Issue#71 Aug/Sep

HATTAH DESERT RACE RAMPING UP THE BRUTALITY

TOURING INDO IAN MEETS THE VOLCANO

MULTISTRADA

ENDURO DUCATI HITS THE DIRT

HONDA’S CRF450X GET THE MOST FROM YOUR EX

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ISSUE #71/AUGUST/SEPTEMBER 2016

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REGULARS 6

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SNAPSHOT

A frame grab of what we live for

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BIKE OF THE MONTH

A classic piece of steel that’s high on drool factor

FEATURES 28 2016 TATTS FINKE DESERT RACE Toby Price racks up a record-equalling fifth title

40 BLUE FIRE Ian Lloyd Neubauer visits Java on a Kawasaki KLX150

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46 KTM LAUNCH We head to Spain to do a few laps on the 2017 KTM EXC range

54 ADVENTURE ITALIANO The 2016 Ducati Multistrada 1200 Enduro

60 CLASSIC DIRT Celebrating the glory days of yesteryear

66 CALIFORNIA DREAMING

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A riding itinerary for the Hollywood star

70 HONDA CRF450X The forgotten rocket

74 SEVEN DEADLY SINS The ultimate seven-day trail ride

BACK PACK 82 LEGEND SHOT Who is this issue’s featured champ?

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84 TECH TIP We get greasy and play with our tools

86 DESTINATIONS A quick look at a dream ride location

88 RIDE TIPS Tackle the easy to the tough with these two-wheel tips

92 READERS’ RIDES Your photos of your bikes in full-colour glory

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98 PARTING SHOT The last word — or photo — ‘til we see you again

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MANAGING EDITOR Damien Ashenhurst EDITORIAL ASSISTANT Hayden Gregory STAFF WRITER Shane Booth CONTRIBUTORS Greg Smith, Craig Bernard, Paul Sneddon, Ian Neubauer DESIGNER Connie Leung NATIONAL ADVERTISING MANAGER Kizziah Fieldes: 0449 810 957 ADVERTISING DIRECTORY Ian Cassel: 02 9887 0325 ADVERTISING PRODUCTION Ian Cassel ADVERTISING SENIOR DESIGNER Martha Rubazewicz ASSOCIATE PUBLISHER Karen Day

CHAIRMAN/CEO Prema Perera PUBLISHER Janice Williams CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER Vicky Mahadeva ASSOCIATE PUBLISHER Emma Perera ASSOCIATE PUBLISHER Karen Day FINANCE & ADMINISTRATION MANAGER James Perera CIRCULATION DIRECTOR Mark Darton CREATIVE DIRECTOR Kate Podger EDITORIAL & PRODUCTION MANAGER Anastasia Casey MARKETING & ACQUISITIONS MANAGER Chelsea Peters

HATTAH DESE RT RACE RAMPING UP THE BRUT ALITY

TOURING INDO IAN MEETS THE VOLCANO

MULTISTRADA

ENDURO

DUCATI HITS THE DIRT

HONDA’S CRF450X GET THE MOST FROM YOUR EX

AUG/SEPT 2016 ISSUE 71 AUS $9.95* NZ $12.20

(Both incl. GST)

KTM 2017

LAUNCH

OFFROAD EVOLUTION

ON NT TH HE C CO OV VE ER

2017 KTM EXC launch – Spain PHOTO BY SEBAS REM ERO

Circulation enquiries to our Sydney head office (02) 9805 0399. TRAILRIDER #71 is published by Australian Publishing Pty Ltd, Unit 5, 6-8 Byfield Street, North Ryde NSW 2113. Phone: (02) 9805 0399, Fax: (02) 9805 0714. Melbourne office, Level 1, 150 Albert Road, South Melbourne Vic 3205. Phone: (03) 9694 6444, Fax: (03) 9699 7890. Printed by KHL Printing Pte Ltd, Singapore, and distributed by Gordon and Gotch. This book is copyright.

Apart from any fair dealing for the purpose of private study, research, criticism or review as permitted under the Copyright Act, no part may be reproduced by any process without written permission. Enquiries should be addressed to the publishers. The publishers believe all the information supplied in this book to be correct at the time of printing. They are not, however, in a position to make a guarantee to this effect and accept no liability in the event of any information proving inaccurate. Prices, addresses and phone numbers were, after investigation and to the best of our knowledge and belief, up to date at the time of printing, but the shifting sands of time may change them in some cases. It is not possible for the publishers to ensure that advertisements which appear in this publication comply with the Trade Practices Act, 1974. The responsibility must therefore be on the person, company or advertising agency submitting the advertisements for publication.

While every endeavour has been made to ensure complete accuracy, the publishers cannot be held responsible for any errors or omissions. *Recommended retail price ISSN 1323-935X Copyright © Australian Publishing Pty Ltd. ACN 003 609 103. MMXVI www.universalmagazines.com.au Please pass on or recycle this magazine.

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SNAPSHOT

Arvo rides in the sun. It doesn’t get much more Oz than that. We’d take an hour of that over a lifetime of lawn care or watching the news, thanks.

PHOTO ASHENHURST

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FEATURE

E K I B

BIKE OF THE MONTH

H T F O

H T N E MO

KTM 500EXC — KING OF THE OUTBACK From the moment Kato’s largest rig was released, Aussies fell in love with it. It’s been one of KTM’s biggest sellers for a long time and only the WR450F has it beat for overall sales in the enduro category (the DR-Z400 is officially second but it’s a trailbike, not an enduro bike).

This year, the 500’s stature has grown even further with the release of the completely new 2017 model that packs 62Hp and is 5kg lighter than its predecessor. But before that bike could hit the dealer’s floors, the 500 had some winning to with a complete lock-out of the Finke podium and Tye

PHOTO KTM IMAGES

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Simmonds and David Walsh going 1-2 at Hattah just weeks later.

It’s a tough ask for other manufacturers to keep up with the 500 when they’re almost all competing on bikes 50cc less, but it’s made all the more difficult by KTM Australia’s ability to consistently build one of the best desert race bikes in the world and put outstanding riders on them that win over and over again.

In fact, the riders are so good, the 500 kind of gets lost in the fanfare but make no mistake, the 500EXC is one of the great bikes of the modern four-stroke era.

Make no mistak e, the is one of the gre 500EXC a the modern fou t bikes of r-stroke era |9

WHEEL TO WHEEL TWO BIKES GO HEAD TO HEAD IN A SPEC-CHECK SHOWDOWN

DUCATI MULTISTRADA ENDURO 1200 Ducati has jumped into the adventure bike market and it isn’t mucking around. The Multistrada name is pretty familiar but the Enduro 1200 is an all-new take. While it looks a lot like its road cousins, the Enduro is built specifically for dirt with a heap of important differences that make it offroad-ready.

Offering one of the most complete and impressive electronic aid packages on an adventure bike, the Ducati is something of a modern marvel with everything from cornering

lights to an inertial measurement unit and even a hill-start assist function. But that’s all for naught if the bike rides like a one-eyed donkey.

Thankfully, the Multistrada Enduro is a pleasure to ride and you can read the full test feature in this issue.

Packing an insane 160Hp, the bike isn’t short on fearful power but thanks to the four different riding modes, this wild output is tamed when you request Enduro mode and a more usable 100Hp comes into play.

Ducati has BMW in its sights but

these are two quite different bikes to ride. It’s a credit to this market that these two will go into competition with each other with such a high level of

quality on display. Ducati offers a heap of options through packages and single sale items as well as plenty of genuine ride apparel to go along with the aesthetic of the bike.

MULTISTRADA ENDURO 1200 SPEC CHECK Engine type: Testastretta with variable valve timing, L-Twin cylinder, four valves per cylinder, Dual Spark, Desmodromic, liquid cooled Displacement: 1198.4cc Bore x stroke: 106x67.9mm Compression ratio: 12.5:1 Power: 160Hp @9500 rpm Torque: 136Nm @7500 rpm Fuel injection: Bosch electronic fuelinjection system, elliptical throttle bodies with ride-by-wire, equivalent diameter 56mm

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Gearbox: Six speed Final drive: Chain Clutch: Light action, wet, multiplate clutch with hydraulic control, selfservo action on drive, slipper action on over-run Frame: Tubular steel trellis frame Front suspension: Sachs 48mm fully adjustable USD forks, electronic compression and rebound damping adjustment with Ducati Skyhook Suspension (DSS) Front wheel: Tubeless spoked wheel

in light alloy 19-inch Rear suspension: Fully adjustable Sachs unit, electronic compression and rebound damping adjustment, electronic spring pre-load adjustment with Ducati Skyhook Suspension (DSS), aluminium double-sided swingarm Rear wheel: Tubeless spoked wheel in light alloy 17-inch Front wheel travel: 200mm Rear wheel travel: 200mm Front brake: 2 x 320mm semi-

floating discs, radially mounted Monoblocco Brembo calipers, fourpiston, two-pad with cornering ABS as standard equipment Rear brake: 265mm disc, two-piston floating caliper with cornering ABS as standard equipment Instrumentation: Colour TFT display 5” Dry weight: 225kg Wet weight: (KERB) 254kg Seat height: Not adjustable 870mm Wheelbase: 1594mm Fuel tank capacity: 30L

R1200GS ADVENTURE SPEC CHECK

BMW R1200GS ADVENTURE

No intros needed for the big Beemer.

The R1200GS is the most recognisable adventure bike on the planet and no matter what bike you reference, the GS is the bike that it’s compared to. And it’s earned that reputation. It’s done the incalculable kilometres and proved its worthiness time and again.

With updates to the 2017 model announced, BMW has made some refinements to an already outstanding package. The GS Adventure is the king of the BMW range and a bike that’s more than ready to take on just

about anything. From there, you have a seemingly endless amount of options to choose from, be it on the bike or accessories for the rider, all under the BMW banner.

And it doesn’t stop there. The GS Safari gives you the opportunity to connect with like-minded people and ride places you may never see otherwise. You can also take advantage of BMW’s excellent rider training program. In many ways, the bike is just the start and BMW is offering an experience to go with it.

Engine type: Air/liquid-cooled four-stroke flat twin engine with balancer shaft, four valves per cylinder, double overhead camshaft, wet sump lubrication Bore x stroke: 101mm x 73mm Capacity: 1170 cc Rated output: 125Hp (92 kW) at 7750 rpm Max. Torque: 92lb-ft (125Nm) at 6500 rpm Compression ratio: 12.5:1 Engine management: Electronic fuel injection with ride-by-wire throttle system Electrical system: Alternator Three-phase 510W generator Gearbox: Constant-mesh six-speed gearbox with helical-cut gears Drive: Shaft drive 2.91:1 Frame: Continuous tubular steel bridge-type frame Front suspension: BMW Telelever

Rear suspension: Cast-aluminium single-sided swing arm with BMW EVO Paralever Suspension travel front + rear: 210mm/220mm Wheelbase: 59.4” (1510mm) Front rim: 3.00 x 19” Rear rim: 4.50 x 17” Front brake: Dual floating disc brakes, four-piston fixed calipers, diameter 305mm Rear brake: Single disc brake, diameter 276mm, dual-piston floating caliper ABS: BMW Motorrad Integral ABS (part-integral, can be switched off) Length: 2255mm Width: (incl. mirrors) 980mm Height: (excl. mirrors) 1450 mm Seat height: 890/910mm; adjustable seat height Unladen weight: fully fuelled 260kg Usable tank volume: 30L

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SNAPSHOT

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Not all views are created equal.

It’s pretty tough to beat the scenes you come across in New Zealand.

PHOTO ASHENHURST

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NEWS TRAIL NOTES

GREEN

RETURNING FOR A4DE ctive8 Yamaha rider Josh Green’s season is all but over.

Green suffered an injury to his knee early in the year and did his best to ride through the pain in the initial rounds, ultimately coming to the

A

KAILUB RUSSELL RE-SIGNS When you’re on a good thing, stick to it, right? Well that’s what both KTM and Kailub Russell have done with the GNCC and Nationals Enduro champ signing with Kato for another four years.

“I’m happy to know that I’m going to be able to complete my career where it all began, with KTM,” said Russell.

“It’s the only brand I’ve ever ridden since they’ve made a model for each class, so it’s only fitting for me to be loyal to the company that has provided me with the tools I need to continue to accomplish my goals.”

Russell was on fire at the ISDE in Slovakia when he tragically busted up his knee but went on to win both the GNCC and National Enduro titles in the same year and has battled with Aussie Josh Strang all through 2016 in another epic GNCC season.

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conclusion that it should be treated properly before it became an ongoing issue in 2017.

“If I had continued to ride, all I would have done is get through the season and then with the recovery

period it would have affected my 2017 preparations,” Green said. “So by doing it now, I can get back on the bike before the end of the year and my aim is to ride at the A4DE in Victoria in November.”

Active8 Yamaha team manager AJ Roberts added, “It’s a bitter pill to swallow for Josh to be injured as he came into the season fit and ready to go. He is a championship contender and no rider enjoys watching from the sidelines, so we understand what he is going through.”

One thing we know about Josh here at TRAILRIDER is that he’s a competitive bastard and won’t take well to not riding his WR450F at full pace for long. Look for him to make a good recovery and leave his mark on the year before it’s all over. Heal up, Greeny!

CCM IN OZ Australia has seen another player enter the adventure market, albeit with an old name. British-based CCM Motorcycles has been around for a long time and has a rich history. The company is back in a pretty impressive way.

On offer is the GP450 Adventure, which is a 125kg 450cc bike with a somewhat familiar BMW donk from its abandoned 450X enduro bike. The bikes are fully ADR compliant and ready to roll.

The GP450 is well appointed with Brembo brakes, an adjustable screen, billet bits and pieces and a cush drive rear the hub.

We’ve ridden a 450 adventure bike once before. It was a specially prepped Yamaha WR450F and there was plenty to like about it. Of course nowadays in the Dakar Rally, all bikes are 450cc so there’s certainly a precedent in the smaller-bore adventure bike market.

You can check out more on the GP450 at ccm-motorcycles.com or find out when athe next ride day is on near you at the CCM Australia Facebook page.

NEWS TRAIL NOTES

t rolled into u a n r e g g ju The KTM as heavy e c a r t r e s e d the Hattah utright win o e h t r o f s e it f a vo u r

KATO HAMMERS

HATTAH Photos: John Pearson

resh from its Finke success, the KTM juggernaut rolled into the Hattah desert race as heavy favourites for the outright win.

Although Toby Price wasn’t part of the team, having already left to take on his Rally duties, both Tye Simmonds and Daniel Sanders saddled up on those desert-eating 500EXCs, making for a tough line-up to beat.

Hattah takes place just outside of Mildura, Victoria, and is most likely the largest motorcycle race in terms of competitors in the country. It’s been running for 15 years and continues to grow. The race is over eight laps or four hours (whichever happens first) of the 38km loop, which is predominantly deep sand and this year was particularly sadistic.

It was a tight battle between Simmonds and Sanders from the outset, with the two exchanging the lead around 10 times in the mid to closing stages. “It was on all day with Chucky,” said Simmonds. “I had a bit of a game plan and by the fourth lap I realised it wasn’t going to work. I wanted to try to outrun him and get out of there, but we probably swapped for the lead eight to 10 times over two laps.

The first time he passed me he was screaming his head off. I sort of got a bit of a kick out of that; it was funny!”

Sanders, who has been riding in career-best form in the last 12 months, said, “I got the win at Prologue and it was good to take off first. Tye blew past me a couple of minutes in and I sat on him for a couple of laps. As soon as the lappers

F

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came into play on the third lap, we passed each other about 10 times — it was sick. I had good fun with him. It was pretty funny; he’d get screwed up by a lapper and I’d come past him, giggling. Then on the fourth lap, he had a big moment and just saved it and then I hit the same thing after him and cartwheeled and lost him. I still had a bent front end on the fifth and sixth laps and I couldn’t get my head around it, but I pulled the gap down in the last two laps and got down to 12 seconds, so it was sort of my fault I lost it.

But that’s racing, and it was a good experience and good fun out there.”

It’s pretty amazing to think they were laughing and having fun because the track this year was brutal and Simmonds’ hands at the end of the race looked like he’d fended off a pit bull for four hours.

The first 450 in and third overall was Beau Ralston on a Yamaha WR450F. Ralston had just come off a somewhat disappointing Finke to fall short in Hattah to only two of the many 500s in the field. “This is one of the hardest races to do as you just go wide open for four hours,” he said. “It’s like a big sand-based motocross track so there is no relaxing out there and by the last couple of laps, the track is rough and the sand is deep and is really hard work, but the reward is worth it in the end. I like racing here.”

Just off the podium, veteran rider Glenn Kearney jumped back on a Husky FE501 (he’s been on a 250F all year) and put in a bolter for fourth place. GK’s pretty awesome to watch at Hattah.

OFFROAD ADVANTAGE If you’re a fan of racing in Australia, consider this for a moment: about 650 entrants took on the weekend in Mildura. That’s just a few weeks after 420 took on Finke. Toby Price’s story ended up on 60 Minutes in between and on the weekend of Hattah, SBS’s Speedweek showed a special on Finke — that’s national television. Well over 20,000 spectators (official numbers from Finke alone were 20,000) watched all of this live and obviously a lot more watched it on national TV. This is offroad, not motocross where a full grid of 40 in the 450 class is a deceased species. Both Hattah and Finke had huge scrutineering events (Ian Moss played at Finke) that brought each of the towns together with the teams, bikes and riders and allowed fans to get to know them all better and make a real connection.

Add to that the fact that the Australian offroad ISDE representative teams are the champions in every single class, while the number of Aussiebased riders that have made an AMA Supercross main in the last 10 years

is a slim, single-digit number at best — not to mention where we finish in the MXoN without Reed or Metcalfe.

This isn’t about bashing motocross, it’s about giving credit where it’s due and too often overlooked.

Our offroad guys and girls are world class and the events they’re competing in are beyond the scope of anything else on the domestic racing calendar. We might be biased — this magazine is called Australian TRAILRIDER after all — but numbers don’t lie. Offroad/enduro/desert racing is huge in Australia and it ain’t playing second fiddle to anything else anymore.

HATTAH DESERT RACE TOP 10 1. Tye Simmonds — 4:06:28.673 2. Daniel Sanders — 4:06:41.133 3. Beau Ralston — 4:17:11.530 4. Glenn Kearney — 4:23:45.385 5. Peter Boyle — 4:30:50.831 6. Lachlan Stanford — 4:30:58.926 7. Jacob Smith — 4:33:58.024 8. Daymon Stokie — 4:34:24.055 9. Lyndon Snodgrass — 4:34:47.048 10. Jack Simpson — 4:36:02.155

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NEWS TRAIL NOTES

TÉNÉRÉ 700 ON THE CARDS? Could the Ténéré 660 be on the way out? The Ténéré line-up is due for an overhaul and it looks as though the 660 will become a 700 with “spy” photos showing a bike that’s clearly modelled on the Ténéré platform but sporting the engine from the popular MT-07. With around 75Hp, the 689cc engine would be a sweet small/ mid-sized adventurer and the 21/18” wheel sets further prove it’s a bike designed for the dirt.

The shots were taken near Yamaha’s Italian test facility and the conjecture is that the bike will appear in late 2017 as a 2018 model.

Another interesting note is that the test bike pictured is running Brembo brakes front and rear and a very

interesting chassis design. The Ténéré 660 has been a trooper but it could also be better and in a market that’s growing seemingly every month with new machines that are generally pretty damn good, the competition is tough.

MID-SIZED ADV The mid-size adventure market is a pretty strong one with a lot of variety.

We’re calling 650 and up mid-sized due to the fact we’re seeing 450s enter the ADV scene now. In our mind, all 1000 to 1200cc bikes are the big dogs.

You can pay anything from just under 10 grand up to 20 grand. They can be fully tooled and ready to hit the outback or they can be waiting to be built up. One thing is certain across the

board in the adventure market: no two bikes are the same. The Ténéré 660 and KLR650 are nothing alike, nor are the Kato 1090, the V-Strom 1000, the R1200GS, the Multistrada Enduro and on it goes.

SWEET MID PICKS • SUZUKI V-STROM 650 • SUZUKI DR650 • KAWASAKI KLR650 • YAMAHA Ténéré 660 • BMW F800GS • TRIUMPH TIGER 800

BMW GS UPDATES BMW has made some tweaks to its mighty GS range for the 2017 model year.

Although purely aesthetic, one of the most striking changes is the sexy Triple Black colour scheme on the R1200GS Adventure.

Furthermore, BMW has revised the design on the instrument panel and there’s the addition of a judder damper on the transmission output shaft.

The F800GS and F800GS Adventure have also seen some changes with ride-bywire throttle and a new display screen to accommodate the viewing of ride modes, which are also new to the models.

We’ll take a look at all of the changes in more detail as soon as we get hold of the bikes ourselves.

Also, until September 30, BMW is offering a Bonus Offroad Kit, which includes a BMW helmet free with the purchase of an F700GS, F800GS, F800GS Adventure and R1200GS. The F800GS is also being sold with another Bonus Offroad Kit that includes an alloy bash guard, hand guards, wide footpegs, enduro rear brake lever and waterproof tank bag.

All offers are available on bikes built before July 1, 2016.

ROYAL ENFIELD HIMALAYAN Although it’s not available in Australia as yet, we thought it was worth taking a look at Royal Enfield’s Himalayan. Yes, Royal Enfield is still a thing and they look just like you’d expect, which is pretty cool.

So the Himalayan is a 411cc single-cylinder, aircooled four stroke with a pretty mild 24.35Hp on hand and 32Nm of torque. Not a powerhouse but that’s not really the point. The Himalayan is designed to be a reliable bike in all sorts of conditions and often the best way to do that is to keep it as simple as possible.

No EFI and no CANbus electronics — just the necessities and that’s oddly refreshing these days.

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Royal Enfield did a heap of long-distance testing on the bike and you can take a look at some impressive video at royalenfield.com. While it doesn’t ensure the bike is a winner, they aren’t scared to throw it at some serious mountain roads.

We’d actually be keen to ride the Himalayan should it ever reach Oz. There’s something pretty liberating when you’re divorced from all the electronic aids on the modern adventure bike and while it may have some rough edges, the Himalayan has some style and old-school flair that stands out in a world of blinking lights, reminders, switches and modes.

DIRT SALES GROW Motorcycle sales through the first half of 2016 have seen a welcome upswing in what is hopefully a sign that the worst days of the GFC are behind us.

Honda leads the overall volume sales tally with 23.2 per cent of the market, followed by Yamaha with 20.1, but in the dirt sector that result is reversed.

Looking at the dirtbike market, the numbers released by the FCAI (Federal Chamber of ENDURO TOP 10 1. Yamaha WR450F 924 2. KTM 350 EXC-F 301 3. KTM 500 EXC 299 4. KTM 300 EXC 253 5. KTM 450 EXC 187 6. Yamaha WR250F 171 7. Husqvarna TE300 170 8. Yamaha WR250R 144 9. Suzuki RMX450Z 132 10. Husqvarna FE350 125

OFFROAD TOP 10 1. Yamaha WR450F 924 2. Honda CRF50F 777 3. Honda CRF230F 615 4. Honda CRF110F 592 5. Yamaha PW50 523 6. Yamaha YZ450F 477 7. Kawasaki KLX110 464 8. Yamaha TT-R50E 462 9. Suzuki DR-Z400E 456 10. Suzuki Trojan 422

Automotive Industries) show that sales grew by 4.3 per cent over the first six months of this year and make up 31.2 per cent of all bikes sold, including road bikes and ATVs. Yamaha lead the way in the dirt with 16,492 bikes sold for a 29 per cent share, followed by Honda (24.9 per cent), KTM (12.5 per cent) and then Suzuki (11.3 per cent). Honda is blitzing the adventure market thanks to strong sales of the Africa Twin, which have put it well ahead of the competition.

The ATV market grew by 3.6 per cent, with Honda leading the charge ahead of Polaris, Yamaha, BRP and Suzuki.

The only sector to see a decline was scooters.

ISDE TEAMS ANNOUNCED Given the defunding by the government (via MA) of our ISDE (International Six Day Enduro) team so that we could send ping pong players to the Rio Olympics at seven times the price (based on 2012 London Olympic figures), it looked precarious that our champion riders would ever get the chance to defend their titles. MA has, however, released the teams that will compete and defend their titles in Spain and they’re pretty impressive, so there’s light at the end of this ridiculous tunnel.

The conditions in Spain can be a lot like what we see in Australia and with the exception of Milner coming off an injury, the rest of the team is riding at the top of their game. In what is a pretty spectacularly generous effort, Yamaha Australia is digging into its own pockets to send the women’s team to Spain (thanks largely to Yamaha’s mysterious and enigmatic Ray Howard).

The Aussie women absolutely blitzed their competition last year and will be strong favourites to

NSW LAW CHANGES Lawmakers in New South Wales have seen the light on a few contentious issues and have released clarifications and revisions on certain issues that have had both riders and at times police baffled.

One that’s close to any dirt rider’s heart pertains to standing on the footpegs.

We’ve been pulled over for this before and when we asked an officer to clarify the law, he couldn’t. When we asked another officer independently, he said there is no law against standing up — only riding in an unsafe manner, which is a little too subjective when one cop sees standing as unsafe and another doesn’t. So now the ruling is, “Riders may stand on the footrests of a motorcycle provided it is safe to do so, for example to help them maintain control on roads with potholes or loose gravel.”

You can also take your feet off the pegs to stretch your legs, something we didn’t know you could get booked for previously.

Somewhat less pressing, but interesting nonetheless, is that you can no longer be booked for pushing your bike without a helmet on. Again, we had no idea you could be booked for that but, thankfully, that’s been rectified.

take their fourth win later this year. Yeah, they really are that good.

The ISDE will take place on October 11-16 in Navarra, northern Spain. It’s a pretty amazing part of the world and there’ll be a lot of variety in the riding, including a few big hill climbs guaranteed to test competitors.

SENIOR TROPHY TEAM: Daniel Milner Daniel Sanders Lachlan Stanford Josh Strang JUNIOR TROPHY TEAM: Tom McCormack Jack Simpson Nic Tomlinson YAMAHA BLU CRU WOMEN’S TROPHY TEAM Tayla Jones Jemma Wilson Jessica Gardiner Team manager — Don Atkins Jury member — Chris Gray

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IN GEAR NEW PRODUCTS

The freshest kit that caught our eye, from adventure to camping to trail bashing LEDLENSER L7 • Advanced focus system • Shock-resistant polycarbonate housing makes the lamp not only lightweight but also shatter-proof • Modular design ensures reliability in the desert as well as in the mountains • High-end power LED • RRP $68 • Visit ledlenser.com.au

DESERT FOX FUEL BLADDER • Has a slide-away (Velcro-close) filter spout • Heaps of mount points • Holds 5L • Easy to roll up and small enough to secure on a rack or top of a pannier when not filled • RRP $109.95 • Available at mxstore.com.au

INREACH EXPLORER • Create or view a route, drop waypoints, see your tracks and navigate with the on-screen map view • View route details such as trip distance and bearing to destination • Equipped with a digital compass, barometric altimeter and accelerometer • Plan your route online ahead of time and share it with family and friends to follow along and watch your progress • Send and receive 160-character text messages with GPS coordinates to mobile numbers or email addresses • Trigger an SOS, receive a delivery confirmation and communicate back and forth with a 24/7 search-andrescue monitoring centre • RRP $599 • Visit allsat.com.au

CAMELBAK HAWG • 3L reservoir • 14L cargo capacity • Zip-out helmet carry • Media pocket • Bike tool organiser pocket • Four-point compression straps • Dual-side cargo pockets • Removable rain cover • RRP $149.95 • Available at offroadimports.com.au

LEATHERMAN SKELETOOL

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KLIM SOL SURVIVAL PAK

KLIM EMERGENCY BIVVY

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• Vacuum-materialised polyethylene bivvy sack • Reflects back up to 90 per cent of your radiated body heat • Nylon stuff sack with draw cord • RRP $22 • Available at adventuremoto.com.au

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FIVE CHOOSING THE TIPS RIGHT SWAG 1.

SIZE

Swags generally come as a single, king single or double. Biker swags can be a little smaller than a single but this is where transport comes into play. Are you lugging on your bike or in the back of a ute? A full-sized swag takes up a lot of room packed onto a bike so don’t just buy one without checking the size in relation to how much room you have to fit it on your ride.

2.

MATERIALS Swags are made up of a combination of a few different fibres and plastics. A blend of cotton, polyester and Ripstop is a good mix for most weather conditions. Some swags come with a PVC base but we prefer carrying a small tarp to take care of that because if it’s not a wet surface then the tarp can be used for shade. Make sure the swag has good ventilation or you’ll feel like the inside of a sausage roll in summer.

3.

MATTRESS This is purely subjective but needless to say, a swag ain’t quite the Hilton. If you’re carrying it on your bike, it’s pretty much a case of loving what you have but if you’re in a ute or van, you can chuck in a self-inflating mattress to make things a little more comfortable. Biker swags have thinner mattresses so look for a patch of the softest ground you can find when you pitch so you don’t wake up feeling like you’re 120 years old.

5.

4.

STORAGE Swags are tough little bastards but if you don’t store them properly, you can decrease their lifespan considerably. They should come with a bag, so make sure you put them back in that bag after each use. But don’t just roll it up with dirt and sand all through it — clean it up before you pack it up.

22 |

SWAG PREP Canvas needs a little prep before you head out the first time, particularly if there’s a chance of rain.

We’ve found the best way to do this is to set it up at home and hose it down on a nice sunny day. Once it’s dry, do it again and then let it dry and pack it up. This helps seal the seams. There are also different sprays you can get to help do this or to fix trouble areas.

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Our personal favourite element of the range is the superior comfort. The adjustable waistband in the pants, generous pant-leg sizing (easy to fit over boots or even with braces) and a jacket that’s not

26 |

restricting across the shoulders are just a few winning points.

The Velcro airflow pockets along with the forearm and back zips provide enough airflow to keep things comfortable before you need to start stripping off layers. There’s also a reserve in the jacket for a hydration bladder and loops to hold the hose.

Both the jacket and pants have light armour built in, which we sometimes find obtrusive but not in the MotoDry. This really is comfortable gear, which, on a long day or even multiple days, is gold.

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FEATURE 2016 TATTS FINKE DESERT RACE

DESERT KINGS Toby Price blows minds, kills competition, raises the bar and equals the win record.

All in a weekend’s work, right?

STORY AND PHOTOS DAMIEN ASHENHURST

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| 29

FEATURE 2016 TATTS FINKE DESERT RACE

Jacob Smith’s race ended in freak circumstances but he was charging

L

ast year was the 40th running of the Tatts Finke Desert Race and it was a huge occasion with record entries, masses of spectators lining the track and a tenfold increase to the population of Alice Springs for a couple of weeks.

It was to be expected that this year’s race wouldn’t have the same hype and excitement around it given the big fouroh is a lot to live up to. Early speculation that KTM’s global superstar and current King of the Desert, Toby Price, wasn’t going to compete also didn’t help.

But as the race drew nearer and Toby announced he would not only be racing but he’d be doing it in both the bike and car classes, the 2016 Finke took on a totally new complexion. Let’s face it: there were riders whose hopes for a win were bolstered by the fact that they thought Toby wasn’t coming — there’s no doubt about that. But their dreams would’ve been kept alive to an extent by the not unreasonable

30 |

belief that the big guy had finally bitten off more than he can chew when he added a 6L V8 Trophy Truck to his weekend. Surely having to race one of the toughest races in Australia twice while the rest of the field does it once would mean he’s going to have to take it easier, right? Maybe the KTM/Red Bull overlords in Europe only agreed to him doing Finke again if he just took it down a notch to stay safe and so he decided to jump in a truck as well given the pace will be down? Well, if you were a competitor and you held on to that hope, it was almost totally destroyed after Toby went out on his 500EXC-F and set the fastest prologue time ever.

It’s game on but that game once again is called “Let’s chase Toby Price”.

KEEP ROLLIN’, ROLLIN’, ROLLIN’ Go back a couple of days before prologue and things were kind of quiet around Alice Springs. The Active8

Yamaha team had a run of rotten luck leading into the weekend with Josh Green out through injury and his replacement, Broc Winston, suffering pretty much a complete knee blow-out just days away from the start, leaving Green’s teammate Beau Ralston as the only entrant. Not that the Beau Show is a consolation prize; there’s every chance a Finke win is in his future, but that cut the top blue crew team by half in a field of Euro dominance.

Toby’s Trophy Truck was held up at customs and only arrived just a couple of days before the race start.

He grabbed a few hours in Brad Gallard’s truck to get some amount of driving in but as soon as his finally came into town he headed out onto the track with a crew from 60 Minutes and promptly rolled it three times over about 150m. The truck was a wreck.

Toby had a headache and reporter Charles Wooley dodged a ride in a washing machine as he was about to

jump in for a spin. Not the best start to a Finke.

The truck was rebuilt in time for prologue and Toby set a time that put him in 18th outright. Not bad for a first crack but it wasn’t a time that suggested he could podium in the end.

He then went out on the bike and blew everyone away with the first subfive-minute lap ever. Daymon Stokie put in a magic lap on his Honda CRF450R, with fellow Honda rider Jacob Smith a couple of seconds behind and Tye Simmonds literally milliseconds back in fourth. Less than 10 seconds covered the field from second to seventh, which is close, but then consider that Toby’s time was eight seconds faster than Daymon’s in second place. He clearly wasn’t taking it easy.

RACE DAY It’s a tough ask to match, let alone beat, the horsepower numbers alone of the KTM 500EXC runners. The

majority of the main competitors are riding 450s and in a race that’s all about sustained top speed, the Katos have an edge right out of the crate. The Hondas are further handicapped with a bike that’s not particularly powerful amongst its motocross peers, let alone in a desert setting. So it was no great surprise that the three 500 riders of the factory KTM team in Toby, Tye and David Walsh were the first into Finke in that order. Daymon was the first 450 in only about 15 seconds back from Walsh, while Beau Ralston suffered clutch issues and a loss of drive, which is no fun at a buck-thirty over the

whoops. This was a problem that had never surfaced through all the testing and pre-running but he managed to nurse the YZF to bag seventh.

What we learned from the day was that Toby was flying. His time was over a minute faster than in 2015. What can anyone do about that?

Tye was much faster than in 2015 (nearly five minutes) and the work he’d been putting in was obviously paying off in only his second attempt at Finke.

ALICE BOUND The buzz around Alice Springs when Finke is on is addictive but it hits its

height on the Monday when the bike field is on its way home. Anything can happen. That these bikes can handle being held on the stop for hours is mind-blowing and in no way what the original engineers had in mind. Sure, the top-10 bikes are pretty special specimens with lots of special parts and years of knowledge going into their final build but the more you tighten tolerances, the more chance you’ll detonate. That fine line between performance and durability can mean the difference between an outright or class win, or a steaming heap of melted aluminium on the side of the track.

rs There were ride win were a r fo s e p o h e s o wh t that they c fa e th y b d re bolste sn’t coming thought Toby wa Whoops go up and down hills and around corners. If you hate whoops, you’ll have a tough day

Mark Sladek was pretty beaten up but still managed to win the Masters class

Daymon Stokie has a big Finke future ahead of him

| 31

FEATURE 2016 TATTS FINKE DESERT RACE Ivan Long didn’t have the best race but he never gives anything short of 100 per cent

32 |

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FEATURE 2016 TATTS FINKE DESERT RACE

Unfortunately, Jacob Smith nearly ended up experiencing the latter after a freak refuelling incident sparked a fire and put an end to his 2016 race.

Toby, however, was unfazed and untroubled. It’s worth noting at this point that he got up at sparrow’s fart to race the Trophy Truck and by the time he got to Alice, he’d passed a total of 17 cars (over the two days) and claimed second overall in his first attempt at driving Finke in a car that was pretty bloody beaten up. Let me just say that again… he was second.

So, after flying back to Finke in a light plane and getting on his KTM, Toby made it back with a cracking time of 1:53:35, which included slowing down and waving to people. He had won for a fifth time, matching the record of Randall Gregory. He is now up there with the greatest of Finke legends; he is a desert immortal.

Tye rode like a man possessed to take second with David, who’s always faster on the run home for some reason, finishing off a KTM podium lock-out.

Next in was Daymon with one of the rides of the weekend. He carded the fastest ever time for a 450 on his Desert Edge-prepped Honda. Just 10 seconds back was Yamaha’s Beau Ralston, who looked super pissed off when he got off the bike. His mechanical gremlins on the run to Finke ultimately killed his race, but he found some redemption on the way back to Alice with a killer time that could’ve been much better if he didn’t get distracted by Jacob’s refuelling fire and overshoot his own fuel stop.

Nathan Trigg put in his usual ballsy ride bringing home the first two-stroke on his 300EXC more than 30 minutes ahead of the dinger.

The top 10 was made up of mostly New South Wales and Northern

The buzz around Ali when Finke is on ce Springs is a but it hits its he ddictive ig Monday when th ht on the e bike field is on its way hom e

Further down the pack, a rider makes his way to Finke on day one

Temperatures were mercifully cool this year and the wind kept the dust down most of the day

34 |

Territory riders with five KTMs, four Hondas and one Yamaha. There were three ex-national motocross/supercross riders in the top five and it’s unlikely you’ll see a current motocrosser anywhere near this race — unlike the days of Stephen Gall, Craig Dack, Glen Bell and David Armstrong, who each either raced and/or won Finke.

In fact, there isn’t an Aussie-based motocrosser with a tenth of the profile Toby has now. Given the Australian offroad riders are at the moment the ISDE champs in every class, it’s somewhat discouraging to note that they get far less of the financial pie from sponsors. It’s not unusual to find a pro rider sleeping in a swag at an AORC round after having driven there under a factory team banner in their own car.

The line-up for autographs for Toby every time he appeared was insane.

And he didn’t just appear when the clock at the truck said “it’s one o’clock so hey, kids, you’ve got half an hour before this rider disappears back into the truck never to return, a la the Motocross Nationals”. He spent ages with as many people as he could. He

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FEATURE 2016 TATTS FINKE DESERT RACE

FACES OF FINKE The happiness of getting over the finish line and the relief of making it to the end… the faces tell the story best.

Beau Ralston

Toby Price

Luke Hayes

David Walsh

Nathan Trigg

Tye Simmonds

Jack Simpson

36 |

Daymon Stokie

Ryan Cossens Caleb Auricht

Todd Smith

Everybody wanted a piece of Toby. He finished countless interviews before the top 10 finished rolling in

David, Tye and Toby (L to R) celebrate a hard-earned KTM podium lock-out

| 37

FEATURE 2016 TATTS FINKE DESERT RACE

The truck was a wreck. Toby had a headache and reporter Charles Wooley dodged a ride in a washing machine

Not everyone makes it.

This busted Subaru gave riders a reminder to keep the rubber down

always does. And he didn’t have two 30-minute motos in his day that were way more important; he had a lot more than that ahead of him.

It may be time for motocross riders to evaluate their worth to fans and what they can do to improve it — and the model is right in front of them, in the offroads. Just a thought.

WHERE TO NEXT? What Finke ‘16 left us with was the reaffirmation that Toby Price is a one-of-a-kind athlete and by the end of the weekend and the following Sunday after 60 Minutes had aired, he’d grown the profile of the sport more than any other single rider next to Chad Reed. He may well end up in a car permanently in the future and become an Aussie Stéphane Peterhansel (to be fair to Stéphane, even Toby has a lot more winning to do to get there), but

38 |

what he’s doing right now is raising the profile of the dirtbike industry to a public that barely knows we’re here.

The race itself won’t change. It can’t really. It’s a race from one place to another and then back again. There are no formats to fiddle with or complicated rules to change.

This year an estimated 20,000 spectators watched Finke from campsites, at the huge scrutineering party or at the packed start/finish line.

Just over 400 riders entered and to give you an idea of the sort of determined competitor that’s on the track, one bloke rode about 120km to Finke on his rear rim. He wasn’t up for a podium, let alone a win, but he’d come to finish and that’s what it’s all about.

Don’t put it off any longer if you’re keen to watch it. Toby wants to own the win record and 2017 will be his chance.

Get to the race and see it for yourself.

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FEATURE

e r i f blue

RIDING RID DING NG INDO INDO

urns tu IIan Lloyd Neubauer re-kind to Java on a one-of-a Kawasaki KLX150 STORY IAN LLOYD NE

40 |

UBAUER

| 41

FEATURE FACT FILE

RIDING INDO

T

he Indonesian island of Java is one of the most volcanically active places in the world, with 39 potentially unstable volcanoes and 20 craters and cones.

When they’re hot, they’re just about the last place on the planet you’d want to be. At all other times, they’re extremely beautiful and fascinating places to visit.

Five years ago, I journeyed to Java to see two of its most noteworthy volcanoes: Mount Merapi, or Fire Mountain, which bellows smoke more than 300 days a year, and Mount Bromo, a massive moon-like crater called the Sea of Sand. I did the trip on two wheels, covering 700km between the two sites, albeit on a less-than-ideal motorbike: a plasticky Indonesian-made Kawasaki KLX150. It was underpowered, undersized and the seat — a thin wedge of plastic — was pure torture. But it was the only bike with off-road capabilities I could get my hands on.

This year I returned to Java to see one of the most awesome volcanoes of all, Ijen Crater. It is where sulphuric gases escape at high pressure from cracks in the volcano wall and ignite on contact with oxygen, shooting bright blue flames 5m into the sky. The phenomenon takes place 24/7 but can only be seen at night.

I decided on a motorbike to get me there once again, but there was no way in hell I was going to suffer even another hour on a little Kwaka. So I flew to the neighbouring island of Bali, where the internet told me there were dozens of motorbike rental stores.

about my problem, he says he has an idea and takes me to the Temple of Enthusiasm, the local headquarters of Australian custom-motorbike builder Deus Ex Machina. There I speak to the general manager — a 20-somethingyear-old barefoot hipster — about my plan to ride to Java to see the Blue Fire. He thinks it’s “way cool”, says Deus would love to get involved and that they’ve got the perfect bike for the job: a Kawasaki KLX150.

I’m about to vomit in my mouth when the hipster takes me to the workshop to show me the bike in question. Re-imagined in the Deus spirit, it’s an altogether different beast to the puppy dog Kawasaki farted out of the factory. The 150cc engine has been re-bored to 185cc. The fenders, headlight and other gaudy plastic bits have been replaced with high-quality polished metal. It has a long-distance custom-moulded petrol tank, a tall

and wide hand-stitched leather seat, after-market CLD pipe, off-road bars and all kinds of grills and plates. The rear sprocket has been upgraded from 44 to 50 teeth and the swingarm has been completely redesigned. The speedometer has been binned and the Kwaka’s standard lime-green stickers are also gone, replaced with a nononsense black and white livery. When I switch it on and twist the accelerator, the bike growls at me like a mongrel dog ready to explode from its leash. It’s the bike I’ve been looking for.

THE TRUTH ABOUT RIDING IN BALI The first leg of the 300km round trip to Ijen takes me along Bali’s southwest coast, a semi-urban area where emerald-green rice terraces still outnumber houses and shops. It’s pretty as a picture and there’s always something to look at: girls in bikinis

Medewi Surf Homestay on Bali’s mid-west coast has fanned rooms for $20: medewisurfhomestay.com Deus ex Machina’s Temple of Enthusiasm in Canggu makes great burgers and bikes, with free live music on Sunday nights: deuscustoms.com To learn more about Ijen Crater and the Blue Fire, visit the official website: indonesia.travel

on scooters, a colourful ceremony at a temple, a huge 10-headed statue of a Hindu god plonked in the middle of a roundabout. But these distractions make riding in Bali dangerous, too.

The previous day, I read about a drunk 15-year-old who got on a scooter in the underground carpark of the hotel he was staying at with his parents.

He didn’t even make it out onto the street before he ran straight into a concrete divide and died. According to

THE TEMPLE OF ENTHUSIASM I find all kinds of motorbikes for hire in Bali. Rates start at around $3 a day for a scooter and you can go all the way up to a Harley-Davidson or Husqvarna trail bike. But none of the rental companies will hand over the registration papers I need to transport their motorbike on the ferry over to Java. Offering more money and even my passport as a deposit doesn’t help.

Once a bike leaves the island, they say, it’s good as nicked.

The next day, I look up an old mate from Sydney now living in Bali. We get together for breakfast at a cafe on Echo Beach, a popular surfing spot in g of Canggu. gg When I tell him the village

42 |

I’m about to vomit in my m when the hipster take outh s me to the workshop and sh ows me the bike in question

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FEATURE RIDING INDO

the Australian Department of Foreign st Affairs, scooter accidents are “the most common reason for injury amongst ts young people travelling to Bali”. “Fights re in nightclubs”, the department says, are the second most common.

So I ride carefully, slowly, in the searing heat. When I stop for a cold drink an hour later, my smartphone tells me I’ve only covered 20km! The going doesn’t get any faster when I reach Jalan Raya Denpasar, the 100km-long coastal road that runs all ry the way west to Gilimanuk and the ferry terminal for Java. It’s supposed to be the arterial lifeblood of the island but, o with only two lanes, traffic gets held to ransom by painfully slow-moving trucks that create long, snaking convoys of cars that can’t overtake. I move a little faster, weaving in and out of traffic, risking my life every time I leave my lane to switch to another.

Thinking fresh, I detour down a dirt road that spits me out onto the black lava beach hugging the coast. There, I unleash all the Deus’ pent-up anger on fine black sand interspersed with pebble beds. The bike roars, stands up on its rear wheel and slingshots back to the future, making short work of creek crossings, flat grey stone boulders and flotsam and jetsam in my path. It’s bullshit good fun.

THE SECRET SURFIE BEACH & THE GIANT TREE A couple of hours later I reach a sea wall that forces me off the beach and into a dusty little village called Medewi.

I park under a banyan tree on a rocky beach where a dozen-odd tourists,

44 |

I detour down a dirt road that spits me out onto the black lava beach hugging the coast

mostly surfers in their 40s, sit in front of a little kiosk sipping Bintang beers. Behind them, liquid ramps of perfection break over a reef, bringing other surfers to shore. The sun begins to set, painting the sky red and gold as soft Rasta music flows from the kiosk.

I’m now only 50km from the ferry at Gilimanuk, but it’s ill-advised to ride at night in Bali. So I ask one of the surfers if he knows of a place to crash. There are a few pricey options on the beach, he says, or I could room at his homestay for only $20. There’s a fan and an outdoor shower and cold beer. Sounds good, I say. His name is Mike and I follow him and his girlfriend on their scooter with their surfboards down a dirt road that leads to a villa surrounded by rice fields. After a quick shower, I join my host on his patio for a few beers and a smoke. Mike tells me this village is a secret surfing spot that he stumbled upon by accident, quite like I did while travelling and surfing around Asia seven years ago. He liked

it so much he’s never left. We eat some fried chicken for dinner and talk and drink and smoke some more while listening to Led Zeppelin. This is why I travel. This is why I ride.

At 4:30AM I’m awakened with a jolt by an insomniac rooster. At 5:45AM, as the first light of dawn creeps over the rice paddies, I’m off like a bandit.

After rejoining the highway, I continue west for five minutes until I detour inland onto a gravel road that curls into the hills. I want to see something Mike told me about last night — a banyan tree he said is so big, the road runs through the middle of it.

It’s called Bunut Bolong and I find it about 10km from the highway in the misty green highlands overlooking the coast. Like Mike said, it’s so big, the road runs through it. The hole, however, isn’t formed by a gap in the trunk but from roots that grow over and around the road, with the trunk on top. Either way, it makes a killer photo opp.

THE FINE The traffic back on the highway is re much lighter in the morning. There are a few overloaded trucks but the Deuss shoots past them with horsepower to spare. The sun is shining and everything is at it should be until I round a steep bend to see a dark, ominous mushroom cloud hovering over the entire west coast of Bali. It’s the dry season in Indonesia and it’s not supposed to rain, but within half an hour it’s raining sheets.

I ride a bit when I can but soon the rain gets too hard, so I pull over e and seek shelter where I can. On one occasion I’m hunkered down under a en bunch of trees, trying to stay dry, when a guy wearing a pink polyethylene e raincoat — essentially a pink garbage bag — pulls over on a scooter. He’s deaf and dumb, he can only mumble and then again only in Indonesian, ulls which I don’t understand. Then he pulls out a packet of pink raincoats and it becomes clear he’s selling them at

the bargain price of $3 each. I buy one, more so out of charity than a desire to be seen riding around in a pink raincoat. But when the rain refuses to relent, I throw on the raincoat and give the Deus a whirl. Surprisingly, it keeps me semi-dry and I’m able to continue riding despite the rain all the way to Gilimanuk.

The ferry terminal is huge and looks like an international border crossing.

Before going in I have to visit a police checkpoint, where a copper asks to see my registration papers. Then it hits me.

In all the excitement, I forgot to ask the hipster Deus for the registration papers and without them I can’t cross to Java! Making matters worse, the copper, who has now taken me into an interrogation room, reckons I’m up for a fine of half-a-million rupiah!

I do the maths and covert the figure.

It comes to only $50 — a princely sum for your average Indonesian but no big deal for me. I’ve spent a grand in change getting this far and if $50 gets me out of trouble, it’s a bargain.

I pull out my wallet and lay the cash on the table. The copper looks at me all disappointed-like, as though he was

looking forward to an argument, before begrudgingly writing out a receipt, stamping it to make it official and letting me go.

THE CROSSING An hour later I’m sailing across the Bali Strait on a rusty old cargo ship.

Indonesia is the world’s largest archipelago nation and ferries are a popular and cheap way to get around, but safety regulations are poorly enforced.

Less than two months ago, a ferry sunk here and five people drowned.

Fortunately, my ferry makes it to Java in one piece. Unfortunately, the rain refuses to stop, spoiling my fun as I zip down south along the coast before veering west and sprinting into the hills.

As the road climbs higher, signs of life on what is the world’s most heavily populated island become fewer and farther in between. Within an hour I find myself deep in the highlands, the sky thick with mist and no one around at all. I then enter a thick, thick rainforest, a prehistoric place where giant bristly ferns and tall hardwood trees nearly black out the sky.

I’m shivering with cold when I reach

Ijen base camp. I try getting a room in the rest house but it’s full. I hire a small tent and sleeping bag from a little shop where a nice lady called Alice lets me sit by her bonfire. She even makes me a packet of prawnflavoured instant noodles to warm my insides. A simple remedy, but it works like a treat.

By 9PM I’m tucked into my tent planning the final leg of my journey.

According to Alice, I’ll need two hours to climb to the top of the Ijen plateau and another hour to descend into the crater to see the Blue Fire. The sun comes up at 5AM so I’ll need to be dressed and ready by 1AM in order to get one hour’s viewing time of the Blue Fire before dawn.

As I lay back and close my eyes, I think about all the people back home that tell me they wish they had more adventure in their lives. Yet I wonder how many of them would have the gumption to do what it takes to pull it all together, ride in the rain for hours on end, place blind faith in a leaky ship, camp out in the cold and trek for three hours at night into the heart of an old volcano? All of that just to see a blue flame.

…as the first light of da creeps over the rice pa wn ddies, I’m off like a bandit

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FEATURE 2017 KTM EXC LAUNCH

HARD revvin' We head to Spain to do a few laps on the 2017 KTM EXC range. We return with good news: the bikes are epic.

STORY BY DAMIEN ASHENHURST PHOTOS BY ASHENHURST/KTM/SEBAS REMERAS

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FEATURE 2017 KTM EXC LAUNCH

A

new model release in May? That sounds nuts, right? I can remember a time when new models corresponded with an entire calendar but this is now a long-lost concept and KTM rolled out its 2017 machines before we’d even hit the halfway mark of 2016.

We’re not entirely sure what the rush is but given it came with an invite to travel to Spain and ride the full range of EXCs, we weren’t going to argue.

Australia is a long way from anywhere — except New Zealand. This is never more evident than when you have to travel to Europe in economy class. Packed in with your knees up around your ears for 24 hours makes you wonder just where the majesty of the mighty Airbus A380 lies. Heralded as the world’s largest passenger plane,

BITS AND PIECES • The new frame has threads instead of brackets for fixing the genuine bashplate.

• Fuel capacity on the 4Ts is 8.5L and 9.5 for the 2Ts. • The air filter is now easier to change and it was demonstrated that it can be done with one hand and no chance of putting it in upside-down.

• The 350EXC-F is 3.2kg lighter than the 2016 model.

• The hydraulic clutch is a Brembo, not the Magura.

• New Maxxis tyres have been developed for the entire range.

• The 350/250EXC-F has a claimed service interval of 135 hours.

• The engines’ side covers are designed to look good even after repeated riding.

• The radiator fins now double as braces.

• Traction control is controlled via a barmounted switch, which is a Power Part. It also switched engine maps.

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the seats are so tightly jammed in to fit a maximum amount of humans that the only parallel is that of the battery hen. How long until we’re expected to lay our own egg for that manky omelette they serve?

We eventually arrived in Barcelona, which, in the interests of fascinating trivia, is the capital of the autonomous community of Catalonia. Madrid is actually the capital of Spain but for some reason there are two capitals and the people of Catalonia see themselves as independent from Spain and even have a different flag. Don’t say you never learn anything from TRAILRIDER! We spent about a full half day riding pushies and drinking litre jugs of beer in Barcelona before we headed to the base for the launch, in Món Sant Benet, which is about an hour inland. There we

were greeted by an all-orange affair; the Austrians had taken over the amazing hotel/castle/complex and there was wall-to-wall KTM. It was clear this was a big deal for the company.

Imagine the costs and logistics involved with flying in journos from all over the world and contrast that with the fact that most manufacturers don’t even do local launches regularly. KTM is doing things in measures nobody else is coming close to and that became all the more evident when the full extent of the model launch was clear.

KTM wasn’t releasing bikes that had been updated or a single model that’s new and improved. It was releasing a whole new range of EXCs —new from the ground up. None of these eight bikes have ever existed as they do now and there is no remnant engine, frame or

suspension part from a previous model.

The first order of business at a launch is to attend the technical presentation, which usually offers explanations of changes to existing machines.

However, in this case it was a couple of hours of new engines, new bodyworks, new frames, new suspensions and all the little things in between including the lithium battery, balancing shafts and traction control.

Let’s take a look at some of the highlights of both ranges, starting with the four-strokes.

CHANGES ACROSS THE RANGE The catch-cry for 2017 is “Lighter, stronger, faster”. To be fair, it kind of always is but usually with just one or maybe two bikes and almost never

with the kind of numbers KTM has engineered.

Most obvious at first are the black frame and completely new bodywork.

I’m not a huge fan of the 2016’s orange frame and I reckon the 2017s are the best looking Katos for some time. The bodywork has all been lowered and the new front and rear fenders are designed to be stronger and hold less dirt and mud. The rear also has a neat grab-handle built in, which we love.

At this point I’ll try to stop using the word “new”. Everything on these bikes is new, so there’s no need to repeat it 500 times.

CHASSIS “No Dirt” footpegs have been fitted and you guessed it, they don’t fill up with muck and get stuck pointing skyward.

also 300g lighter than the 2016 version.

KTM saved 220g with the design of the swingarm, which is shaped to more centrally accommodate the shock.

of using a needle to control the progressive damping. It’s mounted on the frame more forward and closer to the centre of gravity as well as more centred on the swingarm.

XPlor SHOCK

Same goes for the gear lever. The footpegs are 6mm higher than those on the SX models.

KTM still believes the steel frame is the best option and in a lot of ways we agree. The 2017 frame has been designed to increase torsional rigidity by 20 per cent (less twisting), while providing 30 per cent less longitudinal stiffness, which works hand in hand with the suspension to provide a more comfortable overall ride. The frame is

The WP XPlor fo rk is a The previous fork big call. was well liked… there wa sn an air-fork (KTM o real talk of isn’t a big fan)

KTM tested the PDS shock against a linkage using riders of all skill levels and found that the overwhelming favourite was the PDS. KTM believe the lower maintenance and increased ground clearance along with its inherent action are winners.

Interestingly, the company tested the linkage in its own bike as well as a bunch of competitor’s models.

Offering a weight saving of a massive 600g, the WP XPlor shock has a reduced primary piston diameter (from 50 to 46mm) as well as a second piston that works into a cup instead

XPlor FORK The WP XPlor fork is a big call. The previous fork was well liked and while there was no real talk of an air-fork (KTM isn’t a big fan), moving to an allnew open cartridge unit shows KTM has total confidence in the 2017 kit.

The WP XPlor fork has no adjustment via the bottom, instead the

THE DETAILS

The view from a slice of Spanish single trail. Looked a lot like Oz in most places

Brembo brakes are hard to beat. For 2017, the braided front brake line is incorporated into a single wrappedtube with the speedometer, which is a nice touch. The rear brake caliper piston has gone from 26 to 24mm for a less aggressive feel, which is complemented by less “grabby” brake pads front and rear (you can also fit the SX pads). Radiator fans are standard equipment for Australia and the radiators now have fins that double as guards.

rebound is up top on the right-hand side and compression in on the left — just like on the 4CS fork. Aftermarket preload adjusters can also be fitted from the Power Parts catalogue, which is a pretty sweet idea (they will be stock on the Six Days models).

Weight saved over the 2016 fork comes to 200g.

A lot of work was put into the exhaust systems with the four-strokes getting new header pipes and shorter pipes. The mantra was once again mass centralisation as well as reducing noise as per the FIM limits and improving power.

Lock-on grips have finally made their way onto a production bike. The ODI units might be more familiar under the Jeff Emig signature moniker but they are one and the same and in our opinion, having used them a fair bit, this is a great move.

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FEATURE s on the A couple of passenger should be plane looked like they at Bernie’s in the movie Weekend

2017 KTM EXC LAUNCH

THE ENGINE ROOM There are four separate families of engines made up of eight completely new individual engines. No moving parts are shared with the motocross machines — these are offroad-specific engines that have created further separation between model families (125/150, 250/300, 250/350, 450/500), and go a long way to making the choices between one or the other much clearer.

Losing weight and finding power were the main goals behind the new engines.

The difficulty of meeting European environmental guidelines and falling sales meant that the 200EXC had to get the chop. This is a tragedy as the 200 is one of the greatest small-bore two-strokes ever built. What we have in that sphere now are the 125 and 150 XCs. Australia won’t see the 125 but a small number of 150s will be brought in to satisfy areas such as Victoria that have rec rego — the XC models aren’t ADR compliant.

Of the multitude of highlights in the new engine line-up, the one that will blow people away the most is the inclusion of a counterbalance shaft in the two-strokes. It’s claimed that it cuts vibration by an amazing 50 per cent and it’s worth noting again here that these are offroad-specific engines and not based off the motocross versions.

KTM has total belief that the two-stroke has a long and bright future and so has seen fit to take it to another level.

Remember when the Japanese told us the two-stroke couldn’t be developed any further? They were wrong.

To take a moment to pay homage to the previous orange oil burners, it’s pretty amazing to think that the 300EXC engine that we know now as a 2015

model first appeared in 1992. It’s been refined and improved along the way but that engine lasted 24 years without much complaint from anyone that owned one. The Keihin carbys have now been replaced with Mikuni TMX e units and all new exhaust systems have been fitted.

Electric start on all the new engines has been integrated into the cases underneath the front instead of a topside bolt-on as it was until now. In fact, the four-strokes no longer have kickstarters; it’s button only, which leads us to another fascinating change..

The lead battery is now a lithium-ion battery, which not only saves a massive 1kg right there, but KTM claims the starting is more reliable. The company also stressed that it has tested the lithium-ion unit in all manner of conditions and it outperformed lead every time.

The four-stroke engines have each gotten smaller, lighter and more powerful. How powerful? How about 62Hp from the 500EXC-F out of the box!!

Yep, that’s a crazy figure on a bike that also lost 5kg over the previous model.

The 450 will produce a lazy 56Hp, also with 5kg less than the 2016 model. e To give you a comparison here, in the year 2000, the 500’s engine was 52Hp and weighed 35kg. It’s now 62Hp and weighs in at 30kg.

Not a bad sigh even if your t to be greeted with — head is telli ng you it’s 2am

We spent about a full half day riding pushies and dr inki litre jugs of beer in Bar ng celona

TRAIL TIME 450EXC-F F. The first bike I got on was the 450EXC-F. I haven’t felt a huge affinity for the 450 Kato for a while. Its good and probably the best all-round 450 on the market, e but it kind of felt a bit stale to me — like s it’s missing some sort of spark and has gotten too smooth and too tamed. That impression was blown away with every kilometre I rode on the 2017 model. It feels like a KTM but not like anything up to 2016. It feels lower, like I’m more on top of the bike, and it feels plusher, e particularly through the first part of the e stroke. It takes no time to appreciate the

ity Saddling up on some qual and colourful two-wheeled transport in Barcelona

and it’s just amazing what a weight loss a difference that loss of 5kg coupled with the more centralised mass has made.

The 450 is well balanced and nimble to a degree it’s never been and the engine is so very good. I rode a lot with the traction control off and I loved it. It’s got personality again. It’s versatile and would suit a racer or trail plodder and a lot of that comes down to the threeyear development of the ECU, which is literally the engine’s electronic brain.

I ended up switching on traction control (via

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a switch on the bars) and liked it so much I left it on. I did the same with the 500. It’s not the sort of TC that sends shudders through the bike but, in simple terms, it registers peaks in revs produced by wheel spins and governs the ignition to bring that back into line. It’s pretty subtle but you know it’s happening. It doesn’t really slow the momentum but it helps hook up and stay on a charge up hills and through sandy or loose rocky sections. It’s a good thing.

The 450 would be one of the standout bikes in the range and it’s going to be tough to match one on one against any competitors.

Messing with such a t beloved bike was a bi of a gamble. Totally redesigning it could have been a tragedy

The traction-control/engine map switch is a Power Part but stock on the Six Days models

The new airbox is way more user-friendly

Lithium-ion replaces lead and 1kg is saved

That’s a Kato coaster — we stole one from our dinner table

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FEATURE 2017 KTM EXC LAUNCH

Lock-on grips have finally made their way onto a production bike

Remember when the Japanese told us the two-stroke couldn’t be developed any furthe r?

They were wrong 350EXC-F I’ve always liked the 350. I’ve never understood why a Japanese company hasn’t given this capacity a crack. For the average rider, a 450 is simply too much but these new 350s are the sweet spot. The 2017 350EXC-F is probably the bike that felt the most different to me. It’s got a very defined feel that’s all its own and in fact it’s a pretty bloody peaky bike to ride. I know that’s an old term but it’s spot on. The 350 wants to jump and bolt from the get-go and couple that with its insanely light feel and you’ve got a bike that’s obscenely fun to ride.

The new XPlor shock and fork are excellent and a step up from the already good WP units. They’ll suit a trailrider more than a racer but that’s fine with us. The new, less aggressive brakes don’t feel as good as what we’re used to. It’s a personal thing, though, and I happen to like aggressive brakes. They’re still excellent but the grabby feel that we’ve known for so long is gone.

I reckon the 350 is the best capacity for the average Aussie rider and this is the best 350 yet. Make of that what you will but try a full day’s riding on the 2017 and see for yourself. You’ll probably ride faster and be less buggered at the end if you’re coming off a big bore.

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300EXC Messing with such a beloved bike was a bit of a gamble. Totally redesigning it could have been a tragedy. This was the bike I was most genuinely worried for when I got on it because I love the 300 just the way it is so let me just get this out there straight away. The effect of the balance shaft is… I don’t want to say mind blowing because I’ve already used that term. Let me just Google another word. OK, I’ve got it. I was in pure stupefaction. No, I don’t even know what that means.

I was astonished. That’s it — I was astonished. From the day I got my first YZ80 until the day I rode the 2017 300EXC, there were two things that two-strokes did that never changed regardless of brand or capacity. They made a sweet sound and they vibrated.

Well, they no longer vibrate. Not the new Katos anyway — the front guard barely even moved while I sat there revving the 300.

This makes riding the bike a whole new ball game. The 300 and 250 as we know them

are gone. These are replacements and they’re awesome.

Everything you want is still there.

The 300 is fast and ballsy and a bit bloody frightening but its better balanced now, has a more comfortable ride and is way less fatiguing.

KTM claim that while direct injection is within its power, it’s yet to see a positive advantage to the increased costs. The brand also isn’t a fan of air forks for enduro bikes so don’t expect to see them any time soon.

FEATURE 2016 DUCATI MULTISTRADA 1200 ENDURO

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ADVENTURE

ITALIANO Ducati has made its play at the adventure market proper and it hasn’t done it by halves STORY ASHENHURST PHOTOS GREG SMITH/IKAPTURE/DUCATI

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FEATURE 2016 DUCATI MULTISTRADA 1200 ENDURO

T

he year 2016 is a big one for Ducati. The company kicked off in 1926 so this year marks its 90th birthday and, as such, the Multistrada 1200 Enduro is a grand statement. After 90 years and finding its place as one of the world’s most recognisable motorcycling brands, Ducati has little to prove and so to move into the adventure market is something of a gamble. It’s a stacked field and the competition is stiff with BMW, Triumph, KTM, Suzuki, Honda, Yamaha and Kawasaki offering models from 650cc and up and with a price range that climbs from $8000 to $30,000. And the picking’s good; there are some standout bikes in that pack and with the exception of the Triumph, we’ve ridden them all — we even own a couple of them. So Ducati knew the Multistrada Enduro needed to be great. It had to be capable offroad to get any kudos and this was something new to the company. We attended the launch of the bike in Coffs Harbour, NSW, recently and spent some time getting to know it. Here’s what we discovered.

WHAT’S IN A NAME I know almost nothing about Ducati. I think my cousin owned a 999 and that’s about as close as I’ve ever got to the brand. The idea of riding one in the bush was kind of hard to picture for me until I saw the press photos of the Multistrada Enduro, which was clearly marketed with the intentions of taking it offroad. It looked the biz with the beak and long travel suspension and a bashplate. But what could a dedicated road bike manufacturer possibly want to achieve with an adventure bike? Part of that answer lies in the fact that in much of the world the adventure bike segment is the second largest and often fastest growing. Cruisers are apparently the number one — that mystifies me no end. I’d rather walk naked into a meerkat’s cage with my knob covered in broccoli than ride a cruiser.

But let’s start this from the beginning of my Ducati experience because there’s a bit of a journey to take here.

I first looked over the bike just before we received the technical presentation

The seat isn’t adjustable but there are two other heights available

by Warren Lee, who is head of Ducati Australia and as we found out is actually a dirt rider from way back and was pretty stoked to be able to present a dirt-ready bike from his own stable, so to speak.

The Multistrada Enduro is an imposing-looking bike in the flesh. The lines are aggressive, the chassis is chock-full of engine and things just look kind of… different. The thought occurred to me that this may be another road bike fitted with long travel suspension and called an adventure bike. We’ve seen them before. We don’t like them.

The presentation was an eye-opener.

There are four bikes that use the Multistrada title. There’s the 1200, the 1200S and the Pikes Peak, which are all road bikes.

And now there’s the 1200 Enduro, which, to Ducati’s credit, is not just a standard 1200 with a big bashplate.

It’s part of the family and the DNA means they look similar but the Enduro is very different from its siblings and built for offroad.

It’s not often you’ve seen the Ducati name in a setting like this

That’s a pretty mean look but you’ll want to throw a guard on that radiator

But what could a dedicated road bike manufacturer possibly want e? to achieve with an adventure bik

Aggressive lines and purposeful design — it’s definitely a Ducati

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STANDARD EQUIPMENT • The Multistrada is loaded for bear • Ducati Testastretta DVT engine • Inertial Measurement Unit (IMU)

by Bosch • Bosch-Brembo ABS 9.1ME cornering braking system • Electronic cruise control • Riding modes • Ducati Multimedia System (DMS) • Ride-by-Wire Power Modes (PM) • Ducati Wheelie Control (DWC) • Ducati Traction Control (DTC) • Vehicle Hold Control (VHC) • Sachs semi-active electronic suspension (front and rear): • Ducati Skyhook Suspension (DSS) Evolution system • Sachs steering damper • Full LED headlight with Ducati Cornering Lights (DCL) • Dashboard with full-TFT 5” colour screen • Centre stand

I’d rather walk naked into a meerkat’s cage with my knob covered in broccoli than ride a cruiser GET GEARED UP Some sweet sections from the genuine Ducati apparel store: • Enduro jacket: the Enduro fabric jacket — developed in collaboration with Scott.

• Enduro trousers: the Enduro pants — created in collaboration with Scott and complete the look of the Enduro jacket.

• Strada tour 2 helmet: based on Arai’s XD4 shell.

IINSIDE THE BEAST T 1198.4cc L-twin-cylinder engine The iis called the Testastretta — yes, the e engine has a name that we think is a awesome. And it’s got some muscle; 1 160 horsepower to be exact, which is a frightening number if not altogether n necessary in the bush. Couple that w with a torque figure of 136Nm and yyou’ve got a bike capable of altering tthe rotation of the Earth, which, a again, I want nothing to do with on tthe dirt where traction is a precious ccommodity. However, this is where the b bike’s cleverness comes into play via ssome brilliant electronics.

The bike operates in any one of ffour predetermined modes. These m modes govern the engine performance, ssuspension settings, ABS and ttraction control. The modes (which a are adjustable on the fly) are Sport, T Touring, Enduro and Urban and each of them are adjustable in many ways so you can fine tune your ride right down to the minutest detail. You can also adjust preload settings independently so the bike knows if you’re carrying luggage or a pillion passenger. You do all this just with your left thumb and you keep track of all these changes via the excellent 5” TFT display.

Even the lights on the Multistrada are clever. Ducati Cornering Lights

(DCL) come on when the bike passes a predetermined angle to light the inside of the corner.

Now bear with me as we go through some of the other tech highlights and then we’ll get on the bike and find out if it’s any good. The Multistrada runs an eight-level traction control system (DCT) and a top-of-the-line Bosch Cornering ABS system that is active to the degree in which the mode you’re riding decrees or which you’ve chosen yourself. The ABS even integrates a Vehicle Hold Control (VHT), which activates the rear brake for nine seconds or until you start to move forward so you can concentrate on the clutch and throttle on tricky hill starts.

With all this on board, it would seem a step backwards to insert a key into the ignition and so of course the ignition is keyless, which means if the key is within 2m of the bike it will start at the press of a button.

There’s plenty more but frankly there’s too much to go through and those are the standouts. So let’s get riding and see how it all comes together.

MODE LIFE We started our day with a winding uphill road section and given that’s what the occasion called for, I put the bike into Sport mode to bring all

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FEATURE 2016 DUCATI MULTISTRADA 1200 ENDURO

160Hp to life. This was a dumb idea.

I have no business riding a bike with 160Hp. It’s impressive, but by quarter throttle the bike lunges forward like you’ve lit a rocket and the scenery goes by you like stars in the movies when a spaceship goes into light speed. It was clear this would be shit in the dirt and I hoped to hell the Enduro mode wouldn’t be like that.

Mercifully, once you’re in Enduro mode the output is a more sedate and sensible 100Hp. The suspension is softened, the Ducati Wheelie Control is switched off and ABS is set to level one at the front and disengaged at the rear so you can lock it up. There’s a lot happening there but it only takes about eight seconds to change modes using the thumb switch. In fact, I found the electronics on the Ducati to be intuitive and easy to use, perhaps more so than on any other bike.

The ergonomics are another tip of the cap to adventure and dirt riding.

The seat is comfortable though a little wide at the thighs, but the tank contour is nice and standing is no problem at all. The pegs are excellent and the rear brake lever is height adjustable by just pulling out the knob and turning it over.

I’d like a longer gear lever but that’s a personal preference and overall the bars are nice, the controls are simple and the screen is adjustable via a

manual latch. There are genuine seats available that can lower or raise the height by 20mm but at 5’11”, I found the bike was a good fit stock.

Ducati partnered with Touratech to add the best-quality fittings to the bike, which is a nice idea and in fact the only rider to test the durability of the aluminium side panels was the bossman himself, Warren. That said, it was pretty cool to have the Ducati guys out in the bush with us and having a blast.

GETTING ACQUAINTED My first impression of the bike was uncertain. I couldn’t seem to gel with it for a while. Mainly, I couldn’t get a feel for the front end, which on a big bike is all important. The bikes were all running Pirelli Scorpion Rallies, which is as good a tyre as you can get, and knowing that, I pushed things a little harder to find the point that I was worried about. And I pushed and I pushed. Pretty soon, the biggest problem I had was the speed that drainage humps were coming up on me, which was way faster than is considered sane on a 250kg motorcycle.

This is when I started to understand what the Multistrada was capable of.

Not just because you can ride it fast — it’s a 1200cc-horsepower factory bike so of course it can go fast. But it handles loose off-camber so well for

a big bike. Cross ruts are not a drama either; just go straight on and it’ll track over them. The brakes are amazing; powerful, but with feel so if you overcook it into a corner (easy to do) you can just bring it all back in before you park it into a tree. I started tipping it in harder and putting my leg out like I was riding a dirt bike and hitting the throttle on the corner exits to bolt down the next stretch. The Multistrada is fun.

It’s more nimble than I credited it for.

It’s comfortable and all the electronics feel connected to the ride and not something that’s making decisions for you or hindering you in any way. The harder I rode it, the more I liked it and given I have a slight aversion to 19/17” wheel sets, I was blown away by how stable it was, aided in no small part I imagine by the Sachs steering damper fitted as standard equipment.

PLEASE SIR, MAY I HAVE SOME MORE We were out for around six hours and I was very much underdone — I wanted more. I wanted to drain that 30L tank a few times heading into the outback for a few days. The Multistrada 1200 Enduro is an excellent bike. It’s supremely well fitted out, which is reflected not unfairly in its $29,990 asking price and, although we’d just scratched the surface, it feels like a bike capable of a great deal.

Its limiting factor will be its size and weight, which means cautious jumping and avoiding dropping the thing at all costs, but that applies to pretty much every 1200cc adventure bike.

So who would want this bike?

Anyone that finds the boxer engine a hindrance would. Anyone that wants more tech than Ténéré offers would. It holds its road heritage a little closer than the KTM, hence Ducati bequeathing it with the term “Globetrotter” (pretty sure that’s the first time the word “bequeathing” has been used in a dirtbike magazine by the way) and pointing out that it is designed to take on long stretches of road as well as it does rock shelves.

I’ve always found it hard to compare adventure bikes because they all feel so different. Nothing feels like an R1200GS. The V-Strom 1000 is nothing like a Ténéré 1200, and even the DR650 and KLR650 aren’t much alike to ride. Ducati needed to come up with a bike that wasn’t totally derivative of anyone else’s so they’d stand alone and it needed to be a true off-roader to gain any credibility. It also needed to get it right because we have excellent choices in the 1200cc category already.

Thankfully the Multistrada 1200 Enduro delivers in so many ways and, best of all, left us wanting more. What more can you ask from a bike?

lunges forward By quarter throttle the bike scenery goes the like you’ve lit a rocket and s when a ie by you like stars in the mov d spee spaceship goes into light

PERSONALISATION PACKAGES • Touring Pack: heated grips, Ducati Performance by Touratech aluminium panniers and handlebar bag • Sport Pack: type-approved Ducati Performance by Termignoni exhaust (complies with EU homologation requisites), billet black aluminium water pump cover, billet aluminium front brake fluid and clutch fluid reservoir caps • Urban Pack: Ducati Performance by Touratech aluminium top case, tank bag with tank lock and USB hub to charge electronic devices • Enduro Pack: Supplementary LED lights, Ducati Performance by Touratech components: crash bars, radiator protection, oil radiator protection, chain guide, rear brake guard The LED handguard blinkers are cool but this bloke has no clue on the road

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FEATURE CLASSIC DIRT 2016

CLASSIC DIRT Where classic bikes and their riders are brought together in the one place PHOTOS MATT FERRY

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FEATURE CLASSIC DIRT 2016 Getting amongst it was the name of the game at Classic Dirt

e glory days Classic Dirt celebrates th ity bikes of yesteryear and the qual uced od and hardware that were pr What can you say about the 490? It’s a legendary weapon, that’ s for sure

u’ll see a It’s not often yo these days ng so l ful in 0 TT63

O

n a brilliant weekend in midJune while some were taking in the dust and cold of Alice Springs, others were gathered in the relative warmth of Conondale in Queensland. The VMX-run Classic Dirt event, sponsored by Yamaha Australia, was easily one the two best things happening in the dirt in Australia and attracted legends including four-time World Motocross champion Heikki Mikkola, six-time AMA Motocross champion Broc Glover and several Aussie riding legends that need no introduction: Stephen Gall, Craig Dack, Geoff Ballard, Dave Armstrong and Mike Landman.

Classic Dirt celebrates the glory days of yesteryear and the quality bikes and hardware that were produced, from epic IT 200s to marvellous Maicos and even a fully restored 1987 YZ250 that was once raced by Glenn Bell and is unmistakable in its Marlboro colours.

All the legends hit the track and did laps, much to the delight of the crowd, but the focus wasn’t on racing as much as it was on the machines. The event is a gathering of likeminded folks that

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can’t get enough of some of the best classic bikes — and even some models that maybe weren’t the best but still deserve their day on the dirt.

Conondale is a brilliant venue for this sort of event and Yamaha Australia even rolled out its 60th-anniversary truck/ mobile museum, which became the focus of countless punters who loved the chance to actually get up close and even touch bikes they haven’t seen for years — or bikes they would normally be yelled at for trying to get close to.

There were great bikes both on display and on the track with models ranging from enduro to motocross, dirt track to sidecar and anything in between. It’s just amazing how much work, time and effort has gone into restoring or keeping some of these bikes in top shape and to see most of them still being used as they were originally intended is pretty cool. Will we be doing this in 20 years with the current four-stroke-dominated market?

Maybe… but it seems like we’ve lost so much of the gene pool over the years that it’ll be a far less colourful affair.

all style, Stephen Gall is ays been alw ’s he e lik t jus

The IT465. This has been the stuff of nightmares for those not up to the challenge

That’s probably the coolest TT-R250 ever made — and it’s an all-Aussie build with some very awesome history

That’s one sweet IT250… from 1980, would you believe it!?

Glenn Bell’s awesome 1987 YZ250 — restored to perfection

Broc Glover ca n still punt around a track

ola and Dack Landman, Mikk and all — legends one

These guys aren’t afraid of getting their bikes dirty

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FEATURE CLASSIC DIRT 2016 Plenty of KTMs blew people’s minds back in the day

sight of this Sweet Jesus, the n ny things to a ma fun es do 0 50 CR

Gotta love the IT200 — the ideal bike for its day

vellous …from epic IT 200s to mar stored Maicos and even a fully re raced 1987 YZ250 that was once takable

by Glenn Bell and is unmis in its Marlboro colours

to the stuff of mo The HL500 is rk of art wo a d an re folklo

Plenty of trade and shop talk went on over the two days

SWM may be making a comeback but this is the original steel right here

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FEATURE CALIFORNIA DREAMING

california dreaming Four days of Hollywood, sun, beach and motorcycles... it’s tough, but someone’s got to do it STORY BY CLIVE WARD

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The famous Chapa rral Motorsports

T

ake your love of motorcycles and movies to a new eyepopping level. A holiday to Los Angeles can satisfy so many dreams in a short time. Here’s a suggested itinerary to get the most out of your trip.

DAY ONE When in Los Angeles, how could you not visit the famous Dolby Theatre and Hollywood Walk of Fame? The street is alive with all types of characters, some fun and interesting and some shady.

Watch out for the CD hawkers — they jam one in your hand but it’s not free.

Follow that with Sunset Boulevard, shopping on Rodeo Drive, driving around Beverly Hills and you have ticked a lot of boxes. Now add riding along Mulholland The Malcolm Smith Motorsports showroom in all its glory

Drive right up to the canyon areas and you are closing in on your first LA motorcycle experience. Snake Canyon is a YouTube sensation and travelling from the bottom to the top you will first come across the Rock Store, a great place to stop for lunch and grab a beer — the day we were there, there were many interesting cars and bikes parked in the car park. From there, it’s only a few miles further until you hit the famous “Ss” of Snake canyon. Watch out for that radius-decreasing uphill left-hander and expect the circus of watchers to be in the overlook, cameras at the ready for any mistakes. As you complete the turn, pull over into the car park and hang around for a while; you get a great view and can join in with the crowd waiting for the next incident to occur.

HOFF’S HOUSE Head south to Venice Beach and you can spend a couple of hours walking along checking out Muscle Beach Gym (who knows, Arnie might be there working out) and all that’s entertaining on the boardwalk — there’s always plenty of stuff going on.

Just keep walking and eventually you will pass where they filmed the Hoff in Baywatch, until you come to Santa Monica Pier, which is the official end of Route 66.

TOURING TECH You want to start early and head north east on Highway 91 to Corona.

Here, you can visit Pro Circuit at 2771 Wardlow Road. You can view all the championship-winning bikes and

buy any of the merchandise or parts you could want. Next stop is Troy Lee Designs at 155 East Rincon Street, Corona. The shop has a full retail section with T-shirts, jerseys, pants, helmets… you name it. You never know, you may get lucky like me and run into Troy himself. I found him just hanging out in the shop, so had a chat and grabbed a photo.

OK, let’s move on to Malcolm Smith Motorsports at 7599 Indiana Avenue, Riverside. You will need some time here. This big working dealership includes a history museum upstairs on the mezzanine level, featuring many of Malcolm’s early Husqvarnas plus hundreds of square metres of new bikes, parts, accessories and clothing.

If you still want more, head over

You get a great v ie join in with the c w and can row for the next incid d waiting ent to occur

| 67

FEATURE CALIFORNIA DREAMING No shortage of number-one plates at Pro Circuit

to Chaparral Motorsports at 555 S H Street, San Bernardino. This place is huge. Bikes, parts, helmets, clothing in all directions — if you can’t find something to suit you here, you are very hard to please.

TRACK TIME What else? Now that you have all that new gear, it’s time to test it out — so let’s ride. The only question is which one of a dozen tracks do we head to?

In my opinion, it should either be Pala or Glen Helen and with a hook up via MX Vacations you can do either or choose from another seven tracks. Go to mxvacations.com/tracks/ to check them all out.

And don’t forget, if you time it right, ht, you can go to a Supercross or MX National event as a spectator.

So what are you waiting for? We flew with United Airlines, who have some great deals for return flights.. er The USA allows Australians to enter the country easily, apply online for a visa waiver, and your Australian driver/rider licence is valid there without any other paperwork.

Bikes at Malco lm Smith Motorsports Museum

Troy Lee (L) and the Professor

Inside Troy Lee Designs

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Let’s move on to Malcolm Smith Motorsports at 7599 Indiana Avenue, Riverside. re You will need some time he

FEATURE HONDA CRF450X

FORGOTTEN

ROCKET Age shall not weary it... well, maybe a little, but the CRF450X is too fun a ride to just turn your back on STORY ASHENHURST

L

et’s just get this out of the way. By today’s standards, the CRF450X is, well... lacking. OK, before you get confused that we might be writing nice things about this bike, we know where it sits against a 2016 KTM or Yamaha but, even so, it’s kind of disappointing just how much scorn this bike attracts. Obviously we’ve moved past what it offers in several major areas, but so what? It is actually still a great bike. Yep, it is.

The CRF450X started life with promise and zeal. It wanted to perform at its best and its parent was proud.

The CRF would quickly become accepted as a great trail bike and even win a tonne of race titles in the desert

70 |

(its Baja record is amazing). It was healthy competition for the WR-Fs and EXC-Fs of the day and seemed to be building towards a long and prosperous future with upgrades that included a new frame, a steering stabiliser and a slimmer tank.

Then, in 2009, a bunch of arseholes that ran banks were found to have ripped so many people off for so long that the world was plunged into the Global Financial Crisis (GFC) and you know what? Not a single banker was prosecuted and punished for that but the CRF was. It paid for its sins. It was at this juncture that Honda cut its creation loose. Particularly hard hit by the GFC, Honda ceased upgrades to

The CRF450X started life w and zeal. It wanted to ith promise perform at its best and its parent w as proud

the model line and so the 2009 model stood and continues to stand as the same bike available to this day.

Bolt for bolt. There is no 2016 model ’s — if you find one on a dealer’s floor, it’s a 2009 model.

This should be a tragic story and if you watched the CRF’s sales downturn through the years it can be easily read as such, but just wait a minute. What’s being forgotten here is that the bike is in fact still a good bike. Yeah, it’s old and it’s pretty heavy (so am I), but the forks are excellent and the engine is smooth and for its time put out healthy numbers without feeling like a danger to your health.

On the trails, the CRF turns well and

suits riders that love that older Honda feel of sitting up on top of a bike.

HIGHS AND LOWS The gearing is too low and the clutch is heavier than LeBron James’s left leg. It vibrates pretty hard and we’re not sure if that stabiliser actually does anything but it has to be said that the bike is fun to ride. It’ll wheelie for kilometres and if you want to ride it hard and fast there’s

nothing to stop you — the bike is up for it and you’ll find it’s especially stable at high speeds. The air filter is a bitch to get to and the footpegs are atrocious.

While the brakes aren’t particularly strong, they do offer a heap of feel.

With regular maintenance (watch those valves), the CRF450X has largely been found to be reliable (just ask Johnny Campbell) and there are quite a few still getting around.

| 71

FEATURE HONDA CRF450X

FIXER-UPPER • Throw out the 51-tooth rear sprocket and bung on a 47-tooth. That will give you some more top-end wind-out and tame that crazy initial hit in first gear.

• If you find the front brakes get a bit spongy once they heat up, fit a braided brake line and take off the big white brake guard. And while you’re down near the ground, replace the footpegs for something wider.

• Open up the airbox. It needs to breathe and the stock airbox ain’t cutting it. Try opening up the top of the box and then re-jet accordingly. Bung in a quality K&N filter in place of the stock foam job.

• Fit a Ballard’s Offroad Pivot Assist clutch lever.

• Replace the ridiculously heavy sidestand with a lighter unit. This stocker is overkill by a factor of 11.

• The stock exhaust is heavy and choked.

Replace it if you feel you need to unlock more from the engine but be aware of noise increases from pipe to pipe. Do some research on what each pipe does and how they shift the power. Don’t just splash cash down on the first can you see because you don’t necessarily need a heap more bottom-end. The FMF Q4 is a good option to start with.

• Replace the stock LCD display. It’s an unreliable stinker. Check out Trail Tech’s “Vapour” models.

• If you need more range from the somewhat-small stock tank then the 21L Safari tank should handle that nicely.

• In the interest of saving weight, an Acerbis plastic skid plate is a good option.

• Another good weight-saving exercise is to swap out the stock battery for a lithium-ion unit and replace the standard sprockets with Supersprox gear.

Not a single banker was prosecuted and punished for that but the CRF was.

It paid for its sins 72 |

Get into your specialist Honda dealer today and ask us about the full range of Honda Generators.

Call 1300 1 HONDA or visit powerequipment.honda.com.au Subject to availability, all prices include GST. *4 year warranty applies for domestic use only and does not apply to engines sold as separate units.

FEATURE SE SEV SE SEVEN EVEN EN DEADLY DEA D EA E ADLY DLY DL L SINS SIIN S NS S

N E V SE

y L D A E D SINS

t Aussie Scenes from the grea it on your dream trailride. Stickr done! bucket list and get ‘e PHOTOS GREG SMITH

T

/IKAPTURE

he Seven Deadly Sins tour is one of the most infamous rides on the Aussie trailride calendar. Run by the guys at Rush Adventure Tours, it’s a seven-day odyssey designed to test both man and machine as well see some of the best trails this country offers.

On the outside it’s simply a loop from Corryong in Victoria, but from there it’s a near-1200km ride that takes in too many hills to count, water crossings, epic single trail and unbelievable scenery, all run by guys

74 |

that are the best in the business.

There are a number of brilliant trailrides on the Aussie calendar but lately we seem to be losing a few good operators, so that number is dropping a little. The Seven Deadly Sins is a stalwart of the tour schedule d and we’re telling you now, sign up and 7 get on-board before it fills up for 2017 d. because it really is worth every second.

Here are some of the best pics eg g from the 2016 run from our mate Greg Smith, who did the run on a schmick Sherco Factory edition.

| 75

FEATURE SEVEN S SEV SE E EVE EN ND DEA DEADLY EA E ADLY DL LY Y SINS SINS SI N

7DS BY THE NUMBERS • Grand total — 27,554km, estimated total of 23 riders (no serious injuries) • Total distance — 1198km • Total climbs — 625.86km vertical • Fuel for the group — 3080L including two-stroke • Tyres — 8 • Tubes — 21

76 7 6|

• • • • •

Breakdowns — 1 (KTM 500) Meals — 483 Alcohol — 296L Water — 462L Brands — KTM x 10, Yam x 2, HUS x 3, Berg x 2, Sherco x 5 • Youngest — 25 • Oldest — 66 • Average age — 43

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BACK PACK

HOW-TO TIPS AND TESTED GOODIES

DS GEN HOT E L

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WE FEATURE ONE OF THE GREATS

H TIPS TEC

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WE GET GREASY AND PLAY WITH OUR TOOLS

NATION STI S E D

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A QUICK LOOK AT A DREAM RIDE LOCATION

E TIPS RID

88

DERS’ RIDE EA

S

R

TACKLE THE EASY TO THE TOUGH WITH THESE TWOWHEEL TIPS

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WE TAKE A LOOK AT SOME OF YOUR VERY OWN RIDING MACHINES

NG SHO RTI T PA

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CAPTURING A GREAT MOMENT IN TRAIL TIME

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LEGEND SHOT DAVID KNIGHT

DAVID KNIGHT Not many enduro riders divide fans like David Knight.

Some love him and some… not so much. He’s had an incredible career that at times is breathtaking and at other times confusing and infuriating.

One thing that’s unarguable is that he’s a bona fide legend with more wins and titles than most riders could ever dream of. He’s dominated the sport and proved that he can win in multiple disciplines.

He’s ridden for more manufacturers than just about anyone we can think of and perhaps burnt more bridges than a retreating Russian army. And as we saw in last year’s American EnduroCross series, he can still ride hard and push for wins.

There was a time when Knighter was the biggest name in enduro the world over and he played a huge part in building extreme enduro into the behemoth it is today. We love watching the big guy ride and it was pretty impressive seeing him doing his thing at the Coffs Harbour A4DE.

82 |

with more than a decade of experience running tours on the south coast of nsw, rush adventure tours are the experts.

Catering from beginner to expert and offering both private and group bookings as well as kids and adult coaching clinics, there is an adventure for every rider. Covering Nowra to the Victorian high country and through the Blue Mountains with tours from 1 to 7 days.

Just show up with your bike fuelled up and ready to go and let us take you out for a day of riding you will never forget! Interested in riding the latest from Sherco? On any tour you can swap your bike for one of ours and see just how good the new Shercos are!

Check out the fully catered tours on offer on the website or design your own tour for you and your mates. We guarantee it will be unforgettable!

rushadventuretours.com.au Cam Smith 0414 209 292 Lindsay Bond 0418 860 861

Photos by iKapture

TECH TIPS nyone who has been around motorcycles for a while will have seen the familiar yellow and blue Race Tech logo. Who are they? What do they do? And can they help you?

Armed with questions, the Professor went straight to the factory in Corona, California, to find the answers.

Founded by Paul Thede, Race Tech began operations 30 years ago. It quickly became one of the most highly regarded suspension specialty shops in the sport. Paul is an icon in the motorcycle industry and a former top pro racer in California. Born in Hawaii, he moved to California for the racing. Armed with a mechanical engineering degree, he delved into the “Black Art” of suspension. He was good at it and soon developed a reputation as the man with the answers. “So what?” you say. “There are many suspension tuners out there.”

Sure, that’s true, but what was and is different about Paul is that he made the conscious decision to change his business direction from the usual “bring it to me and I’ll fix it” guy to the “I want to work with everyone” guy. He decided to share the knowledge, pull back the shroud of secrecy and advance the industry. Paul has written technical books, runs seminars and will tell you everything you

A

RACE TECH The Professor heads to one of the most famous race shops on the planet to see how they do their thing STORY CLIVE WARD PHOTOS DALE WARD

need to know about suspension.

He’ll teach you, show you and make and sell you the parts and tools you need to do it all.

And so, with that one decision, Race Tech took off and now boasts dozens of service centres around the world, plus Paul’s Race Tech Technical Edge Suspension Seminars. The company has grown into one of the largest and most comprehensive brands in motorcycling.

Race Tech has now expanded into just about every aspect of motorcycles: road racing, flat track, supermoto, vintage, ATV and UTV. Recently, Race Tech expended its catalogue

84 |

of products by adding engine services to its menu.

We dropped in to see Race Tech’s California headquarters in Corona and got the full tour.

We went from the training centre to research and development to kit assembly. We saw the massive stock inventory shelves, witnessed packing and shipping, wandered through the inhouse workshop, drooled in the machine shop and finally spent an hour chatting with the man himself, Paul Thede.

At the cutting edge of suspension, Race Tech makes and sells a staggering amount of springs, gold valves, tools and virtually every bush, screw, seal or part you need to correctly tune

a suspension system on most motorcycles worldwide. The Race Tech website is an endless source of parts catalogues plus service and repair information.

The research and development department is headed by Rob Brown. He has the knowledge, staff and tooling equipment required to make sure Race Tech stays at the forefront of every aspect of suspension service, general rider upgrade and top racer requirements. The gold valve kits are still the best valuefor-money upgrade you can do to your motorcycle.

And now, as promised, here are the answers to all those nagging questions straight from Paul himself.

THERE ARE SOME EXCITING NEW CHANGES TO RACE TECH. CAN YOU EXPLAIN THESE? I used to do engines back in the day and when I started Race Tech 30 years ago — I’m not that old, but the company is (laughs) — I used to do two-stroke motors and then I stopped with those because four-strokes came around. Four-strokes require an entirely different set of equipment and not to mention a different level of knowledge.

I hired Rob Brown about five years ago and he actually had a background in engine building more so than suspension building. Rob and I had discussed doing engines as well, ultimately completing the package for Race Tech. It requires a lot more work and personnel that actually specialise in doing motors. Now we have all of the equipment to do guides, valves, cranks,

cylinder boring etc — virtually everything to do top-quality rebuilds or valve service and whatever else people want on their four-strokes. That’s really what we’re focusing on now, not so much the performance end of it, although the performance side of it is just a natural progression, but, really, to provide a place where people can get a goodquality valve job, or crank rebuild or a bored cylinder is the ultimate goal. We actually have a flow bench that Rob designed and built. That thing is amazing!

We’ve got all of the equipment to be able to do the performance end of it, but also good-quality rebuilds that will make a motor last. I’m sure at some point in time it’ll expand into more impressive stuff but we’ll see.

To provide a place w here people can get a good-qua lity job, crank rebuild or valve a bored cylinder is the ultim ate goal

RACE TECH STARTED IN MOTOCROSS 30 YEARS AGO, BUT NOW YOU’VE EXPANDED INTO STREET BIKES AND JUST ABOUT EVERYTHING ELSE. TALK ABOUT THE RATIO OF YOUR WORK FROM STREET TO DIRT. We started doing street bikes and now we’re manufacturing shocks.

We do a ton of vintage bikes, which I love because I used to work on it all, but we also do road race bikes as well as pure street bikes. We manufacture complete forks now and the biggest markets for those are Harley-Davidsons. Who knew I’d do kits for Harley-Davidson?

(Laughs.) One of the things that has been really cool is flat track.

We have Jimmy Wood, who was a top-10 AMA National pro and a high-quality road racer, working here. He’s done a phenomenal job with the flat track data. Flat track is

amazing as far as suspension setup because the tracks are so different in that the dirt is completely different everywhere you go. When Vince Friese did the East Coast SX Championship last year, he finished third as a privateer and never changed a clicker all year! As far as percentages go, it’s probably twothirds dirt and the rest flat track, then Harley and street. A bump is a bump and traction is traction so if you can make it work on a dirt bike then you can make it work on everything else. I mean, we’ve got guys with Goldwings that come in here!

| 85

DESTINATION DESERT RIDING

DESERT RIDING It’s something we have plenty of here in Australia and it can offer an experience like no other. Whether it’s just a weekend ride that dips into the edges of the outback or a longer journey that takes you deep within the red centre, you will be guaranteed an epic adventure. There is something about the remoteness that gives you a buzz; the view you get when the dirt road or trail just disappears into the distance as far as the eye can see. The freedom that comes with loading all that you need onto a bike and heading off into the desert is hard to match, quite often allowing you to go places that can’t be accessed by any other type of vehicle. The air and skies are clear and while the range of temperatures can be a challenge on hot days and cold nights, it just adds to the desert experience. If you are trying to come up with your next multi-day ride, consider heading into the desert — you won’t regret it.

There is something about ut the remoteness that gives you a buzz; the e view you get when the dirt road or trail just disappears into the distance as far as the eye can see

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SIMPSON DESERT D AN K AC TB U O E TAKE ON TH COMMODATION AC D AN LS EA M , EL ALL FU etours.com.au www.motosidadventur

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RIDING TIPS SURVIVING DEEP WATER

SURVIVING DEEP WATER There are times, whether you mean to or not, that you will literally find yourself in deep water. Here are five tips to make it out the other side WORDS SHANE BOOTH PHOTOGRAPHY MATT BERNARD

SINKING FEELING 1TRY TO AVOID IT 4THAT

This is the best tip to beat deep water: try not to end up in it in the first place. Take your time to check out any major water crossings, looking for the depth of the water and what the surface below is. Rocks may be loose but at least you don’t really sink into them like you do if it’s really sandy or muddy.

The surface can make a big difference to the outcome so try to get an idea of what it is.

YOUR SPEED RIGHT 2GET Too slow and you may get stuck on a rock or sink the rear wheel in some soft sand. Too fast and you will run the risk of hitting a rut or rock that is unseen and ending up on your side with a drowned bike. If you get your speed correct you can actually ride the bike through deeper water; the correct speed will create a part in the water off the front wheel that will actually keep some of the water away from the engine and air box. Be confident if you are going to ride through and just maintain a solid amount of momentum without making a bow wave over your head.

TO THE BANK 3LOOK Don’t get so caught up in the crossing that you miss the best option out on the other side.

Once you know you are moving through the water OK, scan forward with your vision and make sure you are heading for the best line out the other side.

This is even more important on longer crossings where you can drift off line easily.

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If you are halfway across and the water is rising, whether it’s because it’s deeper or maybe you begin to sink due to a soft surface below, try not to panic. Keep the bike moving forward for as long as you think you can; you will know the second it gets too deep and the bike starts sucking in water, so until then try to keep moving. Once you stop in water that deep it can be whole other challenge in itself to get going again. If the water gets too deep and the bike starts to inhale it, you will hear the engine sound like someone is holding down your kill switch. At that point it’s time to shut it down.

Don’t keep it pinned and try to keep the engine running — water doesn’t work well in there and it can cause big problems if the engine hydraulic locks. You may need to recruit a friend to get out of there so be ready to shout at the bar that night.

5EMPTY IT OUT

If you have drowned the bike, the first thing you need to do is get the water out. Sometimes lifting it up into a mega wheelie position will get a fair amount out of the exhaust but usually the best bet is to take the spark plug out and tip it upside down. Once it’s there, turn the engine over and pump out the water, either with the kick start, start button or just by spinning the rear wheel while it’s in gear.

Wring out the air filter and put it back in and with any luck your fuel will still be good. The gearbox or engine oil will have to do for now unless you have some on you to change it. Get the bike upright again and have a shot at firing it up — fingers crossed you are good to go and you can get home and give it a full service.

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RIDING TIPS SINGLE TRAIL

SINGLE TRAIL For many riders, this is the best part about trailriding! Ripping through a good section of single trail is exciting but there is little room for error WORDS SHANE BOOTH PHOTOGRAPHY DAMIEN ASHENHURST

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YOU NEED TO FLOW A single trail will zap energy out of you at a rapid rate if you can’t smooth things out and flow through the tight stuff. It’s very easy to ride turn to turn — you end up riding in a real stop-start way and you want to avoid that if you can. You want to feel like the trail is seamless and not made up of 1000 tiny little straights between corners.

SCAN THE TERRAIN Your eyes are busy when you’re riding single trail — you need to take in plenty of information to keep you on the trail and flowing along. You need to watch the section you are dealing with but also constantly keep scanning ahead to get an idea of where the trail is headed, both in the short distance and longer if you can. You need to know where the next few turns are ahead but also where the trail’s headed in general. Sometimes, if you look through the trees and you can see where the trail is taking you, any hint you can get will help you prepare for what’s to come. It may be up a climb or into some ruts, but just knowing roughly where you are headed allows you to flow and relax that little bit more. Whatever you do, avoid riding single trail with your eyes fixed to the ground only a metre or two in front of your front wheel.

GEAR SELECTION AND THROTTLE CONTROL If you can, ride the bike in a higher gear as it will be smoother. Most of the time, riders will be in second gear on a single trail but third is better if possible. It obviously depends on the bike but higher gears just mean smoother power delivery and they are a little more forgiving if you get the throttle application wrong.

STAND IF YOU CAN Standing gives you the ability to be much more agile on the bike and to be ready to deal with more on the trail. When you get comfortable turning the bike while standing, you will find it helps you flow through the slight turns too — you may still sit for tighter turns or ones that have ruts or berms but if you can stand for the majority of time it works well. With practice, you will also find standing is actually more energy efficient than sitting — you don’t get punished anywhere near as much.

REMEMBER THE POWER OF VISION You are in tight confines on single trail and it’s easy to look at things that will be a problem.

Trees, rocks, drops, walls, ditches, stumps and logs are just some of the things that line the trail that you want to avoid. You need to see this stuff as you scan ahead but you also need to be able to ignore it and focus on where you want to put the bike or, more specifically, the wheels. As soon as you see something that could cause a problem, instantly look for the better option. There are usually many more good lines than bad ones; you just need to train yourself to look for them.

One of the best ways to improve is to simply ride it. The more you ride in the tight stuff, the more you get used to the close proximity of everything and the more your perception of speed, especially when trees are close by, improves as well.

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FEATURE READERS’ RIDES

READERS’ RIDES Mark Gillett

Ben Wilcox

Josh Webb

Darcy Foster

Marco Kú útu

las

l Mclean James M

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Darren Brig

ht

Jason Skiel

h Jody Struthers

Brant Cutter

tl Jarrid Bartle

Joshua Rykers

Jock Fenton

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