Issue#112 Apr 2015

Aussies on an

Epic!

London | Alps | Turkey | The Stans | Russia | Mongolia | Road of Bones

Must-Do Rides!

Country Queensland WA Day Ride Touring Tamworth Classics in FNQ

12 months with a

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Ducati’s Road Warrior

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Roadrider A U S T R A L I A N

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CONTENTS#112 “The highway travels deep into the Caucasus, passing turquoise lakes and numerous monasteries in stunning locations. Switchback a er switchback greeted us as we rode beyond the green fertile valleys into a stark beautiful landscape high above the snowline.” — The Road of Bones has a tragic yet li le-known history. It’s also one hell of a ride. P68 4 | AUSTRALIAN ROAD RIDER

106

48 FEATURES

YARNS AND LAUGHS

68

6

Road of Bones From London to Magadan, culminating in a ride along the infamous Kolymna Highway.

Tamworth The rides and sights outside the boot scootin’.

Kalgoorlie There’s more than just the gold in those hills!

Tale of Two Roads Two great NSW adventure roads.

Tarzali Just out of Cairns is a two-wheeled living museum.

Survival Triangle Asia, Africa, South America: how to survive them.

Turbos and Superchargers The future has been there all along.

80 88 94 102 106

112

68 NEWS FOR ROAD RIDERS 10

FCAI calls on Feds, a new moon in Slovenia, almost as many Hondas as Americans and Ducatis as East Timorese, record broken on ice, and Che’s son will take you for a ride in Cuba.

32 35 37 39 145 146

Mathochism: Hot and not bothered.

Boorman: Life in pictures.

Seddo: Accidentally Kelly Street.

Zoe: Dot 9.4.

Reynolds: My first love.

Hot Stuff: Science rates the best summer riding gear.

Last Look: Till we meet again.

MONTHLY MAIL 28 30 92 124

GEAR ON TEST

128 132

120 The Faceless Man and Jackson Equipment Won-Z: An engrossing read and a great way to stay dry.

138 140 144

Big Shot: Just out of town.

Route 66: Win a US trip!

Stay With Us: Rider-friendly places.

Whatz New: A mixed bag of new stuff.

Readers’ Rite: All about the ride.

Price Guide: New-bike news and prices.

Subscribe Here: And get ARR delivered to your door.

Bike Supermarket: Products, services and other cool stuff.

Advertiser Listing: Where’d you see that ad again?

BIKES TO RIDE 40

48 54

60

66

Harley-Davidson Street 500: Learner-legal and big value for money.

Ducati Hypermotard SP: Take a walk on the wild side.

Yamaha Ténéré Occa Edition: Yamaha’s best adventure bike tweaked for Oz. Ducati Multistrada 1200 Long Term: Saying farewell and goodbye to a venerable all-rounder.

The Long List: BMW R1200RT and Project Bolt.

112

AUSTRALIAN ROAD RIDER | 5

MATHOCHISM

HOT AND NOT BOTHERED Beating the heat on a summer ride can come when and how you least expect it he heat stung, even under the flow of air over my skin.

Maybe because of it, actually. That very hot, dry breeze of a 40°C summer a ernoon in inland Australia is impossible to avoid. I’d been broiling in the jacket and now I was toasting out of it. The only protection I was wearing on my arms was sunscreen, but I couldn’t stand the thought of pu ing on the non-vented jacket again.

By the end of the day I looked hilarious. The gloves had kept my hands an even brown. The sun had almost blackened my arms from wrists to biceps. From biceps to just below the shoulder, where the wind had blown up the sleeves of the T-shirt, I was burned red.

Above that, white. You could have fla ened me under a steamroller and waved me like some alternative Aussie flag.

We were cruising around on holiday, riding wherever our whims took us. Riding without a plan is a liberating thing. But somehow we’d ended up in western NSW at the wrong time of year, sweltering in the outback heat rather than cooling off by a Snowy Mountains creek. The experience wasn’t without its pleasures, though.

The heat and vastness imbued a slow laziness in us, sapping us of any residual stress we might have been carrying over the hard working year. Heat haze and mirages played all around us. Willy-willies chased dust

T

6 | AUSTRALIAN ROAD RIDER

■ The perfect sign for that bad road?

all over the plains. Country towns, where almost nothing moved in the midday heat, provided full meaning for the word laconic.

I felt as hot and dry as the gravel crunching under the Road King’s tyres as the road dropped into a gully with a full causeway at the bo om.

Water! At the same moment, a car full of kids headed down from the other side. I slowed, not wanting to meet them mid-crossing. They slowed, not wanting to confront a Harley mid-crossing. Like two people running head-on in a corridor, we dodged: I sped up, they sped up; I slowed, they slowed; I commi ed to cross, so did they.

We both hit the water at the same time. I glimpsed their faces just as their expressions changed from shock to laughter before the wave of spray engulfed me. I copped it full on and was completely drenched. Rage boiled up inside me … for about a nanosecond before I felt cool and refreshed. This was far be er

than any air-conditioned comfort I could imagine.

The kids drove away laughing. So did I.

BAD ATTITUDE A friend told me about coming across an accident on a road he knows well. A motorcyclist had missed a corner, spearing into a barbed-wire fence that didn’t do him or his pillion any good, though it appeared there were no serious injuries.

“Everyone goes off there,” he said. “Mostly it’s cars, which do a lot more damage to the fence. The trouble is, the road runs straight and goes over a rise and immediately over the rise it turns right, but you can’t see the corner until it’s too late.”

He could see a simple solution: “They should just put up a sign.” I was surprised there isn’t an advisory sign up already, indicating there’s a bend and suggesting a safe speed for it. “I rang the council about it,” my mate said, “but the guy there only said people go too fast.”

Ah, so it wasn’t simply incompetence that dictated there was no safety sign up on a demonstrably hazardous bit of road, it was intransigence. Some arrogant bureaucrat reckons those who crash deserve it. It’s not the first time I’ve encountered that a itude.

But as my friend pointed out, for the cost of erecting a small sign, we tax- and rate-payers could be saving the cost of call-outs for the emergency services and maybe medical costs. If someone’s off work a er a crash, it costs businesses money. There’s the cost of repairing vehicles and the fence. Over a number of crashes, that’s hundreds of thousands of dollars, maybe millions. Not to mention all the other non-financial costs.

Too bad if someone is killed.

“I feel like pu ing up a sign myself,” said my mate.

I felt like wrapping the signpost around that council manager’s neck.

— Mick Matheson ARR

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Australian Road Rider #112 is published by Australian Publishing, Unit 5, 6–8 Byfield Street, North Ryde NSW 2113. Phone: (02) 9805 0399, 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 Webstar Sydney, 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 1329 – 1734 Copyright © Australian Publishing Pty Ltd MMXV ACN 003 609 103 www.universalmagazines.com.au Please pass on or recycle this magazine.

8 | AUSTRALIAN ROAD RIDER

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BY NEWS EDITOR MARK HINCHLIFFE (HINCHM@HOTMAIL.COM)

NEWS FOR ROADRIDERS

CALL FOR CHANGE FCAI calls on Feds to step in on helmet laws

■ AS 1698 – the only rating that applies for now

10 | AUSTRALIAN ROAD RIDER

T

he Federal government needs to resolve the issue of states having different interpretations of helmet laws, says an industry spokesman.

Rhys Griffiths, Federal Chamber of Automotive Industries motorcycle spokesman, welcomes the recent commitment by the Federal government to harmonise Australian Design Rules (ADRs) with UN vehicle regulations and hopes it can be extended to helmets.

“Harmonisation of these rules with international standards has been around as a mantra of various government departments for a long time but it hasn’t always related to action,” he says. “The thing that is a bit of a game changer is the Federal government’s desire to cut red tape.

We’ve already been the beneficiary of that thinking with the decision to accept

NEWS international standards on motorcycle rear mudguards.”

However, he says the issue of helmets is a lot more involved with the input of the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission, state governments and the vested interests of certification authorities.

“It’s all very messy,” he says, adding that Queensland’s recent move to accept international helmet standards had only caused more confusion. “But having said that, both NSW and Victoria are at the very least asking the ACCC to get their act together.”

He says the helmet ADR does not need to be rescinded. “We just have to make it acceptable to wear a helmet of a similar or higher standard.”

He says most moves are to accept the European standards, but the FCAI would prefer to also accept Japanese and American. “The riding public is ge ing very frustrated by the red tape over this issue, but while I can’t say there is light at the end of the tunnel, there is a faint glow in the distance.

“Having dealt with government authorities, I know that changes to regulations is a slow process and you o en get frustrated. At least now governments are looking for a way out of the mess, but it has to be a federal decision.”

■ DOT helmet label

r The US Snell rating is updated yearly since the 60s

NEW MOON RISING Akrapovic, the master of muffled beauty, creates custom motorcycle

T

he Slovenian exhaust manufacturer has certainly exhausted all possibilities with motorcycle exhausts with its new Full Moon concept cruiser.

■ Ready for takeoff

That amazing rear end is actually the exhaust system. The company debuted the Full Moon concept at the Bad Salzuflen Custom Bike Show in Germany.

Akrapovic is be er known for making sport bike exhausts, but has recently branched out into a ermarket exhausts for Harleys and other cruisers. The Full Moon muscle cruiser is powered by a 1524cc S&S Knucklehead and comes with “automated” steering, a Buell-style rim brake on the front wheel, hydraulic suspension so you can park the bike upright, and LED headlights on the footrests.

This is not the first custom cruiser that Akravpovic has built to show off its cra smanship. Three years ago it debuted the Morsus. Like the Full Moon, it’s powered by an S&S V-twin and was made to showcase its cruiser exhausts.

Australian distributor, Gas Imports, says the exhausts are available now, with prices varying depending on the bike.

AUSTRALIAN ROAD RIDER | 11

NEWS

Norton’s new Dominator SS N

orton Motorcycles has announced a new limited-edition model. Only 200 Dominator SS models will be produced in 2015 with 50 reserved for the UK market and 150 for the rest of the world. Pricing will be announced when it is finalised, but it is

expected to be about $38,000.

The new bike is a fully homologated road bike developed out of the limitededition Domiracer and powered by Norton’s 961cc 60kW parallel-twin.

The SS comes with Ohlins suspension

■ Yes please!

and Brembo Monobloc brakes as standard.

Meanwhile, the new Norton Commando motorcycles have finally arrived in Australia from $29,990 through dealers in most states. The Norton range of Commando 961 has three model variants all powered by a 58kW/90Nm 961cc parallel twin. The traditional Sport will cost $29,990 (plus on-road costs), the sporty Cafe Racer is $33,990 and the street naked SF is $35,990.

Australian Norton dealers: Fraser Motorcycles City, Sydney and Melbourne; Rocker Classic Motorcycles at its new Redcliffe location at 102 Su on St, Qld; Italian Motorcycles, Adelaide; and Cyclespot Group, Auckland. A West Australian dealer is yet to be announced.

Australian dealers will have demo bikes on hand for potential customers.

TECHNICALLY SPEAKING New recognition for Honda’s best techs

WORLD FIRST RETURNEDRIDER COURSE FOR SA S

outh Australia is believed to be the first place in the world to offer free courses for returned mature-aged riders.

Motorcycle advocate Nev Gray was one of the first to undergo the one-day rider tests, which began in February.

“For about 11 years we have been pushing for returner riders to enter some sort of rider training as they are crashing way out of their zone,” he says.

Nev says he believes it is a world first because it is offered free and he hopes it will be mirrored by other states. The ACT runs a masters course for returned riders, but it is subsidised, not free. The one-day course will be conducted at the RideSafe Range and will include an onroad component.

“South Australia is motorcycle heaven,” Nev says, referring not only to the returned rider course, but also the strong relations between riders and the authorities. He says the South Australian motorcycling community has been granted $6.5m by the state

12 | AUSTRALIAN ROAD RIDER

“The free, one-day course will be conducted at the RideSafe Range and will include an on-road component” government for motorcycle safety and infrastructure improvements such as lower rub rails on the barriers in the Adelaide Hills.

“Basically it’s for anything that motorcycle riders would like done,” he says. “It just came out of the blue and there it was.”

Nev is a member of the Motorcycle Reference Group (MRG) which started in 2003 as the Motorcycle Taskforce. It includes representatives of motorcycle goups, the RAA, government, transport department and the police. Nev represents the Ulysses Club and Motorcycle Riders Association of South Australia in the MRG.

Beaudesert motorcycle technician Josh Pamment is now riding a shiny new CBR650F as the inaugural winner of the Honda Certified Technician Excellence Award.

The Queensland Honda motorcycle technician was one of 230 around the country assessed for the award and one of five regional finalists flown to Melbourne for the award dinner. The others were Bryce Thompson (NSW), Tom Ames (NT/SA), Troy Winzer (Vic/ Tas), Brook Lawson (WA). They all received VIP tickets to the Australian MotoGP. Honda training services manager Keith Lewis says the company started its Honda Certified Technician Training ■Program Everyone’s happy the Black five years ago. Dog Ride is heading back to the centre

r Josh Pamment (white shirt) is Honda’s 2014 Excellence Award winner

Monster 659 ABS is the ‘real’ motorcycle of choice under the Learner Approved Motorcycle Scheme (LAMS).

Whether you’re looking for a step back into motorcycling or getting on the road for the first time, the Monster 659 ABS introduces you to a world of confident, credible motorcycling with a comfortable riding position that puts you in charge. With easy agile handling and class-leading light weight, listen to Ducati’s ‘L’ twin cylinder engine deliver the most famous exhaust note in motorcycling on the open road and in the inner city.

Taking your first step with the Italian marque will ensure you’re not only feeling your best with power and technology, but looking it too with the iconic Italian design and heritage.

The Monster 659 ABS comes with 2-Year Unlimited Kilometre Warranty and 24 Hour Rider Assist should it ever be required, leaving you free to enjoy every ride whenever and wherever you go.

To experience the Monster 659 ABS, visit your local Authorised Ducati Dealer and book a test ride today.

NEWS

AVOID THE STORM Be wary of cheap, storm-damaged motorcycles

V

icious hailstorms damage hundreds of motorcycles every summer and many can wind up back in sales yards around the country at heavily discounted prices. Some still have dents in their tanks, smashed fairings, broken lights, indicators and mirrors, while others may be repaired.

They may be an a ractive option for riders who want a cheap utilitarian motorcycle for use as a courier, adventure bike or cheap commuter and aren’t concerned with what it looks like. But the RACQ has warned riders to do their homework before deciding on buying a haildamaged bike.

“Think about what you intend to do with it,” says RACQ technical manager Steve Spalding. “If it’s to fix it, then

factor in the cost of repairs. If the discount off the purchase price, plus the cost of repairs doesn’t work out cheaper than its normal selling price, then think carefully before jumping in on a hail sale.”

Another trap is the fact that some insurance companies may not offer full insurance cover if a vehicle is hail-damaged and unrepaired. It’s best to check with your insurer before commi ing to a purchase.

“If you do decide to buy a haildamaged bike and fix the damage, make sure you carefully inspect it first so that you can properly factor in all of the repair costs,” advises Steve. “Also check whether the parts you need are available or if there are lengthy delays in supplying these parts.”

GREEN FACTORY T

he world’s largest motorcycle manufacturer, Hero Motorcorp, has opened a “garden factory” in India with roo op greenhouses, a vegetation wall to filter indoor air and solar power.

It’s been awarded the top environmental score by the Indian Green Building Council and is one of many green factories planned around the country.

Designers William McDonough + Partners call it “Octa-Generation”, which means it captures or generates eight ■ Blending into its environment

“Features rooftop green houses, a vegetation wall to filter indoor air and solar power.” things: electrical energy, heating, cooling, water from the air, carbon dioxide for roo op greenhouses, food, jobs on the roof, and air quality for people working in the building.

Storm damage can be more than just dents and smashed lights which are easy to see. If there has been flash flooding, the bike could also have been submerged. That can mean long-term corrosive damage to electrics which can be expensive to repair. Steve advises that such damage can be difficult to spot and could have issues with warranty.

“Check with the selling dealer if any hail damage will affect the bike’s new warranty cover, particularly if there are future problems related to water entry into electronics,” he says.

His advice is to be wary: “End-of-year sales o en lead to some a ractive offers; it may be be er to wait for these rather than buy a hail-damaged bike.”

HONDA MILESTONE Big H makes it 300,000,000 Who would have thought that when Honda began making motorcycles in 1949 with the 98cc Dream Type-D, it would one day build its 300 millionth bike? That honour goes to a 2015 40th-anniversary Honda Gold Wing produced at the company’s Kumamoto Factory in Japan.

Today, Honda produces motorcycles, ATVs and side-by-sides at 32 plants in 22 countries.

r Honda’s Motegi Museum showcase many of Honda’s models

14 | AUSTRALIAN ROAD RIDER

Live To Ride

LIVE TO READ

Always available.

NEWS

BACK IN THE MIDDLE A

er a break from tradition last year, the Black Dog Ride will return to the Red Centre in 2015. However, instead of finishing at Alice Springs as it did for the first four rides, the sixth will finish at Yulara near Uluru.

Founder Steve Andrews says the 2015 ride will cost about $160-$200 more for accommodation at Yulara, but will have a special spiritual significance by finishing at Uluru. “This is going to be a very special ride to a very special part of Australia,” he says.

Steve founded the Black Dog Ride in 2009 as an independent, not-for-profit organisation, whose mission is to raise awareness of depression and suicide prevention. Last year’s ride raised more than $400,000 for the Everyday Hero Campaign, Lifeline and Mental Health First Aid and so far the ride has raised more than $1.7 million.

This fundraising has enabled Lifeline to double the hours of its

Online Crisis Support chat service, helping an additional 2000 Australians in crisis each month. Black Dog Ride fundraising has also funded the training of Mental Health First Aid facilitators, and is funding the national roll-out of the Mental Health First Aid (MHFA) teen program to Australian high schools.

The sixth annual ride from August 15–21 will again start in every state and territory, riding throughout regional Australia, raising awareness of depression and suicide prevention.

Registration is now open and riders can begin fundraising by donating directly to the Black Dog Ride Gi Fund. The number of Red Centre riders is limited and fills quickly.

The Black Dog Ride to the Red Centre 2015 includes a support vehicle with bike trailer, raffle tickets, BDR patch and stickers, entry to Uluru National Park, a poolside dinner party on August

“This fundraising has enabled Lifeline to double the hours of its Online Crisis Support chat service, helping an additional 2000 Australians in crisis each month”

16 | AUSTRALIAN ROAD RIDER

21 and a private “Sounds of Silence” dinner on August 22.

The unfortunate facts Suicide is the leading cause of death in Australians under the age of 45, with one suicide a empt every 10 minutes in Australia. Some 80 per cent of all suicides are by men, with men in regional locations experiencing much higher rates of suicide than the national average.

One in six Australians will experience mental illness in their lifetime and more than half won’t seek treatment.

Mental illness is the leading cause of disability in Australia and depressive disorders are the most common identifiable risk factor for suicide.

Other statistics: • This year alone over 1.3 million people in Australia will experience a depressive illness; • Depression is the third largest individual health problem in Australia; and • In the workplace depression accounts for six million working days lost each year.

• Contact Lifeline on 13 11 14.

NEWS

WHEELIE HOT ON ICE I

magine doing a wheelie at more than 180km/h on ice! Swedish racer Robert Gull has done it and, in the process, broken the Guinness World Record for the fastest motorcycle wheelie on ice with an overall speed of 183.8km/h over 100m.

Robert was riding a standard Honda CBR 1000RR fi ed with a race fairing and special Dunlop tyres with studs to break the ice and gain grip. The World Record Academy says the record is even more amazing since Robert had a “horrendous” superbike crash a year ago which landed him in a wheelchair for a short time.

The 23-year-old broke the record in March, 2014, at Lake Kakel on Nå i, Arjeplog, in northern Sweden, but it was only confirmed in December by the Guinness World Records.

The record for the fastest wheelie is 307.86km/h set by Patrick Fürstenhoff on a turbocharged Honda Blackbird CBR1100XX at Bruntingthorpe Proving Ground in England, on April 18, 1999.

The Guinness World Records also lists the world record for the fastest motorcycle wheelie over 1km at

“Guinness World Record for the fastest motorcycle wheelie on ice with an overall speed of 183.8km/h over 100m” ■ Ice, ice baby

MORE FOR ALL LAMS market bolstered by new Benellis ■ The GTS looks to be a formidable tourer

18 | AUSTRALIAN ROAD RIDER

251.86km/h by Brit Terry Calco at Elvington Airfield, Yorkshire, UK, on September 12, 2005.

B

enelli is adding two learner-approved models to its line-up in 2015. The new BN 302 arrived in January at less than $5500 plus on-road costs, and two sports touring versions of the BN 600, both at $9990 rideaway, will be released. The GTS is a restricted LAMS version and the GT is a non-restricted model.

The BN 302 joins the sector powered by a four-valve DOHC inline twocylinder engine, producing 28kW at 12,000rpm and 27Nm at 9000rpm.

Feeding this engine is the Delphi MT05 fuel-injection system which is also used in the BN 600 range. The engine is mated to a six-speed transmission.

The BN 600GT and GTS are half-faired models with hard panniers, windscreen, very generous 27L fuel tank and an upright ergonomic riding position for touring capabilities.

They share the inline four-cylinder, four-stroke, liquid-cooled engine from the BN 600R. The GT has maximum power of 62kW at 11,000rpm and 55Nm of torque at 8000rpm, matched to a sixspeed gearbox. The GTS has a thro le restrictor. There are no confirmed power figures yet but it is expected to be 44kW as in the BN600S LAMS bike.

ANYWHERE THERE’S PAVEMENT

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NEWS

ELECTRIC BULL Bultaco unveils first electric bike

S

panish motorcycle manufacturer Bultaco announced in May that it would return, but not with two-stroke dirt bikes; instead it would return with a range of electric road bikes. The return of Bultaco follows recent “revivals” such as Norton, Brough, Matchless and Hesketh.

Bultaco has now announced the first will be the Brinco Moto-Bike, which is an electric/pedal moped-style bike designed as a versatile commuter, urban bike and mountain bike. It will be followed by the Electrical Urbanmotard based on the Rapitán prototypes.

Bultaco’s electric bikes have lithiumion ba eries and ultra-condensers developed in collaboration with highspeed rail company, Viesca Engineering.

Branco has an electric motor on the back wheel that has an output of 3kW

and 60Nm, a maximum speed of more than 60km/h and a weight of just 33kg despite the 7kg portable ba ery.

Since it’s a moped, you can supplement the 30km electric range with pedal power. In eco mode, it has a 100km range. Unlike most electric bikes, it actually has a transmission — with nine speeds! It features disc brakes with four-piston calipers and the long-travel (200/220mm) suspension will make it a handy mountain bike.

Brinco also supplements its basic instruments with an app that connects with a smart phone to tell the rider the amount of charge le , as well as navigational information. Riders start the bike through direct contact with a discreet and elegant wristband, which negates the need for keys.

The bikes are produced in Barcelona and a limited edition of 175 bikes will be available from April 1 — and no, this isn’t an early April Fool’s Day joke.

They will cost €4800 (approximately AU$7200).

ONE OF A MILLION Ducati hits production milestone with its most successful model family The millionth Ducati has rolled off the production line at the factory in Borgo Panigale. Ducati boss Claudio Domenicali personally handed over the keys of the millionth bike, a Monster 1200 S, to new owner Ernesto Passoni.

The bike has a laser serigraph on the top handlebar bracket showing the production number.

“Between 1946 and today we have designed, built and delivered one million dreams that have become reality to Ducatisti,” Claudio said.

■ A long way removed from Bultacos of the past

AND THE WINNER IS… Sydney to host 2015 Moto Expo at Homebush

T

here will only be one Moto Expo in Australia this year a er two were staged last year. The Troy Bayliss Events team will operate the Sydney Motorcycle Show on November 20-22 at the Sydney Showgrounds, Homebush.

Last year the company ran Moto Expos in Brisbane in March and in Melbourne in November. A er the successful running of the Brisbane show, the Federal Chamber of Automotive Industries abandoned its planned Sydney show and asked Troy Bayliss Events to take over the running of its official annual show.

20 | AUSTRALIAN ROAD RIDER

The cost of having two shows last year prevented some manufacturers from exhibiting at both shows, but it is expected that the one show this year will be a ended by all manufacturers.

Organisers claim almost 20,000 people a ended the Melbourne Moto Expo, at which 17 new motorcycles were launched.

Apart from motorcycle manufacturers and trade displays, the Moto Expos have featured plenty of allstar racing, stunt shows and live display action to keep visitors entertained.

Troy’s team won the Baylisstic

Scrambles, which was the main event.

Moto Expo will return to Melbourne in 2016 with improved air conditioning in the main exhibition building a er complaints about the heat during the show.

r The side show of races featuring Speedway champ Jason Crump, Troy Bayliss and other legends was reason enough to go to the Expo

NEWS

MEXICAN ON THE MENU T

ravel gurus Mike and Denise Ferris plan to add Mexico to their popular Ferris Wheels Motorcycle Safaris itinerary in 2015.

“We are looking at introducing Mexico,” says Mike. “In fact, this email is coming to you from Cancun on the Yucatan Peninsula in the land of tacos and tequila! It’s looking pre y good for an inaugural tour here sometime in 2015.”

The tour would possibly include Tijuana, Acapulco, Chihuahua, Tabasco, Mt Popocatepetl, the ancient pyramids of the sun and moon, Mayan and Aztec cultures and the world’s largest city, Mexico City. No dates have been scheduled yet.

That will make 2015 the biggest year yet for Ferris Wheels, with a possible 13 tours including two tours of Turkey

Aussie motorcycle tours to Mexico

to help commemorate the Gallipoli Centenary. There are still a couple of vacancies on the April 2–22 tour, but the April 28–May 18 tour is booked out.

Other Ferris Wheels tours in 2015 include: Nepal/Bhutan (March 10–30), Morocco (April 2–22), Iceland (June 1–15, June 17–July 1), Himalaya (July 19–August 8, July 22–August 11, August 12–September 2), Dalmatian Coast (September 7–26) and the South American Andes (October 5–26, November 2–23).

“We ran nine tours in 2014, with a total of about 160 people,” Mike says. “Iceland was our most popular destination, being the latest addition to the portfolio. Any new tour we introduce is immediately embraced by our loyal fraternity of ‘repeat offenders’.”

2014 was a pre y big year for Ferris

Wheels, which celebrated its 20th anniversary in August with a black-tie function on a Sydney Harbour cruise.

“We had visitors from every state in Australia in a endance, as well as our original two — and still current — business partners from India and Turkey,” he says. “Channel 7 host Greg Grainger was our MC for the day, and recounted a few tales from his own trips with us 18 years or so ago.”

Ferris Wheels also joined up in 2014 with professional motorcycle training company motoDNA to offer adventure rider training for people wanting to a end their tours.

It follows a successful 2013 when they launched a six-part TV series on Channel 7 called World On Wheels.

The police bikes are fi ed with audio and video communication systems and are decorated with traditional Chinese red and yellow graphics, representing the five-starred red flag and the Great Wall. There is no official word yet, but it’s believed it could be the replacement for

the 650TK. Australian importer Michael Poynton, director of Mojo Motorcycles, says development of the police bike as well as ATV/UTV projects contributed to delaying the 650 adventure model until November 2015.

■ Mexico City as far as the eye can see

COP THIS! CFMoto police bike and 650 adventure to come?

C

hinese motorcycle manufacturer CFMoto has built a police bike in just 10 months and it could be a clue to a coming touring model update.

The police bikes were used as diplomat motorcade escort vehicles for the October APEC meeting in Beijing. The CF650G was developed in 10 months and features a liquid-cooled parallel-twin cylinder EFI 650cc engine with a top speed of 177km/h.

It is the first big-bore Chinese bike with ABS and an electronically controlled adjustable windshield.

It also features WP suspension, which is used by Austrian motorcycle company KTM. CFMoto and KTM have a close association, which includes the Chinese company assembling KTM 200 and 390 Dukes for the local market.

22 | AUSTRALIAN ROAD RIDER

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NEWS

MOTORCYCLE DIARIES CUBA TOURS H

ow would you like to visit the land of cigars, salsa music, communism and old vehicles while indulging in the spirit of the 2004 movie The Motorcycle Diaries? Now you can with the youngest son of Cuban revolutionary Che Guevara.

The movie traced the Latin American journey on a Norton motorcycle by Guevara when he was a young medical student. However, Ernesto Guevara’s La Poderosa Tour is slightly different. It isn’t

in Latin America, but in Cuba, and while La Poderosa refers to Che’s nickname for the Norton 500 he rode, customers will ride new imperialist Harley-Davidson Street Glides and Wide Glides.

Ernesto says he is honouring the memory of his Marxist guerrilla father, although the capitalist in the 49-year-old lawyer charges $US3000 per person for a six-day tour and up to $5800 for a nineday trip.

“You can explore Cuba with the youngest son of Cuban revolutionary Che Guevara” ■ A beautiful sunset in Cuba – picture yourself there!

The historic journey is designed to give riders an insight into the 1950s Marxist revolution led by Guevara and Fidel Castro. Even one of the guides has a revolutionary connection. Camilo Sanchez is the son of Cuban guerrilla Antonio Sanchez Diaz, who was killed during a 1967 ba le.

The tour includes a visit to Che’s mausoleum, his base in colonial Havana and Santa Clara, which was the site of a key 1958 ba le. However, riders won’t be roughing it like revolutionaries. They will be staying in five-star luxury hotels.

Cuba is one of the few remaining communist countries, perched on the edge of the world’s greatest capitalist country, just 150km from the Florida coast. In the 1950s, the Mafia in the US took over de facto control of the then Batista government, whose corruption paved the way for the successful revolution.

Cuba today is a poor country and does not have a huge motorcycling population. Most people take public transport, taxis or own well-preserved 1940s and ‘50s American vehicles. Riders can expect reasonable roads in the cities, but massive potholes on country roads.

Also, most roads (even multi-lane highways) don’t have white lines to indicate the lanes. However, all motorists drive and ride slowly, so the system seems to work.

ELECTRIC MOTORCYCLES WITH NO BATTERIES?

E

lectric motorcycles are hindered by the size and weight of conventional ba eries, but the answer could be in lightweight supercapacitors built into the bodywork.

The Queensland University of Technology nanotechnology scientists are working on supercapacitors which they believe could one day replace ba eries in electric vehicles. Research leader, professor Munzio Mo a, says supercapacitors can deliver more energy in bursts, which would be great for acceleration.

Supercapacitors are a thin, light and strong film made of two all-carbon electrodes sandwiched around an electrolyte. They could easily be placed within the bodywork of a sportsbike. A drawback is that they don’t store a lot of

24 | AUSTRALIAN ROAD RIDER

“We are making rapid advances all the time and they are feasible for use in electric motorcycles” charge so you need a lot of them. Munzio says that at the moment they would be more practical in cars with large panels and surface area.

“But we are making rapid advances all the time and they are feasible for use in electric motorcycles,” he says.

“I’ve just received an email of a paper in which they claim they found a new way of holding the charge. It’s all a work in progress.” Another advantage of supercapacitors over ba eries is that they

charge more quickly.

Perhaps the answer is a combination of ba ery and supercapacitors to give electric motorcycles more range and faster charging. These have been the two biggest hurdles for the introduction of electric vehicles.

Postdoctoral research fellow Dr Jinzhang Liu says they hope supercapacitors will one day store more energy than a lithium-ion ba ery while retaining the ability to release its energy up to 10 times faster. He says he can see the day when they provide electric vehicles with the same range as petrolpowered vehicles.

The team’s results are published in the Journal of Power Sources and Nanotechnology.

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NEWS

A NEW INDUSTRY AGREEMENT T

he Australian Motorcycle Dealer Association (AMDA) has been formed to provide a more equitable arrangement between manufacturers and dealers.

FCAI motorcycle spokesman Rhys Griffiths says most riders won’t notice much difference, but claims it is an important agreement for the industry.

Under the agreement between state and territory motor trades associations, automobile chambers of commerce and their respective motorcycle industry divisions and other prominent motorcycle retailers, there will be improved national representation on issues impacting the motorcycle retail sector.

The AMDA will be headed up by 40-

“The association will have the ability to represent retailers proactively, effectively and efficiently with all levels of government, business and the community in its own right by drawing on the considerable resources of the state and territory associations and as part of the national federation” year industry veteran Stuart Strickland, the former boss of Honda Australia.

Australian Motor Industry Federation CEO Richard Dudley says a professional and sustainable Australian motorcycle retail sector is “an important cog in Australia’s economy. The association will have the ability to represent retailers proactively, effectively and efficiently with all levels of government, business

and the community in its own right by drawing on the considerable resources of the state and territory associations and as part of the national federation,” he says.

Australia has 700 authorised motorcycle dealers and more than 2000 related motorcycle industry businesses, employing 15,000 people and contributing $3.6 billion to the economy.

EYES INTO THE FUTURE A

prilia has made a couple of hi-tech leaps into the future, where the bike talks to your helmet and phone.

The Italian motorcycle company has announced a collaboration with American helmet company Skully, which is releasing the world’s first commercially available helmet with head-up display and has developed Aprilia Multimedia Platform (aMP) which connects the bike to your iPhone or Android phone.

The partnership with Skully will help develop new forms of rider-vehicle interaction for V4-MP, Piaggio Group’s multimedia platform found on the Aprilia RSV4 and Tuono 1100. This will

■ The future is here!

26 | AUSTRALIAN ROAD RIDER

“This will provide bike information to the Skully helmet visor screen so riders won’t have to take their eyes off the road.” provide bike information to the Skully helmet visor screen so riders won’t have to take their eyes off the road.

That’s off in the future, but right now you can add aMP to your Aprilia Caponord with a $341 retrofit. The aMP app is available through iTunes and talks to the aMP platform fi ed to your bike.

It transforms the rider’s phone into a virtual, real time, multifunction on-board computer allowing the rider to choose between speedometer,

tachometer, engine power and torque, instant and average fuel consumption, suggested gear selection, longitudinal acceleration along with an extended trip computer. With the help of gyroscopes and vehicle telemetry, the application is also able to calculate the rider’s lean angles.

The aMP application will flash to indicate the intervention of Aprilia Traction Control (aTC) and the rider can also set a shi light at their favourite revs. The aMP application will also store the journey data so the rider can analyse their trip and their riding form.

However, riders should be careful as the information may incriminate them should the police or insurance company gain access.

The app also notifies the rider of low fuel and the GPS function identifies the nearest fuel stations and even the nearest Aprilia dealer. It also records the position of the motorcycle when the engine is turned off in case you forget where you parked it.

Together with the Skully helmet, this could really give the rider total control … or information overload!

BIGSHOT Only an hour and a bit south of Australia’s biggest city, Sydney, is a gateway to the west that is free of school zones, traffic lights and tarmac. As a day-loop off-road or the start of an off-road adventure, the Wombeyan Caves Road is the ideal way to begin a ride and leave the hustle and bustle of the “real world” behind.

PHOTO: Matt Shields 28 | AUSTRALIAN ROAD RIDER

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On your itinerary you will journey the real America, meeting the fair-dinkum folk who call the heartland of this amazing country home, eating in true American diners and staying in historic hotels and motels along the way. Beginning in one of the US’s premier cities, Chicago, you will venture across eight states (Illinois, Missouri, Oklahoma, Kansas, Texas, New Mexico, Arizona and California), encountering numerous cultures and tackling all sorts of geography, from the magnificence of the Great Lakes to the corn belt of Illinois, the rolling hills of the Ozarks, the mesmerising Llano Estacado and the Painted Desert. You’ll be crossing the high plains, climbing through alpine regions, the Grand Canyon and dropping into the blistering Mojave Desert, before we reach the Land of Milk and Honey and topping it all off in the light-spangled Las Vegas.

You will also visit iconic Route 66 sights such as the Wagon Wheel and Wigwam Motels (Pixar’s inspiration in the animated movie Cars), the 1929 Chain of Rocks Bridge, St Louis Gateway Arch, Devil’s Elbow Bridge, Gary’s Gay Parita gas station, 4 Women on the Route, 9-foot highway, the Blue Whale of Catoosa, 1933 Texaco Station, Big Texas Steak Ranch, Santa Fe, Cadillac Ranch, Jack Rabbit Trading Post, Apache Death Cave, Twin Arrows … and much, much more!

AND QUOTE C/ARRR66 TODAY!

LIFE IN PICTURES While having an end-of-2014 clear-out — as you do, Charley comes across some old photos which bring back memories of a life-changing episode …

CHARLEY BOORMAN have been doing my once-a-year clean-up, which is quite a job. I always try to have a big clear-out, ending with a visit either to the tip or the charity shop. It’s not easy, is it? You look at that bike jacket and you know you’ve not worn it for the whole year — keep it? No. Give it to someone who may get more use out of it. So while doing the same thing with my laptop, I came across a load of old Long Way Round photos and thought they’d make a nice scrapbook article. The pictures mean a lot to me as I went from painter, decorator and jobbing actor to a career in motorbikes, the love of my life.

Hope you like them. Charley.

I

Want to tour Africa with Charley as your guide?

Each year, Charley takes a group of people across Southern Africa, riding BMWs from Cape Town up into Namibia, Zambia, Zimbabwe, Botswana and Lesotho before returning back to Cape Town. Riders can do the whole adventure or a section of it. You’ll be crossing lots of borders and you’ll have an amazing adventure — possibly the adventure of a lifetime. You could cross the Tropic of Cancer twice, go whale spotting and swim with great whites in the Atlantic. You can take a pillion or even just ride in the jeep; it won’t be easy but it will be fun and fulfilling. Check out the details and learn more at Charley’s website, www.charleyboorman.com or email billy@charleyboorman.com.

32 | AUSTRALIAN ROAD RIDER

The start line 2004 … I was totally terrified and dropped the bike twice — should have left about 30 kilos behind!

Planning and enjoying the moments with Ewan in our cool HQ in London, Bulwer Street

Who’d have thought that these two BMW GS 1150s would become synonymous with world adventure rides? I rode mine recently at the famous Goodwood Festival of Speed and seriously it brought a tear to my eye

Me and John McGuinness, TT legend, at the Goodwood circuit in 2014

The Mongolian people were so welcoming. Many live in gers or yurts and have a nomadic lifestyle. They were natural horsemen and d happy to let us have a blast

CHARLEY BOORMAN

When we arrived at the scene we thought, “Oh my god, there’s someone in there”. When we climbed up, the driver was sleeping — and not overly impressed at being woken!

“The pictures mean a lot to me as I went from painter, decorator and jobbing actor to a career in motorbikes, ve of my life the love life” Now this was an engine! By this time ’s we were right into the trip and Ewan Grizzly Adams beard was in full swing

I really love this shot. We first heard about this bridge through the Millennium Rider, Simon Milward. This is a team that’s bonded — we’d been through a lot when this was taken

Celebrating our return to Bulwer Street — two mates, big trip, job done. We had no idea that Long Way Round would take off the way it did. It was a slow burner, for sure

We were pretty full of ourselves when we got through the Road of Bones.

It runs from Yakutsk to Magadan

I think it’s lovely to have the memories, but you know, we have to be careful not to dwell too much in the past or the future, but live in the present, so enough of all our yesterdays ... now where’s my atlas! ARR AUSTRALIAN ROAD RIDER | 33

SEDDO

NEXT GEN GEOFF SEDDON

What’s right with the youth of today hat is it about young folk building cheap stripped-down custom bikes out of any old rubbish that so challenges experienced riders to dismiss them as not being real motorcyclists?

The gripes seem to flow from two fronts — the bikes and those who ride them.

Customs are modified mostly for looks, o en at the expense of performance, and have funny tyres. They are no more than fashion accessories for hipsters who couldnಬt ride out of sight on a dark night.

It would be laughable if the detractors werenಬt serious.

I donಬt know whether itಬs xenophobia or jealousy at

W

us bearded blokes ge ing all the cute chicks, because the resurgent urban custom bike scene is the best thing to happen to motorcycling since Mick Doohan and hereಬs why.

The local motorcycling population is ageing, dominated by 60-year-old baby boomers with too few kids coming through to replenish the ranks. LAMS legislation and the short-lived scooter craze arrested the slide for a while, but the longterm prognosis isnಬt great.

Then out of the ethernet emerges a cool new style of motorcycling tailor-made for ge ing around congested cities all around the world.

People who hadnಬt previously given much thought to motorcycles suddenly got interested and a whole new sub-culture was born.

Today, thousands of Aussie teenagers are ge ing their first taste of motorcycling aboard some nameless forgo en Jappa which they have stripped and modded to make their own style

r The young kids of today seem to have gotten it right!

“It reminds me of an earlier self when I owned a succession of bobbers back in the 80s, except we didnಬt have a name for them then” statement. The brand and model hardly ma ers, it will be unrecognisable by the time it is reborn as a cafe racer, bobber or tracker. The entry price is low, they donಬt go fast enough to trouble the cops and the fun factor is high.

Fuelled by social media, the community spirit within the custom scene is enviable, as evidenced by events like the Distinguished Gentlemanಬs Ride, which has blossomed in two years from a Sydney fun run to an international phenomenon a racting tens of thousands of riders. L- and P-plates are almost as common as heat-wrapped headers and open megaphones. Girls feel welcome and safe. Everyone is smiling and having a good time. Hello!

My young bloke is loving his custom postie bike, which is his only means of transport. It has two wheels, an engine, he gets wet when it rains and he has to put up with exactly the same morons on the road. He is learning simple maintenance tasks like adjusting and lubing the chain, checking tyre pressures and changing the oil. What part of that doesnಬt make him a real motorcyclist?

Di o my mate Damien, a former car nut who switched to bikes when the cost and stress of owning highperformance import cars became too much. His first build was a rigid-framed

bobbed Sportster, a er which he turned his a ention to first-generation twin-cam Honda fours because they were plentiful and cheap, eventually building a trio of distinctive customs for not much more than loose change.

His inner-city cave is filled with frames, engines, grinders, welders and a revolving cast of mates riding similar bikes, many of whom are also relatively new to the sport.

For an old bloke whoಬs been there and done that, the enthusiasm of these guys and gals is invigorating. It reminds me of an earlier self when I owned a succession of bobbers back in the 80s, except we didnಬt have a name for them then. Iಬd just buy some old dunger, ditch the instruments, blinkers and whatever else, then fit some wide ಬbars and the loudest exhausts I could scrounge. If I wasnಬt the coolest dude on the planet, I was on my way!

So maybe not much has changed, although I remember older riders being helpful and supportive when I started out. We might have had different tastes in bikes but it was always us against everyone else so welcome to the club, young fella! Letಬs not diss one another because we dress differently or seek an alternate path. The core things that bind motorcycle riders are always more important than the minor stuff that irritates us. ARR AUSTRALIAN ROAD RIDER | 35

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CHIT-CHAT WITH DOT ZOE NAYLOR ot is 94. To celebrate her 94th birthday this year, Dot took a ride on a Harley-Davidson motorcycle.

In a society that tends to shun and dismiss the elderly, I felt that this vivacious and life-affirming lady had a lot she could share, especially regarding how to live a long, vital and passionate life.

D

Dot: I don’t feel old. I like young company … young people. Anybody has only got to suggest something and I’m up and away.

Zoe: Hence the motorcycle ride for your 94th birthday!

Was that the first time you’d been on a motorcycle?

Dot: Oh no, no, no! In my day, if a fella had a motorbike he was very popular. Oh yeah, I loved to ride on the back.

I’ve had a good time … no regrets. And I’m going to have some more too! I’m ready for anything!

Zoe: Do you think that’s the key to a happy life?

Dot: Oh yeah, be ready and open for anything. At the drop of a hat! Good health is also one of the most important things in life. Eat good tucker.

Don’t eat a lot of rubbish — there’s a lot of that around nowadays. And make sure you keep your body moving.

Don’t sit around too much.

I’m always up, gardening or going for a walk or something.

I’ve got lots of nice memories and plenty of friends. I’m doing alright!

In a life well lived, there’s a lot to be said for motorcycling being the elixir of life Zoe: What’s the hardest thing about ageing?

Dot: It’s a young people’s society.

Zoe: That’s a shame isn’t it? I think there’s a beauty in age.

I think there’s a wisdom that should be shared.

Dot: God, we must have something to offer. A er all those years, all that experience — we must’ve learnt something! It’s all a learning process — you can always learn something. I’m still learning. I like meeting people.

Everyday there’s something out there waiting for you.

Zoe: You just have to get out of bed and meet the day.

Dot: Yes, sometimes it’s hard to get out of bed … but a day without a laugh is a day wasted.

Zoe: Laughter is so important isn’t it! I struggle to laugh sometimes. I get bogged down.

Dot: Yes, feel a bit sorry for yourself do you?

Zoe: You could put it that way (laughs).

Dot: Well it passes, it all passes.

in black soot. It wasn’t a fancy life but it was very good.

Zoe: So, it’s true when they say the simplest lives are o en the best?

Dot: Yes! Sadly, there was no work for me in Kurri Kurri so as soon as I was old enough I took off for Sydney. I must’ve had a lot of confidence I think when I look back. But I really think education begins when you leave school.

Zoe: I couldn’t agree more. All this money spent on private school education, for what? I went to a private school but I don’t believe it necessarily set me up for a well-rounded life. I’ve been reading a lot of articles about this lately. I’d rather spend all that money on the school of life!

Dot: Life is out there. It’s not in the school room. When I got to Sydney I got a live-in job. I helped with house work, cooking and the children … I travelled with the families … I also had to rear two children on my own. I should write a book one day — I don’t think it

would be a best-seller though (laughs). I would add that everyone should keep a diary.

You don’t think you’re going to forget but you do. There’s too much! You can’t store it all in your head.

Zoe: How did you get through the tough times?

Dot: Just face up to it and do what’s got to be done. Be open. Every day is different, which is good. Every day you don’t know what’s going to happen, what you’re going to experience. Every day something turns up. That’s what makes life so interesting.

It’s all out there waiting.

Having spent the morning with Dot, I came away feeling like it’s a damn shame we don’t wish to garner more wisdom from those of us in the community that have lived to twice our age. I was reminded recently that a key to a happy life is honesty, open-mindedness and willingness. Dot is certainly a testament to that.

Thank you Dot for taking the time to talk with me. ARR

Zoe: Where did you grow up?

Dot: I grew up in Kurri Kurri, near Cessnock. Dad was a coal miner, down in the pit every day. It was frightful, it was dark and they were there all day in that darkness working.

I had great parents, loving parents. There were none of these fancy homes and bathrooms you have now. At night we carried in a tub for dad, who came home covered AUSTRALIAN ROAD RIDER | 37

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GREGOR

MY FIRST LOVE GREG REYNOLDS guess everyone has a so spot for their first bike, or one of their early bikes that was a favourite. The one I think about when the lights go out is my first “real” bike — the mighty Triumph Bonneville T120R. It was a true superbike back in the day and the second bike I ever owned.

Seddo’s enthusiasm for his Norton project is definitely rubbing off on me because I have found myself reminiscing about that Triumph quite a bit lately. Seddo is understandably stoked to have a Norton Commando, which is similar to his old bike, but I would like to take that one step further. I would like to locate my actual original Bonnie! I had so much history and so many miles and memories on that Triumph that it is a special bike to me.

I would love to find out what became of it, and maybe own it again.

I bought my Bonneville new in 1972 for $1140 from Fred Spinks Motorcycles in Coffs Harbour, a er a ba le with my parents. I was still in high school at the time so it was a huge deal for me. I can still see the look on my parents’ faces when I told them I was going to leave school to become a garbo so I could earn the money to buy a Triumph Bonneville! They were horrified, and not only because I wanted to leave school. There was no sewerage in my area so the garbos had to double up as the sani-man at night and carry the pans!

I don’t think mum could handle the shame of her son

I

Cast your mind back far enough and you’ll always remember that first true love working on the “night cart” so she provided the solution.

She went guarantor for me in a loan agreement so I could buy the Triumph and ride it to school. She was a visionary my mum! If that’s what it took to get me educated, and to finish the HSC, she was right behind it. To her eternal credit, her trust inspired me to get through school and helped plant the seed for a lifetime of motorcycling.

My Triumph was a 1972-model 650 Bonneville with the “bread box”-style tank. I viewed it through rose-coloured glasses, but in retrospect it was a bit of a “parts bin special” model.

A factory clean-out while Triumph geared up to produce the 750cc T140 Bonneville and the new T150 Trident.

My bike had the new frame, which carries the oil in its thick central downtube. This frame formed the basis of the T140 in the ‘70s and the bike was widely acknowledged as a great handler.

History has shown that my Bonnie was at the very end of an iconic model run. It was the last of the 650cc capacity, last of the drum brakes, last of the 4-speed gearbox, last of the gear change on the proper (British) side etc. None of that ma ered to me though. If anything, it made it more appealing in a retro kind of way.

Over the next 14 years I modified the Bonnie quite a bit to enhance performance and reliability. I fi ed a modified VW oil cooler and a Peter Allen 2 into 1 exhaust quite early on. Then came the cafe racer

They say memories are better than the real thing, but that’s never the case when it comes to motorcycles…

“I have owned and sold other bikes that would now be more valuable or collectable than the Bonneville, but none had the soul of the vertical twin from Meriden. It must be out there somewhere” essentials — Dunstall clip-ons and rear sets. A fairing was next, and the John Player replica twin headlight fairing made a huge difference.

Covering heaps of miles at excessive speeds necessitated a few engine rebuilds during the ‘70s, but by 1980 it was ge ing tired again. I decided to go all out and have it fully balanced and blueprinted. I also fi ed bigger valves, stronger cam, and 32mm Dell’Orto pumpers to replace the 30mm Amals. My trusty Bonneville absolutely flew a er that and it would indicate over 140mph (225kph)!

The metallic burgundy paint job, with silver pin stripe, really looked the part back in the day.

Unfortunately, in the mid ‘80s I got overrun with

responsibilities and decided to sell the Triumph. I finished up swapping it for a 75/6 BMW and a handful of cash. Albert Collins was the buyer’s name and the frame and engine numbers are HE30752T120R. Are you out there Albert? Do you still have my Bonnie or is it long gone? I still remember you and the blue/grey leather jacket I sold you on the day.

If you know Albert, or if you know where my beloved Bonnie is now, please get in touch with me via the mag.

I have owned and sold other bikes that would now be more valuable or collectable than the Bonneville, but none had the soul of the vertical twin from Meriden. It must be out there somewhere. ARR AUSTRALIAN ROAD RIDER | 39

High on the Hoglet It’s been a long time coming, but Harley’s baby Street 500 is set to be one of their best-selling bikes in Australia

40 | AUSTRALIAN ROAD RIDER

HARLEY-DAVIDSON STREET 500

►

AUSTRALIAN ROAD RIDER | 41

“Let the clutch out and it romps away, with 50Nm of Harleystyle torque pulling the lightweight 218kg bike swiftly off the starting line in the traffic-light derby” STORY: MARK HINCHLIFFE PHOTOS: H-D AUSTRALIA he Harley-Davidson Street — the first new Harley family in 14 years — was first hinted at by company CEO Ma Levatich at a press conference with Australian journalists in August 2013 at the 110th Anniversary celebrations.

We couldn’t believe our ears when we heard that the traditional makers of heavy American motorcycles were testing a 500cc V-twin learner bike. We were further gobsmacked that Harley was also considering an electric motorcycle.

It didn’t sound at all like the Harley we had come to know and love over 110 years.

Wind forward just a few months and both are revealed to a still-reeling world.

Australia has had to wait an agonising year for the Street 500 to arrive and who knows how much longer we will have to wait for the production version of the

T

42 | AUSTRALIAN ROAD RIDER

electric LiveWire. Both are considered learner and novice bikes under our licensing rules and LAMS bikes are currently topping the sales charts as more people flock — or return — to motorcycling for frugal fun.

So the arrival of the Hoglet has been much anticipated by potential riders, Harley and the rest of the industry. Just witness the unveiling at the Melbourne Moto Expo in November. ARR editor Mick Matheson posted a video of the unveiling on Facebook and it scored more than 80,000 hits in a couple of days.

So what’s the recipe for success? The first ingredient is making the price right.

Harley has done that, bringing it in at $9995 ride away. Yes, you heard right. A brand-new Harley for under $10,000.

But is it worth that much, does it feel and sound like a Harley and what is it like to ride? Australian Road Rider was one of the first magazines invited to

HARLEY-DAVIDSON STREET 500 ■ Black: what other colour is there for a Harley?!

throw a leg over the bike on its first test on Australian soil so we could get some answers to these burning questions.

Unfortunately, it was a wet and windy day in Sydney and the planned route south through the Royal National Park was abandoned due to flash flooding.

Instead, we met at the ultra-trendy The Grounds of Alexandria for a la e and a sedate ride on the Street 500 via a drenched Princes Highway to a windblown Scarborough Hotel and back. Still, it was enough to confirm my belief that the Street 500 is actually a $12,000 bike.

Engine, transmission, riding comfort, brakes, build quality, handling, ride and brand credibility are all of a standard you would expect from a bike worth at least a couple of thousand dollars more.

■ Every detail on the 500 is flawless

Harley must surely be losing money on every sale.

Harley-Davidson Australia and New Zealand marketing director Adam Wright cleverly skirted that question by confirming that dealers will still make a profit from every bike. He conveniently didn’t mention whether Harley was making or losing any money on them.

If Harley is buying market share and a racting new and younger customers to the brand earlier, then it is money very well spent.

A er a hot la e on a grey and wet Thursday morning, we slipped on our borrowed Harley wet gear and went out into the sloshy carpark to meet our rides for the day.

The Street 500 certainly looks like

QUICKSPECS Model: Harley-Davidson Street XG500 Price: $9995 ($10,995 in NZ) rideaway Colours: Gloss Black and burgundy Warranty: 24 months, unlimited km, roadside assist Service: 8000km Engine: Liquid-cooled, fuel-injected, 4-valve, 494cc Revolution X V-Twin Power: About 40kW Torque: 50Nm @ 3500rpm Bore x stroke: 69 x 66mm Compression: 11:1 Transmission: 6-speed, wet multi-plate clutch, belt drive Length: 2225mm Width: 820mm Height: 1058mm Seat: 709mm Clearance: 145mm Rake/trail: 32°/115mm Wheelbase: 1534mm Tyres: Michelin Scorcher 100/80 R17; 140/75 R15 Fuel: 13.1L Weight: 218kg Chassis: Tubular steel Suspension: 37mm telescopic forks, twin tubular shocks adjustable for pre-load Brakes: 292mm/260mm discs, 2-piston calipers Lean angles: 28.5° Fuel consumption: 3.74L/100km Theoretical range: 350+km range Verdict: Great first or second bike with Harley’s famed street cred

a Harley. Close inspection reveals good build quality for a $10,000 bike.

They’ve used metal fenders, a lot of Allen bolts and a simple but stylish single instrument pod that features an analogue speedo with an LCD screen for two trips, odo and warning lights. A fuel gauge and clock would have been welcome additions, but just remember that price tag.

However, it does come with a locked fuel cap that you don’t even get on any other Harleys except the Touring class. That’s because it is made in Asia, specifically for an Asian market where they demand fuel security. I also like the discreet position for the ignition key, although you’ll need a so fob or you will scratch the gorgeous triple clamp.

The neat tail end with its LED taillight ► AUSTRALIAN ROAD RIDER | 43

r Colour options are limited, but we are tipping black will be a favourite

and shorty fender is the perfect finish to a stylish, modern and Harley-esque bike.

The 500 comes in either gloss black or a burgundy colour that reminded me of a Camry. I put that ugly thought out of my mind and by the end of the day I found it quite a ractive. My only concerns with the build quality are some messy cables and bare electrical wire couplings that should be tidied up. Other than that, it fits Harley’s usual build standards.

However, when you turn it on and let it idle, it doesn’t sound or feel like a Harley as there is no initial thump and virtually no vibe from the water-cooled Revolution X engine while the stock pipes are almost mute. If you like your bikes quiet, then you’ll be pleased with the lack of mechanical engine noise, so transmission clunk and the quietrunning, maintenance-free belt drive.

One of the test bikes was fi ed with various accessories such as a windscreen and Screamin’ Eagles and I’m pleased to report that the a ermarket pipes give it quite a juicy note. Click it into gear and again it doesn’t sound like a Harley as there is only a snick, not a massive clunk.

Let the clutch out and it romps away, 44 | AUSTRALIAN ROAD RIDER

with 50Nm of Harley-style torque pulling the lightweight 218kg bike swi ly off the starting line in the traffic-light derby.

Once we gave it some revs and a few gear changes, even the bikes with standard-issue pipes started to reveal a variety of acceptable choruses. Liberated with be er-breathing air filter and pipes for a decent suck and blow, it should produce quite a pleasant motorcycle opus.

Around town it rides confidently over Sydney’s broken concrete, thanks to its 17in front wheel and 15in rear wheel, a good set of rear shocks and sturdy forks.

With the rear preload on its so est se ing, the ride is plush without feeling sloppy. There are still plenty of clicks le to adjust for a pillion and some luggage.

Steering is moderately precise and stable. I targeted a few longitudinal gouges in the road but it didn’t want to follow the cracks, so Melbourne riders should have some joy over their tricky tram tracks. Thanks to the wet roads all the way to Scarborough and back, it was difficult to assess the full extent of its handling when pushed hard, but it coped quite well in these conditions.

Hit the brakes and they lack some initial bite and feel a bit spongy, so you have to pull the lever and push the wide rubber brake pedal firmly. However, it does have effective stopping power and the lack of initial bite makes it safer in the wet. The Street 500 is now the only bike in the Harley fleet without ABS, but the Michelin Scorchers have good wetstopping grip.

Fuelling via the single 38mm Mikuni thro le body is very smooth which makes slow and tight manoeuvres easy.

Together with the light clutch pull and smooth and refined transmission, it will be a competent and happy commuter.

It is powered by the new water-cooled Revolution X engine with about 40kW of power and 50Nm of torque, but only 218kg in running order which is 33kg less than a Sportster 883 Iron. It’s not enough to stretch your arms, but it’s enough to keep you out of trouble in the trafficlight derby.

The Revolution X engine revs up quickly without much inertia resistance, but it soon runs out of breath before the 8000-rev redline. For the best results, you need to work the gears a li le more than

HARLEY-DAVIDSON STREET 500 STREET CRED AT STAKE Harley’s press releases used to include a note at the bottom that said it was the maker of heavy motorcycles. Now that it has launched the Street 500, that note says the company “produces custom, cruiser and touring motorcycles”.

It’s an ever-so-subtle change, but the traditional American heavy iron cruiser company is indeed changing and it needs to identify itself a little differently.

But does the production of a 500cc cruiser dilute the venerable brand?

Harley-Davidson Australia and New Zealand marketing director Adam Wright says no. “Did BMW’s 1 Series dilute their brand?” he asks. He may well have also referred to the MercedesBenz A Class, Audi A1 or even the Porsche Macan mini-SUV. Seems if it’s

“So what’s the recipe for success? The first ingredient is making the price right. Harley has done that, bringing it in at $9995 rideaway. Yes, you heard right. A brand-new Harley for under $10,000”

r The riding position is comfortable for taller riders

good enough for the Germans …

Adam says the 1 Series meant many young people could afford to go straight into a BMW for their first car. Once BMW has them in their grasp, they can work on building customer loyalty for life.

Harley plans to do the same thing.

Adam says they will offer an attractive finance package — probably as cheap as $50 a week — to lure young people into the Harley lifestyle with their first bike.

He believes it will be easier to retain those customers and get them to trade up through the various Harley families, than to win new customers to the brand after riding other first bikes.

The other hurdle for Harley is the country of origin. The Street 500 and 750 are being produced in Kansas, but also in Bawal, India. It’s the first time Harleys

Harley riders are used to doing.

Harley’s tech tells me it’s a simple engine that will be easy to service. He also says it could be modified up to 750cc, but it would not have the same crank and valves as the Street 750.

Out on the highway, sixth gear isn’t too tall like on many other Harleys, but you will still have to drop it a cog or two for brisk overtaking. Surprisingly, there is no annoying tingle through the bars from

have been built outside North America.

However, Adam doesn’t believe this will be an issue.

“Many of our cars and bikes already come from Asia,” he says. And he’s right. Most Honda cars and almost all dual-cab utes are built in Thailand and as European motorcycle companies such as Triumph, KTM, Ducati and BMW start assembly and production plants in India and other South East Asian countries, we are bound to see more Asian bikes here.

Adam maintains that Harley has very “stringent quality-control measures” and that the Indian-built bikes are identical to those made in Kansas. The only difference is “Made in India” on the VIN label and the presence of a locking fuel cap that is required for Asian markets.

the uncharacteristically high-revving cruiser engine at highway speed, just a light galloping vibe.

Harley claims fuel economy of about 3.7L/100km delivering in excess of 350km from the 13.1L fuel tank which is not only good for touring, but more appropriately a ractive economics for commuters.

Riding position is similar to the Sportster, with a low 709mm seat height and wide mid-mount controls that get in the way a li le when you stop and put your foot down; again like the Sporty.

My knees were set a li le high beside the tank, but at 183cm tall I didn’t feel like I was too big and ungainly for the bike.

Bars are a reasonable reach and give the rider dirt-bike-style control over the steering. They are also adjustable for the many rider sizes this bike can accommodate.

Mirrors are set fairly narrow, which accommodates lane filtering but makes it difficult to see directly behind you. The smooth engine also doesn’t vibrate the mirrors, which give clear vision at any engine revs.

The non-adjustable brake pedal feels a li le low and the adjustable gearshi is a li le high, even when adjusted low.

So when gearing down and braking into a corner you feel a bit like you’re riding a pushbike because your feet are at different levels. If you swapped the pegs for a ermarket units, you could possibly adjust the brake a li le higher.

Being a Queenslander, one of my pet hates when commuting is the heat that AUSTRALIAN ROAD RIDER | 45

HARLEY-DAVIDSON STREET 500 REVOLUTIONARY POWER Street 500 is powered by an aptly named Revolution X engine because it is a bit of a revolution for Harley.

It’s not the company’s first watercooled engine and it owes a lot of its architecture to the other water-cooled Harley engine from the V-Rod. But it is a revolutionary departure in other ways, mainly its 60-degree angle, rather than the usual 45 degrees. This was done so that the seat could be lowered to attract young riders, learners and the shorter people out there.

The fuel-injected Revolution X comes as both a 749cc and 494cc four-stroke engine with the same stroke and different bores (85mm and 65mm). While they share much of the components, the 749cc has a different crank and bigger valves, however the 494cc engine can be largely converted to a 749. They have four valves and one chain-driven single overhead camshaft per aluminium, iron-lined cylinder.

Part of the engine’s frugal economy is achieved through the reaction of internal engine friction by using roller rockers with screw adjusters. The bottom of the engine has a vertically split crankcase with plain bearings and it has a single balance shaft to smooth it out.

46 | AUSTRALIAN ROAD RIDER

“This bike is going to appeal to a lot of riders, not just learners. Women, returned riders, commuters, short people, tall people and Harley owners who want a second townrun-around will be among potential customers” pours out of most engines onto your legs.

Harley has done a lot with the aero and cylinder cutout technology on its Touring bikes to alleviate this heat, but it doesn’t need to do anything with the Street 500.

It feels like a cool runner, even in stopstart conditions. And when the radiator fan does come on, it doesn’t sound like a swarm of wasps as the Buell’s did.

We rode through the staccato Sydney traffic down to Scarborough in squally conditions, but the li le Street 500 felt sure-footed like a much bigger bike and didn’t get blown around by truck buffeting on the highway or the howling winds that ba ered us off the coastal cliffs.

The seat is quite comfortable and didn’t start to hurt my damaged tailbone until near the end of our 100-minute ride to our lunch date. Our ride back to trendy Redfern also didn’t have me twitching around in the seat and wanting to get off.

This bike is going to appeal to a lot of riders, not just learners. Women, returned

riders, commuters, short people, tall people and Harley owners who want a second town-run-around will be among potential customers.

Well before the Street 500 arrived, Adam said they already had orders from more than 300 customers, most of whom paid a deposit before the price was announced at the Moto Expo. He says some potential customers told him they expected it would cost about $12,000 and had budgeted that much, so they were now planning to buy accessories and rider gear. Lucky for them there are some 80 Street-specific accessories including screens and luggage, plus a host of other generic Harley accessories that will fit.

At this price and with this level of performance, quality and brand cred, the Indian-built Street 500 should be a real winner. And if there were 300 preorders just two weeks a er its Australian unveiling, it should easily outsell the Breakout, which was the surprise seventh-best-selling bike last year. ARR

HYPER 48 | AUSTRALIAN ROAD RIDER

DUCATI HYPERMOTARD SP

RDRIVE Can something this radical-looking and track-ready be a great everyday road bike too?

AUSTRALIAN ROAD RIDER | 49

DUCATI HYPERMOTARD SP STORY: NIGEL CROWLEY PHOTOS: HEATHER WARE his is the third iteration of the Hypermotard since it was launched in 2007, to an audience so enthusiastic they crashed the Ducati website trying to get a look at the concept bike. Originally produced as an 1100, it was joined by a 796cc version at the end of 2009 before both models were replaced by the watercooled 821cc versions in 2013. The saying “third time’s a charm” certainly seems appropriate in this case, as the current SP version we tested is an outstanding and in some respects beguiling motorcycle.

Brand new from the ground up, the standard and SP models both use the second-generation four-valve, Testastre a 11-degree engine producing a claimed 110hp at 9250rpm and 89Nm of torque at 7500rpm. The 11-degree refers to the valve overlap which, although reducing maximum power, enhances the mid-range, making for a more user-

T

friendly powerplant than the 40ishdegree versions which are be er suited to sustained high-rpm operation, ie sportsbikes.

My seat-of-the-pants dyno can certainly confirm the engine’s amazingly fat and linear spread of power, making for an incredibly entertaining ride without needing to scream the backside off it. In fact, this thing makes such good power everywhere the tacho is almost irrelevant as you can pre y much open the thro le anywhere in the rev range and get impressive drive. The actual power curve, as shown on the Ducati website, looks like it could have been drawn with a ruler it’s so straight. The motor is also remarkably smooth once you get above about 3500rpm, below which it’s lumpy and vibratey in a nice big-twin kind of way, making the brake master-cylinder wobble about on its flimsy bracket like a nodding-dog on acid.

One of the first things you notice about the visually striking Hypermotard

■ Handguards are great for keeping the weather off or brushing through traffic LLeft-hand switchgear operates th the multifunction instrument ddisplay

Marzocchi forks have a raceylooking titanium nitride coating

■ Termignoni exhaust looks sporty and sounds great

50 | AUSTRALIAN ROAD RIDER

MORE FOR THE ROAD If touring is your bag but you still want a bike that doesn’t handle like a wheelbarrow full of water in the twisties, take a good look at the Hyperstrada. This is essentially the same bike as the standard Hypermotard but decked out in touring gear. This includes a wider, more comfortable seat, a windshield and the options of hard luggage, satnav and even heated grips. It also features revised ergonomics such as a seat height of 850mm (that’s 20mm lower than the standard motard) and 20mm higher bars to make it even more comfortable.

r Not much room for anything here!

r Ohlins shock is top notch

is how far off the ground it is or, more to the point, you are. I’m no short-arse, at just under six foot, but even in a perfectly flat car park I could just barely get my tiptoes on the ground. At 890mm, this is a full 20mm taller in the saddle than the standard version, thanks primarily to the longer suspension. And at 2in longer than my inside leg measurement, it is probably at the limit of what I would want to ride on the road. In fact, I managed to drop a Dorsoduro a while back simply because I stalled it doing a U-turn and couldn’t get a foot to the floor — and that’s the same height as the standard Hyper.

But here’s the thing: I was going to joke that ge ing on and off the SP was like

doing a yoga class. Well, a er two weeks of riding it at every opportunity (and by every I mean ge ing up pre-dawn on a number of occasions just to take it for a thrash unfe ered by bicycles, plod and the school-run), I found that my legs had actually got more stretchy and reaching the ground confidently had pre y much ceased to be an issue. Free chiropractic courtesy of Ducati, anyone? However, if all this sounds a bit daunting, bear in mind that if you’re an Umpa Lumpa there’s an option of a 20mm lower seat — although how they do this without making the seat as thin as a fag-paper I don’t know.

The good news is the bike carries its wet weight of 194 kilos low down, and trickling along at almost zero speed is pre y easy, making frantic dabs for the ground few and far between. Given the amount of fork travel (185mm), it’s a good idea to use the back brake only under these circumstance to avoid constantly changing the geometry, but it’s so well balanced that you can happily do a feetup U-turn with the bars hard against the lock-stops. Threading it through the traffic is also easier than you might expect. From the saddle, the bars appear to be wider than they are, primarily due to the optical illusion created by the handguards looking so bulky. In fact, the bike fits through some surprisingly narrow gaps and at least the quirky and impractical, bar-end-mounted, flip-out mirrors have gone, replaced by conventional ones which, in a radical new move by motorcycle designers, reflect more than just your elbows.

Ergonomically, the Hypermotard has moved on in all the right ways too. The bars are further forward and higher up, giving more road feel than an outand-out dirtbike, and you no longer feel like the headstock is up your jacksy.

The metal and rubber footpegs are also further forward, making that crucial rider-triangle feel just about spot on. In fact, I especially noticed that on a long freeway run I didn’t find myself falling into that round-backed nakedbike slouch which is all too common and fatiguing.

The fuel tank has also been totally redesigned, increasing its capacity by 4.6L to a really useful 16L. The SP’s average fuel consumption over two weeks of 5.9L/100km gives a range of about 275km to bone dry, although you could expect be er than that if you stuck strictly to ►

AUSTRALIAN ROAD RIDER | 51

QUICKSPECS

the freeway.

The minimal bodywork up front, along with the handguards, somehow combine to minimise any undue wind buffeting too, which helps you avoid feeling like a kite in a wind tunnel at triple-digit speeds. Combined with the smoothness of the engine and the comfortable and roomy seat, this makes the Hyper unexpectedly good on a long haul. There’s also plenty of room to carry a pillion.

The SP differs from the standard Hypermotard in a number of ways, some might say the most significant of which is a whopping four grand. However, I would argue that the most significant difference is the absolutely brilliant suspension. Up front you get a set of fully adjustable 50mm, USD Marzocchi forks, while at the back, controlling the butch-looking single-sided swingarm, is a fully adjustable Ohlins monoshock, which is made more useful by virtue of the preload and damping adjustments being so easy to get to.

First impressions is that the bike is setup pre y stiff, although I actually dialled in an extra click of compression damping on the top of the le fork-leg (rebound is on the right) as there was just a fraction too much dive for me. However, overall the action of the boingy bits is absolutely superb and both ends do a fantastic job of tracking the road and keeping the chewing-gum-so Pirelli Diablo Supercorsa SP tyres in contact with the surface. Particularly impressive, and one of the things that helps make this bike so nice to ride, is the bump-damping front and rear. The initial movement of 52 | AUSTRALIAN ROAD RIDER

the shocks is so smooth that nothing jarring ever reaches the rider. This is one area where quality suspension really outclasses its cheaper rivals and for my money, is worth every penny. Don’t underestimate how wearing it is to ride a motorcycle where every ripple or expansion joint kicks you in the kidneys.

To be compliant enough to do this and yet keep the whole chassis perfectly under control while you bobble up the very edges of the tyres is impressive indeed. Other differences for your four large are lightweight Panigale-style threespoke Marchesini wheels with trademark red pinstriping, carbon cam-belt covers, carbon front mudguard and magnesium engine covers. All of which combine to make the SP four kilos lighter than the standard version.

In common with other top-end Ducatis, the Hyper family features a fully ride-by-wire thro le system incorporating DSP, or Ducati Safety Package to you and me. Having ridden a few ride-by-wire bikes lately, I’d say this is the closest thing to replicating a thro le cable as you’re likely to find. The pick-up mid-corner is silky smooth, small thro le openings don’t invoke that horrible onoff hunting common to other systems, and best of all there’s a smoothness and weightiness about the twist-grip which you would swear was due to having carb slides at the other end. The package incorporates three engine maps for Race, Sport and Rain which also dial up preset values for traction control (DTC) and ABS, as well as thro le response and power. In addition, you can interrogate

Model: Ducati Hypermotard SP Price: $21,490 (plus on-road charges) Colours: Red Corse Stripe Warranty: 24 months, unlimited kilometres Servicing intervals: 30,000km Engine: Testastre a 11º. Fourvalve per cylinder V-twin with Desmodromic valve actuation Bore x stroke: 88 x 67.5mm Displacement: 821cc Compression: 12.8:1 Power: 81kW @ 9250rpm Torque: 89Nm @ 7750rpm Transmission: Six-speed gearbox, chain final drive Frame: Tubular steel trellis Dimensions: Seat height 890mm, weight 194kg (wet), fuel capacity 16L, wheelbase 1505mm, rake 25.5º, trail 104mm Suspension: Fully adjustable 50mm Marzocchi fork, 185mm travel. Ohlins rear shock with preload, rebound and compression damping, 175mm travel Brakes: Front, twin Brembo M4.32 Monoblock four-piston calipers, 320mm disc. Rear, Brembo two-piston caliper. ABS. Tyres: Pirelli Diablo Rosso II Front, 120/70ZR17. Rear, 180/60ZR17 Fuel consumption: 5.9L/100km Theoretical range: 275km Verdict: A machine that does many jobs and always puts a smile on your dial.

each map through the feature-packed dash, and dial-in and save your preferred se ings for each of these parameters.

I generally used the Sport map, which was pre y much perfect for everything, giving full power and torque with a slightly so er thro le response than the full Race mode, and level three (of eight) DTC and level two (of three) ABS. You can also manually switch both of those off.

Handling on the SP could hardly have been be er. It may not be the fastestturning thing on the road and going from full lean to full lean does require some effort, but that superb suspension and the incredible grip offered by the tyres allows you to put big inputs into the bars without fear. Despite its height, the turn-in is almost totally neutral, allowing you to roll over to the edge of the tyre with no surprises, even at urban speeds.

In fact, that’s one of the areas where you

DUCATI HYPERMOTARD SP

r Clean lines and top finish on the eight-valve motor r Compact and highly functional dash

r Oil filter is an easy find!

can have so much fun on this bike: ride around town without breaking any speed limits and just roll it in and out of corners with huge lean angles and almost no brakes. Throwing it into bends at higher speeds is also incredibly rewarding and it’ll track a constant radius with ease.

Hi ing bumps mid-corner doesn’t upset the forks much either, even when making full use of the 47.5 degrees of ground clearance, and the chassis itself is stiff and responsive.

With the added confidence of the DTC to help you out if you get greedy on the thro le and those grippy tyres and the suspension all working together, you can really hustle this bike along, and even though we didn’t get to take it on track, it’d doubtless be a wicked tool out there too. Oh, and if things take you by surprise, those top-spec radially mounted Monoblock, four-pot Brembos chewing on 320mm discs will get you out of trouble with finesse and eye-popping power, with the ABS front and rear only adding to your bravery.

All in all, the Hypermotard is a brilliant bike, and the SP even more so. It really does do everything you ask of it. I commuted on it, rode it for hours up the freeway, and had a totally epic ride to the middle of nowhere on some superb

windy roads. It did it all in comfort, without drama and more o en than not on its ear, pu ing a massive smile on my face every time. Not only that, but it looks and sounds superb, especially with the optional pipe we had on our test bike.

The build quality seems excellent and all the extra pipes, wires and plumbing for the ABS, DTC and radiator are routed so thoughtfully around the bike that you hardly notice them.

When I first laid eyes on the Hypermotard I was expecting it to be a narrowly focused track bike made road-legal. To discover that it could do everything I asked of it as a commuter, a tourer and a mental backroads scratcher with ease was something of a pleasant surprise. Above all else, this bike is massive fun to ride, fast or slow, in large part due to the excellent power characteristics of the engine; it dishes out user-friendly and exhilarating drive everywhere, plus the up-specced components and all that tech make it safe to explore the bike’s limits to the full.

Seriously, if this thing doesn’t put a grin on your face then nothing can. ARR

POWER UP There’s a comprehensive amount of optional extras for the SP. Among others there’s a high-level road and race exhaust system plus the lowlevel one we had on our test bike.

There’s all manner of carbon body parts including a tank cover, radiator surrounds and dash housing, as well as a luggage rack, pillion grab-handles and a larger screen. While you’re at it, pick up some paddock stands too, as even adjusting the chain without one is a pain.

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Ten out of Ten Toughening up Yamaha’s venerable Ténéré is the ideal way to create the perfect machine for an outback adventure

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YAMAHA XT660 TÉNÉRÉ

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STORY AND PHOTOS: MARK HINCHLIFFE here are nearly as many adventure bikes as there are roads in Australia. Finding the right one for the right road is difficult and always a compromise. You can’t criticise an adventure bike for being too heavy, too tall, too road-oriented, too rough, too powerful, too slow. You just have to find the right bike for your height, weight, riding ability and the type of adventure you want to do.

While most bikes are an emotional decision, adventure bikes are a far more practical proposition and good looks, an over-abundance of power and plenty of bling can be counter-productive. If you seriously look at what you need rather than what you want, a single-cylinder thumper may be just right for you.

The Yamaha XTZ660 Ténéré is like the Toyota RAV-4 of this category; a handsome and dependable so roader.

But when the going gets tough, it can be found to be a li le too so . Yet with some modifications, the RAV-4 can be turned into a rugged li le go-anywhere machine.

Similarly, Yamaha Motor Australia

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“They have ‘Australianised’ the bike with a bunch of Australian-made accessories that consist of performance and handling modifications, protection and creature comfort items” reckons the Ténéré can be toughened for Australia’s harsh conditions and they have thrown together an accessory pack, costing almost $3000, that turns the Ténéré into the true Dakar-style adventure bike that its Sahara Desert name and looks have always suggested.

YMA marketing guru Sean Goldhawk says they have “Australianised” the bike with a bunch of Australian-made accessories that consist of performance and handling modifications, protection and creature comfort items. He hopes to offer the pack to customers or at least a voucher for suspension work.

The most popular and usually the first modification riders make to their bikes is a replacement muffler. This bike comes standard with a dual exhaust system which Yamaha has replaced with a single Barre muffler that saves some weight.

While the low-compression, bullet-

proof engine has been around for ages, the fuel-injected model is a li le more lively and economical and there is no need for any retuning as the EFI adjusts

YAMAHA XT660 TÉNÉRÉ QUICKSPECS Model: Yamaha XTZ660 Ténéré Price: $13,999 ride away Modifications: • Bark Buster VSB handlebars $79.95 • Bar Risers adapter clamps $55 • Bark Busters with wind deflectors $165.95 • Guard-It engine protector combo CB0023 $389.95 • Pivot Pegs $239 • B&B Offroad Engineering rear rack $180 • Dunlop D606 tyres $250 • Tag handlebar grips $30 • Barre single outlet exhaust $495 • Teknik front and rear offroad suspension $990 Accessories total: $2874.80 Engine: Liquid-cooled, 4-stroke, single cylinder, 4-valve, 660cc SOHC Bore x stroke: 100 x 84mm Compression: 10:1 Fuel tank: 23L Transmission: 5-speed, chain drive Length: 2246mm Width: 900mm Height: 1477mm Seat: 865mm Wheelbase: 1500mm Clearance: 260mm Wet weight: 209kg Frame: Steel tube diamond shaped Suspension: Telescopic forks, monocross swingarm Brakes: 298mm discs (front), 245mm disc (rear), Brembo calipers Tyres: 90/90-21 M/C; 130/80-17 M/C

to the new muffler.

Performance doesn’t seem to be greatly enhanced, although it revs a li le freer and from about 4500rpm it gets quite lively. The Barre muffler has a wet-fart MX thumper sound that doesn’t become an annoying drone on the highway and has some entertaining burps and pops on the overrun.

It doesn’t make much difference to the fuel economy, which was just under 5L/100km on my 1800km test ride through Central Queensland’s back roads and trails.

The word “thumper” suggests massive vibration and rough running, but this robust mill has limited vibration that doesn’t ra le your teeth. It also leaves a stable image in the rear-view mirrors.

Speaking of which, the test bike arrived with the le mirror removed. Many adventure riders remove the le mirror to save breaking it in a fall. However, it’s illegal in most states to ride without two mirrors and since my test would take me for short blasts on major highways, I thought it prudent to fit a second mirror.

At least it showed that the standard mirrors have be er vibration absorption than a cheap a ermarket unit.

The biggest and most important modification in the Australianised pack is the suspension. In its standard form, the Ténéré feels too plush for off-road riding, although it has long enough travel to avoid bo oming out in all but the biggest hits. Yamaha turned the bike over to Teknik Motorsport in western Sydney who have been doing a lot of work on the modern Ténéré since the model returned in 2008. Teknik owner Nick

Dole says they did a significant revision of the suspension in 2010 and now have a package that he believes will suit the most aggressive and heavy rider.

Basically, they replace the standard .44 springs with straight-rate springs between .50 and .65 and keep the same oil weight. “If we change the oil weight and the owner takes the bike to their local dealer sometime down the track when their oil seals start to leak, the mechanic won’t know what oil weight we put in so they will probably use the standard recommended weight and then it won’t work properly,” he says.

Nick also uses the standard Yamaha rear shock a er testing many other models. “I think the Yamaha performs quite well. We just revalve it and I reckon the modified standard shock is just as good as the bo om-of-the-range Euro a ermarket shocks.” The result is a bike that handles the rough stuff, keeps the power down over corrugations and doesn’t translate the big hits through the seat or the handlebars to the rider.

The next thing adventure riders will change will be the road-biased dualpurpose standard tyres. Yamaha has chosen the popular and quite aggressive Dunlop D606 knobbies, which seem to tackle most terrain quite well with enough of a block gap for clinging mud, a good spread for sand and even some road grip, although they do howl on the highway and lack in braking bite and steering feel on the tar.

While many owners have been happily commuting Ténérés to work thanks to their high position and slimline lane-spli ing design, the bikes are also suitable

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■ The overall design is tight and compact, improving the bike’s balance

for travelling much further on the highways and byways so luggage capacity may be a consideration. Yamaha has opted for a 4mm-thick aluminium rear rack from B&B Offroad Engineers. It’s a solid, flat surface with plenty of slots for tie-downs. The thick rear steel subframe means it will be strong enough to support heavy luggage without sagging or fracturing. Another solid feature of the Ténéré is the steel sidestand. It is very straight and upright, but it’s robust and if you find the bike too tall to throw a leg over, you can use it to mount without fear of bending it.

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The riding position is ideal for the long haul with one of the most comfortable seats on any dual sport bike, so there is no need to change the suede-look seat. However, Yamaha has opted for handlebar risers to make tall riders even more comfortable when standing. The slim tank allows riders to get their heads right over the triple clamp for optimum weight balance and control.

Yamaha has also thankfully replaced the far-too-narrow rubber footpegs with wide metal Pivot Pegs. I was originally sceptical as I thought they would affect lever control, but I find they vastly

improve comfort for long standing duties and don’t interfere with pedal use.

The brake lever has a cable protector, but there wasn’t one on the gear shi er, which may have been an oversight. These

“In its standard form, the Ténéré feels too plush for offroad riding, although it has long enough travel to avoid bottoming out in all but the biggest hits”

YAMAHA XT660 TÉNÉRÉ

are very handy to protect your levers bending and snapping off in a crash.

As for the transmission, the five-speed gearbox has a couple of short gears which are great in the technical stuff and stretch out to a tall fi h gear that allows you to comfortably ride at highway speeds at 3500 revs and just roll on the thro le for overtaking. If you were doing more highway duties, you might want to

drop a tooth on the rear.

I find I feel far more confident on the dirt on an inexpensive bike than on an expensive one simply because you don’t have as much at stake in a crash. It’s one of the key a ractions of a smaller adventure bike like this. Even so, Yamaha has added a very sturdy bash plate and engine bars. I overbalanced when trying to mount bicycle-style and the bike fell over, but didn’t cop any damage at all.

A highlight feature of this bike’s performance is the standard brakes with Brembo calipers. No need for modifications here. The twin disc front has brute force with so initial bite and great progression, while the back brake also has good feel, even when wearing chunky off-road boots.

The instruments are set high and are easily visible in all lighting conditions.

Information provided includes an analogue tacho, plus a digital screen with odometer, fuel gauge, clock and two trip meters. A GPS mount was added to the handlebars, but no GPS. You could also a ach one on the bar above the instruments.

The dashboard is very neat and there is plenty of space for a steering stabiliser, which I would recommend.

The steering flicks into corners with a light and de touch but it can feel a li le flighty on the highway and over lateral ruts. A damper would be a must, especially if you are going to be riding through mud and sand.

My only other complaint is with the windscreen, which is set so far forward it creates an enormous amount of tiring wind buffeting. Smaller riders might not get as much buffeting, but I would either remove the windscreen, fit a larger a ermarket unit or an extender. I chose to fit a Wunderlich extension for our trip and it worked just fine. Best of all, this bike is learner-approved which means novice riders can enjoy this vast land of ours without having to sacrifice a quality ride.

If you are concerned with how much you may need to spend to get the Ténéré up to par, remember it cost $15,565 ride away when it was released and now costs only $13,999.

My history with adventure bikes is literally up and down. I started with a Honda XR650, then a BMW R 1150 GS, then a KTM 640 Adventure, R 1200 GSA, BMW F 800 GS and now an R 1200 GS. If that yo-yo trend continues, my next move will be down again and I think I could easily become a Ténéré tragic. ARR AUSTRALIAN ROAD RIDER | 59

MULTI-TALENTED

STORY: MICK MATHESON PHOTOS: ARR ARCHIVE his is not a moment I’ve been looking forward to.

I’m about to head to Fraser’s Motorcycles to return the Multistrada a er a year’s “ownership”.

Losing it will be a bit of wrench because, against my professional will, I’ve fallen for the Ducati. It has been an ideal companion for 12 months and thousands of kilometres, over which I’ve learned just how brilliantly conceived and executed this real all-rounder is.

It’s not an Italian thoroughbred, it’s an Italian stockhorse. Thoroughbreds are silly things, but stockhorses are fine, strong beasts. More than any other Ducati, and more than the vast majority of other

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motorcycles, the Multistrada is the best of everything. In Granturismo form, it’s a genuine touring bike, a real sportsbike and a proper all-roader all at once.

On the eve of the arrival of the updated 2015 model, with its variable valve timing and other upgrades, it’s time to review the Multistrada a er its long-term test.

First, let’s get to the elephant in this room. The Ducati’s complex electronics did suffer a couple of glitches, but glitches is all they were and nothing failed. The bike never broke down, the rider’s aids worked flawlessly and the Skyhook semi-active suspension behaved superbly. Once I had to wait while the ignition mysteriously refused to respond to my efforts on the starter

What happens to a Ducati Multistrada during a year and 16,000km?

switch, but then suddenly all was right again. The le indicator continues to frequently activate the hazard lights, which I’m told is a flaw in the programming, and the neutral sensor system isn’t working properly, probably because there’s grit in the sidestand switch, but I haven’t confirmed that as pumpkin time looms over the bike.

A coolant weep needed a ention but there’s nothing in the bike’s yearlong life so far that has made me think Ducati isn’t on the ball with build quality and design. As a result, I’ve been able to immerse myself in the Multi’s rich a ributes. At least, I could once I was also immersing myself in the plush a ributes of a Cruis’n Comfort sheepskin seat cover because the ►

LONG-TERM DUCATI MULTISTRADA

“On the eve of the arrival of the updated 2015 model, with its variable valve timing and other upgrades, it’s time to review the Multistrada after its long-term test”

SKYHOOK The quality of life and long distances with the Multistrada were definitely improved by the semi-active Skyhook suspension. The ever-changing, reactive damping mechanism adds smoothness to touring and control when you’re hammering it.

It does add a fair bit to the price of the bike. The base-model Multi doesn’t have it and if that’s where your budget tops out, you’ll not regret the purchase. If you have the money to spend on any of the Skyhook models you shouldn’t hesitate. The more miles you clock up, the more you’ll be glad you got it.

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Ducati’s own perch was a wee bit firm for my poorly padded backside.

Skip forward to now, with 16,000km on the odo, and the other thing that gives me confidence is the way the bike has come up a er a few hours of cleaning. It has always been garaged but then again it has ridden dirt roads every time it has le home. It has been covered in mud, caked in bugs and slimed in city grime, yet it freshens up nicely every time I give it a basic wash. Now, with a bit more effort, it looks as good as new. It has a couple of li le scars, as you might expect, but it’s hard to protect against rock strikes and the like.

The Multistrada is defined by its electronics. The process for altering the root se ings of electronic engine, suspension, traction control and ABS modes was not something I managed to commit to memory. Or rather, it’s not something that stayed in my memory a er my initial flurry of experimentation with the system. Later in the year, if I wanted to make changes I usually had to pull out the owner’s manual and follow the instructions. A smarter mind than mine might not need the guidance, but I did, yet with the book under the seat it was all too easy 62 | AUSTRALIAN ROAD RIDER

“Skip forward to now, with 16,000km on the odo, and the other thing that gives me confidence is the way the bike has come up after a few hours of cleaning” to pull it out and tweak the controls.

Certainly quicker than pulling out tools and tweaking physical components. And because it was so easy, I never hesitated to use the system to my advantage.

A moment of sudden clarity revealed I didn’t have to abide by the rules implied

by Sport, Touring, Urban and Enduro, such is the scope for adjustment Ducati has provided. Of course, they’re four pre y desirable sets of a ributes, but as I don’t live in town I was be er served by turning Urban into my default nighttime Enduro mode, as I discussed a couple of issues back.

A er a year, though, did my a itude to all this electronic adjustment change?

I went into it knowing that I’d like the ability to quickly adjust preload and damping se ing to suit solo riding, the added weight of luggage, more weight again with a pillion or the maximum load of being two-up with luggage. I mean, who ever bothered adjusting all that manually, except perhaps before

and a er a major tour? So yes, those electronics are excellent and well worth having.

But all the rest? I suspected I might find li le use for them and conclude they were novelties, but in the end I loved them. Not only were they good for fine-tuning the bike to my tastes and style, they were essential for enabling the Multistrada to release its full potential as an all-road sports-touring bike. And in the context of sportstouring, there’s firm emphasis on both words.

As a sports bike it’s huge fun. The power and response are exhilarating. No, not Panigale exhilarating, but I’ve ridden Ducati’s full-on superbike and reckon it was too much for the road, a bike that was all or nothing to an extent that I couldn’t enjoy it. The Multi in Sport mode, though, was my cup of speed. It’s light enough, tight on the road, pulls power wheelies out of corners and skims footpegs when you crank it right over.

LONG-TERM DUCATI MULTISTRADA COSTS With more than 16,000km under the wheels, the Ducati had cost very little to run over the year. Apart from its first service, it’d had just the one routine service, worth around $350 at 12,000km. Fuel consumption had averaged around 6.0L/100km, though I didn’t keep a record through the year; the range from tankful to tankful varied between 4.9 and 7.3L/100km so you can see it’ll vary a lot depending on your riding style.

The only other running cost was a set of tyres, replaced when the rear wore out at 8000km. The second rear tyre was beginning to square off and wear down another 8000km later.

It’s a cheap bike to run, in other words, and shows how much Ducati has come to the party regarding ownership costs.

Switched into Touring mode it was calmer, just right for eating miles.

O en I’d flick it into Sport for a while, especially on a winding road where the firmer suspension set-up makes a difference, but mostly I le it in Touring.

When Urban mode still had its urban se ing, I would choose it on a wet and slippery road, where the gentler power and more reactive traction control and ABS gave ample reassurance, but once I made it my alternative Enduro mode I was happy with the way Touring’s standard se ings dealt with dodgy road conditions.

It’s true that the Multistrada is not a competitor for the mighty GS BMW as an off-roader. It’s not just the 17in wheels, it’s in the suspension and steering geometry too. I didn’t try to treat the Ducati as a GS, either, but I never shied at punting it along any unsealed road.

That’s what it’s for, a er all, and there it was fantastic.

The ABS and traction control are ideally matched to the Ducati’s chassis, and I had enough trust in the bike to dial the TC se ings to minimum and enjoy the way the back end would slide a certain amount before the electronic limiter kicked in. I could have turned ► AUSTRALIAN ROAD RIDER | 63

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LONG-TERM DUCATI MULTISTRADA THE GT EDGE Ducati added a number of components to create the Granturismo, the Multistrada’s topspec model. They make it a more robust and tour-ready motorcycle.

Most obviously, the top box adds valuable luggage space. I rarely removed it, even though a single turn of the key and press of a button releases it from its mounts. Whenever I travelled, I usually had a laptop and camera in my load so the third hard case was invaluable for space as well as security.

I very much liked the handlebar risers that give the GT a more upright riding position. That’s personal preference, of course, but in my case it balanced my body in an excellent possie that I could maintain all day; the lower bars on the Touring model would eventually leave a knot between my shoulder blades.

The fog lights were good in the fog, where they’re bright enough to make you visible from a greater distance.

A Multi-owning mate, Ross, described the GT as ugly, mainly because of its crashbars. But when one of my P-plating daughters knocked his Ducati over (arrgh!), the damage was much greater than when a freak squall knocked over the Granturismo (arrrgh!). The crashbars worked.

For me, doing the miles I do, opting up to the Granturismo is a no-brainer.

off the TC but wasn’t really tempted to bother. Di o the ABS. Oh, the loud clack of the forks topping out on rough roads? I haven’t mentioned that all year because even though it happens o en, the earplugs I always wear drowned it out. The noise is a result of the design and cannot be stopped, but no harm is being done and if you can’t hear it, who cares? I didn’t.

Without this 12-month test I don’t think I would ever have fully appreciated how beautifully the Multistrada lives up to its name. It takes more than a road-tester’s typical week or two doing maybe a couple of thousand kays to fully understand the breadth of this bike’s performance. The more I knew, the more it grew on me. In fact,

“It’s not a Panigale, it’s not a Goldwing, it’s not an Adventure, but the Multistrada Granturismo fills the vast triangle formed by all three and therefore fulfils the desires of anyone who wants the ultimate, classy, do-it-all bike” I enjoyed it most of all on the very last long ride I took it on, more even than the first fun fling when I was filled with the novel joy of having it all to myself.

By the end I was really making the most of it. I took more detours and didn’t hesitate when the road surface changed, just pressed the bu on to switch modes and hooked in.

Every Multistrada owner I’ve spoken with has been stoked by their bike. I am not surprised. I can see why it has

won over many former BMW owners (and why BMW has built the new S1000XR). Buy this model second-hand or buy the new 2015 model, which promises to be be er still, but either way you’ll be seriously impressed. It’s not a Panigale, it’s not a Goldwing, it’s not an Adventure, but the Multistrada Granturismo fills the vast triangle formed by all three and therefore fulfils the desires of anyone who wants the ultimate, classy, do-it-all bike.

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BMW R1200RT

Mile muncher We welcome to the ARR shed BMW’s luxury touring twin

f this is a sign of what’s in store for the next 12 months, we’re in for a wet year. The ride home on the BMW R1200RT, the new bike in the ARR shed, was a damp one. My test last year on the Bavarian tourer was also mostly done in the rain. Is the RT the bringer of rain? Maybe it’s the chemistry between me and bike. Maybe I’m reading too much into it …

Either way, I don’t mind much.

Through the showers that came and went on the 300km ride from Procycles in St Peters back to my shed in the sticks, I didn’t have to bother with the wet weather gear. As I said in the initial test, this bike’s fairing is a beauty. So let it rain, I say.

The BMW aquaplaned once on the way home — on a bend, just to make it more interesting. I’d already dialled it into Rain mode. There was a bit of fishtailing and heart-racing, but the big machine barely shi ed off line. Nice.

By the time I’d parked it in the shed, I’d remembered more of my favourite things about the R1200RT. It sits solidly on the road, whether upright or at full lean, instilling you with an unshakable sense of security. The front brakes are sensational, with a direct feel that implies they’re connected to your hand with a steel rod, not vague hydraulics.

And the sound: even with the standard muffler, a sporty rendition of that flat-

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twin drone roars in your ears when you give it the berries.

We’ll see what else comes to the fore over the coming year with the RT. The aim of the long-term test is to find out what it’s like to live with over time, and put as many kays as possible under its wheels to see how it handles it. A er a major recall last year grounded all 2014 R1200RTs for weeks while a potentially dangerous problem with the rear suspension was sorted out, BMW is pre y keen to demonstrate its faith in

the new twin-cylinder tourer, and we’ll do our best to see if that faith is justified.

I’ll also be taking a look at the broader package, including the System 6 helmet and the intercom system for it that enables you to tune in to the bike’s audio system.

First I have a heap of reading to do, ge ing familiar with the bike’s handbook and all the functions. And working out why the damned iPhone doesn’t work when I plug it in. — MM

PROJECT BOLT

SEAT SWAP ■ The Bolt in touring form

We go from economyclass seats to first class on Project Bolt

his being the first cruiser I’ve spent a decent amount of time with, I’ve come to experience a few of the practices of the average cruiser buyer. I’ve got to change the exhaust, throw on new handlebars and add some luggage options. These three changes make big statements about a cruiser’s intention from the get go, changing a bike from laid-back, cleanlined for cruising down a coastal road to ready to cross the Nullarbor with ease.

The intention of Project Bolt has always been to have a bike whose purpose, with the twirl of a few spanners, can be completely changed. While the sleek and unobtrusive Cobra exhaust sinks into the blackened engine, the fla er, wider Ventura handlebar makes the rider’s perch more comfortable and gives the bike a nicer style.

While the fairing comes on and off as easily as you like and the heap of Ventura luggage options take you from tourer to commuter just as simply, the only other way to change the feel and style of the Bolt is to go with a different seating option.

With a dual seat, springer, widestudded and wide-vintage options on offer, we used US-made Mustang seats for the job. With the intention of the Bolt to be bare bones essential through to open road tourer, we looked to a

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single-seat and dual-seat option.

The single seat was a no brainer.

The Spring Solo gives a neat bobber style to the Bolt when it loses the fairing and luggage. For the other side of the coin, a dual-seat option had to be all about comfort for the rider and pillion. With studs not looking right for the package, the Wide Vintage solo seat with backrest and the Wide Vintage passenger seat using the luggage rack as a backrest were selected.

Fitment was simple — anyone can do it. Step-by-step instructions guide you through the seat assembly and it literally takes minutes to remove the original seat and replace with the Mustang one.

The boxes come direct from Mustang in the US, very well packaged. Looking like leather but made of moulded vinyl, the seats ooze quality in construction from

the beautiful quality of finish on the base plate and quality feel of all the screws and fi ings. The moulded vinyl looks and feels like leather, but you are not going to get the adverse wear of leather when it is not looked a er meticulously.

The change you ask? The standard one had made the riding a li le more cramped then before. The Spring Solo gave it a position lower and further back, making the foot controls a bit awkward.

The Wide Vintage seat felt the most comfortable of the lot, but the reach to the footpegs was too short and the fairing screen needed to be taller.

All of that doesn’t ma er anyway; it’s now at a point of refinement, where the ride needs to be tailored for its new owner (details to come). And he’s going to enjoy it because it can be whatever bike he wants it to be! — MS ■ Touring saddles are comfortable and look the part

■ All the tools and parts needed to do the job

■ The complete touring set-up

r The hinged springer saddle carries a neat pouch on its base

r Simple lines of the springer saddle

AUSTRALIAN ROAD RIDER | 67

The Road 68 | AUSTRALIAN ROAD RIDER

SERIOUS ADVENTURE

d of Bones Mick MacDonald leads one of the world’s great motorcycle odysseys, from London to Magadan, culminating in a ride along the infamous Road of Bones. Here’s his tale

AUSTRALIAN ROAD RIDER | 69

■ Riding the endless expanse of Mongolia

STORY AND PHOTOS: MICK MCDONALD f you say ‘I strangled Alice’ fast enough that’s how you pronounce the name of this town, spelt Ystradgynlais,” explained Dakar legend Simon Pavey. We had gathered in Wales, UK, at the world-renowned Off Road Skills rider-training centre to participate in a course Simon designed especially for the upcoming Road of Bones expedition that 13 riders and one co-rider were about to embark on. A er two years of planning we were about to depart on the 105day expedition from the UK to France, Belgium, Germany, Austria, Hungary, Romania, Bulgaria, Turkey, Georgia, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan, Mongolia and Russia.

Soon a er our riding and pronunciation lessons, we kicked off the massive ride at London’s legendary bike hangout, the Ace Cafe, before crossing the tunnel into Europe. We made quick time across Europe, riding through the spectacular vineyards of the Rhine Valley and past castles standing scenically along the Rhine River. We visited the

“I

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“Mongolia’s rough conditions exacted their toll on the riders.

One rider broke his leg and another broke three ribs. There were numerous falls. These were tough days but it was what we had come for” amazing Neuschwanstein castle created by the mad Bavarian king, Ludwig II, and experienced what is widely regarded as one of the finest passes in Europe, the immense Grossglockner.

We visited the Hungarian capital of Budapest, wonderfully located on the Danube, stunning Romania of Count Dracula fame and the Black Sea resort island of Nessebar, Bulgaria, and then reached the Turkish border. Thirty Turkish bikers had ridden seven hours to greet us there and escort the group into Istanbul.

By the time we reached this amazing vibrant and historical city we were already down one bike. Brian’s BMW R1200 suffered a big-end failure and his trip was over, on the 1200 at least. Brian became our spare rider and only had three days off a bike for the entire expedition!

We crossed the amazing country of Turkey, slept in caves converted to hotels

and marvelled at the O oman houses that hung precariously over raging rivers.

Riding towards Georgia in the Turkish far north-east was biking nirvana as we rode among tea plantations that clung tenaciously to steep hillsides and through vast canyon lands on empty roads that followed the courses of lonely rivers.

Georgia proved to be a revelation but we weren’t to make it any further than the capital, Tbilisi. News had come through that the only border open with Russia had been closed due to a deadly landslide that killed eight truckers. Our itinerary had been thrown into chaos and we had to hastily hatch a new plan, which involved riding back to Europe, a er every conceivable alternative plan had been considered.

“Where are you going,” asked a border guard when we arrived to re-enter Turkey.

“Russia, eventually,” we replied.

SERIOUS ADVENTURE

■ Sunset over the Black Sea

“Why not cross at the Georgian/Russia border?” he asked, perplexed, and went on to say the border had reopened that day! Another U-turn and rewriting of the itinerary ensued as we scurried back towards the east.

We rode the legendary Georgian Military Highway, a pass of staggering beauty and amazing history. Poets, writers and armies all travelled this ■ Another day coming to an end over the Kazakh Steppe

■ People mover, Mongolia

road. The highway travels deep into the Caucasus, passing turquoise lakes and numerous monasteries in stunning locations. Switchback a er switchback greeted us as we rode beyond the green fertile valleys into a stark beautiful landscape high above the snowline.

At last we reached Russia, but the Russians were far from happy to see us and it took eight hours for us to cross

the border, with patient representatives from the local Rotary Club waiting a staggering 12 hours to greet us! The Rotary Club organised a sombre visit to Beslan, scene of the horrific massacre in 2004 of over 300 people, nearly 200 of them children, before we rode east into Russia proper.

It wasn’t long before we were leaving Russia to cross the mighty Kazakh Steppe ►

■ Riding Mongolia

AUSTRALIAN ROAD RIDER | 71

â– Superb riding on the Road of Bones, Yakutia Region, Russia

72 | AUSTRALIAN ROAD RIDER

SERIOUS ADVENTURE

■ The incredible twisties among the snow-capped peaks of the Grossglockner, Austria

as we turned south toward Uzbekistan.

Camping out on the immense steppe was an incredible experience. We were surrounded by a vastness and silence that we’d long thought had disappeared from this world.

We entered the storybook lands of the fabled Silk Road in Uzbekistan, skirting the Kyzyl Kum Desert as we rode into Samarkand, home to some of the finest antiquities in all of Central Asia.

The mighty Registan is its centrepiece.

Genghis Khan, Tamerlane and various despot emirs all had a turn at ruling these lands and all have le their marks.

Some of the finest riding of the entire expedition was in Kyrgyzstan. We rode the rarely visited and lo y Kazaman Pass, three days of rough off-road riding among towering snow-capped peaks and lonely nomadic ger camps that do ed the landscape. Many of us declared these were the greatest riding days of our lives.

Once again we crossed the vast empty Kazakh Steppe, camping beside

deep blue lakes and watching stunning sunsets. Wild dust storms blew in from the steppe at times, forcing the riders to lean at an alarming angle into the wind and stinging them with the sand that blasted them.

The Russians seemed happier to see us this time and the border crossing only took five hours! We were riding into remote Russia now, among immense wheat farms interspersed with huge stands of fir trees that served as farm boundaries. A er 3500km since leaving Almaty, Kazakhstan, riding virtually nonstop each day, we reached the spectacular Lake Baikal, referred to as the “jewel in the Siberian crown”. This stunning blue-water lake is a feast of superlatives.

Baikal is the world’s oldest lake and its deepest lake. It holds 20 per cent of the world’s unfrozen fresh water and 80 per cent of the lake’s flora and fauna is found ■ Wild camping in the Tien nowhere else on Earth.

Shan mountains of Kyrgyzstan Continuing on the Trans Siberian Highway we reached Mongolia, a country ► AUSTRALIAN ROAD RIDER | 73

SERIOUS ADVENTURE that offered the riders simply some of the most spectacular riding of the expedition.

Mongolia is a landscape of vast yawning valleys do ed with nomadic ger dwellers fa ening their stock on the lush green pastures before the brutal winter arrives.

Rough dirt tracks disappear over the horizon and riders can choose to take any of these tracks, as they all lead to the next remote village. They could even ride across the open, uninterrupted landscape.

The colours of Mongolia are highlighted by an immense blue sky and beautiful light that make the entire country glow with a wonderful clarity.

The riding became tough as we faced numerous rivers. Some were deep, all with difficult, challenging, muddy entries and exits and deep, slippery mud sections

“The highway travels deep into the Caucasus, passing turquoise lakes and numerous monasteries in stunning locations. Switchback after switchback greeted us as we rode beyond the green fertile valleys into a stark beautiful landscape high above the snowline” ■ On top of the legendary Georgian Military Highway, Georgia

■ Another “tough” night around the campfire in Siberia

■ Riding the stunning Kazaman Pass in Kyrgyzstan

74 | AUSTRALIAN ROAD RIDER

that extended well beyond the rivers.

Mongolia’s rough conditions exacted their toll on the riders. One rider broke his leg and another broke three ribs.

There were numerous falls. These were tough days but it was what we had come for and at nights we were amply rewarded with wonderful ger camp accommodation and log fires in impossibly beautiful locations.

Crossing back into Russia for the last time only took three hours before we rejoined the Trans Siberian Highway heading due east into the remote, empty landscape of the endless forests of the Taiga.

We eventually reached the M56, or Lena Highway, and hit the rough dirt where the sign read “Magadan 3177km”.

The vast majority of the road ahead was dirt. We rode directly north to one of the world’s most isolated cities, Yakutsk, capital of Yakutia. The city has no road links and is only able to be entered via ferry over the Lena River. Final bike preparations were carried out in Yakutsk, with servicing and tyre changing completed before the final push to Magadan. We spent the evenings with the Night Wolves, a great group of guys ►

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SERIOUS ADVENTURE ■ Crossing the mighty Aldan River, Yakutia, Russia

and girls belonging to what is Russia’s biggest biker club.

Under a vast blue Yakutian sky we le Yakutsk, crossed the Lena River again and with a certain trepidation, began what we had all come for, the Road of Bones. It has a tragic yet li le-known history. Stalin populated his gulag prison camp system with prisoners from across Russia and POWs during WWII. He interned them in gulags along numerous tracks that led to the many gold and tin mines that exist in the far north-east of Russia. It was an unimaginably brutal ■ A religious monument, Mongolia

76 | AUSTRALIAN ROAD RIDER

INTREPID RIDERS Joining us for the 2014 Road of Bones Expedition were: Walt and Pam, USA, BMW R1200GSA Robert, USA, Suzuki DR650 Bayne, Canada, BMW F800 Eric, Canada, BMW F800GS Brian, Zimbabwe, R1200GS Ray, Australia, Suzuki DR650 Andrew, Australia, BMW R1200GS Jane, Australia, BMW F650GS Leanne, Australia, BMW F650GS Tim, Australia, BMW F800GS John, Australia, BMW R1200GSA Geoff, Australia, Triumph Tiger XC800

system which killed an estimated two million people during the construction of these tracks and at various mines.

Their bodies were simply le on the tracks, which became known as the Road of Bones.

Immediately the challenges reared up. We ba led hundreds of miles of deep gravel that a lot of riders hated. We also broke our fi h and last set of trailer springs a er only the first day on the Road of Bones and were forced to hire a local version of the VW Kombi to assist us to carry our considerable store of bike

spares, luggage and camping equipment.

We needed to reduce the weight on the trailer if it were to make it to Magadan.

We crossed the Aldan River, yet another mighty waterway in what was now the extremely remote Kolyma region. We ascended into the mountains, where the deep gravel became less and the Road of Bones became an 80km/h track. The riding was magnificent as we rode among larch- and fir-covered mountains dissected by wild rivers. The colours of autumn were highlighted by the ever-present blue Kolyma skies, and we wished these days would never end.

The weather was holding and remained stunning, but it was a doubleedged sword. With the higher speeds we ► ■ Sunset over a river at our campsite in Kyrgyzstan

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SERIOUS ADVENTURE ■ The legendary Registan on the historic Silk Road, Uzbekistan

■ Riding the Georgian Military Highway

“The riding was magnificent as we rode among larch- and fir-covered mountains dissected by wild rivers. The colours of autumn were highlighted by the ever-present blue Kolyma skies, and we wished these days would never end” were averaging a flat tyre every 100 kays and were quickly falling behind as we changed up to 11 flats in one day!

The extremely remote area of the Kolyma region is li ered with abandoned se lements and a number of huge former cities; entire cities stood u erly deserted. It was as if the residents had fled from an imminent disaster. Riding through them was both surreal and strangely eerie.

One city that does indeed remain is Ust-Nera, and a more forlorn, godforsaken se lement would be hard to imagine. All around stood crumbling buildings and everywhere one looked were heaps of rusting scrap metal, car bodies, trucks and skeletons of factories.

Black coal dust permeated every inch of Ust-Nera and we couldn’t wait to leave. Our desperation to escape was exacerbated when Walt hit a pedestrian,

78 | AUSTRALIAN ROAD RIDER

bringing them both crashing to the ground. The pedestrian ran away and Walt rode off to a quiet place to repair his bike and gather his thoughts, but not before locals asked Walt if he wanted a priest.

We rode into Magadan a day late a er riding 28,500 kays and suffering 18 flat tyres in the final five days. Arriving is always the pinnacle of the expedition and as we neared, I thought of all that we had experienced since leaving the Ace Cafe 106 days earlier. From the tragedies to the triumphs, I became immediately overwhelmed. It was a surprisingly emotional moment; we had made it to Magadan! ARR Compass Expeditions runs the Road of Bones Expedition every two years.

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CHECK OUT THE NEW RE TROBIKE Retromod

1984 SUZUKI 750 KATANA

E E T K AT STR N d Named

DESIRE

www.justridemotorbiketours.com

How to turn an $800 pile of junk into a work of road-riding art WORDS JUSTIN LAW | PHOTOGRAPHY OWEN STUART

T

HIS Suzuki Katana is wonderfully minimal.

The original pop-up headlight and bikini faring is gone, the CBR600 F4 ducktail sharpens the rear and the cockpit view is free of clutter.

Owner David Anderson has realised his vision of a retro street fighter that he’s dubbed Street Kat from a bike that started as a basket case.

There was something about the 1984 Suzuki Katana GSX 750 that appealed to the Melbourne bike parts distributor.

The bike was highlighted in Aussie flick Shame and that’s where he saw it and started imagining how it would fit in with his penchant for café racers and love of Suzuki’s stylish classic.

“I had an ’81 650GS Katana for 15 years and when I saw this on eBay I thought, yes, this is the one,” he says.

“Going to a basic street fighter was the idea. The original ducktail was damaged and I saw some pictures of an 1100 from Germany that was similar – it had the CBR tail, but still with the Katana fairing. I wanted to clean the front right up.”

The bike he’d found was identifiable only by the owner’s description because it was hardly in a condition you would call an ideal starting point. “It was just 10 boxes of parts – it had been completely butchered. It was a rolling frame with an engine in it and that was how I got it.

“Someone had started working on it as a street fighter and done a terrible job. They sprayed the frame while the engine was still in it, so half the engine was covered in paint. It was an absolute mess.”

That meant a quick, cheap sale with David picking it up for $800 and going straight to the professionals – Bikecraft in Mordialloc, Victoria.

“Another guy had started rebuilding the subframe but it was just a horrible job with bird shit welds everywhere,” says Bikecraft’s Brad Wiseman. “The instruction from Dave was to pretty much do what we did, but we had to start by getting rid of all the work that had been done before.”

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retrobike

Creating memorable motorcycle rides for you in New Zealand

ISSUE #17

Retromod

At Your Fingertips WANT to hide those pesky switchblocks? Do what Dave did and wire in a set of GripAce digital pushbutton controls. It’s a simple strip unit that fits into any grip or can be mounted on the handlebar next to it, with a single wire routed through the handlebars to the CPU. Holding the left grip, you can feel a row of four small buttons under your fingertips. From right to left, the first button is for your right indicator, the next the horn, the third button is the left indicator and high and low beam is controlled with the last.

Hold in the first two (horn and right indicator) to start the bike.

“I wanted clean bars, and after a friend showed me GripAce digital switches, I decided that this would be ideal,” Dave says. He couldn’t find a local distributor so now sells them himself through his Keband Custom Parts business.

Visit www.gripace.com.au or phone Dave on 0419 378 461.

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Lifestyle

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ISSUE #17

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1984 SUZUKI 750 KATANA

The skill of the custom builder lies in achieving a cohesive whole from disparate parts, and then having it all work together on the street.

If you didn't know better, you'd swear it was stock but it's anything but

ISSUE #17

The engine was sent to Dynobike to install a Wiseco big-bore kit that Dave had imported from the US, taking the original 747cc out to 810. That was the only real modification to the powerplant, with most of the work going into the rolling stock and subframe.

To transform the old Kat’s handling, it was decided a 2002 GSX-R1000 K2 had all the necessary parts – it was a class leader at the time. The original 16-inch front and 17-inch rear wheels are now a pair of 17s, and the old rebound-only adjustable conventional forks (with their fabulously ineffective hydraulic antidive system) have been replaced with the K2’s sexy upside-down fully adjustable items.

The front end wasn’t such an issue because Bikecraft makes its own billet triple trees (with a neat design flourish) to suit. The trouble was fitting the new rear end to the old square-tube cradle frame.

The first-generation single shock was replaced with the Gixxer Thou’s awesome fullyadjustable unit along with the substantial alloy swingarm it’s attached to. “I wanted a wider rear wheel and the only way to do that was to replace the swingarm,” Dave says. “To make it fit we also had to modify the front sprocket, which I had done in the US.” The 530 chain conversion sprocket, with a spacer to offset it for the wider rear wheel, was sourced from Rob Wilton (www.parts.suzukikatana.com) who stocks a bunch of useful upgrade bits. However, fitting the swingarm was more involved.

“We had to modify the frame to mount the swingarm and shock,” says Brad. “That was the tricky bit and took a bit of trial and error, but we got there.”

Once that was done, it was time to move onto the sitting bit. “We fabricated the whole subframe – it was time consuming to get it all right,” Brad says. “Dave had the idea of using the Honda CBR600 F4i tail and we sat it on there and looked to see where we could go with it.

“The tail piece had to be trimmed and welded to make it match up with the tank, so it isn’t totally original, and we made the sections between the tailpiece and the tank as well.”

The old two-up Katana seat was cut in half and the front section re-covered in custom leather, while the F4i’s pillion pad under the cowl was re-covered in red to match the Suzuki lettering on the tank. “It kinda keeps that old Katana red and silver two-tone thing going,” Dave says.

With the Honda’s silver cowl on, the ducktail is neatly matched to the height of the iconic fuel tank. It was the first of the ‘hornet thorax’ look with the aggressive lines resembling a sword – hence the name Katana – and it set this model apart from the rest when it first appeared.

Keeping that style was important and in this reimagining has been enhanced with the sharper tail, which makes up for ditching the trademark fairing and pop-up headlight.

“The headlight wasn’t with the bike when I got it,” says Dave. “The units on it now are Dominators from the UK.” Brad custom-made ISSUE #17

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FIGHTING WORDS CB900 BOLDOR

POSTIE NATIONALS

WA L K E R WITH JIMMI WALKER

OVER YONDER ON A HONDA

I

Australia’s most popular motorcycle scores its own show WORDS & PHOTOGRAPHY GEOFF SEDDON

M

ANY motorcyclists in regional Australia learnt to ride on ex-Aussie Post Honda CT90s and 110s. They’ve been a hit with farmers for decades, not only for their hands-free centrifugal clutches but also their economy, reliability and cheap prices.

One of many entrants in the inaugural Postie Bikes Australia Nationals in Maitland, NSW, who’s been into them

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forever is Matt Bonanno of Bathurst.

“We used to race them around the paddock on methanol,” he says. “When we stopped racing, I had all these race bikes lying around, so I decided to build some bikes to ride on the street. I’ve been doing it for about eight years now.”

Matt is well-known in postie circles.

His black-and-white sheriff-themed custom is the hit of the Nats, along with his Coca-Cola special (which featured a manual clutch) and John Vella’s tasteful blue roadster for which Matt built the engine.

Ryan Martin from Moosefoot Fabrications is another prolific postie customiser, displaying a trio of wild choppers and a Dukes of Hazzard tribute called Postie Lee. He also had a hand in a few others and many bikes sport his 72-spoke wheels. Our favourite chop is his blue 60s-style chopper, although I have to admire the humour of Sexual Chocolate, named after the band in the Eddie Murphy movie Coming To America.

Ryan’s daily ride is an uber-cool militarylooking slab-green bobber painted in Colorbond fence paint!

MAIN With Australia Post recently switching to Chinese-made step-throughs, prices of Jap-built CT110s are soaring.

TOP LEFT Easy riders!

MIDDLE LEFT Craig Mainprize and George Vergotis hold the cross-Australia postie bike record of five days, 13 hours. That is not a misprint BOTTOM LEFT Moosefoot Fabrications trucked in a bunch of groovy choppers

ISSUE #17

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THOUGHT for a change I’d take a break from deriding motorcycles of less than adequate substance and regale you with tales of derring-do from the vast annals of my twisted psyche.

When I arrived on this sun-kissed island 10 years ago I was already missing the thrill of two-wheeled shenanigans. So a suitable mount had to be procured; limited funds and a young family to provide for made the choices fairly simple. It had to be under a grand, running and relatively quick.

As some of you may know, my leanings are towards the street fighter style of bike. A quick rifle through the Bay of Evil resulted in a 1980 CB900F resplendent in rattle-can black. Perfect, thought I! The bike was mine for a mere 500 bucks and indeed it ran — for about a nanosecond till it burnt out its coils and some other electrical doo-dahs. Ah well, it’s not the end of the world.

A good friend of mine was wrecking bikes at the time, amongst other things, so a trip to his shed got me the running gear from a 1990 GSX600. I grafted the front forks, instruments and wheels on to the geriatric Honda. Already it was beginning to look much better, lower down and a lot less spindly.

Next up, a free pair of XJR1300 pretend Ohlins shocks that needed rebuilding beefed up the suspenders on the arse of the bike. The obligatory twin headlights

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RCB017 p078 Walker.indd 78

went on with no grief and an LED stoptail strip took care of the rear lighting requirements after I made up a plastic insert to fill in the rear of the Honda’s tail piece to mount it on.

So the time came to test ride the thing and see if it handled any better. I used the ‘I’m going to visit the mother-in-law’ excuse to travel 150km to Sydney — yeah, I know I wouldn’t believe that either — and off I went.

“The safest place to be in traffic is either in front of the pack or behind an emergency vehicle” Some of the old girl’s ponies had escaped over the previous 25 years but she still pulled respectively well. The main change though, was that she turned in a lot quicker with the 17-inch wheels and the more modern forks and shocks, which made cornering a joy! I have ridden stock versions of these beasts when they were new and on the limit they were a bit scary. The original FVQ (fade very quickly) shocks were in my humble opinion shite, as were the composite Comstar wheels.

So there I was, enjoying my first foray onto Aussie roads until the local gendarmes decided I was having far too much fun and needed to put a stop to such frivolity. Apparently in Australia, lane filtering is frowned upon — I was a London courier for years so it’s in my DNA — as is filing in behind a cop car with his blues and twos on. To my mind the safest place to be on a bike in traffic is either in front of the pack or behind an emergency vehicle.

It was an opinion the young officer who stopped me disagreed with.

The first thing I noticed was the Glock on the cop’s hip — we don’t arm our cops in the UK, so I couldn’t take my eyes off it.

This made him a bit nervous, which made me even more nervous. Add this to the look on his face when he asked me what the little symbols on my UK licence meant and I replied with my natural cockney sarcasm, “This is a little car and that is a little bike…”

It didn’t go well, resulting in my first four points and ticket in Australia before I even got an Aussie licence! But I gained a smile when some dude came up to me after all this and asked what the hell bike I was riding. I had succeeded in turning the Honda into a reputable street fighter all for less than three grand. It can be done, go do it!

Until next time, stay safe but have fun doing it.

ISSUE #17

11/21/2014 3:08:25 PM

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Where the city meets the bush More than just a country music epicentre, Tamworth has plenty of attractions on offer as a destination and some even better roads

80 | AUSTRALIAN ROAD RIDER

DESTINATION TAMWORTH

STORY AND PHOTOS: MARK HINCHLIFFE amworth exists in our national conscience as that li le country town where they like both types of music, where the guys are all bootscootin’ cowboys and where the gals are charming gingham-wearing warblers.

That’s an understandable misconception as it has hosted the National Country Music Awards every January since 1973. But Tamworth is a whole lot more than just a country town.

For a start, it’s a city. And it’s a city many travellers have visited. Some one million

T

tourists pass through Tamworth every year, according to Destination Tamworth, and many of them are motorcycle riders.

Unfortunately, most of those riders only stay overnight on their way from Sydney to Brisbane or vice versa, or as the turnaround point before heading home again.

We riders usually roll in off the New England Highway a li le weary from several hundred kilometres of some of the best and most challenging riding in the country — well-known “Ways” such as Bucke s, Thunderbolts and Clarence, and highways such as the Oxley, Gwydir and Bruxner.

By the time we’ve booked into our ► AUSTRALIAN ROAD RIDER | 81

“The biggest attraction in town for riders is undoubtedly the Powerhouse Motorcycle Museum right next door to the Powerhouse Quality Hotel, where many a weary rider has dusted off his boots” hotel room, washed the road grime off our leathered hides and supped on the first of many coldies from Liquorland, it’s ge ing dark and our thoughts turn to big-arsed rumps — steaks, that is, not the gingham-clad cowgirls — and some bench racing.

Consequently, we only get to see the inside of a pub, restaurant and our motel room. Next morning, we are slow to li our heavy heads off the motel pillows and by the time we’ve repacked and refuelled the bike, there’s only time for a quick brekky in Peel St before blowing out of town again.

It’s a shame, because there is a lot of good riding around the surrounding semi-circle of hills, some interesting country towns and pubs to visit, plus museums, wax works and other tourist a ractions. Best idea is to stay at least two nights so you can squeeze in a day of 82 | AUSTRALIAN ROAD RIDER

sight-seeing and regional riding. Harley riders did just that when they converged on the central NSW city at the end of February for the 24th annual HOG Rally, nicknamed the Iron Horse Muster, because it featured a rodeo and had a cowboy theme. (See sidebar, opposite.)

Probably the most identifiable tourist landmark in Tamworth is the Big Golden Guitar which sits right on the southern highway approach to the city. It was built in 1988 and has been in millions of tourist photos. The short time I was there, about a dozen motorists, including riders, stopped to take photos, posing with their families or bikes. One C&W fan even whipped out his guitar for an impromptu rendition of “Pub With No Beer”.

It’s a great place to start your tour of the Tamworth region as it now also hosts the Tourist Information Centre, where you can get all the advice you need. ►

■ It’s not a trip to Tamworth without stopping at the Big Golden Guitar!

DESTINATION TAMWORTH

TAMWORTH HOG RALLY

r The coffee alone is worth the ride at Mount Misery Cafe

HOGS, horses, sheep and cattle mustered in Tamworth in February for the 24th annual HOG rally, which took on a country theme. Heritage Softails with their long tassels and studded leather panniers looked right at home in the country music capital.

HOG convenor Kim Williams says the Tamworth rally from February 27 to March 1 had a country and western theme, with the town being transformed into the Iron Horse Muster. Riders were encouraged to ditch their Johnny Rebs for RM Willliams boots and their skid lids for Akubra hats and mosey on out to the Australian Equine and Livestock Events Centre, which will feature activities such as a rodeo, a “Country Spectacular” featuring iron and real horses on the Saturday night, the epic 150km Sunday Thunder Run, guided rides and a bike show.

Harley predicted a record attendance at the country music capital, which was well set up to accommodate the thousands of HOG members who attended because it annually hosts the Country Music Awards. “Tamworth has such a good reputation,” Kim says. “It’s fairly central and there are some great riding roads in the region.”

Harley riders had no problem getting their bike serviced, repaired or tyres changed while at the rally as the local Harley-Davidson dealer, Matt Varley, of Bikes and Bits, was putting on extra staff and mechanics to cope with the expected workload.

We'll have a full report next issue.

AUSTRALIAN ROAD RIDER | 83

DESTINATION TAMWORTH

■ A quiet moment, unlike the days of the HOG rally!

While you’re there you can also visit the accompanying country music wax museum with 26 wax figures, a sporting museum with the biggest collection of Sir Donald Bradman memorabilia in Australia, grab a coffee or ice-cream in the cafe and get a new belt buckle or Akubra in the gi shop.

Craig Dunstan, manager of Destination Tamworth, says the city gets more than one million visitors a year, mainly motorists passing through. “It’s a natural waypoint,” he says. “These days we’re seeing a lot more riders on touring bikes bigger than 1100cc.”

The biggest a raction in town for riders is undoubtedly the Powerhouse Motorcycle Museum right next door to

r Sadly, this is not an indoor flattrack

84 | AUSTRALIAN ROAD RIDER

the Powerhouse Quality Hotel, where many a weary rider has dusted off his boots. It was established 13 years ago and is staffed every day except Christmas by volunteers who can tell you all the background stories on the bikes.

It’s a great collection of about 50 rare and significant bikes from the 1950s to the ‘90s so you’ll probably find your first bike, your favourite bike and your dream bike. The rarest and most expensive on display is the limited-edition gold-series MV Agusta F4, bought for $125,000 and now worth about $300,000, followed by a rare green-frame Ducati worth almost $100,000. Local motorcycle restorer Stefan Hodgson is constantly working on the collection so you will see new bikes

every time you drop in.

The museum is open seven days, from 9am to 5pm, but motorcycle clubs can request later hours. It only costs $8 ($6 pensioner, $4 child and $16 family) and they give you a free cuppa.

WHERE TO RIDE If you base yourself in Tamworth, there are some terrific short rides around the region that take you to quaint country towns with their own a ractions. The roads get more entertaining towards the mountains that ring the city to the north and east.

The shortest ride is up to the lookout on Endeavour Drive. Be careful of joggers and walkers ge ing their daily

r Bloke’s soap for, well, blokes

DESTINATION TAMWORTH exercise, but the 360-degree views are breathtaking. We managed to squeeze our bikes up the walkway to get a nice photo of them with Tamworth as the backdrop.

Nundle is a 45-minute scenic ride east of Tamworth along the Peel River, past the Chaffey Dam and through the Dungowan Valley. At Nundle, take a short walk around the historic village and check out the Nundle Woollen Mill which is in working condition.

Hanging Rock is just a few minutes up the twisting road into the

mountains. You can tour the Arc-EnCiel Trout Farm or relax or camp by the lake. You can also check out and stay at the aptly named Dag Sheep Station, Fossickers Tourist Park, The Peel Inn or Birches B&B. The pre y li le town of Willow Tree on the New England Highway is worth a stop as you head north from Sydney. It’s also about 45 minutes from Tamworth.

Have a look at the First Fleet Gardens at Wallabadah and then ride on to have lunch at one of the best pubs in NSW — The Willow Tree Inn.

Heading north-west on Fossickers Way, it’s 45 minutes to the once-grand Manilla, which is still in pristine condition. Ride a further 25 minutes to Mt Borah, famous for its paragliding a er hosting the world championships there in 2007. It has stunning views across the whole region and out to Gunnedah. ►

WOMEN RULE AT NORTH WEST HOG CHAPTER Female riders seem to rule at the North West HOG Chapter in Tamworth.

The HOG Chapter, which hosted the 24th annual HOG Rally from February 27 to March 1, has only 50 members, but 16 are women and most of those are in leading positions. President Jackie Hudson says some rides are 50-50 males and females.

“The committee is nearly all women,” reveals Jackie, who rides a Softail Deluxe. Jackie says that because women do most of the social organisation it is a “very social” chapter. “We go to a lot of balls, play golf together and go to the races. We just have a good time,” she says.

The North West HOG Chapter covers a huge area of the northwest of NSW, with members coming long distances just to join social rides starting at the Harley dealership in Tamworth. The big number of female riders not only makes it a very social chapter, but also well organised and a big fundraiser.

“We raise $12,000 a year mainly from two big events,” says Jackie.

“We have a Poker Run in January during the Country Music Festival which raises about $6000 for the local Ronald McDonald House Harley Room. We also have mouse races with real mice that raise another $6000 for Camp Quality. All our fundraising is for local children’s charities.”

Lady of Harley Alana Embleton says women have become more independent over the years and are seeing other women riding, which encourages more to join in. “We can’t let the guys have all the fun,” says the CVO Fat Boy owner.

Deluxe rider Janeen Morgan says women are “just as good as the men.

I grew up on a farm and we rode motorbikes as kids.”

AUSTRALIAN ROAD RIDER | 85

DESTINATION TAMWORTH ■ The Nundle Woollen Mill is a step back in time

Climb up the magnificent ranges along the New England Highway to the north and you’ll reach the willowy town of Bendemeer in a leisurely half hour.

Stop at the historic Bendemeer Hotel on the banks of the MacDonald River.

The roads west of Tamworth are fast, open and sweeping, but sadly, not very interesting.

WHERE TO STAY

“Thankfully there are some great link roads that wind up and over the Great Dividing Range such as the Oxley, Bruxner and Gwydir highways, plus Bucketts, Clarence and Thunderbolt’s Ways.”

■ You’d smile too if you were here!

86 | AUSTRALIAN ROAD RIDER

Because the city is set up for a huge influx of tourists for the Country Music Festival, there is plenty of accommodation, from cheap caravan parks to pubs, hotels and top-class motels.

Surprisingly it’s not the weekends that are busiest. If you’re staying during the week, it might be an idea to book ahead as the place is usually booked solid from Tuesday to Thursday with business people passing through or a ending conventions.

DESTINATION TAMWORTH

NEXT! The HOG Rally was without its competitors for your rally dollar. The event was followed quickly by the Iron Run in Queenstown, New Zealand, on March 20–21 and the annual Ulysses AGM Rally at Wodonga, on March 23–29. Harley was busy at all three rallies as the major sponsor of the Iron Run and ever-present at Ulysses rallies. Even though the Iron Run was a Harley-sponsored motorcycle rally, it was open to all riders and brands, says director of marketing Adam Wright, who predicted “a lot of Aussies to go over for it. There will be a lot of activity and it will be an allencompassing motorcycle event.”

It included a special HOG membersonly (and partners) party on the Friday night at the Steamer Wharf.

Organisers hope the event will become the southern hemisphere’s equivalent of the Sturgis Rally in South Dakota.

WEBSITES HOG Rally: http://australianationalrally. com/registration/ Iron Run: www.ironrun.co.nz/ Ulysses: www.ulysses.org.au/ AGMEvents Country Music Festival: www. tamworthcountrymusic.com.au Powerhouse Motorcycle Museum: www.powerhousemotorcyclemuseum. com.au/ Big Golden Guitar: http:// biggoldenguitar.com.au/

WHERE TO EAT Similarly, there are heaps of fast food outlets, cafes, taverns and restaurants in the city. The Longyard Hotel has a fantastic pub atmosphere, o en live entertainment and great meals. Because of its set-up and location just down the road from the venue for the HOG Rally at the 35-million-dollar Australian Equine and Livestock Event Centre, it was expected to become the “Full Thro le Saloon” during the Harley event.

Other eating-out tips: Espresso Addimi has the best coffee in town; the new Addimi Wine and Tapas Bar; post office and Tamworth hotels; Le Pruneau for modern French cuisine; or the Safari Club if you want the best steak and ribs in town.

HOW TO GET THERE Tamworth is about 400km north-west of Sydney, 1200km from Melbourne, 1500km from Adelaide and about 550km south-west of Brisbane. If you travel via the coast you will want to get off the boring and heavily trafficked, policed and roadworked Pacific Highway.

Thankfully there are some great link roads that wind up and over the Great Dividing Range such as the Oxley, Bruxner and Gwydir highways, plus Bucke s, Clarence and Thunderbolt’s Ways.

If you’re coming from inland, avoid the Newell Highway north of Coonabarabran. It’s o en referred to as the New-hell with good reason. The New England Highway is the most direct route as it passes through the city. It’s mostly picturesque, but is also plagued by traffic, police and roadworks. ARR AUSTRALIAN ROAD RIDER | 87

Golden Tarmac Here’s a ride around Kalgoorlie that encompasses the best of the town’s scenery, history and riding roads

88 | AUSTRALIAN ROAD RIDER

DESTINATION KALGOORLIE STORY AND PHOTOS: PAUL SAUNDERS he countryside around Kalgoorlie is not known for its outstanding beauty or interesting scenery, but with a bit of research and by cha ing to the locals, I have found a 230km ride which encompasses some beautiful historic buildings, a couple of old pubs with plenty of character, and the remains of a lot of Australian history.

Summer temperatures around Kalgoorlie can get pre y toasty so unless you are really into heat stress, I

T

would avoid the months of November to February. As with most interesting places in Oz, the ride includes about 75km of good dirt which I found easy on a 15-year-old Honda CB750/4 and a breeze on a newer GS BMW. The road is well maintained and there are only a few patches of loose stuff and almost no corrugations.

This area is home to a range of wildlife and it is always a good idea to slow down if you see anything on or near the edge of the road. My past encounters with emus have convinced

me that they have the IQ of a boiled cabbage and when these jumbo chooks are spooked, it is funny watching their antics from a stationary bike but bloody scary if you are moving fast.

The ride starts in Kalgoorlie and heads west for 40km to the old mining town of Coolgardie, which has some beautiful sandstone buildings and a few impressive pubs which seem to be surviving.

Coolgardie is also home to a keen group of restorers and it is easy to spend a few hours going over some beautifully restored old cars, trucks and buggies in

■ The map doesn’t do the ride justice

■ A roo mincer rolling along the road

the local museum.

I always find it interesting comparing the mechanical bits and pieces that were developed a century ago to the modern vehicles running around today — sometimes the ingenuity of our pioneers was truly amazing.

Anyway, I am ge ing side-tracked.

A er a stop for a cappuccino and a burger, the turn-off to Ora Banda is near the west end of town and heads north, winding through the local hills and the view from the top gives you a chance to see the surrounding countryside as well as giving you an idea of what lies ahead.

The tar runs out about 25km north of Coolgardie and it isn’t long until the ghost town of Kunanalling is reached, which in 1898 had a population of 488 residents and ► AUSTRALIAN ROAD RIDER | 89

DESTINATION KALGOORLIE ■ Broad Arrow Bar is full of character and characters

boasted three hotels, a telegraph station, a blacksmith and a total of seven shops.

Unfortunately, the gold was completely mined out by the early 1900s and by 1942 the town was abandoned. Today there are only a few empty sandstone shells to show that a thriving community once lived and worked here.

I have seen goannas on a regular basis as well as galahs, ‘roos and emus along this road and the local eagle population is doing well, with a constant supply of food supplied by the passing traffic. There are some massive birds in the area and watching one of these monsters lumbering into the air a er having a feast on very “ripe” road kill is an impressive sight.

I once made the mistake of stopping to look at what an eagle had been eating

r Abandoned Kunanalling between Coolgardie and Balgarri

90 | AUSTRALIAN ROAD RIDER

“As with most interesting places in Oz, the ride includes about 75km of good dirt, which I found easy on a 15-year-old Honda CB750/4 and a breeze on a newer GS BMW” and needless to say the stench got me back on the bike very quickly. Evidently their stomach acids can kill just about anything and is capable of dissolving bone.

The dirt road continues on to Ora Banda and the pub here seems to be closed most of the times I have ridden past, so I usually head on towards the well-known Broad Arrow Pub, which is definitely worth a visit with its excellent food, cold beers and usually a range of interesting people to talk to.

The Broad Arrow publican will hand

over a marker pen if you ask and you are free to add your name to the many hundreds that cover the pub walls. This pub has a real “outback” character and the walls are decorated with a detailed photographic record of the local history — definitely worth a stop.

From here it is a 40km run back to Kalgoorlie and if you still want to do some more exploring, the Super Pit is about another 6km along the highway just past Boulder on the le -hand side of the highway — and it’s one hell of a big hole! ARR

r The red dirt badge of honour

r It’s customary to leave your mark

Ride roads less travelled

11

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A Tale of Two Roads Paddy’s Flat and Rocky River Road in northern NSW are two of the state’s best adventure routes

94 | AUSTRALIAN ROAD RIDER

ON THE ROAD STORY AND PHOTOS: MARK HINCHLIFFE hen you’re travelling in a group, you only progress as fast as the slowest rider. And if there is a photo-journalist in your pack, it’s going to be even slower, especially when he takes an impromptu bath … but more of that later on.

That was my role in a recent ride with nine other adventure riders intent on exploring two of the most popular adventure roads in northern NSW: Paddy’s Flat and Rocky River. The former is a north-west road that winds up and over several ranges and across a couple of creeks before hi ing the Bruxner Highway near the hamlet of Drake. The la er arcs south of the Bruxner, following the river of the same name and climbs west up the

W

Central Highlands to Tenterfield. Together, they form a big “J” curve on the map.

All up, they are only about 150km, but it took us two half days to complete them thanks to the vagaries of riding in a pack of 10 that includes a photo-journalist who wants to stop every few minutes to get that elusive two-page shot that kicks off a travel article like this.

But I can’t take the full blame for the slow pace. When you’re travelling dirt roads, you are bound to have at least one “incident”. That could include a puncture, running repairs on damage caused by flying rocks, falling off, or just stuff ra ling itself loose, such as luggage.

If everyone has just one incident on a trip and you multiply the stopped time by the number of riders, you start to get a picture of how slow progress can be in a fair-sized group on an adventure ride.

But it just makes the bench racing at the end of the day a lot more colourful and entertaining.

Our trip started with an early mark from work on a Friday with all riders gathering at the Maccas in Goodna, Ipswich, the gateway to the south-west.

Some 45-minutes later, a er a quick fuel top-up at Boonah, we start hi ing the dirt of White Swamp Rd, which curls up through the Border Ranges forests and spills out into the valleys that finger down toward Old Koreelah on the Mt Lindesay Highway.

Already we’ve had one stop to repair a front master cylinder on a GS which had copped a rock and sha ered the cap. The pace has been brisk and the excited riders are bunching up, racing and generally cavorting like the caged animals we all are.

So there are some pre y lethal rocks being ►

AUSTRALIAN ROAD RIDER | 95

■ Another crossing that slices over the river

“This is simply the best biker hotel in NSW with its bunker-style dongers, motel rooms, hearty meals, bike videos on the TV, small collection of bikes in the bar and motorsport paraphernalia” fired from the backs of those knobbyequipped torque monsters!

The pack is mainly comprised of various big-bore GS models, but there is also a Suzuki DR650 and a DL650. I’m aboard a very handsome and capable Suzuki V-Strom with a GT accessories pack that includes hard luggage, protection and creature comforts. I’ve le the panniers at home as it’s only an overnight trip and I’ve just packed PJs, toothbrush and a puncture repair kit in the top box.

There is testosterone and horsepower to burn in this pack and my steed is showing its nose out the front with the best of them. The lithe Strom feels light and flighty and I’m wiggling her tail in and 96 | AUSTRALIAN ROAD RIDER

out of corners on the dirt-compromised Michelin Anakee rubber.

At the highway, we turn right and bounce and bop over the appallingly pockmarked tarmac that is finally ge ing some roadworks a ention. A short way along, we spear le on the Tooloom Rd toward Urbenville, another road in need of new tar.

I stop to take an important phone call, which just holds us up a li le bit more and there is a gaggle of riders waiting at the turn toward Paddy’s Flat on Upper Tooloom Rd. We meet up with the rest of the riders where the tarmac finally runs out and the dirty fun of Paddy’s Flat Rd finally begins.

It’s time for the first of many photo stops and a bit of a briefing of the troops about le ing me out front to scout for photo locations and the procedure for ge ing shot. As soon as my goggles go on and I lead off, I can sense they’ve forgo en instructions already and the pace soon heats up.

I’m already impressed by the big Strom’s power, but I’m also a li le coy on the thro le. The Strom’s big heart doesn’t have a lot of low-end torque, but it does have a lively mid-range bump that has the tail

ON THE ROAD snapping out alarmingly on the slippery decomposed granite surface.

I try the first of the two-stage traction control, but I’m just losing drive so I switch it off and rely on the refined fuelling, smooth thro le and my “supreme talents” to stay out of trouble.

Here, Paddy’s Flat Rd is a riotous romp up and over the ranges, in and out of scrub, and across open paddocks that never fails to entertain those who like high-speed antics. The surface is fairly consistent and fairly slippery, but the road is less travelled and there are few corrugations from four-wheel-drives with their tyres pumped up too high.

My heart is racing as I charge down toward Tooloom Creek a li le too fast and miss the turn across the creek. It’s ok, because the wooden bridge has now been fixed and I veer onto that, pull up, flick down the side stand and peruse the scene.

This is a great location to shoot the boys crossing the creek below which, at this time, is running fairly low. I’ve seen this in raging flood and a trickle. You never know what you’re going to get, but the bo om is fairly rocky and can be mossy. Today it’s pre y easy going and the boys charge back and forth for the camera, loving every second of it.

■ The boots aren't all that got wet when Mark fell in!

■ Some river crossings have bridges!

Lens cap on, we’re back on the charge up the hill, tails wagging in the a ernoon stagnant heat. Roos are usually out at this time of day so we’ve got one eye on the road and the other scanning the bushes for errant fauna. Perhaps the barking mob of 10 motorbikes is giving them plenty of warning because we don’t see any.

The scrub closes in around us and the road winds ever tighter so I’ve lost consistent light for photos … besides, I’m enjoying myself way too much to stop right now. A couple of us are in qualifying mode and the 1037cc Strom is going for pole. Mind you, in the tight stuff I’m not gapping the DL or DR by much at all.

Down the other side of the range, there’s another crossing over the Clarence River at the aptly named Pre y Gully, where I stop again for shots of the guys parading across the wooden bridge. I’ve also seen this area in flood with the bridge totally under water.

Shots done, we spin the wheels back into the scrub for the second qualifying session. As we leave the close scrub near a four-wheel-drive camping ground at Emu Creek, I’m winding on the Strom and finding that mid-range peak an absolute joy even in top gear.

I’m sparring now with a liquid-cooled GSA and losing li le in the fight. But I can sense the turn-off onto the Old Bruxner Highway coming up so I edge closer to the lead rider, blowing the horn, flicking the headlights and trying to pass. But he thinks it’s on for real so he presses on harder and harder.

The turn is to the right around a blind le -hander and my pursuit ends as I pull up and my sparring partner rides on to the

Bruxner Highway, oblivious to the absence of his chaser. I wait for the others to catch up and we head down into the farmland for the short dirt bypass. It’s worth the detour for the fun of the slippery farm roads. We let the DR go ahead as he’s been lagging in the fierce pace, but a li le later on we see a telltale skid mark heading straight for a barbed-wire fence.

No harm done. When we regroup at the highway, he fesses up to target fixation and ending up off the side of the road. But he hasn’t stacked it, just dropped it on its side, picked it up and gone on before anyone saw him. Although he did leave evidence behind.

Still no sign of the rider who went ahead, but we all know we’re going to Drake so we decide to head for the hotel for a hot shower and a cold beer.

It’s not called the Drake Hotel anymore.

It’s now the Lunatic Hotel, which somehow seems more fi ing. Apparently there was some politically correct resistance to the name change, but that was its original name so history won that fight.

Name aside, this is simply the best biker hotel in NSW with its bunker-style dongers, motel rooms, hearty meals, bike videos on the TV, small collection of bikes in the bar, motorsport paraphernalia everywhere and the warm welcome of hosts and Ulysses members Bob and Desley Kane.

Unfortunately, they are trying to sell to retire nearby, but they haven’t had any takers. Surely the passing biker trade will encourage any new owners to follow the Kanes’ biker-friendly a itude. On one occasion, I arrived here wet, cold and miserable only to be given a hot cuppa and had my clothes thrown in the dryer.

AUSTRALIAN ROAD RIDER | 97

THE RIGHT STUFF It's no mystery where Rocky River gets its name from

There is always a big smile and genuine interest here in where you’ve been and where you’re headed.

We all se le in for a great night of cold beer, good food, red wine, bench-racing lies, and a rum nightcap …

Next morning there are thick heads and puffy eyes all round as we shuffle into the pub for a bang-up big biker brekky cooked by a smiling Desley on her birthday!

Before heading off, some of us top up with fuel across the road from Mick, who’s also an adventure rider and takes a keen interest in our rigs.

Just east of the town, you turn south down Long Gully Rd which drops off the edge of the plateau into rainforest and a narrow, winding tar road into the valley below. At the bo om there are deep concrete dips for the creeks to cross and where the boys li their front wheels in hungover exhilaration.

This is where Long Gully Rd ends and Rocky River Rd begins. It’s a favourite with campers and we’ve pitched our tents here before, but don’t stay where there are signs prohibiting camping. Most of the farmers are congenial and don’t mind the many bikes that come through, but some can be cantankerous. It’s also advisable to stay on the road and be wary of turning blind corners too fast lest you end up wearing a new leather racing suit!

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However, as the road follows the meandering Rocky River, there are a couple of places where you can cut across a paddock to avoid a road loop. Just behave yourself and watch out for ca le.

Rocky River is just that. It reminds me of the Snowy River with its large granite boulders and crackling stream of cold and fresh water. The road runs along its length, darting away into the hills then back again, always on a slippery surface of crushed decomposed granite with few changes.

A couple of violent storms have passed through in the preceding weeks and in places the road is heavily corrugated and ru ed as the runoff flows across and along its length. They aren’t deep ruts because of the hard granite base, but lateral ruts can grab your front tyre and give you a fright while the cross ruts ra le your fillings out … or in this case, ra le off the chain guard from a DL650. It’s one of several stops we make for repairs and photos. At least there are no punctures because there are few sharp rocks on this road.

This is one of those roads that tempts you to u-turn at the end and do it all again.

The valley scene is stunning, the road is tight, winding and challenging, and there are plenty of places you will want to stop, rest and enjoy the shade and the peace of lowly mooing ca le against a babbling background of running water. ►

Suzuki has extended the touring potential of its big V-Strom adventurer with several accessories packages.

Not only has the versatile all-road bike been updated this year with traction control and styling that has turned it from an ugly duckling into the swan of the adventure pack, but it’s been supplemented with a wide range of accessories.

They include handguards, grip warmers, spotlights, luggage, higher/ lower seats, centre stand, protection bars, windscreen options and more.

You can pick and choose and buy them separately, or you can choose from one of four accessories packs that are cheaper than buying all the items individually.

It starts with a touring pack for $699 that includes a tank protector, handguards, lower cowling, accessory bar and decals. The adventure pack ($1799) adds panniers and the voyager pack ($2599) adds a centre stand, large touring screen and dry roll bag. Top of the line is the grand touring pack ($3399) which also throws in a hard top box and LED indicators.

If you add this to the basic bike, which costs $15,490 (+ORC), you get a pretty handy bike for touring the whole of Australia, without having to spend anywhere near the money asked for some of the other exotic big adventure tourers on the market.

“All up they are only about 150km, but it took us two half days to complete them” Toward the middle, just before Upper Rocky River Rd branches off to the le , we all stop in the shade by a wooden bridge.

It’s a very cool and picturesque se ing for some respite and a short photo session.

I position the Strom on the bridge and walk along the creek’s edge to get a pre y picture. But the rocky creek edges are mossy and I slip over and slide straight into the cool and refreshing waters.

Instead of just dropping to my hands and knees, though, I’m trying to hold the camera up out of harm’s way so my whole body slides underwater. I’m not concerned about my phone or wallet as they are in the waterproof pockets of my Dririder jacket. However, I hadn’t thought about the lens cap, which was in the unzipped pocket of my trousers. It’s fallen out and washed downstream and no amount of searching finds it.

Meanwhile, the boys are standing under the trees wondering why I’m taking a bath.

A couple wander over to find out what’s going on and we continue our vain search for the lens cap. I get someone to take some shots of me emptying out my Axo adventure boots — waterproof unless you let the water run over the top!

I give up on the lens cap, arrange to get some action shots taken of me riding across the bridge and rejoin my colleagues.

There’s some talk about heading down Upper Rocky River Rd, but we’ve tried that before and it goes nowhere, although enticingly close to the Gwydir Highway. There’s also talk about some other turns south that head into Washpool National Park, but no one seems to obey the cornerman rules so that plan slips away as well.

Instead, we set off in wide gaps toward the western end of the road, in and out of forest and open farming country. It’s at one of the la er se ings where I come over all Great Escape on the open hills set against the backdrop of the high Great Dividing Range. It looks like the jump scene from the famous 1969 movie and I’m just too weak to resist the temptation to go rollicking along the open ridges. The

■ Shady and slippery when wet

100 | AUSTRALIAN ROAD RIDER

DL rider joins me for a quick romp and we even contemplate jumping the barbed wire fence, but sanity prevails.

From here, it’s more forest and winding roads with heavily corrugated surfaces. I’m now at the back of the pack and too tired to fight my way to the front, so I se le in to enjoy the ever-changing scenery. And that’s why I didn’t see Mrs Roo and her joey until it was too late. Mum had the good sense to bounce out of harm’s way, but young joey decided a race might be in order so he jumped ahead of me as I tried to decelerate, brake and steer at the same time. All was going well until joey tripped and sprawled right in front of me.

This tale doesn’t end badly, though.

Somehow the awesome brakes on the twin-disc Strom pulled me up fairly promptly even though you can’t turn off the ABS. It also allowed me to steer while under heavy braking, so I was able to avoid ski ling the fumbling fauna.

A er a couple of stops to check text messages as we returned to phone signal and to assist with the DL650’s flapping chain guard, we finally regrouped where the road returns to tar and ambles into Tenterfield. This is where you could easily refuel, u-turn and do it all again. But on this day, we have to part ways. I’m headed home for a family gathering and the rest are off on further adventures south.

Later that a ernoon, as I’m processing the photos and mulling over the competitive abilities of the Strom, I get an email that tells of the many stops for more punctures and running repairs. My guilt is somewhat allayed. I wasn’t the only one holding them up.

Although there were no further reports of impromptu baths! ARR

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Old-world ■ Like any other old bike shop from the outside

STORY AND PHOTOS: BARBARA JONES eah, we all love looking at the latest bike releases and imagine actually having them, but for those of us of an age, there’s still a fascination with the past. To experience it, and get a great ride in, go where no one else goes to admire some great private restoration work on classic UK bikes.

Y

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This ride starts from Cairns and continues south along the Bruce Highway until just before the Pyramid mountain, then turns right onto the amazing Gillies Range Road. This twisting, steeply ascending road passes through rainforest that opens out into eucalypt ranges and begs for a return ride. It will take you up to the tiny artist community of Yungaburra. It’s a fun ride

that passes lots of neat li le coffee shops where you can stop for a break.

Continue to the Malanda/Millaa Millaa turn-off, south on your way out of town.

This hilly ride through dairy country will bring you to the time travel portal of Tarzali — and the restoration heaven of really old UK motorcycles in the garage of Tarzali Cycles. There is nothing here made a er 1980. And nothing that isn’t

TIME TRAVEL

d Order Just out of Cairns is a workshop that takes you back to motorcycling in its heyday British; Triumphs, BSAs, Ariels and lesserknown cycles are sca ered about in various stages of repair, from bare bones to the nearly-theres.

Standing calmly in the middle of this controlled chaos is Gary Dufficie, who, with wife Kaye, built the business 18 years ago in this tiny outpost (population more or less 500 — plus cows), following in his British motorcycle mechanic father’s footsteps.

“Guess it’s in the blood,” he shrugs.

Doing an inventory of this place would give any self-respecting obsessivecompulsive bean counter nightmares, or just cause a simple dead faint. There are frames, engines, bits and pieces everywhere. And Gary knows exactly where they all are — and the provenance

of each and every one.

There are some truly rare and remarkable motorcycles housed here.

Gary is especially proud of his oldest restoration, a 1903 CCMC (Canadian Cycle Motor Cycles), found in the a ic of a shed in Mt Isa. Erm. And how the hell did it get there? Well, it was shipped into Townsville and the owner picked it up and rode it to the Isa. Think you’re an iron-bum? This old beast is more closely related to a pushbike than a motorcycle and the roads in 1903 weren’t exactly freeways. On arrival, the owner apparently had had enough and retired it to the shed. Gary has a magnificent photo of it — which, if you look closely, shows that it did, in fact, end up with a bicycle wheel in front when he finished with it.

“Very few people do this work anymore so it accumulates. Things just start coming to you — bikes people buy that need fixing up.

You start making connections and for me, anything old will do”

Nothing else fi ed.

The walls are lined with similar photos, movie posters (Steve McQueen makes a few appearances), trophies, first prizes from restoration shows. That so many of the bikes are...unusual...should come as no surprise, Gary explains — almost all of them were custom-built.

“Australia had about 280 motorcycle manufacturers early in the last century – but what they did was they sold the various parts,” relates Gary. “Motors, transmissions, seats, wheels, forks, everything — real custom motorcycles.

You bought them as you needed, then put them together yourself.” What sounds like transplant surgery gone wrong resulted in many bikes that just wouldn’t die. Hollywood, take note — this could be the beginning of a great horror movie.

And those that have almost passed on go to Gary. In a hamlet of 500 people, a business like this does not thrive on local trade. But it does from bike owners throughout Australia and ex-pats overseas, with many ordering parts from Gary to fix up their precious time-travellers.

“Very few people do this work anymore so it accumulates. Things just start coming to you — bikes people buy that need fixing up. You start making connections and for me, anything old will do,” he says. So much so that there’s now a Model T Ford (or

■ A blast form the past!

■ A real Rocket III!

AUSTRALIAN ROAD RIDER | 103

TIME TRAVEL ■ The man and a machine

“There is nothing here made after 1980. And nothing that isn’t British; Triumphs, BSAs, Ariels and lesser-known cycles are scattered about in various stages of repair, from bare bones to the nearly-theres”

■ Neat stuff in every nook and cranny

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most of it) in the workshop.

But this is work that requires patience.

Many of the bikes in the shop have been there for years, with owners coming in every now and again to put a few more dollars towards the end product. Gary buys some machines himself to restore and sell.

“They have to be cheap,” he says with a grin. “With the cost of parts, the hours I put in can’t pay too much for a decent return.”

Just recently, Gary overcame his reluctance to take on triples (“I figured they’d be more bother than they’re worth”) and has an immaculate BSA Rocket 3 as proof that it can be very much worth it.

This is sheer heaven for restorers and riders of any type of bike. It reeks of age.

My final question to Gary was — why the hell Tarzali? Even locals don’t know exactly where it is or why they’d want to go there.

“That’s usually the first question,” Gary says. “And the second is, ‘You actually make money out here?’” He’s been doing it for 18 years. Whadda ya reckon? Gary and Kaye welcome visitors, even groups — but phone first! They’re not always there, but may be if you let them know. Ph: (07) 4096 5890.

OK, a er this visit to the rust-end of the market and Gary’s amazing work, how the hell do you get out of here? Sure, there are many options, but for sheer fun, go back through Yungaburra and down the Gillies — this is a ride that’s totally different on the way down and begs you to do it again.

Have fun. ARR

P.O. Box 612, Sunbury 3429

The Surviva Asia, South America and Africa are fantastic places to explore on a motorcycle, as long as you know the ins and outs of surviving the chaos of their roads and climates

106 | AUSTRALIAN ROAD RIDER

SAFETY OVERSEAS

al Triangle

AUSTRALIAN ROAD RIDER | 107

viewpoint that’s a few hundred metres from a car park or the road. The last thing you’ll want to be doing in this situation is foraging through your bags for a pair of hiking shoes.

For the upper body, a Bonds singlet will give you be er mobility and airflow than a T-shirt, while your jacket should likewise allow your skin to breathe. I’ve tried half a dozen different kinds over the years, though none has served me be er than Dririder’s Rallycross Pro 2. It has a removable waterproof liner, removable moulded plastic armour and a removable 2L water bladder with hose. I can’t overstate the importance of remaining hydrated on long rides because when your body is thirsty, your brain has a hard time thinking about anything else.

Carrying a bo le of water in your luggage or bumbag just won’t do because you’ll delay pulling over for a drink in order to cover more distance. So if your jacket doesn’t have a built-in bladder, go and buy a CamelBak backpack.

Gloves that offer good grip and thumb movement are indispensable. They should be made of nothing but cowhide and feature moulded knuckle protectors.

Once again, Dririder manufactures a number of gloves that tick all these boxes at around the $100 mark.

STORY AND PHOTOS: IAN NEUBAUER en years ago while working as a journalist in the Cambodian capital Phnom Penh, I bought my first motorbike — an old Suzuki SX 150 trailbike — for commuting around town. Shortly a er I found myself taking off on weekend adventures along the coast and into the mountains. While I no longer live in Asia, I go back there to ride two or three times a year. I’ve had a few close calls and come off once or twice, but never have I broken a bone or wri en off a bike. I credit my track record to “the survival triangle” — a code for safe and successful adventure riding based around three key elements: comfort, navigation and dealing with obstacles.

It isn’t a failsafe system, nor is it allencompassing. But it makes a worthy addition to the pantheon of motorbike safety literature and will prove especially insightful to anyone thinking about heading off on an adventure ride in Asia, South America or Africa for the first time. So without further delay, here’s the gist of it ...

T

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COMFORT Being comfortable on long rides is not just about feeling good. It’s a key survival strategy that will stop you from fidgeting and ensure your concentration remains fixed on the road. It begins with your underwear. Boxer shorts are preferable to Y-fronts for preventing wedgies and chaffing. If chaffing begins, smear the affected area with Vaseline to prevent it from ge ing worse. Your socks should be long, thin, and made from natural or high-tech fibres that are breathable.

Douse the insides with a puff of medicated foot powder to prevent itchy toe jam.

For pants, I’ve only used one product since day one — Australia’s own Draggin’ Jeans. Lined with Kevlar and available in both jeans or cargo pants, they’re comfortable, look good and the lining will never, ever tear.

In terms of boots, as long as they offer hard protection to your heels, toes and ankles, you can’t go wrong. But make sure you can walk comfortably in your boots too. During your adventure, you’ll invariably come across a waterfall or

SAFETY OVERSEAS

“Be aware that highways in poorer countries have to be shared with tractors, motorised rickshaws, horse- and bullock-dawn carriages as well as antiquated trucks and buses” As most of my adventure riding takes place in warm climates, I wear an off-road helmet most of the time. Even though they’re practical, I’m not a fan of dualsports helmets that combine motocross and street styling as they tend to have too many plastic bits and bobs that are easy to break. I love Shoei’s VFX range, but at $600–$800 they’re a bit too rich, while M2R’s X2.6 is 80 to 90 per cent as good for half the money. Made of carbonfibre, Kevlar and fibreglass, the X2.6 is lightweight and well vented, making it ideal for long rides.

You’ll also need a good pair of goggles.

Old-school framed goggles will do the

trick, but they’re fidgety things and require constant readjustment. Ergo, I swear by Dragon NFX frameless goggles with anti-fog-treated lenses and UV protection that significantly improve your vision at sundown or in the rain. If your route climbs a mountain pass, even in the tropics, you may suddenly find yourself freezing cold. To ward off the shivers, I always carry a full-face silk ski mask and lightweight merino wool thermals. They cost twice as much as polyester thermals, but synthetic material isn’t very good at breathing and quickly becomes rank and foul-smelling with sweat.

Proper positioning of your luggage is essential to ensure your bike remains balanced. There’s nothing more convenient and comfortable than lockable hard-case panniers with inner liners. But panniers can become problematic and break if you head off-road. And they’re not really suited to smaller bikes. That’s where a simple luggage rack and ocky straps come in to play. There’s no need to

go overboard — two straps will hold any backpack in place. And don’t waste your time with net-shaped ocky straps. They’re totally useless.

Finally, before heading off on your adventure, invest $1 in a ChapStick. Unless your lips are properly lubricated, the wind will leave them parched and dry and you’ll find yourself constantly licking them instead of concentrating on the road.

NAVIGATION Navigation is detrimental to safety when travelling in remote or foreign regions, where a wrong turn could lead to a bad neighbourhood or a nature reserve, or private land where motorbikes aren’t allowed. Or you could just run out of fuel and be forced to leave your bike in the middle of nowhere and pray it’ll still be there when you return.

To ensure you make it from A to B, ►

AUSTRALIAN ROAD RIDER | 109

nothing beats the accuracy of a GPSenabled smartphone. When I started out in 2004, the only way one could enjoy the convenience of GPS functionality was with a costly Garmin handheld GPS device powered by AA ba eries. The maps, of course, had to be purchased separately and were nowhere as detailed as Google Maps are today.

Nevertheless, smartphones aren’t foolproof. The ba ery on my iPhone 5s is especially crap, though I can significantly extend its operating time by keeping it switched off and in airplane mode while on the go. Another great tip is to use offline map apps like City Maps 2 Go and Mapswithme that allow you to plot a course or save a point of interest using your internet connection at a hotel or at your home — and to peruse the saved data when you’re on the road without an internet connection.

But even then your smartphone can seize up, get smashed, drown or get lost.

Inasmuch, any adventure rider worth their salt will also carry a paper map and study it before leaving home. Keep your map folded in a waterproof ziplock bag while riding and take the time to fold it neatly a er every read. And in the unlikely event that both your map and smartphone go AWOL, a $5 compass will prove a life-saver as it will stop you 110 | AUSTRALIAN ROAD RIDER

from walking in circles if you need to abandon your bike off-road.

Another very simple and effective navigational tool for finding your way from A to B in foreign lands is to stop and ask locals for directions. To get the most out of this, it pays to learn a bit of the local language. Phrases like “where is ...”, “how far is it to ...”, “le ”, “right” and the numbers one through to 10. You also need to show respect and gratitude to these folk, which you can do by learning things like “hello”, “please” and “thank you”, as well as “where do you come

from” and “what’s your name” — two questions they’re likely to ask you.

Asking for directions is also a great way to make friends and receive invitations for dinner or to stay the night — the kind of heart-warming experiences that make adventure riding in foreign countries so worthwhile.

OBSTACLES When commuting around my hometown of Sydney, I assume every other driver on the road is about to do the stupidest thing they could possibly do. On the rare

SAFETY OVERSEAS

occasion they do so, I can see it coming.

But when riding on the hyper-congested roads of the developing world, drivers and riders act like morons all the time and vigilance is paramount to staying alive.

Let’s start with your line. You can never assume your side of the road is yours to keep. Truck and bus drivers, who can be drunk or souped up on amphetamines, o en overtake around blind corners.

Your best defence against them is to choose a line about one foot away from

the shoulder of the road. Don’t hug the corner because you never know if a pedestrian, cow or kid on a scooter is coming the other way, as happened to me once in East Timor and resulted in a front-end collision and a ripped ligament in my right calf when I came off my bike. Speaking of cows, they roam the streets of Asia and Africa with complete immunity. If you see one standing or walking along the shoulder of the road, slow down to a crawl as it may cross at

any time and you don’t want to hit one.

And if a cow is crossing the road in front of you, don’t try to go around the front of it as that could incite it to run.

Go around the back of it instead.

Dogs are also problematic and will o en charge motorbikes in packs. Don’t panic or speed up; instead, slow down. This will fool a dog into slowing down too and when they get within 5m, speed off. And whatever you do, don’t li your legs in the air to avoid ge ing bi en. Doing so will actually give a dog a clear target to latch onto. Be especially wary of children in developing countries, where parks and sports ovals are few and far between — soccer matches o en take place on public roads.

Wooden bridges can be very dangerous in the wet. My brother once cracked his knee open a er sliding off one in Tasmania. As a rule of thumb, wipe off a third of your speed on wet roads and half your speed if the road is wet and it's also raining. If you get caught in a monsoonal shower, the kind of rain that comes down sidewards, find shelter ASAP. If you can’t find shelter, park your bike and stand away from it. Don’t sit on it or even touch it as it could a ract a lightning bolt.

Just as glaring sun can impede your vision, so can the shade of trees on sunny days as they cast black holes over the road and hide potholes, subsidence or rocks. Also, don’t trust railway crossings in third-world countries. Come to a complete stop at least 2m away, look le and right and continue safely on your way. In South Asia, speed bumps are o en unsigned and can give you a big fright if you ride over them at speed.

Finally, be aware that highways in poorer countries have to be shared with tractors, motorised rickshaws, horseand bullock-dawn carriages as well as antiquated trucks and buses. That means you’ll find yourself needing to overtake quite o en and exposing yourself to fronton collisions. The risk factor jumps up 10 notches when there’s a queue of cars or bikes stuck behind a slow-moving vehicle on windy mountain roads, with each driver or rider eager to get past and taking risks in the process. When you add to that another queue of vehicles coming the other way, overtaking becomes a game of Russian roule e. I have survived hundreds of hours of riding in such conditions by simply taking it easy. If in doubt, don’t overtake. Pull over, take off your helmet, take a deep breath and remember, you’re on holiday. Enjoy it. ARR AUSTRALIAN ROAD RIDER | 111

Charging

112 | AUSTRALIAN ROAD RIDER

TURBOS AND SUPERCHARGERS

into the

Future The future of turbo or supercharging engines — typically seen as the search for absolute power — is about a whole lot more

STORY: MATT SHIELDS PHOTOGRAPHY: ARR ARCHIVES awasaki’s supercharged H2 sportsbike has set tongues wagging and hearts pulsating. A production bike, straight off the showroom floor with a whopping 300 horsepower is the kind of stuff dreams are made of.

That was six months ago and now that the initial PR waffle has subsided, the 300hp racetrack-only machine is for most mortals a 200hp engine roadbike, weighing in at a bulky 238kg wet — still supercharged though.

So aside from an obvious wow factor, why would you supercharge a motorcycle in a day and age where sensibility sells and extravagance is increasingly ignored? It’s all about the future: there is a big focus on the search for alternative power sources at present.

Well, it’s a search that’s been on for a long time but ramped up in the past decade as emissions controls have been stringently constituted and consumers have become

K

more environmentally conscious.

The Earth’s fossil fuel reserves have been depleting rapidly ever since the industrial revolution of the 18th century.

With time we’ve become quite aware of the effects of using this propellant and change has been upon us for the last few decades as governments legislate and manufacturers evolve transportation to be kinder to the environment.

The last decade has seen a boom in the number of alternative fuel source machines, with the car world pu ing these into mainstream production. In the motorcycle world we have seen biodiesel, ethanol, hydrogen and natural gas as fuel sources for motorcycle propulsion. Hybrid motorcycles — where one of the before-mentioned fuel sources runs in conjunction with a petrol or electric engine — are also in the works.

Electricity as the power source to replace the combustion engine is being touted as the next step forward.

Harley-Davidson’s LiveWire with around 100hp and 70Nm, weighing

in about 210kg, is as close in terms of performance and characteristics to a “normal” motorcycle that an electric motorcycle has ever been. But the bike is still a while off production.

Yet as conscious as people have been of the adverse effects to the environment, no one wants to fork out the currently big costs of an alternative fuel source vehicle. They are ge ing cheaper, but are nowhere near being mainstream and inexpensive.

As a result, the pursuit of be er economy, consumption and performance is still with the combustion engine because it is cheaper and has all the characteristics that we bike riders have come to know and love. But where to next? The combustion engine has come a long way since motorcycles started rolling on two wheels and surely every avenue has been explored. Seemingly so, but it’s the avenues that were briefly travelled where manufacturers are revisiting: namely the super and turbocharger. ► AUSTRALIAN ROAD RIDER | 113

Superchargers were created and patented in the late 1800s. In the early 1900s their use was in pursuit of more performance at a time when naturally aspirated motorcycle engines weren’t at all powerful.

By the 1930s, supercharging had helped propel Joseph Wright to a new land speed record of 221km/h on a 994cc Jap. BMW’s supercharged racebikes of the 1930s were legendary, as were Gilera and the NSUs. Then there was AJS’s V4 supercharged racer. By this time in history superchargers were used across a wide array of transportation as a means of boosting power. Most notably and effectively, supercharging was used in aircra engines like the Rolls-Royce Merlin that powered Spitfires in WWII. In motorcycling things were somewhat different. The supercharger was put back on the parts shelf during WWII. Manufacturers sought to build reliable, mass-produced and inexpensive machines during the war. BSA, Triumph, Harley-Davidson and Royal Enfield built these machines during the war and were still producing motorcycles at the end of it. Other manufacturers perished due to production embargos or lack of demand, particularly post-war.

The progress made by the internal combustion engine post-WWII saw a ban in racing in the late 1940s. It spelled the end of supercharging being considered for mainstream applications as production roadbikes were occasionally supercharged too. War had aided development of the engine and superchargers were no longer a necessity to achieve the power output required.

As a result of engines becoming more powerful, the need to add a supercharger was typically le for the racetrack and drag strip, where outright

r Stripped-down H2R showing its glory

114 | AUSTRALIAN ROAD RIDER

■ Could Suzuki’s concept mark the new generation of production turbos?

“Big powerful bikes are never going to outhandle smaller, lesspowerful machines. But a smaller, charged machine would have those handling characteristics and more power — it’s just a matter of getting the power delivery right. Do that and you’ll have a motorcycle the world wants and needs” speed was a necessity. At the same time, manufacturing restrictions during the war, particularly in Germany, and the death of the British and American motorcycle industries, ensured motorcycle production was more for necessity and convenience: supplying the masses with a product and ensuring a company would keep on keeping on. Speed and power were no longer a primary consideration.

In the years to follow, the European brands would be replaced by the Japanese as the innovators of motorcycling. German motorcycle manufacturer MZ was making great inroads in two-stroke development in

the ‘60s thanks to German engineer Walter Kaaden’s discovery of the role of pressure waves in exhaust systems.

His work created the first modern twostroke design with expansion chambers, and power was an impressive 200hp/L. Superchargers and turbos never reached these levels a few years earlier. But now they had a new purpose and served as a tool of desire, particularly on the racetrack.

In the early ‘80s the landscape of the American motorcycle industry had gone from bad — more brands than you can count in the ‘20s, three brands in the ‘30s and only Harley-Davidson le in the ‘50s — to dire. It was recession

r Georg Meier flying on the BMW "Kompressor"

TURBOS AND SUPERCHARGERS ■ Ben Bickell's 1933 supercharged Ariel Square 4 lapped Brooklands at 176km/h. Oh, and there’s no front brake…

time and Japan’s ability to produce reliable, cost-effective, high-performance motorcycles was making the rest of the world bleed. Harley was doing it as tough as the Europeans were, particularly because the Japanese brands were being heavily discounted in the USA. It took government intervention in the form of import tariffs on Japanese motorcycles over 700cc to try to save Harley sales.

One way for the Japanese to beat this tariff and produce a motorcycle with the sort of power of a big bike was by

running a turbo. The Honda CX500/650, Suzuki XN85 and Yamaha XJ650T all did this successfully, while Kawasaki shipped the parts and assembled in the USA to enter the market with the GPz750 Turbo.

The Honda, Suzuki and Yamaha were all around 650cc in their final form.

Honda had bragging rights with the 100hp/75kW CX650, while the Suzuki and Yamaha put out around 63kW. The GPz750 was the most powerful, pu ing out 84kW, but it had a capacity advantage.

However these turbos weren’t popular.

They promised middleweight-like handling and big bike power at a good price, but the models were heavy, power characteristics weren’t good and the turbo systems complex. To make ma ers worse, the global motorcycle market took a big hit sales-wise and manufacturers tightened up their model line-ups. The turbo fantasy had all too quickly come to an end.

Since then, rumours swelled every now and then about turbo or supercharged motorcycles making it into production from the big manufacturers. Suzuki’s B-King concept was supercharged and really got tongues wagging. Sadly, it wasn’t to be — until 2015 anyway.

There have been many supercharged superbikes over the years, namely the Aussie-built Vee Two Super Squalo, Roehr V-twin superbikes and Bimota DB11VLX. The Horex VR6 was a supercharged motorcycle in development for many years and only died a death with the company in 2014.

Suzuki has enticed us with turbocharging on its 588cc, twin-cylinder: 75kW, 100Nm, 174kg Recursion concept.

Yamaha has had turbo diesel patents lodged five years ago while the Track T800 Turbo diesel motorcycle with CVT pumps out a mild 30kW and whopping 100Nm of torque.

But these one-offs, concepts, exotic and expensive charged motorcycles aren’t the future. Charging is moving away from being solely in the pursuit of power and is now being widely considered and developed as not only a means of using smaller ►

r The BMW “Kompressor” Georg Meier raced to victory in the 1939 Senior TT and Michael Dunlop’s Superbike and Senior TT winning machine 75 years later

AUSTRALIAN ROAD RIDER | 115

r Drivetrains for superchargers are sometimes used as a showpiece like this one!

engines with more power, but ultimately be er fuel economy.

The complexities of supercharging systems have come a long way thanks to development in aeronautics, automotive and marine applications. In fact, the lessons learnt in marine applications are 116 | AUSTRALIAN ROAD RIDER

cited by Kawasaki as a reason why the manufacturer showed a supercharged four-cylinder engine at the 2013 Tokyo Motor Show: the engine that was to become the Ninja H2. While Kawasaki didn’t go into any detail at the time about the engine’s future application, it clearly points to the fact that superchargers have a future.

Chargers are essentially pumps that give the engine an extra push by forcing more air into an engine. This in turn allows smaller capacities to be run with a supercharger or turbo and receive an output similar to a biggercapacity engine.

Where the two systems deliver in their operation is, generally, in the way they apply their initial effect due to the fact that turbos are typically operated off exhaust gases and superchargers off the cranksha .

Both systems are essentially air compressors that increase air pressure or air density to a combustion chamber. The

“One way for the Japanese to beat this tariff and produce a motorcycle with the sort of power of a big bike was by running a turbo” increased amounts of oxygen can burn more fuel and thus make more power.

The two systems differ where a turbo runs post-combustion. Air from the exhaust turns a turbine that increases the pressure in the inlet tract.

Superchargers are operated mechanically in a number of different ways, typically off the cranksha . Belt, gears, chains and sha s turn the compressor which, in turn, forces more air into the intake tract.

There are two general negatives to the systems. With a turbo, when you twist the thro le there is a delay as an increase in exhaust gases is needed before pu ing the turbo into effect and pressurising the inlet tract. Revs are needed for them to

TURBOS AND SUPERCHARGERS INSIDE THE BEAST Producing a supercharged production motorcycle takes more than just bolting on a charger. The primary considerations that need to be addressed by supercharging are intake air heat, engine heat and engine stress. Adding power does cause a lot more than just excitement!

Kawasaki, like most manufacturers, has a number of divisions within the company that build more than just motorcycles. Within the Kawasaki Heavy Industries (KHI) group there is a gas turbine and machinery company, aerospace company and corporate technology division.

By calling on the different arms within the company, Kawasaki was able to design a supercharger that is extremely compact and claimed to be highly efficient.

Run off the crankshaft via a planetary gear train, the supercharger impeller spins at 9.2 times the speed of the crankshaft. So at redline of 14,000rpm, the impeller is turning at 130,000rpm —

work and this gap in performance is o en referred to as turbo lag.

Superchargers operate directly in relation to engine RPM and hence need power to make power. They can rob up to a third of an engine’s power to do their job, though a net power gain of 10 per cent is typical. You really need a decent amount of outright power to see a good outright gain in power without the initial power rob causing any negative effect.

So superchargers are typically less economical and provide a smaller output gain than a turbo, but have more favourable characteristics on a motorcycle and all of the system’s benefits are available instantaneously.

Turbos are be er on economy, less expensive to fit and provide a bigger outright improvement, but their power delivery characteristics aren’t as good.

Efficiency of both systems has improved with the use of intercoolers cooling the air between pump and intake as the systems heat the air when it is being pressurised — something that limits the total performance improvements of these systems.

But things have progressed from these “typical” traits as manufacturers seek improved economy. So evolved

that’s pumping quite some air!

With that sort of air pressure and power output — 300 horsepower in the H2R — the engine unit for both H2s is built stronger to be able to handle twice the stress of a typical superbike engine.

The road-going engine differs from the race version with different cams, head gasket and clutch. The combustion chamber is designed to suit the high-pressure intake air and as a result its design eliminates the squish area — used to promote better air and fuel mixing in normal engines — and runs a 8.5:1 compression ratio — all a supercharged engine needs. The piston design is a flat crown and is a design from Kawasaki’s 18-cylinder Green Gas Engine.

Getting the air in comes via a centrally mounted ram air duct that is three times the area of the supercharger intake area. It’s squished in along a straight path to the supercharger intake via an aluminium intake chamber that keeps the air cool and is totally airtight — you don’t want air escaping in a charged system!

are charged systems these days that manufacturers have sought to eradicate both of the effects the systems have “typically” displayed in the past. Just have a look at the efforts Kawasaki has gone to with the H2 (sidebar, above) and you’ll see the future of the supercharger is looking promising.

Fuel is added to the air mix through stainless-steel nets to disperse the fuel mixture in a mist. With lower lift and overlap narrower than a typical superbike engine, the exhaust ports are straight to get an optimum route for air chamber filling.

The extra effort involved in cooling the engine to ensure the system is as efficient as possible requires an oil jet system cooling and lubricating the engine, supercharger and gearbox.

r What was to become of the Ninja H2 engine shown as a prototype at the 2013 Tokyo Show

While the supercharger looks like the way forward, turbocharging is more likely to have a bigger future in motorcycling for the same reason it is so popular elsewhere in the automotive world: it provides greater power gains, is more efficient and economical.

Turbos have been employed on

■ The simplicity of a turbo

AUSTRALIAN ROAD RIDER | 117

TURBOS AND SUPERCHARGERS ■ Nothing says ‘80s like a GPz!

diesel vehicles for a long time now and diesel motorcycles are running them.

But the systems are big and bulky. It’s going to take a lot of development time to get them down to a size acceptable for a motorcycle. Or, could one of the manufacturers surprise us at one of the new bike shows in 2015?

With the advancements in alternative fuel sources, it makes sense why a manufacturer would pursue development of supercharged and turbocharged systems for mass production. But the slow adoption of alternative fuel-source motorcycles and the limited availability of inexpensive, economical options mean it is a long time off being taken up the way it has in the car world. Although they all, particularly the Japanese manufacturers, tease us with alternative fuel source machines, fossil fuels, and burning less of them, is the only way forward for motorcycle manufacturers.

We’ve seen the improvements that fuel injection and engine control so ware has had on the efficiency and performance of motorcycles in the last 15 years. Just about every manufacturer is producing a nearly flawless system, no ma er what

r Follow the path in and out and you soon see how complex a supercharger really is

118 | AUSTRALIAN ROAD RIDER

the price of the motorcycle.

Stricter emission standards have caused manufacturers to look at the finer points of engine performance to build in improved performance and characteristics.

Reciprocating weight of engine internals, surface friction in the cylinder and combustion chamber design are the main points of any engine update these days, usually going hand in hand with more capable engine control systems.

Charging isn’t needed anymore to improve motorcycle engines’ outright power — you only need to look at the 142kW and 112Nm BMW’s S1000RR throws out off the showroom floor. The main gain is to be had from be er fuel economy and performance from lighter, smaller machines, which in turn would mean be er handling.

Forget about the drawbacks the systems have had in the past and look solely at their benefits, which is how they will be engineered to operate; humans are ge ing be er at this sort of refinement on a daily basis. You can have smallercapacity engines that use less fuel and put out the equivalent power of a naturally aspirated machine of greater capacity.

And keep in mind the more favourable

r A very slick and economical drivetrain solution for the H2's supercharger

■ Yamaha’s dab at the turbo production bike in the ‘80s

“Charging is moving away from being solely in the pursuit of power and is now being widely considered and developed as not only a means of using smaller engines with more power, but ultimately better fuel economy” engine characteristics if you can dial out the lag of a turbo or power needed by a supercharger — just as Kawasaki has claimed to do with the Ninja H2.

You only need to look at the likes of a K1300S or Hayabusa to realise that with big power comes big chassis dimensions. And these big powerful bikes are never going to outhandle smaller, less-powerful machines. But a smaller, charged machine would have those handling characteristics and more power — it’s just a ma er of ge ing the power delivery right. Do that and you’ll have a motorcycle the world wants and needs.

With Grand Prix and Superbike racing typically the R&D facility of future roadbike technologies, and the fact that charged motorcycles don’t race any more, the development of these technologies has to take place elsewhere because at the end of the day development has to make a quid — be it bike sales or race victories. That’s why Kawasaki’s Ninja H2 signals a bright future. With a background in turbine development that has crossed over to the company’s motorcycle business, hopefully there will be more charged motorcycles as the pursuit for be er performance and economy becomes the guiding light of motorcycle development. ARR

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TESTING,TESTING THE FACELESS MAN Isaac Oosterloo’s trip into motorcycling began in Asia and expanded into India along with revelations, drugs and an ever-expanding awareness of what a wonderful world we live in. For him, bikes were as much about the inward journey as the outward one, a happy beginning that has given his version of motorcycling a unique and spicy flavour.

Long-term travelling by motorcycle reached such a crescendo that Isaac gave himself what he says was a “complete DNA upgrade”.

And of course it didn’t take long for him to grow restless once he came back to Australia and its regulated way of life.

With a licence, Yamaha V-Star, a minimal amount of kit and no itinerary, Isaac set off from Byron Bay to Broome.

The Faceless Man is all about this ride. It is wri en by a “typical wild Tasmanian boy” who has experienced a much broader part of the earth with an aversion to materialism and the ability to think for himself. It’s honest, heartfelt and philosophical, as well as being very well wri en. Any ARR reader who read Isaac’s recent features and guest columns will know his style and have a good idea of what’s in store when they read the book.

Isaac rides with Monkey, his best mate and a practical, cynical man who balances Isaac’s “airy-fairy, creative, hippy side”. They set out with no plan except to take things as they come, and Isaac brings you along without giving any hints of what’s coming up in the book. You’re always heading towards the same horizon as them, not seeing beyond it.

The pure joy of being on the road — the novelty of it in the early parts of the journey and living with it as the ride went on — comes across so clearly in Isaac’s words that as I read I kept recalling my own moments of bliss, some that had lain dormant in my memory for years. This was a surprising and fun aspect of reading The Faceless

120 | AUSTRALIAN ROAD RIDER

Man. One moment the emotion of being alone in the outback on my motorcycle would well up inside me, the next I’d be anticipating the rolling road and wide sky somewhere on my next big tour.

This trip wasn’t Isaac’s first adventurous ride — not a er his formative travels in Asia and India — but this one is new and big for him, the “most epic journey of my life”. There’s an innocence, even a bit of naivety in Isaac’s words. Despite all his previous travelling on and off motorcycles, so much on his Australia odyssey is u erly novel to him. The fact that this comes through provides The Faceless Man with a refreshing tone that’s sometimes lost in other travelogues, wri en a er the event and tinged with the hindsight of an experienced traveller.

You feel for him and Monkey when, a er riding full of confidence to their very first camping spot, everything went pear-shaped. They made the classic mistakes: arriving a er dark to set up a beach camp, having underestimated mother nature’s potential. They were

hammered by a storm and were almost hypothermic through a miserable night.

Their reaction when the sun rises again is to shrug it off and have a laugh before riding on, wiser and now more cautious.

“When you are soaked to the skin in a small, grey town with no shelter around, it looks completely different than when you discuss it in a bar over scotch,” Isaac writes. Probably a good, if hard, lesson to learn early in the piece.

On the road heading north, then west and finally down to Broome, WA, Isaac and Monkey meet good towns and bad, snakes and wasps, girls and drinkers, old friends and new ones. They encounter

PRODUCT REVIEWS EXTRACT: FREEDOM

DETAILS Visit www.isaacoosterloo.com Isaac’s website or jump on www.fishpond.com.au to purchase in Australia.

“This trip wasn’t Isaac’s first adventurous ride — not after his formative travels in Asia and India — but this one is new and big for him, the ‘most epic journey of my life’.” more than a few crazies along the way, o en wondering how they manage to a ract them. Isaac’s grey-nomad parents meet them in Bowen and shout them to a comfortable room that serves only to confirm that Monkey and the Faceless Man have become so addicted to their unencumbered life on the road that they can’t deal with luxury anymore.

The force of the outback hits them hard, and Isaac’s descriptions ring true to anyone who’s been out there, especially

on a motorcycle. He was taken by the realisation that “there is no silence in the world like 5am in the Australian desert”.

Their strong mateship is rarely tested, though it has its moments and it evolves over time until they’re forced to split and Isaac finishes the ride alone.

Then there’s another evolution as Isaac becomes a solo traveller, making his way across the remoteness of northwestern Australia.

The whole adventure is related in an

“Monkey and I burned out of the servo. Wild and uncompromising as we rode on into the west. Just past Cloncurry the road started to rise and we began sweeping through a series of undulating low red hills and valleys.

The bikes held at perfect balance as we leaned into long sloping desert corners, then gear-shifted up as we passed the apex to tear out of the other side. It was stunning riding country. We had crossed hundreds of kilometres of low desert shrubland and were now climbing again into a rippling small desert mountain range. Crossing over peaks and riding through red canyons, then blasting the girls out at one hundred and forty kliks along the straights. No speed limits here. No laws. Just two riders on a highway, journeying together into the heartland of mother earth and the rainbow serpent.

“It is much easier to feel freedom as a natural state when you are doing something that is truly free. People sit in their boxed office jobs in clothes they hate to wear, and then go home and have a screen tell them how to think.

Then they ask themselves why they do not feel free.

“Freedom is an active and current choice.

“There we were. Monkey and I, eight hundred kilometres into the desert riding motorbikes through a mountain range. Face masks and sunnies on, tearing through this untamed place.

“Some things you do will leave a permanent imprint on your soul.”

— Isaac Oosterloo, The Faceless Man

irreverent, sometimes crass way that’ll be too much for the most conservative of you. The rest of us, whether we’ve ridden on many adventures or are yet to set off for the first, will get a lot from it. The Faceless Man is a travel story and a spiritual journey, but it is very much rooted in biking. Isaac’s love for riding gives his book the crucial connection with people like you and me so that we’ll get it. “As excited as I am to see and experience the new places on this journey of epic proportions, I am most excited about simply spending that much time on my bike on new roads,” he writes. “Riding motorbikes transcends words.”

AUSTRALIAN ROAD RIDER | 121

JACKSON EQUIPMENT WON-Z Ah! The joys of ge ing wet. Don’t you just love it? I’m sure I’m like many others when I say I don’t mind ge ing caught in the rain, but I hate ge ing wet! Well, how about soaked? Having

122 | AUSTRALIAN ROAD RIDER

water seeping in wherever, including into your crotch, isn’t what we would call enjoyment. There’s nothing worse, except for soaked gloves and boots, but that’s a different story.

Many motorcycle clothing companies know this is a problem and it is a hard one to get right. There are some great

combination setups on the market with excellent pants and jackets, and some companies have opted to produce one-piece plastic suits which, from past experience, work well and are generally be er than they were many years ago.

A er looking for a few years at all the problems of designing truly good

PRODUCT REVIEWS wet-weather gear, Jackson Equipment decided it was about time to produce a true rider’s rain suit, one that will not only keep you dry but is not too bulky once folded for storage, nor a hassle to put on. The company’s solution, the Won-Z, is a simple idea and for the life of me I can’t understand why someone

hadn’t thought of it before. But as they say, necessity is the mother of invention.

The suit is nicely folded fairly flat with a plastic buckle and strap to keep it from being messy. You simply unroll it and open the long zippers that travel down each leg from the ankles to the hips, then just step in and pull the top

half over as you would a jacket. The best thing is that this product has been designed to go over your current riding jacket — that’s why it’s called the Top Layer. The next step is to close the zip on each leg, unzip the cuffs, put your gloves back on, zip up the cuffs and off you go.

To take the suit off, simply reverse the procedure, rolling it up to approximately 30cm long by 15cm diameter.

There’s no more need to remove boots and struggle with pulling on waterproof pants. This breathable, waterproof suit takes care of it all. Also, the neck, wrists and ankles are all elasticised so you can stretch the cuffs to fit snugly over the top of your gloves, leaving only the hands of the gloves exposed.

The Won-Z suit is made from durable material but it is lightweight and isn’t protective gear, just a very good weatherproof suit. It took a while for me to work out how good it was because for months in NSW it was dry, but the gods have given us a drenching lately so the suit has received a thorough workout. It passed effortlessly.

If you take a look at the Jackson Equipment website I think you’ll find it interesting. You’ll see a guy down on a beach wearing one of these suits submersing himself in the water, then showing us that no water has penetrated the suit to wet his clothing. I’m not going to try it myself but from my experience on the bike, Jackson Equipment is certainly on a winner, as are the riders who decide to buy the Won-Z. The Jackson Won-Z weatherproof suit comes in hi-vis orange or black/ orange. Its price puts it up there towards the top end of the scale but if you want gear that is as effective and functional as this, you won’t regret outlaying the money. Of course, it does come with a warranty.

If you want to learn more about this great product, visit jacksonracing. com.au or contact John or Nicole at Motociclo in St Peters, NSW; phone 02 9557 7234 or motociclo.com.au.

— JOHN ARENS

DETAILS Price: $575 Colours: Hi-Vis Orange, black/orange Sizes: Men’s XS–4XL, women’s XS–M but see website for comments Contacts: jacksonracing.com.au, motociclo.com.au, 02 9557 7234

AUSTRALIAN ROAD RIDER | 123

WHATZ NEW

NOLAN N-104 EVO Nolan has improved the N-104 flip-up helmet with a revised EPS liner, comfort liner and overall fit for greater safety, comfort and reduced noise. The venting system has been improved and the jaw, visor and internal VPS visor mechanisms have all been revised for better action and longer life. At the end of the day, basically everything that touches your head or moves is new; the N-104 Evo is a whole new helmet!

Made in Italy, with a five-year warranty, 124 | AUSTRALIAN ROAD RIDER

the N-104 comes in two shell sizes for optimum size and fit and features Nolan’s trick internal visor that allows you to flip down a tinted screen inside of the helmet so you are never forced to squint your way home.

Price: $499 (plain), $549 (graphics) Sizes: XSM-XXL Colours — Graphics: white/black/grey, black/grey Plain: Silver, black, flat black Visit: www.ronangel.com.au

RIDE IN ROMANIA Ride in Romania specialises in organising and operating motorcycle tours in Eastern Europe: Romania, Serbia, Montenegro, Bulgaria and Turkey. From castles in the mountains with beautiful serpentines and legends of Dracula, the roads traverse stunning landscapes boasting mountains, lakes and rivers.

You can experience the history, old buildings, museums and the excitement of Bucharest in a short city break. Tours take in the second-largest building in Europe, Parliament Palace, Dracula Castle, Peles Castle, Merry Cemetery, painted monasteries Voronet, Moldovita and Sucevita, national parks, the old city of Budva, Bay of Kotor, Ephesus, Troya, Pamukkale, Cappadocia and many other interesting places.

The tour fleet consists only of BMWs: F650GS, F800GS, R1200GS. This year they are organising six tours, three of which are in Romania. Check out the 2015 tour schedule at www.rideinromania.com.

NEW AND INTERESTING STUFF SW-MOTECH SMARTPHONE HARDCASE SW-Motech has expanded its range of hardcases for smartphones and the waterresistant device cases, sporting a base pivotable by 360°, are now available for iPhone 6 and Samsung Galaxy S5. Variants for iPhone 3, 4, 5, 5c and Samsung Galaxy S2 are already available.

The cases are pivotable by 360°, allowing easy use as a GPS in landscape or portrait format. A covered cable feedthrough ensures protection of electricals from the elements, while a soft silicon inlay provides a perfect fit and protection from vibration and shock.

Price: €49.95 ($AU75 approx.)

Visit: www.sw-motech.com

FALCO MAXX Falco Maxx boots are designed for the rider who dreams of an innovative approach to both fashion and functionality. Made with an elasticated insert, these boots will give the impression they’ve been custom built to fit your individual hoof.

Designed with an “air-tech” vented lining, the Falco Maxx make sweaty feet a thing of the past while you cruise down the open road. Combined with the reinforced toe and heel counters and TPU ankle cups, these boots are the perfect answer for warmer riding conditions.

The total-grip oil-proof rubber soles ensure your feet will never slip off the pegs again, no matter what terrain you’ve been treading on. And don’t worry about your laces coming undone mid ride — the Velcro straps keep them concealed and make for a sleek and polished look.

Built with a synthetic “soft-touch” upper, these boots have been made for the rider of today. Available in a sleek Jet Black, Maxx boots will soon become your favourite riding companions.

Sizes: 41–47 Price: $179.95 Visit www.ficeda.com.au

AUSTRALIAN ROAD RIDER | 125

NEW AND INTERESTING STUFF RACE PERFORMANCE OIL FILTERS Race Performance oil filters are developed in racing for use on the street. Now available in Australia through Warrian Enterprises, the steel canister has a cross-drilled 17mm hex head for easy fitment, removal and lockwiring for race applications.

Shaped to take traditional oil filter wrenches, the filters have outstanding filtration capability through an M-pleat design of the filtration surface that increases the overall surface air for filtration.

Compatible with all oil grades and types, canister- or cartridgetype filters are available for all applications and have an anti-drain back valve in all applicable models.

Price: $8–$14 depending on model Visit: www.silkolene.com.au

126 | AUSTRALIAN ROAD RIDER

ADRIATIC MOTO TOURS Slovenian tour company Adriatic Moto Tours has added two new tours and a host of new motorcycles to its line-up in 2015.

Specialising in motorcycle trips in southern Europe and the Balkans for the past 11 years, it has added a Slovenia and Italy tour to its schedule, making it possible to explore the hidden gems between the Alps and the Adriatic Sea, or the roads between east and west coasts of the Apennine Peninsula and romantic Tuscany.

The new motorcycle models include Yamaha’s MT-07, MT-09 Tracer, BMW’s new R1200R, S1000XR, S1000RR and R1200RS and Harley-Davidson’s Sportster Superlow R 1200T. You can choose between rental, self-guided or guided tours on any of the 19 models they have available.

Visit: www.adriaticmototours.com/ brochures

NEW AND INTERESTING STUFF TOURATECH SUSPENSION From the makers of some of the most glorious touring equipment to ever adorn a motorcycle comes Touratech suspension, designed to meet the demands of touring on your motorcycle.

Touratech Suspension is a complete suspension solution that works straight out of the box. Developed over three years by Touratech and TracTive, the suspension is

specifically designed for use on adventure motorcylces and gives you greatly improved handling and load-carrying capabilities than what your standard suspension will.

The suspension is built for use with standard or heavy loads and offers top performance both on and off the road.

It comes with 50 per cent more pre-load adjustment than standard shocks, and every set of Touratech Suspension comes with specific set-up instructions for your

particular bike. Touratech Suspension features an alloy body that helps to dissipate heat better than a steel-bodied shock, making it ideal for our hot Australian conditions.

Touratech Suspension is available in four versions — Explore, Explore HP, Expedition and Extreme — for a huge range of adventure bikes that you can check out on the Touratech website.

Visit: shop.touratech.com.au

KEY FEATURES • Standard damping set-up for fully loaded adventure bikes.

• Oversized 16mm high-strength shaft made of chrome-moly steel.

• A floating piston separates the nitrogen and the oil to prevent oil foaming, ensuring smooth and consistent performance.

• Cold forged 6082 T6 aluminium shock body.

• High-strength stainless-steel bushes.

• Low-friction seal with integrated Teflon back-up ring.

• Adjustable preload.

• Available in a range of spring rates to match the rider’s weight and requirements.

PIRELLI MT 60 RS Redesigned and restructured in a 110/80-18 front and 180/55-17 rear as the standard fitment rubber for Ducati’s new Scrambler, the Pirelli MT 60 RS is a tyre designed for road sports performance and traction on unpaved roads.

Built to fit the 3in-wide front wheel and 5.5in-wide rear wheel, the RS differs in its design through larger and more variable-sized knobs on the tyre edge, which make for more rubber on the road than the MT 60. This increase in contact area helps braking, cornering and

stability performance on the road while still providing good levels of traction on unpaved roads.

The compounds of the RS have come from the Diablo Rosso II — a road sports tyre — up front to give high grip in the wet and dry and at the rear a sporttouring compound has been used to give the tyre good grip in the wet and excellent mileage. There’s also a 160/60-17 rear tyre in the RS. Price: TBC Visit: www.pirelli.com

AUSTRALIAN ROAD RIDER | 127

READERS RITE WINNER

WASN’T US! It has been brought to my a ention that in your latest magazine, where the Indian Scout is reviewed, there is a sidebar which suggests that owners of the 2014 Indian tan leather were neglectful in their care of the leather (see a ached).

This is absolutely not correct and it has been admi ed by the company both here and in the USA that the fading problem is a factory fault, being dealt with under warranty. My seat has been conditioned from day one using the Indian-supplied conditioner, but even over winter it still faded, until spring came and then it really faded.

“Almost no-one lavished care and a ention on it” needs to be corrected,

128 | AUSTRALIAN ROAD RIDER

as it blames owners. The real story is that early on, Indian recognised that their leather supplier had fallen down on the job, and so now the 2015s have “Desert Tan” and, as your magazine quite accurately states, has been treated with a be er sealer and be er dying process.

There are many Indian Vintage owners who are very unhappy with this situation, so blaming them just rubs salt into the wounds. I saw mine fade a few shades in just one day — literally! The a ached photo below shows how the front part of the seat faded very quickly when exposed to the winter sun, and the second (le ) shows my seat a er being restored.

At least Indian in Australia took a long time to come up with (what seems like) a good solution, one in which a professional leather restorer is doing the job that should have been done originally.

I pity the US owners as all they were given was a kit to apply themselves over several days and the instructions are to do that twice per year. It takes days to complete so that gives you a further idea that the fault is in the original leather process.

Robert, Indian owner Email

on’t forget to write! We mean it. We love to hear from you and everyone else does too; these pages are among the most popular in the magazine. Preferably, keep le ers under 300 words so we can fit more in, though we will allow the odd exception without taking to it with the editorial knife. Yes, we will chop ’em when we have to. Do include your real name and some contact details, just in case we need to clarify something. Please write to roadrider@universalmagazines.com.au or send mail to Road Rider, Unit 5, 6–8 Byfield Street, North Ryde NSW 2113 — Matho

D

WIN THIS, LOOK HOT Every issue we’re giving away this beaut pack of Motul cleaning gear worth $49.95.

All you have to do to be in with a chance of winning is write to us. We’ll pick what we think is the best letter every month and the top blokes at Motul will fire out this pack to whoever wrote it. Simple. Pack includes some of the best washing and detailing products on the market: •

Wash & Wax, a waterless cleaner that

•

Moto Wash, good for

•

Scratch Remover, a

leaves a wax coating all surfaces micro-abrasive cream for painted surfaces •

Helmet & Visor Clean, to keep your lid and your view pristine.

Email roadrider@universalmagazines. com.au or mail to ARR at 5/6–8 Byfield St, North Ryde NSW 2113. We’ll do the rest.

LETTERS STRETCHED OUT I received the Jan/Feb 2015 issue today and as usual eagerly scanned through to see what is new.

My a ention was grabbed by the lovely young thing seated on the Brammo, so I read the article.

I have to draw to your a ention that a motorcycle with a wheelbase of 14763mm is really stretching the imagination of the sportsbike category. I’ve been a long-time follower of drag racing and even a Top Fuel Dragster doesn’t have a wheelbase that long, and they only want to go straight! So good luck trying to toss this one through the twisties. I really look forward to the road test report!

Ian Wise Canberra, ACT The extra-long wheelbase reduces the distance the Brammo must travel between re-charging stations, so as you can see it’s a practical design feature. Er, or maybe not. In fact, we’re assured there’s another version available with a shorter wheelbase of 1473mm, and it is much more popular. And it does not have any stray 6s in it. — Matho

ACTIONS “Destination USA” in ARR #110 is a great article which I’d endorse to plan a trip of a lifetime in the USA. Numerous articles in ARR over many years and discussions with a few riders had kindled my desire to ride the U.S.of A. So in September 2013 I hired a BMW F800GS from Dubbelju Rentals in San Francisco (an ARR advertiser — very satisfied with the bike/service) and rode eight states bound by California, Washington, Montana and Utah. The route was cobbled together from articles, suggestions by Dubbelju, iconic rides like “Road to the Sun” in blue sky country Montana, US50 “Loneliest Road in America” in Nevada, roads that follow rivers (for the bends), mountain roads closed in winter (great views and twisties) and suggestions by locals. Stepping outside your comfort zone is a buzz that adds to a fantastic experience.

ARR is right about travel insurance; read the fine print and check that you are covered for all eventualities. Fortunately I didn’t need to use my insurance but it was certainly reassuring to have it.

The photo in Gregor’s “What has happened to the wave?” in the same ARR issue shows how it’s done in the USA. US bikers have developed the wave into a super-cool art. The le hand slides off the bar, where it’s caught by the wind, then

under its own weight swings down and back in a lazy arc while a couple of gloved fingers are extended — so cool dude!

I found just about everyone waved in the USA, even Harleys waving to the GS — that’s unheard of! But unless you have cruise control or a thro le lock, it’s hard to emulate that same coolness with the right hand.

Ross Hayward Broulee, NSW

BAD COVER SHOTS! I’m always keen to find your latest mag in the shop, the usual high standard of stories, tests and odds ’n’ ends. I also always seem to find something I missed each time I re-read it — great stuff.

However, ARR #109’s cover is way down on your standard: that Harley is dog ugly and the rider in that getup should be poncing about Melbourne on a scooter — mirror sunnies, WTF! As for the snapper, the only excuse must have been a Canon shooter — a terrible washed-out shot with junk in the le background. I haven’t been on that road for a long time but I remember far be er places for some images. There were also a number of great images throughout the mag to use for the cover.

Perhaps somebody swapped the brand of coffee in the office?

Now that that’s off my chest, your article on hearing protection is great.

Looking a er our ears should be up there with the rest of the gear we buy to save our heads, hands, heads and feet. I have used ear plugs for many years and a er any long trip or day ride I may be a bit weary, but it’s nice to jump off the bike and not have my ears ringing and hissing for an hour or so. I have tried moulded plugs a couple of times — expensive and easy to lose. I went through the sound tests and had the plugs made to the level I requested, however both types hurt my ears and I couldn’t use them for more than 50 or so kilometres. They also weren’t as quiet or as good quality as the foam-type plugs. Cheap ones are a dog to roll up on hot days.

I liked Rick’s email regarding the Lion Road, where he says it’s the worst road he’s been on in 12 months. I tried to work out how bad he thinks it is but it did my head in! We use it a fair bit as it is sort of in our backyard; it is very scenic but slow and has a great history.

Paul Cadman Email

A LAUGH IN ADVERTS As soon as I opened my latest ARR magazine #110, I noticed in the fullpage KTM Style Racer (Ready to Race) advertisement the rider is in full motorcycle protective gear and cranking the bike over nicely, but his colour coAUSTRALIAN ROAD RIDER | 129

LETTERS ordinated footwear appears to be only a pair of casual gym boots/joggers.

Correct me if I am wrong but are these the latest type of lace-up motorcycle race footwear?

Paul Norris Swansea, NSW You’re right, they’re sneakers. It’s the kids these days, I reckon. But seriously, I checked the KTM catalogue and cannot find anything that looks like those shoes, which appear to have a KTM logo on them. At a guess (an educated one) I’d say they’re a new product similar to the many other sneaker-styled riding boots now on

OUR NEXT PCH RIDE A couple of suggestions for you the next time you ride from LA to SF or thereabouts. As you leave Ventura to the north, turn east on the 33 heading to Ojai, where we lived in the mid-‘90s (well worth a visit). Just before the town, the 33 swings north through the Topatopa Mountains around 5000 elevation with some wonderful curves, climbs and descents.

Stay on the 33 on the other side of the mountains and if it is still there, the Half-Way House in Ventucopa serves great BLTs. Checking the internet, I

130 | AUSTRALIAN ROAD RIDER

the market. I have tested a very similar pair from DriRider which have ankle and toe protection, padding up over the ankles etc etc. Just the thing for a stylish boy-racer on his Ls, as is implied in the KTM ad, and not bad for an old bugger like me too. — Matho

YOU EXPERIENCED? Love this mag we’ve just been given by our daughter’s friend. I ride a Ducati Monster 696. I would like to ride a bigger bike but there aren’t many choices in sportsbikes for a 160cm, 51kg female out there. The issue is that when you are an

think that it is now called “The Place” as the photo looks familiar, but it is still a good rest spot. Turn west at the junction of the 166, which will take you back to the 101.

Alternatively, continue from Ventura to Santa Barbara and take the 154 east up over the San Marcos Pass. About 15-20 minutes along the 154 is the Cold Springs Tavern, a rather famous local stop for a beer and some food.

Continue to the junction of the 246 and turn le taking you through Santa Inez and Solvang.

Heading to Buellton, you will come

everyday city rider parking on the street, the grade can fall away so sharply into the gu er that when you return to ride away, sometimes you need awesome strength to get the bike off the peg to upright again.

I’m very interested to hear how other women riders cope with this. Also, I’ve been wondering how many female riders are out there in my age group, late 50s, as I don’t see many on the roads.

Have they all retired and become pillion riders?

Chris Suffolk Brisbane, Qld

back on the 101 again and you can continue north from there. I have explored most of the roads crisscrossing from Highway 5 to the 101 north from Santa Barbara and there are some wonderful alternatives to following the PCH the whole way, not that that is a bad thing, particularly when the “June Gloom” has the sea fog covering the ocean and you have the feeling that you are riding on top of the clouds.

Wayne, Email

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ROAD BIKE & SCOOTER PRICE GUIDE Can I afford it? Is there something better for the money? 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 like factory discounts and incentives, check the Road Rider website (www.roadrider.com.au) where we will bring you all the special deals, bonus offers and cashback promotions we can find.

We have included the importers’ websites, which is the place to go if you’re looking for more information. You’ll see that we haven’t listed every bike on the market (yet) but we aim to get

there with all of them. Sometimes even we struggle to find the details of the smaller, newer importers. Meanwhile, enjoy this most meaningful of Australian bike listings, covering the bikes you’re interested in.

The prices are the most up-to-date ones available from the distributors. They may change, of course, subject to specials coming and going. We’ve also made it abundantly clear which prices are ride-away and which don’t include on-road costs; the difference to your final payout can be significant, so don’t compare apples with oranges.

BRAND & MODEL

PRICE

DB8 SP .............................................. The sweetest candy ........................$47,990+orc

www.aprilia.com.au

DB8 Oro Nero ................................... Expensive excitement ....................$84,990+orc

N APRILIA

WE SAY

Aprilia prices are maximum recommended advertised ride-away price.

Tesi 3D Naked................................... The full skeleton on show ..............$55,990+orc DB9 .................................................... Muscle streetfighter ........................$44,990+orc

Road Shiver Sport 750 ABS...................... Oh so good.......................................$13,990ra Dorsoduro 750 ABS ......................... With ABS ..........................................$12,990ra Tuono V4R APRC .............................. Upright sportsbike ..........................$21,990ra

DB9S.................................................. Sharper on the street ......................$46,990+orc DB10 .................................................. Sharp style .......................................$37,290+orc DB11................................................... Testastretta 11 at last .......................$56,990+orc

RSV4 R APRC.................................... High tech, high spec........................$23,990ra

BMW

RSV4 R Factory APRC ABS ............. Racing black .....................................$29,990ra

Road

Dorsoduro 1200 ATC/ABS .............. Insane in the brain ..........................$14,990ra

F 800 R............................................... Neat naked parallel-twin ................$13,100+orc

Adv Touring

S 1000 R ............................................ Naked supermodel..........................$19,290+orc

Caponord 1200 ATC/ABS ................ Truly great all-rounder ....................$22,990ra

S 1000 RR.......................................... Still the one to beat .........................$22,990+orc

Scooters

HP4 Competition.............................. For serious sports riders.................$32,450+orc

SR50R Carb SBK .............................. Biaggi replica ...................................$3990ra

R 1200 R ............................................ Now with liquid cooling .................$21,950+orc

SR MT 50 2T ..................................... Entry point........................................$2450ra

R 1200 R Sport ................................. Naked and fit boxer ........................$22,350+orc

SR MT 125 4T ................................... Cheap commuting ..........................$3290ra

R 1200 R Exclusive........................... Naked and special boxer ................$22,350+orc

Scarabeo 200 ie................................ Crisp performer ...............................$4990ra

R nineT .............................................. Simplicity with max style ...............$21,250+orc

SR Max 300 ...................................... Do it all..............................................$6490ra

R 1200 RT .......................................... Have your cake and eat it ...............$30,790+orc

SR Max 300 ...................................... New 2014 Model..............................$7290ra

K 1300 R ............................................ Evil Wulf ............................................$21,990+orc

SRV 850 ATC ABS ............................ Large with the lot ............................$14,990ra

K 1300 S ............................................ Autobahn eater................................$23,990+orc

BENELLI

K 1300 S Motorsport ....................... Flashy sports-tourer for 2015 .........$28,990+orc

www.urbanmotoimports.com.au

K 1600 GT ......................................... Power touring ..................................$35,990+orc

Road BN302 ................................................ Expected sometime this year ........$TBA

K 1600 GT Sport ............................... Luxury but lighter, sportier ............$36,490+orc

BN600i............................................... Base-model mid-sized four ............$8990+orc BN600S LAMS ................................. New LAMS model ...........................$8990+orc BN600R ............................................. New sporty naked bike ...................$9990+orc BN600RS LAMS ............................... Another new LAMS model ............$9990+orc BN600GT .......................................... Available soon .................................$TBA BN600GTS ........................................ LAMS Model ....................................$TBA TNT 899 ............................................. Mid-sized entertainer ......................$16,990+orc TNT 1130 ........................................... Naked dynamite ..............................$19,990+orc TNT 1130R ......................................... More explosive ................................$22,690+orc Tre-K 1130.......................................... Out of the ordinary..........................$18,490+orc Adv Touring TRE-K Amazonas ............................. Be an individual...............................$19,690+orc BIMOTA

www.urbanmotoimports.com.au

Road BB3 .................................................... 1000cc BMW, Italian flair ................$72,888+orc DB5R.................................................. Light and lovely sportsbike ............$37,990+orc DB8 Bi Posto ..................................... Sleek and powerful .........................$47,990+orc

132 | AUSTRALIAN ROAD RIDER

www.bmwmotorrad.com.au

■ Pricing has been announced for BMW’s 2015 F800R. It’s available for $13,100+orc

PRICE GUIDE K 1600 GTL ....................................... Euro luxury touring .........................$37,590+orc

Monster 796 ABS ............................. Full sized, adequate power ............$15,990+orc

K 1600 GTL Exclusive...................... VIP .....................................................$42,500+orc

Ducati Scrambler Icon (Ducati Red) ..........................................................Entry-level

Adv Touring

$12,990+orc

G 650 GS ........................................... You’ll be surprised ..........................$9990+orc

Ducati Scrambler Icon (’62 Yellow) As above but yellower ....................$13,140+orc

G 650 GS Sertao............................... Rough it or not.................................$10,990+orc

Ducati Scrambler Urban Enduro ... For the burbs and backroads .........$14,990+orc

F 700 GS............................................ Not really a 700 ...............................$12,890+orc

Ducati Scrambler Classic ................ Living in the ’70s .............................$14,990+orc

F 700 GS ........................................... Low suspension model ..................$13,140+orc

Ducati Scrambler Full Throttle ........ Flat track performer.........................$14,990+orc

F 800 GS............................................ Great adv tourer ..............................$16,690+orc

Monster 821 Dark ............................ The little beast steps up..................$15,990+orc

F 800 GS............................................ Low suspension model ..................$16,940+orc

Monster 821 Plus ............................. The Monster with more..................$16,490+orc

F 800 GS Adventure ........................ Go further .........................................$18,650+orc

Streetfighter 848 .............................. Precision fighter, special price .......$18,990ra

F 800 GT ............................................ Dynamically designed ....................$16,300+orc

Panigale 899 ..................................... Smaller, sweeter superbike ...........$19,990+orc

R 1200 GS ......................................... All-road master ................................$21,950+orc

Hypermotard .................................... A hooligan on wheels .....................$16,990+orc

R 1200 GS Adventure ...................... Luxuriously roughing it ..................$24,550+orc

Hypermotard SP .............................. With tricked-up suspension ...........$20,990+orc

Scooter

Hyperstrada ...................................... Manners & madness ......................$16,990+orc

C 600 Sport ....................................... Sporty maxi......................................$13,990+orc

Monster 1200 ................................... The new generation ........................$19,990+orc

C 600 Sport Special Edition ............ Here in October ...............................$15,090+orc

Monster 1200 S ................................ With better bits ................................$23,990+orc

C 650 GT............................................ Let’s tour!..........................................$14,990+orc

Panigale 1199 ABS............................ Updated 2014 Model.......................$26,990+orc

C 650 GT Special Edition ................ Seat heating .....................................$16,665+orc

Panigale S ABS................................. Electronic Öhlins! ............................$33,990+orc

C 650 GT SE LS ................................ Low suspension model ..................$16,465+orc

Panigale Tri Colour ........................... Make you melt .................................$39,990+orc

BOLLINI

Panigale R ABS................................. Race passion ....................................$42,990+orc

www.motorsportimporters.com.au

Cruiser

Road Speed 200 ......................................... Economy ticket ...............................$2290+orc

Diavel Dark........................................ A true power-cruiser .......................$23,990+orc Diavel Carbon................................... Deal with the devil ..........................$29,990+orc

Cruiser Retro 200........................................... New release .....................................$TBA

Adv Touring Multistrada 1200 ABS...................... 4 in 1 with ABS ................................$22,990+orc

CAN-AM (BRP)

www.brp.com

Multistrada 1200 S Touring ............. See the world...................................$28,490+orc

Road

Multistrada 1200 S Pikes Peak ....... Flashy paint job ...............................$31,990+orc

Spyder RS SM5................................ The “Spyder” experience ..............$19,990+orc

Multistrada 1200 Granturismo....... Tour perfection ................................$30,490+orc

Spyder RSS SE5 .............................. Supersports auto.............................$23,990+orc Spyder ST SE5 ................................. The sports-touring Spyder .............$25,490+orc Spyder ST LTD SE5.......................... The ST with more............................$28,990+orc Spyder RT SM6 ................................ New 1330cc triple engine ...............$31,490+orc Spyder RTS SE6 ............................... RT plus semi-auto and more .........$39,990+orc Spyder RT Limited SE6.. ................. The full touring triple ......................$41,990+orc

ERIK BUELL RACING

www.urbanmotoimports.com.au

Road 1190RS Carbon ................................. 175hp, 176kg of joy .........................$56,990+orc 1190RX ............................................... Sporting masterpiece .....................$26,490+orc 1190SX ............................................... Superbike basis ...............................$23,490+orc 1190AX............................................... The adventurous one......................$TBA

CF MOTO

www.cfmoto.com.au HARLEY-DAVIDSON

Road VNight ............................................... Great learner ....................................$2690+orc Jetmax 250 ....................................... Freeway capable scooter................$4190+orc Leader................................................ Not fussy ..........................................$2190+orc 650NK ................................................ May ruffle some feathers ...............$6290+orc 650TK................................................. Bargain touring................................$7749+orc

www.harley-davidson.com

All H-D prices are ride-away.

Cruiser XG500 Street 500............................. Learner legal ....................................$9995ra XL883L SuperLow ........................... For the shorties ................................$14,750ra XL883N Iron 883 ............................. Iron tough.........................................$14,995ra XL1200C Custom ............................. Customary show off........................$18,750ra

Cruiser V5 ....................................................... Where’s the engine?........................$4190+orc

XL1200X Forty-Eight........................ Retro cool .........................................$18,995ra XL1200V Seventy-Two .................... Vintage muscle ................................$18,495ra

CONFEDERATE

www.urbanmotoimports.com.au

XL1200T Super Low ........................ Cool little tourer ...............................$19,250ra

Cruiser

VRSCDX Night Rod Special............ Drag bike ..........................................$27,250ra

X132 Hellcat...................................... Badass ..............................................$79,990+orc

VRSCF Muscle .................................. Muscle me........................................$26,995ra

X132 Hellcat Combat....................... American war machine ..................$94,990+orc

FXDB Street Bob .............................. Versatile ............................................$22,495ra

X135 Wraith ...................................... Available soon .................................$TBA

FXDBB Street Bob Special.............. Street smarts....................................$23,995ra

DAELIM

FXDL Low Rider ............................... Not laying low .................................$23,495ra

www.daelim.com.au

Road

FXDWG Wide Glide ......................... Let your hair hang down ................$24,995ra

VJF250............................................... Adequate style .................................$3990+orc

FXDF Fat Bob.................................... Lay off the burgers, Bob! ...............$25,495ra

Cruiser

FLD Dyna Switchback ...................... Dress up, dress down .....................$26,250ra

Daystar 250 EFI ................................ Fat, feet-forward cruiser .................$4920+orc

FLS Softail Slim................................ Slim, yet PH fat!...............................$26,250ra

Scooter

FXST Softail Standard..................... The original ride ..............................$27,250ra

Bbone ................................................ Its clothes are off .............................$3490+orc

FLSTFB Fat Boy Lo........................... Low bruiser ......................................$28,750ra

Besbi .................................................. Small and cute .................................$2190+orc

FLSTF Fat Boy .................................. Big bruiser ........................................$28,995ra

S1 ....................................................... Nice style ..........................................$2990+orc

FLSTN Softail Deluxe ...................... Classy dude......................................$28,995ra

DUCATI

www.ducati.com.au

Road Monster 659 ABS ............................. Monster the LAM ............................$12,990+orc Monster 696 ABS ............................ Easy to handle .................................$13,990+orc

FLSTNSE CVO Softail Deluxe ......... 110ci, LEDs plus ...............................$44,995ra FXSB Breakout ................................. Urban street styling ........................$29,495ra FLSTC Heritage S’tail Classic ......... Visually beautiful .............................$29,995ra FLHRC Road King Classic ............... Be the king .......................................$32,495ra FLHXS Street Glide Special ............ The original bagger ........................$34,995ra

AUSTRALIAN ROAD RIDER | 133

FLHXSE CVO Street Glide............... 110ci ripper .......................................$46,995ra FLTRXS Road Glide Special............ Dynamic, fixed-fairing tourer ........$34,495ra

HYOSUNG

FLTRXSE CVO Rd Glide Ultra ......... Maybe H-D’s best tourer.................$48,995ra

Road

www.hyosung.com.au

FLHTK Electra Glide Ultra Ltd ........ Works burger ...................................$37,995ra

GT250 ................................................ Great beginner.................................$2990+orc

FLHTKSE CVO Ultra Ltd .................. 110ci mega-tourer ............................$50,995ra

GT650 ................................................ Naked value and style ....................$5190+orc GT650R.............................................. Easy, sporty, affordable ..................$5490+orc Cruiser GV250 Aquila.................................... Little cutie .........................................$3990+orc GV650C Aquila Classic .................... LAMS value......................................$6490+orc INDIAN MOTORCYCLE

www.indianmotorcycle.com.au

Cruiser Scout ................................................. Sportster meets V-Rod? ..................$17,995ra Chief .................................................. Leading the tribe back! ...................$28,995ra Chief Vintage .................................... Signature heritage aesthetic..........$31,495ra Chieftain ............................................ First Indian tourer/bagger ..............$35,995ra Roadmaster ...................................... Full-dress tourer ..............................$38,995ra KAWASAKI ■ Victory raised its pricing for 2015 but the Vegas 8-ball stayed steady at $19,995 +orc

www.kawasaki.com.au

Road Ninja 300 ........................................... Even better again! ...........................$6199+orc

HONDA

www.honda.com.au

Road CB125E .............................................. Cheap commuter ............................$2099+orc CB300FA............................................ 250cc weight, 300cc power............$5699+orc CBR300.............................................. Big H attacks the Ninja 300 ............$5699+orc CBR300 ABS ..................................... The anti-lock brake option..............$5999+orc CBR300R ........................................... Special edition .................................$5799+orc CBR300R ........................................... Special edition ABS.........................$6099+orc CB400 ............................................... Bulletproof .......................................$10,099+orc CB400A ABS ..................................... Foolproof ..........................................$11,199+orc CBR500R ........................................... Sporty little twin ..............................$7499+orc CBR500R ABS................................... ABS option .......................................$7799+orc CB500F ABS...................................... Sweet as ...........................................$7499+orc CB650F ABS...................................... New naked four ...............................$9999+orc CBR600RR......................................... Versatile supersport ........................$14,390+orc CBR650F ABS ................................... Mid-ranger with torque ..................$10,599+orc NC750SA ABS .................................. A little boosted for 2014..................$8799+orc CTX700A ........................................... A fairing for the open road ...........$7399+orc CTX700DA ........................................ Dual Clutch Transmission ...............$10,899+orc VFR800 .............................................. Tried and true package ...................$14,599+orc VFR800x Crossrunner ..................... Sports-tourer goes all-rounder......$14,499+orc CBR1000RR....................................... Ride what Casey rides ....................$16,899+orc CBR1000RR ABS .............................. Blade with braking backup.............$17,899+orc

Ninja 300 ABS .................................. A LAM with ABS..............................$6699+orc Ninja 300 SE ..................................... Tastes like lime ................................$6399+orc Ninja 300 SE ABS............................. Lime LAM with ABS........................$6899+orc ER-6n/nL ABS ................................... Quirky ...............................................$9999+orc Ninja 650/L ABS ............................... Mid-sized gem .................................$10,499+orc Ninja ZX-6R (599) ............................. Striking .............................................$14,999+orc Ninja ZX-6R ABS (636) SE .............. Bigger, gruntier, prettier .................$16,649+orc Z800 ABS .......................................... Sharper .............................................$12,999+orc W800SE............................................. Nostalgic, relaxed cruising ............$12,499+orc Z1000 ABS ........................................ Let it seduce you .............................$16,499+orc Z1000 ABS SE................................... Special edition .................................$16,799+orc Ninja 1000 ABS ............................... A sword with soul ...........................$16,999+orc Ninja 1000 ABS ................................ 2014 model .......................................$16,999+orc Ninja ZX-10R .................................... Non-ABS 30th Anniv model ..........$18,999+orc Ninja ZX-10R ABS ............................ 30th Anniversary model .................$20,699+orc 1400GTR ABS ................................... Transcontinental ..............................$24,999+orc Ninja ZX-14R ABS SE ...................... Special edition..................................$20,299+orc Ninja ZX-14R ABS SE Öhlins .......... Öhlins, white, gold, scorching ........$21,999+orc Cruiser Vulcan 900 Classic SE ..................... Classically glamorous .....................$12,499+orc Vulcan 1700 Classic ABS................. Great blank canvas ..........................$19,999+orc Vulcan 1700 Nomad ABS................ Add a bit of bling .............................$22,999+orc Vulcan 1700 Vaquero ABS............... Go to the dark side...........................$24,499+orc

VFR1200F ABS ................................. For the tech heads ...........................$16,999+orc GL1800B F6B .................................... Stripped Wing ..................................$25,199+orc GL1800 Goldwing Luxury............... The ultimate luxury tourer .............$35,799+orc Cruiser VT400 ................................................ Classic-styled LAM ..........................$9399+orc CTX700N ABS .................................. A bike for everything ......................$9099+orc VT750C Shadow .............................. Classic appeal ..................................$11,749+orc CTX1300............................................ V4 cruiser with unique style ..........$18,499+orc VT1300CX Fury ................................ Chopped dragster ...........................$15,599+orc GL1800C F6C Valkyrie ..................... Valkyrie returns with muscle .........$20,199+orc Adv Touring CB500X ABS ..................................... Adventure sports.............................$7599+orc VFR1200X Crosstourer ABS ........... Smooth and comfy all-roader .......$17,499+orc Scooter Dio 110 ............................................... New kid in town ..............................$2549+orc PCX150 .............................................. Stylish and practical........................$4199+orc NSS300 Forza ................................... Sporty and flexible ..........................$6999+orc NC700D Integra................................ Motorcycle or scooter? ...................$11,199+orc

134 | AUSTRALIAN ROAD RIDER

■ With the arrival of the all-new 2015 Yamaha YZF-R1, the last stock of superseded R1s has been reduced from $19,999+orc to $16,999+orc

PRICE GUIDE Vulcan 1700 Voyager ABS............... Plush ride ..........................................$25,999+orc

Brutale 675 EAS ............................... Bit of oomph at a good price..........$15,990ra

Adv Touring

Brutale 800 EAS ............................... More power ......................................$17,490ra

KLR650 .............................................. Bargain with a capital B ..................$8099+orc

Brutale 800 Dragster ....................... Nanananana Batman! .....................$20,490ra

Versys 650 ABS ................................ Appealing all-rounder .....................$9999+orc

Rivale 800 ......................................... Rivals the best urban motard .........$19,990ra

Versys 650L ABS .............................. LAMS model.....................................$9999+orc

Brutale 1090 ...................................... More charm ......................................$17,990ra

Versys 1000 .........................................Bitumen burner ..................................$15,999+orc

Brutale 1090 ...................................... ABS model........................................$19,990ra

KTM

Brutale R 1090 .................................. Raw, yet refined ...............................$18,490ra

www.ktm.com.au

Brutale R 1090 .................................. ABS model........................................$19,490ra

Road 390 Duke ........................................... Ninja beater? ....................................$7495+orc 390 RC ............................................... All new available soon ....................$8295+orc 690 Duke R ........................................The sportier motard .........................$14,495+orc 1190 RC8 R ........................................The orange flash...............................$25,995+orc 1290 Super Duke R ..........................Ballsy streetfighter ...........................$24,995+orc

Brutale RR 1090 ................................ Unleash the brute within ................$21,490ra Brutale RR 1090 ................................ ABS model........................................$24,490ra Brutale 1090 Corsa........................... Top jock .............................................$28,990ra F4 1000 .............................................. Beauty and the beast within ...........$22,490ra F4 1000 .............................................. ABS model........................................$25,490ra F4 1000 RR ........................................ Exotic weapon ..................................$31,990ra

Adv Touring 690 Enduro R .................................... Extreme riders only .........................$14,695+orc

F4 1000 RR ........................................ ABS model........................................$35,990ra

1050 Adventure ................................ Adventure stripped bare .................$17,995+orc

PGO

1190 Adventure................................. High-tech adventurer.......................$23,995+orc

Scooter

1190 Adventure R ............................. Add more adventure .......................$24,995+orc

Ligero 50 ........................................... Good, little package .........................$1990+orc

1290 Super Adventure .................... The ultimate Adventure ..................$26,995+orc

Ligero 150 ......................................... Good, small package .......................$3290+orc

KYMCO

X-Hot ................................................. It’s a hottie .........................................$3990+orc

www.kymco.com.au

Road

www.motorsportimporters.com.au

■ Most of Piaggio’s prices have gone up for 2015 but the X10 500 scooter has been reduced by $500. It’s available for $11,990+orc

CK 125 ............................................... No nonsense ....................................$2495+orc Cruiser Venox 250 ......................................... Value and looks ................................$6199+orc Scooter Like 125 ............................................. Fall in love .........................................$2995+orc Super 8 125....................................... Cool jigger.........................................$2895+orc Espresso 150 .................................... I’ll take a double shot ......................$3199+orc Like 200 ............................................. Classic performer.............................$3495+orc People GT300i .................................. For the people ..................................$6345+orc Downtown 300i ABS ....................... All-rounder with ABS ......................$7495+orc LARO

www.laro.com.au

Road V Retro 250 ....................................... DT250 clone ......................................$2990+orc Cruiser Cruiser 250........................................ Learner’s ride ....................................$3999+orc MEGELLI

www.megelli.com

Road

Gmax ................................................. Go to the max...................................$4700+orc

250S ................................................... Nice looker ........................................$4250+orc

PIAGGIO........................................................................................... www.piaggio.com.au

250R ................................................... Italian styling ....................................$4850+orc

Scooter

250SE................................................. Sportsbike handling ........................$5650+orc

Typhoon 125 ..................................... Blow you away ................................$3120+orc

MOTO GUZZI

www.motoguzzi.com.au

Moto Guzzi prices are maximum recommended advertised ride-away price.

Road V7 Stone............................................ Minimalist retro................................$13,490ra V7 Special ......................................... Faithful to the original V7 ................$13,990ra

Fly 150ie ............................................ Buzz around the city........................$3490+orc Liberty 150ie ..................................... Big wheel freedom..........................$4190+orc Beverly 350 ....................................... Higher performance........................$8690+orc Yourban 300 ..................................... Leaning three-wheeler....................$10,290+orc X10 500.............................................. Big features ......................................$11,990+orc

V7 Racer SE ...................................... Limited edition marvel ....................$15,990ra

ROYAL ENFIELD

1200 Sport 4V SE ............................. Grunter ..............................................$18,990ra

Road

Griso 1200 8V ................................... Grand slam .......................................$20,990ra

B5 Bullet 500 .................................... Fire your guns..................................$6995+orc

Cruiser

G5 Deluxe ......................................... She’s deluxe .....................................$7445+orc

California 1400 Custom................... Kalifornia attitude.............................$22,990ra

C5 Classic/Military ........................... Individual style ................................$7995+orc

California 1400 Touring.................... All a Cali should be ..........................$25,990ra

C5 Chrome ........................................ Lots of eye candy ............................$8495+orc

Adv Touring

SUZUKI

Stelvio 1200 8V NTX ABS ............... Big brute............................................$22,990ra

Road

MV AGUSTA

Inazuma 250 ..................................... Let your inner zoomer out..............$4990+orc

www.mvagustaimports.com.au

www.royalenfieldaustralia.com

www.suzukimotorcycles.com.au

All MV Agusta prices are ride-away.

TU250XL3 ......................................... Retro learner ....................................$5990+orc

Road

DR-Z400SM ...................................... Everyday motard .............................$8990+orc

F3 675 ................................................ Sweet.................................................$18,490ra

SFV650/LAMS .................................. Commuting and fun duties ............$10,490+orc

F3 800 ................................................ Track performance ...........................$20,490ra

GSX650F/LAMS ............................... Silky smooth ....................................$10,490+orc

F3 800 Ago ........................................ Giacomo’s replica.............................$32,990ra

GSX-R600 ......................................... Angry bee .........................................$14,990+orc

AUSTRALIAN ROAD RIDER | 135

GSR750 ............................................. Cracker of a motorcycle..................$12,490+orc

Daytona 675 ABS ............................. Supersport gem ..............................$14,990+orc

GSX-R750 ......................................... The legend continues .....................$15,990+orc

Daytona 675R ABS........................... Track day heaven .............................$16,990+orc

GSX-R1000 ....................................... Even lighter and faster ...................$18,490+orc

Bonneville ......................................... Tradition reborn...............................$12,490+orc

GSX-S1000 ....................................... Naked superbike for 2015 ..............$TBA

Bonneville ......................................... Two tone ...........................................$12,990+orc

GSX-S1000F ..................................... 2015’s new super-tourer .................$TBA

Bonneville T100 Black ...................... Livin’ in the ’70s...............................$12,490+orc

GSF1250S Bandit ABS .................... Long-distance ease .........................$12,990+orc

Bonneville T100 A2........................... Nostalgia rules.................................$14,250+orc

GSX1250FA ...................................... A little bit of everything ..................$14,990+orc

Bonneville T100 SE .......................... Special edition .................................$14,990+orc

GSX1300R Hayabusa ...................... Soar like an eagle ............................$19,290+orc

Bonneville Newchurch SE .............. April 2015..........................................$12,990+orc

Cruiser

Bonneville T214 Land Speed LE ..... Coming soon ...................................$14,490+orc

VL250 Intruder.................................. Bang that drum ...............................$6690+orc

Bonneville Spirit SE......................... April 2015..........................................$13,990+orc

LS650 Boulevard S40 ...................... Big single cylinder...........................$7990+orc

Scrambler ......................................... Dirt track racer..................................$14,390+orc

VL800 C50 ......................................... Traditional .......................................$10,990+orc

Scramber .......................................... Two tone ..........................................$14,990+orc

VL800 C50T....................................... All-new class ....................................$12,990+orc

Thruxton ........................................... To the café!.......................................$14,390+orc

VZ800 M50........................................ Neat bobber .....................................$10,990+orc

Thruxton Ace SE .............................. Ace Café special edition .................$14,990+orc

VL1500 C90T..................................... Bad boy.............................................$17,490+orc

Speed Triple ABS.............................. It’s a gem ..........................................$16,990+orc

VLR1800 C109R ................................ Classic looks.....................................$18,690+orc

Speed Triple R ABS .......................... Sex on wheels ................................$19,990+orc

VLR1800T C109RT............................ Now as a tourer ...............................$18,990+orc

Street Triple RX SE ........................... Inspired by the Daytona 675 ..........$14,990+orc

VZR1800 M109R............................... Beaut and brutal ..............................$18,990+orc

Sprint GT........................................... All world capabilities ......................$15,990+orc

VZR1800 M109R............................... Black edition .....................................$19,490+orc

Trophy SE.......................................... Superb tourer ..................................$27,490+orc

VZR1800Z M109RZ ......................... Monster energy ...............................$19,490+orc

Cruiser

VZR1800Z14...................................... Special edition .................................$19,490+orc

America ............................................ Easy urban rider ..............................$13,090ra

Adv Touring

Speed Master ................................... All round goodness ........................$13,090+orc

DL650 V-Strom/LAMS ..................... Deservedly a big seller ...................$10,290+orc

Thunderbird ABS ............................. Aptly named flyer............................$19,990+orc

DL650 V-Strom XT............................ Re-styled and updated for 2015.....$TBA

Thunderbird ABS TT ........................ Two-tone paint.................................$19,990ra

DL1000 V-Strom ............................... Powerfully competent ....................$15,490+orc

Thunderbird Storm ABS ................. Thunderous......................................$20,990+orc

Scooter

Thunderbird ABS HAZE .................. Shine .................................................$21,990+orc

AN200A Burgman 200 ABS ........... The smallest city burger .................$5490+orc

Thunderbird Commander .............. The bigger, tougher T-bird ..............$21,490+orc

AN400A Burgman ABS ................... A stylish maxi ..................................$10,090+orc

Thunderbird Commander TT.......... Two-tone paint.................................$21,990+orc

AN650A Burgman ABS ................... Overhauled ......................................$13,590+orc

Thunderbird LT................................. T-bird goes touring ..........................$23,490+orc

SYM

Thunderbird LT TT............................ Two-tone paint.................................$23,990+orc

www.scoota.com.au

Rocket III Roadster ABS................... What’s not to love about 2300cc? .$22,490+orc

Scooter Classic 150 ........................................ Noble ride.........................................$3199+orc VS 150 ............................................... Branch away ....................................$3549+orc Symphony 150 ................................. Sporty big wheeler..........................$3399+orc

Rocket III Touring ABS...................... Reasonably easy to ride .................$23,990+orc Adv Touring Tiger 800 XR ..................................... Great all-rounder .............................$15,090+orc

HD Evo 200 ....................................... Whacko!............................................$5199+orc CityCom 300i .................................... Practical and competitive ...............$6099+orc Firenze 300........................................ Full of features .................................$6199+orc MaxSym 400i ................................... Ride-away price ...............................$8449+orc TGB

www.tgbscooters.com.au

Scooter Bellavita 125 ..................................... Very chic ...........................................$3990+orc X-Race 150 ........................................ You’ll need knee sliders..................$2590+orc Bullet 150 .......................................... Small-calibre projectile...................$3390+orc Xmotion 300 ..................................... Smooth mover ................................$4990+orc Bellavita 300i .................................... Very chic, and bigger ......................$5490+orc TORINO

www.torinomotorcycles.com.au

Torino ride-away prices are mostly Sydney-based and may vary elsewhere.

Cruiser Veloce 250 ......................................... American styled ..............................$4695ra

■ The Triumph Thunderbird is now $19,990 ride-away

Titan 250 ........................................... Chop chop ........................................$TBA Scooter

Tiger 800 XRx................................... Hi-tech all-rounder ..........................16,590+orc

Galetta Retro..................................... Plenty of features ............................$2195ra

Tiger 800 XC ..................................... The more hardcore Tiger ................$16,590+orc

Aero Sport ........................................ Cut the wind.....................................$2195ra

Tiger 800 XCx................................... Hi-tech and hardcore ......................$17,690+orc

Famosa ............................................. City chic ............................................$2395ra

Tiger 1050 Sport ABS ...................... More growl for the road .................$15,990+orc

Messina Classic................................ New retro (Vespa) beauty ..............$3495ra

Tiger Explorer 1200 ......................... True adventure-tourer.....................$20,490+orc

TRIUMPH

www.triumphmotorcycles.com.au

Tiger Explorer Wire Wheels ............ The tougher version .......................$20,990+orc

Road

URAL

Street Triple 660 LAMS .................... Learner-legal thrills..........................$12,490+orc

Road

Street Triple 675 ABS ....................... Streets ahead ...................................$12,990+orc

T ......................................................... Cult status outfit ..............................$18,500+orc

Street Triple 675 R ABS.................... Even further ahead..........................$13,990+orc

Adv Touring

136 | AUSTRALIAN ROAD RIDER

www.imz-ural.com.au

PRICE GUIDE Tourist................................................ WWII replica.....................................$20,400+orc

XJ6NL................................................ New 2014 model..............................$9799ra

Bondi Tourist ..................................... Beach to bush tourer ......................$20,400+orc

XJ6NL SP .......................................... White edition....................................$9999ra

Ranger ............................................... Even tougher ...................................$21,600+orc

FZ6R................................................... Full fairing, LAM model ..................$9999ra

Bondi Ranger.................................... New 2014 model..............................$21,600+orc

FZ6R SP ............................................. Special edition .................................$10,499+orc

VESPA

YZF-R6 ............................................... WSS champ .....................................$15,999+orc

www.vespa.com.au

MT-03 ................................................. Torquey LAMS single .....................$9999+orc

Scooter Primavera LX125 3-Valve ................ For the designer in you ..................$5590+orc Primavera LX150 3-Valve ................ With a bit more oomph ..................$6290+orc

MT-07 ................................................. Learner legal thriller ........................$8999+orc FZ8N .................................................. Hot all-rounder ................................$12,990+orc FZ8S................................................... Enjoy the road and corners ...........$13,990+orc MT-09 ................................................. Three-cylinder thriller .....................$10,999+orc

■ Vespa’s V2.0 946, Bellissima, is now available in limited numbers for $12,900+orc

MT-09 ABS ........................................ ABS option .......................................$11,799+orc TDM900............................................. Mixed-up marvel .............................$13,599+orc FZ1N .................................................. Ready for anything..........................$15,699+orc FZ1S................................................... With protection ................................$16,499+orc YZF-R1 ............................................... Discounted 2014 model ..................$16,999+orc XJR1300 ............................................ Refined cool .....................................$13,999+orc FJR1300A Touring Edition ............... Police-spec tourer............................$23,999+orc FJR1300A .......................................... Sophisticated, sporty tourer ..........$24,999+orc FJR1300E ........................................... Electronic suspension.....................$26,999+orc Cruiser XV250 Virago .................................... Great small package .......................$6499+orc XVS650 Custom ............................... Popular custom ...............................$10,499+orc XVS650A Classic.............................. And as a classic ...............................$10,990+orc XVS950A ........................................... Mighty mid-ranger ..........................$13,999+orc XVS950CU Bolt ................................ A younger, hipper cruiser ..............$11,999+orc XVS950CUSP Bolt ........................... R-Spec with better shocks ..............$12,499+orc XVS1300A......................................... The pick of the bunch......................$15,999+orc XVS1300AT Tourer ........................... With more features .........................$18,299+orc XVS1300 Stryker.............................. Mean looking chopper....................$14,999+orc

PX150 ................................................ The purist’s ride ...............................$6490+orc Sprint 150ie 3V ................................. Sporty looks .....................................$6590+orc GTS150ie 3V ..................................... Practical ............................................$6590+orc GTS250ie FL ..................................... Style in a great package .................$7890+orc GTS300 Super FL ABS .................... Vroom vroom ..................................$9190+orc GTS300 Super Sport FL .................. Sportier style....................................$9490+orc 946 Bellissima .................................. Limited stock ....................................$12,990+orc

XVS1300 Stryker Special ................ Matte grey ........................................$15,299+orc XV1900A Roadliner ......................... Art Deco piece..................................$21,499+orc XV1900AT Star Tourer ..................... Art with flair .....................................$24,099+orc VMAX ................................................ Big, angry animal ............................$31,299+orc Adv Touring XT250R .............................................. New fuel-injected model ................$6299+orc XT660R .............................................. Seamlessly good .............................$11,499+orc XT660Z Ténéré .................................. Freedom machine ...........................$13,999ra

VICTORY

www.victorymotorcycles.com.au

XT1200Z Super Ténéré .................... Leisurely rider ..................................$19,990ra

All Victory prices are ride-away.

XT1200ZOE Super Ténéré ............... Outback edition................................$21,890+orc

Cruiser

XT1200ZE Super Ténéré .................. Electric suspension .........................$21,999+orc

Vegas 8 Ball ...................................... Sink the 8-ball ..................................$19,995ra

Scooter

High-Ball ........................................... Ol’ skool cool ...................................$20,995ra

XC125 Vity ......................................... Your new friend ...............................$2699+orc

Hammer 8 Ball ................................. Hammer that 8-ball .........................$21,995ra

YW125 ............................................... BW’s ..................................................$3399+orc

Judge................................................. A younger Victory............................$21,995ra

MW 125 Tricity .................................. Three-wheeled leaner.....................$4299+orc

Gunner .............................................. Very cool bobber .............................$20,995ra

TMAX 530 ......................................... Tougher, sportier, now ABS ...........$13,499+orc

Hammer S......................................... Hammer it! .......................................$23,995ra Jackpot .............................................. Showroom custom .........................$24,995ra Boardwalk Black ............................... Cool classic in black ........................$23,495ra Cross Country .................................. Comfortable touring .......................$27,495ra Cross Country Tour .......................... Ultra-comfortable touring ..............$29,995ra

■ Honda’s mid-size cross between a sporttourer and an adventure-tourer, the 2015 VFR800X Crossrunner, is now available in dealerships, priced at $14,499+orc

Magnum ........................................... Cross country bling .........................$29,995ra Vision Tour......................................... Space age looks ..............................$31,995ra VIPER

www.urbanmotoimports.com.au

Cruiser Black Diamond ................................. 2500cc of raw grunt ........................$54,990+orc Diamondback ................................... Cruising superpower ......................$54,990+orc YAMAHA

www.yamaha-motor.com.au

Road YZF-R15 V2.0 ..................................... New version 2.0...............................$4299+orc YZF-R3 ............................................... Race-replica for learners ................$TBA SR400 ................................................ The classic single is back! ..............$8999+orc

AUSTRALIAN ROAD RIDER | 137

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HEAT-RATING RIDING GEAR

LOOK COOL, FEEL COOL, BE SAFE Aussie study to find coolest motorcycle gear STORY: MARK HINCHLIFFE iders could eventually have a guide to the most crashresistant motorcycle gear suitable for harsh summer riding conditions. Researchers have enlisted Canberra volunteers to be part of a study into the most effective summer motorcycle gear this year.

Neuroscience Research Australia (NRA) senior research officer Dr Liz de Rome, a rider since 1969, says she had been conducting laboratory research with a thermal sweating mannequin and riders, then followed up with real-world research early this year in Canberra. Liz hopes the end result of the research will be a fivestar rating for motorcycle gear that has crash protection even in hot conditions.

Liz says she is an ATGATT (all the gear all the time) rider, wearing a fabric suit and flip-up helmet on her SYM 125 scooter. “The main problem in summer is that riders don’t wear all the gear,” she says. “Heat is the biggest disincentive to wearing the right gear. Some riders are ATGATT and if it gets too hot they just don’t ride, but a lot of riders who own the right gear opt not to wear it when it gets hot. They are leaving themselves exposed to crash injury.”

The joint study is being conducted with associate professor Nigel Taylor, one of the world’s leading thermal physiologists, at the University of Wollongong’s Centre for Human and Applied Physiology. They are examining how much body heat motorcyclists produce and whether riders risk reaching a physiologically damaging level of heat strain when wearing motorcycle clothing.

R

r When something looks cool, it’s not necessarily going to keep you cool!

“A lot of riders who own the right gear opt not to wear it when it gets hot. They are leaving themselves exposed to crash injury” Liz says they started by selecting 10 of the most widely used rider suits in Australia featuring a combination of leathers, fabrics, synthetics and protective jeans. The first tests were conducted with associate professor Olga Troynikov from RMIT and involved thermal sweating mannequins, which look like shop store dummies, but are computerised to replicate the body warmth and sweat of a human being.

“We were able to measure the heat insulation and breathability of each garment,” Liz says. “You want to wear clothing that will allow the heat of your body to escape. If the heat of your body can’t escape, you sweat and when you sweat, the sweat has to evaporate for your body to cool.”

Liz says they had a “wide variation” in results. “Some suits are good at one thing and not at the other,” she says. “We will also test all the gear for abrasion resistance to identify the features of suits that offer both crash and heat protection.

The researchers have been using a thermal chamber to test 12 volunteer “human subjects” wearing motorcycle gear. The tests are based on a previous study with Honda Australia to measure the workload involved in on-road riding.

In that study, six experienced riding instructors wore masks measuring their

oxygen consumption while they rode a 5km urban route with stops, and a 5km rural route without stops.

“How much oxygen you consume indicates how hard you are working and relates to your body’s heat production,” she says. “The amount of oxygen you consume while riding on-road is surprisingly low.

It equates to slowly pedalling a bicycle, compared to motocross riders whose workload is quite high.”

The climate chamber’s controlled environment replicates the heat and humidity of riding in full sun while the researchers use a fan to replicate wind speed when riding. In each trial, the test riders pedal an exercise bike slowly for an hour-and-a-half with three breaks for five minutes, during which the fan is turned off. Trial conditions are based on average temperatures from six locations around Australia to get a range of summer conditions.

The volunteers completed four trials in a variety of gear from boots, gloves and a long-sleeve t-shirt to full protective motorcycle gear. Heart rate, skin temperature and sweat production were measured as well as volunteer ratings of comfort.

The final stage involved real-world tests around Canberra before Liz began compiling the results. ARR AUSTRALIAN ROAD RIDER | 145

LAST LOOK

LEARNER SPECIAL!

• • •

How to get your licence — a brief guide to booking in (publish roads authority websites), why you don’t need to know how to ride beforehand, what to expect etc Instant expert: Motorcycle basics explained Which bike? How to narrow it down to the bike that you really want Buying your first bike: Do’s and don’ts, whether you’re at a dealership or buying privately

146 | AUSTRALIAN ROAD RIDER

ou know Christmas is coming when the plastic Jack-o’-lanterns are replaced on the shelves with reindeer ears for cars. And lamb roasts make way for Turduckens in the cold shelves.

It’s a long wait from early November to December 25 if you are expecting a good present. One well-behaved man didn’t have to wait for the day to get his present though — he must have been extra, extra good. Just a week out from Christmas, in the back of a transport van in the suburbs of Australia, we spo ed a Christmas present from the man’s be er half. A motorbike for Christmas!

Don’t know about him, but that would be like all our Christmases coming at once!

Y

COMING UP

We cover all the basics for aspiring riders as well as experienced riders who are interested in helping others ride motorcycles •

CHRISTMAS CHEERS!

ISSUE 113 OF ARR GOES ON SALE 16 APRIL • •

•

Riding gear: What to buy, what it costs First-time touring: Planning, packing, tips for when you’re on the road Routine bike maintenance: The daily checks you need to make.

It’s not all about starting out, mind you!

As we farewell the warmer months, it might be time to think about cleaning up your pride and joy to reward it for good

service over summer. Or maybe it’s time to sell your bike but you want to tart it up to get the best value for your money.

We tell you where to start and what to do when it comes to detailing.

We ride Honda’s updated VFR800, Triumph’s learner-legal Street Triple 660, head far into the Aussie outback and chat to Sam Manicom — a very experienced and knowledgeable international adventure rider.

See you then!

G N I N N I W G IN H T Y R E V E S I

CONGRATULATIONS GLENN ALLERTON

2014 AUSTRALIAN SUPERBIKE CHAMPION

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