Innholdsfortegnelse for Issue#130 - November 2016 i Australian Road Rider

Canberra is trialling a system to allow three motorcycles or scooters to occupy a single car parking space in an effort to encourage more riders to help resolve parking, pollution and traffic issues. The city now seems to be on the ball with recognition of motorcycles and scooters. Not only are they trialling the parking system, they are also considering footpath parking and have introduced a low 1 per cent stamp duty for new motorcycles from July as part of their Vehicle Emission Reduction Scheme to reward those who buy low-emission vehicles.…

Beach motorcycle racing is set to make a long-awaited return to an Australian state with a strong motorsport history. The Levis Motorcycle Club has been granted approval to host a two-day classic event at Sellicks Beach, South Australia, in February 2017. The club — the oldest motorcycle club in South Australia — began beach racing in the 1920s and held annual Sellicks Beach Speed Trials in summer through to 1953. Reenactments were held in 1986 and 1992 but regular races have not taken place on the beach for more than 60 years. Entry into the race will be limited to all makes of vintage motorcycles manufactured before 1963 and there will be several classes depending on the age and engine capacity of the bike. Levis Motorcycle Club publicity officer Steven…

The online charity auction of a limited-edition Jack Daniel’s Indian Chief Vintage has raised $50700 for the Black Dog Ride. A standard Chief Vintage costs $31,995, but with only 150 of these bikes made, it’s probably a bargain for the successful bidder. Indian also made 150 Jack Daniel’s Springfield models, which sold out in one day, so they certainly are highly desirable bikes. They feature special paint and unique numbering and were created to commemorate the 150th anniversary of the Jack Daniel’s Distillery, which was registered in 1866. The auction raised funds for the Black Dog Ride, a charity organisation founded by a passionate motorcyclist intent on doing something about the devastating suicide rate in Australia, which is twice the annual road toll. Since 2009, Black Dog Ride has involved…

BMW Motorrad has joined Harley-Davidson in marketing its motorcycles through comic books. Harley has had a long association with Marvel Comics and has debuted several new models in the associated Marvel superheroes movies. Now BMW is doing the same with the new learner-approved G 310 R which will feature in a Panini Verlags limited-edition graphic novel entitled Riders on the Storm in October 2016. The comic project was unveiled over the weekend at the Comic Con Germany in Stuttgart, with publication to coincide with the worldwide launch of the G 310 R. There is no word yet on when it will be available in Australia. The comic is the work of Croatian author Darko Macan and Italian artist Riccardo Burchielli, who has also worked with Marvel Comics as well as…

“Other adventure bikes do match the Enduro in particular aspects — fuel capacity or suspension quality or riding comfort or electronic control — but not one of them maintains such a high level across the board” The Multistrada Enduro is so extraordinarily good you’d think Ducati had Dakar-dominating heritage going back years. It’d be the most plausible explanation for the Enduro if it were true, but Ducati didn’t work up to this new model through decades of off-road development. It was too busy killing giants in World Superbikes and MotoGP, yet after playing around with the pseudo-adventuring, road-wheeled Multistradas for a few years, it has come flat-chat into a massive pack of well-honed adventure bikes and roosted its way to the front. It is throwing rocks off its rear tyre…

It’s been a long time since a motorcycle tour company offered what was and remains one of the most iconic rides on earth: the Cairo to Cape Town expedition. It’s a mammoth undertaking — an 18,000km journey from the top of Africa to the bottom, dealing every day with the unpredictability, volatility, beauty and bewitching seductiveness the vast continent is renowned for. No matter how you plan it, Africa will challenge you. No matter what you expect, Africa will be unexpected. But it will reward you ten times over, and that is perhaps its greatest appeal. Twenty of us, including the Compass Expeditions crew, met in Cairo before the trip. We were incredibly excited but our nerves were on edge at the same time. You can’t set off into Africa…

“Pretty much every motorcycle shop in the country has a specials bin full of XS/XXL products too” “We offer all our stockists the opportunity to order the bigger or smaller sizes on an order and return policy so there is no risk to them in ordering a size in for a customer to try and we overnight ship everything so there is no delay” Are you an extreme size — short, tall, skinny or large — but still want to ride a motorcycle? Unfortunately you are out of luck as few stores stock these extreme sizes. A former motorcycle gear distributor says it’s purely a commercial decision. It costs money to buy the stock and have it sit in the store on the off-chance that an overly large…

The fact that there are so many different styles of tyre made for adventure bikes shows just how varied the usage of this genre of machine is. Take a look at Michelin’s range of adventure rubber for BMW’s R1200GS Adventure — a machine that typifies this class — and there’s everything from the sport-touring radial Michelin Pilot Road 4 Trail to the half-road, half-dirt Anakee III and now the hard-core off-road-focused Anakee Wild. As BMW’s big adventure machine — and also the bike that Michelin’s new Anakee Wild was developed on — it was the perfect machine to give these tyres a run. They were developed with T3 Aventure, the mob that are headed to Australia on one of their 40,000km around-the-world adventures aboard a dozen R1200GSA. Michelin wanted endurance…

VENTURA BONNEVILLE PANNIER SYSTEM Ventura’s new soft pannier system features two large 24-litre bags that slide onto specially designed racks. In some cases they can be used to complement an existing bike-pack system or as a standalone fitment. The panniers are quick to fit and feature a unique sleeve that ensures the luggage is held firmly in place. The Bonneville Pannier System is currently available for the R1200R, S1000XR, CRF1000L, Ninja 300R, Ninja 650, Versys 650, Vulcan S, Z1000, Brutale 990R & 1090R, GSF & S Bandits 1200/1250/650, GSXR650/700, GSX1250FA, GSX650F and Triumph Street Twin. Price: Fitments with L brackets — $399, without L brackets — $349 More information: kenma.com.au KAWASAKI ZX-10R BMC AIR FILTER BMC Air Filters has released a performance filter to suit the 2016 Kawasaki ZX10,…

“A good ride rubs your head up the right way and for the best therapeutic value I strongly recommend heading out in the most atrocious conditions you can find” The north-west of Tasmania is home to some pretty amazing roads and incredible scenery. It often feels to me as though you are riding in another country; a mysterious island continent merging threads of global motorcycling magic, all patchworked together and hidden in a kind of Bermuda Triangle at the bottom of the world. In midwinter that mysterious feeling is exacerbated one thousand per cent. Now raging rivers disappear into misty lakes that cut sharply into shear jagged mountains, themselves seemingly swept away by never-ending ghost trains of steaming morphing cloud. Then suddenly, the roaring 40s hit. Squalls launch out of…

Four-time World Supersport champion Kenan Sofuoglu has reached 400km/h on the Kawasaki H2R, the track-only version of the supercharged sportsbike. The Turk reached the speed in just 26 seconds on the newly built Osman Gazi suspension bridge, about 50km south-east of Istanbul in Turkey. “When I asked for the motorcycle, Kawasaki said its maximum speed was 380km/h and that the dream was to reach 400km/h,” Kenan says. “The first time I rode it, I felt its huge power and speed and I made small changes to the motorcycle — keeping its original settings — and did not modify it. I reached 390km/h in my last trials and today I beat this and reached 400km/h.” Kenan normally reaches top speeds in a WSS race of around 300km/h, so this was something…

Rather than scrapping wire rope barriers, a new Austroads report on road barriers has recommended fitting padding on the posts that hold up the wires. While many motorcycle riders refer to wire rope barriers as “widow makers”, “rider slicers” and “people graters”, the Australian Motorcycle Council (AMC) and First Aid For Motorcyclists (FAFM) agree with Austroads that the supporting posts cause more concern for riders than the wire rope. Austroads has recommended in their report, entitled “Guidance on Median and Centreline Treatments to Reduce Head-on Casualties”, that post protectors be fitted on wire rope and steel barriers to protect riders. “The barrier post edge, in particular its sharpness, is the most harmful factor in a motorcyclist impact,” the report says, citing figures showing riders are between 15 to 80 times…

Registrations have opened for Harley Days in October in Wollongong, the first open Harley-Davidson rally for all Australian riders. Harley-Davidson Australia and New Zealand customer experience manager Garry Luxmoore says they had 366 registrations in the first two days of online registration. “That’s better than normal,” he says. “There seems to be a lot of vested interest in this event and people are very excited about the thought. People are saying ‘Wow, I want to get in and register.’” He expects between 5500 and 6000 to attend Harley Days from 28–30 October, with almost 50 per cent being non-HOG members. Previous annual HOG rallies have been closed affairs, with some open events, but this will be an open event with special HOG-only sections, including a Friday-night welcome party with entertainment…

“Slamming the world into reverse off the line with a giant handful of gas is as much fun as it is addictive” The 2016 Triumph Speed Triple is the culmination of 21 years of evolution and close to 78,000 sales of this iconic British bulldog, and it shows. It all started back in 1994 with the release of the T309, a giant, slab-sided brute of a thing with huge crankcases and a tall 885cc engine. Its three cylinders made just shy of a hundred horses, had a torque curve as flat as Holland and could achieve a respectable 225km/h if the road was long and your neck thick. It was a bit of a beast of a thing to be honest and had attitude aplenty, which did nothing to hurt…

“The place is famous for Kandos Cement, but the cement plant closed in 2011 and the coalmine closed in 2014. Empty shops and a melancholy atmosphere surround the main street — it does feel like a dying town” After the longest summer since records have been kept, autumn arrived overnight with clear blue skies and a chill in the air, as I rode along the Northern Road west of Sydney to meet a mate at Mount Victoria in the Blue Mountains. Hot coffee and a ham and cheese croissant made the coffee shop at Mount Victoria a convenient meeting place before heading to Dunns Swamp, just outside Rylstone. We made plans to catch up with friends at the lake for a spot of fishing and to generally get out of…

“The company produces several types of earplugs, starting with the standard Earmold with no cords or wires attached” Tens of thousands of Aussie motorcycle riders can now stay in touch and enjoy their music while riding thanks to the Aussie innovations of the Earmold's technology. Earmold Australia owners Aaron and Julie Dalle-Molle say their industrial chemists and technicians have been modifying and updating their earplugs for close to three decades. The latest hi-tech innovation they have helped develop is Custom In-Ear Bluetooth Sports Monitors ($349) that connect via Bluetooth to your phone or device. They are attached to each other via a wire with a very small and lightweight Bluetooth device and controller, but because they are Bluetooth, there are no wires to the phone or other Bluetooth device such…

“Vision is generous out of the large opening, and the visor, when not dusted up from riding dirt roads, offers a clear, un-distorted view” If you’re looking for an affordable adventure-riding helmet, the $200 price tag on the LS2 Pioneer helmet is hard to go past. And for the money, it’s a pretty good buy. The Pioneer is based on LS2’s motocross helmet; this version is aimed at adventure riders, being fitted with a visor rather than relying on goggles. There’s plenty to like about it. It meets the European ECER22-05 standard that is now recognised through most of Australia. There’s no specific safety rating for this helmet yet, but LS2 lids generally rate about mid-level, which is acceptable. The shell is a composite that LS2 says is very resistant…

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 MONSTER OF A TEST I’m not a regular reader of your magazine but picked up #127 on the strength of the road test of the Ducati Monster 821.…

DEATH OF THE FOUR-CYLINDER Debuting in 1975 as the four-cylinder GL1000 and evolving into today’s six-cylinder GL1800, no Honda has dominated its market segment over its lifespan quite like the Goldwing series has. And when your family includes models like CB, CBR and XR, that’s quite an achievement. The GL1000 featured a horizontally opposed, four-cylinder engine designed to offer a combination of powerful output and low-vibration, low-noise operation to deliver comfort on long cruises. Four years after the first GL1000, the GL1100 was introduced for the 1980 model year. In 1981 production of the Goldwing shifted to the USA from Japan and, until 2009, the luxury tourer was built at the company’s factory in Marysville, Ohio. In 1984 Honda upped the capacity of the Goldwing to 1200cc while at the…

Brisbane custom bike shop Ellaspede has scored a coup by bringing Hollywood actor and motorcycle racing legend Steve McQueen’s iconic Desert Sled bike out for display. Ellaspede hosted a special event in August to view the 1963 Triumph Bonneville Desert Sled, along with the full range of new Triumph Bonnevilles, with bar proceeds going to bike-and bicycle-building charity Traction. The Desert Sled was sold at a Bonham auction in Las Vegas in January for $US103,500 to a buyer who has asked to remain anonymous. Ellaspede’s Hughan Seary says they approached the owner to express their enthusiasm to bring it out to Australia. “After some discussion and the huge generosity of the owner, we were granted its use for one night at this event,” Hughan says. There are no other plans…

If you arrive at a Triumph Motorcycle dealer in India dressed in thongs, shorts and a t-shirt, they may not hand over your new motorcycle. This comes as police in Victoria want minimum riding gear standards that include gloves and boots. The debate on minimum clothing standards for motorcyclists has raged for several years and split the motorcycle community. But the Indian Triumph dealers have taken things into their own hands — at least at the handover stage for new motorcycles. Apparently 12 customers have been turned away in the past two years that the British motorcycle manufacturer has been enforcing this policy in a country where high temperatures make riding gear uncomfortable. Triumph Motorcycles India managing director Vimal Sumbly says the rider needs at least a helmet and boots,…

The 2016 Throttle Roll Street Party in Sydney was such a success that the organisers have confirmed it will return in 2017. Spokesman Stephen Broholm says they are already “in full swing” on planning next year’s event. It should be another professionally run event considering the same organisers also bring us the world-famous Distinguished Gentlemen’s Ride and the Barry Sheene Festival of Speed. He says more than 6000 people attended this year’s party on the Queen’s Birthday long weekend. A highlight attraction was the Great Wall of Motorcycles with more than 65 of Australia’s best custom bikes on three levels of scaffolding. “Necks were craned in awe of this remarkable offering to the custom gods, with a bike from every style being represented,” Stephen says in his event wrap-up. There…

Nine Indian motorcycle owners across Australia and New Zealand have started the independent Indian Motorcycle Forum online to discuss issues, share tips, and express their passion for the reborn brand. Visit: http://www.indianmotorcycleforum.com.au/ Forum administrator, Paul, of Melbourne, rides a 2016 Indian Chief Vintage and is one of the founding members. “We felt the time was right for an independent venue for riders and supportive vendors,” he says. The forum allows Australian and New Zealand riders of new and vintage Indians to share their stories and photographs. “It’s also a powerful tool for learning, leveraging the vast amount of Indian Motorcycle expertise of owners,” Paul says. “We wanted to be different to other forums. We wanted to be inclusive of older Indians and a variety of vendors (not just Polaris-owned vendors).…

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, into Ladakh and Kashmir, and have wanted to return to this awe-inspiring part of the world ever since. The tour starts in Kathmandu with a scenic one-hour joyflight to view Mount Everest, and then the first few days are spent exploring Nepal. We cross the border into northern India to discover…

“Harley remains shy about quoting power figures, but if they did it’d be like comparing a skinny supermarket sausage with a fat, juicy, butcher’s gourmet sausage — nothing to boast about” If I sounded a bit hard on the Harley Forty-Eight in issue 123, it’s only because it wasn’t a Roadster. Don’t get me wrong, I loved the Forty-Eight and embraced its short, uncomfortable suspension and other compromises because its compromises were what made it such an endearing and focused motorcycle. The brand-new Roadster, though, takes my criticisms of the Forty-Eight and throws them back in my face as a challenge. It wants to know if I can handle a Sportster that’s a true sportster, a bike built for riders who know more than blasting the back streets. The Roadster…

“I’m on the Putty Road, the legendary Putty Road. Destination Echuca. It’s a demandingly long way but I’ve got custom-crafted seats on this little Seoul sister and she’s comfortable for hours in the saddle” It enters the servo with a V-twin growl and splutters to silence, the rider rising awkwardly like his spine has been locked down on the clip-ons for hours. It’s a sportsbike like any other sportsbike, with the low-down grips, the cloned fairing and racy little screen, and the two-part torture-seat. But he’s got a tankbag up front and soft saddlebags slung across the back and it looks like he’s been touring for a week. The magnet flaps cover up the side of the tank but you think it’s quite a classy machine. Wrong. It’s made in…

Last-minute shopping is never a good idea, but this time it went unbelievably well. I needed a new pair of boots, right now, so dropped into the first bike shop I came across. Walked in, scanned the rows of boots, saw a pair that looked right — fairly plain, waterproof, black touring boots. The salesman brought my size out — they fitted well and felt comfy. Of all the boots on the shelves, these were the only ones whose price tag wasn’t displayed but I needed boots so walked to the register and whipped out the card. “A hundred and thirty-nine dollars,” the bloke said. Done! And all in five minutes. Since then I’ve only done about 1000km in these boots but they seem fine, particularly for the money. They…

New bike prices can go up and down like the stock market, so in every issue we’ll bring you the sticker prices. To be completely up to date with things like factory discounts and incentives, check the Road Rider website (www.roadrider.com.au) where we will bring you all the special deals, bonus offers and cashback promotions we can find. We have included the importers’ websites, which is the place to go if you’re looking for more information. You’ll see that we haven’t listed every bike on the market (yet) but we aim to get there with all of them. Sometimes even we struggle to find the details of the smaller, newer importers. Meanwhile, enjoy this most meaningful of Australian bike listings, covering the bikes you’re interested in. The prices are the…

Ridden Triumph’’s big all-road three-cylinder Explorer gets an injection of adventurous spirit and becomes more serious about travelling the outback. Ducati’s new XDiavel is everything you could want in a cruiser and more — much, much more! We also ride the new Yamaha XSR 700 and 900: a twin and a triple, both retro and modern, one for learners and one for experienced riders. Rides Wine, dine and ride in the Atherton Tablelands — a tropical paradise. One couple decide to ride around the world and show you can too, while Harley-Davidson creates an instant classic in the Land of the Long White Cloud with the Iron Run. Featured The best of motorcycling in 2016, helmet buyers’ guide and all the other beaut stuff and regulars you expect to see…