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EDITORSPEAKS
Time to have fun!
IT SEEMS 2019 has got off to a pretty slow start. Sales of motor vehicles in general have been slow, although as of the beginning of March there seems to have been a lot more activity. Did everyone have too big a New Year’s drink and we are only just sobering up? Or is it the way the industry used to be a decade or so ago, when bikes would start fl ying out the door around April/May after the year’s new models had arrived? It would be interesting to know your thoughts.
I have been reading a lot of comments from people in the motorcycle industry with many of them bickering among themselves, this can’t be a healthy way to carry on in such a small market. We should all be here to help one another in some way, shape or form; this would then lead to a healthier platform in the future. As it is, I do have concerns about how the motorcycle industry in this country will look in ten years’ time.
The fun of riding a motorcycle is getting lost to my mind, and along with it the portrayal of that to the younger generation. Whenever I’ve talked to younger people they only see motorcycles as a form of
C’mon, have some fun! www.ausmotorcyclist.com.au
transport; they say they don’t see riding a motorcycle as ‘fun’. Does that stem from over-governing and the ‘safety’ message being rammed down their throats? I have a sneaking suspicion it might.
As long as ‘society’ sees popping a wheelie or some other despicable act on motorcycle as criminal, like backing it into a corner, it’s hard to convince parents to get a kid on a bike to let them experience this fun. The fun of motorcycling is being lost. So, get a kid on a bike, in a paddock or on a quiet back road and let them get loose, let them have FUN! For those that are going to tell me this is irresponsible, I bet you’ve done worse in your younger days –take a look in the mirror ;)
As you read this I will have not long come back from the Ducati Diavel 1260 world launch. It’s being held in Malaga, Spain and the two days of fl ights to get there, one day of riding and two days fl ights to get back home are a real killer – and you all thought this was ‘fun’! This leads me onto you going on a tour with one of our wonderful advertisers. If you do plan/book a tour, please consider arriving one or two days earlier than the tour start date, this way you can get over any jet lag and acclimatise to the country you’re now in. Even our friends over in New Zealand advise arriving a day early to settle in before a tour starts.
Speaking of going on a tour, where would you like to go? I have a few trips I’d love to go on. First would be a Castles and Distilleries type of tour in Scotland, which I think Edelweiss already does. Second would be Southern France, Italy, Austria and down to Greece, and lastly riding the ‘Road of Bones’ would be an, ah, interesting tour and as with many people, a tour of Ireland and visiting either the Isle of Man TT or Manx/ Classic TT would be a great trip. Let me know where you’d like to go!
Enjoy Cheers, Stuart.
TIME TO RALLY
The Possum has put together all the latest dates of the upcoming rallies in this country. They are –
MAY
3 – 5: XS1100 Rally, Wellington Caves Caravan Park - see XS1100 Australia website.
10 – 12: Loaded Dog Rally, Tarago Showgrounds. Catered lunch Sat to brekkie Sun.
17 – 19: Ruptured Budgie Rally, Moto Guzzi Club QLD. at Mingoola, 60km west of Tenterfield. Catered and bar.
17 – 19: Pelikan Rally, BMW Club SA, Camp Kedron, Barmera SA. Catering for pre-registered.
JUNE
8 – 10: 50th Alpine Rally, Snowy Mountains Highway, Yarrangobilly. BYO everything. For this year only, c/vans etc welcome. Get to this one, it’s going to big!
8 – 10: SA Ranges Rally, Farina Campground, Farina SA. BYO everything.
19 – 21: Apollo Rally, Honeysuckle Campground, Apollo Rd, Tharwa ACT. Catered.
BRUTALLY EXOTIC
AUGUST
23 – 25: TTT Rally - sign posted from 10km north of Taralga NSWchallenging ride. BYO everything.
23 – 25: Peregrine Rally, Pilgrim CMC, 26km east of Sherlock SA.
SEPTEMBER
13 – 15: Far Cairn Rally, BMWTCNSW, Tottenham Racecourse. Sat night dinner, Sun brekkie, close to town for supplies.
14 – 15: Dargo High Plains Rally, Monarchs, Talbotville, 32km north of Dargo Vic. BYO everything.
BE INTRIGUED
The wonderful crew at Adriatic Moto Tours are offering you their fabulous Intriguing Southeast Europe Tour. 15 days (13 riding days), 2,500km and you’ll visit Serbia, Bulgaria, North Macedonia, Albania, Kosovo, Montenegro, Bosnia and Herzegovina. This tour takes you off the beaten track (all bitumen roads) and takes you deeper to see sights not normally seen. Dates available run from June 2019 to September 2020. Hurry and book your spot! www.adriaticmototours.com and click on the “Adriatic Coast & the Balkans” link.
The MV Agusta Brutale 800 RR LH44 was born from the world-renowned collaboration with Formula 1 champion Lewis Hamilton.
Produced in a limited series of only 144 units (worldwide), this special model features Hamilton’s number “44” which he raced victoriously on Formula 1 tracks across the globe. The jaw-dropping colour scheme draws inspiration from the celebrated F4 LH44 and replicates its carbon metallic black, pearl shock red and white livery. These stunningly designed graphics enhance the typical aggressiveness of the Brutale, a stance that is further elevated by Lewis Hamilton’s logo and racing number.
Brutale 800 RR LH44 is exclusive in every way with standard features such as blacked out ceramic exhaust, unique LH44 rim design and pearl shock red lever sets. Finished with carbon fi bre highlighted side covers, fuel tank trim, front and rear fenders and dashboard cover.
From $38,880 ride away including 3 Year Factory Warranty and Roadside Assistance… see your local MV Agusta dealer or visit www.mvagusta.com.au .
WUNDER APP
Wunderlich, the BMW motorcycle accessories specialist, now offers the Wunderlich-App in English for smartphones. Wunderlich CEO Frank Hoffmann: “almost every one of our customers owns a smartphone and it has become an indispensable everyday item. We just want to take this circumstance into account. You organize and
handle your personal everyday affairs immediately: Be it a bank transfer, a hotel reservation, tickets for the concert. With apps you have your personal access. The annoying login is eliminated. Just as uncomplicated and comfortable is our Wunderlich-App.”
Once logged in, you have easy access to the Wunderlich world anytime, anywhere: to your own customer account, the latest product highlights, background information, catalogue ordering, dealer locator or contact form, exciting events, Wunderlich Motorsport, promotions, appointments, scene tips and much more.
The app is built like a Wunderlich product - it is functional, well thought-out, high-quality, individual, easy and intuitive to use. “There is nothing comparable to the Wunderlich-App in the field of specialised motorcycle accessories. Thus Wunderlich is an absolute trendsetter not only with its components, but also with its digital offer for its customers and underlines the fundamentally innovative claim of the brand,” continued Hoffman. Download from the App Store or Google Play Store.
IT’S TIME
Yes, it’s time to stop sitting on the couch and buy that new Kawasaki,
specifically the new Z400! The latest addition to Kawasaki’s Z Series, the Z400 (priced at $6299 + on roads), is claimed to be a real Supernaked machine. Whether navigating the urban jungle or parked on a street corner, this lightweight, powerful, Learner Approved Supernaked is sure to turn heads. We’ll have one to test shortly, but in the meantime check one out at your local Kawasaki dealer or visit www.kawasaki.com.au . OH MY!
The DesmoSport Ducati V4R that Troy Bayliss intends to race in the 2019 Australian Superbike Championship (ASBK) has been unveiled. Troy is rather excited to get his bum on the seat and show what the new V4R can do, and going by the results in WSBK, Troy will be pushing for the top step of the podium. Keep up to date at Facebook: @ DesmoSportDucati and/or Instagram: @desmosportducati .
SHAZAM!
Merlin (distributed by Link International) has released its 2019 range of mega stylish heritage riding gear. Check out the full range at http://catalogue. merlinbikegear.com.au/ and be the envy of all others.
TELL ‘EM THE PRICE, SON Yamaha has announced the pricing for the highly anticipated Tenere 700, to be released in December
2019. The rally-bred dual sport 689cc parallel twin will come in three hot colours – Ceramic Ice, Competition White and Power Black at a value packed $15,499 + on roads. See your local Yamaha dealer to place an order.
50 YEARS YOUNG
The Alpine Rally celebrates its 50th year in June. The rally this year is being held on the June long weekend (8-10 June) at Yarrangobilly River, Cotterill’s Cottage next to the Snowy Mountains Highway. Anyone and everyone is invited to celebrate this milestone. If you can no longer ride you’re also welcome to drive the car, motorhome, take the caravan, whatever! Just be there and have a great weekend. You might even see The Bear make an appearance! For details and enquiries, contact Henning at hpj333@gmail.com or visit the website http:// alpinerally.webs.com and/or Facebook www.facebook.com/ alpinemotorcyclerally D
LONGER BATTERY LIFE. OPTIMAL PERFORMANCE.
Icould throw out all subjectivity with the bathwater and admit I instantly fell in love with the Triumph Scrambler 1200 XE. Taking only the first few hundred metres exiting the hotel in Lorne Victoria, through the first set of curves leading towards the famed Great Ocean Road the love gushed. My inner sweeping needle was edging to the maximum 10 out of 10 for power, torque, light clutch, sweet gearbox and strong, progressive Brembo M50 brakes.
There was an intangible ‘this is just right’ feel to it. I had already called it a stunner for looks and build quality during the Media presentation the night before. The XE was a laid-down misère so I might as well spend the time pool-side sipping on Triomphe D’Anis cocktails, enjoying two days with my feet up instead of riding, such was my forgone conclusion.
ALL THAT’S OLD IS THE NEW
I think we should get our collective heads around this whole revival of all-things-past. The never-ending cash-in on the best elements of
Looking for inspiration?
You can choose your own add-ons from the 80 plus items on the current accessories list or get Triumph to do the work for you by going down the prepared road with load up at-purchase options which include the ‘Escape’ and ‘Extreme’ models. At $2664.55 and $3278.50 they come loaded with cosmetic and performance enhancements. The Escape comes with panniers and racks, handguards, grab-rack, LED fog lights, short screen, flyscreen, centre stand and heated grips while the Extreme comes with a lot of fruit which include the High-Level ‘Arrow’ Silencer, aluminium radiator guard, machined oil filler cap, and much, much more.
ADVENTURE TOURING AND BEYOND
Lightness, comfort and adaptability reach the highest technological level.
4 different configurations possible, simply by removing the redesigned peak and the ultra-panoramic visor.
The lightweight construction of the Carbon+Aramid+Glass fiber shell provides AGV ultimate safety standards. Moisture wicking and water-resistant premium interiors enable unlimited comfort for the entire journey. Follow your path, ride beyond it.
bygone days is still all pervasive. Triumph openly stated they wanted to take on Ducati and BMW and smash them up a bit. I think the soon to be released Moto Guzzi V85TT, as well as other premium choices may be in their sights as well. Why can’t we acknowledge all that was good from mid to late last century, you might say, and just move along and design more modern contraptions! Oh yes, we did – see the Soco electric launch review in this issue.
Being traditional, with this and a large proportion of their lineup, Triumph is staying with last century and the other manufacturers who haven’t left upswept pipes behind in the factory museum, pipes which flow along the tank/seat lines with dirtstyle ergos. I’m all for them tilting at windmills with the scrambler look. They have also continued with semi-off-road tyres; which are a million percent better than those from 1969 and they’ve brought back the flat plank of a dual seat from the 1930s.
From a distance the outline of the Triumph’s 1200cc parallel twin would
barely be out of place on the set of the 1963 movie starring Steve McQueen. I bet you only had to read ‘movie’ to pick up on the reference between a Hollywood heartthrob, a motorcycle and scrambling so engrained is that image and so well capitalised by almost every brand.
The XE has a lot of kit loaded in and I believe justifies the $21,700 spend plus the on road costs before you show additional lack of restraint after perusing the accessory catalogue. Stunning paintwork, a brushed-steel tank strap and, the ‘Monza’ gas cap along with centrestand, adjustable rider’s alloy pegs and super strong handlebar guards. It oozes class, even if you are not into fairings and plastics and adjustable windscreens.
So, I continued (and you can thank me later) along the excellent Great Ocean Road which linked nicely to the byroads climbing the hinterland to an off-road proving ground for an afternoon of dirty fun. We wrapped up on the second day with another twisting ride back along the GOR and stretched the Scrambler’s leg a bit
with some freeway riding back into Melbourne along with some traffic duties.
THE TECH BURIED WITHIN
For a modern-classic there is a huge amount of tech-loaded safety and performance control fitted into the Scrambler XE. From the 2nd Gen TFT instrument pod, which can be loaded with GoPro and turn-by-turn navigation (available in a few months) and an integrated phone and play music operation. Within the wellpositioned pod all the information from the usual trip meters, tacho,
They are twins - almost!
This launch didn’t include the more road-specc’ed XC which will appear in a few months’ time. The XC has less travel in the suspension and a shorter swingarm. At $1400 less than the XE it also misses out on the Off-Road Pro mode and IMU as well. It will be available in gloss, matt black and khaki green.
speedo (nicely legible) and warning symbols for handlebar warmers and simple cruise-control are shown. Keyless ignition is really handy these days, as well the under-seat USB charging port. Also, on the outside, the lighting is the modern LED and backlit switchgear.
Buried inside is a class leading IMU (Inertial Measurement Unit, only on the XE model) developed in partnership with Continental; which takes constant measurements of roll, pitch, yaw, lean angle and acceleration rates. This system controls and optimises traction control and braking whether upright or at full lean. The informative dash has a number of different options and you can change the presentation (mood) to suit the road or desire. Another clever feature: most features are easily accessible from the 5-way joystick positioned on the lefthand switchgear.
NOT JUST A PRETTY FACE
If you need any more mojo-power for the road; then you either are hellbent on tossing away your licence or have mastered the art sensing every cop or speed camera. Triumph knew that 66kW (90HP) and a thumping 110Nm of torque at a low 3950rpm would put enough on my plate to have as much fun on any road in Australia, especially Victoria which has most of its population living in submission. In context, the outright power is well shy of the monolithic BMW, Ducati and KTM adventure tourers, yet the high-torque parallel twin loses very little on paper or on the road. The 270-degree firing rotation, coupled with easy to use controls guarantee a lot of satisfaction, but it is how every one of those ponies is delivered which adds up to one very satisfying ride.
UP FOR ANYTHING
Out of Lorne and heading west on a deserted main tourist route, by default due to some major roadworks, we had the 1200s up to a spirited pace. Spirited enough so I can say that given the short straights and less than
THE TIGER 1200 AND 800 XC & XR RANGE. BUILT TO GO ANYWHERE, OFF-ROAD AND ON.
Available in two flavours – the off-road biased ‘XC’ and the road-orientated ‘XR’ – the Tiger 1200s and Tiger 800s feature high-level state-of-the-art technology, with full-colour TFT instruments, up to six riding modes (including Off-Road Pro on the XCs) all-LED lighting, illuminated switchgear and adjustable windscreens.
Both 1200 and 800 ranges are built on the latest generation Triple engine, giving a smooth and responsive power delivery. The highly developed chassis enhances rider ergonomics and capability, for all-day comfort.
Purchase a new Tiger 800 or Tiger 1200 from a Triumph dealership and, for a limited time, we’ll include free Expedition Panniers that are perfect for any Tiger adventure.
The Tiger 1200 and 800 XC & XR RANGE – built for maximum adventure, every single day.
To find out more visit: triumphmotorcycles.com.au
FREE PANNIERS* WORTH UP TO $1,900
perfect surface, there wouldn’t be many motorcycles that would get away from the Metzeler Tourance shod XE’s. Each gear change and subsequent throttle application means another smooth and deliberate kick in the butt from the twin. The roll–on is always present and throttle connection is superb in almost every mode setting. It is rocking good fun in the urgent ‘Sport’ setting, yet rest assured Triumph has your wellbeing sorted with the more sensible Sport/ Road/Rain/Rider/Off-Road and Off-Road Pro modes. The Rider setting allows you to tailor things to your preference.
This is a serious real-road scratcher and punting good fun one as well. Turn-in feel and agility is as important
as bulk corner exit speed and unless anyone paid particular attention to the Spec Sheet and noticed the 21” Front wheel you wouldn’t know. No vagueness or drop over to quickly feel, just accurate put-it-anyway control and firm suspension control.
I was expecting a ride like riding on a softly inflated Pilates ball. Far from that, the 250mm suspension travel feels sporty and there isn’t that much dive under braking. Leaned over there is no wallow or pitch only just the occasional hint the TC was compensating for the limit of the semi-block tyres. The ergonomics are ideal for the road and adjustable enough I guess to suit taller riders and the off-road work in the afternoon. The spread of healthy power starts
low down from 2000 which means if you want to be lazy or cruise you can pull a gear or two higher anytime. We weren’t in a relaxed mode so the usable and ideal rev range is held from 3000 to 6000rpm. There is an occasional over-rev up to the 7400rpm redline that the Scrambler’s tune allows. It is a safe bet to rely on the torque-assist clutch and very smooth and positive six-speed gearbox to get the flow right. This engine has the combination of the high torque T120 Bonneville (although improved by 12.5%) tune and the hi-power Thruxton (very similar and freer revving) creating a performance donk with the mix of ‘camminess’ and high compression. Boy it flies! It will pull over 180
LAUNCH
banana’s and cruise at 140 oranges (this was Victoria remember) all day long. Yet 60 to 110km/h makes you happy and is as colourful as a bowl of fruit salad.
On the road it is a winning package of engagement and fun.
NOW WE GET DIRTY
The XE has quarter of a metre (seems a lot if you say it like that!) of travel which is, surprisingly, more or equal to the abovementioned big-bore monsters. The Öhlins rear shocks soak up the bigger hits and I didn’t push the front Showa BPFs too hard over jumps, so I can’t say they weren’t the duck’s guts. In Off-Road Pro with TC off the drive is constant and wheelspin only occurs if you go seeking some fun or are aiming for some attitude, such is the level of chassis control and power delivery. Cam Donald was out-of-this-world on the gravel and single tracks on the proving ground we used. I just hung on (too) tight and at least gave the Scrambler a decent showing on the dirt.
I have owned most (and ridden all) of the adventure bikes from the last 15 years and the 1200 suits my style and ability. Yes, it is a touch tall (I clock in at 175cm on a good day wearing boots) with an 840mm seat height, but confidence grows with the narrowness and especially the plough-throughalmost-anything nature of the bike. There is a small amount of front-end heaviness. Just keep the power on gently and increasing amount and find out what a Scrambler can do. It is even more capable than its image projects. In fact, I can see it as a real alternative to ‘proper’ adventure bikes once the crash protection is fitted up along with suitable luggage options. Triumph Australia saw fit (a huge thank you) to run the Pirelli Scorpion for half of the test fleet (to utilise on the dirt and our group rode back to Lorne on them) and I wasn’t aware of one going down on the ground in either group. Our water-crossing caught a few out. I left the electronic aids in the Off-Road Pro (time beat me for the opportunity to experiment) and with a few days out in the proper Aussie bush I can see that
this machine might show some extraordinary potential.
I had to delve deep into the soon to be defunct tome, the Guide for Picking Faults with Modern Motorcycles, to come across ‘the horn sounds like an orphaned budgie’ and ‘it is border-line expensive’ and my view is; given what the Scrambler is, I could easily live with the seat and the firm-ish suspension. There has yet to be a motorcycle designed that has ever reached the Ralph Approval for Easy to Read and Adjust Functions (without reading glasses or taking your eyes off the road). I said four years ago, we are ready for the Heads Up display for all dash and mode functions. Triumph has moved up in pricing so it is more a case of when you really want a new motorcycle, which one will it be these days?
YOU BETTER TAKE MY MONEY
SPECS
TRIUMPH SCRAMBLER 1200 XE
PRICE: $21,700 (plus on-road charges)
WARRANTY: Two years, unlimited distance
SERVICING INTERVALS: Every 16,000km or 12 months
ENGINE: Liquid-cooled two-cylinder, 4-stroke, 270-degree DOHC, 4 valves per cylinder
Back when I were a lad, a scrambler would have been perhaps labelled as ‘honest’ meaning a simple bike that did everything well. With such quality running gear and so up-to-date electronics, the honest climbs up the scale to ‘rather exceptional’. Triumph hasn’t just created a one helluva take on a large capacity retro-styled scrambler. In an almost inadvertent way, they may have designed and built one of the most complete and wellrounded motorcycles of the last few years. It connects motorcycle and motorcycling together in a way in which few others tickle my fickle brain. The XE defines ‘motorcycle’ as a term or label better than almost anything on the market to suit most of my ‘motorcycling’ needs.
Bar a mid to large screen to take some weight off your chest and shoulders at the 1200’s capable cruising speeds, the burly XE is the perfect marriage of style, performance, handling and fun. It is a wonderful modern/classic take, blending engineering into form and function and ticks every single box for me. This is a motorcycle you can bury me with, although my son or daughter may have other ideas. D
BRAKES: Front, twin 320mm discs with radial mount four-piston ABS calipers. Rear, 255mm disc, twin-piston ABS caliper.
FUEL CONSUMPTION: 5 litres per 100km, premium unleaded
THEORETICAL RANGE: 320km
COLOURS: Fusion White and Brooklands Green, Cobalt Blue and Jet Black
VERDICT: SCRAMBLING IN STYLE
You doN’t NEEd a destination to go for a ride. When I was starting out on my motorcycling life, it was a point of honour that we’d start out on weekend rides without any idea where we were headed. Over the mountains, or along the coast. And then? Who knew. Usually we’d be back in time for work on Monday but there was that time when we found ourselves in the Hermidale pub late one Sunday afternoon, having ridden up from Nymagee, and we just knew we weren’t going to make work the next day.
So we had a few more drinks. Getting lost isn’t that hard. These days I do like to have a destination. Perhaps it’s because I have moderated my alcohol intake, or because I have to have something to tell Mrs Bear about where I’m going when I disappear for a couple of days; maybe it’s because all my friends have proper jobs where they can’t just ring in on Monday morning to say that they’re ‘unwell’, i.e. out in some country pub, too drunk to ride. Whatever it is, I do tend to choose a destination for my rides now. Seeing that I have an
“Being lost in Australia gives you a lovely sense of security.”
– Bruce c h Atwin, The Songline S
abiding interest in aeroplane museums, it recently seemed appropriate to pay a return visit to Temora with its Aviation Museum full of real honest-togoodness flying aircraft.
Temora Aviation Museum is, I think, close to unique in that all of its displays are airworthy and are still flown on a regular basis; many of them can be seen in the air during the museum’s Showcase Events, flying days that happen ay various times during the year. Check www.aviationmuseum. com.au for dates and other details. Because of the requirement that all of its exhibits must be in flying condition, the museum is fairly small. But it does have a wonderful facility: you can climb to a mezzanine in the workshop hangar and watch the engineers service and maintain the aircraft.
I had made an attempt a few years ago to revisit the museum (my first visit was years before that), but Temora was full. All of the town’s accommodation was taken up by miniature musicians. The NSW Schools’ Band Festival was on. Lots of fun, I’m sure, but the Ghost and I had to go as far as Young to get motel rooms, and we didn’t feel like retracing our tracks in the morning.
After packing my Kuryakyn roll bag –it is remarkable how little I need to take on overnight rides these days; it rattled around in the bag – I strapped it to the back of the Yamaha Niken we had on loan. One huge advantage of the Bag is that it will sit happily on just about any motorcycle with the high-quality straps and fittings supplied.
The Ghost couldn’t make it for this trip, but I decided I’d drop in and have a coffee with him anyway which meant taking the fast way – the Hume Highway – down to his country abode. After a coffee and a pleasant chat about our latest ailments and their treatments, I headed off on the back roads I much prefer to the superslab.
In this case that was the Burley Griffin Way. There had been some rain, so the depressingly brown landscape I had passed through a few weeks before had a green tint that changed it completely. Everything looked so much more cheerful, at least until I reached Binalong. This has long been a favourite
place, but it wasn’t looking good: the butcher remained, but both the General Store and the newsagents had closed and the pub didn’t look exactly healthy.
There was what appeared to be a Noddy car parked outside with all sorts of advertising stuck to it including some blue and white ribbons and a ‘Police’ sign, and the publican was listening to a senior constable who was telling him stuff that, from his body English, he knew already. When the copper was finished and had left, the publican poured me a beer.
“Licensing officer?” I said, nodding towards the departing car. “Yep,” said the publican, “They used to be sergeants.”
Harden had a bit more life, but the engineering workshop that used to make fascinating sculptures out of stainless steel had also closed. This was beginning to become quite a melancholy journey.
Nothing could have been more true about Wallendbeen. I stopped at the intersection with the Olympic Highway
at what had once been the Post Office, shop and service station all rolled into one and found it had been rolled up and closed. I asked an old geezer stumbling across the broken tarmac whether I might be able to get a cold drink somewhere around, and his answer reminded me of the bloke in the song The Weight by The Band; “he just grinned and shook my hand, ‘No’ was all he said.”
To be fair he did suggest that I Should be able to get a drink in Stockinbingal, 30km down the road. He was wrong. Stockinbingal was closed too, even the pub was lifeless. I rode on in the stultifying heat; why had I decided to take this ride in one of NSW’s worst ever heatwaves?
Courage 10, brains zero.
But Temora was bustling and busy. There is a cool and helpful tourist information office, and at their recommendation I booked into the Amoret (clever name!) Motel. The smiling lady in the tourist office had not been entirely sure because “it’s a bit of
a walk to the Club”, which is where she suggested I take my evening meal, but it’s the only motel in town with a pool. Well, when I say a pool…
There was still an hour and a half before 4pm when the aviation museum closes and it doesn’t open until 10 in the morning, when I hoped to be well on my way to beat the heat a little. I headed out the couple of kilometres ride in the hope that would be enough time. There was, too. The main hangar holds most of the museum’s collection including a Gloster Meteor, a selection of Cessnas from the Vietnam War, a CAC Boomerang and such, all lined up in the traditional air museum way. To be honest, it’s not one of the more interesting air museums I’ve seen in my life. The big attraction here are the flying days (see above) when you can hear and see these wonderful relics in the air.
There is one other attraction, and that is the balcony overlooking the workshop in an adjacent hangar. When I was there it held both the museum’s
Spitfires and its English Electric Canberra. This was the first jetpowered medium bomber and stayed in service until the Vietnam War. It was named after Australia’s capital city because we were the first country to place a significant order for the planes. Like all the other aircraft, it’s best seen flying.
Back in town I rode around to the IGA and bought some supplies including a well-priced six-pack and had a picnic in my air-conditioned room. Not before a lengthy interrogation about the Yamaha Niken I was riding, though, by an RAAF bloke who was also staying at the motel. As an engineer he was suitably impressed, but did wonder why Yamaha had not included a way for the bike to stay upright, balanced on its wheels, when parked.
“There’re scooters will do that,” he said, “I was going to buy one for when I can’t hold my… wait for it! Spitfire! up anymore!” Had he bought the BSA because he was in the air force? “No, it
was my Dad’s but it’s in perfect shape.”
After a successful night’s sleep with no more than the usual number of toilet visits (anyone my age will know what I mean) I skipped the continental breakfast and headed off to Young instead, where I consumed bacon and eggs in a small café on the main road before continuing to Cowra. It was a shame that the cherry season was over; I would have had enough room for a box of Young’s finest in my Kuryakyn bag. The Olympic Highway north from Young is one of my favourite roads. You will notice, if you check, that it is not listed in the Hema Maps motorcycle atlas I compiled but there’s a reason for that. This 70km stretch of mainly good road has nothing at all special about it. It passes a couple of nature reserves, but they’re well off the road. Otherwise it’s just… well, a road. It mainly traverses pasture land, and to me it is quintessentially Australian; it looks, feels and rides like no road in any other country
(that I’ve ever been).
Oddly, it connects Young, then called Lambing Flat, where anti-Chinese riots by European goldminers eventually triggered the White Australia Policy, and Cowra where the breakout by Japanese prisoners of war led to the death of 231 of them, as well as that of four Australian soldiers. Both towns have impressive and thoughtful memorial gardens to commemorate the events. Both gardens are well worth visiting.
Cowra has a pleasant tourist information office on the western side of town, set in nicelymaintained gardens with a café next door and plenty of parking. I’m not usually much of an ice cream eater, but in the heat that was the obvious refreshment. I followed it up with a bottle of lemon-flavoured tea and felt ready to carry on to Sydney. There’s not much to note about the return trip, except for fueling up in Lyndhurst. The servo at the bottom of the hill as you come into town
from the west has been deteriorating for years and the old cove running it seemed more interested in complaining than anything else. But his price was all right and the fuel was good. Stop in and fill up when you pass through, and listen to his grumbling. It will cheer him up a bit.
The Yamaha purred smoothly along and eventually the highway delivered me to Lithgow, where I took Bells Line of Road to Bellbird Hill and the Sydney Plain with its traffic and visible air pollution. Home again. My impression of the Niken had not changed; it is an excellent, comfortable long-distance mount which copes well with poor road conditions, although I didn’t strike many of those on this trip, except for parts of the Burley Griffin Way. The GT version will make a terrific tourer.
Whether you’re mounted on a Niken or not, pay a visit to central NSW. It’s a beautiful and interesting place. And try to get lost. D
Lunch of champions event
King Toby photos Boris, Dakar
KTM AusTrAliA recently held a ‘Lunch of Champions’ at Pier One, Sydney with Toby Price and Daniel Milner (current ISDE world champion). Unfortunately I was unable to attend and ask a couple of questions to the guys, but Boris was there and asked Toby a couple for me. I decided to get Boris to ask five quick questions and ones that aren’t just the usual stuff he gets asked…
Q. Beer, wine or spirits?
A. Spirits
Q. Chicken, beef, lamb or pork?
A. Chicken
Q. Blondes or brunettes?
A. I prefer brunettes but blondes have more fun
Q. I know you were in pain at Dakar,
but exactly just how much pain were you in while riding?
A. Grab five knives and drive them into your wrist, that’s the best description
Q. And finally, describe your ideal way to relax?
A. Would be nice to have a private island and drink from a coconut. But that hasn’t happened. D
FEATURING TERRAIN-TESTED SUSPENSION, A SPORTY STANCE AND DUAL-PURPOSE TYRES, THE HIMALYAN IS BORN OUT OF DECADES OF RIDING EXPERIENCE IN SOME OF THE HARSHEST TERRAIN ON EARTH. BUILT FOR ALL ROADS. BUILT
Granite Sleet Snow
The development of the Versys 1000 has come along in leaps and bounds from just a handful of years ago. It used to be a fairly plain, run of the mill bike. Then came the update a couple of years ago, and now for 2019 we have the hamburger with the lot, SE version.
I’ve always liked bikes that fit into the ‘Adventure Sport’ type of category. They’re perfectly suited to all that our country can throw at touring riders – that includes well maintained dirt roads. I already liked the outgoing Versys 1000 for its easy going nature and silky smooth in-line four cylinder engine, so let’s see what the new improved SE is like…
Take the 1043cc engine from the Z1000, fit it with electronic throttle valves (so it can have electronic cruise control), tune it to be flexible across the entire rev range with a direct throttle response and leave it with that seductive intake howl that the Z1000 is renowned for. The engine will give you both a physical and aural treat that provides smiles for miles.
An assist/slipper clutch works well and the lever pull is light with plenty of feel. Match this with the well thought-out gear ratios and this bike can be super quick or cruise along on the open road sipping fuel like the Queen sips a cup of tea. Speaking of fuel consumption, I achieved a heavy handed 5.7L/100km, which equates to a theoretical range of 367km from the 21 litre capacity. A touring range of 4-450km could be expected.
Electronics are a big feature on the SE. That includes things like smartphone connectivity, electronic suspension, up/down quickshifter, cruise control, riding modes, traction control, cornering braking, cornering headlights and intelligent braking. The big feature is the Bluetooth connectivity. A Bluetooth chip built into the instrument panel enables you to connect to the motorcycle wirelessly. Using the smartphone app, “Rideology the App” a number of instrument functions can be accessed and changed through your phone. The functions available are: - Vehicle Info: information such as
fuel gauge, odometer, maintenance schedule.
- Riding Log: GPS route information as well as vehicle running information can be logged and viewed.
- Telephone notices: when a call or email is received by the smartphone, this is indicated on the instrument display.
- General Settings: general instrument display settings (such as preferred units, date, date format) can be adjusted.
- Vehicle Settings: Riding Mode (Road, Sport, Rain, Rider) can be set in advance on the smartphone and uploaded when in proximity of the bike, as can riding support systems (like KQS) and the payload mode.
- Vehicle information downloaded to the app can be viewed via the smartphone. Available information includes: odometer, total time, trip A, trip B, fuel gauge, remaining range, average fuel mileage, average speed, max lean angle (right/left), battery voltage, Kawasaki service reminder (set by the dealer), oil change reminder (set by the rider), plus an additional rider-selectable reminder.
Rider mode is one feature that will interest many owners. This allows you to set the bike exactly how you like it. For example, I had it set in full power, traction off, suspension set on normal but with +1 on the front compression and +2 on the rear compression, preload set to Rider with Luggage, quickshifter on, cornering lights on and engine braking on. This was all easily done through my phone and downloaded into the bike. If I’d wanted another setting, for example – traction control on, it is easy to change to another mode like Road or Sport.
KECS (Kawasaki Electronic Control Suspension) is technology that makes your riding even more enjoyable. Based on the semi-active system that debuted on the 2018 Ninja ZX-10R SE, KECS adapts to road and riding conditions in real time, providing the ideal amount of damping called for. Combining high-level mechanical components with the latest electronic
control technology, KECS offers both the suppleness to provide riding comfort in a wide range of riding situations, as well as the firm damping to facilitate sport riding. Control is via a solenoid valve with direct (single-stage) actuation. This results in extremely quick reaction time: 1 millisecond – much quicker than systems that rely on step-motors, or those that use pilot valves (two-stage actuation), which slow the system’s responsiveness.
I know a section of road that had been dug up to lay some piping. No doubt the same people laid down the ‘new’ bitumen. They must have had a wonky wheel on the steam roller; this section of road normally tries to buck you off, it’s like riding a wild bronco. I was keen to whip the SE over it a few times to feel the reaction. The result was perfection! KECS smoothed out this crazy piece of road and the bike never moved around and, really you’d be hard pressed to even know the road is as bad as it is if you hadn’t ridden over it on other bikes! Massive tick to the Showa and Kawasaki engineers there.
KTRC (Kawasaki Traction Control) feels like a different system to a couple of years ago across the Kawasaki range. It doesn’t shut the bike down anymore, all you can hear is a nice flutter from the exhaust as it works its magic to control wheelspin – another aural delight with this bike. Ergonomics have been improved from the outgoing model. A large screen, equipped with a centrally located vent to reduce negative pressure in the cockpit works well. The range of adjustability is 40 mm. Height can be adjusted from the rider’s seat (without tools, using two knobs on the inside of the screen)
A revised upper cowling design and wider fairings provide increased wind protection, which does trap some heat around the inner thighs. The two-step seat features thicker material for a very comfortable ride - the step up to the pillion seat gives you great support under acceleration too. Pillion comfort as told to me by the ‘pillion in a million’ is excellent with a
good separation from the rider. The accessory topbox with its pillion pad gives good support.
A wide handlebar with good low/ forward-ish peg position puts you in a perfect ‘sit-up-and-beg’ riding position for great leverage and easy manoeuvrability.
Premium features continue with all LED lighting, and the cornering lights work extremely well to give you that extra bit of vision on the inside of a corner on dark roads. To the left of the stylish analogue tacho/ TFT screen is a power socket with a total of 40W of power for all your charging needs.
SPECS
KAWASAKI VERSYS 1000 SE
Braking is powerful and combined with KIBS (Kawasaki Intelligent anti-lock Brake System) and cornering ABS it’s pretty hard to stuff up slowing down for any corner or to a stop in a flash.
Paintwork on the Versys 1000 SE sees the introduction of a new technology too. Kawasaki’s new “Highly Durable Paint” and “Highly Durable Matte Paint” (used on the fuel tank, L/R side cowls, and L/R side covers) feature a special coat that allows scratches to repair themselves, enabling the paint to maintain its high-quality fi nish. Soft and hard segments in the coat work together like a chemical spring, creating a trampoline effect that absorbs impacts. I wasn’t game to give it a try so we’ll have to believe Kawasaki.
A bucket load of accessories had been fi tted to the bike we rode. The centre stand and hand guards are standard, but it had clean-mount colour-coded Givi 28 litre (each) panniers, 47 litre colour-coded topbox and corresponding rack, tank pads, radiator guard, LED fog lights, frame sliders, axle sliders and heated grips – essentially the perfect touring combination. You can also get a Comfort seat or a Low seat which takes the seat height down 20mm. Kawasaki has raised the bar with the new Versys 1000 SE. If you like to travel and don’t want a big heavy tourer, this is certainly one that does everything for you. D
PRICE: $22,499 (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 cornering ABS calipers. Rear, 250mm disc, single-piston cornering ABS caliper.
FUEL CONSUMPTION: 5.7 litres per 100km, premium unleaded
THEORETICAL RANGE: 367km
COLOURS: Emerald Blazed Green / Pearl Storm Gray
VERDICT: COMFORTABLE, FUN TOURING
INLINE CAFÉ
The body needs fuel too! WORDS/PHOTOS STUART
CAFÉS WITH A motorcycle theme have been tried before, but never really at the kind of high level that will attract anyone and everyone of all genres - until now.
Inline4 Café at Woolamai, Victoria – about five minutes from Phillip Island Grand Prix Circuit is THE motorcycling café – outstanding food and strong coffee are the name of the game, along with a well thought out floorplan with loads of memorabilia to keep anyone entertained.
Originally Inline4 Café was at Mirboo North in the hands of Marcel and Sabine. They had always wanted to move the café to Phillip Island and a chance meeting with international DJ, Carl Cox saw a handshake agreement to get the project underway.
For those of you who don’t know Carl Cox, he is one of the world’s leading DJs and is very much a motorcycle lover. Carl has his own motorsport team, named, Carl Cox Motorsport with everything from classic race bikes, to the IoMTT and sidecars, Carl even has a Ford Capri drag car. Yes, Carl rides too with his main ride in Australia being a Ducati Diavel, but I have to say the star in his garage would have to be the Honda RCV211V road bike. You know, the road-going MotoGP bike that’s worth a bazillion dollars.
Back to the café though… the café was officially opened on September 10, 2018 and it has been a raging success from what I can tell. Every time there is any sort of racing on at
the circuit, Inline4 Café is pumping, and then there’s the groups of riders that take a trip to Phillip Island just for the ride.
Ralph and I had planned to have dinner at Inline4 but due to my commitment with BMW it was breakfast the next morning instead and all I can say is, WOW! It’s not often that you can find a place with high quality food and equally high quality service. From the moment we walked in the door we were made to feel welcome. There are hooks for gear and helmets and wash gear for your visor. The food surpassed all expectations and there was plenty of it to cure a slight hangover from the night before. LOL! The coffee was exactly what the Doctor ordered – strong, not bitter
and full of flavour.
Sabine, Marcel and their staff provide an excellent experience. The level of enthusiasm they put into their business is exemplary and Inline4 Café is a place you must go to whenever you’re in the Phillip Island area, there’s even special parking for motorcycles and loads of parking for everything else beside the café itself. Tell them we sent you and you might get preferential treatment. Or not. Haha! Seriously though, anyone who has even the slightest interest in motorcycling or motoring in general will love Inline4 Café. Just don’t blame me when you go there and miss your spectator viewing of the racing because you wanted to stay and eat and drink more! D
Vandenberg Hotel, Forbes
RATED 4 OUT OF 5 HELMETS
Vandenberg Hotel
7 Court St, Forbes NSW 2871
Ph: 02 6852 2015 www.vandenberghotel.com.au
SO ANYWAY, AS I pull into the BP servo at north Forbes, an old bloke’s just paid for his fuel and is shuffling back to his car.
“I’m trying to find the cemetery,” I tell him. He squints into the morning sun and smiles.
“Good luck, mate,” he drawls, “I’m trying to stay out of it.”
He chuckles then tells me to just head out on the Bogan Road and I won’t miss it on my left. I pass a sprinkler fanning water onto the front lawn of a cottage obviously the home to a gardener, make a quick note of its location and then pretty soon the grave paddock appears.
At the gate there’s a map of the various sections. (Heaven forbid a Catholic’s bones had to spend eternity clavicle to clavicle with those of a Protestant!) And there’s also a totem post of signs directing to the more famous plots. At the top each such pole is the arrow to Ben Hall’s grave and just below another points to that of Ned Kelly’s sister.
Under a rare tree and with its short white picket fence and padlocked gate, Ben Hall’s grave is unique in this cemetery. Its plastic fl owers unfaded and relatively wellmaintained, this is obviously a shrine to one of the more enigmatic of our bushrangers. And his headstone doesn’t simply say ‘died’ or ‘passed away’ like all its neighbours.
Pointedly it just starkly announces: “Ben Hall, shot 5th May 1865”. For me the fascinating thing, however, is that the white pebbles which make up the centrepiece of the plot have been showered with coins10’s, 20’s, 50’s and a few dollar pieces. Their significance escapes me and I
can find no relevant explanation when I hit Google later. All this might be moot because a distant relative of Hall reckons it’s probably not his bones beneath.
Ben Hall isn’t the main reason I’m here, so I head over to the Jewish section where, unlocked, is the only above-fi rmament crypt in the entire fi eld.
There’re no signs for the two graves within the only plot here, no wellworn path to its side, no plaque proclaiming the deeds of those interred. Without infamy, it seems there is no fame.
The graves are the final resting places for the bones of Levy Vandenberg who died in 1894 and his wife, Phoebe who followed him two years later. And I’m interested in it because last night I rested long and deep at Forbes’s Vandenberg Hotel which the same Levy founded three years before Ben Hall was killed.
It was touted back then as the ‘most comfortable hotel on the Western Line’ and for the 42 years that first Levy Vandenberg and then his son owned it, the place was officially known as the Court House Hotel in recognition of the Local Law Courts directly in front of it across what today is still a magnificent, fountain and shade-filled park.
Like most pubs back then it was however referred to eponymously as “Vandenberg’s” and when it was sold in 1903, probably partly in an effort to cash in on the name and partly in recognition of the contribution of the family to both the town of Forbes and the pub in particular, the new owner changed the official name to that of the founder.
I’d spent the previous night, a Saturday, camping beside the Cobb Hwy north of Hay and after a 400km ride in 40+ degrees the sight of this grand old hotel with sagging balcony facing out to the park is a vision of pure impending respite.
I park Super Ten out the front and head inside where it’s a very quiet Sunday arvo with owner Grant behind the bar and just a couple of fellas on my side.
Grant, who runs the place with lifepartner, Kim is a short barrel of a bloke with a bull neck beginning at the top of his ears. No surprise to hear that he spent a few winters with his noggin in a scrum playing for Wenty in the Parramatta comp.
He grew up on a farm out Tullamore way but sold up in 1990 and moved to Sydney where as he says, ‘things
Immensely good
Two nights before I stayed here, at the oldest hotel in Forbes, I’d overnighted at another hotel. Each room cost me 5O bucks.
This hotel’s room had no air-con, no ceiling fan, the windows had no screens, the sashes were broken, there was no guests’ fridge and no common room for making a brew in the morning. When I asked a bloke working the bar about this last facility he blankly told me, “If we gave you coffee making facilities for free you wouldn’t buy our coffee.” (Got news for you bud, after that I would NEVER buy your coffee!)
For the same price, my Vandenberg room had air-con, ceiling fans, a jug, mini-fridge, electric blankets and doors opening out onto a brilliant veranda. There was off-street parking, free wi-fi, and a host who was actually connected with his town and his pub’s history and story and who was, well who was hospitable!
As a bike rider, and as a writer of pubs, I enjoyed my stay at the Vandenberg immensely. Needless to say the value is almost off the charts at over 200 on our scale where 100 is decent. Its unique character is up with the best at 5/5 and the only thing bringing it down from 5 helmets was the lack of undercover locked parking and any special offers or facilities for riders. Four Helmets for a Hotel I’ll be back to soon!
turned sour very quickly.’ He worked in the hotel at Cremorne opposite Mike Walsh’s cinema and at night returned to an empty flat. But he learnt the ropes of pub work and in 2002 returned to Forbes and bought one of the ten pubs in town, the second oldest in the place, The Vandenberg. It was a baptism of fire and it wasn’t a learning curve, more like a vertical cliff!
He took possession on December 14th just in time for the Christmas rush and he remembers thinking midway through his first day, “What the fuck have I taken on here?”
On New Years Eve the temps hit 47 degrees and his beer lines went down. Service was bottles only. It could only get better in the coming year he figured.
Things settled down and he got the hang of it, trying different things. He’s twice had TAB betting in the place but, “it does bugger all for the pub and it does bugger all to attract the people I want in the place – families,” so he got rid of it. For now there’s five pokies out the back somewhere and Keno in the bar to cater for those who think life itself isn’t a big enough gamble.
In February 2009 the Vandenberg became the oldest pub in Forbes when the Albion hotel just 12 months older and just up the road was burnt down. It was the week of the annual Bedgerabong Races and the town was packed but fortunately, no-one was staying there that night.
“It was an amazing fi re,” chimes in one of the locals, “there was a howling southerly blowing but there wasn’t a storm or anything and a bloke swore he saw lightning hit the pub’s tower which was at the north end of the pub. So how the fl ames spread so fast against a wind like that was incredible.”
The heritage listed building was beyond repair and a sculpture park has been created on its grave. One of the biggest works is a rampant bull. I can’t help but wonder whether the artist was across Aussie slang and intended it to be a red steer or perhaps just a load of bull. Another work is a take on Rodin’s “The Thinker’. My hat’s off to the curator!
Since then three other pubs in Forbes have closed leaving the town with six.
I pull out some old clippings about the pub and the Vandenbergs in the 1800s and early 1900s and Grant is across them all. Like some sort of poker game, he pulls out his own collection including some totally new to me. Here’s a publican who fully embraces the story of his place and who acutely feels a sense of custody towards it.
He ducks out to get something and I turn to Craig who’s sitting next to me, his walking frame parked beside. He’s probably nudging 50 or so and he’s “been busted up by horses, by bulls, by coming off second best at too many rodeos. I’m not too bad now – last year I was in a wheelchair but now I can drive and work.”
I ask him the best way to get back to Sydney where I’m headed in the morning.
“Would you go via Canowindra and Carcoar?”
“Nah I wouldn’t go that way.”
“Ah, so you’d head to Toogong and Orange, eh?’
“Nah I wouldn’t go that way.”
“So which way would you go?”
“Ah,” he pauses, “I just wouldn’t go. I went there when I was around 19 and didn’t like it. Couldn’t see what the fuss was about.”
When Grant gets back he’s holding a silver trophy cup. A few years back a letter arrived at the pub addressed simply to the ‘Publican’. It was a letter from an old lady up near Surfers Paradise and it had some photos of this cup which she’d bought at a garage sale about 20 years previously. The inscription showed it’d been presented by L. Vandenberg to the local cricket team in 1900.
Grant didn’t trust the post so he jumped in his car and drove to Queensland, forked over 50 bucks ( “I would’ve paid ten times that!” ) and brought it back to its “only rightful place”.
The locals have evaporated and now I’m the only one in the bar, but even empty, the place has a homey feel. There’s no food on Sundays but the RSL is right next door and ‘if you want
a feed, you’ve got to get there before 8.30,’ so I unload the bike and park it in the closeable walkway at the side of the pub.
Upstairs the rooms are beautifully kept. Most, like mine, open out onto the balcony from where Nellie Melba once sang. There’re separate bathrooms and toilets for men and women although the water pressure is so weak it must be prostate affected.
In the morning I have a brew on the balcony and watch the sun slowly bathe the town hall just off to my right before heading out to the cemetery.
On the way back I stop at the house where the sprinkler is now showering plants inside the front fence, knock on the door and ask the elderly lady for a favour. As I hold the sprinkler head over my head and the water streams down inside my jacket, soaking every part of me, she tells me about what a great job Grant and Kim are doing at the pub and for the town.
She also tells me the common theory about the burning of the Albion but I’m damn sure our legal department would advise that printing it here, like the possibility that Ben Hall is not under his headstone and like not maintaining and highlighting the crypt of the Vandenbergs, would be a grave mistake. D
FAREWELL THE KING OF CUSTOMISERS
Arlen Ness has gone to the great paint booth in the sky WORDS ROBIN HARTFIEL* ph O t OS THE BEAR
“Motorcycling has been a great ride… my whole life since I’ve been motorcycling has been wonderful,” said Arlen Ness when I interviewed him after he was recognized with the Lifetime Achievement honors by the Sturgis Motorcycle Museum & Hall Of Fame in 2016. Sadly the ride came to an end for the King of Custom motorcycles on March 22, 2019, after battling with bone cancer. With few words, Arlen conveyed his priorities every day: family and friends. “I’ve met so many nice people. Friends all over the world… We can go almost anyplace and stay with friends. It’s been great.”
The most important things in Arlen’s life were his wife of 59 years Beverly, his children, grandchildren, friends and motorcycles… in that order. However motorcycles almost never happened. “I discovered motorcycles when I was in high school… I loved them,” said Arlen.
“Of course my father wouldn’t let me have one.” Instead, he married his high school sweetheart Beverly soon after graduation. “And my wife didn’t want me to have a motorcycle either.”
Arlen admitted he saved a little money “on the side” and actually bought a bike a couple years after he and Beverly had been married. “It was a 1947 Knucklehead with a suicide clutch… I stalled it 10 times trying to get it half a block. The garage door was open and I pulled in and gunned the engine a couple of times. She opened the back door, took one look and SLAMMED the door. She didn’t talk to me for a couple of days.”
Despite this inauspicious start, “she got used to it. I’ve had that same bike over 50 years, so I guess she is okay with it.” In 1970, Arlen and Beverly opened their first store. Arlen kept his day job and worked on bikes at night. “It was really
hard when we first opened the store because nobody wanted to rent space to a motorcycle shop.”
Even after he found the space, rent was $75 a month. “We were really sweating whether we could afford that.” After a week or so, a customer came in and spent $300!
“I made $100 profit, so I called my wife and she came down to the shop and we had a couple of cocktails to celebrate. I thought, ‘Man, this is something! I would have to work a whole week at my other job to make that much.’”
One year later Arlen quit his day job and began concentrating on his passion for custom motorcycles.
“Ram Horn” handlebars were Alren’s first product. “Then I made a fiberglass rear fender to fit on a Sportster… those were my first parts and I just kind of added to it and added to it.” Pretty soon there was enough to fill a little catalog, then a larger catalog. The
current version of Arlen’s little catalog is now 200 pages packed with parts and accessories for Harley-Davidson, Victory and Indian motorcycles.
“We just kept getting busier and busier.” Arlen stripped down his Knucklehead and began experimenting with his spray gun. Soon there was a growing list of people asking Arlen if he could do a nice paint job like that on their bikes.
So what is the best bike Arlen ever built? “The Smooth Ness bike is probably my favorite of all.” In fact it is still on display at his Dublin, California, dealership because he can’t bear to sell it. Derived from an early coach-built Bugatti, Smooth Ness demonstrates Arlen’s ability to create flowing lines and mastery of paint… hallmarks of all his bikes over the decades.
“I’m lucky that some of my bikes turned out likable.” He and Beverly also created a bike building dynasty.
The Ness custom family now includes son Cory and grandsons Zach and Max making them the only three-generation family of custom builders.
Eventually Arlen caught the eye of Victory Motorcycles. They gave him a bike to build and it ended up on a couple of magazine covers so Victory put Arlen under contract to design parts and accessories for America’s other motorcycle. Eventually Victory had the Ness family designing entire motorcycles for them.
“We were under contract with Victory Motorcycles for 15 years.” Ultimately Arlen, Cory and Zach all made indelible marks with a series of signature models and product for Victory. “We did a lot of stuff for them and they did a lot of stuff for us, that’s for sure.” Then they have turned their collective talents to Indian Motorcycles and the legend continued to expand.
1. The Ness workshop in Dublin, California, is filled with results of Arlen’s prodigious inspiration.
2. Arlen created the Hamsters motorcycle club as a sardonic comment on more extreme clubs.
3. It’s worth making the trek to Dublin to see the results of three generations of Ness magic.
4. Serving as both shop and workshop, the Dublin premises are beautifully designed.
5. The Bear with Arlen Ness during one of his visits.
Not bad for a guy who’s father and wife wouldn’t let him have a motorcycle!
*Long-time editor of U.S. trade journal Dealernews and fellow CHUMP. D
PORTLAND, VIC – KEITH, SA
Ahoy, Keith!
PORTLAND
Portland is the oldest European settlement in the state of Victoria and apart from supplying pretty much everything you need before setting out on your trip, there are some good sights to see. They include the Portland Powerhouse Motor and Car Museum, Whaler’s Bluff Lighthouse, Portland Botanical Gardens, World War II Memorial Lookout, Cape Nelson Lighthouse and the useful Portland Visitor Information Centre.
NELSON
Situated on Glenelg River, some two kilometres from the mouth, it still provides views of the ocean across the sand hills to the south on either side of the river estuary. The area offers close proximity to wild ocean beaches, the beautiful estuary of the river and the surrounding Lower Glenelg National Park. Within easy reach for a leisurely day trip there are extensive wineries, shopping in Mount Gambier and Portland or dining on crayfish in season at Port MacDonnell.
PRINCESS MARGARET ROSE CAVES
Princess Margaret Rose Caves is an “Underground Wonderland” set in the natural bush surrounds of the Lower Glenelg National Park. Arguably one of the most decorated caves per square metre in Australia and located only 30 minutes from Mount Gambier and 15 minutes from Nelson.
Wonder at Mother Nature’s gifts, see stalactites, stalagmites, helictites, rimstone pools, cave coral and many other amazing
Head west on Portland-Nelson Road to, yep, you guessed it, Nelson. About 4.5km out of Nelson you can take the optional sightseeing section to Princess Margaret Rose Caves. You need to turn right onto Border Road, and then head through Donovans onto Dry Creek Road. When you get to a sharp left turn after 3km or so you’ll see a dirt road to the right. If you want to ride this dirt shortcut section, by all means do and turn right at the end once you get back to the bitumen; if you don’t you’ll need to continue on another couple of kilometres for the right turn onto Princess Margaret Rose Caves Road. Once you’re back on the main route this is Glenelg River Road, which takes you into Mount Gambier. Head North out of Mount Gambier on Riddoch Highway which will take you all the way to Keith.
TEAR-OUT MAP #75
formations on the 45-minute guided tour with a professional interpretive offi cer. Visit www. princessmargaretrosecave.com for more. Unfortunately, Princess Margaret is not in residence.
MOUNT GAMBIER
The second most populous city in South Australia with an estimated urban population of 28,684. The city is located on the slopes of Mount Gambier (a dormant volcano) and well known for its geographical features, particularly its volcanic and limestone ones, most notably its Blue Lake, parks and gardens, caves and sinkholes. The peak of the dormant volcano was the fi rst place in South Australia named by European explorers. It was sighted in 1800 by Lieutenant James Grant from the survey brig, HMS Lady Nelson, and named for Lord James Gambier, Admiral of the Fleet. The peak is marked by Centenary Tower, built in 1901 to
commemorate the fi rst sighting, and at 192m above sea level the landmark is the city’s highest point.
PENOLA
Penola is in the wine growing area known as the Coonawarra. It is known as the central location in the life of Mary MacKillop, the fi rst Australian to gain Roman Catholic sainthood, who alongside Julian Tenison Woods in 1866 established the fi rst free Catholic school using the Woods/ MacKillop Catholic education system, in Australia.
Penola was on the Mount Gambier to Wolseley railway line which opened in 1887 until its closure to freight on 12 April 1995 and then to Limestone Coast Railway tourist passengers on 1 July 2006.
NARACOORTE
Naracoorte is one of the most well-known towns within the
Limestone Coastal region of South Australia. There are many things to see and do in this picturesque town with a number of historic and scenic attractions for visitors.
A visit to Naracoorte will not be complete without a tour to the Sheep’s Back Wool Museum. This museum is an educational and entertaining venue, where you can learn more about wool yield information and a lot about sheep farming.
Other popular points of Naracoorte are the Tourist Office and the two notable bank buildings. Each of these buildings showcases beautiful architecture of the nineteenth century. Another impressive architectural establishment of Naracoorte is the Struan House, a typical Victorian mansion built in the late 19th century.
The city also has several natural attractions including the Naracoorte Caves Conservation Park and the Bool Lagoon Game Reserve. D
PEUGEOT DJANGO 150
Enter the lion WORDS THE BEAR PHOTOS BEN GALLI
WE ARE ALL influenced by the language we speak and read, not least in our understanding of history. Our attention naturally shifts to innovators who spoke the same language we do and who therefore made our history books – but that means we can easily be wrong. Quick, who built the first series production motorcycles in the world? No, it wasn’t Excelsior in England. It was Hildebrand & Wolfmüller in Germany.
And who is the oldest continuous motorcycle manufacturer in the world? No, it’s not Royal Enfield; it’s Peugeot Motocycles. The company presented its first ‘motorcycle’ (a trike) at the 1898 Paris Motor Show. It was powered by a De DionBouton engine, also a French product from the then-largest automobile manufacturer in the world. That engine was allegedly copied by both Indian and Harley-Davidson.
Peugeot Freres began as a foundry to make all sorts of metal parts for, well, all sorts of things, although one of its main purposes was to supply the family’s factories with the makings of their famous coffee grinders. At last – a genuine connection between
motorcyclists and coffee. Peugeot continued to develop motorcycles after introducing their initial bike, and were successful in setting world records and winning races. But it wasn’t until 1953 that they launched their fi rst scooter, the S55. This was well after Vespa, introduced in 1946, and Lambretta a year later. Nevertheless, the scooters were a major success and formed the beginnings of a range that continues to this day.
The Australian range will include seven models – the three-wheeler Metropolis 400, Belville 200, Tweet 125, Kisbee 50 and three versions of the Django 150: the Evasion, Allure and Sport S with different equipment levels. With the other scoots still going through ADR testing, I recently got to ride both the Django Evasion and Allure. The S with its single saddle and rear carrier replacing the pillion seat was on offer too, but I was having too much fun on the other versions to get around to it.
Fun on a 150cc scooter? You bet. The Django
only has 12 inch wheels, pretty much standard for scooters with that engine size, which can give the suspension a hard time. But its combination of telescopic fork and twin hydraulic shocks cope pretty well. The air cooled four-stroke engine provides decent acceleration off the lights with top power at 7.5kW and 9.2Nm of torque which both seem to be accessible reasonably early. Turn-in is light and handling overall manages the balance between ponderous and skittish that’s so vital on a scooter. I found the Django simply effortless to ride.
Fun, in other words, with what Peugeot quite correctly calls ‘modern retro design’. Added benefits include
the classy paint jobs – make mine the ‘vitamine orange’ and cream –and excellent build quality. Unlike the Vespa, the Peugeot Django has plastic bodywork. I know that there are ‘traditionalists’ who will recoil in horror at this, but let’s face it, even some sports cars now have part or even all plastic bodywork. I can’t say that I worry very much about the material the body is made from. I suspect it also helps to keep the prices down, with the Evasion and
the Sport S at $4990 and the Allure at $5190, both plus on road costs.
As you can probably see from the photos, the riding position is comfortable and the ergonomics are good. Retractable footpegs serve the pillion. The seat is low at 770mm but still has room under it for an open face or small full face helmet and there are two lockable doors in the leg shield, one for the fuel filler and the other for storage and phone charging. Between them there’s also
a retracting bag hook. Rack and a 34 litre top box are available for the Allure, along with a wide range of accessories for the entire range.
The Django has an analog speedo graduated in mph and km/h. The digital instrument screen has blue backlighting with a fuel gauge, odometer, trip meter, outside temperature indicator, time, battery charge indicator – and a freeze indicator. You’ll appreciate that if you live in Bathurst, Mount Hotham
or Tasmania. ABS is standard on the front wheel and blinkers are LED.
How will the Django hold up in everyday use? Well, a couple of blokes recently rode Djangos from Paris to Ho Chi Minh City in tribute to Serge Gracium and Michel Vaslin who made the reverse journey in 1956 on Peugeot S57 scooters. That’s a pretty good test. Around town in Melbourne, the closest we could come to Paris or Ho Chi Minh City, the scooters performed well. With enough punch to get away from the lights (after fi ltering through the traffi c, which I learned to my horror is illegal!) the Django makes a stylish and affordable mount in anybody’s language. D
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JUST GOAnywhere
CoMpILEd BY THE BEAR
LET’S GO TO JAPAN
The FIRSt tIme I visited Japan was to ride Honda’s brandnew 500cc Turbo, or Obrut as it became known for the reverse writing on the front of its fairing. That was 49
years ago. I swore then that one day, I would ride Japan’s amazing roads. Still haven’t. I’ve now been there quite a few more times, but somehow the opportunity to ride kept escaping me. I haven’t been as clever as my sadly departed friend and colleague Brian Woodward, who asked at a car launch
“Hi Bear,” writes Peter, Bear Army Trooper #10. “I made sure that I brought home evidence of my recent assault on the Dolomites. It was only a recon mission and I reckon there will need to be many more Bear Army tours of duty to even come close to conquering the area. What a great place to ride!”
How true, Trooper, how true. Maybe we should launch an all-out invasion? The Bear Army is ready to deploy.
if he could drive out on the road, not just the track. When he realized that his hosts were desperately trying to put him off by claiming it was dangerous, he produced his membership card from the Grand Prix kart track near Sydney and waved it at them with his finger carefully placed over the word ‘kart’.
“I’m a Grand Prix driver!” he said, “I laugh at danger!” They let him drive, but under close supervision.
Anyway, I still haven’t managed to organise a ride in Japan. So you can imagine how annoyed I was when I received the following email from Phil Freeman, the founder of US-based tour operator MotoQuest. Phil and I are friends, but he’s stretching the friendship with this…
“Ever wanted to get lost in the
1. The food in Japan is just outstanding.
2. Japanese roads are as picturesque as the rest of the country.
3. Staying in small inns adds romance to the ride.
majesty of Japan? Composed of nearly 6,900 individual islands, this showcase of Mother Nature is littered with truly unique landscapes, much of which remain largely untouched by modern society. I have been leading motorcycle adventures there for more than 15 years.
“Our two founding adventures are the Three Island Tour, where the blooming cherry blossoms leave you spellbound, and the Hokkaido Explore, highlighted by the open roads and breathtaking scenery of the country’s northernmost island.
“These two adventures are world class, but I’ve always wanted to show one more magical aspect of Japanthe autumn colors. And this aligns with a spectacle of the motorcycle variety - MotoGP’s annual Grand Prix of Japan. That spawned our 13day Japan MotoGP Adventure.
“On this mid-October tour, you’ll experience the epic and mountainous coast along the Sea of Japan, the tranquil beauty of the Japanese Alps, the sacred wonder of Mt. Fuji, the
slow and peaceful pace of Shikoku Island, and of course, the energy of Motegi, home of the Grand Prix at the legendary Twin Ring.
“Twin Ring Motegi awaits as we kick off the Grand Prix weekend. You’ll be given a fi rstclass MotoGP experience over the span of two days. On Day 1, you can make the course your own during qualifying by checking out every vantage point of the famed circuit, and take a stroll through the pits to catch a glimpse of “The Doctor” Valentino Rossi and the sport’s current king, seven-time champ Marc Marquez. We’ll even pay a visit to Honda’s Collection Hall, which takes you on a trip through history. On Day 2, we’ll be front and center, in the heart of the grandstands, to watch the battle for victory unfold. The adventure doesn’t stop once we say goodbye to the Twin Ring, as Japan’s most storied sites await on our ride down the eastern coast.
“For an adventure such as this
with the Grand Prix of Japan, tickets need to be purchased no later than June. We limit our groups to 12, so if you want to be one of the select riders hypnotized by Japan’s beauty, register now.” Damn you, Freeman. At precisely that time I’m booked to ride Canada. Ah well, maybe Japan will be next year for me…
The bike I’ll be riding in Canada is, coincidentally, borrowed from MotoQuest in Portland, Oregon. Their motorcycle rental program can take you anywhere from a run down the scenic coastline of Mexico’s Baja California Peninsula (which I did recently on one of their bikes), to your own expedition across the wild wonders of Alaska. They also offer complimentary route consultation to and from their four major locations in Long Beach, San Francisco, Portland, and Anchorage. Check their website for more information - https:// www.motoquest.com/ .
New Zealand’s only BMW Motorrad approved Travel Partner
Guided and self-guided tours and rentals RIDE WITH THE BEST.
The EU has kindly built some excellent roads in Spain.
PERHAPS A FOOD AND WINE TRIP
IMTBIKE has a new tour: “Portugal & Spain - Land of Vineyards.” That sounds good to me already… IMTBIKE is the veteran
motorcycle tour and rental company in Spain, and they’re proud to announce a new tour designed to explore the prestigious wine regions in northern Portugal and Spain. Having ridden northern Spain with them, I can recommend these blokes too. They know their countries.
“This 15-day tour starts and ends in Madrid and will lead you through famous wine country such as La Rioja, Ribera del Duero, Rueda,
JOURNEYS
They don’t call it Green Spain for nothing.
Portugal doesn’t lag behind its bigger neighbor with bike roads.
El Bierzo, Douro and Porto,”
IMTBIKE says. “This tour will also highlight many historical cities with vestiges of castles and fortresses along the way. All this and the sweet smell of freshly pressed grapes in the air! This tour will also highlight delicious local gastronomy and of course regional wines. As always, all IMTBIKE hotels are hand-picked for their quality, charm and location.
There’s more at https://www. imtbike.com/tours/portugal/ portugal-central-spain-tour/ or you can contact them at www.IMTBIKE. com, or email: tours@imtbike.com.
OR MAYBE SOUTHERN AFRICA
Compass Expeditions, an Australianbased company which offers rides in some of the most wonderful and amazing places around the world, has just released the Safari Africa tour itinerary for May 2020. That gives you plenty of time to save up, and to book your holidays.
“Safari Africa offers an incredible journey through Southern Africa
that has it all,” they tell us, “from epic wildlife experiences in renowned national parks to evening gatherings of wildlife at waterholes inside private game reserves. We ride the world’s oldest desert and visit towering mountains of dunes that glow red at sunrise, we ride breathtaking coastal roads that hug cliffs towering above the shoreline, we meet cultures that defy belief, they are so removed from our own. If remote empty tracks, endless star laden skies, unique African cultures and diverse stunning landscapes are your thing then this epic 14-day ride is your ride.”
Having ridden with Compass, I am happy to recommend their tours. There is more information on the tour webpage: http://www. compassexpeditions.com/tours/ safari-africa/
THIRD HAND BILL
After ten years of leading tours in the USA and Italy, Bill Kniegge as decided that (coincidentally) Portugal and Iceland will also get the nod.
Julian Alps, Bovec, Bled Lake, Bohinj Lake, Soca River valley, Piran, Vrsic pass, Skocjan Caves, Lipizzaner horses, Wine growing regions
August 10 - 18
“Anyone who has ridden the fabulous mountains, valleys and coast line of Portugal and Northern Spain will vouch for their excitement, and that has motivated us to develop this tour for our 2019 calendar,” says Bill. “This region is still a bit ‘under-the-radar’ [but not much longer by the looks of it! – The Bear] for tourists and that is a wonderful thing for motorcycle riding enthusiasts. Iceland’s stunning moonlike landscape is comprised of glaciers, geysers, volcanoes, giant waterfalls, and arctic deserts. Seeing is believing and we simply had to share it.”
Motorcycle industry veteran and enthusiast Bill Kniegge founded Blue Strada Motorcycle Tours—www. bluestradatours.com — in 2008 and has been leading small groups of motorcyclists on fantastic riding roads in the Smoky and Blue Ridge Mountains ever since. “Tour guests from all over the world come to ride 3-7 day tours, often ending up in a mountain-top inn or a historic farm house with fabulous food and mountain music,” says Bill.
One Californian guest suggests, “Bill
adriaticmototours.com
is like a third hand to enthusiasts that want to enjoy riding these amazing roads without a worry as to where to go, where to stay, where to eat, and equally important, how to avoid missing an important turn in the road and/or getting lost.”
Smoky Mountain Tour guests ride or trailer [this is America – The Bear] their bikes to a great starting point like Asheville or Little Switzerland, NC. A variety of motorcycle rentals are available from www. ashevillemotorcyclerentals.com. Bill says, “Make the most of your motorcycle holiday. Ride, enjoy and let us do all the work.” For questions about Blue Strada Tours, call Bill at 704.292.8801 or visit www. bluestradatours.com.
WHAT ABOUT SOUTH AMERICA
Have you ever thought about sampling the riding in Peru, Bolivia and northern Chile? It’s a true adventure not to be missed, according to Ride True Adventure. The Andes plateau is their favourite tour among the 71 countries they operate in. It's safe, rich in culture, full of breathtaking landscapes and one of the most beautiful rides on the planet. If you wish to discover the Andes plateau with Ride True these are their next departures: MAY 27 - JUNE 12, 2019, JUNE 17JULY 3, 2019, JULY 8 - 24, 2019, JULY 24 - AUGUST 14, 2019, SEPTEMBER 9 - 25, 2019 SEPTEMBER 30OCTOBER 16, 2019.
You are free to ride the Andes plateau within the convoy, following the leader and with the support vehicle right behind you. Or you can ride ahead of the convoy (you need a device able to read and navigate the Ride True .gpx trail) and enjoy this adventure at your own pace.
Either way, you ride the same roads, fuel up at the same stations, eat in the same villages and lodge in the same hotels. If you get a fl at, the support vehicle will eventually catch up with you and fi x your tyre within few minutes.
Ride True ADV Motorcycle Tours, transport, rentals & unforgettable riding experiences can be contacted at info@ridetrueadventures.com . D
Iceland has a lot to offer, just stay away from the ‘pickled’ shark!
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:
- Spain, Portugal, Morocco, Europe and Thailand www.imtbike.com tours@imtbike.com
MOTOLOMBIA TOURS & RENTALS - Colombia, Ecuador,
PARADISE MOTORCYCLE TOURS – New Zealand & European Alps www.paradisemotorcycletours.co.nz
RIDE THE WORLD - Australia, India, South Africa, Vietnam, USA Adventure rides out of Las Vegas www.ridetheworld.com.au david@ridetheworld.com.au
SERENDIB MOTORCYCLING ADVENTURES – Sri Lanka www.SerendibMotorcycling Adventures.com info@SerendibMotorcycling Adventures.com
SOUTH PACIFIC MOTORCYCLE 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
Newsflash!
Leprechaun’s run amuck in Melbourne sprinkling fairy-dust. It is believed all scooters and commuter bikes have been replaced by a weird new style of transport utilising ‘guilt-free’ technology. Citizens are astonished and the value of petrol station’s plummet.
The promise of the new SuperSoco TS using a few cents worth of household power, cabled in to the 18-kilogram battery living in a compartment which looks like the fuel tank to ferry us around the Melbourne CBD during our launch-day touched my little green heart.
The 78kg TS is pitched at our local commuter market as well as the camper/caravan crowd for whom the $4990 ride away motorcycle (which can be ridden on a car license in certain states) brings affordable and ‘green’ credentials. The first of an anticipated three model line-up is slotted into the LA legislation which rates the 2400W monster into the same category as a 50cc scooter. This is theoretically ‘pulling the skin off a rice-pudding' territory.
If a 50cc twist-and-go is de rigueur for inner-city buzzing around, then the TS feels 50 generations more refined. As with most electric powered things the torque is immediate as you twist the throttle drum and away she flies in one gear ration. Zero to the top speed of 50kmh comes up at a similar pace to a two-stroke scoot and the smoothness is exceptional. You can just about hear the road and the friction of the 17-inch tyres rolling across the tarmac such is the quietness of the battery powered unit. I am going a little deaf (blame a life on screaming petrol driven machinery and racetrack speeds) and within my sexy AGV jet helmet all I could hear was my breathing.
The motor mounted within the rear wheel makes no noise whining or whirling, unlike the Makita drill expectation I had had. The Bosch 17-inch high performance motor is eerily silent.
The ride is part pushbike, part scoot and part ultra-light motorcycle and while the braking is more than satisfactory, the ride is a little choppy and comfort is better than a push-bike. This is kit designed and made for a short commute to the office or Uni from a radius of maybe 20 kilometres. Any more would be a chore and also start to push the range of the battery.
The dash showed 50 kilometres to zero charge on the second setting of three. The full-power setting I used to play catchup (after the photographer did his filming) to the group ahead improves the pick-up markedly although it also shortens the range noticeably. There is room for another battery if you choose to buy one which will slot in beside the existing one. This will, predictably enough, double the range.
Head marketing guru Mal Jarrett, a name you hear regularly here, giving the rundown while he had us trapped in the observation pod at Melbourne Star, pointed out that
the removable battery has about 1000 recharges before needing replacing at $1000 a pop. Each battery consists of dozens of highperformance lithium-ion-cells and is controlled by an intelligent battery management system (BMS).
That is maybe two to three years' worth of commuting coming in at less than a $1 day. Add the plugin charge from your domestic or solar infrastructure and it will easily beat a bus anyway for economy. Servicing looks simple, more the odd adjustment and check-over than servicing in the way we knew growing up (did we ever?).
Is the Soco fun? Stylish? Even geek-embracing interesting?
Fun isn’t really the description. More crazy-silly laugh at yourself and smirk along with people around you. The attention it garnered on our ride was nothing short of bizarre. The funky looks seemed to draw attention to the slim, modern looking two-wheeler. Kids smiled, drivers shook their heads and life seemed more joyful, especially after our ice-cream stop. The noiseless feature does allow certain liberties in traffic but you can’t become complacent with pedestrians. Their plugged-in mobile devices
The Soco is a smart bit of kit using a keyless fob to unlock the bike and this also controls a system that locks up the rear wheel, preventing someone from pushing the bike away. The running lights are LED and very bright. I think more ‘tuning’ needs be performed on the software to smooth out the constant throttle to prevent some surging and I didn’t have time to grasp how or if the regenerating system works under braking. Maybe I should have consulted my primary
school attending son?
I liked the look of SuperSoCo when I first saw it in Milan in 2017 and pushed the envelope getting my shots published by Stu in the report. Geeks? They will have much to like and discuss although at the moment I can’t tell you if a solar panel will charge up the system or if you are reliant on 240V plug-in. Take a look at the overall quality and design, especially the instruments and controls, and you will know that China will be producing a massive percentage of electric-motor rides in the future. D
QBE IntErnAtIonAl FEstIvAl oF spEEd
The 2019 eDitioN of the QBE International Festival of Speed was poised to be very exciting with a good mix of local and international talent. Extremely heavy and consistent rain put an end to the racing halfway through the final day with the headline races of the QBE TT Cup not able to complete their final two races. But they weren’t the only highlights of the meeting, there were many other exciting races on the scheduled 59 race program.
For me, the highlight was always going to be Alex Pickett riding my mate Chris’s (Alex’s dad) and my Yamaha FZR1000 in the Period 6 1300 races and the RB Racing Fastest Top 50 (from P4, P5, P6 Unlimited and Pre Modern F1), as well as the big bad Suzuki GSX1260 in the QBE TT Cup.
I’ll start with the GSX as the fun was mostly in the pit garage with this bike. An electrical gremlin meant Alex didn’t get to qualify and had to start from the back of the grid for the first race. Alex got up to 7th and was gaining on John McGuiness when John’s bike expired meaning Alex finished in a credible 6th with all the ‘big boys’ for him to battle with in the next race. Unfortunately when Alex returned to the garage he said the bike had a bad vibration in the engine, so rather than risk blowing it to the next universe, we decided to park it for the meeting. A full strip down and freshen up is what’s in store for the big bad GSX.
For the FZR, Alex went out and qualified 3rd and in his usual style - only completing three timed laps. No use wearing it out!
In the dry Alex complained about a lot of wheel spin so I worked that through with him and reduced it somewhat, improving his laptimes by another second down to a 1.37, until the rain hit. Alex was rather nervous, which you would find weird for someone who’s raced at the IoM TT and Irish Road Races! He said to me he’d never raced on full wets, so I discussed with him riding on the road in the rain and had a laugh about him racing through cow shit in Ireland and said it’s just like the road only with more grip, no diesel, no slippery manhole covers and so on. I also said to ease into it and see what happens at the end.
Ease into he did, Alex was sitting in third on the first lap, moved up to second right behind ex-ASBK rider, Jason Cullen and
on the final lap went past into the lead and pulled just over a second gap! Alex came in and said he had no idea just how much grip there was with the FZR pulling wheelstands out of turn three and onto the main straight! Big balls that boy! The other races mainly saw Alex come in third, but I made a huge mistake for one of the P6 races which resulted in Alex not starting. I misread the race schedule and at the last second realised he was meant to go out. We missed getting out onto the grid and Alex was caught at pit exit. I forgot to tell him to turn the bike off as it would overheat. By the time I’d run down pitlane it had overheated – race over. No damage was done to the engine, thankfully.
On the final day of racing the rain bucketed down consistently all day. We had a P6 1300 race and the final Top 50 race one after each other. Jason Cullen and Alex had a great fight after Alex had to back off from a four second lead, slowing for a fallen rider in the P6 1300 race. Jason pipped Alex just over the line, and Alex sat behind Jason most of the time in the final Top 50 race as no matter
if he won or not he wasn’t going to top Jason’s points lead. Nonetheless they crossed the line only .7 of a second apart.
Jeremy McWilliams also went out in the final Top 50 race, which saw Jason and Alex pull a six second gap to him. Jeremy retired halfway through and said it was the worst conditions he’s ever raced in. When Alex came in he said the water from turn six to seven was about 2030cm deep! For Jason and Alex to whirl in a 1.56 min lap time in conditions like this is amazing.
The final results for Alex were a 3rd place in Period 6 1300 and 2nd in the RB Racing Fastest Top 50. A great weekend of racing despite the weather and my stuff up.
Of the other races a big mention (again) must go to Aaron Morris. He is simply a class above everyone and anyone in the classic racing scene. Aaron set a new lap record on an FZR1000 of 1.32.8 and on the Katana he raced at the Island Classic, a 1.33.9. Think about this for a minute. These laptimes are on bikes over 30 years old and when you consider the modern superbikes (which have
much more power and electronics) aren’t really that much faster you start to realise just how astonishingly fast these times are. Aaron mentioned to me he’s trying to get a bike together to race the final two rounds of ASBK – it will be great to see.
The headline QBE TT Cup saw Paul Byrne win from Glen Richards and Michael Rutter third. The ‘Poms’ had come over riding the extremely fast Roger Winfield XR69 based Yamahas and seeing some big names wandering through the pits was a great highlight for the spectators. I personally can’t wait for next year’s QBE International Festival of Speed and so should you. Mark the calendar for one of the weekends in March 2020.
A big shout out must go to the people that help keep this bike at the front – Pirelli (Link International) first and foremost for the best grip levels dry and wet, NG Discs, Venhill brake lines, SBS brake pads (Kenma), 2SUS Custom Resprays for the shiny paint and the amazing crew at D Moto Motorcycle Engineering without whom this bike would never have hit the track and be so fast. D
FAT-FREE DONUTS
Lay down some black stuff COMPILED BY STUART
EVERY MOTORCYCLE
has a pair (or triplet) of tyres and it’s essential they be in good condition for your safety and enjoyment. So as we do every year, we put the call out to the various suppliers to let us/you know about the latest and greatest black round things on the planet!
BRIDGESTONE
www.mcleodaccessories.com.au
AX41S
Fronts from $189.95, Rears from $279.95
The new Battlax Adventurecross Scrambler (AX41S) gives attitude, fashion, design and performance all in the one. A lot of research went into
S22
Front - $199.95, Rears from $269.95
Bridgestone’s new hypersport tyre allows you to experience the full potential of your motorcycle on the road. Technical upgrades over the previous S21 show improvements in all areas. Light handling, loads of feel,
making sure the right look (combined with performance) was achieved for both Scrambler and Café Racer machines. Compounds and technology from Bridgestone’s sport touring range of tyres give great performance.
increased cornering speed and mega amounts of wet and dry grip offer a thrilling ride.
AX41
Fronts from $169.95, Rears from $249.95
The new adventure trail off-road
tyre from Bridgestone, Battlax Adventurecross AX41 gives you on and off-road grip, stability and durability to go anywhere you imagine. Get a set now - your travels await.
METZELER
www.metzeler.com/en-au
Sportec M7RR
Fronts from $189.95
Rears from $259.95
The Sportec M7 RR is derived from Metzeler’s experience in Road Racing and engineered to empower sport riders in all conditions of weather and temperature. Introducing a new concept of water drainage and contact feeling thanks to dual-compound, Interact technology
and high silica contents, 100% silica compounds combined with a special tread pattern gives M7 RR the capability to maintain the sporty riding style, even in cold, wet and greasy conditions. A dual compound solution on rear sizes
allows the use of a specific material on the central slick portion of the tread pattern to increase abrasion resistance and extend the mileage.
Roadtec 01
Fronts from $229.95
Rears From $249.95
Roadtec 01 is Metzeler’s leading product in the sport touring segment, with a focus on enhancing grip on wet and low friction surfaces, and
Improved compounds enhances chemical grip and adhesive properties in all different situations. Radial fronts feature a full-silica compound providing excellent chemical grip. Radial rears feature a dual-compound layout with a balanced mixture of silica and carbonblack to enhance high-speed stability, heat dispersal and to provide balance between abrasion resistance and grip. All Roadtec 01 radials are built with the Metzeler 0° steel belt Interact technology.
Cruisetec
Fronts from $169.95
Rears from $239.95
The ultimate V-Twin tyre to perfect the performance of yesterday’s, today’s and tomorrow’s V-Twins. Cruisetec enhances machine handling thanks to the combination of sport-touring derived profiles and robust carcasses. Dual-compound rear sizes with a high rate of silica promote fast warmup and chemical grip on wet asphalt while the tread pattern design delivers
increased mechanical grip. The new compound recipes are coupled with innovative structural elements whilst the combination of liquid polymers with the latest generation of plasticizers maximises footprint conformability. Cruisetec is designed to match the mileage of stock V-Twin tyres, but the consistency of its performance provides improved riding pleasure during its entire lifespan.
Karoo Street
Fronts from $159.95
Rears from $239.95
The off-road tyre with onroad performance, this is the new Karoo Street. Delivering excellent road performance, even in wet conditions, the new enduro tyre remains aggressively styled, with its knobby tread pattern continuing to provide offroad capability. On-road the tyre provides excellent handling and grip, due to the sport touring derived profi les that deliver road touring
a typical on-road dynamic behaviour with reliable grip in wet conditions. The layout of blocks and variable spacing between the knobs provides excellent dirt road traction. Large sized blocks and their coupling to a stiff carcass, provide perfect stability at high speeds on road. Karoo Street tyre offers high effective mileage, the result of introducing abrasionresistant compounds.
Karoo 3
Fronts from $139.95
Rears from $199.95
A versatile product featuring rallyraid off-road traction and high speed stability with excellent mileage even fully loaded. The latest generation of
polymers blended in the compound lend a remarkable resistance to abrasion and knob tearing. The exclusive V-shaped layout of blocks with composite orientation of working edges and the variable spacing between knobs, provides excellent off-road traction in different conditions, especially those found in the long-distance rally raids on sandy, clayey and hardpacked paths.
PIRELLI
www.linkint.com.au
Angel GT II
Fronts from $219, Rears from $299
Available in store, May 2019. Angel GT II is the new Sport Touring tyre in line with Pirelli's interpretation of
Gran
Angel GT II development has been focused on consolidating the former Angel GT’s strengths (already a benchmark for mileage and versatility) in order to improve the brand’s presence in this segment, and on enhancing wet performance and confidence in order to define a new paradigm of Sport Touring tyre segment consistent with Pirelli DNA and the Italian Gran Turismo style.
Scorpion Rally STR
Fronts from $179, Rears from $219
Scorpion Rally STR - Technological innovations provide traction on
dirt, stability at high speeds, onroad handling agility and grip in all riding conditions. The compound, with a high content of silica, offers increased grip on both dry and wet surfaces, stability and a superior resistance to abrasion.
MICHELIN
www.michelin.com.au/ motorbike/home-motorbike
Anakee Adventure
Fronts from $179, Rears from $249
Michelin’s new entrant in the adventure touring segment, the Anakee Adventure, has set the standard in the
category and introduces significant new technologies to the radial adventure tyre category. The Anakee Adventure incorporates dual compound technology, for increased cornering grip and feel, combined with a harder compound through the crown of the tyre for improved durability.
Providing increased stability with the addition of Michelin bridge block technology, reduced noise for rider comfort, and a tread pattern that offers extreme stability, the Michelin Anakee Adventure is the tyre of choice for 80% Road, 20% off road customers.
Anakee Wild
Fronts from $164.95, Rears from $179
Italian
Turismo.
The Anakee Wild is Michelin’s premium 50% road, 50% off-road tyre with a large range of sizes to suit. With a progressive tread pattern that provides a consistent contact patch at all angles, the Michelin Anakee Wild provides the traction through trails to maximise enjoyment and safety, with Bridge block technology that provides stability and confidence when faced with the eventual bitumen journey home.
Michelin Road 5
Fronts from $200, Rears from $259
The tyre of choice in the sports touring segment, the Michelin Road 5 continues the long history of performance tyres with market leading technologies.
Providing unparalleled performance in damp conditions, the Road
5 includes sipe technology with significantly better performance when the tyre is worn than competitors do, and improved performance through the life of the tyre.
With dual compound fronts and rear combinations for cornering
performance and durability, the Michelin Road 5 continues to be the tyre of choice in the sports touring segment.
Sportmax Q4
From $239.95
The all-new Sportmax Q4 has got itbold look, bold performance for bold riders. A purpose-built track-day tyre that can achieve lean angles of up to 62 degrees.
User-friendly and without requiring tyre warmers, the Q4 runs at street tyre pressures, eliminating the need for chassis or electronic adjustments. Jointless Tread (JLT) technology uses a continuously wound strip compound to optimize stability,
flex, and grip across the tyre profile. Carbon Fibre Technology (CFT) uses carbon fibre reinforcement in the sidewalls for exceptional cornering performance, braking stability and feel.
SHINKO
www.shinkotyres.com.au
SR777
Front: $179, Rear: $199
The SR 777 pairing in 100/80R17
Front & 140/75R15 Rear is specifically designed for the extremely popular Harley Davidson Street 500 Motorcycle. The SR777 is also available in a multitude of sizes to fit other American V-Twin and metric cruiser models. This pairing offers
great rider comfort, increased grip and fantastic value for money.
E705
Front: $147, Rear: $182 or $212
The Shinko E705 has a versatile tread pattern that provides excellent wet and dry weather adhesion and smooth
running on the highway. Designed for 80% street and 20% trail riding the available sizes fit bikes requiring radial construction tyres that can be difficult to get in correct front fitment. Shinko offers the 120/70R17 to fill this gap.
244
From $51 - $129
The 244 Series dual purpose street and trail tyre (available in 14 different fitments from 14” – 21”) is designed to be equally at home on dirt or pavement. The Claw pattern of the 244 Series means tyre will shed dirt whilst maintaining grip in off road
conditions whilst offering good traction on the road for smaller applications.
And while we’re at it, you might need this!
ROCKY CREEK DESIGNS
www.rockycreekdesigns.com.au
Motopressor Mini Pump
$89.9 5
Got tyres, need a pump! It’s as plain and simple as that. Luckily our friends at Rocky Creek Designs have your back. The MotoPressor Mini Pump enables you to pre-select your tyre pressure, pump up your tyre and automatically switch off when it reaches the pre-selected pressure. On top of that, you have the option to power the pump off a mini Jump Starter (sold separately). This gives
you the mobility to move about with the pump.
The Kit includes the MotoPressor Mini Pump with a Digital Pressure Gauge and all the power leads and connectors to enable you to run from your motorcycle battery or a mini jump starter. All this is packed neatly into a sturdy carry case. The MotoPressor Mini Pump is CE approved and comes with a no nonsense five year product warranty. Weighs 503g and measures 13 x 10.5 x 5.6cm. D
This is how Europeans spend their long weekends…
A FATHERS’ DAY EXCURSION
Words OERN DElFS photos JOERN DElFS & RAINER JUNg
THERE’S ALWAYS something to celebrate, isn’t there. It might be just that you’re a year older, although you might not actually feel better afterwards. And in Germany, as in so many other countries, there’s the venerable institution of Father’s Day – which is in fact celebrated mainly by those who are not yet fathers because the ones who are, take the family out for the day and foot the bill.
It’s a little different for my neighbor and me. We’re both fathers, but both of our daughters have moved out. This makes it a bit less of a day to celebrate, but that doesn’t mean we can’t put the day to good use anyway, together with the immediately following weekend. That good use was going to be a ride through the Alps. Admittedly they’re almost at the other end of Germany, but the Autobahn network makes them easily accessible.
DAY 1 - AUSTRIA
The trip proper started after breakfast in Munich, initially with the destination Grossglockner, the highest mountain in Austria. Since the construction of the Grossglockner High Alps Road, this is no longer just accessible to experienced mountain climbers but to ordinary visitors; which makes it no less of a fascinating and enjoyable place to go. Much has changed since the opening of the mountain road in 1935. The road has been widened, made safer and more comfortable overall. It still fits itself beautifully into the scenery and permits
a wonderful alpine experience. For more than 80 years, its 48 kilometres have also been providing unequalled riding fun and cornering pleasure. We paid the 18.50 Euros each for man and machine and headed off –corner after corner snaking their way up the mountain. It’s not just riding; we stopped again and again to enjoy the view over the National Park High Tauern.
At the motorcycle parking area Edelweissspitze we can hardly find a space for our bikes, but we’re naturally keen to enjoy the 360-degree views. Every kilometres and every one of the 36 corners of the High Alpine Road are sheer pleasure. From Kaiser-FranzJosefs-Höhe you can get a terrific view of Austria’s highest mountain which dominates the skyline at 3798 metres and with the largest glacier in Austria, the nine kilometer long Pasterze. The snow-covered Johannisberg rounds out the view.
You can also take one of the treks into the Gamsgrube, right into the middle of the special protected area in the national park High Tauern. Not only do you get exceptional views, but you can often spot alpine animals like the majestic Steinböcke, large mountain goats.
We carry on towards Lienz and spot the roadside restaurant Schwaiger with its garden flooded with sunlight and equipped with strategically placed tables and chairs. A quick stop, out of the thick, warm jackets and we order
Kaiserschmarrn, an Austrian speciality. It’s an egg dish a bit like an omelet but sweet and served with berry or apple preserves. Wonderful!
Time to get a move on. From Lienz we head west towards Italy, and at Bruneck we leave the SS49 for the SS244 and some of the smaller, narrower and endlessly curved mountain roads to Bolzano. The sun is just about ready to disappear behind the mountain crags as we roll into the parking lot of the Hotel Winzerhof in Tramin. We receive a hearty welcome from the Braun family; we’ve known each other for quite a few years because I’ve stopped in here quite often. The bikes are parked safely and the rooms offer every conceivable comfort. The bathroom is big and modern, the balcony facing east towards the garden is equipped with table and chairs and, best of all, the basement of the hotel features a complete Wellness Centre. There’s a big indoor/outdoor pool to stretch our sore muscles, several saunas, a well set-up hot tub, a relaxation room and massages are on offer as well.
The Winzerhof will be our base for two nights. Dinner is stupendous and the couple of glasses of white wine with it were tasty as well, but then sleep claimed us. We’d agreed to meet at 8am, but both of us are up much earlier and coincidentally meet out in the vineyard on our runs. After a comprehensive breakfast we roll the bikes out. They couldn’t really be more different: the S 1000 XR and the RnineT, both
from BMW of course. Despite their differences both might have been made for the corner paradise that awaits them.
DAY 2 - ITALY
We turn northwards from Tramin and climb the Passo Mendola, exactly the right start for a sunny day. Corner after corner take us higher and higher, but when we’ve arrived at the pass itself we turn right because I want to top the pass by reaching the nearby Penegal. A narrow and potholed road leads us higher again until we reach the large parking lot at the top. A few metres further on foot and the whole valley of the Entsch lies at our feet. It’s hard to even imagine a more spectacular view on such a sunny, wonderful morning.
Bolzano is off to the left, directly below us lies Kaltern with its eponymous lake and off to the left we can recognize some of the sawtooth peaks of the Dolomites. Further to the right again is Trentino and if it wasn’t for the mountains around it, we would be able to see the destination we’d chosen for the day, Lake Garda. We enjoy our time at more than 1700m above sea level before it’s time to head down again. Initially the road is really narrow, wet and slippery but that changes once we reach the SS42. Perfect surface, perfect corners and perfect motorcycles from BMW [Joern is very patriotic! – the translator] with weather to dream of and there’s nothing more anyone could want. Turning south we head for Lake Molveno, our next stage destination.
The town of the same name lies right by the blue-green glittering lake. In winter this is a major ski destination but there’s not much going on in summer. We can’t even get a cappuccino so it’s back on the road. That runs highly enjoyably parallel to the lake but after a couple of small tunnels it ends and we need to bear left onto a broad road. There’s a lot of traffic but no alternative for the run down to Sarche and on to Vigolo Baselga. At least that marks the beginning of the SP85 and 25 with their endless supply of corners. The road narrows but the asphalt stays grippy and no hundred metres pass without a turn in the road. Turbole rolls up quickly and there it is, Lake Garda. I’m breathless for a moment. We ride down to the lake and find that the municipality is looking out for motorcyclists – there are dedicated parking spots as far as the eye can see. We even manage two spots next to each other. Off to the next outdoor café and we order a large ice cream and a cappuccino each. Sitting in the sun with the lake at our feet we enjoy the passing parade. It’s easy to feel that the whole world is on its feet or wheels; Harleys, Porsches, Lamborghinis or scantily-clad girls in Ferraris… all in warm sunshine. It’s hard to imagine being more contented. It seems like an eternity when we mount our bikes again; my RnineT wants to move but there’s not much fun to be had on the way through the
dense traffic to Riva del Garda.
It has to happen – we take a wrong turn off the roundabout and there’s no chance to turn around before we find ourselves in the tunnel towards Lake Ledro. But Dame Fortune is with us; if we hadn’t missed our turnoff we would have missed this beautiful road. We pass old villages with venerable fieldstone houses, green meadows, steep cliffs and steadily dwindling traffic. Unfortunately, the RnineT’s fuel supply was dwindling pretty steadily as well. I’m apprehensive through the next canyon to Storo but there it appears, our refueling stop. It even has a pump each for us. I’d hardly opened the fuel cap when she suddenly appeared, our Lady of the Bowser. I thought I was dreaming this Italian beauty – statuesque with long dark hair – I almost didn’t notice that it was the most expensive petrol of the entire trip, but every drop was worth it.
Once we’d collected ourselves it was just a matter of keeping left onto the SS237 to begin our return from Lake Idro to Lake Garda. We take the SP58 and then the SP9, another of those dream roads with seemingly endless corners along the cliff edge with a deep drop on the right and mostly without any form of protection. Then there it is, Lake Garda again, just fantastic. We returned from Garganano to Riva along the SS45BIS and this time we found the correct exit, to Campo Lomaso. We took much the same route back without the diversions, through Molveno and over the Wine Route to Tramin.
The motorcycles go back into the garage, where another couple of bikes are waiting to keep them company. We head straight for the pool and then the sauna for reminiscences about the service station in Storo… and then on to dinner. I’m sure that the chef here should have had a Michelin star long ago, the food is always pure pleasure for the taste buds. We conclude the evening out on the terrace with a couple of glasses of the local wine, talking about our wonderful and eventful day.
DAY 3 – TYROL
The third day of this so-far idyllic long weekend initially takes us right across the Etsch valley to Auer. There’s a big service station here so we fill the bikes up, but there is no Pump Goddess here so we use the automat. It swallows twenty euros and offers back ten litres of fuel, five per bike, and we’re off. Up into the mountains, corner after corner, fortunately there is little traffic as far as Molina where we switch to the SP31. This is a pass road without equal, it takes us up through thick, dark hemlock forest as corner after corner become hairpin after hairpin, the hemlocks make way for pines and then those disappear as well.
We’re on the Manghen Pass in the Trentino, which reaches 2047 metres and is the only vehicle crossing between the Flems valley and the Valsugana. From its northern beginning at Molina to the southern end at Castelnuovo is just 40km, but the climb rate reaches
16%. On the northern side of the pass there are still snowdrifts which look pretty but make it noticeably cold. Quick, over the pass, and on the southern side the world looks quite different without snow but with green meadows and marmots. We prefer this. We’re en route to Lake Caldonazzo to reach the SP133 and then the Kaiserjägerstraße (Austrian Emperor’s Mountain Troops Road). But before that we stop at the small and modest Hotel Paioli and order a cappuccino that’s so good we order another one straight away. When it comes time to pay, the cost is just one euro per coffee. We cannot believe it, but it’s true.
Up the Kaiserjägerstraße then in good spirits. The road was built as a war project by the Austrian imperial troops in 1911 and leads up to the quarries which supplied stone for the fortifications in the borderlands to the south of the road, between Austria/ Hungary and Italy. This was to become the front line between Imperial and Italian troops.
The road is sealed but often only single track and leads up the side of Monte Pergolara by way of eight cliff-hugging hairpins, under rock overhangs and through two short and unlit tunnels. Near its upper end there’s a small parking lot with a lookout which offers views across the Valsungana and lakes Caldonazzo and Levico.
We continue via the SS349 and the SS350 to Calliano where we swap sides of the river so we are now on
the western bank of the Etsch and continue north-west to Ponte Arche, where we pick up the SS239. The road is good and quick, with steep and rugged mountains on both sides to Brenta where we keep right at ther end of the road. By way of Cagno and Fonda we head back to the Mendelpass, but now in reverse to enjoy the fantastic road with its staggering views on the way down.
Back at the hotel we’re greeted by the grandfather of the family who is pleased to see us and spontaneously offers us a glass of the southern Tyrolean Gewürztraminer, a locally grown grape. All right, we quickly shed our heavy clothes and join him on the terrace. We sit together long into the evening, telling stories and enjoying the family atmosphere.
DAY 4 – GOING HOME
After another quiet and restful night and with another excellent breakfast in our bellies, we load up the S 1000 XR again – no room for luggage on the RnineT. Fortunately the load makes absolutely no difference to the powerful XR; even fully loaded it hugs the road securely and takes the corners with style.
We part from our friendly hosts and promise to return, as well as reassuring them that we thoroughly enjoyed everything and nothing fell short. The road leads us to Terlan by way of Kaltern and St Michael, where we pick up a beautiful road above the Passeir
valley and reach Meran after Mölten and Hafling. Then it’s the SS44 by way of St Leonard to Timmelsjoch. There’s a lot of traffic, and unfortunately we don’t make it to Austria, where petrol is cheaper, before running out while still in Italy. We slip a minimal five litres in per bike. Then we join for too many Sunday drivers in their colourful tin boxes to the top of the Timmelsjoch
where they fortunately turn around. They don’t want to pay the Austrian toll which applies if they drive the whole road. We pay up and continue through the Ötztal, where we find a service station and fill the bikes up. Then it’s the Fernpass and we’re back in Germany.
A wonderful tour, for which my thanks go to BMW Motorrad. The S
1000 XR and the RnineT are absolutely reliable companions, although I do have to admit that the seat of the latter is not ideal for long tours or even day rides of more than maybe 200km. The XR is simply a superb bike whether on the Autobahn or mountain tracks, fully loaded or unencumbered. Both are fantastic bikes, and I’m happy to recommend them both. D
YaMaha MT-09 SP
Full biscuit! Words Stuart Photos Nick Wood Photogra P hy
TAKe the BALListiC
Yamaha MT-09, add in flashy paintwork, a quickshifter, some trick KYB forks and an Öhlins shock and the result is the MT-09 SP. This is a bike I’ve been seriously hanging to ride. I love the whole insanity of the MT concept and fixing the cheapish standard suspension fitted to the MT-09 by throwing in top level componentry made me excited to see how much better the SP handled.
Three Times The fun
The 847cc three-cylinder crossplane engine has always been the strongest point of the standard MT-09. With plentiful power, linear torque and that
raw character, it’s a proven package that brings smiles to anyone who samples it. Being Euro 4 compliant, it hasn’t lost its charm or potency and making 82.8kW and 87.5Nm of torque, serves as an excellent base for the SP badge.
With the MT-09’s most recent update last year came an R1-derived quickshifter, allowing you to really make the most of the potent triple. It can be a tiny bit clunky at low revs but give it the berries and it shifts perfectly.
An assist and slipper clutch also featured on the MT-09 makes downshifts smoother, while claiming to reduce lever effort by 20 per cent. Engine mapping was updated too
last year, a significant improvement on the previous snatchy set-up, but don’t let that take away the directness that Mode A still gives!
ChuCk iT in
The MT-09 SP is agile, light and extremely flickable – just what you want from a hyper naked machine. As much as I like the bad boy MT-10 I’d be in two minds whether to buy the MT-09 SP or the MT-10 as the lightness and ‘chuckability’ of the 09 is so much fun.
The improvements to the handling come thanks to the new suspension. The remotely adjustable Öhlins rear unit and fully adjustable KYB fork are
BIKE TEST
a massive difference over the standard MT’s set up – despite its updates last year, which saw a better shock fitted and the forks given different valving.
The fully adjustable YA 535 Öhlins shock – with 46mm piston – actually features a softer spring than the standard MT-09, which Yamaha claims it provides more mechanical grip and better road holding.
However, this doesn’t mean the rear is any softer or bouncier in feel, thanks to the advanced damping. Tweaked to match the KYB forks the result is a sharp, sporty, stable and smooth ride.
There’s a remote preload adjuster located to the left of the pillion seat which does look like a bit of an afterthought in its placement. Then again, it is within reach of the rider, if you fancy changing the preload on the go. As standard, the shock is setup on a soft (but harder than the standard MT-09) setting. I wound in two turns of rear preload to keep that extreme sharpness.
Yamaha’s engineers have specially developed the fully adjustable 41mm (the same diameter as the standard model) KYB fork to match the rear unit. It is obviously set up firmer than the standard bike and while I liked the mid-weighted turn in, it is still a bike that turns in very fast. It’s not until you’re punching up three digits on the speedo that the suspension truly comes into its own.
While adding Öhlins up front would have ‘completed’ the SP model, it would also have pushed the price up further, and to be brutally honest not really changed the handling enough to warrant the price increase.
GRAB A HANDFUL
Braking is powerful enough for the weight of the SP, but when really pushed I think another 10mm larger front discs would have been a good option for this sportier model. It is a SPecial bike and it should have something extra special in the braking department.
VALUE
At $13,499 – only $1200 more than the standard model – the SP offers
great value for money. If you were to buy just the adjustable Öhlins shock as an accessory you’d be looking around $2000 on its own, then add in another $1500 - $2000 for the KYB fork inserts and $500 or so for the quickshifter and you start to realise just how good the value is!
AN ELECTRONIC EXPERIENCE
Adjustable traction control (TCS) and Yamaha’s D-Mode system are standard on the bike and adjustable via black controls and instruments. TCS can either be switched completely off, set on level one with ‘low intervention’, or level two which claims to offer a higher level of intervention. Honestly, this bike is so much fun I don’t see the need to have it turned on. Hold the TCS button forward at a standstill to turn it off and be a hoonigan!
The D-Mode can either be set in Standard (STD) for a normal response, ‘A’ for a direct response, or B for a softer response. It’s STD mode which gave me the best feeling. I found Mode A to be too sharp for commuting and Mode B lacked just a little bit of feel coming off a corner when pushing hard, so STD mode is the best of all three worlds.
BLING IT UP
Yamaha offers plenty of sporty accessories including an Akrapovic slip on or full system, sporty rear sets, levers, a fl y screen and more. The only thing left wanting on the MT-09 SP (and the standard MT-09) is the swingarm-mounted licence plate. Frankly, it’s not the best looking thing, but luckily Yamaha offers an aftermarket alloy tail tidy to which the number plate can be mounted – then it’s straight to the bin for the plastic arm.
SUPER STYLIN’
The compact and aggressive styling of the SP is well matched to the R1M’s Silver Blu Carbon colour scheme and makes for a very attractive package indeed. If you want some ballistic thrills, the full biscuit Yamaha MT-09 SP will make you crave more. D
SPECS
MT-09 SP
PRICE: $13,499 (plus on-road charges)
WARRANTY: Two years, unlimited distance
SERVICING INTERVALS: Every 10,000km or 12 months
ENGINE: Liquid-cooled in-line three cylinder, 4-stroke, DOHC, 4 valves per cylinder
BRAKES: Front, twin 298mm discs with radial mount four-piston ABS calipers. Rear, 245mm disc, single-piston ABS caliper.
FUEL CONSUMPTION: 6.22 litres per 100km, premium unleaded
THEORETICAL RANGE: 224km
COLOURS: Silver Blu Carbon
VERDICT: ‘SPECIAL’ RIDE
YAMAHA
LONGTERMERS
DUCATI SCRAMBLER 1100 FITS LIKE A GLOVE
FUNNY HOW YOU can ride many bikes and they all have their little idiosyncrasies and then you get on a half familiar bike and it feels like you’ve lived with it for ever. This is just how I feel whenever I ride the Ducati Scrambler 1100. The seating position is just right, as is the handlebar which makes riding the 1100 so easy and simple. Basically I’ve been riding the 1100 around as per any other owner would – mainly commuting and I went for a quick weekend blast for a coffee. I am thinking I might play with the suspension a little to feel the changes and we’ve also got a Coocase from Kenma – www.kenma.com.au to fit up. Until then… SW
BENELLI TRK502X LUGGAGE DUTIES
The Benelli has been a great carrier of all sorts of bits and pieces the last month. Being fitted with genuine accessory Givi hard panniers and a rack the bike has been carrying anything and everything – it’s like having a ute on two wheels! Sadly, the time has come to say goodbye to the wonderful TRK502X. For the money this bike is very hard to beat. It has done everything we’ve asked of it from dirt roads to touring and even commuting. If you want a well-priced adventure bike, go and check one out. SW D
The destruction, um, I mean… deconstruction has begun for the Z900. This is the time when you really find out what you’ve got and how painful or easy the restoration is going to be. Three things popped straight out – the pillion peg brackets and the rear indicator brackets had at some stage of its life been cut off. I went into a mild panic
as I expected these would be near unobtainium, but the joys of buying over the internet came up with the goods once again. This is something that’s easily overlooked: just check out the pics on the web.
The second thing I noticed when stripping the bike down is all the bolts are pretty much useless. Many have been changed for the wrong ones so a
little more expense will have to happen here to obtain and fit the correct bolts. Back to the pillion peg brackets… I am a member of a Facebook page called, ‘Z1 Owners’ and put the call
1. Well into the destruction!
2. Oh Mr Hart, what a mess
out for anyone who wanted to sell me a damaged frame or who possibly had the pillion peg brackets they’d cut off a frame of their own over the years. To my amazement a bloke by the name of Paul from Ballina said he had a set of the brackets and would stick them in the post ASAP! I am (at the time of writing) still trying to find a set of indicator brackets. If nothing comes up I’ll have to make them which shouldn’t be too hard.
I was mildly shocked at how easy that was. But never rejoice too early, because then came the headache of finding the correct airbox for the A4 model. You can get reproduction airboxes brand new for the early model but the ‘unique’ A4 airbox is extremely rare as I found. One comment on my Z1 Owners post trying to find an airbox was that the
last one he’d seen was £500!
Time for another mild heart attack, thinking, “what the hell have I done”. Then a bloke by the name of Chris from Queensland messaged me, saying he has one! Just $350 later it was on my doorstep. It does need some restoring to make it look new again, but nothing too difficult.
There are also positives. The few we have at this early stage include that the frame, swingarm and engine are all within the right date stamped ranges for an A4. The front wheel is date stamped correct as well, but needs replacing. I did take the cam cover off the engine and the top off the engine looks spotless. I will still pull the engine down to check everything and replace what’s needed. I am hoping someone rebuilt it not too long ago, but I’ll find out once I pull it down. At best it might need new rings and a camchain, at worst, a total rebuild. The other positive is that the tank is in great condition, as it the tail. I will have to buy new side covers, though. I will be having it painted by a man who has the exact colours as per the factory, and this particular person is regularly called upon to supply samples of classic bike colours so other painters can match them.
everything correctly date stamped, but to have the important parts (ex-the wheels and discs) with their date stamps and to make the bike look as new as possible, so that when someone comes to buy it they will be blown away with how beautiful it is. And so the bike can win a show ‘n’ shine from time to time.
A couple of suppliers have jumped on board for the restoration, one is Ikon Suspension who are supplying fork springs and the correct chrome shock absorbers. The other is Bridgestone who are supplying a set of BT45 tyres, which are modern, yet period looking enough for the A4. Better to have the safety of modern technology than go with the factory fitted ‘no grip’ Dunlops that came on the bike. I’d hate to see myself or a new owner throw it down the road after all the hard work and expense!
I have started ordering parts for the restoration. You can buy most things as reproductions, as I said, and my aim with this bike is not to make it a 100 point restoration with
As I mentioned I will be selling the A4 at the end of the restoration, so if you’d like to have first dibs at buying it, please send me an email so I can tell you the moment it’s finished.
By the next issue I plan to have the engine out and stripped down and have the forks rebuilt. I’d better get cracking! D
1. Bare frame – lots of missing pieces to be fixed up
2. New rims have been ordered, so no use mucking around with the old ones!
3. We have a sneaking suspicion this bike was used for dirt drags
The Triumph Street Twin looks like a motorcycle, like a motorcycle should.
TRIUMPH STREET TWIN 900
MY First BiKe WAs a CB72 Honda, and if you’d asked me what kind of bike it was I would have said “a Honda”, or maybe “a twin”. You would have got similar answers from any of my mates, and indeed from anyone else who owned a bike. They might have said “a Spitfire” or “a Sportster”, but whatever the answer was it would have been by name – it might have been of the brand, the engine type or the model, but that would have been it. If you enquire about the kind of bike someone owns today, you’re much more likely to get an answer like “a cruiser” or “a café racer”. Bikes register in people’s minds as a type. Many different descriptions have been coined (I’m never sure by whom) so that you might have
a sports bike, a sports tourer, a tourer, a commuter, a race bike, an adventure bike, a dual purpose bike, an enduro… the list is just about endless.
I’m sure you’re used to writers comparing the good ol’ days with the present. The good ol’ days of course win out, because the writer was in the throes of his or her first motorcycling love and everything was better. In this case, though, I wonder. Surely it’s better to be able to buy a touring bike if travel is what you want to do instead of having to visit your local army surplus emporium to buy old ammunition bags that you could then sling over the pillion seat of your non-specific bike.
But…
You knew that was coming, didn’t you? But… there was something special
about the purity of a motorcycle that was just a motorcycle. Something that had two wheels, an engine, some kind of (often appallingly uncomfortable) seat and controls, all held together by a simple and almost generic frame. Every motorcycle manufacturer made these, and most of them didn’t make anything else. Triumph was a perfect example. Malcolm Uphill didn’t quite ride Slippery Sam to the Isle of Man before racing the bike, but later riders did.
Dare I say that just a little bit of the pure joy of riding was lost when we began to see so many specialized motorcycles? No? Well, maybe not.
But…
I’ve been riding Triumph’s new Street Twin for a few days, and when I say that it reminds me of my CB72
Honda I am not casting aspersions. The Triumph is better in literally every way – performance, handling, even the build quality. But it reminds me of my Honda because it is a motorcycle. It’s tempting to write ‘just’ a motorcycle, but that isn’t right. It isn’t ‘just’ anything. This is a bike that I’d cheerfully use for almost every purpose imaginable. Like the Honda, it is really only limited by the tyres.
Of course it wouldn’t be particularly good at a lot of things, compared with a specialized bike. But it would be better at a lot of other things than that machine. I enjoyed its upgraded ‘High Torque’ engine and beautiful handling – I even like the material of the seat cover – along with the low 760mm seat and the reasonable 198kg weight. The bike is liquid cooled, but the radiator is
unobtrusive. Above all, it feels good to sit on, with your feet flat on the ground, and to ride even in traffic.
I’m not sure about the comprehensive instrumentation which consists of an “LCD multi-functional instrument pack with analogue speedometer, engine rpm, odometer, gear position indicator, fuel gauge, range to empty indication, service indicator, clock, 2x trip, average & current fuel consumption display, traction control status display, Tyre Pressure Monitoring System (TPMS) ready & heated grip ready - controlled by a handlebar mounted scroll button,” as Triumph proudly says. But most of that is simply de rigueur on modern bikes, and my personal prejudice is definitely for the TPMS. Experience speaks.
1. The classic styling of the instruments gives no clue to all the features they offer.
2. Incorporating the starter and kill switch into one keeps the right-hand switchblock tidy.
3. What a pretty engine! Despite all the new technology, it looks ‘right’.
4. The ‘i’ button in the only giveaway on the left switchblock that this is a current model.
I’d never buy a Honda CB72 today. They were hot in their day, but hopelessly outmoded now. I’d buy a Street Twin, though, for that same feeling of riding a motorcycle – nothing less and nothing more. D
Spend it while you’ve got it, before the gummint gets hold of it
PREVARICATION! ENOUGH
“For of all sad words of tongue or pen, the saddest are these: “It might have been!” - J OHN G REEN l EAF W HITTIER
Words/photos THE bEAR
Contrary to what you may think after reading the papers or watching the goggle box, there has hardly ever been a better time to travel – either within Australia or overseas. Here at home we’re heading for a relatively settled winter if my mole at the Weather Bureau can be believed, and a settled winter is a terrific
time to travel – especially up north. Meanwhile, most of the troubles you read about overseas simply won’t affect you; that includes the supposed hostility in Turkey (in my experience, Turks are hospitable to a fault) and alleged increased immigration vigilance in the US. I mean, seriously – if that worries you, go to Canada instead.
The world is not the scary place that the TV “news” programs would have you believe. I’ve been through a couple
of wars and several military or other insurrections while I’ve been on the road, and I’ve hardly noticed them. Once in Turkey Mrs Bear and I along with a couple of friends were camped up in the forested mountains above Troy when our little short-wave radio (yes, there was technology before the interwebs) informed me that a military coup had taken place. I mentioned this to the caretaker of the campsite, and he shook his head. “No, no, I have heard
nothing.” And in fact the first thing we saw of the coup was two weeks later when we rode into Ankara and found tanks at the major intersections. All that the soldiers on the tanks wanted to do was wave to us on our bikes.
In Australia, I will admit that a decent flood will put me off, but other reasons for not visiting somewhere don’t really hold up. In fact, they are contrarian. Is there a drought, or have there been bushfires? Well, you can do some good by visiting and leaving behind a bit of cash for fuel, food and accommodation. That can be a big help for the folk who have suffered or are suffering.
I know that many of you would like to get out there and do some riding in unfamiliar places. How do I know this? Very simply by the fact that whenever I get back from somewhere, everybody says “Oh, you’re so lucky, I wish I could do that.” The thing is, you can. All it takes is a bit of time off work, if you’re still working, and a bit of money. I’ll let you in on a secret – at current interest rates, the money is doing you bugger all good in the bank. Even if the bank isn’t ripping you off.
So drag a few bucks out of that underperforming bank account and consider how you might spend it. In Australia, you can just ride your own bike to wherever you really want to experience. If you don’t feel like riding
all the way to, say, FNQ from Hobart then rent a bike in Cairns. You have quite a list of choices overseas, as well. You can ship your own bike, rent one or join an organized tour. If trailing along with other people doesn’t appeal to you, you can take a self-guided tour. Buying a bike overseas and shipping it home after your trip isn’t as convenient as it once was, but if you’re interested in a somewhat older machine you can still do it reasonably easily.
There really is no reason to hang back if you’d like to get some unfamiliar road under your wheels. And if you don’t want to do that – why not?
Here are a few suggestions based around trips I’ve done in the past few years. There’s a whole big world out there – go ride it before you get too tied up in raising a family, or too old.
Remember John Greenleaf Whittier’s words: “For of all sad words of tongue or pen, The saddest are these: “It might have been!”
AUSTRALIA
It’s a big country, right? We all know that. But have you ever seen how big it is? How about combining a good look at that with a bit of a squiz at some of the history of that country? Take a run out to Longreach from Mackay along the Capricorn Highway. It’s less than 1400km there and back, but it will give you an
idea of what the “sunlit plains extended” look and feel like. Along the way you can check out the birthplace of the Australian Labor Party at Barcaldine and the wonderful Stockman’s Hall of Fame and Qantas Museum in Longreach.
NEW ZEALAND
All right, you’ve been to the South Island and it’s beautiful and has wonderful roads and yada yada. It’s all true, but if you’ve been ignoring the North Island you’ve been missing some of the best of Unzud. I’ve just been on a ride up there (you’ll read about it here quite soon) and I can tell you that it has even better roads than the south. Can’t quite match the scenery – those snow-covered Southern Alps do take the breath away – but the roads are even more impressive. You don’t have to leave the main roads network: both SH3 from Hamilton to New Plymouth and SH5 from Taupo to Napier would be venerated by motorcyclists if they were in any other country. As for SH35 around East Cape, the local riders know what they’ve got here but they’re too selfish to let on. Bike hire and tours in NZ – speak with Paradise Motorcycle Tours – www. paradisemotorcycletours.co.nz or South Pacific Motorcycle Tours –www.motorbiketours.co.nz
Yes, it really does look as if the road never bends, never mind ending…
United StateS
Maybe you’ve been making plans to ride the Mother Road or the coastal highway between LA and San Francisco. Don’t let me talk you out of either of those. Route 66 is almost a cliché now, and Highway 1 through Big Sur has featured in so many movies that you probably know every inch, but they’re both still worth riding. But there are other roads; one of my favourites is Utah 12, a magic run over mountain and through desert. But just consider convenience. The West Coast is closer to us than the rest of the country, and you can rent a bike from friends of mine: Wolfgang at Dubbelju in San Francisco (www.dubbelju.com) or the MotoQuest team in LA, San Francisco or Portland, OR (www.motoquest. com). From all of these places you can easily reach the Rockies, and with them a bunch of seriously impressive roads.
the alpS
Still the most staggeringly impressive destination for motorcyclists, the Alps continue to attract riders from all over Europe and well beyond. I’d suggest you stay away on weekends in summer, but otherwise the mountains are easily reached from three major airports: Munich, Milan and Vienna. Likewise, motorcycle rental is easy from any of these cities and from Edelweiss (www. edelweissbike.com) right in the Alps in Mieming, Austria. Or how about this for a holiday with a difference: the Almhof Hotel Call (www.almhof-call. com/en) in the Dolomites in Italy has partnered with BMW to make a wide range of BMW Motorrad bikes available for guests to ride. It costs about 100 Euros a day and includes 350km of riding. D
1.Whoever designed Unzud roads like SH5 had a good imagination and a great sense of fun.
2.There is a staggering network of back roads all over the western US.
3.The Alps aren’t just about grand views; the tiny roads are just as much of an attraction.
Like a fairytaLe…
Merlins, Legends and f eathers
SEE NO EVIL
Ariete ‘FeAther’ goggles
Price - $179.95
It waS onE oF thoSE long and prolonged email chains to Ron at Link International and in a nutshell looked like this - ‘Mate, I’m on the lookout for a classic style of goggles, to fit both open and full face helmets, that are light, comfortable and can fit over my prescription glasses (yes, my mother did warn me) and won’t fog up, will look fab, won’t slide off my helmet and be lost like my last ones; motocross style would be great. Oh, and Italian would be sensational.’ Fortunately, Ron managed to make sense of all that. He offered the Ariete Feather model from their extensive catalogue.
I say - ‘Ariete, that sounds French’ and Ron points out that ‘they are Italian and have been around for over 55 years’. There’s good reason for that; they are typically Italian, meaning they’re well-crafted and good-looking and also embrace modern technology. Comfort is outstanding. They aren’t noisy which I put down to the smooth flowing surface and to vents which are smaller than I am used to.
The look is unbeatable in that classic style everyone is chasing. As with any goggle, you do lose a few degrees of peripheral vison due to the bulk of the lens mounting system. It does force me to crank my head a little more during head checks.
They come standard with the mildly tinted visor and a soft carry pouch. Ariete may not be budget items but they do have quality in spades. Just look at their ‘Vintage’ model; you can
look like Biggles resplendent in brown leather and chrome metal mounts holding the lenses. RLM
HOW FAST CAN A CARGO?
Merlin PortlAnd KevlAr JeAns - Price - $199.95
If you are paying freight anywhere in Australia you will know it isn’t cheap, so why wouldn’t I suggest that a pair of new Kevlar jeans join the Ariete goggles in the overnight package? Same brief again: look great, feel good and here I am also thinking about protection with multiple trips away on launches. Something different too, please, as I have so many pairs of denim jeans that just look like denim jeans. The Merlins with their cargo style are like nothing else I have tried. They have the usual abundance of inner DuPont Kevlar
material on all the important areas and I especially like the supplied CE knee armour. The pockets suit me more than normal jeans with their 45 degree angle rather than across the top just below the belt line. The fly is YKK zippered, however the ‘opening’ is pretty small
from the lowest part to the top. Most guys will know what I mean when I say ‘it isn’t big enough’.
The cargo style has the added advantage of extra side pockets which are handy for notepads and mobiles and wallet. The stitching which gathers around knee area tightens the jeans for a better look as well as working better in the breeze. There is plenty of room in the calf area to run boots inside or out. Best of all is the material is tough and I like the faded black which is listed as grey. The cargos go fast too!
Sizes range from 30 to 38 and can be found in shops or view online www.linkint.com.au RLM
LEGEND. IDOL. THE KING
ARAI RX-7V DOOHAN HELMET
PRICE - $1339.95. IRIDIUM VISOR - $139.95
I’ve long longed to have a Mick Doohan replica helmet for my head, and it’s finally happened! I used to watch Mick on the tele for each GP race and loved the mind games he’d play on other riders and simply loved the ‘Aussie’ design on his helmet. It’s one that stands out from the crowd.
The great folk at Cassons who are the distributor of Arai helmets wanted me to try the RX-7V model (which features the Doohan graphics, amongst the vast array of graphics available) as it’s changed a lot over the last couple of years. I used to wear an Arai RX-7V many moons ago racing. It was in Colin Edwards colours and I loved it. My head shape seemed to
change over the years after and for some reason the RX-7V never fit me right again…until now.
I was still a little cautious, wondering if the RX-7V would fit correctly. You need to remember my current race helmet is rather good, but I won’t be wearing the Arai on the track anyway – it’s a road only helmet for me. No way would I risk my Doohan helmet!
The RX-7V comes in five shell sizes and offers amazing personalisation. I went with an XL shell with Large liner as I found the L shell to be a little snug around the face. It fits perfectly and is very comfortable. My only criticism is that it’s a little heavy at a claimed 1650 grams. Compare this to most other helmets around this price bracket that are 1300-1450 grams – it does make a difference. But the only time I’ve noticed the weight is while commuting. When the speed rises the RX-7V lets you know its intended purpose – stability at high speed! At speeds under 80km/h the RX7V feels just like any other helmet, but once you pass 80 and head towards triple digits the RX-7V has no buffeting whatsoever. I was lucky enough to punch some good numbers on the speedo in Spain recently and let’s just say you won’t have any stability issues on any race track in this country – it’s that good. You also need to remember Arai has been associated with many top racers across the globe for decades and that feedback and experience is the product you can buy.
Features of the Arai RX-7V include a completely new PB-SNC² outer shell, the revolutionary VAS (“Variable Axis System”) visor system and a significant increased smoother area around the temples. The RX-7V offers a claimed new benchmark in the premium helmet segment. From the also new anti-microbial material liner with an even slimmer frame, to the new ducts, improved diffuser and the integrated Air Channels, every part shows the attention to detail that is so typical of Arai.
The company has also continually improved the “glancing off” performance by learning from
real scenarios. Thanks to the new stronger and smoother shell and VAS, the RX-7V is closer to the ideal helmet shape than ever. With VAS, the visor mounting position is lowered 24mm in pursuit of the ideal smoother shape that increases the ability to glance off and shed energy in an accident. As a result, this has made it possible for the shell to be completely smooth above the test line of the Snell standard.
Each Arai RX-7V helmet is handmade too. It can take up to five years for an Arai worker to earn the right to create an Arai shell. Each shell can take up to 27 steps and to build one helmet will take about 18 man-hours.
The helmet goes through five quality control steps during its manufacture to ensure you purchase the best possible product.
work extremely well to keep the
Ventilation is another feature you’ll notice on the RX-7V. There’s a large chin vent with two vents in the visor and three on the front and two at the rear. They work extremely well to keep the head cool. I did have to close all but the rear vents and only left the chin vent in its half position for my ride in Spain. The weather got up to 20 degrees. But when the time comes to ride with the RX-7V during 30+ temperatures I’ll know I’ve got some great venting.
As I mentioned I went with an XL shell and Large lining. The great thing about almost all Arai helmets is that you really can fine tune the helmet to your exact specs. Arai's optional cheek pad thicknesses and replaceable interiors are the first step, then you can customise the fit with the "Peelaway Cheek Pad Layer" and "Peelaway Temple Pad Layer". The pads can be made thinner by removing
a 5 mm thick peel-away layer for added room if needed. I remember talking to a couple of Arai-wearing IoMTT riders who mentioned that an Arai specialist who attends the event each year would know exactly what piece of foam and thickness should go where to make the helmet fi t perfectly.
For some time Arai didn’t fi t many heads, but they’re back and offering a huge range to suit all tastes and price ranges. The RX-7V is the top of the range and can be used on the road and especially on the track. Sizes range from XS-2XL in most models with some also coming in XXS and 3XL. Check them out at your local bike shop or www. cassons.com.au SW D
RIDING TO RAISE AWARENESS
For Many motorcyclists, being out on the open road is a form of escapism. Outside big cities, the fresh air, the sweet smell of farmland, the ocean breeze, winding roads, everything keeps you focused on the ride, and helps you forget about everything else.
Having had a tumultuous adolescence and then enduring a major car accident in my mid-30s which put my wife and children in a coma with subsequent trauma and brain injuries, plus the unexpected passing of my mother and pressures of work and fatherhood, I found the Black Dog of depression barking at my heels and in my mind.
With a career around the waterfront in boat building and later marina management, on-water activities like surfing and boating had always allowed me to free my mind from worries and stress. But I needed something else.
My appreciation of classic lines, fine engineering and craftsmanship led me to Indian Motorcycle’s modernday reproduction of the 1920s ‘Scout’. Aware of the limitations of medication, and with the support of my loving wife and family, I decided to finance a 2016 Indian Scout for my 40th birthday.
Where I live in Batemans Bay on the south coast of New South Wales there are country roads perfect for a mid-size cruiser, and then she gets to stretch into the hills of Clyde Mountain or down the coast to Bermagui. It was a new way for me to clear my mind.
When I heard about the Black Dog Ride, an annual event held by motorcyclists around Australia and supported by the Lions Club, now in its 10th year, I knew it was something I wanted to get behind.
On 17 March this year we welcomed
Watch that Black Dog
WOrDs Daimon martin
- General manaGer
Batemans Bay & Port macquarie marinas
almost 100 riders from Nowra and the south coast region, who rode up to Batemans Bay Marina in convoy on a wet day to help raise awareness about mental health issues and fundraise for Headspace in Nowra, which supports young people aged 12 to 25 who are experiencing mental health issues.
Batemans Bay Marina and the Eurobodalla Shire Council strongly support the event, with Mayor Liz Innes saying, “With suicide rates continuing to rise, the annual Black Dog Ride is a really positive way to raise awareness and funds for suicide prevention.”
Paul Gaffney, who organises the riders, says it’s not about the clubs, it’s about the message that mental illness is real, and help is available.
“We don’t wear any club colours, we get together because one person takes their life every four hours in Australia, it’s worse than the road toll,” he said.
Paul has been organising the event for the past six years, after he lost a few mates to suicide. After last year’s Black Dog Ride, Paul says he was on the phone to a guy who was talking about committing suicide. Luckily Paul
was able to get the police to his house in time.
President of the Lions Club Batemans Bay Jacki Harding is at the other end, with her team of volunteers organising the BBQ lunch for the riders, and the rest of the community who come along to enjoy the motorcycles.
“It’s such a great reason to get involved, so many people need help,” she said.
There are Black Dog Rides across Australia, every third Sunday in March, every year. You might consider getting involved next year. In the meantime, I’m sure you’ll find the road to Batemans Bay Marina and surrounds is a great way to clear your mind. D
From L-R - Clr Jack Tait, Councillor Eurobodalla Shire Council, Jacki Harding, President Lions Club of Batemans Bay, Daimon Martin, General Manager Batemans Bay and Port Macquarie Marinas and Paul Gaffney, Organiser South Coast Black Dog One Day Ride
GRIZZLING
AM I BLUE?
Yes I am, and I’m tired of it. I thought that writing this column about the various kinds of foolishness around me would cheer me up, acting as a kind of catharsis. It hasn’t done that. All it has done is make me more depressed. So this is the last ‘Grizzling’. I’m damned if I’m going to make myself feel worse by hunting down stupidity and prejudice. There’s enough of that around. I will still take a stick to stuff I think is silly in my Bear Faced column at the back of the magazine as appropriate, but I’m no longer going to devote regular page space to it. Rather than leave you with just that rather dull statement, I’ve dug out some pictures that lend themselves to a chuckle for you and for me. Have a laugh and then get back to enjoying motorcycling. That’s what I’m going to do.
Cheers, The Bear
Getting to the bottom of the Moto Guzzi display at EICMA, the Milan motorcycle show… no, no, sexism! Smacks for The Bear!
St Jude, the patron saint of lost causes and the Chicago Police Department (which tells you something about the Chicago Police Department, I suspect) is often shown as carrying a club and a book. Why isn’t he the patron saint of every highway patrol in the world?
FREECOM 1+ is the world’s most advanced Bluetooth communication system whether you are riding alone or with a passenger.
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.
LETTER OF THE MONTH
THIS MONTH’S LETTER of the month was a tough one. Do I go the funny, or do I go the practical advice? Well, I went the practical advice as the idea from Sharon is a great one. Well done, Sharon, please send me your t-shirt size and postal address, you’re the winner of the fabulous Nelson-Rigg shirt and backpack from Nelson-Rigg Australia – www. nelsonrigg.com.au . Cheers, Stuart.
A PLASTIC BAG?
Dear all, I was rather perplexed regarding the use of a soggy old
FIRE EXTINGUISHER!
Hi Stuart,
It seems that finally we are going to have an exciting motorcycle show in Sydney this year, no not the motorcycles or accessories but the battle between the two stands Australian motorcyclist magazine and NSW Motorcycle Council this will be fought out in the bullring with
plastic bag to soak clutch plates in Stuart’s article in issue 73. It seems a messy and wasteful way of doing it. I use a cheap plastic container for this purpose –this way, I don’t have to worry about leaks, and I can use the oil again afterwards. They come in all sizes, too. Attached is a pic of my method; I just had the plastic container lying around in the kitchen cupboards before I used it for clutch plates.
Hi Sharon,
Good idea. Don’t think my wife would be too happy me pinching one of her containers to put oil in it though (LOL!), hence the use of a plastic bag that was getting thrown out anyway. Cheers, Stuart.
I see your problem. Your wife isn’t a motorcyclist. I can wash parts in my kitchen sink if I want to. :-D
Oh, don’t get me wrong, she loves motorcycles, just not IN the house. Hahahaha!
Cheers, Stuart.
keyboards at five paces by AMM represented by The Big Stu (Stuart Woodbury) and NSWMC represented by Brian Woody Wood, this clash will definitely be the pinnacle of the show. This could seem a mismatch but let me assure you that Woody will hold his own as I have witnessed Woody when he was on the precursor to steroids, this was essentially a steak
wrapped in newspaper left on the bottom of Woody’s craven pannier continually hammered by the upswept conti muffler of his Ducati for 5 days then cooked. 10 minutes after the steak was consumed Woody would expand and turn green like a mini Incredible Hulk then with a single fart he cleared the camp fire one that Pepe La Poo would of been proud of. Woody was
Sharon Heritage – organiser, Hobart Motor Scooter Club
also the proud owner of the most stubborn Ducati to come out of Italy. One day at the King George V hotel Woody had kicked his steed at least 15 times and on the last kick it started at about 5000rpm. As the rear of the bike was about 2 metres from the wall separating the drinkers, I don’t know if it was the noise from the conti mufflers or the rattle of the bevel gears driving the valves that had the patrons scamping for cover. We promptly left that hotel before the patrons gathered their senses, as you can see Woody is one tough hombre to overcome.
The scenario will probably be, in the red corner The Big Stu dressed in singlet, shorts and Japanese riding boots and in the blue corner will be Little Woody Wood dressed in 5 star protection rated motorcycle gear it should be a humdinger but I will not try to pick the winner as I luvs youse both. Ian Gregory, Regents Park
HAHAHAHA! You’re a funny bastard, Ian! I think Brian would shit his pants. LOL! :) Cheers, Stuart.
BUSTED UP
G’day all,
I’m laid up for the moment with a broken collarbone and various sore bits and sticking plasters due to going too fast on a slow road, the road suddenly dropping to the left onto a bridge and me doing 120 odd I laid it down and slid into a bank rather than highside into the creek with a beautiful shiny Ducati following me into the rocks. With 45 years riding experience in Oz and Europe I still believe that I did what was necessary there, Stoner would have just done it neater.
Hospital people tend to be very good people and they treated me well, in part because I was dressed in proper gear and I reckon also because I never mentioned bad road signs, cows or cage drivers but said “yeah, too fast, stupid, that’s it.” Which brings me to Boris’s rave, read in bed (groan),about “mewling swamp toads” and other delicacies, people who want the excitement plus eternal padding and no blame. Good Rave Boris! Irresponsible Bastards Indeed. When l’ve got 2 arms again and have bought back my own bloody bike from auction (they wrote it off), if I meet you here or there I’ll shout you a good vodka; the purest drink, for a supporter of the beautiful way to travel. Graham.
Hi Graham, Boris says, “I’m waiting!” LOL! I think you’ll have to shout the entire bottle. Haha! Cheers, Stuart.
TOUGHNESS
Jason Doyle’s return from a horrific 2017 crash that stole that year’s world speedway crown, to build during the 2018 season to triumph in the final round in Australia! He won the round, the crown and the hearts of speedway fans. Determination and resilience, so inspiring.
Cheers (of which may there be many more!)
John Rice, Denmark WA
Another Aussie champ! ;) Cheers, Stuart.
AREN’T THEY ALL?
I’ve always been blown away by elite sports people to put competition ahead of their own wellbeing. A quick look around the MotoGP circuit or the Dakar pack has me querying whether this is a uniquely Australian quality or even slightly. I love banging the drum for our fabulous Ozzie heroes but u seem to be very focused on the idea that we’re exceptional in this regard. I doubt it. Love the mag! Regards, Leonardo
Hi Leonardo, Yes, you could very well be right. Glad you like the mag ;) Cheers, Stuart.
HAPPY CAMPER!
Dear Sir,
I recently received a shirt and bag from you as a prize for “Letter of the Month” via Australian Motorcyclist. I just wanted to thank you for your sponsorship, I am sure the gifts will prove to be very handy. I also hope you will continue with your sponsorship. A number of my riding mates gave me ‘stick’ for appearing in the magazine, but they now are aware of the Nelson-Rigg branding. Thanks again.
Regards, Warren Janetzki
Hi Warren, Enjoy, mate. And, don’t worry about your
mates, they’re just jealous ;) Cheers, Stuart.
IMPOSTER?
The editor, I must congratulate you and your staff for your collective efforts on Australian Motorcyclist Magazine. It is entertaining and informative in most facets of motorcycling. That’s until you get to the back. Then you are accosted by Boris’ snarling face and diatribe. I have seen Boris’ so-called ‘work’ in other magazines over the years and understand why he is shown the door. Surely people get sick of his egotistical rants? That is unless they have the IQ of a common rat of course, plus some ill positioned home tattoos, earrings and scruffy beards. His writing may be entertaining to some but please do not encourage him to start writing about new motorcycles in Australian Motorcyclist Magazine. The couple I have read on the internet (to see what the so-called ‘fuss’ was about) seem to be pure fiction, with gods, prostitutes and drugs taking centre stage rather than the motorcycle itself. I would never buy a motorcycle based on one of his reviews and I don’t see anyone else doing the same either. Is this man serious? Is he as tough as he portrays, or does he just wear a scowl and tight t-shirts to cultivate that image?
Please don’t let Australian Motorcyclist Magazine become a pseudo bikie journal by enabling this lout to get a foothold in it.
Greg Milton Cammeray
REAL AUSTRALIA
LET’S GO TO THE PUB!
Hi,
Have you guys published a list on your website site of the various pubs that you’ve visited and rated? Hopefully geographically sorted? It’d be handy when sorting out the route for a trip.
Thanks, Graham
Hi Graham,
We have a bit of information on the web under our “Magazine Index” section, but not all of them. It is a good idea and something we should look at soon.
Cheers, Stuart.
NEW LAM
G’day fellas,
Recently spent a month riding NZ (first visit) and had a blast. Your endless promotion of this motorcycle paradise convinced me to go. Thank you. The reason for this email though is as follows..... A friend has a 20-ish son who wants to get into motorcycling so he’s asked me for advice. He’s looking for a LAMS bike. Is there anywhere I can direct him that will list what’s available? A list containing bikes of up to ten years of age would be handy.
Cheers, Gordon Banks BA34
Hi Gordon,
Here’s a bit of a rundown on some good bikes to consider...
New - Kawasaki Ninja 400, Yamaha R3, Royal Enfield 650, Yamaha MT-07, Honda CBR300 or 500
Second hand - Honda VTR250, Honda CB400, Honda CBR250R, Kawasaki Ninja 300, Kawasaki Ninja 250, Kawasaki GPX250, Yamaha MT-07, Suzuki GS500. That should be a good start. If you see any other bike and aren’t sure, get in touch.
Cheers, Stuart. D
Spyder
Scrambler Sixty2
HUSQVARNA www.husqvarna-motorcycles.com/au
KAWASAKI
www.kawasaki.com.au
ROad
Z125 Pro KRT
Z300 ABS
Ninja 400 KRT
Ninja 400 SE
Versys 650/L ABS
Ninja 650/L ABS
Ninja 650/L KRT
Z650L ABS
Ninja
V-Strom 1000 XT
IGLOVE IS IN THE AIR
T HAS BEEN SAID by people who don’t know what the hell they’re talking about that I am turning into a curmudgeon. This is nonsense, of course. All that’s happening is that as my sight deteriorates, my insight improves. Along with that comes reduced tolerance, admittedly.
One of the things I am reducedly tolerant of is the passive aggression that makes people ignore or misuse safety equipment. Take gloves. In France you are required to wear ECE approved ones, and I don’t agree with that. Indeed, I fear that kind of regulation and am worried that it is getting a foothold (handhold?) in Australia with the proposed motorcycle clothing standards. But of course it makes sense to wear gloves. It also makes sense to wear them properly. That means buying the right size and securing any straps to keep them on your hands in case of a crash.
Keep them on your hands? Oh yes. A friend of mine who shall remain nameless (hello, Lester) was caught out by a terminal tankslapper once. In the process his hands flew out to both sides as if he was welcoming a long-lost boon companion. His gloves flew off his hands – we later found one of them more than 20 feet away in a paddock – and he landed on the roadway on his bare hands. Nearly 40 years later he still doesn’t have any fingerprints.
I’m not accusing him of being careless, by the way. When this happened, the go-to glove was still the fur-lined gauntlet or its glove equivalent which offered no way to secure them to your wrist. The things used to fall off your hands if you pointed downward.
It makes sense to wear a helmet, too, and so it’s interesting that few riders who are not legally obliged to sport a brain bucket actually do so. When they are so obliged, as for example in Vietnam, they rarely do up the strap, making the helmet useless. In places like some of the states of the US, otherwise apparently sane folk take the lining out of their helmets to ‘improve’ the appearance. People, whether you approve of helmet laws or not, if you’re going to wear one, wear it properly.
You may end up, not so much cutting off your nose to spite your face as visiting a mortuary to spite your lawmakers.
How does all this jibe with my wellknown opposition to fluorescent clothing?
Pay attention; I shall say this only once. I am not opposed to fluorescent anything. I am worried that riders will think that they are safe when they wear it, and therefore reduce their level of
alertness. Think that’s silly, do you?
“New research from Rice University and Texas Tech University has found that when automated vehicles miss hazards, their drivers are also likely to miss them. In addition, the longer the driver uses the automated driving system, the more likely they are to fail to react to hazards,” says a press release from Rice University.
So? Well, if you think something else is looking after your safety, you don’t look after it yourself. That’s just as true for motorcyclists as it is for drivers.
And while we’re on the subject of cars, autonomous or not. What is it that makes drivers stop at intersections well before the sensors embedded in the roadway? I mean seriously. Those sensors – and you can see where they are by the cut lines in the asphalt – are there to tell the lights that you are there. If you stop before your car is above them, the lights will not know that there is a car waiting for them to change.
Understand, you idiot? You will sit there until your beard grows through the steering wheel. So will the unfortunate drivers behind you. What is your problem? As the sainted Mr Smith used to say, “It’s not hard, is it?”
Once upon a time, and still occasionally now, motorcycles were not heavy enough or did not contain enough steel or whatever to trigger the sensors. To accommodate that when I’m first in line at the lights, I ride forward to make room above the sensors for the car immediately behind me. As often as not, Driver Dick will then allow a car’s length between us, thus avoiding the sensors and the point of my courtesy.
It’s almost enough to turn a man (or a bear) into a curmudgeon…D
BORIS
BBORIS MIHAILOVIC
3, 7, 11…25
LOKES WHO HAVE done multi-day trips may be able to relate to The Transformation. If you have not spent many days on a bike, then don’t say I haven’t warned you…
After three days on a bike, you change. You’ve done some good miles, spent maybe 30 hours in the seat, and you’re not the man you were when you left home.
Not much happened the first day. You were maybe tired after six or seven hundred klicks, drank some beer and passed out. Some stuff might have hurt the next morning – neck, arse, maybe thighs if there were lots of corners and you hooked in a bit – but you were fundamentally unchanged.
Day Two was only the beginning of the Transformation – shit maybe hurt a little less at the end of the day, the ring-rust you’d acquired from not doing big miles for months was receding, and you felt…well, better. So you rode better.
And on Day Three you were reborn. Suddenly, you’re riding very well. Your bike has had all its cobwebs blown away. You sit easy in the seat and you flow through the corners. You’ve even got a ritual that eases those boring bits. You might stand up on the pegs a bit. You will almost
certainly put your feet up on the pillion pegs or let your legs flop off your pegs; that tall seat height is suddenly a good idea. You remember most of the words to old songs and you sing them loud, and you make up the words you don’t know. That night, you eat with a new appetite. Your food tastes better. The beer is sharp and clean. You sleep the sleep of the righteous. You sleep the sleep of the motorcycle rider reborn.
After seven days in the saddle, you are no longer the man you were four days ago when you were no longer the man you were when you left home. You have changed again.
You are now a riding machine. You and the motorcycle are one thing – a creature of flesh and alloy, blood and oil. You have the gaze of an eagle as you peer into the distance, seeing hazards and challenges, and welcoming them as fighter welcomes an opponent he knows he can beat shit out of.
You’re more at ease in the seat than you are out of it. But when you’re not riding you’re walking like a gunslinger. You know exactly which pocket your keys are in, which pocket your smokes are in, where your wallet is, and where your phone is. You’re no longer patting yourself down at each petrol stop like some neurotic weirdo. You’ve learned to look around and through the bugs on your helmet and your skin is always warm. The wind has annealed you and the road has pounded you into a type of capability only big-distance riders ever experience. You’re a long way from home and you don’t much care. The bike is purring, the tyres are still good, and you’re thinking clearly about not much at all.
Four days later, you are another being altogether.
You’ve now transcended mere motorcycling humanity to become The Rider. Corners are nothing but primal joy to carve. You respond reflexively, without conscious thought, to each
minute signal the front-end is sending you. You’re able to push harder, and you move naturally with the bike, your entire body thrumming and coping with the vagaries of the road. When people try to talk to you, attracted to your other-worldly mien, you are benevolent, but distant. You no longer breathe the same air as they do. You stand upon Olympus looking down upon the world. You have travelled vast distances. Foreign winds have blasted you and alien suns have seared you. Your dreams have been strange and wondrous – and deep. Your hands feel strange when they’re not holding handlebars, and you no longer walk like a gunslinger. In fact, walking is unnatural. Only riding is true and pure. Only riding further and further, and seeing things as yet unseen has any purpose. Only breathing air you’ve never tasted, the smell of which fills the space behind your eyes with everything and nothing all at once, means anything.
Riding a motorcycle is now the only thing in your life. It is, in fact, your life. The past no longer has any relevance. The future no longer holds any fear. Only the present is real and the present is riding the motorcycle – a motorcycle you will never be able to clean properly again. And you don’t care. Such rubbish once occupied the mind of the man you were a long time ago. It is no longer anything you care to think about.
Your Transformation is complete. Almost.
Not many people spend more than 20-odd days on the road. I’ve only done it a few times in my life. The longest has been 27 days of riding. You want to know what happens on Day 25?
You become God.
But don’t take my word for it. This is something you have to find out for yourself. D
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