Innholdsfortegnelse for Issue 170 i Australian Road Rider

UPFRONT DUCATI GOES MUSCULAR Winning the MotoGP rider, team and manufacturer titles, enjoying huge sales world-wide and announcing faster, more muscular models for 2023, Ducati is more successful than ever. Francesco ‘Pecco’ Bagnia is the company’s second MotoGP champion, 15 long years after its first, Australian Casey Stoner. Despite often having the most bikes on the grid and the most highly prized riders, Ducati struggled for success in the rider’s championship until 2022, and even then it didn’t look good, Bagnia being forced to make the biggest comeback in MotoGP history after being 91 points down on Frenchman Fabio Quartararo mid-season. The Yamaha man’s run in the second half of the season and Bagnia’s run of form combined to take the season down to the wire at Valencia in Spain,…

When you’re young you go where your parents take you. In your teens there’s the ubiquitous right-ofpassage pub crawl, then on bikes the smart ones ride between cafes, not hangovers. For many of us travel then becomes riding between towns, then cities and even across continents. If travel broadens the mind, motorcycles move your soul. And somewhere along the way we realise the wonderful modern bike you once owned is now running around on classic rego, and you wish you’d never sold it. Alas, I’m as guilty as anyone… I’ve bought and sold more bikes than I can remember, but letting my Moto Guzzi Le Mans and Ducati 851 out from my grasp, yeah, that was tough. So we start visiting museums, and there’s that shock when you see a…

ROAD RIDER TEST 2022 SUZUKI GSX-S1000GT “THE TFT DASH IS A BIG STEP FORWARD…” It was late in the day on a lazy Sunday afternoon. The shadows were growing as the GSX-S descended the Oxley Highway, taking me down the great divide. Despite breakfast being 350km earlier, I was fresh and focussed to take on the unrelenting turns down the mountain, able to enjoy the lack of traffic, the smooth blacktop. It was a perfect example of what sports-tourers are built for — long distances and twisty roads. Suzuki’s new GSX-S1000GT has arrived, delayed by COVID-19 and strong demand around the world for a fast, capable and affordable sports-tourer at a time where the class has been on the wane. VALUE AND PRICE The GT follows a clever design path…

ARR TRAVEL ALBANIA Avast, phenomenal mountain range in Albania’s north, the Accursed Mountains, draw their name from the legend of a woman and her two children who fled from the Ottoman Turk invasion in the 14th century. The more they walked, the higher the mountains rose. Being July, the hottest month of the year, the snowfall had melted and there wasn’t a drop of water in sight. As the sun beat down, their lips became cracked and burned. The children begged for water but there was nothing the woman could do to relieve their pain. Before they perished she cried out: “Mountains, may you never have water! May cloud darken you! May flame burn you!” Nearly 700 years have since passed but the curse still grips the Accursed Mountains and…

TRIUMPH ROCKET 3 GT, FROM $36,550 RIDE AWAY The British idea of a cruiser with some touring ability, although it lacks the weather protection and panniers of the Low Rider ST. Stonking three-cylinder motor, stunning looks and 221 Nm of torque makes this bike very special. BMW R 18 B, FROM $37,950 RIDE AWAY A little bigger and heavier than the Harley, but still a cruiser with a half fairing and standard panniers. It’s also got mid-set controls, handles like you’d expect from BMW and is price-competitive with the Low Rider ST.…

SMARTPHONES, COMMUNICATION AND NAVIGATION FEATURE “…I’M NOT ONE OF THOSE PEOPLE WHO HAS THEIR HEAD IN SOCIAL MEDIA A DOZEN TIMES A DAY BUT I DO USE MY iPHONE A LOT…” I use my Apple iPhone 12 Pro to control my GoPro, garage door and cameras. It plays music, podcasts, and often provides directions. It warns me about police traps and tells me the speed limit, and now Apple is promoting how the new iPhone 14 will work as an emergency location device, communicating to satellites in certain situations, although that’s USA-only for now. It also drives me bonkers trying to get everything to work together. Elsewhere in these pages you’ll find a review of two Sena communications devices — the 50C and 50S. We’ve been using them not just…

DUNGOG, NSW ARR DESTINATIONS “TWISTY ROADS, GREAT SCENERY AND LOTS OF PLACES ALONG THE WAY TO TAKE IN THE COUNTRYSIDE…” The Australian Road Rider crew visit Dungog quite frequently; it’s one of the towns on some of our testing loops — relatively close to home, yet offering some challenging roads and good scenery. The roads around Dungog are a bit rough and ready. The Council is struggling to keep them in good condition — simply not enough ratepayers in the area. Luckily the region hasn’t been as hard-hit as many others though, so it’s a good time to visit. Lying due north of Newcastle and around 50km inland from the Pacific Highway, Dungog offers the potential for an excellent day’s ride from as far south as Wollongong or the Queensland…

The crew at Andy Strapz has released a soft pannier frame set for the 2022 Tiger 1200s. Although the frame set accommodates most ‘throw-over’ bags and all Andy Strapz Pannier systems, the Avduro Panniers are recommended. Designed to support throw-over bags that have the weight of the luggage on the seat, they are strong but light. “We’ve carefully considered stress and impact areas, applying lessons learnt from 15 years of making our support frames here in Victoria.” They can be fitted in minutes and can be removed when not travelling and can be used with or without the pillion peg brackets. Mild steel, powder-coated satin black rack with stainless bolts comes in at just 2kg. Add a set of our 35 litre a side Avduro Panniers for a luggage system…

There are three sports-tourers tested in this issue, which I would normally try to avoid. Australian Road Rider readers are a diverse bunch and I like to try to offer bikes from different categories in each issue, but sometimes there are not a lot of options. This time, however, is different: each of the bikes featured is a variant on a different model from within each manufacturer’s range and they are so different from each other I believe you’ll enjoy each review. Indeed, if you’re in the market for a sports-tourer, I don’t think you’ll have trouble choosing between the bikes. First up, Suzuki’s GSX-S1000GT. Based on the naked roadster we first rode last year and priced at well under 20K, it’s a ripper. Proven four-cylinder engine, modern (but not…

UPFRONT TRIUMPH CHROME Triumph has announced a new generation of Street Triple models, with updates and improvements in performance and handling coming from its involvement in Moto2, and for 2023 only, 10 Chrome Collection models. The new Street Triple 765 range — R, RS and now including the Moto2 Edition — are performance streetfighter sports machines with powerful engines in lightweight packages. Even the base-model ‘R’ produces 118hp, while both the RS and Moto2 have a claimed output of 128hp, all while pushing around under 190kg. The three models are differentiated by various levels of specification, and the Moto2 version is a limited-edition model featuring grand prix branding, carbon-fibre bodywork, different handlebars, Öhlins front forks and other changes from the RS. The RS gets the 128hp motor and an Öhlins…

ROAD RIDER TEST HONDA NT1100 SPECIFICATIONS ENGINE Type: SOHC liquid-cooled 4-stroke 8-valve Parallel Twin with 270° crank Capacity: 1084cc Compression ratio: 10.1:1 Engine management: PGM-FI electronic fuel injection PERFORMANCE Claimed maximum power: 75kW at 7500rpm Claimed maximum torque: 104Nm at 6250rpm Fuel Consumption: 5L/100km (20km/L) TRANSMISSION Type: 6-speed manual transmission or 6-speed dual clutch transmission DCT (optional) Final drive: Chain Clutch: Wet, multiplate clutch CHASSIS AND RUNNING GEAR Chassis: Semi double cradle Front suspension: Showa 43mm SFF-BP type inverted telescopic fork with dial-style preload adjuster, 150mm stroke Rear suspension: Monoblock aluminium swing arm with Pro-Link with SHOWA gas-charged damper, hydraulic dial-style preload adjuster, 150mm axle travel Front brakes: Radial-mounted four-piston brake caliper, 310mm floating double disc Rear brake: Single-piston caliper, 256mm Tyres: F: 120/70R17 R: 180/55R17 DIMENSIONS AND CAPACITIES Rake: 26.5°…

KAWASAKI VERSYS 1000, $22,196 More of an all-road, heavier-duty option with a touring riding position and IMU electronic package. Suspension has less adjustment, engine has less power (but copes with low-octane gas) and there’s more weight than the GT. Despite all that, they’re good machines, as we found in our June 2020 test (Issue 155). Unfortunately, we no longer get the impressive electronic suspension version. HONDA NT1100, $23,251 RIDE AWAY (DCT $24,290) It’s nice to see Big Red offering a big-bore sportstourer again. The NT is based on the Africa Twin and that’s a good thing (especially with DCT gearbox). Check out the test in this issue. KAWASAKI NINJA 1000SX, $19,159 RIDE AWAY The Suzuki’s closest competitor, in terms of price, bike layout and features. The biggest differences are that…

HARLEY-DAVIDSON LOW RIDER ST ROAD RIDER TEST SPECIFICATIONS ENGINE Type: Milwaukee-Eight 117. Pushrodoperated, overhead valves with hydraulic, self-adjusting lifters; four valves per cylinder Capacity: 1923cc Compression ratio: 10.2:1 Engine management: Electronic Sequential Port Fuel Injection (ESPFI) PERFORMANCE Claimed maximum power: 103hp (77kW) @ 4750rpm Claimed maximum torque: 169Nm @ 3500rpm TRANSMISSION Type: 6-speed, chain primary drive Final drive: toothed belt Clutch: Mechanical, 10 plate wet, assist & conventional CHASSIS AND RUNNING GEAR Chassis: Mild steel, tubular frame; rectangular section backbone; stamped, cast and forged junctions; MIG welded; aluminium forged fender supports. Front suspension: Single cartridge 43mm inverted with aluminium fork triple clamps; single rate spring. 130mm wheel travel Rear suspension: Hidden, free piston, coilover monoshock; 56mm stroke; hydraulic preload adjustment. 112mm wheel travel Front brakes: Twin discs with 4-piston calipers…

ARR FEATURE SAIGON SCOOTERS “…BULLETS HAD STARTED FLYING AS WARRING FORCES CLASHED…” On a suburban street on the outskirts of Ho Chi Minh City is the Saigon Scooter Centre, the only 100 per cent foreignowned scooter shop in Vietnam and a treasure trove of machines, parts and memorabilia. Saigon, of course, is what the city was called before the war, and still to this day how many locals refer to it. That historical connection is also relevant because the owner, Englishman Pat Joynt, is passionate about old scooters and is part of the reason he lives half a world away from where he grew up. It is said that the things most likely to make changes in life are the books read and the people one meets. Joynt was just…

The sign said “Beware of bears, stay in your car”. That’s fine if you have a car but on Big Red!? We were riding through a national park in Canada. Beautiful day to be on the bike, cruising along and about to cross a bridge over a stream. Cars are banked up with people out taking photos when we see everyone scramble to get back in their cars. A wild bear is strolling across the bridge. Too late to turn around. The pillion in a million grabs at the camera that sits on my hip. The bear gets closer and is eyeing off the fresh meat behind their doors and windows. The bike, being a little different, grabs his attention. I snick it into first gear and tell the pillion…

Motorcycle communicators have come a long way since the early units of a decade ago, with the 50 series the pinnacle of Sena’s maturing capable and versatile units. They do a lot more than communicate between riders these days though: integration with your smartphone or GPS unit is extensive, they can connect to bikes with Bluetooth, CarPlay or Android Auto and now offer mesh intercom that provides greater range and clarity than in the past. Sena gave the pair to Australian Road Rider for review with the warning: "There’s a learning curve." I’ve tried communications units in the past and been generally unimpressed. Complicated to set up, terrible battery life, awful range and poor sound quality have all been characteristics… and all have been addressed in the current models. The…

THAT BIKE OF YOURS MOTUL CARE PACK WINNER SUBMIT YOUR PIC Scan the QR code or go to: links.roadrider.com.au/TBOY…

UPFRONT HONDA CB750 Honda’s roadster naked, the Hornet, is back in 2023, this time powered by a new 270-degree 755cc parallel twin. The new CB750 Hornet will offer 90hp and 75Nm while pushing just 190kg of weight around — a great formula for good performance. Australian Road Rider believes the bike will be priced very competitively, aimed to compete with Yamaha’s MT-07HO, which is priced at $13,599. Usability and sportiness are the “signature elements”of the new Hornet, which ARR understands to mean it’s got to look good, from the hornet wing-inspired tank design to affordable sporting capability without sacrificing comfort and practicality. Powered by a short-stroke engine with an offset firing order of 270 degrees, the new bike leans heavily on Honda’s Unicam technology in the head while a gear-driven…

UPFRONT KAWASAKI KLX230SM Already in stores is the new Kawasaki KLX230SM, a Supermoto commuter that Australian Road Rider believes would make a superb first bike for those just starting to take to the road. Priced at just $7494 (plus dealer delivery, insurance and government charges) for the Lime Green model and $100 more for the Ebony version, the new machine is an inexpensive way to get around. With its easyto-use single-cylinder air-cooled engine, road bike wheels and tyres, a super-light wet weight and a low purchase price, the KLX230SM ticks a lot of boxes for young riders. Based on the popular KLX230S trail bike, the SM version has different suspension, wheels, front brake, final gearing and footpegs to go with the Supermoto styling. Designed to be nimble in traffic and…

I’d left the freeway behind and was riding a ridgeback road, valleys falling away either side as the twisting road swung left and right as it followed the ancient hill down from its peak. The NT1100 was in its element, fast touring on country roads — comfortable, quick and trustworthy. I could do this all day. In 40 years of riding I’ve forced all sorts of bikes to become tourers. I’ve carried camping gear on a Moto Guzzi Le Mans III, I’ve crossed the Nullarbor on a Yamaha FZ750 and melted throw-over saddlebags into numerous exhaust systems. If you have a motorcycle, you can go touring — but some bikes will be more suitable than others. Manufacturers noticed this decades ago and the sports-tourer was born, although its definition has…

INDIA/HIMALAYAS PART 1 ARR TOURING I saw the big Tata truck about the same moment I saw Dean swerving to avoid the 10-ton mobile Bollywood display. A head-on collision would have been disastrous, but Dean deftly avoided tragedy with some skilful riding. I was behind Dean at the time and I did that sharp intake of breath people do when they see disaster unfolding before them but are unable to do anything about it, yet it turned out OK. We hadn’t yet done 100km of riding in India, but I’d seen one of the closest calls in years. We were in India to ride the roof of the world, some of the highest mountain passes which exist — a bunch of them all well over 5000m — in the Himalayas,…

ROAD RIDER TEST 2022 SUZUKI GSX-S1000GT SPECIFICATIONS ENGINE Type: Liquid-cooled, 4-stroke, DOHC, 4-valve, In-Line 4-cylinder Capacity: 999cc Power: 150HP, 152PS, 112kW Torque: 106Nm @ 9250rpm Bore x stroke: 73.4 × 59mm Compression ratio: 12.2:1 Fuel system: Fuel injection Ignition: Digital TRANSMISSION Type: 6-speed Final drive: Chain Clutch: Wet multiplate, assist and slipper function CHASSIS AND RUNNING GEAR Chassis: Aluminium Swingarm: Aluminium Front suspension: Upside-down fork, compression, rebound, spring preload adjustment. 120mm travel Rear suspension: Linkage shock with rebound and preload adjustment. 130mm travel Front brakes: Brembo Monobloc radial-mount callipers, semi-floating dual discs, 310mm, ABS Rear brake: Nissin single-piston calliper, single 220mm disc, ABS Tyres: Front: 120/70ZR17 (58W); Rear: 190/50ZR17M/C (73W) ELECTRONIC RIDER AIDS Brake Control (ABS): Yes Engine power modes: 3 modes Traction Control: 5 Modes and off Engine Brake Control:…

HARLEY-DAVIDSON LOW RIDER ST ROAD RIDER TEST “…GREAT PERFORMANCE, CONFIDENCEINSPIRING HANDLING AND CRUISER STYLE” Carving through a sweeping right-hander at nearly double the posted recommended speed is fun on just about any motorcycle, but doing it on a Harley is usually accompanied by an underlying feeling of pushing the boundaries. Yes, some of our sportsbike readers will be scoffing now, thinking “double plus 10” over those black on yellow signs and that’s fine, but cruisers aren’t built to do that. Except with the Low Rider ST, it’s possible to come close. A couple of years ago it was one letter less, the Low Rider S, which I had on test… a bike which I then described as my favourite Harley ever. It’s since been eclipsed by the Pan American, but…

2022 KAWASAKI Z900 50TH ANNIVERSARY EDITION ROAD RIDER TEST “RED BULL IS NOT THE ONLY THING THAT GIVES YOU WINGS.” The Z900 was flying through the traffic. Its compact build, light weight and litre-class performance was seeing off the tradies with unrealistic expectations of their expensive utes, the delivery drivers desperate to make a contract with Uber, Amazon or some other multi-national, and the usual desperados trying to get their two-ton SUVs through Sydney like they were riding a scooter. None had a hope in hell of competing with a Z900; they didn’t 50 years ago and they sure as hell can’t now. Soon I’ve left the big city grind and it’s the winding road home, where the sharp-steering Z900 goes just where I point it. As I push harder,…

WHATZ NEW KLIM LATITUDE JACKET & PANTS With anything from snow to mid-20s weather possible and in one of the most remote places in the world, for my recent Himalayan tour I wanted versatile, protective and comfortable gear. Australian Road Rider decided on the Klim Latitude jacket and pants after consulting with the Klim importer, Adventure Moto. As a touring suit, the Latitude is lighter and less expensive than the most premium adventure jackets and pants in the Klim range, offering a package which still meets all my touring requirements — waterproofing, ventilation, safety, comfort and convenience. Klim incorporates genuine Gore-Tex into the shell of its jackets, eschewing removable liners. The Latitude has 2-layer Gore-Tex laminated to the outer shell for waterproofing, which is guaranteed to keep you dry. The…

A fortnight out from our muchawaited return to Phillip Island, feelings of excited anticipation were mixed with apprehension and foreboding. Given my recent medical history, the reality of riding more than 2500km over five days, including two 600km-plus stints on the way home, on a 30-year-old Ducati was starting to sink in and the long-range weather forecast was abysmal. Yet another deluge of Biblical proportion was on its way to southern NSW and Victoria, right on time for the MotoGP. As luck would have it, by sticking to a relatively eastern route through the Victorian high country, only one of our five riding days was wet, and one of the most exciting GP races in recent memory was held on Sunday afternoon in perfect conditions. So don’t believe everything the…