Innholdsfortegnelse for Issue#131 - December 2016 i Australian Road Rider

We’ve heard of corporate retreats at beachside golf resorts, but it seems going for a ride with fellow business people or attending a motorcycle sports event is the latest business trend, at least in India. The subcontinent is currently experiencing an explosion in middle-class wages and most motorcycle manufacturers are now either directly exporting to India, or opening up showrooms and even manufacturing or assembling plants. Ducati has opened its largest store in India and Harley builds its Street models there. According to latest reports, about 40 per cent of Harley-Davidson owners in India are from senior leadership positions such as chief marketing officers and chief financial officers, while more than 80 per cent of Triumph owners are CEOs. It’s no wonder these big bikes are being bought by business…

“Now they have extended that with the launch of their ‘Emotion Road’ program, hiring out their Turismo Veloce 800 for tours through Italy” Italian motorcycle company MV Agusta appears to be moving into the lucrative motorcycle travel industry, offering tours in their home country on their new Turismo Veloce 800 sports tourer. MV Agusta tested the new business with a seven-day tour earlier this year across three Mediterranean islands, starting in Sicily and ending with a tour of the Varese factory. Now they have extended that with the launch of their “Emotion Road” program, hiring out their Turismo Veloce 800 for tours through Italy. It’s a joint program with travel company Novara Pop Srl and the support of AIAV (the Italian Association of Travel Agents) and De Petri Adventure. Emotion…

BMW Motorrad has partnered with mapping app company Rever to help riders discover the world’s best roads, create custom routes, track rides and share riding experiences across social media platforms. The free Rever app was launched in 2015 and is available on iOS and Android to riders in 119 countries. The Bavarian motorcycle manufacturer has issued a press release about its partnership with the Colorado company, but has not expanded on how it will be involved. We suspect purchase or ownership of a BMW will give riders access to the paid premium membership of Rever. That provides users with additional features such as exclusive access to Butler Maps’ road recommendations, custom safety alerts and more. It may also integrate with the Head-Up Display helmet BMW is developing. The new partnership…

GOLD TOURER/BAGGER: Indian Springfield ( ARR 128) 2. Victory Magnum 3. We only tested the two as no-one showed up to contest the bronze medal! Comfort at warp speed was the overriding feeling of being aboard the good ship Indian Springfield. “It was almost like being in my favourite armchair doing a virtual reality aerobatic flight, except real and on the ground,” says Matho. Apart from the armchair reference, Matho went to town on the ship references, such as “loaded to the gunwales” … “the big ship rides on a bit of a swell when you go hard and fast”. We also like this comment: “The gearbox is as sweet and pliant as a desert flower under a biker’s boot.” NAKED GOLD: KTM Super Duke GT (…

“The ranginess of the chassis hasn’t diminished — on the open road the Explorer sails along. But more radical steering geometry has increased its responsiveness and agility” The dingo streaked across the road in front of me and up the bank. I shut the throttle, feeling the back wheel snap back into line, and jammed on the brakes, feeling the back wheel drift out the other way. The Triumph swung gracefully a few degrees to the left and slid to a halt. The healthy dog and I eyed each other, each as relaxed and curious as the other. His tongue dangled as he stood above me, glancing occasionally into the bush. I killed the motor and listened to the soft rustle of Queensland’s Far North on a still day, admiring…

“This would be a ride into more unknown territory, where progress was likely to replicate the 20km-per-day rate of their last day. This could mean the team may get hit by the cyclone before they reached safety” Whether the villagers had any concept of the former Paris Dakar Rally it’s hard to say — it’s amazing just how far televisual media can reach — and whether they could associate the scenes before them with that of the mighty race, but that’s another thing. They’d heard the rumble of the big adventure bikes drawing slowly closer for a while, so by the time they saw the first bike emerge from the forest they were lining the main track through their village, six-deep. And they could clearly sense they were going to…

“Clicking the mind back into riding gear, we kick up the stands and plough on along the challenging roller coaster roads” The best word of advice I’ve received about riding in New Zealand is that if it’s wet on one coast, it doesn’t take long to ride across to the other side of the island and bask in sunshine! I received that sage advice while on the ferry from the North to South Island a couple of years ago. When we arrived in Picton, we headed west because there was sunshine. When it started to rain, we headed east and within a couple of hours we were in sunshine again. However, you don’t have to wait hours for a change of weather and scenery if you are riding on the…

 Rocky Creek Designs has added a beaut feature to its MotoPressor inline tyre pressure gauge — a 45-degree chuck so you can get air into your bike’s tyres more easily. All their gauges now come with both a straight chuck and the angled one. “In my experience the big 5cm dial gauge retains its accuracy well over time, and of course it’s always better to have your own gauge that you know is accurate” The angled chuck is much easier to get into place on wheels that have their valves in awkward places — and that seems to count for most motorcycles out there. I’ve been frustrated by this many times, but I’m yet to find a tyre that can’t be quick and painlessly pumped up — or at least…

If Husqvarna’s upcoming new range of streetbikes has caught your eye, you might be wondering what has made this off-road brand go off in such a unique new direction. The early days of Husqvarna’s 113-year history building motorcycles were forged on the success of its roadbikes. Husqvarna, like so many other old manufacturers, started off doing something very different. For Husky it was making guns and rifles in the late 17th century. Turning to bicycles in the late 1800s, in 1903 it started building motorcycles with a sourced engine. It wasn’t until around 1920 that Husqvarna established its own engine factory and the first engine to be designed and built was a 550cc four-stroke 50-degree side-valve V-twin, similar to those made by Harley-Davidson and Indian at the time. It was…

Sales of road bikes rose 4.4 per cent in the first half of the year, one of the biggest half-year increases since the GFC in 2009. After last year leap-frogging Honda to the top of road bike sales, Harley-Davidson remains on top with 20.4 per cent of the 22,921 road bike market according to figures released by the Federal Chamber of Automotive Industries. Biggest sellers for Harley were again the learner-approved Street 500 in fifth overall and the Softail Breakout in ninth. Harley, with 4685 sales, was followed closely by Honda, which sold 4500 for a 19.6 per cent market share, having the top-selling bike in the country, the NBC 110 postie bike, and the Africa Twin leaping to the top of the adventure category. Third was Yamaha (3541, 15.4…

“The results come from a CDC study of data for 1,222,000 American riders who went to hospital for treatment of non-fatal injuries from 2001 to 2008” The most common injuries in motorcycle crashes are to the riders’ feet or legs, according to leading US public health institute the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). If you fall, you immediately put your hands out to protect yourself, yet hands and arms were actually much lower on the scale of injuries than feet or legs, which represent 30 per cent of non-fatal injuries. The CDC study found that the next most common location for non-fatal rider injuries was to the neck and head, accounting for 22 per cent, which is why approved helmets are mandatory in most places around the world.…

We already suspected that motorcycle riders were more attractive, adventurous and fun than drivers, but now a British online survey has confirmed our suspicions. The survey of more than 1000 adults asked them to rate the looks of the opposite sex when dressed as bikers, compared to plain driving attire. In five out of six cases, members of the public dressed as motorcyclists were voted as more desirable than when dressed as drivers. Those aged 25–34 are most likely to find a biker easier on the eye (23 per cent) compared with 10 per cent of 55–64-year-olds. It’s not just levels of attractiveness that came out in favour of motorcyclists as riders are also seen to have positive personality traits. The results showed that people who own a motorbike are…

Five-time world motorcycle champion Mick Doohan features in a series of Queensland government videos teaching riders to recognise and exercise their sixth sense when riding. Controversially, he doesn’t recommend advanced rider training with professionals, but suggests riders already have an innate sixth sense — “that unique instinct all riders share that helps us read the road, the conditions, the potential hazards and stay focused and in control”. He refers to the sixth sense as perceiving the correct speed for corners, being aware of erratic movements of other vehicles, and knowing when peer pressure puts you out of your comfort zone and skill level. “The more you develop and hone your sixth sense, the better your chances of surviving to ride another day,” he says. The videos are included on a…

An Isle of Man TT race is being proposed for somewhere on the East Coast of Australia or Tasmania. A proposal for a Sunshine Coast International TT (SSCITT) race was pulled in August because of a deadline considered too strict. However, the race could still go ahead in Victoria, NSW or Tasmania, organiser David Rollins says. The race was planned for December, 2017, around the hills of Maleny in the Sunshine Coast hinterland, but Rollins says they ran out of time to meet the Events Board’s August deadline. “We asked for an extension, but rather than have the proposal go forward incomplete and have it voted down in council, we chose not to do that,” he says. “We were told at the end of June to do a range of…

GOLD ADVENTURE: OVERSEAS ( ARR 126) Ian Neubauer’s story about riding to Nepal wins gold, not least because it was in the annual Kennedy Awards for travel writing. Ian and three others were scheduled to set off with a French TV crew from Hanoi to Kathmandu on a 4000km trip to highlight tourism in the area after the April earthquake. But even before the trip started, the others dropped out so Ian devised a shorter trip that got shorter and shorter with border control issues, fuel shortages, lost mufflers, diplomatic crises … and it was all done on an underpowered 350 Royal Enfield in the world’s tallest mountains, on the worst roads, but surrounded by beautiful Nepalese people. “It can’t be killed,” he comments on the plucky…

There is only the XDiavel. Nothing else counts. Not if you want a cruiser that’ll rip the hearts out of all those pretenders that prance down boulevards telling the girls that 60, 80 or even 100 horsepower is tough. Ha, bunch of tossers. Nothing but anchors, with or without a “w”. The XDiavel would tear into their chests and yank their hearts loose with 156hp, and there’d be nothing they could do but crumble. It would, except it’d be already gone, too busy going hard and fast to care about lumbering fat bastards. There’s really no other way to look at it. If you think I’m being cruel and judgmental, ride an XDiavel for yourself and see what you reckon. I make no bones of the fact I love lazy,…

VISIT THE ROYAL ENFIELD FACTORY! Australia’s Royal Enfield distributor, Urban Moto Imports, has lined up a group visit to the Royal Enfield factory in Chennai. Royal Enfield is the world’s oldest motorcycle manufacturer, and WOW has an upgraded fleet of the very latest 500cc models. Ride a Royal Enfield through the Himalayan kingdom of Bhutan, the Land of the Thunder Dragon, with ARR and World On Wheels in March 2017. We’re fulfilling a dream by booking a trip to Bhutan and we’d love you to join us and be part of the story. We’re teaming up with World On Wheels again, after riding with them many times when they were still called Ferris Wheels. We’ve ridden an Enfield in the Himalayas with them before, the thing: there are no people!…

My poor mother had given up long ago. She probably always hoped it’d happen, but as I was into my 40s and still a bachelor, there didn’t seem any hope I’d get married. I thought the same way. Then suddenly, at 42, down the aisle I went. Seven years later and there’s no sign of an itch. It’s beaut. If you ask me, it took this long to find the right woman because I wouldn’t settle for less than a perfect match. You know what I mean. She’s got to feel right. We have to be comfortable together. I have to be able to put up with her for long periods of time. She can’t be too noisy. She can’t be annoying. She has to be the right size, the…

 Sam Manicom’s adventures are terrific — we’ve published a few of his stories in ARR. If you’d like more and want it read to you, his book Distant Suns is now available as an audiobook. Perfect if you like to listen while riding, or anywhere else for that matter. “Having the story read to you by the author does give you that extra bit of insight and understanding, and I really enjoyed that aspect of it” Distant Suns is Sam’s third book, following Into Africa and Under Asian Skies. This time he’s travelling through southern Africa and South and Central America. The journeying covers three years and, in this book, looks more closely at what it takes to travel as a couple, because this time he’s travelling with the woman…

Don’t forget to write! We mean it. We love to hear from you and everyone else does too; these pages are among the most popular in the magazine. Preferably, keep letters under 300 words so we can fit more in, though we will allow the odd exception without taking to it with the editorial knife. Yes, we will chop ’em when we have to. Do include your real name and some contact details, just in case we need to clarify something. Please write to roadrider@universalmagazines.com.au or send mail to Road Rider, Unit 5, 6–8 Byfield Street, North Ryde NSW 2113 — Matho SO BUSTED Thanks for a great magazine, one of the top Aussie bikezines, always full of good, juicy articles, tests and info. Mark Hinchliffe’s piece on riding my…

Ridden We jump aboard a couple of very clever, but very different middleweights in Moto Guzzi’s street-smart Roamer and the Suzuki SV650, along with Yamaha’s street naked flagship of the MT range, the MT-10. Rides Into the wilds of New Zealand’s South Island. We take in the magnificent Queenstown area and its roads to heaven, while our guide to how to ride the entire globe will have you planning that big adventure. No time like the present! Not forgetting All the other beaut stuff and regulars you expect to see in each and every issue of ARR. See you next month!…

“The report recommends that engineering decisions on roadworks and planning should consider motorcycles, even if outside of existing design warrants” Roads need to be better designed, funded and maintained to reduce the risk of motorcycle crashes, a 244-page Austroads report has found. The report, titled “Infrastructure Improvements to Reduce Motorcycle Casualties”, is the result of a two-year study to identify infrastructure improvements to reduce motorcycle crash risk and crash severity. It says motorcycles should be identified as a separate road user group and considered as a “design vehicle” when planning and maintaining roads. The report recommends that engineering decisions on roadworks and planning should consider motorcycles, “even if outside of existing design warrants”. That’s great news for riders as the current trend seems to be to ignore riders when situating…

“All use banking sensors to activate the cornering function” Smart cornering headlights are coming to more motorcycles now that Kawasaki is planning to introduce them on their Ninja ZX-14R. BMW was the first to introduce cornering lights on their K 1600 models, followed by KTM with the 1290 Super Adventure, Ducati with the Multistrada and now aftermarket manufacturers J.W. Speaker Corp (JWS). The BMW lights actually move while the KTM, Ducati, JWS and Kawasaki headlights switch on extra LEDs that focus on the inside of the corner. All use banking sensors to activate the cornering function. The problem with riding at night has been that the lights beam straight ahead when you turn a corner, which means you can’t see the apex. On bikes with fork-mounted fairings, the slight counter-steering…

BMW is making technical upgrades to its liquid-cooled boxer range and parallel-twin F series to meet stringent Euro 4 emissions tests. The emissions targets were introduced in January for new models and will affect current models from 2017. Like the R 1200 GS Adventure, all liquid-cooled boxer models will now be fitted with a judder damper on the transmission output shaft. “New features also include a revised selector drum actuator, transmission shafts and transmission shaft bearing. An OBD indicator lamp in the cockpit has been added to meet EU4 requirements,” a BMW press release states. Meanwhile, the 2017 F 700 and F 800 GS range now come with an “electromotive throttle controller” that delivers a signal from a sensor on the throttle to the engine control system and the throttle…

If you’re travelling to Italy and plan to ride around the country sampling fine Italian wines and food, Ducati has just the smartphone app for you. The free app is called Taste of Joy and fits into Ducati’s Land of Joy marketing theme for its very popular Scrambler models, which have quickly risen to the top of the company’s sales. The graphically attractive app lists 150 places around Italy where you can sample the country’s delights while riding some of its more challenging motorcycle roads. Not only does the app list the restaurants, cafes, kiosks, pubs, bars and tourist farms, it also shows you the best way to get there. Riders can select a destination based on how exciting the route is, or choose from the menu so you can…

In an Olympic year, it’s Gold! Gold! Gold! for motorcycle riders. We have seen some of the best and most technological motorcycles ever made. We’ve read about some intrepid Aussie adventurers both here and in exotic locations around the world. We’ve witnessed the birth of a new sporting legend on the world stage. And we’ve even had a few rare bureaucratic wins. It truly is the golden age of motorcycling so we looked back over ARR’s issues of the past year and dug out our best moments to award some well-deserved gold medals. You may or may not agree with them all, but you have to admit it’s a difficult choice from among so many outstanding contenders.…

GOLD SPORTING HIGHLIGHT: Dakar winner Toby Price 2. Jack Miller’s first MotoGP win 3. Guy Martin’s Wall of Death speed record The year started with Toby Price becoming the first Australian to win the gruelling Dakar Rally in just his second attempt. “I don’t know what to say, I don’t know what to think,” he said straight after the win. “I’m in shock, I never would’ve thought I could win this race in my second participation. This is incredible for my family, my friends and my fans back in Australia!” “like Mad Max Thunderdome on steroids” GOLDEN QUOTES: Debra McDonald Sturgis Motorcycle Rally ( ARR 126) 2. Rob Harden — crossing double lines 3. Charley Boorman — loves bikes Bronze goes to Charley for stating…

“In its stock form it looks rather bitsy and seems to be saying ‘take this off and throw it in the bin’ or ‘replace this as soon as you can with something made out of polished venom’” The fact that Yamaha is celebrating its 60th anniversary and laying claim to a rich “heritage” makes me feel a trifle old about the heritage areas myself. But Yamaha does indeed have a rich motorcycling heritage, and it has every right to make that claim. A big part of that heritage has been its iconic XS range, which first saw the light of day in 1968, after Yamaha purchased Showa in 1960. Showa had previously bought a company called Hosk, which first produced a SOHC 500 twin in 1955 and later made a…

“The first place to tempt you will be the Emerald Creek Ice Creamery. Yep, they make it all there, with fresh local milk from the Tablelands dairies and fresh fruit” There are times when you should go chasing waterfalls. And wine. And winding roads. Doing it on a great bike makes the ride through the Atherton Tablelands in Far North Queensland a photographer’s and foodie’s paradise. And this photographer and foodie combo are more than lucky — all this stuff is in our backyard. Mind you, it’s luck based on a deliberate decision to live here. Even after nearly 30 years here, we’re still uncovering treasures. The Suzuki V-Strom is the rider/ photographer’s bike of choice, loving the highways and handling the sometimes narrow, bumpy and gravelly roads with panache.…

“As long-term testing goes, the Kriega pack has been through the wringer” Checking back on what I’d written about the Rocky Creek tyre gauge reminded me that I’d had this Kriega US-20 tail pack for more than two years. I’d written about both of them in issue #106 and concluded that it’d performed flawlessly. Two years later it’s still doing it — and that’s a sign of an extremely good product. And as long-term testing goes, the Kriega pack has been through the wringer. I still use it frequently and have fitted it to at least half the test bikes I’ve had over that period. I don’t know how many thousands of kays that might be by now, but in at least one aspect the pack has gone beyond mere…

 Here’s a good thing! Lexol’s Kozak Motorcycle DryWash Cloth really does wipe dust and dirt away. I am so sick of washing bikes, especially since I live at the end of a dirt road. No matter what I do, there’ll be dust on a bike when I need it to look spick and span. I have a bin full of old T-shirts and other rags so that I can wipe dust off bikes before I take photos of them or return them. Even if I’ve cleaned a bike to spotless perfection, by the time I get down the road a little it’s covered in a fine layer of dust. “The cloth is like a heavy felt, made from 100 per cent cotton, and has a heavy nap to it” The…

“This is a nice leisure jacket, but it’s not a motorcycle jacket. It’s a disgrace” Hardly a day goes by where my email inbox isn’t bombarded by spam, mainly from Pakistani leather motorcycle gear manufacturers. They offer ridiculously cheap prices and say their gear is the equivalent of top-quality products. I usually ignore them and send them to the waste bin. However, when one of them offered to send me a leather jacket for review and support their claims, I thought there was no harm in checking it out. I won’t say which company it is, but they are probably all the same. I gave them my size and measurements and the $US59.50 leather jacket arrived just a few days later. First thing I noticed even before I opened the…