Innholdsfortegnelse for Vol 65 Issue 21 i Australian Motorcycle News

REMEMBER THE SPY pictures of a faired Yamaha MT-07 Tracer that appeared last year? Well this is the final version and while it’s lost the ‘MT-07’ name it’s kept everything else that’s good about that bike. In a move that also applies to the larger MT-09-based Tracer, Yamaha has removed the MT branding from its budget sports tourers and instead turned the Tracer name into a standalone model range. The MT-09 Tracer becomes the ‘Tracer 900’ and the new model is called the Tracer 700. Semantics aside, the bike is much as we’ve been expecting. The engine is the same 55kW, 68Nm 689cc parallel twin that’s already familiar from the MT-07, and the frame is also carried over from that bike, along with the front suspension and brakes. At the…

THE IDEA OF a leaning three-wheeler has been around for more than a decade, since Piaggio’s MP3, but the concept is now gaining traction as other big firms dive into the market. Yamaha is there with the Tricity and plans to expand to larger trikes, while Honda has also hinted that it’s following suit, showing the NeoWing concept bike last year. As well as the NeoWing, which might well reach production in some form, Honda has been working on leaning trikes based on the NC750 engine and chassis. But this new patent shows the firm is also developing a scooter to directly compete with the MP3 and Tricity. Like both the Tricity and MP3, the Honda design is based on a parallelogram leaning system at the front, and the suspension…

Ridden! Turn to p52 for Youngy’s test of both versions of Honda’s Africa Twin! HONDA UNVEILED THE world’s first motorcycle-specific Dual Clutch Transmission (DCT) in September of 2009. Slated for use in the firm’s then yet-to-be released VFR1200F sports tourer, the idea of an electronically operated manual gearbox to achieve seamless gearshifts made a lot of sense for a large-capacity roadbike with sporting intentions (just ask Marc Márquez). The idea was simple enough. Each time a clutch is engaged to change gears, a slight pause in acceleration – and therefore traction – occurs. So by employing separate clutches for the even- and odd-numbered gears, Honda was effectively able to achieve a seamless-shifting gearbox. Whether the rider chooses to change gears manually, or through the system’s automatic capability, the electronically operated…

Born in Keith, South Australia, Andy Caldecott, like many of his compatriots, spent much of his youth on two wheels, roosting around the backblocks of what was once known as the Ninety Mile Desert. Not surprisingly he started a bike shop and – from vintage motocross to the wild world of Thumpernats – Andy made his name as a tough competitor, building a reputation and a considerable fanbase by the time he took on the Australian Safari. Despite its hardships, Safari will always be remembered as a sociable event. I’d never see Andy in the bivouac – in the mornings he had long roosted off into the wilderness before I fronted the starter and, in the evenings, he was piling on the zeds before I wobbled across the finish line.…

Flying over the European Alps towards my island destination of Sardinia and staring down at the vast semi-wilderness with boyish awe seemed a fitting way to approach the world launch of Ducati’s Multistrada Enduro. There’s no better way of realising the appeal of adventure riding than looking over the potential areas of exploration and contemplating just how much you are missing at 40,000 feet, doing 1000 km/h. To a certain extent this is also true of adventure riding itself. The faster and further you go, the more you miss. Which is why time should be taken between ripping up trails with your knobblies to don walking boots and explore the country at a more intimate level. After all, what’s the use in getting yourself ‘out there’ if you don’t stop,…

In my wildest dreams I imagined a CRF450R with the heart of a CBR1000RR The all-new CRF1000L Africa Twin was one of the most eagerly anticipated new models of 2016. This is partly due to the legendary status of the original Africa Twin, and partly down to the current popularity of adventure bikes. Considering how big this market has become, it seems remarkable Honda has been so slow to enter the fray. According to some sources, the CRF1000L project started back in 2009. If accurate, this amounts to a lengthy development period by industry standards – five years from concept to production is more usual. It seems that, despite the gaping hole in its model lineup, Honda was in no hurry to rush the Africa Twin to market. Fully formed…

We mounted up and played dodge the kangaroo again With a 21-inch front wheel and long legs (200mm travel), the KLR has the essential attributes to take on the trails. Steering is also lighter than expected thanks to the fairing-mounted instruments Dakar-style fairing and standard hand guards make for more comfortable adventuring, and other accessories such as a taller screen and gel seat are also available in the genuine accessory catalogue There’s five-way adjustable preload and stepless rebound damping adjustment with 185mm travel at the rear to help keep the bike steady as she goes even when you’re carrying a lot of gear MY OBJECTIVE WHEN organising this ride was to keep things as simple as possible, and when it comes to adventure bike riding, few models come simpler in…

ONE EVENING, ON the fringes of Mareeba, west of Cairns, Ho was crouched beside his bike trying to understand why his gear changes were becoming increasingly difficult when a man appeared out of the darkness, “Hey mate, do you need a hand?” Dread swelled within Ho, but as the man got closer he recognised the Yamaha logo on his blue shirt and felt at ease. An XT250 owner himself, with a beer in his hand, he spent the next hour patiently explaining both the technical and maintenance basics to the otherwise mechanically ignorant traveller. “Even more bizarre is the fact that he had a bag full of tools,” Ho added. “The main thing he taught me was how to adjust the clutch cable – something I didn’t even know how…

TOWERING 40M ABOVE Fairhaven Beach, the ‘house on a stick’ is a landmark on the GOR. While the Pole Home has been around for four decades, today’s house is actually the second to sit atop the giant concrete monopod. The first was built by architect Frank Dixon in the mid-1970s. In 2005 the original house was demolished and, following a multi-year design and build process, replaced by a more contemporary structure. The new house has glass walls and doors that make up two of the property’s sides to maximise the view and privacy. But privacy is not something you get a lot of if you step out onto the wraparound balcony – almost every person that passes looks up at the house, and they usually wave. Access is via a…

Getting into adventure bike riding isn’t simply a case of jumping on your bike and pointing at the horizon. Well, actually, it is. But you still need to take a few things with you. As outlined in my adventure newbie feature on page 64, I was a camping greenhorn just a few weeks ago, so when it came time to put a kit together for my first trip I needed a bit of guidance. After asking around I ended up at the BlackWolf web page, a one-stop shop for all of your adventure gear. Another essential is a set of hoops that can handle going off the bitumen. Pirelli has a new option, tested below.…

Superbike Now at its midway point, the 2016 Australian Superbike Championship already looks like it could go down to the final lap of the final race of the year, and the likely combatants are sure to include teammates Wayne Maxwell and Glenn Allerton (Yamaha Motor Australia). Allerton left Sydney Motorsport Park as championship leader, leapfrogging Troy Herfoss (Crankt Protein Honda Racing/ Motul). But it was his teammate Wayne Maxwell who stole the show with a faultless display of riding in both wet and dry conditions to claim the round victory and also move ahead of Herfoss in the title chase – he is now just two points off the championship lead. Maxell threw down the gauntlet in Saturday’s Superpole, posting the only sub 1m30s lap (1m29.905s) to claim pole position…

Despite the downpour it was a good day for WSS racing – but really it was two races in one. The first race – which ended up not being a race at all – was run in the dry until first spits of moisture, and then water-cannons of rain, fell from the leaden Dutch skies. It was a three-way battle, with PJ Jacobsen (Honda World Supersport Team) leading from Kenan Sofuoglu (Kawasaki Puccetti Racing) and Luke Stapleford (Profile Racing Triumph) – a brilliant new addition after leaving his previous Honda team. Jacobsen fell, as he did not see the red flags that had come out half a lap earlier when the rains got too heavy. On the wet restart, much delayed, Jacobsen got into the lead only to fall again,…

MOTOGP WAS UNSURPRISED but nonetheless agog as the paddock assembled in the wake of the announcement that Lorenzo had signed with Ducati for 2017 and 2018. Quite apart from its own importance, the move has implications for several other riders. Lorenzo did his best to be tight lipped, stating: “It was the most important and difficult decision of my career, but 15 races remain [with Yamaha] and my focus is on the present championship. After so many years, to give maximum effort every day – I felt I needed this new challenge to keep my motivation.” He was cagey on his expectations, saying only “It will probably be very fast on the straights.” But he was more forthcoming about ex-Aprilia Ducati Corse chief Gigi Dall’Igna, a close ally in his…

JACK MILLER COMMENCED his climb back to full fitness and confidence with a conservative ride in the Spanish GP to finish 17th. It was a crucial performance with Miller admitting that going the 27-lap race distance at Jerez was the sole target following his recent confidence-sapping crashes. “What happened in Texas was a big setback in terms of my confidence, I can’t afford to do that again. I need my lower leg to heal without injuring it again,” Miller said. “The problem is the bones still haven’t knitted together properly since I first fractured them in January, they’re held together with screws. I just need more time, maybe a couple of months. It was coming good before the crash in Texas but I’ve gone backwards from that. If I can…

ROUND 2 OF the American Road Racing Championship was run at the Road Atlanta circuit in Georgia with 2010 Moto2 World Champion Toni Elías (Yoshimura Suzuki) adding another win to his clean sweep at Round 1. The Spaniard recently made his debut appearance in the opening round of the MotoAmerica series after accepting an offer to fill in for Jake Lewis who was injured pre-season. Elías finshed the first race 0.343s ahead of teammate Roger Hayden, but his hopes of a win in Race 2 were dashed when he fell while hunting down the leaders. This in turn allowed Hayden to slip into the series lead off the back of podium finishes in both races. Josh Hayes (Monster Energy Yamaha) took out his teammate, defending Superbike Champion Cameron Beaubier, from…

WHAT LITTLE GRASS survived above the dry hardpack was swiftly obliterated as over 300 riders hit the tracks at Murray Bridge for Rounds 5 and 6 of the Yamaha Off-Road Championship. Conditions favoured former motocrossers Tye Simmonds (<450cc) and Jack Simpson (<250cc) with Simmonds the only rider to clock under seven minutes but both scoring wins for KTM; though Yamaha’s Chris Hollis won Saturday’s overall. In the big bore (>450cc) division Husqvarna FE501 mounted Lachlan Stanford finally stopped Daniel Sanders’ domination to open up the E3 division, but the Colonel still leads by 16 points. Simpson’s pair of wins puts him only three points behind Glen Kearney in E1; and in E2 it’s Tye Simmonds by three points over Chris Hollis. The Women’s division saw Jemma Wilson move further ahead…

RYAN DUNGEY (RED BULL KTM) and Ken Roczen (Soaring Eagle Suzuki) wasted no time embarking on their own private battle in Round 14 when the 450SX class lined up in St Louis. Roczen dialed up the pressure on Dungey in the main, however, a mistake on lap 13 caused him to crash and lose a position to Jason Anderson (Rockstar Energy Husqvarna). Nonetheless, the German fought back to steal second on the final lap and relegate Anderson to third place. Australian Chad Reed (360Fly Yamaha) made his 200th career start in an AMA 450SX main event and came sixth. In the 250SX, points leader Malcolm Stewart (Geico Honda) had a shocking event, causing two pile-ups on the first lap and continuing to crash several more times throughout the race. Jeremy…

How did you get into bikes? My dad raced Ariels back in the day, so I guess it came from that. I started club racing at Brands Hatch in 1967 on a Triton that I built. In ’69 Bill Newton had an Aermacchi Metisse that he offered me to ride at Crystal Palace. From there I raced a Seeley G50 at the TT in 1970, then the Yamaha TR2 became available. That’s how I met my future sponsor Ted Broad, and I ended up racing Yamaha 350s from 1971 to 1973. Ted got the first TZ700 in ’74, and I won the King of Brands and had a very good year. Team Kawasaki came knocking and it went from there. Tell us about your first race on the Kawasaki 750…

Early days The flat seat and end can are sure to change before production, and a bit of rear bodywork is due to be fitted Tall! Huge ground clearance also means those with a short inseam better invest in some platform soles Screen Yamaha is sticking with the near-vertical front screen that characterises the current Ténéré and Super Tenere Light The headlight is only a stopgap while the real one is developed Legs A 21-inch front wheel and 18-inch rear with long-travel suspension means business YAMAHA HAS BEEN on a roll recently with success after success, but it’s a firm which has so far struggled to make hay in the adventure bike sunshine. The XT1200Z Super Ténéré has plenty of appeal on paper but can’t come close to the R1200GS…

SWISS ENDURANCE ROAD rider Urs ‘Grizzly’ Pedraita is currently in Australia as part of his world record attempt to ride 100,000km through all six continents in less than 100 days. Riding a Victory Cross Country machine, the Swedish rider left Daytona Bike Week in America on 11 March, meaning he now has about a month and half left to set the new record. He does, however, have some breathing space as the world record currently stands at 120 days. His strategy is to only allow himself to sleep for one-hour stints during the riding sections and to “catch up on the boat” when travelling between continents. Grizzly is presently riding accross Australia, recently passing through Sydney to have his bike serviced at Victory’s Ashfield dealership. You can follow Grizzly’s record-breaking…

Straight talking Dear Mr Doobie, Welcome to the gig, although I suspect it’s not your only job given the press you seem to be giving to Triumph lately. Is it a condition of Youngy’s contract that he gets to remind us every five minutes that he and John Bloor used to shower together? Which model are you reviewing next week, The Thrusting Thruxton Youngy Edition? What ever happened to comparos where a couple of you would head-off on similar bikes and, um, compare them, with an actual fearless opinion? They were good, them. While I’m at it, can you give Boris a prod and remind him that AMCN is a motorcycle magazine and perhaps his contributions could include at least a passing reference to the joys of riding. Man, he’s…

This is a package that puts versatility first, performance and capability close behind Servicing First service 1000km Service intervals 16,000km thereafter Minor service every 16,000km Major service every second interval, valve clearances checked and spark plugs changed at 32,000km Triumph’s range continues to diversify and improve and the Tigers exemplify all that. With two styles in the series, the XR and the XC – the road-based and the adventure-touring platform respectively – it’s offered in three stages of spec plus a low-seat option. The 800cc triple configuration provides plenty of choice in the $15,000 to $20,000 range. Our ride here is the XcX, fitted with all the right gear to allow the versatility of bush bashing for a few days away, in addition to a few years’ adventuring. Sampling a…

Do you know what I like about camping? Nothing. So it’s probably a good thing I’m not the editor of a camping magazine. Thankfully, I am the editor of this fine motorcycle publication, and riding motorcycles is something I love to do, so whoever decided to combine the two and call it adventure riding has a lot to answer for in my book. Take a look back through your old copies of AMCN and you will notice that yours truly is conspicuously absent from the pages of previous Adventure issues. There was a brief appearance under the leadership of Sam Maclachlan on a three-day, rain-drenched adventure ride. Although that didn’t involve actual camping, accommodation was of the style that required leaving your room to use the bathroom – a first…

Wombats shit on shoes Wombats can run fast Wombats have no road sense Neither do kangaroos Everything gets wet at night Don’t hang your gear out to dry overnight Know how to open your tent when you’re dying for a piss Remember where you left the torch last A sleeping bag is like a straight jacket for sleeping A slight slope becomes a big hill when trying to sleep on it Drink heavily, it helps you sleep Flying bugs love torch light Get someone you don’t like to hold the torch Noises in the night are scarier when you can’t see your hand in front of your face Drink heavily so you don’t care about the noises A self-inflating mattress does not need to be manually inflated Going to the…

Riding a motorcycle along the famous Great Ocean Road in Victoria is nothing new – tens of thousands do it every year. And while not all of them do it riding BMW’s S1000XR sports tourer, there’s been no shortage of talk about the reigning AMCN Motorcycle of The Year since its release. So, as enjoyable as riding an S1000XR along Victoria’s Great Ocean Road is, it’s not going to make for the most exciting story to tell. But how many people have ridden the GOR on a BMW S1000XR with their significant other on the back and enjoyed an evening at possibly one of the most iconic landmarks along the famous strip of bitumen? And no, I’m not talking about the Twelve Apostles, but the famous house on a stick…

Let me paint the picture for you: 140-odd riders are drowning in Kosciuszko Pale Ale at the base of Australia’s tallest mountain in Jindabyne, while awaiting a briefing from KTM staff. Riders have been arriving at Rydges Horizons from all over the country, some as far as Northern Queensland and Tasmania. As the participants continue to sign in, the crowd gets rowdier. Rally organiser Rosie Lalonde calls everyone to order in the beer garden. While we wait for the remaining barflies to grab their schooners and find their seats, she begins explaining how the week will unfold, before inviting course director Nick Selleck to the stage. KTM staff and local bushies John Bredbo and Glen Hough have been planning the route for months, incorporating a bunch of different tracks to…

MY ORIGINAL PLAN was for a swag or a bivvy, but once I laid eyes on the Isopod tent I was sold. The freestanding two-person tent folds down into a carry bag small enough to fit across the back of a motorcycle seat, and the whole package weighs just 3.2kg. Once erected the tough polyester dome has floor dimension of 1400mm x 2200mm, and it’s all held up by a couple of easy-fitting colour-coded poles. We liked The Isopod is easy to erect – no stress and no instructions required. The layout makes sense with a door on each side allowing easy access and egress. The fabric is tough, with a waterproof floor, and a large waterproof fly sheet provides additional coverage to store your gear out of the weather.…

Supersport TROY GUENTHER MAY have looked like the man everyone needed to beat at the start of this year’s Supersport season, but a host of title contenders have since emerged. There’s also a proverbial cat amongst the pigeons in the form of Yamaha rider Mitch Levy (ATR All Types of Rubbish/Landbridge Transport/ YRD/Diacore). Levy claimed the overall round victory at Sydney Motorsport Park with a win in Race 1 and fourth in a shortened Race 2 which was twice red flagged and finally run over six laps for half championship points. Second overall for the event was Kawasaki rider Callum Spriggs (Cube Racing/Australian outdoor living/Motul/Pirelli/Leda) with 2-2 CARD. Round two winner Sam Clarke (Banham WA Racing) claiming an impressive wet weather victory in Race 2 aboard his Kawasaki, adding to…

Sticky when wet FOR THE FIRST time in 2016 the wets – or ‘rain’ tyres as Pirelli calls them – came out and stayed out on day one at Assen. Four rounds in and with temperatures only just out of single figures on the track, the mono-choice wet tyres were used by all in the WSBK class all day on Friday. Regardless of the track temperatures or track nature encountered, there is only one full wet option. This means the same for cold and wet Assen as warm and wet Malaysia. According to Pirelli the main thing is that wets are designed to have the deep tread displace standing water. The very action of the tyres having deep treads and therefore movable blocks of rubber, should keep heat inside them.…

Lorenzo’s pole-to-flag win at Jerez last year was widely described as a master class. This year came up with something different – a master pupil. And a mature student, at that. Is there no end to the surprises that Valentino Rossi can spring on an adoring MotoGP world? This latest – a pole to flag win at the age of 37 – once again silenced those who have been saying for some years now that the nine-times World Champion must surely be getting past it. It was his 113th career win – one step closer to Agostini’s record of 122 – and his 87th in the premier class. It came after his 52nd pole in the class, his 62nd overall. And his first since Assen last year. More importantly, it…

The seemingly ever-cheerful Sam Lowes gave himself plenty to smile about at Jerez. Riding in his usual ‘Sideways Sam’ style, the former 600 World Supersport champion claimed pole at the last gasp, and turned it into a clear first win of the season to extend his title lead. The race up front was rather austere, especially after three riders crashed out of the top six in the first four laps: By then, in fact on only lap two, Lowes had seized the lead from second qualifier Jonas Folger (Dynavolt Kalex), and he stayed there to the end. Folger settled for second, a willing Lowes settled for first, almost 2.5 seconds clear as he wheelied over the line. With Simone Corsi (Speed Up) tumbling out of third on lap two, there…

IT HAS BEEN a tough ride for all in the BMW Milwaukee team as they make the transition to WSBK after winning last year’s British Superbike Championship with a Yamaha. But at Assen, Australian Josh Brookes lifted the spirits of his entire team by leading the field more than once in the wet and dry second race, even if he did eventually fall after making a tyre change. His fall had an element of misfortune about it, as he described: “Either I touched some water I could not see or the tyre just wasn’t ready for the speed I was taking in with the brake pressure,” said the former Phillip Island WSS race winner. Brookes’ foray at the front shows what the team is capable of on the fast-but-fickle BMWS1000RR…

ROUND 5 OF the MXGP Championship saw riders battle it out at Mexico’s high-altitude circuit in Leon before the series makes its return to Europe. Tim Gasjer (Gariboldi Honda) impressed in the challenging track conditions to take the overall round win. The 19-year-old rookie narrowly conceded a win to reigning MXGP Champion Romain Febvre (Monster Energy Yamaha) in the first race but bounced back for victory in Race 2. By notching up his third win of the season Gasjer has reduced Febvre’s lead in the championship to just three points. Veteran racer Max Nagl (Rockstar Energy Husqvarna) doubled up with two third place finishes at the event, moving into a top five position in the 2016 title chase. In the MX2 race Jeffery ‘The Bullet’ Herlings (Red Bull KTM) extended…

AS CLOUDS LOOMED, nearly 70 riders lined up to contest the Pro classes at Round 2 of the Australian Motul MX Nationals in Appin, NSW. The MX1 class saw bar-to-bar racing with Dean Ferris (CDR Yamaha), Kirk Gibbs (KTM Australia) and Todd Waters (Wilson Cool Air Suzuki) swapping positions in the closing laps of Moto 1. Ferris proved too good for his rivals, taking the win by a solitary second to Kirk Gibbs, setting the stage for an exhilarating Moto 2. Despite copping a rock to the mouth, Brett Metcalfe (SD3 Husqvarna) put on a formidable display of riding to hold off runner-up Todd Waters and take the win. Ferris and Gibbs relived their battle from Moto 1 in the chasing pack, and at the chequered flag, Ferris claimed the…

SWANN SERIES PROMOTER TERRY O’Neill has announced that the next round of the Australian Superbike Championship will receive enhanced television coverage on SBS and Foxtel. In addition to live streaming of the races at Mallala, South Australia, on 28 and 29 May, both Saturday’s AFX-SBK and Sunday’s Swann series will be televised via one-hour television programs to be aired on SBS and Fox Sports. Making the announcement on his social media page, O’Neill said Broadcasting will commence one week after the race weekend and will include a total of five one-hour shows on each station, plus replays. The first one-hour program will include all three Superbike races and the standalone Stars of Tomorrow race that is open to Formula Xtreme C&D, Formula Oz 1000cc C&D plus Pro-Twins C&D F1, while…

IT’S BEEN MORE THAN a year since Honda whipped the covers off its Bulldog concept bike at the 2015 Osaka Motorcycle Show but hints are still being dropped that it might reach production. A patent application showing photographs of a prototype Bulldog – fractionally different to the show machine – is intended to stop rivals copying the methods used to build and mount the distinctive crash bars. The subject matter is pretty mundane, but that in itself makes the case for the Bulldog’s production all the stronger. It’s expensive to apply for patents, so why would Honda do it unless it plans to take the concept further? Specifically, this patent protects the ideas used to bolt the Bulldog’s crash bars to the stock CB500 frame the bike is built around.…

BMW IS AMONG the leading lights in crash-prevention technology, but the firm’s latest patent might be taking the idea in a sure-footed direction. It shows BMW has been working on a set of stabilisers for motorcycles. The patent comes from the pen of Josef Seidl, one of BMW’s leading motorcycle engineers, and shows a pair of side-mounted legs that work as crash protectors, sidestands and centrestands, all wrapped into one. You can ignore the drawings of the generic bike the side supports are attached to – it’s not representative of a particular model. But the twin sidestand-style structures are quite a serious idea. The thinking is that both the stands will be motorised either using electric servos or hydraulics, and it will be possible to move them independently into three…

THE 2016 AMCN Winter Jacket Drive had only just been announced when the team from Yamaha Australia contacted AMCN to say it had a truck-load of brand-new, bone-warming jackets to donate to the cause. We are hoping this is a good omen for our jacket drive as last year’s effort was kicked off with a similar donation from Yamaha Australia and ended up becoming our most successful year yet. Mission Australia’s Dan Strickland has been an important a part of the AMCN Jacket Drive since day one. He is presently stationed in Goulburn, NSW, and when we contacted him about Yamaha’s donation he said despite the eastern state enjoying an extended summer this year, the nights in Goulburn are becoming a tad fresh. Like all of Australia’s major cities, Goulburn…

2016 BMW R1200GS Released in 2005, the BMW R1200GS exploded onto the dual-sport scene and was immediately greeted with rave reviews. It quickly attained bestseller status and has regularly been updated and improved by the Bavarian manufacturer. The last major revision of the model took place in 2013 when it became liquid cooled. The model has been credited with creating the Adventure Touring category and comes with banking-optimised ABS, additional riding modes, and the option of a limited edition triple black version for 2016. What it’s got The BMW R1200GS is powered by a liquid-cooled, four-stroke, horizontally opposed two-cylinder 1170cc, fuel injected engine with DOHC and four valves per cylinder. Power runs through a six-speed constant mesh gearbox. The front suspension is a BMW Motorrad Telelever with a stanchion diameter…

Island paradise With great delight I read that the MotoGP and the Superbike events are secure until 2027 (Vol 65 No 20). This is great news for both Australia and motorcycle race lovers. The reported income to the Victorian economy is $68.5 million for the two events annually. With this event now locked in, will the track owners and government spend some of this money and update the Phillip Island circuit and give us some modern and clean facilities so we can enjoy the events? Many of the tracks in Europe have state-of-the-art facilities, making the event very enjoyable for all. We here in Australia put up with antiquated, dirty and makeshift facilities and food and drink vendors that are just sub-standard. I live in NSW, our racetracks have nearly…

MAYBE IT’S GOT something to do with homo sapiens’ in-built curiosity. Or maybe it’s more to do with exploring the unknown, Edmund Hillary style. But it seems that whenever you get a bunch of guys sitting around a table, hanging out in a workshop or sharing a beer with a group of custom bike fanatics, one question is guaranteed to come up every single time: “What if…?” What if we jammed a Triumph engine in a Norton frame? What if we stuck some Gixxer forks on an old CB Honda? Or what if, stick with me here, we turned a Hyosung into a racebike? Okay, so clearly some ideas aren’t as good as others. But some of those ‘others’ have gone on to become legendary innovations while the vast majority…

“It was literally Google Maps in the morning and a 2pm departure” THE COSTS Fuel $700 Food $450 Accommodation $350 (there was the odd night) Total $1500 THE GEAR Motorcycle 2015 Yamaha XT250 Rear rack Bash plate Hand guards Master-cylinder guard Milk crate 2 x 2L water bottles 1 x 750ml aluminium fuel bottle ELECTRONICS Contour Roam 2 Helmet Camera Pelican case Samsung NX1 mirror-less camera MeFoto Backpacker tripod Sony Xperia Z3 phone Torch ACR ResQLink Personal Locator Beacon G-Shock Mudman Watch Batteries 3 x $2 mp3 players from Ebay Memory Cards Four-port USB charger + cables SLEEPING GEAR Camouflage tarp 4 x Tent pegs 4 x Ocky straps Foldable square sleeping mat EQUIPMENT 5.11 Rush 12 Backpack Carribee 50L waterproof duffel bag Ratchet straps Small Carribee sports bag Pacsafe…

FOR OUR TWO-UP Great Ocean Road ride we fitted Scala Rider Packtalk intercoms to our helmets. The small units are easy to install and use, have good range and excellent sound quality, with zero wind noise through the microphone. They powered through two full days of riding on one battery charge. According to the Packtalk manual, multiple units can be paired, offering up to 1.6km of range between individual units, and 5km when linked between multiple riders.Check out our full review in Vol 65 No 17. Scala Rider Packtalk www.cassons.com.au (02) 8882 1900 $799 (pair)…

During the 1970s, dourly clad missionaries roamed the coastal tracks of New Guinea spreading the word of the saviour. Mounted on dun-coloured mopeds they were known as the bike brigade. Then, in 1984, we arrived. As we unloaded half a dozen primary coloured Honda XRs at Lae airport and donned our riding clobber, we were surrounded by locals and a customs officer who said: “You got plenty bilas. You Bigpella Bike Brigade.” We had no idea what he meant but basked in our newfound celebrity status. We’d chosen New Guinea for a riding adventure simply because a mate who regularly dived the coral reefs there assured us he could organise the logistics – such as a supply of SP Lager every evening. The provincial authorities weren’t so keen on our…

I DISLIKE BEING too hot or too cold, so the Tuff All Season sleeping bag was an easy choice to make. It has two compartments, one with a Synsilk lining and light cover for warm weather, and a flannel-lined area for cold nights. We liked Snug, super comfortable and made from quality material that can breathe, eliminating that horrible stuffy feeling. The large size also makes it easy to roll over in the middle of the night We didn’t like The anti-bite zipper guard didn’t on all occasions stop the zipper from getting caught, which had the effect of temporarily leaving me struggling to free myself from the bag. Verdict It may take up a bit more room on your bike than other models, but the Tuff All Season sleeping…

Its pearler of an engine is as good on a strop through the hills as the daily commute 1 The DL650 is a very competent road blaster, some will baulk at its ‘downspec’ nature 2 Expect vibes through the bars and pegs, it’s not the smoothest beast 3 It’s tall but not ridiculous. Try before you buy on that front 4 Enjoy. you really are looking at just about the most versatile motorcycle ever built Suzuki’s dual-sport (or adventure touring) model, the DL1000 V-Strom, arrived in 2002, a competent and affordable alternative to BMW’s benchmark big-bore ‘duallie’ the R1150GS. Two years later the litre-power V-Strom was joined in Suzuki showrooms by a junior-burger version of itself, the DL650 V-Strom. As so often happens the best laid plans have little to…

Jonathan Rea (Kawasaki Racing Team) left Assen with an umbrella full of new stats to his name, and another two wins that make it five from eight starts. All quite remarkable really for a rider who even now says he is still trying to find the sweet spot on his new bike, and who tried a major new electronics strategy on race-day morning on Sunday. Part of this was down to Friday’s two one-hour practice sessions being wet, having to try things in the brief 15-minute third practice on Saturday, then again in Superpole, before it was into a cold but dry Race 1. Then it was morning warm-up Sunday, and then into Race 2. So there was little time for testing during race weekend. And Rea is still doing…

Brad Binder made a little bit of history in Moto3 … riding from a punitive last place on the grid to a commanding career-first victory. Binder’s back-row start (he had qualified second) was applied at the last minute, for an inadvertent technical infringement by his Red Bull Ajo team (using unhomologated software). Binder battled through the backmarkers, setting fastest lap on the fourth, then surged through a big midfield battle. Before 10 laps were done he was with the front runners, in fourth. Four seconds ahead, Nicolo Bulega (Sky VR46 KTM), Aspar Mahindra’s Pecco Bagnaia and Jorge Navarro (EG-VDS Honda) had been locked in combat, Navarro making most of the running. The hunt-down was compelling and remorseless. It took Binder just seven more laps to catch the trio. Four more,…

WHO WILL TAKE Lorenzo’s place alongside Rossi? Yamaha’s Crew Chief Lin Jarvis conceded Maverick was on the list, saying “Maverick has great potential as one of the new future talents. But there are other options, with different profiles.” The Ducati situation rumbles on, with the two Andreas – Dovizioso and Iannone – the only names on the list to ride alongside Lorenzo, according to the Italian squad. Both, meanwhile, remain high on Suzuki’s shopping list; while Viñales’ probable departure makes Aleix Espargaró’s seat there more secure. Ducati also confirmed they had approached Márquez as well as Lorenzo, but boss Gigi Dall’Igna admitted that negotiations had not gone very far with Márquez.…

THE ADVANCE OF Leon Camier and MV Agusta in 2016 has been one of high ups and pretty low downs. It was the former at Assen, as he scored fourth place in Race 1, and then followed that up with a recovery in Race 2 that left him ninth - still a respectable result for a team that has a serious lack of power, according to the rider. Camier feels his MV’s chassis is a strong point for him, and has improved in one key area in particular: “Changing direction with a full fuel load is much better now, when the BMWs have good grip with their tyres they can use their power. As soon as the tyre goes off we are more even.” The only fly in Camier’s Assen…

FAST FORWARD TWO weeks from Abu Dhabi to Qatar and Round 2 of the FIM World Cross-Country Championship where not even the weather had changed and the battle between the carbonated caffeine concoctions continued unabated. At the conclusion of the second stage of the Sealine Rally, Red Bull’s Toby Price led teammate Sam Sunderland with Rockstar Energy’s Pablo Quintanilla completing the podium ahead of his teammate Pele Renet. The only female rider, Laia Sanz, had already retired and Aussie Scott Britnell had put his Husqvarna FE450 into the top 10 along with Bolivian Juan Carlos ‘Chavo’ Salvatierra on his Kato 450RR, the competition between the KTM and Husqvarna factories extending to the privateers. Neither Honda nor ‘Speedy’ Gonçalves have been sighted since leaving Buenos Aires, and while the Yamaha Rally…

DEFENDING CHAMPION THOMAS Chareyre made a perfect start to the FIM Supermoto season winning both races of the S1 Grand Prix at Jerez Spain on April 16-17. Marc Reiner Schmidt’s showed impressive form (2,3) in his rookie season to finish the meeting in second position, and also gave Chareyre a scare in the process when he slid past the Frenchman to take the lead briefly on lap six of Race 2. Lukas Hollbacher’s third overall (4,2) was made all the more impressive considering he recovered from a fall at turn one during the first race to salvage fourth place. In the S2 class Petr Vorlicek (1,2) claimed first, followed by Giovanni Bussei (4,1) and Milan Sitniansky (2,3).…

DARRIN TRELOAR WON his ninth Australian Speedway Sidecar Championship at Mildura’s Olympic Park on 9 April and is now within reach of becoming our most successful racer in the history of speedway. With passenger Blake Cox, Treloar again repelled challenges from the country’s best. The win held special significance for the 47-year-old as it represents his first championship victory at Mildura. After 20 hard-fought heats on championship night there were four teams who dominated; others kept themselves in contention when some highly credentialed riders disappointed. Treloar/ Cox and Trent Headland/ Darryl Whetstone finished on 14 points, one ahead of both defending champion Justin Plaisted/Sam Harrison and Warren Monson/Matt Morgan. The first three mentioned went into the A Final, while the latter had to contest the B Final, on countback, a…

“I wake up – and I’m doing 100 miles an hour” What do you love most about riding a motorcycle across the world? I love the fact that it focuses me. It opens a door and allows me to be purposeful. It allows my aspiration to be fulfilled and I just love the freedom of it. The worst bit? Sometimes when I’m riding 1000 miles a day in terribly bad weather and I’ve done it day after day after day and I’m terribly exhausted and I have to do it again and again – sometimes I think this is too hard. Do you come from a motorcycling background? There’s no history of motorcycling in my family. Really what I am is an adventurer. I’ve sailed canal boats to Russia, I’ve…