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FIGHT NIGHT! GSX–1100 vs GSX-S1000 – we let ’em rip on the drag strip

$7500 1975 YAMAHA RD350 B Global cult following makes this possibly the most collectable Yamaha of all time. Ride away today.

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$29,950 1964 HARLEY-DAVIDSON FL PANHEAD This is a beautiful motorcycle that runs and rides really nicely. VIN# 64FL4264

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$5950 1974 SUZUKI GT750 *ARRIVING IN JUNE* A tidy example for an easy clean-up winter project. Be quick for this one.

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CONTENTS

308

2016

NEWS Edline Harley-Davidson launches Roadster BMW adds SOS button BMW boosts scoots Limited Scouts out Suzuki hombrews V-Strom ï¬&#x201A;agship BMW GS Safari Enduro is go

REGULARS 10 12 13 14 14 15 15

MAILBOX Give it to me straight, Doc YOUR PHOTOS I used to be handsome THE ONES THAT GOT AWAY Sob stories FUTURE CLASSIC Suzuki TL1000R SPANNERMAN Wisdom under the bridge COLLECTABLES Kawasaki Z1-R Turbo GEARBOX All the gear and some ideas UNDER THE HAMMER Where are they now? ROOTHY, GUIDO & CAM Three of a kind

44 52 54 88 100 106 118 122 127

106

FEATURES SUZUKI SHOOTOUT GSX1100E vs GSX-S1000 18 LAUNCH REPORT Ducati Scrambler Sixty2 28 LAUNCH REPORT Triumph Speed Triple 36 TRACK TEST McIntyre Matchless G50 56 TRIALS EXPERIENCE Trials and enduro cross training 64 TOPIC OF CANCER Harley-Davidson Ultra Limited 72 SHOPPING WITH $20,000 Motorcycle wish-list 80 BIKE DETECTIVES 1972 MV Agusta prototype 94 OUR BIKES 1947 Sunbeam S7 112

ADVERTISING ENQUIRIES GROUP SALES MANAGER: Brian Vegh M: 0401 712 942 Brian.Vegh@TradeMotorcycles.com.au

/MotorcycleTraderAustralia /MC_trader /MotorcycleTraderMag

OUR COVER: Cold, fast and loud. Our night at the drags with some naked Suzis and lots of doughnuts. Hot diggity! NEXT MONTH: Just as we put this edition to bed we were packing our bags and out the door to the launch of the Triumph Bonneville T120. Read Charrisâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; launch report of the retro icon in MT #309. On sale June 23.

ISSN 1449-6232

EDLINE

EDITORIAL EDITOR: Chris Harris Chris.Harris@TradeMotorcycles.com.au DEPUTY EDITOR: Sean Muir Sean.Muir@TradeMotorcycles.com.au SUB EDITOR: Wolter Kuiper ART DIRECTOR: Paul Andrews

Chris Harris

CONTRIBUTORS Grant Roff, Cam Donald, Ian Falloon, Guy Allen, Rob Blackbourn, Sandy Burgoyne, Hamish Cooper, Phil Anysley, Graeme Crosby, Steve Kealy, John Rooth, Spannerman, Bernard Carpinter, Greg Leech, Terry Stevenson, Ben Galli, Mark Dadswell

PRODUCTION PRODUCTION MANAGER: Ian Scott ADVERTISING CO-ORDINATOR: Sourita Phommaseng

ADVERTISING GROUP SALES MANAGER: Brian Vegh 0401 712 942 Brian.Vegh@trademotorcycles.com.au NATIONAL SALES MANAGER Dale Johnson 0403 743 587 dale.johnson@amcn.com.auu

MANAGEMENT BIDEFORD BLACK PTY LTD PUBLISHER: Matt O’Malley - 0419 901 863 PUBLISHER: Jim Flynn - 0449 801 899 FINANCIAL CONTROLLER: Stuart Harle ACCOUNTS ASSISTANTS: Fiona Trickett & Eva English

CONTACT MOTORCYCLE TRADER Motorcycle Trader A: PO Box 20154, World Square, NSW 2002 P: (02) 9186 9186 E: mct@trademotorcycles.com.au SUBSCRIPTIONS* 13 issues: Australia: $69.95 (incl GST) 26 issues: Australia: $125.00 (incl GST) www.magshop.com.au E: magshop@magshop.com.au Mail: Magshop, GPO Box 5252, Sydney, NSW 2001 P: 136 116 (8am to 6pm EST Mon-Fri) *Recommended and maximum price only including GST. All motorcycle prices listed are recommended retail only unless otherwise stated. Published by Bideford Black Pty Ltd ABN 26 602 607 045, 4 / 74 Foveaux St, Surry Hills NSW 2010. The trademark Motorcycle Trader is the property of Bauer Consumer Media Limited and is used under licence © Bideford Black 2015 All rights reserved. Printed by Bluestarweb, Unit 1, 83 Derby Street, Silverwater, NSW 2128. Material contained in Motorcycle Trader is protected under the Commonwealth Copyright Act 1968 and may not be reproduced in part or whole without written consent from the copyright holders. Distributed by Network Services, 54 Park St, Sydney, (02) 9282 8777. *$6.95 maximum and recommended retail price only. PRIVACY NOTICE This issue of Motorcycle Trader is published by Bideford Black Pty Ltd (BB). BB may use and disclose your information in accordance with our Privacy Policy, including to provide you with your requested products or services and to keep you informed of other BB publications, products, services and events. Our Privacy Policy is located at www.citrusmedia.com.au/privacy. It also sets out on how you can access or correct your personal information and lodge a complaint. BB may disclose your personal information offshore to its owners, joint venture partners, service providers and agents located throughout the world, including in New Zealand, USA, the Philippines and the European Union. In addition, this issue may contain Reader Offers, being offers, competitions or surveys. Reader Offers may require you to provide personal information to enter or to take part. Personal information collected for Reader Offers may be disclosed by us to service providers assisting BB in the conduct of the Reader Offer and to other organisations providing special prizes or offers that are part of the Reader Offer. An opt-out choice is provided with a Reader Offer. Unless you exercise that opt-out choice, personal information collected for Reader Offers may also be disclosed by us to other organisations for use by them to inform you about other products, services or events or to give to other organisations that may use this information for this purpose. If you require further information, please contact BB’s Privacy Officer either by email at privacy@bidefordblack.com.au or mail at Privacy Officer, Bideford Black, PO Box 20154, World Square, NSW 2002.

Fast and slow

f there’s one thing that sums up this edition of Motorcycle Trader it’s light and shade or, more specifically, fast and slow. I’m far from ever being one of the world’s fastest guys on two wheels (we have Cam Donald for that), so I’ve kind of grown used to being the bridesmaid around here. Take when it comes to invitations to new model launches, for example, particularly for the fast and the exotic. “Hi Chris, we’d love to have you attend the launch.” “Great. I’m free then, so I’ll be there. Send me the details.” “Yeah, so we’d really like Cam to be there for you guys.” “Oh.” That’s okay, I know my place. Perhaps Cam noticed me masking regrets and reservations when I sat out the chance to let rip down the drag strip, like a real man, aboard a GSX-S1000 with him and oldschool drag racer Dennis Ackland. That’s okay, I had a job to do: assist ace photographer Ben Galli with lighting, butter up track officials to grant us access and keep everybody fed and happy. Our night at the drags was a sensory overload. Eyes dart from one beast to the next, eardrums stretch from serious horsepower, and cold, wet noses react like smelling salts of densely smoking Hoosiers. The lone and long ride home was the antithesis of all this. With cold, clean air chilling my lungs, the standard GSX-S1000 was reduced to nursing me in front of the prying infrared eyes of many a Highway Patrol hidden in the darkness of night. Defeat was all but assured if I didn’t fly under their radar. While riding at said snail pace, I had a childhood flashback of the one time my Mum didn’t let me go hunting with my uncle. Cricket in the

backyard just didn’t cut it for the rest of that day, so I took to the apple trees with the bat instead. Not that I’m bitter from missing out this time, but read Cam’s cover story on the night (from page 18) and tell me you wish you weren’t there, keen for a crack and to witness Dennis’ unassuming GSX1100 blow the doors off countless cars. And while we’re all being honest, you might even admit you’d be nervous too. Imagine taking to the start line, a red right hand, waiting for the Christmas tree to sequence down to green as your vision tunnels to where the strip’s glossy reflection and night sky merge into a void of solitude. That I observed from afar, watching a lonely red tail-light fade into the night before the results board illuminated the indiscriminatory verdict. It’s all about the numbers, and you’ll be amazed by what times and speeds can be achieved for such little outlay, old or new. Meanwhile, the purposefully slow in this edition comes in two guises: learning the art of going slow on trials bikes to ultimately be smoother, faster and more efficient on enduro bikes (page 64) and, by almost complete contrast, playing a part of my wife’s uncle’s bucket list to ride on a Harley (page 72). To cruise at a leisurely pace to take it all in, to reflect on life and, for the likes of you and I, to remember and appreciate the fact that we simply do ride. Not everybody gets the privilege. To say it was a pleasure to facilitate Larry’s post-cancer wish is an understatement, especially learning more about what he and his family went through, and to get to where he is today. Larry was keen to open up and share his story, so if it somehow helped just one person then it was worth it. Here’s to good health and great rides. And good luck, Cam, at the Isle of Man. “Ride it like you stole it!”

Harley strips Sporty Harley-Davidson has added a stripped-down Sportster to its range to whet the appetites of custom-bike builders. Priced at $19,495 rideaway ($NZ20,250), the 1200cc V-twin-powered Roadster joins the Dark Custom line-up and brings Harley’s Australian model range to 29. Highlights include lowrise ’bars, mid-mount footpegs, dual front disc brakes with ABS and the highest seat in the

Sportster range, at 145mm. The 19-inch front and 18-inch rear fivespoke cast-aluminium wheels are also new, as is suspension: 43mm USD forks with “tri-rate springs” in triple clamps, and coil-over shocks with and adjustable preload at the rear. This gives the Roadster the best suspension travel in the Sportster range – 120mm in front and 80mm in the rear. Keeping with the

blank-canvas style, the rear guard is 40mm shorter than the previous Sportster guard, while the slotted belt guard and muffler shields mimic holes once drilled through race-bike components. A four-inch diameter instrument is low in front of the triple clamp and features an analogue tachometer with an inset digital speedometer. Inspired by classic racing motorcycles and trends

toward minimalism, the Roadster will be available in Vivid Black with a charcoal denim pinstripe, Black Denim with a red pinstripe, Velocity Red Sunglo with a red pinstripe, and twotone Billet Silver/Vivid Black with a burgundy pinstripe. The $19,495 price equals the range-topping SuperLow touring Sportster’s. It is expected to arrive in mid-June.

UP FRONT

BMW adds SOS button BMW will next year introduce an SOS emergency system that can detect when the motorcycle is involved in a major or minor crash and automatically send a distress signal to reduce emergency response times. The potentially lifesaving system is more advanced than current hand-held emergency beacons, such as EPIRBs, that require the push of a button to activate an emergency response. BMW’s ‘Intelligent Emergency Call’ system, or ‘eCall’, however, uses a host of sensors in the bike, including crash sensors to detect collisions and a bankingangle sensor to detect high- and low-side incidents.

BMW will offer eCall as a factory-fitted option in Europe early next year and other markets thereafter. It is not yet confirmed for Australia, however, due to the vast remoteness between major cities. Other determining factors include whether the system will solely rely on conventional mobile phone networks as it does in Europe (and thus considerably limit coverage here) or utilise the strength of satellite phone technology, which should prove popular among BMW GS adventure riders in Australia’s remote locations. “Australia is a nightmare compared to Europe to consider these sorts of things,” BMW Motorrad

Australia marketing manager Miles Davis says. “We assume it will be coming, but we’re just not sure on the timing.” “Typical road bikes is one thing, but when you’re talking GSs and where they can be in our market is a totally different kettle of fish to Europe. “You don’t have to be too far away from a metro city to be on a road, enjoying your GS, possibly on your own. And if you do have a problem, the next vehicle mightn’t see you, or it could be a day or more before the next one comes along. That makes it complicated for [BMW head office in Germany] to have a solid strategy on how to handle it. “They are looking at it and they are aware of the

challenges we face here,” Davis says. The compact, handlebarmounted system features an SOS button with a safety cover as well as an integrated microphone and loudspeaker to communicate with an emergency call centre in your preferred language to help other road users in need. The system can only be triggered manually when the motorcycle is stationary with the ignition on. The manual callout can also be cancelled. The system is said to not trigger automatically in non-emergency situations, such as lowspeed incidents, if the bike tips over or when riding over obstructions and small jumps.

BMW boosts scooters BMW has bolstered its C 650 maxi-scooter range with new Sport and GT variants featuring modified drivetrains, retuned suspension and more standard features. Chief among improvements to the range, launched in 2012, is a retuned 647cc parallel-twin-cylinder engine and an upgraded Continuously Variable Transmission for better performance and to meet the latest EU4 emission standards. The Sport, from $14,150 (plus on-road costs), and the GT, from $14,990, now have a 5km/h-faster 180km/h top speed and better off-the-line response, using 44kW and 63Nm. That comes thanks largely to a wider spread of gear ratios. Also upgraded is the

stainless-steel exhaust system, now fitted only with a rear silencer, and spring and damper rates for the 40mm USD forks and rear swingarm suspension.

Fifteen-inch alloy wheels are expected to further improve comfort, balance and handling, and Automatic Stability Control (ASC) and ABS have been added for safety. Design-wise, the Sport (pictured, left) has been overhauled, while the GT (right) has been finetuned with new rear-side panels and an LED taillight.

Other features include redesigned instrument dials, adjustable windshields, with electric control for the GT, an automatic park brake that’s activated when the sidestand is folded down, and a revised design for the centrestand that requires 30 per cent less effort to jack up. The 60-litre storage space under the seat of the GT is illuminated with LED and complemented by two front glove compartments, one featuring a standard power socket and automatic locking function. The Sport has less storage space but there is still enough room to securely store two helmets. Fuel use is a claimed 4.6L/100km at a constant 90km/h.

will take BMW GS riders into the heart of our country in the company of others GS riders,” BMW Motorrad Australia marketing manager Miles Davis says. “It will challenge many and it will take riders to places that most would not ride

by themselves.” The first three Safari Enduro events were Victorian High Country (2013), Darwin to Palm Cove (2014) and Bourke to Victor Harbor last year. For details and to register, go to www. BMWSafari.com

BMW GS Safari Enduro is go BMW’s GS Safari Enduro will kick off from July 24 from the South Australian coast at Streaky Bay to Broken Hill, NSW, via remote routes of the Australian outback. The event is capped to 100 riders, with around 20 spaces still available as MT went to press. Priced between $2000 and $3900 based on accommodation preferences, the six-day ride is claimed to be a more challenging version of the popular GS Safari, and suited to experienced off-road riders looking to 14

travel greater distances each day on their BMW adventure bikes. The annual event is fully supported with mechanical, medical and luggage-carrying backup as well as most meals. From Streaky Bay riders will encounter vast open plains, salt lakes (including Lake Eyre), the Flinders Ranges and iconic Australian towns like Coober Pedy and Arkaroola. The event culminates with a farewell dinner in the historic city of Broken Hill. “This is an event that

UP FRONT

Suzuki homebrews V-Strom ﬂagship Suzuki has released a Grand Tourer edition of its V-Strom 1000 adventure bike as a sweetener for Australian buyers. The V-Strom 1000GT is available at $19,990 rideaway, $3000 more expensive than the standard model on which it is based, but includes almost $5000 worth of accessories. These include a factory 35-litre topbox, sidecase set, centrestand, lower engine cowling, crash bars, touring screen, LED indicators, handguards, decal set and a tank protector. The V-Strom 1000 has proven to be a competent all-rounder since its release in 2014 but hasn’t been a huge seller for Suzuki. The GT package

should help Suzuki clear stock and will feature Suzuki’s dual-throttle fuel injection, traction control and its three-mode system that monitors front and rear wheel speeds. Chassis-wise, there’s Suzuki’s twin-spar frame, with fully adjustable 43mm inverted forks and a single-shock rear

suspension with rebound damping adjustability, plus a remote spring preload adjuster. Also included is ABS and an adjustable windscreen. “We have picked some of the more popular touring items and built the bike with an attractive ride-away price of under $20,000,” Suzuki

Motorcycles Australia marketing manager Lewis Croft says. Last year Suzuki sweetened the V-Strom 650 with an Australian-specific XT package and said a 1000cc version would be next to be kitted out. The 2016 Suzuki V-Strom 1000GT is available in Metallic Mystic Silver, Candy Red and Metallic Matte Grey and is backed by Suzuki’s two-year, unlimitedkilometre warranty. The introduction of the GT grows Suzuki’s V-Strom family to six variants. Suzuki’s best-selling adventure bike, the DL650XA sold 208 units last year and was the company’s only bike in the top-10 sellers.

strong sales from the Indian marque. Indian Motorcycle’s Australian sales are up

more than 50 per cent so far this year (January to March) compared with last year.

LE Scouts out Indian Motorcycle has launched the first in a series of ‘locally inspired’ Scout limited-edition models. Priced at $20,995 rideaway, the Scout LE is $1000 more expensive than the standard Scout but includes more than $3000 worth of extras. Ten Scout LEs have been produced so far and feature chrome wire

wheels, a 1920s-inspired tan leather solo seat and a hand-painted two-tone tank with painted Indian warbonnet. According to Indian, the LEs are based on the standard Scout, with its 1133cc V-twin, but with old-school highlights from the genuine accessory range. The special editions come off the back of

At 100 kilometers per hour, a bike with A.B.S could save you up to 9 metres when braking. With 45% less chance of being involved in a serious crash, shouldn’t your next bike have ABS? VISIT: VICROADS.VIC.GOV.AU/SAFERBIKES trademotorcycles.com.au 15

QUICK FANG WORDS: CHRIS DOBIE

KTM 690 DUKE R

SPEX KTM 690 DUKE R

ENGINE: TYPE: Liquid-cooled, four-valves-per-

cylinder, SOHC, single-cylinder CAPACITY: 690cc BORE & STROKE: 102 x 84.5mm COMPRESSION RATIO: 12.6:1 FUEL SYSTEM: Keihin EFI

TRANSMISSION: TYPE: Six-speed, constant-mesh FINAL DRIVE: Chain

CHASSIS & RUNNING GEAR: FRAME TYPE: Chromium-moly, steel trellis frame FRONT SUSPENSION: Fully adjustable WP USD 43mm fork, 150mm travel REAR SUSPENSION:

MIDDLE-CHILD MADNESS M

ost people can’t name the middle boy from The Brady Bunch despite watching the show for years. No matter how talented the middle child is, it rarely receives the attention it deserves. The middle child of the Duke family is the 690 R and it too struggles for recognition. It’s all part of our psyche of wanting the fastest and most powerful of anything, so many look past the 690 Duke R and go straight to the 1290 Super Duke R flagship. In KTM’s Peter Brady, I discovered a machine that delivers pure riding enjoyment based on an old philosophy – if you

THUMBS UP – Agility – Fun factor

THUMBS DOWN – Analogue/digital dash combo – More exhaust note needed

can’t add power, subtract weight. The 690 Duke R uses KTM’s dirtbike arsenal to keep weight to a minimum and performance to a maximum. Its supermoto derived 690cc, big single differs from its smallerdisplacement 390 Duke sibling with just a single overhead cam. Instead, it has twin sparkplugs, controlled independently by the engine management system to maximise combustion across the rev range. European markets receive a standard 690 Duke, but our R version gains an Akrapovic slip-on for more bark and a power pep, fully adjustable WP suspension with extra travel and higher-set footpegs for improved lean angle. Having just a single cylinder means the engine is narrow and light, with minimal rotating mass. During the design stage, this allowed the talented KTM engineers

16 trademotorcycles.com.au

to produce a chassis made from thin-walled chromium-molybdenum tube, weighing just nine kilograms. It adds up to a bike with a dry weight of 149.5kg, or a very flickable motorcycle that stops on a dime. During our time with the fiesty thing, I stretched its legs through the twists and turns of a brilliant mountain pass followed by a tight and technical race circuit. The 690 R excelled in all conditions, mainly due to its low- and mid-range torque. The power delivery is linear right across the rev range doing away with the need for any kind of traction control system as it drives the bike smoothly out of low- or high-speed bends. It’s a cinch to fire through fast sweepers and ‘S’ bends, with just a finger on the brake lever for security. Being able to barrel into a tight hairpin with the slipper clutch doing its thing, and the Brembo Monobloc

Fully adjustable WP monoshock, 150mm travel FRONT BRAKE: 300mm disc with four-piston caliper, ABS REAR BRAKE: 230mm disc with single-piston caliper, ABS

DIMENSIONS & CAPACITIES: DRY WEIGHT: 149.5kg SEAT HEIGHT: 865mm WHEELBASE: 1466mm FUEL CAPACITY: 14L

WHEELS & TYRES: FRONT: 17x3.5-inch cast aluminium

with 120/70 R17 REAR: 17x5.0-inch cast aluminium with 160/60 R 17 TYRES: Metzeler Sportec M7 RR

PERFORMANCE: POWER: 51.5kW (70hp) at 7500rpm TORQUE: 70Nm at 5500rpm

OTHER STUFF: PRICE: From $14,495 (plus on-road

costs) WARRANTY: 24 months, unlimited km www.KTM.com.au

stoppers squeezed to the point of ABS intervention, means even with my average ability, the only thing to pass me all day on the track was a 1290 Super Duke being ridden by one of the KTM test team. The 690 Duke R is priced from $14,495 ($NZ16,749) plus on-road costs, but the look on the faces of your friends when you hose their multi-cylinder sportsbikes with a singlecylinder naked will be priceless.

RUNS IN THE FAMILY WORDS CAM DONALD PHOTOS BEN GALLI

SUZUKI SHOOTOUT GSX1100E VS GSX-S1000

A sleeper, a stocker and a stonker: join us for the ultimate Suzuki GSX muscle test

ennis Ackland had my attention at â&#x20AC;&#x153;a clean but unusualâ&#x20AC;? 1980 Suzuki GSX1100E that lived in his shed. Always a man of mystery, Dennis had never mentioned the bike, so I was intrigued. He saw it advertised and checked it out while working for Yoshimura Suzuki in the US. It had GS750 sidecovers. The seller apparently

used the bike for street drags and the 750 badges were one of his ploys to pull big bucks from the competition. Another part of the ruse was a butterfly in the exhaust connected to the choke cable. With the butterfly closed the bike sounded like a sewing machine. The rider would do the deal for a head-to-head street drag and line up before pulling the choke to open

“When the clutch drops, the bullshit stops and the stopwatch doesn’t lie” the door on 1168cc of big-bore fury. In his strong southern accent, he boasted “paying for the bike 10 times over with money won while racing them fools!” It might appear stock-standard but this GSX is your classic wolf in sheep’s clothing. Look a little closer, though, and you’ll notice the standard Mikuni CV carbs have been replaced with 33mm Mikuni smooth-bores, but the full list of mods is much longer. To see how much meat there really was in the sandwich we’d need to put it on the dyno and down the quarter mile. As a long-time drag racer, Dennis had all the credentials to get the old girl running down the strip at its quickest but, to make things interesting, we decided to line up the 1100 against its modern equivalent, the GSX-S1000. To spice things up even more, Suzuki Australia marketing manager Lewis Croft mentioned Phil Tainton Racing was cooking up a hot version of the recently launched naked bike. 20

Phil is well-versed in turning out faster Suzukis. After racing dirt bikes and speedway, he switched to road racing and turned his skills as a trained machinist to building race engines. This led to him running the Suzuki Australia Superbike team for 18 years, during which time they secured nine superbike, one supersport and one endurance championship. While running the race team, Phil wasn’t just working on engines but building the race bikes from top to bottom in-house. He’s also

a trained Ohlins technician, so he can sort chassis and suspension tuning. Not many race-team owners would be able to multi-task like Phil, a man of many talents. Tainton works on all brands but, as a self-confessed Suzuki tragic, it wasn’t too hard to get him to fire up the Dynojet dyno to make the bullshit stop. First up was the GSX1100E. In its day, the stocker had a claimed 100hp, but 26 years have passed and the odometer on Dennis’ dinosaur now reads 12,000 miles. The GSX achieved 128.3hp (95.7kW) and 115.2Nm, proving the 1980s mods still pack a punch. Next up was the brandspanking GSX-S1000, with just a few hundred kilometres on the clock. That pumped out 147.3hp (109.9kW) and 108.2Nm without even being run-in. Last was the black and orange GSX-S Phil had been tinkering with. He’s had a crankshaft made to stroke the engine from 59 to 63mm and the bore’s gone from

SUZUKI SHOOTOUT GSX1100E VS GSX-S1000

Dennis Ackland (above) knows his way down a dragstrip while Cam (above right) was like a kid in a candy shop for the first time.

73.4mm to 77, taking the capacity close to that of Dennis’s GSX. JE pistons were used and, due to a raised gudgeon pin location, they only run a single ring. PTR cams and porting complete the internal mods. With a Power Commander to fix the fuelling, and a Yoshimura slip-on, the bike produces an impressive 188.1hp (140.3kW) and 135.8Nm. A street meet was scheduled for the following Friday night at Calder Park, in outer Melbourne. Game on.

NIGHT AT THE DRAGS We arrived as the sun set over the bustling pit area and, as the temperature dropped, you could feel the excitement rising. A mixture of race fuel, testosterone, nerves and burning rubber filled the air. From hotted-up sedans to nitro-burning drag cars, it was

THE DYNO ACKLAND’S 1980 GSX1100E 95.7kW (128.3hp) at 8750rpm and 115.2Nm (85.0ft-lbs) at 8750rpm STANDARD GSX-S1000 109.9kW (147.3hp) at 9800rpm and 108.2Nm (79.8ft-lbs) at 11,000pm TAINTON’S GSX-S1000 140.3kW (188.1hp) at 11,000rpm and 135.8Nm (100.2ft-lbs) at 11,200rpm

“A mixture of race fuel, testosterone, nerves and burning rubber filled the air”

THE DRAGSTRIP ACKLAND’S GSX1100E: 11.10sec at 204km/h STANDARD GSX-S1000: 10.72sec at 211km/h TAINTON’S GSX-S1000: 10.23sec at 227km/h

SUZUKI SHOOTOUT GSX1100E VS GSX-S1000

The red, modified GSX-S1000 was just at the beginning of the development road at PTR, with some parts still on the way.

a mish-mash of entries, with us bikers being the minority. We unloaded the vans and followed Dennis’ set-up advice: “20psi in the rear and as little fuel in the tank as possible.” Through scrutineering and then its time to join the long queue. That’s what you spend most of your time doing at the drags: waiting for your turn. I’m a novice when it comes to drag racing, so I was keen to watch how the starting system worked before my first run. Dennis offered a few tips on how to stage the bike at the starting lights and use the rear brake to load it up for the launch. This is all foreign to roadrace starts and had me thinking of multiple things at once. His last words of advice rung in my ears as I was finally called to the line: “Just relax and don’t f**k it up!” Performing a burnout to heat the tyre is actually a crucial part of the procedure. I’m a hoon at heart so no encouragement was needed, and the Phil Tainton Racing GSX-S spun the rear tyre like it was made of butter. My heart rate climbed as I crept forward to trip the staging lights. Once in position, I set the revs to around 6000rpm and eased the clutch out with my foot on the rear brake. Ahead was straight shiny bitumen that disappeared into complete darkness. In the corner of my eye was

the Christmas tree of starting lights. A quarter-mile drag strip is just 400m of straight road which, on paper, doesn’t sound exciting. But lining up between those narrow concrete walls demands your attention. If things go wrong, there’s no run-off and there’s a good chance you’ll have another bike in the lane beside you. As the lights flashed towards the bottom of the tree, I eased the rear brake and dropped the clutch. The Shinko drag tyre on the Tainton Suzuki gripped and lurched the front wheel off the ground while I battled to balance the rear brake and clutch to control wheel lift without shutting the throttle. The GSX-S revved straight to the limiter. Shit! I left my shift too late! All went to plan from there and I clicked fourth just before the finish line. It all happened so quick, and apart from the late

upshift it felt okay. The time clock would tell the real story, however. On returning to the pit, Editor Chris called out 10.75 seconds at 212km/h, but there was no time to chat as I was straight back out on the standard bike for my second run. The initial launch on the blue bike was good but, without the luxury of a quickshifter, I had several goes at upshifts. This run was a 10.98 at 201km/h. On the 1980 GSX, Dennis managed a sprint time of 11.90 at 194km/h, but he expected more and was keen to line up again.

SPEED & STRENGTH We were kept entertained by the endless line of muscle and modern cars and drivers during the hours spent waiting for the next run. It’s a melting pot of cultural backgrounds all in the one place at the one time for the same reason. trademotorcycles.com.au 23

“I nailed the launch and shifted up without nudging redline – surely this would be my first sub-10-second pass!”

Covering 400 metres as quick as you can sounds so simple, but the work involved to get a road-registered car or bike under the 10-second mark is far from straightforward. No matter how much horsepower you have, it has to be backed by hair-trigger reaction times and quick decisions. Wins or losses are measured in thousandths of a second. And it’s all very addictive. Dennis examined our timeslips, analysing our reaction and 60-foot times. It’s the first 60 feet that make or break your run, he says. I was confident of breaking into the nines if I rode the bike better but “on a short-wheelbase street bike with around 180hp, a 10.15 is the best you could hope for,” Dennis said with deadpan surety. As a racer, I only heard this as a challenge to prove him wrong. My next run was neat and clean. I nailed the launch and shifted up without nudging redline – surely this would be my first sub-10second pass! But 10.23 at 227km/h confirmed Dennis certainly knows a bit about drag racing. At night’s end we compared our best times with great interest, 24

especially when you consider these bikes were all built to be comfortably ridden and carve corners. What we subjected them to was never going to be a handling comparison, but highlighted their differences in a straight-up drag race. The night certainly produced some interesting talking points. Of course Dennis and I had hoped to go quicker but, as they say in drag racing, “When the clutch drops, the bullshit stops and the stopwatch doesn’t lie”.

Ackland checks the timeslips for the reaction and 60-foot times in the pits. There were no special offers on these shopper dockets.

For around $12,000 (or almost $14,000 with labour), just half a second was gained with the Tainton bike. The 1980 GSX sure held its own against bikes 35 years younger. To me, it illustrates how bikes are becoming faster, but it’s in chassis, tyres and suspension that the biggest improvements have been made. Phil was happy with the results in the knowledge there’s more to come. He reminded us that his bike wasn’t built for drag racing but to demonstrate how much they could improve the already-accomplished GSX-S1000. The near-190hp version still runs perfectly on regular petrol with longevity and reliability. The build is also still in its infancy when we ran it, as Phil was still waiting for parts. A Yoshimura full exhaust system was not yet available, and some information was needed to unlock the standard ECU and tweak software that was inhibiting power output. Phil intends to make some airbox and induction mods before turning his focus on the chassis. Ohlins suspension internals should help handle the power increase, too.

SUZUKI SHOOTOUT GSX1100E VS GSX-S1000

SUZUKI SHOOTOUT

SPEX

1980 SUZUKI GSX1100E

2016 SUZUKI GSX-S1000

GSX1100E VS GSX-S1000

SO THEN? Our night at the drags was an exciting way to perform a straight-up head-to-head acceleration test with some riderfriendly Suzukis.The results of the standard bike show startling performance straight from the showroom. Both the original 1980 GSX1100E and latest GSX-S1000 were designed to offer performance, comfort and reliability. To improve on that isn’t an easy task. Both Dennis’ and Phil’s fettled versions offered more engine performance without losing everyday rideability. This has been achieved by methodically planning and calculating changes before they are implemented. The dust has now settled and I’m still pondering our results. I thought I would have broken the 10-second barrier. Dennis explained that it didn’t happen due to the “short” wheelbase and had nothing to do with a lack of horsepower. If we were 26

to try again, the next best modification would be to lengthen the swingarm to help keep the front wheel down on take off. Dennis’ GSX is now a classic superbike and clean examples aren’t

“It might seem standard but this GSX is your classic wolf in sheep’s clothing” exactly for sale on every street corner. They are still relatively affordable when you find one, however. As for Dennis’ sleeper, an 11-second quarter-mile sprint time is pretty damn good for a 36-year-old bike. Beside all the chat of start techniques, horsepower and elapsed time, our night confirmed how much bang-for-buck a bike offers over a modern sportscar at 10 times the price. You also don’t necessarily need an arsenal of electronics, as these modern Suzukis prove. Long live the GSX.

ENGINE:

TYPE: Air-cooled four-valve inline four-cylinder with DOHC CAPACITY: 1074cc BORE & STROKE: 72 x 66mm COMPRESSION RATIO: 9.5:1 FUEL SYSTEM: 4x 34mm Mikuni CV carbs

TYPE: Liquid-cooled, fourvalve, four-cylinder with DOHC CAPACITY: 999cc BORE & STROKE: 73.4 x 59mm COMPRESSION RATIO: 12.2:1 FUEL SYSTEM: EFI

PERFORMANCE:

POWER: 73kW (100hp) at 8700rpm TORQUE 85.3Nm at 6500rpm

POWER: 107kW (146hp) at 10,000rpm TORQUE: 106Nm at 9500rpm

TRANSMISSION:

TYPE: Five-speed FINAL DRIVE: Chain

TYPE: Six-speed, constant mesh FINAL DRIVE: Chain

CHASSIS & RUNNING GEAR:

FRAME: Twin-loop, tubular steel FRONT SUSPENSION: 37mm KYB fork, 130mm travel REAR SUSPENSION: Twin shocks, adjustable for preload, 107mm travel FRONT BRAKES: Twin 275mm discs REAR BRAKE: 275mm disc

FRAME: Aluminium twin spar FRONT SUSPENSION: 43mm KYB fork, fully adjustable, 120mm travel REAR SUSPENSION: Link type, adjustable rebound and spring preload FRONT BRAKES: 300mm disc with four-piston Brembo calipers, ABS REAR BRAKE: 300mm disc with twin-piston Brembo caliper, ABS

DIMENSIONS & CAPACITIES: WET WEIGHT: 254kg SEAT HEIGHT: 806mm WHEELBASE: 1549mm FUEL CAPACITY: 19L

WHEELS & TYRES: WHEELS: 19-inch (f), 17-inch (r), five-spoke cast alloys TYRES: 3.50 V19 (f), 4.50 V17 (r)

MODS: 1mm oversize intake valves Vance & Hines camshaft 290 lift (mild) 1168cc big-bore kit O-ringed cylinders Ported and polished cylinder head Trued and welded crank Heavy-duty clutch basket Vance & Hines 4-into-1 system

DIMENSIONS & CAPACITIES: WET WEIGHT: 209kg SEAT HEIGHT: 810mm WHEELBASE: 1460mm FUEL CAPACITY: 17L

WHEELS & TYRES: WHEELS: 17-inch, six-spoke cast alloys TYRES: 120/70 ZR17 (f), 190/50 ZR17 (r), Dunlop Sportmax D214

OTHER STUFF: PRICE: $A14,990 / $NZ16,995 (plus on-road costs) WARRANTY: 24 months, unlimited kilometres www.SuzukiMotorcycles.com.au www.Suzuki.co.nz/motorcycle

PTR GSX-S1000 MODS $2000 $2600 $1800 $1800 $1399 $1086 $540 $340 $2400 $13,965

Big-bore kit Stroker crank Carrillo conrods Cylinder head modifications PTR camshafts Yoshimura carbon-fibre slip-on muffler Power Commander DynoJet quickshifter to suit Power Commander Assembly

ATOMIC TANGERINE

OCEAN GREY

SHINING BLACK

SCRAMBLER SIXTY2

THE LAND OF JOY 400 CC OF JOY

Learner Approved

LAUNCH REPORT DUCATI SCRAMBLER SIXTY2

Ducati Scrambler Sixty2

ART VS SCIENCE WORDS SEAN MUIR IMAGES DUCATI AUSTRALIA

The Scrambler Sixty2 is about as ‘fun’ as a learner bike gets. But is that enough? Ducati thinks so

can’t think of anything worse than being forced to have fun. Fun is for five-year olds and idiots. I’d rather work all day, quietly waiting to die. So you can imagine my reaction to being asked to fly to sunny Sydney for the launch of the Ducati Scrambler Sixty2 – a LAMS bike that’s all about fun and not much else. I was devastated. Heartbroken. How could I possibly have fun knowing that Editor Charris would be toiling away on magazine deadline, standing at the wheelie bin he’s converted into a tall desk because he hurt his back picking up one of his 50 children? How could I have fun while sub-editor Wol’s entire extended family had whooping cough and diarrhoea? How could I have fun while

Spannerman was living under a bridge without even an Esky for his plonk or a mirror to show him the mustard on his beard? I’m not being facetious. I ride only to think deep, meaningful thoughts about complicated things – certainly not to have fun. But if I’m honest, none of these things is really why I wasn’t looking forward to the Sixty2 launch. The real reason was that, being a conscientious journalist, I’d already looked at the bike’s specs and they confirmed what I’d feared: the Sixty2 was nearly identical to Ducati’s best-selling 803cc Scrambler but with half the engine capacity, half the torque, much less power and nearly the same price tag. Fun, hey? Lucky, I have a gift for seeing the best in things. trademotorcycles.com.au 29

Before LAMS came along, we learnt on bikes that barely did 100km/h, had the torque of eggbeaters and were about as fashionable as old jocks hanging on a doorknob. Now there’s this. Jealous?

GENERATION GAP The launch started with my Sixty2 not starting. That’s not true. The launch started with TV presenter/DJ Danny Clayton’s beard introducing itself as the brand ambassador for the Sixty2. I say beard because Danny is freakishly tall, so my eyes were at beard level (I’m 194cm). Shortly after that, my bike wouldn’t start. It wasn’t the bike’s fault, though – I think it was just out of fuel. Not to be discouraged, I jumped on the only other full-black Sixty2 left in our convoy. This little V-twin fired up first try and I took off, revving hard to catch up with the other launch riders – half of whom were jaded, old journalists and the other half Danny’s young friends from Sydney-based electronic dance band Art Vs Science. From the back of the pack, I had an interesting view of the day’s proceedings. Immediately two packs formed, with the journos up front and Danny’s dance friends down back. The journos seemed to be all business. They studied the downsized air-cooled engine, some trying to pop the front wheel on the 30

strength of the bike’s 34Nm, exactly half of the 803cc Scrambler’s 68Nm. They checked if the brakes worked, since the front has a 320mm disc with two-piston caliper instead of the 803’s 330mm disc and fourpiston caliper. And they watched the bike’s revs as they tried to get the most out of the 30kW produced at 8750rpm, considerably down on 803’s 55kW at 8250rpm. Judging from the journos’ faces, the results weren’t a revelation. Meanwhile, Danny and his dance party couldn’t have been happier.

WHAT’S IN A NAME? The Sixty2 pays homage to the first Ducati Scrambler, launched in 1962. That Ducati had a ‘narrowcase’ single-cylinder 250cc engine and was a practical bike. Like the Sixty2, it wasn’t the fastest thing, but it had a centred riding position and competitive handling. Perhaps the main similarity between today’s Sixty2 and the 1962 version, though, is style: the early Scrambler was a fashionable bike and so is the Sixty2 – although these days, we don’t say fashionable; we say ‘on trend’.

They haphazardly weaved through traffic, with wide smiles and not a worry. They obviously hadn’t read the specs. They hadn’t seen that the Sixty2 has cheaper componentry such as a box-section tubular steel swingarm and conventional forks, where the 803 has a cast-aluminium swingarm and upside-down forks. They definitely didn’t seem to care that the bike was only $1300 cheaper, at $11,990 (plus on-road costs), than the entry-level 803, the Icon. I was confused. How could Danny and his dance mob be having so much fun?

TRAFFIC PAIN As we moved into the traffic, I began to question the wisdom of Ducati’s marketing team. The day was supposed to be fun. Traffic is not fun. It makes my wanking wrist sore. But I thought I’d make the most of the surrounding trucks and fourwheel drives by testing the bike’s low-speed credentials. They are impressive. Like the 803, the Sixty2’s handling is light and confidence-inspiring.

LAUNCH REPORT DUCATI SCRAMBLER SIXTY2

“I ride only to think deep, meaningful thoughts about complicated things”

trademotorcycles.com.au 31

That’s thanks largely to 24 degrees of rake, 112mm of trail and a 1460mm wheelbase. Combine this with its high, scrambler handlebars and narrow, traffic-splitting flanks, and you get a bike that feels like a BMX, which – if the BMX-themed tank branding is anything to go by – isn’t an accident. The long seat also ensures a comfortable riding position and the low centre of gravity, plus a downsized 160/60x17-inch rear tyre and 150mm of travel, makes it easy to zip around cars and even up the odd gutter or two. Even the touring band seemed to be comfortable in the traffic, despite their unruly riding. They used the slow-going as an opportunity to make hand gestures and pull faces at each other.

LUNA LARK Earlier in the day, one of the journalists had reminded me you could tell the quality of a bike by how much a manufacturer wined and dined you at a launch. If a bike is bad, they’ll put you up at a fivestar hotel and give you hookers. It makes sense – it’s human nature to want to repay someone for buying

Sixty2 is about lifestyle. So, unlike the Monster 659, which it replaces, it won’t compete directly with LAMS bikes such as Yamaha’s MT-07 or Triumph Street Triple 660, which offer better performance.

you hookers. However, if a bike is good, they will put you in a motel and give you Nescafe. So, again, I was confused with Ducati’s approach. The night before I had slept in possibly the worst hotel I’ve ever been in. It smelt of earwax, the window didn’t work and passing trucks rattled the walls all night. Then, just to mix it up, a range-topping Audi chauffeured us to the launch. To make things even more confusing, after riding through the heavy traffic for an hour, we arrived at Luna Park and were offered admission bands entitling us to half an hour of rides. I, of course, didn’t take one – not because I’m a beacon of journalistic integrity but because, as alluded to earlier, I’d rather punch my dick than have fun. Instead, I used the time to talk to older and wiser journalists about what they thought of the bike so far. The consensus was almost unanimous: “It’s good – it handles well, looks the part and is more than enough for most learners.” Of course, then came the “but it’s a pity about the price”, and “it’s a shame they cut the capacity in half.

LAUNCH REPORT DUCATI SCRAMBLER SIXTY2

THE NEXT BIG THING?

“How could Danny and his dance mob be so happy with the bike?” Why would they cut it to 399cc?” Why, indeed?

WHY A 400? Why cut an 803cc engine to a 399cc when bikes under 660cc with a power-to-weight ratio less than 150 kilowatts per tonne qualify as LAMS approved? Why, when the Sixty2’s power-toweight ratio is 117kW per tonne, well below the 150kW-per-tonne learner limit? Why, when the power-toweight ratio of the 803cc Scrambler is about 212kW per tonne? If my maths is correct, Ducati only

needed to shed about 62kW per tonne and 140cc for the Sixty2 to qualify as a learner bike. So why? Why go right down to a 399cc, decreasing the bore and stroke to 72mm x 49mm from 88 x 66mm? The answer is simple: The Sixty2 wasn’t designed specifically for us. Ducati Australia and New Zealand chief executive officer Warren Lee says a 399cc engine was chosen because it works best in the most global markets. “When Ducati considered building the bike, naturally they took a global look at things to see what capacity

Ducati Australia has tipped the Scrambler Sixty2 to become its next best seller, with at least 300 bikes expected to roll out in its debut year. Ducati Australia and New Zealand chief executive officer Warren Lee told Motorcycle Trader the combined sales of the 803cc Scrambler, Ducati’s current best seller, and the just-released 399cc Sixty2 will make up to a third of the company’s sales. But with the youth market growing fast, the learnerapproved Sixty2 could boost sales even further. “We delivered over 400 of the 800cc version in nine months,” Lee says. “For the full 12 months this year, we anticipate more than 500. With the Sixty2 we anticipate probably another 300.”

The Sixty2 is a downsized, nearly-identical twin of the 803cc Scrambler and replaces the Monster 659 as Ducati’s learner offering. Priced from $11,990, plus on-road costs, it is now Ducati’s most affordable bike – more than $1000 less than both the Monster 659 and the Icon Scrambler ($13,290). By the time we went to press, Ducati had already sold more than 40 units. “We certainly think that the combination of cool scrambler styling, high standards of finish and ride quality will give the Scrambler Sixty2 a great chance to become our biggest seller over the next 12 months,” a Ducati spokeswoman said. Last year Ducati’s Australian sales were up 10.5 per cent on 2014 while sales for the first quarter are up 31 per cent on the same period last year. The Sixty2 is aimed at learners but Ducati also hopes to appeal to more experienced riders looking for a run-about for the city and suburbs.

LAUNCH REPORT DUCATI SCRAMBLER SIXTY2

SPEX SCRAMBLER SIXTY2

ENGINE: TYPE: Air-cooled, two desmodromic valves per cylinder, V-twin CAPACITY: 399cc BORE & STROKE: 72mm x 49mm COMPRESSION RATIO: 10.7:1 FUEL SYSTEM: EFI

TRANSMISSION: TYPE: Six-speed FINAL DRIVE: Chain

PERFORMANCE: POWER: 30kW at 8750rpm TORQUE: 34Nm at 7750rpm

would work in the most markets, in terms of being a learner bike or a smallercapacity bike that a non-learner might want to ride.” Fair enough. In Japan, you can ride a bike under 400cc with a standard driver’s licence. But for Aussies and Kiwis, it means the Sixty2 is not as gutsy as it could be.

GO YOUR OWN WAY After lunch at Bondi Beach, it became clear that the journalists were no longer happy to ride with Danny and his dance party. Apparently, a journo had complained after one dirty dancer did a U-turn on a blind corner, nearly taking out a journo in the process. So it was decided: we would go our separate ways. Danny’s dance gang one way and the journos in the opposite. I didn’t mind the dancers. In fact, my riding and dancing skill levels were probably closer to theirs than the other hacks. But it turned out to be a good move because a strange thing happened after we spilt: we journalists started to have – dare I say – fun. Maybe there had only been so much fun to go around, because after Danny’s dance troupe was gone, we rode like young hoons, tipping the featherweight Sixty2 low into backstreets, buzzing up short straights and hitting speed bumps at wheel-lifting speeds. I even got to test the ABS, coming into a turn far too hot – it worked well. 34

We were like a small gang of youths and, at one point, a young bloke on a Kawasaki Ninja even joined our crew, taking on suburbia with us and asking at the lights what we were riding. Now I understood. It was a fun bike. And people like Danny and the dancing bears couldn’t care less if it was 400cc smaller than the bike it was based on. It does what they want it to, looks like they want it to and they’re prepared to pay for it.

CHASSIS & RUNNING GEAR: FRAME: Tubular trellis, steel FRONT SUSPENSION: Showa 41mm traditional fork, 150mm travel REAR SUSPENSION: Kayaba, preload adjustment, 150mm travel FRONT BRAKE: 320mm disc with floating twin-piston caliper, ABS REAR BRAKE: 245mm disc with single-piston caliper, ABS

WHEELS & TYRES:

“We rode like young hoons, tipping the featherweight Sixty2 low into backstreets” BACK TO WORK As I sat at the airport bar with fellow launch rider and former AMCN editor Kel Buckley, we talked about ‘fun’ and work. It got me thinking about two of my close friends who have died this year from heart attacks. Kel told me a similar story. Then I thought, maybe when I get back to the office I can pull editor Charris away from his wheelie bin, sub-editor Wol away from the diarrhoea and Spannerman away from his undercroft, get them to take the day off and go riding. Maybe we could get some fun, trendy, low-capacity bikes and fang them around the back streets, not worrying about specs or how much they cost. Screw it. Why not?

WHEELS: 3.0 x 18-inch (f), alloy; 4.5 x 17-inch (r), alloy TYRES: 110/80 R18 (f), 160/60 R17 (r), Pirelli MT 60 RS

DIMENSIONS & CAPACITIES: WET WEIGHT: 183kg SEAT HEIGHT: 790mm (770mm optional) WHEELBASE: 1460mm FUEL CAPACITY: 14 litres

OTHER STUFF: PRICE: Sixty2 from $11,990 (NZ $13,990), Icon from $13,290 (NZ $15,490), Urban Enduro from $15,490 (NZ $17,990), Classic from $15,490 (NZ $17,990) Full Throttle from $15,490 (NZ $17,990), Flat Track Pro $16,990 (NZ $19,990) (all plus on-road costs) WARRANTY: Two years, unlimited kilometres BIKE SUPPLIED BY: Ducati Australia www.Ducati.com.au

WORDS CAM DONALD PHOTOS JEFF CROW

Cam has always wanted Triumph’s original streetﬁghter. Now he needs one. Problem: Speed Triple R or S?

et’s not beat around the bush – the latest Triumph Speed Triple is a shitload of fun. I’ve come close to owning a Speed Triple many times but, as I suffer from the ‘want everything for nothing’ condition, it hasn’t happened yet. Despite the Speed Triple being released 22 years ago, I didn’t notice it until I became a road rider, back in about 2000. Its versatility appealed to me. As an everyday runabout, it offered an upright and comfortable ride. I could use it for jaunts to local watering holes and it would command respect where anything besides American-made rarely does. Plus, it has enough performance for the annual Tassie trip and wouldn’t be left behind by my mates on sportsbikes. These types of reasons have undoubtedly played a part in winning the hearts of thousands of Speed Triple owners. I ended up buying a conceptually similar

Buell XB12SS to tick those boxes. I love it, but the Speed Triple ticks them better. It’s been a busy year like no other for Triumph, with the iconic British brand releasing no fewer than six models, plus variants such as the S and range-topping R in the Speed Triple range. Triumph’s research and development team must’ve been burning the midnight oil to get through all the new models. Hence, you could excuse it for leaving the tried and tested Speed Triple untouched for another year. When the new model was unveiled I expected a few updates and a power increase. I had reasons for these thoughts. First, the Thruxton R café racer packs a 71kW (95hp) punch which, compared with the original Thruxton’s measly 30kW (39hp), is a gigantic leap. So surely Triumph’s ‘hoon’ bike would also get a substantial kick?

LAUNCH REPORT TRIUMPH SPEED TRIPLE

trademotorcycles.com.au 37

As the naked-bike offerings grow, so do performance figures. The Aprilia Tuono claims 130kW (175hp) and the BMW S1000R claims 119kW (160hp), as does Yamaha’s forthcoming MT-10. You’d think Triumph would want to close the gap between it and the competition but, looking at the Speed Triple’s spec sheet, I was

surprised to see a peak power figure of just 103kW (138hp). What a wonderful time it is for those of us who lust for highpowered motorcycles. Only 50 years ago, bikes such as the Honda CB750 and BSA Rocket 3 left riders fearful of more than 60hp (45kW) and here I’m saying “just 103kW”. A big power figure will catch your attention, but how it gets there is what counts. You can hold the biggest numbers on the dyno, but if the engine only makes ‘usable’ power at the top of its rev range, it’s useless on the street. Compare the Triumph’s torque delivery with its competition’s and you get another story. The Aprilia Tuono Factory: 120Nm at 9000rpm. The BMW S1000R: 112Nm at 9250rpm. The Yamaha MT-10: 110Nm at 9000rpm. The Triumph Speed Triple: 112Nm at 7850rpm. We have a winner. Not only is the Speed Triple’s outright torque figure comparable, but it is also produced 1150rpm lower in the rev range than the next in line, the S1000R. Suddenly the performance gap isn’t so big.

“A big power figure will catch your attention, but how it gets there is what counts”

SAME BUT DIFFERENT Triumph hasn’t simply updated the trusty Speed Triple. It has dissected the model and rebuilt it with a long list of improvements. It’s retained the well-known 1050cc liquid-cooled 12-valve DOHC inline three-cylinder engine, but with 104 new parts. Topping the list are new pistons, crankshaft, cylinder head, airbox, exhaust system, gear linkage, radiator, electronics and a slipper clutch. Little was left untouched. Together these changes only raise peak power by 2kW (3hp) but increase mid-range torque by more than five per cent. Other big changes include the switch to ride-by-wire throttle and switchable ABS and traction control. There are also multiple rider modes – Rain, Road, Sport and Track – plus the ability to create your own. Fuel capacity is down from 17.5 litres to 15.5 but, with improvements to induction and electronics, fuel efficiency is up by a claimed 10 per cent. The Speed Triple’s styling has

LAUNCH REPORT TRIUMPH SPEED TRIPLE

trademotorcycles.com.au 39

also been updated to appear more aggressive. This has been achieved with a new twin-seat design and a headlight assembly set lower on the bike. The fuel cap on the redesigned tank now is the highest part of the Speed Triple. All this has been done while retaining the same titaniumcoloured twin-spar aluminium chassis and single-sided swingarm.

RIDE HARD With more high-performance naked bikes than ever fighting for market share, a good bike launch is a must. It gives distributors a chance to showcase their wares and gives journos a chance to gather their thoughts for you, the reader. If a launch route has bad roads, the bike won’t get a fair test. Triumph knows this and chose a route that started at Albury, NSW, and took us through some of the country’s best high-country bitumen. If I had a dollar for every turn on this route, I wouldn’t have to work for a month. With the bikes ready to go, we chose our steeds. I went straight for the R model (as if you wouldn’t) 40

and we headed out of Albury towards Tallangatta via a mix of back roads that seemed to be made of corrugated bitumen. I expected a firm ride from the R’s Ohlins suspension, and a firm ride it was. My 75kg frame may be lighter than average, but I still think the bike is over-sprung. At street-legal speeds on this bumpy section, the ride was harsh on my arms and arse. Besides that, I could feel the new bike was thinner (20mm in the seat/tank) and more precise in its steering. It also feels lighter, so I was shocked to learn it’s six kilograms heavier than its predecessor. This shows how the overall handling of a motorcycle has more to do with how ‘heavy’ it feels than the number on the scales. With the re-shaped cockpit encouraging your weight forward to the wide handlebars, the Triple requires little effort to muscle it from one turn to the next. Gearbox ratios are good – there’s a nice low first for jumping off the lights, and 4000rpm in top gear will

THUMBS UP

- Slipper clutch with improved feel - Standard bar-end mirrors - Long list of genuine aftermarket options

THUMBS DOWN

- R suspension can be harsh - Long delay from key on to engine start (lengthy self-diagnosis check) - Heated grips not standard

have you sitting on 100km/h with ease. Brembo four-piston radial Monoblock calipers paired with twin 320mm floating discs offer pure performance with stopping power and excellent lever feel. Triumph has worked with Brembo to tune these race-oriented brakes for less initial bite. The result is a brake with more refined control and easier use in the real world. Changing rider modes is easily done on the fly via the left switchblock. The only setting that can’t be changed while in motion is the rider mode. This option gives you the ability to disengage traction

LAUNCH REPORT TRIUMPH SPEED TRIPLE

“Your knees will grip the tank as white-knuckled hands try to hang on” control and ABS. I never bothered, as they work well and don’t hinder the riding experience. I could feel a distinctly different throttle response from the mellow Rain mode to the razor-sharp Track mode. For me, Sport was the best compromise between throttle response, ABS and traction control. As you select up from Rain, you get a more responsive throttle and less intervention from the safety nets. Stopping for morning tea, I tried to soften the R’s suspension settings to see how the bike responded. It was interesting to see the shock compression damping was set standard at 18 of the 22 clicks available, leaving minimal room to adjust upwards via the clickers. A factory default setting is typically near the middle of the range. As the spring had no numbers, I asked Triumph Australia’s technical manager, Cliff Stovall, about the rear spring rate. Cliffy has a wealth of knowledge and knew the spring rate was 10.5kg. To me, it would be better off somewhere closer to 9.5kg.

LAUNCH REPORT

SPEX

TRIUMPH SPEED TRIPLE

TRIUMPH SPEED TRIPLE S/R

My partner, Kaz, has the 675cc Street Triple R and, even with the fork and shock at the softest settings, she finds it harsh over bumps. Stiff springs seem to be a Triumph trait on its R models. Continuing the ride, post adjustments, I noticed an improvement but was keen to compare the R with the more civilised S.

CHALK & STEEZE The Speed Triple S was plush by comparison, as the Showa front and rear suspension was much more compliant over the bumps of back-country roads. Suspension aside, the two models are identical, but I felt no need to adjust the S’s suspension. By day two I was almost sold on the S being my weapon of choice. But I knew the day’s route would be faster and smoother, so I gave the R another chance. And I’m so glad I did. The R comes into its own when riding hard on wellmaintained roads. Yes, the suspension is firm but this gives a more agile ride, allowing the bike to be flicked without a hint of wallowing. There’s less squat when hard on the gas and less fork dive when hard on the picks. I was seeing a new side of the Speed Triple R and I liked it. It’s amazing how a simple change of road conditions had me totally sold on the R model. Some honest appraisal of

ENGINE: TYPE: Liquid-cooled, 12-valve, DOHC, inline three-cylinder CAPACITY: 1050cc BORE & STROKE: 79 x 71.4 COMPRESSION RATIO: 12.25:1 FUEL SYSTEM: EFI

where you intend to ride will be needed when choosing between the two. So how does the new model compare to its competition? A handful of throttle in top gear won’t send the bike surging forward as quickly as an Aprilia Tuono or KTM 1290 Superduke R, but does that matter? Drop two gears and do the same and your knees will grip the tank as white-knuckled hands try to hang on. Drop two more and flick the clutch and you’ll be on the back wheel in a blink. In the real world, the Speed Triple will more than hold its own, plus it’s a Triumph and the British brand still means a lot to many. Unlike its competition, the Speed Triple has some heritage and Triumph has managed to modernise the bike while retaining the DNA of the original. It would function perfectly as an everyday commuter, weekend sport tourer or hoon machine, just like the first model back in 1994. The difference is that the new bike will do everything with more ease, speed and safety. And that’s what counts.

“I decided to give the R another chance – and I’m so glad I did”

TRANSMISSION: TYPE: Six-speed with wet, multi-plate slipper clutch FINAL DRIVE: X-ring chain

CHASSIS & RUNNING GEAR: FRAME TYPE: Aluminium tube twin-spar FRONT SUSPENSION: Showa 43mm USD, adjustable rebound and compression damping, 120mm travel REAR SUSPENSION: S: Showa monoshock, with rebound and compression damping, 130mm travel R: Ohlins TTX36 twin-tube monoshock with rebound and compression damping, 130mm travel FRONT BRAKES: Twin 320mm floating discs, Brembo four-piston Monoblock calipers, switchable ABS REAR BRAKE: 255mm disc, Nissin twin-piston sliding caliper, switchable ABS

DIMENSIONS & CAPACITIES: DRY WEIGHT: 192kg SEAT HEIGHT: 825mm FUEL CAPACITY: 15.5L WHEELBASE: 1435mm

WHEELS & TYRES: WHEELS: 3.5x17 (f), 6x17 (r) cast-aluminium alloy TYRES: 120/70 (f), 190/55 (r) ZR17

PERFORMANCE: POWER: 103kW (138hp) at 9500rpm TORQUE: 112Nm at 7850rpm

OTHER STUFF: PRICE: From $A17,900 (S), $20,350 (R), plus on-road costs NZ TBC COLOURS: Diablo Red/ Phantom Black (S), Crystal White/ Matt Graphite (R) WARRANTY: 12 months TEST BIKE SUPPLIED BY: Triumph Australia

ALL NEW

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Write to MT’s Mailbox at mct@trademotorcycles.com.au or Motorcycle Trader, PO Box 2093, Oakleigh, Vic 3166

What’s on your mind?

Letter of the issue CHALLENGE ACCEPTED Your $3333 challenge (MT#272) has inspired me. You see, I wished I had more girlfriends and motorbikes as a young man. They would have been so much fun. While I can’t fix the girlfriend situation, I can start to address the bikes. I’ve always been the type of fellow to hang on to bikes for a long time. However, in trying to determine my next ride – which is a big decision, for bike I will keep – it all got too hard. So for relief I looked for a bike under $4000 and saw a Fazer FZ6S, TDM900 and a few others with low miles and in good condition, around the corner. I thought to myself, “Just wanna keep life simple and have a bit of fun just like that Fazer”. Then I thought, why not? What could I lose? Might be fun. I did like the “must ride CBR2500RR with 19,000rpm redline” recommended by Motorcycle Trader. Now that Fazer’s mine. It has done 40,000km, it’s in great condition and people come up to me thinking its new. It’s makes 98hp (73kW) and 60Nm, weighs 44

185kg, is lots of fun, very easy to ride and very fast. I will keep it for three to six months then move it on. It should not cost much, if anything, apart from rego. Then on to the next bike. The thing I like most about Trader is that you guys, like me, love and appreciate all bikes, great and small. Whether it is new or vintage, scooter or superbike, off-road or on-road, you guys love and appreciate them. It’s about the ride and the bike, not the person riding it. A perfect example is the $3333 challenge. Another example: the review of older bikes of different genres. I have an idea: do the $3333 challenge again. You could do a road bike, adventure bike, enduro, cruiser or other bike-type challenge. You could extend this to a $3333 New Zealand roadbike challenge, or Euro challenge. It may even be possible to get readers involved by getting them to test bikes via a competition and then getting readers to judge. It could be a lot of fun. So please, keep having fun, appreciate all bikes

and keep the reading g diverse. Richard Furlerr

That’s not a bad idea, Richard. We’ll workshop it after a few at the local. As for the girlfriends, we’ve found bikes to be serviceable substitutes. They age better, anyway. Keep that collection growing, mate, and send us some pics – Ed

UPDATE!

GENTLEMEN, SELE CT

YOUR WEAPON S!

Three teams and $3333.33 each to produce the best spend on three bikes all-rounder? You . Which team will can win one of these choice, not neces bikes – the bike sarily the winner. of your Visit Trademotorcycle entry and visit mctra s.com.au for your der.com.au to vote for the bike you think free This month, the is best. three teams revea l how they’ve spent their money…

TEAM SUPERI OR

competitive rev head, a man for whom subtlety and restrain t are just lead in life’s saddlebags, said, “Rob, we don’t have to worry about the Beemer but we’ll have to go for a big Jap four with enough grunt to blow the Honda into the weeds ” I reminde d him that it’s supposed to be about the best all rounder Ned fired back, about that all rounder “Don’t worry crap It’s gonna be about what happen s when Cam Donald winds on the throttle and gives the bike its head ” I really couldn’ t disagree Time to buy a big bore blaster

THE SHORT LIST

TEAM SUPERIOR

CUTS TO THE CHA SE

Abandoning subtle ty, Blackbourne and Shaw have gone for raw power – 270km for three grand? Read on…

26 mctrader com au

I had been looking at ads for Honda VFR750s both the earlier version and the sexier single sided swingarm model I’d also conside nce Ed Groff confirm red a Yamaha TRX850 ed that They’re all bikes it was game on I like and there for the Three were examples on offer Challenge, Ned within our budget and I could But see that there were once we knew we plenty of were up against good bikes in our VTR “Thou” we a price range With took the big bore route just over $3300 to spend So we then worked we looked at ads our way through for bikes priced a Bandit 1200, a up to $4000 It’s ZZR1100, a couple hard to sell a bike in of FZR1000s before winter so we expecte finding the one d sellers to be ready that really caught our to negotiate attentio Then it got serious 1996 Yamaha FZR100 n the lovely with the news that 0R Thunderace the other guys had In the flesh our already done their Thunderace was deals “Team Sensible even nicer than it looked ” in the ad for a cheap ‘n’ cheerfu had signed up It’s in remarkable l BMW K100 nick for a 17 year while the “Whipp old motorcycle It carried ersnappers” had no noticeable really gone to town, scars of battle except lashing out on a for the missing nice Honda VTR100 LH mirror, snapped 0 Firestorm off in a parking Ned, ever the crazy accident in the garage The only and ultra wear marks are a couple of minor spots on

Th k to our ffriends Thanks i d at Kenma, the writer of each month’s best letter wins an emergency tubeless tyre repair kit valued at $85

THE THREE CHALLENGE

the seat cowl All the indications are that its 58,000k m are genuine It sounded great and was a nice ride The asking price was $3200 Owner Gus accepted my $3000 offer

WIN AT TRADEMO TORCYCLES COM A

KNOW YOUR THUND ERACE

When the YZF100 0R Thunderace arrived in 1996 it provide chassis for the awesom d a decent e 20 valve EXUP engine from the previous FZR100 0 model The alumini um Deltabox frame was stiffer and lighter Yamaha ’s engineers also lightene d the crank and other internal s of the Thunde race version to allow the engine to spin up more eagerly They then provided the bike with the all new monobloc four piston front calipers that would grace the YZF R1 a couple of years later Speaking of the R1, the Thunde race, with 147hp on tap and weighin g 198kg (dry), was as quick as the R1 of the day to 160km/h, topped 270km/h and typicall out at around y dashed down quarter mile drag strips in around 10 8 seconds No slouch Until the R1’s 1998 release, the big “Ace” was Yamaha ’s “Master Blaster” It continued to sell alongside the R1 until 2003, offering performance bike fans a rider and pillion friendly alternat These fellas reckon agile but very uncomp ive to the more they’re ahead of the pack romising R1 with the

AT HOME WITH

Thunderace. Agree?

OUR THUNDERACE

The engine sounds pleasingly wear free and everything impressive looking works Importa fully adjustable ntly, it shows no signs suspenders at both COOLANT: on of being thrashed ends Although the house (I had Its Dunlop Sportma suspension can plenty) $0 x tyres are at least become “tired” 80 per cent The chain after 20,000km looks fresh and (or less), the YZF’s the rear sprocket looks underpinnings So with $133 left fine feel fine on the in the kitty, I’ll road, There’s a lovely particularly since shout the bike a new stainless steel sports I adjusted set of spark plugs all the can fitted and the damping settings and call it quits The original alumini back to standard rest goes on red um muffler was also They wine were uniformly near supplied the “soft” At first I thought end of the scale WHAT ABOUT OUR that the Ventura for compression COMPETITION? rack looked daggy on and rebound I decided “Team Middle a serious sportsbi to leave front of the Road” has ke Then wiser counsel signed and rear spring up for a trusty BMW prevailed As the adjustment as found K100 If ever there bike is going to because, despite was an ordinary be assessed as an modest pre load bike for the ordinary all rounder we’ll be settings, the suspens man, the K100 pointing to the “Brick” would ion feels quite firm rack as evidence of its all be it Best Before we hand wishes lads rounder credent it to Cam at ials I’m thinking it will Broadford, I’ll firm The “Junior Burgers set a new lap record up the pre load ” have really gone for Ventura racks and all the damping to town, securing at the Broadford settings and reduce a Honda VTR100 track the tyre pressures as 0 Firestorm Nice suggested by Brit try fellas Nice enough THE TLC THING mag Performance Bikes bike But rememb back in 1996 for er boys, those giant Because it had track days on a 48mm been sitting for carbs Thunderace suck juice a while I changed the oil with the fuel econom so best of luck and filter and flushed y test And in the cooling system COUNTING THE terms of the “Go” and filled it with COST: factor, with 147 fresh coolant I BIKE: $3000 healthy horses also cleaned, oiled powering its trim, and adjusted the chain OIL AND FILTER: taut and terrific 198kg $57 package, our Yammie The Thunderace MIRROR: $55 flies with the Super comes with Blackbirds It BATTERY: $88 doesn’t hang out The motorcycle with lowly Firestor you want s now easier to find ms Rob Blackbourn trademotorcycles com au

MAILBOX

GUZZ LOVE I loved Guido’s article about getting some Latin love in your shed (MT#305). I’ve been riding pushrod Guzzis, twins and singles for 29 years and have found them very agreeable to live with and many of the myths attached to them and perpetrated by the bike press to be exactly that, myths. They are not as sportingly thoroughbred as Dukes or Lavs. I travelled over east in my early 20s with a chap on a Jota, and above 200km/h I couldn’t keep up with him. But by Adelaide, the Jota needed some head work on the middle pot, and the Guzzi? Despite being scorned as being slow, it chugged around our great continent for another four months without missing a beat. That sums up my life with Guzzis. As with any motorcycle from any country, highly strung sportsters will be high maintenance and robustly engineered models will prove slower but easier to run. I have a fleet of twins and singles and when asked which is my favourite, I’ll always answer… the one I’m riding today. Paul Cannell

young bull. Take your time down the hill. – Ed

PEED OFF I’ve just finished reading Sleeping with the Enemy (MT#306) and offer the following based on my own experiences. I was in denial for years that I had any issues with snoring, despite the obvious facts that the wife moved rooms and, when on holidays, the family insisted I have a separate room. I finally swallowed my pigignorance, and my local GP organised a home sleep test on the premise, as per your article, that being in your own bed would give the best results – wrong! The home test was a dismal failure and the night in question was one of the worst ‘sleeping’ experiences I’ve ever had, with totally inconclusive results. Now, one of the signs, I’ve since learnt, of sleeping issues is the

need to frequently pee during the night. On the night in question I could not settle with the portable recording pack attached and as a result needed to pee every hour on the hour. So after my four or five visits to the loo, one of the wires disconnected itself and this set off a flashing red light and a buzzer. I terminated the test at about 3am and woke the next morning really peedoff with the whole thing. I persisted and insisted on getting a referral to a ‘proper’ sleep clinic. After an overnight stay in hospital (take ear plugs), the experiences have been much more satisfactory. Now there are some trials going forward for men with facial hair, as some of the masks may not readily seal. But by going through a ‘proper’ locally based sleep clinic with access to plenty of different styles of sleep masks to try, I have achieved good results. This may sound a bit drawn-out and, you’re right, it is – but the end results are well worth the time and money invested. Over the past two years, the wife has moved back in, the family are now happy to share a holiday RIDER HEALTH SLEEP AND SNORING

doing Snoring may be . ng the neighbours more than buggi you It could be killing

SLEEPING WITH THE ENEMY WORDS AND IMAGES

PAUL STEPHENS

Remember the story of the old bull and the 69 les.com.au trademotorcyc

suite with me, I have successfully travelled both locally and overseas with the CPAP (breathing machine) and I hardly ever, if at all, need to pee anymore during the night – happy days all round. Barry Regan

Good to hear, Barry. Sleep is underrated. – Ed

LYCRA LEGION Here we go again – a disaffected reader. ‘Mr Ticked Off of Hurstbridge’ (MT #306), writes about another group of road users – in this case cyclists – and Motorcycle Trader prints it. Haven’t we had this discussion before? Our roads are not the sole preserve of cars, trucks and motorcycles; they are paid for by, and belong to, everyone, including cyclists. Almost all cyclists, including those who read this magazine, also own cars and motorcycles (in my household there are three cars and six motorcycles, all registered and insured). Like motorcyclists, cyclists have as much right to use the roads as anyone else. A person or organisation proposes the idea of temporarily closing a section of road to motor vehicles, as is common in many cities around the world, and Mr Ticked Off uses the opportunity to segue into an attack on all cyclists. A proposal is just that, a proposal. If the proposal gains traction (highly unlikely) and you don’t like the idea, write to the relevant authority and explain why, rather than motorcycles.com.au 45

MAILBOX whining about it in MT and attacking all cyclists as ‘these characters’ who universally flout road rules. I’m sure we wouldn’t be hearing the same level of vitriol from Mr Ticked Off were a motorcycling body to propose the same idea but for the benefit only of motorcyclists. There are over one million cyclists in Australia. Lumping all of them together as serial road-infraction offenders is like saying that all motorists text and talk on their phones while driving; that all motorists are inconsiderate, aggressive road users, oblivious to the rights of others; that all motorists are high on drugs or alcohol when behind the wheel of a motor

vehicle. It’s inaccurate and ridiculous. Cyclists who flout the road rules anger other cyclists just as much as motorists who drive recklessly and dangerously anger other motorists – the few make life difficult for the many. If you want to blame someone for our congested roads, blame the politicians who refuse to introduce effective, segregated bike lanes and public transport, not the very people who are attempting to relieve that congestion by riding a bicycle to their destination, rather than sitting alone in a car on their daily commute to and from work, as do 99 per cent of all motorists, thereby creating the very

congestion they claim is caused by cyclists. Do we really need this negative, confrontational tone in MT? It’s meant to be a light-hearted magazine for enthusiasts by enthusiasts, not a tabloid rag full of vitriol. If MT continues to print this kind of material attacking other, vulnerable road users, the cyclists among us who read this magazine, of which there are no doubt many, myself included (a

foundation reader of this magazine), will surely vote with their feet and look elsewhere for their motorcycle reading. Glenn Smith

Opinions are like arses – everyone’s got one and they don’t always sound good. But better out than in. Or maybe not. Either way, we might see you on the road sometime (most of us at MT are cyclists, too … when we’re not eating beans) – Ed

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TEARS & LOATHING A simple oil change should not involve a hacksaw WORDS AND PHOTOS ESPO

simple oil change should not involve a hacksaw. Neither should it involve a grinder nor a cold chisel. It certainly should not reduce a grown man, wearing a terry-towelling headband, to his knees to whimper to himself as his six-year-old daughter asks: “Daddy, are you okay?” The day began well with a quick blast back from Lismore, New South Wales, in 40-degree heat, via The Channon to Uki after a great night at the speedway. The Triumph Scrambler clocked up 80,000km on the way home and, as is the custom, a drink of fresh oil was due. I’m religious with oil, and change it every 5000km. Sometimes I bathe in it. My wife once caught me quietly sniffing my oily fingers in the shed. Needless to say, I’ve done an oil change before and there’s no doubt I’ll do it again. It’s a 48

20-minute meditation for me: hot bike, bashplate off, sump plug out, drop the oil, new copper washer for the plug, fill her up, watch the oil pressure with the next start up. Calm, happy days awash in the reassurance of a well-maintained machine. Hot bike: check. Bashplate off, bashplate off, did I say “bashplate off”? Bugger me if the last bolthead doesn’t strip out, leaving a neat circle instead of a hex. And the horror begins. No problems, I reassure myself. The old man was an airframe fitter, he’s left me a tonne of tools including a neat set of Ezy-Out screw extractors and a set of ‘lefthanded’ drills. The only problem is I can’t get enough space under the bike to operate the hand drill. Up on the lift. The lift platform covers the bolt. Off the lift. Reposition. Back on the lift, with the front wheel pointing skyward.

Back under the bike, drilling out the hex head. Sweat in my eyes. Get the fan. Sweat band on. Back under the bike. Just enough room to start drilling. Hard bolt. Drill won’t cut. Down a size. Burn that out. Up a size. Praying to Ganesh, the remover of obstacles, that the left-handed drill will bite and screw this thing out. Apply more pressure. Ganesh nearly tips the f**king bike onto me. This is turning into a fiasco. Right. Time to reassess. I reach for ‘Hida’ the hacksaw. I’ll try to cut a slot in the head and use a screwdriver to get this prick undone. Cut a slot. The slot is thin and the screwdriver that fits in it won’t go across the diameter of the head and the largest screwdriver that does go across is too long to operate under the bike even when it’s up on the lift. I pull out my impact driver. I bought this after reading one

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YOUR STORY

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“There’s nothing that cannot be fixed with three litres of petrol and a box of matches”

of Spannerman’s articles, and it saved my bacon with the slotted screws that held my ’57 Bantam’s cases together. Maybe it could do the same here. But I can’t get enough swing up on my mallet to drive the thing. Right. Take two. Position the bike better on the lift. Try the next size drill again. I get some way drilling. Try an Ezy-Out and succeed only in chewing the shit out of the hole I’ve just drilled. Spray some WD-40 on the bolt. Say a small prayer. Keep drilling. Ezy-Out again. More carnage. More sweat. More pain. God’s away on business. I’m a patient man. I cut my teeth on Volkswagen engines. The advice for working on these engines when all is not going well: polish your tools and think of love. I started at 1pm. By 3.30pm, I have just about every tool in the

shed out and they are gleaming. My daughter is staring at me … She looks worried. Early in life, a couple of episodes defined my childhood. After these episodes, my father locked up the adjustable spanners, the multi- and Mole grips. I had to get permission, a key and suffer supervision when those “butcher’s tools” were employed. My father did not own an angle grinder. He used files. I had to wait for him to die before I could buy a grinder, but today I’ve chewed out so much of the head, that a quick dab of the grinder is all that is required to release the bolt from it’s bondage. A quick trim with a cold chisel releases the bashplate. I could hear a paternal groan from beyond the grave and I couldn’t believe the scene before me. The sun was setting and I was weak of body and mind. I had

dirt embedded with sweat into my back, a piece of swarf stuck in my foot and my knuckles were bleeding. The bike was around 900C when I started. It is now at ambient temperature. I’ve evoked the baby Jesus, Satan and various Hindu deities, the neighbours think I have Tourette’s syndrome, I’ve upset my dead father, traumatised my daughter and thrown a perfectly good bashplate in the Tweed River. It is with great joy in my heart and to a chorus of angels that I loosen the sump plug and watch the lifeblood of this demonic machine flood into a black-plastic bucket. And it is with a small loosening of my bowels that I look up to find I have purchased the wrong oil. My father also told me: “There’s nothing that cannot be fixed with three litres of petrol and a box of matches”. God have mercy on my soul. trademotorcycles.com.au 49

MEMORIES OF MAMMARIES For a boy coming of age, inspiration can come from anywhere WORDS & PHOTOS STEWART HOWARD

emories of standing on a busy public beach as a 13 year old, dressed in a kilt while suffering an erection have lasted a lifetime. The event determined my future, all starting with my kilt hanging like no kilt should – at least not in public. Adding to, or perhaps causing, the embarrassment was Grace, the most beautiful girl at the local high school, who was deliberately teasing me, not six feet away. You see, like the eyes of the Mona Lisa, her breasts followed my eyes wherever they fell. With the benefit of adult hindsight, perhaps it was my adolescent eyes that continually followed her ample boobs? And as for that chrome ring atop the zip on the front of her dress, it surely had been placed there by Satan himself, as it swung seductively

between her breasts. Grace had me hooked, and she knew it. Stepping closer, she looked down at the bulging tartan. “You look good in a kilt,” she said. I near died of embarrassment. My only option was to sit down on a nearby sea wall, allowing my kilt to resume a less provocative profile. But Grace pursued her suggestive attack, sitting close beside me. “Wanna come for a walk behind the sand dunes?” she breathed in my ear. In my aroused condition I’d have been arrested had I stood up, let alone accepted her offer! Despite the cold Scottish breeze, perspiration ran down my forehead, my heart pounding. “Oh God, let me faint, please!” I prayed. And with that plea, the Lord answered in his own obscure way. A machine-gun-like eruption

shattered my steamy surrounds. Grace and I looked towards the source of the staccato rasp, witnessing a leather-clad biker ride his powerful machine onto the road at full throttle, tossing dust and stones in its wake. “Wow! Don’t you just love motorbikes?” cooed Grace. “When I get a boyfriend, he’s gonna have a bike. A really big one!” I watched the rider accelerate through the gears, mesmerised by the bike’s fuel tank as it reflected the evening sun, glowing metallic red and glistening chrome. With my concentration shifted from Grace’s breasts to the sight and sound of the bike, the protuberance in my kilt faded. Nearly 50 years have passed since that memorable event. I subsequently learned that the lovely Grace fell pregnant a couple of years after she toyed

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“I never forgot the arrival of my saviour, that gleaming BSA Lightning at full noise” with me. Distraught by the embarrassment, her God-fearing parents kicked her out of the family home. But of greater importance, I never forgot the arrival of my saviour, that gleaming BSA Lightning at full noise. So when Wayne Leonard, the local Harley-Davidson, Triumph, Suzuki and KTM dealer in Cairns, Queensland, finally relented and offered a candy-red 1969 Beeza from his private collection, I leapt at the opportunity. Permanently branded, I’ve ridden bikes all my adult life – all “really big ones”. Now a labour of love has begun as I carefully breathe life back into the 650 Lightning. When it’s finished, I think I’ll christen it ‘Grace’, for the memories. Oh, as for that kilt, I never wore it again – it was far too revealing. trademotorcycles.com.au 51

Your Photos This is your time to shine – send us a pic from your biking past and we’ll make you a star…

Bitumen and wide-open space – is there a better sight? Yes. Bitumen, wideopen space and a 2007 Harley-Davidson Super Dyna Glide Custom (FXDC). That’s better. Andrew Muir takes a Sunday ride by the Murray River flats in South Australia.

A 1982 Montessa Cota 200 was one of Ben James’ many trials bikes over the years. He grew up in a small west England town where the school master, a keen weekend trials warrior of the flat cap, pipe and Barbour jacket fraternity, was determined the youths of the village wouldn’t fall into under-age drinking, so he started an afterhours trials club in the school grounds. Timeless photos, mate. They’ve stood the trials of time.

Terry Davies’ 1985 V-Max is going strong. It’s got a 300-section rear tyre and runs a shaft drive. The ’80s got some things right.

YOUR PHOTOS MT READERS’ PICS

We like Bruce Abrey’s style. Not only does he have a tidy 1975 Yamaha XS650 café racer, but his letter to Motorcycle Trader addresses Charris as “Mr Editor”. How very respectful. He definitely speaks our language. Thank you, sir. You are anything but an unprincipled larrikin.

Bruce Abrey loved Cam Donald’s track test of the EgliVincent 500 in issue 305. But he reckons we should have shown John Surtees and his Vincent Grey Flash, since he was mentioned in the story. Good idea, Bruce. Thanks for the pic.

Here’s Alison McLennan with her 2005 Harley-Davidson 883 Sporty, getting ready to leave for the South Australian Glenelg-to-Renmark leg of the 2014 Around Australia Black Dog ride.

This is Peter Ashworth and his 1964 500cc Velocette Venom on Kiloran Avenue, Kilsyth, Victoria. Pete’s 67 now but still regrets the day he sold her. We would too. Terry Davies again. Jeez. This time he’s showing us his Yamaha XVS1100 bobber. You know what they say about blokes with two bikes, Terry? Share.

! U O Y T N A W E W

. demotorcycles.com email to mct@tra via s oto ph ur yo be Send e. Photos should s’ in the subject lin au with ‘Your Photo !) larger than one t (ask a youngster ma for ﬁle EG JP in a n three megabytes but no bigger tha to megabyte in size, st us your photos . Alternatively, po 66, 31 in total per email VIC igh kle Oa /20 Edward St, 12 , er ad Tr cle cy Motor lope so we can lf-addressed enve the with a stamped, se lude your name, Don’t forget to inc u. yo to m the n s retur name of the photo, the date and location and oto ph the in of anyone e(s) bik the of el od the year/m e to tell us all concerned. Feel fre tances around about the circums it! the picture. Go for

trademotorcycles.com.au 53

ONES THAT GOT AWAY LONG-LOST LOVES

emember the first time you fell in love with a bike? You thought you’d be together forever. But then something racier and younger came along, and you thought: I wouldn’t mind having a crack on that. But you never forgot your first. And now, late at night, you wonder who’s riding it and if it’s still got the bell you tied to it to keep the heebie-jeebies away. Pay tribute to your lost love by sending us a pic with 100 words on what it was, why you loved it and how it escaped. We’re looking forward to hearing your sob stories. Send them to: mct@TradeMotorcycles.com.au

KAREN ANDERSON 1978 Honda XR75 It was a time in my life when motocross prevailed. I wanted something to practice on in the backyard – figure-eight and flatcornering practice – and when a friend I worked with in a bike shop mentioned he was selling his 1978 XR75, I thought it would be perfect. It was his first bike, totally original and always fired up first or second kick. When I mentioned it to my boyfriend at the time, he suggested we go halves. It was a real gem as it was, but we ordered a couple of bits to pretty her up. Unfortunately, after my ex-boyfriend and I parted, I never saw that little XR again. Sad but true.

GRANT ROFF BSA C10 Most men are still secretly in love with their first girlfriend. Same goes for their first bike. My first bike had a top speed of 42mph, a three-speed gearbox and no rear suspension. Where are you now my beloved BSA C10?

ROB BLACKBOURN Aerial Square Four Mk II I’ll go for my Mk II ‘Squariel’. I got it cheap because it was only running on two and a half pots. They said: “It needs a set of ’plugs.” Knowing they’d have done the plugs, I realised my junior-mechanic skills

would be tested. Eventually I discovered a bent distributor shaft. The fun soon started. Although it was no faster than my previous T110 Trumpie, the acceleration was awesome. E-Type Jags and Healey 3000s stood no chance in traffic-light drags. These days, with them bringing $20,000-plus, it would be the most valuable bike in my shed.

GUY ALLEN Grendel the GSX Big, friendly, fast and happy pretty well sums up this bike. I’ve owned two of these things (so far – it’s not over yet!) and they have huge appeal. With an easy 100 horses on tap, they’re genuinely quick and have a bit of race history, such as a Castrol 6-Hour win in 1981. It’s really easy to picture another in the shed…

ONES THAT GOT AWAY Got a bike you wish you still had? Send us your story and a photo to:

mct@trademotorcycles.com.au 54

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MADE

A move to Australia re-ignited the ďŹ re for classic bike builder Paul Taylor

TRACK TESTED MCINTYRE MATCHLESS G50

WORDS CAM DONALD PHOTOS CAMERON INNESS

aul Taylor has always had a passion for British bikes – hardly surprising considering he grew up in the Old Dart and rode a 500cc Triumph Daytona. But it wasn’t until after he came to Australia that he really got serious about bikes from the motherland. “Bikes left my life for a few years there,” Taylor says. “Immigration, family and buying a house didn’t leave time for much else.” A self-taught car painter and repairer, Paul had the skills to tinker and he returned to bikes with

a vengeance. As his introduction to the classic bike scene in Melbourne, he rebuilt a 1969 Triumph Thruxton rolling chassis as a ‘750cc works replica’. This led to many more restorations and Paul now has a dozen classic bikes and a growing reputation as the go-to guy for tank building, repairs and paint. A Manx Norton was always on Paul’s bucket list, so he went about having one built by McIntosh Racing’s Ken McIntosh in New Zealand. This was to be Paul’s pride and joy for track days and club runs but

trademotorcycles.com.au 57

he never envisaged going racing. The bike was built to original Manx spec with a standard 86mm-bore engine, no fairing, low exhaust and 19-inch wheels. Soon after delivery, he offered me a ride at a track day. I was so impressed with the bike that Paul suggested entering it in the International Island Classic. Watching how much fun I was having, Paul decided to have a crack himself.

LATE BUT GREAT Making what he admits was “a late start to racing”, Paul quickly took to competition and was more than 58

“There There is no manual on how to build one-off race bikes such as this. Many parts need modification to fit and the process takes time and patience”

holding his own on track but, with the 500cc classic front-runners on bikes with streamlining, race exhausts and 18-inch wheels, Paul had a decision to make. Would he modify his immaculate McIntosh Manx or create a purpose-built racer? The answer came when Paul saw a ‘McIntyre’ chassis for sale: it was almost perfect. He knew that Bob McIntyre was a GP and TT winner in the 1950s and early ’60s, and he liked the look of the signature chassis. But already owning the Manx Norton, he opted to power his racer-to-be with a Matchless G50 motor. And so it began.

TRACK TESTED MCINTYRE MATCHLESS G50

A Matchless won the single-cylinder event at the first Isle of Man TT in 1907. It won the event again two years later. No wonder two-time IoM winner Cam has an affinity with the classic single.

trademotorcycles.com.au 59

In original condition, a 1961 G50 produced about 51hp and had a top speed of 217km/h. That’s a bit faster than Cam averages around the TT circuit. Not bad, though.

Ordering a short-stroke 500cc SOHC Matchless engine from British tuner Fred Walmsley, things were underway. There is no manual on how to build one-off race bikes such as this – many parts need modification to fit and the process takes time and patience. Paul says his good mate, Brendon O’Neal, helped greatly. Most parts were tracked down through the local network or classic bike contacts. “You hear who may have a part required and contact them,” he says. “If they don’t have it, they probably know someone who does,” he says. While waiting for the engine, the chassis was prepared with help from John Davis, using a Manx swingarm and tripleclamps, Ceriani forks and Hagon shocks. A set of 18-inch flanged alloy rims was sourced, with the rear laced to a Ducati

cush-drive hub. The front one was from an early 1970s Suzuki ‘water bottle’ with a four-leading-shoe drum brake. After the engine arrived, it was paired with an AMC five-speed gearbox, measurements were taken and engine mounts were fabricated. A Bob Newby clutch and belt primary drive, a Lucas SR1 twin-spark magneto to suit the twinplug head and an Amal GP carburettor took care of the major duties. The bike was built to run on methanol, allowing for greater performance and easier tuning. Paul was doing all he could to produce a decent race bike.

RACE READY Wasting no time in getting on track, Paul entered a classic club meet at Broadford, Victoria. I can’t imagine the nerves Paul must have felt arriving at the track

TRACK TESTED MCINTYRE MATCHLESS G50

ONE WITH H THE LOT

with a new bike. But the weekend went well and Paul’s experience and confidence grew. He tells me he first thought the bike was under-geared. Now he says it was the rider who was under-geared. As Paul wants me to race the bike, I took the McIntyre G50 for a few laps. Having ridden some of the world’s best Manx and G50 racers, I knew this was a strong engine from the start. Paul and Brendon have done a good job on the carb settings, as there were no flat spots or surges. Smooth linear power like only a 500cc single can deliver. Magic. The riding position on race bikes of this era is tucked in and uncompromising for anything but the track. It’s the look and feel that current cafe racer builders strive for, despite the discomfort.

“Using Using the McIntyre design with TIG-welded chrome-moly, instead of the original braised Reynolds tubing, saves a whopping 9kg”

‘Flying Scot’ Bob McIntyre had an incredible career which started from humble beginnings. A shipbuilder’s son, he went to work in a garage rage when he was 15. He began racing five years later in scrambles on the bike he used as his daily transportation, an Ariel Red Hunter. Soon switching from dirt to tarmac, Bob was second in the 1952 Isle of Man Junior TT aboard a BSA. This was the beginning of a long career at the island, during which he was either at the front or not far from it. He returned later that year to record victory in the Manx Junior TT aboard a 350cc 7R AJS. The following year he won his first international at the Northwest 200 and was signed by AJS. After AJS stopped racing in 1955, Bob joined Joe Potts to ride privateer Nortons. Potts ran a business in car sales, taxi hire and hearses to fund his racing. Joe became a long time supporter of Bob’s racing efforts and together they did incredibly well against the factory teams. Bob was called in to replace injured Geoff Duke at Gilera in 1957 and won the Junior and Senior TT races but later continued his own efforts with Potts. With mechanic Pim Flemming and welder Alec Crummie, he built several chassis in Potts’ workshop, near Glasgow. For 1960, two were built, one for a 500cc Manx and the other for a 350cc 7R AJS. While retaining the Manx swingarm and geometry, the purpose of the chassis was to save weight. The ‘yard-built’ frames worked well for the speedy Scot, who used them to finish second in the 1960 Junior TT and third in the 1961 Senior. He died in 1962. Naturally, original examples are few and far between and Paul Taylor’s came from Kiwi builder Ross Graham. Using the McIntyre design with TIG-welded chromemoly, instead of the original bronze-welded Reynolds tubing, saves a whopping 9kg.

trademotorcycles.com.au 61

TRACK TESTED MCINTYRE MATCHLESS G50

A perfect match. Nothing brings people together like blue skies and bikes.

SPEX MCINTYRE MATCHLESS G50

ENGINE: TYPE: Fred Walmsley-built G50 499cc short-stroke SOHC IGNITION: SR1 twin-spark FUEL METERING: 1.5-inch Amal GP on methanol

TRANSMISSION: TYPE: AMC six-speed constant-mesh FINAL DRIVE: Chain

CHASSIS & RUNNING GEAR: FRAME TYPE: McIntyre replica with Manx swingarm and triple-clamps FRONT SUSPENSION: Ceriani 35mm GP forks REAR SUSPENSION: Maxton shocks FRONT BRAKE: Suzuki GT750 four-leading shoe drum REAR BRAKE: Ducati singleleading shoe drum WHEELS: 18-inch spoked with flanged alloy rims

Paul had taken an educated guess on the footpegs, but I found them too high. My suggestion would be to move the rearsets back and down to open up the riding position for increased control. But this will take some thought as the frame design restricts footpeg placement. Suspension front and rear was perfectly serviceable but a little soft for the speeds the McIntyre is capable of. The brakes were also fine but may need some attention as the bike gets faster. Paul is a good mate and takes this all on board as he wants what I want: for the McIntyre to achieve all it’s capable of. We discussed each part of the bike’s workings so he could plan for the next step. Since our test, he’s ordered Maxton shocks from the UK, which are more adjustable than the Hagons. 62

He’s also ordered a six-speed gearbox, which will help keep the G50 in the powerband. I try to keep a 500 like this between 4500 and 8500rpm, though the engine will rev to 9000rpm. This is a wide range but, with limited horsepower, an extra gear will be handy. During my time on the bike, I could feel the McIntyre frame handled well: it’s stable but with sharp steering. With the engine already well up to the job, it’s time to refine the rest of the bike and establish a base setting for racing. I’ve no doubt that very soon this bike will be capable of racing with the best on the classic grid. Paul has a dream collection of British bikes, bookended by two of the greatest 500cc bikes of their time, the Manx Norton and G50 Matchless, housed in two of the rarest and finest frames you can find.

“It’s the look and feel that current cafe racer builders strive for, despite the discomfort”

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TRIAL BLAZER The time has come for Charris to get off YouTube and do the real thing. Bring on trials and enduro cross training WORDS: CHRIS HARRIS PHOTOS: BEN GALLI

TRIALS EXPERIENCE TRIALS & ENDURO CROSS TRAINING

trademotorcycles.com.au 65

“Rather th the typical ment lity of ‘I’ll give it a crack’ and hoping for the best, tell yourself ‘I’ve got this’”

i, my name is Chris and I’m an addict. I’m addicted to watching dirt-bike training videos on YouTube. It’s part of my morning routine when the espresso kick-starts the bowel. There, I said it. Surely I’m not alone. Search ‘cross training and enduro techniques’ on YouTube or visit CrossTrainingEnduro.com. They’re free, funny and very informative – if you’re not chloroformed by the overwhelming excitement of Barry Morris’ voice. So why am I sharing my dirty little secret? I’ve been mesmorised by the ballet-like talents of Graham Jarvis, Jonny Walker and New Zealand’s Chris Birch, to name a few. They’re all former trials champions who’ve won extreme enduro events (think Romaniacs, Erzberg Rodeo and Hell’s Gate) by applying their trials skills to enduro riding. They

make the impossible look so easy – even against the expert-level competition – without the slightest hint of breaking traction or fistfuls of throttle. Look it up on Redbull TV and tell me you’re not blown away. Jarvis said his tips were to learn trials, go slow, master the clutch, develop balance and build your confidence in the key techniques. Similarly, Poland’s national hero and fellow competitor, Taddy Blazusiak said “Want to be faster off-road? Slow down. Try to be as calculated, calm and precise as possible.” This struck a chord and got me looking into the world of trials as a foundation to smooth trail riding techniques. That aside, the ultraniche motorcycle discipline ticks a lot of boxes for paupers in similar circumstances to me: it doesn’t break the bank and it doesn’t

considerably eat into family time, unlike trail riding for us city folk. In fact, if you’re clever and convincing, it can easily become family time. It also helps that there’s a trials club close to home. As I write this, I’ve just received my daily alert of trials bikes listed on eBay and, as usual, few have popped up. The addictive riding doesn’t have the cult-like following it enjoys in other parts of the world such as Spain, aka trials mecca, where several manufacturers are based and where champions grow on trees. Here in Straya, our twowheel export is producing hard-as desert racers. Must be something to do with our big, harsh environment. There’s also the fact that trials bikes are relatively cheap to buy and maintain, which probably explains the shortage on the second-hand market. And when they do pop up,

TRIALS EXPERIENCE TRIALS & ENDURO CROSS TRAINING

FAR LEFT: The four-stroke Betas, aka the dynamic duo, proved perfect training partners alongside the Sherco trials bikes. RIGHT: Tricks or tuition, Tim Coleman makes everything so easy.

“BETTSY” I’ve been riding dirt bikes forever, but I wanted to fine tune skills like crossing logs, steep uphills, rock ledges and learn the right way to do it for the Victorian Off-Road Championship. Clutch control in every situation was the biggest thing for me. I’m definitely buying a trialsie.

they’re snapped up sight unseen. My first taste of the funny-looking, little bikes was when I sampled Team Donald’s Gas Gas at a ‘Come and try day’ with the Harley Club of Victoria. I was hopeless, but I was hooked, and that quickly led to undertaking Level One with Paul Bray at Trials Experience for professional tuition in a controlled environment (MT #300). In just a few fun-packed hours, Paul equipped us with the skills and confidence to tackle obstacles and terrain we’d previously never thought possible. Though most beneficial in the bush, I still apply those skills of balance, fine lever and brake control in my everyday road riding, especially the slow stuff through gridlocked traffic. I’ve also been dabbling in the dirt with the boys from our sister publication Australasian Dirt Bike,

mostly to boost their egos. As ordinary as I may be, I can at least say I’ve become a better rider – both on the bitumen and in the bush – from just a brief time on a trials bike. As part of my addiction recovery, it’s healthy to acknowledge that I’m sick of watching the damn videos. I just want to get out there and do it. I also want to bring the ADB boys down a peg or two, so I secretly sought the expertise of Paul again, this time with his recently launched trials/enduro cross-over course.

SETTING THE SCENE Picture this: two days of actionpacked fun, only thinking about the task at hand in beautiful bush surroundings far from the strains of everyday life. It’s as if going home brimming with newfound skills and confidence are a bonus. Paul runs his courses along

TIM WEBB I wanted to get back to basics. I’ve had the wrong approach by hitting everything flat out instead of taking my time and getting over the log cleanly. I’ve been riding since I was six and you learn as you go, but you can also learn the wrong habits. A trials bike irons all that out and makes you loosen up. trademotorcycles.com.au 67

“I still apply th se skills of balance fine lever and bra control in my everyday road riding”

Australia’s east coast but, for this one, we headed to a picture-perfect 1000-acre-plus private property two-hours’ drive east of Melbourne. Coleman Road, Glenmaggie, to be exact. The road is named after the family of Tim Coleman – another of those guys who make it look ridiculously easy. Simply put, Tim’s a gun and a personable guy to boot. He’s represented Australia six times at the Trials des Nations, he won the 2015 Australian X-Trials and is a four-times runner up Australian trials champion. Curiously, he and a mate wowed Kyle Sandilands and Dannii Minogue as semi-finalists on Australia’s Got Talent and he’s even acted as a stunt double, chasing Hugh Jackman across rooftops on a trials bike in Wolverine. And he’s only 26. Who better to lead the trail rides and share his knowledge as our guest coach for the weekend alongside Paul? Our mega mix of terrain is Tim’s daily playground after all. 68

“Trials riding is where it starts for the hard enduro stuff and technical riding,” Tim says. “People are now realising this, but there aren’t many riders in Australia with a trials background who ride enduro.” Tim’s kept busy with coaching, so a seismic shift is clearly happening. Tim and Paul both say they’re attracting a lot of trail riders and people who recognise that trials is a skilful way of riding motorcycles, and that’s exactly why we’re here to learn. Paul supplies a fleet of shiny Sherco 250cc two-stroke trials bikes and bottomless tubs of almonds and snake lollies, so all we have to bring is ourselves and our enduro bikes. In this case, we brought a pair of fourstroke Betas to put through their snail paces: a 350 RR and 430 RR. If you’re used to the usual off-road colours of orange, blue, red, green or yellow (you know what they are), then this semi-fluoro red livery is like no other. The Italian company has a rich

history in trials bikes and only began building enduro bikes around 10 years ago, initially using KTM engines. After sampling our steeds, a few of the gun riders praised how agile and well balanced the Betas felt. And you don’t need me to tell you they go like stink. More importantly for our purposes over the weekend, however, the brawny Italians never felt bloated, top-heavy or snatchy on the clutch, which I expected to struggle with after switching from the agile trials bikes. The course kicked off with a trail ride to warm up and shake off nerves. It also separated the wheat from the chaff. Yep, there were some damned skilled enduro riders and racers there, and I’m at the opposite end of the spectrum. Interestingly, few of the 10-or-so students had ridden a trials bike, which kind of levelled the playing field for a while. Paul described it perfectly. “Trials strips away the variables of trail riding by removing the speed, the bike’s weight and the power.

TRIALS EXPERIENCE TRIALS & ENDURO CROSS TRAINING

LEFT: This isn’t the first time “Art” has come all the way from Thailand to learn from Tim. They’ve become good mates. Paul Bray’s instructions are clear and simple, even when you’re flogged.

JAMES RADFORD I don’t ride efficiently – I use a lot of energy and get exhausted really quickly. So I came to learn to ride smarter. My log crossings used to be pretty sketchy, but it’s good to now nail them consistently. I’ve always wanted to ride a trials bike, and I’ll probably buy one now to keep building on the skills before I race enduro.

It’s just the rider and the bike, a tuning fork. It exposes everything about the rider; their control, body position and balance,” he said. “These are identified and refined so you’ve got those skills when you get back on the enduro bike.” This formed the framework of our learning over two very full days. We put a variety of specific skills into practice, first on the “tuning forks” to get a feel of what was required then applying that on the bigger bikes. The constant swapping between the bikes proved an extremely effective training tool and suddenly shrunk obstacles in size and significance. “The feedback we get from a lot of people was they’d do it on the trials bikes then back on their enduros and say, ‘Jeez, it’s so much easier now,’” Paul said. “They then had the confidence because they’ve done it, tasted it, and can confidently transfer the skillset across to the bigger bike.” Exercises include conquering

logs, tight terrain, single track and hillclimbs, plus handy tricks that form some of the building blocks of trials. These include slow wheelies, flick turns and reverse traction to climb hills and embankments out of rocky creek beds without a run up. The group acknowledges that hillclimbs are where they commonly get unstuck. Riding along a balance beam tackles this by concentrating on looking further ahead. Motocross race starts helped develop more aggressive clutch control when launching up hills. It was also good fun to race one on one and helped shake off the post-lunch zeds. So, with drills like these, we’re confidently building the skillset without even realising. Genius. “I love those ‘Aha!’ moments,” Paul says. “Many say, ‘I’ve been struggling in single track’ and now they’ve freed up their knees and they’re able to ride a bit looser and they’re going out after it and enjoying it. It’s no longer a stress.”

“SPOCK” I’m going for the bronze class at this year’s Romaniacs and hopefully go back next year and do silver. I used to race desert stuff, for GHR Honda. I had a big accident getting ready for Condo 750 and hit a roo at 130km/h, which took out my lefthand side. The Australian Four-Day Enduro last year and Romaniacs this year are tick-box things to confirm I’m getting better. I already do all this stuff so I just wanted to get critiqued and now I can see what I’m doing well and what I need to work on. trademotorcycles.com.au 69

RIGHT: Climbing this ledge mightn’t seem too challenging for some, but try it from a standstill with no run-up – it’s all about reverse traction.

ARPAD MARTON This is the second time I’ve done this course, plus a few of Paul’s trials courses – I love the more technical aspect of riding rather than going flat-out. I wanted to focus on low-speed techniques because if you get the bike under control at low speed then you’ll get it under control at high speed and it’s much easier.

HIGHS AND LOWS

PRUCHAYAR CHAIYASOTHI AKA “ART” I’m a motorbike instructor in Thailand, for off-road and adventure bikes. I wanted to learn slow wheelies and everything on extreme enduro because nobody in Thailand can teach me this. I contacted Tim on Facebook saying ‘I want to learn from you’ because he’s very good. I tried to contact Graham Jarvis three years ago, but he’s very expensive to bring to Thailand. Now Tim and I are friends.

On the Sunday, things began getting the better of me, kicking off a downward spiral of self-doubt and, ultimately, failure to achieve the desired outcome. It dawned on me just how incredibly daunting trail riding can be if you don’t have the mental and physical tools, not helped by senselessly comparing myself to the expert-level guys before me. Truth be told, it took a bit of self talk to dig myself out of the hole and get positive again, which also led to better results. Then I remembered Cam’s text message the morning before: “Enjoy the course. My advice with anything technical on a dirt bike is to visualise it first. That is all. [smiley face, thumbs up].” A large component of the course emphasised the need for confidence and a positive attitude. Rather than the typical mentality of ‘I’ll give it a crack’ and hoping for the best, tell yourself ‘I’ve got this’ was the gospel. False confidence leads to true confidence, as they say, and negative self-talk should not creep in

to prevent your body and brain from doing what it’s been trained to do. I demonstrated the cause and effect of this with a spectacularly failed attempt to conquer the larger hillclimb that saw me cartwheeling, getting airborne then cartwheeling some more before being caught by a dirty big blackberry bush. Once freed of the prickly tangle, I gave it another go and almost beat it. It earned me some cred and the encouraging nickname “Mad Dog” from the better riders. Conversely, watching Tim’s silky smooth techniques were a pleasure and privilege as he demonstrated the task at hand with an added twist. It was interesting to observe him visualise a hillclimb during a stationary balance. You could see his eyes scanning further up until they fixated on the top. He’d then take off, but his eyes remained glued to the top. “I just picture myself riding the obstacle or getting to the top and then that’s what I’ll do – do what I pictured,” Tim said. “In trials, when you walk the course, you see

TRIALS EXPERIENCE TRIALS & ENDURO CROSS TRAINING

“It’s as if oing home bri ming with newfound skills and confidence are a bonus” the top guys moving their hands, turning and jumping and pretending to be on the bike and visualising everything.” Trials bikes are different to anything else you can ride, but what’s interesting is how they relate to riding road bikes in terms of precise control. “Road riders are used to heavy bikes and, when you use those [brake, clutch and throttle] techniques on a 60kg trials bike, a lot of them immediately realise that they’re too heavy on the controls,” Paul says. “When you get off that front-brake bias, you find that the rear brake actually promotes their ability to corner and manoeuvre at slow speed with confidence.” It’s true. Paul is mentoring Tim and several other local expert-level enduro riders to share their wealth of knowledge as riding coaches. There’s clearly room for everybody and Paul’s looking at the bigger picture in motorcycling. “If we’ve got riders pushing their limits in a learning environment

then we’re going to have safer riders, better riders. They’ll be spruiking the benefits of rider training from accredited coaches, and enjoying their riding for much longer. “We need more of that in motorcycling – to spread the awareness of how good it is. The absolute opposite of that is inexperienced people jumping on a bike, riding haphazardly and getting injured, being a hospital case and tainting motorcycles as dangerous.” This echoes exactly what Cam talks about in his column this month (page 130), and I get a real kick out of learning, especially on two wheels. So whether you’re a road rider or an off-roader, old (and young) dogs certainly can learn new tricks. It’s addictively fun that just so happens to be beneficial to your everyday riding, whatever that happens to be. I’ve learnt I can’t control my newfound addiction but, through trials, I can get out there and put the videos into practice and have a helluva time. Now to find one of my own.

TOP: The Coleman family’s 1000-acre playground has it all, including an MX circuit, which makes Tim popular with the local talent and trials clubs, some of which have been running annual events on the property for more than 30 years. ABOVE: The master and the apprentice. Tim pulls a mid-air 180 at the top of the climb. Charris, meanwhile... At least he tried.

NEED TO KNOW: One day: $299 Two days: $499 Trials bikes/gear/fuel supplied BYO enduro bike Phone: Paul Bray 0418 793 917 for course dates and locations info@TrialsExperience.com.au trademotorcycles.com.au 71

TOPIC OF CANCER HARLEY-DAVIDSON ULTRA LIMITED

THE BUCKET LIST WORDS CHRIS HARRIS PHOTOS BEN GALLI

DIAGNOSED WITH CANCER SHORTLY AFTER TURNING 60, LARRY WAS DETERMINED TO HIT THE HIGHWAY ON A HARLEY

“Larry was diagnosed with bonemarrow cancer less than a week after his 60th birthday. No warnings. Nothing”

hris, I want to ask you something important to me.” I don’t think my wife’s uncle (and godfather) had ever phoned me before. And by the weight of Larry’s voice it was obvious he wasn’t about to ask to borrow a wheelbarrow. “I haven’t been well, as you know, and I’m not really sure how long…” I resisted a naive urge to reassure him, and just listened. “I’ve come up with a bucket list and was wondering whether you’d be able to help me.” I had no idea what I could offer that his intelligent and judicious grownup kids, Chris, Andrew and Ashlee, along with their partners, could not. “I’ve always wanted to go for a ride on a Harley. To experience the wind, the open road, the ocean. I’ve never known how to begin to make it happen, but then I thought of you,” he said.

“Life stares you in the face when you’re in hospital. What I had, what I was going through, the pain, I thought, ‘This is it.’ So I wrote down my bucket list and thought, even if I don’t accomplish all the points, if I can get through most of them then I’ll be happy.”

LARRY PAULUSZ, MEET JIMMY DANCER A heart attack 15 years ago altered Larry’s perspective on life. He resigned from his long-held, lowreward job at a bank to get involved with his local community by volunteering with aged care and as a school crossing supervisor, which he does to this day. He’s a good man. A family man. About two years ago, however, Larry was diagnosed with bonemarrow cancer less than a week after his 60th birthday. No warnings.

TOPIC OF CANCER HARLEY-DAVIDSON ULTRA LIMITED

MUSCLE MEMORY Chemotherapy does things to your memory, and it’s not age. There are times I sit here and I don’t remember things. I used to put pressure on myself to remember but now I just say, ‘It’s going to come back to me.’ And it does. So whoever is reading this story, they can be quite relaxed in knowing that if chemo is affecting their memory, it’s just a process.

TALK ABOUT IT Possibly the greatest advice I can give anyone is to talk about it. I’m still seeing a psychologist. In life, you need that other person to talk to, someone who has no connection with your family or friends, a complete outsider who you can go to and just let it all out. If I didn’t have my psychologist, I don’t think I’d be here today. It’s not that I’m going nuts – anyone can see a psychologist – but I think you need to have that outlet, especially for somebody going through something like cancer who finds it hard to communicate that with their wives, husbands, partners, whoever. They need to have this other outlet. It can be daunting at first but she just sits there, and when I’m ready I talk. – Larry Paulusz

Nothing. He’d even been for a walk the night before. “When I woke up I had a feeling similar to ice blocks being poured down my spine. ‘Pah. It’s just a chill or a muscle twinge,’ I thought. But then I realised it wasn’t going away and I was finding it hard to move. Something had triggered in my brain and I was quietly losing mobility in all my limbs, and I could feel it, like out of a movie. “‘Hun, something’s happening,’ I shouted to Anne. ‘I don’t know what it is.’ Then I just collapsed and became completely paraplegic from the neck down. I couldn’t even move my fingers. The only thing that I could move was my head. And I could talk.” After ambulance paramedics misdiagnosed Larry with another heart attack, he was ushered straight onto the surgery table. “When I woke up they told me

I had cancer. I was devastated, absolutely devastated. I thought, ‘This can’t be happening to me. It happens to everyone else … on TV.” Larry was now “a basket case” and in an Aspen collar. He underwent exploratory surgery where the spine meets the head, and a tumour was detected. That tumour had burst and sent blood down his spine, constricting all muscles nearby, thus affecting his mobility. “It took a very long time for me to accept that I had cancer. There is a process that I had to go through – a process that’s very drawn-out. “The fact that I came out of surgery and then, bang, straight into radiation took a lot out of me. That made me realise just how bad it was. And then from radiation I went straight to chemotherapy. That was for quite a few months, and that took a lot out of me, too.”

A scan has since confirmed the cancer is still there, but it’s being maintained, according to the oncologist. A bone marrow transplant has been ruled out due to the high risk of another heart attack. As a result, Larry is in remission. “My family has been amazing. The support I’ve got, in particular, from Chuck. He’s been more than a brother to me. Everyone rallied around and helped Anne. I think Anne is still finding it hard to come to grips because she doesn’t talk about it. And that gives me the impression that she needs more time, whereas I think I’ve got over that hurdle. I’ve passed that notch in my process.”

WHEELS IN MOTION Larry had never ridden a bike, to my knowledge, but one of his elder brothers, Mike, owned – and crashed – a bunch of Beezers and trademotorcycles.com.au 75

Squariels while growing up in Sri Lanka. This was why their mother never allowed Larry to get on two wheels. So why would the youngest of four boys pick a Harley? “A Harley-Davidson, in my mind, is the epitome of a motorcycle ride. It’s a fantasy machine,” Larry said with a glint in his eye. So I made it my mission to make it happen and take him along a coastal road for a surprise lunch with his tight-knit family. A tourer would prove the logical choice: supreme pillion comfort with a backrest for Larry, a winddeflecting “Batwing” for me and ‘Twin Cam 103’ V-twin muscle to move us. Adding to that is the host of Project Rushmore improvements on the latest Ultra Limited, including discrete partial liquid cooling for more constant performance (and emissions compliance), better brakes, better lighting and a better infotainment system with Bluetooth audio streaming. Cruise control,

heated grips and adjustable wind deflectors are nice touches, too. There might have been a delay getting the bike from HarleyDavidson Australia, but Larry’s bucket-list wish wasn’t forgotten. Then, unexpectedly: “You can collect it tomorrow.” Rain, hail or shine, it was on. The Paulusz brothers are fairly regimented types and don’t like deviating from their plans, even to stay for dinner or a drink (unless planned, of course), so the short notice was probably a bit overwhelming. Good. I wondered how Larry took the news. “I couldn’t sleep. I was so excited,” he said. “I thought, ‘Jeez, I’m 62 years old. What is going on?’ When I got up the next morning, I was like a little school boy.” The big, shiny Ultra Limited is among the biggest bikes I’ve ever ridden. With a wet weight of 414 kilograms, it’s also the heaviest and

“A Harley-Davidson, in my mind, is the epitome of a motorcycle ride. It’s a fantasy machine”

TOPIC OF CANCER HARLEY-DAVIDSON ULTRA LIMITED

calls for careful foot placement when approaching a red light, especially with the top-heavy weight of a pillion. But the bike’s road presence far outweighs its heft, especially with its high-performance LED headlights and crystal-clear audio, even at freeway speeds. Think old-school Kenworth or Peterbuilt truck with subtly integrated modernity. It also has surprisingly good cornering clearance. The plan was to collect Larry from his house in the morning and ride to our destination where we’d meet with his family, via the most scenic route possible. Victoria’s Great Ocean

Road was a natural choice until I was instructed that riding stints would be capped to an hour between adequate rests. No problem. It was about the journey, not the destination. “When I first got onto that pillion seat I looked up and thought, ‘This is it, Mum. Look at me now!’”

FIRED UP I cranked up It’s a Long Way to the Top (If You Wanna Rock ‘n’ Roll), by AC/DC, as a fitting soundtrack to our departure through suburbia. Now we had the attention of all the neighbours.

We cruised along coastal roads below big blue skies and with an abnormally warm autumn sun on our backs, respectfully knodding at fellow motorcyclists, even nonHarley riders. Perhaps it was the perfect weather. Larry picked up on the sense of fraternity and was amazed by the respect we riders generally have for one another. I explained ‘the done thing’ of helping fellow riders stranded by the side of the road. Mind blown. Larry also observed the lack of awareness and courtesy shown from many drivers and appreciated when I

TOPIC OF CANCER HARLEY-DAVIDSON ULTRA LIMITED

SPEX

“There are times in life when things are tough ... You need times like this to reflect it can be done”

HARLEY-DAVIDSON ULTRA LIMITED (FLHTK)

ENGINE: TYPE: Air/oil and liquid-cooled V-twin with two valves per cylinder CAPACITY: 1690cc BORE & STROKE: 98.4 x 111.1mm COMPRESSION RATIO: 10.0:1 FUEL SYSTEM: EFI

TRANSMISSION: TYPE: Six-speed, constant mesh FINAL DRIVE: Belt

CHASSIS & RUNNING GEAR: got on the gas to create more space. “I’ve never experienced being on a Harley. What surprised me was the sense of speed. There were times when I was pushed back onto the backrest.” You ain’t seen nothin’ yet, I thought. “I was quite aware of the cars and the fact that they’re so close, which took me a while to get used to. It’s just my legs and the car, that’s it. Nothing in between.” Once we reached our destination, Larry climbed off the Harley and straight into the welcoming arms of his wife, Anne. Even a passerby could sense significance in their hug: there was something privately victorious about it. We met the rest of the family for some fish ’n’ chips by the beach. Nothing fancy. Just family. Our journey home was serene. Larry’s senses weren’t over-stimulated. Perhaps it was our batter-filled bellies. He was totally relaxed and savouring each moment. “The actual day was just awesome,” Larry reflects. “The feel, the freedom of being on a bike. The wind blowing through what little hair I’ve got left was great. And when that coincided with a picnic with really close people, that really made my day. “I just put it down to a memory. A really fond memory. There are times in life when things are tough and you don’t think you’re going to get to the other side. You need times like this to reflect it can be done. “When you’ve gone through everything I’ve gone through, other obstacles in life 78

FRAME TYPE: Twin-loop mild steel FRONT SUSPENSION: Conventional 49mm fork, non-adjustable, 127mm travel REAR SUSPENSION: Air-adjustable full travel air ride FRONT BRAKES: 320mm discs with radial-mount fourpiston calipers, ABS REAR BRAKE: 320mm disc with radial-mount four-piston caliper, ABS

DIMENSIONS & CAPACITIES: WET WEIGHT: 414kg SEAT HEIGHT: 740mm FUEL CAPACITY: 22.7L WHEELBASE: 1625mm

WHEELS & TYRES:

pale in comparison. They’re not a big deal anymore.” Back at the house you got the sense that Larry had come full circle. From being denied motorbikes from a young age, a sudden bout of cancer, a path to reluctant acceptance, to devising and pursuing a bucket list. And, today, realising it. An opportunity to ride on a Harley-Davidson was everything Larry could’ve wanted. And more, he said. Next on Larry’s bucket list is for the brothers to visit family interstate. “And, yep, I’m definitely up for more rides. Just say when.” For more info, visit these not-for-profit websites: www.Cancer.org.au www.CancerAustralia.gov.au www.CancerSupportCommunity.org

WHEELS: 2.5x17-inch (f), 4.5x16-inch (r) multi-spoke alloys TYRES: 130/80 R17 (f), 180/65 R16 (r), Dunlop Multi Tread

PERFORMANCE: POWER: Not given TORQUE: 138Nm (101.77ft-lb) at 3750rpm FUEL USE: 5.6L/100km (17.8km/L)

OTHER STUFF: PRICE: $A38,250 / $NZ41,995 ride-away COLOURS: Cosmic Blue Pearl, Mysterious Red sunglo/ Velocity Red sunglo, Purple fire/blackberry smoke, Deep jade pearl/Vivid black, Amber whiskey/Vivid black, Billet silver/Vivid black, Black quartz, Vivid black TEST BIKE SUPPLED BY: Harley-Davidson Australia WARRANTY: 24 months/ unlimited km www.Harley-Davidson.com.au

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TWENTY LARGE

Guido asks one of life’s great questions – Hyundai or Hayabusa? WORDS: GUY ALLEN PHOTOS: MT ARCHIVES

SHOPPING WITH $20,000 MOTORCYCLE WISH-LIST

f you make the error of spending any substantial time in front of the idiot box, you may notice that a whole bus load of money is tipped into ads for cars. And often not great ones, just the vanilla on wheels that makes up the volume end of the market. Why people throw money at this stuff utterly escapes me. Really, even if you had to have a car, you could buy something really interesting for the same money. How much? Twenty grand. That was the on-road price of the

Australia’s top-selling car last March, which was (drumroll) the Hyundai i30. The Mazda3 and Toyota Corolla were second and third in a race that, for me, is the definition of beige. I could start talking Kelvinators with tyres (the light comes on when you open the door and it’s air-conditioned) but I’ve probably done enough to irritate the car industry. Okay, so what else can you do with the money? Buy some damned good motorcycles. Let’s go shopping…

trademotorcycles.com.au 81

down R AN D O M F INofDofSferings out there if you’re game to slap a bunch d through There is a wealth machine. I trawle e on st ju s to on 0 list, which seem the whole $20,00 is semi-random th ith w up e m of places and ca any taste. for pretty much have something

S IS H M O D E Lkm C U R R E N T -AP RC – 2014, 2000

Aprilia RSV4 R 150km 30 – 2013, demo Benelli Tre-K 11 2014, 3000km BMW R nine T – 33,000km ST SE5 – 2013, Can-Am Spyder ,000km 1199 – 2014, 16 Ducati Panigale – 2009, 22,000km 84 15 ng Road Ki Harley-Davidson ,000km g F6B – 2013, 17 Honda Goldwin 16, new ock Indian Scout – 20 2013, new old st 1700 Vacquero – an Kawasaki Vulc , 8000km r Duke R – 2014 KTM 1290 Supe 2014, 7000km – g ornia Tourin lif Ca i zz Gu o ot M new ale 1090 – 2015, MV Agusta Brut 16, new 20 – R Hayabusa Suzuki GSX 1300 w ne , on 1200 – 2016 Triumph Thruxt Ball – 2015, new Victory Vegas 8 , new old stock per Tenere – 2013 Su 00 12 Z XT a Yamah

ES C U S T O M B–IK 2006, 6000km

Big Dog Mastiff k Crown – 2006 rods Saxon Blac 13 LA County Chop flat-tracker – 20 es XS650-based Mule Motorcycl

E C T AB L E C L AS S IC & otCoO–L20L08, 7000km

BMW HP2 Megam sto 5R – 1969 full re BSA Rocket 3 A7 ,000km 49 , 92 perlight – 19 Ducati 900SL su

SHOPPING WITH $20,000 MOTORCYCLE WISH-LIST

The California is as elegant as it is torquey, with a 1380cc V-twin and lines penned by Miguel Galluzzi. The result is a mix of character, comfort and performance that’s endured for decades.

WHAT’S THE DEAL? Okay, so let’s have a look at what you could get in a bit more detail, starting with the ‘current-ish’ list (left). You may have noticed I’ve included a couple of examples of ‘new old stock’ in there. What’s that? Simple, really. It’s stuff that’s been languishing in a showroom or warehouse, long past its theoretical use-by date. It happens for all sorts of reasons: sometimes because a model is deeply unpopular, though more usually because the business has gone broke and the stock is finally being cleared. This is more common than you might think and there are bargains to be had. For example, I recently picked up a ‘new’ seven-year-old Indian for around $15,000 under its original asking price. The thing is, there aren’t that many people out there with serious lumps of cash, looking (somewhat

counter-intuitively) for a bargain. Therefore, you occasionally get good buying. Now, you may also notice you’re getting some very serious equipment on that list, such as a top-of-the-line Aprilia RSV4R with bugger-all miles on it. If you were after a sportsbike, you won’t find better at that money. This is a seriously sharp bit of kit and someone else has already taken the initial depreciation hit. The RSV4s copped a bit of bad press because of unreliability when it came to the very early versions, but I’d have a bit of faith in the later models like this. Getting the high-end version is the icing on the cake and will count for something when it comes to resale time. Bang for your buck? Suzuki’s Hayabusa is a no-brainer. 190-ish horses, comfortable, easy to ride and with (these days) ABS. This is

a bike you’ll never wear out and it will turn its proverbial hand to almost anything. We’re talking Suzuki’s second generation of the series, which has a strong cult following. Resale value can be soft because there are heaps of them on the market, so you’re buying this because you must have a new toy and you’re placing a value on the fun you’ll get out of it. The difference between this and gen-1 is a slightly bigger and more powerful engine, much better brakes (though the fronts went from six-piston to four) and altered styling. Wanna go touring? I’m a bit torn here between the Honda Goldwing F6B, which is much faster than it has any right to be, or the Moto Guzzi California Touring. Both are late-model, used offerings and, in the end, I think I’d go for the glamour and the character of the Guzzi. trademotorcycles.com.au 83

For me, Moto Guzzi lost its way for a while there and the launch of the 1400 version of the California was a clear signal that current owner, Piaggio, and Design Director Miguel Galluzzi, had got their heads around what this model could and should do. It’s really a cruising tourer, with a sweet engine, a very high level of finish and much more competent handling than many of its competitors. Guzzis – particularly the well thoughtout ones – tend to do hold value reasonably well after the initial depreciation shock and I’d be predicting a long and happy relationship with this one. If a classic-come-café is more your style, I reckon Triumph has come up with the killer app, in the shape of the new 1200 Thruxton. If resale were a concern, I’d find the extra $1500 for the R version. In any case, this seems to be delivering the promise of a modern Norton without the stratospheric price, along with what is likely to be greater reliability, which has a lot of appeal. 84

CUSTOM JOBS Now let’s wander into uncharted waters – the murky world of custom bikes. The US is the most prolific supplier in this world, though you should also look at what’s coming out of Japan. The problem here is prices are sky-high when new, and the makers have an unpleasant habit of going out of business after a few years. Big Dog out of Kansas is a good example. It lasted 17 years up to 2011 (blame the GFC), when it went under. At its peak it was producing a phenomenal number of bikes, claiming a total of over 25,000 units. That does beg the question of how you can call something it built a ‘custom’, but let’s dodge that for the time being. The fact is a 2006 Mastiff would have cost near enough to $40,000 when it was brought here – a lot for a bike running an 111ci S&S powerplant. Now it’s on the market for half that. What will it be worth in another 10 years? I can’t begin to guess. There’s no issue with servicing them, as S&S motors are well-

made, easy to work on and are well-known over here. Ditto for the Baker transmissions they usually come with. With so few Big Dogs imported, there’s little risk of suffering matching-bike syndrome at the nearest show. Buy it because you love the looks. Let’s move on to classics. I’ve broken a rule or two here by including a very late model bike, namely the BMW HP2 Megamoto. It’s one of the few machines you’ll come across that counts as a guaranteed classic from day one, thanks to its low volume, highspec and all-round ‘specialness’. That doesn’t make them bulletproof when it comes to value – keep in mind this was near enough to $30,000 on the road when new and is now being offered for two-thirds of that. Still, look after it and I’d be very surprised if the price dropped any lower. A more conventional choice is the 1969 BSA Rocket 3. Now you will get examples of this series for less, but I like this for two reasons: it’s the first

SHOPPING WITH $20,000 MOTORCYCLE WISH-LIST

“You could easily buy a two- or threebike fleet”

A Big Dog custom can be picked up for a steal. But what about a ’69 BSA Rocket 3? Then there’s Ducati’s 996. That’s also hard to go past. But, then, so is BMW’s HP2 Megamoto.

model and claims to have had a comprehensive restoration. The $20,000 ask is right up there but represents value if the bike checks out – try restoring one for less. It’s not possible and will almost certainly cost well over that. Also, that motor has historic links to Triumph which even today thrives on triples. And the Ducati 900 SL? The fact is prices for the previous beveldrive generation are climbing to $30,000 and above, so this next series is being pulled along in its wake. Is a Superlight worth this sort of money? Only if it is really special and has been kept in brilliant order. Otherwise you could easily get another for many thousands less.

THE PERFECT SHED Okay, let’s throw a curve ball into the discussion: what about buying a mini fleet? Frankly, $20,000 is a small, bloody fortune and you could easily buy a two- or threebike fleet with some very tasty machinery. Haven’t got anywhere to put it? That’s one of the most

SHOPPING WITH $20,000 MOTORCYCLE WISH-LIST

PACKAGE 1 Honda VTR 1000 SP1 – 2000, 40,000km ($10,000) Suzuki DL650 V-Strom – 2009, 40,000km ($5000) New shed ($5000)

PACKAGE 2 Harley-Davidson Electra Glide Classic – 1990, 40,000km ($10,000) Ducati 996 – 1998, 40,000km ($10,000)

PACKAGE 3 Honda Blackbird – 2000, 50,000km ($5000) Triumph T160 – 1975, recent resto ($15,000)

PACKAGE 4 BMW R100 RS – 1978, 60,000km ($10,000) Suzuki Hayabusa – 2004, 60,000km ($6000) Kawasaki KLR650 – 2007, 20,000km ($4000)

“What’s your perfect $20,000 shed” frequent objections raised by the Opposition Leader, so why not budget for that problem as well? Five-thousand dollars gets you a pretty nice shed, with plenty left over to buy a sportsbike with strong long-term collectible potential (Honda VTR 1000 SP1) and a do-anything runabout with good pillion potential, a Suzuki V-Strom 650. If you prefer a life of extremes, it’s hard to think of two more opposite V-twins than a Harley Electra Glide and Ducati 996. The Glide, even in Evolution series form, is a supreme tourer and you might be surprised at how cheap they are to own and run. Meanwhile, the 996 remains one the best-looking machines on the planet and is almost the definition of a sportsbike. Just for a change of pace, I’ve also looked at combo of traditional classic (Triumph’s T160) and modern bulletproof (Honda

Blackbird). The Triumph feels a bit like a modern bike to ride but is welcome at any classic gathering. Meanwhile, Birds are absurdly cheap at the moment, seriously quick, almost indestructible and arguably one of the best motorcycles Honda ever made. Still not enough variety in that lot? Have a look at the final threebike pack. I rate the R100 RS as a practical classic. They’re strong, pretty good to ride and are still undervalued. Like Blackbirds, used Hayabusas are cheap and terrifyingly fast – lots of bang for your hard-earned. Finally, why not have an economical and easy-to-own runabout that will even handle the odd dirt road? Kawasaki KLR650s have been around forever and big singles like this are a lot more fun to ride than most people give them credit for. They’re comfy and undemanding. Right, that’s enough from me – what’s your perfect $20,000 shed?

INSURANCE & EASY FINANCE, available at great rates!

283 MULGOA ROAD PENRITH, NSW

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Just off the M4 on Mulgoa Road

4733 1733

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2014 HONDA CTX1300 ABS BLUE: Excellent condition, featuring MP3 interface, integrated panniers and ABS. S15384 $13,990

2104 HONDA CBR500RA RED: LAMS Approved. In excellent condition with low ks. Well-priced & will go quick. S15749 $6,490

2014 HONDA CTX700 BLACK: Immaculately presented CTX700 with the comfort & riding position of a cruiser. S15631 $6,990

2010 YAMAHA V-STAR 650 CLASSIC RED: LAMS Approved. Only 1288km’s, Jardine exhaust & low-maintenance super smooth shaft drive. S15688 $8,490

2015 SUZUKI GSF1250SA BLACK: Crazy low 1170 kms, this bike is waiting for its next owner & is available for immediate delivery. S15789 $11,990

2011 HARLEY DAVIDSON SOFTAIL FXST BLACK: Complete full books, keys and only 16000km. What can I say? It’s a Harley! S15049 $21,490

2012 SUZUKI BURGMAN AN400: Practically brand new with a ridiculously low 52km. Plenty of under-seat storage, comfortable riding position & the added safety of ABS. S15650 $8,490

2007 KAWASAKI ER6-N (NON LAMS) BLACK: A decent price and good overall condition, this bike is ready for your riding pleasure. S15659 $4,490

2012 TRIUMPH SPEED TRIPLE 1050 ABS: Comes with heated hand-grips, Leo-Vince performance pipe & new front/ near new rear tyre and long rego. S15651 $11,490

ALSO AVAILABLE MAKE HONDA HONDA HONDA YAMAHA SUZUKI SUZUKI SUZUKI KAWASAKI SPYDER CAN-AM VICTORY

MODEL CBR-1000RR CRF-450R VFR-1200F XVS-950A AN-650 DRZ-400E VL-800 VERSYS 650 RT TECHNO MAVERICK XDS VEGAS 8-BALL

YEAR 2010 2013 2010 2009 2008 2013 2008 2010 2010 2015 2014

COLOUR BLACK RED RED/SIL BLACK SILVER YELLOW BLU/SIL BLACK BLUE BLK/YEL BLACK

KLM 5800 N/A 27600 28000 56500 16400 11600 49000 39400 519 1500

CODE S15813 S15656 S15712 S15633 S15815 S15684 S15785 S15521 S14887 S15822 S15823

PRICE $11,390 $5,990 $11,990 $7,890 $6,290 $6,190 $6,490 $5,490 $18,990 $23,490 $14,990

FAST AND FLAWED Suzuki’s TL1000 series may have bombed in the showroom, but it’s now decent buying

FUTURE CLASSIC SUZUKI TL1000R

WORDS: GUY ALLEN PHOTOS: MT ARCHIVES

ou have to think back to what was on the market in 1996-1997 to understand these bikes. Today you can walk into a showroom looking for a performance V-twin and have a wealth of choices – back nearly 20 years it was a very different story. You could have a Ducati, of course, but they were pricey and seen as fragile and expensive to maintain. Beautiful and desirable but a handful. Aprilia was said to be on the verge of launching its first serious litre-class V-twin, and there were no, repeat, no, sports V-twins in the Japanese catalogues. Buell was around, but it was using hotted-up Sportster motors, for crying out loud. Nice idea, but a serious day with the throttle pinned could see the poor old Sporty powerplant in dire need of a workshop. Moto Guzzi? Love ’em, but not really in the same league. Okay, I’ll say it: there were no sports V-twins with Japanese standards of reliability. Given Ducati had long been dominating the World Superbike Series (WSBK) with such a layout and was, despite pricing and running costs, selling good numbers, you didn’t have to be a genius to see an opening in the market.

BOOM TIME Typically, we suddenly went from famine to feast. Honda, Suzuki and Aprilia announced performance one-litre twins more or less at the same time. It was a good day for conspiracy theorists: maybe there really is a world coven of bike manufacturers who deviously plot ways to annoy their customers. All three in fact had ambitions to break trademotorcycles.com.au 89

THUMBS UP

- Huge fun - Charismatic snarl - Slick transmission

THUMBS DOWN

- Damper issues - Patchy reputation

Ducati’s near-monopoly on WSBK. Suzuki’s entry – announced in 1997 for the 1998 model year – was the TL1000S, a 90-degtree V-twin with a mixed architecture of chain and gears driving the cams. However, it wasn’t the engine specs that got everyone’s attention – instead it was the rear suspension. Working with the sheer length an along-theframe V-twin layout implies, Suzuki decided to make the space required for the rear suspension more compact by separating the spring and damper. That on its own was hugely controversial in the bike world. Conservative down to its pinstriped underwear, the motorcycle market has never been great at coping with ‘new’ ideas – even if they’re well-proven in the automotive world. Suggest to a car engineer that having discrete spring and damper units was in some way radical, and they’d give you that polite stare. The one that says you’re an idiot. 90

RISKY BUSINESS Nevertheless, Suzuki did kind of set itself up for failure – not by going for something different, but by being a little innovative and not getting it right. Choosing a rotary damper meant there was a lot of attention on the rear suspension and, in the initial batches of the S series, it didn’t measure up. There’s nothing wrong with rotary dampers as such, but the unit chosen by brand S had a tendency to go to lunch after long periods of hard use. In the end, the problem became the subject of international headlines, with MCN in the UK leading the charge. You generally had to ride the bike hard for more than an hour for the problem to surface and, when it did, it was undeniable. The damping simply went to lunch. It was still okay for gentle riding, but big hits at high speed sent the thing to pogoland. Let it cool down and everything was fine again. There was a whole mini aftermarket industry started up to deal with the issue and Suzuki

itself quickly ended up sorting it. In fact, it was comprehensively solved by the time the TL1000R (more on that later) came out in 1998-99. But the damage to the reputation of the series was done. LIKE THE CLAPPERS Do you know why that was a crying shame? Because damper issues aside, a sorted TL1000S was an absolute rocket and great fun when everything was working right. Of the three offerings that came out more or less at the same time (add Honda’s VTR1000 and Aprilia’s RSV Mille), it had the engine with the best character. It’s a difficult thing to define, but the 125-horse

FUTURE CLASSIC SUZUKI TL1000R

“The motorcycle market has never been great at coping with ‘new’ ideas”

twin had a unique snarl and was an absolute hoot to play with. Throw in Suzuki’s famously slick transmissions and you had a very serious performance bike. My all-time favourite ride on one was part of a multi-bike comparison with the Australian Motorcycle News crew, back when these things were new. At one stage we went hooting through a wide-open curve in the middle of nowhere at Warp 3 to be suddenly confronted by a very large police sergeant, planted firmly in the middle of the road holding up his hand. Oh dear. There was no denying we’d been pressing on, given the rabble pulled up in a pretty messy way with smoke coming off the rubber. “This is a crime scene,” he announced. Seemed a bit harsh, but we could see his point. Spotting the looks of resignation on our faces, he cleared up the confusion: “No, you don’t understand, there was a murder nearby and we’re walking the

The R was Suzuki’s second go at a V-twin superbike and was similar to the S but had forged pistons, stronger connecting rods and a stiffer frame; the S had a half-faired roadbike chassis.

witness through the crime scene. You’ll have to wait a while.” I’m sure he enjoyed messing with us. Anyway, back to the TL. It was an absolute ball to ride. The rear suspension on our example was performing okay and there was no denying it was one seriously fast motorcycle, more than able to give the equivalent Ducati (a 916) a really hard time. Dampers aside, the model has proven to be robust. Servicing any V-twin is a little awkward, given you’re dealing with two heads, and the rear is always sitting under a heap of bodywork that has to be removed for access. (Ducati’s 916 is the all-time champion for ease of access as it is literally designed to come apart. Though the desmodromic valve actuation raises complications that negate the advantages.)

TL TRIVIA Suzuki intended the TL1000R to be its platform for the world and US superbike championships, replacing the GSX-R750. It briefly raced in the US and Canadian championships, but the program ended after its first season. The engine went on to power the Bimota SB8R (150 units made), and score its only WSBK win, in the hands of Anthony Gobert at Phillip Island in 2000. Looking for owner and service info? Search for ‘Steve’s TL1000S pages’ on the web. It covers S and R models and has a wealth of info.

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FUTURE CLASSIC SUZUKI TL1000R

“It nevertheless had its fans”

A REAL CRACKER Probably of greater concern is a few bikes have been known to crack frames at the headstem and near the rear damper mount. They’re in the minority and can be repaired, but I’d cast a critical eye over any purchase. With the reputational damage done by the S, the launch of the R version was always going to be rocky. It wasn’t helped by the model’s looks, which in those pre-Hayabusa days were a visual shock. It seemed incredibly long, thanks to the combination of a tapered snout and an incredibly tall tailpiece that finished in an odd little ducktail. Frankly, a lot of people hated the looks. It nevertheless had its fans. I had the good fortune to take one of the first examples in the country for a very fast tour of Tasmania, including just about every good riding road the isle has to offer. Though it wasn’t the nimblest bike on the planet, it was dead stable at its considerable top speed (240-plus), turned in well enough when given a bit persuasion, braked well for the time and proved to be a thoroughly enjoyable superbike. It claimed an extra 10 horses over the S, for a figure of 135, which meant it wasn’t the most powerful bike on the planet but nevertheless had serious grunt packed into its 197kg claimed dry weight. Suzuki tweaked the tuning, while fitting forged pistons and stronger conrods to this variant. 92

SPEX SUZUKI TL1000R

ENGINE: TYPE: Liquid-cooled, four-valvesper-cylinder, 90-degree V-twin CAPACITY: 996c BORE & STROKE: 98 x 66mm COMPRESSION RATIO: 11.7:1 FUEL SYSTEM: EFI

TRANSMISSION: TYPE: Six-speed, constantmesh, FINAL DRIVE: Chain

By this time, the suspension issues had been sorted and this was a seriously fun bike to ride. Values for TL series can be patchy, with prices for S models being lifted along with the rest of the market, rather than through any virtue of the bike itself. You can pick one up for around $5000$7000. However, owners of R models are a little more demanding, with some justification, asking anything from $5000 through to 10 large. With minimal race history and a patchy reputation, I’m not backing these things as big investments. However, the early performance V-twins from the Japanese makers have some historical interest and the R model in particular is a good ride. Look at it as having a bit of fun while you park your money somewhere and you’ll probably do okay. Dammit, there’s another one I want to add to the shed!

CHASSIS & RUNNING GEAR: FRAME TYPE: Twin-spar alloy FRONT SUSPENSION: 43mm USD fork with full adjustment REAR SUSPENSION: Separate spring and rotary damper units with full adjustment FRONT BRAKE: Twin 320mm discs with 6-piston caliper REAR BRAKE: 220mm disc with twin-piston caliper

DIMENSIONS & CAPACITIES: DRY WEIGHT: 197kg SEAT HEIGHT: 825mm WHEELBASE: 1395mm FUEL CAPACITY: 17L

WHEELS & TYRES: FRONT: 120/70 ZR17 cast alloy REAR: 190/50 ZR17 cast alloy

PERFORMANCE: POWER: 101kW at 9500rpm TORQUE: 105Nm at 7500rpm

T WINGS OF DESIRE WORDS: HAMISH COOPER PHOTOS: PHIL AYNSLEY

Winglets on MotoGP bikes aren’t a new idea. The Bike Detectives trace them back to the 1970s 94

his season is shaping up to be a landmark year in MotoGP. The one word that sums it up is ‘unpredictable’. New control tyres and standardised electronics have sent the factories back to the drawing board. It’s time for teams to think outside the square in the quest to keep the monster power output of the MotoGP machines under control. That’s why Honda and Yamaha have started using winglets on their bikes, following on from ‘pioneer’

BIKE DETECTIVES 1972 MV AGUSTA PROTOTYPE

Ducati. But this technology isn’t new. As far back as 1972 MV Agusta experimented with winglets that look amazingly similar to the ones currently being used. Some experts claim the correct aeronautical term for them is ‘strake’, not winglet, but we’ll call them winglets as that’s how the commentators describe them.

THE IDEA HAS WINGS Back in the 1960s, wings or aerofoils debuted on the Can-Am sports cars

series in the US. By the early 1970s, they were a major feature of Formula 1, including Ferrari’s factory effort. It was a challenging technological period in car and motorcycle racing. The two-wheeled world was slowly transitioning from four-strokes to two. This meant MV Agusta, the dominant force in grand prix racing, had to dig deep to stay on top. Much has been made of Giacomo Agostini’s 15 world championships and 122 GP wins, including seven consecutive 500cc championships.

Much less has been made of the man who created and sustained the MV legend. Arturo Magni was in charge of the factory team from the late 1950s until MV’s withdrawal in 1976. His work resulted in 270 GP wins and 75 world titles. Magni led from the front and wasn’t reluctant to put in an allnighter to solve a technical issue. His work was fundamental to the success of MV Agusta’s 350 and 500cc three-cylinder GP racers, and trademotorcycles.com.au 95

The Meccanica Verghera (MV) motorcycle firm was founded in the Italian village of Verghera by Count Domenico Agusta, whose father was an aviation pioneer. So wings were in the family.

then the four-cylinder versions that continued until 1976. Unusual for a factory technician, his work embraced both engine and chassis development. This was the key to the success of Giacomo Agostini and, later, Phil Read. With Ferrari embracing wing technology for its Formula 1 racers, it isn’t a huge leap to assume Magni would have been inspired to further investigate the issue of aerodynamics. The MV prototype photographed here was revealed at the Assen GP in 1972. That year Read joined the team to campaign its 350cc. The next year he would win the 500cc title for the factory and successfully defend it in 1974. It was the last time a four-stroke would win the title until MotoGP came along in 2002.

STUDY CLOSELY The prototype Read rode in a test session at Assen was a radical departure from previous MV fours. As well as the aerodynamics, its 500cc four-cylinder four-valve engine ran backwards, similar to how Yamaha’s M1 MotoGP racer was configured 40 years later. There is talk that most of this year’s factory bikes have similar engine layouts. 96

The theory is that running the crank in the opposite direction to the front tyre negates the wheel’s gyroscopic effect, improving cornering response and manoeuvrability. The MV engine was cutting edge but the aerodynamics were more obvious. The hump behind the seat mimicked earlier efforts by HarleyDavidson to keep the flathead KR750 racers competitive. California wind-tunnel tests

commissioned by HD had resulted in a bulbous but low fairing with a large ducktail that created a curve from the top of the windscreen across the rider’s back and down the tail. The result was Cal Rayborn’s victory at the 1968 Daytona 200, when he became the first rider to average more than 100mph on the speed bowl. Look closely at the 1972 MV and you notice a grille in the front of the

BIKE DETECTIVES 1972 MV AGUSTA PROTOTYPE

WINGING IT

“Look closely and you notice a grille in the front of the fairing that draws cool air across the engine”

fairing that draws cool air across the engine. The hot air is then expelled from the ducktail through a large oval vent. Called the Studio (Study) 84 by the factory, the most impressive aspect of this MV is its winglets. As in MotoGP, they feature end plates to prevent air from the high-pressure side flowing around to the lowpressure side. However, unlike the current

MotoGP efforts, this technology wasn’t pursued. Read was reportedly unimpressed with the prototype’s handling and the project was quietly withdrawn. The next year Read became an important member of MV’s rearguard action and the factory won both the 500cc championship and the manufacturer’s trophy. An indication of how radical this era of racing was is the fact that a

It wasn’t long after Formula 1 cars started employing wings that British ‘free thinker’ Colin Lyster tried an aerofoil supported by struts. He fitted it to a Honda 450cc twin race bike. The rider slid forwards and backwards on the seat to adjust its angle. However, leaning for corners resulted in a scary amount of side force. It was enough to make the machine run wide. Suzuki employed several mini versions of the idea in the late 1970s and early 1980s. They were used on RG500s raced by Mike Hailwood at the TT and by Barry Sheene, Marco Lucchinelli and others in the 500cc GP class. The system varied from simple winglets mounted on the sides of the fairing to a more complicated version that also shielded the clip-ons. John Britten tried winglets on the monocoque racer he built up in the mid-1980s using a Denco V-twin engine. The final version of the Britten owed much of its top speed to clever aerodynamics that harnessed the airflow in a way that didn’t involve the need for a full fairing or winglets.

Konig, powered by a converted marine two-stroke engine, finished second in that championship, although its Kiwi rider, Kim Newcombe, had been killed during the season. Read claims he brought magnesium wheels and disc brakes to MV and that the MV four-cylinder is one of his two favourite GP motorcycles. Certainly MV kept developing its four-stroke long after it should have joined the two-stroke revolution. trademotorcycles.com.au 97

BIKE DETECTIVES 1972 MV AGUSTA PROTOTYPE

The machine became slimmer and lighter and retained enough power and reliability to come first and second in the 1974 500cc championship, although Yamaha just beat it in the manufacturers’ title. In 1975, Ago won the 500cc title on a Yamaha two-stroke, the Japanese factory’s first world championship and MV’s first 500cc title loss since 1957. MV withdrew from racing, ending the four-stroke era.

HOW DO WINGLETS WORK? With factory MotoGP technicians coy about discussing winglets, it’s been left to the commentators and observers to demystify them. The general consensus is that they have two, possibly three, purposes. The first is to create a small amount of downforce so the bike’s wheeliecontrol system doesn’t come on so quickly. As these powerful engines wind up, the front wheel wants to lift through all the gears. Basically, wheelie control limits the throttle opening and reduces power, which is not what either a racer or technician

wants. If you have the horsepower you want to use it. A spectator knows the wheelie control is operating when they see a MotoGP bike’s front wheel skimming the tarmac under acceleration. Second, it’s believed that Ducati’s multiple winglets direct cooling air into the engine compartment. Third, reports from riders attempting to slipstream the Ducati suggest that another major aim of this system is to create turbulence in the motorcycle’s wake. Getting a ‘tow’ from a faster motorcycle is one of the arts of racing. Strangely, it was Ducati consultant engineer Alan Jenkins who brought the idea of winglets back into MotoGP. In a sort of a ‘back to the future’ moment, he used his vast experience in Formula 1 carengineering design to produce small wings for Casey Stoner and Nicky Hayden in 2010. Stoner came third in the championship that year before taking the title in 2011. Perhaps this time they’re here for keeps.

BIN IT The quick way to increase performance in the 1950s was a dustbin fairing. They were eventually banned by the FIM (Federation of International Motorcycling) for being dangerous (sounds a bit like today’s debate over the MotoGP winglets). Talking to a couple of old-timers at the recent Broadford Bike Bonanza puts it into perspective. They said that dustbins were only dangerous in severe cross-wind. However, they also explained that when following a dustbin-faired racer on the straights, they often had to avoid sparks. This was because the rider braced the bike against the gust to such an extent that the footpeg scraped. The risks seemed worth it as a dustbin fairing added 50km/h to the top speed of a Manx, a typical privateer’s bike in the 1950s. So why wouldn’t MV experiment?

“Read was reportedly unimpressed with the 1972 MV prototype’s handling and the project was quietly withdrawn”

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SPANNERMAN Let Motorcycle Trader’s mechanical master solve your woes…

SPANNERMAN’S SOAPBOX

his month’s column looks like a BMW roast – lousy brakes and stinking as well. If you’re the boss of BMW and you’re reading this, it’s just a coincidence. Having said that, I still think the situation with the pre2007 integral ABS system is deplorable. The year 2006 wasn’t that long ago and a subsidised fix surely isn’t beyond the might of the company. It’s lucky MercedesBenz doesn’t make bikes. My non-gender-specificlife-choice partner’s C280 recently refused to start and the problem was the ignition, which isn’t just a key and a tumbler but a chip and a computer.

KNOWLEDGE IS POWER In the latest issue, a reader from Brisbane had a question about his faulty BMW ABS brakes. There is a very highly regarded BMW mechanic here on the Sunshine Coast who repairs the modules. His contact details

100

The dealer, for security reasons, had to get M-B’s permission from Germany to allow me to spend $2500 for a new ignition computer. It’s a 1997 model for chrissake – and I now have a key which is as valuable as the actual car. Mercedes’ sporting arm, AMG, has recently tied up with MV Agusta. So let’s see what happens next. It’s not just Germans, of course. Most bike manufacturers have had episodes in their engineering history they’d prefer to forget and the frequency with which bike recalls are occurring in 2016 suggests it’s just part of the rich tapestry of making bikes.

There’s a letter in this issue about Honda’s GL1000 which harks back to a time when manufacturers did their pre-production testing before the bike actually made it onto the showroom floor. Recalls, particularly for Japanese bikes, were the rarest thing. Some recalls are more acceptable than others. Triumph is recalling some of its new Street Twins to address a potential fuel leak which was arguably unforeseeable. Honda recalled a recent Goldwing because a switch designed to turn the engine off if the bike was upside-down in a crash was activating at

are as follows: www. tormotors.com.au or call (07) 5446 6867. Mark mlcurry95@bigpond.com

list of BMW businesses that operate with great success outside the official BMW network. They’re particularly useful for owners with slightly older models. Tor offers a ‘deluxe’ ABS servo bypass operation on pre2007 models fitted with integral ABS systems. It includes removing the bulky, heavy servo unit and completely removing all evidence the host bike ever displayed of having ABS in the first place. It’s a slightly more complicated

Thanks for this, Mark. Tor offers the full range of services for BMW owners and is part of a

extreme cornering angles. Imagine that: halfway around the corner on something weighing as much as the Queen Mary and the engine suddenly dies…

SPANNERMAN

Letter of the issue BMW BRAKES This is regarding your advice in issue 306 on the ABS unit on a 2006 BMW R 1200 GS. Mine is a 2007 model but I am pretty sure it is the same as the 2006 – the updated model came out just after I bought my bike. Anyway, I had a similar ABS problem. I took the bike to South America and the brake warning light was on almost all the time and the ABS was not working. It had about 50,000km on it at the time. I took the bike to BM Motorcycles in Ringwood (Victoria) when I got home and they diagnosed that it was the ABS unit which needed replacement. It seemed the fault was with the servo motor in the unit and, apparently, this is not all that uncommon. The price was about $3500 and the unit is non-repairable. I was so annoyed that I kept putting off getting it replaced. Eventually I decided to bite the bullet and go ahead but, in the meantime, BM Motorcycles had got on to a mob in Europe that hacksaws the problem part, fixes it and then re-welds it. The cost is about $1500 for a changeover unit so is about half price and it comes with a 12-month warranty. It has been fine since. Shane Dwyer, shanedwyer@westnet. com.au

The 2006 and 2007 models have different brake systems, Shane. But as you’ve discovered, both can give trouble. BMW models prior to 2007 with integral ABS have a processor associated with the server unit which can give problems. If you want the ABS function to continue, the whole unit needs to be replaced. I checked recently and, fitted, you’d be lucky to escape paying less than $5000. For that money, you end up with exactly the same system that failed in the first place and you ride along with the discomfort of knowing it’s quite possible it will happen again. In MT#307, we talked about the option of

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bypassing the servo motors and I gave you a few businesses that would do the job. You end up without servoassisted ABS but morethan-adequate braking performance at a cost of around $500, a tenth of the cost of replacing the original equipment unit. If you currently own a pre-2007 model and haven’t had this problem, make sure you change the brake fluid immediately and thereafter, as BMW suggests, every two years. The ABS system on your model, Shane, is different in that when you pulled the brake lever on the 2006 model, the processor determined what pressures should be exerted. From 2007, the pressure on the lever

made the decision. As you’ve noted, though, this ABS system can play up as well. BM Motorcycles’ solution is certainly worth knowing about and it’s one of the most trusted BMW workshops in the country. An Australian solution is also now available which is less expensive again. See the letter in this issue titled ‘Knowledge is Power’. You mentioned in a postscript to your email that we’ve met: true! It was at a barbecue hosted by another BMW tragic, Alec Simpson. I remember your stories of yourself and two mates riding KLR650 Kawasakis across Russia to Vladivostok. It’s hard to imagine a brake problem on a KLR which would cost $5000 to fix.

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to retrieve it two weeks later. Ditto the helmet if I forget to clean it. But the bike is rarely so neglected. It’s spoiling the otherwise fun and pleasure of ownership. Well, almost. The problem disappears once I get rolling. Any similar experiences at your end or thoughts on the matter? Juf, jufster@optusnet. com.au

procedure in that some other bike functions are linked to one of the servo unit’s processors (including the speedo) but the end result is very clean surgery, troublefree brakes, everything working and no useless bits and pieces hanging off the bike creating unnecessary weight and taking up space. Depending on the model (it’s not just GS models that were fitted with the system), it can cost up to $1500 but it can also be considerably cheaper. Tor also has a fix for the post-2007 braking system (see Shane Dwyer’s letter in this issue) which does the job for between $500700. Go Tor!

SMELL FROM HELL My Beemer stinks! I love it for its versatility and downright goodness: the 2013 R 1200 R does everything so well, I find myself wondering why more people don’t ride them. But, seriously, it stinks! Ninety-nine per cent of my riding is in the country, so it, like me, collects its fair share of bugs on a normal day (interestingly, there are 102

some seemingly ordinary days where there is never a bug to be found). Like me, it’s cleaned regularly – after every ‘long’ ride (1000km or more) and the dirty fiddly bits are cleaned with a pressure hose (the dirty fiddly bits on the bike, not my own dirty fiddly bits). So, mostly, it looks pretty pristine, even in the out-ofthe-way spots. But as the mates gather for the goodbyes and I don gear and warm her up, the looks begin. There’s the tell-tale turn up of the top lip, the accusing glances of spouses to the final, desperate searches for the abandoned three-week-old roadkill that appears to be hidden in the garden. Everyone agrees: my bike smells. I can’t recall having this problem to this degree with previous bikes, mostly Beemers too. Despite my exceptional cleanliness, is there a hidden area on an R 1200 R that attracts kamikaze bugs never to be washed out again? Do I have to resort to using an industrial-strength odour killer on the bike? I have noticed the same issue when I’ve locked the jacket in the closet after a big ride, then go

There’s a world of unanswerable questions in this, Juf. You suggest the smell might be similar to the smell of a sweaty jacket or helmet left in a closed cupboard for a couple of weeks. I know that smell but a motorcycle can’t emit it – they don’t sweat. The important clue seems to be you experience it when you’re warming the bike up – sitting still with the engine running and getting progressively hotter. Is it possible you’re smelling exhaust fumes from unleaded petrol drifting around the bike? Traditionally, this smells a bit like rotten eggs and most riders will know it when a car in front of them accelerates away. No? A different smell? My old mate Scrotum stank anyway from never washing while he was riding and wearing the

“It was perhaps a clue when you wrote that you wash the inside of your helmet – most don’t”

same riding gear for 14 years straight but warmup was a particularly sensuous experience because he used to rub lamb fat left over from cooking on his knee-length Rossi boots and it would release its odours as the boot nearest the engine started warming up. Is it possible you’re using a particular cleaning product when you wash the bike which releases a smell when it gets hot? It was also perhaps a clue when you wrote that you wash the inside of your helmet. Most riders don’t do that – and they compound the issue by storing their sweat-drenched or wet gloves inside the helmet when they’re not in use. I like the smell of the inside of my helmet – it smells like riding and the freedom which comes with challenging some of the false conventions of middle-class hygiene. Are you a cleanliness freak in other areas of your life? I’ll leave this open to MT’s brains trust in case there’s something I haven’t considered so watch this space. In the meantime, I think I’ll go take a shower…

DISTANT DELIGHTS I’m not sure if I’ve been really lucky or really unlucky. About four months ago, I heard from a relative in a small, country town in Western Australia who knew I rode and he told me he knew of a bike up the back of a garage at the local Catholic presbytery which had been left there by a young priest who had

SPANNERMAN moved on long ago. It took me ages to track down someone with the authority to let me see it as the parish does not have its own priest anymore. It turned out to be a Honda CB400N twin which was covered in dust but seemed complete and largely unmarked. I was particularly interested as it was only showing 8500km on the odometer. In a weird transaction I donated a very modest amount to the St Vincent de Paul Society and was given the bike. It was just like in those fake ads: “Very low kilometres and only ridden to church on Sundays.” Job one was a complete wash and clean which revealed what looked like a new bike. Nobody could find the keys so there was a delay while I located a new ignition tumbler and keys from a wrecker and fitted them. Next up was a new battery and, blow me down, every single electrical function on the bike worked – lights,

“One of the great myths of motorcycling is that low kilometres are always best” indicators, brake lights, the works. I know this was probably the wrong thing to do but I couldn’t help myself: I pressed the starter button. The engine turned over but didn’t fire. There was a tiny bit of fuel in the tank but it looked awful so I drained it, cleaned the tank and refilled it with 95 RON. I checked the oil and there was plenty. It also looked fairly clean. I took the float bowls off the carbs and cleaned them as well. I suppose you should expect miracles from a bike you find in a church but it started, albeit with a fair amount of smoke. The smoke started out black, then went white (usually a sign that they’ve elected

a new pope) and then the engine settled down. I didn’t ride it far because I haven’t replaced the tyres and I think the ones on it now were the originals, but the engine was leaving a trail of blue smoke, more from the left cylinder than the right. I’ve had a diagnosis from a bike shop that the top end of the engine is worn and at the very least I’ll need a rebore, new rings and gaskets. I know bikes probably didn’t last as long when the CB400N was first introduced (1978?) but how could a member of the clergy wear an engine out in just 8500km? What other surprises am I likely to find? Is it worth the expense and effort to get it running properly again? Mitch Diver, mddiver@gmail.com

It’s a great find, Mitch, and well worth the effort of getting it back on the road properly. One of the great myths of motorcycling is low kilometres are always the best. “Just ridden to church on Sundays” could

easily mean a life of trips lasting as little as three kilometres where the engine never reaches its normal operating temperature (increased wear) and the engine oil never warms up either (increased wear). Constant cold starts with oil with poor boundary lubrication properties are among the toughest work an engine will do. Combustion isn’t efficient until an engine is warm and it means unburnt fuel and damaging by-products find their way into the lubricating oil, radically reducing its effectiveness. Yes, it’s possible to wear an engine out in 8500km but a top-end rebuild will cure the exhaust smoke issue and freshen up the performance. While the top end of the engine is apart, have the valves (three in each cylinder) reseated and just check that the valve springs which have been compressed for god-knows how long (he will know, given the bike belonged to the church) are still appropriately springy. Other things the devil may have done while the bike was idle include rotting out the exhaust system. You may need new mufflers. You already know you need to replace the tyres. I don’t want you to worry about this but I’ve seen the gearboxes of bikes that have sat for years with a rust line through the gears themselves where the corrosive contaminants which sit on the top of the oil have eaten away at the metal. It goes without saying you’ll replace all the bike’s fluids and if the bike runs well when you restart it, just enjoy the ride. Many MT readers will be jealous of your find.

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SPANNERMAN

MONEY IN HIDING In MT#306, you told Mitchell Da Silva that you thought the very early Honda Goldwing is the best buy as an investment. I note your colleague, Guido, also seems to have a fondness for the first model of any particular series of bikes. Often, the second and subsequent models benefit from faults discovered when the first model actually puts up some road miles, making later models more reliable and refined. Why aren’t these valued in the same way as the first models? It seems like they would always make better rides. Brian Gisbourne, Stanthorpe, Qld

There’s a sense in which you’re asking the wrong person here, Brian. Unlike myself, most collectors haven’t had two wives, five kids and a succession of mortgages which have focussed the mind on life’s more practical concerns. 104

My modest collection of bikes is the result of an inability to sell bikes as I wear them out. I’ve never bought a bike because I thought it had ‘investment potential’ – rather they’ve been acquired because, first, I could afford them at the time and, second, they did what I needed them to do. Some, over time, have increased in value but that’s been an accident of history rather than any kind of deliberate strategy. Despite all this, I still understand Guido’s inclination towards the first model in a series as having most collector potential. Serious collectors hardly ever ride so it doesn’t matter to them that the second, third and fourth iteration of a particular model had progressively better performance and ride characteristics. Honda’s GL1000 Goldwing was introduced in 1975 in an era where

manufacturers had the time to develop new models fully before they were released. Honda allegedly spent a whole year testing the GL’s driveshaft to make the drive as smooth as possible. It was conceived for the American market where nobody appeared to mind bulk and weight. It was deceptive, though, in that the first model was actually shorter and narrower than the BMW R/6 series bikes of the day. It was an instant hit in the US, with technology including liquid cooling, a flat-four engine, belt-driven overhead camshafts and a rear disc brake. None of this was new technology but nobody had ever put it together like this. The first model Wing lasted five years before Honda opened a manufacturing plant in Marysville, Ohio, and started building the replacement GL1100.

Looking at an original Wing today, you’re struck by its relatively modest proportions. It no longer seems to be a giant bike. The engine was bulletproof as long as you could remember to change the cam belts – which was not a difficult job as they were accessed behind the front engine cover. It’s a significant bike in that it took it to HarleyDavidson in the biggest market in the world and demonstrated Japan had the engineering, technology and agility to succeed against the best. You sense all that when you ride a Wing. Styling is, of course, personal, but Wings afterwards became more and more grotesque and, in some models, entirely forgettable. The first Americanproduced model, the GL1100, would also be a excellent buy but the earliest Wing is the one for the collectors to watch closely.

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FIRE IN THE HOLE Kawasakiâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Z1-R TC was undoubtedly the fastest motorcycle you could buy in 1979 WORDS AND PHOTOS: IAN FALLOON

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n the 1970s factory café racers were the preserve of Europeans. Norton had its 750 production racer, Ducati its 750 Sport and 750 and 900 Super Sport, Moto Guzzi its V7 Sport and 850 Le Mans, and BMW its R90S. But the European stranglehold was broken in 1977 when Kawasaki released its Z1-R. With a fibreglass quarter fairing, smoked windscreen, low European handlebars, a 60-Watt quartz-halogen headlight and an instrument panel that included a fuel gauge and ampmeter, the Z1-R followed the style of BMW’s R90S but had what the BMW didn’t: 90hp and a quarter mile time of under 12 seconds.

barely cope with the strain of the 1000cc DOHC engine. Kawasaki beefed up the swingarm and fitted four sets of needle bearings in the pivot, but the mild-steel frame was essentially unchanged. The braking was upgraded to twin drilled 296mm front discs with floating calipers, and a single 292mm drilled rear disc with a twin-piston caliper, while the front wheel was downsized to an 18-inch item to

NOT SUBTLE The Z1-R was a ground-breaking design for a Japanese manufacturer, and it should have been a recipe for success but, unfortunately for Kawasaki, its Z1-R was produced a bit prematurely. Beneath designer Kurashima’s angular styling was the same oldschool Japanese chassis that could

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allow a wider 3.50-section tyre. But the main problem for the Z1-R was its timing. It arrived only months before a new wave of Japanese superbikes, notably Suzuki’s betterhandling GS1000, faster Honda CBX1000 six and gruntier Yamaha XS1100. The first Z1-R was produced in metallic silver, accentuated by black highlighting on the engine and many other components. It looked great, but no-one bought it. This prompted Kawasaki in the US to seek a short-term solution to elevate the Z1-R back to the top of the performance heap. In 1978 it teamed with Californian firm Turbo Cycle Corporation (TCC) to produce a limited number of Z1-R turbos, or Z1-R TCs, fitted with American Turbo-Pak (ATP) compressor kits. No warranty on the turbocharged bikes were offered, and 250 TCs were initially produced in the original silver.

BOOST SEDUCE After managing to sell those first 250 bikes, TCC obtained a further

“It’s as subtle as pulling up next to a Volkswagen at a stop sign in a fire-breathing fuel dragster” 108

COLLECTABLE KAWASAKI Z1-R TC

FIVE TRUTHS ABOUT TURBOS 1. Although not strictly a production model, the Kawasaki Z1-R TC was the first turbocharged motorcycle you could walk into a showroom and buy – but only if you lived in the US. It was never officially imported into Australia, although three made it to New Zealand. 2. To advertise the TC’s performance, Turbo Cycle Corporation (TCC) had worldspeed record holder Don Vesco ride one at the Bonneville Salt Flats at 260km/h. 3. TCC then put on a Goodyear slick, wheelie bar and rear struts, and gave it to ATP development rider Jay “Pee Wee” Gleason. In the modified street-drag class, Gleason went on to turn standing quarter-mile times of 10.03 seconds at 225km/h. 4. Turbocharging was fashionable in the early 1980s. Suzuki and Yamaha built turbocharged aircooled 650cc fours, Kawasaki a 750 and Honda the CX500TC. Even Moto Morini developed a turbocharged prototype. 5. The turbo revolution was short. By 1984 there was no need for expensive, heavy and complex machinery that provided no performance advantage over conventional motorcycles.

“Be it on a drag strip pavement with crowded rows of envious onlookers, or on a deserted airplane runway, the man who mounts this very special motorcycle will hear the applause of those who understand the true meaning of performance.” Or so a Z1-R TC advertisement said. trademotorcycles.com.au 109

COLLECTABLE KAWASAKI Z1-R TC

250 unsold 1978-spec Z1-Rs and transformed them into secondgeneration TCs for 1979. Noted Californian customiser Molly Designs drew up a new colour scheme and graphics over the original paint, and Kawasaki advertised the TC as “the machine for the elite of motorcycling. It’s for those who like to be out in front.” The ATP kit was basically bolton. Apart from the intake and exhaust system, the engine was stock, right down to the cast 8.7:1 pistons. TCC considered the engine more than strong enough to handle the increased power. The only concession made was the installation of baffle in the sump to prevent oil starvation during hard acceleration. The turbine was a small Ray Jay, and induction was by a single 38mm Bendix float-type carburettor, mated to an ATP manifold. The manifold, carb, turbine/compressor and stumpy exhaust weighed slightly less than the stock four Mikuni carburettors and four-into-one exhaust.

A rectangular wastegate built into the exhaust header regulated boost and this was limited to a moderate 8psi to protect the engine. A handlebar-mounted glycerinefilled pressure gauge showed just how much boost the engine was getting. The output was a conservative 135hp at the crankshaft, or 108hp at the rear wheel, and the top speed around 240km/h, depending on the boost and gearing. There was no doubt the Z1-R TC was the fastest motorcycle you could buy in 1979, even if the power was way too much for the stock chassis. The Z1-R TC represented the end of the era of engines triumphing over chassis. Raw and brutal, it was a straight-line motorcycle and made no pretensions otherwise. The TC was about making a statement. As the advertising material said, “It’s as subtle as pulling up next to a Volkswagen at a stop sign in a fire-breathing fuel dragster. It’s not for everyone, but everyone will know.”

WANT TO KNOW MORE? www.Turbomotorcycles.org http://goo.gl/HDLQZw Find out more about Turbo motorcycles: www.MRTurbo.com This is good: Search “Kawasaki Z1-R” auto.howstuffworks.com Here is a forum for the Z1 R TC: www.KawasakiMotorcycle.org http://goo.gl/OqGCNz

“The Z1-R was a ground-breaking design for a Japanese manufacturer, and it should have been a recipe for success” Japan’s first turbocharged street bike was all brawn and no backbone. But it turned heads.

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OUR BIKES 1947 SUNBEAM S7

A few more months in the shed and we might actually have a bike that can be relied upon

ou know you’re in trouble when you walk into a workshop you’ve never before clapped eyes on and are greeted with. “Ah, you’re here to see Winston.” This line is delivered in tones you might expect from an undertaker. Indeed, I am in to see Winston, or at least bits of him.

You see, Winston is my 1947 Sunbeam S7. This is the famous (infamous?) ‘early one’. The version with all the problems, the one experts advise you must have deep pockets to own. Yep, that one. There’s estimated to be less than 200 left in the world and I strongly suspect you’d be lucky to trademotorcycles.com.au 113

find half of them actually running. Mine isn’t among them. Well, not at the moment. Okay, I’m in the workshop of Doug Fraser who builds industrial electrical switchboxes for a living. And, no, I haven’t started collecting switches. In fact, Doug is widely recognised as one of those shed-dwelling geniuses (he’ll be terribly embarrassed to read that) who could probably run NASA with a hand drill, a shifting spanner and screwdriver. A BSA nut renowned for the home-built V-twin he completed some years ago and whose most recent project was a very tasty electric-start trail bike built out of a B50, he also does the odd rebuild and machining job for fellow motorcycle tragics. In this case, he was sent my engine by a mate, Phillip White, who recently took over Winston’s rebuild. BLOODY BRITISH Why are we doing this? Glad you asked. It’s part of the ongoing war I’m having with the wonderful All 114

You need a big wallet, a lot of patience and a great sense of humour to keep a Sunbeam running. Guy has two of these things.

British Rally which, in the past few years, has tentatively cost me at least $10,000. First Winston tossed a leg out of bed (a colloquialism for breaking a conrod and spitting it out into the nearest paddock), then I hit a roo on my T160 Triumph. The great, hopping, hairy idiot is now deceased, but the T160 survived and has been repaired at great expense to management. Back to Winston. I kind of got part way through the rebuild, with the aid of old mate and fellow SR500 tragic Paul Newbold, when we ground to a halt. The engine is – there’s no polite way of saying this – a prick of a thing to assemble and I just ran out of time and talent.

What tipped me over the edge was a call from young Mr White (a fellow Indian tragic and former aircraft engineer), to come and ride his freshly assembled Sunbeam S7 Deluxe. That’s the model after mine, with many of the issues fixed, and he’d cobbled it together out of a trailer-load of bits. When I say cobbled, it’s a damn nice machine and a quick run on it revived the good memories I had of Winston. “It’s one of the toughest bikes I’ve ever had to put together,” White said, which went some way to making me feel better. So I promptly flick-passed Winston to him. Along the way he has decided the powerplant needed further surgery,

OUR BIKES 1947 SUNBEAM S7

“The engine is – there’s no polite way of saying this – a prick of a thing to assemble and I just ran out of time and talent” though I’d already fitted new rods and pistons. Doug diagnosed that the tops of the pistons need valve cutaways – he reckons we might get away without them, but S7s have been known to tap the valves and it’s better to play it safe. He isn’t too happy about the head cap, either, which he reckons has some hairline cracks that need fixing. Plus, he’s clearly offended by the broken fins on the barrels and plans to sort that lot out. Oh, and he reckons the rocker gear needs some shimming to get it sitting right. Come to think of it, there’s a bit of float in the oil pump shaft, so that will have to be sorted. You can see how these projects quickly balloon into a major exercise.

ORIGINAL VS MODIFIED Despite all those dramas, Doug had some kind words for the powerplant: “It’s actually a pretty good design,” he said. Interesting, as it was also advanced for its day. Overhead cam alloy engines were few and far between way back in the 1940s. He also added it could easily be taken out from 500cc to 750. Of course I instantly said let’s do it. ‘No dice’ was the response. Sadly the bronze worm-shaft final drive just wouldn’t cope with the extra power. He’s right, as the factory built a ‘sport’ version of this machine, which quickly chewed out drivelines. Bugger. Then again, any extra urge would only overwhelm trademotorcycles.com.au 115

OUR BIKES 1947 SUNBEAM S7

KNOW YOUR S7s The S7 was brave postwar design intended to be ‘gentleman’s tourer’. Three generations were built: S7 in black with reverse hand-levers; S7 Deluxe in green with conventional levers; S8 in a few colours, with slimmer conventional wheels. Production went from 1946 through to 1956. There is an active Australian club (dawsonadrian@aapt.net. au) and a ready source of spares in the UK from Stewart Engineering (StewartEngineering. co.uk).

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“How far are you prepared to change the original motorcycle … in a market that places a premium on originality?” the already pathetic brakes. Once the machining is done, Mr White will hopefully turn his attention to the assembly. He’s threatened to perform a few upgrades along the way, such as replacing the original six-volt generator with a 12-volt conversion based on a unit out of a Kubota industrial engine. We’ll see about the latter, as I’m not keen about changing the looks of the original, which has done very little work since the last rebuild. And that’s the quandary with projects like this. The means is readily available to make these things more reliable, but how far are you prepared to change the original motorcycle? Cost comes

into it, as does the potential to devalue the machine in a market that places a premium on originality. Another factor to keep in mind is how the bike is likely to be used. I’m never going to tour on it, and certainly not at night, so the luxury of the good lighting that a 12-volt system enables is far from necessary. I reckon we’re still months away from having a running motorcycle, but it will be worth the effort. I’ve never really had any faith in the thing hanging together, so maybe at the end of all of this I can head out for a joy ride with some degree of confidence in making it back under its own power. That really would be a novelty.

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GEARBOX

BEDROOM HANDS Warm face, warm hands, warm feet – wouldn’t it be lovely? Held’s waterproof Rain Skin Over Gloves have the “warm hands” part covered. As the name suggests, these gloves fit over the top of your riding ones, keeping you’re hands warm and dry on a dark and stormy night, or day. They’re made from PU-coated polyester, have a Velcro adjustment strap at the cuffs and a visor wiper. Plus, they’re black. PRICE: $55 www.HeldAustralia.com.au

SCRAMBLER SOLDIERS Ducati marketing has gone all out with the launch of the Scrambler range. We kid you not – we have a file at Motorcycle Trader HQ with more than 50 accessories and 80 products, from mugs and wallets to exhaust tape and handgrips. We think Ducati might be forming some sort of Scrambler army. Items the troops will probably add to their armoury early are the aluminium handlebar crossbar, Urban Enduro softbag set or the Classic softbag set. The crossbar has an enduro look and is 235mm long. The Enduro softbags are water resistant while the Classic softbags (inset) have a more vintage look. The Urban and Classic bags will require brackets. PRICES: Crossbar, $59.61; Urban softbags, $491.21; Classic softbags, $532.32; brackets, $203.48 www.Ducati.com.au

WINTER WANDERER

If life sends you down a rough, wet road, may you have a good jacket. The AeroSec Top is a good-looking piece of kit with a serious name. But the best thing about it, according to the company, is it becomes waterproof and windproof with one quick zip. The weatherproof membrane isn’t removable – it’s stored inside the jacket when you’re not using it. That means the AeroSec is cool and breathable when the day’s hot, but can be made waterproof and windproof when it’s wet. Basically you’re wearing a waterproof jacket under a vented one, but without much bulk – and you won’t lose the liner because it’s attached. The AeroSec has CE-certified shoulder and elbow protectors, abrasion-resistant fabric and there’s space for back and chest protectors. PRICE: $750 www.HeldAustralia.com.au

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SHOTS, SHOTS, SHOTS

If you ride an Indian, wear a cap and do shots – preferably not at the same time – you’re doing life right. To help you in your travels, Indian now has branded caps and shot glasses. The Scout is a five-panel hat with an embroidered Scout logo on the front and “the legend is back” on the rear. The size is adjustable and it’s got Indian logos printed on the lining – plus it’s black. The two-ounce shot glasses are good for putting alcohol in and come in a stylish tin. What more do you need to know? PRICES: Shot glasses (four), $40; hat, $30 www.IndianMotorcycle.com.au

THUNDER STROKES ARE GO The “Thunder Stroke”. Sounds like a good night in. This jacket has patch pockets for your wet wipes and subtle embroidered and patch branding so you’re not easily identified in public. To ensure you don’t get too sweaty, it also features ventilated mesh, a removable vest, hidden ventilation panels for your chest and back and there’s snap pockets – six exterior and one interior. For protection, there’s removable CE armour for the shoulders and elbows and an ‘action back’, plus there’s silver zippers and snaps, and a collar that can be fastened with a buckle. The materials used are leather and textile, with the sleeves a heavy, dull leather and the body nylon. PRICE: $400 www.IndianMotorcycle.com.au

SUCK IT UP

The Street 500 is Harley-Davidson’s best-selling motorcycle, so it makes sense that K&N has developed a filter system for owners who want a bit of extra kick. K&N guarantees its AirCharger Air Intake will increase horsepower by replacing the stock filter with its high-flow one and mandrel-bent aluminium intake tube. The intake comes with a billet aluminium throttle-body mounting plate and mounting hardware. According to K&N, the unit will improve throttle response and sound and will last about 160,000km before a service is needed. PRICE: $449.95 www.CTAAustralia.com.au trademotorcycles.com.au 119

GEARBOX

SHORT AND SHARP

The gloves are off – or on in this case. Dainese Carbon D1 Short gloves mean business. They are certified and, according to Dainese, very protective. The idea is to combine race-level protection in a short-cuff sport glove. They might not get you through scrutineering for a track day, but they should be more than enough for a day around the mountains or back streets. They have knuckle carbon-composite inserts for punching the ground, polyurethane inserts on the palm and finger joint, and the palm is made of goat skin. Other features include a wrist-adjustment strap, distortion control for the little finger, pre-curved fingers and silicon print on the finger for extra grip. PRICE: $229.95 www.Cassons.com.au

GOT ANY BLACKER? If you’re building a bike, there are some things you can skimp on and others you probably shouldn’t – brakes and brake hoses fall into the latter category. To keep common sense fashionable, Venhill Engineering now has its Power Hose Plus braided brake lines available in black. These hoses are ADR-approved with a smooth Teflon inner for maximum durability and heat resistance, and they have a marine-grade stainless-steel outer to control expansion. PHP lines have 360-degree swivel unions for a perfect fit and twist-free alignment. PRICE: $100 per hose www.Kenma.com.au

TAILORED TOURER

The Tamira jacket is the women’s version of Held’s best-selling Hakuma adventure riding jacket. So it’s basically the same jacket but it’s made to fit women. Features include sleeve adjustment, airflow zippers on the forearms, shoulder and elbow armour and removable, breathable thermal lining. With the lining zipped in, the jacket is waterproof and helps keep out wind. Take it out and you have a summer touring jacket with plenty of air flow. For convenience it has outer pockets and the waterproof lining can be stuffed into a large pocket on the outer-lower back panel. There’s also a protector pocket that can house Held’s CE-certified armour. Colours available include black-white, red-white, grey-orange and grey-black. PRICE: $490 www.HeldAustralia.com.au 120

PROVING GROUND

Draggin Roo Hoody I don’t normally wear hoodies because, as Charris says, I’m built like a power pole, at 194cm and 90kg. Imagine a power pole with a blanket draped over it – that’s what I look like in a hoody. I need structure in my clothes or they hang off me. This isn’t a problem with Draggin’s Roo Hoody. It’s probably the bestfitting hoody I’ve worn – and that’s without the included body armour in place. Once the shoulder, elbow and back protectors are in, I look like a super hero – maybe not Thor, but Ant-Man at least. And, unlike standard motorcycle jackets, nobody suspects armour in a hoody. It’s the perfect deception, like a sock in your Speedos or a silicone six-pack. Another great feature is the removable hood. You can take it off with one quick zip, which is ideal when you’re passing through airport security and don’t want to look like

you’re smuggling pirated DVDs. The sleeves also feature hidden thumb-hole cuffs that prevent the sleeves from sliding up and exposing your skin in a crash. It also blocks cold wind from creeping in. This thing’s main appeal, though, is its protective qualities. The fabric is Draggin’s own Roomoto, which has a 4.4-second abrasion resistance and the armour is CE-certified. The benefits of this are obvious: you can go for a quick ride in comfort while still feeling safe. And when you get to your destination, you don’t need to remove a heavy bike jacket and carry it. If I had to nit-pick, it would be about that yellow ‘d’ on the chest. I don’t like colour. Still, you can understand why Draggin would want to leave its – Sean Muir calling card. PRICE: $199 www.DragginJeans.net

RATING + + + + +

trademotorcycles.com.au 121

Under the hammer Sandy Burgoyne keeps abreast of the price of pleasure

1991 Cagiva Mito 125cc (Eddie Lawson Replica) Sold: $6000

Founded in 1950 in the Italian city of Varese, Cagiva initially manufactured metal components. In 1978 the company started motorcycle production and fielded a racing team with riders Gianfranco Bonera and Marco Lucchinelli. A year later, road bike manufacturing was in full swing with a range of twostrokes from 125 to 350cc. Cagiva went on to acquire other, much older, motorcycle makers – Ducati and Moto Morini in 1985, Husqvarna in 1987 and MV Agusta in 1991. The Mark I Mito, or ‘myth’ in Italian, appeared

in 1989 as a smallcapacity race replica. The Italian sales brochure promised Oltre ogni limite, or “Beyond all limits”, and the 125cc looked like it could deliver the goods. Its liquid-cooled twostroke single-cylinder engine with electric power valve was equipped with a 28mm Dell’Orto flat-slide carburettor. Claimed output for the Eddie Lawson Replica was 33.5hp at 10,500rpm, with a top speed of more than 160km/h. Other features included a seven-speed gearbox, a four-piston Brembo caliper grabbing a single front disc and wide tyres.

Later Mitos were equipped with upside-down forks. The Mito’s powerband kicked in at 9500rpm with redline at 11,000rpm and the skilled rider could use the bike’s gear ratios to keep the engine burbling (or should that be screaming) along there. Over the next five years

Cagiva introduced a series of race replica Mitos based on its 500cc GP program, including a John Kocinski, Rothmans, several Lucky Explorers and a second Lawson replica. This Cagiva Mito was offered at the Sydney Autumn Classic. From: Shannons

c1953 AJS 16MS 350cc Sold: $6500

The Collier brothers, manufacturers of the Matchless, purchased AJS in 1931. They set up Associated Motor Cycles in 1938 to run the companies. Both makes produced models under their own badges, but purists considered the subsequent

AJS models to be rebadged Matchies. AJS introduced two new models in 1945, the 350cc 16M and the 500cc Model 18. The 16M was a reworking of the Matchless G3/L which the British Army used extensively during World

War II. The 16MS model was the mainstay of AJS production throughout the 1950s. Known as the “workingman’s bike” it was affordable, economical to run, reliable and easy to work on. A single-cylinder, OHV 347cc engine, with bore and stroke of 69 x 93mm and an Amal Type 6 carburettor provided the power to the 16M. Output was around 16hp at 5600rpm with a top speed close to 80mph (130km/h). The bike was fitted with a Burman fourspeed gearbox, patented Teledraulic forks (“fitted exclusively to Matchless and AJS motorcycles”) and

set in a rigid-rear frame. From 1949 a sprung rearend was available as an option and these bikes had an S (for springer) added to their model designation – making it the 16MS as with the bike sold at auction. In 1953 a dual seat was introduced. Previously the rider had a single sprung seat and the pillion had an uncomfortablelooking perch over the rear mudguard. AJS’s own gearbox replaced the Burman unit in 1956 and an alternator was introduced the following year. This bike sold at the Sydney Autumn Classic. From: Shannons

change in styling and the model’s sales increased. An aftermarket industry sprang up to customise it. Meanwhile, out on the dirt tracks of America’s AMA Grand National series a young Kenny Roberts was campaigning a bored-out XS650. He went on to win the championship in 1973 and the following year.

The bike offered at auction had 16,000 miles (25,750km) on the odometer and it appears to be in original condition. The only mods recorded were a modern front brake rotor and an aftermarket seat with removable rider backrest. The auction was held at Bally’s Hotel & Casino, Las Vegas, Nevada, US. From: Bonhams

1980 Yamaha XS650 Special II Sold: $US1380 ($A1840) The XS650 was on the market, in various guises, from 1970 until the mid1980s. The inline twin was based on BSA’s 650, with the same 75 x 74mm bore and stroke, plus chaindriven SOHC and 36mm CV carbies. Yamaha’s creation didn’t immediately set the world on fire. Its styling was considered dated (i.e. British), but riders appreciated the electric start, single-disc front brake and oiltight, horizontally split crankcase. Not so welcome was the engine buzz at cruising speeds. For 1977 the model was modified and a second disc added, but the market was still not impressed. Road testers considered the 650’s appearance even duller than the original

and the discs didn’t pull up the bike as well as the original single. Yamaha returned to a single front disc the following year. In 1979 the Special model was released with a stepped seat, 16-inch rear wheel and pull-back handlebars giving it a laidback cruiser look and the XS650 had found its niche. Riders liked the

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UNDER THE HAMMER

1914 Flanders Model D Twin Sold: $US90,000 ($A117,600) The catalogue gives a great introduction to this lot: “possibly the only one in existence”. Walter E. Flanders was an expert in massproduction techniques and Henry Ford employed him to improve throughput in his factory. Flanders appears to have been a restless innovator. He worked with Henry Ford for less than two years, before leaving and founding, or co-founding, a string of automotive manufacturers. Most of these folded after just a few years. In 1911 he established the Flanders Manufacturing Company in Pontiac, Michigan,

to produce affordable motorcycles. The Flanders 4 was the company’s first model – a singlecylinder, with belt drive, that developed four horsepower. The price was advertised as $175 “magneto included – of course”. Dealers of other brands typically charged up to $45 for one. A Flanders advert of 1911 predicted that a large annual production would enable the company to keep the price down so that “working men, clerks, as well as business men” could afford to buy a motorcycle. The Model D Twin was introduced in 1914, a side-valve twin-cylinder

of 67 cubic inches that produced seven to nine horsepower. Flanders used a Schebler carburettor and a Splitdorf magneto in this model. A noticeable feature of the D Twin was the huge sprocket on the rear wheel. The chain guard hides damper springs that were installed to reduce the shock load from the engine. As the factory closed in 1914, the D Twin

was in production for less than a year. The provenance on this bike is impressive. The original owner had it for more than 60 years. Since then it’s had only four more. The original title document was included in the sale. This rare motorcycle sold at Bally’s Hotel & Casino, Las Vegas, Nevada, US. From: Mecum

The lot offered at auction is a 500cc with the finned alloy engine mounted in a standard Gold Star chassis. Other features include a fork brace on its telescopic forks, full-width hubs, clip-on handlebars, a chrome-plated fuel tank and a 36mm bellmouth Amal carburettor. The wheels are laced

to Borrani shouldered aluminium rims, with a full dolphin fairing completing the package. This Gold Star has regularly competed in American Historic Racing Association events for vintage motorcycles. Sold at Bally’s Hotel & Casino, Las Vegas, Nevada, US. From: Bonhams

Sold: 1957 BSA Gold Star Racer $US10,580 ($A13,800) This bike comes from BSA’s glory days when the company was the biggest motorcycle manufacturer in the UK and possibly the world. The model’s name came from the Brooklands Gold Star Walter Handley was awarded in 1937 for lapping the steeply banked circuit at over 100mph (160km/h). His success came riding a bored-out half-litre version of the singlecylinder engine. A 350cc engine powered the Gold Star model when released the following year. Several tuned versions were available ranging from 18bhp for trials, to more than 30bhp for the track racer. 124

Each bike came with a factory certificate attesting to its output. The 350cc Gold Star was popular both as a road mount and an amateur racer. After the World War II BSA dropped the Gold Star to concentrate on production of twincylinder motorcycles. Dealers on both side of the Atlantic protested. The factory relented and production of the Gold Star continued until 1963. The 500cc DBD34 model was introduced in 1956 and claimed the first seven places at the IoM Clubman Senior TT. The 350cc Gold Star was almost as successful in the Junior Clubman.

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There’s a lot to be said about man, his machine and a big blue sky

iven the mighty Derro in the shed, a 60-year-old bloke should explain why he took a 32-year-old Hoggley Doggley on a four-day blast due west. Maybe not to you – you’re used to a degree of stupidity on this page. It’s more a bit of soul searching this side of the divide. I mean, the run from coastal Queensland to Lightning Ridge is roughly 300 clicks of hills and corners and then twice that of straight stuff. Dead flat if it wasn’t for the potholes, truck bumps and road kill. Two lanes, views for miles, plenty of step-off zones either side – the sort of pitch you can bowl a steady 180-plus on a 1000cc Honda with six gears. The twin discs and dual-purpose suspenders take the creases out of back-road bitumen while the handling makes joy out of mountains. Bloody lovely. Just what I bought it for. But, no, I took Ruby, running her in after her fourth rebuild since 1984. Kickstart, chain drive, four speeds and all. I don’t have to explain why it’s running a ’95 Springer front end or a late ’80s Heritage seat or footboards from a ’92 Fat Boy or controls from a ’97 Softail. We’ve shared over three quarters of a million kilometres in over three decades. Things wear out. For both of us. In any world where logic ruled, a 2006 Honda would be the touring weapon of choice over a 1984 Harley that was ancient before it was built. The original crankcase is the ‘new’ Shovelhead type, circa 1968, while the gearbox was developed in 1936. Ruby even sports the first set of pipes Staintune made for a Harley, hand-crafted by Sandy Campbell himself. We’ve shared a whole slab of life in the past three decades. Three trips around Australia, a smorgasbord of bachelorhood before that honeymoon in Tasmania and so many back-road short cuts the frame’s been fish-plated. Riding Ruby is like soaping down in the shower – so damned familiar I can’t help bubbling with joy.

You fly a Softail from the back wheel, steering slow and kicking back when you push it down in the corners. While it’s a joy to head around the block a few times or take a morning’s run over the mountains, nothing beats a good-old sustained romp up a long road. And any road out west is long. Sustained roaring west of Moree means hours of glorious blue skies, flat horizons, a burntout car or two and a handful of Toyotas going the other way. Highlights are flocks of galahs and cockatoos screeching off wheat bins, eagles soaring and the incessant routine of country that hasn’t changed since the oceans retreated. I love the west. When there’s nothing more to do than hold the throttle, your brain is free to fly. For me, riding Ruby means rolling a non-stop reel of memories

to the beat of the old V-twin. I find myself wincing over a ‘should have said’ moment 25 years old or shuffling the tightness out of jeans stiffened by thoughts of lovely ladies and lazy days. Never bored, never tired, never over it – there’s something about riding this old tart that’s pure heaven on earth. Yes, the trip went well. Shared with good mates, over too soon and there’s a week’s worth of maintenance waiting in the shed. Oh, if you’re out west, keep an eye open for my mudguard, will you? It’s a sexy little thing, bright ruby red, tapered like sharp fingernails running up the side of your... And probably scratched now, too. This bike’s always turned me on. Isn’t that what it’s all about?

JOHN ROOTH

Lightning Ridge

“When there’s nothing more to do than hold the throttle your brain is free to fly”

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Dinosaur soup Is there a ‘Grendel III’ in the wings?

quick scan of the cover story this issue had me feeling deeply jealous. Dennis Ackland’s hottedup Suzuki GSX1100 ‘sleeper’ is the sort of bike most of us would have given a vital organ to own 20 or 30 years ago. Come to think of it, I’d seriously consider a kidney even today. It’s easy enough from a safe distance to get all misty-eyed about these dinosaurs of the past – how terrifyingly fast they were and how they could leap entire states in a single bound. Many of them just weren’t that good. I own an early Honda CB750-Four and, while it was revolutionary for its day (mostly by starting reliably!), it handles like a wheelbarrow full of wet cement. In among the dross (and there really was plenty) you really did get the occasional gem.

By today’s standards, a GSX1100E is no great shakes in the handling department and the power easily overwhelms the brakes. Oh, and there’s lots of quicker stuff to be found in your average showroom, even in the 600cc aisle. That said, the bike did win a Castrol 6-Hour in 1981, then one of the most fiercely contested production races on the planet. And they really were production races. If you ignore the odd bit of creativity in the pits, the bikes were generally just well-fettled examples of what you could buy and register the next day, right down to the tyres. Having the talent and gonads to arm-wrestle the monsters at race pace was a whole other matter. I’ve owned two of these things: the first around 1990 and the second about a year ago. ‘Grendel’ the first got a bit of work – not in the engine but in the chassis department. Reworked damper tubes up

front and a set of Konis (now Ikon) on the rear, plus some set-up on the brakes and a fresh set of steering-head bearings, went a long way towards improving its road manners. The then 10-year-old bike was a pretty tidy thing on the road. They only ever claimed 100 horses, but a healthy example had every one of them. I remember taking it on a backroads ride with the Lemmings Motorcycle Club one day – okay it may have been an impromptu race – and the old dear galloped along pretty well. As I recall, Spannerman (Suzuki T500) was dicing with Morley (Honda CB400-Four) and Beattie (Harley Lowrider). It was an unbelievably close-run thing despite the wildly different specifications of the machines (and riders!) All three of their long-suffering mounts were 1970s vintage and it was the funniest and probably most pathetic road race ever witnessed. I watched from behind for a while, eventually worked out the chaos in front could only end in tears and decided to crank up the throttle and whistle off into the distance. So long as you didn’t aim for ten-tenths, the GSX was a damned good road companion. More than quick enough to fry your licence, very comfortable (in a day when motorcycle seats resembled lounge chairs), and entirely predictable. It was those good memories that prompted the purchase of ‘Grendel II’ many years later. This one was a rougher example and a severe dose of stupidity (didn’t check the oil properly) meant I toasted the engine. That was replaced and the bike, though not as well sorted as my first, was used as the default runabout for several years. It was a constant reminder of just how versatile a big, friendly naked bike can be. Riding these toys is often a case of mind over matter. They’re not the tidiest thing through a set of bumpy turns, but they’ll put on a very respectable turn of speed if you know when to back off a tad and let it settle and when to press on. Heaven knows what Ackland’s machine handles like when he cranks up its muchboosted powerplant, but I wouldn’t mind finding out. Can’t help thinking a ‘Grendel III’ might be a good idea.

“Having the talent and gonads to arm-wrestle the monster at race pace was a whole other matter”

trademotorcycles.com.au 129

LIFE IN THE FAST LANE CAMERON DONALD 130

Know your enemy Speed doesn’t kill riders. Stupidity kills riders

his year hasn’t started well for motorcycle road safety in Australia, but in no other state has it been worse than in my home, Victoria. Regular news headlines about fatalities are not what anyone wants to read. And recently I’ve had more than one non-motorcycling friend ask me about how dangerous it’s become to ride. I can’t blame them. When you see the growing number of lives lost, it’s a natural question to ask. In Victoria, as I write this, there have been 28 riders killed this year. This time last year, the number was 13. It makes me wonder how these accidents happen? Uneducated public opinion will nearly always suggest excessive speed. I guess the government campaign to persuade the narrow-minded masses that ‘speed kills’ has This helps the government h worked. k d Thi justify the million ns earned by speed cameras as being iin our best interest. A police inciden nt report won’t always pinpoint the causse of death in a crash. Exact crash locatiion, bike make and model, and objectts the bike hits after it’s left the road are not recorded in official data. From publicly y available crash information n, I can see that speeding d didn’t cause most of Victoria’s recent fatal crashes. More than n a third of riders killed were unlicensed, several were on stolen motorccycles and one wasn’t wearing a helm met. This doesn’t give a fair representattion of everyday, lawabiding riders, which most of us are. Information a lso shows another third of incidents aree caused by the driver of another veehicle. It’s these cases that really co oncern me. As riders we should be able to confidently control our bikes, butt we can’t control what those around us do. When I’m not on a bike, I drive y with bikes in the a van (usually back), or Kaz’s dual-cab ute. Both are large vehicles. It’s not uncommon for drivers to ccut me off or force me to take evasivee action because they

haven’t seen me. If they can’t see me in a big, white van, how can I expect these fools to see me on a motorcycle. Everyday I see drivers that don’t deserve licences. Their car control, road position and decision-making are pathetic. Unfortunately, it’s not as easy to fine people for driving like idiots as it is for travelling 5km/h above the speed limit. So these mindless road users will continue to drive as they do. Meanwhile, other recent road-safety campaigns stereotype motorcyclists as hoons and risk takers. Statistics are often cherry-picked to support this agenda. It’s road safety by fear – fear of getting a fine, or fear of death or disaster. Drivers are taught to fear motorcyclists, and motorcyclists to fear themselves – all in the name of safety. As a motorcyclist, the best way to stay safe is to improve the way you ride and to learn skills to deal with stupidity the road. An advertising campaign that scares someone into wearing more

protective clothing or a fluoro vest won’t improve the way they ride. In Australia, there are many options for rider coaching in every riding discipline – from on-road and off-road riding to race track and trials, there are single and multiday courses in every state. Training to improve and practice bikehandling skills is without a doubt the best way to improve a rider. These courses cost money, but that cost should be seen as an investment – one that will last as long as you ride. What all courses have in common is they encourage you to think about your riding, and training in each discipline benefits the next. Not everyone is blessed with multiple bikes in the shed, but many courses offer bike hire. Your average road rider without off-road experience will benefit immeasurably from an adventure bike or off-road course. Courses

such as these let you experience how a bike reacts to loose surfaces that can cause a skid or slide. It’s also not a big deal to topple over at slow speed on a dirt bike while learning the new skills, compared to dropping your pride and joy on the bitumen. It’s interesting to see how editor Chris ‘have a go’ Harris

“The best way to stay safe is to improve the way you ride” throws himself into as many of these courses as he can. Having ridden with Chris since he joined Motorcycle Trader, I can see the continual improvement in his riding after each schooling.

These courses not only build skills but also confidence. A rider confident in his or her ability is much safer than one who rides in fear. Some of the money from our ‘motorcycle-safety levy’ that’s spent on enforcement and fear campaigns could surely be better spent subsidising rider training. On a positive note, the past 20 years of statistics show road riding in Australia has never been safer, but that doesn’t mean things are getting easier for riders. Modern cars are insulated from the noise around them and offer poor vision. That, combined with electronic distractions like sat-navs and mobile phones, are all making drivers less aware of their surroundings. It’s our own actions that will keep us out of trouble. Yes, ensure your bike has good tyres and wear the appropriate safety gear but, if you really want to stay safe, become a better rider.

trademotorcycles.com.au 131

BIKE BUYERS GUIDE TOURERS BMW F 800 GT K 1600 GT K 1600 GTL K 1600 GTL Exclusive R 1200 RT

798cc DOHC I-twin 1649cc DOHC I-six 1649cc DOHC I-six 1649cc DOHC I-six 1170cc DOHC boxer twin

$16,300 $35,990 $37,590 $42,500 $30,790

CAN-AM Spyder RT SE6 STD Spyder RT SE6 SE Spyder RT LTD SE6

1330cc DOHC I-triple 1300cc DOHC I-triple 1300cc DOHC I-triple

HARLEY-DAVIDSON Heritage Softail Classic Road King Classic Road Glide Special Street Glide Special Ultra Limited CVO Road Glide Ultra CVO Street Glide CVO Limited

(All prices rideaway) 1690cc pushrod V-twin $32,250 1690cc pushrod V-twin $32,495 1690cc pushrod V-twin $34,750 1690cc pushrod V-twin $34,995 1690cc pushrod V-twin $38,250 1801cc pushrod V-twin $48,995 1801cc pushrod V-twin $47,495 1801cc pushrod V-twin $50,995

Harley-Davidson CVO Limited

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$31,490 $40,990 $41,990

HONDA CTX1300 ABS GL1800 ABS Goldwing GL1800B ABS F6B

1261cc DOHC V-four 1832cc DOHC flat-six 1832cc DOHC flat-six

$19,499 $37,999 $27,299

INDIAN Chief Classic Chief Vintage Chieftain Roadmaster

1811cc DOHC V-twin 1811cc DOHC V-twin 1811cc DOHC V-twin 1811cc DOHC V-twin

$28,995 $31,995 $35,995 $39,995

KAWASAKI 1400GTR ABS Vulcan 1700 Classic ABS Vulcan 1700 Vaquero ABS

1352cc DOHC I-four 1700cc DOHC V-twin 1700cc DOHC V-twin

$24,999 $19,999 $24,499

MOTO GUZZI California 1400 Eldorado California 1400 Touring ABS California 1400 Touring SE

1380cc DOHC V-twin 1380cc DOHC V-twin 1380cc DOHC V-twin

(All prices rideaway) $24,500 $25,000 $27,000

BUYERS GUIDE TOURERS

Note: The following listing covers touring bikes (and three-wheelers) with a capacity of 600cc and above. All prices are Manufacturer List Prices (MLP) and exclude dealer and statutory charges unless otherwise indicated. Check with your local dealer for more information

Honda Goldwing F6B

TRIUMPH Rocket III Touring Thunderbird LT Thunderbird LT TT Trophy SE Tiger Sport ABS

2297cc DOHC I-triple 1699cc DOHC I-twin 1699cc DOHC I-twin 1215cc DOHC I-triple 1050cc DOHC I-triple

$24,490 $23,990 $24,990 $27,990 $17,150

Moto Guzzi California 1400 Touring

VICTORY Cross Country Cross Country Tour Magnum Vision Tour

1731cc SOHC V-twin 1731cc SOHC V-twin 1731cc SOHC V-twin 1731cc SOHC V-twin

(All prices rideaway) $28,995 $30,995 $30,995 $33,995

YAMAHA Roadliner XV1900A Roadliner XV1900AT

1854cc DOHC V-twin 1854cc DOHC V-twin

$21,790 $24,399

BMW K 1600 GT

trademotorcycles.com.au 133

LMCT 10469 www.facebook.com/antiquemotorcycle

WEBSITE UPDATED DAILY

LOADS MORE BIKES ON OUR WEBSITE

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Ph: (03) 9583 9922 P

Mob: 0418 340 055

1 Grange Road, Cheltenham VIC 3192

1984 SUZUKI GSX1100S KATANA Full power UK spec machine imported via Japan. Hard to ﬁnd in this colour. Original exhaust and shocks – 44,000 miles on the clock. Runs like new! $16,000

1975 YAMAHA RD350 B Global Cult following makes this possibly the most collectable Yamaha of all time. Ride away today. 351324148. TA540220. $7,500

1947 INDIAN CHIEF with buddy seat and telescopic front fork from a later model making it as smooth and comfortable as it can get! Beautiful matching numbers machine, in exceptional condition! Driving spotlights & rack included!. 3472131. $48,000

2008 BIMOTA TESI 3D This beautiful Bimota Tesi 3D has been fastidiously maintained by the current owner who is a serious Bimota fan. It has 9900 Kms. These bikes sold new for $55,000 and that price is about to go up, which makes this bike a bargain. $31,000

1966 TRIUMPH BONNEVILLE ﬂat tracker style with Harley Davidson XR750 body work, built to race in the Burt Monroe challenge in New Zealand. Too many go fast bits to list!. DU28308TR6R. $22,000

1978 YAMAHA TZ350 E Fully rebuilt from top to bottom. Currently lubricated and dry stored for display. This bike can be reactivated for racing at a moments notice! Front row machine for period 5 racing class. Museum quality restoration. 383996292. $18,500

FINANCE AVAILABLE TO APPROVED CUSTOMERS. CALL US OR APPLY ONLINE TODAY!

1972 TRIUMPH HURRICANE This bike has done 4600 miles from new! It has been in a private collection for many years! Deﬁnitely a great investment bike, runs beautifully and is ready to go!. TRX75-XH01932. $42,500

1957 BSA A10 ROAD ROCKET This 650cc British icon epitomizes the Classic Rocker Era. Tons of street cred and LAMS approved makes this a versatile usable investment in your happiness. Bike is in nearly new condition thanks to a recent restoration. Engine pulls sharp and strong but be aware the gear lever is on the right hand side. $16,500

1980 HONDA CX500 CUSTOM Time warp original classic. This custom model never sold in Australia. Only 14000 miles on the clock. Bike presents as new and will not disappoint the most fastidious buyer. Will give years of trouble free riding.Club registrable and LAMS approved.. PC012124142. $9,500

1969 NORTON 750 COMMANDO Highly desirable Fastback. Borrani style Alloy rims, helmet Lock and Green dot instruments. 133732. $18,000

7 MOT-FP-5159373-E

1977 TRIUMPH BONNEVILLE T140V SILVER JUBILEE The best of the oil-in-frame Bonnevilles. This was the motorcycle that was made to celebrate Queen Elizabeth the Second’s silver Jubilee. With very limited production, these collector’s items are fast becoming hard to ﬁnd. T140VXP80636. $16,000

1979 TRIUMPH T140 BONNEVILLE A true British icon. Fully refurbished from top to bottom. Rides like a brand new one, just ride away and enjoy. $13,500

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WEBSITE UPDATED DAILY

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Ph: (03) 9583 9922 P

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1 Grange Road, Cheltenham VIC 3192

1988 HONDA GB250 Awesome little café racer designed and built in Tokyo, Japan! Learner approved, Ready to go! $7500

1969 HARLEY DAVIDSON 250 SPRINT 1969 Aermacchi – Harley Davidson 250 Sprint. 4 speed model with 6000 original miles, unrestored and in beautiful original condition. Features a number of genuine all-original accessories such as panniers and luggage rack. $12,500

1970 HONDA CL450 Timeless classic Honda twin. Low mileage unrestored street scrambler version of the famous “Black Bomber”. CL4504010531. $9,500

1974 NORTON COMMANDO SUPERCHARGED Norton Commando Dunstall with period druin supercharger kit ﬁtted. Bike has alloy rims, fork brace, clip ons, green dots, rear sets and two into one custom exhaust! Very cool period special! $30,000

1977 HONDA CB750 PHIL REID REPLICA Only 150 made worldwide, possibly the only one in Australia. 17951 miles. B750GE1006537. $23,000

1983 YAMAHA RZ350 One of the most enjoyable street bikes around. Recent top end rebuild. 35G000686. $8,500

1972 LAVERDA 750SF 750SFC Replica. Top shelf period Italian components including Tommaselli, Menani, Borrani, Brembo, Marzocchi, etc. The ultimate push button Italian Café dream machine! $25,000

SUZUKI GT750 A 1975 Melbourne delivered, one owner. 30,000 genuine kms, dealer installed “stone” type fairing and low bars (easily removable). Irreplaceable motorcycle!. GT75075629. $17,500

1975 MV AGUSTA 350 SPORT Beautiful Guigiaro designed MV Augusta sportsbike in original, unrestored condition. Very rare, do not miss out. MV350BE2160116. $19,500

1975 HERCULES W-2000 The Hercules motorcycle company started producing motorcycles in 1904. In 1974, Hercules became the ﬁrst motorcycle company to offer a Wankel engine in a motorcycle. The W-2000 has a single rotor air cooled engine of 292cc that produced 32 horse power. A very expensive motorcycle in its day. This example has done less than 20,000 miles and is in beautiful, original condition and a very rare and exotic motorcycle as most people have never seen one. 480000792. $22,000

1968 TRIUMPH TRC TT & TROPHY SPECIAL Triumphs famous desert sled made famous by Steve McQueen and other California racers in the ‘60s. Typically raced for long distances. Many victories were scored on these machines! This bike has a nonmatching competition T120C Bonneville engine, which is typical for any race bike. Owner converted back to road use with low pipes many years ago before we imported it to Australia. These bikes consistently sell for over USD$25,000 with their original high pipes overseas. Great looks and tons of street cred at a great price! $15,50 0

1983 SUZUKI GSX1100 KATANA The Katana legend ended in 1983 for the Australian Market, however this immortal classic continued on in the home market of Japan. This is the last low mile import available since the Australian dollar crashed. There will be no others coming so grab this immaculate low K original while you can. This unit is super clean, original exhausts and centre stand. Only upgrades are expensive Ohlin shocks and performance ignition leads. Engine has never been apart and rides like new. **Please keep in mind this Katana is 4 years newer than the quoted year. $18,500

7 73-C MOT-FP-5159373-E

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LMCT 9119

ALWAYS THE BEST DISPLAY OF CLASSIC BRITISH BIKES IN AUSTRALIA A SELECTION OF OUR CLASSIC MOTORCYCLES

1963 NORTON 650SS This is a very nice example of what is regarded as one of the best dominator twins that norton ever built. First we have had in ages. VIN# 18/101719 $14,950

1972 HONDA CB750 FOUR

1974 KAWASAKI KE250

*ARRIVING IN JUNE* This is a very scarce motorcycle and is the first one we have actually managed to buy. Be quick for this. VIN# KE250B-006032 $4950

1967 KAWASAKI F2 175

1969 TRIUMPH 650 BONNEVILLE This is a very nice matching number low mileage motorcycle that runs and rides very well. One of the most desireable models. VIN# T120R.NC02079 $15,950

1972 KAWASAKI H2 750

*ARRIVING IN JUNE* This is an original bike with original four

*ARRIVING IN JUNE* A very rare motorcycle in beautiful original

*ARRIVING IN JUNE* It is not often we get hold of an early h2. This

exhausts. Clean up and use as is or restore. VIN# CB750-2002766 $7950

condition. First one we have ever found. VIN# F2-11016 $5950

is a low mileage original example. This will turn heads. VIN# H2F-13763 $17,950

1954 ARIEL VB600 Very rare swing arm model in lovely running condition ready to ride on the next club outing. VIN# 679 $9950

*ARRIVING IN JUNE* This is a good looking example of this excellent

1980 KAWASAKI CSR305

*ARRIVING IN JUNE* This is a good looking bike and great value for money. VIN# JKAKZ1A5BA002535 $3950

1952 PANTHER 350 A sweet running example that is ready to ride and enjoy. These are hard to find. VIN# 1937 $9950

1960 COTTON CONTINENTAL 250 Fabulous motorcycle with fresh rebuilt motor. As featured in the last edition of old bike magazine. A rare motorcycle and a real head turner. VIN# 820162 $8950

1972 HARLEY DAVIDSON 1000 SPORTSTER

1975 HONDA CB750 FOUR

*ARRIVING IN JUNE* This is an immaculate original low mileage

*ARRIVING IN JUNE* This motorcycle is in beautiful condition and is

example. Hard to find like this VIN# 3A28112H2 $11,950

ready to ride and enjoy VIN# CB750-2515403 $10,950

1981 HONDA CX500 riding machine. These make great cafe racers, be quick for this. VIN# PC0109BM212628 $4500

1981 KAWASAKI Z1000CSR

*ARRIVING IN JUNE* A good value z1000 ideal for a clean up and ride project for the winter. These sell fast, so be quick. VIN# JKAKZ0M17BA001611 $5950

1964 HARLEY DAVIDSON FL PAN HEAD This is a beautiful motorcycle that runs and rides really nicely. VIN# 64FL4264 $29,950

MOT-FP-5010488-A

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1970 NORTON 750 COMMANDO FASTBACK This is a stunning motorcycle finished in gleaming red with silver. VIN# 138890 $17,950

*ARRIVING IN JUNE* A perfect winter project bike to clean up ready

1950 TRIUMPH SPEED TWIN 500 This is a beautiful restored example of this wonderful classic. One of the nicest triumph models to ride and will turn heads everywhere you go. VIN# 5T.10767N $15,950

*ARRIVING IN JUNE* This bike is one owner from new and all original

*ARRIVING IN JUNE* A tidy example for an easy clean up winter

except for the custom paintwork he had done on the bike many years ago. A perfect winter restoration project. Hard to find the dominators cheap. VIN# 20/118284 $8950

project. These water buffalos are a great machine. Be quick for this one. VIN# GT750-41181 $5950

1968 TRIUMPH T120R BONNEVILLE 650 This is a very nice one owner matching number motorcycle. The first of the twin leading shoe brake models. Runs and rides superbly. VIN# T120R.DU76824 $14,950

1960 MATCHLESS G12 650 A nice restored example of this excellent riding bike. The g12’s are smooth and fast and great value for money. VIN# A75012 $11,950

1971 YAMAHA XS650 This bike is very original and one of the harder to find early models. This bike runs and rides well. VIN# S650-113564 $9950

1958 TRIUMPH TIGER 110 650 This bike has been done up in military style to replicate the bike steve mcqueen rode in the movie ‘the great escape’ this is a good value pre unit triumph for easy restoration. VIN# T110.027819 WINTER PROJECT SPECIAL $8500

1952 ARIEL SQUARE FOUR 1000 This is a beautiful restored motorcycle ready to ride and enjoy. Square fours are getting hard to find, this example is superb. VIN# TM483 $24,000

1975 YAMAHA DT 400 A tidy example of this very sought after classic enduro machine. Be quick for this! VIN# 501-016125 $4950

1971 SUZUKI GT550

1972 SUZUKI GT750 *ARRIVING IN JUNE* This bike came from the same owner as the gt550 and again is the sought after model with the four leading shoe front brake. VIN# GT750-14935 $10,950

1961 MATCHLESS G5 350 This is a low mileage bike that has been stored for years and needs a good detail. Be quick for this great value matchless. VIN# 61/G5.3005 $5950

1980 KAWASAKI Z1000 to ride for the spring. VIN# KZT00B-525475 $5950.00

1966 NORTON ATLAS 750

1963 BSA A10 SUPER ROCKET 650 CAFE RACER Superb classic cafe racer with alloy tank, swept back pipes and rear sets. Runs and rides superbly. VIN# GA7.23381 $17,950

1974 SUZUKI GT750

*ARRIVING IN JUNE* This is the first early model gt550 we have ever found. This model has the four leading shoe front brake that everyone wants for classic race bikes. Be quick for this. VIN# GT550-11863 $6950

“CLASS C MOTORCYCLES - A BETTER NVESTMENT THAN SHARES” Email us on: lnfo@classicstyle.com.au

34 PENINSULA BLVD, SEAFORD,VIC 3198

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Elstar Motorcycle and Quads Pty Ltd Website: www.elstarbikes.com.au Elstar Motorcycles

TWO WHEELED TIME WARP

Continuing its outstanding success in Europe the French designed MASH 500 will land in Oz under the name of the Elstar War Bird XY400. Cool retro-styling is what the War Bird XY400 is all about. Powered by a torquey 398cc OHC 4-valve single cylinder engine the XY400 is easy to ride and comfortable over long distances making it an ideal bike for commuters and recreational riders alike. Send your enquiry to find out more.

www.elstarbikes.com.au

Lic. 13122

www.xtrememotorbikes.com.au 20 years restoring off road bikes

1983 SUZUKI RM250

$6,990 1993 YAMAHA YZ250

$4,490 CRATED MOTOR BIKE

1987 KAWASAKI KX250

$4,690 1993 HONDA CR250

$4,690 1995 HONDA CR500

1980 HONDA CR250

$9,990 1993 HONDA CR250 “WILD CHILD” $8,990 1994 SUZUKI RM250 in renovation

1994 YAMAHA YZ250

$5,490 1996 KAWASAKI KX250

1981 YAMAHA IT465*

in renovation $10,990 *PREVIOUS RESTORATIONS PHOTOS

$11,500

$5,990

$3,990 1987 HONDA CR250

$7,990

1992 KAWASAKI KX250 in renovation $5,990 1991 HONDA CR250

$5,990

LOTS MORE AVAILABLE AND LOTS OF PROJECTS IN THE PIPE LINE WE CAN ALSO RESTORE YOUR BIKE - ASK FOR QUOTE CRATING & FREIGHTING - WE HAVE VERY GOOD RATES TO QUOTE NATIONWIDE MANY MORE PHOTOS AND INFO ON ALL BIKES... SEE www.xtrememotorbikes.com.au

road “off ly” on

Ph: (08) 9359 3500 Email: xtrememb@iinet.net.au 645 Dundas Rd, Forrestfield WA 6058 105

YAMAHA WR400F 1999 WRECKING ONLY Y603

SUZUKI GSXR750 2008 WRECKING ONLY S723

HYOSUNG GTR650 2013 WRECKING ONLY HYO514

KAWASAKI NINJA ZX636 2005 WRECKING ONLY K491

SUZUKI SV650N 2005 WRECKING ONLY S724

KAWASAKI ER6 2010 WRECKING ONLY K489

MOT-FP-5195262-A

BIKES DEAD OWANTED, R CASH P ALIVE, AID.

VICTORIAN MOTORCYCLE WRECKERS 52 - 54 Mologa Road, Heidelberg West. 3081, Victoria Ph: (03) 9457 1733, 1300 BIKE WRECK Fax: (03) 9457 1866

Email: vicwreck@vicwreck.com.au Hours: Monday - Friday 8:30 - 5:30, Saturday 9:00 - 12:00

HONDA CBR250R ‘12 - WRECKING ONLY

HONDA CBR250R MC19 ‘88 - WRECKING ONLY

HONDA CBR250R MC19 ‘89 - WRECKING ONLY

SUZUKI CBR250RR MC22 ‘90 - WRECKING ONLY

SUZUKI CBR300 ‘14 - WRECKING ONLY

HONDA CBR900 ‘98 - WRECKING ONLY

HONDA CB929 ‘00 - WRECKING ONLY

HONDA CBR1000RR ‘09 - WRECKING ONLY

SUZUKI GSX650F ‘09 - WRECKING ONLY

SUZUKI GSXR1000 ‘11 - WRECKING ONLY

YAMAHA R3 ‘13 - WRECKING ONLY

YAMAHA R6 ‘99 - WRECKING ONLY

ONLY WRECKING LATE MODEL JAPANESE ROAD BIKES INCLUDING THE GREY IMPORTS AND PARALLEL LINES

www.victorianmotorcyclewreckers.com.au

MOT-FP-5010641-A

(Melways Map 19G10)

WANT TO PROMOTE YOUR DEALERSHIP AND BIKES FOR SALE? ADVERTISE IN AUSTRALIAâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;S LARGEST-SELLING MONTHLY MOTORCYCLE CONSUMER MAGAZINE

NATIONAL SALES MANAGER DALE JOHNSON 0403 743 587

QLD SALES MANAGER TODD ANDERSON 0409 630 733

Unit 1, 739 Boundary Rd, Coopers Plains, QLD 4108

Web: www.icebearmotors.com.au Email: sales@icebearmotors.com.au

TO 1/739 BOUNDARY ROAD, COOPERS PLAINS, QLD 4108

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www.icebearmotors.com.au i b

Unit 1, 739 Boundary Rd, Coopers Plains, QLD 4108 Product images are for illustration purpose only All prices are crated prices and specials only available while stock last Icebear Motorsports reserve all rights to any changes without notice

Beaud

Phone: (07) 3800 1283

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I SSUE #309 O N SALE J UNE 23

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