Australian motorcyclist february 2017

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W LEARNER APPROVED MOTORCYCLES: WE CHECK THEM ALL OUT

ID F R E E IN S

OUT A E: TEAR-

USTRAL

ELEVEN BEAUTIES THE WORLD’S BEST CUSTOM BIKES

TRIUMPH BONNEVILLE

STREET CUP LAUNCH

GRAB HOLD OF THE CUP. YOU KNOW YOU WANT TO!

ROYAL ENFIELD WE RIDE THEM ALL

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340798 000228

0 2

AUS $9.95 (Inc GST) NZ $10.95 (Inc GST)

THE CASCADES, WASHINGTON: GO LOOPY, LOOPING THE LOOP / RIDING IN OTHER COUNTRIES: THE BASICS YOU NEED TO KNOW / TRACER TRAVEL / WHERE IS THE GRONY? / CHINA / T120 TOURING / POSTIE NOTES 12 / LOADS OF EVENTS / BLEISURE: LITHGOW / FIRST TRACK DAY

BORIS IN THE RAIN / LESTER THE TV STAR / BEAR GETS OUT OF A TICKET

RACING STYLE. URBAN EDGE. The new Street Cup’s stripped-back, urban sports styling adds stunning ‘street racer’ attitude to the Street Twin family. With thrilling performance from the 900cc high torque Bonneville engine, the Street Cup is perfect for a blast around town, or escaping it all on twisty B roads.

To find out more visit: triumphmotorcycles.com.au

/triumphaustralia

@triumphaus

Official Triumph

AN ORIGINAL FOR EVERYONE. Beautiful and now even more accessible. With all the timeless style and signature touches of a genuine motorcycle icon, the new 900cc Bonneville T100 is the great new entry point to the classic Bonneville family.

To ďŹ nd out more visit: triumphmotorcycles.com.au

triumphmotorcycles.com.au

CUSTOM IS THE GREAT GUIDE TO HUMAN LIFE.

CONTENTS SPECIAL FEATURE

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NINJA 300 v R3 COMPARO 7RS GRJV ÀJKW LW RXW

TESTING

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TRIUMPH BONNEVILLE STREET CUP Grab it, hold it, love it!

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ROYAL ENFIELD RANGE RIDE A right royal classic ride

TRAVEL

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YAMAHA MT-09 TRACER We drop the pin and go touring

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PUB OF THE MONTH Where the hell is Grong Grong!

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THE CASCADES, WASHINGTON Looping the loop

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BONNIE T120 Just how good is the T120 on the open road

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RIDING IN OTHER COUNTRIES The basics you need to know

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AUSTRALIAN MOTORCYCLIST TOUR NZ Come along and have a Á\LQJ JUHDW WLPH

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POSTIE NOTES 12 Mo hits the Bundy

TEAR-OUT MAP

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THE FIVE PUNTS Cyclops opens his eye

EVENTS

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SURFSIDE MOTORCYCLE GARAGE The Bear’s favourite joint

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THUNDER RALLY All the thunder, all the fun.

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TECHNICAL AMD CUSTOM WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP The best contest for the prize of World Champion at Intermot

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WORLD CHAMPS AND THEY MUST BE RIDDEN. PAGE 36

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BLEISURE A day out in Lithgow, NSW

SIDECAR GATHERING Those men and their creations

DROP IT AND TRACE IT OUT = FUN! PAGE 32

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2017 LAMS We have a look at the new and current LAMS bikes for 2017

DAVID HUME

www.ausmotorcyclist.com.au

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Unleash your fuLl potential

Disco over more at: orcycle.michelin.com.au moto

- R.C.S. 352 321 285 - 16070237 - MICHELIN - R.C.S. 855 200 507 - Photo credits: Michelin, Gregory Favre, GettyImages - 11/2016

New tyre Michelin Power RS

CONTENTS

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FIRST TRACK DAY You asked for it. Here’s what you need to know BRIDGES Check out the engineering while you ride

74 76

USED & REVIEWED Feel the revz and build a kubby

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WHAT IS THAT?! Newmount. Heard of them?

BEST OF THE REST Stuart tells his best of 2016

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GRIZZLING He’s lost it this month.All complaints to the…wherever they go

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NEWS The latest goss

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BACK ISSUES You can still get most of them

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CHINA Are they in for big things?”

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NEW IN THE SHOPS Get your bucks out

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CLASSIC MORRIS /HVWHU ÁLSV LW IRU WKH WHOH SUBSCRIPTIONS Make it easy on yourself. Get a subscription! WHAT SAY YOU Things Stuart might never say NEW BIKE PRICES C’mon, buy that new bike! BEAR FACED Sweet talking the Police BORIS It’s raining men

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EDITORIAL

101 104

WIN THE CUP FOR THE STREET. PAGE 24

108 112 114

Australian Motorcyclist

Australian Motorcyclist Magazine

Australian Motorcyclist Magazine

@AusMotrCyclist

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PLEASE ENJOY AUSTRALIAN MOTORCYCLIST MAGAZINE RESPONSIBLY AND ADD THIS ISSUE TO YOUR COLLECTION. MOST BACK ISSUES ARE STILL AVAILABLE; JUSTVISIT THE WEBSITE WWW.AUSMOTORCYCLIST.COM.AU OR DROP US A LINE TO CONTACTUS@AUSMOTORCYCLIST.COM.AU. AND HAVE FUN.

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EDITORSPEAKS Editor Stuart Woodbury Editor Emeritus J Peter Thoeming Sales Manager Ralph Leavsey-Moase ralph@ausmotorcyclist.com.au

Photo Editor Nick Wood Designer Amy Hale Photographers Nick Wood Photography, Half-Light Photography Contributors Robert Crick, Mike Grant, Jacqui Kennedy, Robert Lovas, Phil Gadd, Boris Mihailovic, Lester Morris,The Possum,Guy Stanford, Stuart Strickland, Michael Walley, Colin Whelan Editorial contactus@ausmotorcyclist.com.au Subscription enquiries www.ausmotorcyclist.com.au info@ausmotorcyclist.com.au 0412 220 680 or 0418 421 322 Printer PRINTED IN AUSTRALIA Distributor Gordon and Gotch Australian Motorcyclist Magazine is published by Australian Motorcyclist Magazine Pty Ltd. PO Box 2066, Boronia Park NSW 2111 Phone 0412 220 680 or 0418 421 322. This publication is copyright. Other than for the purposes of research, study, criticism, review, parody or satire and subject to the conditions prescribed under the Copyright Act 1968, no part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted without the prior written permission of Australian Motorcyclist Magazine Pty Ltd. Opinions expressed within this publication do not necessarily represent those of Australian Motorcyclist Magazine Pty Ltd. No responsibility is accepted by Australian Motorcyclist Magazine Pty Ltd or the editor for the accuracy of any statement, opinion or advice contained in the text or advertisements. Readers should rely on their own enquiries in making decisions tailored to their own interest. *Recommended retail price Copyright Š Australian Motorcyclist Magazine Pty Ltd ACN 161 432 506 ISSN 2201-5442

We encourage you to keep or recycle this magazine.

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Tassie: corners upon corners!

What’s he blabbing on about now?

J

ust before Christmas I was in Tasmania for the Australia launch of the new Triumph T100 and Street Cup and it got me thinking of how the West Coast of Tassie is a lot like the South Island of New Zealand. I wonder if any of you geologists out there know about when the world was one big land mass and broke apart that either Tassie or New Zealand spun around in the process of reaching their current orientation? I know we have said it before but Tassie is a motorcyclist’s heaven. Everywhere you go, there’s twisty corners and beautiful scenery. If you can’t handle the Spirit of Tasmania boat trip which is usually a rough crossing, I recommend getting in touch with one of the motorcycle hire FRPSDQLHV VR \RX FDQ Ă \ LQ ULGH DQG Ă \ RXW ,W DOVR FXWV WKH QXPEHU RI GD\V you need to be away. 2016 was a big year for us here at Australian Motorcyclist. Lots of bikes were tested, plenty of kilometres travelled all for your enjoyment and a heap of motorcycling gear reviewed that we hope you’ve read about and gone out and bought, which leads me onto which bike was my favourite of 2016. After much deliberation over a couple of frosty treats I have to say I’m in love with the Yamaha MT-10. The looks polarise some people but I kind of like the ‘transformerish’ appearance. But of course the main reason for my choice is that it is so much fun to ride and can tour with

comfort, despite its design parameter. Favourite road is a simple one, because I wrote about it. The Queenstown to Glenorchy road in New Zealand wins hands down. If you have to ride one simple stunning road in your lifetime, this is it! Best riding gear would have to be my Shoei X-Spirit III helmet. It is so light, so aerodynamic and comfy at the same time for what is a ‘race’ helmet. As for a jacket, my Segura Retro leather jacket is by far my number one. I just love the uniqueness it gains the more I wear LW -HDQV GHĂ€QLWHO\ WKH QHZ 'UDJJLQ Revz – a riding jean that doesn’t look like a riding jean. Boots, well I’ve only had two pairs of boots to try WKURXJKRXW DQG WKH 'ULULGHU iRide 2 casual riding boots are excellent. They are also waterproof! 2017 is going to be a huge year for motorcycling. You will have read The Bear’s reports from both Intermot and Eicma with the bucket loads of new machines just waiting for you to salivate over. As you read this, I’ve already got three launches over a couple of week period, so bring it on! I’d also like to thank the very tiny team that makes up Australian Motorcyclist. The Bear (obviously); Mal and now Ralph; our two photographers - Nick and Nick, and our designer, Amy. Thanks for all your efforts over the past year. Enjoy! Cheers, Stuart.

FROMTHEBEAR Well, gee, thanks‌ but I’m not quite sure what

GRIZZLING

that message means‌

WHAT THE @#%&*

As you’ll see from the next item, I confuse fairly easily. But there are some things that I don’t understand no matter how often I think about them. Case in point one: why do so many drivers stop at red lights well back from the induction coils in the roadway that tell the little computer that someone is waiting? I mean, folks, if you don’t park over the coils – and they’re visible enough, or the lines in the tar that show where they lurk are – for you to easily see them. Is it that hard to understand that you need to be above them before WKH\ ZLOO UHJLVWHU \RXU SUHVHQFH" 'R \RX HQMR\ VLWWLQJ DW WUDIÀF OLJKWV PD\EH MXVW listening to the radio, you know, shooting the breeze with your passenger‌ Sometimes I feel like shooting you when I’m stuck there because my bike hasn’t activated the coils. Case in point two: why do so many women dare you to kill their babies? That might seem a bit extreme, but how else do you interpret the all too common habit of pushing baby strollers out into the road at pedestrian crossings? While

you’re waiting for the light to change, why not wait with your baby safe on the footpath? You can’t all be suffering from terminal post-natal depression‌ and MXVW LQ FDVH \RX WKLQN ,¡P EHLQJ Ă LSSDQW I’m not. Some unfortunate child is going to get wiped out one day, and it will be their mother’s (or carer’s) fault. 'RQ¡W GR LW I’m going to leave it at that. I can think of several more things like this, but I think I need a beer. I don’t know about you, but I’m confused enough without the gummint putting out mixed messages. I mean, I used to think that “FALLING ROCKS '21¡7 6723Âľ ZDV MXVW D ZD\ RI amusing us as we rode along. After all, it’s quite true but also a bit unnecessary. I mean, I know falling rocks don’t stop except in the Goon Show of the word. As Neddy Seagoon once said: “I fell, but fortunately the ground EURNH P\ IDOO Âľ But then I saw this beauty. Now is that requirement to ´35(3$5( 72 6723Âľ meant for rocks, or for WKH WUDIĂ€F" $QG GRHV it supersede the upper sign? WHAT AM I 683326(' 72 '2"

Wisemans Ferry the language changes its meaning. Or not.

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It’s the Borg! Check out the look on this one! Actually I wanted to run this picture to illustrate an interesting and unexpected contrast at the big motorcycle shows in 2016. Milan, where you would have expected a bit of fashionable input into the bike gear on show, was pretty traditional. Cologne, on the other hand, had some beautiful

MIXED MESSAGE

On the other side of

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RESISTANCE IS USELESS

“We are the Biking Borg‌â€?

gear on display with tailored jackets – unlike the usual baggy coats – and nice new materials. Unfortunately, the brands with the most stylish clothes for women and men, like Modeka, don’t seem to have Australian distributors. Bummer.

Peter ‘The Bear’ Thoeming

5,'( 1(: =($/$1'

Guided Motorcycle Tour of South Island, New Zealand with Peter Thoeming, “The Bear�, Editor of AUSTRALIAN MOTORCYCLIST MAGAZINE Featuring the amazing Omaka Classic Fighters International Airshow 2017

Tour Dates 8th April - 17th April 2017

Omaka Tour Highlights; (All included in tour package) Ride 4 legendary Mountain passes Ride 4 National Parks Platinum Gourmet Pass Day entry to the Omaka Classic Fighters Airshow 2017 Helicopter Ride over the Alps with Ice Glacier Landing Jet-boating through ‘The Lord of the Rings’ canyons Whale-watch boat trip Entry to the Wanaka Warbirds Museum Queenstown, Adventure Capital of the Southern Hemis

IDVW VR ´:H¡UH Ă€OOLQJ XS W HPDLO XV WRGD\ D RXUV FR Q]Âľ FH#PRWRUELNHW 0LNH &DUROH %DVHG LQ &KULVWFKXU 6SHFLDOLVH LQ 6XSHULRU 0RWRUF\FOLQJ ([SHULHQFHV )XOO\ JXLGHG 7RXUV 6HOI JXLGHG 7RXUV /X[XU\ %HVSRNH 7RXUV 0RWRUF\FOH 5HQWDOV

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NEWS

Just one of the exciting tours already held this year - the Dakar with Edelweiss. Amazing times and well looked after, too!

OOPS‌

Christmas time in just about all Naughty Bear business means a bit of a get In our well-received “In Their Own together away from the workplace 3LFVÂľ IHDWXUH ZKHUH ZH JDYH VRPH RI WKH for some beverages and good travel operators a chance to show us times. We here at Australian what they do, I made a mistake. Just Motorcyclist got out on a friend’s because I deal with the wonderful boat for an afternoon on Sydney Franziska at Edelweiss, I thought she’d harf Harbour. Upon our return to the wharf, be the right person to act as contact for 7KH %HDU GHFLGHG KH¡G EH WKH ´URSHÂľ you, too. Turns out she is pretty busy between the boat and wharf. doing other stuff (including dealing with Unfortunately humans don’t stretch that me!) so I’ve reproduced the correct far, nor have the strength to hold onto a contact details for Edelweiss below. 3 tonne boat, so The Bear made an You’ll be reading more about them, unwanted plunge into the harbour. too – I’m going to Iceland with them Luckily his fur had been shaved not later in the year. too long ago as he quickly made for a Edelweiss Bike Travel: +43 5264 proper rope that was close by. His ride 5690-23, worldtours@edelweissbike. home dried most of his short fur and com, www.edelweissbike.com is the a couple of bruises were for his valent correct way to get in touch with them. efforts not to drown. Mention me anyway, though.

GO LADIES! Metzeler ‘Natural Born Lady Rider’ 2017 Calendar Celebrating the talent and passion transmitted by women riders throughout twelve months of imagery: the 2017 Metzeler calendar. Titled Natural Born Lady Rider, it was created with the aim to dedicate a tribute to female motorcycle pride, emphasizing the determination shown by women of all ages to ride their motorcycles. Visit www.metzeler.com to get hold of one.

AQUA BEAR THIS WEEKEND, JAN 21!

Xmas fun

SPOIL YOURSELF MV Agusta Parramatta Those boys (and girls) at Urban Moto Imports are doing big things and this includes plotting more MV dealers and 5R\DO (QÀHOG GHDOHUV DURXQG WKH countryside. You’ll read in this issue about Ralph attending the latest RE store in Melbourne, while in NSW there’s a new MV Agusta store opened XS LQ *UDQYLOOH RQ -DPHV 5XVH 'ULYH FDOOHG 09 $JXVWD 3DUUDPDWWD &KHFN them out for all you MV bikes and gear, DORQJ ZLWK VHUYLFLQJ 3K

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Troy Bayliss Classic Got nothing to do this weekend? Well, get to the 2017 Troy Bayliss Classic at Taree. Enjoy a jam packed day and night of oil track racing with many superstars and legends sliding their way around the Taree circuit. For more info, visit www.troybaylissevents.com . D

Go Far. AG ! B EE Y

FRMBIA

re tu 0 n 5 e 7 . Z Advyclist zine) 4 a c $ 2our Notor mag n e y l u ook lian Mtails i a b v ou stra de u y n h A f fe r e h it W w ed o it m (li

L CO

DR

Columbian Dry Bag G iant Loop is the pioneer of the b iiomorphic motorcycle saddlebag system t at allows you to carry your gear on most any motorcycle without racks.

U

N o matter if you are a sports, trail or big bo ore adventure rider, you will appreciate trravelling lighter and further with the G iant Loop high performance “Adventure P roof� soft luggage and packing systems fo or your ride. G iant Loop is the ideal luggage system to ta ake touring, especially when you are sa addling up on a rental or a loaner or ha ave too many bikes in the shed.

Great Basin Saddlebag

Diablo Tank Bag Pro Gas Bag Fuel Safe Bladder

T he Great Basin Saddlebag is now 100% waterproof with a set of three (RFw welded) roll top waterproof Dry Pods to w eep your gear sorted and dry at all ke ti mes. The Great basin holds up to 60 Liitres and is the ideal bag to ride behind you on just about any motorcycle. Double your luggage capacity when you add a 100% waterproof Colombia Dry Bag.

Zigzag Handlebar Bag

Round The World P

Coyote Roll Top Saddlebag

Fandango Tank Bag Pro

For the full range check out our website or drop in and see us at: Unit 1/915 Old Northern Road, Dural, NSW 2158 Monday-Friday 9.00am - 5.30pm Saturday 9.00am - 1.00pm

1300 466 6 86 a dve ntur e m oto.com.au

S P E C I A L F E A T U R E LAMS

BABY, BABY! LAMS BIKES ARE MULTIPLYING WORDS

T

STUART

he Learner Approved Motorcycle Scheme (LAMS) has grown and grown over the past couple of years, and you can now get a LAMS approved motorcycle from just about every manufacturer out there. For 2017, the LAMS offering continues to grow with many QHZ PRGHOV KLWWLQJ WKH VKRZURRP à RRU ZKLOH WKH FXUUHQW models have been tweaked or given new colour schemes. Any way you look at it, the LAMS market is hot to trot and it’s great to see so many new riders experiencing the wonders of motorcycling, and experienced riders realising that jumping on a LAMS machine will take care of pretty much all your needs for commuting and saving money – and with some of the new adventure touring models, even more!

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L A M S SPECIAL FEATURE

CF MOTO

All of CF Moto’s models are LAMS approved. New for 2017 will be the 650MT, an adventure tourer model that looks fresh and exciting.

DUCATI

)RU 'XFDWL FRQWLQXH WR RIIHU WKH relatively new Sixty 2 – a retro 400cc version of the Scrambler range which is easy to ride and fun to look at.

HARLEY-DAVIDSON SUZUKI

Suzuki hasn’t really been big into the LAMS market before, but 2017 will see the introduction of the GSX-R125 DQG *6; 5 ² ERWK Ă€OOLQJ WKH HYHU popular smaller capacity performance end of the market. These two models MRLQ WKH UHWUR 78 ; '5 = 60 and GSX650F - a good range to satisfy anyone with a taste for ‘LAM’.

BMW

BMW Motorrad has KDG D UHVKXIĂ H RI LWV LAMS bikes and for 2017 will offer the new G 310 R and G 310 GS as its servings of ‘LAM’. We can’t wait to see what these new models are like to ride; the GS looks like a really promising effort.

APRILIA

This Italian marque continues on with the popular RS4 125 model, which is a fun machine for the ‘boy racer’.

$V ZLWK 'XFDWL +DUOH\ 'DYLGVRQ ZLOO continue with the extremely popular Street 500. From the latest sales quarter data (Oct 16), 1175 have been sold, making the Street the fourth highest seller of all motorcycles in Australia for 2016.

BENELLI

HONDA

Essentially, Benelli’s entire range consists of LAMS approved machines and the introduction of the TRK502 adventure touring model will further strengthen this offering.

Honda has a large presence in the LAMS market and a racy looking

CBR250RR may be heading our way. Even if not, Honda has plenty of LAM suitable for anyone’s taste.

KAWASAKI

The green machine is introducing new models for 2017. These include

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BUILD YOUR OWN ADVENTURE.

*Overseas model shown

SWM ADVENTURE

SUPER DUAL 650 MIKUNI ENGINE

BREMBO

BRAKES

Liquid Cooled DOHC Engine 6 Speed Transmission Mikuni EFI

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LITRES

FUEL CAPACITY

ERGONOMICS

Seat Height 860mm Weight 159kg

www.swmmotorcycles.com.au

QUALITY COMPONENTRY

Brembo Brakes Sachs Asjustable Rear Shock Optional Givi Panniers

www.facebook.com/swmaustralia

LEARNER

APPROVED

Proudly distributed by

L A M S SPECIAL FEATURE Wolf in LAMS clothing? If Triumph Australia is successful, you will be able WR EX\ D %RQQHYLOOH DV \RXU ¼UVW ELNH

the Versys X and the Z650L which is replacing the ER-6nL. These models ZLOO ÀW LQ ZHOO ZLWK WKH WRS VHOOLQJ Ninja 300 and extensive road and cruiser LAMS available.

KTM

Kato continues with the popular 390 'XNH ZKLFK LV D IXQN\ ORRNLQJ DQG exciting machine to whirl around on.

ROYAL ENFIELD

$OO RI 5R\DO (QÀHOG·V PRGHOV DUH delicious LAMS. While all of the current range are retro models, 2017 will see the highly anticipated introduction of the Himalayan with an all-new engine making for what seems

to be quite a capable mid-level adventure tourer.

TRIUMPH

Some big news at Triumph. They have been talking with the powers that be to try and get bikes meeting European A2 licence regulations available as LAMS in this country. What that means is that bikes like the Bonneville would become LAMS models, since the A2 listing is determined only by power to weight ratio, not engine capacity and power rating as it is now in Australia.

SWM

This renowned enduro bike marque now has a range of LAMS bikes to suit the retro taste out there. We reviewed the Gran Milano 440 in the last issue and found it a nice looker.

YAMAHA

The boys in blue (as you might call them) have an extensive range of LAMS to suit your taste. The R3 and MT-07L have been big, big sellers for the Japanese marque with both sitting in the top ten overall in Australia for the last

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quarter of 2016. The other notable mention for Yamaha is the stalwart XVS650 which continues to outsell many other models and has virtually been unchanged for more years than I can recall.

RARE, MEDIUM OR WELL DONE?

So how do you like your ‘LAM’? Any number of styles and engine sizes is available under the LAMS regulations, so no matter what your taste you can get your ‘LAM’ in pretty much any style you like. I’m sure I’ve missed some of the smaller manufacturers in this piece but the main thing to remember here is that the more younger riders we get on the road, the more riders we’ll have as the years go by as they progress to larger capacity machines. D

TOUGHEN UP YOUR RIDE

VPS

STORM

CARBON

Find what ямБts your bike at www.barkbusters.net

S P E C I A L F E A T U R E LAMS COMPARO

THE VITALS

KAWASAKI NINJA 300

PRICE: From $5799 (plus on-road charges) WARRANTY: Two years, unlimited distance SERVICING INTERVALS: Every 6000km or 12 months ENGINE: Liquid-cooled parallel twin cylinder, 4-stroke, DOHC, 4 valves per cylinder DISPLACEMENT: 296cc TORQUE: 27Nm @ 10,000rpm TRANSMISSION: 6-speed, wet PXOWL SODWH FOXWFK FKDLQ ÀQDO GULYH SUSPENSION: Front, 37mm telescopic fork, non-adjustable, travel 120mm. Rear, monoshock, adjustable preload, travel 132mm. DIMENSIONS: Seat height 785mm, weight 174kg (wet), fuel capacity 17 litres, wheelbase 1405mm BRAKES: Front, 290mm disc with dual-piston (optional ABS) calipers. Rear, 220mm disc, dual-piston (optional ABS) caliper. COLOURS: Pearl Blizzard White ABS and Non ABS, Metallic Graphite Gray / Ebony - ABS Special Edition only, Lime Green / Ebony KRT Edition ABS and non ABS

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TOP DOGS FIGHT IT OUT KAWASAKI NINJA 300 V YAMAHA R3 WORDS STUART PHOTOS KAWASAKI/YAMAHA

O

f all the Learner Approved motorcycles out there in the shops, there are two contenders which duel it out for top spot each and every quarter when sales data is compiled. Those two bikes are the well-established Kawasaki Ninja 300 and relatively new Yamaha R3 - two ‘boy racer’ machines that have picked up popularity among all sorts of riders of all sorts of ages, not only the real boy racers among us. So, what better way to give you an insight into these two li’l rippers than to compare them directly with each other? <DPDKD KDV ÀWWHG D VOLJKWO\ ODUJHU capacity engine to the R3 against

Kawasaki’s powerplant in the Ninja 300, with 321cc of inline twin cylinder in the R3 and 296cc in the Ninja. Usually this would result in a decent performance difference in the R3’s favour, but you’d be hard put splitting them in a straight drag. That has been shown when the bikes have been raced against each other throughout 2016 by young hard chargers. For the road, torque is what you want to look at because more of it makes a bike easier to ride. The difference between 29.6Nm for the R3 and 26Nm for the Ninja, although it looks substantial, is not necessarily terribly obvious when you ride them, but on paper the R3 comes out ahead, and that

THE VITALS YAMAHA R3

extra torque could certainly make it easier to ride. Handling is another big consideration, especially for LAMS riders. It’s interesting to note that on the road the Ninja has more feel, whereas the R3 is a bit stiffer through the frame. On the WUDFN KRZHYHU WKH 1LQMD Ă H[HV TXLWH D lot and the R3 is more stable and turns in a little faster thanks to its shorter wheelbase. With the majority of riders who would buy these kinds of bikes, I’d be looking at how they perform on the road, rather than the track. 6W\OLQJ LV ZKDW Ă€UVW DWWUDFWV \RX WR a particular bike and the Ninja has a more ‘supersport’ size look about it whereas the R3 is slimmer and looks like a smaller capacity machine. When you actually hop on and ride both bikes they both feel quite roomy and very similar with comfortable reach to the bars and width and good seat to peg spacing. Seat heights are 785mm for the Ninja and 780mm for the R3, giving MXVW DERXW DQ\ ULGHU WKH FRQĂ€GHQFH WR Ă€UPO\ SODFH D IRRW RU ERWK IHHW RQ WKH ground at a standstill. Braking performance sees the Ninja come out in front with a little more feel

and power; in a direct comparison the R3’s front brake has that bit less of feel available. Both bikes do have ABS available, and for learner riders, this kind of safety is a great option to have. Accessories are mainly aimed at the boy racer market but you can also get luggage for both bikes and I would happily tour on either as they can easily sit at 110km/h, no worries. 0DNLQJ WKDW ÀQDO GHFLVLRQ DV WR which bike you go for comes down WR D FRXSOH RI IDFWRUV 'R \RX KDYH blue blood, or green blood running through your veins? And do you want to go with or without ABS? If you compare both base ABS versions on price, there’s only a $100 difference between the two. Either way you’re JHWWLQJ D ZHOO EXLOW ZHOO ÀQLVKHG and super fun bike for your money. I would go the Ninja 300 because it’s been around for a while and the factory has had time to improve it, and also, I’ve never owned a Kwaka so getting a green infusion into my already red (Honda) and blue (Yamaha) blood would not be a bad thing. But seriously, you can’t go wrong here. D

PRICE: From $6299 (plus on-road charges) WARRANTY: Two years, unlimited distance SERVICING INTERVALS: Every 10,000km or 12 months ENGINE: Liquid-cooled parallel twin cylinder, 4-stroke, DOHC, 4 valves per cylinder DISPLACEMENT: 321cc TORQUE: 29.6Nm @ 9000rpm TRANSMISSION: 6-speed, wet PXOWL SODWH FOXWFK FKDLQ ÀQDO GULYH SUSPENSION: Front, 41mm telescopic fork, non-adjustable, travel 130mm. Rear, monoshock, adjustable preload, travel 125mm. DIMENSIONS: Seat height 780mm, weight 169kg (wet), fuel capacity 14 litres, wheelbase 1380mm BRAKES: Front, 298mm disc with dual-piston ABS caliper. Rear, 220mm disc, single-piston ABS caliper. COLOURS: Race Blu, Matt Grey, Intensity White/Rapid Red, Special Edition Movistar Replica

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EVE NT This is the coolest exhaust/ mudguard I’ve ever seen. Well, it’s the only one.

SWAPPING AT SURFSIDE E

veryone has favourites of various kinds, right? A favourite bike, a favourite destination, a favourite beer – a favourite bike shop. Mine is SurfSide Motorcycle Garage on Sydney’s northern beaches. Trev, Rob and Road Rat run a competent and classy, but above all versatile workshop with a ’60s style cafÊ out the front. Who could ask for more? Well, how about an eclectic collection of bikes, some there to have work GRQH WKDW ÀOOV WKH SODFH DQG WXUQV over regularly? And how about regular Sunday events, like the recent Christmas 3DUW\ DQG 6ZDS 0HHW" , KDYH WR DGPLW WKDW , ÀQG LW KDUG WR UHVLVW VZDS PHHWV even though I have hardly ever found anything I wanted and I am‌ bemused, SHUKDSV E\ WKH LQà DWHG LPSRUWDQFH with which a lot of the sellers regard their goods. Still, it’s fun. Oh, look, a complete front end for a Velocette LE :KLVSHULQJ 'HDWK , ZRQGHU LI WKDW ZRXOG ÀW WKH 9RJXH , PLJKW UHVWRUH RQH GD\ LI , FDQ ÀQG RQH" $QG VR RQ

I like the way Trev and the others engage with their customers, and I also like the fact that they have a lot of skills themselves, but know who can do the jobs that perhaps they aren’t so prepared for, like paint. So, take this as a purely personal little story about a place I really like, and I therefore recommend. If you feel like it, write to us about the places that you really like. We’ll try to make room for all opinions at some time or other. D

The same bike’s sidestand, welded up from a drive chain. Neat.

SurfSide Motorcycle Garage www.surfside.net.au 02 9905 4755 trev@surfside.net.au 42 Winbourne Road, Brookvale NSW 2100 Yes, that’s an SS Ducati up there in storage with an aluminium fairing.

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AUTHENTIC SOUL.

Meet the Moto Guzzi V9. A motorcycle which has been created in the purest spirit of Moto Guzzi and hand built on the shores of Lake Como. The V9 features the iconic Moto Guzzi 850cc transverse 90° V-Twin engine and the technology you have come to expect from a brand that has been at the forefront of motorcycle innovation since 1921. An authentic motorcycle in every sense, each component of the V9 has been designed to encompass superior quality, including Anti-Lock Brembo Braking System, Traction Control and reengineered ergonomics to enhance the pleasure derived from riding a motorcycle. The V9 is an elegant cruiser which has been designed from the legacy of its predecessors. Created with genuine Italian style, this universal mid-range cruiser allows you to follow your heart wherever it may roam.

/motoguzziaus

@motoguzziaus

THECLAN.MOTOGUZZI.COM

motoguzziaus.com.au

LAUNCH

TRIUMPH BONNEVILLE STREET CUP THE GOLDEN EGG WORDS STUART PHOTOS DEAN WALTERS

24

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Cash, cheque or credit card, mate!

www.ausmotorcyclist.com.au

25

LAUNCH Trying to form up for a close-in photo – didn’t work.

'

o you reckon that Triumph has an urban sports model in its range? Just look at the Street Triple – a perfect example of what ‘urban sports’ is all about – fun, agile and capable of everything you might like to throw at it in the urban jungle. But Triumph has now released what they’re calling an urban sports model, and the Bonneville Street Cup does not resemble the Street Triple much at all. Two different approaches to the same idea? The zoo of Australian media reptiles headed to lovely 7DVPDQLD WR Ă€QG RXW ULGLQJ IRU WZR days up the west coast on the Street Cup after two days down the east coast on the equally new Bonneville T100 (launch report in the next issue). Are you a potential Street Cup owner? If you are, Triumph sees you as the kind of rider who wants a modern classic but prefers a distinctly sports focused attitude, poise and style. Someone who wants a bike that’s beautiful and makes them feel cool, and someone who

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wants premium quality. This is where Triumph has devoted a lot of attention, to the detail. The premium SDLQW Ă€QLVK JRHV ZLWK 7ULXPSK¡V hand painted coach lines and the initials of that very talented painter near the rear tank bolt. As well, check out the suede-like alcantara seat with its seat cowl and the Ă \VFUHHQ , UHDOO\ OLNHG WKH UDGLDWRU Ă€WPHQW 7KLV LV WKH VDPH RQ DOO WKH new Bonnies, and what Triumph has GRQH LQ Ă€WWLQJ LW EHWZHHQ WKH IUDPH rails allows the bike to retain a lot of the look of pre-radiator days. You

actually need to look for it to see it. 'HWDLO RQ WKH HQJLQH LQFOXGLQJ WKH nuts and bolts has also come under WKH ÀQH TXDOLW\ H\H ZKLFK FUHDWHV D IHHOLQJ RI D IXOO\ ÀQLVKHG SURGXFW which is well worth the money you pay. You even get a USB charging socket under the seat, standard. Speaking of the price, the Street Cup is selling for $15,600 plus on road costs – not bad for such a great looking machine. It comes in two colours – Racing Yellow/ Silver Ice or Jet Black/Silver Ice. Choosing your colour all depends

LAUNCH

Black or yellow?

Nice seat.

28

www.ausmotorcyclist.com.au

on whether you want to stand out from the crowd or be a little more understated, but you get ubercoolness whichever way you go. Both the T100 and Street Cup are built in Triumph’s Thai factory. I know that many people out there might think they would be getting a lesser quality product than a bike built in the UK, but you’d be wrong. I’m told the Thai factory has regular competitions with its UK counterparts as to who can build the better quality motorcycle, and guess who wins every time? The Thai factory! So no more whining about lesser quality, okay? The Street Cup is based on the Street Twin (reviewed in issue #39) with the 900 High Torque twin motor and ‘Street’ frame, which is different from that of the T120 and T100. Handling is medium weighted on turn in with great stability. Even WKH UHWUR ORRNLQJ 3LUHOOL 6SRUWFRPS tyres do a decent job of handling a variety of conditions. 3RZHU DQG WRUTXH IURP WKH +7 parallel twin are not as punchy as IURP WKH VDPH HQJLQH ÀWWHG WR WKH T100. This is a result of the different exhausts which require a slightly different tune for the ECU. It is only a small difference, but noticeable after riding the T100 for two days then jumping onto the Street Cup. The best thing about the twin exhausts are the sweet tunes that sing their way from the rear of the Street Cup. It was a delight to ride close to other bikes on the launch just to listen to the soundtrack. This LV DOO GRZQ WR WKH GHJUHH ÀULQJ order which gives the parallel twin a deep bassy tone. Triumph has tuned the Street Cup to produce 80% of its torque in the 2750 – 4750rpm range, which is where they see the majority of riders using the bike. They are spot on, pretty much anything over this mark and you’re only doing it to rev the you know what out of it. Braking sees the dual-piston Nissin caliper up front doing a good job seeing as there’s only a single disc for stopping the Street Cup when you’re

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LAUNCH

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TRIUMPH BONNEVILLE STREET CUP

having some fun through corners. And corners we did riding around Tassie! Accessories are extensive with more than 120 dedicated for the Street Cup. Of note is the association with the brand Fox which has supplied a sweet pair of performance rear shocks. And continuing the quality brands, Vance & Hines exhausts are available. Another great option is tyre pressure monitoring, also available for the Street Cup. If you ZDQW WR ÀW /(' LQGLFDWRUV WKH Street Cup is set up to accept them. 1R UHOD\V DQG PHVV\ ZLULQJ WR ÀW in somewhere: just program them WKURXJK WKH GDVK RQFH ÀWWHG Instrumentation is retro yet

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Tassie, such beauty and so many corners!

packed with all you could want. Aside from standard anti-lock braking you also get switchable (on or off) traction control. I found no difference with it on or off, but you might like it switched on in slippery wet conditions. As Triumph has done in the past, it has used the Bonneville platform to spawn numerous offspring and UDWKHU WKDQ MXVW VWLFNLQJ ZLWK WKH ´7µ series styled bikes, it’s great to see the Street Twin and now the quality, fun loving Street Cup join the fold. What do you reckon, are you ready to hold up this urban sports ‘Cup’? D

PRICE: $15,600 (plus on-road charges) WARRANTY: Two years, unlimited distance SERVICING INTERVALS: Every 16,000km or 12 months ENGINE: Liquid-cooled parallel twin cylinder, 4-stroke, SOHC, 4 valves per cylinder BORE x STROKE: 84.6 x 80mm DISPLACEMENT: 900cc COMPRESSION: 10.55:1 POWER: 40.5kW @ 5900rpm TORQUE: 80Nm @ 3230rpm TRANSMISSION: 5-speed, wet multi-plate torque assist clutch, FKDLQ ÀQDO GULYH SUSPENSION: Front, 41mm telescopic fork, non-adjustable, travel 120mm. Rear, dual-shock, adjustable preload, travel 120mm. DIMENSIONS: Seat height 780mm, weight 200kg (dry), fuel capacity 12 litres, wheelbase 1435mm TYRES: Front, 100/90/18. Rear, 150/70/17 FRAME: Tubular steel BRAKES: Front, 310mm disc with dual-piston ABS caliper. Rear, 255mm disc, dual-piston ABS caliper. FUEL CONSUMPTION: N/A THEORETICAL RANGE: N/A COLOURS: Racing Yellow/Silver Ice, Jet Black/Silver Ice VERDICT:YOUR GOLDEN EGG IS WAITING

TR A VEL

Fun tracing Our long term Yamaha MT-09 Tracer is an awesome touring machine. It handled the mix of open road, twisty corners to maintained dirt roads with ease. Comfort is good, but I found the seat to be a little weird on this trip – maybe I was sitting in the wrong

TRACING OUT THE MAP YAMAHA MT-09 TRACER

WORDS/PHOTOS STUART

position? The triple cylinder engine is sweet as a peach so I have no words other than to ask you, “If you haven’t got a Tracer, why not?!” Trust me, you’ll really enjoy this bike for all of your travels, including the masses of luggage capacity!

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M

aking the best tourer with our long term Yamaha MT-09 Tracer means we have to go touring! So I headed out for a day with not a cloud in the sky – the kind of day you sit in WKH RIÀFH DQG GUHDP RI EHLQJ out riding and while it is a rare

occurrence that I can get out for days like this, riding the Tracer made it all the better. I decided I’d drop a pin onto a map of New South Wales and work out what might be a nice ride with that as a destination. The pin ended up

www.hemamaps.com.au

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33

TR A VE L

landing pretty much near Aberdeen so I worked out two possible rides and then thought, bugger it, let’s take in one of the most stunning roads you’ll ever ride that’s manageable on a road bike – Barrington Tops. So, out of Sydney, head out to Windsor and XS WKH 3XWW\ 5RDG WR Singleton. On through *UHVIRUG 'XQJRJ DQG up to Gloucester. From Gloucester head west along Thunderbolts Way, then continue on Scone Road, following the signs to Scone. From Gloucester to a right turn at the T-intersection on Scone Road is about 34km. Scone Road turns into Barrington Tops Forest Road. About 78km from Gloucester over a mixture of dirt and tar you’ll come to WKH ´'LQJR *DWHÂľ DQG WKH ZRUOG ZLOO open up to some of the prettiest views you’ll ever see. Carry on down past Moonan Flat and its comfortable old

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pub, getting onto Hunter Road and into Scone. Follow the New England Highway south to Aberdeen and you’ve arrived at your mark. You can now prick yourself with that pin to realise you’re not in a dreamland and the sights you’ve just seen are for real! Once you hit Muswellbrook get RQWR 'HQPDQ 5RDG DQG JR WKURXJK 'HQPDQ -HUU\V 3ODLQV DQG UDWKHU

WKDQ KHDGLQJ EDFN GRZQ WKH 3XWW\ Road, ride a touch further and get onto Broke Road for the ride along Wollombi Road, heading through Laguna, Kulnura and turning right onto Bloodtree Road/Wisemans Ferry Road for the nice scenic gravel route to St Albans and the tar on to Wisemans Ferry and back to Windsor, making your way home from there. D

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CUSTOMISING

AMD WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP

CUSTOMISING’S CRÈME DE LA CRÈME WORDS THE BEAR PHOTOS AMD/THE BEAR

36

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E

ighty-two bikes, 67 competitors, FRXQWULHV WKH WK $0' World Championship at 'INTERMOT Customized' in Cologne in October was by far the most impressive custom show I have ever seen. Not only was the standard of craftsmanship outstanding, but the level of imagination matched it every time. The winner of the vote by the competitors themselves was a Japanese builder, the third time in a row that the crown has gone to Japan. Suicide Customs scored a FRQYLQFLQJ ÀUVW SODFH WR WDNH WKH FRYHWHG WLWOH RI $0' :RUOG &KDPSLRQ RI &XVWRP Bike Building for the next two years. Before we go to the bikes themselves, here’s a well-deserved credit: in the motorcycle customising world there are a lot of staggeringly talented builders, but it takes skilled and inspired organisation to make a great show. There is one organiser who stands out as the man who creates truly great shows, and that’s Robin %UDGOH\ RI $PHULFDQ 0RWRUF\FOH 'HDOHU Magazine. Robin’s shows hit the spot, as INTERMOT Customized demonstrated. But on to the bikes!

OVERALL WINNER

The World Champions on stage with

This is decided in the Freestyle Class, and Suicide Customs’ 1000cc V-twin “Rumble Racer” took it out, making it a third win in a row for Japan. With the bike crated for dry shipping to Europe several weeks before the show, Koh Niwa had tense days and late evenings at the World Championship before managing to get the bike ¼UHG XS DQG FRPSOHWLQJ the necessary run test to qualify for the competition - his determination in the face of tough odds won the admiration of the “Class of 2016”.

their creation projected behind them, ½DQNHG E\ DQ $0' VWDIIHU DQG 5RELQ

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37

CUSTOMISING SECOND PLACE AND FIRST RESERVE CHAMPION In a very broad international spread of top honours, this went to Michael Naumann of Germany for his Ironhead Sportster-engined “Simple Iron”. Those Ironheads never die.

Yes, the bikes have to run and be capable of being ridden, a nice touch and a major difference between the AMD World Championship and many other customizing shows. This is a true world championship. Altogether 42 bikes competed in the Freestyle class, with no less than 14 different countries featuring in the Top 20, with TEAM USA’s Larry Moore of Witchita, Kansas, taking fourth overall for his “Kontrolled Kaos”, with North &RDVW &XVWRP WDNLQJ ¼IWK IRU “Alcatraz 521”.

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RETRO MODIFIED

,Q DQ H[WUHPHO\ KLJK TXDOLW\ ÂźHOG WKLV FODVV ZDV WDNHQ by PDF Motociclette of Italy with “Big Kahunaâ€?, a 1000cc engined 1927 JD 8-valve.

www.ausmotorcyclist.com.au

39

CUSTOMISING CAFÉ RACER

)O\LQJ WKH ½DJ IRU (DVWHUQ (XURSH .KDUNRY 8NUDLQH EDVHG ,URQ &XVWRP Motorcycles (ICM) took this class with with “Beckmanâ€?, featuring a hand-made 56bhp, 555cc 3-cylinder 2-stroke engine.

THIRD PLACE AND SECOND RESERVE CHAMPION This went to 2014 World Champion Fred “Krugger� Bertrand of Krugger Motorcycles in Belgium for his S&S Cycle 103 cubic inch engined “LADD�.

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STEAM CRAZY 20th place Freestyle, the unique “Black Pearl� from Revatu Customs. Yes, these people are insane but don’t they do it well!

STREET PERFORMANCE In another success for the small but fast-growing and innovative Irish custom scene, 2013 World Champions Mick O’Shea and Don Cronin (Medaza Cycles) took this demanding class with “Road Fever”, a 1978 Ducati 750.

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41

CUSTOMISING

MODIFIED HARLEY-DAVIDSON This ever-popular World Championship class was won by German-Motorcycle-Authority (Christoph Madaus) with his 1340cc (S&S heads) “Milwaukee Mile”.

11th place Freestyle, from Flame Art Design – “Strom”.

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2nd place in Street Performance: Crazy Racers’-“CR1100”.

WDJHG DV WKH OHDG IHDWXUH DW WKH Ă€UVW HYHU ‘INTERMOT Customized’, the showwithin-a-show concept created to showcase custom industry excellence, was widely praised by exhibitors and visitors alike as delivering an inspirational and aspirational show environmen e t that is set to champion the professio onalism of th he international FXVWRP PDUNHW IRU \HDUV WR FRPH FRPH Âľ VDLG 5RELQ ZKHQ , KDG D FKDW ZLWK KLP LQ KLV RIĂ€FH DW WKH VKRZ ,Q DGGLWLRQ WR WKH $0' :RUOG &KDPSLRQVKLS bikes, the 200,000 plus high-mileage riders who visit INTERMOT saw presentations of custom excellence from a wide range of exhibitors that included several of the leading major manufacturers VXFK DV +DUOH\ 'DYLGVRQ %0: 7ULXPSK <DPDKD

and Kawasaki; Ural from Russia; an nd German V-8 specialist Boss Hoss and much more, including some wonderful hands-on displays of things like engraving and even ttoo oing. I’m looking seriously at getting somee engraving done on the Sporty! 7KH WK $0' :RUOG &KD SLRQVKLS ZLOO be staged at INTERMOT Customiz Customized zed at the Cologne Exhibition Center (Koelnmesse) in October 2018. Make a note right now and GRQ¡W PLVV LW ,W¡V RQO\ D KRXU Ă LJKW IURP Australia, including stopovers‌ And if you’re interested in more information (and maybe thinking of an entry), see www. dealer-world.com. D

www.ausmotorcyclist.com.au

43

PUBOFTHEM ONTH

RATED 3 OUT OF 5 HELMETS

The Royal Hotel, Narrandera Street, Grong Grong NSW 2652 Phone: 02 6956 2117 www.gronggrong.com.au/hotel royalgronggrong@bigpond.com Ted and Kay Obudzinski.

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ROYAL HOTEL, GRONG GRONG WHERE THE HELL IS THAT?!

WORDS/PHOTOS COLIN WHELAN

I

is the private domain of any regular who might be about to front. Never want to be sitting in some bloke’s chair when he turns up tonguing for a beer! Turns out all the regulars except one have died so I can have any one I want. That chair you’re in was Jack Evans’s but his name wasn't really Jack, it was John. He’d have his scotch and soda and then take a pie home for his tea. Every now and then he’d take two pies and I ask him if his girlfriend was coming over. Every time he’d look at

’d been chatting on the phone for a while with Kay who, with husband Ted, runs the Royal Hotel at Grong Grong, and she’s expecting me when I cross the railway and pull up at the front door. Ted’s inside using the pool table as KLV RIÀFH GHVN ELOOV LQYRLFHV OHWWHUV cover nearly half of the green and he looks up and says his g’day. They’ve had this place for almost a quarter of a century, a long stretch for country publicans and although it’s quiet now I ask if any of the bar stools

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45

P UBOF THE MONTH

me the same way and every time he’d just say, ‘no, the cleaner’. Next to him was Merv and Jamie sat over there and Wally would be in that seat. His wife Betty would come in and stand over there. Old Les Wall the station master and also the post master, would come in on his crutches and sit at the end next to Cec. He was the only man who insisted on having his beer in the same glass, never a new one. Used to drink handles. The only bloke still around is Charlie Ross who’s had his 70th, 80th and 90th birthdays in the pub. “We got out all our teacups and put on an urn for his 90th but no-one was interested. The place was packed DQG WKH\ GUDQN XV GU\ Âľ With just 150 in the town and WKH UHJXODUV VKXIĂ LQJ RII .D\ DQG Ted were beginning to worry about the Royal’s future when a traveller walked into their pub in 2011 and got talking. He was looking for a place to camp, somewhere off the road, away from WKH WUDIĂ€F DQG EHFDXVH RI WKDW FKDW 7HG GHFLGHG WR RSHQ XS WKH Ă€HOG behind the pub for free, unpowered parking and camping.

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7KH Ă€UVW \HDU RQH shy of 100 people overnighted and WKDW Ă€JXUH KDV doubled every year since and right as Kay’s explaining all this two gents come in. They’ve parked their rigs out back and can they have a couple of menus to ‘take back to the girls’ so they can decide what they’re having for dinner. The free parking has turned the pub around and the sign out front is very carefully worded: “Free Camping for Motorhomes DQG &DUDYDQVÂľ Campervans and ‘wizzbangs’ are GHĂ€QLWHO\ QRW welcome. “We allowed them at the start but there wasn't one that we didn't have a bad experience with. From noise to misuse of facilities and waste of water

and then cooking their own stu in their vans and never coming into the pub, it was just unpleasant so we EDQQHG ÂśHPÂľ

But motorcycle riders? “We’ve never had a single motorcycle rider who’s abused the system. They all respect the facilities and they all come LQWR WKH SXE IRU D IHHG DQG D GULQN µ ´2U WKUHH µ ERRPV 7HG IURP RYHU DW KLV ¶RIÀFH· Good to hear but there’s another subject I want to get my teeth into: Neenish Tarts. For sixty odd years Grong Grong was the fabled home of the Neenish Tart, the ridiculously sweet little, well I’m calling it a ‘pie’, ‘a cream pie’. A pastry EDVH ÀOOHG ZLWK PRFN FUHDP DQG MDP and topped with two-tone icing, they were probably the most fattening thing in any school tuckshop when I was growing up. So good they’re probably banned now. And it was all because some time in the 1980’s the Sydney Morning Herald wrote a piece about them, asking if any reader knew their origin. A bloke from Grong Grong FDOOHG 'RXJ (YDQV GLG ´'HDU 0U -RXUQDOLVW My sister Venus and I clearly remember our mother's good friend Ruby Neenish of Kolabi via Ardlethan who got short of cocoa powder when baking for her daughter's unexpected shower tea in 1913. Made do by making them with half cocoa and half white icing. From then RQ WKH\ ZHUH NQRZQ DV 1HHQLVK WDUWV µ The professional and thorough staff at the Sydney Morning Herald, published the story the following week and Grong Grong’s place in the historical culinary atlas of the world was secure. That was all good until July 2016 when Rachel Carbonell, a reporter with Radio National took an interest in these things and began digging. 3UHWW\ VRRQ VKH GXJ XS 'RXJ (YDQV 1RZ 'RXJ·V JHWWLQJ RQ D ELW DQG KH had a confession. In the 60’s and 70’s a certain theatre critic at the SMH would dismiss sub-standard shows with throwaway line of, “suitable perhaps only for the *URQJ *URQJ 6FKRRO RI $UWV µ Now this pissed-off the locals like 'RXJ PRUH WKDQ D OLWWOH VR ZKHQ KH saw the Herald’s interest in Neenish

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47

P UBOF THE MONTH

Tarts he sensed a karmic moment, IRUWLĂ€HG KLPVHOI ZLWK D JODVV RI UHG and put fountain pen to paper. :KHQ 5DFKHO &DUERQHOO FDOOHG 'RXJ he decided it was time to come clean. It was all rubbish, one big get-even. He’d made it all up. There was no sister, Venus, no Ruby Neenish and certainly no unexpected shower tea! Just one big pisstake. Total myth! Just a very successful get-square with Aunty up in the smoke! While we’re chatting, a naked woman on the other side of the bar catches my eye. It’s redolent of Chloe at Young and Jacksons down in Melbourne so I ask about her. ´&KORH RI WKH :HVWÂľ LV D SDLQWLQJ bought by a mate of old Les Wall. Les had no use for it at either the SRVW RIĂ€FH RU WKH WUDLQ VWDWLRQ VR KH donated it to the pub. Ted chimes in from the pool table: “Go over and have a closer look and WHOO XV LI \RX VHH DQ\WKLQJ VWUDQJH Âľ Now I don't want to be too much of a perve so I take a couple of quick glances from up close. ´1XSÂľ ´&KHFN RXW KHU ERREV DQG KHU IHHW Âľ is the suggestion. Chloe turns out to be the lucky owner of not just two but three breasts and the not so lucky owner of two left feet. Chloe’s gone from being alluring to overtly sinister! I’m beginning to wonder about this SODFH 'HYLRXV DQG GHFHSWLYH ORFDOV and women with 150% of nipples DQG D LQVXIĂ€FLHQF\ RI ULJKW legs. I’m beginning to think the gene SRRO QHHGV Ă XVKLQJ I glance down at Kay’s feet but alas, she’s not wearing thongs! There’s no bakery in Grong Grong anymore and the places I tried down the road didn't have any for me to bring but Kay had convinced Fran over at the general store to do her best. After we’ve chatted for a while Kay pulls out a beautiful plate with a couple of almost melting moments sort of things but with the distinctive neenish duotone icing. Now I know tarts, I’ve got a fair bit of experience with tarts, and these DUHQ¡W WDUWV EXW WKH\¡UH GDPQ Ă€QH

48

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Ain’t like that I’m getting a bit sick of being disappointed

PRWRUF\FOH VSHFLĂ€F FDWHULQJ GUDJJHG WKLV

by country pubs which think that sticking

great little pub down into the high three

some hats, maybe a rabbit trap, a couple of

helmet territory whilst the value for

photos and a whip on the wall is enough

money was 180 where 100 is good and I

to make their place attractive.

gave it 3/5 for unique character.

The Grong Grong Royal Hotel

Rock up with a bunch of mates, throw

ain’t like that.

your tent or swag out the back, piss Ted

Ted and Kay know that some conversation

off the pool table, crank up the music

starters around the place are great but

and you’re going to have a great night.

they’re no substitute for a welcoming

Oh, and buy a sticker before you leave,

smile, a friendly attitude and warm

then spend time and almost every stop

hospitality. At the end of each day they

explaining where “Grongy� is!

know the story of every guest, because

Disclosure: Kay wouldn't take any money

they’ve actually asked. They’re as

for one of my chardys. Apart from that

interested in your stories as in separating

everything was paid for. This did not in

you from a little of your cash!

any way affect my judgements or

The lack of undercover parking and any

comments about the pub.

whatever they’re called. And the chardy washes mine down perfectly. Kay and Ted share the other, as we steer the conversation to a bit of truth and reality. There’s just three beers on tap and a schooner of XXXX is $5.40, about average and there’s food on from 6pm every night. Apart from the camping and swagging out back, (5 bucks for a shower), there’re four rooms inside the hotel, all with at least 2 single beds. On your own you’ll part with $35 for a night, with a mate, it’s just $20 more. All the rooms have either a ceiling or pedestal fan and all beds have

electric blankets. Each has good strong hooks to hang your gear and the water pressure in the very clean bathrooms is top notch. The Gongy’s well enough off the main drag to give you a good night’s sleep after an enjoyable evening with fun hosts but alas, a diminishing number of locals. This is an abridged and adapted version of a chapter from my IRUWKFRPLQJ ERRN ´7KH 3XE WKH :KROH 3XE DQG 1RWKLQJ EXW WKH 3XEÂľ to be published in August by New Holland. Keep abreast at Facebook/ 1RWKLQJ EXW WKH 3XE D

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CYCLOPS AND THE PUNTS ONE EYE IS SOMETIMES MORE THAN ENOUGH WORDS & PHOTOS THE BEAR

I

forgive you if you can’t work out what the blazes I’m on about this time. My mate Campbell once told me that I was an obscurantist, and I guess he’s right – but hang in. Let me explain… I’d been punting (er, sorry) the Harley'DYLGVRQ 6WUHHW DURXQG WKH FLW\ and on my way to and from work for a while, and I thought I’d better give it a bit of a run. Seeing the temperature outside Sydney was 40 degrees, it was however going to be only a bit of a

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run – I thought 200km or so would be MXVW DERXW ULJKW DQG WKH 3XQWV ORRNHG like the way to go. Maybe it would be cooler by the Hawkesbury. In case you’re wondering, it wasn’t. Fortunately I have a BMW Venting riding suit, which is brilliant in really hot conditions. Now to make it interesting. This run is actually interesting enough in its own right, but seeing it was relatively short I thought I’d try something different. 7KH LGHD WKDW ÀQDOO\ ZRUNHG LWV ZD\ through to the front in the congestion in my brain was: how about I take all the photos from one position? I dug out my RAM handlebar mount and ÀWWHG RQH RI WKH FDPHUDV WR WKH EDU RI the Harley, and with the view screen of the camera tilted up I was good to go. So all the photos, except for the one of the bike itself taken at the Sackville Ferry, were snapped from handlebar OHYHO RQ WKH + ' 6WUHHW XVLQJ LWV RQH H\HG ´F\FORSVµ H\H 7KRVH 5$0 mounts are effective and versatile; take a look at them on the web. The map is a bit of a rat’s nest of routes, so let me break with tradition and just quickly describe them here as well as on the back of the map. The Orange route, starting from Berowra and ending at Hornsby, is the

base route. It includes little gravel. If you return from St Albans to the Webbs Creek ferry by the road you took up there, almost none. The 3LQN URXWH LV JUDYHO IURP /RZHU 3RUWODQG WR :HEEV &UHHN ZKLOH WKH Yellow route is all tar, most of it SUHWW\ JRRG DQG OHDYHV \RX DW 3HDWV Ridge. But let’s get going. I started snapping on my way down to the ferry at Berowra Waters. This is a lovely run, although very tight, and it certainly gave the Street 500 something to think about – not to mention its rider – but both coped well.

BEROWRA WATERS

With a small café at the eastern end of the ferry crossing and a much larger one in the west, this is quite a well-served little place. Try to get off WKH )HUU\ ÀUVW VR \RX GRQ·W JHW VWXFN behind a car on the ways up the other side of the valley, because it’s fun.

GALSTON

A plant nursery and café called Greenshades greets you straight ahead as you roll into Galston. The café is expensive, but their coffee is

alright. There are other shops, and a cheaper cafÊ called Rosie’s.

WISEMANS FERRY

Solomon Wiseman certainly picked his location when he built his punt and the pub here back in colonial days. The little town has a full range of services, including a doctor whose assistance we have required on one memorable occasion. The pub of course is a much-loved motorcyclists’ destination. There are no services at the northern ferry wharf.

ST ALBANS

The Settlers Arms is a small stone building surrounded by shade trees and offers the usual liquid refreshments and quite good food. It has accommodation out the back, and camping across the road in front on the banks of the Macdonald River.

WINDSOR

2Q WKH 3LQN URXWH :LQGVRU RIIHUV a full range of services plus an

impressive pub. We usually stop for a coffee just opposite the pub, where parking is normally available. The bridge over the Hawkesbury is set to be demolished and replaced, but I imagine the authorities will make sure that there is always some kind of crossing available. This is the route WKDW OHDGV XS WR WKH 3XWW\ 5RDG

EBENEZER

The Ebenezer church is a little way off the route on the banks of the river, and it’s worth a look all by itself. But it also has a little cafÊ run by some local ladies, and their scones are just excellent. A good refreshment stop if you haven’t succumbed to the coffee perfume in Windsor.

SPENCER

On the Yellow route, the place to keep in mind is Spencer. Set at the FRQà XHQFH RI 0DQJURYH &UHHN DQG the Hawkesbury, it has a pleasant and motorcycle-friendly little restaurant/servo. There’s seating on the bank of the creek and a reasonable amount of parking.

MANGROVE MOUNTAIN

A small shopping centre offers a chance to rehydrate here. 'RQ¡W IRUJHW WKDW \RX QHHG WR NHHS \RXU à XLGV XS

PEATS RIDGE

Finally, and just off our map at the end of the yellow line, the Corrugated CafĂŠ provides nice big burgers and another chance to meet some more motorcyclists. At last look, the service station across the road appeared to have shut. Distance: Call it more or less 200km, depending on the route you take. Ferry closing times: All ferries run 24 hours a day, except as below. Berowra Waters, 2nd Tuesday of the month between 12 noon and 14.30; Sackville, 1st Wednesday of the month between 12.45 and 15.00; /RZHU 3RUWODQG VW :HGQHVGD\ RI the month between 09.00 and 11.00 and nightly between 12 midnight and 0500; Webbs Creek: 1st Tuesday of the month between 09.30 and 12 noon; Wisemans Ferry, no closure (they have a spare ferry). D

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THE CASCADES, WASHINGTON LOOP THE LOOP

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WORDS & MUSIC THE BEAR

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Winthrop will give you a taste of the Old West, but with ATMs.

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I

must have sounded like a, er, sounding whale. I’d pushed my way out of the hotel lobby through the rotating door when I released a huge guffaw, a combination of outrage and mirth. An elderly couple who had just rolled up on an RT Spyder stepped back to establish that they were not in any way associated with this loonie who was now wheezing with laughter. I waved them through the door and wished them luck. The attractive young lady behind the reception counter had just quoted PH WZR KXQGUHG DQG IRUW\ Ă€YH EXFNV for a room. For one night. In a kind of average-looking multi-storey hotel with no under cover parking for the bike. When I replied that I hadn’t intended to spend quite that much, she immediately lost interest in me. That was okay; I had immediately lost interest in her when she quoted me that price. I was still snickering as I pulled away, back up to the main road, but it soon became obvious that I wasn’t going to get anything much cheaper in Wenatchee. I suspect the place is simply too prosperous. Certainly it was surrounded by lush-looking orchards which no doubt produced enough apples for every Mom in the entire USA to bake into pies, and made the place well off indeed. As for me, though, it was a wee bit too rich... Looking for something that matched my credit card a little more accurately, I headed north on State Highway 97, following the Colorado River. I found exactly what I had been looking for in 3DWHURV D VPDOO WRZQ ULJKW RQ WKH ULYHU 7KH EDFN RI WKH /DNH 3DWHURV 0RWRU Inn was the grassy bank of the river and there were tables and chairs just outside the rear entrance to my room. 0\ Ă€IW\ RQH GROODUV D QLJKW URRP WKDW was, made irresistible by that riverbank on which I consumed some of the EHHUV ,¡G ERXJKW DW WKH 3DWHURV VWRUH DV I watched the sunset. In Wenatchee I would have had to sit in my room and grumble about the $194 I’d wasted. Admittedly the Tex-Mex food at the 3DWHURV FDQWLQD ZDV JHQXLQHO\ WHUULEOH but the beer, a local small brewery ,3$ ZDV MXVW Ă€QH ZLWK HQRXJK KRSV

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But hey, my EagleRider bike was doing the job! The County Fair was RQ DW 5RRVHYHOW , WKLQN DQG WUDIĂ€F was backed up for at least three miles, waiting to turn into the parking lot. Nobody seemed to mind my using the breakdown lane – well actually it was just the side of the road – to keep LOOPING THE LOOP Wenatchee, along with Twisp, moving. I even got some waves, and Skykomish, Gold Bar, Leavenworth, QR WKH\ ZHUH QRW RI WKH PLGGOH Ă€QJHU Cashmere and Concrete, lies along Then I was past the paddocks and into the Cascade Loop, “Washington’s the mountains. This really is beautiful 8OWLPDWH 5RDG 7ULSÂľ DFFRUGLQJ WR country, with the road winding the Cascade Loop Association. They, through tall pines which occasionally of course, would know. Since I was give you a glimpse of the impressive in Washington anyway, courtesy of mountains. The road condition was +DUOH\ 'DYLGVRQ ZKRVH QHZ WRXULQJ good too, something that can be rare bikes I had just ridden over on the where there are frosts – these can 2O\PSLF 3HQLQVXOD , WKRXJKW , PLJKW do terrible things to tar seal if the as well take the Association at their roadbed is not deep enough. word and loop their loop. It’s always a new experience when On a bike, naturally. Usually I can rely you ride into ‘young’ mountains like RQ +DUOH\ 'DYLGVRQ WR DUUDQJH ZKHHOV the Cascades. The rock walls aren’t for me, but this time with the launch just steep, they’re amazingly steep and and all they were regretfully not able they all look different; I don’t think to help. Never mind; a quick call to you would confuse the Sierra or the Santina Keith at EagleRider Australia Rockies with the Alps or the Himalaya. and EagleRider Seattle had a bike for Mind you, here on the Loop they me. Not only that, but it came at a do their best to confuse you in other 50% discount; and not only that, but it ways. Take the town names. I’ve was a discount on the Sportster price, always thought of Leavenworth as a for a RoadGlide. Nice. Thank you, prison; it appears in enough American folks. Let me say that this was not the movies and TV shows as such. But Ă€UVW WLPH , KDG XVHG (DJOH5LGHU DQG here in Washington, Leavenworth I’ve always found them to be helpful is a Bavarian town. Not a real one, DQG HIĂ€FLHQW (YHQ LQ +DZDLL ZKHUH of course, but one dressed up in people are helpful enough but where borrowed architecture. “Leavenworth there appears to be no translation of delivers high-voltage Bavarian ´HIĂ€FLHQWÂľ LQWR WKH ORFDO ODQJXDJH PHPRULHV Âľ VD\V WKH &DVFDGH /RRS The cab driver who took me to Association just in case you’re both EagleRider on 1st Avenue from the blind and deaf. “Everything from airport implied in a none too delicate yodelling, schnitzel, oom-pa-pa music, way that I might as well have walked. OHGHUKRVHQ DQG GLUQGOV D SOHQW\ Âľ This cost him his tip. My gleaming Not to mention the world’s largest copper-coloured freedom machine nutcracker collection! was sitting in the forecourt, and after I told you not to mention that. transferring what I thought I needed A bit further along is Cashmere, with for a few days from my suitcase to WKH &DVKPHUH 0XVHXP DQG 3LRQHHU the bike’s luggage, and storing same Village and free “internationally VXLWFDVH ZLWK PDQDJHU -RVK 'XQQH UHFRJQLVHGÂľ FDQG\ DW WKH WRZQV¡ OROO\ I was off. Interesting point here; the IDFWRU\ ´'D ,V &DVKPHUH OROO\ Âľ ´6L Âľ bike I was riding was a 2016 model, ´2XL Âľ ´-D Âľ and I had no trouble picking the ways Next is Wenatchee, which is where in which the new 2017 models I had you came in. It is actually a pretty EHHQ ULGLQJ ZHUH EHWWHU + ' UHDOO\ KDV standard-looking American town done a good job transforming a good with a long main drag featuring every tourer into an excellent tourer. fast-food chain outlets and car yards.

bite to wash down even the cantina’s greasy enchiladas. Ah yes, if life was perfect what would we have to aspire to, eh? But what had I been doing in Wenatchee WA anyway?

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Thick, green forest lines the road.

One of the boys keeping guard – but he actually looks more like Bigfoot!

Just when you need it, there’s an open cafÊ or pub.

3OHDVDQW HQRXJK EXW ODFNLQJ WKH FKHDS family-owned motels which are among the things I seriously love about the United States.

ROLL ON, COLUMBIA

My ride up the river as I left was not a random move; I was on my way to see one of the wonders of the world, WKH *UDQG &RXOHH 'DP ,QWHUHVWLQJO\ the ‘grand’ in the name comes from the ravine in which it was built, the Grand Coulee, not from some kind of

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claim of glory for the dam. Built in the days when folk singers praised public works rather than condemning them on environmental grounds, Woody Guthrie had this to say about it: â€œâ€ŚON UP THE RIVER IS GRAND COULEE DAM THE MIGHTIEST THING EVER BUILT BY A MAN TO RUN THE GREAT FACTORIES AND WATER THE LAND SO ROLL ON, COLUMBIA, ROLL ON.â€?

In the morning the turnoff from 97 took me further along the Columbia to Bridgeport, where the road crosses the river just XSVWUHDP IURP &KLHI -RVHSK 'DP One of the Native Americans’ greatest tacticians, Chief Joseph once said “I only ask of the government to be treated as all RWKHU PHQ DUH WUHDWHG Âľ +H ZDV WR EH disappointed, but I suppose having a dam named after you is better than nothing. A little.

Road surface is excellent just about everywhere you go.

Grand Coulee Dam from Crown Point Vista.

It’s a spectacular run across to the *UDQG &RXOHH 'DP IURP %ULGJHSRUW not so much because of what we usually describe as ‘scenery’ but because this is part of that great open land often called Big Sky Country. That’s more a term for Montana, to the east, but it applies here too. I breathe easier when I’m out in the open like this, and so does my bike. 'LG \RX NQRZ ZKDW WKH WRS VSHHG RI WKH +DUOH\ 'DYLGVRQ 5RDG *OLGH LV" Just before the dam itself there is a

WXUQRII WR WKH OHIW IRU &URZQ 3RLQW Vista. Not only is there an impressive view of the dam, but there’s even a little structure like a Roman temple from which to view it. More cute than anything else, it does create a sense of occasion. The dam deserves a sense of occasion, as well. Stretching across the valley it backs up the huge Franklin ' 5RRVHYHOW /DNH DQG SURYLGHV as Woody said, both electricity and irrigation water. Grand Coulee, the

small town below the dam on the river’s left bank, looks really sweet, like something out of a ‘60s television serial – think ‘Leave it to Beaver’. On the other side of the river, crossed by an iron bridge, is Elmer City in the Colville Indian Reservation. Looking somewhat more modern it is also clearly prosperous. I continued through the reservation to Omak and good ol’ 97 where I turned left and right again to the 4000 foot Loup Loup Summit pass and then

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The Cascades are real mountains, all right.

to Twisp. I checked in at the converted Nissen huts of the Sportsman Motel on the way into town on the basis of its claim to provide “clean, quiet URRPV DW UHDVRQDEOH UDWHVÂľ 7KDW¡V exactly what I got, too, as well as words of wisdom from owner Brian. I wasn’t game to raise the subject of politics; this was a month or so before the election and I had seen literally dozens of ‘Trump’ signs, but not a solitary ‘Clinton’ placard. That was ZKHQ , Ă€UVW JRW D VHQVH RI WKH IDFW WKDW Trump would win, I think. 6DGO\ WKH 7ZLVS 5LYHU 3XE KDG burned down – see, this doesn’t just happen to Australian pubs – but since I was in America, getting a beer was no problem. Twisp is an arty sort of place and there are obviously quite a few artists and artisans living in or near town who probably like a brew or two; there’s also good coffee at Blue Star Coffee Roasters.

BACK IN THE LOOP

I was back on the Cascade Loop now, but Winthrop, the next town, was pretty much the last of the touristy settlements. Where the southern loop features tourist traps like Leavenworth and Cashmere, the northern loop is more natural. Winthrop, unlike many tourist towns, is a pleasant place with an Old West atmosphere and businesses like Three Fingered Jack’s Saloon, a magnet for local and visiting bikers. The many local beers had to remain unsampled, unfortunately, because I had a ways to go. After fuelling up at the tiny servo of tiny Mazama, “last JDV WKLV VLGH RI WKH UDQJHÂľ , KHDGHG off to what is supposedly the grandest view on the Loop – the 5477 foot :DVKLQJWRQ 3DVV The claims are not wrong. The sight of the rugged Liberty Bell Mountain on the right and the road stretching up to the pass on the left is truly outstanding. I nearly got cleaned up by a pickup when I stopped to take a photo – I’m always complaining about tourists stopping on the road for photos, so I was only getting what I deserved. From here on, the ride through 1RUWK &DVFDGHV 1DWLRQDO 3DUN DQG In the reservation – not many Indians to be seen.

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It gets hot out in the open country on

The dam from the town of Grand Coulee.

the way to Grand Coulee.

This gets my championship award for

Another one of the boys, just hanging around.

That’s Liberty Bell Mountain and friends, on the way up Washington Pass.

brevity and conciseness in advertising.

Bridge connecting two of the Puget Sound islands off Seattle.

Local beer good!

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Public advertising wall in Twisp.

My only wet day, on the $10 ferry returning to Mukilteo.

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past Ross Lake is just wonderful. I didn’t make really good time because I kept stopping to take in the views and take photos. Well off the roadway, though. And then, eventually but all too soon, I was back in ‘civilisation’. The Ă€UVW VLJQ RI WKDW ZDV DÂŤ ZHOO D VLJQ WKDW VDLG ´:HOFRPH WR &RQFUHWHÂľ , assumed that this was a humorous way of referring to the long Seattle conurbation that stretches along Interstate 5 from Olympia in the south to Bellingham in the north, but no. It was just the name of a town. I rode straight through the settlements and crossed the highway before taking the b ridge to the chain of islands that lies DORQJ 3XJHW 6RXQG %\ 2DN +DUERXU I was ready to look for somewhere to spend the night – and the Auld Holland Inn with its windmill hit the spot. No, I don’t know why; usually I WU\ WR DYRLG ´WKHPHGÂľ PRWHOV %XW , was tired, yerronner‌ and it turned out for the best anyway. The kindly bloke in reception gave me a ground Ă RRU URRP DQG DIWHU D TXLFN GLQQHU , hit the pillow. Just as well I got some sleep. The next morning dawned wet and cool, and when I attempted to start the bike I got nothing. Not an idiot light, not a whisper. Twisting and turning the ignition switch did nothing for a while – and then the switch, backed up with a long and serious-looking stick of metal just came right out of the tank. Umm. I called EagleRider, and Josh WDONHG PH WKURXJK WKH Ă€[ $OO , KDG WR do, it seemed, was to reinsert the stick, turn the switch to the right just beyond the usual stop and then turn it back – and the bike would start. It did, too. The run down to the ferry at Clinton was damp but bearable – I did have my wet weather gear handy – and by the time I rolled off the boat at Mukilteo and up through the seemingly endless Boeing factory the drizzle had more RU OHVV VWRSSHG 'RZQ ,QWHUVWDWH WR Renton, across to Burien and I was rolling into the EagleRider lot. Mission accomplished: loop ridden, dam seen and another view of the fascinating place that is the United States ready to think and write about. D

“The memories will last a lifetime...” PETER & KATH WRIGHT, WARRINGTON, UK

This magazine is filled with other people’s motorcycle adventures—isn’t it time you had one of your own? #RideParadiseNZ GUIDED TOURS

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Business Meets Leisure This is one of our series of “bleisureâ€? or business/leisure stories; they tell \RX KRZ WR Ă€OO WKH GD\V RII WKDW VRPH of you can get when you travel for

AUSSIE BREAK LITHGOW, NSW

work in Australia or overseas. Naturally, they involve motorcycling‌

B

ack in my younger days I had a mate who had been sent to Lithgow to work off his Teachers’ College Scholarship. I know that some of these terms and concepts won’t mean anything to the younger among you, but it was all simple enough: if you wanted to become a teacher you attended Teachers’ College; most potential teachers received scholarships, and once you graduated you had to go and work wherever WKH 'HSDUWPHQW RI (GXFDWLRQ sent you. An interesting take on the possible results can be seen LQ D ÀOP FDOOHG :DNH LQ )ULJKW Lithgow, to be fair, was not quite

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that bad. But it was bad enough so that my friend packed his bag and lit out for Sydney on every Friday afternoon, only to return across the mountains on Monday morning. Lithgow is a far cry from those days now, although the town’s slogan: “Easy to Get To, Impossible WR )RUJHWÂľ PD\ VWLOO UHVRQDWH with my mate. But you can get good coffee, and there are cafĂŠs where you can also get a healthy, fresh bite to eat. There are also numerous sights to see both historic and natural. Many of the shops in the main street are painted in heritage colours, too. Further, Lithgow is surrounded by some truly interesting little villages and other settlements. Mind you, the locals appear to still have a bit of

an inferiority complex; headings in my tourist brochure about Lithgow DUH ´6XUSULVLQJO\ LQWHUHVWLQJÂľ ´6XUSULVLQJO\ VSHFWDFXODUÂľ ´6XUSULVLQJO\ H[FLWLQJÂľ DQG VR RQÂŤ But come, let’s go and visit. You can of course use your own bike if you have one on hand, or you can rent one from various places in Sydney. Then it’s just a matter of following the Great Western Highway (if you like freeways) or Bells Line of Road (if you like pleasant two-lane blacktop through scenic bush). Sadly, the latter alternative is receiving increasing attention from the boys in blue, and VSHHG OLPLWV DUH GURSSLQJ 'HVSLWH that it’s worth sampling; you can always go back along the highway. It’s worth stopping at Bilpin and if

you like plants (and who doesn’t?) at the Botanical Garden at Mt Tomah. I can take or leave the cafĂŠ there for service, prices and choice but the plants are pretty smart and there are barbecue facilities. On the main road your descent into Lithgow will be by way of D WHUULĂ€F ORQJ VWHHS GRZQKLOO left- and then right-hander. Then you’re pretty much in town. A little further along, at the church, WKHUH LV D VHW RI WUDIĂ€F OLJKWV 7XUQ ULJKW KHUH DQG \RX¡OO Ă€QG RQH RI Lithgow’s prime attractions pretty much immediately on your right; this is the Tin Shed which houses a favourite cafĂŠ of ours called Salud. Tania Aussel runs it and welcomes motorcyclists with open arms; she tells me that “We are almost 2 years old hence we are launching a QHZ PHQX VW 'HFHPEHU :H DUH UHĂ€QLQJ RXU PHQX with a strong focus on local produce. We have a lovely Orange EDVHG &RIIHH ´$FDGHP\ 5RDVWHUVÂľ and a Lamazoco machine to FKXUQ RXW WKH JULQG Âľ Sounds good? If you are going up to Lithgow in a group, ring her on 6352 1740 and Tania will open the gate to the Tin Shed’s back yard to let you park all together, and securely. Salud is open 7 days 6.30am Monday to Friday and 8am weekends, with dinner Thursday, Friday and Saturday nights with live music Fridays 6-9pm. That same turnoff will take you to an impressive ruin on the other side of the railway tracks. This is ² RU ZDV ² WKH Ă€UVW PRGHUQ EODVW furnace in Australia, built here because of Lithgow’s coal mines. There isn’t much left except for the brick stump you can see from the main road, but the atmosphere is impressive and it’s been used as a backdrop for many a photo session. The blast furnace’s presence in Lithgow caused the National Small Arms Factory to be built here, and you can look over its absolutely fascinating museum where you can buy bolt action UROOHU EDOO SHQV 'HVHUW (DJOH

key rings and much more! (Well, maybe it’s a bit of a boy thing, but the Small Arms Factory made sewing machines, too.) See www.lithgowsafmuseum. org.au for more information. The museum is open Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays from 9.30 to 2 and on weekends and public holidays from 10 to 4. School holidays, 7 days a week 10 to 4. There is spectacular scenery on just about any road around Lithgow, both gravel and tarred. The road out to Newnes used to be a favourite of mine, but it’s almost all tarred now and a bit too easy! The huge camping ground at the end, at Newnes itself, is still worth a visit. No supplies out there these days, ever since the pub closed. It’s a kind of holiday cabin place now. A different road which is still gravel and dirt will take you from the ZigZag Railway (currently closed, I think) to the amazing Glow Worm Tunnel. Bring a torch. So Lithgow might not be particularly different in a lot of ways from the town my mate escaped from every weekend, but it has learned to make a lot more of its attractions, freshened up its appearance and added good coffee and food. Seeing that it’s less than two and a half hours from Sydney, along some excellent roads, that makes it well and truly worth a visit. D

By the light There really is a lot to do and see around Lithgow, so ,¡G VXJJHVW WKH Ă€UVW WKLQJ \RX GR LV KHDG IRU WKH 9LVLWRU Information Centre out on the Great Western Highway just west of town; you can’t miss the giant miners’ lamp by the side of the road. Or you can check www. tourism.lithgow.com before you go, or ring 6350 3239.

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TECHNICAL

The atmosphere in the pits is friendly and along with the organiser, almost all of the other riders will be helpful.

YOUR FIRST TRACK DAY WHAT DO YOU REALLY NEED? WORDS STUART

S

o, you’re thinking about giving a track day a whirl? You’ve probably seen what race teams take or have been told by your mates of D ED]LOOLRQ DQG RQH ´PXVW KDYHVµ WR JHW \RX RXW on the track to enjoy your machine. It can all be confusing. After a number of requests from you guys and gals I thought I’d give you a bit of a run down on the basics to get you through the day with maximum enjoyment. Here’s a list of items you might consider depending on just how serious you want to get. My multiple winning race bike, which is tested and optimised at track days before it gets raced – most of the time.

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FUEL AND FUEL SPOUT: Aside from anything and everything else. It’s fair to consider fuel as the most essential item you need to take with you, along with a fuel spout to put it into the tank. Tracks don’t have fuel trucks attending anymore like they used to, so getting hold of a decent twenty litre fuel container with fresh fuel is number one on your list. Be guided by your manufacturer’s recommendations on which fuel to run. FRIEND: A friend who can come out to

help you and look after some of the essentials is really good to have. I have attended a track day with only a few tools and a tyre gauge in my backpack and ridden off to the nearest petrol station when fuel was getting low, but this is a pain. So take a mate or perhaps even your wife/husband; it will make life much easier for your day out.

THE BIKE: Your bike should be a in a good serviceable condition as you would ride it on the road, but remember to take off any panniers, seat bags, tanks bags and so on. Tape the mirrors.

Your bike will need to be checked by the track day provider before being allowed onto the track.

TYRES: Good tyres on your ride is number two on my list. You don’t have to have slicks or the stickiest treaded tyre on the market – you’re here to try out the track and enjoy your bike in a faster and safe environment than the road. But you do need to be mindful of tyre pressures. Without tyre warmers, give 33psi front and 30psi rear a go as a start for most tyre brands, but remember to warm the tyres up for a couple of laps before really pushing the bike to its limit and consider how the bike is handling towards the end

It’s all very well to admire the professionals, but that doesn’t mean that you need all the equipment they have.

R E T R O I S A L I V E A N D K I C K I N G AT

WE PREPARE RACE BIKES TOO

BUYING, SELLING, REPAIRING AND RESTORING CLASSICS AND FUTURE CLASSICS.

VIEWING BY APPOINTMENT Ph. 02 4958 1435 CATCH US ON FACEBOOK

OTHER BIKES 1965 HONDA CD90 – $2500. GREAT NICK.

BMW R1100RS

$4,900

1995, under 50,000 kilometres from new. New tyres. Heaps of rego, aftermarket muffler plus original. Fantastic bike, nothing to do but ride it. This bike was 20 grand back in 1995.

HONDA CBX1000

$14,900

1979 American import model. Under 30,000 miles on the clock, very original. We’ve got it on club rego, enjoying it. The only fly in the ointment are the pod filters but we do have an original airbox, which we will fit for the new owner, and it has a non original seat cover. Good tyres, everything works great.

1988 GSX-R1100

$6,000

Genuine Black/Gold limited edition, now with new paint, stickers, recovered seat and repainted wheels. Great bike.

YAMAHA RD350LC

$6,900

This bike has under 40,000 kays on the clock but the engine has been recently rebuilt. It has been lovingly maintained throughout its life and is a real ‘barn find’ sort of machine. It’s also being used on club rego, has good tyres and needs nothing. It has 250 stickers on it but don’t let that fool you. A real timewarp this one.

DUCATI PANTAH

$5,900

We have a bit of a custom here. It started life as an SL500 back in 1981. Since then it’s got a 600cc upgrade plus a very rare one piece tank and seat unit. Looks and rides great. Be a great club bike. New tyres. Currently we have it on club rego and are enjoying it to the max.

BMW R100RS

$10,000

1978, UK import, 19,000 miles from new. Fantastic condition, two owners. Ready to enjoy with no work to be done. Comes with panniers.

1994 HONDA VFR750 – $2999. HEAPS OF REGO, GOES UNREAL. 1983 SUZUKI KATANA 1100. $6999. NON ORIGINAL PAINT, 1170 KIT, GREAT BIKE. KAWASAKI GPZ750R PROJECT BIKE. RUNS OK, WILL CLEAN UP NICE, SPARE ENGINE. $1500.

Call Chris on 0404 030 925 or Dave on 0407 362 060 www.classicalgasmotorcycles.com www.ausmotorcyclist.com.au

65

TE CHNICAL

of the session as to which way you go with adjusting the pressures for the optimum setting for other sessions throughout the day.

TYRE PUMP AND GAUGE: Remember to

pack in a tyre pump and quality tyre gauge. You’ll use them as much as you use fuel!

TYRE WARMERS: Sure, having tyre warmers allows you to have better tyre wear and more grip from the get go, but are they essential for average track day punters? Not really, so long as you warm up your tyres correctly, as I mentioned above. FOLD UP CHAIRS: You’ll buy me a beer or two for suggesting you take a couple of fold up chairs. There is a lot of down time at track days while other sessions are running. Being comfy, relaxing in a chair is a top priority. Trust me!

FRONT AND REAR STANDS: Good to have so you can work on your bike between sessions (if need be), but unless you’ve got tyre warmers, not a really essential item to have.

TOOLS: Taking some tools along that are common for your bike is a great idea, especially tools for adjusting the front and rear suspension and taking the front and rear wheels out and adjusting the chain.

WATER: A must have, though you

can normally buy some at the track. You’ll be in need of a good swig of cold water after each session so make sure you’ve got plenty of it to replenish yourself.

SNACKS: Another great thing to

have with you. As with water, you can buy food at most tracks, but a packet of snakes or some trail mix will work wonders and potentially save a lot of money.

GEAR: Of course your gear should be in top condition. You probably won’t get on the track without these anyway, but the things you need are a full-face helmet (obviously), either a one or

66

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two-piece leather suit, gloves that cover your wrists, boots that allow your leathers to tuck into or over comfortably and, I’d recommend, a back protector. This is a requirement if you race, because breaking your back is bad news, that’s for sure!

are the way to go. Then you can pack everything you need into the car and whip the bike off the trailer at the track for an enjoyable day. And don’t worry, there’s always someone who will give you a hand to unload/load your bike at the start and end of the day – just ask.

CHAIN LUBE: Throw in a can of chain

THE DAY ITSELF: Finding a track day provider is pretty easy. Search via Google for your local circuit and if \RX FDQ¡W Ă€QG DQ\WKLQJ RQ WKHLU ZHEsite about a motorcycle day, give them a call. You’ll also need to enter before the actual track day (most of the time) and pick a group that is suitable to \RXU ULGLQJ OHYHO %HLQJ \RXU Ă€UVW GD\ I’d suggest giving the ‘slowest’ group a JR Ă€UVW EHFDXVH LI \RX DUH PXFK IDVWHU GXULQJ WKH Ă€UVW RU VHFRQG VHVVLRQ DQ\ good track day provider will move you up to a suitable group. You also need to learn the track, which will take time before you get up to speed. If you happen to pick a faster group and you’re not up to the group’s speed, any good track day provider will notice this and move you to the right group. Ask for help from the track day provider if you’re unsure of anything throughout the day or if you’d like a couple of pointers on lines you should be taking. They are there to help you have a great time!

lube and consider giving the chain a squirt after your second session.

100 MILE AN HOUR TAPE: Another great

item to have, especially if you happen to throw the bike down the road, a roll of hundred mile an hour tape can (almost) make fairings and all sorts of bits on the bike like new again.

CABLE TIES: Same goes for a packet of

cable ties which can help keep your bike together if any bolts fall off or if things get broken in a crash.

RAGS: Chuck in a handful of rags for

cleaning up mess, or cleaning the bike.

EXTENSION LEAD: $ ÀYH PHWUH H[WHQ-

sion lead is essential if you’ve got tyre warmers or have taken a cooker to whip up something tasty for lunch!

POWER BOARD: And add in a power

board so you can run a few things off the one lead.

FOLD UP TABLE: A small fold up table is

one of the handiest items to have at the track. You can put your helmet and gloves on there after each session and you’ll also have somewhere to put your food.

BIKE CLEANER: Of course it’s nice to

have your bike looking its best for the photographer who will be snapping your style during the day. Seriously, you’ll be surprised at the amount of rubber that will be plastered onto your machine and cleaning your bike throughout the day can also let you see any other potential problems that aren’t visible from your chair.

TRAILER AND RAMP: If you want to go all out, or don’t have a friend who can give you a hand, a trailer and a ramp

ENJOY YOURSELF! The most essential thing to do at any track day is just to enjoy yourself! If you aren’t having a great time, pack it up and head home, because when you aren’t having fun is when you’ll crash due to a lack of concentration. As for cost, take a look at my recommendations and you’ll see that there’s a good chance that you won’t have to buy anything at all – probably you’ve got all of this stuff anyway. And if you have to buy a fuel container, that will come in handy at other times. I hope my little rundown helps you get out there and explore your beautiful machine in a safe environment. If you really have a good time, maybe I’ll see you out racing a beautiful classic machine someday! That’s where the fun is, you know, not on these modern superbikes! LOL! D

WINNING TECHNOLOGY FROM RACE TO ROAD Tuono V4, direct descendant of the RSV4, is the world champion bike in the world of superbikes. With 294 grand prix races won in world championship GP motorcycle racing, Aprilia holds the record for the most wins of any european manufacturer in the history of maximum motorcycle competition. These are joined by an impressive 54 world titles: 38 in world championship GP motorcycle racing (20 in 125 and 18 in 250), 7 in superbike (rider and manufacturer double win in 2010, 2012 and 2014 and manufacturer in 2013) and 9 in off road disciplines (7 in supermoto and 2 in trial). Technology, innovation: Aprilia has racing in its blood, in its head, in its DNA.

/apriliaaus

@apriliaaus

Official Aprilia

aprilia.com.au

RANGER IDE

HELLO TO BOLLYWOOD SECOND WORLD SOLUTION TO A FIRST WORLD PROBLEM WORDS RALPH PHOTOS ROYAL ENFIELD

W

e were ready, on this perfect riding day, to tackle Rajasthan. Sadly that was not to be because, as I quickly realised, we were lined up in Melbourne, not desert India‌ but we really had the right bikes for both places. The full range of Royal (QĂ€HOG PRGHOV XQIRUWXQDWHO\ PLVVLQJ WKH EUDQG new Himalayan, was patiently waiting for us outside $XVWUDOLD¡V Ă€UVW IXOO RQ 5R\DO (QĂ€HOG &RQFHSW 6WRUH the freshly re-imaged Mid Life Cycles, which will Ă \ WKH ,QGLDQ Ă DJ IRU WKH PDUTXH LQ 0HOERXUQH¡V QHDU LQQHU FLW\ &UHPRUQH 3HUIHFW ORFDWLRQ ² DIWHU DOO 5R\DO (QĂ€HOGV DUH LGHDO FLW\ DQG FRPPXWHU ELNHV DV well as conquerors of the world’s tallest mountains. Instead of climbing every mountain we tackled the rather more amenable environment of bayside Melbourne on a range of the company’s bikes to give us a chance to discover just what it is that is expected to justify an annual production rate of ELNHV RQFH WKH QHZ IDFWRU\ LV Ă€QLVKHG 0LG Life Cycles owner Michael Catchpole had good reason to host a full-on opening party for the shop with celebrities and live music as well as marketing gurus and other factory representatives. We got there ODWH ² 0HOERXUQH¡V WUDIĂ€F ZDV QRW NLQG WR XV EXW there was still plenty to do. Such as grabbing a chilled beverage and Rudy 5XGUDWHM 6LQJK WKH &(2 RI 5R\DO (QĂ€HOG IRU a private word after his off-the-cuff speech to the crowd. He actually covered almost everything we needed to know about the 115 year old company, including its growth and the hint of more to FRPH 6HYHQ \HDUV DJR KH WROG XV 5R\DO (QĂ€HOG manufactured an already remarkable 55,000 units D \HDU 7KDW DQQXDO Ă€JXUH ZDV VPDVKHG LQ MXVW RQH month this past October. The company expects

68

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Classic 500

www.ausmotorcyclist.com.au

69

R ANGER IDE Bullet 350

to continue the same growth and SURĂ€WDELOLW\ ZKLOH PHHWLQJ WKH tougher Euro 4 emissions standard as well as bringing new and exciting models on stream. I asked Rudy whether the massive increase in sales was a result of organic growth or a huge injection of cash - or maybe something else. Ever the consummate businessman, his answer was considered and measured, like every answer he gave. After twenty seconds of accessing his right side brain, sifting through what must be millions of bytes of information, and bingo: "That is a great question and one where a detailed H[SODQDWLRQ LV UHTXLUHG Âľ KH VDLG ´5R\DO (QĂ€HOG KDV LQFUHDVHG WHQ WLPHV its production to become the largest manufacturer in the motorcycle world by understanding and working to an 'order ERRNV V\VWHPÂľ 7KDW PHDQV WKHUH LV QR on-spec manufacturing; dealers place their orders and the factory kicks into JHDU DQG Ă€OOV WKH RUGHUV ,QWHUHVWLQJO\ many large car factories like BMW’s Mini

70

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plant in Oxford work the same way. I steered Rudy into discussing how happy the company’s workers are, with my mind drifting over to India’s northern neighbour Bhutan and its index of ‘Gross National Happiness’. Rudy dived into his repertoire of answers and pulled out a beauty. “Good question; no one has asked me that before, but I know our factory has the lowest rate of attrition [that is, people quitting and leaving] in the automotive sector. Also we implemented a Ride Leave system where our workers, if they own or can use a motorcycle, are allowed, in fact encouraged to take up to VL[ GD\V D \HDU RII Âľ WR ZHOO ULGH How cool is that! I don’t know where else you could get a job like that. And of course it’s free advertising for the brand. We talked about how having a Royal (QĂ€HOG LQ WKH JDUDJH LV PXFK WKH VDPH DV EHLQJ WKH FXVWRGLDQ RI D 3DWHN 3KLOLSSH ZDWFK UDWKHU WKDQ RZQLQJ LW Becoming the custodian of, instance, one of the new Himalayan models would mean that I could ride and ride and pass

on those memories and experiences, along with the bike, to my currently ten year old son. With the Classic, Bullet and the Continental GT the mainstays of the current range and the new 410cc Himalayan hitting the showrooms soon (probably by the time you read this) it was an ideal time to talk about the ways in which a non-conforming model lineup has relevance and offers success in this fast paced world. Rudy suggested that it is precisely this that encourages people to think again and slow down, turning to a “Go 6ORZÂľ PHQWDOLW\ :KDW EHWWHU FXH WR introducing the range.

CLASSIC 350 AND 500

If the Classic was a movie classic, it wouldn't be 'Gone with the Wind' or its Bollywood equivalent, nor would it go like the wind. The simple yet elegant single cylinder and single seater in matt or gloss retro colours would be more like a Humphrey Bogart character study. The bike requires you to reconsider your own

Bullet 500

riding style and on-road aspirations, and learn to deal with the lack of power that almost any other bike of its engine size can offer. The look-alike (single cylinder) twins, in capacities of 350 and 500, offer simple and un-fussed transport like yesteryear’s with the advantage of modern technology like electronic fuel injection. The 350 is pleasantly smoother and doesn’t have much of a power GHĂ€FLW RYHU WKH DQG ERWK RIIHU VROLG ULGLQJ DQG LQ 5R\DO (QĂ€HOG VSHDN D VHQVH RI ´3XUH 0RWRUF\FOLQJÂľ

BULLET 350 AND 500

The Bullet, which differs from the Classic mainly in styling and in that it offers a dual seat, would be the star in a working class movie. As ubiquitous as ‘dahl baht’, the staple food of the subcontinent, this retro motorcycle carries the entire nation. Also found on almost every motorcycle tour in India or Nepal, I think it is the most convincing step back in time that you can buy today. This is the above-250cc transportation choice in its homeland. The riding position is the most comfortable of the small range and there isn’t much that needs changing to have a great time out on the road or in the suburbs as well as in the Himalaya. You couldn’t get more Indian than the Bullet, even with a proper Madras curry. A sensational assault on the senses‌ ULJKW WR WKH 3XQMDE

CONTINENTAL GT

You can feel the difference of another FF 7KH *7 LV OLNH WKH 'LUHFWRU¡V &XW edition of Blade Runner, the ’80s Sci-Fi movie with a young Harrison Ford. It has more mystery, added pace, more action and the punch is more noticeable. In 2017 you can swing back to 1982 in a blink of an eye, turning back the clock to a CafĂŠ Racer look and feel and something else that’s often missing these days - character by the jam-pot full. You get clip-ons and a crouch to suit, and the only thing missing is a stumpy and more DVVHUWLYH ORXGHU OHW¡V IDFH LW PXIĂ HU More of a real CafĂŠ Racer than you might image, the GT is my favourite of the range. In an android Blade Runner world of Replicants, the Continental looks as good as a young Sean Young! She’s hot, in a Vindaloo kind of way. D

Inside the showroom of Mid Life Cycles

Rudy Singh meditates on the UHOHYDQFH RI 5R\DO (QŸHOG WR today’s rushing crowd. www.ausmotorcyclist.com.au

71

EVE NT

The control tent, and a small crowd admiring a Scrambler.

35TH THUNDER RALLY RUMBLE AROUND NUNDLE WORDS/PHOTOS THE POSSUM

T

he 35th Thunder Rally conducted E\ WKH 'XFDWL 2ZQHUV &OXE RI 16: ZDV DJDLQ KHOG DW WKH 6KHED 'DPV camping ground, not far from Nundle. The weather forecast was not to promising, but we thought we would have a crack anyway. The ride up to Nundle was under near perfect skies, and most enjoyable. $IWHU D VWRS DW WKH 3HHO ,QQ IRU necessary refreshments, we tackled the FOLPE XS WR WKH 6KHED 'DPV DOZD\V ZLWK an eye on the rear view mirror for any budding Carl Fogartys charging up from EHKLQG RQ DQ RYHUORDGHG 'XFDWL Wheeling into the control tent, we were greeted by Aunty Mal and his hard working helpers who relieved us of PRQH\ IRU EDGJHV DQG UDIĂ H WLFNHWV 0DO was quick to point out that there was about $5000 worth of goodies to be handed out later that night. The camping ground is well shaded, but you need to get in early to get the Ă DW JURXQG 7KHUH LV WKH VHOI FRPSRVWLQJ

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long drop dunny, some ancient solid concrete picnic tables, and some new shelter sheds with timber picnic tables. Those new sheds came in very handy later in the afternoon. My mate and I spent the afternoon chatting to various folk and inspecting some interesting machinery, while periodically some joker would accelerate Ă€HUFHO\ DZD\ LQ WKH GLUHFWLRQ RI WRZQ ² obviously a pub run. I noticed quite a representation of cruisers, both metric and North American, and a good roll up of dualsport machines from Japan, Austria and *HUPDQ\ 7KHUH ZHUH DOVR VRPH 'XFDWLV – plenty of Multistradas among them. More than one group had the back-up ute/van with the barby and the big esky, well organised. Sitting over a snack of cheese and crackers, washed down with a coldie, we watched the clouds building and heard the thunder start. And down she came ! Sitting in the new shelter sheds, we weathered the cloud burst, and after a while it was back to blue skys and sunshine – normal service resumed ! Later in the evening, Mal assembled the troops and got on with the awards DQG UDIĂ HV 7KH &OXE DOWHUQDWHG ZLWK DQ DZDUG WKHQ D UDIĂ H GUDZ WR NHHS everyone on their toes. Tex and Bundy made a guest appearance and helped with passing out awards. Awards were long and mixed, but highlights were as follows John Hubner from Alice Springs took KRPH ² /RQJHVW 'LVWDQFH /RQJHVW 'LVWDQFH 0DOH /RQJHVW 'LVWDQFH

Tex helps out with the award ceremony – where’s Bundy?

6WXIIHG &DW DQG /RQJHVW 'LVWDQFH Single at 4480km on his KLR650. John DWWHQGHG WKH 0RWR*3 DW WKH ,VODQG before heading to Nundle, and was then on his way home to Alice. A big effort for a bloke battling kidney stones – I’m sure the vibrations of the KLR kept the stones to a managable size ! Youngest Rider was a 17 year old Tom Burke. Chris Hillas with 1758 km was WKH /RQJHVW 'LVWDQFH 'XFDWL 5LGHU and Stan on his R75/6 ( which he has owned from new) picked up Oldest Combined Bike & Rider with 112 years. Stan had also collected this award at the Kosciuszko Rally a few weeks earlier ! The hungry horde were well catered for by the Nundle Lions Club who again rose to the challenge with their excellent travelling kitchen. The evening feeding was well received, and even more so the restorative coffee and tea the next morning. The bacon and egg rolls were pretty good too ! $OO SURĂ€WV IURP WKH UDOO\ JR WR WKH Spinal Unit, Royal Rehabilitation +RVSLWDO 5\GH 7KLV 8QLW LV WKH 'XFDWL Club’s organisation of choice and DOO WKHLU SURĂ€WV IURP RWKHU YHQWXUHV through the year also support this excellent facility. 3HQFLO LQ WKLV UDOO\ IRU 2FWREHU it‘s a beauty! D

$XVʤUɪʙLʋɚ

BACK ISSUES It’s still possible to collect most issues. We recommend checking availability via our website as to which issues are available, sold out or are low in stock. Back issues only cost $12.00 each including postage and packaging; just visit the website and place your order – www.ausmotorcyclist.com.au; or drop us a line at contactus@ausmotorcyclist.com.au or PO Box 2066, Boronia Park NSW 2111 and Stuart or The Bear will look after you.

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AUSTRALIAN MOTORCYCLIST MAGAZINE BACK ISSUE/S - PO BOX 2066, BORONIA PARK NSW 2111 Please send me the following back issues at the cost of $12 each including postage:

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ALL RIGHT, SO HE’S EASILY IMPRESSED‌ WORDS & PHOTOS THE BEAR

I

n art and especially movies, bridges (except Lloyd Bridges) are often used as symbols of connection or involvement. And as with most metaphors, simplicity makes for strength. Take Simon and Garfunkel’s Bridge Over Troubled Waters. There is something touching about bridges. Sometime in the past, someone cared enough to want to establish this connection, to bring people together. That’s why I like the Australian tendency to name bridges after people. It’s not just individual bridges, either – whole classes of bridges were named after their inventor. Take the bridge RYHU 3HDUFHV &UHHN LQ +RUQVE\ VKLUH north of Sydney. The 1894 bridge LV D 0F'RQDOG WUXVV EULGJH EXW QRW MXVW DQ\ 0F'RQDOG WUXVV EULGJH LW LV

74

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believed to be the only timber truss road bridge in NSW to survive with its original style deck still in use. So show some respect next time you take that road. -RKQ $ 0F'RQDOG WKH GHVLJQHU ZDV D VLJQLÀFDQW ÀJXUH LQ EULGJH GHVLJQ DQG FRQVWUXFWLRQ LQ 16: DQG 0F'RQDOG truss bridges are good examples of early Australian methods of bridge construction. Timber truss bridges ZHUH GHYHORSHG DQG UHÀQHG LQ $XVWUDOLD to achieve the highest level of timber bridge construction at the time. Timber truss road bridges were built extensively in NSW because of the high quality of local hardwoods and the shortage of steel until the steelworks at Newcastle were built in the early 20th century. There are timber bridges in northern

California too, but most of the back roads seem to cross the rivers and creeks on iron bridges like the ones in the photos. In Utah, the citizens of Rockville are trying to save their iron 3DUNHU 7KURXJK 7UXVV EULGJH WKH ODVW in the State. Many iron constructions are effectively kit bridges – made elsewhere and taken to their location in bits before being assembled on the spot, tab A into slot B. As well, they have often been moved as the road they carried needed higher capacity constructions, and placed where there ZDV OHVV WUDIĂ€F 7KH &DOLIRUQLD 'HSDUWPHQW RI Transportation’s Historic Highway Bridges of California tells me that “the proliferation of railroads in the ODWH V EURXJKW D Ă XUU\ RI EULGJH building. The railroads favored‌ iron

The sign says it all, more or less, about the Pound Crossing Bridge in NSW.

or steel trusses for larger structures‌ The technologies and materials were already in place when the need for highway bridges arose soon after the turn of the century. Thus many of the earliest California highway bridges were built by the same bridge companies from designs similar to the train bridges, and in some cases actually were recycled train bridges. “Those boxy metal truss spans that could be ordered up in standard designs from the bridge company catalogs served the purpose of facilitating California highways expansion at a good pace in the Ă€UVW Ă€IWHHQ \HDUV RI WKH WZHQWLHWK century‌ Some have even been dismantled and moved to QHZ ORFDWLRQV Âľ

A bridge in Humboldt County,

The stress rods stick out from the side

northern California, with my trusty

of the laminated bridge deck.

(borrowed) Indian Chief.

And there’s more to bridges than \RX PLJKW WKLQN 7DNH WKH 3RXQG &URVVLQJ %ULGJH QHDU 'XQJRJ LQ northern NSW. When it was opened in August 1994, the 60 metre long bridge had the largest cellular stress laminated hardwood timber bridge deck in the world. Just exactly what is that? Go and have a look at it if \RX¡UH LQWHUHVWHG LQ Ă€QGLQJ RXW PRUH What inspired this story, and what I would like to pass on to you, is the feeling that I get when I come out of some stretch of forest on a back road, gravel or tar, and suddenly see one of these iron beauties or one of the Australian wooden bridges in front of me. It’s a kind of connection to the

days when they were built, when the riders of early motorcycles no doubt found them just as useful as I do now. Ghostly Hendersons, Matchlesses or NSUs drift across them‌ The American iron bridges, just like the few remaining wooden arch bridges on the NSW North Coast, also take me back to a time when craftsmanship was a more powerful driver than it is today. Modern is not always best; new is not necessarily the most useful; reinforced concrete is not the inevitable material to use. Go ride some old bridges of your own, and pay a silent tribute to the people who EXLOW WKHP 37 D

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USED &REVIEWED

FEEL THE REVZ RISE! Draggin Jeans Revz 3ULFH Motorcycle riding jeans are never quite the same in style and looks as a normal every day type jean you might wear, although a lot of the time you really need to be looking. However WKRVH DPD]LQJ SHRSOH DW 'UDJJLQ Jeans, who have led the motorcycle riding jeans world and continue to do so has released what I am calling the safest non-motorcycling looking riding jeans to date! 7KH\ DUH FDOOHG ´5HY]Âľ DQG WKH\ KDYH a classic look that will suit any bike, but also they do not really look like a riding jean, nor do they have the bulk of a riding jean with a Kevlar liner. To make the Revz as safe as you FDQ JHW 'UDJJLQ KDV XVHG 5RR0RWR – a unique knit of the world’s WRXJKHVW Ă€EUHV WR JLYH \RX RYHU seconds of road abrasion resistance and both Level 1 and Level 2 CE approval. I dare say that is better than some leather products out there on the market!

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Fitment is excellent with a mid-rise waist, plenty of length in the legs, wider belt loops for any type of belt and a quality YKK front zipper which is a decent length to make doing the business much easier. There’s also a good sized coin pocket which makes getting that change out for a coffee a breeze. An important feature that makes the Revz so comfy is the sports mesh liner. Similar in appearance to the PHVK OLQHU \RX PLJKW ÀQG LQ PDQ\ other types of motorcycle garments, but softer. You can also get knee and hip armour, but I’m not a fan of that stuff in riding jeans. Ralph also recently got a pair of the Revz jeans and is in love with them. He loves the comfort and the non-motorcycling jean looks. I’ve also seen the new Revz in action with the rider sliding along the road. No injuries sustained and not a mark on the jeans! He was going reasonably slow at the time through a 15km/h switchback, but a slide is a slide and getting up with no skin missing is

WHVWDPHQW WR MXVW KRZ JRRG 'UDJJLQ Jeans really are. It seems as though everyone is wearing a pair of Revz and I reckon you should be too! See your local bike shop or visit www.dragginjeans.net to purchase. SW

BUILDING A CUBBY Bike Kubby 3ULFH ² IURP How about a nice little ‘cubby house’ to park your bike? Well, you can now get a Bike Kubby which is a retractable cover that goes over your entire bike and protects it from sun, hail and in a way, even thieves. The Bike Kubby comes with everything you need to set it up and easy enough instructions to follow when building it, although you’d better ignore the time listed to build it in the instructions; allow yourself three or so hours to get it all together. The Bike Kubby is well made from TIG welded steel tubing and CNC FXW IRU DQ H[DFW Ă€W 7KH WXELQJ LV WKHQ powder coated for longevity. The

cover is made from strong, 'HQLHU SRO\HVWHU IDEULF DQG available in either the Midnight %ODFN DV \RX VHH KHUH RU 'RYH Grey. The cover is also waterproof with fully taped seams, blocks 96.7% of the sun’s rays and is even Ă€UH UHVLVWDQW 7R NHHS HYHU\WKLQJ nice under the cover, it is vented to eliminate condensation. As an added bonus (well, I think so), you can lock the cover shut with a padlock making it one more item to get through if someone really wants your ride. Since it’s a cover that doesn’t show anything of your bike, no one will really know what’s under there, which is a deterrent in itself. The Bike Kubby is available in two sizes – Sport or Touring - and comes with a 12 month warranty which can be upgraded to 24 months. You can DOVR JHW D Ă RRU DQG RWKHU ELWV DQG pieces to really make it a luxurious ‘kubby’ for your ride. To purchase, call 1300 087 016 or visit the website www.kubbys.com.au SW D

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TOUR TES T

TRIUMPH BONNEVILLE T120 WHAT’S NOT TO LOVE?

3

WORDS & PHOTOS THE BEAR

ark the Triumph Bonneville T120 anywhere, and almost certainly someone will come up to you and compliment you on the restoration job you’ve done. Every now and then, someone will know that this is a new bike and not a reconstruction, but they’ll compliment you anyway. For buying it. It seems that everybody loves the new Bonnie. And why not? What’s not to love? Before we go any further, let me out myself as a bit of a luddite. It’s not that I don’t like technology; I just love ABS and the many other innovations we have seen over the past few years,

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with the possible exception of traction control. What I don’t particularly like is the way styling is going. Consider the bikes I have owned most recently: D 'XFDWL 6FUDPEOHU D +DUOH\ Sportster, a Kawasaki W800, a BMW G 650 GS, a Triumph Bonneville‌ You can see a trend there, I think. This is a personal reaction, of course, and I remain wide-eyed and open-mouthed when I ride one of the staggeringly powerful and capable motorcycles that UROO WKRXJK RXU SDUNLQJ ORW , MXVW ÀQG it easier to bond with bikes that look the way bikes used to look when I got into riding.

I’m told that this is the same with music; throughout your life, you tend to prefer the kind of music that you liked in your late teens. Whatever; I just like the appearance of motorcycles that look the way the T120 Bonneville does. But that isn’t all there is to like. In fact, one of the other outstanding attractions of the bike is a techie one – its eight valve SOHC parallel twin engine is liquid cooled. That makes it remarkably smooth, and as soon as you’re over about 2000rpm it’s almost like a big purring cat. It’s QRW KDUG WR ÀJXUH RXW WKDW WKLV LV WKH

Compact and businesslike, the Bonneville T120 looks exactly what it is – a thoroughly competent mile muncher.

The long and, in this case, straight road is just as much the T120’s home as winding mountain routes.

High Torque engine; it claims more than half as much torque again as its predecessor, 105Nm at 3100rpm and most of that is available from LGOH 3RZHU SHDNV DW N EXW WKDW UHODWLYHO\ ORZ Ă€JXUH EHOLHV WKH ELNH¡V SHUIRUPDQFH ,W JRHV MXVW Ă€QH DQG ,¡P SOHDVHG WKDW WKH 16: 3RZHUV That Be are not using the elapsed time/distance method to control those irresponsible, dreadful speed freaks who might exceed the limit by a few kliks. The T120’s service intervals are a pleasing 16,000km.You are not meant WR Ă€GGOH ZLWK WKLV ELNH ZKLFK ZLOO

The Bear wears a Nolan N21, a BMW Venting suit, BMW Winter gloves, Rossi boots (not shown) and a smug grin. And why not? He gets to ride as often as he wants to. Well, almost.

disappoint some riders (but not me); the only adjustment is to the rear preload. The seat is at a reasonable

height at 785mm, and the 224kg (dry) machine is easy to manoeuvre around. It also has a centre stand, bless you Mr Bloor. The T120 has heated grips, and they exemplify the amount of effort Triumph has put into this motorcycle. The button that operates the heated grips is incorporated beautifully into the left grip. The instruments look pretty trad as well, but they offer a lot of useful information like fuel range. The jury is still out for me on gear indicators, but the Bonnie has RQH , MXVW ÀQG WKDW , SD\ WRR PXFK attention to these things, attention that is better directed at the road ahead or (sadly) at the speedo. But onto the long and lonesome road. There is a USB charging socket, for such things as navigators, but I knew where I was going – Sydney to Cooma by as many back roads as , FRXOG UHPHPEHU , KDG ÀWWHG WKH smart-looking leather saddle bags, which slip onto a unique and terribly clever (and reasonably unobtrusive) chrome loop and then clip onto a pad

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79

T O UR TE S T

The bag slides onto the chrome loop, and then clips onto a pad under the seat.

Those are the BMW gloves on

Twin discs on the IURQW DUH D ÂźUVW IRU a Bonneville.

The Bear liked the OLWWOH ½\VFUHHQ RQH RI about 160 accessories available from Triumph.

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that sits under the seat. Simple and useful. The bags are capacious and held easily enough for a weekend ride. Claimed fuel economy is 4.5 litres per 100 kliks, which gives a decent range of about 320km from the 14,5l WDQN , XVXDOO\ JHW JRRG IXHO ÀJXUHV (mainly because I change up early) and I almost matched the factory FRQVXPSWLRQ ÀJXUH 8QOHVV \RX ULGH like a loonie (in which case you will be on a different motorcycle) you should get 300km comfortably. This and its tinted sister the T120 %ODFN DUH WKH ÀUVW %RQQHYLOOHV with twin discs up front. I wasn’t absolutely sure the bike needed the 310mm discs with their Nissin 2 SLVWRQ à RDWLQJ FDOLSHUV EXW D QHDU encounter with a wallaby near Nerriga disabused me of that opinion. They get a tick from me, as does the ABS. +DQGOLQJ LV MXVW ÀQH WKDQN \RX The ergonomics are excellent as well, for someone of my just-above average height. The controls, as the old clichÊ has it, fall easily to hand. But the best thing about the bike from a touring point of view is the seat. For the rider it is just right, a bit hard initially but then pleasantly

the seat of the bike. Mirrors work well, top speed is a (calculaled!) 200km/h plus.

complying. The pillion doesn’t quite get the same standard of comfort, but the back seat is still better than the majority of bikes’. I covered just under a thousand kilometres in my two-day ride, which was broken most pleasantly by the Bear Army’s 2016 Southern Manoeuvres at the Alpine Hotel, and I could not have asked for a better seat or a more comfortable bike in any other way. 7KH VPDOO DFFHVVRU\ Ă \VFUHHQ KHOSHG a surprising amount during highway travel on the Monaro. So at a reasonable $17,000 why isn’t there one permanently in P\ JDUDJH" 'RQ¡W UXVK PH 7KHUH may soon be just that; I’m also tempted by one of the smaller capacity Street series Bonnevilles, and by a Himalayan, and... Never mind. But remember: park a T120 anywhere and you’ll cop at least one, er, bonnie compliment. D

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Always ride responsibly. Always ride within the limits of your skills, your experience and your machine. Wear an approved helmet and protective clothing. The actions depicted here took place under controlled conditions with professional riders.

INDUSTR Y

NOBODY LIKES US… WORDS DAVID MCMULLAN*

Our man in China looks at some of the obstacles for Chinese motorcycle manufacturers trying to crack the (XURSHDQ PDUNHW DQG WKH ZD\ WKHVH GLIÀFXOWLHV DUH EHLQJ perceived. It’s unfortunate that the manufacturers in one of the world’s most bureaucratised nations don’t understand the never-ending push from their brothers in Europe’s bureaucracy for the constant tightening of rules…

C

hinese motorcycle manufacturers are very good at creating obstacles for themselves but Hmm, that frame looks familiar somehow.

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here I will detail some of the aspects (mainly outside of their control) that they (especially the small and medium sized manufacturers) will have to overcome to become a power on European Union nation markets. We have recently seen a lot of movement from Chinese motorcycle companies wanting to produce models for the European market, this rapid development is intended to get them bedded in before the Indian motorcycle manufacturers begin their inexorable march into Europe. 'HVSLWH WKH &KLQHVH IDFWRULHV VORZ UHDFWLRQ WR (852 FHUWLÀFDWHV RI conformity there are, at least style, quality and price wise, several models from the likes of Zongshen, Tayo, CFMoto, Fuego and Loncin that would undoubtedly become popular on European markets if they can overcome the obstacles.

“…WHY WOULD A COMMUTER [BIKE] WITH SMALL ENGINE NEED AN ABS BRAKE SYSTEM? THE SIMPLE ANSWER IS THAT IT JUST DOESN’T.” There is a conversation with a common theme pervasive in the Chinese motorcycle industry. The over-riding feeling is that European and Japanese motorcycle manufacturers increasingly fear the evolution of Chinese motorcycles market shares on the commuter markets in European countries and that these companies have reacted by lobbying the European Union to change the conformity of motorcycles WR PDNH LW GLIÀFXOW IRU WKH &KLQHVH manufacturers to continue their rise.

Yeah, who needs Euro4?

Motorcycle industry analyst and motorcycle parts fair organiser Ziwen Zhang commented “What’s wrong with EURO 3? It’s a perfectly good conformity for modern conditions. I have spoken to lots of industry staff on this matter and everyone has the same opinion, EURO 4 is completely unnecessary for the rider of a motorcycle with a displacement under 250cc. We Chinese rarely make a motorcycle over 250cc. Of course there are exceptions like CFMoto and Loncin but 98% of our export models are under 250cc (another exception could be ATV’s but I’m really talking about 2-wheelers here). While I agree that electric fuel injection is better for the environment why would a commuter with small engine need an ABS brake system?

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83

INDUSTRY

Well, except for those pesky European bureaucrats!

The simple answer is that it just doesn’t. In the opinion of many in the motorcycle industry EURO 4 ZDV LQYHQWHG WR PDNH LW GLIÀFXOW IRU Chinese motorcycle manufacturers to export to Europe as many of them had only just adapted to EURO 3 when EURO 4 was announced. Chinese bikes are cheaper and less technical and they were gaining a better reputation in Europe and even outselling the Japanese at certain times in countries like the UK. EURO 4 was a huge spanner in the works for some Chinese manufacturers who had to absolutely revamp their research and development departments and hire foreign experts to aid with their

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DWWDLQPHQW RI (852 FHUWLĂ€FDWHV ,W seems that the European free market UHDOO\ LV MXVW IRU (XURSHDQV Âľ This year will see the event of the 2 most important and popular motorcycle exhibitions on the planet, Intermot in Cologne, Germany, and EICMA Milan. In previous years these expos have been busy with Chinese motorcycle industry exhibitors of bikes, parts and accessories but in recent years the attendance of Chinese companies has reduced, Chen Long from the industry council explains why. “In the early years of Chinese motorcycle export expansion exhibitions were everything, they were the only way of displaying new

models to a growing world market. In China we had Canton fair to display models but Chinese manufacturers began to utilise exhibitions around the world including smaller ones in /DWLQ $PHULFD WKH 'HDOHU H[SR LQ America and of course Intermot and EICMA. The way that Chinese exhibitors were treated by Intermot and EICMA was an absolute disgrace. They were placed in the most remote parts of the exhibition halls, the places were fewer visitors went. They were absolutely marginalized. I remember when Xie Fie from Junsun called \RX 'DYLG 0F0XOODQ WR DVN \RX WR make a complaint to the organisers of EICMA. After receiving that treatment for a few years it was decided by many companies that they would not exhibit at these European expos any more. All the exhibitors used to go to these expos under the organizational umbrella of one business travel company so when RQH ÀUP GHFLGHG WKDW WKH\ ZRXOG boycott the European expos many followed their lead. I will tell you honestly that the treatment that the H[KLELWRUV JRW ZDV YHU\ YHU\ XQIDLU ¾ On an optimistic note, the ride and tech reports dedicated to Chinese brands in many of Europe’s motorcycle trade magazines are increasingly positive. The European 2-wheeler media seems to concur that Chinese models are being progressively better styled than their predecessors and that the quality to cost ratio now provides good value for money. This is essential for the success of Chinese bikes in Europe as apart from the bigger joint venture FRPSDQLHV OLNH =RQJVKHQ 3LDJJLR DQG Loncin-BMW you are very unlikely to see new models displayed at Europe’s exhibitions anymore! *David McMullan is Chief Editor of China Motorcycle News Magazine and Auto Trade China magazine, as well as being Organiser of the CMPF Motorcycle Parts Fair and the Electric Motorcycle Show. D

BYO bike and we’ll take you on a great ride Fully supported 1, 2 and 10 day guided tours on your bike or one of ours! Visiting scenic destinations across Victoria, South Australia and New South Wales throughout 2017. To find out more about your next adventure visit: www.scenicwheels.com.au Just bring your own bike we’ll sort out the rest.

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TR A VEL

RIDING IN OTHER COUNTRIES THE BEAR

U

ntil you’ve tried it, you have no idea how much fun it can be to ride in other countries. Even New Zealand. Around every corner

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could be something you’ve never seen before, including a border post. If you’re in the Balkans, you can encounter them just about literally

around every corner; when the old Jugoslavia was split up, some of the splinters created are so small they’re hardly there – but they still have border posts. Okay, so let’s see. Before you start out you should make certain that you have all the paperwork you might need. 3URRI RI UHJLVWUDWLRQ DQG LQVXUDQFH for the bike, plus a letter from the owner if the bike is borrowed, is a start. You should obviously have your

This is a fairly typical scene from New Zealand. Why don’t you join us there on our tour in 2017?

driver’s licence; I don’t usually bother ZLWK DQ ,QWHUQDWLRQDO 'ULYLQJ 3HUPLW (obtainable from the RAC or NRMA) but I’m told it’s vital in Spain. This is your call. Oh, while we’re on the subject of calls: if you have a bike-to-bike intercom, check that the frequency is legally available. I spent a week in Europe once talking to my mate on the emergency services channel and would have been in serious trouble if caught. Within reason, you can adjust your riding to match the locals’ style. But don’t forget common sense. In the Alps, the locals habitually overtake in blind corners, for example. I don’t recommend that. But in Borneo, the Kota Kinabalu riders overtake any damn way and ride on the wrong side of the road. I do the same when I’m there – it’s expected. In Thailand you are almost at the bottom of the pile of respect, just above pedestrians and ELF\FOLVWV 'RQ¡W SXVK \RXU OXFN Be polite to the cops wherever you are. In some countries they have staggering powers, and they use WKHP 3ROLWHO\ FODLPLQJ LJQRUDQFH works; when they try to extract an RQ WKH VSRW Ă€QH ZLWKRXW D UHFHLSW pull out a previously hidden medium-sized currency note and sadly explain that that’s all you’ve got. Sometimes it works; make sure it doesn’t look like a bribe. And take it easy, at least until you have had a look at the scenery and aren’t likely to be stunned by it every time you turn a corner. You’ll need your attention to stay on the road and out from under the wheels of the rest RI WKH WUDIĂ€F D

0 0 2 2 + years

formerly Ferris Wheels Safaris

Awesome Andes 21 days: Peru, Chile, Bolivia

Life is a

or nothing at all ! www.ausmotorcyclist.com.au

87

WHATISTHAT?

SIDE CHAPTER WORDS & PHOTOS THE BEAR

T

he story of the Newmount is very much a side chapter of the much larger tale of ZĂźndapp, the German motorcycle manufacturer which was at one time one of the biggest maker of motorcycles in the world and which beat BMW in the competition to design a sidecar RXWĂ€W ZLWK WZR SRZHUHG ZKHHOV for the Wehrmacht, the WW2 German army, to use whenever it felt like invading someone through some mud. Erwin Tragatsch in his Encyclopaedia of Motorcycles FODLPV WKDW = QGDSS¡V Ă€UVW ELNH the Z22 which hit the market in

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1921, was a straight copy of a British Levis two-stroke. The factory promoted the Z22 as the Motorrad fßr Jedermann or motorcycle for HYHU\PDQ DQG EXLOW LW IRU ÀYH \HDUV It sold very well, by all reports, and Zßndapp went on to create its own engines and notably frames, many of which were made of pressed metal. By the end of the 1920s, Zßndapp’s success was enough to encourage J K Starley Jnr, formerly of the Rover Company, to sign a licensing agreement with the Germans which saw him importing most of the parts of a 200cc two-stroke. The tubular and somewhat basic frame was made

at Warwick Road, Coventry, and the entire bike was also assembled there. It weighed 198lbs and the steering head and frame backbone are a onepiece steel forging. As you can see in the photo, the frame was quite basic LQ VRPH ZD\V WXEHV ZHUH à DWWHQHG at the ends and often bolted rather WKDQ ZHOGHG WRJHWKHU 3DLQW VKRZHG RUDQJH SHHO ÀQLVK DQG WKHUH ZDV little chrome, but the striping on the guards and the tank was very workmanlike and consistent. The bike was priced at £33. Newmount started with Zßndapp’s own engine in 200 and later 300cc versions but eventually branched out into the larger end of the market with 348 and 499cc Rudge 3\WKRQ HQJLQHV 3DWULRWLVP RQO\ WRRN Newmount so far, however; reports indicate that the bigger bikes had German-made frames.

Interesting slogan; I wonder how Matchless (which started all the way back in 1901) felt about it?

= QGDSS Ă RXULVKHG LQ WKH HDUO\ ‘30s and even began design work on the Volkswagen in competition ZLWK )HUGLQDQG 3RUVFKH ,QVWHDG RI 3RUVFKH¡V DLU FRROHG Ă DW IRXU ZĂźndapp proposed a liquid-cooled Ă€YH F\OLQGHU UDGLDO HQJLQH *XHVV

who won that one. (DUOLHU )HUGLQDQG 3RUVFKH KDG DOVR talked the SS into commissioning his Kßbelwagen instead of a sidecar RXWÀW , LPDJLQH KLV QDPH ZDV QRW popular around Zßndapp‌ but its side valve twins and fours continued to sell well. Newmount, meanwhile, languished and the factory closed its doors in 1933. Shame, really. The unpretentious but compact and

attractive 1929 model in the photo, taken at the National Motorcycle Museum in the 0LGODQGV ZRXOG GHÀQLWHO\ ÀQG a place in my garage. D Zßndapp didn’t always use pressed steel for its frames, that was mostly on the bigger Richard Kuchen designs. This post-war Zßndapp Comfort 200 still shows much of the same DNA that made the Newmount such a good looker.

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89

NEWINTHESHOPS freshly applied coat after just one day. RockSolid is available in a number of ÀQLVKHV LQFOXGLQJ 'HQLP &KLS 6DGGOH Tan Chip, Cherry Bomb, Earth Brown, Gun Metal, and Brilliant Blue. )RU PRUH LQIRUPDWLRQ RU WR ÀQG your nearest stockist visit www.rustoleum.com.au

PURE GOLD FANCY FLOOR

Rust-Oleum Rock Solid Ever wondered how a showroom à RRU JHWV WR EH VR VSLFN DQG VSDQ while no matter how long and hard you scrub your garage, you can’t seem WR JHW WKDW JORVV\ ÀQLVK" 7KH DQVZHU is Rust-Oleum’s RockSolid range. 5RFN6ROLG LV WKH ',< FRQFUHWH DQG à RRULQJ SROLVK WKDW ZLOO OHDYH \RXU JDUDJH à RRU ORRNLQJ MXVW OLNH WKH showroom. The average Joe can enjoy seeing their ride on gloss thanks to RockSolid’s long lasting sheen. 5RFN6ROLG LV DQ HDV\ WR DSSO\ à RRU DQG concrete epoxy that is quick dry and VHOI OHYHOOLQJ 0RVW à RRU DQG FRQFUHWH polishes require a full 7 days before they’re ready to bear loads again, but not RockSolid. You can park on a

Motocell Lithium Gold Batteries 3ULFH ² )URP We all need power and having a powerful battery to keep you going as best as possible is a must. Claimed lightest option available for motorcycle power supply; for those looking to achieve weight reduction - approx 1/3 lighter than the equivalent lead acid battery. The Motocell Gold is made from a new tough nylon outer case construction for greater durability, KDV DQ LQWHJUDWHG /&' EDWWHU\ ´6WDWH RI &KDUJHÂľ LQGLFDWRU EUDVV WHUPLQDOV with three position multi mount connectivity and each battery comes with self-adhesive foam pads to adjust Ă€WWLQJ GLPHQVLRQV DQG WR UHGXFH vibrations. Motocell Lithium Gold Batteries are imported and distributed exclusively in Australia by Link

International. For more information on the range visit, www.linkint.com. au/motocell-gold-batteries.html

AH, THAT FEELS NICE!

Dainese Pro Armour Lumbar 3ULFH Want to help make your travels more comfortable, well what you need is H[DFWO\ ZKDW 'DLQHVH KDV UHOHDVHG ² WKH 3UR $UPRXU /XPEDU %RDVWLQJ

(1 FHUWLÀFDWLRQ DQG FRQVWUXFWHG RI à H[LEOH H[SDQGHG QLWULOH UXEEHU WKH 3UR $UPRXU /XPEDU LV H[WUHPHO\ comfortable while still offering excellent lower-back protection. Just what the doctor ordered. Available in Short or Long lumbar and two sizes – S/M, L/XL. See your local bike shop or visit www.cassons.com.au

FLIP IT

Rjays Tour Tech III helmet 3ULFH ² )URP Rjays constantly evolves the range and the latest to come under the H\H LV WKHLU 7RXU 7HFK ,,, à LS IURQW helmet. Constructed from ABS the Tour Tech III features 6 air vents, removable and washable interior lining, space for intercom headset speakers, single action chin bar with dual locking system, Twin Shield

90

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everyday use. A 40 litre capacity allows you to carry up to a 17 inch laptop plus a separate tablet in a padded VOHHYH 3OHQW\ RI KDQG\ VWRUDJH pockets and featuring fabric that gives off a shiny candy lime green effect! See your local Kawasaki dealer to for one of these. System (TSS), clear anti scratch visor and replacement visors available in &OHDU /LJKW 6PRNH 'DUN 6PRNH Coated Iridium Silver Blue and Gold. Sizes range from XS-2XL and a nice selection of colours. See your local bike shop or visit www.cassons.com.au

SHINY BACK

Kawasaki Ogio backpack 3ULFH The perfect Kawasaki backpack for

NICE PANTS

Aerostich Ultralight Rain Pants 3ULFH 86 Keeping a pair of Aerostich Ultralight 5DLQ 3DQWV VWDVKHG LQ a backpack or on the bike will prove useful when you are riding in jeans and the skies suddenly turn grey and conditions turn wet. These second generation, 3-layer breathable-waterproof fully seam sealed nylon rain pants (available in ten sizes) pack away ultra-small in a built-in self-store

IT CAN HAPPEN TO YOU!

ȧ ȧ ȧ

AIRBAG VEST Also in black

HELITE TOURING AIRBAG JACKET - Also in black

zippered pocket (4"×5"×1.5") and are strong enough to thwart all-day rain and road spray. They’ll get you home dry. Visit www.aerostich.com to purchase.

BREATHE, BABY

'1$ DLU Ă€OWHU ² 7KUX[WRQ 5 3ULFH

Let the beautiful new Triumph Thruxton and Truxton R breathe OLNH LW VKRXOG ZLWK WKH ODWHVW DLU ÀOWHU UHOHDVHG IURP '1$ 2IIHULQJ D FODLPHG LQFUHDVH LQ DLUà RZ the racy Thruxton will really enjoy it, and so will you! Grab one at your local bike shop or visit www.kenma.com.au

+HOLWH DLUEDJ WHFKQRORJ\ Č? WKH IXWXUH RI PRWRUF\FOH VDIHW\ LV KHUH WRGD\ (XURSHDQ GHVLJQHG &( DSSURYHG +HOLWH YHVWV DQG MDFNHWV DOO ZLWK DLUEDJ EXLOW LQ )RU WKH SULFH RI D KHOPHW +HOLWH SURWHFWV \RXU QHFN YHUWHEUDH FKHVW KLSV DEGRPHQ LQWHUQDO RUJDQV DQG WDLOERQH Č? D KHOPHW IRU \RXU ERG\

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POSTIE NOTES 12

MO’S ON THE BUNDY NOW WORDS/PHOTOS JACQUI KENNEDY

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entral Queensland holds many JHPV ² OLWHUDOO\ DQG Ă€JXUDWLYHO\ , was two months into my second year riding my indomitable postie bike Mo around Australia and revelling in our second winter above the Tropic of Capricorn. I had purposefully chosen a full mesh protective jacket from Corazzo in anticipation of the higher temperatures and it was turning out to be one of my better choices on this WULS , ZDV Ă€QDOO\ EHJLQQLQJ WR IXOO\ understand the Grey Nomad calling. The Sugar Bowl region of Bundaberg and Rockhampton held very little appeal once we’d done the Bundy Rum and Ginger Beer factory. The cane cutting season had not quite begun but the cane was high and dry, swaying gently in the breeze for mile upon mile. The smell of molasses was in the air, heralding the new season. The towns were heaving with casual workers and fruit pickers with camp grounds and hostels bursting at the seams. The only escape was west into mining country. Noel, from Horizons Unlimited, had invited me to visit Emerald and aside from having a Big Easel to add to my Big Things collection, it was a welcome change from the coastal mayhem. The 200km of road between Rockhampton and Emerald contained the largest concentration of trucks I KDYH HQFRXQWHUHG VLQFH 3RUW +HGODQG in WA. Luckily there was a nice wide verge and I was hyper-vigilant of the approaching behemoths, being able to maintain my speed in the breakdown lane at the same time allowing the trucks to overtake Mo safely. While UHIXHOOLQJ LQ WKH OLWWOH WRZQ RI 'LQJR a truck driver approached and complimented me on my safe riding

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stating that I was “the talk of the WUXFNLH DLUZDYHVÂľ :KHQ , HQWHUHG the roadhouse to pay for my petrol, the lady said “it’s all taken care of ORYHÂľ 2QH RI WKH WUXFNLHV KDG expressed his appreciation by paying IRU Ă€OOLQJ 0R¡V WDQN Life on the road continually delivers nice surprises from unexpected tangents. Escaping from the busy road and the heaving tourist parks, Mo and I hit the gravel and camped at %ODFNGRZQ 1DWLRQDO 3DUN ZLWK WKH only company being magpies. The dirt road in deters many caravaners IURP YHQWXULQJ WRR IDU DĂ€HOG After a relaxing few days at Emerald being introduced to the farming

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culture, Noel and I ventured further west to gem country. Sapphire, Anakie and Rubyvale contain rich veins of semi-precious stones and an entire community living off-grid and outside WKH FRQĂ€QHV RI FRXQFLO UHJXODWLRQV Stake a claim and build a shack. )RU D OHVVRQ LQ Ă€QGLQJ VDSSKLUH FKLSV KHDG GRZQ WR 3DW¡V *HPV ZKHUH HYHQ WKH PRVW ERJDQ SRVWLH ULGHU FDQ Ă€QG D stone chip or two. After Noel returned to Emerald, I headed north for a night at the VWXQQLQJ 7KHUHVD &UHHN 'DP DQG WKHQ I backtracked to Capella to visit the /LJKW +RUVH PHPRULDO ² D PDJQLĂ€FHQW GHVLJQ DQG Ă€WWLQJ PRQXPHQW WR WKH $Q]DFV &XWWLQJ DFURVV WKURXJK '\VDUW I passed through the coal mining

region, stunned to see the extent of the hole in the ground. Mile after mile, slashing a nasty scar on the landscape whilst employing thousands of workers living in temporary humpies RI Ă \ LQ Ă \ RXW WRZQVKLSV While free camping one night I met ,DQ 'HQQLV +HLGL DQG &KULV IURP WKH Walk for Life team. They were raising money for breast and prostate cancer by walking around Australia over the next 14 months, they tag-team 10km at a time and cover about 50km a day. If you want to be a grey nomad and see the great land of Oz - then this is the way to do it!! Back on the coast I was told about the tiny hilltop town of Eungella where I could see platypi in the

wild. Winding our way through high FDQHÀHOGV UHDG\ IRU KDUYHVW WKH KLOO climb was a struggle for my poor overloaded little mate. The anticipated glorious view from the top was down to two metres with a thick fog enveloping everything. We picked our way slowly up to Broken River and spent a few hours poking around the little creek waiting to spot the elusive monotremes – without luck. A light drizzly rain had set in so we retraced

our route to the Eungella campsite where we were treated to the most PDJQLĂ€FHQW GRXEOH UDLQERZ VXQVHW across the valley. Other tourists were happily showing off their happy snaps of platypi frolicking in the water but that item on my fauna list remained unticked. The following day we descended to WKH YDOOH\ Ă RRU RQFH PRUH DQG URGH through many kilometres of high cane before venturing up the Finch

Hatton Gorge and stopping for lunch at the Ulysses Garden Cafe. I had encountered virtually no rain in the past two months touring in Queensland with the winter temperatures and humidity a pure delight. The tropical north was amazing and it was about to get a thousand times better with a highly anticipated detour to the Whitsunday Islands. Tune in again for Postie Notes number 13. D

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97

CLASSICMORRIS

EASY AS ABC

LESTER MORRIS, TV STAR WORDS (WHO ELSE) LESTER MORRIS

I

t was in 1973, just a day or so DIWHU , KDG Ă€QLVKHG ZRUNLQJ LQ Melbourne during the short run of a stage musical, the unsuccessful production running for only nine weeks, that I received an odd phone call from a producer of the ABC’s ‘Torque’ programme, the short-lived TV feature dedicated, as its name subtly suggested, to test reports and other information for the delectation of avid motoring enthusiasts. For some obscure reason, the stage SURGXFWLRQ¡V %URDGZD\ 'LUHFWRU Sammy Bayes, had cast me from Sydney in three entirely different – and extremely odd - character roles in the Melbourne production of the musical version of Shakespeare’s ‘Two Gentlemen of Verona’, which the Management of J.C.Williamsons thought would play for some 18 months. How wrong they were about that prediction! I was to play the impish Cupid in the opening scenes, the 84-year old Antonio some 30 minutes later in the Ă€UVW DFW DQG WKH GUXQNHQ XQNHPSW Inn-keeper in the second act. In the role of Cupid I was dressed in spangled, pink-and-gold lame Budgie-smugglers with matching bolero jacket featuring a pair of very large pink hearts. A red wig was HQWZLQHG ZLWK Ă RZHUV ZKLOH P\ SLQN sandals – which matched Cupid’s pink bow - were laced with pink and gold leather thongs which wrapped URXQG P\ OHJV 3LQN JDUWHUV HQFLUFOHG my thighs and upper arms. I did my own white-face make-up which featured a classic Cupid’s bow lip-line, in brilliant scarlet, topped off with gold eye-shadow, thick, jetblack eyebrows and heavy mascara. What a sight!

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On the other hand, Antonio wore a large grey wig, his heavy – and very swiftly! – made-up face by now sad and deeply lined, the gnarled hands also made-up to age dramatically. His smart costume was a grey, skivvy-like top, calf-length patterned sleeveless WXQLF JUH\ EUHHFKHV DQG FORVH Ă€WWLQJ boots. The drunken Inn-keeper had his own (sparse) dark hair teased RXW IURP WKH WHPSOHV KLV Ă RULG face and bulbous nose disguising the two earlier characters, who were themselves entirely unrecognisable from each other. He carried an enormous beer stein, from which he took the occasional slurp as he staggered about, singing lustily with the ensemble. The disparate characters were apparently so unusual for one actor to perform that, as part of the show’s publicity, a full-page piece was published in the Melbourne Age in early 1973, which featured photos of my three characters highlighted alongside my ‘ordinary’ face. This article had caught the attention of WKH $%& 3URGXFHU DV KDG P\ SKRWRV outside the Theatre. He recalled my assistance for a ‘Big Country’ programme he had produced for the ABC some years earlier, where I was an adviser for a piece they KDG Ă€OPHG RQ PRWRFURVV UDFLQJ LQ Australia. He had wanted to include motorcycle tests in the programme for some time, he told me. He said he had rung Her Majesty’s Theatre, was given my agent’s details, and had then contacted me. It was a welcome surprise, because there was not a whole lot happening in theatre at that time, with just the odd TV commercial, and a few other bits on local TV.

And so began a short career as the motorcycle compere on the ‘Torque’ programme. )LUVW RII , ZDV Ă RZQ WR 6\GQH\ LQ ODWH WR Ă€OP D WHVW RI WKH EUDQG QHZ 5 6 %0: RQ WKH 2UDQ 3DUN circuit, then back to Melbourne to Ă€OP WKH QHZ 5( 5RWDU\ 6X]XNL DW 6DQGRZQ LQ FRORXU IRU WKH Ă€UVW WLPH ² DQRWKHU IHDWXULQJ 'HQQLV Skinner’s unbeatable, hub-centre VWHHUHG /DYHUGD RXWĂ€W DQG DQ interview with the incomparable Ken Blake. This was followed by another WULS WR 6\GQH\ WR Ă€OP DQG FRPPHQW upon, motocross racing and the accoutrements necessary to engage in this pursuit. One or two other Torque episodes then led to the biggest gig of all, a ride in the ‘Forest 300’, a twoday Enduro which was to be run through the daunting, heavilywooded Barrington Tops area. The event was organised by the Cessnock Motorcycle Club, with input from a Maitland motorcycle dealer called Winston Stokes, an Enduro rider of some standing. I had ridden along WKH RFFDVLRQDO Ă€UH WUDLO PDQ\ \HDUV previously, but had never ridden in an Enduro event. I accepted the challenge – although I had no blind idea what to expect! – for I was to EH Ă€OPHG DW VRPH VWDJHV GXULQJ WKH event for a forthcoming Torque episode, and there seemed to be no way out of it! It might be remembered that the current Forest 300 is a very serious event indeed, which includes motocross races on the local Showground as well. , ZDV Ă RZQ WR 6\GQH\ WR EH VORZO\ WUDQVSRUWHG WR WKH GLVWDQW 'RUULJR Motel within a small, 400cc Jeep-like

off-roader Suzuki called the ‘Jimny’, which remains the only vehicle I have ever encountered anywhere on earth which had a red-lined speedometer! The speedo was red-lined at a point from 70 km/ hour to 80 km/hour which was clearly its upper limit, because the little engine seemed to be revving its two-stroke(!) head off from about seventy Kay onwards, the noise in the cabin almost over-powering. It employed a canvas, fold-down roof DQG QRLV\ Ă DSSLQJ FDQYDV VLGHV 2Q the long trip we were overtaken by everything on wheels, including (believe it or not!) a pushbike on RQH QRWHZRUWK\ RFFDVLRQ 'RUULJR LV said to be some three hours from Sydney, but we seemed to take all day to get there in the little, ill-handling screamer. :KHQ ZH Ă€QDOO\ DUULYHG , ZDV immediately issued with a set of %HOVWDII ÂśJUHDVLHV¡ E\ WKH Ă€OP FUHZ – I had brought my own Belstaffs along, of course, along with helmet, boots and heavy gloves – the jacket

emblazoned with a full-sized ‘ABC – TORQUE’ screamer across the back. :H Ă€OPHG D Ă€YH PLQXWH SUHDPEOH in which I addressed the camera to explain what was going on(?), before being handed my machine, an ‘ordinary’, off-road 250cc two-

"I ACCEPTED THE CHALLENGE – ALTHOUGH I HAD NO BLIND IDEA WHAT TO EXPECT! – FOR I WAS TO BE FILMED AT SOME STAGES DURING THE EVENT FOR A FORTHCOMING TORQUE EPISODE, AND THERE SEEMED TO BE NO WAY OUT OF IT!� stroke Yamaha. This was before really long-travel suspension systems had surfaced, which meant that my short legs could just about touch the ground. I was comfortable enough, VR , ÀUHG WKH ELNH XS DQG ZKLOH

the cameras rolled and some of the more expert riders shook their grizzled heads at this intrusion, took the bike for an enthusiastic, lock-tolock squirt over some very muddy, rough terrain. There was no practice on the day, and none before the event on the morrow, but there had clearly been an enormous amount of work done over the preceding days – or weeks – because I could see that there were miles of coloured tapes for us to follow which were attached to poles on both sides of the track. They seemed to snake off into the bush for as far as the eye could see, to suddenly drop down into hidden valleys to re-emerge here and there between the trees atop narrow escarpments which seemed to be perched precariously upon a knifeedge, with sheer drops down each side. I could see that there were a few small signs mounted on some poles, which I assumed were there to advise riders of dangerous areas or sudden, blind corners (?).

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C L ASSICMORR IS

If I had never ridden in anything like this in my life before I was enthusiastic enough, for I was more than forty years younger at the time, but I fervently hoped I would never have to ride in anything like the Forest 300 again! All riders were given a long EULHÀQJ RQ WKH ÀUVW GD\ RI WKH event, including the fact that the average speeds over the carefully timed sections was expected to be (if I remember correctly) 22 miles per hour – a seemingly easy thing to manage, but in the event very GLIÀFXOW WR DFKLHYH ZKHQ IRUFHG WR VORZO\ IRUG VZLIWO\ à RZLQJ URFN strewn streams or bounding along the rugged, mountainous terrain over which the event was being held. We moved off singly at one-minute intervals, to be confronted almost immediately with a sudden drop into a greasy, overgrown valley and a small stream, an area which had FOHDUO\ VHHQ QR WUDIÀF RWKHU WKDQ WKH thin wheel tracks of the machines which had been ridden through there days before when the bunting had been put up. We then climbed a very precipitous, near vertical slope, standing on the footrests while negotiating a narrow trail which was FOHDUO\ QR PRUH WKDQ D WUDFN à DWWHQHG out by a range of forest creatures which were either nocturnal or had à HG WKH DUHD LQ WHUURU It was no place for heroics, because it was no more than a secondgear climb, the throttle carefully feathered because the rear wheel was constantly on the point of wheelspin, which it very occasionally achieved for a second or two. It was very dicey stuff, because of the deep drop down both sides, but we climbed ever upwards, the tail-end of the Yamaha occasionally attempting to slide over the side of the knife-edged trail. This then broadened out a little, which was not much help, because the thick carpet of leaves we then encountered were as slippery as if they had just had an enthusiastic, al fresco greasing. The next few miles were somewhat TXLFNHU DV WKH WUDFN à DWWHQHG RXW

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after that steep climb, and I picked up the pace, slotted into third gear and swept sideways round a bend at the top to discover we had arrived at the first check-point. There was a small clutch of riders waiting to be checked in, their engines silent. One of their number loudly declared to the others his total amazement WKDW WKH Âś3RRI IURP WKH $%&¡ KDG managed to climb to the check point and was, in fact, on time! He reckoned it was probably the most difficult section he had ever ridden over, but I didn’t bother to mention to him that it was probably more arse than class that had got me safely to that point! Of course it couldn’t last, because the next leg involved a steep drop down a near-vertical cliff-face, followed by an equally steep ascent immediately opposite. I gunned the engine, expecting to be catapulted over the crest of the cliff-face opposite, only to find the bike rewarded this absurdity by executing a neat loop-the-loop and speared side-on down the hill, digging the full length of its prop-stand into the buttery clay. That was it for me, as I dragged myself from under the bike and tried with all my might to lift it up again. Bikes slid past on either side as I heaved on that immobile machine, but later in the day when the ‘sweep’ riders came around, it took three of them to lift the bike because the prop-stand was solidly locked within embrace of the cloying, thick clay. I followed the sweep riders along an easier route to the finish line, without an inch of additional film being recorded. The bike was OK, but the following day saw me mounted on a smaller, 175cc Yamaha off-roader, which suited me better. Even though I was actually disqualified, we needed the extra filming to be done so I set off again, this time with nothing like the urgency of the previous day but still making our way through various check-points – through which we were waved without reference to clipboards or times. Finally, I was slithering

sideways down another steep, greasy VORSH ZKHQ , HVSLHG RQH RI WKH Ă€OP crew on the side of the track holding a loud-hailer. ´+HUH KH FRPHV Âľ KH EHOORZHG WULXPSKDQWO\ ´+HUH KH FRPHV Âľ shouted another loud-hailer somewhere. I saw one of the two cameras which they had set-up turn toward me just as the front wheel dropped into a deep hole and I was spat unceremoniously over the handlebars. I leapt up, grabbed the ELNH DQG Ă€UHG LW RXW RI WKH KROH RQO\ to be pelted over the ’bars yet again about 50 meters further on, with both cameras well and truly focussed upon me. The engine conked out on the second occasion, but I started it up without trouble and shot off, this time executing the classic, semicontrolled ‘Lazy S’ manoeuvre before almost disappearing at some speed around a high rock face. Of course I was pelted off again several metres later, the drama captured RQ Ă€OP E\ WKH ORZHU PRVW FDPHUD in those few brief seconds before I Ă€QDOO\ YDQLVKHG IURP WKHLU VLJKW DV , slid over the slimy surface alongside the hapless Yamaha. “Hey thanks for that, it was great 79 FRXOGQ¡W DVN IRU EHWWHU Âľ WKH GLUHFWRU VDLG ZKHQ , Ă€QDOO\ DUULYHG back at the starting line and they KDG Ă€OPHG P\ WULXPSKDQW " arrival, with my subsequent wrapup. Naturally, they had taken a VKRUW FXW WR WKH Ă€QLVK DUULYLQJ there long before I did, to set up the two cameras. “That last fall was great as you slid quickly out of sight alongside the bike, we just managed WR FDSWXUH LW Âľ Of course the event was gleefully shown on National TV on the Torque program. It was quite an adventure, but I have noted, in the information issued concerning the latest Forest 300, a comment that “the earliest Forest 300 was a bike and body wrecker, but these days we are more sensible, and have more care for the riders, PDFKLQHV DQG WKH HQYLURQPHQWÂľ It’s too late for me‌ D

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SIDECAR GATHERING 2016

That’s not a swag. This is a swag!

THOSE WILD MEN AND THEIR OUTFITS WORDS/PHOTOS THE POSSUM

F

ollowing the Off Centre Rally, I retired to Adelaide for some R&R. Fortunately it’s also the home of Rossi Boots, as I had suffered a blow-out on the zipper in one boot, so it was dropped off for repair. Getting out of Adelaide was pretty uneventful after picking up the repaired boot and heading north again. The wind was really picking up and the sky looked threatening as I got past Gawler. As luck would have it, whenever a really dark wet cloud mass loomed up, the road skirted around it, so it was just the wind that annoyed me. My travelling mate had left ahead of me, and we had arranged to meet at WKH 3HWHUERURXJK +RWHO , JRW WKHUH and put the bike out the back and moved it to the ensuite room on the JURXQG à RRU DQG VWLOO QR VLJQ RI )UHG He showed up eventually, it seems he

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is related to half of SA and had been visiting. Rained like a good thing half the night, but we were LQVLGH E\ WKH ÀUH Earlier, I had bagged the only copy of Australian Motorcyclist that WKH 3HWHUERURXJK newsagent gets and was pleased to see the Winifred Wells story – more on this later. Saturday dawned cool and clear as we headed further north. The Silver City Highway will never make best biking roads, but

Watch out for those pesky emus!

Ready for anything

it gets us to the pub at Manna Hill where old mate Beetle Bailey was running the Sidecar Gathering. There had been some noise on certain forums to attempt the JUHDWHVW JDWKHULQJ RI RXWĂ€WV LQ Australia at this rally. There were plenty on hand ! We found Beet sitting out in the sun in front of the pub, watching the endless stream of caravaners passing by. I showed him the Winifred Wells article and he was very pleased indeed. Beetle is organising a fund raiser for the *XLGH 'RJV QH[W \HDU EDVHG RQ WKH exploits of young Winifred. There were a great many SA UHJLVWHUHG RXWĂ€WV EXW WKH :$ crew that had done the OCR were somewhere well to the west by now, KHDGLQJ KRPH +DUU\ WKH 'XWFKPDQ represented the WA crew on his ZHOO HQJLQHHUHG RXWĂ€W ² WKLQN WKUHH wheeled tank ! McCardigan was in residence, having not had a breakdown since 5R[\E\ 'RZQV 0DQ\ RI WKH RXWĂ€WV VKRZHG

membership of the Monarchs, a Victorian Club with a strong leaning to three wheels. Best effort goes to the blokes who turned up on a late 1948 M21 %6$ RXWĂ€W %LJ Ă \ZKHHOV DQG slogging side-valve single made the M21 the sidecar bike back in the day. All attendees found a place to camp in the large back yard of the pub and all night long could listen to the road trains rattling through and the bloody freight train drivers sounding their horns. As the afternoon rolled along, we had the awards ceremony /RQJHVW 'LVWDQFH 6LGHFDU ZHQW WR Neil and Vicki from Melbourne. I Ă€UVW PHW WKHP RQ RQH RI P\ Ă€UVW Alpine Rallies in the mid to late ‘70’s, DQG WKH\ DUH VWLOO ULGLQJ WKH 5 RXWĂ€W they had then! Hardluck Award went to a (different) couple from Melbourne who were ambushed by an emu near Wilcannia. Urals don‘t go fast enough to collide with anything, the emu attacked them and covered the right side of the bike

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with blood, feathers and crap – lots of crap. The impact knocked out the fuel pump, and the lucky couple had an enforced stay in Wilcannia until a new pump was ferried up to them. This also caused them to miss the Off Centre Rally! /RQJHVW 'LVWDQFH 6ROR ² WKDW was me. In addition to the usual badges, Beet ZDV Ă RJJLQJ W VKLUWV DQG ODWHU Ă€UHG up the BBQ to feed the horde. All funds raised went to the Guide 'RJV DQG WKH RIĂ€FLDO FRXQW FDPH out at 55 sidecars, 28 solos and one CanAm thing. Sunday morning saw us get away and head for Broken Hill then Mildura for an overnight stay before heading for home. ,I \RX KDYH DQ RXWĂ€W RU KDYH DQ interest in them, this rally is a good place to tap into the knowledge base of some pretty amazing blokes and their equally amazing machines. Next year the Gathering is moving to a new location over towards Burra SA, so keep an eye out for it, Beetle would love to see you. D

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Plenty of bike parking. Phone ahead for large groups. Ĺ˜ 7+( 7,1 6+(' %ULGJH 6WUHHW /LWKJRZ 16: www.ausmotorcyclist.com.au

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WHATSAYYOU E LOVE TO HEAR FROM YOU, the letters are among the most keenly read parts of the magazine. Please try and keep letters down to no more than 300 words. Then you can read many, not just a couple. We do reserve the right to cut them and, unless you identify yourself and at least your town or suburb and state, we will print your email address instead. Please address letters to thebear@ausmotorcyclist.com.au or Australian Motorcyclist Magazine, PO Box 2066, Boronia Park NSW 2111. All opinions published here are those of the writers and we do not vouch for their accuracy or even their sanity!

W

GOT TO HAND IT TO YOU‌

T

his month, the prize for the best letter of the month – a pair of the exceptional Rain Off Overgloves from the equally exceptional Andy Strapz – goes to an unusually long letter, one which ZRXOGQ¡W XVXDOO\ Ă€W LQ WKH /HWWHUV column. We’ve included it anyway because it deserves to be aired, ERWK IRU WKH VHULRXV Ă€UVW SDUW and the (I hope intentionally) funny second bit. A quick word about the prize. As you may be aware by now, Andy Strapz is offering a pair of these amazing and highly effective Rain Off Overgloves to the writer of the letter of the month. The gloves are WUXO\ ZDWHUSURRI , Ă€UVW WULHG RXW a pair years ago and still use them) and have welded seams and elastic forearm closures. They won’t just keep your hands dry, they’ll also keep them warm and even preserve leather gloves worn under them. Warm hands in the cold are priceless, and Andy says that they even make heated grips work better. 7KH JORYHV FRPH LQ Ă€YH VL]HV VR our winners will have to take a look at the Andy Strapz website to work out their size and then drop Andy a line at info@andystrapz.com to FODLP WKHLU JORYHV 3OHDVH TXRWH \RXU full address to show that you are the person entitled to claim the gloves. And then – ride dry, ride warm! Hands-wise, anyway‌

LAUGH? WE NEARLY‌

6WXDUW DQG 3HWHU I often sit down and write a letter but

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rarely send them as the act of letter writing is therapeutic in itself. I’m really not the whinger I appear to be from my writings, however, I do resent the idea of someone ÀQDQFLQJ WKHLU PRWRUF\FOLQJ adventures by claiming to be raising money for charity. You will never see a summary of the money received from donors and the corresponding receipt from the charity for the money they received. On top of that, there is the cheek of rewarding the person who raised the most money by giving them an expensive prize. This charity business is all so much BS. I wonder what Boris makes of it? You might also wonder about the integrity of charities accepting money raised in these circumstances. Are the charities made aware of exactly how much money is raised and what their share of it is, or are they just putting their hand out for whatever they can get? I personally believe that all charities should be required by law to operate within a set ratio of, say, 20% of funds raised to administration and 80% to whatever it is they support, I imagine a lot of registered charities would disappear if held to this level of accountability. These days it’s rare for charities to have 20% of the money raised going to the cause they exist for. If I ever want to celebrate Winifred Wells’ ride I will do it in my own way and at my own expense and just maybe I’ll write about it and submit it to a magazine. [Bruce, we would not promote a charity ride where we didn’t trust the operator. Anyway, The Possum knows where Beetle lives‌ The best kinds of fundraisers are ones like The Distinguished Gentleman’s Ride where the money goes direct to the charity. The organisers don’t see it. Having said that, I do agree with you about many of the charities around – The Bear]

I enjoy reading your magazine each month and look forward to my copy DUULYLQJ LQ WKH SRVW , VWDUW DW WKH Ă€UVW page and read every single article. In the couple of times I’ve met Stuart, I’d have to say I found him a nice bloke and like him. Wait for it‌ +RZHYHU , GR Ă€QG VRPH RI KLV ELNH tests irritating. I suppose, in order of priority the thing I dislike most is Stuart’s constant claim that a bike’s fuel consumption is good. What does that mean? It would be far better to say that a bike’s fuel consumption is good when compared to a similar horsepower/capacity bike. I know motorcycles are self-indulgent devices and probably shouldn’t be compared with cars, but a motorcycle returning above 5 litres per hundred kilometres should never be given a general description of “Good fuel FRQVXPSWLRQÂľ LQ P\ YLHZ 3HUKDSV for my own amusement I’ve written and attached a copy of statements that I imagine Stuart will NEVER put in his reviews. As to Boris, with a famous surname like his (one of Serbia’s greatest heroes) you just have to pay attention. I guess Boris is long practised at ‘pot stirring’, but it is important that people like Boris FDQ VWLFN KLV Ă€QJHU XS DW VR PXFK of the nonsense and ridiculous political correctness that our current Australian society heaps on those of us who can remember what it was like living in this country in the 1950s, 1960s and 1970s. That’s not even mentioning the individuals ZH Ă€QG RQ WKH URDG WKDW ZH KDYH to endure with equanimity to avoid being arrested for beating them about the head for their ill-mannered stupidity. Keep it up Boris, you have plenty of fans out there. This has turned out to be three or four letters rolled into one. The Bear will always be the Bear and long may

Lester share his reminiscences. Bruce Walker %DXONKDP +LOOV

“My garage shelves are chock full RI EUDQG QHZ XQXVHG IDFWRU\ Ă€WWHG PXIĂ HUV ZKLFK ,¡YH UHPRYHG IURP HYHU\ ELNH ,¡YH HYHU ERXJKW Âľ And here is Bruce’s contribution to honesty “This new motorcycle develops in motorcycle reviewing: 50 horsepower and that should be HQRXJK IRU DQ\RQH Âľ :RUGV DQG 3KUDVHV ZH¡OO QHYHU VHH “I can list many motorcycles that Stuart Woodbury write in his bike KDYH HQRXJK SRZHU DQG WRUTXH Âľ test reviews: “The newest model actually “I won’t mention how tall I am doesn’t have and doesn’t need any because everyone knows that by LQFUHDVH LQ SRZHU RU WRUTXH Âľ now as I mention it in every review “This new motorcycle has a top I write. By the way, I’m really tall, speed of around 170 kilometres an DFWXDOO\ PHWUHV Âľ hour which, given the top speed “I’m not going to recommend you limit in Australia is 130km/h, Ă€W 6WDLQWXQHV $NUDSRYLFV 6FUHDPLQJ LV IDVW HQRXJK IRU DQ\RQH Âľ Eagles or any of the other “Fuel consumption of 5.5 litres per DIWHUPDUNHW PXIĂ HUV EHFDXVH , KDWH hundred kilometres on this motorcycle to see you wasting so much money is spectacularly lousy when you and putting perfectly good factory consider that most European cars can Ă€WWHG PXIĂ HUV RQ \RXU JDUDJH VKHOI GR EHWWHU WKDQ WKDW WKHVH GD\V Âľ to rot away, especially since you’ve “Anyone who thinks the motorcycles just spent $25,000+ of your hard I like are about fuel conservation HDUQHG FDVK RQ WKLV PRWRUF\FOH Âľ is stupid. Luckily The Bear pays ´3OHDVH EH DZDUH WKDW D ORW RI for my fuel. our advertising revenue comes “If you’re concerned about excessive from the makers and importers of IXHO FRQVXPSWLRQ JR DQG EX\ D FDU Âľ DIWHUPDUNHW PXIĂ HUV Âľ “I like this motorcycle just as it is and

I wouldn’t want to personalise or change it in any way. It’s the motorcycle I’d choose for myself, especially if I had to SD\ IRU LW P\VHOI Âľ “I know the motorcyclists who read this magazine are really loaded with money, that’s why I use and recommend the most expensive stuff. Mind you I wouldn’t buy half that stuff if I had to SD\ IRU LW P\VHOI Âľ “This motorcycle costs $35,000 but factor in another $5000 to cover all the ridiculous accessories and personalising bling I am about to recommend and which I’d add if I had as much money as you obviously have, to spend this PXFK RQ D PRWRUF\FOH Âľ That’s not bad, Bruce (you don’t mind if we call you Bruce, do you?) What do you reckon, other ladies and Bruces out there, can you supply any more “words & phrasesâ€? along these lines? Actually, never mind what Stuart might or might not write. What about The Bear? Surely he’s guilty too‌

0 0 2 2 + years

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105

W HATSAYYOU

SOFT BAG SCRAMBLING

Bear, I’ll keep this short and try not to ramble. I took a set of these… www.kriega.com.au/ saddlebags/ducati-scrambler-duo-saddlebagplatforms.html, and added these… www. aussiebikershop.com.au/index.php. Fitted up and tested with a few added fastening bits, and hey, it all works giving 50 SOXV OLWUH FDSDFLW\ ZLWK QR ÁDSSLQJ RU UXEELQJ It seems ok to me Bear, just might like to do a few adjustments, and reckon I could also VWLOO ÀW P\ *LYL /WU WDLO EDJ LI QHHGHG %RWK the Kriega platforms (easily taken off) and the bags were sourced in Australia at reasonable prices, making the combination cheaper than WKH 'XF DFFHVVRULHV DQG RWKHU DIWHUPDUNHW solutions. Not too shabby at all imo. Cheers, Gil Northern Rivers NSW Thank you, Gil, I’m always interested in ideas that work – especially when I may be able to steal them for my bike! – The Bear IAN’S OFF

My report on the bike show after taking her majesty for a 3 day shopping binge in Melbourne interrupted by the Melbourne motorcycle show, I can say with great delight it was very well worth the effort as I had many queries to sort out, track leathers for girls (my daughter) this would have been impossible going through normal channels, some summer wear for real pillions not those lunch boxes some guys get to take as pillions. Of course the one stand that was a must was the Australian Motorcyclist magazine PDQQHG E\ WKH XVXDO VXVSHFWV 3HWH 6WXDUW unfortunately the star of that stand (Boris) was away, the word on the street was there were two exhibitions on in Melbourne at the same time, one was big boys toys (motorcycle exhibition) the other was toys for big boys (the sexpo exhibition) and as we know Boris is famous for following his nose and you guessed it Boris ended up at the sexpo exhibition, undeterred by this Boris immediately went into action on one of the stands as of yet we don’t know what gizmos he was peddling but apparently he was right at home explaining the ins and outs of this gizmo (Boris would have learnt all about these gizmos at Sydney Boys High) and that is where Boris spent the entire three days. There was confusion amongst many visitors

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to the sexpo regarding one particular gizmo having an LQWHUQDO VKDIW GULYH DQG EHLQJ FRQWUROOHG E\ D à \ E\ ZLUH throttle sending it up to an 11,000 rpm orgasm. Back to the bike show to me the star of the show was the yellow and grey Triumph 900 cafe racer, my wife’s choose was the blue FJR1300 both would look very nice in my little stable, as for Boris’s choice we will have to wait for his report Yours in motorcycling Ian Gregory Regents Park NSW TOP BEANIE

Hi Bear, , KDYH UHFHLYHG P\ RIĂ€FLDO $XV 0RWRUF\FOLVW 0DJD]LQH %HDQLH :KDW D 5LSSHU , ORYH LW DQG LW Ă€WV SHUIHFWO\ ´KRZ GLG \RX NQRZÂľ" ,W SUREDEO\ ZRQ¡W JHW PXFK LPPHGLDWH XVH EXW it will be great for our Canberra winters also it will get a very good outing at the upcoming Isle of Man races. I’d send you a photo but there is enough of my ugly mug in the Bear Army article in the January edition. Love the Mag and the articles on the Motorcycle shows. Keep up the good work. Live loud. Cheers Paul Donkin (Donk) Trooper #25 UP THE GUTS AGAIN

Bear, , KDYH MXVW Ă€QLVKHG UHDGLQJ &ROLQ :KHODQ¡V VHFRQG LQVWDOPHQW RI 8S 7KH *XWV ULGLQJ IURP 3RUW $XJXVWD WR 'DUZLQ $00 , OLNHG &ROLQ¡V GRZQ WR HDUWK description of the towns/roadhouses along the route but have somethings to add. , KDYH EHHQ WROG 6SXG¡V DW 3LPED QR ORQJHU VHOOV SUHPLXP petrol, just 91 and diesel, although I don’t know how long they can continue to not sell premium. If your ride must have premium then have enough to make it to Glendambo. ,I \RX GR KDYH VXIĂ€FLHQW IXHO RU LI OLNH PLQH \RXU ULGH ZLOO drink 91 consider a 7 km detour to Woomera. I haven’t done this yet but people who have say it is an interesting town and there is accommodation including camping there DOWKRXJK , FRXOGQ¡W FRQĂ€UP WKH DYDLODELOLW\ RI IXHO North of Alice Springs Colin (probably deliberately) Colin PLVVHG D FRXSOH RI URDGKRXVHV :\FOLIIH :HOO DQG 'HYLOV Marbles (formerly Wauchope, pronounce Walk-up) Hotel. I haven’t stayed at Wycliffe Well - “The UFO Capital of $XVWUDOLDÂľ EXW DSSDUHQWO\ LW LV 2. , KDYH VWD\HG DW 'HYLOV Marbles Hotel and that was a very pleasant experience. Good food, accommodation and camping available. Cheers Jeff Cole Alice Springs That’s good news, Jeff. I’ve just heard from a friend of a friend who did WKH 'DUZLQ $GHODLGH ULGH ² KHU Ă€UVW 2XWEDFN WULS ² DQG FDPH EDFN absolutely stoked, stars in her eyes and all – The Bear D

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APRILIA

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ROAD Grom CB125E CB300F CBR300R CBR300R ABS CB400 ABS CB500F CBR500R ABS CBR600RR CB650FL ABS CB650F ABS CBR650FL ABS CBR650F ABS NC750SA ABS VFR800F CBR1000RR CBR1000RR ABS VFR1200F ABS CTX1300

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$3990 $2299 $5699 $5249 $5749 $10,499 $7899 $8099 $14,999 $9999 $9999 $10,499 $10,599 $9299 $15,199 $16,999 $17,799 $17,799 $19,499

www.kawasaki.com.au ROAD Z125 Pro Z250SL Z250SL ABS Z300 ABS Ninja 300 Ninja 300 SE KRT Ninja 300 ABS Ninja 300 SE KRT ABS ER-6n/nL ABS Versys 650/L ABS Ninja 650/L ABS Z650L Ninja ZX-6R Ninja ZX-6R 636 ABS Ninja ZX-6R 636 KRT W800 SE Z800 ABS Z900 Z1000 ABS SE Ninja 1000 ABS Ninja ZX-10R Ninja ZX-10R ABS Ninja ZX-10R Winter Ninja ZX-14R ABS Ninja ZX-14R ABS Ohlins 1400GTR ABS H2 CRUISER Vulcan S ABS Vulcan S ABS Café Vulcan 900 Classic Vulcan 900 Custom Vulcan 1700 Classic ABS Vulcan 1700 Vaquero ABS ADV TOURING KLR650 KLR650 Camo Versys X Versys 1000 ABS

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CRUISER Daytona Spyder Bobber

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INDIAN www.indianmotorcycles.com.au *All Indian Motorcycle prices are ride away CRUISER Scout $19,995 Chief Dark Horse $27,995 Chief Classic $29,995 Chief Vintage $31,995 6SULQJÀHOG Chieftain Dark Horse $34,995 Chieftain $36,995 Chief Roadmaster $40,995

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N E W BIK E PR ICE S 1190 Adventure R 1290 Super Adventure 1290 Super Adv R

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KYMCO kymco.com.au ROAD CK 125 CRUISER Venox 250 SCOOTER Super 8 125 Like 125 Espresso 150 Like 200 Downtown 300i ABS

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Turismo Veloce Lusso 800. Brutale 1090 Brutale 1090 RR Brutale 1090 Corsa F4 F4 RR F4 RC

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NORTON MOTORCYCLES www.frasermotorcycles.com.au Commando 961 Sport Commando 961 Café Commander 961 SF

$29,990 $33,990 $35,990

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www.pgo-scooter.com SCOOTER Ligero 150 X Hot 150

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ZZZ UR\DOHQÀHOG FRP DX ROAD Classic 350 Bullet 500 Classic 500 Classic Desert Storm Classic Battle Green Classic Squadron Blue Classic Chrome Continental GT ADV TOURING Himalayan

$5590 $7490 $7790 $7790 $7790 $7790 $7990 $8590 $5990

SOL INVICTUS

www.mvagusta.com.au ROAD Brutale 675 F3 675 F3 675 RC Brutale 800 Brutale 800 RR Brutale 800 Dragster Brutale 800 Dragster RR F3 800 F3 800 RC Stradale 800 Turismo Veloce 800

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www.solinvictus.com.au ROAD *Prices are ride away Mercury 250 Nemesis 400

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TU250X GSX-R250 DR-Z400SM GSX-R600 SV650 GSX650F/LAMS GSR750 GSX-S750 GSX-R750 GSX-S1000 GSX-S1000F GSX-R1000 GSX-R1000R GSF1250S Bandit ABS GSX1250FA GSX1300R Hayabusa CRUISER VL250 Intruder VL650 S40 VL800 C50T VZ800 M50 VZ1500 C90T VLR1800T C109RT VZR1800 M109R VZR1800 M109R Blk ADV TOURING DR200S DR650SE DL650 V-Strom DL650 V-Strom LAMS DL650 V-Strom XT DL650 V-Strom XT LAMS DL1000 V-Strom DL1000 V-Strom XT SCOOTER UK110 Address AN200A Burgman ABS AN650A Burgman ABS

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URAL www.imz-ural.com.au

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Tiger 800 XRX/L Tiger 800 XRT Tiger 800 XC Tiger 800 XCX/L Tiger 800 XCA Explorer 1200 XRx Explorer 1200 XRt Explorer 1200 XCx/L Explorer 1200 XCa

$4695 $6995 $2590 $2990 $2695 $3995

ROAD cT ADV TOURING Tourist Retro/M70 Ranger

$21,790 $23,770 $24,918 $24,970

VESPA www.vespa.com.au

TRIUMPH www.triumphmotorcycles.com.au *Some Triumph prices are ride away ROAD Street Triple 660 Street Triple ABS Street Triple R Street Triple RX Daytona 675 ABS Daytona 675R Bonneville Street Twin Bonne Street Twin PC Bonne Street Cup Bonne T100 Bonne T100 Black Bonne Bobber Bonne Scrambler Bonneville T120 Black Bonneville T120 Bonne T120 Blk PC Bonne T120 TT Thruxton 1200 Thruxton 1200 PC Thruxton R 1200 Tiger Sport (new) Speed Triple S Speed Triple R CRUISER America Speedmaster Thunderbird Storm ABS Thunderbird Commander Thunderbird Comm TT Thunderbird Comm LT Thunderbird Comm LT TT Rocket III Roadster ABS Rocket III Touring ABS ADV TOURING Tiger 800 XR

$12,490 $12,990 $13,990 $14,999 $14,990 $16,990 $13,350 $13,550 $15,600 $15,300 $15,500 $TBA $TBA $17,000 $17,000 $17,200 $17,300 $18,700 $18,900 $21,100 $17,150 $17,900 $20,350 $11,990 $12,990 $21,990 $22,490 $22,990 $23,990 $24,490 $23,990 $26,490 $14,090

SCOOTER Primavera 125 3V Primavera 150 3V Sprint 150 3V Sprint 150 3V SE GTS 150 3V PX150 PX150 Touring 946 Bellissima 946 Armani GTS250ie FL GTS300 Super GTS300 Super Sport

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VICTORY www.victorymotorcycles.com.au *All Victory prices are ride away CRUISER Octane Vegas 8 Ball Gunner Highball Hammer S Cross Country Tour Magnum

$17,995 $21,995 $22,495 $22,495 $23,995 $31,995 $30,995

VIPER MOTORCYCLES $54,990 $54,990

YAMAHA www.yamaha-motor.com.au ROAD YZF-R15 MT-03

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ZERO

www.vipermotors.com.au ROAD Black Diamond Diamond Back

R3 R3 Movistar SR400 YZF-R6 YZF-R6 SP MT-07 LA MT-07 HO MT-07 Tracer XSR700 LA MT-09 XSR900 MT-09 Tracer MT-10 MT-10SP YZF-R1 YZF-R1 SP YZF-R1M XJR1300 FJR1300A FJR1300AE CRUISER XV250 Virago V Star 650 Custom V Star 650A Classic Bolt Bolt Paint it Black Bolt Hell for Leather Bolt R-Spec Bolt C-Spec SCR950 V Star 950 XVS1300 Stryker XVS1300 Stryker SE V Star 1300 XV1900A Roadliner Roadliner Tourer ADV TOURING XT250 XT660Z Tenere XT1200Z Super Tenere XTZ1200OE Super Tenere XTZ1200ZE SP SCOOTER BeeWee 125 Tricity Tricity ABS XP530 TMAX ABS

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BE AR F A C E D

YEAH, RIGHT '

on’t you just love the people who tell you that they were caught by the constabulary at some astronomical speed but then “talked WKHLU ZD\ RXW RI LWÂľ" Have you ever tried this? There is a range of responses from the +LJKZD\ 3DWURO RU ZKDWHYHU RIĂ€FHU IURP ´<HDK ULJKWÂľ WR ´:RXOG \RX like me to book you at the actual VSHHG \RX ZHUH GRLQJ"Âľ DQG RQ WR “Are you trying to get smart with me, VRQQ\"Âľ XVXDOO\ GHOLYHUHG E\ someone who still has nappy rash. Okay, I have talked my way out of it a couple of times, which is an average of once every 24 years of riding, and never in Australia. I’ve tried, but very carefully, always remembering the experience of one RI RXU URDG WHVWHUV 3XOOHG RYHU IRU speeding, Bill tried to soften the cop’s heart by telling him that he was working for a bike magazine, and testing the bike he was on, and‌ And the eyes of the cop lit up. “I’ve been hoping to book one of \RX EORNHV IRU DJHVÂŤÂľ KH EUHDWKHG Then, the abyss. The fact that I haven’t managed to talk myself out of a booking in Australia does not, however, mean that I’ve never got away with it. I was on a friend’s Norton Atlas (thanks again, 5RFN\ RQ WKH Ă€UVW VWUHWFK RI the Newcastle tollway to be completed, and I was determined to “do the WRQÂľ 7KH VSHHGR KDG been checked and I knew that I would have to hit 172km/h on the speedo to be able to claim the old ton. The Norton was weaving a bit as we

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approached 160, but I kept it pinned and saw the needle touch 175. As I rolled off, I heard the siren. Just for a moment I considered doing a runner – it was something like 2.30am – but common sense, which had been noticeably lacking so far, took over and I pulled up. It was just near the Mount White turnoff, on a warm, starry night. Funny what you remember. While I waited for the car I momentarily wondered what the temperature would be like in the Gosford lockup. 7KH +LJKZD\ 3DWUROPDQ JRW RXW RI the car and wandered over to me. ´+RSZRRG¡V Ă€QHVW HK"Âľ KH VDLG cheerfully, looking at the bike. “The 12 volt model, too. Now then, er, sir, (I had just turned 20) is there any reason why you were doing NP K"Âľ ,W ZDV XVXDO HYHQ WKHQ WR TXRWH D ORZHU Ă€JXUH WKDQ DFWXDO ² presumably to reduce the likelihood of the miscreant arguing. I would actually have preferred him to give the real speed, if only to be able to VKRZ P\ PDWHV WKH WLFNHW ,Q D Ă DVK , thought of a clever answer. ´8P QR Âľ , VDLG ´<HDK ULJKW Âľ KH UHSOLHG “You were just wondering what she would do, ZHUHQ¡W \RX"Âľ 2QFH DJDLQ , used all my wits to come up with a corker. ´$KÂŤ \HV Âľ , VDLG “At least you picked a JRRG WLPH Âľ VDLG WKH cop, a Senior Constable. ´%HFDXVH LW¡V QLJKW"Âľ , ventured. “No, because I’m the one on duty. I like these things. Got a Commando coming. Now then, er, sir, I am going to issue you with a warning for

exceeding the 110km/h speed limit by OHVV WKDQ NP K 7KHUH LV QR Ă€QH (points had not been thought of). 3OHDVH EH PRUH WKRXJKWIXO LQ IXWXUH Âľ I’m sure he was laughing as he spun WKH +3 FDU¡V ZKHHOV JHWWLQJ EDFN RQWR the slab and heading north. At least I could understand the reason why he was letting me go. There was another time, down south RQ WKH 3ULQFHV +LJKZD\ QHDU (GHQ which was not so obvious. I had come around a left-hander and over a small bridge when I saw the lights up ahead. The cop was standing next to his car, just off the road to the left, and holding a radar gun. As I pulled over I couldn’t help but notice that he was quite angry. I thought uh oh, here’s trouble. And there was, at OHDVW DW Ă€UVW , FRSSHG D WRUUHQW RI furious abuse that ended in a promise to book me and all my mates if we were still around the next day (and speeding, presumably) and throw away the key. ´1RZ FOHDU RXW Âľ KH DGGHG (K" ,¡G probably been doing about 130 on a 100km/h stretch of road, and the last thing I expected was to be let go. But of course I didn’t argue. When I got to Eden, I was telling my friends about this staggering event when one of the others pulled in. He shall remain nameless but he knows who he is. I turned to him with my story, and a smug grin took over his spacious face. ´, NQRZ Âľ KH VDLG ´2QH KXQGUHG DQG VHYHQW\ VL[ NLORPHWUHV DQ KRXU Âľ , didn’t have to ask him if he had been let go as well, the answer was plastered all over his grinning mug. Later, I found out from a friend in WKH FRSV WKDW WKH +LJKZD\ 3DWURO LQ NSW had been having a protest day, refusing to book anyone. ´<HDK ULJKW Âľ , KHDU \RX VD\ It’s true, though. D

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113

BOR IS

RAINMEN S

teve and I and about 60 other like-minded people had been out riding in the desert for three days. Well, it wasn’t a real desert. It didn’t have sand dunes and Bedouins and the US Air Force carpetbombing it, but it was close enough for our purposes. It was that big empty area in the middle of NSW, pin-marked by the romantically-named village of Ivanhoe, and our purposes, such as they were, consisted of holding the throttles of our motorcycles open for as long as we could stand it, then doing it again. When we were done with that, deaf and blasted by the high-speed wind roar, our brains sludged with madness, we went to the pub. Continuing in the vein of Macbeth, ZKHUH ´'DPQHG EH KLP WKDW Ă€UVW FULHV Âś+ROG HQRXJK Âľ ZH OLWHUDOO\ drank the Ivanhoe pub dry (the publican was reduced to calling his friends to see if they had an “spare VODEV LQ WKH IULGJHÂľ DQG VR LW ZDV time to go home. We thundered back to Hay, where we were forced to abandon Biffa. He had to wait for a new tyre after having fanged his until the belts where showing. Naturally, because he was one of my most beloved of brothers, we attempted a makeshift UHSDLU :H ERXJKW Ă€YH UROOV RI GXFW tape from the servo, wound them around the tattered centreline of his tyre, advised him to “take it easy XQWLO WKH VKLW EHGGHG LQÂľ DQG VHW RII for Sydney which was only 723km DZD\ :H PDGH Ă€YH WKHQ WKH GXFW WDSH Ă HZ RII ZRXOG LWVHOI DURXQG KLV axle and almost pitched him into a table drain. So Steve and I left him in Hay and headed east for Narrandera via 'DUOLQJWRQ 3RLQW We were maybe 40km out of 'DUOLQJWRQ 3RLQW ZKHQ , SXOOHG RYHU and stared open-mouthed to the north. Steve stopped beside me, and he too stared to the north.

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Across the vast plain that runs all the way to the Gulf, was coming the biggest purple bastard of a storm either of us had seen outside of a movie. We could see all of it, such was the view. It was big and tall and pain-bruise dark. And misty with the amount of water it was hammering down on the land, which we couldn’t see at all because of the aforementioned water. There seemed WR EH QRWKLQJ XQGHUQHDWK LWV Ă DW black bottom except water. The land had gone. There was also nothing much to north of where we were except the old tin sheds that were the map-dots of One Tree, Roto and Cubba – and, from what I could see coming towards us, they were all now under 100-metres of water. “You can have my wet-weather JHDU Âľ , VDLG WR 6WHYH ´<RX VXUH"Âľ KH DVNHG KLV H\HV gleaming with gratitude, or possibly IHDU , Ă€QG SHRSOH¡V H\HV JOHDP PXFK the same for both emotions. Steve hadn’t done a lot of longdistance riding and only came on this FUD]\ Ă€YH GD\ GHVHUW UXQ EHFDXVH , told him I would sell him to Arab sex-slavers as a pleasure-boy if he didn’t come. So I lent him some gear and he’d had a very good time, and now, from what we could see, it was time to pay the ferryman. Lending him my wet-weather gear was no biggie. I knew it would make him feel better about what was about to happen to him. And he would think me benevolent and selfVDFULĂ€FLQJ ZKLFK PHDQW KH ZRXOG buy me beer all the way home and probably for the next month or so. I also knew he would be no dryer than me, judging by what was rapidly closing in on us. Wet-weather JHDU LV Ă€QH DQG ZRUNV IRU D ELW but nothing would be proof against the liquid Armageddon that was almost upon us. And then it was on us. It was like EHLQJ Ă€UH KRVHG IURP DERYH , FRXOG

not see across the road, and was completely drenched even before I started the bike. Steve was hunched against the forced of the rain and looking small and crumpled in my outsize wet-weather gear. But to his eternal credit, he did start his bike and we rolled on east – the road totally awash and our eyes frantically trying to blink away the rain. Steve had his visor up, and I had taken off my sunnies – it was the only way to get any vision at all. Cars and trucks had either pulled up on the side of the road, or just stopped in the middle, hazards Ă DVKLQJ 6R WKHUH ZDV DOO WKDW WR ULGH around. I don’t think we went much over 60. I couldn’t see the speedo, but that’s what it felt like. Of course, such climactic ferocity is relatively short-lived. It was all over in 20kms, and by the time we URGH LQWR 'DUOLQJWRQ 3RLQW DQG stopped at the pub, all that was left was that magical post-rain smell. ´7KDW ZDV DPD]LQJ Âľ 6WHYH VDLG EULQJLQJ PH WKH Ă€UVW RI PDQ\ EHHUV he planned to buy me over the coming weeks. “I have never been PRUH WHUULĂ€HG RU PRUH DOLYH DW WKH VDPH WLPH Âľ “Just like being a pleasure-boy in %DKUDLQ KXK"Âľ , grinned. D

www.hemamaps.com.au

CYCLOPS AND THE PUNTS

T

he Orange route is the basic one here. Start at Berowra shops on Highway 1 and turn down the road opposite the railway station. It’s signposted to Berowra Waters; just follow the signs fairly carefully (there are a couple of sharp corners) until the road takes you out of the built-up area. You’ve got a terrific piece of tight and generally well-surfaced road in front of you now all the way down to the ferry; just watch for oncoming traffic, because it can be very narrow. The ferry is straight ahead when you get to the bottom. Once across, try to avoid getting stuck behind a car or worse yet a truck; the road up is just as much

fun as the road down. Follow the signs to Galston through some pleasant horse studs and the like. In Galston, turn right and then take the right-hand exit at the big roundabout just outside of town. This will take you out to the Old North Road, where you turn right again. Five kilometres up the road you turn left into Cattai Ridge Road. This road eventually splits, and you want the right-hand branch again, to Cattai. Turn right at the T-intersection and left at the turn for Sackville. Once over the ferry, continue a little way to the right-hand turn to Lower Portland. Be careful when you get there; it is possible to miss the ferry turnoff on the right. Once over this

TEAR-OUT MAP #48

COLLECT THEM ALL

ferry, turn left along the River Road. This is now almost entirely paved, and it will take you through some terrific countryside, sticking almost entirely to the river. At Webbs Creek, ride past the ferry and then do a U-turn; queuing is done from the Wisemans Ferry side. When you leave the ferry, stick to the right and a paved road will take you up to St Albans. You can return by the same road or, if you don’t mind a bit of rough surface, take Settlers Road on the eastern side of the Macdonald River. If you do that, the Wisemans Ferry ferry will take you to – Wisemans Ferry. To get back to Sydney, take the steep road up the hill with its hairpin turn and then continue along Old North Road to the Galston turnoff on the left. This time right straight through Galston and continue down into Galston Gorge, which is another wonderful and rather tight run that leaves you at Asquith on the highway. If you take the left branch of Cattai Ridge Road through Maraylya, you will reach the main road where you turn left. At the McGraths Hill T-intersection, turn right and continue through Windsor and over the Hawkesbury Bridge. Turn right again in Wilberforce and consider taking the right turn to the Ebenezer Church if you feel like a cuppa; return to the main road when you’re hydrated and turn right. This takes you to the opposite side of the Sackville Ferry, so turn left at the Lower Portland turnoff and cross the ferry there. Now turn right, over the new bridge. There’s some tar, but once you get a bit further it becomes quite reasonable dirt – although the climb up the scarp is a bit tricky. At the top, turn right into Bicentennial Road and continue to Webbs Creek, where you cross the river, and cross it again at Wisemans Ferry. You can continue back to Sydney via Mangrove Mountain, or return across the ferry and take the Orange route home.

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We’re 100% committed to beating the price of your current motorcycle cover. At QBE you know you’re getting great value motorcycle insurance with our price beat guarantee. We also offer fortnightly or monthly payment options at no extra cost. Plus, with added benefits like low usage discounts, a lifetime guarantee on repairs, and apparel and helmet cover up to $4,000 – we make switching easy. Simply call us today and we’ll work out the best deal for you.

Call 1800 24 34 64

We guarantee to beat our competitors price on motorcycle insurance policies excluding our Platinum Cover. The guarantee also applies to existing QBE motorcycle insurance policies that are on renewal. Price guarantee is based on our standard price compared to competitors price for policies with the same type of insured events. Offer valid for the first 12 months of insurance, after this premium will be charged at the competitive QBE standard rate. We only guarantee to beat the price of APRA authorised insurers who hold an AFSL issued by ASIC. Guarantee does not apply to any free offers of insurance. Insurance is issued by QBE Insurance (Australia) Ltd. ABN 78 003 191 035. AFSL 239545. To decide if a policy is right for you please carefully read the PDS which is available at qbe.com.au or by phoning us on 1800 24 34 64. Price beat guarantee only available on full comprehensive motorcycle insurance. Not available on CTP.

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