The BMW S 1000 XR lets you experience sports touring like never before. With a powerful 118 kW (160hp) 4-cylinder engine and a kerbside weight of just 228kg, the XR has a seating position that puts you in control. Two riding modes (rain and road), ABS and traction control are standard, while options include cornering ABS, additional riding modes and quick shift (up and down), as well as cruise control and electronic suspension adjustment. Book a test ride at bmwmotorrad.com.au
Contributors Robert Crick, Mike Grant, Jacqui Kennedy, Robert Lovas, Phil Gadd, Boris Mihailovic, Lester Morris, The Possum,Guy Stanford, Stuart Strickland, Michael Walley, Colin Whelan
Australian Motorcyclist Magazine is published by Australian Motorcyclist Magazine Pty Ltd. PO Box 2066, Boronia Park NSW 2111 Phone 0412 220 680 or 0418 421 322.
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EDITORSPEAKS
what’s he blabbing on about now?
I’mback from our Hiamo New Zealand tour with Paradise Motorcycle Tours and it’s taken me a week or so to get back into the routine of real life. So I think what this means is that I feel like I’ve had a holiday, even though I was technically “working”.
The Bear actually had to do some work while I was away. We went to the printer during this period and he now knows just what it takes to get this magazine and all the behind the scenes stuff done each month. He hasn’t done it recently by himself before and the last time he did, they worked the printing press by mule power. If there were any mistakes, you can smack his paw when you see him.
The NZ tour was another great success, so when we start to advertise our tour for next year, which will be something quite different to what Paradise usually do, I suggest you reserve your spot quickly to avoid disappointment. Also look at bringing your better half, because they will enjoy this tour, also. Especially if they don’t like the thought of being on the back of a bike every day, they will love being part of this tour. Got you interested? Watch this space!
We also have something up our sleeves for the more adventurous readers. I won’t give much away, other than to say that it’s going to be an epic trip, and once again, watch this space!
We’ve had an email about the way we do our bike reviews, especially how The Bear or I might mention how tall/short or heavy/heavier we are. This is so (even though most of you already know) that you know where we’re coming from and you have a better basis to judge the bike for yourself. We like to keep you guys involved in the magazine, so keep this
in mind when reading a review, or any part of the magazine for that matter. And keep sending us your letters of what you like or don’t like, or what you think we could change or add to make it even more enjoyable for you. The bloke who sent the original email should just about be out of hospital when you read this.
And speaking of bikes (weren’t we?), we’ve had a whole heap of new bike prices come in for this issue, so check out your favourites in the back of the mag and start saving. Many prices have gone up, unfortunately, but some are down.
As this issue goes on sale I’ll be loading the trailer to race at the Barry Sheene Festival of Speed, being held at Sydney Motorsport Park. Be sure to come out and enjoy all of the classic racing and classic road bikes on display. There’s plenty to salivate over! Oh, and you might even like to cheer me on? I’ll be racing (at this stage) our freshly built 1989 Yamaha FZR1000 in Period 6 that I’ve built with my mate, Chris. Our only possible holdup is going to be getting the logbook from Motorcycling Australia, which can take some weeks to process. We just hope it’s all done in time. If not, I’ll be racing my trusty CBR900RR in Pre Modern F1. Come and say g’day, I’m hard to miss!
Cheers, Stuart.
FROMTHEBEAR
GRIZZLING
ALL THAT GLISTERS…
All right, I’m not sure that my German mate wasn’t pulling my leg when he advised me of this newspaper report he had seen. It seems that the EU is considering outlawing or at least restricting chroming of vehicle and other parts because of the environmental and health damage that their manufacture can cause.
The German motorcycle industry body has reacted with equanimity. These days, they say, new bikes have hardly any genuine chrome on them.
PARLAY ONGLAY?
Once upon a time, we all eagerly awaited the arrival of press releases from Ducati. They were translated directly from the Italian, apparently with the use of a tatty old dictionary with many pages missing, stained or torn. These days, Ducati press releases are examples of clear if not always concise English.
Shame, of course.
But BMW appears to be ready to step into the resulting breach. Here is a short(-ish) quote from a press release about the potential introduction of laser lights, with my version in italics:
“At the moment, the technology is still too cost-intensive for use in motorcycles.
“However, it is expected that the
“Never mind the leather, guv, feel the size!”
economies of scale resulting from their largescale use in the automobile industry will result in a price structure with a clear downward trend. Its use in motorcycles could might (sic) then be imaginable in the medium term.”
The lights are still too expensive for motorcycle use. But as more cars start to use them, they might soon be cheap enough.
Fewer than half the number of words and, even if I do say so myself, clearer. Maybe the copywriter gets paid by the syllable…
I DIDN’T THINK OF YOU, MATE
Talking to someone at a social event recently (well, okay, it was in the pub) who told me that the construction company he works for has just finished a huge development in Sydney. He was particularly proud of the parking arrangements.
“Near enough to a thousand bicycle spaces,” he said, “and only 200 car spaces.”
“And how many motorcycle spaces?” I asked.
What his answer amounted to was um, well, er, none.
This confirms a long-help opinion of mine that it’s not just that they don’t see us on the road. They don’t think of us at other times, either.
When will society at large realise that we are part of the solution, not the problem?
Get a Baag
The true size of this “saddlebag” might not be immediately obvious, but if you compare it with the bags in the background you’ll see that it’s humungous.What would it be good for?
I’m not game to write down some of the suggestions from our (currently and temporarily all-male) office…
For some reason, the world’s first mobile electric
CUCKOO CLOCKS BIKE
Merrily we roll along, roll along… I spotted this sign on a trip to Unzud, and thought I’d pass it on to you now that Stu is over there with our annual HIAMO tour. They’re having a great time by the reports I’m getting; I just hope that they eat in a different restaurant, not Buster’s. But you’ve got to admit, whatever the contents, $5.90 for two rolls sounds like good value…
A Swiss rider who was giving his new 800cc bike a bit of a run – 146km/h in an 80 zone on a country road – copped a year’s gaol and a A$3500 fine for his exuberance. Because it was his first offence and he repented in court, the incarceration was suspended. But he lost his licence for two years – and his job for good, apparently. Motorcycle holiday in Switzerland? Mmm… maybe not.
Peter ‘The Bear’ Thoeming
chair did not catch on.
ACCESSIBLE ADVENTURER
Royal Enfield Himalayan
Bringing together 60 years of Himalayan riding experiences in a completely new ground-up design, and powered by a new Long Stroke 410 engine, the Royal Enfield Himalayan paves the way for a purer, non-extreme and more accessible form of adventure touring in India. In fact, its off-road competence and capabilities make it just as adept for riding through potholed urban jungles as it does for treacherous mountain trails.
Available in two colour options— Granite and Snow, the Himalayan will be available in Australia, with dates and prices announced soon. Visit www. royalenfield.com.au to keep up to date with its arrival.
WAKE UP THE DEAD!
Victory Magnum X-1 Stealth Edition
Claimed to be the loudest bagger ever, the soon to be released Victory Magnum X-1 Stealth boasts a 200watt 10-speaker surround sound audio
system, 21” billet front wheel, custom stealth paint and LED lights. Blasting through two 6×9 woofers and two tweeters in the saddlebags, as well as two 5.25-inch midbass speakers, two
integrates with any Bluetooth capable device and features an information window for input and track selection. Available in Australia mid-year with limited stock, it’s priced from $34,995 ride away. See your local Victory
ranges and two more tweeters in the front fairing, the audio system easily
Motorcycles dealer, or visit www.victorymotorcycles.com.au
BE A VIP AT PEBBLE BEACH
Shannons Insurance trip to the Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance Shannons is offering motoring enthusiasts the chance to win a trip to California with VIP entry to the Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance, one of the world’s most exclusive concourse events. And not only that, you could win a new 2016 Indian Scout Sixty. So, if you’re a motoring enthusiast, make sure you call Shannons to get a quote on your car, bike or home insurance to enter. Every eligible quote gives you an extra chance in the draw.
2.5-inch mid-
To enter go to www.shannons.com.au/ pebblebeach or call 13 46 46 and obtain an eligible quote by 30 April 2016. Take out a new policy to get 5 chances for every eligible car, bike or home policy.
BUST THE CHAINS AND GO!
Harley-Davidson CVO Pro Street Breakout
Harley-Davidson Custom Vehicle Operations (CVO) re-writes the factorycustom style book with the introduction of the 2016 CVO Pro Street Breakout motorcycle, a limited-production model that introduces a new, darker look utilising cutting-edge finishes and textures applied with an obsessive eye to design and detail. Steeped in drag-racing attitude, the CVO Pro Street combines high-intensity performance with a long, muscular look that’s pure American street machine. Priced at $42,495 ride away, it’s a custom that will be rare on the streets. See your local H-D dealer, or visit www.H-D.com.au
GO LIVE
GoPro Periscope
Twitter/Periscope has enabled GoPro for live broadcasting from your smart phone - live storytelling just got more immersive! Periscope users can now broadcast live directly from their GoPro HERO4 Black or Silver camera.
Periscope lets you see what’s happening in the world right now, unedited and unfiltered. Integrating GoPro offers
Periscope broadcasters a new tool to help tell their stories more creatively. This is a free consumer solution that leverages the Wi-Fi or cellular network, not to be confused with the professional broadcast solution of HEROCast. See here for more infohttp://gopro.com/news/gopro-goeslive-with-periscope
HONOURING THE PAST
40th Historic Winton
If you love historic bikes (or cars), pop out to Winton Raceway on the Fri 27, Sat 28 & Sun 29 May to see non-stop
racing featuring over 400 historic racing cars and motorbikes from the 1920s to the 1980s. Cost of entry is: Sat $30, Sun $35, weekend $55, pit $5, children 16 and under n/c. For general enquiries contact: Noel Wilcox on Ph: 03 5428 2689 or via email: noelwilcox@rocketmail.com
BUYING BEAUTY
Our outfit is for sale
If you’ve ever wanted to experience the world on three wheels, here’s your chance. Australian MOTORCYCLIST’s Yamaha Bolt with the beautifully prepared and painted sidecar is for sale. We need room in the garage! Drop The Bear a line at thebear@ ausmotorcyclist.com.au or give him a call on 0418 421 322.
PART ONE AMMHIAMOTOUR
NZ does it agaiN
‘Hiamo’ goes off!
Words stuart Woodbury
photos stuart Woodbury & robert sHorter
F or the second year in a row we’ve teamed up with the amazing crew at Paradise Motorcycle Tours NZ and held our Hiamo (Exciting) tour of the South Island – and what a tour it was!
Eleven days, 3000 kilometres touring the South Island with a similar number of participants (19) to last year. The weather started out drizzly for the first couple of days and for half of the final day as we got back towards Christchurch. But in between those days Mother Nature turned on the charm for us and showed us all just how stunning the land of the long white cloud can really be.
Apart from our readers who came and had an awesome time, we also had some internationals along for the ride. Two Poms (Chris and John) and three Americans (Jerry and Carol, and Phil) who all had an absolute ball seeing the stunning sights only the South Island can provide.
I was lucky enough to take Alana along for the journey and since it was our tenth wedding anniversary only a couple of days after the tour had finished, we thought it would be a great ‘present’ for each other.
Our ride was the BMW K 1600 GT and it performed flawlessly with supreme comfort the entire time. There were a number of BMW
The township and surrounds of Glenorchy. / A rare sight for ‘Easterners’, a sunset over the ocean.
motorcycles for the participants to choose from, as Paradise Motorcycle Tours NZ is an affi liated partner with BMW Motorrad. All of the Paradise fl eet is made up of new (or near new) motorcycles in impeccable condition. If you’re not a fan of a BMW, Paradise also has a select number of other makes and models to choose from. Only one of us had anything but a BMW, Phil from America chose the easy-to-ride Triumph Tiger 800 and combined with his fl uoro yellow jacket stood out from the BMW crowd.
Some of our riders decided to take up the day early option so they could pick up their bike and cruise around Christchurch and surrounds, also to get settled after their fl ight and to acclimatise to their ride for the next couple of weeks.
As with all group guided tours you have a welcoming night before the ride commences. This is not only to get introduced to each other, but to fi nalise any last minute paperwork and such.
One of our readers, Frank, whom I’ve met on a number of occasions, is a boisterous character and picked up an early trophy for being the latest of the late to
book the tour, change his mind, then re-book! I think it’s fair to say that Frank was (on average) the last one to get his helmet and gloves on after each time we stopped and were to get going again. I think he revelled in the raucous cheers everyone gave him on the rare occasions he was actually ‘on time’.
From our fi rst Hiamo tour in 2015, we had three participants returning, Dave (now 76 years old!), Allan and Rick. They all had an even better time this year and have already shown interest for the
ROUTE FOR PART ONE:
STARTING OUT OF CHRISTCHURCH WE MADE OUR WAY OVER TO THE WEST COAST AND DOWN TO QUEENSTOWN
impressive way to see the South Island - the scenery just gets better and better.
DAY 1 Christchurch – Hanmer Springs – 340km
We woke to drizzly rain, but everyone was pumping with adrenaline ready to ride. Our fi rst stop was at the Two Rivers Café, in Cheviot. Even though we’d been riding for an hour and a half, it felt like ten minutes. A quick coffee and a mandatory pit stop to see the sign hanging on the wall of the men’s had the blokes laughing. The ladies saw the funny side as well. Go there and see it for yourself. We might get complaints if we showed you!
The distance travelled today included an added 50km for Alana and me. We went to the Ohau Point Fur Seal Colony where lots of seals congregate including their babies. The young seals play and run around which is quite entertaining – a great natural wonder to see.
We arrived at Hanmer Springs late afternoon and some of the group went to the local hot springs to relax. Dinner this night was at a local restaurant called, “What Ever”. Now I must stress this very highly, if you are going to Hanmer Springs or even passing by, you MUST go to What Ever, not only for the food, but every Wednesday night is ‘Quiz’ Night. Ten teams were battling for the chance at the $400 jackpot (which went up to $500 for the next week). It wasn’t exactly fair. Of the questions asked, I swear that at least 90% were New Zealand related! A disadvantage to us! Each team had to come up with a name. We chose, ‘The Paradise Whuckers’.
Coffee, anyone? We’ve only been riding an hour. / The Boat Shed Café, Queenstown. Go there! / Paua shell. Tastes a lot like abalone.
The ‘Wh’ is pronounced the Maori way, of course! Anyhow, we didn’t win any round of the questions, but amazingly we came 5th out of the ten teams! A massive shock to us and the ‘hotshot’ local teams that were well displeased that a group of ‘happy Aussies’ had fared so well. The host and owner of What Ever restaurant, Steve, not only knows fi ne food and wine, but is very
Clockwise from top: From the middle lookout on the Crown Range Road. / Pancake Rocks, Punakaiki. / Ohau Point Fur Seal Colony. / Dart River Jet Boat. / King Tiger restaurant is the place to go at Franz Josef.
entertaining as a host. He purposely didn’t pronounce the name of our team as we intended until the fi nal tally was read out and this raised a great response from all present. So stop in for a feed and especially for the Quiz night.
DAY 2
Hanmer Springs –Punakaiki – 260km
Drizzling rain with the expected forecast of clearing later in the morning was spot on. We made our way over Lewis Pass, a great introduction to the type of scenery you’ll become accustomed to riding the South Island. Huge rivers that
Clockwise from top: Queenstown to Glenorchy. / Doug – the Quiet Achiever. / 76 year old, Dave getting cosy with some furry friends.
OCTANE POWER TO BURN
What did they wear?
A lot of people on the tour were interested in what we took to wear on the bike.With New Zealand’s unpredictable weather both Alana and I wore our BMW Motorrad Streetguard 4 suits. I wore my Rjays CFK-1 carbon helmet, which proved to be a very comfortable choice and Alana wore her very rare, Shark ‘Colours’ helmet, which was the most talked about of everyone’s riding gear. Boots had to be waterproof due to the unpredictable weather so I took my Sidi Way Mega Rain boots and Alana wore her Torque waterproof boots.We each took two pairs of gloves. I had my BMW All-round 2 and Dririder Stealth gloves and Alana took her Triumph and Motodry
(summer) gloves. Both pairs were needed as there were times it was cold and raining, but most of the other times it was hot and airflow was paramount. Even in the unusually hot weather at times we stayed mostly cool with the unzipped vents on our BMW suits working a treat and when it rained, we were bone dry.The perfect combination for a tour! It would have been great to take summer gear as well, but as with any overseas tour, luggage space and weight for the plane travel is limited so thinking about what you pack for your on bike wear is a bit of a compromise both ways. If it had been cold, we could have put the jacket liner on, or simply worn more t-shirts or something.
would be even more stunning in spring as the snow melts atop the mountains littered all over the island, and fl ows through the wide rocky riverbeds.
We made our way up through Reefton, and across to Charlestown for the amazing coastal ride down to Punakaiki. One point to note is at Kilkenny Lookout, which is a one-way lane under an overhanging rock face. We were lucky enough to see a truck try and traverse his way through the tight area and you get to realise just how much rock is hanging over the roadway; it doesn’t look like all that much from the actual lookout.
Once we arrived at Punakaki everyone made the ten minute or so trek to the Pancake Rocks which are simply stunning. I dare say you’ll not see anything
like this anywhere else in the world. The blowhole which is quite large (so we’re told) was not pumping on the day we were there, but it would be amazing to see on the days it gets going – maybe next trip…
DAY 3 Punakaiki – Franz Josef – 215km
After the walk to see the Pancake Rocks and the blowhole and relaxing in accommodation with a view to die for, Alana and I went for a morning walk and found a very interesting track called the “Inland Pack Track”. This led us across a suspension bridge and we took a trek up the side of one of the rainforest-covered mountains and down to the Porarari River, which was beautiful. Of course I was sent off in the lead to “clear the spider webs”! Oh well, as least I’m good for something! LOL! Our ride today was not overly long as we wanted to get to Franz Josef in the hope of doing one of the Glacier fl ights. The weather was looking good for most of the day, but the closer we got to Franz, the worse it got.
Upon arrival, the fog and clouds had closed in and the fl ights were off. That’s the third time I’ve been through Franz and the weather has been a (deliberate pun) “washout”! That didn’t dampen (another deliberate pun) our spirits, even though we did get quite moist (enough, already) as most of the group walked up to the viewing area to see Franz Josef Glacier. It was an hour and a half return walk with persistent rain the closer we got to the Glacier. If you’re interested, I’ve seen both Fox and now Franz Josef Glaciers via the walks you can do and Fox is more stunning than Franz, so
Clockwise from top: Our view at Punakaiki. / Fiona, one of Australia’s finest pianists. / “Tuk 4 U”: only because Stuart couldn’t fit inside it! / Finest of the fine at The Botswana Butchery, Queenstown.
SISSY BAR BAG
60 litre capacity
Mounts to sissy bar, luggage rack or pillion seat
Wide velcro strap attaches to any type of backrest
Includes: Pillion seat, mounting pad system, Lumbar pad, rain cover and adjustable straps
$199.95 rrp inc gst
THROW OVER SADDLE BAGS DELUXE ROLL BAG
40 litre capacity per bag and 51 litre capacity when expanded Mounts under or over pillion seat
No mounting brackets or supports are needed
Includes: rain cover and adjustable straps
$199.95 rrp inc gst
32 litre capacity and 37 litre capacity when expanded
Wide velcro strap attaches to any type of backrest
Access to main compartment through side or front zippers
Includes: rain cover, 2 adjustable straps and shoulder strap
$139.95 rrp inc gst
keep that in mind when deciding which route to walk. Although the walk to Fox is more strenuous than the Franz walk.
Day 4
Franz Josef –Queenstown – 355km
Today was all about stunning scenery and stunning corners. I’d raved about
The Crown Range Road to the entire group and it didn’t disappoint. The weather was perfect and the road was grippy for some high level fun. We rolled into Wanaka and everyone was impressed with how nice a town this place is, but I kept saying, “Wait for Queenstown”. Only those who had been there before knew what I was rambling on about. Once we got to
Cardrona, the group went in to look at the Cardrona Hotel, whereas I made my way to The Crown Range Road. Alana really enjoyed me ‘lightening’ the pegs of the big K and she quickly got over her fear of sliding lightly around. Most of the group stopped at the top lookout, whereas a few of us stopped at the lookout halfway down
and rode back to the top to do the trip down again.
While at the lookout we were lucky enough to see a plane flying into the Queenstown airport which is a remarkable descent through the mountains.
Rather than riding the ‘normal’ road into Queenstown, we took the back way which takes you over the
Shotover River. The bright pale blue water and the impressive looking bridge across the river were a good introduction to what was instore for Queenstown scenery. It wasn’t until we got a clear view of The Remarkables that everyone got what I had been carrying on about. This raised the excitement of being in Queenstown and that night everyone
had an awesome time at a local restaurant down by the lake. This made for some sorry heads the next morning.
Day 5 Free day in Queenstown
A cracking day and one that Alana and I had been looking forward to.
Only the best
New Zealand is an amazing place to visit, especially the South Island. For guided tours, self-guided tours and bike rental, contact our friends at Paradise Motorcycle Tours NZ –www.paradisemotorcycletours.co.nz, info@paradisemotorcycletours.co.nz, Ph: +64 9473 9404.
I’d done the Shotover jet boat last year and wasn’t overly fussed as it didn’t give me the thrills I thought it would give, but the Dart River jet boat experience from Glenorchy is quite another thing. Most of the crew came along and after riding my favourite road out to Glenorchy with its challenging corners and outstanding scenery, we took a minibus ride out through Paradise (yes that is the town’s name) to an area where
many movies and ads have been shot. They include fi lms like The Lord of the Rings, The Hobbit, Wolverine, Everest and one surprise - remember Milka Chocolate, the Swiss brand? Well the marketing people thought that the mountain scenery in Switzerland wasn’t good enough and sent a plastic cow to a fi eld near Paradise to shoot their stunning pictures as seen on the Milka chocolate wrappers!
After a walk in the forest where we got to see and sit in a replica Hobbit chair, it was time for the jet boat ride. Now, I thought we would only have a short twenty minute or so ride in the boat, but it ended up being an hour and a half’s journey far up the Dart River and then back to Glenorchy. The boat was powerful which made for some great fun, with the occasional spin adding to the thrills.
To top off an already amazing day most of us dined at the Botswana Butchery restaurant in Queenstown.
Alana and I had ‘secretly’ told Andre (from Paradise Motorcycle Tours) about our plan to dine at Botswana Butchery for our anniversary, but just about everyone else joined us and knew nothing of our plan. Oh well, I guess they know now! It was a great night out with most of the group. The food and wine were wonderful and many laughs were had during the night.
A great way to end our time in one of the best locations in the world. Tomorrow we’re off for Te Anau – I can only hope there’s lots of snow on the surrounding mountains, but with a mild winter having just passed, I’m not overly hopeful.
In our next issue we continue the tour that just gets better and better. How can that be, you say? Just you wait and see!
A REAL Hobbit! / Enjoying dinner with most of the group.
camping specialfeature
CAMPING
IT’S CHEAP, IT’S FUN, IT’S AN ADVENTURE
WORDS THE BEAR PHOTOS COLIN
WHELAN, QUEENSLAND TOURISM
The funniest thing that ever happened to me while camping, except possibly the time the tent collapsed in the middle of a thunderstorm at Mystery Bay and I had lost the bike key*, was when we rolled up to a campsite near Kemer in southern Turkey. A bloke came
to the boom gate when he heard the bikes and the following conversation ensued, in broken Turkish (from my side) and broken German (from his).
“Ah, good afternoon. We would like to camp here for a… a short time.” We needed to do some work on one of the bikes, as well as needing somewhere to sleep, cook and all the rest of it.
“Ah. But the campsite is closed. It will open in two weeks.”
“Ah. I understand. Is there somewhere else here where we could camp?”
“Err… why?”
“Umm. Because… we need somewhere to stay.”
“Ah. Why not stay here?”
“Ah. Because… you said it was closed.”
“Oh, it is closed,” he said, turning to lift the boom, “but that just means that I can’t charge you. Of course you can stay. I’ll go and turn on the hot water for the showers.”
Thinking of… a roof
I see tents, Kemosabe, many tents… there is an almost endless variety of tents on the market, but some of them are definitely more useful for motorcycle campers than others. Probably the most immediately attractive are Dome Tents. These offer a lot of space, they’re easy to put up and they can be used on just about any surface because they don’t need pegs to keep them up. On the down side they can be bulky and they
lack a “wet” area for boots, rain suit etc under the flysheet but not inside with you. If you don’t put something heavy inside them, they might fly away in a strong enough wind. Popup tents are similar.
Mostly relatively heavy and quite bulky are Swags. Most of the bulk comes from the foam mattresses they hold, while the weight comes from the strong, heavy material. They have one or two hoops to hold the top up and are a bit limited for space, but most will have a wet area. There are double swags, but you might as well take a tent.
So-called Adventure Tents can be ideal for motorcyclists. Some of them are self-supporting, held up by
fibreglass hoops – they still need pegs for the flysheet, but their shapes can allow for cooking under shelter and for wet storage.
Another category that works for bikes is Hiking Tents. These are small and light, but they do require pegs and because everything is done to make them light to carry, they tend to be small and have limited space inside – dry or wet.
There doesn’t seem to be a name for rectangular high-top tents with Awnings. Relatively heavy and a bit time-consuming to put up with lots of pegs, some of them can nevertheless even offer shelter for your bike. Great for unpacking and packing in the rain.
Umbrella Tents are unbelievably easy to put up –lay out the base, peg it down, usually with eight pegs, and then erect the central pole as if you were opening an umbrella. Bulky and heavy, but they offer standing room inside.
Heavy, bulky to carry and a pain to put up, Bell Tents are at the luxury end of the tent spectrum. Okay if you have a van carrying your gear and someone to hammer in all of the pegs required.
Make sure that whatever tent you buy, it has a strong fl oor –that blue “fi breglass” material is good – and that it turns up for at least a couple of inches at the sides, making a kind of trough that keeps water out.
If you are sleeping on the ground, not in a tent or swag, consider carrying a ground sheet. They come with a refl ective silver side and a dull one, often blue. Put the silver side down. If you’ve got a big enough
sheet you can also pull it over you, avoiding a soaking from the dew. This is not much use against rain, though.
THE MANY WAYS
Camping really is a special way to travel. In Australia you’re not likely to get off for free at a privately-owned
site just because you arrive a little out of season, but sleeping under your own canvas need not be expensive. You’ve got the option of unoffi cial free (sometimes called ‘wild’) camping; free forestry, municipal or other offi cial sites; paid or free sites at the back of somewhere like a pub;
paid municipal campgrounds; or shelling out for privately-owned ones. I have used all of these, and in fact most of the time your choice is pretty obvious, to my mind.
Why is that? Well, if you want to stay at Coolah Tops, for instance, there’s The Pines campground, which is provided by the State government. Here is the offi cial description:
• This campground is suitable for small family groups
• Water is available from the nearby Norfolk Island Creek, but should be boiled before consumption.
• This is a remote campground, so please make sure you arrive well-prepared.
• Firewood is not provided, but you may collect wood from within the park – the use of
chainsaws is not permitted.
• Sites are not powered and generators are not permitted in this campground
• Rubbish bins are not available, so please take your rubbish with you when leaving.
• Take care when walking around cliff edges and above waterfalls - please supervise children at all times.
• Check the weather before you set out as some roads within the park are closed after heavy rain
• No domestic animals allowed.
Price: Free.
Bookings: Not available for this campground.
You could also camp completely “wild” up there, although that would mean no access to either a toilet or the reasonably fi re-secure barbecue facilities.
If, on the other hand, you wanted to camp on the beach somewhere like Suffolk Park near Byron Bay, there is a fully developed caravan park which
takes up nearly all of the beach area. That makes it the obvious choice. There are many websites which will tell you where you can camp, but if you’re anything like me you are far more likely to just head out and fi nd somewhere to roll out the swag when you’re tired or it’s the time of day when the ‘roos get too thick on the road. Um, not literally I hope.
THINKING OF… SLEEPING
In the Old Days, we took army blankets. These were cheap from a disposal store and incredibly tough, but they were also bulky, heavy –especially when wet – and took forever to dry. It took two washing machines simultaneously to clean them.
Sleeping bags are the alternative in these degenerate times. Your choice depends on the depth of your wallet and the conditions you camp in. If you’re always inside and have a bit of cash, one kind or another of down is probably the choice for you. Its name is misleading; the price is actually up
Shoei Neotec and Hornet available
Jetboil
Bahco tools
Shoei Neotec and Hornet available
on other materials. Down is made up of feathers, but comes in a variety of forms. It can be sourced from ducks or geese (I’m told the latter is better) and is used either in its natural form or treated with a hydrophobic chemical mix. The latter will protect against moisture uptake in the first place and then moisture retention, to varying degrees. Read the label is all I can suggest. Generally speaking, down will still get and stay wetter than the next option.
The alternative, if you’re likely to occasionally or regularly sleep outside and therefore be exposed to moisture on a regular basis, is synthetic fill. This still works if it’s
wet, and usually dries faster than down. Sleeping bags with synthetic fill are also generally cheaper than down bags. Just as importantly, they also usually pack smaller than down bags, and the filling is not damaged by staying rolled up. Down bags do have more loft, that is they trap more air between you and the outside, and that means they are warmer.
To keep your hip bones from scraping on the ground, you can choose between airbeds, self-inflating mats and foam mats. I always find that air beds get punctures as soon as I use them for the first time, even the heavy bonded fabric ones from Eastern Europe. I put this down to
the innate perversity of inanimate matter, or possibly that someone up there hates me. Whatever, I suggest you consider the ones with separate air cells, so if (when) they do get a hole in them, only one cell will go down. Self-inflating mats (a puff of air from you can help them along) are thinner than air beds but for some reason also less likely to get punctures. They roll up small and offer reasonable insulation. The foam mats with sealed cells are similar although usually thinner, but you just roll them out instead of inflating them. This makes them bulkier when rolled up, but no heavier.
Air beds tend only to come in one
length, but other mats vary. You don’t need full length padding; your shins and feet are quite comfortable on the ground. Use rolled-up clothing as a pillow.
Thinking of… cooking
I hate to rain on your campfire, but cooking over one is generally not a good idea. Dry wood is a resource in the bush which provides shelter, nourishment and shade for all sorts of plants and animals, so the less we burn the better. Also, cooking over a campfire is not as easy as it looks because it’s difficult to judge relative heat. A camp oven in the ashes with coals heaped onto the lid is an obvious
exception; time and amount of heat are not critical.
On trips like our seven month North Africa / Europe ride I used Campingaz refillable bottles and cartridges. They work extremely well, but you need to be able to refill/ replace them, and that’s not possible everywhere. For short trips here in Australia I’d take my little stove screwed onto one small cylinder, and a spare. You only have one burner, of course, but with a bit of ingenuity that’s all you need.
Also restricted to one burner is my alternative choice, a Trangia nested cooking set. It has the advantage of coming with all the pots you need for
basic cooking, and it runs on metho. That’s available everywhere – except in the USA. Who knows why? The Trangia works surprisingly well and is more than adequate for two people.
When I’m cooking for a larger group – say half a dozen – I take my cast aluminium, three-legged camp oven. I do need to use a fire for this, but it need not be a large one.
Cast aluminium does not rust and is both lighter and less likely to break than cast iron.
I’ll be running some stories about cooking in the bush in MOTORCYCLIST in the not too distant future, and I’m even preparing a book on the subject. Stay tuned for that!
STOP AND DROP
Should you just want to stop by the side of the road and get some sleep, you can often find approved rest areas. Mind you, these are quite frequently infested with Grey Nomads! So seeing that a lot of us are them (so to speak) let’s take advantage of them while we can. The helpful www.thegreynomads.com.au website points out that:
“Each state has its own policy with regard to overnight stays at rest areas and most have produced free maps showing where the rest areas are and what facilities are available.
“Picnic tables, rubbish bins and toilets are generally provided at sites where 24-hour-stops are permitted, and many places also offer shade…
“Most state road authorities produce free maps or charts detailing where rest areas are and whether overnight stays are permitted.”
Just follow the signs if you don’t have a map (the Motorcycle Atlas** can come in handy here) and do what they say. Of course that isn’t always possible, in which case you might like to do what I do, namely get away from the main road and find a bit of sheltered ground, trying to stay off private property, and set up there. I’ve also camped in rest areas that specifically prohibit that – after all, would you prefer to crash because you’ve gone to sleep on the bike, or break a bylaw?
Private land is always a problem. I know that everyone always insists you should ask for permission, but exactly how do you do that out in the middle of nowhere, at night? You’re likely to scare the crap out of the rightful owner if you roll up at his front door. While we’re on the subject, do bury your “human waste” deep and carefully. Take rubbish away with you, and make sure that fires are lit in prepared places and put out before you go. Do not rely on a campfire for either light or cooking. Take a fluoro or LED light that runs off the bike’s battery and a light gas or petrol stove. If you do light one, keep the fire small and use as little wood as possible. Leave gates as you find them, too.
GEAR GUIDE
The rules for camping gear on motorcycle trips are basic: simple, small (and light), strong (and repairable). Buy good gear, because rubbish will always let you down just when you can’t afford to have that happen.
There is no rule that says you can’t be comfortable, although I will always remember Eric Newby reporting the famous traveller Wilfred Thesiger’s reaction to the air mattresses that he and his fellow expeditioner were blowing up as they set up camp together. “Must be a couple of fairies,” Thesiger reportedly said.
Never mind, Wilfred. I carry either a foam or an air mattress, a sleeping bag that’s rated at the temperature I expect (or fear) to experience and a tent that’s spacious enough for me and my clothes, at least. See the “thinking of” paragraphs. Once upon a time I would have said take metal implements, rather than plastic. These days, though, there are plastics that do certain jobs far better than metal could. They last longer, too –and often cost more. Mind you, I’m not about to trade one of my very special metal implements for anything made of plastic. No,
I’ll stay with my alloy jaffl e iron… But seriously, high-quality branded equipment is worth the extra cost. Not only will it last longer, it will also do its job better because it will quite likely incorporate the latest little techno tricks, such as better waterproofi ng. Despite that, it is quite possible to go camping with a blue plastic tarp, an army blanket and some string – but be prepared to be uncomfortable.
I know two blokes who each travel with only the very basics. One of them has removable end caps on his handlebars; the tube of the bar holds a small tube of toothpaste on one side and a toothbrush on the other.
That’s all. The other doesn’t even carry that. He relies on two or three credit cards in his wallet to see him through. Each to his own, eh?
DANGER-OZ
The dangers of Australian wildlife are often exaggerated. You are highly unlikely to encounter a Blue-Ringed Octopus, for example, and the World’s most venomous snake, Australia’s Fierce Snake, has never killed anyone. But there are other dangers. Here’s how to avoid some of the real ones.
• Do not ride early or late in the day. Really, I know everyone says this but it’s true. Our furry and feathered friends are far more dangerous than spiders or cone shells, because they will try to share the road with you when you’re out in the country.
• Do not camp under the branches of large gum trees. Not all species drop branches, but why risk mis-identifying a tree?
• Do not set up camp in creek or
river beds. Rain can fall a long way away and still cause a fl ash fl ood where you are.
• In the Outback, camp well away from tracks and preferably in the shelter of some rocks or trees. Outback drivers often get well off the track when they’re trying to avoid bulldust, mud or sand and you don’t want a LandCruiser interrupting your sleep by driving over the top of you – possibly fatally.
• Travel in a group or let someone know where you’re going if it’s at all remote.
• Take and drink plenty of water. There is a little book called “Stay Alive”, put out by the Government Printer in Canberra, which will give you details on this and much else, including First Aid. It’s cheap, and not bulky to carry.
• The most important thing about camping in Australia is probably that there is so much
of Australia to camp in. Waking up in the morning and sticking your face out to a view of the mountains, a clear creek bubbling over rocks, with gum trees overhead (but not too close!) and looking forward to a campfi re breakfast followed by a day of riding ahead is hard to beat.
* We were trying to move to shelter. The bike was a Cossack, and I just bent a metal fork so one tine was pointing down, and used that like a tiller as a “key”. Worked fi ne, looked… interesting.
** Hema Maps Australia Motorcycle Atlas, written by me and therefore an excellent product! ISBN 978-1192519-513-2. Available from map shops, some bookshops and from us (www.ausmotorcyclist.com.au), cost including postage (to most addresses in Australia) $54.90.
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MOTO GUZZI CALIFORNIA ELDORADO
Words/photos the bear
There’s no shortage of places that claim to be the home of the Black Stump. I’ve always thought that Coolah, up past Mudgee from Sydney, had the best claim on the title. Anyway, I could well believe that there would be more than one source for the name. Just look it up on the interwebs and you’ll be smothered in claims, with three of them, including Coolah, sounding pretty convincing.
Now it may be some kind of mental laziness on my part, but just as I rode a Triumph Rocket III to Woomera a couple of years back, I decided to ride the very black Moto Guzzi Eldorado up to the Black Stump. Automatic suggestibility. Next time I get a Honda
Crossrunner I’ll head up William Street, I guess. Not sure where I’ll go if I’m handed a Naked bike… doesn’t really bear thinking about, does it?
The Eldorado is yet another of Moto Guzzi’s 1400 Californias. Where the Audace is blacked out, the Custom is, well, kind of chopped and the two Touring bikes are set up for long distance work, this bike is the glammed-up version which comes closest to the original California and of course especially the Eldorado. The chrome knee pads on the tank along with the white coach lines are so reminiscent of the 1972 version that you almost feel you’re stepping back in time.
That impression changes the moment you press the starter, of course. Instead of the under stressed 850cc transverse vee twin that powered the 1972 bike, you get an under stressed 1380cc transverse vee twin, and you can feel the difference. I haven’t ridden an old California for a while, but I do recall that they would hardly be champing at the bit when you released the heavy clutch. The new Eldorado still has a pretty heavy clutch, but it does leap away when the lights change despite the thrust limiting clutch which keeps you from spinning up the back wheel.
This is not a touring version of the Cali, but I wanted to go away for a
couple of days. Not to worry, said Moto Guzzi Australia’s, Ezio Forcella. Undo two hex-headed bolts and the pillion seat comes off, revealing a large and sturdy luggage rack. I fitted the capacious and internally stiffened Kuryakyn Day Bag to the rack with two of its many straps, and the assembly looked the part and did the job. Plenty of room, even for the smaller of my camera bags among a set of undies, a wet weather suit, wash bag, light shoes, ring-bound and Apple notebooks and the rest of the gear.
You can feel the 120Nm as you pull away into the traffic. I had a bit of fun showing the rest of the morning’s road users my “gem-shaped taillight” as I
flew away from the lights on my way west to Windsor. The rider’s seat is dished and deep and almost seductively comfortable (but tune in again later) and the riding position couldn’t really be any more relaxed. At speed, the wind or some other mysterious force kept pushing my right foot back, sliding it back along the footboard gently but insistently. No problem on the left side, where I just slipped my heel in front of the rear gear change lever.
The supply of torque seems bottomless, and is usable at just about any engine speed. The bike has all the tech goodies, too. Two channel antilock braking, a very easy-to-use cruise
control, ride by wire and three way switchable engine mapping (Veloce, Turismo and Piaggi… Pioge… Rain). There’s even an interface for your smartphone. More importantly, though, it has whitewall tyres (much admired by the general populace). In fact the entire bike was much admired, even more by non-motorcyclists than by fellow riders. Heading up the Putty Road showed up a limitation of the Eldorado. Much as any normal cruiser but significantly more than a lot of other Moto Guzzis, it scrapes in corners. I hadn’t expected this, having been spoiled in the past by all the small and many of the larger Guzzi cruisers. It’s not a serious restriction, seeing that few owners will
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want to push the bike especially hard, but it was a surprise. This is a good ride, and would be an easy day even if you did go all the way out to the Black Stump; certainly if you turned off near Cassilis and headed down to Gulgong, Mudgee and back to the Smoke. There are
some gravel alternatives, so if you have an adventure bike or just feel like sampling the loose stuff you will be adequately catered for.
I considered taking the back road from Cassilis towards Coolah and the Black Stump, but thought better of it. This wasn’t my bike, and a gravel
road was a bit too likely to scar the immaculate black paintwork. At my destination I sat for a while in the picnic shelter and looked at the Stump, but there appeared to be no inspiration forthcoming. This is very much an understated tourist attraction. Nowhere to buy BS fridge magnets, BS
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keyrings, BS stickers… no BS at all. Still, it’s nice and quiet up there.
Next was a quick stop in Coolah, which is a pleasant and green little town, and then I headed down towards Gulgong and over to Wellington. By this time, having put some 500km under the wheels of the Eldorado, I was becoming conscious of the limitations of the suspension, which was coping with the awful road surfaces, but only just. Even new-looking roads in the country sometimes feel as if the tar has just been poured over the existing corrugations. Shame on the RMS, or more probably the shires since I was travelling on back roads.
The seat was beginning to lose its appeal as well. After 500km I was feeling the pressure from the ridge at its back on my tailbone. As it happens, though, I found it easy to fix that. All
I needed to do was to stop slumping down, sit upright and move my backside a little forward. Problem fixed, and the run home after an overnight in Wellington at the pleasant and modern Cow And Calf Hotel was made in comfort. Well, when I remembered my posture, anyway.
I’ve got some more to tell you about that ride. Maybe next issue. In the meantime, I’m happy to say that the Moto Guzzi 1400 California Eldorado can certainly handle the touring task with ease. Just sit up there, you. And maybe sort the rear suspension preload and rebound to suit your weight. Around town, this bike might be heavy but it doesn’t feel it, especially once you’re rolling. It has unquestionable road presence, too. And you’d be surprised where it will fit when you’re splitting lanes… =
SPECS
MOTO GUZZI 1400 CALIFORNIA ELDORADO
PRICE: $24,000 (ride away)
WARRANTY:Two years, unlimited distance
SERVICING INTERVALS: 10,000km or 12 months
ENGINE: Air and oil cooled 90 degree V-twin, 4 stroke, SOHC, 4 valves per cylinder
BORE x STROKE: 104 x 81.2mm
DISPLACEMENT: 1380cc
COMPRESSION: 10.5: 1
POWER: 71kW @ 6500rpm
TORQUE: 120Nm @ 3000rpm
TRANSMISSION: 6 speed, single plate clutch, shaft final drive
FUEL CONSUMPTION: 7.2 litres per 100km, premium unleaded
THEORETICAL RANGE: 284km
COLOURS: Black, Red
VERDICT: GO FOR GOLD!
Words stuArt Woodbury
Photos Nick Wood
Stuart is wearing a Shark Speed R 2 helmet, Dririder EXO 2 jacket, Dririder Stealth gloves, Draggin Next Gen jeans and Berik GPX 2.0 boots.
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There is a tenuous but nevertheless genuine link between Italian motorcycle manufacturer Benelli and Australia; our own Kel Carruthers won the 1969 world championship and Isle of Man TT on a Benelli 250. Then in 2001, Australian Superbike champ Peter Goddard signed with the marque.
The name changed from Benelli S.p.A. to Benelli Q.J. when Chinese Group Quianjiang bought the company, but operations remain unchanged in Pesaro, in Italy, with the same workforce.
The range of bikes from Benelli is beginning to expand – and this is a good thing for us motorcyclists. The bike we tested here, the BN302, is the smallest capacity machine from the Italian marque and for a learner or even an experienced rider after a small capacity machine, the BN302 is a great little bike to ride.
Housed in the trellis frame is a parallel twin 300cc engine and it has to be the most unique sounding engine I have ever heard, or ridden.
Normally, a parallel twin has a clearly identifiable beat, more of an off-beat kind of sound, but the BN302 sounds more like a Mazda RX8 rotary! It’s hard to describe in words, you really need to ride it to know what I’m talking about. Either way, you won’t hear anything else like it on the road today.
Like all smaller capacity bikes, the BN302 does need to be revved to get the best out of it, but it also cruises along quite nicely in higher gears with light throttle, even at highway speeds, better than you might think likely for a small capacity machine.
Fuel consumption was quite good. In the 80% commuting, 20% highway work we did during our time on the BN302, it punched out 4.88 litres per
100km. This should see you out around 300 plus kilometres or so. The trellis frame, combined with the right side mounted adjustable preload and rebound rear shock and 41mm inverted forks work in unison, but the
“ NORMALLY, A PARALLEL TWIN HAS A CLEARLY IDENTIFIABLE BEAT, MORE OF AN OFF-BEAT KIND OF SOUND, BUT THE BN302 SOUNDS MORE LIKE A MAZDA RX8 ROTARY! ”
front forks are a little underdamped for most riders. However the BN302 is so light and relatively skinny that it makes commuting a breeze. Lane filtering is easy and only the tightest of gaps will require you to be cautious.
Ergonomically speaking, the seat to bar reach is good and the bar width and height are good too. The seat to peg height is quite sporty, however, with the pegs set back. This does make longer travels a little uncomfortable. If the bar was a little
lower and placed some more weight on your wrists to support the rest of the body, it would be fine.
Styling is nicely done and the BN302 does not look like a learner’s bike, even with a man mountain like me riding it. I think the main attraction that makes the BN302 look like a larger capacity bike is the twin discs on the front. They are only 260mm in diameter, but the appearance gives it another dimension compared to most small capacity bikes. Braking power is adequate with enough feel.
Accessories are limited but things like crash protectors and some bits of bling will keep the BN302 looking tops. So if you’re after an individual sounding, small capacity machine, the Benelli BN302 is one of the most unique you’ll find. It comes in Green, Orange, Black or White, but we really liked the green, especially in the sunlight.
FUEL CONSUMPTION: 4.88 litres per 100km, premium unleaded
THEORETICAL RANGE: 327km
COLOURS: Black,White, Orange, Green
VERDICT: QUITE UNIQUE
ITS ADVENTURE TIME, BABY!
DAY RIDE FROM THE SUNSHINE COAST, QLD
We’ve had a few emails from you guys thinking that the adventure map was a goner, but that is not the case, it’s just that we were taking it to every third or fourth issue. As much as there’s a lot of dirt in our big brown land, a fair chunk is not suitable for the general adventure rider, more for the experienced off-road adventure rider; hence we would eventually run out of roads to feature as good, sight-seeing rides. We did include some technical sections in our regular adventure maps, which we will continue with as optional routes (when available) but will keep the main route accessible for all levels of adventure rider.
This adventure map is a day ride from the Sunshine Coast, namely the Maroochydore/Mooloolaba area which is a perfect place to base yourself and enjoy the ocean and relaxed café lifestyle the Sunshine Coast brings.
MAROOCHYDORE
Maroochydore is a major urban centre on the Sunshine Coast with most shopping precincts located in the
central business district. It is home to the Sunshine Plaza shopping centre and amazing beaches. Maroochydore is a venue of major surf sport carnivals, and is a popular holiday point from which to travel the rest of Queensland. There is an airport if you wish to fly in (or out) and a number of motorcycle shops should you need anything.
The name Maroochydore comes from the Aboriginal indigenous Yuggera language word ‘Muru-kutchi’, meaning red-bill: the name of the black swan, commonly seen in the area.
MALENY
Maleny is a town rich in natural beauty and wonder, set among the winding Obi Obi Creek, the largest sub catchment area of the Mary River, and the rolling green hills of the dairy farms and paddocks. Perched high upon the Blackall Range, there are several lookouts on the outskirts of the town that look out over the Glasshouse Mountains, showcasing its breathtaking natural beauty.
The Mary Cairncross Reserve conservation park captures the best of both worlds, on one side overlooking the Glasshouse Mountains, and inside, an area of 530,000 metres of lush subtropical rainforest. It is a popular place for locals and tourists to spend their weekends picnicking and enjoying the natural beauty of the park – so be careful of oncoming traffic! Should you wish to explore a little more, The Baroon Pocket Dam is a popular destination for a picnic, canoeing and swimming, while Gardners Falls has trickling rock pools, swimming holes and a rope swing for the more adventurous sorts.
CURRAMORE
A landmark for your travels. Keep on riding!
KIDAMAN CREEK
Kidaman Creek is home to a number of cattle farmers, so beware of the odd stray cow. Kidaman
www.hemamaps.com.au
Head west out of Maroochydore on Maroochydore Road. Head straight through the roundabout at the Bruce Highway towards the Big Pineapple and not much further along turn left to head down WoombyePalmwoods Road. Once at Palmwoods, jump onto the Palmwoods-Montville Road, which is across the railway. Towards the edge of Palmwoods, turn left onto Landershute Road, veer left onto Citrus Road, follow for a few hundred metres and then turn right onto Sunridge Road. Keeping left, this road takes you out to the Maleny-Montville Road where you want to turn left and head to Maleny. Around seven kilometres out of Maleny you need to turn right to head through Curramore. You want to get onto Kidaman Creek Road and follow it (veering right) into Kidaman Creek.
Turn right onto Obi Obi Road and follow around two kilometres to turn left onto Hunsley Road. Follow this all the way making sure you turn right onto Telephone Road, and then turn right onto Delicia Road. Follow Delicia Road all the way into Mapleton.
Head north on Mapleton Forest Road to Cooloolabin and turn left onto Buckby Road. Follow Buckby Road until you need to turn/veer right onto Point Glorious Road and follow all the way to the lookout.
Once you’ve had a good look around come back down around a kay and a half to veer left onto York Creek Road which will take you over to Browns Creek Road. Turn left and follow all the way up and around, with the road turning into Ridge Way and Burtons Road.
Turn right onto Bunya Road and follow down to Yandina.
Jump onto Yandina-Bli Bli Road and head east back towards the coast and into Maroochydore for a nice swim in the ocean or some cold beverages overlooking the water.
Total distance – 170km
Fuel – shouldn’t an issue for all adventure bikes. But if you really need some after filling up in Maroochydore; Maleny, Mapleton and Yandina should keep you out of trouble.
Road Conditions – Four to choose from, or check with all of them!
Creek also has numerous camping grounds if you wanted to spend a night in the bush.
MAPLETON
Mapleton is a small town in Queensland’s Sunshine Coast hinterland. It includes the Lilyponds, the Mapleton Tavern and historic Seaview House, and is well known for its 180 degree panoramic views of the Sunshine Coast.
COOLOOLABIN
Mostly a landmark for your travels but Cooloolabin does have its dam and nice sized lake to add some different scenery into your ride.
POINT GLORIOUS LOOKOUT
Point Glorious, approximately 400m above sea level, provides spectacular views of the coast and hinterland. Scribbly gums and grass trees grow around the lookout. A small camping area at Gheerulla Creek beside the entrance to the Gheerulla Trail Bike area is available. Gheerulla camping area is close to the creek and provides three camping sites, picnic tables, toilets and barbecues. If you plan to use the barbecues, bring your own milled fi rewood, as it is illegal to collect wood from
the forest. Preferably bring and use a fuel stove. Be aware that camping permits are required and fees apply. www.nprsr.qld.gov.au/experiences/ camping/camping_fees
If you’ve got the time there are numerous walks to see the sights. The following three would be easy enough even if you’re wearing motocross boots.
Linda Garrett circuit (Class 2)
Distance: 700 m return
Time: allow 20 minutes
Details: This circuit leads through rainforest, a palm grove and tall wet eucalypt forest dominated by blackbutt, turpentine, brush box and flooded gum.
Pilularis forest walk (Class 2)
Distance: 800 m
Time: allow 20 minutes
Details: This walk leads through tall open forest with an understorey of ferns and rainforest shrubs.
Bonyee walk (Class 3)
Distance: 400 m
Time: allow 10 minutes
Details: This track is named using local Gubbi Gubbi language for bunya. The walk features a very large bunya pine, rainforest and a piccabeen palm grove.
YANDINA
Its name comes from ‘yan’, meaning “to go”, and ‘dinna’, meaning
“feet”. So you can use your feet to walk around the town and go back to your bike and keep riding. There is a pub and if you wanted luxury accommodation, rather than returning to the coast, Yandina Station is the place to check out.
BLI BLI
A few kilometres inland from the Maroochydore urban area, Bli Bli rises above the wetlands which were, for many years, the home of the Sunshine Coast sugar cane industry. The name Bli Bli is believed to be derived from the Kabi word bilai meaning sheoak tree.
The main attraction at Bli Bli is the Sunshine Castle. A stand out landmark in this location this Norman style Castle, with medieval additions, complete with moat, turrets, towers and drawbridge is totally unique in Australia.
The Castle is filled with medieval displays and other exhibitions that you are able to explore at your own pace in a self-walk tour. Wander over the drawbridge into another time and feast with Kings in the Great Hall or squalor in shame in the dungeon. The Castle keep is a 24 metre lookout tower that offers stunning views from coast to hinterland. Well worth stopping for a visit.
WORDS/PHOTOS COLIN WHELAN
So anyway you can say a lot of things about Henry Lawson’s poetry and writing but when it came to drinking, the man who famously said that, ‘beer makes you feel the way you ought to feel without beer’, was an unadulterated amateur.
And I mean that in the original meaning of, ‘amateur’.
As anyone who spent school hours declining Latin nouns and conjugating its verbs, both irregular and regular, will be only too painfully aware, Amo amas amat, amamus, amatus amant have
given us, ‘amorous’, ‘amiable’ and, well, ‘amateur’, and their meanings all concern love.
An amateur is a lover, and Henry Lawson was a sure lover of drink.
It didn’t love him back but it very seldom does.
In 1915 his love was getting a bit, well, dominating and so Jules Archibald, his boss at the Bulletin, went to the NSW Premier, William Holman with an idea.
He convinced the politician to create a new job as publicity and media officer at the fledgling Murrumbidgee
PUBOFTHEMONTH
Irrigation Area in the Riverine and to give it to Henry Lawson. Oh and to make the office at Leeton.
(You thought ‘jobs for the boys’ was a recent political ploy, eh?)
Leeton was the target because the surrounding area had been largely bought from Samuel McCaughey, a trail-blazing farmer, grazier, politician and devout Presbyterian wowser and prohibitionist who’d insisted the place remain free of pubs and wine saloons.
So Henry was shipped off there along with his er, “housekeeper” and installed into a pretty little cottage beside an irrigation ditch.
From day one, he bemoaned the unnatural and unhealthy lack of pubs.
In his “First Impression of Leeton”, he railed that, “We oughter have a pub. It would promote the healthiest kind of good-fellowship….a pub would make the town like a home to many. It would be a haven, and a refuge to many a weary, work-worn, married man caught in a dust storm on his way home.”
“(A)ll the things are here that are in most country towns – more;” Lawson later penned from his pulpit,” but lo and behold! The pub is not here, my brethren. And verily I say unto you that a Place is not natural without a Pub….. There has always been a pub, ever since (and before it) a certain man went down from Jerusalem to Jericho….and I’ll bet the ‘priest’ and the Levite who passed by on the other side were wowsers and prohibitionists.”
But Henry and a slab of mates soon had a workaround! Each Saturday morning a train would pull out of Leeton bound for either Narrandera or Whitton, both just outside the ‘dry’ zone.
This “drunks’ train” would wait there until Sunday evening when it would return with its skint ‘n’ pissed cargo to Leeton, where Henry and his mates would endure another dry(ish) five days.
The poet was fond of Narrandera. He called it, “an ungodly town just outside the area” (which I think was praise), but he claimed that maybe the strongest opposition to “our honest agitation for a decent pub” came from Narrandera’s jar exporters of “tangle-foot and smiling-juice.”
If the week’s only train was headed that way, he probably would’ve just crossed the road from the station to the Star Hotel or gone down the main street to the Murrumbidgee Hotel. Both are still standing though the Star, a magnificent building, is currently a workers hostel and in need of TLC and a cash injection.
The Narrandera Railway Station itself is beautifully restored and worth a visit. The rights of railway travellers to a drink at station refreshment rooms dominated hours of parliamentary debate in the early 1900s and you can see the windows through which they served the hooch to those in the station carpark.
But it’s likely that whenever he could, Lawson headed instead to Whitton which he preferred. Henry wrote of meeting a ‘blanker’ who’d just signed up for the army and was based in Hay. This fella had come down to Narrandera on a break, but he’d been shouted a ‘..raw and maybe doctored Australian “port wine” (which had) done the business for him”.
Henry gave the recruit a recuperative hit from his flask and told him to head for Whitton where “he’d have plenty of time…to go across the road to the hotel to get a good honest, long beer.”
The Whitton train station has been moved down to Gogeldrie St and is part of the great little town museum. This is a top place and you’d have to be a pure bred fysigunkus to not be interested in some of the stuff they have in there. Go visit!
The original rail tracks have grown over, the passenger trains no longer come. Thirteen of the 14 pubs which existed back then are gone but the one that exists (again) will still give you one (or two) of Henry’s famed ‘good honest, long beers.’
The way I hear it, the previous publican thought that actually getting a licence was just unnecessary city-based red tape bureaucracy and for some reason the cops kept busting him for illegal trade. They closed him down and the town was without a pub for nine months a couple of years back.
The Rice Bowl Hotel at Whitton was saved by Colin and Cindy, two locals who watched in horror how their town fabric decayed when the pub was closed.
Cindy
pub since she was 18. Colin is a recent blown-in of 20 years and together they realised that the town needed the pub, it needed Lawson’s ‘refuge’ and ‘haven’ for the ‘work-worn’ and for the traveller and visitor.
With no pub management experience between them, with Colin working part time as a TAFE instructor and Cindy at the bank in Leeton, they decided to do their best to save it.
And their best seems to be working. When I ask Colin how it’s all going, he replies with a smile, “It’s still going!”
Not yet able to pay staff wages, they pretty much run it on their own with the midday help from Colin’s dad Max who “pulls beers and yacks with his mates each lunch-time.”
The Rice Bowl doesn’t serve meals which in a town with no restaurant can be a problem. But it has a very large fully equipped kitchen and a BBQ in the back beer garden. The thing to do is stock up on some steaks and other makings from the IGA in Griffith or Leeton and cook up your own feast. One night I was there a gang of locals was hungry so Cindy rang the Chinese at Darlington Point with all the orders and then drove down to collect them all. Bunged the cooled ones into the micro in the kitchen! Simple!
The kitchen has a pair of full-sized fridges with freezers large enough to
for drinker’s n stayers.
Accommodation consists of four twin rooms, four doubles and one room with a double and a single. The rooms are a standard 40 bucks each but there’s a discount to just 20 bucks (from the usual $30) for solivagant riders. All rooms have air-con and a ceiling fan, good hooks for clothes and some have basins.
The rooms can get full of fruit picking backpackers when the season is up but across near the old rail line there’s plenty of space to feral camp and if you want cover, you won’t be disturbed if you swag inside the old flour store.
The bathrooms are clean and the hot water good but it takes it a ‘freeking’ age to get from the cistern way out the back.
Riders can use the washing machine and dryer at no charge and if you want to lock up your ride, there’s room for 5 or six bikes in the keg yard beside the pub.
There’s no TAB but there’s pool, a juke box and a trio of pokies. This is a pub where folks gather at the bar and hang in groups, and Colin and Cindy know everyone by name and schooners cost an even 5 bucks.
Tuesday night is Darts whilst Wednesday is Pool Comp night and any night is warm and welcoming.
Leeton’s days of prohibition (see breakout) are long gone and so Lawson’s reasons for coming to Whitton have
See the sights
Leeton was designed in part by Walter Burley Griffin and has some beautiful buildings (and hotels). The Tourist Info is housed in one such building and their staff is amongst the best. Lawson’s old cottage is close by.
The best way to Whitton after filling up with grub at Leeton IGA is to head west on Griffith Rd then take the first option on the left to cross the train tracks about 1km from town. Then take the first right and then the next right then left onto Whitton Rd for a straight run.
evaporated, but the Rice Bowl Hotel deserves support and you’ll enjoy your stay.
It rated four helmets and over 300 on our value scale where 100 is good! It ain’t especially beautiful but it’s run by good people who are doing a professional job to welcome amateur riders just like you! Drop by and enjoy a “good honest long glass” and some truly amateurish hospitality. You’ll soon see why old Henry Lawson called it, “smiling juice”!
Full Disclosure: When I fronted up at the pub, Colin was hoeing into a Cindy risotto and insisted I have some dinner. He’d have to do way more than that to buy me off! My usual thanks to my HR Dept for the continuing inspiration. =
was born and raised in this tiny town of 350 and had worked in the
take a dozen Camelbak 3 litre bladders. There’s also free Wi-Fi
top tours
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HIGH ALPINE TOUR
life-changing experiences, there’s something special about riding from the southern edge of the state all the way to the northern edge. Anchorage to Prudhoe Bay, and back again. It’s not a sightseeing trip, but a true
expedition through the Alaskan interior,” says MotoQuest guide Dan Patino.
MotoQuest doesn’t just run tours in Alaska, although that’s where they are based. Founder Phil Freeman worked
in Japan for a while, and he’s very keen on MotoQuest’s tours of Hokkaido. “Hokkaido (is) the dream destination of every Japanese motorcycle
On the road to Prudhoe Bay.
traveller,” he says. “It features 20% of the land and 5% of the population. It boasts wild salmon runs, brown bears and large tracks of unimpeded wilderness. This was something I could relate to – it reminded me of Alaska. In fact, it is the Alaska of Japan.
“During the summer, hordes of motorcyclists from all over Japan arrive on the Island of Hokkaido to explore its hot springs, National Parks,
Romania to Istanbul Adventure
Hmm, what’s the Japanese for “Nice bear, good bear?” / In some ways Hokkaido almost looks like Europe.
campgrounds and Rider Houses. Unique to Japan, Rider Houses are ubiquitous on Hokkaido and offer the moto-traveller a haven to share space, food and stories while they are traveling. They cater to motorcyclists and bicyclists, are located in every corner of the island and are a great way to meet traveling Japanese.”
Phil is leading a tour of Hokkaido
highlightS
Transylvania, Transfagarasan & Transalpina Road, istanbul, Gallipoli, Black Sea coast
Romania, TuRkey, GReece, BulGaRia
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June 16 - July 1
in June; this is an annual event so you could always start planning for 2017! I know that many of you are keen to tackle Japan but find it too complex. And keep in mind that the time zone is the same as Perth, so no jet lag. See http://motoquest.com/ guided-motorcycle-tour.php?japanhokkaido-26 for more information, or just take a look at motoquest.com.
YOU HAVE NOTHING TO FEAR, BUT FEAR ITSELF!
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We are not into sightseeing, posing in gorilla suits or playing heroes, we ride motorcycles and we are here to see these beautiful countries and their people before our western materialistic culture destroys the world.
You will experience discomfort, anger and frustration, you will sweat, you will get dirty, you will bleed, you will cry, you will laugh....You will LIVE.
Leh Ladakh, Kardungla at 5359 meters, Kashmir and the infamous Spiti Valley following the Tibetan border along the world’s highest and most dangerous roads, untouched mountain passes, war zones littered with landslides, whitewater river crossings and suicidal bus drivers. Your mind will be blown at every switchback.
visit the home town of the Dalai Lama, ride the world’s most dangerous and notorious mountain pass, battle snow storms and be guest to lost cultures.
If that doesn’t make you want to dance naked to Superstition by Stevie Wonder then you probably ride some kind of customised Japanese motorcycle and spend too much time on social media, so take a good hard look at yourself. Book a ride with Nevermind now before its too late!
Group size is limited to 10 riders so reserve your place now. Fully supported by Australia’s best and most experienced adventure motorcycle guides and mechanics, support vehicle, first aiders and superb accommodation and food all the way. Cold beer and hot showers, or is it the other way around? Who cares, it’s about the ride at the end of the day.
If you want to experience the most amazing riding of your lifetime then book now because we guarantee that you will not be disappointed.
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and Fremantle Market and opening soon in Melbourne and Geelong. Why not come in and say hi or visit us on Facebook www.facebook.com/ nevermindadventure or our website www.nevermindadventure.com
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IT’S GREAT TO BE DIFFERENT
WELL, WE THINK SO ANYWAY! WORDS STUART WOODBURY PHOTOS VARIOUS Who knows what this thing is? But it’s unusual and different. Just like this comparo!
“Be different. Be original. Nobody will remember a specific flower in a garden loaded with thousands of the same yellow flower, but they will remember the one that managed to change its colour to purple.” Suzy Kassem.
• Helite airbag technology – the future of motorcycle safety gear is here today!
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See other products like Ventz, Alpine Ear plugs and Murphy Motoskate at www.motosmart.com.au or email wayne@motosmart.com.au FB at facebook.com/MotoSmartOz
AROUND THE WORLD IN 80 KAYS
There’s a whole world waiTing, righT on your doorsTep
Words/photos BoB wozga
Pick up a magazine or turn on the TV and you are flooded with pictures and stories of exotic places to visit. Different cultures to experience and languages to listen to (and to use), streets full of foreign people going about their daily lives or haggling on the foot paths, shop fronts with foreign signs, exotic foods in the windows, the smell of spices and sound of music drifting through laneways and arcades. Spruikers call out selling their wares hoping to bring in customers.
Not all of us are in the position of being able to pack up our gear, load the bike and spend our days exploring foreign lands. We can dream, but reality is often a failed fantasy.
For the financially challenged, or indeed time challenged, an alternative is to explore the nearest city’s suburbs. If you pull out a map of your capital city and draw an 80km radius around where you live, you will find a whole world on your doorstep. You don’t need to worry about passports, exchange rates, keeping to an itinerary, bad fuel, shots before you leave, you don’t need to pay off the police for fake speeding fines and you can even find a loo with toilet paper. If you are able, you can plan the trip during festivals when the suburbs come alive to celebrate whatever they are celebrating. With an open mind and a camera and two wheels, you can globetrot in a day or perhaps over a weekend.
0-33.5km Central europe
Breakfast under a clear blue summer sky is interrupted by the sound of a couple of Tiger Moths flying side by side over my house. A typical Camden Sunday morning. Heading north from Camden brings you to Central Europe where Serbs sit outside café s playing chess in Liverpool mall. Kids are watched by their mothers sitting in cafés while they climb the play equipment. The men are dressed in old grey suites and watch the people walk by or sit in groups discussing politics in the former Eastern Bloc.
33.5 -38.5km – South eaSt aSia
Back on the bike, a little further on, South East Asia appears as you ride up John Street, Cabramatta. The street is
packed with people along the street, regardless of the day of the week the place is busy. White vans fill the laneways delivering boxes to shops, crates of fish, fruit and veg spill out of arcades, buskers play Vietnamese folk songs in the mall and lanterns hang from shop awnings. A ride along neighbouring streets is slowed by congestion. People live on top of each other in crowded unit blocks that are slowly falling apart. Tenants make the most of green space by planting veggie patches in front of units and clothes dry in the sun hanging off balconies. Old folk push bicycles laden with food bought from the arcades along the foot paths.
38.5 – 42KM SOUTHERN EUROPE
Follow the rail line and you’ll find where East meets West at Fairfield. Spain, Italy, Asia and the Middle East all meld into one here. Funny little coffee shops are filled with men smoking their hookahshisha pipes and playing cards. Shops sell spices and nuts, the smell of coffee and baked bread wafts along the road. Young guys mill around shops and street corners looking at the girls walking by, not doing much else, while young kids kick soccer balls in unit carparks.
43 – 52KM SUBCONTINENT
Heading north brings you to the Subcontinent. A kaleidoscope of colour decorates restaurants in Harris Park. Posters of Bollywood movies adorn shop fronts. Old cars line the street and brightly coloured sarongs are the norm for women in the shops. High rise units line the streets with washing drying on the balconies. In the back streets, groups of old men sit on the grass strips in front of units playing cards.
52 – 56.5KM WEST ASIA AND NORTH
AFRICA
With the sound of a sitar playing in my helmet, I start the bike again. 5km up the road, the spires of a mosque tower over terracotta roofs. You enter Turkey as you ride into Auburn. Women are dressed in hijabs and men dressed in grey or brown suits walk the streets. Posters of Turkish singers are glued to building walls and windows advertising concerts. A growing African influence is emerging here as
well. Dilapidated houses and high rise apartment towers surround the business sector. Small workshops repairing cars and warehouses lay on the out skirts.
56.5 – 63KM ASIA
Eight kilometres to the east brings you back to Asia, and this time into Korea. Businesses specialise in Korean wares advertise in both English and Korean. There’s no MASH unit, and that’s probably a good thing. The major railway station brings people from all over the metro area here that keeps the place alive.
63 -76.5KM EUROPE
Craving an expresso, you can’t go past Italy with a ride through Five Dock, Haberfield and into Leichhardt. Vespas and Ducatis are parked outside the Piazza along Norton Street. Outdoor cafés, galleries and bookshops add to the European atmosphere with an air of elegance on the street. While there, a stop at Deus Ex Machina at Camperdown should not be missed even if it’s just for a coffee and browse around.
76.5 – 86KM SOUTHERN EUROPE
Ten kilometres toward the coast lies a touch of the Mediterranean. BrightonLe-Sands on the western edge of Botany Bay with its white sand and calm water is a little piece of Greece. Speed boats park on the shore, kite surfers careen across the bay. A game of beach volley ball is watched by an enthusiastic crowd cheering at each point. A cycle way runs from the edge of the airport to Sans Souci and groups of people stroll along its length. Some great restaurants are found along The Grand Parade and are always full on in the afternoon. If the restaurants are busy, you can always end your trip by sitting on the sand munching on octopus and chips with a bottle of ouzo watching the jets taking off from the airport runway. And there you have it. One day… three continents… 7 countries…in 80 kilometres. Depending on your attitude, every ride is an adventure. You can’t ask more than that. And of course it doesn’t have to be Sydney. You can find much the same in any major city in Australia.
TRAVEL
PLACING ELEPHANTS
CAN YOU TRUST YOUR MAPS?
WORDS/PHOTOS THE BEAR
It’s been some 2300 years since Eratosthenes worked out the size of the Earth, but we still can’t depend on our maps of it. And Australian maps suffer even more than “Afric” ones, because our geographers don’t fill them with savage pictures but instead with apparently useful information which is unfortunately misleading. The most egregious example of this in Australia is probably an inoffensive little spot in the Northern Territory.
So geographers, in Afric maps, With savage pictures fill their gaps, And o’er uninhabitable downs
Place elephants for want of towns.
Jonathan Swift
Go on, open a map of our continent. It doesn’t much matter what the scale is; chances are that, in roughly the centre of the north-western quarter, you will find the words “Rabbit Flat” on the Tanami Road which crosses the eponymous desert. You could be forgiven for thinking that this is a town. In fact it is a house, and Rabbit Flat’s population, unless there has been a development recently, is two. Probably more importantly, there
is no fuel or food available at Rabbit Flat. It used to be a roadhouse, but owner Bruce Farrand decided to restrict the available goods to “souvenirs and preserves”. I’m not sure if Bruce and his wife Jackie are still around; they would be heading for their 80s. I only ever met them once but formed a high opinion of both. One day I’ll collect some of the Bruce Farrand stories for an article. But I’m becoming distracted.
The Bear, nowhere near any service stations. Hope he’s got plenty of fuel…
The important point here is that Rabbit Flat is one of our “elephants”. It is marked on the maps solely because there is nothing else around there to put on them, except for a couple of gold mines which do not welcome visitors. But you don’t need to go to the Northern Territory or even the desert to find examples of pachyderm placement.
What set me off with this article was a comment from a reader. He said that friends of his had run out of fuel on the Barry Way between Buchan and Jindabyne because there was no fuel along the way. They had figured that the 160km road would have a servo at one of the “towns” marked on maps, but no such luck. In fact, it didn’t even have towns at the towns marked along the way. They got fuel from a friendly 4WDer at a campsite on the Snowy River, but they had to walk a bit.
There used to be fuel along the Barry Way, or more correctly the Snowy River Road as it’s called in Victoria, at Wulgulmerang near the turnoff leading to the Bonang Highway. But sadly the owner and operator of the Seldom Seen Roadhouse, Dave Woodburn, died three or four years ago and as far as I know the little servo and unique junk pile around it no longer operate. There are other places where you’ll find, or rather to not find, these elephants. Try the road parallel to the Barry Way but a bit further east, the Cann River Valley Highway / Monaro Highway. This is a major road. You’ll find several towns along here, like Chandlers Creek, but none of them are there either, and there’s nowhere to buy supplies or fuel.
Still in Victoria, never count on any of the places your map will show you in South Gippsland. The forest
and ranges down there are full of place names, but that’s all they are. Some maps are decent enough to put “locality” or “abandoned” next to names, but you’re still just as likely to find nothing more than a community hall or an automatic telephone exchange when you look for others.
One way around this (watch out, free plug coming up!) is to buy a copy of the Hema Maps Australia Motorcycle Atlas. This will tell you, for example, that Rabbit Flat Roadhouse is closed, and will also show you where fuel is available in remote areas. I recommend it, but then I would – I wrote it. You can buy it from our website.
But you know, despite having written all of the above I do wonder if it might not be quite fun to fill the gaps in Australian cartography with “savage pictures”. Any suggestions?
STUART’S BEST ROAD – AUSTRALIA TRAVEL
WINDSOR TO DENMAN, NSW WORDS/PHOTOS STUART WOODBURY
Lastmonth we featured my favourite overseas road, and as luck would have it I then got to ride it during our Hiamo tour with Paradise Motorcycle Tours NZ. It was as simply stunning as always. Do it! I can’t tell you more than that! Now, onto my favourite road to ride in Australia, which is a local kind of road to me, because I’m only half an hour away from the start of - the Putty Road. But this ride includes more than just the Putty, it starts from Windsor and ends up at Denman in New South Wales. Why? Because the Putty Road has a lot of fun corners and the pub at Denman has great grub to tuck into before riding the same road home. If you time it right, you will think you are the only one on the road and you will also find the lack of blue shirts refreshing – but you have to time it
Head out to Windsor and continue north towards Singleton. Depending on your fuel range you can fill up at the Shell at Wilberforce, or the BP on the northern outskirts of
Lots of corners to be enjoyed. / The Royal Hotel, Denman.
traVel
Wilberforce on the Putty Road. If you have cash, there is fuel available at Colo Heights.
Once you get out of Wilberforce it’s not long until you get into some sweet twisty corners through Colo, this then straightens out for a while so stop at the Grey Gum Café (around 60km) from Windsor and say g’day to Kim while enjoying a coffee and something to eat.
Then continue heading north as the road starts to wind and twist its way
through the Howes Valley until you get to the “Sixteen Kay Bends”, which are a great blast through the tight and curvy valley. Once you pop out the other side you roll into Milbrodale and Bulga. I suggest filling up at the servo at Bulga now and upon your return.
Cross the white bridge (which used to be pink!) and head up a kilometre or so to turn left onto Wallaby Scrub Road. Continue to the end and turn left again which puts you on the
Golden Highway. Continue again before you turn left once more and roll into Denman.
As an alternative you can turn left onto Bureen Road at Jerrys Plains, which will bring you into the western side of Denman. I suggest trying both ways to see which you prefer.
The Royal Hotel (10 Ogilvie Street) is the pub you’re looking for. It is pretty much just there on your right as you roll into town from the Golden Hwy. Loads of parking is
available, but most of it is a dirt carpark, so mind your footing. Enjoy a feed and a couple of cool refreshments and when you’re ready to ride back to Windsor, check your fuel and fill up at Denman if needed, or remember to top up at Bulga. This ride is not overly far at 210km one way, but your fuel usage will increase dramatically through the Sixteen Kay Bends, so the distance might equate to a normal 250km type ride in terms of kilometres per litre!
ThingS To WaTCh oUT for
As with pretty much any ride out of suburbia you need to watch out for the wildlife. In addition, though, when riding through Colo you might encounter some rather large Monitor Lizards, which seem to like playing “chicken” with the traffic from time to time. Other than that, there’s the usual kangaroos, but also a number of echidnas which will destroy a set of tyres quick smart (as my father once found out, accidentally!).
You also need to be aware of any current traffic conditions, as in: storms regularly bring down trees along the Putty, so keep an eye on http://m. livetraffic.rta.nsw.gov.au/Search.aspx for the latest information. =
Statue at the old Halfway House. / Grey Gum Café. / The outdoor dining/ drinking area at the Royal. / Just some of the fun awaiting you.
NO WRENCH FOR THE POSSUM EVENT
KARUAH RIVER RALLY 2016 WORDS/phOtOS THE POSSUM
Early February saw the running of the 39th Karuah River Rally by the BMWTCNSW at the Fry Pan Creek camping ground.
There are two roads into the bush to reach this oasis, and this year one route was OK-ish while the other was crap. Fortuntely, my mate and I picked the OK-ish route. Plenty of pot holes and loose gravel to try your dirt riding skills. If there had been an award for the least practical bike to attempt that road, Paul and his Sportster with ape hangers would have romped it in!
The BMWTCNSW pulled out all the stops, there was on site catering for those who did not feel up to cooking their own evening meal, and the price of admission covered the early morning BBQ breaky, with a life saving cuppa.
The creek was up this year and quite a few went for a frolic in the cool/cold
waters. A direct result was a number of well intoxicated leeches washed up further downstream.
Quite a few of the regulars were in attendance with McCardigan making an appearance following his recent trips to Europe and NZ. As an experienced world traveller, he forgot to pack his tent, but, did bring two chairs.
Outback adventurer, Beetle, debuted his new XJR1300 based outfit and we spent some of Sunday morning plugging a couple of punctures in the rear tyre. This will provide useful feedback on various repair techniques as we used two different types of plugs to see which one will survive the trip home.
A special mention has to be made of Jim from Newcastle who used this rally as a shakedown run for his newly restored machine. After three and a
half years of work, the hills resounded to the bark of a 1947 Series B Vincent.
Jim found the bike hiding under a tarp in a shed while collecting a mudguard for another project. He also mentioned there will be a Vincent Rally in Parkes NSW later in the year so if you like these old time road burners, pencil it in !
The Club again thanked the Bank Hotel in Dungog for assisting with the rubbish removal by loaning a vehicle to cart it all away. (I think most of it came from there in the first place!)
The badge being handed out was a replica of the 2nd KRR badge, which has some significance within the Club. Next year will be the 40th KRR and everyone was encouraged to ‘bring a friend’ next year for this special event. The trophies went to:-
Longest Distance Male - Beetle with 1893 km, he also collected LD Sidecar.
Oh please, protect me from the sunlight! / Jim and the Vincent
Longest Distance Female - Morgan with 880km
Longest Distance Pillion - Michelle with 385 km
Oldest BMW ridden to rally - ‘74 R75/6
Oldest Combined Age Bike/Rider - Jim and the Vincent with 139 yrs!
Best Bike at Rally - Jim and the Vincent Highest Club Milage to get to the rally was BMW QLD with 10,824 km.
Raffle prizes were donated by Bike Biz, ProCycles and BMW Clubs Australia.
I had my eye on the Torque Wrench but missed out. Weather for the rally was perfect for riding, drinking cool beverages and swimming, so no-one had anything to whinge about.
I noticed a dead wallaby on the way out Sunday morning, and later learned that a rider making a very early exit had collided with the critter and scuffed up his bike a bit, and later attended Dungog Hospital where he was treated for torn ligaments but no broken bones. Hope he is back in the saddle soon. Another great rally at a perfect camping ground. And don’t forget the Far Cairn Rally at Tottenham NSW in September, also run by the BMWTCNSW.
GET CAUGHT WITHOUT
LIGHTWEIGHT FOLDING BIKERZ CHAIR
» Small enough to take with you on any ride!
» Weighs only 940g and holds up to 120 kg.
» Folds into a bag measuring 38 x 10 x 12cm (52 x 50 x 65cm when opened).
» Almost assembles itself with self-locating shock cord technology
TYRE REPAIR KIT
» A multi-tool to remove the offending object from your tyre AND to trim the plug after you’ve fixed your puncture.
» A Dynaplug ® Ultralite repair tool including 4 plugs.
» Three CO 2 canisters.
» An inflation tool.
MINI JUMP STARTER
Don’t let yourself be stranded with a flat battery!
This little lithium jump starter is pocket-sized, light, packs a real punch and will easily tuck into a tank bag, top box or pannier. Our mini jump starter comes with a recharging plug suitable for both BMW (merit) sockets and normal car type accessory sockets. Comes in a compact bag with all accessories including USB port and cable so you can recharge your phone, ipad or GPS.
EC5 ADAPTER
The EC5 adapter can be connected to the Jump Starter and then to the Pocket Pump so there is no need to attach the Pocket Pump to the battery terminal if you have the Jump Starter!
1958 DUNA OK3 ALUMINIUM SIDECAR ON 1969 URAL M-3
HUNGARIAN RHAPSODY WORDS/phOtOS THE bEAR
Either the ship and crane business was slow after WW2, or there was a prohibition of some kind against building the shipyard’s usual products, but like BMW after WW1, the Hungarian Ship & Crane Factory was looking for something to make. Seeing that it had stocks of aluminium sheeting, possibly left over from wartime aircraft production, and seeing that there was huge demand for cheap transport, the shipyard decided on the production of sidecars for the Hungarian-made Pannónia motorcycles. They were named Duna, which is Hungarian for the river Danube.
The bikes were 250 two-strokes, so the sidecars had to be light.
But that didn’t stop the designers from creating one of the most outstanding and attractive sidecar bodies ever. The Duna OK3 is sometimes referred to as the MiG21 of motorcycling, but of course the aircraft didn’t come until much later. Perhaps that should make it the Duna sidecar of jet fighters.
The shipyard built only one OK1 prototype, and sadly nobody thought to take a photo of it. It is believed, I’m not sure by whom, that it was sold to Indonesia. Weird, I know. There, for all we know, it still carries a proud family to market every week.
In 1955 the second model, the OK2, went into series production with torsion bar suspension, oscillating
axle and direct damping on the boat with two suspension struts. This model also had a folding mudguard, which makes wheel changes easier; Pannónia hubs with a diameter of 200 mm; and a “star” wheel with the Duna logo. The unmistakable “turbo” (MiG21) nose was introduced in 1957.
OK3 T O G O
The OK3 followed in 1959. The sidecar body remained an aluminium pressing, and the back of the passenger seat had to be removed to gain access to the luggage space. But it was now fully sprung with laminated springs instead of the torsion bar. The sidecar wheel still
had neither an independent brake nor suspension unit. One reference I found suggested that “the Pannónia cycle frame was found ideal for sidecar use, and a total of 80 thousand of these popular sidecars were eventually produced”. It may well be that the bike’s frame was ideal, but by all reports the engine and transmission were rather unreliable and required constant fettling. As for the manufacturing fi gure… it looks a bit like the claims made for several motorcycle magazines in Australia today. Take off a zero and it still looks high…
Over the last few years of production, before the OK3 was discontinued in 1975, the “turbo” nose was replaced with what my reference calls “a fl at bowl”. I’m not sure about that, either.
The next model, the OK4, was exhibited at motorcycle shows but as far as anyone seems to know, never went into production. Neither did the OK5, of which only a prototype was made. It seems that
other prototypes were designed and made, but they were not named. Critical fact: no Duna sidecar ever had a brake.
THE BIKE
I’ve been concentrating on the Duna because I had never seen one before when Luke Colzato showed up with his at the Distinguished Gentleman’s Ride in 2015. But in its own way the bike is just as interesting. It is a 1969 Ural M-63, but it’s not just a 1969 M-63.
“I’ve tried to do a resto-mod buildoriginal appearance but with mods,” says Luke. “The carbs are Keihins off a 2013 Ural, and I’ve customised Ural M67 model intake system to suit. I ported and polished the heads and fi tted larger valves, electronic ignition, a modern coil and iridium plugs. The 12V alternator is off the latest Ural model, replacing the generator, and the crankcase has been machined to suit.”
Luke built the wiring loom from scratch. I used to own one of the old
Cossacks, and I can understand why he did that. The twin leading shoe front brakes look terrifi c and come off late 1980’s Urals, and the Ural reverse gearbox comes from about the same time. So do the larger muffl ers.
“Unobtainium new old stock!” says Luke.
He fi tted a deep sump, modifi ed the pump pickup and made some other oil system mods. The bike runs Schoettle oil rings, overbore pistons and has had the barrel skimmed for higher compression.
The sidecar frame is a somewhat unusual leaning arrangement, where the bike leans and sidecar stays vertical. This looks thoroughly weird when you fi rst see it; it seems as if the bike is turning and the sidecar is continuing straight ahead! In fact its nose does move a little,
"Squib and Eve" taken by Richard Arnold
but that’s just to make the turn easier. Because the bike is free to lean to either side, independently of the sidecar, Luke has fitted side stands on both sides.
To enable it to be fitted to the left-hand side, the frame has been flipped upside down. The guard has been reversed to go on the left hand side and heavily valanced to set the wheel deep inside. It’s also mounted
off the sidecar body, and has therefore become sprung weight. Luke is very proud of the sidecar lights, which have been 3D printed. They work fine and look great, but he wants to print them again, this time in a more transparent material. The sidecar frame is quite elegant. Two bolts and two electrical plugs are all it takes to disconnect the sidecar.
“The only things I didn’t do myself on the build are paint, head and barrel machining, the chrome plating, sidecar trim and the reversal of the sidecar guard,” says Luke. “Aluminium welding isn’t my specialty”.
Fixer-upper
“There’s a story behind the bike,” says Luke. “My father bought it
Owner: Luke Colzato
second hand in the mid ‘70s as a solo bike. It was fi tted with the faster ratio 9/35 fi nal drive so had never had a sidecar. It was in a poor state then and he fi xed it up and rode it for the next few years. By 1987 it was ridden less than the other bikes he owned and one day it blew a timing gear set.
“It sat in the shed collecting dust until 2002 when I asked to do it up. I worked on it on and off for a few years and then kids, marriage, apartment living etc got in the way. Getting parts was challenging - this was before ebay.
“In 2009 I started work on it again and by 2010 I had it
registered and running. By 2011 I had it reliable and it was getting ridden often. I even rode it to a Russian bike rally past Tamworth in 2011 and 2012. In 2012 I had the chance to get a Duna sidecar direct from Hungary. I don’t believe there were any in Australia. By 2013 the sidecar was in the shed. We also moved house in 2013 - I went from having a single car space to the dream mancave shed. In 2014 I finished the sidecar work and now had the outfit running. In 2015 I made changes to the sidecar frame geometry and rebuilt the reverse gearbox. The leaning sidecar arrangement was now, ahem, less unnerving.
“Bar some tidy-up work, I’m finally at the stage where it’s running well and the ratio of riding time to maintenance time is a little more acceptable.”
Luke is under no illusions about old Urals.
“These bikes were crap in the day and there are very few on the road today - most ended up pulled down and now sit in crates and boxes. My old man says that it never ran like it runs now - basically a mix of modern tech and a shitloads of patience made that happen. It’s a cantankerous bike sometimes but that’s its personality and I love it.
“I had the guards and some other small bits repainted in 2014. The only thing not repainted is the tank and it never will be as my old man had it painted in the ‘80s and it has a slight patina from years of use. The goal from here is to add more patina and maybe even wear the bike out so my son can fix it one day!”
As Luke rides away from our photo session I watch him lean away from the chair and into a corner, and I think, now there’s a combination with character. A Hungarian/Russian Rhapsody. = 1. Lean it to the right.
Do the Bolt, or do the lean?
LoNGtERmERs
This bike is well on the way towards becoming an H-D/ Kuryakyn hybrid. For quite a while now we have been fitting Kuryakyn parts to it, mainly replacing standard bits but sometimes actually adding something. This has worked out very well – you only need to look at the bike to see how slick it looks. Kuryakyn quality has proven to be universally excellent. Mind you, the changes haven’t always worked out perfectly (which is what you’d expect). In this case we have replaced the spotlights, which the bike didn’t really need (my mistake), with chrome LED Mini Bullet blinkers.
The Australian agent for Kuryakyn is Rollies Speed Shop in Brisbane, www.rolliesspeedshop.com. PT
Hit ’em wit H t H e lig H ts
Kuryakyn Blinkers (front)
Price - $115 a pair
Originally I had intended to use the blinkers built into the mirrors to take on the job of indicating at the front of the bike. As it turned out, they were what they claimed to be, and only that – namely auxiliary indicators. By themselves they were simply not powerful enough. The answer of course was simple - install proper blinkers along with the mirrors. This is what we did, using the Mini Bullets in chrome to
stay within the smooth, light design parameters for the bike. As with all of the Kuryakyn parts, the blinkers were easy to install and they look as if they belong – which of course they do, now! PT
l ig H t ’em if you’ve got ’em Kuryakyn Cigarette Lighter
Price - $115
We fitted a what!? Well, yeah, a cigarette lighter. Not because we want to light cigarettes, or anything else for that matter. None of us even smoke. No, it’s just that the good folk at Kuryakyn decided that they might as well kill three birds with one chromed, bullet-shaped handlebar accessory and it looked good to us.
HARLEY-DAVIDSON XL1200V ‘72’
The accessory in question is a power socket to charge a phone or run a GPS; offer a way to charge the bike’s battery; and to, yes, all right, light cigarettes. Or cigars, for that matter. Or campfi res. Multi-multi tasking. It’s easy to fi t to the handlebar and comes with its own wiring loom to connect it to the battery. Easy as. And doesn’t it look good? PT
SIXPACK TRANSPORT
H-D Detachables Solo Rack
Price – $254, plus $63 for fi ttings
Back to genuine Harley-Davidson bits. I know that the Sportster project is not supposed to produce an everyday bike. The idea is to build
something that looks smooth, light and slick - although it ought to be done without affecting practicality. We are not looking to create the kind of custom bike that is ridiculously exaggerated or hardly rideable. But all the same, we are after a consistent look.
And yet, and yet… a bike that can carry only me is not practical, from my point of view. So we added the tool bag under the front of the engine, and the swingarm bag on the left-hand side (both H-D parts). But still I couldn’t even carry as much as a sixpack. That’s when I found this chrome rack. It looks almost delicate, as if it was welded together from
wire, and does not add any visual weight to the rear mudguard – and it can be removed to keep the lines at the back of the bike absolutely clean. So there it is; it looks good enough so that I don’t know yet how often I will actually be bothered to remove it from the bike, and it is certainly practical. When we manage to get them both in the same place we will get you a photo of the rack with the Kuryakyn Day Bag on it. After all, that’s what we got the bag for! PT
DUCATI SCRAMBLER
This bike continues to evolve. While we are sticking primarily to Rizoma parts, which seem to us to be the most attractive and at the same time the most practical, we are also making changes with other manufacturers’ parts. PT
LESS BANG FOR YOUR BUCK
Ikon rear shock absorber
Price - $772.50 including spring powder-coating
Standard, the Scrambler has quite a harsh ride although it’s not until you try something like the Ikon rear shock that this becomes apparent.
We fi tted Ikon’s preload and rebound adjustable rear shock designed for the Scrambler and it has transformed the bike into one that rides smoothly over bumps while retaining the compliant nature of the bike. It has, however revealed how lacking the front springs are, so Ikon is currently working on a set matched to the rear shock – watch this space… Fitment required support under the engine so that the removal of the original shock didn’t collapse the entire bike. So in terms of time, it took around half an hour to swap out the old and replace with the shiny new Ikon. We also got Ikon to have the spring powder-coated red so it looks all ‘fl ashy’ and matched the red paintwork of our bike. This was relatively inexpensive and well worth doing when you look at the result. We think the Scrambler is looking quite nice, now. So if you want a different coloured spring when ordering a shock from Ikon, ask them about getting it powder-coated in the range of colours available!
Riding the Scrambler, both The Bear and I were quite happy with the
standard settings from Ikon, but we played around and have now gone up one click on the rebound. This gives the Scrambler a good mix of stability in cornering and comfort at all other times. As with the following item, we have fitted numerous bikes with Ikon shocks and have always been highly impressed with the transformation of each bike.
Contact Ikon Suspension on 02 6040 9955, email sales@ikonsuspension.com or visit the website www.ikonsuspension.com.au SW
SO SMOOTH
DNA Air Filter
Price – $119
Making a V-twin engine breathe is a necessity to make it smoother. Our Scrambler felt restricted, or muffled through the intake and the best way to free that up is to fit a DNA air filter. We’ve used DNA air filters on a number of other long term bikes, so we knew the results we could expect and after the hour or so to fit the air filter to the Scrambler, we had a bike that runs smoother and has a bit more torque, all while having better protection versus a standard paper filter. DNA claims an increase of 29.96% better airflow from the filter.
Visit your local bike shop or www.kenma.com.au to view the entire range. They’re certainly worth fitting; we can attest to that after fitting them to a number of different engine configurations and the results are awesome. SW
used&reviewed
Bag me
CarrY eVerYthING!
Held Carry Bag 30L
Price - $70 (also available in 60L - $90)
When Ray from Held Australia gave me the Held 30 litre carry bag to try I wasn’t so sure I’d be a fan of
carrying something like this with the sling-over-the-shoulder (detachable) carry strap, but after riding for a few days with the bag, I came to like it. So much so, that I now have one for my personal kit. It’s great if I need to carry any larger items that wouldn’t
fit into a backpack home or around the place.
The 30 litre (also available in a 60 litre version) carry bag is made from 100% waterproof tarpaulin with a PVC coating, has welded seams and is also (supposedly – we’ll test
it) dustproof – an essential thing for any outback travels! It comes in three colours with this black/white version being suitable for a variety of bikes, which is what I need. The carry bag has strap down points and this is what I’ll mainly be using the carry bag for – as a seat bag. I love the roll top to make it waterproof, but it’s also handy that the bag isn’t really constrained to any real shape. You can pack all sorts of gear, roll the top and away you go. The price is extremely reasonable as well. If you price other roll bags of a similar size you’ll fi nd they sell for over $100, but Held Australia has got you their awesome bag at a great $70. So contact Ray at Held Australia to grab your choice of the 30 litre or 60 litre and pick from the fl uoro yellow, red/ white, or black/white colours.
Ph: 0411 111 711, email info@heldaustralia.com.au or visit the website www.heldaustralia.com.au SW
LIKE A PIGGY IN MUD
Held Kiwo Backpack
Price - $70
Riding a motorcycle just about every day I need a backpack that is comfy and long lasting. I also need a backpack that can stand up to all weather conditions and for the last eight years or so I’ve bought two very expensive backpacks from Alpinestars (a 25L, then 20L). The fi rst cost me $319.95 and lasted four years. The second was cheaper at $215 and also lasted four years. But when I was talking with Ray from Held Australia, he said he had the perfect backpack for me and I would be shocked at the price.
When the Held Kiwo backpack arrived I adjusted the straps to fi t and threw it on. I thought, yeah, it’s comfy, it has great features for its 17 litre capacity but when I found out the price, yep I was shocked. Only seventy bucks! Can you believe that! And I have to say that it is one of the most comfy backpacks I’ve ever worn. When I was working out just why it was so comfy, I put it down to the cutout
section down the middle of the back and also the not too wide, not too skinny padded straps that make you feel like you’re wearing nothing. All this for only seventy bucks! Smack me with a wet fish, I still think I’m dreaming!
I usually carry my BMW wet weather jacket and pants, my lunch (triangle-cut sandwiches), phone, keys and a pen, paper and a USB. So the majority is taken up by the wet weather gear, but despite the 17 litre capacity there’s still room to carry a few magazines and the occasional bike part and whatever. To give you a rundown of the features of the Kiwo, they are –
• Made from 100% polyester with a water repellent PVC coating
• Built-in rain cover
• 1 external pocket
• Mesh side pockets
• Internal organiser
• Padded straps and waist strap
• Cable ducts for navigation system, headset etc.
• And reflective elements to make it more visible to other motorists (very important at times!)
The Kiwo does come with a chest strap, but I’ve never been a fan of these, so cut them off (very easy to
do). The waist strap is great to assist with support, rather than loading up your shoulders with all the weight you might be carrying.
Another thing that really stands out with the Kiwo is the zippers. The little cord attached to each zip makes them easy to use with gloves on and the zips run extra smooth, which makes them easy to open and close.
If you need a backpack for motorcycling (who doesn’t), the Held Kiwo is one of the few you should look at. And not only for the low price, the quality is top notch and it’s super comfy to wear. As they say, “I’m smiling all the way to the bank”!
Contact Held Australia on 0411 111 711, email info@ heldaustralia.com.au or visit the website www.heldaustralia.com.au SW
WEARING A WHITE HAT
Nolan N21 Visor Helmet
Price - $269
It was time for a new everyday commuting helmet. Because I just about literally wear this helmet every day, the three years’ life I allow for it usually sees it pretty much buggered. I had a few requirements. The helmet had to be an open face, with a wide fi eld of view and a sunshield, plus a deep visor. I wasn’t especially
There is a snap connector to stop the free end of the chin strap from fl opping around. Quality appears to be very high, with a beautiful sheen to the outside of the helmet shell, a leather collar and a removable, washable liner.
worried about fi t; my commute is short. But I did want it to be quiet, and reasonably light. Because my usual commuter transport these days is the Ducati Scrambler, I also wanted a traditional-looking helmet that would suit the look of the bike. Ah, vanity thy name is moi!
Sounds like a lot of fuss, but it didn’t take long for me to decide. I have been wearing a variety of Nolan helmets for a while, although I haven’t tried an open face, and news of the new N21 Visor open face came at just the right time. The helmet has that classic look, with a solid colour broken by a contrasting speed stripe. It has a deep, retractable sunshield and the visor goes right down to my chin – face protection in rain. The helmet is made of Lexan polycarbonate, which makes it light but not as light as some of the current carbon fi bre helmets. When I tried it on, I was happy not only with the head shape but also with the way the liner tucked in around my ears to make the helmet quiet – but more of that below. It has double-D retention, nice and simple, and the sunshield is easy to deploy or retract with a short lever on the left-hand side. The fi eld of view is outstanding, with visor down or up.
One advantage worth noting for those of us who are sight-impaired, like me, is that this is one of the very few helmets that I’ve ever tried where you don’t need to readjust your spectacles when you put it on or take it off. Most helmets, even open faces, mean fussing with the specs.
My memory is going a bit these days, but I think it’s safe for me to say that this is the best commuting helmet I have ever worn. But of course enough is never enough. I was going on a thousand k ride to assess the Moto Guzzi Eldorado, and I thought I’d just try the N21 out as a touring helmet. I don’t normally wear open faces for touring, for a variety of reasons.
The almost invisible step in the helmet shell worked well, and kept it from pulling back or up, so that was good. Neither the visor nor the sunshield (nor anything else) rattled, but the liner around my ears shifted a little at speed and made the helmet somewhat louder than around town. The lining also began to irritate my ears after a few hours. So, good as the helmet may be around town, it’s not a touring hat. But that’s fine. Nolan makes any number of full faces which do that job exceptionally well. By present day standards the Nolan N21 Visor helmet may seem a little expensive, but it’s a quality bit of kit. I’ve put some Ducati Scrambler stickers on it along with the MOTORCYCLIST stickers, and I reckon it looks terrific.
Take a look at your local bike shop or see the full range on www.ronangel.com. au, 03 9464 3366. PT
RAIN MAN (OR LADY)
Ixon R8.1 Rain Suit
Price - $89.95
Ordinary riding gear can only do so much for you when the elements are unfurling around you, and rain is soaking through to the skin. Thankfully Ixon’s brand new R8.1 Rain Suit is here to keep you dry from top to toe whenever the weather decides to take a turn for the worse. The Ixon Rain Suit features a stylish offset zip, which stops water pooling around its base. Elasticised cuffs are among the IXON’S primary characteristics; they prevent moisture from slipping up your legs or arms. This is coupled with an elastic waist, which helps shape the suit, creating vectors that funnel rain down and off and reduce the “parachuting” effect of the suit. There are also connection straps for shoes, a handy external pocket and quick fastening Velcro at the ankles. And what a price!
Available in a wide range of sizes – XS3XL. See your local bike shop or visit www.ficeda.com.au
BLACK IS THE NEW…BLACK
Venhill All Black hoses
Price – less than $100 per line
Now available in full stealth ALL BLACK
NEWINTHESHOPS
for restoration and custom bike building it does not get any better than Power Hose Plus
Available in factory tested (to 1500psi) set lengths at 25mm increments, these are ADR approved with a smooth bore Teflon inner for maximum durability and heat resistance and marine grade stainless steel outer to control expansion for superior
‘UNIVERSAL’ AT YOUR FEET (AND “HANDS”)
Venhill Universal throttle and clutch cables
Price - $26 throttle, $36 clutch
PHP lines feature unique 360 degree swivel unions to guarantee perfect fit and twist free alignment every time. Simply choose the required length hose and correct angle fittings to suit the job. See your local bike shop or visit www.kenma.com.au
Custom bike builders and just about anyone who needs a new control cable should consider Venhill “Featherlite” control cable universal Throttle and Clutch cable kits containing various fittings, which are suitable for almost any custom or replacement cable up to 1.3 metres.
The Flatwound steel outer conduit gives great strength and durability, while the ‘bird caging’ process allows solder to penetrate the weave making the bond with the nipple much stronger. Available in black, silver and even braided in clutch or throttle, 2 into 1, fast action billet throttle assemblies in single pull or twin pull ($214.50). See your local bike shop or visit www.kenma.com.au
GIVE IT THE STRAP!
Acebikes TyreFix system
Price - $139.95
Sick and tired of finding places to strap your bike down to transport it, and sick and tired of scratching fairings with straps and the like? Well, Acebikes (via
NEWINTHESHOPS
Pro Accessories) has the TyreFix strap system to help resolve that problem by allowing you to secure the motorcycle via the rear tyre.
The TyreFix is suitable for any sized motorcycle tyre commonly used. To prevent your tyre from moving in the TyreFix, special friction material is used on the inside of the case. The TyreFix is made from strong, durable material for long term usage and the included tie-downs are high quality ratchet type. TyreFix comes with a handy carry case for neat storage and is a great match for the Acebikes Flexi Rail system (also available through Pro Accessories). Ask your local motorcycle shop for more information or visit www.ProAccessories.com.au or Ph: 07 3277 0693.
SEE THE LIGHT
Osram High Performance Globes
Price - $32.95 single, $52.95 twin Osram globes are OEM equipment on many European brands and are now available in Australia in the Osram High Performance Motorcycle Lamp range.
While still meeting OEM requirements, they all guarantee more visibility over standard globes. Choose from the Night Racer, X-Racer or Silverstar: they all offer longer headlight beam projection, which can only be a great thing! See your local bike shop or visit www.kenma.com.au
MONKEY MAGIC
Tru-tension Chain Monkey
Price - $64.95
Adjusting your motorcycle chain can be a real pain in the backside at times and are you really sure it’s at the correct tension? Well, Tru-Tension has released the Chain Monkey, which takes away all your hassles. Tru-Tension claims that riders of all levels of experience can now adjust their chain feeling comfortable and confident the job is done right. Tru-Tension also claims improved performance and prolonged life for your motorcycle chain. Sounds like a great thing! We have a Chain Monkey in for review and will give you our thoughts in the next issue. To purchase, visit the Australian distributor XenonOz, at www.xenonoz.com
now available
than just a plain parts catalogue,
Rizoma’s coverage of their 2016 range of exquisite accessories is a beauty. There is something for everyone and just about every motorcycle so to grab a copy or view it online, visit www.rizoma.com
‘TORQUE’ ABOUT BOOTS!
Dainese Torque D1 Out boots
Price - $499.95
A similar styled boot to the Nexus boots we showed you in the most recent issue, but the Torque D1 Out has even more features and higher level materials. Available in two colours
- Black/Anthracite and Black/White/ Anthracite in sizes 41-47. See your local bike shop or visit www.cassons.com.au
GETAWAY
Küryakyn XKürsion XTR1.5 seat bag
Price - $189.99 US
The XTR1.5 seat bag from Kuryakyn maintains a streamlined appearance that flows with the lines of most motorcycles.
The removable base pad provides a recessed mounting area that coordinates with the contours and widths of passenger seats or luggage racks. A wide, clamshell-style opening with weatherproof zippers offers easy access to the spacious main compartment. Two thermoformed side compartments
provide additional packing space, while internal zippered and elastic pockets throughout the bag allow for personalised gear organisation. Padded electronics sleeves can accommodate up to a 10” tall x 8.25” wide tablet and other small devices. Contact Rollies Speed Shop to get your hands on one –www.rolliesspeedshop.com
TACTFUL PRECISION
Crusher Marksman 4” slip-ons for H-D Touring models
Price - $599.99 Chrome, $659.99 Black
The hallmarks of Crusher are style, sound and performance, and the new Marksman 4” slip-ons deliver. Available for Harley-Davidson Touring models, Crusher’s latest muffler offerings showcase clean laser-cut styling, commanding exhaust tones, and an allnew louvered baffle design for improved performance throughout the RPM range. Marksman’s (Marksmen?) are made in the U.S.A. from premium chromeplated or high-temp black ceramiccoated steel. The differences lie in the details, as distinct laser-cut accenting in the tips creates a clean and streamlined appearance. Contact Rollies Speed Shop, www.rolliesspeedshop.com
WORDS GREG BODDY
Here’s a story my Dad, Geoff, has told me since I was a little kid (he’s 79 now). It’s one of those ‘Lester Morris’-type stories that will disappear as time and old bikers roll on, stories that can only be told as a yarn, a fable, a tall tale; and only by a biker who’s been around since biker-ing was in its earlier (shall we say) ‘Wild West’ days. This was the late-’40s/early-’50s in post-WWII Newcastle, NSW - an industrial and mining town 100 miles north of Sydney (known as the Big Smoke). Life at this time was typical post-war optimistic - employment was a matter of walking down the main street (Hunter St) and asking businesses if there were any apprenticeships going. ‘Sure’ was the usual answer.
After leaving school, my Dad got a pretty immediate start at Caldwells the Jewellers as an apprentice horologist (watchmaker), which he stuck at for over 40 years (same business, same boss - who does that nowadays?!). He also bought his first bike - an army BSA 500. This was a time when army surplus became a huge business. Leftover stuff that had consumed massive resources to manufacture in wartime was now no longer needed for the ‘war effort’, and so was either scrapped or recycled. And recycled it was, to young men keen for some action of their own.
Not content with the flat, dull khaki standard green army livery, Dad dragged out the tin can and brush and hand-painted the second-hand Beeza beast bright red - straight over the khaki! I can only imagine how the effect finally came out, but he felt and no doubt looked pretty cool in his recycled bomber jacket and aviators.
These were the times of ‘no helmet’ of course, and indeed not much else. Apart from the jacket, the gloves and boots were also mostly ex-aviator. No specialist bike gear for decades. But these guys made-do, and they were (reasonably) comfy and thought they looked the part.
My Dad used to hang around at the regular hang-out of Friday/Saturday nights in Newcastle back then - the milk bars (no pubs unless you were 21!). The boys’ bikes would all be lined up, tails into the kerb. Dad had been mates with his co-riders since kindergarten. In later years they would all go to the Town Hall dances (where he met my Mum - now that’s another story). But in these times it was the milk bar. Now what do you suppose these young late teen/early twenties boys would get up to for kicks after closing-time on a Friday/Saturday night in those heady post-war years?
It was called the Devil’s Elbow, and it was locally legendary. Located in Belmont North, which was a long way out of town in those days, it was the challenge against which the boys would test themselves, and each other. Possibly bored, probably skittish, and looking for excitement in this lessthan-exciting town, they would ride from the milk bar out to Belmont North to face the Devil.
The Devil’s Elbow was part of the twisting esses that took travellers down the hill from Charlestown, through Belmont North and on to Belmont itself. Made of the classic Depression-era white concrete flattop, the road was taken carefully up or down by car-drivers. But just near the bottom, cutting a right-hander on the downward side, was a corner that swept around the hill in one fluid path. Very few houses back then and fewer street-lights - perfect for a Friday/ Saturday night challenge.
On arrival, each rider would try his hand at a solo pass, the boys lining up
at various points with their bikes to watch the attempt. The rider would pull out of sight, turn the bike for a run-up, and open it as wide as he could towards that corner. The goal was simple, if somewhat foolhardytake it as fast and as low as you can.
There’s always one in a group, isn’t there? One guy who pushes the limits of himself or machine up to or past some point of no return.
Like a local Evel Knievel. Johnny Hawson was that guy in Dad’s group. They called him ‘Horrie’. He rode a Norton Featherbed at that time. And every week, after all the others had taken their turn, pushed their bikes as fast and as low as they could, it was Horrie’s go.
As he came to that infamous corner, he would gun the engine and lean in, bouncing over the rough concrete surface, and as he did so, he would lean lower and lower, until, as his bike entered the Devil’s Elbow, he would push the bike down until the mufflers hit that concrete. Showers of sparks would spray up from under and around those pipes, lighting up the night and bringing a few cheers from the bikers lined up along that corner. Horrie was always King of the Devil’s Elbow.
The Devil’s Elbow still exists today, but as a short cement segment off the main bitumen multi-lane that long-ago replaced the old road from Charlestown to Belmont. It’s now just an access way to the many homes that dot the area. But if you stand there in the middle of that curve today, you can still get that feeling of speed, danger and slight craziness that drew young post-war men to the area over 60 years ago. How Horrie stayed alive for a few more decades of those 60odd years remains a miracle. Maybe the Devil saw his skill, said “Respect”, and decided to keep an eye on this guy. =
Geoff Boddy on his Norton Dominator - the ‘Silver Dollar’
CLAssiCMOrris
FRANNY B TO THE RESCUE, BACKWARDS
WORDS LESTER MORRIS
Back in the fifties my brother Andy owned a 1953 AJS, an OHV 500cc single with jam-pot rear shocks, tiny (if highly effective) drum front brake, Burman gearbox which had a cast-iron clutch centre with thin splines which were known to shear off if they were not carefully (and frequently) inspected… and a slightly bent frame. While the former were standard features on the AMC singles, the bent frame was a legacy from a previous owner. Before it was correctly aligned again it endowed the bike with an odd propensity to flop into right-hand corners with the rear wheel stepping out, while it didn’t like left-handers at all and had to be held down with some determination or it would try to pop upright again. We’ve all ridden bikes like that in years gone by!
Another feature of the 500 singles was their tendency to premature wear on the valve-spring collars where they came into contact with the engine’s hairpin valve springs in the alloy cylinder head. The tappet clearances could sometimes disappear, for they were said to be adjusted at nil when cold, but with no pressure on the pushrods, thus allowing them to spin freely. This meant that, if tappets weren’t correctly adjusted, the valves might be ‘riding’ and thus not fully closed when resting on their seats. In other respects the bike was a good example of the typical,
honest 500cc single-cylinder British motorcycle, any and all of which, along with their owners, would benefit greatly from simple and regular week-end maintenance. Despite Andy’s protestations, I decided the time was ripe to pull the rocker cover off one weekend and inspect the valve gear. We duly did so, and sure enough the valve collars were so badly worn they were beginning to bend over on the ends where they made contact with the hairpin valve springs, and the springs themselves were worn almost halfway through at the same point of contact! He was contrite, of course, so we proceeded to pull the head off to replace the springs and collars. I had taken the precaution of bringing home the replacement parts I was sure we’d need, along with the copper head gasket, the thick, wirereinforced Klinkerite gasket for the large alloy rocker cover, the rubber tappet inspection cover seal and the pushrod tunnel rubbers. Oh, yes, and Rolls-Royce (?) engine jointing compound. Not gasket cement you’ll notice… this was RR after all, so it was called engine jointing compound.
By no means in the same league as the modern gasket sealing compounds, Rolls-Royce was as good as it got in the fifties, and this goes a long way to explaining why British machines were notorious for leaking oil. I suggest now, as I did then and have done for years, that whatever oil leaks existed in some
British machines, they were more often the fault of the gasket sealing compounds, or the gasket materials, rather than the machines themselves. To digress further, this was evidenced by the fact that Triumph motorcycles of that period never employed a gasket on the engine’s large timing case cover and it never leaked oil. It was only when a local manufacturer began to supply a gasket for the joint face that owners complained of oil leaks from the timing case!
Where were we? Oh, yes, we pulled the head off, ground the valves in (who does that, these days?) carefully reassembled the new springs and collars, cleaned the various faces and carefully re-assembled the top-half. We had already polished the chromed pushrod tubes and replaced their tubular sealing rubbers in the head. Oh, and I had also decided to pull the barrel off and replace the piston rings, if only because we didn’t know if they had ever been replaced, and this time was as good a time as any to do so. I was pleased to note the original piston was fitted, a snuglyfitting, wire-wound component, its expansion when hot controlled by a ‘split-skirt’ design, which allowed expansion to be controlled by closing the slot in the skirt of the piston. The very close tolerances made possible by adopting the wire-wound piston neatly overcame the problem of piston slap, which was evidenced in many other British designs.
The engine was by now sparkling in the noon-day sun as we replaced the head and barrel and the large alloy rocker box, nipped everything up and marvelled at our expertise.
I suggested we run the engine for a while to allow everything to settle in before we adjusted the tappets so my brother gleefully sprang to the kick starter. He jumped on the device several times but nothing happened, so we whipped the new spark plug out and checked the strength of the spark by prodding the kick starter while holding the plug lead against the alloy head.
There proved to be a fat, purple spark at the plug lead and there was plenty of fuel in the carburettor – evidenced by it dripping out and running over the top of the gearbox. How we managed not to be consumed by flames is a mystery to me now, though it escaped me then!
So we screwed the plug back into the head and kicked… and kicked… and kicked again… but nothing happened, not so much as a wheeze or a groan,
much less a bang and engine running sounds!
About this time a neighbour rode by on his pre-war Francis-Barnett Cruiser, the fetching 250cc two— stroke single with pressed-steel engine covers, large alloy muffler, wide leg shields and heavily valanced mudguards, the lot finished in gleaming black with heavy gold pinstriping; it was very much his pride and joy, a fact of which he kept us very well informed.
I had never seen this man without a large, Sherlock Holmes-type pipe in his mouth, the pipe’s stem curled over the bottom lip, a huge, bellsized bowl filled with a pungent, grey material emitting the foul stench which announced his imminent arrival almost before he came into view.
I cannot say for certain but, as I never saw him remove the pipe from his mouth, he may well have filled the bowl with his liquid lunch and sucked it through the stem.
He rode his bike up the drive trailed by a stream of smoke from the large,
black muffl er which emerged from the fat alloy component directly under the exhaust port and another stream from that rotten pipe, to do a neat feet-up turn in the drive and heave the bike onto its rear stand.
“Whotcha doin’?”he asked, “P’raps I can help.” I noticed that explosive consonants, like ‘p’, ‘b’ and ‘d’ were accompanied by small mushroom clouds of smoke and gurgling sounds from the bowl of his pipe, while the embers would be disturbed for a second and then settled again quickly.
One of the worst pongs on this earth is a rotten potato, but that bloke’s foul pipe would be surely listed among the top ten which followed, and it would be closer to the top than the bottom.
We three pushed that confounded AJS up and down the drive several times, that man’s blasted pipe belching away too close for my comfort, but the engine still refused to fi re; in fact, it was a bit easier to push with the exhaust valve lifter open and there was something odd
INDICATOR AND POSITION LIGHTS
CLASSICMORRIS
about the way it behaved when we were pushing it.
We went into the garage for a breather – thankfully The Pipe stayed outside – and we were discussing the problem when I glanced at the benchtop. There hidden from the casual observer by a small piece of water pipe and a scrap of paper, were the engine pushrods!
How the hell we had assembled the engine without the bloody pushrods in it I will never know, but there they were shyly grinning at us, as if enjoying a game of hide-and-seek!
“Look here,” I shouted, waving the offenders around for all to see.
“The pushrods! No wonder it won’t start. The valves won’t work without these,” I added quite unnecessarily.
“What a priceless pair of clowns youse are,” The Pipe puffed furiously, as he gestured to the FrancisBarnett. “You should get yourselves a two-stroke like one of these. No valves in these things… no pushrods, neither.”
“They never give you no trouble,” he added double-negatively as he rolled the bike off the stand.
“Look at this,” he said, as he gently prodded the kick starter. “First kick every time!”
The engine coughed back through the carburettor and almost stalled as The Pipe blipped the throttle desperately, while clouds of smoke leapt from the exhaust. Then, with another couple of bangs and a rasping sound it settled down again.
“There, first kick!” said an obviously relieved Pipe, whose demo had almost come unstuck, “I’ll see youse two tomorrow.”
With that he lifted the hand-gearchange lever into first, opened the throttle to the stop, and dropped the clutch.
The bike took off like a rocket backwards into the shed!!
The rear wheel hit the wall, spun violently for a split second, then gripped and shot away underneath, to neatly flip the bike on its back, the owner spreadeagled beneath it.
We rushed up to stop the engine and lift the bike off its incumbent,
who staggered to his feet wearing a look of utter amazement. In fact, as I was later to remark to my stunned brother as we re-assembled the AJS engine, I will guarantee he would never again see a well-grizzled visage with such an utterly astonished look imprinted upon it. The poor bloke was at once slack-jawed and goggle-eyed, a small dribble of dirtencrusted spittle at the corner of his mouth, his yellowed teeth bared in a gargoyle’s grimace which he clearly hoped would pass for a smile. It certainly would not.
It was plain for all to see that he must have felt the whole world had suddenly stopped and gone into reverse!
We tried, without much success, to hide the laughter which was bursting out of us as we dragged the man to his feet and dusted him off – our garage/shed had a dirt floor – and lifted the bike onto its wheels again. It was then I noticed that his pipe had disappeared!
Perhaps he swallowed it, or it might have shot up his nose, or down the front of his shirt, or up the leg of his trousers, or it may have taken the Heaven-sent opportunity to blow up in his face (which was very dirty, as the pipe itself had always been) but the pipe had absolutely disappeared and he didn’t seem to have noticed!
Well, we helped him to stand more-or-less upright, we placed the handlebars in his hands, then led him pipe-less down the drive to show him where his house was, and we even waved him goodbye as he tottered off, wheeling the bike home again. He glanced at it fitfully from time to time, then looked back at us, doubtless wondering what the device was going to do next.
That man didn’t ride his bike again for weeks, and search though we might, we never found a trace of his pipe!
“What the hell happened?” my brother wanted to know after he’d staggered off. “I’ve never seen anything like that before.”
I explained it to him simply, because that’s what it was… quite simple.
“ HOW THE HELL WE HAD ASSEMBLED THE ENGINE WITHOUT THE BLOODY PUSHRODS IN IT I WILL NEVER KNOW, BUT THERE THEY WERE SHYLY GRINNING AT US, AS IF ENJOYING A GAME OF HIDE-AND-SEEK! ”
Because the piston alone controls the incoming and outgoing gases in the two-stroke design, rather than cams and valve gear as in a fourstroke, it doesn’t matter whether the crankshaft is running forwards or ‘backwards’. With many of the earlier, slower-revving two-strokes, the ‘soft’ ignition timing was such that a piston rising very slowly could easily be thrust back down the cylinder again in the opposite direction to its normal rotation if the charge fires and there isn’t sufficient impetus for the piston to go over the top of its stroke and down the other side as it should. Therefore the engine will run quite happily ‘backwards’, if not with quite as much impetus as if it was revolving in the correct direction.
I had heard of the phenomenon but had not witnessed it until our friend tried to show off by easing the piston up the cylinder without enough grunt to be sure the engine was running as it should.
I suppose it served him right, but I did feel sorry for Pipe-less who, I may say, remained pipe-less for quite some months. I saw him with the occasional (small) pipe clenched in his teeth, but he never, ever, rode his bike with a pipe in his mouth again.
He rode his bike often enough after that, to be sure, but I did notice that every time he fired the engine up he booted it over very heartily and then, as he moved off, he always eased the clutch in very gingerly indeed to be sure he moved off in a forward direction.. That’s not so surprising, when you stop to think about it. =
WHATSAYYOU
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!
Every month we (or perhaps I should say Andy “Strapz” White), give away one of Andy’s amazing and useful Shouldas Bagz. Yes, we use them ourselves and we highly recommend them. Who gets bagged this time? Well, we disappointed Baz Pikey when we (inaccurately) reckoned we were discontinuing the adventure maps, so we thought we’d better give
AT THE PALACE
G’day Stuart and Bear, I thought I’d take a moment to congratulate Colin Whelan for his outstanding review of the Palace Hotel in Broken Hill. That was one of the most interesting and really well written and illustrated pieces of work I’ve read for a long time. Broken Hill is one of my favourite destinations and if you like the stories behind the Palace, there’s heaps more where they came from all around the town. The best thing about a trip to BH, apart from the town itself, is getting there (aren’t they all?) and the huge amount to see along the way, both inside and outside the pubs. It’s literally the ‘best of the West’ Australian style.... now there’s an idea, perhaps. Well done Colin and AMM! Cheers
Tim Standen Worrigee NSW
him a bag to cheer him up, and to apologise. But Baz, we need your postal address.
ADVENTURE TIME
Pete, Stuart et al...
I’ve subscribed to this magazine from the beginning, following The Bear over from the previous magazine which shall remain nameless, although I have to admit I still subscribe to that one as well.
I’m generally happy with the articles, features etc, but I have to say I am disappointed that the tear-out adventure map has been discontinued.
It seems to me that adventure riding is one of the fastest growing segments of motorcycling, and it opens up a whole new world of riding pleasure. I have a road bike
Compliments. What’s better? Well, money, of course – The Bear
THANKS, GOLDWINGS AND THE SES
Hi Bear,
Stephen Renfree’s letter of the month made me laugh as much as Boris usually does. Well played Sir! And as an owner of a “psychotic Jack Russell” I have to ask, is there actually any other kind?
I’m just finalising the planning for a two-up ride on the old Goldwing from Canberra to Bairnsdale via the sublime Cann Valley Hwy, through Melbourne to Ballarat, then south to Apollo Bay, and finishing up to visit the folks in Gisborne via the GOR. It should be a great week away. We will stop in Wye River for a bite as I’m sure the local shop could use the business after the Christmas fires, but any other tips for good eateries along that route?
This will be the first long ride back
as well as an adventure bike, and I enjoy both equally, however seeing the more out-of-the-way places on the adventure rides is a real eyeopener and so refreshing. So, please could you reconsider the decision to stop producing the adventure ride tear-out.
Regards Baz Pikey
Hi, Baz. Don’t worry, we will still be running adventure maps – we intend to run an adventure map every third or fourth time, among the road maps. I hope that will be enough to keep you going. We will also continue to run adventure travel stories and bike reviews. Sorry, I know that Stuart didn’t make that clear in his editorial – I think he was too busy practicing his Unzud accent for the tour – The Bear
after an oncoming Ducati lost it just ahead of me on that gorgeous road between Omeo and Anglers Rest last autumn and proceeded to slide, at speed into me. Courtesy of (a) Goldwings being a touch on the ponderous side so I wasn’t going very fast, and (b) said device being equipped with ABS, I managed to nearly stop before he hit me, so I was OK. He wasn’t and had to be airlifted out. Nor was his Ducati. I’ve been to the factory in Bologna. They didn’t pay all that attention to design and manufacturing have them slide sideways on tarmac. I’ve spoken to him a few times since and he’s OK, but we both could have done without the experience. And a shout out to the SES. My mate Wazza who was behind me that day and saw all this unfold in front of him, is a long standing SES volunteer in Wodonga. Here’s me standing beside my bike thinking not
much more than WTF, the Ducati spilling its fluids everywhere, and an unconscious guy in the middle of the road, and Waz, bless him, calmly, gently and competently takes control and gets everyone safe, does the first aid, and organises an ambulance with passers by. Good training and experience on show right there. Stay upright folks!
Cheers
Rob Kambah, ACT
Happy to give a plug to the SES any time, Rob – The Bear
MorE oN thE M Ap
Hi Bear and Colin,
A quick note about the map showing rides between Coffs Harbour and Murwillumbah.
The Central Bucca / Bruxner Park Rd shown on the map between the pink and yellow shaded roads at the Coffs Harbour end of the map is worth a ride. I do it a couple of times a week to and from work. It is narrow with tight bends at Coffs end as it rises steeply up the mountainside and through banana country to a saddle before dropping thru rainforest and then out into the Central Bucca Valley farmlands. There are good views at the Coffs end.
At the saddle the turn off to Sealy lookout is on south side. It’s a no through road but when you get to the lookout it provides an impressive view of Coffs, the coast and hills. Head back to the saddle and continue on the Central Bucca Rd. The road runs through rainforest and beside a rainforest lined creek. The Vincent Tree is worth a look. It’s not as tall as it used to be.
The Central Bucca Valley is more open picturesque farmland. With longer straights and plenty of bends but not as tight as the Coffs end. Central Bucca Rd meets Bucca Rd which is the Yellow line on map running from Moonee Beach to Nana Glen. Can link back to blue route or continue onto pink route. Be alert though. The road is narrow,
visibility in some bends is zero. School bus am and pm. Occasionally some rocks on the road. And popular for bicycles.
Cheers, Josh
Umm, Josh, why is the Vincent Tree not as tall as it used to be? And why is it called the Vincent Tree? Is it a vee twin tree? – The Bear
FrEEBIE JErE M Y
Well, while unlike many of your readers I’ve never bought one, but have read every mag for the last few years (newsagent’s perk, kinda goes with the low pay and hours between customers, yet my old coverless copies have converted more than a few now regular readers/buyers). But one thing that I’ve always enjoyed is there is a balance in the mag, it not just touring bikes, cruiser, sports bikes etc, and the same can be said for the writer. While 100% of the mag isn’t my cup of tea, I have enjoyed reading those areas of the mag later, and learned a little no doubt along the way. The other thing that has struck me is the readers writing in (and the pleasing fact that you publish it, sometimes with far more of a reasoned response than it might deserve!),and you can almost surely by now have automated answers “Don’t like the increase in ads.”
Well, sadly many far bigger titles have gone dodo in the last few years, and if you can find any mag on any topic that is under 20 bucks, colour, more than 20 pages and interesting to read (and not 2nd hand), I would be hugely surprised, and even more surprised if there were more than three issues
“I (paraphrasing here) don’t like Boris.”
Well, I’m sure the list of people that don’t like Boris is longer than the time people take to read (no doubt re-read), log into an email account, or find a pen and paper, and write in to vent about how they don’t like him, but surely seeing his mug with his speed dealer sunnies on and just
turning the page would be easier than the effort expelled writing in??? Look, on the Boris issue. Personally never met him, not sure how much is an act, how much is the real Boris, don’t give a shit to be frank, (and would happily say it face to face over a drink because either way I’d no doubt leave having a different perspective on more than just the person) I look at it like this, he comes from a different circle of the greater motorcycling world, at worst we can learn a different insight (and maybe save someone from ever thinking “I might try a trailer”) but the point is, get past some of the rough, and there are often valid albeit sometimes different views, and without different views after all, we would all still be on ridged frame singles with front drums, and kick starts.
Jeremy
What can I say? Thank you, Jeremy. But buy those damned magazines! – The Bear
rUN-IN
Dear Bear, About a thousand years ago you ran into my Dad, not literally ha ha, when he and Mum were on the way to Phillip Island. I don’t think you will remember the meeting, but it was on top of one of the dams in the Snowy Mountains. Mum and Dad pulled in while you were taking photos. You were interested that they were riding an RZ350 with soft luggage pannier bags and a Gearsack rack and bag and a tank bag. Dad was always telling people that you were amazed. They came all the way from up here near Ipswich. Dad passed away a few years ago, but I have a question for you. I have just (finally, as Dad would say) traded in my GSX-R1000 for something more suitable for touring, namely a Honda Hornet 900. My girlfriend and I want to ride around Australia, or maybe just over to Katherine and then down. She has relatives in Katherine.
I am not worried about luggage because believe it or not I have still
got bits from Dad’s luggage off the RZ. But we aren’t sure what to pack and how. Have you done a story on that, and can I get a copy?
Terry Thorley
Brisbane, Qld
I do remember meeting your mum and dad, Terry, because I’ve repeated that story a few times too. I’ve written about packing a few times, and I have sent you a PDF of one of the articles; maybe it’s time to do another one – The Bear
A CHAIR IN THERE
Hi there, hoping to get some info on your Yamaha Bolt with sidecar. Curious what brand you installed (inder)? Also curious if that is a factory Bolt Yamaha wheel your using and if there is a sidecar brake? Thanks for your time, really love what you’ve done!
Derek
Hi Derek, yep, it’s an Inder sidecar, bought from EuroBrit with a custom made frame built by Phil Duffy. Yes, the wheel
is a front wheel off a Bolt, but no brake was required for rego. We had looked at fitting the system off a Yamaha Tmax scooter, which seemed a good setup, but wasn’t needed. Our Bolt outfit is for sale if you’d like to buy it? Send Pete an email if you’re interestedthebear@ausmotorcyclist.com.au - Stuart
Hey Stuart, thanks for the info. Would for sure be interested but I’m in the USA so looks like I’ll have to build one. Thanks again for your time and the info!
Derek
No worries, mate. We threw the Inder frame away, because the chair would have sat up too high, so make your own frame, or get someone to do it, so the chair is down low. If you need any other pics on where brackets are located or anything, drop Pete that email and we can send some pics over to you – Stuart
SICK O’ SYCOPHANTS
Hi Bear,
In response to your “Grizzling” photo, I have two things to say.
Firstly, guessing the year is sort of like a jellybean contest but I’ll have a crack. My guess is 1971 based on the cars but to be honest that is not what has my attention. The thing I noticed is the “Motorcycles 5c” sign. And it’s not even the low price. It’s the fact that there is a separate price for motorcycles which reflects the obvious - motorcycles of the day only had two wheels and weighed considerably less than cars, thereby creating much less wear and tear on the roads.
What a pity that today’s motorcycles are as heavy as cars and should be charged the same amount as cars. What, I hear you say! Motorcycles are still much lighter than cars and still have only two wheels and charging the same amount as a car is actually one of the great gouges of our time? I don’t believe you could be so cynical to think that motorcyclists are being grossly discriminated against by the
WHATSAYYOU
motorway builders and their sycophants in state governments. Shame on you.
There, I feel a little better.
David Small
now is because we brought all of ours home. Had to, to meet the Lend-Lease conditions as I understand them.
talking about with H-Ds. What is this thing? Is it a Harley?
Woody Fortitude Valley, Qld
Tch, tch, David. How can you doubt our civil servants? They only have our interests at heart. They keep saying so – The Bear
WOODY WANTS A WHAT?
G’day, Bear.
You may remember me from the controversy about H-D WLAs and if the Army used them in Vietnam. I was one of the people who wrote to tell you that yes they did and the reason there aren’t any in Nam
It’s a question from me this time. I was over in the States recently and a friend over there showed me a bike he reckons is a Harley. I didn’t argue with him to be polite. It’s a two-stroke, but it doesn’t look at all like one of the Italian ones I’ve seen. It has bodywork that looks like it belongs on a beach buggy, a small one. He reckoned it was a 175. Because it was stuck between a couple of other bikes I couldn’t get a good photo.
You seem to know what you’re
Hi, Woody. I’m pretty sure what you saw was a Bobcat. And no, not that kind of Bobcat. H-D made a series of two-strokes after WWII all based on the DKW RT125, and I think the Bobcat was the last of them before they gave up and went to Italy to make their small-capacity bikes. If your mate’s bike is a 175 then it’s almost certainly a 1966 Bobcat; that’s the one that got the upgrade from 125cc. They’re beginning to fetch pretty good money because they’re so rare – The Bear
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as we went to the printer.
BEAR FACED
MAKING IT HOME
Iimagine you’ve heard the “drrrrr” sound that you get when your bike’s battery is too flat to turn over the starter motor. I don’t, however, know if you’ve ever heard – or perhaps I should say not heard – the silence that greets you when the battery is completely flat. I’ve heard – or not heard – it a few times. Like the time I tried to start our XS11was in the campsite in Essaouira, in Morocco. We had had our fluoro camping light plugged in for a few days, and despite drawing relatively little current it had managed to drain the poor old battery. No problem. We would jump start the bike.
Michel started up his BMW R100S, I connected the home-made jumper cables (fashioned from ordinary household double flex) and hit the electric starter – and watched the plastic insulation liquefy and run off the wires. Umm. Hot.
No problem. I would kick start the bike.
Ha! You think you’ve caught me out, don’t you? No kickstarter on the Yamaha XS1100! Except there was. It was tucked away where you’d probably never find it if you didn’t know it was there – under the air box - and you had to unfold it and fit it to the side of the bike yourself. Then you would discover… but I’m getting ahead of myself.
I actually cannot remember how I discovered that the kickstarter was there. I may – and I know this is unlikely – actually have read the manual.
Whatever. I do know that if I did read it, the manual didn’t point out that if the battery wasn’t firing up the bike, the kickstarter wouldn’t either
because the TCI needs a certain amount of power before it will provide spark.
No problem. I would… What? I would what? Push starting a 286kg motorcycle on sandy tarmac would have been hard enough, but we had about another 100kg of full Vetter fairing, panniers and top box attached to it. There are no hills along the beach in Essaouira, either, to roll it down. Tow it? A good way to have the BMW go down as I let out the clutch and the Yamaha stopped dead.
All right then. If A, B or C didn’t work, we would try combining them. A quick repair job on the jumper cables, using up most of our duct tape, provided power from the BMW. I added my not inconsiderable weight on the kickstarter and – thank the gods –the Yamaha fired just as the cables once again began to smoke. I did a victory lap around town, then another one, desperate to build up enough amperage in the battery.
It worked.
One evening, a little fat-tyred 125 Suzuki fun bike rolled in. The occupants eyed the XS ll00, Rl00S and GS 750 parked near our tents and the female pillion, whose motorcycle clothing was a ragged-looking fur coat, asked diffidently, ‘Do any of you know anything about motorbikes?’ We allowed that we might, just a little, and asked what was wrong. It turned out that the tiny bike would only rev out to twenty-two hundred, and then died. My first suspicion was the sparkplug. But it wasn’t that, as we found out when we unbolted the carburettor float bowl. This was filled with what
looked like fat white worms. The rider then remembered that he’d had a petrol leak from the lip of the bowl, and put sealing compound on it and bolted it back in place. He must have used a whole tube, because the stuff had squeezed out and set in the bowl, forming the worms and stopping the float from moving. The bike had been like this for a thousand miles, they told us.
I hope they made it home to Switzerland.
At some stage during our peaceful time in Essaouira, another bike rolled into the campground. It was a nearnew looking Triumph Bonneville, probably one of the last made at Meriden. The owner had bought it new in Britain and ridden it down here, but he was far more interested in recreational substances than he was in recreational motorcycling. Were we interested in buying the bike?
We had a look over it, and when we discovered that instead of oil it had a kind of glutinous black jelly in it – the owner maintained nobody had told him it needed oil – we begged off.
Not everyone in Africa is ignorant of his bike’s needs. A few weeks later, Mrs Bear and I were somewhere in Algeria heading for the Libyan border, when a bike came towards us. It howled past, and then I could hear it slow, turn and come back. It was a German bloke from Dortmund on a Z1300. He told us that every holidays, he would jump on his bike and ride as far as he could in half the time. Then he’d turn around and ride home. In this case he was most of the way to Dakar and had a couple of days left.
He didn’t carry much for himself –mainly toothpaste – but had a comprehensive toolkit and his secret ingredient: octane booster.
“I use it all the time,” he said. “I have always made it home.”
Well, “Traveling is learning,” as the Kenyan proverb says.
BORIS
WORKING ON THE HIGHWAY
They really must be taking the piss. Those wretched cretins who bung up the Roadworks Ahead signs, then post vast stretches of empty highway at 40km/h, must be taking the piss. Calm down. I am not advocating that we freely barrel through clumps of hard-working road-crews at 200km/h. My chakras are fully aligned with the Occupational Health & Safety concerns of the plant operators and lollipop champions. They do great and good work. And yes, when there are men digging holes and laying down hot-mix inches from moving cars, then everyone should slow the hell down and be cool.
I’m talking about when the roadcrews are gone and the backhoes lie dormant. It’s like Saturday afternoon, or Sunday morning, or some stupid time after midnight and the only thing on that road is you and those hate-inducing signs that insist that “Roadworks Speed Limits Are Enforced”.
What’s going on then? Why is it still forty-bloody-bastard-kilometres an hour? What kind of festering knobsore would park his Highway Patrol car under a tree and wait to enforce that stupid speed limit?
There is manifestly and demonstrably no roadwork taking place is there? Noone is digging up anything, no-one
is tamping down anything, and there is sure as shit no dozy, sunstroked bastard in a Hi-Viz vest to plough into.
There’s just an empty road with maybe the odd witch’s hat, some signs, maybe some loose gravel, or a concrete barrier off to the side. Yet still I am commanded to proceed at 40km/h, because if I proceed at say 80, and I am caught by the sub-simian trash whose job it is to police such matters, I shall be imprisoned for the term of my natural life. If I sail through there at the standard touring speed of a modern motorcycle which is somewhere between 140 and 170, then I shall be slaughtered like a Spanish Christmas ox, and the headlines will read: Bikie Terrorist Taken Out By RAAF Missiles Fired By Hero Cops! Australian Children rescued from high-speed slaughter! They must be taking the piss. Surely I cannot be the only person who is insulted by this bullshit? Surely I cannot be the only one who wants to stop beside one of these signs, uproot a small gumtree and then spend a good half-hour pounding it into scrap and taking a big shit on the battered remains? Am I alone in wanting to fire armour-piercing tank rounds into those automated signs-on-a-trailer that flash up “SLOW DOWN!” at you and then flash up “YOUR SPEED 52”? I need to slow down from 52km/h? On a deserted road?
What kind of dribbling lunacy is that? Do the people who decide these things not understand that I cannot ride at 40km/h on an empty stretch of highway? My bike will fall over and I will be trapped under it and die screaming. Or worse still, my ability to think for myself and assess risk will depart, never to return, and I shall be forced to join one of those stupid motorcycle lobby groups peopled by old men who smell like wee.
Is it not bad enough or shameful enough that the only civilised region of Australia is the glorious Northern Territory – a place where the speed limit is sensible?
Do we not suffer enough mindless droning purgatory at 110km/h on brilliant freeways where a man could sit on 200km/h and be in perfect harmony with the universe?
Did we learn nothing from the beastly John Singleton who was caught doing a million kilometres an hour in his million-dollar Bentley Wankinental and had his case dismissed when he told the judge his car was designed to do that speed and therefore it’s perfectly alright for him to be doing it?
Obviously the answer is no to all of the above. Our subjugation is not yet complete. Our servile buttocks can and must be stretched yet wider and adopt a more welcoming mien. Thus we are forced to idle along at 40-damned-and-richly-buggered kilometres an hour, like goggleeyed Mexican serfs astride flyblown burros…because…well, because roadworks are not taking place, but once did and probably will again at some stage.
Meanwhile, in an air-conditioned office somewhere in a skyscraper my tax money paid for, a bunch of fat-bellied public servants are helpless with hysterical laughter at our plight. And I do not blame them. I can’t. Because it is funny. Of course it is. How is it not?
Seeing a bloke on a bike creeping along an empty highway at 40km/h, because a sign told him he must even though common sense and his own powers of reason and observation tell him it is a stupid thing to do, is high comedy. And also mindless cruelty –like one of those circus shows where they dress a bear in a tutu and make it ride a pushbike in circles. The bear knows that if it doesn’t comply the circus people will beat it with chains. So it rides the pushbike because that’s what trained circus animals do.
