Innholdsfortegnelse for Issue 167 i Australian Road Rider

Expect to pay more for your next new bike than you thought. A combination of high international demand, inflation, chip shortages and spikes in the cost of freight are all combining to push the prices of bikes up, some quite considerably. In this issue we test the Harley-Davidson Road Glide ST, which is $44,995, a three grand premium over the Road Glide Special … a model which is over three grand more than the same bike a few years back. Another touring bike, the Honda Gold Wing Tour Premium, has increased in price by around $10,000 in recent years – it’s received some upgrades in that time, but the price increases aren’t about the improvements. Does this mean you should bring forward a buying decision, get one now while you…

Possibly the most sensible, affordable and practical electric motorcycle is being released and no, you can’t have one. LiveWire, the electric motorcycle company which has been spun off from Harley-Davidson to do its own thing, has come up with the S2 Del Mar, a relatively affordable machine priced at a little over $20,000 Australian dollars, but it’s being built as a US model only. The S2 Del Mar features a targeted output of 80 horsepower (59.6 kW), and less than 200kg of weight, delivering projected 0- to-60 mph times of 3.5 seconds or less. The Del Mar’s range in city riding is targeted to be 160 kilometres. “The S2 Del Mar model represents the next step in the evolution of the LiveWire brand, ” says Jochen Zeitz, Chairman, President and…

The forest road slowly descended into the valley, offering spectacular views for 30km. We ride for the roads, of course, but great views are another reason to get out there on a bike. A sheer embankment hung above the road on the other. Soon it was getting steeper, the washouts deeper – this was rapidly degrading from ‘good dirt road’ to ‘snotty unmaintained trail’ much quicker than I expected. There were signs indicating things might turn properly ugly. Track damage from 4WDs was increasing. Those who’ve done off road work know one of the nightmare scenarios is descending a brutal hill only to find there’s no way forward … resulting in a non-negotiable backtrack up the hill. It’s worse when 4WDs have suffered the same fate – and winched themselves…

BMW F 850 GS We think the BMW F 850 GS Adventure Rally is the Norden’s closest competition. Its design objectives, specifications and price are in the same ballpark as the Norden. Both bikes have their strengths and will suit slightly different riders. The Norden is a smaller, more powerful and (looking at the specs) more agile bike. The suspension spec is similar. The BMW offers a couple of additional features, a longer fuel range and a longer warranty. Without wanting to oversimplify it, the BMW is possibly a better choice for larger riders who like to cruise, the Norden is a good choice for riders who like to get aggressive from time to time. For shorter riders, the Norden is a lay down misère. YAMAHA TENERE 700 More of…

YAMAHA FJR1300 – FROM $32,649 RIDE AWAY The venerable FJR is the only other shaftdriven, pannier-equipped sports tourer left on the market. It’s quite a lot cheaper than the RT but doesn’t have quite the level of bling and tech, but it’s still a very capable mileeating, hard-charging machine. HONDA NT1100 – PRICE TBA Lighter, more compact and not as protective as the BMW, but a brand new model with the proven Africa Twin engine. Sportier than the RT in style and lighter, but nowhere near as well featured. SUZUKI GSX-S1000GT – FROM $20,590 RIDE AWAY The bargain of 2022, the GT offers performance, carrying capacity and style for a fraction of the price of the RT. WORTH A LOOK Other sporty tourers which you might like to consider include…

Riding a motorbike is visceral, engaging and emotive. We all enjoy the feel of that power through the seat of our pants. Some of us enjoy it more than others – racers are addicted to outright speed and have the skill to keep it all upright right on the edge. Others like to just tour and take in the freedom of riding. Some think there’s nothing better than going on a long ride – just you and your bike. When you have found the bike that fits you and your motorcycling bent you become attached to it. A good mate who I go riding with a lot reckons that me and Big Red are one. We mould into each other. Big Red, my 14-year-old BMW R 1200 GS Adventure, has…

BMW S 1000 XR Four cylinders, sports bike wheels, an adrenalin rush at the twist of a throttle. A genuine sportsbike for the road rather than the track, because it’s got great suspension. Cheaper than the Multistrada. KTM 1290 ADVENTURE S Lots of tech, powerful and designed as a genuine adventure bike – still big and heavy though. Twin-cylinder LC8 engine is torquey and powerful and the right people can get more from it than the factory supplies out of the crate. TRIUMPH TIGER 1200 Three pots and either a 20L or 30L tank depending on which model you choose. The GT models have 19-inch front wheels, 150-odd horsepower, radar, 7-inch TFT, shaft drive and are 25kg lighter than the old models. Haven’t ridden one yet, but at ARR we’re…

Aussie tech start-up Forcite has released the Mk1S, an updated version of its groundbreaking smart helmet. The new was available for pre-orders, priced at $1299, with deliveries expected to start in June. “Where others use clumsy clip-ons to shoehorn tech into their helmets, we’ve honed every part of the Forcite MK1S to create the next generation of smart helmet,” says company founder and CEO Alfred Boyadgis. “We captured thousands of points of on-road feedback sent in by Forcite MK1 riders. Our design engineers used this info to craft more luxurious padding, high-end audio and to improve camera quality in the Forcite MK1S. Our rider alert system and peripheral LED display is even more dialled into real time road conditions, helping riders keep themselves safe. These are the most advanced Forcite…

Combining modern technology with hand-crafted traditional motorcycle building, Royal Enfield has built just 480 limited edition Interceptor and Continental GT motorcycles to celebrated its 120th Anniversary. Of the 480, just 60 are coming to Australia, priced at $13,990 (ride away) for the Interceptor and $1000 more for the Continental GT... but you can’t have one. They sold out within minutes of going on sale... but then again, talk to your dealer. Lots of pre-orders get cancelled. Royal Enfield describes the bikes as “Stunning, anniversary edition Interceptor and Continental GT 650s with a rich black-chrome colour scheme and handcrafted brass tank badges that proudly represent the brand’s 120-year journey. “Conceptualised and designed in celebration of Royal Enfield’s rich and storied legacy, the motorcycles present a unique opportunity for global enthusiasts to…

“… COMING TO A SLIDING STOP RIGHT IN FRONT OF A PARKED CAR.” Forty-eight is a peculiar age to die. Too old to say you haven’t had a good crack at life but there’s so much more to do … Strange what comes to mind as death approaches in the form of a truck heading straight at me as I attempt to overtake another truck. They are two of thousands of trucks I need to dodge on this busy, potholed web of country roads that collectively pass for a national highway in North Sumatra, the largest of Indonesia’s 17,508 islands. I’m heading to the Aceh Special District, a semi-autonomous province on the far western tip of Indonesia with a long history of insurgency, deadly tsunamis and, for the past 15…

I have a mate in a powerful position. His job is to assess roads. Not only that, he’s a motorcyclist. He rang me all excited about a recently sealed road in Victoria’s biking Nirvana. He’d just come back from assessing it and his words were, “get up there and ride it before everyone finds out”. At our regular Friday afternoon ‘church’ in Dingleberry’s shed, surrounded by his collection of red Ducatis, I floated the idea of a ride to the new road. A month has gone by and as usual, we haven’t been able to align the planets and convince our better halves that a ride into the high country is essential. So, I’ve saddled up my old Kawasaki GTR 1000 I appropriately call the blunt instrument and gone solo.…

“ICELAND IS NEARLY AS BIG AS TASMANIA, YET HAS ONLY TWO-THIRDS THE POPULATION...” The first few kilometres felt like hell: a white blanket of snow, crushed flat by cars, killed visibility and traction while making the temperature very cold. Maybe Iceland in the winter wasn’t such a great idea after all. We, the two Alessandros, were heading from the capital, Reykjavík, to the village of Vík í Mýrdal, on a pair of Ducati Multistrada V4s. In Vík í Mýrdal we based ourselves for two nights, taking advantage of the days to have fun with our Multistrada V4s and fully immerse ourselves in Icelandic nature, which with its magical scenery never ceases to amaze: stacks and cliffs that the waves seem to want to devour, beaches of black sand like coal,…

Back in ARR issue #165 we published a Whatz New article* about Wilbers Nivomat suspension, a system which offers selflevelling operation with improved comfort and handling for big American tourers and selected sports-touring machines. The importer, Suspensions R Us, was keen for ARR to review a set and offered a discount if we could find a suitable bike and owner. The idea intrigued us enough so that we contacted a friend, Michael Curtis, to see if he’d like to try a set on his 2021 Street Glide. Michael reviewed the information and watched the videos available about the suspension online, them decided to make the purchase – even with a discount they weren’t cheap. He was impressed the first time he rode the bike after fitment, but was positively raving…

I saw them just in time. The kangaroos appeared out of the trees on my left-hand side and bounded across the road in front of me. In the pitch black of night near West Wyalong in NSW, it was only because I had a spotlight mounted on the left crash bar that I was able to see them ahead of my weak high beam. Things seemed to go into slow motion as I swerved onto the edge of the bitumen just behind the mob’s last kangaroo, all the while praying that none would turn back or any more would jump out to follow them. And then I was past them. My mate Steve was riding behind me and told me later he was sure that we would come to grief.…

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 and you haven’t already hear us,…

During the pandemic motorcyclists ferried doctors and nurses to visit the ill who were isolating at home as well as delivering clothing, food and other necessities to people in need in the poorer parts of Sydney, using a team of sidecar-equipped bikes. That was over 100 years ago as the Spanish Flu tore through the country. As we started to open up recently from the COVID-19 pandemic, the modern equivalent of that group of riders, Bloodbikes, replicated the iconic image. In late March a group of motorcyclists rolled up outside the former Department of Education building on the corner of Bridge and Young Streets in Sydney to take an historic photograph. It was outside this very building that a team of volunteer bikers known as SOS Motorcycles was photographed more…

It was to be my first long ride in years, 1000km over three days with stopovers in Orange and Bribbaree in the NSW Central West. My travelling buddies were Harpo on a new Streetfighter V4S and Slim on his new-for-him BMW. If only I hadn’t dropped my bike before I’d even got it out of the shed. All my toys live in a large tin shed with a soft, uneven dirt floor. When I work on my bikes, I wheel them onto the firm gravel driveway outside and in the Ducati’s case, place it on a paddock stand. It’s also how I pack for a trip. I’ve resisted the urge to ever fit a luggage rack to any of my bikes (that’s what the pillion seat is for) and having…

The conga line of Teutonic twins wound its way along a tortured road through the landscape, travelling at a blissful, brisk pace. I was in the middle, watching the ride captain dropping gears approaching the next hairpin, his 1301cc engine crackling as he did so. He expertly flicked it into the corner – and was gone. Then it was my turn, the Bavarian big boy responding instantly to weight shift and counter steer, darting into the corner like a sports bike with love handles. As the apex passed, the bike in front re-appeared … as a rapidly shrinking dot! Power was wound on, the bike stood up as 143Nm of torque thrust the RT forward. The rider ahead stopped shrinking … and started growing. Most R 1250 RTs will never…

“… LOTS OF TURNS AND ELEVATION CHANGES.JUST THE SORT OF ROAD WE LIKE.” Twisty bitumen with an open road speed limit, light on traffic and good on visibility are a rare combination, and getting rarer in New South Wales, but the Bylong Valley Way (BVW) is one such motorcycle road. Many changes in elevation are encountered while crossing the Great Dividing Range, so when the BVW was sealed a couple of decades ago the road builders were forced to build lots of corners as it winds up and down the valley walls. In the years after it was sealed it was a sports rider’s paradise, offering the potential for high speed runs in relative safety with a low risk of prosecution. These days its condition isn’t nearly as good and…

Sports mode on the V4 S is nuts. So much fun: 170 horsepower on tap to loft the front wheel, charge between corners, give sportsbikes a serious hurry-up … the adrenaline rush is amazing. This is a high-power Ducati, and it shows. It’s seriously fast, fast enough for fun days at racetracks – yet slip it into Enduro mode and it’ll happily charge down dirt roads. Performance, versatility and then there’s touring ability, especially if you add the optional panniers. And it’s Ducati red. And it’s actually pretty good looking … for an adventure bike. But how much of an adventure bike is the Multistrada V4? Ducati has been building Multistradas for decades. The early models, powered by the old air cooled L-twins, were as ugly as anything I can…

Had it with the spouse? Want something for yourself, to take on the open road, to enjoy the blast of a big American V-twin, to feel the grunt of 172Nm of Milwaukee torque? Welcome to the ‘Sports Touring’ single seat bagger, a premium Harley you don’t have to share, the Road Glide ST. Solo you might not need more luggage capacity than the pair of hard cases mounted to the Road Glide, so you can roll along on one of the most stylish, dare I say ‘minimalist’ Harley baggers ever produced. Describing a machine of nearly 400kg with boxes and a frame-mounted fairing as minimalist is, well, nuts, but Harley has pared down the machine compared to some of its all-singing, all dancing touring models. For a start, there’s the…

Even with a touring bike like the Yamaha FJR1300, over time seat comfort will degrade as the foam sags out and compresses. In my case that’s after having an overweight Australian arse parked on it for over 30,000km – and that’s on top of the 40,000-odd covered by previous owners. After recommendations from local friends, I took the seat to Newcastle Custom Trim in Gateshead, where business owner Mitch Samson and I discussed what I wanted to achieve. The most important thing for me was increased comfort, but raising the seat height so there’s more footpeg to seat distance would also improve riding comfort, because that would mean less bend in the knees... which is possibly the opposite to what most customers want, a lower seat so they can get…

When Suzuki announced the GSX-S1000GT I was excited to say the least. To secure the new model you had to pre-order the bike with Suzuki on-line and wait six months until the release date, but at least as an incentive you received free heated grips with the bike. I had previously owned the 2020 GSX-1000F despite it not having all the features I was looking for in a sports-tourer – I’d even considered buying a Yamaha FJR1300. The new model had features I was looking for that the previous model didn’t: cruise control, bi-directional quick shift, ride-by-wire electronic throttle system, five stage (plus ‘off’) traction control, 19L fuel tank, Suzuki’s first 6.5-inch full-colour TFT LCD multi-information display panel, better aerodynamics and wind protection, (optional) hard side cases, and all amazingly…