Upshift Issue 36 - August 2019

August 2019

Issue 36

POWER TO THE TOP KTM 300 XC-W TPI KTM Factory riders are continually shifting the boundaries of possibility.

Their demands have resulted in a new generation of complete high-performance offroad machines that offer outstanding handling and agility, improved ease of use and efďŹ cient power delivery across the whole rev range.

The new KTM 300 XC-W TPI is a race-reďŹ ned machine of the highest caliber, built to conquer every challenge in your journey to the top.

KTM Group Partner

Please make no attempt to imitate the illustrated riding scene, always wear protective clothing and observe the applicable provisions of the road traffic regulations. The illustrated vehicle may vary in selected details from the production model and feature optional equipment available at additional cost. European specification model shown for illustration purposes only.

Photo: R. Schedl

www.kiska.com

*Restrictions apply. See website or authorized dealer for full details. Offer ends August 31, 2019.

Photo: R. Schedl

www.husqvarna-motorcycles.com

0% APR FINANCING AVAILABLE FOR UP TO 48 MONTHS* ON SELECT STREET MODELS OFFER AVAILABLE FOR A LIMITED TIME ONLY on new 2019 VITPILEN and SVARTPILEN models.

Visit an authorized dealer for details.

Issue 36 AUGUST 2019

THE INSIDER

ry information: These drawings contain information ry to Upshift. Any reproduction, or transmittal of this on without expressed written consent is prohibited by se partial or complete of the sordCover marks is prohibited hable to the full extent of the law. Cudby Simon

August 2019

Issue 36

3 YEARS LATER

LOGO SHEET

INSTA-ADV

INSTAGRAM TRAVELERS

Design Chris Glaspell Photography Editor Simon Cudby

GEAR

Contributing Writers Adam Booth Tim Burke Chad de Alva Jon Florea Greg Smith

BLACK

Contributing Photographers Actiongraphers Tim Burke Chad de Alva Ana Hogas Nikkasit Greg Smith

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THE LATEST

Africa Part I THe Build Up - TIM BURKE

horizontal BACk on white IN TIME BELLINGEN, AUSTRALIA BACKWOODS

Story Editor Stefanie Glaspell

Husqvarna 701

Business Development Brandon Glanville

MAKING A MIDDLEWEIGHT ADVENTURE BIKE

Want to advertise with us?

Contact: Brandon Glanville brandon@upshiftonline.com

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Contact: info@upshiftonline.com

KLIM KRIOS PRO HELMET

Join us on Instagram at @ upshift_online Join us on Twitter at @upshift_online

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DUBYA CUSTOM WHEELS

Hellas rally “INTO THE WORLD” GOES RACING

Upshift Magazine is published monthly

by Upshift Online Inc. 2019. Reproduction of any material requires written consent from the publishers. All photos, editorial contributions and advertisements are accepted upon representation that they are original materials by the author and or advertiser. Opinions expressed in the articles are those of the author and may not reflect the views and opinions of the editor, staff or advertisers of Upshift Online Inc. Advertisers assume full responsibility for the entire content and subject matter of their advertisements.

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RYAN VILLOPOTO 2019 Yamaha WR450 Project

3 YEARS LATER INSIDER: ADAM BOOTH

Holy smokes. I can’t believe it’s been three years and thirty-six issues since Upshift started. I began working in the magazine world way back in 1998, before digital photography and before the interwebs. I spent most of my 20’s as the editor for BMX Plus! Magazine, traveling and shooting photos. During that time I did a lot of photography work for Fox Racing, as did Simon. Our paths crossed a lot, especially when I transitioned to working at Dirt Bike magazine. We saw each other at races and media intros numerous times a year. We talked about cameras, dirt bikes and a lot of grumpy old man shit. Through the years, I slowly watched Simon develop a passion for riding offroad. The obsession started slowly, but like a lot of obsessions, it took over.

I remember years ago while we were grumbling about the state of the shitty media world at some media intro, Simon told me about his idea to start Upshift. I was happy he had so much enthusiasm and excitement to go into the magazine/publishing world. I didn’t tell him at the time, but I also thought maybe he should cut back on grandpa’s cough syrup. I loved the idea of building great content based around the adventure world, and I knew from my experiences the adventure market was growing and lacked quality content. I was the associate editor at Dirt Rider at the time, and every month the magazine was shrinking. The writing was on the wall. The print media world was crumbling. A drunken game of Russian Roulette felt like a better plan for the future than starting a magazine.

Simon and Chris pulled the trigger and started Upshift, all while maintaining full-time jobs. It was a love of motorcycles and a passion for creating fresh content that made it happen. Upshift, like an old locomotive, began to pick up momentum. Simon’s epic photography and Chris’s skills as a graphic designer offered readers fresh stimuli for the eye. Eventually, the two-man crew of Upshift became three with the addition of Brandon, who brought a knack for sales and organization. What was once a pipe dream packed tight with passion and enthusiasm became a machine that required full-time attention. It only took a few trips to Idaho to convince Simon and Chris that Upshift didn’t need Southern California as a home base. The endless trails, scenic roads, and picturesque mountains couldn’t be a better place to produce a magazine about enjoying two wheels. The reason Upshift Online ignites that desire to ride and explore new places is simple: the guys creating the content are enjoying life to the fullest while doing it on two wheels.

If you follow the modern media world, you’ve probably seen numerous titles that once ruled the motorcycle industry crumble and fade. Many of the titles I worked for are gone or just crappy websites based around clickbait. This happened after corporations came in and bought out those who had a passion for the sport and who understood the readers. The suit and tie guy who has never twisted a throttle can’t understand what it is to ride, and it always shows through in the product. It has been a pleasure to watch the Upshift crew make it work and pump out a magazine every month. It is even more fun to hop on a plane and create some content with them! Congrats on three years! Let the momentum build.

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The mission is simple, if you want to share your adventures on “insta-adv” you’d better start following us! @upshift_online and use the hash tag #upshift_online on your photos

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GET OFF THE BEATEN PATH

OFFTRACK OUTFIT

When you’re not afraid of riding off-road, and you don’t know where the next adventure will take you, you need gear that keeps you well protected and comfortable at the same time. That’s why we developed our new Offtrack outfit; a lightweight, well-ventilated ensemble with plenty of storage space.

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Upshift - August

1. Kriega Hydro-3 Hydration Pack The HYDRO 3 provides tough, long lasting performance essential for the rough and tumble world of off-road riding.

Incorporating Kriega’s Quadloc-lite™ system, the harness is angled away from the underarms giving total freedom of movement.

An optional waist strap is included for the extra demands of riding off-road.

A small side pocket allows access to smaller tools, energy bars etc. with the main compartment featuring a military grade hydration reservoir. Both are sealed with genuine YKK® water-resistant zips.

The 0.4mm Thermo Polyurethane reservoir is twice as thick as standard consumer models and comes with a reinforced slider and Hydrofusion insulated big-bore tube with 45° twist-lock bite valve.

A rear shock-cord provides extra external storage, ideal for a rain jacket or spare gloves. Features 420D nylon rip-stop construction.

MRRP: $145.00 kriega.us

Upshift - August

2. MSR Zoic 1 Tent Lightweight, breathable and comfortable, the Zoic 1 tent proves that solo backpacking trips don’t have to mean being confined to a tiny tent, or sacrificing comfort for weight goals.

Designed with extra length and width in mind, the Zoic 1 tent’s floorplan lets you fit a large mattress and still have space for storing additional gear inside. Lightweight enough to take into the backcountry, the tent’s spaciousness and livability are worth it when you’re solo camping under the stars near Joshua Tree, or meeting up with friends for a summer trek in the Great Smoky Mountains.

The tent’s full micromesh canopy not only helps with stargazing but also maximizes breathability and moisture control, to ensure you stay cool and dry. MSRP: $299.95 www.msrgear.com

THE RIGHT TOOLS PHOTO: SCHEDL R./COURTESY OF KTM

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V I E W A L L O F O U R T I R E T O O L S AT M O T I O N P R O . C O M

Upshift - August

3. Klim 626 Series Switchback Pant KLIM is excited to announce this latest addition to their 626 Series gear lineup, where they blend casual style with technical motorcycle outerwear. The whole 626 Series is for anyone who treats motorcycling as a lifestyle, and the Switchback Pant is no different.

Building around a durable, lightweight chassis and Karbonite Micromesh panels, KLIM has developed a pant with comfortable airflow and controllable vents for hotter days. To maintain important levels of safety, the pants come with D3O vented armor in the hips and knees.

However, with versatility a key focus, KLIM designed the pads to be removed without undressing. This means you can ditch the pads when you get to camp, your fishing spot or simply home from your errands.

As expected, the multiple cargo pockets are designed for access from a seated or standing position. Discreet 3M™ Scotchlite™ Reflective Material in the cuffs adds visibility for night rides around town. Intuitive features like these give you functionality in motorcycle environments without putting you out of place in casual settings.

For riders with multifaceted lifestyles, the Switchback Pant will get them from a breakfast with friends to the hardware store, to a dayhike for lunch, to their favorite campsite for dinner. It’s the pant they can trust on or off the bike. MSRP $249.99. www.klim.com

244 Series Tire The DOT approved 244 Series dual purpose street and trail tire is made to be equally at home on the dirt or on the pavement.

ShinkoTireUSA.com

Wide Open

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Photo: Actiongraphers

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Wide Open

Idaho City, Idaho

Photo: Simon Cudby

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Wide Open

Cederburg, South Africa

Photo: Tim Burke

2019

Wide Open

Springbok, South Africa

Photo: Tim Burke

2019

Wide Open

Cape Town, South Africa

Photo: Tim Burke

2019

Wide Open

Deadwood, Idaho

Photo: Simon Cudby

2019

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Phra Nakhon SI Ayutthaya, Thailand

Photo: Nikkasit

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Loei province, Thailand

Photo: Nikkasit

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I feel like I am repeating myself.

I mean, I’ve said “Part 1” so many times on this on-going, multi-chaptered, circus of a motorcycle trip already: There was Europe – Part I, South America – Part I …and now, we begin “Africa Part I.” Eventually, you’re not going to take me seriously, next time I say, “Part 1.”

If you’re just joining, let me fill you in: Approximately 80,000 miles through 57 countries have passed beneath the wheels of my motorcycle through Europe, North, Central and South America. I’ve also bounced around a bit, returning to Sweden, Norway, Ireland, and Portugal to further explore these countries, on two wheels.

Originally, way back in 2017, the whole thing started as what was supposed to be a 6-month journey through Europe. I was going to ride through Europe to explore new sights, roads, and food. I just wanted to ride my motorcycle, with no restrictions on time and no boss’s emails to return to at work on a Monday morning.

I was going to get it all out of my system, and once I did, I’d return to a reasonable and responsible adult life, where I would at least pretend to be a contributing member of society.

Long story short… that never happened. A few short stints of temporary work between trips have come and gone, but I haven’t let the adrenaline levels drop. Travel is a mental addiction of sorts, and I need to keep going. There is too much to see before life’s hourglass runs out.

Africa: It was the next big “must-see” mission. As silly as it sounds, I’ve been obsessed with this continent ever since seeing the Lion King when I was 7 years old. The wildlife here is almost mythical to me.

Let’s rewind a bit, though. Almost unbelievably, this whole Africa-thing started coming to fruition in a small restaurant in the rugged mountains of Portugal. I was riding the “Portugal ACT” with Rentamotorcycle.co.uk out of Edinburgh, Scotland (part of Motorrad Central, Edinburgh’s BMW Motorcycle dealership).

Actually, you read about that whole trip in Upshift Online Issue 34!

After a long, dusty day on the trail, Motorrad Central owner, Joe Philipsz and Rentamotorcycle’s jack-of-alltrades, Martin Williamson and I were grabbing dinner when the topic came up. Like most moto-trips with friends, every dinner includes some back and forth banter about traveling, bikes, and “what’s next” on the horizon. Africa seemed to be the repeating theme.

To make a long story short, it was through nothing more than sheer generosity, camaraderie, and what has turned into an absolutely incredible friendship between myself and the whole team at Motorrad Central / Rentamotorcycle, that Joe ultimately made the decision to support a journey through Africa. It would be done on one of the company’s branded rental motorcycles. My jaw hit the floor at the proposal.

Generosity and kindness from people (and companies) in the motorcycle industry is nothing new to me, but an offer like this was over the top. I never thought this would happen.

There were many details that needed to be worked out before any of this was remotely possible. First, for the sake of convenience at border crossings, the bike had to be registered in my name. Getting a Scottish bike registered in a US resident’s name requires some additional documentation, but nothing prohibitive. Next, a “Carnet de Passage en Douane” (CDP) would be arranged. Think of the CDP as a “vehicle passport” of sorts. It is a direct representation of a significant deposit, placed to guarantee the exportation of a vehicle from a given country.

When the vehicle returns to its origin country, the deposit is returned in full, minus the processing fees associated with obtaining the Carnet. This would not only eliminate the need for temporary vehicle import permits at each border, but it is also required in some countries like Egypt.

With the journey planned to be “bottom to top,” the next step was figuring out how to ship a bike to Cape Town. Whether traveling by truck, van, tuk-tuk, or motorcycle, shipment is always a popular conversation amongst overlanders. I’ve had some experience with shipping motorcycles, but each time requires some research and “shopping around.”

My advice for digging up intel on shipping: Online Overland forums (there are many) and this really neat tool called “www.Google.com!”

For this chapter of the journey, we utilized “MotoFreight” out of London.

They are by far, the easiest “drop the bike off and forget it” operation out of Europe that I’ve found to date.

Next step was the fun part: Building a bike for the journey! From the showroom floor, the GS is a pretty capable RTW machine, but we all know how important the fine-tuning and personalizing of a bike is.

I flew to beautiful Edinburgh, Scotland to get things started. Edinburgh is a city that hangs onto its medieval roots and the contrast, where ancient meets modern, is a photographer’s playground, both day and night. Nightlife is bustling, the food scene is nothing short of diverse and “escaping” into the Scottish countryside is a breeze. It’s one of my favorite cities and I was so excited to be back.

As my experience in traveling grows, I find myself actually looking forward to leaving motorcycles on their side-stands and hitting the streets with just my backpack, camera, and tripod. In between working on the bike, hitting the streets on foot is exactly what I did.

The Build: It’s obvious, RTW travelers can’t afford to have gear that breaks all the time and it pays dividends to do research on which gear best suits your needs. I can’t emphasize the “your needs” part enough.

We all have different priorities and styles in the way that we ride and travel. I encourage every motorcyclist to reflect on their style and their interests and use the gear that they feel suits their requirements best.

You’ll never ever catch me telling somebody they’re doing it wrong, and I want to encourage everybody to not be put off by some online communities that do maintain the “my way or the highway” attitude.

With that said, I have to say, I’m pretty darn proud of the companies that I’ve partnered with over the years, and can say with the utmost honesty and sincerity that I think I have the best equipment and gear in the motorcycle industry that suits my needs. I don’t run junk-gear because I’m just not willing to risk a breakdown in a bad spot. It’s been years of trial-and-error, but I’ve honed my aftermarket luggage, auxiliary lighting, personal protection, and offroad protection “kit” to what I find to be not only most reliable but also, most convenient – to my style.

A quick rundown of how the bike (and I) will be outfitted, for what I am guessing, will turn into a 30,000+ mile journey from the bottom of Africa to Scotland:

• 2017 BMW R1200GS Adventure from the Rentamotorcycle fleet • Riding Gear – Klim Badlands • Luggage – MoskoMoto 60L Duffel, BackCountry 35L Soft Panniers, • Nomad Tank Bag (with Hydration pouch) • Tires – MotoZ Tractionator GPS • Bash Plate, Oversized Foot Pegs – Black Dog Cycle Works • Auxiliary Lighting – Clearwater Lights • Helmet – Schuberth E1 • Audio / Video – SENA Bluetooth 10C Headset

Some gear I already owned, so I took it with me in my luggage. Other gear got shipped directly to Scotland. Like a kid on Christmas morning, every package that showed up induced some giddy excitement. Every motorcyclist knows the feeling of slicing open a fresh cardboard box to expose new parts! The bike was put together in the maintenance bays of the Motorrad Central dealership with the full support of the technicians. I have to admit, I felt pretty damn cool having backstage access to the mechanics’ den at a dealership!

With a bike that I was confident was now bulletproof, it was time to give it a run down, and what better place to do it than the winding back-roads of Scotland. Scotland’s tiny, twisting roads meander between medieval villages. Even after 80,000 miles of non-stop travel, the riding in Scotland never gets old. It remains one of my favorite motorcycle destinations in the entire world and it’s what makes Rentamotorcycle such a staple to the riding community here.

A group of about 6 Motorrad Central customers and I rode to Loch Melfort on Scotland’s rugged coastline. Somehow, we had perfect weather both ways. Scotland usually isn’t that generous but it made for the perfect “test flight.”

Two weeks came and went in Scotland, far faster than I wanted them to but it was time to get this show on the road! Leaving was much harder than I expected it to be, especially after how much team-work went into making this dream happen. (I promise, I didn’t have tears in my eyes when I pulled out of the dealership and every single member of the team shook my hand and wished me luck, saying, “See ya when you get back!” I swear…

I wasn’t emotional at all! No, not me.)

If you hustle, Edinburgh to London can be accomplished in just 6 1/2 hours. However, it took me 4 days. I spent almost all of my time on country back-roads, riding slow enough to smell the flowers in the air. I traveled on the windiest and twistiest mountain roads that the Lake District, Yorkshire-Dales, and Peak District National Parks had to offer.

By the time I arrived at London Heathrow airport, I turned a 390 mile ride into 800. I left the motorcycle at the shipping depot with everything strapped to it that I’d need in Africa, including my helmet. All I would leave with would be some of my clothes stuffed into a backpack and my camera gear. The next time I would see this bike would be at the bottom of Africa.

Arrival: I set foot in South Africa on May 25th. The 12-hour travel day to Cape Town is relatively easy and upon landing, Uber is the easiest and safest mode of transportation for the 20-minute drive into town. I stayed at Atlantic Point Backpackers in the touristy “Waterfront” district of Cape Town. The hostel had secure, gated parking which is my number 1 priority whenever staying in cities, worldwide.

Cape Town is special. I challenge you to find somebody who’s been there that doesn’t think so. Arguably, one of the most beautiful cities on the planet, Cape Town is a clash of cultures, scenery, and tumultuous history.

There’s something in the air here and it doesn’t take much exploration to feel its attractiveness in your bones. It draws you in in a way that’s hard to put a finger on. Gorgeous scenery aside, I find myself intrigued by Cape Town for the same, similar reasons that I felt existed in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. When rolling through this land via motorcycle, the stretching disparity between ultra-wealthy and utter poverty may be viewed, full scale, in just a matter of minutes. Maseratis, Lamborghinis, and Porches park on one block and a few streets down, a man pushes a shopping cart, with the entirety of his life possessions, while looking for pocket-change and already-smoked cigarettes in the gutter of a different block. South Africa is a country that is still healing from its apartheid era and I won’t pretend that it’s ignorable.

Let’s just forget about motorcycling for a moment – Hiking Table Mountain and “Lions Head” are must-dos for any outdoor-orientated person. The diversity of activities available here, to keep one busy, caused me to fail miserably in my intentions to stay in Cape Town for only a few days. I stayed almost 10 before hitting the road. The Western Cape has riding options for all interests and all skill levels – whether you’re on a 2-stroke, dirt bike, a GS, or a Harley. An obvious “must-ride” route takes you out of the city to the South. Cape Point is the southwestern most point on the continent and the roads to get there are nothing short of spectacular. The winds are absolutely wild but the views make it worthwhile.

can your jacket do this?

Photo by Pierce Hodges, VideoKidProductions Alvord Desert, OR

Find us on MOSKOMOTO.com or on ADVRIDER.com in the ‘Vendors’ forum.

#moskomoto

 

Life is short so I forced myself to pack my bags and move on. The plan before heading north into mainland Africa, was to circumnavigate the country; clockwise. From Cape Town, I let the clutch out, rolling north. South Africa feels big. It feels wild. It is nature on steroids. Every crest in the road introduces more BIG views that make you feel small.

As I travel through Western South Africa, it’s slow-going but there is no rush. I’m now in Cape Cobra, puff adder (notoriously poisonous snakes) and scorpion country, so I go into full “look before you step” mode; along with beating, hitting, shaking, and dumping my boots, jacket and pants out every morning. You don’t want to get bitten in these parts – anti-venom may be further away than ideal.

Along the way, as is routine, I pop into one of the thousands of “farm stands” which may sell organic coffee, toasted sandwiches (toasties) and fruit. It’s diamond-mining country in these parts and this is where I met this 4th generation diamond-mining wife who runs a guest house, restaurant, coffee shop, and campground in Kamieskroon, Northern Cape.

Apartheid (segregation), affirmative action, the closing of the mine and its effects on homelessness, and local police corruption; nothing was off-limits during our cup of coffee that day. These short relationships are far from frivolous – It’s the magic of travel.

My direction changes from northbound to eastbound and as I cut across the top of South Africa, the barrenness of the land brings back memories of the Atacama desert in Chile. Even wildlife is scarce up here. It’s normal to go for an hour and a half between villages without passing opposite direction traffic. It’s easy to cover massive swaths of land in 6th gear without feeling too guilty about it. Within 2 days I reach the massively populated, traffic-packed metropolis of Johannesburg, but this is not what I came for. Three hours beyond lies a childhood dream: Kruger National Park.

The Kruger is one of the largest sanctuaries in the world and is only accessible by vehicle. Motorcycles must be left behind. A quick Google search helped me secure a car for only $11/day. I rented the car from Kruger/Mpumalanga Airport and headed towards the gates of the park. There are many gates, but based on a recommendation, I aimed for the “Crocodile Bridge Gate.” Guided safaris can make a Kruger experience extremely expensive but, with some research and motivation, it can be done at a very reasonable price – even for a homeless motorcyclist! Trust me.

After a lifetime of dreaming about it, I got to point my camera at animals that I’ve wanted to see in the wild, since childhood.

That wasn’t the “highest” moment in the park for me though! It took two nights of pushing my luck with ambient lighting and three 5:30am alarm clocks.

I was starting to give up on even catching a glimpse of the one animal that I’d wanted to see.

“Ya win some, ya lose some,” I was telling myself. At 6:40am, on a dirt road, 15km east of Pretoriuskop Rest Camp, a dark shadow in a tree caught my eye. For a few moments in time, it was just us, in the middle of nowhere. We looked at each other in the eyes, acknowledging our presence and as quickly as it unfolded, the leopard got out of the tree and strutted into the brush.

Any first Kruger National Park experience is life-changing. Seeing these animals in their natural habitat and seeing the food chain working and complimenting itself in a balanced ecosystem is pure magic. It’s like nothing National Geographic could ever come close to offering. In three days, with no prior wildlife safari experience, I was lucky enough to see Africa’s “Big 5.” My mission here was accomplished and I was ready to get back on two wheels.

Ahead of me lies Swaziland, the massive mountains of Lesotho, South Africa’s “Garden Route,” and Namibia.

Stay tuned and be sure to follow along on my social feeds for the most up-to-date whereabouts!

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CK IN TIME BELLINGEN - AUSTRALIAN BACKWOODS

By Greg Smith

There’s something warming, even soul fulfilling about going back to where you spent most of your life as a child. Could it be reliving those moments you shared with friends or those winter’s day warm hugs shared with you by your mother? Maybe it was the smell of the Sunday afternoon roast dinner once you’d finished a full day riding around the entire neighborhood exploring or creating new trails. For most of us, the past has long but been forgotten, until we roll into our old neighborhood, and that reignites all of the feelings mentioned above.

Recently I had a chance to “go back in time” with a good friend of mine, Justin Appi, and explore his old trail network. Yes, it’s still around, but now he’s grown up and experiencing his midlife crisis on top of a KTM 200 EXC rather than his TS185 Suzuki.

Old Town Road The smell of winter is in the air, and most of the trees are dropping leaves or changing color. There are loads of people wearing woolen jumpers all dressed up for their Saturday morning caffeine boost sitting out front of aging but revamped country buildings, discussing their weeks and presumably planning their next 48hrs of work-life freedom. We’re in Bellingen, a sleepy country town that’s quickly becoming the next “hipville” on Australia’s east coast. We are less than two hours to Byron Bay, home to some of Australia’s most talented stars including Thor himself, Chris Hemsworth.

Channeling our ‘inner local’ we soon found ourselves sitting out in front of the bakery with coffees in hand devouring an exotic pastry. It’s Justin’s first time back to re-experience the trails he rode after leaving in the ’80s. He’s dragged both myself and his long-time schoolmate Trent Hawkins along for this monumental occasion.

Trent also grew up here doing main street wheelies and trying his best to mark the white curbs with tire rubber from back pedal brake slides. I’m pretty sure that’s what most of us did in our pre-motor powered life, right?

Not knowing the current state of the trails, Justin called in another locally based school buddy and long-time motorcycle industry stalwart Scott “Fitzy” Fitzgerald to help guide us through if we got lost or came to “that” T-intersection of choice.

Understanding how these trail rides can get a little crazy, I was happy to be sitting on my 2019 WR450F as I knew it would get me through the most challenging trails without whining or making me look like a fool (I’m more than capable of doing that myself). Basically, in Australia it’s a road registered YZ450FX that’s able to be ridden legally on the street, opening up hundreds of kilometers of riding close to towns.

For 2019, Yamaha has added the ability to tune the engines ECU characteristics from your phone through their Power Tuner App and its onboard CCU, which makes a massive difference to the way you approach a long ride. The other guys were both mounted on KTM’s 200EXC, another all-rounder which is also register-able. Fitzy was riding his fully restored 1996 Suzuki RMX250, and with him knowing the trails, surely he would be returning home with it still looking like new, right?

Back in the day, the guys would meet up after school at the local cemetery, so that was what we did. We then headed along the same trails they used to start their afternoon excursions on which took them further and further into the wilderness. As a kid, everything seems bigger and trails that took hours to reach the end of are now sadly just a transport section, due to the bikes we ride today.

All I could do was imagine what it would have been like to have this endless amount of trail within arm’s length of your town and to be able to ride it every afternoon without upsetting someone — afternoons of minibikes, school buddies and loads of laughs.

The trail surface was a mixture of loam and dry hard-pack but always delivering nice feedback through the front end of my WR. Yamaha changed their WR450F chassis to their latest YZ450F version which really helps with the front feel of the bike and inspires confidence, especially when riding on surfaces that can be a little bit more unpredictable than here in Bellingen today.

However, that moment arrived when suddenly we were in a rainforest area trying to get through a section of trail that had gone from super predictable and extremely enjoyable to slick black sketchy soil making my less than fresh rear tire struggle to throw any more clumps of dirt at the chasing pack. It was at this moment I pressed my handlebar mounted map switch (the blue button, another new feature for 2019) and deferred to the mud map which instantly delivered a smoother and more broad power delivery, which helped me make it to where Fitzy had stopped in front of a slick hill climb section, this was the moment where he was going to show the versatility of his bike and his skill as a middle-aged trail rider. Unfortunately, neither of those happened and instead, the guys were slip’n’ sliding in their boots trying to lift the RMX back onto the trail so that we could find our way around the climb. It must have been soul destroying for him, but none of us tried to make much of the moment, with no one attempting the climb to make sure all egos remained intact.

At this point, we chose to ride a little further out of town and meet up with some local trail riders that are the sons of a classmate these guys went to school with who’ve put together a few newer trails in the area. Both Matthew and Mark Thorne were more than happy to show us around along with a couple of their mates.

The group has now moved from a couple of old blokes going for a ride to a large group of riders with a diverse range of bikes and riding abilities. There were four of them all fresh and ready to show us their network of trails in and around the area with one hill climb that was meant to go up for 4km! That can’t be straight up, can it? Being at least 20yrs younger these guys could smell blood and used that to their advantage, taking us on their purpose built enduro loop that easily scooped up your ego and crushed it faster than you’d care to know. After a few laps of their enduro loop which was built in a heavily wooded section of forest, we were all ready to move on to more open trails …..especially Fitzy who caught a greasy tree root on entry to a 3rd gear right-hander, which saw him rub himself along the ground for a few meters before doing a couple of push-ups and remounting the RMX. Both Justin and Trent had managed to make it through unscathed, mind you Trent could be seen pushing his bike up a slight incline in what looked more like a scene from the dunes of Glamis, while producing a massive rooster tail.

On the way to this illustrious 4km hill climb, we stopped at a river section to grab some action photos to prove that we were doing this ride. In what started out as a harmless pass along the creek bed for a couple of the guys, ended up with Fitzy falling face first into the creek in an attempt to get into the water. It’s amazing that the guy that everyone back in the day respected as “that guy,” the Jeremy McGrath of their group, seemed to be making so many mistakes on the ride and we won’t mention his pristine RMX, that was now looking forward to being parked back in his shed. All this and we hadn’t even gotten to the base of the climb.

The Climb In what started out as a ride around town to see the trails and to spark emotions from yesteryear, the ride had quickly accelerated into a search for Fitzy’s ego and the search to replace it back to its pristine condition of earlier that morning.

Quietly I was hoping the trip up the mountain would prove the old guys can still match it, and that we’d be lead up the hill climb

by Fitzy, with us all regrouping at the top rejoicing along with him and his RMX, with a smile on its face as well.

The climb started before I actually realized. It was that slight a gradient that water would struggle to gain speed trying to flow down! “Really?” I thought to myself. Surely this couldn’t be what everyone is talking about! Fifteen minutes in and the gradient had steepened up to where there was a genuine need for engine-powered propulsion. We were stopped by a downed tree on the trail. At 5-6ft tall a set of stairs were cut into the face of it for walkers to get over, but it was far too wet and slippery for any of us to attempt, mind you I didn’t even mention that idea to Fitzy for obvious reasons. The guys made a trail down and around the roots of it to get around without incident. Now it was onto the climb, and like most of these progressive hill climbs, it’s always too late to get that perfect run-up, so I was hanging on, throttle on and trying to massage the trail for traction. I managed to hold on long enough to pass Fitzy, but didn’t make the top and honestly I couldn’t even see where the top was. Before long, all of our group were spread aimlessly across the same section of the climb. You know it, that section that gets vertical straight after a sandy hardpack rut, causing you to bounce and lose traction for long enough to blow all of your momentum.

After numerous attempts by everyone to a point where it was getting noticeably darker in the day, there was only one person that managed to claw their way to the top. Yes, it was a two-stroke, so sadly that eliminated me. In another twist it wasn’t the yellow bike it was a blue YZ250 ridden by the local trail legend Mark Thorne and to make matters worse he repeated his victory three times just to prove it was no fluke. His brother Matthew didn’t want him to gain all of the accolades, but there was nothing he or his KTM 350 SX could do and the more he tried, the more he belonged into our middle-aged group. There are times in your life when you have to accept defeat and applaud your nemesis, and I think we all did that day. Surprisingly we didn’t applaud Mark, it was more the hill climb and its ability to crush all of the newcomers who seemed to think that on any other day would just effortlessly make it to the top.

Home time With darkness descending upon our group ride and a few egos in need of comforting, we headed back along the trails that lead us to where we met the younger, sharper and more skilled riders so that we could say goodbye and get back to the edge of town before darkness put an end to the day. I’m pretty sure Fitzy has had better days. I also have a sneaking suspicion that most of the younger guys didn’t make it to the top out of pity for the veterans in the group. At the end of the day, if there’s no incentive to get to the top of the climb, the older, wiser and cunning riders may choose to save their energy. I’m sure it would have been different if there were hamburgers and beer at the top.

Speaking of those two things, we headed back to the Bellingen Brewery for a couple of frosty ales before packing up and heading to Trent’s house where we spent the night reliving each moment of the day and promising each other we’d go back and conquer that hill.

By Greg Smith Celebrating its 20th year in production, the 2019 WR450F is now more closely related to the YZ450F than ever before, with the bike sharing its power and handling features. Having the ability to ride the WR450F in traffic, legally, opens up so many more places to ride. It’s no wonder this bike is Australia’s most popular large capacity off-road bike. Imagine not having to trailer your bike to and from ride parks, then add to that the performance of a YZ450F! It’s a shame that the US doesn’t get the same programmable ECU that we do down under.

ENGINE It now uses the same rearward slanted power unit as the current YZ450F does. However, it’s a little more enduro specific through its use of different cams and ECU. An electric style torque pushes you toward the back of the seat and is more than enough for any trail scenario. Gone is last years annoying low rpm flameout that only ever seemed to occur once in a blue moon and was easily rectified with a few more idle rpm or a trip to your dealer. Sharing many of the same components as the YZ450F makes it easier for you to modify the power through exhaust and ECU changes. If you feel like Barcia, then the world is your oyster, but remember a fresh set of tires is usually the best upgrade for most of us trying to dodge the trees.

One of the best features with the later WR’s and YZ’s is the Air Filters location, with it being high and forward. Mounted in front of the fuel tank but still behind the handlebars, gives you cleaner air for longer on rides and keeps it out of the water when you have to cross those alligator-infested rivers.

My tip is to use a “Funnelweb” branded air filter as they have loads more surface area. Something that has been changed for 2019 is the air filter cover, now accessible through one center mounted fastener rather than last years three fasteners.

Another good point is that the filter is now held with two swivel clips making changing your air filter a tool-free exercise.

Another enduro modification is the clutch that now has the same clutch unit as the YZ450FX. A more heat resistant material has been used along with a design change eliminating any judder feel, which also helps with a slightly lighter clutch feel.

These changes are meant to increase the life of the clutch, but I’m not hard enough on the clutch to wear them out quickly anyway. The WR450F also inherits the wide ratio 5-speed transmission from the YZ450FX and to date I haven’t had any issues with shifting or gears being spaced too far apart. Mind you, it’s still good for in excess of 100mph on the road with the standard 14/50 final drive.

As with most bikes nowadays, there is no kickstarter but it can be retrofitted if you feel you need one. To be honest, if you think you’re going to be trapped in the middle of nowhere and unable to start your bike, look into getting a Lithium Ion jump battery as they are cheaper and earn you beers when your buddy’s bike won’t start.

An exciting addition for 2019 is the ability to tune the bike’s fuel and ignition timing from your phone through Yamaha’s New Power Tuner App. Inside the app, you can monitor your engine, make map changes, and instantly upload them to the bike so that you can change the characteristics to suit the current conditions. If you think you know what you’ll need, you can preload two into the system and use the bar-mounted engine map switch to swap between them. I thought it was going to be a bit of a gimmick, but it’s actually pretty good to have.

Using a softer power delivery map and a harder hitting map works best for me trail riding in a variety of conditions. Yes, the button can be switched on the fly, changing things instantly.

CHASSIS Confidence comes from being able to place the front of the bike wherever you want it to go without thinking. This bike feels slimmer, lighter, and better suited to riding off-road for longer periods at a time than the last model. Last years bike had to be dialed in with suspension changes to give it that predictable feel, whereas the new frame gives this bike a much more nimble feel which keeps your confidence high. The new frame comes directly from the current YZ450F as does the front and rear suspension. KYB has long been acknowledged as the leader in off-road suspension, and the latest spec on the WR450F is ready for anything most of us can put it through. The internal settings are different from the YZ with the initial damping being noticeably more plush and forgiving. The rear shock is based on the YZ450F but has also been massaged to suit enduro conditions, and to date, I haven’t had to change anything but the sag and clickers of the bike. It’s plush and doesn’t kick you around like some of its competition.

A few other notable features with the 2019 are the larger fuel tank now at 7.9L which is due to it being extended further down toward the center of the bike. A larger, more protective bash plate now protects the radiator hose, water pump and other vital areas of the bike while bashing through the trails. Yamaha has replaced their aging side stand design with a much more robust stand and positioned it to reduce snagging- it’s also lighter than before. There’s a new headlight, but not many of us are crazy enough to think we should ride late enough to rely on a standard headlight, but it does look better than the last version. It now has an electronic speed sensor that won’t get snagged up when you’re removing or refitting the front wheel, which is a great addition.

Main features carried over from existing WR450F: • Rearward-slanted cylinder design featuring optimized weight distribution • Wet sump lubrication • Lightweight switch free starting system • Large-capacity radiator (same as YZ450F) and cooling fan • Lead battery resistant to the effects of changes in ambient air temperature • Headlight, LED tail light • Speedometer, fuel level warning lamp, engine warning lamp

''

I've raced and tested these soft compound Nitro's in the last TWO EnduroCross seasons and can tell you that they give you a very plush, forgiving ride with tons of traction and durability. My son Cooper and I actually raced the entire series on one set each."

- Destry Abbott

NEW "PLUSHIE" SOFT COMPOUND 700% FLAT-PROOF - 700% NITROGEN ENERGIZED PLUSH PERFORMANCE

NITROMOUSSE SOLID FOAM INNER TUBES - AVAILABLE IN STANDARD 10-12 PSI OR SOFT 6-B PSI FEEL

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We’re Taking Motorcycle Safety Head On Keeping motorcyclists safe is paramount to the BDR mission. We developed the Ride Right initiative to raise awareness and help reduce the risk of head-on collisions. Always riding to the right side of the road around blind corners and in situations with limited sight lines can help mitigate accidents and save lives.

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HUSQVARNA 701 ENDURO PROJECT PHASE 2 - ADV READY

WORDS: ADAM BOOTh

PHOTOS: SIMON CUDBY

This easy on the eyes Husqvarna 701 is Phase Two of Project 701. The transformation from Phase One to Phase Two happened in less than 24 hours. It took a small and skilled group of wrench wielding people to accomplish the feat, but the guys at Carl’s Cycle Sales made it happen.

Phase Two of our Husqvarna conversion was a much more radical departure from stock than Phase one, and

HUSQVARNA 701 ENDURO PROJECT PHASE 2 - ADV READY

turned out to be one amazing looking machine.

A huge factor in Phase Two having the adventure/ rally look comes from the Nomad ADV Rally tower with KTM450RR Dakar screen. The lights, made by Cyclops, complete the “I’m so ready for Dakar” look. Nomad designed this tower to work for the rider who loves to travel or race rally. The Nomad tower offers up great visibility, forward and when looking down at the front wheel, thanks to open spaces on each side of the dash.

Inside the tower is the original Husky wiring and there is no need to cut and splice the stock wires. All the power for charging points and switches in the Nomad tower comes through a cable and fuse, directly from the battery, so there isn’t any extra strain on the original wiring. The adventure tower has room for 12 USB ports or six 12V connectors. The dash has the original Husky warning

HUSQVARNA 701 ENDURO PROJECT PHASE 2 - ADV READY

lights and the ABS button is in an easy to reach position.

There are four optional switches above the dash for lights, heated vests, or whatever you need to turn off and on. The switches can handle up to 15 amps, so no need for an extra relay. The Cyclops LED headlights are E-marked for road use and reduce the power draw from the charging system. The Cyclops lights have a cool filter for proper low beam patterns as to not offend oncoming drivers or the police.

Because having more power is never a bad thing, we called upon Rottweiler to breathe more life into the 701. The first step was a Rottweiler intake system.

It not only provides horsepower gains (by allowing more air into the engine), it allows tool-less access and removal of the triple layer foam filter. Taking engine tuning to the next level, a Dynojet Power Commander (with Rottweiler mapping and setup) and a Rottweiler fueling dongle ensured the air fuel mixture was perfect throughout the rpm range. All the spent exhaust thunders through a

HUSQVARNA 701 ENDURO PROJECT PHASE 2 - ADV READY

Yoshimura muffler.

Riding with these engine modifications just 24 short hours after riding Phase One gave us a great feel for just how much more power was coaxed out of the 701, and it was substantial. The power wasn’t jumpy or uncontrollable; it was very predictable and smooth with great roll on and off the throttle. With the changes in exhaust and intake, the 701 sounded like a trophy truck and threw huge roost with a twist of the wrist. With the added power the front end was much easier to loft when needed.

Before, in stock configuration, the gap between first and second gear felt big. With more power, that gap closed up and we could shift up into second gear much earlier than before, using the low end power without having to feather the clutch.

HUSQVARNA 701 ENDURO PROJECT PHASE 2 - ADV READY

WE ARE ADVENTURERS WE ARE DUNLOP

TRAILSMART @RideDunlop DunlopMotorcycleTires.com ©2019 Dunlop Motorcycle Tires.

We liked the Konflict suspension setup from Phase One so it stayed the same for Phase Two. With the added weight of the Nomad tower and larger bags out back, the suspension had a little more of a plush feel. Overall the 701 Phase Two wasn’t as nimble as Phase One, but that’s to be expected with the changes and additions. People might get confused

HUSQVARNA 701 ENDURO PROJECT PHASE 2 - ADV READY

when we talk about stiffer suspension.

The key word is stiffer, meaning stiffer than stock, which is super duper soft and squishy on the 701. A stock 701 clanks the suspension stops on any substantial bump unless the speeds are equal to walking. It borders on terrifying in stock trim anywhere above 30 mph unless the terrain is smooth.

That’s why the stiffer (than stock) Konflict setup really helped offroad at higher speeds. It held up higher in the travel, keeping the bike more stable and predictable.

Motorcycles deserve ATGATT* too!

*All The Gear All The Time

Take a look at our tested and proven adventure and dual-sport motorcycle armour selection.

NEW

Introducing Husqvarna 701 Enduro and KTM 690R Adventure crash bars, skid plate and multifunctional pannier racks

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Like Phase One, we used Dunlop 908RR tires, except for this version they were wrapped around some beautiful Dubya wheels, featuring Talon hubs, Excel rims and stainless steel spokes. Heavy duty tubes helped reduce the chance of flats. Outback Motortek makes some very cool accessories.

For this build, Upshift used the ultra-protective Motortek skid plate. We also installed Motortek crash bars and pannier racks. The pannier racks held the Kriega OS22 soft panniers without issue. The skid plate and crash bars aren’t crazy expensive and do a great job of protecting your very expensive

HUSQVARNA 701 ENDURO PROJECT PHASE 2 - ADV READY

motorcycle. Protect your investment!

Overall Phase Two of Husqvarna 701 Adventure transformation was a smashing success. The handling was similar, with some added weight of course, but the power difference was huge. Phase Two offered up gobs more power and a musical note from the tail pipe that made me smile ear to ear. The overall look was just plain wicked thanks to the Nomad tower, Motortek hardware, a sick set of wheels and killer graphics.

CHECK OUT OUR HUSQVARNA 701 ENDURO PHASE 2 VIDEO ON YOUTUBE

TESTED

BY CHAD DE ALVA

KLIM KRIOS PRO Klim’s original Krios helmet won me over the first time I put in on my head.

It fit great, was impossibly light, had an awesome field of view, the peak and face shield could be changed in a matter of seconds with no tools and it was well vented. Fast forward a couple of years and thousands of miles, and the Krios has proven itself to be an outstanding helmet. But the Krios now comes in a Pro version. Thankfully, Klim is a company that knows how to take a bar and raise it, enhancing the baseline performance by incorporating customer feedback and the latest technology and materials. The Krios Pro takes the outstanding original Krios, and levels it up with some great new features that improve safety, ease of use, and performance.

The Krios Pro is the first ECE/DOT-approved helmet in North America to incorporate the use of Koroyd – that fancy green material that looks like a bundle of straws fused together along the long axis. Koroyd is a 21st century impact absorbing material that can absorb up to 48% more energy than the equivalent amount of EPS foam, which is an insulating and packaging material that was created back in the 70s. Not only does Koroyd do a better job of absorbing impact forces before they make it to your head, but the Koroyd structure is 95% air, so it also breathes much better than EPS foam. Adding Koroyd to the Krios Pro makes it arguably one of the safest helmets on the market, yet Klim didn’t stop adding features there.

Strapping and unstrapping the Krios Pro is as easy as it gets, thanks to a Fid-Lock closure. Fid-Lock uses magnets to hold your helmet clasp closed, which means that it takes less than a second to open or close the clasp.

It’s literally as easy as getting the two ends of the clasp close to each other to get the thing to close, and as easy as pulling a red tab to open the clasp. This can be done with lightweight gloves, burly ADV gloves, or bare hands very easily. Once you’ve used a Fid-Lock, going back to a double d-ring helmet feels like stepping back in time. With Fid-Lock, there’s no long tail end of a strap to secure, and no slip of the closure over time. It’s just the best helmet securing experience you’ll ever have.

TESTED: KLIM KRIOS PRO

BY CHAD DE ALVA

Klim also stepped up the provided face shields (yes, it comes with two) on the Krios Pro, by including a new Transitions photo-chromic lens that darkens with exposure to sunlight, in addition to a regular clear shield. This new Transitions shield works great, and still accepts the must-have Pin-Lock anti-fog insert that the clear shield uses too. Running the Transitions shield with the peak installed can make for some interesting darkening patterns depending on where the peak is shading the shield when the shield is up. But once you put the shield down, the darkening of the shield evens out quite quickly. In use, this hasn’t been an issue even when going from dark stands of timber to wide-open blinding Arizona sunlight with the shield up or down, but it’s just something to be aware of. Klim doesn’t recommend you do this, so you can’t blame anyone but yourself if you run the Transitions shield and have an accident. Disclaimers aside, the Transitions shield is awesome, and I love no longer having to deal with sunglasses while riding.

Living with the Krios Pro is really enjoyable and easy. The front vent is now fully closeable and the head liner can now be easily removed to be cleaned. Going fast on the freeway or working hard on a trail strewn with embedded watermelons and short block V8s, the Krios Pro is a comfortable place to be. Head checks at a spirited freeway speed or looking up at the sky with the peak on won’t cause the Krios Pro to try and take your head off. Even when fully exposed to a clean or dirty air stream, the helmet stays calm and quiet, and I wasn’t able to scare up any buffeting on any of my bikes at any speed. For riders who don’t want to run a peak, or want to run goggles, the Krios Pro can be configured in four modes: ADV, Dual Sport, Dirt, and Street, meaning that if you’re only able to have one helmet the Krios line of helmets can do it all.

Klim has a great helmet in the original Krios. Yet what I really appreciate about the Krios Pro is how well Klim has incorporated rider feedback and the latest technology and materials to make a helmet that is a Krios, plus all of the awesome dream-list features I could ever want. Literally every cool new thing has been incorporated, from Koroyd upping the safety factor, to the Fid-Lock making the helmet easier to get on and off, to the washable liner and transition shield making the riding experience in this helmet that much better. The Krios Pro is so good, that it’s going to take some serious wizardry to make a better helmet. For now though, I’ll thoroughly enjoy the Klim Krios Pro. MSRP: $699.99 www.klim.com

TECH

BY CHAD DE ALVA

DUBYA WHEELS AND HOW To CARE FOR THEM Wheels may be one of the most overlooked parts on a motorcycle. Most riders simply think of them as the parts that we mount our tires to, beat up on rocks, and cost a lot of money to replace. But, be honest with yourself, when was the last time you checked the torque on your spokes or bothered to check the run-out on your wheels? If this is something that you do, then good on you, but if you’ve never given your wheels any love, it’s high time you start. The difference an adequately cared for wheel can make in the way your bike rides is huge, just like the difference a quality aftermarket wheel can make compared to your stock wheels.

Your motorcycle’s manual most likely says something about wheel care, but whether that’s just play musical spokes to check the tension, or it actually specifies a torque value, that is up to the individual bike and manufacturer. Playing musical spokes by tapping the spoke with a metal object will definitely get you in the stadium, but there’s really no reason to not have a clicker type torque wrench for checking your spoke nipple torque. This can be done on the bike, or better yet, done in a truing stand (where you can also check run out or true the wheel). Pick a spoke to start from, and making no more than a quarter-turn adjustment at a time, check every fourth spoke around the rim until you get back to your starting spoke. Using a spoke next to the bead lock or the valve stem is a great reference point to remember where you started. Next, move to an adjacent spoke to your starting spoke and run another lap around the wheel checking every fourth spoke. Again, no more than a quarter-turn of tightening here. Keep moving your starting spoke in the same direction two more times, and do two more laps before returning to your very first starting spoke and beginning the process again. Go until your torque wrench is clicking or indicating correct torque on every spoke. Now you can make any truing adjustments needed to the rim.

New wheels will settle in, so it’s essential to check your spoke torque within the first hour of riding on a new or newly rebuilt wheel, and then recheck the torque after a couple more rides. From there, the occasional check will ensure that your wheels are at spec. It’s also essential to keep your wheels clean and greased up, so each time a wheel comes off take the extra minute to clean all of the mating surfaces (swingarm, caliper mount, fork dropouts, etc.), axle spacers, and seal faces and apply fresh grease.

If you’ve ever noticed your bike feeling like it’s hopping or bouncing along when riding on hard-packed surfaces, balancing your wheels may be all it takes to solve any scary

TECH: DUBYA WHEELS AND HOW TO CARE FOR THEM feelings at speed, assuming that your wheel is true. There are several different styles of weights you can use, but the idea is all the same – place the wheel in a truing stand and see where it settles. The lowest spot on the wheel is the heavy spot, so counteract this by putting weight at the top of the wheel. Play with adding weight until you can stop the wheel anywhere in its rotation and it will stay where you stopped it. Balancing can make a noticeable difference, even on a dirt bike or enduro bike wheels. A properly cared for stock wheel will perform much better than a neglected wheel, but aftermarket wheels can elevate your bike’s performance even further.

Custom wheels are lighter, stronger, longer lasting, and of course, can be built to look absolutely killer. Yet the thing that most folks don’t realize is that a custom wheel doesn’t cost much more than a replacement OEM wheel, yet the custom wheel’s performance is much greater than OEM. Comparing a set of custom wheels built for my KTM 300 / 500 by Dubya Wheels to the KTM OEM wheels provided a great opportunity to compare the differences. Out of the box, the first thing you’ll notice is the killer look. I may or may not have spent a few minutes just taking in the craftsmanship and the details of these fancy new wheels. Dubya wheels just look and feel more powerful, more capable, more invulnerable to rocks and other trail obstacles, which makes you feel more empowered as a rider. With visions of riding faster in gnarly terrain in my head, I got to work mounting up a set of tires.

TECH: DUBYA WHEELS AND HOW TO CARE FOR THEM

While spooning on fresh shoes, I could feel a difference through my tire iron between the DID rims on my custom wheels compared to the OEM KTM rims, in that the DID rims were clearly much stronger. Moving to the spokes when checking the torque after the first quick ride, I could see and feel how much stronger the stainless nipples and spokes were compared to OEM. Over the years, I’ve seen riders round off plenty of OEM spokes, and I think you would be hard-pressed to round off one of these stainless spokes. Speaking of spokes, the Dubya wheels settled in much less than my KTM OEM wheels have, which also speaks to the custom wheel’s strength. All mounted up with the same tires and Nitro Mousses as an OEM wheel-set, the custom wheels do weigh less, meaning less rotational mass, which means better braking and acceleration. The stronger custom wheels also flex less, which means that your handling is more precise. Think of the difference in tire flex between a sports car and truck, and you’ll get the idea.

Taking care of wheels isn’t rocket science. It only takes a couple of special tools, and a few more minutes during a tire change to give your wheels a quick once over to make sure they’re happy. Happy wheels do ride better than neglected wheels, so take some time to give your wheels the care they deserve. If your rims are full of flat spots and dings, and your bearings are starting to feel crunchy, give Dubya a call and talk about getting into some custom wheels. The performance difference is there, from the obvious strength increase, weight saving, and component life, to lesser-known benefits like being able to run a narrower rim to make a taller tire profile. Even if your OEM wheels are still in good shape, switching to a custom wheel-set will still make a difference in the way your bike rides, so don’t feel like you have to kill your OEM wheels before you can go custom. Once you do go custom, you’ll never look back – and I say that because your bike is now faster and looks better too. www.dubyausa.com

H E L L A S R A L LY BLOOD, SWEAT AND TEARS OF JOY A Privateer’s Take On One of Europe’s Great Rally-Raid Races!

The locals call it Ellada Orea, short for ‘the beautiful land of the Greeks. So it’s fitting that this scenic nation is also the host of a multi-day race across some of the Mediterranean’s most untouched and visually stunning terrain. Hellas Rally is the largest race of its kind in Europe. The 2019 edition was staged May 19 to 26, in the mountains-to-sea Evrytania region of central Greece, and I was stoked to attend as a privateer in M5 class, for a third time.

In 2017 and 2018 I raced a rally style Husqvarna 701. Since then, my riding has matured and transformed, so for this edition of Hellas I cooked up an ambitious plan. I wanted to slap an ultralight navi-tower and a Rally Replica windscreen on KTM’s latest 690 Enduro model, which boasts the latest LC4 engine on an all-new trellis frame. My scheme included a full race exhaust and the best suspension available, but I had no clue if these ideas could work - no one had posted any information about such a Frankenstein anywhere I looked. To make matters worse, the dealer delivered my ‘19 690 on the very last stretch. A mere couple of weeks before the rally was set to begin, I was still considering transplanting the 690 engine on my old Husky - this way I would at least have something to ride on! But stars aligned, just, and after a lot of sweating in the garage and another 24 hours of almost non-stop driving across Bulgaria and Greece, I pulled into the official Hellas bivouac.

WORDS: JON FLOREA | PHOTOS: ACTIONGRAPHERS & ANA HOGAS

This year the ORGA had set base a few kms outside the alpine resort of Karpenisi. With snow-capped 2000-plus-meters-high ridges for background, I knew that the tracks were sure to be again spectacular. The mood of my tiny team was also dialed to 100%. A mate’s camper was to be our home throughout the event, and my girlfriend was ready to take care of everything else - from organizing the gear, to keeping us fed, to

HELLAS RALLY BLOOD, SWEAT AND TEARS OF JOY

beaming live updates on social media.

Hellas is a Dakar-meets–Romaniacs mash-up, combining enduro-style riding and demanding roadbook navigation with bivouac life. For privateers like me, this is a chance to race alongside motorcycling rally stars like Matthias Walkner, Gerard Farres, Štefan Svitko or Chris Birch, but compared to the pros, ours is a quite different task. We have to take time off from our day jobs, save or fund-raise to pay for gear, maintenance, and entry fees, then build and transport our vehicles up to the start line.

During the actual rally, we must adopt a Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde routine: racer at full throttle during the day, greased-up mechanic at night. If enough hours of sleep remain in between, we can consider ourselves lucky. The long jarring journey from regular folk to privateer at Hellas Rally can dissuade all but the most dedicated motor-heads. The two editions under my belt had taught me that those who do take the leap are rewarded tenfold.

The first day of the rally is usually set aside for registration of riders and technical scrutineering of vehicles. It was a homecoming kind of feeling to roll my bike behind familiar faces, wave to photogs and guys I used to battle on the track, while sizing each other up, queuing to collect our racing kits and the mandatory GPS safety tracking units. Because this year I am also racing in the FIM Europe Tout-Terrain-Rally Cup and because Hellas is part of this championship, my bike was fitted with the state-of-the-art Stella EVO3 system, a similar system used at Dakar and Africa Eco Race.

Then it was on. A fast and twisty special stage on Day 1 reminded us that not all of the 260 riders who started would make it to the end of the rally. It was a useful shakedown for my 690 hybrid. I was now confident that my headclamp design was solid, but I was also a bit annoyed with the shifter position - it sat too close to the bashplate, making it difficult to operate it the way this race-oriented gearbox demands, and yielding lots of false neutrals when shifting from first to second gear.

HELLAS RALLY BLOOD, SWEAT AND TEARS OF JOY

Day 2 was written in blood. Both stages put us in and out of the funk, with flowing navigation on 280km of classic Hellas tracks - rocky, with some patches of hard pack and many tight hairpins. Spring is the season when central Greece is reborn. Waterfalls thaw, fresh grasses sprout, swathes of conifers go through rapid growth spurts. About half way through the second special stage of the day, we entered the thicket. Approximately 40km of tough riding, through deep ravines and loose dirt, with limited visibility ahead and little light penetrating maze, I accidentally dribbled a burly branch with my head. Luckily, it was just a scratch. But at the refueling point I saw my mate Javier and gasped. His face and front tanks were lock stock and barrel covered in blood. He told me that he had collided with a huge branch that split the root of his nose open. Yet he boasted a massive smile, even with his head thumping, and with blood and dirt congealing around his eyes. “Stitches and still smiling,” said my girlfriend when we saw him again, late at night, in the bivouac. “Of course!” said Javi. Folks who ride dirt bikes know that this is the price you pay for the joy of ripping around in the bush.

Sure, it sucks to suffer the occasional injury or broken limb - and we were about to see quite a few of those by the end of this rally, some occurring meters from the finish line - but it is part of the deal. Once you’ve savored that sensory experience where a touch of throttle fires off dormant nerve clusters, triggering an electrifying buzz through the brain, you yearn to be back in the saddle. “It was a great ride,” said Javi at dinner. “I’m just happy that the goggles saved my eyes!”

A shorter and rather technical stage on Day 3 seemed to have been designed to separate the veterans from the rookies. “Save some energy for the 4th day,” had said Meletis Stamatis, the race director, and these final words of the briefing lingered in my head throughout the stage. At km 80 I took a bad spill. It happened at the end of a steep downhill, followed by a tight u-turn and a creek. Not the best spot for an amateur mistake, but as I came out of the corner I spotted the photographers, looking like they were starving for wheelies. “This is sweet!”

I said to myself and gave it a handful, only to lose grip in my front tire and land straight on my face, cold water seeping through my jerseys, engine choking, cameras bursting. It was pathetic. I bit the dust again later in the day, when my wheel got caught in some nasty ruts and I was thrown clear over the escarpment.

Back at the bivouac, I licked my bruised hands and my injured ego and helped Javier fix his roadbook toggle switch and replace a shattered brake pedal. Then I went through the usual service ritual: check oil level, clean pre-filter, change air filter, swap tires. I hit the sack like a rock. Had this tough day been a harbinger of tougher things to come?

HELLAS RALLY BLOOD, SWEAT AND TEARS OF JOY

through the dense canopy. As I was navigating my way through this verdant

HELLAS RALLY BLOOD, SWEAT AND TEARS OF JOY

As I peered out of the camper the next morning, the sun was yet to rise from behind a thick blanket of cloud. When you line behind your competitors in almost darkness and everyone is quiet, you know you’re in for a long, tasking day!

The 4th was indeed the toughest of the entire rally: 450km of drill, divided into two special stages, with a mandatory 45 minutes of neutralization in the middle, when riders can refuel, rest, grab a bite, have a chat. It was a day rich in

HELLAS RALLY BLOOD, SWEAT AND TEARS OF JOY

everything that the Greek mountains have to offer, from fast tracks, to off piste trickery, to exhilarating climbs on snow, mud and everything in between. At some river crossings we had to scan the possible route and only then scramble our poor bikes up and across the rocks. For me, the day played in a familiar landscape - I recognized some of the ridges and alpine lakes from last year’s rally, and had a lot of fun on each mile where I could open the throttle wide. But Hellas is not a fast rally. It’s a marathon, rather than a sprint. It requires steady pace, sharp navigation, focus on the bigger picture. It puts you into the grind. I hit my lowest moment about 7 p.m., when I had 50km left to ride and the daylight was quickly dwindling. “They’ll kick me out of the race,” I thought, but I just had to stop. My bladder was killing me.

As I switched off the engine and shifted my weight from one boot to the other, I was engulfed in silence. Nothing moved out there, not even the wind. I unzipped my fly, still sitting on the bike. “No,” I said to myself, “this cannot be it.” See, I had the somber feeling that ORGA had set a maximum interval for the rally; this would incur insurmountable penalties for those who tapped out. But I had not made it this far to quit.

I finished my business, gawked for a moment at the last rays of sun playing crimson games across the alpine floor, then cranked up the engine. I eventually made it back after 10 hours of riding. News in the bivouac was that only 100 participants had managed to finish this mental stage on time! I was beaming. I can’t begin to describe how good it was to peel sweaty layers off my drained body and to wolf down a huge plate of barbecued ribs. To find out that I had dipped a single position in the general rankings and that my target in European championship was still attainable was the icing on the cake.

Man and bike, both still in one piece after the monster-marathon stage, got ready to start Day 5 from 34th overall. As the grid of each day is decided by the results recorded on the previous, I got my time card at about 11 a.m. I thought this would be a drama-free fast-flowing 100km-long stage, but word was that the navigation would be

HELLAS RALLY BLOOD, SWEAT AND TEARS OF JOY

the most challenging yet and that midday we’d hit inclement weather. Indeed, an icy rain broke almost as soon as my roadbook holder went berserk. It was as if the forward button was constantly engaged. “Greek gods, have mercy,” I thought, under a bruised sky. This had happened to me before, during a Baja 500 in north-western Romania. Back then, the malfunctioning device forced me to forfeit the race. With the M5 class podium almost within my grasp, the stakes were much higher. I removed my goggles - they kept getting foggy anyway - determined to blast through whatever the day would throw at me. 50km farther, when I had somehow adjusted to the situation, the Tripmaster started to go backwards. The remote was now completely dead. To operate the roadbook manually while racing at full speed is inviting an accident. Fiddling with the unruly devices and grinding my teeth hard, I realized that my only option was to trail other competitors. This was a low blow for me. I would only stop once more till the end of the day, on a very technical section, to drag the 690 out of a deep ravine, and gloat that my old Forma boots had prevented the handlebar from stabbing my foot.

A torturous Day 6 followed. As all riders know, having the right tire set at the right pressure is your first line of defense - when it comes to the crunch, tires give the bike better grip and feed your confidence. At Hellas, I

this year’s

ran my favorite combo, Michelin

StarCross V in medium with Michelin mousses.

HELLAS RALLY BLOOD, SWEAT AND TEARS OF JOY

Back home I had planned to use 3 front tires and 5 rears, but all my fronts looked already quite hammered at the end of Day 5. So I decided to buy a new one from the bivouac tire shop and have them fitted. It skipped my mind to mention that my Michelin was a 90-100/21”. When I noticed that they had mounted a 90-90/21” tire on my rim, which is indeed the regular fit for all 690 Enduros, it was too late. How had they managed to squeeze a 90-100 brand-new mousse into that front tire, I don’t know. What I do As soon as the race flag dropped, I felt the bike jerk. That day I would suffer the most, struggling over every rock, cursing inside my helmet as the front bounced and slipped, fighting tears of frustration when another rider, and then another zoomed past. I was a mess. Back at the bivouac, I learned that my podium dreams had shattered. I had started Day 6 with a 13 minute handicap over the next competitor, from 3rd overall in the M5 class. That advance was now gone. The guy behind had recovered everything, adding a 4.5 minute gap between us.

For the last day of Hellas, I had only 90km of fast tracks ahead, and nothing left to lose. My tires had been swapped, bike felt again perfect, and my game plan was simple: ride as hard as I can, overtake as many as I can. Do my best. Forget the rest. However, it wasn’t a plan that was easy to execute. I made a small navigation error at km 60, which forced me back to the previous waypoint via a 30km/h speed limit zone.

“There’s no way in hell I can still pull this though,” I thought, knowing that I must have lost a couple of precious minutes. Then I encountered a very technical climb through the forest, where I overtook many riders who had lost momentum, got stuck halfway up, and were fighting to climb down and try again. When I race, I have the habit of highlighting the last 10km on the roadbook. This gives me wings to push. I was already going fast, and I gunned towards the finish line, breaking hard only on the tulips, where an inch off can mean falling over the cliff.

When I saw the STOP RALLY sign I heard my team cheering ecstatically.

“Congratulations for the podium!” they said, popping a confetti bomb into my bewildered face. And so I learned that I had regained 3rd place, with a 6.5 minute overall lead over the next guy. That moment, it all came together. It was all worth it - the blood, the sweat, the tears, the invisible effort, the years of training, the sleepless nights of research and development, the weeks of hard work in my humble garage. My Hellas mission was now done. What next?

HELLAS RALLY BLOOD, SWEAT AND TEARS OF JOY

know is that it was very bad news, delivered at the worst possible moment.

YOUR ADVENTURE - OUR PASSION

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PHOTOS AND WORDS BY SIMON CUDBY

RYAN RYAN VILLOPOTO’S VILLOPOTO’S YAMAHA YAMAHA WR450F WR450F We got the call from our old friend, multi-time moto champion Ryan Villopoto to come and ride with him and his latest bike build: a street-legal conversion of a Yamaha WR450.

“What interests me the most today is being able to ride trails, singletrack, and fire roads in the mountains and enjoy the scenery,” replied Ryan when we asked him what was his inspiration for this build. “I enjoy coming out and riding with some buddies, then having a couple of beers at the end of the day and talking about our ride.”

RYAN VILLOPOTO - YAMAHA WR450F RV teamed up with Jim “Bones” Bacon at Pro Circuit to come up with a PC exhaust and suspension set-up for some aggressive off-road riding in the Southern California mountains.

I rolled into the town of Big Bear the night before our ride and met up with RV and Bones at Bones’ cabin. It was easy to see they were excited about the Yamaha they had put together, and after a few evening Coors Lights I got the break down on what they had done to the WR to get it street-legal (in Washington state).

RV is used to riding the best parts from all his years of racing on the national supercross and motocross circuit, so it was no surprise that this Yamaha had lots of trick add-ons.

RYAN VILLOPOTO - YAMAHA WR450F

Here is a list of the main parts used in this build: Pro Circuit exhaust header, mid pipe, and silencer with spark arrestor KYB Factory top and bottom tubes and lugs Forks tuned by Pro Circuit KYB Factory shock body tuned by Pro Circuit TAG handlebars Hinson clutch cover and basket Dubya wheel set with D.I.D. rims and Talon hubs D.I.D. chain Trail Tech Voyager Pro navigation 180 graphics with SDG seat cover Here is the link to our video with RV talking about his new bike, and some great riding footage.

RYAN VILLOPOTO - YAMAHA WR450F

RYAN VILLOPOTO - YAMAHA WR450F

ADVENTURE BEGINS HERE

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