Innholdsfortegnelse for Vol 67 Issue 01 i Australian Motorcycle News

50 This year marks the 50th anniversary of Moto Guzzi’s iconic V7 and to celebrate, the firm has released what its calling “the third act of a first work” in the V7 III. There’s 10 per cent more power, a redesigned frame, and it'll be available in the marque’s Special, Racer and Stone versions. Xihu 250 B-C? No, it’s not one of the new generation of Asian bikes, but a model Peter Whitaker rode around China in 1990. “There’s a bit of steelwork going on! Just trying to keep the ankle moving…” Remind you of another Honda racing legend? John McGuinness keeps his Twitterati happy with an update from his hospital bed. You are Race Direction If someone crashes at the end of a grand prix and rider and machine…

WHEN YAMAHA WHIPPED the covers off its newfor-2018 YZ450F ’crosser last month, it unveiled the world’s first production motocross bike to feature a smartphone-based engine tuning app. A tuning app doesn’t particularly break new ground in motorcycle circles – the performance of the Zero line-up of electric bikes can be tweaked via an app, for example, in a bid to maximise their range. However, this is the first time, certainly on a competition off-road machine, that tuning capabilities have been put in the hands (and pockets) of the rider via their phone. Yamaha’s Power Tuner smartphone app is a completely wireless setup that talks to the bike’s ECU via an on-board wi-fi system, and it’s far more sophisticated than the simple three-way map selector we’ve become accustomed to on Yamaha’s…

Top question I read with interest your quick review of the X-Lite 802RR helmet (Vol 66 No 20). First of all let me say how much I love carbon fibre and its benefits. It’s light, strong and when the weave is visible, looks pretty exotic. But are carbon helmets safer than composite or fibreglass, or just lighter? I’ve been asking myself a few questions and would appreciate your input if you know more. Cars these days have crumple zones so that the mass slows during impact, so if the helmet is strong and rigid is the lining improved to counter the shell’s rigidity? Would the rigidity lead it to rebound faster from an impact with those forces then acting on soft tissue, the old grey matter? Car manufacturers try to…

CFMOTO 650MT Configuration P-twin Capacity 649.3cc RRP $6990 (ride away) HONDA AFRICA TWIN (ABS) Configuration P-twin Capacity 998cc RRP $16,999 (+ ORC) KTM 1290 ADVENTURE R Configuration V-twin Capacity 1301cc RRP $25,995 (+ ORC) TRIUMPH EXPLORER XCA Configuration Triple Capacity 1215cc RRP $26,900 (+ ORC) ROYAL ENFIELD HIMALAYAN Configuration Single Capacity 411cc RRP $5990 (+ ORC) BMW R1200GS RALLYE X Configuration Boxer twin Capacity 1170cc RRP $27,250 (+ ORC) DUCATI MULTISTRADA 950 Configuration V-twin Capacity 937cc RRP $18,790 (+ ORC) HONDA CRF250 RALLY Configuration Single Capacity 249cc RRP $7299 (+ ORC) HIMALAYAN No additional accessories fitted to test model CRF250 RALLY No additional accessories fitted to test model 650MT Shad panniers $500 MULTISTRADA 950 Tank ‘Pocket’ Bag $210.80 Flange for pocket bag $32.47 Adhesive tank protector $83.05 Aluminium pannier set…

Most people can manage to find a free weekend in a year if they play their cards right Triumph Tiger 800 XCA THIS MID-CAPACITY Adventure bike combines comfort, performance and, importantly, ease of use that is top level. The WP suspension works incredibly well, allowing a composed ride on the tarmac – but it’s still a very capable machine when the going gets tough. The engine has that beautiful growl associated with its triple in-line mill that also helps to keep the overall width down. Fitted with all manner of crash bars, alloy pegs, spotlights and luggage racks as standard, it’s a good choice if you want to buy a bike and just go. What I like most about this bike though, is how Triumph has fitted heated rider and…

“Assistance from spectators is not only expected, but encouraged” Event organiser Peter Luck Event Roof of Africa First held 1965 Most successful Alfie Cox, nine wins Last winner Graham Jarvis, 2016 What’s extreme Heat, altitude Next event 16-18 November 2017 IT MIGHT LOOK spectacularly serene, but the Roof of Africa is known as the mother of Hard Enduro, the toughest and most gruelling of them all. Now in its 52nd year, the notorious Roof of Africa began in 1965 and was so wildly difficult that the organisers of what was then a car race didn’t expect anyone to make it to the finish. Instead, they planned to drive back from the chequered flag to find the competitor who had made it the furthest before his mind, body or vehicle had…

“The riding is slow and technical. I got so tired my body was aching” 2016 runner-up Andreas Lettenbichler Event Sea to Sky First held 2010 Most successful Graham Jarvis, four wins Last winner Lars Enöckl, 2016 What’s extreme Variety, altitude Next event 28-30 September 2017 IT’S WHAT GRAHAM Jarvis has described as the most enjoyable Hard Enduro event due to its beachside setting and late-summer timing, but the annual Sea to Sky race is anything but. Held in Kemer on the Turkish Riviera, Sea to Sky is a three-day event that asks more of the riders as the race progresses, culminating in a seven-hour sprint covering 65km, starting from sea level in the sun and finishing 2365m higher in the clouds. Literally. Day one kicks off with a beach race,…

A workforce of 3000 men took five months to dig through solid rock BUILT BY THE elite French Legionnaire forces in 1927 to open a new route to the south, this 62-metre spiral tunnel between Er-Rich in the north and Erfoud on the edge of the Sahara took a workforce of 3000 men five months to dig through solid rock – using five tonnes of explosives, 16 hammer compressors and 50,000 litres of fuel. The 80km-long canyon that runs alongside was created by the Ziz River cutting a wide path through the Atlas Mountains. It’s a large date-growing region dotted with tiny Berber villages and surreal clusters of palm trees along the dry river bed. The smooth winding road leads to the massive Lake Al Hassan-Addakhil. Along the way you’ll…

The mighty Sahara Desert is larger than the whole of Australia THIS IS IT. What we’ve been waiting for. The mighty Sahara Desert – covering nine million square kilometres and larger than the whole of Australia – where average summer temperatures are 47°C. Just before sunset, we dropped the bikes off at the village of Merzouga on the edge of the desert (close to the highly patrolled border with Algeria) and took a 30-minute trip in a 4WD to a Berber camp among the 350-metre-high dunes. To negotiate the deep sand and inclines on our BMWs would have required specialised off-road tyres resembling paddle wheels. With dinner of Moroccan salad and chicken Tajine around a campfire shared with a group of semi-nomadic Touareg men wearing traditional turbans and scarfs, this…

 BMW’S RELEASE OF its R80G/S, a 798cc, flat-twin adventure tourer, was a milestone moment in modern motorcycle history. Its arrival on showroom floors in 1981 meant buyers looking for a capable daily commuter that doubled as dirt-road tourer were no longer limited to 500cc single-cylinder ‘thumpers’. It’s not compulsory to ride around Australia on your R100GS – as so many owners seem to have done Paris-Dakar Rally wins demonstrated the new Beemer’s off-road credentials. On the bitumen it was a serious touring bike, capable of covering long distances way more smoothly and swiftly than any of the 500cc singles. Then in 1988, taking to the next level everything learned from its R80G/S (and later R80GS) model experience, BMW released the R100GS, boasting a 980cc engine along with a bunch of…

THERE’S NOTHING BETTER in heavy Melbourne traffic than cruising between long lines of cars stopped at a red light and casually pulling up in front of them all. But sadly, sometimes it doesn’t look quite so casual. The daily commute to Horror HQ gives me plenty of chances to practise my lane filtering on the nimble NK, and I still find myself getting stuck from time to time. Sometimes the road is too tight, sometimes a driver is too far over, but sometimes I confess that I just lack the skills and nerve to squeeze through. What to do? Improve my spatial awareness skills. In the mornings, when Gassit HQ’s carpark is still empty, I often practice a bit of slow riding before heading upstairs to the desk. And this…

The track was treacherous for the Moto3 race and there were a number of crashes. Pole man Jorge Martín (Del Conca Honda) led away, with crowd favourite Bo Bendsneyder (Red Bull KTM) in pursuit. The Dutchman took to the front on lap five, but Romano Fenati (Rivacold Honda) led next time round, and for the next few laps Fenati and Martin made the running, with points leader Joan Mir (Leopard Honda) staying close. As usual, it was a volatile lead group, which swelled to 11-strong around half distance. Martín demonstrated just how volatile, dropping from fifth to 11th with three laps to go, after a collision with Marcos Ramírez (Platinum Bay KTM). The ride of the race came from Arón Canet (EG Honda), who had dropped to 15th after narrowly…

SHANE BYRNE celebrated his 79th British Superbike victory when he won both races at the series’ fifth round, the Snetteron 300, held over 1-2 July. The Be Wiser Ducati rider started from pole and fended off a couple of hard-charging Aussies in both 16-lap races, with Josh Brookes (Yamaha Anvil Hire TAG) and Jason O’Halloran (Honda Racing) showing consistency to finish both races in second and third respectively. Adelaide native Billy McConnell wasn’t so lucky with an 11-16 scorecard for the weekend. Aussie Supersport star Benjamin Currie was forced to retire with mechanical issues from a race won by Alistair Seely on the Spirit Triumph, but who conceded the trophy to the second man over the line, Andrew Irwin (Gearlink Kawasaki), as he’s not eligible for points on the Moto2-spec…

AFTER AN EIGHT-week hiatus, the Australian Superbike Championship kicks off again with Round 4 at Hidden Valley, situated only 10km from Darwin. The physically demanding Top End circuit offers no rider a home-track advantage, but it is one of the favourite venues on the calendar with 14 turns and extremely high speeds on its 1.1km straight. Yamaha’s Wayne Maxwell is ready for battle while teammate Glenn Allerton makes his return from a broken arm sustained in practice at Wakefield Park’s Round 2. Crankt Protein Honda riders Troy Herfoss and Bryan Staring will debut the highly anticipated CBR1000RR SP2 and championship leader Daniel Falzon (Jon Daniels Racing) is full of confidence, fresh from a successful stint racing in China. Falzon also has a brand new 2017 Yamaha R1 that he hopes…

AUSSIE MX2 STAR Hunter Lawrence has been diagnosed with further injuries after suffering a race fall in Germany on 21 May. He was initially shown to have two compressed vertebrae, however, further scans revealed a small fracture and the Team Suzuki rider was forced to sit out the Italian and Portugal rounds. He will be back for the Czech GP on 23 July. The Italian round was an outstanding result for the KTM team with championship leader and local favourite Antonio Cairoli winning both MX1 motos from his Dutch teammate Jeffrey Herlings. The pair backed up that result in Portugal, swapping the top two steps on the podium, which enabled Cairoli to open up a big championship lead over nearest rival Clement Desalle (Kawasaki). In MX2, Suzuki’s Jeremy Seewer registered…

Great Britain is directly through to the Speedway World Cup Final after outgunning Australia in Event 1 at King’s Lynn, England on 1 July. The Aussies were without Jason Doyle but had no excuses as the British quartet recorded 14 wins and six seconds from 20 heats. Chris Holder (four) and Troy Batchelor (two) were the only riders to deny a British rider a heat win, but neither Max Fricke nor Nick Morris threatened to win a race. Australia and USA now contest the Race-Off meeting in Poland on 7 July along with the second- and third-placed teams from Event 2 in Sweden on 11 July. Only the winner of that meeting goes in to the Final on Saturday, to take on Poland, Great Britain and the winner from Vastervik.…

SEAN MCLELLAN WON an action-packed Tharwa Sands Canberra Cup, run by the ACTMCC over the weekend of 24-25 June. As the image shows, the racing was very tight and McLellan had to work extra hard for the win, after a series of poor starts. McLellan, who also claimed the Pro 450 class, said: “The weekend was superb and the track was unreal thanks to Ian Hamilton’s hard work; that’s what made me return to the club this year. The results wouldn’t have come without the help of John and Chris Sullings at KYT helmets, they provided me with a championship calibre bike, and also Jamie Stauffer from Doctor Maks and Honda Australia.” In a very full program, Kruze Brady took out the Junior Canberra Cup, Corinna Erhardt won the Women’s…

UNLEASHED AT THE 2016 EICMA show in Milan, it’s the long-awaited machine that will eventually morph into the Ténéré 700 production bike. And Germany’s Motorrad magazine has bagged an exclusive ride on it! While it would be rash to draw any conclusions from a brief blat on a concept bike featuring many not-for-production parts, initial reports are positive. Testers Biebricher and Thorsten Dentges have high praise for the engine – a direct part from the MT-07, making 56kW – as well as the bike’s ultra light weight and very capable off-road abilities. Some of this comes down to the parts used purely on the concept, which included a WR450 fork, an aluminium fuel tank and plenty of carbon fibre components. Motorrad weighed the T7 at a skimpy 185kg complete with…

LOOKING AT FIRST glance like a beaten-up Panigale, the bike caught here is a brand-spanker – Ducati’s first V4 superbike. The headlights are inset into reshaped intakes, hidden even further from view than they are in the Panigale. The side panels are different, arching up over the frame to meld into the fuel tank. The rear panels are missing on this prototype, but another one featured a Panigale-style rear end with different tail lights and slightly altered proportions. Of course, the big news is the 999cc V4 that was developed alongside the second-generation (2015) Desmosedici GP bike, the road-going version uses the same architecture and layout. Its power won’t be that far off, either – the 1299 R Final Edition makes 154kW (see below), the Superleggera makes 160kW, and it’s…

OKAY, THERE’S BARELY a brand around that hasn’t been rumoured to be in the process of buying Ducati, and the latest word is that Harley-Davidson has thrown its hat into the ring. That Ducati is up for sale is well known. Its parent company, Volkswagen, has been looking to off-load non-core parts of its empire since getting caught up in the dieselgate scandal and, as its only motorcycle marque, Ducati is in the firing line. But it ain’t a fire-sale. VW wants to see a return on its investment and, having bought Ducati for about €860 million (A$1.3 billion) in 2012, it now wants in the region of €1.4-1.5 billion. VW this year hired Evercore Partners to explore potential buyers and since then names including Royal Enfield, TVS, Bajaj and…

Whadda Jarno? Hello from France, I want to congratulate you for the very good paper about Jarno Saarinen (Vol 66 No 23). I wrote also a paper about him and I became a very close friend of his widow Soili, and most of the things are perfect, except one: Jarno was never been in contact with Ducati. NEVER! At springtime in 1972 he tested the Benelli and the Guzzi at Modena. And Jarno was asked to ride the Guzzi for Imola 200, but the bike was not good enough and he preferred to ride the same WE at Mettet, where he won all the races, beating the lap record by many seconds... with his Yamaha. It’s just for your information, because your paper is so good! PS: Also, the picture…

The DR is smooth, not like silk or satin, but like good porridge School’s in… The one-day Stay Upright Adventure Bike course covers everything from the kind of bike and gear you should use, to the skills of riding standing up and reading the landscape, tackling hills, changing direction by leaning on the footpegs, and riding over different surfaces. The biggest thing for me was feeling the bike slide around, and in unexpected ways. Riding through the ‘sand pit’, the front end started weaving alarmingly, but with a good dose of throttle the wheel lifted and it became plain sailing. Each challenge was tackled individually, then we stitched it all together in one fun-filled session at the end of the day. Thumbs up. Stay Upright stayupright.com.au 1300 366 640…

By 1990 Australia’s relationship with the former ‘Yellow Peril’ had improved significantly. So much so that our friend Michael Wu was able to persuade the Chinese Presidium permitting a mature group of renowned adventure riders “to explore eastern China’s un-open, off the beaten track, interesting places, never seen by westerners and to get lost in a number of remote mountain ranges inhabited by innocent ethnic groups to discover some forgotten old civilisation” would considerably enhance rapprochement. This formal proposition may have lost something in translation, but to us it sounded very much like an adventure ride in the boonies. At a factory in Hangzhou we were each presented with a brand spanking new X-H XIHU 250 B-C motorcycle to evaluate and praise accordingly. We had a little difficulty adapting to…

“I had to grab the throttle with my left arm a few times to shake my cramping right hand in the last third of the track” 1999 prologue winner Heinz Kinigadners Event Erzbergrodeo First held 1995 Most successful Taddy Blażusiak, five wins Last winner Alfredo Gómez, 2017 What’s extreme Scenery, terrain Next event 2018, date TBA FOR THE PAST 23 years, more than 1500 riders have gathered in the bottom of an iron ore mine in Austria to compete in a couple of brutal races in a bid to be one of just 500 qualifiers for the notorious Hare Scramble, the highlight of the annual event. Hard Enduro events are generally take place in visually spectacular locations and the Erzbergrodeo is no exception. It’s held at the Erzberg mine in…

“One of the biggest, most eye-opening challenges in my life so far” Aussie 2016 competitor Melissa Bruce Event Romaniacs First held 2004 Most successful Graham Jarvis, five wins Last winner Graham Jarvis, 2016 What’s extreme Endurance Next event 25-29 July, 2017 THE RED BULL Romaniacs is perhaps the best-known Hard Enduro event due to its wildly spectacular prologue event, which is hosted in the Romanian city of Sibiu, and televised in more than 215 countries. Now in its 14th year, the Romaniacs has attracted some big names over its time, with high-profile riders such as Cyril Despres, Chris Birch and Jonny Walker all adding their names to the coveted winner’s trophy at least once. It’s a five-day event that challenges even the best riders in the world, beginning with the…

ABANDONED LEAD AND quartz mines lie on the outskirts of Erg Chebbi – a sea of 150-metre high dunes created by windblown sand. The route into this forgotten part of the world takes us through a deserted mud-brick village that once housed hundreds of miners and their families. The military keeps a small outpost here and a group of soldiers casually smoking beside a camouflaged Hummer give us a cheery wave. The open-cast mines are scattered along a high plateau with dramatic views of the desert landscape. There’s also a Berber graveyard nearby, no doubt containing many miners. The jagged rock headstones have no names, though you can tell the gender by the way the stones are positioned – two placed parallel denotes a woman, while two stones placed in…

THE LONG-TERMER key bowl at Gassit HQ is an interesting place to observe office dynamics. It also happens to be right behind my desk. And when Kel Buckley rolled in to provide holiday cover for our Ed, and suggested she might like to borrow one of the long-termers for her winter-morning commutes, there was a fair bit to observe. Mostly this involved Daz and Kel executing a relaxed but at the same time very rapid stroll to said bowl, and reaching/diving for the keys of the BMW R1200RS. This was followed by a brief but intense struggle, and for a second I thought I’d have to do an AFL-style ball-up (not so great for Kel). In the end it came down to who was Acting Ed (great for Kel). Don’t…

Put a gang of over-powered motorcycles in a carpark, make them zig-zag around it for 40 minutes, and the guy who comes out on top has obviously got something special. When he does it five times in a row (eight times, if you count Moto2 and 125), then you’d have to know his name is Marc Márquez. And if it gives him the lead in the world championship for the first time, after a difficult season with only one other victory, then you’d understand that the word ‘unpredictable’ falls short of describing the first half of the 2017 season. Three races ago, the Repsol Honda rider was 41 points adrift. Now he’s on top of a title sheet that after half the year has become even closer, setting another new…

MOTOGP MASTER MARC Márquez (above) has endorsed the slow-burn strategy of his young brother Álex and his decision to spend another season chasing the Moto2 title. Resisting the rush of young riders to MotoGP the 21-year-old Álex Márquez will spend a fourth year in Moto2 with the MarcVDS squad in 2018. By the same age Marc had already won his first MotoGP world title with a spectacular rookie season in 2013. While young Álex has won two races this year – Jerez and Catalunya – he is being overshadowed in the Moto2 title chase by teammate Franco Morbidelli, who will switch to MotoGP in 2018. “MotoGP is a category that you need to go to when you are ready and if your level is not good enough what do you…

THE YAMAHA AUSTRALIAN Off-Road Championship (AORC) descended on Renmark, SA, 250km north east of Adelaide for Rounds 8 and 9, over 24-25 June. While Saturday’s competition was scheduled to be run in cross-country format, organisers changed it back to super sprint format on a 15km track due to excessive dust. Scott Keegan (Snap Fitness Yamaha Team) took the honours in the E1 from Will Ruprecht (Activ8 Yamaha Yamalube Racing Team) and privateer Tom Jones (Yamaha). But for Sunday’s Round 8 sprint Ruprecht reversed the result on Keegan – and took a five-point championship lead. Daniel Milner (KTM Enduro Team) continued his unbeaten run, winning E2 by over 30 seconds on Saturday from local Riley Graham and Josh Green (Activ8 Yamaha Yamalube Racing Team). On Sunday Milner once again proved unstoppable.…

THE THIRD ROUND of GP Juniors Cup was held at Morgan Park Raceway in Queensland on 17-18 June, this time as part of the Southern Down Road Race Series promoted by Motorcycle Sportsmen. The weekend saw a number of riders making their road racing debuts and all acquitted themselves remarkably well in the challenging conditions, which saw rain so heavy it forced the cancellation of Saturday afternoon’s races. The young field raised eyebrows with a notable lack of crashes, considering the rulebook states a road-legal tyre must be raced and from ambient temperatures – no tyre warmers allowed. Two other classes appeared alongside the one-make series, with 70cc and 85cc two-strokes taking to the 2.967km circuit. In the GP Juniors Cup, Tom Edwards extended his series points lead, helped by…

AFTER BEING POSTPONED twice due to wet weather, the Akubra Classic was finally held by the Macleay District Motor Cycle Club over the weekend of 24-25 June, with previous winner Michael Kirkness returning to take the crown ahead of Jarryd Oram and Boyd Hollis. Oram had the lead for the opening nine laps of the final, but Greenhill Speedway produced an exciting battle to the very end. “Oram had been riding good all weekend and was going to be the one to beat,” said Kirkness. “He made the start and in the first couple of laps got away from me after I made a couple of little mistakes. I had 10 laps though, so I calmed down and reeled him back in. Just as I was setting him up for…

 You guys have had a few years of solid results, but what’s changed to make you so competitive this year? “Racing has taken up our lives. It’s all we do. We live and breathe it” It’s hard to put my finger on it exactly. In the last few years it’s taken a while for Daniel to really adjust to the YZF-R1, and mentally he has grown and matured. He understands you don’t get race pace straight away – it’s about staying upright. I think the whole team has grown together. We’ve been together for a long time, that’s Jon, Liam, Kylie, Daniel and myself. Jon and Liam have grown to understand the bike a lot better and they’ve learnt how to now take the feedback from Daniel and make changes…

ZERO MOTORCYCLES HAS announced it will withdraw from the Australian and Asia-Pacific markets, saying despite its best efforts, it failed to build an economically sustainable business. “Unfortunately, the costs of providing an exceptional customer experience coupled with unfavourable exchange rates and taxes in these markets makes it difficult to offer competitive pricing today,” a statement read. The company will continue supplying police and authority fleets in the region, and said its current importer, GBT Imports, will continue to support owners of the emission-free motorcycles.…

“These people will be a lot warmer tonight thanks to the generosity of AMCN readers” THE 2017 AMCN Jacket Drive has entered the annual event’s most important phase – delivery to the needy recipients – and kicked it off at Sydney Homeless Connect, held at the city’s town hall on Tuesday, 28 June. Hundreds of Sydney’s homeless left the event warmer and more protected from the elements, thanks to the generosity of AMCN readers who donated their pre-loved motorcycle kit so those sleeping rough could benefit from the protective clothing’s superior thermal properties. With both Indian Motorcycles and Shannons Insurance on board as collection partners, and some significant donations from the likes of Yamaha Australia and Draggin Jeans, logistics partner Mission Australia was once again in high praise of the…

Growing up in South Africa in the 1980s, Joey Evans had your typical introduction to the world of two-wheel action – a BMX. His first taste of motorised biking came later aboard a mate’s KX125, which he rode on the country’s open veld. “It was incredible,” he remembers. But it wasn’t until Joey turned 26 that he bought his first off-road bike, a pre-loved Honda CR250 stroker. He did motocross and a bit of freestyle before entering hare scrambles and enduros, paving the way to open country racing. What really fired his imagination was seeing the Dakar Rally on TV. It was an event he was determined to challenge. “I dreamed of racing in the Dakar across North Africa and started to find out more information, slowly realising what a…

How the hell was this bloke from Cape York Motorcycle Adventures, on his Suzuki DR-Z400 complete with a long-range tank and knobby tyres, meant to keep up with a bunch of mad journos on road tyre-shod V-Strom 1000s, through the delightfully twisty Daintree Forest? We were in Cairns in Far North Queensland about to sample Suzuki’s latest 650cc and 1000cc adventure bikes and I was a bit confused. We’d been advised the planned route would consist of 60 per cent road riding with the other 40 per cent made up of simple dirt roads, so why did Roy Kunda opt for the DR? And when I asked if he’d be okay, why did he look up, smile and say ‘no problem’? I soon learnt the so-called 60 per cent road…

OUR DIGS We made our temporary Gassit Central the shearers' quarters at Stump Hill Farmstay, located just a 15-minute ride from Mansfield – which itself is an easy two-and-a-half-hour ride from Melbourne, Victoria. The rural property was a brilliant central point to launch expeditions into the surrounding hills and the massive network of logging roads and more challenging trails. Owners Dick and Jenny are true motorcycle enthusiasts who have somehow found a way to combine a working farm with a motorcycle haven suitable for dirtbike and adventure riders of all ages and skill levels. Dick was only too happy to give us tips on where to explore and share some of his own stories. Turns out he was an extra in The Man From Snowy River and a big photo…

The truth is, somewhere along the line someone has described each and every one of the 17 rounds of the World Hard Enduro Series (WHES) as “the world’s toughest”, and frankly, none of them can be argued wrong. They’re mental, asking body, brain and bike to achieve what most dirtbike riders would deem impossible. It’s a series where some huge names of off-road racing have congregated, people like Dakar legend Cyril Despres, five-time British trials champ Graham Jarvis, 12-time world trials champ Dougie Lampkin, British enduro ace Jonny Walker, and six-time SuperEnduro world champion Taddy Blazusiak. It’s not FIM-sanctioned, though the commitment, talent and sacrifice of each and every rider makes it deserving of official world championship status. But the benefit is that amateurs and pros can line up in…

“It was brutal, easily one of the most difficult courses” 2017 winner Wade Young Event Extreme XL Lagares First held 2011 Most successful rider Alfredo Gómez, three wins Last winner Wade Young, 2017 What’s extreme City setting, darkness Next event 2018, date TBA THIS ONE’S AN event that’s more like a high-speed inner-city police chase from a Hollywood movie than an international enduro race – well at least half of it is. Held over two days in two separate areas of Portugal, about an hour away from each other, the Extreme Lagares XL is the brainchild of local enduro rider Paulo Moreira, who broke both arms in 2003 and spent recovery time walking his dog through Porto’s old city centre of Ribeira, including its many narrow and steep stairwells. It…

When the Paris-Dakar Rally was run in Africa, mighty Morocco was regarded as the most ball-breaking section. Facing 1000km of treacherous terrain over three days and 54°C heat in the Sahara Desert, many entrants never got to set their wheels beyond the North African sand dunes. But ever since the world’s toughest race put the country on the global adventure map, conquering its 4000-metre snowcapped mountain ranges and coming face-to-face with a Bedouin (the largest tribes have as many as 3000 tents and 80,000 camels) is on many a rider’s bucket list. AMCN grabbed the chance to go for a week-long tour along the country’s best roads with Wheels of Morocco – the only official BMW travel partner company in this part of the world. There were twisting mountain passes,…

THE FIRST GLIMPSE of the hidden palm grove comes as you break through thick vegetation – bordered by fig, almond and walnut trees – to emerge, unexpectedly, into a lush oasis brimming with wildlife and surrounded by rocky mountains. It feels like you’ve dropped into the Garden of Eden. Reaching the oasis is an adventure in itself as the 7km access route is hard-packed undulating terrain resembling a rocky lunar landscape. We felt like 2016 Dakar Rally winner Toby Price winding it up to 100km/h as the rear Michelins scrambled for traction. Ride across a pebble-floored creek (with Berber women washing laundry in the clear mountain water upstream) and onto a sandy path between a palm forest and the creek. A sudden left turn takes you back through the dense…

My copy of Scenic Wonders of Australia was published in 1976, only three years after the opening of the Sydney Opera House – an edifice that immediately shot to the top of the list of attractions to visit, bumping the Sydney Harbour Bridge to number two. A quick scan of the internet recently confirmed my suspicion that very little has changed in the past 40 years. The must-sees are as they were, jiggling up and down the same top 10 list: Sydney Opera House, Sydney Harbour Bridge, Great Barrier Reef, Uluru, the Kimberley, Melbourne, Kakadu, the Great Ocean Road, Blue Mountains and Daintree. And all these scenic wonders, bar Uluru, are virtually on the same street – our National Highway 1. For the most part it’s a relatively safe, sealed…

Himalayan Engine Single cylinder Capacity 411cc Cooling Air Fuelling Carburettor Gearbox Five-speed Weight 179kg (wet) Price $6990 (ride away) YOU KNOW THAT small, often inexpensive tool you’re always reaching for? The unremarkable piece of kit that’s always surprising you with its versatility? For me, it’s a tiny socket driver with a flexible head that, when all the expensive (and bigger) gear fails, always comes good. And AMCN editor Chris Dobie, whether he knows it yet or not, has just added a similar piece of kit to his garage. It isn’t, however, a handy three-inch piece of stainless steel. Rather it’s a 2.19m-long piece of Indian-made motorcycle – Royal Enfield’s new Himalayan. On paper, the latest addition to AMCN’s long-term fleet probably couldn’t be less suited to our very own Mr…

CrossTour Coverage Ficeda Accessories $679.90 (02) 9827 7561 ficeda.com.au The Ixon CrossTour pant/jacket set has vents on chest, sleeves and thighs, removable winter and Drymesh liners, mesh on back for airflow, 3M reflective material, pockets inside and out, and protectors in knees, shoulders and elbows. Sizes S-4XL in black or black/ grey. Pant $299.95/ jacket $379.95. Adventure Cases Ron Angel Wholesale $499-829 (03) 9464 3366 ronangel.com.au Givi has expanded its adventure case line-up. The Dolomiti (middle) joins the Outback (top) and Trekker (bottom) cases. There are now a total of 10 cases ranging in size from 30-58L, all avalable in silver and some available in black. There are mounts for all popular bikes, and heaps of additional accessories to suit. Flip-Up Dual Lid Cassons From $379.95 (02) 8882 1900 cassons.com.au…

NAME Dean Ferris AGE 27 SPORT Motocross EVENT Red Bull High Point National AMA MX CDR YAMAHA RIDER Dean Ferris is well on his way to securing an AMA Motocross Championship ride next season after a one-off appearance at the Red Bull High Point National on 17 June at Mount Morris, Pennsylvania. Ferris qualified third and stunned the American fans by finishing second in the opening 450MX Moto. After a fall in the second moto, he had to fight back through the field but eventually salvaged 14th place. Taking advantage of a five-week break in the Australian MX Championship, Ferris had decided to take a punt and ship his bike and two CDR crew members to America for this one race weekend. He is the defending Australian champion and has…

Danilo,” said Pramac team boss Francesco Guidotti. “I would like to pay all our riders a million dollars or more, they deserve it for their talent and the risks they take, but there is limit to what we can offer. There is no room for negotiation [for the second rider], our budget is clear. And importantly we still have to fix the deal for the cost of the bikes.” MarcVDS boss Michael Bartholemy, who has run Miller for the past two years with his salary paid by Honda, is also watching the dollars. “My global budget for the whole team is the same as a top guy in MotoGP can make,” Bartholemy said. “I believe in Jack but it has to fit the framework of MarcVDS. Jack’s manager Aki Ajo…

THERE WILL BE a strong contingent of Aussie racers at the Suzuka 8 Hours event, which forms the final round of the FIM Endurance World Championship and will be held on July 28-30. With championship points at Suzuka worth 150 per cent more than normal – and the top six teams separated by only 27 points – Broc Parkes (YART Official EWC Team) is in with a title chance. Jack Miller will make his Suzuka debut riding a Honda CBR1000RR SP2 for the factory MuSASHi HARC-PRO team. Miller, who is in the last year of his three-year contract with HRC, has said it ticks off the race from his bucket list. ASBK regular Josh Hook will also ride a Honda for Team SuP Dream. During the ASBK break Hook has…

MX NATIONAL RIDERS returned from a month’s break eager to fight out the sixth round of the series at Nowra, NSW, on 2 July. During the break, Brett Metcalfe secured the open ride at Mega Fuels Kawasaki, after racing the previous round on a privateer KTM. The veteran rewarded his new team with both his and the squad’s best result this season, finishing the day with a 2-2 scorecard. Metcalfe went down in a first-corner pile up, but valiantly fought through the pack to finish second behind series leader Dean Ferris (CDR Yamaha). Ferris defended his championship by taking the holeshot in Moto 1 before racing away to victory. Moto 2 saw Nathan Crawford (Mega Fuels Kawasaki) and Luke Clout (Crankt Honda) out the front early before a composed Ferris…

SOUTH AUSTRALIA’S ICONIC Mac Park circuit has put the call out for help with fundraising to complete the widening of the track. The Mount Gambier Motorcycle Club has built and developed the facility over a period of 60 years and the members have constantly worked towards meeting FIM standards. These mandate all parts of the racing surface should be at least 10m wide, with a 12m form-up and start grid area running into the first turn. Over the past decade the club has spent more than $800,000 on upgrading the 2.4km track, and they have now saved just over half of the required budget to complete the job. They have set up a campaign on crowd-funding website Go Fund Me in a bid to secure the remaining money. The club…

You had a typical introduction into racing, but with a twist… In the early 70s, a mate of mine had a Honda XR75 and that sparked my interest in bikes. Another mate had a minibike and we rode at Illawong and Menai, and I joined the local minibike club. Harry Brennan put together a minibike display team at the club, which I was part of with his son Todd, who went on to become a top dirt-tracker. We appeared at Sydney’s Royal Easter Show and went around NSW to all the big rural field days. It was a lot of fun performing in front of big crowds. After minibikes I got into junior MX and dirt-track at Nepean and Amaroo on an XR75, which wasn’t the weapon of choice but…