Issue#7.2 May 2015

Y 15 LL 20 RA G O H

AUSSIE TESTS: VICTORY MAGNUM, KAWASAKI VULCAN S

VICTORY

MAGNUM

FIRST AUSSIE RIDE

2015 (Vol. 7 No. 2)

Aus $9.95* NZ $9.95 (both incl. GST)

WWW.CRUISERANDTRIKE.COM.AU

2015 CAN-AM SPYDER F3

NEW BIKES TESTED

I KAWASAKI VULCAN S I VICTORY MAGNUM I SUZUKI S40 I HARLEY-DAVIDSON STREET 500 I TRIUMPH ROCKET COMMANDER I HARLEY-DAVIDSON LOW RIDER

PLUS: YAMAHA XV1900 SUSPENSION TUNE-UP|MYSTERY TRIKE |AND MORE STUFF!

VULCAN S: COMMAND THE ROAD The Vulcan S is not your average cruiser. It stands apart. Destroying the concepts of traditional cruiser design, the Vulcan S is built for the independent minded rider wanting to break out and confidently explore the road ahead.

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Your Cruiser... Your Kawasaki.

kawasakiaus

SCAN TO JOIN

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www.kawasaki.com.au

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CONTENTS NEW BIKES & TRIKES 12 26 34 42 61 70

Victory Magnum Victory’s non-traditional cruiser.

Kawasaki Vulcan S No matter your size, this bike expands or contracts to suit.

Suzuki S40 An old favourite returns to the Australian market.

Harley-Davidson Street 500 Australia’s shortest road tester gives her view.

Triumph Commander How can you call a Thunderbird-based Triumph a mid-size?

Harley-Davidson Low Rider More tradition in the styling than we realised.

RIDDEN 92

102 106

Quick Test: Harley-Davidson Road King From here to there. A different view.

2015 Can-Am Spyder F3 First ride on Australian soil.

Long-Termer: Yamaha XV1900AT Time to give it more cornering clearance.

34

Yamaha XVS1300AT Star Tourer

61 BREAKING COVER 96

Moto Guzzi California California dreaming in 2015.

ON THE ROAD 46

A Day in the Saddle New Zealand’s South Island.

PEOPLE & PLACES 78

2015 National HOG Rally Also known as the Iron Horse Muster.

WITH YOUR HELP 8

Readers’ Club The Gold Coast Cruiser Club.

TECHNICAL NOTES 20 95 111

FYI News and products you need to know about.

Stuff We’re Testing Here’s gear we’ve tried and liked.

Cruiser & Trike Price Guide Do the sums and count the pennies.

COLUMNS 6

114

G’day Where’s he been lately?

Sandbag The world according to Sandbag.

70

Editorial

“TO MOST PEOPLE, ESPECIALLY CAR DRIVERS, THE SMALL TOWNS ARE NOW JUST NAMES ON SIGNS POINTING OFF THE FREEWAY.”

highway. Watching our dogs trying to get out the back door makes me think that is probably exactly how I look.

h henever I get iitchy h ffeet and d want to go out and ride, any excuse is good enough to call up Google Maps to check out where the town is that I just read about. Or MotoWhere to casually search for rides that include towns I need to go to or through. It’s always worse at deadline time when I have a ride planned.

I’m just about busting to get out on the

W

Can I explain my need to ride distances alone? Not really. I barely understand it myself. I just accept it and struggle through the days until I can get up early and ride. It’s not that I don’t want to be at home with the good lady, I just need to ride. I am very lucky that she understands and quietly accepts this part of the package that is me.

Next week I’ll head south to Wodonga for the Ulysses AGM. There’ll be more than 2000 riders gathered in one place with a common purpose. Only a short couple of weeks ago, a large group of riders got together for the 2015 HOG Rally. It was the largest one ever held in its 24-year history, with just over 2300 members gathering in Tamworth to celebrate.

The people of Tamworth were genuinely happy to see a crowd of riders and the hospitality they showed was an example for other country towns to learn from. The money ploughed back into the community over the duration of the event could only be guessed at. I reckon the smart residents and business owners of Wodonga and surrounding towns will be rubbing their hands together.

Most country areas are still doing it tough — look at the number of closed shopfronts Cruiser & Trike

7

when you ride through smaller towns.

However, you could travel from Sydney to Wodonga and never see any evidence if you stick to the M2, M4, M5 or M7 before you get onto the M31 (or whatever they call the Hume Highway this year). It’s possible to travel from the centre of Sydney without seeing a set of traffic lights or anything other than roadside service centres that all offer the same quick food. To most people, especially car drivers, the small towns are now just names on signs pointing off the freeway.

That is unless you follow your nose and help the economies of small towns by travelling the back roads and stopping in at old-fashioned cafes or pubs to eat, rather than frequenting foreign-owned multinational outlets.

I’m heading through Bathurst, Cowra, Young, Cootamundra, Junee, Wagga Wagga, The Rock, Henty, Culcairn and Albury to Wodonga. My tank of fuel every 200km may not be much, but it all adds up and I’ll have to eat at least a couple of meals and drink a few coffees along the way. It’s my own way of helping out small communities. Now to work out an interesting return journey that avoids the bloody freeways.

Have fun, Mick Withers

Readers’ Rides rallies and meets. Club members also coordinate a Facebook page to ensure our social media and profile is kept positive in the community.

MEETING VENUE Rides are held every fortnight on a Saturday.

Meet at 8.30am for a 9am departure.

Uncle’s Takeaway, 15/1 Mudgeeraba Road, Worongary Exit 77 off the M1. Come along and enjoy the company of others.

Our aim is: Let’s keep it plain and simple, and enjoy it.

DISCLAIMER

THERE’S A MOB WHO CALL THEMSELVES THE GOLD COAST CRUISER CLUB. AS THE NAME SUGGESTS, THEY ARE BASED ON THE GOLD COAST IN SUNNY QUEENSLAND AND ARE INTO THEIR 10TH YEAR NOW. HERE’S WHAT THEY HAVE TO SAY ABOUT THEIR CLUB o participate in the Gold Coast Cruiser Club, you have to be 40 years or over, ride a cruiser and be prepared to lead a ride at some point.

T

HISTORY The idea began with a small group of cruiser riders who went on a three-day trip back in March 2005 to the Ulysses AGM in Canberra. The group is now known as the “six pack” and consisted of Steve Ellis (Chainsaw), Derek Carter (Del-boy), Roy Collins (Magoo), John Hardaker (Little John), Mick Meyers (Woody) and Anton Brown, who took Keith Mitchell’s spot (Mitch) as Mitch was unable to make it due to personal commitments.

Derek, Steve and Roy got together after the Canberra trip and discussed having Saturday cruiser-only rides. This happened in May 2005 and only four bikes took part on the first ride. The original three then came up with the name Gold Coast Cruiser Club; Pauline Collins designed the logo and Keith Mitchell (Mitch) designed and set up the website.

From the very start it was decided

to have a club in name only, with no committee or finances — just a social group who ride every fortnight. The concept works well, with nobody in charge and where everyone is encouraged to have an input. The intention is to have no political agendas, controversy or bickering — the sort of stuff that normally haunts a formal club.

CLUB INFORMATION We support many charities throughout the year, with the Pink Ribbon and our own Toy Run being the two main events.

There is also a range of social events, from dinners to weekends away. To add to this, many of our members are members of other clubs too, whose events we also support. As you can see, we have a fairly busy calendar. Basically if it’s fun we’ll have a go at it.

Paul Mani (Manzi) currently coordinates the emails to members, along with information and announcements of rides and social occasions on the website.

Everybody is encouraged to participate and the group enjoys many social occasions, weekends away, as well as supporting a wide range of motorcycle Cruiser & Trike

8

Riders taking part in the Gold Coast Cruiser Club social occasions, and ride activities, do so at their own risk.

Participants are advised to ensure they have their own insurance cover for any event that may arise as such, and bike recovery is the rider’s responsibility.

The Gold Coast Cruiser Club or ride leader on the day will not be responsible or liable for any injuries, vehicle damage, or third party claims arising from participation in the events mentioned.

Ride leaders are made up by volunteers from the group.

The Gold Coast Cruiser Club is a nonprofit social ride group, which is not registered as an official club and has no constitutional or financial status, or interests in such.

There is no joining fee or payments to participate in the rides.

We are made up of a group of riders who enjoy riding cruisers in the company of people with similar interests.

CONTACTS Email gccruiserclub@gmail.com Websites goldcoastcruiserclub.com facebook.com/goldcoastcruiserclub C&T

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R

Editor Mick Withers Contributing Editors Tim Sanford and Paul Bailey Contributors Mark Hinchliffe, Tim Munro, Ruth Liew, and Kristine McDonald Photographers Tim Munro, Heather Ware, Mark Hinchliffe, Jessica Williams, Mick Matheson and Mick Withers Designer Jarrad McCallum Sub-Editor Michelle Segal Editorial Email cruiser@universalmagazines.com.au Subscription enquiries mailorder@universalmagazines.com.au Advertising Enquiries (02) 9887 0300 US Advertising Representative Stacey Swanson, marketsas@gmail.com Ph 925-292-9470 Advertising Production Ian Cassel Advertising Senior Designer Martha Rubazewicz Publisher Janice Williams

Chairman/CEO Prema Perera Publisher Janice Williams Chief Financial Officer Vicky Mahadeva Associate Publisher Emma Perera Associate Publisher Karen Day Circulation Director Mark Darton Creative Director Kate Podger Print Production Manager Lilian Ohanessian Editorial Production Manager Anastasia Casey Prepress Manager Ivan Fitz-Gerald Marketing & Acquisitions Manager Chelsea Peters

Circulation enquiries to our Sydney head office (02) 9805 0300.

Cruiser & Trike Vol. 7 No. 2 is published by Australian Publishing, Unit 5, 6–8 Byfield Street, North Ryde NSW 2113. Phone: (02) 9887 0300, Fax: (02) 9805 0714. Melbourne office, Suite 4, Level 1, 150 Albert Road, South Melbourne Vic 3205. Phone (03) 9694 6444 Fax: (03) 9699 7890. Printed

by KHL Printing Pte Ltd, Singapore, distributed by Network Services, Phone: (02) 9282 8777.

This book is copyright. Apart from any fair dealing for the purpose of private study, research, criticism or review as permitted under the Copyright Act, no part may be reproduced by any process without written permission. Enquiries should be addressed to the publishers. The publishers believe all the information supplied in this book to be correct at the time of printing.

They are not, however, in a position to make a guarantee to this effect and accept no liability in the event of any information proving inaccurate. Prices, addresses and phone numbers were, after investigation and to the best of our knowledge and belief, up to date at the time of printing, but they may change in some cases. It is not possible for the publishers to ensure that advertisements which appear in this publication comply with the Trade Practices Act, 1974. The responsibility must therefore be on the person, company or advertising agency submitting the advertisements for publication. While every endeavour has been made to ensure complete accuracy, the publishers cannot be held responsible for any errors or omissions.

* Recommended retail price ISSN 2203-2061 Copyright Š Australian Publishing Pty Ltd MMXV ACN 003 609 103 www.universalmagazines.com.au

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New Bike Test

Cruiser & Trike

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New Bike Test

VICTORY MAGNUM TRADITIONAL CRUISERS ALL FOLLOW A FAIRLY SIMILAR SCRIPT. VICTORY DIDN’T FOLLOW THE HERD WITH THE MAGNUM. Cruiser & Trike

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New Bike Test

Words: Mick Withers Photos: Tim Munro

ikes with hard saddlebags are nothing new, neither are 21in front wheels, but putting them both together on a brand-spankers bike? That’s new, but typical of Victory.

Victory has set out to create its own corporate vision of what it believes a cruiser should look like. The basic silhouette remains, but colouring in the boxes renders a unique style and

B

appearance. Modern yet traditional.

The Magnum is an all-new model from Victory that draws parts and influence from existing Victory models but they have been put together in a way that makes this model stand out as something pretty special.

Tunes: They’re either your thing or they’re not. There is no middle ground, or so it seems. Victory has acknowledged that there are enough people who want to listen to music while riding and fitted a 100W, sixCruiser & Trike

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speaker stereo so they can share their music with everyone within a wide radius. Stereo and cruise control buttons were easy with the summer gloves I was wearing but may not be so friendly when you break out your thicker winter gloves. The thought did cross my mind to get out a pair of winter gloves for another ride so I could test that theory, but it was too hot. And my winter gloves were buried.

All of this is hidden inside the forkmounted fairing. Somehow. From the

New Bike Test

side it looks small, but from the seat it’s wide enough for a full-sized rider to hide behind. The dash is easy to read and (more importantly) comprehend.

No need for a second look to make sure you read the speed right. In this age of tax gathering through overly enforced roadside collection, that’s a handy thing. The fitment of a voltmeter in the upper right corner was interesting.

I’m sure there’s a very good reason for that instead of an oil pressure or temperature gauge. As you’d expect of a touring cruiser, the Magnum arrives with a trip computer fitted as standard.

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There were more functions than I could be bothered with but if you feel the need for a modern screen to keep you company, you’ll love it.

The front end is thoroughly modern, with USD fork legs, four-piston calipers, floating rotors, ABS and a 21in mag wheel. Another touch that we liked was the five-way adjustable front brake lever. Those of you cursed with small hands can caress the Magnum’s front brakes in comfort.

Plonking your butt on the seat is easy as it is just 668mm from the ground, or 26.3in in the old tongue. This is thanks

New Bike Test

GRINS

Stereo Style Riding position

GRIPES

Brake pedal Cruise and stereo controls Handlebars

IF IT WERE MY BIKE WHAT I WOULD CHANGE ‌ Handlebars Brake pedal Add a pair of speaker-equipped pannier lids

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New Bike Test

One of my major considerations with faired bikes is the airflow between the screen and rider. Most tend to make my beard blow up, which makes an openface helmet hard work. The Magnum is one of the best I’ve found in this area. With my Bell Shorty on, the beard behaved and stayed where it belongs.

Speaking of that helmet, the Magnum’s top-opening panniers are big enough to carry the Bell Shorty without a problem. There was still more than enough room in the panniers to carry all of the gear I’d need for a week away.

You may not manage that but I travel reasonably light.

ON THE ROAD

to the back-end being slammed an inch closer to the deck than on other models from Victory’s Cross Bike X-Series.

When you get going, your arse sits deep and low in the seat. Plenty of support and comfort will let you go from one fuel stop to the next without the need for a break.

Lifting your feet up and onto the footboards is easy, with nothing in the way to catch them. The footboards themselves are quite long, with more than enough room for my size 12s to move about. The toe-only shifter also helps as there’s nothing at the back to hold your foot in one spot.

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Rolling through suburbia showed that the suspension was extremely well matched to my 140-plus kilos. One of you skinny blokes with your matching skinny lady would weigh roughly the same and the suspension will also be spot on for you. A lunchtime cruise over The Bell’s Line of Road with the new lower speed limits had me keeping one eye on the speedo, but it was covered without a single heart-stopping moment. Want to go faster through a corner? Lean the Magnum over further.

It’ll take you round without dragging its guts on every corner. There were very few scrapes recorded while I was aboard the Magnum and they were on the extended travel indicator thing hanging off the bottom of the footboards. Medium- to higher-speed corners were just as easy as lowerspeed corners, with mid-corner bumps

New Bike Test ridden over at all speeds without any need for panic.

Walking pace was the only place where I really noticed any handling issues. Even though the back end has been slammed, the taller front wheel has raised the Magnum’s centre of gravity and made it slightly top-heavy. A U-turn was a good example of when this was most noticeable. The footboards are actually a fair way above the ground, which gives great ground clearance but contributes to the slightly ponderous feel. This is never dangerous or likely to make an experienced rider lose control, but it is something to bear in mind. The tiller-like handlebars also take a bit of getting used to as the motion needed for slow-speed steering is different to more conventional handlebars.

Upping the pace on the Magnum made everything feel better. The airflow over the screen and around the fairing was perfect and the suspension was working well on any bumps or rough patches. I even went hunting potholes to see if they’d upset the Magnum’s progress. Waste of time as nothing upset it. The big 21 simply rolled over the top of anything in its path.

Slowing down? Yeah, did a bit of that, with the front brake lever adjusted to a happy spot for my monster hands.

Squeeze and stop. Repeat. The rear brake pedal and I never bonded. It’s the same setup as on the Victory Cross Country I rode a couple of years ago.

The brake pedal is biased to the centre of the bike, with the bit you put your foot on barely 50mm long. My right

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foot was happiest in the centre of the footboard and I had to either move my foot to the inside of the footboard and jam my knee against the tank or pivot my foot inwards on my heel, which pulled on the tendons in the top of my foot. I’ve spoken to people who reckon it’s great and also to people who agree with me. If the foot bit was 50mm longer, life would be better.

The clutch is cable operated and works as good as a well-designed cable clutch can work. You can feel the takeup point of the clutch and controlled movement is easy. Certainly better than some of the hydraulic clutches I’ve used. Shifting gears with the toe-only shifter was excellent. To the best of my memory, there wasn’t a single missed shift during the test.

New Bike Test

Quickspecs Model: Victory Magnum Price: $29,995 (ride away) Engine: Air-cooled, 50-degree V-twin, SOHC, 4-stroke, 4-valves per cylinder Bore x stroke: 101 x 108mm Displacement: 1731cc (106ci) Compression: 9.4:1 Power/Torque: N/A Transmission: 6-speed, wet multi-plate clutch, belt final drive Suspension: F: Telescopic 43mm USD forks. R: Mono shock Brakes: ABS F: Dual 300mm floating rotors with four-piston

Cruising through suburbia with music blaring and sharing has never been my thing. A set of Earmold speakers in the ears is my normal choice. The look on people’s faces when they realised that the loud music was coming from the bright-red motorcycle next to them was priceless.

I like to enjoy my chosen music at a higher volume but I don’t think the cagers were expecting to hear what they did. Cream’s 2005 reunion concert was followed by Deep Purple’s Perfect Strangers concert from Sydney in December 1984. And repeat.

Night riding was limited, in fact the whole test was limited! Time was short at this end and demand was high for Cruiser & Trike

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calipers. R: Single 300mm floating rotor with two-piston caliper Tyres: Dunlop Elite F: 120/70R21 R: 180/60R16 Frame: Aluminium Seat height: 680mm Wheelbase: 1670mm Length: 2650mm Weight: 345kg (dry) Fuel capacity: 22L Warranty: 2 years, unlimited distance Servicing intervals: 8000km or 12 months

test rides for potential buyers. We were thankful that a 48-hour window worked for us and for Victory-Indian Sydney.

Oh yeah, the headlight. It’s a modern LED headlight and for urban riding, the low beam was good. Maybe a bit too low for highway speeds, but the high beam made a difference. Still, I’d like to adjust it and have another ride.

That last sentence sums up the Magnum pretty well spot-on for me.

There are a few minor areas that I’d like to adjust or change and then test it again. Perhaps for a number of months as a long-term test bike. If you’ve been waiting for a chance to ride a Magnum, stop waiting. Go and ride one. They’re good. C&T

FYI

cruiserandtrike.com.au The bright and shiny youngsters are laughing at us from behind their smirks and de-caf soy lattes. Someone has finally worked out a nofrills, industrial-strength, easy-to-fly website aimed at users over the age of 24.

We’re back to the start again because we needed something that is simple for us to change. The first version was overly complicated with spinning things and flames and the next version was just as bad.

Hopefully in the near future, before the leaves change colour on the trees again, you’ll be able to log on to cruiserandtrike.com.au and see fresh stuff that we’ve uploaded. p

LEATHERMAN TREAD Leatherman, inventor of the original multi-tool, continues to push boundaries within its category with the launch of the Tread, the world’s first wearable multi-tool.

The Tread houses 25 tools on your wrist in the form of a highly durable, hardened 17-4 stainless-steel bracelet, clasped comfortably to accommodate any wrist size and fully customisable for any situation. The new wearable item allows Allen wrenches, screwdrivers and cutting hooks to be available at a moment’s notice, among a raft of other much-loved original Leatherman tools, which can be attached and detached at will. The piece is also customisable and can be rearranged to suit preference and wrist size.

Leatherman will also launch the Tread QM1, a removable timepiece version. This features a unique Leatherman-designed and Swiss-made watch with precision quartz movement. Featuring shockand scratch-resistant double-domed sapphire crystal with anti-glare coating, the watch face is curved, allowing for maximum visibility at any angle. The Leatherman watch also includes a rotating bezel ring, illuminated pigments for low visibility situations, and is water-resistant up to 200m.

“We wanted to make the Leatherman as portable and travel-ready as possible,” said Tim Leatherman, company founder. “Looking at the wearable technology movement was the key to realising just how streamlined the Leatherman could go. The Tread is the result.”

The new Tread and Tread QM1 both come with a 25-year guarantee, is TSA approved and, like all Leatherman products, are created with the utmost craftsmanship and durability.

AVON COBRA WHITEWALL TEWALL TYRES Many custom bike builders favour the 21in front wheel and with more and more customised-style power cruisers released by manufacturers such as Harley-Davidson and Victory, the 21in front wheel is becoming a popular size. Up until now, owners have been limited in the availability of whitewall 120/70-21in front tyres.

Avon has responded to demand and can now provide you with the celebrated Avon Cobra Whitewall in the 120/70-21in size along with most other popular sizes for cruisers and classics.

The Avon Cobra is a dedicated power cruiser, custom motorcycle and touring tyre that incorporates sports tyre technology and performance with incredible stability and longevity. The aggressive tread pattern offers fantastic water dispersion, dry grip and quiet rolling performance.

There are ultra-wide rear sizes available including a unique pattern for the Honda Goldwing range and fitments for bikes such as the Harley-Davidson V-Rod, Triumph Rocket III, Kawasaki Valkyrie, Victory models and more. The 120/70-21in front whitewall costs $235 RRP. Ask your local motorcycle shop for more information or visit proaccessories.com.au or phone (07) 3277 0693.

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DDRAGGIN BLACKGEN JEANS

HONDA F6B & VALKYRIE GET A TOUCH-UP As part of the Honda Goldwing 40th Anniversary range, Honda is releasing its newest Goldwing family models — the F6B and Valkyrie — in limited anniversary editions. The special editions are set to hit Aussie shores with new features and a special 40th Anniversary touch.

The Valkyrie is available in Graphite Black and Candy Prominence Red. The famed cruiser will also come with a special 40th Anniversary key. With ultra-smooth torque and abundant power, the 2015 Valkyrie aims to raise the bar even higher with a Manufacturer’s List Price of $20,199 plus on-road costs.

The 2015 F6B goes a step further, adopting the latest technology from Honda, including electronic reverse gear and cruise control, while maintaining the same low price tag. The slow-speed reversing system is engaged with a simple push of the thumb control on the handlebars, while the lightweight cruise control system utilises a 16-bit ECU-based, motoractuated throttle mechanism.

The special-edition F6B comes in two colour options, plus special 40th Anniversary badges and key, with a Manufacturer’s List Price of $25,199 plus on-road costs.

To find out more, visit your nearest Honda Dealer, ring 1 300 1 HONDA or go to honda.com.au

facebook.com/CruiserTrike Our ability to break anything to do with the interwebs is becoming infamous. IT people laugh at us from behind their soy latte decafs. Facebook has resisted our best efforts. Drop in and say g’day. Chuck yer pics up on the wall or talk about the pics already hanging. Join in. Costs nothing and apparently you can even interact with us.

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Ri Riders are looking for jeans that can deliver the whole lot. Riders want to be de protected, they want their safety gear to pr deliver on fashion while providing them with the diversity to jump straight off the bike and still look like they are wearing normal clothes.

What’s new? Draggin has been delivering this since 1997. Only this time, Draggin will release jeans that provide riders with a seamless look, provide premium-grade protection and all in riders’ favourite colour, black, of course!

Draggin’s newest jeans, the BlackGen, will match everything. The BlackGen has no visible panels, no external seams, just the latest look offering riders a whole lot of diversity in their wardrobe.

The BlackGen not only look great, they deliver the world-patented Draggin Jeans protection of DuPont Kevlar.

The BlackGen takes advantage of Dyneema’s amazing strength — 40 per cent stronger than Kevlar and 15 times stronger than steel!

The BlackGen deliver a sports liner that keeps riders comfortable all year round. The sports liner draws away moisture in summer and keeps riders warm in winter. The BlackGen even come with both hip and knee pockets sewn in, ready for riding.

BlackGen really do deliver the whole lot. Sizes range from 30 to 42 with an RRP of $299. Buy them from clever stockists or to order, phone (03) 9646 0377 or email sales@dragginjeans.net

HOW DO YOU MAKE THE ULTIMATE TOURING VEHICLE EVEN BETTER? WE FOUND THREE WAYS.

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With a new Rotax® 1330 ACE™ high-torque engine and a new 6-speed transmission, the road has never been so inviting. The high-torque response of the ACE engine gives you 40% more low-end torque and now can go up to 405 kilometres at 100 km/h on one tank of gas. *While the new 6-speed transmission provides an incredibly smooth ride for you and your passenger. Add in a unique Y-frame design and 7 automotive technologies, and that rush you feel will be equal parts exhilaration and confidence.

See offers at canamspyder.com

FOR PRICING & TEST RIDE CALL 1300 725 949 © 2015 Bombardier Recreational Products Inc. (BRP). All rights reserved. ®, ™ and the BRP logo are trademarks of BRP or its affiliates. Products are distributed by BRP Australia Pty Ltd. *Tested at a constant speed of 100 km/h. Fuel mileage may vary depending on the following: Spyder RT models, personal riding habits, weather conditions, trip length, vehicle condition, vehicle configuration and other conditions. Up to 325 kilometres tested at a constant speed of 120 km/h. Break-in mileage may also vary. See an authorised BRP dealer for details. Some models depicted may include optional equipment. Always ride responsibly and safely. Always observe applicable local laws and regulations. Don’t drink and drive.

COMING SOON.

FYI

VENTURA SETI-MOTO SEAT BAG & SUKI-MOTO TANK BAG

SJS SMART START CHARGERS More than just a jump starter, the SJS Smart Start Charger SSC01 is a jump start pack and multipurpose battery charger with the added benefit of being a portable power station for all off your portable devices. bl d i The technical stuff is that the eight-amp lithium polymer battery hidden inside the little package will jump start any cruiser, as well as most things with engines up to four litres in capacity. Being a you-beaut genuine lithium polymer battery rather than a cheaper option, the SJS Smart Start Charger will hold its charge very well. In fact, charge it up today and come back on this date next year and it will still have 85 to 90 per cent charge.

Check out the pic of the SJS Smart Start Charger SSC01 between an iPhone 4 and an iPhone 6 to get an idea of how small this unit is. The zippered carrying pack includes the plug-in insulated jumper leads, 240V wall charger, 12V car charger as well as USB cables and plugs to fit most portable devices.

On the top of the SSC01 is a pair of USB ports marked iPhone and Android. We tried the iPhone one and it was charging the phone happily with a digital readout on the SSC01’s LCD screen of remaining power. There’s also an LED torch so you can see what you’re doing.

We’ve got the SSC01 that has an RRP of $109 but you can get bigger and stronger models.

The SSC05 has a 12.8-amp battery and is $139 (RRP), and then there’s the big SSC06 with its 16.5-amp battery and a RRP of $199.

We also found an SJS Tyre Pump in the box from Kenma. It plugs straight into the side of the SJS Smart Start Chargers. Apparently it’ll inflate a 190/50-17 tyre from flat in bugger-all time without flattening your bike’s battery. Cheap? Cheaper than cheap at $39.95 RRP. Available from your favourite motorcycle shop, or from Kenma’s online shop, easy to find at kenma.com.au

DRAGGIN ROO HOODY Do you want to ride in a hoody? Well now you can without compromising the safety of your skin. The Roo Hoody looks just like a regular hoody, but it’s protective. As the world’s best casual motorcycle protection, Draggin Jeans understands what riders want to wear.

With the Roo Hoody having so many features we’ve listed a few for you: The Roo Hoody includes a zip closure with an easy-to-use puller; the hood is adjustable and removable so it can be easily zipped off; the sleeves include a thumbhole cuff so your gloves can sit neatly underneath the cuff; the toggles are adjustable in the waistband to ensure a snug fit while riding; a deep internal Cruiser & Trike

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Go on, rattle that sentence out after a night at the bar! The latest seat and tank bags from Ventura have arrived, and we like what we see.

The Seti-Moto seat bag is made from some stuff called Kodra fabric that is supposedly durable. If it holds up as well as the three-yearold Ventura Imola seat bag that it’s replacing, it’ll last forever. With a capacity of 11 litres, it’s perfect for day trips and will swallow your wet weather with room to spare for an iPad and w stuff. As with other Ventura seat bags, there’s a bra that attaches to the seat and then the seat bag is attached securely to the bra by four quick-release buckles. We’ll let you know how it stands up to our testing.

The nine-litre Suki-Moto tank bag is the latest from Ventura. It’s unique in that it doesn’t use magnets or straps to attach it to the tank; instead, it uses four suction cups on adjustable straps that should allow you to fit it to any bike. We’ve tested the integrity of the Ventura suction cups at 220km/h and they stayed stuck. Quick-release clips allow you to lift it out of the way quickly and easily when it’s time to re-fuel. The top of the Suki Moto is a clear map pocket that is big enough to hold an iPad for navigation.

The next thing you need to know is the RRP on these two new items — $99 for the Seti-Moto seat bag and $119 for the SukiMoto tank bag. Available from your favourite motorcycle shop, or from Kenma’s online shop, easy to find at kenma.com.au

pocket for your things; convenient hand pockets.

The Roo Hoody is made from Draggin’s own revolutionary Roomoto protective fabric with 4.4 seconds of abrasion resistance, just like your Draggin jeans. Only Draggin’s lining uses genuine DuPont Kevlar, and takes advantage of Dyneema’s amazing strength.

One of the massive benefits of the Roo Hoody is that DFFUSE CE Armour — elbow, shoulder and back armour that sits neatly in the pockets — is included. Comfort, style and safety. How multifunctional is that?

Draggin Roo Hoody is available in sizes Small to 3XL. RRP is $199, complete with armour. You can buy them from all clever stockists.

New Bike Test

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New Bike Test

KAWASAKI VULCAN S Learner riders have many fine options in the cruiser market.

Kawasaki’s Vulcan S is one of the best for riders of all sizes

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New Bike Test

Words: Paul Bailey Photos: Heather Ware

unny how things go full circle. After 45 years of riding motorcycles, here I am testing a learner-legal model. The Vulcan S is one of Kawasaki’s LAMS models, so its design is for the new learner rider out there.

It’s another bike in the market for the poor learner to consider, and include in his or her list of bikes to try, buy and ride. This could be for up to three years for riders in NSW, so choices become important and new riders need to weigh up their options carefully.

When the bike was first delivered to me, I spent a considerable amount of time just sitting down next to it and

F

having a look at how Kawasaki had put this bike together. There are many things that a manufacturer does to produce a motorcycle for a particular market.

Sometimes the product can be very narrow-focused when it comes to who it will attract, and sometimes the product can be developed to cover a wider variety of riders and types of duty for the bike itself.

The Kawasaki is a nice example of the latter; it is targeted at a wider range of riders and riding styles or conditions.

It’s not a sports bike, but it is a wellstyled and thought-out cruiser with the capability of doing some touring thanks to the optional parts available through Kawasaki.

The photo shoot for this bike was Cruiser & Trike

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planned for the Brooklyn area, a great location for photo opportunities, but for me, living in the Southern Highlands area, it meant a two-hour ride at least to get there. It also meant a massive amount of time on the F5, M7 and M2 motorways. I admit I was a little daunted at the prospect of riding a LAMS bike that distance with my 100kg frame.

I was totally misguided in my fears.

The Kawasaki, although LAMS governed by way of a limited throttle opening, was fine for the entire ride. The 650cc parallel twin with a six-speed gearbox was never struggling to stay with traffic, and when in the meaty part of the torque curve, offered brisk acceleration to overtake vehicles. This factor, and the feeling of confidence in the power

New Bike Test

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New Bike Test

delivery, was very pleasing to me. There is nothing worse than riding a bike that lacks power and you are forever mindful of that fact every time you try to pass a vehicle or negotiate traffic. The Vulcan S was confident on the motorways and had ample reserve power to never get caught out in any traffic conditions. Even getting past semi-trailers was easy and done with a quick and responsive engine.

After arriving at Brooklyn and meeting up with the photographer, I had a bit of time to check out the throttle linkage. It seems the butterfly is restricted to about 80 per cent opening, which is pleasing as it gave me confidence that once a rider was off their LAMs restrictions, the Vulcan could be easily modified to allow full power of the 650cc twin and this would only result in more power and torque and more confidence on the open road.

Riding the Vulcan that distance was also a nice experience. The ride position was good with the bars and the foot controls just right for my 180cm frame.

The foot pegs are of the forward control type, but not that ridiculously forward that you are stretching yourself to reach them. They are also adjustable a total of 50mm from front to back, although there is a need to change some parts to do this.

The Vulcan we tested also had the screen, saddlebags, comfort seat, gear indicator, rack and engine covers fitted as optional extras. The screen was a nice little added luxury for the ride to Brooklyn; it was well placed and offered a good amount of wind deflection on the motorways. At 110km/h it was ideal. The screen was also not a permanent fixture and could be removed quite easily.

The leather saddlebags fitted were also functional; they offered a reasonable amount of storage, had a quick-release latch for the top to open up, and suited the style of the bike well.

The handlebars on the Vulcan were also well styled and offered a relaxed and comfortable riding position, in Cruiser & Trike

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GRINS The touring capability of this bike is good, even for non-learners.

The power for learners is excellent and not restricted in the rev range.

The rider seating position is very good.

GRIPES The finish could be better on some of the stamped components.

Switch blocks are very basic and look as though they’ll fade with sun exposure.

Wires and cables could be better routed for a neater appearance.

combination with the forward controls, the overall riding position was very natural and comfortable for a cruiser of this size. There are different bars available for shorter riders. There are also seats available for shorter riders or taller riders. Kawasaki has cleverly made these options available. It is always nice to tailor a bike to suit your needs rather

New Bike Test

than have to compromise with comfort because of a lack of options.

Ride quality of the bike was also above average. Again, with my 100kg frame, I was expecting a ride that was suited to a jockey, but I was very happy with the way the bike rode over all conditions.

It was neither under-sprung or vague in how it rode. Rider input showed a positive result and gave me more confidence to ride the bike. In motorway traffic I felt at ease to manoeuvre through traffic with no hesitation or doubt as to the bike’s behaviour. The

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fitting of sensible tyres and rims also aids in this, the bike has a 120 x 18 front tyre and a 160 x 17 rear tyre — sensible for this type of bike and it showed, with good handling and comfort.

The narrow design of the Vulcan S and the low 705mm seat height make it a natural choice for those riders with limited leg length or strength. The front portion of the seat is also narrow, perfect for when you do put your feet down on the ground — you don’t have that feeling of trying to straddle a 44-gallon drum.

Very simple but also very practical.

New Bike Test The Vulcan also offers ABS brakes — a great touch for the new rider market and it will prove to be an asset to the bike while riders are learning their craft aboard this machine. Once we had started the photo shoot, there was one corner we were running through in both directions for photos. It was very easy to pull up the bike quickly with confidence with the ABS before executing a U-turn to head back to the corner again. The bike remained balanced during braking and the brakes showed no sign of fatigue from the numerous quick stops.

With the design of the Vulcan S and its use of the very slender650cc twin, it made the bike feel quite narrow and nimble. The ground clearance was good, offering excellent lean angles without anything touching down or scraping along the tarmac. This was also a nice surprise and gave a lot of confidence when pushing this bike up through the bends at Brooklyn.

The whole time during the photo shoot and the ride to and from the Brooklyn area, I was trying to imagine myself as a new rider. I was trying to remember how I learnt to ride on the road and what I had to learn with, and where I went in those early days.

I look back on those times with such fond memories, until I start to get into

the details of those bikes and those rides interstate and in city traffic. The memories soon become not so fond and the bikes not so fun to ride. At the time it was all that I had and all that I knew, let alone what the motorcycle manufacturers at the time knew. We have all travelled so far in the last 40 years with motorcycles and riding techniques; we have all benefited from the better understanding of how motorcycles work and how we can improve them for our pleasure, desire and safety.

The Vulcan S offers so much to a new rider. It can be a city cruiser or a country traveller with the fitting of the saddlebags and screen. In my opinion this is good as it gives the new rider the opportunity to travel and not just be stuck in the city sprawl and only learn skills that relate to city riding. With this machine you can experience the touring life as well and get far more skills and satisfaction from the machine.

For new riders today, be they a 17-year-old learner, a lady rider wanting to ride alongside her partner rather than being a pillion, or the more mature rider deciding to get into (or back into) riding, there are now selections for them.

They no longer have to put up with a poor handling or tall motorcycle. Yes, engine power is controlled, but in most

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New Bike Test cases sensibly so that the rider has some confidence in the power available.

With today’s traffic conditions and car drivers who either don’t see riders or are just too dumb to know what to do around motorcyclists, it’s good to know that the bikes we can ride are far safer and more controlled than the beasts of old.

The Kawasaki Vulcan S offers riders a choice of motorcycle that does give confidence, does handle well, has ABS, good power and optional extras that can make it both individual and comfortable under most conditions.

It is definitely a motorcycle that would be on my short list to test ride and evaluate for my first ride. C&T

Quickspecs Model: Kawasaki Vulcan S Price: $10,999 (ride away) Engine: Liquid-cooled, parallel twin, fourstroke, DOHC Bore x stroke: 83 x 60mm Displacement: 649cc Compression: 10.8:1 Power: N/A Torque: N/A Transmission: 6-speed, wet multi-plate clutch, chain final drive Suspension: F: Telescopic forks. R: Offset single shock Cruiser & Trike

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Brakes: ABS F: 300mm rotor with dualpiston caliper. R: Single rotor with singlepiston caliper Tyres: F: 120/70-18 R: 160/60-17 Frame: High-tension steel double pipe perimeter Seat height: 705mm Wheelbase: 1575mm Length: 2310mm Weight: 226kg (wet) Fuel capacity: 14 litres Warranty: 2 years, unlimited distance Servicing intervals: 6000km or 12 months

New Bike Test

Café Cruiser MISS KRIS CALLED THE SUZUKI S40 BOULEVARD A CAFÉ CRUISER. IS THIS THE FIRST EXAMPLE OF A NEW SUB-GENRE OF CRUISERS?

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New Bike Test

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New Bike Test

Words: Kristine McDonald & Tim Sanford Photos: Tim Munro

like singles. To me they make the ride simple because they have loads of torque and that means I have less gear changes to worry about. When you come to a hill you don’t need to change down because you know the engine will pull you up the hill. This Suzuki feels like a little bike when you sit on it, but look at the engine: that’s a 650cc single. Straight away I thought it would be good to ride.

The paintwork is something an owner would be proud of and the wheels and spokes are all done in gleaming chrome

I

so you will have plenty of bits to polish on weekends to keep it all sparkling.

I prefer bikes with spoked wheels and although this Suzuki is brand new, it has an older bike look to it.

At first I thought that the flat handlebars were not quite wide enough, but they were just right. I am 5ft 4in (or 163cm) and my arms aren’t that long, but the reach and width ended up being perfect. If the S40 had heavier steering, the bars would need to be wider, but it’s so easy to steer. Also, wider bars would take away that custom look. There is one complaint I have about the styling and that’s the speedo being mounted Cruiser & Trike

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in the top of the tank. You have to look down to see it. Not only that, but when the indicators are on, the warning light is right down out of your view so if you aren’t careful you can leave the indicators on. Leaving your left indicator on when there’s a car in the side street could mean … I don’t want to even think about that so please keep your wits about you with the indicators.

Sitting on the Suzuki my feet touched the ground with my feet flat.

I could move it around easily even without the engine going and that gave me confidence. I find footpegs are easier to use than footboards and

New Bike Test

THE TRIANGLE

Seat to bars: 740mm Bars to pegs: 750mm Pegs to seat: 780mm

with these I could reach the ground with no problem, so it is very stable when stopped.

The bike feels small but not small like the time when learner cruisers could only be 250cc. I never liked them, they were too small and didn’t have enough power. This is a different thing altogether because it really is a little bike with a big engine.

Starting was so simple. I gave it a bit of choke and then hit the button.

Chokes are not common on bikes now but this one is good because it is easy to find and easy to push in and out. You need to wait a minute to let the engine

warm up a bit and in winter that time will be a bit longer, but the engine feels willing to go pretty quickly. I found that I could start the engine and then put on my gloves and by that time we were ready to roll.

The kickstand is great because it’s right there where you need it and it’s dead simple to kick it out when you stop or kick it back in before you ride away. Of course, it has that good safety feature where you can’t ride away with it down because it will instantly kill the engine.

First gear needed a firm foot to engage it; in fact, I found I always Cruiser & Trike

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needed to be very firm with my changes to get them right. On the other hand, the clutch is just brilliant; it is light and very smooth and you never have that awful feeling that the bike is going to stall when you take off.

Hill starts? No problems there, either, thanks to that good clutch — and it being a single.

Now, to the ride. My first impression was that the steering is too light, but I soon got used to that and before too long I liked the way the bike would turn into corners with no effort at all.

It would go where I put it and it would keep its line through the corner. The

New Bike Test

SECOND OPINION Now here’s a little fairy tale: Once upon a time, way back in 1986, Suzuki made a neat and tidy little 650 single which they called the LS650 Savage. Lots of people, especially those with length-challenged legs, bought them because they were light, easy to handle and they went forever.

Lots of those people also did all manner of customising things to them to indulge their big-bike fantasies.

Then, in 2005, Suzuki called in the fairy godmother to make sweeping changes to an excellent little motorcycle. Fortunately, because the fairy godmother had lost some of her magic powers, instead of turning a good bike into a lemon (or a pumpkin) using her best efforts, all she could manage was to give it a new name and add another ratio to the gearbox and so the current Suzuki S40 Boulevard came into being, even if we had to wait until 2015 for it to be reintroduced to Australia.

Pleasingly, it’s not a fairy tale, it’s true. The bike, which found many friends before, is still the same basic and uncluttered bike and it will still carry a learner through the licence-getting phase and then be a useful bike to do short trips and cafe cruising. If you want a machine

that is big and brawny with heaps of power and lots of weight, this isn’t for you.

Also, if you want your machine to make a social statement about where you stand in the road hierarchy, then again this bike is not for you.

It is a little bike and its low seat height and light weight give it most of its easyto-ride attributes, but there is another thing and that’s the engine. Torque?

Heaps of it and all down low where the less-experienced rider needs it. I tried to get it rolling from a stop with no throttle, just feeding the clutch, but it didn’t really like it. Add the slightest whiff of throttle, though, and it was away. A less gravitationally advantaged rider than me would do it easily. With a willing engine and all that torque the bike handles traffic well, but I couldn’t resist seeing how fast it would take off and I wasn’t disappointed at all. In very few seconds the little bike was way over the speed limit and I was scanning the mirrors for any signs of the dreaded red and blue. If you want it to, it goes!

One of the safeguards on the bike is that you have to pull in the clutch before the electric starter will spin, even if it’s in neutral. Now you might think that such a

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feature is a bit of nanny state overkill, but I think it’s a good thing. I like the styling and from any angle the bike is sparkling and good looking. The front-end treatment makes it look quite custom and the flat bars and solid risers look terrific.

On the road the bike is great fun to ride and it encourages you to get out and do it. Trip to the cafe? Let’s go! says the little red rocket. Trip to Melbourne? Well if you lived in the outskirts of the southern capital that might be okay, but if you’re in any other capital I’d pass on that ride if I were you — that’s not what this bike is about at all.

I like the steering although it is a bit puzzling. At low speeds it has a strange, slightly heavy feel to it; through corners it is light and precise; at (relatively) high speeds it is rock steady and stable. For the less-experienced rider, that’s the way it should be.

As a cafe cruiser it has the looks and style to carry it off. As a first bike it is a good choice and its long production run shows that it is a reliable buy. As a longdistance freeway cruiser it is not a good choice. At just under nine grand ride away, it’s great value.

Tim Sanford

New Bike Test

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New Bike Test

GRINS

Low to the ground Easy to move around Fun to ride

GRIPES

Not ideal for a long trip

IF IT WERE MY BIKE WHAT I WOULD CHANGE …

Tailor the foot peg and hand levers’ position to better suit me.

brakes aren’t harsh but they give you good, even stopping. The front is only a single disc but with a bike of this weight, I don’t really think you need more than one. The back is a drum brake and that is good for the style of the bike. It works well and the brake pedal is in just the right place when you want to stop. The seat is good because it is big enough to move around and stay comfortable. There’s pillion seat but I think the bike would struggle with two big people on board.

It would be okay if you wanted to take a child with you for short trips but another adult? Hmmm …

There is a belt drive to the back wheel and that’s a big plus. I hate the way chains always make a gooey mess all over the back wheel and when you try to clean it, that black stuff gets all over your hands. Not with a belt though.

It didn’t take long for me to get the feeling that this was a bike I could depend on. I don’t mean just during the test ride, but for longer use. I could see it being used as a learner bike to get your bike licence and then I think you’d keep it for a long time, even if you got a

bigger bike. It is just so easy to ride and around town it is small so you can get into small spots with no trouble. It’s so light you never feel that it’s going to get the better of you.

In traffic the mirrors are brilliant.

They are big and oblong and sit up really high to give you a clear view of the traffic behind you. I never noticed them blur from vibration and that is pretty amazing for such a big single.

Cruising around at 60 to 90km/h, the bike is super happy, but push it over 100 and it starts to vibrate and becomes less fun to ride. As good as it was in traffic, it was even better out on the open road where it would roll along sweetly and as long as you kept the speed sensible, it was fine. Riding it through some nice bends was really enjoyable and here the good steering and good suspension made the ride a great experience. I loved the torque; if you lived in a hilly area you would love the way it rolls along, needing only a few gear changes and letting the engine pull you up the hills. I thought it was great for that. I ran into some rain and wet roads but the bike never Cruiser & Trike

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New Bike Test

Quickspecs Model: Suzuki S40 Price: $8990 (ride away) Engine: Air-cooled, single-cylinder, 4-stroke, SOHC Displacement: 652cc Compression: 8.5:1 Power: 23kW @ 5400rpm Torque: 50Nm @ 3400rpm Transmission: 5-speed, wet multi-plate clutch, belt final drive Suspension: F: Telescopic forks.

R: Twin shocks

Brakes: ABS F: Single rotor.

R: Drum brake Tyres: F: 100/90-19 R: 140/80-15 Frame: Tubular cradle Seat Height: 700mm Wheelbase: 1480mm Length: 2180mm Weight: 173kg (wet) Fuel capacity: 10 litres Warranty: 2 years, unlimited distance Servicing intervals: 10,000km or 12 months

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gave me any moments. The tyres felt reassuring and that always makes for a nicer ride.

So in a nutshell, it’s a great cafe cruiser. It’s hard to believe it is such a big single because it feels so much smaller. It is a very friendly bike and I could see it being used over many years because it would become part of the family. If my girlfriends were interested in riding, I would talk them into getting one so we could all go out together. C&T

New Bike Opinion

HD

STREET

500

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New Bike Opinion

We know you enjoy hearing about new bikes.

So do we. Especially when we can get feedback from multiple riders. Ruth is the first of a variety of riders we’re planning to let loose on the HD Street 500

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New Bike Opinion Words: Ruth Liew Photos: Jessica Williams

ts name is Mutt. Surname’s Bitsa — short for “bits of this and bits of that”. I call Harley-Davidson’s new Street 500 “Mutt” because, in my opinion, that’s exactly what the new American-designed but madein-India learner-legal HD embodies. A bike from the labs of the 112-year-old American motorcycling giant that doesn’t quite slot neatly into any particular current HD mould.

Case in point: observe the rotund Linfox driver that pulled up next to the Asian chick on the Street 500 at a set of traffic lights along Sydney’s Pacific Highway.

“That’s a nice Harley you’ve got there, luv,” Mr Truckie boomed down from his cabin. “I ride a Harley too.”

Gloved hand goes up. Visor flicks open.

“Thank you!”

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Mr Truckie scratches his beard. “So uh… what is it? Looks kinda like a Sporty and a V-Rod cross.”

A grin breaks out and the two-fingered “V” sign comes up in a polite salute. “It’s the new learner-legal Street 500!”

Being a mutt isn’t a bad thing. In fact, I’d argue that being different — slightly off kilter with hybrid elements — is a darn good thing.

Forget an air-cooled engine that can boil your socks off, the baby Harley is equipped with a liquid-cooled, Revolution X V-twin motor that drums out a claimed 53 horsepower at 8000 RPM. If you’re a fan of the Sons of Anarchy television series, the styling of the headlight and mini windshield may entice riders’ inner Jax Teller to the fore.

(Having never watched the TV show, I had to go and Google this! MW) Its forks are gloved in rubber gaiter

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New Bike Opinion

boots – in the footsteps of the Sportster Iron - while its matte black finish and lack of chrome are also salutes to the Sportster’s heritage.

It feels light even at 220kg, and surprisingly has better stock suspension cradling my 74kg frame compared with many of its bigger cruiser cousins — including the 883 Iron.

Another feather to add to Mutt’s cap is its 634mm seat height. Having jumped onto the H-D from a BMW S1000RR, where I can barely reach the ground with the tips of my toes, the low seat height was confidence inspiring — a trait I’m sure many learners would appreciate.

There is a respectable number of reviews on the little Harley outlining its

specifications, but a key question I was striving to answer was: Can learners do a U-turn as part of their P’s test on the Street? In my quest to seek the truth, I took Mutt out with a few learners on Japanese sportsbikes to Galston Gorge in Sydney’s north. Those who know the gorge would be familiar with the series of steep, 5km/h hairpins that are practically U-turns in disguise.

They turned out to be turns that Mutt gobbled up enthusiastically, rounding up the little Jappers without too much difficulty. Whack the bike into first gear, angle for a wider line, ride the rear brake and away it went into a neat little turn down the gorge. It was steady, balanced and comfortable.

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Mutt also made his debut at a MOST test mock practice centre in Homebush.

My mate Geoff Northcott, a 100kg rider, weaved the Harley through chicanes, emergency braked and turned it in a marked, two-lane U-turn box with ease.

His main gripe? The brakes could be better.

When I caught up with HarleyDavidson’s global president Matt Levatich last December during his visit to Australia, he mentioned that young riders under the age of 40 were increasingly the key target markets of the company. Unveiling a learner-legal machine in Australia slotted directly into HD’s agenda, as the New York Stock Exchange-listed group sells more machines to young adults today ay y than

New Bike Opinion they were selling to baby boomers when they were young adults themselves.

The newest member of the HD family may just hit the spot for the booming learner market as more men and women seek out alternative modes of transport, injected with a hint of cool rebellion.

But the bike isn’t without its set of characteristics that make it challenging for the rider. The single front rotor with twin-piston caliper can occasionally turn braking into a captivating game of “WillThis-Stop-In-Time” for the unsuspecting learner caught in a traffic pickle. On the flip side, grabbing a fistful of Street 500 front brakes will be less likely to see you lock the front wheel and roll over the handlebars than some other bikes.

In comparison, the single rear disc brake is surprisingly strong. When both brakes are applied directly (and with some enthusiasm), the bike will halt. It just takes a bit of practice.

HD created a motorcycle that riders are able to appreciate in its standard form, or hack and change to suit their tastes. If I were to hang on to Mutt, one of the first things that would be tossed out in the blink of an eye would be its stock muffler.

Ever wanted to hear what a Singer sewing machine sounded like on a motorcycle? Well, look no further. A Screamin’ Eagle or aftermarket muffler would transform the machine into a motorcycle that would rumble and growl in rivalry with its bigger-capacity cousins.

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New Bike Opinion

Quickspecs Model: Harley-Davidson Street 500 Price: $9995 (ride away) Engine: Liquid-cooled, Revolution X, 60ºV-twin, SOHC, Mikuni single port fuel injection, 35mm bore Bore x stroke: 69 x 66mm Displacement: 494cc Compression: 11:1 Power: No one’s saying Torque: 40Nm (29.5ft/lb) @ 3500rpm Transmission: Six-speed, wet multi-plate clutch, belt final drive Suspension: F: Telescopic forks.

R: Twin shocks

Brakes: F: Single rotor with twinpiston caliper. R: Single rotor with twin-piston caliper.

Tyres: F: 100/80R17 R: 140/75R15 Frame: Tubular cradle Seat height: 709mm Wheelbase: 1534mm Length: 2225mm Weight: 218kg (wet) Fuel capacity: 13.1L Warranty: Two years, unlimited distance with roadside assistance Servicing intervals: 10,000km or 12 months

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And while HD did an excellent job overall with the styling of the bike, the company could have arguably done better in some aspects of its design.

Parts of the wiring were left exposed on the bike — little things that could have been resolved with a sleeve to tuck the wires away.

Overall, for its first joust in the learner-approved motorcycle field, HD created a motorcycle that deserves a respectful nod. Mutts are tough. They are different, get scrutinised and are not everyone’s cup of tea. But they hold their own and have more than enough ability to put a grin on their riders’ faces around Australian roads.

My Street 500’s name was Mutt — and it was awesome. C&T

A Day In The Saddle

A DAY IN THE SADDLE A 500KM DAY IN THE SADDLE IS A REASONABLE RIDE IN AUSTRALIA … IT’S AN EPIC RIDE IN NEW ZEALAND!

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A Day In The Saddle

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A Day In The Saddle

Words & Photos: Mark Hinchliffe

cross the Ditch, the roads twist themselves into pretzels, the weather changes as fast as fashion, tourists in campervans drive as slow as a funeral procession, and the scenery is so stunning you just have to stop frequently. It all adds up to making slow progress and our 523km day in the saddle of a Harley Road King Classic turns into a 10-hour epic that goes from heaven to hell and back several times.

It all starts in the very sad and glum mining port town of Greymouth on the west coast of New Zealand’s South Island. It’s January 2nd, but it’s cold, wet and windy in Greymouth, which is really living up to its name. We head

A

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out of town a little despondent after a regrettable McDonald’s breakfast for want of any other venue open at 7am.

But don’t despair and turn the page.

This day in the saddle gets better. In fact, it becomes epic!

Our trip takes us from grey-in-themouth Greymouth to crystal streams lined with bright wildflowers, from squally seaside rain to sparkling sunny lakesides, from straight and boring roads to the highest road in New Zealand that challenges the Stelvio Pass for excitement.

A day of high contrasts and surprising coincidences.

We fire up the trusty Road King and head south along the beach road, our optimism based on the promises of

A Day In The Saddle

several friends and acquaintances who assure us the west coast is exciting riding. However, the first section is just plain boring and grey, glum and windy, dreary and dull. The only excitement comes from a one-lane bridge you share with slippery, wet train tracks.

On the ferry ride yesterday across Cook Strait from Wellington on the North Island to Picton, a biker acquaintance warns us to not be distracted by the scenery here, which is difficult as you pass over a beautiful stream of gushing melting snow.

However, our friend tells us that he saw a rider look away momentarily and run onto the wet rail tracks, where his front wheel tucked and dumped him unceremoniously on the bridge.

I don’t need to be reminded of this anecdote as the pillion-in-a-million admonishes me over the Bluetooth headset to keep my eyes on the tracks.

Meanwhile, we’re also both keeping an eye on a cold front looming in off the Tasman Sea and wondering when it will hit us flush in the visors. Soon enough the sun peeps out through the morning heavy cloud and we glimpse magnificent snow-capped mountain peaks and churning mountain streams rushing down in lime-green suds.

We are now entering glacier country where the roads begin to playfully curl up and over the headlands. Our spirits lift like the clouds as we enter Franz Josef, a trendy little Euro-tourist town where visitors come to fly over the Cruiser & Trike

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glaciers, tramp the forests, mountain bike the hillsides and kayak the streams.

But it’s wallet-gouging and extortionately expensive. Fuel is $2.26 a litre and an extra $1 if you are paying with credit card. To add to the hip-pocket pain, there is a 15 per cent surcharge at all the cafes for New Zealand’s quirky January 2 holiday!

We miserly restrict ourselves to sharing a delicious seafood chowder before returning to the twisties that climb the headland to Fox Glacier. I hesitate at the turn-off to the glacier viewpoint as it’s a gravel road, but the bride says, “We haven’t come this far to miss it.” She’s right. Turns out the 3km of gravel is pretty good quality anyway.

Here we meet up with three Dutch

A Day In The Saddle cyclists pedalling their way around New Zealand at 100km a day. One rider has a blow-up palm tree on the back, which he says is his penalty for being the slowest rider the day before. We start talking motorbikes and it turns out he’s coincidentally the sales manager for Pinlock, which makes the effective anti-fog visor insert I have in my Harley FXRG full-face helmet. (It’s advisable to wear a full-face helmet here as the roads are made of coarse chip and the odd

lose stone could easily take out a tooth!)

As we return to the Fox Glacier Highway, I’m glad I have my Pinlock visor because it starts to hose down. We get a little damp before I can find a wide gravel verge safe enough to pull over and put on our wet gear.

My el-cheapo Aldi wets are frustratingly difficult to pull on over damp boots, jeans and jacket.

Meanwhile, my wife is wearing my Harley wet gear which is much easier to

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get on because it’s larger than she needs and it has a mesh liner. However, it’s still a clumsy job over damp clothes so she vents a few expletives and throws a bit of a tantrum.

So now our ride into Haast is miserable and slow. I’m tense from the mini-tanty and concerned about the increasingly dodgy road conditions, and the pillion is still steaming in her wets.

Haast is supposed to be a joyful beachside summer resort but right now

A Day In The Saddle it looks like the end of the world as the rain beats steadily down — although the servo attendant says it’s “just drizzle” (cutely pronounced “drizzle”).

We’re hesitant about the famed Haast Pass ahead of us in these conditions and contemplate staying overnight for a nanosecond, then my wife turns diplomat, apologises for the tanty and urges me to forge on.

We are glad we do. Despite the miserable conditions, the roads here

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A Day In The Saddle

are grippy and the Dunlop tyres on this Road King have supreme traction. The further we go, the braver I become with my lean angles and I’m soon finding the route is a hoot up to Haast Gate. The Harley is sticking like Velcro and the steering is precise, yet forgiving in these conditions.

The rain slows a bit as we hit Haast Pass but it really isn’t what I expected.

The road unwinds a little and eases on through a pleasant valley as the rain stops and the sun strains to shine through. It’s entertaining enough, but not the challenge I was expecting.

And then we hit Lake Wanaka and a sign warning about motorcycle crashes in this region. On the dry and sticky road that snakes down to the massive lake, my tail and my spirits are up. I can see why riders rate this engaging road so highly.

The challenge here is getting past the many tourist campervans. They’re not only slow, but unpredictable as they suddenly pull over in the middle of a corner for a photo opportunity or suddenly pull out in front of you from a lookout without looking out! And with many of them coming from countries Cruiser & Trike

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A Day In The Saddle

where they drive on the other side of the road, you are always mindful that they could drive straight at you.

Thankfully, the locals are totally the opposite. They drive slowly, but they see you coming and pull over. Some even indicate and drive half off the road. Apparently it’s because they are used to pulling over for the relentless packs of motorcycle club members.

I look nothing like a local bikie, but they still pull over for me, making our progress easy.

Where they don’t pull over, the Road King’s air-cooled High Output Twin Cam engine plays its part to make the overtaking manoeuvre safe and fast.

Those new cam profiles give higher and earlier lift and, together with the highflow air filter, increase output by five per cent. It almost feels like they’ve lowered the gearing. Even sixth is usable for non-urgent roll-on passes.

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As the locals pull over and let us through to continue our shenanigans, we are soon in the touristy lakeside town of Wanaka. Now the sun is warming us up so we pull over to peel off the steamy wets.

There’s a rodeo on here and no room at the inn, so we quickly check in on hotels.com and grab an expensive room in Queenstown, which seems to be about the last option available.

Now, we could take the easy and long option and go via Cromwell. That’s over 100km. The other option is the Crown Range Road — New Zealand’s highest road — and just 67km from Queenstown. But there are high winds about and the threat of more rain over the peaks.

“No question about it,” says the pillion-in-a-million, “we’re going up and over.” And what a rewarding ride it is. It starts in the beautiful wildflower

A Day In The Saddle

valley where the river and road coil among a carpet of yellow, purple and pink wildflowers that waft on the midsummer air. The bride says it’s put a big smile on her face, but I’m too busy smiling at the wiggly and grippy tar unrolling before my front Dunlop.

Up and up we climb, easily passing rental campervans and leaving several centimetres of floorboard in our wake. I’m relishing the thicker forks, air shock and stiff chassis. The static lean angle is still 32 degrees, but the suspension improvements in the Project

Rushmore Touring range give a much better dynamic lean angle to explore.

Too soon we’re at the summit with its breath-takingly, gob-smackingly, jawdroppingly, heart-achingly stunning view toward Queenstown as the clouds have melted away in the summer afternoon warmth. I’m now thinking our epic journey of contrasts today has reached its zenith, but I’m wrong.

The real pearl in this New Zealand oyster is the ride down the western side toward Arrowtown. Endless switchbacks and a Cruiser & Trike

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Velcro surface have me comparing it to the Stelvio Pass. No, I think it’s better.

As the queen and I roll into Queenstown, I’ve decided that we’ll be staying here tomorrow to re-explore the Crown Range Road from the opposite direction, as well as sampling the famed road up to Coronet Peak and the lakeside scroll out to Glenorchy.

This is not only New Zealand’s playground for skiers, paragliders, trekkers, backpackers and hang gliders, but also for motorcycle riders. C&T

2.3lt ROCKET III TOURING has always had that EXTRA something,

....now it has that EXTRA, EXTRA something.

Footboards/Heel Toe Shift

Hard Panniers

Touring Screen

Pillion Backrest & Rack

PRETTY, SHINY MACHINES Have them hanging on your wall all year!

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by Jean Bugatti, son of Type 57SC Atlantic, designed “dorsal seam” Bugatti of all is the superchargedaluminium-bodied coupe, with its distinctive The most sought-after of the million in 2010.

Bugatti. One example fetched more than $30 company’s founder, Ettore to be riveted together), the two halves of the body along its centre (enabling

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PHOTOGRAPHY: Craig Stevenson In 1976 MV Agusta would win their last Grand Prix, despite having won 17 consecutive 500cc GPs and by 1980 production would stop.

But before this the 350 S Ipotesi was as close as consumers could get to MV’s race pedigree in a 350cc capacity, with the bike providing the perfect mix of performance and style. This 350 S Ipotesi is clothed in Giacomo Agostini livery as a tribute to the racer.

(Incl. GST)

(Incl. GST)

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MV Agusta 350

AUS $19.95

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New Bike Test

MASTER AND COMMANDER

LET’S DO SOME MYTH SHATTERING: “CRUISERS ARE OK IN A STRAIGHT LINE BUT NO GOOD IN THE TWISTIES” — NOT APPLICABLE HERE “BIG CRUISERS ARE OK ON THE OPEN ROAD BUT HELLISH AT LOW SPEEDS IN THE CAR PARK” — NOT APPLICABLE AGAIN Cruiser & Trike

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New Bike Test Words: Tim Sanford Photos: Tim Munro

he Triumph Thunderbird Commander is no lightweight (wet weight of 348kg), but the word “nimble” cropped up again and again during my test ride. With its family heritage, there is a real temptation to compare it with the Rocket III so let’s get that out of the way right now.

Yes, it’s a big bike, and yes, it has a massive twin cylinder engine, and yes, its mass is close to that of the big triple’s 367kg, but the two bikes are totally different in the way they take you cruising. The Commander’s power delivery comes with a smoothness and a total lack of perceived effort which propels the motorcycle to whatever

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speed you fancy without ever reaching the arm-wrenching machismo of its bigger brother.

Throttle control is excellent and at low revs the engine is refined and quiet, but do some serious wrist-twisting and the revs will climb with a very satisfying loud grumble. Up through the gears and with a positive boot movement the shifts were crisp and precise, although I did occasionally find a bit of notchiness — not surprising with a box with only a few hundred kays on it.

Once run in, the box will be as sweet as you could wish for. It comes with a heel-and-toe lever which works well enough, although I found it worked best using just my toe. I think that’s a personal preference and your boot may well use the heel for upshifts. A very good point is

that the lever is adjustable separately for the placement of heel and toe.

On the subject of the engine, at around-town speeds it makes some interesting top-end tinkling noises. With such big pots and twin overhead cams driving the valves, I guess it’s hardly surprising that it’s not totally silent and to me that gives the engine additional character. It is probable also that while the liquid cooling muffles any piston noise, the top end is only covered by alloy cam covers so naturally they will let out a few tinklings. The liquid cooling aspect is well disguised with the slim and black-painted radiator nestling close to the big frame’s front down tubes, while the heads and cylinders are also black. But the aluminium “fins” Cruiser & Trike

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New Bike Test

THE TRIANGLE Seat to bars: 840mm Bars to pegs: 820mm Pegs to seat: 830mm

are highlighted by their polished edges, giving a very old-school look and the appearance of air cooling.

Low speeds are the only time you will feel any sort of vibration from this engine and for those of us who remember the teeth-loosening vibration of the original Triumph twins, that is something astounding. A parallel-twin that doesn’t vibrate? Yes indeed! The smoothness of the transmission is helped by a wide belt drive, which is a great improvement over the old messy and labour-intensive chains.

The other mechanical aspects are well suited to the bike. The suspension has adjustment for preload at the rear shocks, but although I crawled all over the machine looking for a suitable tool,

I couldn’t find a tool roll so that will be a job for your workshop. Given that the rear preload is the only available suspension adjustment, it is a bit inadequate that it is not simple and easy to adjust on the road. That said, I found that the suspension was well suited to my 95kg riding mass and over good roads it was plush. It coped reasonably well with second-rate roads and I found that only the occasional bomb crater needed avoidance for spinal harmony.

At high speeds through bumpy corners there was no wallowing.

The brakes are impressive to look at and they do a proper job of stopping the bike. Big twin discs up front and a single at the rear — what more could you want? In operation the rear is Cruiser & Trike

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powerful but not overly sensitive and the front is in the same class, meaning you need never fear that the bike will not have the power to stop you when you need it. The front brake requires at least two fingers to work best and with a good strong squeeze you can easily get it up to the point where the ABS system will take over and avoid any wheel-locking anxieties.

On the subject of levers and fingers, the front brake lever was just right for my big hands and there is an adjustment for reach (not a finger adjustment — you’ll need a screwdriver and a spanner for the locknut), but I found that the clutch lever, which has no reach adjustment at all, was right at the end of my finger span. That’s ok if you’ve

New Bike Test

GRINS Effortless and smooth power Very good on the open road Very good at low speed

GRIPES Long reach to the sidestand No adjustment for the clutch lever

IF IT WERE MY BIKE WHAT I WOULD CHANGE …

Adjustable levers, and then ride it. A lot.

got long fingers, but if you’ve got shorter digits you’ll need the lever in closer. I “adjusted” the lever in a bit by giving the clutch cable more free play and although that worked with no obvious problems, it’s not the best way to do it.

The styling of the Commander and the layout of the bars and footboards sit the rider high and wide. The position is comfortable and I found that the long Sandbag frame was quite happy. The seat is good for several hours in the saddle and you will ride this bike happily on the open road and need to leave the seat only for fuel. As with all naked bikes at freeway speeds, the wind will get a bit tedious after a while, and make no mistake,

this engine will haul you and the bike along at whatever speed you desire. It is endlessly willing and the only thing that will eventually slow you down is either the wind or the possible presence of the Revenue Gatherers.

Our test bike came with a solo seat and pillion pegs but with a little rear rack for small luggage where the pillion seat would sit. So although I can’t give you a pillion reaction, a glance at the range of accessories shows you can easily take the basic Commander and add all sorts of groovy stuff to make it the bike of your dreams: leather saddle bags, a screen, pillion seat of course and lots of other bits to add more glitter and function to the machine.

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New Bike Test

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New Bike Test My only gripe with the seating position was that even with my long legs it was quite a reach out to pull the sidestand in. It’s no big deal — shorter riders will just have to stand up and lift the stand before they ride away.

The bike has that essential cruiser look. The rider’s view to the front is all chrome and black, with the two big headlights and the massive handlebar clamp with its embossed Triumph logo dominating your view. All of that is offset by the black teardrop mirrors.

The combination is weird at first but I liked it, and the mirrors, although small, are excellent. Front-end

treatment is reminiscent of Harley’s Fat Boy but the twin headlights stamp it as definitively Triumph.

During our photo shoot, some derogatory remarks were made about this aspect of the front-end but because they were spouted by an unidentified dyed-in-the-wool Harley enthusiast, they can be safely ignored.

While on the subject of front-end, the twin headlights are not there just for fashion, they are right up there with the best lights I have seen on any cruiser or tourer. Low beam is bright and broad and high beam has an excellent spread and brilliant penetration. You

won’t find yourself peering into the gloom with these lamps — they are outstanding. Even the Esteemed Editor, aka Mick the Marsupial Magnet, would have no trouble spotting suicidal skippies in time to avoid them.

From the rear, the sleek and streamlined chrome indicator carrier took me back to the bonnet mascots found on big American cars of the ‘50s and it attracted lots of favourable comment. The rear light with its LEDs is bright and adds to the visual impact of the rear end.

From the front, the wide bars, wideset footboards and big fuel tank add to the bike’s sense of mass, then the tank tapers back to the join with the seat, giving the bike a narrow-waisted Cruiser & Trike

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New Bike Test

appearance. To a large extent, both of these are illusionary because neither of them gives you any real idea of what the bike is actually like to ride. By that I mean it cunningly disguises its mass, and narrow it is certainly not.

On the road this motorcycle has very significant traffic presence because of its massive appearance, but there is very little of that in the actual riding.

The word “nimble” constantly came to mind once I was rolling and I can tell you now that this bike is a lot more rider-friendly than most other big cruisers, including its brawny triple stablemate. You won’t ride this motorcycle happily on the open road and then suffer the serious anxiety that the next bumpy car park could turn you

Quickspecs Model: Triumph Thunderbird Commander Price: $22,490 or 21,490(+ ORC) Engine: Liquid-cooled, DOHC, parallel-twin, 270-degree firing interval, 4-stroke Bore x stroke: 107.1 x 94.3mm Displacement: 1699cc or 104ci Compression: N/A Power: 69kw @ 5400rpm Torque: 151Nm @ 3550rpm Transmission: 6-speed, helical-type 2nd to 6th, wet multi-plate clutch, belt final drive Suspension: F: 47mm Showa forks, 120mm travel. R: Showa twin shocks

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with 109mm travel Brakes: ABS F: Twin 310mm rotors with four-piston Nissin calipers.

R: Single 310 rotor with twin-piston Brembo caliper Tyres: F: 140/75ZR17, R: 200/50ZR17 Frame: Twin spine Seat height: 700mm Wheelbase: 1665mm Length: 2442mm Weight: 348kg (wet) Fuel capacity: 22L Warranty: 2 years, unlimited distance Servicing intervals: 10,000km

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New Bike Test

into a capsizing figure of fun for your mates. The bike goes exactly where you point it at any speed and even though it is heavy, it is easy to ride slowly. Nimble — again.

Around town slow corners are easy to take, but the bike was a real revelation out of town. I took it over some of my favourite winding mountain roads and it was lots of fun in the twisties, with only the occasional skim from the wide-set footboards to remind you that this is, after all, a cruiser and not a sportsbike.

It is very competent in the bends and it will go close to double the advisory speed signs before it skims, belying its wide appearance.

The available power is so good that you can safely overtake in sixth if you need to, but click the box back to fourth and it’s a case of “How many cars do you want to overtake this time?” Along undulating mountain roads, where overtaking opportunities are limited, this is a very endearing feature indeed and it will keep you out of trouble.

Even with all that performance available, the Commander showed very good fuel figures, with an average of 19km/l or 5.3l/100km. My test ride included a mixed bag of roads with appropriate throttle usage — lots when possible, low when prudent — and the bike travelled more than 330km before I saw the reserve light wink at me. An excellent feature of the little digital display in the instrument panel is the way it reminds you that you need fuel.

Once the bike is on reserve, regardless of which reading you select from trip A or B, total km or time of day, if you shut the bike down, the next time you turn it on it goes straight to the kms of fuel remaining in the tank. Now that’s what I call sensible information.

The Commander impresses because it has all the attributes you want in a big cruiser: effortless power, a true cruiser riding position which is very comfortable, a good seat, massive road presence giving it huge street cred around town, and very good capabilities on the open road.

Add to that the bike’s easy low-speed handling and you have a very strong contender indeed. With that sort of personality, it is a bike that ke th ha will find many friends. C&T Cruiser & Trike

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New Bike Test

HD

LOW RIDER A MODEL THAT BEGAN IN 1977 WITH A SHOVELHEAD AND MOVED THROUGH EVOLUTION AND ON TO THE CURRENT TWIN CAM.

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New Bike Test

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New Bike Test Words: Mick Withers Photos: Heather Ware

he influences of youth returned with a big whack when I finally saw the 2015 HarleyDavidson FXD with my own eyes. In the late ’70s and very early ’80s, I’d ride my pushbike down to Burling & Simmons to walk around the showroom and also to grab one of the colour pullout flyers that included all of the new models. The Low Rider was my favourite, mainly due to having the speedo and tacho on the tank leaving the bars clear and clean. They also came with mid-mounted foot controls and a two-into-one exhaust.

The second Harley I bought was a 1992 FXRS-CN, a Low Rider Sport with screen, saddlebags and buckhorn bars.

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By changing the bars and losing the screen, I created a Low Rider Sports with saddlebags. It had the speedo and tacho up on the bars like a Sportster.

It was good and I’d love another one, but this 2015 Low Rider trumped my memories of that bike.

The boxes of my memories were ticked with mid-mount foot controls, two-into-one exhaust and the instruments on the tank. Because I could, I parked it where I could turn around from my desk and stare at it. The basic lines were how I remembered, or about as close as you’re going to get with a completely different chassis and bolt-on parts. The two-line 1917-style brand name on the Deep Jade Pearl tank was just right.

The Superglide-style rear guard and

GRINS The handling Ability to match my riding mood The styling

GRIPES Nothing that can’t be easily corrected

IF IT WERE MY BIKE, WHAT I WOULD CHANGE …

The intake and exhaust to let it breathe and then re-tune it to suit. I’d also fit a set of highway pegs and longer shock absorbers.

taillight also mimics the original. The more I looked, the more I found and the less productive my day was.

Flat handlebars and risers were a feature of the original and that tradition carries through. Well, style-wise. The 2015 version allows for the risers to be loosened and the bars rolled forward for longer-armed riders or rotated back for those of shorter stature. The aluminium headlight cowl looks similar in profile but from in front or above, the changes are obvious. Even the exposed battery under the rider’s right leg will be familiar. Thankfully, the ugly ham tin air cleaner was left in history.

So, we’ve established that the styling is extremely reminiscent of the original, what about the mechanicals?

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New Bike Test

Glad you asked. This is a thoroughly modern motorcycle. The 45-degree V-twin with pushrods continues but they are the only external similarities.

In 1977, the Low Rider carried a 74ci (or 1200cc) Shovelhead engine with cast-iron barrels and a single camshaft.

They were heavy and not overly efficient engines when compared to the modern all-alloy engine with twin cams and 103ci (or 1690cc). Performance comparisons between the carburettorequipped original and the EFI-equipped modern rendition are hard to show because back then, Harley didn’t like showing either torque or horsepower numbers. Having ridden both, they really are chalk and cheese. Where the Shovel would shake the fillings right Cruiser & Trike

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New Bike Test

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New Bike Test out of your head, the modern Low Rider is smoother than a cliché. A mate had a 103-cube Shovel and it was a short-lived, angry engine. How would it stack up against the modern Twin Cam 103? Not bad for a short while, but it’d be a horrible thing to live with and definitely not an engine that you’d want under you on an interstate trip.

The Twin Cam 103 is a modern engine. You expect that smoothness will come pre-packaged along with instant throttle response and easy

quietness you also get an exhaust that’s been carefully engineered to produce maximum torque while still remaining within the noise boundaries mandated by greenies, bureaucrats and bloody Prius drivers. Push the start button and it fires right up. As quiet as it is, you can still hear it thumping away with that distinctive two-into-one beat. A more free-flowing muffler would help it to be heard over the surrounding traffic. All in the name of safety, of course.

a look and see if it is fitted with the lumbar pad that reduces reach to the bars for shorter riders. With that in place and the bars and risers rolled back, any five-footer (or 1500mm-er) should be comfortable. With the bars and riser rolled forward and the lumbar pad removed, an average six-footer (me) was comfortable. It’s amazing how much difference 50mm here and there can make to the comfort of a bike. If we were all the same size, cars would have fixed position seating for the driver. For me, the seating position was just about spot-on. All that was needed was highway pegs and handlebars

1980 FXS LOW RIDER 1980 was the first year of the 80-cube Shovelhead engine. Here’s a page from one of these foldout brochures. In August 1981, an FXS Low Rider from Sydney dealer Burling & Simmons was $6995 plus on-road costs.

starting. It does. Along with mechanical

Before you sit on that seat, have

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New Bike Test

with slightly less pullback angle at the handgrips. After a short while on the highway in top gear, I was fidgeting about and wanted to stretch my legs and wrists. With those two minor changes, this is a bike I could sit on all day out on the highway.

Around town it was one of the better cruisers I’ve ridden. With a slim profile, I had no problem sticking the Low Rider through gaps that would make any other ex-courier smile. Line it up and thread the needle. Being in the right gear was easy with a choice of six allowing you to always pick the best one. Clutch action was progressive and predictable with no sudden lurches between engaged and disengaged.

Squeezing the front lever, which is still non-adjustable but replaceable, the Brembo master cylinder and dual calipers work very well and were never found wanting. The rear Brembo brake package is just as capable. Used in harmony, it was easy to brake extra hard and wipe enough numbers off

the speedo readout to avoid a ticket.

For those who need it, ABS is also part of the package but I never felt it kick in — even when roaring through the bends at Brooklyn while doing the photo shoot.

Speaking of roaring round bends, the only time I managed to touch anything down was while having a bit of a go for the camera. Even then, it was only the tips of the footpeg rubbers and that was plenty of warning to ease up.

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primary cover drag on the road as a warning. Given that my weight is closer to that of an average rider and pillion, the suspension was pleasingly plush without being soft and squishy.

There was no bottoming out of either end. If you are also one of those riders who like to hustle it through the twisty bits of road, you may want to consider a pair of taller shock absorbers. That’ll improve the ground clearance as well as putting more weight on the front wheel and sharpening up the steering.

New Bike Test

Quickspecs

A big part of the good handling characteristics of the Low Rider is the tyre selection. The Michelin Scorchers are relatively slim by modern standards with a 100/90-19 up front and a downright skinny 160/60-17 on the rear. But you know what? You can use them as they were designed to be used.

I would go so far as to say that this is the best-handling stock Big Twin I’ve ridden.

The Low Rider is a naked HarleyDavidson with a riding position that

Model: Harley-Davidson Low Rider Price: $23,495 (ride away) Engine: Air-cooled, high output twin cam 103, 45º V-twin, 4-stroke, 2-valves per cylinder Bore x stroke: 98.4 x 111.1mm Displacement: 1690cc or 103ci Compression: 9.6:1 Power: N/A Torque: 126Nm @ 3500rpm Transmission: 6-speed, wet multiplate clutch, belt final drive Suspension: F: Telescopic forks.

R: Twin shocks

has your feet comfortable below your knees and not stretched out, your upper body comfortably leant forward and your weight evenly distributed for power cruising or interstate cruising. Your choice. Shifting the Cruiser & Trike

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Brakes: ABS F: Dual rotor with four-piston calipers. R: Single rotor with twin-piston caliper Tyres: F: 100/90B19 R: 160/70B17 Frame: Tubular cradle Seat height: 680mm Wheelbase: 1630mm Length: 2345mm Weight: 302kg (wet) Fuel capacity: 17.8l Warranty: 2 years, unlimited distance Servicing intervals: 10,000km or 12 months

focus towards another tangent is as easy as opening that big book of Genuine Parts & Accessories. Highly recommended bike especially if you’re looking for your first cruiserr after a lifetime of sports bikes. C&T T

Hog Rally

2015 HOG

RALLY ALSO KNOWN AS THE 2015 IRON HORSE MUSTER, OR MICK’S FIRST HOG RALLY

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Hog Rally

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Hog Rally

Words: Mick Withers Photos: Mick Withers, Mark Hinchliffe

ay back when I was much younger and working on a whole different magazine, there was a small glow and murmur about the very first National Australian HOG Rally that was being held in Dubbo. The editor was invited but being way down the food chain, the invitation didn’t extend to me.

The year was 1990 and the original two Chapters, OZHOG and New South Wales, were joined by Brisbane, Perth and Gold Coast and possibly Adelaide and Darwin.

W

The point is, the first Australian National HOG Rally was a much smaller affair.

By comparison, the 24th Australian National Hog Rally was the largest yet, with 2320 registered members making the trek to Tamworth for Iron Horse Muster 2015.

The invitation to join the media ride hit my inbox and that’s where it stayed. Last year I made it for the memorable ride from Rockhampton to Cairns but had to fly out on the opening morning without even getting to the Rally site. Not this time. I’d made sure that there were no conflicting events.

Our trip from Harley-Davidson Australia

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HQ to Tamworth under the leadership of Gaz Luxmoore was probably the most legal trip through the Hunter that I’ve ever experienced. We stopped for coffee, pics, lunch and more pics, but still rolled into town past the rally site at AELEC and on to the Golden Guitar Motel, our home for the next four nights, well before it got dark.

After dumping bags, we headed down to Bikes & Bits (now re-named Tamworth Harley-Davidson) for an evening with the attending HD dealers and other invited guests. The rest of Thursday night was spent at the Longyard Pub in company with Brum and Loaf. A few quiet ones

Hog Rally

HOG RALLY SET FOR A NEW ERA Future HOG rallies face a changing demographic from the introduction of the new Street 500, the coming LiveWire electric and a new Harley-Davidson corporate mantra of “inclusion rather than exclusion”.

In the past, HOG rallies have been dominated by mature-aged riders and pillions. But HarleyDavidson Australia marketing guru Adam Wright says there will be an influx of younger riders, more females and a host of returned riders, thanks mainly to the Street 500.

All these new buyers will gain immediate HOG membership, so the challenge will be for HOG chapters and state and national rallies to be appealing enough to keep these newbies as ongoing members, he says. Adam predicts future chapter events, ride days and rallies will have a younger look and feel.

One of the big changes could be in the highlight entertainment — no more greatest hits bands! Adam says they could also have more events at the annual rally that are open to the public as they were at the 10th and 11th rallies so they can showcase their brand to a wider demographic.

The go-getter marketing guru hopes that the

rally could eventually morph into the southern hemisphere version of the Sturgis Motorcycle Rally, which is an open rally and the world’s largest. Rather than running that rally, Harley has signed a unique 75-year deal to be the official bike of the rally.

Adam and many other Harley administrators are now chanting the new company mantra of “inclusion rather than exclusion”, including Asia Pacific regional customer experience manager Martin Engelbrecht. Martin says closed events have their place, but they are “preaching to the converted”. He says open events allow nonmembers who own Harleys or aspire to own a Harley to be involved. He says that as more people buy the new Street 500, there will be a change in the character of HOG. “It will open up HOG for more families. It’s a bike your children can ride and it will change the character of HOG. That’s a big plus point for us.”

At the official opening of the Tamworth rally, H-D Australia/NZ boss Nigel Keough challenged HOG chapters to welcome these new members. “This is the last rally where we won’t see these young Street 500 riders,” he says. “I implore you guys to monitor them and bring them into the fold.” — Mark Hinchliffe

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THIS IS AUSTRALIA. WE CAN TAKE GREAT IDEAS AND MAKE THEM SUIT LOCAL CONDITIONS. WELCOME TO THE AUSSIE HARDARSE ASSOCIATION. It’s more than a club – it’s a challenge. The challenge is to knock over 1600km in 48 hours. Are you up to the challenge?

HOW IT WORKS 1. Register your intent by calling 1300 303 414 or online atuniversalshop.com.au/bikemags/ AussieHardarseAssociation 2. Fee to register is $45 3. PROOF! Photo documentation must be posted to facebook.com/ AussieHardarseAssociation

Departure point fuel receipt

Take a pic at the servo before leaving

YOUR $45 REGISTRATION FEE INCLUDES: 1 x club tee 1 x club badge 1 x 6-month subscription to Australian Cruiser & Trike mag

Take a pic of you Take a pic at each and your ride with a servo you stop at along recognisable background the way along the way

Final selfie of your worn-out head

Hog Rally

lasted until much later after we were joined

by Jarryd the publican and his father and stepmother, as well as a few other locals.

Friday morning’s breakfast was a sombre affair for certain of our group, but we all made it out to the rally site in time for a guided tour and the chance to bump into the first of many old mates. As we lapped the grounds of AELEC (the Australian Equine and Livestock Events Centre), we passed the dining area and the bar — guess which one had the much bigger crowd?

From there it was a short stroll to the vendors’ pavilion where there were even more familiar faces. The front of the next pavilion was a line of food and coffee vans before our next stop, the air-conditioned cinema that was showing suitable movies all weekend. Heading up the hill, we passed the Jumpstart experience where quite a few pillions had their first ride at the controls.

The next stop was in the dyno drag racing tent, where Marcus was doing his best to ensure that everyone who wanted to race a VRod got the chance. The next pavilion

was devoted to HOG member parking and the ride-in show on Sunday. With all of the empty pavilions lined up along that side of the site, there were very few bikes left out in the sun.

Beyond those pavilions was one of the busiest parts of the HOG Rally — The Aeroflow caravan, where people booked in for test rides on a huge variety of demonstrators. The demand for test rides actually outstripped the supply of certain models and the Road King I rode up as well as a couple of others from our mini-fleet were seconded to keep people happy. That was fine by me as I was given a Breakout in exchange and later a Road Glide.

The Road Glide. What a beast of a bike. I hadn’t ridden one before but came away impressed. You can read about that elsewhere in this yarn — for now we’ll keep wandering round the rally site.

Beside the main stage was the Harley1 semi-trailer and on-site shop for a variety of genuine parts and accessories. Also parked under the awning was a variety of

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Hog Rally

BIG HIT Perfect weather, central location, well-behaved police, professional venues, interesting entertainment and a supportive community. These are some of the major ingredients that made the 24th annual National HOG Rally at Tamworth the best that I’ve attended. I’ve been to seven so far and while each had its highlights, the Tamworth event was the perfect combination of factors.

The Alice Springs Rally had its iconic moment when more than 1000 Harleys encircled Uluru, Margaret River and Barossa Valleys had their beautiful locations and tempting wineries, Canberra had its ideal racecourse venue, and Lennox Heads and Cairns had their idyllic seaside settings.

But none had as many factors in its favour as Tamworth. Set an equidistance between Brisbane and Sydney, it was a perfect day’s ride, but still not too far for the bulk of riders from the east coast states and even South Australia. It’s also in a great location for picturesque rides as it’s set into the foothills of the Great Dividing Range.

But the biggest factor in its favour is that it’s the country music capital of Australia, hosting the annual Country Music Awards, so it has great venues, plenty of accommodation, restaurants, cafes, and a population and police force that is used to being invaded by fun-seeking tourists.

The main venue was the $35m Australian Equine and Livestock Event Centre (AELEC), which was, without doubt, the best venue for staging a HOG Rally.

The grounds included plenty of undercover parking for bikes, acres of camping and shaded pavilions for the food hall and trade stalls.

But the inside main ring was the showpiece. Despite the scalding heat outside the venue was cool, with plenty of louvres, a unique roof design and “Big Arse Fans” to circulate the cool air.

Many of the riders were sceptical of the rolled dirt floor in the venue, but the winner of the slow-riding race, Paul Neilson, of the Broadmeadow Chapter in Newcastle, said it actually made highly skilled slow riding a little easier.

It was also a unique location for the best parade of flags I’ve seen yet, where the chapters were able to ride in and do a lap of the ring carrying a pillion flag bearer.

The parade is usually a long and dull affair, but this was quick and spectacular and fitted in nicely with the Country Spectacular show, which featured real horses, iron horses, bulls, utes and more. Another feature was the rodeo on the Saturday afternoon. It was the perfect fit for HOG members who love adrenalin sports.

The whole Iron Horse Muster theme was also well received by riders who love leather, cowboy bots, big belt buckles and who bought souvenir Harley cowboy hats by the score. — Mark Hinchliffe

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Hog Rally

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Hog Rally

HD-modified bikes including a trickedout Street Glide and a Road Glide. Dan from HD Technical Services was also hanging out there and was kept busy answering questions.

A variety of different bands and entertainers were booked in and they gave the main stage a workout. The pick of them was The Screamin’ Eagles on Saturday night. Great music played very well.

Lunchtime Friday was a good time to escape the sun for a while and watch the Bike Games inside the 3000-seat AELEC arena. Huge fans kept the air flowing and the heat away so that we could kick back with a mid-strength drink and watch people do stuff on Harleys. The Slow Race was first and after working through a heap of entrants, one bloke remained. Not sure if being the slowest bloke on a bike is a claim that many of us would like. In this

case, it was a bloody well-deserved win.

The AELEC arena was also the scene for the Country Spectacular on Saturday night. Being a first-timer, I had no real idea what to expect but the show that a bunch of clever people put together was bloody good. A big part of it was the parade of chapter flags. Instead of being a long, drawn-out affair, it was a highlight.

The area around Tamworth is also brilliant riding country, with many villages tucked away at the end of twisting roads.

A group of us rode a loop out past Chaffey Dam and into Nundle before heading back into Tamworth from the southern side.

That was a great couple of hours of riding with bugger-all traffic, except for Harleys that were doing the same loop from the other direction. Have to head back up that way and do a bit more exploring. oring.

Apparently there are lots of otherr nuggets hidden away.

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NEWCOMER

Even though he had just been appointed Harley-Davidson Australia and New Zealand customer experience manager, it wasn’t Gaz Luxmoore’s first annual HOG Rally.

Gaz is no stranger to HOG, having been a member for about a decade, founding regional director of HOG Queensland for two years, and founding member of the Gasoline Alley HOG Chapter. But what a first rally it was for him as the guy who looks after the 50 HOG chapters across the two countries.

He says the complexion of HOG is set for a transformation in the next few years as more young riders and women join the ranks as they buy the very popular learnerapproved Street 500.

“HOG Chapters will have to become inclusive, not exclusive,” he says. “HOG needs to include these new riders and make them feel accepted. They have different values, different interests and want to ride differently.” — Mark Hinchliffe

Hog Rally

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Hog Rally

POLICE

One of the few times we saw any overt police presence over the whole four days of the rally was a solitary patrol car leading the traditional Sunday morning Thunder Run of more than 1500 bikes through the streets of Tamworth and surrounding countryside. Even the corner and light patrols were staffed by SES and volunteers, not police.

It is a far cry from the overt Victorian police presence and claimed harassment of riders going to and from the MotoGP and World Superbikes at Phillip Island, a practice that could endanger the future of these events in Victoria. The Victorian police can certainly learn a good lesson from the police who patrolled the HOG Rally.

There were no roadblocks for licence checks and random breath tests, no proliferation of speed cameras, no heavily armed police wandering around the grounds of the event. The only times I saw police cars were the usual patrols around the streets and there weren’t many, even though the town had a sudden influx of 2320 Harley riders.

The result was that there was no animosity, the HOGs were allowed to party responsibly, there were no burnouts in the main street, no ridiculous speeding and no violence or disturbances. I couldn’t be everywhere at the rally, but I didn’t witness nor hear of any reports of police harassment.

As a consequence, the rally-goers may not necessarily have a greater respect for police, but at least it hasn’t been further eroded.

The Tamworth Northern Daily Leader reported no disturbances and an economic benefit to the good citizens of more than $1 million, a very conservative estimate indeed!

— Mark Hinchliffe

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Hog Rally

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Hog Rally

NEW HARLEY BOSS FRONTS MEDIA The successful HOG Rally was the perfect venue for new HarleyDavidson Australia and New Zealand boss Nigel Keough to finally front the media. Nigel had been in the job since last spring, but had not attended any media events until the rally. However, the cautious 39-year-old financial expert didn’t have much to reveal.

He was hit with a barrage of questioning on a wide range of topics from the motorcycle journos, but his answers were carefully worded so that he didn’t reveal too much at all. For example, he wouldn’t say what the waiting times would be for the very popular learnerapproved Street 500, only that it would vary according to dealers.

Nor would he estimate how many Indian-made Street 500 bikes they will sell this year.

He was also cautious and guarded on several issues such as when we will finally get to see the Project LiveWire electric motorcycle in Australia. However, he did say his three main priorities would be promoting the Rushmore Project Touring Bikes, attracting younger people, and broadening the appeal of HOG membership.

“Touring is an opportunity for us in Australia,” he said. “It’s the right product for our roads and our customers.”

He said products such as the Street 500 would “spread the brand further” to young adults, pointing out that their core

customer is currently aged over 34. Doesn’t he mean 54? Nigel also said they need to bring young riders buying the Street 500 into the HOG family.

While the past two British-born bosses of H-D ANZ brought extensive car industry experience to the brand, the new guy is an Aussie who has had many years of experience here and overseas with the iconic American-heavy motorcycle brand.

Nigel was previously based in Miami as regional director of product, planning and operations for Harley-Davidson Latin America. Prior to this, he was manager of financial planning at the company’s headquarters in Milwaukee following a period as financial controller for New Castalloy Pty Ltd, a wholly owned subsidiary of Harley-Davidson in Adelaide which makes wheels for the company.

Interestingly, Harley decided last July to keep the wheel-making facility open instead of going through with a plan to move operations to China.

Nigel says he began riding motocross when he was 10, graduated to sportsbikes when he got his licence and has been riding Harleys for the past 11 years, mainly V-Rods. He currently rides a 2012 CVO Street Glide.

“There are not a lot of places you get to ride a bike to work,” he said. — Mark Hinchliffe

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Hog Rally

You’ve probably figured out that we had fun. Well, you’d be right! Everything ran smoothly, except for the storm that raced through the campground on Thursday night. One of the highlights for me was the low-key approach from the local police. They have a lot of experience dealing with an influx of people into their local community. The 2300 HOG members were a lot fewer than they see during the Country Music Festival and they didn’t panic or go into hyper-drive.

The only reported drink-driving offences were people in cars; not a single rider went DUI. In fact, apart from at the start of the Thunder Run, we only saw one other police car.

The Thunder Run rumbled out of AELEC, heading down through the main street of Tamworth and back out of town on the Werris Creek Road on its way to Quirindi. After taking pics of bikes leaving the start, I headed over to Werris Creek Road and saw the leading bikes roll past as I pulled up. Tamworth was surrounded by HOG members! As far as I could see back into town, there were locals standing on the side of the road waving and cheering as riders rode past. Even the local kids were getting in on the excitement and having a contest to see who could read the chapter flags as they appeared.

After riding through heavy rain between Quirindi and AELEC, HOG members Cruiser & Trike

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made their way back to the rally site and started cleaning their bikes for the Show ‘n’ Shine. Trophies went to deserving owners. There’s a list here somewhere.

That was the end of the formal side of the 2015 HOG Rally. All that remained was the after party at the Longyard Pub. Another great night that ended all too soon.

Monday morning was pack and ride time. With old mate Loaf for company, the trip south was quicker than the trip north.

Much too quickly, the Road Glide was parked and the 2015 HOG Rally was over.

Might have to get to the 2016 version, aka the 25th Australian National HOG Rally.

Destination TBA! C&T

Quick Test

K QUIC : T S TE

SANDBAG TESTED IT LAST ISSUE AND WAS HAPPY, BUT MICK HAD TO FIND OUT FOR HIMSELF

Words: Mick Withers

A

s luck would have it, the bike with my name on it was the very same bike that Tim had also tested. When HarleyDavidson Australia sent out the invites for the media ride to the 2015 HOG Rally, they asked each of us for our bike preference. Having not ridden a Road King for at least six years, and remembering it fondly, that was my first pick. Second was the Road Glide but that’s a whole other story.

After walking around it and poking and prodding at all of the bits, I flipped the top-opening lid up on one of the saddlebags. Travelling light is one of my points of pride but even I was scratching my head at how I was going to fit fournights worth of stuff into the slim

confines of the Road King’s saddlebags.

I had the option of either chucking my Ventura seat bag in the accompanying van or fitting it to the Road King’s rear seat to swallow the wet-weather gear and assorted crap that I packed but never used. Chucking it in the van was easier. Looking at a HD Genuine Parts & Accessories catalogue, I found that there are numerous options for additional luggage carrying capability to the Road King. A sissy bar and rear rack would have allowed for a seat bag and another one on the rack. Perfect for those who feel the need to pack every-bloody-thing.

Our trip to Tamworth was starting from Lane Cove in the high-point of Sydney morning peak hour. Perfect. A visually-challenged steering attendant in a 4WD people mover failed to notice Cruiser & Trike

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eight shiny motorcycles and she tried to move over into the left-turn lane on top of me. A polite shout and tap on the window alerted her of my presence.

Maybe I should have sent her a text message … The rest of the peak-hour crawl passed smoothly, except for the heat rising from below the fuel tank. It was already a warm and humid day and the heat wafting up made it worse. But, seriously, are you going to buy a Road King to traverse Sydney peak hour traffic on a daily basis?

After laughing at the bloke nailed by the resident tax gatherer in the 80km/h zone at the start of the M1 at Wahroonga, we hit the 110 signs and settled in for the trip north.

We roared up the first hill northbound at a staggering 110km/h, a pace that

Quick Test

barely had the Road King working in sixth gear. After we stopped at the Twin Servos, I found that it was equally happy cruising on the speed limit in fourth, fifth or sixth. Don’t ask for tacho readings — I was too busy enjoying the ride and wondering at how smooth the whole package was. Laidback is a good word.

All the time in the world.

When we stopped for lunch somewhere in the Hunter Valley, I decided that it was time for the screen to disappear into the backup van. Yeah, now I was cool. Added windflow was great. For a short while.

Less than an hour up the road we pulled up in Singleton and by that stage the first signs of shoulder and back strain were evident. I put it down to the fact that I’d been stuck running around town more than normal of late and it was simply match fitness. As we headed further north into the upper Hunter, I realised that I was actually holding myself up and straining my lower back and shoulders. In truth, it was after Muswellbrook and our last stop before I really worked out what the problem was. The relationship between bars, seat and to a lesser extent, floorboards had me straining to sit up in battle with the unobstructed airflow. The screen that I’d Cruiser & Trike

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discarded had been moving the airflow out and around my torso much more efficiently than I’d realised. If this was my bike, I’d experiment with different bars that had my wrists at a friendlier angle and a happier height. Perhaps a rider’s backrest would help. There are as many answers as there are riders. Grab that 900-page HD Genuine Parts & Accessories Catalogue and have a good look. Your imagination is only limited by your credit card.

Oh yeah, it rained. Not for long but enough to wet the roads and give me a nice slide just near Burning Mountain.

Shiny, wet roads are not the height of traction. I got offline and onto the shiny stuff. The back stepped out but reflexes kicked in, the long wheelbase saved the day, and we kept motoring.

Try that on your short wheelbase sportbike and you’d have probably been having a little lie down.

The basics are there for a good multipurpose cruiser that would take a couple away for the weekend without a problem.

It’s also a good-looking bike, one that would be a pleasure to park in the bike shed outside the office door.

Go and ride one. Take your favourite pillion, too. They might just push the go button on the finances. C&T

It’s not where you’re going ...

It’s how you get there.

The modular luggage system for all motorcycles.

VENTURA is available from your favourite motorcycle store. For more information about VENTURA products visit www.kenma.com.au email: sales@kenma.com.au or if you are in QLD, NSW, ACT, VIC, NT, SA phone 02 9484 0777, Tas ph 03 6339 2770 and please call 08 9355 2001 if you’re in WA.

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Stuff We’re Testing

STUFF WE’RE TESTING AS THE NAME IMPLIES, THIS IS THE STUFF THAT WE’RE ACTUALLY TESTING. WE PROMISE UPDATES AND IN THIS ISSUE, IT’S ALL ABOUT MARK HINCHLIFFE’S VENTZ

JACKET VENTZ RRP: $29.95 plus postage COLOURS: Blue, red, yellow, white and black These weird gizmos are called Ventz and they are designed to hold open your motorcycle jacket cuff to allow fresh air up your sleeve.

I tried them in very hot and humid conditions and was surprised to find they work straight away. I thought they wouldn’t be effective until highway speeds, but you can feel the air rushing up your arms as soon as you start moving.

I tried them on one wrist at a time to check the temperature difference and it is quite remarkable. Ventz claims they offer a 25 per cent reduction in temperature and that the air flows right around your jacket. That would depend on your jacket’s construction.

I tried them with a few different jackets — leather and fabric — and on one, the air only flowed up to my elbow as the sleeves are fairly snug. Another jacket with wide sleeves allowed the air to flow right up to my armpits and around to my back.

The Ventz are shaped so they become slightly narrower at the back, which accelerates the air flow much like when you pinch the end of the hose to make the water spurt faster and further.

You could just loosen the cuffs of your jacket for the same effect but there are two problems with that: While riding, your sleeves will flap around annoyingly and ride up your arms, leaving your wrists exposed to sunburn; and in a crash, your sleeve could pull up and expose your arm to abrasion injuries.

Ventz allows you to have airflow without having loose sleeves. They are quick and easy to fit. Just loosen off your cuff, slide the Ventz into place, then fasten the cuff. It will only work with cuffs that are

adjustable, otherwise it might be a bit uncomfortable. Just give them a little tug and they come out easily. However, they don’t slide out so easily that they would drop out when you take your jacket off.

I didn’t find them at all uncomfortable and forgot about them after a while. They also didn’t interfere with hand movement on the controls.

However, the company’s website photos and packaging images show the Ventz being used on the back of the arms. I also used them on the other side to direct air onto my wrists and this actually seemed to work better. Maybe it’s because there are more veins on your wrists than the back of your forearms.

Different handlebars and hand guards may also interfere with the effectiveness of the Ventz, but I tried them on a couple of bikes and they worked ok. I would suggest that for low handlebars you wear the Ventz on the back and for higher bars, wear them on the wrist side.

Obviously, you can’t wear them with gauntlet gloves, but they are effective with short gloves, which is what you would be wearing in summer, anyway.

The vent has a plastic grille to prevent small stones and insects going up your sleeve. The outside shell is durable, shatterproof plastic and the rest is a pliable rubber. I don’t think they would cause any problems in the event of a crash, but I didn’t crash test them to find out.

Anything that allows you to ride a little cooler means you ride calmer and therefore safer. Surprisingly, they are made in the UK where you wouldn’t think it would get hot enough to need them.

However, there is an Australian distributor in Queensland so you don’t pay international postage. Log on to www.ventzaustralia.com.au for even more info.

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2015 MOTO GUZZI CALIFORNIAS MOTO GUZZI IS EXPANDING THE CALIFORNIA RANGE WITH A BUNCH OF COOL OPTIONS oto Guzzi recently announced three additional models to the California family: The Audace; Eldorado; and the stunning California Touring SE. These new models, first displayed at EICMA in Milan late last year, mark the evolution of one of Moto Guzzi’s most famous and historic models and now adds a variety of choice, ensuring there is a model to suit every customer.

M

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MOTO GUZZI CALIFORNIA AUDACE

If you have a penchant for living life on the dark side, playing hard and riding hard, then the California Audace is for you. Described by many who have seen it as bold, fierce and unique, its blacked-out colour scheme, forward-mounted foot pegs and rocker gear shift, flat-style drag bars, bold round headlamp, carbon mudguards and shortened exhaust system will see you stand out from the ordinary cruiser crowd. The new Audace will be available in the second half of 2015 in the Nero Tavolgente colour scheme.

MOTO GUZZI CALIFORNIA ELDORADO

If cool, retro style is more suited to your personality, you’ll love the traditional look of the new Eldorado. This modern interpretation of the most iconic Moto Guzzi California model features all the traditional elements that will make the Eldorado an instant classic: spoked wheels wrapped in white wall tyres and surrounded by new wrap-around mudguards, distinctive bull horn handlebars, chrome fuel tank accents, a larger oversized saddle complete with passenger grab handles, full-cover shock absorbers and a gem-shaped rear light cluster which is flanked by classic round turn signal indicators. To complete the look, the Eldorado will be available in Nero Classic and Rosso Pregiato colour schemes. The California Eldorado will be available in the second half of 2015.

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CC LEATHER RIDER Quality Leather & Biker Goods, Motorcycle Apparel & Accessories 1139 PaciďŹ c Hwy Lake Munmorah (At The Caltex Service Station) PH: 0438588313 SEE WEBSITE & ONLINE SHOP FOR DETAILS

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MOTO GUZZI CALIFORNIA TOURING SE For those riders who exude class and style and like to ride the open road in comfort, with outstanding handling and loads of storage, the California Touring SE is your motorcycle.

Designed to represent the heritage of Moto Guzzi, the California Touring SE will feature 35-litre panniers, built-in passenger grab handle and back rest, along with a two-tone colour scheme titled Marrone Executive.

The Moto Guzzi California Touring SE will be available as a special edition in limited numbers in the second half of 2015.

AND THE OTHER CALIFORNIAS‌ Completing the 2015 Moto Guzzi California range is the Moto Guzzi California Custom and the Moto Guzzi California Touring.

The California Custom (above) is now available in both the Custom Black and Custom Silver colour scheme. This motorcycle has a ride-away price of $23,000.

The California Touring (page 96) is also now available in Ambassador Black or Eldorado White colour schemes, and is $26,000 ride away.

Please note that the ride-away prices for the California Audace, California Eldorado and California Touring SE will be announced closer to their arrival.

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Australian Road Rider 2015 Bike Guide, a magazine where daydreams cost nothing.

Go on, admit it, you really want to add a new bike to your family this year.

It’s OK, we’re all exactly the same. The industry is very buoyant at the moment with a plethora of new models as well as lots of updated ones. It’s a good time in motorcycling. *Don’t forget to give us your email address so we can set you up straight away

Supersports

Supersports

APRILIA RSV4 R APRC $23,990

Aprilia’s RSV4 R is a racetrack-ready motorcycle with traction control, launch control, wheelie control, three ride-by-wire power modes and a quick shifter. All of this, plus street registration.

BIMOTA DB8 ORO NERO $84,990

Very few will get to have a taste of a DB8 Oro Nero, but those who do will smile and nod knowingly. The ultimate Bimota.

Cruisers

Cruisers Like its iconic forerunner, the all-new Indian Scout is an innovative and aesthetically stunning American cruiser. It introduces the first-ever liquid-cooled Indian Motorcycle engine — an efficient and reliable 1133cc V-twin — for impressive power on demand. This new model carries the legendary Scout name into the future in authentic Indian Motorcycle style.

INDIAN SCOUT $17,995 (RIDE AWAY)

SPECIFICATIONS SPECIFICATIONS Engine: Liquid-cooled V4-cylinder, 4-stroke, DOHC, 4 valves per cylinder Displacement/Compression: 999.6cc/13.0:1 Power/Torque: 135kW @ 12,250rpm/ 117Nm @ 10,000rpm Transmission: 6-speed, wet multi-plate slipper clutch, chain final drive

Engine: Liquid-cooled L-twin-cylinder, 4-stroke, Desmodromic, 4 valves per cylinder Displacement/Compression: 1198cc/127.0:1 Power/Torque: 126kW @ 9750rpm/127Nm @ 8000rpm Transmission: 6 speed, dry multi plate disc clutch, chain final drive

Tyres: F: 120/70/ZR17 R: 190/55/ZR17 (optional 190/50 or 200/55) Seat height: 845mm Kerb weight: 186kg Fuel capacity: 18.5L Warranty/Service interval: 2 years unlimited km/10,000km or 12 months

Tyres: F: 120/70/17 R: 190/55/17 Seat height: 800mm Kerb weight: 159kg (dry) Fuel capacity: 18L Warranty/Service interval: 2 years unlimited km/10,000km or 12 months

VERDICT: NOTHING LEFT TO ACHIEVE

BIMOTA DB11 $56,990

SPECIFICATIONS SPECIFICATIONS Engine: Liquid-cooled V4-cylinder, 4-stroke, DOHC, 4 valves per cylinder Displacement/Compression: 999.6cc/13.0:1 Power/Torque: 133kW @ 12,250rpm/117Nm @ 10,000rpm Transmission: 6-speed, wet multi-plate slipper clutch, chain final drive

SPECIFICATIONS

Seat height: 635mm Kerb weight: 244kg (dry) Fuel capacity: 12.5L Warranty/Service interval: 2 years unlimited km

Engine: Ducati Desmodromic L-Twin cylinder Tetastretta Displacement/Compression: 1198cc/11.5:1 Power/Torque: 119kW @ 9500rpm/131Nm @ 7700rpm Transmission: 6 speed, dry multi plate disc clutch, chain final drive

Tyres: F: 120/70/ZR17 R: 200/55/ZR17 (optional 190/50 or 200/55) Seat height: 845mm Kerb weight: 179kg (dry) Fuel capacity: 17L Warranty/Service interval: 2 years unlimited km/10,000km or 12 months

The 2015 Indian Chief Classic is everything an Indian Motorcycle was and ever should be. It’s a sculpted, powerful cruiser, built with the purest necessities of Indian style, wrapped around the innovation of tomorrow.

INDIAN CHIEF CLASSIC $28,995 (RIDE AWAY)

SPECIFICATIONS Tyres: N/A Seat height: 800mm Kerb weight: 175kg (dry) Fuel capacity: 18L Warranty/Service interval: 2 years unlimited km/10,000km or 12 months

Engine: Thunderstroke 111, air-cooled V-twin, 4-stroke, 2 valves per cylinder Displacement/Compression: 1811cc/9.5:1 Power/Torque: N/A / 139Nm Transmission: 6-speed, wet multi-plate clutch, belt final drive

The Vulcan 1700 Classic ABS represents the latest evolution of Kawasaki’s bigbore V-twin cruisers. The muscular engine utilises an overhead cam to help boost acceleration, while the long-stroke design helps deliver more torque and horsepower.

Tyres: F: 130/90R16 R: 180/65B16 Seat height: 660mm Kerb weight: 379kg (dry) Fuel capacity: 20.8L Warranty/Service interval: 2 years unlimited km/8000km or 12 months

KAWASAKI VULCAN 1700 CLASSIC ABS $19,999

SPECIFICATIONS Engine: Liquid-cooled V-twin-cylinder, 4-stroke, SOHC, 4 valves per cylinder Displacement/Compression: 1700cc/9.5:1 Power/Torque: 55kW @ 5500rpm/135Nm @ 2750rpm Transmission: 6-speed, wet multi-plate clutch, belt final drive

Tyres: F: 130/90/B16 R: 170/70/B16 Seat height: 720mm Kerb weight: 349kg (wet) Fuel capacity: 20L Warranty/Service interval: 2 years unlimited km/6000km or 12 months

VERDICT: TORQUE CRUISER

VERDICT: ROLLING THUNDER

VERDICT: BEAUTY AND GRACE PERSONIFIED

Tyres: F: 80/90/R21 R: 180/70/R15 Seat height: 685mm Kerb weight: 277kg (wet) Fuel capacity: 20L Warranty/Service interval: 2 years unlimited km/6000km or 12 months

VERDICT: ATTITUDE PERSONIFIED

VERDICT: THE LEGEND IS BACK

Learning a lot of lessons from the stupendous DB8, the all-new DB11 wraps pure L-Twin intent in a beautiful new body from Rimini.

APRILIA RSV4 FACTORY APRC $29,990

Sometimes you just can’t help but smile. The Vulcan 900 Custom is an easy motorcycle to like. First, the bike’s custom styling oozes attitude from its big front tyre to its blacked-out mufflers and other parts that would typically wear a chrome coating.

Engine: Liquid-cooled V-twin-cylinder, 4-stroke, SOHC, 4 valves per cylinder Displacement/Compression: 903cc/9.5:1 Power/Torque: 37kW @ 5700rpm/78Nm @ 3700rpm Transmission: 5-speed, wet multi-plate clutch, belt final drive

SPECIFICATIONS Engine: Liquid-cooled V-twin-cylinder Displacement/Compression: 1133cc/n/a Power/Torque: 74.7kW/97.7Nm Transmission: 6-speed, wet multi-plate clutch Tyres: F: 130/90/R16 R: 150/80/R16

VERDICT: AIM HIGH

Apart from a numberplate, this could well be Max Biaggi’s 2012 WSBK Championship-winning bike. The Factory includes everything from the RSV4 R as well as the high-tech and factory-fitted high-end Ohlins suspension.

KAWASAKI VULCAN 900 CUSTOM SE $12,699

VERDICT: RSV4 TO THE MAX

Is there anything more exclusive than a built-to-order motorcycle? That’s exactly what the Bimota BB3 is. If the rarest jewel is still too common for you, the BB3 is your motorcycle.

BIMOTA BB3 $72,888

The S 1000 RR revolutionised the supersports class when it first came out in 2009.

Now, six years later, it steps up to the very same challenge. The 2015 S 1000 RR model year 2015 been completely revised.

BMW S 1000 RR $22,990

SPECIFICATIONS Engine: Liquid-cooled, 4-cylinder, 4-stroke, 4 valves per cylinder Displacement/Compression: 999cc/13.0:1 Power/Torque: 141kW @ 13,000rpm/112Nm @ 9750rpm Transmission: 6-speed, multi-plate slipper clutch, chain final drive

INDIAN CHIEF VINTAGE $31,495 (RIDE AWAY)

Take an Indian Chief Classic and dress it up with a quickly detachable screen and equally removable leather saddlebags. This is a Classic for the open road. Prepare to travel in unique style.

Part of Kawasaki’s latest evolution of big bore V-Twin cruisers, the Vulcan 1700 Nomad ABS shares the same 1700cc single overhead cam long-stroke engine with the rest of the Vulcan 1700 line, with hard saddlebags and cruise control added to the package.

KAWASAKI VULCAN 1700 NOMAD ABS $22,999

SPECIFICATIONS

Tyres: F: 120/70/ZR17 R: 190/55/ZR17 Seat height: 820mm Kerb weight: 179kg (dry) Fuel capacity: 17L Warranty/Service interval: 2 years unlimited km/10,000km or 12 months

SPECIFICATIONS Engine: Liquid-cooled in-line 4-cylinder, 4-stroke, DOHC, 4 valves per cylinder Displacement/Compression: 999cc/13.0:1 Power/Torque: 146kW @ 13,500rpm/113Nm @ 10,500rpm Transmission: 6-speed, wet multi-plate slipper clutch, chain final drive

VERDICT: BEYOND ENVY

SPECIFICATIONS

Engine: Thunderstroke 111, air-cooled V-twin, 4-stroke, 2 valves per cylinder Displacement/Compression: 1811cc/9.5:1 Power/Torque: N/A / 139Nm Transmission: 6-speed, wet multi-plate clutch, belt final drive Tyres: F: 130/90R16 R: 180/65B16

Tyres: F: 120/70/ZR17 R: 190/55/ZR17 Seat height: 820mm Kerb weight: 204kg (wet) Fuel capacity: 17.5L Warranty/Service interval: 2 years unlimited km/10,000km or 12 months

Seat height: 660mm Kerb weight: 379kg (dry) Fuel capacity: 20.8L Warranty/Service interval: 2 years unlimited km/8000km or 12 months

Engine: Liquid-cooled V-twin-cylinder, 4-stroke, SOHC, 4 valves per cylinder Displacement/Compression: 1700cc/9.5:1 Power/Torque: 55kW @ 5500rpm/135Nm @ 2750rpm Transmission: 6-speed, wet multi-plate clutch, belt final drive

VERDICT: DRESSED-UP THUNDER

Tyres: F: 130/90/B16 R: 170/70/B16 Seat height: 720mm Kerb weight: 349kg (wet) Fuel capacity: 20L Warranty/Service interval: 2 years unlimited km/6000km or 12 months

VERDICT: HIGHWAY CRUISER

VERDICT: MORE THAN JUST A FACELIFT Bimota chose to power the DB8 with the spectacular Ducati Testastretta Evoluzione 1198 engine, the world’s most powerful production twin-cylinder. It’s a perfect match to the Bimota formula and guarantees excitement and heightened adrenalin with every twist of the throttle.

BIMOTA DB8 SP $47,990

A powerful Rotax engine, Brembo brakes and automotive technologies converge for exhilarating sport performance. Do not underestimate the sporting abilities of the RS or RS-S.

SPECIFICATIONS

BRP CAN-AM SPYDER RS/RS-S $19,990/$23,990

Tyres: F: 120/70/ZR17 R: 190/55/ZR17 Seat height: 800mm Kerb weight: 177kg (dry) Fuel capacity: 18L Warranty/Service interval: 2 years unlimited km/10,000km or 12 months

Engine: Liquid-cooled V-twin-cylinder, 4-stroke, DOHC, 4 valves per cylinder Displacement/Compression: 998cc/12.2:1 Power/Torque: 74.5kW @ 7500rpm/108Nm @ 5000rpm Transmission: 5-speed with reverse, wet multiplate clutch, shaft final drive

VERDICT: LEAVE THEM DROOLING

Engine: Liquid-cooled V-twin-cylinder, 4-stroke, SOHC, 4 valves per cylinder Displacement/Compression: 903cc/9.5:1 Power/Torque: 37kW @ 5700rpm/78Nm @ 3700rpm Transmission: 5-speed, wet multi-plate clutch, belt final drive

Tyres: F: 165/55/R15 R: 225/50/R15 Seat height: 737mm Kerb weight: 362kg (dry) Fuel capacity: 25L Warranty/Service interval: 2 years unlimited km/5000km

Australian Road Rider Bike Guide 11

Australian RoadRider BIKE GUIDE No. 8 2015

australian

THE ONE-STOP NEW-BIKE SHOWROOM

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GUIDE 2015

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The Vaquero is much more than a Voyager without a top box. It’s a unique model and worthy of its own merits thanks to a host of original-design fittings and features. Cruise control, an awesome sound system and K-ACT ABS are standard features on the Vaquero.

KAWASAKI VULCAN 1700 VAQUERO ABS $24,499

SPECIFICATIONS Tyres: F: 130/90/R16 R: 180/70/R15 Seat height: 680mm Kerb weight: 281kg (wet) Fuel capacity: 20L Warranty/Service interval: 2 years unlimited km/6000km or 12 months

Engine: Liquid-cooled V-twin-cylinder, 4-stroke, SOHC, 4 valves per cylinder Displacement/Compression: 1700cc/9.5:1 Power/Torque: 55kW @ 5500rpm/135Nm @ 2750rpm Transmission: 6-speed, wet multi-plate clutch, belt final drive

VERDICT: TIMELESS CLASSIC

VERDICT: QUICKER THAN YOU THINK

10 Australian Road Rider Bike Guide

Roadrider

KAWASAKI VULCAN 900 CLASSIC $12,499

SPECIFICATIONS

SPECIFICATIONS

Engine: Liquid-cooled L-twin-cylinder, 4-stroke, Desmodromic, 4 valves per cylinder Displacement/Compression: 1198cc/12.7:1 Power/Torque: 126kW @ 9750rpm/127Nm @ 8000rpm Transmission: 6-speed, dry multi-plate slipper clutch, chain final drive

This mid-sized cruiser has the timeless goods wrapped in a long, low package with a presence that’s larger than its name. From its two-tone ebony and metallic grey paint scheme to its spoked wheels, this Vulcan garners attention wherever it goes.

Tyres: F: 130/90/B16 R: 170/70/B16 Seat height: 730mm Kerb weight: 383kg (wet) Fuel capacity: 20L Warranty/Service interval: 2 years unlimited km/6000km or 12 months

VERDICT: ALL-DAY CRUISER

46 Australian Road Rider Bike Guide

Australian Road Rider Bike Guide 47

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Quick Test

FIRST RIDE

CAN-AM SPYDER F3 WE’VE RIDDEN THE SPYDER F3 AND CAN TELL YOU THAT IT’S A BLAST

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W

hile everyone was standing back looking at the Can-Am Spyder F3, I stuck my hand out and asked for the key.

We’re not sure who was more shocked but along with a very short list of instructions, the key appeared and I got to take the first ride on Australian soil.

The ride was way too short to be a full Cruiser & Trike test, but long enough to get a feel for the basics of the all-new F3.

The riding position is more cruiser than the lounge-like RT or the forward-lean of the RS. Footpegs are forward mounted and offer a generous range of adjustment to suit all leg lengths. The seat offers a deeper bucket than previous Spyders and you sit down and in rather than on top.

Reach to the handlebars is fully adjustable to suit all-sized riders. To find out what works for each rider, Can-Am has developed a set of jigs for handlebars and footpegs. We

didn’t get to see them in action but worked out how they are used and reckon that they’ll make it easy to set an F3 up to suit most riders.

The 1330 Ace engine is a ripper. The three cylinders provide instant grunt. I repeat, instant. Twist the throttle extra hard and the rear tyre will make an un-Spyderlike chirp. The bigger the wrist, the bigger the chirp. On the short road we had access to, a U-turn was required and after a couple of passes, I had the tail hanging out and all three wheels sliding with perfect control.

Nanny has had some of her power removed and Spyder riders will rejoice.

Steering is a bit different to previous Spyders. Due to the different foot and leg positioning, much more of the steering effort is focused through your feet and lower body — less tiring on the upper body.

The bottom line: I can’t wait to get one out on the highway. C&T

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Quick Test

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Long-Termer

YAMAHA XV1900 AT Cruisers drag their bits on the ground in corners. But they don’t have to

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Long-Termer Words: Mick Withers

t’s a commonly accepted principle that if you ride a cruiser, you’re going to drag the undercarriage and grind it away on the road. They all do it. Some are worse than others.

When our previous XV1900 arrived, it was lightly scuffed with the sacrificial blocks under the floorboards taking the brunt of the wear. Then we fitted the Cobra Speedster Slashdown exhaust and it was the exhaust that started dragging. Before we had time to resolve that problem, the first XV1900 went back to Yamaha and we received our shiny new silver XV1900 with the Cobra exhaust already fitted. As it spent most of its time around town or on freeways, the dragging exhaust was largely ignored until I took it across to Victor Harbor for Spyder Royale. The trip over the Blue Mountains was relatively grind-free but the descent of Victoria Pass soon reminded me that the exhaust was the first point of contact on the right-hand side.

Further west, and perhaps at slightly higher speeds, the exhaust was progressively lightened. The next day was spent in company with a group of Spyder Ryders and some of that trip from Balranald to Victor Harbor included higher speed sweepers, with dips halfway round the corner just waiting for unsuspecting riders to come into the corner with sparks flying.

Hugely entertaining for those behind but not so much fun for me. By the time I returned to Sydney, I’d decided the XV1900’s suspension needed attention.

After searching for a replacement rear shock absorber that would offer increased ride height as well greater control of both the compression and rebound dampening, Thommo from Yamaha suggested having a talk to Nick Dole from Teknik Motorsport.

So I did.

Nick’s a very well-credentialled bloke with a huge background in (and massive knowledge of) motorcycle suspension.

I’d sent fork legs off to him in the past for servicing but hadn’t really had that much to do with him. I rang him and we talked. But not for long. Did I mention that he likes a chat when he’s not busy?

I happened to be in south Penrith one afternoon aboard the Road Rhino and decided to just rock up and see if I could get his attention for a couple of minutes.

Wrong day. Nick was out. When he did return, he rang and we organised to get together so that he could have a look at

I

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Long-Termer

our XV1900 and decide on a suitable plan of attack.

With camera on board, I headed in to Teknik Motorsport and found Nick having a quiet moment. After looking over the XV1900, we wheeled it in and onto a hoist. He wanted to measure the static sag of the bike as well as the sag with my weight on the seat.

The panniers were removed and a tape measure was produced. Nick picked a point on the swingarm and a point directly above it on the rear guard. With the bike sitting on its wheels and no load on the seat,

THANK YOU AMHP: Headlight protector KAOKO: Cruise control KENMA: DNA high-performance air filter LINK: Cobra Speedster Slashdown exhaust MUSTANG SEATS: DayTripper seat (#75618) SYDNEY DYNO: Dyno time and tuning services TEKNIK MOTORSPORT: Supply of Ohlins shock and suspension tuning YAMAHA: Long-term loan of the XV1900AT VENTURA: Fat Man handlebars

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WEAR YOUR AUSSIE PRIDE

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Nick measured between the two marks and wrote down the measurement. Then he got Nick his offsider to pull up on the rear guard to take the weight off the rear shock so that Nick the boss could measure between the two points again. That number was 28mm higher than the first measurement and is now known as the static sag of our XV1900.

Rider sag was next. With me sitting comfortably on the seat and my feet on the floorboards so that all of my weight was acting on the suspension, Nick measured the sag again and found that there was 60mm of rider sag. Apparently this is more than it should be. With the bike riding lower to the ground, of course something will drag and scrape easier.

While the XV1900 was on the hoist, and the hoist was raised enough for Nick to be able to see under the bike without bending like a contortionist, he unlocked the locking collar on the shock absorber. With that out of the way, he was able to wind up the preload adjustor to shorten the compressed

height of the spring and raise the rear of the XV1900 by magic.

Nick repeated the static sag measurements and set it at 10mm, noticeable if you’d been sitting there watching like I was. He locked the locking ring and when I sat on XV, my bum hit the seat earlier and didn’t drop as far as it used to. The previous 60mm of rider sag was reduced to 40mm. The difference in ride height was obvious but only if you’d had a close look before and after.

The offsider called Nick, the one who’s about two metres tall and not the boss, took the XV1900 out for a trial run and came back rather impressed with the amount of grunt that our Road Rhino produces. He was also impressed with the ride and handling around the local south Penrith area.

The boss called Nick and the other one had a chat before the boss and I had a chat.

It was decided that I’d bugger off and ride the XV1900 over a variety of roads and then converse with Nick about the results.

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Any excuse to head off into the Wollondilly Shire is a good one. An afternoon ride around the area gave me a chance to try out the suspension on a variety of roads. How was it? There was a good improvement in cornering clearance and both floorboards returned to their primary purpose of warning when you were approaching the end of the cornering clearance. No more exhaust scraping.

But a shock absorber is more than just a spring holder. It also contains oil that flows through metered orifices to control the compression and rebound action of the spring. In standard trim, the Yamaha XV1900 shock is fine, especially for a lighter rider, but add the editorial heft or a pillion and it starts to struggle to control the movement of the spring.

We’ve talked, Nick and I. While searching the globe for alternatives to the stock shock absorber, I found info on an Ohlins replacement shock absorber specifically for an XV1900 and that info has made Nick’s job of building one from parts a lot easier.

Yes, a brand-new Ohlins shock absorber is being built at Teknik Motorsport specifically for our Road Rhino Yamaha XV1900.

Come back next issue and see just how much difference a purpose-built Ohlins shock absorber can make. The only thing I’m worried about is that it may make the front end feel second-rate. In standard form the front end is pretty good, with a plush action that never bottoms-out or causes heart palpitations. Maybe for a lighter rider who never carries a pillion it would be different, but for me it’s pretty good.

When we gain greater control of the rear wheel’s movement, it may show up any deficiencies. C&T

Price Guide FLTK Electra Glide Ultra .. New generation tourer............... $38,250 FLHTCU Ultra Classic ..... Comfy ........................................ $37,250 VRSC Night Rod Special . Looks like a dragbike ................. $26,995 VRSC Muscle................... Muscle me ................................. $26,750 CVO FXSBSE Softail Breakout . Bling chopper ............................... $43,995 FLHRSE5 Road King ........ King bling ................................... $47,995 FLHTKSE Ultra Limited ... Modern cruiser........................... $50,995 FLSTNSE Deluxe ............. Classy touring ............................ $44,995

Cruiser price guide Can I afford it?

N

ew bike prices can go up and down like the stock market, so in every issue we’ll bring you the sticker prices. To be completely up to date with things such as factory discounts and incentives, check the Cruiser & Trike website (cruiserandtrike.com.au) where we will bring you all the special deals, bonus offers and cashback promotions.

We have listed the importers’ websites if you’re looking for more information. These are the prices the distributors gave us; some may be promotional prices and may no longer be available when you go to the shop. Some of the prices are ride away and the rest are plus on-road costs. Check with your local dealer.

BRAND & MODEL

BOLLINI

WE SAY

HONDA

Cruiser VT400 ............................... Classic styled, LAM...................... $9299 VT750S ............................ Streetwise appeal ......................... $8099 VT750C ............................ Classic appeal............................ $11,749 CTX700NA ABS .............. All-new cruiser .............................. $9049 VT1300CXA Fury ............. Chopped dragster...................... $15,490

HUNTER

PRICE

urbanmotoimports.com.au

Cruiser Supershadow.................... Cheap to run .............................. $3990

CAN-AM BRP SPYDE

spyder.brp.com/au/home

Roadster Spyder RS ........................ Corner muncher ......................... $19,990 Spyder RS-S .................... With more .................................. $23,990 Spyder ST ........................ Sports tourer.............................. $22,990 Spyder ST Limited ........... Sports tourer plus ...................... $28,990 Spyder RT......................... Touring........................................ $30,490 Spyder RT..........................Ultimate Touring..........................$38,990 Spyder RT Limited.............Touring luxury .............................$39,990

CF MOTO

cf-moto.com.au

Cruiser V5......................................Points for finding the engine ...........$TBC

DUCATI

ducati.com.au

Cruiser Diavel ......................................Velvet-wrapped cosh ............$23,990 Diavel Carbon Red ..................Black art ...............................$29,490 Diavel Stripes ..........................Add a line .............................$26,990 Diavel Strada ..........................Black with chrome ................$26,990

HARLEY-DAVIDSON

honda.com.au

harley-davidson.com

Cruiser XL883L SuperLow ..................For the shorties ....................$14,750 XL883N Iron 883 ....................Iron tough .............................$14,995 XL1200CA Custom A .............Show off A............................$19,250 XL1200CB Custom B .............Show off B............................$18,750 XL1200C Custom ...................Basline Custom ....................$18,750 XL1200X Forty-Eight...............Retro cool .............................$18,995 XL1200V Seventy-Two ............Vintage muscle .....................$18,495 FXDB Street Bob ....................Versatile................................$22,495 FXDC Custom.........................A bike with attitude ..............$23,495 FXDWG Dyna Wide Glide ......Let your hair hang down.......$24,995 FXDF Dyna Fat Bob ................Lay off the burgers, Bob! .....$25,495 FLD Dyna Switchback ............Click your fingers .................$26,250 FXSB Breakout .......................Make a statement ................$28,995 FXST Softail Standard ............The original ride ....................$27,250 FLS Softail Slim ......................Slim, yet PH fat! ...................$26,250 FLSTF Fat Boy ........................Big bruiser ............................$28,995 FLSTFB Fat Boy Lo .................Low bruiser ...........................$28,750 FLSTN Softail Deluxe .............Classy dude..........................$28,995 FLSTC Heritage Classic..........Visually beautiful ..................$29,995 FLHR Road King......................Be the king ...........................$32,495 FLHX Street Glide...................Bad boy ................................$33,995

huntermotorcycles.com.au

Cruiser Bobber............................. Cool custom................................. $6490 Daytona ........................... Cool for cats ................................ $5990 Spyder ............................. Don’t mess with Angry ................ $6490

HYOSUNG

hyosung.com.au

Cruiser GV250 Aquila .................. Little cutie .................................... $4990 GV650 Aquila .................. Responsive rider .......................... $7690 GV650C Aquila Classic... LAMS value ................................. $7690

INDIAN

indianmotorcycle.com.au

Cruiser Chief Classic ................... Leading the tribe back .............. $28,995 Chief Vintage .................. Signature heritage aesthetic .... $31,495 Chieftain .......................... First Indian tourer and bagger .. $35,995

KAWASAKI

kawasaki.com.au

Cruiser Vulcan 900 Custom ......Thin-tyre tripping ...................... $12,699 Vulcan 1700 Classic .....Great blank canvas .................. $19,999 Vulcan 1700 Nomad .....Add a bit of bling ...................... $22,999 Vulcan 1700 Vaquero ...Go to the dark side .................. $24,499 Vulcan 1700 Voyager ...Plush ride.................................. $25,999

KYMCO

kymco.com.au

Cruiser Venox 250.....................Value and looks ........................... $5490

LARO

laro.com.au

Cruiser Cruiser 250 ..................Learners ride ............................... $3990

LIFAN

motorcycle-city.com.au

Cruiser V250 Custom ...............Revvy, stylish cruiser ................... $3990

MOTO GUZZI

motoguzzi.com.au

Cruiser Bellagio 940 .................Crossover charmer................... $17,490 California 1400 .............Beast ........................................ $21,990 California 1400 Touring .. Long-distance beast ..................... $24,990

PAGSTA

pagsta.com.au

Cruiser Cruisa 250 Series Two ... Nice appeal...................................... $3990

SUZUKI

suzukimotorcycles.com.au

Cruiser VL250 Intruder .............Bang that drum ........................... $6690 VL800 C50 ...................Traditional ................................ $10,990 VL800 C50T .................All-new class ............................ $12,990 VZ800 M50 ..................Neat bobber ............................. $10,990 VZ1500 C90T...............Bad boy .................................... $17,490

Cruiser & Trike

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Price Guide VLR1800 C109R ..................Classic looks ....................$18,690 VLR1800T C109RT ..............Now as a tourer ...............$18,990 VZR1800 M109R .................Beaut and brutal ..............$18,990

TORINO

torinomotorcycles.com.au

Cruiser Veloce 250 ............................American-styled ..................$4695 La Bora .................................Bargain custom ...................$5995

TRIUMPH

triumphmotorcycles.com.au

Cruiser America .................................. Easy urban rider................... $13,090 Speedmaster .......................... Custom, tasty handler ......... $13,090 Thunderbird ABS ..................... Better brakes ....................... $19,490 Thunderbird ABS TT................ Sharper brakes .................... $19,990 Thunderbird Haze .................... Not purple ............................ $21,990 Thunderbird Storm .................. Thunderous .......................... $20,490 Thunderbird Storm ABS .......... With sharper brakes ............ $20,490 Rocket III Roadster ABS ......... Wanna drag? ........................ $20,990 Rocket III Roadster Haze......... And some more .................... $21,490 Rocket III Touring ABS ............ Reasonably easy to ride ...... $23,990

VICTORY

victorymotorcycles.com.au

Cruiser Vegas 8 Ball............................. Sink the 8 ball ...................... $19,995 Vegas Jackpot ......................... A pearler .............................. $24,995 Highball.................................... Ol’ skool cool ....................... $19,995 Judge....................................... R U ready to be judged? ...... $19,995 Hammer 8 Ball......................... Hammer that 8 ball .............. $20,995 Hammer S ............................... Hammer it! ........................... $22,995 Boardwalk Black...................... Dark classic ......................... $21,995 Boardwalk White ..................... Cool classic .......................... $22,495 Hardball ................................... Bad ass ................................ $23,995 Cross Roads ............................ Robert Johnson cool ............ $24,995 Cross Roads Classic ............... Chromed up cool.................. $24,995

Cross Country . ....................... Hard panniers....................... $24,995 Cross Country Zach Ness ...... Let’s see it ........................... $29,995 Cross Country Tour Cory ........ Poster material .................... $31,995 Cross Country Tour ................. Tour in comfort ..................... $27,495 Vision Tour ............................... Space age looks................... $29,995 Vision Tour Arlen Ness ............ Hot rod touring..................... $32,995

VIPER

urbanmotoimports.com.au

Cruiser Black Diamond ........................ Ilmor-powered hot rod.......... $49,990

YAMAHA

yamaha-motor.com.au

Cruiser XVS250 Virago........................ Great small package ............... $6499 XVS650 Custom ..................... Popular custom .................... $10,499 XVS650 Classic ...................... And as a classic ................... $10,990 XVS650 Bobber ...................... $2500 kit plus fitting and bike .. $Ask XVS950CU Bolt ...................... Basic Bolt............................. $11,999 XVS950CUSP Bolt R.............. Bolt plus ............................... $12,499 XVS950A................................. Mighty mid-ranger ............... $13,999 XVS1100A Custom ................. Thin tyres ............................. $14,699 XVS1100A Classic .................. Fat tyres ............................... $15,699 XVS1300A............................... Favourite of many riders ...... $15,999 XVS1300AT Tourer.................. With more features .............. $18,299 XV1900A Roadliner ................. Art Deco piece ..................... $21,499 XV1900AT Star Tourer ............ Editor’s current favourite .... $24,099

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PANTHER ENGINEERING (AUST) P/L Unit 7/379 Manns Road, West Gosford, NSW Ph: 02 4322 2339 Mobile: 0414 878 711 www Web: www.panthertrikes.com Email: sales@panthertrikes.com

Cruiser & Trike

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Sandbag

passing it on The future’s so bright, he’s gotta wear shades WORDS: TIM SANFORD he joys of life are many. The best one, of course, is that we can turn the key and go for a ride. One of the others is children. Now some of you might not agree with my assessment of children as a joy and I can understand why. Frankly, even the most cursory comparison between children and motorcycles will see the machine triumph over the organism every time. Tired of riding? Just turn the key and the bike goes to sleep. Tired of the children? Turn the key? You wish!

There are many reasons for the problems with children, not the least being that as much as we might try to run away from the fact, the relentless truth is that our children have a simple but diabolical feature of their makeup known as heredity. Put very simply, whatever faults they’ve got, we are 50 per cent responsible and that is seriously scary.

The saddest moment of a parent’s life is when some well-meaning person (never a relative — they usually know the truth) says, “Isn’t he just like his dad?” Change the gender if you want to so I can remain politically correct, but there you have it. In the terrible moment when I first heard that “compliment”, a whole raft of life’s horrors sailed through my mind. “Horrors” because it seemed very likely that, through the unbreakable

T

line of unshakeable heredity, my poor children would probably find their lives beset by the same personal disasters which have beset mine. And look, not to put too fine a point on it, the worst is that the poor little mites (well, they were little, once) would very likely want to ride motorcycles. And they did. Worse than that, they now seem to be hell-bent on passing the same two- (and three-) wheeled obsession on to their own predestined and pre-tarnished offspring.

Just picture for a moment this scenario: you’re enjoying a quiet moment and the phone makes some attention-demanding noise. It’s an email — what joy. It’s a video (aren’t phones just fabulous?). It’s a video about your grandsons tearing across some distant trail, the two-stroke motor screaming, clouds of red dust and the left boot already out to stabilise the bike as it rides up the berm. I mean, what is it with the modern parent? Don’t they know that these motorcycles are dangerous things? Do they not care that the little darlings could fall off and get hurt?

Evidently not. And please imagine how it would look if the Sandbag, in this case Grandfather Sandbag, were to make representations about the safety of the precious grandchildren. The father of the children would reach into his memory and recount numerous tales of watching his own father (that’s the Cruiser & Trike

114

GS) flying through the air after crashing at some race meeting or other. No, I would have zero credibility if I started spouting righteous rubbish about motorcycles not being safe.

As in all things, there is a positive side: children are extremely selective when it comes to sorting out the merits of advice designed to enhance their wellbeing. It is for this reason that they will treat any item of very sound advice from their parents with total disregard, even contempt, yet when identical advice comes from a grandparent, it is treated as Wise Words of Wisdom from someone who has infinite experience of life and the world generally. The best part is hearing them tell their parents, “Granddad says it is better done this way” and watching the steam rise as, through clenched teeth, comes, “And I’ve been telling you that for years!!”

If you’ve been riding long enough to have grandchildren, it’s a fair bet you’ve gained a wealth of knowledge along the way about how it all works and how to survive long enough to enjoy the next generations. What is vital to them is that when they start riding, you give them every bit of knowledge and help you can. They are our legacy and it is part of our responsibility as grandparents. The more help you can give somebody to increase their skills and abilities to ride, the better they will get. In an occupational or recreational environment this will always be a good thing because you can sit back and enjoy the fact that eventually your work as a teacher will see your students as more skilled and more competent than you are.

As with all things, there is a negative side. This passing on of knowledge and skill is going to come back to bite us as we slide into the geriatric twilight. It will happen this way: there we will be, sitting on the verandah of the nursing home, immersed in lascivious fantasies about the 84-year-old newcomer who sits at table seven for her meals, and up will stroll a grandson, dressed in bike gear and carrying two helmets.

“Hi granddad, it’s a lovely day outside so I thought it would be nice to take you for a ride,” chirps the smiling lad. “I’ve brought your old helmet because I know you never rode without one and that’s what you always taught me.”

How can I be polite when I am gripped by terminal Pillion Fear!! C&T &T

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