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EDITORSPEAKS
For the love of pain
WHY DO I DO THIS to myself, you might ask? I got roped into racing at the St George Motorcycle Club 5 Hour endurance race held at Sydney Motorsport Park on Sunday 29 July, riding a 2008 Kawasaki ZX-10R. How did our team go? You’ll have to wait until the next issue to find out as I’m writing this before the actual race.
Endurance racing really tests the body with cramps, blisters and fatigue being the main issues you’ll face. It’s hard to compare it to any kind of road riding but say you went touring and didn’t stop for a couple of days – no sleep, no rest, no coffee and with your mental capacity really tested to keep concentrating – this is in a small way what your body goes through in endurance racing.
I guess you might say I have a little bit of experience with this and I find it a lot of fun. It’s more than just going flat out for five laps like a sprint race, all sorts of factors have to be considered. Tyres need to be managed, as does the bike. Should you sit it on the rev limiter all the time or knock the revs back a thousand or so to keep things alive? Do you move the body around as much on the bike or keep comfortable to last the distance? The gear you wear must also be thought out. Boots need to offer protection and be comfy for the one million gear changes, I’ve worn boots that have resulted in a massive blister on the top of my left big toe, which
does make it hard to ride! Your leathers need to be roomy enough so you don’t cramp up and the same goes for your gloves – too loose and you’ll get blisters and too tight and you’ll cramp up quicker than jumping into a pool of ice water. I find magnesium tablets do the job for me. One a day every day in the week leading up to the race, two in the morning before the race and one in between each session on the bike. I’m no doctor or nutritionist and don’t know if it’s the right thing to do but it seems to help and that’s all that matters when you’re flying into a heavy braking corner at 250 plus and you want your right hand to work on the brake!
Fitness is a big thing and I know that I’m not as fit as I was many moons ago, but having recently dug out and shifted by wheelbarrow about ten tonnes of dirt from my backyard has certainly helped give me a lot more strength and overall fitness on the bike. I also have one of those hand squeezy things you get from any sports or fitness store to help build hand strength. This can also help anyone who rides a motorcycle to maintain better control over long distances. A no brainer is water and munchies. Keep hydrated is something that seems to get lost in the heat of the moment, but any good team manager (usually Alana) will remind you to drink and eat throughout the race. I find trail mix, muesli bars and sometimes lollies do the trick.
How will I pull up after the race? I’ll report back in, next issue.
Enjoy.
Cheers, Stuart.
Let the madness begin!
SHIP AND GO!
Ship your bike to NZ next summer with Dave Milligan at Get Routed. He is doing three motorcycle shipments to New Zealand for summer; one from Brisbane, one from Sydney and one from Melbourne. The Brisbane shipment is now full, the Sydney shipment has 8 and the Melbourne shipment has 9 spaces still available (at the time of writing). Dave has a wait list of 4 bikes for a second container ex Brisbane - needing 10 for a viable shipment.
Most of the riders taking bikes over will be aware of the fact that the Burt Munro Challenge is just a week after the bikes arrive in Christchurch. The event gets bigger each year and is now the biggest single motorcycle event on the NZ calendar. You may also know that in Invercargill you can visit the incredible Richardson’s car, bike & truck museum - the biggest collection in one place in NZ.
There’s also an international Triumph Rally in in NZ from 22-24 February. Plenty of Aussie Triumph owners would love the opportunity to attend that event.
Bike shipping enquiries to dave@ getrouted.com.au or phone 03 5625 9080, but not between 4 August and 10 September cos he’ll be on the Isle of Man for the ClassicTT/Manx GP.
COLLECTIVELY IN ONE PLACE
Helmet specialists Helmet Collective has opened the doors to its first Technical Helmet Pro store, in Chatswood, Sydney.
The team at Helmet Collective has all the knowledge and technical knowhow to get you into the perfect fitting helmet inclusive of custom fitting where required.
Helmet Collective founder Nathan James doesn’t see this as a retail store, more an educational hub, he is thrilled that the core message of what makes a good helmet has been well received from the ever growing customer base. The company’s vision is to open outlets throughout major CBDs in Australia. Helmet Collective stocks a large and varied range both online and in-store from leading brands such as AGV, Arai, Airoh. HJC, Shoei, Schuberth, Shark, Nolan, X-lite and X Helmets. Helmets are not all the shop sells, either; there is an array of premium motorcycle apparel and accessories in stock and their e-commerce store is forever growing.
Open 6 days a week, you can find them at: Unit 4/25 Gibbes Street Chatswood, NSW 2067.
Draggin Jeans has achieved AAA rating. The new global standard — CE EN17092 — has been created to accurately reflect the apparel that is currently on the shelves of your local dealership, while helping guide you on the performance qualities of all riding gear.
As you would expect, Draggin has been at the forefront of these new developments, achieving the top performance of AAA rating, a rating usually only achieved by traditional leather race suits. The authors of the new standard describe AAA
garments as follows:
“Offer passive and/or active protection from impact and passive protection from abrasion, using materials and construction that meet higher requirements than for garments covered by parts 3, and 4 of this standard series. Some common examples are one-piece or two-piece suits.”
So, what does this mean for you? To put it simply, Draggin Jeans pass at the level that only full race leathers have achieved.
Better yet, these jeans are now lighter, cooler, more flexible and much more comfortable than previous models. Race leather is hot. It’s uncomfortable and impractical for everyday riders. Draggin offers the same level of protection with superior comfort that looks better than your regular jeans. But of course, real riders know that Draggin’s are anything but regular. See your local bike shop or www.dragginjeans.net D
ADVeNtURING
CAN’T ARGUE WITH the Italians.
Coffee, motorcycles and living life like there is no tomorrow, right! I have sat in dark and hip cafés in Milan, with the persistent grey rain pouring down outside. Sipping espresso after espresso, waiting for the darkness to lift and craving some freedom and space. You can’t argue with the Italians wanting an excuse to escape the claustrophobia of Italy.
Fabio Meloni, the chief guy from the famed Italian magazine Motociclismo, explained it.
“We wished to come to Australia to see beaches, girls and ride into wide-open spaces.”
And so five young Italian men jumped off their Airbus 380 with 40 kilo bags each, stuffed with brand new kit, into… a gloomy, wet, chilly Sydney winter's day. Conditions that were to
persist for a few days more.
Waiting for them after 24 hours’ travel, and for me, were seven new adventure bikes shod with Metzeler’s best: the Tourance Next radials, suitable for road and some off-road challenges we were about to throw at them.
AMM had been invited along as the only representative of the Australian press, to share in the experience with Motociclismo. The idea was to assess the suitability of a mix of bikes for their market, and simultaneously to put Dainese's latest offerings in touring comfort through a winter test. Grant from Off Track Motorcycles was to
lead us to great roads and support came in the affable streakiness of Marcel Bode from Metzeler, playing driver for photographers Alberto (stills) and Beppi (video).
All the motorcycles were big-bores with price ranging from the V-Strom at $15,790 to almost double that for the latest Triumph 1200 Tiger XCa.
Some of the bikes were more roadorientated, others were more hardcore adventure bikes like the Honda Africa Twin and the winner of our last year’s comparo, the BMW GS Rallye X.
Like the Italians, we were after a winner out of this effort, although this comparison was based on roads
more typical of European touring rather than the wheel bashing, crashbar requiring high stress tracks that Aussie riders tend to meet. Four days from the Big Smoke to the Snowy Mountains and back using quiet tarred roads and lots of dirt and gravel, staying in pubs rather than camping. Let’s get into it!
BMW R1200GS Rallye X
Take no prisoners
Last year (#57 November AMM) we voted the BMW Rallye our winner for harder-core-on and off-road
ADVENTURE BIKE COMPARO
travelling 'best all-rounder'. Certainly, the optional TFT info-screen, along with mobile phone connectivity, brings disco to the bush. The latest Euro 4 updates, which I couldn't feel, will at least help the koalas breathe a little easier. What hasn’t changed is the respect the GS Rallye’s ability brings in the marketplace. The 1200 is the consummate performer in the ever-increasing adventure segment.
Functionally, nothing really comes close to the big boxer. Built like the proverbial and kitted up with as much technology you can throw at a motorcycle - from electronic suspension, a vast array of riding modes and comfort designed for not only big days in the saddle but months lapping continents - the BMW will leave almost everyone in awe. Rotating through to my turn (seven riders in 30-minute stints) on the GS, I really liked slipping into the cockpit and gripping the wide 20L tank with my knees. It is a bike big with a hyper-responsive attitude, although against some of the smoother opposition it does vibrate a little bit.
Dynamically, the whole package packs a more than competitive punch and offers more than anything else in this group except for top speed and for someone like me, agility. It is a beast in every respect, height, breadth and girth. If you want to dial it back, then the GS will just play 'fat, dumb and happy' better than anything. The way the big boxer lays down power in any situation is just slightly left of awe-inspiring and the right side of satisfying.
The GS has implied ownership of its surroundings of everything from the road to the bush, with a presence and image that would be diffi cult to prize away from the model. In order to take ownership of the terrain you will need to develop not only your riding ability but also your programming skills. Once you
SPECS
BMW R1200GS RALLYE X
PRICE: $27,250 (plus on-road charges)
WARRANTY: Two years, unlimited distance
SERVICING INTERVALS: Every 10,000km or 12 months
ENGINE: Air/Liquid-cooled flat twin cylinder, DOHC, 4 valves per cylinder
BRAKES: Front, twin 305mm discs with radial mount four piston ABS calipers. Rear, 276mm disc, two-piston ABS caliper.
FUEL CONSUMPTION: 5.4 litres per 100km, premium unleaded
THEORETICAL RANGE: 370km
VERDICT: TOURING DE FORCE
grasp the modes and settings, the GS's behaviour and ability can be matched to its surroundings. Most of us fl icked between the dedicated off-road settings of Enduro and the stimulating Dynamic road settings. As with every motorcycle here weighing over 220 kilograms I just never managed to erase from my consciousness that I was riding something that would damage me more than I would damage it. Respect the size and weight and know that the best riders out there can get a 1200 GS into places that normally only an enduro 450 can get to. Not on this ride and not me! As a touring adventure bike the BM has almost everything going for it.
DUCATI MULTISTRADA 1260 S WANNA RACE?
I would have thought the excellent Multistrada Enduro would have been the pick for our ride, but I can understand the emphasis the Italians place on whatever is the latest Multi on the market. The 1260 boasts major enhancements, and hands down the Ducati was the bike to be riding in the dark. Every day - a bit foolishly, I admit, but we were governed by the needs of the photographers - the shortest days of the year required a couple of hours riding in the dark and on country roads. The illumination from the lights as well as the cornering lighting meant the red bike was my fi rst choice to play lead rider of the group.
The 1260 lights up the road in another area too! It sits near equal to the KTM in the power stakes and without a doubt transmits all of those 116kW down to the surface in a more sophisticated way than any of its rivals. The DVT system certainly tames the L-Twin pulses in combination with the electronics and the way they intervene - the hallmark of better processing power. Ducati has thrown the kitchen sink at the S with their version of Hill-
Expand your comfort zone
The Multistrada 1260 truly maximises the concept of versatility. The new 1262 cm 3 Ducati Testastretta DVT engine increases torque at low revs, the new chassis and cutting-edge electronics improve control and ease of riding. The new high resolution TFT color dashboard guarantees quick access to the Riding Mode by intervening on all bike parameters, including the electronic Ducati Skyhook Suspension. The pleasure of riding becomes a sense of well-being, travelling is turned into an experience and performance becomes pure emotion: expand your comfort zone.
SPECS
DUCATI MULTISTRADA 1260 S
Hold, Ducati Wheelie Control (DWC), Ducati Cornering Lights, Ducati Skyhook Suspension (DSS) Evo, Ducati Quick Shift (DQS) up/down, Cruise control, HandsFree, Backlit handlebar switches, Ducati Multimedia System (DMS), Full-colour TFT display, Full LED headlamp and auto-off indicators. For me this dilutes the ride a little bit. The suspension, despite the wide set of parameters on offer, feels like the short suspension travel of a sportsbike. I have always enjoyed my time on all the incarnations of the four-valve Multistrada and this one was the same and even more so.
In isolation the Ducati makes one of the very best road-based
(with non-sealed sections throw in) traveling motorcycles out there. Fantastic ergonomics and the refi nement of a well-endowed and suffi ciently controlled road weapon that can deal with almost anything that appears on Google Maps. There has been a slow but steady groundswell of ownership for the brand and almost any group of riders you see out and about loaded and dirty has a Multistrada somewhere in it. Most of those pilots are just waiting for the pace to quicken and the corners to come. Even the beaky look has grown on me.
BRAKES: Front, twin 320mm discs with radial mount four-piston ABS calipers. Rear, 265mm disc, two-piston ABS caliper.
FUEL CONSUMPTION: 5.4 litres per 100km, premium unleaded
THEORETICAL RANGE: 370km
VERDICT: WSBK TOURING CLASS WINNER
HONDA CRF1000 AFRICA TWIN SPORT FEELING ADVENTUROUS
This is the newest and the most eagerly awaited model to join the comparison. The base model Africa Twin set the sales charts off with a neat well-priced package and if there was any criticism to be answered, Honda certainly addressed them in the Sport version. It has a better range with a 5.4L fuel capacity increase. Taller 20mm suspension and a better cockpit, along with improved electronics than the manual model (it does come in the auto variant for an additional $500).
What the Honda doesn't have, up against the others that are endowed with bigger engines (except the V-Strom, obviously) is the rip-yourarms-off horsepower. The real-world performance is more than satisfactory and by the time I cycled back a few times the Honda's low-keyed power began to not matter.
There are settings in the modes to extract a little more titillation, creating some urgency with some more immediate bottom end response. The parallel twin just keeps giving in the powering-on department and the airbox and exhaust do a great job of providing some fun and noise. I don't remember the base model doing that last year in our big comparo, so the 2018 upgrades must have worked. From the driveline, gears and clutch the Honda is a smooth and neat package. The CRF is as a complete a motorcycle you could ever want as a travelling partner. Comfort and ride is as pleasing as it is controlled and disciplined and the increase in suspension travel made it my pick for just wanting to ride all the time. I didn't want to get off the thing. Mind you, the scrabbling on and off was a real chore for someone of my height and build and would be (almost) the reason I wouldn't
AGV
AGV fitted us out (part of the excess baggage too!) in the same style although with different colours of the AX-8 Dual EVO model. The overall remarks were: the helmets were light and comfortable, but a bit too airy given the time of year. Helmets are such an emotive subject and while I can recommend the brand all day long, if I had a choice I would not go for a matt colour. My loss was Marcel’s gain. Wear it well, mate!
MX-9 ADVENTURE
FROM THE ROUGHEST SINGLETRACK TO URBAN BLACKTOP, THE MX-9 ADVENTURE GETS YOU THERE SAFELY IN STYLE THE INTEGRATED ANTI-FOG, ANTI-SCRATCH FACESHIELD FLIPS UP AND LEAVES ENOUGH ROOM FOR GOGGLES IN EXTREME CONDITIONS, OR IT CAN BE REMOVED COMPLETELY CONVERSELY, THE ADJUSTABLE VISOR CAN BE REMOVED FOR A STEALTH STREET LOOK
photo: Frank Gallo
SPECS
HONDA CRF1000 AFRICA TWIN ADVENTURE SPORTS
PRICE: $19,499 (plus on-road charges)
WARRANTY: Two years, unlimited distance
SERVICING INTERVALS: Every 12,000km or 12 months
ENGINE: Liquid-cooled parallel twin cylinder, DOHC, 4 valves per cylinder
buy one. I didn't make any notes about how heavy it felt, it was more about how balanced and slim the Sport presents itself. The standard heated grips are a boon. The combination of very well sorted suspension compliance and travel, plus the compact chassis built around the 21' front wheel, gave the AT a serious advantage in the this group whenever dirt or gravel was thrown at us. It is extraordinarily comfortable on any road surface.
KTM 1290 SUPER ADVENTURE S FAST INROADS
You like power, correct? Lots of it, although with a raft of electronic control that ensures most of the 160hp isn't wasted just shredding tyres and splatting you off into the forest. If you like the sort of power that would be satisfying on a racetrack, yet can make any road enjoyable (and make you happy to tackle almost any road) the Super Adventure should be on your hit list. The KTM frankly doesn't do comfort and it won’t eat up some of the so-called roads we traversed as well as the other bikes. The lower 'bars and hard seat put paid to that notion. Even chasing some forgiveness in the electronic suspension settings doesn't help. However, if the test was getting a kick like nothing else by letting the pack get a kilometre-plus break, dropping back into first gear at a walking pace and then slamming the throttle hard against the stop… then I can assure you that nothing goes close to the blast at your disposal on this bike. Each gear you select gives you another blast of power and 220 comes up very quickly. A gentle weave started and I held on lightly, clicked into 6th and waited for 240 while the tail of the group ahead grew ominously closer.
SPECS
KTM 1290 SUPER ADVENTURE S
PRICE: $23,995 (plus on-road charges)
WARRANTY: Two years, unlimited distance
SERVICING INTERVALS: Every 15,000km or 12 months
ENGINE: Liquid-cooled V-twin cylinder, DOHC, 4 valve per cylinder
The Italians have huge sway with suppliers and used it when it came to providing gear for our adventure ride. The southern hemisphere’s winter was a deliberate choice for them, as they were assessing the new kit for their upcoming winter season. Dainese was on board with appropriate kit in six styles. As you can see AGV threw the same adventure lids at us while the most necessary leveller for the objectivity of the comparison was fitting with the same hoops. The Metzeler Tourance NEXT suited the range of bikes (I was sceptical at first) and importantly matched the test route perfectly. Each of us scored a brilliant waterproof Amphibious 50L rear duffle bag to fit up to every bike. The flag dropped with great pubs to stay cosy overnight and our visitors sampled some great Aussie tucker and learned more about the wildlife than a night bingeing Harry Butler/ Steve Irwin TV shows.
The KTM is at the pinnacle of touring confluence of fun and ability. Riding between Wee Jasper and Billapaloola you are reminded that KTM now knows as much about road bikes as dirt-bikes. Everything that makes the Super unbelievable on the road knocks it back to reality off the road. The alloy wheels, the high screen and as we found out after getting a small hole in the radiator (it could happen to anyone, so invest in a radiator guard) and the difficult stripping apart bodywork may appear to be negatives but they aren't. The excellent 1290 R is better suited for bush-carnage.
SUZUKI V-STROM 1000 V MY FRIEND
Everyone loves the underdog! The venerable V-Strom is the odds-on winner straight up on price and value for money. You can't win a value for money contest if you are crap and the Suzuki is a long way from crap. Our 30-minute cycle really benefited the Suzuki. Lacking any technology other than basic Traction Control and ABS, it didn't take any learning or getting used to, to get on and just enjoy. We cycled in alphabetical order so every time I jumped on the mild-mannered 74kW V-twin, I had just had a stint on the ballistic Kato. The sheer grunt was missing and the sharp precise feeling was replaced by a more mellow, softer feel for a while. Still
ADVENTURE BIKE COMPARO
SPECS
SUZUKI V-STROM 1000
PRICE: $15,790 (plus on-road charges)
WARRANTY: Two years, unlimited distance
SERVICING INTERVALS: Every 10,000km or 12 months
ENGINE: Liquid-cooled V-twin cylinder, DOHC, 4 valves per cylinder
BRAKES: Front, twin 310mm discs with radial mount four-piston ABS calipers. Rear, 260mm disc, single-piston ABS caliper.
FUEL CONSUMPTION: 5.7 litres per 100km, premium unleaded
THEORETICAL RANGE: 350km
VERDICT: SENSIBLE STROM-TROOPER
the familiar 1000cc thumping V-twin is as predictable as it is trustworthy, beating away on any road or surface. With a little extra effort any rider will harness competitive fun and performance for so little money. Ground-clearance was compromised compared to the others, and we all missed heated grips.
As a base starting point for a V-Strom, I would go for the wirewheeled XT model for $600 extra. The Suzuki was as smooth as anything there and its real talent lies in its strength and relatively low weight. Lacking in suspension travel, with only 160mm at either end, comfort doesn't come so much from the springs but the seat and great ergonomics. If you want smooth, accessible and fuss-free power and stump pulling torque the V-twin has plenty.
I liked the unintimidating feel and the predicable power was fun and – frankly - enough on our ride. The gearing is spot on with a relatively short first gear and sixth as a decent overdrive. With Suzuki standard slick gear-shifting and light clutch control I found the whole package to be so untaxing to ride. I have owned three V-Stroms (one 1000 and two 650s) and they are the sort of steed that helps create memories of
Me eler
The Tourance NEXT has been with us since the introduction of the water-cooled 1200GS. I liked it then, especially for its road-scorching nature and I like it now.
The NEXT is an awarding-winning tyre (the respected Motorrad magazine) made specially for the street/enduros as they call its market. Metzeler rates it as a street tyre first then 40% suitable for the trail and gravel roads. Our loop followed that proportion to a tee. The label said ‘brilliant wet weather ability and long life’ and I can say the brand is impressive on all fronts. We didn’t suffer a single puncture and for some video work we really pushed the tyres beyond their design brief. I didn’t have one ‘moment’ on or off the sealed road, and our first day had some awful weather.
the ride and the destination rather than leaving you sitting around a café waiting for approval.
TRIUMPH TIGER 1200
DIFFICULT TO TRUMP
There is no way around this. The Tiger is far and away the most comfortable, well-endowed mile muncher of this group. Even the most recent upgrades, which have shed weight, increased power and added more tech to the Tiger platform, don't disguise the sheer mass of the Triumph's prized adventure tourer. Stuart gave a comprehensive rundown last month of the tech and features found on the 1200 and I can only add it would take another week or more to understand and experience the added capabilities of the electronic package. If you are going down the refined triple cylinder route, you will spend more and get a whole lot more than you may ever need. If you wanted a Yin-Yang direct comparison I would match up the Tiger with the Tenere. Both are big, well-built and comfortable. You will find appointments such as electronic suspension and shaft-drive which will help you to ride in comfort not just for a weekend but a year. What makes the Tiger a standout, whether you are trying to justify the extra $8,000 over the Yamaha or indeed include the triple in any showroom showdown, is one glorious hunk of
liquid-cooled drive.
SPECS
TRIUMPH TIGER 1200 XCA
PRICE: $29,300 (plus on-road charges)
WARRANTY: Two years, unlimited distance
SERVICING INTERVALS: Every 16,000km or 12 months
The Ducati and KTM have oodles more power and the Suzuki and the Yamaha miss out by at least the equivalent of a 30kW LAMS engine. The GS probably goes head to head. But in chasing sales from each other, it will come down to what sort of feel you want from a powerplant. Nothing in this class offers the control and sheer linear drive of the Tiger. From idle to top speed you connect via the superb ride-by-wire system to punch like a Saturn Five rocket. The Italians liked the XCa more than the Ducati (go figure) probably because at no time in our ride was it ever asked to do anything it wasn't capable of. I floated over any road like a hovercraft once I worked out how to go into the various modes and tuned settings into the variation of roads we covered. The ride just went from okay to sublime.
YAMAHA SUPER TENERE 1200 ESP DESERT STORM, ALL THE NORM
No adventure bike comparison could ever mean anything without a Ténéré along. The name alone conjures up
ENGINE: Liquid-cooled in-line three cylinder, DOHC, 4 valves per cylinder
distant tracks, and while the Yamaha doesn’t look cutting edge or even exceptional value on paper, it does have longevity and indestructability in its bones. I think the Tenere has the aesthetic of adventure touring pretty well nailed. Gold forks and the menacing matt black exterior really grab attention along with the chunky silhouette and the two step seat. I have knocked over about 10,000 ks on these over the years and while riding one I never felt I needed to be on any other bike. That said, I have avoided single track and diffi cultbeyond-my-ability challenges from thick mud and rock strewn river crossings. Point the Yamaha to the horizon and you will fi nd the big vertical twin is comfortable and extremely
SPECS
YAMAHA XT1200ZE SUPER TÉNÉRE
PRICE: $21,999 (plus on-road charges)
WARRANTY: Two years, unlimited distance
SERVICING INTERVALS: Every 10,000km or 12 months
ENGINE: Liquid-cooled parallel twin cylinder, DOHC, 4 valves per cylinder
competent. It feels the lowest powered partly because of its weight and girth with 'only' 82kW to push it around. The generous 114Nm of torque helps to provide meaningful push which is far from scary but offers drive in any gear and at any speed. It just seems diluted compared to the other six.
If soaking up all types of roads is on your list, take one for a ride. It is formidable even in this company and although the tally up of points showed that it didn’t win every rider over, the Big Ten was well liked and appreciated for the electronic suspension, handlebar toasters and its pure mile-soaking-up ability. I liked the way there was accessible performance everywhere but a few times I felt unless I was in the zone
FUEL CONSUMPTION: 5.4 litres per 100km, premium unleaded
THEORETICAL RANGE: 425km
VERDICT: TRUSTY TEN
where most of the other bikes were going to leave me eating dust. But as I dismounted and swapped onto the next ride I was always left with a satisfying sense of honest endearment. Both Teneres have a solid fan base which will become massive when the new 700cc version hits the showrooms next year. For now, the Twelve will keep impressing owners with that solid all-rounder nature.
IT ʼ S A WRAP
This can’t be a cop out to say “everyone’s a winner babe, that’s no lie!” Aside from a variation of less than 7% in fuel use from the best (BMW, Ducati and the Honda) to the least economical (the others) the biggest difference will be servicing and depreciation costs. I don't have a crystal ball and having owned a variation of each of those models I would guess the BMW will come out on top followed by the Honda close after. I would happily nominate any on this fl eet as worthy of taking
Dainese
It made sense to me as our Italian friends unpacked the contents of their excess baggage on the tarmac outside the warehouse at Cassons (the importers of the brand). Good looking guys require good looking riding kit (Grant and myself exempt of course) from top to bottom and one thing the iconic Italian brand is known for is the exceptional look of its garments. How the adventure touring suits stood up the cold and wet turned out to be a real test for the garments, even the water-proof two piece wets. Old Huey threw everything down at us and my Dainese gear, like the other guys’, held everything at bay. The major thing I
home and leaving in your shed until such time that the open road beckoned.
I know, give me the simple V-Strom to go load up with some soft-panniers and upgrade the
noticed other than none of us complaining about the 3 degree temperatures was that the riders who had the Goretex layer built in rather than the zip-in inserts were always drier. After a few hours we were a bit damper but nothing to complain about. The range of gear was amazing when you consider the choice available in the market and going back to my first Dainese suit in 1999, the priced has moved down and the quality seems unaffected. We ran a selection of touring and adventure boots as well as an all year round adventure glove. No complaints in that regard.
steel handlebars to thicker alloy types and I would be a very happy camper. Yet I’ll also take the KTM or Ducati for the electronics and road-sharp manners or the Triumph for unsurpassed comfort or even the
Yamaha for its endearing nature. I'd take any of those! Each would make me happy. But, to say which is the best and especially knowing there is almost $7000 to play with, then the chaindrive parallel Honda Africa Twin from Japan just, and only just, smacks the Bavarian Boxer off the top step for me. The near perfect suspension and slimmer feel won me, although, like me, all felt that the Honda was just a little too tall and if you took me and Grant (Grant owns the same model BM and is admittedly a little biased) out of the picture the BMW and the Honda split the points equally.
In the ‘forget the points' survey and 'which one would you own’ then suddenly money didn’t matter and the BMW won again outpointing the Honda fi ve to one. Just as it has in almost every comparison you are likely to see or read, BMW’s Rallye is still the best adventure, dual/sport/ touring fun and capable motorcycle from here to Timbuctoo!
THINGS THAT MATTER
PRICE (Australia)
SUZUKI $15,790
HONDA $19,499
YAMAHA $21,999
KTM $23,995
BMW $27,250
DUCATI $28,990
TRIUMPH $29,300
POWER
KTM - POWER: 118kW @ 8750rpm
TORQUE: 140Nm @ 6750rpm
DUCATI - POWER: 116.2 kW @ 9500rpm
TORQUE: 129.5Nm @ 7500rpm
TRIUMPH - POWER: 104.kW @ 9350rpm
TORQUE: 122Nm @ 7600rpm
BMW - POWER: 92kW @ 7750rpm
TORQUE: 125Nm @ 6500rpm
YAMAHA - POWER: 82.4kW @ 7250rpm
TORQUE: 117Nm @ 6000rpm
SUZUKI - POWER: 74kW @ 8000rpm
TORQUE: 101Nm @ 4000rpm
HONDA - POWER: 70kW @ 7500rpm
TORQUE: 98Nm @ 6000rpm
THE SCORES
The six riders filled out an extensive scoresheet based on the riding and route.
(Grant as a BMW-contracted person necessarily opted out of the survey.)
Group standings:
Honda – 251.4
BMW – 250.7
KTM – 237
Triumph – 232
Suzuki - 225
Ducati – 215.9
Yamaha – 215.2
Breaking them down: To break the scores down even further, here’s the rounded off on and off-road scores.
Group standings - On Road
BMW - 190
Honda - 189
KTM - 181
Triumph - 179
Suzuki - 175
Ducati - 170
Yamaha - 164
Group standings - Off Road
Honda - 62
BMW - 60
KTM - 56
Triumph - 53
Yamaha - 51
Suzuki - 50
Ducati - 45
Ralph’s list:
Honda
BMW
Triumph
Ducati
Yamaha
KTM
Suzuki D
If you show him a truly amazing sight, even The Bear will get off the bike and walk.
THERE ANYWHERE YOU HAVEN’T BEEN?
There’s a good chance that somebody runs motorcycle tours to anywhere you want to go. Check out some of the offers below. COMPILED BY THE BEAR
TO THE END OF THE WORLD
IS
WHERE EXMO TOURS
will take you for Christmas or for New Year’s Eve or maybe for both, in Patagonia and Tierra del Fuego.
Adventures philosophy and
“Since Exmo Tours was founded our New Year’s Eve Patagonia & Tierra del Fuego motorbike tour has been the most requested,” says the company. “This year we’ve met many of our customers at expositions and bike events and decided to listen to their suggestions about a more intense version of our top destination. For this reason we embraced the Ride True Adventures philosophy and commit to a greater challenge by making this tour longer and by giving you the chance to join us on your favourite date. You can join us either on December the 20th in Santiago, or on December the 27 in Osorno. In both case, the tour will end in Punta Arenas on January the 11th 2019.”
The end of the year at the end of the World – hard to beat! And Exmo will take you to other amazing places, too, like the Uyuni Salt Flat: 150 km on the largest white desert in the world, plus the salt hotel.
“The Uyuni Salt Flat is one of the best-known places of Bolivia, and
during our Machu Picchu & Uyuni Salt Flat motorbike tour represents one of the most enthralling goals of motorbike enthusiasts,” says Exmo.
“This is a place of surreal aspect from its particular morphology: 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. The extent of its surface allows one’s gaze to reach the horizon and to observe the characteristic curved profile of the Earth.”
Full details on https://www.exclusive motorcycletours.com/en/.
2019 ADRIATIC DATES
The dates for Adriatic Moto Tours’ next season in 2019 are available now. Adriatic does wonderful tours in Eastern and Central Europe, as well as the Alps. They’re recommended by The Bear, so see for yourself at www.
You’ll see and learn about more than you expect on
during our Machu Picchu & Uyuni
Local markets in South America are amazing to experience.
Adriatic tours.
adriaticmototours.com or drop them a line at info@adriaticmototours.com .
Just for a few examples of Adriatic’s wonderful tours, take the 18-day Grand European Tour, which takes in the Austrian Alps, Lake Balaton, Budapest, Czech castles, Prague, Cesky Krumlov, Salzburg, Krakow, the High Tatras and much else. Or how about the Top of the Alps, a nine-day tour that will let you ride exactly that? Adriatic also now has a tour through our own back yard in Thailand and Laos. If Europe seems too far away, this is the tour for you.
SEE THE ALPS WITH BEACH’S Beach’s Motorcycle Adventures, that is.
“Our Classic Alpine Adventure really is the distillation of 45 years of Alpine riding,” says Rob Beach, “and is the brilliant motorcycle adventure in the central Alps. But a two week tour can be too long for some people, so we took the Classic itinerary, grabbed the best of it, and created a ride focused on Italy’s Limestone Alps, also known as the Dolomites.”
Over eight riding days, the Dolomite Domination is paced for an excellent balance between the sport of motorcycling and the lure of the countryside. The daily route suggestions allow you to dawdle and enjoy a place, or charge and ride every great road available.
As the mountains in each of the Alpine countries differ, so do the people. For hundreds of years, inhabitants battled the elements and the land to wrest a living from these mountains. Today, for many of these hardy mountain folk, tourists are their lifeblood and accommodate with pleasure and perfection! There are mountains, glaciers, gorges, vineyards, waterfalls, hiking trails, picnic spots, gentle curves, switchbacks, tunnels and bridges, fortresses, castles, palaces, lakes, mountain streams, and both
Compass will take you to some truly staggering scenery. Not the top of this volcano, though!
The Bear enjoys a coffee on one of Beach’s tours.
breathtaking and restful vistas.
Rob has also managed to squeeze the perfection of the Swiss Alps into a nine day tour. “Beach’s itineraries allow you to make your own decisions, so the perfection is your own to create,” says Rob. If you have never experienced the Swiss Alps, this is your tour.
Take a look at tours@bmca.com for full details of these tours as well as Beach’s other wonderful rides.
COMPASS TOP 50 TOUR
The Compass Expeditions’ Patagonia Explorer was voted by National Geographic Traveler as one of their “Top 50 Tours of a Lifetime”.
“Motorcycling through Chile
JOURNEYS
and Argentina will be some of the greatest biking moments of your life,” says Compass’ Craig Jackson. “This adventure is a scenic overload; beginning in the Chilean Lakes district town of Pucon we ride into Argentina and onto Bariloche, via the famous seven lakes ride, every inch is a scenic splendour. Further south we enter the vast and remote Patagonia stopping overnight at a working Estancia before riding into more sensational scenery as we hit the Andes at El Chalten.
“No motorbike tour to this region should miss the incredible Moreno Glacier, we ride our bikes out to this staggeringly beautiful part of Patagonia before riding into Torres Del Paine National Park with its deep blue glaciers and lakes. This place will leave you awestruck and we dare say that it is possibly the most scenic motorcycle ride in the world. This is our top selling tour! The ride also runs in reverse, Ushuaia to Santiago.”
More (much more) at www. compass expeditions.com .
HIT THE TRAIL WITH MOTOQUEST
Phil Freeman, the founder of MotoQuest, has always been fascinated with the Lewis and Clark Expedition.
“One day, talking to one of our guides, Lynn Brown, we started cooking up an idea to offer a motorcycle tour featuring the Corps of Discovery’s western march
The light might be failing, but MotoQuest tours don’t!
Thailand
& Laos
We’re presenting a two week ride through Northern Thailand and wild Northwest Laos.
We’ll ride rural two lane roads of varying surfaces through spectacular mountainous landscapes, jungles, and along the Mekong River, with opportunities to explore the legendary Golden Triangle, where Laos, Thailand and Myanmar meet. Here is an opportunity to stretch your riding and travel experience to include rice paddies and tea plantations in the countryside, gleaming gilt-topped temples, crumbling French mansions from colonial times, and steaming noodle stalls in Vientiane. We’ll visit two UNESCO World Heritage sites. For hard core riders, there are 1,864 curves between Mae Tang and Mae Hong! For the sightseers among you, there are hundreds of years of cultural. Religious, military and gastronomic history to soak up. Do not miss out!
On the road again
Two of America’s great motorcycling rides are open or set to again after major roadworks.
For nearly a year and a half, access to the scenic Highway 1 through Big Sur has been off limits. In the summer of 2016, a wildfire caused by an illegal campfire, ravaged through Big Sur burning a total of 132,127 acres of land. Soon thereafter, monumental winter rains poured over the Central Coast resulting in multiple land slides, causing Highway 1 to close in two separate sections of Big Sur. The highway officially opened on Wednesday July 18th.
And it looks as if the Mojave Desert section of Route 66 will be reopening soon as well. Here’s the word from the, er, horse’s mouth: “San Bernardino County Public Works will be constructing two new bridges and road improvements on National Trails Highway (Route 66) at Dola Ditch (2.08 miles east of Kelbaker Road) and Lanzit Ditch (2.77 miles east of Kelbaker Road), east of the community of Amboy. Construction of the project is tentatively scheduled to… run through mid-September.”
Good news all round; there is now only a short stretch of Route 66 left to fix – but there’s no news when that might happen. A local contact has told us that it may never happen, because “nobody lives along that stretch of road.”
Meanwhile, EagleRider has announced the opening of nine new rental locations in the USA, in partnership with HarleyDavidson. Check out the new (and the old) at https://www.eaglerider.com/ .
to Astoria. We spent some time discussing the highlights to include, and we stitched together a route that would start and end in Portland, Oregon.
“During the Trail of Lewis and Clark Adventure our riders get to experience a wide range of landscapes, history and world class roads. Each day seems to be better than the last, until you reach a point when you ask: How could this get any better? Anyone who has experienced the roads of the Pacific Northwest knows there are little gems hidden all over. If you ever wanted to discover for yourself the best roads of Oregon, Washington, Idaho and Montana, and mix in a little history along the way, then join us for this unforgettable experience.”
Something a bit different for anyone who has ridden the betterknown American roads! Take a look at https://www.motoquest.com/ for
1. With a bit of luck, this stretch of Route 66 near Amboy will be open when you get there.
this and MotoQuest’s other tours. They also do rentals, and The Bear has nothing but praise for their service which he used for a Baja California ride. D
2. The Big Sur road is open again after a lot of roadworks.
TOUR OPERATOR DIRECTORY
The guide to the stars
- The who’s who in the zoo of motorcycle travel worldwide is what you’ll fi nd here. These companies want to make your motorcycle travel the best it can be. We’ve travelled with many of them and know them all, so they come highly recommended. In alphabetical order, they are:
TOURS – New Zealand www.motorbiketours.co.nz offi ce@motorbiketours.co.nz
VIETLONG TRAVEL - Asia www.vietlongtravel.com sales@vietlongtravel.com
WORLD ON WHEELS - Europe, Iceland,
South America, India, Asia, Mexico, Africa & Himalaya www.worldonwheels.tours Adventure@WorldOnWheels.Tours
Changing over to a V4 engine from the ‘traditional’ V-twin for which Ducati is renowned will no doubt upset some purists. But fear not –ride the new V4 and if you don’t instantly love it, you don’t know what a pure, raucous motorcycle should be. Have you ever dreamed of a hot blooded Italian supermodel – here’s your chance to caress one, ride one and fall in love with one!
The benefits of the 90-degree layout that Ducati has chosen is that you get
the low end torque and the mid-range of a V-twin with the absolute eyeballrolling power of a four cylinder up high. Have a look at MotoGP: the Ducatis have mega amounts of power compared to the rest of the field. This means they’re also usually coming onto the straight faster as well, using the combination of having massive torque in the low to mid-range and the immense power of the four up high.
Ducati sees the 90-degree V4 layout as the pinnacle of motorcycle engine sports performance. It's no
coincidence that a V4 engine is used in the Desmosedici MotoGP bikes. The 90-degree V layout evens up first order forces naturally without having to resort to a balancing countershaft which increases weight and drains power, to eliminate vibration. The key benefit is better reliability and mechanical efficiency on an engine that revs as high as 14,000rpm. It is just one of many advantages that make this configuration the most technically refined possible. The 90-degree V4 is also far smoother to use than the outgoing V-twin. Gone is
the crankiness and having to ride it over 3000rpm all the time; the V4 will happily idle along at low rpm. One thing that hasn’t gone, though, is the heat that gets pumped out. Your backside doesn’t get as hot as on the V-twin, but your inner thighs get hotter than a solarium with heat tubes. Not a problem when you’re riding over 60km/h but idling through traffic get ready for a roasting.
On normal road bikes, the crankshaft turns in the same direction as the wheels. In MotoGP, instead, counterrotating crankshafts that run in the opposite direction are widely used. Ducati engineers have borrowed this for the same reasons that first saw it applied in competition. Its benefits stem from two aspects of physics: gyroscopic effect and inertia – improving handling and improving acceleration.
The factory claims that the bike is the class leader for power, and all you have to do is ride the Panigale V4 to know that it is indeed ballistically fast. As much as in-line four cylinder litre sportbikes (and in fact the outgoing Ducati V-twin) are mega fast, they simply don’t have the immense levels of power as the V4 from the word go right to the redline. I’m tempted to say that this engine will be too much for just about anyone on the road. And the sound! Oh my, just like a MotoGP bike. I can only imagine how good this bike will sound with a full exhaust system.
Weighing in at 64.9 kg, the Desmosedici Stradale V4 engine is a mere 2.2kg heavier than the 1285cc Superquadro twin it replaces. That is not at all noticeable when riding.
Compared to the outgoing 1299 Panigale the V4 has reduced rake on the front – 24.5 degrees versus the outgoing 24 degrees - and a longer swingarm. This adds up to a much more stable motorcycle. Gone is the slight flightiness of the old model, replaced by handling that allows the bike to be chucked into corners with loads of feel. The S model we tested features electronic Ohlins suspension. All of the parameters that can be changed with this take it to the next level over anything else on the market, but I’ll get to the extensive electronics this bike has in a minute. Due to the V4 configuration the side
mounted shock of the V-twin Panigale had to go, so the designers at Ducati came up with a more traditional up and down mounting of the shock but with a very clever banana-shaped bracket that bolts to the back of the engine and the shock. It all works very well and keeps the bike as slim as can be.
As I mentioned, technology is at a new level with the introduction of the Panigale V4 S. No other motorcycle on the market offers what the V4 can. Want to set up the suspension for entry, mid corner and exit? You can on this bike, although this can only be changed in Race mode. Sport and Street modes offer ‘normal’ electronic control.
The next level of adjustment is an event-based control system. What this means is that the parameters are constantly changing as you ride along. The suspension and steering damper are controlled by the secondgeneration Öhlins Smart EC 2.0 featuring, among other things, the new Objective Based Tuning Interface (OBTi), which is where you can change the suspension for different parts of the corner – amazing stuff.
Simplicity is one thing Ducati wanted with the new Panigale V4. Previously you’d have to dig into the menus where you’d be faced with a million and one different options – this is now much more user friendly (still with massive amounts of adjustment if you want it) but a simpler ‘harder/softer’ styled menu for different parameters. Two buttons on the left hand switch block control all adjustments. The ‘Mode/ Enter’ button is where you can dig deeper into the available adjustments and/or change through the Race, Sport, Street modes. The ‘Select’ button is for “on-the-fly” adjustments. Things like traction control, wheelie control, ABS (although that needs to be changed at a standstill), engine braking, slide control, quickshifter and the electronic suspension can be changed easily whereas before you’d be digging into menus for ages.
Normally, most bikes’ electronics can be worked out within a couple of days but such is the extend of the electronics available on the Panigale V4 that Ducati gave me an owner’s
manual so I could read it and get a grip of what’s on offer. As you may know most owners manuals come in two or three languages in the one book – not for the Panigale V4. There are 333 pages all in English, which is a lot of information to absorb, so me trying to tell you every little detail is beyond the possibilities in a magazine! I am giving you the important stuff though. This is a run down of the most important electronics on the Panigale V4 S:
ABS Cornering BoSCh eVo
The Bosch ABS system has undergone a major evolution to reflect the other advancements on this bike. You really won’t know it’s working – it’s that good.
DuCAti trACtion Control
eVo (DtC eVo)
Previously I found the Panigale traction control system to be quite intrusive on anything over level 3, but that has all been refined. I still managed to get a little bit of wheel spin in the rain on level 4 whereas previously you’d have no hope.
DuCAti SliDe Control (DSC)
New is slide control. As much as you think it’s the same as traction control, you’re wrong. Slide control is in a roundabout way similar to stability control on a car. It doesn’t put the brakes on like a car but does use throttle body valves, spark advance decrease and injection cuts via the active parameters coming out of the Bosch Inertial Measurement Unit (IMU). As I didn’t get to explore the limits of the Panigale V4 S on the track I didn’t try out slide control.
DuCAti Wheelie Control
eVo (DWC eVo)
As with DTC, the wheelie control of the past Ducs could be quite invasive. With this evolution you can now still wheelie in the lower settings but it doesn’t let things get out of hand.
DuCAti PoWer lAunCh (DPl)
Three-level adjustable for faster launches off the line. I didn’t use the launch control as I wanted to keep
SINGLE | RRP $199.95 TWIN | RRP $379.95
design
Enables communication between rider-to-rider up to a maximum distance of 1km
Direct access to ultra-sensitive functions and buttons
Interphone App for Android and Apple smartphones.
Interphone Shape is the perfect mix between a cool design and a high performance interphone. It allows careful riders to communicate with their passenger without interfering with the style of the helmet.
Receive calls and follow the directions of the Sat Nav in Bluetooth® connection. It offers a range of up to 12 hours, high resistance to weathering and, thanks to the crystal quality sound, high audio performance.
my licence. That’s hard enough to do when riding this bike.
Ducati Quick Shift up/Down
EVo (DQS EVo)
Smoother throughout, no matter what speed you’re travelling: that’s what I found with this evolution. It has been refined so well you can be riding at 30km/h in third and have no problems changing down into first without the clutch.
EnginE BrakE control
EVo (EBc EVo)
Engine braking is one area I found really changed how the V4 responds This works the opposite way to the rest of the settings – 1 offers more engine braking while 3 offers little. I found that level 3 works best for me as I could run it into corners a bit faster without the engine restricting what I was trying to do.
Ducati ElEctronic
SuSpEnSion EVo (DES EVo)
Big changes, big improvements are what I found with DES. For the road I was happy enough with the factory settings
and would switch between Race and Sport depending on where I was riding. For track riding I was given a sheet with some suggested settings to make things even better, but as I mentioned, I didn’t get to the track.
Ducati riDing MoDES
Riding Mode Race - As the name implies, Race has been developed for experienced riders who wish to make the most of all the potential of the Panigale V4 on high-grip track surfaces. By selecting Race, you get a direct Rideby-Wire throttle response and a highperformance, hard suspension set-up. ABS is only switched on for the front wheel to provide maximum braking performance, but with the Cornering feature always active.
Riding Mode Sport - By selecting Sport you get exactly what the name implies - a sporty Ride-by-Wire response and an equally sport-oriented suspension set-up. Electronic controls are set to help less experienced riders. For instance, the controlled braking drift feature is active, allowing for safe wheel skidding when turning into corners. The rear wheel lift control
function is active and the ABS Cornering function is set to provide maximum cornering performance.
Riding Mode Street - Street mode is recommended for road use of the Panigale V4 (obviously!). A progressive Ride-by-Wire response and an extremely soft suspension setup to absorb any bumps in the road is what you get. The default setting of electronic controls helps ensure maximum safety, by guaranteeing the best grip and stability.
Styling is very similar to the outgoing Panigale. Ducati didn’t want to stray too far from the well-liked Panigale looks and I think the V4 looks far more attractive than the old model, but Ralph seems to like the older model’s looks. The V4 has by far one of the sexiest tails in the business. The air channels behind the seat and the beautifully designed tail light are things you’ll stare at for days. The front is a little more angular than the old model and the air intakes are a little larger – I like it!
As with any good race bike needing a decent sized fuel capacity the V4 has a 16 litre lightweight aluminium tank
which relocates part of the fuel storage to below the rider's seat. The space at the front of a normal fuel tank has been used to store all the electronics under a plastic cover: this includes the battery, which in the Panigale V4 S version is a lithium-ion pack to save weight. Talking of which, the V4 is only 5.5kg heavier than the outgoing twin – pretty good considering you’re getting two extra cylinders.
I find it hard to believe for a Ducati race bike but the V4 is actually reasonably comfortable to ride. It is spacious, but the footpegs are a little short which stops it from being the most comfortable ‘litre’ bike on the market by a few millimetres! You do get 61 degrees of lean angle for that though – just like MotoGP.
Servicing and warranty are often overlooked when purchasing a new bike but Ducati has upped the game here. The usual 24,000km service which also used to include a time parameter is now just 24,000km. If it takes you ten years to do 24k, then that’s when you do it, but bear in mind as per usual, a minor service is at every 12,000km or 12 months
whichever occurs first. Warranty can be extended and it’s not a ‘dealership’ warranty: it is 100% factory warranty meaning you can take it anywhere as per normal to do your servicing. The warranty can be extended by 12 or 24 months and you even have up to 30 days after the initial purchase to take out the warranty if you don’t take it on the day you buy the bike.
Accessories are extensive as you’d expect. I think the big one everyone will want is the full Akrapovic exhaust system. Bear in mind that it does take at least seven hours to fit it!
This test is obviously on the S model but you can get a non-electronic suspension base model or you can get the Speciale in two versionsmagnesium wheels or not. The Speciale models come fitted with the Akrpovic system and you get 226hp versus the base and S models 214hp.
Has the new Ducati Panigale V4 S topped the podium as the best big bore sportsbike on the market? I didn’t get to test it on the track, so I can’t give you an unqualified ‘yes’, but from what I experienced on the road it could very well be. D
SPECS
DUCATI PANIGALE V4 S
PRICE: $37,990 (plus on-road charges)
WARRANTY: Two years, unlimited distance
SERVICING INTERVALS: Every 12,000km or 12 months
ENGINE: Liquid-cooled V4 cylinder, 4-stroke, DOHC, 4 valves per cylinder
BRAKES: Front, twin 330mm discs with radial mount four-piston ABS calipers. Rear, 245mm disc, twin-piston ABS caliper.
FUEL CONSUMPTION: 8.51 litres per 100km, premium unleaded
THEORETICAL RANGE: 188km
COLOURS: Ducati Red
VERDICT: FASTER THAN FAST
HOnda CB1000R
YOU KNOW THE FEELING when you jump on a motorcycle and it feels ‘just right’? Well, that’s exactly how I felt jumping onto the new Honda CB1000R. Everything is in the ‘right’ position, the engine is silky smooth and the handling sublime. I’ve always been a fan of big bore nakeds and Honda has done an awesome job with the CB1000R.
Remember the CB1000R of a few years ago?
The one with the off-green metallic? The main reason this bike was discontinued in Australia was the high price. Using premium parts (at the time) increased the cost of the bike and it wasn’t viable for Honda Australia to put it on the market for a mega amount and have no sales. Honda has obviously thought about this little problem this time: the CB1000R is very well priced at $16,499 (plus on roads). Build quality is top class so you’re really getting value for your dollar.
Housed in the frame is the 998cc engine from the previous-generation CBR1000RR super sport bike (from 2006) which has been reworked to provide healthy increases in power and torque. Compression ratio is up 0.4 to 11.6:1 and the pistons are now forged (rather than cast), as with the CBR1000RR SP.
Development concentrated on improved gas flow at the cylinder head. Valve lift is higher and a 44mm diameter throttle body (up 8mm) feeds largerdiameter inlet ports; the shape of the combustion chambers has also been revised. The airbox, ducting, and air filter are new designs, and present a much simpler, smoother route for airflow into the engine. That reduces pressure loss all the way from the outer ducts to the throttle body.
Pushing the gases out is a new 4-2-1 design exhaust system which adds to the CB1000R’s midrange muscle, and a link pipe joins the two main pipes just before the catalyzers, boosting torque at 5000 rpm and above. Peak power is not what Honda went for with the CB1000R, the strong low and mid-range is where the action lies and that makes this an extremely swift machine on the road
– it is a lot of fun to use.
Throttle-by-wire (TBW) is fitted to the CB1000R but is a little sharp from a closed throttle to just open. TBW allows you to access three pre-set riding modes plus 1 USER mode (selected from a switch on the left handlebar).
There are three levels of Engine Power (P), Engine Brake (EB), and Honda Selectable Torque Control (HSTC) available; HSTC can also be switched off. The three individual riding modes offer different combinations of each parameter.
RAIN mode employs the lowest power setting, medium EB, and high HSTC. STANDARD mode uses the middle setting for power, HSTC, and EB. SPORT uses high power and lowest levels of EB and HSTC to deliver 100% power through all six gears, maximum torque at all throttle positions, and minor intervention from HSTC. USER mode allows you to choose between the three settings for each parameter and save the setting for future use – and that’s what I used.
This is a great motorcycle, but there are two things on the CB1000R that do annoy me. They are both gimmicky things as well. The first is the fuel economy lights fitted to the right hand side of the otherwise beautiful LCD dash. The light illuminates green when you’re being a good boy, blue when you’re being a tiny bit naughty, orange, for a little more naughty, red when you’re starting to use even more fuel… and then it turns off when the devil in you comes out. A number of times I thought I’d left an indicator on as the green light flashed away. Come on, Honda, you don’t need rubbish like this on an otherwise excellent machine. But wait, the second gimmick is the flashing indicators when you ride it hard. I picked up the CB1000R at night and after dropping off the previous rider at his abode I took off and the indicators starting flashing all on their own! I thought, “WTF have I done”? Again, I got down the road a little further and was having some fun and the indicators started up all by themselves again! I sent Honda an abrupt email asking what was wrong with the bike, but it turns out there was nothing wrong with the bike.
This is a “safety” feature to warn other road users that you’re braking heavily. Seriously? Another waste of time on a beautiful machine like this. You cannot turn this feature off, either, which is even more frustrating.
Styling for the CB1000R hasn’t followed any particular theme like retro, café or the mainstream naked bike styling. It is bold, compact with finesse –I class it as looking kind of futuristic, and I like it. The LED headlight with its horse shoe shaped light ring is what makes it look futuristic to me. Give yourself some time to look over the aesthetics: detail is everywhere you look from the machined accents on the engine to the full LED lighting, sculpted tank and the mega stylish seats.
Only six exterior parts are constructed from plastic, the largest being the svelte front mudguard. The use of premium metal finishes throughout adds to the quality, parts such as the burnishedaluminium radiator shroud and airbox cover; machined highlights (as mentioned), and flangeless (no visible seam) steel fuel tank.
Suspension is from Showa, and as on most Hondas is set up soft. I bumped the shock up to full preload which made it much better to ride with precise turn in and mega amounts of feel. The forks are Showa’s big piston separate function forks and are preload, compression and rebound adjustable, as is the shock, so there’s plenty of adjustment to suit most riders.
Brakes come from Tokico and perform just as you’d expect – powerfully!
A range of Genuine Honda Accessories is available. They include a quickshifter, heated grips, 12V socket, instrument visor, seat cowl, aluminium front mudguard panel, aluminium rear hugger, Alcantara rider and pillion seat, wheel rim decal, engine case protector, tank pad, tank bag (and attachment) and rear seat bag and attachment.
All of the Honda quality that you’ve known and loved in the past is built into the new CB1000R. A great bike that feels oh so right to ride; shame about the gimmicks, which unfortunately spoiled my love affair with it. D
SPECS
HONDA CB1000R
PRICE: $16,499 (plus on-road charges)
WARRANTY: Two years, unlimited distance
SERVICING INTERVALS: Every 12,000km or 12 months
ENGINE: Liquid-cooled in-line four cylinder, 4-stroke, DOHC, 4 valves per cylinder
BRAKES: Front, twin 310mm discs with radial mount four-piston ABS calipers. Rear, 256mm disc, twin-piston ABS caliper.
FUEL CONSUMPTION: 7.26 litres per 100km, premium unleaded
THEORETICAL RANGE: 224km
COLOURS: Candy Chromosphere Red, Graphite Black
VERDICT: A BOLD NEW DIRECTION
GREAT CIRCLE
WORDS/PHOTOS THE BEAR
LITHGOW
The locals have smartened this place up quite substantially in recent years, and it’s worth a stop. At the first set of lights as you come into town, turn right and the Tin Shed is immediately on your right again. If you’d like to park off the road they’ll open the gate for you. Not only are the people at the café motorcycle-friendly, they have good tucker as well. As you’re heading out of town on the
way to the highway you’ll see signs to the Small Arms Factory Museum, which has some terrifi c displays. In my experience it’s not always open, but it’s worth the small detour to fi nd out – call them on 6351 4452 if you want to make sure. The Lithgow Tourist Information bureau is inside a giant miner’s lamp on the way out of town on the highway to Mudgee; Lithgow is solidly motorcycle-friendly.
TARANA
Once again a motorcycle-friendly place, Tarana has a pleasant pub with a relaxing outdoor area. The food is standard pub fare, but at the better end of the scale. There may be a café across the road; it seems to come and go a bit.
BATHURST
You know about Mount Panorama, but you may not know that there is an
www.hemamaps.com.au
If you’re a Sydneysider you will have ridden parts of this route before, but have you ever put it together quite like this? And even if you have, we’ve got a couple of alternatives for you. Start by heading out to Windsor, and on to Richmond. Opposite the RAAF base you’ll find the tourist information centre and Pies on the Go, which opens at 7am and makes a good place to meet if you have riders coming from all over Sydney. The coffee is drinkable. From here it’s a trip across the mountains by Bells Line of Road; stop in Lithgow where the coffee at the Tin Shed is somewhat better. If you have lots of time, check out the Small Arms Museum, which is interesting for people who aren’t fixated on guns, as well. Did you know they made sewing machines? At the highway turn left and then right again to Tarana. Beautiful ride through beautiful scenery, even if the road surface can be rough. From Tarana, take the northerly road towards Bathurst; it’s more interesting than the busier southern road. When you reach Bathurst, turn left at the Great Western Highway and then right into Gilmour Street. Where that splits, take the left branch called Eleven Mile Drive and continue to Eglinton, where you turn right into
Duramana Road which becomes Turondale Road. Follow that to the T junction with Hill End Road, and turn left. Predictably enough that takes you to Hill End, which is worth a look before you head north – confusingly, on Hill End Road again but this time towards Mudgee. This is a beautiful run which eventually takes you to the Castlereagh Highway just north of Mudgee. Pop into town for a meal or whatever, and then turn back to the Castlereagh Highway to Gulgong. Lots to see and do in Gulgong, and we usually stay the night here. When you’re ready to continue, take Station Street which becomes Cope Road and takes you to Ulan. At the T intersection with Ulan Road, turn left and right again at the Ulan-Wollar Road. Turn left into Phillip Street/ Wollar Road when you get there. A fair stretch of this road is gravel; it looks as if it’s being prepared for surfacing, but don’t hold your breath.
The next T intersection is with Bylong Valley Way, which has a pretty good tar surface and takes you east through farmland and a bit of the Goulburn River National Park. A lovely ride. There is a short section with hairraising hairpin turns; just keep that in mind. An iron bridge takes you across the Goulburn River to the Golden
Highway. If you need fuel, Sandy Hollow is just a kilometre to the left; if you don’t, turn right to Denman. You probably know the road from here; Denman to Jerrys Plains, Warkworth and then down to Bulga and Broke, continuing to Wollombi.
The Great North Road and then George Downes Drive take you down to Central Mangrove, where you continue along Peats Ridge Road to the motorway back to Sydney. Bingo, 750odd kilometres well spent!
GREEN ROUTE:
Turn right instead of left when you reach Turondale Road and go on by way of Sofala, then on to Ilford. Turn left and right again to Kandos and Rylstone; continue to the Lue turnoff and take that road to Mudgee. Beautiful road, and we have a soft spot for the Lue pub.
PINK ROUTE:
Should you be hankering for a bit of gravel, turn right into the Great Northern Road at Bucketty. This will take you to St Albans by some variable gravel, where you can choose a bit more gravel on the eastern route or tar seal on the western to Wisemans Ferry. I suspect you know how to get home from here!
COLLECT THEM ALL
excellent little racing museum at the track. Worth seeing.
HILL END
The pub is not cheap but the steaks are excellent, the shop across the road has coffee and it’s interesting wandering around the township, much of which was dismantled when the gold ran out. The buildings were taken to wherever the next fi nd was. There’s a good campsite.
MUDGEE
Lots to see and do here; we often have lunch at the Mudgee Brewing
Company on Church Street by Lawson Park. Especially worth seeing is the small motorcycle museum at Stein’s Winery. It’s pronounced “Steen’s”, by the way, leading some of the local wags to call the product “Steen’s Weenes”.
GULGONG
A great place to just walk around and admire the old buildings, Gulgong also has a fascinating museum which is more like someone’s oversize shed with all kinds of weird stuff squeezed into it. Allow a bit of extra time for this – you’re bound to fi nd something that interests you, from
the display of rifl es to the photos of old timers. We have most recently stayed at the Ten Dollar Town Motel and eaten across the road at the Centennial Hotel, but the place I would really recommend is the Prince of Wales Hotel which has a range of different rooms. We didn’t stay there this time because they had an Irish music night on; too loud for us old buggers.
After Gulgong there isn’t really much to mention by way of settlements; they’re all pleasant enough. The Sandy Hollow servo seems a bit overworked lately, so give them a break and fi ll up in Denman. D
SAMPLE SOUTHLAND, NZ
AT ONE TIME OR another it was thought that there were more sheep than people down in the depths of Southland in New Zealand’s South Island. It is the place made famous by none other than Burt Munro, the World’s Fastest Kiwi On An Indian, and can be home to some insane weather. Invercargill is where I’m talking about and venturing to see Southland is a must on any South Island NZ trip.
My wife Alana and I made our way to the Burt Munro Challenge earlier in the year, and aside from the racing we both wanted to explore the sights and sounds of this spectacularly wild part of the world. Wild as in the weather, but when the wind isn’t blowing and the rain isn’t trying to pierce your skin, Invercargill is a lovely country town to visit.
For motorcyclists there are a couple of ways to get there. Fly into Queenstown, grab a bike from Paradise Motorcycle Tours NZ and ride down the guts of the island. Another option is, head through Cromwell, Millers Flat, Tapanui to
Cool and beautiful WORDS & PICS STUART
Park right on the beach
Gore and across to Invercargill. Alternatively, start in Christchurch, head down the east coast and visit Dunedin on your way and ride the wild, Southern Scenic Route over to Invercargill.
As an aside to this trip, I remember one time I rode that Route and it certainly lived up to its reputation for being one of the wildest drives/ rides you could ever do. I copped 130km/h winds, rain that never touched the ground and hail that bruised the top of my thighs. I also think that at one point I could have looked just like a GP racer and scraped my knee on the ground –only I was going in a straight line!
The Southern Scenic Route is well worth doing, just keep an eye on the weather and another longish day trip
is heading west out to Tutapere and back around via Heddon Bush. But back to the beautiful side of Invercargill. If you pick the early months of the year you’ve got a good chance of great weather – as we had for our four days in the Southland. Our accommodation was at Ascot Park Hotel (www. ascotparkhotel.co.nz) which was quite nice. Park the bike at the door of your room, with another door for internal access to the hotel. Ascot Park has excellent food options with the main restaurant and the adjoining bar which also serves great meals. There is a bucket load of other accommodation options at Invercargill with plenty of Bed & Breakfast style places if that’s more suited to your style.
Invercargill is also home to many award winning restaurants and cafés. Of course, we had to visit a number of them to “try them out”. Buster Crabb was our choice for a ‘fl ash’ dinner. It sounds like a seafood joint, but isn’t. Check out www. bustercrabb.co.nz for their menu. You can also eat at Motorcycle Mecca and Transport World. We had lunch at both and their cafés offer amazing options. And you must spend time and view the collections at each – it will take many hours to visit each place so plan one day for each. Yes, they really are that big! One website covers both, visit www. transportworld.co.nz .
When you’re stuffed to the gills it’s probably a good idea to get out for a ride on the bike! Take a trip to Oreti
New Zealand’s only BMW Motorrad approved Travel Partner
Guided and self-guided tours and rentals RIDE WITH THE BEST.
TRAVEL
Beach where Burt Munro used to test his bikes. It’s about a twenty minute ride each way, and you can head down to Bluff, made famous by Bluff Oysters. We found a great pub to have a meal here, the Eagle Hotel. It was a bit of a pot luck fi nd as the cafés were fl at out busy during the Burt Munro hillclimb. We went to have a look in the pub and found that the menu offered a great variety of lovely food. Take a day trip to Stewart Island,
which is about a twenty minute fl ight or you can take the ferry which is about an hour. For info on Stewart Island, visit www.stewartisland.co.nz . And of course, two more things to do in Invercargill are visiting E Hayes & Sons Hardware, which houses the Burt Munro bikes, and going to see the Burt Munro statute in the Gala Street park.
A terrifi c few days at Invercargill showed us just how beautiful the area is. You’ll thank me if you go there, and you’ll have a great time. D
Hire me
I grabbed a bike from the great folk at Paradise Motorcycle Tours NZ, Queenstown base. Alana and I got picked up from the airport and dropped back off – great service, great bikes, great people. To hire your bike or organise a self or guided tour get in touch at www. paradisemotorcycletours.co.nz
I guess that’s one way to travel
HOTEL GRANYA, VICTORIA
It’s worth the punt WORDS/PHOTOS COLIN WHELAN
THE FIRST TIME I RODE the Murray River Road from the Bethanga Bridge along the southern edge of Lake Hume and then the upper reaches of our greatest river to Towong and then Corryong was a bit over ten years ago.
The country was in the vice grip of the millennial drought and yet the beauty of the river, regularly accompanying me on the left, was transfixing. It was early January and the tar was melting in places but the serpentine curves of the Murray, in places almost a creek, were constantly entrancing.
I stopped at all the regular pubs, Jingellic, Walwa, Tintaldra and then down to Corryong for a U-turn and a retrace just to see if the road and the scenery were as good a second time.
On the boomerang I stopped at the Wymah Punt to grab a couple of pics. The Murray here that day was maybe 30 metres wide max. The punt was probably 20 metres long. If the river fell any more they could’ve parked it in the middle and turned it into a pontoon bridge.
But nah! The ferry was up on chocks maybe 50 metres from the thirsty creek. Pretty high and very dry!
And it got me thinking: The Murray River marks the state boundary between NSW and Qld and the river itself is all in NSW. So, what exactly does that mean when the river falls?
When the river’s up, the dry dock of the ferry is underwater and therefore
part of NSW but now that it’s barren, has it become Victorian?
Does the border actually move? I’ve been thinking about that for almost two decades. No! Not constantly, just every now and then! And I’ve asked a pile of people and no-one who really should know, actually does!
Anyone out there with any ideas?
So anyway, I got my pics and headed back to my camp and then some time later around the fire someone asked if I’d dropped in to the ex-Granya Pub when I was at the punt.
I hadn’t seen any pub, ex or otherwise and Max, one of the happies, grabbed a smoking stick from the fire and drew me a dust map. I didn’t make it that next day, was headed in another direction but a coupla years ago I went back.
Instead of finding an ex-pub, I found an extant one, liked it and promised
myself to get back there again for a night.
A month or so back, I finally made it and if ever a pub’s strong suit is also its difficulty – its seclusion and tranquillity make it perfect for a perch, but difficult to find - this is it. Heading east I miss it the first time even though I know what I’m looking for. (If you’ve got a GPS, just copy these co-ords: “-36.080910, 147.317264”).
The Granya Hotel is 7.7kms east of the Wymah Ferry on the nonriver side of the Murray River Road, about 1km west of the Granya Road junction and the safest way of getting into it if you’re coming from the west is to go past, do a “Uey” at Granya Road and then ride back.
Coming from the east the entrance is much more visible, just swing up the driveway at the sign and the old red truck!
You must go there!
No crap, this pub and its publican are too good to be doing it as tough as they are and they certainly need and deserve support of the riding community. The place’s secluded but central position beside the upper Murray makes it a perfect base for a weekend of riding any number of loops to Corryong, or even down to Falls Creek and Mount Beauty. Or take the dirt north of the river through Dora Dora and across to Tooma.
It comfortably wears four helmets and the 40 bucks a night for a heated room with undercover bike parking, endless hot water in the showers makes its value for money rating over 160 where 100 is decent.
Mick is as real a host as you’re ever going to hope fi nd. The whole place just makes you feel at home and that’s as big a wrap as I can give a place!
(Full disclosure: I think Mick may’ve slung me a free chardy at some stage during the evening. If he did, it may’ve affected my gait but not my judgement or review!)
I park Super Ten on the gravel and head in. The place is open but empty – a bit of movement out the back. A few barks respond to my calling out and then “Won’t be a sec,” echoes down the hall.
No problem! Gives me time to check out the place. There’s a collection of signed Isle of Man TT posters on the walls and above them there’s a clock with the island’s famous three-legged emblem in the centre.
And there’s some of the beautiful stained glass window panels overhead as I make friends with the two little dogs who follow me out to a porch seat in the sun. Apart from the shuffling out back, there’s no noise, just the peace of the breeze in the gums across the drive.
Then Mick turns up. There were a couple of riders in last night and he’s just finished cleaning up the rooms. He’s due for a smoko so he grabs a red to go with my white and brings them out into the afternoon sunshine.
The punt just down the road is one of the two still operating on the Murray east of the South Australian border.
The other’s at Speewa near Swan Hill and for five years from 2009, Mick had the contract to operate them both.
He and his then wife lived in the Ferry Master’s cottage just across in NSW and they’d often eye the empty and slowly decaying old pub down the road. They both had dreams for it.
Like a lot of places, it was mining that caused the creation and sudden prosperity of Granya and in the late 1800s there were half a dozen pubs in the place. It must’ve been a wild town: in 1893 the publican at Granya’s Central Hotel even applied for permission to conduct dances on Boxing Day! But the ore ran out fast and the miners deserted and by 1921 the town was publess.
In 1927/8 the few remaining locals and surrounding farmers figured the beer drought needed fixing and pushed for a fix. The august “Construction and Local Government Journal” noted in January 1928 that, “A license for a new hotel at Granya (Vic.) has’ been granted … provided that the building is completed before November 30 of this year.”
They got it built in time and kept it going until 1969 when the license was changed to a licensed grocery but this didn’t work. It then became a youth refuge and a church-run drug and alcohol rehab centre but in 2013 the organisers pulled the pin and walked away.
The beautiful building stood empty until Mick and his partner fronted.
They way Mick tells it, they might’ve both had dreams but the dreams were different. He wanted a welcoming country pub, she wanted niche country produce store/bistro and up-market B&B.
Long story short: Mick now doesn’t have a partner, but he does have a welcoming country pub.
It was all a hell of a gamble. They bought the premises without any certainty they’d get a liquor license: “We just hoped the powers-that-be could share our vision just a bit.”
Luckily they did and six months after they’d bought it, the store/B&B opened in November 2014. The next year the store and the B&B (and the partner) went and it became a full on pub.
When I ask him how it’s going, Mick smiles and says, “It’s still going. It’s been tough but it’s still going.”
The front bar is heated with an open fire and the furnace out the back heats the rear dining room and the five accommodation rooms which are separate to the main building and surround a small courtyard.
There’s four twin rooms each with a couple of single beds and a queen double room which has its own ensuite. A single rider’ll pay $40 for the night whilst those sharing the twin rooms will pay $35 each.
There’s also a six bed dorm that’s open to negotiation.
Out the back of the pub is a huge grassed area where riders can throw a swag to a tent for a measly four bucks including use of the showers. Toilets are available outside 24/7.
If you turn up with a swag and it’s pumping down or you just can’t
be bothered pitching your tent, you can sleep on the floor of the old rehab centre’s meeting room. This is accommodation and the bloke who runs it is accommodating and if you think that happens everywhere, you really should get out more!
The bar prices are stupid low. You’ll get change from a fiver for a stubby of lite and the two draughts, Carlton and VB are also too cheap. You can get a feed there whenever the place is open. It’s basic country pub food and’ll keep you satisfied.
It’s a quiet midweek night in July. A couple of locals drop by for an afterworker and then in the evening it’s just me and Mick. We kick back and talk of his plans for a pool table and darts in the front bar and of good nights in the last month when larger groups of riders have overnighted.
It’s easy to see that they would’ve had a good time. I can’t think of too many pubs that are better set up to host either lone riders or large groups. Surrounded by wonderful riding roads, back off the road, almost secluded where the only noise you’ll hear is what you’re making and with a publican who’s giving it a real honest shot.
All through writing this I’ve been trying to work out how to slide in the phrase, “It’s worth the punt”, but heading down for a stay at Granya is no gamble. You’ll enjoy getting here, and you’ll enjoy being here. No risk! D
stealth SAFETY
• High performance, super-lightweight, super-strong jean - (single layer passing AA 75kph in the Pre EN 17092 abrasion test)
• New Covec® single layer 13oz denim
• Slim cut for style and function
• High performance cut and tear strength - 10 times the strength of regular denim
• Lower thermal conductivity reduces chances of friction burns
• CE 1621 Level 2 armours for thigh and knee as standard
The Stealth Jeans range from Bull-it introduces a single-layer, high performance denim, incorporating Covec® yarns into the denim structure itself - a ‘Stealth design’, ideal for riding and socialising incognito. The Covec® yarn provided in our Stealth Jeans offers extreme cut and tear resistance, 10 times the strength of normal denim, with low thermal conductivity, reducing the chance of friction burns. Fitted as standard with this high-tech denim, the Stealth Jeans range comes with CE Level 2 Phantom Armours (7mm thick) - a super low-profile armour, offering the highest level ‘on impact’ protection on the market. Phantom Armour is extremely flexible providing excellent comfort and flexibility. Stealth Jeans are finished in a dark blue raw denim.
move it luggage
Get the most out of your bike’s carrying capacity
compiled by stuart IN tr OD u C t ION & VIE t N a M PHO t O s TH e be AR
I’M not going to bore you with a list of the improvisations we used for luggage in the ‘60s – you’ve probably never even heard of ammo bags. But I will say that there is a veritable cornucopia of stuff available nowadays to lug your gear around. I have – wait for it –four tank bags! And they’re all from different manufacturers, and they all have different advantages (and very few disadvantages). So dig into our listing of gear, here, and I’m sure you will find just exactly what you want. Before that, though, here are a couple of bits of advice.
pAcking iT
When I prepare a bike for a decent ride – maybe a week or so, and over various road/track surfaces – I make certain assumptions. These include: I will fall off in the dirt at some stage; I will get a flat tyre; I will run out of fuel… ah, that will do for the moment. Usually none of these things happen, but if they do I want to be ready for them. That means setting the bike up and packing it appropriately.
Let’s start with falling off. You can actually pack for this, believe it or not. What I do is use soft bags as panniers, and a hard top box. The top box gives me water- and possibly even dustproof storage for things like my photo equipment. It’s also good for anything else that’s breakable.
But why soft bags? When you fall off in the dirt, there is a good chance that at least one of your panniers will be torn off. If it’s plastic it may even be smashed; aluminium panniers are sturdier, but even they can be buggers to re-attach if mounts are bent. It’s easy with soft bags, if the worst comes to the worst you can tie them back on with Andy Strapz or bungees. Yes, it’s a good idea to carry a couple of extra ones. If I’m staying on tar for more or less the entire ride, I’m happy enough with hard panniers.
The other assumptions are even easier to deal with – I carry a good tyre repair kit, with nice long irons (they can also be used to straighten bent shock absorbers, for instance, and yes I have done that). I also take a five litre plastic jerry can which I only fill when fuel supply is likely to be dubious.
Just a word of advice here –make sure that your soft bags do not rub on the rear wheel. In fact, make sure that nothing can rub on the rear wheel. Once, many moons ago, one of our photographers tightened her duffle bag a bit too much on the back of her KR250 test bike. As a result, the rear mudguard dragged on the tyre and set the back of the bike alight.
My how we laughed…
ALL ABOARD
Only you can know what you want to carry on a trip. It’s different with things you need to carry, and I’ve put together numerous lists for that – which is a subject for another feature. But here’s a tip about the stuff you may want to take: don’t. At least don’t take all of it. No doubt you’ve seen photos of Vietnamese or other SE Asian people carrying stupendous loads on their scooters or small bikes. Please keep in mind that these people have to do that; I’m pretty sure that they wouldn’t, if they had the option. Why am I sure? Because riding an overloaded motorcycle is no fun; instead it is hard work.
Luggage
One of the sources of all is
And nobody wants to be working hard when they’re travelling; after all, there are lots of things to see and do from which excessive sweating behind the handlebar will distract you. You’re out there to have a good time, not to struggle with tank slappers every time you hit a pothole.
The same thing applies to those amazing contraptions that some motorcycle travelers create for themselves. Huge panniers made from riveted aluminium sheeting, topped off with multiple duffle bags and any other kind of container that comes to hand may hold a lot of stuff, but they won’t let the bike handle or stop properly. And here’s the question: how much of that stuff do you actually need?
One of the sources of all the extra crap you may be tempted by is souvenirs. Here’s the tip: carry them only until you reach the next post office, then mail them home. You’ll be rid of the extra weight, and the goodies will be safe –and unlikely to embarrass you. You wouldn’t believe how much trouble I had at the Malaysia/Singapore border post with the sword I had bought on my way through Afghanistan!
PUTTING WHAT WHERE
the activity that caused most injury
me to make it safer. There was
they overestimated the tyres, so problem was the way the
Honda CT110s everywhere
in front of their handlebars. I moved and of the bikes with a lockable box; I moved that so that it
When Australia Post discovered that the activity that caused most injury time among its employees was riding a motorcycle, they commissioned me to make it safer. There was a certain amount of unsafe behavior among posties: they didn’t all wear their helmets, they overestimated the adhesion of their tyres, they got too keen and failed to watch for cars coming out of driveways and so on. But the overwhelming problem was the way the bikes were packed. Australia Post was using Honda CT110s everywhere except for South Australia, where Yamaha V90 scooters had held on for some reason. None of the bikes or scooters were set up safely. For a start, they had delivery bags cantilevered out in front of their handlebars. I moved them back behind the bars, and made them smaller to reduce their effect on steering. There was another cantilever out the back of many of the bikes with a lockable box; I moved that so that it was centred over the rear axle. Finally, with the help of Jack Burger from JAB Engineering I replaced the huge leather delivery bags – fitted like panniers to the sides of the bikes – with smaller bags tucked into the sides of the bikes and moved forward so they didn’t stick out
for some reason. None of the bikes or
with of Jack Burger from JAB
too far behind the axle.
The effect was what Erik Buell would later promote as mass centralisation. The bikes became relatively tight units with all of their load carrying capacity tucked in tightly. I’m sure you don’t need me to point out how you can do the same when you equip your bike with luggage. And you don’t need to look at an old Aussie Post bike to see how it can be done wrong: just check out the cruisers with duffle bags tied to their sissy bars.
There is also some luggage specifically designed to help you with weight distribution. Take a look at tank panniers, for instance, and the many boxes and bags available to fill in the spaces inside your pannier racks. Many of these are designed specifically for heavy items like toolkits, and put them in the perfect (and easily accessible) locations.
But now let’s have a quick look at who’s making and selling what out there.
ANDY STRAPZ
www.andystrapz.com
V-STROM PANNIERSTRAVELLER PANNIER SET
$365, TRAVELLER AND LINER PACKAGE $415, FRAME SET
$370, PLUS FREIGHT
Andy has developed a superlight, narrow and rugged pannier system for the new generation Suzuki 650
V-Strom. Tipping the scales at 3kg, frames, fittings and bags, that’s the whole kit! Using an existing, proven bag system and a newly designed frame set ’Strom owners now have a choice of a narrow, snug fitting package too.
SMART NET
$50 + POSTAGE
It’s been almost 20 years since Andy developed the signature Strapz. For their 21st Birthday a brand new, universal fit system that combines the best of straps and a cargo net is ready to go.
JOURNEY BACKPACK - $139.95.
AA BAGZ - $215 (18 L) + POSTAGE
One of Australia’s favourite bike bags. Just drop it on the passenger seat and tie it down with its own strap system. No frames or hardware needed. Simple, yet effective and low profile. Constructed of black 600 denier Cordura in Strapz’s Melbourne factory with approximately 18 litre capacity. AA Bagz are stiffened with 4 nylon bars to stop them sagging and strap to the seat or rack with a strap system that is permanently attached to the bagz. Proven over thousands of kilometres and many hundreds of users (including our very own Bear) as stable, easy to use and seriously water resistant.
A stylish and aerodynamic backpack that is easy and comfortable to wear with a large carrying capacity. Constructed from premium water resistant UltraMax nylon with maximum UV protection and EVA foam support to maintain the bag’s shape. Featuring multiple pockets and an inner sleeve to fit a 15” notebook, tablet or hydration bladder. The back section is padded for maximum comfort and weight dispersion with effective airflow and 3 way adjustable straps. Capacity - 28.5 litres. Includes a lifetime warranty.
TAILBAG - $129.95.
Add functionality without detracting from the sleek look of your bike. The Nelson Rigg CL-1060-S Tail Bag is the perfect size for day trips or commuting. Mounting straps fit easily under the passenger seat of most bikes to provide a secure
The bag maintains its shape via internal stiffeners, has a mesh pocket and organizer under the lid, an adjustable compartment divider, a lined interior plus a rain cover. With a fully expandable top section, this bag holds 16 litres - 22 litres expanded and easily converts into a backpack using the shoulder strap which doubles as backpacks straps. Includes a lifetime warranty.
TRAILS END ADVENTURE TANKBAG - $129.95
Designed for sharply sloping tanks as used on Adventure motorcycles like the Africa Twin, KTM’s 1290 Adventure, F800GS, KLR650, CB500X and others. Ideal for carrying smaller items like your wallet, sunglasses and rainwear. Easy to fit with simple strap mounting system. Constructed from premium UltraMax nylon with maximum UV protection, fitted with a soft protective base to prevent scratching and slipping and with an expandable top section to create an extra 4 litres of carry space. Includes a clear touch screen friendly map pocket on top for easy GPS usage and a rain cover. Capacity is 12.4 litres - 16.5 litres expanded. Includes a lifetime warranty.
KENMA AUSTRALIA www.kenma.com.au
EVO-40 TOURING KIT - $489
The modern interpretation of traditional motorcycle luggage. Quickrelease buckles secure the horizontallymounted 40-litre bag. Remove the semi-rigid bag and you’re left with a flat rack making it a great choice for modern sports bikes. The semi-rigid
bag retains its shape and features four external pockets for those things you need to keep handy. Reflective material on corners. All internal seams are bound. Two padded handles make it easy to carry. Like all Ventura Bike Packs, the Evo-40 is made from PVClaminated ballistic nylon that is highly water resistant. No soft luggage is 100per cent waterproof but add a storm cover and this is as close as you’re going to get.
MISTRAL TOURING KIT - $549
The rounded profile of the Ventura Mistral lends itself to use on cruiser bikes, especially the LAMS machines. With an overall volume of 47 litres, the Mistral offers three generously proportioned external pockets. The basic bag features a moulded base and lid and pockets to maintain its shape. Padded shoulder straps and carry handle add to the package. Glovefriendly Ventura pull tabs are fitted to all zippers. If greater volume is needed, a Mistral will zip to a second Mistral or a 31-litre Bora. Storm covers are available for any combination you can dream of. Mix and match to suit you and your needs.
COOCASE WIZARD 36L TOP BOX KIT - $449
Coocase top boxes provide a durable luggage solution in an elegant, userfriendly design. Each Coocase top
box is capable of holding a full-face helmet. All 36 and 48-litre Coocase top boxes are full lined. They are totally and completely customisable. Not satisfied with the look of your Coocase Topcase? Both replacement lenses and lid panels are available. Lenses are available in clear, smoke gray and red. Lid panels are available in red, blue and gun metal.
BUMOT AUSTRALIA www.bumotaustralia.com.au
XTREMADA SOFT PANNIER - $895
Bumot has either the Defender aluminium panniers or the Xtremada soft panniers for all your adventures, and you can install them without the need for any additional modification on the Bumot pannier racks (sold separately). The total capacity of the soft panniers is 74 litres – 35 litre for one and 31 litre notched (exhaust side), plus each pannier has a pair of external 2 litre pockets (now also available to suit the BMW R1200GSA LC OEM pannier rack).
DAINESE
www.cassons.com.au
D-THROTTLE BACKPACK - $199.95
A dependable riding backpack for everyday use, the D-Throttle features
D-RIG
WHEELED BAG$449.95
a plethora of pockets for small items and electronics, and the design allows external access to the hanging, padded laptop sleeve. The fabric has undergone a water-resistant treatment.
Not all travelling is done via motorcycle. Sometimes you need to carry your gear on a plane interstate or overseas and this D-Rig bag made by Ogio for Dainese is big enough to carry everything. Heavy duty construction with the SLED (Structual Load Equalized Deck) System and other features include a wide mouth opening for easy access to all gear compartments, large main compartment with adjustable dividers and padded helmet chamber, several multi-use compartments for apparel and small gear, iFOM (integrated foam) construction throughout for added gear protection, heavy duty oversized wheels with extra clearance, secure hold compression strap system, telescoping pull handle and a total of 123 litres capacity.
D-CABIN WHEELED BAG - $269.95
For the uber stylish airplane traveller the D-Cabin is the perfect choice. Features include one main
compartment with separate zippered mesh storage (mesh rolls away tightly which adds extra depth for the main compartment), zippered hanging pouch, and dual compression straps to
secure clothes, one upper exterior ticket pocket with stash pocket, one main front pocket with padded laptop sleeve (fi ts 15” Mac Pro) and zippered pocket organisation, durable ABS shell exterior for main compartment, 2-1/2” of zippered expansion, soft ergo-grip haul handle for ease of carry, dual trolley handle, exterior mounted TPU wheels with ABEC 5 bearings, rugged/durable wheel housing for added protection, polyester exterior fabric and a polyester lining with heat embossed logo.
RJAYS
www.rjays.com.au
shoulder strap and backpack straps, convenient multi-purpose loops, backpack straps storage compartment, highly refl ective 3D logos for added visibility and safety and a slip over pocket for rack mounting with dual securing straps.
ADVENTURER SPORTSBIKE SEAT BAG - $79.95
Handy seat bag that features a super heavy duty ballistic nylon construction, pull out rain cover, carry handle, padded shoulder carry strap, refl ective inserts and an expandable top.
CITY RACK BAG - $149.95
The original Rjays expandable Explorer rack bag’s little brother has arrived. Comes with a built in raincover with adjustable drawstring 100% waterproof, 1800 Denier ballistic nylon construction, adjustable and detachable padded, ergonomically designed
SUPERSPORT II PANNIERS - $159.95
These Super Sport Panniers are designed to fi t any sports/sports touring bike for the trip away or every day commuting. Easy “throw over” design and Velcro straps to attach them to your bike. The ‘grab it and go’ handles make them easy to carry. Both main compartments are
expandable and large enough to hold the biggest load. Comes with pull out rain covers. Holds 10kg per bag.
TM MOTORCYCLE LUGGAGE
www.cassons.com.au
ExpA nd A b LE W EE k E nd ER
W i T h R OLL bAG - $169.95
Made from super heavy duty ballistic nylon featuring reflective stripe for enhanced safety and visibility, expandable main compartment and zip out backpack straps. The roll bag is removable and is secured with adjustable straps, all lids and compartments seal with heavy duty zips, bag attaches to any sissy bar and sits on either luggage rack or rear seat and comes with rain cover included.
R OUTE 66 dELU x E R OLL bAG - $139.95
Zippered ends and large front opening allows access to main compartment from almost all sides,
expandable side pockets provide extra storage when needed, semirigid construction for durability and shape retention even when empty, bag attaches to any backrest with wide Velcro belt, detachable shoulder strap makes transporting off the bike easy and included with bag are: shoulder strap, rain cover and two adjustable straps.
R OUTE 66 Th ROW Ov ER
S A dd LE bAGS - $199.95
Can be mounted under or over the pillion seat, adjustable to fit almost any motorcycle, no mounting brackets or supports needed, expandable drink holders, external and internal pockets, expandable main luggage compartment, semi-rigid construction for shape retention and durability, included with saddlebags: rain cover and adjustable straps.
O x FOR d
www.ficeda.com.au
hER i TAGE S ER i ES –FROM $159
This vintage-styled waxed cotton luggage uses traditional materials and
manufacturing techniques to recall a time when people worked and played outdoors, come rain or shine. But beneath the old-world look is a hidden layer of modern technology, to offer a user experience to match today’s demanding expectations. The bags’ key material is a dry waxed cotton and is applied to all outer materials including the straps and has the very real benefit of not coming off on your hands when moving, fitting and using the luggage. Panniers and Rollbag option available.
R S ER i ES - Li FET i ME
L UGGAGE – FROM $69.95
Oxford’s Lifetime Luggage is the jewel in its crown, benefitting from 20 years of passionate development since its launch in 1997.
Most bags look roughly the same from the outside, differentiated only by the styling, number of pockets and a few handy features. The difference between a good bag and a great bag is what you don’t see at first glance; the material composition, construction methods, waterproofing systems, safety mechanisms, tried and tested componentry and built-in real-world usability. Wide range of styles and sizes to suit most bikes.
Aq UA S ER i ES –FROM $149.95
Oxford’s Aqua bags are among the easiest ways to get your gear from A to B on a motorcycle, safe and dry.
They are made from tough PVC tarpaulin, which is welded to form waterproof seams. When straps are added to perform essential functions (such as securing the bag onto a motorcycle), Oxford uses innovative construction techniques to further reinforce the bag whilst ensuring complete waterproofi ng. Available in 30L in 3 colours – plus a range of backpacks.
TOURATECH
www.touratech.com.au
ENDURANCE
CLICK BAGS –FROM $266.59
Quick on - quick off and just the right size! It’s not just off-road riders world-wide who have been waiting for this: A super lightweight and waterproof soft luggage system for all common luggage racks. The side bag Endurance Click is the fi rst real alternative to aluminium cases. It is lighter than any plastic case, yet durable and completely waterproof (IP64). With a capacity of around 28 litres it can accommodate a lot.
TOURATECH
WATERPROOF - $186.71
For many years and over countless miles, the original Ortlieb Rack-Pack has been the essential companion
Having trouble reading your instruments while riding?
Riding glasses with bifocal lenses.
Available in +1.5, +2.0 and +2.5.
The frames are lightweight and are super flexible. The arms are very flat so they fit comfortably between your head and the helmet.
The lenses come in three different colours, Smoke, Yellow and Clear and include the dust seal, which can be taken off when not needed. The dust seal protects other irritants as well as peripheral light.
GO FROM THIS TO THIS
Rated as “Medium Impact” these polycarbonate lenses have a safety rating of ANSI/ISEA Z87.1/2010 and AS/NZS1337. UV 400 protection.
Available online from Rocky Creek Designs and all good motorcycle shops through Pro Accessories
on all our travels. Now, together with Ortlieb’s developers, Touratech has made the classic Rack-Pack even more perfect!
The Adventure Rack-Pack is an all-purpose, highly versatile bag. It is the ideal travel companion - and not only on motorcycle tours.
Pannier i nner
Liner - $128.99
Keep everything close to hand, easy to get out and pack away again, keep your tent or hotel room organised, and no aluminium rubbing on your clothing - this is the promise of the Zega Pro bag.
This sports and travel bag has been specially developed for Touratech’s Zega Pro cases. If the Zega Pro bag is not full, it can be folded down to save space. It has two practical carry handles, and a zipper around the side for easy loading. It’s made from Tefloncoated Cordura, which is both water-repellent and dirt-resistant.
r OYa L en F ie LD www.royalenfield.com.au
Mi L itarY Panniers & r acks
Heavy-duty water resistant military styled canvas panniers featuring quick release straps and Royal Enfield branding. Pannier
racks made from 16mm steel with black powder coating are sold separately.
aL u M iniu M Panniers & r acks
Rugged, 26 litre capacity water resistant aluminium box panniers available in both black and silver. Made from 2mm aluminium plate with added ABS corners, secure
lockable lid and ‘Royal Enfield’ embossed. Racks are made from 18mm steel with a black powder
coated finish. They have provision to relocate numberplate and indicators on Royal Enfield bikes.
krie G a www.kriega.com.au
tai LPacks - $95-$205
Kriega tailpacks are a hassle free luggage solution, designed to fit almost any bike from cruisers to sportsbikes, without the need for a rack or any additional hardware. They’re fully waterproof, available in sizes from 5- 30 litres and can be used in combinations up to 90 litres, making them perfect for both daily use or extended travel. They’re a cinch to fit and remove, with only four small strap loops left behind when they’re taken off the bike. D
www.ausmotorcyclist.com.au
BMW G 310 GS 310 GS
Baby, baby
WORDS STUART PHOTOS RALPH
IRECKON IT WAS A GIMME that BMW would produce a GS version with the baby 310 engine, and here it is in the G 310 GS. It is a versatile platform and changing it up to suit a bit of dirt road riding should also see it as being a great all-rounder for those riders just wanting a smaller machine.
The G 310 GS shares the R’s frame, 310cc liquid-cooled single, and ABS-moderated single discs front and rear. Differences include the GS’s bodywork, longer-travel suspension (180mm front and rear on the GS compared to 140mm front and 131mm rear for the R), 19-inch front wheel, and switchable ABS for those who want to ride off road sans intervention.
On the road at speeds under 80km/h the G 310 GS is quite a nice little bike to ride. Plush suspension; torquey, frugal motor; and a seating position that has you sitting upright for great vision in traffic.
Once we’d made our way to the dirt, I found some nice single trail sections to really see how versatile the baby GS could be. The suspension is probably a bit too soft for my liking: it shifts weight front to rear too much. Stiffer springs (even for lighter riders) are needed. After I’d pottered my way through the single trail I got back out onto
bitumen and hit some faster flowing back roads, and again the suspension proved itself to be too soft.
The secret of the G 310 GS, though, is that it’s so light and easy to manoeuvrer – a great commuter or city bike in my mind.
The brakes are on the just adequate side as well, which is fine for lower speeds, but punch the speed up out on the highway and you need to get on the picks early.
SPECS
BMW G 310 GS
At the heart is BMW’s high-revving 310, a modern single that purrs more than it thumps. Power delivery is smooth and consistent all the way up to a 10,500rpm redline, with maximum power residing right around 9500rpm. And yeah, we’re only talking about 25 killawasps, but these killawasps are well jockeyed. The only place you’ll truly be looking for more top-end is on the highway, where the little GS begins to feel taxed over 110km/h. Vibration is minimal with only a slight increase over 7000rpm felt through the pegs –not bad for a single cylinder, actually. Ergonomics are great for sitting down. You will want bar risers if you’re standing up in the dirt, but the seat to peg height is roomy, as is the seat to bar distance. Bar width is nicely set and the screen is small but does deflect some wind off your midsection. All-in-all an enjoyable, comfy small adventurer.
The instrument panel fitted to the G 310 GS gives the first impression you’re on a larger, and certainly more expensive machine. Integrated nicely into the front fairing, the LCD panel has all the info you’d want, including a gear indicator.
An extensive range of accessories is available to kit out the G 310 GS for whatever type of riding you’d like to do with it.
Build quality is as you’d expect from BMW. The panels all fit up nicely, paintwork is good and details like braided brake lines all make the $8090 price tag seem good value. The G 310 GS’s main competitor would be the Kawasaki Versys X. It’s also a 300 and similar in spec, so I suspect these both bikes are in for a battle. D
PRICE: $8090 (plus on-road charges)
WARRANTY: Two years, unlimited distance
SERVICING INTERVALS: Every 10,000km or 12 months
ENGINE: Liquid-cooled single cylinder, 4-stroke, DOHC, 4 valves per cylinder
BRAKES: Front, 300mm disc with radial mount four-piston switchable ABS caliper. Rear, 240mm disc, single-piston switchable ABS caliper.
FUEL CONSUMPTION: 3.47 litres per 100km, premium unleaded
THEORETICAL RANGE: 316km
COLOURS: Cosmic Black, Racing Red, Pearl White Metallic
VERDICT: BABY BATTLE
TECHNICAL
FREE WITH A SIDECAR OUTFIT
Laws of Attraction & Laws of Physics
IFIRST BECAME fascinated by side cars many years before I started riding them. The attraction was immediate but having been on two wheels for the best part of 30 plus years, my admiration was always from a distance. I’d been warned by many motorbike buddies that you just don’t want to go there. It’s too hard and too weird. Their advice was more like brotherly or fatherly love. For a while I listened (like all good kids!), raised the odd eyebrow at them and kept doing what I do on two wheels.
Attraction is a strong emotion and the laws that govern it finally took hold. Once I made the decision to give it a go I was totally besotted with sidecar outfits. A myriad of styles and colours made the choice hard, but I settled on a Ural 2018 Burgundy Satin Ranger.
Before you go off on three wheels you need to understand some major components of the experience. It’s not a walk in the park at first. In fact, it takes a whole new way of thinking and reacting. Understanding physics is a good base and it’s worth doing some research and definitely worth doing some training. My training was exhilarating, fun and shocking.
The upside to practicing is that the more scares you have the better you become. So, man up and try a sidecar. These even have reverse!
Like all things with engines and wheels, technique is key. It’s not about size. I’m 5’6”, weigh 68 kilos and also ride a 400 plus kg Indian Chief). Sidecar outfits behave in a completely different way to bikes, as well as according to whether you’re turning left or right, and whether you’re accelerating or decelerating. If you accelerate, the outfit swings left. If you brake, it swings right. The one thing you absolutely do not do if you go into a left-hander too fast is brake. Guess what I did?
That was then and this is now and the more you ride the more you will continue the love affair. Probably the trickiest thing you will have to deal with is lapsing into two wheeled riding mode. Which is so easily done. It’s odd how easy it is when you hop back on the two wheel variety. It’s all so natural as if nothing has changed. Be warned, it’s not like that the other way around.
This is a motorbike that travels best at a controlled speed with you and your passenger enjoying the scenery, a chat, a coffee (joking about the
coffee). Sure, they are a little bumpy and rough and don’t think nothing serious can happen at 80km/h or less. Take your mind off it and you will learn a valuable lesson. The extra weight of a passenger does seem to give the bike some stability. So grab a mate or an animal and do what side car motorbike riding is great at. A shared experience.
Personally, I’m a solo rider, however that side car does a fabulous job of holding luggage, shopping and anything else I can pick up along the way! (read what you want into that statement!)
If you need more info on the Ural motorbikes and sidecars, start by calling the guys at imz-ural.com. au and speak to Clare or Mat. This business is in Uralla NSW and was started by Jon Taylor a decade or so ago. They are the only importer of URAL sidecars to Australia. They supply all the other dealerships and they are ready with help and tips. Oh, and by the way Jon Taylor, although semi-retired, still does sidecar training on his property in Kentucky NSW (a must for any beginner). Jon’s great at explaining the laws of physics too. Why not sample the world on three wheels some time? D
WORDS CHRIS KEEBLE PHOTOS CHRIS BARNDEN
LONGTERMERS
KAWASAKI 750 TURBO KLEVER KIWIS
Ventura EVO-10 Sports-kit, A$399. Bag alone $109.
Ventura EVO-40 Sports Touring-kit, A$489. Bag alone A$199.
THE KIWIS CLAIM not to like Australians. You can see it in little jokes like, “Did you know that a New Zealand engineer has developed a camera sensor so fast that you can get a photo of an Australian with his mouth shut?”. But they belie that attitude with the way they send us so much beautifully made stuff; take the wonderful frames from Ken McIntosh. Whenever I order something made in Unzud, it’s always at least rugged and useful, and at best brilliant. But it’s not just the products; it’s the service, too. You may have noticed that a Kawasaki E1 Turbo has joined the long term fleet here
1. The whole assembly looks very neat on the Kawasaki Turbo.
2. This is the smaller of the two packs/ bags. The larger holds four times as much.
at MOTORCYCLIST. Being the inveterate fiddler that I am, I wanted some luggage capacity for the bike and contacted Kenma Australia, who import Ventura gear from Unzud. Would it be possible to get a pair of the bike-specific L brackets for the Turbo, and did they work with the new, lowprofile EVO luggage rack?
“Yes and yes,” said Emma at Kenma. The Turbo might be nearly 35 years old, but she was sure that Ventura had made L brackets for the Turbo and would still have the patterns for them, and of course the new rack would fit them. It would be a special order, because they wouldn’t have the brackets in stock, but I’d have the gear in a few weeks. Which, sure enough, I did. You can admire the fitted rack in the photos.
Fitting the powder-coated steel L brackets to the Turbo was a snack, even for me. Fitment mostly uses the original bolts, and new ones are supplied if they’re needed. The rack slipped easily into the brackets. I took the pillion grab handle off the bike, not because
3. Even without the bag, the rack looks as if it belongs.
I absolutely needed to but because it looks better without it. The kits are identical except for the bags, and I got the EVO-10 kit plus the bigger bag. That gives me an around-town option and a travel alternative.
It’s worth telling you about the bags, too. They are beautifully made from high quality ballistic fabric and shaped to “cheat the wind”, in other words they’re smooth and rounded. They also have internal stiffeners so that they keep their shape. The 40 litre pack features an expandable section and both are easily fitted and detached. Just possibly they are a bit too easily detached; thieves would find them easy marks. They have carry handles and interior pockets. If past experience is anything to go by, both the rack and the bags will stand the test of time really well. I have used Ventura gear before, and it has kept its
good looks for as long as I’ve had it. The rack looks fine on the bike without a bag, too. My heartfelt thanks to the Kiwis once again; make as many jokes at our expense as you like if you keep making such quality gear! Kenma’s website is www.kenma.com.au, email is sales@kenma.com.au or you can ring them on 02 9484 0777. PT
BENELLI LEONCINO TRIMMING THE FUR
Apart from riding the little lion anywhere and everywhere we can, one thing on the bike looks to be a bit of an afterthought, and that’s the pillion
grab rails. So I simply unbolted them and what a change it made. The svelte tail now really looks like it should. All of ten minutes was needed to get them off.
We’ve tried animal abuse but the Leoncino takes anything we can throw at it which means that at this stage of our time with it we can’t fault it. And it has been popular too. Ralph and I fight over who should be riding it as it is a fun machine to be on. SW
DUCATI SCRAMBLER STAY CONNECTED
“KISS me, you fool!” If you’re a fan of classic movies you will have heard that phrase more than once. But it applies to motorcycle accessories as well. “Keep It Simple, Stupid” works pretty much everywhere, and nowhere more obviously than with this mobile phone bracket and case setup from SP Connect. You can use the thing on a bicycle, in a car and even on your shoulder, but believe it or not we tried it on a motorcycle – our Ducati Scrambler, to be precise.
The basis of the SP Connect line is the smartphone case, incorporating a 90° twist and lock system that will keep your phone steady on any ride. It did for us, anyway, and you know what Sydney roads are like… The phone case is pretty similar to any other reasonably upmarket case, sleek and low profile and comfortable in your pocket. On the back, however, is the robust connection which lets you clip it into the mount. There is also a clear, weatherproof cover which just clips over the case.
The ‘moto’ bundle is ideal for motorcyclists with purpose-designed mounts that allow flexible positioning and easy viewing of navigation onthe-go. SP Connect’s phone cases
are compatible with all iPhones and Samsung phones, with S9/S9+ cases available soon.
But there’s more. The Universal Interface can be stuck on the back of other phones, small tablets, Bluetooth speakers and lots of other stuff you might want to mount. The Interface uses super-strong 3M adhesive to ensure secure mounting.
SP Connect phone cases and mounts are available in Australia via www.spconnect.com.au, and they keep it both simple and effective. SP Connect Phone Case prices from $54.95 (Universal Mount $29.95); Bundles from $69.95; Additional mounts from $14.95. PT
FOR A COMPLETE RANGE OF TINTED & LARGER SCREENS
lONG terMers
KawasaKi Z900Rs
Making it Mine
The Z900RS is a special bike and making it into a bike that will cover everything my father could want is what we’re doing with it (because he’ll buy it). So setting it up just the way he likes firstly involves fitting a centre stand for easier maintenance, a radiator protector so there’s no leaking caused by flying debris, a tank pad so that the beautiful candy paintwork doesn’t get scratched and finally a set of heated grips for winter riding, because warm hands are the best!
Kawasaki centre stand - $295.13
Kawasaki fitted a number of their genuine accessories to the RS before we took delivery. The first was the
centrestand, which I assume took about half an hour to fit. All the hardware is supplied with the stand for fitting.
Kawasaki radiator protector - $133.70
I fitted the radiator protector which took about five minutes. Simply unbolt the radiator side covers, slip the radiator cover on and bolt the side covers back in place. You’ll hardly notice the cover is there.
Kawasaki tank pad - $63.34
Kawasaki also stuck on the tank pad which would take about one minute to fit – 55 seconds of making sure it’s lined up perfectly and 5 seconds to stick it on.
I fitted Oxford heated grips many moons ago to a previous bike my father had. I think it was his ZZR1100 or VFR800 (can’t remember). Anyway
they were a little involved with wiring them up and so on, but Oxford has changed all that with the new Premium range. It is a simple plug and play kind of arrangement. The wiring hooks to the battery directly so it’s just a matter of running the wires, removing the
standard grips, sticking on the new ones and mounting the switch block. The double bonded rainproof switch draws under 4A and switches off after a certain period of time if the ignition isn’t on, so don’t worry about a flat battery. The grips have ergonomically engineered surface structures to optimise riding performance, thicker rubber in areas of maximum wearand the retro looking soft, ultra-grippy diamond tread pattern also absorbs vibration. The grip length can be trimmed if required and they have open ends so that bar end weights can be fitted – the standard length was perfect for the RS.
And, the best part of the Oxford Premium Retro heated grips is the 5 heat settings with LED lights to indicate the level. Trust me, level 5 is HOT! Oxford heated grips are available from all good bike shops or for the full range visit www.ficeda.com.au SW
apRilia shiveR no Shivering
Hand guards - $39
Having hand guards is a no brainer on just about any bike. Not only do they help protect you in inclement weather, they can also help protect your mitts
if a rogue tin top decides to give you a love tap. The hand guards fitted to the Shiver are genuine Aprilia accessories and simple to fit in a matter of minutes. They also give the Shiver a more purposeful look in my opinion. Grab a set from your local Aprilia dealer.
Centre stand - $379
Another no brainer for ease of maintenance and general handiness is a centre stand. Another genuine Aprilia accessory for the Shiver, the stand takes
a bit of time to fit but once it’s on you can sit back with a couple of beers and know that from now on there’s no more mucking around when lubing the chain and you can actually fill the tank to the brim with it level at the servo! Get the centre stand from your local Aprilia dealer as well. SW
SUZUKI GSX1100S KATANA OUT OF THE STARTING BLOCKS
I’ve finally got the frame back from the powder coaters’ and can start the reassembly. Since rebuilding/restoring all of the parts that go on the big Kat, including painting the engine so that it’s all looking nice, I’ve also rebuilt the forks I sourced. Ikon Suspension came to the party here and supplied a set of shocks and matched them with a set of fork springs. I again headed off to D Moto Motorcycle Engineering to pull apart the forks. The forks allegedly came from a race bike and when only 20mls of oil came out of each leg I was a little dumbfounded. Shaun at D Moto was a little shocked too. He pumped the forks
a few times to see if any more oil was trapped in there, but it was all out and as thick as diff oil – not a good start.
Once the forks were stripped I gave them a thorough washing and put the stanchions in the lathe and gave them a polish with some emery paper. Back together they went, with new bottom bolts, new seals, the shims checked and the new springs from Ikon. The fork spring design for the Katana, like many other models designed by Ikon Suspension, was very much guided by the nature of the bike, the limitations of the forks used in the day and rider comments about the need for better stability, less dive and support without harshness, hence the final result are progressively rated springs. Now it was time for some oil and I used a 10-weight fork oil. The standard amount recommended is 237ml. I used 250ml and the result is a well sprung fork that feels about as good as you could get for little 37mm chicken legs.
On the rear the Ikon 7610 dial-a-ride shocks with tri-rate springs (made by Ikon Suspension in Albury NSW) have a long history going back to when they were introduced by iconic motorcycle suspension manufacturer Koni, from whom Ikon took over the reins under licence in late 2000.The 7610 series shocks have three positions of preload adjustability, 4 positions of rebound adjustability and the tri-rate springs –Ikon fitted their 217 rate spring for my weight. One good test to see where your suspension is at in terms of front and
rear matching is to stand up with the bike balanced between your legs and push down on the tank. If the front and rear go down and up together in unison you’re in the ball park – exactly what the Ikon suspension does on the Kat. I strongly advise having a chat with the friendly folk at Ikon. Although they have an off the shelf ‘standard’ spring application for their shock absorbers, they are also happy to have a conversation with customers to take a personal approach when selecting springs for riders, which usually results in an increase or decrease in spring rate to better suit customers’ needs and riding style. Visit www. ikonsuspension.com, call 02 6040 9955, or email sales@ikonsuspension. com to discuss your needs.
Next month I’ll discuss putting the engine back in and making the wheels fancy! SW D
READERS’TRAVELS
GOOD TIME IN AFRICA
WORDS/ph O t OS JANICE JANSEN
We flew from Sydney to Johannesburg, then a connecting flight to Victoria Falls, Zimbabwe. Booked into our hotel two days prior to the trip to acclimatize and get over the jet lag.
Took an evening “Booze Cruise” on the Limpopo, spectacular sunset, wildlife including elephant, hippo, crocs and various antelope, baboons etc. Next day walked from the hotel to Victoria Falls. I have a pic of me standing on the Dr Livingstone statue back in 1972 and wanted to do the same thing again, but there is a guard there now!
The day prior to our departure the rest of the crew arrived and we were delighted to see that most of the riders we knew from our first trip in 2010 were here again! We were assigned our bikes, given an operational briefing on the GPS and allowed to make personal adjustments to the bikes. The bikes were all 2016 BMW R1200GS
with between 4000 and 6000 K’s on the clock, sparkling clean and shod with new tyres. The evening prior to departure was our first bonding session over some excellent food washed down with a couple of cold Zambezi’s.
DAY 1 VIC fALLS to NAtA.
After a short stretch of tar our first bit of dirt. Dusty and rocky but easy going. We were stopped at one point because elephant up ahead had got wind of us and were getting a little agitated because they couldn’t work out where we were. Having safely negotiated the irate jumbos, it was on to our first border crossing - into Botswana. Zimbabwe side of the border quick and easy, guards in good spirits. Botswana side, passport and document stamping went easily and we all had to walk our shoes through a dip (foot and mouth). Not only the boots we were wearing but also ALL the shoes in our luggage
had to go through the filthy water! Lunched at Elephant Sands. The lodge surrounds a water hole where elephants come to drink and poo. The stench was unbelievable! Elephants come within metres of where we were having lunch, an amazing experience. After lunch, straight tar section to Nata Lodge. Very nice accommodation in thatched huts with a wonderful outdoor shower.
DAY 2 NAtA to LImpopo.
Straight tar road but interesting country side and so different to what we experience here in Australia. Incredibly bad drivers: you MUST remain vigilant at ALL times. Strangely enough there were loads of speed traps. Accommodation at Limpopo was fine, beer was cold and food excellent.
DAY 3 LImpopo to prEtorIA
Border crossing on both sides went smoothly, again well natured
Elephant Sands – you can see where the name came from.
immigration officers. Shortly after the border we stopped at the turn off to “the little patch of sand”. I chose the alternate or “wimps” route. As it turned out the “little patch of sand” turned out to be “not so little”. A few people took a tumble, nothing serious and it was deemed the two “wimps” probably made the right decision. Rode past numerous game farms and saw the biggest Kudu bull ever. Arrived late afternoon at the overnight stay, really nice country club style accommodation.
DaY 4 Pretoria to Katsi Dam (Lesotho). First real taste of old Africa. Unbelievably beautiful country. Started raining and we started climbing. What an epic road, snow at the top of one pass and a rather chilly two degrees. Stopped to take some photos and a ute came past at warp nine… thought “accident waiting to happen”. Ten
minutes later came around a corner and there it was, on its side, load of tiles strewn over the road, mud, dirt, bits of car everywhere. Helped extract the three people in the car who amazingly were OK. Continued my ride being very careful to avoid fallen rocks, horses, donkeys, sheep and people on and near the road.
DaY 5 Lesotho to himeviLLe.
This has been the BEST day riding I have ever had. The morning’s ride before the fuel stop was superb, up hill and down dale, beautiful cambered corners and just breathtaking scenery. Fuel stop involved buying fuel from roadside vendors selling it from old cooking oil bottles. The locals had a sit on the bikes, photos were taken with their phones (they have phones but no money for food!). Great fun had by all. The ride after that was on dirt THE BEST dirt roads I have ever ridden
Second time even luckier
This was our second trip through Africa with MotoAventures. Su and John really know how to lay on a fantastic trip. Our first trip in 2010 took us from the Zambian side of Victoria Falls, through Namibia, into South Africa and ended in Cape Town. Five years after that trip we were still talking about our first holiday with as much enthusiasm as the day the trip finished. Sixteen days of the most spectacular roads through equally spectacular country, each day filled with wonderful surprises. A holiday of a lifetime!
So we approached our second trip with a little trepidation. How the hell are they going to better the last trip? In fact how could it possibly be any better? As you can see, it could!
on. I stopped for one photo after another. I got to the stage where I said “That’s it, this is the last photo,” round the next corner and I was repeating myself. Just fantastic riding on really well surfaced dirt roads, onto snow sections, mud sections and then onto the tar for just the most unbelievable cambered sweepers with fast straight sections. The Chinese have gotten in here and built some amazing roads in exchange for mining rights and such. Lunch at the top of the iconic Sani Pass. Mist moved in, started raining and visibility dropped to 10 metres. Passport stamped in Lesotho then down the pass. Tight turns on dirt, raining, thunder, lightning and more than a little puckering. SA border at the bottom then on to our accommodation at Moorecroft Manor, beer cold and a welcoming fire. Everyone turned up for dinner in their room dressing gowns. Very funny, not so much for the other guests. But it made for a fantastic end to a really “puckering” day!
Day 6 Himeville to tiffendal.
Another brilliant day’s ride. They say bad things come in threes. One… nearly hit a small antelope on the road, then some idiot in a lorry decides to overtake another lorry at the bottom of the hill. I had to pull off the road and he was still overtaking as he came past… two! Lunch break and fuel around 11:30… nice piece of chicken for lunch. Said chicken did not sit well in my stomach was ejected shortly thereafter… that was number THREE. The scenery was stunning starting down low and climbing up high. Amazing sweeping roads with kilometres of vision up ahead. Only came across four cars on the dirt all day. Two of the climbs were truly epic. Last one was to Tiffendal, at 2760 metres it’s South Africa’s only Ski Lodge! Arrived and the staff at the lodge asked who we were and what we wanted! “Well, there’s 21 people coming tonight to drink, eat and sleep”. They had their dates mixed up but in true SA spirit they got two lodges ready, the bar opened, a ripping fire going and food brought up from the bottom of the hill. What a day, what a night.
Day 7 tiffendall to Hogs Back.
The plunge down the hill was a little worrying because of the steep sections but actually had a great ride down. Steep sections were no problem and the dirt at the bottom was just amazing… what a way to start the day, very invigorating. Another great dirt section through the most beautiful country, lots of goat, sheep and cattle. There is no reason for anyone to starve in this country because there is plenty of hooved food about. Fueled midmorning then onto King Williams town. Straight ride on tar and then 30km of dirt to Hogs Back. Su from Motoaventures arranged a visit to a guy with a vintage bike collection, sadly most of us were too buggered to go but I heard he had an amazing lineup. Accommodation great, roaring fire going in the bar and excellent restaurant. Am quite enjoying the South African Cider!
Day 8 Hogs Back to addo. Beautiful sweeping roads with little traffic. Went past heaps of game farms. Last 30km was technical 1st and 2nd gear rocky stuff. Would have been OK if not for a bunch of rally guys coming the other way (SA version of our Variety Bash). Everyone in HIGH spirits. A couple of guys were stopped and fined 2 tequila shots. Girls in the backup vehicle were asked to donate an item of clothing – blokes went away with black eyes and disappointment. All good fun and no one got hurt. Day ended with a game drive in Addo. Saw kudu, elephant, buffalo, zebra, warthog and an assortment of antelope. Staying at Zuurberg Mountain village, lovely open fires, and big luxurious rooms.
Day 9 addo to knysna. Rain, rain and more rain, not the best weather for riding. Rode straight up the N2 with one of the other riders, Martin. I know now why it’s called the Garden Route, very pretty shrubs and bushes on the side of the road. My dry suit works brilliantly, not a drop of rain came through. Stopped in Jeffries Bay for a hot chocolate and toasty, filled up and then rode straight through, got
to the hotel just before 2pm. Rest day tomorrow so laundry in, as I’m running out of undies.
Day 10 knysna.
Day off. Enjoyed a really nice relaxing lunch with a few of our riding mates. Others explored Knysna, took day trips and generally chilled. I bought myself a wildebeest skin belt and a couple of paintings.
Day 11 knysna to gondwana.
Really nice ride through beautiful country. Gondwana resort is outstanding. We were allowed to ride in, escorted by a game vehicle. Superb lunch followed by a game drive and sundowners. Saw the king lion with a very impressive mane. Amazingly he was holed up just 50m off the track we had not even one hour earlier ridden in on! On the way back to the lodge we bumped into a lioness who passed within 5 meters of the car. Also spotted wildebeest, impala, elephant and a couple of huge white rhino. Beautiful food at dinner, excellent wine selection and good company…can you ask for any more! We were joined on our walk back to our room by a bat eared Jackal. This is and has been even better than the first trip… amazing!
Day 12 gondwana to arniston.
Again amazing dirt roads, visibility way down the road and beautiful high speed, cambered sweepers…epic! Stopped off at “Ronnie’s Sex Shop” for lunch. Iconic place, story is it was called “Ronnie’s General Store”. Nobody stopped in, so he changed the name. Next day the carpark was full!!! I believe one of the girls left her undies
1. Everyone ready to go on the Roof of Africa.
2. A shot of the whole team, twoand four-wheelers.
3. Stunning view of Katse Dam, high up in Lesotho.
there but can’t tell secrets. More brilliant dirt roads after lunch and a ferry crossing. The ferry is powered by two blokes pulling a rope strung across the river, able assisted by 10 bikers, much laughter and fun had by all.
DAY 13 ARNISTON TO HERMANUS.
Arniston is a little fishing village. Got up early and watched the fishing boats being launched. They are pushed out 50m from the shore by a tractor which ends up FULLY submerged, a unique way of launching boats. Typical African ingenuity and “can-do” attitude. I love this place! Took off for Point Agulhas, the southern-most tip of Africa.
Beautiful Cape Dutch homes along the way. Whale watching and shark diving for some today. I opted out, plenty of whales at home and what better way to spend the afternoon than sitting by the bar, sipping cocktails at $4 each, chatting to the barman and just relaxing. I am just so chilled and relaxed, I’m sorry this trip is coming to an end. That evening had dinner in a sea cave then back to the hotel for a night cap and bed.
DAY 14 HERMANUS TO CAPE TOWN.
Last day of the ride. Very sad it’s coming to an end. We decided to go the scenic route to our destination. The ride into Cape Town is stunning, beautiful twisty road, sea on one side, mountains on the other, just stunning. Trip done… bummer!!
Do yourself a favour, book a trip NOW, you won’t regret it. By the way we are going back for a THIRD helping, as are many of our friends from this trip. That says it all! D
1. Our author with Ros from MotoAdventures on the last day.
2. Husband Greg takes a break with elephant sign.
3. Nata Lodge in Botswana lets you get very close to the animals!
MV AgustA BrutA le 800 rr
Do you think it’s sexy? s tuart does WORDS STUART ph O t OS RA lph
IthinK i ’ve riDDen each model of MV Agusta Brutale over the last ten years and boy have they changed in that time. From a bike that really did follow the name on the side cover to the latest Euro 4 compliant Brutale 800 RR we rode here, which now has good manners to go along with the usual MV idiosyncrasies.
Idiosyncrasy can mean a lot of things and in the case of the Brutale this relates to the hard suspension, design over function type of things, which we’ll get to.
The main one is the seat. It looks as sexy as any supermodel walking down the catwalk at a Victoria’s Secret show but is hard as nails to sit on – form
over function. It is suitable for 100km or so but anything over that and your chiropractor will be a rich person. Suspension is setup for billard table smooth roads and as hard as they’re to find the Brutale 800 RR is a dream to ride on smooth roads. Unfortunately with virtually no movement and the front fork legs very sticky against the
seals, it doesn’t soak up bumps as nicely as many would like. But who really gives a damn, you’re not going to buy the Brutale 800 RR as a dedicated long distance bike. No, you’re going to buy it because it’s sexy, it makes the opposite (or same) sex weak at the knees as you ride past and let’s face it, that’s bloody fun, and that’s just what motorcycling is all about – fun!
MV’s triple cylinder peachy sweet engine is bolted in between those sexy trellis steel tubes, it loves to be revved and ridden hard. Brutale by name, Brutale by nature is what you need to remember. But, with the implementation of Euro 4 in this model it has taken some of the harshness of the previous model away – and that’s a good thing in my mind.
The fly-by-wire throttle was good 99% of the time except for the times you’re filtering through traffic at speeds around 20km/h and less which requires a light touch on the clutch to allow a little bit of slip. Match in the amazing tunes blurting out of the sexiest standard exhaust system on the planet and a quickshifter (up and down) that is smooth as
THAT billard table and you soon get the gist of why this bike makes people weak at the knees and flutters hearts wherever you ride.
Braking is via Brembo calipers and offer loads of power and feel and work well from the get go to the times you’re flat out on a weekend blast.
Accessories are centred around bling and performance as you’d expect. Just
take a doctor along with you as you ride. Making the Brutale even more sexy may well make you faint.
The 2018 MV Agusta Brutale 800 RR has the looks, the go and the pizzazz to make you throw money at your local MV dealer. A number of versions of the Brutale are available with the limited edition models flying out the dealers’ doors. You better hurry and get sexy. D
SPECS
MV AGUSTA BRUTALE 800 RR
PRICE: $23,490 (plus on-road charges)
WARRANTY: Two years, unlimited distance
SERVICING INTERVALS: Every 10,000km or 12 months
ENGINE: Liquid-cooled three cylinder, 4-stroke, DOHC, 4 valves per cylinder
BRAKES: Front, twin 320mm discs with radial mount four-piston ABS calipers. Rear, 220mm disc, twin-piston ABS caliper.
FUEL CONSUMPTION: 7.11 litres per 100km, premium unleaded
THEORETICAL RANGE: 231km
COLOURS: Pearl Shock Red/Pearl Ice White, Metallic Avio Grey/Carbon Metallic Black
VERDICT: SEXIER THAN SEXY
A LETTER FROM
He missed our tour, but he had a great time anyway
PappyDear Bear, Stuart et al,
I’D LIKE TO TELL YOU about my recent motorbike trip through North West Vietnam. It was the first time I had ridden or driven overseas and hopefully won’t be the last.
I visited Vietnam for the first time last year, and whilst appreciating all the “traditional” sites, I especially
enjoyed being out in the country. Particularly (as reported in AMM’s letters section, edition 51) when going on a “Cuong’s Motorcycle Tours” American Army Jeep tour in the countryside around Hanoi. Thus when I heard of AMM’s proposed tour to Vietnam, I thought: why not give it a go? Alas, it was on the same weekend as my son’s wedding. Despite the Bear’s
assertions that I should take my son with me on the trip, it went ahead and was a great wedding. So being cruelled, my appetite for a bike tour in Vietnam grew exponentially with each passing day. Then a thought hit me; why not try Cuong’s Motorcycle Tours. Believe it or not there was a six day tour leaving two weeks after the wedding; brilliant. I spent some time in Vietnam
prior to the ride, catching up on places I missed last trip. During this time I got talking to blokes who had just returned from their own motorcycle tours. In the main they weren’t happy. Among the complaints were: underpowered bikes (150cc Hondas), a rigid regime of riding, and a feeling that the guides were just going through the motions. Whilst I was comfortable enough walking across the busiest streets, I was starting to get a bit apprehensive about being a part of the traffic leaving Hanoi on the Monday morning. Thankfully, my trip was very enjoyable.
On the trip there were three Aussies, three New Zealanders and two Americans. With Steve our American/Vietnamese guide, Phu who would ride as “Charles”, Long (a great source of Vietnamese stories and history) and the driver (whose name I forget) of the old Toyota Land Cruiser, which was our luggage carrier and backup vehicle. We all met the night before the trip for a welcome meal at a very nice Hanoi restaurant.
My concerns about getting out of Hanoi on the CRF 250 Honda were quite cleverly covered in the morning and away we went. It didn’t take long for me to get “reasonably” comfortable with riding on the “wrong” side of the road, using the horn more in one day than a whole year normally, and meeting some obscurely crazy fellow road users and their contraptions and the way they were loaded with… well, anything and everything.
Once Steve and the crew became aware of our desire to see a “different” Vietnam, we didn’t stick to the main roads. We ended up in the designated spot each night, stopping at: Pu Luong, Mai Chau, Nghia Lo, Mu Can Chai, Sapa, and then into Lao Cai to catch the night train back to Hanoi. There is a great deal of road works going on all around. As our guide said “it’s great for the locals, but they’re ruining all the great riding dirt tracks by paving them!”. The first two nights we
stayed in “home stays”, virtually a dorm with insect nets around each mattress with shared ablutions. The next three nights we stayed in hotels with our own rooms; with the last night sleeping in four berth bunk rooms on the train. Everyone was exhausted so we all slept very well on the train.
Meals were local fare, and very interesting and enjoyable. Lunch was mainly fresh rolls made up on the side of the road. The crew were always checking on our welfare and ensuring that we all were comfortable and enjoying our time. Nothing was too much trouble for them. One bike ended up with a hole in the crankcase (from a rock); no hassle, a spare bike was trucked in from Hanoi and ready to go the next morning. I was very thankful that we weren’t on smaller capacity bikes, as a bloke my size needs the extra power to get out trouble on the rougher “tracks” and trails. After a few days I finally realised and admitted that my trail riding ability wasn’t like it had been forty years ago, so on some of the rougher trails I followed the support vehicle instead of tackling the tricky terrain. I still enjoyed testing myself on some of the less adventurous dirt tracks, but was quite happy to enjoy some bitumen, or was that “paved” roads. Having said that, travelling on the “bitumen” carried its own surprises: with livestock enjoying the puddles on the side of the roads, trucks using liberal amounts of water to cool their brakes, washouts aplenty due to the run-off down the sides of the mountains, some scooters coming the other direction with nearly 2-metre-wide loads, etc. etc. Although I did eventually surprise myself at how adept I became in the traffic (out of necessity) through a village on the road into Lao Cai, I soon overtook everyone else in the group to get right behind Steve our tour leader and it wasn’t because I was running low on fuel. I had a bit more confidence in my ability after that episode, it’s only a pity that it
was on the last half of the last day!
The scenery, the people we met and the whole riding experience were absolutely awesome. I enjoyed the mountainous areas in the last half of the trip immensely. I couldn’t help but pull up on the side of the road and just admire the view. The scenery out of the loo at one rest stop was some of the best you could see anywhere, the mountains were huge and the mist and rain clouds made the scenery even more enthralling. While I snapped heaps of photos, they do not do any justice to the absolutely amazing views. On the last day we dropped from 1200-odd metres above sea level to about 100 metres above sea level in one section, and ended up riding alongside the Red River, where for a short distance it forms the border between Vietnam and China.
We stopped at local markets and villages for drink breaks and enjoyed our nights soaking up the local
cultures. It was very interesting to see the differing local tribes, especially around Sapa. It was also quite bizarre to be able to get full 4G mobile reception out in the middle of nowhere Vietnam. The locals make good use of all this good mobile service, and it’s unusual to see someone without a mobile phone.
It’s no use trying to give a detailed blow by blow account of the trip. All I can say is: wow, what a bloody great trip that I thoroughly enjoyed. I can only highly recommend that if you harbor any thoughts at all about riding in Vietnam, you just go out there and do it. You will have life long memories of great experiences and thoroughly enjoy yourself. Whilst I am sure that there are a number of respectable tour organisers in Vietnam, I can only suggest that you do your homework thoroughly and choose a reputable establishment. From my personal experiences, I highly recommend
Vietlong TRAVEL
Cuong’s Motorcycle Tours. The whole crew was brilliant, their attention to every possible aspect of the trip was stunning and they went out of their way to ensure that each of us had a great time. Whilst Cuong himself was away on another tour at the start of our tour, he made sure he met us at six am at the train station on our return to Hanoi, to introduce himself and ask us all individually about our trip. It’s these small details and the stunning Vietnam that made the trip such an unbelievable experience.
Cheers,
Pappy
C. E. Paproth Bear Army trooper #46 D
What have we been playing with this month?
LET’S SEE…
HIP HIP
Flying Solo Gear Killswitch pack - Price - $60
ON YOUR HIP, hipsters. There is no doubt that some motorcycle clothing is a bit on the… utilitarian side. Well, a lot of motorcycle clothing. All right, most of
it. We keep reading that hipsters are reluctant to take up the motorcycling lifestyle (and despite the horrible word, that’s what it is) and I wonder whether the… utilitarian clothing is part of the reason. There is smart-looking gear that you can wear on the bike, of course, but at times it trades off motorcycle-
usefulness for looks, because it isn’t designed purely for use on a bike. It’s good, then, to see a seriously hip product that’s also great for riding –that has, in fact, been designed directly for the purpose.
When Canadian-born, Melbournebased product designer Amanda Chan totaled her GSX-R600, she spent some of her recovery time thinking about the lessons of the crash. One of them was, ‘keep hard objects away from your body, or at least outside the padding’. As someone who wore the imprint of his mobile phone (one
of the old ‘bricks’) on his chest for a while after stepping off and landing on it, I fervently agree). While she was designing a way of doing that, she thought that there should be other advantages to the resulting product –like keeping things easily accessible. What she came up with was the Killswitch Pack. While it looks like a small bum bag, it is actually considerably more. Each pack is handmade from a sandwich of canvas, waterproof ripstop nylon and Kevlar-Carbon fibre hybrid textile. Not only does the four-layer design make it waterproof, it also makes it abrasion, heat and puncture resistant. The 20x10x1cm package has a waterproof zipper, an external key holder and – wait for it – a belt made from the same material as Olympic weightlifting straps.
Amanda tested her prototype on an
Pack (named that because every ride starts with the killswitch) is a little eyewatering, consider not only the quality materials, design and manufacture –but also its seriously cool appearance. Am I truly hip enough to wear a Killswitch Pack? Frankly, my dear, I don’t give a damn.
Oh, Amanda makes knee sliders, too. I might let Stuart test those…
18,000km ride around Australia in what she calls “some of the most brutal weather conditions on Earth” and it came up trumps.
Despite its small size, the Killswitch Pack will easily hold a wallet, phone, sunglasses, keys (on the outside, to stop them scratching stuff) and various paperwork. I know this because I wore one on my recent thousand mile ride from Victor Harbour to Sydney, in a variety of weather including rain. It worked like a charm, and I effectively forgot I was wearing it most of the time. What does all this have to do with hipsters? Well, you read the price at the top of this story correctly. If you think the cost of the Killswitch
See www.flyingsologear.com for more information and orders. Here’s a hint – for once you won’t have to beat your brains to find the perfect gift for that motorcycling hipster in the family. PT
HANDS ON Macna Exile Gloves
Price - $149.95
A glove, to paraphrase Gertrude Stein, is a glove is a glove. Or maybe not. You might think that the Dutch are mainly good at making cheese and holding back the North Sea with an index finger, but I’m here to tell you that they are also a whiz at making motorcycle clothing. The Macna Exile gloves I’ve been wearing for a few weeks in all sorts of conditions, including the ride mentioned above, have convinced me of that.
The season during that time has been in-between. Cold in the morning, especially out around the Hay Plains; cool to warm during the day; dry or wet or damp or whatever all the time. Enter the Exile gloves. I took a pair of light BMW Airflow gloves to South Australia along with the Macnas, but only the latter saw the light of day. It would have been different if it had been hot, but let me assure you it
1. Can’t get much more weatherproof. 2. The Pack holds a surprising amount of stuff.
The Macnas are cool, they’re warm and they go with any kind of bike.
wasn’t – and the Exiles covered every other set of conditions nicely. Distributor Link International calls them ‘winter-ready’, and that’s true enough but I also found them autumnand presumably spring-ready. The Isofur (no, I don’t know what that is either, never having seen an Iso even in a zoo) and Thermolite linings work well, and if things do get a bit warm and your hands get a little sticky, the lining does not pull out when you remove said hand. Their Raintex breathable membrane makes them waterproof and the cuffs are long enough to tuck into your jacket without becoming uncomfortable bulky.
The knuckle and finger protection feels suitably tough and there is a visor-cleaning rubber strip (on each glove) and a touch tip for use with your GPS or phone. Macna says the gloves have an Ergo Thumb, and I suspect that this refers to the angle of the thumb, which really is especially comfortable. Comfort is indeed a strong point of the gloves, but so is appearance. They look smart and I’ll be happy to wear them until Global Warming makes me turn to the Airfl ows. And then again when things cool down. Check these Dutch treats out at your local bike shop or see www.macna.com.au . PT
CRUISE THE PLAINS
Omni-Cruise Cruise Control Price - $65.95
I haven’t paid much attention to the world price of different metals recently. Well, ever. With Donald Trump chopping and changing the US tariffs, it’s probably pointless anyway. But I’ll tell you, aluminium must be hitting a bit of a high if this piece of it is anything to go by. I mean, okay, they probably laser cut it and powder coat it and whatever, but sixty-six bucks?
Then again, maybe I’m being unfair. After all, it costs money to develop and test anything – and the OmniCruise does work a treat. I used it on my BMW R 90 S, coming across the Hay Plains, and I suspect that without it I would be at the quack’s getting another steroid shot into my right arm. Being able to rest your hand from holding the throttle is priceless. Yes, I know the R 90 S has its own cruise control already built in. I was testing this thing!
The Omni-Cruise simply overrides the return spring of the motorcycle’s throttle, with just a flick of the rider’s index finger or thumb. It’s easy to fit and easy to use, and I suspect that it will work with almost any bike’s throttle. The BM’s brake lever curves away quite sharply from the handlebar, but the cruise control still found easily enough purchase to function. There is a little elastic strap for use on handgrips that are either too thin or too slippery.
I may have been a little hard on it when I criticized the price, above. It is very well made, and the manufacturer claims that its special weatherproof and wear resistant elements will mean
that it lasts through all conditions. I’ll be trying it out on my other bikes and the occasional test bike, but I don’t doubt that claim. So if your right wrist is giving you trouble, the price may well be worth it.
See www.motorradgarage.com.au for a lot more information on the Omni-Cruise and many other terrifi c accessories. PT
BROWN? OF CORSO
DriRider Corso Boots
Price - $249.95
Once upon a time I dressed so fine… but always in black. And then one day I thought – yeah, okay, black is slimming and all that, but is monochrome really where I’m at?
Mrs Bear helped me along when she said, rather firmly, “I’m sick of you always dressing in black, get some colour going.”
Off I went, and bought coloured shirts and even coloured pants – and eventually even coloured (but always tasteful) underpants. From a black bear I turned into a multicoloured one. But that seemed a bit random.
Then DriRider came along with a very smart brown jacket, and I scored some brown gloves to go with it (both reviewed here in the past) and dug out the terrific (brown) Andy Strapz Shoulda Bagz. Now all I needed was… well, no. No brown pants. They’re easy enough to find, but they have connotations I’d prefer to avoid. That left brown boots. My old Desert Boots were clearly not going to cut it, but DriRider came to the rescue again with the Corso Boots, which are made with full grain vintage brown leather and PU coated black leather uppers. Do they look cool? Do they what. But there’s more to them than brownness. They have the latest
1. As you can see, it works even on less than ideal bikes.
2. That’s how the Omni-Cruise will look when you shell out for it.
SAS-TEC shock absorbing ankle protectors, something I value especially because I have once had an ankle smashed. A Hipora waterproof and breathable liner is matched with polyester comfort lining and the boots have both front and rear flex comfort zones and reinforced heel, toe and shin areas. A stretch slip near ankle helps with zip operation. Zips are YKK. My one reservation about the boots is that they don’t have a gearshift pad, which means that the surface of
Brown is a surprisingly stylish colour for boots, matching the high quality.
the left boot gets a bit scratched. It’s an odd omission. The boots have vulcanised high density anti-slip soles and there are reflective patches for night time visibility. They’re comfortable and they’ve helped to make me into a brown bear. All except for the pants.
your
See your local bike shop or www. dririder.com.au for your very own brown moment. PT
RAIN, HAIL OR SHINE
SW-Motech Triton backpack - Price: $153
Getting just the right backpack for your type of riding is usually a hard job to do. Usually most backpacks don’t offer just the right level of protection from the elements, but you now don’t need to look
any further. SW Motech, available through Motorrad Garage (www. motorradgarage.com.au) has the Triton backpack which is 20 litres in capacity and 101% waterproof. Made from TPU (thermoplastic polyurethane) with a roll top closure, the bag is 100% waterproof. I’ve ridden in some quite heavy rain of late so can 101% vouch that it’s waterproof! I sound a little excited, don’t I.
Comfort is another thing you look for in any backpack and the Triton with its padded harness system and full adjustability is just right. It did take me about two weeks of wearing it every day to get the ‘right’ adjustment. I’m not a fan of chest straps on backpacks so I cut the one off this back as I have done with every other backpack chest strap I’ve ever had. The waist strap however is excellent – it’s wide and has plenty of adjustment for those larger around the waist and to compensate for bulkier winter jackets. For ventilation on warmer days there is a channel that runs down in the middle of the back that allows some airflow.
Inside the Triton there is a padded laptop pouch and a zippered pocket. Being 20 litres in capacity with a roll top closure I have found I can fi t more than an equivalent 20 litres as you just don’t roll the top as much. Having now had the SW-Motech Triton backpack for just over a month I have found it, light weight, robust, multi-purpose and of course waterproof – the perfect combination to suit all types of riding I do. Being well priced I reckon you should check one out or have a look at the other sized SWMotech backpacks you can get from Motorrad Garage. SW
CARRY THE KITCHEN SINK
SW Motech Drybag 300 backpack - Price: $134
As I mentioned above in my review of the Triton backpack SW-Motech does offer different sized bags – one of those is the massive 30 litre Drybag 300 (in fluoro yellow). Made from the same TPU material with a waterproof outside pocket and nothing but mega amounts of space in the inside, if you have to carry loads of gear on your back, this is the bag for you. A padded harness system is also featured on this bag but the channel that runs down the middle of the back is not as wide as the Triton. The Drybag 300 is
comfortable, even fully loaded. Grab one from Motorrad Garage –www.motorradgarage.com.au SW
LOVE A GREAT JACKET
Macna Sektor jacket
Price - $399.95
Macna is making big waves in the Australian market and the Sektor jacket is just one of those that is offering amazing features for a great price.
The Sektor is a year round jacket
The Sektor is a year round jacket that I’ve found to be nice and warm in the Winter and the couple of warm days we’ve recently had in Sydney I’ve been able to test the Summer features as well.
Details like the flap over the lower part of the zipper to protect your tank, neoprene collar which is very comfortable and the heavy duty tag/ hook to hang it up.
The Sektor is a two-layer jacket with a fixed raintex membrane, which I can vouch as being 100% waterproof and a detachable thermal liner. The thermal liner crosses over the front zip keeping the cold out, another one of those well thought out features. Adjustments are via the waist, midwaist, wrist and neck, of which I especially like the waist adjustment which is a pull cord arrangement that keeps the jacket snug in around the body.
Vents on most jackets are usually a couple of zip to some mesh panels
underneath, which doesn’t normally make them a proper year-round option. The Sektor jacket has a first for my knowledge with a front Summer Comfort System, which is a mesh panel that runs down the front of the jacket zip. You essentially button back the waterproof flap and rather than zipping the jacket up like normal you use the mesh panel zip located alongside the normal zip. It allows a great blast of cool air to flow through the jacket – again, this jacket has been thought through in design. There’s also vents on the arms and back for extra airflow.
Two waterproof outside pockets and an external chest pocket, an internal chest pocket and a small internal pocket built into the thermal liner give you enough space to carry the essentials.
As an all-season touring jacket I’m not sure I’ve found one more versatile yet. Sizing runs as per normal – I usually take a 4XL, as I have in this jacket. Grab this or any of the Macna range from all good bike shops or visit www. macna.com.au for the entire range. SW
Adventure At its best TCX Baja Waterproof boots - Price: $479
I’ve been after a pair of adventure boots that aren’t full on motocross boots for some time now. Wearing motocross boots makes it quite hard to walk off the bike and part of adventure touring means that you’ll be sight-seeing along the way. This obviously means walking, maybe down a dirt path to a waterfall and so on –try doing this in motocross boots and the idea soon becomes a task. Trust me, I’ve been doing it like this for the last ten years! Waddling like a duck all that time with hundreds of people looking at me all weird throughout that time (It might be your size, Stuart – Bear). That is until now. TCX Boots have released the Baja adventure boot available in two versions – Waterproof or Goretex. The Baja boots aren’t as stiff as a full-on motocross boot but still offers loads of support that you want for an adventure bike. They are made from a leather upper
combined with suede front and rear; mix in various padded areas and you’ll know why I regard these boots as super comfy out on the trails and for the obligatory sight-seeing. Reinforcements come via an ergonomically designed shin plate, PU (plastic) ankle, toe and heel inserts, leather shift pad and an internal suede heat guard for added comfort and protection from hot engines and exhausts.
Closure is via a cross over flap with a Velcro top and three adjustable buckles. Most full-on motocross boots have four or five straps to lock the foot, ankle and lower leg in more but while the three buckles all for more movement on and off the bike they still offer good support.
TCX say the Baja boots have a high performance sole with different areas of grip for good grip and traction in all conditions. Having ridden in dust, mud, rocks and water I can say they do give you plenty of grip and again, are comfortable enough for walking off the bike.
Sizing runs about one size larger than normal. So where I normally take a size 49, I’m a 48 in the TCX range. Grab a pair of these awesome adventure boots at your local bike shop or visit www.linkint.com.au SW
BOOK ‘EM!
Barry The Bike - Price - $12 each (plus postage)
As mentioned in issue #66, Barry The Bike children’s books are something you should be buying whether they are for you as an adult or for your kids/grandkids.
Jeremy and Mary Ann Furness together had a dream, one that no publisher was interested in so they both created Raw Creative Publishing and have selfpublished
Barry The Bike. Eight years and three books
later Jeremy and Mary Ann are just as committed to producing and selling Barry The Bike. Eight books in total is the plan and many big names have seen the quality and fun in the three books released so far. One big name in particular is oil company, BP. They along with Barry The Bike’s other sponsors have come on board to support the books and all of us here in the office, my wife and my kids all having read the three books we collectively can give a 101% thumbs up that Barry The Bike is fun and enjoyable no matter your age. Barry The Bike does sort of follow the theme of Thomas the Tank Engine – a tried and true formula so it’s no surprise that Barry The Bike is a winner.
motorcyclist will love them.
Barry and the Goggomobil is the fourth book in the series and is not far off being released. I cannot wait to grab hold of it as I’d like to collect all the books as they’re released – any
To purchase Barry The Bike visit www.barrythebike.com with postage available Australia wide. Barry the Bike is also available in the UK and through Amazon. Buy them and buy them now – you’ll thank me for it later. SW D
GRIZZLING
CORBIN MANUFACTURING HITS 50
AGOOD GRIZZLE this month.
Back in ’09, Honda flew me to the US to sample their entry into the serious Custom bike field, the Fury. I picked one up from Gardena in Los Angeles and headed off on a fortnight’s ride through southern California. No point in going all that way without adding a proper ride – and the bike deserved a good and thorough test. I did 3000 miles, which seemed reasonable.
You will no doubt remember the Fury, a long and lean chopper, the only serious bike in this category ever produced by a Japanese factory. Yes, they all built cruisers; but the Fury is unquestionably a chopper. Arguments about this are welcome at thebear@ ausmotorcyclist.com.au . One reason for the out-there styling is that the bike was designed in America, at Honda’s studio in Los Angeles. Rumors that the original design was by well-known US custom builder Jesse James appear to be just that – rumors. One of the Honda engineers who was involved in the development of the Fury assured me that he and his colleagues had done
the work. But the amazing thing was the reaction of the Japanese.
“Usually when we send a proposal to Japan, it comes back pretty different,” he said, or words to that effect. “But the only changes to the Fury were a few very minor things relating to ease of manufacturing.”
So I strapped my meagre belongings onto the Fury, peeled out of the Honda America parking lot and headed east to Dublin. No, not the Guinness Brewery Dublin in Ireland; the Arlen Ness Dublin near LA. Arlen was only too happy to show me through the place and give me a lengthy interview. Then it was south to Hollister and Corbin Seats. I had lunch with Mike Corbin, and he was quite interested in the Fury – especially, predictably enough, in the seat. I admitted that it was not my favourite part of the bike, and we left it at that. Mike showed me through the factory with its dedicated machinery and huge stock of seat patterns before we wandered out to the loading dock. Here, to my surprise, was my Fury… with a Corbin seat on it. “It’s amazing that you already had the pattern; the bike isn’t even in the shops yet,” I said.
“We didn’t,” said Mike. “We designed and made this one from scratch. That’s why our factory tour took a l ittle longer than usual. But we’ve got the pattern now!”
I took off with the new seat in place; Mike promised to send the original one back to Honda. And yes, the Corbin seat was considerably more comfortable. This year, Mike Corbin hits 50 years in the seat business. I’m not surprised.
Peter ‘The Bear’ Thoeming
1. Arlen Ness and The Bear. Arlen’s the good-looking one.
2. You can see how well the Corbin seat suits the bike – and it was comfortable.
3. Mike Corbin and my Honda Fury. His blokes made me a seat in record time.
WHATSAYYOU
WE LOVE TO HEAR FROM YOU, the letters are among the most keenly read parts of the magazine. Please try and keep letters down to no more than 300 words. Then you can read many, not just a couple. We do reserve the right to cut them and, unless you identify yourself and at least your town or suburb and state, we will print your email address instead. Please address letters to contactus@ausmotorcyclist.com.au or Australian Motorcyclist Magazine, Suite 4b, Level 1, 11-13 Orion Rd, Lane Cove West NSW 2066. All opinions published here are those of the writers and we do not vouch for their accuracy or even their sanity.
YOU CAN FEEL the pain in Tim’s heart so we reckon he deserves to get something to at least ease the heartache a little. We do hope you find an RD250LC someday, mate. Make sure you send us a photo when you get it, and send us your prescription details.
Your prize is the fabulous bifocal glasses to help you search for your new bike from the wonderful people at Rocky Creek Designs – www. rockycreekdesigns. com.au
HEARTACHE
Hi Stuart, Back in June you asked what bike we lusted after. Without mucking around, I have an animal desire for my first bike; the incomparable Yamaha RD 250LC.
I bought this off a mate back in 1983 (I think) so he could get his Valiant Charger to impress his girlfriend, who in turn (hopefully), would help him finance a Honda 900 Bol d’Or.
TO THE TOP
Hi Bear & team, I'm just back from Cape York on my trusty little Yamaha XT250, and can only describe the trip as epic! I went where GSs and Africa Twins couldn't or wouldn't
I learned to ride on that RD and it was one of the fastest legal bikes I could get for my money, at the time.
I also thought that if I survive that period, then I should be OK for the remainder. My theory has proven correct….so far! One epic year I rode it with a bunch of mates from Nowra NSW, up to Shute Harbour
dare (the Old Telegraph track, and Roma flats), and met many amazing people.
It was my first ever long distance trip by motorcycle, and I'm hooked! If I had the time I would have kept on riding for years.
just north of Mackay, down to Melbourne and back to Nowra over a 6 week period.
There’s a certain amount of that ride I can’t remember because of the partying at every night’s stopover, and some bits I will never forget – like riding through the fog in the Toowoomba Range with a blown headlamp at night, and leaving the other blokes for dead through some sections of the Putty. My arms ended up 6 inches longer than they used to be because of the power band of the RD, and the vibration-induced damage to my wrists is just about healed. THAT was an adventure.
I yearn to have another go and disappear into the distance in a cloud of 2-stroke smoke, but can’t find one for love or money… yet.
I’ll keep looking.
Best wishes to all the AMM team and keep up the great work.
Tim
Hi Tim,
Yes, awesome machine. I reckon I’ll be on the hunt for an RD350LC once I’ve fi nished the Katana. A mate of mine has one but prying it from him is another question!
If you trawl the likes of Ebay, Gumtree and Bikesales, RD250LCs turn up from time to time. Get to it and enjoy yourself! Cheers, Stuart.
Of course I took too much gear, and soon learned what works, and what wasn't necessary. A massive learning curve. And what an incredible part of the country! I've written a lot about it, photographed, and GoPro'd
a lot of great footage. I will return there again, that's for certain. Planning the next trip, hopefully Tasmania...
Cheers, Pete Taylor, Townsville
HOGS!
Hi Stuart, I was just reading your rant on motorists that hog the right lane on the motorways of NSW. As I ride
motorcycles every day all over NSW doing machine repairs (I carry 40kgs of tools in panniers and top box) during my work in Sydney I could do a run like Campbelltown, Windsor & Mona Vale in a day so I do run into the type of driving that frustrates, firstly I find during the week 98% of the motorist are very obliging to motorcycles it goes down to about 90% on the weekends. There are a few reasons for those who hog the right lane firstly they are what we used to call the Volvo driver (they are now Camry drivers) oblivious to anything around them, then there is the person who is doing the speed limit and believes that nobody should be allowed to pass him and of course the idiot who is in on the phone totally unaware of what is happening around them, these idiots will totally ignore your belated calls to get off the phone. So now I don’t even sit behind those hogging the right lane I just zap around them and continue on my merry way, this has two effects
-
YARNSREAL PUBS, REAL STORIES, REAL PEOPLE...
it infuriates the driver or it makes them aware that they are blocking the fast lane. Of course I have had the a/hole who sits next to the vehicle in the left lane blocking you passage through, this has been negated by moving way to the left watching his eyes in their mirror then blatt straight past the drivers right side before he even knows what happened but first check your mirrors for no police I must say this is a rare occurrence but boy it riles the motorist. While on the subject of riding motorcycles in today’s environment I have two very good tips for safer riding in greater Sydney firstly if you are riding in a dual lane tunnel do not lane filter while traffic is moving as the noise emitting from the motorcycle confuses some drivers and with the claustrophobic feeling that they get while driving in the tunnel completely they may actually move their car in the opposite direction to the wall narrowing the gap that you want and remember he really doesn’t know where you are. Of course if you do hit a car in the tunnel there is a great
REAL AUSTRALIA
chance that the next car will run over you then another splat you to the wall, I have seen many very close calls on the above scenario, my advice is if you are in a lot of traffic in a tunnel just grin and bear it. My other little helper is when you are approaching a small roundabout ( there are many in Sydney) to turn right and you are behind a tradie truck or SUV, the motorist coming in the opposite direction cannot see you behind the vehicle you are following and if he is impatient he will immediately accelerate the moment the SUV/Tradie truck clears their path and there is a good chance he/she will smash into your left leg before he realizes that you are there. This almost happened to me, since then I have made sure I am 4 to 5 meters behind the SUV/Tradie truck when I approach a small roundabout.
Well Stuart I hope you can add these little tips to the motorcyclists survival kit that you are preparing and remember it is the words of wisdom from the ordinary man/woman that makes the world go round and believe me I am ordinary. Yours in motorcycling
Ian Gregory Regents Park
Hi Ian,
Thank you, mate. I suppose all the crap drivers helps keep us on our toes! LOL!
Cheers, Stuart
DON’T GO TO QLD THEN
Hi Stuart
If you think NSW is bad here in QLD it's a way of life. Queenslanders overtake on the inside lane / lanes on highways and stick to 99km/h in the outside lane. Accidents waiting to happen. My solution would be to fit LED message signage on the back of Police Cars that then move in front of the offender and display a message - 'Keep Left' ''Traffic infringement recorded"
I am sure this shock treatment would work.
Kind Regards
Grant Manning
Hi Grant, Great idea! Shame the Police wouldn’t go for it Cheers, Stuart.
TRY HARDER, BORIS
Hi guys, just a quick one. Love your mag, first thing I go to is the last page to be stimulated by his rhetoric! He has been around and ridden as much as I. He knows who is real and who is not. He is an integral part of our two wheeled existence! Loved his books. Oh yes Boris I might have a few kilos on, and I do own a Harley, but my main ride is a 125 cafe racer, keep it up!
I sent Boris an email saying he’ll need to try harder to piss everyone off. Maybe he’s getting old. LOL! Cheers, Stuart.
WHAT SAY YOU
ARE YOU SURE?
Good morning, Gentlemen. Ref. Bikes that changed the World and the sub-set of those which didn’t make it. You list the Honda XL 250. I think, and I could be wrong - I’m married, so it’s the default setting - that as far as trail bikes go the Yamaha DT 1 was first off the mark and a lot of other brands were in on the action before Honda kicked off with the SL 250 ( silver tank with purple flash ). Suzuki had the Apache, Bultaco the Matador, Kawasaki the Big Horn 350 (can’t think what the 250 was called), even Hodaka was there. I’m sure I bought my DT in about ‘68 and the SL in ‘73 to go up the Cape.
Cheers, Ross Halpin Mitchell, QLD
PS. It’s just coincidence that this comes a couple of days after my other e-mail about bikes lusted after or longed for. PPS. Bultaco also made a beaut little 175 called a Campera. One of the cattle stations west of the Isa bought a few but after there was a steady stream of busted and bent ringers getting carted in to Mt Isa Hospital the station traded them all on Suzukis. Nowhere near as snappy, apparently.
Oh so many bikes, oh so little space. Maybe we should do another top ten some time? Have a great weekend, Ross. Cheers, Stuart.
Ah, Stuart; ain’t that the truth. Many coffee-table volumes. Not like we’re obsessed or anything. . . Wouldn’t have it any other way.
Cheers, Ross
A FROG AND A BEAR…
My childhood in the 80s consisted of many things, but there are certain memories and memorabilia that will always remain big in my heart. The first and most important was at the age of 5 being allowed to be a pillion on my Papa’s motorcycle. My feet couldn’t touch the pedals and he had to chock them up with pieces of wood so that I could reach. From that day forward I loved the sensation of being on the motorcycle with my Papa.
This led to many encounters with
different motorcycle groups, people and rallies. In terms of rallies, my fondest memory was experiencing the ride to Genoa. We set out from Melbourne, and in true Victorian style, we had sun, wind, rain, hail and snow. That night I had the pleasure of winning an award for the Youngest Rider at the rally. It was presented to me by The Bear, and I was held up in front of the cheering crowd and given a badge for my efforts. Suffice to say I was one very proud 5-year-old girl, who still has that badge to this day. At that age, I never understood why The Bear was called The Bear, or why he didn’t look like a bear, but he seemed like the cuddly sort, which meant he was OK by me. His longstanding relationship with my Papa and I shows how the world of motorcycles can bring people together and keep them together, even after their bodies start to say the opposite. This is especially true for my Papa nowadays, but he is lucky that I have a partner in life who is also a motorcyclist. When I started dating Andrew, the first question my Papa asked was, “Does he ride a motorcycle?”. From that day onward, those two have shared the bond of motorcycles and can talk for hours on the subject. When Papa decided to gift Andrew his CB1300, because he couldn’t ride it anymore, it broke his heart but at the same time made him happy that it was going to someone he knew would love it as much as he did.
After reading the story written by The Bear, Andrew knew he had one thing he could do to help bring Papa’s story full circle. The fairing on the CB1300 is an original La Parisienne “Typhoon" created by Papa back in the late 70s. What better way to honour Papa and his legacy than to take it off the bike and donate it to the Swansea Museum exhibit. I think secretly
he just wants his name on a plaque as the donor, but either way it will make an old man happy.
The 80s, a rally, a badge, a La Parisienne “Typhoon" fairing, a CB1300, The Bear, my Papa and Andrew, might be an unlikely bunch of things to put in a list, but they are what make my world beautiful.
Kind regards
Anne-France Cadart
SCANDINAVIAN FLICK
Hello Stuart, Gold Coast drivers are no better than your NSW counterparts when having to use indicators. I think that vehicles on the Coast must have an inbuilt redundancy feature that only allows the indicator to function every third or fourth attempt. I am particularly intrigued by those drivers who change lanes and don’t signal until they have completed the lane change. Then there’s a couple of quick flashes from the driver to let following vehicles know that they had given some thought about their obligations to other drivers. It’s a little like the customer at the supermarket checkout who after having their purchases rung up suddenly remember they have to be paid for and spend the next two minutes rummaging through the depths of a handbag to find the purse that contains the credit card that has some funds on it.
What’s the solution? More tickets won’t change habits. The mobile phone issue proves that. Have a requirement that new licence training can only be done by an accredited training organisation. Imitate the Scandinavian model where students are taught to drive, not just how to steer a vehicle and memorise a book. Cut parents and friends out of the instruction loop and help eliminate the transference of bad habits. It would take time, but a change in awareness has to start sometime!
Regards
Bruce Thompson
Hi Bruce, Yes, I have always thought the Scandinavian model would be great to have in this country. There would be a lot less people on the road, ‘cause they wouldn't have a licence! Cheers, Stuart. D
R nineT Scrambler
R 1200 R
R 1200
R
R
$18,750
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$23,450
K 1600 B $36,490
K 1600 GT
K 1600 GT Sport
K 1600 GTL
K 1600 GTL Elegance
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$37,990
$40,490 adv SpoRt
S 1000 XR $22,190 adv touRing
G 310 GS $8090
F 700 GS $12,890
F 800 GS $16,940
F 800 GSA
R 1200 GS
R 1200 GS Rallye
R 1200 GS Rallye X
R 1200 GS Tour
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R 1200 GSA Triple Black $29,585
ScooteR
C 650 Sport
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CAN-AM (BRP) www.brp.com
*All prices are ride away
Road
Spyder RS SM5
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$14,990
Spyder RS S Wht SE5 $23,990
F3S SM5 $25,790
F3S SE5 $28,890
Spyder ST S SE5 $25,490
Spyder ST Ltd SE5 $28,990
Spyder RT SM6 $31,490
Spyder RT S SE6 $39,990
Spyder RT Ltd SE6 $41,990
MOTO www.cf-moto.com.au
HARLEY-DAVIDSON
VT1300CXA Fury
GL1800 Valkyrie
VFR800X Crossrunner
$15,999
VFR1200X Crosstourer $18,299 Africa Twin
$17,499
Africa Twin Adv Sports $19,499
Africa Twin Adv Sport DCT $19,999
sCooTeR
NSC110 Dio $2799
MW110 Benly $3299
NSS300A Forza
HUSQVARNA
$7499
www.husqvarna-motorcycles.com/au Road
Vitpilen 401
Svartpilen 401
Vitpilen 701
INDIAN
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*All Indian Motorcycle prices are ride away
CRuiseR
Roadmaster
Roadmaster Elite
KAWASAKI
www.kawasaki.com.au
Road
Z125 Pro KRT $4249
Z300 ABS
Ninja 400 $6499
Ninja 400 KRT $6749
Ninja 400 SE $6759
Versys
TRIUMPH
www.triumphmotorcycles.com.au
*Some Triumph prices are ride away road
Street Triple S 660
EWHERE DO I GO?
VERY NOW AND THEN , someone asks where I would most like to go back to. Presumably this question is generated by the knowledge that I’ve ridden bikes on all but one of the continents - the exception being Antarctica. But it presupposes that somehow I’ve been to all the places worth visiting, so I must be interested in going back to some of them.
And of course I am. There are many places I wouldn’t mind revisiting. I mean, take Tahiti; I rented a Velosolex when I was there many years ago, and I would love to go back. But much as I’d like to make a return visit – this time without the spectacular crash into a sanitation trench – there is something that attracts me a lot more. It’s the call of the new, and the different. In recent years I’ve managed to add places like Cuba, Vietnam, and Mexico to the countries I’ve ridden, as well as visiting some parts of other countries I had never seen. And yes, there aren’t many better jobs in the world.
Not that mine is perfect. Being a motorcycle scribe, whether I travel or not, is never going to make me rich or even moderately well off. Not in money terms. But in tune with the times, I am rich in experiences. The generations taking over from us Baby Boomers
are all more focused on what they experience, rather than what they own – and to a certain extent that includes money. So I was always ahead of my time! How about that. Okay, so what options do I have? One is always a trip with a tour operator; without Edelweiss I would probably never have managed to visit Cuba, and it was probably only the fact that I was on a Beach’s tour that I got to Corsica. The list goes on. But I also like to plan my own rides, and I’ve started working on one that not only takes me to new places but also combines a few of my bucket list destinations. What I’m going to do is ride around the
Originally it was a tossup between circling the Baltic or the Mediterranean, but I’ve ridden the coasts of all the countries from Turkey to Tunisia, except for Albania, leaving only the stretch from Libya to Syria which makes up all of a fifth or so of the Med’s coastline. In the case of the Baltic, I have ridden in Sweden, but only one small
stretch from Gothenburg to the Norwegian border, and of course I’ve been to Germany. But I’ve never ridden in Denmark or along the Swedish coast, or even so much as touched the soil of Finland, Russia, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania and Poland. Bingo.
All of those countries except for Russia are part of the Schengen agreement, which means I won’t need visas, and all of them offer something special – culture, scenery, climate or whatever. And I can start and end the ride somewhere like Hamburg or Berlin, where it won’t be too difficult to get hold of a bike. Alternatively, I suppose, I could use Helsinki as my base. We have pretty good flight connections with Finland now.
So I have the beginnings of a plan. What I will have to do now is work out the logistics: best time of year, the paperwork and the other supplies I’ll need - and of course to decide on and then source a bike. I can imagine that there will be some less than perfect roads on that trip, and I’m sure I will find them, so that will influence my choice.
A ride through places I’ve never been; who knows what road conditions; seven languages to cope with and eight cuisines to sample… I can’t wait.
But of course I’ll have to wait, won’t I? I’ll probably work towards making the trip in the middle of next year. If you have any suggestions in the meantime to help me with my detailed planning, I’d be happy to hear or see them.
And in case you were thinking of asking, I believe I’ll leave Antarctica to David McGonigal, who has ridden there… D
ADVERTISERS LISTING
BORIS
MOTORCYCLING’S GOOD NAME
WORDS BORIS MIHAILOVIC
I’M THINKING THERE’S a good bunch of you out there who are wholeheartedly dedicated to promoting and securing the good name of motorcycling.
You like to think of yourselves as good people. Responsible citizens contributing to the good of the whole while nurturing wholesome thoughts of goodness and goodery.
You’re law-abiding and you always ride at the speed limit. You pay your taxes. You wear all the right gear when you ride your motorcycle lest the unthinkable happen and the bike suddenly fires itself into a tree, or the road surface causes the tyres to surrender, or a car-driver nudges you off a cliff. You know full well these things happen despite your best efforts at the handlebars, and you want to be prepared.
But most of all, you feel it is incumbent upon you to uphold the good name of motorcycling and to sit in harsh judgement and condemnation upon those vile tramps and ne’er-dowells who would bring that good name into disrepute.
Those feckless bastards who are ruining motorcycling for the rest of us. The selfish swine who give motorcycling a bad name. Those reprehensible muckers eagerly hammering nails into the coffin of motorcycling respectability.
In short, people like me and my friends. Yes, we’re the ones who knock. With hammers.
And we’re the ones who speed. And we’re also the ones who indulge in unrestrained two-wheeled hooliganism. We’re the ones who come slicing through your road-going cavalcade of colostomy bags, fat wives, and servile acquiescence to the State like arse-butter through a goose. We’re the ones with loud pipes, loud laughter, and loud howling five-gear burnouts in front of pubs full of cheering drunks. We’re the ones with tattooed hands and necks.
We’re the ones who don’t clean our bikes all that much, but we know a bit about setting up our suspension and not turning in too early on a sharp downhill right-hander. We prefer beer to soy lattes, and our arteries have been hardened by terrible pies bought in stinking servos and served by the unwashed hands of hot, sullen country girls with runny noses and vast hoop earrings. You are free to pound smashed avocado into your colon and make tutt-tutt noises each time one of us sails around the outside of you on some bend you’re struggling not to crash in. “Giving motorcycling a bad name” I believe you call it.
Here’s something you might consider in your rush to judgement upon me and my bad-mannered ilk.
Motorcycling has never had a good name. It has always been and must always remain a haven for misfits, outlaws, and anti-social speed-freaks, some of whom do very much want to watch the world burn but refrain from lighting the match because they have motorcycling to placate the demons.
If it is not that, then it is not worth doing.
And if it is not that to you, then you’re doing it wrong.
Furthermore, nothing I do on a bike and nothing you do on a bike, and certainly nothing that any pleasantlydisposed mugwump does on a bike, will make any difference to how motorcycling and motorcyclists are perceived by society at large and
its police, whose job is to vex the more freedom-minded of us.
You can pretend how the way you ride, all politeness and sweetness and light, has a bearing on how car drivers perceive us as a whole.
But you’d be wrong. Just as wrong as you were when you decided you were going to buy a 1000kg cruiser as your return bike after a non-riding hiatus of 40 years and maybe hitch a 500kg trailer to it. Just as wrong as you were when you didn’t divorce the terrible harridan you’re now forced to ferry around the country at 10km/h below the posted limit because she doesn’t really like going fast.
If you dispensed $50 notes at each set of lights to the drivers around you they would still hate you.
If I was to smash a rolling burnout through the playground of my local primary school as the kiddies ate their lunch, it would not make one iota of difference to the level of dislike Australian society has for motorcycle riders.
So I will not waste my time trying to get people who cannot ever like me to like me.
I would much rather ride as hard and as fast and as nasty as I can get away with each and every time I get on a motorcycle. I would much rather pit my wits and skills against the road, the Highway Patrol, and the world in general, than chug along dispensing bullshit bon homie in the vain hope I don’t tarnish an image Australian motorcycling has never actually had.
And you know what?
If you don’t like it, and if you feel righteously outraged and indignant about how people like me are ruining motorcycling for people like you, then you should move to western Europe. Motorcycling is a respectable hobby over there.
You’ll fit right in. D
CB1000R / SF: LUGGAGE / POTM: GRANYA / MAP: GREAT CIRCLE
