Indholdsfortegnelse for November 2018 i Australian Motorcyclist

THINK OF IT, PLAN IT, mark it out and do it! This is adventure in a nutshell but the planning side of an adventure ride can sometimes be the hardest part of the entire thing. I’ll take you back to a time when I planned an adventure ride I organised for a four bike comparo. The route was to head out to Ivanhoe for the first night, over to Menindee, down to Pooncarie, to Balranald, then home across the Hay Plain. I thought I had everything planned out – bikes were sorted, the route, the riders, photographer, lunch, dinner, accommodation, fuel, weather, times, dates places and even the first aid kit in case it all went pear shaped. I’d called every place we planned to stop for fuel, food and…

PRICE: $8490 (plus on-road charges) WARRANTY:Two years, unlimited distance SERVICING INTERVALS: Every 7000km or 12 months ENGINE: Liquid-cooled parallel twin cylinder, 4-stroke, DOHC, 4 valves per cylinder BORE x STROKE: 69 x 66.8mm DISPLACEMENT: 500cc COMPRESSION: 11.5:1 POWER: 35kW @ 8500rpm TORQUE: 46Nm @ 6000rpm TRANSMISSION: 6-speed, wet multi-plate clutch, chain final drive SUSPENSION: Front, 50mm inverted fork, adjustable preload and rebound, travel 145mm. Rear, monoshock, adjustable preload and rebound, travel 138mm. DIMENSIONS: Seat height 850mm, weight 213kg (wet), fuel capacity 20 litres, wheelbase 1525mm TYRES: Front, 110/80/R19. Rear, 150/70/R17 FRAME:Tubular steel trellis BRAKES: Front, twin 320mm discs with twin-piston ABS calipers. Rear, 260mm disc, single-piston ABS caliper. FUEL CONSUMPTION: N/A THEORETICAL RANGE: N/A COLOURS:White, Black, Red VERDICT: SERIOUS ADVENTURE TOURING…

I THOUGHT IT BE A great idea if we told you what our favourite dirt road is. We get to ride many great roads around this great country so what has been the pick of the bunch for The Bear, Ralph and myself? Well, the truth is now out! SW STUART Mine is Barrington Tops Forest Road. Start out of Gloucester on Thunderbolts Way and turn left on Bowman River Road along the beautiful…Bowman River. Head up the side of the mountain to Barrington Tops Forest Road and enjoy the mystic feeling you get from this area. Make sure you stop at Devil’s Hole (and don’t fall in); close the Dingo Gate after you’ve been through and lap up the stunning vista this area offers. There are heaps of camping…

“THERE ARE KNOWN KNOWNS; THERE ARE THINGS WE KNOW WE KNOW.WE ALSO KNOW THERE ARE KNOWN UNKNOWNS; THAT IS TO SAY WE KNOW THERE ARE SOME THINGS WE DO NOT KNOW. BUT THERE ARE ALSO UNKNOWN UNKNOWNS — THE ONES WE DON’T KNOW WE DON’T KNOW.” Did you know that there are adventure bikes you don’t even know about? No, of course you don’t. Otherwise you’d know about them... PEOPLE MADE FUN OF Donald Rumsfeld for saying that, and I’m not sure why. He’s establishing an important point. Actually I suspect they made fun of him because it was fashionable to make fun of Mr Rumsfeld whose family, by the way, comes from just near where I was born. Just thought you might like to know. When I first considered…

“RIDERS HELPING Riders” is what M.A.R.I (Motorcycle Accident Rehabilitation Initiative) is all about. Over the past 10 years or so, the M.A.R.I initiative has helped many riders and their families from Townsville in far North Queensland to Melbourne in the South, as well as other locations in Australia, on a fairly regular basis. For those that have not heard of us before, it all started at St Vincents Hospital , Darlinghurst Sydney in 2007. A trained team of volunteers now called “Support Services” was grouped together and certified, to assist riders in need and riders who had been admitted to hospital. Since then the initiative has developed into what we have today. Now, we have developed another arm - M.A.R.I the Dr Wings Bike Force Volunteers. This team, guided by…

WE HAD AN Africa Twin here at AMM for a while, but I didn’t get a chance to take a close look at it. That’s the first thing I did, then, when tour guide Peter from Edelweiss Bike Travel allocated the bike to me for the Canary Islands ride. I would be spending five days on it, and I wanted to get a good look at it first. My immediate thought was what it often is these days when I look at a new bike. How can they do it for the money? The Africa Twin lacks some of the electronics that adorn most of its competitors, but it has ABS (although only the rear can be switched off), which is important to me, and traction control which isn’t, really.…

IT’S LUCKY WE DON’T HAVE TO WEAR WHITE ROBES… Do you know that every ride you take on your motorcycle is influenced by Lawrence of Arabia? T.E. Lawrence is probably best known to the general public from his portrayal by Peter O’Toole in the film ‘Lawrence of Arabia’. But as a motorcyclist, you should know him better as the inspiration for one of the most debated accessories in the sport – the crash helmet. Mind you, while he certainly inspired the creation of helmets, he was only indirectly involved because he was dead at the time. Yes, in 1935 he died from head injuries, the effects of a motorcycle crash. Crash helmets have two ‘fathers’. One was an Australian surgeon called Hugh Cairns, one of the medics who attended to…

I HAVE ALREADY addressed the whole “exciting” and still relatively new paradigm of adventuring astride a motorcycle. But since Editor Woodbury is again examining one of the few burgeoning motorcycle markets left to the industry in this issue, I probably should address it again. Just in case you didn’t get it the first time. The relatively new take on the Adventuring genre is to spend tens of thousands of dollars securing a purpose-built Adventure bike, clothing yourself in several more thousands worth of ‘Goretexevlar Corduranium’ and setting forth to conquer the already conquered in style and comfort. I’m good with that. I’m of an age, and I love them ‘uber-electronicated’ Euro-weapons like a shark loves blood. I relish their insane abilities, their “You’ll be right, mate” attitude and their capacity…

VENTURE TO THE TT Dave at Get Routed has been offered another house for the 2019 IoM TT, so he can now take bookings from another 6 people. The phone lines are open! The cottage is near Port Erin and will comfortably house 6 people in 1 double room, 1 twin room and 2 single rooms. It’s a self-contained, fully restored stone farm cottage built in 1850. Until now the 2019 trip was all booked out. This accommodation is NOT available to people who don’t want to take a bike to the TT. The accommodation and ferry tickets are only available to those who want bikes shipped to the UK and back from either Brisbane, Sydney or Melbourne. Of course, for those wanting to take a tent and camp out…

PRICE: $8690 (plus on-road charges) WARRANTY:Two years, unlimited distance SERVICING INTERVALS: Every 7000km or 12 months ENGINE: Liquid-cooled parallel twin cylinder, 4-stroke, DOHC, 4 valves per cylinder BORE x STROKE: 69 x 66.8mm DISPLACEMENT: 500cc COMPRESSION: 11.5:1 POWER: 35kW @ 8500rpm TORQUE: 46Nm @ 6000rpm TRANSMISSION: 6-speed, wet multi-plate clutch, chain final drive SUSPENSION: Front, 50mm inverted fork, adjustable preload and rebound, travel 135mm. Rear, monoshock, adjustable preload and rebound, travel 138mm. DIMENSIONS: Seat height 825mm, weight 207kg (wet), fuel capacity 12.7 litres, wheelbase 1470mm TYRES: Front, 110/80/R19. Rear, 150/70/R17 FRAME:Tubular steel trellis BRAKES: Front, twin 320mm discs with twin-piston ABS calipers. Rear, 260mm disc, single-piston ABS caliper. FUEL CONSUMPTION: N/A THEORETICAL RANGE: N/A COLOURS: Red, Silver, Black VERDICT: STYLE OFF THE BEATEN TRACK…

BRUSHGROVE HOTEL IT WAS JULIAN STUART who brought me to Woodford Island, well he and a legend named Dan Frogan. Stuart was one of the leaders of the 1891 Shearers’ strike, a giant in the history of unionism in this country. He was arrested in Barcaldine, tried for conspiracy at Clermont and then imprisoned in the old gaol on St Helena Island off Straddie near Brisvegas. But he spent his early childhood at Brushgrove on Woodford Island in the Clarence River and I wanted to check out the place and search for traces of this trailblazing fighter for workers’ rights. The museum in Mclean says they might have some info, but then again they might not. But the lady isn’t permitted to tell me. If I send her 20 bucks…

AS THIS IS OUR annual adventure issue we decided to get you dirty with this nice loop out of Cooma. The Snowy Mountains area is littered with dirty adventures so you could make this a few days based in the area of Cooma and see many different roads. This being just one particular loop. COOMA Cooma is the largest town in the Snowy Mountain region and consequently is seen as the gateway to the Snowy Mountains ski fields, the Snowy Mountains Hydro Electricity Scheme and the Kosciuszko National Park. In recent times tourism and the snowfields have ensured that it is more than just a rural service centre, which it was starting to head towards. It is the base for exploring the entire area and a prosperous tourist town. Central…

PRICE: $7990 (ride away) WARRANTY:Two years, unlimited distance SERVICING INTERVALS: Every 10,000km or 12 months ENGINE: Liquid-cooled parallel twin cylinder, 4-stroke, DOHC, 4 valves per cylinder BORE x STROKE: 83 x 60mm DISPLACEMENT: 649.3cc COMPRESSION: 11.3:1 POWER: 41.5kW @ 9500rpm TORQUE: 62Nm @ 7000rpm TRANSMISSION: 6-speed, wet multi-plate clutch, chain final drive SUSPENSION: Front, 43mm inverted fork, non-adjustable, travel 140mm. Rear, monoshock, adjustable preload, travel 145mm. DIMENSIONS: Seat height 840mm, weight 213kg (wet), fuel capacity 18 litres, wheelbase 1415mm TYRES: Front, 120/70/17. Rear, 160/60/17 FRAME:Tubular steel BRAKES: Front, twin 300mm discs with twin-piston ABS calipers. Rear, 240mm disc, single-piston ABS caliper. FUEL CONSUMPTION: N/A THEORETICAL RANGE: N/A COLOURS: Blue, Black VERDICT: CHOICES, CHOICES…

MONGOLIA, THE VERY word conjures up images of wild horseman galloping across an ancient empty steppe landscape, with bow and arrow in hand, which today, isn’t that far from reality in what is the most sparsely populated country on earth and where the locals still practice the three “manly” sports of horse-riding, archery & wrestling. The plane broke through a thick blanket of cloud to reveal a worrying sight, as we made the final approach into Chinngis Khan International Airport the view out the window revealed swollen rivers, flooded roads and inundated buildings, the countryside, it seemed, had turned into a flooded quagmire. We knew we were in for the ride of a lifetime with some serious challenges, if the view from the plane predicated what lay ahead of us?…

THERE ARE A NUMBER of very exciting new adventure bikes coming onto the market over the next few months. Here’s a little look at some of them. YAMAHA T7 (TENERE 700) Many existing mid-size adventure models are perceived as being too road oriented and too sophisticated, and are unsuited to real off-road riding. The adventure world needs a new kind of motorcycle that can offer the genuine long distance versatility and pure durability of the original Yamaha Ténéré, combined with contemporary design plus cutting edge engine and chassis technology. A committed team composed of Yamaha’s engineers, designers and product planners from the Official Rally Team in France, the R&D in Italy and GK Design in the Netherlands have developed the T7 concept. We expect the bike to be officially released…

BMW R 90 S HEY, GOOD LOOKIN’ Wunderlich Engine Protection Bars – $342.63 (A$ equivalent in Germany) THE CRASH BARS fitted to most BMW Airheads from the ‘70s and ‘80s were beaten severely with the Ugly Stick before installation. Their shape is far from elegant; they are too high and too intrusive. I make no comment regarding their effectiveness, although I’m inclined to think that having a single loop of tubing protecting the rocker covers is less than optimal. Whatever; I just plain don’t like the old bars. In keeping with its slogan ‘Complete your BMW’, Wunderlich in Germany has an answer. This company is dedicated to providing “well over 3,000 accessories products for all current BMW motorcycle models and almost all Boxer two-valve engines.” That’s impressive enough, but a…

I look at most modern bikes these days and they barely get my passion meter above zero. Sure, there are some retro machines like the Kawasaki Z900RS and BMW’s RnineT for example but overall it’s all a bit ‘same same’ for my liking. The funny thing is I have a Yamaha MT-10, essentially for its engine. It has a soulful feel to it. I love it. Modern bikes might lack a nostalgic aura about them but they do have their uses. What I do to compensate is surround myself with classics, importantly, of the era I was spreading my wings as a car and bike obsessed youth. There were girls too. I love bikes of the ’80s and ’90s. I have a few favourites, namely the Suzuki GSX1100 and the…

WE LOVE TO HEAR FROM YOU, the letters are among the most keenly read parts of the magazine. Please try and keep letters down to no more than 300 words.Then you can read many, not just a couple.We do reserve the right to cut them and, unless you identify yourself and at least your town or suburb and state, we will print your email address instead. Please address letters to contactus@ausmotorcyclist.com.au or Australian Motorcyclist Magazine, Suite 4b, Level 1, 11-13 Orion Rd, Lane Cove West NSW 2066. All opinions published here are those of the writers and we do not vouch for their accuracy or even their sanity. Another Phil has won letter of the month this time round! What is it with you, “Phil’s”? LOL! Anyway, Phil (Taylor) has written…

BENELLI NOT TOO long ago released the Leoncino and TRK502 with notations two more dirt focused variants were on their way. Well, they have both arrived and I headed off to Victoria and the Mount Macedon area to give them a whirl in and around the pine forests. LEONCINO TRAIL My first preconceptions of the Leoncino Trail were that it would just be a Leoncino with off road tyres, how wrong was I as the Trail is quite different…let’s have a look. First up there’s a 19 inch spoked wheel on the front, with a 17 inch spoked wheel on the rear. Suspension travel is longer which results in the seat height being higher – up from 785mm to 825mm. And finally the front brakes feature wave discs and twin…

ADVENTURE TOURING can be some of the most memorable journey’s you’ll ever have. Seeing places and riding ‘roads’ where not many others have been is something really special. Of all the places I’ve been the most special rides have been while adventure touring off the beaten track. So, what we’ve done for you on the following pages is ask those with adventure products to show you what they have to make your adventures even more enjoyable, we’ve even got some adventure tyres for you! SW ANDY STRAPZ  www.andystrapz.com SAFARI POD - $255 + POSTAGE Strange name, interesting new product. The Safari Pod, a tank bag for long range fuel tanks by Andy Strapz. TOOL ROLLZ - $45 + POSTAGE Over the years Andy had requests for tool rolls but resisted…

BACK IN ISSUE #67 we featured the latest big bore adventure tourers as part of an invite we received to accompany Italian motorcycle magazine, Motociclismo on their Aussie adventure comparo. They expected to see Kangaroos, Bikini Babes and Meat Pies and got two out of three. Rain meant the amazing Aussie girls donning their skimpy bikinis were nowhere to be seen. You have to laugh at their enthusiasm. A collection of the latest adventure tourers was then the main focus of the trip into the Snowy Mountains and we got the chance to ride a couple of models that have only just been released as you read this now. The seven bikes chosen for the Motociclismo comparo were: BMW R 1200 GS Rallye X Honda Africa Twin Adventure Sport Ducati…

PRICE: $8790 (ride away) WARRANTY:Two years, unlimited distance SERVICING INTERVALS: Every 7000km or 12 months ENGINE: Liquid-cooled parallel twin cylinder, 4-stroke, DOHC, 4 valves per cylinder BORE x STROKE: 69 x 66.8mm DISPLACEMENT: 500cc COMPRESSION: 11.5:1 POWER: 35kW @ 8500rpm TORQUE: 45Nm @ 5000rpm TRANSMISSION: 6-speed, wet multi-plate clutch, chain final drive SUSPENSION: Front, 50mm inverted fork, adjustable preload and rebound, travel 135mm. Rear, monoshock, adjustable preload, travel 130mm. DIMENSIONS: Seat height 800mm, weight 213kg (wet), fuel capacity 20 litres, wheelbase 1525mm TYRES: Front 120/70/17,. Rear, 160/60/17 FRAME:Tubular steel BRAKES: Front, twin 320mm discs with four-piston ABS calipers. Rear, 260mm disc, single-piston ABS caliper. FUEL CONSUMPTION: N/A THEORETICAL RANGE: N/A COLOURS:White, Red, Grey VERDICT: DECISIONS, DECISIONS…

AND TO THINK THAT some unkind fellow riders reckon my F700GS is a “girl bike!” Well, having parked it for the night outside the Grafton Hotel after riding the Old Grafton Road, I was inside enjoying a small refreshment when another bike pulled up and parked next to mine. How impressive. A great big mongrel of a bike bearing a pretentious Rottweiler livery to emphasise its pedigree; and equipped with safari tank and so many adventure accoutrements that you’d think it had just endured a Dakar jaunt across the Simpson Desert. But on closer inspection, there was not so much as a water-drop stain anywhere to be found; and the shine was almost blinding. I wondered if the rider had really been on it when it arrived or was it…

“I TOOK THE ROAD LESS TRAVELED BY, AND NOW WHERE THE HELL AM I”? AFTER ROBERT FROST GOING OFF (ROAD) “THERE'S A REASON to celebrate: We have nine new tours for you!” says Edelweiss. “We worked meticulously, scouted in different countries, developed new routes, explored hidden highlights, discovered great accommodations – and finally the time has come: Now we have brand-new tours in our program for you! There is definitely something for every taste, also for off-road fans! Yes, Edelweiss goes unpaved! Our three new enduro tours on unpaved gravel roads as well as grass, field and forest roads guarantee 100% riding fun!” Sounds pretty good, right? Can they back it up? Let’s see… Andalusia Unpaved: Spain. "On-and off-road through the Sierra Nevada!" 7 vacation days, 5 riding days. Ronda,…

THE FAR CAIRN RALLY is a great ride out to the geographical Centre of NSW. This year also gave us a first-hand look at the way the bush was being belted by the drought. Not many sheep in sight, and very little wheat, although there was plenty of Canola in places. Dry dams and paddocks full of nothing. Our motley band made our way west, leaving Friday morning and heading out over the Bells Line of Road. Our overnight was at a caravan park in Forbes where the well-appointed camp kitchen coped with our antics – this was no glamour cooking show folks! We gained four more riders at Forbes and made an early start for Tottenham. Along the way we stopped off in Tullamore for coffee. There is a…

TO MANY PEOPLE, riding off-road is something they’ll never do, only ever dream about, or will never be confident at doing. There are many things you can do to improve your skills off-road. Certainly, there are a number of off-road riding courses which should be a consideration but if this isn’t for you, here are some thoughts to help you improve – If you are anything like me, you learned how to ride a bike quite a while ago. Sitting on a little dirt bike (more than likely a Yamaha PeeWee 50) in a field (or a backyard), a smile wider than the horizon and your dad standing beside you, showing/telling you how to let out the clutch while feeding in the throttle before progressing into how to change gear.…

Wherever you’ve based yourself in Cooma you need to get onto Polo Flat Road and head east. Just out of town turn right onto Carlaminda Road and keep on the main section of dirt until you reach Numeralla. Turn right, and then turn left onto Peak View Road following it all the way to the end. Turn left and again follow to the end, which means you will be in Bredbo and meeting up with the Monaro Highway. Head south around 8km and turn right onto Billilingra Road and, you guessed it, follow it all the way to the end. Turn right on Shannons Flat Road and head north about 6km where the bitumen you were on turns back to dirt. Follow your nose north where the road then becomes…