Issue 642
Kawasaki J300 Watch out Europe here comes the Ninja commuter
Oh Momma! Roland Sands’ funky Harley cafe racer
Bimota is back
Italy’s kings of innovation surpass themselves (again)
MSL March 2014 No. 642 March 2014
VS.
£4.10
◆ Top Ten Bikes for 2014 ◆ Yamaha MT-09 ◆ Kawasaki J300 scooter
YAMAHA MT-09 BRITISH WINTER FIRST UK TEST: Seasonally Affected Delinquency
2014
BEST BUY
SPECIAL
◆ The bikes of now ◆ The future classics ◆ The best investments
BMW’s R1200GS:
Bike of the year, ex-demos from £10,500
HONDA’s CB1100:
Peace of mind, £2k less than a classic
KAWASAKI’s Z1000SX: The perfect sports tourer
PLUS: Suzuki B-King revisited ◆ 2014 Honda Fireblade ◆ Better riding – filter through traffic like a pro ◆ Honda’s original CBR600F ◆ Kawasaki GPz1100; last of the musclebikes
TOURING
Forget steam punk – this is the real thing.
Welshman that I am, I had to go. I had trouble finding the place – just four houses and the pub – and as I rode the sky got darker and more threatening. As I got there the heavens opened with thunder and lightning. What was it with this country? ree hours later, aer talking with the landlord and another stranded customer, I set off into the storm with a promise to return for a poker run at the weekend. e roads had been long and straight with plenty of signs warning of wombats, camels and kangaroos but the only ones I had seen (and smelled) had been roadkill. Plenty of early nostril alerts in an open face helmet... I decided to try some different roads on my second run to the pub, via Mount Glorious and Somerset Dam. And it was worth it because the weather was fine, the scenery incredible and the roads made the bike simply fly. en a car came up behind me... and stayed there, so I slowed down, alarmed that it might be police. Sure enough, two miles down the road was a police car with a radar gun. e poker run was fun, similar to those in the UK, and next day aer breakfast various of the remaining bikers helped me plan a route that would take in some superb biking roads. Following their advice I headed for Nimbin and into New South Wales where, according to the warning signs, I rode 50 hairpins in five miles. e Strom and I loved it.
Dave missed the bar ride-through.
© 2014 Google, MapIT, GBRMPA
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LONG WAY D DOWN (UNDER) Big Ride
Part1
You’re made redundant, so what do you do? Polish your CV and head for the local Job Centre? David Owen made the trip of a lifetime, riding 9000 miles across Australia. WORDS & PHOTOGRAPHY: David Owen
ay four of my trip of a lifetime and I was soaking wet and freezing cold for the third consecutive day. And this on the Sunshine Coast in the Sunshine State in an Australian summer! I cursed heartily as I stood there dripping and reading the sign at the (closed) airport: ‘Open for local refugees only.’ Aer 40-plus years of riding in the UK, Europe, Asia and Africa I knew I could do a solo ride through Australia without any real worries. I had the time, money and opportunity, with the BMW 650 Dakar hired for two weeks followed by a 650 V-Strom for the following four. e first place I wanted to see was the Great Barrier Reef, so 24 hours aer arriving at Brisbane I was on the Bruce Highway heading north in glorious sunshine. e single-cylinder thumper ate up the miles and did 300km to a tank that cost $15 – about £7.50. at night, I met up with a bunch of Ulysses Riders who warned me that I shouldn’t underestimate the sheer size of Australia, and that I was 350km from the nearest civilisation. Next day, another warning... this time that cyclones were approaching and I might get trapped between washed bridges, along with crocs disturbed by the storm. at put paid to the reef, but I didn’t escape getting wet. Not only did the cyclone follow me south, but I lost all my waterproofs when one pannier came open aer I fishtailed on a slick of diesel. In the rain that followed, clothes, boots, money and paperwork all became sodden. If I’d wanted to ride in rain, I could have stayed in Britain.
GLAMORGAN AND WALES
ABOVE: Why can’t we have this in Surrey? RIGHT: Mark’s mate lives 40 miles from the nearest Tarmac road, and this T’bird is his sole means of transport.
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Enough was enough, so I garaged the bike for five days with a biker couple I had met in Brisbane and flew off to Alice Springs, where a balloon flight I booked for my birthday was cancelled due to... impending rain! Back in the Brisbane sunshine I swapped the BMW for the V-Strom and headed inland, making for a biker bar named the Vale of Glamorgan Hotel. Quite apart from the name, the pub sign is a Welsh dragon so, true
Step two: Keep your distance
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Filtering is travelling past stationary traffic (we know that much) but the real trick to having a stress-free time while doing it is to keep a sensible distance from the traffic you’re going past. ere’s no right or wrong amount really because it all depends on two factors; the position of the stationary traffic you’re overtaking (in relation to the lane it’s in) and the oncoming traffic (the volume, the speed and the proximity). Ideally you should leave a few feet of space between your le side and the stationary traffic but as far as this rule goes, you’ve got to make the judgement on the fly.
Key points: ■ You should leave a few feet between you and the traffic you’re overtaking ■ Don’t drift into oncoming traffic ■ Take into account the speed of the oncoming traffic. Red Dave is correct here, leave plenty of space between you and the other vehicles.
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Be sharp! Doors can open, drivers can get out of the vehicle if they’ve stopped moving...
Step 3a/3b: Watch for doors and cars pulling across lanes is leads on from the previous point about putting some space between you and the traffic you’re filtering past. It’s fine and good practice to make space, yes, but if you can then don’t turn off the usual ‘biker’s senses’ and stop looking for numpties out there. If the traffic has been sat for a while then you’ll oen find drivers opening their car doors to get out for a look or just swinging their car around in a U-turn and grumpily heading off in the opposite direction. Both things that can have you on your arse in a split second. Be wary.
Key points:
■ Be sharp, don’t switch off ■ Watch for car doors opening into your path ■ Watch for frustrated drivers U-turning their car around right in front of you.
We want to hear from you! Now listen, we know that MSL readers are among the most well-travelled and knowledgeable motorcycle riders on the planet and we want to hear from YOU about your top tips and hints for everyday riding on the roads. Just visit our Facebook page at www.facebook.com/MSLmag and tell us what you’ve learnt over the years – you could well be helping a new generation of bikers be that much safer too! ...and it’s not unusual for a vehicle to swing out into the lane you’re using too!
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IMPROVE
Improve Your Riding: Part six
How to filter It’s one of the pluses of motorcycling and a great way to carve through traffic. WORDS: Tony Carter PHOTOGRAPHY: Joe Dick
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here are a few crucial things to know about filtering on a motorcycle. Get them right and any hold-up that draws to a halt the journey of the car, van or lorry will be nothing but a minor inconvenience for you. So here’s those tips laid out in an easy-to-learn way. Yep, there’s some basic stuff here, but it’s always good to go over the sort of info that can save you, new or old to biking. So read this, keep it in your mind and use it the next time you’re passing them parked up in their tin boxes. And smile your way to motorcycling happiness as you do. Good luck.
Step one: Observe before you commit
Check before you filter – and see what’s coming down the other side of the road.
How these features work
Yes, this is from the dept. of the bleedin’ obvious perhaps but this can be the most crucial aspect of getting filtering right. Don’t assume that you CAN filter and just move to the centre of the road and plough on regardless. Look past the immediate traffic and see what’s what a bit further down the lane. It’s worth checking if there’s any cars that have thoughtfully parked up so close to the middle of the road that you can’t even get a bike down there. It might be worth sitting and waiting rather than filtering and finding yourself in trouble and unable to go anywhere to get out of it.
Key points:
In the pictures, Legoman Smoothie- Dave (red bike) will show you the correct position to be in,
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his two helpers, PC Gary and PC Roy will risk all by showing you what NOT to do on the road.
So follow Fast-andSmooth Dave and you’ll soon be getting things sorted.
■ Slow down well before you get to the back of the stationary traffic ■ Move over to the edge of your lane nice and early so that you can see as far ahead as possible ■ If in doubt, don’t filter. Stay safe and get back into a better lane position.
NEW
First Rides Honda FireBlade SP
MORE THAN THE SUM OF ITS PARTS It’s been 14 years since there was an official ‘track day’ specc’d up Fireblade from Honda. Is what’s been done to the ageing package enough to compete with the likes of Ducati, BMW and the rest?
PHOTOGRAPHY: Zep Gori, Ula Serra & Francesc Montero
S
o what’s the main point of this bike then? Well this version of the new Blade has a blueprinted engine, Ohlins suspension, Brembo monobloc brakes and Pirelli Diablo Supercorsa SP trackday tyres. Underneath the glitz, the SP is based on the updated 2014-model Fireblade, which has a revised riding position, a taller screen, revised frame flex dynamics beneath the swingarm pivot and a modified cylinder head. at cylinder head gives the bike more revs and slightly more power and torque. It doesn’t have a quickshier though… even at just under £15,000. But we’ll skip over that (does it really need such a thing as quickshier? Probably not unless you’re a pukka racer and if you are then you’re probably getting your bikes worked on
Four years of development in the forks.
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by pukka mechanics and they’ll fit one ,so stop yer moaning…) and tell you about this juicy bit of tech: fully adjustable Öhlins suspension front and rear. is is the first time any Honda streetbike has ever come fitted with something other than Showas, and it’s the culmination of a development process that started in 2009, according to the Swedish suspension firm’s technical boss and former World Superbike ace, Anders Andersson. “e Honda guys asked us to begin working on this bike with them over four years ago,” he said. “But they had very specific requirements, which we worked hard to satisfy, even if it meant adapting our off-the-shelf parts to create something special for this bike, as we did. So the suspension components fitted to this bike are unique to it – no other motorcycle has them.” So that’s a pretty good idea about how serious the big H is about this bike, wouldn’t you say? I mean, they could have just plucked some standard aermarket forks from a shelf and whacked them on… would have looked just the same to the average man on the street (and wouldn’t have felt much different to the rider, either) and would have saved a whole heap of trouble. But four years of development? Really? Out on the bike at the Losail circuit in Qatar, the Fireblade SP’s revised riding position was immediately evident. On the 2014 model you’re leaning further forward along the tank of the bike with your feet further back. e extra weight this put on your wrists isn’t a problem really, especially not on a bike like this – in fact this new
TOP BIKES
And for each bike there’s the perfect ride We’ve ridden these bikes around various routes and picked out those that we think best suit each individual motorcycle. We’ve put the routes next to the bike they most suit – there’s 22 in all. Follow them on these bikes and you’ll have a terrific twowheeled experience – promise!
ABOVE: Coastal routes are brilliant fun for the GS.
Best all rounder:
BMW R1200GS
THE STORY…
e gamble was massive. Tongues were wagging overtime during the build up to the arrival of BMW’s water-cooled GS. Would BMW get it wrong and risk losing much more than its pride? Or would it succeed and continue its reign at the top of the big bike sales charts? Much to the relief of all concerned the German brand did the latter. e year 2013 ended as it had begun for BMW; the R1200GS was sitting at the top of the MCIA’s over 1000cc category. Was it a success? Of course it was.
WHAT WE SAY...
GS’s are known for their character, their looks and their diversity; as happy on a motorway as they are along a dusty trail. e latest generation embraces all of the above and takes the levels up a notch. Aer MSL’s first ride on the new water-cooled model we were hooked. Everything felt better about it from the way it handled to the way its motor creamed along road. It felt more comfortable, more responsive and so much more pokey than its predecessor. In our opinion, that had long been a hang-up of the old guard. e motor had been milked for all it was worth and the end product simply wasn’t good enough; an impression reinforced by the arrival of Triumph’s Explorer, Ducati’s Multistrada and Honda’s Crosstourer.
Despite a plethora of tech, the GS needed a sincere rethink, which is exactly what it got. But it wasn’t just the obvious areas which were made better; touches like the multi-adjustable rider and passenger seats, and the tilt and height changeable screen showed the integrity of the redesign. Technologically speaking, the GS moved up a gear also. e higher spec versions see big advancements in safety and performance with options of LED lighting, multiple engine maps, traction control and switchable ABS. e latter can be calibrated to suit the bike’s new Dynamic Electronic Suspension Adjustment system for pure off-road exploits. It was a package MSL put to the test at BMW’s Off-Road Skills school a few months back. e things we were able to do on that bike blew our minds. Skill had nothing to do with it; the BMW carried us through every challenge with ridiculous ease. Later that evening, we touched a few more buttons and headed off down the public roads on a perfectly setup road machine. at’s the real beauty of this bike. It can do it all. It’s maybe not the best in every sector, but it’s a genuinely well-rounded package. e kind of bike you can go anywhere on. e kind of bike that’s perfect for a real adventure.
ABOVE LEFT: Giraffeattracting spray is not needed at all!
Specification BMW R1200 GS Price: £11,650 Engine: 1170cc, air/water-cooled, boxer twin Power: 125bhp @ 7700rpm Torque: 92lb-ft @ 6500rpm Transmission: Six-speed Final drive: Shaft Frame: Tubular steel bridge frame Suspension: BMW telelever (F), BMW EVO paralever (R) Tyres: 120/70 x 19 (F), 170/60 x 17 (R) Seat height: 850/870mm Wheelbase: 1507mm Kerb weight: 238kg Fuel capacity: 20 litres Contact: www.bmwmotorrad.co.uk
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MSL’s TOP BIKES
IN MOTORCYCLING
With many motorcycles on the market right now it can be hard to choose which is right for you. Here’s the definitive what’s what about the biking who’s who... WORDS: Bruce Wilson / Tony Carter
LED LIGHTING:
BMW’s R1200GS was the first motorcycle in the world to offer LED main headlights. The innovation is an optional extra, but boasts greater safety than the standard version, which features optimised light efficiency from its main headlight. There is also an optional LED daytime running light for the model.
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CHASSIS:
An all-new tubular steel bridge frame is the core of the GS, which features a bolt-on rear frame. The design incorporates Telelever at the front and the EVO Paralever at the rear.
T
here’s lots of great motorcycles out there, but it’s not easy to know what to go for with so many options for so many types of rider. What should YOU focus your attention on to get the most from your motorcycling buck? We’ve scoured the experts’ knowledge banks to come up with the definitive What’s What on the range for 2014 and beyond. Whether you’re looking for the latest road rocket or the snappiest retro-buy then the details from the clever people in biking are here. Enjoy the window shopping here and get your twowheeled wish list sorted out for the brilliant biking summer to come.
DYNAMIC ELECTRONIC SUSPENSION ADJUSTMENT (DESA):
The GS is BMW’s second production model to feature the brand’s latest suspension innovation; DESA. The package now means that as well as all the benefits of the previous ESA and ESA II systems, which allowed for the electronic adaptation of the preload bike, the new Dynamic element of the package means that the bike will automatically alter its damping to suit every kind of terrain.
AUTOMATIC STABILITY CONTROL (ASC):
ASC is an optional extra on the GS, but if you were to purchase the package you’d pick up the versatility of five selectable riding modes – Rain, Road, Dynamic, Enduro and Enduro Pro.
Contents
56
NEW 7
NEWS
12
THE TOP 10 BIKES OF NOW
30
SUBSCRIBE TO MSL!
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THE DASHING BLADE (LATEST vERSION)
Everything that’s new, as the name of this section suggests, from the world of motorcycling. Okay, no surprises there then...
So many bikes on the scene these days. And to be fair there’s very few duds among them, but picking the best? Now that’s where it helps to have this sort of thing going on.
It beats us as to why you wouldn’t do such a thing. Less cash to lay out, get the magazine delivered to your door and get it early (plus all the offers and cool stuff subscribers get from time to time too...). Makes sense, no?
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THE SUPER-CHARGED BIMOTA
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ROLAND SANDS AND HIS HARLEY CAFE RACER
The new FireBlade needs to be rather special. The Ed headed over to Qatar to see what’s what.
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RIDE BETTER PART SIX: FILTERING
A Supercharged Diavel-engine-powered piece of exotica that’s pricey. So far so Bimota but this is a bike that’s showing the way of the motorcycling future... and it makes more power than the new 1199 Panigale!
One of the joys of riding a motorcycle is the ability to make up time by getting past stationary traffic. Read this and learn how, then do it and be better.
Work of art. Work of art. Work of art. Here’s what Roland Sands, visionary bike builder, does when he gets a Harley-Davidson and lets the creative juices flow.
THE KAWASAKI SCOOTER
TOURING
It’s a big step from the big bike builder and MSL has been out on the new big scoot from Team Green.
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Launched in 1991, the big Triumph was a triumph. Ha! See what we did there? Yep... sorry about the joke, but we’re not sorry for telling you the essential information you need to know about an essential, great modern retro tourer.
BLIGHTY TIME FOR THE MT-09
It’s a very easy motorcycle to ride and we were bowled over by it at the MT-09’s launch in Croatia last year, so how does the impressive triple from Yamaha fare in the hands of a real owner and on the type of UK roads we all face?
MODERN TOURER: TRIUMPH TROPHY
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THE LIFE-CHANGING TOUR
One MSL reader was made redundant but didn’t do the usual thing. Oh no, he decided to head off to clear his head. 9000 miles away to be exact.
KNOWLEDGE 102
MODERN RETRO BUYER’S GUIDE: B-KING SUZUKI It’s a big bike and to many people it looks out of shape (Michael Caine reference!) but the brash B-King isn’t all looks and no skills, it’s a great motorcycle with loads of good things going for it. Here’s what you need to know so that you know.
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REFLECTIONS: KAWASAKI’S GPZ1100
In 1981 the last chapter in a legacy was launched. It was great fun and these days it’s so cool it deserves an icebox as a topbox. mslmagazine.co.uk 5
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