Innholdsfortegnelse for Issue 151 i Australian Road Rider

Many people say electric bikes will be the next big thing in motorcycling, but I sure hope not. Having a living, breathing engine underfoot, something with moving parts that make noise, is a major part of the appeal. No, the next big thing in motorcycling will be two-strokes. Don’t laugh, it’s already happening. Generous historic rego schemes around the country have brought new life to old bikes. In NSW, for bikes 30 years or older, just $46 per annum buys you 60 days of riding wherever you like, whenever you like. It’s the lurk of the century, and the number of two-strokes large and small taking advantage of it is on the rise. And why not? No valves. No tappets. No camshafts. No cam chains or pushrods. Sounds like a…

Yes, difficult to believe, because they still look so young, but World On Wheels (previously Ferris Wheels) are celebrating their 25th year of globetrotting on two wheels with groups of adventurous like-minded souls. It all started way back in ’95, with a single tour across the Himalaya on the venerable old Royal Enfield 500 cc Bullet … now World On Wheels offer motorcycle adventures on a huge range of bikes, across five continents and more than 32 countries. They recently hosted an event in Dubbo, attended by 65 of their loyal customers who travelled from as far as WA, Qld and SA (not to mention Vic and NSW) to all celebrate their exhilarating adventures. It’s great to see, that following WOW’s lead, motorcycle touring has now become a more accepted…

The road-going Superbike was born 50 years ago, when Honda released the CB750 onto an unsuspecting public. It would change motorcycling forever, ushering in a new era of multi-cylinder bikes, starting a performance war that would destroy the British bike industry and change the way everyone thought of motorcycles. The first of what became known as the Universal Japanese Motorcycle (UJM), the CB750 was bigger, faster, more powerful and handled better than any Japanese bike before it. There may have been larger-capacity British, Italian and American bikes, but none could come close to matching the handling, price and performance of the CB750 — and, crucially, the reliability. The CB750, for its time, was bulletproof and easier to work on than most other bikes, too. They sold in droves. "BIGGER, FASTER,…

Ican’t count the number of times I have driven through Tailem Bend on my many journeys between Adelaide and Sydney over nearly 40 years. The former railway town at the junction of the Mallee and Dukes highways first rang to the sound of steam locomotives in 1886, which ran for more than 100 years before Tailem Bend ceased to exist for trains at the end of the 20th century. Today the Overlander daylight express charges between Melbourne and Adelaide, ignoring Tailem Bend on its 10-hour journey between the capitals. Tailem Bend fell into a sort of hole after the station closed in 1996 and is now best known for the strip of service stations along the highway between the town centre and the Murray River. But that is rapidly changing.…

Depression and suicide suck. The Black Dog gets on your back and drags you down into a spiral of hopelessness, depression and, all too often, suicide. The Black Dog Ride started 10 years ago as an around-the-country ride to raise awareness of the problem, evolving over the years to be a charity with regular shorter rides. These images are from the Newcastle event, finishing up at the Williamtown airport, where Fighterworld is located. If you ever feel the Black Dog, talk to someone. There’s a great list of support services on blackdogride.org.au. If you haven’t met the Black Dog, support those who have on blackdogride.org.au.…

Before I’d ridden these bikes, I’d written an informative yet somewhat amusing paragraph outlining Royal Enfield’s lengthy history while simultaneously bagging their customer base outside of India as a bunch of hipsters looking for something quirky to be seen fixing at the side of the road. Although it wasn’t a bad read, most of it doesn’t appear here because having ridden the bikes, my pre-conceptions of what Royal Enfield now stand for have been demolished. Having said that, some bits are worth repeating. For instance, Royal Enfield boasts the longest continuous production run of any current motorcycle manufacturer, stretching back to 1901 and manufactured exclusively in India since 1967. This is proper heritage, unlike some other brands whose link to the original marque is in little more than the name.…

Romania and its Eastern European neighbours are probably not the first countries on most riders’ bucket lists — but maybe they should be. History, adventure, incredible roads and fabulous sights await you in the south-eastern corner of Europe. With my better half Bron and a couple of friends, we hired a pair of BMW R 1200 GS machines in Romania’s capital Bucharest, choosing to make our own tour rather than join a group. This little jaunt would be without the luxury of guides and it would be up to us to stay out of mischief and generally navigate not only the route, but the cultural and language challenges. Our route was partially organised with accommodation booked in convenient overnight stops, with a two-page suggested itinerary and daily suggestions of a…

GLOUCESTER, NSW – Foot of the Barrington The Bucketts Way in NSW offers some of the best riding in this fine land. Whether you are heading up or down the coast for a multiday adventure or just out for the day, an almost obligatory stop over is in the township of Gloucester. Situated at the foot of the Barrington Range and at the intersection of Scone Road and The Bucketts Way this small hamlet is home to some fine accommodation, food, hotels and great beer. None better than The Roundabout Inn found right in the heart of town at the Church Street roundabout. Newly renovated and with a comfortable and friendly atmosphere, its just the sort of place you want to be at after hours in the saddle. Drop in…

The premise of Darwin’s Theory of Evolution is that complex creatures evolve from more simplistic ancestors over time, and as a species evolves, it can indeed create an entirely new creature. This for me sums up Triumph’s new Scrambler 1200 XE. This bike is more than a simple variation of the old, it is something new. It’s hard to argue with Triumph when it says the Scrambler 1200 XE is category-redefining. Its abilities off-road are not something we’ve seen before in this category. Let’s face it, historically, most scramblers can’t back up their promise of off-road freedom with actual off-road performance. Well, not this scrambler. It well and truly can! Triumph has made sure it can handle any situation you would normally put an adventure bike through. The XE’s on-road…

ON PAPER Yamaha Motor Australia (YMA) has subtly updated its R3 lightweight supersport as it hits local showrooms with refreshed styling, improved ergonomics and enhanced corner stability, courtesy of an all-new suspension setup. According to a spokesperson from YMA, the brand is confident these changes will help the bike take the reigns as segment sales leader from Kawasaki’s Ninja 400, which topped the charts last year. Available in three colours — Yamaha Blue, Power Black and Candy Satin Red — the bike is on sale now at $6299 plus on-road costs, and comes with a 24-month/unlimited kilometre warranty. That pricepoint is unchanged from before, making it the second least-expensive model in the category behind the Honda CBR300RR, which checks in at $5999. YMA projects that 45 per cent of the…

You know that feeling. It might not be one you’ve had for years and years, or maybe you felt it last week. It doesn’t make a lot of sense, but it feels good. You’re worried it won’t last. But it might, or it might evolve from a crush to something that lasts, a familiarity, comfort and source of ongoing pleasure. I’m not in love with the Ducati Scrambler Icon, but I think I have a crush on it. And crush could be the right word, because it makes me feel like a teenager: young, carefree and looking forward, not back. Which doesn’t make sense considering the machine is styled around motorcycles Ducati built in the 1960s and ’70s, but does make sense when you realise the Icon is so easy…

The “Factory” moniker has always been reserved for Aprilia’s halo bikes, with the formula always being increased performance, presence and exclusivity using premium parts. The price of the parts bought individually was always more than premium asked for the bike, so if you’re after that level of performance, it offers good value, but you’ll still need to justify the $33,990 to yourself at least. That would buy a Japanese Sports bike and a lot of tyres, but it’s a lot less than some of the MV Agustas and Ducatis. "PERHAPS THE PIT LANE SPEED LIMITER MIGHT BE HANDY IN SCHOOL ZONES…" This year’s bike follows the familiar Aprilia Factory formula and stretches it further. The company has thrown the kitchen sink at it this time, with forged wheels, Öhlins suspension,…

The only Japanese LAMS bike that comes close to the Royal Enfield twins is the Yamaha XSR700 with its Steampunk, rather than genuine retro, style. A Ducati Scrambler Sixty2 or, at a push, a Harley Street 500 are probably the most obvious LAMS competition, both of which at least give a nod to the retro vibe, but neither has the classy look of the Indian bike. The other point to consider is that regardless of the LAMS tag, the REs are just great fun bikes to ride and apart from giving away a bit of power and top-end, which means you just have to work them a bit harder, there’s no reason why more experienced riders should turn their nose up at them, perhaps putting pressure on the Modern Classic…

CUT PRICE SUPER TOURER OR DINOSAUR? It all started in Panama. In our travels we met up with Steve, an expat American living in Panama City. A few months later we bumped into Steve in the Yukon as we were riding up to Prudhoe Bay in Alaska. Friendships forged in motorcycling cross many boundaries, so, of course the offer was there if ever he came to Australia to look us up. Sure enough, Steve made his way down under to tick another ride off his bucket list. When he finally made it to our front door, Steve was the proud owner of a pristine 1999 Kawasaki GTR1000 with under 50K on the clock. In the shed we fitted up his GPS, made sure all his gear would be swallowed up…

BMW R nineT Scrambler – from $19,075 Part of BMW’s Heritage range, the R nineT Scrambler is less capable off road than the new Triumph but is also cheaper, has shaft drive and still retains the retro styling. Laced wheels are optional. BMW Urban G/S - from $19,075 Probably closer in capability to the Triumph than the R nineT scrambler, the R nineT Urban G/S nonetheless still requires a few options for anything serious off road — but at least it has a 19in front wheel standard. Options include laced wheels and tyres, enduro footpegs, bolt-on heat shield and a steel foot brake lever. Ducati Scrambler Desert Sled – from $17,490 Aimed at an 80/20 road/off-road formula, the Desert Sled is one of the more versatile Ducati Scramblers, and the…

My 2 Bimotas. The Black one on the left is a 1996 SB6, powered by a Suzuki GSX-R1100 motor, the other one is a 1987 YB5 which has a Yamaha FJ1200 motor. – Steven Spurrier 2014 Suzuki Hayabusa. 25yr anniversary edition in Marrickville, Sydney. – Glen Townsend My BMW RnineT Pure. Ride it as often as possible and love every minute of it! – David Andrewartha I was saying “Sure, take a photo - all good” – Rob Arn Ell My Yamaha XVS 1100 Vstar Bobber I built. P51 Mustang Wartime Aircraft Tribute. – Jimmy Haffenden-Carr Our his and hers. 2010 Honda Shadow VT400 and 2004 Harley Davidson Heritage Softail. Out and about on the Victorian Silo Art Trail 2019. – Sarah-Jane Read A quick trip to Burragorang Lookout, a…