Four new models: K 1600GT, S 1000 XR, S 1000 R & S 1000 RR
CF MOTO MT 650
Give it a go
PUB OF THE MONTH
Get a buzz at the Beehive PENANG
The Bear is bikeless
TENERE TRAGICS
Tassie devils sighted
RAGGED FRINGE RALLY
Rejoice, it’s the Pizza Man
VICTORIA Sharpen your spurs
See
“THE SUPERIORITY OF ONE MIND OVER ANOTHER DEPENDS ON THE RAPIDITY WITH WHICH EXPERIENCES ARE THUS ORGANISED.”
GEORGE HENRY LEWES
LONG
WELCOME
PERIOD
EDITORIAL What
NEWS
The
GRIZZLING Return
NEW
Blow
WHERE’S
CLASSIC
WHAT
NEW
Editor Stuart Woodbury
Editor Emeritus J Peter Thoeming
Sales Manager Ralph Leavsey-Moase ralph@ausmotorcyclist.com.au
Photo Editor Nick Wood
Designer Amy Hale
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
Australian Motorcyclist Magazine is published by Australian Motorcyclist Magazine Pty Ltd. PO Box 2066, Boronia Park NSW 2111 Phone 0412 220 680 or 0418 421 322
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EDITORSPEAKS
The words of wisdom just bubble forth. True.
IHAVE BEEN ‘BIKELESS’ for the past month or so, and in between test bikes
I have been driving the car to the office. This has given me plenty of time to think about motorcycles while sitting in the stupidly slow traffic, and one of the particular things it got me thinking about was the crazy money being paid for some motorcycles. I have also been scouring all the usual places offering bikes for sale on the internet, so I’ve seen plenty. And I really have been more than a little shocked at some prices being asked – and presumably paid.
twenty to forty thousand dollars as ‘desirable’ bikes. I’d love to hear what you guys and girls think –drop me an email –stuart@ausmotorcyclist.com.au
One of the things I’ve been wondering about is if and when the bubble will burst for the current crop of high dollar bikes. I’m talking about bikes from the late ‘60s to mid/late ‘70s. It seems as though this is the range of bikes that’s desirable to the people out there with the dollars to spend. Maybe the emptynester or similar aged person who always wanted a Honda CB750, for example. What happens when those buyers eventually drop out of the market and the next generation with disposable cash says, “A what? A CB750? Aren’t they an old man’s bike?”
Will they have moved on to something like an early ‘80s Katana 1100 (admittedly already creeping up in price) or, which I think is more likely, will be the next generation of desirables bikes like the mid-‘80s Suzuki GSX-R750 or the first of the Honda Fireblades? These were game-changing bikes to that generation, which is why I think they will be the ones to have. But is that right? Am I way off the mark here, and will the bikes that are currently fetching crazy money continue on that trajectory? I’m sure there’ll always be a market for extremely rare motorcycles, but they are bikes which are already fetching up and well over one hundred thousand. I’m talking the machines currently priced at
You probably all want to know what I’ve ended up buying? Well, some of you might be marginally interested, anyway. LOL! After wading through more brown stuff than I care to mention (well, mention here anyway - see my article in this issue about the jungle) I ended up with a mint 1997 Honda CBR900RR. It has only 16,500km on it and looks as good as it did off the showroom floor twenty years ago. The big bonus is that it’s already had the 17 inch front wheel conversion and has a full Akrapovic exhaust, with the jetting to match done by Phil Tainton Racing. The bike also came with all the original parts in case Honda Japan call me up one day and want to display it in their museum! Hahahaha!
Now it’s time to enjoy my new purchase as I’m sure everyone does when a ‘new’ motorcycle arrives in the garage. Only trouble is, Sydney has had non-stop rain since!
I also need to make a special mention about Allwest Motorcycle Carriers who brought the CBR up from Melbourne for me. The service was beyond good and very well priced. Allwest delivers most of the manufacturers’ bikes for us to test and now that I’ve used them myself - and I have friends who have used them - they can’t come with higher praise. Check them out at www. allwestmotorcyclecarriers.com.au
Enjoy!
Cheers, Stuart.
The Ninja 650 and learner approved Ninja 650L bring fresh attitude to the middleweight class. Make everyday trips exceptional and add a sports dimension to your leisure riding. Legendary Ninja style and performance make the Kawasaki difference.
• Super punchy 649cm3 parallel twin engine
• Almost 20kg lighter than the previous model
• Nimble and easy to handle
• True Ninja styling
• Racing inspired assist and slipper clutch
• Relaxed, sporty ergonomics and narrow seat
• Both learner approved and full powered versions available
FRIENDLY VALLEY
AVON VALLEY: MOTORCYCLE FRIENDLY REGION
On Sunday 23 April, Avon (not the tyres) Tourism will launch WA’s fi rst Motorcycle Friendly region, Avon Valley. The Avon Valley region fl ows along winding roads north-west from Beverley through to New Norcia, taking in the country hospitality of York, Northam, Toodyay, Chittering, Bindoon, Victoria Plains and Goomalling. The combination of stunning scenery and WA’s temperate climate offers the beginning of many a great ride.
Whilst four Australian towns/ municipalities…
1. Glamorgan Spring Bay, Tasmania (July 2007)
2. Texas, Queensland (July 2013)
3. Wauchope, New South Wales (November 2016)
4. Crows Nest, Queensland ( February 2017)
…have declared themselves Motorcycle Friendly it appears there’s not yet full regional collaboration. “A Google search doesn’t reveal one, but it did uncover the fact that the Queensland region of South Burnett is putting forward
a motorcycle friendly proposal to their Council this month. They had designs on becoming the fi rst Motorcycle Friendly Region in Australia, but after hearing from Avon Tourism have cheerfully conceded that they will be the fi rst in Queensland instead!” said an Avon Tourism spokesperson.
The more friendly towns and regions we get, the better it is for all motorcyclists. It’s also great to have tourism people realise motorcyclists are valuable to their economies.
Touring New Zealand on your own bike has, for Aussies, experienced a tremendous resurgence in the past few months. Over the just past Summer Get Routed will have shipped 87 Australian owned and registered motorcycles to and from NZ for their owners to experience a 1, 2 or 3 month touring holidays on some of the best roads on the planet.
The great NZ weather had a lot to do with this, as did the excellent condition of the roads with all those corners each day.
Get Routed is currently taking bookings for next summer’s shipments: November 2017 through March 2018. Some of them are already
half full. We advise you to get in quick and make sure you don’t miss out! For more info on the NZ bike shipping service email Dave Milligandave@getrouted.com.au
Ciao, Vale
See Ro SS i at Mugello MotoGP lovers are in for a treat with Yamaha Motor Australia’s Mugello Motorcycle MotoGP Tour. This Italian holiday is the ultimate trip of a lifetime for anyone passionate about road racing and especially Rossi fans. So much more than a visit to the track, the Mugello trip includes dropping into Rossi’s hometown of Tavullia, to the maestro’s dirt track VR46 ranch plus a visit to the VR46 store and restaurant. And with two nights in the capital you can check out classic Roman sights such as the Vatican, the Coliseum, the Roman Forum and, for shoppers, the Prada outlet store. Six nights in Florence allow you to soak up the vibes of this historic city including
a guided tour of the Duomo. And that’s all on top of three days of VIP hospitality at the Mugello MotoGP featuring Yamaha Factory Racing riders Valentino Rossi and Maverick Vinales going bar to bar with the competition.
The trip starts 29 May and ends 6 June 2017. All meals, accommodation, entry fees, transfers and coach costs are included in the deal which is $6499 per person twin share or $7699 per person single. Flights are not included. Register now to be one of the limited number of people to join the 2017 Yamaha MotoGP VIP Tour to Mugello by visiting www.yamaha-motor.com. au/2017mugellotour or phone 02 9827 7564.
Get a feel for the water
WoW DVD noW aVailable Are you considering the possibility of doing an overseas tour but not sure if you’ll like it? Well, Denise and Mike at World on Wheels have their new promo DVD available for free. It includes all the tours they've added over recent years. This version consists of 12 chapters, each about 5 minutes long to give you a feel for the various
destinations WOW can show you. To grab your free copy, visit www.worldonwheels.tours/ page/info-request/
NEW TO THE FAMILY HARLEY-DAVIDSON STREET ROD
The H-D Street 500 has been going gangbusters here in Australia, and now Harley has announced the introduction of the Street Rod. Utilising the Street platform, the 750cc version of the Street motor and many other “hot rodded” bits and pieces it will be interesting to see if
pleased to announce that a Royal Enfield Continental GT now holds the Australian Land Speed Record in the class '650 MPS-PG' (up to 650cc pushrod engines using pump fuel), running a 103.341mph (166.311 km/h) pass with only mild modifications. And you thought REs were slow!
the Street Rod has the same impact that the stalwart Iron 883 has had. Available in Australia from May with a ride away price of $12,995 and in New Zealand, $13,995.
SOMETHING IN THE BREW ROYAL ENFIELD CONTI GT SPEED RECORD
South Australian motorcycle dealership 'Motorcycle Revolution' and 'Prancing Pony Brewery' have just returned from the 'Dry Lake Racers Australia Speed Week' at Lake Gairdner in the north-west of South Australia, and they’re
ELEPHANT PRIZE WINNER GET THE METZELER CHICKEN DINNER
As part of our current subscription prize, those who subscribed within the last month of issue #49 went into the draw to win up to $400 worth of Metzeler tyres. The lucky winner this month was Barry Pike. Well done, Barry, enjoy your new tyres. If you want to be in the draw, subscribe or resubscribe now! Hey! You! Don’t miss out!
Subscribers of course also get our weekly email update, that is unless Stuart’s fi ngers are too oily from trying to make the race bike reliable, and the Bear has the DTs again. D
GRIZZLING
COMEBACK FOUR HENDERSON
IHATE TO PUT you off, but if you get a call from investment bank Aaron, Bell International (ABI) it might be wise to head for the golf course rather than answering. You see, ABI, which “focuses on manufacturing, distribution, and service industries with an emphasis on industry leaders, niche markets, recurring revenue, and value added operations” according to its website, is trying to add value by selling Excelsior-Henderson Motorcycles. Not the bikes themselves; the company. To be precise, they are “seek(ing) a strategic relationship for the reintroduction of the brand to the marketplace.”
“We look forward to working with Excelsior-Henderson during this exciting time in America, with the resurgence of manufacturing pride and interest
What if motorcycle design had gone this way instead of the way it did? Eh?
in motorsports,” says Ralph Bellizzi, founder and president of Aaron, Bell International. Ah, right.
‘The convergence of several market factors has created a unique opportunity to reignite the heritage-rich ExcelsiorHenderson brand. Recent motorsports industry reconfiguration, with Polaris Industries ending production of Victory Motorcycles to focus on its historic Indian Motorcycles, and Arctic Cat’s sale to Textron, combined with the strength of American motorcycle manufacturing and sales worldwide, make the market ripe for the reemergence of the venerable “E-H” marque.’
Okay, so… that reconfiguration would be not only the closure of Victory but also “Harley sales stagnating, Buell going bust (again), Confederate still barely able to fly the flag and Motus not making much headway,” says one of our American sources. “How on earth could the market be right for Excelsior-Henderson to make a comeback?” he continues.
O ye of little faith.
Ignatz Schwinn, the bicycle manufacturer who closed ExcelsiorHenderson in 1931, clearly had it all wrong.
Bellizzi said it’s impossible to overstate the unique opportunity this presents. ‘An
offering like this is extremely rare. An entrepreneur or investor can essentially pick up where the previous company left off, bypass the most difficult barriers to entry, and build upon the established success of this heritage-rich brand in a highly lucrative industry. It’s literally a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.’
Well, yes. Sure. But a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to do what, exactly?
If you’ve taken that call from ABI, I have another once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for you. I’m sure you’ve heard of perpetual motion machines… (Sources: Motor Sports Newswire and our own correspondent)
From memory, both Hendersons and Excelsiors were in-line Fours. Let me think, what was the most recent outstandingly successful in-line Four? Ah, of course, BMW’s original K Series…
Peter ‘The Bear’ Thoeming
THIS CHANGES EVERYTHING
Meet a full-on track and street weapon. The all-new race-bred 765cc inline triple powered street fighter that delivers an astounding wall of torque at 77Nm @ 10,800rpm, and a game-changing power output of 123PS @ 11,700rpm, 16% up on the previous generation. With an avalanche of rider-focused technology, razor-sharp looks and lightweight agile handling, courtesy of its range-topping suspension, tyres and brakes, it’s the most explosive Street Triple we’ve ever made.
To find out more visit triumphmotorcycles.com.au
BMW K 1600 GT, S 1000 XR, S 1000 R & S 1000 RR Mile munching on four of Munich’s best
BMW Motorrad killed – or perhaps rather, unleashed - four birds with one ferry trip with the recent launch held in Tasmania. The four bikes we were meeting for the first time were the 2017 K 1600 GT, S 1000 XR, S 1000 R and S 1000 RR – all very different bikes in their own worlds but all four so suited to the amazing roads of Tasmania. I headed down to Melbourne for the trip across the Bass Strait on the Spirit of Tasmania.
A quick note about the boat – my last trip across the Bass was a few years ago before the ferries’ overhaul, which was a very “industrial” trip with many vibrations and a rough ride even with calm seas, but most of that is gone now with the newly updated boat. A much smoother ride across the Bass Strait is on offer (depending on how big the swell is); there’s still a bit of that industrial feel about the trip, but most of the time you’re asleep anyway.
Back to the bikes. We rolled off the Spirit about 6.30am and got into a hearty breakfast nearby, then we were in for a full days riding in dry conditions around the endless twisting roads. The first bike I jumped on was the S 1000 XR. I’ve always liked this bike. It has just about everything you could want: power, handling, comfort and touring potential in spades. It has, however, seen the fewest updates for this year - not that that’s a bad thing.
The major change is that the vibration through the handlebar has gone. This had turned many potential buyers away from an otherwise excellent bike. It also now has BMWs amazing up and down quickshift and I can tell you: once you’ve ridden with it, all other bikes feel lacking. Power has been increased to 121kW (previously 118kW) and it just makes things much easier. Try putting it into 6th gear and rolling down to 30km/h before taking off again - without needing to change down. Just roll on the throttle and away you go! The change in power also comes with Euro 4 compliance. Australia has not adopted Euro 4 at this stage, but BMW has always been ahead of the game in this respect. The only other change to the XR is that the maximum payload has gone up 10kg to 444kg total – excellent for carrying that extra bit of gear along with a, er, more substantial rider. Dynamic ESA (electronic suspension adjustment) is optional.
After a nice morning ride on the XR, I jumped onto the K 1600 GT. I was excited to see what changes have been made to this bike, I’ve loved for big distance touring ever since it was introduced – especially two-up. Euro 4 compliance with no change to power or torque is impressive, as are the new instruments which look
very classy. Dynamic ESA is now standard and this gives you a wide range of settings so you can dial in exactly the combination you want. This will be great for two-up with luggage touring, and a serious improvement on the previous model. With Dynamic ESA the GT is a true mix of several bikes in one. Until now you might have been surprised to find a K 1600 GT whipping past you through the twisties, but it now has the potential to do exactly that, along with the all-day comfort the bike has always offered. Shift Assistant Pro (quickshifter) for both up and down shifts is also fitted and this is a real standout feature of this year’s model. It has all but taken away the noticeable sloppiness in the gear changes of previous models and increased the ease and satisfaction of touring. A very easy and relaxing ride is the result – just snick it up a gear or down with no need for the clutch (other than taking off or stopping to a standstill). This bike has been crying out for technology like this and it’s got it! To further the comfort of the GT, BMW has increased the wind protection and flow with redesigned side panels and larger wind deflectors that flip out in a more solid fashion for when temperatures rise.
Options? You can now get reverse for about $1500 extra, which has to be
the top option available for this new GT. Press an ‘R’ button on the left side of the handlebar while the bike is at a standstill with the engine running, then all you need to do is press the starter button which reverses the bike at a slow walking pace. An excellent thing to have if you’re loaded up with pillion and luggage.
Everyone who’d been riding the R and RR during the morning and afternoon and wanted the comfort of the GT late in the day, but I popped onto the S 1000 R for a blast. It was over a section of twisties that really suited the agility and stability of the R. It’s essentially a retuned RR with an upright riding position, so the R is a wolf in disguise.
For this year, the R has received many updates. The most notable are the fitment of an Akrapovic HP titanium slip-on muffler as standard, and the seriously slimmed-down fairing for even more of a naked look. As with the XR, the R gets the extra power and Euro 4 compliance but also gets a 2kg weight reduction (205kg) and an increased payload up by the same 2kg (407kg total). Race ABS comes standard, as does Shift Assistant Pro for fast up and down shifts with an awesome blip, pop, bang from the exhaust at certain revs.
The R was Stuart’s pick in the rain
There are two versions of the R now available, the ‘Standard’ ($19,390) and a Sport version ($21,690). The Sport has many more inclusions over the standard model and the option to purchase, for only $1850, a set of HP forged lightweight alloy wheels with differently mounted front discs. This means a 2.4kg weight reduction for lighter turn in and faster acceleration. If you were to go out and buy these wheels on their own they would set you back around six grand, by the way.
Let’s take a quick look at what the standard R offers: Race ABS; ASC (Automatic Stability Control); two riding modes (Rain, Road); Gear Shift Assist Pro (clutchless up and down shifts); on board computer; ready for reverse gear shift pattern; clicker type adjustable suspension and the Akrapovic slip-on silencer. On top of that the Sport offers these extra goodies: Riding Modes Pro (Rain, Road, Dynamic, Dynamic Pro); cruise control; ABS Pro (cornering ABS); DDC (Dynamic Damping Controldifferent to Dynamic ESA); heated grips; engine spoiler; LED turn indicators; pit lane limiter; and launch control. For the couple of grand more you’re getting thousands of dollars in extras.
Finally, I had my chance to jump onto the S 1000 RR. I remember attending the first release of the RR at Phillip Island some eight or nine years ago. The bike took the world by storm and blew away the competition. Since then, many of the other litre bike manufacturers have caught up and some have passed the awesomeness of the RR, but I don’t think there are any even now that offer the versatility of
1. See ya!
2. Tassie to a tee on Stuart’s overall pick – the XR
3. Standard Akrapovic slip-on for the R model
the RR. With its reasonable comfort and electronic wizardry that allows you to tailor the bike for whatever conditions you’re faced with or whatever level of rider jumps on board.
As with the other three models here, the RR is also Euro 4 compliant. Race ABS is now standard, along with DTC (Dynamic Traction Control). Three variants are available which include the standard at $21,990, Sport at $23,990 and a single seat Race version for $25,690.
The standard comes, er, standard with the goodies above but with three riding modes (Rain, Sport, Race) and adds a passenger kit (including passenger seat and foot pegs) and ready for race shift pattern. The Sport includes the Race Package with Riding Modes Pro (Rain, Sport, Race, Slick, User, +/- 7 stage DTC adjustment dependent on mode) and the rest of the fitments. The Race version also offers the lightweight forged wheels and a single seat – no pillion seat or foot pegs.
The second day, we awoke to rainy, wet conditions – the other Tasmania. As BMW Marketing Manager Miles always says, “It’s a great way to try out Rain mode”. I guess he’s right. The bikes with DDC and Dynamic ESA soften up the suspension as well as giving you softer power delivery and better traction control intervention when they’re in rain mode. I enjoyed the R the most in the rainy conditions; it seemed to offer more feel through the corners than the others. I didn’t get along with the GT at all until I firmed up the suspension to Dynamic, which gave more feel - believe it or not. The XR I found to be a little flighty in the rain due to its long travel suspension and the RR hardly got off centre thanks to its cut-slick-like tyres. If it had not been for the amazing electronics packages fitted to each of these bikes I would not have felt as comfortable as I did riding the wet roads, so it’s a testament to the engineers at BMW Motorrad for designing these bikes to be able to be ridden at swift speeds in sketchy conditions.
SPECS
S 1000 R & S 1000 R SPORT
PRICE: $19,390, $21,690 (plus on-road charges)
WARRANTY: Two years, unlimited distance
SERVICING INTERVALS: Every 10,000km or 12 months
ENGINE: Liquid-cooled in-line four cylinder, 4-stroke, DOHC, 4 valves per cylinder
BRAKES: Front, twin 320mm discs with radial mount four-piston ABS calipers. Rear, 220mm disc, single-piston ABS caliper.
FUEL CONSUMPTION: 6.7 litres per 100km, premium unleaded
THEORETICAL RANGE: 261km
COLOURS: Racing Red/Light white, BMW Motorsport (Lupin Blue metallic/ Light white/Racing Red)
VERDICT: A COMFY TRACK DAY WEAPON!
After two days touring, blasting and enjoying the roads of Tasmania on four different motorcycles I have come away mightily impressed with all of them. If I had to pick only one, I would go for the XR. It will do all that I could wish for from a bike, but if I was touring frequently two-up, the GT would be my pick. On the other hand if I wanted a weekend blaster, the R is an amazing machine, and while I was impressed with the comfort (yes, you read it right) of the RR on the road, it really is a track bike or weekend corner hunter for those wanting to really unleash. D
PHOTO Uwe Krauss
Two’s company, more’s a blast
YOUR BEST INVESTMENT
“THE KEY IS IN NOT SPENDING TIME, BUT IN INVESTING IT.”
STEPHEN R. COVEY
WORDS & PHOTOS THE BEAR/OTHERS
Mrs Bear and I have done many thousands of miles together on various bikes. We encountered collapsing roads in Italy and foot-deep mud in Turkey, disappearing campgrounds in Romania and a firmly closed border in Tunisia, a collapsing wheel in Biarritz and a bent exhaust valve on the Nullarbor Plain. At the time, these things were annoying but we coped, generally quite comfortably. But there was a reason for our equanimity that might not immediately come to mind. We had time.
Nobody was waiting for us to return from our rides at any particular time. We had no jobs to go to and no kids to worry about. We were, as much as this is possible, free. Our time was our own.
Fast forward to today. The kids have moved out, true, but we both have jobs (if you can call mine a job) and many other commitments. So now it’s time to think about investing time. We have less time, and less freedom. We can’t be so cool about spending time. So when we go on holidays we want maximum return in enjoyment for that investment. And since you are a motorcyclist (if you’re not, go out to your local bike shop and become one immediately) your thoughts are likely to be about getting the most out of a motorcycle holiday.
Tour operators will typically organize a bike (and repair or replace it if necessary); the route, maximized to take in the best of the countryside you’re travelling; accommodation; many of the meals; paperwork and much more. That doesn’t just mean a minimum of hassle for you – it also means a minimum of wasted time. You can be out riding instead of standing in an offi ce somewhere getting some form or other fi lled in; on rest days, you can be sure you’re in a place worth seeing, not some industrial dump.
Yes, that’s happened to us recently. And the AirB&B we had booked was… weell… a bit more exotic than we’d bargained for. Burgundy red bed sheets… um, where was I?
WHAT, ME WORRY?
Organised tours are not the answer in every case. Take Mrs Bear’s and my recent trip to Penang, featured elsewhere in these pages. Its purpose was relaxation, and we were very happy to stay in one place. No need for much organisation. Or take friends
of ours who will soon take off on a couple of month’s meandering riding in the US and Canada. Organisation would go entirely against the idea of the trip. But if you need to get back to work on time, you haven’t spent a lot of time riding overseas or you just can’t be bothered with the hassles –like me, a lot of the time – take a look
It can get lonely out in Death Valley, but there’s a van following with iced water.
at what I’ve put together for you on the subject of organised tours. I have travelled with some of these people, have been told about others and have just done some research to fi nd the rest. Whoever they are, they should be able to increase the return on your investment of time. Obviously, I don’t have space here to give you full details of every one of the roughly two dozen operators I’ve covered here (and there are plenty more) but I’ve tried to put together some guidance on the places you might like to visit. Forgive me for the many inevitable misses; meanwhile, check out my Top Tours column in just about every issue of Australian MOTORCYCLIST. Happy hunting!
I WANT TO GO TO…
Wherever you want to go, there is a good chance that one or more tour operators have something for you. Make a point of comparing their offers; quite often they will appeal to slightly different customer expectations. Keep in mind that air fares are usually not included in tour prices; but with the prices of some of the discount airline fl ights all over the place these days (and the discounting they’re forcing the major airlines into) that need not be all that much of a problem. Anyway, here are some destinations and just a few operators; these are the ones we like particularly.
1.
2.
3.
Who said breakfast was the most important meal of the day? Skip Schippers.
Emerging from a military tunnel which I suspect only Rob Beach knows.
Tour operators can be cruel, as in this case with a PHOTO from Gretchen Beach.
THE HIMALAYA*
For Australians, this is pretty much the first and still the most popular organised tour destination. The tours typically start and end in New Delhi, and involve riding Royal Enfields. In the past, the bikes have mostly been 500s but the release of the new Himalayan model will change that. Some of the bikes may well still have right-side gear changes.
Who runs tours up into the tallest mountains of all? I remember being at the barbecue more than two decades ago where Mike Ferris announced that he was launching Ferris Wheels, the tour company since renamed World on Wheels, with tours of the Himalaya. These days they run all sorts of Himalaya tours including a
1. The open road and a dozen new bussies – what could be better?
12. Aha! Tommette de brebis is sheep cheese! And really tasty as well. The cheese. PHOTO Uwe Krauss
TOUR
ZEALAND
$ return * for a standard bike size (shorter than 2.3 metres long) November, January and February shipment dates currently available.
Take your own
A New Zealand tour with a difference is available through Get Routed (www. getrouted.com.au). Dave Milligan will strap your bike into a container using his own, specially designed cradles and will ship them to New Zealand. He can put you in touch with someone who can insure your bike while in NZ, Point you in the right direction for a Warrant of Fitness (for the bike, not you) and NZ Rego (using your own rego plate. He ships from Brisbane, Sydney and Melbourne and he’s usually good for a few travel tips as well. But that’s not all.
Milligan also offers shipments for the Isle of Man TT (via the UK). He has permanent bookings for accommodation and such on the Island. Highly recommended by all who have used his services, despite Milligan’s renowned (but always justified) grumpiness. Other shipments go to the UK, Greece and Spain. Return shipping is also from the UK for all European shipments.
Statement of interest: Dave has shipped a bike for me at mates’ rates but even if he hadn’t I’d love him (and Maggie) anyway.
women-only ride guided by Denise Ferris and the Yaks & Yetis tour which includes Bhutan. See www.worldonwheels.tours for more details.
With Edelweiss Bike Travel (www.edelweissbike.com) you have the choice of adventures in Sikkim and Bhutan or Spiti and Ladakh. Ride Expeditions (rideexpeditions.com) also has a regular Himalayan Heights tour.
INDIA – THE REST
World on Wheels (www. worldonwheels.tours) has Royal Rajasthan tours, staying in palaces and riding camels (no, seriously, Royal Enfi elds).
AUSTRALIA
Compass Expeditions (www.compassexpeditions.com) is an Australian Tour operator which runs adventure-style tours all over the world. In Australia, they have tours of iconic routes with
Charley Boorman and Simon Pavey. They also offer bike rental all over Australia.
If you find yourself in Adelaide and feel like a ride, check out RAD Tours (www.radtours.com.au). They’re just 20 minutes from the airport and offer tours of the Barossa, the Fleurieu Peninsula and lots of other rides around Adelaide. Both standard guided tours and custom tours are available, and the bikes are BN600R Benellis.
Scenic Wheels (www.scenicwheels. com.au) specializes in Australian tours for overseas visitors, but that doesn’t mean you can’t use them! They have guided and self-guided tours, and you can bring your own bike or rent one. Their own bikes are late-model BMWs.
The intriguingly-named Maschine (www.maschine.com.au) offers adventure rides, especially in association with Touratech and including the Trans Terra Explorer rides. They also have rider training on dirt/adventure bikes and a variety of clothing, tyres and gadgets.
The Australian Adventure (as well as its 6 day extension) from
An adventure with passion, history and adrenalin
Come
ADRENALIN FUELED
HISTORIC LANDMARKS EXQUISITE SHOPPING
For the motorcycle enthusiast, an experience of a life time, combining history, passion, adrenalin …. And of course ... shopping!
WE CATER FOR GROUPS OF UP TO 6 MOTORCYCLES OR A MAXIMUM OF 12 PEOPLE (INCLUDING PILLIONS).
The price includes: Return airfare to Venice/Bologna/Milano 14 or 19 nights accommodation Motorcycle Rental
All you will need to outlay are fuel, food and shopping costs!
THE TOURS INCLUDE
A visit to the Dainese factory Tour of Ducati/Kawasaki Verona Bed & Breakfast
Escort vehicle
Airport Pick Up/Transfer
Tour durations driven by the events of the time
Early bird booking may include the Misano Moto GP
Edelweiss Bike Travel
(www.edelweissbike.com) sounds good even to me, and I live here! An interesting variation on tours comes from EXMO (www.exclusivemotorcycletours. com) which offers both standard and highly customized tours to its locations, which include Australia. They offer club deals and will ship your bike if necessary.
New Zeala N d
Those of you who are coming on my New Zealand tour will get a taste of South Pacific Motorcycle Tours (www.motorbiketours.co.nz)service, because they are our partners in the tour and are providing backup. They have premier guided, GPS selfguided, customised and day tours around their base in Christchurch on the menu, as well as rentals. Pickups and drop-offs in other locations in New Zealand are available. Ride New Zealand and live the dream!
Britton Adventures (www. adventurerides.co.nz) offers a substantial variety of rides in New Zealand on trail bikes.
Paradise Motorcycle Tours (www.paradisemotorcycletours.co.nz) is the only Official Partner of BMW Motorrad in New Zealand, and has a wide range of Beemers for rent, as well as guided and self-guided tours. We’ve toured with them and highly recommend them, too!
At www.motorcycle-hire.co.nz you’ll find Te Waipounamu Motorcycle Tours and their Deluxe Fully Guided and Self Guided tours, as well as details of motor cycle rental. They combine a great range of motorcycles with an equally great range of tours, not only in the South Island (which is what their name means) but also in the North. Based in Christchurch they also have bikes available elsewhere in NZ.
Offering a two week NZ tour and an eight day North Island extension, Edelweiss Bike Travel (www.edelweissbike.com) has the Land of the Long White wossname covered as well.
europe
Based in Mieming in the beautiful Austrian Alps, Edelweiss Bike Travel (www.edelweissbike.com) offers a truly outstanding range of guided and selfguided tours. In Europe alone they have 60 tours and training rides on bikes as diverse as Harley-Davidsons, Ducatis, Triumphs and BMWs as well as scooters. There are far too many for me to list, but they range from North Cape to Andalusia and from Sardinia to Omaha Beach in Normandy. Scotland, Ireland and various Moto GPs are also on the list. I’ve now been on three Edelweiss rides, and have really enjoyed all of them. As I write this I’m looking forward to seeing Iceland with them!
Edelweiss also has an around-theworld ride which you can do all together or in roughly six week stages – which one you choose is up to you. A large range of rentals is available from Mieming, and you can book on the web.
The Balkan countries might have a staggering history of military, er, excursions, but they are so beautiful and full of wonderful roads that many motorcycle tour operators offer trips there. One locally based company is Adriatic Moto Tours (www.adriaticmototours.com) which has Adriatic Riviera and Beautiful Balkans tours. I’ve done the latter and absolutely loved it, not least for the food… But Adriatic doesn’t stop at the borders of the Balkans. They also have tours to Tuscany/Sardinia/ Corsica, three Alps tours, one to Greece, one to the Czech Republic and Austria and the amazing Romania to Istanbul Adventure. That’s not all, they have just added a tour of Slovenia and an ‘Italia Espresso’ trip. Yes, that does sound just like me, doesn’t it?
American tour company Beach’s Motorcycle Adventures (www. bmca.com) is in its second generation of offering tours in Europe. I’ve visited the Alps, the Mediterranean Alps and Corsica with them and loved the ‘family’ atmosphere. Rob Beach knows back roads that I would never have found. Tours include a visit to Transylvania, several Alpine
Adventures as well as rides in Italy, Sardinia, Corsica, France and Switzerland.
To ride the wonderful roads of Spain and Portugal, IMTBike (www. imtbike.com) is the way to go. I did their Green Spain tour a while ago and could not believe the roads (or the food) they introduced me to. Accommodation was superb too. They have tours in southern, Central and Northern Spain as well as Portugal and offer the full range of guided and selfguided trips as well as rentals of their BMW fleet – they are also Official Partners of BMW. European tours outside Spain include Moto GP rides and tours of Italy, France and the Alps.
EXMO (www.exclusivemotorcycle tours.com) has MotoGP tours and exclusive individually designed tours in Europe.
Want to add a sailboat charter to your European ride? Try World on Wheels (www.worldonwheels.tours) which includes just that in its Dalmatian tour. Compass Expeditions (www. compassexpeditions.com) not only has an Eastern Europe tour but also starts its Road of Bones – London to Magadan tour there. Interestingly, our friends at Paradise Motorcycle Tours (www. paradisemotorcycletours.co.nz) have an Alps tour as well! That’s the European Alps. And in case it’s the Pyrenees that interest you, try Horizonte Tours (www.horizonte-tours.com) who will take you from one end to the other. At the other end of Europe, what about MotoQuest (www.motoquest. com) offers the Romaniacs tour in, predictably enough, Romania and an Isle of Man/Wales adventure.
North america
Based in Alaska, MotoQuest (www. motoquest.com) runs tours all over the world. In North America, they have a remarkable number of tours in Alaska including a women’s tour as well as the Southwest, Highway 1 (Pacific Coast Highway), the trail of Lewis and Clark and Baja both ways. They will put together custom tours, and have bike
where they are.
rental depots in Alaska and all down the west coast.
Skip Schippers not only runs terrific tours, he also knows where all the best breakfasts are all over the US! I know, because I’ve toured and eaten with him. He also personally accompanies every Great American Motorcycle Touring (www.greatamericantouring. com) regular guided tour, as well as offering self-guided or customized tours, for which you can rent a bike or take your own.
Edelweiss Bike Travel (www.edelweissbike.com) has tours in California, Nova Scotia and Newfoundland as well as Alaska and the Southwest in general. If you want to do a self-guided tour
on a rented bike out of San Francisco, you cannot do better than my friend Wolfgang at Dubbelju Motorcycle Rentals (www.dubbelju.com). Along with a bike he will provide you with a detailed map and a lot of good advice.
CeNtral aND
SoUth aMeriCa
Whatever you’d like to see in South or Central America, chances are that Edelweiss Bike Travel (www. edelweissbike.com) will have it covered for you. I especially like the Mayan Adventure they’ve just announced, covering territory that I haven’t seen in the catalogue of any other tour company. I have visited Cuba with them and they did a terrific job under sometimes difficult conditions. Oh, and you can now follow the Dakar with them, too.
With World on Wheels (www. worldonwheels.tours) you can sample
the Awesome Andes with a ride to 5000 metres and a visit to the world’s largest salt pan, the Salar de Uyuni. If you’re more of a beach person, they also offer a ride that includes Mexico, Guatemala and Belize.
Get some serious touring in with Compass Expeditions (www. compassexpeditions.com) who offer tours of Patagonia, Peru and several other places. I’ve travelled with them and found the South America they show you to be staggeringly beautiful but also quite demanding. Their South America 360 Expedition will show you a continent you don’t know. The name (nearly) says it all: Motolombia (www.motolombia. com) is based in Cali, Colombia and conducts tours throughout that country. But they also offer tours in other parts of Latin America and even Cuba, as well as custom tours and rentals. They are a Danish/Colombian family firm and have a fleet of BMW,
South Africa has truly stunning roads, and tour operators know
The Harley-Davidson® Roadster™ is already legendary. Classic Sportster® style stripped to the essential elements, the raw power, agility and garage-built custom style of this pure riding machine will shatter every mould. Become the legend you were meant to be.
Honda and Yamaha bikes. Horizonte Tours (www.horizontetours.com) offer an outstanding range of tours in South America on BMW GS bikes of different sizes. IMTBike (www.imtbike.com) also has a Colombian tour. MotoQuest (www.motoquest.com) will take you to Ecuador and Colombia, and even on the Road of Death in Bolivia. You can take a look at Patagonia, the Atacama and Machu Picchu as well as following the Dakar with EXMO
(www.exclusivemotorcycletours.com), as well as arranging your own exclusive tour of South America.
NORTH AFRICA
Edelweiss Bike Travel (www. edelweissbike.com) covers “the motorcycling country” Morocco with two tours beginning in Malaga, Spain. The Moroccan tour run by World on Wheels (www.worldonwheels.tours) also starts in Spain and takes in just about all the major sights of this Muslim kingdom.
Morocco is practically in the back yard for IMTBike (www.imtbike. com) so it’s no surprise that they have several tours there, including
one that also includes southern Spain. The tours start and end in Malaga. BMW rental is also available. I’ve travelled with these people and they’re good.
You can see most of Africa on the long and fascinating Compass Expeditions (www. compassexpeditions.com) Cairo to Capetown tour.
SOUTHERN AFRICA
Taking its outstanding tours outside Europe, Beach’s Motorcycle Adventures (www.bmca.com) has its South African Saunter which takes in some of the most wonderful scenery (and riding) in the world.
The French Mediterranean Alps are every bit as much fun as the Alps proper. PHOTO Gretchen Beach
Rental bikes in Cuba are equipped with trailers to carry your luggage. No, Edelweiss has new BMWs instead.
Probably the most comprehensive range of southern African rides is offered by Bike Rentals ZA (www. bikerentalsza.com) which has a range of Adventure bikes for rent and offers seasonal tours to, among other places, Botswana, Namibia, Lesotho, Swaziland and Mozambique. Protective clothing, luggage and navigators are all available for rent, and you can just rent a bike and run your own tour.
With World on Wheels (www. worldonwheels.tours) you’ll see the ‘big 5’ game animals, Robben Island and much more.
You can see the ‘big 5’ with Edelweiss Bike Travel (www.edelweissbike.com), too as well as checking out South Africa and Swaziland.
MIDDLE EAST
The Middle East? Really? Yes, World on Wheels (www.worldonwheels. tours) has its Turkish Treasures tour which includes a visit to Gallipoli and a hot air balloon flight over the rock houses of Cappadocia. Best hope that their pointy tops don’t puncture the balloon! That’s a joke. Yes, really. They’re too blunt.
There are other Turkey tours, not least of them with IMTBike (www.imtbike. com) who have a tour out of Istanbul
1. Overlooking Dubrovnik. The old bloke is a veterinarian from somewhere in rural Queensland. PHOTO Primoš
2. Don’t worry, your tour leader will know where there is gas available.
“The
which looks at the evocative places of ancient Turkey. Or ride the Ottoman Empire with a visit to Turkey with Edelweiss Bike Travel (www. edelweissbike.com) running from Nevsehir to Istanbul including Troy and Silifke. That’s where Barbarossa drowned, you know, a signal warning against taking baths.
THE REST OF ASIA
Edelweiss Bike Travel (www. edelweissbike.com) offers adventures in Myanmar and all over Southeast Asia, as well as the opportunity to discover the secrets of Japan. Japan calling! Ninja Tours (www. www.ninjatours.com), is based at Rushcorp Motorcycle Rentals in Tokyo, offers a variety of tours throughout Japan on all sorts of bikes including many European brands. All contracts and other paperwork is in English and the support is English-speaking as well.
Compass Expeditions (www. compassexpeditions.com) will take you on a grand circle through Cambodia. Further north they offer a tour of Kyrgyzstan.
Ride Expeditions (rideexpeditions. com) offers a variety of tours, conducted on trail bikes, in Cambodia, Vietnam and Laos. There are many tour operators based in, and running tours in, Vietnam. One we can suggest is Vietnam Motorbike Tours (vietnammotorbiketours.com). Unlike most tours which run out of Ha Noi it is based in the south of the country, and it uses Chinese Lifan cruisers. Another possibility is Britton Adventures (www.adventurerides. co.nz) who offer rides in Vietnam on trail bikes.
EXMO (www.exclusivemotorcycle tours.com) runs standard organised and exclusive tours of Asia and Indochina. How does a ride through Mongolia sound? Britton Adventures (www.adventurerides.co.nz) run trail
SHORT ADELAIDE TOURS ON BENELLI BN600Rs
bike tours of this wondrous and remote place.
AND AS A BONUS, ICELAND
I’m off to Iceland in July on a Triumph tour with my friends at Edelweiss Bike Travel, but that doesn’t mean you have to wait for my report before you make plans of your own. Iceland is reported to be a completely amazing place to ride, and Edelweiss will know where to go! I am going to blow my savings on a helicopter ride…
World on Wheels (www.worldon wheels.tours) has a tour called ‘Inspiring Iceland’ which will allow you to stand with one foot on the Europe and one on North American continental plate. Just stand, all right?
*Yes, I know most people refer to them as the Himalayas. That doesn’t make it right. D
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. www.eaglescreens.com.au
THE NEWB
A fi rst timer’s guide
WORDS STUART
WE SEE LOTS OF stories about you, our wonderful Motorcyclist community (and The Bear) riding all over the world but I’m sure there are more of you who would have a go if you knew a bit more about it. I thought I’d pass on a few of my thoughts about being a relatively ‘newb’ to the whole organised tour caper.
I have ridden a lot on my own all over the place and usually plan my own trips, and of course I get to go to a lot of wonderful roads on new bike launches. But it’s different when you’re sitting there thinking about
an organised tour and what it might be like. I’m sure you’re like me and wonder what to expect on the road with people you don’t know.
Once you’ve been on one organised tour, you’re pretty much ‘in the know’. You’ll know what to take and more importantly what to expect on the ride. You’ll always meet new people from different walks of life on a group tour and this can be a real highlight of any tour anywhere in the world.
Planning is much like any trip. Choose where you want to go and what you want to see, decide how many days away and dollars you can afford and start researching the available options. Of course, you can always do an organised tour on your own, customised to the length of time and interests you have. I remember sitting down with Andre from Paradise Motorcycle Tours NZ and discussing this very thing. He noted that you can do everything you would do on a group organised tour, as a solo rider. The route, accommodation, suggested places to eat, things to see and so on are all planned for you, along with any special requests you might have. Sounds too good to be true, but tour operators like Andre have done this a thousand times and can make your experience a one in a million.
Trust your operator. I know people who got all tense when the lead rider seemed to be going the wrong way, only to discover that it was actually a far better way! The
leader will work out the relative skills of the group and will set the pace accordingly.
This was a big culture shock for me, riding in a group with the lead rider controlling the pace. As you all know, I don’t mind turning up the wick a bit through the twisties so when it came to sitting behind the lead rider on my fi rst group organised tour it took me a little while to relax and get used to the much steadier pace. The big thing here is that no matter what time you get to your next destination, everyone is going to get their luggage out of the support van at the same time.
The welcoming fi rst night on any organised group tour is always one of those, “who’s on the tour, what are they like” kind of things. From my limited experience, and I’m sure The Bear will agree, there are always a few people who will jell with each other more than others, and a few (especially couples) who will stick together wherever you go. This is just human nature, and a great way to make new, often lifelong friends. There really is just one thing that I strongly suggest and that’s: go with the fl ow. Give it a couple of days to settle into your tour, get used to the (often) unfamiliar bike you’re riding and possibly the different road conditions – like riding on the wrong, or perhaps right side of the road. The organisers have done all the planning for you, so just have a great time. That’s what you’re there to do! D
launch TEchnIcal
SHELBY SIDECARS
WORDS RALPH PHOTOS MARC
One thing this wondrous motorcycle industry does is attract people who will commit almost any act to ride anything, anywhere, at any time, paid or unpaid, just to be in the saddle. It has been my life-long mantra to grab any opportunity which involves motorcycles while avoiding anything that remotely looks like a real job. This isn’t the time to go into how all this panned out other than to say I’m successful on all fronts when it comes to turning a living into a life.
This time last year I had a call out of the blue from a guy called Marc Jacckson who was after my specific skills. I like bikes and I like people and he was offering money to combine both, but and an enormous BUT it was, it meant riding on three wheels not two.
I have ridden sidecars a few times, but the thought of taking the responsibility for another human other than a nut-case mate left me a bit parched in the mouth. Fear not. Marc conducts some specific and effective training for the excellent URAL units up at the importers property in the New England area of NSW.
That done, and suitably licensed and kitted up in uniform we hit the beaches and tourist strips of Sydney. Riding for a living or some extra cash is brilliant and I’d like to congratulate Marc on turning what had begun as an altruistic idea – an attempt to raise a smile on his son Shelby’s face - into one of Sydney’s tourism highlights.
What’s that all about? Well, Shelby has profound autism and suffers seizures and is unable to talk. From the age of 15 he was unable to ride on the back of Marc’s bike because it was unsafe, so the idea of a sidecar arose. Marc took the then teenager for a run in a borrowed sidecar.
Now, from a ride that produced a simple smile from Shelby, a bit of a tourist phenomenon has arisen. Marc now provides magical moments and produces many smiles from paying passengers, mostly overseas visitors.
The well-branded Shelby’s sidecars look bright and smart and make a serious argument for fun in the sun around the beaches. But riding and commentating from one of these 749cc Russian classic isn’t as easy or relaxing as it looks. They are a bit unusual in behaviour and not something you can just jump on and ride. The flat twin with one of the slowest changing gearboxes this
Working on the side
side of a Massey Ferguson takes a fair amount of skill to master.
Between the crunches (which I’ve now mastered, trust me), the tappety tap of the air-cooled, fuel injected, low horsepower, moderate torque motor needs all of its available mumbo to get three people up and away. I’d suggest that most people come away with the impression we have been dealing with some sort of heaving, breathing but docile animal. Half magical and the other half medieval!
Kids love the sensation and mums and grandmas relax after about five minutes because both they and the kids are having fun.
This is a business that will surely spread its wings further than Sydney’s foreshores and if you are interested in riding or being taken for a spin get in contact with the guys at Shelby Sidecars on 0488 070 127, email smile@shelbyssidecartours.com or see the website www.shelbysidecartours.com . D
1. What better place for a drinks stop than Harry’s Café de Wheels?
2. Historic views and classic motorcycle design seem to go together.
LAUNCH TEAROUTMAP#51
SHARPEN YOUR SPURS
And watch the trees
TWORDS STUART PHOTOS JEFF CROW
his month’s map is an extremely popular route that Melbournites would probably class as one of their best. The only downside is that the route is heavily policed at times, so you need to be on your game… so to speak. The other thing you need to watch for are the tourists. The trees through the ‘Spurs’ seem to touch the sky and you’ll occasionally find a car on your side of the road, or you might even be distracted by the trees (I’ve done that) and be nearing the wrong side of the road yourself, which can be exciting. I based myself in Healesville to do this loop and found a really nice (and cheap) place to stay. It’s called the Healesville Maroondah View Motel. It doesn’t look like much from the roadway, but the rooms are freshly renovated, clean, beds comfy and the shower is hot – what more could you ask for! The other bonus of basing yourself in Healesville is the food. I managed to arrive over a long weekend and while most places were closed, the Grand Hotel on the corner of Green
Street and Maroondah Hwy was open. The Grand serves excellent meals and the beer is nice and cold. For breakfast I would have gone to one of the many cafes but the trusty Beechworth Bakery was open and has nice coffee and plenty of food to fill me up!
HEALESVILLE
Get your foodie fix in Healesville (just with less choice during public holidays). Healesville is a regional food and wine hub surrounded by stunning scenery. If you’ve got time take a look at the Healesville Sanctuary wildlife park. Get up-close-and-personal to 200 species of native animals and birdlife, and you’ll be able to identify roadkill at a glance.
You may have heard of some of the Healesville wineries, including Domaine Chandon, Rochford Wines and Coldstream Hills, and the approachable winemakers ensure a visit to the cellar door is both informative and entertaining. Satisfying your appetite you’re spoilt for choice with gourmet pizzas,
various restaurants, cafes, or enjoying a feast at the gastro-pub that started it all, the Healesville Hotel – hatted by The Age Good Food Guide. And don’t forget the Grand Hotel and Beechworth Bakery!
For your pillion in a million or to pick up something special for your better half at home, there’s all sorts of local jewellery, pottery and glassblowing studios. Browse bargains in second-hand outlets, antique stores and bookshops, or check out the three different monthly markets to fi nd handicrafts, local produce and clothing. Fuel and just about everything else is available.
MARYSVILLE
Having been devastated a number of years ago during bushfires, Marysville has rebuilt and is a lovely country town to visit. There’s some nice gourmet food places to grab some nice treats for a picnic. Kinglake is nearby, as is Lake Eildon. Fuel is available.
Distance – 130km
Fuel – just about everywhere
Head north east out of Healesville on the Maroondah Hwy, through the Black Spur (watching the trees, you know) and once you’re about 25km from Healesville, turn right onto Marysville Road and ride into Marysville. If you already need a coffee, head to the Country Bakery, or the (less busy) café next door. Once you’re done, ride down to the roundabout and turn right onto Marysville-Woods Point Road. Follow this out around 19km and turn right at Cumberland Junction (Warburton-Woods Point Road). If you miss the junction you’ll hit gravel a couple of kilometres in, so turn around and come back.
Enjoy the ride down through the Reefton Spur (watching the leaf litter) and once you cross the Yarra River, veer to the right and follow the signs to Warburton/Melbourne. Follow this down to Warburton, Yarra Junction to Woori Yallock where you need to turn right on Healesville-Koo Wee Rup Road (Woori Pizza Café is on your right hand side at the lights).
Follow this all the way to the end, turn right and head back into Healesville.
Options
There are two options along this route. The shorter of the two is the run to Upper Yarra Dam. The area of the dam has lovely camping grounds and picnic areas. This is only a couple of kilometre round trip back out to the main route. The second route effectively cuts the entire route in half and includes some maintained gravel roads. Acheron Way is the name of the road and where the main route turns right to go to Marysville, you need to continue to veer right, rather than left to jump onto Acheron Way.
Acheron Way is a very pretty road to take but is sometimes closed by snow in winter. You ride through the middle of rainforest and I imagine the Black Spur and Reefton Spur being very similar many moons ago before becoming ‘major’ routes.
TEAR-OUT MAP #51
CUMBERLAND JUNCTION
Part of the Great Dividing Range, this is more a point to remember to turn, but you’re also up at 846 metres with some good views through clearings in the trees.
UPPER YARRA DAM
The uppermost point of the Yarra River accessible to the public. Carefully maintained gardens and picnic grounds, encompassed by eucalypt bushland and spectacular scenery, make visiting Upper Yarra Reservoir Park a memorable experience. To camp, you need to book with Parks Victoria - www. parkstay.vic.gov.au
REEFTON
Essentially you’ll zip past Reefton through the hundreds of great corners, but there is a pub if you need cold refreshment or a look at a range of Ducatis of varying ages.
WARBURTON
Warburton is an attractive town
on the Yarra River, nestled in a valley between heavily forested mountains, with a multitude of cafes and other eateries, many housed in buildings which date back to Warburton’s early beginnings as a mountain escape for Melburnians in the early 1900s. The Visitor Information Centre is a prominent landmark in the main street, featuring a large replica of a water wheel once used by the loggers.
The Yarra River through Warburton is lined with parkland.
The Yarra River Walk is an almost 3 kilometre long pathway along the river through the town centre and past river crossings including the iconic swingbridge in Story Reserve.
The picturesque La La Falls are located off Old Warburton Road, south of the town centre. Access is via a 1½ kilometre long track which follows the course of Four Mile Creek through the Yarra State Forest. Fuel is available.
YARRA JUNCTION
Yarra Junction gives you wonderful access to the banks of the Yarra River as you would expect from the town’s name. The Upper Yarra Museum is worth a look and is open on Wednesday and Sunday plus the third Saturday of the month. It’s the Old Railway Station so sits right on the Rail Trail. The Museum’s greatest treasure is the restored Heritage Station built in 1888 at Lilydale and relocated to Yarra Junction around 1915. It is a stunner; the fresh paint glistens and the new red oxide roof, chimney pot and fi nials all just glow. There is a working Blacksmith onsite that is open all weekend. Fuel is available.
WOORI YALLOCK
For this route, more just a reminder that you need to turn right to head back up to Healesville, but if you’re hungry, grab a pizza at Woori Pizza Café. Woori Yallock also has fuel available. D
ALPINESTARS TECH-AIR STREET and RACE
The power of air!
WORDS/PHOTOS RALPH
ALPINESTARS HAS launched its latest kit onto the local market, adding even more safety with air-bag technology into road jackets and race suits. This system has been in development since 2001 and has been exhaustively tested in MotoGP since 2007. The research and testing was aimed not only at the actual results, but more importantly to gain as much data as possible on the way to creating a system that can think and react faster than a human.
The separate vest with all the hardware is designed to be fitted independently into the Alpinestars Valparaiso and Viper jackets. The former is a four-in-one jacket suitable for all climates while the Viper is more vented and suited to our warmer climate. The air bag vest is designed to be transferable between A-Star kit and is independent, meaning you wear the air bag vest inside the jacket or in the race-suit. We attended the media afternoon hosted by Monza Imports who brought along Alpinestars media communications manager Jeremy Appleton as well as the current WSBK World Champion Jonny Rea, who has had first-hand experience with the Tech-Air Race suit.
While this was technically fascinating, I think the Tech-Air Street system which had an enormous budget for laboratory development and real-life crash testing is more relevant to our readers. Testing was done in a joint venture with the Pirelli tyre testing staff.
Jeremy pointed out that, “the street is a different environment to the race track, so we had to do a complete research project on the street technology in its own right, but for sure, MotoGP played a big part in giving us data and feedback on the use of the system”.
The air-bag vest has a comprehensive level of protection built in to the upper body: back, shoulders, kidney area, chest and upper abdomen. It relies on three electronic sensors to trigger the air canisters which inflate the various air-bags.
The vest batteries last up to 25 hours, and once switched on can activate the air-bags within 25 milliseconds of either discernible deceleration such as hitting an object or coming off your motorcycle after losing control, or in the Street system’s case being hit from behind in traffic.
We had the opportunity to experience how fast the system activates and also how it feels to be wearing an inflated vest. It is a tight and all-
encompassing sensation. The feeling of being compressed by the air bags is safe but most riders will probably not experience it – with a bit of luck and skill! The vest takes 15 seconds to deflate. Unlike the Race vest which recharges and is ready for one more use (handy if you are Marc Marquez and need to belt back to the pits and grab your spare bike for the last five minutes of qualifying) the Street vest will need a service. Wearing the jacket and vest feels heavy but I think is a worthwhile price to pay for the protection.
I don’t think we will really want to do a real-life product-test but this type of technology is great to have if the worst happens.
The Tech-Air Street in sizes from S-2XL costs $1599.95 while the Valparaiso jacket is $1149.95 available in S to 2XL and the Viper jacket $699.95 (S-2XL).
Alternatively, it’s $1599.95 for the Tech Air Race vest (M-L-XL), which is compatible with the GP Tech V2 leather jacket (48-60) at $1299.95, GP Tech V2 1PC suit (44-58) at $2595.95 or GP Pro suit (44-64) at $1795.95.
Additional details on Alpinestars Australia can be viewed via national distributor Monza Imports’ website at www.monzaimports.com.au. D
Beehive hotel, CoolaC
a cool buzz WORDS/phOtOS colin whelan
So anyway, Coolac’s one of those smaller towns that are victimised by poor treatment from bigger neighbours and by the folks in the smoke. It was the second last town (after Holbrook) to get a full bypass but more to the point, it’s been dogged by lying neighbours for around a century.
For riders heading south out of Sydney it’s ideally situated for a first night stay after a great day riding the scenic route. I don’t need to be on the south coast of Victoria for three days so I head down there via Bells, Jenolan, Taralga, Crookwell, Boorowa and Jugiong: just on 500km of mostly beautiful back roads riding.
When I pull up in front of the Beehive, the porch is packed with more than the usual Saturday arvo crowd. There’s been a reunion at the Rural Fire Service and the laughter booms in when I take off the helmet.
By rights, Coolac should be the closest town to the statue of a dog a bit further down the Hume Hwy but a potent mix of political correctness, delicate sensitivities, old fashioned lying, cultural vandalism, opportunism and expediency all combined to create a statue of the wrong thing in the wrong place.
In the 1880’s the good burghers of Gundagai puffed out their collective chest when their local rag, the Gundagai Times ran the full version of what it claimed were the words of the traditional bush poem, “Bullocky Bill”:
As I was coming down Conroy’s Gap, I heard a maiden cry;
‘There goes Bill the Bullocky, He’s bound for Gundagai.
A better poor old beggar
Never earnt an honest crust, A better poor old beggar
Never drug a whip through dust.’
His team got bogged at the nine mile creek, Bill lashed and swore and cried;
‘If Nobby don’t get me out of this, I’ll tattoo his bloody hide.’
But Nobby strained and broke the yoke, And poked out the leader’s eye; Then the dog sat on the Tucker Box Nine miles from Gundagai.
Half a century later a monument to the poem was erected at the ‘nine mile’ beside the old Hume Hwy. The problem was, that this meant the nearest town to the statue was Coolac which was better positioned to reap any tourism benefits. So they simply chose to ignore this version of the poem and adopted instead the Jack Moses version written in the 1920’s with a crucially different last line. His version read: “Five miles from Gundagai”.
This was waaaaay better for the town! It made Gundagai closer to the episode than Coolac and the town showed its appreciation to Moses by naming a street in town after the poet.
Frank Rusconi the local sculptor and stone mason, took a break from inscribing tombstones and created the statue which was erected 5 miles north from Gundagai. Then came the servo and the merchandise and souvenirs stores all cashing in on the dog that sat on the tuckerbox.
Er, except it didn’t.
The original poem, Bullocky Bill on which Moses based his “Nine Miles from Gundagai” portrayed the bullocky having a real shocker of a day:
“T’was gettin’ dark, the team got bogged, the axle snapped in two I lost me matches and me pipe, now what was I to do?”
Do you really think that with your animals deep in mud, the wagon buggered and unable to have a durrie, a dog perching on your tuckerbox would be worthy of mention?
Nah! The original continued:
“The rains come down, ‘twas bitter cold, and hungry too was I
And the dog shat in the tucker-box nine miles from Gundagai”
Now that would make you weep! This poem makes sense! The poem concludes:
Champions
If it’s a dog that inspires you to visit a pub, then its only apposite that the best story you get from the locals is a canine one:
There was a bloke from Coolac whose brother ran the dog pound in a town I’d best not name. Every couple of weeks there’d be a delivery of all the stray cattle dogs and kelpies from the town and this bloke’d take ‘em back to his place and advertise them for sale as ‘fully trained’.
“He had half a dozen sheep that’d been mustered a million times and they knew the game better than the dog. When the people arrived to check out the dog he’d throw it into the yard and the sheep would head straight for the race, and then the pen with the dog in pursuit looking like he was mustering them like a champ. Sale!
God knows what happened when they got the thing home and found out it didn’t know how to scratch itself!”
But this bloke’s favourite trick was to advertise ‘Champion Dogs’ in the papers in Sydney and Melbourne and when the buyers arrived, he’d sadly tell them that they’d missed the champ by 30 minutes, another grazier had just bought it.
“But listen, you’ve come a long way for a wasted trip so why not take one of these much cheaper pups. It’s got great breeding and is sure to be a champion one day.”
And of course they did. Another stray off the farm to a good home!
The laughter is magnetic and others have joined the table.
“Didn’t he go up?” one of the fellas asks and yes - he was busted once for cattle duffing and did at stretch at the big house at Bathurst.
“He was a bloody rogue but hell you couldn’t help but like him!”
WHO’S TESTING WHO?
The Verdict
With its lockup garages, it’s very clean rooms and amenities, the Beehive at Coolac was always going to rate well.
But throw in the friendly locals, a host who’s breathed life into a dormant pub and given it a vibrant new life, and stick it in the midst of some wonderful back roads and you have a winner.
Four helmets, and a five on the character rating makes this a highlight pub for riders who may be forced to use the Hume or who are lucky enough to have time to ride this fabulous area.
Seventy bucks for a single rider is a bit stiff when compared to regular pubs and their shared toilets but is good value when compared with motels with ensuites.
Value for money for the place is around 130 where 100 is good.
I simply don’t see me not dropping in any time I’m in the area, either for a refresh on a commute or for an overnight before heading down to Gundagai and then up to the Snowys.
“I could forgive the blinkin’ tea, I could forgive the rain I could forgive the dark and cold, and go through it again
I could forgive me rotten luck, but hang me till I die
I won’t forgive that bloody dog nine miles from Gundagai”
Yep that all makes sense but it was too graphic for the wowsers of Gundagai so not only did they move it, they also sanitized the bloody thing!
The truth of course, especially if it’s in any way scatological, has a way of squeezing through the sphincter of prudishness. Ron Edwards, who knows
pretty much all there is to know about the old poems of Australia remembers his childhood in Geelong in the 30’s:
“The sweet shop across the road from our school used to sell small metal toys known as Gundagai Dogs. These were in the form of a dog, 5cm high, hunched in the defecating
position. Small pellets were supplied with the dog and one of these was pushed into its anus and a match applied. There was a hiss and a splutter and then, to the amazement of us children, a long ash coloured spaghetti like core would begin to issue forth, winding across the ground until it was three or four times the length of the dog. It was the only childhood toy that I regret not having kept.”
Ah, they don’t make toys like that anymore!
Anyway, in the bar I find Andrew, either the boss or the son of the boss (depending on whom you ask) pulling the fluid. I tell him why I’m here and he takes me outside.
I pull up a pew at a table with three old timers. There’s John and his old shearing mate, Keith, and there’s Bob who’s come over from his home in Merimbula for the RFS do.
I tell ‘em about being led down here by the bullocky’s shitty dog and Keith tells me that the local story is that the original incident happened at the Muttama Creek just out the back of the pub.
And while we’re on dog stories, John recounts the time Bob’s son Kelly had a very pregnant bitch on the back of his ute when he pulled up at the pub. While
he was at the bar his mates, realizing she was about to drop the litter, put her in the cabin. At the end of the evening Kelly, probably very er, close to the legal limit, opens the door of the cab to find the driver’s seat covered in afterbirth and half a dozen heeler pups.
We swap yarns about dogs for a while until Keith shares a ripper (see sidebar) and our collective thoughts turn to food.
Because there’s so many in town for the RFS reunion, Ian (the real boss) wheels out the BBQ and a few regulars bog in to get it up firing.
The shouts get bigger and more regular and I shelve plans to camp near the stonework foundations of the old pub that Henry Lawson once visited during a couple of weeks stay in the town. Pretty soon I’m hoeing into an overflowing plate of snags, steak and salad.
And I’m thinking: Good company, good conversation, good drink, good tucker, what more does a simple fella need?
Ian and his family took over the Beehive in May 2015 after it’d been closed for two years. It’s their first pub and it’s going so well their previous digs,
a café in Tumut, is now on the market. Accommodation is limited to just two motel type rooms with ensuites ($70pn) and a 10 bed bunkhouse which’ll set you back 100 bucks plus $10 per rider per night. Then of course there’s the free camping beside the pub and lockable parking in the garage. If you do turn up with a group you’re free to commandeer the BBQ and take it to your camp or down to the rooms.
Their new café is open from 8am every morning selling a good brew and all food and cakes. Even if you’re on the move, this is a great place for a break.
I ask Ian about riders.
“We love them. We can’t get enough bike riders. Never any trouble. Tell ’em they’re all very welcome!”
This is an abridged and adapted version of an episode from my forthcoming book to be published by New Holland titled, “The Pub, the Whole Pub and Nothing but the Pub”. To keep abreast as publication nears search Facebook for ‘Nothing but the Pub’.
Disclaimer: Contrary to usual industry practice I did not seek nor was I offered any free service or discount (or overseas trip) in return for writing the above story. D
Beehive
LAunCh bIKeteSt
CF MOTO MT 650
Surprise yourself
“IMITATION IS NOT JUST THE SINCEREST FORM OF FLATTERYIT’S THE SINCEREST FORM OF LEARNING”
GEORGE BERNARD SHAW
WORDS RALPH
phOtOS TERRY CUNNINGHAM
And doesn’t CFMOTO know that!
The latest addition to the CFMOTO catalogue has been some two years in the making, and it’s the one I have been looking forward to the most. Just take a look around on the road and you’ll notice that half the cars out there are either twin-cab utes or SUVs. The MT 650 is equivalent in motoring terms to the higher-riding, go-(almost)anywhere, do(almost)anything appeal of the urban/touring transport SUVs. As a past owner, happy but short-term, of the 650 naked version of the CFMOTO I was keen to get my hands on the Mojo Motorcycles sample which is the lusty full-powered version. It will also come in LAMS form in the immediate future. The latest is a massive improvement in so
many areas that you had better grab a cup of Milo and ponder why an imitation of the Kawasaki 650 twin, albeit wrapped up in sensationally crisp Kiska Design (they take care of KTM) is set be a bit of a hit in the market-place.
Even though made in China, the liquid-cooled, reasonably compact twin might swing more than a few
riders away from a cross-section of motorcycles such as the Suzuki DR650, Benelli BN600GT, BMW F 800 range and the Honda CB500X and that’s just to name a few that look after touring or commuting roles.
At $6,990, and that is ride-away, (which in most states can represent up to a thousand dollars of that figure) the main reason why a lot of the
1. The MT 650 with paniers is $500 more than the base model.
2. Dash is neat but the speedo figures are rather too small.
3. Rear shock adjustment is difficult to access.
2 3
attraction will be to buyers looking for value for money. The 650cc twin is as well built as it is fun to ride and should indeed be a good starting point for price conscience buyers. Probably the most natural competitors will be the Suzuki V Strom 650 along with the Kawasaki Versys 650, both of which cost considerably more than the CFMOTO. At $10,290
and $10,199 respectively, plus the on roads costs, you would want to seriously look at the new MT 650 at the same time as you are considering the Japanese bikes. They all have similar specifications: liquid cooled twins with fuel injection and around the 60kW mark, with 20kW less in LAMS form. Similarities don’t end there. They all have alloy wheels and
LAMS Roast
I rode this bike with full power. Distributor Mojo said that it will also be available in a LAMS grade, just like a number of other brands which run both power options side by side. The abovementioned Suzuki and Kawasaki twins, like the CFMOTO, roll out of the showroom priced the same in both versions, which makes sense, as often there isn’t a great deal of difference in the hardware. I have ridden all of the above in their various forms. I don’t any longer have to ride a LAMS kitted one, and I know I prefer the full-house version any day. Having said that, the LAMS rules generally nobble the horsepower a lot in percentage terms (down to around 40kW) while the torque is affected less, which means they are still easy and fun to ride. Remember the old saying “someone pulled a plug-lead off”? That’s what they feel like – or would if they were Twins and not Singles.
similar styling, hinting in an organic non-offensive way of adventure and escape with upright riding stance offering good control and the promise of economical touring.
But back to our Chinese contender. The engine offers all the real world performance required to deal with running around the streets of Melbourne before tripping to Tullamarine to pick up and load up the partner and all of her gear for our three day ‘holiday’ at the World Supers at Phillip Island. The extra payload didn’t have any noticeable impact on performance, only the rear shock.
The figure that matters for me is the amount of hauling power the CF manages to provide in the most used part of its mid-range engine power. With 62Nm at 7000rpm it matches the grunt while weighing in at less than the two Japanese bikes. The Chinese bike feels light too, mainly because with a 17inch front wheel the package is low and lighter to steer. Maybe we as consumers and manufacturers should reconsider the label we slap onto these three so-called Adventure Tourers. In my terms, they are mid-range, upright tourers capable of traversing almost any road down to and including gravel. With decent suspension travel at both ends they can cope with most road bumps just like the V-Strom 650 and 1000 I have owned. Fine on gravel, but you never lose sight of the fact that they were more comfortable on the road than in mud or sand.
Phillip Island has dirt/gravel roads, of course, and I can say our test bike was competent, safe and fun on our sightseeing forays. The stable steering remains as composed in the gravel as it is on the road and for what is primarily a road bike, the MT 650 doesn’t shy away from bumps and gravel. We didn’t have any scary moments other than the price of admission into the penguin viewing tourist trap!
I tried the two engine maps ‘sport’ and ‘rain’ but really the red button is just for show. There is only a small difference, but the CF has such nice fuelling other than when trickling through tight traffic that I think ‘sport’ is where it will stay for most of us. The
pick-up is impressive with the parallel twin putting on a good show from low down in the rev range although the bulging mid-range is where you would spend most of your time, gathering speed with a purpose and swapping cogs quickly. The gearbox was a lot better after the 1000 kilometres I put on the bike. Although the longish throw didn’t go away, the gears were smoother and lighter. A few times I gave the 650 its head and used all the revs available, changing near redline, and felt that there was enough performance there for a majority of riders.
We happily used the USB charging port handily located just under the instruments, and the LED lights rate highly after dark around the countryside of the Island. I should have played around to get the adjustment precisely right but then there were too many more important things to do like getting up early for racing and riding.
The wave discs all round work well and are as sharp and as powerful as the target market would need. The ABS calibration is not as refined as on the Ducati/BMW scale but then with braided lines and the good grip of Metzeler M3s there was enough feel to brake hard without locking up either front or rear.
The bike is far from mundane and certainly more fun than I was expecting. I have little doubt that once shoppers find out about the MT, and more importantly ride one, they might diacover that their expectations, wallet and riding satisfaction could find a happy medium.
In days past, I used to put more attention into ‘what’ I rode rather than ‘why’ I rode although I have never lost sight of enjoying the actual ride. You only have to be faced with the ‘joy’ of trying to find your bike in a sea of two-wheelers at the racetrack to know why it pays to be different. For one weekend in February I was riding something unique, making the blue bike easy to find since it was the only MT 650 at the Supers - this will be a different story in 2018 I’m sure. The MT 650 proved to me that I can let go of my ego and enjoy the actual event and the ride too. D
SPECS
CFMOTO MT 650
PRICE: $6990 ride away for base and $7490 with pannier kit.
FUEL CONSUMPTION: 4.8 litres per 100km, premium unleaded
THEORETICAL RANGE: 375 km
COLOURS: Pearl White, Royal Blue
VERDICT:TERRIFIC BUDGET TOURING
Bikeless in Penang
TWOWHEEL LAND TRAVEL
WORDS/PHOTOS THE BEAR
It was the best of times, it was the worst of times. It was bloody well time for a holiday. I travel quite a bit, but it’s always for work, which means either by or for motorcycles; this was to be different, a bike-less visit to a place I’d visited twice before, both times on a bike (although on a pushie the first time), along with
Mrs Bear and only Mrs Bear seeing that our children were in Sweden and Mozambique or somewhere. They do say, mostly correctly, that you can’t go back but I liked Penang whenever I’d been there and it seemed like a relaxed sort of place, which is what we were looking for. Then Mrs Bear found what looked like the perfect hotel, and we booked flights and accommodation.
This trip turned out to be the best of times because the hotel was just excellent, the Penang Nyonya and Chinese and Malaysian food was superb (we even did a cooking class) and not only did just about every restaurant and bar have reasonably-priced Carlsberg but there was an interesting smallbrewery selling local beer as well. The bartender at the hotel, Campbell House, had the way of pouring this pinned down: very slowly and cautiously. I tried pouring it myself and ended up with a glass permanently full of foam. I drank out of the bottle. But it was also the worst of times, because everyone including babes in arms (many of whom were 1
1. Buddha, as usual, thinks it’s all a great joke. Wooden’t you?
2. All right, Grandpa, let ‘er rip!
3. And here’s the pier…
4. What time is it? Two-wheeler time! Bicycles have mostly been overtaken (in more ways than one) by scooters.
5. Pick what you like, and they’ll cook it for you on the spot at the Red Garden food court.
6. One of the chambermaids lowering our luggage to the ground floor by the unique rope lift.
4.
leave your
anywhere you like, really, and the
5. Talking of rules: this bloke has his foundry in a wooden building among all the other wooden buildings.
1. Real bike, painted kids. Penang offers a truly superior type of (mostly official) graffiti.
2. Riding out along a narrow pier – nobody walks if they can ride!
3. One of the guardians at Kek Lok Si temple looks like he’s playing yo-yos with the lanterns.
You can
scoot
flag is optional.
6. Honda 125, low mileage, needs some cosmetic work…
7. Penang Craft Beer showing off its amazingly persistent head.
placed in front of the rider, acting as a familial air bag) seemed to be riding, and I wasn’t! Admittedly almost all of them were on 50cc scooters, but when your town is flat and everyone else is on a 50 as well that doesn’t matter so much. They zipped around, some in the hands of deadly-keen teenagers with their jackets on back to front – this is Malaysian safety gear – and others loaded with three or more family members, or four or more gas cylinders. Vast overloading is not as common here as it is in Vietnam, say, but amazing enough.
Of course there is a way of getting yourself onto wheels; just
rent a scooter. There is a bit of a trick to this; do not rent it down in Armenian Street, the tourist hub. Go up to Chulia Street, where ancient hippies, down to their last few dozen brain cells, wander along and the prices are much more reasonable. Call it
A$10 a day for a pretty crappy 50, up to $20 for a snappy new number. That includes a ‘helmet’ and you can just use your own jacket as safety equipment, worn back to front as the locals do. There is quite a bit to see on Penang island, and renting a scoot will allow you to head out beyond
the built-up parts of George Town. You don’t really need to do this; the bus service is cheap, frequent and air conditioned. But it sure looks like more fun on a bike. And if the island isn’t enough for you, head for the mainland and check out places like the once-Australian air base of Butterworth. If you’re staying in George Town itself (which I’d highly recommend) then take the ferry; it’s quick and convenient. But I’m not going to blather on (any more) but instead I’ll show you some of my holiday photos! Won’t that be grand! Yes! You there, come out from under that table… D
1. Food from the street stalls is not just delicious, it’s also healthy. Rules are quite tough.
2. Pretty nearly the flashest bike shop in town.
3. Check the pipe-and-ratchet arrangement on the bike. There’s one on the other side too, and they form a stand to keep the bike level.
4. Some people, like this young lady, stop to phone. Others just jam the handset into their helmet.
launch used&reviewed
OUT OF THE BOX
RooF BoXER Ro5
HELMET - PRICE - $499.95
Sometimes my memory is good as gold. Did you know, for example, that NSW brewers Tooheys invented the twist-top beer bottle cap? Sometimes on the other hand it’s a bit vague – but I do remember that the first full face helmet I ever saw was proudly brought into the KG Murrays art department, where I was slaving over the design of issue number 2 of Two Wheels as well as Man Junior, Australasian Bride and many other stylish publications. It was a Bell with its own fuzzy-lined bag and a cutout about the size of a postbox. It weighed approximately 5 kilos. How anyone could have seen out of it and supported it with a normal neck was beyond any of us, but of course it was not for such low-lifes as motorcyclists; it was a car racing helmet.
Since then I have seen, and worn, many helmets. Some of them have saved my life, notably two different Shoei full faces which on each occasion prevented my skull from caving in like a watermelon hit with a cricket bat. Then there was the Lazer open face which got in the way of my splattering the top of a red Camry that had turned across me in Canterbury Road with what little I still have of a brain. And… ah, you probably don’t want to read much more about this. I certainly don’t want to remember it.
To get somewhere near the point: I have been attending European motorcycle shows for more than 30 years, and one of the things I can
remember from just about all of them is thinking: “Why doesn’t someone bring Roof helmets to Australia?”
The thing is, you see, Roof makes and always has made helmets that are seriously cool. I suspect that they protect your brain as well, but the coolth was what always impressed me. Shallow? I set the world record. Now the law has changed and European approval means that helmet brands can, under certain circumstances, be sold in Australia. Our friends at Cassons, enquiries@ cassons.com.au, have chosen Roof as one of the first European brands to import. Could I have been happier? Well, maybe if I’d been chosen to attend the launch of the Elle MacPherson range of translucent Kevlar-lined underwear, but otherwise…
I got hold of one of the bestlooking of the Roofs, the Boxer RO5. As a full face, the helmet makes me look like one of the Insect Troopers of Mordor, which is great. It also allows me to flip the chin piece over to the back, in effect creating an open face helmet which still provides an excellent shaped visor. The helmet fits tightly, which gives it a secure feeling but also unfortunately means I have to take my specs off before I don or remove it. A minor annoyance. The red tags which release the chin piece look like little Devil’s horns when the helmet is in open face mode.
The helmet feels light and hugs my somewhat rugged heads shape nicely, and while it is not the quietest I’ve worn its noise level is perfectly acceptable. It’s a terrific helmet and
I hope not too many of you buy it because then I won’t stand out so much on the road. PT
A BIGGER HORN
ZoDIaC CUSToM HoRn
105DBa - PRICE - $26.95
Don’t get me wrong, I love my Ducati Scrambler. But just as there could be some one thing that bugs you about a pet you love – such as the tendency of a cat to kill and bring home the neighbours’ chickens (it’s a pain to pluck them) – there was one thing I was less than fully happy with on the Scrambler. That was the horn. I am a firm believer in letting drivers know you’re there. These days in Sydney it would often make no difference if you were blowing the horn from a quarter million gross tonne cruise liner; drivers just keep coming over into your lane. But that’s Sydney. The rest of the country is somewhat more responsive.
So while I was waiting at Motorcycle Accessories Supermarket for my Sportster to have its whitewall tyres fitted – wait till you see them! – I wandered into the Harley-Davidson accessory area and found this Zodiac horn. It’s the same shape as just about all motorcycle horns – a little doubledup flying saucer with a tab on one side – and it fits happily into the space where the Ducati horn was sitting. I am quite happy with the increased volume and not at all embarrassed about sounding like a Harley. Although mind you, a real cruise liner horn sounds really tempting… maybe if I had a Street Glide or a Chieftain… PT D
We don’t suggest trying this method of body strengthening
MY SUPERPOWER IS…
Riding a motorcycle compiled by stuart
HaVE YoU HEard that riding a motorcycle will make you younger, healthier and allround be in better shape both physically and mentally? Well it’s true!
Both The Bear and I ride motorcycles to the AMM office nearly every day. There are two reasons we
do. Firstly, so we can lane filter and not be stuck in traffic, and secondly (and actually more importantly) because it’s fun to ride a motorcycle!
It also turns out, according to Dr Ryutu Kawashima of the university of Tokyo, that riding a motorcycle can actually make you smarter – and not just sexier.
Dr Kawashima has conducted experiments comparing riders who currently rode motorcycles on a regular basis with ex-riders who once rode regularly but had not gone for a ride for 10 years or more. Kawashima asked the participants to ride on courses in different conditions while he recorded
their brain activities. The eight courses included a series of curves, poor road conditions, steep hills, hair-pin turns and a variety of other challenges.
What did he discover? After an analysis of the data, the professor found that the current riders and ex-riders used their brain in radically different ways. When the current riders rode motorcycles, specific segments of their brains, (the right hemisphere of the prefrontal lobe) was activated and riders demonstrated a higher level of concentration than the ex-riders. His next experiment was a test of how making a habit of riding a motorcycle affects the brain.
Trial subjects were those otherwise healthy people who had not ridden for 10 years or more. Over the course of a couple of months, these riders used a motorcycle for their daily commute and in other everyday situations while Dr Kawashima and his team studied how their brains and mental health changed. The upshot was that the use of a motorcycle in everyday life improved cognitive faculties, particularly those that relate to memory and spatial reasoning capacity. An added benefit? Participants revealed on questionnaires they filled out at the end of the study that their stress levels had been reduced and their mental state changed for the better. Yeah, of course! That’s why we all ride motorcycles, isn’t it!
So why is it that motorcycles produce this ‘superpower’? Shouldn’t driving a car should have the same effect as riding a motorcycle?
“There were many studies done on driving cars in the past,” Kawashima said. “A car is a comfortable machine which does not activate our brains. It only happens when going across a railway crossing or when a person jumps
in front of us. By using motorcycles more in our life, we can have positive effects on our brains and minds.”
There has also been a study by an orthopaedic surgeon who reckons that motorcyclists have fewer knee/ thigh problems because riding a bike strengthens key muscles used to hold the patella and other bones in the knee in place. Riding a motorcycle can also improve core strength. Again, all of the activities involved in steering a bike, moving it at slow speeds and so on serve to strengthen muscles in the abdomen. And it’s certainly more fun than situps!
Ride a motorcycle, not only will you be sexier and smarter, but you’ll be able to lift your bike onto the back of a ute, just like this lady did!
Next health benefit is increased insulin sensitivity. Because riding a motorcycle is a low-impact form of exercise, people who ride have improved insulin sensitivity for up to eight hours after a ride. Improved insulin sensitivity has a profound impact on weight loss, because insulin is a fat storage hormone. Having improved insulin sensitivity means your body will produce less insulin to counteract carbohydrates or to lower blood sugars, which means your body will be signalled to store less fat. You should still, however, eat sensibly. The improved insulin sensitivity is also of great importance to anyone with Type 2 diabetes.
Next up is calorie burning. Getting everything ready for a ride takes time and burns calories, but there’s more. Think about it… it requires effort while riding to maintain balance, shift, brake, control the clutch, battle headwindsand that’s after you burn calories backing the bike out of the garage! It burns more calories than lying on the lounge watching the tele, or sitting in the driver’s seat of your car. Riding into a headwind burns a significant number of calories
as your body tenses muscles to fight the wind and stay on the bike. This constant resistance exercise not only burns calories but serves to strengthen those muscles, which ultimately helps your metabolism. Additionally, the physical effort exerted while turning, especially at higher speeds, can be significant. Racers can burn up to 600 calories per hour; the rest of us burn around 200-300 calories in the same time. For you pillions, you burn zero calories per hour while being pillioned on a cruiser, and potentially up to 50 calories per hour while being pillioned on a sport bike.
Improved neck strength is a given, as you have the extra weight of the helmet on your head. This requires your neck to compensate for the weight, along with the forces of wind as you ride along. However, riding a bike that doesn’t “fit” well can actually cause back pain and destroy proper alignment.
That’s essentially it for now on the subject of just how good riding a motorcycle is for your health and wellbeing. I seriously don’t know why you wouldn’t ride. It might just save your life!
Reference: Japan Today D
thigh problems because riding a bike
Train your brain to be smarter, stronger and healthier
LONGTERMERS
YAMAHA MT-09 TRACER
OUR TIME with the awesome Yamaha MT-09 Tracer nears its end, but we are not running out of enthusiasm. The fi nal bits and pieces we fi tted were LED indicators, rear number plate holder, radiator guard, GPS stay and the Yamaha Sport tank bag. They’re all genuine Yamaha accessories, so fi tment was extremely easy with detailed instructions which I actually read!
One last time and then goodbye
These last few accessories really finished off what we had set out to achieve – build the best ‘sport tourer’ for not so much moolah. Think about it, this bike retails for $15,499 with panniers (plus on roads). I dare say you’d be hard pressed to find another bike as good and with panniers for the money. Then you add the range of accessories we’ve fitted to improve the Tracer’s touring appeal and it brings it in, chock full of goodies, still for less
Take it on the beach
than twenty grand with change in your pocket, or just under twenty grand ride away.
Everyone who has ridden the final edition of our Tracer has loved it. We had a number of the riders wanting to buy it as soon as they rode it, which is testament to just how good a bike we turned it into.
I personally am quite sad to see it go, because the Tracer was essentially the perfect fit for everything I could wish for from a road bike, it could even handle some maintained dirt roads which both The Bear and myself managed to get out and do.
One of the things I absolutely loved about the Tracer was that it was easy to clean. Even after a lot of wet weather riding where the roads seemed filthy at times, all that was needed was some bike wash via the high pressure washer, then a blast off to get away any grime and it was back to looking new. No having to remove fairings and so on to get the dirt away – believe it, that is a big bonus with this bike.
Maintenance was also simple, all I did was lube the chain, adjust it once, check the oil and a couple of times adjust the clutch lever. I put nearly 10,000km on the clock, so you can see that this is an advantage of having a quality bike.
For my liking the suspension was a little soft. I did bump up the rear preload to full and rebound one full turn from hard, and with the front I ended up with one turn of preload and one turn of rebound from standard. It was okay for me, but my father rode the Tracer a few times and actually loved that it would both handle pretty well and soak up the rough stuff well for his pace of riding. I would still recommend, at the least, getting some heavier springs which would once again improve the Tracer out of sight.
The finished product in terms of luggage space was huge. Two decent sized panniers, the remotely controlled Coocase topbox and the smaller Sport Yamaha tankbag turned the Tracer into a two-up weekend getaway-in-
1. Rizoma exquisiteness
2. The eyes will get you, as will the deep blue paintwork
style machine. I took Alana away overnight and where she might not be able to fit some of her high heels into a bike with only a set of panniers, she was able to with the Tracer’s massive amounts of luggage space, so that’s a big tick right there if ever I’ve seen one!
If I had to be picky with my time riding the Tracer there’d be two bits I would change. The first is that massive, flat touring screen – I’d opt for something a little more stylish aftermarket. The second one is the Comfort seat – I would get it reshaped into an even more comfy seat. You more felt like you’re sitting on the bike,
rather than as a part of the bike with the standard seat if you know what I mean.
All-in-all our time with the Yamaha MT-09 Tracer has been full of exciting rides and enjoyment and if you’re not enjoying your bike you’re missing out on what motorcycling is all about. Do as a number of you have already done, see your local Yamaha dealer to grab a deal on a Tracer. Tell them we sent you and they’ll either tell you to bugger off, or look after you like a champion! SW
What
design do you think this bike should wear?
HERE COMES OUR HIMALAYAN
If The Bear won’t go to the Himalayas, the Himalayan will have to come to him
We are about to welcome our next project bike, and it’s a Royal Enfield Himalayan. You’ll be reading all about the bike itself in our next issue, but we thought we’d introduce you a little ahead of time. We also thought we’d throw out a challenge.
Fancy yourself with the coloured pencils? Then design us a colour scheme for our Himalayan. Whether it’s abstract, a Hindu temple illustration or whatever, we’ll be happy to see what you come up with.
We’ll probably only paint (or wrap) the white parts of the bike – the nose, the tank and the tailpiece – but if you feel like transforming any of the rest, go for it. Just send in your suggestions by the end of May. You can put in as many as you like. Submissions to PO Box 2066, Boronia Park NSW 2111 or to contactus@ausmotorcyclist.com.au. And of course there’s a prize. Not only will you get your photo in the magazine with the completed bike if we adopt your ideas, but you will get to sign it as well! D
NEWINTHESHOPS
A LIGHTLY STORY
BARKBUSTERS LED LIGHTS
PRICE - $69.95
BARKBUSTERS, the world’s leading motorcycle handguard specialist, has extended its product range yet again to include auxiliary LED lights for Barkbusters hand guards.
By fitting the new Barkbusters LED lights to the guards, the visible distance from the bike midpoint is increased, resulting in significant improvement of the rider’s visibility to other road users. Barkbusters auxiliary LED lights are available in both white and amber for fitment to JET, VPS and STORM plastic hand guards. These smart highpowered LEDs provide additional running and/or signal lighting to motorcycles, meeting the increasing demand for both style and safety from today’s riders.
Sold in pairs, each indicator or auxiliary light consists of 15 super-bright LEDs offering outstanding visibility in traffic while keeping power consumption low. With a sleek and innovative design, the lights allow parallel mounting so that both indicator and position lights can be fitted together on one handguard. All Barkbusters products are available from your local bike shop. For further information visit: www.barkbusters.net
TIDY LEGAL
OGGY KNOBBS’ FENDER ELIMINATORS
PRICE – FROM $129
In an ever-expanding range, Oggy Knobbs offers fender eliminators, manufactured right here in Australia with the same quality materials and attention to detail we have all come to expect. The people at Oggy Knobbs (are they the Oggies or the Knobbses?) are proud to announce that when used with the OEM licence plate lamp and indicators, their fender eliminators are completely legal. The fitment is a true plug and play setup with no need to cut wires or drill holes.
To see the full range of models available, visit www.kenma.com.au/ oggy_knobs.html
URBANE RANGER
FALCO RANGER BOOTS
PRICE - $269.95
Falco has announced a new style in its men's urban riding line, The Ranger. With its lower cut, the Ranger is a modern casual styled riding boot that provides fashionable support and optimum safety.
Falco have taken the award winning D-30 molecule technology, a breakthrough development for the military, and added it to the ankle cup of the Ranger boot - this vastly increases rider safety in the event of an impact. Keeping your feet securely fixed to the ground or footpegs are the vintage stitched, hard wearing Vibram rubber soles. Specifically designed for motorcycle use, the Rangers’ heavy duty soles are an extremely durable and long lasting design, resistant to oil and other lubricants that riders may encounter with long term use on road surfaces.
Constructed from Premium grade, oil treated Italian leather; the Ranger
also features High-Tex membrane technology which will reject water penetration for optimal rider comfort in adverse weather conditions. That’s in the rain. The boot’s lace loop hide pocket is another user friendly feature that keeps laces free from tangling while riding for extra safety on the roads. The side ankle zip with Velcro tab means quick and secure fastening of the boot as well as easy removal, meaning you don’t have to use the laces.
Whether for a daily commute, weekend ride or a night on the town, Falcon’s Ranger Boot is perfect for any male rider who demands a safety driven, comfortable and well-made pair of riding footwear. Girls with big feet are welcome to buy them too. Available in Black or Camel Brown and sizes 8-13 US. See your local bike shop or visit www.ficeda.com.au
BIG STYLE
K&N STREET METAL AIR INTAKE PRICE - $599.95
K&N and innovation go hand-in-hand, and the new RK-3950 and RK-3951 Street Metal air intake systems are breathing proof. If your Harley-Davidson was built in this millennium, there’s a good chance that one of these performance intakes will give you bolt-on power and great looks.
Both the RK-3950 and RK-3951 employ a cast aluminium high-volume, performance air intake housing. That housing is designed in a sleek, ram-air shape that is reminiscent of a muscle car shaker hood scoop. They feature a matte black finish on the aluminium body. The intakes' raised horizontal ribs are highlighted in natural aluminium and match the cooling fins on the Harley V-twin cylinders perfectly. Simply put, these intakes are lookers.
The K&N dynamometer shows an estimated increase of almost 5 horsepower and over 5 foot-pounds (or poundsfeet, Rob) of torque in an otherwise stock 103ci 2015 Softail Deluxe, and on a stock 103ci 2013 Street Glide showed an estimated gain of over 6 horsepower. Those are improvements that will make for a more spirited ride. An added bonus is that the free-breathing system will emit an aggressive and pleasing intake growl. See your local bike shop or visit www.ctaaustralia.com.au
ULTRA COMPACT POCKET PUMP
» Weighs only 570g
» Inflate a low or flat tyre quickly and safely
» Ideal for use on motorcycles, ATV’s and scooters
ade in the USA from billet
MINI JUMP STARTER
Lightweight. No reaming. No glue. Store spare plugs in the end cap
Don’t let yourself be stranded with a flat battery!
This little lithium jump starter is pocket-sized, light, packs a real punch and will easily tuck into a tank bag, top box or pannier.
Our mini jump starter comes with a recharging plug suitable for both BMW (merit) sockets and normal car type accessory sockets. Comes in a compact bag with all accessories including USB port and cable so you can recharge your phone, ipad or GPS.
NEW IN THE SHOPS
TURN SMART
STS SMART TURN SYSTEM
PRICE - $149 EURO
Fancy having a self-cancelling indicator system on your motorcycle, but not quite ready to buy a Harley? Well, look no further than the new STS Smart Turn System. It is the most advanced and accurate system for automatic cancellation of turn signals for a motorcycle. The system makes use of sophisticated motion sensor technology and is able to reliably determine whether a rider has changed a lane, exited a roundabout or simply completed a turn at a crossroad – the turn signal is always cancelled as the manoeuvre is completed. The unit comes with a 12 month warranty and 30-day money back return. We’ve got one to fit to The Bear’s Ducati Scrambler so look for the review soon. To get one of your own, visit www.safer-turn.com
LOCK IT UP
GEARWRENCH 3 PIECE LOCKING
FLEX HANDLE RATCHET SET
PRICE - $215
This three piece locking flex handle ratchet set includes ¼, ⅜ and ½ inch drives and is designed for jobs where accessibility is limited and to aid in the prevention of rounding out fastener heads. Ratchet handle flexibility is engaged by the flush mounted on/off switch for customisable access angles
in hard to reach areas. The locking head provides the user with the option of using the ratchet in either one of nine fixed angle positions, or as an almost unlimited flexible head position while unlocked. This provides extreme versatility as the ratcheting function can be used for traditional straight fastening or used on angles where space is limited. To top it all off, the GearWrench Locking Flex Handle Ratchet Set is also covered by a lifetime warranty. For more information or to find your nearest retailer please visit www.gearwrench.com.au .
X-RATED
RIZOMA FOR DUCATI X-DIAVEL S
Uniting the X-Diavel S’s almost brutal personality with Rizoma accessories results in an aggressive, intensely emotional machine. For this unique bike, Rizoma has created an accessory line which aims at making one of the most audacious cruisers on the market even more extreme. Because the devil is in the details, right? See your local Rizoma dealer or www.rizoma.com to check out the full range.
SPOILT FOR CHOICE
EAGLESCREENS HONDA
AFRICA TWIN - PRICE - $140 - $190
Don’t just settle for any windscreen for your Honda Africa Twin, get the one you want. Our friends at Eaglescreens
have six variants available for the Africa Twin. Yes, you read that right – six of them! They’re available in a range of tints and clear; visit www. eaglescreens. com.au to see the selection and to order. Eaglescreens also has thousands of screens available for a massive range of bikes – all at excellent prices.
VERSATILITY AT ITS BEST
VENTURA EVO RACK SYSTEM
PRICE – FROM $399
Ventura has its awesome new EVO rack system and bags available for the Triumph Street Cup. Essentially the EVO system does away with the large hoop, and the bags are now selfsupporting and just slip onto the rack. We reviewed them last month and we’ve also just fitted them to Stuart’s new bike – and love both the 10 litre and 40 litre bags. See your local bike shop or visit www.kenma.com.au . D
JOE ELASMAR & MV
Not just in OZ
MV AGUSTA Australia and New Zealand CEO Joe Elasmar has pulled off a feat that few if any other Australian companies have achieved. His family company Urban Motor Group has been appointed the distributor of MV Agusta in North America. He can claim the enviable achievement of
growing the brand successfully here in Australia, and he and the team are now rolling up their sleeves, fl exing their muscles… and spreading their wings.
AMM: Thanks for your time, Joe, and as a lover of all MV models both old and new I have to ask, and I know
it is like asking a parent to choose their favourite child: which of all the current MV Agustas is your favourite?
JOE: It's a tough one, as I can’t get enough of the Dragster RR's performance and unique styling with the spoke wheels as my daily ride, but at the same time if I am heading out
for a longer run, then the Turismo Veloce 800 hands down is the most capable and exciting all round road focused motorcycle I have ridden to date, with looks to match. Both of these bikes are equipped with the latest electronics package which includes the EAS 2.0 (up & down) quickshifter and custom maps which give you the freedom to set up the motorcycle to your own style of riding.
AMM: I suppose that will lead nicely into America or Australia? By now a lot of readers may know that your business has taken over the distribution rights for the MV Agusta brand into the USA
JOE: Yes, the agreement was signed in 2014 and in 2016 after almost a year of discussion, planning, persistence and proven results in other markets, Urban Motor Group has officially acquired the MV Agusta USA LLC. We are now in the transition phase, but technically we have begun the process of building up the dealer network. We are reviewing proposals for several new dealership requests for the brand across USA and Canada. Some of these are proposals for new showrooms, but our immediate focus is to review and strengthen the existing dealer network while also rolling out new service and product training programs. Dealers will be well informed on all that relates to MV including the new and revised 2017 range, allowing them to best serve the current and future customer base. I’m too busy to go picking favourites there as yet!
AMM: Why your company?
JOE: MV Agusta recognise that the USA is a key market for MV Agusta and in order to achieve this it requires a strong, focused team to take it to the level it deserves. The factory has a clear focus on building super premium motorcycles that are superior in technology and design whilst maintaining the hand built in Italy approach. This is where we see the competitive edge for those looking for something more in a motorcycle. We have a clear understanding of what needs to be done in terms of bringing products of distinction to market with a focus on strengthening dealer network, further improving aftersales and offering a unique customer experience. This is our key objective for the USA. In saying this, the factory has recognised our ability in this area and is now focused on supporting us to deliver just that.
AMM: I’m sure that many of our readers won’t be aware that you have been planning this move in North America for so many years –it goes back to 2013, right?
JOE: Yes, actually the plan was formed that far back and we had already been there for some time, starting up a US company, arranging staff, warehousing and other requirements but due to a change in family circumstances I had to delay the launch plan.
AMM: We have recently seen two MV-only stores open in Sydney. Naturally I’m wondering if that style of store is going to be consistent both here and in the US?
JOE: Most defi nitely, we see the potential for fl agship stores and are currently considering some opportunities in this area. In offering
this type of store, we are able to provide a focused approach to the brand and its customers, allowing us to further provide a top level ownership experience for those who purchase our products but also for those that are passionate about all that is motorsport. They are able to walk into a store that is staffed by passionate people who know and appreciate the brand, its history and the impact it has had for so many years on motorcycling as we know it.
AMM: The Turismo Veloce is a favourite around our offi ce, do you see a four-cylinder version in the pipeline?
JOE: Without saying too much, I feel that with a new 4 cylinder platform on the horizon, there is no reason why this couldn’t be an option, but only time will tell.
AMM: How important for you as the importer is the relationship between racing on weekends and potential customers during the week for MV? After all, you only had to be at International Festival of Speed to embrace the glory of MV's heritage!
JOE: MV Agusta has always been part of racing since it began producing motorcycles, which is why at the International Festival of Speed it was great to exhibit new and old motorcycles alongside having 15 times world champion Giacomo Agostini visit and get out on the track on an MV.
In such an environment, customers begin to really learn the racing heritage behind the brand and the fact the bikes are still hand built, they get a greater appreciation why MV Agusta is so special.
They can see the direct lineage between race bikes to the street bikes MV builds, sharing the same attention to detail to maximise performance and at the same time look unique, or as we say: Motorcycle Art. D
• Helite airbag technology – the future of motorcycle safety is here today!
• European designed/CE approved Helite vests and jackets all with airbag built in
• For the price of a helmet, Helite protects your neck, vertebrae, chest, hips, abdomen, internal organs and tailbone – a helmet for your body
See these and other products at www.motosmart.com.au or FB at Facebook.com/MotoSmartOz. Email wayne@motosmart.com.au or call 08 8339 6781
HELITE
WHERE’STHEBEAR
Welcome to the third instalment of our geography puzzle! As you’ve probably realised by now, I take a lot of photos when I travel around. Now a lot of those pictures are just sitting in our files, waiting for – perhaps – a story they’ll illustrate in some way. Well, they have rebelled and they want a chance to shine in these pages. I’ve folded, in my usual courageous way, and you’re reading the result.
All you need to do is work out where the photo was taken and drop me a line at contactus @ausmotorcyclist.com.au or PO Box 2066, Boronia Park NSW 2111. The winner will be drawn from responses we receive until the end of the month on the cover. That means you have about 6 weeks, which should be plenty of time to give Google Street View a workout!
And here’s a bonus: if nobody comes up with the actual location where the photo was taken, we’ll award the prize to the closest guess. So here we go:
Adjust your strap!
Not just once, but four times. The prize for working out where I am this month is a set of four Made in the USA Adjust-A-Straps from Rocky Creek Designs, worth over $60. Each Adjust-A-Strap is 92cm long and can be adjusted to different lengths by simply hooking the nylon moulded
hooks through one of the six holes in the strap. They’re made from a special polyurethane formula that has no rubber or latex in it. They won’t split, crack, break, or become brittle like the cheap bungees. These super-strong bungees are designed so they can be stretched up to twice their length, they are also rust-free and have a lifetime warranty! Available in yellow, green, red, black or blue. And yes, we do use them ourselves!
Here is Where’s The Bear #3. As you can see it’s a pub (what else would it be?) but don’t be misled by the beer sign; it’s not in the same State as that brand would suggest! More clues? Well, if things had been different you would be swearing at the politicians hanging out here, not in Canberra. Make sure you include your postal address with your response, so we’ll know where to send your prize
We have a winner for the first Where’s The Bear puzzle, too, of course. It’s Kelvin Trautman who worked out that I was at the Wynn’s Coonawarra Estate in South Australia. The MotoPressor Pocket Pump will be on its way to you as soon as you send us your postal address, Kelvin. No more worries about filling tyres and other inflatables, for you!
It’s still possible to collect most issues. We recommend checking availability via our website as to which issues are available, sold out or are low in stock. Back issues only cost $12.00 each including postage and packaging; just visit the website and place your order – www.ausmotorcyclist.com.au; or drop us a line at contactus@ausmotorcyclist.com.au or PO Box 2066, Boronia Park NSW 2111 and Stuart or The Bear will look after you.
SOLDOUT
Please send me the following back issues at the cost of $12 each including postage:
TalK about Tragics: seventyfive Yamaha Ténéré riders took part in the recent Ténéré Tragics Tasmanian Devil Run which covered a lap of the Apple Isle on dirt roads and byways. The Tragics covered around 1830km during the course of the five-day run on a range of machines from the first 1983 XT600ZL Ténéré to the latest 1200 twins.
The Tasmanian Devil Run was unanimously received as the best
Tragics Run in the event’s seven year history. The combination of fabulous riding on both tar and gravel roads, eye-popping scenery, superb hospitality and Tasmania’s enthusiasm for the tourism industry made this Tragics Run a ride to remember. No actual Tasmanian Devils were hurt during this ride.
“I stated at the welcome dinner that this year’s Tragics Run would be hard to top, and that’s just the way it played out,” enthused event organiser
Andrew ‘Captain Tragic’ Clubb. I know Clubby quite well and he knows adventure riding routes like no one else, so when he says it was good – it certainly would have been!
“Conditions were perfect, there were no major incidents – just one bruised wrist and some none too serious panel damage, while every Tragic who started the Run, finished the Run,” continued Clubby.
MX legend Stephen Gall made his now annual Run with the Tragics and
kicked off event proceedings with an ADV Skills Training Session for the rest of the participants before the evening’s official welcome dinner at Launceston’s Country Club Casino resort.
Yamaha Yamalube Factory Racing team Dakar Rally racer Rodney Faggotter took time out from managing his Centretune MCs Yamaha dealership at Longreach in central Queensland for a surprise visit to the event on the afternoon of day three. Rod arrived at Lake Pedder Wilderness Resort in
south-west Tasmania to take part in a special Q&A session with Stephen Gall. The Dakar Factory team member then rode with the Tragics for the final two days of the Run aboard an XT660Z Ténéré.
“YMA has supported the Ténéré Tragics from the first ride seven years ago and the event has become a pillar of our bLU cRU activities and a mustdo event for anyone who owns one of the Dakar-inspired Yamahas. The camaraderie shown by this group of
riders has to be experienced to really appreciate the fun to be had on these rides. Add in spectacular Tassie scenery and five days of sunshine and you have a recipe for motorcycling nirvana,” adds YMA Brand Manager and Tragic rider Peter Payne.
Look out for the next Ténéré Tragics ride and start scouring the advertisements for a second hand Ténéré, or get out and grab a new one to be part of this awesome event. SW D
WHAT IS THAT?
Münch-ing the mammoth
Iwas tempted to start this story with something like “the NSU Prinz was nearly my first car”. But that would have been stretching the truth; there was no way that my father would have let me buy the stalky-looking but potent little machine. He preferred to see me alive and, if possible, out of gaol. And since I needed his signature on the loan document, that was all she wrote. And so my only potential connection with Friedel Münch’s amazing Prinzengined superbike never happened. This was in 1966, at about the same time that Herr Münch presented his new motorcycle which unofficially became known as the Mammut, or Mammoth. I didn’t know about it – news of the bike didn’t really make it to Australia in any discernible way. Not as I recall, anyway. There was quite an uproar in Germany and the rest of Europe, though. A road
WORDS/ph O t OS the bear
bike with a four-cylinder car engine, 55 horsepower (remember, this was 1966) and a top speed of over 180km/h! The “Münch Mammut”, officially called the “Münch 4”, was in many ways the first “superbike”, predating both the Honda Four and the Kawasaki Z1. Münch was to do it again, 34 years later, with the “Mammut 2000”; once more the largest, heaviest and probably at the time most expensive motorcycle in the world.
Friedel Münch was born on February 6, 1927. His father had a car and motorcycle workshop and took young Friedel to see the motorcycle racing at the dangerous Schottenring, not far from his home. Friedel took up an apprenticeship as a car locksmith, but by 1948 he had already built his first race car in the basement of his father’s workshop. Interestingly, the
1. Big and strong and utterly impressive, the Mammoth was well named.
2. Technikmuseum Speyer not only has a large stock of bikes but an even larger stock of tanks.
3. Friedel with some gear wheels. He looks jovial, but he was a dedicated man.
engine came from a 500cc Horex S 5 (see below), while he built the rest of the car himself. He was quite successful racing at the Hockenheimring. Shortly afterwards, he designed his own engine for his “Münch-Spezial”, leading to more success. Sadly, the next year a severe crash cut short his racing career. That was not to be the end of his involvement with racing. He was hired by Horex in 1954 for their experimental and racing department. When the company went into bankruptcy in 1958, Münch bought the production equipment, stocked up on spare parts and then settled down in with his own workshop. Münch developed a number of technical innovations, and in 1965 had the defining idea of his career: he converted the 55hp engine of the NSU Prinz 1000 TT, which had just been launched, into a motorcycle engine. It took some half a dozen inventions to make the concept work, such as a
completely new drum brake, the first cast wheels, the first petrol injection and eventually the first turbocharger for a motorcycle. By February of the next year, Münch presented the largest, heaviest, fastest and most expensive two-wheeler in the world to the market. He was suddenly world-famous. Unfortunately, he couldn’t give the bike the obvious name “Mammut” because a bicycle manufacturer already owned the name. It didn’t matter; everybody called it the Mammut or Mammoth anyway.
The bike was a huge success, insofar as any hand-built bike could be. Hollywood stars and Arab sheikhs queued up for Mammoths, as well as celebrities like Gunter Sachs designer Luigi Colani. But Friedel Münch always remained true to his principle: every bike was produced in his painstaking, manual process to guarantee quality.
The workshop became too small, as did the first factory, and at the end of
1. Mammoths were available in pretty much any colour you wanted.
2. The twin headlights were unmistakably Münch wherever the bikes appeared.
3. Friedel Münch road testing an early model. Check out the safety gear including the brogues.
the 1960s, a new, larger plant was built for almost 40 employees. That’s when things went wrong, and a business partner managed to push Friedel Münch out of his own factory. The business was finally closed in 1974, with exactly 476 of the official “Münch-4” bikes built.
This was not the end for Friedel Münch. Although he no longer “owned” his own name, he continued with his inventions and produced bikes under other names. He improved his engines, built other engines, developed new nuances and increased the power.
In 1991, he had a stroke. With his typical willpower, he got back on his feet, although he could no longer ride a motorcycle.
Almost ten years later, at the age of 73, he returned to the fray with the “Münch Mammut 2000”. With 260 horsepower it was once again to be the world’s most powerful production motorcycle and was to cost 85,000 euros. The 2000 was slated to be handbuilt in Poland, but the plans crumbled and this is another story, anyway. There is a rare example in the Technikmuseum Speyer in Germany, where most of the photos for this story were taken, but it doesn’t always seem to be on display. More on it another time. D
WeLcOMe TO THe JUngLe
Tell ’em they’re dreaming WORDS stuart
MY ReCeNt experience of buying a motorcycle with a low budget was quite a frustrating one. The Bear gave you a little insight into his bike buying experience over the years in the last issue, but he’s talking a lot of years ago (and pre-internet, possibly pretelephone days) to say the least. My experience is very recent – within the last few weeks!
I’m quite fussy when it comes to cleanliness of a motorcycle –something my father drilled into me many moons ago so when I was scouring the shops, classifieds and side
streets to try and find a motorcycle that, A) fitted my budget, and B) was good enough for what I wanted. This was an extremely hard task. Was I too ambitious with my expectations – no. I knew that the right motorcycle was there for the taking, I just had to find it!
Gone are the days of grabbing the Trading Post on a Thursday morning so you could be quick to call the owner of an advertised bike. I always used to hate those who had the means to get it on a Wednesday night!
I only had to scour the internet sites for a bike for sale – Bikesales was the
main one, then Gumtree, Ebay and Just Auto. One thing became apparent from the outset – a lot of people claim that their bikes are “immaculate” when in fact they are anything but. Most bikes had crash damage or were so rough that the asking price was too high. Sure, for the age of bike I was looking at, I was expecting there to be a few stone chips and maybe a small scratch or two, but not so-called “immaculate” bikes that turned out to rubbish for the asking price. I could easily have gone and picked a rougher looking bike for a lot less than my $4000 budget
Frustration!!!
The types of bike I looked for included a Honda CBR900RR, CBR929RR, Kawasaki ZXR750, ZX7R, ZX-12R, Suzuki GSX-R1100 or a Yamaha XJR1300, so my choice was wide but ultimately I wanted a late ‘90s Fireblade, one of the ones with a wacky colour scheme, so I stuck to looking mainly at these bikes and really pushed the sellers of about six interstate bikes for loads of detail photos.
I went and looked at a few bikes in Sydney, but the asking price against the condition of the bikes was inappropriate, to say the least.
After a couple of weeks I was getting frustrated with what I thought would be an easy process, and was beginning to turn into a mini nightmare. I was losing sleep and Alana knew I wasn’t happy trying to find a bike in what should have been a fun process. I should have been excited that I was getting a new motorcycle, but I got fed up with the amount of bullshit sellers were trying to pass off. If the bike has some scratches – say it. If the bike has crash damage on it – say it and if your bike does have crash damage, sure ask what you want but be prepared to negotiate. Don’t just stick to your
guns with a bike that’s been slid down the road, because you think that low kilometres should mean a high price. Am I getting old and becoming an old whinger here? I don’t think so, if the bikes that were a bit rougher were a thousand or so cheaper, I’d have no problem and might have even ended up buying one, having factored in the amount to replace the damaged parts. One thing I did find is that on the whole, the blokes in the bike shops that I spoke to both in NSW and in QLD were pretty genuine. Sure they try to put their spin on you, because at the end of the day they are salesmen
and trying to keep the boss happy by moving stock out the door, but when it came to asking the true condition of an advertised bike I was happy that they were honest and texted me photos of anything I wanted to see up closer if I wasn’t able to go and see the bike.
I got used to being able to identify any potential faults in photos with online ads too, which might be hard for a lot of people to recognise. I know the insides and outs of the ‘90s model Fireblades intimately and could spot any things I thought were a bit sus, so when it came to look at a Kawasaki ZXR750 which looked really nice, I took my time to study the photos both online and the close-up detail shots the seller sent me. And when I mean took my time, I’m talking a fair few hours of looking, walking away, coming back, studying more.
The bike I ended up buying was a fair bit over my budget. We’re only talking a thousand bucks here, but it’s a lot when you don’t have a lot to spend! The bike is a 1997 CBR900RR with only 16,500 original kilometres and it really is in immaculate condition
apart from a scratched outer clutch cover - $89 fixed that up. It is the black/silver coloured version and not the wacky coloured Fireblade I would have loved to get, but I am more than happy with the black. Because it is such a good bike, I couldn’t pass it up, whereas most of the wacky coloured bikes, as much as I waited, were all way overpriced for their condition.
The bonus with this bike is that it already has the 17 inch front wheel conversion, a full Akrapovic exhaust system valued at $1500 and jetting to match the extra performance. It also came with all the original bits. When the CBR900RR becomes a highly desired machine, a collector can convert it back if they wish. But, you know what, I’m really enjoying this new bike and don’t see myself selling it unless someone comes along with crazy dollars to tempt it out of my grip. You will be seeing plenty of this new bike within these pages; I’ll mainly use it to test tyres for you guys and girls.
And probably the best thing with this bike I bought is that the seller was helpful with any requests I had for photos and even videos of the bike running. He was in Victoria and I was in Sydney, and I certainly didn’t have the budget to fly all over the place to look at potential buys. The wonders of modern technology have made that much easier, whereas I don’t think I
1. A happy buyer
2. Supposedly, “immaculate” according to the seller
3. Still has the factory paint markings on the caliper bolts!
would have touched an interstate bike a number of years ago.
I used the great people at Allwest Motorcycle Carriers to bring my new purchase to my door for not much money at all.
I sympathise with anyone trying to thread their way through the jungle of used bikes out there, but from my experience I have a few standout ways to make the job easier for you.
1Narrow the search of your preferred bike down to maybe one or two models. This will make life so much easier. I found having seven different models and all the different variants of those models in my mind when looking made the pool too deep to swim.
2 Be confident in asking for really detailed photos and asking the tough questions about any scratches, dents, crash damage and so on. You can never ask a silly question, the seller can only say, “no, it hasn’t”.
3 Consider using a motorcycle inspection service for an interstate machine. I was happy I’d picked the right bike but there were a few I’d considered that I would have needed to use these blokes. There is usually one in each major city. I used the internet to search for them and checked out any feedback on the quality of their service.
4 Be prepared to wait for the right bike, don’t just give up and buy something you’re 90% happy with, unless you’re prepared (and have the cash) to repair things to make it 100%.
5 Set your budget, but also be prepared to have that little bit in reserve for that special bike.
6 Ultimately, be happy with your new bike and enjoy it! D
THE WILDER BEAST
YOU mIGHt remember those big beastly machines back in the late ‘70s and early ‘80s, being
ridden as hard as they could be on various racetracks around the country. You probably used to think, “How the hell can you muscle something so big around that fast?”
Roll on to the present day and the classic racing scene, where they are classed as Period 5 1300, or the Forgotten Era machines. At meetings like the Island Classic and the International Festival of Speed these
bikes attract superstars from all over the world. My mate Chris has one for his son, TT racer Alex, to ride. It’s an early ‘80s Suzuki GSX1100 which in the scheme of the class is probably one of the closest bikes to ‘original’ out in the
specs. If you want to run at the front of the field, or even top 15, you need to build the engine within an inch of its life so you’ve got as much horsepower and torque from these normally bulletproof air/oil cooled donks.
This particular bike used to be owned by Billy Newton whom some of you might remember racing back in the ‘60s and ‘70s. Billy sent the bike up for Alex to race as he’d had enough of spending more money on it instead of actually enjoying it.
The GSX1100 uses the standard GSX1100 frame with a couple of extra braces welded in, the forks are from a CBR600 and the twin rear shocks are bolted to a McIntosh swingarm. The tank, seat and side covers are all standard, and a cut down Ducati Multistrada screen is bolted to the front to deflect a small amount of wind. Chris and I want to add a half fairing and single seat unit to it soon and Ken McIntosh in NZ is the man with the fairings we’d like to have.
field. Most of the bikes are handmade massive dollar machines, made from current spec metals and parts.
It’s got to the point where these Forgotten Era bikes have gotten a little out of hand when you look at their
For the recent Island Classic, I fixed up the body panels and had them painted at my mate, Bassar’s shop, 2SUS Custom Resprays, in satin black. I sourced a reproduction stripe kit and plastered that onto the satin paint. Some modifying
Hooray! Third place for Team Ireland!
of those stripes needed to be done due to the different front guard, cut side cover on one side and the totally different tail piece.
But the engine is what you’re all wanting to know about. Anything and everything has been done to it. It was originally build by Trevor Birrell who is an ex-drag racer. There’s a welded crank for strength, Carrillo rods, 1260 big bore kit, undercut gearbox with a GSX-R1000 slipper clutch, bench flowed and ported head, huge Yoshimura cams, 35mm smooth bore CR carbs, a huge custom exhaust, and no alternator or starter. There are many secrets inside the engine to help get extra horsepower, but essentially you get my drift of how angry and fragile this engine would be. But all of the P5 1300 engines that sit at the
1. Three very dodgy characters.
2. Up yours, mate.
3. All prepped and ready for hi-fill.
Technical Skill - Personal Service
Comprehensive or minor servicing
Performance engine mods
Cylinder head reconditioning
Welding and machining service
Fuel injection specialists
Race and track bike preparation
Tyre supply and fitting
Ducati spares
REXXER ecu tuning
Although our background is Ducati we will happily service any motorcycle brand!
pointy end are like this. Just look at last year’s Island Classic where a few hundred thousand dollars’ worth of powerplants went caput!
Braking is taken care of by a pair of Grimeca calipers which is pretty much the brand to have in this class. The suspension has had a lot of time spent on it to get it turning in fast and being stable on the side of the tyre, with that good a feeling so that Alex can steer it with the rear tyre on corner exit.
To put all of this into a dollar amount, you’re looking at a bike that’s worth around forty thousand to replicate. Some of the fresh built Suzuki XR69’s on the grid are worth upwards of sixty grand! So that’s a little insight into the other beast in my mate, Chris’ and my stable of racers. The only other bike we’ve got is my CBR, but we’ll get to that one eventually as it’s essentially standard. We’re now looking at building a VFR750 into an RC45 replica (on the cheap). D
Motorcyclists Ken and Tania welcome you to their highly recommended cafe. Wood Fired Pizza, Tapas and Espresso Bar.
Ragged FRinge Rally
The 29th Ragged Fringe Rally has been held again at Bretti Reserve, not too far up Thunderbolts Way from Gloucester. And again I loaded the GS for a run up along some of the crappiest sealed roads in NSW. You really need lots of suspension travel in this part of the country.
There were a few Guzzi Stelvios in attendance, and plenty of the older Guzzis with much less suspension travel. Rough roads dont deter the hard men of the Moto Guzzi Association, they all have big tool kits to re-assemble their
bikes as the parts shake off !
Speaking to some of the crew who had spent Friday night at the site, there had been some rain, but Saturday dawned with perfect weather.
I enjoyed my ride up to Gloucester and again had a feed at Roadies Cafe, where the servings are most generous. The IGA supermarket across the road had a special on some red wine, and I was set.
There was roadwork on the way out to the reserve and smoke from a recently extinguished grass fire, but none of this detracted from the ride or the weather.
Before the rally there was a mighty array of caravans and campers already on site, all viewing with some concern the growing crowd of riders. The man with the Pizza ovens, and the fact that most of us were the same age as the caravan, ensured a peaceful camp site. Apparently, last year the Pizza bloke ran out of tucker before he ran out of customers, and he was keen to repeat the performance this year. $10 for a one person size pizza in the middle of the bush is a bargain and plenty of the caravan mob lined up with the bike crowd to try one.
The formalities kicked off about 4.00pm and it was announced that 137 entrants had received badges and bought raffle tickets.
The crankshaft toss was best viewed from behind the throwing line, but nowhere was safe during the ladies‘ shock absorber toss ! Heats of the slow race produced a final between a 1400 Californian and a Le Mans with the Cali taking the prize. In the Tug-
o-War, a Guzzi Team beat a team of mixed brand all-comers.
Raffle prizes were donated by Total Tools, Motocicilo and the Club and quite a few lucky folk picked up two prizes.
The various awards consisted of bits of Moto Guzzi bolted to lumps of timber and looked very professionally done.
Longest Distance Male went to John Murray, a Club member from Tassie who came up for the event. Longest Distance Female was Felix with 743km. Longest Distance Pillion went to Muriel who covered 750km on the back of a Cali 111. The Stephen Dearnley Trophy for Oldest Combined age of bike and rider went to Jim from Newcastle on his Series B Vincent at 140 years!
The Hard Luck Award was renamed the Dumb Arse Award as the winner (?) broke his bike before leaving home, and on the way to pick up another (newer) bike, his car broke down. Then the borrowed bike would not start, so he push started it. And continued to push start it after every stop until someone told him to try pulling in the clutch before hitting the magic button ! Damn modern bikes! With plenty of wood delivered to the site and a feed of pizza on board, the social part of the evening rolled on until quite late. Dawn arrived a bit earlier than expected and following a quick pack-up, I made my way back to Gloucester for a big breaky before heading home.
The Ragged Fringe is a beaut rally with some benefits, like the Pizza Bloke, and not hard to get to through some pretty good biking country. This year‘s is the 30th anniversary of the event and the organisers are planning something special, so pencil it in and bring your mates!
Henry with his Best Guzzi award
Made in Italy
Jim and his Vincent
Rally awards
CLASSICMORRIS
DANGER! DANGER!
Isn’t that (much of) the attraction?
WORDS LESTER MORRIS
NOT MANY OF US might want to dwell on this, but riding a motorcycle about the Nation’s roads is attended by an element of danger – which is probably one of the many things which attracted us to motorcycles in the first place. But against this is the inescapable fact that we are far better equipped to keep out of trouble on the roads than other forms of mechanised transport. This is simply because we are far more
manoeuvrable than any of the others - and much more swiftly so - while presenting a much smaller ‘target’. Our controls are much better laid out, because our throttle control and brakes are instantly operated by hand or foot with minimal effort, with two fingers wrapped around front brake and clutch levers in heavy traffic, with a right foot gently resting upon the rear brake pedal for instant application if, or more likely when, the need arises.
As an odd example of this, many years ago I ran swiftly up a convenient
driveway, unintentionally climbed a small, vertical grassy knoll and demolished half an aged, dangling picket fence in avoiding a car pile-up in the middle of a suburban intersection. I did not do this on my own, of course, for I was mounted upon my BSA motorcycle at the time, which was a great deal more instantly manoeuvrable than any of the more disadvantaged road users involved in that accident could hope to be. They all sat miserably in the middle of the intersection, surrounded by glass fragments, burning
rubber and steaming radiators as they nursed their various (hopefully minor) wounds.
The enraged owner of the weedstrewn, lop-sided property which I had so casually damaged came rushing down his crumbling front steps towards me in a most abusive fashion indeed, instead of tending to the people involved in the accident right opposite his pot-holed driveway, in which his manual-gearbox, threepedal pre-war Chev car sat. As he had clearly been a witness to the accident, and to avoid the possibility of me nursing a split-lip or confusing the Police by giving an account of the incident which might have differed from his, I simply took off without a backward glance, whether I should have done so or not.
In (too) many motor vehicles which employ four or more wheels, the strange designs demand that the accelerator and brake controls are operated by the same (right) foot, which means that, unlike motorcycles, these two essential controls cannot be operated at exactly the same time. This is a distinctly odd feature of all ‘manual’ four wheelers, while owners of cars fitted with automatic gearboxes are sternly admonished not to use the otherwise unemployed left foot to apply the vehicle’s brakes. This is also very odd, because in emergency braking too much time is lost in removing a right foot from an accelerator pedal and applying the brake pedal with the same foot, which automatically results in a vehicle travelling many, many more metres than necessary before effective braking can even begin to work.
Some of us have on occasion spent short periods of time sliding down the road at some speed alongside our respective machines, rather than being more happily accommodated upon them, which does not necessarily result in anything more injurious than to our pride and/or near terminal embarrassment. Running into something, or allowing the opposite to occur, may be a different matter, which is why we studiously avoid having someone invade our own small bubble of space while we are in it ourselves. But these accidents do occur now and again, which is why cars are now equipped with seatbelts and air-bags, while we wear safety helmets which are - I suggest, rightly – now required by law. There was a time in the dark ages when helmets were worn by those who were aware that helmets were warm and waterproof, as well as providing a high degree of head protection. Helmets do not allow much in the way of brain protection if put to the toughest test, as we know, for the brain is loose inside our various heads and it can rattle about a bit as it floats comfortably within its small sea of a highly-specialised saline solution. However, great protective devices as they are, there was a general outcry from a surprisingly large number of irate motorcyclists when a law was eventually passed to make helmets mandatory. I can’t remember the expression “Nanny State” being applied, because it was not an expression in vogue in those far-off days, but ‘protecting us from ourselves again’ was heard on more than one occasion, ‘no-one’s gonna tell me what to wear’; ‘I can look after meself’; ‘it’s
my head, and I’ll decide whether I’m gonna wear one of them things or not’ were loudly trumpeted on more than one occasion.
In an effort to circumvent this ‘iniquitous’ new law, there were some motorcyclists who managed to produce a Doctor’s Certificate which stated that the rider, no matter how rough and tough this person may appear on the outside, could suffer from a debilitating form of claustrophobia should the rider’s head be clamped tightly within the firm embrace of an approved protective helmet. Therefore, it must have been suggested, perhaps these more fragile riders ought not to be ‘forced’ to wear one of those frightful devices. That nonsense seems to be a thing of the past, and it should be noted that the interest in safety can be seen all around us. For example, everyone who enters a building site must wear an industrial safety helmet (some of which may be of questionable value), as well as steel-capped work boots, substantial ill-fitting suede gloves, sturdy coveralls and bright Day-Glow vests or jackets. It’s now called ‘Occupational Health and Safety’ and/or ‘Public liability’ and it should all have been called for decades ago.
It may also be of interest to note that, half a century ago, when I was writing a piece for one of our earlier motorcycle magazines on the design of a large range of recently approved helmets, my research brought up two little-known statistics of great interest. The facts indicated that some 82% of motorcycle accidents resulted in head injuries to riders who were not then wearing helmets, but that the incidents
of similar head injuries to passengers in motor cars was just under 78%!! Those figures were made available at the time from the Office of the thenMinister of Transport, a Milton Morris, to whom I am thankfully not related. If those figures surprise you, then imagine what a real shock to the system that was to me; and, boy, didn’t I make the most of that information in the published article. It took very many years before the penny finally dropped with the authorities, because motor cars these days, as we know, have in-built ‘side-intrusion bars’ in their doors, self-tightening seat belts and full curtain and knee protection air bags as well: ‘to protect drivers from themselves’ may we assume? These safety features may indeed save lives and lower the incidence of severe head injuries to car passengers, but – as I facetiously mentioned in that longforgotten article - no-one has dared suggest that car passengers wear any type of head protection, whether a helmet of some description or anything else.
But there are some who suggest it shouldn’t stop there, for no legislation currently exists which ‘suggests’ that motorcyclists ought to wear other forms of protective clothing to augment the undoubted safety of the once-derided motorcycle helmets.
I know, I know, it would be a prime example of ‘Nanny State’ today, as the imposition of safety helmets once was, if a Law was passed requiring all motorcyclists to wear effective protective clothing. No, not ‘approved’ clothing – which may not ‘officially’ exist - but the type of well designed, highly-specialised riding gear which is now so readily available to us all, but which not everybody chooses to wear.
There are clearly some riders out there who need to be ‘protected from themselves’ as car drivers are these days, and we see them every day. Riders are too often seen wearing approved helmets, gloves and substantial boots, topped off (in the warmer months) by shorts and tee-shirts, with acres of exposed skin just aching (!) to be ground away on a rough road surfaces should a simple tumble occur.
Just a few months ago, we were treated to the distressing spectacle of two (2) certifiable jackasses whose performances were recorded forever upon two of the very fashionable dashmounted cameras which are beginning to be employed.
One of these idiots was recorded in America as he flashed at very high speed past a car which in itself was travelling fairly quickly. The man was wearing shorts and tee-shirt, and was filmed standing one-legged upon his machine’s dual seat, the other leg thrust out behind him. He was obviously unaware of how the dynamics of a very much higher centre of gravity –combined with the high wind-forces thus generated - would seriously compromise the machine’s handling. It was no surprise to see a savage tankslapper suddenly develop, which forced the rider to flop back onto the dual seat, then to be pelted off the uncontrollable machine to tumble R-over-Z along the road for a Very Long Way before suddenly disappearing into the roadside shrubbery in a cloud of dust. We saw no more of this idiot, but every square inch of his exposed skin would have been well shredded during his long and painful journey, that’s for sure! It’s a safe bet his hide would resemble a newlyslain, skinned side of raw beef which might be seen hanging on display in a slaughter-house viewing room: if there is such a thing, which I doubt.
Luckily, this American motorcyclist was wearing a full-face helmet of some description which might have saved him from serious head injuries, but it is certain that any head injury which might have occurred could never be attended by any form of brain injury; at least not in his case!
The second imbecile was recorded much closer to home; in Australia, this time, in fairly heavy traffic, and by a fellow motorcyclist’s helmetmounted camera. The bike flew past the recording device on its rear wheel alone, the rider executing a long, well-controlled wheelie, while wearing nothing but a helmet, shorts, tee-shirt and ‘runner’ shoes, his female pillion passenger equally scantily-clad. She was seen to flash a pair of fingers at
the camera, in the classic V-for-Victory sign (no, it was not the other way ‘round!) the rider, for only a second or so, making the same gesture.
It could be argued that the performance was an impressive one, and certainly displayed a high degree of skill, but it also showed a high degree of stupidity. Those two Australian riders, had they come to grief, would have been enjoying precisely the same degree of agony for several weeks afterwards as their fellow, well-skinned American imbecile - that is assuming the American survived his very close association with the variety of very abrasive surfaces he skated over before his dramatic exit into the roadside bushes.
As we’ve noted, we do not need ‘Nanny State’ Legislation to be passed which would demand we wear full protective clothing, so let’s all fervently hope this never occurs. But it would do no harm at all to the sales figures of any motorcycle store to strongly advise that a person buying a new machine ought to spend a few bucks more to be well kittedout with the right kind of specialised motorcycle clothing which should then be worn hot, cold, wet or dry at all times and in all seasons.
None of us sets out on a ride thinking we might skate bike-less down the road for a while as part of our journey, but it has been known to happen on rare occasions and may well happen again. Whether he thought about it or not, this happened to that lunatic in the States, and might well have done to his counterpart in Oz. Both of them obviously felt they were well protected by skill and expertise (?) if not by lack of even the most rudimentary of protective clothing. Makes your skin crawl, doesn’t it?
Hey, my 196-page book “Vintage Morris: Tall Tales but True from a Lifetime in Motorcycling” is now available. To secure your signed copy, please send cheque or money order for $42 ($29 + $14 Postage Nationwide) to: L & L. Morris, P.O. Box 392, Winston Hills. NSW. 2153. Cheers for now. LM D
WHATSAYYOU
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!
HEAR THIS!
Atime. I would not be the deaf old bugger that I am if I had listened when I was young to the wise old heads who told me to always wear them. So we’re doing a good deed as we reward you for your letter, and save your hearing.
This month the lucky winner is Pappy, for the excellent suggestion he makes – what’s your postal address, Pappy?
driver and guide going out of their way to ensure we had a great time. Now, my point is, if the jeep tour was so great, considering it’s not their “core business”, I could only salivate at what the motor bike tours would be like.
S I MENTIONED in our most recent issue, there’s been a change in our prize for the letter of the month.
Welcome Alpine MotoSafe earplugs – the earplugs you want when your ears need plugging, which is any time you’re out on the bike. Believe me, these things are just as important as safety gear; in fact they matter more because abrasion resistant clothing only works when you fall off; earplugs work all the
AHA! THAT’S WHY!
Thanks Bear!
Your pictures of Penang [in our Weekly Catchup for subscribers – full story in this issue] just brought back my memories of the mid ‘80s when I lived in Penang/Butterworth with the military; while there I owned a Suzuki GT250 (huge bike when compared with the locals). Back then I found out why (the perspective of one local, perhaps) they wear their jackets backto-front. Simple answer, to protect their clothes from the (very) dirty diesel particles from trucks & buses and stuff. They also had a very strange habit of whacking the seats of their motorbikes before they got on – to
IT STARTS WITH A JEEP
Hi Stuart and the Bear,
This letter may not appear to have much to do with motor cycling, but please bear with me.
On a recent trip to Vietnam it was suggested to us that we go for a ride in an American army jeep around Hanoi. So we jumped on the net and found Cuong’s Motorbike Adventures. So we booked a day trip in the jeep around Hanoi. It was an amazing day, with the
ward off the evil spirits that would otherwise put them at risk while riding. When in Rome... I started doing this for a while as well and lived through the two years without as much as a single incident. Yes, the things you see on bikes over there! Mobile supermarkets and hardware stores. Lots of road accidents of course... so much so that for a while there was an interesting run of ‘song requests’ to be played at the local radio station “RAAF Radio Butterworth” (the voice of the RAAF in Malaysia) – it seemed that every time there was an accident on the road between Butterworth or the RAAF Base, or on Penang, and it was
If you are going to Hanoi, don’t hesitate to jump on the net at “cuongs-motorbike-adventure.com” and get set for what promises to be a great ride in Vietnam. But; I have to now work out how the other half is going on the trip, probably in the jeep whilst I’m on a Ural 650.
Now how much leave have I got up my sleeve?
C. E. Paproth Bear Army trooper #46
Hi, Pappy, and thanks for the tip. A mate of mine lives in Hanoi, and I have been trying to think of an excuse to go and visit him… - The Bear
witnessed by a RAAF member or their dependents, it was like a code. The request would go out for the radio announcer to play Queen’s song ‘Another One Bites The Dust’. Regards, Chris Dietzel BA #31
Cruel but fair, Chris. I’m going to start whacking my bike’s seat too – The Bear
OH SAY CAN YOU SEE ANY HASSLES? Bear,
I have been planning a tour in America along with three friends. Your stories of the place have done their job. Of course it helps that the West
Coast is closer than Europe and a lot cheaper to get to. We found some really good fares on Hawaiian Airlines and we are going to Seattle. We will get bikes from Eaglerider after what you wrote about them.
That’s all good, but now we are reading about hassles at American airports and the latest thing is the restriction on cameras on flights. Do you think this will be applied to us Aussies? I’m a twitcher and I have good camera gear that I don’t want to put in the hold of the plane. As you can probably see we have been relying on your recommendations a lot but we are now getting worried. Would you suggest that we postpone our trip?
Ollie & The Boys Illawarra NSW
I’ll be able to tell you more in August after I come back from my next trip to the States, Ollie, but I doubt that you will have any kinds of problems at immigration. So far so good with laptops and cameras, too. I’m pleased that you like my coverage of the US as a touring destination. It seems to be working because I get a lot of questions and reports of happy trips -The Bear
US AND THE US
[I mentioned in the email Weekly Catchup that I was having trouble booking some internal air fares in the US]
G’Day Bear
I have travelled to the good old USA with my partner every year for the last three years. The first time (2014) I used a travel agent and we had a stopover in Hawaii then flew Hawaii to Vancouver with Air Canada.
I will never fly with Air Canada again. Their hosties looked like they were past retirement age [uh oh, here comes Section 18C again] and had an attitude like they were trying to get sacked. We had to change our final destination to Seattle as it was too hard to organise the transport of the BMW I had purchased in USA to Canada, so I had the bike shipped to a bike shop in Seattle. No extra charges for carry on or check-in baggage on that flight We then rode to Salt Lake City in an attempt to go to Bonneville but it was washed out two years in a row. We flew
from Salt Lake City over to Indianapolis to go to the MotoGP and happened to catch the Indy Mile that was on at the same weekend. Boy, that was some weekend with the Indy State Fair as well.
No problem with baggage charges here either as they were booked ahead by the travel agent. The following two years we have flown with Air New Zealand and Qantas. Both times I booked myself online and involved internal flights in the USA and all baggage was included in the fare. I find the American people very friendly. Even more so than the Canadians. The biggest problem I have is that they are paranoid about security and the staff at the airports are rude. We could not choose our seating online and we were at the gate very early. They would not let us sit together and Myra found it a bit frightening; she likes to have me with her for her own safety.
We stick to secondary roads where we can and love the western USA and Canada. We have ridden about 30,000km in the last three years including Beartooth Pass three times and Pikes Peak etc etc
We love it and are going back for more. Will probably try the East coast this year. Burt Munro and Europe next year.
My advice to you would be to use either Air New Zealand or Qantas and book the internal flights at the same time. If that does not work, try booking through a travel agent.
Regards
Len Quinn
Tolga Qld
Thank you for that, Len. Lots of good advice there.
My problem was that I had booked the international flights on points, and decided to look after the others myself. I usually do use a travel agent (hello, Natasha at Travel Associates in Mona Vale) – The Bear
AND AGAIN
Easy!
Don’t mess around with confusing US agents, web sites and airlines.
Southwest Airlines is exactly what you want, fly everywhere, cheap, no baggage charges. Eg Dallas to Minneapolis is currently $US143 in July.
I use them all the time. Run by a very smart operator.
Go direct to: www.southwest.com .
See you soon...
Cheers
Peter Bear Army #20
There is no end to our readers’ helpfulness, it seems. Thank you, Peter – and the reason I didn’t come up with Southwest is that they fly from Love Field, not Dallas Fort Worth. But it’s right next door! – The Bear
THAI TIME
Hi Bear, I had Thai Capers last month, spending 10 days on a Kwaka Versys 650 on a tour out of Chiang Mai, visiting Myanmar and Laos. This was an interesting day up around the Mekong displayed using the Rever APP. It can be noted the Average Speed is seriously degraded by the over one hour stop for lunch. The roads up there in the north of Thailand are magnificent: excellent surface (better than at home!), little traffic, and sweeper after sweeper through stunning scenery.
There were only four on this trip (all on Versyses) plus support vehicle. I believe you’ve used this tour company: http://www.thai-mc-tours.com/ - this was my second tour with Miles and his wife Bpuk, and they really are truly excellent. Not only do they take absolute care of one on the ride, but also in the evenings visiting the local night-life.
In the last five years I’ve participated in motorcycle tours in Vietnam, Thailand (twice), Cambodia, India and UK. I’ve not had a disappointment yet, but obviously the riding and
experiences have been different as chalk and cheese. Where to next?? All the best, John Kennedy Broome, Western Australia
Oh, come on John, there are plenty of suggestions in every issue of MOTORCYCLIST! I haven’t been on a ride with Miles and Bpuk, but I might have to fix that – The Bear
OBSCURANTIST, MOI?
Hey Bear, I believe you once wrote that a friend had accused you of being an obscurantist. I’ve seen proof now. On page 12 of issue number 50, the heading is “first thing we do, let’s kill all the dogs”. That’s from Shakespeare’s Henry VI, isn’t it? Except that originally it is about killing all the lawyers.
Obscurantist? You get the gold medal. Martin McCabe Brisvegas, Qld
It’s always nice to receive gold medals, Marty. Just send it to me care of the magazine, all right? – The Bear
KEEP IT UP, BARRY
[I asked for ideas applying modern electronics to future motorcycles] Bear,
In reply to your request for futuristic ideas (and crushing 4 metatarsals last September when the bike fell on
me in my driveway…), how about rapidly deploying “outrigger” wheels that swing out from underneath to maintain the bike upright? Manual operation of course, activated by the rider while muttering “Bugger” or words to that effect.
Barry’s iPad
Hi, Barry’s iPad. Now don’t laugh, but you can buy almost exactly that in the US for GoldWings and some of the bigger Harleys. On some of these you do need to press a button; others are automatic. Voice activation was not available last time I looked. And one of Piaggio’s big scooters can be made to lower its centre stand at the push of a button, at the lights, in servos and such. The future is here!
- The Bear
[the reply was from Barry himself] Well I’ll be buggered! Encouraging, I suppose, to find I’m not the only one looking for additional stability. I’ll search for the maker online and send a link to a mate in South Dakota who has a Goldwing, he’s only a few years behind me in dodder-ability. Thanks Bear.
AND AGAIN!
Bear,
How about a development on the reversing cameras fitted to cars... the ones that display the anticipated arc of wing mirrors? I’m thinking a forwardfacing camera to see if there’s any possibility of me lane splitting while commuting to work during peak hour on my new Guzzi Cali Touring. Damn those panniers are wide!
You could even have a sub-competition here... see who can pick which bit of my scenario was made in jest!
Desley Tomlin
Yes, Desley, we have one of those cameras on Mrs Bear’s VW. I love the beeping that gets more and more frantic as you get closer to walls or other cars... the idea of something like that on a bike, but for lane filtering, sounds –er – wonderful - The Bear
John and his trusty Versys. They are very popular in SE Asia. The bikes. John, I don’t know…
AND ONCE MORE
Hello Peter,
How about a fuel gauge on most bikes? Regards, Werner Hallett Cove, SA
Hello, Werner. A lot of bikes today do have fuel gauges, of course. But how about accurate fuel gauges on most bikes, eh? -The Bear
NOW YOU SEE ME
Hi Stuart
On a recent jaunt up the Putty Rd I came around a right hand sweeper sitting on the speed limit (as we always do) and a Jeep appeared on the wrong side of the road overtaking, it was obvious that as a normal Jeep driver he believes in the ads on TV. and of course he bit off more that he could chew. As I backed off the throttle the Jeep completed his maneuver crossing about 50 meters over double yellow lines. There was no drama as he waved an apology.
This got me thinking. If this Jeep had been an auto piloted car how would it have determined what was needed in power and distance to complete this overtake safely and how far it was until double yellow lines, and the distance from oncoming traffic? Or in my case, if oncoming traffic suddenly appears? Does the auto piloted car dart into his own traffic lane or continue the overtaking maneuver in a dangerous manner? Seeing that these types of cars cannot properly detect a standing motorcycle never mind one coming at them in the same lane.
Maybe these auto piloted cars should have some rooftop identification so us poor simple motorcyclists can identify one coming towards or behind us.
As it seems Woody (Brian Wood) reads your mag this info will automatically be passed on to him to help arm the safety council, go get em Woody and keep them off the roads in Australia until I am too old to ride and I need an auto piloted car myself to get around.
Ian Gregory Regents Park
Hi Ian, I don’t think auto-piloted cars will ever be programmed to overtake other vehicles with the risk of an oncoming vehicle. Well, let’s hope not anyway! – Stuart
DARKNESS IN GIPPSLAND
Hey Bear & Stuart, Yesterday I read a short thing on some American website about ‘darksiding’ which is using car tyres on bikes. Have you heard of this & what do you think of it? Sounds like a crap idea to me, only the Yanks.
Beemer Bob Gippsland, Vic
No, not only the Yanks, Bob. We did a story a few years ago about this practice in Australia. Perhaps we should resurrect that – the facts won’t have changed – The Bear D
ew 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 from all the manufacturers currently in the country. Things like special deals, cashbacks, factory discounts and bonuses are what you’ll find. Bear in mind all prices (unless indicated) exclude dealer and on road costs and some prices may have changed at the last minute as we went to the printer.
S 1000 RR
S 1000 RR Sport
S 1000 RR Race
R nineT
R nineT Pure
R nineT Scrambler
R nineT Racer
R nineT Urban G/S
R 1200 R
R 1200 R Sport
R 1200 R Exclusive
R 1200 RS
R 1200 RS Sport
R 1200 RT
K 1600 B
K 1600 GT
K 1600 GT Sport
K 1600 GTL
K 1600 GTL Elegance
adv SpoRt
S 1000 XR
$21,990
$23,990
$25,690
$22,490
$17,690
$18,750
$19,150
$18,750
$22,100
$22,500
$22,500
$23,100
$23,450
$30,940
$TBA
$36,490
$36,990
$37,990
$40,490
$22,190 adv touRing
F 700 GS
F 800 GS
F 800 GSA
R 1200 GS
R 1200 GS Rallye
R 1200 GS Rallye X
R 1200 GS Rallye Tour
R 1200 GSA
R 1200 GSA Triple Black
ScooteR
C 650 Sport
C 650 GT
(BRP) www.brp.com
*All prices are ride away Road
Spyder RS SM5
Spyder RS S Red SE5
$12,890
$16,940
$18,650
$21,850
$23,050
$27,250
$27,250
$24,890
$29,585
$14,150
$14,990
$19,990
$23,990
Spyder RS S Wht SE5 $23,990
F3S SM5 $25,790
F3S SE5 $28,890
Spyder ST S SE5 $25,490
Spyder ST Ltd SE5 $28,990
Spyder RT SM6 $31,490
Spyder RT S SE6
Spyder RT Ltd SE6
HONDA
CBR300R ABS $5749
CB400 ABS
CB500F
CBR500R ABS
CBR600RR
CB650FL ABS
CB650F ABS
CBR650FL ABS
CBR650F ABS $10,599
NC750SA ABS
VFR800F $15,199
CBR1000RR
CBR1000RR ABS
VFR1200F ABS
CTX1300
Goldwing F6B
GL1800 Goldwing $37,999 Cruiser VT400C
CTX700NA ABS
VT750C Shadow
VT1300CXA Fury
GL1800 Valkyrie
Adv Touring CB500X
VFR800X Crossrunner
VFR1200X Crosstourer
CRF1000 Africa Twin
CRF1000 Africa Twin ABS
CRF1000 Africa Twin DCT $17,999
sCooTer
NSC110 Dio
MGX-21 $TBA
MV AGUSTA
www.mvagusta.com.au roAd
Brutale 675
$15,799
F3 675 $18,699
F3 675 RC $20,999
Brutale 800 $18,699
Brutale 800 RR $19,999
Brutale 1090
Brutale 1090 RR
Brutale 1090 Corsa
F4
$19,999
NOrTON MOTOrCYCleS
www.frasermotorcycles.com.au
Commando 961 Sport
$29,990
Commando 961 Café $33,990
Commander 961 SF $35,990
PIAGGIO
www.piaggio.com.au
*Some Piaggio prices are ride away sCooTer
Typhoon 125 $2790
rOYAl eNFIelD
www.royalenfield.com.au
SOl INVICTUS
www.solinvictus.com.au
Tiger 800 XRT
Tiger 800 XC
Tiger 800 XCX/L
$18,150
$15,590
$17,950
Tiger 800 XCA $19,750
Explorer 1200 XRx $22,700
Explorer 1200 XRt $25,200
Explorer 1200 XCx/L $24,200
Explorer 1200 XCa
URAL
www.imz-ural.com.au cT
VESPA
www.vespa.com.au
Scooter
TRIUMPH
www.triumphmotorcycles.com.au *Some
946 Bellissima
$26,700
$21,790
Bonne
Bonne
1200 $21,100
Sport $17,150
Triple S
Triple R
Storm ABS
Commander
Comm TT
VICTORY
www.victorymotorcycles.com.au
*All Victory prices are ride away crUISer
VIPER MOTORCYCLES
BEARFACED
RIGHT ROYAL
IALWAYS USED to think that it was ideal: the good people from Milan’s big motorcycle show EICMA would invite me over and I’d go a couple of weeks early and borrow a bike from someone to go for a ride. Milan is close to the Alps, the Dolomites, the Apennines – you name it. That made this a wonderful opportunity to squeeze in a two-week ride at little cost. For quite a few years it worked.
But then a combination of things happened. First, the show slipped back well into November. Then the autumn/winter rains gradually began earlier and earlier. One year I rode back up to Milan from Tuscany with the rains about 12 hours behind me, closing roads and washing away bridges. But that was nothing compared to the time I crossed over into France to visit the tiny town of Le Baux de Provence.
This is the place after which bauxite, the ore of aluminium, is named. My elder daughter is named after its historic princess. I parked my Aprilia, checked into my hotel in a light drizzle, went for a walk around town and eventually went to bed. In the morning, it was bucketing down. No worries; I had a room with a view out across the valley, the hotel had free wi-fi and the dining salon had much the same view as my room. No worries, as I said. But the rain didn’t stop.
Three days later my time was running out, and still Huey was sending it down. I donned wet weather gear and took off. The first change I noticed on the roads I had ridden on my way to Le Baux was that they now had washes of sand,
dirt and gravel all over them. Suddenly riding and especially cornering became a science rather than fun.
A cup of coffee on the outskirts of Avignon was followed by a long ride up the motorway until I had to turn off to Die (definitely not to Die for, not in the rain). Slowly but inevitably little rivulets of rain were beginning to find their way through my excellent wet weather gear.
The road up from Die towards Saint Romans has the reputation of being one of the most scenic in France. It may well be, but you couldn’t tell by me. I saw billows of black cloud torn apart by the steep mountains, and that was it. Eventually I turned off to my next target, Lans-en-Vercours. Don’t ask about the detour on a logging road. The hotel I had booked was a bit of a way out of town, far from any restaurants or bars. It was closed, although an urchin turned up and made me understand that, oui, the hotel was ferme, but he had the key for me anyway.
An empty hotel with no food in the bucketing rain. I shook my head, displacing vast amounts of water onto the good Samaritan, and begged off. In the next town I found a hotel that was open, and the waitress was about to move to Australia to join her boyfriend. I traded information for drinks until late at night.
Heading down into Grenoble the next day was like surfing, the water was so deep. Beautiful road with many hairpins, but I began to worry about sharks or maybe bluebottles. Bypassing Grenoble
meant that I only saw a vague shadow of the town, but at a service station (many of them sell soup in France, and this may have saved my life) a helpful gendarme showed me some options.
Yes, I could continue straight to the Italian border across the mountains, but – hmm, peut-être there could be snow up there by now. A safer if slightly longer alternative was to head north into somewhat drier country and cross the mountains by way of a tunnel. Then I’d be on the motorway to Turin and – voila - eventually Milan. After many thanks – it is nothing, it is nothing – I took his advice and found that the rain did indeed thin out a little. Despite that I must have resembled a nearly drowned cat when I reached the tunnel, because the toll collector refused to take my money.
The same thing happened once I was on the Italian motorway. The rain resumed its fury, I was the only one on the tollway except for a few police Alfas and the toll collectors refused to open their little windows. Without exception, they waved me on. The road surface was by now a river a few inches deep. I couldn’t face the thought of stopping somewhere and putting my sopping wet weather gear back on the next day, so I just kept riding. I arrived in Milan at my hotel well after dark, the good old Doria Grand where I didn’t have |a room booked until a couple of days later, and was met by the receptionist.
“Signor Thoeming!” I stay at this place a lot. “You have the moto in the garage? Here, take this room; we can do paperwork tomorrow. A glass of grappa perhaps?”
Stuart is going this year. He’s welcome to it. D
BORIS
RIDING WITH OUTLAWS
IHAVE WRITTEN a lot about the disgusting behaviour the police have displayed when dealing with motorcycle clubs. And I pretty much don’t care what your take is on clubs either.
The cops and the government are being arse-bugles.
The police have decided no-one is allowed to look scary except them. It doesn’t matter you’ve committed no crime, and have no criminal record. If you belong to an outlaw motorcycle club, the police will target you, harass you, and assault you for no reason other than you’re in an outlaw motorcycle club.
That is the current paradigm. And it does not look like changing any time soon.
But a middle-finger to that.
I went riding with the Black Uhlans MC recently. And it was glorious.
I had two reasons for going.
The first is I love riding with outlaws. There’s just nothing like it. I once said it’s like being inside a savagely speeding thunderstorm. Every sense is screaming, and your entire being is bouncing off your inner rev-limiter. When an outlaw club decides it’s going somewhere in a hurry, that hurry is a hurricane of sound and metal. It is amazing to behold – but a million times more amazing to be part of it.
I was in a club once, and it’s a part of my life I still think back on fondly. Do I miss it? Sure, especially when I see the bond between members. To them, brotherhood is not an empty statement muttered because it’s fashionable. If an outlaw calls you brother, it means something very real and very tangible. It’s a term carved into his very being and it is not used lightly.
The second reason I went was to see if the cops would attack. At least I would be there to photograph and record what happened, before I was covered in a pile of police dogs.
A 130 big twin with open pipes came grumbling out of the clubhouse on time, so I snapped off some images,
jumped on the Audace and set off after the pack.
And it is a pack. Outlaws don’t ride in groups. They ride in packs. It is an expression of utter trust in your brother if you’re prepared to sit 30cm away from his elbow at 160km/h. HOG and Ulysses have parades, and mimick (badly) what these blokes invented decades ago. And that’s to get on a bunch of noisy, torque-chocked motorcycles and ride somewhere in a thundering, cohesive, almost organic pack.
Riding like that is a feeling like no other, and unless you’ve done it, you will never know.
Many of the members wore nothing but jeans and their colours, and I know that many of them would not have even worn helmets if there had been a choice.
Like them, I do not at all care what others think about that.
Outlaw motorcycle club members honestly do not give a shit about what you think of them, what they wear and how they ride. It really is as if you do not exist.
For in their world, you do not. The pack hammered its way towards Macquarie Pass. The plan was to go to Burrawang, a creepy little village not far from the famous Robertson Pie Shop.
The Black Uhlans had arrived in ominous dignity. No ostentatious throttle blipping, no burnouts. These are, after all, real outlaws. Not clowns pretending to be outlaws.
They were refused service by the cur-like landlord.
It seems the cops had got wind of the run, and had called all the publicans of all the pubs the club might visit that day, telling them if they were to serve any patched members, the police would make it their business to give the publicans a hard time over their licensing.
It is not illegal for pubs to serve outlaw club members. It breaches no law or licensing regulation.
So the police use blackmail and
intimidation, like the Mafia or the Triads, to get business people to comply with their demands.
And if those demands mean the publican at the Burrawang pub got done out of maybe five grand of drinks and lunch then it sucks to be him, huh?
So what did the Uhlans do when they were told they would not be served?
Did they torch the pub? Did they beat the publican up? Did they terrorise the town?
Nope. They are outlaws. Not idiots. They shrugged, saddled up and rode to the Jamberoo pub, a place where they were welcomed, and a place where they spent lots of money.
We’d been there about an hour when a police car rolled through town.
“Five minutes!” came the word from the President.
When you hear that (and you’ll only hear it once), you go put your helmet on, and get ready to ride.
Just then another police car rolled into town and stopped, disgorging three large cops dressed in denim playsuits, who watched the Black Uhlans leave.
It must have broken the Dog Squad’s shitty little heart as the pack thundered out of Jamberoo.
That run from Jamberoo to the clubhouse, in the golden lateafternoon light of the NSW south coast, on roads that were sometimes deserted and sometimes choked with traffic, was a memory that will stay with me forever.
The club was riding fast and hard.
Which is the only way to ride. D
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