Adventure Rider Issue #17

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Blue Mountains, New South Wales, Australia

PHOTO CREDIT: JEFF CROW

It’s what we do

Tom Foster - Editor

There’s no doubt there’s something amazing and wonderful about riding in exotic locations.

I’ve ridden some really mind-numbing, end-of-the-world places, and every one of them has been incredible. Even so, I constantly find myself saying to Australians, “You have no concept of how lucky we are here”.

People so often tell me how amazing it is I get to ride the world’s highlight destinations, and I know that’s true. Not only do I get to ride the mountains, deserts and to-die-for dream settings, I get to photograph and write about them too. It doesn’t get much better than that.

Still, every time I load up a bike in Australia and set off on another ride I’m overwhelmed by the feeling of good fortune. To be able to ride as we do in Australia is incredible. Compared to most places in the world the freedom here, and the astronomical distances available to us without passports, paperwork and physical threat, is beyond belief.

I had a good demonstration at a photo shoot recently. It was a busy shoot with a lot of riders and separate video and photography teams going like crazy to try and get what everyone wanted. To help achieve that end, one man was designated to have each rider hold up a plaque with that rider’s name on it. He’d then ask the rider’s name and where he was from.

It’s a simple and effective system. The rider was identified for the cameramen who

“You have no concept of how lucky we are here.”

matched his apparel and helmet with the images and video that followed, and the material went to the right place.

The sign was placed in my hands, my hands propped at the correct height in front of my chest, and the cameras did their thing.

Then the bloke in charge of the signs asked: “Where you from?”

“Australia,” I said, not holding back.

His brow furrowed to a dark frown, he snatched the sign from me, thrust

his chin forward and ground through clenched teeth, “F#&k you, man!” and stormed away.

I was a little taken aback, that was for certain.

I looked around and the cameramen were all smiling and obviously enjoying a joke that had escaped me.

“Don’t worry,” said one smiling snapper. “He loves Australia so much. He is very jealous of anyone who lives there.”

I could understand that, but we were standing on a winding mountain road in Tuscany. The sun was shining and the Mediterranean was a shimmering blue vista lapping gently against the cliffs below us. There were fishing boats working their nets by hand not far from the shore. It didn’t get much more like a real-life tourist brochure than that.

I was awed by the majesty of the location, but the local man was so caught up in his dreams of Australia he couldn’t see the beauty surrounding him. So much so he was angry to find someone who enjoyed the Australian utopia every day.

I smiled. I understood exactly what that Italian photographic director was feeling. Next time you hit the starter and head for the horizon, make sure you take note of just how lucky we all are here. Trust me. No matter what you think or dream of far-flung international destinations, you live in adventure-riding paradise.

Image: Marty Blake

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Adventure Rider Magazine is published bi-monthly by Mayne Media Group Pty Ltd

Publisher Kurt “Across Australia!” Quambusch

Editor Tom “Italy!” Foster tom@maynemedia.com.au

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Bali

Words: Ray Friedrich. Images Kadex Ramayadi

Bali is an island of contrasts. Its beaches fuel a thriving surfing community and hedonistic beachside bar scene, while its mountain villages are adorned with temples and yoga retreats for those wanting to immerse themselves in culture and relaxation.

I’d already visited many amazing places and ridden spectacular roads on some of Indonesia’s less frequently travelled islands, so I must admit I wasn’t expecting to find quality adventure riding on the little tourist Mecca. I was pleasantly surprised.

Attention getter

Ubud was the perfect base for my three-week stay in Bali.

Many view the town as the cultural capital of this island paradise, and despite being a hub for tourists it’s surrounded by an holistic, peaceful aura. The scenery is spectacular. Rows of rice terraces meet lush forest, and scattered among them are temples in every direction. The roads that wind their way through this mountain district are an absolute joy to ride, especially off the main thoroughfares and away from the traffic.

A detour through one of the small villages can lead to narrow alleyways with barely enough room to squeeze a big bike through, or pathways used by locals to traverse the rice fields. These require a balancing act to avoid ending up in one of the flooded paddies either side.

The local people are very welcoming, and although Bali is much more affluent than many of its neighbouring islands, the sight of a tourist on a fully loaded BMW 1200 GS still draws a lot of attention and is a great conversation starter.

Nuts

I was more than a little excited because my friend Kadex, a local motorcycle tour guide who knew the area like the back of his hand, kindly offered to show me some of the best off-road locations on the island.

Our first destination was the small island of Serangan, best known for its surfing, but with some excellent beach and dirt riding in a coastal setting.

As soon as we crossed the small bridge onto the island Kadex twisted the throttle and we were racing through the sharp twists and turns of the single track. We were both riding GSAs and it was great to get the big bikes sideways on the loose dirt.

We followed the track until it opened up onto a quiet beach where we were forced to manhandle the heavy machinery over the sand. We had a great time motoring along u

BALI

the beach and seemed to provide the local fisherman with quite a bit of amusement as we rode by.

The afternoon ride took us through water crossings, along beaches, down single track, across open grassland and up some challenging little hills. It was fun for the most part and we had the trails to ourselves.

It started getting late so we stopped at a beachside warung – a family owned café or restaurant – and sampled some local cuisine accompanied by fresh coconut juice while we watched the surfers in the setting sun. It wasn’t a bad way to relax after a day of riding.

The way home took us along a levy bank that stretched for several kilometres while a bright-red sunset provided a perfect backdrop. Racing along the dirt road with the headlights on and water on either side was very exhilarating.

It turned out a little local knowledge went a long way. I would never have guessed that the little island of Serangan offered such great riding, and with this prelude to what Bali had to offer I was looking forward to our next outing.

Meet’n’greet

In between rides I set about visiting the multitude of temples the island is known for.

As any motorcycle traveller knows, exploring an area on a bike offers a freedom you can’t get with most other forms of transport, and the lack of public transport in Bali meant this was especially the case. I zipped in and out of traffic on my way to the island’s sights, passing forlorn-looking tourists who were stuck in traffic on organised tours.

Above: Water crossings, beaches, single track, open grassland and up some challenging little hills. All fun for the most part and no traffic on the trails.

Left: At some points the trail narrowed so much that pannier boxes bounced off the trees.

I headed to the coast for some wreck diving and surfing and also endured the masses of people and traffic at Kuta Beach to indulge in a few days of party atmosphere. No matter where I visited I always looked forward to returning to Ubud. It had a great atmosphere and I met many travellers while hanging out in the town.

The majority of tourists in Ubud embraced the local lifestyle and it seemed many were on a journey of self-discovery that involved immersing themselves in Ubud’s yoga and spiritual scene by day and hanging out in trendy bars and cafés at night, perhaps trying to find a spiritual awakening at the bottom of an empty latte cup or mojito glass. I was more content with finding

great riding spots than I was in finding inner peace, but it was fun sharing stories with fellow travellers in a town with such a great atmosphere.

Ground assault

Kadex promised me our next ride would be even more impressive than the last, so this I had to see.

We began from Ubud and headed north along the roads and backstreets of central Bali until we made our way onto the forest tracks. I was enjoying myself immensely, but this was no leisurely ride. Some of the climbs were long, steep and covered in muddy ruts, and at some points the trail narrowed so much that my pannier boxes bounced off the trees.

The trail eventually led us to what is known as ‘The Golden Bridge’, a long and narrow suspension bridge that was too good a photo opportunity to miss. Even the locals lined up to get a photo of us crossing the bridge on the Beemers.

The forest trails continued until the trees opened up to reveal Mount u

Credit: Danielle Da Silva

Above: A levy bank stretched for several kilometres.

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BALI

Kintamani, a spectacular volcano surrounded by black volcanic sand. It’s a popular off-road riding location for locals and was our destination for the day.

We followed a track through what resembled a vast lunar landscape to get to the base of the volcano and were greeted by large dunes and calderas rising sharply from a sea of black sand. The only way to negotiate the thick sand with the heavy Beemer was to lean back, point it to where I wanted to go and give it plenty of gas.

We explored the trails around Kintamani without incident until Kadex pointed out a rather large, steep and slippery hill that was popular with local enduro riders on smaller bikes. He only had to mention once he didn’t think a 1200 could get up there before I took the challenge.

My first attempt ended miserably with me lying next to the bike barely halfway up the hill. The solution? A bigger run-up, of course!

I tried another three times, each with a faster run-up and each ending with both myself and the bike on the ground. I begrudgingly conceded defeat and headed off to assault some of the smaller dunes in the area.

On the way home we followed a dirt road that wound its way in and out of large volcanic rocks. It was just wide enough for two bikes to fit side-by-side and gave us the opportunity to do a few kilometres of racing before we hit the tarmac again and headed home along the winding mountain roads back to Ubud. We sat back with a cold beer and reflected on what had been a great day on the bike.

Bonus

The BMW dealership in Bali was the first I’d come across since leaving Australia and I took the opportunity to do a little maintenance and give the bike a quick service. The team was very helpful and when the owner, Duncan, found out I was passing through, he made the time to come into the showroom for a chat about my travels. He was a keen dirt-bike rider and invited me to join him and a group of local Husqvarna riders for a day of riding on local trails.

It was an opportunity too good to miss, and I was kindly offered the use of a Husky 449 for the day.

Above: The Golden Bridge.

Below: The only way to negotiate the thick sand with the heavy Beemer was to lean back and give it plenty of gas. u

BALI

I hadn’t ridden a real enduro bike for quite a while and I felt like a kid on Christmas eve while I waited for the weekend ride to arrive.

Top day

I was expecting a handful of riders, but when I arrived I was greeted by around 20 guys on a variety of Husqvarnas and Shercos. They were all kitted up and looked like they could all ride. I hadn’t let anyone know I hadn’t been on a dirt bike for a few years and I was a little tentative about how I would go. The last thing I wanted to do was crash somebody else’s bike.

In the end there was no need to be concerned. By the time we got to the first dirt trail I had a feel for the bike and was more than happy to mix it up with the others. Kadex was the group leader and we followed him to a great variety of terrain that included single track through dense forests, dry riverbeds of black sand, technical climbs up the side of volcanos and we even ventured to the north coast of the island to do some beach riding. The group stopped occasionally to take in some of the breathtaking views or to grab a bite to eat at a local roadside restaurant. It was a really positive atmosphere, all the riders were having a good time and any local villagers we met along the way would wave enthusiastically at the group of riders passing by.

This was adventure riding at its best. Exploring local trails, crossing bamboo bridges and negotiating tight single tracks with a cliff to one side while trying to sneak a peek at the stunning scenery opening up in front.

The day of riding started at 9:00am and we didn’t arrive back until dark. I was a little tired and a little sore but this was easily one of the best days I’ve had on a bike.

Well found

I was fortunate to have had the opportunity to ride the Balinese hinterland and I felt riding the island’s remote areas, visiting local villages and meeting the villagers allowed me to experience a taste of the true spirit of the island.

Perhaps, without knowing it, I was on my own journey of self-discovery after all. It was far from the ashrams and yoga retreats however, and my meditation came from a twist of the throttle. I was happy to find what I was looking for while riding the dirt roads, beaches and black volcanic sand of Bali.

Top right: A first attempt ended miserably. Middle right: Excellent beach and dirt riding in a coastal setting.

Right: Not a bad way to relax after a day of riding.

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DRZ2

In Issue #15 we saw how Andy from Andy Strapz gutsed his brand-new DR-Z into the deep and murky waters of a boghole. Not one to be discouraged, Andy waded out into the even deeper and murkier waters of an insurance claim, and now, with a new bike, he continues his story.

After curling up, licking my wounds and ego for a week or two it was time to replace the DRZ400S – ‘S’ for submarine.

I’d decided to fix the submarine at home, then I saw the cost of a new dash.

So the bike was presented to an assessor as a rolling frame and motor next to a box of original bits. The bike was written off during the Moto GP week and I expected a payout a few days later. Devious ‘lossadjusting’ behaviour from the insurance company put the brakes on a replacement bike. It’s a truism that if one has to choose between a conspiracy or a cock up, it’s

Above: The folks at Suzuki Australia helped out by tracking down a DRZ400E demo model. Andy was off and running again.

Remember…

Just in case you don’t remember what happened to Andy with DRZ1 – and because he sent us a couple more pics after we’d gone to print and he thought he was safe – here’s a reminder.

Words and images: Scrawn ’n’ Andy

a cock up every time. They claimed the cock up, but...

The ‘customer relations’ office called with the news I was going to have to pay $500 for the bike to be reassembled. “AS FKN IF!” was my reaction. They accepted and took the bike away in that condition! Firm faeces!

I went to work on said insurance company, tearing a few new ones, but found the barrel I was laid over belonged to them. It seemed better to concede about a month later and go halves. They could have, and would have, dragged it on for months.

Attention to detail

When I saw the bike on an auction site in bits, listed as stolen/recovered I saw red and immediately got onto the ombudsman. To cut a long story short I got the $250 back too!

Suzuki Australia saw my plight, rolled about on the floor laughing, then felt sorry

for me. Between paroxysms of giggling they found a demo E model as there wasn’t an S left in the country.

The replacement bike went directly home and was stripped the same day. On went the goodies from the submarine. Straight out of the box the higher compression and flat-slide carby made it evident I had more poke to play with than the S model. It was also geared significantly lower.

The experience of having done it once made me pay a bit more attention to detail and I put a lot of extra care into the wiring. Wherever any loom might have rubbed it was nylon wrapped, connections were carefully routed. But when I turned on the ignition to check my handiwork I had hazard lights, not friggin’ indicators.

Lessons learned

I did the job the same as I’d done on the S, only neater.

After hours of frustration and ripping all

Main: Looking very sharp, although after the S model was written off, Andy had to swap to an E model. Below: Note the floaties and snorkel on the new DRZ. It’s good equipment given past experience.

my beautiful wiring work apart I consulted the web to find the Aussie E model is wired differently. Out came the soldering iron… A-fkn-gain!

A couple of diodes were soldered in place, the dash indicator tell-tale light rewired and the f*%#ing wiring rerouted, re-wrapped and secured.

A translucent Safari tank for DRZ2 was chosen this time around as I found out the hard way they have a reserve the size of a rat’s bladder. A 15-tooth front sprocket and 42-tooth rear went straight on to protect my fillings at 100kph. I have an FMF Q4 pipe and power-bomb header ready to go on and it’ll all be done.

I’ll see how I go with the springy bits at both ends and make some decisions as time passes.

By the time you read this it will be run in and on a gentle continental crossing with some of the ADVRiderMag crew later in the year. Hopefully the creeks will be dry!

Toby Price

Success at the 2016 Dakar has meant a whirlwind of media commitments for Toby Price. We’re glad to say the 28-year-old pro racer from Maitland, NSW, doesn’t seem to have changed much since we first spoke to him a decade or so ago. He’s still a down-to-earth, happy, genuine bloke with a love of bikes and who seems to be just as in awe of his achievements as we are. On a sunny Saturday morning we sat with the 2016 Dakar champion – and his trophy – for a catch-up yarn.

AdvR: Last time we spoke you’d just placed third in your first Dakar after starting on what was essentially a privateer’s bike. This year you rode as a full Red Bull KTM Rally Team rider. What was the bike like when you started the race this time?

TP: Joe Fahrner, my mechanic, had everything sorted. The KTM was pretty much perfect and I started with the best bike you could possibly get.

AdvR: Was it a close relationship with your mechanic? Or was it just someone who you met when you walked in and saw the bike for the first time?

TP: Joe was Marc Coma’s mechanic for the last few years. Once Coma retired it freed up Joe – and the bike of course. I filled the seat on Marc’s bike, so I got Marc’s mechanic, too.

I was a little bit concerned because Joe’s always had a ‘somebody’ – riders like Marc Coma who’ve won five Dakars and is Mr Consistent and always a frontrunner for a podium. I’m sure there were some people who thought my third place in 2015 was a bit of a fluke on the first attempt, and my main goal was to at least try and get back on that podium, or as close as possible to it. I wanted to show it wasn’t quite a fluke. We did as much work as we could to try and get that result.

AdvR: How was your confidence starting your second Dakar with the spotlight right on you?

TP: I knew my speed was good, but it was the navigation side of things. You’ve just got to be really switched on with it.

Leading up to the rally I went to Morocco for a week and trained over there in the desert, basically doing road books. I got pretty good confidence out of what I did there that week.

AdvR: Did you feel the race went to plan?

TP: The first week was getting into it, trying to get a feel for it again. We didn’t really hit the front straight away. We had a good stage on day two, and on stage three we had a bit of drama, mainly with cars, wildlife and a few people. They were kind of u

Images:

Red Bull Content Pool

TOBY PRICe

getting in the way and I was just missing them and had a few scares.

I was happy to drop back a little and get in the rhythm.

The second week was where we really pushed hard, and we came through.

AdvR: Stage nine was pivotal. The section was cancelled, but not until you’d completed it. You looked pretty cranky on TV. How did it effect you mentally and physically?

TP: It was day one of the second marathon

stage where it all happened.

I actually got from the start to the finish, the whole way through the course. There were nine other riders who started the section, but they were stopped at kilometre 255. So I did another 35 or 40 kilometres at high speed in the heat. Everybody else from ninth or tenth place onwards was sitting back at CP2 – which was at kilometre 160 or something.

I got through the stage, but what I was most cheesed off about was that the

organisers couldn’t bring someone up to stop me, or that there couldn’t be one of the helicopters flown over and pull me up. I got to the finish and they pretty much said, “Oh. Yeah. We’ve cancelled the stage at CP2.”

I was in disbelief. That was something like 100km back in the 47-degree heat.

I asked them, “Why did you put me through it when everyone else is sitting back there, resting up, drinking water and rehydrating? Now I’m up here, my bike’s pretty much overheating and flogged out, and I’m overheating and flogged out myself. Why couldn’t you stop me?”

They said it was rider safety. Fair enough. I’m 100 per cent for rider safety. I don’t want anyone getting hurt or injured, but they obviously didn’t care about me being up the front doing what I was doing.

On the TV I held back as much as I could, but I was definitely a bit cheesed off and I couldn’t hold back completely. Once the TV cameras were switched off I voiced my opinion to the officials. I’d done my job properly, but they were penalising me.

They kind of took a bit of a backseat and said, “Yeah. We’ve made a mistake.”

That day I was having a really good dig and trying to gap the field a bit to give myself a break. By the time I crossed the finish line I think I had about a 19-minute lead for the day, and that was with me leading out the stage. I still pulled 19 minutes on the guys. That’s a pretty hard thing to do.

Images: Red Bull Content Pool

TOBY PRICe

One of my teammates, Pablo Qintanilla, said, “I pulled up at CP2 and you weren’t there, so I thought you were lost.” When Pablo was told I’d been through 10 minutes before, he said it mentally destroyed him. He said it was the worst thing he’d ever heard in his life.

That was a big day where I was pushing really hard. But then where the course got cut, it really hindered what I did.

AdvR: You’d put in a big mental and physical effort. How’d your recovery go? The next night you were happy ol’ Toby again.

TP: I have good people around me now, but that was a marathon stage, so basically we got to the end of the day and we riders were on our own. There was no team or crew. As soon as I’d finished working on the bike, I just started drinking heaps of

water, trying to hydrate. I got a lot of food into me.

I was annoyed at that point, but I think it kind of lit a bit of a fire in the belly as well.

I didn’t get back exactly the times I’d made, but I think I was given 14 minutes for the day instead of 19. I was like, “Oh well. I’ll do the same tomorrow and really hurt them.”

We had another good day the next day and I pulled a bit more time over second place, which was good.

I think after that day a few of the other guys were a bit distraught. The team said, “There’s not many guys can lead out and still win the stage, and you actually won it by a fair bit. You didn’t win it by a minute or two minutes, you won it by nearly 20 minutes.”

They were pretty pumped.

AdvR: Last time we spoke you were concerned about the navigation, especially when you were leading. You won, so it seems you have it sorted, but what was it like for the first couple of days?

TP: Dakar’s the biggest race. It’s the one where you don’t want to make mistakes. The nerves definitely kicked in and I was a bit worried about what we were going to do and where we were going to go.

Stage one got cancelled, so day two was our first stage, and we won it. I thought, “Okay. Here we go. We’re already trying to lead a stage.”

But I navigated fairly well that first section. It was in the second half where I really had some dramas with cars, people and animals, and I dropped back to 37th. After that I just slowly worked my way through it, and before the end of the rally was done I’d won five stages, led out five times, and won two of the five I’d led out for the day.

So putting it on paper like that, it looks like I’ve worked out the navigation.

But look, it doesn’t matter how long you’ve been racing. You can easily, easily make a mistake. Whether you’ve done two Dakars, one Dakar or 15 Dakars.

The second day of the second marathon I navigated my way through the first 30km of the section and it was really hard. It was really tricky navigation. I navigated myself through and hit all my waypoints, only to find out later the top 30 cars all got lost. It just shows. It can happen, and the cars guys have got another guy beside them, navigating for them. We bike riders are doing it all ourselves u

Images: Red Bull Content Pool

TOBY PRICe

and that makes it pretty hard.

But when you get through the day and you’ve had no problems it’s pretty cool to see.

The same day I had an off in the sand dunes. I hit a bank and it took the wheels out from underneath me, and the two guys behind me caught me. I was just taking my time a bit with the navigation that day, and they were just following my tracks. Once they got behind me they just sat behind me for 150km or so. Then, when I crashed, they went by and took off. I thought, “Okay. Sweet. Now I can just follow them for a bit.” We were doing a good pace and nobody was behind us.

I climbed the next hill and when I got to the top, there they were sitting there waiting for me!

I was like, “Okay. I must be doing a pretty good job with the navigation if

they’re happy with what I’m doing.”

Once I saw that, I realised my navigation must’ve been pretty good.

It’s one of those things. Things go right one day and everything just clicks perfectly, then another day you might just make a few tiny mistakes that just throw you out a little bit. Then you’re not quite so confident for a while.

AdvR: Last year, 2015, it was all new and you didn’t really know what to expect. This year you had a much better idea of what was needed. Talk us through your preparation for the 2016 Dakar.

TP: My first hit out on the factory bike was the Atacama Rally in Chile, one of the rounds of the FIM Cross-Country Rallies World Championship. That was in the first week of September. On the second day I copped 23 speeding-zone fines! (Laughs) Basically, I really stuffed up that day.

I ended up with about a 90-minute penalty, and that was my rally in Chile done.

I’m pretty sure the team was looking at me and wondering, “What the hell did we just do? We’ve signed this guy to the factory team?” It looked like one of the easiest races, but I got this massive big speeding penalty and looked like a clown.

Then I went to Morocco in October.

I ended up with food poisoning on day three, so I didn’t get to finish the rally there, and I didn’t really get to experience navigation or trying to lead the way myself. So that was another kick in the stomach and the team would’ve been really concerned.

I came home for a couple of weeks and did the A4DE, then went back to Spain.

I still wasn’t feeling too healthy after the sickness, but I trained in Spain for a week with Jordi Viladoms. He showed me

u

Images: Red Bull Content Pool

TOBY PRICe

some tricks of the trade and some navigation stuff.

The following week I went back to Morocco – I took my own food this time so I wouldn’t get sick – and did a week’s training. We did three days of really difficult navigation, and that lifted my confidence a fair bit.

That was my preparation for the 2016 Dakar.

AdvR: Is there any pressure for you to move overseas?

TP: No.

The team’s happy for me to stay here. They said, “There’s going to be some long flights, but you can base yourself wherever you like.”

I’m happy in Australia. As soon as I walk off the plane back on to Aussie soil, I just feel relaxed. And I know I’m around family and friends and people I know really well. The best thing is, I can speak English not too bad, but over there I’ve got no chance of even ordering a coffee or ordering food. It’s a bit like Struggle Street. AdvR: Who will you be officially racing for in Australia now?

TP: I’m not contracted here in Australia at the moment, but I’ll 100 per cent be on KTMs.

I rode the Enduro-X at the Clipsal 500 as part of the Red Bull KTM Rally Team, so the bike was a Red Bull-type presentation based on the rally bike.

The only other race I’m aiming at is Finke, and KTM Australia will supply the bike and it’ll be built by everyone here in Australia. But then it’ll probably be my stickers incorporating some of the sponsors on board from the Finke team.

Australia and Austria are happy to work together in making stuff work.

AdvR: You had a good time in Austria after Dakar?

TP: I had a very good time in Austria! I flew home for two days after Dakar and then went straight back over to Austria and I took the trophy with me.

I’d never seen the KTM factory, and I got to see where all the bikes are made and all the team and the crew. We had a good lunch and they had a celebration.

Then I got to meet Dietrich Mateschitz, the CEO of Red Bull. He’s one amazing guy. There’s people who’ve worked in that company for five years and who’ve never met him. He came and found me and said, “If you have time, give me 15 minutes. I will come back and we will sort some stuff out.”

I didn’t know what was on, but it was okay with me.

Next thing they were dragging out a helicopter and a plane and someone was saying to me, “Dietrich will take you for a helicopter ride so you can see what Austria is like.”

I got to fly the helicopter and the plane. They took me around doing flips and stunts. I hit seven-and-half G and negative-four G. Within 15 minutes to half an hour this stuff was organised and done. On the spot. It wasn’t planned a month ahead. They said, “Do you have time? We do this now. You have fun.”

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Images: Red Bull Content Pool

A fullface helmet? An offroad helmet?

The Explore-R is both at once. A helmet with a carbon look able to face all terrains. It offers the same panoramic vision field as the Vision-R in full face configuration, very light weight and a well-designed ventilation system for extreme conditions.

It was insane. It was absolutely crazy.

When I got back to the KTM team they were all like, “That doesn’t happen. He doesn’t really see too many people.”

And then KTM had a big party and I got to celebrate with them. Pretty much everyone from all around the world that sells KTM motorcycles was there.

It was a really good trip. I got spoilt. I got first-class tickets. It was a whirlwind.

AdvR: What’s the future for Toby Price?

TP: For the next 12 months it’s going to be pretty jam-packed and busy with the rallies. The first round was in Abu Dhabi in April (Toby won the Abu Dhabi round – Ed).

In Australia it’s mainly club-day stuff I’d like to go and do. I’d like to have a bit of fun and ride with some of the kids and do stuff like that. That’d be pretty cool.

The only race I’m trying to chase here in Australia is the Finke Desert Race. That’s one I definitely don’t want to miss out on. Hopefully I can fit in the Hattah Desert Race as well, depending on the schedule.

It doesn’t sound like I’ve got many rallies on for the year. People say, “Ah, that’s only six or seven races!” I’ve been doing 25 or 26 races in Australia with the Australian Off Road Championship, the Australian Four Day Enduro, the ISDE, enduro-cross and things like that. It seems like a lot more races than the rally circuit.

But six FIM Cross-Country Rallies World Championship rounds is six weeks worth of racing. The rounds each go for a week, and then Dakar – the seventh – goes for two weeks, so it’s eight weeks worth of racing plus the training and testing and other commitments I have overseas. It’s going to fill my schedule up pretty damn quick again, and I’m excited for it.

Looking back

Last time we spoke to Toby was in issue #10. He’d just finished third in his first-ever Dakar and was full of hope for another chance to compete again in 2016. Think about what he’s achieved since he said:

5 “I didn’t know what to expect, and I didn’t know what I was getting myself into.”

5 “Now I can look back and say I’ve completed a Dakar.”

5 “Just getting to the finish line in Dakar is a win in itself. Whether you finish first or ninetieth, when you cross that finish line after 9500km, it doesn’t matter about your position. You know what you’ve been through.”

5 “The navigation’s tough, too. It’s hard thing to get on top of.”

5 “I’d love it to be a full factory ride!”

I’ll try and do as much as I can here in Australia, but now the team controls my racing. If they think it fits with what we’re doing in the rally they’ll agree to it. If they think it’s something that clashes with some aspect of the rally training, preparation or race schedule, or maybe an injury could come from it, they’ll knock it on the head.

AdvR: Is Ben Grabham still going to make jokes about you eating too many pies?

TP: (Laughs) I’m sure the boys always will. They’re going to dish me out hell and give me shit all the time, but I’ve got big shoulders. I can take it.

www.southerncrossmotorbiketours.com.au

Off-road Test Ducati

Multistrada Enduro

Ducati as a company prides itself on its passion for motorcycles and striving for premium quality in all it does. The new Multistrada Enduro demonstrates those values in every way.

loose translation of the Italian ‘multistrada’ would be something like ‘many roads’. In the context of motorcycling, it’s probably fair to say ‘dualsport’.

For a company that pretty much sets the benchmark in road-bike performance, a dualsporter is an interesting project. This bike isn’t Ducati’s first dual-purpose bike, though. Not by a long chalk. Through the 1960s and early ’70s there were single-cylinder

Scrambler models, then in 2003 the marque offered up the first Multistrada, a 1000cc version, and the model range has developed and expanded from there into today’s 1200 range. Essentially the Multistrada has been a sharpish backroad tourer and all-roader rather than a genuine off-roader.

For 2016 though there’s an all new Multistrada model – the Enduro. And there’s no possible misunderstanding. This Multistrada is a pukka, 100-per-cent, go-

anywhere adventure bike.

Package

An 1198cc Testastretta motor puts the Multistrada front and centre of the playing field with bikes like the 1200GSA, the Explorer, the Super T and the big KTMs. It’s getting to be a crowded marketplace. And at around $30,000 it’s right up there at the premium end of the big-bike spectrum.

Still, the Ducati’s 90-degree V-twin is a good’n. It’ll stand up to comparison with any of those bikes listed for ease of use, comfort, and of course, grunt. Ducati’s claiming 160 horsepower for the stock motor, and at the moment that makes it the adventure-bike horsepower king in Australia.

But seasoned riders will know horsepower is only part of the performance equation. Those with long memories might recall some of the two-strokes of the 1970s. There was horsepower to burn – and burn a lot of those bikes did. They were so frigging unmanageable that a great many owners struggled to ride the things.

Fortunately, Ducati has not only delivered plenty of grunt, it’s placed the powerplant in a beautifully designed, well thought-out package of suspension, geometry, braking and, of course, electronics.

Keyed up

There’s a very great deal to talk about with this bike, and some of

35 ADVENTURE Rider

Ducati’s Multistrada Enduro is designed for roundthe-world touring.

OFF-ROAD TesT

the really important characteristics are fairly technical. We’ll try and separate the concise fact from the ride impressions, but the two are closely interwoven.

First up is plonking one’s backside on the seat.

Standard seat height is 870mm, but that can be adjusted 20mm either way with optional seats. The bike felt slim and compact, and the instrument panel is clearest we’ve seen. It’s a full-colour TFT display, and like everything on this bike, it’s very functional and just damn sexy.

Our 175cm test rider found the handlebar height and seat/’pegs/’bar positioning to be about right. There’s always going to be room for personalisation, but for a stock-standard, off-the-showroom-floor starter, it was very comfortable. And can we get a ‘Hallelujah!’? At last here’s a bike with sensible off-road footpegs fitted standard. They’re a good width with good grip and the rubber inserts are easy to fit and remove.

There’s also a neat flip-over tip to the rearbrake pedal that allows a simple change for a seated or standing riding position, and a screen that adjusts with an easy flick of a spring-loaded clip.

The bike feels slim overall, but the tank did seem a little bulky by comparison. It’s not out-of-order huge and it doesn’t get in the way of anything. But then we were stunned to find it had a 30-litre capacity. Once we heard that we wondered how Ducati made it feel so compact.

There was a great deal of discomfort for our test rider when he couldn’t find the ignition switch to start the bike, though.

The key was in the fuel cap. Having checked the fuel, the key was removed and… stabbed around in the air and up and down the sides of the bike looking for somewhere to insert it. The Ducati folks, eternally patient and polite, didn’t make suggestions about where the rider should stick it. They said just put the key in a pocket and the bike would do the rest. In fact, as long as the key is within two metres of the bike, it’s good to go.

There’s a button on the right-hand switchblock that allows firing up and shutting down the ignition.

Keyless ignition! Nice.

Modes

Before riding away on the Enduro there’s a few things to get a rider’s head around.

First up, the rider has a choice of four riding modes: Sport, Touring, Enduro and Urban, adapting the power, suspension, ABS and Traction Control to the selected riding style. Changing from one to the other is as simple as pressing a three-way rocker with the thumb of the left hand, then using the up/down movement of the same switch to move through the menu, select what you’re after, then hit enter again.

Done. Simple.

If you’re riding at the time there’s no need to stop, the instrument screen will flash up a message asking the rider to close the rideby-wire throttle momentarily. Once that’s done the mode will engage. Swapping on the fly only takes a few seconds.

We spent a bit of time jumping back and forth across the modes to see how things felt, and each mode can also be tuned and

Above: We weren’t able to thrash the bike through Aussie deserts or do any deep-water crossings, but we sure hope we get the chance in the near future. The bike feels very capable off road.

Right: A curious-looking pipe allows the Touratechbuilt panniers to fit snug against the bike.

saved to suit individual preferences. As it was, we left the factory settings in place and tried to get a feel for the differences.

Semi-active suspension

The suspension on the Ducati is another system that needs to be explained before we can talk about riding the bike.

Up front is a pair of 48mm upsidedowners and at the rear a Sachs shock.

The thing is, the Ducati Skyhook Suspension (DSS) system automatically adjusts rebound and compression damping in very near real time. It does spring preload as well, but we’re not sure how long that takes. It must be pretty damn fast, because we couldn’t pick it.

These adjustments vary according to the rider mode. So selecting the Sport mode will not only make available 160hp with ‘strong delivery’ (Ducati’s description) and set the ABS and traction control appropriately, it’ll run the suspension ‘firm’ and maintain the 200mm of ground clearance. Flicking to Enduro mode will, among other things, change power delivery to 100hp, ABS and traction control for offroad conditions and the suspension settings to ‘soft’, again while still maintaining the ground clearance. The measurements for

the necessary adjustments are made by sensors and accelerometers at various positions on the bike. Even ABS pressure detectors contribute to the overall readings.

These settings, as with all the settings on the various modes, can be customised and saved by the rider. The benefits of the semiactive suspension system, according to Ducati’s technical material, is ‘reduced vehicle oscillation’. It works to keep the bike level at all times; under braking, power and over bumps. The possible variations are mind-boggling at first, but okay once a rider settles in.

By the way…

Everyone knows what traction control is and does, so we won’t step through it here.

Even so, there are a couple of interesting talking points on the eight-level traction control of the Ducati.

As we’ve already pointed out, the degree of wheelspin allowed by the bike will depend on the selected mode, and, predictably enough, the Touring and Urban settings are the most controlled, while Sport a bit less and Enduro allows some spin. But in an interesting aside, the Multistrada also has DWC – Ducati Wheelie Control. There’s also eight levels to choose from, it’s linked to the modes, and using information from the sensors around the bike to determine the bike’s attitude, torque and power are controlled to ensure maximum acceleration without compromising safety.

Don’t fret. If you still have a sense of fun, you can turn it off and loft the front wheel as high as you dare. Or you can set it to allow a decent mono without the bike running away.

It’s up to you.

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Kind of along the same line of thought, the bike has Vehicle Hold Control (VHC). As long as the ABS hasn’t been turned off, the bike assesses when the rider’s trying to do a hill start on inclines up to 46 degrees. It applies and modulates the rear brake to help you get

Options packs

The Multistrada Enduro is available with four different option packs:

5 Touring – Ducati Performance (by Touratech) aluminium panniers, Touratech handlebar bag, heated grips

5 Enduro – Touratech crashbars, Touratech oil- and water radiator protectors, fog lights, Lower chain guide, rear-disc protector,

5 Sport – Ducati Performance (by Termignoni) titanium silencer. Billet brake and clutch reservoir caps, billet waterpump cover

5 Urban – Touratech aluminium top case, tank bag and lock flange kit, USB power outlet extension

going without rolling back.

True!

We’d love to see how it worked on a loose, snotty climb, but we didn’t have that opportunity on this ride.

Relax

Okay. We’ll try and make this the last stop before we talk about riding.

In Sport mode, with the rider having delusions of adequacy, brakes as strong as these are brilliant. In fact, it took some time to get used to just how strong the fronts were. Before we settled in to how much faith we could put in the bike, there were some very strange lines being used around the mountain roads. What felt like gentle application of the front stoppers would have the bike pulling up so fast, and with such confidence, we were missing the apexes and lines we wanted by a good margin. We soon learned to brake harder and later, trust the ABS, and ride the bike the way it deserved to be treated – hard and with a massive grin.

ABS is as variable and controllable as just about every other aspect of the Multistrada, and again, the level of ABS varies with the

selected mode, and can be tuned by the rider. But as with most facets of the Ducati, the level of refinement of the ABS seems to be a step above just about every other bike we’ve tried. In this case, the Enduro uses a Bosch Inertial Measurement Unit (IMU) to assist with combined braking in the Touring and Urban modes. It also operates independently for the Enduro and Sport modes.

The thing that really blew us away was the cornering ABS. The Ducati adjusts the

ABS level to compensate for the reduced grip of extreme lean angles.

There’s still a great deal we haven’t covered here, and nice touches like electronic cruise control and full LED headlights with cornering lights, but we think we’ve hit the main points of the Multistrada Enduro.

Are you getting the feeling that this bike carries a sophisticated level of electronics? And are you worried there’s not a lot of freedom left for the rider to enjoy?

As expected

With the key in a pocket, the recommended Touring mode selected, and the V-twin purring away quietly, the Enduro was ready to hit the road, and another big impression was made.

Initially the bike feels a bit heavy.

Swinging it up off the sidestand wasn’t difficult, but it left us making a mental note that under no circumstances should we put ourselves in a position that risked

Left: The left-hand switchblock is a neat arrangement and includes the menu selection rocker.

OFF-ROAD TesT

dropping the bike. The gazetted mass of 254kg fully fuelled and ready-to-ride isn’t out of order in this class of bike but it needs to be kept in mind.

Curiously, the only time we noticed the weight of the bike was getting it off the sidestand or manhandling it around in the rocks. For the rest of our time with the bike we were so enraptured with the feel and performance we never gave the mass a thought.

Believe us, this bike is a performer.

After all the electronics we’ve explained so far – and a heap we haven’t listed here – we were expecting some disconnection between bike and rider and a feeling of distance from the thrill. Nothing could be further from the experience. The biggest surprise of the Ducati Multistrada Enduro is how seamless and seemingly invisible all those electronic systems are.

These must be the type of systems pro racers get to use.

The engine is a quietly rumbling powerhouse. It offers smooth, linear drive up to about 5000rpm, give or take, when it lights up and starts some serious slingshotting. It may launch with a little less thrust at the 100 horsepower setting, but either way it’s a very manageable and exciting burst of rort. In the Sport mode on the road it’s a boy-racer’s dream. The V-twin grunt of the lower end of the rev spectrum becomes a stinging catapult at around 6000rpm that can’t help but make a heart race. Braking hard and late rewards the rider with some incredible cornering, and the bike seems ready to rail even the tightest turns.

Still, it’s a Ducati. What else would anyone expect on the road?

Below: The best instrument display screen we’ve used. It’s crystal clear and bright, even in direct sunlight. The layout of the display changes depending on the mode selected. It cracked us up that the Urban mode enlarges the clock and moves it to the top-centre of the screen. Ducati understands what’s important to city dwellers.

The Ducati heritage shows through on the road. The bike sparkles in the Sport mode.

B I ke s P e C s

Ducati Multistrada 1200 Enduro

Web: www.ducati.com.au

Engine: Testastretta with variable valve timing both inlet and exhaust, four-valves per cylinder, dual spark, Desmodromic liquid-cooled, L-twin four-stroke

Capacity: 1198.4cc

Bore x stroke: 106mm x 67.9mm

Compression Ratio: 12.5:1

Fuel Injection: Bosch electronic fuel injection system, elliptical throttle bodies with ride-by-wire, equivalent diameter 56mm

Exhaust: Stainless-steel muffler with catalytic converter and two lambda proves, single stainless-steel muffler

Transmission: Six-speed with low first gear

Clutch: Light-action, wet, multiplate clutch with hydraulic control. Self-servo action on drive, slipper action on over-run

Final Drive: Chain. 15-tooth front sprocket. 43-tooth rear sprocket

Frame: Tubular steel trellis

Front Suspension: Sachs fully adjustable 48mm USD fork. Electronic compression and rebound damping adjustment with Ducati Skyhook Suspension (DSS)

Rear Suspension: Fully adjustable Sachs unit. Electronic compression and rebound damping adjustment. Electronic spring preload adjustment with DSS. Aluminium double-sided swingarm

Front Brake: Dual 320mm semi-floating discs, radially mounted monoblocco Brembo four-piston callipers with cornering ABS as standard equipment

Rear Brake: 265mm disc, two-piston floating calliper with cornering ABS as standard equipment

Front Wheel: Tubeless spoked wheel in light alloy, 3.00 inches x 19 inches

Rear Wheel. Tubeless spoked wheel in light alloy, 4.50 inches x 17 inches

Seat Height: 87mm (890mm – 850mm with optional seats)

Wheelbase: 1594mm

Fuel Capacity: 30 litres

Dry weight: 225kg

Ducati Electronics: Vehicle hold control, Riding Modes, Power Modes, RbW, Ducati Safety Pack (cornering ABS + DTC), Ducati Skyhook

Suspension Evo, Ducati Wheelie Control, Cruise control, Hands-Free, Ducati Multimedia System (DMS), TFT colour dashboard, Full Led headlamp with Ducati cornering lights

By the time we hit the rock and dirt, we had so much confidence in the Enduro that we weren’t in the least surprised to find it was pretty much at home there as well.

In context

Before we got too carried away here we need to make a couple of things clear.

We didn’t ride the bike in Australia. And because we weren’t in Australia we didn’t have the opportunity to ride the deep sand and high temperatures that put so much stress on bikes and riders here. We also didn’t get to do any deep-water crossings.

We did ride the bike on loose dirt roads, gravel, and some rocky trails, and it performed really well. The Ducati folks didn’t ask us to hold back, and we didn’t. The bike coped with all we asked of it, seemingly without us even going close to its limits. The suspension worked well, braking was excellent, the engine was glorious and, over all, we loved it.

But the biggest surprise for us from this whole exercise was how we just could not feel all those electronic systems making any difference. By that we mean we couldn’t feel them interfering –aside from obvious ABS and traction control. The systems were working, and working really well, but they never detracted from our pleasure in the bike or the ride. They were subtle and smooth. Railing around a banked corner on some grippy tarmac, pounding through loose rock or hanging the back out on a gravel trail, the bike felt great and made us feel great too.

We can’t think of lot more we could ask of any bike than that.

Below: Good off-road ’pegs as standard fittings. Yay! The brake-pedal tip rotates through 180 degrees to give different heights for sitting and standing.

The modes

There are four rider modes on the new Ducati, and the parameters within each can be tuned by the rider.

Here’s the factory settings as we rode the bike (Traction Control: 1 min – 8 max, ABS: 1 min – 3 max)

5 Touring – 160hp, maximum power-progressive delivery.

Traction control 5, ABS 3, DSS suspension EVO medium-soft

5 Enduro – 100hp, soft-progressive power delivery.

Traction control 4, ABS 1, DSS suspension EVO medium

5 Sport – 160hp, maximum power-strong delivery.

Traction control 5, ABS 2, DSS suspension EVO firm

5 Urban – 100hp, soft-progressive power delivery.

Traction control 6, ABS 3, DSS suspension EVO soft

karen Ramsay

No set plan

Karen Ramsay went above and beyond her usual column for this issue. Along with husband Ramdog Dave, she headed to Thailand for her first overseas adventure-riding experience.

Ihad little idea of what to expect before heading on our first overseas riding trip.

We’d booked flights into Thailand, a sleeper to Chiang Mai, one night’s accommodation, travel insurance, two bikes and borrowed a GPS off our friend and fellow adventure rider, Meg (aka ‘Liladv’). We had no concrete plans. What unfolded over the 10-day riding trip would have to be up there with the best experiences of my entire life – apart from the usual having-three-kids

and wedding-day stuff of course.

Culture shock

Dave and I had a day spare in Chiang Mai before the bikes were available, so we hired a couple of 150cc scooters. I think all the bystanders were apprehensive when a middle-aged white woman in full motorbike gear wobbled down a laneway and tried to turn the automatic scooter around.

The hirer even asked Dave if I’d ever ridden before.

The day on the scooters was

fun and terrifying. We quickly got our feel for the traffic and were negotiating the Chiang Mai morning rush like pros. A little trip out to a treehouse cafe was a full-on expedition. You haven’t lived until you’ve ridden a scooter in the mountains.

The café was a treat, but what we couldn’t get over were the crazy, steep, twisting roads to get out there. And the adrenaline rush coming back down again on one of these little autos. They have no engine braking, slick tyres,

Words and images: Karen and Dave Ramsay

tourist-selfie at Chiang Mai

Toll way

If you’ve never ridden in the frenetic traffic unique to Asia you’re either very smart or missing out big time. Road users are simultaneously lawless and courteous. There does appear to be some sort of system:

straight over the top of us. So that was a comforting thought. Driving in a state of hypervigilance is a necessity, although no guarantee you won’t become a part of the horrific Thai road toll.

Direction

With the scooter day under our belts we were ready to step it up a level and start the adventure proper: 10 days on Honda CRF250Ls. I’d never ridden a light trailbike like this one before, but found it great for the wide variety of riding we encountered over the next 2000km.

5 Always expect someone to be on the wrong side of the road as you’re overtaking or rounding a corner.

5 If someone is going too slow for you at any time, pass them – on either side

5 If you’re bigger than someone, you have more road rights than they do, and

We were remarkably lucky in that we didn’t see a single crash of any description, however everyone we met warned us people would have no qualms in driving

I deliberately hadn’t done any research about routes or terrain or ride reports (or anything else that might be useful). There was something exciting about having time to travel and no set plans. Normally we have at least a rough outline of where we think we might go. Some bloke replied to a comment I’d made on the rideasia forum with the offer of a day’s riding in Chiang Dao if we were in the area, and that was the closest we had to an itinerary. While we were drinking in the cacophony of street life, a friend sent a message about some interesting riding he’d done five years ago. A few parts sounded intriguing so we decided to head south to Tak, across to Mae Sot and north along

u and we were dodging sand and gravel washes.

karen Ramsay

Chris, Dave, Karen, Stephen, Lah and Steve and Tha Ton

From

Mind the language

We quickly found after leaving Chiang Mai that English was not widely spoken. That often added an interesting element to a point where we’re now masters of charades. If you want an iced coffee or a double bed rather than two singles, I reckon I can get it for you 50 per cent of the time. It’s amazing how far a vocab of three words, thumbs up and a lot of smiling will get you.

As our first day concluded riding down the highway into Tak at night, dodging the oncoming traffic, we knew we were in for a great adventure. Every sense had been bombarded constantly. In typical Ramsay style, it was after dark as we were looking for a place to stay. We tried to convey to the poor bloke we wanted food as well a room for the night. Next thing Dave was left with the bikes and I was jumping into a golf cart with this bloke, heading off down the track behind the office, presumably to view the room.

Classy

Riding close to the border saw an increase in checkpoints. Most of the officials looked friendly and would give a smile or perhaps a wave as we rode through – but they were holding rather large guns. We rode past the Mae La refugee camp. It’d been operating for 30 years or more and housed some 40,000 people. It was a place that, from all accounts, was overcrowded and devoid of much hope. Even seeing it from the other side of the barbed-wire fence was a sobering experience.

work!

2: It’s hard to explain how completely fantastic this experience was.

3: A fun night with delicious food.

Not too far north of Mae La we pulled over to have a look at the school at Mae U Su and a very official-looking gentleman in a suit came over to us. While I wasn’t exactly panicking, I was slightly nervous. Then he asked us what we were doing, where we were going and where we’d stayed the previous night?

Hmmm. Should we panic now?

Fortunately not. It turned out he was actually an agriculture teacher at the school and was really keen for us to have our photo taken with him. He invited us in for breakfast and then we got a grand tour of the school. He got a great laugh out of introducing me to various classes as their new English teacher.

Trusting

The things that made this trip so special, and I guess any travel of this sort, were the connections made with the country and the people.

Every moment of every day was incredible. The riding was incredible, even the tar. The road from Pai to Wiang Haeng was rutted and bulldusty – and that was the good part they were doing up. We were having such a good time, I began having misgivings that we’d agreed to meet up with this guy in Chiang Dao. The thought of spending a day riding with someone who might have a completely different riding ethos to me was not appealing in the least.

the border with Burma/Myanmar.

there to Mae Hong Son, onto Pai then Wiang Haeng to Chiang Dao.

1: Note hands still on the ’bars and clutch pulled in. Good

Dave had organised to have a drink with him in a bar when we arrived in town and he was going to give us some suggestions on where to stay. It was all seeming like a bad plan. I was expecting a hellish evening and day with some betel-nut-chewing rev-head who rode around in Chiang beer singlets with Thai safety shoes (aka thongs).

When I shook hands with Steve and his partner Kay, I managed to spill beer all over the table and his seat – which he just laughed off. They put their helmets and jackets to the side and proceeded to allay all our fears in the first five minutes. They were very real about the dangers of riding and touring in Thailand. Steve had ridden extensively over south-east Asia and in another life back in Australia was high up in safety and outdoor education. We had a fun night with delicious food and ended the evening with a really good feeling about the next day and the promise of some good dirt riding.

Me and my suspicious nature, eh?

All stops

I was completely unprepared for how spectacular the scenery would be.

The mountains were huge and breathtaking. Similarly, it was dawning on me how incredibly steep some of this riding would be. So despite my newfound confidence in Steve, the knowledge that the other rider joining us, Jayem, was an accomplished enduro rider who, along with spending a number of years riding across various countries, was making us both think we might be slightly out of our depth. Apparently there was only one long, challenging steep hill, and Steve said he could always change the route and leave it out if he was worried about us.

With me riding sweep, the blokes rode at their own pace while still keeping an eye out for me. There were plenty of stops for photos punctuating great riding along a variety of tracks. And then we stopped near a little hut where a seemingly innocuous, but rather overgrown, track curved beside a lime plantation. This was the hard bit he’d been telling us about. Then he told us the last two blokes he’d brought up there hadn’t made it and had to retrace their steps to get out of there.

Great.

Crack up

After watching Steve and Jayem ride up, slipping and revving successfully, and then Dave, there was nothing left to do but go for it. With all the advice ringing in my ears, ruts so deep you could lose a cow in them and gravel so slippery just walking up was almost impossible, I grasped the full power of the 250 with my sweaty glove-lined hands and gave it my all.

For the record, I did make it past the first bend.

When I got to the part where I’d seen everyone else brush past the nasty barbed-wire fence and overhanging bush, the bike decided it’d like to be as far from that barbed wire as possible. I’ll have to admit here I had Jayem’s help (okay, he rode it up to the next flat spot for me) before I jumped on again. This time I got down, around and halfway up the next hill before dropping it on the other side (to be fair, someone did tell me to drop it on the other side to even it up), so Dave and I scrambled to walk it up to the next flat spot. This time, for the last ascent, nothing was going to beat me. Although I hit the bank and sat there making rude comments about how I couldn’t possibly ride it the rest of the way up, a bit of gentle encouragement got me going and before I knew it I was over the worst of it.

While I’m really annoyed with myself that I wasn’t able to make it the whole way on my own, I’m really glad Steve decided to take us that way for a crack at it. u

1 Above: View of the spectacular Doi Leung

1: Adv riders trumped by people 3 up on a scooter

2: The Thai/Burma border

3: Something to pass the time while watching the neighbours from Burma

The big river

Steve suggested he could show us around the region a bit more on an overnight ride, so we ended up on a ride with him and his girlfriend Kay, along with Chris, and Stephen and Lah. That turned into a couple of days and continued to be equally as amazing every day. This part of the journey went from Chiang Dao to Tha Ton then to the beautiful mountain village of Doi Mae Salong overnight. The next day we tackled roads like twisted colons on into Mae Sai where we whiled away the afternoon watching the steady stream of traffic crossing the border and the markets unfolding on the street like some sort of time-lapse photography.

If anyone had told us we’d see the Mekong on this trip, I don’t reckon we’d have believed them (partly because I hadn’t looked at a map). So looking across the expanse of water at the Golden Triangle was an almost surreal experience.

Local knowledge

Dave and I reluctantly separated from our great new friends to find some dirt tracks before we handed the bikes back.

We followed the concrete road from Chiang Rai towards Phrao wondering if it’d been sealed since Steve had last ridden it.

Late in the afternoon we came across a village where there was some sort of fair with a jumping castle, shooting gallery and a whole stack of kids. All I’ll say is there’s only video evidence of one of us actually hitting anything with the air rifle.

With a whole lot of gesturing and bad pronunciation the locals pointed us in the direction of Phrao – up a steep, narrow, rutted single track that Steve might’ve advised us not to tackle.

With our usual naivety we headed off, slightly apprehensive about the state of the track and the fact it was getting dark and foggy and starting to sprinkle. With only 20-odd kilometres to cover, we figured it wouldn’t be too bad.

Not too far in we met a guy on a scooter heading towards the village. I pulled up and asked him if we were heading the right way and he appeared to indicate we were. That was a relief, because we were starting to see a few tracks heading off either side that looked just as used as this one. We didn’t bother about stopping the two hunters, even though they smiled. You could tell they were thinking, “These people have no idea.”

Grill thrill

With fading light and only some of the tracks showing up on the GPS we came across a lady walking down the hill with a big machete. Dave kept riding while I asked her which way. She pointed down, around to the left and over the hill. I caught up with Dave at the road junction where he’d decided the GPS would

be more correct than a local, so we headed to the right. The bunch of ladies sitting at the first house in next village didn’t look too happy to have two noisy motorbikes turn up. While Dave again consulted the GPS with increasing doubt, I went over to the ladies to gesture for directions. They confirmed it was the road to the left. It’s amazing how women the world over don’t need to use words to be able to agree that men are useless at asking for directions.

As for the rest of the journey, it got dark, an unseasonable storm rolled in with thunder and lightning, and I didn’t know if there were hunters and tigers and elephants hiding among the trees.

Soaking wet, we made it safely to Phrao and yet another incredible day was topped off entertaining the locals as we learnt to cook a Thai barbeque grill.

Best ever

We spent the entire 10 days riding around with stupid grins on our faces. We spent a lot of time exploring tracks off the main road and through villages. I lost count of the times I was marvelling at how good it was riding down some isolated little track like a true adventure rider, only to have a family on a scooter go past us.

It’s hard to explain how completely fantastic this experience was. It was like being in a permanent state of happy dance. I’m not sure if this is a common theme every time people ride overseas for the first time. People who know me know I’m always happy on a ride, however, this took euphoria to a new level.

If I could bottle that feeling for others, the world would be a very different place.

What I’ve learned

5 There’s less regret in trying and failing than not trying at all

5 You don’t need to share a language to share a joke

5 Men not asking for directions is universal

5 When you get home after two weeks and the kids are happy and nothing’s broken, you don’t need to know anything else

5 This ride was just a recce

BIKE AUSTRALIA

Above: The locals pointed in the direction of Phrao – up a steep, narrow, rutted single track.

Top right: Temple at Tha Song Yang

Below right: Plenty of brake lever left for a week’s riding.

Hamblyn’s

hole

If you’ve ever wondered about the value of a GPS tracker for adventure riding, here’s a story that will make it very clear. Every adventure rider should carry one. Maschine’s Nick Selleck tells what happened.

Words and images: Nick Selleck

Steve Hamblyn was caught in a hopeless situation. His SPOT tracker allowed him to get help. Every adventure rider should have a tracker of some kind.

Above: The SPOT Tracker is probably Australia’s most popular tracker.

n the first of the recent TransTerra rides in southeast NSW (see issue #15), the Maschine support team got a phone call at 1.50pm from Tom, the son of one of the group’s riders. Tom said he’d received a text message from his dad, Steve Hamblyn, via his SPOT tracker saying, ‘I have broken down but I am fine. Have no phone service.’

A set of coordinates were included that pinpointed him as being right in the middle of the first hard-route section. This track was pretty gnarly with big washouts and plenty of rock steps, and after a few bikes had been through earlier in the day the section had been closed off and swept. Unfortunately, Steve had missed the signs and continued in after the track had been closed. The process of retrieving a dead bike from this area would be difficult. Just getting a 4WD in would be a mission in itself. The average speed of a bike in the section was 20kph, so to tow one out would take a considerable amount of time.

Hold tight

The sweep crew consisted of two bikes that worked their way back along the route to the coordinates and dragged the bike from the depths of the forest. Rob ‘Tyres For Bikes’ Turton and his Dakar truck also followed the riders to the closest main road to wait in case the heavy-recovery gear was required.

Once Chris and Nick arrived at Steve’s location at about 5:00pm, it soon became clear why Steve wasn’t able to get his DRZ400 out by himself. Although the front wheel was a mere 50cm from dry ground, the rear was bogged to the point of the DRZ’s tail light being underwater – you could stand at the back of the bike with the taillight between your feet in ankle-deep water.

The bottom of the boghole had the consistency of quicksand and was holding that bike so very tight.

Hamblyn’s Hole

Free at last

Steve explained he’d spent a good 90 minutes trying to extract the bike and was at the point of exhaustion. That prompted him to send the pre-programmed message requesting assistance. Once he’d activated his SPOT Steve relaxed a little and was confident help would arrive.

The extraction process took three grown men, a bunch of thick branches, a rope-and-pulley system rigged up in trees and 90 minutes of wiggling, pulling and pushing. Once free, The bike had to be dewatered to get it to fire up and then the sand packed in around the chain and sprockets had to be cleared before it could be ridden back to civilisation.

Must have

For the support crew – and Steve – it meant a late night, but that’s far better than the other options offered if Steve hadn’t been able to send out a request for help. It was a good call on Steve’s behalf to send out the non-emergency help call.

So if you ride out in the sticks you really should consider adding a GPS tracker to your riding kit. Also, think about who you can add to your message list to help out in a non-emergency situation. Imagine the cost to taxpayers of sending helicopters or rescue services out into the bush in a situation like Steve’s.

If we’re going to head off exploring the far reaches of the planet we should take responsibility for our actions and carry equipment like GPS trackers to look after ourselves. The latest GPS trackers can send, and some can also receive, SMS messages via satellite, so you can have a communication link to the outside world no matter where you are.

The cost to purchase GPS tracker units has come down to around $200-$500, with annual satellite service subscriptions around $150. It’s pretty cheap insurance really, for what could be a life-saving device for adventure riders. Maschine sells both SPOT and Delorme InReach GPS trackers. Log on to store.maschine.com.au for all the details.

There’s a series of photos and time-lapse video on the Maschine website too – www.maschine.com.au – that show the whole extraction process out of Hamblyn’s Hole. That bog hole really wanted to hang onto that DRZ.

The author, Nick Selleck (left), found Steve in a sticky situation. A GPS tracker meant help was dispatched to the location with a minimum of fuss and delay. That’s probably why they’re smiling.

50 advridermag.com.au

Screen Shot: You can grab a couple of different GPS trackers, as well as a few other helpful bits and pieces, from the Maschine website. Insert left: The InReach Explorer can both send and receive SMS.

off-road Test

BMW F800GS

Ready to tackle The Big One.

The BMW GS Safari Enduro is moving ever nearer. And while we rate the GS Safari as one of our favourite Australian rides, we rate the GS Safari Enduro just that one notch higher because we especially love the greater challenge and higher level of commitment needed to make it through the event.

The ideal situation is to do both of course. Alas, we are but lowly moto journos and have to show up at the office occasionally or everyone starts storing their crap on our desks.

We had to miss the 2015 ride – although the report is in issue #12 – so for 2016 we hung around BMW Motorrad headquarters in Melbourne looking pitiful and dropping hints until finally Miles Davis sneaked us on to the entry list and sent us on our way.

But not before setting us up with 2016 F 800 GS.

Ooh, yeah.

We’re feeling pretty smug right about now.

What’s new?

We’ve been fans of the F800GS since we first rode one in 2008. It was an incredibly polished, easy-to-ride, versatile bike. Back then nobody really said ‘dualsporter’, but that’s what it was.

That’s what it still is.

The mechanical features haven’t changed a great deal since then because BMW pretty much got this bike right for the first model. The 798cc, liquid-cooled parallel twin is an absolute gem. The motor feels like a smaller version of BMW’s trademark boxer twin, and that’s a very good thing. It’s torquey at low revs, has plenty of usable grunt and is a real pleasure to ride

on- and off-road.

New for the GS in 2016 are new tank covers, an ignition-lock cover and electroplated radiator covers. There’s also new colour options, and our bike is ‘Racing Blue metallic matt’. There’s a few style variants for each of the colours and we’ll leave you to check them out on the website or at a dealer. We liked the blue, but a couple of the other colour schemes look pretty damn tasty.

Our bike has electronic suspension adjustment, traction control, ABS and rider modes, as well as some sexy and much-appreciated features like heated grips, centrestand and pannier bars. Those features are all standard on the bikes being offered for the ride-away price as we write this. Because we’re preparing the 800 for the GS Safari Enduro – and columnist Miles Davis has done the pre-ride and knows what to

Main: The F800GS is equally at home on the road or the dirt. It’s a lot of fun either way.

Above: The BMW tank bag is a bottler, but it’s a little too large for us. We’ll go for a smaller outfit.

1: Handguards offer good protection, but we’ll look into something to keep the wind off. BMW has larger deflectors available.

2: Simple, uncluttered switching.

3: The accessory rack from BMW makes attaching and toting the BMW roll-top bag a breeze.

off-road TesT

expect – BMW Motorrad was kind enough to add some handy options. First up is the ‘flip’ rear brake pedal, same as the GSA, and then high-strength steel hand protectors with wind guards, an alloy bashplate, a ‘small rear’ rack and a tankbag have all been fitted. Rounding out the package, one of the best heavy-duty roll-top bags we’ve ever seen was strapped to the rack. It’s all BMW equipment and it was all on the bike as we rode it away from BMW headquarters, being very careful of the first left-hand turn.

The bike still has the slim, agile feel we’ve liked right from the first model, and the tight turning circle, good ground clearance and low centre of gravity are gold.

Smoove

The odometer showed less than 10km when we took charge of the bike, kicking off with a backroads ride out of Melbourne and then heading north.

It’s hard to put into words just how brilliant is the performance of this bike on winding bitumen and shady, potholed gravel thoroughfares. Everything about the midweight GS is superb. The suspension works well, the motor is sensational, and the braking and rider aids make for a maximum-grin, minimum-fuss riding experience. As you’d expect from a GS, highway and long-distance travel were comfortable, effortless and enjoyable. We peeled off around 1400km without realising it, then chucked a bit of a heartie because we promised Miles we wouldn’t miss the first service.

But that’s how pleasurable the riding experience is on the F800GS. It’s easy to forget the workday responsibilities, distances fly by unnoticed and every kilometre covered leaves a rider longing for more.

The two rider modes – Road and Enduro – are very easy to select and use. ABS and

traction control can both be manually turned off in just a few seconds, so there’ll be some who call it three choices. To be honest, we’re starting to think that’s an ideal situation. We know from experience the BMW modes are very well suited to their intended uses, and we’re especially big fans of the Enduro mode when we’re off the bitumen. Both modes have different degrees of ABS and traction control, and we reckon they’re close to spot on for the bike’s intended use. We still needed to turn the traction control off for sand, and the ABS on one loose, off-road downhill, but outside those exceptional situations, we were very comfortable with both modes as they’re supplied.

The electronic suspension adjustment still leaves us a little unsure of its effectiveness. It needs a series of runs over the same stretch of test track under relatively controlled conditions to make a judgement. The adjustment only alters the shock, and the settings are Sport, Comfort or Normal. The components work well, there’s no doubt about that, we’re just not sure we could tell much difference between the settings. We ended up leaving the shock on the Sport setting and we were happy.

Above left: Instrumentation is clear and easy to read. Modes and bike info are displayed in the unit on the right.

Below: The fuel tank under the seat keeps the centre of gravity low. Along with the bike’s slim profile, it makes it a real pleasure to ride.

Bottom: A BMW heavy-duty alloy bashplate offers good protection for the lower part of the motor and headers.

Tough Test

As the bike stands in the Adventure Rider Magazine shed, it’s glorious. It’s an absolute gem in every department.

But the Safari Enduro is a ride that commands a bit of respect, and we can already see a few tune-ups we’ll chase to prepare the bike for what’s sure to be a reasonably challenging few days.

Michelin Anakees are doing the bizzo front and rear at the moment, and they’re a great choice for the riding we’ve done so far, but for the Enduro we’ll look at a pair of full-block knobbies. We’d also like the handlebars to be just a smidge higher to suit stand-up riding, and there’s a larger set of wind deflectors available for the handguards that’d be worth having on the cold desert mornings.

There’s no toolkit supplied with the bike, but BMW has some excellent kits available.

Stay tuned

That’s where we’re up to.

You might notice we’re not chasing a single mechanical change. That’s because the bike is really excellent, and we reckon it’s ready to take on just about anything from a Simpson crossing to lingerie shoot. The only changes we’re chasing are with this specific event in mind and some sensible ergonomic adjustments for the rider.

Right now we have to try and stop riding the bike until it’s been serviced. After that we’ll start pointing it at some more serious off-road terrain and see how it measures up – how the terrain measures up, we mean. We know the bike will go the distance on anything Australia can throw at it.

GS Safari Enduro

If you’re looking for the ride of a lifetime, Adventure Rider Magazine heartily recommends tackling the GS Safari Enduro. The organisation, logistics, routes and terrain on these rides are some of the best we’ve ever seen.

In 2016 the GS Safari Enduro starts in Streaky Bay in South Australia, departing July 24, and arrives in Broken Hill, NSW, on July 30. Along the way riders get to enjoy Coober Pedy, Lake Eyre, Arkaroola and the Flinders Ranges. That’s not to mention the camaraderie and superb terrain, ideally suited to BMW’s GS and GSA range. Find out more at www.bmwsafari.com/ events/2016-bmw-gs-safari-enduro

ike specs

BMW F 800 GS

Web: www.bmwmotorrad.com.au

Rec retail $16,990 ride-away (as we go to print)

Engine type: Water-cooled, four-stroke, in-line, two-cylinder, four valves per cylinder, two overhead camshafts, dry-sump lubrication

Displacement: 798cc

Bore/stroke: 82mm x 75.6mm

Compression ratio: 12.0:1

Rated output: 63 kW (85hp) at 7500rpm (possible 35kW (48hp) at 7000 rpm)

Maximum torque: 83Nm at 5750 rpm

Mixture control/engine management: Electronic intake pipe injection, digital engine management (BMS-K+)

Emission control: Closed-loop, three-way catalytic converter, emission standard EU-3

Clutch: Multiple-disc clutch in oil bath. Mechanically operated

Starter: Electric

Transmission: Constant mesh, six-speed gearbox integrated into crankcase

Final drive: Endless O-ring chain with shock damping in rear-wheel hub

Frame: Tubular steel space frame, load-bearing engine

Front suspension: Upside-down 43mm telescopic fork

Rear suspension: Cast aluminium dual swingarm, WAD strut (travel related damping), spring pre-load hydraulically adjustable (continuously variable) at handwheel, rebound damping adjustable

Brakes front: Dual disc, floating 300mm brake discs with double-piston floating calipers and ABS

Brake rear: Single 265mm disc, single-piston floating caliper and ABS

Fuel capacity: 16 litres

Length: 2320mm

Width including mirrors: 945mm

Height excluding mirrors: 1350mm

Seat height: 880mm (with accessories or equipment variable heights available between 820mm and 920mm)

Wheelbase: 1578mm

Dry weight: 191kg

Unladen weight, road-ready, fully fuelled: 214kg

Once. Twice. Three times!

Lou Leeuwrik found out something very quirky about Cameron Corner.

Why would anybody want to spend New Year’s Eve at Cameron Corner?

Easy. It’s because you get to

celebrate the occasion three times in one-and-a-half hours.

That’s why we’re called adventurers. We do things on impulse and to have things to talk about in our old age – not that anybody’s interested. Not that I can claim the credit. It was Mick’s idea. He put a post on the Australian KLR Riders Facebook page that he was going to spend New Year’s Eve at Cameron Corner, on the border of Queensland, NSW, and South Australia. It sounded adventurous, so I asked I if could join him. Mick said he normally travelled alone, but I was welcome to join him, and for that I was pleased. You see, I’m probably a little over-cautious. I considered riding 2400km in 40-degree heat by myself as not so wise. I wanted a buddy.

Sand witches

I’d been to Cameron Corner before in a 4x4 in 1985 and on my Ural sidecar in 2012, but I wanted to sample the outback on two wheels, my KLR650, and this was the chance I needed. I have great confidence in the KLR, but I wanted to challenge my skills on two wheels in the outback.

We teamed up at Macca’s in Mildura. After a coffee and some planning we hit the road aiming at Pooncarie for lunch. Mick is a big fan of dirt roads and tracks, so those were the trails we rode. Mostly the unsealed roads were easy enough to ride with a loaded KLR, but I had to be alert for those damn sandy patches with the bulldust holes.

Packin’ it

My load was simple enough,

Words and Images: Lou Leeuwrik

An extensive tool kit with spare tubes and tyrechanging equipment

R 10 litres of water

R A spare chain (at Mick’s request), and

R My party clothes

Mick said we may be camping, so I brought my tent, sleeping bag and naturally, my folding camp chair. I learnt these things from my Americas’ ride. Anyone with a KLR will tell you they use some oil if you go over 5000rpm. I packed a litre of oil, but only used about 100ml. Maybe the trip was slower than I thought!

A mature view

Our first night was Menindee, and after a hot day’s ride, a room with air-con was requested. Great. A few beers later and after some maintenance on the bikes, as well as a new front tyre for Mick, we had a great, relaxing evening in the pub. The local pubs always seem to be very friendly to travelling motorcyclists.

Mick was keen to do more dirt roads and I was happy to follow his lead as he’s had considerable experience in the outback.

Top left: Mick from the Australian KLR Riders Facebook page. It was all his idea. Below left: The author with his trusty KLR and what he calls a ‘simple’ load. Below: Crossing the Darling at Mildura. It was the rendezvous point for Lou and Mick. u

The wheels are about to fall off the weatherbe ready!

Mutawintji Nature Reserve road was on his wish list, so we headed north.

As a result of a wrong turn, we were advised that the Quarry Hill Road would take us to Highway 32 and then to take the Waterbag Road to the reserve.

Waterbag Road was interesting with its many washaways. From Mutawintji we headed to the Silver City Highway via the Acacia Downs roads to the pub at Packsaddle.

I must be getting soft, because I opted for another pub room. I took all the gear in case it was needed for breakdowns, but years of camping has taught me a pub room is better. Besides, I convinced myself, being over 64, I deserved one. What do you think?

Short-listed

The next day’s short 150km to Tibooburra on the Silver City Highway was easy.

The road is a work-in-progress, mostly unsealed, but with short stretches of good bitumen. It was nice to sit comfortably for a while.

We were early into Tibooburra, so first it was coffee, and then a wait until we could book some accommodation at the local pub.

We were advised there would probably be no rooms available due to so many people rolling into town for the Tibooburra Gymkhana the next day, but Mick’s smooth style soon had us booked into two excellent air-conditioned rooms. What a treat.

We were also told the motorcycle gymkhana was well worth seeing, but we were booked into Cameron Corner for NYE, so it stays on the bucket list.

Denied!

Mick selected some more tracks he wanted to see and informed me we’d be taking the Sandhills Road to Cameron Corner.

The route was to take the Cameron Corner road, turn-off to Toona Gate, and then follow the border fence to Cameron Corner.

The ride was interesting, especially for me with my 50/50 road/dirt tyres. It got worse for me when we found the border fence road was for official Dingo Fence maintenance only. So, not to be disappointed, and being ‘stuck’ in the middle of Australia, we plotted a course via Omicron.

Mick was in his element and I had a lot to learn.

The 38km of sandhills were great, although I admit next time I’ll carry less and have better sand tyres. However, I made it with only one off and many nearly-offs. The KLR did a great job, digging itself out of 150mm of sand ruts with relative ease. My hard work was keeping the bike upright, and I admit the outriggers were often used. But I got there, maybe with less style than Mick. Good onya, mate. Thanks for waiting.

Stoned

The final 47km to Cameron Corner was a delight. We travelled with the sand hills instead of across them and it was pure riding bliss. We were very fortunate with the weather too. It was cool and overcast, just perfect for riding, not the 40 degrees we were expecting.

Left centre: There was only the one fall. Above: The gymkhana was on the next day and accom was tricky.

Fenn and Cheryl welcomed us to the Cameron Corner Store with several cold beers and for me, a room. Mick chose to camp again. It was a wise move, since we probably wouldn’t get much sleep anyway. It was NYE, and we had to celebrate it three times.

After a hearty cold-serve meal which Cheryl had prepared for the 50 or more revellers at the pub, we all had to play golf. It was more like a long putt-putt really. The aim was to putt the ball into a cut-off one-litre Coke bottle at about 20 metres down Fenn’s driveway. The pebbles on the ‘green’ were as much of a curse as an asset. A well-played ball would suddenly shoot off course, much to everyone’s disappointment. The secret, I discovered, was to hit another pebble to shoot the ball back into the hole. It wasn’t hard really! I did it twice and won the Jim Beam bourbon. Mick was amused at my hidden golfing talent, and to share the luck around I donated the JB to the next raffle in aid of the RFDS.

Countdown

Before midnight we were asked to gather our drinks and deck chairs and assemble at the Corner marker post. We were all assembled in New South Wales for pre-NYE drinks and chatter.

“Ten, nine, eight…etc. Happy New Year!” shouted everyone. There was lots of hand shaking and more drinks and chatter.

Then the MC announced, “Ladies and gentlemen, please grab your chairs and move to South Australia.”

The instructions were simple enough, so we all moved about five metres into South Australia.

“Ten, nine, eight...etc. Happy New Year!” came the cry again. There was more hand shaking and chatter.

And then, “Ladies and gentlemen, please grab your chairs and move into Queensland with its no-daylight-saving.”

The instructions being simple, we all moved about five metres, again, into Queensland.

“Ten, nine, eight...etc. Happy New Year!” Et cetera.

Then the fireworks followed. That’s how they do it at Cameron Corner.

Thanks Fenn and Cheryl.

Now or never

The following day we were quick to get away as the weather report indicated a high possibility of rain. That meant road closures. Spending a few days stuck in Cameron Corner would be a good thing, but we had places to go. We fuelled up and teamed up with Mark on his KTM.

Next fuel stop was Lyndhurst, 450km away in the Flinders Ranges along the Strzelecki Track. The KLR has a 24-litre tank and at 20km per litre our calculations said we should have just enough with a full tank.

I’ve been caught with these ‘just enough’ situations before. We ran out of fuel once going from Glendambo to Coober Pedy. The very strong head winds left us about 10kms short. So I opted to carry an extra five litres, thinking that little safety margin might make the difference. Mark’s KTM had a 27-litre tank.

We left Cameron Corner with all roads still open and were advised of the $2000-per-wheel penalty for entering a closed road. I wasn’t about to find out

whether this was true.

“Let’s go now,” I suggested.

Oh-oh

All went well until I pulled-up next to Mark. We still had a long way to go and there was a strong smell of petrol in the air. I asked if he was already using the spare fuel. “No” he replied, “my petrol line has come off the tank and I don’t know how much has spilled.”

It’s funny how these things seem to happen on long hauls between petrol stations. Mick went ahead as I had the spare fuel and I just followed Mark, who suggested if he ran out I should just go to Lyndhurst, fuel up and then come back to get him.

I said, “If the road is closed, that isn’t allowed to happen – not at $2,000 per wheel”.

We neeed to find another way. We decided to keep riding and see how far we could get.

My estimations put us very close to

making the distance, and maybe Mark hadn’t lost much fuel before he fixed the line. If we had to walk the last few kilometres we’d deal with that when it happened.

Plenty in reserve

As it happened, Mick and Mark got to Lyndhurst with empty tanks and I had three litres left – which was fortunate. Lyndhurst had no petrol that day anyway. Mick somehow managed to get the last petrol out of the right side of his KLR tank by tipping the bike over and lifting the rear wheel up.

You’ve got to love the KLR with its two petrol reserves giving 450kms. You’ve got to love a cold beer, too. It’s a wonderful relaxer. And the publican made a great hamburger.

The Strzelecki Track was a great ride and we were lucky with the weather. There was no rain in a whole day of overcast riding. It was perfect.

Great memories

That was our New Year’s Eve adventure ride. The 600kms home the next day was peaceful and enjoyable. Reliving the 2400km, seven-day ride by making a photo album from the comfort of my air-conditioned lounge in my favourite chair is always a treat too.

However, I’d rather be on the KLR saddle.

Above: Toona Gate meant some more difficult terrain.

Tips and pointers

Main: A waterproof liner should ideally be the outermost layer, and it needs to be in place before the rider or any apparel get wet. Below left: There are almost as many different jackets as there are riders and bikes.

Jackets

It’s winter. Days are short, temperatures are low, and there’s rain about. The second thing on every rider’s mind is a good jacket.

ackets are all about protection: protection from impact and abrasion, and protection from the elements.

Like so many aspects of adventureriding equipment, the trick most riders try to pull off

with a jacket is to find one that’ll answer all their needs; summer, winter, day, night, desert, snow, high-impact protection, abrasion resistance and long-distance comfort. And like so many aspects of adventure-riding equipment, there is no single item that will do it all.

That means accepting compromise.

“People want breathability, strong construction and good materials – and materials are changing all the time,” observed Held importer Ray Mustafa. “Riders want their jackets to be as light as possible, but still with maximum strength.”

No one jacket is going to cover every situation. The trick is to work out your priorities and then look for a jacket that will best fulfil your requirements.

Protection

Protection is probably every rider’s first thought when it comes to a jacket, and this is where the compromise will be most noticeable.

If a jacket could be made of steel with padded interior, a rider wouldn’t have to fear falls or impacts. Of

Above: Riding in just a T-shirt is the ultimate in comfort, especially in tropical heat, but protection for the rider is nonexistent.

Below: Protection from abrasion and puncture should be high on every rider’s list of priorities.

to ride in only a cotton T-shirt, giving fabulous freedom of movement, but no protection whatsoever. Even a bug-splatter at 80kph would leave a bruise. “If you only ride in hot conditions, say, in the northern part of Australia, and you’re not likely to be caught in colder conditions, having good breathable construction is important,” said Touratech importer Robin Box. “There are some really good breathable mesh-type fabrics on jackets that still offer good u

Spidi Superhydro

KTM Pure Adventure

Tips and poinTers

protection. But then you have a problem if it gets cold or wet.” The ideal lies somewhere in between and each rider will need to make their own judgement. Some will like an all-in-one coat with armour and a batch of liners while others will prefer a shell big enough to accommodate a pressure suit and whatever layers the weather demands.

Rub-a-dub

Abrasion-resistant fabrics are a hot topic, mainly because anything will wear away eventually. Textiles like Kevlar are certainly frontrunners for coping with a slide down the road or trail. Unfortunately, Kevlar tends to be a bit heavy and it doesn’t breathe all that well, so some riders are reluctant to wear it.

At the other end of the scale are things like ‘Ballistic’ nylon. Ballistic nylon was originally designed to protect World War II airmen from flak and shrapnel. Technology has come a long way since then, and so has marketing. True Ballistic nylon was achieved as a result of a special type of weave and a particular weight of nylon. Today it seems anything with the basketweave construction is called ‘Ballistic’, even though the weight of the nylon fibre means the garment’s offering all the protection of a Kleenex.

If you’re keen on Ballistic nylon, make sure you chase garments made with a 1050 denier, high-tenacity nylon yarn. That’s the original DuPont spec. And remember it wasn’t designed to deal with abrasion. It was designed to protect against puncture. Probably the best tip for a rider standing in front of the clothing rack and wanting good abrasion protection is to look for the CE certification. It’s a European standard, but for the moment it’s about all we have to look for in Australia. Be careful, though. The marketing folks have their paws all over this one as well. A jacket with a tag saying it meets CE approval for abrasion resistance may actually only meet those criteria in armoured areas – like shoulders and elbows. The CE symbol on the tag may not mean the whole jacket is up to CE scratch. That’s not the end of the world unless you elect to go without armour in the designated areas. If you do that, you’re not getting the protection you thought you were.

Read all those swing tags carefully.

Weather or not

Goretex is still the hot ticket for all-round weather protection, but even then there are a few schools of thought on its use. Some prefer the Goretex layer of a jacket to be the outermost to reduce windchill, while some prefer the Goretex to be an inner liner so it’s not damaged in the event of a fall. Of course, Goretex used in a jacket’s construction will generally mean it doesn’t need a separate waterproof liner, and that’s very desirable for a lot of riders.

One interesting problem with separate waterproof liners in general is they don’t breathe. We’re talking about mostly plastic, nonporous liners here. Because they don’t breathe, they hold a lot of body heat close to the rider, and if there’s any moisture on the rider before the liner’s put in place, that moisture stays.

Goretex isn’t flawless either, though. Klim importer Steve Smith of Adventure Moto explained.

“We’ve had people tell us they were wearing a Goretex jacket and they ended up damp. They say they got moisture in around their armpits or chest. What we found when we spoke to those customers is they were riding in extremely adverse conditions for long periods of time. If the Goretex gets what’s called ‘wet

BMW Rallye

Held Carese 2

Left: A good jacket with armour installed allows a rider to shed the outer layer in a few seconds. That’s a good feature when it’s hot and the bike has stopped moving.

out’, where the Goretex membrane stops breathing to seal against moisture ingress in extreme situations, the body’s transpiration and perspiration causes condensation inside the jacket.

“So the Goretex is working exactly as it’s supposed to. There’s just no absolute, 100-per-cent solution that functions as though you were sitting in an air-conditioned car.”

One liners

Liners aren’t for everyone, but they’re a good way of ensuring the maximum versatility from a single jacket. Having a well-vented jacket and stowing a lightweight liner or two in a pannier or backpack can give the four-season application most riders are looking for.

Robin Box has a couple of tips for liners: “You really want a waterproof liner on the outside.

“If you have the waterproof liner under an outer layer, the outer layer will get wet, and the chill factor in cold, wet conditions can be cruel. For a true four-seasons jacket you need the waterproof membrane on the outside, ideally laminated to something tough like Cordura.”

Comfort

As we’ve seen so often, price is often a good indicator of quality, and it’s as true of jackets as it is of any item. But still, that doesn’t mean buying the most expensive jacket in the store is a guarantee of comfort, and comfort is a high priority for adventure riders. BMW’s Miles Davis has some good points to look for when it comes to fit.

“Venting is needed when you’re riding, especially in Australia in the summer,” said Miles. “It’s important to have a good fit from a comfort point of view. You want some overlap between the jacket and pants. That’ll give better weather and crash protection. Ideally, you want your jacket to zip to your pants if possible. That really helps if you do end up sliding along the deck. The jacket won’t slide up and expose your back to the abrasive surface. It also helps in cold and wet conditions when you want to create a nice overlap and a seal to stay comfortable.

“The zipping effect is a really handy one for both safety and comfort.”

A tall collar is another thing to look for. Keeping the wind off a rider’s neck makes a big difference to comfort levels, especially on a long ride, and if it reaches up past the lower edge of the helmet in front – usually the chin bar – it’ll go a long way to keeping the rain from running down the rider’s neck and inside the jacket.

As jackets offer greater protection, they generally become bulkier. As a final thought, have a look a jacket’s shape when it’s on a hanger. Look for a jacket that holds its shape when it’s not being worn. If you’ve ever seen good road-race leathers hanging in the pits during the World Supers or MotoGP telecasts you’ll know exactly what we mean. When the jacket has some bulk, being the right shape in its cut, as opposed to relying on the rider’s body to give it some shape, can make an enormous difference to comfort.

As always, have a look what’s on offer, decide what’s important for you, then go get what you’re after.

Experience the fantastic riding, food and culture of Thailand, Laos or Cambodia

Small groups, fully guided and supported 7, 14 or 22 days options suit every budget

For more information please visit www.twogethertouring.nz

Email: info@twogethertouring.nz

Phone: +61 417 417 464

Tenere Tragics

Confessions of an Virgin ADV

Talented road racer Maria Costello MBE has mastered the treacherous Isle of Man TT circuit. But she’d never ridden an adventure bike until the 2016 Ténéré Tragics…

Words: Sean Goldhawk. Images: iKapture

Below: Dry creek beds had become reddish-brown torrents.

Day one of the Ténéré Tragics River To Ranges Run saw temperatures of 40 degrees in the shade – if any shade could be found.

Maria Costello MBE had just dropped her Super Ténéré for the third time in an hour and the stress of punting a 250kg motorcycle in sand was getting to the adventure virgin.

Many people would’ve given up, knowing there were four more days and 2000km of who-knows-what to come. A major diversion out of her comfort zone wasn’t improved by her arrival in sunny Mildura directly from Pommy snow. But something clicked with the petite blonde as a raft of fellow Tragics rushed to help her raise the prone Super T from the red dust. A steely glint in her eyes, honed from years competing in the world’s toughest road races, said, ‘I got this.’

And she did.

For the next four days the big twin stayed upright as the TT racer’s frustration turned to joy at having mastered a new skill.

It was more of a learning cliff than a learning curve.

Above: Road racer Maria Costello had her first adventure ride on a 2106 Super Ténéré with 74 of her Tragic mates. Words of wisdom from four-times Mister Motocross Stephen Gall were a big help.

Main: The 2016 Ténéré Tragics River To Ranges Run ran from Mildura in NSW to the Flinders ranges in SA.

Tenere Tragics ‘ ‘ ‘

The unknown

In Australia primarily to race classic bikes during the Barry Sheene Festival Of Speed at Sydney’s Motorsport Park, Maria was rapt to find her feet on the Tragics ride.

“I’ve done some pretty cool stuff on a bike, but this was right up there,” she said. “I won’t lie. I really didn’t know what I’d signed up for or how big the bike was I’d be riding. Or how challenging riding these things are on dirt...but wow. I feel like the luckiest woman alive to have made my adventure-riding debut in such stunning Australian scenery and 40-degree heat.”

Meat and greet

Her journey from complete adventureriding novice to full-blown Ténéré Tragic was one of the many talking points on the sixth annual event for 75-odd Ténéré riders who ran from Mildura in NSW to the Flinders ranges in SA.

Fortunately for Maria, day one was a training exercise with words of wisdom

from four-times Mister Motocross Stephen Gall and his speedy sidekick Shane Metcalfe. Dropping the bike while practising riding drills is par for the course and doesn’t come with the same detuning effect as crashing on the ride.

However, the real first day from Mildura to Renmark was challenging. Gally’s sand-riding advice proved golden and Maria had listened, keeping the Super T accelerating through the beachy trails to the halfway point.

Not all Tragics were so lucky, with Ken Henderson busting up his 1200 twin and copping a hospital trip in the meat wagon.

Good in theory

Having survived the first day, day two from Renmark to Peterborough was a breeze. It wasn’t so breezy for Anthony Windus, who cleaned up a kangaroo on his 660 and earned his own trip to hospital.

Having already broken more than 20 bones in her career, Maria is no stranger to pain. With Skippy lying motionless on the

side of the trail, Maria realised she had more than just the terrain to deal with. Slowly yet visibly her confidence grew. And the 43-year-old TT and Irish road-race veteran was a wily campaigner who knew overconfidence came right before the biggest off. She rode steadily and listened to the dizzying range of advice given during the evening bench-racing sessions around the bar. Maria was well aware of the theory, it’s just the practice needed, well… practice. “If in doubt, gas it out, Maria!” was the general consensus.

At least she knew where the throttle was.

Classic

By day three fellow Tragics were queuing up to ride with the famous TT racer and have their picture taken with adventure-riding’s new biggest fan. Especially when the ride was closer to her element at Peterborough motorcycle museum, where host Ian Spooner ask her to pose on a Maserati TT racer – something for the next Manx Classic event perhaps? u

Tenere Tragics ‘ ‘ ‘

Cross purposes

The final day consisted of a loop ride from Rawnsley Park Station in the Flinders ranges. It’s wasn’t yet 8.00am when the lead riders got a message to Maria to avoid the raineffected first 40km on the Martins Well Road. It was a good call. The red dirt had turned to impassable clay, and a few early risers were caught in the carnage.

Instead, Maria headed through Flinders National Park to Blinman, a route that revealed its own challenge. Grip on the trail was sketchy at best, and dry creek beds had become reddish-brown torrents, making depth difficult to judge without wading through. Luckily for Maria chivalry is alive and well among the Ténéré brothers. Cookie and Edo took it in turns to ferry the road racer across the many new rivers, with Cookie offering a piggyback when logistics dictated.

Vision

The first two crossings were too deep for a solo attempt – but the third was judged to be fine for Maria to tackle. She sat and looked at the water for a while, knowing that what lay beneath wasn’t as flat nor grippy as tarmac.

“I just stared at it for a while, then imagined myself on the other side. Just like the first time I went down Bray Hill at the TT,” explained Maria after successfully negotiating the obstacle.

Share and share alike

Adventure became real on the way to Blinman. The weather and trail combo brought riders closer together as they helped each other forge through the gloop. Lifting bikes, sharing tools, searching for zip ties and tipping bikes to drain airboxes. It was all part of the Ténéré spirit.

Regrouping was done Pommy style with lashings of ginger beer in the Blinman pub and, with the rain easing, the motley crew of Tragics decided the best route back to Rawnsley Park. In an hour or less, what were free-flowing flash floods had become ankledeep drains – the water had all but sucked into the parched, red earth.

Where bikes were sideways with a whiff of throttle on the way in, there was now full traction.

The pace was up and the race was on.

Never forget

During dinner on the final night the full carnage was revealed as bench racing

Right: Chivalry is alive and well with the Tragics. Cookie offered a piggyback.

reached a furious pace. Friendships were forged and the essence of adventure riding was drunk in under a star-filled canopy. Maria was stoked with her new adventure-riding skills, the stunning outback scenery and wildlife, a solid crew of fellow Tragics

all willing her to succeed – and the fact she did just that.

Life is all about experiences and this one ranked up alongside the first time around the legendary Isle of Man roadrace circuit. Maria won’t forget her first adventure ride in a hurry.

From Tourist Trophy to Ténéré Tragic

Maria Costello is from a small village in Northamptonshire, UK. She started short-circuit road racing in 1995 and went on to compete in the British and European Superstock Championship. In 2002 she had the opportunity to compete in the Isle of Man Manx GP and immediately became the fastest woman to race there. Having a taste for the 37-mile circuit, she returned to the race the TT and became the fastest woman to lap the course in 2004. She also became the fastest woman at the Ulster Grand Prix.

Maria has supplemented her racing career with training, mentoring and public speaking. She coaches at Woman on a Motorcycle track-day experiences and still races bikes – Including classics – at invitational events such as Goodwood Festival and Australia’s Barry Sheene Festival Of Speed.

In 2009 she was awarded an MBE for services to motorcycling by Prince Charles at Buckingham Palace. Her biography Queen of Bikers is available on Kindle.

Keep track of Maria’s exploits at www.costelloracing.com

Clubby, the ultimate Ténéré Tragic, led the way.

73 ADVENTURE Rider

The ’83s were honoured as always.

off-road Test

Honda Africa win? CRF1000L

Honda’s Africa Twin is getting plenty of praise, but we know from experience new owners will seldom have anything bad to say about a bike they’ve just paid for. We grabbed someone whose opinion we valued and asked him for his early thoughts on the new bike with the old name.

Inverell, NSW, is a great place to live if you ride adventure bikes. And Vince Strang Motorcycles is one of the best things about the New England area. What Vince himself doesn’t know about building and tuning bikes isn’t worth a Dick Smith gift voucher. He’s a good bloke for spotting a good coffee-and-scones deal and a raving DR650 fan too.

So when we saw Vince was riding an Africa Twin, we knew he’d give us

the good oil on the new bike.

“It’s the CRF1000A,” said Australia’s leading supplier of DR bling.

“That means it’s the middle-of-therange model, equipped with ABS. It looks a little bit fancier in the colour scheme too.”

The three different models are the CRF1000L Standard (no ABS or traction control), CRF1000LABS (with ABS) and the CRF1000LABS-DCT (with ABS and Dual Clutch Transmission).

“I thought for just a little extra

outlay there’s a fair few more bells and whistles on the ABS model. And it’s useful stuff, too,” offered Vince. “There’s the three-mode traction control and the ABS, which can be switched off for the rear wheel. I found that to be a good thing. Sometimes the ABS would interfere off-road, and I didn’t like that.

“It is only on or off for the ABS. There’s no middle settings.”

Overall Vince is enjoying the bike, and he kicked off with it bone stock.

Vince Strang

“First of all we took it straight out of the box and I went for a reasonable sort of a ride. I did a couple of dirt roads, one of which was all washed out and disused. I was surprised the bike felt fairly stable.

“I headed back and the wife said, ‘I’d go for a ride on that!’, so we did 100km two-up on it. I thought it was a little soft, so I wound up the preload front and back.

“I went out again, still with the standard tyres, and I thought, ‘Gee. That’s so much better!’ It really made a noticeable difference.”

Vince hammered on and felt the suspension was particularly supple and compliant in the early part of its stroke, but wasn’t overly soft.

Next Vince fitted some fullblock knobbies.

“The tyres made the thing heaps better,” was Vince’s verdict.

“I put a Pirelli Scorpion on the front and a Pirelli Rally on the rear, and they were as noisy as shit on the road!” he laughed, “But off-road grip was hugely improved.

“It’s really supple in the first little bit of the suspension, and standing up and riding it feels really controllable. On second-gear forestry roads you can hang the back out nice and gently. I was really impressed with the handling. I don’t know whether it’s the extra length of the wheelbase or the power delivery, but it’s just easy to control. It’s not the greatest jumper in the world, but it was great fun on the slippery grass, hanging the back out and brake-sliding it.”

Vince felt the smooth engine was a big contributor to the bike’s good handling behaviour.

“It doesn’t feel blastingly powerful,” he said thoughtfully, “but it certainly gets cracking when you rev it. The low-end smoothness makes it really good just trickling around, and if you open the throttle a bit it gets real excited.”

There was a log crossing that didn’t go to plan, and Vince was impressed at the way the Honda coped.

“I thought it was going to be a bit of a test, and I aimed at a little rock before the log to kind of bounce the front over. But I missed the rock and the bike humped over the log. The suspension just soaked it right up, and the weight of the machine meant it didn’t bounce or anything. I thought, “Gee. That was bloody good!’”

Overall Vince felt the suspension on the CRF was much better than he expected it to be, given the bike’s mass and intended purpose. He felt the motor was strong and smooth, and handling was good.

On the bitumen?

“On the road it’s damn good. It is so nice. You come out of the bush and it’s so quiet and smooth on the road. Highway speeds are effortless.”

But it was Vince’s final comment that winded us:

“If I was doing the basic road tracks to Cameron Corner, onto the Strzeleckie and down to Arkaroola, I’d take the Africa Twin instead of my DR…if I could stand the heartbreak.” Crikey.

specs

ike

bHonda CRF1000L

Web: www.hondampe.com.au

Engine: Liquid-cooled, eight-valve, parallel-twin, four-stroke with 270-dgree crack and uni-Cam

Capacity: 998cc

Bore x Stroke: 92.0mm x 75.1mm

Carburetion: PGM-FI electronic fuel injection

Transmission: Constant-mesh six-speed MT/six speed DCT with on- and off-road riding modes

Clutch: Wet, multiplate with coil springs, Aluminium Cam Assist and Slipper clutch

Final drive: O-ring sealed chain

Ignition: Computer-controlled digital transistorised with electronic advance

Start: Electric

Front suspension: 45mm fork, 230mm stroke four-pot radial calliper, fully adjustable

Rear suspension: 220mm stroke, hydraulic spring-preload adjustor

Brakes front: 310mm dual wave floating hydraulic disc with aluminium hub and radial fit four-piston callipers (*ABS) and sintered metal pads

Brakes rear: 256mm wave hydraulic disc with two-piston calliper (*ABS) and sintered metal pads. Also Lever-Lock Type parking brake system on DCT model

Wheels: 18/21-inch front and rear

Seat Height: 870mm/850mm

Wheelbase: 1575mm

Ground clearance: 250mm

Fuel capacity: 18.8 litres

Kerb weight: 228kg (Std), 232kg (ABS), 242kg (DCT)

personal locator beacons

Bet your life

If you’re not carrying some kind of satellite tracker or communication device, you’re a mug. There’s a few different types available that allow various levels of communication, but when someone’s life is hanging in the balance, it’s hard to beat a PLB.

Adventure riding often has riders tackling isolated and difficult terrain, and that usually means high risk for the rider as well as difficult communication. Communication is difficult because there just aren’t any people around, and because mobile phone reception is patchy or non-existent. This is a very big country and it’s still not covered by mobile-phone carriers.

Satellite communication is the answer. Whether riders choose a SPOT tracker, an InReach unit or a sat phone, chances of being able to contact someone, especially for help, are greatly increased.

But these units are

u

Main: There should be a PLB in every group of riders. Below: A PLB – Personal Locator Beacon – is usually smaller and lighter than an EPIRB.

B&B Full page ad here to come

personal loca

still compromises. They’re all commercial enterprises using rented satellite resources. If you’ve let your subscription lapse, bad luck. If the volume of traffic has overloaded the commercial satellite network when you need it, tough. If the receiver in the foreign call centre hasn’t been properly trained or is having a vague day, sorry. You’re on your own.

A PLB or EPIRB, on the other hand, uses a satellite network solely dedicated to search and rescue work. That’s all it does. If someone activates a distress beacon operating on the COSPASSARSAT network, anywhere in the world, that signal will be received and acted upon by the relevant search and rescue organisation as quickly as possible. In Australia it’s the Australian Maritime Safety Authority.

Get it right

Before we get started let’s get a couple of terms straightened out.

‘EPIRB’ – Emergency Position Indicating Radio Beacon – is a term that gets bandied around a bit. People often talk or write about carrying an EPIRB, and there’s no problem there. But to be technically correct, an EPIRB is, by legal definition, a marine unit, and to meet the criteria to qualify as an EPIRB, the units generally need to be a little larger and heavier than Personal Locator Beacons – PLBs.

Right: There’s no subscription to pay with a PLB. Battery life is around 10 years.

So, in general, it’s PLBs we’re talking about for adventure riders.

PLBs only serve a single function. All they do is send a distress signal. They can’t send text messages or plug into a mobile phone to make calls. There’s no subscription to pay or plans to sign up to. Battery life is around 10 years. Thanks to the dedicated satellite system, the PLB is the most reliable vehicle adventurers have for sending a distress signal. Activating a PLB will alert the Australian Maritime Safety Authority that someone’s life is danger, and the people at that agency will take immediate steps get help to that location.

Register

It’s important to register a PLB. Mark Knowles, General Manager of Kinetic Technology International, Australia’s only manufacturer of PLBs and EPIRBS, explained: “When search and rescue services receive an emergency signal, the beacon identifies itself through a unique identifier that no other beacon in the world

has. When a beacon is registered, the owner inputs the serial number, manufacturer and some personal details like a phone number. The owner can also register a mode of transport – bike, boat, four-wheel drive or whatever – and any issues, like if a person’s anaphylactic or asthmatic or has other health problems.

“So not only can search-and-rescue go looking for you, they can make sure they have any equipment on board that your personal situation may need.”

At the end of the day, the point of registration is to help the owner of the beacon.

Procedures

The overwhelming number of beacon activations are false alarms, so AMSA’s first step when it receives a distress call is to phone the number registered to the beacon.

If someone answers and says they were packing their gear and didn’t realise they’d activated the beacon, no harm done. But if the phone call results in a strong likelihood the call is genuine, AMSA will dispatch help the best way it

SES or other rescue organisation, or it might mean getting in touch with a station owner or general store in some very isolated areas. We heard one incident where the nearest help was a boundary rider out checking fences. AMSA will do its best to get someone on the scene as fast as humanly possible.

Choosing a PLB with GPS capability helps a bit here. The signal from these PLBs also includes a lat/long coordinate that allows AMSA to pinpoint the beacon’s position with a high degree of accuracy.

Don’t forget the basics

So even though you may be carrying satellite comms in one form or another, at least one person in every group should carry a PLB. It’s just good common sense. The other very valid point to remember is your first port of call in an emergency is good ol’ 000. AMSA pointed out that in extreme cases, sometimes hearing a human voice say, “Okay. We know where you are and we’re on our way,” can make the difference between a person hanging on or giving up. The one-way satellite beacons don’t offer that.

Still, if there’s a life in danger, a PLB is your best bet.

Think about that.

suchactivitieswasrunningout. TheAPCRallyfromtheextremewest theextremeeastofAustraliasounded interesting,butneitherwerekeenonriding inlargegroups.Maybetheycoulddothe sametrip,butatadifferenttime a smallergroup? wenthomeandstudied APC routeandfiguredalotofitwouldbe not-so-attractiveriding,and cameup with shorteralternativechallengeof goingfromthesouthtothenorthof Australiabytheshortestpossibleroute. ThatmeantgoingfromtheheadofThe GreatAustralianBighttothelowestpoint oftheGulfOfCarpentaria. Approvalsandpermits Unfortunatelyit’snolongerpossibletogo northfromtheheadoftheBightnearthe NullaborRoadhouseandfollow Trans Pacificrailwayline.Theline nowleased to privateoperator,andthere’snopublic accesstotheraillineeasementastoomany 4WDtouristswerehavingvehicleproblems andflaggingdowntrains.Asthenextopportunitytogonorthwas atCeduna,thatseemed logicalstartpoint. It’snotpossibletodrivetotheedgeofthe Gulfatitsmostsoutherlypoint,Burketown, duetotheextensivetidalsaltflats.Theboat rampontheAlbertRiver,sixkilometresout ofBurketown,istheclosestpointtorideto, sothatwastheobviousfinishpoint. Rosshas travelhabit.Whenstart andendpointsaren’tdirectlylinkedby majorroads,hedraws lineonthemap betweenthemandthenselects route thatsticksasclosetothatlineaspossible. Headoptedthesameapproach this trip,thenexaminedwhereapprovalsand permitswouldberequiredtotraverse private,leasehold,governmentand aboriginal-controlledlands. Arielsup Thehighlightofthe36-hourtriptrailering thebikesfromtheVictorianhomebasewas lunchboughtfromtheCWAladies’stallin themiddleofthemainstreet Orroroo, andthechatwiththeireldestmember, 87-year-oldEdna.Weweregreetedbyawild,wetand windyCeduna.Afteramealoflocal whitingandacoolnight’ssleep,ourfirst

enteredtheWoomeraProhibitedArea, wherepermitsarerequired,andtookthe mainstationaccessroadtoMulgathing, thenminorstationtrackspastMuckanippie OutstationontoCommonwealthHill Station. wasdarkbythetimewefound IngomarStation. challengingExitinghomesteadsisoftenthemost navigation,anddespitethe directionsfromtheyoungstationhand “goovertwogridsthenturnleft”–wegot chasedwrong.Fortunately,oneofthejackaroos downandsentus thecorrect pathalongtheoldStuartHighwayinto CooberPedy. Geoffhad fuelissue,limitingspeed toaround70kph,butweencountered veryfew’roos,andarrivedjust before9.00pm.So,afterbookingintotheunderground RadekaBackpackers,weenjoyedpizzasand beerswhilechatting groupof10ridersfromtheAdelaideArielMotorcycleClub. Theywereabouttostartatripacrossthe SimpsonanddowntheHayRiver–noton The On little motorbikes Sharp-eyedreaderswillnotethecolumnfromTouratechimporter RobinBoxismissingthisissue.That’sbecausehe’sbeenatadbusy. TohelpcelebrateYahama’s60thanniversaryinAustralia,andasa testforSafariTanks’newYamahaWR250Rreartank,fourridersset offonasouth-to-northcrossingofAustralia,ridingtheshortest possibleroute.Here’sthestoryoftheirverydirecttrip.

dayemergedasovercast,threatening, andnotveryinviting. breakfast,Aftertheobligatorybacon-and-eggs wegrabbedtheceremonial ofSouthernOceanwaterandheaded northfor40kmthroughcroppingcountry, weavingourwayalonggoodstraight roads,sittingback,grippingthetank firmlywiththekneesandgrippingthe throttlefirmlyandtheclutchlooselyto achieve rigidbodyandbikeframe. Once themalleescrubonGoogsTrack, relentlesssandhillsweresimilar the SunsetCountryinVictoria,butthedamp, firmsandwasn’tasfavourableasexpected, or mayjusthavebeenrustyridersgetting usedtoheavyloads.Thescrubwascatching Barkbustersandmirrors therewere fewearly,low-speedspills. UHFradioheadsetswithinhelmetshad seemed goodideauntilthethreeelderly ridersmanagedtoripthewireoutofthe plugswhendistanceofdislodgedriderfrom bikeexceededcablelength.Wefollowed cameltracksandeventuallycaughtupwith acamelthatdisappearedbeforeanyone couldsnap photo.

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Preparing for adventure

Building the Yamaha WR250R for the Bight To The Gulf ride

hen we decided to ride from the Great Australian Bight To The Gulf of Carpentaria via the shortest possible route – see issue #14 –there were a few attributes that needed to be closely adhered to.

For a start, the bikes of choice needed to be light, reliable and require very low maintenance. Good fuel economy was also imperative and they needed to be easy to handle and comfortable for long periods in the saddle. The only modifications allowed would be necessities, as sometimes problems arise if you move away from the standard specification.

After much consideration Yamaha’s WR250R with standard gearing was the choice. We were fortunate in having the well-

proven work done by Lance Turnley in building the WR250R adventure bikes over the past couple of years.

In order to tick all the boxes, we needed to find out what existed and what didn’t exist for that bike, and our subsequent modifications all helped to make the trip a huge success. Over 2228km we achieved all the goals we set out to achieve, and the modifications to the WR250R fitted the bill to a tee.

Incidentally, after completing the Bight To The Gulf ride, two of the four riders then added on a quick trip to Cape York, just to further prove the effectiveness of the little Yamaha over long distances and rugged terrain.

Following are the modifications we made to the bike, and the reasons behind them.

Servicing: Dismantled the swingarm, suspension and headstem bearings. Generally, bikes come with the minimal swipe of grease, so we ensured they were fully greased.

Words: Robin Box.

Tanks: Making the Safari Tank pattern for the 10.3-litre rear rallye side pods. We also added the 13.7-litre Safari Tank to bring the total up to 24 litres. Fully loaded the bikes would do around 25km per litre in normal outback conditions. Consumption dropped to 22km per litre in strong headwinds at speed or in deep sand where speeds were under about 40kph. We thought the side pods would impact on our riding, however, they were one of the biggest highlights of the trip. We could use them as a leg rest when standing. That’s why this set up has been standard on rallye bikes in events like Dakar. It improves rider comfort and reduces fatigue.

Wiring: The tank bags were wired for a USB- and cigarette-lighter socket so things could be charged on the run. We needed to be self-sufficient for multiple days. GPS units were direct-wired, and the LED auxiliary headlight (50mm Clearwater LED lights) wired directly into the high beam, requiring no relay. The lights give daylight-type riding conditions with full, 180-degree spread. They’re brilliant up to 80kph with their spread beam, and great for spotting kangaroos. Over that speed they didn’t throw the light far enough.

Handlebars and protection: The bike was fully stripped down and ready for the build. The Barkbusters, Tag Lo Pro Tech grips and heated grips have already been added. These were wired into an active wire that was only live when the key was on so the battery wasn’t accidentally drained. Tapered Tag hi-bend handlebars with risers were fitted.

robin box

Fairings: Made in-house by Safari Tanks, fairings had the Lance Turnley-designed graphic kits, made by Ringmaster Images, added. The fairings improved rider comfort, and there were no extension screens because of the heat (good airflow over the riders was needed in tough conditions). The fairings helped the fuel economy on the more open sections of the ride, and the indicators and fairings coped with the impacts and falls without damage. They’re a well-proven addition to an adventure experience.

Tank mounting: Fabricating the rear-tank brackets.

preparing for advenTure

Seats: The Seat Concepts seat can be purchased as a new cover and foam, or as a complete seat. They still allow for good movement, but give a nice, wide area when sitting. The extra width and support makes a big difference on long-haul sections.

racks: The rear tanks were made to be compatible with the Australian-made Barrett racks and Scagg tail rack. A Yamaha GYTR exhaust replaced the stocker.

uAir filter and airbox: Hayden from Uni Filter sent some pre-cleaner filter foam and a sock was made to go over the intake under the seat and help the main Uni Filter do its job. One of the bikes had a series of 25mm holes cut in the air box door, and a sheet of pre-cleaner foam in the air box. The door was then shut to secure it in place. This was similar to what Honda did on the XR650R to open up the sides of the airbox on their rallye bikes to give them access to cleaner air, not in a negative-pressure air zone from under the seat or behind the rider. A downside to this is if you are in deep water. The pre-cleaner sock on the intake snorkel was brilliant and was all that was needed. The extra holes in the airbox door didn’t make much difference, either to power or air cleaner clogging. The WR250R has a well-sealed area in the air pick up, with foam sealing strips on the seat and on the rear guard, which stops the rear wheel dust in the negative air getting into that area.

schemes: It was Yamaha’s 60th anniversary, so the bikes were prepared in the company’s colours over the six decades.

A B&B bashplate protected the motor and a Force Accessories product the radiator.

Colour

Pannier

Guards:

Luggage: The

Removed from the WR250R

R Airbox flap and vacuum server

R Original exhaust and butterfly server unit and cables

R Original handlebars and grips

R Original 7.5-litre fuel tank

R Seat cover and foam

R Original headlight shroud and side shrouds

Tyres

Dunlop 606, Mitas E09 Dakar, Michelin Desert, and Michelin Baja were used between the four bikes. There were no punctures over the entire journey. The Dunlops probably had the most life left after the trip.

Stand outs

R The 10.3-litre pod tanks for volume and riding ease. They gave a range of between 520km and 610km, depending on conditions

R Seat Concept seats

R Tag Lo Pro Tech hand grips were soft and very comfortable –the best I’ve used

R Fairings on the open sections

R Reliability of the Yamaha WR250R

R Staying with the standard gearing

R How well the bikes and the modifications did their job with zero problems

WR250R fully set up with the Andy Strapz panniers, Touratech waterproof rear bag and Giant Loop Diablo tank bag.

adventure-riding tips Use it

lose it or

Riding an adventure bike well takes a lot of skill, especially when you start riding in technical terrain or slick conditions. Most riders have learnt individual skills, either from formal training or simply from watching and figuring out things on the go. Like any sport, practicing these skills will improve technique and a rider’s overall skill set and confidence level.

So far I probably haven’t told you

much you don’t already know. My point is, some riders probably don’t spend enough time practicing these basic skills. So they might not be improving as much as they could if they spent a few minutes every ride simply practicing, playing around and having fun.

A few ideas

Really it’s just a matter of taking a few minutes here and there and practicing some of the basics that

Miles Davis points out that with motorcycle riding, no amount of practice will make you perfect. But the more practice you do, the better off you’ll be.

will ensure you keep improving as a rider. It could be a little slow-ride session in the car park while you’re waiting for your mates to get ready at the start of a ride, or playing on a ledge or embankment on the side of the track while you’re waiting for mates to fix a flat. There are so many opportunities. You just need to be open to them. Here’s few that spring to mind:

R Slow riding, especially slow figure-eights, are a great way to

Words: Miles Davis

improve throttle/clutch control and balance

R Slow-speed rear brake skids, either straight or with a slight turn, are great for throttle, clutch and brake control

R Slow-speed, clutch-pop wheelies are a perfect way to improve your skills for riding over obstacles or getting up technical climbs

R If standing up doesn’t come naturally to you, force yourself to do it sometimes and you’ll find it easier when it’s really required

R Attempting a short, steep slope from a standing start is great for learning how to maximise traction, creating drive and momentum. It’s gold when you really need it

R Slow-speed throttle application in the gravel on the edge of a track is a great way to improve throttle steering and control. The possibilities are endless, but one thing is certain. If you don’t practice what

you’re not good at or comfortable with, you won’t make much progress. It’s not rocket science is it?

Never ends

If you’ve never done formal off-road training, you may not know what to practice, or you may be practicing the wrong technique, which isn’t ideal. But if you have done some training you should be able to recall some of the key exercises and give them a go. If you haven’t taken part in quality training you’re probably selling yourself a bit short. Maybe think about doing some. I doubt you’d regret it.

I was racing mountain bikes almost 20 years ago on the World Cup and US circuits, and I still ride now for fitness and fun. I still practice some skills and can tell I’m still improving, which is pretty funny.

The same with certain skills or simply practicing riding smooth for my motorcycle riding. For me, it’s one of the things I love about riding bikes: the challenge, enjoyment and the satisfaction of improving. And the only way you get this is by putting in the time.

Who wants to learn how to wheelie?

Hapy trails?

Far left: It’s a good idea to spend a little time on each ride practicing basic skills. The opportunities are there, even on level, open roads.

Left: If you haven’t taken part in quality training you’re probably selling yourself a bit short. Maybe think about doing some.

Below: Practicing the basics might still mean the occasional stumble. Just ask the editor.

Image: Marty HC

Main: Conditions were tough at the first two rounds of the FIM CrossCountry Rallies World Championship.

Right: The Husky FE450 Scott built for the first two rounds had no major problems.

Scott Britnell

The journey to the 2017 Dakar continues.

Last time we spoke to Scott was in issue #14. At that time he was looking to get some time on a rally bike. When we caught up with him this time he’d just completed his first two FIM Cross-Country Rallies World Championship rounds. He carded a creditable 17th in Abu Dhabi and two weeks later backed up to take an incredible sixth at Qatar. We caught up with Scott for a very brief chat on his return to Australia.

AdVRider: We had a close look at the Husky FE450 you’d built just before you left. You’d done a lot of research and imported a few parts. How did it go?

Scott: The bike held up very well. It made it through both events without any real mechanical dramas whatsoever. I was happy with the build. There were a couple of brackets at the front that failed due to the constant vibrations on the hard going, but it didn’t effect the bike’s performance. Time was against me during testing, but the rear-tank system I bought came with its own customised airbox that sapped some top-end power. I just didn’t have time to come up with a solution for that.

AdVRider: Last time we spoke you’d spent so much time on paperwork and organising you hadn’t had any

time to ride for several months. How did you cope physically?

Scott: I hadn’t done much riding at all, and then the weekend before I left for Abu Dhabi I had a big getoff on the 690 Rallye and landed heavily on my shoulder. So I was behind the eightball a little from the start. I found both events very tough physically, but I now know what a real rallye environment is like and how tough it is on the body.

AdVRider: What was the biggest eye-opener of real rallyes compared to your expectations?

Scott: Just how tough it is to stay focussed for a full a 350km special stage.

AdVRider: You’ve successfully

completed two rounds of the FIM Cross-Country Rallies World Championship on your way to starting Dakar. What’s the next step?

Scott: Raising the funds and getting my hands on a real rallye bike to prepare for the Malle Moto class, and then raise the funds to get to Dakar itself.

AdVRider: What’s your plan?

Adventure Rider Magazine had sneak peak at the bike just before it was sent. Niiiice!

Anyone wanting help Scott get to the startline at Dakar in January can log on to www.gofundme.com/2t429cec?

Scott: I have a GoFundMe site started, and I’m hoping that’s going to help get me there.

Keep an eye on the Adventure Rider Magazine website and Facebook page for a big fundraising exploit coming soon!

BMW’s two-day GS “Adventure bike” training courses are the ideal way to learn and develop the skills to take your GS further off the beaten track. Courses are designed for riders of all levels and our world-class instructors will take your riding to a totally new level. Hire bikes are available at some venues. Our dates for the remainder of 2016 are:

Broadford VIC

June 11-12 SAT-SUN Level 1 sold out - wait list only

September 16-17 FRI-SAT Level 1 Hire Bikes Available

September 18-19 SUN-MON Level 2 Hire Bikes Available

Dargle NSW

June 18-19 SAT-SUN Level 1 sold out - wait list only

June 20-21 MON-TUE Level 2 Hire Bikes Available

August 13-14 SAT-SUN Level 1 sold out - wait list only

August 13-14 SAT-SUN Level 2

Conondale QLD

August 26-27 FRI-SAT Level 1 Hire Bikes Available

August 28-29 SUN-MON Level 2 Hire Bikes Available

Kirup WA

October 21-22 FRI-SAT Level 1

October 23-24 SUN-MON Level 2

W bmwmotorrad.com.au/OffRoadTraining E offroadtraining@bmw.com.au

new products Checkout

Grip puppies

A high-tech, foam sleeve that slips over existing hand grips.

R UV stable

R Reduces vibration

R Increases comfort

R Work with heated grips

RRP: $31.50 plus postage

Available from: Andy Strapz

Phone: (03) 9770 2207 Web: www.andystrapz.com

Yamaha bY akrapovic TiTanium slip-on muffler

An Akro for the Super T. Awesome!

R Exclusive decal with Super Ténéré logo

R Made from high-quality, heat-resistant titanium alloys

R Sophisticated design enhances the performance and looks of your Yamaha Super Ténéré

R Creates an exciting sound

RRP: $1193.63

Available from: Your local

Authorised Yamaha Dealer or Y-Shop Web: www.yamaha-motor.com.au

Gearlok

urban pack for DucaTi mulTisTraDa enDuro

A great option for a great bike.

Urban Pack includes:

R Top Case

R Tanklock flange

R Power extension with USB port

R Tank pocket bag

RRP: $1598 including GST

Available from:

Authorised Ducati dealers Web: www.ducati.com.au

A new look for the cable to lock your helmet, jacket, backpack or any other accessory to your bike.

R 150cm long

R Braided, galvanised-steel

R Plastic-coated

R Adjustable length

R User-set, four-digit combination code on lock

R Cable available separately

RRP: Gearlok: $37.95 plus postage.

Cable: $21.95 plus postage

Available from: Rocky Creek Designs Web: www.rockycreekdesigns.com.au

Saving you from disaster!

R Protects your radiator and oil cooler from rocks and other debris

R Easy to fit

R Made from high-grade aluminium

R Adequate air flow

R Mounted onto the bike using an existing point

R Three-year warranty

RRP: $259. On special now for $169.20 Available from: Rad Guard Phone: (02) 6658 0060 Web: www.radguard.com.au

suomY mX Tourer

The editor won’t take the damn thing off.

R MX Tourer meets ECE 22.05, not the outdated AS1698 resulting in a lighter, more flexible design

R Australia’s lightest adventure helmet

R Internal dark visor

R Constructed from Carbon/ Kevlar composite

R Two-year warranty

RRP: $625 for graphics models.

$575 for plain white.

Available from: Motorcycle shops Australia-wide Web: www.australianhelmetimports.com.au

helD aerosec jackeT

Another editor’s favourite. He’s raving about this jacket!

R Two-in-one membrane: waterproof and breathable

R SAS-TEC 3D shoulder and elbow protectors

R Two waterproof external pockets

baGsTer peak backpacks

A bag for all seasons.

R Carrying handle with reflective branding

R Bottom exterior of the bag is reinforced

R Adjustment of thickness of the bag

R Elasticated section for bottle

R Zipped front pocket

R Rain cover stored in a dedicated pocket

R Elasticated support for clothing

R Wall of the inner bag is zipped for increased capacity

R Integrated pocket for storing a camel bag

RRP: $299.95

R Four external pockets

R Three inner pockets

R Internal phone pocket

R Map/document pocket

R Air-vent zippers

R Perforated Cordura panels on front, back and arms

R Height-adjustable arm adjustment

R Height-adjustable waist adjustment

R Hip adjustment

R Soft collar

RRP: $750

Available from: www.heldaustralia.com.au

R Adjustable chest, shoulder and waist straps

R Two outside pockets

R Pockets at the bottom of the bag and zip pocket on the front ventilated

R Removable sleeve with tactile screen

R Weight: Two kilograms

R Capacity: 42 litres

R Dimensions: 32cm x 24cm x 58cm

Available from: Carlisle Accessories Web: www.ctaaustralia.com.au

new producTs

leXX mXe klr muffler

More grunt for Kwaka owners. The Shop Bike is lovin‘ it!

R Can be changed from a race exhaust (46mm Race Tip) to a trail-friendly silencer (96db Quiet Core insert)

R Includes all mounting bolts, stainless-steel mid-pipe and parts needed for complete installation

R Engineered to improve torque and acceleration

R An increase of up to four horsepower on some machines

R Includes Quiet Core spark-arrestor

R Constructed of lightweight 6061 T6 aluminium and durable 304 stainless steel

R Easy to install

R No re-jetting required

R Pipes to suit most enduro bikes from Honda, Yamaha, Kawasaki, KTM, Husaberg, Husqvarna

RRP: $344.95

Phone: (03) 9013 2625

Available from: S3 Performance

For when it’s getting cold…like now!

R Two-piece undersuit for Autumn, Winter and Spring

R Layout of elements and materials for maximum compatibility to a motorcycle suit

R Powerstretch outer material with fleece inner layer and smooth outer layer

R Heat-regulating phase change material on chest, thighs and knees

RRP: Jacket $250. Trousers $180

R Windbreaker material on upper arms and kidney area

R High collar made of fleecy thermal Powerstretch

R Jacket with two zippered side pockets

R Trousers with comfortable rubber strap

R Unisex sizes XS – XXXXL

Available from: From all BMW Motorrad dealers Web: www.bmwmotorrad.com.au

venTure crash-bar eXTensions

These fit on the original KTM crash bars.

R Optimum protection for the plastic fairing parts

R Integrates perfectly with the original KTM crash bar on the R models

R Friction fits on to original bar

R Impact is distributed in the best possible way

RRP: $535.76 including GST

Available from: shop.touratech.com.au Web: www.touratech.com.au

kaWasaki WinTer Gear

Don’t let the cold stop you looking sharp.

R Baseball jacket – youth and adult sizes with Kawasaki logo front and back. Distinctive pinstripes on knitted collar and cuffs

R Slouch beanie – Kawasaki brand on one side, race-team logo on the other

R T-shirts – Sprocket and Emblem Ts in men’s, ladies’ and kids’ sizes. Green Ninja T in kids’ sizes only

RRP: Jacket $93.99. Slouch beanie $20. Sprocket and Emblem shirts $32 each. Green Ninja shirt $30

Available from: Your nearest Kawasaki dealership Web: kawasaki.com.au/dealers/find-a-dealer

Warp 9 Dr650 billeT brake peDal

DR650 bling.

R Made in the USA

R Pin mounts in frame eliminating premature wear

R Pedal rides on roller bearing for smooth movement

R Arm is machined billet aluminium

R Durable 8mm thick arm

R Includes brake-snake cable and frame tab

R Black arm with black tip

R Tip will slide to three different positions

RRP: $179.95

Available from: Adventure Bike Australia Web: www.adventurebikeaustralia.com.au

falco

Maximum comfort with D30 intelligent shock adsorption.

R Full-grain oil-treated leather upper and High-tex membrane

R Contoured PU moulded shin plate

R D3O material ankle cups

R Micro-adjustable buckles closure

R Leather heat shield

R Heavy-duty textured Vibram sole

R Made in Italy

RRP: $339.95

Available from: Your local dealer Web: www.ficeda.com.au

moToZ TracTionaTor aDvenTure series TYres

Everyone’s talking about the Tractionators. We can’t wait to try them.

R The world’s most technically advanced adventure tyre

R Multi-siped (thin slits across the surface) block design increases cornering performance and confidence at high-speed

R Optimized block layout for a larger contact point

R 25-per-cent stronger carcass construction than other adventure tyres

R Uniquely designed tread blocks self-protect for long life and self-sharpen for better traction

R Optimized hybrid natural/synthetic compound produces maximum grip designed for the hot Australian climate

R 30 per cent more tread depth than most adventure tyres

R Used by hard-core adventure riders Nick Selleck (maschine.com.au) and Rob Turton (Tyres 4 Bikes)

RRP: Front $139.95. Rear $249.95

Available from: Your local dealer Web: www.jtr.com.au

new producTs

sW-moTech heaDer pipe GuarD

Must-have protection for your exhaust.

R Protects the header pipe against stone chips and debris

R Air ducts for thorough ventilation

R Made from stainless steel with brushed-surface finish

R Available for tube diameters of 32mm-50mm and 50mm-70mm

R Length: 30cm

R Easy to fit

R Flexible and therefore easy to adapt to the exhaust’s contour

RRP: $36.00

Available from: Motorrad Garage

Web: www.motorradgarage.com.au

GianT loop rTW panniers

Another great luggage option from Giant Loop.

R Over 90 litres of luggage space

R Waterproof

R Light weight

R Top loading

R Main compartment has roll-top closure

R Two five-litre pockets

R Two waterproof inner-liner drypods included

RRP: $875 plus postage

Available from: AdventureMoto

safari: The book lives

The printer has discovered the last 19 copies of the rare edition in warehouse. Be quick if you want to grab a pride-of-placer!

R Covers 1984 to 2004 year by year

R Absolutely never to be repeated offer

R Over 500 previously unpublished colour pics

R A genuine, brandnew collector’s first edition

R Complete Wynn’s and Australian Safari history

R Large format hardback on gloss art paper. 300 pages

R Lists all competitors and results. Settles all arguments.

RRP: $120 including pack and post

Available from: Peter Whitaker

Email: pedrontweed@hotmail.com

Phone: (07) 5599 5763

masTech crash bars for bmW r1200Gs lc

Engine and radiator protection for your R1200GS LC.

R Constructed from heavy-duty carbon steel

R Steel has been sandblasted and chemically treated before powder coating

R Neat fit

R Nice lines

R Peace of mind

RRP: Lower crash bars $168.95. Upper crash bars $168.95

Available from: Adventure Motorcycle Equipment

Email: www.adventuremotorcycle.com.au

b&b africa TWin raDiaTor GuarD

Keep your new CRF1000 radiator in good shape.

R Maximum front impact protection

R Maximum roost and debris protection

R Maximum airflow

R Removable finned louvre panel

R Easy fitment no mods required

R All parts available individually

RRP: $195 - $215

Available from:

B&B Off Road

Web: www.b&boffroad.com.au

bikeservice T-hanDle sockeT Wrench seT

T-bars rock. Every rider should have a set.

R Enable quick removal of motorcycle fasteners

R Eliminates the need for ratchet, extension and socket

R Made from drop-forged and heat-treated chrome vanadium steel with carbon steel handle

R Six-point, deep-socket design

R Eight-piece sets: 6mm, 8mm, 10mm, 12mm, 13mm, 14mm, 17mm and 19mm

R 140mm (BS1711) and 300mm (BS1710) length sets available

R Includes stand for ease of tool selection and storage

RRP: 140mm set $131.49. 300mm set $142.49

Available from: www.motoplace.com.au

forma DominaTor TX 2.0 off-roaD booTs

Forma keeps the great products coming.

R CE-certified quality

R Microfibre and synthetic upper

R Pivot Flex Control System

R Forma off-road anti-slip sole

R Hi Tech rubber Heat Gripper panel

R Unbreakable alloy buckles

R Stainless toe caps

R Thermoformed inner moisture-wicking lining

R Anti-bacterial, replaceable footbed

R High-quality European production

RRP: $439

Available from: Forma dealers Phone: (03) 5792 3888 Web: www.formaboots.com.au

kTm 1190r Wheel seT

Brand new in your KTM dealer this month!

R Heavy duty

R Tube-type

R Suits 1190R only

DUA L SPORT AUSTRA LIA

DISCS ONE, TWO A N D THREE

Thousands of kilometres of premium dualsport and adventure riding on route sheet and as GPX les. Disc Three is out now. Check the e-store for availability.

SUBSCRIPTIONS & BACK I SSUES

Have your copy of Adventure Rider Magazine sent to your front door.

MOTORBIKIN’ DVDS

Phil Hodgen’s almighty range of hard-core adventure-riding DVDs. The most exciting, raw and entertaining adventure riding to ever hit your TV or computer.

A DVENTURE R I DER

M A GA ZINE T -SHIRT

Tell the world who you are and what you do. Strictly limited edition. Get ’em while you can.

A DVENTURE R I DER MUTIFUNCTION

JUM P ST A RTER

Super light (221g) multi-function jump starter is an extremely useful tool and emergency power backup for your car, iPhone, laptop, tablet, Camera and many more. Perfect for emergency jump starts. Was $129.00 Now only$89.00

KTi - THE ULTIMATE

ADVENTURE RID ING

DISTRESS BEA CON

Provides SIX independent means of rescue:

Q406MHZ Transmission

Q121.5MHZ Homing Signal

QGPS Location

QVisual Strobe

QSignal Mirror

QWhistle on Lanyard

Manufactured in Australia

10 Year Battery. 10 Year Warranty.

$299

fit out

Honda Accessories

Honda’s Africa Twin has hit Australian shores with a wallop and Honda Australia has unveiled an arsenal of genuine accessories guaranteed to let you take the adventure further. Heated grips, LED fog lamps, hard luggage and a high windscreen all feature within the Honda Genuine Accessories line-up, and there are a few unique inclusions to enhance the riding experience.

Wind deflectors and wheel stripes are available, along with all the accessories shown here. Perhaps the most interesting is a DCT (Dual Clutch Transmission) foot-pedal shifter for those who prefer a more traditional experience. These accessories are available now from your local Honda Dealer. Visit, or call 1300 1 HONDA (1300 1 46632).

Backrest Pillion comfort step

Heated grips

Smoked windscreen

High and low seat

Pannier set

Accessory bar Top box

Carrier bracket 12v accessory socket

DCT pedal shift

High windscreen

Front LED fog lamps Main stand

READY FOR ADVENTURE.

ALU RACK QUICK-LOCK (FROM $182) WITH TRAX ADVENTURE TOP CASE ($621)

($91)

($73)

SIDE CARRIERS QUICK-LOCK (FROM $438) WITH TRAX ADVENTURE SIDE CASES ($639)

BRAKE RESERVOIR GUARD ($55)

TANK BAG GS ($328) WITH QUICK-LOCK EVO TANK RING ($100) AUXILARY LIGHT MOUNT ($64) CRASH BARS ($365) HEADLIGHT GUARD ($146) KOBRA HAND GUARDS ($237) GPS MOUNT QUICK-LOCK ($109)

CHAIN GUARD ($91)

BRAKE CYLINDER GUARD ($51) SWING ARM SLIDERS ($164)

GUARD / BASH PLATE ($383)

FOOT PEGS ON/OFF ROAD ($182)

($109)

Around the corner or around the country, the KLR650’s incredible versatility and rugged go-anywhere attitude make it the ideal commuter for negotiating the city streets and the perfect travelling partner for clocking up countless kilometres across

beyond where the pavement ends and to where adventure

• SLIMMER, IMPROVED MULTI-CONTOURED DIMPLED SEAT COVER

LARGE REAR CARRY RACK

• POWERFUL DUAL GLOBE HEADLIGHTS

• SMOOTH, TORQUEY LIQUID COOLED ENGINE

LARGE 22L FUEL TANK FOR EXTENDED TOURING

• IMPROVED HIGH-PERFORMING FRONT AND REAR SUSPENSION LOADS OF GENUINE ACCESSORIES AVAILABLE

Need help deciding…? ask the Kawasaki Expert www.kawasaki.com.au/kawasaki-expert

kawasakiaus

www.kawasaki.com.au

Available in Candy Lime Green and Matrix Camo Grey