Indholdsfortegnelse for August 2020 i Australian Motorcyclist

IT SEEMS THAT EVERYONE being in pretty much lockdown has seen them pull out that motorcycle and give it a freshen up or realise all their gear is old and rubbish and bought new stuff. The motorcycle industry has seen one of its best-selling periods recently! I’ve been talking with sales reps and shops that have all said they’ve had big increases in sales lately. A couple of them felt it could be people have pulled ten grand out of their super and realised you only live once and have bought that new or second-hand bike, freshened up their current ride or upgraded their apparel. Whatever the cause it is great to see the industry have some sort of rebound from what I thought was going to be a hard…

PRICE: $16,999 (ride away) WARRANTY:Two years, unlimited distance SERVICING INTERVALS: Every 12,000km or 12 months ENGINE: 1043cc liquid-cooled cylinder, 4-stroke, DOHC, 4 valves per cylinder POWER: 104.5kW @ 10,000rpm TORQUE: 111Nm @ 8000rpm TRANSMISSION: 6-speed, wet multi-plate assist/slipper clutch, chain final drive SUSPENSION: Front, 41mm inverted fork, adjustable preload, compression and rebound, travel 120mm. Rear, monoshock, adjustable preload and rebound, travel 144mm. DIMENSIONS: Seat height 835mm, weight 235kg (wet), fuel capacity 19 litres, wheelbase 1440mm TYRES: Front, 120/70/ZR17. Rear, 190/50/ZR17 BRAKES: Front, twin 300mm discs with radial mount four-piston cornering ABS calipers. Rear, 250mm disc, single-piston cornering ABS caliper. FUEL CONSUMPTION: 5.94 litres per 100km, premium unleaded THEORETICAL RANGE: 319km COLOURS: Emerald Blazed Green, Metallic Graphite Gray VERDICT: Sharp express…

The KTM might not look like it from the outside of its minimalist architecture but there is a host of technical features -- all of them equal or better than the competition. THE HAVES Electronics Engine modes cover rain, touring and sport Semi-active suspension, 3 modes with load adjustment settings Brilliant LED lights and cornering lights 6.5 inch TFT screen with My Ride communication Lean angle sensors for TC and ABS USB charging point Cruise Control Hardware Access all the modes and settings from easy to use switchgear Adjustable windscreen, easy to move Hand guards with handlebar warmers Provision for factory panniers THE MAYBES (OPTIONAL) HHC-Hill Hold Control $199.99 Ergo seats and heated seats Rider $419.99 Pillion $319.99 Panniers $1299.99 a set MSC standard with MSR Motor Slip Regulation $169.99…

IN JULY 1998 WE were heading west into Kashmir across the Zoji La and it had been raining for the past several days. This mountain pass is nowhere near as high as some of the others we had done in the last week; at a rather modest 11,600 feet it was not comparable to the 18,000s and 16,000s we had recently conquered. But it was certainly one of the most challenging, particularly in the wet. The pass is narrow, steep and twisty, barely wider than an Indian Tata truck in many places but expected to cope with two-way traffic, including the lengthy convoys of army trucks on this military supply route to and from the border regions. Precipitous drops to the river valleys below threatened the unwary at every corner.…

IT HAS BEEN a couple of years since we held an Australian Motorcyclist Magazine Tour but our great association with Paradise Motorcycle Tours has got the brains – Stuart (AMM) and Mike (PMT) --together to come up with our next tour: The Rider’s Tour! This is a tour that is NOT to be missed. It really is going to be that good. Not only will the tour be covering a lot of the best of the South Island, but the cream is we’ll be tying it in with the Burt Munro Challenge – four days of blow your mind racing events, motorcycles, and simply old fashioned motorcycling fun. Before we get into the details, if the first paragraph had you saying, “I’m in already!” well, do not delay and book…

THE TRUE STORY THAT I’m hoping to hang a yarn on as I descend past the old Catholic Church and then the Retreat Centre and down into the valley village of Carcoar involves this country’s biggest ever robbery – the bailing-up of the bullion transport from Forbes to Sydney that became known as the Eugowra Gold Robbery of 1862. It featured a better all-star heist cast than Ocean’s Eleven. The eight bushrangers were led by Frank Gardiner (later a publican in Qld) and they included luminaries like John Gilbert, John Row and the up-and-coming Ben Hall. Accompanying the gold coach were three troopers including a Sergeant Condell and the rig was driven by ‘an old whip’ named Jack Fagan. (‘Guarding’ seems to overstate the cops’ role by more than a…

PRICE: $23,000 (ride away) WARRANTY:Two years, unlimited distance SERVICING INTERVALS: Every 12,000km or 12 months ENGINE: 998cc liquid-cooled cylinder, 4-stroke, DOHC, 4 valves per cylinder POWER: 147kW @ 11,000rpm TORQUE: 137Nm @ 8500rpm TRANSMISSION: 6-speed, wet multi-plate assist/slipper clutch, chain final drive SUSPENSION: Front, 43mm inverted fork, adjustable preload and rebound, travel 120mm. Rear, monoshock, adjustable preload and rebound, travel 134mm. DIMENSIONS: Seat height 830mm, weight 239kg (wet), fuel capacity 19 litres, wheelbase 1455mm TYRES: Front, 120/70/ZR17. Rear, 190/55/ZR17 BRAKES: Front, twin 320mm discs with radial mount four-piston cornering ABS calipers. Rear, 260mm disc, two-piston cornering ABS caliper. FUEL CONSUMPTION: 7.43 litres per 100km, premium unleaded THEORETICAL RANGE: 255km COLOURS: Metallic Spark Black VERDICT:The Quiet Assassin…

Legend Gear – Made For Legends Legend Gear uses state of the art materials with classic style. It’s the perfect balance of form and function. The Legend Gear Luggage line combines ageless retro design with choice materials and a versatile fastening system. Whether you are after a tank bag, rear bag, pannier bags, back pack or tank strap, there is a Legend Gear product for most bikes. Leg Bag Set – From $77 Going for a short ride and only want to carry a few small items? Then the Leg Bag from Legend Gear might be for you. The holster can be adjusted to fit the length of your leg, thigh and hip size for optimal comfort. Multiple inner pockets keep your gear organised. The Set includes a 0.8 or…

WE ARRIVED AT THE airport in Auckland and were grateful to be re-united with our luggage, most importantly our riding gear. Did a trip to the USA some years ago and our riding gear got to us on the last day of a 14 day tour, always been a little paranoid about it since. As we walked into the arrivals area we turned left as instructed and there was a bloke with our names on a board who led us to a very nice car to transport us to our hotel. The sky was blue and it was warm, the light seemed very bright, almost harsh. On arrival at our hotel we were given access to our room immediately, even though it was only 11am. The hotel was very nice,…

ARE YOU WONDERING HOW to spend the money you’ve saved during the lockdown by not spending your nights at the pub? Information about new products has been building up a little recently because we’ve had a lot of other stuff to get through. It’s not easy being the only remaining monthly all- round motorcycle magazine in Australia! Forgive us, please, and dig into all of this wonderful new gear that’s available in the shops and on the web. “Ex Africa semper aliquid novi,” wrote Pliny the Elder, and he might have been writing about German BMW accessory maker Wunderlich rather than Africa. There is indeed always something new ENDURANCE PRO is pulled further back towards the cockpit. For better wind protection, it is clearly 40 mm higher than the original…

I KNOW IT’S HARD TO believe, but there are riders out there who have never sat in front of a blazing outdoor fire with their fellow riders. This may be why they are such miserable, lip-pursed sons-of-bitches who tutt-tutt like old women whenever they see a wheelie or get passed by someone exceeding the speed limit. Go sit in front of a campfire, you doddering, fossilised He-Karens. Stare into the flames. Behold your own mewling chicken-shittery within them. I’m also convinced many of the issues younger riders have (“Why won’t they nod back at me?” “I had to lay it down” “Everyone crashes” “All the gear all the time” and so on) can be solved by spending a few nights gazing into the depths of a campfire – one they…

SUPER SPECIAL That awesome bloke, Toby Price has now got his own goggles, made by Oakley. They are so super special that they sold out in less than a day upon release! Stuart was lucky enough to grab a pair and will give them a review in an upcoming issue. The Oakley Airbrake Toby Price Prizm MX Black Iridium Motocross Goggles ($279.99) might still be available at some selected shops if you hunt (or beg) hard enough, featuring hand-picked colourways by Toby and his initials on the goggle strap. Toby chose a sand wave type design for the strap, Aussie green and yellow for the ‘O’, orange for the frame and his ‘TP’ logo adorns the back. To coincide with this release, Oakley has introduced new levels of protection. High-impact…

HERE’S THE GOOD NEWS. WHEN THE CORONAVIRUS HAS SPENT ITSELF, OR WHEN WE’VE GOT ON TOP OF IT WITH A VACCINE, NONE OF THIS WILL MATTER. BRING IT ON! BY THE TIME YOU read this, we should be able to travel to travel anywhere we want to go within Australia. We may even be getting close to the airspace over the Tasman opening up, so that provides a lot of opportunities for motorcycle travel. Mind you, even here at or near home, not all destinations are going to be equal. My choice would be somewhere away from crowds, which means away from the usual destinations. The NSW south coast, for instance, appears to be something of a scrum – Ralph reports that the traffic jams were even worse down there…

PRICE: $29,695 plus on-roads WARRANTY:Two years, unlimited distance SERVICING INTERVALS: Every 10,000km or 12 months ENGINE: 1301cc,V-Twin 75 degree 4-stroke, liquid-cooled, DOHC, 4-valves POWER: 128.7kW @ 9750rpm TORQUE: 141Nm @ 7000rpm TRANSMISSION: 6-speed, wet multi-plate clutch, chain drive SUSPENSION: Front,WP semi-active telescopic fork, travel 125mm. Rear WP Monoshock, semi-active preload travel 156mm. DIMENSIONS: Seat height 835mm, weight 209kg (dry), fuel capacity 23 litres, wheelbase 1482mm TYRES: Front 120/70/ZR17. Rear 190/55/ZR17 BRAKES: Front dual 320mm discs, radial mount four-piston calipers, cornering ABS. Rear disc 240mm, two-piston caliper, cornering ABS FUEL CONSUMPTION: 4.8 litres per 100km cruising, 5.8 blasting, premium unleaded THEORETICAL RANGE: 430km COLOUR: Black with orange. White with orange VERDICT: It’s not who you are, but what you are…

YOU MAY RECALL THAT our current project, designed to create a classy all-rounder for everyday use, is named Kitsune II after the mythological Japanese fox. I’m not so sure that was a really good choice. The foxes around Sydney (and there are many of them) have been acting up lately, giving the Reynard tribe a bad name. At University of NSW, one of them has been biting people; next door to me, one of them was discovered in the swimming pool, paddling around trying to catch a duck. Not good enough, foxes. Fortunately our fox has been behaving itself under the skilled ministrations of Brett Pieper. When the boxes of Rizoma* accessories arrived from Italy, I took them over to his place and we unpacked them to sounds of unmitigated…

Per person prices for the tour are in NZ$ INCLUDED 14 day tour 13 nights’ accommodation 12 days’ riding including 4 at the Burt 9 breakfasts Welcome drinks Lead Rider Tour Guide Support Vehicle with 8 passenger seats and tour guide Farewell Dinner and celebration of the tour Entry to all Burt Munro Challenge events including live music Turbo ticket to Motorcycle Mecca and Bill Richardson Transport World Milford Sound Cruise Paradise Cap Burt Munro Challenge commemorative T-shirt. Not Included - anything not listed above.…

I FIND TINKERING, WORKING ON or doing up my bike wondrously satisfying. You might like to call it my de-stress activity, but once you do something to your bike -- it can be as simple as washing it then showing it off to admiring eyes from onlookers -- will bring you smiles for miles. And of course you can make improvements to the bike which make it more practical for you. We’ve asked the distributors to show you some items you might like to consider in ‘Doin’ up your bike’.…

Air Filter Wash Kit – $119.90 A comprehensive kit that contains everything you need to stay on top of your air filter maintenance. No-one enjoys cleaning air filters, but this kit makes it as easy as possible. • Air Filter Oil - Industry leading air filter oil, providing improved air filter efficiency for better carburation. Effectively retains dust, mud and sand for greater engine durability. Prevents water from entering the filter. • Grease- Multipurpose High Performance grease. Used to grease the outer rim of the air filter to provide a seal against the airbox to ensure no dirt or dust enters the motor. • Filter Clean - Specially formulated for foam air filters. Removes dirt and breaks down air filter oil. Contains a detergent to ensure a thorough clean by…

MANY OF THE JOURNEYS I write about in this part of the magazine are once-in-a-lifetime experiences for readers. The problem with that, as I’m sure you’ve noticed, is that once-in-a-lifetime experiences only happen once in your lifetime. It’s true that some people become addicted motorcycle travelers who can afford to and quite happily take regular and frequent trips, but most of us have mortgages, kids to provide for and businesses to run. What this means is that motorcycle journeys deserve decent planning and require some targeted saving. That, in turn, means that the current closed world not only contains the coronavirus, but also gives us the time to do both of those. And many tour operators have rewritten their contracts so that you can book in comfort, knowing that you’ll…

THE FALLOUT FROM THE Wuhan Flu pandemic caused Paul Corradini (the new organiser of the Alpine Rally) many sleepless nights. Bans on public gatherings buggered the footy, so a scruffy bunch of motorcycle riding campers could expect no lenience or dispensation. Paul felt that regardless of the situation, the Alpine had to occur – one way or the other! And so it came to pass that a virtual Alpine was announced. All pre-paid entrants would receive a badge and access to the Facebook page. Of course certain dark forces made other plans. Then at the final hour, Premier Gladys lifted the number of persons that could attend a public gathering and the work of the dark forces landed on the lawful side of the line. The site for this year’s…

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. LETTER OF THE MONTH IT’S GREAT THAT YOU guys love what we do and seek our advice on what we’ve…

THE KAWASAKI NINJA 1000 has been around a few years, but so has the complaint by some owners that the handling was not what it could be. Kawasaki sought to address this issue when producing the 4th generation Ninja 1000 SX, this 2020 model. To put it as plainly as I can, they succeeded and the bike is simply awesome. Some of the changes you will quickly note are the replacement of dual mufflers with a single side muffler, cruise control, new TFT dash, quickshifter up and down, new seats for rider and pillion, all-LED lighting and integrated riding modes. Not so noticeable (to look at) changes which really up the ante are the change to the steering geometry and the fitment of a sportier tyre – the Bridgestone S22.…

WITH ANY LUCK THERE is a laboratory somewhere (perhaps in Wuhan, China?) which has developed a magic pill for tricking your brain into thinking that what your eyes see as ugly, is in fact truly beautiful. That would turn the whole online dating industry on its head and give me more of a chance. More importantly, ninety-nine percent of the people who commented to me about the 1290 KTM GT should be swallowing two tablets, four times a day. With a bit of luck and medication they would perceive beauty in a new light. I’m not going to fill you in on the intricacies of online dating so let’s put looks aside. The big 1301cc 75-degree V twin has a lot of the features you want or expect in a…

SILENTLY AND NOT SO slowly, electric motorcycles are slipping into our lives. Not cheaply, mind you: this Super Soco TC Max with spoked wheels will set you back $8290 ride away. Made in China, the bike is a good-looking take on the electric bike theme. That’s not true for many electric bikes or scooters on the market, which make it obvious that their designer has not come to terms with the alternative reality of the move from internal combustion engines to electric motors. I spent a few days punting the Super Soco around town, on both commuting and shopping duties. In the former case I just wore a courier bag, while in the latter I strapped a Kuryakyn rack bag to the short piece of pillion seat that remained behind…

THIS PARTICULAR ROUTE IS all about the short and sharp twisties of Mount Morgan, so you can choose to do the orange route of a shorter loop, or make it a big day ride and include the green route to explore the countryside a bit more. ROCKHAMPTON This is beef country and the Beef City of Rockhampton is booming; a modern throwback to the heydays of Queensland’s colonial past, offering all your cosmopolitan conveniences in a contemporary riverside setting. Rockhampton is the heart of the Fitzroy Basin, Australia’s second largest river system, and bordered by the brooding Berserker Ranges, ultimately delivering the best of both worlds for outdoor and adventure buffs. There are plenty of places to visit - including the newly redeveloped Riverbank Precinct, the beautiful Botanic Gardens and…

DIGITAL “INTERMOT EVENTS” AT year’s end will have to suffice to keep the motorcycle community informed of innovations and industry news, unless the Italians go ahead with the Milan show EICMA. That is a month later than INTERMOT, so there is still a chance that it will happen. “Following extensive consultations, and in coordination with the conceptual sponsor, the German Motorcycle Industry Association (IVM), Koelnmesse GmbH has decided to suspend INTERMOT 2020,” says the press release. “A digital format for this is under preparation and will be implemented by year’s end. In contrast to trade fairs with a business-to-business orientation, major events such as INTERMOT draw tens of thousands of private visitors on all days of the trade fair; the hall space is limited and the time available is short.…

SUPERCHARGING A MOTORCYCLE SOUNDS pretty crazy (unless you remember post-war BMW race bikes), but Kawasaki did just that with the release of the H2 and H2R a handful of years ago. There were always rumours of a naked version but until they actually release a bike you can never rely on just speculation. However, pictures of the new Z H2 naked were released to the world last year and having ridden the H2 sportsbike on the road and track I was pretty excited to get my backside on the naked version with its more upright handlebar. One thing you need to do with the Z H2 is not look at it in photos – it looks a bit weird, whereas when you’re standing there looking at it, it’s quite different.…

Top Case – $362 Add extra carrying capacity, enough room for 2 average sized helmets. One key system available. *Other parts required *Fitting kits and colour panels not included. Pannier System – $1293.60 28L hard case panniers with integrated mounting system. One key system available. *Other parts required *Fitting kits and colour panels not included. Note: Top Case and Panniers can be fitted at the same time. Engine Sliders – $275.35 Protect the Versys fairings from tip over damage. Radiator Guard – $125.51 Protect the radiator from road debris. Heated Grips – $369.56 Enhanced rider comfort on cold days. Low Seat – $557.78 Replaces the standard seat. Ergo-fit seat is 20mm lower.…

Saddle Bag Duffel Stealth – $229.95 Deluxe dual main compartments with wide U-shaped openings, sleek streamlined design for optimal air flow, 2” expansion zippers for extra storage, integrated hidden rain hoods, heat-resistant silicone impregnated bottoms, textured neoprene non-slip pad for paint protection, universal webbing mount system for secure attachment. 29 litre volume expanded. Add OGIO Tail Bag for a complete rear bag bike set. Super Mini Tanker Stealth – $129.95 Despite its small (6L) size, you can really pack the Supermini Tanker tankbag tight thanks to several compartments and organization pockets. Grab and go with the reinforced handle, and when it’s time to jump off the bike, use the convenient shoulder strap and throw it on and go. Tail Bag Duffel Stealth - $139.95 Deluxe main compartment with 30 litres…

WORLD TRAVEL MIGHT BE a funny old subject right now, most of us are happy to be travelling as far as the local shops, but this will pass and there’s no time like the present for putting those riding trip daydreams down on paper and making them a reality. And, current situation aside, the World’s most incredible riding spots, stunning scenery and cultural diversities are more accessible than ever so now’s the time to get that once-in-a-lifetime trip planned. So where to go? We can’t tell you your ideal destination; that’s a very personal thing and ultimately a trip has to be to somewhere that’s special to you for one reason or another. We have ridden millions of kilometres across the globe and over the years there are a number…

I AM NOT THE BEST friend the FCAI has in this world. The Federal Chamber of Automotive Industries does have a motorcycle division, but despite the fact that I have nothing but affection and respect for its commander-in-chief, Rhys Griffiths, I have simply not been impressed with its past efforts on behalf of Australian motorcyclists and the industry in general. That might be just me, but there you go. Tell me about all the useful, effective initiatives they have run to help motorcycling in this country over the past few years. My door is always open. Having rather snarkily said that, I am entirely in favour of their latest effort. Here it is, unblemished by any comments from me. TWO-WHEELED SOLUTION TO COVID CHALLENGE The Australian motorcycle industry and the…