The new Bonneville Speedmaster builds on the authentic Triumph classic custom heritage with all of the classic DNA from the Bonneville family and the Bobber’s unique attitude. With a host of signature styling touches, such as the headlight nacelle detailing and twin chrome exhaust system, coupled with the critically acclaimed 1200cc Bonneville engine, and the unmistakable Bobber tune; the new Speedmaster is as beautiful to look at as it is to ride.
DARKER, MEANER, STRONGER.
As thrilling to look at as it is to ride, the new Bonneville Bobber Black takes the iconic Bonneville line-up to a whole new level.
This exhilarating new model features all of the Bobber's beautifully minmalist iconic style, elegant engineering innovation, class-defining capability, and amazing ride and sound - but adds a more aggressive attitude with blacked-out detailing and an even higher level of features
WINTER GEAR
No one likes cold toast – stay warm!
KAWASAKI NINJA 400
Ready to slice and dice the competition
ROYAL ENFIELD RUMBLER 350
Be different… rumble
YAMAHA RD900
The XSR reinvents the classic RD
DUCATI PANIGALE 959 v
In cold weather a good rule is to light your fire first before doing anything else. It is always more sensible to keep yourself warm rather than trying to thaw yourself out later.
EDITORIAL
Yes,
GRIZZLING
Well,
Getting
The
Channelling
CLASSICAL
Editor Stuart Woodbury
Contributing Editor J Peter Thoeming
Sales Manager Ralph Leavsey-Moase ralph@ausmotorcyclist.com.au
Photo Editor Nick Wood
Designer Amy Hale
Photographers Nick Wood Photography, Half-Light Photography
Contributors Robert Crick, Jacqui Kennedy, Robert Lovas, Boris Mihailovic, Chris Pickett, The Possum, Colin Whelan, Bob Wozga
Australian Motorcyclist Magazine is published by Australian Motorcyclist Magazine Pty Ltd. Suite 4b, Level 1, 11-13 Orion Rd, Lane Cove West NSW 2066 Phone 0412 220 680.
This publication is copyright. Other than for the purposes of research, study, criticism, review, parody or satire and subject to the conditions prescribed under the Copyright Act 1968, no part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted without the prior written permission of Australian Motorcyclist Magazine Pty Ltd. Opinions expressed within this publication do not necessarily represent those of Australian Motorcyclist Magazine Pty Ltd. No responsibility is accepted by Australian Motorcyclist Magazine Pty Ltd or the editor for the accuracy of any statement, opinion or advice contained in the text or advertisements. Readers should rely on their own enquiries in making decisions tailored to their own interest.
We encourage you to keep or recycle this magazine.
EDITORSPEAKS
IT’S AMAZING what can be hiding in someone’s garage. Take, for example, the bike I had the pleasure of working on recently at D Moto Motorcycle Engineering. It’s a Bimota YB4 EI which was raced by New Zealander, Andrew Stroud at the Manfield NZ World Superbike round in 1988. This was the first year of the World Superbike Championship and the bikes had to remain very similar to their road going version, including the tail lights, just without the wiring and globes.
This particular YB4 I worked on is being recommissioned as a running ex-world superbike and is to be sold by its current owner, Marty. Marty bought the bike from Shanton Racing NZ back in 1989 and basically it has sat in his shed ever since. If you went out to the International Festival of Speed you will have seen it in the flesh and if you want to buy it, it is waiting for you. Give me a call if you’re interested and I’ll pass you on.
If you did come out to Sydney Motorsport Park you will have seen ex-IoM TT winner, Cam Donald riding my FZR1000 in the QBE Superbike Shootout Top 50 races. Cam was behind the eight ball in comparison to the competition as he hadn’t ridden the bike before and with the practice being a washout with rain most of the day, his dry riding time was virtually zilch. Still, Cam rode amazingly well considering the very limited setup time and finished up 6th in the QBE
Superbike Shootout Top 50 in Period 6 Unlimited and about 10th or so overall. Did you see the news a couple of weeks ago about a driverless Uber motor vehicle that didn’t recognise a pushbike rider, killing her in a collision? This has raised lots of unanswered questions for any manufacturer looking at developing a driverless car – what about motorcycles (and pushbikes)? It seems as though they might not be picked up by the vehicle’s cameras and computers. That poses a very grave danger for all of us on two wheels. I have said before that these vehicles wouldn’t necessarily pick up a motorcycle and it appears as though my thoughts are pretty much on the money.
Will things change? We can only hope. Anyone injured or worse, killed, by a driverless car while riding a motorcycle will be hurt unnecessarily. Sure, some of you might say, well, it’s no different to a driver who doesn’t see you – but I think it is different. After all, how many deaths have resulted from lane filtering to date? Not many and those that have, might well have been a combination of rider error and driver error. I’d love to hear your thoughts on this – send me an email at stuart@ausmotorcyclist.com.au
BLINDING RECORD
BEN FELTEN REWRITES THE BOOKS
Ben Felten has overcome uncertain weather conditions and clinical blindness to break both the Guinness World Record and FIM records for the highest speed for a motorcycle ridden blindfolded (pending ratification), on his standard Kawasaki Ninja ZX-10R.
The Blaxland, NSW man, completed his record breaking feat at the FIM sanctioned World Speed Trials Australia 2018, held directly after the Speed Week 2018 event at Lake Gairdner salt flats in South Australia. He set his best result of 266.685 km/h average speed for a two way run (pending ratification), beating the Guinness World Record by a total of 1.355 km/h. The official records broken were the Guinness World Record for fastest speed for a motorcycle ridden blindfolded and the FIM 1000cc Class Naturally Aspirated / Gasoline / Partial Streamline (fairings) Designated Blindfolded (both pending ratification). Former Australian MotoGP Racer, Kevin Magee (Magoo), assisted Ben Felten with the navigation of his Ninja ZX-10R.
VALE IVANO BEGGIO
FOUNDER OF APRILIA PASSES Piaggio Group and Aprilia affectionately and respectfully remember Ivano Beggio, founder of Aprilia, who passed away during the night (13 March) at the age of 73, says the note we received –and we agree entirely.
For Roberto Colaninno, CEO and Managing Director of the Piaggio Group (of which Aprilia has been a
Aaron Morris riding the Period 6 Unlimited C&M Motorcycle Yamaha FZR1000; Aaron set a blistering 1.34.367! Not bad for a 30 year old motorcycle!
SHARE YOUR MEMORIES SHANNONS INSURANCE
part since 2004) said: “Ivano Beggio succeeded in combining the skills and courage of an entrepreneur with creativity and a genuine passion for motorcycles. He was a visionary ahead of his time and the extraordinary combination of these factors allowed him to create, practically from nothing, one of the most brilliant stories in the Italian motorcycle industry, making a dream come true. Continuing to race and improve the Aprilia brand around the world is the best way to honour his memory.”
MORE RECORDS TUMBLE INTERNATIONAL FESTIVAL OF SPEED
We’ll do a full report on the recent International Festival of Speed but the big news in the QBE Superbike Shootout Top 50 races was the unbelievable new outright lap record set by current ASBK superbike racer,
Where is everyone?
Over your lifetime there may have been a special car or bike that is recalled more fondly than the others, by you and your family. Memories of that vehicle are talked about more often than any other and have left an indelible mark on your family history. In fact, it may have been regarded as one of the family! These are the motor memories Shannons want you to share for your chance to win.
There is $6000 worth of fuel vouchers on offer plus Survivor Car Magazine subscriptions, so start uploading your
family Motor Memory now. The ‘Weekly’ and ‘Major’ prizes will be awarded by Shannons, so make sure your entry provides the judges with an insight into why you chose it and your recollections about the vehicle. Shannons Club Members will decide who takes home the ‘Category’ prize, so take a browse through the entries and vote on your favourites. Share your entry with friends and family and make sure they vote for your entry. To enter you must be a Shannons Club member, visitwww.shannons.com. au/club/register D
Tuck in Stuart!
“POPULAR” IS A WORD that can be (and has been) stretched quite a bit over the years but labelling the Kawasaki Ninja 250, 300 and now 400 as “popular” would be an understatement. They have sold massively across the globe and have cult followings. As for the other manufacturers trying to compete against the outgoing Ninja 300: Kawasaki has sliced them in half with the new Ninja 400’s Katana. No, wait… you know what I mean.
Released in 2008, the Ninja 250R took the world by storm as a top-class package with racy Ninja styling in a fun and friendly package. I dare say that a number of you reading this now learnt to ride on a Ninja 250.
Four years later the Ninja 300 was released and became even more popular, leading as the top selling motorcycle in a number of markets/segments. Young riders had to have a “Ninja” and were seen as lesser beings if they didn’t have Kawasaki green running through their blood. The 300 also spawned a number of race series around the world. I raced a round at Sydney Motorsport Park, getting 2nd in the FOB (Fat Old Bastard) class a couple of years ago. As
Wobbling around in the rain
good as a road bike the 300 was, on the track its softer (more flexible) frame and smallish front disc were pushed to their limits. I remember having a new front disc fitted for every race and going into turn two, flicking into turn three at SMSP and thinking I’d booked a cruise on the Fairstar!
With the latest competition from the likes of the Yamaha R3 and KTM RC390, Kawasaki’s Project Leader Kuni-San felt that smashing the competition back into the ground was the only way to get back on top. Boy, he (and his team) have done an amazing job – the new Ninja 400 is two times the bike of the competition. Big call, but it’s a great bike.
The Ninja 400 is all-new with the trellis frame following the design of the supercharged H2. An “advanced analysis” was used to get optimum rigidity with light weight and gone is the flex of the 300 frame – even the fork brace has been removed as the frame and larger 41mm (previously 39mm) forks offer the right rigidity and feedback. The engine is rigid mounted and used as a stressed member. The new frame design contributes significantly to the bike’s low curb mass. Like the Ninja H2, the new Ninja 400 features a swingarm mounting plate, allowing the swingarm to be fixed to the rear of the engine. This contributes to stability and also saves weight by eliminating the need for heavy frame cross-members.
No better place to test the feel of a frame than to flog it around a racetrack and that’s exactly what I got to do during the launch. Lakeside Raceway is a rough old track and ripping it into the “Bus Stop” certainly tests whether a frame will stand up to its claims, or not. In this instance the Ninja 400 was fast on the change of direction and didn’t flex. There was also plenty of feedback so you could explore the limits of the tyres. The first couple of sessions were on the standard tyre, then we got onto some super sticky Dunlops. The 400 lapped up the extra grip and you could chuck it into a corner quite hard without feeling as if you were on a boat. So, anyone wanting to race in the Supersport 400 class, grab a Ninja and you’ll be seconds a lap faster - instantly.
A tried and true parallel twin continues to motovate the Ninja 400. It is however all-new and punches out significantly more power and torque than the 300. Even compared to the race series Ninja 300s, the new 400 has extra power and torque. The higher performance can largely be credited to the new downdraft intake, which is accompanied by a larger airbox for increased intake efficiency. The increased performance is complemented by a rider-friendly character; smooth response and abundant low-end torque – great for new riders, and/or experienced riders who are after a great city/ commuter bike.
An assist and slipper clutch is featured with the clutch lever pull as light as a feather: this allows any strength rider to enjoy the 400.
Braking has come under the spotlight and the Ninja 400 is claimed to have the largest brake disc in its class and I don’t doubt this. I never ran out of braking performance during my time roaring around Lakeside. ABS is fitted although
you do have to work the lever pretty hard to get it activated.
Ergonomics are relaxed and friendly for a wide range of riders. The front of the seat is tapered in so that even short legged people can get a foot flat on the ground. The bodywork offers good protection, even for tall giraffes. The clip-on handlebars (when compared to the 300’s) are slightly narrower and lower for a more sporty look, while still being at a very comfortable setting.
Kawasaki offers a good range of genuine accessories like a 30mm higher seat, taller screen, rim tape, radiator cover, DC outlet, a very comfortable
1. Special appearance 1
The Ninja 400 Project Leader, Mr Kuni-San
Special appearance
– 3 x WSBK Champion, Jonathon Rea!
SPECS
KAWASAKI NINJA 400
PRICE: $7699 (ride away)
WARRANTY: Two years, unlimited distance
frame sliders, seat cowl, tank bag and tank pad – all useful in making the 400 more personal to your liking.
Styling has always been one of the big sellers with the Ninja bikes and the 400 takes cues from both the 300 and big boy H2. The package presented is simply beautiful. Boy racers will be very proud to show off their Ninja 400 to get the girls and the all-important ‘pub factor’ is there in spades, so that when you pull up at the lights other motorcyclists are looking at you and your ride.
Kawasaki has fitted LED lights, high quality finished paintwork and the instrument panel also gives a high class feel, being the same one fitted to the Ninja 650. All the features you’d look for are there, including a gear indicator and shift-up indicator. Further adding
to the quality of the 400, Kawasaki has included a machined upper triple clamp, fork caps have a champagne-gold finish and careful consideration was given to wire routing for a tidy cockpit area –again contributing to the bike’s highclass, high-quality image.
To achieve a Black Belt in any form of martial arts is outstanding. To then move on and become a Master, Sensei, or Grand Master is restricted to a handful of people around the world. These Masters push further than just a black belt and achieve levels of “Dan”, of which you can go as high as ten – the Kawasaki Ninja 400 has hit level ten and will dance rings around the competition. It’s time to get your ‘Ninja’ on! D
COLOURS: Lime Green/Ebony (KRT), Metallic Spark Black, Candy Burnt Orange/Metallic Magnetic Gray/Metallic Spark Black
VERDICT: THE HIGHEST OF BLACK BELTS
Ugly bunch (well, most of them)
WINTER GLOVE COLLECTION
GORE-TEX® gloves are durably waterproof, windproof and highly breathable –guaranteed. Water stays on the outside while perspiration can easily escape from the inside. Less moisture is trapped in the insulation, so it remains drier thus keeping hands warmer. The result: enduring weather protection and personal comfort, balanced heat transfer and optimum moisture management –even in harsh conditions. Your hands stay warmer when it‘s cold, and drier when you perspire.
With it's special structure, the hydrophilic membrane applied to D-Dry® fabric ensures a perfect waterproof seal while permitting remarkable breathability that promotes the elimination of the moisture produced by the body. This technical material was developed by D-Tec® to ensure the the maximum comfort under di erent weather conditions.
Start your winter gear shopping now!
Before you know it, winter and the cooler riding months will be upon us. As most motorcyclists know, this means
that you should get the right riding gear to keep yourself warm. The Bear has just been riding in America in -1 temperatures and he seconds that
enthusiastically! So we thought it was about the right time to give you a look at what’s new and warm so you’re prepared for the old cold. SW
DRIRIDER
www.dririder.com.au
SPRINT JACKET - $369.95
An all season sport jacket made from 900 Denier polyester with carbon shoulder cups, CE armour with hi-density foam back pad, D30 CE back and chest protectors available as optional extras, waterproof and breathable liner, removable 100g thermal liner, mesh comfort liner, microfi bre inner collar, neoprene top collar, air-vent system, arm and waist adjusters, stretch panels, 2 outer and 3 inner pockets, four colours and sizes XS-4XL.
VORTEX PRO TOUR
JACKET - $499.95
All season touring jacket with the main shell featuring multi panel construction polyester 900D reinforced with 1200D shoulders and elbows, tefl on fabric protective coating, removable wind collar, internal impact protection provided by removable CE armour in shoulders and elbows, hidensity foam back pad (D30 Viper CE Level 2 back protector available as an accessory), removable waterproof and breathable liner, removable 140g Dupont thermal liner, ventilation system, poly mesh internal comfort liner, soft collar lining, pre-curved sleeves, buckle waist and arm adjustment, accordion stretch inserts, multiple storage pockets and hand warmer pockets and expander zips in waist. Available in black, sizes S–8XL. Eight! Brilliant!
VIVID 2 LADIES
JACKET - $299.95
waist expander zips, stretch panels and 2 outer and 3 inner pockets. Comes in a range of colours and sizes 6–22.
ANDY STRAPZ
HELMET LINER - $32
Outer shell made from 900D polyester and 600D diamond ripstop, CE armour with hi-density foam back pad, waterproof and breathable liner, removable 100g thermal liner, mesh comfort liner, microfi bre inner collar, neoprene top collar, air-vent system, arm and waist adjusters,
It’s amazing what a thin layer of superfi ne merino will do under a helmet, and I mean that in a good way. It can help keep the helmet cleaner, your head warmer (and cooler in hot conditions) and generally more comfortable. Made in Andy’s Melbourne facility. In black with orange thread trim.
HELIX MIDLAYER
JACKET - $295
It costs how much! As a fi rst reaction, I guess we are all gunna do that. Now that Andy and his team have lived in them for a while they reckon they are worth every cent and more. Just don’t lose the bloody thing! The perfect inside layer needs to be light, breathable and regulate temperature, made of natural fi bres where possible, a bit slippery to move inside the jacket, presentable for evening wear, high warmth for weight ratio, windproof, easily washed and quick to dry, long lived, easy to get a jacket over...and off, cosy, with hand warmer pockets, long in the arms and Andy reckons they have ticked all those boxes with the Icebreaker Helix jacket.
THERMALZ BOTTOM - $93
The Mother of Invention usually drives Andy’s design approach. These strides are the result of an unsuccessful search for motorcyclist’s friendly underdaks.
Made of the same superfi ne merino cloth as the tops they feature sewn in Boxer shorts, high cut back, wide comfy waist band and long ankle cuffs to cope with boots, socks and riding pants. Made in-house and available in male; generous sizes S to XL and female; SW, MW and LW.
HELD BIKER FASHION
www.heldaustralia.com.au
RAINBLOCK TOP - $150
Outer shell made from 2.5 layers of stretch fabric and features breathability, 2 external pockets, 1 inner pocket, Velcro closure at wrists, small pack size, Held clip-in technology, refl ective sections and includes a bag. Available in black or black/fl uorescent yellow and sizes S-5XL.
RAINBLOCK BASE - $150
Outer shell made from 2.5 layers of stretch fabric and features breathability, elasticated waist, zips
and Velcro at ankles, Held clip-in technology, anti-slip seat patch for better comfort and control, small pack size, refl ective sections and includes a bag. Available in black or black/fl uorescent yellow and sizes S-5XL.
KAWASAKI
www.kawasaki.com.au or your local dealer
KRT WSBK SWEATSHIRT - $110
Seats
Helmet
Riding Suits
Ribbed cuffs and a high neck zipper keep you warm and ready to go. Offi cial KRT logos and sponsor patches will have you walking tall in true KRT style. Made from 80% cotton, 20% polyester. Sizes range from S-4XL.
KRT WSBK PANTS - $90
Head for victory with your offi cial KRT cap – team spirit included.
MACNA www.linkint.com.au/macna
MACNA EIGHTY ONE JACKET - $349.95
Show up on the job where nothing will stand in your way. These pants are comfortable with utility pockets and are made from 100% cotton. Available in sizes 28-42.
KRT WSBK CAP - $40
Urban looks in a safe, warm and waterproof construction. When it gets warmer, just remove the thermo liner. This jacket also features Safetech CE shoulder and elbow armour, 2 layer system with fi xed Raintex waterproof and breathable membrane, night eye refl ection on the sides and is available either Blue or Brown.
MACNA COMMAND PLUS JACKET - $299.95
No fuss with the Command Plus. It has a short cut, a classic style and is waterproof. When it’s warm, the thermal layer can be detached and the ventilation panels zipped open. Urban looks in a warm and waterproof construction. Also has air vents in the chest and back and is available in Black, Dark Camo or Brown Camo.
MACNA SEKTOR JACKET - $399.95
As a versatile all-round touring jacket, the Sektor is ready for all weather conditions. Features include a 2 layer jacket with fi xed Raintex waterproof and breathable membrane, plus a zip out thermo liner, refl ection on chest and back plus Safe Tech CE armour protection, SCS lite ventilation system with air vents on chest, arms
and back and comes in Black/Grey, Ivory/Grey/Blue or Olive/White.
MERLIN
www.linkint.com.au/merlin
STAFFORD JACKET - $449
Part of the 2018 Merlin Heritage Wax collection the Stafford jacket is ready to integrate the Merlin CE level 2 airbag (sold separately). Comes with original Halley Stevensons, Scottish silkwax waxed cotton outer, removable Reissa waterproof membrane and thermal liner with Marton Mills Tartan
SPECIAL FEATURE Winter Gear
Panels, Italian CE Level 1 shoulder and elbow armour from Safetech rear armour pocket, ventilation points on chest, sleeve and back and is available in black or brown.
HAYWOOD ‘SHIRT’ JACKET - $329
With a custom rider style, the Haywood jacket is a combination of denim and chequered cotton. Behind the combination outer of denim and cotton is a 100% DuPont Kevlar fi bre twill protective lining through the whole garment. CE approved armour can be found in the shoulders and elbow with a pocket in the back ready to take a
back protector. Available in Dark blue/Red or Light blue/grey.
TRIUMPH MOTORCYCLES
www.triumph motorcycles.com.au or your local dealer
BRECON JACKET
Two jackets in one with a nonwaterproof lightweight 500
denier outer jacket. The waterproof, removable inner jacket has 3-layer Goretex. Storm cuffs, air vents, CE armour, loads of vents, loads of pockets and heaps of adjustments. Available in Olive/Black and sizes XS-3XL.
BRECON PANTS
500 Denier lightweight outer jean with a removable Goretex liner, 3D mesh liner for comfort, cam belt buckle, CE armour and
loads of pockets and adjustability. Available in Olive/Black and sizes 28-42.
BRECON GLOVES
3D mesh for maximum airfl ow and made from 500D Kordora with wrist adjustment, precurved fi ngers, stretch Nyspan outer fabric, goat leather palm, CE certifi ed, D30 smart skin knuckles, leather overlays to protect side wall, index fi nger with conductive technology for use with smart phones and navigation systems and stretch panelling details. Available in sizes XS-3XL.
KLIM
www.adventuremoto.com.au
BADLANDS PRO JACKET - $1495
The Klim Badlands Pro Jacket incorporates breakthroughs in armour impact, armour coverage, comfort, performance, ventilation, storage, all-weather functionality, abrasion resistance, durability and visibility. There’s a reason it’s one of the top adventure jackets out there.
HARLEY-DAVIDSON
www.harley-davidson.com.au or your local dealer
Waterproof in all seasons, the H-D triple vent system Worden riding jacket also offers optimal cooling for when the skies clear and temps heat up. The patented triple vent system incorporates three strategically placed vents on each side of the body for versatile and customisable airfl ow. This women’s textile motorcycle jacket is fully loaded with functional features to keep you comfortable on the road. Available in sizes XS-2XL.
RUTLAND RIDING JACKET$528.95 - $583.95
Waterproof to weather the storm, the H-D triple vent system Rutland riding jacket also offers optimal cooling for when the skies clear and temps heat up. The patented triple vent system incorporates three strategically placed vents on each side of the body for versatile and customisable airfl ow. This men’s textile motorcycle jacket is fully loaded with functional features to keep you in the saddle. Available in sizes S-5XL.
WORDEN RIDING JACKET - $465.95 - $504.95
WIND RESISTANT FLEECE/NEOPRENE
FACE MASK$47.95
Don’t expect Mother Nature to play nice with the weather forecast. Pack the wind-resistant fl eece/ neoprene face mask just in case. This lightweight motorcycle face mask incorporates two high-
www.cassons.com.au
D-CYCLONE
JACKET - $1299.95
Dainese D-Cyclone jacket brings the best solutions for a sporttouring rider. Lightness, durability and ergonomics are given by the laminated Goretex 2L membrane
and elasticated fabric. There are air vents at the chest and back, and a CE certified Wave G2 back protector is included. Not to mention the extensive amount of other high class features this jacket comes with. Available in Black/Black/ White and sizes 48 – 58.
performance fabrics. The Polartec Wind Pro fl eece neck tube helps block cold while a durable neoprene face mask is punctured with breathing perforations. Adjustable back closure ensures a secure fi t.
GALVESTONE PANTS$419.95
Riders who want to stay warm and dry in inclement weather without sacrifi cing durability needn’t look further than these pants, whose simple look belies the
Carese II | Art. 6450
Gore-Tex® jacket
Torno II | Art. 6460
Gore-Tex® pants
technical features, including a 100% waterproof, breathable Goretex membrane and a removable thermal lining. Available in Black and sizes 46-58.
FREELAND GLOVES - $199.95
Proving that protection and waterproofness needn’t be mutually exclusive, the CE-certifi ed Freeland
has a breathable Goretex membrane, Dexfi l thermal padding and Techno inserts on the knuckles. Other features include smart touch fi ngertips for use with touch screens, and a visor wiper on the left thumb. Available in Black and sizes XS-2XL.
KTM
www.ktm.com.au or your local dealer
PURE ADVENTURE JACKET & PANTS - $599.99 & $399.99
Breathable, wind and waterproof thanks to an integrated Z-liner. Fully ventilated mesh inner lining for maximum air circulation and cooling in extreme conditions. Suitable for use all year round thanks to the removable thermal lining. Removable
SAS-TEC protectors on shoulder, elbow and knees.
RST
www.monzaimports.com.au
RALLYE JACKET - $329.95
Four season jacket that features a removable waterproof liner with breathable membrane, removable quilted thermal liner, CE approved shoulder and elbow protectors, high density foam back pad and multiple zips and adjustment points. Available in sizes S-4XL.
BLADE II CE
JACKET - $299.95
CE level A approved garment which features a Matrix shell with ballistic protection, removable thermal liner, fi xed waterproof liner with breathable membrane, front and rear vents and a pant connection zip. Available in sizes S-4XL.
ADVENTURE III
JACKET - $499.99
A four season jacket which features a removable waterproof liner with breathable membrane, removable quilted thermal liner, CE approved shoulder and elbow protectors, high density foam back pad, multiple zips and adjustment points, removable rear storage pocket and double and triple stitched seams using heavy duty nylon. Available in sizes S-5XL.
The newest evolution of the Rjays All Seasons jacket that features CE armour throughout, super hi-fl ow air mesh ventilation panels, Rjays dual liner system which has separate 100% waterproof and 100% breathable liners, quilted liner, stretch panels, refl ective material, adjustable Velcro waist adjusters with zippered hip fl airs, adjustable arm and cuffs, rubber covered studs and zip to pants feature. Available in a variety of colours and sizes XS-8XL.
PILOT PANTS
- $219.95
Genuine Cordura construction for extremely high abrasion resistance with CE armour, water repellent outer shell with a 100% breathable and waterproof membrane, removable thermal zip out liner and the liner has colour coded attachment loops for easy fi tting, zippered air vents on the thigh,
Velcro waist adjustment, 2 pockets, refl ective panels, rubber studs and zip to pant feature. Available in Black and sizes XS-3XL.
CANYON II JACKET - $229.95
The all new Rjays Canyon II jacket is the perfect sports textile jacket with intergraded high quality silicon and PVC printing which features a tough 600D ballistic nylon construction, removable CE armour and back protector, removable quilted thermal liner, waterproof and breathable, waterproof zippers used on chest vents and pockets, 2 zippered air vents on chest, 2 external and 2 internal pockets, stretch panels, adjustable waist and wrist cuffs with Velcro tabs, refl ective material, soft collar with neoprene trim and adjustable bicep and forearm fasteners. Available in two colours and sizes XS-3XL.
OXFORD
www.fi ceda.com.au
HOTGRIPS PREMIUM
RETRO – from $149.95
Oxford HotGrips are the original and, they tell us, the best. The premium range is the result of
over 30 years of research and development by British engineers and motorcyclists. The grips have ergonomically engineered surface structures to optimise riding performance and feature soft, grippy diamond tread for comfort and rider feedback, grip length that can be trimmed if required and open ends so that bar end weights can be fi tted. The intelligent heat controller uses a sealed-for-life welded case construction for long-term durability and weather proofi ng; 5 heat settings give the perfect operating temperature with LED lights to indicate the level with subdued colours, the battery saving mode protects against fl at batteries - if you
forget to turn the switch off, it will do it for you - and thanks to their unique expandable design and foolproof wiring loom, HotGrips are extremely easy to fi t. The Bear used them back in 1980 and loved them then.
RUKKA
www.innotesco.com.au
ARMAXIS JACKET - $1455
The “Armaxis” outer jacket offers protection thanks to highly abrasion resistant, durably waterproof and highly breathable Armacor threelayer laminate. For less exposed parts, a laminate with fl exible
Cordura or highly comfortable elastic Cordura is used. Ventilation zippers beneath the front pockets and in the back deliver effective cooling. A soft neoprene collar and a removable storm collar optimise wearing comfort, adjusters on the sleeves optimise the fi t. Six pockets – two inside, four on the outside – offer ample storage space. The external jacket is equipped with CE certifi ed Rukka D3O Air protectors on the elbows, shoulders and in the back. The removable “Armaxis” inner jacket is an elastic softshell jacket with a Gore Windstopper membrane and a cosy inner lining. It has four pockets and is great to wear on its own as a sport and casual jacket thanks to its style and perfect fi t. Available in Black and sizes 46-62.
IMATRA GLOVES - $340
Thanks to thin but highly effective wadding with temperature regulating Outlast, these attractive leather gloves ensure the hands stay warm even in cold air without impeding the fi ne touch on levers and switches. Features include a durably waterproof and breathable GoreTex membrane, practical wiper on the left-hand index fi nger, highly abrasion resistant leather, integrated detailing for knuckles, scaphoid and fi ngers as well as by the joint strap that connects the little fi nger to the ring fi nger. Sturdy Velcro strips on the cuff and wrist provide for perfect fi t of the gloves. In addition, touchscreen fi ngertips for thumbs and index fi ngers allow operating a
GPS system or a smart phone with gloves on.
Available in red and white, high-vis yellow or grey the black and sizes 6-14.
ORBITA WOMENS SUIT
$1215 & $915
Gore-Tex stretch laminate, removable lining and lady sized Rukka D3O protectors – the new Rukka two-part suit “Orbita” offers maximum protection, maximum features and optimum comfort in any weather. The jacket is available in sizes 34 through 50, the trousers are available in regular length (34 through 46), extra short (34 through 50) and extra long (36 through 42). Jacket and trousers come in Black, optionally with grey or pink piping.
COMPANERO WORLD
2 SUIT - $1905 (jacket), $1260 (pants)
Touratech’s Compañero World2 adventure riding suit for men and women features high-tech protection and comfort features for all climates. The Compañero Worldwide was developed seven years ago. It featured an “All Weather Add” waterproof and breathable outer layer on top of an airy inner “summer” suit with protectors fi tted. While the basics are the same in the Compañero World2, it has been adapted based on customer feedback and advances in textiles such as Cordura Air, which has improved air fl ow. The overjacket is now made of lighter and rugged three-layer laminate by W. L. Gore. The World2 has two front air vents with YKK Aquaseal zippers for a watertight seal and a zippered rear air outlet. The pants now come with
belt loops, more accessible diagonal cargo pockets, zips that go up to the waist so they are easier to put on, and a two-way zipper to make it easier to get into the inner trouser pockets. Available in Black or Fluoro, lengths Short, Standard or Long and a variety of sizes.
GUARDO RAIN OVERGLOVES -
$106.96
The Guardo Rain is a high quality rain-proof overglove made of durable Ripstop Nylon with waterproof membrane and a lightweight polyester lining. Ripstop nylon, a textile material which is particularly tear-resistant due wovenin, reinforced threads, gives these rain gloves their robustness. The membrane is made of polyurethane which repels rainwater reliably, even at high speeds. A special feature is the soft blend of polyester and polyurethane used on the side of the index fi nger and thumb. This makes it possible to effectively wipe water from the helmet visor - a classic, protruding wiper lip is superfl uous. Thanks to the low weight and compact dimensions, you can have your Guardo Rain with you at all times - and be immune to wet surprises. Available in sizes 9-12. D
GET YOUR MOTOR RUNNING
Here’s a thought: don’t consider where you’ve been – but where you haven’t COMPILED BY THE BEAR
SALT SPRAY
The Uyuni Salt Flat is one of the best-known places of Bolivia, and on Exmo Tours’ Machu Picchu & Uyuni Salt Flat motorbike tour you get to ride one of the most fascinating goals for any rider.
“This is a place of surreal aspect from its particular morphology,” says ExMo’s Andrea Sarani. “In very few places in the world is it possible to penetrate physically into a salt flat of such large dimensions and anyone who has never experienced it will inevitably be attracted.
“Reaching the Uyuni Salt Flat
already on its own makes for a pleasing experience: the roads in this whole area are most beautiful and have been very recently asphalted.
“We pass the night in an excellent hotel, built of salt, equipped with spa, sauna, massage centre and every other comfort which our clients could possibly wish for, where we shall toast each other while watching the magnificent sunset over the salt flat.”
These tours run from April to October and Easter, with guided groups or providing rental motorbikes for riders interested in solo experiences. There are also Self
Guided Tours, where, other than the bike renting service, ExMo also books all the hotels and chooses the most scenic spots on the itinerary. Fascinated already? See http://www. exclusivemotorcycletours.com .
ELEGANCE IN ITALY
Here’s an (abbreviated) copy of the most recent Concorso d’Eleganza newsletter. I know that many of you reckon I’ve got the world’s best job etc etc, but I won’t believe that until I can manage to attend one of these events on the shores of Lake Como. As it stands, I simply can’t
European Tour
afford it… and yes, while I think of it, motorcycles are included in the displays. BMW, the sponsor of the event, usually tries to introduce a show special.
“The preparations for the Concorso d’Eleganza Villa d’Este are already well advanced. The motto for this year’s beauty contest on the shores of Lake Como is ‘Hollywood on the Lake’.
“Many winning automobiles from years gone by were eminently equipped for film stardom. Take the Maserati 450S for example that played a leading role in a “Whodunnit” winning “Best of Show” at the Trofeo BMW Group in 2014. In 1956, the factory delivered the car to a certain Tony Parravano in California but he soon disappeared from sight in Mexico.
“The Selecting Committee has already identifi ed more than half of the vehicles that will participate
in the contest in 2018. And the nomination list for the Concorso di Motociclette is steadily fi lling up. Naturally, there are still places waiting to be taken up in the classes for automobiles and motorcycles.”
In case you think you’ve got a chance, the official website for the event is open for online registrations at http:// concorsodeleganzavilladeste.com. Entry tickets can also be reserved on the event website.
A DIFFERENT ROUTE 66
VRTW.World Expeditions has created its own Route 66 – a 66-day journey from Amsterdam to Shanghai. They’re marketing it mainly (but not exclusively) to Harley riders. And in case you’re wondering how to get your bike back to Europe after the ride, return transport is included in the price. For riders that price is 21,500 Euros, while pillions need to
pony up 12,000. It looks like a huge whack but when you look at the cost of some ‘traditional’ holidays, that is actually not bad. It includes hotels, Support Vehicle and team, Roadside Assistance, planning, advice, GPS files, border insurance and paperwork, Chinese permits and logistics.
The countries you will cross are The Netherlands, Germany, Poland, Lithuania, Latvia, Estonia, Russia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan and finally China. Dates are 24.07.2018 - 28.09.2018, distance is 15,395 kilometres “plus your own exploring distances” and the numbers are restricted to only 15. In case you can’t wait to sign up, the website is www. vrtw.world/expeditions/silk66 . The ride is being promoted “for Harley-Davidson and V-twins, as well as ADV and Enduro motorcycles. VRTW have been riding many of these roads for the last 10 years and these days, most roads along our
Motorcycle shipping
routes are now layered with fresh asphalt, so conditions have improved greatly, over the past 10 years alone. The roads are ready - are you?”
Well, good question but perhaps it’s not so much a matter of you – but your bank account! VRTW’s mailing address is VRTW.WORLD Expeditions, Grønsundvej, Stege 4780 Denmark.
GOING NORTH FOR 11 DAYS
“As much as we talk about the incredible riding IN Alaska, we rarely talk about what it’s like to ride TO Alaska,” says Phil from MotoQuest.
“Believe it or not, these are two completely different experiences, and both are very much worthwhile endeavors for any adventurous motorcyclist.
“It’s an 11-day, 2,800-mile journey between Portland, Oregon and Anchorage, Alaska. This is one of our
longest guided adventures in terms of mileage, and as you might expect there is enough wondrous scenery on this route to last a lifetime.
“Our first leg of the trip is spent traveling from Portland, Oregon to the Bavaria-inspired town of Leavenworth, Washington. Along the way you will cross the mighty Columbia River before heading into Gifford Pinchot National Forest.
“As we cross the border into Canada, riders will be treated to landscapes out of a dream. The Fraser Valley in southwestern British Columbia features breathtaking views and world class riding. Easily one of everyone’s favorite stops on this trip (especially after a long day of riding!) is Liard River Hot Springs where you can enjoy a soak in the hot springs.
“Often the most anticipated stop on the North to Alaska Adventure, our visit to Whitehorse is a trip back in time. It includes a full free day, so
you have time to explore the historic mining sites, take in some gold rush history, or take a scenic day ride out to Skagway, Alaska.
“After leaving Whitehorse we ride alongside the Kluane Range and Kluane Lake, both part of Kluane National Park and Reserve in the Yukon Territory. There will be no shortage of postcard-worthy scenery on this portion of the trip as the group makes its way north to Tok, Alaska.
“Something else you will see plenty of during this trip is wildlife. The spring thaw brings out plenty of wild animals, from bison with newborn calves to foxes, moose, caribou, and bears.”
The next North to Alaska Adventure begins on May 16th. Drop a line to info@motoquest. com or see https://www.motoquest. com/ for some of the other rides MotoQuest offers. D
Down on tHe southern coast of Victoria, the Royal Hotel at Portland used to be the favoured watering hole of both the tough working waterside workers and tug crews from the port, and also the blokes from the Borthwick meat works who’d spent their working day with blood on their hands and saw little reason that the evening should be any different!
They didn’t care too much for each other and the endless blues earned the pub the moniker of the Duck and Weave – you needed a degree in both to survive any kind of bout at the bar.
Still one of my favourite pub aliases and I was thinking about it riding around the back streets of Koorawatha, 25kms south of Cowra, searching for remnants of an ex-pub that had no need for a colourful nickname. Its real one was
the evocative enough - “The Bang Bang Hotel”
The Bang Bang was built in 1861 as a travellers’ rest on the main route south to the goldfields at Young, then known as Lambing Flat. There’s a good chance that some of its early guests soon after figured in the infamous racist anti-Chinese riots by members of the Miners’ Protection League at Lambing Flat that same year.
This Miners’ League was a white supremacist group that barred from membership, “Chinese, Japanese, Kanakas, or Afghans or coloured aliens other than Maoris, American negroes, and children of mixed parentage born in Australia” William Spence, one of the founders of the Labor Party later recalled that the violence at the goldfields was, “one of the early developments of democratic feeling in Australia. So strong was it that ... the diggers ... drove the Chinese off the field, some of the pig-tailed heathens losing their lives ... But for the action of the gold diggers and restriction of Chinese immigration by a poll tax and otherwise, Australia would have been practically a Chinese possession.”
But if Mr Liddiard, the Bang Bang’s builder and first publican thought his early customers weren’t too savory, things were about to get worse. In 1864 Ben Hall and his gang held up the pub and later tried to steal some of the horses stabled out back. A pair of local cops drove them off but all the shots missed.
Eighty fi ve years later, the long lamented late Burrowa News interviewed the publican’s son who’d been 7 at the time. He reckoned Ben Hall was a gentleman but that White, one of his gang, was ‘cruel and bloodthirsty’.
His mother allowed Hall into her room to wash and clean up but then discovered he’d helped himself to a few things. “Mother approached Ben and said: ‘You have taken a brooch and two nuggets of gold. I wish you would give them back as they are the only souvenirs of England that I have left.’ Ben promptly
pulled them out of his pocket and gave them back. He also gave back 30/- that his men had taken from the till on the counter.”
Alas the Bang Bang went bung in 50’s and now all that’s left is a cairn with a sign, and a pub a couple of blocks away on the current main drag. All the other shopfronts and businesses closed long ago. The two banks, the servo, the curio shop, the cafes, the post office are now only memories.
When I pull up in the early arvo there’s three blokes at the bar and tall Jonathan behind it. All faces turn and say, g’day and I ask if there’s a room. Sure there is and would I like a drink? I say I’ve been promising myself an end of day bath in the Lachlan so keep me the bed (what time’s dinner?) and I’ll nip up to the low level bridge at Cowra, have a soak and come back.
One of the locals says it’s a pity the river’s not flowing coz the Koorawatha Falls, some 4kms east can’t be beat for a shower and a bath. His mates agree and I put it on the list for next time.
I’d started the day doing some washing and having a swim in the Murray at Wahgunyah and the Lachlan’s water was flowing about the same but a good few degrees cooler. If you come through Cowra and need a dip, head down the back of McDonald’s to the old low bridge, park up and walk in… brilliant!
Three local kids are doing back flips off the bridge and I decline their invites to have a go, opting instead for an easy walk in from the small sandy beach.
Then it’s a short squirt back south and I’m at Koorawatha again, and in the bar it’s a bit busier. A few more faces at the taps, a couple of families out back waiting for dinner, a pair of punters donating to the TAB and two blokes dreaming of a 180 that’s not about to arrive anytime soon at the darts board.
It’s Chicken Schnitty night so I go with one, salad please and can I have it out in the late rays on the front deck? Pip from Cowra is now behind the bar as Jonathon and David look after the meals. She hands me my beer and says they’ll bring dinner out when it’s done.
The sun disappears, the food arrives, my drained glass is replaced as utes pull up, families arrive, single blokes rock up and everyone nods, a quick comment on the gorgeous evening or Super Ten and then they’re inside. Each time the door opens there’s
No bull
This is a fair dinkum pub that doesn’t trade on any idiosyncrasies of the boss or manager. No gimmicks here, just a concentration on making people feel at home.
Bikes can be parked behind a locked gate and once the old sheds are resurrected after being destroyed in a storm a few months back, there’ll be under cover available again.
The rooms don’t have aircon but the windows are all screened and are toward the back of the pub. No truck noise from the highway disturbed my sleep on a quality single bed.
There’s no common room but the small kitchen area had cereals and brew making plus a toaster (but no bread) and the fridge easily took my camelbak bladder in its freezer.
At around 4 hours ride from Sydney, and with the unlimited camping available at the showgrounds nearby, Koorawatha and its pub are a top option for a staging post for a weekend ride. It came in at the middle of our 4 helmet category and at 7/10 on the unique character scale.
increasing laughter and voice noise.
It’s Thursday night and that means darts. Five bucks to enter, winner takes all and about a dozen try their luck, choosing their weapons from sets laid out on the pool table by long time local, Mark.
Saturday and Sunday arvos, another local, Rowena organises the pool comp. It kicks off around 2pm and, with sometimes 40 entrants, can stretch for up to six hours. If you rock up on the weekend, have a crack.
“This is all about community,” explains Dave, Jonathon’s partner. “It’s about getting the locals coming here for an enjoyable, safe time with their families and their friends. And it’s about providing a good comfort stop for travellers and visitors.”
Since they took it over in August 2017 they’ve concentrated on lifting the food quality and improving the ambience of the place. It’s pretty much just one long room with the juke box, darts, pool and three pokies at one end and the bar and the TAB at the other. The dining room is just out the back and the beer garden further behind that.
All the machines and the screens have the sound turned right down so you can actually talk without shouting, hear without straining. I’m tempted to liken it to a big man cave but that’d ignore the evident comfort of the women and families who’re here having a great time (and threatening to take out tonight’s darts title).
dinner Thursday to Sat but anyone
The pub opens at noon each day and closes at 9pm Mon to Wed, at midnight Thurs to Sat and at 10pm on Sundays. The kitchen’s scheduled meals are lunch Wed to Sunday and dinner Thursday to Sat but anyone staying over or ringing ahead will not go without a feed.
Mash, Steak Sammo’s, Fish ‘n’ chips.
Dave reckons food now accounts for 40% of their trade and Jonathon’s menu is safe but good: Bangers and Mash, Steak Sammo’s, Fish ‘n’ chips. But tellingly the rump and T-bones are origin stamped as coming from Cowra, just up the road. Little stuff like this reflects the care and passion of the owners.
Before a fire in the ‘60s this place had 28 rooms for visitors but now
there’s just four, a mix of doubles and twins. Turn up like me and it’s 50 bucks, and a mate in the same room will just be a tenner more.
There’s unlimited space to throw your swag or pitch a tent at the showgrounds a coupla blocks away and there’s a 24 hour amenities block just across from the pub.
It’s not just the menu, the atmosphere and the amenities that Jonathon and Dave have set their sights on. It’s also about putting the pub back at the centre of the town. No mail gets delivered to the houses or farms of Koorawatha any more. It all gets dropped at the pub. For those without one of the PO boxes implanted into the pub’s far wall, all mail is sorted and kept behind the bar and often collected in the arvos when kids are picked up after the school buses from Cowra and Young drop them at the pub.
Very soon after they took over last year a fundraiser was organised by the pub to send parents on a school excursion with the 26 students of
the local primary and over five grand was handed over.
Next morning as I’m loading Super Ten I get chatting with a mum dropping her kids off for the school bus.
“What these two have done in such a short time is amazing. They’re bringing the pub and the whole town back to life. They support every single thing we do in the town and if I ever need bread or milk I just have to knock on their door!”
The Koorawatha Pub is just three blocks from the old Bang Bang Hotel but wow, this place, run by a couple of decent, passionate blokes is light years from the days of racism, thuggery, and intolerance. A couple of folks I spoke with joked that you’re not a local until you’ve lived here 30 years but don’t let that
deter you – you’ll feel at home in 30 seconds. And you’ll have no need to duck or weave!
“Disclaimer: Contrary to seemingly standard industry practice, I was neither offered nor did I seek any discount, freebie or special treatment at this pub”. D
LAUNCH TEAROUTMAP#63
THE TATHRA TT
Twisting on the South Coast WORDS STUART
YOU WILL HAVE seen the devastating fires that ripped the Tathra region on the south coast of NSW recently. Okay, time to lend a hand! I reckon we need drop by and spend some hard earned to help the locals get back on their feet. There’s no better way than riding ‘The Tathra TT’ loop, staying overnight in the area and visiting the local cafes or pubs and contributing some money. This is a great ride with plenty to see and plenty of corners to enjoy.
TATHRA
Despite being heavily damaged by the recent fires you’ll still find just about everything still open for business in the main centre of Tathra. We are confident that you’ll find great coffee and good food as per pre-fire. As for accommodation, it depends on the location – do some research, ring around and book whatever suits your taste/budget. We can’t confirm who is open for business, but you will find somewhere nice to stay. We always have. Remember, it’s all about helping
the community to rebuild – and every little bit helps at times like this.
BERMAGUI
It’s a town that hugs the coastline, so fish is a big attraction in this area –catching and eating. Bermagui is also a great place for a swim at the beach, the rock pool or the lake.
CENTRAL TILBA
Almost like a town forgotten, Central Tilba is a great little place to visit and relax. Neck of the Woods Cafe is where you’ll get a nice coffee and food. If you’ve got time for a walk check out the track that goes up Mount Dromedary. The Bear says he likes the pub, as if that’s a surprise.
COBARGO
A bustling village, Cobargo holds quaint buildings housing craftspeople
www.hemamaps.com.au
TATHRA, NSW
MAIN PINK ROUTE
Distance – 145km
Fuel – Tathra, Bermagui, Cobargo, Bega
Head north out of Tathra on the Tathra-Bermagui Road and follow this all the way to its end at Bermagui. Turn left (you’ll see a Shell servo on your left) and ride over the Bermagui River where you’ll be on Wallaga Lake Road. Once you’ve ridden past Payne’s Island you’ll come to a nice right hander, follow it around and back to the left where you’ll be on Bermagui Road. Follow this to the end which is the Princes Highway. Turn right and a few hundred metres up you’ll need to veer/turn left onto Corkhill Drive and head into Tilba Tilba.
Once you’re done there, come back out onto the Princes Highway and follow it all the way through Cobargo (making sure you stop and check everything out) and down to Bega. Of course you’ll need to sample some Bega cheese while you’re there!
About two kilometres out of Bega you need to turn left onto Kerrisons Lane, head to the end and turn right onto Tathra Road which, obviously, takes to back into Tathra.
TEAR-OUT MAP #63
PURPLE ROUTE OPTION
The Doctor is calling your name, Doctor George that is. If you’ve got time and want to add a little bit more spice to this ride you can hit the dirt road that is Doctor George Mountain Road. This heads east from Bega across to Tathra-Bermagui Road, around ten kilometres north of Tathra. A nice scenic route if you want to get a little dirty.
COLLECT THEM ALL
who not only sell a range of unique goods from woodcrafts and pottery to leather and art works, they can often be seen at their craft working in the way that people did when Cobargo was a young town. The warmth of the close-knit rural community is such a nice thing to see.
Cobargo was “The Junction” as the township fi rst began to develop in the late 1860’s at the junction of the Narira and Bredbatoura creeks, the surrounding landscape merging into wilderness areas that are today incorporated in the Wadbilliga National Park. Cobargo is an Aboriginal word which means ‘Grandfather’.
BEGA
At the junction of the Bega and Brogo rivers, Bega is the rural heartland of the Sapphire Coast and only a short ride away from beautiful sandy beaches and national park wilderness. Dairying began in the verdant Bega Valley in the 1850s and the original Bega Cheese factory opened in 1900. Obviously famous for “Bega Cheese” you can visit the factory and do a tour and you can also visit the Bega Cheese Heritage Centre, a faithful reconstruction of one of the fi rst buildings of the Bega Cooperative Creamery Company, the forerunner of Bega Cheese. You’ll be immersed in the cheesiest of cheese learning about cheese making until your cheesiness is content. The original cheese factory is in Lagoon Street, where cheese is still made today. In the heritage centre, taste the famous cheeses exported around the world, learn about the history of the valley and enjoy lunch in the cafe. You’ll fi nd plenty of accommodation options in Bega, which is home to one of Australia’s richest
portraiture awards at the Bega Valley Regional Gallery. The gallery hosts exhibitions, too. Open Tuesday to Saturday, entry to the gallery is free. Everything you could want is available at Bega. Mick Cole Motorcycles located at 14-18 Ridge Street (Ph: 02 6492 3122) can help you out if your bike needs attention.
KALARU
A landmark for this ride but you can also see if Kalaru Lodge is open for business. Their accommodation is a quaint little place with three different sizes cottages and lovely to stay at. www.kalarulodge.com.au D
ROYAL ENFIELD is busy behind the scenes, working hard on many new models at both the India and United Kingdom bases. The Rumbler 350 is just one of the new models to come out of this.
The Rumbler, called a Thunderbird overseas, is Royal Enfield’s modern take on a cruiser. I expect a modern take on their classic naked bikes later in the year, but we’ll have to see if I’m on the money. Of course the new twins are coming very shortly.
As you can see from the pictures, the Rumbler isn’t your typical ‘cruiser’, it is something a little different and when it comes down to it, we all want to be a little different. If we all had the same motorcycle we’d all look a little boring, wouldn’t we.
The Rumbler is aimed at the commuter/leisure rider – someone who wants a bit of character and will ride the bike to work or around the city. Riding around the city is what we did during the launch. Melburnians didn’t know what hit them with a bunch of Rumblers roaring around the main attractions.
Some of the features of the Rumbler include a 20 litre tank; nimble, light handling; a relaxed riding position with a low 775mm seat; and a pillion seat with sissy bar. The 20 litre tank provides an enormous fuel range as the little 350 single is quite frugal. I would be guesstimating around 400km out of every fill.
A carburettor sits under the rear of the tank and the main reason Royal Enfield opted for a carby versus fuel injection is that worldwide research has found that people who like to modify/tinker with the design of bikes prefer the simplicity of a carby against the wires and bulkier fuel injection setup, and having a carburettor gives a very nice throttle response as well. To keep with a bit of old for the new there’s a kick starter with an auto decompressor, but I dare say unless you’re really changing the entire control setup you’ll just use the electric start button.
Keeping with the cruiser demographic the Rumbler features forward footpegs (with a nice ‘RE’ logo on the side) and a heel/toe shifter arrangement which makes shifting gears very simple and relaxing.
A first for any Royal Enfield is an integrated steering lock with the ignition key. Previously the steering lock would be via a separate key with the lock located on the steering head stem, but moving into the ‘modern world’ with this ‘modern’ motorcycle it’s now all done via the single ignition key.
Another first for a Royal Enfield is a “detachable” sprocket. What this means is that the Rumbler features a sprocket like any other modern motorcycle where you can unbolt it and replace it. If you check out other Royal Enfield models you’ll notice the brake drum and sprocket are an integrated unit, so simplifying this will make for cheaper running costs.
Royal Enfield hasn’t skimped on quality: there’s LED rear lighting; various
‘Royal Enfield’ or ‘RE’ logos throughout; and a halogen halo headlamp which illuminates nicely at night. We did get to ride the Rumbler at night, which could be the first time it has been ‘part of the plan’ for a motorcycle launch. The only other times I’ve been riding at night during a launch is when we’ve been lost in the bush, someone crashed or numerous punctures have kept us out with the werewolves.
Zipping around the inner city areas of Melbourne, the Rumbler attracted a lot of attention. It can be quite vibey to ride and the Classic 350 that we had as a long termer was the same. The riding position is certainly relaxed as Royal Enfield says and handling is very light, u-turns are a breeze and the upright ‘cow horn’ handlebar gives plenty of feel through the skinny front tyre.
Instruments are twin (blue backlit) analogue pods with a digital section in the left hand pod displaying kilometres, trip, fuel gauge and average fuel usage. This is plenty of info for the commuting rider and at night, the blue back lighting looks kinda cool.
Brakes are disc front, disc rear which steps away from the usual disc front, drum rear on the classic range of REs. The brakes offer adequate stopping power and feel. There is no ABS, but you don’t need it on such a lightweight machine.
Accessories are yet to manufactured but Royal Enfield states that a tasteful range of items will shortly be available. Be that someone different, jump on the Royal Enfield Rumbler and (as corny as this sounds), get ready to rumble! D
SPECS
ROYAL ENFIELD RUMBLER 350
PRICE: $5790 (plus on-road charges)
WARRANTY: Two years, unlimited distance
SERVICING INTERVALS: Every 4000km or 12 months
ENGINE: Air-cooled single cylinder, 4-stroke, 2 valves
“Light thickens, and the crow Makes wing to th’ rooky wood. Good things of day begin to droop and drowse, Whiles night’s black agents to their preys do rouse.”
You can’t beat good old Shakespeare, can you?
WHAT, I CAN HEAR you asking, can he possibly be on to nominate this flat, straight and hot two-lane blacktop as a favourite road? Well sucks to you; these are my favourite roads, not necessarily yours. But let me tell you why I feel this way.
Half of this ride is fine by anyone’s standards, and I like it very much for all the usual reasons. Once you get out of Adelaide and past Gawler, you find
yourself on one of those lovely South Australian country roads that dip, rise and curve between rich grain fields and vineyards before the surrounds fade a bit to scrub and occasional stands of trees – and occasional ruins of old stone farmhouses. Then you pass Mount Remarkable National Park, slip through Horrocks Pass and… well, and that’s that. You need a different aesthetic after that.
The Princes Highway from the pass
junction to Port Augusta is pretty much the usual dry country, semisettled and fully dreary main road. But once you’re on the Stuart it all changes. I love deserts anywhere, but I love Australian deserts the most. Australian deserts are the real thing, nothingness to the horizon and nothing closer, either. Hey, there’s a hill. Is that a salt pan or a lake? It’s a salt pan, of course. Maybe once in a century it will become a lake.
South Pacific Motorcycle Tours
There’s a multilingual sign warning you of animals on the road, except in German it says animals ‘by the side of’ the road. I do not know what the Japanese (?) text says. The animals are a kangaroo and a cow; I would have thought that camels are more of a threat here. And so you muse as you play with the speed limit here where you can see other traffi c several miles away.
This is a whole different world,
and some things shrink in your mind as others grow. The lack of visual distraction is not dull or boring, far from it. It’s liberating. I could happily ride all the way to Alice Springs (and I have, once when much of the road was still dirt) without getting bored. One danger is that your plans have a tendency to become a bit grandiose; the scenery is reflected in your grey matter, and it pays to come down to a more standard set of parameters for
1. Potentially the beginning of a great journey, whichever way you go.
2. Another memorial to Goyder’s Line. Look it up; it’s a fascinating story.
3.The open-air display of aircraft and rockets is a terrific playground for middle-aged blokes.
4. Spud’s, the roadhouse at the turnoff from the Stuart Highway to Woomera, gets mixed reviews.
your brain before you act on anything you think up out here.
Even stopping is different out in the desert. The bike ‘tinks’ away and a background sigh of wind is all the other noise you hear. As my mate Len used to say, never pee on barren ground. So I seek out a plant, no matter how small and daggy-looking, and present it with my spare water.
Woomera is a bit of a randomlychosen destination, although I am on a Triumph Rocket III which makes it pleasantly relevant. I’m riding the Touring version, which is by far my favourite with its relatively narrow tyres and which swallows the miles with an enjoyable eagerness. Looking around the township is fun, but don’t look for fuel. That’s available at Spud’s Roadhouse in Pimba. There is a pub in Woomera, though, as well as a bar.
The pub gets mixed reviews for both its food and rooms, but overall I think is pretty good value.
The way back is much the same as the way up, but you can use the relatively dull Highway 1 or explore
The Bear’s Favourite Roads
some of the back country around Clare and the upper Barossa Valley. Lots of interesting places there. But it’s the desert that makes this ride a favourite. Give it a try.
Background
WHERE?
Five hundred kilometres or so north of Adelaide in South Australia. You can’t miss it, as they say, as long as you turn onto the Stuart Highway (A87) at Port Augusta. If you’re coming from the north just follow the signs.
KEEP IN MIND
This is real desert, despite the fact that you may well encounter animals like sheep and even cattle. Native animals like kangaroos and emus can be a worry, but camels are the most serious threat.
Don’t get too far off the road, no matter what kind of bike you have; a lot of this country is part of the Woomera prohibited area.
www.edelweissbike.com
GET THERE
The choice is yours. I would take (and have taken) the route which runs inland past Gawler. The easiest way to access this is to leave Adelaide by way of the A1, here called Port Wakefield Road. Turn off onto the Northern Expressway at Waterloo Corner and follow that to the Gawler ring road before turning left onto the Main North Road or A32. Where this splits, take the road to the left again, in this case the B82. Then it’s just a matter of following that to the Horrocks Pass turnoff just past Wilmington, turning right onto the Princes Highway at the T intersection and then turning right again just past Port Augusta onto the Stuart Highway. The last turn comes at Pimba, where you turn right again to Woomera.
A quicker way is to just follow the Princes Highway north out of Adelaide to Port Augusta, but that’s not terribly interesting. It might be worth checking whether the ferry from Wallaroo to Lucky Bay on the Eyre Peninsula is running again. Services have been suspended until the new Lucky Bay grain terminal is finished, possibly by September 2018. You can call SeaSA on 08 8823 0777 or check https://seasa.com.au/ index.php/news-updates/ for the latest news.
Inflate a low or flat tyre quickly and safely
Ideal for use on motorcycles, ATV’s and scooters ULTRA COMPACT POCKET PUMP
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 to
get to valves
Available online from Weighs only 570g
The Stuart Highway looks like an open invitation to check if the needle really will go all the way to the stop. Not that I’d ever recommend that.
The Bear’s Favourite Roads
STAY HERE
I like the Standpipe Golf Motor Inn in Port Augusta, not because I play golf (except under duress) but because both times I have stayed there I have eaten at the excellent on-site licensed Indian restaurant. I hope they still have it. The motel itself is good, too – not cheap but well appointed. It is right at the intersection where the Stuart Highway splits from the Princes Highway. The address is 3/5 Daw St, Port Augusta West, Tel: 08 8642 4033, standpipe.com.au .
If you would like to stay in Woomera itself, you have the choice of the ELDO Hotel, Kotara Place, Woomera, 08 8673 7867; or the Woomera Traveller’s Village & Caravan Park, Pimba Rd, Woomera 08 8673 7800. The former is listed as 3-star, while the latter gets 3 and a half. I have not tried either of them, except for having a well-deserved beer at the ELDO.
GET A BIKE
I presume that most of our readers would do this trip on their own bike. As long as you have a range of, say, 200 kilometres you should be fine. If you do want to rent a bike,
Adventure Motorcycle Hire, 62 Gilbert St, Adelaide, www. adventuremotorcyclehire.com.au/ motorbike-hire-australia, will rent you a Suzuki V-Strom. Talk to Bike Round Oz, Tel: 1300 73 68 69, www. bikeroundoz.com as well. They don’t have bikes in Adelaide but if you want to ride there from another major city they should be able to help.
LENGTH
Depending on the roads you take, the return distance from Adelaide to Woomera township is somewhere around 1000km. Timing varies more, because some roads are faster than others – especially the Princes Highway (A1). But that’s also less interesting than the inland equivalent, the B82 through Clare, Wilmington and Horrocks Pass.
TIMING
Adelaide has a Mediterranean climate with hot, dry summers and cool winters with some rain. This blends into a desert climate by the time you reach Port Augusta. It’s all desert from there with a hot summer and cold night-times in winter. I’d still
go in summer or in either of the shoulder seasons; after all, you’re going to experience the desert so a hot time is probably the right time! It’s only 180km from Port Augusta to Woomera: you’re not likely to overheat if you carry plenty of water and soak yourself every now and then. Oh, and drink some too.
FUN FACT
Woomera and one of the best-known missiles tested there have the same name, albeit in different Aboriginal languages. Both the town and the Ikara missile are supposedly named after the throwing stick Aboriginal people used to give more power to their spears; Woomera is from Dharug, while Ikara is only ‘purportedly’ an indigenous name. Nobody seems to know what language it comes from. Submariners derived it from “Insufficient Knowledge And Random Action”. It also means ‘initiation place’ in the local language, Adnyamathanha, but that’s probably not the source either. D
Piles of salt across a shallow lagoon from the Princes Highway on Gulf St Vincent.
HELLO? WHO’S THERE? IDIOT WHO?
A friend of mine was recently sideswiped by a moron in a car who was, predictably enough, using his mobile. Not only was he talking, according to my mate Chas, he was waving his free arm about as he did. The swerve that put him on a collision course with the bike was fortunately not major, so Chas was able to run the bike up on the footpath to keep it upright. Imagine the surprise of the driver (who had noticed nothing) when Chas, after catching him at the next light, opened his door, took the phone from him, dropped it on the road and stamped on it. He, the driver, was somewhat unhappy with this but saw the light when Chas pointed out to him that prosecution for hitting someone with his car would probably have cost him more than a new phone. I am not suggesting that anyone out there should do the same thing, but I can’t resist the feeling that this was poetic justice.
MCQUEEN AND THE POPE
No, it’s not His Holiness Francis or one of his predecessors; this Pope is a motorcycle. A 1914 Pope 61CI, to be
precise, which once again demonstrates my belief that every motorcycle in the United States of America was owned by McQueen at one stage or another. At least if they were made more than 38 years ago –which is how long it is since The Man’s death. The bike was listed for sale by Bonhams Auctions at the Las Vegas auction in January, with an expected price of between $A150,000 and $A180,000. That’s roughly twice as much as the price fetched by the most recent sale of a similar model. The McQueen magic seems to have failed in this case; it looks as if the bike was passed in.
If you want it, I’m sure Bonhams would be pleased to pass your details on to the seller… unless it did sell on a need-to-know-only basis to Vladimir Putin, of course.
IF AT FIRST YOU DON’T SUCCEED
I’ve just had the pleasure of spending a week riding around the Canary Islands, courtesy of Edelweiss Bike Travel. You will be reading about it shortly in these pages. But in keeping with the title of this page, let me grizzle about something, namely the so-called automatic electronic passport gates at Sydney airport. Not only didn’t most of the preprocessing machines work (to my utter annoyance, when I finally got to the front of the queue of one that was working and input my details, the thing immediately stopped working), the queue at the counter dealing with the problem was even longer than the one for the machines.
I really hate to think what will happen when the just-announced facial recognition soft- and hardware, presumably intended to replace these useless machines, are introduced. “Hello, Mrs Cutout”?
Peter ‘The Bear’ Thoeming
I always had my doubts about MGBs…
Be honest; isn’t this one of the prettiest motorcycles you’ve ever seen?
Check out the new ’50 Shades of Fluoro’ helmet.
YAMAHA RD900
Wrap me up with your love
Take the very customisable Yamaha XSR900, whack on a set of side covers from Sydney Composites and then send it over to the guys at Excite Signs to wrap it just like the old RD series of two smoker weapons, and this is what
you get – the “RD900”.
The Yamaha RD range of 50, 100, 125, 250, 350 and 400cc twins, can trace its ancestry back to the 1957 YD 250 racer. The twin cylinder, piston ported 2-strokes raced in the ‘60s and helped to make Yamaha the
household name it is today. In fact, the winningest race bike in history - the TZ Yamaha - can trace its history back to the early YDs. Racing always was, and still is, part of the marketing strategy for Yamaha. Many of the technologies
WORDS STUART ph O t OS RALPH
Get it done
ExcitE SignS (Wrap)
18 production pl Jamisontown nSW 2750 phone: 02 4722 3011
SydnEy compoSitES (SidE covErS)
2/14 Welder rd
Seven Hills nSW 2147
phone: 02 8625 3052
developed for the track found their way into the company's street bikes. It could be argued that some of these technologies were more gimmick than a practical improvement (anti-dive, for example) but what the hell.
First introduced in 1972, the RD range of 2-stroke twins was developed for street use from the Grand prix racers of the ‘50s and ‘60s, firstly in air-cooled form, then later with water cooling (known as the RD LC range). From the ‘60s
through to the early ‘80s, 2-stroke motorcycles from 50 to 750cc were market leaders in volume sales. But as the world got more and more tired of all the smokin’, the venerable 2-stroke manufacturers began to develop more 4-stroke
machines. Primarily of course this was because the 2-stroke technology could never negate the engine's inherent problem of total loss, (through the combustion process) of its engine lubrication.
Today the RD range of Yamahas is becoming very popular with collectors of classic bikes the world over. They are fast, easy (enough) to work on and offer good performance. As many of these machines have been produced, the parts availability is good, including competition and performance parts. This particular colour scheme on the RD900 is styled on the final run of RDs – namely the LC series. They came in a variety of colours –black/red, yellow/black, white/blue and as you see here, the white/red.
I pull up at a café with the RD900 parked out front and a guy sitting at the table next to me looks dazed as he’s staring out at the 900. After a
couple of scratches of his head he pipes up and says, “Oi, mate, what’s that RD you got there?” I have a little chuckle as he gives me a spaced out stare and I say, “It’s a new XSR900 wrapped up to look like an RD, mate”. He then wanders over, gives it the once over and mentions that it looks “bloody awesome”. We both drink our coffee and have a laugh at the other people wandering past and doing double-takes at the “RD900”.
This was the general theme wherever I rode and/or parked the RD900. Guys in cars would shout out their window, people would come up to me while filling up, and so it went on…
The XSR900 is a perfect base for an RD or RZ colour scheme. The standard, retro looks are well suited to simple modifications like this and as a bike to ride, the MT-09/ XSR900 platform couldn’t be better.
Three cylinders of pure exhilaration combined with a short wheelbase that will blow your mind with mega fast handling and ‘economical’ riding with the front tyre hardly ever touching the ground. This particular bike had one other accessory and that is the genuine Yamaha Akrapovic carbon/stainless exhaust system which retails for $1130.60. You can get the XSR900 wrapped for about $1000 or get it painted for around the same price and the side covers retail for $440 and really look the part. The XSR900 retails new for $12,999, which means your new RD900 would set you back around 17k on the road.
Be an attention seeker and play tricks with the minds of just about everyone that checks out the stunning Yamaha ‘RD900’! D
Just one of several colour schemes available.
LONGTERMERS
GETTING A GRIP - TWICE
Cylinder
Fuel
Race
Tyre
SHIVER ME TIMBERS! APRILIA SHIVER 900
WE’RE JUST A LITTLE excited with the new arrival into the gathering of long term motorcycles we have at Australian MOTORCYCLIST.
Welcome to the Aprilia Shiver 900, which I loved so much at the recent Aussie launch that I thought it would be great to have one to tell you what it’s like living with it day-to-day.
As usual we will be fi ddling with the bike. There are a couple of things I reckon can be improved to make the Shiver 900 even better, namely the brakes and the suspension adjustment. Two perhaps apparently minor things to work on, but two very major elements that can make the difference between really enjoying a motorcycle or falling out of love with it after a few months. To improve the brakes, we’ll be grabbing a set of SBS pads for the
LONG TERMERS
front and rear. The suspension is adjustable both front and rear, so we’ll have a play with that to come up with the best setting available. We also have some great luggage options from Ventura to cope with everyday riding, some single rider touring and, fi nally, we will showcase some of the genuine Aprilia range of accessories to make the Shiver 900 a bike you won’t be able to refuse!
As I type this we’ve had the Shiver 900 for a few weeks already and are acclimatising ourselves to it day-today, and the various functions of the instrument panel have been fun. Even Ralph has downloaded the Aprilia Multimedia app and is having a play! With the app, that is. SW
GET A GRIP, MATE KAWASAKI Z650L
The Z650L continues to impress every day we ride it. Riding the various types of bikes that roll through the door and then jumping back on the Z650L it always brings a smile to my face when I see just how good a motorcycle this really is for both commuting and weekend
blasts. The Z650L has the punch off the line that will put many other bikes to shame and is so light that you really feel comfortable throwing it around no matter if it’s wet or dry, and/or how tight the traffic is. If I’d paid my $9799 (+ on-roads) I’d be very happy with my purchase. But of course we couldn’t leave it alone.
Continuing on with the ‘green’ theme for this bike the next lovely bits we fitted to the Z650L were Rizoma’s tapered handlebar and risers, which were all bolt on and easy to fit, in around an hour. To finish off, I fitted the Rizoma Sport grips (in green). You do get a choice of throttle action sizes and while I would normally like to make the throttle action faster I had to go with the standard size due to the throttle housing size. Not a big deal as the throttle is responsive anyway.
The Sport grips are the final piece of the green puzzle and I have to say that our lovely ‘green frame’ has come up a treat. The amount of attention this bike gets wherever we take it brings a smile to our faces every single time. It has also been good to show you what can be achieved with some basic parts to change the look of a motorcycle and very much personalise it. I strongly recommend seeing your local Rizoma dealer or visiting the Rizoma website for the extensive range of beauty for your motorcycle – www.rizoma.com . These people make truly classy and high-quality gear. SW D
HARLEY-DAVIDSON FAT BOB
“Listening to you, i get the music g azing at you, i get the heat Fo LL owing you, i c L imb the mountain i get excitement at your F eet…” the who
WORDS the bear
Afew yeArS AGo, HarleyDavidson asked its customers what they wanted. That might not seem too surprising, but I can’t recall any other motorcycle manufacturer that’s ever done something like that. Not at that scale. I’m sure that the responses to that request were considered when the new range of Softails was designed. For those of you who have not been keeping up with the news from The Motor Company, 2018 sees Milwaukee combining its Dyna and Softail ranges to produce eight new – and I do mean new – Softails. A lot of effort has gone into giving each of the bikes its own character; none more so than the Fat Bob.
Before I start in on the bike, let me admit that I have always liked Harleys. Unlike my unrequited love of Moto Guzzis (I’ve never owned one), my liking for H-Ds has been translated into a purchase several times. Four (I think) WLAs, with and without sidecars; a 10/12, also with a sidecar; a WLA-engined plunger BSA and now a
Sportster 72 (as against a 72 Sportster) have shared my sometimes misplaced but more often appropriate affection.
I still think that the tractor seat of the WLA was the most comfortable motorcycle seat of all time, even better than the Honda Turbo’s.
So, back to the present – and the future. The Harley baggers I rode in the US were a significant step forward for these big bruisers, partly in the now water-cooled engine but especially in the suspension. They are a genuinely new take on the Harley-Davidson theme. So… I couldn’t help wondering how the new (still air cooled) Softail range would shape up in comparison.
I won’t keep you in suspension – a very significant word in this context – any longer. The Softails, at least as represented by the Fat Bob, are another very special advance.
Obviously I am not party to the discussions that take place over the Board table in Milwaukee, but I do wonder why the new range of bikes was named ‘Softail’. In some ways I guess it was inevitable – Softails have long been especially popular, even if some of us have been unhappy with their handling. But I guess the improvements to the
bikes make up for the name.
The Fat Bob handles better than any other Harley I’ve ever ridden, and it’s a genuine pleasure to tackle even tight corners with it. H-D’s development engineers have spent a staggering amount of time and effort getting this right, and their work has been rewarded. As a bonus, the Fat Bob feels remarkably small and tight (in the best possible sense) on the road. The one drawback here is that the clutch casing suddenly seems very wide. I would not mind adding one of these to my garage if the bank account permitted and the Sportster didn’t sulk too much.
The bike I rode had the smaller 107ci engine, but there was plenty of get up and go, with a pleasant burst of torque to see the bike off the lights. I’d be happy with the amount of power this engine offers, although of course I know that some of you subscribe to the idea that “too much power is only just enough”.
And Milwaukee’s minions have even managed to reduce the heat that the bike puts out, one of the main requests from those customers interviewed before these bikes were designed. And when you start it, you get the music. D
DUCATI
PANIGALE 959 vs SUPERSPORT S
Not so identical twins WORDS RALPH PHOTOS HALFLIGHT PHOTOGRAPHIC
ONe Way DUCatI
doesn’t want you to see its Panigale 959 is as a touring motorcycle. Nor do they want you to contemplate the SuperSport as a pure sports weapon, ready to take to a racetrack near you. That would mess up all the imagery and marketing spend, although I’m happy to say the lines are a little blurred, especially when there is only $300 between them. The $20,190 SuperSport S, which is nicely kitted out with a rear seat cowl, an up and down quickshifter and best of all - Öhlins front and rear. The yummy 959 is even more of a bargain for a pure sportsbike, coming in at $20,490. Both are plus on road costs. Both justify themselves in the market at those prices with a good array of techy stuff like programmable
traction and ABS settings as well as switchable engine mapping. And who can argue that in shining racing red, they’re just drop-dead sexy! Don’t agree? Not everyone thinks the SuperSport deserves the sexy label, but have you ridden it?
Back to the dilemma of what they are and which one is for you. I guess the pendulum will need to swing between pure sports or sports touring for most of you to make a decision either way. I know I went into my couple of red-riding-weeks thinking I would take the 35% increase in power any day, especially when that hot-up only comes in at around $8 per pony. No point in bar-stool argument here over power and torque. Power on the Panigale is up over the 937cc S from 81kW to 110, although the more
important road-useful torque climbs up only 10% and the bike hits the scales 5% lighter. How important is a lighter bike with more power and excitement and, I have to say, a whole lotta more noise? Not as much as you think, when anything other than switching the brain into full sports mode on a track, will leave you with a scalpel that will rip away your licence faster than you can say Medicare Private. It’s a completely new meaning for “be careful on the road”.
What the bikes have in common is brilliant chassis build and suspension components laced with top-line Brembo braking kit and some sweltering heat emanating around your legs in traffic. Both also feel like thoroughbreds (no
question which one feels the most restrained) waiting to stretch their legs if you are constrained by too much traffic. The majority of owners would pass this off as endurable knowing there is a long line of racing Ducatis out there on the world’s stage.
We decided to keep it fair and run both bikes over the same roads fast and still did the usual commuting. For most riders a ride-day isn’t an everyday event.
If ergonomics, rather than performance is the defining factor, then the S will be a friendly starting point. I’m a normal height and build (cough, cough – Ed) so the higher ‘bars
and the comfortable seat mean that almost nothing is a chore, especially as the seat is good for four hundred kilometres without pain. Freeways are easier and even attacking a string
of corners seems less of a stress. I know what the Panigale range can do on the track and if dragging the knee is paramount, go the harder-edged option. A racetrack would be unfair
to the SuperSport and I have lots of experience on a number of tracks on 1199 and 1299s to say the Panigale chassis is worth about five to ten seconds a lap. The S vibrates a little more (mainly through the alloy pegs and mirrors) and the 959 is just plain noisy to the point of being annoying for me. If you like to feel that a racebred engine filled with Desmodromic goodness is only centimetres under the chin, then harden up to the cacophony of fossil fuel being burnt, it is the best this side of a triple MV Agusta. Compared to a Honda VFR800 the SuperSport sounds like a Panigale with a major attitude change.
If quick cruising is your game, at 5000rpm the S is clocking an easy 126km/h while the 959 is just getting into its stride at 130. Acceleration, especially using the gear-change aid of the quickshifter is blinding in the first three gears on both bikes. One hundred plus and a ride to gaol with the rev limiter lights fl ashing maniacally comes up awfully fast. The power comes in early and just keeps building in a barn-storming, unrelenting manner and if there is a happy-zone on either bike it is from 4-8000rpm.
Both are predictable and show that you don’t need a huge capacity to make it happen, or make it satisfying. The pure joy of riding for the experience alone is available on both and they are equally safe. Although, running two hours a day in heavy traffic (welcome to my world) is taxing on my neck and therefore my vision and that was enough of a reason to choose the S over the 959 on the days on which they overlapped in my tenure.
Even my son enjoyed the SuperSport, knowing Dad was on a Ducati although he really had next to nothing to perch himself on. Both bikes ride out the back-road bumps well at a decent speed and again having Swedish suspension on the S is worth the entry fee for better comfort and control. We better get to the answer to my own simple question: which one. My riding ability is the same as it was when I was thirty. In fact, I peaked between 45 and 50 but now my body is close to 63. So my sixty plus body craves the Supersport to match my riding skill while my still forty five year old brain knows the 959 is hard to beat and I know I could live with the hotter
twin – almost - day in and day out. The actual blurred truth is that the S is as good a motorcycle as anyone could ever want - most of the time - while as a true entry into the Superbike world the smallest Panigale is almost unmatched for value for money. The Supersport S wins in almost every area and this surprised me after a few thousand kays. This was counterintuitive to my initial impressions as I had written off the S as failing to cut the mustard in performance (all areas) and style, let alone having an actual purpose. How wrong was I? It’s a pity so few people know what a great machine it is to ride, day in day out. It rocks! D
SPECS
DUCATI PANIGALE 959
PRICE: $20,490 (plus on-road charges)
WARRANTY: Two years, unlimited distance
SERVICING INTERVALS: Every 15,000km or 12 months
ENGINE: Liquid-cooled L-twin cylinder, 4-stroke, Desmodromic, 4 valves per cylinder
FUEL CONSUMPTION: 5.6 litres per 100km, premium unleaded
THEORETICAL RANGE: 285km
COLOURS: Ducati Red, Arctic White Silk
VERDICT: RIPPING ALL-ROUNDER
GET SOME ROSSIFUMI
AGV Corsa R - Rossi
Goodwood - $1399
FOR MY RECENT trip over to Invercargill for the Burt Munro Challenge, my wife Alana and I sported two very stylish helmets from the AGV range. I opted for the big dollar race replica Corsa R in the Goodwood Rossi colour scheme and Alana chose the unique
Rossi Five Continents colour scheme from the well-priced K3-SV range, and wouldn’t you know it, she got more people talking to her about her helmet than I did about my much more expensive helmet! Or is it that she’s blonde and good looking? Hmm…
CORSA R
The AGV Corsa R is a premium sportriding helmet for the most demanding rider and features a carbon-aramidfibreglass shell. The shell comes in four sizes and is designed to maximise aerodynamic performance, and having now used this helmet on the track I can tell you that there’s no buffeting at high speeds. The IVS (Integrated Ventilation System) ventilation has five large front vents and two rear extractors. They all work well but as the helmet is closer fitting around the mouth/chin area, low speed dense traffic riding can heat things up a little. Then again, this helmet is designed for speed!
The visor is as clear as you’ll get in either clear or tinted options and when fitted with the Pinlock, offers fog free riding. The visor locks at the front of the helmet and AGVs patented Visor Lock System (VSL) is claimed to reduce the risk of accidental opening in the event of an accident. There is no ratchet type system with this visor so it’s either open, in the first (just open) lock position or full closed. I’m used to cracking the visor open a couple of inches at a stop and not being able to do this was a bit of a pain.
The best feature I find with the Corsa R is its interior. The plush padding is lined with super soft velour-like material and the shape of the interior wraps your skull nicely for a feeling of added safety. The strap features a Double D retention system.
The Corsa R is available in a variety of colours and the wide range of sizes XS-2XL. If you want a top level helmet as worn by those on the
world MotoGP and World Superbike stage, then here it is. Available from your local bike shop or visit www. agvhelmets.com.au SW
AGV K-3 SV - Five Continents - $399
When Stuart said he was getting me a fancy Valentino Rossi helmet I was quite excited. I had been on the lookout for a unique helmet as my limited edition ‘Colours’ Shark helmet was getting old although it was still a talking point whenever anyone saw it. When I saw pictures of the Five Continents K-3 SV helmet I knew I’d found just THE helmet I was looking for. You can stare at the graphics for hours and still find new bits you haven’t seen before. Aldo Drudi certainly produced a great design for Valentino when he raced with it a few years ago. As you can imagine by the name there is a bit of everything from around the world – it’s an amazing looking helmet, that’s for sure.
The K-3 SV is an affordable, adaptable helmet with a surprising array of features; these include an internal drop down sun visor, excellent aerodynamic performance, very efficient ventilation and an expansive field of vision. The shell is made of thermoplastic and the inner liner is AGVs Dry-Comfort fabric.
The IVS (Integrated Ventilation System) ventilation with 5 large front vents and 2 rear extractors (as mentioned) works very well – better than my previous Shark helmet which was fairly good. The dry-comfort fabric interior is very comfy and the helmet does come with a removable nose guard and wind protector. All parts are easily removable and washable.
An anti-scratch visor with Pinlock anti fog technology lets me see if Stuart is being stupid on the speedo or when he gets that cheeky grin on his
REAL AUSTRALIA
face meaning that he’s going to do a wheelstand with me on the back! The visor is also good in low speed traffic as the micro-opening system allows you to crack it just open for a bit of airflow, and probably the other best thing I like about the K-3 SV is the XQRS (Extra Quick Release System) visor mechanism with multiple steps. I find it much easier than a traditional D-ring strap.
If you want all the flair and features you’ll only find that in the K-3 SV range of AGV helmets, I’m really happy with its comfort, style and features and for the price of only $399 how can you go wrong! AW D
ClAssiCAlGAs
Words piCKo Photos piCKo & JoHn Davies
Humble Beginnings to e xotica
CLASSICAL GAS
WELCOME TO A NEW section in MOTORCYCLIST,
where we look at some of the great bikes from the days when we were often only dreaming of owning such machines.
DAVIES MOTORSPORT has turned Honda’s humble 500/4 into an exotic racing machine, potent enough to take the challenge to the Europeans.
Honda’s 500/4 was the first production road motorcycle to hit the magic 100hp per 1000cc with 50hp, on paper at least, making it a pretty quick motorcycle in the early 1970s. With good handling and strong engine internals, it became one of the most popular motorcycles Honda ever built. And the mid capacity Hondas, including the 550/4 and 400/4, remain sought after today.
They were never really designed as racing bikes though, with Mike Hailwood’s 297 and 500cc works machines doing that job. The factory 500/4 that Hailwood raced had 500cc and four cylinders but that’s where the resemblance ended.
THE COMPETITION
These 500cc four cylinder racing machines back in the day, like the MV Agusta Giacomo Agostini and Phil Read rode, and the Gileras of Geoff Duke and Bob McIntyre, were simply fantasy for most regular or privateer riders, who made do with home grown pure racing bikes like the Matchless G50 and Manx Norton. These were regular people now also racing Honda 500s, although some were highly modified road bikes, some with custom frames and such, but the super exotic and expensive factory machines rarely if ever fell into the hands of the ‘regular rider’.
Since the Classic TT kicked off in 2013, there have been some amazing ‘replicas’ built to race at the Isle of Man. I should clarify this first, though. Prior to 2013 the Manx GP had a classic component, if you like, and it was for amateur riders, many of
cylinder European machinery. It was the home of the 500cc singles, at least in that class.
In the last few years the Classic TT has gained massive momentum and more and more high profile TT riders have turned up to race the classics. In the 500cc class the main bikes to battle it out have been the Kay Engineering MV Agustas and the Italian built Paton 500s.
But there have also been the Davies Motorsport Honda 500/4s, and with riders the calibre of William Dunlop and Alan Oversby, they have been right in the mix.
In Australia the head Honcho of the class really is the Paton 500 twin of Ron Angel, with one of the youngest riders in the classic paddock at the ’bars, Tom Bramich.
DIFFERENT STROKES
John Davies is the man behind the Davies Motorsport Honda. John raced for 26 years at the Isle of Man, including six times on the Padgetts Yamaha YZR500, the same ex-GP 500 now being ridden at the Classic TT by Bruce Anstey. He knows what it takes to build a bike to compete and stay together for four laps of the tortuous circuit. He might be a jolly pub landlord but he knows what’s what when it comes to racing.
“The last time I rode Clive Padgett’s
Clive, ‘I’m too old for this, I’m done’, says John.
“Around 2009 I got the bug again and went classic racing on a Honda CB350 K4, with a TAB (brand name) frame. We also used to run a 500cc twin CB450 based machine, but they weren’t reliable enough to get enough power out of to catch a good Manx. Around three years ago the rules changed, allowing us to race a 500/4, and the four has all the good stuff, like shell bearings. “It started out as a hobby but turned into a business,” John continues.
CUSTOMER SPECIFICATION
“The problem with the Paton and MVs is the price. The Paton is $150,000 plus, and the MV around $300,000. Almost as bad is that the parts needed to run them are based on a percentage of the original cost of the bike.
“Even a good Matchless G50 or Manx Norton is over £38,000 ($45,000) and a really quick one even more expensive than this.
“We now build our own frames out of Reynolds 631 tubing, the main reason being the TAB frames we got from outside suppliers were always different. We just couldn’t sell frames like this to customers where nothing fitted and every bike handled differently. Our frames are based on the TAB design though, which is approved for classic racing.
“We make and control so much of the products we sell, that way the classic racing customer knows they are getting parts that fit exactly and are of high quality.
“When the CRMC (Classic Racing Motorcycle Club) allowed the 500/4 in, the engine had to remain the same externally and the frame geometry also had to be identical to the original road bike but we could do what everyone else in classic racing does; modernise the engine internals and use modern materials for the frame.”
Davies Motorsport uses the standard 500/4 barrels, head and crank for its engine, obviously highly modified, and the crankshaft is no hyper expensive billet piece either, it starts as a standard part but is lightened and balanced.
The head is ported and custom valves with thinner stems (5mm) are fitted.
Custom racing type slipper pistons, machined to Davies Motorsports specs, are fitted, as is the team’s own cam grind. Kevlar clutch plates combine with the
Nova six speed close ratio gearbox. A slipper clutch has been recently developed too and is in this bike, as is a dry clutch. As tested, this engine, built by the team’s engine builder Eddy Bull, had just over 60 horsepower at the back wheel, but when it’s run in the team expected at least 65hp, reliably. And these figures are on petrol, more would be gained on methanol. Maximum power is produced at 10,400 rpm but there is plenty of racing power all the way from 7000 rpm. The motor will also rev on a further 1000 rpm with safety.
Davies Motorsport uses its own electronic ignition and the engine is fed by 26mm Keihin CR racing carburettors.
The quality of work can be easily seen when looking at the frame for example, and even though standard 500/4 specifications are required for the frame to be legal in the UK, it really does look nothing like a standard 500/4 chassis. This is a very trick racing frame - light and strong.
The swing arm is another area of
classic interpretation. For CRMC racing it must be the original length but can be uprated, with the Davies Motorsport in house swing arm being oval in shape. Exquisite and highly twist resistant. Billet triple clamps, alloy tank, carbon fibre and titanium everywhere. What Davies Motorsport doesn’t do in house it has the best tradesmen, or even artisans you might say, do for them.
The forks are Honda items but fitted with a cartridge conversion by the team, and the twin shocks are built to the team’s specification and sold exclusively by them.
“We’re not interested in racing a oneoff Davies Motorsport special,” said John. “Everything on our bikes is for sale – and right off the shelf. No waiting or messing about. If a bit is on our bike you can buy it.”
An interesting point on this specific bike is the drum front brake, which the Australian owner requested for his bike.
“I decided on the drums because it looked more period than the discs, even
the bike appeared to run faultlessly whenever I saw it in action. Alan Oversby is well known in UK racing circles and is obviously a very experienced and talented rider. In one race he really took it to the Paton ridden by Tom Bramich, and considering this was his fi rst time at Phillip Island, I was impressed.
In the fl esh the bike is simply beautiful, prepared to a level you would expect a professional team to provide.
though the discs are eligible,” says the owner who prefers to be anonymous.
“The drums are magnesium and made by Fontana in Italy, 230mm 4LS up front and 180mm 4LS on the rear. I had them shipped directly from Italy to John in the UK.
“As it turns out, the ACU in the UK has now banned discs on the Honda 500/4, so John will have to go with drums anyway,” he adds.
With no one building bikes like this in Australia, the owner had almost no choice to go to Davies Motorsport, but why a Honda when he had such a history with British and European machines?
“I already have a Manx and a G50 but I wanted the horsepower advantage of four cylinders, and if it was crashed, to be rebuildable. A good single on methanol will put out 60hp so the Honda has a clear advantage, and the
original bikes like my Manx and G50 are almost irreplaceable now.
“A friend of mine saw a Davies Motorsport Honda 500/4 at the 2012 Manx GP and was blown away by the level of build quality. I researched the bike, phoned John Davies direct and within 48 hrs decided to buy one.
“I needed the bike built in time for the Island Classic, and John and the team delivered on time, as promised, and they even agreed to come out with the bike and their rider Alan Oversby to race it at the Island Classic. I couldn’t be happier. As landed, with taxes and so on, the bike costs about $65,000, a lot less money than a Paton or MV Agusta,” he continues.
IN REALITY?
Having a bit of experience with the Honda 500/4 myself, these power fi gures were what I expected, and
Unfortunately I was unable to test ride the bike as it was a race meeting, but hopefully the chance will come up at another time. Hearing the four open megaphones on start up and then wide open down the main straight was almost satisfying enough! I thought it best to just ask Alan what it was like and how it compared with the Kay Engineering MV Agusta he’d previously ridden.
“The MV has a different frame than the Honda, and while great on short circuits, it is a handful on the roads. You have to have your wits about you, it is very fl ighty,” says Alan.
“The Honda handles much better and is powerful but not quite as quick as the MV. Both are exhilarating bikes to ride and the Honda is very reliable, and the engine easy to get the best out of, where you have to work harder with the MV. But there’s not a lot in it between the bikes generally,” adds Alan.
BUDGET EXOTICA
You might not think Budget Exotica is what you should be calling a $65,000 classic race bike but when compared to remanufactured race bikes like the MV Agusta four and the Paton twin it is. And the build quality is as high too.
The Davies Motorsport CB500RR might have started off as a humble Honda 500/4 and not many of the original parts still adorn the bike, but it is a testament to how right Honda got the engine all those years ago.
If you want to know more email John Davies at daviesmotorsport@ hotmail.co.uk . D www.ausmotorcyclist.com.au
Vietlong turn it on
our readers have an unforgettable tour
We asked Mr Dong (aka Mr Money Bags) to take our readers to places the other tours don’t reach. From what you’ll read over the next two issues, our Vietnam reader’s tour certainly met that requirement. Stuart unfortunately couldn’t make the tour which was a bit of a shame, but the guys had an awesome time with Mr Dong and his crew from Vietlong Travel. Anthony Morrison has kindly written his thoughts from the tour which we’ve had to cut quite a bit as he would have near filled the entire magazine! Thank you, mate. SW
Words Anthony Morrison Photos the Boys!
VIETNAM HAS ALWAYS interested me and I have wanted to visit places I have seen on the news during the Vietnam War. Da Nang, Saigon… mind you, we will not be going to these places. And who can forget the Top Gear special when the boys rode from Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) to Hanoi! I also had a subscription to Australian MOTORCYCLIST magazine and they mentioned that the next magazine tour would be Vietnam. After finding all the places on Google Earth I decided I would like to go, and it was relatively cheap.
I bought airline tickets from Thai Airways and they were well priced, so all I needed was to obtain some US dollars, pack and go.
SATURDAY - MELBOURNE TO HANOI
After a smooth flight I looked for my driver (arranged by Vietlong) and we
headed into Hanoi, a 45 minute drive. We pushed and shoved and tooted our way to the Silk Queen Hotel in the old section of Hanoi.
After settling in and having a shower I met Cliff who is from Carnarvon and works in the mines at Paraburdoo. He is a big fellow who normally rides a Harley Fat Bob but also has a Kawasaki KLR650 for fun, and when he arrives back in Perth he will be picking up his new Ducati. We went out for a walk and ended up having a foot massage which was great after a day of sitting in an aircraft. We also found a place to have a meal which for both of us was vegetarian spring rolls with noodles, very nice. Met Ray from Alice Springs on my way to my room and had a quick chat to him. We were feeling very tired by then so I went to my room and had just settled in when Tony turned up. After introductions and a short talk we both hit the sack.
Turns out Tony has a V-Strom 650 and has retired recently from the Post Office riding the CT 110 postie bikes. Tony is from Brisbane.
Today’s Scooter moment, scooters going the wrong way up the freeway
SUNDAY
- HANOI
Up at dawn and down to a typical high class continental breakfast spread. Met John, Kevin and Ross, three mates from Goulburn. Also met Ian and Julian (whom I later worked out I had met in La Paz in 2015) and Leon who are from Sydney. Mick, whom I saw yesterday is from Moonee Ponds which rounds up the 11 riders. We all trooped off for the briefing with Dong where we met our tour guides, Vinh (pronounced Vin) and Quynh. On this ride we will have 4 guides; leader (Vin), one in the middle of the group (Quynh), tail end Charlie (Hung) and
the ute driver (Hieu). Ian was elected unopposed as ride captain.
The briefing went for an hour and was very informative. Dong spoke about the lack of road rules but only to the point that if we hit someone we will end up paying for the damage.
We had our photos taken in front of the fountain all wearing our red t-shirts. Most of us wandered back to the hotel to deposit our t-shirt before 5 of us went for a walk around the lake in the middle of old Hanoi town.
When we returned to our hotel I changed some money at the main desk. I changed US$200 into Vietnamese Dong and ended up with over four million Dong so I was an instant multimillionaire!
We saw Ho Chi Minh’s Tomb from the road and a lot of people enjoying a Sunday out. Cliff and I were propositioned by two lovelies but we declined. It is the first time I have been
asked to go for a ride on a scooter by a female so I was quite chuffed until I realised they were prostitutes, better luck next time. LOL!
Today’s Scooter moment was just the sheer number of scooters on the roads.
MONDAY – HANOI - PHU YEN
We were driven not far to meet our guides and motorcycles. They were parked on the footpath in a row and we were told to pick one out each; first problem, 9 motorcycles and 11 riders. After some confusion 2 more motorcycles were found, only to find they had no petrol. After those little dramas we all rode around the block for a photo session. This is where my jacket zipper unzipped. I managed to fix it but I was not looking forward to a ride with a jacket that would not zip up. Next step was to not only ride out of Hanoi in the crazy Hanoi traffic
but to learn about the Hondas. Mine was number 11 and had only 4240km on it.
John’s was virtually brand new, and some of the others looked a bit knocked about but nothing serious –we were going for a ride in the dirt, so that’s fine.
We set off following Vinh and it was a very steep learning curve. Not only was the traffic thick it was becoming very hot. We battled our way out of Hanoi for what seemed an eternity before we stopped for our first coffee/water stop.
Getting out of the city we started to see some rice paddies and little settlements were just a little further apart and I could start to relax a bit on the bike.
We soon stopped for lunch and it was good. Hieu the ute driver had a big foam box filled with ice and cold drinks. Every time we stopped we all
made our way to Hieu’s box for water, he kept it full for the entire ride. We also tried out some minor dirt roads on our way to our accommodation. The Hanoi pollution seemed to be following us; in fact it followed us for the whole ride. We saw many strange things and many objects being carried by scooters. Just what do you do when your scooter breaks down? Easy, just grab your mate’s scooter, put a rag on the pillion seat and strap your scooter across the seat upright and ride to the nearest scooter shop. I saw 2 scooters carrying another scooter, glad they were riding the scooter and not me. Our first night was at a home stay. We rode down a very narrow laneway for some time to find our accommodation. The kitchen and eating area was downstairs and the matters were arranged around upstairs, lucky it was hot as the floor had many gaps between the bamboo floor boards. I had a good night’s sleep and the food was good.
TUESDAY - MAI CHAUPHU YEN
Slept like a log which is not bad considering there were 10 other bods in the room, good breakfast and spitting rain. Up and away by 8.30, retraced a bit of yesterday’s road
before heading bush again. We climbed into the mountains and it started to cool down which was nice, in fact it even started to drizzle. Visibility was very poor again due to the pollution but after lunch we saw a bit of blue and some clouds for the first time since arriving in Vietnam. We saw lots of rice fields and they were built in any flattish areas including some hanging by a thread on the mountain
Today’s Scooter moment was the one scooter carrying another scooter.
sides. Another favourite place for rice paddies is in any water course, even very small ones, they end up just small triangles. The roads today were even dustier than yesterday, in one place it was the old fashioned bull dust. Some of the boys had their jackets open and after the drizzle you should have seen their shirts - just mud.
Late morning we had a bit of serious off road riding. We rode up a track which was steep, much fun, going down not so much fun, it was an adventure for me but I had to remind myself the local Vietnamese rode their scooters up the same road all the time.
During the ride I noticed a lot of landslides and very few trees. The locals were clearing big areas and burning everything, I also noticed a lot rubbish lying around. Lunch was good, especially cooked bacon, very windy roads all day, I thought Julian was familiar so I asked him when he did the Compass tour of South America and he said 2015. I said “You did it with Felix as tour guide”, which was correct. I told him we met in La Paz as he was going on the Road of Death, small world!
In the afternoon we crossed a large river on a ferry before stopping for a sugar cane drink which was nice if a little
sweet, but not as much as you would have thought.
Some of the houses we passed were very nice but there is a lot of poverty and there are lots of water buffalo.
At our first hotel night three of the boys got into the lift with their luggage and it must have tripped the overload switch and stopped. After a frantic few minutes they were released, gee I am happy I was not in it. Too many big Australians with luggage! I ended up carrying my luggage up three floors. I had a sweat up and straight into the shower. Phu Yen Hotel called “Khach San Hong Long” is all very nice and new and the shower was good. We, that is Tony and I, decided to leave the window open during the night, I did not have a problem but Tony was eaten alive by mosquitoes and there was a loud speaker outside that went all night.
Today’s Scooter moment was the scooter with a small trailer, big cage and a big pig standing in it.
Wednesday - Phu yen -Than uyen
Very interesting day, started off with a big parade down the main street sending off two bus loads of boys to
military training. It seemed half the town was out to see them off; this meant there were hundreds of scooters and vehicles including the police escort. We ended up passing them all but not without incident as two scooters collided in front of our leader and luckily he and the following riders managed to go around the carnage. Shortly after we went over a mountain pass that was used in the war against the French who dropped over 1200 tons of explosive on it, to no avail. After a brief stop we rode over 80km to our next stop for morning tea. Today we were introduced to the local coffee that is brewed in a container above the cup with condensed milk, I like it so had another one later, it will keep me awake all night I am sure. The hills today had trees on them but there were also a lot of landslides. Even saw some blue clouds for a short time. At one point we were being passed by many scooters loaded up with wood (in the opposite direction I might add), it was about 4ft long so just how the scooters stopped is anyone’s guess. More of a worry is how long the few remaining trees will last. We had a very good lunch and the rib meat was very tasty. After lunch we did a
little excursion through a small village involving riding across 2 suspension bridges. We rode up a small track (2 way) between the rice paddies and stopped for some photos.
It was all very interesting and soon we were on our way, but somehow Julian was lost, so after 15 minutes he turned up coming the opposite direction so off we went.
This afternoon we could pick going on the bitumen (?) or taking an off road ride, 6 of us including myself decided to chicken out and took the bitumen which was faster allowing us to have another coffee stop. Shortly after we left the coffee stop we came across a crash, and guess what, it included our mate John who apparently ran into someone who was indicating a turn left, this could have happened to any one of us. This little exercise cost John US$260 which was a bargain I guess. We passed a number of dams and at least three hydro plants as we followed a large river which at this time year was very nearly empty. Today we also saw many rice paddies clinging onto the hillsides along with water buffalo many of whom were on the road.
Over half of today’s ride was like riding down a main street, shops and houses both sides and people and just more people and bloody scooters everywhere. Every time I looked at my speed it read ‘five something’ so it was a slow ride. I would think our average speed would be about 40km per hour.
The road today was for me all bitumen with a few sections of gravel mainly due to the road at some time being swept away in a landslide. After another nice shower we met at 6.30 for tea, just two doors down, I must say the food on this trip has been great. It was my biggest worry, I can be fussy but there is white rice with at least four other dishes to choose from so if one dish is good I just have more and there is plenty to go around.
Today’s Scooter moment, was a chap holding four paintings while riding, lucky he was not texting as well.
Thursday - Than uyen -sapa Today it started off cool and for the first time we could see clouds which is not what we wanted to see as they meant that there was also a wind to blow the pollution away. Anyway I decided to get up early and go for a walk after an excellent night’s sleep.
Cliff was having a coffee so I joined him and watched the scooters and people. It took only a few minutes for a couple of lads to crash chasing another scooter (boys will be boys all over the world), no injuries but it was the second crash we had seen.
Not long after setting out the wind came up and it was very blustery and we all thought this just may be fun with the light motorcycles. Vinh soon turned up a dirt track between some rice paddies and the wind nearly blew me into one but we soon stopped, for as it turned out to be a photo stop.
As we rode along some good roads we saw many tea plantations and stopped on the side of the road for a closer look, and some of us rode up to the top of a small hill for an even better look.
We had morning tea before heading up the mountains to a 2000m pass. As you can imagine as we rode higher it got colder and at times we entered cloud. I took some nice photos on the way up and by the time I arrived at the top everyone was feeling very cold, a big contrast to a day or two ago. We stopped at the top and Julian took a great photo of some newlyweds with a great background of mountains and mountain valleys. Not far from the top was a truck that had been driven into the cliff, must have lost its brakes. Its front end was behind it, torn right out of its chassis. After a short freezing stop we headed down to Sapa and lunch, before going to our 4 star hotel on the hill. Short day of only 100km so got some washing done and Tony and I went for a walk around town.
We have all worked out how the traffic works here now. It is very easy really; just give way to anyone or anything in front of the mirrors, anyone behind the mirrors gives way to you. For example, and you must
remember that they drive on the right side, when you come to an intersection and you are turning right all you have to do is turn right and enter the traffic, everyone on your left gives way, most locals don’t even look. If you are turning left give way to the left and when a space comes up, ride out and turn left, all the traffic on your right gives way, easy really. So the rule is give way to anyone in front and that also includes anyone on the road who is indicating they want to turn across the road in front of you. Of course cars, buses and trucks have priority as they are bigger. If you want to pass just do it and flash your headlight (only for the brave). You have to be careful as any car/bus/truck coming towards you forms a middle third lane when overtaking a scooter on their side. In other words look out at all times, don’t have a little sleep as you will become a bonnet emblem very quickly.
I started tea by myself but Ian, Leon and Mick soon joined me and too much red wine was drunk so a late night, but I did sleep soundly. In Vietnam there are some hundreds of ethnic minorities (that’s what they call them in Vietnam), most with a particular dress which in some instances was very colourful. Most were pleated and some of the colouring reminded me of kilts. The minorities it is believed mainly came from China many hundreds of years ago. We met minorities called Thai and Mong and they have their own language and customs. Some worship their ancestors so Vietnam is a great mixture of people from over the centuries.
Today’s Scooter moment was the one with mum, dad and the 2 kids
The journey continues in the next issue with many more amazing roads and sights. Will Anthony have a little sleep? Will the boys drink more red wine? What will the next Scooter moment be? We can’t wait! D
EVENT
FKARUAH RIVER RALLY 2018
Reserved for motorcyclists WORDS/PHOTOS THE POSSUM
OLLOWING the heatwave conditions of 2017 – 47 degrees – which saw the bush campsite closed by Forestry NSW as a bushfire precaution, it was a welcome return to the Frying Pan Creek campsite for this year’s rally.
The BMWTCNSW have been reading the market and the BBQ on Saturday evening, and the breakfast Sunday morning meant we had less personal tucker to transport, which left more room for cool drinks.
The road into the site had not seen a grader for a while so there were no recently formed piles of loose gravel to challenge the unwary. Provided you kept an eye on your mirrors you where seldom surprised by a fast moving KTM or BMW looming up from your dust.
All the usual suspects were in attendance along with a wide range of machinery. Many older BMWs sporting Club Rego where in attendance – hope you remembered to complete your log books boys!
Time for a cool down –inside and out!
Chris McCardle informed me that his F800GS has now clocked over 190,000 km, so as a F800 owner I am pleased that I have many trouble free kilometres in front of me.
Frank the Wog made his annual run up from Melbourne – hasn’t missed a single KRR, so that is a big effort –well done Frank!
During the presentation of awards, the MC, Rob Lovett informed us that it costs the Club $4500 to conduct the rally, so it was a good thing there were over 150 bodies on site.
Longest Distance Male – Bill at 1241km
Longest Distance Female – Morgan at 1100km
Longest Distance Sidecar - two claimants from Coonabarabran each logged 422km
Oldest BMW at the Rally – Henning with his R75/5
Oldest Combined Age – Henning again with 115 years
Highest Club Mileage – Wobbly Boot Tourers
Youngest Rider – three young blokes each aged 24 put their hands up so the judges are still deliberating.
Hard Luck – several sad tales where told, but the saddest was the bloke who lost two bottles of wine and a bag of tools somewhere along the track.
The raffles saw plenty of happy winners carry off tool kits, nice stuff in bottles, and the last ticket draw was for a $500 voucher redeemable at any BMW store.
Henning then ran an auction to sell off The Pudding for the next leg of its non-stop journey around Australia. Bruce from QLD bid $210, so The Pudding is heading North. All Pudding monies go to the RFDS.
Special thanks goes to Forestry NSW who closed off the campsite so it was reserved for this function for the weekend.
The next rally by the BMWTCNSW is the Far Cairn out at Tottenham in September, so if you are up for a long ride to a friendly little town, this could be for you. D
Um? Put some pants on, gents you’re scaring the wildlife away.
The Possum looks happy (RH side)
SOUTH AFRICA and Australia
have much common heritage, both historical and geological. Both countries were British colonies. Australia has more desert, coal and iron ore. South Africa has more gold, diamonds and magnificent mountain passes.
Some of Australia’s best mainland riding are the passes of the east coast hinterland on the escarpments that lead to the northern, central and southern tablelands. Double, treble and quadruple the altitudes and distances and this becomes the passes of the Drakensberg Mountains running for most of the length of South Africa and of the interconnected ranges demarcating the Great and Little Karoo across the bottom of the country.
This was the setting for three weeks and 5000km of amazing riding, scenic wonders, fascinating history, superb wining and dining, and luxury accommodation.
Such is motorcycling in South Africa with a group of friends already strongly committed to top class riding and life-enjoyment, both of which we indulge as frequently as possible.
THE JOURNEY COMMENCES
Our motorcycling journey began in Pretoria with collecting our bikes and stocking up for some self-catering. After a couple of hundred kilometres
heading north over the high veld, we turned east towards the Drakensberg Mountains. The large, long massif of the range loomed larger with each kilometre. Our first real encounter with the Drakensberg was Magoebaskloof Pass. It’s considered one of the most scenic passes in the Limpopo province; and it didn’t disappoint as it wound its way up and down ranges and valleys before it finally dropped us on the eastern side of the Drakensberg.
After a couple of days on safari in the low veld of Kruger Park, we returned to the Drakensberg. The first climb was a steep and twisting ride beside high walls of granite onto a plateau that stretched and undulated for several kilometres forming a cradle within folds of the peaks and troughs of the Drakensberg. It would still be some time before we made the final climb over the spinal ridge to reach the western high veld.
During this “cradle phase” we made a few short diversions to visit the topographical marvels of the Three Rondavels (a sort of gigantic Three Sisters) and Bourke’s Luck Potholes (a small canyon with steep walls forming a series of cauldrons). These features are part of the much larger Blyde River Canyon. Then came the final stage of climbing out of the cradle to cross over to the high veld by way of Robbers’ Pass providing
more enjoyable riding through turns and unique scenery. After a relatively short run through a couple of towns on the high veld, we began the climb up Long Tom Pass. We cast aside the need to keep more or less in a group as our destination was near the top of the pass, so it was a brisk ‘free ride’ through the evenly twisting turns for about three quarters of the way up before running into thick fog that barely showed the bike in front with tail and hazard lights blazing. Once over Long Tom Pass, it was down the other side and into Swaziland for a ride the full length of this independent nation completely surrounded by South Africa (a bit like the ACT and NSW). A gravel ride into a remote and unique nature sanctuary for a night was a welcome relief to having been separated from our knowledgeable leader in the middle of Swaziland; and left to argue amongst ourselves about options and strategies.
ANGLO-ZULU BATTLEFIELDS
On exiting Swaziland, we headed south on the low veld into Zululand. In today’s arrangements we’re now in the South African province of KwaZulu-Natal; but in times past this was the hub of the Zulu Nation. Our hotel was right at the site of the original Rorke’s Drift (a ‘drift’ is a river ford). We arrived there minutes before
a spectacular thunder and lightning show followed by torrential rain!
Rorke’s Drift was the site of the much vaunted successful defence of the small outpost by a hundred or so British military and colonial militia against thousands of Zulu warriors.
The movie Zulu (Michael Caine’s first movie) was all about this event.
But more sobering was the site of the iconic shape of Isandlwana and its surrounding white stone cairns under which most of the more than 1300 British killed were “buried” where they fell in the face of overwhelming numbers of Zulu warriors. The stories of Isandlwana and Rorke’s Drift have become legend.
Not far from the battlefields we visited the site of the capture by police of the then forty-four-year-old political campaigner, Nelson Mandela.
This marked his disappearance from public view for the next twenty-eight years. The monument is an amazing optical illusion: as one approaches its fifty randomly-placed steel columns of 6.5 to 9.5 metres tall, they seem to line up in a row to display a flat portrait of Mandela.
SANI PASS
Sani Pass is a formidable pass with a fearsome reputation that climbs the Drakensberg into Lesotho. The wet and foggy weather was a put-off for some of us and we took to the 4x4s,
but Ray, who had just completed a ride from London to Magadan on Russia’s east coast, and Greg, an accomplished off-road rider, were not to be deterred.
The fi nal section, the steepest part of the climb, is notorious for its nine or so very tight and frighteningly steep switch-backs that land you on the incongruously fl at plain that’s Lesotho. The Lesotho border post was no more than a beat-up old caravan that had obviously taken a roll – probably on its way up the pass years ago.
The Sani Pass Hotel boasts being the highest pub in Africa at 2874m.
We woke next day to a fairly clear sky with patches of fog in the valley. It was a wonder-view of the pass creeping its way from the distant fog through the twists and turns to the top. On the way down in the 4x4s the road looked relatively benign in contrast to the day before. I had some regrets about not having ridden it, but only fleetingly until reality and common sense took hold again.
GOLDEN GATE
NATIONAL PARK
Once down Sani Pass, we retraced our tracks north to tackle the Drakensberg again, this time via Van Reenan’s Pass. The ascent of Van Reenan’s Pass might have been spectacular – it’s reputed to be – but for us it was
trying to keep an eye on the hazard lights of the bike ahead; the fog was so thick and the rain, which had been with us most of the day, was still tagging along. As we rode over the lip of the pass onto the high plateau of the Drakensberg range, almost miraculously the sky cleared to reveal a vast vista of rolling high veld plains rimmed by sharp jagged peaks of rock. This again was the cradle of the Drakensberg.
It wasn’t long before some light rain followed us into the Golden Gate National Park – an expanse of high veld country dotted with a variety of massive rock formations that seemed to change shape with every turn of the road. The ride to the chalet was so good in terms of both scenery and motorcycling, there was a plan hatched to re-ride it next morning before continuing on our way. That got thwarted by a night of teeming rain. Fortunately, by departure time the rain had retreated to a drizzle.
THE KAROO
Back onto the high veld, we headed south to the Great Karoo – a large semidesert tract that had been a formidable barrier for the early Boer settlers heading north to the more fertile high veld. The most notable characteristics of what we saw of the Great Karoo were the high ranges that crisscrossed expansive, dry and barren rolling plains.
The small, sleepy town of GraaffReinet, our lodgings for two nights, is the fourth oldest European town in the country. A day’s excursion was a ride to the “Valley of Desolation” a short distance south of the town. The valley has been described as a cathedral of mountains, with its high vertical peaks of precariously balanced rocks. It’s a stark illustration of the layered nature of rock formations created by banks of sand and clay over 200 million years ago. It was a long, brisk and mostly straight ride for the first part of the day from Graaff-Reinet to our next destination of Storms River Mouth. We had a few hours of continuing across the Great Karoo with its topography of mildly rolling, fairly barren plains, stark mountains in the far distance and ranges to climb and crossover as we traversed this unforgiving expanse. The speed limit is posted as 120km/h; but the local customary limits seemed to be 130-140km/h.
StormS river
Towards the end of the Karoo, a pass took us over the bordering mountains onto the coastal strip: lush, thickly forested and sea-breezed. We were soon looking at the Indian Ocean along South Africa’s south coast. The dry heat of the Karoo was replaced by the pleasant chill of ocean winds.
Our national park chalets at Storms River Mouth were perched on a headland overlooking the beach, sea and river mouth, with the rugged edges of the coastal cliffs fading far into the distance. A somewhat strenuous walk up and along a ridge overlooking the river led us to suspension bridges that facilitate access for the keen bush walkers. Next morning, it was riding further east over more ravines and high-spanned bridges along the famed Garden Route
before changing direction into the Outeniqua Mountains for a night’s stay in their southern foothills for an early start the next day into Robinson’s Pass.
robinSon’S PaSS and Swartberg PaSS
Today may well have been the best riding day of the tour. It started with Robinson’s Pass, which connects Mossel Bay on the coast with Oudtshoorn over the Outeniqua Mountains in the Little Karoo. The pass is noted for its sweeping curves and superb views of rugged mountains and open valleys. Getting the curves in sync meant a very delightful run all the way to the top and over. The pass brought us down into the Little Karoo, with the Great Swartberg Range clearly visible in the distance. We then crossed the relatively narrow Little Karoo before heading into the foothills of the Swartberg Range. Then came Schoemanspoort (a ‘poort’ is a narrow chasm). It provided a tightly cornered feeder route to the fabulous Swartberg Pass.
The pearl of the day was Swartberg Pass itself. A website on South African mountain passes says “there is an allure and mystique around this old pass, coupled with its status as a national monument, which elevates this pass to the very top of the list.” It was all gravel. It had tight switchbacks, steep inclines, rough rocky surface in parts: challenging but not to the point where it became unenjoyable. Several vantage points provided amazing views of the range, the pass and the valleys of the Little Karoo.
After lunching in the quaint, arty town of Prince Albert, we continued with a loop back to Oudtshoorn for our accommodation. But another gem still waited us. The Meiringspoort is described as a top 10 destination. This port is incredible. Its walls are towering high, most of it is very narrow, there are innumerable drifts (fords - but concreted) and a gushing waterfall along the way. It has a history of floods and landslides.
montagu
We travelled the panoramic Route 62 which runs lengthwise through the Little
Karoo. Three of us opted for a side trip through the Seweweekspoort. (The ‘poort’ part is the chasm; the rest of the word is a more challenging way of saying “seven weeks”.)
The “Seven Weeks Poort” is a gravel road that winds its way through a narrow chasm between high, jagged rock cliffs walls. It’s considered by many to be the most spectacular poort in the country. Our joint view was that it outdid the Meiringspoort that we rode the day before. It was a case of riding about 17 km through the chasm and then riding back through it again to re-join Route 62.
A diversion from Route 62 took us up and over Tradouw Pass, another great ride of twists, climbs and descents, before we rode through the old town of Swellendam.
Then the road to Montagu through the Cogmanskloof Pass, along which was a natural gateway of a rock arch on top of which are the remnants of a British fort from the second Anglo-Boer war. Montagu is snuggled between mountain ranges but supports an extensive winevine growing industry. Once again, a guest house that would compete with any 5 star resort.
CaPe town
Sadly, the last day of the ride to Cape Town arrived. However, we would still have four days in Cape Town that will include day rides.
En route to Cape Town, we made a couple of diversions (no surprises here!) to ride passes that weren’t on the main roads. Du Toitskloof Pass provided an amazing vista of a fertile valley the likes of which we hadn’t seen throughout the tour. This was the Paarl Valley, renowned for its production of many of South Africa’s premier wines.
Next was the Bainskloof Pass. This was a narrow road with a spectacular climb up the side of the range, but today was savaged by a fierce wind that almost stopped the bikes in their tracks at every corner. The plan was to climb the pass and then return back down. In the circumstances, we called the climb off about two thirds of the way up.
Later in the day, riding south along the Atlantic coast, Table Mountain began
1. Looking very serious there, Robert!
2. Sani Pass Hotel
to grow larger in our view heralding the imminence of Cape Town.
Round Cape Town
From our base in Cape Town, we spent one day heading east along the top of False Bay. The terrain varied from sea level beach fronts to coastal roads climbing up and over the rugged, high promontories that protrude into the Atlantic Ocean (yes, it’s still the Atlantic Ocean until much further east before it becomes
the Indian Ocean). Soon enough, we rode over another mountain pass into the lush valleys that house the very first satellite settlements out of Cape Town itself. These were Stellenbosch, Paarl and Franshoek. Franshoek Pass brought us into the town of Franshoek with its gleaming white buildings exhibiting the unique designs of its long history. These valleys are now South Africa’s premier wine growing areas; and there are long-established wineries throughout the valleys.
Some of us diverted on the ride back to Cape Town to ride the mountain-clinging road to Chapman’s Peak providing not only a great twisting ride but also a spectacular view of Hout Bay with the southern profile of Table Mountain forming the background.
Cape of Good Hope
The lure of the cape! Between mythology (the Flying Dutchman) and history (Bartholomeu Dias and Vasco
da Gama), the Cape of Good Hope is a fable in itself. It’s essentially the tip of the peninsula that runs down the western side of South Africa. There are, in fact, three promontories that one might loosely lump together as the fabled cape; but only one of them is officially the Cape of Good Hope. It’s the first one a seafarer would spot coming from the west. More spectacular is Cape Point which far more captivated the imagination and consternation of early seafarers.
It was a very scenic ride along the eastern edge of the peninsula to the cape, with the road winding its way into and over the coastal ranges before coming across an expansive plateau leading to the peninsula’s end point: the cape itself. Cape Point is a high, narrow rocky strip that juts into the sea providing a panoramic view of both sides of the peninsula. On its eastern side, the view extends north to the start of the peninsula and the coast of False Bay stretching further east.
While the actual Cape of Good Hope may be less scenically dramatic, it still had the principal lure. A compulsory photo stop! D
1. Bourke’s Luck Potholes in Blyde River Canyon
2. Cape Point 2
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.
IAN
IS A REGULAR
who writes to us to let us know when we’re great and not so great, and everything in between. His latest email is to Boris – basically telling him to fob off. For Ian’s efforts, he’s won the lovely cap from Rocky Creek Designs!
FOB OFF, BORIS
Hi Stuart, I can’t see what all the kerfuffle was about by Boris bagging a motorcycle with a fob key. I found it fantastic wherever I go, whether a long trip, day ride, to the footy or just a coffee run it is so good to just get off your
YIPEE!
Hi Stuart,
Liked the story. As to the "racing numberplate on the tailpiece" I have a very similar set up on my R nine T and I would not want to miss it some day.
A mate told me that this set up is illegal. I have not been pulled over yet, but what do you know?
Regards, Volker
Hi Volker, in regard to the legalities of “tail tidies” and so on, as a general rule (details can differ by State) is that so long as you have the correct angle of the number plate, correct indicators and number plate light there should be no issue. For example, Oggy Knobbs has a tail tidy
motorcycle press the ignition button and walk to wherever you intend to head without having to remove a key and find a safe pocket to put it in let alone sit on your bike fully dressed then realize your key is in your pocket or your man bag and the best part is all your panniers, top box and glove compartments automatically lock themselves. When you get on the bike in the morning you put the key in your pocket and don’t touch it until the end of the day no matter how many times you get off the motorcycle and of course the fuel tank automatically unlocks when you want to refuel and there is more. You also get thrown in for no extra cost some great benefits to help you enjoy the ride like heated seats (great to find it after stopping for a leak in winter); hill starting this is essential when sitting on a steep hill with a real pillion ( not a lunch box) and a lot of traffic (etc Windsor bridge, top of Heathcote road); tyre pressure monitors. But wait there is more: button pressing weight
that is legal around the country, so long as the fitting instructions are followed. Cheers, Stuart.
CRACKING THE CODE
Gentlemen (that excludes Boris), Looking at the Ducati Multistrada 950 in your price list page. For the life of me I cannot work out what "Red T/Red spoke" means. Now "spoke" is pretty obvious, but what does the "T" stand for?
Touring pack??
The Ducati website is hopeless so I'm hoping you can shed some light on what these colour combinations are. Cheers, David
carrying adjustments with separate dampening adjustments, blinkers that decide you are going way too long with them on so when you are approaching a roundabout the cars won’t come out on you thinking you are turning (well some cars), GPS that tells you everything at once except the mood of your pillion, a gear change that doesn’t need a clutch, a windscreen that goes back to your last height setting, music of your choice to drown out the pillion and of course some common things that are found on a bike with a key like heated grips, cruise control, power changes, abs and tilt and forget max power (ASC) all of this for just buying a bike with a fob key. Oh, and they throw in a little gadget to shove up the motorcycle’s rear end (actually front end) to fire it up should you ever have a flat battery in your Boris hating fob key.
Ian Gregory Regents Park
Hi Ian, I think Boris must be feeling old? Hahahaha! Cheers, Stuart
Hi David, We wish we had the room to include the entire names, but they’d take up multiple lines! You are correct on both names – Spoke is for spoked wheels and T is for Touring Package. The Red is the usual Ducati red and the white is either their White Silk or Arctic White (both metallic whites). Hope this helps. Have a great weekend. Cheers, Stuart.
LIFE IN THE OLD KAT YET
Hi Guys, Just thought I would drop you a quick email to share what I consider to be an amazing restoration of a 650 Katana shaft drive (1983 I think), I picked this bike up in a pretty bad way from my father in-law who got
it from a farm shed in Northampton WA, after stripping it to a pile of nuts and bolts with good intentions of restoring it I realised I had neither the time or motivation to complete the job so I sold it for $400 to someone else and after 2 years and $8000 he has completed the resto which I am sure you will agree looks amazing. Once he has got it registered he is going to bring it around for me to have a ride which I am very much looking forward to, I am starting to wish I had done this myself as I would love to have this parked in my shed. But I must admit he has done a mighty job and should be very proud of his efforts to preserve a fi ne example of motorcycling history. I have attached a before and after photo of the bike and also a pic of my current ride (2017 V-Strom 1000 XT) which I absolutely love.
PS: love the mag and keep up the good work
Yours truly Rod
Hearle Mandurah WA
Hi Rod, great to hear the bike has been brought back to life. It certainly looked a bit sad in the before pic! (Sorry everyone, I have no idea what I did with the pics! SW)
Enjoy the ride once you get the chance. The V-Strom 1000 XT is a great ride, you would have enjoyed reading our comparo with the 650 a few issues ago. Glad you’re loving the mag. Thanks, Stuart.
FUELLING A PASSION
There is something wonderful about motorcycles that captures the spirit and soul of countless men and women; not all but many! As a country lad the passion was always simmering below the surface. Early in my career cars proved costly and difficult to store, and as the family grew up, I slowly gravitated back to motorcycles. And so, for the last 20 years as the knowledge and passion has matured, it has been a dream to visit the iconic Phillip Island; the undisputed flagship of Australian Motorsport. The dream finally materialised this year at the 25th anniversary of the 'Motorcycle Classic' (Island Classic) held over the Australia Day long weekend. To top it all off, an old army mate and myself were asked to help out on the team of John (Popeye) Cooper, who was competing on his Suzuki GSX750R; an 1127cc rocket ship. I met Popeye racing Motocross Sidecars and we
were crowned Queensland Champions in 2015; but that is another story. Held over four days this is the single largest 'Classic Motorcycle' event in the Southern Hemisphere attracting hundreds of riders from all over Australia and the world. There is no prize money and the entire moto complex is open to everyone to roam freely; watch the racing, engage with the riders and admire the machinery. It is a history lesson of mechanical engineering comprising motorcycles from pre WWII, right through to 1990 machines capable of 280km/hr plus. Owners and riders on two strokes and four strokes battle it out in their respective classes as the appreciative crowd gets to witness some of the greatest motorcycles ever developed. The Federation of International Motorcycles (FIM) held its first Grand Prix Championship in 1949 which has morphed into MotoGP as we now know it. Machines are either an original or replica of their respective era and the guest of honour, Giacomo Agostini, with 15 World Championships to his name, brought along four of his championship bikes. A true gentleman, Mr Agostini gave his time freely and I was fortunate enough to get some books signed and a photo or two.
To the enthusiast this is pure exhilaration that cannot be matched. It takes us back to our youth, inspiring dreams and memories that invoke a sense of gratitude and satisfaction for simply being alive; you are proud to be a biker. Despite a good breeze it was hot, over 50C on the track, testing man and machine, but that didn't slow anyone. Popeye did a PB of 1min 51sec and cracked 255km/hr. A split oil hose during race three warmup put an end to our racing, but the memories and mateship will endure a lifetime.
With some spare time on our hands we took off to have a look around. It is not common place for Motorsport to mix with Fairy Penguins but that is another little quirk that makes Phillip Island so special and unique. The main town of Cowes was a hustle bustle of activity, restaurants galore adorned with biking memorabilia and everyone had a smile on their face. We will be back if the 'Gods of Speed' look kindly upon us: not to win, but to simply make the voyage, drool over machines, laugh, drink, and spin a lot of hype. For a brief moment, many years ago, I gave up motorcycles and it was without doubt the worst eleven minutes of my life. Everyone needs a passion - mine is bikes.
Marshal Shaw
ARE YOU FOR REAL?
Boris,
You must be kidding yourself. What is it to you if motorcycle riders nod to each other, wave or even give each other highfives? I reckon you should just go sit in your corner and sulk. Do you whine like a baby when you’re in the sack, too?
Stuart, Bear and Ralph – love what you’re doing with the mag (and mostly Boris).
Cheers, George
Erskine Park NSW
For some reason Stuart has not given Boris this letter to answer, George. But I’m sure he’ll have an answer when the letter is published! – The Bear
GAS IT UP
Stuart,
You mention the new articles we’ll read about named, Classical Gas. I liked Chris’ first piece and will be interested to see what else he comes up with. I have to be honest here, I never really read Lester so he won’t be missed by me.
Regards, Brian Tannor
Balingup, VIC
Hi Brian,
Thanks for your thoughts. I’m sure you’ll enjoy the feature on the Honda 500/4 in this issue.
Cheers, Stuart.
BLOOD, SWEAT AND TEARS
Stuart.
Motorcycles are in the blood here. My 1977 Z1000A1 is back
on deck and going extra well, The Tibetan Prayer wheel worked wonders as I managed to fill the beastly thing one day with Diesel of all things as I was in a rush but BP in its wisdom put the 98 right next to the Diesel pump and which one did I choose? The mongrel diesel. (Unbeknown at the time). 15ks later it was like the 3801 coming up the Cowan bank from Hawkesbury. Swansea will never be the same. Smoke was unbelievable. I somehow managed to actually get the brand-new 1000+cc engine home, locked it up in the big shed and I had nightmares about which brand-new forged pistons had a hole in it.
Three months later I managed to grow the balls to actually see how much damage I had done to my so-called pride and joy. Maybe thousands of dollars? My brother then rang and said he had just put petrol in his diesel MB. Shits were trumps; I never thought for a moment that mastermind here actually put diesel into a half full Z1000 tank. I checked the old fuel docket from the servo at Whitebridge, sure enough, it was 9.3 litres of diesel! Loads of swear words in many different languages ensued… Almost 50% shit fuel and how the Zed got me 25ks home I’ll never know. Maybe the 10.25:1 Wiseco’s may have
helped? Compression check 185 187 186 187 PSI cold with full throttle. Hmm? Off tank and vacuum’d out K&N air cleaner into the carbs as well, plugs replaced, the oil, the whole nine yards. Charged the battery overnight as well as changing the engine oil and K&N oil filter. Drum roll and pray hard! On fuel tap, refuel with some 100 octane, on ignition key, apply some choke, also leave the throttle alone, Hail Marys prayer, wheel at full bore and press the tit. Varoom! Sounded like a Rolls Royce Merlin! Miracle, ticked over like a singer sewing machine. There was some smoke, not too much though and it idled beautifully at just over 1200rpm, warmed up a little, off choke. Sounded great. Very happy chappy but it’s actually getting a little better. I believe the BP Diesel has actually really cleaned the 4X 26MM Mikunis out well and has given the carbs an edge on what it used to be even though it has had a truck load of money spent on the engine to bring it back to the high standard it was supposed to be. (Could never get the 26s to settle down, there must be some secret air balance passages in the carb bodies somewhere? OK enough. More of the good work please! I also have an 05 BMW R1150R with 23Ks
on it. Not a good story, some rock ape managed to mess up everything he touched all because of a cheap low CCA’s battery. New starter motor and a few other things in the tank (Garden Hose) I was ready to burn it - very close. $2K later and BIG thanks to Craig at Brisons Newcastle it’s a 100% now. It handles really well and has loads of grunt, still wary though. My 02/ FJR 1300 is still my all day every day steed. Great allround bike.
Cheers, Dave Benge
Newcastle
You’re not the only one, Dave. The advertising manager at another magazine I used to edit put diesel into a loaner BMW and then accused the shop where he had picked it up of wrecking the bike. He’s been known ever since as Johnny Diesel (not that one) – The Bear
THE TINNY FLOATED AWAY!
Hi Stuart, Have just finished the latest issue and recalled a quirky line-up of letter boxes seen near the French Pass on the top end of the South Island, NZ. Was particularly impressed with the outboard motor!
Cheers, Stephen Percival D
R nineT
R Sport
R 1200 R Exclusive
R 1200 RS
R 1200 RS Sport
R 1200 RT
K 1600 B
K 1600 GT
K 1600 GT Sport
K 1600 GTL
K 1600 GTL Elegance
$17,690
$22,500
$22,500
$23,100
$23,450
$30,940
$36,490
$36,490
$36,990
$37,990
$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
$12,890
$16,940
$18,650
$21,850
$23,050
$27,250
$27,250
$24,890
R 1200 GSA Triple Black $29,585
ScooteR
C 650 Sport
C 650 GT
CAN-AM (BRP) www.brp.com
*All prices are ride away
Road
$14,150
$14,990
Spyder RS SM5 $19,990
Spyder RS S Red SE5 $23,990
Spyder RS S Wht SE5 $23,990
F3S SM5 $25,790
F3S SE5
Spyder ST S SE5
Spyder ST Ltd SE5
Spyder RT SM6
Spyder RT S SE6
Spyder RT Ltd SE6
$28,890
$25,490
$28,990
$31,490
$39,990
$41,990 CF MOTO www.cf-moto.com.au
VFR1200X Crosstourer
$18,299
CRF1000 Africa Twin $15,499
CRF1000 Africa Twin ABS $16,999
CRF1000
NSS300A Forza $7499
HUSQVARNA
www.husqvarna-motorcycles.com/au
Road 701 Supermoto $TBA
INDIAN
www.indianmotorcycles.com.au
CRuiseR
KAWASAKI
www.kawasaki.com.au Road
Z125 Pro KRT
Z300 Special Edition
Versys 650/L ABS
Ninja 650/L ABS
Ninja 650/L KRT Edition
Z650L ABS
Ninja ZX-6R
Ninja ZX-6R 636 KRT
Scooter
Burgman
Burgman
Burgman
SWM
www.swmmotorcycles.com.au
road
Gran Turismo
Silver Vase 440
$7490
$7490
Gran Milano 440 $7990
SM 500 R $8990
$9990
SM 650 R $9490 adv touring Superdual
TRIUMPH
www.triumphmotorcycles.com.au
*Some Triumph prices are ride away
road
Street Triple S 660 $12,800
Street Triple S
Street Triple R
Street Triple RS
Daytona 675
Daytona 675 R
Bonneville Street Twin $13,700
Bonne Bobber Black
Bonne Street Cup
Street Scrambler
Bonne T100
Bonne T100 Black
Bonneville T120 $17,200
Bonneville T120 Black
BEARFACED
HAMBITION OR TALENT? UM? HMM...
OW LONG HAVE you been riding? Have you mastered the look-where-you-want-to-go technique? Most of you will have, of course, but there may be someone out there like me. It took me years to figure this out. It’s simple, of course. When you’re on a bad patch of road, or more likely dirt track, there will be places you do not want to go – like potholes, stretches of deep sand or grooves parallel to the direction in which you’re travelling. Unfortunately there are two characteristics of the human brain that will combine to lead you into disaster.
One is the tendency to look at the threat. It’s obvious, isn’t it. That’s a bad place! Keep an eye on it! But it’s wrong, because here the second characteristic comes into play – you will head for the place you’re looking at. In serious cases, this feels like an outside force pushing the handlebar towards the threat so strongly that all your attempts to shift it will be fruitless. You need to look away in order to unlock your steering. It took me years to figure this out; nobody ever told me between the gusts of laughter that greeted my running into the ditch or the sand patch… yet again. So look where you want to go, and your brain will take you there. Well, your bike will take you there, but you know what I mean. This works even over substantial distances. Some 17 years ago, I did the BMW offroad training course in the
Rothaargebirge east of Cologne. I took several important lessons away from that course, not the least being that you shouldn’t put ice directly on a sprained leg. My good mate Snag did that and ended up with a cold blister the size of a large eggplant.
One of the other lessons was that the look-where-you-want-to-go technique even works for things like riding along a narrow, long plank. Look at something beyond the end of the plank, and your good old brain will guide the bike for you without running off the edge. That’s almost impossible if you look at the bit of plank right in front of your wheel. That’s come in handy a few times, not least when I had to cross a ‘bridge’ in Vietnam that consisted of a board less than a foot wide and very, very long. Maybe six feet. Well, it seemed long, let me tell you.
Keep in mind that just knowing something isn’t enough; you need to know when to apply it, too. Once upon a time one of my older and wiser mates told me that there is a simple way to get out of trouble when you find yourself in sand. Just accelerate. This stops your front wheel from digging in, apparently. As it happened, I had the opportunity
to try this technique not long afterwards. For reasons lost to history, I had decided to ride up to Woy Woy to see if I could find the home of Spike Milligan’s dad. Understand, I wasn’t going to bother him or anything; I just wanted to see the house. Now the tarred road along the shoreline at Woy Woy had been partially covered by a long drift of sand, so I thought “Aha!” A chance to try my new way of coping with precisely this problem. Just before I reached the beginning of the drift, I accelerated and kept accelerating. Sadly, I reached the end of my bike’s rev range before the bike reached the end of the sand, and could no longer keep accelerating.
The resulting lowsider fortunately also ended before the sand did, or it would no doubt have turned into a highsider with seriously unpleasant consequences. I once witnessed that sequence of events when a friend slid on some leaf litter on Brown Mountain in southern NSW. He whistled past me, his bike leading the way, until he reached the edge of the road. Here the tyres dug in and catapulted him over the bike and deep into the downhill scrub. The bike followed him, now tankforward, but not nearly as deeply into the wilderness. We had it back on the road before he’d fought his way free of the various vines and weeds clutching at him. If you have the option, go for a lowside crash every time over a highsider.
And yes, it’s obviously better to avoid crashing altogether. Try to remember that. I wish I had.
Sometimes I wonder what there still is that I’ve never learned and that could make my riding both more enjoyable and safer. Any ideas? D
ADVERTISERS LISTING
BORIS
NOT DEAD YET
WORDS BORIS MIHAILOVIC
I’M THINKING there are a two salient reasons why I’m not yet dead.
Primarily, it’s not yet my time.
But fundamentally, it’s because I have acquired some small skill-set.
This motorcycle-riding business is now, and always has been, magnificently dangerous.
I think, and the facts and stats will back me up on this (which is always nice), it was a good deal more magnificently dangerous a few decades ago.
Back when I was saltier than the whole damn ocean.
Rose-coloured hindsight tends to cast our past as a utopian smile-fest. The girls were all pretty, the cops were all cool, the roads were all empty, and the bikes were all fast.
Think on it at any length and you’ll agree that was not at all the case.
The girls all had horribly furry nethers, bad haircuts, and no sense of style.
The cops were largely violent psychopaths unrestrained by the advent of iPhones with inbuilt cameras.
The roads were certainly emptier, but in terrible disrepair and haunted by semi-trailers driven by red-eyed drug-fiends.
And the bikes may have been fast. But they were certainly not Today Fast.
My youth was evenly split between riding stupid Yoshi-equipped Gixxers, Moriwaki-filled Kwakas (that crazy shaft-driven ST really tried to kill me a lot), and stroked Shovelheads on super-hard Avon tyres that lasted a million kms and
took me to breakdown in places I had never even dreamed of. I recall there was a Triumph Tiger in there as well, but since that rarely tried to end me, I don’t often think about it.
It’s the murder-cycles I most reminisce over.
It’s like no-one ever remembers a run that went off without a hitch.
The runs where people were maimed, jailed, lost to the scrub, bashed, stabbed, or left to die, are the ones we recall the most often.
Thus do I mainly remember the bikes that did their level best to bring my bright young life to a premature end. They failed, manifestly. I still have all my fingers and toes. I walk without a limp and while there is some metal holding me together, it’s modern titanium, not ancient pig-iron.
But those bikes did try their best.
The GSX made every effort to punch my clock at crazy speeds. But because I actually spent insane amounts of money on it trying to make it stop doing THAT – and THAT was basically weaving like a drunken whore at high speeds in terrible corners – it never succeeded.
The Kwaka ST tried much harder and got much closer to sending me to Jesus. I didn’t spend a lot of money on it. I had a seriously hot girlfriend at the time and it was more important to spend cash on her so she wouldn’t kill me than it was to spend cash on the bike so it wouldn’t kill me.
I probably shouldn’t have put apehangers, two red car-mufflers (hot dogs, I believe they were called) and dubious Moriwaki gofast stuff on it before taking drugs and racing my mates in the backstreets, but I was immortal back then.
Which is why I bought that Shovelhead. And which is why
that Shovelhead spent almost three solid years avidly seeking my demise. I helped it all I could.
I think I only bought it new tyres once in 100,000km – and that was because the cops defected it because the sidewalls were perishing. The new tyres made no difference to its handling at all.
I did spend money on making it go faster (bored and stroked to 120-cubicinches) and handle even worse (24inch apehangers on six-inch risers, aftermarket PM brakes made out of jokes and shrugs, and stock shocks with new chrome covers), so it’s not like I wasn’t complicit.
I was so complicit.
The girlfriend had just got hotter, so I made the Shovelhead even more uncomfortable for her by turning it into a rigid and fitting a pillion seat the size of a packet of Winfield Reds. She wore shorter skirts to offset her suffering. And then I would engage in zesty criminal behaviour by riding way above the posted speed limit everywhere, drinking heavily and taking drugs, and punching people who got up in my shit. Occasionally, the police would get involved. This would force me to ride this insane carnival of thunder, sparks, shedding parts, and angry girlfriend still faster, and yet somehow still not die. Obviously I was acquiring skills. It could not all be down to luck. There had to be some kung-fu involved.
If you can fire a rigid, stroked Shovelhead down the Comenarra Parkway at 3am, with its mirrors full of Highway Patrol, have a girlfriend with no panties on the back, a jacket full of Mullumbimby Madness, a belly full of Tooheys, and not die in a fireball, then you’re doing OK in terms of skill.
You might even survive into your late 50s, while still doing stupid shit from time to time.
Death is death. Stupid shit is life. Make sure you’re living it while you still have it to live. D
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MA y 2018 WINTER GEAR / TWO DUCATIS / NINJA 400 / RD900 / MAP: TATHRA / RE RUMBLER / AMM VIETNAM TOUR
