Innholdsfortegnelse for Issue 149 i Australian Road Rider

"So, who’s been in my room?” asked Paul. “All my stuff has been moved around!” As Paul paced the hallway of the Walcha Royal Cafe, scouring each room for the imaginary culprit, the perplexed look on his face confirmed our suspicions. The former Walcha Royal Hotel, first built in 1889 and burned down and rebuilt in 1938, has a reputation for being haunted and the entity — if it does exist — had just entertained itself by rearranging Paul’s helmet, gloves and toiletries. “Well, it’s not really haunted,” current co-owner Toni chirps in, “but some psychic who stayed here said there was a ‘benign presence’ — whatever that means. Anyway, we’ve been here 12 years and never felt or heard anything.” Owners Toni Heaney and Brad Keable bought the old…

M’any of us of Anglo-Saxon heritage, and other born-and-bred Aussies and Kiwis, hanker to one day visit the United Kingdom. Maybe it’s something to do with the indoctrination we got at school about all things British, our convict heritage, or the fact that the colonies south of the equator just like to “stick it up” the Poms. Maybe not in the cricket or rugby, but you get my drift. Some of us remember the halcyon days when the British motorcycle industry dominated motorcycling. Nostalgic reminiscences are no doubt better than the harsh realities of oil stains, wet leathers and breakdowns. Nowadays, those once great names like Triumph, Norton, BSA, Royal Enfield and others are making a comeback thanks to smart business people and foreign investment. May they all prosper. Our…

The J O is the brand-new classic-styled Custom/Cruiser Open Face helmet from Shoei. They reckon it’s ultra-compact and super-light, and the classy lids feature an integrated visor adjustable to three positions to fit different profiles perfectly. Cop these features: DOUBLE D-RING RETENTION SYSTEM • Always perfectly adjusted REAR GOGGLE STRAP • With premium Shoei logo snap button MULTI-PLY MATRIX AIM SHELL • Shoei aims for six-layer composite shell for optimum rigidity • Three shell sizes and four EPS sizes ensure perfect size and fit, from XS through to XXL • Superlight weight — from only 950 grams • Ultra-compact design ensures low, snug fit INTEGRATED CJ-3 VISOR • Integrated CJ-3 visor with protection from 99% of harmful UV rays • Adjustable in three positions for perfect comfort • Wind tunnel…

TASSIE BLOOPER G'day Greg, Re. Letters to the Editor, ARR #147 — “Pub Perfect” by Kevin Ryan. Now I know that extensive touring in any given place can become somewhat of a blur and hence, the address given for the photo in the magazine is not correct. A mate and I spent three weeks in Tassie this time last year on our DR650s. We went to all corners and just about everywhere between, including 10km along Ocean Beach from Strahan to Hells Gates. We also had the good fortune of visiting the site of “Pub Perfect” — this photo was taken from the dining room of the Pedder Wilderness Lodge, Gordon River Road, Strathgordon, with Lake Pedder on display in the background. I have nearly the exact same photo, although…

GAME CHANGER! From their earliest inception through the 1930s, most classic British motorcycles were single-cylinder designs with a few V-twins thrown in for sidecar duty. But the problem with both these configurations was vibration, and a lot of it. As bikes grew in displacement and power output and revs began to climb, the vibes turned wicked, impacting engine life and rider comfort. Many things were tried but nothing could quell the forces of that one big piston flying around the cylinder at high speed. Then along came Edward Turner, fresh from designing the Ariel Square Four. Triumph had been purchased by Jack Sangster in 1936, and he also owned Ariel — and Turner came along with the deal. His first job was to address the vibration issue and he took…

ANDY STRAPZ PANNIERS Since their inception in 2003, Andy Strapz panniers have evolved with the demands of modern Adventure riders. The name itself nods its lid to a mix of Enduro and Adventure. Made in Melbourne from tried and crashed, 17oz Aussie, Dynaproofed canvas, they are packed (pun intended, sorry) with new approaches to the existing features. The basics of the bags remain unchanged from those Andy made for himself all that time ago. If it ain’t broke… Although those “basics” stood the test of time, it doesn’t mean the nice little extras can’t be tweaked and improved. The side pockets are bigger, with the rear closed via roll top. Front is the same mesh style of old but uses a special shock cord loop to prevent water bottles bouncing…

Remember the days when a big bike was 500, 650 or, bugger me, an enormous 750? Nowadays, 800cc is classified as “middle class”. But notice how all the major and some minor manufacturers are producing damn fine middle-weight bikes. They make a lot of sense: lighter weight, sufficient power to cruise along at legal speeds, and with plenty on tap for licence-losing velocities. The big-bruiser Tiger XR1200 has a smaller sibling that’s been around for a while now. I wouldn’t call the 2018 version of the Tiger 800 a cub, but more an exuberant, lithe and lively adolescent teenager just busting to take on the world. You know the type — plenty of spunk, willing to push the boundaries and hang the consequences. Sometimes you’re just itching to show them…

Imagine something that, fully wet, weighs about the same as a Ninja 300 (171kg) and yet has an engine punting out not 40hp like the LAMS Kwaka, but a whopping 215hp. That has carbon wheels, carbon bodywork, carbon frame, self-supporting carbon seat unit and is wearing exquisite World Superbike spec forks, swingarm and brakes. Also imagine you're about to ride it around Phillip Island GP circuit, a track you've never seen in the flesh, a place full of hugely fast corners and a 280km/h main straight. Imagine, finally, that just as you're leaving the pit-box, already wearing a thin film of nervous sweat on your brow, you're reminded that the bike is worth a cool $115,000 and there's no ABS. Welcome to the slightly surreal world of the BMW HP4…

In 2004, Austrian motorcycle company KTM turned down a sponsorship deal for Ewan McGregor and Charley Boorman's Long Way Round — one of the greatest marketing faux-pas in motoring history. The 2004 series, in which the actors rode from London to New York via Asia, became a global hit and the sponsor — BMW's dual-purpose off-road/on-road GS Series — became and remains the bestselling motorcycle in its class. KTM had its reasons for turning McGregor down; it's always been a grassroots company with a low-key approach to marketing and advertising. Perhaps that's why when I, a humble motorcycle journalist with less than 1000 Instagram followers, flicked KTM an email asking if I could borrow their biggest and baddest to ride around Colombia's Andes Mountains for a month, they wrote back…

Yamaha’s flagship R1 arrived in 1998 to slot into an instant worldwide market share that existed due to a shift in consumer demand from 750 and 900cc configurations to larger capacities. It was coupled with the ability of manufacturers to deliver lighter and smaller componentry. The fact is, it was a bike for its time and it remains so in 2010. The bike’s compact nature was achieved via a redesign of Yamaha’s Genesis engine (the crankshaft, drive shaft and main shaft were not arranged in a horizontal line), which resulted in greatly reduced powerplant length and allowed a significantly shortened wheelbase. The 998cc, liquid-cooled, 20-valve, inline four-cylinder was good for 112kW (150hp) with dry weight a meagre 177kg. The 1998/99 YZF-R1 was subject to a series of recalls for clutch…

CARGOL TWIST ‘N’ GO BY GRYPP A tubeless tyre puncture repair kit that fits under the seat of most bikes can be the difference between a good day riding, and a trip home in the trailer. Surprising to many is that the Cargol Twist ‘n’ Go kits are economically priced. They start from $69 for the original GK004 to $99 for the GK022 that includes rope plugs for larger holes. All kits come with the tools and parts needed to fix most punctures and get you back on the road. From $69. Available from better bike shops or direct from Kenma, www.kenma.com.au VENHILL BRAIDED BRAKE LINES Venhill Powerhose Plus leads the way in brake lines, with a smoothbore Teflon inner for better heat resistance and marine-grade stainless-steel outer which helps…

When Harley-Davidson released the water-cooled V-Rod back in 2001, it sent a message that the motor company knew it needed a “power cruiser”. A technically advanced hero bike. Everything from the engine to the overall design of the V-Rod was a pretty radical departure from the retro bikes that dominated Harley’s line-up. Of course, the V-Rod still had a V-Twin engine, but this Revolution engine — co-developed with Porsche and based on the engine in the VR-1000 Superbike Harley used in competitive drag racing — was the first overhead cam, liquid-cooled Harley-Davidson engine to see mass-market production. The market was lukewarm at first in the good old US of A; the hardcore just couldn’t break from some pretty old-school thinking. Fast forward 17 years when the wet power cruiser is…

• Distinctive 800cc three-cylinder engine with ride-by-wire electronic throttle control• Up to six riding modes• Heated rider and pillion seats• Sump and radiator guards• Switchable ABS and traction control• Tailored ergonomics — adjustable seat height and handlebar position• Onboard computer• Immobiliser• Premium adjustable front and rear suspension• Centre stand• Heated grips• Hand guards• Engine protection bars• Power sockets (1 x 12v, 1 x USB)…

Yep. That’s what I said to when I first saw it. WTF? Is this someone’s idea of a bad joke? I mean, this thing has a head only a mother could love. And is it a motorcycle? Is it a trike? Yeah, I hear ya. For starters, I agree that it’s aesthetically challenged. Kinda like a transvestite with a beard. You’ll read road tests that will try and soften that element with euphemisms galore. “Bold”, “Different”, “Modern” … that sort of stuff. Nup. It challenges the eye from the front, looks like a motorcycle from the rear. The bow looks like a geometric LSD trip. All cobby swoops and bumps, and let’s face it, a pair of inward supported 15in wheels and a four forks between which you could drive…

Dear ARR, Can you guys settle an argument for me? I reckon the two-stroke GP 500s were infinitely harder to ride than the current crop of boring, four-stroke MotoGP things posing as fire-breathing animals. I reckon I could ride one fast, such is the nature of the technological rider aids that the bloody things have fitted. The two-strokes were wickedly unpredictable, stupidly fast, and the blokes who rode them had cojones the size of watermelons. My son reckons I’m a dinosaur and he says the newer bikes are a lot more entertaining to watch and the modern riders are as good, or even better than the top guys in my day. I reckon he must be smoking some crook weed to arrive at that. So. Get involved will you? Are…

It's a top view from Mt Tamborine on my 2015 Tiger Explorer, looking west towards Canungra and Beaudesert. Dave Spratt These photos were taken during a recent return trip I made with my son-in-law Tristan from Adelaide to Apollo Bay. They prove that you can tour on any type of bike — it just takes a bit of imagination when it comes to packing. Note the careful packing on Tristan’s Honda VFR800 and the use of several “occy” straps to secure the catch of the day from Kingston onto Mike’s Suzuki GSX-S750. A great ride had by both! Mike Southren My BMW R1200C — the only new vehicle I have ever purchased and that will see me out. Always a daily rider — ridden hard year-round. Jim Guckert Hi! This…