SEPTEMBER 2012 : NEWS, REVIEWS, FEATURES, QUADS PLUS LOTS MORE BIKES TESTED
KTM’S NEW
450 SX-F
CYCLE TORQUE SEPTEMBER 2012 - 2 COVER PHOTOS BY: PATERSON AND MV AGUSTA
This iPad edition is our sixth, and I’m finding it hard to believe we’ve been doing these for half a year already - and the really great thing is, if you’ve missed an issue, you can simply download it when you’re ready. I love that about digital magazines. This edition features some of the best videos we’ve ever made, a combination of more experience and some new equipment has really helped us to capture some great footage. I hope you enjoy our embedded videos of most of our test bikes - unfortunately we don’t have one of the MV Agusta because the test was done overseas without video facilities. We’ll shoot one when we get our hands on the new middleweight soon. Highlights of the issue include Chris Pickett’s tour from the Red Centre to Adelaide. Adventure bikes are perfect for Australia in so many ways and credit must go to guys and girls at Triumph Australia for taking a bunch of journos on such a big trip to thoroughly test the new 1200 Explorer (download the August issue to see that test). Don’t be afraid to let us know by email, social media or snail mail what you think of Cycle Torque on the iPad, and please rate the App and write a review on iTunes. – Nigel Paterson Publisher
Touring the Red Centre.
KEEP UP-TO-DATE PRESS TO RECEIVE OUR
NEWSLETTER
CONTENTS
CYCLE TORQUE SEPTEMBER 2012 - 3
RIDDEN
REGU LARS
2013 KTM 450 SX-F
KAWASAKI ZX-14R
LAUNCH
TEST
24
KAWASAKI KX250 & 450 F
MV AGUSTA 675 F3 TEST
68
36
TEST
76
YAMAHA FZ1N TEST
58
5 13 14 15 18 19 20 21 22 56 66 90 93 110 112
NEWS BIKE EVENTS SMALL TORQUE PIT BITS EDITORIAL DIRTY TORQUE RACE TORQUE GUNTRIP E-TORQUE BOOK REVIEW BOOK SHOP MARKET TORQUE BIKE STUFF USED & REVIEWED TORQUE BACK - LETTERS
FEATU RES 44
106
102 TOURING : ULURU TO ADELAIDE
2012 SEA-DOO RXP-X 260 AND GTR 215 TEST
114 KING OF NEPEAN
QUAD TORQUE TEST YAMAHA GRIZZLY 550 EPS
CYCLE TORQUE SEPTEMBER 2012 - 4
NEW TO RIDING? WE WANT YOU! Motorcycle Boot Camp is an event perfect for that younger generation who have always dreamed of owning a Harley but haven’t taken the next crucial step – walking into a H-D dealership! A social platform to connect with other riders, learn the basics and get the technical aspects of customisation and performance of your new Harley-Davidson.
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NEWS TORQUE Stoner criticises Rossi over move to Yamaha
CYCLE TORQUE SEPTEMBER 2012 - 5
CASEY Stoner has criticised Valentino Rossi and his team manager Jeremy Burgess after the Italian superstar signed for Yamaha recently, saying “He doesn’t want to put the effort in with Ducati”. Stoner’s comments came in an interview with Australian MotoGP broadcaster Ten Sport. Rossi had earlier signed with Yamaha on a two-year deal, giving the Tuning Fork brand the ‘Dream Team’ of 2010 world Champion Jorge Lorenzo and seven-time World 500/MotoGP Champion Rossi. Rossi is rumoured to have walked away from a deal worth 35 million on offer with Ducati, preferring to take a pay cut and move back to the team he won four world championships with. Stoner was not only critical of Rossi, but also his Australian Team Manager Jeremy Burgess. “They ate their words from day one. Jerry said it would take him 80 seconds to fix that bike (the Ducati Desmosedici MotoGP) and that it was a simple issue and now they have had almost two years and have not made any inroads. Valentino obviously doesn’t want to push limits on a bike that is not perfect”. With Stoner retiring and Rossi returning to Yamaha, Ducati has re-signed Nicky Hayden for 2013 and is looking to fill the other seat soon. n
Casey Stoner (AUS), Ducati Marlboro Team, Ducati, 27, 2007 MotoGP World Championship, Round 1, Losail, Qatar, 10 March 2007
It’s not where you’re going, It’s how you get there!
NEWS TORQUE
CYCLE TORQUE SEPTEMBER 2012 - 6
FLUORO VESTS FOR ALL? A VICTORIAN Police Sargeant now claims to have been mis-quoted in the press after a Wangaratta newspaper quoted the officer as saying riders would be forced to wear high visibility gear within 18 months. Senior Sargeant Bill Gore has since been interviewed on ABC radio where he said all riders should wear fluoro clothing, and that hi-vis gear should be compulsory. The newspaper article has generated a small storm of controversy and protest, unsurprisingly given few motorcyclists actually wear hi-vis gear. The Victorian Government is running an Inquiry into Motorcycle Safety which is due to report by 13 December 2012. The inquiry was initially required to report by June 30 but had the deadline extended. The terms of reference are very broad, covering everything from trends over time, rider experience, attitudes of drivers and riders, the changing face of motorcycling and the effectiveness of the Motorcycle Safety Levy and the appropriateness of the Victorian TAC premium. Like to make a comment about this story? Add your opinion to the issue of hi-vis clothing to the comment section of the story at www.cycletorque.com.au/more. n An article claiming a police spokesman said compulsory high visibility riding gear would soon be compulsory has generated a storm of protest from riders, especially lobbyists like Damien Codognotto.
NEWS TORQUE
CYCLE TORQUE SEPTEMBER 2012 - 7
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Bargain Motocrossers YAMAHA is promoting its latest YZ125 and YZ250 as potent motocross machines at bargain prices. At just $8699 for the YZ125 and $9999 for the YZ250, going old-skool and buying a two-stroke might just be the smart way to go racing – not only is there a growing number of specific events and classes for the oil burners, you can now race a 250cc two-stroke against 250cc four-strokes and you’ll have 47bhp pushing just 98kg… Two-strokes are awesome for freestyle and can also be converted for enduro use too. The YZ125 and YZ250 feature aluminium chassis and Kayaba speed-sensitive suspension, so you’re not be left behind in the technology stakes, either. Check out the latest models at your Yamaha dealer. n
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NEWS TORQUE Magee completes APC Rally
CYCLE TORQUE SEPTEMBER 2012 - 8
Kevin Magee has completed the 2012 APC Rally on his Tiger 800 XC. Crossing over the line in Wodonga, Magee not only lapped friendly rivals Clubby and Wolfy but also sealed the deal a day under par. Go to www.cycletorque. com.au/more for the whole story. n
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NEWS TORQUE
CYCLE TORQUE SEPTEMBER 2012 - 9
THE ULTIMATE BMW? and spring strut to the specific situation on the road. The damping is adapted to the current manoeuvre or road surface by means of sensorsupplied parameters via electrically controlled regulation valves. In this way, the HP4 offers optimum damping in every situation, handling long and short shocks virtually perfectly so as to provide maximum traction and safety. The HP4 features a revised Race ABS system, adjustable Dynamic traction Control and a 200/55ZR55 rear tyre. Another first for the HP4 is the BMW Launch Control to provide maximum acceleration without wheelies. There are new wheels and a full titanium exhaust, saving 4.5kg over the system fitted to the S 1000 RR.
BMW has released details of its HP4, its lightest, most powerful poduction motorcycle ever built. With a dry weight of 169kg and a claimed output of 193 horsepower, the HP4 – the first four cylinder bike in the High Performance (HP) range of limited edition machines – will be rare, exotic and very, very desirable. Based on the S 1000 RR, the HP4 features lightweight components and neverbefore seen technologies, in particular Dynamic Damping control, or DDC. This system allows dynamic damping adaptation of the upside-down fork
The new HP4 is fitted with the water-cooled 4-cylinder in-line engine of the S 1000 RR with a peak output of 142 kW (193 hp) at 13,000 rpm and a maximum engine speed of 14,200 rpm. As in the RR, its maximum torque of 112 Nm goes on stream at 9,750 rpm. The torque has been perceptibly increased in the 6,000 rpm to 9,750 rpm range. In "Rain" mode there is now a smoother output and torque curve available between 2,500 rpm and 8,000 rpm. Unlike the RR, the 4-cylinder in-line engine in the HP4 provides the full output of 142 kW (193 bhp) at 13,000 rpm in all modes - "Rain", "Sport", "Race" and "Slick" - with an identical throttle curve and thus the same response, making it perfect for use on the race track. Pricing and availability were not known when Cycle Torque went to press. n
NEWS TORQUE BMW’s Electric scooter
CHARLEY Boorman has been blasting around London during the Olympic Games on a BMW C evolution electric scooter, a machine which addresses many of the challenges for the future of urban mobility. The new scooter has a range of 100km, a top speed of 120km/h, carries a pillion passenger with ease and accelerates comparably to 60km/h with other maxi scooters. “The bizarre thing was that there was no noise,” said Charley. “Suddenly you can hear everything in London. Usually, when you’re on a scooter or motorcycle, all you hear is the noise of the engine and exhaust, whereas with the C evolution you just cruise through town and it’s actually a really pleasant, nice experience as you go along.” “You never really know what to expect with an electric bike but one of the big tests is just getting on it and heading through London,” said Charley. “I must say that it had a good take-off, it felt instantly quick and stable - and very easy to ride. The handling is great too: it stops well, but if you want to get past a car you squeeze on the throttle and it just shoots past with a beautifully strong power delivery. I’m really, really impressed and I think I should keep one as a ‘run-around’ in town, to experiment with and show people just how good it is,” joked Charley, with a hint of seriousness. n
CYCLE TORQUE SEPTEMBER 2012 - 10
NEWS TORQUE BUY MEGELLI, GET ZEUS
Get in quick and you can score a free Zeus 2100 helmet with a new Megelli 250S, 250R or 250SE. These Learner Approved 250s come in sporty or commuter flavours, and look great, while there’s a range of colours and graphics available in the Stylish full-face Zues 2100. More information from Motorsport Importers, see www.cycletorque.com.au/more for links and contact details.
KTM RIDE4KIDS, WONTHAGGI
21 OCT,
Challenge is calling on dirt bike riders across Victoria to get on board the 11th annual KTM Ride4kids event for the chance to meet their pro-rider idols and win one of two brand-new KTM dirt bikes. Ride4kids is Australia’s biggest charity dirt bike event, raising much needed funds for Challenge, a not-for-profit organisation supporting children and families living with cancer. This year, the event is moving to the worldclass MX track in Wonthaggi and offers a full day of non-competitive riding where participants can opt to ride in either motocross or extreme enduro events: there are classes to suit all ages and abilities, including learners. Riders who raise $300 will automatically go into the draw to win a KTM 85SX bike worth $6995. A second KTM 85SX worth $6995 will be awarded to the event’s overall highest fundraiser and additional prizes will also be up for grabs for the top 10 fundraisers. “The emphasis of Ride4kids is on having fun. It’s a fantastic day out for all the family and a good chance for riders to get some practice on a professional track while doing their bit to help kids and families in need. All sessions are an open practice format with no actual
racing on the day so people of all ages and abilities can get involved,” said Brenden. Details www.everydayhero.com.au/event/ ktmride4kids
A4DE,
24-27 OCT WARRAGUL
The pinnacle of Australian enduro, the Yamaha WR450F Australian Four Day Enduro will be run in the fertile farming district of West Gippsland. With excellent facilities for riders and spectators, this should be a great A4DE.
CYCLE TORQUE SEPTEMBER 2012 - 11
Highway Performance Bikes
Yamaha’s iconic WR450F is now the namingrights sponsor for the event as the company celebrates the great success the new bike is having on the track and in the shops. “Yamaha has sponsored the A4DE for many years now, and once again we jumped at the chance to assist the nation’s biggest off road event. But for the first time we have named the four day after a motorcycle model - the all new fuel injected WR450F. This is to focus attention on the new model that our race teams will be showcasing in the iconic event,” explained YMA Director/General Manager Steven Cotterell. More info at www.a4de.com.
AUST MOTORCYCLE EXPO
NEW BIKES
The Melbourne Motorcycle Expo has almost run out of floor space for exhibitors, virtually guaranteeing a huge show packed with new bikes, accessories and displays. Cycle Torque will be there demonstrating the iPad App, so if you don’t have an iPad make sure you get down to the show to check out why downloading and reading Cycle Torque digitally is so cool. It’s at the Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre, Nov 23-25. More info at www.cycletorque.com.au/more and in future issues of Cycle Torque. n
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NEWS TORQUE
CYCLE TORQUE SEPTEMBER 2012 - 12
2013 Husqvarnas
NEW GENERATION CHARGING
The first shipments of TE 449 and 511 enduro machines are at Husqvarna dealers now. Both models feature bold new IPD “Integrated Plastic Decal” tank area graphics for 2013, the high-quality decals are designed to better cope with the tough demands of off-road riding. In addition to new design handlebar grips, bonded to the bar to prevent twisting, the 2013 versions of the TE 449 and TE 511 also come standard with a handlebar pad. Australian version TE 449 and TE 511 also continue to offer the Husqvarna / Akrapovic racing exhaust supplied free of charge with every bike which offers substantial extra value for all customers. The refinements to the 2013 TE 449 and TE 511 combine with an extremely competitive, revised MSRP of $10,795 for the TE 449 and $10,995 for the TE 511. By the time you read this the 2013 WR 250/300 two stroke enduro and TC 250 motocrosser should be arriving, while the all-new 2013 TE 250 and TE 310 Enduro models are due later this year. n
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IBIKE EVENTS
CYCLE TORQUE SEPTEMBER 2012 - 13
COP U LATER RALLY
featuring bands, special guest dj’s, food stalls, SEPTEMBER 28-29, TAMWORTH NSW 50+ special interest and nostalgic stalls, plus the new tiki bar courtyard. This is a family Third annual Cop U Later Rally, in memory friendly event with a kids activity area. Gold of Two Wheels columnist Peter Smith, will coin donation. be held at former Two Wheels Assistant More info http://www.tonupboys.com. Editor Wendy Spooner’s property at 170 New England Gully Rd, Moonbi (20km North of Tamworth, NSW). Bonfire and live bands PINK RIBBON RIDE Saturday night. Free tea, coffee, water, milk. 20 OCTOBER, NEWCASTLE Free use of barbecue hotplate. BYOG and Meet from 8am Nobby’s Beach car park. food. Hot shower and towels provided. No campfires or glass allowed. Entry $25; children Prizes for best dressed male and female on under 16 free. Lucky door prize. Coming from the day. Ride to Denman will depart at 9.30. the South on New England Highway, turn Auction to be held and raffle drawn lunchtime left onto Charles St at Moonbi shop, travel at Denman. 1.7km, immediately over first crest turn right For more information search facebook for into property. Moonbi shop, open till 7pm, ridearoundtheblock has take-away and grog. Moonbi Caltex hours 6am-midnight. For more information call Wendy on (02) 6760 MR VINTAGE MOTOCROSS 5481. 21 OCTOBER, RAYMOND TERRACE NSW RIDE WITH THE ROCKERS Relive the glory days of the Mr Motocross 7 OCTOBER, SYDNEY series at Mr Vintage Motocross at Barleigh The Ton-Up-Boys Motorcycle Club proudly Ranch, just north of Newcastle, NSW. With present this year’s Ride With the Rockers 2012. heaps of classes, two age divisions for each The 16th consecutive annual rally for the club class, a show-n-shine and cash awards, this is for like minded enthusiasts of classic bikes an event not to be missed by anyone with a and the 50’s rocker sub culture. This annual passion of pre-1990 motocross. ride celebrates our motorcycling heritage and More info search facebook for Mr.Vintage. sub-culture of the 50’s and 60’s with homage Motocross. to the Ace Café and the UK annual Rockers Ride. AMERICAN STYLE TT The day will begin at 8.15Am at Harry’s Café de Wheels, Tempe, for the casual group ride of 15 DECEMBER, BRISBANE classic bikes and scooters heading south, via Under lights around an American-style the old Princes Hwy, the natio and the Coast TT course the Glen Fien North Brisbane Rd loop. Cup should be a huge event for riders and spectators. There’s $2000 prize money for the The day will continue for the after ride winner of the unlimited dirt track event and gathering at the Sydney rock’n’roll & alternative markets for an informal show and smaller amounts for other classes. shine. Located at the university of Sydney, There’s a special class for new dirt trackers as Manning bar & Manning house (Manning well as events for super moto, women, quads, Rd). Presented by barfly promotions, also over 40s and juniors. n
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AUSTRALIAN EXCLUSIVE IMPORTER FOR SHINERAY
SMALL TORQUE
CYCLE TORQUE SEPTEMBER 2012 - 14
APRILIA WINNER Last month we announced Chris Donovan had won the Aprilia RS4 in our iPad launch competition… but he hasn’t been able to pick up the bike yet, so we don’t have a shot of him with the bike yet. Check it out next issue.
HYOSUNG SAVINGS HYOSUNG is now offering ‘run out’ prices on selected 2012 models, with savings of up to $1000 on offer. You can save $500 on the GT250 and GT250R, $600 on the GT650 and $1000 on the GT650R. all models are Learner Approved and you can get more information from one of the 50 dealers across Australia.
RIDE THE 2013 KTM RANGE After two successful years KTM Dirt Days are back to provide potential customers the chance to test the latest 2013 technology from KTM including the SX, EXC and Freeride ranges. A full complement of 2013 machines will be on hand at each event including the new generation motocross range 125/250 SX 2-strokes and 250/350/450 SX-F 4-strokes. Also on hand will be the 200/250/300 EXC 2-strokes and 250/350/450/500 EXC 4-strokes and for the first time the all new Freeride 350. The KTM Dirt Days will tour the following locations: SA, ACUSA Park, Sept 9: Qld, Conondale, September 16: NSW, Dargle, Sunday September 23: Vic, Wonthaggi, Sept 30: WA, Mandurah October 7. More info www.cycletorque.com.au/more. To participate in KTM Dirt Days you must be at least 16 years of age. You’ll also be required to wear full safety gear in accordance with Motorcycling Australia regulations including off road boots, pants, jersey, gloves, helmet and goggles. Full terms and conditions, registration and payment can only be found online at www.ktm.com.au and numbers are limited so jump online and register today.
SAVE 5 GRAND ON AN 1198SP DUCATI is offering free on road costs and a free Termignoni Carbon Fibre Muffler Kit with the very tasty 1198SP, a saving of $5000. The top-of the-range sports machine features a larger aluminium fuel tank, slipper clutch, Ducati traction control, Öhlins suspension and quick shift. it weighs in at 168kg and you can ride one away from your Ducati dealer for $33,990 while stocks last. n
PRESS
HERE TO SE E F OO TA GE
PIT IBITS MXoN TEAMS ANNOUNCED
CYCLE TORQUE SEPTEMBER 2012 - 15 TAP
THE USA will field Red Bull/KTM’s Ryan Dungey, Monster Energy Pro Circuit Kawasaki’s Blake Baggett and GEICO Honda’s Justin Barcia for the Motocross of Nations. Perennial U.S. Team Manager and Motorcycle Hall of Famer Roger DeCoster will manage the team in its hunt for a record 23rd championship.
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“We will have Ryan in MX1. Blake, who has excellent support for the 250cc bike from Mitch [Payton], will be our MX2 rider, and Barcia will be our open class rider,” DeCoster said. “This is a great team. They have proven that they are solid riders, especially in the sand, and the Lommel track is a very deep sand track.” Dungey returns for his fourth time to the Motocross of Nations. “It’s a pleasure, and it’s an honour to represent my country at the Motocross of Nations, Blake has a year of experience at the Motocross of Nations and although it’s Barcia’s first year we do a great job of welcoming everybody. We’re not racing against each other. We are racing with each other for one goal, and that’s to win the Motocross of Nations. With Roger and the rest of the organizational team behind us, we have excellent support and all the support we need to win.”
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Josh Coppins, Cody Cooper and MXoN first-timer Kayne Lamont will represent New Zealand. All three riders have been extremely competitive in the 2012 Australian MX Nationals with Coppins leading the MX1 class for most of the season, Cooper winning several motos and Lamont blitzing the under 19 class on a KTM 250SX. The team will be managed by 2007 Veterans’ Motocross World Champion Tony Cooksley, of Pukekohe.
GET SOCIAL FOR ASX Great news for the generation with itchy thumbs, the Australian Supercross Championships (ASX) has launched its social media campaign to kick-start the conversation between fans and the sport’s riders, teams and sponsors. Event-goers will be able to post their own updates and pictures onto the facebook page, and tag their tweets with #SXAus to reach fellow fans as well as the riders and teams. Links to the SXAus social media are on www.cycletorque.com.au/more. n
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PIT IBITS
CYCLE TORQUE SEPTEMBER 2012 - 16
DE DYCKER SIGNS WITH KTM KTM Motorsports has announced that Belgian rider Ken de Dycker will join Antonio Cairoli in the Red Bull KTM Factory Racing Team for the 2013 season. De Dycker was signed to ride with another team right up to the beginning of the 2012 World Motocross Championship but split at the last minute to replace the injured Max Nagl on the KTM team and has been competitive throughout the year and currently sits fifth in the points.
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KTM’s MX1 factory team manager Claudio de Carli said the team was happy that they had been able to give de Dycker the confidence to perform well. “We realized after a while that Ken was riding well and doing his best to finish in the top five so we decided to confirm him for the whole of the current season and obviously now also for next year. I hope he will continue to deliver the same level of satisfaction and to make a positive contribution to the team.”
KEARNEY VICTORIOUS AT NSW ENDURO CHAMPIONSHIPS Husqvarna Racing’s Glenn Kearney (TE 310) has won the Wellington round of the NSW Enduro championships, taking the victories ahead of Yamaha’s Stefan Merriman (Saturday) and Josh Green (Sunday). Kearney dominated the first day, winning by over four seconds - he had to work harder on the Sunday, taking the win by a little over half a second. n
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CYCLE TORQUE SEPTEMBER 2012 - 17
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EDITORIAL
CYCLE TORQUE SEPTEMBER 2012 - 18
Perception
I DON’T really know the reason, but for a number of years now I’ve not been all that interested in watching motorcycle racing on the TV. Besides the Isle Of Man TT and some speedway I find it all a bit boring. We’ve had a few conversations about this in the office but I guess there’s probably a few reasons why I’m disinterested. Firstly, there’s barely any Aussies to barrack for. Before you yell out, “what about Casey”, we’ll get back to him a bit later. The last real ‘hero’ I had in the motorcycle racing game was Troy Bayliss. I was always a fan, he has the easy going persona which we love and of course he won lots of races. Unless you’ve met some of these guys all you can go on is the media’s perception of them. A few years ago now the MRRDA series organised for some kids to demonstrate their junior racing bikes at Phillip Island, the WSBK round no less. As you would expect the kids were pumped. Then to make it even better Leon Hook (dad of factory Honda supersport racer Josh) organised for these kids to get a personal visit from Troy Bayliss. Leon knew Troy’s dad and Troy was happy to oblige. The kids got ushered into Troy’s demountable room behind the pits and got to meet the man himself. This was pretty much straight after Troy had won both races, he was still in his leathers. My young bloke Alex was there, he talked about it for days after. He was, and still is no doubt, a hero in their eyes, and rightly so because he showed them that being a winner isn’t just about winning races. Prior to that I watched Wayne Gardner and Mick Doohan race their 500cc beasts, and although they had a reputation for being a bit prickly it didn’t worry me none, I just wanted to watch them ride and take on the world’s best, and win. And they did plenty of that. Back in the late ’80s and ’90s the racing was awesome, the personalities huge and I even liked John Kocinski, especially when he raced the Honda RC45. Maybe that’s the issue right there. Maybe I’m in a time warp. They were the glory days as far as I’m concerned. I think the other problem is I’m a bit burnt out, driving up and down the eastern seaboard for the last five years getting Alex
to race tracks. I’ve never known a sport where there’s say six rounds but all you seem to do all year is gear up for those rounds. It got to the stage I would only watch Alex’s race, or one which had someone I wanted to watch in it. Other than that, iPod in ears and ignore the din from the track. If you asked me tomorrow to drive to Winton or Queensland Raceway I’d tell you to wake up to yourself.
Casey Stoner is planning on doing a lot more fishing once he retires from MotoGP.
has a reputation for being a bit prickly with the media, and as I don’t know how some of the racers do it. I’ve watched many of such is often not portrayed in the best of light. Whether this is these young riders improve and go places as they have gotten totally warranted or not depends on your point of view. When he announced his retirement I wasn’t all that fussed I’d never older. Matt Walters, Josh Hook, Mike Jones, Daniel Falzon, see him race again. When he went to Honda it was like he Michael Lockart, Sepp Scarcella just to name a few. Alex raced became part of the machine rather than against the machine these guys as a junior but these guys have certainly taken it more seriously than Alex ever really did. But their families have like he was at Ducati. Again, this is just my perception, and it’s backed them all the way too, and spent small fortunes doing it. not necessarily based on any factual evidence. Likewise I don’t I think the fact I’ve been around motorcycles all my life and do it know if certain riders were born with a chip on their shoulder, for a living was part of the burnout issue, and where I saw time or just developed one after being ‘harassed’ by the press. for a break from it, these people gritted their teeth and got on Then I watched him race at Laguna Seca recently, watched him with the job. I really take my hat off to them. It shows that not win. My perception was changed ever so slightly. I realised I was only does the rider need determination, so does his support watching one of the best riders I have ever seen. His grace on crew. One example of what happens if you don’t is Zach a motorcycle is otherworldly, and when he walks away at the Thackeray. Rarely have I seen rider with such pure aggression end of the year I don’t think I’ll bother watching MotoGP at all, and talent as Zach. Essentially the crashes, the money, the stress unless Valentino starts winning again I suppose. just got too much and the family pulled the plug. I understand This is really the end of an era for Australian road racers at the why. I get stressed too. I prepare Alex’s bike and I am usually highest level. Who is good enough and has enough backing to shitting razorblades when he’s out racing, hoping he stays get there? upright, and if he does crash it’s nothing I’ve done to contribute. I hope Casey enjoys his life post racing, but I hope he doesn’t Now back to Casey. His family did the hard yards, had the become a reclusive ex-champion. Plenty of young racers would belief and the conviction to take him all the way. Of course get a real kick out of seeing him at the odd race meeting or two. he is also supremely talented. You would expect Australia to It would do his public image no harm either. be a huge fan base for Casey but this isn’t really the case, with lots of Aussies being Valentino fans, me included. Casey also – Chris Pickett
DIRTY TORQUE
CYCLE TORQUE SEPTEMBER 2012 - 19
Warriors Of Motocross MOTOCROSS is not for the faint hearted. It is as tough a sport as any and as someone who has ridden from the late ’60s through to the current day I can attest to the rigours of every aspect of this great sport but the question has to be asked, who are the true warriors of motocross? As I sit in front of my laptop still carrying the aches and pains of two days of phenomenal racing at the 2012 Maxima Racing Oils Conondale Classic Motocross it would be easy for me to say that racing the bikes from yesteryear is as hard as it gets but I really don’t think that the age of the bike has anything to do with the answer we are seeking.
exhausted, load up their gear and head off to the next race. Celebrity status, flashy lifestyles, egos and big money were the furthest thing from their minds.
I have only raced two 45 minute races in my life and that was at Tivoli Raceway back in 1981 on a semi-factory Suzuki RM500 and Let’s face it, be it a 1972, 1982, 1992, 2002 or 2012 model, there aren’t it was ridiculously tough. Sadly, I still throw myself into the foetal many people who can ride a motocross bike to its absolute limit so I am position whenever I see a pit board that says ’15 Minutes To Go’. not talking about the age of the motorcycle dictating what era had the It just came to mind that the modern motocross bike won’t even toughest racers. last 45 minutes as there wouldn’t be enough fuel in the tank. I can recall tough races and on-track hardships as far back as my early Anyway, by the early ’70s the Australian and American motocross 1970s Yamaha GTMX80 racing days right through every motocross bike scenes took off and although well short of what the Europeans were up I have ever thrown a leg over. So, what are we talking about here? to it was the breeding ground for what we are doing right now. Well, early motocross evolved from small groups of enthusiasts arriving In fact 1975, 1976 and 1977 World 125cc Motocross Champion Gaston in grass paddocks all over Europe to test their riding skills against each Rahier turned up and blitzed the 1975 Australian 125, 250 and 500cc through to the early 1970s Grand Prix era where 40 riders would line Motocross Championships during the Euro off-season, while over in up for 45 minute motos two times a day on 125cc, 250cc and 500cc America the annual Trans-AMA series were won by Euro GP stars Dave machinery that by today’s standard was far from ideal. Nicoll, Sylvain Geboers, Ake Jonsson, Adolf Weil and Roger DeCoster The personality of motocross was forged though the 1970s. Europe from 1970 to 1977 with Bob Hannah being the first yank to win, in 1978. was the heartbeat of the sport with legends of the sport like Joel So, for me the true warriors of motocross are the early Euro Roberts, Torsten Hallman, Viktor Arbekov, Hakan Andersson, Guennady motocrossers where they had no choice but to race long hard motos on Moisseev, Harry Everts, Gaston Rahier, Akira Watanabe, Heikki the toughest tracks in any conditions. And I mean any! There is footage Mikkola, Hakan Carlqvist, Bengt Aberg and Roger DeCoster winning from around 1972 of Heikki Mikola being peeled of his bike after racing championships ahead of full fields of single minded, hard charging men. a GP in conditions so cold that there is ice hanging off his moustache Remember, there were no personal trainers, dietitians, semitrailers or and his hands stuck to the grips…and he won. suspension, chassis and engine specialists running around after these I am not saying any of the riders since are any less talented but back riders. I can recall watching a movie of Roger DeCoster arriving to a GP then the Euro riders from that era put up with conditions modern in a small van with a Suzuki logo on the side with one mechanic, one racers wouldn’t even contemplate. Poor safety gear, substandard safety bike, a can of fuel and a tool box. He didn’t even have a quick shade or conditions, crap track preparation, dodgy event organisation, dodgier chairs to sit on between races. And he won. sponsors, unreliable machinery and accommodation that only an The GP riders of the ’70s would turn up to some obscure track in the escaped lab-rat would be happy with were just some of the obstacles middle of nowhere, race two 45 minute motos, finish completely thrown up at the GP rider in the ’70s.
Can you imagine being a top motocrosser and all the factories want to do is use you as a Guinea Pig and a marketing tool for their production machinery? Well, that was what the GP scene was all about in the ’70s with many riders getting hurt testing or racing with parts that were far from perfect. Roger DeCoster actually rode a GP with leading link twin shocks instead of front forks while Hakan Carlquist famously grabbed a shovel and started tipping dirt over the factory bike he was testing and when asked what he was doing he said in a gruff Swedish voice, “In my country, we bury our shit.” These men were rocks, there is not a World Champion from the 1970s who isn’t as hard as nails. These men would ride, race and win with just the desire for glory driving them as there was nothing else. Financially they could earn more doing a Monday to Friday job and sleep in their own beds instead of beside their mechanic in the back of on old van. And now the likes of Chad Reed, Ryan Dungey, Jay Marmont, Jeffery Herlings, Ryan Villopoto, Justin Barcia, Antonio Cairoli, Todd Waters and every current motocrosser that is making a living from the sport can reap the benefits from the hard work in those early days. If the modern motocrossers don’t understand the heritage of the sport their appreciation for how good they have it now will be lost on them, and that would be a dead-set shame. – Darren Smart
RACE TORQUE
CYCLE TORQUE SEPTEMBER 2012 - 20
The Tide is Turning IN LAST month’s column I opined that the smorgasbord of rule changes afflicting MotoGP could see a drift of elite riders to WSBK in the years to come. I was wide of the mark. The drift is already in train. Ben Spies has since announced that he is leaving MotoGP to parts unknown, with some speculating a year’s sabbatical, a possible move to bicycle racing or back to WSBK with BMW. Nicky Hayden, who I mentioned in August as one rider who has been approached to go WSBK racing in 2013, has since re-inked with Ducati MotoGP. Make no mistake, though, the mechanism has been set for factory MotoGP riders still in their prime being enticed to WSBK. Disgruntled Tech3 Yamaha rider Andrea Dovizioso is reportedly considering a move to WSBK in the wake of his non-ascension to the factory Yamaha seat vacated by Spies in 2013. The catalyst for Dovi’s WSBK threat is Valentino Rossi’s reported three-year return deal to Yamaha for two years with the MotoGP factory team, and a final year with Yamaha’s new WSBK team in 2015. So with the first season of 1000/CRT MotoGP at the half-way point, we have witnessed the retirement of Casey Stoner and four other riders - Nicky Hayden, Andrea Dovisizio, Ben Spies, and Valentino Rossi - being linked with WSBK in the immediate or near term. Spaniards Jorge Lorenzo, Dani Pedrosa and 2013 debutante Marc Marques are the only factory riders who appear, at this point, to be locked into MotoGP for the remainder of their careers. Dorna has been concerned with shrinking grids. It has now an even more serious crisis on its hands. MotoGP’s best riders are being tempted to WSBK in numbers that would rock the class. Ben and Dovi are just years into their MotoGP careers, but appear ready to countenance other options. Traditionally, moving from MotoGP to WSBK was for 30-something GP discards like Max Biaggi and Carlos Checa. It was perceived as a step-down in status. Is it now being viewed as a way out? Earlier in the year, respected crew chief Jeremy Burgess said he had definite concerns about the future of grand prix racing regarding the 1000/CRT rule, and the emergence of the Moto2 class which has a control Honda engine at its heart. When the idea of a control tyre was put to Burgess as far back as 2004, he dismissed the idea out of hand. “What are we going to have
next, control spark plugs?” he said. He went on to say that the only reason manufacturers went grand prix racing was to test new technologies that could one day be adopted for production. If the majority of manufacturers were denied the opportunity to do this, what is the point of racing? Already we have seen the downside of the one-tyre supplier rule. The idea was to make tyres a level playing field, and end the meritocracy of Michelin’s ‘A’ and ‘B’ tyre policy that existed initially publicly then later behind closed doors. The 2011 Bridgestones, especially the front, were made for endurance and took some time to warm up. In Valentino Rossi’s own words, the tyres “scare me”. So Bridgestone made the necessary changes to ensure the tyres warmed up faster for 2012, but they haven’t suited the harmonics of the Honda. Casey Stoner revealed he experienced chatter with the new hoops in his first lap on them in pre-season testing. In 2006, Rossi experienced chatter in the first third of the season on his Yamaha M1 before the problem was solved. We’re half-way into season 2012 and the Honda chatter problem persists both front and rear. Bridgestone’s limited number of updated compounds are not helping. One can sense Stoner’s frustration. The onemanufacturer tyre rule was introduced for 2009 to placate Rossi, who was fed up with Michelin’s inability to match the superior performance of the Bridgestones Stoner had used superbly to usurp Rossi as MotoGP’s fastest rider. Looking towards the future, Dorna has been pushing for a control ECU, another Rossi agenda item, and rev limits. Honda has said a control ECU won’t save a significant amount of money, claiming that its main ECU cost is paying programmers to write new maps, which runs out at just over $300,000 a year in a total HRC MotoGP budget of $A58 million per annum. To help bolster the grid, Honda has said it could build up to 30 RC213V replicas that could be leased for a targeted $A1.25m per season. Honda has already stated that if CRT becomes the dominant formula of the MotoGP class, it will quit grand prix racing.
MAX BIAGGI MADE A VERY SUCCESSFUL SWITCH FROM MOTOGP TO WSBK.
One of the higher profile CRT riders is Colin Edwards. Here’s what he said about the CRT concept at Laguna Seca: “It’s just kind of a bullshit rule. How are you supposed to compete when you know you can’t win? It’s really been hard to stay motivated. The formula’s just not right yet. The CRT thing is a good idea, or a one-brand bike or whatever that rule is. But when you still have a bunch of prototypes out on the track, it’s more dangerous than anything. I feel like I’m spending more time looking behind me. I don’t want to get in any of these guys’ way.” Casey missed out on pole at Laguna for this reason. As a two-time WSBK champ, it’s hard to imagine CEII enjoying his time in MotoGP when he would be much happier and competitive in WSBK. He qualified last at Mugello. And for anyone who witnessed the wild and wacky first WSBK race at Silverstone in August, MotoGP hasn’t produced a race like that for years. Granted, the standard of bike and rider is not as high as MotoGP, but right now, WSBK is the show and some riders in MotoGP are taking notice for other reasons. Certainty of formula, and a bigger paycheck than a CRT team could ever afford. – Darryl Flack
GUNTRIP
CYCLE TORQUE SEPTEMBER 2012 - 21
Here and there
GOING to Calder Raceway in the middle of 1980 quite made me catch my breath. I’d never before seen a racetrack a scant mile in length, with just three rights and a left and lap times of 50 seconds or so. I caught myself wondering whether competitors got dizzy. On the other hand, the railway running parallel to the back straight was pretty cool. A few months later I made my maiden trip to Sandown and thought that a far more impressive offering, even if the position of the horse racing turf kept spectators a little remote from the action. And having a racetrack in the middle of a city – the first such I’d seen since the short-lived Crystal Palace, in London – was just terrific, of course.
packed up our tents and left never to return after Ron Toombs died in 1979. All of which makes its memory even more precious.
But my recollections of Bathurst are Next came Oran Park, which looked like a racetrack should: in the middle of nowhere, necessarily partial and partisan. Standing twisty and undulating, if a little on the short side. And burning bloody hot. I’d rarely seen atop the Mountain, I’ll run through the grass so nearly turned to straw by the sun – and, of course, racetracks are rarely noted for names and find it possible to give them all offering shady spots, so I turned a broiling red after scorning the use of sun block. meaning… McPhillamy Park, Reid Park, the Dipper, Forrest’s Elbow, even the drive-in And then came Easter 1981, and my first trip to Mount Panorama. Any racetrack able gates where the UNSW boys ran their speed to advertise itself from miles away with damned great letters on its principal slope is trap. But there’s one missing. Somewhere up impressive by definition, and it grew more impressive the closer I got. I’d been to longer around Castrol Tower there was something tracks, I’d been to faster tracks, but it was obvious from the word go that Mount Panorama called the Police Compound. I couldn’t tell was a stage set for drama of truly epic proportions. It was magnificent in the Oxford you where it was or what went on there. At English Dictionary sense of the world. least, no more than I learnt on the TV news, because I never went there nor had any desire to visit. It wasn’t my Bathurst. Yet my recollection of Bathurst 1981, necessarily rendered hazy by the passage of time, “Boris,” began Robin, “is the real deal. He’s tough, he’s smart and he’s literate.” As indeed was that the racing was by and large nothing to write home about – unlike previous was Robin, who could claim professional stints as a globe-trotting surfer and a debtyears. I remember being engrossed by Brian Cowan’s report of the 1979 AGP – was it in recovery agent before adopting the more genteel pursuit of art director on various Two Wheels or REVS? – and that once-in-a-decade scrap between Ron Boulden, Graeme Crosby and John Woodley, and seeing too that magnificent photo taken by Greg McBean of ACP’s journals. But the subject of our discussion on this bright morning was Boris Mihailovic who’d recently undertaken to edit a chopper magazine with us. Formidable looking over his lady’s shoulder towards the dummy grid and Ron Toombs, warming up appearance notwithstanding, Boris proved an engaging and personable colleague his TZ350 for the race in which he was killed. possessing both mordant wit and a capacity to turn out erudite and entertaining It all helped to cement the place in my imagination, and it remains as dramatic a setting prose, all of which is on clear display in his book, My Mother Warned Me about Blokes like in which to stage a chunk of motorcycle racing history as I can imagine. Today I live just Me, published by Hachette Australia on 1 August and available from the Cycle Torque 100km from the place and have been known to visit Bathurst without venturing up to bookshop (www.cycletorque.com.au or call 02 4956 9820) for a trifling $32.99. Boris’s the Mountain, but on the occasions when I do – a couple of years ago, for example, when very real and passionate love for motorcycles has taken him to the dark side and beyond, researching the piece I wrote about Rob Moorhouse’s final hours – I find it as astonishing as is made abundantly clear in these 290 pages of reminiscences, which are a fine read as ever. These days when I go, largely because of Rob, I’ll ride up to Skyline, hop off and and heartily recommended. And Boris does know something about the Bathurst Police have a look around. And, as stupid as it no doubt reads, I’ll stop and listen in the forlorn Compound. hope of picking up a faint echo of the past, of a history as rich as any. – Bob Guntrip I appreciate why we don’t race there any longer – you could argue that we should have
E-TORQUE
CYCLE TORQUE SEPTEMBER 2012 - 22
Shooting video getting easier… IF YOU’RE reading our iPad edition on Cycle Torque you’ll find a video attached to the bike tests and sometimes the feature stories as well. While most of the footage is shot with cameras costing thousands, the onboard stuff is easy to shoot and getting easier. We use GoPro and Liquid Image cameras for our onboard footage. The GoPro Hero2 is a neat box which can be installed almost anywhere via its array of mounts, while the Liquid Image cameras are built into motocross goggles, and in many ways that’s the best place to put a camera when you’re riding off road. What I’m getting excited about though is some new developments in technology which goes with this stuff – WiFI. GoPro is releasing a WiFi back for the Hero2 which lets you control the camera remotely and even set up the shot and view the footage shot on your iOS or Android phone or tablet. Liquid Image is bringing out the Ego, a tiny, mountable HD camera with similar iOS and Android set-up and viewing. Both of these systems support multiple cameras, so I can see me setting up a few cameras during a Cycle Torque photo shoot and triggering them as the rider gets close. They can be set to do multiple still frames or video. Every rider should get out there and try out an on-board camera - you can amaze your friends and relive the great moments, and if you have some scary times they can make for great footage. Lusty Industries, the local distributor of GoPro, is posting awesome videos from the MX Nationals, all shot with GoPro - a selection of riders wear them, the team uses them in the pits and the guys from Lusty cut it together, add a great soundtrack and even some quotes it looks great. Check out www.cycletorque.com.au/more for links to more information. n
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2013 KTM 450 SX-F
CYCLE TORQUE SEPTEMBER 2012 - 24
Launch CYCLE TORQUE REPORT
CYCLE TORQUE C Y C L E T O R Q U E SSEEPPTTEEM MB BEER R 2012 - 25
KTM shocked Europe when it won the World MX Championship with a 350.
Now it’s blown away the USA with Ryan Dungey’s new 450. MORE
2013 KTM 450 SX-F
CYCLE TORQUE SEPTEMBER 2012 - 26
Launch CYCLE TORQUE REPORT
KTM hired Roger deCoster and Ryan Dungey to win races and develop a bike which would win. They succeeded, and now KTM has a 450cc MX machine which could move the marque from being the ‘other brand’ into the category of a true contender for racers who are after a competitive 450cc motocross machine. n REPORT BY DARREN SMART : PHOTOS BY NIGEL PATERSON & KTM
There has been a lot of hype around the Dungey inspired 450SX-F and for mine KTM has hit the nail right on the head as far as what they have produced for the showroom floor. I won’t dribble on with a series of mind numbing clichés regarding the Roger DeCoster/Ryan Dungey role in the development of the 2013 model but it didn’t surprise me to learn that the list of ‘suggested changes’ by the RDs for the bike that is being raced in the AMA Nationals right now was very long and descriptive. So, what was the key to making a motocross bike for Dungey to be competitive against the likes of Chad Reed and Ryan Villopoto? Well, it started with a whole new chassis, a single overhead cam fuel injected motor with the head being mounted to the chassis, a more robust swingarm and a much larger rear wheel axle. That was just a small part of
n RIDING GEAR: M2R HELMET, JT NYLONS & GLOVES, ALPINESTAR BOOTS.
the puzzle, but a start.
how they go.
And here we are, Dungey has wrapped up KTM’s first AMA Motocross Championship and the new 2013 models have hit the ground with many of the changes instigated by Roger and Ryan, so let’s see
OK, it took me several laps to understand the 450. It simply felt so light, slim and nimble that I almost wanted to stop, get off and make sure I really was on the 450. Sure, the power is way different
CYCLE TORQUE SEPTEMBER 2012 - 27 from the 250 and 350, not just faster but super responsive and as broad a power band as I have ever ridden.
my ride because it pulled up so well and he confirmed the brakes were still the same as the last two years. There are so many different changes which It was just that this bike contribute to the improved ride and feel of the was so well balanced you 450 it is hard to comprehend but for starters the felt confident enough to DDS (Damped Diaphragm Steel) clutch is light and consistent, the power delivery is smooth and broad dive deeper and grab more brakes. thanks to the 44mm Keihin EFI feeding the all new cylinder head while the handling is vastly improved Laying over for berms by a more rigid chassis, firmer suspension, sleek and ruts was a breeze and ergos, the loss of 2kg, more swept back ’bars and a getting on the gas early reduction in oscillating mass (thanks to the single coming out of corners was overhead cam, new crank and counter balancer). as easy as it gets. There was no top heavy feel, The power plant has a claimed 60hp rating at the no running wide under crank but it felt a little choked at the higher revs acceleration or getting with the stock pipe, which is probably a good thing for most riders while the Pros will get a lot of unsettled when accelerating benefit from an aftermarket muffler. The transition through bumps or ruts. As I mentioned earlier the clutch from throttle off to on is seamless while the revs was light while there were build from the low to top end extremely quickly. no gripes with the gearbox.
The Ride So what was the 450 really like to ride? Well, I don’t want to get all gushy here but after a few sighting laps I dead-set fell in love with the 450. I had already punched out several good sessions on the 250 and 350 so I wasn’t expecting to be able to put the 450 in the same places or take the same lines as I could on the smaller capacity machines but the fact was that I found I had more options on the 450. Tipping in under hard braking was exceptional – I actually asked KTM’s head techo Rob Twyerould if there were any improvements in the brakes after
The seat height is 992mm which is fine for my 172cm height while the new handlebars felt more conventional than the old ‘straight bend’ items though taller riders may need a higher bend to feel comfortable. There were some nice jumps on the test circuit and I found no short comings in that department while the forks and shock seemed to absorb everything that was thrown at them.
run for a while.
So has all of the hard work to keep the oscillating mass to a minimum along with a light responsive motor and firming the chassis and suspension made the 450SX-F the giant killer KTM was hoping it would be? For me and my type of riding I think KTM has done an exceptional job with the finished product but I will wait to see what the There will be some people who won’t be happy general public has to say when the sales figures about the kick starter being taken away all come through this time next year but I will be gob together but KTM is confident the new generator smacked if there aren’t a lot more of the DeCoster/ will keep a good charge going so owners may need Dungey inspired machines on starting lines all over to get a battery pack or charger it if it hasn’t been Australia. n MORE
2013 KTM CYCLE TORQUE 450 SX-F Launch
CYCLE TORQUE SEPTEMBER 2012 - 28
REPORT
Graphics: A completely new graphic design in conjunction with the new bodywork.
Roger and Ryan’s list of what’s new on the 450 is a long one and all of the following is a result of their hard work combined with KTM’s ability to take information from the race track to the production line. If you get a chance to ride one of these don’t knock it back, even if you aren’t a KTM fan, this may be the model that changes your riding and racing for years to come.
Cylinder Head: The new cylinder head features newly developed ports, combustion chamber and valve train. The lightweight titanium valves and the new, extremely lightweight design of the rocker arms (intake rocker arm is sliding on a DLC coated contact directly on the new cam shaft) allow for the rpm limit of 11,500rpm. New to the 2013 head are stiffer rocker arm axles with integrated oil jet for lubricating the intake cam, titanium intake and exhaust valves, ultra-light valve springs and retainers, weight optimised camshaft with optimised timing, new ports and combustion chamber.
CYCLE TORQUE SEPTEMBER 2012 - 29
EFI: 44mm Keihin EMS with a new throttle body for higher airflow. Together with an improved injector and a new injector position (spraying upwards) the new EMS contributes a lot to the massive power increase. A new throttle position sensor (TPS) is more resistant against water and is protected by a plastic guard. The wiring harness is further improved with longer lead wire and critical connectors are now protected via rubber caps. The small in-line screen is now positioned in the quick-change fuel line connector for easier access. The idle adjuster is now isolated from the cold start button and located in the back of the throttle body.
Engine Cases: The 2013 engine cases are die cast instead of sand cast with high-strength alloy material resulting in a compact design shaving 2.5kg from the weight and increasing the ground clearance. Alternator: New 65 Watt alternator secures the energy needed to run the electronic fuel injection and charge the battery for the electric start. A diaphragm spring makes it possible to implement an additional rubber damping system, guaranteeing reliability for the transmission and good traction. The Brembo hydraulics in conjunction with the diaphragm spring guarantees a very light operation and good controllable modulation of the clutch.
Airbox: Newly designed airbox and cover provides more space for the twin air filter. New intake snorkels allow for better airflow and higher performance. The exchange of the air filter is possible without any tools in just a few seconds. The airbox cover features standard clips to be fixed, optionally it can be secured by an additional screw. MORE
2013 KTM CYCLE TORQUE 450 SX-F Launch
CYCLE TORQUE SEPTEMBER 2012 - 30
REPORT
Radiators and Cooling System: New WP-built radiators are the base for the proven cooling system which is transferring the cooling liquid from the cylinder through the frame triangle.
Front Forks: 48 mm WP closed cartridge Upside-Down forks have completely reworked settings and harder springs. A newly developed fork oil provides reduced friction and improved durability for more constant damping characteristics during its entire life cycle while there is a new seal rings SKF with optimised material.
Exhaust System: New header pipes and silencer with tapered inner tube.
Rear Shock: The settings for the shock have been completely updated with firmer valving.
Swingarm: The new swingarm is reinforced and now allows the mounting of a larger rear axle (from 20 to 25mm) to work together with the new frame concept for improved riding stability. The linkage now has lighter nuts, bolts, washer and bearing cups.
Counter Balance Shaft: A laterally mounted counter balancer reduces vibration while driving the water pump and allowing a compact and lightweight engine design.
CYCLE TORQUE SEPTEMBER 2012 - 31
Fuel Tank: The 7.5 litre fuel tank has been reworked for 2013 to match the shape of the new rad scoops for improved ergonomics. In addition they feature a new inner screw-type fuel cap with new routing of fuel pump, hoses and micro screen (fuel filter) located in-line in the quick release.
Bodywork: Completely reworked to further improve the bike ergonomics and indicate that model year 2013 means a new generation with a new front guard, front start number plate, modern radiator shrouds and airbox covers design.
DDS Clutch: The DDS (Damped Diaphragm Steel) one-piece clutch basket combined with the primary gear is made of high-strength steel. It guarantees unbeatable reliability and contributes to the narrow engine size due to its compact rivetless design. Additionally, it allows the use of thin steel linings, which makes the whole clutch package compact.
MORE
2013 KTM CYCLE TORQUE 450 SX-F Launch
CYCLE TORQUE SEPTEMBER 2012 - 32
REPORT
Handlebars: 827 Renthal Fatbar handlebars featuring the equivalent bend of the 996 Twin-Wall. New 2-compound grips with KTM logo provide excellent contact to the bike.
Frame: Modern and lightweight frame design made of chromoly steel with additional reinforcement in the steering head area while the cradle tubes around the engine is made of thinner profiles. Newly designed head stays (connection between cylinder head and frame).
Wheels: High strength Excel rims, CNC machined hubs and new spokes coated in black.
Triple Clamps: CNC machined triple clamps improve the bike´s stability and provide improved fork clamping, supporting the fork action due to reduced friction and better bending characteristics. In addition the lower clamp features a weight reduction of 80g due to the reworked design.
Crankshaft: New lightweight crankshaft and Pankl connecting rod features a pressure-lubricated plain bearing (no more needle bearings), which allows a high rpm limiter and doubles the maintenance intervals.
CYCLE TORQUE SEPTEMBER 2012 - 33
Starter: Lightweight electric starter (no kick starter available).
Piston and Cylinder: New 95 x 63.4mm bore and stroke with a mechanical tensioner, weight optimised König piston with a stiff ‘box-in-box’ design and a new compression and oil control ring provides a 12.6:1 compression ratio.
MORE
2013 KTM CYCLE TORQUE 450 SX-F Launch REPORT
CYCLE TORQUE SEPTEMBER 2012 - 34
CYCLE TORQUE SEPTEMBER 2012 - 35
CYCLE TORQUE TEST
MV AGUSTA 675 F3
CYCLE TORQUE SEPTEMBER 2012 - 36
Why wait to ride MV Agusta’s new F3 triple?
We go to MV’s home base in Italy to sample the F3. MORE
CYCLE TORQUE TEST
MV AGUSTA 675 F3
CYCLE TORQUE SEPTEMBER 2012 - 38
MV Agusta’s F3 is the newest road based supersport machine on the market. With its Triumph-esque 675cc triple cylinder engine it has a wail and a feel all of its own. Riding the F3 isn’t like taking a stroll in the park, it requires your utmost attention to get the best out of it, and if you do you will be rewarded with a ride which is spinetingling on more than one level.
First look What better way and place to sample the F3 than MV Agusta’s home base overlooking Lake Varese, just north of Milan. First things first though. I set the engine map to Normal, leaving the other available maps (Rain, Sport and one customisable for the rider’s preferences) for when I have a feel of the bike. The traction control is adjustable on eight levels and I think the middle is always a good place to start. It took a little fiddling to do but wasn’t too complicated to figure out. As soon as I get on the F3 the weight was the first thing I noticed, or rather the lack of weight. It is also quite narrow, more than I had expected. Initially the narrow roads around the lake and into the hills around Varese didn’t seem like the best idea for a sportsbike but the handling on this thing somehow made it all okay. The fully adjustable 43mm Marzocchi USD fork and the Sachs adjustable monoshock on the rear handled the curves and heavy braking beautifully without needing any adjustment from the factory settings. Okay, it wasn’t as comfortable as a big tourer over irregularities on the road, but I don’t really think anyone will be buying the F3 to go on safari. The Nissin radial brake master cylinder is teamed up with two Brembo 320mm discs on the front and something or other on the rear which wouldn’t have made much difference if it wasn’t there since the front brakes were so powerful you can feel the blood rush to the front of your face on heavy braking. However the 2-piston Brembo caliper combined with the 220mm disc on the rear was employed a couple of times and was sufficient for what one would expect from a sportsbike.
n TEST AND PHOTOS SUPPLIED BY NICOLE KARLIS
Flickability is a prominent feature of the F3, especially compared to its larger capacity siblings. This has been achieved by a totally new design combining ergonomics, engineering and aesthetics by the people at MV Agusta. Unsprung mass contributes to this greatly with the feather-light alloy wheels. The F3 may look a little like the F4 models we have known and loved until today but it is a completely different motorcycle in every sense of the word.
The town bike? Every now and then the lakeside roads take the bike and I through little towns and we come across some traffic along the way. This is where the F3’s Achilles’ heel shows up. Low RPM mapping is still a little rough and the bike becomes quite jerky. The throttle control (ride-by-wire) is extremely sensitive so that doesn’t really help matters when the triple is having a little tantrum because you forced it to slow down too much.
Finally a bit of open road comes up ahead and all seems right in the world again. Now maybe the F3 doesn’t like to cruise through town but it is up for pretty much anything else. From mid to high rpm the engine comes to life and apart from 128 horsepower, it produces a grunty yet still a little high pitched roar that incredibly enough sounds nothing like the other triples around. The acceleration is instant and all the technology MV Agusta employed into making the engine, new MVICS electronics package and the chassis seem to work together in perfect harmony at this point. The quick shift system (a $1000 option) is quite handy in times like this allowing the rider to upshift without getting off the throttle or touching the clutch lever. It may be more of a track tool but still fun to do on road riding. Most supersport/superbike racers don’t use the clutch to upshift, this just makes it work better. The faster you go the better the quickshifter works. There is also the option of a launch control system and a lean sensor on the F3, all interesting things to fiddle with and all good to have for track riding. The MV Agusta F3 is a bike designed for performance and it’s not afraid to show it.
accommodate supersized people and sometimes it is just worth CYCLE the sacrifice.
TORQUE SEPTEMBER 2012 - 39
A passenger will not like the F3, again, nothing unusual. The tail section has obviously been designed to aesthetic and aerodynamic requirements and the rear seat is more for show as are all motorcycles in this category. If a rider happens to have a good passenger they will appreciate the shape of the tank which is suitable leverage for braking etc. despite being rather narrow. Short skirts are not advised though for the riding position, sorry guys.
Worth the investment?
The bike was enjoyable, even on the road. Its great power and handling During a short stop observing the bike I am amazed how MV qualities might be deemed excessive Agusta has managed to keep the quality it is known for up there for the tight and narrow roads around and still offer such a competitive price for the F3. It is not just Lake Varese but they still put a smile on a the quality of materials but also the technology on this thing. biker’s face. The MV Agusta F3 is a creature of The engine crankcase is cast in a single shell mould and the the circuit, no doubt about that, but road riding cylinders are integrated into it with the oil and water system is not an impossible challenge for a rider who is being integrated too. All these make for better performance willing to make some sacrifices concerning comfort and higher efficiency preventing too many ponies turning into and is able to avoid traffic congested zones. Let’s face steam before reaching the rear wheel. It also aids the design it, not too many people will buy one for commuting. possibilities with a compact engine like this. Of course all the Being one of the first to ride the F3 on the road it has goodies like titanium intake and exhaust valves are present in left a good impression and would be very welcome in my the over-square engine of the F3. garage despite any drawbacks. In some cases it is okay to make exceptions and the F3 is just that. Supersized it isn’t At $17,990 the F3 is the most expensive supersport category Being a tallish woman I fit perfectly into the riding position of machine on the market, and perhaps it’s the most aggressive the F3, the 1380mm wheelbase and 173kg show how compact or track focused too. It’s these very same traits which could hurt it is, suiting me perfectly A tallish guy however might have a little bit of an issue with tucking in behind the windshield of the sales if people just go for a test ride around the block. But then aggressive design which characterises the F3. Nothing unusual again, how many will buy the bike just on the riding experience alone. The MV Agusta name is an iconic one, and for most buyers though, there aren’t too many supersport motorcycles that this will play a big part in why they lay out the folding stuff. n
Quality control
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CYCLE TORQUE TEST
MV AGUSTA 675 F3
CYCLE TORQUE SEPTEMBER 2012 - 40
CYCLE TORQUE SEPTEMBER 2012 - 41
SPECIFICATIONS: n ENGINE TYPE: LIQUID-COOLED INLINE 3 n CAPACITY: 675CC n TRANSMISSION: 6-SPEED
www.cycletorque.com.au/more
n FUEL CAPACITY: 16 LITRES
www.mvagustaimports.com.au
n FRAME TYPE: TUBULAR CHROME-MOLY n SEAT HEIGHT: 812MM n DRY WEIGHT: 173 KG n FRONT SUSPENSION: 43MM MARZOCCHI n REAR SUSPENSION: SACHAS n BRAKES: TWIN 4-PISTON CALIPERS ON FRONT, SINGLE CALIPER REAR n TYRES: 120/70-17, 180/55-17 n PRICE (RRP): $17,990 + ORC +$1000 WITH QUICKSHIFT
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High-tech instruments.
Three cylinders, three pipes…
Fat forks and big brakes.
MV’s typical attention to detail is apparent.
CYCLE TORQUE TEST
MV AGUSTA 675 F3
CYCLE TORQUE SEPTEMBER 2012 - 42
CYCLE TORQUE SEPTEMBER 2012 - 43
ULURU TO ADELAIDE
Touring CYCLE TORQUE FEATURE
CYCLE TORQUE SEPTEMBER 2012 - 44
Trev, Duffy, Clubby, Picko, Lance and Ralph about to head off on an outback trip to remember. A great bunch of blokes.
CYCLE TORQUE SEPTEMBER 2012 - 45
A 1200cc Triumph Explorer. A group of friends. The Australian Outback.
Sounds like a recipe for mucho mayhem and fun.
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Touring CYCLE TORQUE
CYCLE TORQUE SEPTEMBER 2012 - 46 CYCLE TORQUE SEPTEMBER 2012 - 46
FEATURE
A 1200cc Triumph Explorer. A group of friends. The Australian Outback. Sounds like a recipe for mucho mayhem and fun. SEEING I started this trip from Uluru maybe the story’s heading should be Adelaide or bust. But that just doesn’t have the same ring to it. Actually getting to Uluru was the easy part. A 3-4 hour flight from Sydney took care of that. A brace of new Triumph 1200 Explorers awaited our eager group but they weren’t exactly clean. A group of journos had already ridden them up from Adelaide and it was our job to ride them back, via the Oodnadatta Track. It might interest our readers to know that most Aussie motorcycle journalists know each other pretty well and get on very well, despite our publications being in competition with one another. It’s not often though that we get to spend the best part of a week together, but this time Triumph Australia had gone all out, giving us the chance to sample the Explorer as if we actually owned the bike, covering many more kilometres than you would during a normal bike launch. There are always exceptions to this, and the Buell Ulysses launch halfway up Cape York a few years ago was one The finish to the evening was a lesson on the stars by people who of them. seemed to know what they were talking about, and the chance to look close up through a telescope. If you ever get out to Uluru you simply must do the Sounds of Silence dinner. It’s wonderful. Star gazing I’d never been to Uluru before so was a bit excited about seeing the big rock in the desert. Our first evening coincided with the first group’s last evening, and a special event was planned for us. We all jumped in a tour bus and headed out into the desert to watch the sun set over Uluru. As we walked to the vantage point we were greeted with glasses of champers, and even though I’m not a bubbly drinker per se it was cool sipping it while watch the glorious sunset. After that it was a short walk over a dune for our ‘Sounds of Silence’ dinner. As soon as the sun set it got cold, but we had gas heaters for each table, and a fire roaring nearby. You have to picture the scene. Here we are in the desert, enjoying a fantastic meal, with friends and there’s literally nothing but sand and scrub for miles. Even the big rock was something like 20 kilometres away but of course because it’s so big it looks much closer.
Our first day on the bike was cruising out to Uluru to get a closer look, and a keen few in the group decided to climb a fair way up. It’s much steeper than you might expect, and apparently they lose one tourist a month or thereabouts to falls and heart attacks. I can tell you that trying to get up and down with off-road boots was an adventure in itself. Nearby Uluru and Yulara (the town set up to cater for Uluru tourists) are the Olgas, and they are amazing in their own right. Time to head south, so the rest of the afternoon was spent cruising along the Lasseter Highway to Erldunda for fuel, some 250 kilometres from the rock. This is the intersection of the Stuart Highway, and where you turn either north to Alice Springs, or south to Coober Pedy and then Port Augusta. We turned right and again stopped at the next fuel station at Kulgera some 75
kilometres down the road. Incidentally this is where you can turn off to head to Finke where they hold the famous desert race. A quick ‘splash and dash’ (petrol stations aren’t on every corner out there) and it was another 20 clicks or so to Mount Cavenagh for our overnight stay. Our first night on the road so to speak was camping in the middle of nowhere – cool. When we arrived it was beer o’clock, and with pre-dinner nibblies ready to go it was obvious this wasn’t pov camping. We all had our own tents, but apparently my tent wasn’t as far away as the rest of the group would have liked. You could say I snore a little. Before that though, we were treated to another amazing outback dinner, this time one cooked in the fire, even a cake for desert. There was more food than you could climb over, and between staring at the fire, drinking beer, and chatting, it was a top night. This is a big plug for the Alice Springs based Way Outback Desert Safaris outfit who took care of the camping set-up. Dave and Katie took care of us and you could not have asked for a better night.
Getting dirty Day two on the road saw us head another 180 kilometres south to Marla where we turned off onto the Oodnadatta Track, and the start of the dirt. The Oodnadatta Track is good quality dirt and the big Explorer lapped it up. You could easily drive a normal car along the track, in dry conditions at least, and we were able to travel at speeds which dispatched the 200 odd kays to the Pink Roadhouse at the township of Oodnadatta in quick time. The Pink Roadhouse is a bit of an icon and apparently there’s always a backpacker or three staying for a while to sample Australian bush life and earn some coin serving in the roadhouse. It was certainly the case on the day we were there, and most of us sampled one of the huge burgers on offer. In the first stretch on the track it looked like it was raining ever so slightly, but as it turned out it was sea mist coming all the way up from the Great Australian Bight, a rare phenomenon in that part of the country but one we were treated to.
system is fitted professionally they are worth having, especially when touring in the outback. You can be a long way from help out here so it pays to be prepared.
CYCLE TORQUE SEPTEMBER 2012 - 47
Finding Flinders
We were on the road early for day three, and it was cold. I was wearing my Triumph adventure suit which is very warm, and I also had over the top an Alpinestars windcheater. I can’t remember where I procured that from but I love it as it cuts From there it was another couple of hundred kays to William Creek, down the wind chill and it’s our overnight stay. But this wasn’t before we were able to have lots waterproof. After a couple of of fun on the way. Check out the cover of last issue to get an idea. hours in the saddle we stopped Let’s just say the hills and hollows, and cattle grids provided plenty by the southern stretches of of rider entertainment. The Explorer lapped it up too, and about Lake Eyre. This is simply spectacular but resist all temptation to this time I was coming to the conclusion that perhaps this was one actually ride down onto the lake. It’s a national park and you will of the most comfortable bikes I’d ever ridden. be fined, let’s just leave it at that. Another hour or so further along we filled up at the township of Maree and met a couple of other The road is so wide and so well maintained that Ralph LeavseyMoase from AMCN/Dirt Action and I rode side by side for kilometre intrepid travellers heading the way we had just come, one on a DR650 Suzuki and the other on a KTM 990 Adventure. The weather after kilometre, only pulling back to the right side of the road was great, the road was great and they were obviously in for a top when a car came along. Most of the vehicles we saw on the Oodnadatta Track were grey nomads and their vans cruising north. trip. More dirt then on to the tar until just after lunch we headed into the Flinders Ranges. For an hour or so before we actually Our overnight stay for day two on the road was at William Creek, turned off into the Flinders you could see them looming up in the which has not much more than a pub to keep you occupied. distance, but when we were into them proper the natural beauty But what a fantastic little pub, with great meals and a great of the place is astounding. You know, I’m more of a mountains/ atmosphere. We kipped for the night across the road in site huts ocean guy when it comes to appreciating the wonder of nature which had been converted into accommodation, including enbut the desert has a beauty all of its own, even though it’s kind suites. It’s also a popular spot for the caravanners to stay the of bleak if you know what I mean. You know it’s a harsh place to night, and it was interesting to see the pub had plenty of people live when you see more old homestead ruins than anywhere else. enjoying a meal and a few cool drinks on a weekday evening. They People who live in the outback are hardy souls but mother nature even had proper coffee for our breakfast. wins eventually. Cliff ‘Stiff Claw’ Stovall, Triumph’s head mechanical man talked I already knew the Explorer was a very capable bike but once I got me into fitting a headset into my helmet so I could ride one of into the Flinders I really found out how capable. For a big bike it the bikes with a CB radio fitted. Now, normally I don’t like this. can go lots of places, and fanging it along the dirt roads was so Not because I am an introvert, but because most ear pieces tend much fun. That big 1200cc engine has its power in all the right to send me crazy after a short time as they put pressure on the places. When we finally got done with pics and video it was time outside of my ears. Cliffy assured me this wouldn’t be the case so I to get to our last night on the road, Merna Mora Station. The run to put my faith in him, despite probably knowing better. I’m happy to the station was done at dusk and I was conflicted between having say I was wrong, and I was impressed with how good the systems a big go on the spectacular stretch of dirt road and going slow in were that were fitted to a small number of the Explorers. This case Skippy jumped out. I alternated between the two. Lance was allowed a few of us to be pre-warned of oncoming vehicles, and obviously in ‘go’ mode when he misjudged a corner and ploughed to generally have a chat with each other. It just goes to show if the through a fence owned by our hosts for the night. Luckily only the
fence was injured in the incident. This is a family run homestead which is actually a working sheep farm. Home style meals and hospitality, and a few cold ones by the fire made it another night to remember. You know what it’s like, you skip between staring at the fire and talking bullshit.
The run home The last day on the road was all tar, as we cruised through South Australia’s Clare Valley, one of Australia’s oldest wine growing regions, where there’s lots of old architecture. Very pretty. Once we got to the outskirts of Adelaide Steve Chiodo from Triumph Australia, and Ralph and I had a ‘spirited’ run through a natural gorge where the tar and conditions were almost perfect. This is where the big Trumpy showed another side to its nature, proving it’s not just about adventure riding. Getting to Adelaide was a bit of a shame really because I could have kept going, the bike was that easy to ride. I have to say a big thanks to the team at Triumph. The whole trip was very well planned. After travelling some 4000 kilometres, close to half of it on dirt, the only problems with the bikes were a couple of punctures. You hear the stories about the beauty of the Aussie outback and the hospitality of the people. It’s all true. – Chris Pickett MORE
CYCLE TORQUE SEPTEMBER 2012 - 48
ULURU TO ADELAIDE
Touring CYCLE TORQUE
CYCLE TORQUE SEPTEMBER 2012 - 49
FEATURE
EVEN though we were often in the middle of nowhere we always knew where we were, mostly due to the Garmin Montana 650T GPS fitted to each bike. They fitted directly to the Triumph GPS ram mounts on the Explorer and were easy to read and use. Of course it’s out in the open so it’s waterproof and they are a tough little unit to boot. You can easily unclip the unit from the holder if you’re worried about it being there when you return to the bike. Each unit is pre-loaded with maps and you can do a route on your computer and then load it onto the GPS – cool. Powering it up depends on your bike to a degree. Either you hardwire it to the battery or plug it into a 12V socket if your bike has one. It costs $799 and is a worthwhile purchase. You never know what might happen in the outback and it pays to know where you are if it does. n MORE
ULURU TO ADELAIDE
Touring CYCLE TORQUE FEATURE
CYCLE TORQUE SEPTEMBER 2012 - 50 Cliffy ‘Stiff Claw’ Stoval put some weight on during the trip. I stayed slim and lithe.
As the sign sa y far from the n s, the Kulgera pub is near the NT and SA orthern end o f the Oodnad border, not atta Track.
The famous Pink atta. Roadhouse at Oodnad
CYCLE TORQUE SEPTEMBER 2012 - 51
The family Merna Mora Station in the Flinders region of SA. Our last night in the bush.
It’s a plane. N o it’s a Hover B us.
ULURU TO ADELAIDE
CYCLE TORQUE SEPTEMBER 2012 - 52
Touring CYCLE TORQUE FEATURE
Overlooking Lake Ey but this is as close as re. An awesome part of nature, you can get without in curring wrath of local rangers, and copping a fine to the boot.
CYCLE TORQUE SEPTEMBER 2012 - 53
Camping on
our first nigh
t after Uluru.
ULURU TO ADELAIDE
CYCLE TORQUE SEPTEMBER 2012 - 54
Touring CYCLE TORQUE
There’s history everywhere if you take the time to look.
FEATURE
Now this is camping.
Our Sounds of Silence dinner in view of Uluru was simply amazing.
The William Creek Hoptel had enough to keep you captivated for hours. Try the Wallaby shanks, they were great too.
CYCLE TORQUE SEPTEMBER 2012 - 55
IBOOK REVIEW
CYCLE TORQUE SEPTEMBER 2012 - 56
Boris the Bard
Anyone who has ever met Boris and been regaled by his story telling will tell you he is as charismatic as he is a great raconteur.
the Gods, or the end of the Cosmos in Norse mythology)?
I recall a memorable run many years ago to Sofala where a gaggle of scribes gathered to drink, socialise, talk BS, but mostly drink, where my fellow travellers and I were seated at the same table as the Bard for dinner one evening.
One of my favourite descriptive phrases he saves for a brood of passing pretend motorcyclists that he dubs the peloton of pusillanimity - from whence does his I have never laughed so much in all my life, the tears just streamed down my face. brain dredge up this stuff? I recall it was the first time I’d ever met him. Another great read was The Fast, the First Most would know Boris from his Twisty Bits column in Australian Motorcycle & The Fear. It is a, ahem, fictional account News, from which many of the stories in this book are sourced, oh, except for the of a lively ride from Sydney to Phillip entirely fictional account of a completely fictitious ride from Sydney to Phillip Island which is fittingly opened with Island by four fictional characters on four totally fictitious bikes, but more on that one of my favourite quotes, being from later. Frank Herbert’s Dune. Even more fittingly Despite his somewhat tough nut exterior and his ability to spout a continuous its subject matter is fear, which in this stream of profanities in three different languages there lurks a very intelligent particular chapter is manifest in various and hard working cranium in that Serbian-Sino chassis. ways. I found his choice of quotes to open the various chapters quite interesting, as much for the content as the originators including such luminaries as Robert Louis Stevenson, Johann Wolfgang Von Goethe, Karl Marx, Mohandas Gandhi, Ferdinand Foch, Lord Byron, Winston Churchill and Peter Brock. I think even Master Yoda gets a look in.
And again, you wonder how much international news does this guy watch and is it good for him? I mean, describing an aggressive advance onto an apparently unworthy bunch of pretend motorcyclists he muses: “Crew and I came up on them like Berlusconi on hot teenage bitches.” Only from the lips of Boris could International political news and a hot motorcycle pursuit collide in such a literary manner!
One of my favourite stories was the opening chapter, A Man Called Gronk, because I could relate so strongly to his description of the birth of his addiction He also favours the word “recreationaliser” a lot and uses it in its various forms as to motorcycles. I was probably about the same age when I started my motorcycle a noun, verb and adjective among others. journey and Boris’s words so strongly capture the almost visceral feelings that accompanied my first hesitant clicks through the gears. Be aware that this book does come with a language warning. Well, it doesn’t actually, but I’m just letting you know that Boris is pretty free and easy with He pulls no punches on issues that are dear to him and you know he wears his certain strong words, but only in one language. heart on his sleeve when he talks about such things as Victorangian Treasury My Mother Warned Me About Blokes Like Me by Boris Mihailovic - motorcycle Officials or Victorangian shitheel cops. The chapter on one of his first rides to stories of brotherhood, demons, dirt and danger, published by Hachette Victoria is titled Riding into Mordor and features such words and phrases as Australia. Available at good book stores and Cycle Torque Online Bookstore. Melbournistan, crazed fascists and there’s also a reference to goose stepping. www.cycletorque.com.au And who else would use “motorcycle” as an adjective to Ragnarok (the Doom of – Dennis Penzo SOFT COVER – $32.99
CYCLE TORQUE SEPTEMBER 2012 - 57
CYCLE TORQUE TEST
YAMAHA FZ1N
CYCLE TORQUE CYCLE TORQUE SEPTEMBER 2012 - 58
CYCLE TORQUE SEPTEMBER 2012 - 59
A mix of two generations, the Yamaha FZ1N is a great bike but when will it get the latest R1 engine in its frame? MORE
CYCLE TORQUE TEST
CYCLE TORQUE SEPTEMBER 2012 - 60
YAMAHA FZ1N
YAMAHA’S FZ1 range has been a hit with buyers since its inception in 2001. And with good reason. The first generation FZ1 had a stonking engine derived from the R1, and the newest model is no different. Sure, it looks more modern but the early five-valve R1 genes are still there. It’s a great motorcycle, we now only wait for the FZ1 to get the Crossplane Crankshaft engine, then it might be even better.
Civilised In its current state of tune the FZ1 is a very civilised motorcycle. The engine is tractable and riding it every day in all sort of traffic conditions is easy. Adding to this is the comfort level. It has a nice upright riding position with just enough of a forward lean to be just about perfect. There’s minimal strain on wrists and neck. It’s also a practical package. There’s no lower fairing waiting to be stonechipped, and adding to servicing labour costs. In summer time the lack of a fairing also reduces heat wafting up to the rider, especially in heavy traffic.
On the road
n TEST BY DAVE MASON : PHOTOS BY NIGEL PATERSON
n RIDING GEAR: ZEUS HELMET, ARLEN NESS JACKET, IXON GLOVES.
Sitting on the bike, it feels right. High bars put your hands/arms fairly horizontal. The lowish seat height helps confidence for the less tall. Footrest position is high enough for spirited riding but still allowing room for taller riders to be comfortable. Its short wheelbase and forward weight bias give good feel and control, and make it easily flickable in traffic and through the twisties. A couple of decent bumps made me aware that the standard suspension settings were a bit hard for my 70 kilos. No real need to read the manual
though, there is easy and well marked adjustment of compression and rebound (marked TEN for tension) along with preload on the 43mm Kayaba inverted cartridge style forks. Likewise for the rear Kayaba shock with preload and rebound damping adjustment. Lifting the key locked seat revealed a well stocked tool kit with all that was needed for the task. Backing off the damping a couple of notches back and front softened the ride to my satisfaction. Up front, instruments include a large LCD speed readout, with smaller dual trip meters, time and air temperature readouts together with a bar fuel
gauge. There is also a low fuel warning light in case you hadn’t noticed the lack of fuel bars for the 18-litre fuel tank. The reserve portion of the tank is 3.4 litres. Complementing the digital speedo is analogue tacho on its right. Both have adjustable backlighting.
CYCLE TORQUE SEPTEMBER 2012 - 61
Front brakes are twin 320mm discs with monobloc four-piston calipers that have nice progressive feel. There is a 245mm disc with a floating caliper at the rear. Both are well up to the task of handling the 150HP, 214 kg Yamaha. Twisting the throttle reveals the R1 ancestry that has been suitably tailored to the bike’s sport/touring role. It doesn’t have twin cylinder, big bore torque at low revs but still pulls okay at low revs. When the revs reach four grand the engine really boogies though, pulling hard and smoothly up to 12,000 rpm. The ample spread of mid and top end grunt along with its comfy riding position make it a great tourer too. Kit it out with a rack and bag, soft panniers and a tank bag and you could ride this bike around Australia, no probs. After a few hours in the saddle my only complaint was the seat seems a bit hard. A sheep skin might be in order for longer rides. The FZ1 comes in two forms, ‘S’ and ‘N’ models. The ’S’ has twin headlights and a small bikini fairing, while the ‘N’ is as you see it in this test.
Verdict Think of the 2012 Yamaha FZ1 as an upright R1 ready to take on the world. This has to be one of the most underestimated, best value bikes in Yamaha’s 2012 line-up. The FZ1 has good looks and the R1’s early engines are well known for their reliability. But its very modern looks won’t suit everyone, and in fact I think many will prefer the first model FZ1’s styling. That said, if Yamaha never changed the styling in the last 10 years then it probably wouldn’t be selling any FZ1s at all. It’s called progress.
n RIDING GEAR: SHARK HELMET, EKS GOGGLES, ZAC SPEED ARMOUR, AXO NYLONS & BOOTS.
There’s more fuel-injected power in that smooth 20-valve four-cylinder engine than most riders will ever use, and besides commuting and touring, the FZ1 is more than capable of tackling the mountains on a Sunday morning or taking in the odd track day or two. It’s a bike which really takes you back a bit, back when most Japanese big capacity motorcycles were naked. There’s a number of these old school naked bikes on the market and the $15,699 FZ1 is right up there as a segment leader. As I said earlier the FZ1 would be an even better bike with the new R1’s engine but will the cost then go up? Who knows, and in reality will it be a hugely better bike? Probably not, but then I do love the growl of that Crossplane Crankshaft donk. Black or white, choose your colour, and if you want the faired ‘S’ model expect to pay $800 more. It comes in blue or black. n
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CYCLE TORQUE TEST
YAMAHA FZ1N
CYCLE TORQUE SEPTEMBER 2012 - 62
CYCLE TORQUE SEPTEMBER 2012 - 63
www.cycletorque.com.au/more www.yamaha-motor.com.au
SPECIFICATIONS: n ENGINE TYPE: LIQUID-COOLED INLINE 4 n CAPACITY: 998CC n TRANSMISSION: 6-SPEED n FUEL CAPACITY: 18 LITRES n FRAME TYPE: ALLOY TWIN SPAR n SEAT HEIGHT: 815MM n WET WEIGHT: 214 KG
Instruments aren’t overly big but they are easy enough to read.
Engine is a slightly detuned pre big bang R1.
Footpeg position is a good sport/touring compromise.
Muffler suits the overall futuristic style of the FZ1.
n FRONT SUSPENSION: USD n REAR SUSPENSION: LINK TYPE n BRAKES: TWIN 4-PISTON CALIPERS ON FRONT, SINGLE CALIPER REAR n TYRES: 120/70-17, 190/50-17 n PRICE (RRP): $15,699 + ORC
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1. MY MOTHER WARNED ME ABOUT BLOKES LIKE ME – $32.99
Whether you’re into dirt bikes, road bikes, ride a Yamaha, scooter or Laverda: if you’ve ever experienced the primal rush of riding a motor bike, the pain of crashing, the suffering of healing and the epiphanies of speed then this book is for you.
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2. CHARLEY BOORMAN EXTREME FRONTIERS – $35.00
EXTREME FRONTIERS: CANADA is Charley Boorman’s brand-new adventure/travel book. Travelling mainly on his much-loved bike, Charley will explore the world’s second largest country - home to some of the most stunning and challenging terrain known to man.
3. JORGE LORENZO – $19.95
Jorge Lorenzo really came of age in 2010 when he took the MotoGP season by storm and became the runaway World Champion, winning nine of the season’s 18 races, finishing on the podium 16 times and accumulating the biggest points score ever achieved in the championship. And he finally toppled team-mate Valentino Rossi’s domination. Here, then, is the third edition of Lorenzo’s quirky, insightful and highly readable autobiography, updated to cover the 2010 season in full.
4. AUSTRALIA’S SPEEDWAY KING – $29.95
Colin Stewart was once a top international dirt track speedway rider, and one of the trail blazing Australians who established the new sport on the world stage. The distinctive feature of dirt track speedway racing was motorbikes without brakes “broadsiding” round corners at terrifying speeds. Colin was one of the pioneer riders who developed the art of broadsiding, and he was once considered to be the world’s best.
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5. THE LONG RIDE HOME – $30.00
Nathan Millward had a dream, he wanted to ride across the world on a small motorbike. A decommissioned Australia Post bike, to be precise. Nathan hit the road on his clapped out Postie bike, from Sydney to Darwin then through Southeast Asia and onwards to Pakistan and China and the home run through Europe.
6. MOTORCYCLE TOURING BIBLE – $34.99
Touring on a motorcycle has never been more popular than it is today, but with more and more people hitting the open road, a growing number are doing so without the proper skills and information they need to survive the ordeal. Far too often the trip of a lifetime turns into an unmitigated disaster, leading to expensive breakdowns, arrests, lost wages, broken limbs, death, and even, on more than one ocassion, divorce. Most people who travel aboard motorcycles have learned these lessons the hard way, if they’ve survived long enough, but now readers of the “Motorcycle Touring Bible” can learn an easier way; they can learn from author Fred Rau’s mistakes rather than through the school of hard knocks.
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To Order Call 02 4956 9820 or
CYCLE TORQUE SEPTEMBER 2012 - 67 7. IVAN MAUGER AUTOBIOGRAPHY – $39.95
IVAN Mauger is more than the outstanding individual performer in speedway. He can also point to hugely successful partnerships on and off the track. His latest ‘best pairs’ partner is award-wining journalist, historian and former promoter Martin Rogers who co-authored Ivan’s eagerly-awaited autobiography. Martin has written and/or edited 19 sports books and collaborated with other former speedway champions including Barry Briggs, Bruce Penhall and Jason Crump.
7 9
8. 2010 DUCATI MOTOGP& SUPERBIKE – $75.00
Through words and images we can relive the most exciting moments of the year, the 2007 World Champion Casey Stoner and Noriuki Haga and Michel Fabrizio in the Superbike championship. This emotional year is presented in a collectors edition which symbolises all the prestige of a marque that has written and continues to write some of the most exciting chapters in the history of world motorcycle racing.
9. 100 YEARS OF MOTORCYCLES – $24.99
A visual history of two-wheeled motorized transport: the motorcycle. Contains around 300 photographs from PA Photos’ huge archives, spanning the whole of the 20th Century. The story of the motorcycle starts when it was little more than a bicycle frame with an engine strapped on, soon becoming a purpose designed vehicle for cheap every-day transport, navigating congested urban traffic, for long distance travel, cruising and holidays. Some machines became test-beds for mechanical refinement and thrilled spectators at race circuits and off road tracks throughout the world. From the temperamental vintage machines of the early 1900s, to the motorcycling subcultures of the 1940s Hells Angels, the 1950s Cafe Racers, and the Mods and Rockers of the 1960s, all aspects of the motorcycle are celebrated.
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10. BILLY CONNOLLY’S ROUTE 66 – $35.00
Having always dreamed about taking a trip on the legendary Route 66, Billy Connolly is finally heading off on the ride of a lifetime. Travelling all 2,488 miles of this epic road, known as ‘The Main Street of America’, the Big Yin will share the experiences of the countless travellers who have taken the journey before him. The tales he’ll gather on the way, from the skyscrapers of Chicago through the Wild West badlands of Oklahoma and Texas, and on to the beaches of the Pacific coast, will tell the story of modern America. And they might just inspire a few readers to get on their bikes as well.
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11. HOW TO REPAIR YOUR SCOOTER – $34.99
Gas prices go up and down, but mostly up, and that trend is likely to continue for the foreseeable future. Because of this, people are increasingly turning to motor scooters. In addition to being entertaining to ride and providing extreme mobility, scooters often travel up to 100 miles for each gallon of gasoline burned. How to Repair Your Scooter is divided into chapters according to the scooter’s various mechanical systems. For example, brakes, suspension, intake, exhaust, etc. each have their own chapter.
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12. LOST ON EARTH – $34.99
“The only way I am coming home is by bike or by box,” Steve Crombie writes when he first hits the road, travelling 90,000kms from Australia to the Arctic Circle via South America. It takes him two years. He suffers from dehydration, starvation and disease. He rebuilds his motorcycle four times. Along the way Steve not only tests his limits but meets the world head on - waking up behind iron bars in Tierra Del Fuego.
CYCLE TORQUE TEST
KAWASAKI ZX-14R
CYCLE TORQUE CYCLE TORQUE SEPTEMBER 2012 - 68
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MORE
CYCLE TORQUE TEST
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KAWASAKI ZX-14R
IF THERE were no speed limits you could safely say there’s not too many motorcycles which could beat the Kawasaki ZX-14 from say Brisbane to Melbourne via the Pacific and Princes Highway. In short this bike will blur the scenery at a rapid rate and keep you pretty fresh doing so. Of course there are speed limits in Australia but that doesn’t alter the fact anyone who buys a ZX-14 will be mightily impressed with it. It’s one of the best sports/tourers ever built. n RIDING GEAR: SHOEI HELMET, RST LEATHERS, GLOVES BY FIVE GLOVES, ALPINESTARS BOOTS.
Drag Pack Back in the ’60s and ’70s most America car makers built muscle cars which were ready to compete on drag strips, straight out of the box. High powered factory racers. Earlier this year Kawasaki introduced the 2012 ZX-14 to the Aussie motorcycling press at Sydney’s Eastern Creek drag strip, where we got to blast up and down the strip to get the best time. It was a fantastic day, and a good way to appreciate how much grunt the bike actually has in a controlled environment. When a couple of riders got sub 10 second times I got to thinking this was a modern version of the ‘Drag Pack’, only with two wheels instead of four. Even at the time I was itching to see what this bike would be like on the road. The engine felt sublime, and the suspension supple on some of the access road bumps. Even the riding position felt like you’d be able to do long days in the saddle without complaining.
In the pits In the March edition of Cycle Torque we went into depth on the technical side of the bike so we won’t do that again here. Kawasaki says the ZX-14’s 1441cc four cylinder engine is the most powerful road burner it’s ever built. On paper it’s listed at 200 hp, and 210hp when the ram air kicks in. Maximum torque is a not insubstantial 162 Nm. n TEST BY CHRIS PICKETT : PHOTOS BY NIGEL PATERSON
Keeping under some sort of control is a three mode traction control system, and a two mode power selection. Low Power (now there’s a misnomer if ever I’ve heard one) has 75 per cent of the Full Power mode,
CYCLE TORQUE SEPTEMBER 2012 - 71 and has a milder throttle response. Needless to say, Low Power is still very powerful. Front and rear suspension is fully adjustable, and the brakes all round are straight off a full tilt sportsbike (ABS is standard), as you would expect seeing the amount of grunt this thing trots out. It looks ultra cool too. Bikes like the ZX-14 and Suzuki’s Hyabusa have a look all their own. They sort of look like a heavyweight boxer not in their prime, but still able to take out the opposition with one punch if the opportunity presents itself. It’s when you take a closer look you see the trick suspension, the big brakes, the massive engine. Those in the know can see past the expansive bodywork to the prize fighter underneath.
Road burner I’ve always been a fan of Kawasaki’s GTR1400 but the bike’s weight always comes into play when you start pushing the bike, notably the understeer when you start taking the bike into territory the designers probably never envisaged. In many ways the ZX-14 feels like a stripped down and lower GTR, and as such it’s much happier in tighter corners, and happier in fast sweepers too come to think of it. Start thinking the big 14 is a ZX-10R and you could find yourself in trouble though. Although it handles very well, it is still a big bike (268kg full of fuel) and doesn’t like late changes of direction or extreme late braking on corner entry. It is a very easy bike to ride, whether it be through traffic, on the freeway or down a winding road. The bike’s suspension was dialled in to soak the bumps rather than bounce off them and I liked it so much I left it alone during its stay at Cycle Torque. As a result you can take on a bumpy back road at a faster pace, safer than you could on a full tilt hard edged sportsbike. That’s just my opinion anyway. If you start trying to rush the bike it won’t like it but ride smooth and use the ample torque on offer and you’ll be rewarded with perhaps one of the fastest point-to-point two wheeled machines ever made. The bike never feels as though it’s stressed, regardless of the pace. And even though the thing accelerates like a missile it’s never ‘flighty’. This is where the extra weight it carries comes into its own. Comfort wise there’s not much to dislike. You could raise the handlebars slightly and put a taller screen on it but other than that...
Verdict What a great road bike this is. It was only a few years ago I first sampled a ZX14. I finally understood what the fuss was all about. Its only real competition is Suzuki’s Hyabusa, another great road bike. At $19,999 it’s a bargain. It’s built to last for years, and with that much horsepower you are hardly likely to wear it out in a hurry anyway. n MORE
CYCLE TORQUE TEST
KAWASAKI ZX-14R
CYCLE TORQUE SEPTEMBER 2012 - 72
SPECIFICATIONS:
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n ENGINE TYPE: LIQUID-COOLED INLINE 4 n CAPACITY: 1441CC n TRANSMISSION: 6-SPEED n FUEL CAPACITY: 22 LITRES
www.cycletorque.com.au/more
n FRAME TYPE: ALLOY TWIN SPAR
www.kawasaki.com.au
n SEAT HEIGHT: 800MM n WET WEIGHT: 268 KG n FRONT SUSPENSION: 43MM USD n REAR SUSPENSION: UNI-TRAK n BRAKES: TWIN 4-PISTON CALIPERS ON FRONT, SINGLE CALIPER REAR n TYRES: 120/70-17, 190/50-17 n PRICE (RRP): $19,999 + ORC
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Ram air for that extra top end hit.
Front brakes are top class.
Linked ABS system and traction control are handy safety features.
Instruments are one of the best we’ve seen.
Flip out luggage attachment points make life easier on the road.
CYCLE TORQUE TEST
KAWASAKI ZX-14R
CYCLE TORQUE SEPTEMBER 2012 - 74
CYCLE TORQUE SEPTEMBER 2012 - 75
CYCLE TORQUE TEST
2013 KAWASAKI KX450F & KX250F
Hot air
CYCLE TORQUE SEPTEMBER 2012 - 76
CYCLE TORQUE SEPTEMBER 2012 - 77
Kawasaki’s MX bikes continue to push boundaries,
both technically and on the track. MORE
CYCLE TORQUE TEST
2013 KAWASAKI KX450F & KX250F DESPITE having one of the most highly-acclaimed four-stroke MX line-ups with the KX250F and KX450F, Kawasaki has still continued to refine and develop, with the 2013 machines being made better.
CYCLE TORQUE SEPTEMBER 2012 - 78 n TEST BY TODD REED : PHOTOS BY NIGEL PATERSON
The 250F has received the bulk of the attention this year, with engineers looking to make the bike handle better and be easier to ride. The 450F, which was almost an all-new bike just a year ago, has received refinements and tweaks to an already very competitive package.
KX250F The KX250F has been widely acclaimed to be the best 250cc four stroke MX bike on the market in 2012. The little green thumper has racked up race wins and championships all around the world and has been filling up plenty of grids at local motocross tracks around the country. Kawasaki mustn’t have been impressed enough with its already world conquering KX, as it has entered season 2013 with a completely revamped KX250F Starting with the chassis, the goal from Japan was to make the bike slimmer and easier to flick around beneath the rider. The entire frame was redesigned, it is now a much narrower fabrication consisting of cast, extruded and forged aluminium sections for the ultimate combination of strength and durability, yet still maintain a flexible and ergonomic feel. The Showa Single Function Forks have seen a number of upgrades: the old 47mm SFF fork has been swapped out for the newer, more rigid 48mm SFF fork which in principle remain much the same as in the past. The internal valving settings have been updated to match the new fork as well as matching the chassis and ergonomic changes which give the KX a fresh new feel. The rear shock also has updated valving to match the new fork and chassis combo. Kawasaki has incorporated a cool new minimalist look, with re-designed bodywork and plastics which really set the KX
n RIDING GEAR: SHOEI HELMET, FOX NYLONS, ALPINESTARS BOOTS.
Hot air
out from the rest of the pack. Take one look at the photos and anyone will notice how new and modern the KX250F looks. For the first time on the 250F, Kawasaki has incorporated its interchangeable EFI coupler into the standard spares package. Like the 450 you receive two extra pre-tuned EFI plugs which change the power characteristics from Soft to Hard or back to standard all with the change of a small plug. The powerplant has also seen significant upgrades for 2013,
a new exhaust system has been developed to further reduce sound and increase power. You quickly notice the ‘bomb’ or the resonance chamber as it’s technically referred to incorporated into the standard header pipe. The intake has been re-designed and is now wider and straighter to help the Kawasaki rev faster and harder, delivering much more power.
KX450F
is fun, explosive and very potent yet still quiteCmanageable YCLE TORQUE SEPTEMBER 2012 - 79 and smooth for those of us who may not be so aggressive. The big 450 didn’t see as much love as the 250F from the We played around with the EFI couplers as well. We tried both Kawasaki engineers for 2013, this comes as no surprise though, the Soft and Hard setting, however we found ourselves back as last year’s model was a completely new bike from the with the stock coupler as we found the stock unit has the best previous 2011 machine. overall performance, with the other plugs offering gains in some areas and losses in others. For MY13 the KX450F receives minor developments in the engine to further improve both performance and reliability. The SFF fork works well and offers a lot of adjustability for the The piston, intake cams and ECU settings have been massaged average rider. We noticed the front end felt a touch harsh to to improve throttle response at low RPMs and give the big KX begin with, however by taking some pre-load off the front fork some extra torque right off the bottom and through to the mid- we came up with a more compliant and plush setting which range. worked great on our test track. The shock works well and the KX always stayed inline and tracked very well behind the front end. The big ticket item for the 2013 KX450F is the all new KYB PSF front fork. Developed by Japanese suspension giant Kayaba, The narrow, slimmer frame is quite noticeable when compared the Pneumatic Spring Fork (PSF) is claimed to be a revolution to the 2012 machine. The bike feels easier to manoeuvre and of sorts in the motocross suspension world. The PSF fork is throw around, and is much more comfortable under braking lighter, offers more adjustability than a spring setup, reduces and in tight turns. friction and offers increased bottoming resistance. Instead of Switching to the KX450F was quite easy after being out on the controlling the forks using a conventional spring setup, the track all morning. After taking a session to warm up and adjust spring is removed and replaced by a pressurised air chamber. to the larger and much faster machine we quickly became This setup is nothing new as far as suspension goes, it was comfortable and pounding out laps on the 450. seen decades ago in the early days of motocross and it’s quite common to find this style of setup on any given mountain bike. The new PSF fork works unbelievably well on the KX450, it is very compliant and offers a plush ride over the small stuff, and Like last year, the 2013 KX450F comes with a long list of holds up well without blowing through when taking on the features and extras to make the bike more adjustable to suit big hits. We played with the pressure setting in the front, which each and every rider. The footpeg mounts can be removed and is as simple as using a tyre pump to add air. The differences flipped around to lower the footpegs 5mm from the standard were quite noticeable and we ended up being very impressed position. Handlebar mounts are offset and have a second with the 36PSI setting, which is 1 PSI higher than stock, or the mounting position which allows four different positions you equivalent to half a spring rate heavier (2 PSI = 1 standard can locate your ’bars. spring rate). The rear shock has a great setup and works in harmony with the front as the KX delivers a class leading ride for any rider out there. Behind the flash new suspension is a classy motor which does It was hard to choose between the KX250F and KX450F, Glenn Well, another test is all wrapped up here at Cycle Torque and we a great job of backing up all this new suspension hype. The from Kawasaki Australia had both bikes set up and ready to couldn’t say enough how impressed we were with the latest engine package is very similar to 2012, the power is strong, go at our test facility. We decided to start off with the smaller offerings from Kawasaki. Price wise both bikes are unchanged useable and is easy for most riders to use and make the most KX250F and take it easy before taking on the mighty KX450F. of. Most of the new 450 motocross bikes have more power than from the 2012 model prices which is pretty good, with the The 250F may be smaller, but don’t be taking this the wrong 250 retailing for $10,999 and the 450 exactly $1000 more. The you can poke a stick at, so it’s not so much about how fast the way readers, the KX250F hauls ass. For a small bore thumper bike is, it’s more about the rideability and seat of the pants feel KX250F shows a lot of potential and with the right setup could the Kawasaki picks up revs really fast and has an extremely easily win races and be a lot of fun on the track. The KX450F is a for the rider. We really enjoyed the KX450F, you could dial on strong power curve. The power is smooth and useable but has dream ride and the new PSF fork worked great, with a fantastic the power and take off in a hurry, or just feather it on around an aggressive feel and hit through the midrange if you really engine to suit it’s going to be hard to beat the green bikes in the hardpack and slowly gain momentum and speed before crank on the gas in a hurry. Up top the Kawie really gets moving taking on the next obstacle. There is plenty of power wherever the big bore class in 2013. n if you’re giving it a good rev, for all those riders who love to you need it and it was quite surprising to see the amount of top rev their 250F to the moon, the KX is for you. The powerplant MORE end rev this bike has for a big bore thumper.
On track
The Verdict
CYCLE TORQUE TEST
2013 KAWASAKI KX450F & KX250F
The KX250F now comes with ignition plugs for soft, standard and hard power delivery.
CYCLE TORQUE SEPTEMBER 2012 - 80
The 450F has optional footpeg positions.
Using air to replace the main spring makes the 450F’s forks very innovative, and it works well, too.
www.cycletorque.com.au/more CYCLE TORQUE SEPTEMBER 2012 - 81 www.kawasaki.com.au
SPECIFICATIONS: 2013 KAWASAKI KX450F (250F) n ENGINE TYPE: LIQUID-COOLED SINGLE n CAPACITY: 449CC (249CC) n TRANSMISSION: 5-SPEED n FUEL CAPACITY: 6.2 LITRES (6.1) n FRAME TYPE: ALLOY PERIMETER n SEAT HEIGHT: 955MM (945MM) n WET WEIGHT: 112.5 KG n FRONT SUSPENSION: USD PSF (SFF) n REAR SUSPENSION: UNI-TRAK n BRAKES: SINGLE 2-PISTON CALIPER ON FRONT, SINGLE CALIPER REAR n TYRES: 80/100-21, 120/80-19 (100/90-19) n PRICE (RRP): $11,999 ($10,999)
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CYCLE TORQUE TEST
2013 KAWASAKI KX450F & KX250F
CYCLE TORQUE SEPTEMBER 2012 - 82
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IT’S LIKE RIDING ON AIR… BECAUSE IT IS.
THE VALVE FOR THE AIRADJUSTABLE FORKS.
CYCLE TORQUE TEST
2013 KAWASAKI KX450F & KX250F
CYCLE TORQUE SEPTEMBER 2012 - 84
CYCLE TORQUE SEPTEMBER 2012 - 85
CYCLE TORQUE TEST
2013 KAWASAKI KX450F & KX250F
CYCLE TORQUE SEPTEMBER 2012 - 86
www.cycletorque.com.au/more www.kawasaki.com.au
CYCLE TORQUE SEPTEMBER 2012 - 87 SPECIFICATIONS: 2013 KAWASAKI KX450F (250F) n ENGINE TYPE: LIQUID-COOLED SINGLE n CAPACITY: 449CC (249CC) n TRANSMISSION: 5-SPEED n FUEL CAPACITY: 6.2 LITRES (6.1) n FRAME TYPE: ALLOY PERIMETER n SEAT HEIGHT: 955MM (945MM) n WET WEIGHT: 112.5 KG n FRONT SUSPENSION: USD PSF (SFF) n REAR SUSPENSION: UNI-TRAK n BRAKES: SINGLE 2-PISTON CALIPER ON FRONT, SINGLE CALIPER REAR n TYRES: 80/100-21, 120/80-19 (100/90-19) n PRICE (RRP): $11,999 ($10,999)
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This bulge in the header pipe helps reduce overall noise without cutting power.
CYCLE TORQUE TEST
2013 KAWASAKI KX450F & KX250F
CYCLE TORQUE SEPTEMBER 2012 - 88
CYCLE TORQUE SEPTEMBER 2012 - 89
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CLEAN AIR
1
K & N has the Honda Crosstourer and VFR1200 covered for clean air with its high performance upgrade filter. K & N’s name is second to none so you know you’ll be on a winner with it, and it’s backed by K & N’s 1.6 million kilometre warranty. In other words you’ll wear out before the filter does. PRICE: $75.95 AVAILABLE FROM: Good motorcycle retailers MORE INFO: www.cycletorque.com.au/more
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CYCLE TORQUE SEPTEMBER 2012 - 94
PROTECTED BY KNOBBS
2
OGGY Knobbs take the brunt of impacts and road surface abrasion. Oggy Knobb products can significantly reduce the repair costs after a fall. Both these new kits for Kawasaki’s Ninja 650 and ER6N are fully bracketed, and intricately designed to fit without any fairing modifications while also being much stronger and more protective than a non bracketed cut style. PRICE: $329 AVAILABLE FROM: Good motorcycle stores MORE INFO: www.cycletorque.com.au/more
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CYCLE TORQUE SEPTEMBER 2012 - 95
KEEP ME SMICK Motul’s Scratch Remover is part of the all new Motul MC Care Range. It removes superficial scratches on painted or varnished motorcycle surfaces such as fairings, or from helmets. Motul Scratch Remover removes fine scratches and restores the gloss of paints and varnishes but should not be used in the sun, on hot surfaces or on matte paints. PRICE: $11.90 AVAILABLE FROM: Good motorcycle retailers MORE INFO: www.cycletorque.com.au/more
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CYCLE TORQUE SEPTEMBER 2012 - 96
NO MORE ROCKS
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CYCLE TORQUE SEPTEMBER 2012 - 97
CARBON DEMON
1
LS2 helmets are new to Australia but have been big in Europe since 2007, and making a nudge in the American market too. The CR1 Carbon Demon looks trick enough, and with its lightweight Carbon Fibre/ Fibreglass shell it should fit nice too. It’s got all the attributes you would expect from a top shelf helmet. The only thing needed is for you to check one out in the flesh in your local bike shop. PRICE: Solid Carbon $329.95, Demon Graphics $349.95. AVAILABLE FROM: Good motorcycle stores. MORE INFO: www.cycletorque.com.au/more
IBIKE STUFF
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JACK ME UP
2
BIG bikes need big jacks and they don’t come much bigger or tougher than those from US company J&S Jacks. They carry a lifetime warranty, and make working on your bike a breeze. Price includes the optional oil pan. 907 kg capacity. PRICE: $500. Range of shipping options available AVAILABLE FROM: Direct from Rocky Creek Designs MORE INFO: www.cycletorque.com.au/more
IBIKE STUFF
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iPAD CASE
3
WHETHER you use a tablet like an iPad as a tool or a toy, it needs some serious protection if you want to take it on the bike. Not only does the Pelican 1065 iPad case look good with its sleek, simple lines but it’s designed to protect your tablet from crushing accidents, a one metre fall and a generous dunking. It’s lightweight (a tad over 500gm) and dust proof for good measure. Features a trick automatic purge valve to keep water and dust out while balancing air pressure. PRICE: $55 + postage AVAILABLE FROM: Direct from Andy Strapz MORE INFO: www.cycletorque.com.au/more
IBIKE STUFF
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ROTATING BLING
4
MOTOSPRINT wheels have arrived, these high quality wheels are available for the most popular MX and Enduro bikes produced in the last 10-15 years. Off-road tough these affordable wheels are sold separately or as pairs in many colour combos and sizes. PRICE: From around $350 AVAILABLE FROM: Good motorcycle shops MORE INFO: www.cycletorque.com.au/more
IBIKE STUFF
KEEP YOUR MOTOR RUNNING Ever craved the freedom of the wide open road and discovered your battery is as flat as a tack? The dream of a carefree ride quickly turning into a trip to the bike shop to purchase yet another battery? Well, before planning your next weekend escape, consider the ideal maintenance battery charger –CTEK XS 0.8 – for the confidence of a fully charged battery on your next ride! Cleverly designed to increase the reliability and lifespan of your batteries by diagnosing, charging and maintaining, the compact XS 0.8 delivers 0.8 amps to all 12 volt batteries from 1.2 to 32 amp hours, and is suitable for maintenance charging up to 100 amp hours. Safe to leave connected 24/7 for months – any time you’re not using your bike – it simply switches back to maintenance mode once batteries are fully charged, holding your battery at its optimum level. The easy to use, 6-step fully automatic charger saves you time and money while maximising battery life and performance. Functions such as the desulphation feature, which removes the crystals that grow on lead plates when batteries are not regularly charged, restore the capacity of your battery and extend its life. The CTEK XS 0.8 also comes with Comfort Connectors that can be fitted to your battery for effortless charger connection without direct battery access. The XS 0.8 comes with an impressive 5 year warranty and, like all CTEK chargers, it’s safe for you, your battery and your bike. IP65 classified, this high quality charger is water resistant, splash and dust proof, non-sparking, reverse polarity protected and short circuit proof. The most recommended charger brand – boasting 71 international accolades – the CTEK XS 0.8 is used by manufacturers like BMW, Yamaha and Mercedes-Benz: just another reason why CTEK chargers claim to be the smartest battery chargers in the world. For more information on how the CTEK XS 0.8 can ensure your batteries are ready for your next ride, visit www.ctek.com n
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CYCLE TORQUE TEST ‑ 2012 SEA-DOO RXP-X 260 AND GTR 215
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Supercharged
SUMMER BRP has committed to 10 Sea-Doo models with the much anticipated RXP-X 260 and the supercharged GTR 215. I just can’t imagine how we ever lived without a 260hp watercraft that leaps out of the water at the touch of the throttle, cuts through the water like a hot razor blade through a pound of butter and actually has brakes and a reverse….well, we don’t have to any more, introducing the RXP-X 260. Sea-Doo’s RXP-X project was all about designing and manufacturing the ‘best handling performance watercraft on the market’ and a big part of the success of the final product is the ‘Tight Turning T-Hull’ which is officially named ‘T3’. More on what is under the water later. Above the water the RXP-X’s all new seat, angled footwell and ‘Adjustable Ergonomic Steering’ (A.E.S.) handlebar layout make up what is known as SeaDoo’s ‘Ergolock’ system which helps lock the rider into position on top of their hourglass shaped body design which is surprisingly slim in the middle with padded bolsters that extend up and over the rider’s knees. To me the 368kg RXP-X felt like a Kawasaki ZX-14 road bike and like any big road bike when entering and going through corners you grab the seat and tank area
with your knees while adding weight to the outside foot me to become a watercraft riding guru by the simple and leaning the upper body towards the inside and that fact that this thing rides across the water like a dream is how I found it best to corner on the RXP-X. and dead-set turns on a dime. Below the water line Sea-Doo’s all new T3 hull is the key to RXP-X’s phenomenal turning ability. I won’t pretend to understand what a ‘multi-stage running surface’ does or what ‘chimes’, ‘winglet’, ‘trim tabs’ and ‘sponsons’ do but I can tell you this, the T3 hull allows a wobbler like
And to prove the effectiveness of this new hull BRP supplied an opposing brand watercraft that is in the same category as the RXP-X and let us ride them back to back on a slalom course set up not far from shore. We were able to get up to around 100km per hour along
the straights and tip each watercraft into a series of turns and I got to ride the ‘other’ brand first and I was really impressed with the power and handling and if I didn’t get to ride the RXP-X I would have honestly been more than happy with that particular model.
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But, as soon as I mounted the Sea-Doo and got a few laps under my belt the other model suddenly got porky, slow, top heavy and it definitely didn’t turn anywhere near as good as the RXP-X. In motorcycle terms the other brand under-performed and understeered terribly in comparison if that makes sense? So here I am out on the water banging out laps on this supercharged 260hp watercraft that feels like a motorcycle and goes like a formula one car going faster and faster in the turns waiting for something to give but to me it felt more secure the faster you go. That part is very ‘un-motorcycle’ like. You simply cannot push a motorcycle this hard and get away with it! Thankfully, Sea-Doo developed the Intelligent Brake and Reverse (iBR) system a few years back and not only does this pull the watercraft up very quickly it also makes it easy to maneuver around when parking or nudging up to other craft out on the water. The throttle system is known as iTC which allows two settings, a sport mode for the experienced riders and a ‘Learning Key’ that knocks off a fair amount of the power for the less experienced. Finally, I have to mention the ‘X-Gauge’. The digital gauge has 31 functions that offers every conceivable bit of information you will need out on the water, including a compass and a lap timer. Does it get any cooler than that? All up, I can only give the RXP-X 260 the thumbs up. The new T3 hull and Ergolock system integrated with Sea-Doo’s long list of standard features has created a watercraft that exceeds all expectations when cutting loose out on the water. The other model that is new to the Sea-Doo model
line-up for 2012 is the GTR 215 which is essentially all about having fun. Like the RXP-X, it has the iTC and iBR systems but it weighs over 20kg less yet still has a more than healthy 215hp supercharged donk pushing it through the water. The LFi composite hull on the GTR is the same fitted to Sea-Doo’s popular GTI series watercraft but the extra power combined with the less weight and the easy to adjust ‘variable trim system’ makes the 215 an absolute ripper in the water. The GTR gets the touring seat which allows for better comfort while in the standing position while the footwells flow in a smooth arc and are slanted inwards to take stress off the knees while banging through the swell. My time on the GTR included a long blast along the banks of Lake Atkinson, west of Brisbane and with five other watercraft out on the water with us there was a fair bit of choppy water around and the LFi hull cut
through the water quite nicely. Considering the fact that I had only just dismounted from the RXP-X 260 I thought that I may be disappointed in the 215 but I can tell that this is one fun machine. It is kind of like cutting laps on a CRF450R then jumping on a CRF250R, you feel so confident and that was the same going from the 260 to the 215. Belting around the slalom course on the 215 was also very satisfying and although the hull isn’t as advanced as the T3 I felt very comfortable on the more ‘forgiving’ LFi hull and again the braking and reverse was very handy getting in and out of the parking area. From what I have learned throughout the one day test and the research that I have put into this article I would be torn between these two models but if I was in the market for a high powered watercraft but there is nothing surer that both would be at the top of the shopping list. – Darren Smart
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CYCLE TORQUE TEST ‑ 2012 SEA-DOO RXP-X 260 AND GTR 215
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CYCLE TORQUE FEATURE ‑ KING OF NEPEAN
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Down n’ Dirty
AT NEPEAN ONE of the great enigmas of Australian motorcycle racing is dirt-track. This very old and influential form of racing that is unique to Oz is like your crazy country cousin who you see all too infrequently. He doesn’t seek attention, but that’s not to say he doesn’t mind it, and whenever he makes a rare appearance at a family gathering, he’ll charm you with his wild stories, rough exterior and big heart. This was very much the impression I got when I ventured out to the 2012 KTM King of Nepean, ‘Australia’s Biggest Dirt Track Title’ the event program assured me. Enthusiastically promoted and boasting one of the strongest and diverse fields for many a year, the KoN is a diamond in the rough and tumble of Aussie dirt-track racing that any devotee of motorcycle racing should mark down in their 2013 diary. For so long, just about every Aussie road racer who’s made it on the world stage has paid due credit to the influence of dirt-track, and it’s easy to see why. The format ensures that riders must negotiate the heats intact, running fast enough to garner points to progress to the final, but not too fast lest you fall and be relegated to the repechage (last-chance qualifier in MX/SX parlance). And with the track changing significantly over the course of the day, the heats also force riders to think about set-up, tyre/wheel combinations, tyre pressure,
suspension settings and gearing in the lead up to the final. The four-heat format also ensures that riders are conditioned to execute consistently fast getaways, because if you aren’t in the top three by the first turn, you have little chance of winning. Over a weekend, a rider who is cross-entered in two or more classes may race over 20 times. Riders must learn throttle control, and the art of finding traction on the blue groove as the track wears or out on the cushion, and conjure up passing moves that they may conceal for the final. There are a lot
of tactics involved that are both calculated and instinctive, just like racing should be. The only downside is that the Speedway like format of rapidfire heats and relative short finals doesn’t allow a whole lot of scope for creating race strategies, something that former dirt-track king Casey Stoner has only developed in the last few (and final) years of his remarkable MotoGP career. Back in the day, however, dirt-track’s print-race format was often punctuated by endurance races. The Nepean 6-hour that ran until the late 1980s actually pre-
dates the inaugural Castrol 1000 six-hour road race in 1970. All in all, it must be said that dirt track has been the university from which dozens of our very best riders have graduated, and for that we owe it respect and most importantly our patronage.
back then. A year on, Gardner finished second in the national C Y C L E T O R Q U E S E P T E M B E R 2 0 1 2 - 1 0 7 minibike titles, and he stepped up to the 125 class. Importantly, he was developing his rearwheel steering technique, Arriving at Nepean, I was greeted by the friendliest and at the end of 1976, he gate official I’ve ever encountered. My name wasn’t entered his first road race at on any list, which usually ends in making a frantic Oran Park on the modified phone call to the promoter. The guy simply smiled YZ125, joining a growing group and waved me through. What I encountered next ‘chookies’ in road-racing. British wasn’t so nice. I was lucky not to get bogged in the twins and modified Speedway marshy paddock, and got a push out to a rare patch sliders had dominated dirtof dry land. Wandering through the pits, I spotted track for decades, but the Jamie Stauffer working on his Honda CRF450 as a 1970s saw the introduction of string of riders sauntered past wearing Speedway modified Japanese two-stroke trackers ain’t hanging around. Last year’s winner style leathers, some sporting West Wyalong and motocrossers that would last until the late 1990s Marty McNamara told me that while the Hondas Cowra MCC insignias. These two NSW towns when high-tech four-stroke MXers began flooding might have the top end advantage, his Yamaha have been pillars of regional dirt-track racing for the grids. Indeed, Jamie Stauffer said that 2012 was was a better all-round bike. Nevertheless, Hondas decades. Indeed, NSW has been at the epicentre of the first time he had ridden a four-stroke in dirtwould clean-sweep the King of Nepean, with Luke Aussie dirt-track for yonks, and was the reason why track. Richards edging road racers Stauffer and Brody the Stoners moved from Queensland to Kurri in Nowlan. Running trials type universal tyres on the early ‘90s so Casey could cut his teeth regularly Back at the track, I saw but a couple of familiar the rear and a front knobby, the top riders would against the toughest dirt-track competition in faces in the paddock, but who should I bump into pitch their bikes in speedway style before holding Australia. Along with the Hunter, the mid-north but neighbourhood enduro devotee Ian Collyer a smooth slide all the way around the bottom coast of NSW is another dirt-track stronghold, as is and his son Rhys. Few people know the arteries of turn before squaring it off, AMA flat-track style. Ian Canberra which has been running an independent the Watagans better than Ian, but he had decided noted that the rear tyres of the top riders running dirt-track series since the 1970s. At the end of 1973, to park his beloved Husky for the weekend and low pressures would ripple noticeably off the turns. a 14-year-old named Wayne Gardner persuaded his check out dirt-track for the first time. He had a dad to let him join the Wollongong and Districts mate, Burkey, who was having his first go at in a big It was a great spectacle and great entertainment. Motorcycle Training Club. Back then, children under dirt-track event, and there we were, two middleThe 2012 King of Nepean could be a pivotal 16 weren’t allowed to race in New South Wales, but aged newbies wide-eyed and eager to learn about moment for dirt-track in the 21st Century. This the club, like so many around Australia at the time, this forgotten discipline. I stood with Ian and on meeting was promoted well to both fans and the didn’t have much trouble working around it. While the mound near the start gates, and the dirt-track motorcycle media, and showcased just how good gymkhanas (later known as minikhanas) and ‘slow’ diehards around us were very generous in letting us a day out at dirt-track can be. It would be great to races were all part of minibike club days, other know which classes were which and what was the attract more big-name road racers and perhaps events involved riders riding as fast as they could. popular bike and why. Hondas seemed to dominate stage a series of match races between the tar After getting the hang of going quick, Gardner the KTM-sponsored event due to their apparent babies and the dirt-diggers. The Crazy Cousin is graduated to a Yamaha TY80. He soon gave trials top-speed advantage around the 120km/h average back. away when he learned that 15-year-olds could race speed track. When you consider that Casey Stoner’s – Darryl Flack legally in Canberra, so his dad got him a Yamaha race average was 158km/h at Laguna Seca this YZ80 to ride short-circuit as dirt-track was known year, these methanol-burning 65 horsepower dirtMORE
CYCLE TORQUE FEATURE ‑ KING OF NEPEAN
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USED & REVIEWED FLIPPING OUT OVER MY IXONS WE’VE been fighting each other here in the Cycle Torque office over who gets to wear the Ixon RS Flip HP gloves in the photo-shoots. These mens roadster gloves are CE approved with vents and knuckle protector. The two-part protector and the rubber fastening strap add to the sportive look. Made of perforated goat leather with mesh and lycra as well as cotton lining glued directly on leather they are very supple and comfortable. They have a short neoprene cuff and the palm reinforced in chamude with foam on the side. The 3D curved fingers have flex, 2D thumb and anti-slide prints inside the index. Available in black opr black/white in XS to 4XL.
PRICE: $69.95 AVAILABLE FROM: Good bike shops MORE INFO: www.cycletorque.com.au/more
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USED & REVIEWED
C CY YC CL LE E T TO OR RQ QU UE E S SE EP PT TE EM MB BE ER R 2 20 01 12 2 -- 1 11 11 1
REAR VISION I’D NEVER heard of Reevu helmets when I saw one for the first time. Besides being a good looking helmet they have one novel idea which sets them apart from any other helmet I know of. It has a rear view mirror inside, hence the Reevu name. Just in front of the rider’s forehead sits a small mirror which you can wind down or back up, depending on if you want to use it or not, and it’s adjustable to suit personal preference. You can see it in your peripheral vision but it doesn’t take long before it becomes pretty much unnoticeable unless you are specifically looking at it. It works sort of like a periscope in a submarine, or at least that’s my take on it, via the replaceable section on the back of the helmet. How does it work in the real world? Well, if you are riding a sports bike not so well because you’ll tend to see mostly sky due to the extreme riding position. If you are riding something a little more upright it works well I believe. It’s like having a third mirror, and although you’d be mad to focus too much on the mirror and take your eyes off the road, it does give you an added safety feature, where you can flick your eyes up and get another view of exactly what’s behind you. It works better when the sun is behind you too. On top of that the helmet is very nice to wear, wind noise is on par with most other helmets I use and I find it comfortable over long distances. Fit and finish quality is very high. Solid and graphic colours are available, and they even do a very trick carbon fibre race helmet. – Chris Pickett
PRICE: Solid colours $545, graphics $599 AVAILABLE FROM: Selected bike shops MORE INFO: www.cycletorque.com.au/more
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LETTERS Time for a break
K C A B I G N I TO RQ U
and thank you for the iPad version of the mag. I religiously drop in to my local I READ the other day Geoff Ballard is bike mechanics(Battyes bikes, there’s the finishing up with his long term Ballard’s Offroad team manager duties. I just wanted plug) to get the latest issue but out here to thank him for all of the time, effort, that’s not an option. So, I hit ‘download’ and within a minute or two I have it, and resources he put in to supporting riders during that time, myself included. hundreds of kms from any bike shop! It’s fantastic, I love the mag and the iPad Geoff gave a lot of aspiring riders the version is the next level. I hope more opportunity to have a bloody great time people now have the opportunity to have a riding dirtbikes, and to give them the great read. I just read your articles on means to further progress and improve the V-strom and RM125 and currently owning their skills and results. an SV650 and had an RM125 (the model you Definitely in my case, if not for many of tested) both tests were spot on! Keep up the other riders also, the support he provided was well above what was warranted the good work. Dane at the time. No doubt Geoff’s passion for Sent from my iPad off road motorcycling, and his willingness to assist those who were like minded, helped progress the sport forward to where it is today. A lot of people owe Geoff a JUST dropping you a line to thank you for debt of gratitude for the very positive influence and actions he provided over the the foresight in making your great mag available on the net. I am (when I’m back years. in Oz) a dedicated rider whose sole means To surpass his awesome off road race of transport is my motorbike. My Bandit achievements on the world stage was a takes me everywhere and in all weather. satisfying achievement for myself during I’m one of those returnees who rode in my my own race career - I know the personal sacrifice and commitment that it took in so younger days, took a long break when the kids came along and jumped back on as soon many ways to make that happen back then, as they flew the coop. unlike nowadays. From those efforts he I’ve been in semi-retirement, teaching still has a strong following here in the English (or should I say Strine) at a US with the “old timers”, ha! university in North Eastern China for I often think back to the Bathurst Pony the last 20 months. I’ll stay here as Express race we teamed up at that one long as they’ll have me and as long as time, back in 1996 I believe, and took our governments keep doing their best to victory, plus the occasional trail stuff up our great country. It’s been rides in the Watangan’s - they are fond a wonderful experience but I sure miss memories! riding my bike, chatting with mates about Thanks again Geoff for all that you have done throughout all of the years, and will our bikes, rides, and experiences, and reading bike mags – with one exception – no doubt continue to do in the future. Keep on Roosting! Cycle Torque! Shane Watts Things are cheap in China, but postage is DirtWise Academy of Offroad Riding Schools astronomical, even by Aussie standards. and Instructional DVDs So this has precluded me from subscribing to some of your rival publications. The fact that Cycle Torque is available free on the net is such a God send. And if, by chance, your advertisers wonder if their I’M IN the car with the boys headed down the centre of our grand country along the advertisements in your mag will result in business from the likes of me being Stuart Hwy and just want to congratulate
CT in China
Stories on the go
CYCLE TORQUE SEPTEMBER 2012 - 112 out of the country, they can rest assured that I take a close look at the ads and content. That’s because I head home every (northern) winter, catch up with my mates and ride like crazy. That’s when I spend money updating my gear or buying something new like maybe the Interphone communication system from Strike. I haven’t ridden in China because of several reasons – not having a Chinese licence is a good one, but also because of the crazy road behaviour of all road users, scarcity and high cost of bigger bikes and dealers/service, and the confusion about the legality of large capacity bikes. I met a local who rides a GSX-R1000 who said it was illegal and they even have to buy motor oil, that has been smuggled in, on the black market. So reading Cycle Torque helps to soften the blow. Thanks for a great read, and I especially appreciate the strong stand that you adopt against anyone who treats motorcyclists like second class citizens. Safe riding Michael Chung (China) Hi Michael Great to see you are still enjoying our mag while OS. If and when you get an iPad you can check out that, it’s even better than our website based eMag. Cheers, Chris
WRITE A LETTER!
WIN A GREAT PRIZE This month Michael Chung has won a copy of Troy Bayliss: My Story, the autobiography of one of our greatest racers.
Love the App
I just wanted to say that I think your app is one of the best I’ve seen. Your magazine has always been outstanding for the diversity of its content and the fact that it’s free. You’ve certainly upheld the standard with your app, as it is smooth, intuitive and even more comprehensive than the mag, as it includes videos! I like the little animations, like the ticking clock on the Time Traveller’s Enfield article, and also the numbered portraits of bike features. Two thumbs up. Well done. El Jaguar.
Send your letters (and/or great bike pictures) to The Editor, Cycle Torque, PO Box 687 Warners Bay, NSW 2282 or email chris@ cycletorque.com.au
D TAP TO S E N LETTE R N OW
C Y C L E T O R Q U EEnjoyable. SEPTEMBER 2012 Tough. Affordable.
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QUAD TORQUE CYCLE TORQUE TEST - YAMAHA GRIZZLY 550 EPS
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FULLY LOADED
n TEST BY CHRIS PICKETT : PHOTOS BY NIGEL PATERSON
MIDDLE SIZED ENGINE, FULL SIZED CHASSIS. YAMAHA’S GRIZZLY 550 IS A HANDY WORKMATE.
KEEN to get yourself on a full sized ATV but don’t want or need the extra poke of a huge engine? The Yamaha Grizzly offers exactly that. With its 550cc single cylinder engine it still has plenty of grunt to get the job done. Don’t go thinking it’s an old school throwback though, with fuel injection and electric power steering it’s as modern as they come. Sure, it’s nice to have a big bore V-twin or parallel twin engine powering our workhorse ATV but often the extra horsepower goes unused. Sometimes this is because it’s not needed for the job at hand, or maybe the rider has given themselves a scare or two when the power has been applied in possibly not the best terrain. Whatever the reason, the Grizzly is one of those few ATVs on the market which do offer a slightly smaller capacity engine in a larger chassis. This way you get more room to move around, greater towing capacity, greater carrying capacity, and an extra dose of sure-footedness.
Off the trailer The Grizzly 700 derived 558cc four-valve engine is pretty modern actually, with the aforesaid fuel injection, and liquid-cooling. The cylinder is inclined at 35 degrees to give extra ground clearance, and it’s also ceramic-composite lined to give longer service life. A new crankshaft design (gear driven balancer) and fourposition rubber engine mounts have given smoother running, and cold starts
have been improved with a new cylinder head design and longer reach spark plug. That’s for the cold climates but what about up in the Northern Territory we hear you ask? Well, a larger alloy radiator and motor keeps the Grizzly cool pretty much no matter how hot it is outside, and it’s protected from damage by being positioned high up in the frame. A three-position push-button On Command drive system offers a choice of 2WD, 4WD, or 4WD with differential lock, so unless you are trying to ride it up
CYCLE TORQUE SEPTEMBER 2012 - 115 Mount Everest you should be right. And, with the high and low range fully automatic transmission there’s no gears to worry about, just select forward or reverse and hit the thumb throttle. Independent suspension sits on each corner, and with shaft drive and four wheel disc brakes regular maintenance is cheap and easy.
could be under the front panel”. Simple gearchanging arrangement. One reply was, “you’re joking, why would Yamaha put the battery under a panel which required the removal of the front rack to gain access to it?” Good question you would think, and yes that was the case. Luckily, the rack takes only a few minutes to remove. The reason it’s there might have something to do with the 20 Underseat storage is ample. litre petrol tank which sits under the seat, along with a sealable storage compartment.
Other than that the Grizzly is hard to fault. It’s sure-footed, and coped On the farm with everything we threw at it in the rough terrain department. Selecting The Grizzly is a very easy to gears is easy enough once you realise ride ATV. There’s no doubt you need to apply both hand and foot the electric power steering brake controls. The extra safety feature makes things much easier, especially if you have some pace up. And if you are a farmer advanced in years don’t be afraid the full is a good idea but a bit overkill. size of the Grizzly might be too much for you. It won’t. If you need the Grizzly to work really hard there’s literally loads With a 588cc engine it’s no slouch in the power department but of accessories, including a power winch, skid plates, hand guards, and even a bulldozer blade. it is primarily designed to produce more torque than outright power. And that’s what a workhorse ATV is about anyway. You don’t see too many race or sports quads towing a trailer or Verdict carrying a container of Roundup. The front and rear racks are handy for this too, but be careful to read the load limits before We think this is a good option for the cash focused man or you start throwing on fence posts. woman on the land who likes the idea of a big ATV but doesn’t One odd design feature is the location of the battery. We didn’t want or need the horsepower and expense of a larger capacity ATV. At $13,599 the Grizzly 550 EPS is good value, and with have the luxury of an owners manual and the battery decided Yamaha you know you’ll have the thing for years if you look to throw a wobbly and go flat on us. Off with the seat, lots of after it, and probably even if you don’t. n head scratching by a few of us, then one bright spark said, “it
Sturdy racks are fitted front and rear.
Towbar is designed to do the hard yards.
IRS allows you to negotiate some very rough terrain.
N ext Month i n
CYCLE TORQUE SEPTEMBER 2012 - 116
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