Adventure Rider Magazine is published bimonthly by Clemenger Media.
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Tony Clemenger
Editor Ray Vysniauskas
Contributors
Heather Ellis, Ben Cichero, Christopher Many, Maddi and Oli
Philipa Tlaskal, Lala Barlow, Lance Mitchell, Gary Wood, Amanda Zito, Chris McCallum, Damien Codognotto, Ray Vysniauskas, Wendy Crockett and Ian McPhee
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Copyright Adventure Rider Magazine is owned by Clemenger Consulting –Clemenger Media Sales and published by Tony Clemenger. All material in Adventure Rider Magazine is copyright and no part may be reproduced or copied in any form or by any means (graphic, electronic or mechanical including information and retrieval systems) without written permission of the publisher. We welcome ALL contributions but reserve the right to accept or reject any material. While every effort has been made to ensure the accuracy of information, Clemenger will not accept responsibility for errors or omissions or for any consequences arising from reliance on information published. The opinions expressed in Adventure Rider Magazine are not necessarily the opinions of, or endorsed by, the publisher unless otherwise stated.
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Welcome to the latest edition of Adventure Rider Magazine.
I know we’re a bit late in getting this issue on the stands, and I apologise for that, but as the new editor I’ve been working hard to establish better processes to ensure Adventure Rider is published in a more regular cycle.
It’s no secret that life is tough in the publishing world right now, but we hope that by reaching out to the readers and riding public we can establish a magazine that genuinely reflects the wants, needs and aspirations of motorcyclists.
It’s also obvious these days that social media is a big part of any media enterprise, and work is taking place to get the website, Instagram and Facebook pages up to speed. We are having some trouble getting admin rights to some of these, but work is progressing and we should be fully in control of them soon. This issue we have some great stories from riders all over the world, and a nice array of approaches to adventure riding. While Ben and his mates headed from London to Brisbane with not much more than a good old ‘give-it-a-go’, Maddi and Oli planned carefully for their trip to the top of Nepal.
Heather has put her new CFMoto
450MT through its paces and gives her impression of what has been one of the hottest selling bikes for the last few years.
As we are a print medium, we’ve previewed quite a number of books in this edition covering everything from travel to cooking tips, some serious humour as well as some riding and living philosophy.
I got out to chat to MotoInk who have really grasped the new age of motorcycling with their CFMoto, Royal Enfield and Suzuki dealership and kicking goals with their much more nimble boutique approach to selling motorcycles.
We hope to have Damien Codognotto as a regular contributor, putting light on the latest legislative constraints on Motorcyclists, and this issue he highlights some concerning trends regarding e-scooters which may be of serious consequence to riders.
But for now, put your feet up and have a good read of our latest, and remember we welcome feedback and contribution from all of you, and want to properly reflect and report on the grass-roots of motorcycling.
Last month, I offered up some motorcycle travel inspiration to read (The Moment Collectors Asia). Now let’s take it to the next level and be immersed into three days of motorcycle travel stories, tips and meeting some RTW travellers (round the world) in person. Welcome to the Horizons Unlimited Motorcycle Travellers Meeting in Thornton (near Brisbane), Queensland from 2-5 May 2025 over the Labour Day long weekend. Organiser Shane Kuhl has booked a diverse line up of
speakers, tech sessions and workshops including yours truly. You will come away with your mind buzzing with ideas as well as making a whole bunch of new like-minded friends. A Horizons Unlimited Motorcycle Travellers Meeting is three days of motorcycle travel nirvana. I’ve only been to one HU event, in Perth back in 2018. HU events were once held annually in Australia, but HU Qld will be the first for several years mostly due to getting things going again after COVID. This one also
marks 25 years of HU events. A lot goes into organising an event attended by nearly 200 riders and pulling together an experienced line up of motorcycle travellers. But there’s a number of Horizons Unlimited events held internationally every year and for this 25th anniversary there are HU events in the US, Canada, Ecuador, France, Germany, Switzerland, Austria and Romania.
If you’ve never heard of Horizons Unlimited, then you need to check out the website www.horizonsunlimited.com. But its not just filled with motorcycle travel info, it’s a community of overlanders (as motorcycle travellers are often called), who are there to share everything you want to know: paperwork, shipping your bike, border crossings, reviews of motorcycles and gear, what to take, what not to take, how to stay safe, women’s topics and more. If you’ve got a question, someone will answer it in the forum or there is a whole discussion on the very topic that concerns you. There’s also a blog page and a ‘Travellers Seeking Travellers’ page if you don’t want to go alone or would like to meet up with others while on the road. When I travelled Africa, Europe and Central Asia back in the mid 1990s there was nothing like Horizons Unlimited. But thankfully, two veteran motorcycle travellers, Grant and Susan Johnson from Canada, wanted to share their experience. They travelled around the world two up on a 1986 BMW R80 GS for more than 11 years starting in 1987 and since then have travelled through over 50 countries. They started Horizons Unlimited to help others live their own dream… and from the website, the HU events evolved.
Embarking on an overland motorcycle adventure can be scary for the uninitiated but HU and specifically HU meetings like the one in Thornton, Queensland show you how to turn your dream into reality. It’s where you’ll meet people who’ve travelled RTW or to parts of it by motorcycle and meet others like you who are thinking about it. Plus there’ll be riders who are riding around OZ and Thornton is a stop on a
journey that may have just taken them through the Middle East and South East Asia or elsewhere. But there’s plenty of interstaters as well as HU meetings brings together riders from all over Australia. They pack their bikes (including me), and most turn up on the Friday for the three days of motorcycle travel nirvana. Some have known each other for years; some met by chance in some distant country on some obscure road; and others meet at a HU event. You can imagine what the atmosphere is like over those three days and nights with a campsite filled with riders, their bikes and tents. The conversations; the stories shared. And this is all before the presentations, tech sessions and workshops begin on the Friday afternoon and run till Sunday evening.
As well as a diverse line-up of speakers you’ll learn tips on preparing for your own trip; how to set up your bike; the latest in navigation wizardry, photography and filming, and travel writing if there’s a book in you or you’d like to share your adventure in magazines like Adventure Rider.
There’s also The Adventure Travel Zone where you can check out offerings from equipment specialists, manufacturers, tour operators, adventure travel film-makers and authors and the HU store. And to finish it all off on Sunday night, there’s an open forum where all your questions on transporting bikes, visas and preparation are discussed with advice offered by those who have done it.
Shane says since there’s not been a HU meeting in Australia for a few years, and this is the 25th Anniversary, this one will be big. It’s a long weekend of talking motorcycle travel, talking bikes, swapping stories, learning about motorcycle travel and sharing some good food.’
For details and to register go to: www.horizonsunlimited.com/events/ queensland-2025
Horizons Unlimited Qld is held at Camp Kokoda, Thornton, Queensland from Friday, 2 May (registration opens at 1pm) to Monday morning, 5 May.
Four Aussies inducted into the Australian Motorsport Hall of Fame; Stoner elevated to Legend status
Motorcycle racing has four more inductees into the very exclusive Australian Motorsport Hall of Fame – supercross superstar Chad Reed and International Six Days Enduro (ISDE) heroes Jessica Gardiner, Tayla Jones and Jemma Wilson –while two-time MotoGP world champion Casey Stoner has been elevated to Legend status.
The ceremony took place at the 2025 Formula 1 Australian Grand Prix in Melbourne on March 13, with Reed, Gardiner, Jones and Wilson inducted alongside four other motorsport luminaries: Chris Matheson (Top Fuel motorcycle drag racing), Leo Geoghegan (Gold Star champion and Japanese Grand Prix winner), David Sera (an 18-time national karting champion) and John Sidney (speedway and NASCAR crew chief).
This year’s ceremony brings the total number of inductees in the Hall of Fame, which celebrates the achievements of Australian motorsport over 125 years, to 99.
Meanwhile, Stoner is now officially a Legend alongside Sir Jack Brabham, Alan Jones and fellow MotoGP icon Mick Doohan, who was a special guest at the induction ceremony.
Stoner’s induction recognises his outstanding contribution to the sport, with 38 Grand Prix victories, including six consecutive wins at Phillip Island, and World
Championships in 2007 and 2011.
The trailblazing trio of the now retired Wilson, Gardiner and Jones combined to win the Women’s World Trophy at the ISDE from 2013-2018, with Gardiner and Jones also scooping individual honours during a golden period for Australian enduro.
Gardiner and Jones are still eyeing off a seventh Women’s World Trophy, too, putting themselves in the mix for selection at this year’s event in Italy!
Membership of the Australian Motorsport Hall of Fame is so exclusive that it accounts for less than one inductee per year since motorsport first began in Australia on January 1, 1901, the day Federation was declared.
Motorcycling Australia is a stakeholder alongside Motorsport Australia, Karting Australia, Australian National Drag Racing Association and Speedway Australia.
Other motorcycle racing inductees include Phil Crump, Jason Crump, Eric Hinton, Stefan Merriman, Gary Flood, Ken Kavanagh, Mat Mladin, Billy Sanders, Troy Bayliss, Kel Carruthers, Wayne Gardner, Leigh Adams, Troy Corser, Tom Phillis, Lional van Praag, Craig Dack and Jack Ahearn.
Above: Aussie star power: (L to R) Tayla Jones, Jemma Wilson, Casey Stoner and Jessica Gardiner.
Got Your Back – A Road Safety Campaign Born on the Highway
By Chris McCallum
Driving from the Gold Coast to Sydney over the Christmas break, I found myself hyper-aware of motorcyclists on the road—especially with the wet, unpredictable weather. As a rider myself, I made sure to give bikers plenty of space, avoid splashing them with road spray, and double-check my mirrors before changing lanes. But as the kilometres rolled by, it became clear that many other drivers weren’t doing the same.
By the time I reached Coffs Harbour— after witnessing a couple of near misses—I couldn’t shake the idea that many drivers simply don’t understand the challenges motorcyclists face, especially in poor conditions. I started
Thecountdown for the inaugural MXGP of Australia to be held from 19 - 21 September 2025 has begun, and recently event organisers unveiled a sneak peek at Australia’s latest and most exciting international-level motocross track.
Set to be one of the most exhilarating and technically complex tracks ever on Australian soil, the stateof-the-art design will push the world’s best motocross riders to the limit when the world motorcross championships return to Australia for the first time in 24 years.
Unlike typical Australian motocross circuits, Hidden Valley’s new track is being constructed to meet strict international premium standards, allowing for larger jumps, faster straights, and
thinking: what if there was a simple way to show riders that a driver is looking out for them?
That’s when the phrase “Got Your Back” popped into my head.
The idea was simple: a sticker on the back window of a car, instantly recognisable to motorcyclists, letting them know that the person behind the wheel is bike-aware and looking out for their safety. I called my wife Kate— an incredible graphic designer—and asked her to bring the concept to life.
But we didn’t want to stop at stickers. We also wanted to educate drivers who might not realise just how vulnerable riders can be. So I started scripting short voiceovers and videos that
offered quick, relatable tips on sharing the road safely. With help from some mates in media, we recorded the first batch and pulled together a series of short, shareable social media clips.
Within two weeks, we had stickers in hand and videos online. I posted the idea on a couple of motorcycle forums with a link to a simple website—and it took off. Fast.
The response was incredible. Emails rolled in requesting stickers every few seconds, and by the end of the day, our first run of 200 was gone. Kate and I spent that night printing envelopes
more technical obstacles.
The permanent 1.6 km track will feature 22 corners, 21 jumps, and a 90-metre start straight that dramatically crosses the Hidden Valley Road Racing Circuit.
Designed to be both unique and challenging, the track includes a rolling waves section, a massive triple step-up, and 100-foot (30-metre) jumps - promising heart-pumping, adrenalinepacked action.
Jeff Leisk, Australian motorcross legend and the first Australian to win a World Motocross Grand Prix in 1989, said: “The design Protraxx has delivered is epic. The world’s best riders want to be challenged – pushed to the absolute limit of control – to gain an advantage over their rivals. This track has all the elements to do just that.
“What I also love about the
and packing stickers by hand. The next day, we ordered 500 more.
Thanks to Sticker Direct in Coffs Harbour, who have been incredible at turning around our orders quickly,
design is that spectators will be able to see most of the track from almost every vantage point. And because it’s part of the Hidden Valley Motor Sports Complex, it has all the facilities needed to make the fan experience worldclass. Kudos to the NT Government for bringing MXGP to Australia.”
Talking to Adventure Rider, Leisk added that being the first motorcross international meeting held in Australia for many years it will allow quite a number of wildcard entries for Australian riders looking to showcase their talent on the international stage.
Designed by Protraxx, Australia’s leading motocross track builders’ experts, the track’s 70% sand and 30% clay blend will provide an ideal surface that rewards skill and precision.
The track was also carefully designed to utilise the natural undulations of Hidden Valley – making it one of the best spectator tracks in the world. With almost every viewpoint offering a clear view of the entire circuit, fans won’t miss a moment of the action.
we’re now about to send out our 2000th sticker. We’ve also been lucky to receive support from generous sponsors like Richard at Black Pup Moto and Castambul Classic Cycles, who stepped in to help cover the growing cost of postage—including international requests we never expected.
What’s blown us away is how the message has resonated—not just with riders, but with drivers too. One motorist told me that having the sticker on his car reminds him, every time he gets behind the wheel, to be more aware of bikes. On a recent drive, a rider tucked in behind my vehicle in bad weather and stuck with me for hundreds of kilometres—maybe because he knew I had his back.
There are, of course, other bike awareness campaigns out there. But with motorcycle accidents and fatalities still far too common, I figure there’s no such thing as shouting this message
Delivered by the award-winning Northern Territory Major Events Company (NTMEC) in partnership with Infront Moto Racing and Motorcycling Australia, the MXGP of Australia will be the thrilling finale to the 2025 FIM Motocross World Championship.
Broadcast to more than 100 countries and a potential audience of more than 700 million worldwide, the Event will feature a round of the Women’s Motorcross World Championship for the first time in Australia.
The highly anticipated event will feature the MXGP and MX2 categories, the FIM Women’s Motocross World Championship (WMX), and national support classes.
The MXGP of Australia will also feature a unique Australian twist, with the debut of a ‘State of Origin’-style support classes for MX3 and MX85 –showcasing the future motocross stars from all over Australia.
Northern Territory Major Events Company Interim Chief Executive Officer, Trevor Cox, said:
too loudly. If this little sticker can help protect even one rider—or spark more mindful driving across the board—then it’s all been worth it.
At the end of the day, I just want to make the roads a little safer—for myself, for my mates, and for everyone on two wheels.
“We’re incredibly proud to unveil the design of the new MXGP of Australia track right here in Darwina world-class course designed to challenge the world’s best riders and thrill fans. This purpose-built track not only showcases the Northern Territory’s capability to deliver major international sporting events but also creates a legacy for motorsports in our region.
“Hosting the MXGP for the next five years will be a huge tourism drawcard, bringing thousands of visitors to the Territory and injecting millions into the local economy. It’s an incredible opportunity to put Darwin and the NT on the global motocross stage while supporting local businesses, creating jobs, and sharing our unique destination with the world.
“We can’t wait to welcome the world’s best riders to experience this incredible new track at Hidden Valley.”
All tickets and packages for the MXGP of Australia 2025 are on sale now at mxgpaustralia.com.au
Kate
Beyond the Blacktop: Adventure Riding with a Purpose
Theroar of an engine, the lean into a winding bend, the vast Australian landscape stretching before you – these are the joys that bind us as motorcyclists. But what if that passion for two wheels could fuel something even greater?
For decades, Variety – the Children’s Charity NSW/ACT has masterfully blended the thrill of motoring with a profound commitment to supporting kids in need. You might know their legendary Variety Bash, but have you experienced the unique call of their motorbike events, catering to everyone from nimble postie bike riders to seasoned adventure riders?
The Variety Adventure Ride perfectly embodies this spirit. Imagine carving through breathtaking scenery, discovering hidden gems, and conquering roads seemingly sculpted just for our machines – all while contributing to a cause that truly matters. This isn’t just another ride; it’s an opportunity to explore the heart of Australia with fellow enthusiasts, united by a love of adventure and a desire to make a difference.
This meticulously planned sixday adventure leverages over four decades of experience in orchestrating successful motoring events. Expect expertly curated tracks and trails, with every logistical and safety aspect considered to ensure a seamless and secure experience.
Crucially, your participation directly fuels Variety’s vital work, as each rider commits to raising funds that go directly to supporting children in need across New South Wales and the Australian Capital Territory. These funds are not just numbers; they translate into tangible support, providing specialised equipment for children with disabilities, funding vital learning resources for schools in remote communities, and offering a helping hand to families facing hardship. When you join the 2025 Variety Adventure Ride, you’re not just enjoying an unforgettable journey, you’re directly enabling these life-changing opportunities for young Australians to thrive.
Variety – the Children’s Charity NSW/ CT CEO, Tony Warner, explains the
profound impact of these events:
“Like all of our motoring events, the Variety Adventure Ride plays a vital role in raising funds for kids in need, particularly those in remote and regional areas where families and schools often face challenges in accessing the resources required for each child to reach their full potential,” he said.
“We provide a full support crew, including a baggage vehicle, medical and mechanical teams, to take the stress out of everything and enable our riders to enjoy the best planned riding event,” Tony added, highlighting the seamless experience offered.
“It really is the ultimate feel-good experience – getting your adventure bike out on the road and having great fun with old mates or new friends, all while knowing you’re giving back to the community.”
This year’s adventure, departing from 14-19 September, promises an unforgettable journey through the challenging mountain passes and breathtaking vistas of the Blue Mountains and Wollemi National Parks. We’ll take on the Bridle Track, follow the twisting Turon River and visit the villages of Sofala and Hill End. From there, the route unwinds along the scenic roads of the New England region, where panoramic views and the exhilarating freedom of the open road await. This promises to be a truly special event, an opportunity for adventure
motorcyclists to immerse themselves in the stunning beauty and diverse terrain of their own backyard.
The 2025 Variety Adventure Ride is your chance to connect with like-minded riders, forge lasting friendships, and create memories that will stay with you long after the kickstand goes down.
For over four decades, Variety has honed the art of crafting unforgettable motoring adventures, and the Adventure Ride is no exception. We meticulously scout for that perfect blend of engaging roads, thrilling routes, and truly memorable experiences. The ultimate reward? Hearing riders ask, “Where are we heading next year?!” as the dust settles on another incredible journey.
and delicious meals, and even uncover those hidden gems and welcoming communities that might otherwise remain unseen.
But this adventure offers more than just exhilarating riding. We intentionally weave our routes through smaller, often overlooked communities, allowing us to deliver crucial financial grants to their local schools. This unique aspect of our motorbike events means that riders who have dedicated months to fundraising get the profound opportunity to witness firsthand the tangible difference their efforts make in the lives of these children and their communities.
Imagine the impact of providing a remote school with vital STEM equipment, filling their library shelves with new books, or bringing the simple joy of bikes and sports gear to eager young faces. These are just some of the ways Variety grants empower local schools to meet the unique needs of their students.
Long before the first engine roars to life, our dedicated team hits the road, testing every kilometre from a rider’s perspective. We assess the challenge of the terrain, identify potential hazards, confirm comfortable overnight stops
For 50 years, Variety’s vision has been to create a future where every child, regardless of their circumstances or abilities, feels supported, included, and empowered. Our motoring events are a powerful engine in driving this vision forward, delivering vital grants to schools and community groups in remote and regional areas. And the added benefit? The lunch and overnight stops inject valuable support into these local economies.
None of this would be possible without the incredible dedication of our passionate fundraisers – the heart and soul of this endeavour. Their tireless efforts, engaging friends, family, and even workplaces, fuel the grants, programs, and scholarships that Variety provides.
The impact of this collective passion is undeniable. Just last financial year, a staggering $2.1 million was channelled to help kids in need, making a tangible difference in the lives of over 58,000 children through 362 grants across NSW and the ACT. These are not just numbers; they represent real opportunities and brighter futures. Every rider brings their own flair to
fundraising, whether it’s rallying their workplace, tapping into the generosity of friends and family, or even orchestrating their own creative events – the legendary Bunnings BBQ being a prime example! Variety provides a comprehensive toolkit to support your fundraising adventure, including an easyto-use online platform that tracks donations and fosters a little friendly competition amongst riders. Because ultimately, crossing that finish line knowing you’ve raised vital funds for kids in need makes everyone a winner. So, if the call of the open road resonates within you, and the thought of combining your passion for riding with a truly meaningful cause ignites your spirit, then the Variety Adventure Ride is waiting. It’s more than just a ride; it’s an adventure with a purpose, a chance to experience the beauty of our country, connect with fellow riders, and most importantly, make a real difference in the lives of Australian kids who need it most. Find out more and register today.
Join a legendary crew on the Variety Adventure Ride! Travel six glorious days packed with expertly chosen trails and tracks, all backed by the smooth operation and safety know-how we’ve built up over 40 years in motoring events.
This year we’re taking on the challenging tracks of the Blue Mountains & Wollemi National Parks, ticking the Bridle Track and Turon River region off our bucket lists before cruising the winding roads of New England from 14-19 September, so don’t miss out. Ready to ride and make a difference? Limited spots available for the 2025 Variety Adventure Ride. Sign up now! variety.org.au/adventureride
Tayla Relph Announces New Team Naming Rights for 2025 WorldWCR
With the highly anticipated 2025 FIM Women’s Circuit Racing World Championship season upon us, Australian rider Tayla Relph has announced a new team name, with the sole Aussie team now racing under the Full Throttle Racing banner.
Previously known as TAYCO Motorsports in 2024, Relph says the new Full Throttle Racing name better embodies the team’s core values heading into the new season.
Full Throttle Racing is an evolution of Full Throttle Coaching, a motorcycle
coaching business run by Relph and her partner, Ted Collins.
Formed in 2021, the dynamic duo has built Full Throttle Coaching into a reputable business, teaching more than 500 riders since its inception.
Relph says that Full Throttle Coaching has cultivated a dedicated and passionate riding community, and the introduction of Full Throttle Racing is an exciting way to bring their clients along for the journey.
“We have built such an incredible riding community through our business, and we know how much our clients loved following along last season. Now, I feel like we get to bring a piece of us into the WorldWCR Championship while also working towards the next
e-scooters and e-Bikes causing concern for Motorcyclists
We’ve all seen the unprecedented growth in electric scooters, skateboards and bikes over the last few years, often travelling at speed on footpaths by helmet-less riders, but it is a situation becoming more than a mere annoyance for the motorcycle industry.
The following incident and series of correspondence, sent to us by longterm motorcycling safety advocate
Damien Codognotto OAM, has highlighted how the behaviour of e-scooter riders might ultimately impinge on motorcycle enforcement, legislation and insurance premiums.
Eyewatch - Greater Dandenong Police Service Area 13 March at 15:00 · SCOOTER RIDER INTERCEPTED
Currently the Greater Dandenong Highway Patrol unit have been tasked with targeting motorcycle offences and to reduce the motorcycle road toll.
Whilst travelling on Lonsdale St, Dandenong, the Dandenong Highway Patrol were confronted by a male on a e-scooter travelling in excess of the
legal 20km/h speed limit on the wrong side of the road, nearly colliding with the police car due to his brakes not working.
Due to the scooter being capable of travelling more than 25km/h, it is deemed to be a motorcycle.
The male’s licence was suspended, he refused a Preliminary Oral Fluid test, no helmet, no registration, and the scooter did not comply with roadworthy standards.
He will confront the Dandenong Magistrates at a later date.
The first response from Damien was: The MRAA strongly opposes unregistered, step-on escooters ever being deemed to be, or classed as, a motorcycle. This further distorts data on both crashes and offences. Rubbery figures lead to bad decisions by road authorities and the lack of respect for law abiding, fee/premium paying, motorcyclists. Misleading statistics increase motorcycle road trauma.DKC.
Which led to him writing to the Victorian Ministers of Police:
ANTHONY CARBINES MP
Minister for Police Victoria
DAVID SOUTHWICK MP
Shadow Minister for Police Victoria
Dear Sirs, Dandenong Police “Eyewatch” published an extraordinary article that has the Motorcycle Riders Association Australia (MRAA) very worried. At a time when road-registered motorcycle & scooter riders are suffering a high serious injury and death rates, we do not need already inadequate motorcycle crash data further distorted with unregistered, step-on scooter riders.
Our advice is that the legislation was not intended to class unregistered, step-on scooters as motorcycles in any situation. Who decided deeming stepon scooters to be motorcycles should be done? How do police determine if a step-on scooter is capable of going faster the 25 kph before turning a casualty or offence into motorcycle data? If step-on scooters can be deemed to be motorcycles because they can go faster than 25 kph, why aren’t bicycles also deemed to be
Image: WorldWCR
goals that Full Throttle Coaching wants to achieve in the future,” Relph said.
Full Throttle Racing Team Owner Ted Collins hopes the announcement will help shift perceptions of the team beyond being seen as a ‘rookie team’.
“This season of WorldWCR, we’re going in with a whole new perspective. We are an entirely different team compared to this time last year — it’s like a fresh start for us, and introducing Full Throttle Racing is the best way to kick off the new season,” said Collins, who also co-owns Full Throttle Coaching.
“With a full year under our belt, the knowledge and experience we gained from the 2024 season allowed us to maximise our time in Australia during the off-season. We are entering the 2025 season in the best position possible.”
motorcycles?
The MRAA requests the practise of deeming step-on scooters to be motorcycles stop immediately in the interests of road safety and that crash data be amended appropriately.
Damien Codognotto OAM Spokesperson
The Motorcycle Riders Association Australia
Further, Damien wrote to Dandenong Police:
THE OFFICER IN CHARGE DANDENONG POLICE VICTORIA
Dear Sir/Madam,
Under what rule/regulation/legislation do VicPol deem an unregistered, step-on e-scooter capable of travelling over 25kph to be a motorcycle?
How does an officer determine an unregistered step-on e-scooter is capable of more than 25 kph? Are other toy vehicles deemed to be motorcycles in some situations?
Data on road-registered, CTP insured motorcycles & scooters is inadequate. Including step-ons and possibly other toy vehicles in data as motorcycles would distort statistics and be negative when deciding on road trauma countermeasures.
Damien Codognotto OAM
Full Throttle Racing has big aspirations and long-term plans, which Collins hopes will lead to even greater
Spokesperson
The Motorcycle Riders Association Australia
E-scooters are now permanently legalised in Victoria, allowing for both hire scheme and privately owned e-scooters to be ridden however under strict rules. Victoria Police website has some good information that you can refer to - Electric powered scooters (e-scooters) | Road safety | Victoria Police
Regarding what legislation we reference when determining if the device is an e-scooter vs motorcycle, the Road Safety Road Rules 2017 definition of e-scooter: electric scooter means a vehicle designed for use by one person that:
a) transports a person while the person is either - c (i) standing on the vehicle: or (ii) sitting on a seat that is structurally part of the vehicle or purposely built for and correctly installed on the vehicle; and
b) has 2 wheels (one in front of the other); and
c) has a footboard between the front and rear wheels; and
d) is steered by means of a handlebar; and e) has an unladen mass not exceeding
opportunities in the future.
“Transitioning from being a racer myself to taking on more of a Team Manager and Crew Chief role has been an exciting career move, allowing me to expand my presence in the motorsport world,” Collins said.
“The vision for Full Throttle Racing is to grow it into a full-fledged race team, not just in WorldWCR but also within the Australian racing scene.”
Relph made an impressive mark in her debut World Championship season, securing a maiden podium finish at Round 4 in Cremona, Italy, and finishing seventh overall as the highest-placed non-European rider.
The team’s first official outing will be at Cremona Circuit, Italy, for the first official test of the season on April 3rd & 4th.
45 kilograms; and f) has a maximum speed capability of 25 kilometres per hour when ridden on level ground; and g) can be propelled by both of the following –
i) one or more electric motors; ii) person pushing one foot against the ground; I have also enclosed a Vic Roads fact sheet for your reference.
The word “motorcycle” does not appear in the copy of the regulation/ law provided. Nor does it appear in the VicRoads fact sheet.
Who made the decision to deem step-on, unregistered escooters capable of more than 25 kph to be motorcycles? How do police decide that an e-scooter is capable of more than 25 kph? Why should step-on scooters ever be deemed to be motorcycles?
Damien Codognotto OAM
Spokesperson
The Motorcycle Riders Association Australia
As we can see, there is a lot to unpack in this exchange, and something that we, as the motorcycle industry, need to keep a keen eye on.
Image: WorldWCR
CFMOTO 450MT
The not-so little adventure bike making it big
Words: Heather Ellis Photos: Dave Hill
When I was asked to review the CFMOTO 450MT, I had just received some very bad news. I was in a state of mourning. Vince, my mechanic at Just Dirt Bikes in Melbourne’s outer west, had advised my 1991 Yamaha TT600 had been rather poorly rebuilt in London, nearly 30 years ago. ‘There’s a lot of damage. Some parts are no longer available,’ he said. ‘Don’t know how you rode it as far as you did,’ he added. From 1994 to 1997, I’d ridden my TT600 through Africa; motorcycle couriered on it in London; and then after its dodgy rebuild, ridden it across Central
Asia ending up in Vietnam. My next grand motorcycle adventure was to ride my TT600 from South to North America. As much as I resisted the idea, it seemed my only option was to buy a new adventure motorcycle with all its bells and whistles (electronic wizardry ABS brakes, suspension, torque, handling etc. etc.), which all comes with added weight. As Vince, at Just Dirt Bikes explained, even if we found the parts or ideally a good TT600 or XT600 engine, I’d still have the issue of sourcing parts while on the road. While the South America trip is in a distant future, in the meantime, I still
needed an adventure bike so after a period of mourning, my search began.
My focus was the lighter mid-range adventure bikes. It had to be under 200kgs, the lighter the better. It had to
have a low seat height for I am 165cm or 5ft 5 inches for us boomers. But not only must it be capable off-road, particularly on the myriad of tracks in Victoria’s High Country. My new adventure bike also had to be equally good on tarmac. It had to corner; have some grunt to overtake; filter in grid lock traffic; and all in a package under $10k. But most of all it had to be fun: it had to put a grin on my face. These requirements meant a limited line up of contenders: the CFMOTO 450MT, the Royal Enfield Himalayan 450 and the KTM 390 Adventure. Friends advised I cross off the KTM 390 due to its stalling issues and it’s not that great on road was another comment. It’s also high (830mm even with the lowering kit). Admittedly I didn’t ride the new Himalayan 450, but after sitting on the bike when I crossed paths with a new owner at a petrol station on Victoria’s Great Ocean Road, the ‘Himi’ felt rather heavy after riding the 450MT. So heavy,
in fact, that I struggled to get it off its low-angled side stand. The rather wide seat also meant I was on tippy toes even with its 825mm seat height, but it can be lowered. The ‘Himi’ also had that low bike riding feel and it looks a bit old school. The 450MT, on the other hand, is modern and sleek with a silky-smooth engine. And I love its ‘big bike’ feel, which gives the rider this ‘birds eye view’ so you can see what’s ahead but at the same time the rider sits low into the bike. It’s kinda like sitting in a comfy chair where you reach out and grab the wide handlebars. The 450MT with its seat height of 825mm might not suit a tall rider but the high seat option would sort this out. The bike can also be lowered to 800mm by simply moving the linkage bolt and lowering the handlebars at the fork clamps.
I’m not biased about where a
motorcycle is made as long as it performs and all its bits: engine power, suspension, handling and comfort work in perfect harmony. And the 450MT gave me just that feeling. I can’t say anything about its reliability. No one can. It’s only been on the market since April 2024. But CFMOTO has put the 450MT through its paces during testing with over 4,500 hours of trouble-free continuous operation under full load. I think that means close to red lining it.
I remember when I was travelling through China in 1997 (me and my TT600 on a train as I couldn’t get the permit to ride), there’d be the occasional local who’d hunt me down and take great pleasure informing me that China was the next super power. ‘China will rule the world,’ they’d say. Now that was nearly 30 years ago and while China is not ruling the world
Above: Crash bars are one of the must-have accessories and available to order online at CFMOTO.
Left: The 450MT is more than capable off-road, but you’ll have a lot of fun on road as well.
Right: Adventure bikes and riders come in all shapes and sizes. Dave Hill on his Honda Monkey bike joined my 450MT review ride through the Toolangi State Forest.
“ Their reputation continues to grow exponentially with CFMOTO, which was founded back in 1989. ”
Right: The 12cm full-colour TFT display panel has an inbuilt telematics module or T-BOX and connects to the CFMOTO RIDE App downloaded to your phone. An array of information is at your fingertips, including location if your bike is stolen, and Google Maps (update available March 2025), and it’s all free. No subscription is required.
yet, they have certainly shaken up the motorcycle world with the 450MT. And with buyers continuing to line up for it, no one seems to care it’s made in China. And as far as reliability, there’s quite a few YouTubers who’ve flogged the shit out of this bike and it hasn’t broken down yet.
So while it’s still early days for the 450MT, let’s look at CFMOTO’s history and the history of motorcycle manufacturing in China generally. For years now Japanese motorcycle manufacturers have had their motorcycle parts made in China because it’s cheaper. But in recent years the Chinese have decided to get in on the action and do the whole gig themselves. As a result their reputation continues to grow exponentially with CFMOTO, which was founded back in 1989, a
leader and is in over 100 countries worldwide. The brand’s biggest seller is its ATVs and UTVs. When I picked up the 450MT from Mojo Motorcycles, the CFMOTO importer, its huge warehouse in Melbourne’s west was stacked to the brim with hundreds of crates and most contained ATVs and UTVs I was told. But a good number of those crates also contained the 450MT most on preorder to buyers who have been waiting months. Since its release in April 2024, over 1300 450MTs have been sold here. Dealers are shaking their heads saying they’ve never seen anything like it in bike sales. One of my riding mates had just bought the 450MT after two of his friends got in early. He couldn’t stop raving about it so I was understandably intrigued.
The 449cc parallel-twin engine
CFMOTO 450MT
of the 450MT was first developed for CFMOTO’s popular 450SR sports bike and has since been used in several CFMOTO models with the 450MT being the latest. The MT adventure range also comes in a 650cc and an 800cc. After seeing the stratosphere rise in adventure bike popularity combined with the huge gap that needed filling in the lighter weight adventure bike market, CFMOTO were quick to take advantage. Many other manufactures are still lingering in the dust, but they’ll catch up real quick (such as the near-production ready BMW F 450 GS), so let’s see what happens with the emerging competition for the 450MT in a similar price bracket of under
$10,000. Although the 450GS won’t be in the under $10K line up.
Let’s not forget the knowledge gained from CFMOTOs collaboration with KTM since 2017 to build motorcycle engines. Called the KTMR2R partnership, KTM contributed its well respected engineering expertise and CFMOTO its ability to keep costs down with manufacturing at its state-ofthe-art factory in Hangzhou in China. However, while the 450MT is built in the KTMR2R factory, its engine and bike are all designed and developed solely by CFMOTO. So it’s not a KTM in a different wrap, unlike the 800MT, which uses a redesigned KTM 790cc engine. When I picked up the 450MT from
Mojo Motorcycles, it had just over 1000kms on it and had just had its first run in service. As a press bike, it had been thrown around and carried a few scratches on its plastic fairings, which can be cheaply replaced as an accessory purchased online. I was to be the bike’s last reviewer as it would be on sold to a dealer, who’d happily snap it up. ‘Every motorcycle journalist who has reviewed the 450MT has bought it,’ I was told when handed the keys. Would I be the next?
With its rally-inspired design, what stood out immediately to me was how the 450MT looks like a mini-Tenere and I’m sure if I slapped some Yamaha branding on it, I’d fool a lot of people!
The only difference is the 450MT is half the price at $9490 . Yes, it’s got less power, but I quickly found the MT had more than enough grunt with my 65kgs onboard.
As I rode off into Melbourne’s rush hour traffic hemmed in by B-doubles loaded with shipping containers, I immediately felt at home on the 450MT. Like it was a long lost pair of well-worn slippers. But there was nothing ‘fuddyduddy’ about this bike. And I loved its super light clutch. What a dream. And the bike was very responsive, quick and nimble as I filtered between the trucks and opened the throttle to leave it all behind as I reached the Western Ring Road. But gaps between traffic here were all comfortably wide. As the 450MT sits high with the bars and mirrors at the same height of those many
SUVs and twin-cabs that populate our roads, I’d have my filtering wings severely clipped if I’d ridden through the city instead. While the mirrors have a swivel point and can be turned
“ It’s also a comfortable tourer and I had no butt ache after riding 700kms with very few stops during one of my rides for this review. ”
inwards to prevent damage while off-road, doing this in traffic doesn’t do much as the bars and mirrors are pretty much the same. Besides, you really do need your mirrors in traffic.
The CFMOTO 450MT was never a bike I’d previously considered but looking at the specs, it ticked several boxes. It suited my height to hold up its 190kg
weight wet (that’s with fuel and oil). When I first got on the bike, with its 17.5 litre tank full, it felt surprisingly light and well balanced. I could easily idle at traffic lights without putting my foot down. But once a few add on’s are fitted like Bark Busters, luggage rack, engine guards and maybe a B&B Off Road bash plate (if you plan on tackling more technical rocky tracks), the bike would be nudging 200kgs and that’s before luggage. Even as is, I could not lift the 450MTs 190kg as when it lays flat on the ground, I could not get leverage. I need to either hit the gym a bit more and practice my bike lifting technique or save my back and invest in one of those portable motorcycle lifter ‘thingys’. For future incarnations of the 450MT, it’d be nice if CFMOTO could shave off a few kgs here and there, but without
Above: John, Chris and Leigh got in early becoming proud owners of the 450MT soon after its release in April 2024. For my review, we took our bikes on a few forest tracks behind Marysville.
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losing any of its structural integrity and power. I’d say many a motorcycle design engineer from all the bike manufacturers spend many hours trying to do just that.
The 450MT has a good amount of torque for its 449cc liquid cooled parallel-twin engine that pumps out 42 horse power. This bike is LAMs approved so is well suited to new riders, and especially those keen to venture off-road, but it’s also a comfortable tourer and I had no butt ache after riding 700kms with very few stops during one of my rides for this review. The fuel consumption is 5.6 litres per 100kms. With a full tank, CFMOTO says you get 320kms. But I did better at around 4.5 litres per 100kms for its 449cc engine. When I fill the bike, the display tells me I can go nearly 500kms, but that all depends on speed and weight.
The windshield is also adjustable so can be raised to cut down on wind buffeting at highway speeds. I could do some serious kms on this bike such as my planned ride to Thornton, Queensland for the Horizons Unlimited motorcycle travellers meeting from the 2-5 May 2025. See my column for details.
You can read all the specs of the 450MT, but to be noted for its off-road capabilities is its 21 inch front and 18 inch rear wheels, 220mm of ground clearance and its superior KYB adjustable suspension that gives 200mm of travel front and rear. KYB suspension is also on the Tenere World Raid. Often bike manufacturers skimp on suspension to keep costs down, but not CFMOTO. It only comes with two rider modes, on and off-road, which you can change on the fly by simply pressing the ABS button which also disengages Traction Control.
When I first rode the 450MT, my only complaint was the very annoying jerky throttle especially at slow speeds in traffic, but I soon adapted and it was hardly noticeable. There is an update in the CFMOTO Ride App that you pair with the bike on your phone, which sorts out the jerky throttle. Other 450MT owners tell me they’ve overcome it by swapping out the 14T front sprocket for a 15T to increase the gearing, which drops the RPM down by about 500. There’s a whole array of features on the RIDE App once paired with the bike’s inbuilt T-Box system and it comes free so no subscription needed. And if you’re 450MT is ever
TRANSMISSION
Type: Six-speed
Final drive: Chain
Clutch: Wet, multiplate, CF-SC slipper
CHASSIS AND RUNNING GEAR
Frame: Tubular steel
Front suspension: KYB fork, adjustable compression and damping, 200mm stroke
Rear suspension: Single KYB rear shock, adjustable preload, compression and rebound, 200mm stroke
Warranty: Three years, unlimited kilometres (if serviced within authorised dealer network)
Colours: Zephyr Blue or Tundra Grey
“ Their reputation continues to grow exponentially with CFMOTO, which was founded back in 1989. ”
stolen, the app will tell you exactly where it is. Plus you get navigation via Google Maps on the bike’s TFT colour screen with an update on the RIDE App, available in late March 2025.
I’m going to bore you a little here with a few details about RPM. It’s just something that I’m into as I want my motorcycle engines to last. Personally, I found the bike sat nicely on 5500rpm at 98km/hr, 6000rpm at 105km/hr and 6250 at 110km/hr (maybe that’s why I’m getting such good fuel economy!). Plus keeping the 14T front works better off-road. As someone coming from a larger displacement bike, my 900cc Triumph Thruxton, and not use to having an engine happy at higher revs, I was a little concerned I was over-revving the 450MT. That was until CFMOTO reassured me that the 450MT engine, which was initially developed for a super-sports bike, can rev up to 10,000rpm. Its happy spot of
peak torque is 6,250rpm so the bike is running very nicely on road at around 110km/hr… but wait there’s more.
I can reduce the revs by running higher profile tyres, like a 140/80 rear (the 450MT comes with a 140/70), which will up the gearing so no need to swap out the front sprocket for the 15T. This means I don’t lose the low gearing off-road. A KTM owner I rode with on my review ride also recommended I look at the Heidenau dual sport off-road tyres in the 140/80 18 rear and 90/90 21 front. It’s got a great off-road tread pattern but good cornering stability and wet-weather grip on the tarmac. Being a hard walled tyre, he advised I run pressures slightly lower at 25psi front and 28psi rear. I’d need to look into this a bit more because for on-road riding low pressures mean hotter tyres, more wear and higher fuel consumption. The 450MT comes with Ching Shin
dual sport tyres in 90/90 21 front and 140/70 18 rear running both at the recommended 32psi. The three 450MT boys I did a ride with for this review, all recommended Shinko’s E804 front and E805 rear adventure tyre. The rear is also a 140/80.
The 450MTs electronic bells and whistles feature on its 12cm full-colour TFT instrument display, which beamed me into the modern bike era with an array of information at my fingertips. All is fully explained in the owner’s manual, and hats off to the technical
writer translating all this into ‘plain language’. They even included a few common-sense tips for new riders like avoid running low on fuel as it risks damage to the fuel pump. Oh, and with its high-end catalytic converter, only 95 or 98 octane petrol should be used. However, the occasional fill with 91 if you find yourself in remote areas is okay at a pinch. Being a liquidcooled engine, I found the coolant temperature was particularly useful especially as it’ll warn you when it gets close to 115C and engine damage is
imminent. However, there’s a cooling fan that kicks in at 90C and is pretty quick to drop any high temp. A high temp situation could arise for me if I found myself stuck while filtering in traffic on a scorcher when those gaps between cars narrowed. Service interval reminders are also taken care of, with a notice popping up on the display when the 5000km service interval is reached. You then reset this for your next service. The bike also comes with a three year warranty if serviced by a CFMOTO dealer or two u
Above: With its 21-inch front and 18-inch rear, the 450MT is more than capable off-road but corners just like a road bike on-road.
Below: The adjustable windshield can be lowered for off-road and once raised, prevents wind buffeting.
years if you do it yourself with oil, filter and parts purchased from the dealer.
The controls on the handlebars are all the same as any motorcycle, except the high beam switch. This is a tiny lever in front of the clutch leaver and is a real pain as I kept knocking it with my index finger. Not a big gripe but something that needs sorting, not that the high beam is anything to blind oncoming drivers. It has a two stacked
so they noticed too. The bike comes in two colours schemes, Zephyr Blue (with touches of pink) and Tundra Grey (with touches of lime green). Thankfully, I test rode the Tundra Grey. There’s a lot of accessories for the 450MT available online from crash bars, to bigger bash plates, luggage racks, engine protector covers, a side-stand plate so your bike doesn’t fall over in the mud, and my personal
The windshield is also adjustable so can be raised to cut down on wind buffeting at highway speeds.
narrow rectangular adjustable headlight system, which gives adequate light on the side of the road, but not for distance. Maybe an auto-electrician can install a better headlight set up for those who often ride at night.
The 450MT also has a nice throaty note like it’s had some expensive aftermarket muffler fitted. A few of my riding mates commented about this
favourite, stick-on tank and fairing decals so you can personalise your bike and even give it a bit of ‘street cred’ appeal. Some may even like the ‘Punisher’ themed decals! And like all online shopping out of China, all this stuff is surprisingly cheap.
So yes, I was so impressed with riding the 450MT that I did buy this slightly scratched press bike. While I like its
battle scars, I could easily replace the fairing panels very cheaply. I briefly considered selling my Triumph Thruxton as when I got back on my café racer after the comfortable upright riding position of the 450MT only one word came to mind: ‘horrible’. On the way home, I called into a motorcycle shop and told the dealer I was getting into adventure riding and had just purchased the 450MT. ‘Yes, you and everyone else,’ he said pointing to several big second-hand adventure bikes on the shop floor. ‘All these have been traded for the 450MT.’
And why wouldn’t they when for half the price of a big adventure bike, they get a smooth parallel twin engine with superior suspension and an expensive modern bike look without too many electronics. But have riders, myself included, jumped in too quick before any possible faults emerge? However, at an affordable price under $10k, this bike won’t break the bank. And, best of all, its a price that might just have more lapsed riders returning and new riders getting into the fun of
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motorcycling both on and off-road.
My aim now is to perfect my off-road riding skills. I’m still in awe of those guys ‘the dirt bike gods’ I rode with on my Cape York Motorcycle Adventures ride (read the story in Issue 66). And while I’m a long way from hopping the 450MT over logs and tackling gnarly-rutted uphill tracks, this bike certainly is and I just need to catch up.
And now for the good news! I’ve found all the parts needed for my TT600 via Motoritz in Germany. These guys rebuilt the 1987 Yamaha Tenere for Noraly of Itchy Boots fame. So my dream to ride my TT600 from South to North America still lives… But in the meantime, I have the 450MT for many an off-road adventure before I ride off into the sunset.
I could do some serious kms on this bike such as my planned ride to Thornton, Queensland for the Horizons Unlimited motorcycle travellers meeting from the 2-5 May 2025. See my column for details.
“Guided Tours for 2025/2026
Above: The stacked headlight looks like it will do the job, but high beam is not much chop for night riding.
Ape_Venture
Australia - South East Asia - Himalayas - Middle East - Balkans - Europe - England
Words & photos:
Above left: Flat number #? Jordan gets a flat mere hours after swapping a new tyre in.
Location 3 hours out of Kathmandu, Nepal.
Left: Bike building setup in Australia.
Above: Australian Road Train.
Main: The mountain range, Albania.
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Ben Cichero
It was early 2022, and my two friends and I were brainstorming holiday ideas after our Europe 2020 plans were cancelled due to COVID. Our 28th birthdays were just around the corner.
‘Boys, I’m thinking this has to be a big one’ said my quintessential Australian mate, Jordan. ‘How about one of those outback budget rallies, the ones where you can only spend $1,000?’ Tom suggested in an attempt to please Jordan’s aspirations.
‘What if we rode motorbikes to London?’
The three of us had next to no motorcycle experience, and Jordan didn’t even have a license. None of us were particularly in shape, nor do we have any expedition-based experience, yet it was decided in the heat of the moment that this is what we wanted.
Fast forward to June of 2023 and an Events
Coordinator (Tom), Office Worker (me), and Public Servant (Jordan), all submitted our resignations and enthusiastically began watching YouTube videos on how to ride around the world.
We all purchased stock Suzuki DR650s following receipt of some advice that they are the Land Cruiser of the motorcycle world. The weeks leading up to our July departure were filled with ‘Ben what is this and where does it go?’, ‘she’ll be right, right?’ and ‘why is smoke coming from my wiring loom?’
Disorganised and tragically behind schedule, we didn’t even get a chance to test ride our motorcycles with their recently added panniers. Our first stop was Noosa, a mere 90 minutes out of Brisbane.
We were exhausted from the highway ride and questioning each other over intercom on whether this was a good idea. Noosa is a beach town that is to Brisbane what the Hamptons is to New York.
Top: River crossing in Timor-Leste.
Above: Road bridge in Timor-Leste.
Left: Vietnam short-cut.
What happened when Jordan went to exit the main shopping centre car park? He lost his balance and the severely overweight DR slowly but surely dragged the 100 kilo, 6’2” man into the pavement. Land Rovers, Audis, Mercedes and BMWs all bore witness to this spectacle. Traffic steadily built up behind Jordan, who was yet to work out how to pick his motorcycle up. We were the literal definition of ‘all the gear, no idea’.
Our first stop was Timor Leste, and especially for Tom, for whom it was his first time overseas, the 22-yearold country was a stark contrast to Australia. Infrastructure over there is in its infancy, with electricity transmission lines closely resembling old headphones tangled after being in your pocket for too long.
At a local fish market, I saw a family of five riding on one 50cc scooter. A baby was sandwiched between the mother and father, a toddler stood in the footwell, and the eldest child teetered on the edge of the back seat. I thought of my family back in Australia, and how I would consider five of us in our hatchback as a tight squeeze. No one here wore helmets or jackets - just sandals, t-shirts and shorts.
While somewhat daunting at first, diving head first into a country such as Timor-Leste was probably a good thing. We learned some hard lessons straight away and travelled accordingly: do not trust Google Maps, carry provisions in case you get stuck, have an offline translator downloaded, do not drink tap water, set a meeting point in case we split up, pull off the road for a break before fatigue starts to set in and be cautious of meat sold on the roadside. The list could go on.
We were grateful to be completing our journey via land. Riding between well-trodden tourist towns meant that we were often travelling through rural outposts, that were rarely - if evervisited by outsiders. It was a special
Top right: Thailand.
Right middle: Road closures in Nepal.
Right: Right: Sunrise on Flores, Indonesia. Early start to the day after a 14 hour barge ride from Kupang to the next Flores. u
experience characterised by excitement and generous hospitality from the locals in each place we visited.
Tired and running well behind schedule on a hot Indonesian afternoon, we decided to make camp in a quiet field. As the sun set, we began to notice shapes moving through surrounding trees, which soon escalated to a small crowd inching in on our set up.
Having just crossed into the country, we had no internet access and began hand signalling sleeping motions to understand if we were allowed to stay. Local children enveloped us, picked up our tents and run away with them. We took chase, pushing our bikes with half-unpacked gear piled on the seats. Making our way through the foliage, we soon discovered our charades skills were out of practice,
and that our gesture of sleeping was misinterpreted for praying.
We prayed, greeted, sang and danced our way through the night, dreary eyed but extremely grateful for food provided by a village whose pride centrepiece was some corrugated iron held together by tree branches and string.
We sat young, joyful children on our foreign motorcycles, letting them beep the horn and rev the engine. Everyone was having the time of their lives. The next morning, we were given water from a dugout hole that utilised a tarp to prevent ground seepage and a massive plastic lid to prevent evaporation. This was a far cry from our treated and pressurised tap water.
Unplanned interactions such as these became one of our favourite aspects of the trip - experiences we
believe are unique to visiting communities insulated from tourist related development.
Reaching the northern-most point of our Southeast Asia loop, we found ourselves in the Vietnamese town of Ha Giang. This area is becoming synonymous with tourism for the scenic roads that connect mountainous
Top: Vietnamese Ferry Crossing. Transport in far North Vietnam near the Chinese Border. Attempting to skirt around know police checkpoints (Australian issued IDPs not valid in Vietnam, along with our bike...)
Below left: Tom’s crash in North India.
Below: Transporting Tom and his bike to hospital in North India.
Top Right: Manang, 3,500 meters. Pulling into the small hike staging town in Nepal.
Right: Testing the Albanian mud. Riding the Trans Euro Trail through Albanian river beds.
towns throughout the area.
Deciding that joining a guided motorcycle tour wasn’t in Ape_Venture style, we planned to follow a 40-kilometre single road from the Chinese border town of Giang Nam to Vinh Quang. One section of this route had several reviews, all stating it was impossible to pass even when it was dry. The alternative path to reaching Vinh was a staggering 150-kilometre detour. Against the advice of hostel staff, and with a 2-1 vote against a sick Tom, we set off on our short-cut to Vinh.
We allocated six hours for what was indicated to be two-hour ride, covering 30 kilometres in the first hour. We quickly decided that this was one of the best decisions we had made all week. As the road began to climb and narrow into a mountain range, we still felt competent.
Soon the bitumen changed to a cemented footpath, and not long after that it gave way to earth.
Jordan haphazardly led the convoy, determined to complete the final stint and settle in for a nice pho or Bahn mi for lunch. ‘This is not looking good’ relayed Tom from the middle of the pack, beginning to understand the warnings we had received prior to our departure.
Vegetation became thick on either
side of the pathway, which was regularly cut up by hazardous streams of water, turning our path into sludge. Second gear was soon completely out of the equation with the road resembling a hiking track cut into the side of a mountain.
Before we knew it, it was 1pm and we decided to give our batteries and starters a rest as we evaluated our situation. ‘Bro you are completely covered in crap’ Jordan laughed as he looked at me. I had been pushing the boys through tricky sections and was painted with mud from the rear tyres. It was four hours into the ride. We ate
emergency fruit that we had packed and cautiously sipped on our water bottles. ‘If we turn around its long way to Vinh. We could do that or push on for these next few kilometres and be at the town’ said Jordan.
We had issues understanding what laid ahead, as the mountain had no phone reception - something that didn’t fill us with confidence. We had not seen another person since mid-morning. Given we were already dirty and not far from our destination, we decided it was safest to push on. Unfortunately, our route began to seriously degrade, with all of us u
Above: Skardu, Pakistan. Highest cold desert in the world. A giant playground for any rally enthusiast.
Left: Lost on the Balkan TET.
Location Albania.
Bottom Left: Chasing access to the base of K2. Location far north Pakistan.
Top right: North Pakistan.
Bottom Right: Entering Deosai Plains, Pakistan.
wondering how this was even categorised as a traversable route.
The heavy DRs no longer had traction, forcing us to walk panniers uphill so we could scamper over mud and rock without the added weight. At 8pm I snapped my clutch lever. ‘Now we are really f*cked’ said Tom’, still battling remnants of a flu he had caught earlier that week. We weren’t carrying a spare either.
Sharing the last of our food and water over nightfall on the trail, we discussed at what point we would resort to the satellite phone. It was too far to walk to the nearest village off the mountain, yet our pace on the bikes was not much faster. Feeling tired, dehydrated and hungry, the next morning, we pushed on with an improvised zip tied spanner as a makeshift clutch lever.
This was the second time this particular spanner had saved us, as the battery on Jordan’s bike had died from the constant stalling and it was used to directly bridge to another battery for a jump-start.
Moral hit an all-time low when the
path that cut into a moss-covered rock section collapsed under Jordan’s bike.
‘We are so finished’ I watched Jordan lament, as he looked at his bike, now precariously dangling out over the steep Vietnamese mountain.
With water running over the remains of the path, it was now far too dangerous to ride. We spent the best part of the next hour throwing all panniers to the other side, then using ropes and long sticks to slowly drag the unweighted bikes to the other side. Oh, and did we mention that Tom had completely burned his clutch out?
Bruised, battered and dirty-lipped from kissing the first road we saw in 36 hours, we reached our destination town of Vinh around 8pm. Dinner that night was the best meal we had for the entire trip.
May of 2023 found us riding in Ladakh, a sparsely populated region of north India. The area is so blanketed in snow it looks other worldly. The Himalayas - protruding from the ground and soaring into the skymust be seen to be believed.
You would image this environment, with such low oxygen, encouraged caution on our part - You would be
wrong! Confidently delivering a ‘watch this’ over intercom, Tom blasted past, but not thirty seconds later, a visible plume of dust rose into the air. Tom was down. He had crashed and his motorcycle had landed directly onto his foot. He winced as he held his leg close to his chest, bike tyres still spinning from the accident.
There was nothing around for miles. We had not seen another soul that day and there was no phone reception. The good friends that we are, we are first to laugh at each other’s misery, however,
it felt a little different this time. Tom rode for the next five hours with a very sore foot.
We made it to a village where we were able to organise a small truck to transport Tom and his motorcycle to Leh the next day. As we watched a cast get fitted to Tom’s left leg, the doctor advised us that the situation did not look great.
It really was one thing after another on this trip. While Tom rested with an elevated leg in the cab of the truck carrying his motorcycle to Leh, it
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crashed into an oncoming car. As the other driver walked hands-on-head around his newly written-off car, Tom’s truck driver backed up, paused, and then sped off into the distance, carrying Tom as prisoner to this accident. Jordan followed the truck on his bike in fear of what had just unfolded, sure that Indian road rules stipulate that hit and runs were not acceptable.
Tom later flew home to Australia for surgery on his foot, including the installation of some titanium implants. We met a fellow motorcycle tourer, Alex, and he helped us transport Tom’s bike from the snowy mountains down
to temporary storage in Amritsar.
Jordan and I became great friends with Alex, consequently deciding to ride through most of the Middle East and into Europe together.
The scenery riding the revered Pamir highway through Afghanistan, Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan often had us wondering if we were still on earth. Sweeping expanses, snow, mud, sand, rock and grass continued mile after mile, all without another being in sight.
The travelling community in this area is everything you would expect and more. Regardless of whether you travel by horse, motorcycle, truck, car or push
bike, if you see someone in this region, you stop, check in with them and often spend a night camping together. Everyone is enthusiastic and happy, which is unsurprising given the effort required to safely travel in this area.
Arriving in Europe was a surreal experience. We no longer had people commenting ‘you’re riding where?’
Now they said, wide-eyed: ‘you’ve ridden all the way from Australia!?’
Tom had flown back to reunite with his bike after a very short recovery in Australia, and caught us in Greece.
Creature comforts were everywhere: roads, food, water, and unrestricted travel throughout the EU.
While living out of a bag was exhausting, the thought of hanging up the gloves became bittersweet. We had ridden Australia, South East Asia, the Himalayas, the Middle East, the Balkans and now motored through the sights of Europe that we had all only ever watched through screens. We really had biked to the other side of the planet.
Making our way through Central London to Big Ben, we recalled significant moments: navigating monsoonal rain, hiking active volcanoes, being held at gunpoint by the Taliban, filling a tank for less
Left: Italian / French Alps. Above: Enjoying the sunset in Switzerland. Top Right: Beautiful Autumn in the European wilderness. Location Bosnia and Herzegovina.
than a dollar in Iran, making the Russian transit visa run in three days, the European Trans Euro Trail and seeing the White Cliffs of Dover.
We absolutely stumbled our way across the world, credit to a network of communities and strangers that helped us along the way. While our riding ability may not have improved drastically over the 70,000 kilometres we travelled, our willingness to ride head-on into whatever challenge came our way certainly bolstered.
Changing a tube or completing an oil change felt like a leisurely activity compared to undertaking motorcycle repairs with no mechanics, no understanding of the local language and no internet tutorials to assist.
While we can offer little to no advice on how to return to a 9-5 job at the conclusion of a trip like ours, we can confirm there is no better way to immerse yourself in what the world has on offer than on a motorcycle.
Nirvana Riding
“So much of who we are is where we have been” William Langewiesche.
Iwant to take you somewhere. Somewhere I know you’ll love, because you and I ride motorcycles. It’s a place with some of the best riding on the planet, and not just a bit here and a bit there: thousands of kilometres of it, stretching across a great mountain range.
But don’t think it’s arduous or so remote that you’ll have to forego creature comforts. Quite the opposite.
Words & photos: Lance Mitchell - Open Road Tours
Below
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You’ll have your choice of fine food and wine, beautiful and historic towns to explore, incredible places to stay, and you’ll feel immersed in some of the most striking scenery that can meet the eye. It is, of course, the Pyrenees.
The Pyrenees stretch from the Bay of Biscay to the Mediterranean, forming a natural boundary between France and Spain. If you haven’t ridden there before it’s hard to imagine just how
left: Triumph Adventure Spain helped with providing a near-new Tiger 1200 for the trip.
right: Sally & Lance from Open Road Tours.
wonderful it is. It’s almost as though the place was designed as a motorcycling theme park, with superbly-surfaced roads criss-crossing winding mountain passes. One minute you’re in Spain, the next France.
At Open Road, we experienced this Nirvana for the first time after the pandemic had decimated our business, and we wanted to get away and do something spectacular. We’d heard others sing the praises of riding the Pyrenees, so the germ of an idea began to grow into a plan. At the beginning of a New Zealand winter, with cold and rainy days stretching ahead of us, just the sunshine, wine and great food would be enough of a draw. But the more we worked on the tour routes and
destinations, the more excited we grew.
Viva Barcelona
As well as researching and booking hotels, we called on our contacts at Triumph Adventure Spain for help with the right choice of motorcycle. The bike they would provide was a near-new Tiger 1200, and it would prove to be perfect for two-up touring through the mountains. As is our custom at Open Road Tours, we took great pains over the details of the trip. The routes, the roads, potential stops, even the restaurants: we evaluated everything in advance to give us the best chance of getting everything right first time. In the back of our minds was the distinct possibility that this was the template
for touring with customers in future, so planning and prep were key.
Time to book the flights, and because it was a long way we went early to get over any jet lag. Any good tour needs a great starting point, and there’s not much better than the beautiful, vibrant city of Barcelona, famous for its incredible art and architecture, amazing food, and wonderful Catalan culture. It’s a city we’ve visited many times before, and every time we discover something new. It’s also a region that has a love affair with the motorcycle and you are
made to feel welcome wherever you go. Seems like everyone rides, as the free bike parking on every street corner is always full.
Our meet and greet with the guys from Triumph Spain was fantastic. They took the trouble to fly up from their head office in Malaga to catch up with us and say Hi. Great service, thanks guys. By now rested, we packed up the bike and headed north out of Barcelona. Our first stop was the famous monastery of Montserrat, perched on cliffs high up in the
Montserrat Mountains. Set against a backdrop of incredibly jagged and rugged limestone peaks, it provides spectacular views of the surrounding countryside. We spent the rest of the day winding our way north, discovering smaller and less-travelled back roads. I’ve ridden in Spain before, and every time I do I am always impressed at, one, how brilliant the roads are; two, the higher speed limits (120 or even 130km/h); and three, the standard of driving. Everyone looks for bikes, maybe because so many ride as well,
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and they indicate every lane change. Just the first day and we already felt we were in a rider’s paradise.
Road of discovery
Our first night on the road was in the small medieval village of Solsona, our hotel an incredible 14th century building beautifully converted into a boutique hotel. It’s a great find, and our hosts turned out to be especially helpful and welcoming. In the older parts of the hotel we find a carved stone sink, paintings and clay walls. Solsona has a reputation as the best-preserved medieval fortified city in Catalonia, and it’s easy to see why. Cobblestone streets take you past beautifully restored stone houses into pretty squares with flowing fountains. A short walk to a local bar for a beer is just what’s needed after a day on the road.
From Solsona we continued north into the Spanish Pyrenees proper. Spain really knows how to build a road and they excel at tunnels. Our route over the next few days hugs the mountainsides, along small country roads, through narrow tunnels which open out to incredible views. We rode over incredible mountain passes with serpentine roads, through enchanting forests, alongside turquoise lakes, through deep gorges and along
rocky ridges. We would pass ancient monasteries and putter through small villages. And each day just got better and better. In this part of the country it’s roughly 10 bikes for every car, and we meet fellow riders of all nationalities along the way. Everyone is just out having the ride of their lives and enjoying every minute. One night our hotel was a converted 16th century Monastery, the next a beautiful country farmhouse. Yes. there’s a theme for this trip: amazing scenery and riding by day, historic villages with cobbled streets, stone houses and unforgettable panoramic views by night.
All in all it’s a road of discovery, as we find smaller, less-travelled roads that pass through beech and fir forests, and alongside limestone rock faces. Rounding a corner in the middle of nowhere where the houses are few and far between, we came across a small country restaurant with smoke drifting from the chimney, promising a warm welcome. As we were also experiencing a little inclement weather, it was nice
to find somewhere to dry off. Although we were the only patrons (possibly because we were early) we were welcomed and settled into a simple Spanish lunch prepared by our hosts.
Buen apetito
It’s worth remembering lunch in Spain starts late, and many small country restaurants offer a fixed-price menu of three courses each with three choices, often including wine, which we swap for cold drinks instead. You’ll often see the locals indulging over lunch, so it pays to be aware of this when you’re back on the road. What’s on offer varies but it can often be simple cuisine like a salad of local produce followed by grilled meats and a dessert. You can almost guarantee it will be tasty and filling.
Our research was working well, riding on unforgettable roads and enjoying charming places off the main routes. Only a few turned out not to be worth going back to, but that’s the value of doing research
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on the ground: we find the hits and exclude the ones to miss.
We soon discovered it’s very hard to find a boring route through the Pyrenees. Some are just better than others. When on the French side of the border, anything with a name starting with ‘Col’ is an almost dead-cert great ride. These are the mountain passes, and of all in the Pyrenees, the Col d’Aubisque is arguably the most awe-inspiring. Along with every other rider on the road that day, we stopped at Les Crêtes Blanches Hotel, located in the heart of the Val d’Isère ski resort. It’s the perfect spot to admire the incredible views, where the mountains surround you in an almost perfect
semi-circle. An unplanned detour provided a great ride down the mountains towards Argeles-Gazost. Amid rolling green hills, rocky mountains and picturesque valleys, the road winds a snaking route through small villages and alongside fields where sheep and cows roam freely. Perhaps a little too freely: at one point we had to stop and wait as a cow slowly meandered across the road, the cowbell around her neck ringing out as she made her way, undeterred, to the other side.
Bikes rule
Throughout the Pyrenees you’ll find bikes outnumber cars, sometimes it
seems like 10 to one. You’ll encounter everything from solo riders to groups of two or three, right up to packs of a dozen or more. And they came from all over Europe and the UK.
The bigger groups seem keen on BMW GS’s, while there are plenty of Multistradas too. Our big Brit Tiger 1200 fitted right in, and certainly had all the power you could want.
The etiquette was welcome: no big egos on show, and a lot of riders seemed content to rein it in to take in the scenery and atmosphere.
Sally gave the view from the back of the Tiger a thumbs up as she could see over the top of my head. Meanwhile the seat was just firm enough to avoid pains in the bum.
Timing and highlights
We went in June, and we found it the perfect time to go. It’s before the start of the main holiday season in Europe, so everywhere you go feels uncrowded and there’s plenty of accommodation available. Most places are just opening up and pleased to see you. The weather was warm without being over-hot, so there’s no discomfort wearing all your gear. And we learned long ago the art of packing for a long road trip: sort out what you think you need then get rid of half of it! It’s easy to get carried away but what you think you’d like is usually more than what you actually use. And if you have forgotten something you can always hit the shops.
Highlights? For Sally it was the
awe-inspiring scenery, the food and the lovely people we met along the way. For me, nothing beats riding on stunning, well-maintained roads with very little traffic on a great bike like the Tiger. The views, food and people just made it all the more magical.
One you’ve ridden the Pyrenees it’s
something you’ll remember for the rest of your life, and want to return to over and over again. It gets under your skin like nowhere else. Ride it with us, and we’ll make it the best it can be: we do the hard yards planning all the details, we have the knowledge and we have the contacts so you can enjoy possibly
the best riding of your life. If this has whetted your appetite and you want to experience motorcycling Nirvana for yourself, get in touch.
Sally & Lance www.openroad.nz
sOuTH AMeRICA
Part 3 : ARGeNTINA
RIDING SOLO
The Tierra Del Fuego Torment, Asado Heals Everything and High Fives and Snowball Fights at the End of the World
Words & photos: Lala Barlow
Take your time. Don’t rush. Stop for a minute and just breathe. Right now, I am safe. In five minutes you might not be but right now, you are safe. I’d never been so relieved for this giant mount of dirt-comesandbank that I was currently using as makeshift refuge and in the dramatic fervor of the moment, I wondered foolishly if I could build myself a mudbrick house and live here forever. Who knew a pile of earth could provide such comfort from the roaring 90km wind gusts of a Patagonian Summer? Pride? Ego? Masochistic tendencies? The desire to make it to Ushuaia by Christmas Day was overwhelming but wasn’t my life and arriving with all of my limbs intact more important? Why the hell did I defy my instincts and leave the hotel knowing that I’d be ploughing into winds of Dorothy Gale sized proportions? I had no intention of filming Somewhere Over the Rainbow 2 out here, but I sure did wish that ‘I only had a brain’. I wiggled around on the Ladybug to see if it would be possible to flick out the side stand so that I could get off and try to shake my limbs back into submission. A couple of fitness gels would be useful to balance out my blood sugar levels. And I was 100% sure
“ I was 100% sure I’d punch a nun for a banana. ”
I’d punch a nun for a banana. I was running on pure adrenaline and even putting weight down on one foot to steady the bike was a challenge of Herculean proportions. Even if I could reach into the reservoir of my resilience and manage the strength to stand on two legs, I concluded quickly that it wasn’t gonna happen. This desirous mound of earth was shielding me from 90k wind gusts but it was still mightily blustery here and I couldn’t risk a drop and subsequent pick up here in No Man’s Land, on a turbulent stretch of arid land somewhere in between Cerro Sombrero in Chile and San Sebastian in Argentina, on
southernmost Island of Tierra del Fuego.
I’d defied my internal compass that morning and packed up the bike against my better judgement and ridden headfirst into the belly of the most perilous crosswinds I’d ever encountered in my life, because “I needed to spend Christmas Day at the END OF THE WORLD”. Idiot. What good was receiving an invisible trophy from my tempestuous ego if I was a smooshed pile of nerves, tangled limbs and complicated claims to my travel insurance supplier? And now I’d stopped, I didn’t want to move again. Five minutes earlier, I watched a 70
Four months
road and it’s
to say that I am overloaded. 100 points to whomever can spot the kitchen sink!
Above: Farewell Chile, Hello again Argentina!
the
Left:
on the
safe
Left: Admiring the mountains surround us as Gabi and I ride from Paso Liberatores towards Uspallata in Argentina.
Above: Gabi and I kicking back at the municipal campsite in Malargue for ‘Campfire Asado’.
year old weather-beaten Gaucho get blown off his horse whilst attempting to wrangle sheep. If I wasn’t so beaten and exhausted, I’d have found the energy to laugh at the visual of 80 or so fluffy clouds practically levitating off the ground. But I couldn’t laugh. I needed to retain every drop of my energy, because I still had 80 kilometres to ride until the Argentine border plus another 75km from there to the Fin del Mundo Motorcycle Hostel. And riding 155km going 50k an hour takes a LONG TIME. I took a sip of water and attempted to locate some additional nerves of steel from my unsteady sips. I’d never felt so far from my comfort zone. I’d never felt so close to my own mortality. I’d never felt so alive and yet so daringly close to ‘one bad lean away from death’. But this was precisely why I was here, to find out what I was made of. And boy was Lady Patagonia was showing me.
Above middle: Heading out of Villa la Angostura and the views were simply aweinspiring. My IXON Ladies Eddas Suit looks nice and clean here, a plus!
Above: One does tend to hyperextend their ingenuity abilities when traveling on the road. My ability to find ‘knobs’ for my mirror was my saving grace!
I’d left Valparaiso Chile for Argentina and the stunning high Andean pass ‘Paso Internacional Los Libertadores’ about a month earlier. After pledging to vibrant Valparaiso that I would return another time with a month to meander the artistic and grungy streets whilst I fine tuned my rapid-fire Chilean Spanish and took painting classes, I bid farewell to more-Europe-thanLatin-America Chile for now and re-entered the wild and spirited lands of Argentina. Summer was exploding into life and the snow dusted remnants of winter remained on the mountain tops whilst bees pollinated flowers and my grin out grinned the Cheshire Cat from Alice in Wonderland. My German ‘on the road’ mother Gabi was planning to meet me along the route to Mendoza for a family reunion, and the loose plan was to spend a few weeks enjoying the perfect Mendoza, Neuquen and Chubut regions before I continued south towards Ushuaia
and Gabi headed east to Buenos Aires. Synchronistically, we met right at the border after enjoying the twisting switchback HEAVEN of the Los Caracoles and we weaved our way into the quaint town of Uspallata, riding open mouthed and wide eyed as we took in views beautiful enough to make hardened criminals bleary eyed.
In Mendoza, we drank an abundance of cheap delightful wine and found a reliable mechanic that was able to service my Ladybug, but also delivered some not-so-welcome news that whoever *cough* Augustin *cough* changed my ‘bujía’ (spark plug) had done so incorrectly, which meant that my engine had been somewhat compromised. I stifled my disappointment and inhaled more lessons from the road. Always, always, always trust your gut. And if it’s not broke, don’t fix or tamper with it! We met up with Suraj from India who I’d travelled Chile with and the three of
“ Always, always, always trust your gut. And if it’s not broke, don’t fix or tamper with it! ”
Above: The comradery of the road. We don’t know each other, but we are both on motorcycles and we are both travelling, therefore we are brothers and sisters :) u
Riding into the Ruta de los Siete Lagos (Route of the Seven Lakes) in Argentina. Ooooh heaven is a place on earth.
us enjoyed the temperate comfortable beauty of Mendoza for 4 days. The wretched 80 kilometres of ‘rippio’ (gravel) was looming ahead of us, so just north of the town of Malargue, we camped for a stunning night in a green and luscious municipal campsite that slugged us the whopping fee of $1 USD each for an enviable patch of well manicured foliage. We followed up our monetary glee with the most incredible ‘campfire asado’, which Gabi absolutely nailed. As I sat there chewing my 800g of exquisitely barbecued meat with a sensational $3 local wine, I ruminated on my journey thus far; the highs, the lows, the fails and the fist bumps. I smiled. Asado really does heal everything.
Gabi soon went from being my border buddy ‘mother’ to my ‘rippio’ sidekick and we took on the notorious 80km gravel section south of Mendoza towards Barrancas with a ‘can do’ attitude and a pile of sweets. Loose gravel, enormous rocks, very deep pebbles and my central nervous system taking beating after beating after beating. After about 3 hours, I realised that the loose deep gravel was really a metaphor for life and the more I ‘flowed’ with it and relinquished control, the easier it became. Wise rocks. It took us 9 hours to do 100km and I wondered if I’d taken a wrong turn and ended up back in Peru where I would often triple the travel time recommended by Google due to the steep Andean roads and endless roadworks that constantly slowed and halted my progress. As we approached the blessed line where the gravel ended and the asphalt began again, I lifted my arms into the air triumphantly and felt like Rocky Balboa VICTORY WAS MINE. It might have been a pittance of a victory compared to the stuff Toby Price can tackle but for Lala ‘Asphalt is my Bestie’ Barlow, this was a huge achievement. We tumbled into our hostel room filthy and grinning like idiots. The next morning we met a gaggle of friendly Brazilians on a road trip from Rio including charming Taua; a very tall, endearingly enthusiastic, laughing videographer with very good English and mad a lust for life that was intoxicating to be around. A friendship
Above: Perfection encapsulated. Setting up home for two nights at Los Alerces National Park near Esquel.
Below: The quaint little ‘hobbit house’ where I spent two nights. I adored this little house. Even the spiders :)
Left top: Parilla El Petiso: Hands down THE MEAL of my entire year on the road.
Left middle: The fabulous Frenchman Jojo and Fred. After we dried out after a very wet day of riding, we ate ourselves to death.
Left bottom: Hiding from the 90k wind gusts in Cerro Sombrero Chile with Scott and Joe, two motorcyclists from America.
Above: Somewhere. Nowhere. Anywhere. Just me, the road and about a million guanacos.
formed instantly and we vowed to keep in touch and meet up somewhere along the road to Ushuaia. Ever met a person that was human sunshine? Enter Taua.
Gabi and I proceeded to spend a week in the warm embrace of a the Rio Negro Province. San Martin de los Andes, Bariloche, Villa la Angostura, El Bolson, Epuyen, Esquel, Trevelin swooooon! Now THIS was a holiday! The weather was perfect, the sunshine
challenging to say the least and the furthest thing from a holiday. It was going to be brutal. I was alone again and ready to meet the fabled ‘roaring Patagonian 40’s I’d been reading about for years. Cue the WINDY App becoming my new best friend. I knew the holiday was over when I entered Gobernador Costa. Entered? Let’s be honest, I was BLOWN into Gobernador Costa on the rim of my flailing wheels. The meal of the trip
“ After about 3 hours, I realised that the loose deep gravel was really a metaphor for life and the more I ‘flowed’ with it and relinquished control, the easier it became. ”
beamed across the tops of snow dusted mountains and we walked, hiked, biked and ate our way through some of the easiest days of our lives. It was unbridled bliss. I tearfully bid farewell to Gabi (who was heading west into Chile) and went and camped for two nights at Los Alerces National Park, followed up by two nights in the proclaimed ‘Hobbit House’ in Esquel where spiders danced in dainty webs above my head as I sipped neverending cups of tea, watched episodes of Friends and waited until less anarchistic weather greeted me for the big push southward toward Ushuaia. I knew the next few weeks would be
saved my day and I dined in the finest local establishment from a shuffling old man who I nicknamed ‘Uncle Fester’, who had been tirelessly feeding locals and weary travellers for over 60 years. People! Take note. If for some bizarre reason you find yourself hungry in Gobernador Costa, go directly to ‘Parilla El Petiso’. Some tips: DO NOT pass Go, DO take cash only because I’m not entirely sure the word ‘‘Eftpos’ has ever been muttered there and for the love of Ricky Martin, eat everything in sight. Even my splodgy penciled eyebrows were salivating. The next day, I packed up and headed the ‘easy on paper’ 230 kilometers to Rio Mayo. The weather
Left top: Fin Del Mundo Motorcyclists Hostel. I couldn’t have picked a better place to enjoy an adventurer’s Christmas
Left middle: Receiving my Fin del Mundo ‘certificate’ from the hosts Silvana, Miguel and Tito. Embraced like family :)
Left bottom: My Harley riding overlanding friend from Brazil Taua aka ‘Sunshine Man’, using his spiffy drone skills during one of our hikes.
Above: The hike to Lago Esmerelda was in a word STUNNING.
turned halfway through the ride and this almighty turnip head forgot to get her waterproofs out of her lower pannier this morning. This resulted in a miserable ride with several casualties, including my ‘navigation phone’ getting a little too waterlogged because my spark plug was playing up and my motorcycle kept refusing to start. Hell. I lost a phone but gained two new friends from France, Fred and Jojo. After helping me pushstart my moto in the blithering rain on the side of the road, we shared several cabanas once we arrived in Rio Mayo, a delightful melanesia dinner and hours of good company and enlightening tales from the road.
The next few days passed in a haze of slightly less blow-dried early mornings whilst I tried out my new Patagonia tactic: trying to out-ride the wind (impossible) by riding from 7am - 2pm. Rain was forecast and harrowing winds were on the way in the proceeding days…… so I made
the call to take a detour to the east coast of Argentina instead of diving head and Ladybug first into the infamous ‘Maldito 73’ rippio road. I wasn’t keen to eat a kilogram of dirt and wobble my way through one of what iOverlander dubs ‘the shittiest road in South America that should be F***ing paved by now’ in rain and wind. In good conditions, it would be a nail-biter. In bad conditions, it was suicide. I passed through Rio Gallegos and arrived in Cerro Sombrero on the island of Tierra Del Fuego on December 23rd. After spending a night out of the wind and in the company of two delightful Americans Scott and Joe, I went against all of my better judgements, loaded her Majesty the Bug and accelerated into the most ferocious crosswind of my life with 90k wind gusts jostling for my nipples. My lips were so chapped from the wind, they now resembled blistered submarines in dire need of some shade, some lip-phatic drainage and copious layers
of petroleum jelly. I wailed as I placed every ounce of my 58 or so kilograms of human mass into the ferocity of each pelt from the invisible westerly violation. I cried tears. I dug deep. I prayed. I pep-talked myself within an inch of my life. Honest to God, I thought I was going to get blown off the road and die. But damn it, I made it and when I collapsed into the arms of Silvana from the Fin del Mundo Motorcyclists Hostel in Rio Grande at 3.00pm, I don’t ever recall being so emotionally, physically and spiritually drained. But I’d never felt more alive. Motorcycle travel!
The last days of 2023 passed in a whirlwind (pardon the pun) with the hostel becoming a refuge for 12 or so overland motorcyclists waiting out the 100k gusts that hung around until Boxing Day. It was a jolly nomad ‘orphan’ Christmas and gazing around the enormous dinner table at the beautiful folk from all over the world united by two wheels and a keen sense of adventure, I knew that I was exactly where I was supposed to be. Fred and Jojo even turned up, it’s a Christmas Miracle! The Ladybug and I arrived in Ushuaia on December 26th and I enjoyed several glorious days and nights in the company of Mr Human Sunshine himself, Taua from Brazil. We hiked, biked, laughed and saw in the New Year at the ‘End of the World’ in a gorgeous rustic cabana right on the Beagle Channel overlooking the wild and mystical winterlands of Antarctica. When it snowed and I was hit face first by a sucker snowball to the mouth by Taua, I couldn’t help but smile in delight at the wonderment and daily adventure that had become ‘my life’. I’d made it to the end of the world. I’d met too many incredible people to count. I’d grown and expanded beyond comprehension and I still had eight months of doing more of this to go! I smiled and swallowed some icy fragments and reached down to collect some fresh ammunition whilst I prepared to launch a cannonball at Sir Sunshine.
I wonder if I could travel this way forever? Life on the road is an addiction that can never be satisfied, and unscratchable itch, an everlasting grin, an antidote to all that doesn’t make sense. I wonder.
Above: On the road, somewhere. Could be anywhere. The sun was shining and conditions were perfect. That was all that mattered on this day!
Blue Rag hill Jack and Jill go up the
and Jill go up the hill… not quite.
Jack
Story and images - Philipa Tlaskal
No, it was Jack the carpenter and Juan the horse midwife who set off up the Blue Rag Track - one of the great adventure bike tracks of the Victorian High Country. Both blokes were expecting babies: Englishman Jack (33), his second child and Spaniard Juan (51) his foals on a racehorse stud, so this was a precious day together to get the Blue Rag done.
Juan and Jack had met each other on the epic Gardens of Stone ride near Lithgow, and it was Jack’s idea to do the Open Roads weekend rally and incorporate a side trip.
Juan said with a laugh, “The Blue Rag was Jack’s brainchild. I knew it would be tough with my heavier bike, a 2013 model BMW GS 1200 (dubbed the Mothership), but who could resist doing a bucket list ride like this one?
“After leaving the 50 riders of the Open Roads rally, travelling up the sealed Alpine Road, we passed the sign for the very unsealed Blue Rag track, which is an almost spiritual moment for riders. I made the sign of the cross as I do before every ride. I wanted God on my side,” Juan grins.
“The first downhill for us is the last uphill for riders finishing the Rag. As we looked down on that loose, silvery grey track, chewed up by 4WDs with ruts, potholes and corrugations, under a hard and glittering alpine blue sky, it was very intimidating - one random wrong stone and we were out.
“That said, we scrambled down the hill successfully with Jack hesitating a little and then there was the first uphill to face together. I went in front and sent it on the Mothership, but I picked the wrong line and the chewy stuff got me - I went down, breaking my mirror, pillion foot peg, loosened the spark plug cover and got a big battering to my ego!” Juan says with a groan.
“As I was blocking his way, Jack reluctantly had to stop, which is the worst thing to do when you’re on a roll. We really struggled to lift my bike, 300 kg pushing you back and I said to myself, ‘I am not going to get up here.’ But finally with some grunt work between the two of us we had the Mothership back on her wheels.
“From that moment on, there was
u
no joking around, we knew it was nail bitingly serious.
We were not going back, and our attitude changed when we knew, ‘it’s do or die’ and I couldn’t afford to drop it again. Back in the saddle, we started riding with more concentration, focusing hard and in our heads, fighting for survival. We did half an hour like this, got in the zone - we were nailing it.
Until… a Mad Max Tonka tow truck got in the way, rescuing a bogged 4WD from the middle of the narrow ridge road and we couldn’t get past it.
“Once the dead Amarok was hooked up and on its way,” Juan says eagerly,
“we gunned it, higher and higher onto the narrow ridge that leads to the antenna at the top. The Blue Rag track really is the most beautiful place ever, and all the Youtube videos don’t do it justice. They can’t convey the feeling of ‘I’m f*** ing doing this!’” he grins.
“I could see the end, what I thought was the top, and it looked doable. Jack was behind me, I picked my line and went for it, except that it got very steep, very fast. Three quarters to the top, I found myself spinning the back tyre, losing all traction.
“I turned around, thinking that Jack was on my tail, but he was not there,
I was on my own. Balancing a GS1200 across the narrow Blue Rag track, was not an ideal situation. Somehow, skills, luck, balls, you name it, I managed to turn the Mothership around and went down to meet Jack and the 4WD guys waiting for me. They were amazed that I managed to spin it on that steep slope without dropping it.
“After seeing me, Jack did not want to take a chance. It was still a long way home.
“So in the end, neither of us did it, we got three quarters of the way up to base camp, but not to Everest,” Juan smiles ruefully.
“We parked the bikes, and walked the 500 metres to the summit for the photo op by the iconic abandoned antenna, covered in stickers. The 360 degree view of 1726 metres over the high country was incredible - like you can see forever.
Juan says cautiously, “The Blue Rag looks like an innocent worm, but it is a snake that will bite you. We stayed up there for half an hour with a few four wheel drivers, but then had to rush as we wanted to get to Dargo before sunset and there were plenty of downhills to go…
“If you go with a little bit of fear that’s
it, a split second and you are down. You lose two seconds of momentum and you’ve lost everything. The more momentum you have, the lighter the bike gets. Downhill, Jack struggled - if you keep resetting, you lose it. Use the clutch, use the brake. Us veterans know this. I think younger riders don’t use the front brake because they’re afraid to skid, so it’s all the back brake. But you must use the front brake, engine and clutch - a bit of a technique that I showed him,” said Juan with a shrug.
“When we finally made it down all the way where we left the bags, all the suffering felt like it was worth it, we gave each other man hugs - we had pushed through the pain, heat and fear. Even though we hadn’t made it to the top, it felt that we’d accomplished something. We’ll get it next time.
Heading down Alpine South, on the Barry Way to Dargo was a sweet road compared to the Blue Rag. Now we had helmet time, relived the track and even saw some brumbies galloping by the river.”
“That the first beer in Dargo was better than sex is an understatement! “It gives you a lot of comfort and
security to do rides like this with people that you trust and who have your back and who you synchronise with. A good riding buddy is essential to take on the big or small, long or short adventure rides. And Jack was that. Hopefully I was too,” Juan says with a smile.
JUAN’S TIPS TO CONQUER THE BLUE RAG
l Come back with a lighter bike. I wouldn’t go to Victoria at all with a bike like the MS - the rough terrain destroys the big bikes.
l Experienced riders only - don’t do the Blue Rag for your first adventure - you will suffer and you will be sweating your balls.
l If you don’t have the confidence to go down, don’t go up.
l Know that the Victorian High Country is tougher than NSWmore mountains, more snow, more extreme weather and more tracks battered by 4WDs.
l Get fit. I work outdoors and Jack is on the tools - you need to be fitter than the average weekend rider to take on the Rag.
The Tuareg Rally
in Morocco
Adventure, Camaraderie, and Sand as Far as the Eye Can See
In the vast and varied landscapes of Morocco’s Drâa-Tafilalet region, the Tuareg Rally 2025 roared back to life after a yearlong pause, reaffirming its status as one of the most beloved rally raids among off-road enthusiasts. Stretching across an area slightly larger than Austria, this dramatic region in the Atlas Mountains—marked by deep valleys, arid plains, and the everexpanding desert—provides the ideal backdrop for a competition that combines grit, navigation, and camaraderie.
An Event with a Legacy
The Tuareg Rally was founded by German off-road fanatics with a passion for challenging terrain and true adventure. Under the leadership of Rainer Autenrieth, the event has evolved from a grassroots motorcycle rally into a professionally run, internationally recognized competition. Despite its growth, the rally has held onto its original spirit— a friendly, accessible event where both professionals and amateurs share the track and the thrill.
TuAreg rALLy
The rally returned to its spiritual home in Erfoud, a gateway town to the Sahara in southeastern Morocco. Rally HQ was based at the Kasbah Hotel Chergui, with additional participants accommodated at the nearby Kasbah Hotel Xaluca. These hotels hosted scrutineering, vehicle checks, and the ceremonial start, before competitors headed into six days of high-adrenaline racing.
Six Days of Sand, Sweat, and Strategy
Over 80 motorcycle riders entered the 2025 edition, with many traveling through professional tour operators like Memo Tours, which provided logistical support, technical aid, and—famously—a cold Dutch draft beer on tap at the end of each grueling day. Riders could enter individually or in small groups, making it a popular choice for privateers seeking big adventure without massive budgets.
Each day of the rally featured different tracks tailored to the skill level and vehicle category of the rider—whether novice, expert, or pro—yet all participants met again at a shared finish line daily, reinforcing the rally’s sense of unity. A highlight of the experience was the mobile lunch caravan, a charming blend of German snacks and fresh Moroccan bread served in the middle of the desert—sometimes, a mini salami is all it takes to power through the dunes.
Key Destinations: Mhamid, Merzouga, and Back
The route included dramatic desert loops from Mhamid, a frontier town where the road ends and only sand dunes remain. Riders faced two back-to-back stages of nothing but dunes in the Erg Chegaga, pushing both machines and minds to their limits.
Another rally favorite, Merzouga, brought participants to the Erg Chebbi, home of Morocco’s tallest sand dunes. Navigation here tested even the most experienced pros, with some checkpoints requiring not just u
TuAreg rALLy
GPS but good old-fashioned instinct. Reaching the highest point in the motorcycle category became both a physical and mental triumph.
The rally came full circle, ending back in Erfoud, where cheers and high-fives filled the air at the Kasbah Hotel Chergui’s entrance. That evening, Rainer Autenrieth hosted the closing ceremony, announcing that the final Tuareg Rally under his leadership would take place in March 2027.
Looking Ahead: What to Expect in 2027
With the next rally scheduled for March 2027, riders have ample time to prepare for what might be the most epic edition yet. While the exact dates are still pending, updates will be published on the official website at www.tuareg-rallye.com.
The rally traditionally features a prologue and six individual stages, though the length may vary depending on conditions. Each stage offers a unique blend of terrain—from rocky mountain paths to sweeping sand seas—ensuring a physically and mentally demanding experience.
Riders can expect to stay in 4- to 5-star hotels, minimizing the need for long transfers and maximizing rest. Rooms are available as singles or shared doubles, and accommodations provide hearty breakfasts and local dinner buffets. Lunch is handled by the Tuareg Rally’s own catering trailer, strategically stationed on the track. Booking options include direct registration or working with specialized tour operators, who can assist with everything from bike transport and mechanical support to full bike rentals.
Most importantly, the Tuareg Rally is about fun, connection, and discovery. Although there are trophies to be won, the real prize is the adventure—meeting new friends from around the world, experiencing Morocco’s untamed beauty, and learning how far you can push yourself, all while being cheered on by a family of fellow adventurers.
2025 Podium Results
Motorbike Pro:
1. Thorsten Kaiser (#60)
2. Gerhard Forster (#77)
3. Wouter de Graaff (#21)
Motorbike Expert:
1. Mirco Bettini (#101)
2. Ludwig Kuhn (#70)
3. Roberto Miotto (#33)
Big Bike:
1. Michele Fiore (#103)
2. Felix Schäfermeier (#106)
3. Michael Riebel (#107)
Raid:
1. Francesco Calise (#301)
Australia Adventure Rallye 2025
KTM Australia is excited to announce the ninth KTM Australia Adventure Rallye, set to explore an all-new region in 2025, starting in Bunbury Western Australia!
The KTM Australia Adventure Rallye: Bunbury will take place from October 12th – October 17th 2025, and this exclusive five-day motorcycle adventure ride focuses on offering riders an inspiring adventure full of outstanding riding, unrivalled comradery and longlasting memories.
Open to Orange Adventure Riders with the following eligible KTM adventure bikes: 390, 640, 690, 790, 890, 950, 990, 1050, 1090, 1190 & 1290 models. The KTM Rallye is tailored to suit a wide range of rider abilities, from those in their first years of Adventure riding up to seasoned Adventure pros.
Starting and finishing at the beautiful town of Bunbury, Western Australia, the KTM Adventure Rallye will explore the
regions extensive network of adventure tracks, from high mountain plateaus, to sandy coastal beaches and everything in between. Designed with the larger capacity KTM adventure range in mind, as well as the variety of rider abilities, the track is sure to make any adventure rider smile from ear-to-ear! All with the support of KTM Australia’s dedicated crew, from expert local Route Coordinators to Lead and Sweep riders, as well as luggage, technical, medical and 4WD backup support.
The KTM Australia Adventure Rallye is about offering a great experience to our ORANGE adventure riders – and what better way to do that than with an epic 5-days exploring some of the best routes that Western Australia has to offer, on your KTM adventure bike. Bring old friends or make new ones, in the spirit of adventure riding, the KTM Rallye is about getting back to the basics and enjoying adventure riding at its best.
Why come on a KTM Australia Adventure Rallye? We take the hard work out of planning a ride so you can truly enjoy your adventure. Ever tried to organise a group of mates for a multiday ride? It’s a tough job! Let us worry about the details - so you can enjoy the good stuff! The KTM Rallye will feature the following . . .
l Pre-ridden and planned route with the help of local experts, highlighting the best adventure riding in the areas!
l Lead Riders, Course Markers & GPS Files - You just get on your KTM each morning and ride.
l Luggage Support - Don’t ride hindered by your bags. Our luggage van transports your items each day, leaving you with a light load to enjoy the adventure.
l Technical Support - Peace of mind knowing our KTM trained mechanics are on hand at each Bivouac to assist with any mechanical issues that may arise.
l Medical Support – With a medical 4WD backup vehicle as well as medics at each bivouac at the end of the day, ride at ease knowing that
you will have assistance should you need it.
l Backup Vehicle & Sweep SupportFollowing all riders each day will be a 4WD with trailer, as well as sweep riders ready to help, have a chat or ride along with!
l Dinner included every night - After a big day of adventure don’t worry about where to find your dinner, meaning you can relax and relive the day with a group of like-minded friends.
SIGN ON & WELCOME
Sunday, 12th October 2025. Venue TBC, Bunbury Western Australia
DAY 1
Monday, 13th October 2025. BUNBURY àLOOP DAY
l Event Video & Photos - We will capture the memories from the week for you to share with your family and friends, making them envious for years to come of your experiences.
WANT TO BE A PART OF THIS ADVENTURE?
Space is limited to 130 riders!
Be sure to touch base with your local authorised KTM dealership to ensure up-to-date information regarding KTM Australia Adventure Rallye registration. Or log on to: www.ktm.com/en-au/ktm-world/ ktm-adventure-rally/australia-202
DAY 2
Tuesday, 14TH October 2025
BUNBURYàAUGUSTA
DAY 3
Wednesday, 15TH October 2025. AUGUSTAàFONTYS POOL
DAY 4
Thursday, 16TH October 2025
FONTYS POOLàLOOP DAY
DAY 5
Friday, 17TH October 2025
MANJIMUP àBUNBURY
Saturday, 18TH October 2025
Riders make their way home!
MotoInk Motorcycles
Boutique Motorcycle Concept
Story and images - Ray Vysniauskas
Sitting between a row of barbers’ chairs and a brand new CF Moto 450 I’m talking to Con Cristalidis, co-owner of MotoInk, a motorcycle dealership on Sydney Road, Coburg.
MotoInk first opened in 1996, starting the business in Keilor before moving to North Melbourne and then five years later to the current location in Sydney Road.
“At first we imported used learner bikes from Japan; CBRR250s, NSR250s and Honda RVF400s mainly, they were
big sellers, and we sold hundreds of them,” Con said.
“We gradually phased out the used imported bikes and started in franchising CFMoto, then we added Suzuki and later Royal Enfield and Kymco, and now we are dealers for all those brands.”
All the while MotoInk continued their custom work which had become a popular product for them.
“We still have a big market in customising Yamaha XVS650 V-Stars and transforming them into bobbers,
but that’s the only used bikes we really sell now,” he said.
Their signage alludes to some tattooing as well but Con says they no longer do that.
“We wanted to do something different when we first moved in here and give the place a bit of a vibe, but as the bike sales kept growing it became harder to run different businesses in the same space. In the end we used the tattooing space to add our Royal Enfield dealership, and that has been very successful.”
While the barbershop area is looking modern and hip, it also remains empty. u
“It’s hard to find anyone wanting to take on hair cutting and barbers are getting a bit hard to find. The facilities are all there, but again, the bike sales are going well so there’s no great urgency.”
So what has been the philosophy behind MotoInk?
“We hit a sweet spot years ago when we were trying to attract younger customers and we advertised a lot on the Kiss and Hits FM radio stations which provided the perfect forum for us to reach out.
“We advertised to a young market and we got a real kick out of that, and it couldn’t have been better. Now there are so many stations it’s hard to target particular segments. Back then it was a small market and everyone listened to the same music on the radio and in night clubs and that filtered it out for us.”
Back then Con also used to have a regular segment on Kiss FM where he would answer bike-related questions for riders on-air.
MotoInk has worked hard to maintain its unique market.
“We are a boutique store and up against the big boys, and we are one of the biggest advertisers on bikesales.com.au in terms of enquiries. We are so popular because of how we sell bikes, and we have customers all over Australia; many still buy from us even though they can get the same bike from another dealer, even in another state.
“Moni Kandil joined MotoInk 15 years ago and we both understand the market and know how to help a customer buy a bike, get a licence and keep them happy.
“We don’t have sales people working on commission, so we make sure that
our customers buy the right bike for them. That’s what’s kept us going for 30 years.
“Customers appreciate that we have a few brands so we can suggest the best bike for their particular needs, and not just try to sell them the one brand that is more profitable to us,” Con said.
And what are the biggest changes in the industry since Con started all those years ago?
“I was 20 when I started and everyone was older than me, and I just recently turned 50, so now everyone is younger than me,” he laughed.
But bike-wise, he says people don’t really buy sports bikes much anymore; adventure bikes, cruisers and cafe racers have become the mainstay of the industry.
“If a sports bike falls off its stand that will cost you at least five grand, and then there’s nowhere to really
ride it properly these day.”
Getting rid of the arbitrary limit of 250cc for learner bikes has made a big difference in the long run in the motorcycle industry and has proved a great bonus for MotoInk.
“Before you only had your learners permit for a year so people used to almost dispose of their first 250cc bike. Customers were paying seven or eight grand for their first bike, but now they are paying 12 to 15 thousand for a better bike because they can
keep them for longer so it’s a different market.
“CFMoto was our first new bike franchise and we got involved about five years ago and they have been fantastic. They have a big range that is constantly being updated, and they relate to people today.
“CFMoto are adding many models on a yearly basis and has now become one of the biggest motorcycle brands in the world, and the bigger the range the more customers you can attract. u
Con Cristalidis
“The CFMoto 450MT is the biggest selling bike ever for us, and has been selling like crazy for one and a half years now, and it’s happening all over the world.
“In Australia they sold well over 1,000 units of the MT450 in the first year.”
Con says that now the average buyer is closer to their 40s, even some into their 70s, but now everyone’s buying the same bikes, this crossover has been a big change to the industry.
Royal Enfield make that easy too because nearly all of their models are Learner Approved Motorcycles (LAM).
Royal Enfield have been manufacturing bikes for a long time and have refined
their product, manufacturing processes and most importantly, their market analysis.
“Royal Enfield is as good in build quality as any Japanese manufacturer now. They are not in that cheap sector anymore and they have a unique market look. And that’s why we got involved with them.
“When you buy a Royal Enfield you can customise it so easily, there are so many options, and that’s very attractive to buyers too. With most other makes you can’t really add any accessories or do much customising without some modification.
“We also have a few of our own
accessory options like white-walled tyres, pipes, stripes and all that sort of thing,” Con added.
Personally I was interested in the new Royal Enfield Classic retro bikes. For a brand that is already retro, having a retro version seemed a bit of overkill, but Con assures me it’s quite a popular bike, and selling very well.
MotoInk are also a Suzuki dealership. Most of the Japanese manufacturers are in transition at the moment, with many of them moving to twins instead of the four cylinder acrossthe-frame bikes that were their staple for so long. They are moving to cheaper bikes too, trying to catch
Monia Kandil
the momentum of the newer players.
“At the end of the day, price is the main driver of many of these decisions. The CFMoto 800MT explorer has a big price advantage over its Japanese competition while offering more in some areas.
“We pretty much just deal in new bikes now and that’s 95% of our stock.
Selling popular bikes usually means some delivery delays, but so far supply has run pretty smoothly as CFMoto, Royal Enfield and Suzuki are centrally warehoused and just need to be sent to us, but with the more popular models you might need to wait a bit longer as shipments continue to replenish stock.
Royal enfield
surpasses One Million in sales
RoyalEnfield surpassed a historic one million annual sales milestone for the financial year ending March 31, 2025, the highest-ever in its history. The record breaking performance was fuelled by sustained growing demand for its capable and diverse products in both domestic and international markets. The company posted sales of 1.09
Million units in the past financial year, up 11% from FY 2023-24.
Royal Enfield were also pleased to announce that sales rose 34% In March 2025, while exports at the same time rose to 37%.
Speaking about the performance for the month of March 2025, B Govindarajan, Managing Director, Eicher Motors, and Chief Executive
“But if someone comes in and wants something on the floor we can have it registered and ready to ride out in 15 minutes.”
Being a new bike dealer MotoInk naturally have a full workshop and service department doing preparation, warranty, insurance and licensed repairs, and that has remained a vibrant business, along with their customising, and I’m interested in how reliable the new breed of bikes are these days, and the verdict is good.
“Bikes are easier to diagnose today,” Con tells me, with the added electronics they’re easier to fix. “You are not spending all that time working out a problem, and you don’t spend all that time tuning carbs, which was always a big pain. That’s made it a lot easier in the workshop. Bikes are more disposable now too, you can just
Officer, Royal Enfield said: “This year has been nothing short of extraordinary for Royal Enfield. Crossing the one million annual sales milestone, our highest ever, is a testament to how far we’ve come. From a time when 50,000 motorcycles a year felt like a big win to now setting new global benchmarks in the mid-size segment, our journey has been incredible. The overwhelming response to the Bullet Battalion Black and the new Classic 350, along with our ability to quickly adapt to rider feedback with new variants, made this our best year yet.
“On the global front, we’re expanding like never before. The launch of our Thailand Assembly Plant and entry into Bangladesh mark important steps in strengthening our international presence. Our new launches this year, including four game-changing motorcycles and our first step into electric mobility with the Flying Flea, have pushed the boundaries of what’s possible.
“Adding to this momentum, Royal Enfield was ranked highest in initial quality in the J.D. Power 2025 India Two-Wheeler Initial Quality Study, reaffirming our commitment to
replace a part. The worst thing you can really do now is put in bad fuel.”
And at the back of the MotoInk store there is an accessory and tyre section, but Con explains that they don’t push that so much. “We sell helmets and full protective clothing and customers usually buy their whole kit here after they buy a bike, in fact they often go over and pick out gloves, helmets, pants, boots and jacket while we prepare the paperwork.
And finally, how does the future look?
“I don’t see electric coming in anytime soon. Just the whole feel, sound and weight of the bikes. And the price, it’s not an option for learners. “The market is good for us. I’ve heard others are struggling, but since Covid our sales have continued to rise and stayed consistent.
“In fact I think we could push the business further, but that might be a job for some younger people,” Con smiles.
world-class craftsmanship. And as we enter our 125th year, this is just the beginning. The road ahead is filled with new opportunities, and we’re more excited than ever to keep shaping the future of motorcycling,” he said.
In the Asia Pacific region, Royal Enfield recorded a 13% year-on-year growth. The brand is now amongst the top mid-size motorcycle brands in key markets such as Thailand, Australia, Japan, Malaysia and New Zealand.
Commenting on this remarkable milestone, Anuj Dua, Asia Pacific Business Head at Royal Enfield said:
“At Royal Enfield making world-class motorcycles, global communities and enthusiastic dealer partners has been the core of our initiatives. We have forged on a growth path with sharp focus on wants and needs of the customers while ensuring that our motorcycles become a true ally for riders. Today, we are super proud to see exponential growth globally and 13% growth in the Asia Pacific region.
“This is a true testament to our consistent efforts and strategic growth plans in key markets. We have always wanted to not just lead but also grow the mid-size motorcycle segment
www.motoink.com.au
Phone: (03) 9383 3311
Email: info@motoink.com.au
Fax: (03) 9383 1283
Address: 117-119 Sydney Rd, Coburg, VIC 3058
globally. This tremendous feat is a result of these sustained efforts and just the beginning of yet another extraordinary year,” he said.
Royal Enfield also announced plans to set up a new CKD unit in Brazil by January 2025, expanding its presence in the automotive market.
Royal Enfield’s premium line-up now includes newly introduced electric vehicle brand, Flying Flea – the Classic-styled Flying Flea C6 and Scrambler-styled Flying Flea S6, Scram 440, Bear 650, Classic 650, Guerrilla 450 modern roadster, Hunter 350, Meteor 350, Super Meteor 650,
Interceptor 650 and Continental GT 650 twins, the Shotgun 650, the new Himalayan adventure tourer, the Scram 411 ADV Crossover, the iconic Bullet 350, Classic 350 and Goan Classic 350. Riders and a passionate community are fostered with a rich profusion of events at a local, regional and international level. Most notable are Motoverse (previously Rider Mania), an annual gathering of thousands of Royal Enfield enthusiasts in Goa, and Himalayan Odyssey; a yearly pilgrimage over some of the toughest terrain and highest mountain passes.
In it for the Long Ride
Book by Christopher Many
When Christopher Many first hit the road in 1997, he had no idea just how far the travel bug would take him. Nearly three decades later, he’s still exploring.
Right Beyond the Horizon chronicles his second round-theworld journey: an epic motorcycle odyssey tracing the Silk Road from Europe, through Central Asia all the way to Australia.
Born in New York City in 1970 to an American father and a German mother, Christopher has always had a knack for pushing
u
Main: Austria
boundaries and doing things his own way. In 1997, he stepped away from the usual path, convinced that a life on the move suited his restless soul far better than a settled existence. The plan? Live on the road for good, owning little more than a vehicle and whatever he could strap to it.
Meanwhile, on the other side of the globe at around the same time, Laura Pattara was following her own calling. Life in Sydney had started to feel too tight, too predictable - so she sold everything, bought a one-way ticket to South America, and just kept going. When their paths crossed in Africa in 2008, the spark was instant. They fell in love, teamed up, and have been roaming the globe together ever since.
Right Beyond the Horizon tells the story of their 2012–2016 expedition: a fouryear motorcycle journey from Germany to Australia. Laura, whose only experience on
two wheels had been zipping around on a Vespa, joined Christopher for the ride. He was on Puck, his trusty Yamaha XTZ660 Ténéré, while she rode Pixie, a 1996 BMW F650. Together, they followed the ancient Silk Road, winding through Europe and Central Asia, up over the Pamir Mountains, and into the vast expanse of China. There, they made a bit of history by becoming the first overlanders with a foreign vehicle to gain legal permission to cross the country unescorted.
Four years on, they finally rolled into the harbour of Denpasar, on the Indonesian island of Bali: the gateway to Australia, and the last stop on the classic trans-Asia overland route.
This isn’t your typical ‘around the world in 80 days’ kind of tale, nor is it a diary packed with edge-of-your-seat stunts. It’s also not a guidebook, so don’t expect handy checklists or advice on fixing punctures.
Main: Kazakhstan Left: Greece
Bottom left: Kazakhstan
Below: Motorcycle Packing
Above left & above: Georgia
Right Beyond the Horizon is something else entirely: a thoughtful, sometimes funny, often quietly reflective look at what it means to live a life in motion. It’s about distant places, strange and wonderful meetings, the odd philosophical detour, and the strange sort of freedom that only the road can offer.
Along the way, you’ll glimpse a world in flux - from the vanishing shores of the Aral Sea, to political protests in Turkey and the white-knuckle thrill of crossing the Tibetan Plateau, high up on the Roof of the World.
En route through Turkey, the Caucasus Mountains, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, Kyrgyzstan, China, Southeast Asia and Indonesia, plenty of questions arise, some fun and light-hearted, others a little more confronting. But whether you’re pondering deeper thoughts or just enjoying the view, one thing’s for sure: this is one ride
you won’t forget in a hurry. So hop on the saddle and come along - you never know where the next bend in the road might lead.
Christopher Many’s bestselling Horizon series began with his debut book, Left Beyond the Horizon – A Land Rover Odyssey, chronicling his eight-year journey around the world from 2002 to 2010. It was published on 4 July 2011.
Right Beyond the Horizon – A Motorcycle Odyssey, the second in the series, followed on 19 September 2016. The third and final volume of the travel trilogy, Somewhere Beyond the Horizon, was released in November 2024.
Translations are available in German and Portuguese, and a Braille edition is also offered for visually impaired readers. Christopher firmly believes that everyone deserves the chance to experience the world, even if only through the pages of a book.
Top left: Tajikistan Top right: China Above left: China Above right: Indonesia
To learn more about his voyages and upcoming projects, visit: https://christopher-many.com/en/ Christopher Many Right Beyond the Horizon –A Motorcycle Odyssey From Europe to Australia –four years on two wheels
All three books, including “Right Beyond the Horizon”, are available worldwide on Amazon: www.amazon.com.au/stores/ Christopher-Many/author/ B00OP6TQGE
Above left: Tajikistan Above: China Main: Uzbekistan
Book by Amanda Zito
Motorcycle Camp Cookbook The “T
he Motorcycle Camp Cookbook” by Amanda Zito is a unique cookbook designed for solo motorcycle campers seeking delicious and easy meals on the road. This cookbook features over 65 single-serving recipes that require only a single burner for cooking and do not necessitate refrigeration for most ingredients.
u
Whether you’re solo traveling or sharing campfire stories with friends, these recipes are designed to be single-serving, that are easy to double or multiply for any group size.
Amanda Zito, a keen long-distance rider herself, understands the need for simple, whole-food recipes that can be prepared with ingredients readily available at any well-stocked grocery store.
The recipes are perfect for extended adventures and spontaneous trips, minimising the need for extensive pre-trip planning and have all been field-tested.
The book prioritises whole food ingredients, making the meals both nutritious and easy on the wallet. Beyond the recipes, the book includes a beginner-friendly introduction covering essential camp cooking gear such as pots, pans, stoves, and water filters, equipping riders with the knowledge to start cooking delicious meals on their travels and equips you with everything you need to get started whipping up delicious meals at camp.
Pushing Miles:
A chronicle of Motorcycles, Mayhem, and Mettle
Book by Wendy Crockett and Ian McPhee
Our plan was simple: ride 160,000 kilometres across three countries in under five months. OK, perhaps “simple” isn’t the word most people would choose, but as seasoned long-distance motorcycle travellers with a combined three million kilometres under our belts, we had full confidence that this journey would be straightforward and trouble-free. Oh, how very wrong we were.
This adventure began with an email from my friend Ian McPhee back in 2019. Attached was a spreadsheet outlining his wild vision: a ride visiting 49 US states in alphabetical order, documenting the feat by photographing the corresponding capitol building of each state.
We began fleshing out the plan and
discovered that our 96,000 km base route was only 25,000 km shy of qualifying for a Guinness World Record in the category of “Longest continuous journey by motorcycle in a single country (team).” We added the requisite distance, plus a bit more as a buffer, and the North American plan was finalised at 135,000 km. We also decided to replicate the alphabetical state quest in Australia as a shake-down, and just for fun, we would attempt to execute the entire 160,000 km challenge at an Iron Butt pace of 1,600 km per day.
After a few years of pandemic-related delays, we finally hit the road in April 2022. Things began to go wrong almost immediately after departing our first capital in Canberra, ACT. While my bike was new to me for this ride, Ian’s had
been rock solid for years. Regardless, it seems the two bikes had conspired to develop all manner of electrical and mechanical faults at the worst possible time. We struggled to overcome these rapidly multiplying obstacles as we collected capital photos in Sydney, NSW and Darwin,
NT, but on our return trip towards Brisbane, QLD, we found ourselves facing another foe: an historic storm ploughed through Channel Country, washing away many roads and burying the rest in deep mud. We aren’t the types to back away from a challenge, but the most important tenet of long distance riding is acknowledging when it is no longer safe to push on.
We were disappointed that the wheels had come off our Australian attempt so quickly, but we dusted ourselves off, made some much-needed repairs to the bikes, and continued on to visit the remaining four Australian states at a much more relaxed pace. We were optimistic that we’d worked out the kinks and that our North American ride would go off without a hitch.
That chipper outlook was quashed a few days later when I found myself
u
having emergency kidney surgery in Australia at about the same time as Ian was boarding the plane to America. The clock on Ian’s 90-day tourist visa began ticking the moment he cleared US Customs, so he began the American ride by setting out to visit the first two states of Alabama and Alaska on his own. I caught up to him 11 days later; I’d visited Alabama along the way, but there was no way to include Alaska without throwing our entire plan timing into disarray.
On top of that, our World Record
miles only accumulated when we were riding together, so our distance already needed to be heavily augmented in order to make up for the miles lost while riding apart. Nonetheless happy to be reunited and confident that we’d gotten all of our bad luck out of the way early, we set out to make motorcycling history.
But nothing about this journey was destined to come easy. By the time our planned 80-day, 135,000 km American ride was finished, we managed to document 129,082 km as a team over
the course of 119 days, with a full 51 days lost to sundry delays and failures. Two tire blow-outs, one tacoed rim, three new clutches, one new starter, one catastrophically broken frame, one bout of Covid, one more surgery gone awry, one roo strike, one deer strike – and that’s just the very tip of the chaos iceberg.
Nothing about this trip went to plan, but we still somehow managed to drag it, kicking and screaming, through to a successful World Record. And in spite of being pummelled by fate at every turn, our spirits – and our friendship –remain intact.
Would we do it again? Maybe not this exact ride, but we’re always plotting our next big adventure. Let’s just hope we get all of our bad luck out of the way before then!
The full story of our ill-fated ride can be found in the illustrated book Pushing Miles: A chronicle of Motorcycles, Mayhem, and Mettle by Wendy Crockett and Ian McPhee.
A Solo Motorcycle Tour of Queensland Gun Fights, Ghosts and Goannas
Book by Gary Wood
Gary dreaded the ride to Opalton in central west Queensland; the road was torturous, and there was talk of gunfights over claim jumping in Australian opal mining towns.
Nowhere was more remote than Opalton. But obtaining a boulder opal was high on the bucket list, and after all, it was one of the reasons he was out this far from civilisation.
Gun Fights, Ghosts, and Goannas is a travel memoir by Gary Wood that chronicles his solo motorcycle journey through Queensland, Australia.
Gary rides from Townsville northwest of the State to Opalton, then down to the Gold Coast and back to Townsville via the coast.
He encounters quintessential Australian characters, delves into the origins of the song ‘Waltzing Matilda’
and faces down opal miners, and partakes in the uniquely Australian tradition of betting on flies and chickens.
Told from the perspective of a firsttime adventure rider, the book captures the trials and triumphs of mastering the open road.
It provides readers with a glimpse into the heart of Queensland and the essence of Australian life in the outback. Gary camps at rest areas on the side of the road, secretly on the edge of cliffs in National Parks, and on some of the most beautiful beaches in Queensland.
The book has 266 pages of humour, gear discussions, riding observations and history. It was was first published on August 16, 2024 and is available in multiple formats, including Kindle and paperback editions.
Gary Wood is an educator, writer, and adventurer passionate about exploration. His diverse experiences include climbing mountains, skiing glaciers, participating in ocean sailboarding races, and SCUBA diving on the Great Barrier Reef.
His motto is ‘Live an Adventurous Life’, reflecting his commitment to embracing new challenges and experiences.
Gun Fights, Ghosts, and Goannas won a gold award from Literary Titans for outstanding non-fiction literature. It can be purchased at various retailers, including Amazon, Ingram Sparks, Barnes & amp; Noble, and Waterstones.
Is motorcycling the solution? The Loneliness Epidemic:
The answer to this question is not rocket science. Riders have always known that motorcycling is a powerful form of therapy for one’s mental health. It’s also a way to connect with others to combat loneliness.
In the Yarra Ranges, Victoria, and a mecca for riders, both on and off-road, I see many weekend motorcyclists riding alone, but equally, I see many riding in groups.
Whether riding as one or riding in a group, either way as riders we all know the sense of euphoria that comes with the wind rushing past our body; the
sense of moving forward especially the lean into corners.
And for off-road riders, the escape into nature. All these sensations increases dopamine and endorphin levels: chemicals responsible for happiness and stress reduction. At the same time all the troubles of life are magically forgotten.
But once the ‘high of the ride’ is over, what then? While I’m a devotee of this motorcycling mindfulness, it’s nice to share the ride with likeminded folk over coffee or lunch. The camaraderie amongst motorcyclists is special. Our shared interest means we can easily
strike up a conversation with a complete ‘motorcycle-riding’ stranger. I know many older riders who’ve said that without motorcycling, life would be kinda lonely. Some of these folk ride alone but they always meet others on the road enjoying a shared camaraderie.
The mental health benefits of motorcycling is a fact that we riders have always known since … motorcycles were invented. And there are rider groups like Australia’s Black Dog Ride, which started in 2009, which aims to raise awareness and start conversations about depression and suicide
prevention. But the challenge is to take this knowledge outside of our tribe to the general public and to policy makers. Increasingly, governments around the world are looking at ways to combat loneliness as it’s been identified as one of the biggest mental health challenges of modern times. We live in a paradoxical era where we’re more connected than ever digitally, yet millions feel isolated. And I am sure there are a few of those millions where motorcycling could be a lifesaver; Instantly, they will become part of a community where they are acknowledged with a nod when passing another on a bike. And when they stop for a break, there is no awkwardness in saying hi and sharing a chat about each other’s ride.
The news about this loneliness epidemic piqued my interest recently when the NSW State Government launched its Parliamentary Inquiry into the impacts of loneliness. This means our pollies are taking loneliness and what can be done about it seriously.
Our government’s interest in the impact of loneliness is not new. For example, in NSW (and I am sure there are studies in other states too), the findings from the NSW Mental Health Commission’s 2022 Community Wellbeing Survey revealed that nearly half of NSW residents experience feelings related to loneliness ‘some of the time’ or ‘often’. This apparent increase in loneliness has prompted the NSW government to consider a need for what they call ‘targeted interventions’.
Even though there is overwhelming evidence of the mental health benefits of motorcycling, would authorities recoil in horror if it was suggested: ‘Hey’ let’s encourage motorcycling as one of those ‘targeted interventions’? This reaction is highly unlikely as the perception that motorcycling is dangerous is hard to overcome.
While road authorities scream: ‘look at the fatalities,’ the reality is very different for the majority of riders on our roads
who are licenced, ride registered motorcycles and improve their rider skills through ongoing training.
Many also ride with a motorcycle riders group and/or club and benefit from the mentorship of more experienced members. This negative perception around motorcycling by ‘the outsiders’ (those who don’t ride), continues to discourage people from joining our tribe and finding a sense of belonging.
It’s not only the subtle messages from the media and some family and friends who do not ride, but also the cost burden of getting a motorcycle licence and the ongoing registration costs that rise each year. An increase that seems to be for no other reason than as a deterrent. And depending on the motorcycle, the cheapest part of motorcycling is the one-off set up costs: the bike and the protective gear. Just look at the prices of used bikes, especially LAMs bikes, most with just a few thousand kms on the clock. And doing your own servicing is not difficult and can save you thousands.
Rider rights advocates feel these increased costs are the cause of so many ‘unriders’ on our roads (those without a licence and riding unregistered), who often lack the skills and ride unsafe motorcycles ie. worn tyres and brakes.
The mental health benefits of motorcycling have also been recognised in Germany, Japan, the US and other countries too I expect. In Germany, the Fellows Ride initiative has been organising motorcycle rides to raise awareness about depression and mental health.
In Japan, there have also been a number of studies on how motorcycling combats loneliness and in the US, the Surgeon General’s advisory on the epidemic of loneliness highlights the importance of community and social connection. While not specifically mentioning motorcycling, the advisory underscores the value of engaging in group activities that foster social bonds.
Motorcycling clubs and group rides can serve as such activities, providing riders with a network of support and camaraderie. While motorcycle groups and clubs are not for everyone, joining a club or group not only means you make new friends, riders get the added advantage of improving riding skills, exploring new roads and trails you may have never found on your own and gaining advice about bike servicing and maintenance.
I can guarantee you’ll soon be enjoying lengthy discussions about oil changes, tyres and other such mechanical matters from those who collectively have several hundred years of experience to share.
In my motorcycle travels, I occasionally rub shoulders with road authorities and policymakers and never pass up the opportunity to promote the mental health benefits of recreational motorcycling and how it reduces loneliness. How it can change a person’s life of isolation; a slow death from loneliness into a life filled with purpose, connection, and adventure. Motorcycling isn’t just a hobby as those road authorities like to think—it’s a gateway to a vibrant community where people look out for each other, share experiences, and form lifelong friendships. While governments search for solutions to combat loneliness, perhaps it’s time they looked beyond traditional approaches and recognise the power of two wheels to bring people together.
Heather Ellis is the author of the bestselling motorcycle travel books: Ubuntu and Timeless On The Silk Road. Available in bookshops, libraries, on Amazon and from www.heather-ellis.com.
From Adventure Rider Magazine’s Facebook page.
CJ Rumsey
Above: Up in Barrington Tops today.
Shane Palethorpe
Below: Atop Mt Monsildale at 750 mtrs, a beautiful track and nice & cool up there, west of Jimna, QLD.
Ben Mitchell
Right: Good Morning Vietnam, Day 5 of a 6 day central Vietnam loop with a group of friends from Queensland. Tyre change at breakfast!
John Bozis
Below right: Riding Deitches in Colorado.
Rtw Paul
Above: Backcountry riding in Colombia, five minutes later bumping into the Cartel, they were cool, just didn’t like my googles cause they couldn’t see my face.
The Rigid Rider
Below: The pic says it all.
Ben Price
Top right: Magnetic island Easter long weekend on the 790 with the misso on a rental scoot.
Cole Winter
Bottom right: 700 miles down south while back home got snow.
New products
Pando Motorcycle Gear
We have a couple of pairs of Pando pants in review at the moment and we’ll give you the full rundown in the next issue.
The next generation of the Mark Kev 01, the Mark Black AAA jeans are made of Cordura denim with Coolmax technology. Unlike past versions of this slim fit design that used Kevlar, the Mark Black AAA has an extremely durable Baltistex inner liner. Incorporating Balistex has boosted the jeans from performance level AA up to AAA+ under EN 17092-3:2020, no surprise given this lightweight, heat conductive material is 15 times stronger than steel.
Pando are a dedicated motorcycle gear manufacturer from Europe who ship all over the world. Their gear is made by riders and incorporate the latest technology and include an extensive crash testimonials from all over the world.
Check them out at: www.pandomoto.com
HelMet Visor cleaner WiPes
Pocket
Sized, and Pre-moistened Visor Wipes
No more looking for toilet paper and water to wipe your visor!
Pre-moistened cleaner wipes are made to carry in your jacket while you ride! Devil Wipes removes bugs, dust, road grime, and fingerprints from your visor. Re-sealable, 8 count, soft, pre-moistened cleaner wipes – always keep a pack in your bike jacket!
R Disposable visor cleaner wipes
R Made with non-woven fabric 50g pearl grain non-woven fabric
R Each pocket size pack contains 8 remoistened cleaner wipes
R 100% biodegradable, in a solution that is free of any abrasive, alcohol, ammonia, and petrochemicals
R Devil Wipes, safe for use on poly carbonate and tinted lenses
Ask your local bike shop or buy online to purchase your Devil Wipes www.devilwipes.com
neW arriVal: MecH HelMets Smart helmets were always a concept — until now. MECH delivers what others only talked about: a helmet that’s built to ride smarter.
Top features:
R Head-Up Display — Real-time maps, calls, and speed projected directly in your line of sight.
R Dual HD Cameras — Front and rear recording, automatically capturing every moment.
R Photochromic Visor — Light-adaptive visor that adjusts automatically to sun, shade, or dusk.
R Works With or Without Your Phone — Built-in GPS, 4G, Bluetooth, Accelerometer, and Gyroscope.
