Indholdsfortegnelse for Issue 27 i Australian Adventure Bike

ZERO OUT NOW By the sheer law of averages, it was always going to happen. I’ve lost count of how many trips I’ve had to Melbourne in recent months to climb on test bikes and ride them all the way back to Sydney. Now don’t get me wrong, I’m not complaining. In fact it’s a fabulous means by which to get to know a new bike in real-world conditions. Plus, most of the time I’ve been making the usually three-day and 1000-kay journey with AAB Editor at Large Dave Darcy as wingman, and we get to have a good old time. I get to write and photograph a bike review or travel feature for the mag, while the Darcinator gets to shoot video content for his bike reviews and films…

NEWS ROOM Italian brand Ducati is clearly firing on all cylinders, with record sales worldwide and a flotilla of new models — including all-new MX bikes — coming down the gangplank signalling the company is on the up and up. To celebrate the occasion Down Under, Ducati Australia, in partnership with Pirelli Australia, kicked off the latest season with a series of lavish Ducati 2024 Premiere events in Melbourne, Sydney, Brisbane and Perth. The gala evenings saw Ducati adventure product specialist Nick Selleck introduce four new machines and take attendees through their specs and attributes, while Ducati Australia/NZ Managing Director Sergi Canovas welcomed guests and marked what has been a remarkable past year for the company. “2023 has been a magical year for us,” Canovas enthused. “We have delivered worldwide…

NEWS ROOM Leading motorcycle tour operator Roaming Horizons is ramping up its motorcycle tours of India and the Himalayas for 2024/’25, and celebrated the upcoming season with a ‘Curry Night’ feast at Kashi Indian restaurant in north-west Sydney. The Roaming Horizons team, headed by co-owner Premal Patel, was on hand to present their upcoming tours to a guest list that included past Roaming Horizons customers, and potential new customers keen to experience all the motorcycle touring India has to offer. Prem explained that, “Adventure and thrills, endless scenic beauty and deep cultural immersion” are all part of the inclusive tour packages offered by Roaming Horizons. The 10-day Leh Ladakh Trans Himalayan Tour, which is priced at just $3,999, is Roaming Horizons’ most popular tour — and as the name suggests,…

NEWS ROOM There are many charity ADV rides around now, and one AAB has been keen to throw its support behind is the Ride For Babies adventure ride, which raises funds for the Newborn Intensive Care Foundation. Their first ride took place earlier this year in southern NSW and was one of a suite of fundraising ideas that Kat, a Year 5 girl from Yass, NSW, organised to raise money for the Newborn ICU that helped her little sister when she was born. The multi-day ride, which was coordinated by Chris Bostelman and the crew from The Bike Butler in Sydney, included GPS routes, full support, luggage transport, accommodation and meals. And of course the entry fee was fully tax deductible. The success of the first Ride for Babies charity…

When you’re a regular frequent flyer, nine words can fast strike fear into your heart: “Due to the late arrival of the incoming aircraft …” — because you know exactly what’s coming next. It will always mean your outgoing flight will be late, and when you’ve got a tight schedule for a date with a brand-new adventure bike at its world launch in a rather exotic part of the world, you just don’t want to be late. But damn it, my flight from Melbourne to Manila was late — late enough that I just missed my connecting flight to the resort island of El Nido off the coast of the Philippines. And with no seats on later flights that day, I was screwed. I got to spend an uncomfortable night…

It’s day five of the 2024 APC Rally and our group of five DSMRA Sydney members are settling into things sweetly. It’s taken a few days and a few kays, but we’ve got our mojo on now: faster guys at the front, slower fellas down the back and me in the middle, with regular regroups to keep us all in touch. We’ve been up and down tracks steeper than your latest electricity bill, and we’ve seen more million-dollar views than most people will see in a lifetime. Yesterday we’d ridden from central Victoria, copped a flat not far from Shepparton and were pretty buggered by the time we pulled into West Wyalong, so the very first motel got our hard earned for the night. And that was just the ticket…

Spoked wheels have been around for as long as, well, motorcycles. It wasn’t until the 1970s that cast alloy wheels began to appear on production street motorcycles, but that didn’t make spoked wheels obsolete. In fact, spoked wheels are still the best approach for keeping things rolling on dirtbikes and adventure bikes. But with spokes comes required maintenance, and in some cases truing your wheels to make sure they are perfectly round so as to deliver a smooth and trouble-free ride. Spokes attach the hub to the rim to create the wheel, and the spokes are under tension to give the wheel strength. The physics and engineering of how this actually works is massively complicated, but, basically, without proper tension, the wheel’s strength is compromised. And really, that’s all we…

SW-MOTECH DAILY & 300 BACKPACKS SW-Motech’s latest backpacks are available in two styles: the Daily that offers 22 litres of capacity, and the 300, which has 30 litres. Both packs are suitable for use on the daily commute or when you’re heading away on longer adventures. + Ergonomically shaped back padding. + Padded, adjustable straps for real comfort. + Removable hip belts. + Roll-top closures. + Outer zip pockets and integrated Molle patch. + Removable 15-inch laptop sleeve included. RRP: Daily $312; 300 $185www.motorradgarage.com.au COOL COVERS SEAT COVERS The ever-growing range of products being distributed by Adventure Moto has just increased with the arrival of Cool Covers seat covers from the UK. Now, these aren’t any old seat cover: they’re actually 98 per cent permeable to help you keep your…

IT’S A MAD WORLD In the realm of motorcycles, opinions are as varied as the twisty roads we ride. Take Clive Ward, AAB’s tech guru, affectionately known as The Professor. If you ever find yourself in his inner sanctum — the workshop — brace yourself for a symphony of colourful critiques aimed at whatever unfortunate bike happens to be under his spanner. Now, Clive’s no stranger to voicing his disdain. But before you go thinking he’s just a grumpy old mechanic, know this: Clive’s got a soft spot, a Yamaha-shaped chink in his armour. Bring up those tuning-forked wonders and suddenly he’s like a kid at Christmas. Yamahas can do no wrong in his little black book. So when I rolled in with news of a shiny new 450 hitting…

NEWS ROOM Mosko Moto, a leading American manufacturer of adventure riding gear and soft luggage, is making a determined push to increase the profile and sales of its gear in Australia, kicking off with a recent Mosko Meet-Up function that took place in Sydney. The Meet-Up was hosted by Mosko Moto’s American ‘Road Boss’, JC Davis, during a visit to Australia, and was held at the premises of The Bike Butler at Mount Kuring-Gai in northern Sydney. Davis was in Australia to recce ride a large tract of northern NSW aboard a Husqvarna 701 Enduro, with an eye to staging a larger Mosko Moto Dirty Meet-Up event in Australia later this year. A sizeable crowd rolled in for the first Mosko Meet-Up at The Bike Butler, where a wide range…

In a time when so many large-capacity multi-cylinder adventure bikes have air filter elements that are frightfully buried away and difficult to access for routine servicing, the new BMW F 900 GS Enduro proved to be a breath of fresh air … literally. Accessing the air filter on the 900 is so easy and takes just a couple of minutes. Undo two Torx screws at the front of the small panel on top of the fuel tank around the filler cap, pop off that panel, then voila — the air filter sits vertically at the front of the fuel tank, and after moving a vent hose and pressing a tab, the filter slides straight up and out. Job done! And yes, it is a paper cartridge element as standard, but…

There’s no question BMW has been kicking goals in the uber-tourer category of litre-plus ADV bikes for years: witness the massive success and mighty popularity of the legendary Rhino (AKA the R 1250 GS A) and its leaner sibling, the 1250 GS. And the all-new R 1300 GS looks set to maintain the status quo in that division. However, in the mid-size ADV ranks for multi-cylinder bikes around the 900cc mark, BMW has been copping many a hit to the chin as the F 850 GS just didn’t keep pace with the pack. And it’s a hell of a competitive pack these days, with opponents coming from every direction. But now BMW has stepped back into the ring — it's on the front foot and is coming out swinging. Meet…

THE MOROCCAN TERRAIN WAS ROUGH, ROCKY AND DUSTY, MUCH LIKE A LOT OF THE AUSTRALIAN OUTBACK. George Lucas is responsible for many of the memories I will have etched in my mind for years to come of the Ducati DesertX Rally and my first visit to Morocco. If you've ever seen his films Raiders Of The Lost Ark or the original Star Wars, you will have some idea of the landscapes and characters that confronted us when we landed in the markets of Marrakesh, Morocco. I was invited by Ducati Australia/NZ to attend the global media launch for the DesertX Rally in Morocco. This was a new country to me, and even after four flights and some 40 hours in transit, I was still excited to arrive. Proceedings kicked off…

When it comes to fitting new tyres to larger-capacity multi-cylinder adventure bikes, I learned long ago to pick my battles carefully. Fronts I can do without too much aggravation. But chunky rear tyres, in say 150/70 or 140/80 profiles, can be absolute mongrels to install. Which is why I will get a tyre shop to fit them. It costs a few bucks, but the reduced levels of blood, sweat and tears on my part make it all worthwhile. So when it came to fitting a set of new Heidenau K60 Rangers to AAB’s Ténéré 700 World Raid long-termer, I did the front myself but the rear was a job for the boys at our local bike shop, Brian Connor Motorcycles at Brookvale — thanks, fellas! NEW KIDS ON THE BLOCK…

Adventure bike riding is only growing in popularity, and with that comes a whole new breed of ADV riders who are signing up to be part of organised group rides like our BMW Safari events. If you’re a GS Safari first-timer, don’t stress it — instead, put these tips to good use to help you enjoy a ride to remember, for all the right reasons! 1. BMW GS OFF ROAD TRAINING If it’s your first Safari and you have limited off-road experience, the best bang for your buck to help you get ready for Safari is to attend a BMW GS Off-Road Training course. You can attend one of our courses that are held nationwide, or the specific Pre-Safari rider training that is held close to the start location on…

GEAR & GADGETS Smart adventure riders say that if you want to travel far and fast, travel light. This goes with what my old man liked to advise anyone within earshot about packing. Which is lay out all the stuff you think you absolutely can’t do without. And then halve it. Fellow lightweight ADV riders should check out this Mosko Moto Reckless 10-litre ‘minimalist luggage solution’. It’s a high-quality piece of kit that runs across the back of your seat and carries its weight forward and low — where you want it. It’s basically a small backpack for your bike. This soft luggage also has the added advantage of not requiring a rack system to fit. I use my bike to commute to work as well as weekend adventures, so…

NEWS ROOM Here’s a news story pretty much no one expected: Toby Price and Red Bull KTM Racing have announced they are parting ways. Pricey dropped the news on his social media accounts, advising the world the 2024 Dakar Rally was his last outing for the Austrian factory team. “KTM has decided not to renew my contract, so Dakar 2024 was my last event with them,” Price stated matter-of-factly. “I do feel like I’m still in my prime and going out there fighting for wins, especially at Dakar,” Price continued, “so it’s unfortunate to not have that opportunity to do it in 2025. “But I’m really appreciative of the support KTM gave me in my career. We’ve been able to do some great things together, like win two Dakars and…

NEWS ROOM Alpinestars’ commitment to airbag system protective gear is renowned, the Italian firm having released Tech-Air 3, 5, 10 and Street systems over recent years. Now, after extensive development with the world’s leading racers in the Dakar Rally since 2017, Alpinestars has introduced the new Tech-Air Off-Road, which it describes as the world’s most advanced active airbag technology for off-road riding. The Tech-Air Off-Road airbag system delivers CE level 1 full chest and back protection, plus coverage to the shoulders, neck and collarbones in the event of a crash. It is integrated with an Alpinestars Off-Road protection jacket that has level 1 passive full back and limb protection, integrated protection of the arms, and a CE level 2 passive full chest protector offering the wearer enhanced roost protection. The…

NEWS ROOM Two years after making history and setting an altitude world record aboard a Yamaha Ténéré 700, Pol Tarrés returned to Chile earlier this year and set the bar even higher, not just by smashing his own record, but also by setting a new altitude record for a single-cylinder motorcycle. Reaching an incredible height of 6,677 metres with the Ténéré World Raid GYTR in full stage three set-up, Tarrés set a new record for the highest altitude achieved on a twin-cylinder motorcycle. During the reconnaissance phase of the attempt, Tarres also set a new record for the highest altitude ever reached on a single-cylinder motorcycle, ascending to 6,756m on the cross-country-specific Yamaha YZ450FX. The target for Tarrés’ attempts was to ascend Ojos del Salado, which is the highest volcano…

NEWS ROOM When you go down to the woods today, you’re sure of a big surprise. And if your local woods are anything like ours on the edge of a thriving metropolis, you won’t be seeing dirtbikes in those woods — instead, chances are there will be plenty of mountain bikes, and these days plenty of them are going to be powered by electric motors. As we’ve previously covered in the pages of AAB, we became huge fans of eMTBs during the COVID-19 lockdown days, and we ride our mountain bikes every chance we get. And we ride them straight out of our houses and into the trails where we live on Sydney’s northern beaches. In contrast, if we want to ride a dirtbike, it’s a minimum 60-minute truck or…

ROYAL ENFIELD HIMALAYAN 450 WE HAD TWO NEW HIMALAYAN 450S TO RIDE FROM MELBOURNE TO SYDNEY OVER THE EASTER WEEKEND. After riding Royal Enfield’s all-new Himalayan 450 at the bike’s world launch in the Himalayas late last year, I was keen to give the bike a longer workout back home in Australia. So when Urban Moto Imports announced the Australian launch of the bike would be staged in the Victorian high country, it didn’t take me long to hatch a plan to ask the UMI crew if any of the new 450s needed to be ‘shipped’ to Sydney after the launch. Now, while shipping normally means freighting bikes around the country with transport companies like Bikes Only, my plan was to ride a Himalayan 450 to Sydney. So when UMI’s…

VARIETY BRINGS ALL THE LOGISTICAL AND SAFETY EXPERIENCE THE BASH IS KNOWN FOR AND MARRIES IT WITH THE BASH-STYLE FUNDRAISING MODEL. Chances are many an AAB reader has heard legendary tales of the annual Variety Bash, which celebrates its 40th anniversary later this year and raises vital funds for kids in need through the Variety children’s charity in NSW and the ACT. But you may not be aware of Variety’s full range of motoring events, which range from 4WDs to the humble postie bike and include our favourite mode of transport: adventure bikes! Started in 2020 amidst a small reprieve from COVID-19 lockdowns, the Variety Adventure Ride gives adventure riders the chance to get out on the roads their bikes were designed for and explore some lesser-known areas of our…

As the old saying goes, knowledge is power. On a bike your vision provides you valuable information on what nasties you have to deal with next. The more you use your vision to get this info as soon as possible, the better you can ride — simple as that. On a recent ride there was this section of moderately rough track with a deep rut, a few rocks and one short sandy section across most of the track. A few riders flowed through as if they were on a magic carpet, while the others either really struggled or even binned it. Chances are the riders who made it seem easy were looking a long way in front so they could pick sweet lines. In contrast, the battlers were probably looking…

SHOWROOM CFMOTO HAS FAST BECOME KNOWN FOR OFFERING REAL VALUE-FOR-MONEY ADV MACHINERY, WHICH IS PRECISELY TRUE OF THE FEATURE-PACKED 800 MT EXPLORE. BUT WHEN YOU REALLY WANT TO GET SERIOUS AND EXPLORE THE BEST ADV RIDING COUNTRY AUSTRALIA HAS TO OFFER, CHECK OUT THE WIDE RANGE OF SW-MOTECH PRODUCTS THAT ARE AVAILABLE TO MAKE THE 800 MT INTO AN EVEN MORE CAPABLE LONG-DISTANCE TOURER. CHECK OUT WWW. MOTORRADGARAGE.COM.AU TO VIEW A HUGE RANGE OF ACCESSORIES FOR BIKES OF ALL KINDS.…