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EDITORSPEAKS
WE GET EMAILS EVERY
now and again from readers asking the question, “why do motorcycles cost so much?”. I thought I’d address this for everyone, rather than continue with the usual email reply.
In relative terms, motorcycles are quite well-priced when you think about it. Remember back almost twenty years ago? That 1000cc sports bike was still in the high teens to buy, and with most litre bikes now in the low to mid-twenties it’s a reasonable price increase when you consider how much everything else has gone up in price. Reckon you could buy the same trolley full of groceries you paid $300 for back in the early 2000s? Yeah, right, that trolley load will be more than $600! Bit of a difference compared to the minor price increase of motorcycles, huh.
You also need to take into account that the quality and features of motorcycles has improved ten-fold over the years. There are also such great motorcycles that are that wellpriced today you couldn’t even imagine getting for anywhere near the same amount of money twenty years ago.
I want us motorcyclists to get positive in this tough market period we’re going through. Don’t sit on the fence, do something about the market, go and buy that new bike – to hell with saving money, or wanting to buy something else new, buy that bloody motorcycle you’ve been salivating over – help out your local motorcycle dealer, go and buy some new gear as well, after all
everyone loves new riding gear.
I think, the more positive we are about the motorcycle industry, the better it will slowly rebuild; being all doom and gloom never got anyone anywhere. Send me your thoughts or a pic of that new motorcycle you just bought and let’s do our part. I’m waiting for the new V4 Streetfighter to arrive and I could very well be placing an order – let’s see what it’s like to ride first.
Can we ever get a break from Mother Nature? She has turned it on here in Australia lately – mega fires and now flooding! I will admit, it was so nice to finally have some rain, I stood out in my backyard as it had been too long since I’d felt that lovely stuff falling from the sky, but then when it really pelted down and caused the flooding I was just hoping it went to our dam to fill it back up. I read via the ABC website it could be bumped back up to around 80%, which is excellent.
My thoughts go out to those that got the double whammy – burnt with the fires and then flooded from the rain. This makes it doubly important for us to get out to these communities and spend some money. Let them know they’re not alone as they rebuild.
Small update on the FZR1000 motor – I have all the engine parts now and the new barrel has been bored out and honed, and the crank, rods and pistons balanced. I now have to stick the head in the mill and check it’s perfectly straight and we might even take a little off it to help raise the compression slightly. The engine was fast before, but Version 2.0 will be even faster I reckon!
Enjoy.
Cheers, Stuart.
GONE
Norton Motorcycles has gone into administration owing £300,000 in unpaid tax. Stuart Garner, the CEO of Norton also had two other companies go into administration, one of which was Priest House Hotel in Castle Donington – the place where Nortons were being produced. The administrators are taking all necessary steps to ensure that customers, staff and suppliers are supported through the administration process, however don’t expect Norton to be seen on this planet for a very long time, if ever again. Talk about a string of bad luck – or perhaps bad decisions
POWERBALL WIN, A MUST
What would be the first motorcycle you buy when your numbers drop in Powerball? Well, how about the Ducati Superleggara V4! The Superleggera V4 is the most powerful and
MOTORCYCLES ARE ALREADY HERE?
vehicles into the Australian market.
This includes all vehicle technologiesbattery electric, hybrid, plug-in hybrid and hydrogen fuel cell vehicles, (what about the vehicles that are already here – motorcycles?).
technologically advanced production Ducati ever built and will be made in a limited edition of just 500 individually numbered motorcycles. It is the only street-legal motorcycle in the world with a carbon fibre chassis, swingarm and wheels, Biplane wings and extreme aerodynamics. How about a power/ weight ratio of 1.54 hp/kg in racing kit configuration, a record value for a street-legal bike and to top all of that off, purchasers of the Superleggera V4 will also be offered a track test on the factory Panigale V4 R competing in the Superbike World Championship and, for the first time ever, a unique opportunity to test the Desmosedici GP20! I just bought a Powerball ticket to cover the $150,000 plus on road price tag. LOL!
The Federal Chamber of Automotive Industries (FCAI) has called for Government support of allegedly ALL low emission technologies, but obviously forgotten about motorcycles.
However, the Chamber believes that the emphasis should be on outcomes, rather than mandating specific technologies given Australia’s unique geography. To this point, the automotive industry has achieved significant gains in the increased efficiency of internal combustion petrol and diesel engines and they will continue to play a significant role for many years to come.
International studies have confirmed that the uptake of new lowemission technology requires strong Government support through the provision of incentives, infrastructure, specific emissions targets and high-quality fuel.
To ensure Australia achieves the best outcome, the FCAI urges strong Federal and State Government support to encourage both CO2 targets and the adoption of all low emission and energy efficient power trains in the Australian market. Again, what about the low-emission vehicles that already get ridden around…motorcycles, or don’t we rate?
Recent international and local media reports have highlighted the introduction of stringent targets for the uptake of electric vehicles in the United Kingdom.
The FCAI, which represents all major vehicle manufacturers, supports robust targets for the introduction of low emission
INDIAN MOTORCYCLE –MORE DEALERS
Earlier this year, Polaris announced its intention to move to a solely independent network of Indian Motorcycle dealers in Australia during 2020, a change from the current network structure of both companyowned and independent dealers.
The transition away from companyowned dealerships in Melbourne, Sydney, Brisbane and Perth in favour of a fully-independent network will
provide Indian Motorcycle with the opportunity to significantly expand its dealer network to provide customers with greater access to Indian Motorcycle across Australia.
Polaris has announced that they have entered into an agreement with MotorCycle Holdings Limited to retail the Indian Motorcycle brand through six of their existing dealerships in Queensland, New South Wales and Victoria, increasing the network coverage and support offered by the Indian Motorcycle brand.
MotorCycle Holdings will represent the Indian Motorcycle brand in Brisbane, Gold Coast, two locations in Melbourne and two locations in Sydney. All locations are anticipated to be operational by mid-2020, a transition that will see a smooth supply and service for existing and new Indian Motorcycle customers as each company-owned Indian Motorcycle dealership closes. Indian Motorcycle will also be making an announcement in the near future regarding the plans for its dealer network in Perth.
There will be plenty of familiar faces for customers in the MotorCycle Holdings Indian dealerships, with Polaris and MotorCycle Holdings working together in an effort to keep staff from the current company-owned dealerships working with the Indian Motorcycle brand under the new network structure.
CASH IN YOUR POCKET!
Kawasaki Motors Australia continues to work with Champion’s Ride Days to provide the best tracks to ride your Kawasaki. Champion’s Ride Days will run over 100 track day events across Australia during 2020. At each of the track days, a rider can hire a Kawasaki Ninja ZX-10R, Ninja ZX-6R or Ninja 400 for the full day or for one session and get their money back!
An exclusive offer for Kawasaki customers from 14th February 2020: Hire a Kawasaki Ninja ZX10R, Ninja ZX-6R or Ninja 400 motorcycle at a Champion’s Ride Days event and then purchase any new Ninja motorcycle from a Kawasaki dealership within 60 days,
you will get the hire money refunded. Get on the track today with Champion’s Ride Days. Test out a Kawasaki motorcycle using the hire program. Book in now - https:// championsridedays.com.au/
GLOBAL STRENGTH
Triumph Motorcycles and Bajaj Auto India have formally begun their exciting, long term, non-equity partnership in Pune, India. This is a unique moment, where two world-class companies that are passionate, as well as product focused, are coming together to build a brand-new range of motorcycles.
The partnership will see the two companies with their respective strengths in large and small capacity
motorcycles collaborate to design, engineer, and manufacture a range of mid-capacity motorcycles.
The iconic Triumph brand will seek to further expand its global reach, with the partnership offering a new mid-sized sector opportunity and, importantly, a new entry point to several high-volume emerging markets, including India and other Asian markets.
The partnership will build a new engine and vehicle platform in the midcapacity range (200- 750cc) and offer multiple options to address different segments in this class. The proposition will be aspirational and affordable with a targeted pricing starting under INR 2 lakh in India. This will create a new entry point to the Triumph range around the world, and ensure Triumph can compete in important large segments of the global motorcycle market, and attract new customers to the brand.
DON’T DREAM, DO IT
Check out this video from the recent KTM New Zealand Adventure Rallye. Battling extreme conditions early on, nothing could dampen the rider’s spirits as the Rallye traversed special access forestry and local farms, while visiting unique communities for fun-filled evenings full of laughter and tales from the trail.
Watch the adventure unfold as 137 KTM adventure riders and more than 30 support staff tackle the challenging conditions and outstanding terrain of the South Island: https://youtu. be/9c8m528AnPU
Don’t want to miss out on the next KTM New Zealand Adventure Rallye?
Check out ridektm.co.nz for more information on orange adventures down under.
SCREAM TIME
Harley-Davidson offers power-hungry street riders a new performance option with the introduction of the Screamin’ Eagle Milwaukee-Eight 131 Crate Engine for Touring model motorcycles. The new 131 cubic inch (2147cc) V-Twin delivers the biggest, most powerful street-compliant engine Harley-Davidson has ever created. The Screamin’ Eagle 131 is a boltin replacement for 2017-later model Harley-Davidson Touring motorcycles originally equipped with a MilwaukeeEight Oil-Cooled or Twin-Cooled engine, designed to run at high RPM and provide a significant boost of torque from cruising speed.
“Riders of many late-model Harley-
components, depending on motorcycle model. All models require additional purchase of ECM recalibration with Screamin’ Eagle Pro Street Tuner for proper installation.
The Screamin’ Eagle Milwaukee-Eight 131 will be available for Australian and New Zealand customers from March 2020 based on Harley-Davidson dealers stock availability. D
Davidson Touring motorcycles will experience commanding performance from the moment the throttle is cracked open on the Screamin’ Eagle 131 engine,” says HD. It’s a combination that produces 131 ft-lb of torque and 121 horsepower at the rear wheel.
custom direction – Black and Chrome to
by an authorised H-D Dealer
12-month limited warranty.
AUD / $11,665 NZD Twinmay HD. It’s a combination that produces cover. The engine is available in a
Each Screamin’ Eagle 131 engine is detailed with 131 Stage IV badging on the cylinder heads and timing cover. The engine is available in a choice of two finish treatments to match original motorcycle styling or a custom direction – Black and Chrome or Black and Gloss Black. There are also versions of the engine to fit motorcycles originally equipped with an oil-cooled Milwaukee-Eight engine and those equipped with the Twin-Cooled Milwaukee-Eight engine. The Screamin’ Eagle 131 engine is eligible for Custom Coverage under the motorcycle’s factory 24-month vehicle limited warranty when dealer-installed by an authorised H-D Dealer within 60 days of vehicle purchase and is otherwise backed by a 12-month limited warranty.
The Screamin’ Eagle MilwaukeeEight 131 Crate Engine (RRP excluding fitment: $9,610 AUD /$11,299 NZD oil cooled, $9,920 AUD / $11,665 NZD TwinCooled). Installation may require the separate purchase of additional
Photo by Barnabas Imre
Nitro Methane on Steroids
WORDS stuart PHOTOS Mark Da D swell
Everyone knows the Triumph Rocket III; originally launched back in 2004, the megalodon-sized two wheeled muscle machine with the massive triple cylinder engine stuffed between your legs. If you’ve ridden one, you’ll know that you have excellent flexibility because you have performed gymnastics better than a gold medal Romanian Olympic gymnast just to stretch yourself around that massive engine. Roll on the many different versions of the Rocket III over the years and into 2020, when we have the release of the new Triumph Rocket 3 R and GT models. Yes, gone are the three ‘Is’, replaced by a more sensible, number ‘3’ in the title.
Even if you’re remotely interested in the Rocket 3, you’ll know from the numerous dribbles of information distributed since the bike was first teased last year that the new Rocket 3 has a bigger engine, more power and more torque and has gone on a diet that Jenny Craig would love the rights to. The new Rocket 3 is the biggest capacity motorcycle ever to go into production with the most torque ever produced by a production bike. What that equals is simply eyeball rolling fun!
The launch of the Rocket 3 R and GT was held in country Victoria. We mainly toured the many winding roads on our way to our overnight accommodation at Daylesford, but we also got to do some timed runs at Rob Roy Hillclimb. If you haven’t heard about Rob Roy Hillclimb, it is the second oldest hillclimb track in the world. Opened in 1938, it was closed in 1962 due to bushfires but reopened in 1992 after much love was applied to track and facilities by the MG Car Club of Victoria. This great group of gents still looks after the track and surrounds to this day.
The record for the fastest car set at Rob Roy is 17.3 seconds, held by a purpose built hillclimb car fitted with an ex Formula One engine. The motorcycle record is in the 23 second bracket, with motorcycles officially not being run at the hillclimb for quite a few years due to regulations and yada
yada. Of course, I was on to try and get somewhere close to that record and ended up one second off at 24.7secs. I was disappointed that I didn’t push just a touch harder to get the record. What a way to introduce the new Rocket 3 –by ‘rocketing’ up Rob Roy!
There was a famous quote claimed for Enzo Ferrari many moons ago which goes “horsepower sells cars, torque wins races.” And if you want to talk about torque, then let’s talk about the Rocket 3. A full 2500 cubic centimetres are now packed into that in-line three-cylinder powerplant, fitted into a new alloy frame.
The diet the new Rocket 3 has endured stripped over 40 kilograms off the total weight of the motorcycle. A big chunk of that has come out of the engine. 18kg is the number, this has come via 11kg from the crank and associated counterbalancers, 3.9kg from the lubrication system and 3.6kg with new counterbalancers. Matched to a new transmission and shaft drive the total reduction in weight from the drivetrain is a huge 32kg. The overall size of the engine has been reduced significantly too. It’s slimmer in width, and shorter in length and height, which means that you can stop attending gymnastics training just to get on a Rocket 3, and the bike now feels much like any other power Roadster or Cruiser motorcycle.
So, let’s talk about torque. The numbers that matter for a Rocket 3 are 221Nm peak torque at only 4000rpm. To put this into perspective, it’s a claimed 71% more than the closest competition and still 25% more than its closest competition in the torqueweight ratio. To say it pulls your arm sockets out is pretty much on the money, but it’s also very deceptive in the way it accelerates. It’s seamless and smooth, so in a blink of an eye you’re in ‘go to gaol’ territory without really knowing it – told you this bike is fun!
The Rocket 3 will also light up the rear tyre with ease. At Rob Roy Hillclimb I started off in second gear with around 4000rpm – I ended up wheelspinning all the way to the first turn and then wheelspinning out of the other handful of corners up the
hill. This also happens on the road, so if motorcycling to you means laughing, grinning and giggling all the time – the Rocket 3 is right up your alley.
If you must know the power figure, 123kW is also healthy enough to help rocket the Rocket 3 along. Of course, Euro 5 regulations have been met with the Rocket 3 and this has come via heavily restricting the engine. Hard to believe with the figures this thing punches out, so if you like to extract that bit more out of your ride look at the airbox, throttle bodies from the outgoing model, higher lift cams, recalibrated ECU and a free flowing exhaust for even more increased numbers – that will produce a motorcycle I’d love to have a go on someday… so if you do it, let me know!
To pull up all this acceleration, the latest Brembo Stylema radial mount calipers are fitted to the front and work as expected with loads of power, and the rear is also a radial mounted caliper – a first for a production motorcycle, and it also works perfectly. For safety, cornering ABS is there in case it all goes wrong. Hill hold is there on the Rocket 3 and is operated by the rear brake. If you’re familiar with most hill hold features, they run off the front brakes.
Comfort is excellent. I could ride either version all day without any soreness; even with the forward peg position of the GT large bumps don’t jolt your spine. There is a little backrest built into the seat and not only is it comfortable but you need it for the insane torque. The R and GT also have different seat heights (773mm – 750mm), but to be honest I didn’t really feel much difference between the two. The handlebar is different by 125mm with the R the more ‘forward’ and the GT a far more relaxed cruiser style bar with heated grips.
I would recommend riding both bikes to see which one you prefer; opinions were mixed among the riders on the launch. To complete the adjustability in these bikes the pegs can be moved to one of three positions too.
The frame is an all-new alloy design with the engine used as a stressed
member. It is 50% lighter than the old model and no doubt a lot stiffer.
Suspension is made up by Showa 47mm forks and a Showa monoshock.
Front and rear are fully adjustable, something you don’t find on many other Roadster/Cruiser motorcycles. I did find the standard settings worked well, even when punting hard. The only thing I would like on the Rocket 3 is a skinnier front tyre. I think a 150 is too wide; a 130 would be more relaxing with lighter turn in, but in terms of comfort when cruising along, the 150 is fine.
Styling of the new Rocket 3 is stunning. The attention to detail is simply first class. Internal wiring runs through the handlebar and the main harness runs through the middle of frame – this makes it easy to remove and work on if need be. A very neat feature is the dual fold out pillion pegs – you’d hardly know the pillion pegs are there until you fold the first step down, then unfold the peg. Even things like the exhaust heat guards have been thought of – on the R they are smaller, whereas on the GT they wrap around a bit further for the forward set pegs. This extra special attention to detail runs across the entire bike and really does make it a premium product. Allow yourself many cold beverages to view everything in detail. Even the tyres are special! Avon Cobra Chrome tyres have been designed for the Rocket 3 and have a snakeskin pattern on the edges and a Cobra head pattern just waiting for you to wear off.
To add to the premium features and styling, the Rocket 3 also comes with
all LED lighting, four riding modes, cruise control, keyless ignition and traction control. The second generation TFT instruments are very smart. To start, it is adjustable in angle and the big thing is the ‘MyTriumph’ app. Connected navigation with directions shown through the TFT dash, Bluetooth, music, phone and volume can all be controlled through the left switchgear. You can also connect a GoPro and control it through the dash, and the ‘Bike Garage’ feature on the app allows you to view bike and ride information.
Over 50 accessories are available for the Rocket 3 with parts interchangeable between models. For example, if you want the peg setup from the other model it is available as a kit and is something I’d personally do. I’d probably get the GT model and fi t the R peg setup.
If you want to get your backside on either of the new Rocket 3 models you’d better light the nitro methane and rocket into your Triumph dealer as there is a wait for these rippers. It seems everyone loves a bit of muscle and the Rocket 3 certainly has that! D
BRAKES: Front, twin 320mm discs with radial mount four-piston cornering ABS calipers. Rear, 300mm disc, radial mount four-piston cornering ABS caliper.
FUEL CONSUMPTION: 7.62 litres per 100km, premium unleaded
THEORETICAL RANGE: 236km
COLOURS: Korosi Red, Phantom Black (R), Silver Ice/Storm Grey, Phantom Black (GT)
VERDICT: MUSCLE ON TOP OF MUSCLE!
“BUT THE DEVIL WHOOPS, AS HE WHOOPED OF OLD: ‘IT'S CLEVER, BUT IS IT ART?”
EVENT
- THE CONUNDRUM OF THE WORKSHOPS RUDYARD KIPLING
The Motorcycle: Design, art, desire WORDS THE BEAR PHOTOS QAGOMA
BOTH CLEVERAnd art
John Britten’s brainchild is still one of the most recognizable motorcycles in the world. This one has been borrowed from Te Papa in Wellington.
I, AS THE SAYING GOES, have good news and bad news. The good news is that the Queensland Art Gallery / Gallery of Modern Art (QAGOMA) is putting together an outstanding exhibition of motorcycles from around the world, called The Motorcycle: Design, Art, Desire. The exhibition is curated by renowned design curators, physicist Professor Charles M. Falco and writer and filmmaker Ultan Guilfoyle, in collaboration with QAGOMA. These are the blokes, as you will know if you follow international motorcycle exhibitions (just kidding), who curated the massively successful Guggenheim show The Art of the Motorcycle. Design, Art, Desire is not just a copy of the Guggenheim’s concept. As Ultan Guilfoyle pointed out, it focuses on past, present and future to display the thread of design that runs through the idea of the motorcycle.
At the public introduction of the show, Minister for Science and the Arts Leeanne Enoch announced ‘The Motorcycle’ would feature the most innovative and influential motorcycles created over the last 150 years.
‘From The Great Escape, Easy Rider and Arnold Schwarzenegger in Terminator 2, motorcycles have
That engine turned with the wheel, or perhaps I should say that the wheel turned with the engine.
Staggeringly difficult to ride fast, the Megola was still a successful race bike.
been a mainstay of popular culture for decades and continue to provide endless fascination for millions of people around the world,” Minister Enoch said.
‘The one-of-a-kind exhibition at GOMA is set to tap into the appeal of this iconic object of design and art through a thrilling and immersive installation experience that will not be shown anywhere else in the world and will be must-see for locals and
EVENT
visitors to Queensland.”
QAGOMA Director Chris Saines said The Motorcycle: Design Art Desire would feature more than 100 motorcycles from the 1860s to the present day, drawn from private and public collections across the globe. “It includes the earliest 19th century steam-powered motorcycle, right through to electric motorcycles and exciting design propositions for the future.
“Over its 150-year history, the motorcycle has undergone extraordinary reinvention, from steam power to petrol-fueled internal combustion engines to battery, and from humble backyard creations to custom-made, high-tech chrome speed machines,” Mr Saines said. “More than just a means of transport, the motorcycle is a design object, with forms and styles that reflect innumerable cultural and
societal influences. We look forward to presenting this comprehensive survey of a universal machine designed to inspire freedom and escape through affordable mobility.
1. Often called the
2.Wouldn’t it have been interesting if this
The Majestic 350 can trace its history to the early 1920s at the same time as the first BMW.
Art Deco bike, the Majestic looks a lot like some of the more extreme custom bikes being designed today.
bike had succeeded as well as the BMW!
“At this turning point in the way the world thinks about powered transport, The Motorcycle will be a timely celebration of exquisite design and a look at what the future holds,” Mr Saines said.
Highlights of the exhibition include a 1868 Michaux-Perraux, the first steam powered velocipede and oldest known motorcycle in the world; the earliest Australian-designed and built machines including a Spencer produced in Brisbane in 1906; the amazing 1951 Vincent Black
Lightning that set an Australian land speed record in its day and more recently a world record for the highest price paid at auction for a motorcycle; symbols of speed from a 1930s Triumph Speed Twin to a 1970s Ducati 750 Super Sport to the 1990s Britten V1000; off-road motorcycles highlighting a rich history of bikes built for dust and dirt; customised motorcycles at the intersection of art and design; and finally ultra-modern electric motorcycles, demonstrating the future of transportation in the age of renewable energy.
The organisers have promised to keep us up to date with other bikes they’ve sourced for the exhibition, so keep an eye out for following editions of Australian Motorcyclist Magazine. Oh, and the bad news?
The exhibition runs only from 28 November 2020 to 26 April 2021. Tickets to ‘The Motorcycle: Design, Art, Desire’ are now on sale at www.qagoma.qld. gov.au/themotorcycle . D
Great organised motorcycle tours compiled by tHe
Bear
Is it a llama? Or an alpaca or a vicuña? Then again, it might be a guanaco… visit Patagonia and find out!
The famous windswept Ruta 40 and a group of Compass travelers.
Every now AnD then, you read or see something and the Choir Invisible commences singing in the background. That something is something that you really, really must get to know, or have or experience.
The prime example in my life, where motorcycling is concerned, was the Kawasaki Turbo. I saw a picture of the prototype in a magazine (the interwebs were only dreamed of back then) and called Kawasaki Motor Australia. I told the then marketing manager, Roger Young, that I wanted the first one to hit Australian wharves. He regretfully informed me that that one was gone, but I could have the second one.
What does that have to do with travel? Simple. I saw the details of the Compass Wild Patagonia tour and got the same itch I’d had when I saw the Turbo. This is a trip I really wanted to do. Never mind that I was already pretty much tied up for 2020, or that I would have to explain the need to visit South America to Mrs Bear. I called Craig at Compass and said –book it, Craigo!
Here is the tour description from Compass that turned me on. I couldn’t bear to edit it down.
COMPASS WILD PATAGONIA TOUR
Joining Day: Santiago Your Santiago airport transfer will take you directly to our joining hotel, ready for an early start tomorrow. Today you will meet your crew for your tour briefing and welcome dinner.
Day One: Pucón A short, included, flight from the Chilean capital, Santiago, to Temuco where it’s a quick private bus trip to Pucon located in the shadow of the snow-capped Villarrica Volcano. Pucon is a stunning village deep within the legendary Chilean Lakes District and is famous for its foodie and adventure scene.
Day Two: Petrohue We ride south through a stunning region of Chile and stop at Ensenada, wonderfully located on the shores of Lago Llanguihue. Today’s ride is spectacular as we ride amongst verdant farmlands and forests
of green and view the perfect snowcapped cone of the Volcano Osorno. We shall ride out to one of the most stunning lake in all of Southern Chile, Lago Todos los Santos where we shall overnight at Petrohué. Hopefully we shall see Volcan Osorno being beautifully reflected off the emerald green lake; it’s an outstandingly beautiful spot.
Day Three: Hornopiren We now enter Patagonia proper and a landscape of rare beauty. Today’s ride hugs the shoreline of the mighty Estero Reloncavi, a breathtaking fjord with forest-covered mountains that tumble down to the deep blue waters of the fjord.
Day Four: Chaiten We take two ferries today, the first from Hornopiren to Leptepu via the spectacular fjord, then it’s a 10 km / 6 mi ride across the Huequi Peninsular to take our second ferry across the beautiful Fiordo Largo to Caleto Gonzalo, from here it’s a 60 km / 37 mi ride to Chaiten a town engulfed by a nearby volcano in 2008.
Day Five: Futaleufú Continuing south we turn off Ruta 7 to overnight
at the amazing Futaleufú one of the worlds premier white water rafting hotspots. Today’s ride hugs the shoreline of Lago Yelcho and traverses a landscape of mountains and valleys as we enter an incredibly steeped walled canyon dissected by the raging turquoise Futaleufú River and onto Futaleufú township.
Day Six: Puyuhuapi We ride into a world of thick rainforest and southern beech as we enter the renowned Queulat National Park. The ride hugs the shoreline of the beautiful Lago Risopatron before arriving lakeside where we catch a boat across to the superb Puyuhuapi Lodge & Spa, absolutely remote and stunningly tranquil, our stop for the night.
Day Seven: Coyhaique Today’s ride is through beautiful mountain scenery crossing a high rugged pass in the
1. Mountains are to the south of South America what plains are to Australia.
2. Refueling with Compass.
Queulat National Park, a breathtaking landscape of virgin forest, fjords, channels, glaciers, and ice fields. We shall stop off and visit the amazing Ventisqueiro hanging glacier en-route to Coyhaique.
Day Eight: Puerto Rio Tranquillo
We ride through the mighty Cerro Castillo National Park, a landscape of mighty snow-capped granite towers. We reach the shores of the incredibly blue waters of Lago Gral Carrera before arriving at the wonderful Rio Tranquillo where we spend two nights.
Day Nine: Puerto Rio Tranquillo
Our first rest day allows us to visit the remarkable Las Cavernas Marmoles with its swirling patterns of blue, grey and black marble spectacularly set against the glacial blue of Lago General Carrera. We can also visit the fast retreating San Rafael Glacier.
Day Ten: Perito Merino We follow the southern shores of Lago General Carrera before crossing the Andes and into Argentina. The landscape opens up and becomes the vast open, big sky, landscapes that Patagonia is renowned for.
Day Eleven: Esquel We ride north today on fantastic paved, twisting, roads that makes for an exhilarating days riding. You will love these bends! The impressive views of lakes and surrounds will leave you breathless. Tonight, we stop for a restful night at the friendly town of Esquel located at the foothills of the Andes and home to the famous Patagonia Express, immortalised by Bruce Chatwins book “In Patagonia”.
Day twelve: Bariloche Continuing north we ride onto the UNESCO listed Los Alerces National Park, considered to be one of the most stunning in all of Argentina. We visit the small town of Cholila, where Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid owned a small ranch in 1901, before continuing onto the superb Bariloche.
Day Thirteen: Bariloche Our rest day here means we get the chance to explore the incredible town of Bariloche. Situated on the shores of the beautiful lake Nahuel Huapi and ringed by 2,000 m snow-capped mountain peaks, you could be forgiven for thinking that you had just
arrived in the Austrian Alps. Bariloche is famous for its chocolate, fresh air and breathtaking scenery. Why not take an afternoon ride around the lake via the renowned Circquito Chico or just soak up some wonderful Argentine hospitality?
Day Fourteen: Pucon Today we cross the border and return to the Chilean town of Pucon, via the spectacular seven Lakes Drive. The ride runs along the shoreline of the stunning Lake Nahuel Huapi visiting the lakeside village of Villa la Angustora and wonderful San Martin de los Andes on Lago Lucar, before crossing back into Chile and descending through a forest of monkey puzzle trees into Pucon.
Day Fifteen: Santiago We transfer back to Temuco on a private bus then take a flight back to Santiago for our final night.
Departure day: Santiago Spend some time in Santiago or fly home, the choice is yours.
Woo hoo. This is going to be a wonderful way to ring out 2020. Oh, and you can join me if you like. Just call Craig on 1300 887 327 from Oz
And a note from Ralph
Adriatic Moto Tours has been telling us about their tour of Sicily. Well, hook us up for that one. The Bear will be adorned in Ray Bans and up to his top lip sipping sangria in Portugal [Port, Ralph] so that leaves Stu in the office stewing and me to accept the most generous offer by Adriatic Moto Tours to join them in Sicily for that nine day odyssey in early May 2020. There is the promise of the best roads, the very best food and fantastic company, all lead by the experienced team from Adriatic Moto. Sicily has been at the confluence of Goth, Greek, Phoenician, Roman and other cultures and I for one cannot wait to visit ruins and the well-known towns of Palermo, Taormina and Syracuse. This is a sealed-road adventure which scores highly on the Adriatic folk’s index (see their website for details and ratings) for culture and scenery. If your bucket list needs to include riding, culture and cuisine then maybe Sicily should be in that list! I experienced a six week ride around Italy in ‘95 and everyone since has said I missed the best part of Italy -- the island that the boot is kicking! Come and join me; there are a couple of seats left! I think it will be EPIC! See https://www.adriaticmototours.com/ tour/sicily-tour for more. R L-M
Is that Ralph? Might be, seeing he’s hamming it up for the camera.
or +61 3 9747 2379 or email him at info@compassexpeditions.com. The website is www.compassexpeditions. com if you want to find out more.
DIFFERENT MOUNTAINS FOR PHIL
Patagonia might be my thing, but the mountains that rang a bell for Phil Freeman from MotoQuest were in India. Here he is.
“Like I said in last year’s note regarding the India Touch the Sky Adventure, rarely do we try to talk someone out of taking a trip with us, but India is special.
“It’s not for everyone. However, when I am asked the pinnacle motorcycle ride I have experienced, without hesitation, it’s India. I have spent collectively three months riding India in the Himachal Pradesh region, a place that claws at me when I want to remember something truly extraordinary.
“Whenever one of our riders registers for this trip, I call them personally and right away to make sure India is right for them. It’s not a vacation with a chocolate on the pillow. It’s a true adventure. Is it your type of adventure?
“Are you up for epic roads, altitude, high passes, profound history and world-class scenery?
“There is another India Touch The Sky ride from August 20, 2021 to September 5, 2020. If you want to learn
more about this trip and get a good idea of what it might be like, I invite you to read a daily journal I wrote about this trip or watch a video journal I shot during our 2014 adventure. Just call toll free +1 (800) 756-1990 or local (562) 997-7368, drop a note to info@motoquest.com or see www.motoquest.com .
IMTBIKE ANDALUSIA TOUR EVEN COOLER
Cordoba is one of the most beautiful cities in Spain. Declared a World Heritage Site, Cordoba is a living legacy of history that portrays the different cultures (Christian, Muslim, Jewish) that influenced this city through time. Its famous patios, spectacular mosque, its culture and friendly people have made it one of Southern Spain´s gems that shouldn’t be missed.
IMT’s nine day tour begins in Malaga, a city known as the “city of light” for the number of sunny days it has year round. This trip highlights other gems like Granada, Seville and Ronda as well as many more “pueblos blancos” that we’ll encounter throughout this mountainous region of Spain.
IMTBIKE has even added an overnight stay in Cordoba in a cool high quality hotel right on the banks of the Guadalquivir River.
Check the website for dates, or convert it to a self-guided tour at any
1.The White Cities of Andalusia got their name for a good reason.
Exploring the south of Spain with IMTBIKE. 3. Cordoba at night – it’s just as impressive in daylight, says IMTBIKE.
HIGHLIGHTS
Riding in Austrian Alps, Budapest, Prague, Cesky Krumlov, Salzburg, Krakow, High Tatras
TOUR DATE JUL 25 - AUG 8, 2020
RELAX ON THE LAVENDER RUN
Here’s a motorcycle tour that is not only about riding, but also about kicking back and smelling the lavender. Adriatic Moto Tours (info@adriaticmototours.com) has a16 day south of France tour from May 23 to June 7 which includes six rest days if you want to look at them that way. The tour starts in Nice, and includes all sorts of brilliant
1. Lavender fields always look as if someone hasn’t known when to stop with Photoshop, but they’re real.
2. Adriatic will take you to bridges you can’t cross!
TOURS
New Ducati Panigale V2
The Red Essence
Elegant and sporty shapes make up the new Ducati Panigale V2. Compact and powerful, it is driven by the latest evolution of the 955 cc Superquadro twin, for high-level performance at all speeds and pure emotion on both road and track. The modern and complete electronics make it intuitive and easy to ride, giving life to the ideal sportbike for everyone, even the youngest riders. It is style, refinement and performance of the purest kind. The true Ducati essence.
Displacement 955
looks pretty forbidding, but inside it’s pretty pretty. Good food, too.
Carcassonne
sights and rides along with French cuisine and wines. Accommodation is mostly in ancient buildings and medieval castles and you gat to ride the French Alps. Now this is living… Oh, and just in case the timing of the tour doesn’t suit – I know, you have to be at the MotoGP to hand out the trophies – you can do this and every other Adriatic tour in self-guided form. Just drop them a line and they’ll fix it for you.
300 DAYS AROUND THE WORLD
If you’ve been reading this compendium of the best of motorcycle tours all over the world for any time at all, you’ll know that Edelweiss Bike Travel is one of my favourite tour operators. They not only offer wonderful routes all over the world, they also have an around-the-world ride.
“You will cross challenging waterways, master mud-slopes and climb gravel routes,” says their press release. “You will share exciting and challenging moments as well as breathtakingly beautiful encounters with each other and with other cultures. Along the way, you will make new friends and experience bonding moments you only have dreamed off so far. All this can become your reality on our world tours.
“We are also passionate motorcycle travelers and have been touring the world with our team and tour participants from all over the world for more than 40 years. One day a crazy idea was born: Let‘s create a motorcycle world tour! The ultimate adventure for all motorcycle enthusiasts! We are very excited to find new courageous participants every year, who love this ‘crazy’ idea just as we do and dare to journey with us around the world.
Gathering all our experiences over the last few years, we have developed a world tour concept that offers many opportunities to participate. The entire world tour in a glance takes about 300 days. At any respective start of a new stage one can enter the world tour. Or you can even choose the stages of your choice individually. It is for you to decide whether you want to see everything at once, or whether you prefer to create your own world tour containing the parts you are interested in.
“Order the free World Tour catalogue now at www. edelweissbike.com/expedition and join the ride!”
SORRY, BAJA IS (NEARLY) SOLD OUT
“We are beyond privileged to explore a lot of wonderful places around the world,” writes MotoQuest’s Phil Freeman, “but one destination that never gets old is our exploration of the Baja Peninsula. It’s so wonderful, in fact, we have five trips a year comprising of three different itineraries. Traveling up and down the 775-mile strip of land is an unforgettable experience, and we’ve found the biggest adventures to be had and sites to behold come from taking our annual Baja Backroads trip.
“While the Baja Backroads trip isn’t for everyone, we didn’t want to shy away from creating an adventure that reaped big
This spectacular combination of rugged mountains and stunning coastal roads will satisfy the real rider in you, giving you some of the most invigorating riding in Europe. Breathtaking scenery, roads to die for and rich history will make this trip a truly magical experience.
11 Day Adventure 15 - 25 May 2020 NZ $7,500 Attend MotoGP Mugello, Italy on 29-31 May Join us for the ride of a lifetime in northern Thailand. Experience the most incredible, scenic and challenging motorcycle riding you’ll ever have! Our tour on sealed back roads will satisfy the most ardent corner loving road rider. Come and have a blast with us!
rewards for the sometimes challenging terrain that is faced. Riders have been tackling the peninsula for years, and we’ve fine-tuned an itinerary that is highly worthy of your time. The next Baja Backroads trip is October 24, 2020 - November 3, 2020.”
Unfortunately it’s too late for anyone who wants to tackle the less back-roady Best of Baja (south- or northbound) with Motoquest, but there’s always 2021. Or you could do it by yourself on a rental bike from MotoQuest. Take a look at www.motoquest.com for more ideas.
A TOUCH OF LUXURY IN LADAKH
“Adventure is a term that seems to have lost its edge,” reckons Two Wheeled Expeditions (info@ twowheeledexpeditions.com). “It should evoke the most daring accomplishments that humans are capable of, experiences that are both rare and life-changing.
Motorcycle Shipping
TO EUROPE AND NEW ZEALAND & BACK
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1. Baja California on a MotoQuest Suzuki – it doesn’t get much better.
2. You have the choice in Baja – excellent tarred road or all kinds of tracks.
These experiences have the potential to shift the way we think about ourselves and the world around us.”
And meanwhile, you will “stay and eat at the finest hotels and restaurants”! Not only that but “we capture your experience with our staff photographers, and we never, ever charge for any extras. From the time your plane lands until the time we drop you off at the airport, we’ve got your back. Join us for the ride of your life.”
The tour doesn’t seem to miss any highlights, that’s for sure.
“Motorcycling through Ladakh, the Himalayan region of India high on the Tibetan Plateau, is adventure pure.
The ancient Buddhist monasteries of Temisgam, Lamayuru and Chemrey will make you gasp at what the human spirit can achieve.. The highest motorable passes in the world resonate like poetry: Chang-La, Kardung-La and Taglang-la all challenge us at elevations of over 17,000 feet or 5,200 meters. And the high plateau lakes of Tso Kar and Tso Moriri will stun you with their otherworldly, austere beauty.” D
The guide to the stars - The who’s who in the zoo of motorcycle travel worldwide is what you’ll find here. We’ve travelled with many of them and know them all, so they come highly recommended. In alphabetical order, they are:
Europe and Thailand www.imtbike.com tours@imtbike.com
TOURS – New Zealand www.motorbiketours.co.nz office@motorbiketours.co.nz
TE WAIPOUNAMU MOTORCYCLE
TOURS - New Zealand www.motorcycle-hire.co.nz nzbike@motorcycle-hire.co.nz
WORLD ON WHEELS - Europe, Iceland, South America, India, Asia, Mexico, Africa & Himalaya www.worldonwheels.tours Adventure@WorldOnWheels.Tours
THE SHAGGY COW
Expectational coffee and food stop in the Southern Highlands 112 Main St Mittagong 02 4872 2966
YORK LANE
City Laneway cafe/bar run by the original Ducati riding ace racer. York Lane behind Clarence St 02 9299 1676
PITSTOP AT MT MEE CAFE
A great ride to a beautiful location north of Brisbane 2070a Mt Mee R d, O cean View, Queensland 07 342536520
GREY GUMS CAFÉ
Really the Centre of the Universe if you are travelling up The Putty 8679 Putty R oad, Putty NSW 02 6579 7015
CHUBBS
Definitely a haven for people interested in classic motorcycles and filling their bellies! 42 Windbourne R d, Brookvale 0420 546 477
Kawasaki
Z650L
Move out of the learner lane WORDS ralph
ph O t OS NICK WOOD C r E aTIVE
The Kawasa K i Zed family of sports-naked motorcycles has almost every lane covered, be it slow, medium or high speed. All models in their range have commuting, sports and a little bit
of touring potential taken care of. All have a common theme; they are different from their mainstream run-of-the-mill competitors, but not from each other.
The ‘Z’ models share the claimed
Sugomi philosophy which in Kawasaki-speak is a, “visceral experience that stimulates the sensors, where engine and chassis deliver a high level of control. It’s also evident in the sharp styling and
the dynamic crouching form and distinct silhouette”. To me, it’s a complicated but aggressive look, which is as subjective as, and you could say pretty similar to, almost every modern machine in the class. In the curb-side lane reside the tiny Z125 Pro and revvy Z400. The faster middle lane inhabitants are our Z650L and Z900. If you are chasing the outer limits of the fast lane, then the Z1000 and the soon to be released supercharged Z H2 should stretch your shoulder sockets enough and have you searching for an update of your demerit points. But on to our learner-legal test bike. The 4.3” colour TFT screen with Bluetooth connectivity to your mobile and the ‘Rideology’ Kawasaki app are new for 2020 on the Z650L. There is no power socket, but there are some graphics changes and cleaner exhaust emissions. A sharper nose with excellent LED lighting won’t have anyone complaining. An improved pillion seat that too many people won’t (or would not want to) experience has made the upgrade list.
Kawasaki’s high-tech is simple and requires hooking up your mobile via Bluetooth and downloading the app to communicate. The bike lacks Traction Control and performance modes, so to me the handiest feature was changing the dash theme. You get running information on the bike’s dash functions as well as GPS routes and even smartphone messages. This probably is right on target for a customer of the Z650. During my week with the 650 I was doing a lot of swapping around between bikes, but my first impressions of the Zed were consistently borne out. The bike is slim, small and punchy. It has an almost 250/400cc feel to it on the road with the grunt of a larger bike. Fifty-nine Newton metres of torque is the figure that moves this naked commuter out of the inside lane. Stuart and I did a lot of acceleration comparisons off the lights and the 650 was never shamed by his Z900.
In some ways it’s a shame Kawasaki doesn’t bring in a full-power Z650, but there is an alternative to the slim, lightweight 650 in the Ninja 650 with the full 50Kw of power. That 33% would make a difference in outright performance but not necessarily useability.
What the 650 is all about is enjoyment and reliability, and the bike has those in spades. I could live with the somewhat cramped riding position and just embrace the fun and punchy performance. Running through the gears, the lowto-mid-range is far from insipid as you might expect a LAMS model to be. In fact, it feels like it might give a Ducati Monster a bit of a hiding. Undeniably the mid-sized $10,499 Zed has one of the best, well sorted fuelling connections going. They just have it right. The benefits of a smooth take-up go way beyond making life easier in the city. From 40km/h in 6th there is stutter-free drive. You will feel improvements against almost any bike I can think of whether it is cornering, lanesplitting, constant stop-start or aggressive gearing changing up or down. It is a world of fatigue free riding with no need to put any attention into being smooth, because the 650 knows no other way. So many other manufacturers should go take a look at the big K’s algorithms!
Kawasaki has found the right balance with braking performance and suspension ability tuning it to near perfection in its class. When you are really pushing very hard, the rear suspension will be overtaxed but the grip of the Dunlop Sportsmax Roadsports 2 will give you enough warning.
As usual with every one of its models, Kawasaki, nails the design brief. The quality the Z650L brings to the market makes it an excellent choice if you need a commuter and a fun bike which is learner legal, as well as being suitable for an everyday rider. They just keep building on the Green Dream. D
Specs
KAWASAKI
Z650L (LAMS)
PRICE: $10,499 plus on roads
WARRANTY: Two years, unlimited distance
SERVICING INTERVALS: Every 12,000km or 12 months
ENGINE: Liquid-cooled parallel twin cylinder, DOHC, 4-valves per cylinder
BRAKES: Front dual discs 300mm with four-piston radial ABS calipers. Rear disc 220mm, single piston ABS caliper
FUEL CONSUMPTION: 4.1 litres per 100km, premium unleaded
THEORETICAL RANGE: 365km
COLOURS: Metallic Spark Black, Pearl Blizzard White/Metallic Spark Black
VERDICT: IN OR OUT OF THE LEARNER LANE.
KARAMEA’S BLUFF
Only the locals know this NZ coast WORDS/PHOTOS THE BEAR
THERE AREN’T MANY towns or even villages to write about in this part of the South Island’s west coast – because there are hardly any towns or villages to be found!
WESTPORT
The town that links our two rides this month is one of the main centres on the west coast. Sitting at the mouth of the majestic Buller River, Westport is a major tourist destination for many New Zealanders but is mostly used as a refueling opportunity by international visitors who have either come up the coast and are turning east into the Buller Gorge,
or travelling vice versa. It’s useful for that, but it offers quite a bit more as well.
From the visiting motorcyclist’s point of view, everything you need in Westport lies on the main road. The town has benefi ted enormously from the growth of café culture in New Zealand. I can remember it as one of those places where sandwiches and cakes came in clingwrap and the coffee was more a kind of brown water than anything connected to the coffee bean. That was decades ago, admittedly, and the place now has several terrifi c cafés which also offer healthy and interesting meals. Westport is quite cold but temperatures are fairly even all year.
It has high annual rainfall with February being the only relatively dry month – usually. Strangely, the area around Westport is also prone to drought.
Called Kawatiri in Te Reo, the Maori language, this part of the South Island was settled very early on by the Maori people. While they mainly fed themselves from the sea, they also explored the mountains for greenstone which they traded to other iwi or tribes. Europeans came as sealers and gold miners and eventually settled on coal as the main product. Stockton, a little way north, has New Zealand’s largest open-cast coal mine. Fishing and dairy farming are also strong parts of the economy.
www.hemamaps.com.au
New Zealand’s South Island has a reputation as a motorcycle wonderland. That reputation is well deserved, but – believe it or not –there is even more to it than the roads and passes we usually traverse. One side trip I had never done until quite recently was this hundred kilometre dead-end run up the coast from Westport.
I have learned over the years that such runs are no less enjoyable than trips which don’t require you to turn around and retrace your wheel tracks. The reason is simple – no road looks the same or feels the same when you ride it in opposite directions.
Keep in mind that there is a good chance you will encounter rain, no matter what time of year you tackle the run. But that’s the same all along the west coast, and in fact it’s probably a little drier here than around the glaciers.
YELLOW ROUTE
Heading north on Westport’s main street, Palmerston Street, look for the turnoff to the right into State Highway 67. It is signposted to Karamea and Granity. This is basically it; you stay on the same road all the way to Karamea, the only diversions coming right at the
end in Market Cross, where you turn left twice. It’s hard to miss these turns. Along the way you follow the coast, more or less closely, through Waimangaroa where you can turn off to look at the remains of a coal loader at Denniston; Granity, which offers whale and dolphin watching; and Mokihinui on the eponymous river. The road consists mainly of straights and mild curves through dairy farming land. But then it gets interesting. The bridge over the Mokihinui River marks the start of Karamea Bluff. For 35 kilometres you now have the most amazing set of corners – it really is only one interconnected set – that I’ve ever encountered anywhere in the world. In typical Kiwi style, the corners are mostly connected directly to each other as flip-flops from one side to the other. Straights are rare and short. My Suzuki V-Strom from Te Waipounamu Motorcycle Rentals just loved this, although it would be even more mindblowing on a 600cc Supersports bike. Seriously, you haven’t ridden the great roads of the world until you’ve tackled Karamea Bluff.
Little Wanganui marks the end of the outrageous fun, but then you have about 10km of straight beachside road before cutting inland again to the
TEAR-OUT MAP #86
Karamea River and your destination. To top it all off there’s good accommodation and a welcoming pub in town.
DISTANCE: 194km return, mostly good tar but with a few rough sections.
ORANGE ROUTE
I’ve written about the Buller Gorge before, but I couldn’t resist including it on this map. The road, which follows the gorge all the way to Inangahua, is generally in good shape and provides enjoyable riding. Just watch out for the two one-lane sections, one of which has been cut into the side of a cliff overhanging the river. I don’t think I’ve ever sampled this run when it was completely dry, so my recent visit in light drizzle was actually a special pleasure.
Along the way is Berlin’s, a modern café and accommodation place overlooking the river. There is no fuel along here, so fill up in Murchison, Reefton or Westport depending on where you’re coming from.
DISTANCE: 46km, all pretty good surface but also quite heavy traffic at times.
COLLECT THEM ALL
KARAMEA’S BLUFF
Fur seals still form a major attraction in their colony at nearby Cape Foulwind and the town itself has a few art deco buildings, erected after the 1929 Murchison earthquake.
INANGAHUA
This small settlement lies at the junction of State Highway 6, the Upper Buller Gorge Road, and the Reefton Highway, number 69. It is also at the junction of the Buller and Inangahua rivers. The town, whose name means something like ‘whitebait’ in Te Reo, was hit by the level 7.1 Inangahua Earthquake in 1968 and never really recovered. It had fewer than 160 inhabitants at the 2006 census but is beginning to be popular with tourists who want to experience true rural quietness. There’s a small museum in memory of the earthquake.
KARAMEA
The phrase ‘small but perfectly formed’ applies quite nicely to Karamea. The place has a population of about 650 but offers a friendly
pub – especially motorcycle friendly – as well as a pleasant Domain for camping, a supermarket, hardware store, petrol station, gallery and café. It even has its own radio station, in the back of the café.
An interesting accommodation option is the Last Resort, on the left as you roll through town.
A mixture of a hostel and a resort, it includes a bar and restaurant with its cabins.
North of Karamea at the end of a 16km gravel track lie the caves of the Oparara Basin, well worth a visit if the ‘road’ doesn’t worry you. There are also several walks and helicopter charters, as well as activities on the Buller River.
(My thanks to Te Waipounamu
Motorcycle Tours (motorcycle-hire. co.nz) for lending me the Suzuki V-Strom 650. They are a helpful bunch; call them on +64 3 372 3537 if you have any queries about riding in NZ.) D
IT has BeeN aN interesting handful of years for BMW Motorrad as they shift a number of their motorcycles into the more ‘sharp knife’ rather than ‘blunt axe’ category. One example of the range to become a sharp knife is the R 1250 RS – a bike that was a little bland some years ago is now a damn quick and sharp tool to have at your disposal.
One thing you will have become accustom to over the years is that BMW motorcycles are full of technology and electronics. You might
read a BMW sales brochure on this bike and go kind of gizmo-blind, you know, the blank look on your face when reading the one-thousand feature long list of stuff you’ve never heard of before; the R 1250 RS has lots of tech and to cover just some of that, it’s got multiple riding modes and (optional – but almost everyone chooses them) electronic suspension system settings, traction control, auto hill-start functions, ABS, quickshifter, auto-preload-setting, keyless ignition, multiple display modes on the new
TFT screen, fly-by-wire throttle, tyre pressure sensors, LED running lights, Bluetooth connectivity and turn-byturn navigation directions via the app. If that all sounds like too much, you will find that it is all pretty simple and best of all intuitive to use. Once you learn how to use the switches, knobs, buttons and so on that a BMW has, you never forget them, whereas I can jump onto some motorcycles and feel lost for the first day until I totally remember what’s what. So, with that in mind the RS is really easy to live
with – press the ignition button, hit the starter, pull the clutch in, engage first and crack on. Sounds pretty easy, hey! We’ve ridden the GS and RT with the new 1250 Shiftcam boxer but in a sportier setup the RS feels just like a full on sportsbike of not so long ago – it’s that quick, if you want it to be. However, that’s the greatness of the Shiftcam technology, it can cruise along as smooth as you like as well. Two engines in the one, you might like to think. The only real difference from the GS and RT is the gearing – the RS
sits in the middle of the two with the GS having the shortest. If you can’t remember what Shiftcam is, here’s a brief explanation… The Shiftcam system alters valve timing by using two sets of lobes on the intake cam, but also allows the valves to open autonomously on each cylinder. This also increases gas flow and is virtually undetectable in use. That’s unlike Honda’s VTEC, where there is a noticeable physical feeling in operation: the BMW system is seamless. You all know how I love a
quickshifter, they are among the best bits of tech from the last 20 years, I reckon. BMW call their quickshifter, Gear-Assist Pro, which operates for up and down shifts. Under certain conditions – big throttle openings in the lower gears, driving hard – it works well enough. But when you’re chugging along it’s not consistent enough, going from first to second feels like you’ve just popped the clutch and cracks your neck, and one in every 20 or so downshifts feels like you’re not using the clutch and just banging it down. So,
as a result I ended up using the clutch for downshifts and for that initial first to second upshift.
The riding position and basic shape of the fairing remain the same as they were on the previous R 1200 RS. The fairing is slightly different to accommodate the new LED lighting and give the new model a distinctive ‘face’. The riding position itself is more traditionally sporty (as you’d expect) with a nice light stretch across the tank, plush comfy seat and this all feels natural and places your body in the right position when it comes time to rip into some corners, however the pegs are set too high and back for my liking. Their position doesn’t feel as natural as the rest of the riding position.
It’s a funny thing; living with a bike rather than tearing up the road on a new model launch, you tend to ride a little slower and this puts you in a more day-to-day riding position, rather than a, “who’s getting to the pub first” kind of position. Hence, I don’t remember comfort ever being an issue on an RS.
Handling is excellent on the RS, so much so you’ll be punting into corners quicker than other bikes with ability to spare. The combination of the handlebar height-width, steering geometry, engine layout and suspension gives masses of feeling – and just as I’ve said before when I’ve ridden a GS, there’s something a bit special with how this engine/ chassis setup works.
The RS is fitted with BMW’s electronic suspension adjustment second generation (ESA II). This year’s system has an ‘auto-load’ adjustment, which means it sets the preload automatically depending on whether it’s one person, two people, luggage or no luggage and keeps the bike on an even keel. You can switch to manual, but the only options are fully loaded or minimum, which I found was not as good.
BMW’s ESA II now has just two settings that you can change ‘on the fly’ – road and dynamic. The settings have been tweaked to better reflect the riding styles of the actual customers who buy an RS. BMW acknowledge
that their mega-experienced test riders and the journalists who review their bikes often have a sportier, harder-riding focus and so have developed the settings more for typical road riders. I tended to leave it in ‘Dynamic’, which is the sportier of the two. This setting allows sporty, precise cornering while also soaking up most of the bumps on most of the roads well. It only got caught out on a couple of very big bumps that had been chewed up by the recent Sydney rain. In ‘Road’ mode, it felt slightly more comfortable, but was noticeably less accurate in the corners – but great for some relaxed open road sections. BMW has retained the Brembo brakes on the RS (the GS and RT versions have BMW-branded calipers made by American company Hayes). I gave them a good workout at times and as expected they do the business, and I even grew the gonads to try out the cornering ABS, which is scary when you are anticipating what it will do, but would work great when it all goes wrong.
Hill start control is also fitted as standard now and works well. While no one will buy an R 1250 RS purely for this gizmo, once you get used to it the system it is more useful than you imagined it would be. I ended up using it quite often!
Apart from the sharp new look the main thing you’ll be staring at while riding the RS is the new TFT instrument unit. It’s quite large, brash, bright and laid out in such a way that all the info is right where you need it and the menus make it simple to access everything you need. BMW’s switchgear is more cluttered than some, with more buttons and wheels to manipulate, but as I said, once you get used to how it all works you never forget and is easy to use.
Who would ever have thought that getting jabbed with a sharp knife could feel so good, but that is exactly the feeling you get riding the BMW R 1250 RS. I hate to say it but it makes you feel like a teenager on a scooter with the throttle pinned to the stop in anger – the grin on your face will start to hurt it’s that much fun. D
BRAKES: Front, twin 320mm discs with radial mount four-piston adjustable ABS calipers. Rear, 276mm disc, two-piston adjustable ABS caliper.
FUEL CONSUMPTION: 6.16 litres per 100km, premium unleaded
THEORETICAL RANGE: 292km
COLOURS: Auston Yellow Metallic
VERDICT: RAZOR SHARP
Think Luggage, Think Motorrad Garage.
Whether you are touring on or off road, Motorrad Garage has the largest range of luggage solutions from SW-Motech and other leading brands like Kriega and Andy Strapz .
URBAN ABS TOP BOX
AERO ABS SIDE CASES EVO TANK BAGS
TANK BAGS
And you get a look at his private museum
WORDS MV AGUSTA / PT PHOTOS MV AGUSTA
DINNER WITH Ago
HE NOT ONLY holds the record for the largest number of motorcycle Grand Prix victories – 123 – but also won 15 World Championships titles, 18 Italian Championships titles and 10 Tourist Trophies for a total of 311 victorious races from the early 1960s to the late ‘70s. Most of this time was spent under the MV Agusta colours.
I can also say from personal experience that Giacomo Agostini is a thoroughly nice person.
Celebrating his unrivalled sporting career, his unprecedented heritage now has a museum to preserve it and share it with MV Agusta enthusiasts and motorcycling fans from all over the world. It is in medieval Bergamo, Giacomo Agostini’s hometown, nestled between the Po plain and the Alps, a stone’s throw from Milan.
The museum was designed as a private trophy room by architect Michele Giavarini for the champion to keep his more than 350 trophies and other memorabilia, with the idea of also opening it to the public. The museum holds some of the historic bikes used by Agostini, as well as helmets, race suits and personal objects, displayed in chronological order. The inox-concrete fl oor features a giant black on yellow #1, the number Agostini raced under, and the word “Ago”, his nom
de guerre painted in bright red, to remind everyone that Giacomo Agostini’s record number of victories and championships titles is still unequalled.
At the opening, Giacomo Agostini commented: “The history of my life is all there in this one room, and being able to spend some time there alone with my thoughts, going back to those extraordinary memories, fi lls me with joy.”
Timur Sardarov, CEO MV Agusta, said: “The partnership between our brand and Giacomo Agostini is part of the glorious history of this company, and we are glad that a man who contributed so much to the legend of MV Agusta is now being rightly celebrated with this museum.”
But it gets even better! Although the museum is private, it can be visited by groups (8 people minimum) upon reservation through Villa Vittoria Charme and Relax luxury bed & breakfast, managed by Ago’s daughter Vittoria. It offers a complete package including one night’s accommodation, a visit to the museum -- and dinner with the champion. Get in quickly or I suspect the place will be booked out for the foreseeable future. Call +39.035.239209 or see info@villavittoria bergamo.it D
WHEN SOMEONE talks to you about a ‘Z900’ most people instantly think of the retro styled Z900RS and not the ‘regular’ Z900 which you see here. The Z900 is your bang for bucks motorcycle and its main competition is the Yamaha MT-09, with both costing virtually the same.
For 2020, Kawasaki has upped the ante and added so much more for your buck. To start, the frame has been given more stiffness and to match this the forks and shock settings been revised. To complete the handling package, new Dunlop Roadsport 2 tyres grip the bitumen, although I didn’t like the feeling the front tyre gave. The exhaust has been revised to give a much more audible note and it really does sound the business for a ‘standard’ motorcycle.
Kawasaki has increased the aggressive look of the Z900 to more match that of the Z1000. Kawasaki call it ‘sugomi’, of which the design elements concentrate on a crouching stance, low-positioned head and upswept tail. Instead of previously looking like a grown up 650, it now looks like an offspring of the 1000.
A new LED headlamp is flanked by LED position lamps that give it a distinctive look and most notably for this 2020 model are the new side shrouds, fuel tank cover, under cowls, and the silver swingarm pivot cover, which are all more compact, contributing to the sharper look. To continue the quality, Kawasaki added LED lighting at the rear, too.
Jumping on the Z900 you’ll first notice the new 4.3” all digital TFT colour instrumentation that gives the cockpit a high-tech, high-grade appearance. Functions include: digital speedometer, digital bar-style tachometer, gear position indicator, shift lamp, fuel gauge, odometer, dual trip meters, current and average fuel consumption, remaining range, average speed, total time, coolant temperature, clock, battery voltage, Kawasaki
service reminder, oil change reminder, Riding Mode indicator, smartphone call and message notices, Bluetooth indicator, and Economical Riding Indicator. That’s a lot of functions packed into a relatively compact unit.
To compliment the new dash, you can now also connect the Kawasaki ‘Rideology’ app to the Z900. A number of functions are available:
- Vehicle Info: information such as fuel gauge, odometer, maintenance schedule, etc can be viewed via the smartphone.
- Riding Log: GPS route information as well as vehicle
running information can be logged and viewed via the smartphone.
- Telephone notices: when a call or mail is received by the smartphone, this is indicated on the instrument display.
- Tuning – General Settings: general instrument display settings (such as preferred units, date, date format, etc) can be adjusted via the smartphone.
I had a play with the app as I have done on other Kawasaki models with this function and it is intuitive and quite useful.
The new riding modes are Sport, Road, Rain and the adjustable Rider mode where you can turn off the new Kawasaki Traction Control (KTRC).
As part of the riding modes you can change the power levels between Low and High in Rider mode, whereas Sport and Road have high power, and Rain, low power.
I am glad you can turn traction control off as this was half the fun of the outgoing Z900, you can be a bit of a hoon on it. I also like the very smooth and strong nature of the silky in-line four, I guess all those mid ‘80s, early ‘90s sports machines got me hooked on the in-line four, just as you might be hooked on a twin or triple. Although Kawasaki doesn’t really say things have been revised, I found the Z900 to have a little more
‘crispness’ to it. Whether that’s thanks to meeting Euro 5 regulations, or the exhaust, or a retune -- whatever it is I find it far better to ride, smoother off the bottom end and still smooth when you roll off the throttle. The other great feature the Z900 has is its induction roar like big bro the Z1000. Your ears will be singing with delight it sounds that good!
The riding position is sporty naked – just leaned forward with well placed, just high pegs. The seat is a little hard, as is the smallish pillion seat. I took the better half out for a small ride for a coffee and she was glad to jump off.
Genuine Kawasaki accessories are smart and useful and will be perfect for just about all owners. Things like protection, 12V socket and a USB socket are just some of the items on offer. The new 2020 Kawasaki Z900 is so much bargain for your buck you would have to be mad not to get down to your local dealer and check one out. How they can make this bike for the price is one question I’ll keep scratching my head over. The high-quality features, the fun that can be had from the fl exible engine and the overall easy nature of the bike could potentially command a price tag $4000 more. D
Specs
PRICE: $12,599 (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
IF YOU PLAN ON RIDING a motorcycle, you’ll no doubt at some stage need to carry a little or a lotta gear. Whether that is to simply transport something over a short distance, or it’s a trip that requires you to carry several nights worth of clothes and all the other stuff to make travelling more comfortable, you’re going to need some motorcycle specific luggage to not only protect your motorcycle due to correct fitment, but to pack as neatly and compact as can be on your ride. Here’s a list of the latest and greatest on offer from the distributors that want you to know about their products. Think about that when making your purchase. SW
Ventura has introduced a new full-size pack for its unique EVO-Rack system. The EVO range has an innovative pocket fastening system in the base so packs slide onto the EVO-Rack and are held securely in place with a pair of quick-release buckles.
Engineered from high quality ballistic fabric and shaped to cheat the wind, the EVO-60 measures 470 x 450 x 430mm and will swallow up to 60 litres of luggage.
Two carry handles make it easy to grab and there’s a shoulder strap, too. Inside are pockets to keep phone, keys, and wallet handy. On the outside are another four easily accessible pockets. Double sliders on the zips allow for swift access and the main compartment zipper is lockable. Reflective safety piping and panels boost visibility in the dark.
EVO-40 Touring Kit - Bag Only: $199, Complete Kit: $489 Ventura’s mid-size pack for its unique
EVO-Rack system. The EVO-40 has the innovative pocket fastening system in its base so it slides onto the EVO-Rack and is held securely in place with two quickrelease buckles.
Engineered from high quality ballistic fabric and shaped to cheat the wind, the EVO-40 measures 400 x 430 x 350mm and will swallow up to 40 litres of luggage.
Two carry handles make it easy to grab and there’s a shoulder strap, too. Inside are pockets to keep phone, keys, and wallet handy. On the outside are four easily accessible pockets. Double sliders on the zips allow for swift access and the main compartment zipper is lockable. Reflective safety piping and panels boost visibility in the dark.
EVO-22 Jet Stream - Bag Only:
$169, Complete Kit: $439
Ventura has introduced another new mid-size pack for its unique EVORack system. The EVO-22 shares the innovative pocket fastening system in its base so it slides onto the EVO-Rack and is held securely in place with two quickrelease buckles.
Engineered from high quality ballistic fabric and shaped to cheat the wind, the EVO-22 measures 290 x 330 x 375mm and will swallow up to 22 litres of luggage.
Two carry handles make it easy to grab and there’s a shoulder strap, too. Inside are pockets to keep phone, keys, and wallet handy. Double sliders on the zips allow for swift access and the main compartment zipper is lockable. Reflective safety piping and panels boost visibility in the dark.
Wizard V36BP Top BoxWizard V36BP Only: $185, Complete Kit: $449
Coocase Wizard Basic model-specific top box kits feature a sleek, rounded design basic box that looks better and is more durable than any other available at a similar price. This V36BP is available in black or silver with smoked lenses; it’s a medium-sized 36 litre top box that hides its bulk, with room for one large helmet and a light jacket.
The Wizard Basic comes with manual key lock for security, and a base plate. The Coocase Wizard V36BP top box kit includes model-specific L-Brackets, mounting hardware, top box mounting rack, V36BP 36 litre top box with gloss painted lid and smoked reflector lenses, and fitting instructions. Dimensions: 45cm L x 42cm W x 31cm. Max load is 5kg.
MOTORRAD GARAGE motorradgarage.com.au
SW-Motech Aero ABS Side Cases - $575 per set
Made from heavy-duty ABS plastic, they weigh in at 1.8 kilos and have a 25L storage capacity each, which makes them the perfect luggage solution for road bikes. Suitable for attachment to SW-Motech side carriers. An inner rain liner is sure to keep your gear dry and an inbuilt anti-theft protection keeps the contents safe.
SW-Motech ION Tail Bags –From $192
Whether you are off on a day ride, overnighter or extended ride, one of the three ION Tail bags is sure to suit your needs. Made from black 600D polyester with elements in soft vinyl. They have a non-slip underside and a waterproof inner bag.
SW-Motech Legend Gear Tail Bag LR2 - $556
Legend Gear tail bags combine ageless retro design with modern materials and smart features. The LR2 has a 48L capacity and straps to a large range of bikes. The coated canvas sailing material is water resistant, but comes with a rain cover to ensure your gear is kept dry. Perfect for longer rides, but also for daily use.
SW-Motech URBAN ABS Top and Side Cases – From $249
The sporty, lightweight and robust URBAN ABS case is available for SWMotech SLC side carriers and top racks. With a volume of up to 29L, these are ideal for a short or longer trip on the road. The inbuilt anti-theft protection keeps your gear safe. Perfect for sports and naked bikes. Top cases are also available as strap-on version.
SW-Motech Waterproof BagsFrom $54 - $249
Whether you need a tank or tail bag, they’ve got you covered with SWMotech’s extensive range of waterproof bags. With capacities from 2L to 70L, there is a bag for every occasion. Bags are made from ballistic nylon material with welded edges and the roll closure is sure to keep your gear protected from the elements. Bags can be connected to each other.
KAWASAKI
kawasaki.com.au or your local dealer
KQR 28 Litre Panniers –Complete Kit $1,426.79
Keep your personal items safe and secure in 28 litres of lockable waterproof storage with enough room for all your necessary gear, including most full-faced helmets.
Sleek modern styling, exclusive Kawasaki logo and Metallic Spark Black colour-matched panels and trim perfectly match the aggressive design of your Kawasaki motorcycle.
The KQR 28 Litre Pannier Set utilizes the Kawasaki One Key System which allows you to use your ignition key for locking/unlocking, and the integrated mounting system won’t leave behind unsightly brackets when removed. Once installed, the bags are easy to remove without tools – just click on and off your motorcycle. Individual pannier dimensions: 483mm (19”) L
x 305mm (12”) W x 432mm (17”) H. Kawasaki dealer installation required as improper installation may void the accessory warranty.
WUNDERLICH
wunderlich.de or procycles.com.au
Sports Backpack Bag - $83
The perfect combination – Wunderlich Sports Tank Bag and the practical 2 litre Drinking System. Light but robust material: Polyester 420d & Ripstop. Measurements approx. W 25 x H 47 x D 9.5 cm. Available in Marine or Black.
Rack Pack Bag - $143
The 100% dust and water-tight bag. Extremely resilient 3D-welded PD 620 material and high-quality manufacture make this bag almost indestructible. Easy access whole length opening. Carry handle. Padded shoulder strap. 49 litres vol. (HxLxW) 34x61x32 cm.
BMW Bag - $272
This 30-litre Softbag expands by an additional 5 litres. It has a watertight
main compartment made of hardwearing, easy-care material, and attaches to the luggage grid or the pillion seat using supplied fasteners.
KTM Team Dakar Backpack - $211
The KTM Ogio Dakar 3L Hydration Pack is packed with loads of hydration and storage space. Expandable pocket with protective EVA moulded armour and air vents. Store a helmet or large gear. Insulated 3 litre bladder keeps liquid cold for 30% longer.
ADVENTURE MOTO
adventuremoto.com.au
Osah Drypack 40L Duffel Bag - $85
This is the ultimate duffel bag. The wide mouth allows easy access for packing and unpacking and the rolltop closure ensures the duffel bag is 100% dust-proof and waterproof. The bag has multiple d-ring tie down points and straps.
Giant Loop Possibles Pouch Roll Top - $85
Giant Loop Possibles Pouch adds 3-litre easy access storage capacity to Giant Loop saddlebags and panniers & any other secure motorcycle attachment point. Now with a roll top closure! RF-welded, 100% waterproof, dustproof,
Giant Loop Diablo Tank Bag Pro - $385
Giant Loop Diablo Tank Bag Pro (4 litres) is a minimalist, slim & trim design, it includes mesh pockets & movable divider. Diablo Tank Bag Pro (4 litres) upgrades are similar to larger cousin, the Fandango Tank Bag PRO, while remaining true to its minimalist, slim, trim design. An electrics pass-through enables on-bike charging and power inside the tank bag and/or the clear vinyl map pocket top.
Giant Loop Fandango Tank Bag Pro - $395
Giant Loop Fandango Tank Bag Pro (8 litres) has flexibility including electrics compatibility. Fandango Tank Bag PRO represents a major upgrade of Giant Loop’s largest, most popular tank bag. Expandability and other features driven by rider feedback inspire this Adventure Proof state-of-the-art design.
Explorer Tail Pack - $189.95
The Dririder Explorer Tail Pack comes ready to take on your next adventure, featuring 115 litre volume, 600 Denier Ripstop construction, large expandable main compartment and side pockets, cover for loading extra gear, equipped with rain cover and shoulder strap, multiple attachment straps, includes PE boards for shape retention and a reflective strip for night safety. Size: 680/350/410 approx.
ANDY STRAPZ andystrapz.com
Skinny Bag Set - Starts at $765 plus freight
A capable bike doesn’t need holding back by a heavy wide-load luggage system. Just like the rest of everyone with half an eye on the Adventure scene, the Andy Strapz team have been waiting for the Tenere 700 to make it to Oz. Their aim was to create a very narrow and lightweight soft saddle bag systems that is up to the Enduro nature of the bike. The current crop of Adventure bikes is running large, high mounted exhaust cans, making luggage design problematic. By using the proven Traveller or Asymmetrical (as used on LC8 KTM and XT V-Stroms) bag system on their newly designed frame sets Andy Strapz
has trimmed the weight to under 4kg for the whole shootin’ match, frames, bags and liners!
And the system is narrower than handlebar width, making it trail friendly which Andy thinks is crucially important for a bike that will spend most of its life in the bush.
Andy’s Skinny Bag Set features Aussie Made, proven system, 17 oz canvas with rip-stop weave, mild steel frame system and is lightweight. You can even choose from two variations of bag set: Traveller Panniers – a symmetrical set of slash cut, roll top sports bags to a maximum usable capacity of 25 litres per side; or, the Asymmetrical Pannier Set – A Traveller on the Right and Avduro 2 on the left adding another ten litres to that side.
LEXTEK bce.net.au
Motorcycle/Scooter Luggage Box 52L with Carry Handle - $79
This large universal 52L top box is ideal for all motorcycles and scooters*. It adds extra storage to your bike with ease. Perfect for a day out on your bike. Big enough to fit two full face helmets, gloves, and more. This top box will keep your belongings both safe and dry with its secure lock and watertight seal. Plus, with a large reflector panel, it also improves your visibility on the road.
It is easy to fit and comes with everything you need including 2 keys, a universal mounting plate, and a fixing kit. *Please note, a luggage rack must be fitted to the bike for this luggage box to fit. Width (approx): 550mm, Height (approx): 400mm, Length (approx): 310mm
Motorcycle/Scooter Luggage
Box 32L - $69
Lextek 32L Luggage Box is the ideal solution for storing your helmet, gloves and essentials on your bike. Fully waterproof with a secure lock and two keys, a universal, easy to fit universal mounting plate and a large red reflector that will make sure you are seen on the road. This modern top box is everything you need to add much-needed storage to your motorcycle or scooter.
The Luggage Box comes with fitting kit and instruction manual. Your bike needs to have a suitable top plate or luggage rack to secure the mounting plate. *Not suitable for luggage racks with pillion back rests. Width (approx): 430mm, Height (approx): 410mm, Length (approx): 315mm
GIVI ronangel.com.au
Gravel-T Luggage Range$49 - $999
Givi’s Gravel-T luggage is a premium
range for the adventure touring market. Made mainly from innovative Nylon / TPT materials that are extremely strong and light, these are seamlessly high frequency welded for strength and waterproofing. The range includes various tank bags, panniers, tail bags, back pack and cargo bags.
SUZUKI
suzukimotorcycles.com.au or your local dealer
V-Strom 650 Aluminium Side Case Set - $1299
The Black Aluminium Side Case Set features a durable powder coated finish which is embossed with the “SUZUKI” logo. Perfect for taking all the gear you need for a long weekend. Each case has a capacity of 37 litres and features 4 tiedown spots on the lid. Fits V-Strom 650/ XT 2017 - current. D
“The Corbin name is synonymous with quality, handcrafted motorcycle saddles worldwide”
THE RAIN DANCE WORKED and now that the rain (and quite heavy rain) is falling, it’s time to look at your wet weather gear as it has probably fallen apart since the last time you had to use it. The following is what’s on offer from a select few of the distributors who want you to know about their wares. SW
HELD BIKER FASHION heldaustralia.com.au
Rainblock Top - $160
Overjacket made from 2.5 layer stretch fabric which is breathable and featuring 2 external pockets, 1 inner pocket, Velcro closure at wrists, small pack size, Held Clip-in Technology, reflective sections -- and the jacket comes with a carry bag. Available in sizes S-5XL and colours Blk/Wht or Blk/Flu Yel.
Rainblock Pants - $160
Overpants made from 2.5 layer stretch fabric which is breathable and features an elasticated waist, zips and Velcro
at ankles, Held Clip-in Technology, anti-slip seat patch for better comfort and control, small pack size, reflective sections and the pants come with a carry bag. Available in sizes S-5XL and colours Blk/Wht or Blk/Flu Yel.
MERLIN BIKER GEAR merlinbikergear.com.au
Mason Jeans
Waterproof$299.95
Premium UK brand Merlin has just released 100% waterproof jeans. Constructed using water repellent Denim with DuPont Kevlar, a full Reissa waterproof and
breathable liner and level 2 CE knee armour. These Jeans are fully CE Approved. Men’s Blue, size 30” - 38”.
Habitat jacket - $379.95
The look and feel of an outdoor softshell jacket with the protection and functionality of a normal motorcycle jacket. Fully CE Approved and fi tted with Level 2 elbow and shoulder armour, a clip down hoody and combined zip out waterproof/ thermal liner. Men’s Black, Grey or Camo size S-3XL.
Fulcrum Jeans - $379.95
Premium ventilated Adventure/ Touring pants with separate zip out waterproof liner and thermal liner. Can be worn with either one
or both liners, comfortably fi ts over most Adventure style boots. Fitted we CE Level 2 knee armour. Men’s Black or Ivory/ Black size S-4XL.
Ion Electric Heated Gloves - $399.95
New for 2020 Macna Ion Electric heated waterproof gloves. Use these every day or power
cold/sub-zero temperatures. Power up via the supplied Lithium batteries or direct from your motorcycle. Men’s S-4XL.
TCX BOOTS tcxboots.com.au
Lady Aura Plus Waterproof Boots - $299
A perfect complement to the men’s X-Five Waterproof touring boots (below), the Lady Aura Plus Waterproof is ideal for women looking for traditional touring style in all-leather, all-weather boots. Using TCX’s patented “Lady Fit” construction and equipped with a breathable, waterproof T-Dry lining, the CE-certifi ed Lady Aura Plus has all the safety and comfort you’d expect from a company that makes only boots. Available in black in sizes Eu 35-42 / US 4-9.5.
X-Five Waterproof Boots - $279
TCX’s traditional all-leather touring boots, the X-Five Waterproof are designed for the modern-day touring rider who loves that traditional look and feel of full grain leather. Understated in elegance, and representing great value for money, the X-Five boots are durable, highly protective being fully CE-certifi ed, waterproof and yet have a breathable
warmer days in the
T-Dry lining for those warmer days in the saddle. Available in black in sizes Eu 40-48 / US 7-13.
DAINESE cassons.com.au
Carve Master 2 GTX Jacket - $799.95
The Dainese Carve Master 2 Gore-Tex Jacket maintains a sporty fi t and function worthy of wearing
the Dainese demon, but will take you as deep into the winter riding season as you dare to go. Featuring PU rigid plates covered with high resistant 3D-Stone fabric on shoulders, removable composite protectors on shoulders and elbows, 3D-stone high tenacity fabric, Mugello micro nylon fabric, sleeve, waist
and wrist adjustment, air vents on chest, sleeves and back, breathable waterproof Gore-Tex membrane, external fabric with water-resistant treatment, removable thermal collar, removable thermal liner, drawstring adjustable jacket bottom and a jackettrousers fastening system. Available in sizes 48-60 and colours Blk/Gry or Blk/Grape Leaf.
ANDY STRAPZ
andystrapz.com
Rain-Off Overgloves - $70 plus postage
Let’s face it, waterproof gloves are to get you home on a wet ride. They are not designed to cope with days of wet and cold.
Rain-Off Overgloves will keep hands warm and dry while you’re wearing lighter gloves all year round. They are the fi rst thing Andy goes for to keep his hands warm even if it’s not chucking it down. Remember that cosy feeling of sitting behind a window near a heater with the
rain pouring down outside? Andy reckons Rain-Off overgloves give a similar sensation. Cosy and dry while mother nature does her worst.
Rain-Off Overgloves are 100% waterproof. Welded seams make these overgloves 100% waterproof. They simply can’t leak!
Up to 50% warmer - They make excellent windbreakers keeping M/C gloves at higher air temperatures. Great for extra warmth in fi ne cold weather.
Lightweight - Made from strong fl exible polyester. Minimal loss of feeling in fi ngers if any.
Index fi nger free - Designed with index fi nger free to operate brakeclutch levers, zips, keys and lifting visors etc.
A Great Fit - Made with elastic and toggle buttons to pull the gauntlets tight against the arm keeping the wet from running into your gloves.
Gauntlet hand inlets - designed with gauntlets to cover the longest gloves. Therefore keeping cold wind and rain from entering up sleeves. More economical - than spending $$$’s on expensive (possibly) waterproof gloves. Visor friendly - You can wipe your visor absolutely clear with no scratching or annoying smearing and smudging.
Available in two styles - One FingerFive Sizes. XS-XL and Two Finger - Four Sizes. S-XL.
DRIRIDER dririder.com.au
Jacket$69.95 - $89.95
Overjacket constructed from very light Nylon with a PVC coating on
the inside. All seams are stitched and tape sealed and the jacket features elasticised waist and cuffs, Velcro
neck closure and three external pockets. Available in sizes XS-6XL and Black or Blk/Fluro.
Pants$44.95 - $54.95
Overpants constructed from very light Nylon with a PVC coating on the inside. All seams are stitched and tape sealed and the pants feature elasticised waist and large gusseted leg cuffs with snap closure. Available in sizes XS-6XL and Black or Blk/Fluro. D
www.ausmotorcyclist.com.au
Thunderwear
Thunderwear
WORDS/PHOTOS
COLIN WHELAN
WHEN THE JANUARY
fires hit the Upper Murray, Australians swung into action mode, doing what they could do, donating what they could afford. As orders were given to evacuate towns and villages, many chose to stay behind to fight and protect their dwellings and their property.
One of the groups which stayed
without exception was the publicans.
And they fought to keep their hotels open - not for business, not making a quid, but to act as pubs have always done, as the hub of the community effort, the place for town meetings and for drop-offs of supplies and of equipment like generators and chainsaws.
These pubs struggle at the best of times. Now that most of the roads are open they need help. The rains that ended the fires poured mud into the
Batlow Hotel
12 Pioneer St, Batlow T: 02 6949 1001 (Linda)
The Union Hotel
6 The Parade, Tumbarumba T: 02 6948 2165 (Ask for Marty).
Tooma Inn & Brigham House
T: 02 6948 4012 (Kris and Trevor)
Brigham House T: 6948 4173 (Jeff) www. Brighamhouse.com.au
rivers, killing by some estimates 90% of the fish. So, the late summer influx of fishermen to the towns is absent.
The fires forced the deer north away from the river and so the regular hunters aren’t in the bars at night. And neither are the tourists who bring their families to the river for days of kicking back and swimming in the crystal waters. Which leaves us bike riders.
There are many pubs in the fire zone of the Upper Murray that are deserving of our support. These are just some of them:
Batlow – Batlow Hotel
The closer to Batlow you get on the Cocup Road from Gundagai, the more chilling are the roadsides and when you hit the town, you’ll see that the flames licked the side of the Batlow Pub.
For two weeks, with all access in and out closed, Linda, the publican fed all emergency workers and all who’d stayed to protect their homes totally free of charge. This pub came closer to destruction probably than any other.
It’s now back in full swing. Open 7 days with meals every day except lunch on Tuesday. The meals are all homemade primarily from local produce and are bloody good with any of the local ciders.
There’s 5 Queen rooms ($85pn), 1 twin, 1 single ($65pn) and a family room. Amenities are shared but with separate Men’s and Women’s.
You can lock your ride up in the shed out the back if you wish. And yes, there’s heating!
There’s hardly an uncharred tree the entire ride from Batlow to Tumba. If you head down the main street, past the bakery (which is tops) and then turn right at the Union Hotel onto Albury St and do a quick U-turn you’ll get an idea of how close the flames came to this town. All that’s visible behind the
Watch ‘em!
Caution: With their fields and paddocks completely burnt out, many graziers have pushed their cattle onto the ‘long paddock’ to search for feed. Between Tumbarumba and Tintaldra I encountered three separate mobs. These beasts are now very comfortable with cars and bikes and will slowly move out of your way – they don’t want to be on the road, there’s no feed and it’s hard on the hooves.
But, use patience and not your horn. Many of these cattle are drought affected and have been hand fed and they’re use to the farmers tooting to advise of the arrival of a load of hay. Toot when you’re trying to cut through them and you just might have a stampede chasing you.
Oh, and when you’re leaving a town, try packing a coldie or two. When you spot the drover’s ute or bike, pull up. It’s thirsty work and I’ve not had them refuse an offered beer. The yarn you get in return will be worth the cost!
This month the pubs are rated on services of coldness of beer. They’re rated on need and how much they deserve support from riders. On that, they all get the full five!
pub is a burnt out mountain. Marty, the owner of the Union Hotel, was forced to close it when the first fires hit the town on NYE and it didn't reopen for three weeks. The pub was fully booked out by fruit-pickers who were evacuated to Wagga on January 1st. Sixty of ‘em, each paying $160 per week – that’s a cool ten grand that’s being lost to just the pub. Add in losses of a similar scale to the other pub in town plus to the other shops, the IGA and the bakery, and you get an idea of the scale of the economic loss. This proudly biker-friendly pub
(which offers riders a free drink when they book in for a room) had no power and so no cold beer. While it was closed, Marty spent mornings handing out free soft drinks and food to the emergency crews and his evenings cooking up at the local fire station.
There’re 23 rooms, all with electric blankets, starting at fifty bucks a nigbt for a single rider and if the shed at the back is full of bikes, the overflow steeds can overnight, under cover, in the beer garden.
Lunch and dinner seven days and shared, separate amenities
A great and deserving spot to overnight on your way south to Phillip Island.
The Union Hotel, 6 The Parade, Tumbarumba T: 02 6948 2165 (Ask for Marty).
Tooma – Tooma Inn & BrIgham house
This place was closed for the full month and it became the hub of the community’s survival. New owners Kris and Trevor turned it into the village’s donation drop-zone and evacuation point. The flames licked the poplars across the river but the pub escaped scarring.
There’s only four rooms here but Tooma has a unique range of options for a no-horse town. Next to the pub is Brigham House which has upmarket B&B accommodation in a beautifully restored building and across the road beside the creek the Council’s erected an amenities block that’s well maintained and they’ve decided to allow free camping along the river bank. Showers are available back at the pub. They come free with your third schooner or $3 otherwise.
The pub’s closed on Mondays and Tuesdays unless you have a large group and have arranged in advance.
Kris is a qualified chef and does all the cooking, meals being available on the five days the pub’s open. Parking is available inside the pub grounds.
A great place to base yourself for a couple of days of highland and river touring.
Tooma Inn: T: 02 6948 4012 (Kris and Trevor)
Brigham House T: 6948 4173 (Jeff) www. Brighamhouse.com.au
TInTaldra - The TIn PoT
I’ve tried to do a Pub of the Month on this place for maybe the last 7 years and every time I stay there and then come back and write the copy and ring back to check details, the place has closed or there’s a new owner or there’s another major change.
But after being closed for almost the entirety of 2019, new owners opened the doors just before Christmas. No pub in the fire zone did more for its community than The Tin Pot.
There’s been some issues with the license transferral after the period of closure and as I write this, they’ve again been told to stop pulling beers until a problem is sorted. Mark, who runs the place, reckons it’ll be fine by the time you’ll be reading this.
Good meals and an extremely friendly mob of locals. No accommodation at the moment and the Council’s put the kybosh on the pub’s camping, but I’ve never been there without a bike and a tent over by the river. Betty across the road still runs her store and her scones are the best breakfast you’ll have!
Tintaldra Hotel. T: 0459 826 810 (Mark)
The wonderful twisting road of bitumen and then dirt directly south from Corryong through the Nariel Valley was still closed when I was down so rather than doing the 545/543 clockwise loop, I detoured to Tallangatta and then down the C543. It added time but meant I got to Mitta Mitta twice.
mITTa mITTa –laurel hoTel
This place was evacuated in the second fire wave in mid-January but many people stayed and successfully fought the ember attacks. The Laurel Hotel here is one of the most stunning and ambitious pubs in the
bush. If you’ve been to Jugiong think Royal George. It also has the most amazing creek swimming hole/ infinity pool at the foot of its beer garden that you are ever going to see.
The restaurant is open for lunch and dinner every day and it features local stuff like Mitta Valley mushrooms and beef. Between meal times the General Store has tucker including top class Bacon and Egg Rolls.
A single rider will pay $50 for a night in one of the rooms, and the Queen and twin rooms are double that. With no gambling this is a real social pub that hits its high targets. Will be a standalone PotM in a few months.
This tiny joint has been doubly affected. The December fires to the south around Bruthen and Swifts Creek put the kybosh on adventure riders heading up from the South Coast. The road directly north remains closed and won’t be opening any time soon. Johnno told me when I was there in mid-January that there’d not been a motorcyclist through for over 6 weeks at a time of the year he’d usually get a dozen a week.
There’s seven rooms at the pub, with combinations of twins, doubles and one with four bunks. A single rider will pay $50 for the night and the scale goes down depending on how many others share the room. You can throw your swag anyway you want in this place, inside the massive back yard of the pub or up at the footy ground.
The pub only opens from 5pm each afternoon and has meals each night. Johnno’s had the place for ten years and does it all, including the cooking. Just don't go hoping to get a haircut at Slim’s across the road.
There’s no reliable fuel here so best to fill up in Omeo but the 130kms ride back to Mitta Mitta is
comfortably in the best ten long distance twisties in the country.
Benambra Hotel T: 03 5159 9214 (Johnno)
Granya – Granya Pub
This place has been doing it tough for a long time and just after it was saved from the fires, Mick sold it to a bloke named Garry. It’s currently closed and being seriously rebuilt. I know his plans for the place and it’ll be a certain PotM in about 6 months. Meantime,
if you want a hint of what’s in store, head just a little west to Garry’s current pub at Bethanga where last year Garry decided to try an idea he’d long had: Build a pub with a petting zoo. If you want to sit out on a west-facing deck and have sheep, alpacas, Shetland ponies, miniature goats, chooks and a rabbit or two cruising past your table, (“feel free to feed them but please don't share your schooner”) this is the place for you.
And you won’t be alone. Since it started it’s far exceeded even Garry’s dreams.
By June, the Granya Pub will be all this only grander, so note it in your diary if you’re tired of being the only mob acting the goat after a day’s riding.
Meanwhile the Granya contact is the same as Bethanga: T 02 6026 4214 (Garry)
Jin G ellic – Jin G ellic b rid G e Hotel
Still just maybe the best situated pub on the entire river. The flames
came to the back of the hotel and the pub again stayed open to service the fire-fighters, volunteers and those who remained to fight. When I rocked up Peter, who’s been behind the bar for what seems a lifetime and whose place across the river is named ‘Dunpubbin’ welcomes me to ‘the Upper Cadbury’ and the thick brown ooze that’s pumping down the river sure could be from ten billion melted bars of Dairy Milk. So the fish have gone and taken with them the fishermen.
The river’s so filthy that the front gardens which should be packed with free campers there to bask and bathe are empty.
But the local showgrounds are the base for the volunteers from Blaze Aid who’re mopping up this town and others. A night in the bar here will find you talking with any number of wonderful folks who are just pitching in.
In addition to the free camping out front, the pub’s accommodation is aimed more at groups than singles. There’s
a couple of 3 bedroom standalone houses that sleep up to 8 and cost $200 a night, a two bedroom cabin that can fit 4 for $160 and a pair of motel suite type arrangements each with a queen and a single for $120 pn. All accommodation has aircon and screened windows.
Again, there’s lunch and dinner seven days a week and a place to park your bike under cover if it’s scared of the stars.
Jingellic Bridge Hotel: T: 02 6037 1290 (Peter) D
YOU GO Before
Make it a better adventure
ADVENTURE BETTER!
The guys at Motorrad Tours know a thing or two when it comes to travelling on a motorcycle. In this series, (this being the first of a few to come), they share their knowledge and experience to help you get the most from your next trip.
WORDS RICHARD MILLINGTON PHOTOS MOTORRAD TOURS
PREPARE - HUNT OUT THE BEST ROADS, STRING TOGETHER PERFECT DESTINATIONS, MAKE SURE YOUR BIKE AND KIT ARE AS READY AS YOU ARE.
There’s a real romance to just grabbing your keys, ramming a toothbrush into the tailpack and heading for the horizon. The freedom of just escaping without a plan is something that gets us through many a slow Wednesday afternoon in the office. But even if that’s your approach, while you’re grabbing a coffee you can be researching hotels or finding the best riding roads. When it comes to planning for a trip, the more you put in, the more you’ll get out. The same applies to your bike and your kit; being blown off your feet by trucks as you sit on the side of the road, wishing you’d checked the oil before you left home sucks. Save yourself from having to learn the Spanish for ‘wheel bearings’ by spending a Sunday in the garage getting your bike and kit in order.
PLANNING
There’s always something that sparks the need to go on a riding holiday, some moment when you sit up and
say ‘Right, we need to get on our bikes and do some riding.’ It could be catching up with an old riding mate, the cold dread that another birthday is approaching or just a dull day at work making you want to start riding Friday night and call in sick Monday morning. Perhaps coughing occasionally to cover up the sound of the waves breaking on the beach you’ve just camped on.
This motivation forms the start of your planning – why am I going? If it’s to ride and enjoy riding your bike – then don’t tie yourself up trying to get to box-tick destinations. Instead work on covering less distance each day, but packing in every tight and twisty road you can fi nd. Of course, if your lightbulb moment was that you’ve never ridden through Ho Chi Minh City, then tuck in your mirrors and get stuck into the scooter-fi lled madness.
The worst thing you can do when planning a trip is to set yourself unrealistic distances to cover each day. Balance is the key here; use fast roads to cover distance, twisty roads to put a smile on your face. Mix it up. Jump on the highway to knock out some decent distance before lunch and then reward yourself with an afternoon of picturesque views and winding roads.
Use a large-scale map for planning the route – it’ll allow you to see, quite literally, the bigger picture. That way you can keep the route heading where it needs to, while taking in the good stuff along the way.
Plan on an average speed of 65km/h. It doesn’t seem to matter how good a rider you are; over a mix of roads it tends to come back to 65km/h. Plus lunch. Speaking of food, remember to plan for an evening meal – roll in at 5pm and you
get to wander the town and choose which restaurant you want to eat at. Roll in at 9pm and you get to choose crisps or peanuts from the minibar.
On trips of a week or more, plan in some days off. That doesn’t mean confiscating everyone’s keys and forcing them to wander around monuments for a day. It does mean staying in the same place for a second night so you have the option to ride locally or to have a day off. Either way you remove the pressure, giving people a chance to reset – especially important if you’re riding in a group of mixed ability.
Once your masterpiece route has been created, then it’s time to think about delivery. Maps are great around a table, but bloody hopeless at 110km/h. For covering distance, a list of roads and towns to head towards written on duct tape and stuck on the tank works an absolute treat. But for sticking to a more detailed route, that’s when a GPS unit really comes into its own provided you know how to work it. Go for some test runs and navigate to places you know the way to, so you can get a feel of how it thinks.
There are plenty of apps available for smart phones too, just make sure the maps can be saved for viewing offline so you aren’t relying on signal. You’ll need a charger on your bike and weather protection if the phone isn’t waterproof. Most important with any GPS is the knowledge that it is only as good as the person who put the route in it. Have an idea of the general direction you should be heading, as blind faith and a slight programming error can land you in Perth, Scotland instead of Perth, WA.
PaPerwOrk
Not the sexiest bit of touring, but defintiely something you want to have prepared before you go. Research is key, as the requirements for travel documents vary and change often. When it comes to border crossings, check each crossing in advance when you’re planning your route and then check again just before you go.
The Smart Traveller or NRMA
websites are your first stop for travel advice. Make sure you have insurance that covers all the countries you’ll be riding in, for enough days, and check what level of overseas cover you get. With medical insurance, make sure you’re covered for riding motorcycles, not just scooters. And finally make sure your breakdown and medical cover include repatriation – if you or your bike breaks in a big way, you’ll want to get you and it back home. Obviously if you’re planning a daytrip to the coast, the only paperwork you need is a small rectangular document with the number ten on it to exchange for ice cream.
BIke PreP
The first port of call with the bike is to look at the odometer and the service schedule and do some maths. If the bike is due a service (or would be by the end of the trip), get it booked in early and let the workshop guys know how far you’re going –that way they can advise on what to replace. If something looks like it might need changing, then change it – better now than halfway across country. Bear in mind that you can wear stuff out faster on tour – more weight from your luggage and more spirited riding from your holiday excitement. Tyres are the most important here – make sure they have enough tread, they’re correctly inflated and are the right tyres for the touring job. If you’re planning a big trip fit new tyres and keep the ‘part-worns’ for when you return. Check your levels – oil, brake/clutch fluid and coolant and make sure you have the means to check them again on the trip. You shouldn’t need to top up the last three, but if your bike does use a bit of oil, then stash a small bottle in the luggage. Get the wheels off the ground and give them a wobble, checking for play in the bearings and forward/ backwards play in the forks. Spin the wheels, make sure the brakes aren’t dragging excessively; a little resistance is normal, but they should manage a whole revolution from a good spin. Lift the rear of the bike up and down
from the subframe, listening and feeling for clunking in the suspension. Brake pads need a judgment call – under 3mm of material means change them. More than 3mm and it’s down to you – but if the tour is all mountain passes and hairpins, then stick some new pads in. Finally give your bike a really thorough clean; toothbrushes, degreaser, the works. This is when you’ll spot any weird leaks, loose fasteners or bits hanging off. Do it in good light and take your time.
Kit PreP
Tools: who doesn’t love a nice shiny set of tools? Heavy buggers though, so the best place for a comprehensive tool kit is in the workshop. Your kit on the bike should have just enough to do the jobs you’re likely to do on the road. Tools to adjust your chain and top up your oil (if any) are a must. A small adjustable spanner, pliers, a couple of screwdrivers and
hex or torx drivers should be more than enough. Cable ties, duct tape and chemical metal can be life-savers, as can a puncture repair kit, but only if you know what you’re doing with them. And there’s the bottom line; don’t take anything you don’t know how to use.
When it comes to luggage, like eggs, the big debate is soft or hard. Soft is lighter, but you’re only a Stanley knife away from being without it. Hard boxes are more secure and with good inner bags make packing and unpacking hassle free. The most important piece of advice is: don’t take too much. Remember it’s not just the extra weight spoiling the ride; it’s also the extra repacking at every hotel when you could be in the bar/ shower/den of ill repute. Remember that you’ll be in riding kit most of the time, so one or two sets of casuals will easily last you a week. If it’s a big trip then put some practice time in before you go. Plan
a couple of long riding days on a mixture of roads, not just the fun stuff close to home. That way you can both find any parts of your bike or kit that annoy you and rectify this before you head out for a 5000km adventure across South America. With your kit think layers, protection and comfort. If you’re going off-road, make sure your boots are a little more substantial than what you’d ride to the café in. Do a bit of research on the climate of where you’ll be riding and pick kit appropriately. Experience has taught us that unless you can afford really good quality Goretex kit, then a separate outer waterproof layer is the best way to stay dry and manage temperature. That sounds like a lot to think about there, but it all depends on the size of the trip. For a continent-crossing epic voyage, you’re going to want to put the hours in to make everything run as smoothly as possible. For a weekend at the opposite end of your
Who is Motorrad Tours?
Richard Millington is the founder of Motorrad Tours, with years and literally millions of miles of route planning and tour delivery under his belt. From the Highlands of Scotland to the rice paddies of Vietnam, Richard works tirelessly to put together impeccable tours that keep people coming back time and time again. So if the above sounds like a lot of effort to you, or if you want to see the best a country has to offer the adventurous motorcyclist, give Motorrad Tours a call on +44 (0) 1622 776686 or log onto their website www.motorrad-tours.com to see where they are headed to next.
own state, you can get away with very little planning. But the more time spent, the better the trip will be – use trip advisor to get the best hotels, spend time on a good paper map to find the best roads. The better the planning, the better the trip, it’s as simple as that. For your equipment, a few hours of tender loving driveway care can save a few days of hair loss and stress on the trip. You don’t need to buy the most expensive riding kit out there; shop smart and make sure it’s suited to your destination. And if in doubt, then sling a new tyre on. D
Having promised to build a round-the-world (rtw) bike, I fortunately did not have to look far to find the platform. A BMW F 750 GS suggested itself both because I like it – not least because it is relatively light -- but also because I was pretty sure I’d be able to get the bits for it that I would want in order to turn it into my kind of long-distance machine. I arranged with BMW Motorrad to buy one of the cooking version bikes –they are more affordable at AU$15,385 than the up-specced F 750 GS Tour, the F 850 GS or GS Adventure.
Sure, I would quite have liked some of the electronics and other goodies on the more fully specified bikes, but there were also some things I didn’t want, like the keyless starting (thieves) and the automatic shifter. And saving a few bucks early on would come in handy when I fitted the things to the bike that I really wanted.
As I mentioned in the most recent issue, a thorough look through the offers on the interwebs convinced me that I should stick with German accessory manufacturer Wunderlich for my initial lot of parts. Their quality is superb, prices are reasonable (no, not cheap) and there is a major advantage to buying from one supplier: the bits fit together nicely.
I’ll try to explain not just what but why I’ve chosen to make the changes and additions I have. Let’s do that, section by section. There is probably not a sensible order in which to do this, so why not get started with?
RIDER COMFORT
If there was a competition for riding around the world on an uncomfortable seat, I reckon Charlie and I would take it out for putting up with the XL250 seats. I will not put up with the kind of agony that the little Honda put me through, ever again. I have used AirHawk seats and sheepskins, and have been pretty happy with them on some bikes, but there is nothing like a comfortable seat made especially for the bike. That is why I have fitted Mustang seats to my Harley Sportster and Ducati Scrambler, and why I settled on an Aktivkomfort seat from Wunderlich for the F 750 GS. The
original seat is not bad, but we’re talking days of riding here, and then some more days, so let’s not scrimp and save. The Aktivkomfort seat costs $906, but what’s your backside worth to you?
This is not just a more or less humorous quip. I’ve found that posterior pain can take my attention off the road and surroundings, making me less safe and less aware of the beauty I’m riding through. Providing I’m riding through beauty, of course. A sore backside can spoil the best ride.
There are other parts of your body that can do with a bit of pampering, too. In particular, your chest and neck. The best way to look after them is with a high EXTREME windscreen at $433.02, and a Vario wind deflector on top of that, at $244.98, both from Wunderlich. Reduced wind pressure, elimination of buffeting and a calmer ride are worth heaps. The windscreen actually wraps around the bodywork of the bike and protects even lower parts of your body. That adds up to a more relaxing ride and a less stressed body at the end of the day.
LUGGAGE
I realise that I’m out of step with just about every other rtw or long distance rider out there, but I don’t like random bags strapped all over the bike. It doesn’t look terrific, it makes it all too likely that you will find the contents of one or more bags soaked or perhaps even missing, and it leaves the contents of the bags far too accessible to thieves. I can do without worrying about my luggage while the bike is down in the hold of a ferry while I’m sitting upstairs with no way of keeping an eye on it, for instance. Not that I don’t like soft luggage at all. A seat bag is useful for the things that you’ll use when you leave the bike anyway: a good strong lock with a difficult-to-cut cable, and a bike cover. I also add things that I want in easy reach on the road, like a Rocky Creek Helmet Lok, a water bottle and some snacks along with my dillybag. That name comes from an Australian Aboriginal bag used to carry all sorts of stuff, and that’s exactly what mine contains. Spare ear plugs, lip balm, eye drops, tooth cleaning kit, sunscreen, a spare neck
cloth, visor cleaner, some soap so on. I always know where to find this stuff and let’s face it, it’s not the end of the world if this or the contents of the whole bag are stolen.
I lock the bag itself onto the frame of the bike with a light steel cable and the Helmet Lok because I definitely would mind if I lost the bag – it’s an
Elephant Tail Bag from Wunderlich and costs $356. I might take the dillybag, which is usually a comfort bag from a flight and therefore free, with me when I leave the bike, but if there are plenty of people around I wouldn’t worry. It’s remarkable how effective locals can be in controlling theft. The other item of soft luggage I like
Wunderlich in OZ
The Australian distributor for Wunderlich equipment is Procycles, with retail shops in St Peters and Hornsby, Sydney NSW. Website address is www.procycles.com.au , email is info@procycles.com.au . Your local bike shop should be able to order parts through Procycles. Call them on 02 9564 8000 if you don’t have any luck. To make absolutely sure that the parts were fitted to the bike according to the original design, I had Procycles do the job. The photos show some of the process; I’ll have more about the fitted parts and photos of the bike on the road in the next issue.
is a tank bag. The Wunderlich Sportbag costs $375. It is the ideal size to carry a camera body with a spare lens, and another camera body with a lens can be carried on top of the bag held by the included bungee straps. This goes inside the tank bag when I leave the bike or around my neck, and the tank bag goes with me. It is extensible so it can hold both the dillybag and the second camera, but not so large that it tempts me to carry all sorts of crap in it.
The bag clips on easily, has a hand strap and is waterresistant. It also has water-resistant zips plus a wind protector, but if it’s raining seriously I put the cameras in my Underwater Kinetics camera case, which is absolutely waterproof and goes on the rack, with the seat bag on the, you guessed it, seat. The camera bag also locks and locks on with a light steel cable, but I would mostly carry it with me. You never know when the photo of the century pops up and you need just the right lens!
I keep a basic toolkit, including the screwdriver or spanner that tightens anything that has a habit of coming loose, under the seat. You learn what you need pretty quickly. There is plenty of room there on the F 750 GS, although it’s not enough for wet weather gear. If I’m carrying some
Wunderlich Completes Your BMW
For Every Tour Every Terrain For Every Purpose
NUMBER ONE WORLDWIDE IN BMW ACCESSORIES
Protect Your Vitals with Engine and Tank Bars, Skid Plates, Screens, Guards and Sliders.
Customise Your Luggage Options. Safely Store and Access Everything You Need When You Need It.
Manage Airflow and Turbulence with Windscreens, Deflectors and Rain Protection to Enjoy Your Ride.
Personalise Your Ride Comfort with Seats, Handlebar Risers, Grips, Levers, Mirrors and Adapters.
(I don’t always because I have a couple of suits that are rainproof) the gear lives in a pannier, along with the main toolkit and spares.
That’s taken us to the panniers. Because I don’t like loose kit on the bike, I need to pack everything in these and therefore they need to be big. Fortunately, Wunderlich’s 1.5mm aluminium EXTREME pannier boxes hold 45 litres and 40 litres, left and right respectively. The right-hand one is smaller to accommodate the bike’s exhaust. That’s huge, and in my opinion quite enough for one person, even if you’re camping. If there’s more than one of you, you might consider starting with a bigger bike, but if you want to stick with an F 750 you can always start the strappingon of stuff. To keep it neat, Wunderlich has bags that strap on top of the panniers, and you might also think about a top box, which likewise can carry another bag on top.
The waterproof panniers, which cost a reasonable $1686, are solid and well designed and come with a five year guarantee. The locks double as hinges so you can take the lids off completely or just unlock one end and use the other as a hinge. Elastic nets are fitted to the insides of the lids. Fittings are stainless steel or, in the case of the replaceable corner reinforcements, tough plastic. The locks cost extra, $59 a pair, and so does the sturdy pannier mounting frame at $522.01. You might be able to talk the dealer out of that 1 cent. There is a bar across the back to stabilize the panniers. If you already have BMW pannier frames, the Wunderlich panniers will fit them.
Just one more thing. Unlike its more expensive brethren, the F 750 GS does not have a centrestand. That means you will be relying on the sidestand, and a fully loaded bike will put a fair amount of weight on that. I suggest you do what I did and fit a Side Stand Enlarger, also from Wunderlich. At $99 it isn’t cheap, but you’ll be glad you’ve got it in all sorts of different terrain. It doesn’t interfere with deploying the stand; in fact, it makes it easier.
Okay, we’ll have a look at a couple of other reasons to accessorise our rtw bike next month – safety and security.
Will I do it?
The obvious question when someone sets out to build a round-the-world (rtw) bike is: when are you leaving? In my case, the answer is “never”. I am highly unlikely to do another rtw ride. Building this bike does, however, have more than one other purpose. Firstly, I hope I am going to be able to re-ride some of the stretches of the original ride; at the moment I’m looking at Turkey, southern Europe and the US. I will be doing some negotiating with my good friend (I hope) Dave at motorcycle transporters Get Routed. Secondly, I thought it would be interesting for the people who are planning rtw or just long distance rides to find out what someone who’s done it has learned, and how he applies that to a current-model bike.
Thirdly, I am looking forward to doing a few long distance rides in Australia and overseas. I’m starting this year in eastern Canada on a borrowed Harley, but the idea of doing them on a bike that I’ve put together myself is irresistible.
And finally, just for the fun of it. There are many motorcycles out there now which make wonderful platforms for rtw machines, satisfying many different requirements. Take a look at ADVrider. com and the amazing GBP 50,000 (more than AU$ 89,000) KTM described there. This bike will not be cheap, although it will be nowhere near that kind of price, and it will be just plain fun to create. For me, anyway.
Hope you enjoy it too! D
LONGTERMERS
BIG BOY WHEELS
PEUGEOT BELVILLE 200
WE TOLD YOU ABOUT
THE recently released Peugeot Belville 200 in issue #83 and now we’ve got one as a semi-long termer. I was rather keen to get hold of the new Belville as I wanted to feel the difference a scoot
with 16-inch wheels would make. As expected, the difference is simply awesome; in fact, the Belville is probably the best scooter I’ve ridden on rough city roads – gone is the banging and crashing of a lot of scooters, with the Belville giving a lot more comfort and control.
I did expect a little more performance from the ‘200’ moniker and the only real difference between this and, say, a 150 scoot is the Belville does get away from the traffi c lights a touch quicker, but then runs out of puff around 100km/h – well, it does with my big lump on it anyway.
Our plan for the Belville is to
tear up the street and terrorise all that stands in its way. LOL! No, no, we plan to scoot our way around and really enjoy this bike to see how it stands up to the torture we give it over the next few months.
Fit and fi nish on the Belville are great and this now being our second long term Pug scoot I’m rather impressed with how they build they product, so go and check out the range. To fi nd your local dealer, jump onto https://peugeotmotorcycles. com.au/dealers SW
BOOKED OUT!
ROYAL ENFIELD 650 INTERCEPTOR
I was hoping to have the dyno results from the before and after fi tment of the DNA air fi lter and DNA airbox cover for
our Royal Enfi eld 650 Interceptor, but alas the dyno at D Moto Motorcycle Engineering has been booked out on the days I was available to get there. I will be making time within the next month, so look for the results in the next issue! SW
QUICK UPDATE
KAWASAKI Z900 A4 RESTO
Rather than waste an entire page I thought I’d give you a quick update on my Z900 resto. I got the carbs
back from the vapour blaster and they look amazing. I’ve got the slides out of the solution we had them soaking in for the last three months and they’ve come up a treat. This was something I was worried about as they had seized in the carb bodies and come out looking a little worse for wear. I did have to drill out the screws holding the needles in, but thankfully didn’t damage any of the threads. I have ordered new carb kits and once they arrive I’ll start banging them together. Hopefully they’ll be together for the next issue!
SW D
holding
Stock airbox
ISLANDS In the sun
Well, two out of three ain’t bad... WORDS/ PHOTOS THE BEAR
WHO DOESN’T LIKE islands, especially for motorcycle trips? You get a sort of buzz of… completion when you ride them – always assuming that they’re small enough to cover in one trip – and when you leave there is a distinct feeling that, yeah, I’ve seen that place! I know that place now! It’s wrong, of course. No matter how small an island, there is always something left to discover next time you visit; but what the hell, we don’t have to be right all the time, do we? Islands also tend to leave impressions
that are simpler and easier to turn into memories. They’re more consistent, somehow, than those of a larger place without definitely identifiable edges. Does that all sound like overthinking? It probably is. The point, I guess, is simply that there are islands on this planet which will repay a visit many times over, especially if you’re on a motorcycle. I’ve chosen just three of them for this little story, but they are three that I would recommend to anyone. Pure pleasure, in three different ways.
A spectacular waterfall, half hidden in the mist of its own creating… Iceland is a land of mystery.
Tenerife
It might be volcanic, but it doesn’t always have to be hot.
1High above its blisteringly hot beaches filled with grilling poms, Tenerife in the Canaries serves up some brilliant riding through a rocky, snowcovered landscape that seems to belong in the Alps or the Himalaya. Fortunately, the roads are much better than in the Himalaya, and far less crowded than in the Alps! Despite the deep snow that surrounds them, the roads rarely have any ice coverage for you to worry about. They are cleared frequently and kept in excellent order. I visited the Canaries by courtesy of Edelweiss Bike Tours, www.edelweissbike.com .
2
Teide, the central volcano of the island of Tenerife actually created the island with magma that rose from below the sea floor. It is still huge, but was once several times its present size. The caldera it sits in is a vast wonderland of strange rock formations which you can explore – on foot, though, not by bike. One of the edges of the caldera houses some of the most advanced telescope facilities on the planet, placed here because the air is clean – there is little industry in the Canaries – and because the weather is predictable. Most of it is below the ridge, anyway.
3
Where there’s a volcano there’s great riding, and Tenerife is no exception. All around the caldera there are more or less sea-level coastal strips, and roads snake up and down the barrier of the ring mountains as well as over the top. Some of the vegetation, like these pines, is unique to the Canaries and sometimes even to just one island. It would take quite a while to explore all the roads that follow the coast, as well as the many mountain roads. Keep one thing in mind – fuel is generally only available down on the coast. You could always ‘coast’ down the mountains…
4
Like most other places, Tenerife offers the best and most traffic-free riding in the morning. As mentioned, you rarely have to worry about ice so it can be quite an experience to flash around the many weird lava outcrops with the sun coming up over the ring wall of the caldera. Fortunately, there is a restaurant at the intersection of the two main roads that run across the high plain so you will be able to get coffee and breakfast. The Canaries are Spanish, so you can expect excellent churros and good, strong coffee.
1 2 3 4
Sri Lanka
The Land of Smiles also has miles and miles of motorcycle roads.
1This is a fascinating example of how different other cultures can be without being obviously so. This is a fruit stand, right? People come here to buy fruit to take home and eat, right? Wrong. The fruit this little stand sells will be arranged artistically on the pewter or tinplate trays you see at the bottom, and will be presented at the nearby temple as an offering. Decorated with the colourful knitted and knotted strings hanging above, the trays will surround a statue of Buddha, the Virgin Mary or possibly a Hindu deity. People are not fussed; they’ll worship whomever they like.
2
Apart from its extensive network of tarred roads –mostly really good, but sometimes neglected when you get into the higher mountains – Sri Lanka has many gravel roads which tend to be in excellent condition. Often you wouldn’t know you weren’t on tar. This one leads to a number of Buddhas carved into a rock wall, rather like the sadly now destroyed Buddhas in Afghanistan. Locals come out here and have family picnics under the benign gaze of the huge statues, and motorcyclists come to be amazed and to take photos.
3
Rohan, my tour guide from Serendipity Motorcycle Tours (www.motorcyclingadventures.com.au) and a local legend as a rugby player, with our Royal Enfield 350 single cylinder steeds. The bikes might seem underpowered but were perfect for the Sri Lankan combination of roads, landscapes and traffic. For anyone who’s concerned about the reliability of the bikes, rest assured that there is a mechanic on just about literally every corner who can fix anything that might go wrong. Not that you’re likely to have problems in this relatively relaxed and laid-back country where traffic might be dense, but not especially fast.
4
Most of Sri Lanka is quite mountainous. Since much of the high-value tea is grown up in the clouds, good roads are necessary to bring it down to the coast for fermenting and shipment. Sneaky buggers that we are, motorcyclists take advantage of those roads. YOU do need to be careful because there can be quite a bit of detritus scattered in the corners – sometimes just on your line – but all in all the road network, and especially the hairpins and gently sloping curves of the mountain roads, are in good shape. The other traffic, like the brightlypainted buses, can be a distraction.
1 2 3 4
Iceland
There is a lot about this island that is far from icy, including the people.
1Road infrastructure in Iceland is odd. Where there is some, and it’s there over much of the island, it is excellent as this bridge testifies. But in a lot of places there essentially isn’t any; even the ring road around the island has a long gravel section and many of the inland roads are more like tracks. That’s not a problem, of course, in fact it’s fun. You get to choose whether you want the rough or the smooth! If you want to get away from the tourists it is not difficult, just choose the gravel roads and you’ll find yourself in very remoteseeming countryside quite quickly.
2
Icelanders just love their bad-tempered trolls; perhaps that’s why they, themselves, are so pleasant. I spent an evening in a Reykjavik bar chatting with a couple of young ladies and found them to be exceptionally nice. Not tolerant, necessarily: one of them told me in no uncertain terms that not only had no Viking ever worn horns on his helmet, but Iceland was not settled by Vikings, either. “The settlers were farmers,” she said, “and they came to Iceland because they didn’t want to pay the king’s taxes. They were tax avoiders, not fighters!” Then she bought me a beer.
3
For a relatively small island, Iceland has a wonderful lot of panoramic views. I suppose the secret is that human habitation is scarce and scattered around the coast, a bit like Australia, so wherever you look you’re unlikely to see a town or any industry. The island did have a major industry for many years: it was salting herring and packing the unfortunate fish into barrels. A combination of fewer fish and less demand seems to have put paid to that, but you can still see photos of the staggering size of the herring salting industry at one of the museums. My amazing week in Iceland was by courtesy of Edelweiss Bike Tours, www.edelweissbike.com .
4
In a way, the attraction of Iceland can be summed up in three words: water, rocks and ice. The rivers might bbe short, but they tend to drop over some of the most amazing waterfalls in the world and wind their way through steep-walled valleys that look like something from another planet. The rocks, remnants of lava flows and explosions by the many volcanoes that call Iceland home, are rugged and impressive whether they are piled up in giant walls or dotting the landscape. The ice forms the glaciers that make their way down to the ice-cold sea. D
1
2 3
4
not fair, but a Fair can be passing fair… if you know what I mean. INTERMOT, the biennial motorcycle fair in Cologne, is stepping up the battle for top show. The idea is to set new standards in the international market for motorcycle trade fairs, explains Christoph Werner, Vice President of the organiser, Koelnmesse. “The forthcoming event from 6 to 11 October 2020 will complete the necessary transformation from a simple exhibition to a theme-based and trend-led trade fair event. The concept’s key pillars are more reach, more target groups, more networking.”
“Together with the German Motorcycle Industry Association, which acts as INTERMOT’s conceptual sponsor, and the market leaders represented here, we have developed a strong concept for the necessary redesign of INTERMOT and one that will set new standards in the international market for motorcycle trade fairs.”
One idea that should save shoe leather for the reptiles of the press is the central event platform Stage X.
“Conceived as a large arena, it meets all the technical requirements of the current state of the art and is equipped for live media broadcast”, says Herr Werner. “Stage X is dominated by an extra-large LED wall for screening live
PLAYING Fair
images, and vehicles can drive on the stage. The stage is perfectly designed for presenting motorcycles. One of the highlights at INTERMOT 2020 is set to be the multi-brand Press Conference Show, which will showcase the key global new launches, technical innovations, new mobility concepts and accessories.”
In other words, no more traipsing around from one stand to the other for press launches. We’ll see how it works out, but it sounds good for my feet.
“Besides this, Stage X will host a large number of shows on each day of the fair, ranging from individual company presentations of new mobility concepts, for instance, to influencer appearances, fashion shows and business talks,” he adds. Well, okay, but I suspect we’ll be able to do without the influencer appearances and probably the fashion shows.
But the shows are only a relatively small part of the fair’s importance.
Intermot 2020 pulls out the stops
“INTERMOT remains an important business trade fair for the motorcycle industry. Networking – in the sense of both nurturing existing contacts and establishing promising new relationships – is essential for the industry and the retail trade.” Not to mention the press. I make excellent contacts every time I attend. Herr Werner and INTERMOT have an idea there, too.
“A Multi-Brand Networking Event will be the perfect way to combine both of these activities. Vehicle manufacturers, suppliers, equipment manufacturers and distributors will invite their most important retail partners to a joint event in the Stage X arena, where they can enjoy an entertaining evening in a unique atmosphere. Live music, food and drinks will provide the perfect backdrop to relaxed discussions.” And some serious wheeling and dealing, I expect. See more at www.koelnmesse.com .
I for one can’t wait. If you’re in the industry, you might want to consider a trip to Cologne in October. If I see you there I’ll buy you a beer – and very good it is, too! PT D
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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
BEAT THE HEAT WITH SALT
Peter,
I was very surprised that you, a very experienced motorcyclist, got caught up in riding in very high temperatures, but on the bright
WE SCREWED UP
Hi Ralph,
We appreciate that you put our next exciting tour for 2021 in your 85 issue, thank you for this. Sadly the info and photos were disjointed on separate pages, which I understand sometimes can’t be helped and fitting everything in perfectly is difficult. In hindsight I should have asked to see a proof to see the layout, although I’m not sure if this would have been possible. I mainly wanted to let you know that when it comes to the ‘Contact’ part for us at the end of the tour info, you have provided your readers with a completely different tour company. At the end of our tour info it says to contact Ride The World Motorcycle
side I was glad you exposed the dangers in your magazine of riding a motorcycle in temperatures creeping into the 40s. Riding in these temperatures is a very dangerous affair but if you have to do it you must put salt into your body, no amount of water will stop
Tours. This was a real blow for us as we’re very proud of the Burt Tour we’ve put together with all the added extra’s for our riders so it’s a very special one for us, so for the imagery to be on a separate page and then putting a competitors info for our contact details was quite disappointing to say the least.
Regards, Kim
Kim, I am so sorry. That was my screw-up, I can’t imagine how it could have happened. Well, I can – it was me being stupid. I hope you can forgive me, and I’ll try to make it up to you in the next issue. Meanwhile, anyone who’s contemplating that amazing Burt Tour please note that the website for South Pacific Motorcycle Tours is www.motorbiketours.co.nz -- Apologies, The Bear
the dizziness and fl oating feeling that comes over you. Peter, if you had stopped at the Colo Heights garage and downed a bottle of Gatorade or a similar drink this would have given your body the salt needed to stay in control. This is not a criticizing email but it is to alert other riders what is needed if you are caught in this situation as you were. This information was given to me in no uncertain terms by my doctor after I was in the same situation, so please riders ensure you have salt tablets or a good salt drink before and during your journey. Yours in motorcycling, Ian Gregory, Regents Park
You are of course absolutely right, Ian, but by the time you get into this weird head space, you’re not thinking sensibly – which is why I didn’t stop for a sports drink or whatever. As you say, it’s necessary to think ahead. One day I’ll learn to do that – Cheers, The Bear
COOL HEADS CALL WASPS
Hey, Stu
I don’t geddit. You invested in lightcoloured gloves to reduce the heat effect … but got yourself a black-&grey helmet to ‘protect’ the most important organ most-affected by heat – the one between our ears. Admirable as is the choice of helmet model for its advantages and general features [I’d love to be able to afford one!], the colour selection to me doesn’t compute.
I have a predominantly-blackun [lid], and it’s often mighty uncomfortable. All the best Chrism
Hi Chris, I’ve never had a ‘heating’ problem
from wearing any coloured helmet. I actually came from a full black helmet to this new one. I find it all comes down to the ventilation the helmet has that makes the biggest difference. Cheers, Stuart.
G’day, Stuart
Thanks for the courtesy of your reply. I agree in part – if you’re on the move; however, if stationary, there’s no escape.
My old original – white – BM flip was heaps more comfortable temperaturewise, but just a bit heavy, as were all BM ones back when (‘90s).
Dad, in the late ‘60s, had a dark green Renault 10, when aircon was just about non-existent in any vehicle other than rare luxury makes. The 10 had plenty of glass, too. Dad had the roof painted white, and the internal temp. was markedly different. He measured it, too, in proving its effectiveness
If a house with a black roof can be up to 30C hotter than a green or white one, and our exploding Western suburbs are demonstrated to be so much hotter than others largely because of all the fashionably-dark houses and black
asphalt expanses, methinks the same science applies to our bonce-baskets. You must have an extraordinarily efficient internal cooling system, unlike the majority of us.
I’d be leaning toward getting a mainlyyellow helmet next, tho’ there’s a danger with that when in Victoria, especially Melbourne, because the (deleted) European Wasps go very aggressively at anything yellow, especially bright yellow, and they are merciless. We don’t yet have that problem in Skidney.
All the best, Chrism
OF GOATS AND GLOVES
G’day Stuart,
What is a “Fourchette” you asked, then curiosity got the better of me.
“A fourchette,” says the internet, “is a narrow strip of cloth joining the front and back sections of the fingers of a glove. It is a forked strip of material that forms the sides of two adjacent fingers, which allows the fingers to fork and thus retain the ability to hold angular objects.”
It apparently can also refer to a part of the female anatomy which may be torn during childbirth - so there’s diversification in goat leather for you!
Cheers, Greg
POUR IT DOWN
Hey Bear and Stuart, I don’t understand all the fuss about this Corona virus. I’ve never liked the stuff, even with a slice of lime in the neck of the bottle.
Cheers, Brew Bro, Newtown
SHOW UP AT GLOUCESTER
To all riders,
The Rotary Club of Gloucester NSW is holding its 12th Motorcycle Expo on the Saturday 2nd May 2020.
Our town is a great stopping off point for motorcyclists going north up the Thunderbolts Way, south down the Bucketts Way or even on their way to Nabiac's Motorcycle Museum. Being only one and a half hours north of
Go to www.bikeme.tv/index.php/shop/ Or email Borrie directly on Boris@bikeme.tv
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Newcastle it is a good day ride destination for the casual riders as well. We have firm commitments from several motorbike shops and suppliers who will once again attend the Expo, as well as the support of the local Ulysses club, Heaven VMX club and local businesses.
The aim of the weekend is to show our town's support for motorcyclists, as well as raising funds which Gloucester Rotary intends to use to increase safety signage on the Thunderbolts Way and other community projects.
I have attached a flyer for you to peruse. In it you will find quite a bit of information about how the weekend is planned. NOTE this year we have decided to waive the exhibitor fees. A donation to Rotary following the event is something you may consider if you have had a successful event.
We welcome old and new exhibitors who can see an opportunity to show off their products to the 1500 or so motorcycle enthusiasts who attend our event each year. It is a friendly event designed to showcase the many aspects of motorcycling with a commercial outcome for our exhibitors.
This will be a great weekend and we hope you can join us. Feel free to
contact us for more information.
Yours on 2 wheels, Peter Markey, peter@ bowelidbury.com.au Sam de Witte, sytze06@hotmail.com
MELBOURNE FIGHTS FOR MOTORCYCLE
PARKING
Hello, Bear. The case for banning motorcycles & scooters from large areas of Melbourne's footpaths does not add up.
If the Melbourne City Council's (MCC) Transport Councilor Frances Gilley can't do the sums on the number of motorbikes that can be parked in 36 car bays then 1200 motorcycles & scooters parked on footpaths each working day is probably a gross underestimation too.
Melbourne's population is set to rise from five to eight million people in 20 years or so. The numbers of residents & students in, and commuters & visitors to, the CBD and inner suburbs must increase. Many of these people will choose to save time and money by riding rather than driving. Melbourne and other councils have underestimated the need for more off-street and on-street secure motorbike parking and more secure parking at park & ride facilities. Motorbikes are a far more efficient link to public transport in the outer suburbs and regional cities than cars. If riders who park motorbikes on footpaths while at work had secure, free alternatives, they'd use them but the MCC removed secure off-street parking and did not replace it as promised. This directly increases demand for footpath space. Rather than admit the failures to consult and to establish adequate off-street motorcycle & scooter parking with lockers, Cr Frances Gilley's team attacks legitimate two-wheel commuters who more than pay their way.
On Friday, February 14, 2020, Lord
Mayor Sally Capp and Victoria Walks' Dr Ben Rossiter put an emotional argument on TV that motorcycles & scooters on footpaths put pedestrians at risk forcing them to walk in car traffic. If true, it is not only motorbikes doing the forcing but all pavement "clutter". No evidence was presented to support this claim. On the other hand, the MRA presented a submission (as IRG in 2017) on motorcycle stop lines. It showed drivers ignored stop lines forcing people to walk in traffic. Photos were included. Stop lines were not taken seriously. The MCC and VicRoads wasted $47,000 on an ARRB feasibility study to stop the planned M8 trial. The study was condemned by all the motorcycle representatives on the Motorcycles In Melbourne Committee. Cr Frances Gilley ignored the criticism as he ignores criticism of plans for mass footpath parking bans and requests for secure off-street parking.
Damien Codognotto OAM, Spokesman, The Motorcycle Riders Association, Melbourne
TWO FOR THE ROAD
Dear Bear, I have noticed quite a few people moaning about the prices of motorcycles today. I think the midrange, from just under $10,000 to $20,000, is remarkably good value. And as for the top end of the market, consider that the new Koenigsegg Jesko Absolut supercar will cost around US$3 million – and it only carries as many people as a motorcycle!
All the best, Corinne Marks
Port Melbourne
AND CRANK IT UP
Hi Bear, In pursuit of motorcycling related beverages, I found this one for you. Cheers!
Dave B, Perth D
F
F
F
$21,805
$18,240
F 850 GSA $TBA
R 1250 GS $23,490
R 1250 GS Rallye $24,940
R 1250 GS Rallye X $29,890
R 1250 GS Exclusive
R 1250 GS Spezial
R 1250 GSA
R 1250 GSA Rallye
$28,140
$31,390
$25,490
$26,390
R 1250 GSA Rallye X $31,590
R 1250 GSA Exclusive $30,790
R 1250 GSA Spezial
ScooteR
C 650 Sport
C 650 GT
CAN-AM (BRP) www.brp.com
Spyder F3
Spyder F3-S
Spyder F3-T
$30,540
$14,150
$14,990
Spyder F3 Limited $TBA
Spyder RT $TBA
Spyder RT Limited
CF MOTO
www.cf-moto.com.au
DUCATI www.ducati.com.au
*All Ducati prices are ride away Road
Scrambler Sixty2
Scrambler Icon
Scrambler Full Throttle
Scrambler Café Racer
Scrambler
$TBA
HONDA
HUSQVARNA
650
650
ENFIELD
sCooTeR
Address
$2490
Burgman 200 $5490
Burgman 400 $10,490
SWM
www.swmmotorcycles.com.au
Road
Gran Turismo
$7490
Silver Vase 440 $7490
Gran Milano 440 $7990
SM 500 R
SM 650 R $9490
adv TouRing
Superdual
TRIUMPH
www.triumphmotorcycles.com.au
*Some Triumph prices are ride away
Road
SUPER SOCO
$9990
Street Triple S 660 $12,800
Street Triple S
Street Triple R
Street Triple RS
Bonneville Street Twin
Bonne Street Cup
Street Scrambler $15,900
Bonne T100 $15,300
Bonne T100 Black
Bobber
Bonne Bobber Black
Bonneville T120 $17,200
Bonneville T120 Black
Speedmaster $19,500
Thruxton
Thruxton R
Speed Twin
Speed Triple RS
CRuiseR Thunderbird Storm
Thunderbird Commander
Thunderbird LT
Rocket 3 R
Rocket 3 GT
adv TouRing
Scrambler 1200 XE
Scrambler 1200 XC
Tiger 800 XRx/L
Tiger 800 XRt
Tiger 800 XCx/L
GSX-R1000R
GSX1300R Hayabusa
$18,700
Tiger 800 XCa $21,350
Tiger 1200 XRx
Tiger 1200 XCx
Tiger 1200 XRt
Tiger 1200 XCa
BEARFACED RACING UTES?
YOU’VE READ somewhere that California, if it were a country, would be the sixth-largest economy in the world, right? Well, if Toyota’s Hilux were a brand it would be the sixth-biggest one in Australia. The humble Hilux ute was Australia’s biggest-selling car.
So what? Who cares about utes - and isn’t this a motorcycle magazine?
Yes, it is, but I am about to propose a comparison which will probably get me into all sorts of trouble. I think that adventure bikes are the utes of the motorcycle world. They might look kind of weird and many of them are big, but they can carry a lot of stuff, are versatile and make you look (or you hope they make you look) like you mean business. Car owners used to do that with ‘Toorak Tractors’ like Range Rovers; now they’ve found a cheaper and more useful equivalent.
Once upon a time, motorcycles were just motorcycles. Even race bikes were at the very least based on road machines; in many cases (vide Slippery
Sam and the Isle of Man) they were ridden to the track or trials venue, had their headlights removed and were raced. Manufacturers might call their bikes ‘tourers’ but they had no equipment like our panniers. If you wanted a serious tourer, like Robert Edison Fulton in the photo, you kitted it out or had it kitted out. He had the work done by the Douglas factory in 1932, so perhaps this is the first ‘factory touring bike’. Or perhaps ‘factory custom’?
Call me a dreary fossil, but I regret the day when the evolutionary lines of road and competition bikes split. I enjoyed races like the Castrol 6 Hour where I was watching motorcycles that I could buy, being thrashed unmercifully. In 1978, a shaft-driven Yamaha XS1100 more or less straight off the showroom floor won the 6 Hour!
But of course the evolutionary lines had already diverged, and even if the bikes in competition owed their appearance to the road version, the insides began to be highly fettled.
Nobody rode their bike to the track any more, to race it and then ride it home. Owners can no longer stand out from the crowd by riding the bike that won this or that race, just possibly something with the same name. Maybe the factories should consider this in their search for buyers?
A bit of an effort in this direction might make racing a bit more relevant, and therefore popular, as well. Just sayin’.D
BORIS WORDS BORIS MIHAILOVIC
DAMN TRANSPORT STAGES
IHARBOUR A SINCERE
hatred for many things, and high on that list sits the dreaded Transport Stage.
I shall explain for the unwashed. Most motorcyclists seek corners like coon-hounds seek racoons. There is a deep-seated drive within those riders, like a genetic imperative, to plan their rides to include the twistiest lengths of bitumen this country has to offer. But since this is Australia, those twisty bits are almost entirely on the east coast, and almost entirely not ever long enough. It is rare indeed to get more than maybe 20 or 30 continuous kays of glorious winding bitumen anywhere in this country. Sure, you can plan a ride that includes Mother Putty, The Oxley and Waterfall Way, but in between getting to them come the wretched Transport Stages – those straight, boring and tedious bits where you kinda just sit there droning along looking at your speedo lest you spend your remaining years gagging on Bubba’s love-log at Her Majesty’s Pleasure. Some states are luckier than others in that their best roads are not too far from the main city. I think Melbournians are the most fortunate in this regard, if you don’t count those wild-eyed sister-touchers down in Tassie, who look down their noses at us cornerimpoverished mainlanders. Sydneysiders and Brisbanites have some limited choices not too far from their homes, while the poor beasts in Adelaide really only have the eponymous hills behind their village. The bastards in Perth and Darwin are largely doomed to ride cruisers forever, or move east.
My annual pilgrimages to Phillip Island were full of transport stages. Drone down the Hume. Get to Gundagai, turn left and then get your
filth on in the Snowies. But you have to allow time for this, and if you’re on a schedule, then you’ll keep on keepin’ on down the Hume at 110km/h – which is like sitting in a chair and staring at a white wall for 12 hours.
I have a very low threshold of boredom, so these Transport Stages are a more serious mental trial for me than say someone who enjoys trundling along at the speed limit – yes, I am looking at you HOG cardigans and your dank parade formations.
So what do I do? Because surely you understand the Devil makes work for idle throttle hands.
Well, I have been known to sing. I sing poorly, so it only serves to amuse me until I forget the words to some song and am forced to make them up to fill in the time. If I’m doing a James Reyne number it doesn’t really matter because no-one has ever understood a single lyric he has ever mumbled into a microphone.
I also squirm a lot. Much depends on the bike I’m on. Sometimes no squirming is possible. The seat locks you into position and that’s that. Seatheight also plays a part when it comes to stretching your legs. If the bike is low, then dropping your pins down off the pegs can shear the soles off your boots and fire your legs back into the bike. While that certainly breaks the tedium, it hurts like a thousand bastards.
If the bike has cruise control, then I have been known to enter Jesus-mode. That’s when I stretch my arms out to the side and use them as meaty sails to direct the bike’s path of travel. It’s like Kate Winslet on the prow of the Titanic, but with less kissing and nudity. I have been known to fold a leg up under myself on the seat, I have spent many kilometres perched on the pillion seat, and sometimes I even
ride standing up for ages. In my case, it always depends on the type of bike I’m riding – and I’m sure you can understand that some bikes are much better than others at these Transport Stages. It’s not hard to grasp why the biggest-selling road bike in Australia is still the Harley-Davidson. The downside there is that you are very much locked into a seating position you can’t do much about. But depending on the model, you may be able to put your feet in different positions, including on the pillion-pegs.
Transport stages are also good for screwing around with the ever-increasing array of technical whizzbangery you have at your fingertips. I once occupied the entire distance from Sydney to Gundagai mashing my fingers through the millions of options available on BMW’s new K-series.
The only possible way these Transport Stages can be made even remotely tolerable is to allow us to ride them at 200km/h. At that speed everything is interesting and engaging. Boredom cannot live at 200km/h. I do not need to stretch at 200km/h. I am not remotely uncomfortable at 200km/h. I am paying all the attention in the universe at that speed, and my focus is that of a war-laser being shot at the enemy.
Or I could move to Europe, where Transport Stages are forbidden for the mental health of the motorcycleriding population.
And rightly so. D
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