Innholdsfortegnelse for Issue 164 i Australian Road Rider

I haven’t been to Tasmania in a decade. Too long. Same for north of the Sunshine Coast or South Australia. A planned tour in WA was killed by COVID restrictions. I’m starting a bucket list of tour destinations within Australia. I’ve already got one for the rest of the world thanks to the features being run in ARR over recent issues, from Colombia to Norway to Africa and more. At least I can tick off Lightning Ridge, featured in this issue. It was a blast to get to the outback again for the first time in ages. A lap of Tasmania is on the list. Kangaroo Island in South Oz. Esperance to Perth along the west Australian coast would be spectacular. Kakadu, the Daintree and Cairns. There’s an awful lot…

Not long after this issue goes to press, Ducati will release full details of the DesertX, a new off-road/adventure machine designed to delight those looking for a capable, powerful, open-class machine most at home fitted with knobbies. Ducati teased the DesertX at the start of its 10-week program of bike releases via the internet, the company obviously having decided dumping everything out at once wasn’t getting the traction fortnightly releases would in these days of internet news. So we were treated to new and updated bikes (including the Panigale V4, Multistrada V4 Pikes Peak and V2, new Scramblers, new Streetfighters) and the news Ducati would be the sole supplier for electric bikes for the FIM Enel MotoE World Cup (from 2023). PANIGALE V4 Ducati claims to have improved the Panigale…

The sweet spot is where everything doesn’t just work, it comes together in a way that feels right. In motorcycles, that’s the Yamaha MT-09SP. Can you buy cheaper or lighter or faster? Sure. Can you get all of that in one package? That’s what I mean when I say sweet spot; this is a motorcycle which goes hard, isn’t heavy, looks good and doesn’t cost too much. What other bike gives you 119 horsepower, 93Nm of torque in a naked package weighing in at just 190kg, has trick suspension and costs just $17,299? Yeah, I couldn’t think of much, either. THE UPDATES Yamaha isn’t resting on the laurels of the MT range’s success. Despite excellent sales since the introduction of the MT bikes, regular updates across the range of models…

Exhilarating sums up my six-country “Best of Europe” ride with Edelweiss Bike Travel in 2017, made more so by a BMW Motorrad 1250 GSA loaner. The real fun had begun south of Baden-Baden as the Schwarzwaldhochstraße – acclaimed as one of Europe’s top ten driving routes – coiled sharply into the Black Forest like a viper. I hadn’t envisaged the region to be so mountainous, so cut through by deep gorges. The writhing snake of a road required hyper-attention and a judicious, non-stop interplay of throttle and clutch. Drizzle, nor even the cold fog shrouding the gunmetal-gray Mummelsee (at 1036m elevation the literal high point), could dampen our dopamine day. Then down, down, down through tight hairpins to Malterdingen… over the Rhine and into France… and along the Route du…

A good Maxi scooter will cruise all day at highway speed limits with more available for overtaxing, jump from traffic lights like a greyhound on speed, carry two people in comfort and a week’s worth of groceries. They are easier to ride than a motorcycle, offer heaps more weather protection, cost bugger-all to run, get through the traffic easily and are LAMS approved. You should have one, and Yamaha’s latest-generation T-Max is one of the best ever. The current T-Max 560 is the seventh generation of Yamaha’s innovative maxi-scooter and a further evolution of the concept. There have been a host of upgrades for the Gen 7 model and it’s come a long way since the original 2001 launch. WHAT’S NEW The Gen 7 has more of what makes the…

Honda, the world’s largest motorcycle manufacturer, doesn’t offer many big bikes for sale these days. There are a couple of Gold Wings, a good variety of Africa Twin adventure bikes and the new NT1100 coming soon. Even the famous Fireblade is now track-only. So the introduction of the CMX1100 was a bit of a surprise, a cruiser powered by the engine from the Africa Twin – a torquey, narrow, 1084cc parallel twin with lots of electronics. Combine that with a cruiser chassis and style, super-low 700mm seat, sporty suspension, more advanced electronics and you get a bike which breaks the cruiser mould. It’s not a V-twin. It’s “only” 1100cc. It doesn’t weigh 300kg. It’s so affordable to be almost cheap. It goes like stink. THE LOWEST SEAT IN TOWN Honda’s…

It’s like walking into a crowded pub with music playing. As you enter, the music stops, the talking stops, everybody looks in your direction, a girl puts her hand to her mouth… a glass drops on the floor… a cliché, I know, but it’s like that when arriving at a ride muster point… on a Versys 300. The Versys 300 isn’t an obvious “adventure” choice, but it does entice buyers with the promise of budget “escape” – and who isn’t attracted to that idea? It looks the goods too, with dual sport-sized wheels, fairing, and longish travel suspension. For an experienced, lighter rider, this bike might offer something unexpected. SETTING THE SCENE ARR has tested the entry-level Versys and was impressed, so we felt benchmarking it against larger adventure bikes…

I recently bought a set of Sidi Adventure 2 boots, adding to my collection of five other pairs for track, touring and sport riding. Us motorcyclists tend to stick with what we know! Adventure boots have come a long way over the past 10 years, with designs from most manufacturers now fully dialled to the needs of adventure riders. The Adventure 2s are a benchmark in this regard; with class-leading safety and comfort they will suit most, but not all riders. Adventure boots try to find the middle ground between opposing design criteria, the most difficult being protection verses wearability. While providing outstanding protection, the rigidity and strength of motocross boots severely limit ankle flexibility. Consequently, ‘bum on seat” operation of brake and gears is difficult. This rigidity is also…

LOOKING BACK In 1987 we didn’t get to watch Wayne Gardner enjoy a home race on the way to his 500cc World Motorcycle Championship title, the one subsequently renamed MotoGP when it went four-stroke nearly 20 years ago. And we didn’t get to see his son Remy race at home in 2021 when he became the second Aussie to win the intermediate title — Kel Carruthers won the 1969 250cc crown — because COVID caused the cancellation of the Australian round, just as it did in 2020. Remy isn’t defending his crown, moving to MotoGP in 2022, where we think he will do OK. He’s a thinking racer, minimising risk in order to secure titles — his team-mate Raul Fernandez may have won nearly twice as many races as Remy…

Suzuki and Honda have announced new sports-tourers while KTM and Kawasaki are significantly upgrading their machines for 2022. Each of the four bikes is significantly different to the others and represents different paths to the same destination – mile-eating machines that are comfortable, perform well, can take hard luggage and a passenger with road bike handling. Similarities across the models include full fairings, 17-inch wheels, advanced electronics and a suite of available accessories. Differences lie in many areas, but most significantly in engine configurations, performance and price. SUZUKI GSX-S1000GT The Grand Tourer moniker has returned with a vengeance, Suzuki using it in the name of its new machine. It’s aimed at being the bestvalue machine in the category, priced at just $19,090 (or $20,590 with panniers on the Panorama version)…

KAWASAKI Z900 – $12,949+ORC You could save some cash and get four cylinders, but you won’t get the same level of suspension performance. SUZUKI GSX-S1000 – $17,290 RIDE AWAY Another four-cylinder bike, the new Suzuki offers more power but in a bulkier package. DUCATI MONSTER – $18,200 RIDE AWAY The freshly minted new-model Monster is a fun package built around a popular V-twin engine, but it doesn’t offer the outright performance of the Yamaha. TRIUMPH STREET TRIPLE – FROM $18,890 RIDE AWAY Choose from the R or RS variants; both are quick, capable and fun, sportier than the Yamaha with a smaller engine that revs hard. Doesn’t offer the torque of the MT-09SP.…

Twenty-five years have passed since I cruised from Key West at night like smuggled human freight in Ernest Hemingway’s To Have and Have Not and rode my BMW R 100 GS PD around Cuba as a licensed professional journalist. Thanks to President Obama’s loosening of Cuba travel restrictions for US citizens, I’ve since led group tours of Cuba using various BMW and Harley-Davidson models and even a Suzuki V-Strom 1000. I’m always thrilled to be back in the saddle, riding through a country I’ve grown to know well and love dearly. While the landscapes aren’t quite the necksnapping Swiss Alps, with all the fuss about politics it’s easy to overlook Cuba’s sheer beauty. What does cause a double-take is the country’s surreal, otherworldly reality. You’re only 90 miles from Florida,…

TRIUMPH BOBBER, FROM $22,700 RIDE AWAY Tested last issue and heaps of fun, Triumph’s Bobber has more traditional style, similar performance and works well. But you can’t get an auto and it only has one seat. INDIAN SCOUT, FROM $19,995 RIDE AWAY Heavier than a CMX yet still easy to ride, all of the Indian Scout models offer American style and an excellent quality of finish. The Honda feels more sprightly. HARLEY-DAVIDSON SOFTAIL STANDARD, FROM $21,495 RIDE AWAY The least expensive of the big-bore Harleys in a surprisingly compact package. Doesn’t offer the tech of the Honda and doesn’t pretend to even try.…

“…A GOOD SURFACE, NICELY CAMBERED CORNERS…” If you’re looking for a weekender or you’re on tour around NSW, Bundanoon is worth a visit for its history, the nearby Morton National Park and the great roads in the district. From open sweepers to switchback hairpins, from expansive vistas to waterfalls and wildlife, there’s a lot to see and ride in the region. It’s part of the NSW Southern Highlands so it can be cool at any time of the year, but often doesn’t get as hot as the coastal and western regions. If you’re coming from north of Sydney, you can go around the Blue Mountains and hit the freeway at Goulburn; from there it’s a short strop to Bundanoon. From the west you’re also aiming firstly for Goulburn. A great…

There’s nothing quite like a pair of bright-red lights to give you pause, to make you think... in this case, maybe I’m a bit close to the vehicle I’m following. I was riding a BMW F 900 XR equipped with Ride Vision, a rider alert system designed to provide info about what’s going on around you. Electronic technology making riders safer has been with us for decades, probably from the first ABS systems of the 1980s. Jump forward to today and some bikes are being fitted with adaptive cruise control, electronics including radar which attempts to maintain the following distance to the vehicle in front rather than simply maintain a given speed. But motorcycle manufacturers haven’t adopted some of the electronics that warn riders of potential threats; many motorcars now…

There’s nothing like the feel of a good leather jacket, and the Merlin Cambrian takes it a step further with a waxed finish for top-level style and feel. Made from 1.0-1.1mm cowhide leather, perforated in the front, back and sleeves and with zippered vents too, the Cambrian provides heaps of ventilation to stay cool. Merlin-branded snap studs feature on the collar, wrists and hem, while quilted-leather shoulders and forearms round out the retro styling. A number of pockets both externally and internally provide plenty of space to carry items, and riders have two options of connecting jeans: a short connection zip or a Euro jacket-to-jean connector strap. Available in sizes 38-50. MORE INFO: Available at better bike shops everywhere PRICE: RRP $499.95 MORE INFO MERLIN JACKET links.roadrider.com.au/164Merlin…

“...A MOTORCYCLE RIDE FROM THE UKRAINE TO ISRAEL UTILISING DNEPR MB650 SIDECARS...” Riding around the ACT and neighbouring NSW on a Suzuki V-Strom 650 XT with a bright-yellow Watsonian GP Manx sidecar attached always attracts attention. Complete strangers at service stations come up and ask, “Can I take a photo?” or offer compliments: “Wow! that’s so cool”, “I love it”. “Hey! Can I have a ride in that?” a lady in a car next to me at a red light once yelled. The outfit attracts even more attention with my lifesize Pink Panther riding in the chair – especially when dressed for the Distinguished Gentleman’s Ride or as a Christmas elf in the MRA Xmas Toy Run. Fellow members of the Veteran Vintage and Classic Motorcycle Club who have witnessed…

MV AGUSTA SUPERVELOCE AGO He holds more world titles than anyone else, more race wins and still rides, despite being nearly 80. Giacomo Agostini is a living legend and a nice guy, too. Most of his world titles were won riding MV Agusta four-stroke machines, and the company is paying tribute to the legend with a limited-edition machine, the Superveloce Ago. MV Agusta has built 311 machines, one for each race win. The first 15 are dedicated to the 15 world titles won in his spectacular racing career (it’s a shame these are all likely to end up as collectors’ items and hardly ridden, but that’s just what happens these days). Each bike features a kit including an Arrow three-exit exhaust system (homologated for road use) which is immediately recognisable…

It’s difficult, if not impossible, to completely avoid a boring straight road on the way to Lightning Ridge, but the journey is rewarding in many other ways: huge expanses of uninterrupted views left, right, forward, backwards and up is just one of them. Another is three drinking holes within a few kilometres, not because we wanted to drink a lot while visiting the opal fields that made Lightning Ridge so famous, but for the characters, the landscape, the machinery and even the art. Stanley awaits as you approach The Ridge (as many of the locals call the town) if you come from the south. Stanley is a massive emu sculpture made from girders (legs), Volkswagen Beetles (body) and other bits and pieces for the neck and head. I especially like…

While no-one who has taken in the svelte and sexy lines of an Italian Superbike would describe any adventure bike as sexy, KTM has done a good job of making the latest Adventure S attractive. Even the most ardent traditionalist would struggle to find a curve that doesn’t excite or a projection that flattens it. And nothing can flatten it. To go with the beauty there’s plenty of brawn. What an engine! Lots of excitement on tap here. This is an engine that kicks you straight in the adrenal gland. After ignoring everything about “low-power delivery rate modes” and “specifically tuned off-road traction control” in the pre-ride briefing from a very patient KTM staffer, I put the keyless transponder (KTM calls it the Race On system) in the handy little…

Arguably the biggest improvement in motorcycle technology over the past 50 years has been in braking systems. Tyres come close, but that’s an argument best had at the bar. From the mechanical side, the technology started with the then state-of-the-art single-piston caliper and solid disc on Honda’s iconic 1969 CB750 (which actually wasn’t very good, with some believing a good drum brake would have been better, especially in the wet). Now there are four-piston radial-mount calipers gripping race-car-size discs... and there are two of them. There’s so much braking power it’s possible to lock the front wheel at any speed. The challenge now is determining the maximum braking force possible before wheel lock occurs. Rider skill is a big factor here, but it’s also a limitation. Even GP riders occasionally…

Unlike most automobiles (which use a planetary gearset automatic transmission), Honda’s Dual Clutch Transmission is essentially an automated manual transmission. DCT has been around since 2010, with more than 100,000 riders choosing to pay the extra $1000 or so for the convenience of the system. It uses two clutches: one for start-up and 1st, 3rd and 5th, the other for 2nd, 4th and 6th, with the mainshaft for each clutch located inside the other for compactness. The illustration shows each clutch and the gearset it controls in red and blue. The advantages of using a Dual Clutch Transmission are numerous: it’s easy to build the same bike with a conventional gearbox, engine braking is retained, and paddle shifting can be incorporated easily. In automatic mode, shifting schedules are dictated by…

The new Pan Am landed in the Strapz driveway recently and the owner was more than happy to allow us to use it to design our soft pannier support frame. The plan was to ensure both rider and pillion have plenty of luggage space. The straps of our Avduro panniers fit over or under the pillion seat so that the two-up capabilities of this grubby mile muncher can be fully utilised. Although the frame set accommodates most “throw over” saddle bags, we reckon — naturally — that Andy Strapz Avduro panniers are the best choice. The weight of the luggage is taken on the seat, so we are able to design them strong but light. We’ve carefully considered stress and impact areas, applying lessons learnt from 15 years of making…

EMAIL YOUR BIKE PHOTOS TO ROADRIDER@UMCO.COM.AU 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. If you’re the winner…