do not move over?
Or is it, and I hope it’s not, some insipid self-righteousness that causes you to ride like a clueless, skill-free idiot?
Yes, I understand that objects in the mirror do not matter and that it is indeed my job as the losing rider (I’m losing because I am behind you) to pass you. That’s in the rules.
And pass you I will. As will my friends. If our passing you means we have to slice through your dawdling assemblage like a sword through the neck of some godless Saracen, then that’s just what’s going to happen.
And then you’ll be in my mirrors and you will no longer matter. You are of course free to purse your lips in condemnation if my passing upsets your parade formation. Just as you are free to take it up with me at the next service station I’m fuelling up at.
For my part, I promise not to run into you no matter how abysmal your riding is. I understand you’re in a parade because your lack of motorcycleoperating skills prevent you from actually going for a ride. I am fully aware that you will not see me (until I pass you), and that you are every bit as blind and dangerous as the car driver you really are. I get that you do this motorcycle thing as a kind of sunny-day, weekend-thing, and that you actually believe that speed kills and that the more speed cameras there are, the safer all the little children will be.
And because I get this, I do not kick you off your bike as I ride past. Nor do I brake-check you into the rock-wall, or reach out and slap the back of your microphone-equipped helmet with my mailed fist. Because I could and would do that if I wasn’t such a cheerilydisposed individual…
“And how did you come to be in this table-drain with your spine peeking out of your torso, sir?”
“I lost control of my bike when this hooligan, travelling well in excess of the posted speed limit, slapped the back of my helmet in passing.”
“Why did he do that, sir?”
“It’s because he hates parades, officer.” www.ausmotorcyclist.com.au
BEAR FACED
Ihave had some gentle chiding (for a given value of gentle) about the subject matter of some of these columns. Apparently they focus a little too much on crashes and other experiences seen as negatives. “How are you even alive?” asked one friend. Well, okay. I don’t know the answer to that. But I can only remember three, maybe four times when the message “you’re gone” flashed up on my mental screen like the destination in a suburban train; and obviously I was wrong each time. Unless this is the afterlife… The trouble is that good news is not nearly as interesting as bad news. You doubt this?
Last November, a Russian news website called The City Reporter lost two-thirds of its readers after deciding to publish only good news for just one day. “Do you feel like you are surrounded by negative information? You don’t want to read the news in the morning?” the website had asked its readers. “Do you think good news is a myth? We’ll try to prove the opposite tomorrow!” On 1 December, as promised, the website carried only positive headlines like “No disruption on the roads despite snow.” The good news stories sent readership numbers plummeting.
Of course wonderful and positive things have happened to me in my motorcycling life. Let me think here, err... right, just give me a sec…
One kind of good news that’s always available to me is reporting on good roads. I am deeply grateful, for example, that my work has allowed me to ride the likes of the Jebel Hafeet road in Abu Dhabi and the Col du Turini in France. And describing
the ride over these and any number of other roads is enjoyable all by itself.
The trouble is you can really only do that once, while telling the story of a spectacular crash or even a near miss allows repeat performances (and inevitably slight exaggeration). Likewise, I seem to run out of superlatives for roads I have enjoyed, while there’s never a shortage of another descriptive adjective to accompany sliding down the road or catapulting into “the tulies” as a Canadian mate used to say. In fact I learn new words at quite an impressive rate whenever I fall off.
rate, if you have a chance to ride the Great Northern Highway up there, take it. And here’s a tip – ride it by yourself. The effect will be all the stronger, I think.
But I’m going to try the good news route, just to see if I lose two thirds of my readers the way the Russians did. Recently I rode from Perth to Darwin to complete a circumnavigation of Australia; I hadn’t travelled the stretch between the Overlander Roadhouse and the Purnululu turnoff. When the rain finally gave out, between Fitzroy Crossing and Halls Creek, I found myself in a magic land that seemed to go on forever. I wanted it to go on forever, too (well, you know what I mean) because the singing of the tyres on the blacktop and the everchanging sight of vividly yellow grass, smoothly rounded brown hills and more and more exoticallyshaped trees seemed to give me a strong feeling for what Aboriginal people call “country”. Quite unlike the equally impressive but much more forbidding deserts of the Centre, this Top End countryside seems to speak of fruitfulness and variety.
It’s hard to explain, actually. Maybe that’s why good news is less popular than bad? At any
Another wonderful road, and one that I don’t think I’ve written about for a while, is the Swampy Plains Road which connects Kiandra and Khancoban. This can be a lot of fun with someone else, partly because it’s fascinating watching the panic braking – The Frog once arrived behind me at Tooma Dam with the brake pads on his Suzuki GR650 literally smoking – and partly because you’re riding through a scenic wonderland. Oh, and remember the wildlife. More than one of my friends has had an encounter of the Third Kind along here. How’s the leg now, Hamish?
And how’s this for good news? I haven’t had a mechanical breakdown or even a flat tyre for longer than I can remember. Seeing that I’m still incompetent as a mechanic, the former has to be due to improved bike engineering. The second is clearly due to better tyres.
Well, maybe. These days I quite often go to the markets in Glebe, an inner Sydney suburb, on Saturday mornings. Quite apart from the excellent coffee dispensed there, some of the stalls have unique and clever ware. To get there, I take a street that has mixed memories for me: a long-ago girlfriend lived there, but almost every time I visited her I got a flat tyre. All right, all right, no ribald comments. The reason was simple: the gummint was refurbishing the rundown terraces of The Glebe and used, bent nails were raining down on the road from the roof repairs. I still automatically worry about getting a flat there.
So, how was that? Have I still got any readers despite the – mainly - good news above?
Peter “The Bear” Thoeming
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ROSSI‛S COMINR AROUND THE OUTSIDE… CHRZZ-FFFFT-FFFFFAND…CHRZZZFFZ!
WHOOPS! WHAT‛S GOING ON?
OLD PIECE OF…!!
AHH! IT‛S BACK! THE SLIPPER TRICK ALWAYS WORKS!
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BY HOOK OR BY CROOK – TRIPS OUT OF GERALDTON
The area around Geraldton is remarkably rich. Whether it’s the bounty of the land – mainly wheat – or the wealth of seafood pulled from the ocean by the town’s fleet of trawlers, it has made Geraldton a rich place too. But these days it also has a lot to offer its holidaymaker visitors. Beaches, impressive rock formations like those in Kalbarri National Park, historic buildings and machinery, the beautiful though quirky church out at Mullewa – and of course the staggering variety of wildflowers all combine to make this a place worth visiting.
Perth residents know this already, and many of them holiday up here every year. Interstate visitors deserve a slice of all this as well!
MONKEY MIA (GREEN)
This is mainly a long haul up the highway, but there aren’t all that many connecting roads up here and I have kept to sealed roads for all of these rides. Leaving Geraldton, just stick to Highway 1, here called the NW Coastal Highway. There’s fuel at Northampton, Binnu, Billabong Roadhouse and then at Overlander Roadhouse, right at the turnoff to Denham. There’s fuel at Denham and
Monkey Mia, as well, and at Nanga Station on the way. You’re not likely to run out. But then, you never know… Road surface in general is very good, with the main exception of the driveway into the Old Telegraph Station and the stromatolite pool.
KALBARRI (BLUE)
A worthwhile loop off the main road, the Kalbarri route takes you past Kalbarri National Park first off, if you’re coming from the north. One oddity of the turnoff is that there is no roadhouse or town there, as there is at most other connecting roads. You still can’t miss it, signposting in WA is very good – unless you’re asleep at the handlebar, which is never a good idea anyway. Check out Window Rock and the other rock formations in the National Park. Kalbarri itself doesn’t really offer much beyond a selection of accommodation and some shops, but it is a nice town and worth an overnight stay.
The road running south via Red Bluff is also an interesting ride, following as it does the cliffs and beaches of the Indian Ocean coast. It connects back to the highway at Northampton. Port Gregory, along the way, is a typical beach resort.
COLLECT THEM ALL
MULLEWA (RED)
You want the Geraldton-Mount Magnet Road for this ride. Its 100km can seem a little dull, but only outside wildflower season. If the flowers are out, in late winter and spring, you will find yourself riding through an enormous painter’s palette alive with all the colours of the rainbow. The little township itself has not only the church but also a museum and a few other historic attractions worth seeing. Keep an eye on your fuel – it’s 100km each way, and there is fuel only at the ends of the ride.
DONGARA (YELLOW)
Two choices here: straight down the Brand Highway or a little more inland along Geraldton Walkaway Road, before joining the Brand Highway at South Greenough. Both roads are pretty much the usual up here, running more or less straight on flat land through paddocks and fields, with occasional stands of stunted trees. Doesn’t sound very interesting? In fact it is; it’s so typical that it will give you a good impression of what much of Australia is like. If you don’t get the feeling for our Big Country up here, you probably never will. But okay, I’ve mainly included this because it leads to the shady streets of Dongara…
TOTAL DISTANCE – 785KM
Assuming you based yourself at the underground Motel in White Cliffs, head back out to Keraro Road and turn right, heading east. Follow this all the way to the end and turn right onto WilcanniaWanaaring Road, which takes you past some amazing inland lakes. Once you roll on into Wilcannia, make sure you check your fuel levels, you’ve got another 150km to Menindee. Head South out of Wilcannia on the Barrier Hwy about 8km. You’ll see a sign “Menindee 151”, take this right turn and follow it all the way into Menindee making sure you enjoy the view of the various large inland lakes around this area. Once you’ve had a good look around Menindee, head north on Menindee-Broken Hill Road, into Broken Hill. I suggest staying overnight at Broken Hill or out at Silverton as this ride is not far off 800km.
Look at your fuel and top up to the brim and depending on your bike’s fuel range, carry ten litres of spare fuel with you. You’ve got no fuel stops now until you get back into White Cliffs and it’s a fair distance to travel – 420 odd kilometres! Take the Silverton Road out of Broken Hill and it’s not long until you’ll arrive in Silverton. Make sure you have a good look around at this great Outback town, then follow the road north out of Silverton toward the famous Mundi Mundi lookout.
Basically you follow this road (Wilangee Road) for over 150km until you get to Mount Woowoolahra Road and turn right. This takes you over to Corona Road where you need to veer right and follow Corona Road all the way to the Silver City Hwy. Turn left and follow the Silver City Hwy North around 23km and turn right onto Broken Hill-White Cliffs Road, which you need to follow all the way to the end, keeping an Easterly course. Veer right onto Kayrunnera-White Cliffs Road which will take you back into White Cliffs and time for an icy cold beer, or two!
ROAD CONDITIONS
Checking the road conditions is paramount in these areas. A bit of rain can turn a really enjoyable ride into a muddy slop. Here are the various places to check –Road Condition Broadcast (Recorded Message)08 8082 6660
