Innholdsfortegnelse for 181 i Australian Road Rider

The process is renewing itself. Over and over again I see it happen, year-in and year-out. We get into spring and new life is born — well, new bikes anyway, even if they only seem to be alive. I’m heading to the USA soon and I don’t even know what I’ll be riding yet. The manufacturer (it doesn’t matter which one, they all work the same way) keeps the model under wraps as long as possible, but they understand it’s difficult to disappear overseas for a week on a few weeks’ notice, so they send out a “save the date” notification, then a more formal invite. Usually, by the time you board the aeroplane you know what you’ll be riding, or at least what gear to bring — I’d hate…

UPFRONT ROYAL ENFIELD GUERRILLA 450 Royal Enfield has launched the Guerrilla, what would have once been considered a Big Single roadster. It’s the second bike to feature the Sherpa 450 liquid-cooled motor we’ve seen before in the current Himalayan, but this bike is aimed at street use, and as such it’s going to be compared to the big singles of “the old days”. There was a time when a 500cc singlecylinder motorcycle was not just considered large capacity, but also hit the sweet spot of weight, performance, handling and value… and in many ways we can see the Guerrilla doing the same thing, although for somewhat different reasons. The days of the 500cc single were post WWII until the 1960s. During that decade, twins became more reliable, affordable, and offered…

ROAD RIDER TEST 2024 YAMAHA MT-09 Yamaha’s MT-09 has been a crowd favourite for ages. One reason for its eternal appeal is Yamaha’s policy of regular upgrades to keep it relevant, and so it is with the MY 2024 bike. It’s easy to spot the new machine with its unmissable styling change to the headlight nacelle and bodywork, but the real change is an upgrade to the electronic package, now featuring an R1-derived six axis IMU. The outgoing model already had a good package with variable traction, wheelie and slide control. The latest incarnation improves again by offering rear-wheel back slip regulation (BSR), two fully customisable ride modes, a 5-inch TFT colour dash screen, and new software to control taking advantage of the IMU upgrade to offer finer control of…

ROAD RIDER TEST MY25 INDIAN SCOUT LAUNCH REPORT 26 E Fitzroy Street, Walcha NSW 2354 Enquiries: 0447 691 025 E: walchacafe@optusnet.com.au www.walcharoyalcafe.com.au FACILITIES • Dine in or takeaway • Healthy and tasty menu • Function room • Licensed bar • Excellent accommodation • Queen to single rooms to semi self-contained cottage • Lock up sheds Whether you are celebrating a special occasion, looking for a weekend escape or just a fantastic coffee, the Royal Café and accommodation is the perfect venue to exceed your every requirement. The Royal Café and Accommodation also caters for the motor bike and car enthusiasts with a fully secure yard and lock up shed and under cover parking. With the gateway to the famous Oxley Highway, Thunderbolts Way and the New England Highway right at…

ARR TRAVEL QUEENSLAND TO VICTORIA (ALMOST) CHUMPS already? Where the hell is Dalgety? Ahh, here it is, just north of the Victoristan border. Should be a good run. The Mighty Speed Triple had been retired from interstate express duties in favour of a BMW R 1150 GS I’d recently purchased. Ever since I bought it I’ve been convincing myself that GS BMWs are the 21st-century version of a Penny Farthing… once you’re in motion it’s all good, but the 0-5km/h and 5-0km/h zone are fraught with danger due to a combination of the mass, and the height of the centre of gravity. If it does start to tip, not very far off the vertical is where the point of no return lurks. Once you’ve over-familiarised yourself with it, there’s not…

Harley-Davidson Sportster S, from $23,995 Ride Away Stylish, different, yet full of heritage cues, the latest Sportster aims to be something similar to the R12 nineT: fast enough, modern, well equipped and good looking. It’s let down by short suspension travel and balloon tyres, but is priced affordably. Triumph Speed Twin 1200, from $21,990 Ride Away From the number of cylinders to the weight, retro style and performance, Triumph’s Speed Twin 1200 offers a lot for less money than the BMW… but the German bike has more tech. Kawasaki Z900RS, $17,677 plus rego, stamp duty and ctp ($19,108 Ride Away Sydney) Four cylinders, modern tech, high performance, classic style… the Z900RS offers up character and useable performance with a heavy dose of retro, while being much cheaper than the European…

ARR TRAVEL HOLIDAYING IN PHUKET The road was probably built for the resorts, but they hadn’t all been completed, so this winding piece of bitumen running through the coastal hills in the northern part of Thailand’s holiday island, Phuket, was deserted yet race-track smooth. The signage, however, was sparse, so I found myself testing the brakes of the Honda Forza scooter I’d hired, not the lightest of machines and a little constrained by the single front disc and being ridden faster than the design brief while two-up… but it was all good. I managed to keep the bike on the left-hand side of the road (no “wrong side” here) and didn’t even scrape anything… at least not too much. Phuket, Thailand, is certainly better known for its beaches, picturesque islands,…

ARR FEATURE GREAT TOURERS FOR OZ The idea of circumnavigating Australia by motorcycle has been haunting me for years — it’s been rising up the bucket list over time. But what to ride? A touring or adventure bike is the most obvious answer, but if you want something quicker and don’t want to get dirty, sportstourers are good, too. Physically smaller riders — especially those with less experience — may want something smaller and lighter too, so I’ve included a couple of ideas. BMW R 1300 GS ADVENTURE — FROM $33,160 RIDE AWAY Yep, it’s not the prettiest bike, and we haven’t ridden one yet, but we have ridden the R 1300 GS and a version with more fuel range and built to do the long haul. What could possibly…

Honda CB500, $10,751 The obvious contender, Honda’s 500 twins have been very successful and are great bikes, but a fair bit more expensive. USD forks though… Yamaha MT-03, $8349 Ride Away A bit smaller, but very capable nonetheless. Possibly due for a refresh for the 2025-model range. CFMOTO 450NK, $7790 Ride Away An impressive machine and hard to ignore. Very similar specs to the Kawasaki and worth considering. Royal Enfield Guerilla, Price TBA Brand new on the market, this single-cylinder bike from India runs the same engine as the Himalayan 450 in a roadster configuration.…

LA CORSA HARD SHELL BACKPACK WHATZ NEW A backpack big enough to take a helmet yet streamlined to provide a good riding experience makes for a much happier ride, and now La Corsa has introduced an affordable model so it’s time you got one. The La Corsa Hard Shell Backpack features an aerodynamic anti-drag design, is water resistant yet comes with a waterproof cover if the heavens open up, has a large 20-litre main compartment that expands to 30 litres for larger items like a helmet, and it can take your laptop, too, in its specific padded compartment. Also inside is dual elastic mesh designed for a drink bottle or shoes. There’s a lightweight hard shell made from heavy-duty water-resistant nylon and reinforced carbon PVC 1680D fabric, silver reflective piping…

Shoot, the front’s gone… relax, relax, relax… go with it, keep the elbows in. These were the thoughts running through my mind as the notorious Turn 1 at Sydney Motorsport Park claimed my scalp. I’d became a human land torpedo… traversing the gravel at 180km/h on the way to blowing a giant hole in my wallet! However, at times like these, one doesn’t think about money, it’s all about hoping the gear will do its job. When the dust settled (literally), I was lying 50m from the track and doing the dreaded mental body check one does… when one finally stops. Is there anything really hurting? No… I think I might be ok, thank goodness… I gingerly got up and went over to my stricken machine, noting I’d faired rather…

UPFRONT YAMAHA MT-09 Y-AMT Yamaha has tried paddle-shift automatic transmissions in the past, but the FJR1300-equipped bike from 20-odd years ago didn’t sell and was quickly discontinued. However, Honda’s ongoing success with its dual-clutch transmission is seeing Yamaha, along with numerous others, have another go. Unlike the Honda system, Yamaha’s is an “Automated Manual Transmission”, hence the moniker Y-AMT. It essentially uses a computer to take over the gearshifting role in automatic mode, or the rider controls the system through paddles on the left switchblock, telling the computer when to change. The clutch and gear levers are eliminated. Yamaha describe the system as follows: “Set to revolutionise the sport riding experience, Y-AMT allows riders to fully focus on the MT-09’s thrilling performance by redefining the process of changing gear to…

ARR TRAVEL TOURING THE USA The sign warned that the highway ahead was not patrolled. I wasn’t sure whether this was an invitation to do stupid speeds or a warning that if we got into trouble, we were on our own. I thought it was probably the latter. We were at the start of the Devil’s Highway in Arizona, 150km through rough backcountry with no services or settlements along the way. The highway had started in a mine where huge 400-ton trucks lumbered across the road in front of us, and now we were about to start climbing through hundreds of tight corners and switchbacks on a road described as “challenging” and by one website as “scary”. SAN FRAN Our road trip had commenced in San Francisco, California, a couple…

Aprilia Tuono 660, $22,600 Ride Away A smaller engine wrapped in a sophisticated chassis and an electronic package on the same level as the MT-09. A fun motorcycle with overall performance in the same league as the MT. Its biggest issue is the asking price and as we go to press, Aprilia is offering solid discounts to address that. CFMOTO 800NK Advanced, $11,490 Ride Away A smidgeon less performance without the IMU-supported chassis electronics. Besides that, it’s very well equipped and $6000 cheaper than its peers. We’ve not ridden it, but what we can say is… no CFMOTO we’ve ridden has disappointed, and it’s got a three-year warranty. KTM 990 DUKE, $20,090 Ride Away The third incarnation of the mid-size, twin-cylinder Duke. Although it’s in the same size and weight…

“…THIS BIKE REALLY DOES EXUDE LUXURY…” With the advanced technology BMW likes stuffing into its motorcycles, customising the modern versions can be fraught. Change the indicators and the electrical system might throw up errors, try to fit a different set of instruments and “bricking” the bike (locking up one or more electronics units) is possible. And as for modifying the chassis, BMW usually doesn’t make that easy. Despite this, there’s a large and passionate community of riders out there modifying their R nineT’s, and the new R 12 nineT should actually make their job easier; BMW has realised if it’s easier for owners to build the bike they want, they might buy German instead of going British (Triumph Speed Twin), Japanese (Kawasaki Z900RS) or American (Harley-Davidson Sportster S) in the…

ROAD RIDER TEST 2024 KAWASAKI Z500 Compact, lightweight, easy to ride and easy on the wallet, Kawasaki’s new Z500 naked is aimed squarely at new riders and commuters and is unlikely to disappoint — although here are Australian Road Rider we’d definitely recommend you find the extra bucks for the SE model with its extra features. For 2024, Kawasaki boosted capacity of the venerable parallel twin to 451cc and rounded that up to 500 for the bike’s name… the result is a more flexible powerplant that rides better at higher speeds, like freeways and country highways, although the bike is still at its best in an urban environment. For anyone looking for a cheap way to get into bike riding or to get to the office, the Z500 would make…

My ongoing efforts to find the ideal solution to onboard navigation and entertainment has led me to the Carpuride W702, a display which mounts to your bike to provide Apple CarPlay or Android Auto while you ride, and so far I’m pretty impressed. It’s obvious the phone manufacturers and software developers aren’t focussed on motorcyclists as using a phone while riding basically sucks. Even touch-enable gloves don’t work particularly well as the buttons and boxes displayed are often too small for a gloved finger anyway. They often require a headset simply to function and vibration can destroy smartphone cameras (the vibration breaks the image stabilisation system, something that has happened to my phone twice over four years). So I was pretty keen to try out the Carpuride when the manufacturer…

If you have a burning desire to travel the southernmost reaches of South America, a word of advice. Don’t wait. Do it. Weather dictates that the best time is summer of course, November to January, although even then snow flurries are common in the deep south. Two-wheeled travellers all make their way to the end of the world for one of the best international parties you can have — Christmas and New Year in Ushuaia. After collecting Big Red, the BMW GS, from Vina Del Mar in Chile, the mission is to get there in time and cram in the sites of Patagonia on the way. The region covers around one million square kilometres of both Chile and Argentina and has more penguins than people. The riding can be challenging,…

In the next issue of Australian Road Rider we will be publishing a test of the latest BMW XR, so we thought we’d have a look back at the earlier models of BMW’s crossover machine. Launched in 2015 — yes, that’s almost a decade ago — the S 1000 XR was just about everything I wanted in a road bike: powerful (160hp), comfortable (upright riding position), tourable (panniers were an option) and equipped with good suspension (long travel and good quality kit). Damn shame I couldn’t afford one then, but these days a cheap example will set you back about 10-12 grand, so it’s a whole lot of motorcycle for not a huge sum. ADVENTURE SPORTS The “crossover” moniker hadn’t really been invented back in 2015, so BMW described the…

LOOKING BACK I’ve been a bike journo since late 1991, which makes me seriously old… but interestingly I still get people asking me about bikes which I’ve had little chance of riding. I mean the Honda CB750 came out in 1969, when I was three! So while I’ve been lucky enough to have ridden some of the best motorcycles ever built, I certainly don’t have a resume like Alan Cathcart’s. So let me just say the best bike I ever rode was a Honda XR250… actually no, it wasn’t the bike, it was the trip — riding the trails of Cambodia through to Angkor Wat was simply amazing and goes down as a trip of a lifetime. Then there was the Kawasaki KLR650 — that was a great bike… ahh,…

UPFRONT 2025 NEW MODEL ANNOUNCEMENT Higher performance — with an extra five horsepower — and a new RS model are the headline acts for Triumph’s retro naked performance model, the Speed Twin 1200. Changes to the chassis and the introduction of new technology — notably cornering ABS and traction control — are also included for improved handling and dynamic performance. Changes to the standard Speed Twin include a new fuel tank, engine casings, throttle body covers, headlight and bracket, seat, mufflers and wheels. Ergonomically Triumph has made the standard Speed Twin a little roomier by lifting the handlebars nearly 18mm and moving the footpegs back 13.4mm. The forks, Marzocchi 43mm USD units, have been upgraded, while the rear shocks are twin piggyback units from the same manufacturer. There are two…

This is not a story about motorbikes. Nor is it a story about exploring a beautiful and remote part of the world. It’s a story about friendship underpinned by the love of motorbikes that has spanned decades, crossed continents, seen dizzying heights and survived demoralising lows. I first met Nazario Salvador, a Spanish copper, in East Timor in 2009. He was at the tail end of a seven-year mission as an anticorruption investigator with the Australian Federal Police, whereas I had flown to East Timor on a whim after losing my job as a news reporter in Sydney in a bid to kickstart a new career as a freelance moto and travel writer. Naz and I were introduced by a mutual friend from Australia and hit it off instantaneously. He…

SPECIFICATIONS ENGINE Liquid-cooled, 4-stroke, DOHC, 4-valve, 3-cylinder Power: 87.5kW, 117hp at 10,000rpm (UK model, AU not given) Torque: 93Nm at 7000rpm (UK model, AU not given) Capacity: 890cc Bore x stroke: 78 x 62.1mm Compression ratio: 11.5:1 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: 41mm upside-down fork, compression, rebound, spring preload adjustment, 130mm travel Rear suspension: Linkage shock with rebound and preload adjustment, 117mm travel Front brakes: Radial-mount monobloc 4-piston callipers, semi-floating 298mm dual discs, ABS Rear brake: Single-piston calliper, 245mm single disc, ABS Tyres: Front: 120/70ZR17 (58W); Rear: 180/55ZR17M/C (73W) ELECTRONIC RIDER AIDS Brake control (ABS): 2 modes (one with cornering assist) Riding modes: 5 modes, 2 customisable (Rider) Engine power modes: 4 modes Inertial measurement unit: Yes Traction control: 3 levels Wheelie control: 3 levels Back…

SPECIFICATIONS ENGINE Type: Liquid-cooled V-Twin (60 degrees) Capacity: 1250cc Compression ratio: 12.5:1 Engine management: Closed-loop fuel injection / 63mm bore PERFORMANCE Claimed maximum power: 105hp / 79kW @ 6300rpm Claimed maximum torque: 108Nm TRANSMISSION Type: 6-speed Final drive: Toothed belt Clutch: Wet, multi-plate CHASSIS AND RUNNING GEAR Chassis: Steel Front suspension: Telescopic Fork / 120mm of travel Rear suspension: Dual shocks / 76mm of travel Front brakes: Single / 298mm semi-floating rotor / 2-piston calliper Rear brake: Single / 298mm semi-floating rotor / 1-piston calliper Tyres F: 130/90B16 72H; R: 150/80B16 71H DIMENSIONS AND CAPACITIES Rake: 29° Trail: 122.2mm Claimed wet weight: 252kg Seat height: 680mm Wheelbase: 1562mm Fuel capacity: 13L ELECTRONICS, RIDER AIDS & CONVENIENCE FEATURES (Varies by model, some features are options) Base: ABS; Limited: ABS, Ride Modes, USB Charge Port, Cruise Control, Traction Control; Limited with Technology Trim: ABS, Ride Modes, USB Charge/Data…

ENGINE Type: Air/oil-cooled two-cylinder, four-stroke boxer engine with two overhead camshafts, four radially arranged valves and central counterbalance shaft. Capacity: 1170cc Compression ratio: 12:1 Engine management: Electronic intake pipe injection / digital engine management system: BMS-O with throttle-by-wire PERFORMANCE Claimed maximum power: 80kW (109hp) at 7000rpm Claimed maximum torque: 115Nm at 6500rpm Fuel consumption: 5.1 L/100km TRANSMISSION Type: Claw-shifted 6-gear gearbox with separate transmission housing Final drive: Cardan shaft Clutch: Single-disc dry clutch, hydraulically operated CHASSIS AND RUNNING GEAR Chassis: Tubular space frame Front suspension: Upside-down fork, diameter 45mm, spring pre-load adjustable, rebound and compression adjustable, 120mm travel Rear suspension: Cast aluminium single-sided swing arm with Paralever brace, central progressive spring strut, spring pre-load adjustable, rebound damping adjustable, 120mm travel Front brakes: Twin disc brake, floating brake discs, diameter 310mm, 4-piston monobloc radial brake calliper Rear brake: Single disc brake,…

ENGINE Type: Four0stroke parallel twin. DOHC, 8 valves Capacity: 451cc Compression ratio: 11.3:1 Engine management: Digital, fuel injection: ø32mm x 2 PERFORMANCE Claimed maximum power: 45.4hp (33.4kW) @ 9000 rpm Claimed maximum torque: 42.6Nm @ 6000 rpm Fuel consumption: 24.6km/L TRANSMISSION Type: 6-speed, constant mesh Final drive: Chain Clutch: Wet multiplate, assist and slipper CHASSIS AND RUNNING GEAR Chassis: Trellis, high-tensile steel Front suspension: ø41mm telescopic fork, 120mm travel Rear suspension: Bottom-link Uni Trak, gas-charged shock with adjustable spring preload, 130mm travel Front brakes: Single semi-floating ø310mm disc, dual-piston calliper Rear brake: ø220mm disc, dual-piston calliper Tyres: F: 110/70R17M/C 54H; R: 150/60R17M/C 66H DIMENSIONS AND CAPACITIES Rake: 24.3° Trail: 92mm Claimed wet weight: 167kg Seat height: 785mm Wheelbase: 1375mm Fuel capacity: 14 litres ELECTRONICS, RIDER AIDS & CONVENIENCE FEATURES ABS, optional USB-C adaptor, limited smartphone connectivity ETCETERA Price: $7662 + government charges ($8613 ride away, Sydney) Colours: Metallic…

WHATZ NEW KABUTO GEOSYS ADVENTURE HELMET Kabuto has a reputation for building premium helmets at mid-tier prices, so we fully expect the new Geosys model to be comparable with the $1000+ lids from its competitors. It’s got all the features buyers of premium helmets expect, including being handmade in Japan, a high-strength composite shell, MIPS (Multi-directional Impact Protection System), a Coolmax liner and Deofactor antimicrobial treatment. There are also glasses-friendly cheek pads and Seesaw head ventilation with large openings. Unlike many helmets, the visor can be removed with the peak in place, although it can be used with goggles without removing the visor. There’s a dedicated space for an intercom battery and speakers, too. Included are a breath guard, wind shutter and Pinlock anti-fog visor lens. Kabuto has also brought…

The secret to a long and happy motorcycling life is to follow the three golden rules. The first rule is to not crash. The second rule is to not crash, as is the third. Do as I say and not as I do. I have been an accident-free zone since 1985, when I lost control of my first 900SS on the old Doom Dieway near Tarcutta. I was doing an overnight run from Sydney to Broadford in Victoria for the annual Hells Angels rock concert and had just overtaken a semi-trailer when I hit a section of wet dirt roadworks, lost the front and went down like a ton of bricks. I remember pulling in my legs so as to not have them run over by the semi. My long-time…

MOTUL CARE PACK WINNER 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…