Australian Road Rider Issue 148

“When did the local copper become a half-arsed spy? I have always said that visibility is the way to police. If I see a copper, or know an area that is frequented by them, I behave” Policing. Tough gig. I know I’d be no good. I’m too likely to let people off. That’s no good if you are in the business of catching crooks. No, the real scoundrels would cop their right whack, but I’d possibly find it hard to book people for what I consider trivial things. Like miniscule speed “infringements” over the limit. Yeah. It’s hard to find some of the logic in all that. Sure. If you are belting along way over the limit, being a dill, not observing school limits, driving while under the influence or…

British bike news outfit MCN is reporting that Norton Motorcycles revealed a new Minitwin Sportsbike at UK motorcycle show Motorcycle Live, based on the firm's flagship V4 superbike. Called the Superlight, the new bike sports similar lines and the same high attention to detail as the firm's 200bhp+ machine, only now with a 105bhp 650cc parallel twin engine producing 55.3ft-lb of torque. There’s the inclusion of traction, wheelie and launch control, as well as a six-axis IMU. There will also be three riding modes to choose from — Road, Sport and Pro-Race — alongside a quick-shifter and auto-blipper for more seamless shifting up and down the box. Displaying all of your vital information is a colour 7in HD display, too. The engine acts as a stressed member within a twin-tube…

GRIP PUPPIES Essentially, Grip Puppies are a high-tech, UV-stable foam sleeve that slips over existing hand grips. They provide a barrier that reduces vibration, increases comfort, yet still work with heated grips. Simply coat the inside with a bit of soapy (not too much soap) water, slip them on, let them dry and Bob’s yer Mother’s brother. Done. The quids: $31.50 pair (plus postage) Contact: andystrapz.com NOLAN N87 HELMET The N87 is Nolan's premium full-face helmet, chock-a-block with innovative technical details. Along with two outer shell sizes, the N87 features a face shield mechanism with tilting functionality that allows a greater extension of the area covered by the Pinlock fog-resistant shield and reduces the risk of accidental opening/closing, as well as air infiltration. The Clima Comfort inner liner and…

A mate once told me I was a pretty ordinary road tester because I never tested a motorcycle I didn’t like. It is true that I try to look for the best in everything, but he’s only half right because there was one, the reborn Triumph Rocket III, released in 2004. I never did go for bikes with car engines. The first bloke to put an inappropriate engine in a motorcycle chassis at least had a good excuse. Glenn Curtiss fitted his own air-cooled 4.4-litre V8 aeroplane engine into not much more than a stretched pushbike frame to set the world land speed record at 136mph (219km/h) on Ormond Beach in Florida in 1907. Good luck to him; it wasn’t required to go around corners or stop in a hurry,…

We were standing beside the ridiculously beautiful V4S discussing whether or not to spend the next two hours going through its huge suite of electronics, or just let me ride off with the owner’s manual in my pocket and a contact number in my phone. Decision made, I hit the starter and after a couple of revolutions the engine boomed explosively into life. Suddenly we were shouting at each other to be heard over what must be one of the loudest standard pipes on the road. A couple of handfuls of throttle had the pair of us grinning like Cheshire cats and shaking our heads in disbelief as the ground vibrated and everyone turned to look in our direction. How Ducati has got away with this is a mystery, but…

ENGINE  Type: Desmosedici Stradale: Liquid-cooled, four-stroke, 16-valve, 90-degree V-four Capacity: 1103cc Bore x stroke: 81mm x 53.5mm Compression ratio: 11.2:1 Engine management: Electronic fuel injection: ø40mm x 4 with dual injection PERFORMANCE  Claimed maximum power: 214hp (157.5kW) at 13,000rpm Claimed maximum torque: 124Nm at 10,000rpm TRANSMISSION  Type: Six-speed Final drive: Chain Clutch: Wet, multi-plate, slip-assist CHASSIS AND RUNNING GEAR  Frame: Front frame, engine as stressed member, magnesium forged front subframe Front suspension: 43mm USD Öhlins NIX30 forks, fully electronically adjustable and event based, 120mm travel Rear suspension: Öhlins TTX36 mono-shock, fully electronically adjustable and event based, 130mm travel Front brakes: Twin 330mm Brembo discs, Brembo Stylema 4-piston Monobloc radial calipers, switchable ABS Rear brake: Single 245mm Brembo disc, 2-piston caliper, switchable ABS Wheels: Marchesini forged aluminium, 17x3.5in front, 17x6.0in rear…