“THE MOST IMPORTANT THING TO DO IN YOUR LIFE IS TO NOT INTERFERE WITH SOMEBODY ELSE’S LIFE.”
FRANK ZAPPA
KAWASAKI
Do
Losing
Oh!
GRIZZLING
Ace
Guess
NEW
Spend
CLASSIC
How
WHAT
We
NEW
Don’t
BEARFACED
Have
BORIS
Lie
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.
MOST PEOPLE I ride/race with consider me to be quite fast on the bitumen but when I recently went to the BMW R 1200 GS Rallye X launch (in this issue) I felt a little out of my depth. We were still riding quite swiftly, but I did not feel in control to the level I felt happy with. The reason was that it had been quite some time since I’d done any serious dirt riding and basically lost my mojo in the dirt. It also didn’t help that the route we took was slipperier than a used car salesman on Parramatta Road!
I tried with all my might to remember how to ride off-road – weight the outside peg and so on but it wasn’t helping. Both wheels sliding around shiny red clay corners were off-putting and it wasn’t until the last hundred or so kilometres of the launch that I actually started to gel with riding off-road again.
Next, I attended the Asia Pacific launch of the KTM adventure range, and by now I was back in the groove and not feeling out of my depth. I could attack some gnarly sections without problem and concentrate on what I was doing. What am I trying to get at here, you ask? Well, I’m trying to say that you need to keep your skills up on either the bitumen or the dirt and if you don’t, take it easy until you get back to a comfortable level. It’s really just common sense but we forget at times that our skill level can drop and going through that familiar corner at the same speed as you always do might not be such an easy task when
your skills have dropped – something to think about and to consider whether that much time has passed that you could possibly do with a freshen up via a rider training school.
While I’m on the path of keeping skills up, I recently saw a video of three lanes of traffic stopped at a red traffic control light. When the light turned green the first three cars took off in a normal fashion only to be completely wiped out by a semi-trailer that didn’t/ couldn’t stop, from the right hand side. It was quite a confronting video but also reinforced that you should always be aware and give it a second or so before taking off from a set of lights, because you never know.
That’s enough of the doom and gloom! Oh? Hang on… Motorcycle sales for the first quarter of 2017 are down considerably compared to the last couple of years. Was this due to the extreme heat we had during summer, or was it the consistent rain that followed? I’m sure there are plenty of marketing people across the country scratching their heads or their butts trying to figure it all out and how to get people back to spending their money. I think in part it has to do with them focusing too much on the interwebs and not targeting the core market like you, our delightful readers! We always get comments from you guys and girls that you enjoy the ad content as well as the high level of motorcycle content we produce and how else will you find out about that new bike or product unless reading about it in Australian Motorcyclist? Enjoy!
Cheers, Stuart.
FINALLY!
H-D TRIKE ON ITS WAY
Harley-Davidson Australia has finally announced the arrival of the new Trike to join the Milwaukee-Eight-powered Touring range for 2017. After many years of seeking approval, it’s finally done! The trike is available in two models including the Freewheeler and the Tri Glide Ultra.
The Freewheeler is a stripped-down, hot rod style on an easy-handling frame that lets you roll with confidence. The Tri Glide Ultra includes line and styling similar to the Ultra Limited, but on three wheels. Both models will feature the all-new Twin-Cooled MilwaukeeEight 107 engine.
“The Trike is a popular choice for riders who enjoy long haul freedom with comfort in mind,” said Adam Wright, Marketing Director, HarleyDavidson Australia.
Available across H-D dealerships from
October 2017, the Freewheeler is priced at $40,250 ride away and the Tri Glide Ultra $50,995 ride away.
MOST SATISFIED
PIRELLI WINS CANSTAR BLUE AWARD
Link International has announced that Pirelli Motorcycle Tyres has been awarded “Most Satisfied Customers 2016” by respected Canstar Blue. Pirelli
achieved a five-star review in most areas to take out top-spot for motorcycle tyres. Riders were surveyed in 5 key areas; value for money, life of tyre, wet weather handling, dry weather handling and stopping ability. With a near faultless score, Pirelli earned its five stars. We ride on Pirellis for all facets of riding and love them – you will too. See your local Pirelli dealer or visit www.linkint.com.au
GS AT THE FINKE ARE THEY MAD?!
The new BMW R 1200 GS Rallye X will be put to one of the world’s great off-road tests in June, taking on the legendary Finke Desert Race in Central Australia.
To celebrate the arrival of the most off-road focussed R 1200 GS yet, BMW Motorrad marketing manager, Miles Davis will hop aboard a Rallye X and tackle approximately 465 kilometres of gruelling desert terrain.
Joining the Versys 650/L and Versys 1000 models, the highly versatile and lightweight Versys-X 300 opens up a category of its own.
• Powerful 296 cm3 Parallel Twin engine
• Assist and Slipper Clutch
• All-new highly rigid backbone frame
Long-travel suspension
19”/17” spoke wheels and multipurpose tubed tyres
Stylish multi-functional instrumentation with gear position indicator
• Large-size windshield provides superior wind protection
• Slim, upright riding position
• Large-volume bodywork and impressive adventure styling
• Comfortable long-distance riding
Abundant range of genuine touring equipment & accessories available
>> Candy Lime Green
>> Metallic Graphite Gray
“After riding a pre-production version of the Rallye X in the two GS Safari events last year I knew it was a much more off-road focused bike,” said Davis. “I came up with the idea of showcasing this by riding it in Finke and started to get excited about the idea. There are around 500 motorcycles entered in the 2017 event – it sold out in less than a day – and entrants generally ride lightweight 250cc to 500cc motocross machines, so riding a 200 kilogram-plus R 1200 GS is definitely going to be a bit different.” Preparations are already in full swing, with Davis having completed a pre-run covering the Finke course on a locallyprepared R 1200 GS featuring the sports suspension package that will be standard on the Rallye X. We wish him all the best for the race!
THE DOOM AND GLOOM MOTORCYCLES SALES DOWN FOR FIRST QUARTER OF 2017
The national motorcycle market suffered a 13.4 per cent decline in the first quarter of 2017 compared with the same period in 2016 according to the latest sales data published by the Federal Chamber of Automotive Industries.
Sales for the 2017 first quarter totalled 21,794 compared with 25,160 for the same January – March period a year before. The 2017 sales tumble comes after a busy 2016, in which the industry recorded its best annual result since 2009.
Both the road and off-road segments recorded declines during the first three months of 2017, with road bikes down 15.5 per cent and off-road down 15.3 per cent. Scooter sales, which have been in slow decline for several years, also fell – by 22.3 per cent.
Harley Davidson retained its top-selling status overall among the road bikes with 2261 sales for the first quarter, followed by Honda (1943 sales) and Yamaha (1455). Hopefully things start to pick up from here on in for the rest of the year.
TAR
IT! BONANG HWY APPEAL FOR FULL BITUMEN
The Mountain Rivers Community Group in Far East Gippsland, Victoria, has a new campaign to complete the sealing of one of Victoria’s best
motorcycle riding roads, the Bonang Road. Locals have been lobbying VicRoads for around 20 years to finish sealing the last 12km of this iconic road, but to no avail. We urge everyone to write to VicRoads requesting they finish the rest of the road. Or, if you’d like more information, contact Jamie from the MRCGjamesanthony2366@gmail.com
HEY, HEY WE’RE THE MONKEYS… AND WE JUST LOVE TO MONKEY AROUND
Those ‘Monkey’s’ are at it again; having discovered that Monkey Bikes are ‘the new dawn of adventure’ (um, some may disagree with thisEd), through running The Monkey Run in Morocco, The Adventurists have decided to set motorbike and adventure enthusiasts a new challenge and see how the bikes and riders perform in the Andes and Amazon rainforest. If this sounds like you, visit www.theadventurists.com to find out more. D
TOURING ADVENTURE
GRIZZLING
IT WON’T BE LONG YEAH,
YEAH, YEAH
THE PRESS RELEASE
does not mince words. “Ace Cafe Orlando, the first North American outpost of the celebrated London-based motor-diner (stet), is rolling toward its scheduled spring 2017 opening in Central Florida… The Ace expects to draw over 400,000 people to downtown annually.
“Much larger than its London namesake, Ace Cafe Orlando spans two floors and will feature a fullservice restaurant, two kitchens, four bars, a coffee bar, a communal counter, a mezzanine that overlooks the main floor dining area and stage, and private and semi-private spaces for groups both large and small. Rounding out the offerings inside the Ace are
Rockers Speed Shop (selling official branded Ace gear and apparel); a BMW motorcycle dealer; Dainese D-Store (Italy’s most famous hightech riding gear and accessories brand); EagleRider motorcycle rental company (the world’s largest motorcycle tourism company); and Stonebridge Motorgallery…
“There is… a nod to Ace Cafe’s roots with authentic British favorites like Bangers & Mash, Fish & Chips, and Chicken Curry. A carefullycurated list of house-made specialty craft cocktails, fresh juices, Super Martinis, wines, cold-pressed and hot spiked coffee drinks, spiked and nonspiked fresh gelato milkshakes, and an amazing beer list of craft, domestic and imported brews across 104 taps headline a bountiful array of adult beverages available from four fullystocked bars. The Ace is also familyfriendly, complete with sharable appetizers, fresh super food salads,
Just how many aces does the original London café have up its sleeve?
Gluten-free options, and a children’s menu, [plus] the area’s first Oklahoma Joe’s BBQ, the Kansas City-based BBQ restaurant.”
Um ,yes, right. I can’t help wondering what the 1930s Rockers would have thought of the “carefully-curated list of house-made specialty craft cocktails” and the “would-be enthusiasts who want to take a rental spin on the weekend” for whom the Orlando mega-café is intended to cater with its familyfriendly chain shops.
Actually, I don’t have to wonder. I think I know.
If you showed up in Orlando dressed like a real Rocker and riding a real café racer, nobody there would know what they were looking at. The Ace Café, in my mind, is solidly tied to its time and place. Then again, it’s always good to see more investment in motorcycle-themed and targeted retail. So my reaction is ambivalent. Perhaps if they’d called it the Deuce Café.
Oh, and I suspect it won’t be long before we see our first Ace Café here in Australia. Probably with an Ettamogah Pub included.
Peter ‘The Bear’ Thoeming
“Ah, stuff it. Let’s just go home and have a beer in the backyard…” (Signs at the top of the Eungella Range).
Introduced at the German GP in 1961 (photo), the concept of the “Raincoat Girl” eventually evolved into the “Umbrella Girls” of today.
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.
Crowned again
BMW R 1200 GS Rallye X
Has The King really ever been dethroned? After all, he sells more records now than he did when he was alive… er, sorry? Oh, this is not about Elvis…
Just as Elvis turns up flipping burgers in all sorts of weird and wonderful places – not! - so there are many who have written all sorts of weird and wonderful reviews of the latest generation of adventure tourers, claiming that the R 1200 GS is no longer The King.
WORDS STUaRT PHOTOS iKapture
LAUNCH
I must admit that even I think that a couple have come close, but none have taken over the throne as the top royal of big boy adventure bikes. That crown has remained with the R 1200 GS and now with the release of the Rallye X version, the 1200 GS has made the step up to the throne even higher for others to try and reach.
I headed to the Australian launch in difficult conditions after some heavy rain and snowfalls throughout the Victorian High Country. Any adventure bike except a seriously capable one was going to mean an ambulance ride to the local hospital. The trails we rode were more suited to 450 enduro machines rather than a big, heavy (in comparison) adventure bike like the R 1200 GS. Even with fresh knobby tyres, the red clay on what seemed every corner really tested my skills. The other participants on the launch were all hotshot offroad riders, whereas ‘little’ old me was thankful that the new Rallye X is such a good bike in the dirt. I didn’t crash (thankfully) and I can tell you: that’s all to do with the new GS Rallye X! I felt out of my depth a couple of times but still rode on through the other side with a big grin on my face. Hey, my family was not going to have to come visit me in hospital!
But enough of my carrying on, let’s get onto what BMW Motorrad has done with the 2017 R 1200 GS.
AWESOME
For this model year, BMW offers four variants of the R 1200 GS. You get the ‘standard’ which is essentially a bare bones GS with cast wheels – a bit like a GS of a couple of years ago. This is priced at $21,850 (+ orc). Next up comes the Rallye which is again a pretty much bare bones GS with the addition of wire wheels and a Lupin Blue Metallic paintjob – this retails for $23,050. The third GS is the Tour, which has loads of BMW fruit and really is suited to the majority of GS owners who may only ever see wellmaintained dirt roads. Finally comes the Rallye X which sees the biggest changes for 2017. BMW Motorrad Australia Marketing Manager Miles
Davis has long asked for a GS with the longer travel suspension of the GSA, along with wire wheels, more of a flat dirt bike like seat, no centre stand and short sports type screen – and this year he got it! The factory listened and they came through with this awesome offroad adventure machine.
Trying to decide on potential customers I see the standard model being for someone that isn’t fussed with loads of electronics and just wants the essentials of what makes the GS a great machine. The Rallye is for those, again, that want a basic machine but will see a bit more dirt action than normal, and who will be thankful for the addition of the wire wheels. I mentioned the Tour and it really is for someone who wants the versatility a GS can offer as a tourer. Lastly, if you’re going to be doing 80%+ dirt riding, go the Rallye X, the longer travel suspension and slightly lower weight are noticeable and make it better in the rough stuff.
His Bike
BMW Motorrad Marketing Manager, Miles Davis has left his position to pursue other interests and we wish him well. It was quite fitting that his last official launch for BMW Motorrad Australia was also the bike he had a hand in helping to design. Miles was quite chuffed and humble to see and ride ‘his’ bike in its element. Miles also attributes a lot of the Rallye X to ex-world enduro legend, Geoff Ballard.
To show the might of the new Rallye X, Miles is going to ride the bike with some customers to the Finke Desert Rally, race the Finke Desert Rally and then continue through the Simpson Desert! We wish him all the best, as that will be one tough gig.
COOCASE TOPCASES AVAILABLE IN 5
CHOOSE THE FEATURES TO SUIT YOUR NEEDS
H Keyless entry via remote control
H LED brakelights
H Integrated security alarm
H Auto-lock feature
H Includes quick-release mount for existing luggage racks
Dynamic ESA (in its ‘Next Generation’ form) has reached the GS this year. This is offered as part of the Touring Package and is standard equipment on the Rallye X and Tour.
Dynamic ESA ‘Next Generation’ automatically adjusts damping to load state and manoeuvre, and there is also riding position compensation. Signals from the rotational speed sensor and the two travel sensors at the front and rear enable data collection and finely tuned adaptation of the motorcycle to a given situation.
Gone are the single rider, big hills, little hills and so on preload settings, now you have MIN, AUTO and MAX. Minimum brings the ride height down to its lowest setting, auto sets the optimum preload as you’re riding
“Touring” some single trail 1. Long pins you have there
Short screen, informative dash
“I MUST ADMIT THAT EVEN I THINK THAT A COUPLE HAVE COME CLOSE, BUT NONE HAVE TAKEN OVER THE THRONE AS THE TOP ROYAL OF THE BIG BOY ADVENTURE BIKES”
along and max sets the preload on the highest setting. Max could be a little too much for some short-legged riders on the Rallye X as the already high seat is pumped up that little extra, which could have you on tippy toes.
Dynamic ESA Next Generation is pre-set to Road from Rain, Road and Dynamic modes. At the press of a convenient handlebar button you can switch to Dynamic, a sportier set-up in the Rain and Road riding modes. The tighter damping variant Dynamic is pre-set in Dynamic and Dynamic Pro. Meanwhile the riding modes Enduro and Enduro Pro are set to the Enduro damper setting, geared towards offroad conditions.
On the Rallye X, BMW is calling the new suspension, “Sports” suspension. An increased spring rate (firmer), longer spring struts and therefore longer spring travel give improved ride stability for off-road use.
This sports suspension benefits both experienced and inexperienced off-road motorcyclists who want to convert suspension reserves into more performance without overtaxing the motorcycle or themselves. Heavy and tall riders will appreciate the advantages of this spare capacity
Slippery as she goes
due to the firmer suspension set-up, especially when riding off-road. Sports suspension also includes new automatic damping functions and riding position compensation.
The GS Rallye X is considerably more agile when it comes to carrying out technical off-road manoeuvres with its new suspension geometry. Increased ground clearance (approx. 20mm) and the resulting additional seat height will be appreciated by all riders who prefer to have their GS as more of an offroad machine.
The trusty Wasserboxer engine is retained from last year and is now Euro 4 compliant. This has been achieved with an altered catalytic converter and new software for the engine
management – power and torque have not changed. The damper on the transmission output shaft, revised transmission shafts and a modified selector drum actuator have also been fitted.
The new R 1200 GS ‘Standard’ and Rallye have two riding modes for individual rider preferences. Automatic Stability Control (ASC) ensures a high level of riding safety with maximum traction. The riding modes ‘Rain’ and ‘Road’ allow adaptation of the bike's properties to most road surface conditions.
In Road mode the engine offers a spontaneous response, while the control systems are set to ensure best performance on all roads. ABS
set-up is geared towards road use and Dynamic Traction Control (DTC) ensures optimum traction. If Dynamic ESA (Electronic Suspension Adjustment) is fitted, the damping at front and rear is adjusted to the normal position. In Rain mode, throttle response is gentler and the DTC settings allow for a wet and therefore more slippery road surface. Standard specification is increased with the top-range Rallye X and Tour variants also receiving ‘Riding Modes Pro’ as standard. This includes the additional riding modes ‘Dynamic’ and ‘Dynamic Pro’, ‘Enduro’ and ‘Enduro
Load up and off you go
Pro’ and also incorporates Dynamic Traction Control (DTC). The latter enables even more dynamic and safe acceleration, especially with the bike at lean angle. The riding modes Dynamic Pro and Enduro Pro, activated by means of a coded plug, also have customisation options which allow the character of the motorcycle to be adapted according to your individual needs. Covering the gnarly trails we did on extremely steep descents I was thankful for how well the Enduro Pro ABS setting on the front brake has been done. A normal ABS system would have had me tumbling down the descent rather than riding, whereas Enduro Pro would only come in lightly when absolutely necessary. In fact, the ABS setting in the riding modes is lightly integrated and almost unnoticeable, as is the traction control which used to fight with the bike a little, whereas it is now super smooth in operation. The GS also has cornering ABS so that if you get it all wrong you have some chance of making it around the corner rather than spearing straight ahead – great levels of safety to have!
Gear Assist Pro is fitted to the Rallye X and Tour and allows clutchless up and down shifts and this works perfectly in the dirt as well. You can get it as an option on the Standard and Rallye and it is highly recommended.
Another element of Riding Modes Pro is the new Hill Start Control function. It prevents the motorcycle from rolling back on gradients with targeted intervention from the part integral BMW Motorrad ABS –without the rider constantly having to activate the brake lever. When Hill Start Control is activated via the handbrake lever, pressure is built up in the rear brake system – depending on the gradient – to prevent the bike from rolling backwards. I always thought hill start was a bit of a gimmick but on one particular very steep incline it saved my butt from tumbling back down the hill.
Accessories are extensive and I won’t go into the huge list other than to say there is one; a huge range of seats, especially, is now available, from a low 820mm seat up to the tall 890mm Rallye seat. Loads of luggage options are there as are many other great GS type accessories.
The King continues to reign on its throne, believe me. On the endurolike trails we rode during the launch, it more than showed the amazing (and electronic) ability the R 1200 GS (in all four forms) has to offer, especially the off-road excellence that the new Rallye X has ready –just waiting for you to explore. D
SPECS
R 1200 GS
PRICE: From $21,850 - $27,250 (plus on-road charges)
BRAKES: Front, twin 305mm discs with four-piston integral ABS calipers. Rear, 276mm disc, dual-piston integral ABS caliper.
FUEL CONSUMPTION: N/A
THEORETICAL RANGE: N/A
COLOURS: Standard: Black Storm metallic, Light White, Tour Edition: Iced Chocolate metallic, Rallye/Rallye X: Lupin Blue metallic
VERDICT: FOUR KINGS
With it's special structure, the hydrophilic membrane applied to D-Dry® fabric ensures a perfect waterproof seal while permitting remarkable breathability that promotes the elimination of the moisture produced by the body. This technical material was developed by D-Tec® to ensure the maximum comfort under di erent weather conditions.
GORE-TEX® gloves are durably waterproof, windproof and highly breathable –guaranteed. Water stays on the outside while perspiration can easily escape from the inside. Less moisture is trapped in the insulation, so it remains drier thus keeping hands warmer. The result: enduring weather protection and personal comfort, balanced heat transfer and optimum moisture management –even in harsh conditions. Your hands stay warmer when it‘s cold, and drier when you perspire.
TRAVEL
A ROAD LESS TRAVELLED
The German Alpine Road
We sent our European correspondent out to find a road that isn’t yet on the scope for Australian motorcyclists visiting Europe. He came up with the German Alpine Road. Yes, I know. We’re used to Swiss, Austrian and even Italian alpine roads. But German? It turns out that the country best known for its high-speed freeways has a lot more to offer.
IT’S MORE THAN 450 kilometres from Lindau on Lake Constance to Schönau am Königssee, with over 25 venerable castles, monasteries and picturesque palaces. More than 20 crystal-clear mountain lakes offer not only breathtaking views, but also plenty of sports and leisure facilities, inviting you to sample the waters.
WORDS/PHOTOS
JÖRN DELFS
The German Alpine Road might be relatively unknown to Australians, but it isn’t a new creation. Mentioned for the first time in a report published in 1879 about a tour taken by Bavarian King Maximilian II in 1858, it coincides with the current route in many respects and covers the most important sights along the route.
This makes the road the oldest holiday route in Germany, a place that’s full of these designated journeys. It offers almost all the German clichés from the world-famous royal castles of the crazy King Ludwig II to soaring mountain peaks and those dreamlike beautiful reflecting lakes as well as small villages with large beer gardens.
Perhaps the most fascinating at this panorama tour is the variety, the never-ending rhythm of the lush alpine meadows, gentle hills and steep mountain peaks alternating with green forests, romantic valleys and glittering lakes.
I managed to spread my tour on the impressive Triumph Explorer XRT over three days, starting in Lindau at Lake Constance, the third largest lake in Central Europe. The “paradise” route, which derives its name from the fantastic panorama view of the Nagelfluh mountain chain, the Vorarlberg mountains and the Swiss Alps, leads to Oberstaufen. Whether hiking in summer or skiing in winter,
this is considered the perfect holiday destination for all seasons. Holidays in the Allgäu, a unique combination of tradition and lifestyle, provide opportunities for refreshing breaks. Suitably refreshed, I ride past Lake Grünten towards Füssen and finally to Schwangau.
Here, where mountain giants like the Wächter frame the gentle, grassy slopes of the Alpine foothills, the Bavarian kings found their muchloved retreats. Maximilian II built the Hohenschwangau residence in the 19th century and his deluded son Ludwig II built the castle Neuschwanstein. The building was erected beginning in 1869 for the Bavarian King as an idealized representation of a mediaeval knight’s castle. The king lived there for only a few months and died before it was completed. The resulting “fairy-tale castle” can be visited almost all year round, or you can go to Disneyland to see a modern interpretation.
I had reserved a cosy room with balcony in the country Hotel Huber. I rented a bicycle at the nearby Forggensee campsite, to pedal to the valley station of the Tegelberg. With its altitude of 1881m above sea level, the Tegelberg is a striking mountain massif in the Ammergauer Alps, rising directly from the foothills. It also has a cable car and from above I enjoyed amazing distance views. To my delight, some paragliders and kite pilots headed out in spite of the absence of any updraughts, but they started to land very quickly in front of the valley station. Quite honestly, I can’t think of anything that would get me up with one of those things. You reckon motorcycling is supposed to be dangerous?
1. The tar might be narrow on the German Alpine Road, but it’s in good shape.
2. The German Hulk is red, not green, and gets his superpowers from fried potatoes.
3. All the designated tourist roads in Germany are well signposted.
4. Ferry ‘cross the… no, not Mersey, but Lake Constance.
travel
The next morning, the sun was already shining in the cloudless sky – not always guaranteed in Germany - and after an extensive breakfast I turned the Triumph Explorer towards Oberammergau. The township of Oberammergau is known not only for its Passion Play but also for its ubiquitous Lüftl painting. This is the local name for the art of decorating façades; call it upmarket graffiti... Then it was past the baroque monastery Ettal in the town of the same name, in the direction of Garmisch-Partenkirchen. I passed it by, but if you have the time you should definitely visit German’s highest mountain, the Zugspitze. The best way is with the funicular railway of the Zugspitzbahn. At the top, at the golden summit cross and an altitude of almost 3000 metres, the air is clear, the view almost infinite and the panorama grandiose. You have left all small thoughts behind down in the valley and you stand at the highest point of Germany.
I’ve done that before, so this time the journey took me up along the Walchensee over Lenggries and Bad Tölz to the lively Tegernsee. Unfortunately, the direct road to the Schliersee was blocked because of a construction site, so the traffic congealed into a serious traffic jam. It was very warm, well over 28 degrees [this is Germany], very unpleasant in
heavy motorcycle clothing. Normally it would be compulsory to leap into the beautiful Schliersee on arrival, but I had a great hotel with a pool and a view of the Watzmann mountain booked, and no desire to peel myself out of the thick motorcycle clothes only to have to put them on again. I went on to the pearl of the Inn River Valley, to Oberaudorf. Along this road there is plenty of opportunity to admire the often magically beautiful variety of the Alpine region with its gentle hills, rugged rocks and lovely valleys. Oberaudorf is in the Bavarian part of the Inn Valley. The road continues through the eight kilometre long Tatzwurmstraße, named after a mythical dragon which is said to have lived in the ravine near the inn of the same name.
After Inzell, the end of the German Alpine Road comes up all too soon.
As if in compensation, the magnificent landscape of the Berchtesgaden Alps lies before me. Now the route leads over the 868 metre high Schwarzbachwacht. Here, for the first time, you can see the notable peaks of the Reiteralpe, the Hochkalter and the Watzmann.
The Watzmann, 2,713 meters high and voted the most beautiful mountain of Germany, sits in the middle of the Berchtesgaden alpine national park and is the landmark of the BerchtesgadenKoenigssee region.
The ride on my comfortable Triumph Explorer XRT leads me past the thundering Wimbachklamm cutting to Berchtesgaden. The Royal Palace and the historical centre are well worth a visit.
My tour ends at Koenigssee and if it had not been so hot and I had not had this stupid traffic jam, I would have taken a ride by the electric boat to the pilgrimage church of St. Bartholomä, but it was not to be. Instead, my route took me back a few kilometres to the Ramsau Berghotel Rehlegg. The large pool with a view of the Watzmann compensated for the strenuous stage at unusually high summer temperatures. All in all, wonderful and exciting days on the German Alpine Road.
My special thanks go to Triumph. The new Explorer XRT with the comprehensive standard equipment including electrically adjustable touring windshield, hand protectors, heated handlebars and seats as well as the electric speed control system was just the right vehicle for this trip. Man and machine quickly create an efficient unit on this bike, and a ride away from sealed roads is a great pleasure. The complete luggage system with sturdy aluminium panniers, which can be fitted and removed very quickly and easily, complete the perfect package. D
Hohenschwangau castle is there somewhere in the chocolate box view.
“AND STILL THE SNOWY HIMALAYAS RISE IN ANCIENT MAJESTY BEFORE OUR EYES…”
RIMSKY-KORSAKOV
WROTE THE ORIGINAL
MUSIC, JOHNNY
MERCER THE WORDS
AND HERE I AM on my own snowy Himalaya (it’s white, but officially Snow) waiting for the ferry to Tasmania. My most recent encounter with a Royal Enfield was in Sri Lanka, where I rode a 350 with my friend Rohan Sourjah who is in the process of setting up tours of his home country. I liked it very much, partly because it was just right for a busy place like Sri Lanka but partly also because it is just plain likeable.
So was I going to enjoy this new bike, powered by the seriously modified engine from the 350? In truth, it’s modified so heavily that it is effectively a new design – there is far more to this than just increasing the capacity. And
given how different the rest of the bike is, it’s not surprising that the pair do not feel at all alike.
A few days later on the Tasmanian West Coast I found out exactly how different the bikes feel – and how different the Himalayan makes the rider feel. On the wonderfully twisty road north from Queenstown I had been holding off a Holden ute for a quarter of an hour or so. He was keen to get past, and I found that I was keen to stay ahead – and when we reached the Zeehan turnoff, I was still in front. The bike’s mild power output might make this seem unlikely, but there is a lot of torque – and as a result I was firing the Himalayan out of corners quite convincingly. Cornering itself was fun,
too, with lots of clearance and grippy tyres, noticeably unlike the 350.
Fun for sure, but better watch it. Lost points are lost points these days, even when you lose them in Tasmania.
The Himalayan is the first truly new design from Royal Enfield in an elephant’s age. It has benefited from a lot of engineering input from England including the completely new frame and suspension. Even riding down to the ferry at Port Melbourne demonstrated the effect of the changes. The bike rode comfortably over tram lines and chopped-up tar, and then the steel bridge leading to the ferry’s belly.
Once we’d rolled off the ferry at the other end, we took the highway to Launceston and, after checking out the National Motor Museum (we were researching for a story on Tasmanian motorcycle museums, to be published here soon) over to the coast and then down to Hobart. A combination of tar and gravel followed, across the top and down to Queenstown, Strahan and Burnie before returning to Devonport. Rob and I shared duties on the Himalayan and an MV Agusta Turismo (you’ll read a review of that here soon, too) but I managed to put in plenty of time on the Royal Enfield, including quite a bit of gravel. It wasn’t all highpressure fun like my dice with the Holden out of Queenstown. But I’m sure I didn’t have to make allowances for the bike’s limited capacity and power very often. The Himalayan responds sweetly to the throttle and the more than adequate supply of torque means that you are rarely if ever embarrassed in traffic.
For a so-called adventure bike, the Himalayan is remarkably versatile. That’s helped by the reasonably low seat, which makes it accessible to a wide variety of riders, and the low weight. The 15-litre tank contributes to that – it’s big enough to give a decent range without adding in too much weight. The fuel gauge is a little erratic, but I imagine you would learn to cope with that. The frame has provision for fitting panniers. The bike is also slim and well-balanced, making it potentially just right for commuting. A useful rack with effective bungee points is standard, as are the crash bars on either side of
the tank which can be fitted with fuel canisters or more bags. The instruments will tell you everything you want to know and the bike even has a (fairly basic) compass. I wouldn’t hesitate to use it for just about any purpose.
Well, actually… there is one thing. The seat is covered in a comfortable material, but the underlying comfort is a bit so-so. Like many other bikes, the Himalayan calls for a seat cushion. I will be trying ours out with both a Wild Ass Air Cushion and an AirHawk to see which is more appropriate, when I take it on a long ride.
Ours? Yes, by the time you read this a Himalayan will be sitting in our garage, or more likely out to play in the mountains. We are getting a long-term loan bike from the importers and I’m looking forward to going
exploring on it, and to trying out all sorts of accessories – both from RE and from the aftermarket.
Forecasting the success of a particular model is a mug’s game – I should know, I predicted that the Honda CX500 would be a flop – but I would be very surprised if the Himalayan is not a huge sales success for Royal Enfield. At the price, with the versatility and the common-
one and hunt down a Holden
SPECS
ROYAL ENFIELD HIMALAYAN
PRICE: $5990 (plus on-road charges)
WARRANTY: Two years, unlimited distance, plus two years road service
SERVICING INTERVALS: n/a
ENGINE: Air-cooled single cylinder, 4-stroke, SOHC, fuel injection
FUEL CONSUMPTION: 3.5 litres per 100km, premium unleaded
THEORETICAL RANGE: 500km
COLOURS: Snow, Granite
VERDICT: MOUNTAIN MAGIC
launch WI n TERGE a R Special Feature
WHAT’S FOR WINTER WEAR?
Well yes, it bloody well can be quite a long way behind. We sometimes make the mistake of thinking that Australia is a hot continent, so we don’t need much in the way of cold weather riding gear. It only takes one decent winter ride to correct that idea, but why not avoid being frozen even that once? Winter rides in good gear are wonderful; I love riding through snow banks and tackling the awesome black and white world of winter. Well, always assuming that there isn’t too much ice on the road… Winter has another advantage, which is that you can do something about the effect of the weather. If
it’s hot in summer, it’s hot. You can, and should, wear ventilated and light clothing in hot weather, and fortunately there is quite a bit of that about. But that doesn’t lower the temperature, it just makes it a little easier to bear. In winter, on the other hand, the right clothing can keep you snug and warm to let you enjoy your ride. And remember, the right clothing is not just about feeling comfortable – extreme cold can seriously reduce your ability to ride properly. Most of us have an anecdote or two about that.
So take a look at our little guide to winter wear and stay comfortable and safe out there. PT
www.heldaustralia.com.au
Hakuna II jacket - $600
Made from DuPont Cordura 500 D with a Coolmax breathable mesh inner lining with a membrane and a removable
waterproof, windproof and breathable liner, the Hakuna II has massive numbers of pockets, adjustments, vents and comes with CE-approved SAS-TEC 3D shoulder and elbow protectors with an optional back protector and Velcro for an optional chest protector.
SOLID DRY GLOVES - $265
Goretex gloves that feature Gore 2in1 technology, which means there is a waterproof side and an unlined side to the gloves for the best of both worlds in one. The Solid Dry are made from Taslan (100% polyester), with a leather detailed back, highly abrasion-resistant kangaroo leather palm, velcro adjustment at wrists and cuffs, perforated finger side walls and a perforated hand for maximum
ventilation, feel and comfort (in the unlined section), an all-important visor wipe, SAS-TEC knuckle protection, the ball of the thumb is reinforced with SuperFabric brand material and there’s a reinforced edge to the hand. Available in black and sizes 7-12.
CLOUDBURST WATERPROOF OVER-PANTS - $130
Never underestimate the efficiency of a good waterproof pant to keep
you warm (and dry) during winter. The standout feature of the Cloudburst is the extra easy nature of putting them and taking them off which is via a special fixing allowing you to clip the leg hem to the waistband allowing easy entry even
Snow bunnies having fun in the freeze.
when wearing boots with long side zips. There’s also a completely detachable stirrup and an anti-slip seat patch. Available in black and sizes 2XS – 7XL.
RJAYS
www.rjays.com.au
THERMAL UNDERWEAR - $69.95 EACH
Rjays Thermal Underwear will keep you warm, dry and comfortable in all conditions. It uses Thermolite fabric to provide warmth and comfort without weight, even when wet. Thermolite is a lightweight fabric that provides heavy-duty performance for extreme conditions as well as every day activities. Available in sizes XS-4XL.
ICELORD GLOVES$89.95
As the name suggests the Icelord will keep you warm and dry during those chilly rides. Made from 100% A grade drum dyed leather and featuring reinforced Kevlar protection, high density flexible foam knuckles, Hipora 100% breathable,
100% waterproof membrane, 3M
Thinsulate thermal insulation liner, Suede over pointer finger for wiping water off your visor, double Velcro closure around the wrist and cuff and available in sizes XS-4XL.
DUNE JACKET - $279.95
This men’s and ladies’ jacket is made from Cordura and is fitted
with CE approved armour. The 100% breathable and waterproof liner and removable thermal zip-out liner have colour coded attachment loops for easy fitting to the jacket. There are also waterproof zippered air vents: 2 vents in front, 2 at the side, 2 on the forearms and 1 at the rear, along with 7 waterproof pockets: 4 in the front, 1 in the tail, 1 inside jacket and 1 for your phone making the Dune a very versatile winter jacket. Sizes range from XS-3XL and a Stout and Comfort fit range for those larger riders is also available.
ALPINESTARS
www.monzaimports.com.au
YOKOHAMA JACKET AND PANTS - $649.95 & $499.95
The Yokohama jacket and pants are made from superior multi-material featuring a host of comfort features such as Alpinestars’ proprietary Jet Ventilation System for excellent levels of internal cooling performance. With classleading CE approved removable shoulder, elbow and knee protectors and the ability to upgrade to Alpinestars’ Nucleon chest and back protectors (for the jacket), the Yokohama allows the rider to cope the toughest of conditions. Both come with removable thermal liners and
Alpinestars Drystar waterproof liner. The front of the jacket features deep waterproof pockets incorporating seal closing waterproof zips and zip garages for peace-of-mind closure, plus internal waterproof wallet/ document pocket, and the pants also feature a removable bib and brace for personalised comfort. Available in grey or black and sizes 56-68.
DRAGGIN JEANS
www.draggin jeans.net
K-SHIRT/LEGS
COMBO - $259 & $289
Wear whatever you want and stay protected as the K shirt and legs deliver both abrasion resistance and freedom! You can use K-legs and the K-shirt with any other kind of jeans, trousers, work pants, shirt, jacket, jumper, or even a business suit! They’re breathable, comfortable, and tough. But best of all, they protect you! How good is that!
KAWASAKI
www.kawasaki.com.au or your local dealer
KAWASAKI RACING TEAM SUPERBIKE REPLICA JACKET - $185
The official jacket of the Kawasaki Racing Team in its Replica Edition, the same one dressed by the championship winning team on the circuits around the world.
KAWASAKI RACING TEAM SUPERBIKE REPLICA PANTS - $95
These Kawasaki Racing Team pants are designed for comfort with style. Embroidered KRT logos decorate the Velcro closure pockets on the rear of the pants and sides of the legs. Grey mesh details. 98% cotton and 2% elastin.
KAWASAKI SLOUCH BEANIE - $19.99
Stay warm and look fresh with this green, white and black pinstripe Kawasaki Slouch Beanie featuring the Kawasaki brand on one side and a Kawasaki Racing Team logo on the other.
ADVENTURE MOTO –www.adventuremoto.com.au
KLIM KODIAK JACKET - $1445
The Kodiak was designed to handle the 600km days, sketchy mountain passes, and constant passing storms that typically accompany an epic touring adventure. It features 8 air vents to maximise air flow for those hotter days. Multiple pockets allow you to carry all you need. The refined aesthetic and fit of the Kodiak lends comfort and Goretex confidence on your next adventure. Matching Kodiak pants are also available.
ICEBREAKER MEN’S BODYFITZONE LONG SLEEVE HALF ZIP SHIRT - $159.95
For everyday use on the bike, the Men's Zone
Long Sleeve Half Zip provides all the benefits of merino wool with strategic ventilation. The Zone features BodyfitZONE construction, which combines lightweight 200gm stretch merino wool with strategically placed merino mesh panels to help regulate temperature during stop-and-go days.
inner mobile pocket, YKK zippers and waist connection zip for pants. Available in sizes S–4XL.
FORCEFIELD BODY ARMOUR PRO SHIRT X-V WITH L2 BACK INSERT - $335
The Forcefield Pro Shirt X-V is the ultimate all action shirt with full removable CE approved armour located at the elbows, shoulders, back and chest, all housed in a highly breathable BeCool technical base layer shell so you can add layers over the top for warmth and not be confined to just a heavy jacket.
DRIRIDER
www.dririder.com.au
STRADA JACKET - $249.95
Made from polyester 600D with 1000D Dobby on shoulders and elbows with a Reissa waterproof and breathable membrane (8000mm/5000mm), detachable insulated thermal liner, CE armour with hi-density foam back pad, soft collar with Neoprene edge, adjusters for a tailored fit, 2 external pockets and
Made from nylon, Clarino and leather, the Fluid gloves feature a hard shell knuckle protector, leather and TPR protectors on fingers, McFit technology for greater comfort, grip and feel, McTex waterproof and breathable liner, Thinsulate C40 on back of hand, Durable Clarino Nash palm with anti-slip silicon prints, smart-tip fibre forefinger and thumb, Neoprene comfort cuff and a Velcro closure. Available in black or grey and sizes: S –2XL.
Outer shell made with 900D with 1200D on shoulders and elbows and PU coated, with features such as CE armour with hi-density foam back pad, safety stitch system, waterproof/breathable liner (15,000mm/7000mm), removable 140g Dupont Comformax thermal quilted liner which offers superior warmth, air vents front and rear, arm and waist
FLUID GLOVES - $99.95
SUMMIT EVO JACKET - $399.95
adjusters for optimum fit, Powerstretch in elbows, waist expander zips, multiple storage pockets and a waist connection zip for pants. Available in three colours and sizes S-8XL.
TRIUMPH
www.triumphmotorcycles.com. au or your local dealer
TREK JACKET AND PANTS$550 & $395
With both having removable waterproof liners, the new Triumph Adventure style jacket and pants are perfect for your adventures without compromising on the waterproof functions required by weather conditions. The jacket liner can also be worn as a casual jacket and both jacket and pants feature removable CE armour. Available in sizes S-3XL.
ANDY STRAPZ
www.andystrapz.com
THERMALZ - $85 TOPZ, $95 PANTZ
Keeping warm is not about bulk but efficient layers and the best first layer is superfine Merino. Andy Strapz Thermalz have been a staple of the Aussie bike scene for over a decade. They’re made from superfine, itch free, Merino in Melbourne. The fabric is very stable, extremely resistant to pong and pilling and is machine washable. Thermalz offer a double fronted shirt with extra length in the sleeves and body, a shirt tail back and care instructions in the side seams. Pantz have a high cut back, broad waistband, long ankle cuffs
S - 5XL, WOMEN'S HALF ZIP WINTER TOP - $179 SIZES 8 - 24 , WOMEN'S CREW NECK WINTER TOP - $165 SIZES 8 - 18
and a generous fly. The real stand out is the added layer of boxer shorts sewn in. Andy’s Thermalz are unisex fit and available in sizes S-2XL. MACNA
www.linkint.com.au
VOSGES JACKET - $499
A new brand into the Australian market, Macna is apparently one of Europe’s leading brands. The Vosges jacket is made from super tough Durylon and features ventilation panels in sleeves, chest and back, Safe-Tech CE approved shoulder and elbow armour, removable 100% waterproof and breathable Raintex liner, removable thermal liner, Easy Cuff – the most effective WP liner attachment system, and is available in three colour options and sizes S-4XL.
All winter Redd Dog merino tops are 100% Australian made and designed, using either 100% New Zealand or Australian merino wool. The 320gsm fabric weight means its super warm under riding gear, but the low micro provides non-itch next-to-skin comfort. Thin, warm, breathable, odour and moisture wicking, with low pillingthe perfect travel companion for long distance rides or the daily commute. All tops feature motorcycle elbow, thumb loops and slightly more body length for riding. All come with free delivery within Australia and for a limited time you can get 25% off the RRP!
YAMAHA
yshop.yamaha-motor.com.au or your local dealer
MEN'S HALF ZIP WINTER TOP$199 SIZES S - 5XL , MEN'S CREW NECK WINTER TOP - $185 SIZES
YAMAHA RACING
ENDURO JACKET - $290
Made from 330D polyester with an
enduro/rally cut, inner ventilation, adjustable collar and cuff, compartments for hydration bladder and removable sleeves. Sizes S – 3XL.
YAMAHA CORPORATE FLAT PEAK CAP - $19.95
Brushed heavy cotton structured 6 panel cap with Flat Peak and double plastic snap closure. One size fits all.
YAMAHA RACING SOFTSHELL JACKET - $149
Soft shell jacket with polyester knit
bonded micro fleece lining, embroidered logos and zippered pockets, featuring Yamaha Racing logos. Available in size S – 4XL.
MILWICH C4X WAXED COTTON JACKET - $399
From Merlin, UK’S “leader” in premium heritage (retro) style apparel. Authentic styling to the last stitch but with the benefits of modern technology and production. Constructed from a new type fabric from the originators, Halley Stevenson’s of Scotland. This is a blend of 50% original Waxed Cotton and 50% Nylon creating an authentic Waxed Cotton look but with the added strength and durability of Nylon with less overall weight. They’re a little shorter for a modern twist on a retro style. Fitted with a 100% waterproof and breathable Reissa membrane, removable thermal liner and Italian CE Safe-Tech armour protection in the shoulders and elbows.
KTM
www.ktm.com.au or your local dealer
RALLYE JACKET - $449.99
Waterproof all-weather rally jacket which features a concealed, waterproof document pocket, removable, breathable, wind and waterproof Z-liner membrane, maximum air circulation thanks to air intakes on the chest and vertical air outlets on the back, preformed sleeves with Lycra cuffs, actively styled with excellent freedom of movement for optimum comfort, round, comfortable collar made from neoprene, straps for waistband and sleeve width adjustment, several outer pockets and KTM TPR zip-pull.
RALLYE PANTS - $329.99
Waterproof allweather rally pants which feature a removable, breathable, wind and waterproof Z-liner membrane, wide air intakes above the knees, knee protection made from heat-resistant ballistic fabric, heatproof and abrasionresistant leather knee reinforcement, preformed knee structure for increased ride comfort, elevated back design with TPR coccyx protection, Spandura accordion stretch zones on the knees, hip strap adjustable on both sides, with front zip, adjustable leg bottoms for protection from mud and water and several outer pockets.
TRAVEL JACKET - $220
Super lightweight two-tone raincoat. KTM logo on the chest and READY TO RACE printed on the shoulder. Shoulder, chest, and back seam sealed. Kangaroo pocket with zip at the front. Comfortable elastic cuffs. Drawcord adjustable waistband. Hood stowable in the collar. Practical travel pouch including snap hook supplied with the jacket. The science: water
EX-K Harness Adventure
Designed for extreme action, the EX-K harness is reinforced with Kevlar thread and features an open design system with multiple adjustments to fit almost any body shape and size. Neck brace compatible with CE Level 2 protection.
Pro Lite K Back Insert L2
Africa Twin Crash Bar & Bash Plate Combo
High quality crash protection for your Honda CRF1000L AFRICA TWIN is exceptional value. Featured is our Skid plate and crash bar combo. Also available for your F800GS, KLR, Triumph Tiger and V-Strom.
The Fully CE approved Forcefield Upgrade Armour is designed to replace existing armour inserts and is available in pairs for shoulders, elbows, knees and hips. Instantly improving the safety aspect of any jacket or riding pant. Back inserts are soft comfortable and CE level 2 protection.
An All Action shirt that is comfortable directly on the skin with a highly breathable BeCool ™ fabric base layer and removable CE armour.
your
won’t
The new range of Adventure Gear that won’t break your budget. Macna jackets and pants provide All-weather protection with a detachable Raintex membrane for easy care. Jackets with NIGHTEYE provide exceptional visibility to oncoming traffic when the sun goes down.
Moto SKiveez not only saves your butt with their premium under shorts. The NEW Technical Riding Shirt is specifically designed to keep you dry, comfortable and cool. (Steve says “My favourite new shirt”) Technical Riding Shirt
Adventure Skiveez
Nova Jacket
Mountain Jacket Beryl Ladies Jacket
Pro Shirt X-V
Kodiak Jacket
The Kodiak was designed to handle the 700 km days, sketchy mountain passes, and constant passing storms that typically accompany an epic touring adventure.
Carlsbad Jacket
The Carlsbad was conceived of the need for highly mobile, highly vented and minimized bulk adventure gear – all while maintaining KLIM’s highest abrasion resistance and durability standards.
Ladies Altitude Jacket
KLIM® provides the female rider with the best in material selection, craftsmanship, fit and style with the Altitude Jacket. GORE-TEX® weatherproof technology, high-tech armor coverage, intelligent reflective—it’s all here.
GEAREDWINTER! GET FOR
Aggressor Shirt 3.0
KLIM®’s heaviest base layer ‘s Thermal Mapping Construction combines the features of three fabrics in one garment to deliver maximum warmth while promoting an extremely dry ride.
Stow Away Jacket
A fully functional and capable non-insulated GORE-TEX® shell ready for ultra light excursions. The STOW AWAY is waterproof and windproof, stow it on your handlebars or in your luggage and throw it on when the weather gets grey. An everyday jacket or just in case.
Badlands Jacket
NEW BADLANDS COLOUR for 2017. The build and quality remains the same but now with Black/Tan
DROP IN AND SEE US AT: UNIT 1/915 OLD NORTHERN ROAD, DURAL, NSW 2158
Waterproof, lightweight and with a bold design, this jacket has you covered with a soft shell with Carbolex shoulders and elbows, armour pockets, zip off hood, hand warmer pockets and a media port.
CIRCUIT WATERPROOF
GAUNTLET GLOVES - $133.01
For maximum coverage of your hands and wrist and built to withstand the elements. Waterproof genuine leather shell with an insulated tricot lining for warmth, ergonomic thumb and precurved fingers, power-stretch knuckles and wrist, gel-padded palms for shock absorption, comfort seams, goggle/visor wiper, roller buckle and single-hand draw cord cuff closure and rubber graphics.
SKULL FLEECE/NEOPRENE
FACE MASK - $44.34
Excellent in cold weather riding, this motorcycle face mask features bold printed graphics and is made from 80% neoprene, 20% polyester for the face mask with 100% polyester fleece neck. Nose and mouth perforation venting. Printed Willie G. Skull graphics. Adjustable back closure.
DAINESE
www.cassons.com.au
D-CYCLONE GORETEX J ACKET - $1299.95
The Dainese D-Cyclone jacket brings the best solutions for a SportTouring rider. Lightness, durability and ergonomics given by the laminated Goretex 2L membrane and elasticated fabric. There are air vents at the chest and back, a removal thermal liner, removable inner collar, loads of pockets and loads of adjustments for the ultimate in comfort and a CE certified Wave G2 back protector is included. This a premium jacket for those who demand the best. Available in sizes 48-58.
GLAVESTONE D2 LADY
GORETEX PANTS$419.95
Riders who want to stay warm and dry in inclement weather without sacrificing durability needn't look further than this pant, whose simple look belies its technical features, including a 100% waterproof, breathable Goretex membrane and a removable thermal lining. Available in ladies sizes 40-48.
X-TRAVEL GORETEX GLOVES - $349.95
Marrying the worlds of sport riding and touring, this glove boasts Dainese’s innovative Ergo-Tek stainless-steel knuckles, which enable optimum mobility by placing protection only where it’s needed. Construction of elasticated fabric ensures maximum comfort, while a Goretex membrane, thermal Dexfil insulation and double cuff are perfect for wet weather and/or the cold. D
LAUNCH TEAROUTMAP#52
CAIRNS, QUEENSLAND
Head north, when the south is cold WORDS STUART PHOTOS VARIOUS
WE HEAD NORTH this month to the Cairns region for a nice little loop with the option to continue further north up towards Port Douglas to, possibly, make the ride a figure eight. Since Cyclone Debbie the northern regions of Queensland need to be shown some love in helping businesses get back on their feet and who but the most awesome people in the world to do that – Australian motorcyclists! As you will know the major area that got hit was the Mackay region. If you’re coming from anywhere other than west of Cairns, you’ll be able to spend a bit of time and money in the area. Once you’ve made it to Cairns, you can rest up before away we go for this month’s ride…
MAIN ROUTE (PINK) CAIRNS
The major city among the humidity of the far north Queensland region. You can anything and everything you would want, there are also a number
of motorcycle shops and mechanics if you need repairs or parts.
GORDONVALE
A small sugar growing town which has sort of been subsumed by the outer reaches of Cairns. For this ride it’s mainly a landmark to let you know you need to turn right onto Gillies Range Road.
GOLDSBOROUGH
Mainly a landmark for this ride once again, so you’ll know that it’s not long until the real fun begins!
YUNGABURRA
This tranquil and picturesque village is situated 720 metres above sea level and has beautiful natural attractions: crater lakes, waterfalls and World Heritage rain forest including Curtain Fig National Park where you can go and see the Curtain Fig Tree if you’ve got time. A terrific place for selfies.
ATHERTON
Pretty much anything and everything
is also available at Atherton. The region itself has many waterfalls you can go and see but I think the major attraction is the Crystal Caves where you can do walks under the Earth to see the amazing beauty of thousands of years of underground ‘life’.
MAREEBA
Most things are available in Mareeba, but for this route it is a guide to turn right to continue the main route, or to continue north for the optional route.
KURANDA
A couple of tourist attractions at Kuranda are Birdworld or for some art, visit Emu Ridge Gallery. If you love to ride motorcycles, not far out of Kuranda on the way back down to Cairns are some more great twisties!
OPTIONAL ROUTE (YELLOW)
MOUNT MOLLOY
Make sure you stop at the National Hotel for a refreshment and remember not far out of town you need to turn right.
www.hemamaps.com.au
HEAD NORTH, WHEN THE SOUTH IS COLD
MAIN ROUTE (PINK)
Obviously, you can do this route either way but we headed south. Jump onto the Bruce Highway and head for Gordonvale where you need to turn right onto Gillies Range Road. Enjoy the beautiful twisty corners which take you over to Yungaburra, continuing on over to Atherton.
Jump onto Kennedy Highway and head north which takes you up to Mareeba where you turn right onto… Kennedy Highway! Once you get over to Kuranda there’s a nice little section of corners to enjoy before heading back into Cairns.
Distance: 176km
Fuel: Cairns, Atherton, Mareeba, Kuranda. However if you fill up in Cairns just about all bikes should make it around this loop.
OPTIONAL ROUTE (YELLOW)
If the weather is nice and you’re feeling great why not continue on with the optional route we have included.
Once you get to the right turn at Mareeba, don’t take it but continue heading north on Byrnes Street which turns into Mulligan Highway. Follow this all the way up to Mount Molloy where you need to turn right about 1-1.5km just out of town onto Mossman Mount Molloy Road. There’s a great little twisty section just before arriving in Shannonvale. Continue on until the T-intersection with the Captain Cook Highway where you want to turn right and follow the amazing Captain Cook Highway south along the coastline to Smithfield before following the signs back to Cairns.
Added distance: 134km
Fuel: Mareeba, Mount Molloy, just south of Palm Cove, Smithfield
TOTAL DISTANCE: 310km
PORT DOUGLAS
A holidaymakers paradise, Port Douglas is heavily populated with tourists, but the town is worth checking out if you’ve got time.
PALM COVE
A unique, quiet and relaxing village by the sea where centuries old “paperbark” Melaleuca trees line the casual esplanade, you’d almost think you’re on a tropical island somewhere. Palm Cove is a tropical paradise which numerous world class and award winning beach resorts, restaurants and spas. So if I were you I would say to hell with riding back to Cairns just yet and set up in Palm Cove. Or is that Alana telling me that?!
SMITHFIELD
Almost the same as Gordonvale where you’re back to ‘suburbia’ and the outer reaches of Cairns itself. This is also where the main route joins back in to head back into Cairns. D
“THIS HAS A LOT TO DO WITH THE LONGER SWINGARM (50MM) WHICH GIVES THE
MT-07 PLATFORM AMAZING STABILITY”
IT WAS A GIVEN that after Yamaha turned the mega popular MT-09 into the Tracer version that they would do the same with the even more popular MT-07. Having owned an MT-07 for the past couple of years, I was interested to see what the Yamaha engineers had done to improve the MT-07 platform’s capacity for touring. I rode from Sydney to the Hunter Valley for the Australian launch, where we promptly copped the downpours from the tail end of Cyclone Debbie.
Riding in the atrocious conditions showed up one of the Tracer’s outstanding features – the handling. Even with rivers of water running across the road I never felt uneasy as the bike stayed planted to the bitumen.
• 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
Jim Jim Falls, Kakadu
HELITE TOURING AIRBAG JACKET
HELITE LEATHER AIRBAG JACKET - Also in black
This has a lot to do with the longer swingarm (50mm) which gives the MT-07 platform amazing stability, so much in fact that you might think that the Tracer 700 is - too easy to ride! The soft suspension of the MT-07 has also been beefed up to handle luggage and/ or a pillion and the forks and rear shock give plenty of feel through the upright handlebar and reasonably comfy seat. Overall weight is low at only 196kg wet (ah, sorry) so if you no longer want a big heavy tourer, the Tracer 700 could well be your new ride.
One thing that hasn’t changed is the sweet parallel twin cylinder motor. It is, however, the LAMS version spec, which may turn away some potential owners. It shouldn’t, as the engine has plenty of torque and handles legal open road speeds with ease. Punch it up over 120km/h and you start to notice the limitations of the LAMS restrictions, though.
Expect fuel consumption to be very similar to the MT-07 with mid fours to high fives depending on the load and throttle input. I didn’t measure
An “accessorised” version complete with knobbies sits next to the standard version
it during the launch because I was drenched from head to toe and mainly just wanted to get dry.
The fairing is similar in appearance to the Tracer 900 with its half fairing and screen that deflects wind away from your chest area. The smallish handguards help to fend away some wind but are more a style feature.
Ergonomics will suit all but the shortest of the short; unfortunately the 835mm high seat may put off those with short pins. The seat is just good enough for medium distance touring but I’d certainly look at the accessory comfort seat to make my butt feel better. The reach to the bar and distance to the pegs are comfortable no matter your size and very natural in feel.
Yamaha’s accessories are all touring orientated as expected, the big bonus
Attention to detail is excellent, even the bugs are attracted to it
is that besides the comfort seat, you can get a heated comfort seat. How nice would that be on a chilly winters morning!
Another big bonus is that the Australian version of the Tracer 700 comes standard with soft ABS panniers which retail for around $1200 with brackets.
The Yamaha Tracer 700 is a motorcycle that does everything in a non-fuss fashion. As a one-up riding tourer, it is a great thing to have. It’s light, handles well and goes well enough in LAMS form for just about everyone. And it does everything so well you really don’t need the tracing paper – just trace your way around at will! D
When the road comes to an end, knock it down a gear and attack the terrain. From sweeping roads, to knee deep beach sand or rutted out mountain ranges the new KTM 1090 Adventure R is the ultimate adventure partner. The powerful twin cylinder engine outperforms the toughest rivals. The new KTM 1090 Adventure R incorporates the innovation and technology we have developed from our experience and victories on the world’s toughest terrain. Meet the new definition of adventure. Meet the new class leader. Don’t believe us try it for yourself.
Photo:
The hype surrounding the unveiling of the new Z900 had many people in a tizz. Most of us thought Kawasaki was perhaps going to release a retro Z900, which would have sold a shed load.
BSugomi reigns
WORDS/PHOTOS STUART
UT IT WAS not to be. Kawasaki used its ‘Sugomi’ design principle and the new Z900 follows the mean and edgy design of the current Z family. This
is where people got in a tizz – they wanted a retro bike and didn’t get it. I was actually wondering why Kawasaki would release a 900 when they already have the Z1000, but after riding the Z900 I quickly realised that they are two very different beasts.
Where you will fi nd the Z1000 a mega fast supernaked bike with supersports handling, the Z900
is more of an urban warrior motorcycle. The engine is far more user friendly and the handling is more suited to the urban world including a mix of sport and touring when required. The Z900 is also clearly intended to take on the likes of the Yamaha MT-09.
For the opening photo we used our friend’s immaculate original Z900 which we have featured in these
“I WAS ACTUALLY WONDERING WHY KAWASAKI WOULD RELEASE A 900 WHEN THEY ALREADY HAVE THE Z1000…I QUICKLY REALISED THAT THEY ARE TWO VERY DIFFERENT BEASTS”
bike test
pages throughout its restoration. We thought it would be nice to show you the old versus new bikes. There’s not much either of them share, but we don’t care: they both look good in their own ways.
The new bike’s all-new 948cc liquidcooled, in-line four has a quickrevving characteristic and a strong midrange hit that pulls strongly to the redline. This is all delivered in a silky smooth way, a bit like a lightly melted Milky Way chocolate has that smooth and stringy goodness that you can’t get enough of.
But the smoothness of the engine is only one aspect of this sweet motorcycle. There has been major emphasis placed on the intake note.
Designed specifically so that acceleration can be enjoyed aurally as well as physically, the sound of the intake is a key component of the Z900. I really think it is one of the most intoxicating on the market, even more so than big brother Z1000’s!
Matched to all this smoothness and aural goodness is one of the slickest gearboxes available. Short gear ratios have been fitted for 1st5th gears, which also contribute to the Z900’s strong acceleration in the everyday riding area. Sixth gear is an overdrive and is just right out on the open backroads. There’s also Kawasaki’s well-known assist and slipper clutch which gives you a light lever pull with the ‘assist’ part of the mechanism and the added safety and performance on down changes with the slipper part.
Handling is super light and stable. It’s rare that you can explore the very edge of a sports tyre during urban riding, but you can on the Z900 –
1. Silky smooth
2. Look into my eyes… 3. Attention to detail is top notch
that’s how much feel and stability is available. The new trellis frame weighs in at only 13.5kg and helps to give the Z900 its excellent total wet weight of only 210kg.
Adjustable front forks and rear monoshock are well sprung for a standard setup and give you the feeling that quality has been fi tted right from the factory. Braking looks good and works well although I found the front ABS cut in too early which was a little annoying when upping the pace through s ome tight stuff.
Ergonomics are very well thought out – especially for urban riding. A low 795mm seat allows anyone to get at least one foot completely fl at on the ground at a standstill while the seat is comfortable for anything but long distances. A wide, fl at handlebar gives you loads of leverage and the ‘rider triangle’ is relaxed and roomy for easy manoeuvrability.
As I mentioned, Kawasaki has used its ‘Sugmoi’ design principle for the Z900. This starts with the aggressive and low headlight with bodywork fl owing from head to tail, combined with a minimalist approach to the engine area devised to draw attention to its functional beauty. A condensed overall appearance emphasised by slim, close-fi tting bodywork gives the Z900 a light, agile image that refl ects its sporty performance and this is exactly what the ‘Sugomi’ or “call of the wild” (which is what it means)
design projects when you’re looking at the Z900.
A compact and feature-packed instrument panel has a gear position indicator and a bar tachometer which offers three selectable display modes. The tacho doubles as a shift up indicator, fl ashing at the preset rpm. You can set the shift-up timing between 5000 and 11,000rpm in 500rpm increments. The shift indicator function can also be turned off. The funky thing about the instrument panel is that the LCD screen has a ‘negative display’ which is white letters on a black background, giving the Z900 a very modern feel.
SPECS
KAWASAKI Z900
PRICE: $12,499 (plus on-road charges)
WARRANTY: Two years, unlimited distance
SERVICING INTERVALS: Every 6000km or 12 months
Accessories are functional and, of course, stylish. You can get a taller meter cover, single seat cowl, ergofit high-seat which increases the seat height 20 mm and features two-tone leather and a debossed Kawasaki logo. You can also get a tank bag, DC outlet, radiator cover, sliders, engine cover rings, front axle sliders, tank pad, and knee pads.
In producing a motorcycle to take on the might of Yamaha’s dominant MT-09 I think Kawasaki has done an amazing job. They have produced a better motorcycle and offer it for only a couple of hundred dollars more ($12,499 v $12,229 for the MT-09). If you’re after a true bang for your buck naked, welcome the new player – the Z900. D
ENGINE: Liquid-cooled in-line four cylinder, 4-stroke, DOHC, 4 valves per cylinder
FUEL CONSUMPTION: 5.72 litres per 100km, premium unleaded
THEORETICAL RANGE: 297km
COLOURS: Pearl Mystic Gray/Metallic Flat Spark Black
VERDICT: EVERYONE LOVES A SMOOTHIE
FOUR TOP TOURS
Ride all over the world
IhaVe PLUnDeReD the best of the catalogues, press releases, websites and any other available sources for these COMPILED BY the bear
suggestions. I’ve travelled with some of the operators, while others are as new to me as they are to you – but I do try to check their reliability before I write about them.
VINTAGE RIDES
NEPAL FOREVER
October/November. Eleven days, with seven days’ riding. Intermediate skill level, Comfort or Boutique accommodation. 2670 Euros rider, 2270 Euros pillion.
Michael, one of Vintage Rides’ travel designers, describes this 11-day ride through one of the most beautiful and varied countries in the world:
“Climb aboard your Royal Enfield for an 800km (500 mile) cruise through the Kathmandu Valley, the Himalayan foothills, and the wild Terai jungle. Admire the eternal beauty of the Annapurna mountains, and take time to understand Nepalese culture, a mix of Hinduism and Buddhism.
“The diverse itinerary covers Unesco World Heritage listed temples, Chitwan National Park, and then Pokhara, with its mesmerising panoramic view of the Himalaya. This motorbike trip in Nepal, a moving and thought-provoking experience, will take you from village to village, through paddy fields, to connect with the incredibly cheerful
The Bear heads off into the darkness, on a mission to find the very best of organised motorcycle tours for you. Does he enjoy his labours? Are you kidding? Of course he does.
and welcoming people of Nepal. Not forgetting mythical Kathmandu: a heaving, fascinating, unique mixture of traditions and the modern age.”
Like a lot of travel writers, Michael doesn’t seem to know the difference between ‘mythical’ and ‘mystical’. If Kathmandu was mythical, neither Vintage Rides nor anyone else would be riding there. Ah well… Their English is presumably translated from the French, offering things like “an elephant-back ride to soak up… luxurious vegetation” and a “venture into the hostile jungle”, but you do get an Englishspeaking guide. This tour does not have fi xed starting dates; contact Vintage Rides by way of their website, www.vintagerides.travel, to make arrangements. You can give them your number and they’ll call you back.
I have not travelled with Vintage Rides, although they did invite me – but I was otherwise engaged. The reason I have chosen them, and specifi cally their Nepal tour, is that I
like the way they present themselves and I love the country and its people; I’ve spent a bit of time there myself. Not on Royal Enfi elds, admittedly; I suspect they would be just right for the environment. Let’s leave the last, slightly confused, word with Michael: “Stemming from a dual passion for adventure travel and the Royal
Nepal is an easy country to love, with friendly, down-to-earth people and a staggering variety of scenery and wildlife. I have to admit, though, that it is one of only two countries in the world where I have had something stolen. He or she probably needed the jumper more than I did…
19th - 29th August 2017
A 10 day adventure ride re-tracing the expedition of Burke & Wills from Melbourne to the Gulf of Carpentaria
Enfi eld, Vintage Rides designs and runs tours on characterful motorcycles. These tours combine the pleasure of motorbike travel, the discovery of offbeat destinations and the human adventure you seek - all in complete safety.”
But what about that “hostile jungle”, Michael? Just kidding. EDELWEISS E-BIKE TOURS
May to August. Seven to 10 days. Skill level, basic. Accommodation in “wonderful, charming and handselected hotels and guesthouses with high comfort.” Believe it –I’ve travelled with them. Starting
Nepalese motorcycle safety gear is similar to ours, with bright, fluorescent colours to attract the attention of drivers. Helmet laws, however, vary considerably.
price US$1950.
Edelweiss claims to be the world’s largest motorcycle tour company, and I have no reason to doubt them. I can also say from personal experience that they are efficient, thoughtful and innovative. As this press release demonstrates…
“We have been exploring the world on motorcycles and scooters for 37 years. Our mission has always been to provide you with the Best Ride There Is. Starting this summer, we will offer you another way to travel on two wheels and discover the world in a calm but active
way: Edelweiss E-Bike Tours.
“When we travel we usually have one goal: We want to discover the most beautiful places on earth. We want to get to know the people living there, try their food and
The Edelweiss E-Bikes effectively let you travel at bicycle speeds without bicycle effort. Wonderful idea, especially since the bikes are equipped with panniers to carry essentials while the big bags travel in the support van. While there is no helmet law for bicycles in Europe, you are encouraged to wear head protection!
immerse in their culture. The E-Bike allows us to do so - and even more! Where we had to stop riding our motorcycle, we just keep on riding our E-Bikes instead. The E-Bike gives us the opportunity to travel in a sustainable and active way. On top of that, it is a lot of fun without having to strain yourself. It is the perfect addition to our current travel program.
“An E-Bike is a “normal” bicycle combined with an electric motor that supports the rider when pedaling. Every rider can adjust the level of engine support so he/she will always stay in his/her comfort zone - even when riding uphill. The electric motor forms an additional support that allows you to reach a speed of up to 25km/h without breaking into a sweat. However, the engine will only support you when pedaling.
without
enjoyable physical activity without exerting yourself. Since everyone can individually adjust the level of support, E-Bike tours are a perfect vacation for the whole family.
Stronger riders can choose less engine support and weaker ones use the “Turbo” mode and will fly away.
“This motivates, is fun and allows the cyclist to actively relax during their holiday, as well as enjoying the surrounding environment and impressions.”
”The advantages of any E-Bike tour is the healthy and
To launch the tours, Edelweiss is offering four initial trips, all through countryside that they know very well from their motorcycle tours; The Kingdom of Fjords and Glaciers (10 nights in Norway, from US$3660); Through southern Tuscany (7 nights, from US$2410); Istria – green paradise of the Adriatic Sea (7 nights in Croatia, from US$2200); and The Austrian Lake District – Salzkammergut (7 nights in Austria, from US$1950). Tour guides, a backup/luggage van, breakfast and dinner and snacks en route are all included. Trust me, you will not starve!
Combine great riding with classic European culture.
www.adriaticmototours.com
ADRIATIC MOTO TOURS
THAILAND & LAOS
November to December. 15 days. Includes Sukothai, Chiang Rai, Golden Triangle, Road of 1846 Curves, Long Neck Hill Tribe. More information from info@adriaticmototours.com . I don’t have a huge amount of information about this tour, but I do know, from personal experience, that Adriatic is a reliable and original company. I’ve travelled with them in Europe and they did a top job. Since this tour is relatively close to home, and covers places that are dear to Australian motorcyclists’ hearts (like the Road of 1846 Curves), I thought it was worth a mention. Let me know what it’s like if you do it. Who knows, you might even see me on it!
COMPASS EXPEDITIONS
MONGOLIAN MAGIC MOTORCYCLE TOUR
June/July. 15 nights. Skill, Compass Grade 4 (see www. compassexpeditions.com for an explanation). Accommodation, 5 nights in hotels, 6 nights in ger camps, 3 nights wild camping. A$6990. Compass has negotiated a 10% discount with various insurance providers. Adding to its many other tours, including the South American one I covered and enjoyed a few years
ago, Compass Expeditions has announced its latest unique riding destination, Mongolia.
“This is definitely one of the most exciting, remote and rarely visited regions left on earth, its true last frontier stuff”, says Compass Expeditions director Mick McDonald, “Mongolia is always a standout highlight for our riders on the epic 105-day Road of Bones Expedition,” continues Mick.
Mongolia has one of the last surviving nomadic societies left on earth with over 50% of the population still living a nomadic lifestyle totally dependent on the remote summer pastures; riding Mongolia perhaps offers riders the last glimmer of total riding freedom on earth and a wonderful disconnect from our manic world.
Compass Expeditions has thorough knowledge of Mongolia and is offering a 14-day all-inclusive ride of this stunning landscape of towering mountains, crystal clear lakes, vast
Ger out of it! Yes, you’ll get a chance to stay in these unique Mongolian homes before every hipster in Australia builds one in their parents’ back yard because it’s ‘cool’.
Lunch on one of Adriatic Moto Tours’, er, Adriatic tours. Don’t be put off by the third bloke from the front on the left, in the Akrapovic t-shirt; he’s harmless. Too old to be anything else…
open grasslands dotted with ger camps and Buddhist monasteries.
“As an Official BMW Travel Partner our tours motorcycle adventures are designed to combine excitement with a unique cultural experience and the time to properly take in your surroundings. Because we take you to some of the most spectacular and interesting destinations on the planet, we want to ensure you don’t just experience them as a hazy blur. That’s why our motorcycle adventure touring effectively combines adventure with an appreciation and respect for the culture and beauty of the places we visit.”
For more details on this rare opportunity to ride this “last frontier” in 2018 please contact info@ compassexpeditions.com or call 1300 887 327 (within Australia) or +61 3 9747 2379 (outside Australia). Includes 14 breakfasts, 10 lunches and dinners. Does not include international flights, just about everything else is covered. D
WE HAVE USED and reviewed like crazy this month. Check out this load of goodies!
NG DISCS, SBS PADS, VENHILL LINES
The complete stopping power package
Being able to stop with a decent amount of power is essential on any bike and when I got my CBR900RR road bike recently I was a little shocked at how little stopping power there was! But there is a complete “Kenma” package that will give you massively improved stopping power on any bike. It comes via the fitment of NG discs, SBS sintered pads and Venhill braided lines front and rear.
I firstly fitted the NG discs up front ($299 each) and SBS sintered pads on the front ($110) and rear ($55). That dramatically changed the amount of stopping power and feel available to stop the CBR like a modern machine. With
the standard rubber brake lines the front was still varying a little at times, so fast forward a couple of weeks when I fitted the Venhill lines ($224) at D Moto Motorcycle Engineering. They consist of a three line front setup and the single rear, and the result was a solid lever no matter the speed, and massive amounts of feel and power to stop my black beauty on a ten cent piece.
I’ve used NG discs, SBS pads and Venhill braided lines on a substantial number of bikes now and have always been surprised by the increased level of braking performance, so I can strongly recommend you get in touch with the guys at Kenma – 1800 251 145, sales@ kenma.com.au or via the website www. kenma.com.au to get the best brakes in the business. SW
VENTURA EVO RACK, EVO 40L AND 10L BAGS
Venturing has never been so easy
Price – EVO 40 Touring kit (includes rack and 40L bag) - $529, EVO 10L bag - $109, EVO 40L Storm cover - $39
Ventura has been the leader in motorcycle luggage racks and bags for ever (it seems) and the introduction of their latest EVO system takes them just that step higher in my book. Not only does the new EVO rack look better, the semi-rigid bags are very smart looking too! No more saggy baggy on the back of your ride. I fitted the EVO system to
my CBR900RR (yes, it’s a workhorse, this one!). The side brackets were very simple to fit and took about twenty minutes. The EVO rack slips into the two side brackets and can be placed forward or rear facing, depending on your preference. The EVO bags just slide on and are clipped on safely via two strong clips. Never has a piece of motorcycle luggage been so simple and easy to use. The choice of either the 40 or 10 litre bags gives good versatility. If I just want to carry my wet weather gear, the 10L is perfect and if Alana and I want to have a jaunt somewhere overnight, the 40L has plenty of room and is extendable to fit in some extra goodies. Again, see our good friends at Kenma to purchase any of the extensive range available from Ventura – www.kenma. com.au or call 1800 51 145. SW
SHARK RIDILL ‘SKYD’ HELMET
Laugh yourself silly
Price - $249.95
Shark helmets have always been high quality bits of kit so when they released the Ridill range of helmets recently
priced from $229.95 - $249.95 I thought I’d give one a go and see if the quality had changed for this much cheaper helmet. It achieved 4 out of 5 stars in the British “SHARP” testing, giving you the reassurance that this is a quality helmet at a really competitive price. Shark hasn't scrimped on features on the Ridill, either. It has a retractable sun visor, a fully removable and washable inner lining, Shark’s renowned optimal design for those who have to wear glasses, a quick release visor which is Pinlock ready and a handy micro-metric buckle (or ratchet type buckle, if that makes more sense) for quick and easy securing. It weighs in at 1550g which is average when compared to some of the lightweight ECE helmets now coming in. It is reasonably quiet and the venting works adequately. If you’re after a lower priced helmet with great features, check out the new Shark Ridill. There is a wide range of
graphics available and sizing ranges from XS-XL. See your local bike shop or visit www.ficeda.com.au SW
SIDI B-2 BOOTS
Two boots for two feet Price - $379.95
One of the excellent manufacturers catering to the likes of me is Sidi, I have their off-road Crossfire 2 boots and have just worn out a pair of the road going Vertigo boots which lasted three years of constant abuse. So when the time came to search for a new pair, the Sidi B-2 boots looked like the ones to go for, I contacted the Aussie importer, McLeod Accessories and not long afterwards they arrived in the mail. I didn’t break them in, which was the shop
Having big feet means that I rarely get to sample the latest and greatest motorcycle boots hitting the market, but there are some manufacturers who realise that there are giants among us and we need boots over Euro size 47! I normally take a 49 Euro which is equivalent to a size 13 AU or 14 US.
0022 + years
a mistake: Sidi boots are always a little skinny through the middle part of the boot and require about a week’s worth of breaking in. But no, I headed to Tassie on the BMW launch and suffered at the end of the launch for not breaking the boots in beforehand. I usually break in a pair of boots by wearing them often but only in short bursts of say one hour at a time. They will become ‘yours’ once they are broken in. The B-2 now a very comfy boot for walking around to see some sights along my travels while being protected thanks to the Vertebra system: a fixed shin plate, removable arch support pad, air Teflon mesh liner and a grippy rubber sole. There’s also a toe slider if your big clumsy feet get in the way like mine do while cornering.
The pair of B-2 boots I received are not waterproof and black with silver highlights. Sadly the silver paint started to come off after the first week. I’m not fussed as the B-2s have become very comfortable the more I wear them – the 2017 version is only available in all black so there’s no worries there.
Grab a pair of Sidi boots, break them in and enjoy, the B-2 ranges in size from 38-50 and is an excellent all-round boot to have. See your local bike shop or visit www.mcleodaccessories.com.au SW
NITRO MX630 EVO HELMET
The low price is only the beginning - Price - $139.95
Sometimes, something like the Nitro mx630 EVO helmet comes along (thank you Ficeda) and makes you question the three other helmets hanging in their well-ordered spot in the garage. Why did I spend the equivalent of a good second-hand Postie bike on items that are really only going to get trashed? Twelve months of sweat, dirt, mud and dust along with a few torrential downpours really tests the life of even a top shelf adventure helmet.
The Nitro performs as well as the dearer brands and that surprised me. The fit and comfort are as good as you could hope for in a sub-$200 helmet. The way the shiny white lid dealt with noise and the effects of high speed while I was riding a KTM 1190R is even more surprising. The smaller than average peak as well as the sharp and narrow frontal area actually seem to help in that regard.
Flicking the very thick visor up and down is simple. Design rather than price means that the visor itself, in its fully raised position, is a little difficult to get down because it’s hard to get your thumb and forefinger in to grasp it. The venting even in the chilly Victoria Alps is only adequate.
I give it two years of hard use - for me that’s excellent value-for-money. RLM
RAM MOUNT
Get a grip - Price – from $40
There are almost too many different models of motorcycles in our Price Guide. That means that one day we will need to fit a mobile phone, an action camera or a GPS to a motorcycle in a bewildering range of permutations. Enter the RAM mount system, which I tripped over on a stand at the recent Touratech day in Bright. I’m not one for gimmicks but this was a must-have for me and I shelled out just over $80 for the 'tough-claw' system for my mobile, the mid- sized
extension and the handle-bar clasp. The way the claw system grips my mobile tightly and survived the five day ride was remarkable, especially for the practicality and cost saving way it served my needs. I think that will work for just about every model we are likely to swing a leg over, and it fits in my ute as well. Love it! www.allsat.com.au RLM D
WHERE’STHEBEAR
A TALE OF TWO BEARS
Just behind The Bear’s bike you can see a little of a giant stuffed white bear, slumped on the bench outside the shop. That’s one clue for you. Need another one? The Town (stet) where I found the shop and the bear has a Scottish name.
Our second puzzle was probably a bit too easy (especially for Ulysseans) so this one is a bit harder! Answers to contactus@ausmotorcyclist.com.au.
Where is that confounded Bear this month? You might need a ferry to join him there.
HERE’S THE WINNER!
Yes, it looks as if WHERE’S THE BEAR #2 was definitely too easy! Replies flooded in. The first entry out of The Bear’s hat (and damn glad to get out of it, too) and our winner was Ulyssean Ray Tink from West Australia who wrote “The
A lifesaver in your pocket
Bear is on the foreshore of Corio Bay, Geelong, Victroria”. We will overlook the, er, individual spelling of Victoria (made the same mistake ourselves) and when Ray sends us a delivery address we’ll get Rocky Creek Designs to send him that excellent MotoPressor Pocket Pump.
Stuck in the middle of nowhere with a flat tyre? The $39.95 Dynaplug Carbon Ultralite tyre repair system allows you to repair a punctured tubeless tyre in less than a minute without removing the tyre from the wheel. Dynaplug is easy-to-use, neat and clean, effective and contains no glues or solvents.
The process is very simple: load the tool with a brass-tipped plug, insert tip into puncture hole and pull the handle out of the tyre. The plug permanently seals the hole from the inside and out, without jeopardising the balance of the tyre.You do still need to inflate the tyre, admittedly.
The Dynaplug® includes everything to make professional repairs; all packed and ready to store neatly in the handle. It includes 4 plugs, and further plugs can be purchased online at www.rockycreekdesigns.com.au or all good motorcycle dealers.
Tell us where The Bear was this month and the Dynaplug Carbon Ultralite could be yours.
ČEZETA TYPE 506
Electrifying!
WORDS ThE bEAr
phOtOS FACTOrY
WITh hELP FrOM NEW ATLAS AND ČEZETA MOTOrS
s.r.o. www.cezeta.com
IF yOU WANt to sell me a motorcycle, just find something that looks unusual, especially in a somewhat intriguing way. All that the bloke who flogged me the Čezeta type 505 really needed to do was show me the scoot and I was sold. It took a while during the restoration process to discover that there were a few bits that were going to cost serious money, but I soldiered on and my efforts were eventually justified. Not as I had expected them to be, though.
The Čezeta was a motor scooter originally manufactured from 1957 to 1964 in what was then Czechoslovakia, (now Czechia), by the Česká Zbrojovka Strakonice (ČZ) company, which is better known for the highly competitive off-road motorcycles it built from 1935 to 1997. The bikes were also built as N-Zetas in New Zealand, but with a 200cc rather than a 125 engine When the restoration was complete, I wrote about the Čezeta in BIKE Australia, the motorcycle magazine I was then editing. Apart from a few notes asking questions like “what did you think you were you doing??” there was one from a bloke in Mount Isa who recognised the scoot. He and his wife
had used it on their honeymoon many years before, and he was really keen to buy it. Would I possibly consider selling it to him?
I added up the original cost (low), the restoration cost (not too bad) and the parts cost (staggering) and sent him the result plus 10 per cent. He replied with a cheque and the Čezeta headed north and west. I was sorry to see it go, but who could resist a story like that? I hope they’re still married and take the scoot for a buzz every now and then. Keep an eye out if you’re in the Isa. Scooters are sometimes created in much more adventurous designs than motorcycles. We’re all familiar with the monocoque design of the Vespa, but imagine how strange they would have looked at first. But the design of the Čezeta is unusual even among scooters.
A reference I found on Wikipedia describes the scooter far better than I could: “It is unusually long for a twowheeled vehicle at 2 metres and has a distinctive torpedo-shaped body with a long seat that lifts to reveal a substantial luggage compartment, using space that in most scooters is occupied by the fuel tank. The front mudguard is fixed to the body and fully streamlined into the leg shields. The fuel tank is positioned above the front wheel, with the headlight fitted into a recess and a luggage rack on the flat top surface. It was a common joke amongst Čezeta riders that the exposed front tank with built-in headlight formed an explosive warhead and detonator
The new Cezeta Type 506 lends itself beautifully to a two-tone paint scheme, just like the original.
for the torpedo, though in practice the Čezetas proved no more likely to catch fire than any other motor scooter, even in serious collisions.”
The scooter was driven by the 175cc ČZ two-stroke single-cylinder motorcycle engine, giving a top speed of nearly 90km/h and fuel use of 3.2 litres/100km. The engine was modified for the enclosed scooter by having a drive pulley on the crankshaft driving a fan by means of a Vee belt. There were four foot-operated gears.
Look at the photos and you will agree that that describes this fascinating vehicle beautifully. Of course Čezetas and N-Zetas are rare now; a recent search in Australia yielded none for sale. But as we find quite often these days, everything old is new again. And so it is with the Čezeta. There is now a hand-built electric version Type 506, still manufactured in Czechia at Prostějov, near the Czech capital city, Prague and available in a limited edition of 600.
This new Čezeta is built around a conventional tubular frame, unlike the monocoque of the original.
The motor is equipped with an advanced electronic management system that was developed in house with the assistance of the Electrical Engineering faculty at Prague’s Charles University. This includes a four-map Dynamic Selector that allows the rider to set the motor’s torque output to full, city, or rain mode, and includes a reverse gear that will make moving the 147kg scooter
backwards a lot easier, even on an incline. Čezeta is also introducing the Sway twoway throttle, a patented setup that allows the throttle to rotate forward, in which case it creates electro-mechanical engine braking. This effect simulates the braking action of a typical four-stroke motor when decelerating in gear with the throttle shut, and charges the battery via a kinetic energy recovery system. The company suggests that this function can increase the battery’s range by up to 15 percent.
The new Čezeta Type 506 is driven by an 11kW hub motor in the rear wheel and powered by a large bank of Lithium Iron Yttrium Phosphate (LiFeYPO4) cells to make a high-performance touring scooter capable of travelling up to 150km and reaching 120km/h with the big battery option in the 506/02, while the smaller one in the 506/01 can reach 85km/h with a range of 80-100km. Future plans include a stylish trailer that can carry extra batteries to extend the range up to 250 km.
Pre-orders for the type 506 began in November 2015 and the company plans to deliver the first production bikes at the end of the northern spring, 2017. Only in Europe at this stage. But not forever; I asked at the factory if the Type 506 would be coming to Australia and Keith Johnston (a venerable old Czech name), the Head of Sales and Marketing, told me that we would probably get the scooter in 2018. Want to join me at the front of the queue of buyers? D
1. A newly-designed screen is intended to help make touring easier for the 150km range.
2. A single colour without a screen still makes the Cezeta Type 506 a striking scooter.
NEWINTHESHOPS
MORE WINTER FROM STRAPZ
ICEBREAKER HELIX
MID-LAYER JACKET
PRICE - $295
Andy Strapz reckons he’s found the perfect mid-layer jacket, the one you put on just before your bike jacket. Helix by Icebreaker from across the “dutch” to our East. Constructed of layers of windproof merino, clever stretch panels and a weatherproof outer shell. This is their testing find from last year, says Strapz. Live in it and you’ll love it. Contact Andy on 03 9786 3445, email; info@andystrapz.com visit the website www.andystrapz.com or pop into the shop 1/95 Brunel Rd, Seaford, Vic 3198.
SANS SKID MARKS
TOURATECH SKID PLATES
Products that cope with tough racing and off-road conditions are certainly fit for
everyday use. This is the reason why Touratech tends to test new products in rally and enduro events before putting them on the market. Good examples for field-tested accessories are the new “Rallye” and “Rally Extreme” skid plates, which combine modern production techniques with a unique design for the best possible protection of the entire engine area. Available for a number of adventure bikes, jump onto www.touratech.com. au to view and purchase.
BOLD EVOLUTION
INDIAN CHIEFTAIN LIMITED
Indian Motorcycle’s designers have added just the right amount of style to give the Chieftain a sleeker look than ever before.
“Our goal was to evolve the awardwinning Chieftain platform with new models that significantly elevate the bike’s style, while still staying true to the signature design qualities that Indian Motorcycle is known for,” said Peter
Harvey, Indian Motorcycle Australia Country Manager. “There’s no doubt the Chieftain Limited has a commanding presence and signature details that make it 100 per cent Indian.”
The main visual changes of the Chieftain Limited compared to a Chieftain include a “sawn-off” front fender and a new ten-spoke 19” front wheel and 16” rear wheel, which quickens up the handling. The front wheel has dual 300mm floating rotors with four piston calipers and an Indian logo embossed on it. There’s also a colour-matched headlight bezel and a more streamlined leather saddle to complete the sleeker look. Priced at $37,995 see your local Indian Motorcycle dealer.
LAY IT OVER
PINLOCK OVERLAY
The Overlay is the definitive answer to the problem of sun glare: a photochromatic visor that is mounted over the existing visor. The Overlay rapidly changes colour from clear to dark
and back again depending on the lighting conditions. Forget sunglasses, tinted visors, and built-in shades. Just the comfort of an automatically adapting visor for all light conditions! The Pinlock Overlay offers a clever anti-glare solution that rapidly changes colour, and which can be combined with the world renowned Pinlock anti-fog insert lens. For more info, visit www.Pinlockoverlay.com
FOR THE GARAGE GEARWRENCH
WORKSTATION -
PRICE - $1699
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
We all need somewhere nice and neat to place those valuable tools and odds and ends, so check out the Gearwrench Workstation which is a drawer roller cabinet construction, topped by a sturdy stainless steel sheet and underlying MDF top-board. It has been designed to withstand rough use across all manner of tasks, including the tearing down of heavy components. At 1.2m wide, 79cm deep and weighing in at a confident 143kg, this unit looks truly ideal as both storage and workspace. Each drawer features auto-return, which snaps the drawers closed within the final inches of operation, for increased efficiency. Lined with a liquid and grease resistant EVA 2.5mm liner, this will ensure easy compartment cleaning and superior product longevity. To top this off, the open side space is capped with an effective 8mm anti-slip EVA mat, to ensure no sharp or awkwardly shaped tools damage the physical unit during movement.
For a total of 11 drawers, each supported by 45mm standard ball bearing slides and formed with rolled over drawer walls for added strength and rigidity, the GearWrench XL Series 11 Drawer Heavy Duty Cart Trolley & Workstation is your new best friend. For more information visit www.gearwrench.com.au or grab one from your local Total Tools outlet.
» 5 ft long, 5mm thick plastic coated steel cable
» Re-settable 4 digit combination lock
Measures PSI or KPA
0-60 PSI/0-4.2 KPA read out
50mm (2”) analogue dial
300mm (12”) braided flex hose
Push button air bleed valve
Protective rubber gauge guard
Self-locking air chuck PLUS A SECOND 45° chuck for those hard to
get to valves
» Soft silicone cover to protect lock and bike parts
NEW IN THE SHOPS
FOR THE MID-SIZED
PROMOTO FOR YAMAHA
MT-09, KAWASAKI 650L, Z650 & CF MOTO NK650
They’re manufactured right here in Australia with the same quality materials and attention to detail we expect from the people at Promoto who are renowned for the awesome range of Oggy Knobbs and associated products. For the above mentioned models you can now get a Fender Eliminator kits which come with bracketry to suit both the original and/or aftermarket indicators and both Oggy Knobbs and Axle Oggys are available; with their direct bolt-on excellence they make life very easy. To purchase, contact our good friends at Kenma – www.kenma.com.au or your local bike shop.
YOU LIL RIPPER
SUZUKI DR200S NOW ADR APPROVED
Suzuki Australia has announced the imminent arrival of its entry level offroad model, the DR200S, now fully road registrable Australia wide for MY17.
The perfect stepping stone for riders progressing from a mini bike to an entry level recreational trail bike, farmers looking for a super reliable and proven registrable farm hand or new riders keen to explore the fruits of what spirited trail riding has to offer. Get into your local Suzuki dealer to check one out. www. suzukimotorcycles.com.au
RIG IT UP NELSON-RIGG LUGGAGE
Link International are proud to introduce Nelson-Rigg, the USA’s
premium luggage, rainwear and motorcycle cover manufacturer since 1972. Utilising the latest technology, design and innovation has resulted in an array of award-winning products. All materials, components and construction methods are examined by independent testing facilities to ensure the highest standard of quality and workmanship.
Nelson-Rigg is proud to be OEM luggage manufacturers to some of the world’s biggest and most prestigious motorcycle brands. You can be confident that, when buying a NelsonRigg product, you have purchased some of the very best on the market. Visit www.linkint.com.au for more.
RACY TOURER
MV AGUSTA TURISMO
VELOCE RC
Love watching the Reparto Corse MV’s roaring around the racetracks of the world? Well, how about grabbing your own RC for touring! Available in a very limited run of only 250 units the Turismo Veloce RC is sure to be a standout wherever you go, but you better get in fast! See your local MV dealer or visit www.urbanmotoimports.com.au D
ROYAL HOTEL, YEOVAL
Salute The Commander in Chief!
WORDS/PHOTOS COLIN WHELAN
RATED 4 OUT OF 5 HELMETS
Royal Hotel
Obley St Yeoval NSW T: 02 6846 4003
(Ask for the Commander in Chief)
IN THE BANJO Paterson Bush Park just up from the school at Yeoval, there’s a massive sculpture of a bloke’s head constructed in half a dozen pieces – a sort of busted bust. It’s supposed to be of the British giant of the sculpture world, Henry Moore and it was done by one of Moore’s protégés, Drago Marin Cherina. Drago came to
Australia in 1975 to do a study of Gough Whitlam and felt so at home that he organised to be naturalised in Gough’s parliamentary office.
A couple of things may’ve contributed to Drago’s ease at settling in – obviously being mates with the PM would’ve helped, but he also didn't mind a pint, and he sure liked a punt.
He may’ve been a reasonable sculptor, probably a decent drinker, but as a punter he was a shocker and soon ended up owing a bomb to the country’s highest profile bookmaking family, the Waterhouses.
Pretty soon this mob realised they had zilch chance of recovering any of the debt so they forced Drago into bankruptcy and confiscated his assets, including his sculpture of Henry Moore.
Alf Cantrell, a businessman in Yeoval somehow heard about this and had an idea which he took to Robbie Waterhouse and over three years they worked out a deal.
See, Alf knew there’s a law somewhere that if you donate a work of art to a public institution (like say a council or community), you receive a tax credit for the value of the donation.
The Waterhouses found this appealingthey had a pile of metal they couldn't use and some taxation liabilities they could do without so they had the work valued at a million bucks.
In Feb 2010 they off-loaded Drago’s work to the town of Yeoval and at the end of the financial year claimed a tax credit for $1,000.000.00.
Neat eh? Much cleaner than that nasty Fine Cotton business, and even more lucrative!
Anyway, Alf Cantrell, the brains behind this acquisition, is not just still in Yeoval, he’s the heart, the soul and most of the energy behind the Banjo Paterson Museum and he arrives there a couple of minutes after I turn up. I ask if he’s a few minutes to give me.
Glinting eyes sparkle over Alf’s specs, he smiles and ushers me inside and out of the drizzle.
Alf introduces me to his wife Sharyn. They both drive buses to raise the funds to buy items for the museum, (some can cost well over 5 grand) and the entry fees cover the cost of utilities and insurance.
I don't see the weather again for two hours. I sit inside the museum entertained,
enthralled, amused, informed, and more than a little educated. Alf knows the Banjo better than Earl Scruggs and the place is packed with rare and valuable documents, photos, books, historic pieces and manuscripts. Each piece has a story, and Alf knows every one.
Every story is told with passion and fire. The drizzle’s stopped when I head out to the bike. This has been a great stop and if Yeoval, Banjo’s home for the first seven years of his life has nothing else, then it’s been worth the effort.
Then I pull up at the pub.
There’s a throng of folk on the tables out front and I nod as I head in.
“G’day mate. Bit wet for a bike eh? What’ll you have?”
I’ve still a ways to go so I ask for a lite and park myself on a stool. The old bloke at the bar nods and asks where
Can’t ask for more than that
By the time I hit Yeoval, I’d been on the road for five days and visited some pretty ordinary pubs. When I was pulling out I kept wondering, was this a really good place or was it just better than the dreck?
But nah! As I bent Super Ten over through some of the twisties north to Dubbo, I accepted that this pub had all the simple things that riders want:
Comfortable accommodation at very good rates, great staff, very friendly locals, cheap drinks, decent food. It’s near other attractions and in the midst of interesting deserted roads. I don’t know what more there is to want!
The Royal at Yeoval scored 4 helmets, almost 200 on our value scale and the portraits on the wall plus other stuff, make it 5/5 on our unique character ratings.
This review is an abridged version of an episode in my upcoming book, The Pub, the Whole Pub and Nothing but the Pub, to be published in August. To follow its progress search ‘Nothing but the Pub’ on Facebook.
I’ve come from. As my beer arrives one of the men from outside comes in.
“You’re gunna have to move your bike mate”. I put the glass down and begin to head out.
“The bloody South Sydney stickers on the windshield are makin’ my beer go flat!” He laughs, everyone laughs and I sit down.
The smiling fella behind the bar is Mark, “Mark Isles, I’m the Commander in Chief”.
In 2014, Mark’s mother-in-law, who’d owned the Royal for about seven years decided she’d had enough but didn't want to risk selling the place to someone who’d not look after it.
So Mark and his partner Marissa stepped up and took over as managers and, well, “I’m lovin’ it, absolutely lovin’ it!”
And how’re the locals accepting them?
I swing to Jim at the bar.
“He’s an arsehole, a total arsehole.”
More laughter from Mark and another group who’ve just come in from the smoking tables.
I leave the bar for a bit of a wander.
On the back wall is a selection of portraits of people and on the side wall, a laminated plaque with a photo of the pub and a poem by bush poet, Bob Skelton from down Newcastle way.
Bob tells me later that he stayed at the pub back in 2007. He was up doing some work with Alf and liked the pub
and the town so much he wrote the poem.
The second last verse mentions, “‘Cheryl the Feral’, behind the bar” so I call out to Mark, asking who she is.
The place erupts.
“That’s the mother-in-law!”
There’s another poem on the wall, ‘Cactus Ryan’s Bicycle’ which begins with, “Twas Cactus Ryan from Yeoval Town who caught the cycling craze” and at the bottom features a bloke on a bike with a South Sydney Flag. Strange: the beers that Mark’s pulling don't seem flat at all!
And the portraits?
“They started out as tributes to the more colourful characters who’ve passed away but then a few of the locals wanted to be added and so they had theirs done and it’s just grown from there.”
They’re the work of Phillipa, an artist based in Nimbin but with a very good mate in town. When she comes to visit, she takes photos of the people interested and then paints the works back home on the north coast and sends them back.
Pretty much everyone at the pub this afternoon has a portrait on the wall. I ask the Commander what happens if anyone gets barred from the pub.
“Ah, we’d just put the painting in the naughty corner until they’re allowed back in. But you’d be doing well to be barred from here.”
I head back to my pew next to Jim. Jim’s 80 – he started shearing when he was fourteen and gave it away three years ago. Shore all over NSW, it was the only life he knew.
“I was glad the sling came in when it did. Added a few years to my career. My body’s paying a bit for it now. I don't miss the work and I kept on for money reasons but I also thought I’d miss
the life, y’now the mates and friendships? But this is a good town and there’s always a mate dropping in here.”
Words said gently, softly and with a feeling cloaked in memories.
There’s thirteen rooms upstairs –each’ll cost you forty bucks a night. All have a double bed and a few also have a single.
“You can squeeze as many in as you like, the rate’s the same.”
And there’s been up to 80 motorcycle riders camping and swagging for free on the grass out the back.
The hot water seems endless and the pressure in the showers is top notch. You can get a meal pretty much any time you’re hungry with lunch and dinner seven days, and no-one’s going to object if you park your bike under the front balcony.
This is a comfort pub. It’s entire credo seems aimed at the comfort of every single visitor, no matter if this is going to be the only time you visit in your lifetime, or you’re regular enough to have your mug on the wall.
Whilst writing this, I’m involved in an email joust with a publican whose place up in Qld I slagged off. As I try to explain to this bloke just what a good country pub can be, I keep thinking that all he really needs to do is visit a pub like the Royal at Yeoval. That way he’d see just what is possible when a pub is run by people with a passion for the job, for the pub, for its town and for its history.
Banjo Paterson never returned to Yeoval after he left for his grandmother’s place at Gladesville in Sydney, and his studies at Sydney Grammar School. If he’d come back and written a poem about this town it’d be the crowning treasure for Alf and fascinating for the rest of us.
In its absence I make do with Bob Skelton’s poem and before I head off I read the final verse once again:
So if you’ve got a thirst, or ya’ feel one commin’ on
There’s a welcome mat at Yeoval, no matter where ya’ from You’ll find the atmosphere so friendly, the characters you will love
The annual TOURATECH Challenge and EXPO event for adventure riders has jumped into the ‘must do’ list for me, having attended the recent get-together in beautiful Bright, Victoria. The market leading, aftermarket accessories supplier puts on an excellent outdoor show to entice riders for a spot of fun and an excuse to get their various incarnations of ADV bikes dirty. This is a friendly low-key affair and is where riders can sample a full array of test bikes for some excellent local riding. BMW, Ducati, Honda, KTM, Suzuki, SWM and Triumph represented themselves with a crosssection of models to sample or take part in the challenge itself. Saturday seemed like a non-stop theatre of noise as groups were either leaving or arriving on their thirty minute plus loops. KTM headed to the south and the bush while Triumph went looking for the very scenic route up to Tawonga Gap. I jumped on a Honda and the new Multistrada 950 to pad out the afternoon as my crook knee wasn’t up to the challenge!
So, we have an assembly of bikes, riders, gear, the best weather (and local food and wine let alone the Bright Brewery with 40 odd brews on tap for some fine evening fun) now what happens is a little different to any other event I have attended.
TouraTech challenge
A challenging event that not only tests skills and endurance but also adds some spirited fun into the mix relying on solo and team efforts. Sounds simple? A class riding day based around some challenges of map-reading, riding and some crazy fun too. Most of the day was about accumulating enough points to be part of the final event which was a great reason for the crowd to hang around and view some expert riding. All-rounder riding ex-racer Steve Martin gave the throng a ‘no points lost’ demo of how it should be done on his Triumph Tiger 800. The gymkhana was part low-speed gymnastics mixed with a dose of
bravery and good planning. All of the eight final contestants lost some points, some dropped their steeds, but one thing that all received was a clap of appreciation and a whistle from the onlookers. Sure, there were winners but I thought the whole day (weekend in fact) was a huge win for dual-sport antics.
This is an event ready to grow beyond little ’ol Bright and if the adventure headed north into NSW I’m sure it would pull an even bigger, grateful crowd. Put on some music and allow camping and the Challenge could become larger that the Milky Way we sleep under. D
Beauty
The Bright region has some unbelievably good riding on its doorstep. Dederang too. The attendance (at a guesstimate) was between 600 and 1000 people, which gave the town of Bright a really friendly and busy atmosphere.
TRAVEL
NOW HEAR THIS
LISTENING BY JACQUI KENNEDY
Motorcycle travel usually requires just as much attention as weekend scratching. But when your road speed is around 60km/h, the exciting bits tend to be further apart. So what do you do?
IHAVE BEEN a complete convert to audiobooks ever since I broke the arm off my glasses trying to read in bed. With speakers built into my helmet, audiobooks have entertained me for most of my three year postie bike journey around Australia at 60km/h.
My first introduction to motorcycle journeys on audiobook was Two For The Road by Shirley Hardy-Rix and Brian Rix. The way Shirley had described being a pillion on Mad Sunday at the TT Races on the Isle of Man had me on the edge of my seat. It is pure delight to be able to escape vicariously into another land, another culture, another time - requiring no money, no effort, no planning, no packing, no jetlag.
I do prefer my stories to be nonfiction but they don’t have to be
heroic exploits or life-changing feats of endurance. Everyday people doing everyday things can be just as engaging as the swashbuckling explorer as long as the language isn’t too flowery or pompous.
Most motorcycling or adventure travel books have just simply been adapted from a diary or blog and what made a good daily tale or magazine article rarely translates into an engaging 10 hour tome.
I am an avid blog reader and enjoy the excitement of following riders in “real time” but when adapted as a book or audiobook, it usually ends up as a “we went here, we did that, we saw this” saga. There are hundreds of them available; mostly self-published without the benefi t of a professional editor.
The added element of audiobooks is, of course, the voice.
The incongruous Scottish voice replacing Ewan McGregor in the Long Way Round was off-putting. On the other hand, Paul Carter reading his own words in Don’t Tell Mum I Work on the Rigs and Is That Thing Diesel had me snorting coffee out of my nose.
There’s more than one way of motorcycling
I also thoroughly enjoyed The Art of Free Travel by Patrick Jones and Meg Ulman – a terrifi c tale of a year-long bicycle journey to Cape York with two children and a dog, foraging for bush food along the roadside - the familiar Aussie accents grounding the tale fi rmly in the land, the history and the culture.
“Read by the author” is usually the best hook to reel me in to listening. The author knows how and when to emphasise nuance when telling their story – just like the best stand-up comedians or reciters of pub poetry. They also know how to properly pronounce place names – unlike the narrator of Bill Bryson’s Down Under who set my teeth on edge with his continual butchering of Narrandera and Uluru. [Incidentally, I find Bryson’s interpretation of Aussie culture to be sanctimonious and self-indulgent and wonder if a lesser known author would be able to get away with such lazy prose.]
As online platforms and smartphone apps become more accessible, publishers realise that audiobooks are now an essential element in the “sales strategy”. The quality and quantity
hitting the market in the last year have increased dramatically.
British author Sam Manicom has recently adapted three of his wellknown travel books to audio, narrating them himself. You instantly feel like you are in the presence of a master storyteller. Sam is softly spoken with a delicate lilting quality in his voice and a tendency to down play the drama. He does not use 500 words to describe a blade of grass or a fluffy cloud – he engages you in an exciting journey and invites you along for the ride. You become another participant in the story so much so that you can smell and taste Africa; feel the pain of a fall and the weight of the bike; become frustrated with recurring mechanical problems and suffer the itchy skin from mozzie bites.
Listening to one of Sam’s books is like sitting around a campfire as he spins a really decent yarn and no-
one dares to interrupt. I have been known to ride around the block a few more times just so that I could fi nish the chapter. As soon as Distant Suns ended, I immediately downloaded Into Africa to continue my journey with Sam.
The latest audiobook which grabbed me by the throat and shook me violently was Touching the World by Cathy Birchall and Bernard Smith – a mesmerising tale of a blind woman’s trek around the world as a pillion. The viewpoint from someone experiencing a land and culture through verbal description is unlike any other travel tale ever told. Situations which are tedious or dangerous take on a whole new level of engagement when described from the perspective of a blind person. It was also extremely rewarding to hear the “other” side of the story as told by Bernard with his views on caregiving and guilt and
responsibility. Just the logistics of such an undertaking are onerous: border crossings, roadworks, finding accommodation and “blind” toilet breaks – formidable obstacles requiring a whole new approach to travel. Adding in to the mix the challenges of a personal relationship and this story reaches new heights of inspiration and illumination. I hope the next generation of intrepid travellers – particularly the feisty solo female adventurers - continue to write about their experiences, mishaps and escapades. My best advice to them is to get yourself a good editor and consider narrating your own book in the audio version. And send me a copy when you’re done…
And of course we hope that Jacqui will do the same thing, perhaps with the stories about her and Postie bike Mo’s travels that she’s been writing for us. D
The 2017 QBE International Festival of Speed was looming as a wet one, but somehow the weather fairies turned off the taps and allowed the superstars from all over the world to put on a super display of good times from a bygone era.
THE CELEBRATION this year was all about Italian bikes and the Italian star of stars was,
of course, Giacomo Agostini. The crowds flocked around him like crows on road kill, but the man is a legend and he warmed to all who came to get an autograph, selfie or just to ask him that pressing question they’d always wanted to pose in person. Agostini is a true champion in every sense of the word, as well as being a great bloke. But other stars were shining too.
1. Giacomo “Ago” Agostini –a true living legend.
2. And this was just one of the carparks!
3. Special mention goes out to Steve Kairl.
Piero Laverda was riding the legendary Laverda V6 endurance racer and boy, what a sweet sound it blasted out around the Sydney Motorsport Park (SMSP) racetrack. Other stars who clearly enjoyed the Festival were Gianfranco Bonera, Pierfrancesco Chili (riding his ex-Corona Suzuki), Jeremy McWilliams, Steve Parrish, Graeme Crosby, Troy Bayliss, Kevin Magee, Cam Donald, Maria Costello and Alan Cathcart. I’m sure I’ve missed some of the horde of superstars on hand to make the QBE International Festival of Speed (to my mind) the biggest and best motorcycle racing event this country has.
Yes, I’m including the like of WSBK and MotoGP! The crowds were huge and it has been a very long time since I’ve seen the front straight as full as it was. Apart from the legends parading (well, tearing) around the track there was a jam-packed racing schedule of post classic machines for the spectator to get up close and personal with, or to watch the action packed racing.
Of the massive list of race classes, which included bikes from Period Three 250s right up to Pre Modern F1, the main focus was on the QBE Top 50. This class combines the top 50 qualifiers from both the Period 5 and Period 6 classes into the one race for the top prize. And in a display of supreme riding, world endurance racer Aaron Morris, riding the C&M Motorcycles 1989 Yamaha FZR1000 (Period 6) won all four races and set a blistering new lap record of 1.35.301, only to be pipped by Jeremy McWilliams riding a 1989 Suzuki XR69 who cranked through the timing beams with a 1.35.087. To put this into context, the current supersport riders are only a second or so faster! Not bad for a 28 year old motorcycle.
1. Aaron Morris cleaned up the QBE Top 50.
2. Parade tent was extremely popular. 3. Stuart tearing through Turn 3.
In the Period 5 class it was ASBK rider Beau Beaton who blasted his way around on the awesome looking and sounding Irving Vincent. Beau won all but one of the Period 5 races and displayed some amazing late braking manoeuvrers into Turn One.
A few Kiwis made their way over to Oz to take it to the Aussie racers with awesome performances from Sloan Frost, Jay Lawrence (in Period 5) and Glen Skachill in Period 6. These fast young bucks certainly put the wind up some of the regular Post Classic racers with their blinding speed.
The thing about race meetings like the Island Classic and the QBE
International Festival of Speed is that they attract current and exworld racers who are a class or more above your average club day racer, so special mention must go to Steve Kairl who was the highest placed “clubbie”. He managed to get 4th in Period 6 in the QBE Top 50. Steve also got down into the 39s which is an awesome achievement.
The bike he was riding was another one of C&M Motorcycles’ bikes, a 1989 Yamaha FZR1000, and he also weighs about 10kg dripping wet!
All three days of racing saw huge crowds pack into SMSP but Sunday was the main day including the Show
‘N’ Shine for all those beautiful classic road bikes to show off their shininess and exotic lustre.
I had a shocker of a weekend, coming in 5th overall in Pre Modern F1. I had converted the mighty CBR900RR to a total loss electrical system (removing flywheel and stator) and it turned out that the battery wasn’t powerful enough to give enough spark up high. I also had a minor collision with another rider who highsided right in front of me, putting a hole in my radiator. If not for the awesome Pirelli slick tyres I had on, I dare say I’d have been much further back. The grip and speed they give speaks volumes when I’m essentially on a ‘standard’ bike while others around me are on full house ex-racers. But stay tuned because I’ve got something coming for them!
The praise for top quality gear doesn’t stop there: the NG brake discs, Venhill braided brake lines and SBS Carbon Classic pads let me make up heaps of time under brakes. I’ve used these four brands both on the road and racing, and they always give me the best performance available.
If you have ever thought about getting to the QBE International Festival of Speed you’re seriously mad if you don’t. You’ll be blown away with the bikes and the superstars. 2018 is the celebration of world superbikes and plans are already heating up to include some amazing bikes and riders. To keep up to date with all the progress, visit www.internationalfestivalofspeed.com or search for the International Festival of Speed Facebook page. D
The famous V6 Laverda thrilled.
Get back, get back, get back to where you started from
Words/Photos the bear
baCK In The days when a friend of mine was in the corporate world, she was in a meeting of otherwise all male senior executives. The meeting over, the talk turned to what blokey talk often turns to: who’s got the best toy, in this case their watch. Mine tells the phases of the moon; this one lets me know if I have a phone call; mine doubles as a computer; this one covers five time zones simultaneously and automatically.
“What about yours?” someone asked her boss. Glancing down at the slim disc of gold on his wrist, he said: “This? It tells the time.”
Silence around the table.
The VN900 is a bit like that. It is about as basic as a motorcycle can be these days. Also, if you’ve ever wanted to channel one of those lone riders in the American TV series, it is probably the best bike I’ve ever seen for strapping a sleeping bag to the handlebars. The simplicity also means that this is the perfect bike for someone looking for an easily customized machine.
Why? There is no ABS, no Traction Control, no CAN-Bus electrics, no onboard computers, no adjustable ignition maps, no electronic suspension… it has fuel injection and disc brakes, and the little screen in the basic instrument dial offers an odometer and a trip meter – and tells you the time. The instruments themselves are limited to the speedo, a fuel gauge and six idiot lights. The fuel gauge is nice to have, but it is a little uncertain when the tank gets low, and wanders. Not to worry: there is also a fuel warning light. This does give you perhaps a little too much warning; when it came on during my ride, I still
1. Front guard has the same little lip as the 800’s.
2. Switch blocks are simple.
3. Cast wheels are fine, but spokes do look good.
SPECS
KAWASAKI VULCAN
900 CLASSIC
PRICE: $12,499 plus on-road costs
WARRANTY: Two years, unlimited distance
ENGINE: Liquid-cooled Vee twin, 4-stroke, SOHC, 4 valves per cylinder
BORE x STROKE: 88 x 74.2mm
DISPLACEMENT: 903cc
COMPRESSION: :9.5:1
POWER: 37kW
TORQUE: 78Nm
TRANSMISSION: 5-speed, wet multi-plate clutch, belt final drive
SUSPENSION: Front, 41mm fork, travel 150mm. Rear, Triangle swingarm with Uni-Trak single shock, 7 position adjustable preload, travel 100 mm.
FUEL CONSUMPTION: 4.1 litres per 100km, premium unleaded
THEORETICAL RANGE: 487km
COLOUR: Metallic Graphite Gray and Ebony
VERDICT: ROLL UP YOUR SLEEPING BAG AND GO
had more than eight litres left in the 20 litre tank. Fuel consumption is frugal, and gives an outstanding range.
There are clearly disadvantages to this. Not the sleeping bag stuff, but the simplicity. I, for one, like ABS very much; and on this bike I have to work out fuel consumption on the computer in my phone instead of being told by the bike’s. But that doesn’t mean this is an el cheapo edition. The paint, for a start, is beautiful – both the glittering grey colour and the quality. Chrome is deep and what isn’t painted or chromed is almost all powder-coated a rich, matt black. Even the sidestand is nicely-shaped and matt black. Spoked wheels and whitewall tyres
along with a hardtail-looking swingarm complete the look. Mind you, you’d want the quality for the price.
On the freeway, three or four Harley riders going in the opposite direction
1. The radiator is tucked away and unobtrusive. 2. Big, strong, smart looking accessory panniers.
took a good hard look at the Vulcan before deciding at the last minute not to wave…
And the bike offers more than just looks. I put about 600km on it on the weekend – no great distance but enough to get a feel for the bike. Firstly, it’s comfortable and manageable. The wide bar makes the bike easily controllable at all speeds despite the 282kg weight. The rider’s seat is large and deep, and incidentally also low at 680mm. Ergonomics are
The Bear’s in the brewery, why?
top notch and helped along by the footboards. I got off the bike after 300km feeling pretty damn good.
Cornering is fine, with reasonable clearance before the footboards touch down. The fat 180 tyre on the back does give the bike a tendency to follow grooves in the road surface, but you soon get used to that. Otherwise the bike is stable on the straights and in corners with no tendency to wallow. The 41mm fork no doubt helps there, and if you do want to fine-tune the suspension there are seven preload levels available on the rear shock. I enjoyed stuffing the bike into reasonably fast corners and letting the ample torque pull me out of them. The fat tyres and the suspension also handled the various bits of gravel that I encountered – all roadworks, and all with pretty good surface. I couldn’t comment about the bike’s capabilities on poor gravel, although the long wheelbase and the tyres should make a meal of it.
The liquid cooled 903cc vee twin eight valve engine does a decent job of hauling the bike along. It is strongest
Open 7 days 7.00am to 5.00pm and by appointment for evening functions
in the midrange, which meant that my few attempts at getting some kind of top speed (under controlled conditions) were unsuccessful. But the bike will happily track along on the open road at somewhat over the speed limit. My bike came with optional pillion backrest and capacious panniers, unfortunately not lockable, which held all I needed for the weekend with the Bear Army. I strapped my excellent Kuryakyn cylinder bag onto the pillion seat – which looks pretty comfortable, by the way, although I didn’t get a chance to test it – and filled it with camera gear. The bag sat comfortably against the pillion backrest, also an extra, and made the cameras easily accessible. It gave me a backrest, too. I reckon if you had a Vulcan 900 Classic and didn’t want to take advantage of the customising possibilities (for which the Custom version might be better), you’d need to do very little to get a terrific short- and long-distance bike. Maybe add the accessory screen to take some of the wind pressure off. But you wouldn’t even need that if you had a decent-sized sleeping bag. D
Technical Skill
Personal Service
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!
classicmorris
BULLSEYE FOR LESTER
How’s this for serendipity, or is it skill?
In our immediate past issue, we announced that someone was trying to finance the revival of exactly the marque Lester has chosen for this article.
How’s this for a classic summation of the enthusiastic motorcyclist? It pretty well describes most of us, and I must say I wish I had written this myself, although I have mentioned this unarguable fact many, many times in material I have had published in a large variety of specialist motorcycle magazines for yonks.
It goes exactly like this, for this quote is verbatim. “Speed makes an essential appeal to motorcycle riders. They like life, snap, pep and fleetness in their machine. Even though they may seldom ride wide open, they like to know that their machines have a reserve of speed and power. They like to boast to friends what their machines have done and can do. They like to go out on the open road and demonstrate they ‘have the goods’”.
That statement could have been written yesterday, but it was not. It is, however, a truth which I hold to be self-evident, for I have spoken to many thousands of rabid motorcyclists of all shapes, sizes and persuasions for a great many years. I have spoken to these enthusiast through the pages of numerous magazine and newspapers, over PA systems and later in the pits or in local cafes at Bathurst and Amaroo Park in Sydney, Calder Raceway in Melbourne, and the occasional MX and short-circuit track in country areas. I have also spoken face-to-
WORDS LeSter MOrrIS
face with countless enthusiastic motorcyclists over the counters of spare parts and accessory stores in all of the six motorcycle stores whose proprietors had been desperate enough to have employed me during my twenty-plus years in the motor cycle trade. One of those stores, I might add, was my own, for what that may be worth.
Let me quote again from the brochure which I have in my files, for this makes interesting reading as well; or it should do. I shall not (yet) mention the brand of motorcycle to which this brochure belongs.
This is the company’s publicity blurb which accompanied the release of a new model.
“Pre-eminent in the motorcycle world is the new ‘XYZ’. It is conspicuously in a class by itself for no other machine combines so many alluring and attractive features. It is the culmination of ten years constant endeavour to build the very ultimate in motorcycles, a really perfect and finished four. Extreme speed, surpassing smoothness of motor operation at all speeds, amazing responsiveness to the throttle, complete absence of vibration, shock and jerk, quietness, cleanliness, dependability and durability to a degree hitherto unknown, are all built into the new ‘XYZ’ model, and the result is a motorcycle which dominates the field by sheer weight of inherent worth.” That was the publicity blurb which accompanied the release of the new American motorcycle.
Like the previous quote on the persona of the ‘serious’ motorcyclist, the above material is lifted directly from a colour brochure which is
almost 100 years old. It describes the 1921 1300cc, side-valve, fourcylinder Henderson motorcycle, the first motorcycle on earth to exceed 100mph on the open road. It managed that feat more than a century ago!
It is also noteworthy that a Henderson Four was ridden in a special 32-mile test at Bakersfield in the USA in 1921 by a bloke called Roy Artley. The bike averaged 65 miles per hour during the run as it crossed a local desert on the hottest day of the year and then climbed several steep gradients, all on well-graded dirt and rough sandy surfaces. A great performance by any standards.
The ride was actually sanctioned by the local Police (!) who reported that, at the end of the run, the machine’s cast-iron cylinders were cool enough to be touched by the naked hand without injury with the engine still running. To add to this quite remarkable feat, the bike had already covered just over 16,000 miles. Several months later, his effort was up-staged by a Paul Anderson, a jockey-sized rider – I know a bit about jockey-sized riders! – who rode a later 1921 machine along a measured road at an average speed of 98mph, a whisker under the Imperial ‘ton’, on a freezing cold day. The bike had already covered just over 10,000 miles and was almost bog-standard. The only alteration from the norm was to fit the alloy pistons which were to replace the original cast-iron components in the soon to be introduced 1922 range.
A 1921 Henderson ‘Four’, still fitted with cast-iron pistons exactly like the one in that old, but pristine,
brochure I have (but which had a sidecar attached) was road tested by me for both Two Wheels and Classic Bike magazines more than 30 years ago, and that big, lumpy Henderson remains one of the most memorable machines I have ridden.
The 1921 in-line Henderson Four - minus gearbox - was also used as a power-plant in many light aircraft, the punchy engine said to be very reliable; a good reason for it to be adopted in aircraft.
At the time the four-cylinder Henderson was the fastest motorcycle on the roads, a favourite with many Police forces and a favoured racer on board tracks and showground dirt ovals in America as well, where it won more than its fair share of races, competing against Indian and Harley-Davidson machines.
Did somebody mention ‘Superbike’ back then? No they did not, for the word had not been coined by the Yanks at the time, and so was not entirely correct when the word Superbike was coined in 1969 to describe the new OHC CB750 Honda four. These types of highperformance machines were to be seen fl ashing about on many of the world’s roads more than half a century before Honda’s new, exciting OHC four appeared, as they still are today, with many of their owners (as described so succinctly above) seldom stretching the bike to anywhere near its limits.
In the case of that heavy Henderson it is probably just as well the bike was not often ridden to its full potential, for the bike was not
0022 + years
fi tted with a front brake at the time, with braking distance from high speeds all those years ago certainly a very casual affair.
And the rear brake was not really up to scratch either, for it was a strange device consisting of a simple, contracting band of brake material which clamped around the outside of the brake drum, with another brake operating on the inside of the same drum! The dual rear- braking system was odd indeed, and even stranger in operation. It was a far more casual area on the open road back in the early twenties, to be sure, but it is reasonable to suggest that braking distances from high speeds on most large-capacity machines back then were probably measured in kilometres rather than metres.
Naturally, these high-performance Henderson Fours, along with their large, Harley-like Vee-twin engine siblings – crude though they certainly are by modern standards – were ridden by motorcyclists just like all of us; men who were so perfectly described in that fi rst quotation from the rare 1921 brochure.
Henderson folded very suddenly in 1931 – the Depression claiming yet another victim - but the last hurrah for the company was the building of two prototype in-line sixcylinder machines of just on 2000cc capacity. The long, long engine was, in effect, hand-made by cutting into and extending the crankcases and machining a long crankshaft from a solid billet of high carbon/nickel steel. Thankfully, Henderson had long since installed a (very small!) front brake and a much more up-
to-date single rear brake drum, for that monster of a motorcycle would surely have taken an age to pull up from whatever its top speed may have been. Happily, both of those glorious Superbikes are still in existence in America.
At the very end of the last century an effort was made to resurrect the name, with new, large-capacity Veetwin Excelsior/Henderson machines suddenly appearing on some showroom fl oors in the US in 1999. Henderson was actually made by the Excelsior motorcycle company back in the twenties, the large, red X logo of Excelsior heavily featured behind the Henderson name on the machine’s fuel tank. Naturally, the new machine was also a very large, very imposing motorcycle, built along the lines of Harley-Davidson, but it was doomed to fail, with little more than 2000 machines made over the next couple of years.
The Mantra which was chanted by the all-new Henderson at the turn of the century was ‘Yesterday, Today and Tomorrow’ and so, perhaps fi ttingly, the new bike’s name lives very quietly on, under the auspices of the Excelsior-Henderson Motorcycle Club in America and its small band of rabid enthusiasts.
But if ever the appellation ‘Yesterday, Today and Tomorrow’ belongs to any modern-day manufacturer, it belongs to Royal Enfi eld, which has been in operation, in one form or another, into three centuries!
Three centuries? Oh, yes, for its fi rst ever powered machine was a quadricycle made by the then-
pushbike manufacturer in way back 1899 – the very end of the nineteenth century, its first twowheeler built in 1901. In those days many manufacturers of lightweight motor vehicles which were under the ‘umbrella’ of motorcycles, made tricycles and quads, just as some of them still do today: Henry Ford’s first vehicle was in fact a quadricycle, while Ariel’s first motorcycle was a tricycle, and it was by no means the only manufacturer to briefly follow that route.
Royal Enfield manufactured motorcycles right through the twentieth century, supplying machines for dispatch riders in both WW1 and WW2. The single-cylinder, OHV 350cc Bullet Enfield was first introduced in 1932, the bike just one of the factory’s machines used by Allied forces during the Second World War. Enfield’s tiny, 125cc two-stroke ‘Flying Flea’ was dropped by parachute to provide hundreds of eager, foot-weary troops with a simple form of very basic transport. This was followed just after the war when the single-cylinder, rigid-frame Model G (350cc) and Model J (500cc) machines were introduced in late 1946. They were very ordinary motorcycles, it must be said – and weren’t they all back then? - with cast-iron cylinder head, low compression ratio pistons, small carburettor, white-metal ‘floating bush’ big-end bearing and very staid performance. But they filled their stated purpose admirably by providing cheap transport to a new generation of commuting motorcyclists.
That changed very dramatically in 1948 when the exciting new 350cc Bullet sports model was announced in England, the bike fitted with an all-new alloy head, higher compression ratio, more sporting cams, larger carburettors and an all-new swing-arm rear suspension; a ‘first’ for a British motorcycle.
A team of four factory riders competed in the infamous, gruelling International Six Day Trial in that year, where the small team amazed
everybody by winning a Gold Medal without losing a single point.
Royal Enfield machines were brought into Sydney in very small numbers in 1949 by a shop in Sydney which carried the ‘Bruce Small’ name, the tiny showroom also featuring the Czech Jawa two-strokes and a raft of Malvern Star pushbikes. Three or four Bullets – the 500cc version appearing in 1953 – were on display from time to time with the very fetching OHV 500cc twin, these ‘popular’ bikes always claimed by eager owners almost overnight. Back in the fifties we often wondered out loud how much more popular RE might be if a major importer was to bring them into the country in much larger numbers, for the RE Bullet was certainly on par with any of the other British motorcycles which proliferated.
As an aside, Bruce Small lived in Melbourne before selling out to Bennet and Wood in 1958, who were selling Speedwell cycles (and BSA motorcycle, of course) and then made his way to the Gold Coast, where he subsequently became its Lord Mayor, and where he was said to have introduced the bikiniclad ‘Meter Maids’ as part of his enterprising, promotional flair. It is also said that, to perpetuate his memory, the Bruce Highway was named after him: if this is true, it could hardly have been called the “Small Highway” could it?
But there seems to be no record anywhere of Bruce Small’s name being applied to that small store in Sydney I remember so well, so it may have been a franchise of some type, the store’s proprietor possibly importing the machines without recourse to Small himself? Alas, we may never know.
The Indian Government made a strong point in favour of RE in 1955 when it ordered more than 800 350cc machines for use by far-flung Border Patrol Police officers and Army personnel, the lot dispatched from Britain in crates, to be assembled in India. Two years later, the English company sold patterns, jigs, dies,
blueprints and tools to a new company which had been formed in Madras, the single-cylinder machines being fully manufactured in that country during subsequent years.
Royal Enfield went on to make large-capacity, high-performance OHV twin-cylinder motorcycle for some time thereafter in England, including the 1959 700cc ‘Constellation’, which was the subject of an in-depth road test in that year where it achieved a top speed of 118 MPH.
By 1970, Royal Enfield had gone to God in England, but the singlecylinder bikes, with their relaxed, ‘sit-up-and-beg’ riding positions, remained a firm favourite in India, if all but unknown everywhere else on earth.
But now, into the twentiethfirst century, the Royal Enfield Bullet, in its several guises, has been ‘discovered’, or perhaps rediscovered, and is achieving an amazing acceptance in just about every nation on earth. Its basic design harks back to 1948, remaining instantly recognisable as somewhat ‘old fashioned’; which indeed it is. But with modern manufacturing techniques, newly-designed, all-alloy, unit-construction engines, electronic ignition, fuel injection featured on some models and far better technology, it is nowhere near as old fashioned as it might seem, and is in many ways as modern as tomorrow.
The last two years have seen an amazing rise in the bike’s sales, for each of those years recorded a fiftypercent increase in sales over the previous year! In 2016, Royal Enfield was said to have manufactured over 700,000 motorcycles, with the prediction that the company in India will build one million machines a year from 2020!
The irony is that the Indian Royal Enfield motorcycle is now being exported to the UK in huge numbers, where new generations of motorcyclists have discovered a machine with a name which can trace its British ancestry right back to the tail-end of the nineteenth century. D
WELOVE TO HEAR FROM YOU, the letters are among the most keenly read parts of the magazine. Please try and keep letters down to no more than 300 words. Then you can read many, not just a couple. We do reserve the right to cut them and, unless you identify yourself and at least your town or suburb and state, we will print your email address instead. Please address letters to thebear@ausmotorcyclist.com.au or Australian Motorcyclist Magazine, PO Box 2066, Boronia Park NSW 2111. All opinions published here are those of the writers and we do not vouch for their accuracy or even their sanity!
AS YOU HAVE probably realised, 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 time. 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
MORE WATER COOLING
Hi Guys,
LOL. I`m on to you guys. Honestly, a really great April Fools joke. I must admit, you really had me going there. I was actually starting to get worked up over it, thinking “How dare they!”, “what next!” and “I`ll
Potta, who may just have the answer to sustainable motorcycling – what’s your postal address, Potta?
COFFEE IS THE ANSWER
Hi Bear, Stuart and team,
Once again AMM is at the forefront of keeping your readership abreast of all the latest developments in technological advancements and government regulation. Your article “Outrage” had the boys in deep discussion at our favourite coffee stop. How do we balance our love for riding motorcycles, enjoyment of good coffee and be ecologically responsible citizens?
Talk mainly centered around water injection of internal combustion engines and the perceived benefits of improved power and reduced emissions. We were interrupted by the Road Captain who had us back on our steeds. All too soon was one of our frequent stops for “Barry and his bladder”. It was at this point the solution came to me - the Catheter Conversion Kit.
“Recycled coffee” is delivered by a tube via a discreet opening near the knee in your riding pants to a reservoir. and is metered into the intake tract by venturi action. My
just have to give up riding!” Well done! That`s one I owe you all. Just watch out in your future “what say you?” submissions.
Love reading your Mag, keep up the great work!
Cheers, Paul H.
calculations would give a ratio of 1 large flat white = 250km. This is a win-win-win situation. More time riding bikes = greater enjoyment, no limit to how much coffee you ingest and makes your inner eco-warrior feel good. More details for this set up and many other tips and tricks will soon be available in my soon to be published book;
Profiting In Green Sustainability: A Realistic Social Experiment Potta
By email
Ha! Suck on that, Elon Musk! Potta, this is the development that many of us have been waiting for. I anticipate a great deal of research, some of which I will be only too glad to take off your, er, hands. We will need to look at different varieties of coffee, of course. I recently initiated my own research in Penang, Malaysia, where I ordered, drank and paid for a Kopi Luwak. This is a brew carefully made from beans which have passed through the digestive tract of a civet cat and been… modified by the stomach acids. Don’t worry, they wash them before use. I found the flavor subtle and deep, and I now have an order in at my local pet shop for a civet cat. They’re bloody hard to get, especially around here where there are so many coffee freaks. Never mind; have a cup! – The Bear
WHAT ABOUT SUPER-DOOPER? Bear,
I enjoyed your article on the Munch Mammut, however wasn’t the Royal Enfield Interceptor the first ‘superbike’?
I recently purchased and read ‘Vintage Morris’. Some of the
stories I had read in AMM but they were just as entertaining the second time. This is a great read and I recommend it to everyone.
Jeff Cole Alice Springs
What you choose as the fi rst ‘superbike’ really depends on when you decide to start, Jeff. Well, it depends on any number of other things too – such as the percentage by which it exceeded the power output of the competition, etc. We’ll get Lester Morris to take a look at this question sometime soon. Meanwhile, as you’ve noted, Lester’s 196page book “Vintage Morris: Tall Tales but True from a Lifetime in Motorcycling” is now available. For a signed copy, send cheque or money order for $42 ($29 + $14 Postage in Australia) to: L & L. Morris, P.O. Box 392, Winston Hills. NSW. 2153 – The Bear
BLINKIN’ BLAZES
Hey Bear,
I think you subscribe to an online news service called New Atlas. I’ve seen references to them in your stuff when they were still called Gizmag. Did you see the recent story about SignalWear? I’ve copied out some of it below. This sounds brilliant to me; what do you reckon? I am thinking of going for the Kickstarter crowdfunding and you have a kind of a talent for picking potential problems!
“Created in response to a motorcycle accident experienced by company co-founder Troy DeBaca, SignalWear’s Lane Changer gloves feature built-in LED turn indicators that are activated by pressing your thumb to your forefi nger, palm or handlebars. Press again to turn them off. The gloves are also motion-activated, so a twist of your wrist bringing your hand vertical to the road turns on the LEDs – twist the other direction, and that turns them off…
“The real smart elements of the Lane Changer gloves are actually features that will be included if the company reaches certain fl ex goals in its current Kickstarter campaign. One such element is called SignalBox, which allows each glove to blink when you toggle your motorcycle’s turn signals. The addition of that feature will depend on the company meeting or exceeding a US$100,000 fl ex goal.
“If SignalWear hits a fl ex goal of $250,000, it will also offer its patent-pending smart signal technology called Navigators – a heads-up, hands-free GPS navigation system that will sync the Lane Changer gloves to the company’s SignalWear app. Input your destination in the app, and the gloves will vibrate and light up to guide you there. The app will also track your trip, so you can save it, send it or share it on social media.
“SignalWear launched its KickStarter campaign earlier this month with a goal of raising at least $25,000. Early backers can pledge $99 for a pair of Lane Changers, which is a $50 savings off the expected retail price. Delivery is estimated for August, providing the company meets or exceeds its
fundraising goals.”
Oliver (Ollie)
Illawarra NSW
Hello Ollie and yes, I did see that story –about an hour before your email dropped into my computer! Mate, it sounds good to me although I am not entirely sure t hat it would be legal in Australia because of the limitations on blinking lights on motor vehicles. Likewise, it would be good to know whether maps for anywhere other than the US would be available. Having said that – sign me up for my own pair! – The Bear
OLD IS THE NEW NEW
To MCA,
Having been an avid reader of your magazine I believe your mag misses out on one area of motorcyclist. Having been able to return to motorcycle riding after many years absence due to the availability of a suitable bike and a wife who simply said “I think you should buy it”. My children were keen to climb aboard, however the bride was reluctant. It took some time before she climbed on behind her lord and master. Ok behind her husband. But now rides her own bike.
I speak to a lot of returning riders or new riders or wives of rider who are thinking of riding and always suggest MCA.
The area I suggest are articles on suggested second hand machines for new riders to opt for.
A good second hand bike is usually followed where money permits with a new bike.
I know of one individual who purchased a new 2017 Harley that has to sit in a shed for fi fteen months until he gets his full license. (He was given advice that he could go from Lm’s to unrestricted.)
So my suggestion is a monthly suggestion on good second hand bikes. Pro’s & con’s and details on
height and what to look for when searching for that particular type of bike.
It will get new and old onto a bike with a budget, then perhaps onto a newer bike.
Peter Tarran
By email
Hi Peter, we used to do something similar to this a fair while ago. I like your idea, so The Bear and I will discuss and work something out - Cheers, Stuart.
PERSONALLY INVISIBLE
Stuart,
I have just read the article on page 6 of the Margaret River Busselton times, ‘Police urge drivers to take care’.
A three-car collision occurred on Bussell Hwy north of Margaret River. As reported in the Times on page 6 on April the 14th Sgt Brett Cassidy said one vehicle was waiting to exit the cheese factory when a car ploughed into the back of another vehicle trying to turn in.
Sgt Cassidy said that charges would not be laid because the driver had poor visibility coming over the hill and was distracted by a personal matter.
I am absolutely amazed at the comments made by Sgt Cassidy regarding the driver who caused the multiple car crash. To say that charges would not be laid because the driver had poor visibility coming over the hill and was distracted by a personal matter is nothing short of ridiculous. This person was in charge of a motor vehicle and was distracted by a personal matter! Really? As for poor visibility, I have driven this section of road tens of thousands of times in all weather conditions encountering turning vehicles and have never had any problems or near misses.
I fi nd it totally bizarre that getting
your photo taken doing 5km/h over some arbitrary speed limit results in heavy fi nes but causing a multiple car crash because of driver inattention results in excuses being made for the poor driving by the police, unbelievable
If the vehicle that was rear ended had happened to be a motorcycle the outcome would have been very different, I wonder what Sgt Cassidy would have made of this?
I am truly sick and tired of all of the bullshit and lip service that we are expected to swallow about road safety when the police are so apathetic about road safety.
I have a cunning plan, Captain Blackadder. Next time Constable fgn constable does you for speeding just tell constable fgn constable that poor visibility prevented you from seeing the speed sign (after all a speed sign is far smaller than the arse end of a car) and you were distracted by a personal matter. This must work, surely?
I have sent portions of these comments to the Times and posted them on face book, I am so annoyed by this apathy.
Regards
A very annoyed Peter Simmonds
Margaret River W.A
Yes, I fi nd this rather crazy too! Maybe the cop knew the driver of the car at fault and was trying to get him off? I would love to know what the personal matter was? Did he shit himself when he saw the car and knew he couldn’t stop in time? I reckon if you had a good solicitor and gave the poor visibility thing a try it could possibly work. There are certainly good grounds to create doubt in a magistrate’s mind, aren’t there!
I am at a loss to know what to think with some decisions sometimes - Cheers, Stuart
PAUL’S PARADISE
Hi Pete , I’ve been reading # 50 and enjoying
it as usual, I have often wondered happened to ARR. It was a fi ne mag and I miss that old format. We had a studio in the backyard , we put in a pool table with an old ‘fridge so I guess you could call it a “bar”, we had music and most people scribbled on the walls. Anyway, we had the local signwriters make up a metre high Geargrinders Arms sign, what’s that you say?? copyright laws ... most likely but the place like your tales was a load of fun. For weekends, we purchased a bunch of foam mattresses and a pile of Vinnies blankets so nobody had any excuse to head of home , luckily we could stuff a fair few bikes in the backyard and we had patient if not long suffering neighbors. Then on Sundays we could fi re up the BBQ for breakfast . Well ARR isn’t quite the same and we have moved house, no idea what happened to our beaut sign though. Anyway your article “ Which bike for me?” was great, I haven’t had that many bikes but I’ve certainly chucked a lot of hard earned at them, well worth it at the time and I wouldn’t change it today if I could , in fact we have just purchased another K100rs 16v. THIS time I’ll just ride it , well as soon as I sort that bit of wiring, hmm a set of stainless hoses would be nice, maybe I should check the pads n calipers while I’m there ... Cheers, Paul Cadman
So I asked Paul what it was that ARR used to have, but AMM lacks – The Bear
Arh no , nothing wrong with AMM, I love Boris, Lester, the Big Fella Stewie, the mag is great and I look for it each month, don’t think it doesn’t make the grade, just had a soft spot for ARR, you started it and steered it well for so long, always loved The Gear Grinders Arms, used to reminded me of various pubs, Pacifi c Hotel In Manly, Forth n Clyde, The Dry Dock, Cullen Bullen, one in Petersham, can’t remember the name, I think the TV series ‘You Can’t See Around Corners’ was fi lmed there, bit like you, starting to come apart at the seams, ha ha, probably just an old bloke thing, staring into a lager going I remember when... then Wife looks at me ‘n’ sez , too many beers luv, take your bloody helmet off ‘n’ go to bed!
I’ll send you a couple images of our new acquisition shortly, we now have 3 Beemers and one lone Ducati, that’s Linda’s, she also has her R65LS which was bought new in ‘84.
Hope that set your mind at ease your followers aren’t wandering off... Cheers, Paul
You know what, Paul, you didn’t nail any of the pubs I based the Geargrinders on – there are three of them – but you came very, very close with two of yours. I came close to buying an R 65 LS for Mrs Bear, too - The Bear D
NEWBiKEPricEs
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
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$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 Tour
R 1200 GSA
R 1200 GSA Triple Black
ScooteR
C 650 Sport
C 650 GT
$12,890
$16,940
$18,650
$21,850
$23,050
$27,250
$27,250
$24,890
$29,585
$14,150
$14,990 CAN-AM (BRP) www.brp.com
*All prices are ride away Road
Spyder RS SM5
Spyder RS S Red SE5
$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
HARLEY-DAVIDSON
CB400
CB500F
CBR500R ABS
CBR600RR
CB650FL ABS
CB650F ABS
CBR650FL ABS
CBR650F ABS
NC750SA ABS
CBR1000RR
CBR1000RR ABS
VFR1200F ABS
CTX1300
Goldwing F6B
GL1800 Goldwing
Cruiser
VT400C
CTX700NA ABS
VT750C Shadow
VT1300CXA Fury
GL1800 Valkyrie
Adv Touring
VFR800X Crossrunner
VFR1200X Crosstourer
CRF1000 Africa Twin
CRF1000 Africa Twin ABS
CRF1000 Africa Twin DCT $17,999 sCooTer
NSC110 Dio
MW110
California 1400 Custom $21,490
California 1400 Touring $24,490
Cali 1400 Touring SE $26,500
MGX-21 $TBA
MV AGUSTA
www.mvagusta.com.au Road
Brutale 675
F3 675
$15,799
Stradale 800
Turismo Veloce 800
Turismo Veloce Lusso 800
Brutale 1090
Brutale 1090 RR
Brutale 1090 Corsa
F4
F4 RR
F4 RC
$19,999
$20,499
$23,499
$19,999
$22,999
$27,999
$24,499
NOrTON MOTOrCYCleS
www.frasermotorcycles.com.au
Commando 961 Sport
Commando 961 Café
Commander 961 SF
PIAGGIO
www.piaggio.com.au
*Some Piaggio prices are ride away sCooTeR Typhoon 125
Fly 150 3V
Liberty S 150 3V
Medley 150
Yourban 300
BV 350 Sport Touring
rOYAl eNFIelD
www.royalenfield.com.au Road
SOl INVICTUS
Explorer 1200 XRt
Explorer 1200 XCx/L
Explorer 1200 XCa
URAL
www.imz-ural.com.au
cT
$24,900
VESPA
www.vespa.com.au
Scooter
Primavera 125 3V
Primavera 150 3V
3V
Sprint 150 3V SE
TRIUMPH
$5590
GTS 150 3V
PX150 Touring
946 Bellissima $12,490 946 Armani
GTS250ie FL
VICTORY
www.victorymotorcycles.com.au
*All Victory prices are ride away crUISer
Thunderbird Commander $23,800
Thunderbird Comm LT $25,000
Rocket III Roadster $23,990
Rocket III Touring
$26,490 adv toUrIng
Tiger 800 XR
$14,090
Tiger 800 XRX/L $17,100
Tiger 800 XRT $18,350
VIPER MOTORCYCLES
BEARFACED
THE WINTER’S TALE
STOP ME if I’ve told you the story of my Canadian mate who used to ride to work every day, even in winter. He had an old magneto Sportster, and – vitally – a heated garage both at home and at work. The daytime temperature in Calgary in winter is so low that they measure it in degrees Kelvin, not Fahrenheit. But he managed, by wrapping up really warm using the layer method, which in his case probably included tarpaulins and entire sheep.
“The snowploughs (actually, he said ‘snowplows’) used to pile the snow up twenty, thirty feet high at the side of the road,” he told me. “I’d just ride through these white canyons. There was never any ice on the road, it was too cold for that.” It took me a while to work that one out, but it does make sense if it’s so cold that the snow doesn’t ever melt and become ice when it re-freezes.
I’ve ridden through snow and even over ice myself, although it was never as cold as Calgary. When we were working in London in the late ‘70s, Mrs Bear and I decided that we’d take off over Easter and visit my rellies in northern Germany. The ride down to the ferry went well, as did the run to Hamburg, where we stayed a couple of days with my aunt. It was on the way down to Luneburg and on to Brunswick that things began to go wrong.
We had both had two-piece leathers made to order by Lewis Leathers in the East End, and despite the fact that Mrs Bear had to lie down and pull up the zip on the trousers with a coathanger – Mr Lewis
thought that tight pants looked good on what he called “the ladies”, and he was of course right – these were seriously good riding suits. But when it started to snow we both noticed that they were not particularly warm. Riding through the snow in a one-horse open sleigh may be fun if you’re covered in blankets. I’ve never tried it. I can tell you, though, that the same activity on an unfaired GS750 Suzuki wearing only silklined leathers over your underwear is somewhat less of a ho ho ho occasion. More brr brrr brr. And no, we hadn’t taken wet weather suits because we had intended to buy them in Germany. Here’s another hint: Highways A7 and B3 between Hamburg and Brunswick were then, and I suspect still are, remarkably free of motorcycle shops. Their 200km length is known for its scenic beauty, but we were not looking at the landscape, which was turning a monotonous white anyway. Of course we eventually arrived and were reanimated with hot showers and equally hot toddies or I wouldn’t be writing this, but it was one of only a few occasions when I seriously thought I might die.
You will have figured out by now that neither of us died. And if truth be known, I have memories of many more enjoyable excursions in the snow. Come and take another Easter ride with Mrs Bear and me. This one was in southern Greece. We had been down tom Kalamata and were
making our way back north to take a look at Olympia. We were enjoying some terrific mountain roads when it – you guessed – started to snow. But this time we were prepared. A quick stop to don our Britax (they mostly make child seats these days) winter overalls and swap gloves to the long-sleeved insulated gauntlets, and we were good. Especially since I had heated grips and Mrs Bear had heated gloves. Or how about the ride across the Snowy Mountains Highway from Tumut to Cooma, on a smooth gray ribbon of cleared road between snowbanks and dark, skeletal-looking trees. The three of us had gradually become convinced that there was no ice on the road, and we were pushing the envelope quite enthusiastically. I was trailing the other pair by a couple of hundred metres – I never was the fastest rider – which turned out to be a very good thing indeed. You see, where water had been seeping over the road, now that we were on the southern and therefore sunless side of the hills, there was ice. Not a lot, but enough to put both my mates into a snowbank. Fortunately it was a high, deep one without boulders or tree stumps inside its white mantle. Both my mates and their bikes were solidly stuck in the sticky snow. They looked as if they were parked in some kind of weird horizontal fashion. For your information, it is really hard work to extract a bike from deep inside a snowbank. My mates got out by themselves; I was laughing too hard to help them, anyway. They got me back later that night with an armful of snow in my bed. I’ve got a ride planned across there this winter. I’m counting on the absence of ice. And mates. D
BORIS
DON’T LIE
IT WOULD BE NICE if the next time you heard someone say “I had to lay the bike down”, you’d take a chair and belt him in the face with it. Then back it up by stomping him until the police hose you with pepper spray.
It’s certainly what I’m considering. Because it really is the only recourse left when one is confronted with such a statement. For that statement encompasses everything that is wrong with many of the people who ride motorcycles today.
Let us look at what that statement is about.
At face value, it is (and is meant to be) a declaration of skill in terms of collision avoidance. You are meant to understand, applaud, and appreciate the rider low-sided his bike to avoid impact with a car. Or a tree. Or a werewolf.
It normally goes like this: “Yeah, I was just riding along and this car/ tree/werewolf came out of a street and I had to lay the bike down to avoid hitting it”.
It is right at this point you need to pick up a chair and swing it into the muppet’s face as hard as you can.
And then say to him as he lies there with his eyes rolling around in his head, gagging on broken teeth and cheekbones: “You lie! Stop lying! Do not lie again!”
Because he is lying.
He didn’t purposefully and with great skill lay the bike down to avoid colliding with something.
He crashed. Like a bitch. A stupid, panicked, I’m-shit-at-this bitch. He was riding along, something came out of a side-street, he befouled himself, grabbed all the brakes in the world, closed his eyes and slapped himself onto the roadway like a wet dishrag being flung into the sink.
There was no skill in this. No intent. He really didn’t plan for it to go like this when the object appeared.
But he wants you to think it did.
He wants you to nod appreciatively at his display of riding prowess. A lesser rider would have hit that car/tree/werewolf. A lesser rider would not have had the presence of mind backed up with the skill of professional stunt-rider to “lay the bike down”.
But he did.
And that is a lie and that is why he needs to eat a chair.
He failed to hit the car/tree/ werewolf out of sheer luck. The same luck that ensured his entry into this world was via the aid of a midwife rather than a piece of Sorbent.
Of course, sometimes the bike is thrown onto the roadway and still hits the car/tree/werewolf, in which case the blame will be apportioned accordingly, i.e. to the car/tree/ werewolf, and it will be a case of: “It just came out. I couldn’t do anything.”
Yeah, well, you could have avoided it. But you crashed into it instead. Which I know is not the optimal choice.
I know this because I have done it myself.
A few years ago, I centrepunched a car that had turned into my path. I broke my neck and speared all of my left-arm bones through the flesh of my wrist.
I didn’t “lay it down”. I just slammed into the car.
Could I have avoided it? Sure. If I had been on my game a little more. If I’d have anticipated a little more. If…if…if…
At the end of the day the driver was legally at fault, but I was the one in hospital because on that day and at that exact time, I was not on my game.
My fault. No issue. Hell, it’s not like I’m new at this. Car drivers do all sorts of Crazy Ivan shit. I want to beat them with chairs too. And before we entered the Age of Video Surveillance, I did. Except I didn’t
beat them with chairs. I beat them with large shifting spanners, helmets, mailed gloves and steel-capped boots. Halcyon days.
And I can guarantee you that each and every one of those drivers whom I beat like a retarded plough-mule is today far more motorcycle aware than he was before the beating. You’re welcome.
So don’t give me that shit about violence never solving anything. Violence solves everything. It always has and it always will.
It is why governments all over the world use it, and it is why we live in a relatively peaceful society. The mere threat of police beating us with truncheons is usually enough to get us to behave.
So I contend violence is especially efficacious when it comes to solving things like the deep-vein stupid that produces arrogant statements like “I had to lay the bike down”.
I can admire a bloke who owns his screw-up.
“Yeah, I stuffed up. It was my fault. The pins come out in three weeks and the bike was insured, so I’m planning what to get next.”
See? No need to for a chairing here, is there? I’d probably shout him a beer or two because it’s hard for him to crutch his way to the bar and carry back a round.
But don’t lie. Only bitches lie. D
2018 Isle of Man
Celebrating the 40th Anniversary of Mike Hailwood’s comeback win and the 100th running of the Isle of Man TT, 2018 marks a very significant year at the festival and you can be there too...
of the TT circuit on your own bike • After the TT spend a month or two touring Europe. The Get Routed Self-guided Trip Package includes return bike shipping, ferry tickets to and from the IoM and 14 nights hotel or leased houses accommodation. Return shipments in July & October.
