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year ago I highlighted a couple of errors I’d made and how they were really simple things…‘rookie’ errors I said at the time, and the consequences had been a little dramatic.
AI’ve done it again, but this time there was no serious penalty except I’ve made myself look really foolish.
I won’t bore everyone with the circumstances, but the lesson is a good one and worth reiterating, especially as adventure bikes are lunging further and further into a heavy reliance on electronics.
If a motor has fuel, spark and compression, it will re.
That’s the lesson.
Write it down and put it in your tool roll.
If a motor won’t re, those are the rst things to check. Always.
‘Fuel, spark and compression’ was one of the very rst things I ever learned about the internal combustion engine. That was a very long time ago, and over the decades I’ve dealt with many engine failures by applying that basic concept. If an engine won’t run, the rst things to check are that fuel is getting to the cylinder, that there’s spark, and that there’s compression.
In an overwhelming majority of cases, an engine not running will be because one of those
three vital things is not as it should be. Back when engines ran contact points it was possible to have spark and the engine not run, but it would re or cough or something, so the premise still held. These days bikes are so frigging
“ Rolling the bike down hills in the insane hope some higher deity might reach down from above and miracle the thing into life. ”
reliant on electronics it’s just doesn’t seem trailside repairs are likely. Plus, there’s the scary thought of messing up something not properly understood and doing some serious damage.
So when a bike ran for a while, then stopped, I panicked. Instead of checking fuel, spark and compression I began replacing fuses, looking for spooky electrical problems and rolling the bike down hills in the insane hope some higher deity might reach down from above and miracle the thing into life.
It didn’t happen. The bike wouldn’t start and it created some big problems in my working day.
None of that’s a big deal. It could happen to anyone.
I dropped the bike to the mechanic. When he phoned he asked if, when I’d had the bike idling, had I had the choke on. I couldn’t remember, but as I’d started it cold, I said I probably had.
‘Well,” he said, a bloke of almost saintly patience, “I pulled the plug and it was really badly fouled. I gave it a clean and the bike’s been running perfectly ever since.”
My shame is hard to describe.
Image: Mitch Newell.
No matter how whizzbang the bike may be, regardless of what level of computer software is controlling its operation, an internal combustion engine still relies on fuel, spark and compression. If a motor won’t run, or at least cough, those are the rst things to check. Just as it was with smoky twostroke motors when I was kid, and as it was with race engines when I punted around motocross tracks and enduro courses, and just as it is today dealing with horsepower monsters and high-level electronics. The basics, like the joy of riding, are the same as they’ve always been.
Adventure Rider Magazine is published bi-monthly by Mayne Media Group Pty Ltd
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The weather didn’t look good for the 2019 KTM Adventure Rallye on New Zealand’s South Island. Three days out the prediction was for 100mm of rain and high winds. That kind of weather in the Mackenzie country was certain to leave roads and creeks impassable. A little rain wasn’t going to bother 150 hard-bitten KTM adventure riders, and Ron McQueen was one of them.
After checking in at event HQ to receive a goodies bag it was straight downstairs to Big Kyle and his trusty apprentice Kevin for tech inspection.
These two scallywags worked like a well-oiled machine, churning through 150 bikes in no time at all and apprentice Kevin only got upset 63 times – well down from his record of 120 at his rst KTM Adventure Rallye back in 2018.
The stage was set.
With weather conditions taking their toll on the rst day, a late start was called and a few dusty heads were relieved after some rst-night fever at Smugglers Pub, the local Nelson watering hole. Maungatapu Track could hold a bucketload of rain with its mix of stone and loam, and there was a small concern about one creek crossing midway through. It was cold, wide and hit like a front-row forward. At least ve bikes needed CPR on the other side.
After a big team e ort to de-water the few submarine impersonators, the run back into Nelson for lunch was a big downhill blast through continuing rain.
The afternoon loop was again through thick cloud and icy rain. Amazing forestry trails snaked over greasy terrain that was always ready to take down a rider without notice.
cold. I knew that if we made it through we had the oldest pub in NZ, the Moutere Inn, right at our ngertips. What a way that would be to end the day!
So o we went.
Momentum was the key factor as we sped halfway up a slippery, pine-needleinfested trail – but beer would be the reward for those who made it through. So even though it took an hour to negotiate the last 100m of grease with a bunch of blokes I’d only met moments before, we all rolled in to the Moutere wearing smiles from ear to ear.
At the second ‘breakout’ – a hard section, rated with chillis. The more chillis, the harder the section – of the day late arrivals were greeted by a bunch who had come to the conclusion it was completely unpassable and maybe not worth the e ort after the long day in the rain and
“ Adventure bikes littered both sides of the greasy hill. ” u
The only other hiccup at the end of the day was the local constabulary pulling me up as I exited the bottle shop with my three-quarter box of Corona (apparently Kiwis only sell boxes of 18, not 24). With his cap pulled down low and his cruiser
Above: Excitement built as the riders rolled into sign-on at Tahuna Beach.
Below: Lake Station opened up its rolling green 昀椀elds for the Ultimate Race special test. The meal in the woolshed was pretty special, too.
right up behind my 790R parked on the street, he turned his steely gaze towards me…and proceeded to grill me on how the 790 handled and what the WP suspension was like.
He even o ered to deliver my insu ciently full box of beer back to the holiday park for me. Legend.
It was another cold and cloudy start to the second day, with fast and owing re trails intersecting the breakouts – which featured a ‘four-chilli’ section in the form of Fire Break Hill rst up.
The hill was probably named to indicate the need to be on re from the very start if you thought you had a chance of cleaning the top section. Maybe as much as the name hinted at the track’s function to help control bush res, anyway.
Adventure bikes littered both sides of the greasy hill. Those with the cojones went for a second try, but most threw in the towel and headed for the main route. The smart ones watched the chaos from the safety of the logging road at the
bottom before continuing on to one of the best private farm sections of the week. And lo and behold…the sun nally woke up from being away on a bender and cleared away the clouds.
Porika Track featured for the last three-chilli breakout, a rocky, legburning, steep descent into the beautiful Lake Rotoroa.
After a long day ghting breakout sections it was great to be greeted by the local community with a home-cooked meal of wild pig and venison followed by stage one of the Ultimate Race wheel-changing competition. Full bellies, a couple of beers and some lighthearted encouragement had competitors running around, stressing out and leaving their wheel-changing skills back at Smugglers Pub.
Special mention goes to Spanky for taking the equivalent of a blue moon to get his wheel back in. Well done, mate.
The next day was back out the way we’d come in – so you would’ve thought
everyone would’ve had things sorted. One unlucky punter zigged when he should have zagged and sent his 1290 down a 20-metre embankment, miraculously saving himself with just a few head scratches. Somehow the mad bunch from the USA arrived out of the blue with nonarthritic knees and minimal back pain. The boys put in a herculean e ort to get the big girl back up the embankment from where it could quite possibly still have been today. With the bike only metres from the top, V8 Supercar driver Greg Murphy arrived to throw in some hot tips on moving the bike over the last few centimetres. He then went on to claim that without him it would still be at the bottom.
Above: The Molesworth Track offered panoramic vistas.
Below left: Scooping up a 1290 Super Adventure R as part of the Ultimate Race quali昀椀er.
Below right: The 昀椀rst water crossing was fairly tame, but they got a lot wilder as the event rolled on.
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Lunch was supplied by the good people at Lake Station where the Ultimate Challenge boys exed their muscles again. This time it was a grasstrack shootout to the death on some of the most technically greasy farmland this side of Fire Break Hill.
Next up was The Rainbow Road, and the trail had been tossed around the bar for the past few nights with standard talk of, “Wait ’til you ride this!” and,
Nelson area headed out early in case of mishap.
The rst crossing was a 15-metre stretch of raging torrent, and I decided to hit it in second, which happened to coincide with my rst mistake of the day. The WP-equipped 790 bucked and kicked as it bounced o the rocky bottom and spat me out the other side a little further upstream and on the back wheel.
The only damage was to my ego, especially when Chris Birch almost fell of his bike laughing.
“ The ride up the valley can only be described as spectacular, and it got better as we climbed. ” u
“Best out-and-back ride around the area, and maybe the whole South Island!” and, “One that couldn’t be missed due to the scenery”.
‘In for a penny, in for 0.453 kilos’ as the saying goes, and I was busting to see what all the fuss was about.
There was some concern that after the rain a few of the creek crossings on The Rainbow would be impassable, and the hardcore trail bosses from the
The ride up the valley can only be described as spectacular, and it got better as we climbed, with high walls closing in on either side. I couldn’t help but think there was no other riding environment quite like the higher altitudes of the South Island.
The nal ride into Hanmer Springs from the detour out to Lake Tennyson was a side-by-side blast with photographer Wilko, and that stretch of gravel will go down as one of my most enjoyable ends to any day.
Above: Chris Birch took the KTM 790 Adventure for a spin and showed it was entirely capable of keeping up with its taller sibling, the 790 Adventure R. Below: Ales Karhanek made his way through the mountain mist. Tasman Pine Forests generously opened the gates to the service tracks for the event.
The amazing, snow-capped mountain views over the highest drivable pass on the South Island, and owing gravel trails for 40km, had my dick harder than the day I worked out it just wasn’t for pissing with (I was 28 at the time).
Picton
Riding through the remote Stations on trails that snaked their way through some of the most scenic and isolated places on Earth was an absolute blast. Stopping on the route to read about the history of the area gave a feeling of closeness to those who’d farmed the area in centuries past, and even a few at tyres couldn’t curb our enthusiasm.
The rst breakout at the end of Molesworth Station was described by the route coordinator: ‘If you don’t like heights, don’t go.’The old farming trail punched straight up onto a knife-edged rig line formed by one of the craziest dozer drivers this side of the Smugglers Pub dance oor. Looking left and right gave the feeling that one small mistake would end up with the insurance company requesting more information on how your bike ended up down a 1000-metre cli .
Stopping for a photo at the top after ascending over 600 metres in just 11kms gave a great insight into how high we’d climbed in such a short amount of time, and the amazing view will be forever etched in the memories of the crew who went up there.
More owing trail, followed by some blacktop blasting and more great views, followed as we headed out of the hills and back toward the ocean and into the seaside town of Picton.
Left: Ales Karhanek and Mo Donald made short work of a tyre change.
Below left: It’s not hard to put a foot wrong in NZ creek crossings.
Main: Hayden Fugle led a group through an eerie forest canopy on the 昀椀rst day.
Top right: KTM’s Rosie Lalonde and author Ron McQueen on the Rainbow Track.
From Picton the next morning we headed to the hamlet of Manaroa where we were greeted by the small community with o erings of morning tea in an old shearing shed.
So remote is Manaroa that there are only eight kids at the local school and it’s quicker to catch a boat to town than drive a 1986 Hilux – the latest model in those parts of NZ.
From there we were able to watch the Ultimate Challenge competitors go head-to-head in the nal shootout to see who would represent team Kiwi in Morocco. Spanky redeemed himself from his woeful wheel change by scorching around the course like a scalded cat on his rst lap – only to be brought crashing back to earth by a slippery boghole and a popped rear tyre.
Hard luck, mate.
That left the consistent duo of Mark Dando and Matt Kneesch to take out the top honours. Good on ya, boys.
The original plan was to catch barges across to the remote community of Bulwer and ride the nal stage back into Tahuna Beach. But again the weather stepped in and threw down 50-knot winds. The Port Authority didn’t like the idea of us making the crossing and sent us back through the blacktop twisties.
We did manage a nal blast through the very rst breakout of the event, Muaungatapu, and what a tting end it was to an amazing journey. I went side-by-side with Greg Murphy, and I reminded him he isn’t much chop on two wheels – unlike the four wheels he usually runs on. Screaming downhill to the end of the nal dirt section we popped out and stopped our engines. A steely look and a handshake was all that was needed before turning the 790s toward town and the Rallye wrap up.
The beer was owing well before the event began and stories were being told of the longest wheelie on the South Island, push-up comps and someone stealing the o cial photographer’s dinner
– I have reliable information the thief was the original prankster, Prescott.
Highlights
The ride was an absolute cracker and, as KTM riders think ‘the tougher the better’, the weather made it even more special. But the three things I won’t forget, in no particular order, were
R The Rainbow: you could ride that all day, every day, and never get sick of the scenery
R The breakout on Molesworth: the feeling you were sitting on top of the world. That was special, AND
R The ‘locals’: late nights around the bar yarning about how good we used to be really made the trip.
The hospitality of the Nelson folks was really second to none and I can’t wait to come back and do it again someday real soon.
Top: Chris Birch made the Porika Track look easy (it wasn’t).
Right: From left: Ron McQueen, Rosie Lalonde, Kyle Blunden and Photographer Danny Wilkinson.
Below: It takes a village to get 150 bikes across a swollen mountain stream without a drowning.
As I looked to plan another route to Phillip Island –the group’s 25th MotoGP – I became a little nostalgic. I thought back over our achievements and adventures of the past 25 years…what we’d ridden, where we’d ridden, and more importantly, where we hadn’t been. I got to thinking, ‘I wonder what the meaning of ‘adventure’ is?’
I blew the dust o my old Webster and looked up the word: ‘an exciting or remarkable experience’. I thought: ‘Yep. That about sums up the last quarter of a century travelling to the Aussie MotoGP’.
But an adventure can become habitual, so much so that no matter what else is on that time of year – you know, the small stu like the daughter’s wedding or birth of a rst child – it has you thinking: ‘How am I going to get out of it so I can still go with the boys?’
For the past 25 years our ever-expanding GP ride group has habitually travelled to the Australian MotoGP. The rst two years were in Sydney and the past 23 have been at Victoria’s Phillip Island – more commonly referred to us just ‘The Island’.
On our rst year to The Island in 1997 we were all avid blacktop road bikers, and although we could punch down the u
Main: One of the dotted lines on the map, the Eildon-Warbo Road.
Top right: Eagerly zooming in on that little dirt road which would provide ‘an exciting or remarkable experience’.
Middle right: All avid road riders in the early years. Right: Twenty-three years later the majority had evolved to adventure bikes.
Hume Highway and be at The Island in a day (albeit a long one) we always had the adventure bug and chose to ride down over two days. We did the same heading home, pulling out the old paper map to see what di erent roads we could travel along the way.
As the years rolled on we began to run out of blacktop options, and as we scanned the old half-torn maps for a di erent backroad the little back lines would eventually fade to become little dotted lines. That generally meant dirt. Back then blokes were precious about riding their pride-and-joy road bikes on any form of dirt, so it began to impose some limits on our adventure.
Twenty-three years later the majority of our MotoGP ride group had evolved to adventure bikes. We’d ditched the paper maps and now eagerly zoomed in on the Hema to nd that little dirt road which would provide ‘an exciting or remarkable experience’…that little dotted line we used to see on the old paper map? Awesome! Let’s go!
In 2019 the 14-strong group came in from all over NSW and Queensland to assemble
on a late-October morning in Wagga Wagga, NSW NSW.
Five of the group, still avid road riders, made their own way while the remaining nine, with not a lot of dirt choices to the border, decided to punch straight down to Yackandandah into the hills of Victoria to nish the day in Mans eld.
Top left: A stimulating riding experience both physically and visually.
Top right: You’ve got to love an adventure bike for this kind of riding.
Below: A quick bush 昀椀x was in order. A 20mm, threaded poly plug and some thread tape to 昀椀ne tune the thread tolerance.
Bottom: The group came in from all over NSW.
We parked out front of the Yackandandah bakery for smoko and were soon looking for the source of a burning-oil smell. A wisp of smoke from Spike’s Benelli Trek Amazonas revealed the oil- ller cap had been overtightened and cracked, most likely during its service just days before, and was releasing oil out onto the hot crankcase. As soon as Spike touched the cap it sheared o , leaving the plastic thread in the casing.
A quick bush x was in order.
While Spike removed the broken thread I found the local ag shop and bought a 20mm, threaded poly plug and some thread tape to ne tune the thread tolerance required on a such a precision job. Wammo. We were set to go…until Spider’s V-Strom wouldn’t start.
After some head scratching we played around with the clutch switch and found the fault. I grabbed a paper clip from the bakery and whacked in a bypass.
Wammo. Again.
It was past time to get the bloody show on the road!
Turning left out of Yack we headed through the rolling hills and plantation
forests toward Lake Kerferd, popping out at the little village of Stanley and running along plantation-forest roads which o ered beautiful views across to Mount Bu alo and eventually rolled us into Porepunkah for fuel.
From there we blasted along Buckland Valley Road and the Goldie Spur Track, quickly ascending into the hills above that provided some stunning, close-up views of the bare, rock escarpments of Mount Bu alo and the Buckland Valley below.
As we descended the rocky western side there was a notable increase in temperature on what was already a warm day, and Steve launched an unsecured saddlebag o his Africa Twin into the scrub just short of the Yarrarabula Creek Track intersection.
Steve retrieved his saddlebag while the rest regrouped and had a quick suck of the Camelbaks before following the SEC access track.
Spider on the V-Strom lost the front wheel in a mud patch and laid the big girl down. Uninjured, and with just a slight dint to his pride, he picked it up and continued on to a superb, freshly maintained access track winding over to
the Rose River Road and into Cheshunt for a late lunch and bevy at some sort of Austrian-inspired café.
With the McDonalds Spur Track closed we nished the day twisting along the blacktop via Tolmie and into Mans eld for our rst night’s stop.
An Island Mecca
Grey skies looked to threaten the next day’s ride on the dirt, but we continued as planned and headed o from Bonnie Doon to nd ourselves high up on the ridgeline looking back down over Lake Eildon itself.
The overnight rain provided some dust relief, and with only one log truck to contend with it was an enjoyable, fast, winding dirt road that continued through the Rubicon Valley and Mount Torbreck Range to pop out on to the Reefton Spur. We’d thankfully dodged a storm that had gone through earlier, but it made the wet blacktop run into Warburton an interesting one as the tar road was completely littered with sticks, leaves and bark. You’ve got to love having an adventure bike in those situations.
It began to pour at Warburton as we
Left: Overnight rain provided some dust relief.
Above: Motorcycling Mecca – the greatest racetrack in the world.
Below left: Wonthaggi brekky stop.
Below right: An excellent dotted line: Grand Ridge Road.
fueled up and everyone scrambled for their wet-weather gear then set o towards Gembrook and Nar Nar Goon. The rain began to ease as we navigated the farm roads to Lang Lang before popping out onto the Bass Highway for a quick squirt to The Island for the next three nights.
As we rode over the San Remo Bridge for the 23rd time and looked out over the waters of Westernport Bay, it still gave me a buzz. I had a feeling of accomplishment at arriving at the motorcycling Mecca –the greatest racetrack in the world.
After two days of what really was outstanding GP racing across all the classes, we departed The Island on the Monday planning to do a 700km day via the Grand Ridge Road, Dargo, Omeo and Barry Way, with the intention of being in Jindabyne by nightfall.
After a quick brekky stop at Wonthaggi then blacktopping it to Foster, we wound our way up a charming, narrow, tree-lined road overlooking a lush green valley. There was certainly no drought down there! The area had received good rain over the previous couple of days and it proved a little slippery in places for some, especially Spike, who was running 80/20 tyres on the Benelli.
At the Gunyah Junction on the Grand Ridge Road we turned right and continued along the eastern end towards Sale, with the road providing a stimulating riding experience both physically and visually.
After grabbing fuel at Sale we continued to Dargo for lunch and arrived to nd a number of other adventure bikes with the same idea. I must say, the bulk of them looked remarkably clean for being in that neck of the woods.
From lunch we took the Birregun Road over to Omeo.
Being a little dusty, rocky and narrow
at the start, the group began to spread out to get some clean air as it wound its way to the top. But once up there the road widened and opened up, as did the throttles, and a fast run across the snowy mountain peaks eventually nished on the Upper Livingstone and Cassillis Roads. That was when I received a phone call from Scotty who was riding tail-end Charlie. Spider had binned his V-Strom and was a little busted up. It was somewhere around the Dogs Grave area. While trying to avoid a rut up on the high side, Spider’s wheel had dropped in and the ’Strom had bucked him to the ground, landing him heavily on his side.
Being rst-aid trained, Scott and Stibby
Top: Dargo for lunch. The bulk of adventure bikes looked remarkably clean for being in that neck of the woods.
Below left: First-timer, Scotty Waller.
sprung into action and soon suspected from Spider’s symptoms he may have some rib damage and a punctured lung.
An ambulance was arranged, and it was an anxious wait as Spider grappled for each breath. Thankfully a forest worker arrived and it was decided to pile Spider into his ute so he could be driven out to meet the ambos a lot sooner. Scotty and Brett then set about leapfrogging Spider’s bike between them to get it the remaining 25km to Omeo.
While all this was occurring the rest of us continued to Omeo and began to work out the logistics of getting Spider’s bike to Omeo, as well as storing it and nding some accommodation for the night.
Two ambulances drove through town around 20 minutes later and headed out to retrieve him. I managed to secure a local guy who, for the right price, would take us up to recover the bike with a trailer. He also had a place to store the bike. Shortly after this Stibby arrived on Spider’s bike having chosen to leave his lighter Tengai in the scrub. He was then driven back by the local to retrieve
Below right: Spider had binned his V-Strom and was a little busted up. u
the Kwaka. It was decided there was nothing else anybody could do, so I suggested the rest of the group should continue and meet up with the roadies at our prebooked accommodation in Jindabyne before it got too late.
The group departed, rst onto Limestone Road then Barry Way, racing the setting sun while dodging numerous ’roos and deer to arrive in Jindy at around 8:30pm.
In the meantime, while arranging all the logistics, a Ténéré rider pulled up and asked if we were waiting for the guy who fell o the V-Strom. He said he’d passed the accident site just after it happened, reckoned the guy didn’t look too bad, and that a couple of Panadol would have him up and riding again. An hour later Stibby arrived with the rest of the crew to inform us Spider was being choppered to Canberra.
I guess the ambos didn’t have any Panadol.
With some generous help from the
locals we left Stibby’s old Tengai (the least worthless bike) and Spider’s baggage at a private garage in Omeo. With accommodation options slim in that town that late in the day we opted to refuel and punch it over Hotham before we lost all the light. We hoped to nd a place in Bright for the night.
As we rode the chilly Great Alpine Road our thoughts drifted to Spider and wondered how he was doing. It brought a bitter taste to the mouth and an abrupt end to what had otherwise been a great weekend.
Arriving in Harrietville, and feeling a little down about the accident, I decided I’d just punch it home the remaining three hours in the dark. The others chose to stay in Bright. If ever there was one thing I bought for my Tiger that proved its worth, it was the twin 30-watt LED spotlights. I very rarely ride at night, but to have had them for just this one time showed they were worth their weight in gold.
They safely guided me home. I arrived at around 10:30pm.
GP Run #25 was certainly an exciting or remarkable experience.
As I re ect back over the years we really have been fortunate to have only had four major incidents that involved some form of hospital treatment, with no real major ongoing injuries. We even have a perpetual trophy for the lucky ones who make the cut. The citation reads:
‘This award recognises the outstanding e orts by an individual who, whilst riding en route, or returning from, Moto GP, sustained injuries requiring medical treatment due to the rapid departure from their motorcycle. And by the grace of our little biker angel, lived to ride another day. Quote: “Obviously your ambition outweighed your talent.” Casey Stoner – 2011.’
Sure, there are higher risks associated with o -road adventure riding, but really there are forms of risks on all types of roads. When faced with a situation while riding, be it speed, road surfaces or other vehicles, it just comes down to that right or wrong split-second decision we make in response to the situation which determines what the outcome will be.
As for our mate Spider, he recovered at home in a recliner with seven broken ribs and a punctured lung, and Panadol certainly didn’t cut it for the pain.
Welcome to the Crash And Smash Club, Champ.
Roll on MotoGP #26.
New Multistrada 1260 Enduro
Avoid simply travelling. Exceed your boundaries with the Multistrada 1260 Enduro, the new Travel Enduro from Ducati. Thrilling performance is guaranteed thanks to the substantial torque supplied by the 1262 cc Testastretta DVT engine, always at the ready. Redesigned ergonomics ensure comfort and control in all conditions. A high-res dashboard with new graphic interface allows you to make simple and intuitive use of the numerous adjustment options, for a configuration to best suit your needs.
Thrilling performance is guaranteed thanks to the substantial torque supplied by the 1262 cc Testastretta DVT engine, always at the ready. Redesigned ergonomics ensure comfort and control in all conditions. A high-res dashboard with new graphic interface allows you to make simple and intuitive use of the numerous adjustment options, for a configuration to
No destination will seem far enough on board the new Multistrada 1260 Enduro. Let yourself go beyond your boundaries.
A short, one-day introduction to the newest Ténéré in issue #38 had us zzing at the split. Early indications were the 700 was a bike ideally suited to The Land Of Sweeping Plains. After a few solid days doing just about everything the bike’s designed to do, we think the Ténéré 700 lives up to the promise.
To quickly recap our experience so far, Yamaha Motor Australia allowed Adventure Rider Magazine a quick blast on the Ténéré 700 and we were impressed. The motor in particular made a big impact on us because it was so smooth and incredibly easy to use. We had riders of varying heights and all liked the ergos, and as we handed the bike back to the YMA guys we were left very thoughtful indeed.
Go back to issue #38 for the full read, but the summary was: ‘Thanks to some well-balanced engineering ideas it’s both comfortable and very rewarding to ride. Anyone asked to give criteria for an adventure bike to suit Australian conditions would probably end up describing a bike just like this one’.
The real deal
Now we’ve completed the o cial multiday media release. We’ve peeled o some reasonable bitumen kilometres, pounded through rocks and tackled some almost-single track, all of it with lots and lots of dust. After some improvisation and exploration by the Yamaha folks there was even a river found to splash through in the middle of drought-stricken NSW. The route and logistics were overseen by Greg Yager and his RideADV crew, and it was pretty much the type of riding the huge majority of Australian adventure riders would experience on 90 per cent of outings.
It wasn’t just the actual terrain that was so typical of a true adventure ride. The riders stayed in luxurious resorts and bunked down in bug-riddled shearers’ dongas. Catering ranged from a-la-carte restaurants to soggy muesli bars carried in backpacks, and navigation was by GPS. Riders paired up, one with a GPS and one without, and were left to nd their own way through the challenges of each day.
As we said, it was very much like the riding most of us do, most of the time. The exception was having truly incredible backup and support.
Seriously. If we could all have sweeps, leaders and minders like the ones supplied on this ride, none of us would ever show up for work.
All our impressions from our rst ride were unequivocally proven on this one.
The motor seems to have been planned with Australia in mind. It’s not the most powerful or spectacular powerplant in the adventure-riding world, but that’s an advantage when the days are long and the terrain is tough. The smooth power and torque delivery make the engine superbly manageable and that means a lot less fatigue for a rider when things get challenging, and a lot less wear and tear on the bike when it’s a long way between sheds and services. It also means a rider doesn’t need to be an A Grade motocrosser to make use of what the bike has to o er. Good riders won’t be held back by the Ténéré 700, but average riders will nd the forgiving nature of the drive train, from the engine through the lightish clutch and very slick sixspeed gearbox, will allow them to ride at their best – as opposed to being intimidated by massive power output
Main: Smooth power and torque delivery make the engine superbly manageable.
Top: Support and logistics on the media release were excellent. Below left & right: The LCD instrument panel is a good one and is easy to read…until it gets dusty. u
or overwhelming electronics. As a nal thought on the mechanical aspects of the bike, we monitored fuel consumption and it came in at 20.5km per litre, irrespective of how hard we ogged it or what type of terrain we rode. That makes for around 320km from the 16-litre tank. With all that said, Yamaha o ered a few variations on the base-model Ténéré 700, and we’ll have a look at them one at a time.
Everything we’ve said about the bike applies to all variations, with the exception of seat heights. We rode bikes with the taller and shorter seats, and we’ll comment on them as they happened.
Overall we believe this is probably the best Ténéré Yamaha has ever o ered. Its versatility is amazing, and it’s a great adventure bike as it stands on showroom oors. But it’ll be a really excellent platform for individuals to shape into the bike they’ve always wanted.
Interestingly, Yamaha has already taken a few steps in that direction….
For $17,149 Australians can ride away on an unadorned, base model Ténéré 700.
The standard bike is the con guration we rode in issue #38. It has Yamaha’s 689cc, liquid-cooled, twin-cylinder CP2 motor, proven in bikes like the MT-07, and it was a de nite highlight. The fuelinjection settings have been re ned to suit the dualsport application of the Ténéré and the frame is a lightweight, double-cradle, tubular-steel jobbie. The front-frame downtubes are detachable, and that’s going to be very handy for servicing and mechanical work.
Suspension is basic but sound. The front has 43mm USDs with 210mm of travel and both rebound and compression adjustment. The rear has only preload adjustment.
Aside from a little personalisation to suit individuals, the standard Ténéré 700 is ready for just about anything.
It was interesting to see an 18-inch rear wheel. A 21-inch front is common enough, but the 18-inch rear used to be a bonus over a 17-inch rim because it meant the availability of a much bigger range of tyres. These days the 17-inch rims are very well catered for.
In any case, the Ténéré 700 has an 18-inch rear rim
Speaking of tyres, the standard Pirelli STRs had been swapped for Pirelli Scorpion Rallys on all the review bikes to suit the predominantly dirt route. Foam air lters are standard in the Aussie 700s (yay!), and radiator guards and lower chain guides from the genuine Yamaha accessories catalogue were tted to all.
Love it
In short, the standard bike is a pearler, especially at the price. The tricky thing for Yamaha will be writing the brochures. These days marketing seems to be based around ever more sensationalist claims of huge horsepower gures or massively
complex electronics. With the Ténéré 700 having neither of those things, we’re not sure where Yamaha will start. Saying, ‘This is a great, honest, durable and reliable adventure bike well suited to the toughest of Australian conditions’ might not sound so exciting.
Maybe not, but it’s true, and for the overwhelming majority of Australian adventure riders the standard Ténéré 700 will o er a supremely enjoyable and capable ride. The motor has plenty of everything needed to conquer huge distances or get playful. At 204kg ready to ride the weight isn’t scary or unmanageable, and the only user-controlled electronics – ABS – are dead simple to operate. There’s a grey button on the bottom-right corner of the LCD dash marked ‘OFF ROAD ABS ON/OFF’. Just have the bike stationary and push that button. The ABS will, predictably, toggle between on and o .
That’s it. There is no menu or multifunction button to negotiate.
There’s no traction control, alternative ignition maps, electronicsuspension adjustment or phone apps either. Nor is there
cruise control, which we would’ve liked, but can live without.
The dash does o er a USB power supply and a bar above the LCD panel which is ideal for mounting a GPS.
At 870mm the seat height is good for Aussies. There’s a shorter OEM seat available which drops things to 863mm, and combined with the OEM lowering link it can drop to 845mm.
We humped a Yamaha roll-top bag full of luggage on all the bikes, and that meant the static sag was a little long to start with. Of course that lowered the seat height noticeably. But even when we cranked up the rear preload using the external knob behind the motor we still didn’t feel the seat was overly tall.
Right: The CP2 motor is proven. Fuel-injection settings have been re昀椀ned to suit adventure-riding.
Below: All the colours look good, but we expect Ceramic Ice (left) to be the most popular. The red-and-white combo (below) is called Competition White and there’s a mostly black presentation called Tech Black.
Above left: Handguards on the standard bike work well protecting the hands from the elements and the occasional branch or vine, but they’re not protection against heavy impact.
Above right: Being able to raise the guard a smidge is brilliant. Anyone who’s ever had a wheel jam with packed clay will know what we mean.
As it was, we loved the standard bike. The motor, clutch and gearbox were an absolute joy to use, the screen kept the rider surprisingly sheltered from windblast and the bike generally gave a feel of low-stress reliability. It doesn’t rail berms like a WRF, but it handles well and gives the rider plenty of feedback. Braking is excellent, and we rate the ABS as topnotch. We noticed other riders constantly pulling up at the start of dirt sections to switch o the ABS, but once we’d given it a try and found how good it was, we didn’t switch it o once in the ve days of riding. It allowed hard braking, even on loose surfaces, and we didn’t see any shit-scary downhills on this ride (the only thing which would make us switch o this ABS).
Taking the standard bike and adding a skidplate, headlight guard and tank pad moves it to the ‘light o -road’ spec.
Naturally, we didn’t feel any di erence between the light o -road bike and the standard bike from a performance point of view. The ‘tank pad’ is one of those rubbery jiggers the road-bike riders use to stop buckles or press studs scratching the top of the steel tank. The headlight guard is an extra layer of lexan which sits in front of the existing – and very impressive – four-light headlight set up (we’re kicking ourselves we didn’t go for a night ride to see how good the lights were, because they look awesome) and the skidplate is a bit of a whopper. We became fans of the skidplate when a rock smashed a sidestand switch on one of the bikes. The motor, of course, wouldn’t run with the bike in gear. Thanks to the lack of high-intervention electronics we cut the wiring to the switch, twisted the two ends together, wrapped the join in insulation tape and nished the ride. No problem, and only about 10 minutes lost to locate the fault and do the repair.
Still, the big skidplate may have meant we wouldn’t have had to deal with the problem in the rst place.
As on the standard bike, the handguards are plastic shells. They secure to the ’bar ends and the ’bars themselves, and mostly protect the rider’s hand from the elements, but they’re fairly lightweight and wouldn’t cop a serious impact.
It seemed to us the light o -road spec was sensible enough, and we couldn’t feel any additional weight or change in the bike’s behavior. The only thing we thought a little strange was being just a tiny bit cramped at the end of the day. It wasn’t until someone asked if they could please swap seats we realised we’d been on the low seat.
So the seat doesn’t make a huge di erence, but the di erence is clearly there.
O’neal
Things begin to get more serious with the o -road spec.
The skidplate, headlight guard and tank pad from the light o -road spec are in place. Then, from the OEM catalogue, comes an Akrapovic mu er, rally seat, monoseat rack, Barkbusters, GYTR brakeand clutch-lever and ProTaper grips.
There’s no doubt this version of the bike is a step up from the base model, but the added cost is something around $3200. Suddenly we’re looking at a bike that costs just a little over $20,000.
In our opinion the value is there… mostly. Anyone buying a new bike will look at possible crash protection, comfort options and performance enhancements, and everyone will have di erent ideas
on what’s important to them. And at $20,000-plus-change this bike is still keenly priced for what’s on o er.
We liked the rally seat, think Barkbusters should be on every bike, loved the solid rack, found the levers so nice to use we’d happily pay for them even though there’s nothing wrong with the standard levers, and the grips…well, we wouldn’t take the standard grips o and chuck ’em, but grips don’t last long for us. The ProTapers would be a good option at the rst change.
That leaves the Akro, and we have to be honest and say we just couldn’t see $1149 of bene t.
It’s a credit to Yamaha that the stock exhaust performs so well. It sounds
Above: Akrapovic muf昀氀er, rally seat, monoseat rack, Barkbusters, GYTR brake - and clutch-lever and ProTaper grips. As glamorous as Taylor Swift at an awards ceremony.
Top right: An Akro! A sure sign of awesomeness, but we’re not convinced the Ténéré 700 needs one. The standard muf昀氀er works really well.
Right: Pulling the rubber from the ’pegs leaves a generous platform. u
similar to the Akro and we honestly couldn’t detect any lift or change in power delivery with the aftermarket pipe. So we’d think long and hard about changing the mu er.
What we didn’t do was compare weights, stocker versus Akro. If the weight di erence is substantial, that may well justify the change-over price, but from a performance point of view, the Yamaha exhaust worked just as well in our opinion.
Roostin’
For the sheer pleasure of riding, the oroad spec Ténéré 700 was a hoot. The biggest performance enhancement
Top: For the sheer pleasure of riding, the off-road spec Ténéré 700 was a hoot.
Left: The rack and rally seat are a great combo. The rack is especially good, and we loved those tie-down knobs on the bike.
was the same for all the bikes: tyres. The Pirelli Scorpions did a great job.
We thought the STRs on the standard bike were excellent dualsport tyres, but the more aggressive knobbies really made a di erence.
Barkbusters were a comfort when things got snotty, and the rally seat made the rider position feel just that half-a-whisker more aggressive. We liked that a lot. We didn’t have any trouble securing the luggage to the standard bike, but the rack on the o -road spec Ténéré is a ball-tearer which will carry a good load.
Just on the tie-down points, there’s a couple of little knob-things at the
rear of the standard bike and we found them absolutely brilliant for tying on the Yamaha roll-top bag. They were as tough as seven bastards, too. Good stu .
The GYTR levers just felt nice, and the adjustability was convenient. We wouldn’t rate them as a necessity, but we’d t them and put the standard levers in the tool kit as spares.
Right: Barkbusters are a serious upgrade from the standard handguards. u
Riding the o -road spec Ténéré was an awesome good time for us. It was comfortable, had just that little hint of aggression about it, and, we admit it, we thought we looked pretty horn on it, especially with the big evil grin we had every time we saw an erosion mound, rocky slope or sandy corner.
12 months Warranty
CEÆ level protection
Full-grain oiled leather
DrytexÆ waterproof
Lightweight construction
Adventure anti-slip sole
Stainless steel shank
Injection molded shin plate
Plastic gear pad protection
Unbreakable GHÆ buckles
TPU reinforced ankle area
Extra soft polymer padding
Anti-bacterial insole
European production
For the distance runners Yamaha o ers a touring-spec version. The list of add-ons includes:
R Headlight guard
R Engine guard
R Pannier racks
R Panniers
R Centrestand
R Pillion comfort
R Skidplate, AND
R Tank pad.
We’ve talked about some of these accessories on the other variations so we won’t repeat ourselves. The big additions on this variant are the panniers and centrestand.
We forgot all about the centrestand until we copped a at. Unfortunately we weren’t on the touring-spec bike when that happened, and we thought we
might burst a pooper valve trying to hoik the bike up onto a fallen tree. You can bet we were suddenly prepared to pay big money to have a centrestand if someone had had one then and there. They can be a godsend to adventure riders, especially with a fully loaded bike.
The panniers will be another accessory that won’t suit everyone.
We’ve warmed to hard panniers for long-distance riding and the pair on the Yamaha are good’ns. They stick out a little ways, but there’s nothing to be done about that. They’re strong, lockable, and, best of all, are easy-peasy to t and remove. Panniers and pannier racks will add most of $2000 to the cost of the bike, but they’re good units, and would be a good investment for a serious traveller.
Top: Panniers and a centrestand are the main features of the touring-spec Ténéré. It makes for a really 昀椀rst-class all-rounder. This colour scheme is Tech Black. Below left: There’s no way to avoid hard panniers sticking out a bit. The inset around the pipe means the load is symmetrical. Below middle & right: The panniers are a gift for serious travelers. They can be locked, or clipped on and off in an instant to store in overnight accom. u
It was on the touring-spec bike we did most of the fussing around with suspension. We kicked o feeling the forks may have been a little harsh. We couldn’t understand why when they were the same forks as all the other bikes – which did their job well in our opinion. Individual tuning will be needed both ends of course, but we felt the components worked well – and Yamaha postulated the extra weight of the luggage on the rear had changed the geometry enough to e ect the suspension’s behavior. We wound up the rear preload to get the bike back on an even keel, an easy process, thanks to the external preload adjuster for the shock hidden in front of the rear wheel. Click, click, clickedy-click and we were good to go. Then Yamaha’s Peter Payne, Mr Clean himself, lay down in the dirt (true!) and counted the compression clickers on the forks to make sure everything was stock. We were enjoying a blueberry mu n from the support truck at the time, but he dust-clouded over to tell us all was as it should be.
Oxford’s Aqua bags are one of the easiest ways to get your gear from A to B on a motorcycle, safe and dry.They are made from a tough PVC tarpaulin, which is welded to form waterproof seams. When straps are added to perform essential functions, Oxford uses innovative construction techniques to further
reinforce the bag whilst ensuring complete waterproofing. The latest generation of Oxford’s acclaimed Aqua luggage now offers a choice of six useful bag sizes- from commuter 8L through to ‘epic voyage’ 70-litre versions – plus a range of backpacks and tank bags.
We’re still not sure we weren’t imagining it, but full marks to Yamaha for going to such lengths on our behalf. We appreciated it. The bike worked well and handled with the same authority as all the others we rode.
We really like the touring-spec Ténéré. It was comfortable, still performed well, even with luggage, and the crash protection and the centrestand are entirely sensible additions every long-distance rider should consider.
We haven’t said anything about the headlight guard which was on a couple of di erent-specced bikes, and that’s because we didn’t see it doing its job. We copped a few ying rocks here and there, but didn’t see any hit headlights. It’s one of those things you don’t know you need until it saves your bacon. We did see a lot of dust collect on both the guard and the lights, and it’s a bit of fussing around to pull the cover to clean the inside surface, but well worth the trouble. Speaking of dust, the LCD instrument panel is tough to read when it gets dusty.
Top: Life without the touring-spec centrestand.
Above: The headlight protector looked like a good idea. A lot of dust settled between the guard and the lights.
Below: Loading up with luggage didn’t put an end to the fun. The standard suspension coped well and the handling didn’t seem to suffer at all.
Recommended retail (including GST): $15,499. Ride-away price as we go to print: $17,149
Web: www.yamaha-motor.com.au
Engine type: Two-cylinder, four-stroke, liquid-cooled, DOHC, four-valves per cylinder
Displacement: 689cc
Bore x stroke: 80.0mm x 68.6mm
Compression ratio: 11.5:1
Maximum power: 54.0kW (72hp) @ 9000rpm
Maximum torque: 68.0Nm @ 6500rpm
Lubrication system: Wet sump
Clutch type: Wet, multiple disc
Fuel management: Fuel injection
Ignition system: TCI
Starter system: Electric
Transmission system: Constant mesh, six-speed
Final transmission: Chain
Frame: Double-cradle steel tube chassis
Front suspension system: Upside-down telescopic fork
Front travel: 210mm
Rear suspension system: Swingarm (link suspension)
Rear travel: 200mm
Front brake: Hydraulic dual discs, two Ø282mm
Rear brake: Hydraulic single disc Ø245mm
Brake system: Switchable ABS
Front tyre: 90/90 R21 M/C 54V M+S –spoked wheel with Pirelli Scorpion Rally STR
Rear tyre: 150/70 R18 M/C 70V M+S –
spoked wheel with Pirelli Scorpion Rally STR
Overall length: 2365mm
Overall width: 915mm
Overall height: 1455mm
Seat height: 870mm
Wheelbase: 1590mm
Minimum ground clearance: 240mm
Wet weight (including full oil and fuel tank): 204kg
Fuel capacity: 16 litres
Service intervals: First service at 1000km. Oil every 10,000km. Valves every 40,000km
Colours: Ceramic ice, Competition white, Tech black
Warranty: 24 months, unlimited kilometres, parts and service
Yamaha o ers a good selection of Yamaha-branded accessories for the Ténéré 700. We used the Yamaha roll-top bag called the ‘Waterproof rack pack’ on this ride and it was a total pisscutter. It copped some serious abuse and hacked the pace, no problem. Here’s a list with prices:
R Skid plate
$466.50
R Akrapovic mu er $1149
R Headlight guard $172.70
R Rally seat $596.30
R Monoseat rack $308.10
R Tank pad $39.94
R Barkbusters $171.90
R GYTR clutch lever $151
R GYTR brake lever $188.27
R ProTaper grips $19.95
R Engine guard $424.40
R Side case stay set (pannier racks) $560.60
R Left case $721.80
R Right case $689.10
R Main (centre) stand $545.80
R Pillion comfort $343.70
R Skidplate $466.50
R LED fog lights $820.04
R Grip heater $321.48
R Licence-plate holder $210
R Handlebar risers $114.40
R Chain guard $169.70
R Waterproof rack pack $124.70
Available at all good motorcycle stores or online at:
Colin Bayman, one of the famous Bayman sisters trio, spearheaded another great Perth Adventure Riders epic.
Join a ride with a big group or a small group? Is there any advantage to riding in a big group? Of course there is. For example: R Somebody else does the planning (thanks to those who do)
R There’s a backup in case of emergencies (thanks to those who provide the support), AND
R There’s an opportunity to meet new people and get their spin on the world of adventure riding. Are there any disadvantages? Plenty, but you can just ignore them and enjoy the ride.
The numbers for the 2019 Perth Adventure Riders’ annual Northwest Or Bust ride totalled 29, and precision logistical planning came to the fore.
Grant Cashion was drafted in as support driver and chef, while Taine Hynes handled the second back-up vehicle. Both were tasked with looking after the mostly grey-nomad bikers on their oldies’ tour of WA’s northwest.
Support drivers sorted, next up was Mike Littlefair as the ride leader, taking no prisoners and punting a DR650 that proved ‘it’s the rider, not the bike’.
u
Backup ride leader for the second half of the week was Neil Barnes. Neil piloted a Tiger XCX800 at speeds more akin to a low- ying aircraft.
The hard-core adventure riders bitumenised north from Perth to Geraldton, windsur ng capital of the west. The latte-sipping adventure riders trailered bikes up to protect precious new rubber and old arse-cheeks. On arrival they parked up at the home of beloved Gero Dero, Merv Martian, and his sidekick Barry, ready for the o .
Evan Homan kicked o with a poor-starting DR650, thanks to his less-than-meticulous
maintenance schedule. He spent the rest of the week dreaming of a KTM790R while simultaneously trying to kill his DR. He failed miserably. The DR soldiered on like a faithful donkey. Evan was also rst recipient of the fairy wings. He’d left his wallet in his car and had to make a quick U-turn to retrieve it.
Evan was only outdone by Steve ‘Killa’ Davies, a y-in Pommie and long-time resident of NZ, and therefore possibly a ‘Peewee’. Steve repaid his Sussex schoolmate, Neal Allen, by trying to not only kill the KLR borrowed from Neal, but also Neal’s own DR650.
After an hour on the bitumen heading north from Gero the group nally hit the
dirt tracks. The o -road surfaces featured for the next week and led to the rst overnight stop at Murchison Oasis, where the pampered went to their prebooked accommodation while the campers pitched tents.
Day two dawned set to be the rst full day of dirt. Drew Peach emerged from his tent with the comment, “It was almost cold last night”. That’s the way the campers like it.
The day threw up some nice sandy tracks where it was best to pick a clean line. It wasn’t easy for the bikes at the back of the pack, but no problem for Craig Holt and Rob Van Koolbergen. The pair punted their Africa Twin and KTM 1290 through the sand with aplomb.
The day ended in the luxury of the Gascoyne Junction Roadhouse, just in time for the West Coast Eagles game followed by a nail-biting Mugello GP. Neal Allen and Steve Davies chose to spend the night gazing at each other at their candlelit table – time which could’ve been used for critical bike maintenance.
A new day started with Drew Peach donning the sweep vest and Ewen McGregor hotly contesting being
allocated the fairy wings. Ewen felt he was the victim of a major injustice for a minor misdemeanour from a kangaroo court.
The route for the day included open gravel roads, with the dust mostly cleared by dependable West Australian winds.
Mount Augustus, the biggest rock in the world, was the destination. Most of it’s underground, but that’s merely a technicality for parochial West Aussies.
The open sections allowed thoughts to roam and promoted enjoying the open spaces. Calvin Nelson, a recent convert from Dukes to dirt bikes, was in the zone when three large, galloping steers looked set to cross in front of the fast-moving bikes. Sphincters were clenched, anchors applied and tyres slid. No damage was done and the steers were left to gaze at the diminishing dust clouds.
At a regroup, Neal Allen was found pulling his KLR apart. Killa Davies was looking sheepish and rued the choice of a candlelit dinner over maintenance the night before. Another bene t of a big group was there being plenty of expert spectators around to o er lots of advice, most of it of little help.
It’s best to stay out of punching range when o ering suspect advice.
Once mobile again the impressive Mount Augustus loomed on the horizon and was a guiding landmark for the next 100km or so.
Bob and Ruth at the Mount Augustus Tourist Park were genial Pommie hosts and Grant Cashion cooked up a storm of scotch llets and snags…that was after he was rescued. Drew Peach, the sweep, forgot to sweep the support vehicles.
The fairy wings were Drew’s for the following day.
Campers woke and poked their heads out of their tents to the beautiful sight of the rising sun on Mount Augustus.
Riders on the inaugural NW Or Bust trip had promised this section had the best riding, and no-one was disappointed. There was a long run not far from Mount Augustus, a winding, undulating 4WD track that brought smiles to all dials. The road signs sung out like a navigator in a WRC rally car: ‘Dip’; ‘Sweeping Left’; ‘Crest’; ‘Sweeping Right’; ‘Gate’; ‘Floodway’. It was too much fun.
Dave McAuli e, on the original adventure bike, a KTM640 Adventure, was riding it like he stole it, keeping Neil Barnes company at the front. Others were having their own private battles down through the eld. At a regroup, Dave had ignition problems on the Kato. Peter Puttick, an auto-electrician, provided a bush x. He wired the ignition to the heated grips’
Left: The other Ewen McGregor’s tasty KTM690 Rally Raid.
switch, bypassing a bird’s nest of wiring, and Dave was soon on his way.
Irwin Fryer had a bingle crossing a dry, shale-covered riverbed, dropping the big KTM1050 and tweaking his knee trying to hold up the 250kg beast. The Kato was loaded on a support trailer and Irwin ended up heading home on the bitumen from Cheela Station, choosing discretion as the better part of valour. He’ll be back.
Craig Holt, on an Africa Twin, copped a puncture. The Honda was also shuttled onto a trailer to be xed at Cheela Station to keep the group moving. The militarystandard logistics were like clockwork.
On arriving at Cheela Station, word went around that Killa Davies had now added his buddy Neal Allen’s DR650 to his ‘killed’ list, with the DR requiring new wheel bearings. The logistics kicked in again. Jason Bari arranged a set to be own from Perth through his miningservice company.
Above: Restored Well 19 on the Wool Trail, originally dug in the 1890s and of vital importance to early drovers.
Below left: Tall tales and true.
Below right: Colin Bayman led the queue for the much-appreciated nosh-up provided by the Murchison Oasis crew.
Cheela, a working cattle station near Paraburdoo, was headquarters for the next two nights. It’s a ne operation and looked after the group very well, with top tucker and a singing-and-dancing chef. There was nice accommodation in dongas for the pampered and a good campground for the real adventurers. The next day was maintenance day for the killers in our midst, or a trip out to a local billabong for the rest, and at breakfast the second morning, Roley Bayman, the eldest of the Bayman sisters trio, was surprised with a ‘sausage’ cake resplendent in birthday candles for a signi cant birthday. Steve Davies
donned the fairy wings, adding to the party atmosphere.
Bodies and bikes fuelled, everyone was soon on their way back to Mount Augustus, relishing the WRC track in reverse.
The group was humming along, each rider nding their own place in the pack. There were more smiles on dials, and looking at the dials of Frank McGrory and Nigel Denis, it was obvious Husky 701 riders do have more fun.
The crew was soon back in Mount Augustus and took over the on-site bush pub again.
The rising sun shining on Mount Augustus is something it’d be easy to get used to, and it was the opener of another day.
But as time moved on the sky became ominous and black clouds loomed. Tracks, familiar from the ride north, led to the Murchison Oasis as the storm taunted, fooling everyone into thinking maybe they’d skirt around it.
The rain began about 100 kilometres out and all made a beeline for the oasis, and as the track pushed further south it became wetter and puddles began to form.
Almost 60 per cent of the total number of bikes, 17, were Suzukis. That tells its own story. Of that subset, 12 were DR650s, from bog standard to trickedout. Joke-teller and bike-builder Steven Gernhoefer’s DR650 had YZ forks and a hydraulic clutch. Five DRZ400s made up the remainder of the Suzies. There were six Austrians of various ages, sizes and colours. At 20 per cent of the total, they were the next biggest grouping.
A lone Honda, Kawasaki, Yamaha and a Triumph made up the remainder. The most important statistic? 27 riders with smiles on their dials.
All were soaked to various degrees and the road was closed not long after. Colin Bayman tested the range of his 17-litre Safari tank and managed 391.5km. It was an impressive range, but the total distance for the day was 392km. The not-so-impressed Colin had to push the DRZ the last 500 metres.
Rain fell steadily. The oasis campground was sodden and all accommodation was booked. Nobody looked forward to pitching tents in the wet.
It’s called Murchison Oasis for good
reason. The sta opened the club rooms so all could sleep under cover. If that wasn’t enough, they set up a big re to warm bodies and dry gear, and then put on a fantastic hot meal. The only possible improvement would’ve been to open the club bar. They did.
What a bunch of legends!
Beer owed, and as the night wore on, people peeled o from the re to the dry club rooms. With each extra person the rumble of snoring grew louder, and by midnight the prospect of a good night’s sleep became less and less likely.
By next morning the rain had passed and the group splintered as each plotted a di erent route back to Geraldton and beyond.
The bulk of the group met at the Hampton Arms, south of Geraldton, for a night of bench racing and reminiscing. It’s a wonderfully eccentric country pub; a mix of Harry Potter’s Ye Olde Curiosity Shop and Fawlty Towers. It was a tting location to o cially end the trip before the reluctant trek back to civilisation.
A big thankyou to the logistics crew who made all this possible.
Above: Evan Homan’s walk of shame due to a lack of meticulous maintenance.
Below: Ewen McGregor’s KTM proudly donned the fairy wings.
The riding mates for the 昀椀ve days were on six KTM690s and a Husqvarna 701, all 昀椀tted with Hard Kits with one or two on different variations of other rally kits.
Longtime KTM dealer and racer Craig Hartley found himself invited to do both the Wall To Wall Remembrance ride to Canberra as well a run to northern Queensland for the King Of The Beach races near Mackay. The problem was the destinations being in opposite directions from his home in Dalby, central-western Queensland, and there being only a few hours between the two rides. No problem for Craig and his 790.
When Dan Godfrey and Kel Kruger from the Sunshine Coast o ered a slightly inebriated invite to ride to the beach races near Mackay, I marked the diary and left it at that.
The same happened when Steve Ryan threw out an invite to attend the 10th annual Canberra Wall To Wall Remembrance ride for fallen police mates. Anyway, with D Day for commitment fast approaching, and even though brother Tony and I had already paid accommodation months earlier for the Wall To Wall, I was still keen for an all-dirt ride to Mackay. The beach races were something I had never got to.
About a week from departure a snap decision was made to head to Mackay, and I thought, ‘Bugger it. I may as well keep the wheels turning when I get home and launch into the Wall To Wall 16 hours later’.
After a quick call to Dan and Kel the evening before to con rm a Thursday meeting time at Wondai we were good to go.
The rst section was a quick, 180km blast up the bitumen. Talk about timing. I saw the rst of the KTM690s arrive as I was rolling into Wondai.
The riding mates for the next ve days were on six KTM690s and a Husqvarna 701, all tted with Hard Kits with one or two on di erent variations of other rally kits. A eeting thought came to mind of me being by far the oldest and on the biggest bike. Kel had painstakingly put together tracks for the GPS and I hoped no extreme sections had been thrown in for the 690s.
From Wondai we went west on backroads to pull up at Hivesville for rehydration and lunch. From Hivesville we headed north past Ban Ban Springs and on into Goodnight Scrub National Park for a look at the north side of Paradise Dam, and from there it was a short run to Mount Perry, where rst-night fever kicked in outside the hotel-motel for a while after closing time.
From Mount Perry we hooked on to the National Trail to a hydration stop at Many Peaks, and then northwest up one of the trails the APC Rally had used to get to Kroombit Tops. We nabbed a quick stop
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at The Tops lookout – only to be teased by the smell of some day-campers’ steak on a barbeque – then on to the Razor Back Track to come out via the Power Station Track and in to Biloela.
At the 790R release KTM played with our heads by letting us ride the standard R version on an eight-minute enduro course, then swapped us to a 790R with the WP Extreme Pro suspension.
I always like my suspension well setup, and I can normally achieve this with reasonably minor shim mods and tuning, but I have to say I got caught up in the o er and the moment and ordered a set of the trick suspension while still sitting on the second bike. It was a bit of a rad move from me, and the Minister For Financial A airs reminds me of this occasionally.
In all fairness to the standard suspension, Rob Turton of Overlander Tours and I were on a ride, and his 790R was still on the standard suspension. He’d been dialling it in, but after swapping bikes I was pleasantly surprised at how good his bike performed. KTM has done a great job on the standard bike. The trick stu probably has an edge occasionally, but you pay for it.
We fuelled at Biloela and blasted 186km of backroads, through some of the mining country to the northwest through the Baralaba area, to swing into the Duaringa Hotel. Judging by the speed the rounds went down it had been another perishingly thirsty day. Even after the bar shut the supplies in the backup vehicle were given a touch up.
After a hearty breakfast at the Duaringa servo, we were on the road on the last 350km leg to the caravan park at Sarina, taking tracks north near Boomer Range and on the Bicentennial National Trail in the Marylands area.
A fairly early arrival at Sarina saw more inner lubrication and a bit of maintenance on the bikes, which in my case was mainly checking the pre lters. It turned out the 200mm x 150mm x 20mm lter had done its job well. One of the 1190R snorkel lters I’d tted had been sucked into the snorkel, and the main air lter was still pretty much perfect, so it stayed as was. I simply slipped the other 200mm x 150mm foam in, removed the 1190 snorkel lters for the trip home and that was the air lter done.
The quick-release tankbag is near identical to the 1190R system and I’ve had no trouble with them in the past, but the ripcord on mine had been getting progressively harder to release from the ller-cap bracket, so a tankbag-catch pull down was in order. It appeared the cam in the release catch was a bit aggressive in its action, and a bit of ling on the cam pro le with the Leatherman xed it. If that’s the only dramas I ever get from the 790 I’ll be happy.
Don’t ask
A taxi bus down to Grasstree Beach on Sunday morning set the mood for a casual day spectating motorcycle madness on the beach, and I’d have to say the viewing from all angles did not disappoint.
Above: Hivesville for rehydration and lunch. Left: Mick Page from Bell getting his birthday best wishes at Gingers Creek before the devastating 昀椀res came through.
It’s not a bad event.
We’d planned an early start Monday morning as we had a 682km day to get down to the Many Peaks Hotel, and that meant a bit of bitumen down the old Marlborough/Sarina road. Marlborough was the fuel stop, then we cut down to Westwood for lunch where the old girl running the pub was a full-blown character with some classic replies. I was starving, so asked if lunch was a decent meal – meaning large – and her reply was a rough, “Nah, love. It’s shit.”
You’ve could’ve knocked me over with a feather.
The last day out of Many Peaks ran down the edge of Bulburin National Park to Apple Tree Creek. Then was all dirt through the forestry to Aramara, a cracker section which continued, mainly all dirt, to come out at Woolooga where we parted company.
I arrived home at Dalby Moto at 4.00pm Tuesday. I got the boys to swap the wheels with the 790S – it had more road-orientated tyres on that suited the road ride – caught up on some paperwork, then bolted home, changed the oil and pulled out my pre lter and checked the air lter. Lo and behold, it was still close to perfect. I ditched the pre lter for the road ride, swapped a few clothes and was good to go on another adventure.
Wednesday morning while having breakfast with wife Robyn I mentioned we may have broken a record with only 16 hours between rides. With slightly upturned eyes she agreed.
Sergeant Steve Ryan of Millmeran had 30-odd riders from all over southeast Queensland gathered at Millmeran ready to start the ride. After a riders’ brie ng, explanation of the cornerman system, and blessings from the local police chaplain, we were o .
There was a radically di erent list of bikes on this ride. Steve was on his old KTM950, brother Tony and mate Nelo were on Ducati Multistradas, Rusty McKee from Roma was on his KTM1290R, and we had older Kwakas, FJR1300s, even a Can-Am trike-thing and a Goldwing.
Day one saw us do 454km on country roads through Inglewood with lunch at Texas, then on to Uralla top pub. Once again there was a lot of excitement around the bar on the rst night. It was really my seventh night away… barring the previous night at home. But I was t for it and soldiered on (as you have to).
Day two saw our convoy – and don’t forget there were groups converging on Canberra from all over Australia – head
The Wall To Wall Remembrance Ride is an annual event which raises funds in support of families of police o cers who have died in the line of duty. It also promotes motorcycle safety.
Riders from around the nation make their way to the national capital and arrive in Canberra to meet at the National Police Memorial. Interstate groups meet at the NSW Police Academy in Goulburn before the entire contingent makes its way back down the Federal Highway to Exhibition Park in Canberra.
down the Oxley Highway through Long Flat, Wingham, and along the Paci c Highway to the Gloucester caravan park. Steve had done a great job of not only leading our group on as many backroads as possible, but also of booking accommodation for all of us and ensuring food was always there when needed.
The following day we headed for the Hampton Hotel on Jenolan Caves Road. Google maps says it’s 380km and would take four hours and 36 minutes, but somehow Steve had us seemingly always heading in the wrong direction. It was all part of the plan to give us a great ride, but it took nearly double the time. It beats me exactly where we went, but you get that a bit when you follow others with the cornerman system and don’t keep a track on GPS.
Anyway, Hampton Hotel was an awesome stopover, and worth a visit for anyone down that way.
Sombre
The fourth day was a short run to
Canberra via Bathurst and Tuena, and then up the Federal Highway into Canberra.
It’s a big deal. The Federal Highway is closed to general tra c in one direction after 1.30pm from Antil Street to Flemington Road, Watson, with only bikes allowed. There’s a large trade hall with many companies displaying product and Yamaha was showing o the new Ténéré 700. I caught up with Robin and Veronica Box of Touratech on their trade stand, plus there was a lot of memorabilia for sale. The line up of police bikes, and trick-as police cars and 4WDs, was also very impressive.
The national contingent of motorcycle riders started o at 3.00pm, heading for the parade around Parliament house. There were 2277 riders, of which 323 were from Queensland.
After the lap, all bikes converged in convoy to Kings Park, overlooking Lake Burley Gri n, where the National Police memorial is situated. There was a very moving ceremony. There was also a strong contingent of police from
The annual King Of The Beach meeting is the only legal beach race for motorcycles in Australia.
Held at Grasstree Beach in Queensland, 38 kilometres south of Mackay, just o the Bruce Highway, the annual event has riders racing around a pair of course markers on the hard sand at low tide.
Spectators can enjoy kids’ entertainment, a licensed premises for the adults and numerous food stalls.
Above left: The Federal Highway is closed to general traf昀椀c in one direction, with only bikes allowed.
Above right: Steve had done a great job booking accommodation.
America who’d helped start the Wall To Wall theme.
Anyway, it was a touching ceremony that had a lot of teary eyes. It was really interesting perusing the wall to see the dates and places where 794 police had lost their lives in the line of duty, and I’m talking every policeman and policewoman since back to the 1800s. It’s de nitely been a hard trek for them, and it really made us appreciate what a hard job they have.
After all the ceremonies we headed to our overnight stop at the Eagle Hawk caravan park at Sutton, then the next day we all went home in di erent directions.
Tony, Nelo and I headed north to another adventure. Nelo had a mate from
Warialda who races V8 power boats in the Hawksbury River where the Bridge To Bridge starts, so the bikes were parked at his accommodation and we were shuttled down to the Hawksbury to drink more beer and do some solid spectating. It was really a great day, with cars and boats of all ages on display. Life doesn’t get much better.
The next day we headed home via Putty Road, and I just had to sniggle another night at Nelo’s in Warialda. From there it was a casual ride home the next day outside of ’roo times.
And as for the 790R playing with road bikes, once again it did a great job. It seemed better than many when it came to the rougher country roads, and even Jed on the late-model Goldwing was whinging it was kicking him up the butt on some crap surfaces.
Overall it was a great couple of weeks’ entertainment on the new KTM790R, and I would have to say it didn’t disappoint in any area.
In typical Hartley fashion, rather than wasting tons of time and taking months to prepare for a ride, I had a quick look at the 790R for basic service and set up, threw a few tools, spares and minimal personal items in the saddlebags and tank bag and less than six hours later was good to roll.
I was lucky I’d previously set up the 790R pretty well. It already had the usual mods like rally ’pegs, ’bar risers, weathershield Barkbusters, Andy Strapz saddlebag racks, B&B bashplate, tank bag, good Michelin H5 front and, in this case, Dunlop 908R rear – I’m also happy with the Motoz Rallz Adventure tyre on the rear – Akro with ba e removed for some twin sound, plus I’d opted for the 1190R carrier option as I’ve never found I needed a big, wide carrier platform for my usual swag.
As it was winter when I received this bike I’d also spoilt myself with grip warmers, and for the more boring road sections, where my right wrist has problems maintaining legal road speeds, I tted the KTM cruise control.
Apart from roughly wiring in a GPS and iPhone holder on RAM mounts, she was right to go.
One other last-minute mod was to t one of those Touratech clamp-on wind de ectors I had laying around. I tted it to the screen for a fraction less turbulence behind the glasses when the visor was up.
I’d done my own pre lter experimenting as I’d heard a bit of dust circulates around the rear guard/under-seat area.
I tted a set of the 1190R Uni lter snorkel lters down the twin intake tubes, plus, in a bit of a more radical move, I Silasticed up all the gaps in between the plastics and the subframe in an e ort to reduce the dust swirl o the rear tyre up under the rearguard area. Just to go that extra step I grabbed a 20mm sheet of 305mm x 405mm air-cleaner foam, cut it in half and trimmed the edges so it tted over the air cleaner snorkels in between the subframe rails. I tucked it under the seat-catch rail at the front and under the two seat-mount rest pins at the rear.
First aid can save lives and signi cantly reduce the severity of injuries, and it’s good knowledge to have. But what happens if the patient doesn’t want rst aid…or any other kind of aid? What happens then?
Most riders would have had some level of instruction in administering rst aid, whether it’s keeping an accident victim warm, clearing an airway or administering CPR. Usually that instruction is done in a nice, clean, controlled environment, perhaps a rst-aid or ambulance station. The patient is either a mannequin or another student on the course who does their best to lie still and play injured.
In the stress and adrenalin of a serious bike incident, things seldom happen that way.
While most of us can o er comfort and give mouth-to-mouth to a mannequin or classmate, we’ve never seen anything written about, or been instructed in, dealing with a rider who doesn’t want to be helped.
It happens.
Adventure Rider Magazine’s editor was seriously injured, but in the depths of a heavy concussion, refused to let his very capable riding companions anywhere near him. He insisted on trying to remount what was an unridable bike, refused all o ers of comfort and assistance, and even physically wrestled with the doctor when he was nally o ered professional help.
What can be done in that situation? How can help be given to someone who’s actively refusing it, even though it’s plainly needed?
We went to some front-line professionals for advice Pro view
The members of a medical team at a large road-race circuit are not only specialists in dealing with motorcycle-related injuries, they’re necessarily prepared for every call to be an extreme incident. Unannounced, Adventure Rider Magazine pushed the doorbell on a medical centre at one of Australia’s largest road-race circuits and asked the question of the rst-responders on shift, “What can we do to help a friend who doesn’t want to be helped?”
They were clearly thorough professionals and found the question very interesting. They talked a great deal about the concept of a patient being uncooperative for medical reasons – like a concussion or disorientation – not because the patient was under the in uence of drugs or medication.
After some discussion there was no de nitive answer. Every situation of this nature would be so entirely unique and individual there could be no guaranteed, or even recommended, method of dealing with it.
There were a few things the pros underlined, though.
R Safety rst. Take the keys o the patient and try to minimise any further possible harm. This should be a major aim for any untrained rider trying to help another. Make sure he or she isn’t
able to get back on the bike. Secure the area. If the rider can’t be contained, remove as many risks as possible. Try to get them clear of any tra c or away from hazards like cli s, rocks or fallen trees
R Ensure the safety of the helper. Make sure the situation remains a problem for one victim, not an escalation to two or more. The helper mustn’t put themselves in a dangerous situation in an e ort to provide assistance
R Avoid trying to hold down or grapple with an uncooperative patient. Don’t get physical and grab or wrestle with them. It could aggravate any injuries
R Try and talk to the victim and bring them to reason
R Get professional help ASAP.
Sheer humanity – we hope – would make anyone anywhere stop and help someone in trouble, but in this day and age there’s always the possibility of a legal di culty.
What happens if the rst on the scene does what he or she thinks is best, but in fact makes things worse, possibly aggravating the injuries and damage to the fallen rider?
In Australia, what are commonly called Good Samaritan laws o er ‘legal protection to people who give reasonable assistance to those who are, or whom they believe to be, injured, ill, in peril, or otherwise incapacitated’.
Like all beaut laws, the intricacies of this lot my vary from State to State and territory, and may even have overriding federal versions. You’ll need to talk to a champion lawyer – bless ’em – to nd out the situation in your State, region or possible incident. But as a general overview, someone attempting to help a fallen rider, and acting in good faith, will have some degree of legal protection if things don’t go well.
Our research only showed there’s no guaranteed successful procedure for dealing with an uncooperative crash victim. If you’re rst on the scene, or nd yourself the person charged with providing help, you can only do the best you can as you see it at the time.
It seems the most important thing to keep in mind is safety. Keep yourself safe so you continue to provide help until the pros arrive, and then, as best you can, do your best to keep the victim safe from doing themselves any further harm.
Below: It’s possible a badly hurt rider, especially one suffering with concussion, can offer active resistance to anyone offering aid. It’s a tricky situation when it happens.
H“Why, brother? There’s nothin’ much there.”
From its source in northeastern New South Wales and southern Queensland to its joining with the Murray River at the historic outback town of Wentworth, the Darling River is the longest combined tributary river system in Australia. Even though Graeme Sedgwick was advised there wasn’t much to see, he followed the watercourse and discovered a ride to open eyes, test skills and challenge endurance.
Words images: Graeme Sedgwick eading upstream from Wentworth in southwestern NSW, leaving behind the con uence of the Murray and Darling rivers, the ride began with 100km or so of semiarid outback landscape rich in eucalypt. Keeping The Darling close by led to Pooncarie village, approximately midway between Wentworth and Menindee. There’s enough to see and enjoy in Pooncarie if time isn’t your enemy. The Old Wharf site with its café is a great place to stop and the pub hospitality is excellent.
Pushing on to Menindee, about 120km further north, the landscape scattered
wide-open under a blue sky. One opinion of the area I was o ered during my research for the ride was, “Why, brother? There’s nothin’ much there.”
Nothing much, except tough-as-nails vegetation, red dirt and shifting sand.
The riding for the rst section was relatively fuss-free, aside from losing, of all things, my helmet’s visor screws.
Menindee to Wilcannia: 154km
Menindee is the oldest European settlement in western New South Wales and the rst town to be established on the Darling River. The town also lays claim to being an advance base for Burke
and Wills’ 1860 expedition. These days Menindee sits south of where the transcontinental railway line crosses the Darling River and east of what are essentially four main, and empty, lakes named Wetherell, Pamamaroo, Menindee (the largest) and Cawndilla. Each is basically located on natural depressions and totally dependent upon the Darling River’s in ow.
Upstream, southern Queensland and most of New South Wales west of the Great Dividing Range represents a catchment area of around 574,200 square kilometres, ooding the lakes when it rains. Without the rain things aren’t just
u
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parched, they’re damned hot and dusty. My passage away from Menindee took the western Menindee/Wilcannia Road, a run loaded with gravel and sandy sections that needed some concentration. I wasn’t keen on nding out what I might have broken personally and/or mechanically if enthusiasm had overtaken my complete lack of talent, but nonetheless, once in the swing of things everything, thankfully, unfolded uneventfully – except for a couple of ‘could-have-been aerobatic’ moments. These near misses prompted thoughts of the isolation surrounding a solo rider who fell victim to misfortune.
Wilcannia to Tilpa: 142km Wilcannia, a name apparently derived from an Aboriginal expression for ‘gap in the bank where oodwaters escape’ or perhaps ‘wild dog’ – no-one’s exactly sure – was once Australia’s third-largest inland port. That was during the great riverboat
era, and at that time the town enjoyed a population of more than 3000. There were also 13 hotels and a newspaper, The Western Grazier
In recent times Wilcannia’s become little
“ Leaving Tilpa meant more sand, coarse gravel and bulldust which, in the blink of an eye, could influence a rider’s destiny.”
more than a dilapidated outpost o ering basic services and supplies for the Central Darling Shire, but things appear to be slowly changing. There are some building works underway, and a couple of kilometres south along the Cobb Highway there’s a caravan and camping
Main: Wide-open under a blue sky.
Far left: Don’t eat the roadkill.
Left: Roadworks along the way.
Above: The ride began with 100km or so of semi-arid outback landscape rich in eucalypt.
Below right: The Darling River is the longest combined tributary river system in Australia.
ground named Warrawong On The Darling that’s nothing short of top class.
A chance conversation with a steely, blue-eyed, single-toothed Wilcannia local provided invaluable departure advice: “Take your time, buddy. The way ahead to Tilpa is rough. The gravel is, like, bulldust-deep.”
The advice proved sound.
Amid a dramatic increase in lignum and black-box vegetation, noisy bird life, kangaroos, wild goats and grazing stock, the hazards came and kept coming with every kilometre.
Tilpa’s a small village on the western banks of the Darling River and a de nite must-stop, whether to break the journey, camp alongside The Darling, or simply enjoy one or more of Tilpa pub’s coldest. Like many locations along The Darling, Tilpa was once a busy port servicing trade and local agriculture as well as a crossing for stock and wool to be moved from one side of The Darling to the other. For me it
was a chance to see Tilpa’s Boer War Memorial, which included a commemorative to Harry ‘The Breaker’ Morant. That was even before reacquainting myself with Tilpa’s outback pub, a classic if ever there was one. Its walls of timber and corrugated iron are adorned with a great deal of historical memorabilia which were a source of intrigue. They also helped pass the time as I enjoyed a few cold ones with locals and other travellers while soaking in the atmosphere.
Leaving Tilpa meant more sand, coarse gravel and bulldust which, in the blink of an eye, could in uence a rider’s destiny. There were also more exposed, often broken, wire-reinforced drains and stock grids that had the potential to cause instant wheel and tyre damage if not approached with respect. The exposed stock-grid edges were the toughest. The dirt and gravel that would normally smooth the approach to the grids had become dust and been blown away, leaving a sharp, unforgiving edge of wheel-destroying concrete.
Finding a peaceful place to sleep wasn’t hard, whether it was under the stars or at a lesser-known pub. There was also the possibility of a station stay at Trilby Station, just short of Louth on the western side of The Darling. There were also some riverside camping options among giant gums.
The passage up to this point had served up more than an enough heavy gravel, bulldust and sharp-edged grids, all eager to catch out a weary rider. Fatigue had taken its toll on concentration and physical endurance and the appearance of Louth, on eastern side of the Darling River, was a relief.
Sitting about 90km southwest of Bourke and 130km northwest of Cobar, the tiny town of Louth meant a whole lot more than just the cold beers that didn’t seem to relieve my parched insides. I was absolutely spent.
By the end of that day I was totally appreciative of the hospitality shown by Shindy’s Inn publican, Kathy Barnes. I was also somewhat relieved to learn many of the tracks I’d covered had claimed more than their fair share of weary, overloaded or too-eager riders, some breaking themselves and/or their bikes beyond further progress.
The place is famous for its annual, second-Saturday-in-August horse-racing carnival which starts ramping up the Wednesday before with a golf tournament, followed by a scone-and- u
damper cook o , school fete and Fridaynight Calcutta which sees the village’s population surge from around 40 to upward of 5000 or more – a gure that must surely rank with numbers of sheep shorn in 1888 when the rst mechanised shearing of sheep in the world took place at Sir Samuel McCaughey’s 404,685-hectare Dunlop Station. The property, just down river from Louth, at one time boasted a shearing shed with 45 shearing stands.
After sleep and rehydration, Booligal’s Duke Of Edinburgh pub became my objective.
‘The Duke’ has a curious link to the country’s history. It was the Boolingal Hotel, but after burning to the ground
in the late-1970s it was rebuilt as the Duke Of Edinburgh Hotel, and now claims ‘a certain, rough, outback charm’. The walls are lined with photos of earlier pubs in the town.
I chose to dismiss what was a straightforward run. I wanted to pass through Bourke, but rode via Gundabooka National Park then past Wuttagoona Station, enroute meeting Station owner Ken Cain and son Damian, before refuelling at Cobar. From Cobar my route went through Marooba Range, Rota and Lowlands west of Kidman Way’s tar, and then crossed The Lachlan, Australia’s fourth-longest river, to run southwesterly through Whealbah and wind up at The Duke moments before dusk.
All up it was some 580km from Bourke.
Left: Finding a peaceful place to sleep wasn’t hard. Below left: Fabulous hospitality shown by Shindy’s Inn publican, Kathy Barnes. Below right: There’s nothing too high-tech about Louth.
As I sat at the bar I considered the journey. The outback’s most famous waterway is in poor shape. There’s a variety of reasons, the most signi cant being the sheer absence of rain, but a cocktail of changing governance, regulated and unregulated user demands and pollution from pesticide runo have played their parts. And the reality is the Darling River’s extraordinarily irregular ow has seen it dry up on no fewer than 45 occasions between 1885 and 1960.
So the challenges for the Darling River’s future within massively changed agricultural and social views and opinions are, to say the very least, complex as much as they are emotive. I decided after all my ride’s varied conversations with unknown locals who for moments became mates, red dirt tracks peppered with gutters and grids, huge amounts of bulldust and coarse gravel, through places of absolute beauty and quiet isolation, dodging meandering livestock, startled ’roos, emus and goats, below laughing galahs and circling Wedge-tailed eagles…all that ‘nothingness’ had morphed into an amazing adventure.
GENUINE ACCESSORIES, DESIGNED & DEVELOPED IN CONJUNCTION WITH THE MOTORCYCLE FOR PERFECT PROTECTION, PERFORMANCE & FIT. THERE IS NO COMPARISON, GENUINE IS THE ONLY CHOICE WHEN IT COMES TO THE BEST FOR YOUR SHOP
A premium riding suit can be a big investment. Touratech’s Compañero World 2 suit is about as premium as it gets.
Afew issues back – issue #35 – we put a BMW Rallye suit to the test and found that, although the price looked scary, the protection and comfort o ered were exceptional. That set us to wondering about other top-shelf riding suits, and when you start ferreting around on the very topmost shelf, Touratech’s Compañero World 2 suit is a frontrunner.
Adventure Rider Magazine’s publisher has been wearing a Compañero suit for quite a while, and of course importer Robin Box is a big exponent of everything Touratech. He’s ridden some of the world’s harshest and most challenging environments.
Both these blokes swear by their Compañero suits.
Now Adventure Rider Magazine’s editor has joined the Compañero club as well.
Clearly suits in this price range aren’t for everyone. The Compañero is aimed at riders who expect they’ll nd themselves dealing with ‘four seasons’. In this context that means sub-zero cold and equally extreme heat. The suit also o ers a very high level of impact and abrasion protection.
The four-seasons concept is important, and it’s where the price of apparel and survival gear climbs steeply. Do some research on the price of four-seasons sleeping bags versus lighter-weight sleeping bags to see what we mean.
Apparel is the same. To be truly rated as four-seasons gear means some expensive
manufacture and materials. There’s no way around it.
Do you need a four-seasons suit? That, really, is the de nitive question riders should ask themselves when considering a purchase like a Compañero suit.
Robin Box explains it best: “If a rider can choose when to ride, they can avoid extreme weather conditions. Forecasts are accurate enough now that we never need to head into surprising weather.”
That makes sense. Riders who can say, “Yeah…nah. The weather’s a bit shit, I’ll stay indoors today,” will struggle to justify the cost of a four-seasons suit. But for those who ride come hell or
high water, and especially those who ride through terrain where the conditions are unknown and/or uncertain – in other words, hard-core adventure riders – the level of comfort and protection o ered by apparel becomes far more important.
Robin has a good example.
“If you ride, say, Tasmania in the summer, you need to be prepared for extremes. We’ve had it happen three times now. We were exposed to 40 degrees getting there from the mainland, and three days later at Lake Sinclair we were pushing snow o our visors.”
That’s the type of scenario the Compañero is designed to deal with.
Those keen for specs on the Compañero can log on to touratech.com.au. We’re just going to o er a few observations from our time using the gear.
Basically, the Compañero World 2 is in two parts. Both jacket and pants have an inner and outer, just as we saw with the BMW suit. The outer is a Cordura layer laminated to a Goretex layer. It’s abrasion
74 advridermag.com.au
resistant, windproof and waterproof, and it’s light and packs down to a very compact bundle.
The ‘inner’ is the jacket and pants we’d all wear all the time. The outer only goes on to deal with cold or wet.
One thing that struck us immediately with the Compañero was there being no vents in the main – inner – suit. Not one.
The whole suit, aside from the protective panels, is a mesh-like Cordura Air fabric, and we were surprised at how well it worked. One very interesting facet of that type of construction is, vents rely on moving air to have an e ect. A rider sitting still, or shielded by a fairing and screen, won’t get much bene t from opening vents in a suit. A mesh-type construction allows air to move around the rider’s body all the time, even when stationary or when surrounding air is stationary.
That’s a signi cant consideration for riders of faired adventure bikes.
Adventure Rider Magazine’s publisher bought his Compañero suit about three years ago.
“Love it!” he exclaimed. “I wouldn’t change it.
“It’s great the way the breeze goes through the whole suit. It means less fatigue on those big, long days, so I reckon it’s a safety consideration as well.”
The inner suit has armour protecting joints and high-risk anatomical regions, and of course areas under the armour don’t get the air ow to the same extent. But it’s refreshing the way so much of a rider’s body enjoys the air movement.
The armour in the Compañero is worth a closer look.
SAS-TEC is a specialist body-armour supplier, and, like some of the other premium brands, it’s very pliable and soft in its normal state. When a rider pulls on the Compañero pants and jacket the armour pretty much forms itself to the rider’s shape – whether that’s the knee, elbow, back, hip or whatever. This naturally makes for a very high level of comfort.
The tricky bit is, any impact makes the SAS-TEC armour instantly go hard… so you can go home, not to hospital.
We don’t know how it works, but it works, and it’s easy to test or demonstrate. Just grab a SAS-TEC guard and squish it around a bit. Get a feel for how pliable it is. Then whack it on a table or concrete oor a couple of times and see how rigid it feels.
The di erence is fairly amazing. It’ll revert to its pliable self very soon after the impacts stop.
Like all good-quality equipment, SAS-TEC armour is not cheap, and it’s part of the Compañero World 2 suit.
When the temperature drops or it looks like rain, the outer gear can be slipped on over the top with little fuss or disruption. We can pull the outer layers on without removing gloves or boots.
We saw the value of the Goretex outer layer on the cold ride in issue #37. While riders were shivering and su ering on a cold night in the NSW snow elds, Robin and The Boss pulled on their Goretex outers and sat patiently while everyone else struggled into every layer of everything they could lay their hands on.
The outer layer will prevent the wind getting to the rider’s skin, and we’ve
covered the importance of that several times. That doesn’t mean the rider won’t be cold. If the temperature’s low, the rider needs to consider layers and managing the low temperatures. The outer layer is a big step in the management process. Does the World 2 suit keep the rider dry?
The editor decided a real test was in order, so when the opportunity presented itself he rode in the rain wearing the inner pants and inner and outer jacket. The result was, predictably, the bottom half being soaked and even leaking into his boots, but between neck and waste he stayed bone dry.
The ride was about 100km in light rain, but it was an excellent demonstration of how well the outer layer did its job.
Fit as
One thing we particularly liked about the Touratech suit was the t.
There’s a list of measurements
Touratech asks for, but with just a couple of basic numbers and the regular sizes of other gear the Touratech Australia folks gured it out.
There’s heaps of adjustment available. Thanks to clever design there seems to be plenty of room to add layers if needed, or snug everything down if a rider chooses to go without, say, a back protector or knee guards. We loved the way the cu s of the jacket have both zips and velcro. That allows the cu to be adjusted with the velcro, then left in that position. Removing the jacket and pulling on gloves only means pulling the zips undone or doing them up. The size of the cu remains the same.
There are lots of little things that show up with use and underline just how much thought has gone into this gear.
Bottom line
The crusher is the price.
The Compañero World 2 suit you see on these pages retails at $3165.
As we said at the start, it’s not a purchase for casual riders.
But if you’re facing serious survival challenges and extreme temperatures and conditions, this is the standard of equipment you should be considering.
Left: The ‘inner’ suit will be the choice for most everyday Aussie conditions. There are no vents. The whole suit breathes.
Above: Touratech’s Compañero World 2 suit is intended for riders facing extreme conditions. It’s a well-thought-out bit of kit, and with the outer Goretex liner in place will cope with serious cold and wet.
The plan was to y to Perth, then head out to Steep Point.
From there Greg‘Bones’Dunn and his crew would travel east, eventually doing a lap of Uluru, and on to Byron Bay.
We’d arranged bike transport from the east coast, travel permits, accommodation, ights, GPX tracks, analysed kilometres and fuel range, organised individual EPIRBs, extra fuel, water and camp meals. I’d submitted 31 requests for localised permits, enough to cover nine people through our intended travel route, an area covering most of WA, with some parts even sneaking into the Northern Territory.
Everyone had up-specced and some even bought new bikes for the trip. My own bike had the suspension upgraded to deal with the extra weight that came with being fully self-su cient and my camping gear was double checked and stowed safely. My riding gear had also been updated to deal with the expected harshness of the outback. We all had new tyres and tubes and had ordered replacements to meet us at Alice Springs.
There was nothing going to stop us.
What wasn’t in the plan was The Farmer going over the ’bars of his Africa Twin and busting his wrist just before departure. (We missed ya, mate.)
Eight riders in three di erent groups from NSW ended up starting the ride.
Scott free
Kev and Pat were planning to meet up with us a few days north of Perth.
Rush Rush and I ew to the west coast where The Farmer and The Welder picked us up and spent a night bench racing. We collected our bikes and The KTM Kid and his 1190R joined us having arrived in Perth the day before. We all had a top night hanging out in Freemantle and, due to an auto-spell blunder on Rush Rush’s phone, his bike was christened with a new name. His ‘BMW 800GSA’ would forever be ‘Bob Scott’.
Friday we waved goodbye and headed north.
As usual I got us on a wrong road within minutes, and we soon realised we were heading up the highway. Eventually we found The Coast Road, stopped at Lancelin for a cold beer and a look at the ocean, then rode on to Port Denison for the night. Thanks to The Welder I found half a paver in my saddlebag…much to the amusement of Rush Rush and The KTM Kid.
Saturday saw us head to Kalbarri. We grabbed a bite to eat at Pink Lake and followed the coast north before coming inland to the Billabong Roadhouse where we had two nights booked. The boys were very happy to see a bar at the roadhouse and settled in for a well-earned rest.
Sunday was our rst o -road riding as we made our way out to Steep Point. I hadn’t investigated how one might go about turning o the traction control, and it’s a fact I’m not a great sand rider. True to form, I had two or three o s before my triumphant arrival at the westernmost point of the Australian mainland. I marked my achievement by jagging a rock
Main: Bikes were transported from the east coast. Travel permits, accommodation, 昀氀ights, GPX tracks, individual EPIRBs, extra fuel, water and camp meals were all organised.
Left: The author had a few offs before arrival at the westernmost point of the Australian mainland. Above: The well-known sandy track out to Steep Point, WA.
under my front wheel and toppling over again.
The KTM Kid and Rush Rush thought this was bloody hilarious, so it was only after much pointing and laughing they helped me put the big Honda the right way up.
The end of a successful day saw us back at the Billabong Roadhouse where we met up with Kev and Pat. The boys had been on the road for a couple of weeks, Kev on his V-Strom 650 and Pat on his Africa Twin. They were certainly enjoying the lifestyle.
On Monday we fuelled at Murchison, had a bite to eat, then ended up camping at Nallan Station near Cue. It was a good
day on mostly easy roads, and we slowly began getting a feel for the trip. We settled in to doing 50km between regroups and leader changes, the best way of combating the dust and sharing the lead and sweep duties. We stuck with the system through to the end of the ride. We did close to 550km for the day and all pulled into camp felling pretty chipper. Around the re that night Rush Rush, The KTM Kid and I took a vote and decided we’d give The Gunbarrel a miss. I wasn’t keen to hurt myself trying to ride 500km of sand, and I didn’t think they were looking forward to picking up my bike too many more times. This trip was about riding west to east and enjoying it, not about conquering legends and breaking things.
After lunch at Meekatharra on Tuesday we buzzed the Gold elds Highway for about 180km to Wiluna. Our accom for the night didn’t show up on the GPS and there was some confusion as to where it was exactly. We had no service and weren’t lost… we just weren’t in the right place. “Just call ’em on the bloody Sat phone!” Rush Rush yelled, prompting a quick result, and we nally arrived at The Gunbarrel Laager
“ This trip was about riding west to east and enjoying it, not about conquering legends and breaking things.”
Traveller’s Rest. The place was clean and the tucker was good, but it was primo miners’-camp prices there.
We had a feed, a shower and a good sleep after a solid, 420km day.
Wednesday saw us do nearly 400km. In the morning we headed east out of
Wiluna and turned south to follow our noses. I was riding through central WA with four mates and just loving it.
The terrain was mixed. There were some good sandy roads with rocky sections, but it was all easy riding, and we were in good spirits knowing our rst rest day was in front of us. We weren’t sure if Leonora or Laverton was the place to stay, but we met a station manager on Melrose Station. It was interesting to hear of his life and struggles on the massive station in the middle of a drought. His recommendation was Leonora, so we bid him farewell and rolled to Leonora through Nambi and Mertondale, enjoying what little scenery there was and taking in the massive expanse of drought-a ected farmland.
We were once again staggered by the premium prices on basic accommodation and were discussing our options when Rush Rush piped up, saying he may have found something.
A phone call, a quick scoot around on his bike to check it out and we’d
booked into a homestay.
What fantastic people the hosts, Terry and Di, were! Within 30 minutes of meeting them we’d booked to stay a second night, then settled on the back veranda to enjoy their company and savour the beers.
After the rest and bike-maintenance day we left Leonora on the Friday refreshed and keen. Our intention was to stay o the Great Central Road (GCR) for as long as we could, and we jumped onto the Old Laverton Road and joined White Cli s Road up to Yamarna, a ghost town that, true to form, we couldn’t nd. Then it was on to the GCR to Tjukayirla Roadhouse. There were sections of nice, easy road and sections of sandy road, but all in all it was a pretty straightforward run. We arrived with enough sunlight to get fuel, food and some cold drinks. Camp was in the dust, but we had a cracking re for the
night and retired to bed reasonably early. Total distance for the day was about 460km.
Saturday was a straightforward 473km on the GCR to Warakurna Roadhouse. The road had plenty of sandy sections and seemed to get worse the further we went. Kev’s Mighty V-Strom 650 clicked over 50,000km on this day. They really are a trooper of a bike. Eventually we made it to the roadhouse, only to realise it had closed 20 minutes earlier. We’d been caught out with the central time-zone di erence so we made camp, had showers and ate some camp meals. Werner, a bloke who knew the boys from WA, showed up on his trusty old BMW and camped with us.
It was quite a good night all round. The campground was small but clean, and there was even some grass to pitch our tents on, which meant nally some light relief from the dust. u
Waiting for fuel forced a late start on Sunday, much to Rush Rush’s dismay and the KTM Kid’s delight. Much bickering ensued.
It was after 9.30am when we headed back onto the sandy GCR for a few hundred kilometres towards Uluru. The sand was manageable but still hard work, and we were glad to hit the tar, knowing it would be the riding surface for the next few days. We stopped and checked out the Olgas then did a lap around Uluru, and what a spectacular sight it is up close. After
a few photos we headed for Curtin Springs where we’d booked a powered site for the night.
Well…didn’t they make it di cult. Apparently, you can only have one camp per site. We had ve tents, but took up one space. However, attempting to book in via administration proved quite di cult: “Yes,”“No,”“Go here,”“Come back”…we ended up in the free camping section where we showered and went in search of beers.
The day’s distance was 413km, and we crossed into the Northern Territory, which was cool.
On Monday we decided against going around the Mereenie loop to see Kings Canyon as a couple of us weren’t much for walking due to old injuries. That left a straight, 360km run to Alice Springs.
It was an easy kind of day. We cruised our way through town to Kath’s B&B with music running inside the helmets. We’d booked for three nights and had plans for things like servicing bikes, changing tyres and washing clothes, so we sat back and relaxed the afternoon away.
The B&B was fantastic and Kath was fabulous. She really looked after us and was happy to sit down for an afternoon beer and listen to our constant banter.
The next couple of days were spent having tyres changed and servicing the bikes.
While the bike shop did the tyres we took a stroll around Alice and found a nice pub which we booked for dinner, then went back to the B&B to do oil changes, a thorough check of the bikes and air- lter maintenance.
We did some tourist things and had
Top: Uluru is a spectacular sight up close.
tea and scones like proper adventure riders.
Our other group caught up with us in Alice – the three who had headed further north into WA and then come back on the Gunbarrel Highway. Our amazing hostess found beds for them all so we could spend the night comparing stories and sharing a beer. It was good to see how their trip had progressed and hear what they’d been up to.
Not far
Thursday started with us all gathering for a photo out the front of the B&B, the only time we would all be together on this ride. Everyone was in good spirits – apart from The Big O, who was unfortunately heading for the airport and home. His bike nished the journey on a truck after he’d damaged his ankle and thought it best not to risk further injury. u
We left together but soon split into two groups: Pat and Kev rode the good roads to Marla with Mr Gill; Rush Rush, The KTM Kid and I were joined by Bricky, and we headed to Finke, then cut across to Marla to meet up with the boys.
The day started out ne, heading down Maryvale Road and onto The Ghan Heritage Road. It was sandy, but okay to ride, and we followed along getting glimpses of the Finke racetrack.
Then the old GPS struck again. Having been set for the shortest route for the previous few days of tar, it put us on the Ghan Heritage Trail without us realising. After a few kilometres we stopped and discussed turning around due to the horrible, sandy, twin-rut track, but it was decided that, seeing
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it was only 35km, we should push on.
About three hours later, with my tank bag split, damaged ribs, a few new marks on my big Honda and not much water left, I crested the last little hill with Bricky beside me saying, “Come on, mate. Only another 100 metres or so.”
We nally rolled back onto the Ghan Heritage Road. What a horrible three hours it had been. We’d only done 35km in that time. The boys had helped, laughing and making sure I got through it, but I didn’t enjoy any of it.
After a rest and some painkillers we rolled on towards Finke. The road turned to soft sand about three kilometres in and as I was trying to stop and open my visor,
down I went again. I was absolutely spent, and as Bricky helped me right my bike again, Rush Rush arrived, heading back towards us, and let us know it was worse up ahead. It was decided to go back to Alice for the night and see where tomorrow took us. I guess we did close to 400km that day, and by the time we were back in Alice we were all ready for a shower and bed.
Friday had us up early, on the tar and heading south on the Stuart Highway. We aimed to push for two days and catch up with the others. They’d enjoyed a tip-top day cruising south and bunking down at Marla before tackling the Oodnadatta track.
The Honda made it about 400km. I went to overtake a caravan and the big girl spluttered in protest and wouldn’t rev over 3500rpm. I pulled into the servo and looked at it with sadness.
The KTM Kid, a mechanic by trade, said it sounded electrical, so we checked battery terminals, looked at all the fuses and let it cool down some. After a while I red it up, went for a spin, and it seemed to be ne. Just then The KTM Kid’s fuel bladder burst and began to spew petrol, so we splashed all the leftover fuel into my bike and pushed on down the tar to Coober Pedy. I thought if my electrics nally did die it’d be easier to get rescued on the main road.
It was a boring 670km drone down the
highway, but, to be honest, it was probably the best thing for my damaged ribs and battered Honda.
Coober Pedy o ered beer, tucker and an early night.
The next day meant getting back on the dirt to meet the other three – Kev, Pat and Mr Gill – near the Flinders. After 170km to William Creek the boys were keen to have a gander at Lake Eyre from above while
“ The KTM Kid had managed more than a wee off and was having trouble breathing. ”
it had water in it, so they booked a ight and I sat in the sun with a cold beer and had some more painkillers. My bike had been ne since Marla so I was a little less on edge.
Three hours later, with plenty of painrelief pills in my system, we took o for Maree on the Oodnadatta Track. The dust had been crazy, but this was our rst
really heavily used road and we passed vans and 4WDs by the dozen. Looking out for them and their oncoming brethren kept us on our toes all the way to Maree, a further 204km. I arrived to see Rush Rush relaxing with a cold drink, and soon we were all there and ready for the last 115km to Copley where the other three were waiting.
What’s that?” exclaimed Rush Rush, pointing to the Africa Twin’s rear.
Somewhere along the track my exhaust had begun to unpack itself.
“More bits falling o the Honda, mate!”
The KTM Kid laughed, then sprayed rocks all over my forlorn gure as he took o down the road giggling.
He was right, there was exhaust packing wrapped around my bag racks. Lots of it. I decided to just get to Copley and see what could be done there.
We rolled in thirsty and close to dark, parked up the bikes, had a tub and went for a beer and dinner. It had been another reasonably long day – nearly 500km – with a three-hour break for a scenic ight in the middle.
The next day the group split again with Kev and Pat planning to wander home over the following three days and Mr Gill and Bricky beelining to their respective
homes over the next two days. It’s fair to say we turned it on at Copley that last night together.
On Sunday we were all up early (which surprised me) and the boys heading home were packing bikes while Rush Rush, The KTM Kid and I were doing the opposite. We’d planned a day exploring the Flinders. My injured ribs were still voicing their displeasure and I was quite uncomfortable and struggled to get around, so Rush Rush suggested I take a layday and relax while they had a squiz. I gratefully took up the suggestion, and after saying goodbye and seeing everyone o , went back to bed.
My phone rang at about 2.30pm, and it was Rush Rush. The KTM Kid had managed more than a wee o and was having trouble breathing. He and his bike had been transported to Hawker, thanks to two passing motorists.
So there I sat, alone, waiting for the phone to ring while my two mates were 180km away.
I spoke to the publican and he arranged for the bike to be stored at Hawker pub until further notice, and we discussed posting The Kid’s gear home. Rush Rush made the decision to return to Copley and leave The Kid in the care of the medical centre. After all, he’s a builder, not a doctor. He was fair knackered by the time he made it back.
We ate quietly and spoke to The Kid over the phone, then turned in early.
Next morning we gathered up The KTM Kid’s stu and left it to be posted from Copley. The great people there couldn’t do enough for us.
We headed to Blinman, Martins Well and Yunta, and along the way my ABS and traction control stopped working. I did a quick investigation but couldn’t see anything obvious, so we kept rolling.
The mood was sombre without The KTM Kid, and from Yunta the two of
Top: A straightforward 473km on the GCR to Warakurna Roadhouse.
Above left: The end cap had blown off the Africa Twin’s pipe and unloaded most of the packing.
Left: The wind absolutely belted across, right-toleft, all the way to Broken Hill and then Silverton.
Exclusive gel pads and NanofrontTM palm offer amazing grip while reducing risk of blisters.
us headed east on the Barrier Highway to be absolutely belted by wind coming straight across, right-to-left, all the way to Broken Hill and then Silverton, a 615km day.
We learned The KTM Kid had just copped a good knock and would be on a plane home within the next day or two and our spirits picked up a bit.
We still had a ride to nish.
The ground was wet the next morning and we hoped the overnight rain would keep the dust down. Rush Rush changed his pre lters and we headed to Menindee and rode up the east side of a very poor-looking Darling river to Wilcannia and the rst vegetation we’d seen in weeks.
We meandered northeast. My Sena had gone at, so I had no music and I gured that was the reason my bike sounded crazy loud. I was wrong. The end cap had blown o the pipe and unloaded most of the rest of the packing. The Africa Twin
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was absurdly loud, and after we’d cruised the last few kilometres into Louth Rush Rush mentioned he probably wouldn’t be doing much following from there on.
We pulled into the pub, grabbed a beer, and I asked a bloke in work gear if he had some fencing wire and a drill. He did, and we fashioned a x to hold the rest of my exhaust packing and ba e in place.
Rush Rush took the lead the next morning, and after listening to my bike I couldn’t blame him.
We continued up the Darling River to Bourke, where I put 23.75 litres in my 24-litre tank, before rolling on to Collarenebri and ending up at Moree for the night. It was another 550km day.
The next morning we ticked o North Star – it was all pretty dry out there –Texas and Tenter eld before booking into a pub at Killarney. We’d clicked over another 450km day and looked forward to a shower and a beer…maybe too many beers. Rush Rush wanted in on the
darts comp and I watched and laughed. I had a stagger on when I eventually headed for bed.
An early start in heavy fog the next morning took us to Woodenbong, Kyogle, Nimbin and down through The Channon towards Clunes, until eventually we found ourselves only about 30 minutes from Byron Bay and I started to get excited. This trip had been rst conceived some 18 months before, and there we were, half-an-hour from completion.
It was a beautiful clear day as we rolled in through the Byron Bay township and out towards the lighthouse before parking the bikes and nishing on foot.
After a celebration handshake and a picture with the sign we felt satis ed.
Back on the bikes we rode down the highway to Grafton. It was one of the most painful rides I’ve done. The roadworks and mega tra c really got to
Left: On the blacktop near Menindee. Right: Rush Rush and the author celebrate a huge accomplishment.
me, probably because we hadn’t seen many cars for three weeks. We rolled into Grafton, had a shower, haircut and shave, and made the decision to head to The KTM Kid’s house for our last night. It meant 600km and was a good last real day together for Rush Rush and I. It was great to see The KTM Kid again and we had a top night at his place, with a home-cooked meal and some MotoGP. He’d been sorely missed at the lighthouse.
I rolled in through my front gate around 11:30am on Sunday after only a small splash of rain. I’d clocked up 9244km on the journey and it really was a great way to spend a few weeks. I know some have done bigger, wilder rides, but this was my ride, I did it with a great bunch of blokes, and we had a ball. We laughed our way across the country, and we’ve already been in front of the wall map to plan the next one.
Recent charges of corruption against the Bolivian government resulted in riots, civil protests and police shootings which eventually saw the beleaguered president resign and ee the country in fear of his life. It was déjà vu for Aussie tour leader Mike Ferris.
In October 2003, the World On Wheels Awesome Andes tour arrived in Puno, Peru, to be informed the passage to Bolivia via the usual border crossing of Copacabana wasn’t viable. The highway from there to the pseudo-capital of La Paz had been blockaded by Bolivian campanistas. These peasant farmers were most displeased at their President’s decision to export
their natural gas reserves to the USA. Or, more accurately, they were displeased at his decision to pipe it through Chile to a coastal port rather than through Peru. The fact several engineering and construction companies in Chile were part-owned by the Bolivian president, and stood to win lucrative contracts, wasn’t wasted on the impoverished Bolivian farmers.
It was the nal straw as far as they were concerned, and they were determined to bring down a corrupt government by e ectively
Above: Salar de Uyuni, the world’s largest salt 昀氀at, at an elevation of 3656 metres. A feature of World On Wheels’ Awesome Andes tour.
Below left: Cute as! The girls and the alpacas, both.
Below: Crossing Lake Titicaca.
closing down La Paz and several other major city centres.
On Saturday, October 11, we enjoyed visiting Peru’s oating islands on Lake Titicaca and on Sunday headed for the alternative border crossing at Desagaudero. The highway from there to La Paz was the road less traveled, and, we hoped, less subjected to blockades. We managed to get
Below: Author Mike Ferris. Right: Scenery in The Andes is sublime. u
ourselves and our nine bikes through the bureaucratic hassles of immigration and customs in much smarter time than any previous border crossings, and the day looked pretty good.
We set o toward La Paz and soon discovered the ‘blockades’ actually consisted of rocks, boulders, logs, old tyres, wheel rims, car chassis and virtually anything the farmers could lay their hands on. They piled the rubble on the highway for almost the entire 115km.
At rst it was rather entertaining. The bikes and two 4WD backup vehicles had little trouble negotiating the obstacles and we even took photos along the way.
As we approached La Paz however, we were stopped at a military checkpost and advised we were free to proceed, but we had no chance of making it to the capital on the highway. The blockades ahead were of a much more determined nature and we would be better o taking to the smaller sidestreets, we were told. This we did.
We reached El Alto, the northernmost extremity of La Paz, a vast impoverished area of adobe-brick, single-level dwellings
and the very heartland of the downtrodden campanistas. With one of our support jeeps leading the way, followed by nine bikes and then the second jeep bringing up the rear, we soon attracted unwelcome attention. We were blissfully unaware the campanistas, a huge network of people power divided into wellorganised groups with surprisingly
“ Somebody stalled a bike, and suddenly we were surrounded. ”
e ective communications (before social media!), had declared a complete ban on all motorised tra c in their bid to bring the cities to a standstill. As we slowed to take a right-hand corner around a rural property, a dozen or so eld workers started pelting us with potato-sized rocks. Fortunately, none of our riders was hit, but our trailing support jeep
The campanistasand their supporters piled rubble on the highway for almost the entire 115km.
sustained some sizeable dents.
What had earlier appeared to be an amusing peasant protest took a decidedly nasty turn.
We accelerated away from this rst sign of trouble, but worse lay ahead.
Our path was blocked by a trench dug fully across the gravel road and our leading jeep became stuck until the driver jumped out to lock the front hubs into 4WD. Somebody stalled a bike, and suddenly we were surrounded by a rapidly growing number of shouting eld workers. We watched as they ran across the elds to us, picking up rocks as they approached. In moments the angry mob outnumbered us by about four to one, and it was quickly becoming a very ugly scene.
Fortunately, sanity prevailed. Australian passports were rapidly produced to show we were innocent tourists rather than police reinforcements – rumours were rife that the Bolivian police, unable to cope with the situation, had called upon their Chilean counterparts for support.
Right: Street marches of several thousand people were occurring daily.
Right middle: Burning blockades.
Right bottom: An angry mob quickly became a very ugly scene.
Our drivers (two brothers named Roberto and Samuel) did some rapid talking, the mob held a quick council of war to determine our fate, and the subsequent payment of a couple of hundred bolivianos as a ‘ ne’ for our transgression secured our safety for the time being.
We headed o again mas rapido into the heart of El Alto proper.
We ran several more roadblocks and small crowds, but it was then patently clear we would not make it safely to the comfort of our hotel in La Paz central. Roberto took the unilateral and courageous decision to lead us directly to his own home in El Alto. There we were able to quickly conceal the jeeps and motorbikes behind garage doors and a high mudbrick surrounding wall. In defying the no-drive directive the brothers had put their own family’s safety at risk, a point which was not lost on our visibly shaken adventurers.
We took stock of our predicament and of our immediate environment. I’ve already mentioned El Alto was an impoverished sprawl of suburbia, but the living conditions of our two drivers, who had become our friends over the course of the three-week tour, was an eye-opener for all of us: an adobe mud-brick house of low rooms and very primitive facilities in the heart of the poorest nation in South America. It was just slightly above what would be called a slum in many other countries. Typically, it housed an extended family of three generations, and with our arrival an area about half the size of a tennis court held two cars, nine bikes, 10 foreigners, about 12 family members and ve mangy, ea-bitten dogs. Oh, and about 15 guinea-pigs in a little hutch – more on that later.
But the family responded magni cently to the occasion and rapidly produced food and prepared to house us for the night. We could hardly complain at being crammed ve-to-a-room, twoto-a-bed when they crammed themselves in a similar fashion in the kitchen –
all for foreigners who didn’t even speak any Spanish.
The gun re began later that day.
Running street battles between the police and the campanistas raged throughout the night, and it rapidly became a full-scale insurrection. A large proportion of the common-folk rebel movement was represented by the cocaine cartels with ready access to arms and munitions, and many thousands of redneck miners, with access to dynamite and gelignite, were involved.
Explosions rocked the surrounding suburbs and we didn’t get a very good night’s sleep.
Little did we suspect we were to remain incarcerated there for ve days.
The international airport, located in El Alto itself, was closed. All foreigners immediately came under suspicion, and Roberto even had the tyres on his bicycle slashed when, in search of food for us, he ventured into a nearby neighbourhood
where he wasn’t recognised. Speaking of which, as the country lurched towards civil war, the price of all commodities skyrocketed and food supplies rapidly dwindled. One of our group observed
“ If anyone had known our two hidden jeeps were carrying drums with 150 litres of spare fuel, it’s certain we’d’ve been under siege immediately. ”
rather unnecessarily that there were now only seven guinea-pigs in the hutch.
Still no motorised transport was allowed, but all gasolina supplies had long since dried up anyway. If anyone had known our two hidden jeeps were carrying drums with 150 litres of spare fuel, it’s certain we’d’ve been under siege immediately.
Things got serious.
On the third night, the raging battle passed down our street, right by our rooms.
Our little windows only looked on the internal courtyard so we couldn’t actually see the goings-on, but it was a very edifying experience to hear machinegun re from a range of about 10 metres, with an occasional thud of bullets into the thick adobe bedroom walls. From the direction of the airport came sounds of huge explosions.
Our group should have own out to Australia by this time, but we certainly weren’t going anywhere in a hurry.
Street marches of several thousand people were occurring daily by this time, from El Alto into La Paz, and poor Roberto, as head of his family, was pressganged into participating. He returned exhausted each evening, having walked 12 hilly kilometres or so, to a gaggle of questioning, frustrated, ill-tempered and increasingly unwanted foreign house guests. Unable to even poke our heads out of the gate for fear of calling attention
to Roberto’s family, we amused ourselves with chess tournaments, card games, and practicing mutual English/Spanish lessons with the family children.
Meanwhile, we’d been in touch with the Australian embassy two or three times daily since the second morning. Bolivia doesn’t actually have an Australian embassy, so we’d been calling the nearest one in Santiago de Chile. It has to be said the embassy was completely, utterly, totally, useless to us. Sta did nothing in ve days but pay lip service and assure us things appeared to be settling down. We were told we should sit tight because we were in a much safer position than many others trapped in the airport or the city. Quite often, we were more a source of information to them than they were to us, despite the fact they had the resources of cable television, internet, and a worldwide network of highly- nanced diplomatic o ces to call upon, while we were incarcerated in a mud hut in the middle of a civil war with just a couple of mobile phones. We were able to inform them, for example, the German embassy had arranged a charter ight in to and out of the military airport in El Alto to evacuate 140 German nationals, despite the fact our embassy had been in conference with all its counterpart European embassies just a couple of hours earlier and hadn’t been informed of such plans. The one thing they did do for us was to inform our relatives at home we were all alive, well and relatively safe.
In the end, one of our group had a friend in Sydney who contacted a friend in Melbourne who contacted a friend in Peru
who contacted a friend in the Peruvian Air Force who somehow managed, on the evening of Thursday, October 16, to secure seats for our group on an evacuation ight from La Paz to Lima for the following morning. When the Australian Embassy sta contacted us on the morning of the 17th they had the audacity to appear jolly pleased with themselves. They had actually managed to learn (they were on to us!) we had acquired this ight on our own without any assistance whatsoever from themselves.
So our group quietly walked at least four kilometres to the airport on the Friday morning with our luggage, past still-smouldering piles of burnt tyres and various other blockade devices and through wary, suspicious campanistas with children calling, ‘Gringo!’When we arrived we discovered, of course, it wasn’t just a simple matter of enquiring where the 10:00am evacuation ight might happen to be found. We had to walk even further to the military section of the airport. The ight was then late arriving, there were many other desperate people who considered they had higher priority, we didn’t actually have any tickets, etc, etc. However, in the end the miracle did occur and a relieved Aussie group nally ew out at 7:00pm bound for Lima. The ultimate irony of the whole episode was that at 4:00pm, while we were still waiting for our ight, the embattled president of Bolivia nally admitted defeat and publicly resigned from o ce in disgrace. He then ed the country in his private jet, bound for Miami.
And some sixteen years later, in November 2019, history was fated to repeat itself.
Awesome Andes is one of the tours in the World On Wheels portfolio.
Check out the website at: www.WorldOnWheels.tours
Miles Davis
Taking the ‘ass’ out of ‘ascent’.
There’s something about conquering a hill that’s very rewarding. The bigger the hill, the bigger the bike and the trickier the conditions, the more the challenge and the greater the satisfaction. But knowing how much to bite o isn’t always obvious. Some riders will avoid anything they’re not very sure of, while others will give anything a go. Sometimes it doesn’t work out as planned.
With some experience you should be able to assess hills you can attempt and hills you should steer clear of. It’s really all about the package, and by that I mean:
R Your skill, experience, tness, or lack of these things
R Your bike – is it at the bigger end of the adventure-bike scale?
R The conditions – traction levels, wet or dry and so forth
R The hill itself – how steep? How rutted? How loose? Do you know it already or not?
On a big bike, there are some hills I know I can make in the dry, but I wouldn’t attempt in the wet. On my small bikes, I’m more likely to try many hills, wet or dry, but there are still some I know are probably impossible in the wrong conditions. Too many times I see or hear of riders getting it totally wrong at this rst stage, then getting themselves into trouble. It really helps to learn how to best pick your battles.
Once you’ve decided you’ll give it a go you need to commit and be positive. If you don’t commit, or you hesitate, your chances of success are very slim.
Some hills have multiple line options, others may only have one. That might be due to deep ruts, rocks, ledges, bad cambers or any number of things. Understand your preferred line and try to stick to it by looking well ahead and staying on track. You need to be agile and ready to make instant steering and body-position corrections to do this. If you’re hesitant you’ll possibly go o line
and end up stuck or upside-down. Be versatile, some hills may have options. If you get bounced around you may end up o -line, but still able to make it if you adapt and keep your momentum.
You can vary your body position depending on the situation. When traction is good you may opt for the textbook standing position, leaning forward on the bike with bent elbows. If grip is low, you may need to lean back more to weight the rear tyre
u
to maintain drive, or even sit down and slide back on the seat. Being versatile, reading the situation and automatically adjusting your position is crucial to making it up more challenging hills. Be loose. Be balanced. Be agile. The Lego-man stance won’t get you up technical climbs.
Momentum is your friend! Understanding the level of momentum needed to clear a hill, or sections of a longer climb, is crucial.
During training courses it really blows people’s minds when I demonstrate rolling up to a steep pitch slowly, then applying a sharp burst of throttle at the base (or transition). The suspension compresses and pushes the tyres into the ground creating predictable traction and driving the bike forward with little or no wheelspin. Apply the throttle too hard, too light, too early or too late and the e ect is not the same. Timing and precision are the keys to the manoeuvre. Certain hills in low-traction conditions may need a slightly higher approach speed to gain the required momentum. Sand dunes will probably need a bit more, for instance. Understanding momentum and being able to create it as required is vital to getting up hills. Less-experienced riders will back o the throttle as soon as the bike moves around, and this can really kill momentum and your chances. The better option is to settle the bike with a slip of the clutch, then, re-engaging smoothly, maintain momentum and traction.
Big run ups with big speed may work on an easier hill, but when it gets rougher and more technical, skill and precision will be the deciders.
Depending on the run up, steepness, and roughness of the hill, you may be in rst, second or third gear, or maybe even higher depending on your bike. Select a gear where the engine is humming, not overrevving and not bogging down. As required, be ready to drop a gear quickly and/or use the clutch to keep the engine humming and maintain momentum.
Despite your best attempts, sometimes it just doesn’t pan out. You lose
momentum, you get bucked into a terrible line, or something else goes wrong. Knowing when to abort the attempt before crashing is another key skill for attempting challenging climbs.
If you feel your momentum drop before a particularly challenging section it may be best to stop, turn around and go back down. You may try again or you may not, that’s up to you. But stopping and turning around may sound easier than it actually is, especially on a big bike halfway up a climb.
First, know where and how to stop. Look ahead and pick a good spot where you’ll be able to keep balance and get a foot on the ground. Looking at the exact spot you want to stop, pull on the front
brake and stop without pulling in the clutch. The bike will stall, and with the bike stalled it should feel quite stable and not roll back. If you pull in the clutch and try to hold the bike with the front brake you’ll slide backwards, which isn’t a nice feeling.
The hill-recovery technique is always a popular one at courses. Once people know they can turn their bike around they feel more con dent to try more challenging hills. Here are the steps…
1. Stall as already described
2. Evaluate which way to turn the bike depending on the surface, ruts and so
forth. Reverse to the left or right. This will let you know which foot is going to become your uphill foot and which will be your downhill foot as the bike rests across the slope. This is important. Your downhill foot should stay on the footpeg to help avoid you accidentally going for the ground – which won’t be there
3. With the steering on full lock to the direction you want to go, slowly pull in the clutch to get the bike to ease around. Keep your nger o the front brake and keep your vision up for balance. Small, controlled movements are what you’re looking for
4. When the bike has swung around across the hill and won’t move anymore,
shift your attention to the handlebars and give quite strong steering inputs from full lock to full lock the other way. The front wheel will crab around and start to point more downhill
5. When your full-lock inputs no longer move the front wheel down the hill you’ll hopefully have a pretty good angle down the track and it’ll be time to think about your take o . There are two options: engine o /clutch in, using your brakes to control speed; or engine running, using brakes and possibly engine braking to control speed. If it’s very steep most adventure bikes won’t have low enough gearing for the engine brake to be e ective. Get used to both techniques so you have both options
covered as required.
Make sure you get a clean takeo without stalling or losing balance, but keep your speed in check. Don’t let the bike accelerate too fast as it can be hard to control that speed. Don’t become a cannonball.
R Good strategy and technique will get you up hills much better than a new tyre or low tyre pressure
R As always, practice helps. Start with smaller challenges and increase di culty in increments
R Look ahead, AND R Momentum is your friend, stay loose and agile on the bike.
My grandad used to say, “Never argue about politics, religion or sport.” I’ve added adventureriding boots to the list.
Phew. People do get their knickers knotted, don’t they?
My choice a few weekends ago was to chase road corners on the fabulous Omeo Highway, there and back. I’d planned on a total of about 10km of smooth, easy dirt. Smoke from bush res lined the road on the way north and it was gonna be stupid to head back the same way. My routes home came down to two choices: the dirt or the Sunday tra c mayhem.
I know myself well enough to know the Sunday dipstick patrol would shit me to tears, I’d pass 300 ‘road-cans’ at warp speed, wake up the ‘blue-light disco’ and walk for a month.
Easy choice…so I thought.
Those who know the Woods PointWarburton Road will tell you it’s a crap road loaded with P-plate-piloted 4x4s with six-inch lift, Boeing 737 tyres and no consideration for other road users.
Overcaution (lack of commitment), bulldust, 80:20 tyres, ball-bearing gravel and a tight corner coalesced into a millisecond, the front wheel washed out and the Bumblewee landed on my right leg and its road-riding boot.
Shaken but not stirred, the bike was put back into the go-forward position, allowed to settle for a few minutes, then I struck out for home.
The next corner one found the brake pedal was bent and wasn’t where it usually was. Then the silly V-Strom frontbrake assembly proved to be cracked and moved under my hand.
“Oh, shit. Here we go again,” was the rst thought as I hauled it up.
Phew. Message to self: ‘You know you’re supposed to check that stu !’
My emergency-nursing background is an advantage to fellow riders but often does me no good. All week I convinced myself
Top left: Overcaution, bulldust, 80:20 tyres, ball-bearing gravel and a tight corner combined to cause a front wheel wash-out.
Left: The right boots were available, but the situation changed after the ride started.
nothing was broken. Hey, I could walk on it although it was technicolour and I could nd no localised boney tenderness. ‘It’ll bu out,’ was my prognosis. Wrong.
I put up a Farcebook post for a laugh and the majority of readers got it, but some went o like a Blue Heeler pup on the end of a rope. Vitriolic attacks on brands, shapes, colours and foot odour of various boots all missed the point of
the story. Circumstances changed around me. I found myself at a gun ght with a machete…I’d planned to smash it at a knife ght.
After about 30km of dirt the arches of my feet were aching from standing. I knew I was in the wrong boots for dirt road, but enduro-soled boots would have been equally dangerous trying to ride the road serpent aggressively. Missing gears can end in tears.
Adventure riding has changed. Daily it seems to be swaggering toward
Top: The plan was chase road corners and a total of about 10km of smooth, easy dirt. Below: “There’s no localised boney tenderness. It’ll buff out.” Wrong.
big-bore enduro riding and away from the dualsport backroad exploring of 10 to 15 years ago. That word ‘compromise’ pops up again and again. I checked the map, planned the route and thought long and hard about the clobber to wear. It’s supposed to work, but we can never cover all eventualities. Like the support crew I required for my tyre choices last column, they really should have been there with more aggressive tyres, di erent boots, a race collar, a change of pants and a couple of rolls of plaster bandage. Sometimes we just have to mark it down to ‘faeces occurs’.
The night was not only a success for the Rappville community, but lots of fun for everyone who attended.
Right & below: Almost every business was more than happy to donate amazing items as prizes and auction items. The 昀椀nal 昀椀gure paid in to BlazeAid accounts was $14,577.
arly-morning text messages are met with trepidation when bush res are around, but the message from Kylie Connolly was on the other end of the spectrum. She asked if we’d be interested in helping organise a fundraiser in aid of those who su ered in the Rappville res. She suggested an adventure poker run with a twist.
As members of the Kyogle Dirt Bike Club, Greg and Kylie Connolly had ridden on private properties that had been devastated by
A
the res in the area, and a couple of people they knew had lost everything. Husband Dave and I jumped
at the fundraising idea and that night we four met over dinner, came up with a plan, created posters and created an event. We posted on the Northern Rivers Adventure Bike Riders (NRABR) Facebook page and it was shared widely.
We knew we needed to hold the event as soon as possible while the res were still in the forefront of people’s minds. It became rather ironic then that the res in the Northern Rivers area of NSW continued, plus it seemed every day there were new res raging out of control, not only in NSW, but right across the country. Rappville became just one of many devastated communities. Regardless, we stuck to the original plan
Unfortunately, the closure of State Forests, National Parks and some roads meant highly modi ed routes to get to the
event. In other words, lots of blacktop. Our idea had been to give everyone one card per 50km, but in the end we settled on all participants getting a full hand. The NRABR had one of its regular rides to support the Westpac Rescue Helicopter Service already planned (which ended up raising $1650 and was expertly hosted by Greg and Ness McFarlane on their property, complete with delicious pizzas) and although that put the re fundraiser back another week, it worked out well. Greg and Kylie had the perfect place for hosting a large function of this type. They’ve held plenty of events there, including training and practice sessions for dirtbikes and adventure bikes. Greg was in his element designing and building tables, seating, the ‘Handle Bar’, and all the infrastructure, as well as doing all the running around that was needed.
Next job was approaching potential sponsors. I have to say we were absolutely overwhelmed by the support we were given. Almost every business we approached was more than happy to donate amazing items as prizes and auction items, equipment, and a large portion of the food for our ‘Quirky Black Tie Dinner’. On top of that, we even had people approach us to o er incredible donations, too. Then, for everything to run smoothly and professionally, we needed a small army of volunteers to make it all happen. These families and friends worked behind the scenes, building, cooking, serving and doing everything to make sure the night was not only a success for the Rappville community, but lots of fun for everyone who attended.
Greg had a stroke of genius when he came up with the idea of weighing each bike as it came in (it was a bit interesting weighing Col and his sidecar). Riders guessed the combined weight of them,
their bike and load, with the closest winning a prize. Tac was just 500g o .
The winning poker hand of the night went to Rod Colling, while Mark Shipton won the lucky-door prize. Riders came from near and far, and so did people in cars and vans. The evening was lled with a fabulous meal, stacks more prizes, auctions and lots of laughs.
The next day, with no visible signs of hangovers, the gymkhana took place. It seemed some people were very happy to pay extra money to not participate. Dave had a pretty impressive, sidecar-friendly gymkhana course set up, complete with undergrowth section and seesaw. Steve Moore from Toowoomba took out the under-800cc title while local Doug Rule won the over800cc section with a very impressive clean round. Greg and Macca showed it was possible to complete the course on a mountain bike and motorised esky.
The weekend nished o with a slow race, egg-and-spoon race and the inaugural staging of the demonstration sport ‘pool-noodle jousting’.
Kylie said there’d be tears and we were regularly overwhelmed by the generosity
of businesses and people, and I know Dave had to go hide in the loo to compose himself when we looked at the gures on Sunday morning and found we’d raised over $12,000. The nal gure came in at $14,577, which included an additional $2000 via the Mullumbimby Chamber Of Commerce’s Music Festival. One of the highlights was delivering the total to the BlazeAid volunteers based at Casino, NSW. It was a privilege to contribute to the indispensable work these extraordinary people do. The money was paid directly into BlazeAid’s account at two local businesses for fencing materials like star pickets and barbed wire.
Bike riders (and other groups) are regularly raising money and awareness for di erent causes. While we can’t go around doing this all the time, we can contribute in other ways. On your travels, visiting communities impacted by drought or re, then spending your money in those towns and stopping to chat to people, won’t just raise spirits, it’ll also raise the pro le of bike riders. It’s amazing the places you’ll be invited to ride through just by taking the time to talk and listen to locals, and by riding respectfully.
It’s when times are toughest we all need to stand together.
R People love an opportunity to help others
R Sidecars can go just about anywhere
R Volunteers are a special breed
R Pool-noodle jousting is worth trying
R The riding community is awesome
A high-quality, one-piece header for the DR650SE.
R Made in the USA
R 18-gauge stainless steel
R A tested upgrade over stock
R Bolts on with no modi cations
R Compatible with any combination mu er/mid-pipe
R Includes a stainless-steel band clamp for the mid-pipe joint and clamp-on heat-shield mounts
RRP: $289.95
plus postage
Available from: Adventure Bike Australia
Web: adventurebikeaustralia.com.au
Elevates standards in comfort, performance and air ow.
R The rst adventure-speci c DOT helmet in Australia to integrate Koroyd materials and construction
R Leaves behind traditional compromises
R High-performance Karbon Fiber construction
R Four-ride-mode versatility
R Aerodynamic superiority
R Unrivalled acoustic and contact comfort
RRP: $1145
Available from: AdventureMoto Web: adventuremoto.com.au
The light, fast and waterproof solution for hard-charging adventure riders. The editor loves this suit.
R Engineered for mobility and comfort when riding
R Improved ventilation and t
R Greater abrasion resistance
R More re ned storage options
R Improved impact protection
R Gore-tex laminate shell
RRP: Jacket $995. Pant $845
Available from: AdventureMoto Web: adventuremoto.com.au
Protect your pride and joy.
R High-grade zinc-alloy body
R 10mm locking pin
R Vibration sensor detects movement and sounds alarm
R Anti-pick lock
R Cut- and smash-resistant
R 110dB alarm
R Carry pouch and two keys included
R Available in uro orange or uro yellow
RRP: $49.95
Available from: All good motorcycle retailers Web: cassons.com.au
A quality adventure tyre at an a ordable price.
R Ideal for 40 per cent on-road and 60 per cent o -road
R Built with class-leading rubber compound, carcass construction and tread design
R Available in sizes to t most adventure bikes
R 19-inch to 21-inch fronts. 17-inch and 18-inch rears
RRP: Fronts from $101 to $170.
Rears from $129 to $209
Available from: All good motorcycle dealers Web: shinkotyres.com.au
Stay connected in a duo or a pack of 15.
R IP67 waterproof
R Always-on, natural-voice operation
R Connect to any Bluetooth headset of any substantial brand
R Music streamed directly from a smartphone
R 40mm-wide, high-de nition speakers and specially-tuned audio processor
R Answer calls, make calls and control mobile devices with a touch of a nger or the sound of your voice
R Up to 1600 metres in perfect conditions. Close to 1000 metres in real-life conditions
R Built-in FM radio
RRP: Packtalk bold (JBL) $559.95.
Packtalk bold duo (JBL) $979.95
Available from: All good motorcycle retailers Web: cassons.com.au
A rugged centrestand for the new Yamaha.
R Easy to use
R Made in Germany with quality German steel tubing
R Anti-skid tread for easy and secure standing
R Black powdercoated nish
R Easy assembly
R Many other Ténéré 700 parts now in stock
RRP: $369
Available from: Motorcycle Adventure Products Web: motorcycleadventure.com.au
SCRAMBLER 1200XC/XE
BIKE-SPECIFIC HARDWARE KIT
Designed speci cally for the Triumph Scrambler 1200XC/XE.
R Two mounting points secure the full wraparound aluminium design
R Heat-treated aluminium backbone for added strength and impact protection
R Complete hardware kit supplied with easyto-follow instructions
R Hardware is compatible with JET, VPS, STORM or CARBON guards (each sold separately)
RRP: For BHG-080 kit $129.90
Available from: All local motorcycle dealers
Web: barkbusters.net
Made to t inside Andy Strapz saddlebags, but ts most soft or hard panniers.
R Holds a six pack of cans or bottles
R Can be strapped on top of other gear
R A double-insulated, ve-litre bag
R 75PE (for those who know that sort of stu )
R E cient Dacron insulation wadding, encased in a zippered, 1000 denier nylon bag
R An inner dry bag is included to prevent the ice ooding everything as it melts
RRP: $68 (including dry-bag inner) plus freight
Available from: Andy Strapz
Phone: (03) 9786 3445
Email: info@andystrapz.com
Web: andystrapz.com
Gloves with a ve-year warranty.
R Abrasion-resistant kangaroo-leather palm
R Waterproof compartment with Pique-Push-Pull lining
R Gore-tex membrane
R + Gore 2in1 technology (one side waterproof, one side unlined)
R Perforated hand for maximum ventilation, feel and comfort
R Stretch-fabric panels on back
R Special leather at nger for smartphone operation
R Available in black or black-grey, and sizes 7-12
RRP: $285
Available from: Made in Germany Pty Ltd
Phone: (02) 8004 6083
Web: heldaustralia.com.au
A short, lightweight, urban glove. Ideal for commuters.
R Hard knuckle covered by stretch spandex
R Full synthetic suede palm
R Accordion panelling on backhand
R Touchscreen-compatible ngertip on index nger
R Ergonomic puller
R Palm reinforcement patch
R Hook-and-loop wrist closure
R Padding on ngers
RRP: $69.99
Available from: Leading motorcycle stores Web: monzaimports.com.au
For BMW’s GS1200 model range from 2013.
R Water-repellent nylon fabric outer shell
R Three external pockets
R Re ective sections
R Velcro fastening system
R Available in black
R Three-litre volume
RRP: $75
Available from: Made in Germany Pty Ltd
Phone: (02) 8004 6083 Web: heldaustralia.com.au
AGV’s premium adventure helmet, now in two new colours.
R Combines lightness, comfort and adaptability
R Allows four di erent con gurations
R Built around a lightweight carbon/aramid/glass- bre shell
R Integrated ventilation system
R New colours for 2020 include Atlante, a white/blue/red tri-colour option, and Trail, an orange-and-gunmetal nish
RRP: Atlante and Trail $799
Available from: All leading motorcycle dealerships Web: agvhelmets.com.au
The most aggressive o -road adventure tyre in the Motoz range.
R Based on the Tractionator Adventure, but with more aggressive o -road traction in all weather extremes
R O -road performance with reasonable on-road manners
R Tested and proven construction and compound for adventure and rally use
R Self-cleaning and self-sharpening tread pattern
R Designed in Australia for dependable performance in a wide variety of conditions without the need to change tyre pressures between o -road and on-road
R Available in a range of tube-type adventure sizes for lightweight adventure bikes
R Load/speed rating (60 Q TL M+S) DOT
R Selection of sizes available
RRP: From $169.95
Available from: Your local JTR dealer Web: www.jtr.com.au/contact-dealers
Protect that new bike!
R Solid protection for the 700’s engine
R Rugged adventure styling
R Complements the style of the Ténéré while providing protection
R Mounting points for fog lights, sold separately, incorporated
R Genuine protection made by the Yamaha factory
RRP: From $424.40
Available from: ShopYamaha or your local Yamaha Dealership Web: shop.yamaha-motor.com.au
Lock it up and keep it safe.
R Material: zinc alloy
R 10mm locking pin
R 120dB siren
R Alarm with automatic function
R Long battery life
R Waterproof electronics
R Bonus carry bag
R Available in blue or red
RRP: $94.95
Available from: Pro Accessories Web: proaccessories.com.au
The next evolution of Trail Tech’s most popular o -road GPS.
R Buddy Tracking supports up to 20 other Voyager
Pro GPS riders
R Push-button emergency beacon to alert other Voyager Pro GPS group riders
R Accepts and records GPX les
R Bluetooth-enabled for phone and Bluetoothheadset interconnectivity
R 10cm, glove-friendly, colour-touchscreen, TFT display
R Compatible with Trail Tech vehicle sensors (sold separately)
R IP67 dust proof/waterproof rated
R Includes mounting hardware kit for 7/8-inch and 1-1/8-inch bars
RRP: from $899.95
Available From: Any Trail Tech dealer Web: whitesmoto.com.au/pages/trail-tech
A waterproof dualsport option if you favour that occasional mountain trail.
R CE-level protection
R Oiled full-grain leather
R FCS ankle support
R DRYTEX waterproof
R External molded protection
R Extra-soft polymer padding
R Quality European production
RRP: $399.95
Available from: Lusty Industries
Web: lustyindustries.com Web: formaboots.com.au
A universal and intuitive throttle lock.
R A mechanical cruise control
R Made of hardened stainless steel
R Clamps to the plastic throttle tube
R Clamp to any throttle-tube diameter, from 22.2mm to 31.75mm
R Holds the throttle in any position
R Override at any time
RRP: $234.35 plus postage and handling
Available from: Rocky Creek Designs Web: rockycreekdesigns.com.au
An essential aftermarket part.
R Easy to t
R Lightweight and does not restrict air ow
R Made from 6060 T1-T5 aluminium
R Available in black or polished alloy
R Three-year worldwide warranty
R Australian made
R Video tting instructions available
RRP: $195. On special for $159
Available from: Rad Guard Phone: (02) 6658 0060
Web: radguard.com.au
Panniers for the new Yamaha.
R Solid aluminium adventure side cases
R Securely stores belongings
R Large load capacity: 37L on left and 35L on right
R Can be keyed to unit key. Lock available separately
R Requires side case stay for tment
RRP: From $689.10
Available from: ShopYamaha or your local Yamaha Dealership Web: shop.yamaha-motor.com.au
All the performance of a modern o -road helmet with the features to make a great adventure helmet.
R Kinetic Polymer Alloy (KPA) shell
R Three shell sizes
R Twin Shield inner sun shield
R Scratch-, fog- and UV-resistant face shield
R Removable and washable liner and cheek pads
R Emergency-release cheek pads
R Quick-release chin straps
R Dynamic ow-through Ventilation
RRP: From $199
Available from: LS2 dealers Web: ls2helmets.com.au
ADVENTURECROSS AX41 TYRES
A pair of these are now on the editor’s Touratech KLR and they’re looking like winners.
R Ingenious block design
R High cross-section area and small pitch length
R Anti-irregular technology
R New block pro le
R Increased compound rigidity and strength
RRP: Fronts from $169.95. Rears from $249.95
Available from: Your local motorcycle dealer Dealer enquiries phone: McLeod Accessories 1300 300 191
Now with premium YKK zips.
R 1680D poly-fabric construction with YKK water-resistant zips with rubberised all-weather pulls
R Molded EVA (bio-foam) back panel
R Capacity 13.5 litres
R Removable waist belt and shoulder harness
R CONFIGR8 ladder lock adjustment system (tool free)
R Elasticised toolstorage side pockets
R HydraPak three-litre hydration system
R Weight 1.25kg (pack only). 1.65kg (with pack shield and hydration system)
RRP: $199.95
Email: Info@zacspeed.com
Developed for around-the-world riding.
R Gore-tex gloves and Gore grip technology
R Direct laminated waterproof, but breathable, membra bonded to the outer shell
Available from: www.zacspeed.com.au
Web: www.zacspeed.com.au
Extend the life of your chain and sprockets.
R Available in two models: Classic and Premium
R Easily keep your chain maintained
R Assembly completely encloses the chain
R Chain can be thoroughly cleaned and lubricated in just a few minutes
R Absolutely no mess
R Internal brushes clean the chain and distribute lubricant
R Minimal waste
RRP: $49 – $79
Web: motorradgarage.com.au/39_kettenmax
R Pittards WR100X leather is quick to dry and retains its soft pliability and comfort
R Wrist and cu adjustment
R Ventilated dual comp protector – a 3D, pre-shaped honeycomb structure of TPU material, topped by an aluminium high-impact shield
R Outside stitching is positioned on the outside of the glove
RRP: $379
Available from: REV’IT! Australia
Web: revitaustralia.com.au
Lightweight and smooth-looking.
R Double outer shell made of HPC (high -performance composite)
R AEFR system (Airoh emergency fast release)
R Re ned ventilation system
R Adjustable peak
R Aggressive and modern graphics
R Weight: From 1040gm ±50gm
R Two shell sizes
RRP: $599.95
Available from: Moto National Accessories Web: motonational.com.au
