THE NEW TIGER 1200 FAMILY IS HERE. ALL BUILT TO BE BETTER IN ABSOLUTELY EVERY WAY, OFF-ROAD AND ON.
Available in two styles – the off-road biased ‘XC’ and the road-orientated ‘XR’ – the new Tiger 1200 boasts more than 200 chassis and engine upgrades, with a shorter ratio first gear, enhanced rider ergonomics, a more responsive Triple engine and freer flowing exhaust. Add to that new full-colour TFT instruments, up to six riding modes (with Off-Road Pro on the XC), allLED lighting, illuminated switchgear and a new 5-position adjustable screen, and you have the most comprehensive choice of model and specification ever.
The Tiger 1200 XRT and XCA are quite simply built for maximum adventure, every single day. To find out more visit: triumphmotorcycles.com.au
JOURNEYS
Beware: you won’t be able to stop yourself from taking these tours
APRILIA SHIVER 900 Hot not cold
DUCATI X DIAVEL v HARLEY-DAVIDSON FAT BOB Firing heavy calibre
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EDITORSPEAKS
What’s the Big Fella been up to now?
I’VE JUST COME back from Invercargill and the Burt Munro Challenge in New Zealand. One major reason for me being sent over to cover this fabulous event is that it’s had a change of date. Previously it was held in November (and bad weather). It’s now moved to a month with better (or more predictable) weather, namely February. You can read about the various events and what I thought about them further in this issue.
You might notice that Lester’s regular column isn’t in this issue. He is having a rest at the moment and we’ve got some exciting ideas to fill the void. They mainly revolve around classic bikes which, as we’ve seen recently, are enjoying a huge boost in popularity. Sales at both Bonhams and Mecum auction houses have seen some astronomical prices being paid for classic and vintage motorcycles – one with Australian connections, which you’ll see in News this month, went over the $A million dollar mark!
We will also be showing you some classic racing machinery and discussing the state of play on various points of interest involving the classic racing and classic scene in general. Some of it will be quite controversial but if you have a good hard look at the crux of the subject you’ll be intrigued. The person to tell you all about this is my mate, Chris Pickett. Together we own a couple of classic race bikes which you will have read about in these pages. Chris has been
involved in the post classic racing scene for many, many moons. He also used to race a Ducati bevel for well-known Ducati engineer, Ron Young. We look forward to seeing what Chris comes up with, so be sure to let us know how you think he’s going after a few months. Chris’ first piece discusses what is going on at the Island Classic. It’s not your general race report, rather digging a little deeper to show you how some of the classic racing scene has got out of hand. I was talking the other day to The Bear and Ralph about when I was young. I rode nothing but sports bikes, never had winter gloves (only summer) and rode all over the place touring and so on like that. I continued on about how once I’d finally got my backside onto a motorcycle with upright bars I was like, “ooh, this is a bit of alright” and then I finally got to use heated grips and never looked back. I even bought a pair of winter gloves! I then realised I was basically saying that I was getting older and the lessons learnt (or skills acquired) make you wake up to the fact that comfort on a motorcycle is an important aspect of riding. The Bear said, “yeah, but even though you were young, you still would have felt the sore wrists after a long day?” I really didn’t, I guess by the time any sort of soreness was to creep in, my mates and I were already at the pub having a few sherbets and tucking into a big hot feed. How things change as you get older, huh! Give me upright bars, heated grips and a comfy seat any day! Cheers, Stuart.
One of my favouritesThe Flying Merkel
MILLION DOLLAR BIKE
HOW MUCH???!
What can you buy for a million dollars nowadays? A four-bedroom house or some sort of exotic supercar? What about a motorcycle? What would you get for just over one million Aussie? How about Jack Ehret’s Vincent Black Lightning which recently sold at auction in Las Vegas for US$929,000
(approx. AUD$1,150,000), making it the most valuable motorcycle ever sold at auction. It was used at Bathurst in the 1950s, usually in sidecar form by Ehret, and at one stage held the Australian Land Speed Record at an average speed of 141.5mph. Wow!
BE THERE OR BE SQUARE! INTERNATIONAL FESTIVAL OF SPEED 2018
If you haven’t already made plans to head for Sydney Motorsport Park during the 22-25 March then you better make them now! Celebrating 30 years of World Superbikes, there will be all sorts of guest WSBK and GP legends, autograph sessions, trade stands and a jam-packed 50-plus race program featuring over 400 classic race bikes. What an event! And we can reveal that Isle of Man TT legend, Cam Donald will be riding Stuart’s Yamaha FZR1000 in the QBE Top 50, which is now named the QBE Superbike Shootout. These races see the top 16 bikes from each of the Period 5 750cc and above, Period 6
750cc and above, and Pre Modern F1 machines, battle it out together for top honours. Stuart would normally ride his CBR900RR but will be twirling the spanners for Cam during the weekend [And inspiring him with moving speeches, no doubt – Boris]. Come out and say G’day!
BONZA, MATE
2018 SHANNONS INSURANCE BROADFORD BIKE BONANZA Victoria is the place to be from
March 30 to April 1 for the Broadford Bike Bonanza. An annual Easter event, which showcases classic bikes from a bygone era. The 2018 incarnation will be themed as a celebration of all things Vincent HRD, a tribute to the World Speedway great (the late Neil Street), and legendary BSA Bantam and Ron Angel classic collections. This is a rare opportunity to showcase a vast collection of classic bikes from different marques and models in one location. For more information visit www.ma.org.au D
APRILIA HAS REALLY
stepped it up with the new Shiver 900. The previous Shiver models left us a little ‘cold’; they were simply not overly exciting to ride. But throw off the jumpers, because the Shiver 900 is an excellent and truly fun bike to ride. So good, in fact, that we’ll be getting one as a long term loaner for six months.
When I headed off to Melbourne for the recent Aussie launch I went with an open mind, but hoping the Shiver would be something to rave about. And so it turned out to be. In a nutshell, the bigger engine and new frame have the wow factor you’ll be looking for in a mid-sized naked bike. It needs that factor, too, because the mid-sized naked market has some amazing motorcycles to compete against. Bikes like the Yamaha MT-09 and Kawasaki Z900 are just two of those and if the Shiver didn’t compare, I’m sure buyers would go cold very quickly.
The price is a little higher than the two aforementioned bikes, but for that you do get a machine specced significantly higher.
The 896cc “high-torque” V-twin engine is the same as the one in the Dorosoduro which we showed you in the most recent issue. It contains many revised parts compared to any previous Aprilia V-twin version. It has a Marelli 7SM ECU (same as Tuono & RSV4) and an updated ride-by-wire system (same as MY2017 Tuono & RSV4) which offer precise throttle control and a smooth power/torque curve. This V-twin is especially nice just coming out of a corner where the torque really comes in. With the better handling (in my opinion) as against the Dorsoduro, the Shiver is a swift machine in the right hands. To keep things under control there is switchable traction control (three levels + off) and for the braking, switchable ABS (reactivates at key-on).
Handling offers a very nice and neutral turn in with mega amounts of feel over on the side of the tyre. A 41mm Kayaba fork is mounted in forged alloy top and bottom triple clamps and a Sachs shock is bolted to a new cast alloy swingarm. Both ends roll on lightweight cast alloy wheels
pinched from the Tuono and RSV4RR. Adjustability both front and rear gives you a nice range to set it up to your liking. On the road I only went a touch more rear preload – we’ll be able to refine this once we get our long term bike and get to ride it on familiar roads.
Comfort was one aspect I was happy with. The seat-to-peg-tohandlebar triangle gives nicely just-weighted wrists and your legs are bent comfortably for a naked machine with enough room even for giraffes like me. An 810mm seat height will suit most riders.
Braking is powerful with adequate feel. The calipers are by Brembo but I think we’ll try and get some different pads for our long termer to see what difference this makes. The standard pads could do with a little more initial bite.
Styling is sharp with plenty of different angles and bits and pieces to admire. On the road or whenever you’re stopped, people mill around checking it out, which is nice. The design of the twin underseat exhaust exits not only gives a unique sound; the one thing everyone talked about when I stopped were the ‘stethoscope-like’ metal pieces. Some people also wondered if they were some kind of musical instrument –they look like trumpets and I guess the musical guess is true to a point: the exhaust note is unique.
Aprilia’s extensive multimedia platform 4.3 inch colour TFT instrument panel (phew, that’s a lot to spit out!) not only looks classy but has plenty of information about almost everything including the shopping list. Then you can download the Aprilia V4-MP app which gives you a list of info longer than it takes Ralph to drink a beer!
Accessories offer a wide range for any owner – carbon, billet aluminium and touring orientated pieces which give you a wide range of options for any intended purpose.
Aprilia has stepped up the game with the new Shiver 900. If you love the pure Italian spirit built into bikes from the land of the green, white and red then this is a bike you’ll want to give a whirl. D
SPECS
APRILIA SHIVER 900
PRICE: $15,190 (plus on-road charges)
WARRANTY: Two years, unlimited distance
SERVICING INTERVALS: Every 10,000km or 12 months
ENGINE: Liquid-cooled V-twin cylinder, 4-stroke, DOHC, 4 valves per cylinder
IF YOU’VE PREVIOUSLY been to or followed the Burt Munro Challenge in Invercargill, NZ, you will have seen wet races – very wet races! Even ducks don’t like that much rain. So the organisers of the Burt Munro Challenge made the brave decision to change the date from the usual rainy November, to a more predictable (and hopefully drier) February, and it paid off big time!
Thanks to Venture Southland tourism I headed over to Queenstown, picked up one of the beautifully presented bikes from Paradise Motorcycle Tours base (only a couple of minutes from the airport) and set off to Invercargill, which is only a couple of hours away. The next morning was the first event at Bluff – the hill climb – and I wanted to be there for that.
All vintages of bikes were on hand for the various races. To give you a rundown of what was there, they are as follows –
AHRMA Class C (very old!)
Classic Pre ’63
Post Classic Pre ’82
Post Classic Pre ’89
Up To 600cc (mostly supermotards) 601cc to Open (mostly modern sportsbikes) ATV Quad
CLASSIC MOTORCYCLE MECCA
NZ HILL CLIMB CHAMPS
It was a 20-minute ride to the normally sleepy town of Bluff, which was being livened right up by the hill climb races. Thousands (and I do mean thousands) of motorcycles lined the streets and even peoples’ front yards (who’d opened them up for parking), and from where you could then walk into the “pits” –essentially the side of the road, over the gutters and in other peoples’ front yards. Very old school indeed!
The hill climb itself climbs up Flagstaff Hill and is only about one kilometre long. Spectators were lined all the way up the hill, and so close to the action they could literally reach out and touch it! I loved the relaxed feeling of deciding where you stood or sat to watch the racing. People used common sense crossing the track if they wanted a
different spot to spectate from. I even loved the very old school caravan that was the “start gate”! Mitch Rees riding a Honda CBR1000RR was the overall winner with a time of 43.65sec, with his brother, Damon Rees, also riding a Honda CBR1000RR, came in second with a time of 45.93sec.
HIREPOOL TWILIGHT DRAG RACING
The drag racing was a sight to behold. I haven’t been to any drag-race meeting (cars or bikes) where the spectators were five-deep for the entire 400 metre strip! Again, you could get pretty close to the action near the start line.
Of all the bikes ripping down the front straight of Teretonga raceway, the quickest ET on the day was Barry Macaskill riding a Yamaha Pro Stocker with a time of 9.767sec.
A number of food vans were onsite for dinner and I had a really nice chicken pizza cooked in a woodfi red oven.
INDIAN MOTORCYCLE NZ BEACH RACING CHAMPS
Beach racing is a real eye-opener -especially when you know it’s the same beach The World’s Fastest Indian was filmed on. You can ride onto the beach and park your bike, and when you see the thousands of other bikes parked on the beach your eyes nearly pop out. I was blown away with this- because it could never happen in Australia.
You walk a couple of hundred metres to the ‘circuit’, which is a mile-long lap in total and exactly as it was portrayed in the movie – ride to the end as fast as you can, turn around, ride back.
Aussie Damien Koppe made the trip over to NZ, and not only competed in everything but the Speedway, he won every class he entered for the beach races on a KTM. A masterful display of extremely late braking and sliding into the turn at each end of the beach left the spectators in awe.
The main event, the Burt Munro Trophy, was a 50-lap/50-mile race where Damien opened up a 20-second lead, only to back off a bit in the final few laps and win by 10 seconds.
Damien beat Josh Coppins, who had been unbeaten for the four previous years! I’m sure Josh was happy for the amazing competition, but sad that he didn’t make it five in a row.
E HAYES & SONS TERETONGA CIRCUIT RACES
Teretonga Raceway is not an overly difficult track but it did make for some good action with its tight turns. For me, out of all the competitors, Kevin Beaumont riding a Ducati 1098 in a couple of classes, really stood out. In the first of the BEARS races, he took an excursion onto the infield only to come back and win the race. He also took it to the modern bikes, turning in very respectable laps in the F1 class where he was up against current-day superbikes.
ORETI PARK SPEEDWAY SPECTACULAR
This was quite a spectacular and wild race meeting where the officials “lost” a competitor who had slid under the fence and one of the sidecar passengers had a crazy ride until the red flag came out. If you think back to how speedway was in the 70s, this is what you saw at Oreti Park in 2018!
HONDA INVERCARGILL STREET RACES
The final day and the final event on the program was the street racing. Hay bales and temporary fencing were in place and at the four corners of the course you could kiss the riders or they could kiss you as they went past only a centimetre (yes, you read that right) away. Rain was forecast and it did fall after practice and qualifying. Unfortunately the event didn’t get to run in its entirety due to one bike letting its lunch go early on. So the results ended up being as per qualifying, with Mitch Rees setting the fastest lap in all classes with a scorching 40.605.
RALLY SITE
Located at Oreti Park, Otatara (a few minutes out of Invercargill) those wishing to camp at the official Burt Munro Rally had the park packed to capacity – it was certainly a sight to see!
It was like rallies of the early 80s in Australia with thousands of attendees and good times.
INVERCARGILL
The town was packed with motorcyclists and just about every hotel or motel was booked out. Attending any attractions around town and getting food needed planning. I found having lunch around 11.30am worked just nicely, or waiting until around 1.30pm, to avoid the masses.
CLASSIC MOTORCYCLE MECCA
Last time I was in Invercargill the Classic Motorcycle Mecca collection was being relocated from Nelson to its new location on Tay Street after being sold to Transport World. I was lucky enough to get a personal tour of the collection with Dave, the curator.
There are many rare motorcycles adorning the two floors and if I had to pick a couple of standouts they would have to be the million-dollar Brough Superior (one of 10 Broughs in the collection), a Thor (never seen one before and you probably haven’t either), and The Flying Merkel you see me standing with in my editorial this month. The oddest bike in the collection would have to be the Mitsubishi scooter. The back-story of the collection is it was originally owned by Tom and Heather Sturgess and housed in Nelson. Tom Sturgess was a very passionate collector of vintage and classic motorcycles, but for their artistic look and not for their name. From when Tom purchased his first motorcycle in 2008 to until 2016 (when the collection was sold to Transport World) it grew rapidly. During this time more than 300 motorcycles were collected. The collection constantly evolved and Dave said Tom “often bought bikes with his heart rather than his head”. But he was
Seats
Helmet
Riding Suits
never a fan of Japanese bikes and was a little shocked he’d actually bought the Mitsubishi scooter because he liked the look of it!
Having built up an outstanding reputation, New Zealand Classic Motorcycles closed to the public in April 2016. Sadly Tom’s health had not been the best and he made the decision to simplify his life by reviewing his assets in both New Zealand and the United States. Offshore offers had been received, but it was Tom’s wish the collection remain in New Zealand and the move to Invercargill was the best outcome for the country and the collection. Tom said at the time: “I am sure Invercargill will receive as much enjoyment and make as many new friends as we have”.
When you attend the Mecca give yourself at least three hours to wander around, then grab a bite to eat at the adjoining café – Meccaspresso.
Bill RichaRdson’s TRanspoRT WoRld
After viewing the stunning collection at Mecca, I whipped up Tay Street to the late Bill Richardson’s Transport World to meet Hannah for a guided tour. Bill was very much like Tom, although his passion was trucks. Bill owned Southern Transport, and you can still see the distinct sand-and-green-coloured trucks working around the South Island today. Bill collected hundreds of motor vehicles and petrol pumps, all of which are on display throughout the 15,000sqm floorplan; there is a lot to take in. An impressive body of work
1. Immaculate, and it runs!
2. Brough, anyone?
3. Ever seen one before?
4. Check out the old school caravan, “starters box”.
5. Stand near the blue barrier if you dare!
6. Bill’s shed
and a restoration journey that has taken 50 years to complete. It is an absolute must-see for anyone with a passion for wheels. Highlights include the star of the show, a Dodge RX70 Airflow – immaculately restored and the only working example in the world.
Other highlights include retro Kombis, Henry Ford Letter Cars, Model T’s, Diamond T Trucks, stunning 1930s V8s and over 200 vintage petrol pumps.
Don’t worry if you're not a motoring enthusiast. Transport World has been designed to impress even the least mechanically minded. You’ll find a growing wearable arts collection, a movie theatre, children’s play zones (the Lego room is great for kids and dads!), and themed bathrooms fast becoming as famous as the vehicles. With so much to see, give yourself at least three hours to go right through it and even more if you stop to watch a movie. If you didn’t grab a bite to eat at Mecca, a café is also attached to Transport World called The Grille. I ate at both places (on different days) and both are simply terrific.
An extra mention must be made of the toilets at both Classic Motorcycle Mecca and Transport World. The themed bathrooms are something you must see for yourself. Bill’s daughter who now owns/runs both places is the brains behind all the quirky details you’ll just love. I want to tell you about them, but I really do want to leave them a bit of a secret as you have to see them in real life to get the full effect.
E HAYES & SONS HARDWARE
I didn’t go to E Hayes and Sons on this trip as I’ve previously been twice to see Burt Munro’s Indian and Velocette race bikes along with the loads of paraphernalia and other bikes and cars placed around the hardware store. But if you go to Invercargill, it is a must-do!
CHARACTERS
While I was at the Burt Munro Challenge I wanted to see it from a normal spectator’s point of view. I did have Media Access which could have got me into better spots, but it wouldn’t let me experience it from the perspective of a normal punter. It also allowed me to meet some quirky characters, one
of whom claimed he raced against Burt Munro. This particular fellow said he was only a teenager when racing against Burt and he found him to be a “cranky old bastard”, but one who knew amazing things about tuning engines. This fellow raced a BSA and said his most memorable race against Burt was one where Burt had tuned up the BSA engine and was leading by almost the length of the straight until it blew up. Maybe some ‘planned’ tactics there by old Burt? I also met New Zealanders from both the North and South Islands who were surprised to see an Aussie coming over to ‘The Burt’. I wasn’t the only Aussie, as I saw plenty of Australian number plates on bikes (shipped by Dave from Get Routed) and met one of our faithful readers at Mecca and other Aussies at some of the race meetings.
THE WEATHER!
Mother Nature turned it on for all but the fi nal day. She provided hot sun where you needed to wear sunscreen, and allowed one of the Invercargill locals to say: “Don’t bloody tell everyone, will you! They’ll all want to come here!”
On the final day for the street races the forecast was for rain and it did after the practice and qualifying. As mentioned, the races were cancelled; a mix of wet road and oil is quite hard to clean up and make for safe racing. It was a good call by the officials, as sad as it may be the street racing didn’t run in its entirety. A local said to me that if you can see Stewart Island, it will rain and if you can’t see Stewart Island, get in doors! LOL!
MUST DO
If you in any way shape or form have an interest in motorcycles you MUST attend the Burt Munro Challenge. I can guarantee you’ll have an awesome time. It’s an event you won’t find the likes of in Australia as our safety Nazis are too strict and the do-gooders would cry a
The Best
As I mentioned, I got a bike from the wonderful guys at Paradise Motorcycle Tours. They have a base located a couple of minutes from Queenstown airport. David picked me up from the airport, took me to their base and handed me the keys to the nice shiny red BMW R 1200 GS (Paradise Motorcycle Tours are an offi cial tour partner of BMW Motorrad). David had it fi tted up with panniers and topbox, along with a GPS which proved invaluable to get around Invercargill. A great thing about the Queenstown base is that you can leave any large luggage bags with David while you’re out riding. Just pack your gear into the panniers and away you go! Then when it was time to return the bike, David dropped me back off at the airport for my fl ight home. Great service, great bikes and extremely convenient for anyone that wants to fl y right into the action of what I class as THE best roads of the South Island. Get in touch with Paradise Motorcycle Tours to arrange your bike hire, or a guided or self-guided tour! www.paradisemotorcycle tours.co.nz or info@paradise motorcycletours.co.nz
thousand tears if they saw a motorcycle racing on the beach or racing on the street. Everyone is relaxed and there to have a good time. For me, a lot of the races felt like I was a little boy again riding on the back of my dad’s bike going to see the racing out at Amaroo Park. So I’ll see you there in 2019! Keep up to date with details and dates for 2019 at www.burtmunrochallenge.co.nz D
Heading down the Troll’s Ladder in Norway. Of course you don’t need a tour guide for this, but would you know about the strawberry cake at the little café we sampled an hour before?
Go and ride some of the world’s most wonderful places compiled by THE
BEAR
You’ve probably read my rabbitings about organised bike tours; I am a late convert, but like most late converts I’m a fervent one. Now let me rabbit on about a few different aspects of this kind of travel.
Many of the people I talk (and listen) to are keen to do some overseas travelling by bike. Maybe they had one or more touring holidays when they were young and are keen to re-live the pleasure of getting up in the morning and looking forward to a day of riding new roads in new places; maybe they’d never had the opportunity to do that, and would like to sample it. As with so many other things we’d like to do, however, there’s always something in the way. This can be crippling: I don’t have figures for Australia but in 2016, “Americans left 662 million vacation days unused… roughly 1.8 million years” (Lifehacker website). That’s fine, I guess, if you love your job more than life itself.
Do you? I thought not.
So what’s keeping Australia’s motorcyclists from getting out overseas and riding those new roads and seeing those new sights, not to mention meeting new people and getting Delhi Belly from unfamiliar foods (just kidding)?
Well one thing is perhaps not ‘fear’, but uncertainty. What’s it like ‘over there’? Is it clean, is it safe, is it healthy? And you can’t blame anyone for that. After all, we live on a pretty
1. What is it they say about not judging a book by its cover? This jovial and very helpful lady is a parking cop at one of the many wonderful waterfalls inland in Cuba.
2. Hmm, I wonder what a Mikrobryggerie is. Oh, it’s a microbrewery? Well, well, isn’t it wonderful that we’re having a day off the bikes while we’re exploring Bergen!
Take the ride of your life and experience the stunning Alps on this 11-day European motorcycle tour. Starting and finishing in Munich, the best of Europe’s High Alpine passes are chosen for a journey packed with riding excitement and adventure.
20-30 June and 11-21 July 2018
Full choice of new bikes from the BMW fleet. You must be a competent rider, and not scared of heights.
11-DAY EUROPEAN ALPS GUIDED TOURS 2018
For full details email: INFO@PARADISEMOTORCYCLETOURS.CO.NZ
1. And while we’re on the subject of Cuba, you haven’t heard Latin American music until you’ve heard one of the all-girl salsa groups that dot the island. Forget Mariachi, amigo.
2. I quite fancy myself as a cook, and I can produce a serious cassoulet given enough warning. But I can’t dish up anything like the food you can get along the Route des Cassoulets.
1 2
much socially homogeneous continent. Travel in Australia is seldom going to take you out of your comfort zone (depending on where you go!), unlike a trip to Peru or even Italy.
But – and you knew this was coming, didn’t you – there is a way of overcoming this. Go with a tour operator. If they’re good – and I have yet to strike a bad one – they will make sure you get to see all the things worth seeing, even if they’re tucked away in some small valley somewhere; they’ll make sure you get a chance to try the local food, even if it doesn’t look remotely like what you usually eat (and they’ll ensure that you don’t
get any bugs from it); they’ll take you on roads you’d never find for yourself, no matter how many travel guide books you read. And they’ll introduce you to people who will widen your horizon, even if it’s just a little bit.
Another advantage of relying on a tour operator is that they know the best seasons to visit places. Nobody can control the weather, but there are times when it’s more likely to rain or snow than others.
I’ve ignored the prevalent weather conditions a few times, and I’ve paid the price. Believe it or not, even New Zealand’s North Island is not entirely enjoyable in winter, nor is northern Italy or southern France in late autumn.
Does this mean that I am somehow against travel by yourself, or selforganised in a group? No, it doesn’t. In simple distance, I have travelled more kilometres alone, with the wonderful Mrs Bear or with small groups of friends than I ever have on organised trips. But that was then, this is now. Then, I used to have near unlimited
time – Mrs Bear and I spent more than seven months travelling through Europe, North Africa and Turkey, for example. Now I have responsibilities, and my time is limited. If I go somewhere I don’t want to have to camp at a border post for three days while I wait for my documents to clear; I don’t want to have to hassle for a day or two to insure my bike; and I don’t want to stand out in the street in some dire mining town somewhere
while darkness falls, without a place to sleep.
So, in recent years the ratio of solo to organised trips I’ve taken is about 1:3. Does that lessen the adventure? Only if you believe Yvon Chouinard, who reckoned that “Adventure starts when everything goes wrong”. These days I’m happy to have my adventures when things go right… and when the tour guide knows what to do if things do go wrong.
Interestingly, I have gone to a couple of places I would not have visited if I had not been on an organised tour. They were places I didn’t feel entirely comfortable about, although they worked out just fi ne even without help from the guide; but the point is that I felt confi dent. That makes it much easier to enjoy the ride and the experience in general.
I have been a great promoter of motorcycle travel for most of my working life, and I’ve walked the walk, or rather ridden the ride, as well. That doesn’t mean I necessarily
fi nd it easy these days. My next trip, courtesy of my friends at Edelweiss Bike Travel, is a week in the Canary Islands. Naturally I’m looking forward to it – even though it means 35 hours in the air and in airports in Doha and Madrid. The point here is I know when I get to the hotel in Costa Adeje, my bike will be waiting for me (after a night’s sleep) and the tour guide will be ready to launch into the briefi ng that will take me
somewhere I have never been before. Why would you not do this?
AND NOW FOR SOME TIPS
We’ve done a bit of ringing around and got you the latest from some of the best operators. We like the ones who advertise the best (we have to pay the bills), but that hasn’t been a requirement for inclusion; if we like the product, they’re in!
COMPASS EXPEDITIONS Northern Thailand in Style - February 2019
10 days / 11 nights, from AU$8106 Compass Expeditions is raising the bar with its new Northern Thailand in Style tour. Stepping up the luxury with high-end accommodation and a focus on superb riding with amazing food and culture experiences, Compass is setting the standard for luxury
1. Northern Thailand is truly beautiful.
2. Who doesn’t like Tom Yum? We bet you will after you’ve tried it in Thailand!
3. Happy riders in front of golden temples; got to be good!
More than 2,350 tours in over 180 destinations and 38 years of experience make us the #1 in guided motorcycle tours worldwide.
motorcycle adventure.
Whisked away from Bangkok International Airport, you will be transferred in luxury to the amazing Hilton Millennium setting the scene for experiencing the best of Bangkok and Northern Thailand.
They will fly you north across this beautiful country to Chiang Mai, where the ride begins.
Immersing yourself in the flavours and hospitality of Northern Thailand to enhance the cultural experience with visits to ancient temples, remote kingdoms, quiet rural villages, rice paddies, mountaintop borders and to visit areas of unique cultural heritage.
Between all of that, there is incredible mountain and jungle riding aboard your comfortable BMW GS.
As you can see this will be no ordinary South East Asian motorcycle ride! Compass are going all out to make this an exceptional experience of a fantastic riding region, cuisine and culture.
Find out more and book at www. compassexpeditions.com/tours/ northern-thailand-in-style .
HIMALAYAS
MAke A new pAL In nepAL
Bike Tours uk
Next tour early November 2018. (possibly earlier trip in April).
Price guide £1975 GB pounds or approx $3500 Australian Dollars (plus flights).
This 12-day adventure, let’s admit, is quite a challenge, involves riding basic, but sturdy old-style bikes for around 1000 kilometres high up into the Himalayas. You’ll enjoy the fascinating cities of Kathmandu and the world heritage site Bhaktapur, then you’ll head off on sometimes very rough and challenging trails up the Kali Ghandaki valley from Pokhara, to Tatopani, Jomsom, Kagbeni, and your breathtaking goal, Muktinath. Then you’ll descend all the way down to the Chitwan National Park to see elephants, rhinos and crocodiles on the border with India.
Included in the tour price is the bike rental, the fuel, almost all meals, a 4x4 support crew, trekking permit to enter Annapurna National Park, tour T-shirt, ace Enfield mechanic and a back-up crew.
A marigold garland functions as totally ineffective security device. Still, it looks nice.
Visit - www.biketours-uk.com or call +44 (0)115 846 2993
FRenCH ALpS
HIgH In tHe ALpS wItH tHe poMS
Bike Tours uk
Price for June 2018 is £800 GB pounds or approx. $1500 Australian Dollars depending on the level of accommodation. Trip includes return ferries from the UK, a guide and accommodation. Meals are extra, and those guests arriving from outside the UK would need to hire a motorcycle –easily arranged in London. This tour normally begins in the UK, where guests are met at the port of Dover, then take the ferry over to France. It will take two days to reach the Alps, with another two-day return journey, using hotels enroute. You’re based for a full week in Bourg St
Maurice, drop your luggage and partake in day rides across three countries and around a dozen high alpine passes. Local rides range from 40 to 200 miles. Plenty of time to relax or partake in other activities other than biking – eg. a day’s skiing or snow-boarding is possible on the glaciers of Tignes or Val d’Isere. You travel out with a French-speaking, English guide.
Accommodation in Bourg St Maurice is normally self-catering log cabins, but upgrades to hotel, or “downgrades” to camping are easily handled. Guide Bill Roughton, Bike Tours UK, www.biketours-uk.com +44 (0)115 846 2993. Bill says “We like Aussies.”
SAN FRANCISCO
IF YOU’RE GOING TO CALIFORNIA, GO THIS WAY
DUBBELJU MOTORCYCLE RENTALS
Round trip San Francisco – southern
If you can bear a bear, or even two, all you need to do is wait by the side of the road.
California – San Francisco.
Duration 3 days, cost $550.
The Bear’s mate Wolfgang’s “Where the Locals Ride 2018 Tour” will let you experience the winding back roads of California and travel to magical places untouched by traffic, smog, or any other modern malaise. Our “Where the Locals Ride” tour is for all riders. Ride California roads that haven't changed in decades; spin a tire on unpaved forest roads, and watch the stars while sitting together around
0024 + years
a campfire. Enjoy sleeping under the open sky, knowing the sun will shine again for our next day's ride. Dubbelju Motorcycle Rentals, www.dubbelju.com
ITALY
RIde The RoAds, eAT The food And check ouT The MAfIA
AdriAtic Moto tours
South of Rome & Sicily, 15 days from 5360 EUR
Sublime art and architecture, stunning coastal roads, and ancient Sicily.
You’ll begin and end this tour in magnificent Rome, home to the ancient Forum and the Colosseum. Next is Naples and then a ferry ride to indescribable Sicily where you’ll ride narrow, twisty roads through stunning scenery, experiencing ancient cultures, cuisine, and whispers of past Mafia mischief along the way. You’ll head back to the mainland along the Amalfi coastal road, arguably the world’s most beautiful, past steep cliffs and the enticing,
village of Positano. The last stop before returning to Rome will be Pompeii, a reminder of the powerful forces that lie deep within the volcano Mt. Vesuvius. More at www.adriaticmototours.com .
GR eece
hIsToRY, RIdInG And unpRonounceAbLe nAMes
AdriAtic Moto tours
Greece Tour, 14 days from 4380 EUR
Experience one of the world’s classic tourist destinations to the fullest.
You start in Athens with its worldfamous history, museums and ancient ruins. From there, you ride twisty roads up to mountainous Monodendri and Vikos Gorge. Along the way you visit several of the world’s greatest archeological sites - Delphi, Meteora, Olympia, Monumvasia and Epidaurus - and relax on the beaches of Kefalonia Island.
You’ll experience some superb coastal riding - through the fishing villages and olive groves of the Peloponnesus, to the quaint town of Nafplio - before you end your Greek journey. And food? Wait until you try shrimp saganaki and octopus in wine sauce on Elafonisos Island! More at www.adriaticmototours.com .
The bALkAns
WALk ThRouGh WATeRfALLs And AcRoss ThAT bRIdGe
AdriAtic Moto tours
Balkans and Adriatic Explorer, Slovenia, Croatia, Bosnia & Herzegovina, Montenegro, 18 days from 5.580 EUR Discover the Balkans, a region rich in culture, diversity and history. This tour is a longer version of Adriatic’s first and favourite tour, the Beautiful Balkans Adventure. It includes riding inland into the mountains and deep canyons of Bosnia and Montenegro, and then winding up the azure-blue Adriatic Coast of Croatia. Highlights include a walk through lush Plitvice National Park, spending a day in oriental Sarajevo, and viewing the world-famous Ottomaninspired Mostar Bridge. You then explore and ride pristine Durmitor National Park and the Tara River Canyon, drop down a switchback-laden cliff-side to the coast, and stop in picturesque Dubrovnik and the resort island of Hvar and Porec. More at www.adriaticmototours.com.
IceLAnd
no coLd feeT on ThIs cooL RIde
World on Wheels
Inspiring Iceland, June 11 – 25, cost US$8000
Make new Friends in California, either before or after sampling the local beverages.
It’s a tough choice – ride or look at the scenery. Don’t do both at the same time.
Glaciers, waterfalls, fjords, volcanoes, geysers and 24 hours of sun. What an amazing little country! It has Europe's
largest waterfall, its biggest glacier, it's most troublesome volcano and its most western point. It has the original Geysir from whence the name comes. It has the continental divide where you can stand with one foot on the North American shelf and the other in Europe!
It has puffins, and whales, and beautiful Icelandic horses. It has better lobster than Maine, better scallops than Tasmania and better lamb than New Zealand. Apart from this it's a pretty ordinary place really. Book a spot on this tour that takes you
“You came all the way here to ride a motorcycle? Don’t you have roads at home?”
through the open roads of Iceland, or explore the other exhilarating motorcycle adventure tours that take you through some of the most exciting and beautiful places on Earth. For a tour like no other, book with World On Wheels.
www.worldonwheels.tours Ph 02 9970 6370
SOUTH AFRICA GO RIDING ON THE GARDEN (ROUTE)
WORLD ON WHEELS
Spectacular South Africa, October 08 –27, cost US$7500
week
Enjoy a threeweek tour through the wide open landscapes of South Africa. You start this tour in Cape Town, where you can take a three-hour tour of Robben Island, where Nelson Mandela was incarcerated. Then you’ll head south to the Cape of Good Hope, then even further south to the southernmost tip of Africa, before striking east along the coast to join the famous 'Garden Route'. You then cross a couple of passes on our way through the Karoo. Through the vast interior, you traverse the land-locked nations of Lesotho and Swaziland, to arrive at Kruger National Park where of course you go on an early morning game drive! Then
you finish in Johannesburg where WOW try to convince you to hand back the keys of your BMW! www. worldonwheels.tours Ph 02 9970 6370.
THE ANDES
THERE’S LOTS TO SEE IN THE ANDES. SEE IT THIS WAY.
WORLD ON WHEELS
Awesome Andes. November 04 – 24, cost US$7500
On this exhilarating motorcycle tour through Peru and Bolivia, you cross the world's longest mountain chain, the Andes, in both directions, from west to east and then back again. Starting in the beautiful 'white city' of Arequipa, surrounded by majestic volcanoes in southern Peru, you head to the coast and follow the Pan Americana highway northwards. You visit the Ballestas Islands, then the world famous Nasca Lines, before crossing the Andes and heading to the interior to discover Cusco, the ancient capital of the Inca civilisation. You’ll find an amazing open-air horticultural laboratory on your way
Ride south, young rider. Then stop, right here.
No, you can’t wheelie your way down the mountain – but you can walk wherever you like.
to the sensational citadel of Machu Picchu.
After visiting the wonderful floating islands of Lake Titicaca, you cross into Bolivia and you’ll have the option of riding the notorious "Death Road"! Then further south you explore the world's largest saltpans, and the world's highest city, before you finish in the beautiful colonial city of Cochabamba. www.worldonwheels.tours Ph 02 9970 6370.
OREGON
WHERE DID LEWIS AND CLARK GO AGAIN?
MOTOQUEST
Trail of Lewis and Clark Pacific Northwest from Portland, Oregon.
12 riding days, 14 days total. Cost shared occupancy $6150, single occupancy $8000, couples $10,450. The base bike is a DL650, but you can upgrade to just about anything else. This is not just a motorcycle ride, but a historical odyssey through the western United States. The Trail of Lewis and Clark motorcycle tour takes
you to visit the actual sites of the Lewis and Clark expedition, learn in depth about the route and challenges of the Corps of Discovery and become more familiar with the tale of the opening of the west. MotoQuest has chosen the most scenic back
roads to arrive at the destinations and stand where these great explorers actually stood. This is an education that makes one reflect on the cultures of the west – before, during and after the expedition. The Lewis and Clark tour is roughly equivalent to Ludwig
Leichhardt’s travels in Australia, only they came back alive. See www.motoquest.com for more information or booking.
VICTORIA - GOR
GET IN ON THE SECRETS OF THE SOUTH
NEVERMIND ADVENTURES’
Secrets of the Great Ocean Road Royal Enfield Adventure, one day $250.
If you haven't ridden a Royal Enfield on the Great Ocean Road, you haven't lived. Feel the torquey 500cc singles thump as you cruise the majestic Otway Rainforest and The Great Ocean Road, taking in the coastal towns of Geelong, Anglesea, Aireys Inlet, Lorne, Apollo Bay, Forrest and much more. See the sights that not even the locals know about. The day Includes a modern 500cc Royal Enfield, lunch, fuel and coffee and much more. Mention this article to get complimentary flights from Sydney to
1. There are some amazing winding roads on this trip – and long ones, as well!
2. But just for contrast, there are some pretty straight ones as well.
Melbourne (Avalon) as well as airport pick up and drop off to NA’s headquarters in Geelong! Visit www.nevermindadventure.com/ great-ocean-road-rides for more information.
TASMANIA
OR IF THAT DOESN’T FLOAT YOUR BOAT...
NEVERMIND ADVENTURES’
Wild Southern WildernessAustralia's Island Paradise Tasmania 1, 2 or 3 Day Tours from $290. Just 300 kilometres off the coast of mainland Australia lies the motorcycling world’s best kept
secret - Tasmania. Come and explore it in 2018 before the rest of the world finds out about this motorcycling gem. The package includes bike, fuel, lunch, coffee and mention this story to get complimentary flights from Melbourne to Tasmania. Additional charges may apply from other capital cities.
HIMALAYAS
HIGH, HIGHER… NOT QUITE HIGHEST
RIDE EXPEDITIONS’
Himalayan Heights Tour
13-day tour including welcome day and two transfer days, distance 1100 km. Multiple tours from July to September.
Cost £2595 – Inclusive of all accommodation, transfers and food. Flights not included.
Ride Expeditions Himalayan Heights tour is their best seller with riders from all over the world signing up for this epic motorcycle adventure.
The riding starts from the Northern Indian base in Manali, climbing rapidly over the impressive Rohtang Pass and heading north towards the achingly beautiful Ladahk region. The route
3.
Slovenia, Croatia, Bosnia & Herzegovina, Montenegro
Sarajevo, Rovinj, Zadar, Mostar,
coastal road, Hvar Island,
Heritage Sights: Plitvice
Park, Kotor, Dubrovnik, Split.
No, the ‘Royal’ doesn’t mean the Queen rides one. Although she used to.
4. Wine Glass bay is only one of the wonderful scenic attractions in Tasmania.
takes in the three highest motorable roads in the world, and you stay in everything from remote campsites on the high plains and yurts by the enormous Pangong Tso lake, to luxurious hotels in the bustling city of Leh. With epic scenery, fantastic roads and the steady thump the Royal Enfield 500 Classic under you, this is a tour that delivers on every level. See www.rideexpeditions.com .
EUROPE
A WEEK AWAY IN WONDERLAND
EUROPEAN MOTORCYCLE ADVENTURES
The Dolomites – north eastern Italy; Alps Maritimes – South East France; Tuscany – Central Italy
Each tour is 7 days – in June and July 2018; cost $3200 - $3800 per rider, $1200 for pillion.
Includes motorcycle hire and good hotel accommodation
European Motorcycle Adventures has been operating since 2003. It is based in Australia and Ross Naylor is the owner of the business. Since 2003, Ross has organised and operated tours for a large number of enthusiastic motorcyclists from all over Australia, and occasionally has had riders from other countries. Many people have been on second, third or even fourth tours with Ross.
The tours are generally located in Italy, France and Switzerland, but Ross has also operated tours which travel to Spain, Slovenia, Austria, Croatia and even Turkey. However, it is in central and northern Italy, eastern France and southern Switzerland where he tends to offer most tours. This is where the
If you’re a regular reader you will know that it’s not the highest pass, but what the hell.
great mountain passes, the fantastic roads, the great little villages, and the inexpensive hotels and cafes are. This is the best riding in Europe. This is also where Ross has been able to access great late model bikes in excellent condition from suppliers he knows well and trusts. This all adds up to a memorable and wonderful motorcycle tour. See www.europeanmotorcycleadventures. com for more.
NEW ZEALAND
HEY, MAN, DIG THE COOL SCRAMBLING
BEATNIK MOTORSPORT.
Hot Spring Scramble – Ducati Scrambler Tour, Marlborough, South Island New Zealand, 2-3 days. Cost From 190$/day per bike plus accommodation and activities, customised to each customer.
An amazing two- or three-day loop from Marlborough through to Kaikoura, where you will enjoy amazing scenery and sea-life. From Kaikoura you travel the inland route to Hanmer Springs and overnight with a soak in the hot springs and a good meal. Day Two starts with a Jet Boat ride up the river before heading north through the Lewis Pass making your way to St Arnaud and back to Beatnik HQ, or extend to the third day and ride from St Arnaud to Nelson and overnight before setting off and exploring the stunning Marlborough Sounds on the way back to Beatnik HQ. More at www.beatnikand company.com .
1. And there’s more where that came from! Ross runs tours that will show you the most wonderful scenery.
2. Pick the eyes out of the South Island’s attractions on a Ducati
Scrambler.
YOUR TOURING LUGGAGE SPECIALIST
Whether you’re touring on or off road SW-Motech has the largest range of luggage solutions for your ride - whatever the conditions. All these and more available from Motorrad Garage.
SYS BAGS NEW
URBAN ABS NEW
DRY BAGS HARD CASES
TANK BAGS SOFT PANNIERS
SADDLE BAGS REAR BAGS
MACHU PICCHU & BEYOND
PIsCO sOUrs AND MOrE
tHAN A PINCH Of sAlt
EXMO TOurs
Machu Picchu and Uyuni Salt Flat Tour
Placed between the mountain range of the Andes (Cordillera de los Andes) and the Pacific Ocean, the Atacama Desert stretches from the south of Peru to the northern regions of Chile. It is regarded as one of the driest coastal deserts of the world, with exceptionally low rainfall due to its geographical position, which generates
a stable area of high pressure.
This is a place of many surprising aspects which, when crossed by motorbike, has a mysterious and singular fascination. Clients are offered the chance to penetrate the Atacama Desert during the Machu Picchu and Uyuni Salt Flat Tour, reaching the desert in its Peruvian stretches. You cross the desert by motorcycle, with the enormous sand dunes only a few metres from the asphalted road.
If, by extreme good fortune, the crossing should happen to coincide with one of the very few and rare periods of rain, you shall also have the exceptional privilege of being able to admire the Atacama Desert completely
covered with an explosion of flowering, in tones of lilac and violet. This is not only an extraordinary sight, but truly very rare, which only happens on average once every four or five years: the cause is an unexpected heating of the ocean waters, caused by a periodic climatic variation that takes place in this region. More at info@exmotours.com
sPAIN
sHH! It’s A sECrEt!
IMTBIKE
Green Spain Tour, duration: 14 days,
tour cost: From 5195€ Europe’s biggest secret! The north of Spain has the best food, the
best beaches, beautiful mountains, enchanting towns and cities and some of the best riding in the world. This tour is a 10 out 10 in all areas: riding, gastronomy, hotels, architecture and
fascinating history, with remnants of its Celtic past around every perfectly paved curve. Discover a region unlike anywhere you’ve ever ridden! See www.imtbike.com
Going green!
The Bear’s in there
I think I’m safe in recommending everyone who’s listed here. So who’s my favourite operator? That’s a bit like asking which of your children is your favourite, isn’t it? Or your bikes. They all do various things especially well, and they all deserve a place in your planning. But the people I travel with most often are Edelweiss Motorbike Tours. Not only do they have an unequalled range of tours, but they also provide a seamless and highly professional service. They are not listed specifically in this survey, but you will have read a lot about their tours in my stories over the years. And of course there is another one coming up, starting in the very next issue. The Bear with Edelweiss in the Canaries – doesn’t that just sing? Sorry.
PYRENEES
TakiNg You RouNd ThE bENd
IMTBIKE
Wild Pyrenees Tour, duration: 12 days, tour cost: From 4100€
The Alps without traffic! Lean into curve after curve as you discover Europe’s favorite motorcycling mountains. Around every bend there’s a jaw dropping view to discover. Stop in picturesque mountain villages to savor delicious Spanish food as you twist and turn your way to San Sebastian, the capital of the Basque Country. You’ll spend two nights here in the most beautiful city in Spain, known for its Michelinstarred restaurants and lively streets. This tour starts and ends in beautiful Barcelona, everyone’s favorite Mediterranean city. www.imtbike.com
FRaNCE-iTaLY
SouNdS Too good To bE TRuE!
IMTBIKE
Provence & Tuscany Tour, duration: 17 days, tour cost: From 5455€ You’ll ride through rolling hills of purple lavender and impressive gorges in Southern France. You’ll enjoy Tuscan sunsets and hearty Italian meals washed down with tasty local Chianti wines in Italy. On this tour you’ll visit: Spain, Andorra, France, Monaco and Italy, and with five rest days you’ll have time to soak in all the magic! A night-time cruise from Rome back to Barcelona will top it all off in grand style. Join IMTBIKE on
High in the Pyrenees with Edelweiss – by the time you read this, I will have been on five tours with them, loving it all.
this once of a lifetime Mediterranean adventure. www.imtbike.com
EUROPEAN ALPS
GETTING HIGH
PARADISE
MOTORCYCLE TOURS
European Alps High Passes tour – 11 days, from $7390NZD
Take the ride of your life, starting and finishing in Munich, the best of Europe's alpine roads are chosen for a journey packed with riding excitement and adventure. Travel between Germany, Austria, Switzerland and Italy through picturesque landscapes and challenging passes. Everywhere you ride
Himalayas
IT’S A WOMAN’S WORLD ON WHEELS
World on Wheels
Himalayan Heaven Safari for the Soul (Women Only). July 26 - August 07, cost: US$7500 www.worldonwheels.tours Ph 02 9970 6370
Denise Ferris is offering an adventure soul safari for women. Where better to have such a transformative small group adventure than in the Himalaya in July and on the highest roads on the planet? This safari is almost full with only a
there are unforgettable vistas, legendary switchbacks, fairytale castles, high open meadows and famous alpine passes. This is your opportunity to ride the Grossglockner, the second highest pass in the Alps at 2800 metres. Paradise’s European tours are professionally guided and organised
Motorcycle shipping
All enquiries to: dave@getrouted.com.au or call: 03 5625 9080
couple of places left for riders and non-riders alike. It’s an opportunity for women to journey to one of the most inspirational destinations on the planet, whilst also enjoying optional soulnurturing yoga and meditation, the companionship of other like-minded travelers and contributing to a meaningful community project along the way. It’s the first motorcycle safari of its kind in the world combining twowheeling adventure and professionally guided yoga and meditation.
so you can relax and make the most of every day. They specialise in offering the latest model motorcycles, superior quality and personal service. Their team will ensure you travel in comfort and style. Visit www. paradisemotorcycletours.co.nz, info@paradisemotorcycletours.co.nz or Ph: +64 274 765 035. D
PINE CREEK TO JABIRU, NT
Twisting in the Territory
IT’S RARE TO SAY you can find a twisty road in the Northern Territory, but not far out of Darwin you’ll find the Kakadu Highway which runs from Pine Creek out to Jabiru. It’s around 210km of about as twisty a road as you’ll get in this area.
PINE CREEK
Pine Creek is a gold mining town which stumbled into existence when the teams building the Overland Telegraph Line in 1870 dug up some
gold while digging holes for posts. Since 1870 it has had a variety of gold rushes with, at one time, more than 2000 Chinese miners working in the area and more than 15 mines all being dug in the hope of finding gold. Today it is a remnant of a past time. A quiet community where tourism, particularly interest in the Northern Railway (1889-1976) and in the mining relics, attracts people who are fascinated by the simplicity, hardship and tenacity of the miners. Of particular interest is the
corrugated iron shed known as the Ah Toy Bakery.
Pine Creek was named in 1870 by those teams constructing the Overland Telegraph Line. One worker, Sydney Herbert, observed “This creek was by no means large, but was remarkable for the pines growing there”. This, however, didn’t stop the South Australian government, who were in charge of the Northern Territory at the time, from naming it Playford on 24 January, 1889, after Thomas Playford, the South Australian Commissioner of Crown Lands. This achieved little beyond confusion. The locals still insisted on calling the town Pine Creek. Amusingly, it was not officially gazetted as Pine Creek until 20 September 1973.
MARY RIVER ROADHOUSE
Wirnwirnmila Mary River Road House (just outside Kakadu National Park) is equipped with motel standard
www.hemamaps.com.au
YOU CANNOT GET lost on this route. There is one road and only one road to follow. If you somehow end up on a dirt road, then you might as well get ready to be eaten by dingos because there’ll be no way of finding you. If you’ve been staying at the Lazy Lizard or Pine Creek Resort, head back out to the Stuart Highway via Main Terrace and turn right. A couple of hundred metres on, turn left onto Kakadu Highway and follow this all the way to Jabiru! Once you get to Jabiru, turn right onto Arnhem Highway then right again onto Jabiru Drive. See? Told you you couldn’t get lost.
Distance – 210km
Fuel – Pine Creek, Mary River Roadhouse, Jabiru Road conditions - Bowali Visitor Centre - 08 8938 1121
TEAR-OUT MAP #62
rooms, backpacker accommodation, powered van sites and camping. The Wirnwirnmila Mary River Road House is now owned by the Jawoyn people, the traditional owners of the southern section of the park. The roadhouse provides meals/morning and afternoon teas, takeaway food, stores and fuel. Telephone: 08 8975 4564.
BUKBUKLUK LOOKOUT
Bukbukluk lookout is named after the pheasant coucal, called Bukbuk by traditional owners. You’ll find picnic tables and a short walk to a lookout with a lovely little spot for a picnic lunch, this short, pretty walk is easy even wearing motorcycle boots! Enjoy views of old Goodparla Station and the southern hills and ridges. 400m loop and will take about 15 minutes.
JIM JIM RANGER STATION
The Ranger station is a landmark for access to the Jim Jim Falls which are nice to see. Access to the Jim Jim Falls area is by 4WD only, but any motorcycle will be fine along this dirt road. Just mind the weather, because when it gets muddy road bikes will not make it through. Turn east off the Kakadu Highway 43km south of the Bowali Centre and travel 50 km along the Jim Jim Falls access road to reach the Garnamarr Campground. Jim Jim Falls car park is an additional 15 km along the access road. For the latest up-to-date details on the road conditions, contact the Bowali Visitor Centre on 08 8938 1121.
JABIRU
Jabiru is the main township in Kakadu, provides all the services you’re likely to need, and serves as the perfect base for exploring the park.
The town has a shopping centre, clinic and pharmacy, police station, library, service station (with workshop), ninehole golf course, sports and social
THE BEST
club and a 50-metre swimming pool which is the only placed guaranteed not to have crocs in it!
You’ll also find a range of accommodation options here – (the famous) Mercure Kakadu Crocodile Hotel, Kakadu Lodge and Caravan Park, and Anbinik Kakadu Resort. During the dry season, ranger talks and
slideshows are held at the Crocodile Hotel and the Kakadu Lodge. Jabiru’s a great spot to hop on a tour as well. Scenic flights operate from here all year round, and a range of day tours into Arnhem Land leave from, and return to, here (depending on seasonal access). It’s time to see some big crocs! D
2070a Mount Mee Road, Ocean View, Mt Pleasant, QLD 4521
34253652 Open Fri, Sat, Sun IN BRISBANE
ROYAL HOTEL, MT HOPE
Dog Days
WORDS/PHOTOS COLIN WHELAN
RATED 4 OUT OF 5 HELMETS
Royal Hotel
Kidman Way
Mount Hope NSW 2877
Ph: 02 6897 7988
SO WHEN I rock up to the Royal at Mt Hope, Super Ten’s ambient temp gauge is showing 43C. It’s somehow fitting that at the end of a scorcher in the middle of our dog days of summer I’m met by a blue heeler resting in the doorway of the pub. Down the side, two women are having a durry in the cool shade beside the outside dunnies. The dog gets up, grabs a battered soccer ball and sits back down. And looks at me, then at the ball. At me and then the ball. It’s not some guard dog weighing up my threat to its home. It’s trying to sort out whether I’m a player.
I’ve seen that look before. From a hundred dogs in five score pubs. It’s not a look to be ignored!
So I walk slowly up with eyes averted from the heeler at the doorstep. And do my best Tim Cahill cross-kick. Blue grabs the pill in its teeth and returns it. And there’s that look again.
I dump my gear on a seat outside. I’m suddenly centre forward and the dog’s the goalie. Not a single shot gets past. There’s ground saves off to the side, high diving saves and when I aim straight at its head, there’s not a flinch. Just open jaws protecting the open goal.
Eventually my riding gear’s on the spare seat and I’m more thirsty than playful so I head inside. The ball, with attached dog, is close behind.
The bar’s empty but the cool is welcome enough and then a glowing
bloke in a hat that looks like it was the dog’s last toy fronts. He introduces himself as ‘Wazza’, the dog as ‘Namoi’ (“because it was a gift from a mate in Narrabri”) and what would I like to drink?
I put the cameras on the bar, suck in some of the amber he brings and we get chatting. Wazza, along with his partner, Tilly (one of the women down the side when I arrived), run this place – have been since January 2017.
The chat flows easily, as he details leaving his home in Injune, Qld in ’93 after a messy marriage breakup, spending 20 years in a pub in Dubbo, followed by 16 months with Tilly in a town I’d best not name after his description of it as, “full of druggos, bludgers, thieves and people with no money.”
In their misery they spotted an advert for this place on Gumtree. It’d been sold on December 22nd 2016 to a bloke he knew from Dubbo, so they answered the ad and got the gig.
This is the third time I’ve been to the Royal at Mt Hope. The first time was good but it was a few years ago now and then in mid-2016 I lobbed again early one evening after a ninehour ride. Walked into the bar and at one end a woman behind the bar and a bloke on the other side were looking over some financial papers. So I stood and waited in this empty bar to be noticed, acknowledged, maybe even served but hey, that wasn’t too high on their priorities.
Anyway, bereft of any canine distractions, I checked out the bar, allegedly the only solid concrete bar in Australia and waited for them to finish. And took my eventual drink out front. None of the regular passing trucks stopped. Drivers would give a wave as they kicked the gears for the descent down the hill, but during my two beers none of the couple of dozen rigs pulled up in the area across the road.
The brace of beers had brought on hunger so I headed in and asked for a menu. “Geez your timing’s shot mate. Kitchen closed at six”. It was now eight minutes past.
Are you kidding me? I’ve been here for almost an hour – I’m the only bugger in the joint and you let the end of dinner
slide without notice? It was too late to scarper so I sucked it up and hit the sack. I knew why the truckies had stopped stopping. In the morning I made myself a brew and hit the toe early.
Then in mid-2017 I hear on the mulga wire the place’s changed hands –it’s on the up and worth a visit, and with Wazza being so generous with his time and his story, it’s obvious the tales were on the money.
While he’s talking I’m thinking the two women outside have gone quiet or just gone, but then the grand entrance. Tilly’d seen the camera on the bar, listened to my questions and realised it was time to hit the make-up room. Her mate is Trish who, when it gets busy, comes up to help out from her home at Euabalong.
(Oh who hasn’t heard of Euabalong Ball? Where the lads of the Lachlan the great and the small, Come bent on diversion from far and from near To shake off their troubles for just once a year.)
So how does a pub in a place where the two people running it make up 25% of the population actually get busy?
Down the back of the pub there’s a three-hole golf course which in the cooler months becomes a free camping place for anyone who wants to stay, and most nights Tilly reckons there’s around twenty of ’em parked down away from the road.
Wazza figures around 95% (“maybe more”) come in for a meal and a drink and that 100 per cent of riders do. There’s no power but the toilets and showers are open all night. And they don’t just overnight! He tells me about one bloke who became a local in under a week.
“He came in a coupla months back and ordered a beer and we had a bit of a yarn and then I asked if he wanted another, and he did. Turns out he was travelling around and the way he did it was he’d go into a pub and if the people were up for a chat and the beer was cold he’d stay the night otherwise he’d move on. I asked him what he thought of this place and he said, “I’m just getting comfortable and I’m in for a session coz I won’t be driving anywhere tonight.”
Ended up, he stayed for five days and only left because the Eftpos was on the blink and he ran out of cash. His name was Reg and he’d turn up in the morning for a session then go back to his van for lunch and in the arvo, he’d come back with a cockatoo on his shoulder. He became a real drawcard!”
they don’t just overnight! He tells me another, and he did. Turns out he was evening, couples come in off farm for
There are five rooms inside and a single costs me 50 bucks – Room 1, right beside the road with Super Ten parked under cover at the window beside me. The heat’s driven the nomads south for a bit but during the evening, couples come in off farm for tea with their kids and a few contractors come by to pick up slabs of supplies. And the truckies are back. The evening is punctuated with the back
beat of exhaust brakes then the double-shuffle kick downs as they slow and pull up across from the pub. The drivers all come in, many for a meal, a lot for a soft drink and most for a quick shower and refresh. And a chat. There’s always the chat.
Karl’s one of the truckies who stops by for a monotony break and a freshen up. He’s hauling cotton from down south to the only available gin up north and he’s still got a ways to go but he wouldn’t think of driving past. He only drives at night and calls himself the ‘ghost driver’, and when he’s done I get a ghostly image
of him in front of his load.
When he’s gone, Wazza explains the daily routine: “We’re open from 10 each morning until the last one’s had enough, and the food’s on as long as there’s someone hungry in the place. Everyone’s welcome here. Stay as long as you like, or as little as you need to, we just hope that when you hit the road, you’re rested and refreshed.”
I share with him and Tilly an old news clipping from a very different time when the publican at this same pub in 1916 only escaped conviction for serving a beer to an aboriginal because the prosecution couldn’t prove the fella was actually indigenous. They both just shake their heads. We might have a long way to go, but there’s no denying we’ve already come a fair distance.
Apart from the hot days of summer, there’s a second meaning to ‘dog days’ and that’s a period of stagnation. Tilly and Wazza, with no small help from Namoi the blue heeler, have rescued the Mt Hope Royal Hotel from this second meaning and added a new fun one of their own.
And I’d like to write more about it but I have to get moving and there’s a bloody blue dog here demanding I play ball or it’s not going to get out from in front of my bike! D
Honest Goodness
It was General Custer who said, “It’s not how many times you get knocked down, it’s how many times you get back up”.
Well the Royal at Mt Hope got back up after being destroyed by a lightning bolt in 1863, by fires in 1902 and in 1930. It’s weathered the blows of numerous charges against its publicans, from allowing drunkenness, serving aboriginals and turning a blind eye, to an attempted murder in the bar.
And it alone stood tall when the town of 300 shrank to just eight and the other pubs, the three stores and the butcher shop, all left. And it’s climbed up from the canvas again after being almost knocked out by managers who had less enthusiasm than three cheers for the ref.
It lacks a lot of bells and whistles, a few of the toys. Hell it even lacks phone reception (unless you walk across the road and stand on one leg) but it has such basic honesty and goodness that it’d be a sin not to make it your Last Stand for a night!
It has everything a rider out here is going to want, plus a pile more. I rated it 4 helmets and, with Namoi’s dominating influence, 10/10 for character!
CELEBRATE THE DARK
The new Classic Stealth Black and Gunmetal Grey. Available in matte finish, with pillion seat and ABS.
Classic 500 Stealth Black Classic 500 Gunmetal Grey.
Heavy calibre sHootout
Ducati X Diavel v HarleyDavidson Fat b ob
You are alreaDy thinking
“What the hell are you doing comparing a Ducati to a Harley? Surely the Ducati will win hands down if you’re riding them together?”
Well, we like to look at things a little differently here at Australian Motorcyclist. Sure, the Ducati has a bucket-load of power, but that will only land you in gaol, so we looked at not just how fast they are, but all the
aspects of these two heavyweights of the power cruiser scene.
The styling of both bikes is all the current rage of matte paint and blacked-out engines. The single-sided swingarm of the Ducati lets you see the detail of the spoked fat wheel while the Harley’s ‘look-at-me’ feature would have to be the dual cannon mufflers. Both bikes feature short tails with number plate brackets that
really look like afterthoughts, and the ‘endcaps’ in the Ducati tail pipes look a bit naff. Which bike offers the more muscular poise really is a matter of personal opinion. Both Ralph and I like the exposed fat rear-wheel on the Ducati, but there is something that just says “muscle” when the famous bar and shield appears on a tank.
I’ll get the power difference out of the way now – the Ducati eats the
H-D for breakfast in the power stakes and feels like fi ring a .44 Magnum for the fi rst time – your hands will shake with fear and excitement! But there’s only so much you can do if you’re sitting in the back of a paddy wagon from getting caught doing over 200km/h and your Harley-riding mate is sitting at the pub sipping that cold beer!
But where’s the fun in thinking like that? We’re talking about muscle
machines and having ‘power’ is huge and an intoxicating drawcard.
The Fat Bob is available in two versions, the 107-cube we tested, which is punchier down low because it makes its torque a bit earlier, or the 114-cube beast which has a decent top-end.
Would you ever think a HarleyDavidson could out handle a Ducati? Well, this might be the first time you’ve read it, but yes, the Fat Bob smokes
the X Diavel. Both Ralph and I were giggling with shock after riding up and down a twisty piece of road during our comparo. The only thing that limits the Harley are its lowish footpegs. If they were 10-20mm higher… boy, this Fat Bob would make light work of bikes with much more claimed handling prowess on a weekend coffee blast. The big thing restricting the Ducati’s handling is that fat rear tyre. You need to muscle the X Diavel to
get it into and around a corner, but having a skinnier rear tyre would take away its muscular styling.
Braking is a bit like the engine power. The X Diavel has brakes that are at superbike level, whereas the Harley’s are still quite powerful with twin discs up front and four piston calipers, but they are nowhere near the level of the Ducati. I would dare say the Fat Bob brakes are the best brakes ever fitted to a Harley so that kind of gives you an idea of their stopping power.
Comfort is much nicer on the Fat Bob. The X Diavel doesn’t have the back support that is so wanted on a cruiser. You seem to sit ‘on’ the Ducati whereas you sit ‘in’ the Harley – it makes a big difference for all-day cruising. The footpegs on the X Diavel are three-position adjustable. For this comparo they were set all the way forward and for long giraffe pins like mine, every bit of room helps!
When it comes to technology, the Ducati is very much today’s motorcycle, whereas the Harley has stayed pretty much with tradition. The X Diavel is jam-packed with things like traction control, wheelie control, launch control, cornering ABS and riding modes. It’s a lot to take in and get used to, but if you’re not 100 per cent confi dent with the abundance of power available, dialling in some checks and balances can be a good thing. The Harley, on the other hand, has no traction control or other electronic wizardry apart from ABS, so using your noggin and your right hand is your electronics!
Being priced virtually at the same money, the choice comes down to flipping a coin. For Ralph he would pick the Ducati because he loves an Italian model with power. I too would normally go for the most powerful bike, but riding these two bikes on the same day, over the same roads, I’m going to have to say I’d pick the Harley. One, because of the great handling and two, because of the comfort.
Maybe it’s time for a tattoo. D
SPECS
HARLEY-DAVIDSON FAT BOB
PRICE: $27,495 (ride away)
WARRANTY: Two years, unlimited distance
SERVICING INTERVALS: Every 8000km or 12 months
ENGINE: Air/oil-cooled V-twin cylinder, 4-stroke, single cam, 4 valves per cylinder
BORE x STROKE: 100 x 111.1mm
DISPLACEMENT: 1745cc
COMPRESSION: 10.0:1
POWER: N/A
TORQUE: 145Nm @ 3000rpm
TRANSMISSION: 6-speed, wet multi-plate clutch, belt final drive
FUEL CONSUMPTION: 6.94 litres per 100km, premium unleaded
THEORETICAL RANGE: 259km
COLOURS: Matt black, Gloss black, White
VERDICT: READY TO HIT LIGHTSPEED!
WITH THE CONCEPT of alternative universes becoming more acceptable in the scientific community, it beckons you to ponder the separate paths you could have taken on any one day of your life.
For example, in one universe, you narrowly miss being run over by a car while walking across the street to your office. In another universe you get hit by a kid on a skateboard while crossing the same street and end up in hospital with a broken arm. Or better still, in one universe, you ride a DR650, in another you commute on a CT90.
So imagine waking up on a Saturday morning with clear skies and a cool breeze. I make breakfast for myself and my wife, but in universe A I’m set to go for a ride, in universe B I’m set to travel to work. In an hour, one of me is cruising south on the highway smiling at the glum faces of drivers heading into town on their way to work, in the other, I pull into a city rail station where I disembark with other passengers and walk through tiled tunnels like cattle on our way to the market. As I come onto the street, cars and vans line the curb, people stroll to their offices and a parking officer is already out collecting revenue. I get to my desk, press the button on my tower and stare out my window waiting for the PC to wake up to a new day.
In universe A, I have caught up with Greg, a riding mate, checked out
sculptures in a paddock along the Old South Road at Mittagong and we are now enjoying a coffee in a Berrima café and planning the next leg of the ride through Canyonleigh, to Taralga. Questions have been asked and need to be answered - Is there fuel in Taralga? Is there good pub food at Taralga? Do we come back via Wombeyan Caves or Goulburn?
Having already topped up the fuel tanks at Mittagong and topped up our bellies at Berrima, we head south and take the Canyonleigh turnoff along the southern expressway.
Gliding along rolling hills, the bitumen stops at an information board and bus stop indicating you have now reached Canyonleigh. The gravel leads west towards Paddys River. Greg recollects Paddys River as a flooded ford last time he travelled here and he was unable to pass through. Now it has a concrete bridge and the river is low. Further along, pine trees line the road and wallabies scatter around us, we follow cautiously as they disperse into the paddocks. Coming across a closed gate, we stop and check our map to confirm we haven’t take a wrong turn. Luckily, its just a gate on a public road, I should have realised when the gate had a sign – Please shut the gate. Two more closed gates pass while signs on the side of the road warn us of cattle on the road. Riding through private
property, cows have right of way. Hitting bitumen at Brayton, we turn right toward Big Hill. The road winds through forested hills and into open fields. This place can become scorching hot in the summer and covered in snow in the winter. The road is in good condition and an easy ride. Side roads appear with faded street signs indicating something is down there. I can’t decipher how far or what it is, but it’s down there, or was. I’ll check it out on another trip.
Pulling up at the start of Swallow Tail Pass, a road sign warns of the substandard road conditions. We stop to stretch our legs and have a drink of water. While we do this, in Universe B, I’m walking into the office kitchen to make a cup of coffee after spending the last few hours staring at my screen and doing reports. I bite on a biscuit while looking out the window at the people below and think of what I want for lunch in a little while.
Back at Swallow Tail Pass, an old Falcon pulls up to ask directions to Taralga. We look at the sign and the car,
point at the sign indicating the poor condition of the road and not being suitable for two wheel drives. The driver says, “No worries”. We never see him again.
It’s a fantastic stretch of road and doesn’t look like it gets much traffic through as it passes a few farm houses. Winding down to the Tarlo River, the road could be a little challenging after heavy rain with the surface turning into slippery clay. Today it is pretty good. A concrete slab for a bridge crosses the river, debris on the banks indicate it gets a reasonable flow when in flood, but it has been a dry winter and the water is stagnant. Still not a bad spot to pull over for a snack under the shade of a river oak. Just because you ride on dirt roads doesn’t mean you can’t eat well. A cheese plate with a glass of red always goes down well. Back in universe B, I take my takeaway Chinese to Hyde Park to get some fresh air over lunch. People relax in the park taking in the sun and enjoy their packed lunches. There is a whole range of people that comes through the park
during lunch breaks, three monks walk past having ported into the 21st century to do some shopping. Evidence of time travel or jumping between universes, I’m not quite sure.
Back in Universe A, we ride out of the canyon and the fields catering for a new generation of farming. Cattle stare at us as we stare at the blades of the giant wind generators planted in the fields. Slowly rotating on the hill sides almost as silent as the cattle grazing, the blades generate 106.8Mw of electricity that is brought into the national power grid while the cattle produce methane. Whatever your opinion is on the wind generators, the 51 turbines are an impressive engineering sight both from a distance and up close.
Coming into town, the sandstone oasis known as the Taralga Hotel sits toward the southern end of the main street. Lost in time, Taralga has the charm of a laidback village with historically significant buildings dotting the town. Easing back and having a beer – a man is not a camel – more bikes roll up to the hotel, it seems to be a popular establishment. As to the questions that needed to be answered, yes, Taralga has a good pub. Yes, there is food - the pizzas in the pub are worth the ride there. Yes, there is fuel; however, as the locals informed us over a beer “we are now on Taralga time, the bowsers are closed from mid- day Saturday and closed on Sundays”. A dog barks in the distance while Jethro Tull’s Aqualung plays through the pub speakers.
Over in universe B – the phone rings and a client needs tests done on their internet service as their modem keeps dropping out. I find there is a battery fault and send a field tech.
Back in universe A – Greg and I decide it’s too late in the day to tackle the Wombeyan Caves Road and head to Goulburn instead. Wombeyan Caves is best done over a weekend where it gives you time to explore the caves while you’re down there. We’ll organise a trip with the rest of the lads when it’s cooler. Heading north from Goulburn, I take a quick detour off the expressway and come through Marulan. The town is now by-passed but still holds a school, railway station, general store, pub and a couple of novelty shops to try and draw travellers and is the main service centre for the surrounding farms and communities. The Royal Hotel gives a rough indication of the age of the town,
opened in 1880, and the buildings are good examples of Victorian architecture. We don’t seem to give as much importance to our history and maintain it as the Europeans do for some reason and it is encouraging that some smaller towns set out to preserve their buildings and individual character. It’s well worth the visit through the town, just passing through, you might find something that catches your eye that you have never seen before or known of. Heading back onto the expressway towards home, the sun begins to set over the hills, the soul feels so much lighter after a great days ride and the line of traffic in front no longer frustrates at all.
Back in universe B – the end of the day, the rail station is almost empty and the light fades as I walk the last leg home.
If there are parallel universes, I know which one I would rather be in. D
DUCATI MONSTER
WORDS STUART PHOTOS RALPH
AFEW YEARS AGO , the LAMS Ducati Monster 659 was a very popular entry level model in the Ducati lineup. Many new riders, and especially women riders, loved the stylish looks and low seat-height, but Ducati discontinued it from the range for some reason. It’s now back with plenty of new features and even more style.
If you look at pictures of the previous model and compare it to this new 659 you’ll see the underseat exhausts are gone and the whole bike looks a little bigger – essentially the 659 is the same as the Monster 797.
Seat height is 785mm, which is only 10mm higher than on the previous model so it’s still a very accessible motorcycle for those with short legs or who want plenty of control at a standstill with both feet flat on the ground.
Looking at the 659 from a Learner’s point of view there are
a few features that make life a bit easier. The first is the sidestand – a normally overlooked piece of equipment on a motorcycle but one that can and has caused many a bike in the past (and in the future) to fall over. The 659s sidestand is long and solid, it folds down with a nice solid action and has a wide platform that makes for good placement on the ground. The stand is the same as the other Monsters in the range, but making note of it for a Learner rider is worthwhile.
An easy and not scary, smooth spread of power is the next feature worth mentioning for Learner riders. There are no hidden surprises with the power. You’re not going to accidently crack the throttle and have it accelerate sharply, causing you massive upset. I would suggest for someone who has got a full licence, or wants a bit more useable power, to look at the 797 version. Brakes are powerful and progressive, also without being
scary. One big thing I’ve found with new riders is they get scared of using the front brake because they feel it’s too powerful. The 659 has power if you need it but is progressive enough to allow one to learn how to use the front brake properly.
Handling is sublime, which is a big thing for new riders. It’s easy and light to manoeuvre, with a neutral turn-in, and loads of feel when you’re leant over and really, it’s just an easy bike to live with, and about as forgiving as a motorcycle can be if you stuff things up, which a Learner will do at some stage. Ergonomics are just perfect for beginners. You sit in a nice upright position with just a little weight on your wrists. The seat-to-peg height allows you to weight the pegs easily and it’s not overly sporty so you’re cramped up like some bikes. As I mentioned the seat height is low enough to get both feet on the ground for most riders, and for
BIKE TEST
those with really short legs you’ll at least be able to get one foot flat on the ground.
One big positive for any new rider, is the look. Style can sometimes take over from the features with many new purchases. Remember when you bought your first bike or car? You didn’t much care for features, it was all about the look and probably the colour. Same principle applies here. From the two colours available, the Silk White with red wheels and frame is a standout.
Ducati has also upped the ante with build quality and I don’t think
there are many other LAMS bikes that can claim to have the high-class this one does. But then again it does come with a premium price tag; $13,790 plus on roads is a pocket-busting amount for a LAMS machine.
Accessories are plentiful so you can personalise the 659 with nice touches like billet pieces and carbon.
For a new rider or one who wants a stylish, easy-to-ride motorcycle, the Ducati Monster 659 is at the top of tree with plenty of Italian flair. D
SPECS
DUCATI MONSTER 659
PRICE: $13,790 (plus on-road charges)
WARRANTY: Two years, unlimited distance
SERVICING INTERVALS: Every 12,000km or 12 months
ENGINE: Air-cooled L-twin cylinder, 4-stroke, 2 valves per cylinder
FUEL CONSUMPTION: 5.12 litres per 100km, premium unleaded
THEORETICAL RANGE: 322km
COLOURS: Silk White, Ducati Red
VERDICT: SWEET LAM
THE TAG “MADE in Italy” is a big thing. It really pushes the notion that stuff made in Italy is of the finest quality, and the new Benelli TRK 502 is an excellent example of exactly that. Its finish is excellent and the end result is a nice smaller-capacity road/ adventure bike.
The Australian press launch made sure I got to sample a bit of everything –from freeway to super-tight twisties in Victoria’s Mornington Peninsula.
Before I get into the details of new TRK 502, it’s probably worth mentioning some of the new Benelli models coming this year. The long-awaited Leoncino isn’t far away and although it will come fitted with road tyres, chucking a set of knobbies on it will bring it back to the prototype shown last year. I can’t wait for that one. Although Benelli are releasing two other versions of the Leoncino –the Trail (with those knobbies, but in a different colour) and the Sport.
The next one I’m keen to see is the 752 S with its beautifully sculpted tank and headlight. Those into retro bikes will be keen on the Imperiale, which is styled very much in the vein of the Bonneville and Royal Enfield.
Now then, the TRK 502…
There are two TRK 502 models. The one I rode is the road-biased version, and the other one is the X version which will arrive later in the year and is more off-
road orientated. So if you think the TRK 502 here isn’t the deal on dirty roads, wait for the X.
Priced at $7890 plus on-roads and coming with two years of roadside assistance, the TRK 502 is on the money. Its main competition is the Honda CB500X and it sells for $100 more, despite the TRK 502 coming with more standard features than the Honda.
Those standard features include a 20L fuel tank, ABS braking, GPS mount, USB socket, protection guards on the edge of the touring windscreen, handguards, adjustable rear suspension, LED turn signals, daytime running lights, and switchable touring off-road pegs. If you’re quick to buy the TRK 502 you’ll also get pannier frames standard; from the second shipment on they’re an accessory.
Fitted with a torquey parallel twin, the TRK 502 gives you the impression you’re on something with a slightly larger
the TRK an easy bike to ride. Turn in is neutral/fast and the standard Pirelli Angel tyres provide quality and longevity, making ownership a rather economical affair.
Ergonomics offer a low seat height of 800mm with a nice upright riding position. A comfortable seat-to-peg height allows even those with longer pins to be comfortable. But the seat was a little hard for my liking. The handlebar is wide so there’s plenty of leverage and manoeuvrability, and the screen offers great coverage as do the side winglets and handguards. So it’s a competent touring package.
The TRK 502 looks kind of large from the side but you don’t notice it at all when you’re sitting on it or riding it. I think a lot of that has to do with the pannier frames and the bulky weather protection offered by the fairing/screen area.
Brakes are adequate. They’re not overly powerful but for a learner-type
capacity. I found the handlebars vibrate a little around the 95-105km/h mark, which isn’t ideal on the freeway, but when I asked a couple of the other riders on the launch they said their bike was fine, though one said his vibrated through the seat (I didn’t ask for any more into that issue!).
Light and agile handling is what makes the TRK 502 a sweet machine to zip around on. The forks are massive 50mm units and the monoshock is adjustable for preload and rebound, giving most riders enough basic adjustment for the type of riding this bike is designed for. Having a wide, upright handlebar and an overall weight of only 213kg makes
motorcycle they do the job. The anti-lock braking system is by Bosch and works as you’d expect.
Build quality looks to be done nicely, with great quality paint and finishes on the plastics and engine all looking the goods. The instrument panel is relatively basic, but has all the information you’d want for most day-to-day riding.
Accessories are limited, but include Givi panniers and topbox, and a taller touring screen. You can also get crash bars which you’ll be able to bolt some fog lights to.
As a general, day-to-day, mid-sized runner, the Benelli TRK 502 will meet all your needs. Commuting with a bit of occasional touring is right up its alley. D
MIRRORS ARE one of those things that have to be on a motorcycle but most of the time make the motorcycle look ugly. Thankfully Rizoma is here to save the day. It has an extensive range of billet mirrors to choose from. I agonised over which ones to put on the Z650L and finally ticked the Tomok units, which feature blue anti-glare glass that is also convex for more rearward vision despite their small size.
The Tomok mirror has a unique look which is unmistakably stylish no matter which way you look at them –kind of like an elf’s ear in a way [You
KAWASAKI Z650L
having a Lord of the Rings moment, Stu? – Boris].
The Tomok mirror is available in three versions – silver, black or gold arms/black mirror, and the classy billet machined fi nish makes a part of a motorcycle that is normally ugly, suddenly beautiful. They always say elves are the most beautiful people. LOL! Check out the entire range of Rizoma magic at your local stockist or via its extensive website –www.rizoma.com SW
FOR THE ONE AND ONLY
KAWASAKI SINGLE SEAT COWL
Price - $254.99
I’d taken the pillion pegs off the Z650L in the first week we’d got it and I’ve just had time to fit the genuine accessory single-seat cowl to it. It really didn’t take long as the instructions are good and the kit comes with everything you need to bolt it up. The transformation in appearance is simply stunning. Most people ask me where I got the new tail section from as the cowl fits over most of this
area. The cowl also hides the ‘650’ decal on the tail section so no one really knows what size bike you’re riding and I suppose they aren’t as embarrassed when a LAMS bike passes them. As with all Kawasaki genuine accessories the fit and finish is top class. They’re available from your local Kawasaki dealer or via www.kawasaki.com.au SW D
Col De Turini WORDS & PICS THE BEAR
TAKE A MILLION- dollar car and slam it into a short, low stone wall separating the road from a 250 metre drop. Back up, take off again. Repeat. What are you doing?
You are competing in the Monte Carlo Rally on the road up to the Col de Turini in south-eastern France. And you are in only one of dozens of similar cars.
No, I haven’t seen this happening, but I’ve ridden the same road and seen the roadside rock piles that the cars leave behind when they bash into the short protective walls. Every now and then you can see a smear of paint, and even that looks expensive. At the top of the pass, the walls of the hotel Les Trois Vallées are covered in pictures of the cars and
1. Motorcyclists are welcome, and prices are reasonable.
2. The hotel serves as a staging point for the Monte Carlo Rally.
3. That was probably done by a car worth a million bucks or so.
MORE WHERE RIDE THOUSANDS MORE KMS
insanely wealthy drivers. You can see them for yourself and shake your head like I did.
Obviously you will want to avoid the Col at rally time. It has also been used by the Tour de France, so check ahead for that, too.
The Col de Turini is a mountain pass with an elevation of 1607m above sea level, of which you will cover 1244m on your way up. It's generally considered one of the
most scenic drives in the world, but it is far from safe. Don’t lose concentration when you’re riding it, and don’t check out the view unless you’re stopped at one of several viewpoints. Even if there is no snow or ice, the road is narrow and its surface is not the best.
But never mind that or the sheer drops on the right and cliffs on the left virtually along the entire route. There are 34 tight hairpins
and many other, lesser curves on this road. The lower section has open and flowing corners, several of which are however blind. That becomes more of a feature as you climb higher through the trees and the road becomes more challenging. You’ll rarely find yourself doing much more than 35km/h. The top section is extremely twisty, with one hairpin following another. The main danger, apart from running out
Background
WHERE?
Just north of Nice in the south-east of France, the Col de Turini is in the Alpes Maritimes. Its road number is D 2565 or D 2566 depending on whom you ask. On the way up it is called the Route du Moulinet, then the Route du Sospel and fi nally the Route du Turini.
KEEP IN MIND
The pass is entirely in France, although it is quite close to the Italian border. France is a Schengen country, so Australians no longer need visas. Make sure you carry documentation for the bike, though, as well as your passport and licence.
GET THERE
There are any number of roads in Italy and France that will get you to the foot of the pass at Sospel. It’s best ridden going up.
STAY HERE
I like the hotel Les Trois Vallées (ph +334.93.91.57.21), right at the top of the pass. There are a couple of other hotels as well as various kinds of accommodation up there, but the Trois Vallées has both comfortable, modern rooms and an excellent restaurant at reasonable prices. At the bottom of the pass, in Sospel, I’ve been told that the Auberge Provencale (ph +334.93.04.00.31) is a good choice. I haven’t stayed there.
GET A BIKE
In my experience, the easiest place to rent a bike nearby is Milan, about a day’s ride to the east. I have had MotoRoads recommended to me, ph +359 887 885 635, can@motoroads.com. Milan has the advantage of two major airports. Another and closer option is Motorbike Trip in Menton, https://www.we-rentmotorcycles.com/ . They will deliver bikes to Marseilles airport.
of talent on one of the corners, is fi nding yourself face to face with a corrugated iron Citroen delivery van as you round that corner.
The road surface is swept, but it’s pretty common for rocks to be littering the surface – another reason to stay alert. Am I making this sound a bit forbidding? Well, the Col de Turini has been named as one of the worlds’ greatest roads, by the Top Gear crowd among others, and is quite reasonably considered something of an engineering masterpiece.
LENGTH
From the bottom to the top of the pass is nearly 25 kilometres, but I promise you that it will seem considerably longer – especially if you’re riding in the rain or even in winter!
TIMING
The Col de Turini is good value at any time of the year, but sometimes in winter when there hasn’t been time to clear the snow it is closed. There is good reason for this; the snow can easily be four or fi ve feet high.
FUN FACT
Until a few years ago, the Col de Turini was driven at night during the Monte Carlo Rally, with thousands of fans watching the “night of the long knives” as it was called, due to the strong high beam lights cutting through the night.
That’s fi ne, but here’s the best of it: the Col de Turini is an incredible (and I write that advisedly) amount of fun, and would be on just about any bike. Well, okay, on something with a long wheelbase it would also be a lot of work – but it would still be heaps of fun. And I’ll bet that as you sit having dinner in Les Trois Vallées (I recommend the locallycaught trout and a half bottle of the Sancerre) you’ll be planning a return ride. Just like I did. D
Even where there are pullouts the road is narrow.
RIDE-EATLOVE
In the Indian Himalayas
WORDS MARIA VISCONTI
PHOTOS VIKAS PANGHAL
MY PARTNER PUMPS
his left fist in the air as we ride on the Chandigarh/ Delhi highway. He is acknowledging another riding couple, also loaded with saddlebags, typical of a touring pair. We had only met a few on our month long spin on the Spiti Valley, Himachal Pradesh, India.
There is something fundamentally sexy about adventure riding as a pillion with your partner, a throwback to the era of cavemen who had to drag or
carry their loot (including their chosen women) on foot. The taming of horses gave humans the ability to move at speed and with minimum effort. The invention of the wheel added a new and exhilarating twist.
Many a small boy, mesmerised by the passing vision of a rider with a glamorous girlfriend on the back seat, has said to himself: ‘When I grow up, I will take MY girlfriend on MY bike.” The communal consciousness is alive in our DNA. You think I am sexist? I am not. While touring, a couple might spent 20 out of 24 hours in each other’s arms, counting the long hours of riding plus
bedtime minus the time spent eating… Bliss? It can be -but the pair has to be well matched. The saying goes that travelling together can make or break a relationship, especially if you are undertaking a wild, independent ride, unsupported, in remote areas and without pre-booked accommodation as we were.
Think of it as a chance to star in your own movie called: RIDE-EAT-LOVE … and repeat.
OUR ITINERARY:
Delhi, Chandigarh, Shimla, Narkanda, Chitkul, Pooh (via Reckong Peo to get permits), Tabo, Key (via Kaza), Kibber and Chicham (as day trips from Key),
TRAVEL
OUR MACHINE:
A beaut, classy Enfield Bullet Electra 350cc. The one that makes you look elegant and relaxed, shoulders down, sitting upright.
Pillion Pointers
Mudh (in the Pin Valley), Dankhar and back to Delhi. All told, some 2500km.
“Is that enough power? What about the lack of oxygen”? I hear you asking: If you are renting, go for 500cc but our babe has had a 7-year relationship with her man over 100,000km of Himalayan roads. She never missed a beat and responded to his touch like the good lover that she is…
CHANDIGARGH TO NARKANDA VIA SHIMLA
The road to Shimla is superb and will be even better when the widening is complete. Beware of unexpected animals crossing. A huge monkey - as big as a young calf - crossed three lanes in front of us. The Himalayan Inn in Narkanda is a good place to stay.
NARKANDA TO CHITKUL
If you wonder how on earth you are going to spend 5-6 hours balancing on something slightly larger than a Kleenex box, you have a point but oh! Love conquers all.
- Motorbikes have two wheels, aligned one after the other. Yes, I know this is obvious but it is really worth having it in mind when you are getting on the bike. I was always told to get on the peg then swing my leg over. Apparently only females are told that. Pillion guys will just mount as riders do. No pegs for them. Once on the peg be quick. Swerving to admire the view or adjusting your helmet strap, might tilt that subtle balance and cause your partner a hernia while struggling to keep the 200kg machine upright.
- Once on the go you and your partner are one. Follow his lead. Mimic his body language. He leans, you lean. Even if you are scared, NEVER counterbalance.
- Your partner has delivered you safe and sound to each destination, no matter what the difficulties. Acknowledging this
feat each and every night will go a long way. Be generous with praise…in which ever form it works for you.
- The all-important squeezes: communications while riding is limited unless you have helmet-to-helmet connectivity (which I dislike). A gentle squeeze with your legs will go a long way to say: ‘well-done’; ‘that was awesome’; ‘I love you’ -you get the gist…
- If your partner has acquiesced and put your hair dryer or straightening irons in the saddlebags, the guy is a saint. These items are not much use for changing a tyre. Acknowledge it.
- Even the plainest of guys look 300% better in their riding gear. Your fellow might not be Tom Cruise, or a Top Gun but those shoulder pads surely look sexy…Acknowledge it.
- If you are riding in the Himalayas, accommodation could be basic. Ensuites are not common. If you don’t fancy a long walk to the facilities in the cold, a mega-packet of wet-wipes will go a long way to keep you both relatively fresh.
Bliss. Finally free of traffic and higher up, we cruise along a mighty dam sparkling with emerald green waters. Then a scenic Alpine road opens up in front of us. The scent of conifers suffuses the air. We lift our visors to inhale the freshness.
CHITKUL
This village, so close to Tibet, is in the middle of an ancient trading route connected to the Silk Road. Marco Polo is said to have passed through here remarking on the beauty of the local women. The quaintness of this place is unique. Slate roofs, golden spires and curled finials bring to mind images of the Far East. When it snowed one evening, we stayed on the veranda of our guesthouse having dinner while the snowflakes swirled in the breeze. Raj Guesthouse has excellent views.
CHITKUL TO POOH
This is an extremely bad patch of road (being repaired). Hell for motorbikes. A mix of dirt, sand, sharp stones and gravel on a narrow winding road.
POOH TO TABO via Reckong Peo
Did I say the road was hell? The following morning we woke up to a flat tyre…
The road to Reckong Peo takes you through alpine forests, fragrant and shaded. A pleasure after the trials of the day before.
IMPORTANT: Non-Indian travellers need a permit to go deeper in to the Valley and Reckong Peo is the place to get it. Check with the information offi ce as rules change. The Monk Travel Agency in the TIC building was very helpful: cm.themonk@gmail.com www.themonktravels.com
TABO
A dream village with the oldest Buddhist monastery in the Himalayas, built in the 9th-century. Its simple architecture and uncharacteristic mud colour are unusual and attractive. The whole village lies snugly in the valley surrounded by apple orchards. Namsay Guesthouse right by the roadside is superb.
TABO TO KEY via KAZA
The road to Key is spectacular. We arrive before sundown to this stunning monastery and we are happy to stay despite the Spartan accommodation. We soon witness 80 little kids congregating on a terrace
just below our room. They had been summoned to dinner by the blowing of a conch. Huge cauldrons of dahl and rice were passed around. Food is served to guests in the warm kitchen. I sit next to Hema, the face of the new India: 34, single female, travelling solo by public bus.
KIBBER AND CHICHAM
as a day-trip from Key.
To get to these picturesque and remote villages we cross the brand new bridge, but the flying fox is still in operation: a metal cage suspended from a cable that goes across the river. It’s getting late and we are hungry. Nowhere to eat or have tea. An old lady passing by says she can cook for us. We say a cup of tea is all we need. She takes us to her house where we sit by the wood-burning stove and have a restoring cup of tea and biscuits with her.
KEY TO PIN VALLEY (destination MUDH)
This beaut tarmac road shines like a black snake in the sunshine, running alongside the Pin River. Tara Guesthouse, in Mudh, is really good.
MUDH TO DANKHAR
Sweet tarmac with winding corners all the way up to 4000m. Dankhar sits on a horseshoe of peaks overlooking a deep chasm. We find most guesthouses are closed (November
is out of season). The first passerby happens to own a guesthouse. We follow him on an impossible tortuous road. We have to leave the bike behind on the last stretch. When we reach Tanzin Guesthouse we dropped in front of the stove exhausted and hungry but happy.
Next morning we trek to Dankhar Lake at 4300m. The lake is stunning and has a sheet of ice over it crackling and melting in the strong sunshine.
DANKHAR TO POOH
It is a long stretch but a picturesque one. The apple orchards have turned a deeper red now and look stunning. The weather continues to be bright, crisp and invigorating.
POOH TO KALPA
We are descending steadily. Seeing green again for the first time in weeks seems special. Kalpa is a gorgeous ancient village worth exploring. The Kalpa Retreat has big, airy rooms with spectacular views.
KALPA TO NARKANDA
Chandigarh and back to Delhi. The ride of a lifetime, indeed. For more information or to join a couples/pillion friendly ride on a similar itinerary (with the writer as pillion) see: www.littlefrog.in (being overhauled at the moment) or contact: panghal@hotmail.com D
USED&ABUSED
Price - $499.95
Sizes – S – 8XL
ADVENTURE RIDING
apparel is a little different from normal road-type riding gear –you need lots of features because the bush can be a weird place at times. I’ve had times where if I was riding on the road I would have every jacket liner in, and a neck sock, and never need to change this combo, whereas on the same day, same time, but in the bush, needed to have the layers in, then out and some vents zipped open to get air flow! Dense Aussie bush seems to have its own climate at times and the new Dririder Vortex Adventure 2 jacket is a true all-season go-anywhere jacket thanks to its three-layer system that lets you easily and quickly configure the jacket to suit any weather. When it comes time to store those layers, the Vortex 2 jacket has a large lower-back pocket to put them in, and you could also carry some basic tools in there.
The outer shell of the Vortex 2 is made from polyester 900D with 1200D on the shoulders and elbows with a PU coating. CE armour is fitted to the shoulders and elbows with a hi-density foam back-pad. For serious adventure riding I’d change the back-
ADVENTURING INTO A SPIN
Dririder Vortex Adventure 2
jacket WORDS STUART
pad to the optional D3O item.
When it is time to stay warm there’s a removable 150gm thermal quilted liner and a removable throatcoat, and when the rain decides to mix things up a bit, the liner is removable, waterproof and breathable. For comfort, a mesh liner is built into the jacket, as are action stretch panels, and when things heat up there’s large chest airvents, arm-vents and rear exhaust-vents, and a built in hydration pocket that can take your Camelbak-type bladder system without having to carry/wear the backpack itself.
rear
The Vortex 2 has plenty of adjustment via the two arm and waist adjusters, which is great for that optimum fit when changing out the liners.
you also get two large pockets
The jacket features high quality YKK zippers, security safety stitching for high strength, and a refl ective print for night-time safety [So much safety! – Boris] . Besides the aforementioned rear pocket you also get two large pockets on the front and internal pockets to store all the essentials. You can get matching Vortex 2 adventure pants so the jacket has a waist connection zip for pants in two lengths – three-quarter zip and a short zip. Available in a variety of colours, the one you see here being the new Sand version with sizing running true to any other Dririder jacket I’ve worn – this one
being a 4XL. Dririder has done a great job with this jacket which would also make a good touring jacket. Have a look at one at your local bike shop or www.dririder.com.au D
GRIZZLING
OLD TIMER’S RALLY
“For many Americans, Sturgis conjures up images of an anythinggoes motorcycle festival, where drugs flow, fists fly and nudity runs rampant,” says a report in USA Today from August last year. “But the reality is that most attendees today are professionals with too much to lose
if they get arrested. Surprisingly, the top three professions at Sturgis are doctors, lawyers and accountants, said city manager Daniel Ainsley. “These aren’t Easy Riders, living a carefree life on the road. These are aging Baby Boomers with kids and mortgages and nice cars. Read the headline in one local paper this week: ‘Has Sturgis gotten too grey?’”
Sturgis? Too grey? Hard to believe – but then there were more than a few wrinkles on view even in Daytona last year…
IS IT GETTING BETTER?
I know it’s more than a little out of line with the title of this page, but has anyone else noticed that drivers are becoming more polite? Here in Sydney many are making room for me to filter through the traffic, and they’re also more thoughtful when I’m changing lanes. Is this effect real, or am I just showing signs of Old Timer’s Disease? But you know how people say that you get more querulous
Somehow we have a feeling that this classic Enfield poster would not cut
and demanding when you get older? Maybe I’m getting younger!
EVEN THEN…
“The children now love luxury. They have bad manners, contempt for authority; they show disrespect for elders and love chatter in place of exercise.”
Who said that? Yep, Socrates (469/470-399 BCE)
Peter ‘The Bear’ Thoeming
The Bear wonders what all the fuss is about greying motorcyclists…
“Sorry, I’ll just get out of your way here…”
it today.
ontheroad
HARleY-dAVidSoN RoAd Glide SPeCiAl
Hammer down the open road
“Caught between Heaven and the Highway Shipping steel, shipping steel . . .”
Cold C H i S el
At lunch on a ride with Jimmy Barnes once, one of the other riders asked him, “Do you ever listen to Cold Chisel when you’re on the road?” Barnesy said yes, and the other bloke went on, “Do you think, ‘hey, I’m listening to Jimmy Barnes’?”
Barnesy raised his eyebrows and looked at him exactly the way he deserved to be looked at, and replied, “No.”
I put the Chisel on the H-D Road Glide Special’s excellent sound system when I hit the start of Highway One just past Waterfall and Barnesy’s howling vocals precede me on my way through the thin scrub.
“And I've traveled round the world from year to year
And each one found me aimless, one more year the more for wear…”
Funny to be listening to ‘Khe Sanh’ on a $37,495 motorcycle, but even the most elaborately equipped and expensive Harleys still stir that ‘footloose rebel headin’ out on the lonesome road’ feeling, as if you could – and want to – keep going, forever
or until some blighted roadhouse somewhere brings you a blonde waitress who will bat her eyelashes at you across the counter and then… you’ve seen the movie.
So here I am, shipping steel (this is a big, solid bike) down the coast and playing with all the stuff scattered around the cockpit. The double windscreen does a good job of keeping the bugs off my face. The seat is excellent; Milwaukee is still the place where they design the best motorcycle seats, although there are some others that are catching up. Riding position is relaxed without being soporific and the bike is happy to provide overtaking torque that would put many a sports bike to shame. Stopping is equally fuss-free and effective.
The epiphany comes when I turn west in Batemans Bay and tackle Clyde Mountain. The Road Glide just fl ies up the steep stretches and lazes its way up the gentler slopes; I have the feeling that I could easily double the advisory speed signs (and do, in some cases) without scraping. Much.
On the way back down Clyde Mountain to have another go, going up.
YOUR adventure CHOOSE the right gear TAKE only what you need
Keep in mind that this bike is intended to be a two-up ‘bagger’ tourer. American bagger riders are a conservative lot and don’t ride either fast or adventurously. It is entirely to Harley-Davidson’s credit that they’ve built a bike capable of satisfying the jaunty home market and performance-crazed Aussies. Well, you know what I mean.
Next day I’m riding through 47-degree temperatures, and I’m not talking Fahrenheit. The windscreen arrangement and the fairing come into their own again and keep me relatively cool by deflecting the red-hot wind.
The Harley-Davidson Road Glide Special goes (I had the small 107 cu inch engine, but that was fine), stops, handles and makes you feel very much in charge. The pearl white paint on mine looked bottomless and both the quality of the parts and the assembly workmanship are first class; Harley has always had the best chrome.
Terrifi c motorcycle, lots of road presence and a pleasant but authoritative sound. I wonder if they take Vespas as trade-ins…
“Come on, come on I'm gonna roll ya all night long...” PT D
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
MINI JUMP STARTER
» includes a USB charging port and a 4 in 1 cable
» LED flash light with 3 illumination modes
» Will start anything up to a 3 litre V6 petrol car engine!
TYRE GAUGE
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
READERS TRAVEL
THE OLD GLENN
Innes/
Grafton Road is a former Cobb & Co route dating back to 1867. It provided the only access across the northern NSW ranges separating the tablelands to the west and the coast to the east. It remained the only access across the ranges until the Gwydir Highway opened in the early 1960s, providing a faster and easier route across the Gibraltar Range.
Interestingly, as the accompanying map illustrates, the old route follows a southern arc whereas the new road arcs to the north: just two options of finding a traversable way across essentially the same set of ranges. Both routes get honourable mentions in The Bear’s 200 top rides (118 and 119). The Bear’s descriptions start at Grafton and go west to Glen Innes. I rode the old road east from Glen Innes
to Grafton. As consistently happens with country roads, it’s called either the Old Grafton Road or the Old Glen Innes Road, depending on which way you’re heading.
While my choice to ride from Glen Innes was based solely on convenience, it turned out to have one worthy benefit: it kept me on the safer, inside of the ledge-road that runs for several kilometres hugging the escarpment above the Boyd River. That would have made me feel more comfortable meeting a 4x4 coming the other way along the narrow – and, at times, crumbling-edged road.
Both ends of the road come off the Gwydir Highway. The eastern end is 35km from Glen Innes; the western end is 10km from Grafton. The ‘old road’ itself (from its intersections with the Gwydir Highway) is 130km
of which about 85km are gravel. Obviously from town to town, it’ll be 175 km. A round trip, starting and fi nishing in the same town and taking in the Gwydir Highway one way will be 336 km.
LAST MINUTE ADVICE
Having got baffled in remote back blocks between Scone and Nundle following the ominously-named Isis River and faced with impassable roads and wrong turns (not helped by signposts naming roads differently to what they are on maps!), with the only consolation being some affection from a lone horse at the end of a fast diminishing track I had to start my encounter with the Old Glen Innes/ Grafton Road from Uralla instead of Glen Innes, as I had planned. Not really an issue: just added an early
morning 120km ride before a breakfast stop in Glen Innes. Fortuitously, the local tourism information office was next to my breakfast stop, so I popped in for some last-minute advice.
I was well looked after by tourism officer, Fred Blair, from the Glen Innes Severn Council. Fred’s been around tourism for several years in northern NSW areas. He grew up in nearby Taylors Arm (famed for the Pub with No Beer) where he still has many extended family members. He took me through a couple of maps highlighting the old road; and provided up-to-date information on road conditions and a few tips about places of interest to note. I think we each added to the other’s enthusiasm for the venture I was about to undertake. In fact, so much so that I made a point of returning to Glen Innes several days
later to report on the ride and share the experience with him. He was both appreciative and delighted.
MANN RIVER
Coming from Glen Innes, as noted above, it’s a 35km ride to the wellposted turn-off to the right that takes you onto the “Old Grafton Road”. Here begins my old road encounter. Not being a particularly adept adventure rider, it was this beginning section of the road that had me most concerned. Several sources had harrowing descriptions of the steep, narrow, switchback-laden, loosely gravelled track descending perilously into the Mann River valley. I had spent a lot of mental energy psyching myself up for the task; only to discover from Fred at the tourism information office that the descent to
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3.
the Mann River had been sealed earlier in the year. Paradoxically, I felt both relief and disappointment. Sealing the road, of course, doesn’t make it any less steep or the turns any less sharp. The road is still quite narrow and winds its way relentlessly through forested hillsides for some 15km until it flattens out in the valley below. I’d swear a number of the many switchbacks turned more than 180˚ as the exits seemed to drop precipitately and wind deeper into the hillside than the entrances to the turns. As a sealed
Have you ever seen a dirt road looking this good!
War memorial at Newton Boyd
Robert with Fred Blair
road, it provided a very different experience to the careful, creeping ride I was expecting, but a very pleasant and exhilarating one since mine was the only vehicle on a made-for-bikes road.
Despite the remoteness – even loneliness – there never seems to be a road so remote that doesn’t have signs warning of the school bus! And sure enough there they were; along with isolated mail boxes marking barely discernible tracks leading into the densely forested bush. I was told by Fred on my second visit to the tourism information office that there once was a thriving hippie commune and there are still alternative lifestyle seekers enjoying the unique surrounds.
About two-thirds of the way down, the road crosses Diehard Creek before finally reaching the Mann River and delivering you onto the valley floor. There is a picnic and camping ground on the river at this point but it was temporarily closed for what seemed to be a major make-over.
NewtoN Boyd
The road stays with the Mann River for about 1.5km before crossing it and heading back into some hill country – but nothing as high or steep as the descent to Mann River. To provide some perspective, the descent to Mann River drops some 600m from 1000m to 400m above sea level; whereas the climb back into hill country is no more than 100m. The road at this stage hovers at times around 500m but mostly the tracks alongside Leather Jacket Creek are below that level until the creek flows into the Mann River, letting the road re-join the river and follow it further. The Mann River by
then is running at about 350m.
The valley widens considerably as the river is joined by one if its tributaries, the Henry River. Although the now combined rivers turn north and the old road heads south, here begins a long, picturesque 13km run through mostly flat-valley but at times gently undulating farming country before the road meets up with the Boyd River.
Just after crossing the Henry River, lies the once mining town of Newton Boyd. It was one of a few such towns along the road that flourished for a time – not a very long time from reports during a short-lived gold rush. All that’s left of Newton Boyd is a First World War memorial. The The memorial records thirty local men who signed up and went to fight, eight of whom did not return. As one often finds on such memorials, several members of the same family enlisted. In this case there are five members of the Meehan family. Were they brothers, cousins?
The memorial was privately funded by and erected on the property of Mr N A MacDonald. It was reported in the Glen Innes Examiner of 22 September 1924:
On Thursday, his Excellency, the Governor of New South Wales, Sir Dudley de Chair, formally opened the Newton Boyd Memorial Hall and unveiled the memorial column erected by Mr. N. A. MacDonald, of Broadmeadows Station, in honour of the district soldiers. The occasion was marked by a sports meeting and a dance in the hall at night. For a mere handful of people, Newton Boyd has set a pace that much larger neighbouring centres will find it very difficult to follow.
Old map showing both old route and new
The hall was close by the memorial at Newton Boyd but has long since disappeared. In addition to spending a little time contemplating the significance of the memorial for what must have been a relatively small community, it was fascinating to imagine the vice regal entourage making its way down the Mann River descent and along the Old Grafton Road to Newton Boyd; and back again! I wondered whether the governor went to the dance in the hall that night.
Competing with the memorial today is Hibbo’s Hunny Hutt (at least they got the apostrophe right). It gets more formally listed as Hibbo’s Honey and Beeswax Products. It’s been operating a while because there are several mentions of it on Internet travel blogs. It operates on an honesty basis: drop your money in the tin and take what you paid for.
dalmortoN Bluff
Soon after Newton Boyd, the road picks up the Boyd River and stays close to it for some 40km to its confluence with the Nymboida River at Buccarumbi.
This section is a mix of open river flats, some more expansive farming country and, to a large degree, a narrow ledge-road that sits tightly against the escarpment face with an unhindered (except for undergrowth) drop into the Boyd River.
Between river flats and farms, the road often diverts into wooded country to map out a path around whatever natural obstacles it encounters. The big attraction of this section is the constant contrast of terrain, road and riding conditions, making the whole experience a memorable one.
Some 15km from where the road joins the Boyd River its builders were confronted by the biggest obstacle of all: a granite bluff of rock that juts onto the River’s edge to an extent that defied any way around it. So they went through it. They called it Dalmorton Bluff.
The now historic tunnel – some 20m long with a clearance of 3.3m to accommodate the Cobb & Co coaches as well as the horses and carts of the logging, mining and livestock industries of the time – stands as one of the great construction feats of the Old Glenn Innes/Grafton Road.
The tunnel has frequently been described as convict-built; but more recent research has
overlook the comparably onerous and impressive construction of the wild (as it would have been then) descent into the Mann River valley at the start of the Old Grafton Road.
Dalmorton
Soon after the Dalmorton Bluff Tunnel, you ride into Dalmorton township. But you have to be imaginative. Certainly, there’s more there than there was at Newton Boyd, but there’s no present life; only remnants of a past life: a few derelict buildings representing the police lock-up, a couple of former shops and ghosts of a house or two. I read on one
BuccarumBi
While the road was never bad, it even got better after Dalmorton. There were still lots of narrow cliff-hanging riding mixed with some open pastures, but all very easy and pleasant. Somewhere along this section are some historic graves that I had marked on the GPS but I didn’t find them. I might need to return!
confirmed it was built by paid labour – from all reports very lowly paid labour. The pay and conditions of labour probably made the labourers feel like convicts. It would seem that the tunnel was hewn partly by the use of gunpowder explosions and partly by hand. It would have been a dangerous and thankless task for those involved.
I had been cautioned by a random traveller over a dinner somewhere before Glen Innes that the road through the tunnel had been dug out by people with high vehicles and that a deep mud pool was a permanent feature of the tunnel. Great! I raised this with Fred at the tourism information office. He thought that was an overstatement but said the tunnel did often have a lingering puddle after rain. And it did. I figured the odds were in favour of it being easily passable; and I wasn’t about to walk through it. I stayed close to the side and didn’t flinch at a slight wobble.
The approach to the Dalmorton Bluff – as, indeed, the road beyond the old town of Dalmorton – is as much an engineering feat as the tunnel. For so many kilometres the road had somehow been carved out of the steep escarpment that runs alongside the river. While riding the road was fun on a motorbike, it must have been a nightmare in a stage coach.
In thinking of the construction of these engineering feats, one shouldn’t
site that Dalmorton was once a bustling hamlet of 5000 people in the 1860s and ’70s with some 13 pubs; and was a rowdy town frequented by bushrangers, pioneers and gold miners alike. I don’t really know. I’ve also seen references linking the notorious bushranger Captain Thunderbolt with Dalmorton. But all through New England, there are “tourism attractions” linked to Thunderbolt. I couldn’t help wondering why we martyrise bushrangers!
One of Fred’s recommendations was to take a side road from Dalmorton town, across the Boyd River, and onto the Dalmorton Camp Ground. It was a place where you can watch sea eagles soar above their nests in the tall trees there, where large goannas are always on the lookout for new delicacies and the occasional pelican makes it way up the river.
Well, that was an experience. First, a steep, deeply eroded descent to the river crossing, followed by a stupidly (on my part) missed turn-off to the nearby camp ground, and then a five-kilometre rough, climbing and tightly turning road to wherever before I came to my senses and turned back. I never got to experience the dreaming of the campground.
Buccarumbi is only a locality today but presumably was something more substantial in the heyday of the old road. Its notable feature today is its bridge across the Nymboida River pretty much at where the Boyd River flows into it. In the summer months, it’s become a Mecca for campers and canoeists. There’s still over 40km of good riding before the Old Road crosses the Orara River and later meets the Gwydir Highway, but about 30km of that is sealed.
EpiloguE
I took about four hours to do the Old Glen Innes/Grafton Road; but that was with plenty of photo and tourist stops as well as a picnic lunch and a lengthy diversion from Dalmorton. If your journey is more just for the ride, you could probably do it in half that time. But you’d miss a lot of the encounter with the Old Road, its history and its engineering feats.
I was sufficiently ahead of my planned schedule that I turned left when I reached the Gwydir Highway and rode to the top of the Gibraltar Range before returning to Grafton for the night. That is undoubtedly a great ride worthy of being promoted to the top 100 rides. The “perfect storm” would be to do a round trip from and back to Glen Innes (or ditto with Grafton) taking in both the old and new roads. D
CLASSICAL CrISIS
WorDs PICKO
BEFORE I JUMP with you into the heady world of classic motorcycles, and the racing thereof, it’s probably important you should know a little about me. This is so you can work out if I have any credibility when it comes to the classics.
When the doctor slapped me on the backside, my dear mum called me Christopher Pickett. Now I’m simply known as Picko.
bikes, where it’s all about passion. The
Some of you may have heard of me before, some not, and some of you wonderful readers may be trying to forget you heard my name at all. What is important for me is passion – especially seeing as how I’m going to write about classic bikes, where it’s all about passion. The great bikes of bygone eras have been a passion of mine for most of my adult life. Not so much the real early stuff, but from the 1960s and on – it’s a serious love affair.
Editor Stuart and I own a classic racing bike together, but I also have a few more. And there are some tasty, in my opinion at least, classic bikes in my stable, some of which are even in classic states of disrepair.
So that’s me.
What I want to touch on in this column is the recent Island Classic, and especially the International Challenge (IC), which is part of the wonderful spectacle held at Phillip Island each Australia Day long weekend.
I don’t wish to go into a race-by-race report of the event, because lots of other people have covered that angle. I want to address the rules, especially those of the International Challenge. I love seeing top-level riders racing classic bikes and have always seen it as something special for the sport. I know many riders, usually older ones, don’t like it as it lessens the chance of them being competitive and hopefully bagging a trophy. Some of these riders
hire and big-budget teams not being in the spirit of the sport, but the truth of the matter is they don’t want to be outclassed. I get it, I truly do. The last time I came anywhere near a trophy was nearly 10 years ago. I let go of my anguish in that regard some time ago. Anyway, about those big budgets and gun riders…
Let’s take a look at the starting grid for the fi rst International Challenge race this year. The top 20 riders, with one or two exceptions, were all hired guns. Not all would be getting paid actual wages, but a fair chunk of them were getting expenses paid and riding bikes they didn’t own. The top 10 were like a who’s who of former world superbike stars. Yes, the racing was great, but I fear the bikes and the class has become a plaything of the rich and famous.
And then there are the politics of the International Challenge. Riders are chosen before the event, and even if you tick the entry form that you’d like to be considered for the International Challenge races, the chances of pushing one of the established Chosen Ones out is very slim, even if you were
posting faster lap times.
Has the arrogance of the IC class, the riders and team bosses taken the shine off the event? Yes, according to many of the riders who make up the supporting classes. The biggest complaint is the cost of entering the event, and how this is paying for the IC riders and teams to race for free.
I’m not sure what money goes where but when it costs nearly $1000 to enter two bikes, do the Thursday practice and hire a pit shed, then it isn’t a cheap weekend. Yes, racing is expensive, but you get my point.
Social media was full of talk about many club riders boycotting the event this year because of the rising costs and the second-class way they felt they were being treated by the organisers. I’ve never really felt that myself, but there’s no doubt racers have been voting with their feet and not going. The lack of entries and concerns for funds could have been the reason why the organisers didn’t continue the relationship with Team Ireland this year. The apparent reason was Team Ireland never brought any extra paying spectators through the gate. My question is how the hell would
the organisers know? Not once was I asked when I went through the gate each of the four days. Smacks of bullshit if you ask me.
Then there are the actual rules for the IC machines. A number of the bikes were clocked at over 280km/h during the event. Impressive for what are supposed to be Pre-1984 machines for the IC class (the cut off for regular Period 5 Unlimited machines is December 1981).
Look at the pic of Colin Edwards’ XJR1300-based XR69 hybrid. Flat-slide carbs, wave discs, 1990s calipers, and just about all the other bikes had many, modern components than is normally allowed. No wonder they are so fast. In fact a number of the so-called Period 5 machines had brake calipers that didn’t meet Australian P5 Unlimited classic racing rules. It seems as though the International Challenge has become like the Isle of Man Classic TT, where the rules are very elastic indeed. It’s become all about the show.
I believed the Australian Period 5 bikes in the International Challenge had to adhere to Australian rules, with log-books to prove their eligibility, and that overseas machines adhered mainly to their own rules. So how do some of the blatantly illegal Australian bikes get through scrutineering when they obviously don’t match the log-book? I’m happy to be enlightened on this subject.
The Period 5 Unlimited class in this country really is out of touch for the regular racer and his or her budget. More and more hired guns are being involved, and budgets rival or even
eclipse that of many modern teams in Australia. Is that good for the sport? I have mixed emotions about it. I love seeing top riders race these classics, but the costs are really out there. Lastly, I’d like to congratulate David ‘Davo’ Johnson on taking out the overall win in this year’s International
Challenge. As many of you would know, ‘Davo’ is a great Isle of Man TT racer, Australia’s fastest ever TT racer in fact, but more importantly he is a great person who is always friendly and giving of his time. Well done, mate. I certainly enjoyed you giving it to them. D
WHATSAYYOU
WE
LOVE TO HEAR FROM YOU, the letters are among the most keenly read parts of the magazine. Please try and keep letters down to no more than 300 words. Then you can read many, not just a couple. We do reserve the right to cut them and, unless you identify yourself and at least your town or suburb and state, we will print your email address instead. Please address letters to contactus@ausmotorcyclist.com.au or Australian Motorcyclist Magazine, Suite 4b, Level 1, 11-13 Orion Rd, Lane Cove West NSW 2066. All opinions published here are those of the writers and we do not vouch for their accuracy or even their sanity.
FROM TIME TO TIME we get letters like this one from, Tony who fire off an email without actually reading the article. It’s okay, we don’t mind it because if we’ve missed something we like to hear about it. So, for all his hard work, Tony gets capped this month.
I WANT MY TEDDY
Bear, No substitutes for the Milan show review. How do you go to Milan and not review the Italian bikes at least not a word on Moto Guzzis. At least let us know if they were that bad or weren’t there. Time to return, Bear. Sack the cub... Cheers, Tony M
Hi Tony, Ralph did report on the new V85 and tells me that apart from this bike there were no new Guzzis to report on. They had new colours and so on, but nothing new except the V85, of which there was a pic of it on page 20 and a mention within the text. So, whether The Bear went or not, the outcome would have been the same. Hopefully Guzzi gets some new models at this year’s show! Cheers, Stuart.
Thanks Stuart Great magazine. Stupidly I didn’t don’t put the 2 together Cheers, Tony M
SHOW US THE MONEY
Dear Sir,
Is it possible you could run a story about bike prices and the lower bike sales. Asking manufacturers to explain their pricing.
I’ve been reading a bit about the motorcycle industry and manufactures complaining that sales are down. I think you’d have to be brain dead to not know why. If I buy a brand new car with seats for 5, four doors, central locking, a boot and lid, air conditioning, sound system, glove box, 2 litre engine, 4 wheels, 4 tyres and suspension and ABS, air bags and doors and cruise control for say $20,000, then why does a motorbike that has 2 wheels, engine, no air conditioning, no central locking, no doors no airbags, often no ABS, no boot, nowhere to store anything, no sound system only 2 tyres and an engine and 2 shocks and the bike often costs more... seriously the amount of metal and plastic that makes up a bike is negligible compared to a car... to shift it from country to country uses very little space compared to a car. They have overpriced themselves out of the market. The youth of today aren’t caught up with the dream. They want value for money… and value for money we are not getting. Sell bikes at prices that make sense not heavily overpriced.
Kind Regards
Mark Hansen
There are a couple of things you need to remember here, Mark. First, let’s compare apples with apples. The motorcycle equivalent of a $20,000 car is a $5000 motorcycle. Visit a bike shop and look around – there are many bikes at that price these days. And if you do spend $20,000 on a motorcycle, you’re likely to be getting the equivalent of a $100,000 sports car including the technology. Second,
if you take a look at the length of time it takes someone to earn the price of a bike –even a pretty fl ash bike – it’s far less today than it was back in the ‘60s or ‘70s. Bikes are relatively cheaper. Those that could be considered expensive, like perhaps a BMW or a Harley-Davidson, justify the extra cost with the value of their badges. So no, I don’t think motorcycle manufacturers have priced themselves out of the market. The reasons for the drop in sales are more complex than that – The Bear
WATCH THE COW PATTIES!
G’day Stuart and Peter, Congratulations on a really great publication, I had experienced your journalistic styles prior to AMM and was fortunate enough to spy the fi rst edition and have enjoyed every one since. We live in a small unit and keeping the mags is not an option but I place them in waiting rooms to give men something to read and maybe I’ve gained you a few more subscribers. I enjoy the entertaining theme exhibited by all your contributors, I even reread articles for another chuckle. Even though I’m not likely to ever change my bike (an old R1150R) all the bike tests are interesting and informative. I live at the foot of the Gillies Range NQ and love riding the Atherton Tableland, recently rode to Cooktown and overnighted there. Perhaps my standard ride is up the Gillies and down the Palmerston. Am planning a two day ride to Kuramba next dry season. I’m a young 76 year old and just back on the bike after a knee replacement but hope to be able to enjoy the bike for a few years yet. I’m never likely to ride overseas but enjoy the stories you tell of your travels. My riding experience comes from following dairy cows in sand, mud, dust, rain, water and frost for many
years and I graduated to a road bike after retirement and never want to be off the tar ever. Nothing puts you down quicker than striking a pasture-hidden irrigation pipe at speed and an angle! Once again a top magazine, keep it up.
Regards Bill Peterson
Little Mulgrave
Hi Bill, Great to hear you’re loving the mag and enjoying your riding. Just watch those cow patties! Cheers, Stuart.
NEVER JUDGE A BOOK BY ITS COVER
Early in 2007 my wife and I set off from Alice Springs on our Royal Enfi elds for the Queensland coast and many points south before returning home via the Great Ocean Road. On the way across central Queensland we stopped for refreshment at Jericho. We were spotted by the local constabulary and the young offi cer came to check us out saying he had been tipped off that there were bikies in town. After a brief chat and a promise that the only two vehicles in the main street wouldn’t be fi ned for a parking violation the offi cer expressed remorse that he wasn’t doing the trip himself. He asked us where we were staying and we told him we were booked in to the Alpha Hotel Motel. In dismay the offi cer suggested that the Alpha Hotel wasn’t somewhere he would recommend (although he confessed he had never been there) and we should go to the caravan park.
On our arrival in Alpha we stopped for fuel and asked for directions to Alpha Hotel Motel. The woman in the servo also expressed dismay and suggested that we would be better to go to the caravan park but we would be lucky to fi nd accommodation. Two negative reports suggested that anywhere would be better than the Alpha Hotel Motel so we headed to the caravan park. The park seemed to be almost empty but knocking on the park reception door elicited a response that they were full (was it the fact we were on motorcycles?). We briefl y discussed the option of riding another 100 km but that prospect didn’t fi ll us with joy and, after all, how bad could the Alpha Hotel Motel be?
So, with fear in our hearts, we approached the dreaded Alpha Hotel Motel. We called into the bar and were directed to our motel room around the back by a bloke who my wife described as a Marty Feldman lookalike. Around the back we found a row of about eight ‘60s-style motel rooms with a huge undercover area out front. On entering the room the fi rst thing I noticed was that the lino fl oor covering was worn and could have done with replacing however the linen was clean, the bed looked comfortable (which it proved to be), the shower was hot with good pressure and, although the place was showing its age, it was a perfectly acceptable place to recuperate after a day’s ride.
The bikes needed some TLC and the undercover area right outside our door was the perfect place for a few
drinks and some spannering. While I was working my magic on chain adjustment and the like a few more cars pulled in and we wondered if they had heard horror stories about the Alpha Hotel Motel.
At last it was time for a feed and a few more drinks. Now I have to admit the food wasn’t Cordon Bleu and if there was a Maccas in town we would have been better off dining there but the drinks were cold and slipped down quite nicely. After our meal we adjourned to the bar. ‘Marty Feldman’ was still manning the bar but there was also a bloke who appeared to be from the subcontinent. Over a few more drinks we got to talking to the swarthy gentleman who turned out to be the publican and who told us he was of Indian extraction but was, in fact, from South Africa. He had lived in New Zealand before arriving in Oz and had brought ‘Marty’ with him. He had only been in Alpha for a short time with his family and also had a son in the hotel business down south.
We had a very enjoyable evening chatting and fi nding out a few
interesting things about the area and even scored a free shot of very special port. The publican said the motel was usually booked out by workers in the mining industry.
After retiring to our room we discussed the negative comments we had heard and we thought there may have been an element (a very large element) of racial prejudice involved. After all, here was a dark skinned Indian/South African moving into town and taking over THE hotel. What outback Queensland resident wouldn’t feel put out?
I’m not sure how many helmets this pub would score but I am glad we stayed there.
Jeff Cole Alice Springs
Hi Jeff, It’s always great to hear about good places to stay. Sometimes it’s worth just biting the bullet and giving it a run to see what a place is like. In this case you’ve found everyone a decent place to stay in Alpha (not far from Jericho). For anyone else looking at riding through, here are the details to book – Alpha Hotel Motel, 33 Shakespeare St, Alpha QLD 4724. Phone: 07 4985 1311. Cheers, Stuart.
FIND THEM!
G’day Stuart, It was good to catch up with you at last year’s motorcycle show in Sydney.
Spoke to you re interesting mail boxes I have seen on various trips I have done.
Thought I might share a photo of one I recently crossed paths with and wondered if other readers have photos of unusual mail boxes they have seen on their travels.
Don’t want to take over your mag but if you have some entries and some space you might consider publishing some. Thanks for your good work, wish I could join you. All the best, Ezio
PS. The photos were taken on the Mafra Rd heading south just out of Cooma, N.S.W.
Think you’ve got a better mailbox you’ve seen on your travels? Well, send a brief description and photo into us and we’ll give it a run! Email them to contactus@ausmotorcyclist.com.au Cheers, Stuart. D
R 1200 R
R
R 1200 RS
R 1200
K 1600 B
K 1600 GT
K
$22,500
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K 1600 GTL $37,990
K 1600 GTL Elegance
$40,490 adv SpoRt
S 1000 XR
$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
$12,890
$16,940
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$27,250
$27,250
$24,890
$29,585
$14,150
C 650 GT $14,990
CAN-AM (BRP) www.brp.com
*All prices are ride away
Road
Spyder RS SM5 $19,990
Spyder RS S Red SE5
Spyder RS S Wht SE5
F3S SM5
F3S SE5
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
CF MOTO www.cf-moto.com.au
Road
HARLEY-DAVIDSON
HUSQVARNA
www.husqvarna-motorcycles.com/au
INDIAN
www.indianmotorcycles.com.au
*All Indian Motorcycle prices are ride away
CRuiseR
KAWASAKI
www.kawasaki.com.au Road
Ninja 300 ABS
Ninja 300 SE ABS
Ninja 400
Versys 650/L ABS
Ninja 650/L ABS
Ninja 650/L KRT Edition
Z650L ABS
Ninja ZX-6R
Ninja ZX-6R 636 KRT
Z900RS Café
Z1000 ABS
Ninja ZX-10R KRT
Ninja ZX-10R ABS KRT
Ninja ZX-10RR
Ninja ZX-14R ABS
Scooter Address
Burgman 200
Burgman 650
SWM
www.swmmotorcycles.com.au
road Gran Turismo
Silver Vase 440
SM 650 R
TRIUMPH
www.triumphmotorcycles.com.au
*Some Triumph prices are ride away
$2490
Daytona 675 R
Bonneville Street Twin
Bonne Bobber Black
Bonne Street Cup
T100
T100 Black
Bonneville T120
Bonneville T120 Black
$7490
NOICE, UNUSUAL, DIFFERENT
I’D LOVE TO be able to say that about the most recent road safety initiative announced in New South Wales. Sadly, it isn’t any of those things; it’s more of the same. To counter the alleged danger that trucks pose on our highways, more ‘safety barriers’, that is wire rope barriers, will be installed. This might do some good because it will stop cars from careening across the road and having head-ons with trucks, but it’s been demonstrated that these barriers don’t stop trucks. Check YouTube if you don’t believe me.
And they are viciously dangerous for motorcyclists; not so much the wires as the posts.
There will be more point-to-point cameras, too, for trucks; inexplicably in Sydney, not in the country and other “tough new road safety measures” to reduce speeding and drink/drug driving. For instance, “people convicted of mid-range drink-driving would be forced to use alcohol-testing devices built into their vehicles.” Right, right, of course it’s impossible to bypass those, like with the help of a friend – not. As well, an “inter-agency working group was assessing whether people should be allowed to drive while using prescription drugs.” Oh, yeah, that’ll be fun. I hope they don’t catch me when I’ve just scoffed a couple of Panadol Osteo. And how does the gummint expect to “put a plan in place that
will crack down on … driver distraction and fatigue”?
“Sir, going by the smile on your face you were obviously thinking about something other than driving…”
To be fair, there is one new initiative that really is “noice, unusual, different”, and that’s setting up ‘safety’ cameras so they can spot drivers on the phone. I do wonder about the effi cacy of this, but anything that gets the morons to dump their ear candy is a good thing, in my opinion.
But most of the ‘initiatives’ are same-old, same-old. And the improvement in the fatality rate up to 2016 was largely due to things that Our Glad did not mention in her impassioned speech. They include improved roads, both surface condition and alignment; improved physical safety features in cars, including both active (brakes) and passive ones (air bags); and vastly improved electronics in cars, trucks and motorcycles. So what caused the uptick in deaths to 392 in 2017? I don’t know, but keep in mind that the number of vehicles on the roads and
the kilometres driven/ridden have increased substantially since 2010, which was the last time we had so many fatalities. And keep in mind that the state of the economy, especially the rural economy, has something to do with road deaths, because some of them are suicides. Was 2017 an especially tough year on the land? I don’t know that either, but has anyone tried to quantify it?
Have you ever seen a cat that’s been prevented from doing something or other, like leaping up on a couch or scratching a table leg? As likely as not, the cat will start grooming or licking itself. This is called ‘displacement behaviour’. Governments, when they’re prevented by ignorance from addressing a problem effectively, will turn to displacement behaviour and address another problem entirely. So-called ‘safety’ wire rope barriers are not effective; they won’t stop a truck and they won’t even stop a 4WD (as demonstrated in Queensland). They don’t effectively address the problem of keeping traffi c separated. After all, more and more of them are being put up –and still more and more people are dying on the roads. But they do address another problem very effectively, namely the problem of voters thinking that the gummint isn’t doing anything about road deaths.
Displacement behavior, and it’s playing with your life. Don’t settle for more of the same; demand that the pollies, sorry, parliamentarians, come up with some evidence-based road safety efforts. Not piling on more ineffective schemes just to look good. D
ADVERTISERS LISTING
BORIS
THE BIKERS’ CODE
YOU’VE HEARD of this, right?
And maybe you’ve nodded your head and clapped like a retard at a dog circus, and thought: “Yeah, the Bikers’ Code! That’s what it’s all about. That’s what I’m all about.”
But because this is what you thought, I’m going to kick you in the metaphorical cods so hard, you’ll need a curtain rod shoved down your neck get them back down.
There is no Bikers’ Code.
There has never been a Bikers’ Code. Yes, I know social media will tell you there is, but there isn’t. Social media will also tell you the earth is flat. The Bikers’ Code is bullshit wishful thinking at best and cynical click-bait at worst.
I’m not the only one who makes sport of those with less than the proper amount of chromosomes, you know.
It’s actually a bit sad and more than a little pathetic – especially seeing as it’s precisely the kind of Disneyland nonsense enthusiastically promulgated by decrepit grey-haired outlaw wannabes and those living-sightgag hipsters whose genitals are so compressed in girl-jeans they need to sprout beards so we know they’re males.
The only thing those two gerbil clans have in common is they’re all about the look rather than the ride. And as a consequence, neither can ride bikes
very well, so they tend to concentrate on this kind of twee existential mythology to make them feel better about themselves.
So no Bikers’ Code, OK?
There is no set of rules to this motorcycling thing. Nothing has been codified and nothing ever will be. It does not work like that.
The amount of fun motorcycling gives you is largely governed by you not being a massive camo-pantswearing, thumb-gripping, headnodding, respect-demanding knobulcer, and it works like this…
Shake my hand like a human being. You can shove that thumb-grabbing bro bullshit into the same sewer you should throw your merit-badgecovered vest into.
Stop expecting other riders to nod at you when you’re on your bike. If you need validation via the acknowledgment of strangers, or if you think you share some kind of mystical unicorn bond because he rides a bike and you ride a bike, then you should be lashed like disobedient circus animal.
Respect is something that is always earned and never just offered to you because you ride a motorcycle. Your choice of transport does not automatically entitle you to another rider’s respect. Or anyone’s respect.
Your fellow riders are not bound by immutable Biker Laws to stop and see if you’re alright when you’re parked on the side of the road. It doesn’t matter where your helmet is placed, or even if you have it pushed deep inside your colon.
If you’re visibly in distress and waving people down, then sure, I will stop. Just as I will always stop if I see you on the side of the road somewhere isolated. But if you’ve pulled over on the side of an urban freeway, you’re on your own, chief. I’ve got places to be and things to do. Call
your mates if you need a ute. Your missus is not off-limits. If she is acting like a single girl then she will be treated like a single girl. If you don’t like that, then your argument is with her, not the bloke whose lap she is sitting on.
You are not a modern-day knight of the road, OK? I know you might have read that somewhere and it resonated with you because you’re a little bit simple in the head because maybe your parents were siblings, but you’re not any kind of knight. Neither are any of the other blokes you see on bikes. They, like you, are just blokes with motorcycles. You may ride better than them, or they may ride better than you. But their motorcycling skill set, just like your motorcycling skill-set, does not in any way reflect what kind of a person you are. You may have the riding skills of Rossi and be the biggest shitwad in the world, in which case, piss on you and get out of my face with your infantile Bikers’ Code expectations.
Are you crunching up your face while you’re reading this?
Diddums.
It sucks being told you’re not special after you’ve spent all this time thinking you are, and imagining you belong to some secret-squirrel two-wheeled brotherhood codified by set rules, expectations, and behaviours.
But what if I told you that such motorcycling fraternities do indeed exist?
Of course, it’s unlikely you would ever be permitted to join such an organisation, and it’s doubtful you’d even want to because…well, because there is a price to be paid for that kind of thing. And most of you, probably about 99 per cent, simply don’t have the stones to pay that price.
So instead you live a lie – or a series of lies about loyalty, honour, brotherhood, respect. And you give this lie a name. You call it the Bikers’ Code.
You’d be better off calling it the Delusion of Dropkicks. It’s far more appropriate and entirely accurate. D
Expand your comfort zone
The Multistrada 1260 truly maximises the concept of versatility. The new 1262 cc Ducati Testastretta DVT engine increases torque at low revs, with new chassis and cutting-edge electronics, take control and ease of riding to an all-new level. The new high resolution TFT colour dashboard guarantees quick access to the Riding Mode providing on-the-fly control, comfort and performance. The pleasure of riding becomes a sense of well-being, travelling is turned intoan experience and performance becomes pure emotion: expand your comfort zone.
