Australian Road Rider Issue 150

Hi folks. This is my last issue as editor of this fine magazine. I’ll still be about, writing for ARR, just gonna get out from behind the editing desk and hand over to the new bloke, Nigel Paterson. He’s an old mate and he’ll do you proud, I’m sure. So I thought I’d revisit a few of the stories I’ve brought to you over that time. Just snippets of things that were fun… ON GREAT OCEAN ROAD TOURING… “Now, the Twelve Apostles. I call bullshit. There are not 12 at all. And there’s a lot more than 12 tourists. There are, in fact, 12 million of the busy bees. Choppers, buses, gift shops and designated parking areas. Granted, the view is speccy, but this wasn’t my beautiful house, and with…

The Prodigy frontman, Keith Flint, tragically passed away aged 49 in March this year. The singer and dancer was found dead at his home in Dunmow, Essex, and had produced seven number-one albums and a string of top-10 hits with his fellow bandmates. Best known as the frontman for The Prodigy, Flint carried the sound of British rave music from an insular community of party-goers to an international audience. With a biking history ranging from a Yamaha Fizzie to his very own Moto2 bike, the London-born star appeared in UKbased news magazine MCN on numerous occasions, pursuing his own racing career and even successfully running his own teams on both short circuits and on the roads. Flint was passionate about motorcycle racing and increased his involvement with the sport in…

MOTODRY DRYPAK 30 With this completely waterproof backpack you can carry your valuables anywhere with confidence, knowing they will always be dry and dust-free. This bag is manufactured from heavy-duty 500D three-layer vinyl/polyester material for maximum strength. All seams are carefully heat-bonded to ensure waterproofness, as are the extra reinforcing panels at all strap mounting points, pockets etc. Key features: • 30 litres storage capacity• Roll-top opening to prevent water entry• Outer quick access pocket• Adjustable shock chords to secure any external items• Cushioned / vented back support panels for riding comfort• Rubberised carry handle• Night safety reflective stripes The quids: $89.95 Contact: motonational.com.au PISTA GP R SOLELUNA HELMET The ultimate track helmet is now claimed to be even better, with an included hydration system, MotoGPdeveloped metal air vents and…

The first World Superbike Championship race I went to was at Oran Park, south-west of Sydney, in 1988. Australia was the second last round of the inaugural series before the fledging show moved on to New Zealand. The big drawcard, for me anyway, was the expected appearance of former World 500 Champion Marco Lucchinelli riding the radical liquid-cooled DOHC eight-valve Ducati 851. I was a Ducati tragic even then, and the all-new V-twin was a huge deal. So imagine my disappointment when I made the trek to Oran Park only to learn that the Ducati factory had pulled the pin on the last two rounds. Despite winning a few races early in the year, Ducati figured their time would be better spent developing the bike in Bologna for the 1989…

There is no way Honda’s brains trust, way back in 1975, could have known it was sending into the market a model that would become the benchmark (some may unkindly say “Bismarck”) for luxo-tourers for just about ever more. Back then it was an oddity, billed as a sort of gentleman’s express. A boxer layout big-bore fatty. More lardy than lah-dee-dah. I reckon Honda expected it to sink without trace — that Bismarck reference just won’t go away. Well. If that was their thinking, boy, did that turn out to be misguided. Launched as the GL1000 in 1975, its horizontally opposed four-cylinder engine was not only physically different, it was dynamically radical, with a silky output perfect for long days in the saddle. A six-cylinder, 1500cc overhaul in 1987 saw…

ENGINE & TRANSMISSION  Type: Liquid-cooled, SOHC, 12-valve, flat six Capacity: 1833cc Bore x stroke: 73mm x 73mm Compression ratio: 10.5:1 Fuel system: PGM-F1 electronic fuel injection Emissions: Euro 4 PERFORMANCE Claimed maximum power: 125hpClaimed maximum torque: 170Nm TRANSMISSION Type: Seven-speed dual clutch transmission, including electric forward and reverse Final drive: Shaft CHASSIS AND RUNNING GEAR  Front suspension: Double wishbone, 109mm travel Rear suspension: Pro Arm single-side swingarm with Pro-Link single shock; 104mm travel Front brakes: 320mm discs with three-piston calipers, CBS, ABS Rear brake: 316mm disc with three-piston caliper, CBS, ABS Wheels: Spoked — front 2.5 x 18, rear 3.5 x 17 Tyres: front 130/70-18, rear 200/55-16 DIMENSIONS AND CAPACITIES Rake: 30.5 degreesTrail: 109mmClaimed wet weight: 383kgSeat height: 744mmWheelbase: 1,694mmFuel capacity: 21 litres ETCETERA  Price: $42,999 plus ORC Colours: Candy…