Innholdsfortegnelse for Issue 157 i Australian Road Rider

I’ve ridden the future, and it’s electric. Literally — the electric motor is the future of two-wheeled propulsion. It might be the future, but it’s not the now, at least for most people, most of the time. The Harley-Davidson LiveWire is the first mainstream-production electric motorcycle, but it won’t be the last, not from Harley and not from the bike manufacturers we know and love. But like Tesla in the car industry, don’t be surprised if a new or different player comes into the market with no background in motorcycles. I’ve seen it before: two of the biggest names in the camera market are Sony and Panasonic — neither made film cameras. Lots of the grand old names from the days of film are gone or have been absorbed into…

Indian has announced updates for numerous models in 2021, from new paint for the lighter Scout machines to new bikes in the touring and cruiser ranges. The Vintage Dark Horse is “for riders who want timeless style with a mean attitude”. Standard features include soft black leather bags and fully blacked-out styling. The touring range is bolstered by the Roadmaster Limited, which features gloss paint, chrome finishes, a modern fairing design, open front fender and slammed saddlebags. There are updates across the board for many Indian models, including Apple CarPlay being standard on a number of the touring models, and the ClimaControl heated and cooled seat standard on the Roadmaster Limited and Dark Horse. See your Indian dealer for more information or check out indianmotorcycle.com.au.…

Triumph Tiger GT, from $20,950 Ride Away The new boy on the block (and coming soon to ARR), Triumph’s Tiger is very much aimed at the same market as the V-Strom. With a little less capacity but three pots, with British style rather than Japanese, the latest Tiger looks like a strong competitor to the V-Strom. Yamaha XTZ1200 Super Ténéré, $24,499 Ride Away Yamaha’s big adventure tourer has been around for ages and has proven to be bulletproof and comfortable. It’s also got shaft drive and electronically adjustable suspension, but it’s a bit more expensive than the V-Strom. Kawasaki Versys 1000, $22,499+ORC Kawasaki’s touring bike is powered by four cylinders, giving a different feel to the ride than the V-Twin of the V-Strom. In recent years, Kawasaki has taken it…

Readers older than me might remember when road bikes were sold with 19in front wheels and everyone expected they would be ridden on dirt roads, at least occasionally. Not so much today. I bet you know people who won’t ride their bike down a gravel driveway, let alone a fire trail. Well Kawasaki has brought that bike back with the Versys X-300. It’s a road bike with adventure styling, laced wheels suited to bitumen or gravel combined with a well-sorted small-capacity engine, seating for two, a luggage rack and protective bodywork — all at a good price. THE UPDATES There’s really only been one major update to the X-300 since it was launched in 2017, and that’s the colours and graphics — I reckon the latest model looks fantastic, but…

Using Google Maps, Apple Maps or one of the many mapping apps is fine, to a point. Changing your route is next to impossible if you leave an area of mobile service and finding the most enjoyable, rather than most direct, route is difficult. There are apps that can assist — Road Trip Planner is one — which can help plan trips, including importing routes created by other people. However, a route is a journey between two points, so you need to be careful the app doesn’t simply decide to take you a different way to what you’d planned. At its core, smartphone navigation is about getting you there in the shortest possible time. Modern Smartphones have bright screens, better in daylight than many GPS units – but that’s not…

Beeline is a smart navigation device that is controlled by your smartphone. You plan your trip via its app and then use the Beeline to get you there. Created by (push bike) cyclists and launched as a Kickstarter project, the founders soon realised the motorcycle market was good for Beeline as well as the bicycle market. It’s only been around a few years, but it’s a mature, well-made product. Beeline sent its premium motorcycle navigator to Australian Road Rider for review, the Beeline Moto in a classy gunmetal finish ($370). It’s also available in black and there’s a cheaper plastic model ($277). It’s a 50mm circular instrument with four buttons arranged around the side and a mount on the back. That’s about it, apart from the two pins on the…

WIN THIS Every issue we’re giving away this beaut pack of Motul cleaning gear worth $49.95. All you have to do to be in with a chance of winning is send us a pick of your shining steed and we’ll pick what we think is the best shot and comment and the top blokes at Motul will fire out this pack to whoever wrote it. Simple. Pack includes some of the best washing and detailing products on the market: • Wash & Wax, a waterless cleaner that leaves a wax coating • Moto Wash, good for all surfaces • Scratch Remover, a micro-abrasive cream for painted surfaces • Helmet & Visor Clean, to keep your lid and your view pristine. Email roadrider@umco.com.au. We’ll do the rest.…

LOOKING BACK IN THE SHED Turns out lots of people have gotten around to fixing things during COVID-19 lockdowns, me included. So much so independent workshops, those with mechanics willing to work on older machinery, often now have waiting lists stretching into months as people drag something out of the dusty corner of the garage in the hope of getting it going. Finding some time is easy when you’re not allowed to go to work, play sport or go to the pub. I’ve had an old Yamaha FZ6N in the garage for some years. It was a race bike from the late 2000s in the FZ6 Cup which I bought as a track day bike and promptly blew up on it’s first day out. To cut a long story short…

Due to go on sale officially in Europe on October 1st, the Bimota Tesi H2 — a new generation of hub-centre steered machines from the iconic sportsbike manufacturer — should be available for order soon. When it was unveiled in late 2019, we wondered if it would ever make it into production… With some Kawasaki money now invested into Bimota, it’s no surprise the first new machine is powered by a supercharged H2 engine. All the questions you have — how much, how fast, when can I have one — are all still to be answered, but we do know a few things. Pierluigi Marconi, designer of Tesi H2, said: “Finally, my dream becomes reality. Bimota’s innovative Tesi philosophy has been dramatically enhanced with Kawasaki’s high quality, performance and legendary…

Being with Brum — much-loved industry personality Neale Brumby — made you feel special; his blazing personality, unbounded optimism, intelligence and sheer joy for life were infectious and he didn’t know how not to share them. Everything he did was done with as much as he could put into it. The young Brum lived life fast and loose and it could have all gone horribly wrong. Brum’s saviour was the love of his life, Viv. He found her in 1986 and chased her until she was his. Their children Aiden, Mia, Dex and Scarlett gave him purpose. Brum was immensely proud of his family and loved them completely. From the earliest days, Brum’s life was always about motorbikes, rallies, riding around Australia, his work including Pablo’s, Melbourne Suzuki and BMW…

Honda’s venerable CT110 has likely been the vehicle of choice for your postie for decades — indeed, I was involved in testing one for Two Wheels back in the 1990s. Now you can buy an updated version, the CT125, from your friendly Honda dealer. For Seven Thousand Dollars. Plus on-road costs. That’s right, for more money than the vastly more capable (but nowhere near as cool) CRF250L, you can have a CT125. The good news is that while it’s inspired by the CT110, it’s a lot better than the CT110: the new bike features a bigger engine, electric start, ABS, LED lighting and a digital display. All the good things about the CT110 have been retained: large rack, comfy seat, upswept pipe, laced wheels, semi-auto transmission… and suspension travel is…

“Don’t it always seem to go, that you don’t know what you’ve got ’til it’s gone.” So sang Canadian chanteuse Joni Mitchell in her 1970 hit, “Big Yellow Taxi”. Fifty years on, the words ring loud and clear. My battle with lung cancer continues apace. I always thought it was a cliché but a battle it is proving to be. After chemotherapy to reduce the tumour to an operable size, surgery to remove it was not successful, said tumour lying too close to my aorta to safely remove it. Luckily, the clever cancer quacks at Gosford Hospital had Plan B up their sleeves, and I have recently completed a course of radiation therapy, supported by more chemo, before embarking on a yearlong schedule of immunotherapy. They are throwing everything they…

Triumph Street Triple RS — $19,800 Ride Away A British take on a naked high-performance mid-range triple, the Street Triple goes hard with a 765cc engine which produces more power but less torque than the MT-09SP. Has Showa Big Piston forks and an Öhlins STX shock. Kawasaki Z900 — $14,156 Ride Away (NSW) Four cylinders, higher engine performance but without the suspension adjustability. Great value and definitely worth a look. KTM 890 Duke R — $19,195 Ride Away New for 2021 and designed to be a very sporty, aggressive and high-performance mid-range bike, the 890 is expected to be the bike to beat in the class. BMW F 900 R — From $16,645 Ride Away Another new parallel twin-powered sports machine for 2021, the new BMW is said to be…

Belting along Australia’s backroads requires a touring bike that is comfortable and capable — and Suzuki has delivered just that with the 2020 V-Strom 1050XT. We rode the new V-Strom on good bitumen, crappy backroads, hard-packed gravel and even some looser, sandy firetrails and through all this it performed well. The Adventure bike style might be there, but it’s more capable SUV than Dakar competitor, and Suzuki really wants you to know it’s a touring bike, not an Adventure bike. The big-bore V-Strom has always offered good real-world performance at a pretty decent price point, but was overshadowed by more capable machines at the top end and its own 650cc sibling as a lighter, cheaper option. For 2020, Suzuki has really sharpened up the 1050XT version to offer an all-roads…

If you’ve found the bike you want and it’s interstate, don’t give up on the dream. By taking the right precautions you can have the bike in your possession quicker than you think — even if it’s on the other side of the country. Yes, there are risks and it costs more, but it can be worth the extra effort. I’ve been lucky enough to buy and sell many bikes, but not until the recent purchase of my Hypermotard have I taken the plunge and bought sight unseen. It was nerve-wracking but ultimately I came out of the deal very happy. I’m from the Central Coast of NSW and the bike was located in Queensland. Any other time you’d fly up there, take a look, and if it was all…

Yamaha Ténéré 700 — $17,299 ride away Cheaper, lighter, less powerful and does not feature anything like the level of tech as the KTM. The new Yamaha might offer what you need if that’s more off-road capability. Triumph Tiger 900s — from $20,950 ride away The latest and greatest triples from Triumph look to be even more versatile than any previous Tigers. We haven’t ridden one yet, but we suspect they will generally be a little more road focussed than the KTM Adventure. BMW F 850 GS — from $20,070 ride away BMW is the king of Adventure bikes, although the F 850 GS is overshadowed by the 1250. Despite this, it’s a great bike and highly configurable to your liking.…

The world is in lockdown. International travel, especially by, motorcycle is off. COVID-19 has turned the world upside down. But we’re lucky buggers to live on an island in a sparsely populated country. Don’t ignore our own backyard. Motorcycle travel in Australia has its own charms, challenges and unforgettable moments. Now might be a good time to explore our great southern land. Every Aussie rider I’ve met dreams of or has done the big lap. Over previous issues of ARR we’ve enticed you to travel vicariously and hopefully, for those who can, encouraged you to do your own lap. To make those dreams a reality, we’re putting together some points to help you get the most out of riding. Where do you start? First things first. Are you travelling with…

Honda CB500X — $8,999+ORC The little Honda is bigger than the Kawasaki and those extra cubes are nice to have, especially for highway riding. However, the suspension on the Versys is a bit better, it’s cheaper and lighter. KTM 390 Adventure — $8,995 Ride Away A single-cylinder machine from a company with its roots in racing and off-road, the KTM is surely a better bike in the loose stuff, but the thumper engine won’t be as relaxing on the bitumen and it costs a lot more. Suzuki V-Strom 250 — $7,190 Ride Away Probably the closest direct competitor, the new Suzuki has slightly less capacity and a little more weight, but very modern edgy styling and cast wheels.…

The Hunter Valley, less than two hours’ ride north of Sydney, is a fabulous area to visit by bike. There are some awesome roads to the region from the south, north and west, and when you’re there there’s lots to explore, do and experience. The Putty, Old Northern, Wiseman’s Ferry, Peats Ridge or Wollombi Roads connect to the Hunter from the south, the Glendonbrook Road and Thunderbolts Way from the north and the Bylong Valley to the west. The Hunter is the birthplace of Australian wine — the region is overflowing with wineries offering tastings, gourmet food and cosy accommodation. Teetotallers too can find plenty to occupy themselves among the many and varied attractions anywhere from Cessnock to Branxton or Kurri Kurri to Broke. Meander museums, wander wineries, pop into…

TomTom is a name synonymous with GPS navigation. A Dutch-based multinational company with 4500 employees, its maps are used by many motor vehicle and phone manufacturers. The Rider 550 is the company’s only dedicated motorcycle navigator. Priced at $599 (although a quick web search will turn up discounts), it’s also one of the cheapest dedicated motorcycle GPS units around. Out of the box it’s a tough-looking unit with an IPX7 waterproofing rating with an 11cm (4.3in) display and works in portrait or landscape view. Of course, any gloves will work, you don’t need touch-sensitive gloves. It’s got a built-in battery that can last about six hours, which is handy for using on a second bike and for setting up off the bike, and micro-SD slot for storing routes (plus 16GB…

Suzuki was incorporated as a company — to build weaving looms — in 1920, and to celebrate there’s a range of 100th Anniversary GSX-Rs coming. Based around the retro-inspired livery of the 2020 Suzuki MotoGP GSX-RR machine, the new GSX-Rs look cool and will only be available in very limited numbers. There will be 30 GSX-R1000Rs ($26,990), 50 GSX-R750s ($17,490) and just 10 GSX-R600s ($16,490) available in Australia. With high demand and limited supply, Suzuki Australia will take orders for this range exclusively online via the Build Your Bike feature on suzukimotorcycles.com.au (or see your dealer for assistance ordering).…

Triumph is building a new Trident, and it’s going to be LAMS approved for new riders in Australia. The new naked roadster is being shown off firstly as a design prototype, with images of the complete bike coming soon and bikes we can all ride in 2021. Shown off initially at the London Design Museum and then to the world’s motorcycle media via internet presentations, the new model is the first of what could be a whole new platform for Triumph. The heart of the new bike is the three-cylinder motor, giving the bike a real point of difference to its competition, which are either twins (Yamaha MT-07, Kawasaki Versys 650) or fours (Honda CB650). Triumph hasn’t announced any specifications for the new bike, but we know it will have…

Yamaha’s MT-09 has been a big seller because it’s a big bike in a small chassis. It looks great and the pricing is very, very affordable. For most buyers, the handling is fine. But not everyone. For that reason we have the MT-09SP — fully adjustable Öhlins rear shock, fully adjustable KYB USD forks. The changes have transformed the MT-09 from a fun naked into a serious street sportster. WHAT’S IN THE BOX? The SP uses Yamaha’s CP3 847cc motor in a die-cast aluminium frame. The inline triple-cylinder engine produces roughly 115hp and 87Nm of torque from its DOHC, four-valve triple-cylinder motor. The wheelbase is a compact 1440mm, the seat height 820mm and the wet weight is low at 193kg. For performance, this is a good set of numbers. The…

If you go searching for information about the 790 Adventure, you’ll find it’s almost all about the “R” model, the big-selling off-road focussed “Tough Guy” R version. The base-model KTM 790 Adventure has been the bridesmaid. The standard Adventure, with its more stable geometry, 20mm-shorter wheelbase, 50mm-lower seat and better wind protection is better suited to road use. It’s still very off-road capable, and will go pretty much everywhere the R will, just maybe a tad slower. At highway speeds it’s a better proposition than the R, unless you like being windblown and fatigued. DIRT… AND ROAD The Adventure presents as an off-road bike. It’s relatively tall and has dirt spec 21/18in spoked wheels, but don’t let that put you off. We found it’s very capable as a day-today ride.…

Summer is the best time to see the high country, and there’s no better place to base yourself to experience the rides, roads or deserted bush tracks than Bright in Victoria’s North East. Bright is a tourist town and caters for all levels, from tent sites, onsite cabins and motels to luxury accommodation, all within easy walking distance to restaurants, cafes and watering holes. Road rides around Bright are picturesque and are great to cruise or to get the adrenaline up, depending on your mood. The main route is the Great Alpine Road (B300) through the valley to Harrietville and up Mount Hotham, where there are good cafes and great views. Take a break, then venture down to Omeo. It’s just as good to turn around and do it again,…

You are just as wealthy as the world’s richest man, Jeff Bezos, when it comes to one thing: time. Like the man who established Amazon, you have 24 hours in a day, and using them effectively can make for more riding in places where it’s good to ride. When you’re on the road, there’s nothing worse than delays caused by a lack of planning — doubling back because of a wrong turn, hearing someone shout “Let’s go, we’re burning daylight” when no one is really sure where the group should be going, and taking detours for fuel because someone has miscalculated range. These are all, as they say, Pains in the Arse. A GPS unit won’t solve all these problems, but, if used correctly, can mitigate a lot of them.…

The Rider 550 will suit touring riders looking for smart technology to help them find great roads, those who like to plan multi-day trips or complicated rides taking in great biking roads, anyone who wants a view of their route ahead, and the current speed limit. By using a RAM mount it can be fastened pretty hard, so it’s as suitable as anything for adventure bikes travelling on rough roads. GET IT: GPS resellers everywhere MORE INFO: tomtom.com UNIT: Supplied for review PRICE: $599 RRP…

Garmin is a multi-billion-dollar American corporation founded on GPS technology. It now provides mapping info for automotive, military, sport, aviation and many other applications. Garmin produces the Zumo 396 LMT-S (4.3in) and Zumo XT (5.5in) motorcycle navigators and special units for BMW, Harley-Davidson and probably others. The Zumo 396 is an older-style unit priced at $649, with a display of 480 x 720 pixels, a four-hour battery, horizontal orientation only with a thick bezel. The XT, for $200 more, offers a much higher resolution display (1280 x 720), dual orientation, a six-hour battery, more sensors, topographical maps, traffic, driver alerts and more. Both units can pair with your smartphone, provide adventurous routing, do Wi-Fi route and map updates, offer landmark guidance, Foursquare and TripAdvisor ratings, lane assist, rider alerts for…

The high ranges of the Rift and Atlas Mountains, the Western Sahara dunes and the culture those natural wonders helped develop drew us to Morocco. Its long history of civilisation, colonisation and subsequent cultural diversity is as broad as its landscapes. I was also hoping for an adventure that would get us off the beaten path and challenge our biking boundaries. The riding, the landscapes, the food and the people blew our minds. Our tour actually started in Spain, collecting bikes from the tour operator and heading to the busy and heavily fortified border crossing at Ceuta on the tip of Africa. I was travelling with my wife and tour photographer Bron, old friend and tour guide Dom and a couple of Western Australians, Ray and John. We headed into…

The sign on the wall was ominous: “Bear was given 10-80 on 3-3-04 which killed him.” The thought of Bear, hopefully someone’s pet, being given sodium fluoroacetate poison, had the theme from Deliverance in my head. Welcome to Terowie, South Australia. I’ve turned off the Barrier Highway to go to Terowie in South Australia’s mid north. It’s wall-to-wall blue sky but the temperature is barely reaching double figures. My grip heaters are cranked up to almost full. As I swing onto the main street I’m greeted by a canyon of abandoned hotels, shops, banks and a building that was once the Temperance Hotel. Before the banjos of Deliverance start playing in my head, it’s soundtracks from Sergio Leone’s Dollars trilogy. After seeing Bear’s sign, maybe Wake in Fright would be…