Cycle Torque July 2016 by Cycle Torque

WELCOME

July 2016

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The roadster is back, so much so Harley-Davidson has actually named its latest sportster the Roadster - but that doesn’t mean the new Moto Guzzi V9s aren’t roadsters… There’s no doubt many manufacturers are across the custom scene these days - of course Harley-Davidson’s been there forever, but Ducati, Triumph, Yamaha and now Moto Guzzi and others are really focusing on building bikes which might be great out of the box but are even better customised to suit the owner. We test the standard Harley-Davidson and Moto Guzzis this edition, and all three machines are fun, easy to ride and good looking. There is still room for motorcycle sport though, and for that we have the Husqvarna FE350, a mid-weight enduro weapon, and the Kawasaki Ninja 300 Special Edition, a sportsbike for anyone looking for good-value small capacity versatile machine.

EMAIL US YOUR FEEDBACK

Also in this issue are reports on the Finke Desert Race - and event I never seem to be able to get to, despite my ambitions - the Isle of Man TT and a mid-season update on the Superbike World Championship. Our columnists go left-field this issue, with Smarty growing an extra wheel, Flack getting dirty and Guntrip… well, he is from the LSD generation. Hope you enjoy this issue of Cycle Torque - please share it with your friends and get in touch through Facebook or email, and follow our Instagram and Twitter feeds. – Nigel Paterson feedback@cycletorque.com.au

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CONTENTS

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Ridden

Features 25

HARLEY-DAVIDSON XL1200CX ROADSTER T E S T KAWASAKI NINJA 300 TEST MOTO GUZZI V9 BOBBER & ROAMER LAUNCH 2016 HUSQVARNA FE350 TEST

WORLD SUPERBIKE

FINKE

SHOP TORQUE

CUSTOM TORQUE

BOOK SHOP SELLOUT

Regulars 5

NEWS TORQUE

SMALL TORQUE

EDITORIAL

DIRTY TORQUE

RACE TORQUE

GUNTRIP

QUAD TORQUE

BIKE STUFF

USED & REVIEWED

MARKET TORQUE

TORQUE BACK - LETTERS

It’s not where you’re going ... It’s how you get there.

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NEWS TORQUE

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2017 KTM Minis

KTM has announced big updates to its Sportminicycle range for MY2017 including the 50 SX, 65 SX and 85 SX models. At a recent event in Las Vegas, as part of the Supercross series that was won by Red Bull KTM factory rider and back-to-back 450 Supercross Champion, Ryan Dungey, the new ‘Minis’ were unveiled with some exciting changes. For model year 2017 the 50 SX and 65 SX will receive the brand new AER 35 forks by WP Suspension, which is an incredible step forward in terms of air fork technology for junior motorcycles. This revolutionary technology allows the bikes to be adjusted easily for the growing rider with a simple fork pump. These models also boast a fully adjustable shock absorber, new exhaust system, an hourmeter and new graphics in the style of the ‘grown up’s bikes’. The KTM 50 SX features steady, controllable power and an automatic clutch. Its bigger brother, the KTM 65 SX, is a fully-fledged piece of racing kit for youngsters. The biggest machine in the junior range is the class-leading KTM 85 SX, which is available in both small wheel and big wheel guises. For MY2017 this machine retains its traditional sprung forks, but detail changes have further improved this ever-popular machine. The MY2017 KTM Sportminicycle range will be available in KTM Dealers late July. n

NEWS TORQUE

cycletorque.com.au JULY 2016 I 6

Luis Salom killed MOTO2 rider Luis Salom has died from injuries after crashing during practice for the Catalunyan GP on June 3.

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The 24 year old had won 9 Grand Prix events, and nearly won the Moto3 championship in 2013. This is the first fatality in MotoGP event since the passing of Marco Simoncelli in 2011. A MotoGP statement confirmed the SAG Team rider was involved in a crash at turn 12 of the Catalunya circuit with under 25 minutes remaining of the second free practice session, with Moto2 the chief support race for this weekend’s MotoGP event. Two medical cars and two ambulances were immediately on the scene of the crash to tend to the Spaniard, while the medical helicopter was also deployed.

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Turn 12 at Catalunya has been repeatedly criticised by riders including Valentino Rossi for its asphalt run-off, installed for F1 cars. For the remainder of the event the bikes used the chicane already in place for F1 car racing, allowing the event to go ahead. Salom secured nine victories and 25 podium finishes in Moto3 before moving up to the Moto2 category in 2014, where he secured two podium finishes in his debut season. Salom finished second in this season’s opening race in Qatar. n

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NEWS TORQUE

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Indian Motorcycle making historic return to flat track INDIAN has announced it will make a return to AMA Pro Flat Track racing.

The Indian Motorcycle Racing team will contest the series with an all-new 750cc V-twin competition engine specifically designed for flat track, engineered into a specially built chassis. Spokesperson for Polaris Industries, Steve Menetto said the company is “very excited to return to the AMA circuit.” “We have established the new Indian Chief and Scout series as the cornerstones of our production line-up, and now is the time for us to return to racing in a big way.” Multi-time AMA Grand National Champion Jared Mees will join the Indian Motorcycle Racing Team as a test rider in 2016. The thirty-year-old has previously won the AMA Grand National Twins Championship in 2009, AMA Grand National Singles Championship in 2012, the unified AMA Grand National Championship (GNC1) title in 2012, 2014 and 2015, and is a current X Games gold medalist. There is currently no word on whether Mees will be Indian’s first competition flat track pilot in over 60 years. AMA Pro Flat Track is highly competitive and has evolved into a demanding, technical and specialized event that typically sees bar-to-bar action and sublime motorcycle control at high speeds on varied dirt surfaces. Indian has a significant history in flat track, at one time dominating the sport with legendary riders and motorcycles. Perhaps best-known was the Indian Motorcycle Wrecking Crew, consisting of Bill Tuman, Bobby Hill and Ernie Beckman, who won race after race and carried the message of power, balance and quality - which Indian says lives on in today’s Scout. n

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Motorline Motorrad 1-11 Old Chatswwod Rd, Daisy Hill, Qld Opposite IKEA Logan Exit 23 (South) I Exit 24 (South) Tel: 07 3290 7000 motorrad@motorline.com.au www.motorline.bmwmotorrad.com.au

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NEWS TORQUE

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IOM TT - Dunlop dominates the superbike, Hutchy bags three wins MICHAEL Dunlop boosted his Isle of Man TT tally to 13 at the 2016 event, winning both the prestigious Senior TT and an earlier Superbike race.

but was disqualified after the race for running an engine which didn’t meet the TT’s fastidious requirements.

He shattered his own outright lap record in the Senior TT, which he only just set a few days earlier in the week’s superbike race, lapping the Mountain Course at 133.962mph - becoming the first rider to lap under 17 minutes.

Dunlop was offered the right of reply.

It was Ian ‘Hutchy’ Hutchinson who looked unstoppable after the superbike podium, taking three wins in the superstock and both supersport races, but Dunlop was too strong with his eventual winning margin a commanding 31.4s. There was some animosity between Hutchy and Dunlop after the Senior TT in the press conference. “I’ve done my best to congratulate Michael all week when he’s done well. [But] on Wednesday, I was pretty disgusted about the behaviour to be honest. “The scrutineers were suspect about something, there was nothing wrong and Michael’s team protested us,” Hutchinson said. “He tried to spread the rumour that we had oversized pistons, so I need to have a pretty big think about coming back to the TT to be honest, unless the organisers can explain what was going on.” Hutchinson was referring to the first supersport race, where Dunlop finished in second place

“I don’t need too,” he said with a chuckle. “It was a scrutineer that pointed it, not me.” A press release was put out by TT organisers soon after, it said: The Technical Director appointed by ACU Events Ltd has apologised for any confusion caused by his query regarding a dimension on the piston on one of the machines of the podium finishers in the 2016 Supersport 2 Race at the TT Races last week.

Michael Dunlop literally flies over St Ninian's crossroads

He said: “I made an initial comment in the heat of the moment during post race inspection but on closer examination and after reviewing the TT regulations it became clear that the piston was eligible and complied with the Technical Regulations for the Supersport Class”. He continued: “At no point were any of the machines formally declared illegal and no formal protest was received from any of the other competing teams or riders. I would like to apologise to anyone affected by my comment.” ‘He’, is either Voldemort and therefore cannot be named or ‘He’ is in hiding. Continued on next page

Buildbase BMW rider Michael Dunlop celebrates after winning the Pokerstars Senior TT.

NEWS TORQUE

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Continued from previous page

Aussies Cameron Donald, Dave Johnson and Cycle Torque’s Alex Pickett had mixed results. Cam had bike troubles all fortnight and could only manage to finish one race, supersport race one, in a respectable 10th place. ‘Davo’ started off well, placing ninth and seventh respectively on the Norton superbike and BMW superstocker at the start of the week, Johnson, the ‘fastest rider on a British bike’ (even though the Norton’s engine is Italian - a MotoGP spec V4 Aprilia) had troubles onboard his MV supersport. Pickett looked promising in practice week, committing himself earlier in the year to run in the supersport races as a privateer. The 22-year-old made slight improvements in each practice session to set a solid lap at 118.016mph. Two riders in the paddock close to Pickett were involved in crashes on the first day of racing and sadly, both passed away. “To be honest,” Pickett said, “I really didn’t want to be there. “My head wasn’t in the game after what happened on Saturday, losing my two friends.

“When I put it in gear I thought, ‘I should be somewhere else.’ “Off I set anyway but the bike felt terrible. “It didn’t take long for Dominic (Herbertson) to catch me, and he said after the race that my bike was all over the place. “The last time I rode it on Thursday practice it felt great but now was bucking around like a mad horse.

Ian Hutchinson at Tower Bends on his way to victory in the first Supersport race of TT 2016. (Pix IOMTT.com)

“Through the Ginger Hall section it felt like it had metal rods for suspension, it felt like there was no give at all. The first lap I was able to get full throttle through that section but that was the only time, it got worse each lap.” For the second race, Pickett said “the bike was even worse than before.” “After another couple of big slides I decided to pull in to pit lane to check the bike. “My pit crew couldn’t find anything on the rear tyre so I made the decision to park the bike then and there. “It was too dangerous to carry on.” n

Ian Hutchinson Senior

NEWS TORQUE

New Tiger Sport TRIUMPH has announced a new road adventure Tiger Sport is now available.

Featuring a host of developments, The new Tiger Sport is set to feature Triumph’s next generation 1050cc triple engine, along with a suite of rider-focused technology and enhanced comfort within its sporty character. The engine has over 100 developments to optimise performance including new cylinder heads, inlet ports and piston design. The Tiger Sport also has a new ECU and ride-by-wire system with three riding modes (road, rain, sport), ABS, switchable multi-level traction control and cruise control.

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HILLS MOTORCYCLE WRECKERS WRECKING JAPANESE AND EUROPEAN BIKES OLD AND NEW MODELS

On the comfort side of things, the Tiger Sport has a new slipper clutch with a lighter lever, adjustable tinted screen with wind diffusers and adventure guards fitted as standard. Other new bits include redesigned mirrors, belly pan and heat shield, along with gripper footpegs and modern bling - two new colour schemes, new badges and contemporary graphics. n

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NEWS TORQUE

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Yamaha’s sports heritage customs YAMAHA customised two bikes out of its XSR line up to show them off at Australia’s coolest street party - Throttle Roll, Sydney June 12. The LAMS XSR700 which was unveiled at the event is inspired by a DT1 enduro and is complete with knobby tyres, brushed aluminium guards and a retro paint scheme. The RZ250/350 is the inspiration behind the inline triple XSR900 - gold wheels, retro white and red paint scheme. Both models are prime examples of what Yamaha is calling ‘sports heritage’ and highlight how easily the bikes can be personalised and made to look unique. Throttle Roll is an event which blends a custom bike show with music. The event is organised by Sydney Café Racers - the same people who run the Distinguished Gentleman’s Ride. n

NEWS TORQUE

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Rossi, online

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LES C Y C R O T O M LTY SERVICING A I C E P S A LD O S R A E Y 0 OVER 2 MONSTER Energy, one of Valentino Rossi’s sponsors, is making a series of videos Qualified technicians with many years of service across DIRECTLY INSPIRED AND DEVELOPED FROM THE CHAMPIONSHIP WINNING WORLD SUPERBIKES OF TOM SYKES AND about the star, and most of the series is now available online. all brands including BMW, Ducati, Harley-Davidson, JONATHAN REA, THE 2016 NINJA ZX-10R IS THE CLOSEST THING TO A FACTORY SUPERBIKE KAWASAKI HAVE PRODUCED YET.

Honda, Triumph, Yamaha, Suzuki and many more. The series of well-made videos tries to give you an insight into the man, through ENHANCED ENGINE DESIGN PUMPS OUT A HUGE 147.1 KW (200 PS) interviews with Rossi, former competitors, team members and his friends. facilities and diagnostics for minor to major ADVANCED ‘BALANCE FREEModern FRONT FORK’ DEVELOPED FROM WORLD SUPERBIKE HORIZONTAL BACK-LINK REAR SUSPENSIONservicing WITH NEW-SPEC SHOWArebuilds. BFRC LITE SHOCK and engine Along the way the producers take in a MotoGP at Mugello, his home track, then HYBRID PREDICTIVE/FEEDBACK SPORTS TRACTION CONTROL SYSTEM visit the Rossi Ranch and lots more.

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HIGH PERFORMANCE LIGHTWEIGHT TITANIUM HEADER PIPES AND SILENCER Especially good is the piece on the Rossi Ranch. It turns out Rossi isn’t the only one STEERING ForDAMPER Great Prices On New Motorcycle Sales, Spare Parts ÖHLINS ELECTRONIC INCREASES STABILITY AT Service, HIGH SPEEDS BOSCHhe IMU MEASURES PRECISE CHASSIS ORIENTATION riding, training and learning how to go fast at the Rossi Ranch, regularly hosts 5 DEGREES OF FREEDOM and FOR Accessories check out our websiteAWARENESS or call groups of riders from former GP stars (like his hero, Kevin Schwantz) to teenage up-and-comers. Your Ninja... Your Kawasaki.

For the race fan it’s an insight into how these guys acquire the skills you see on display at the world’s biggest races and for any motorcyclist its a great example of how motorcyclists just seem to love getting together and riding, racing and bullshitting. cycletorque.com.au/rossis-new-videos/ n

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Newcastle City SuperMoto soon TROY Bayliss was spotted at Newcastle Foreshore checking out the park and dirt sections for the city’s upcoming SuperMoto event, held September 3-4. The Newcastle City SuperMoto, now in its second year, has gained accreditation as the Australian round of the FIM Asia SuperMoto Championships. The FIM status has also been secured for the event for the next three years. Minister for Trade, Tourism and Major Events and Minister for Sport Stuart Ayres said earlier in April, “the 2016 FIM Asia SuperMoto Championships will be a four round series consisting of the top 20 Asian SuperMoto riders, combining on-and-off road elements on specially designed tracks, and we are delighted to have the opportunity to further showcase the region’s fantastic facilities to a global audience.”

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Parliamentary Secretary for the Hunter Scot McDonald said the event, being held over the Father’s Day weekend, is the perfect opportunity for a family of motorcycle enthusiasts to spend the weekend in Newcastle, watching the SuperMoto and enjoying everything else the city has to offer. “We are excited to highlight the region’s vibrant cafes and restaurants, spectacular beaches and provide visitors with the chance to explore the wineries and beautiful scenery of the nearby Hunter Valley.” n http://newcastlesupermoto.com.au/ https://www.facebook.com/ozsupermotonewcastle https://www.instagram.com/newcastlecitysupermoto/

PHONE: 02 4322 0949 EMAIL: info@amhp.com.au WEB: www.amhp.com.au

NEWS TORQUE

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Indian’s new ‘Badass’ LIKE some black with your bagger/tourer? Indian’s new Chieftain Dark Horse is one Badass motorcycle, the company is telling us.

The Chieftain Dark Horse comes complete with a large handlebar-mounted fairing and large hard bags, but Indian’s approach to customisation means you can still make this bike your own with a huge range of genuine accessories available. Finished in matt black with chrome highlights, the Indian Chieftain Dark Horse certainly stands out from the crowd. Even the Thunderstroke 111 engine is black-finished but not blacked-out - the highlights make the engine not just visible, but they draw your eye in so everyone notices the big V-twin powerplant. The new Chieftain Dark Horse features a solo seat, short tinted power windcreen, power-locking hard bags, ABS, cruise control, bluetooth stereo and keyless ignition. To amplify the Dark Horse family attributes, not only are the fenders, fairing, fuel tank and bags blacked out, the iconic Indian Motorcycle headdress, forks, mirrors, handlebars and switch cubes, turnsignals, tank console, engine and airbox cover, lower controls, floorboards and taillight housing are also blacked out. The Indian Chieftain Dark Horse comes with a two-year unlimited kilometre factory warranty with premium roadside assistance, priced from $34,995 ride away and will be available in dealerships from late June. For more information visit www.indianmotorcycle.com.au n

NEWS TORQUE

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Nigel Morrell’s

MOTORCYCLE SERVICES Motorcycle Crash Repairs & Restoration Since 1988

www.nigelmorrellsmotorcycles.com.au ABN:81616249576

jamman@adam.com.au PH. 08 8351 7088

The SCR950 SCRAMBLER-style machines are all the rage, with Yamaha getting into the act with it’s 2017 V-twin powered SCR950. With a 942cc air-cooled engine, retro styling, laced wheels and twin shocks she looks very old school, but the belt drive, remote reservoir shocks, four-valve heads and fuel injection are vary modern. The engine and drivetrain appear to have been lifted from the Bolt, but the styling certainly hasn’t been - the SCR looks great. Australian availability hasn’t been announced, but the crew here at Cycle Torque is certainly keen to ride one. n

Adelaide’s only specialist motorcycle crash repairer, where unlike most of the dealers and mechanical shops who just do part replacement, we are proud of the fact we actually do repairs and almost all of the work is carried out ‘In House’. Adelaide’s only motorcycle repairer in Suncorp Insurance Group’s ‘Specialist Repairer Network’. We are excited to announce the addition of Paul ‘Bluey’ Harness to our team He brings with him a wealth of technical knowledge with over 35 years of experience and is factory trained on Suzuki, Yamaha and Honda brands up to current models. We look forward to being able to offer a more comprehensive range of mechanical services from minor servicing to major engine work. To celebrate Blue coming on board we are offering a special Flat Rate Service Special for April and May. We will do a Minor Service with the Recommended Penrite Lubricant and a Genuine Oil Filter for $180.00. This is for all road bikes, Super Sport, Sport, Metric Cruisers and Harleys. As seasoned professionals we pride ourselves on our mature approach to repairing and maintaining your motorcycle and look forward to giving your pride and joy the love it deserves Tank metal finishing, fairing repairs, plastic welding and painting We’ve been doing this for almost 30 years and offer quality second to none

Race replicas are a specialty We also offer a pick up service for your crashed or broken down bike and a valet service to your work or home in the city or surrounding suburbs. 13 ROSSLYN ST. MILE END SOUTH . SA. 5031

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RIP Fabrizio Pirovano FORMER Italian Superbike Champion, World Supersport Champion and World Superbike runner-up Fabrizio Piravano has died aged 56. ‘Piro’ from Biassono in Lombardy, Italy, lost his battle against an incurable tumour on June the 12th. The Italian moved from the Italian Superbike Chmpionship - which he won four times to be a top contender in the early days on the Superbike World Championship, but that title would elude him. He finished runner-up in 1990 but moved to the Sueprsport class later, winning the title in 1998. After retiring from racing he worked in race team management. A much-loved racer and Italian larrikin, Pirovano will be missed by all who knew him.

NEW

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Matt Mingay injured HOT Wheelz driver and stuntman Matt Mingay has been hospitalised after a big crash during a recent Stadium Super Truck series in Detroit, United States. An object protruded through Mingay’s jaw and mouth in the accident, his breathing had to be assisted in hospital through a mechanical ventilator. Mingay has been flown back to Australia with his family and is expected to make a full recovery.

A grand off a KTM LOVE the sound of two-stroke in the morning? There’s nothing nicer, except maybe the knowledge that you got onto yours a full $1000 cheaper thanks to KTM Australia’s TwoStroke Stoke offer. Until they’re all gone, you can get on to a brand new 2016 KTM 250SX 2-stroke from your local participating dealer at $1K under the regular retail. The bike is a lightweight power house that’s all kinds of fun to ride, simple and cheap to maintain and still a legitimately fast way from A to B if there’s a motocross track involved in the journey. At participating dealers, but only while stokes, er, stocks last, so to get onto this deal, you’ll need to be just like your new KTM 250SX - Quick. For more information on KTM Motorcycles, visit www.ktm.com.au or www.facebook.com/KTMAustralia

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SMALL TORQUE Triumph ride-away deals WITH a host of amazing new Triumph models landing at dealers around Australia Triumph are offering some ‘Amazing Triumph Rideaway’ Offers across a huge selection of 2015/2016 Model Year motorcycles. “We’ve packaged up some great offers here, unbeatable value with savings across the range of no less than $1,000 and up to an impressive $4600.” commented Triumph Marketing Manager, Mark Berger. “To help get riders out there sooner, we have put together some finance offers exclusively offered by Triumph Motorcycle Finance”. The Triumph Motorcycle Finance offers on the campaign will see customers riding away on a brand new Triumph for as little as $53 per week, that combined with thousands of dollars in savings presents as an opportunity not to be missed to get behind the bars of a new Triumph. The deals are available until July 31, stock is strictly limited.

Pedrosa stays with Repsol DANI Pedrosa has renewed his careerlong relationship with Honda by signing a contract that extends his Factory Repsol team status through 2018. “I’m very happy to be able to announce my renewal with the Repsol Honda Team. I’m very grateful to Honda for the trust they’ve shown in renewing with me for an additional two years. I think it’s best for me

cycletorque.com.au JULY 2016 I 19

to continue with the company I was with at my very first race. I’m happy that the negotiations have been quick, and now I can just focus on racing.” This comes along with the 2017 signings of Maverick Viñales to Movistar Yamaha, Andrea Dovisioso resigning with Ducati, Andrea Iannone will ride for Suzuki, while Bradley Smith and Pol Espargaro will join KTM. Current Moto2 riders getting a promotion next year are Sam Lowes, who will ride for Aprilia Gresini, Álex Rins joins Suzuki Ecstar and Jonas Folger will ride for Tech 3 Yamaha.

Paris cleans up MOTORCYCLES manufactured before June 1, 1999 are to be banned from Paris between the hours of 8am and 8pm starting July 1. The move comes on the back of pollution problems in the French capital which made the city look more like Beijing than Europe. Cars which don’t comply with recent emission standards will be banned too.

Is Ducati for sale? AN unnamed source recently told Bloomberg, the parent company of Ducati, Volkswagen Group could be planning to sell off the Italian motorcycle marque to help fund the wake of their diesel emissions scandal. MCN went directly to the boss of Audi, Rupert Stadler, who told them bluntly “Ducati is not for sale”. n

2 Positions have become vacant at our Melbourne Dealership. We have a position available for a Motorcycle Salesperson and a position for a fully qualified Motorcycle Technician. The successful applicants will be experienced operators with a passion for our industry, a good understanding of procedures and a readiness to join a growing dual dealership. Resumes can be emailed to aidan@firstclassmotorcycles.com.au

EDITORIAL

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Racing, life & death THE chant was in Italian, but it didn’t matter – I could understand well enough someone was being stirred by the crowd, encouraged to do something they might regret, or maybe they’d lost a bet. Either way, I quickly realised this group of World superbike mechanics had their attention on a rider, who pretended not to like the attention and pretended to be reluctant to climb up on a bike stand, so the crowd could see him. Then he stripped. Now, I saw Anthony Gobert strip on the podium at Phillip Island and throw his leathers into the crowd, but Fabrizio Pirovano went further, showing off his wedding tackle to an adoring crowd – you could feel the Italian passion and love for this man, a racer who would nearly win the Superbike World Crown. I found out through Facebook Pirovano had died. Robbie Phillis, another racer who nearly won a WSBK title, was a mate of Pirovano’s, racing against him in the early days of the Superbike World Championship. Neither spoke the other’s language, but it didn’t stop them becoming friends as well as rivals. His post was passioned and touching, Phillis describing Pirovano as “My little Italian mate” and “The world of motorcycling will miss you”. Pirovano was killed by a tumour at just 56. Of course that’s too young, but at least he’d lived life to the fullest, from putting it all on the line to win races, to dropping his dacks in the pits. Pirovano was a top bloke, and now he’s gone. A short life, but one to celebrate. Another short life was that of Moto2 rider Luis Salom, who died during practice for the Catalunya race in June. The race may have been cancelled if the change to the track couldn’t have been made, because they won’t risk racing after a ‘preventable’ death has occurred. Salom had ran off the circuit, across the asphalt run-off area and hit a wall. After the accident a chicane already in place was adopted to prevent further tragedy. Valentino Rossi, among others, had been calling for more run-off at Turn 12, where the tragedy occurred, for years. The last GP rider killed by a track wall was Daijiro Kotoh at Suzuka in 2003 - and the track hasn’t hosted a GP since. Other riders have been killed in between, but it’s been collisions with other bikes and a spectator on the track rather than barriers which have been the causes.

Contrast this with the Isle of Man, where the show invariably goes on, despite any loss of life. This year four riders died, two during practice before the racing started and two later in the week.

The first two deaths impacted Cycle Torque’s Alex Pickett, because they were both friends - Dwight Beare, an Aussie sidecar racer Alex had befriended and Paul Shoesmith, Alex’s team boss at last year’s TT. Added to Alex losing his team-mate, Franck Petricola, last year and the dangers of the Isle of Man were front and centre when he faced the starter, again. Alex wrote about the tragedy, “The sidecar race had been red flagged, which never looks good. We heard it was Dwight Beare. I know Dwight pretty well, both of us doing our first TT in 2014 and both of us from Australia. Dwight had moved to the Isle of Man from Victoria so he could chase his dreams and I regularly kept in contact with him. His fiancee had moved over also. Sadly he passed away from his injuries, and it’s been very hard to deal with. Dwight was such a nice bloke, I miss his mad grin already. It hits home when you know the rider and talked to him the day before. “Before we knew this though, the sidecar race got restarted, run and won as they say. There was then a couple of laps of practice for the solos which I sat out. After only a lap it got red flagged, with a serious incident at Sulby Straight, right where I got my tyre blow out last year. My dad, my mate Gaz and I went to the beer tent in the TT paddock to drown our sorrows and all I could see were pissed idiots laughing and drinking, not giving a shit about a rider who had died, and one in a serious condition. It was like it never happened. I saw Davo [Johnson] and congratulated him for his great result on the Norton and just went straight home. It was then I found out the rider in the solo practice was my great friend Paul Shoesmith, who I rode for last year in the Ice Valley Team. I can’t believe it has happened again, two years in a row. My teammate Franck Petricola crashed and was killed on the same section of road last year. “I am devastated for Paul’s wife Janet, and their two little boys Jensen and Hudson. I don’t even know what to think let alone say.” Despite this, Alex raced. “To be honest, I really didn’t want to be there. My head wasn’t in the game after what happened on Saturday, losing my two friends. When I put it in gear I thought, ‘I should be somewhere else.’ Off I

set anyway but the bike felt terrible.

“The last time I rode it, during Thursday’s practice it felt great but now was bucking around like a mad horse. Through the Ginger Hall section it felt like it had metal rods for suspension, it felt like there was no give at all. The first lap I was able to get full throttle through that section but that was the only time, it got worse each lap. “It was a real struggle finishing the race, with the bad handling and the clutch slipping on the last lap over the mountain. I finished in 33rd position at the flag and was mentally and physically shattered. My left arm lost some of its feeling on the last lap and I struggled to pull the clutch in as well. After the race a couple of big names were disqualified for technical infringements, so that put me up to 31st. “I got a Bronze Replica though, pretty happy about that.” To go out and ride hard on a track which has killed three friends in two years says something about the character of an individual - a passion for the sport, a never-give-up attitude… and an understanding the riders who didn’t make it chose to be there, understood the dangers and shared the passion for the Isle of Man. I doubt I’ll ever race the Isle of Man, but I was there when Chris and Alex first ride the circuit. The emotion when they finished their rides was raw - part adrenalin, part elation, part relief.

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Motorcycle racing is dangerous, but in many ways that’s what brings us to it: when you are riding fast, you feel as alive as you possibly can. For those, the rewards are worth the risks. – Nigel Paterson

DIRTY TORQUE

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Three Wheel Warriors I have a very healthy respect for Sidecar Motocross (or Sidecarcross) after I recently had a crack at being the passenger on Tony Garry’s 650cc Wasp. I haven’t given the sport even a sideways glance or offered the riders and passengers much credit for what they do out on the track, but all of that’s changed now. Sidecar Motocross kicked off as a European specific series back in 1971 and garnered World Championship status in 1980 with Swiss teams dominating the championship right up to 1990 when teams from the Netherlands and Latvia started winning too. Since 2000, Kristers Sergis and Artis Rasmanis from Latvia have won three championships (2000 to 2002) before the amazing Daniël Willemsen from the Netherlands won nine World Championships with five different passengers along the way. Ben Adriaenssen and Ben van den Bogaart (German/Netherlands) won the World Championship in 2013 and 2014 while last year’s title went to Etienne Bax and Kaspars Stupelis (Netherlands/Latvia) so you can see that the World Sidecarcross Championship has been an all Euro affair but in saying that we have had a couple of Aussies Email us your

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venture over to have a crack at the world’s best.

Kiwi turned Queenslander Vaughn Fletcher had reasonable success in Europe as a passenger with several top-ten finishes at international race meets back in 1987 when the sport entered what is termed the ‘modern’ or ‘lightweight’ era. Sidecars went from 1000cc four-stroke twin and four cylinder monsters to single cylinder Honda/ Kawasaki/Maico/KTM 500cc (ish) twostroke-powered works of art with sidecar kits essentially being welded and/or bolted to standard motocross frames. It didn’t take long before the key chassis makers like VMC, BSU, EML and Wasp started manufacturing full rolling chassis/ sidecar kits and if you check out the modern Sidecarcross scene there are 40 plus teams turning up to GPs on machinery that has more hand-crafted specialised bits and pieces hanging off them than Antonio Cairoli’s factory KTM 450SX or Tim Gasjer’s Honda HRC CRF450R. Locally, the Australian Sidecarcross Championship has a history that is sadly impossible to get any information on and the whole scene has waxed and waned over the years. It is still strong in South Australia with the annual Sidecar Spectacular at Murray Bridge having over one hundred sidecars ranging from Pre-1975 machinery

right through to the latest modern gear with juniors and trials sidecars on hand as well.

Without doubt, the fastest modern sidecarcross team in Australia right now is John Robinson and Brian Anthony from South Australia, who have had a crack in Europe recently with some success while the Queensland pairing of Evergreen Fletcher and Dave Maddock are arguably the fastest of the Pre-78 teams around right now. That will be tested at the Australian Post Classic Motocross Championships at Harrisville (West of Brisbane) on the 24th of July. A large group of sidecar teams including Tony Garry and I will see if we can’t knock the Fletcher/Maddock team off their pedestal. I recently put down solid 10 to 15 minute motos on a 1975 Yamaha MX250 without raising much more than a sweat. On the same day I was passenger on the Wasp with Tony at the helm - after just three short laps I was absolutely rooted. Seriously, this is one of the hardest single things I have ever done, on and off a motorcycle. Going through left hand turns hanging off the side of the sidecar is like doing full body weight pull-ups over and over again then timing the transfer across to the throttle side of the sidecar for right hand turns is no easy feat, then having to do that over and over again while getting set for jumps,

bumps and off-cambers makes for a series of manoeuvres that left me exhausted in no time flat… When Tony and I put a few corners and jumps together, when we were in ‘flow’ with the growling torque of the machine under us there is an exhilaration and satisfaction that is as good as it gets. Experienced sidecarcross competitors know the feeling a lot better than I ever will so my only advice to every dirt bike rider out there is to have a crack at sidecarcross at least once in your life, be you the passenger or the rider, I guarantee a thrill like no other and something that you will never forget. – Darren Smart

RACE TORQUE

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Motocross, Big Bucks and the USA It’s a question I’ve often pondered: Why has Australia been so successful in world championship road racing and less so in motocross? That’s not to say we haven’t come close, or lack the climate and tracks to produce great off-road riders – we have. Chad Reed has won two ‘world’ Supercross titles via his two AMA victories in 2004 and 2008, and finished second in the 2001 World 250cc Motocross Championship. Jeff Leisk led the 1989 World 500 MX Championship only to be thwarted by a hand injury. The late Andrew McFarlane finished a tough second in the 2005 MX2 world title chase after his machine suffered a few mechanicals in the final rounds.

The fact is not many Aussies have ventured to Europe to contest the world MX series, unlike the road race world championships, which have seen dozens of diggers heading to the Continental Circus for over 70 years. Scrambling around the muddy hillsides of Europe didn’t quite have the same appeal as lapping the TT so there was never the allure of world MX glory.

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When the motocross boom exploded across the US in the early ’70s, it slotted

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straight into the big-buck mentality of the AMA. Generous prizemoney was a major priority for the AMA to foster as many professional riders as possible. This was never in the gambit of the FIM and its national affiliates so it’s no surprise the AMA split from the FIM in the 1930s and only re-joined in 1969.

On top of the AMA prizemoney pool was the fat factory contracts and winning bonuses on offer from the 1970s. The off-road market was the fastest growing in America and the Japanese four were splashing out vast sums to become number one. Over in the road race paddock, budgets were cut from the mid-’70s to help pay for the growing MX contracts. There were many hungry young guns who helped drive the MX boom in America. The first was the son of a fireman, Marty Smith, who was signed by American Honda in 1974 when he was 17. He and team-mate Tommy Croft both drove Porsches in their senior high school year. While his dad rode in Engine No. 49, Smith drove a 930 Turbo and had a 911 as a ‘back-up’. Danny Chandler emerged from the woods and signed with Honda for $US85,000 per year, five times the annual average wage in the late ’70s. In 1983, Ron Lechien inked a

$US50,000 deal when he was 16 then $US250K when he was 22. It was this sort of money that fuelled a dog-eat-eat mentality from an early age that helped the US produce the world’s best MX and SX riders less than a decade after its best vied to be the ‘first Americans’ against the dominant Europeans. Once the big-money had helped generate the world’s best talent pool, the Yanks went on an incredible 13-year winning streak in the Motocross des Nations from 1981 to 1993. But there was a downside to all this dough being thrown around. Des Nations’ hero Danny Chandler became a party boy who admitted to a drinking problem, and Lechein’s downfall due to drugs is well documented.

The American riches drove an intensity to win that has yet to be repeated in another country. It stepped up when Bob Hannah hit the pro ranks a year after Smith. As he sat beside his old nemesis in a 2007 documentary, Hannah said that he hated Smith, not personally, but because he would be taking away the $US50,000 championship bonus if Smith won the 1977 AMA 125 title. Hannah switched from Yamaha to Honda in 1982, but took a $US100,000 pay-cut to fit into its five-rider team. ‘No matter’, he said, as Hannah won the $100K back in the first five weeks of the

season. “I came from the desert, [Jimmy] Weinert came from a junkyard in New York,” remembers Hannah. “If my dad was rich, I would’ve never made it in motocross – I would’ve been too lazy.” With so much money on offer, no wonder hundreds of riders would try to qualify at AMA MX and SX nationals. It was incredibly tough for an Aussie to get a look in. In the decades that followed, the rivers of gold only ran richer. Chad Reed, Ricky Carmichael and James Stewart were earning over $US5m a year. Chad was and is uniquely ambitious, which fitted right into the AMA Pro mindset. He needed to be to become Australia’s only World Supercross Champion. – Darryl Flack

GUNTRIP

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Just deserts Johnno looked around and shifted uncomfortably. He was in a waiting room, perhaps more comfortable than most, and certainly much quieter. There were armchairs, coffee tables strewn with magazines, framed prints on the walls. And he had absolutely no idea how he came to be there, and in his riding gear at that.

Johnno was dozing off when his name was called. He got up and followed the nurse through the doorway, along a seemingly endless corridor dotted with doors opening off it and, at intervals, desks behind which sat smiling nurses. Eventually his guide stopped at a door marked KEEP OUT in large, unfriendly letters and ushered him through it.

He crossed and recrossed his legs, looked at his fellow … what? Customers? Patients? Most of them elderly, almost all flicking through magazines. There was scarcely a sound. Even when someone who looked like a nurse glided past, any noise from her shoes was absorbed in the deep-pile carpet.

“Johnno. Welcome.” Behind a desk facing him sat a bulky bloke with a white beard and a leather jacket Johnno thought looked like the one Mickey Rourke wore in Harley-Davidson and the Marlboro Man. Nice.

The coffee table at Johnno’s elbow was covered with motorcycle magazines, all of them new, and in a variety of languages. Oddly, when he’d flicked through one and put it down, it would fade and disappear as he looked at it and a new one would gradually take its place. Weird. From time to time a nurse would appear in a doorway at the end of the room, consult a clipboard and call out a name. Someone would get up and follow her back through the doorway. At the same time, a fresh face would appear at his Email us your end of the room and feedback find a seat. feedback@cycletorque.com.au

“Well,” said the beard, “you got here. Later than we expected, so well done on that, but welcome anyway.” Johnno frowned. “And where am I, exactly?” The beard smiled. “Penny hasn’t dropped? Here’s a clue. Remember riding home recently one dark, wet night? Remember the wagon wanting to turn right out of a side street?” “Sure do. That must have been close.” “It was, but not the way you mean: that’s the one that got you.” “What? You mean I’m…” Johnno looked himself over. He was, so far as he could tell, unmarked. “Oh, we’ve cleaned you up a bit, but yes.

You have, as they say, crossed to the other side. Died.” Johnno felt a lump rising in his throat, moisture gathering in his eyes. Beard lowered his head a little. “I’m sorry, that was a bit abrupt. You’d think I’d have the hang of this by now. But listen: it’s not all bad. You’ve lived a good life, provided well for the family; your lovely lady is already planning to take a long cruise around the Pacific on the proceeds.” Johnno smiled. “Nice one. Anything you can do to help her…” “Yes, we have ways of, ah, introducing ideas. She’ll be fine. But what about you?” Johnno raised his eyebrows. “I assume you’re Gabriel?” “Correct.”

“Well, what about me? I assume I collect my harp and someone finds me a nice fluffy cloud to sit on.” He frowned. “I don’t think I’ve come to the fun place, have I?” Gabriel smiled. “Sure, you can do the cloud thing if you want, but yes, we can also offer fun. Follow me.” Another door, another corridor. But this one was a dead end, with three doors opening off it. Gabriel faced Johnno and pointed. “Door on the left, racing. Go through it and you can race against John Surtees in the 1960 TT, Mike Hailwood

and Ago in ’67, Kenny Blake on a TZ350 at Bathurst; anything you like. “Door on the right, off-road: Andre Malherbe, Ricky Carmichael, Jeremy McGrath. Same thing, they’re all in there. Door in the middle, anything else you might want. All you have to do is think it; just keep it fair and honest or we’ll ping you.” “Jeepers, the keys to the toy box.” “Better.” “Just one thing: why the unfriendly message on the door of your office?” “Ah, God’s little joke,” said Gabriel. “When he visits he likes the place to himself.” – Bob Guntrip

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HARLEY-DAVIDSON XL1200CX ROADSTER

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CYCLE TORQUE TEST

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HARLEYâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;S

21 CENTURY ROADSTER ST

HARLEY-DAVIDSON XL1200CX ROADSTER

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CYCLE TORQUE TEST

The café racer set should get excited, for there’s a new bike in town. It’s cool, stylish and capable. And it’s a Harley.

HARLEY-DAVIDSON XL1200CX ROADSTER CYCLE TORQUE TEST

cycletorque.com.au JULY 2016 I 27 WATCH VIDEO NOW

Harley’s 21st century Roadster N TESTED BY NIGEL PATERSON, PHOTOS COURTESY HARLEY-DAVIDSON N RIDING GEAR: SHARK HELMET, HARLEY-DAVIDSON JACKET, DRAGGIN JEANS.

Harley-Davidson’s new Roadster isn’t a sportsbike in the modern sense, but it is fun in the twisties and offers a ‘good fun’ level of performance. For decades riders have been putting huge efforts into making Sportsters, well, sporty. Switching out too-soft front ends, upgrading nonadjustable shocks, reducing weight and increasing performance, the café racer set has always had a love-hate relationship with the Sportster - loving its style and feel, hating its performance and handling. Harley’s trying to fix that with the Roadster. With probably the best set of forks ever fitted to a stock Harley, a modern twin-disc front brake set-up and handlebars which encourage spirited riding, Harley’s got much of the formula right. The Motor Company also added a 12.5 litre tank (from the Iron 883), which is much bigger than the tiny peanut tanks on some other sportsters, so range is better, a café-style seat, wide ’bars and a wheel & tyre combo which suits the brief, too. Up front is a single circular instrument pod with analogue tacho and lots of info on the digital lower section. The engine hasn’t received the same treatment though, it’s the same 1200cc V-Twin we’ve been thrashing for a while now, and in the upgraded

chassis and running gear it feels even slower, although there’s plenty of scope for improvement. There’s a new exhaust coming which will help it breathe and make it sound like it should, and there’s a plethora of other options to extract more performance from the air-cooled 45-degree V-Twin, including a $3000 Screamin’ Eagle performance kit which includes barrels, heads and cams. The Sportster is a 16.5 model, that is a late release for the year - the company is making a bit of habit of this, releasing a few new bikes mid-cycle to keep us on our toes. Priced at under 20K, the Roadster probably offers more fun per dollar than any other Harley. It’s a lot more fun and far more capable than any other Sportster, and actually shouldn’t crib sales from other models too badly - nothing else in the range really comes close. Indeed, Harley hopes to attract riders who previously wouldn’t have considered a machine from America’s dominant motorcycle manufacturer, and the marketing is aimed at younger riders those in the 20s. As such, it’s part of Harley-Davidson’s Dark Custom line – bikes literally designed to be modified to the owners’ desires.

The Running Gear A little surprisingly, the Roadster runs a 19-inch from wheel, a more traditional sporting size rather than the 17-inch sporting rubber on nearly every other brand of bike since the 1980s. The tyres are mounted on unique wheels, cast units with ten pairs of spokes, alternately mounting from the hub to the outer edge of the rim. They look fantastic; it’s a shame in some ways Harley-Davidson painted them black. The tall wheel with skinny tyre was definitely the right choice. Sure, a smaller wheel might give sharper steering, but the Roadster isn’t aimed Continued on nexton page Continued next page

HARLEY-DAVIDSON XL1200CX ROADSTER

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CYCLE TORQUE TEST at racetracks, it’s aimed at twisty coast roads and Californian canyons, where stability and predictability are more important than flickability. The stability is not helped by the underdamped shocks, which rebound hard off bumpy roads, threatening to push you out of the seat… but even so, part of the problem is the well-planted front end, which is encouraging riding harder, which taxes the rear shocks more… The changes have increased cornering clearance, but not enough. The footpegs themselves stick out a long way and are positioned perfectly to damage shins when your feet are down, at least partly because the lean-forward riding position means you want to put your feet down in front of the pegs – but you can’t, they are too far forward, because they’re in the same relative place as they are on most other Sportsters. So you’re forced to put your legs behind the pegs, where there isn’t enough room and your shins cop a flogging, at least until you get used to the problem. On the move though the pegs feel good, not too high and not too low but they might feel a little too far forward for some. I found myself using the rear pegs occasionally on the highway to give myself a break. Anyone wanting to build a cafe racer out of a Roadster will be looking to move the pegs south. Harley’s brakes have never been cutting edge, but those fitted to the Roadster have stepped it up a notch. Twin discs mean you can brake later than ever (and on Australian-spec bikes ABS is standard), although you have to remember it is no lightweight cafe racer - if you want one of those, take a Yamaha SR400 and throw a few grand at it.

So while the Roadster definitely handles better than any mainstream Sportster before it (well, XR1200 owners might disagree) it’s still no sportsbike – but you knew that. Nope, the Roadster is a serious motorcycle, and a fun one at that. It’s part of the Harley-Davidson Dark Custom range, and really that’s a starting point for you to build the perfect machine for you - one which reflects your style and personality. Harley has a range of options and accessories available from the get-go for the Roadster to turn it from their bike into your bike, and there’s a new range of riding gear to go with it all too.

Priced at $19,495 ride-away, I reckon the Roadster will bring over riders who would otherwise have bought a different brand. Sure, out of the crate it’s more expensive than many other options, but Harley-Davidson motorcycles generally retain a good proportion of their sticker price, so some will be encouraged by better re-sale, while others will simply be attracted to the style, the thump and the cache which comes with the bar & shield logo. Now, at last, Harley has a bike which suits the café racer builder, a bike which is great fun out of the crate and with careful personalisation, a fine café racer. n

HARLEY-DAVIDSON XL1200CX ROADSTER CYCLE TORQUE TEST

GALLERY

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HARLEY-DAVIDSON XL1200CX ROADSTER CYCLE TORQUE TEST

GALLERY

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HARLEY-DAVIDSON XL1200CX ROADSTER CYCLE TORQUE TEST

GALLERY

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HARLEY-DAVIDSON XL1200CX ROADSTER CYCLE TORQUE TEST

GALLERY

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Kawasaki Ninja 300 CYCLE TORQUE TEST

THE

CAPABLE NINJA

Kawasaki Ninja 300

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CYCLE TORQUE TEST

The capable Ninja The Ninja 300 rules the roost when it comes to road bike sales, we find out just how good this little LAM is.

WATCH VIDEO NOW

N TESTED BY RYAN GRUBB, PHOTOS BY NIGEL PATERSON AND RYAN GRUBB

The Kawasaki Ninja 300 has been the most popular road bike in the country for the last three years. We did a little bit of digging through the Cycle Torque archive and it turns out we haven’t ridden one since then. For this test, we thought a little bit differently and put it through it’s paces both on the road and at the track to find out just how capable it is. To me the figures don’t lie even though most punters say being a LAMS bike its popularity is misrepresented. A large percentage of Ninja 300 owners are certainly learner riders either buying their first bike, or their first new bike which is partly why it is so popular. Most states require learners to hold their licence for over three years, so to stay at the top of sales charts for that long means Ninja 300 riders are holding onto their bikes longer than other LAMS bikes and I’ll tell you why. The Ninja 300 has a solid set features that set it apart from other bikes in the category. First and foremost is the bike is available with ABS. More and more of the bikes in the 300-650 segment are starting to come with ABS now which is great, but there are still a few that aren’t. There’s also a slipper clutch. I get why it’s used and you will find that part out later, but at the same time, on a bike aimed primarily at learners, I don’t. On the road under normal riding conditions, you know - not revving up near the redline, a slipper clutch will only really save your bacon if you change from third to first too soon, which would be a pretty rare occurrence - even for learners. In its defence, it does make the bike much easier to ride, but clutch control is an important skill and I will also address that later. Other features of note include the radiator fan blows hot air downwards - on a hot summer’s day, hearing the radiator fan click on doesn’t incite profanity and a torrent of sweat. There’s a 17-litre tank, which for a frugal bike like this is huge and makes for a long time between drinks. Partial rubber mounts on the engine smooth vibrations

and there is a dual storage compartment under the seat for your wallet or any other small objects. They might not seem like much, but all up they each add a little bit more comfort to the rider and makes concentrating and enjoying the ride much easier. I haven’t even mentioned how stylish the bike is - the ‘Special Edition’ we picked up from Kawasaki Australia is a real head-turner with its metallic flat grey, black and red bodywork and those red 10 spoke wheels are eye-popingly gorgeous. The Ninja 300 is certainly confidence inspiring on the road. The liquid-cooled 296cc fuel-injected parallel twin engine is predictable, and giving the throttle a good twist isn’t overwhelming, nor is it underwhelming. It handles brilliantly. The bike weighs in at 174 kilograms and is accompanied by a well-balanced rake and trail which means it turns into corners easily, and despite its sporty appearance it doesn’t turn onto its side too quickly. The Ninja is also firmly suspended and provides the rider with a good feel of

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Kawasaki Ninja 300

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CYCLE TORQUE TEST the surface underneath, soaking up all but the toughest of bumps. The single stopper up front works well on the road and ABS engages without startling in an emergency stop. The slipper clutch feels a little bit vague taking off from a stop and seems like overkill - more for the sake of smoothing out poor technique. The distance from the seat to the ’pegs and ‘bars is limited for a guy my size, and on the road I felt too big for this bike. I’m about 194 centimetres tall and 100 kilos take or take. It’s hardly a problem for the bike, nor is it the bike’s problem. The geometries draw the right lines for comfortable, upright riding thanks to higher ‘bars and a wide angle from the ‘pegs, to the seat and ‘bars. Overall, the bike has an impressive feature list and provides you with plenty of feedback and responds superbly to rider input. That’s why people love the Ninja 300. Now it’s time to push the bike a little bit further at the track. The track component of the test was taken at a motoDNA Rider Academy training day on the South Circuit at Sydney Motorsport Park, Eastern Creek. Getting the chance to put the Ninja 300 on the track in a controlled environment was a fantastic way to push the bike much further than I could on the road and much harder than most riders still on their plates would. It could also identify more critical shortcomings that the bike has. On the tight and technical South Circuit, the Ninja 300 was unbelievably fun. Shortcomings? For what the bike is rather than what it is not, it isn’t perfect but it didn’t really have one. The riding style you learn to use at track-based training days like this meant the Ninja was more accepting of my large frame and the slipper clutch also deserves much more credit than I gave it on the road, coming into its own throughout quick successive downshifts. The engine likes to rev and performs best when you squeeze every last drop out of it. The suspension provides little adjustability and is not perfect - but it was never going to be. It was adequate enough for the smooth track conditions and my large frame, only

suffering from the slightest lack of front-end feel in the exit of a faster, downhill, off-camber turn. Harder braking was also tested in a few areas and the Ninja came up trumps lap after lap - I didn’t engage the ABS which is good news, because it means the brakes could have been pushed a little bit harder at higher speeds. It amazed me to ride in both the more advanced or ‘faster’ groups on a pretty tight circuit on the small capacity Ninja and the bike could hold its own just fine. Sure, I was being overtaken by bigger bikes and better riders but I was hardly holding the group up. To think that within a few months of getting your licence, you can go to a trackbased training school like motoDNA on a Ninja 300 and get to work on upping your skills and the bike has the ability to take you from the beginner to advanced groups is nothing short of exceptional. You might go through a few sets of tyres and consumables in the process but, you will have serious amounts of fun while, again, the skills you pick up along the way take your riding to levels you didn’t think were possible. It’s money well spent. If you are a learner rider and you are looking at the plethora of LAMS bikes on the market, the Kawasaki Ninja 300 must be on your list. After riding it in a wide range of conditions, it would have to be at the pointy end of mine. It continues to be the most popular road bike in the country because so much about it is right. It has great handling, attractive Ninja styling and its performance is a great balance of thrill and control which gives you confidence from the get-go. Priced at $6,399 plus onroads, the Ninja 300 is easily one of the best choices for your first bike, or your next one. You will have a machine that is safe and easy to operate capable of: getting you through learner or provisional licences; attacking any sealed road you can throw at it; tearing around the track at a training school like motoDNA and it will continue to suit you as your skills increase. The Ninja 300 is one seriously impressive little LAM. n

SPECIFICATIONS: MANUFACTURER: Kawasaki MODEL: NINJA 300 SE YEAR: 2016 ENGINE: Parallel-twin four-stroke engine, DOHC 8 valves TRANSMISSION: 6-speed FUEL CAPACITY: 17 litres FRAME: Steel tubular diamond SEAT HEIGHT: 785mm WEIGHT: 174kg FRONT SUSPENSION: 37mm telescopic fork REAR SUSPENSION: Uni Trak with gas charged shock and five-way preload BRAKES: F: F: 290mm single disc, balanced actuation, dual piston calliper (ABS); R: 220mm disc, dual piston calliper (ABS) TYRES: F: 110/70 17”; R: 140/70 17” PRICE: $6,399 RRP +ORC CALL FOR A QUOTE

1800 24 34 64

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The tyres The Ninja 300 has received a tyre upgrade from the IRC tyres featured on the test bike to Dunlop TT900GP hoops. The Dunlops are aimed towards classic racing but they are also just as capable on the street. They are slightly more advanced and have a higher speed rating than the IRCs which were featured on the test bike. The people at Kawasaki Australia gave us the heads up because you might see Ninja 300 models with IRC tyres on the showroom floor. Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve seen the IRC tyres get a bit of a bashing in the Ninja forums, but I wouldnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t worry about it too much. After giving the Ninja 300 a thorough thrashing on the track with the IRC tyres, I am completely satisfied with their performance. To be honest, I had complete confidence in them at all times and the feedback they provided at the edges was great. Take a look at the wear on this tyre - it has been given a workout. I know we all want the latest and greatest, but unless you are worried about getting that extra bit of mileage or are frequently hitting over 200 kilometres an hour, which Ninja 300 Cup riders only just achieve, will you seriously reap the benefits of the upgraded Dunlops. If the Ninja 300 at your local Kawasaki dealer comes with Dunlop tyres, great. If not, the IRCs will be just fine too. n

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Kawasaki Ninja 300 CYCLE TORQUE TEST

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Kawasaki Ninja 300 CYCLE TORQUE TEST

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Kawasaki Ninja 300 CYCLE TORQUE TEST

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Kawasaki Ninja 300 CYCLE TORQUE TEST

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MADE IN

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motoguzziau

V9 Roamer_FP_Cycle Torque.indd 2

10/06/2016 10:30:39 AM

MOTO GUZZI V9 BOBBER & ROAMER

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CYCLE TORQUE LAUNCH

BOB &RO

MOTO GUZZI V9 BOBBER & ROAMER

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CYCLE TORQUE LAUNCH

Moto Guzzi has created some European Charm with its retro-inspired V9sâ&#x20AC;¦

MOTO GUZZI V9 BOBBER & ROAMER

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CYCLE TORQUE LAUNCH

BOB&RO

WATCH VIDEO NOW

N REPORT BY NIGEL PATERSON, PHOTOS: MOTO GUZZI N RIDING GEAR: SHARK HELMET, SPIDI JACKET, DRAGGIN JEANS, MOTODRY BOOTS

THE trend toward more and more manufacturers offering retro-style standard bikes is continuing, with Moto Guzzi now building a sweet pair of little big-bikes - although the nominal displacement of the new V9 Bobber and V9 Roamer is 900cc, they feel like middleweight roadsters. The two bikes are almost the same, the only important differences is the front wheel, tyre and handlebars. The Bobber has a 16-inch front wheel and fat tyre combined with relatively flat ’bars, the Roamer a 19-inch wheel and conventional tyre with pull-back ’bars. The seats are also different, but it’s hard to tell - the Roamer’s is slightly thicker, but both could do with more padding - more on that later. Both bikes share the 90-degree four-stroke two-valve air-cooled V-twin motor, instruments, suspension, transmission, rear wheel and most ancillaries. Less critical differences include tyres - the Bobber is supplied with Continentals, the Roamer with Pirellis and the colours. The Roamer is the more conservative, and is available in dark red, off white or gold, while the Bobber comes in flat black with red highlights or Grey with yellow highlights.

V-Twin power The style of the new V9s is very retro. Get up close and you can see how it all works, with hoses and cables visible between the cylinders, which themselves poke out into the air thanks to the way the V-twin motor is positioned in the chassis.

For those new to Moto Guzzi, all its bikes for decades now have been powered by a V-twin motor which has the crank in line with the bike, so the cylinders poke out each side just in front of the rider’s knees. This design means the power at the crank is transmitted to the gearbox and then via shaft to the rear wheel. It also means the bike feels like it wants to throw itself on its side if you rev it hard at idle - the inertia of the engine is spinning sideways. It’s disconcerting for those new to the brand, but don’t let it put you off - the centrifugal force generated when the wheels start rolling mean you almost never notice it once you’re moving. The latest crop of Guzzi roadsters sacrifice comfort for

style, and the V9s are no exception. The seat itself is a bit short for two-up riding and the padding on both models is thin, making long days tiresome, while the rear suspension has been compromised somewhat by the pursuit of a low seat height. If you’re light, small and don’t ride long distances you’ll probably be perfectly happy with the stock set up, but Moto Guzzi is offering both seat and suspension options in its accessory catalogue if the standard fare doesn’t suit, which is great. The same could be said for the non-adjustable hand levers - if they suit you, fine, but one of the bikes on test was fitted with some excellent adjustable alloy units which look and feel trick. My first few hours on the V9s was very pleasant though,

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MOTO GUZZI V9 BOBBER & ROAMER

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CYCLE TORQUE LAUNCH

SPECIFICATIONS:

MANUFACTURER: Moto Guzzi

the willing engine with its strong bottom-end and midrange delightful to use. It’s an old-school powerplant, with a fairly long throw on the gear lever and a narrow take-up on the single plate dry clutch. If you’re used to seamless Japanese engines the V9 may feel a bit agricultural, but in many ways this is what gives a motorcycle its soul - ride the bike for a while and the unique style of V-twin thump generated by a Moto Guzzi starts to come through, like a siren’s song seducing you to its charms - but without the aftertaste. The bikes feel quite compact, which makes them easy to handle in traffic and out on the open road. Moto Guzzi has a reputation for producing fine handling machines back in the day and on the Bobber and Roamer that heritage is still there, the complete package fun to ride along a winding road. In tighter sections we did find the handling exceeded the cornering clearance by quite a margin though, the footpegs scraping easily. Great fun to send the sparks flying at your mates behind… The vibrations can be felt through every part of the bike, but it’s always those welcome shakes, not the annoying high-frequency vibes you get from multi-cylinder machines, or the crazy shaking of some V-twins close to redline - sure, the vibes get stronger if you rev a V9 close to its 8000-rpm redline, but you’ll only do that couple of times before realising the bike is happier being shortshifted into a higher gear. There will be little difference to the overall acceleration, because the meat of the torque isn’t produced at high revs, peak torque being reached at just 3500rpm and power at 6250rpm. Of the two bikes, the Roamer, with its more upright riding position, slightly better padded seat and taller front wheel is more traditional and is aimed at the touring market. I felt like a bit of windsock at highway speeds on the Roamer until I rode one with a small accessory screen, which made a huge difference at taking a bit of the blast away - I wasn’t attracted to the style of the screen, but I loved its functionality.

The Bobber was more my style - a bit more aggressive looks thanks to the fat front tyre, and the flat ’bars mean you lean forward into the breeze, just a little bit. I preferred this to the Roamer, but on both bikes I would have preferred the footpegs to have been a little further back, and the seat higher - for a tall man like me the seat to footpeg distance was a bit short.

MODEL: Roamer & Bobber YEAR: 2016 ENGINE: Air and oil cooled 90° V-Twin four-stroke engine, overhead valves, 2 valves per cylinder. CAPACITY: 853cc TRANSMISSION: 6 speed FUEL CAPACITY: 15 litres FRAME: ALS steel twin tube cradle SEAT HEIGHT: Roamer: 785mm, Bobber: 780mm WEIGHT: 199kg wet FRONT SUSPENSION: Traditional 40mm forks

to avoid hitting my knees on the cylinder heads, so there’s no room behind for a passenger - the optional seats come in rider and pillion sections and are better padded too, another good reason to change - the stocker is too thin for all-day riding, but it does look great. Moto Guzzi is unique among the European manufacturers in making both successful sportsbikes and cruisers over the decades. These new V9s fit in between, with some of the sportsbike heritage apparent in their willingness to corner more aggressively than the cornering clearance will allow, while the cruising heritage is obvious in the style and upright riding position.

REAR SUSPENSION: Double shock absorber with So for many people who aren’t adjustable spring preload tall, the V9s will be a great fit BRAKES: F: 320mm Brembo opposed four-piston and I’m wondering how many callipers R: 260mm Brembo opposed two-piston people who love the look of calliper these bikes will be put off by the TYRES: Roamer F: 100/90 19”; R: 150/80 16” capacity - convinced they don’t Bobber F: 130/90 16”; R: 130/90 16” want a ‘big’ bike like a 900. Don’t PRICE: $16,500 RRP Ride-away be concerned - the V9s would be CALL FOR A QUOTE The brand has been producing 1800 24 34 64 ideal for someone moving on from engines for nearly 100 years. In their ‘Learner Approved’ first bike, the early days it was big singles for the horsepower, weight, power which made Moto Guzzi famous, then came the ill-fated delivery and manoeuvrability of the V9s, it puts them V8 Grand Prix machine before an engine designed for a fairly into the middleweight category. Capacity is an awful small military vehicle would be adapted to a post-war thing to use to decide if a bike is suitable for a given rider motorcycle and the rest, they say, is history. these days. Moto Guzzi has enjoyed highs and lows for decades and is now in a pretty good space with the same owners Accessories galore as Aprilia and has a great niche producing unique motorcycles which are different, but not too different. There are lots of accessories available for the new bikes, from stylish touches to items which will give the bikes The new V9s are interesting beasts, and if you’re attracted broader appeal. I especially liked the idea of the longer to their style, take one for a test ride. They are targeting rear shocks, which would improve cornering clearance the same market as the Triumph Bonneville, Harleyand improve handling, especially with a pillion. I’d also Davidson Sportster and other moderate horsepower have a good, long look at the optional seats, which naked machines, but the V9s have a character which is are essential if you’re going to regularly carry a pillion different to all of them. n passenger - the standard eat, especially if you’re tall, is simply too small. At 183cm I’m sitting quite far back

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