Sales Manager Mal Jarrett mal@ausmotorcyclist.com.au
Designer Amy Hale
Photo Editor Nick Wood
Photographers Nick Wood Photography, Half-Light Photography
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
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EDITORSPEAKS
what’s he blabbing on about now?
I’vebeen a travellin’ man the past month, visiting Japan for the Metzeler launch you’ll read about in this issue and Malaysia for a Pirelli launch, as well as watching the world Superbike round at Sepang. I got to ride two very famous racetracks – Fuji Speedway and Sepang. Around the back part of Fuji Speedway there are remains of the original high speed banking and I was lucky to meet a Japanese fellow (whose name I forgot) who is a bit of a Fuji Speedway legend, having won there three times back in the day. When I mentioned to him that he is a legend, he said, “No. No legend, but I go okay”. He was an awesome guy and could still punt a motorcycle quite well. I was a bit disappointed with Japan as a country though, I had expected so much more than what I saw – thousands of apartments stacked on top of each other in Tokyo. It felt more like an industrial site than a bustling city. Sure, there are nice parts that I got to see, but as a whole, the industrial feel killed it for me. Even the countryside out near Mt Fuji wasn’t the experience I was hoping for. It just looked overgrown and unkempt.
experience the sights I can say I will be going back to Malaysia (Kuala Lumpur) with Alana. The food, the scenery and the city sights at night are what gives you the buzz of this amazing cultural atmosphere.
Once I landed back in Sydney I drove straight to the office to get some work done and the next day I flew out again for Malaysia. The temperature in Sydney was a nice low 20s, but getting out of the airport at 4.30am in Malaysia, the heat and humidity felt like hitting a brick wall, or being smacked in the face with a wet fish. I had heard about the humidity, but wasn’t expecting what I got in the early hours of the morning.
I seemed to get used to the heat, though, which I only noticed when coming back to Sydney and needed to wear a jumper while everyone else was in shorts and T-shirt. Sure you sweat quite a bit at times, especially after roaring around Sepang in full leathers, but as a country to visit and
Staying in Kuala Lumpur, I was quite surprised at the high level of security. We had two ‘checkpoints’ just to get into our hotel and the majority of other hotels and better looking places (even just general businesses) all had security. I took note of the advice, “don’t go down any back lanes unless you really have to” and I never had any trouble, although peering down some of the back lanes around the city I did notice some dodgy looking characters, or maybe I was just being overly cautious?
Riding Sepang was an exciting experience. I’ve wanted to ride this amazing track for quite some time now and it is quite hard to learn. Coming into some of the turns, especially turns 11 and 14, there is an almost infinite number of lines you could take, and you can only learn them with ‘track time’. If you’ve ever watched WSBK or MotoGP at Sepang, revisit some of the footage and see what I’m talking about.
Enjoy!
Cheers, Stuart.
Oh no, not the white boots! Pit lane at Sepang.
GRIZZLING FROMTHEBEAR
GRIZZLING RIGHT ALONG
I know, I know, you’re sick of my grizzling about the lack of representation of motorcycles in official traffic planning and safety initiatives. So I won’t grizzle about the lack of precisely that in the UN-backed Fédération Internationale de l’Automobile (FIA) ’s High Level Panel for Road Safety. This panel, which appears to concern itself mainly with raising funds (to pay for yet another bureaucracy?), has some 30 members and advisers including the Chairman of Volvo, actress Michelle Yeoh and the CEO of Coca-Cola. Motorcyclesavvy members are… well, is, actually. There’s only one, and while I appreciate Vito Ippolito, the President, Fédération Internationale de Motocyclisme, as much as the next rider does, I do note that his concerns would be about the track, not the road. So “road safety” would be, what? Well down the list of his concerns. The whole thing reads like a chance for some famous and well-connected people to get together and have a few martinis on the UN. Oh, damn, I’ve done it again.
From the FIM: “[Venezuelan] Ippolito was the manager of Team Venemotos, during the period their rider Carlos Lavado won the 250GP World Championships in 1983 and 1986. He was also the President of the FMV (Venezuelan Federation) from 1992 to 2006, and has been involved with duties at the FIM since 1984.” A bit like an electoral assistant who becomes a senate candidate… it is not recorded whether he rides a motorcycle.
FINGER? WHAT FINGER?
Here’s a tip: if you’re in Europe, on a bike or on, I don’t know, snowshoes, a pogo stick, anything: do not – I repeat –do not give anyone the finger. It counts as an “insult” and if the fingeree reports you to the cops, it can cost you a fine between 600 and 4000 Euros.
Gulp? Yes, gulp indeed. The difference in the fines comes from the usual things – are you a first offender and so on –but it also depends on your income. The more you make, the more you pay. Just be cool. Even (especially?) if you’re making a decent buck.
MAMA FAILED
There’s a terrific Country song by, from memory, Merle Haggard called “Mama Tried”. An American entrepreneur has adopted the name for an anything-goes bike show in Milwaukee. It features everything from ice racing to classic and modern bike displays, and looks like serious fun. The drawback is that it’s in February… but if it wasn’t in winter you couldn’t have ice racing. Damn. The show is intended to keep the flame of motorcycling alive all year in the US,
where many places just don’t let you ride in winter. Well, they let you, but you probably won’t come home…
Hence, “Mama Tried”. If you’re in Milwaukee in February, you’d be mad to miss it. More information at www. mamatriedshow.com .
WELL, I’M SURPRISED
If you know the Australian magazine by the same name, you will understand why we were amused by this ad from the eponymous European motorcycle accessory maker. If you don’t, just don’t worry about it, okay?
Peter ‘The Bear’ Thoeming
to be the lightest mid-size cruiser on the market and provides supreme handling on the city streets and old fashion fun on the wide open road. You’ll see tests on both models within these pages soon.
GRAND TOURING THE V
Suzuki V-Strom 1000GT
Purposely built to support any rider’s adventuresome side, whether that adventure is a multi-day journey or a daily commute to work. The GT edition of the popular V-Strom 1000 is equipped with factory Suzuki 35L top box, side case set, centre stand, lower engine cowling, crash bars, large touring screen, LED indicators, hand guards, decal set and an attractive tank protector.
“The GT-Grand Tourer model is simply the complete package, ready to ride away from the dealership with nothing more to add and represents the best value for money fully-equipped 1000cc adventure
tourer on the market” said National Marketing Manager Lewis Croft. So pop into your local Suzuki dealer to check one out for yourself.
BAD-ASS CUSTOM
“The Redeemer” Indian Chieftain Dark Horse
“The Redeemer” built by Hollister Powersports of Hollister, Calif., utilising the Indian Chieftain Dark Horse motorcycle is the fi rst custom version of this eminently customisable bike. The Chieftain of course seems almost to be made for you to individualise.
Hollister’s approach to customising took the Chieftain Dark Horse and added modifi cations that would
be easy and affordable for any owner who wants to recreate the look of the Dark Horse with their own vision mixed in. Like it? Visit Hollister Powersports online at www.HollisterPowersports.com
TRIBUTE
Yamaha XSR900 & 700
Yamaha recently released the retro MT-09 based, XSR900 and MT-07 based, XSR700 and Yamaha Motor Australia decided to make two tribute bikes. One is based on the DT-1, the other on the RZ350. Stuart instantly fell in love with the RZ350 version (and the Bear lusted after the DT-1 tribute) and asked to get this bike for test, but unfortunately the two bikes were built from pre-production models. We will have a full review of the XSR900 in an upcoming issue of Australian Motorcyclist.
TRIUMPH T120 BONNEVILLE
THE VOICE OF THE SALT
WORDS THE BEAR PHOTOS BEN GALLI
“I SHIVERED… WHEN I HEARD THE VOICE OF THE SALT IN THE DESERT. ”
PABLO NERUDA
It is no accident that two of Triumph’s most famous models carry American names. The Thunderbird, named by Edward Turner after an image on a totem pole, and the Bonneville, named after the salt flats, reflect the fact that for many years it was the US that bought more Triumphs than any other country. I suspect that much of the effort that has gone into this new version of the Bonnie has been directed at conquering America once again.
I also suspect that this attempt will be successful. The new Bonneville matches the requirements the Americans have: good low-down torque, cool styling and a famous name. It offers a lot more, and that is good news for us, too.
With the greatest respect for Edward Turner, I am happy to call this probably the best Triumph ever built.
The new bike manages to combine a respectful and emphatic bow to the past with all the new technology anyone could want. True, its tank does not have the febrile grace of some of the American models from the ’60s but otherwise it has been styled with great care and not a little love. And let’s face it; one of those American tanks on this bike would hold, what, 6 litres?
Max. I don’t think anyone would be happy with that.
Mind you, I do expect that one of the directions that customising will take with this motorcycle is the recreation of those long, slim and impossibly graceful bikes. But so what, Bear? Haven’t you ever heard that beauty is only skin deep? Well, as Jean Kerr said, “That's deep enough. What do you want - an adorable pancreas?”
In fact of course I want just exactly that. Let the pancreas stand in for, say, spark plug covers. The ones on the Bonneville are brown, in imitation of early Bakelite covers. Sadly this poignant touch was lost on most of the other scribblers at the launch who didn’t even know what Bakelite was, never mind recognising this respectful gesture to the past. That alone is enough to make me doubt that Triumph is going to get most of its Bonneville sales from the youth market, as some people maintain. What’s the point of giving youth something they don’t even recognise?
But as so often happens, I am getting off the subject. Or am I? The T120 Bonneville has been designed with a lot of care and even love. This is not
just another bike to fill a gap in the range of its marque.
I had seen the new Bonnies before, at the IFMA show in Milan, but they looked even better waiting in a car park in overcast Adelaide. They sounded good, too. A lot of the effort Triumph has made in the design of these bikes was spent on making them sound right, and the effort has been crowned with success. Interestingly, the bikes with their 270 degree firing interval sound even better from behind than they do when you’re riding them. And no, this is not to suggest that they’re better to listen to than ride.
I was impressed by the size of the engine – Triumph’s clever engineers have kept the 1200cc engine to the same size as the previous 865cc unit. They have also managed to make the radiator so unobtrusive that it’s hardly there. A beautiful job, helped by the finning on the cylinders which both looks traditional and means that the radiator can be quite small. This does not mean that you can ignore the radiator, though; it looks a little vulnerable and I would look for some protection pretty much straight away.
•
LAUNCH
“Inspired by the legendary 1959 Bonneville T120,” says Triumph, “the new T120 is styled to incorporate more of the original’s iconic design detail and features… with a much higher level of finish and detailing.”
Build quality is significantly better on these bikes than on 1959 bikes, and even on previous modern Bonnevilles. The welds are neat, parts fit is good and both paint and chrome look impressive. Much of the cabling is hidden and the throttle bodies still look a bit like a set of carburettors. A knurled brass ring at the top looks stylish, and the air cleaner is a terrific reminder of the original Bonnie’s. I liked the classically-styled switchgear, too. There is a button on each side, and they let you scroll through various options. These, in turn, are displayed in the discreet LCD readouts
At the bottom
I know I mentioned this in the body of the article, but the seat of the new Bonneville deserves a special hurrah. While I don’t have the faintest idea how they’ve done it, Triumph has managed to create a seat that is not overstuffed but stays comfortable even after a full two days’ riding.
The styling of the seat is relatively flat, at least for the rider, and I guess the reason must lie there somewhere. I can’t wait for the opportunity to ask whoever designed it about this. The T120 is the only bike, apart from a few Harleys, on which I have not vowed that if I owned one I’d change the seat, first thing. A comfortable seat is more than just something nice to have; it makes long trips possible without focussing all of your attention on your derriere by the end of the day. That has to be good, both for safety’s sake and to increase your enjoyment of the ride. Performance and handling are important on any bike. But give me a comfortable seat every time… www.ausmotorcyclist.com.au
WHEN: From Tuesday May 2 – Tuesday 11 July, 2017 (or longer by arrangement with Get Routed) CONTACT: Dave Milligan dave@getrouted.com.au 0412 689 849 and/or 03 5625 9080.
incorporated in the twin clocks. The bike comes in two versions – the T120 with chrome highlights in Cinder Red, Jet Black and two-tone, and in the blacked-out Black version in two kinds of black. The two-tone bikes look especially good with their handdrawn gold coach lines. For the extra $300 over the base price of $17,000 (plus on-roads) I would definitely go for one of these. The new tank badge is a combination of stainless steel and aluminium – ooh, shiny – and the seats are black (on the T120) and brown (on the T120 Black). Triumph claims that they offer “deep foam for heightened comfort”; the foam doesn’t look especially thick but the seat is really outstandingly comfortable. And you can even get a more comfortable aftermarket seat. The tank filler cap has a lock at last and the key is fitted with an immobiliser. I know that a lot of people will prefer a key to the now ubiquitous fob.
Okay, here we are, ready to go. The seat is pleasantly low at 790mm, and –I love using this phrase – the controls fall easily to hand. It isn’t until you start playing with them that you realise how many options you have. You can see what you’re changing, indicated in the LCD screens in the clocks. Pull away from the kerb and – whoa – this is not the Bonneville we formerly knew. You can feel the additional torque right from the start. Triumph claims 54% extra, and every percent is there. Drifting through Adelaide’s thick but well-mannered traffic was easy enough, with the occasional admiring glance from a driver or pedestrian. When we hit the corners leading up into the Hills the bottom end torque really came into its own and the bike powered out of the corners smoothly. I did have to keep an eye on the speed I was doing; it all seemed so easy.
The relaxed riding position came into its own as we took just about all of the famous Adelaide Hills roads. So did the six speed gearbox. I don’t want to seem to be simply praising this bike all the time, but gear changes were smooth and quiet but definite; another example of how much Triumph has improved the Bonneville. Brakes,
likewise, were perfectly adequate. On the second day’s riding I encountered some debris in a tight, wet corner and hit the front anchors a bit too hard; the only result was a single headshake. There wasn’t even time for the ABS to cut in; the Pirelli Phantoms were doing their job admirably.
In rain or shine, straight country roads (hint: it seems the Bonnie will run off the clock, which ends at 200km/h) and sharp corners and even on a hillclimb course that Nigel from Triumph found, the bike behaved beautifully and answered input smoothly and quickly. There is no nerviness and I felt in control and at ease, even in the rain.
Triumph sees the Bonneville as an ideal bike for what they call “husband and wife” touring. I imagine it will do that beautifully, but it would be a mistake to limit the bike to that. It will also make a willing and powerful weekend weapon and even a decent commuter.
I hate to sit here and make lists, but I should tell you about some of the features the Bonneville offers. Apart from the ABS it has two ride modes (road and rain; the Thruxton also gets sport), Traction Control, a slip-assist clutch, a USB charger socket, a smart LED taillight and positioning light option for the headlight, an engine immobiliser and ride-by-wire throttle control. And – just look at this – there is a neatly incorporated switch for the heated handgrips, which are standard equipment in Australia. There are plenty of accessories available, both for touring and bling.
I liked the 865cc Bonnevilles; I owned two of them. But they always felt – just a little – like compromises. The 1200 on the other hand offers that wonderful feeling that you’re riding the real thing, the classic Bonneville as it would have been if Triumph had never stopped making it but had simply modernised it as they went. I might have to buy one of these, perhaps the red and aluminium two-tone.
Now we’re just waiting - yes, with bated breath – for the highperformance versions of the T120, the Thruxton and Thruxton R.
SPECS
TRIUMPH BONNEVILLE T120 & BLACK
PRICE: $17,000 (Matt Graphite $17,200, two tone $17,300)
WARRANTY: Two years, unlimited distance
SERVICING INTERVALS: Every 16,000km
ENGINE: Liquid cooled parallel twin 4 stroke, 4 valves, per cylinder, SOHC BORE x STROKE: 97.6 x 80mm
FUEL CONSUMPTION: 5.1 litres per 100km, premium unleaded
THEORETICAL RANGE: 284km
COLOURS: Cranberry Red and Aluminium Silver and Jet Black and Pure White, both with hand-painted coach lines; Jet Black; Cinder Red. Black version: Jet Black or Matt Graphite.
VERDICT: SALT OF THE EARTH RETURNS
Clean green winter foliage in the Warrumbungles.
WHERE TO GO IN WINTER
BUGGER SLEIGHBELLS, THIS IS THE TIME FOR RIDING
WORDS/PHOTOS THE BEAR
In Australia, winter is actually a good time to go touring – especially the further north you go. Temperatures are temperate though distances are distant [stop this nonsense at once – the Editor] and the weather is kind. Winter is generally considered to be May to October, which is both cooler and dry than the rest of the year.
But down south where most of us live, winter is still considered a good time to do a bit of maintenance on the bike and plan the next season’s rides. Well, we’re here to help you along a bit. By the way, the first move once you decide you want to ride anywhere in Australia is to get hold of a Hema Maps Australia Motorcycle Atlas, which has
many of the country’s best roads listed and shown and described in detail. Your humble servant wrote it, so I’ll vouch for it. See the box.
So look at it this way: you can think of the next few seasons as a calendar, laid out like a map in front of you. It stretches from winter right through to the middle of summer, at the end of the year. It has all the weeks and weekends on it, coloured in for the days you’ll be working and blank for the days you won’t. Okay? Got that? Time to start filling in the blanks!
Last issue we told you about the latest winter gear to buy. Now that you’re kitted out, let’s ride!
A DAY AWAY
Okay, listen here; I understand from my reading (the Daily Telegraph, every workday morning – free at my local coffee shop) that on average Australians take nine sick days off a year. Despite that, fulltime workers have 124 million days of leave stored up, or 21 days per person.
What are you doing, people? Or rather not doing? It’s a nice day; get out there. Here’s a terrific way to spend it on your bike, from:
ADELAIDE
Everybody rides through the Hills, but wonderful as they are how about going south, instead, to Cape Jervis? Good bakery in Yankalilla. Then take that lovely, lonely back road to Victor Harbor before turning north again to go home. Pick up some Red in McLaren Vale. It’s about 250km.
BRISBANE
It’s damned hard to find a relatively unused route around Brisbane, but how about heading for Boonah via Willowbank? I like Flavours café in Boonah. Then on to Beaudesert,
Clockwise: Heading into the Hunter Valley near Sandy Hollow. / The bones of the Earth show here, near Mudgee. / Victoria’s cool temperate rainforests provide fun riding.
The Great Dividing Range in Queensland. / Road train versus Honda makes for an unequal contest in Longreach.
Canungra, a loop around Tamborine Mountain and home via Beenleigh. This run is also about 250km.
CANBERRA
What about a real mixture? Head south to Tharwa and then continue south along the Bobeyan Road. A bit of gravel here before and after you leave Namadgi National Park, but manageable. Once you reach the Snowy Mts Hwy turn left for Cooma and then home along the Monaro Highway. Call it 260km.
Good guidance –227 times
The Australia Motorcycle Atlas from Hema Maps is the only comprehensive guide to motorcycling in this country. It includes 200 rides in its two volumes (one for maps, one for descriptions and details) plus another 27 long rides on the wall map of Australia included in the water-resistant plastic pack. Compiled by The Bear, its maps are updated regularly by Hema so you’ll always get the latest information. You can order the Atlas from us via our website or direct from contactus@ausmotorcyclist.com.au for $54.90 including postage to anywhere in Australia. Please ask us for postage cost to anywhere else.
Two books, a wall map and a clear plastic envelope, all for $54.90.
Part No: 08732GLR003
Combo pack including Honda Glare Wash and Honda Glare Professional Polish. The number 1 wash and polish for your motorcycle and ATV.
Part No: 591ml: 087320020B
Cleans an entire motorcycle or ATV in just minutes. Removes dirt, oil, road grime, and insects. Cleans paint, chrome, alloy, and rubber.
Part No: 08C50C321S01
Part No: 082030004
High-temperature formula for heavy-duty or racing applications
Designed for use in all hydraulic brake and clutch systems requiring DOT 3 or 4.
ALWAYS demand
Honda Genuine:
• Oil Filter
• Air Filter
• Spark Plug
Exclusive formula developed by Honda R&D. Specifically designed for use in aluminium engines.
• Brake pads/shoes
Chain Cleaner
Part No: 08732CHC00
Prepares chain for re-oiling. Emulsifies and removes dirt, grime & built up grease. Safe on all types of drive chains.
Part No: 1 Litre: L1002HP41312
4 litre: L1002HP41304
Increased anti-foaming qualities & higher viscosity index for stability over a broader range of temperatures.
Part No: 08732CLM00
Contains Moly and PTFE for superior lubrication. Resists wear and weather for long-lasting lubrication. Compatible with O-ring and non O-ring chains
Part No: 08732SCP00
Cleans road grime, grease, and bugs without water. Polishes paint, chrome, glass, and clear plastic. Protects vinyl, plastic, and rubber.
Part No: 08732CBL49
Removes grease and oil quickly. Cleans brake drums, liners, cylinders, and springs. Safe for most plastics. Dries fast with no residue.
Part No: 1 Litre: L1002GN41312
4 litre: L1002GN41304
Testing & development give todays GN4 even better shear resistance, viscosity stability & cleanliness.
HOBART
This suggestion is a bit shorter, only 200km, but then there’s always so much to stop and see in Tassie – and vanilla slices at Bothwell. Head up there, then take the ridge road to the Lyell Hwy. Turn right for Hamilton, continue and turn left at Dawson Rd. Follow your nose back to Hobart via New Norfolk.
MELBOURNE
How about taking a run along the Little Ocean Road? Probably better known as the Cape Paterson to Inverloch Road, you can reach the western end along the M1 to Pakenham, then Koo-Wee-Rup and Wonthaggi. Ride the LOR from Cape Paterson to Inverloch and return via Kongwak. About 300km for this one.
PERTH
How about we just ride out to Mundaring Weir, have a beer and come home? No? Well, instead let’s ride out the Brookton Highway, turn left at Westdale to Beverley and then up to York and back to Perth along the Great Southern Highway. Ooh, and look – we pass the Mundaring Weir turnoff! Call it 270km, without detours.
Country trips can be wonderful for buying presents in advance. / You can’t always get what you want, such as fuel. Check your
SYDNEY
Oh, bugger it, I’ve written up so many rides out of Sydney… why don’t we service our bikes instead this weekend?
WEEKEND WORRIERS
A couple of days might not seem like a long time, but don’t let that encourage you to head out as far as you can ride in a day, and then zip back home the next. I think the best use of a weekend is to ride somewhere maybe half a day away, then set up camp or book in or whatever and explore a little by bike before
Clockwise:
Hema Atlas. / Mechanics are becoming a rarity in the country.
TARTARUGA
returning to base and getting set for a pleasant evening. Next day, take a longer way home and maybe do a bit of sightseeing or check out a lunch spot along the way. If it’s a long weekend, sleep in at your holiday destination and then spend most of the day having lunch. That’s what I do. Well, in my dreams.
AdelAide
There are very few places in Australia that I like better than South Australia’s Clare Valley. Wine, back roads to ride, scenery, and history – it’s all there. Stay in Burra; all the information you need is available from the Burra Visitor Information Centre, 2 Market St, Burra SA 5417 08 8892 2154.
BrisBAne
How about just dawdling up along the back road through the Glasshouse Mountains from Caboolture and then ducking up to Maleny, Montville and Mapleton? Plenty to keep the both of you (assuming you’re a couple, forgive me) amused and interested. Return by way of Peachester, Mount Mee and Dayboro.
dArwin
As always, Darwin is the tough one. How about popping over to Mandorah? The pub appears to have burnt down (can that be right?) but there is some other accommodation and you can always camp. Love the view across to Darwin.
HoBArt
Let’s head up to the Weldborough pub on the Tasman Highway between Launceston and St Helens, 03 6354 2223. Go up along the coast, with a stop in motorcycle-friendly Bicheno or the Pancake Barn on then detour via St Marys. Back via Launceston and the Midland Highway, with plenty of time for Devonshire tea.
Travelling with mates is terrific, but it slows you down. / Out of season (read “school holidays”) accommodation is usually cheaper. / There’s no real need for a caption here, is there?
GREY GUM INTERNATIONAL CAFE , Putty Rd, PUTTY. NSW
• Destination for Motorbike enthusiasts, Car Clubs and the general travelling public
• One of Australia’s most popular roads
• Located on 28 acres with large outside seating and entertaining facilities
• Stage for Music and PA system
• On Premise Liquor Licence
• Internal and Verandah seating facilities
• DA lodged with council for extensions to premises
• Cabins being built for overnight accommodation
• Grey Gum Cafe is an iconic destination for Putty Road travellers
• For better information see us on Facebook or at our website greyguminternationalcafe.com
• Additional acreage can be acquired adjacent to cafe for off road biking or motocross venture
For full information contact principal on 0265797018 or email greygumcafe@skymesh.com.au
MELBOURNE
The Grampians have always fascinated me. How was it that these steep, rugged mountains remain on an otherwise mostly flat plain? Ride up the quick way along the Western Highway, take a look around and stay at the Great Western pub; they have nice, cheap motel-style rooms. Ride home the long, relaxed way through Maryborough and Castlemaine.
PERTH
I have always (well, since I first saw it) liked Pemberton. It’s mainly the trees, of course, and you can climb a couple of them. Aside from that, the countryside also looks beautiful. Ride down the coast and back through Hervey and Pinjarra.
SYDNEY
You can’t go past the Mudgee area. Well, you can but you shouldn’t. I would ride up along the Bells Line of Road and come home through Sandy Hollow and Denman and then down the Putty Road. Take a look at Stein’s Motorcycle Museum in Mudgee.
HOMIE
HOLIDAY
It’s probably safe to say that you’re better off staying or heading south in summer, although the Wet in the north is not as bad as you might think – it mainly seems to rain in the afternoon. But it’s still not the most pleasant environment to ride in. So where are some one or two week holiday destinations that are pleasant all year ‘round and will keep you and your bike amused while you’re there?
NEW ZEALAND
The South Island! Australian Motorcyclist Magazine’s tour of the South Island is the obvious choice, of course. Stay tuned for details of the all-new tour style, which is especially relaxing and versatile.
NEW SOUTH WALES
There’s a lot to choose from, but I’d go with the Northern Rivers. Base yourself in motorcycle-friendly Ballina and go explore.
QUEENSLAND
It’s tempting to say SE Queensland, but probably the most bike-friendly part of the State is the Atherton Tableland; fly up and rent a bike in Cairns. You have the choice of EagleRider, Bike Round Oz, Adventure Motorcycle Hire and more.
SOUTH AUSTRALIA
Some years ago I had the unhappy job of ringing a major motorcycle distributor and telling him that one of his bikes was cactus – at Nullarbor Station. “Don’t worry,” he said, “we’ll send someone up to fix it.” – “Where from?” I enquired ungrammatically but pragmatically. – “From Adelaide,” he said. “You’re in South Australia, aren’t you?”
– “Yes,” I said, “but I’m a thousand kilometres from Adelaide.” – Stunned silence. Then he said, “Can you be a thousand kilometres from Adelaide and still be in South Australia?” All right. I would suggest the Flinders Ranges for a bike holiday. Base yourself on the edge (the Prairie Hotel, say, is expensive but interesting and the roadkill meals are delicious) or in the park itself. Camping is catered for. Ride the many gravel roads. Ah!
TASMANIA
What about a look around the far north-west? Beautiful rainforest, empty beaches and the cleanest air in Australia and possibly the world all beckon. Stay in Stanley and climb The Nut.
VICTORIA
The north-east is hard to beat. Base yourself in Beechworth, Tallangatta (motorcycle-friendly pub) or even Wodonga and just ride; you can’t go wrong up here. Lots of nice gravel, too.
SAFETY DOESN’T HAPPEN BY ACCIDENT!
• Helite airbag technology – the future of motorcycle safety gear is here today!
• European designed/CE approved Helite airbag vests (black or high viz) and touring jackets
• For the price of a helmet, Helite protects your neck, vertebrae, chest, hips, abdomen, internal organs and tailbone
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 Phone:
IO
SOUVENIRS
THAT REMINDS ME…
“Bear,” writes my mate Peter Colwell, “My offi ce walls are littered with small (carryable) memorabilia collected from near and far. I’m sure you have something similar.
“Just a thought... but it would be quite unique as most bike rags are all about the latest and greatest. As I said, a thought bubble, burst it if you like... “Cheers, Peter. “
“It occurred to me that the Bear Army members are mostly travellers and many have fascinating stories to tell. So why not tell them in pictures?”
“This is just a thought bubble, if the idea appeals to you at all, I’m sure we could all come up with some great stories and pictures. A sort of nostalgic section? Maybe a page of the sort of stuff I have attached for perusal.
Burst it? Like hell, I’m going to inflate it. It’s a wonderful idea. Peter is quite right; I have heaps of small (carryable, of course) souvenirs littering my office and elsewhere. And I’m sure you do, too – not just Bear Army troopers but lot of others as well. So why not send us a photo, along with a few words about the memories it awakens? Or in fact send us a photo from a trip, with a few words explaining the memories attached?
Send your photos of souvenirs, or photos from a trip (it doesn’t have to be a long trip, or far away) plus a few words explaining it to contactus@ ausmotorcyclist.com.au, or to Australian Motorcyclist Magazine, PO Box 2066, Boronia Park NSW 2111. We’ll think of some kind of prize for the best submission each month. Come on, do it now. Don’t be selfish, share your memories! Meanwhile here are a few of Peter’s bits of memorabilia.
Award from the Dumb Bikers Run, Pooncarie 1986. / A llama from Cusco, Peru. / Key tag from the Bike Australia Rally 1985 in Genoa, Victoria. / Shot glass from Tombstone, Arizona, the archetypal Western town.
Metzeler roadtec 01
r ejoice, rejoice, you have new choice
(apologies to stephen stills)
Words Stuart Photos Metzeler Japan
Metzeler launched its new sport touring tyre, the Roadtec 01, in Europe about a month ago and it was Asia/Pacific’s turn to sample this technologically advanced tyre in its elements.
From Australia, only we and AMCN were invited to the launch at Fuji Speedway in Japan. The weather gods turned on just the mix that Metzeler was after - some rain and some dry. Thankfully the road riding was the wet part and the sessions we had on the track were dry. We also got to do a wet slalom course and wet braking test on the Fuji Speedway test area, which really highlighted just how good this tyre is. I came away after the launch thinking that what the new Metzeler Roadtec 01 offers is just what the vast majority of riders needs. So let’s get stuck into the technical details and then I can give you my thoughts about the various conditions as I sampled them.
Technical details? Yawn… but no, you’ll be amazed how interesting this stuff can be.
Metzeler started fresh with the “platform” for the Roadtec 01. The outgoing Interact Z8 which we tested some time ago and were highly impressed with has been outstandingly
successful. But the Roadtec 01 goes much further in exploring the nitty gritty of what Metzeler sees as the technical features riders want out of a top class sport touring tyre. Riding Pleasure, Safety and Mileage are the three big factors that have gone into the making of the Roadtec 01.
Metzeler has also given the Roadtec 01 a broad range of applications (or fitments). Of course they fit the ‘normal’ sports touring motorcycles, but Metzeler has also made the Roadtec 01 to suit what they call the “Urban Fighter” - someone who commutes as well as gets out into the country, and the “Master Traveller” - a rider who has one of the big touring bikes, carries a pillion and luggage and covers large distances. To cater for them,Metzeler has the “HWM” (Heavy Weight Motorcycle) version of the Roadtec 01.
The Roadtec 01 comes in the popular 120 fronts and 160-190 rears. The HWM version comes in a 120/70/17 front and 180-190 rear, but a major new introduction (and one that I’ve wanted for a long time) is a range of sizes available for what Metzeler calls Trail Bikes. We call them adventure touring bikes, so the likes of the BMW R 1200 GS, Triumph Explorer, KTM 1190 and so on with their 19 inch fronts can now have a proper road tyre, not a hybrid which is all that has been available for these types of bikes until now. I’ve always said that fitting a ‘sticky’ tyre to something like an R 1200 GS would produce an almost unbeatable machine through the twisties, especially on our rough roads, and now you can do it! Big thumbs up to Metzeler!
Be guided by the recommendations available on the Metzeler website or
The Yellow Flash hits the anchors. Check out that fork compression!
contact the Aussie distributor G Moto to steer you to the right version for your bike. Your local Metzeler tyre dealer should also be able to give you the drum.
Key performance indicators for the Metzeler engineers when designing the Roadtec 01 included enhanced grip across a wide range of conditions (dry; wet; low friction surfaces), mileage increase - Metzeler claims a 10% increase over the outgoing Z8 - and improved precision, stability and predictability. After riding in all sorts of conditions I can assure you that Metzeler has certainly nailed the precision, stability and predictability (feedback) of the Roadtec 01.
You might notice that the tread pattern looks like that of a racing rain tyre. Metzeler has obviously done this to give the amazing grip and safety in adverse conditions that the tyre offers, but you might also notice they haven’t made the front and rear tread pattern the same. The reason comes down to the centre and sides of each tyre. The centre part on the front is designed to make a path of dispersed water for the middle of the rear to ride through. It’s only once you get just off that centre line that the “Sabres” (heavier looking cuts) come into their own at dispersing water and an ever increasing tread block produces more grip the further you lean over. You will then see the “Drops”, the finer/smaller cuts. They disperse any water that may still be there.
The tread pattern has also been optimised to work better with the latest ABS systems (although they also work without it) thanks to the transverse grooves and enhanced grip in medium to low adhesion conditions when braking.
One feature I learnt about was the “land/sea” ratio, or contact patch/ stress of the tread pattern when rolling on the bitumen. The Roadtec 01 has a smaller, but wider contact patch versus the outgoing Z8, but importantly there is less stress in the Roadtec 01, which in turn gives better feedback to the rider and of course a very important feature – more mileage.
So let’s see if all this technology
actually works!
The first riding component of the launch was out on the road at a casual pace. I jumped on board a Yamaha MT-09 for this part. We headed off for a short ride which saw some dry roads, but also wet ones as we headed up over Kagasuka Pass with grooved corners (for traction in snow), wet, slippery manhole covers and slippery drains that run right across the road. The Roadtec 01 handled them better than I had expected. There was no slipping (or any movement) when I thought there would be and they seemed to be quite comfortable over rough sections of bitumen. In general, turn in/ handling was on the mark - so they get a tick for the road component.
Next we moved onto the wet slalom and braking course. The bike I chose for this component was a KTM 1290 Superduke R beast. The power of a bike like this would certainly test out how good these tyres were and again, they performed perfectly – just check out the front fork compression in the photo to see how hard I pushed these tyres!
In the slalom course you could push
the front without sliding into a corner. What this means is that the feedback from the tyre to you is excellent, and flicking side to side in puddles of water was predictable and felt safe.
The braking test had two sections, one that was supposed to be taken at 60km/h, the other at 70km/h. I accidentally (yeah, sure - PT) forgot these speeds, nailed the powerful Superduke R and smashed the brakes as hard as I could. What I was trying to explore was the stability under extreme braking in the wet. As I mentioned above, Metzeler has made the Roadtec 01 to perform with the latest ABS systems (and without) and has done a superb job. I was expecting the tyre to
squirm and kick to the left or right the way most tyres do but no matter what I tried, they would pull up straight every time - I was (and still am) impressed. Time to get on to the track component. This meant we could push the Roadtec 01 in a controlled environment and feel what it does on the limit. Again, I jumped on board the KTM 1290 Superduke R but this time finished off back on the Yamaha MT-09.
Hard, dry road braking is stable and predictable, just as Metzeler wanted, turn in is light and again very predictable, so the safety factor is covered. Mid-corner feedback is good, you know what’s going on, and under hard acceleration out of the corner, feedback and grip are great for what is supposed to be a tyre with longevity! It shouldn’t have this much grip, you would think.
I had the traction control light on the Superduke R flickering its brains out but I never thought it would step out; this was the same with the soft suspension of the MT-09, which was ‘floating’ around the track. The Roadtec 01 gave heaps of grip despite the suspension being way under damped.
After testing the new Metzeler Roadtec 01 in all the conditions you could expect on the road, I have come away extremely impressed. I liked the Interact Z8 which was the predecessor to this tyre, but the Roadtec 01 makes you an even better rider and adds to your safety. And the mileage? Well, we’ll have to get a set and give them a long term whirl, but I can only imagine they will be good because they didn’t chew up even with the hard time I tried to give them during the track component of the launch.
The Roadtec 01 comes with a big texta-thick tick from me. Throw a set on your bike and you will realise there isn’t another sport touring tyre that will perform as well in the wide variety of conditions you’ll find throughout your travels. And if you’ve got a BMW R 1200 GS, rejoice. =
In and out. In and out… / The start of Kagasuka Pass in Japan – some of it was quite rough.
“As iron sh A rpens iron, so A friend sh A rpens A friend. ”
King solomon
Harley-Davidson’s Iron 883 has been a stalwart of the brand for many years now and its popularity as an urban cruiser that’s easy to manage is what makes it so popular. We haven’t looked at the Iron 883 closely for a number of years as the model really hasn’t changed, so we decided to freshen you and ourselves up on what it’s like to ride.
Being compact with a relatively short, 1515mm wheelbase the 883 Iron is nimble, much more nimble than just about any other cruiser on the current
market. It is also fitted with decent front and rear suspension, which soaks up crappy roads well. The rear twinshocks are preload adjustable if you feel you need a little more control.
The engine is the ‘Evolution’ born from the legendary Shovelhead and Ironhead engines. It’s been the engine fitted to Sportster motorcycles since 1984. Its overhead valve design and four-cam gear train have their roots in the company’s race program from many moons ago and while it’s not a powerhouse engine to ride, there is more than enough for its intended purpose – urban fun. The air-cooled V-Twin design with a compact onepiece crankcase/transmission makes the Iron narrow – perfect for lane filtering. When our office was in the city I would regularly come across a
guy riding an Iron 883 and wondered how he could get through the traffic so efficiently. It’s not until you ride it that you know how slim it really is.
The 5-speed transmission has ratios spread perfectly for urban riding, but out on the open road and in top gear you hit a vibration point on the engine that would get annoying. Between 2900-3150rpm the engine vibrates uncomfortably. This is easily avoided in urban riding, but is not so easy when you’re sticking to the 100110km/h speed limits.
One major thing going for the Iron 883 is its comfort. You sink into the ribbed seat, and the set back footpegs and easy to reach handlebar make you feel good. And with a 775mm seat height, the Iron 883 is suitable for any sized rider.
Styling is very much what I call ‘traditional’ Harley-Davidson. To me, the Iron 883 is exactly what I remember I thought as a kid what a Harley looked like – a little raw, yet powerful in its statement to the world. That H-D has managed to keep that edginess to this day is great. The rumbling V-Twin and muscular front end and the steel and jewel-like 12.5 litre peanut fuel tank are what gives the Iron 883 its authentic American detail.
Despite the fuel tank being relatively small, fuel consumption from the 883 V-twin is reasonable and I achieved 5.23L/100km, giving the Iron around 239km range.
One of the hard choices about buying an Iron 883 will be the colour. It comes in four choices and at first I
wasn’t so sure about the Olive Green we tested but it grew on me, and fast. I ended up thinking it would probably be the colour I’d go for. Take your time and choose carefully is what I’m saying!
Accessories available from H-D for the Iron 883 are almost endless, so grab a copy of “The Bible” – H-D’s accessory cattledog and put aside a few packets of Post-It notes to mark the pages – you’ll need them!
The Harley-Davidson Iron 883 remains a huge seller and rightly so. When you ride it and realise it is probably the most practical urban Harley in the range, it will more than likely end up in your garage being your favourite friend. But the colour… that’s the hardest choice –a good problem to have, I reckon. =
SPECS
Harley-DaviDson
Iron 883
PRICE: $14,995 (ride away)
WARRANTY: Two years, unlimited distance
SERVICING INTERVALS: Every 8000km or 12 months
ENGINE: Air-cooled V-twin cylinder, 4-stroke, SOHC, 2 valves per cylinder
BORE x STROKE: 76.2 x 96.8mm
DISPLACEMENT: 883cc
COMPRESSION: 9.0:1
POWER: N/A
TORQUE: 72Nm @ 3500rpm
TRANSMISSION: 5-speed, wet multi-plate clutch, belt final drive
FUEL CONSUMPTION: 5.23 litres per 100km, premium unleaded
THEORETICAL RANGE: 239km
COLOURS: Olive Green, Hard Candy Gold Flake, Charcoal Denim, Black Denim
VERDICT: SLIM URBAN FIGHTER
TRAVEL
JOIN US ON THE ISLE OF MAN IN 2017
TAKE THE TT 2017 SELF-GUIDED TOUR AND CONTINUE A LIFETIME DREAM!
If you ride a motorcycle you will know about the Isle of Man TT, and there’s a good chance that a visit to this circuit of insanity is high on your Bucket List. Now here’s your chance to get your backside trackside at the 2017 TT and also help the next Aussie up and comer, Alex Pickett, to tackle the course for the fourth consecutive year. Join those insane racers who put life and limb on the line to race what has to be one of the scariest and just plain most exciting circuits in the world. Alex is rated very highly by the likes of veteran TT racers Conor Cummins, John McGuiness, Cam Donald and a number of others as one of the IoM TT races’ brightest up-and-comers. Alex is relatively young for a TT racer, so has plenty of time on his side to become one of the high profile Island riders – but talent and age aren’t all you need to tackle the IOM. Like most young sports people of today, money is a worry for Alex. We don’t want that to stop someone of his ability from competing in his chosen sport! And you can help; not only by taking the once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to
see, smell and feel the awesomeness that is everything IoM TT, but also by helping Alex Pickett to realise his dream of being one of the front running TT racers. How? Just take part in this limited numbers trip organised for next year by Get Routed Motorcycle Shippers, who are supporting Alex to get over there and kick a… err, compete for Australia!
We’re getting into this too. Australian MOTORCYCLIST Magazine in conjunction with Cycletorque and Rapid Bikes magazines and Get Routed is offering an unbeatable package for next year’s IoM TT. It includes return shipping for your bike, 14 nights’ accommodation on the Isle of Man during the whole of the TT and ferry tickets to get to the Isle of Man from either Ireland or England.
What’s the catch? The package is limited to just 15 bikes!
Bikes will be shipped out of Brisbane, Sydney and Melbourne the first week of March to arrive in the UK in Felixstowe, Suffolk just prior to Tuesday 2 May.
If you want to go for a lap of Ireland
before attending the North West 200 race meeting in Northern Ireland, you can collect your bike on Tuesday 2 May and ride across to Holyhead to catch the ferry to Dublin. The NW200 is usually one or two weeks before the start of the TT Practice week - actual dates will be announced in October this year.
Don’t want to go to the NW200? You can collect your bike anytime from the 2nd until Thursday 25 May. You’ll need a day or so to ride across England to get to the Saturday 27 May ferry to the Isle of Man.
Your time on the IoM is your own and if laps of the TT course are your bag, then getting up early in the morning during Practice week is the best opportunity to head out while there’s not so much traffic, says Dave Milligan at Get Routed. Dave has a world of experience with the TT and with our own Stuart leading the tour, you’re not going to find a pair of better hosts.
Saturday 10 June sees everyone back on the ferry and off the Island. The first return shipment to Australia
is being loaded on Tuesday 11 July so you have time to get across to the Netherlands and see the Dutch TT at the historic Assen circuit on the last Sunday in June. The chance to tour Europe for a month after the TT is hard to resist, and the possibilities are only limited by your imagination. There will be a later return shipment in either September or October for those who want to spend more time touring Europe on their bikes. Just think about it: the list of MotoGP, WSBK, BSB and IDM race weekends
in Europe will be more than enough for even the most ardent bike race fan in June, July, August and September. Or there’s a swag of sights to be seen all through the Continent.
The cost of this package is $6736 for a bike and rider. Pillion cost is $2335. This gets your bike over to the UK and 14 days guaranteed accommodation at the 2017 IomTT! Yes, 14 days at the IomTT. If you know how hard it is to get accommodation for the TT, you’ll know how good a deal this really is.
Put a big fat tick next to that bucket list item and go to the 2017 Isle of Man TT with us and Get Routed.
This is the time to go if you’re ever going, and you know you are! So book now to avoid missing out and start getting excited! There are only those 15 spots available, so book as quick as you can!
How to Book
WHO: AMM 2017 IomTT Tour
CONTACT: Dave Milligan
dave@getrouted.com.au
0412 689 849 and/or 03 5625 9080 or visit the website:
www.getrouted.com.au
Facebook:
www.facebook.com/getrouted
WHEN: From Tuesday May 2 –Tuesday 11 July, 2017 (or longer by arrangement with Get Routed)
IndIan SprIngfIeld
We live, We die, and like the grass and trees, reneW ourselves from the soft earth of the grave. stones crumble and decay, faiths groW old and they are forgotten, but neW beliefs are born. the faith of the villages is dust noW... but it Will groW again... like the trees.
- Chief Joseph, Nez perCe (1840-1904)
Indian Motorcycle has been moving forwards at quite a fast rate, considering that only a couple of years ago they (under different management) were hardly to be seen. Brand new engines and platforms have been created and the latest result to be released is the stunning Springfield, named after the location of the original Indian factory (not after the one that’s home to The Simpsons, I think).
Stunning? Well, you might think it looks just like any of the other Indian Chief motorcycles, but you’d be
wrong. This bike is definitely special. It’s in the fine detail that you find the things that set the Springfield apart from the rest of the range. It also makes it, in my more or less humble opinion, the best tourer of the Indian range.
And that is exactly what we got to do on the recent launch of the Springfield – tour. Indian Motorcycle Australia brought along the entire tribe of 2016 Indians so we could ride them all back to back. I also got to ride the Scout and new Scout Sixty back to back, but that’s in a separate story. Another good one, too!
Aimed squarely at Harley’s Road King, the Springfield has been sharpened up in the chassis with less trail, a shorter wheelbase and higher tyre pressures when compared to the similar Chief Vintage. This gives you faster turn in and a more agile motorcycle – something we got to try out hitting the Putty Road with its hundreds of twists and turns.
The Putty also showed up another thing I love about this bike – the excellent ground clearance. Cruisers aren’t renowned for their massive lean angles, but you can crank the Springfield over quite a way before touching down the long footboards. To put this into perspective, I only touched the footboards down three times through the tight ‘Sixteen Kay Bends’ and I wasn’t mucking around. As a touring platform, the Springfield comes standard with a bespoke quick release windshield, remote locking hard bags, adjustable passenger floorboards, real leather seating, high-resolution anti-lock brakes, tyre pressure monitoring, electronic cruise control, a powerful headlight and dual driving lights, and front and rear highway bars, which allow mounting of accessories and offer valuable protection from tip-overs, as one poor soul (not me) found out during the launch. No damage was caused to any Springfield despite this!
Powered by the highly regarded Thunder Stroke 111 engine, the Indian Springfield offers more than 161Nm of torque. We have ridden the other models in the Indian range fitted with this engine, but not ones equipped with the accessory performance mufflers and high flow air intake, and boy what a difference this makes. Rather than feeling choked, the Thunder Stroke 111 feels strong and performs as you can reasonably expect from such an imposing powerplant. But for me, the standout feature of the Springfield is the comfort. Whenever you’re thinking of buying a touring motorcycle, comfort is definitely one of the, and probably the, most important things. It features on any potential owner’s list and the Springfield has all-day and I mean all-day comfort. The plush seat (and pillion seat), along with the Buck Horn handlebar and long footboards (adjustable for the pillion) put you in a position that is one of the most comfortable on the market. I found
the removable windscreen (2 inches shorter than the one on the Vintage) to be quite good, but a number of participants on the launch preferred to have it removed. They were, how can I put this, er, short people.
The range of accessories from Indian is long and tasty. A number of the bikes on the launch had some of the more popular ones fitted. The topbox you see in our opening shot is interchangeable with the other Chief models so if you’re upgrading, you can bring it along. The exhaust and air intake I’ve already mentioned, but one of the other Springfields had a passenger backrest which I think would be quite high on many owners list of must-haves!
Some say that Spring is the season of new life and feeling fresh, and this is kind of what you’ll feel riding the Indian Springfield. It makes you feel good and that can only bring about the feeling of being younger at heart – what more could you want from a motorcycle?
SPECS
INDIAN CHIEF SPRINGFIELD
PRICE: $33,995 (ride away)
WARRANTY: Two years, unlimited distance
SERVICING INTERVALS: Every 8000km or 12 months
ENGINE: Air-cooled V-twin cylinder, 4-stroke, SOHC, 2 valves per cylinder
BORE x STROKE: 101 x 113mm
DISPLACEMENT: 1811cc
COMPRESSION: 9.5:1
POWER: N/A
TORQUE: 161.6Nm @ 3000rpm
TRANSMISSION: 6-speed, wet multi-plate clutch, belt final drive
FUEL CONSUMPTION: 5.8 litres per 100km, premium unleaded
THEORETICAL RANGE: 358km
COLOURS: Thunder Black, Indian Motorcycle Red
Ofcourse there’s nothing new about sidecars on scooters. In the highly irreverent cartoon series which died with REVS magazine years ago, Eric and the giant white koala Douglas terrified the streets, schoolgirls and nuns with their Vespa outfit.
But every now and then you do come across something else that’s interesting. In this case, it was a Cezeta scooter fitted with what looked like a home-made sidecar body, and parked in a back street of Old Havana in Cuba. I found it particularly worthy of attention because I used to own
Can you see why one name for a sidecar body is “boat”? In this case, perhaps that should be “punt”…
a Cezeta scooter. Believe it or not, I can’t remember how I came into its possession, although I suspect it had something to do with an almostunderground workshop I frequented for a while in the early 1990s. I do remember how I came to sell it; a bloke from Mount Isa read about it in a magazine story I’d written, recognised it as the mount on which he and his wife had made their honeymoon trip, and begged me to sell it to him.
How could I resist?
Now my Cezeta was in somewhat better condition than the one I found in Havana. But it didn’t have a sidecar!
I suspect that the Cuban sidecar frame was a professionally built one,
despite the fact that it had been pretty seriously maltreated since then. The rear-facing swingarm suspension with its dual shock setup looked considerably more professional than the sidecar body. Made from wood, sheet aluminium and angle iron, the latter demonstrated more determination than styling ability. But still, in a city that depends for much of its transport on sidecar outfits from Jawa and MZ, this was a breath of fresh air. Not pretty but utilitarian, not stylish but strong.
In fact, the more I looked at this Cezeta “Scootfit”, the more I realised that this is probably exactly what an outfit would look like if I built one at home… =
A useful amount of load space behind the seat is not only easily accessible but also lockable.
Easy restoration! Unfortunately it probably won’t get that in Cuba; as long as it runs it will be used. Maybe it’ll get a new seat cover.
Check it out: could there be a more practical combination than this? It even has a spare tyre, and the 175cc engine is plenty for Havana’s flat streets.
Fascinating combination of a machine-stamped curve and completely bodged light replacement.
TOLD YOU WE WEREN’T KIDDING!
KIDMAN WAY, NSW. PART 2 WORDS/PHOTOS COLIN WHELAN
HILLSTON
The only town to my knowledge to have its name changed in honour of a publican. This place was originally known as Redbank and the first publican was a bloke from Roto Station named William Hill. He must’ve been a pretty enthusiastic drinker because when he died in 1867, the death certificate gave the cause as, “exhaustion from intemperance”. Two years later they changed the town’s name to Hillston in his honour!
This is the birthplace of Toby Price so when you come through raise a glass to this amazing bloke!
Today there’s a brace of pubs on the main street and Tattersall’s is far friendlier although often booked out due to seasonal farm workers.
Tattersalls Hotel Hillston
T: 02 6967 2546
Clubhouse Hotel Hillston
T: 02 6967 2514
The highlight for me is the wonderful manmade lake at the northern end. A popular boating and fishing facility and
a top place for an afternoon swim. Just give the horses a bit of room!
MT HOPE
A few years back I had a top night in the pub here (and there’s nothing but the pub here), with the owners. Unfortunately it’s now got managers in and they seem totally over it, are off handed and far from friendly. If telling a rider who turns up just ten minutes before the kitchen is about to close that he should order some grub now if he’s hungry is too much trouble, you are IN THE WRONG BUSINESS!!!!
I hear these managers are about to move on and I’ll keep you posted, in the meantime, best to keep moving. No fuel here.
COBAR
First up, John Martin at the Museum/ Tourist Info Office is the best, most helpful, most knowledgeable such officer I have ever come across. I won’t go into
all the details but the assistance and guidance which he gave me over two days in Cobar was waaaaaay beyond necessary. The building housing his offices and the museum there is totally worth the visit.
The Caltex at the western end of town sells all grades of fuel with a friendly smile.
The Great Western Hotel reckons it’s got the longest wrought iron balcony in Australia but go inside and ask about it and if you’re like me, you won’t get a very friendly response. Run by not the most popular person in Cobar.
If you’re after a good feed and atmosphere the bistro at the Empire on Barton St is a way better bet. The Bowling and Golf Club on Bloxham at the south of town is also very friendly and cheap.
Depending on its water level, the Newey Lake a bit down past the Bowling Club is a top place to camp but throw your sway a bit away from the toilets and BBQ area as the hoons love it late at night.
Parisi Motorcycles (www.mcparisi. com.au ) on Frederick St has to be about the biggest mother of a motorcycle shop anywhere outside a capital city. If you have any problems with your bike they are certain to be able to get you going again.
If you’re spending a day here and are with a group, you might want to
www.hemamaps.com.au
Last month we got you halfway up the Kidman Way from Jerilderie to Merriwagga with its black stump.
Time to move on from the tallest bar in Australia north to the Qld border (or not!)
Merriwagga to Barringun via the Kidman Way.
To exit Merriwagga simply head south from the parking meter outside the pub then hang a right and then another back onto the Kidman Way. Don’t start too early as you’re heading into the sun and you’ll notice roadkill which turns some sections into an almost slalom track. You’ll also see the earth turning redder and more vibrant.
First town is Hillston and you’ll need to fill up here as it’s 250km to the next bowsers at Cobar. There’s 91 and 98 at the servo at the south end of town but its hours fairly leisurely. If it’s closed your lifesaver is the 24hr card operated servo on the Heavy Vehicle bypass. As you hit the town approach, take the first on the right after the 50km/h sign onto Springs Road and then take the left onto Cowper St and the servo’s on your left. Be warned though, minimum pay is twenty bucks.
To rejoin the KW, continue north on Cowper and take the right back onto the highway.
If you’ve not taken the bypass just follow the road into town and take the right signposted for Cobar, cruise through town and then right again at the roundabout at the north end of town.
In 80km or so you actually come to some twisties through the hills as you approach Mt Hope which is now just a pub and some more as you leave it. Enjoy but the goats and hoppers seem to love curves too!
Once you get back to the wide flat land the edges have been well cut back to about 20 metres or so, giving good visibility and you’ll go through a few smaller ranges making this a nicely varied stretch to Cobar, 255km from Hillston. You hit the T at the Barrier Hwy just to the east of the Town so hang a left and you’re on the main street. You’ll see the stunning Tourist Info on your left just after the COBAR sign. The turn right for Bourke is just west of this. From Cobar the vegetation changes from turpentine to mulga to box to cypress to eucalypt and all the way back again. The soil from brown to red to grey to black, pause and repeat. Fascinating country for those in touch.
On the south edge of Bourke you see the Mitchell Hwy joining from the east and then you’re in the town. Your exit is a right around Central Park onto Mitchell St and then the third on the left signposted Cunnamulla. The BP is just up on your left and a bit after it is the excellent Tourism Office.
Your next fuel is at Cunnamulla, 257km away.
Head north over the Darling (great river swim spot if you take the Boat Ramp sign on your right before the bridge) and then bend right and it’s 98km to Enngonia with its top little pub and then a further 53 to Barringun and the Qld border and then end of the Kidman.
consider hiring a 4WD and heading out to the rock paintings at Mt Grenfell. The road in is definitely not suitable for road bikes but the paintings are very much worth the effort and expense. Coates is the best company to get a day hire.
(T: 02 6879 7600)
BOURKE
Named after the fella who enshrined the notion of ‘terra nullus’ into law, this town and its history make it worth more than an overnight.
I stay in a 65 buck a night room at the Port of Bourke Hotel on Mitchell St (T: 02 6872 2544) and can park the bike securely in the locked carpark around the back. From here you can walk anywhere in town, especially down to the Diggers on the Bourke Club where great staff combine with good food and good prices to make you feel at home.
National Parks and Wildlife have an office in Oxley St and their staff are inspiring with their knowledge and generous with their time.
The best place for breakfast is the 100 year old business of Morrall’s Bakery on Mitchell St….great (though not huge) pies made on site and decent coffee and milkshakes. The food at Grubbymicks on Oxley St serves not too bad food but a blind eye is turned to regulars who smoke in the seats outside so best to give it a wide berth.
A hybrid bike will get you out to the Fort Bourke Stockade with few problems but the track is dry weather only. You need to get a key to a locked gate from the Tourist Info Office at North Bourke and they’ll also provide a mud map. On the way there you’ll pass the cemetery where Fred Hollows has a fitting memorial. It’s well signposted. There’s a weir on the Darling just downstream from Bourke so the flow through town is usually very slow but if you’re after a river swim head north on the Kidman, cross two bridges and then take the right to the Boat Ramp. Plenty of parking and a gentle walk down to the water. Good spot to soak your riding gear and get rid of those 5 day old ‘scents’. AaaaaaaH!!!!!
The Caltex and Shell servos sell all grades of fuel.
ENNGONIA
Just the Oasis Hotel here really but it’s a good one and worth a stop. If you do, there’s a faux corrugated roof over the bar with a real gutter. The idea is to chuck your change onto the roof and it slides down into the gutter which is cleaned a couple of times a year. Every cent goes to the Flying Doctor. Works out at around a grand a year. Good place run by Greg and Kim, who’ve had it for eight years. But beware it’s closed Sundays. F: Oasis Hotel Enngonia
BARRINGUN
Four people live here. There’s Darryl (the only bloke in town), his mother and his partner kiwi Lynn who run the Bush Tucker Inn (no fuel) and where you can get a very decent and honest meal morning or night.
OH, AND THEN THERE’S MARY
Mary came to Barringun in 1948 and has run the Tattersalls Hotel here since 1977. At 92 (in May) she’s been running it solo since her husband passed away a decade ago. You won’t ever meet a publican like Mary, you may never meet another person like Mary and for no other reason you should ride the Kidman Way right up to the border!
She has no draft beer, only bottles and no accommodation but she has a dog, Gidgee and she has her memories and her stories. Don’t whatever you do just go in there to use the toilet. She’s named such people, ‘frees hitters’ and she doesn’t take kindly to them.
If this country honoured its living treasures, Mary would have a gong on her mantle.
Mary chooses to sleep in a room where she can see the sun rise each morning and a single dawn here will show you why.
If you are arriving at any end of the day, best to call ahead (T: 02 6874 7588)
SHOWTIME!
LOOKING BACK AT IFMA IN COLOGNE
WORDS THE BEAR PHOTOS RHEINISCHES BILDARCHIV
INTERMOT, the International Motorcycle Show in Cologne, has appointed Australian MOTORCYCLIST Magazine as an official media partner. That’s an honour that no Australian publication has ever received before, and we are suitably chuffed.
Naturally we will be attending the 2016 show in October, and we’re doing all we can to encourage others, both the trade and riders, to join us there. It’s a blast, and here’s a (not so secret) tip – the beer is excellent as well.
Along with our appointment,
the good folk from KoelnMesse, where INTERMOT takes place, also sent us some seriously nostalgic black and white images dating right back to 1964, when the show began as IFMA. We’d like to share some of them with you.
Yes, Triumph was there right from the beginning in 1964. The big news was the Bonneville land speed record which gave us the eponymous bike.
The world’s biggest scooter saw the light of day in the early ‘80s –here in 1982. Just think, I had seen it three years earlier at the Earls Court show in London.
I don’t know, but somehow I’m glad that Aprilia never put this prototype into production. What would they have called it – the “Collagen”?
Still in 1974, the Munch was the biggest and the most impressive bike on the road. Powered by a car engine it outshone everything else. That’s the man himself, Friedl Munch, second from leftin the white shirt.
“Are you sure there were British Vikings?” The bloke in the Harley t-shirt seems anything but convinced.
Dreaming in 1968 was no different from dreaming today, but the marques and the bikes have changed. DKW was once the World’s largest motorcycle manufacturer.
Yes, Virginia, there were choppers even in 1974. After all, Easy Rider (which was clearly the inspiration for the bike at front) had already been out for five years.
Riding the Range
Words Mal Jarrett Photos Mal Jarrett l Ou MartIn
Ask any self-respecting motorcyclist to name a ‘great’ road in Australia and it’s odds on that the Great Ocean Road (GOR) will be the first to get a mention. It is, afterall, world renowned for its scenery and challenging corners. There is however another ‘great’ ride in Victoria that is every bit as beautiful and jaw dropping in its scenery, and not without its challenging corners both fast and slow - The Great Alpine Road (GAR).
Say hello to ou R new adve Rti S ing manage R . m al i S a keen R ide R . in the Gippsland Lakes district, but Bairnsdale is the obvious place for riders to end their GAR experience. There are plenty of opportunities before Wangaratta to have some fun. With towns such as Beechworth and the cheese capital of Victoria, Milawa, all within easy reach of the beginning of the GAR, it’s well worth an occasional detour before the official start if time is on your side. Wineries and microbreweries are also plentiful if taking home a tipple happens to strike your fancy. If you’re coming from the west you’re not far from the GAR when Mount Buffalo comes into view, laid out like a giant sleeping bovine. The mountain is a side-trip well worth taking; the ride up and down is mouth-watering and the views to the surrounding valleys are simply spectacular.
Stretching for approximately 307km, the GAR (B500) officially begins just outside the northern Victorian provincial city of Wangaratta and winds its way through to the beautiful and stunning township of Bright, ascends the majestic Mount Hotham, and then descends into the Tambo Valley and terminates at Bairnsdale. The guide books will tell you that the official end of the GAR is Metung
Once again, this is only if time is on your side; the ride from Bright to Bairnsdale will take you longer than
TRAVEL
you expect. In fact switch off that part of your brain that automatically calculates time with kilometers travelled per hour. You’ll soon fi nd out there is very little correlation between the two when you’re riding this region.
Although there is a small servo at Mount Hotham, Bright is probably the best place to fi ll up with fuel to last you until you reach at least Omeo, so make sure that you top up the tank if your bike has somewhat limited fuel range (as does mine). There is a Shell service station on the central roundabout as you hit Bright, but if you miss it there’s a BP on your right as you cross over Morse’s Creek, at the entrance to the Bright caravan park. Both have all types of fuel.
Harrietville no longer has fuel available since the closure of its general store some time back. The next available fuel after Omeo is Swifts Creek after 27km. There’s a fuel pump at the general store, but it would pay to check operating hours if you’re planning to fi ll up there.
After this it’s Bruthen which is a
further 70km from Swifts Creek. There is a Shell service station as you hit the main T-intersection. Safest bet by my reckoning is to fi ll up in Bright and then top-up in Omeo, as this should get you all the way through to Bairnsdale or even Sale. Bright, Harrietville and surrounds are especially beautiful come autumn time when the leaves change. It’s hard to keep your eyes on the road when so much colour and beauty abound.
As you leave Harrietville and start
your ascent of Mount Hotham, it’s
your ascent of Mount Hotham, it’s on like Donkey Kong! There’s hardly time to warm up the tyres as you are suddenly thrown into hairpin after hairpin and switchback bends with cavernous drops on one side or the other, so take care whilst you get your senses acclimatised to your surroundings. You’ll have plenty of opportunities to stop and ‘smell the eucalypt’ as it were, so take the time to appreciate the magnifi cent views and soak up the serenity!
further 70km from Swifts Creek.
As you climb steadily, views of Mount Hotham’s summit peek through the trees and the temperature change can be quite dramatic as you get higher. In fact, make sure that you take a backpack or tank-bag with you; you will find yourself adjusting your clothing layers in accordance with the height of the mountain and the time of day.
The last time I rode the GAR it was so cold when I left Wangaratta that I couldn’t feel my fingers and toes, but by the time I was half way up Mount Hotham I needed to stop and remove some layers, only to be frozen again as I hit the summit. It was the same on the run down to Omeo; as the sun rose higher so did the temperature and at one stage I felt at risk of overheating, so off came some layers again.
This will of course differ depending on the time of year. I did the ride in late April when the days were unseasonably warm but the mornings and evenings were freezing.
At the summit of Mount Hotham it’s worth taking the time to have a
stretch and a walk around to take in the sights of the Alpine village, grab a coffee and thaw out a bit before continuing on to Omeo.
The ride from the Summit of Mount Hotham to Omeo is distinctly different to what you have just experienced. Once past Dinner Plain, the road opens up and gone are the tight hairpins of the ascent.
There are still a few tight bends, but nothing like what you have just experienced
In fact the scenery changes quite dramatically from the towering snow gums of Mount Hotham to grazing country and open plains.
Omeo is a great excuse to top up the tank and grab a quick bite or coffee from the local bakery, I can highly recommend both. This is where the C543 from Eskdale and Mitta Mitta, another awesome ride, joins the B500.
The ride from Omeo through to Bruthen is an absolute cracker! Running alongside the lower reaches of the Tambo River the GAR winds it way through gorges and
cuttings that had my exhaust note reverberating off the rock faces and me grinning inside my helmet from ear to ear. With seemingly endless curves, the sun shining through the trees and the Tambo bubbling along beside me it truly felt like biker heaven.
Alas, the township of Bruthen appears all too soon and the fun part is over. The short and keenly policed hop to Bairnsdale marked the end of the GAR for me, and it was then onto the mind-numbing Princess Highway for my return ride to Melbourne.
I highly recommend the GAR, but the time of year has a lot to do with it. Check the local conditions before heading out; Mt Hotham in particular can be quite unpredictable. Just as a guide to timing, I left Bright around 9am, hit Omeo about 11am and trundled into Bairnsdale at 1.30pm. Bear in mind that I was in no rush and took advantage of the many lookouts and photo-ops along the way. =
Apart from the light bar, the bike was fitted with the $2500 Mid Tourer Kit which comprises a windshield and leather panniers, both complete with brackets. If that seems a little steep, I’m inclined to agree but the stuff is all quality merchandise. Then there was the nice-looking $206.99 solo carrier rack, the very useful DC power socket and the somewhat less useful gear position indicator.
That might just be me. I have to admit that I’m not a fan of gear indicators. Without meaning to, I keep looking at them when I either know very well what gear I’m in, or it doesn’t matter a damn because I’m changing gear frequently. The latter is true on the Vulcan S; the limited torque of the relatively small engine means that your left foot stays busy, especially in constant corners like the ones on the Oxley.
So there I had a comprehensively
equipped small but by no means gutless cruiser, ready to tackle the many appalling roads that I would be asking it to cover. Adjustable preload on the back meant that I had managed to set the suspension just right for my svelte 90kg, the seat cosseted my backside pleasantly and the short exhaust put out just the right note. After a stop at Pie in the Sky (got to keep that 90kg up) I took to the back roads going north. It wasn’t long before I discovered the best way to travel on the Vulcan S. Best for me, I mean, ah… I’m not suggesting that this would be good for you. My goodness no. What I did was wind the throttle to the stop, back off a bit for most corners, and just whoop my way through the countryside. The bike is very forgiving, and I guess there’s always the anti-lock braking although I didn’t use it much. Brakes are okay even without the ABS.
This style of riding is nowhere near as irresponsible as it seems. Okay, I might not have been keeping to all the speed limits, but I never felt that I was doing anything unsafe. The Vulcan S is a predictable and safe motorcycle. While you might find yourself removing metal from the hero pegs, that is after all what they’re for.
At the end of the day I would only point to one negative with the bike, and that is the seat. This is not an uncommon complaint with cruisers, which tend to have well-padded seats which are very comfortable for short rides, but cease to be so on longer rides. The Vulcan S is no different, and I would suggest an AirHawk as a vital element in long-distance cruising. And don’t try to take out too many sports bikes, either. My success on the Oxley was a fluke. Still, the Vulcan S made the fluke possible… =
HIPSTER HEAVEN
WAY OUT OF THE ORDINARY
John with the 750S, err, the V7 outside Motociclo. Keep your eyes open if you’re looking for the shop; blink and you’ll miss it.
technical
“Hipsters”, says the Urban Dictionary, “are a subculture of men and women typically in their 20’s and 30’s that value independent thinking, counter-culture, progressive politics, an appreciation of art and indie-rock, creativity, intelligence… witty banter and old Italian motorcycles, especially Moto Guzzis.”
Oh,all right, I lied about the Urban Dictionary’s inclusion of Italian motorcycles. But whether the Dictionary says so or not, it’s true. And what is the most lusted-after Moto Guzzi? That’s not a question with a single answer. But you’ll always hear one or more voices saying simply “the 1000S”.
The 1000S sums up one aspect of the Moto Guzzi mythos beautifully. Its classic shape, engine and sound garner respect wherever you go on one, and while they’re not competitive with present-day bikes in any way other than coolth they are still a heap of fun to ride and quite challenging when pushed. Yes, words like “agricultural” do pop up in discussion, but that’s not necessarily seen as an insult by the cognoscenti. After all, if there was ever an agricultural Moto Guzzi it was the Mark III Le Mans! Whatever the naysayers may naysay, the 1000S is a thoroughly desirable bike still.
Maybe a bit too desirable. One in good shape will cost well over $12,000 – I’ve seen one for 16 big ones. And no matter how much you love them,
it’s still a two dozen year old Guzzi , with all the limitations that implies by way of reliability and even power. But you can have the looks and even some of the sound in a brand new bike. No, Moto Guzzi has not started making 1000Ss new. But it is making V7s, which are styled quite a lot like a smaller 1000S. And these photos will show you just how good a V7 can look, disguised as a – 750S. No, there’s never been an official 750S. But go and see John at Motociclo and he’ll build you one nevertheless.
Motociclo is a small shop in St Peters, in Sydney’s west. It’s no coincidence that it is just near Newtown, the hipster capital of the city, and many of the modified bikes John has in the shop tell the story of the hipster preoccupation with motorcycles. Among them we found this bike, a hipster’s dream (and quite possibly other people’s, too). John has turned a V7 into a 750S with paint and some accessories, and the result just gleams. I couldn’t resist giving you a look at it. Here are some of the bits John has fitted to help the bike along. You’d be amazed how affordable all this is. Just talk to him at Motociclo, 95-97 Princes Highway, St Peters NSW; 9557 7234 or email him at info@motociclo.com. au. The shop has a website at www. motociclo.com.au and you won’t believe some of the other cool stuff it sells. =
How do you like that tank cap assembly? Smart enough for any bike.
Yes, the “750S” duplicates the typeface of the bike that inspired it. / Even the horn, usually a rather utilitarian part, can look good. / Guard prevents “Guzzi flameout”, the tendency of Guzzis to shear off the sparkplug and catch fire if dropped.
Agostini’s at Mandello is a treasurehouse of all thing Moto Guzzi. / Did I mention the paint? It’s impeccable. Probably, to tell the truth, better than original.
footpegs come as a kit, and are easy to fit.
Bar end mirrors are a debatable improvement, but they do look good. / Fork gaiters and a short front mudguard all add to the look. / Bullet blinkers are de rigueur these day, and they always look good.
Rearset
TRAVEL ANIMALS ON BIKES
Must “scenic attractions” be natural, or can you create them – and if so how? The good folk of Central NSW, between Molong and Dubbo, reckoned you could do it. Not only that, they did it, with 120km of sculptures. Taking its theme from two local attractions,
namely Dubbo Zoo and the Mulga Bill Bicycle Festival, Cumnock & District Progress Association launched Animals on Bikes in 2009. It was to be a sculpture trail featuring up to 45 large roadside sculptures on the theme of – yes, animals on pushbikes.
COME RIDE ALONG
WORDS/PHOTOS THE BEAR
The area was suffering from eight years of drought, and everyone needed cheering up. The Progress Association arranged for the local TAFE to offer free welding lessons and “local farmers, farmers’ wives, Men’s sheds, bus drivers, preschool kids, playgroup mums” as the
And why not use the sculptures as notice boards for matters that concern everyone?
Forty-four gallon drums really are among the most useful things on a farm – for everything!
The dragonflies also mark the location of this, one of the biggest and strangest bikes I’ve seen.
www.animalsonbikes.com.au website describes the artists, responded with an amazingly creative range of sculptures. There are now some 111 of them, including many letterboxsized masterpieces, and they’re well worth seeing. They don’t just cheer up the locals; I can vouch for the fact that they work on travelling motorcyclists as well.
And of course it has become a genuine scenic attraction. The animals range from cute to rather ominous, and just spotting the next one is a fun activity. On a bike it might be worth remembering to keep an eye on the road, as well, and on tourists in cars who are doing the same thing you are…
I like Animals on Bikes very much, partly for what it is but also partly for what it represents: the power of the local creative spirit to bring something valuable into being. There are also sculptures in the towns along the way, and local businesses will be glad to see you if you drop in for an ice cream or an entire meal. You can download a map and a list of the sculptures from the website above before you take the trail along Obley Road / Banjo Patterson Way. It’s just as good from either end, it’s open 365 days a year –and it’s free.
As one of the maps points out, this is a “drive trail” and not intended for stopping. That could be dangerous as you might cause an obstruction to other traffic – not that there is all that much traffic along here!
And you know what – they even realise that bikes (the powered kind) exist. The website introduction says that the sculpture trail is “visible from any motorbike, bicycle, car or bus window…” That’s about as close to an invitation as I will ever need. Might see you out there; I’m going back to get some better photos!
These dragonflies buzz overhead even before the trail officially starts. Take the next turn left! / Oops! Our intrepid bike rider seems to have lost a foot as well as encountering a surprised bovine. / Heading into Yeoval from Wellington – the bike is there, but where’s the animal?
Warrego Hotel, Fords Bridge NsW
CaLLing You WORDS/PHOTOS C oLin WHE Lan
So anyway, everyone and everything seemed to be telling me to head out to the Warrego Pub in Fords Bridge, northwest of Bourke.
A few months back I’d been down to Whitton on the ’bidgee to check out the town where old Henry Lawson used to escape the prohibition of 1915 Leeton. He’d been sent there to dry out by Archibald of the Bulletin.
But this wasn’t the first time Archibald had dispatched Henry to the bush. In September 1892, this, ‘unfortunate towny, deaf and shy and brooding,’ had been put on the
Western Mail train for Bourke at Redfern Station with a one-way ticket and a five quid note in his pocket, both courtesy of “JF”. One NYE his wanderings out there brought him to the bar of the pub at Fords Bridge.
Then I headed out to Barringun (pop 4) to yarn with Mary Crawley, our oldest female publican and if she told me once, she told me a dozen times that I should drop over to Fords Bridge.
Back in Bourke on that trip I yarned for hours with old Kats in his corner of the bar at the Port of Bourke Hotel. He too
told me I should ride out to the Warrego Hotel.
Kats took a while to warm up but once he started his stories, trying to get a word in was like taking a sip from a fire hose. Finally his son Bryce came by to take the blue singlet warrior home as my head spun from the tales.
I was on the wrong bike that time so I procrastinated and headed home and did some readin’ n research.
Then I started planning and packing the Tiger XC.
Lawson didn’t like the view from the train window, writing on his first day
Warrego Hotel
16 Aubrey Street
Fords Bridge, NSW 2840
Ph:
in Bourke that, ‘the bush between here and Bathurst is horrible,’ and his first mission on hitting town was finding digs.
He got a room at the Great Western, a pro-union pub run by John Lennon (truly!).
Bourke (“the metropolis of the Great Scrubs”) was, ‘a much nicer town than I thought it would be,’ and his most immediate social observation was, naturally about drinking:
“This is a queer place. The ladies shout. A big jolly-looking woman… marched into the bar this morning, and asked me to have a drink. This is a fact; so help me Moses!”
But Lawson soon left the city and
walked down the Darling. He found work as a roustabout at Toorale Woolshed where the shearing was in full tilt. The place was owned by Samuel McCaughy, ironically the bloke who bequested the town of Leeton to the government on condition that it be alcohol-free.
I figured the old woolshed would be worth visiting and after a month or so of negotiation the folks at Parks and Wildlife in Bourke gave me rare and special permission to visit and to overnight there.
I follow their mud map out from Bourke, firstly along 29km of tar and then 38km of variable dirt to the edge of the National Park and a further 5km where one of their staff is waiting to escort me in.
Bugger me, it’s Kats’s son, Bryce who tells me his old man’s not too chipper but is in good care. The road in is rugged, wet and way longer than I expect but then, after a bend around Ross’s Lagoon, the shambles of the partly collapsed old shed is before me.
Woolsheds are my cathedrals. Forget that a famous poet once worked in this one. It’s not possible to walk the old floors and not beg the timbers, the
gates the rafters and the wheels to give up some stories, to talk to me.
“Whisper your secrets. Tell me what you’ve seen.”
Like great holy places and libraries, like graveyards and scenes of battles, these places demand silence and reverence.
I cannot agree with Lawson that, “(a) shearing-shed is not what city people picture it to be… it is perhaps the most degrading hell on the face of this earth. Ask any shearer.”
I set up the tent and the Trangia and go for a walk. In its prime over 100,000 sheep were shorn each year here in 46 stands. I count the remains of 27.
Under a near full moon, the Southern Cross finally comes from behind the clouds at 3.12am and I get the shot I’m seeking.
Two hours later the sun plays under the cloud to gift me a sunrise for the ages. Tired but jubilant, I pack and head back to Bourke, over road still flooded in places from the early May rains and then head northwest for Fords Bridge.
It’s pretty straightforward riding for 70kms: three strips of bitumen alternating with three sections of dirt,
the first two gravel but most of the last 12km is red sand.
The dirt finishes at the signed approach to the bridge over the Warrego Bywash which is soon followed by the bridge over the Warrego itself.
Henry’s description of the Warrego as a ‘dusty gutter with a streak of water like dirty milk’, remains accurate despite the recent 4 inches of rain.
The old Salmon Ford Hotel stood between these two water-courses and it was here that Lawson saw in the New Year of 1893.
The pub’s long gone, replaced in 1913 by the Warrego Hotel, on the western edge of town. Which is to say it’s not far from the eastern edge. The total population here is three, all blokes in their 60s of whom one is a hatter and has nothing to do with the other two!
This pub’s the only mudbrick hotel in Australia and at the back of the bar, where some of the render has peeled away you can see the hard, backed red dirt you’ve been wrestling with to get here.
When I get to the pub, Peter is outside having a durrie with his blue
bitch, 2 year old Pepe, and Colin the mailman who comes by twice a week bringing all the food and beer supplies.
Pete’s been here for a bit under 7 years. He used to be a concreter in Queensland but bought this place because he wanted a home and a job. He’s got three kids whom he hardly ever sees and a few grandkids, some of whom he’s never laid eyes on.
I grab a stubby and pay five bucks. It’s the same brand I was hit for nine bucks fifty at a trendy Rocks pub back in Sydney a month ago. All drinks are bottles though Pete’s turning on some kegs as a test run for the nights of State of Origin.
“See how it goes.”
I tell him his beers are too cheap, that if he lifted the price by just 20 cents he’d see the difference at the end of the week.
Pete draws on his fag, then fixes on me:
“And what would I do with a pocket full of cash?”
Later on a couple of locals pull up with a ute crammed with piggin’ dogs and a quad on a trailer. Chris opens the lid of the trailer trunk and shows me maybe ten quality boar heads.
The Real Deal
The Warrego Hotel at Fords Bridge ain’t a tourist pub. There’s no hats nailed to the walls and no five buck notes stuck to the ceiling. There’s no graffiti on the walls and no backpacker behind the bar.
This is an outback hotel. It’s real and authentic. As I sat outside with Peter and his bitch, and the occasional car or van would steam through, I generally felt sorry for these ‘tourists’ who’d not stopped.
It rated just into the four helmet category, over 200 on the value scale and 100% on the unique character index.
Peter’s a total Slim Dusty tragic and on the Saturday nearest Slim’s birthday on September 19th each year, it’s Slim Dusty Day at Fords Bridge and well over 200 souls share it.
This year that’s Saturday Sept 17th and if you’re going, I’ll see you when I’m looking at you, but oh, don’t go trying to book into Room 1. I’ve already reserved it.
They’ve had a productive day.
Kim and her husband, Mark from a station up the Hungerford Road rock up with their daughter, soon followed by Ted and Beth from towards Wanaaring.
Kim’s the cook here on Friday and Saturday nights and she’s soon in the kitchen keeping us all happy with feeds from a basic menu of schnitzels, steaks, bangers and mash and tonight’s special of Mongolian Beef.
Barnsey from down the road walks up through the roaming cattle and pulls up his favourite pew outside. He talks of the old days of catching roos for food and one time of getting a red doe for some hungry hitch-hikers. “I caught this one and killed it then skun it and hung it up for them,” he tells me and I stop him.
But he, and the rest of the fellas in the circle are adamant the past tense of the verb, ‘skin’ is ‘skun’ out here. There ya go! Who says Australian English is homogenous??
Other blokes from (sort of) nearby farms bowl up. They’ve all got lived-in faces, they’ve all got hands that’ve not spent much time in pockets.
The chat ebbs and flows, sometimes it drips and sometimes it flows. After each story there’s a quiet
and a group inhale as the gist is digested, savoured.
Tales are shared and swapped: stories of hardship and misadventure, of silliness and stupidity. All are selfeffacing and entertaining.
In the backroom of my mind, Henry’s observation that, “I have…. found that Bushmen are the biggest liars that ever the Lord created,” resonates but these aren’t tales of bravado, more yarns of life.
“For a life along the Darling isn’t like the life in town.”
I decide to stay two nights.
There’s only four rooms here and each has a double and a single bed. A room on your own is forty bucks, two in is sixty. All beds have electric blankets and all rooms have heaters and pedestal fans. There’s free camping with free showers and toilets all around.
The pool table has pockets and nowhere to insert coins just rack ‘em up and shoot! Oh and there’s even a hookey board in the bar.
This is not the flashest pub you’re ever going to visit, but it’ll be one of the most memorable. If it hasn’t got all you want, you’re probably not going to find yourself out here in the first place! =
SHOEI J.O
JOLLY AWESOME!
with the J.O open face. It combines all the great features of an open face and an open face with a visor, thanks to the internal drop down visor. I had to have one as soon as I saw the press release; essentially it is like having two helmets in the one.
size), which has to be the lightest helmet I’ve ever worn and possibly the lightest open face (or its equivalent design) on the market.
A compact, low and snug fit is what you get with the J.O thanks to the three shell sizes available through the range. You can also customise the J.O for an even better fit. Four cheek pad sizes are available (3143mm), but I found the standard cheek pads in the Large (35mm) I take to be comfortable. The liner is also removable, washable and of outstanding quality. Its shape is 3D and it comes with leather edging, which gives it that full custom look and will protect the liner when/if you place the helmet on rough surfaces. The internal drop down visor can be set in three positions so you can have it just right. I had it set on full drop and it sits a whisker above the lower part of my nose which is perfect for keeping bugs and rocks from flying up into my eyes. And if you want to wear goggles while wearing the J.O, Shoei has you covered also, with the rear goggle strap.
Price - $499. Visors - $79.95
Sizes – XS-2XL
Colours – Matt Black, Matt Brown, Off White, Black, Rat Grey, Hawker TC-5 and Carburettor TC-6. Finding just the right open face helmet to suit a variety of needs can sometimes be a pain. You might want one with a visor, but don’t like the range available because of the studs, or non-removability of it; or you might not like the plain open face that offers little protection from the elements without a visor! But those ever so clever people at Shoei have come up
The J.O is available in a number of plain colours (I opted for the matt brown), along with two graphic versions, which cost another $100 ($599) over the plain coloured versions. You can also get three versions of the visor – clear, HD yellow and darksmoke. I have all three so that no matter how the weather turns, I’ll be set. And changing the visor is a very simple, few second job once you know how to do it.
The J.O is one of the new ECE approved helmets and one thing you’ll find with these new helmets is that they’re light. Basically, the ECE tests allow lighter materials to be used, despite being stronger where it matters, whereas the Aussie standards resulted in heavier helmets. The J.O weighs in at just 1000 grams (Large
The Shoei J.O comes with a five year warranty and combined with its premium handmade features and fit, this has to be the best versatile open face helmet on the market.
Grab one from your local bike shop or visit www.mcleodaccessories. com.au SW
SHOEI J.O OPEN FACE HELMET
modernhistory EVERYTHING OLD…
BMW GOES FOR OLDTIMER ELEGANCE
In late May every year, on the picturesque banks of Lake Como in Italy, the Concorso d’Eleganza Villa d’Este gathers the most exquisite metal of the motorcycle and automotive world. It’s recognized as one of the most exclusive gatherings of classic cars and motorcycles, drawing the biggest collectors of the globe to showcase their most treasured items in front of the jury. And of course the manufacturers put on something special as well…
Eighty years ago, BMW presented the BMW R 5 to the public – an exciting new technological development that was to influence motorcycle construction right through to the 1950s. Inspired by the 500cc factory racing machine of 1935, it was one of the ground-breaking sports motorbikes of the late 1930s with its newly designed light frame. To mark the 80th anniversary of the BMW R 5, BMW Motorrad is honouring this icon at the Concorso d’Eleganza
2016 with a special model: the BMW R 5 Hommage.
The BMW R 5 Hommage translates the essence of motorcycling into the modern era, combining the world of historical motorcycle design with the modern world of custom bikes.
“At its debut, the R 5 was not only a masterpiece of engineering, the clarity of its lines and the elegance of its proportions also made it stand out clearly from the masses. To this day, the R 5 remains one of the most aesthetically appealing motorcycles in BMW history in my view,” says Edgar Heinrich, Head of Design BMW Motorrad. “In my opinion, its fascinating and unique beauty lies in its sheer simplicity,” adds Ola Stenegard, Head of Vehicle Design and Creative Director Heritage BMW Motorrad. “In today’s world it is very simple to keep it complicated, but very complicated to keep it simple. And the BMW R 5 captures the very essence of a
motorcycle. Our aim was to transport its clarity and elegant aesthetic appeal to the modern era – creating a respectful combination of old-school and hightech with a dash of high performance.”
The BMW R 5 Hommage shows just how well the world of historical motorcycles and the custom scene harmonise. At the core there is an original 500 cc twin cylinder engine provided by motorcycle enthusiast Sebastian Gutsch. This boxer engine was damaged in a race and provided the starting point for creating the BMW R 5 Hommage.
As befits a custom bike, the homage bike was elaborately hand-crafted from scratch. Ronny and Benny Noren were called upon to produce the parts according to the specifications of the BMW Motorrad Design Team: the two brothers have been building tailor-made customer bikes for more than 30 years.
The twin cylinder 4-stroke boxer engine of the R 5 was completely newly
designed at the time and had an output of 24bhp at 5,500rpm. The valve drive was taken care of by two camshafts powered by a timing chain. Thanks to the likewise newly designed frame made of electrically welded oval tubing, the light R 5 reached a top speed of 135km/h, making it almost as fast as R 17 with 33 bhp 750 cc – which is one of the reasons it was so frequently used for racing, just like the engine selected for the BMW R 5 Hommage. For the homage bike, numerous components such as the valve cover and the breastplate of the boxer engine were machined from billet aluminium based on sketches: they give the historical core a dash of modern flair.
Ronny and Benny Noren were the perfect partners for the BMW R 5 Hommage project. All parts such as the frame, fuel tank and rear guard are unique, elaborately hand-crafted components – making this a genuine custom bike. For the frame, the focus
was on the oval shaped tubes which were such a striking feature of the original.
Together the frame and fuel tank draw a continuous line from the steering head to the rear wheel hub, giving the side view a touch of elegance. The original R 5 introduced the telescopic fork, whose characteristic fork covers were aerodynamically shaped at the level of the headlamp. The brake and clutch levers likewise blend the past with state-of-the-art technology: these custom-made components combine the look of historical reversed levers with the adjustment options of modern controls.
The technical highlight of the engine is the specially developed supercharger, which boosts the output of 26bhp to achieve a contemporary accurate level.
A completely newly built stainless steel exhaust system ensures that this increase in power is appropriately reflected in terms of sound.
The colour theme is typical BMW – black with white pinstripes, though interpreted in contemporary style. In addition to the opaque surfaces, the smoke finish on the fuel tank and rear guard allow the steel underneath to partially show through. In addition to the white pinstripes, the black has a metallic finish and a slight flake effect. The engine cases and gearbox in glass bead aluminium provide the perfect stage for the polished aluminium parts such as the machined breastplate and the valve covers with its “R 5 crease”. The overall image is rounded off with a handstitched leather seat with highquality embossing.
What do we say? BUILD IT, MUNICH! =
Edgar Heinrich, Head of Design BMW Motorrad, rides the R5 Hommage at the Concorso. And look, he’s not wearing a helmet –but he’s still alive!
NEWINTHESHOPS
THE SOLUTION
YSS suspension for Yamaha MT range
Both of Yamahas MTs, the -07 and -09, are fitted with quite soft suspension from the factory. Now finding the right solution to fix this shortcoming of a pair of otherwise awesome bikes has been made possible by YSS. For less than a thousand dollars you can get the ‘Street Box’ which includes front springs matched to your weight,
fork oil and an adjustable rear shock, also matched to your weight. And the ‘Street Box’ is a do-it-yourself fitment, so YSS includes full instructions and over the phone support. Stuart has YSS suspension in his race bike and loves it and can vouch for the top level support available from Walter at YSS. Contact YSS on 08 8284 8033, info@ suspensionshop.org or visit the website to purchase and to view the extensive range available http://store.suspensionshop.org/
MINI SPRAY
Motul Road Mini
Chain Pack
Price - $24.90
Keep your chain in tip top condition with Motul’s mini chain pack. It includes 1 x 150ml aerosol can of Chain Lube Road and 1 x 150ml aerosol can of Chain Clean which will pack easily into anyone’s luggage, whether it be tankbag, topbox, panniers or even a backpack. Also available in an off-road version for the same price. See your local bike shop or visit www.linkint.com.au
NOW YOU CAN GO!
Ventura Bike-Packs and Bonneville Pannier System –Honda Africa Twin Price - Bike-Packs from $359. Pannier System - $349
If you don’t fancy fitting heavy, solid boxes onto your shiny new Africa Twin, Ventura has you covered with their range of bikepacks and the all-new Bonneville Pannier System!
The Bonneville Pannier Bag is the latest innovation from Ventura and works with the Pannier Support System. The bags are part of a new soft pannier system that allows for super quick fitment with a bag that won’t flap or rub on your paintwork and features 24 litres capacity.
The Bike-Packs are the awesome range we all love, with the AeroSpada, Rally-Euro, Bora, Mistral and Astro versions available. So pack all you want and make your adventures comfortable ones on your Africa Twin thanks to Ventura. See your local bike shop or visit www.kenma.com.au
TASTY DELIGHTS
Dririder Scrambler, Scout and Cruise jackets
Price - $299.95, $349.95, $299.95
Three new jackets, three tasty versions from Dririder. If you like that plain oil coated type vintage jacket, the Scrambler is your pick. If you want a more versatile oil coated vintage jacket, check out the Scout and ladies, the new Cruise jacket has style and sexiness written all over it. All three jackets come with a detachable 75 gram thermal liner, detachable waterproof liner, comfort mesh liner, EVA back pad, CE armour in shoulders and elbows, plus loads more great features. Available in a number of colours and a wide range of sizes, see your local bike shop or visit www.mcleodaccessories.com.au
COMFORT, SECURITY AND PERFORMANCE
Ixon RS HP Pro gloves
Price - $269.95
Comfortable hands means a focused rider - these gloves from Ixon are made
from a combination of goat, cow and kangaroo leather. This winning combination makes for durable, lightweight and strong gloves that fit like a second skin. Available in sizes: XS - 4XL and colours: Red, Blue, Black/White, Black/Yellow, Black/ Green. See your local bike shop or visit www.ficeda.com.au
REPAIR ME!
X Tech Emergency
Tyre Repair Kit
Price - $39.95
NEWINTHESHOPS
GO THE FREEWAY
Arai Freeway Classic open face helmet
Price – from $399.95
Fix that flat tyre which is always going to happen at the most inconvenient moment with the easy to carry X Tech tyre repair kit. It’s packed with all you’ll need to get you going again in a zip up carry bag. You’ll never leave home again without it. See your local bike shop or visit www.cassons.com.au
Are you after an open face helmet which has classic features and is available in plain colours, or wild graphics? Well, Arai has the Freeway Classic available and it covers the bases with numerous high end features and a wide range of sizes. See your local bike shop or visit www.cassons.com.au
SPEAR AN INDIAN
Kuryakyn Spear Collection
Razor-sharp styling meets cutting-
facebook.com/andy.strapz
edge comfort in the all-new Spear Collection from Kuryakyn. Designed specifically for the new generation of Indian motorcycles, the Spear Collection of grips and foot control accessories puts the emphasis on form and function using the latest in vibration-reducing technology. All products are cast from quality chrome-plated A380 aluminium with coordinating accented features. Premium EPDM soft rubber inserts help carry the traditional spear theme
Merino Wool Thermalz – Topz and Pantz
Reactor Thermal Sleeping Bag Liner
Headliners, Balaclava, Nekz
Now proudly made for Andy Strapz®
Extra Length Sokz
Strapz
Avduro and Expedition Pannierz
throughout, while also offering reduced vibration and a secure feel in any riding conditions. We really think this set would stand out from the crowd on any Indian Motorcycle. Visit www.rolliesspeedshop.com or www.kuryakyn.com to purchase.
IMPROVE THE WORLD!
Touratech Companero World 2 suit Improving a product that’s already perfect is not such an easy task. But
Touratech has done just that with the Compañero World2. With some fi ne-tuning on conceptual details, plus new materials in a number of areas, the suit is sure to keep setting standards for functionality, ruggedness, airiness, lightness and comfort. Available in a wide range of sizes and black/grey/yellow and all-black version. Visit www.touratech.com.au or call 03 5929 5529 to purchase.
HALF LAP ODYSSEY
SEXAGENERIAN SHENANIGANS OVER WEST WORDS PAUL CHURCH PHOTOS PAUL CHURCH, ORTO
Age certainly hasn’t wearied Paul and John, as you will read in the matter-of-fact story that follows. I hope their adventure will encourage other readers to get their own bucket list rides under their belts! I’ll see you out there on the road. PT
My good friend John Bristow (67) and I (65) recently returned from a motorcycle trip that has long been on both of our “bucket lists”, around half of this enormous country.
The start was in Perth one morning, and we covered 751 kilometres to Norseman quite comfortably without incident on the first day.
Day 2 greeted us with misting rain as we headed toward Balladonia. This was one of only two very wet days on the whole trip. Fuel stops were nicely spaced for our bikes at Balladonia, Caiguna, Cocklebiddy and Mundrabilla. We reached the Border Village after 736 kilometres and settled into our motel room before checking the bikes and applying chain lube. Then it was time to adjourn to the bar for a beer and a feed. Even after two days fairly hard riding, we were still in our home State!
The weather was better for Day 3 and we arrived at the Wudinna Hotel/
Motel in South Australia after 703 kilometres. Clean rooms, a bar and a very reasonably priced restaurant. Knowing day 4 was going to be a long one, however, we settled for an early night.
The ride to Coober Pedy was an 815 kilometre day. We thought we had planned the fuel stops, but when we got to Iron Knob, the service station was closed and looked like it had been for quite a long time. So be warned, if you’re crossing the Nullarbor west to east make sure you top up in Kimba. Having no option we decided to try and make Port Augusta. John’s
Triumph is better on fuel efficiency, so I got into John’s draft and we kept the speed to 100km/h and prayed that we would get to Port Augusta. Luckily we made it and the Bandit took 18.31 litres in its 19 litre tank. After this drama we headed to Coober Pedy and since it was our first time visiting this part of the country, we decided to sleep underground at the Desert View Apartments. An experience, and a unique way to spend a night in a unique little community.
On Day 5 we were aiming for Uluru. It wasn’t going to take us far out of our way and it seemed obligatory to visit “The Rock”. Took the Stuart Highway to Erldunda (as if you have a choice). Here we refuelled, then headed west along the Lassiter Highway. We arrived at the Ayers Rock Resort after a 785 kilometre day. Because of its popularity and isolation, prices here are high and it cost us $245
for a room that can only be described as a “Donga” with 2 sets of short bunk beds and a small ensuite. Entry fee to “The Rock” is $25 per person which covers sunset and sunrise viewing.
We rode out to the sunrise viewing area in a very cold 2 degrees on the morning of Day 6. The changes in colour of Ayers Rock, as the sun comes up, are worth the effort. It is, of course, something that everybody should experience at least once in their lives. After riding around the perimeter (the climb was closed, due to high winds at the top, apparently), we headed for Alice Springs, a leisurely 514 kilometres.
We gave ourselves a day’s rest and relaxation in Alice Springs on Day 7, taking advantage of this to visit the Ghan Railway Museum, War Memorial (which also has a very impressive lookout) and the very dry Todd River.
Day 8 included a number of things that we had earmarked to see. Leaving Alice Springs early, our first stop was the Tropic of Capricorn monument. Then it was on to the UFO centre of Australia, Wycliffe Well. Apparently there have been hundreds of UFO sightings here since World War 2. The locals say that if you stay up all night, you would be considered unlucky not to see anything, rather than lucky to see something. The Devils Marbles Conservation Reserve of 1802 hectares was next on the way to Tennant Creek, where we ended up after a 534 kilometre ride that day. Next day, we covered Tennant Creek to Katherine at a very sedate pace, due to my rear tyre wear. John noticed R & M Motorcycles as we rode into town and they couldn’t have been more helpful. They sorted out a Michelin PR tyre for me and arranged to fit it. We stayed at the Knott’s
Crossing Resort and Steve, the resort manager, made us most welcome and spent time with us chatting and telling us about the local attractions.
Next day was a comparatively small journey of 326 Kilometres into Darwin. We booked two nights at the “H” Hotel, to give us an extra day exploring the sites.
We spent the R&R day checking out the waterfront with its World War 2 bombings and touring the city. The weather was very humid, draining the energy from us. We also spent part of the day servicing and checking the bikes. In the evening we visited the Mindil Beach Markets and I’m sure the whole population of Darwin was there.
Next morning it was back to Katherine with some interesting stops. The first was Adelaide River (home of Crocodile Dundee memorabilia) and the very picturesque Pine Creek. In Katherine we took the opportunity to go out to the Katherine Gorge and do a Nitmiluk Tour. We again stayed at Knott’s Crossing Resort.
Our plan for Saturday was to travel to Kununurra. The road across is good, but we went from looking out for red cattle and eagles to avoiding grey Brahmans and brumbies. We had neglected to research events before arriving in Kununurra, and it was the weekend of the Kimberley Moon Festival and no accommodation was available. The tourist information was able to book us into Warmun (Turkey Creek) “just down the road” but neglected to pass on some fairly vital information: “Just down the road” turned out to be 220 kilometres and on arrival we discovered it is not
only a “dry community” but food is a bit limited also.
Unfortunately in the morning not even water was available, so we
decided to fuel up and get underway. The original plan was from Kununurra to Fitzroy Crossing, but of course we were there by lunchtime. We decided to press on to Broome and in all honesty it is not the most picturesque part of the country. With 869 kilometres under our belt we pulled into Broome at the Roey Hotel/Motel and enjoyed a well-earned couple of beers and a meal.
Monday was spent exploring the magical Broome district, from camels on Cable Beach to Chinatown, North Beach, The Port, and the famous Matso Brewery.
On Tuesday we headed back to Roebuck Roadhouse, before turning south for Sandfire, Pardoo and on to Port Hedland, where we caught up with a couple of friends who live there.
We woke next day to drizzling rain and very dark skies, but the weather is something you cannot control, so we packed up and departed. Riding out of Port Hedland, we found the
rain increasing and before long it was torrential. John was leading that day as we took it in turns. He came upon a part of the road at Whim Creek that looked as though a truck had pulled out and put some red dirt across the bitumen. But it was a floodway, and well over 30cm deep! We went through numerous flood ways which were close to half a metre deep, and each side of the road was running with red rivers. These were the worst weather conditions either of us has ever ridden in. There was nowhere to safely stop along this stretch of road, so we pressed on with extreme caution. Eventually we pulled in to Nanutarra Roadhouse, wet through and ready to stop after a gruelling 539 kilometres
Thursday dawned with better weather but damp riding gear, so we used plastic bags over dry socks to enable our riding boots to dry out. We detoured to Exmouth, which has a history associated with the air force and was also a submarine base during
World War 2. We did a tour of this nice little community, which is now predominantly used by fishermen and water sport enthusiasts. We decided to go on to Coral Bay, 152 kilometres back down the road.
Coral Bay is a big attraction for the “grey nomads” and we settled at the People’s Caravan Park. Feeling refreshed and raring to go after a good night’s sleep, we made our next target Northampton. A fairly easy 670 kilometres had us pulling in to the Northampton Hotel/Motel to spend our last night on the road on this trip.
Day 20 was the ride home, Northampton to Perth, just 469 kilometres. We were home by early afternoon. It’s nice to go away on trips, but it’s always nice to get back home and sleep in your own bed and see the family.
The total trip covered 10,769 kilometres and we were able to cross it off the “bucket list”. =
HIGH ALPINE TOUR
HIGHLIGHTS
★ Munich
★ King Ludwig’s Castle
★ Stelvio Pass
★ Dolomites
★ Grossglockner
★ optional day trip to Venice on the rest day
May 26 - Jun 02
Jun 26 - Jul 03 HS Jul 17 - 24 HS Aug 06 - 13
Sep 03 - 10
Sep 21 - 28
TECHNICALLYTHEBEST
RIZOMA
“MADE IN ITALY” MATTERS
WORDS THE BEAR PHOTOS RIZOMA
Ilovewriting this kind of stuff for you. Not only because it gives you something to think about (I hope) but also because whenever I do a bit of research around the margins of my subjects, I keep discovering stuff. Strange stuff, fascinating stuff – and sometimes stuff that connects in ways that I would never have expected. Take this article as an example; I began by looking up the definition of Rizoma, which by the way appears to be Spanish rather than Italian. Predictably enough it means rhizome, a kind of root. Then I came across
Gilles Deleuze and Félix Guattari’s Concept of the Rhizome.
“Let us summarize the principal characteristics of a rhizome: unlike trees or their roots, the rhizome connects any point to any other point, and its traits are not necessarily linked to traits of the same nature…” they write; “It is comprised not of units but of… directions in motion... which can be laid out on a plane of consistency… . When a multiplicity of this kind changes dimension, it necessarily changes in nature as well, undergoes a metamorphosis… always detachable, connectable, reversable, modifiable, and has… its own lines of flight.”
(Deleuze & Guattari, 1987, p. 21)
These blokes are, respectively, a philosopher and a psychiatrist. Occupations which are more likely to suit obscurantists than clear thinkers like you and me, but think about it in connection with, well, the connection between a bike and an accessory. Don’t
worry if you don’t get it; I’ve just reread the above and I must admit that I may well have had too much of that strong Sri Lankan tea when I wrote it… despite that, though, it seems remarkably apposite for an accessory; especially a class item like one from the Rizoma parts and accessories catalogue. Even the packaging is almost incredibly classy.
The factory puts it this way: “All Rizoma products are now functionally designed and made almost exclusively from blocks of aluminium, the preferred choice of material, perfectly suited to dynamic design, and ‘giving shape to movement’, combining aesthetics with aerodynamics and lightness.”
And oh yes, that catalogue. It’s a 300 page hard-cover book, beautifully set out and printed. If you’re wondering why we have been throwing Rizoma accessories at our own and other people’s bikes lately, you’ll understand
when you have a look at that catalogue. Take your word for it, everything that you see there is at least as good in real life as it looks in the photos. Does this all seem a bit over the top? Well, just remember that the watchword here at AMM is “excellence is barely good enough for your bike”. Well, unless you ride a [name deleted for personal survival reasons – the Sub].
I first came across Rizoma products at EICMA, the Milan motorcycle show, when the company was only a few years old. I was already impressed by the quality of their work, both in design and execution. Now some 15 years old, Rizoma’s factory/research centre with a growing production area of over 5,000 square metres lies on the outskirts of Milan in the fashion and design district in Ferno, near the airport. Everything is made there by Rizoma itself. A quick visit last year showed me that the high standard of Rizoma parts is no accident.
One reason for the company’s success is the consistency of styling. Originally, Fabrizio Rigolio as CEO, and Fabio Rigolio as General Manager, designed and fashioned their first customised accessory - a machined aluminium mirror - in a simple, family-run workshop. A lot of Italian specialist manufacturers seem to start that way. Since then, the Rigolio brothers have watched over the creation of mirrors, levers, indicators and all the other products with eagle eyes. The result is a top design brand.
“Another important contributing factor to Rizoma’s growth is its cooperation with various teams in the sports world, including partnering with Honda LCR for the Moto Grand Prix in 2008,” says Rizoma’s CEO. “The aim of developing products to be used in motorcycle racing is not just about high exposure. It is a technological challenge, a real
The Best
The best is the enemy of the good Like a lot of philosophers, Voltaire shot his mouth off quite a bit without thinking first. Take the quote above; it is true only when you can afford the best. If you can’t, then the good may very well be good enough for you. Fortunately for us, we have usually been able to get our hands on “the best” examples of bikes, accessories and so on.
As a bit of payback and a guide to you, we’re going to try to put together a few little stories about “the best” motorcycle industry manufacturers and suppliers, as we see them. This is the first of those. Want to place a few bets on whom the next one will honour? PT
ground for Rizoma designers to develop high-tech accessories, the knock-on effect of which is the benefit to its consumers, such as the Proguard System, a front-brake level protection that prevents accidental braking. Using this Rizoma-patented system has been compulsory since 2012 in the majority of motorcycle and international competitions.”
Walking around the Rizoma factory is almost an uncanny experience. The machines that eat billet aluminium and produce Rizoma’s 1500 itemstrong collection of parts are eerily silent in their soundproof boxes. Painstakingly clean, the factory is laid out so as to minimise handling and potential damage to parts. Out front but secreted away from the factory floor are departments such as Unit
11, the hub of the motorcycle area, where accessories for models made by the biggest motorcycle manufacturers in the world are studied and designed, and Unit 77, a creative experimental laboratory where “the ideas of the future are born”, according to Fabrizio Rigoli.
Regrettably, bears are not allowed in either of those. Still, I had seen enough to know that I wanted my Ducati Scrambler kitted out in this stuff. You will be able to see the result in next month’s issue of MOTORCYCLIST. In the meantime, you can see Rizoma parts on the web at www.rizoma.com. They are also fairly easily available from Australian bike shops such as BikeBiz in Granville, Sydney, 02 8294 1500, who have helped us with them. =
COMPILED BY THE BEAR
“We’ll all be rooned” is a fairly common cry in the Australian motorcycle industry, especially among retailers. And there is some justice to it. Times currently are not the best, and there have been some even rougher patches in recent years. But it hasn’t really been heard much among motorcycle tour operators –until now. A combination of a low Aussie dollar, low resource prices, pessimism about the economy, government and opposition parties more interested in point scoring than
“WE’LL ALL BE ROONED…”
coming up with ideas about the future – and an election, on top of all that –have meant a dearth of bookings. It’s not just motorcycle travel, of course. Travel agency Flight Centre has just issued its third profit downgrade in a row, if I’m not very much mistaken. And as Murray Walker once said, “Yes, yes, I am very much mistaken!” Had to get a joke in there somehow.
The point is that this, too, will pass away. In the meantime, keep saving your 10 cent pieces – they’re going to dump the 5 cent coin, aaargh – and plan for the future. That future will, I suspect, not be far away because the Australian economy is basically healthy, unlike many or even most others, and there will be some real bargains to be had.
But even in the meantime it is worth calculating what some of the tours I write about actually cost, especially in comparison with Australian holidays. I’m not knocking travel in Australia,
in fact the first and second items in this column this month are about Australian destinations (and I think all of our travel articles this month are about Australia), but don’t write off a place you’d like to go just because it’s overseas. Flights are still cheap, and in many cases getting cheaper.
There are also different motorcycle destinations from the usual ones. Next month I’m going to be telling you a bit about Sri Lanka, a remarkable place that’s relatively close to Australia and drives on the left! So Hanrahan be buggered; we are not all going to be rooned, now or in the foreseeable future. Don’t stop riding, don’t stop travelling and above all don’t stop dreaming because of the doomsayers. And if you haven’t read the original poem, look it up –“Said Hanrahan” by John O’Brien. It’s a pretty good lesson in the way things work; in Australia, at least.
The bikes and the walls speak volumes at Roadies Café.
GLOUCESTER ROSTER
“Brooke and I are the proud new owners of Roadies Cafe in Gloucester, NSW,” writes Subeg Singh. “We welcome you to pop in and say hello as well as staying to experience the great flavours coming from the kitchen and
the great coffee made from friendly and experienced staff. Roadies is a licensed café open 7 days, serving breakfast, lunch and other delicious café fare. Roadies opens everyday from 7.30am serving breakfast till 11am, and then goes into the delicious lunch menu till 3pm. On Friday and Saturday nights the doors re-open at 6.00pm for pizzas and
Big burgers are a speciality at Roadies.
our delicious dinner menu.
“Roadies is oh so relaxed, and with a wood fired oven and some seriously lovely motorcycles to look at, it’s kind of different too. Roadies Catering can look after your needs for almost any occasion. The cafe itself can comfortably seat 60 people. Roadies Café offers new breakfast, lunch and dinner menus.
“Great food. Great coffee. Fast and friendly service. Not just another cafe. Come and experience The Roadies Cafe.”
And I have in fact just done that, dropping in with Bear Army trooper John Fox after the recent Manoeuvres in Walcha. Everything Subeg writes seems pretty spot on to me! Gloucester is, of course, on the Bucketts Way and near the start of the famous (infamous?) Thunderbolts Way.
CARAMBA KARUMBA
Are you still looking for a place to go this winter? Here’s an interesting option.
“The Gulf Savannah extends from the Great Dividing Range in the east, to the Northern Territory border in the west – covering around 186,000 square kilometres. On the map, it looks empty. And there are vast flat plains around the southern Gulf area stretching to the south,” the good folks from the Karumba Point Sunset Caravan Park advise me. “To the east and southwest of the region there are rising uplands. Savannah grasses, shrubs and trees
along with a rich variety of wildlife makes for a landscape which really is amazing.
“The Gulf Savannah has a tropical climate – wet season in the summer and dry season through the winter. The temperatures range from a daily average maximum of 33°c and minimum of 20°c, with an approximate rainfall of 900 mm per annum.
“The region’s watercourses provide a range of natural and economic functions, including habitat and nursery grounds for marine life, water supply for domestic, natural and agricultural purposes, sport, tourism and recreation as well as the overall role in the supporting the complex Gulf eco-systems.
This backdrop provides the perfect setting for an incredible diversity of birdlife including numerous migratory species – and many avid ‘twitchers’ and birdwatchers travel to the region each year. Karumba, being located on the coastline offers the unique situation of bringing this Savannah Outback
environment to the sea. The marine plains extend inland for up to 30km and as well as the prolific birdlife –provide a home for the fascinating prehistoric saltwater crocodiles.
“Gulf dolphins, dugongs, sharks and all manner of fish and marine life abound in the Gulf waters. There is also a stark contrast between the wet and dry seasons each year – bringing migratory birds to the area.
“The Savannah Way is a themed tourism adventure drive linking Cairns in the east and Broome in the west –this route actually passes through four World Heritage areas and 15 National Parks.” I rode part of the Savannah Way recently, and it was a spectacular experience.
“You can book now for April, May and June. You may also do advanced booking for July, August and September. The postal address is Karumba Point Sunset Caravan Park, PO Box 61 Karumba Queensland 4891, 07 4745 9277, email info@ sunsetcp.com.au. “
I’m going to see if I can get up there this winter.
ants start small… / The other end of the Savannah Way.
AND NOW…
For something completely different, namely a bit of a melange of suggestions from various tour operators. =
This photo was taken after a MotoQuest Adventure ride. Looks like it was fun! MotoQuest runs tours all year, but how about considering a ride in December; they have their Best of Baja, Mexico from the 4th to the 13th and then more Baja trips in February. And then there’s their “Romaniacs” trip in guess where –more from motoquest.com .
Just in case, unlikely as it may seem, that you have problems with your Enfield there is always alternative transport available from Zenith.
Just to whet your appetite, here are the Royal Enfield 350s we used to explore Sri Lanka; the story is coming up in the next issue of MOTORCYCLIST.
Zenith Motorcycle Tours will get you on a Royal Enfield and out into the Himalaya at very reasonable prices. Call Scott Chapman, 0405 197 182 for details and bookings.
And just a last reminder from MotoQuest that it’s not just riding – the food on the most recent Japan trip was, it seems, “amazing”.
GET CAUGHT WITHOUT
Neoprene Storage Bag
Lock & Cable
The GearLok is designed to lock your helmet, jacket, backpack, or any other accessory to your motorcycle.
» Soft silicone cover to protect lock and bike parts
CAN BE USED TO LOCK 2 helmets/jackets/bags to your bike!
Also available from all good motorcycle shops through Pro Accessories.
EVENT SHOOTING THE BREEZE
NORTHERN MANOEUVRES, 2016
WORDS/PHOTOS THE BEAR
“EVERYTHING IN WAR IS VERY SIMPLE. BUT THE SIMPLEST THING IS DIFFICULT. ”
CARL VON CLAUSEWITZ
Most motorcycle gatherings give owners of a particular marque a chance to get together, or they raise funds for a worthy charity, or they give a club an opportunity to entertain other riders. The Bear Army Manoeuvres, held twice a year, do nothing of the sort. We don’t have a roll call either, or keep records of who attends. Well, with one exception: Peter Colwell and Kate have been to all the manoeuvres so far, and we’re keeping an eye on them to see if they can keep that up. What our events do is make it possible for Bear Army Troopers to get together, on a Saturday afternoon and over dinner, to catch up with (usually newly-made) friends and shoot
CLASSICMORRIS
OLD NUMBER 465
Several months before my first job in the motorcycle trade at Hazell and Moore in late 1948, I was employed as a telegram messenger boy working out of Sydney’s GPO in Martin Place. During the day shifts I would stroll about the city dropping of telegrams at a large variety of businesses, with the occasional foray to more outlying areas on my PGM pushbike; my ever-faithful, if overlyheavy, Number 465.
At night I rode that pushbike all over Sydney, from Garden Island Naval Base in Woolloomooloo to Kings Cross, North Sydney and many inner-city suburbs like Redfern and Darlinghurst, with longer rides at night as far afield as Leichhardt and Summer
Hill on several occasions. Those latter suburbs were between some eight to twelve kilometres from Sydney’s CBD. I recall I once had to walk all the way back to the GPO at night from Leichhardt with the rear chain looped over the top frame rail, because the connecting-link had mysteriously fallen out. That was a real bummer, for it seemed to take forever.
And no, I couldn’t ride the bike because the only brake it had was on the rear wheel and it was the so-called ‘back-pedal’ type, which would not work if there was no chain to backpedal against. I couldn’t ride the bike and jam the heel of my shoe heel against the rear tyre as a brake, either–as I so often did with my own
pushbike – because the PMG bike was thoughtfully equipped with large, heavy mudguards on front and rear wheels.
I must say I knocked poor old 465 about a bit (or was it the other way around?), because I was seen on several occasions to be lying facedown on the roadway with the bike mangled nearby due to the sudden, unexpected opening of a near-side car door, or some half-blind pedestrian suddenly appearing under the bike’s flashing front wheel. I had a 1929 Model 18 Norton motorcycle at home which I rode occasionally when my folks weren’t around, but that pushbike in heavy city traffic was something else again.
www.skillmaster.com.au
The worst incident of them all was when I was riding the bike back to the GPO from Circular Quay one day along the busy George Street, Sydney’s main arterial road. I was rapidly (?) approaching a large, un-laden International semi-trailer. The semi was equipped with one of those oldfashioned mechanical signalling device which consisted of a large metal hand, painted bright yellow, which was located at the far end of an articulated arm. When it was necessary to do so, the driver could raise the out-stretched hand on its metal rod to indicate whether the vehicle was to stop or make a right-hand turn.
On this occasion, as he approached the tight, left-hand corner into Hunter Street the driver raised that hand to give the ‘right turn’ signal to indicate he was moving into the centre of the road from the gutter, which he did, and this clearly allowed me to dive underneath him to triumphantly emerge on the other side, pedalling furiously ahead of the large truck.
Of course, it didn’t end up that way, because I couldn’t see the sudden change in the signal from that confounded yellow hand, which now stood upright to indicate to those with enough brains to see it that he was actually turning left into Hunter Street and had swung wide to ease the turn. I was in the wrong place at the wrong time as the semi swung into the corner, the rear wheel closing in on the gutter and on a collision course with me and poor old 465.
Naturally, the driver couldn’t see me through his tiny, round rear vision mirrors with their restrictive vision, nor did he see me suddenly grab the
nose of the bike’s saddle to propel the bike forward and myself in the opposite direction to watch, horrified and from my worm’s eye view, as poor old 465 was mangled underneath the semi’s rear wheels. You can’t get much closer than that and live to tell the tale!
I had to carry that sausage-shaped bike back three city blocks to Humphrey, the bike mechanic at the GPO, and try to explain what had happened, for that semi continued on its way with never a backward glance from the driver even though I saw a pedestrian running after it waving his arms about frantically: perhaps he thought I was still sliding along under the vehicle’s wheels?
I really should have said that good old 465 was the original machine I rode for several months in the job but, as it had had several new wheels, a couple of sets of handlebars (one day half a handlebar snapped off at the mounting bracket and spat me off as a result, but that was hardly my fault) and one brand-new frame, that statement could hardly have been correct.
Many, many years later – some thirty years or so, in fact - I found myself instantly reminded of that (not really) long-forgotten event with 465 and that old International on the corner of George and Hunter Streets. I was again mounted upon two wheels, but on a very different machine; this time, it was a high-performance motorcycle.
A new law had recently been passed which allowed large semi-trailers to use two lanes when entering or leaving a major road, as well as two lanes – if they were available, which they usually are – on the exit, which
clearly gave these very large vehicles plenty of room to manoeuvre. But as ever, it was up to the driver of the vehicle in question to make it very clear what his intent might be, and to make the appropriate signals safely via his large, intimidating array of amber blinking lights, in place to notify other road users of exactly where he was headed. He would have been assisted in this pursuit by the huge, now-obligatory rectangular rear vision mirrors which currently adorn these large vehicles.
I was closing pretty briskly on the large semi in front as it was approaching the turn out of the two-lane Greystanes Road on to the three-lane Prospect Highway when the driver, who was in the inside lane at the time, indicated a left turn. I knew there was plenty of road to use when he turned onto the much wider, three-lane highway. So, assuming stupidly that he had plenty of room for this manoeuvre, I whipped very smartly into the right lane. So did he almost immediately, and without any indication that he was about to do so for his left blinker was still fl ashing about. I was alongside him at the time, so I had to brake very smartly and duck back into the left lane again.
As the left-hander approached, with me by now in the inside lane and with a small car displaying a large red P-Plate just ahead of me, I was suddenly reminded of the George Street incident as the driver of the car in the now-vacated inner lane saw an opportunity to cut ahead of the truck. I could see exactly what was about to happen, because it had
21 days: Kashmir,
Highest Road
Mahal,
(formerly Ferris Wheels Safaris)
Heights
happened to me all those years ago, for the car driver suddenly accelerated towards the corner hoping to take advantage of the now-vacated inside lane.
By the way, the semi still had its large blinker lights clearly indicating a left turn coming up, while making use of the right-hand lane to ease his turn onto the wide Prospect HIghway.
It was entirely legal for him to do so, of course, although his fi rst effort at blinking for a left corner then spearing across into the right lane in front of me without signalling his intent was not – in fact it was not only illegal but a bloody stupid thing to do.
OK, it sounds complicated and it was, for the truck was in the outside (right-hand) lane with his left blinker showing his intent to turn left, and about to use both lanes in doing so, while that small car was closing rapidly upon it in the inside lane, with - I thought – no idea that the semi was almost certain to cross his bows very soon. The car driver was perhaps
too intent on beating the truck to the corner - or was unaware of the new law so recently passed to (legally) make the large truck’s cornering much easier - for he kept on, his speed unabated, as they both neared the corner.
Meanwhile, I had of course moved well back into the right lane again to watch as the drama unfolded quickly in front of me, for I wanted to be well clear of whatever was about to happen, as the vivid memory of George Street and bike number 465 continued to fl ood my mind.
As the small car neared the corner, with the traffi c light still bright green, the large semi, which was still moving at a fair clip, began to move into the inside lane where in fact there was nowhere for him to go, because the inexperienced car driver had stuffed his vehicle right into the large truck’s entry line. The semi’s driver had not spotted the small car yet – he could have been forgiven for not expecting it to be there at all - but the young driver of the car suddenly spotted the
Over the Alps to Prague
Juggernaut bearing in on him, and prudently slammed the brakes on as hard as both feet could manage. The rig sliced into the apex of the corner and on the inside lane much too quickly, the tail-end of the long vehicle almost clipping the inside curb, where it missed the car by little more than a tissue paper, while the car’s warning device bleated feebly at the monster. I could not see how close the rig really came to the vehicle, but as I swept round the left hander behind the truck I could see how close it must have been to a disaster. Looking back in both mirrors, and then a quick look over the shoulder (which is so often worth twenty mirrors) I didn’t see the car emerge from the road and it didn’t appear until we were well along the Highway several seconds later. I know how that driver must have felt after that very close shave, but I knew he couldn’t have leapt out of his car as I was able to nimbly jump off poor old PMG 465 all those long years before.
LOVE TO HEAR FROM YOU, the letters are among the most keenly read parts of the magazine. Please try and keep letters down to no more than 300 words. 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!
BAGZ AWAY!
The winner of the amazing and eternally handy Andy Strapz
Shoulda Bagz this month is Neil Collard. We awarded him the Bagz so he’s got something to carry his medication in. Oh. No, sorry. That’s the Bear who needs a big bag for his pills. Fortunately he has one, having secured one of Andy’s products some time ago. You can see that we do use Andy Strapz products. So do our “friends”. We awarded the previous issue’s Shoulda Bagz to the Bear’s mate “Jerry”, and unfortunately this reminded the Ursine One that Jerry still has his waterproof Andy Strapz Stuff Sakz. “I even paid for that!” he cries, waving his paws about. Fiery emails have blazed across the electronic horizon; unfortunately, neither the Bear nor, it seems, anyone else knows where “Jerry” is. Stay
Don’t have much time? We lead one-day or shorter tours on some of the best roads in the Barossa Valley, Adelaide Hills and Fleurieu Peninsula. Hire exciting BN600R Benellis. Visit www.radtours.com.au and click on the TOUR LOCATIONS button.
WHATSAYYOU
tuned; this is more exciting than an entire episode of “Vikings” - Stuart
FROM BLAND TO BLUE
Hi Stuart,
We exchanged emails about 12 months ago, I was after information about the Yamaha MT-07 as I was interested in purchasing one. I ended up going for the HO model which I purchased last October. I think it’s a great bike perfect to take me into my 80s, only 2 years to go. I have done almost 7000km. so far no problems, my only niggle is I thought the colour scheme looked a bit bland, in my opinion it needed more blue. So I drew up some stickers and had a local guy make them up for me, I’m pleased how it turned out and have attached some pictures for you to see what you think.
Regards, Neil Collard
Hi Neil, I do remember and glad to see you went with the HO version. Those decals look awesome! Now all you need is the leather seat cover to finish it off; I’ll be getting a red version of one of the following, not sure which version yet? http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/ BLACK-ROYAL-BLUE-DESIGN2-CUSTOM-FITS-YAMAHA-MT07-13-15-FRONT-SEAT-COVER/231397363689?hash=item35e05b8fe9:g:
whEAAOSw7ThUbedv http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/ ROYAL-BLUE-BLACK-CUSTOMFITS-YAMAHA-MT-07-13-15FRONT-LEATHER-SEATCOVER-/351229906068?hash=item 51c6ef0c94:g:p3YAAOSwiCRUbJpa Glad you are enjoying the bike. Maybe also think about some blue braided brake lines? That will brighten it up and give you even better braking, too. Keep me posted as you go along, it’s looking great. Cheers, Stuart.
Hi Stuart, thanks for your reply and info on the seat covers they look great, I like the one with the ‘blue’ on the edge best. Have attached one more picture, the sticker on the front screen is how I look at life, my wife often asks if I’m ever going to grow up and I tell her ‘I hope not’. Regards, Neil Collard.
We hope not, either, Neil –The Bear
Get on the road
with the best
THE SLAP
Hello, Peter.
You may remember me. I was the chap who asked you at the recent Indian launch for some information about riding in the United States. Thank you for that, it has been very helpful. Especially the tip about insurance. I and my entire family have had pretty well all of our insurance with NRMA for years. That includes travel insurance.
As you suggested I checked the travel policy. To my absolute amazement I found that I had not been covered on my recent trip in India riding a Royal Enfield. And even if I paid an extra premium, I would not be allowed to ride a motorcycle of more than 200cc capacity. Further, the Personal Liability cover would not apply even if I was on a tiddler.
This is so ridiculous that it is laughable. I have two questions: one, aren’t small motorcycles such as the ones you can rent in Bali more likely to be crashed than larger bikes, which are
probably being ridden by experienced motorcyclists? And two, could I not do more damage if I was driving a car instead of riding a small motorcycle? I have not asked these questions of NRMA because I am so annoyed. I feel as if I have been slapped in the face. Instead I have switched to Travel Insurance Direct, as you suggested. Thanks again,
Injun Joe
Joe, the limitations you mention apply with many travel insurance policies, as I pointed out to you at the time. You are quite right, they are ridiculous; I have spoken to one insurance company (Medicare Private) about this but they could not give me any convincing reasons, although they offered to reconsider at the next review of their conditions. I have not seen any results from that, and to be honest I don’t expect to. Underwriters move in mysterious ways… The Bear
ABERRATION HOPES
Hi Peter and Stuart, Just want to say thank you for the
prize I received for the letter I submitted recently.
I was expecting a couple of hankies, or a pair of socks at best, but the Andy Straps tail bag (sic) was unexpected and will be very useful . Now, about the photo on the current cover.
My feminist side had a bit of a discussion with my masculine side and both agreed that it was a bit of a throwback to the sexist old days (probably your intention considering the relationship to the classics article). Both my sides then also agreed that they hoped it was an aberration and would not be seen again in the future. Cheers, Neal Kaleen ACT
Glad you are enjoying the bag, Neal! Andy’s ‘bagz’ are some of the best! The cover image is not something we class as sexist - it is a “hot rod pin-up” style image and yes, relates to the classic and maintaining articles. We will be trying different covers at times and
while we won’t put the “usual” bikini girl on a bike type image, a classy image like the one we used could be an option - Cheers, Stuart
SCOOTER GIRL STRIKES BACK
Dear edititorial team, When I picked up my subscription copy of issue 39 at the Post Office and saw the cover, I wondered if you were trying to attract a new demographic by putting a picture of a woman with a bike on it.
Although I expect there would be a few slim, 6 foot tall female riders who do their own restorations, I don’t think there are very many who would dress in tiny shorts and high heels to do so. So your potential extra market there is very small.
Perhaps with the cover of the next issue, you might try attracting slim, young, athletic men with nice hair (not too muscular, though) as I’m sure they are a much larger section of the potential bike magazine buying market. I don’t mind what bike they are pictured with, although an old Vespa would be nice. Hope this helps!
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Come in and see why we are the region’s most awarded café/restaurant!
Yours (tongue in cheek), Sharon
Hobart, Tas
“Edititorial team”, Sharon? That’s a neat Freudian slip if I’ve ever seen one – The Bear
BIKES OR BITS?
Dear Editor,
I see that you have decided to use a “girl picture” to the current issue front cover. In the 18 months I have been receiving your excellent magazine bikes have been the picture focus of the front cover. One issue had Valentino dressed in leathers and as this is a bike magazine that was relevant.
Short and sweet please don’t start adorning the front cover of the magazine with picture of girls and just stick to pictures of bikes.
Regards from a regular reader Ed Towner
P.S. I quite liked the rusty wreck (Honda Dream?) picture on this current issue cover. Also the pullout
map and info about towns on the rides you do are fantastic. Keep up that good work.
Ah, Ed, Stuart says that that wasn’t a “girl picture” anyway, it was a “rusty Honda Dream” picture. Just to keep you informed, I have included the next cover shot that he’s chosen – see below. He says that it is a “Moto Guzzi V7 picture”. We’ve just got to get hold of a V7 so we can write something about it - The Bear
Roadies
New motorcycle prices go up, they go down. It can be hard to keep track of all the changes. Australian Motorcyclist Magazine supplies you with all the latest up to date prices
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They call it an “earworm”; a tune you just can’t get out of your head no matter what you do. If I just mention “Sadie the Cleaning Lady” I’m sure most of you will know exactly what I mean, and will curse me for at least the rest of the day.
In my case, although I am far from being a Johnny Horton fan, it is currently “The Battle of New Orleans”. You know…
“We took a little bacon and we took a little beans And we caught the bloody British in the town of New Orleans…”
Funnily enough, the locals don’t often seem to say “New Orleans” to fit that rhyme. They actually say it in a variety of different ways, but the one I really liked was “N’awlins”. It has the advantages of being able to be drawled – try it – and of being unpredictable enough so that strangers won’t happen on it. That keeps it for the locals, always a welcome feature. Check the way some Australian towns are pronounced. Like “Lon-seston” and “Fremm-antle” not “Lawn-seston” or “Free-mantle”.
The earworm made me think of N’awlins, of course, and inevitably of music. Jazz rather than Johnny Horton. The one time I visited The Big Easy I wandered around for an evening with a Canadian bloke I’d met on the road. Chris was riding some kind of shaft-drive Honda cruiser, which looked impossibly cool and clean next to my bedraggled XL250, and we hit it off straight away. We both wanted to eat local food, listen to local music and get thoroughly drunk.
I have a few memories of that night – early on, we discovered a place that produced excellent gumbo,
BEAR FACED
BEEN THERE, GOT THE GLASS
and then we dedicated ourselves to our other two aspirations. I don’t remember so much of that except that we did go to Preservation Hall, and we must have gone to Pat O’Brien’s because I was clutching a Hurricane glass with the bar’s name on it when I woke up the next morning. It was a wonder I hadn’t broken it during the night – but then I suspect I simply fell into bed and slept the deep and stationary sleep of the seriously booze-affected. I’ve still got the glass; the hangover is somewhat abated.
Some time later I headed out of N’awlins, north across the endlessseeming bridge that crosses Lake Pontchartrain, and found myself in the Louisiana back country where the roads are littered with the spooky-looking shells of dead armadillos and roadside stands sell boudin and daiquiris. Sausages and booze – what else does a man need? I can’t help it, I have to tell you this riddle even if it is politically incorrect:
What makes a Cajun seven-course meal? A link of boudin and a six pack of beer… Ahem.
The night before N’awlins I camped by a bayou somewhere to the east. The big sign at the campground warned me to beware of alligators, but the bloke who came to collect the two or three dollars camping fee was pretty sanguine. “Naw,” he said, “you don’t hafta worry about them. They too well fed to go startin’ a fight with nobody.”
This was after I had reassured him that I was neither a damn Yankee from the North nor from California, places he seemed to regard as pits of debauchery and iniquity.
America is so big that to the locals it must sometimes seem like an entire world, made up of mutually suspicious States rather than countries. No wonder that they often don’t seem to know – or care – much about anyone else. He wasn’t the only one who seemed pretty relaxed, actually. I had spent part of the day riding past houses on stilts, built on what looked more like sandbanks than islands. When I asked the waitress in a diner near Pascagoula whether they weren’t blown away in the huge storms that regularly batter the gulf coast, she was likewise cool. “Ever’ now and then, honey. But the folks that own ‘em don’t live thayar, they’s just for vacations. Th’ insurance pays.”
Come to think of it, not quite everyone was relaxed. At a bar in southern Alabama one of the drinkers took offence at my innocent little Honda. I had carefully drawn the bar and shield of a Harley-Davidson logo on the plastic tank of the bike, and completed it by lettering “HARDLYDAVIDSON” on it. This bloke came into the bar and once he’d figured out who belonged to the XL confronted me. “That ain’t no Harley!” he bellowed. “Take another look,” I said, only slightly worried that I might get my lights punched out. He did, had a laugh and subsequently bought me a beer and told me how his Knucklehead had never let him down. “And your bike’s been okay, too?” I asked. It took him a few seconds, but then he roared with laughter and bought me another beer. Who says being a smartarse doesn’t pay, at least in the Deep South?
I have to admit that I missed the Air Force Armament Museum, near the town of Niceville at Eglin Air Force Base just over the State line in Florida. Niceville… just the name alone would have made it worth visiting. Maybe another trip is due… it’s worth thinking about, if I can only get “Sadie, the Cleaning Lady” out of my head…
Peter “The Bear” Thoeming
IMAGINE
As I sat watching the Mugello MotoGP the other night, a few things occurred to me that had nothing, per se, to do with the actual racetrack action.
Sure, that was special and glorious, and seeing blokes missile their bikes down the fastest straight in the world at 350km/h is something just otherworldly.
But it was the crowd that had me enthralled.
More than 100,000 mainly Italians were packed in around one of the most beautiful racetracks on this planet –all of whom were, as they say in the classics “Going off”.
Mugello, if you didn’t know, is in the hills of Tuscany above the magical city of Florence. It’s hilly, green, lush, and it’s the kind of place old rich people keep villas full of teenaged prostitutes to play with in summer.
Yeah, OK. We have Phillip Island. It can kind of compete with Mugello in terms of the surrounding natural beauty (though I can tell you that that swamp village called Melbourne is certainly no Florence), unless there’s an ice-hurricane blowing in off Bass Straight, in which case personal survival trumps admiring the view every time.
But never in a million years will Australia ever be able to present a crowd at a motorcycle race that burns with the incandescent
passion of the fans at Mugello. I have not been, but I have spoken to people who have, and I have some Italian mates. All of them say the same thing, i.e. if there’s one MotoGP race you absolutely must go to before you die, it’s Mugello.
Beginning on Thursday and roaring unabated and unrestrained until the chequered flag comes out Sunday afternoon, the Italians celebrate their national motorcycle race like no-one else.
Just imagine for one second what would happen at Phillip Island if some salty jackanapes decided to set off a flare.
Knowing VicPol as I know VicPol, brutal Armageddon would follow hard upon the heels of that fans smoky display of racing enthusiasm. Herds of heavily armoured cops would instantly deploy into the area where the flare went off, while busloads would be on their way to back the first lot up. After all, we can never have enough cops beating the blubbering shit out of people, can we? Especially those filthy bikie animals who go to watch the motorcycle races, and then have the temerity to set off a flare The race would be stopped, jails would be filled, and the media would roundly condemn us all.
The Italians set off lots of flares. They also cooked food, drank everything in sight, yelled, waved flags, revved their motorcycle engines and sang songs at volume and with feeling. And they did it all the way around the track.
Our wildest bunch on the other hand, are corralled into a shitty, windblown campground with sub-human amenities and garbage food, and expected to abide by rules. The rest of us, who aren’t camping, are subjected to an appalling array of price-gouging for everything from entry tickets to bottled water, and for our hard-earned then get to stand in a barren field for hours on end, either baked by the sun or flayed
by the wind. No permanent grandstand. No viable toilets. But yes, we do have an ‘Expo’ building that normally smells like feet when the crowds pour in, so there is that.
The rest of the time we kinda just wander around being nice while impossibly officious ‘Security’ personnel observe and regulate our movements.
There is no passion at Phillip Island, so there is no atmosphere at Phillip Island.
What there is at Phillip Island is a giant jackboot pressed firmly against the neck of the visiting motorcycle rider.
“Pay your money, dirtbag. Go watch the race. But don’t make any noise. Do not upset anyone by making any noise. Behave yourself at all times. Follow the rules. Feel the boot against the back of your neck and know your place.”
Apparently, we’re alright with this. After all, we have not turned upon our masters and savaged them, have we? We’re good about paying 10-plus dollars for a beer in Cowes on Saturday night, and we are all tucked up in bed and peacefully asleep by midnight.
No-one sleeps at Mugello for three days. Sure, they may pass out from time to time, or faint from hysteria, but they do not sleep. In fact, no-one for several kilometres in any direction sleeps over the MotoGP weekend.
What do they do? They party.
MotoGP is, after all, one of the greatest spectacles on this planet. Men are risking their lives by riding motorcycles at insane speeds against one another. To honour this, we must celebrate life, for death is being cheated before our eyes!
But not us. We’re different.
We’re different from the Spaniards and the French and the Germans, all of whom also tend to ‘Go Off’ during their respective MotoGPs. And we’re certainly different from the Italians, who go off more than all the other crazy wogs go off.
It must be because we’re more civilised.
Yeah, that would be it.
cOMinGsOOn
For your delight and delectation, here’s a quick look at some of the stuff that next month’s Australian MOTORCYCLIST Magazine will be serving up to you, among other fascinating snippets of motorcycling life. That is, unless the editor decides to shuffle things around to give you an even better reading experience! We never know till it happens…
SCRAMBLING FOR “THE LOOK”
Take a look at the mystery photo. What is it, and what does it mean for our favourite long-term test bike?
AUSTRALIA’S NEXT HOLIDAY DESTINATION?
It’s close to us and easy to reach. It is also a truly amazing motorcycle destination. The Bear went to take
a look at Sri Lanka aboard a Royal Enfield 350. Did he love it? Did he what! Find out why in the next issue.
“I don’t know why everyone is always raving about grass…”
LOOK OUT! MORE INDIANS!
The Spirit Lake factory is obviously going full blast, with yet another new
Indian hitting the streets. What’s the Scout 60 all about? We find out for you.
TYRESOME
We visit Sepang in Malaysia to track test the new Pirelli Diablo Rosso III. Were we impressed? You’ll have to wait until next month to find out.
PLUS
All the usual attractions, including some surprises. How do we know that? Because as often as not we’re surprised ourselves! =
Sri Lankan Architecture 101: the Fruit Stand.
It can hide, but you can’t run; the red buses will hunt you down.
