Innehållsförteckning för January 2020 från Australian Motorcyclist

Back in the groove I’LL start this month’s editorial saying, The Bear and Ralph got it easy the last month as they both got to go to EICMA to not only see all the latest and greatest two wheeled machines, but also all the pretty ladies that adorn a lot of these machines – half their luck! All while I stayed to do the ‘work’. I recently raced at the final round of the Australian Superbike Championship in the Superbike Masters support class at Sydney Motorsport Park. The plan was for me to sort out the handling on The Beast (our ’89 FZR1000) as Alex has always liked how I set up a bike and it was time to get the handling as we want it. The plan started well,…

PRICE: $15,499 plus on roads away WARRENTY:Two years, unlimited distance SERVICING INTERVALS: Every 10,000km or 12 months ENGINE: Parallel twin cylinder, 4-stroke, liquid-cooled, DOHC, 4-valves BORE x STROKE: 80 x 68.9mm DISPLACEMENT: 689cc COMPRESSION: 11.5:1 POWER: 54kW @ 9000rpm TORQUE: 68 Nm @ 6500rpm TRANSMISSION: 6-speed, wet multi-plate clutch, chain drive SUSPENSION: Front, KYB 43mm USD fully adjustable telescopic fork, travel 210mm. Rear, shock, semi-adjustable preload, travel 200mm. DIMENSIONS: Seat height 880mm, weight 204kg (wet), fuel capacity 16 litres, wheelbase 1590mm TYRES: Front: 90/90 R21 Rear 150/70 R18 FRAME: Double cradle steel tube BRAKES: Front dual 282mm discs with four pistons calipers, switchable ABS. Rear 245mm disc, single piston caliper, switchable ABS FUEL CONSUMPTION: 5 litres per 100km, premium unleaded THEORETICAL RANGE: 320km COLOURS: Competition White, Power Black, Ceramic Ice…

THIS MAP IS IN response to the massive bushfires roaring through NSW. We can only hope rain starts falling to help bring them under control and to try and inject some life back into the dry, desert-like conditions across not only NSW, but most of the country. We motorcyclists are usually pretty good at spending some hard earned in areas that need it and this particular ride takes in just one of the areas that could do with some cash splashed around. So, organise your mates, book accommodation and take a heap of cash in your pocket to spend up big knowing you’ll be helping communities out. * Please note - for those that don’t like getting dirty, this route does contain some well-maintained dirt roads. Very easy to manage…

INDIAN MOTORCYCLE Benelux revealed the winning ‘Project Scout Bobber’ contest build at the BigTwin Bikeshow and Expo earlier this month. ‘Hasty Flaming Buffalo’, by Dutch designer Luuc Muis of LM Creations, is a beautifully elegant blend of modern technology and the classic lines of a 1910 Indian board-track racer. Open to amateur and professional builders from across the region, the Indian Motorcycle Custom Contest: ‘Project Scout Bobber’ saw three finalists chosen by a professional jury and then put forward to a public Facebook vote. Luuc’s design proved so popular that he became the clear leader with over 54% of the votes and won the opportunity to create his unique vision. Luuc’s design for ‘Hasty Flaming Buffalo’ draws on the rich and successful history of Indian Motorcycle racing, particularly the board…

A couple of months after my visit, I get a call from Phil and he doesn’t sound good. The previous afternoon Alwyn’s carer had helped him shower and he’d gone to his bedroom to dress.Too long passed and she pushed the door open. ‘Dad’ was on his bed motionless. He’d sat down and passed away, as peacefully and as tranquilly as he’d lived. The town was in shock. I thank him for calling and he thanks me for my interest and when I tell him,“I’m sure you helped make his last few years fuller and happier than they may have been,” the publican, the person just says he hopes so,“because that’s why we’re here.” I make myself an excuse to head out to the river bend country. I’m told the…

IT’S OLD HOME MONTH for the Bear in this issue. He’s either been on trips with all of these tour operators, or he’s borrowed bikes from them. Can’t ask for better recommendations, then. BEST OF BOTH CONTINENTS Our friends at IMTBIKE in Spain have issued an invitation for you to start your new year in Morocco – and not only that, but possibly southern Spain as well. This is a terrific opportunity to ride some truly great bike roads with people who are almost locals – did you know that Spain actually has two small enclaves on the North African coast, surrounded by Morocco? IMTBIKE offers three Morocco tours early next year: Magical Morocco, Mountains, Oases and Casbahs, from the 15th to the 29th of February; Morocco Adventure, The Essence…

SHOWTIME Motorcycling is as big and bright as ever “IT’S THE VIBE OF IT,” as Dennis Denuto said in The Castle. You can quote all the numbers you like, chasing bike sales figures downward into despond, but a good bike show will pull you out of that quick smart. By my long-established Motorcycle Show MoodMeter, the ratio of blondes to brunettes on the stands (blondes: positive mood, brunettes: less so), the industry itself is betting a bit each way – some were light, some were dark. But the overall impression, the buzz,the vibe, definitely looked bright. A few quick words about the show. It occupied 280,000 square metres in eight of Fiera Milano’s giant halls. There were 1278 exhibitors from 44 countries and more than 2000 accredited journalists. Maybe I…

AS YOU’LL KNOW, most manufacturers have taken one of their litre sportsbikes, ripped its clothes off and turned it into a ballistic naked street weapon. Yamaha has done this with the R1, turning it into the crazy MT-10. The latest model of the MT-10 hasn’t really changed much from the first time we rode one a while ago. The main change is the new “Ice Fluo” colour scheme which runs through all of the Yamaha MT range. The red “fluo” wheels are the eye catching part but what you might consider to be plain old grey paintwork is in fact a pearl grey/white in bright sunlight, no doubt accounting for the word “Ice” in the name. If you’re unfamiliar with the MT-10 it shares most of its architecture with the…

THERE ARE SOME questions that, as a motorcycle writer, I encounter more often than others. One of them is “why is product x more expensive than product y?” An associated question is “why is product x more expensive here in country y (Australia, say) than in country z (the US, for example)?” The latter question usually involves Harley-Davidson motorcycles, and is quite easy to answer. Any sensible firm will sell its products for what they can get for them, and Australian buyers are prepared to pay more for Harleys than American buyers. “But that’s wrong,” says the questioner whom we shall call ‘you’. “They’re profiteering.” Are they? Let’s say you buy a new bike. When you come to sell it however many years later, how do you decide on the…

MARCEL IS THE Business Unit Manager Moto for Pirelli Tyres Australia and is responsible for the premium brands of Pirelli and Metzeler. AMM Marcel you have an enviable position in the Australian motorcycling landscape. Tyres are an expensive item and it must be great to have a warehouse to go and plunder. How did you get to this point? MARCEL I have been riding motorcycles since I was 18 yearS old, always loved bikes so it was logical to get into the motorcycle industry coming out of school with a marketing diploma. I went first into sales, working for the largest European motorcycle dealer in Europe (at that time) in the Netherlands, then joined the Benelux private distributor of Harley-Davidson, Moto Guzzi, Triumph, Malaguti and Hyosung in their marketing team.…

I ROCK UP TO THE bar of the Terminus Hotel at Morgan with a message from a mate. Tony’s a water man - a bloke whose enthusiasm for boats, especially wooden sailing boats, knows no plimsoll line. A few months earlier he was sailing his new obsession up the Murray with his son, Tim, and as they were mooring at Morgan the young fella stood on something nasty and slashed his foot. Badly. They wrapped it up (yes, gaffer tape was involved) and headed into the pub, a pub they’d never been to before. They were told the town was medico-deficient on Saturdays – the closest qualified help was at the Waikerie Base Hospital 40kms away. And getting there? “Not a problem”, said the Publican, “take my ute. There’s no…

OUR ROYAL ENFIELD 650 has made the pilgrimage to, ‘The Island’ for MotoGP. My , goes races year and with a bunch a of mates tries to come up with an alternative route each year. This time round they took the long way and headed out to Bathurst and down inland to Yass, Cooma, Delegate, Orbost and over to Phillip Island. The weather was a mixed bag on the way there and back and riding the Bonang Highway on the way back and the section of dirt meant the 650 looked like a concrete truck had taken a dump on it. MotoMuck wash to the rescue which easily and simply removed all the ‘concrete’ and made the 650 sparkle once more. The 650 handled the trip easily and the report…

IMAGINE THIS-Sir David Attenborough is involved in the development of Yamaha’s Ténéré 700 is during the very last marketing meetings leading up to the final release. He says, “I say lads, if this motorcycle were in the animal kingdom it would have been through a world record gestation period. The record stands at 640 days for an elephant…”. It was just over 700 days since I’d first set eyes on the then T7 prototype - and what a lot of hype it drew - at EICMA in Italy in 2017. But just as elephants are pretty impressive, one decent day in the saddle will be enough for adventuring hero types to be impressed enough to fork over their cash without flinching. It will come as no surprise that capacity-wise, the…

IF EICMA DIDN’T have a single motorcycle but just accessories, clothes and such, I would still be tempted to go. The thing is – you don’t know what you’re missing if you don’t. Sure you can track manufacturers whom you know on the web, but will you always catch up with their latest development? And what about the firms you’ve never heard of? A big motorcycle show is the place to see them, and there is no bigger motorcycle show than this one. Here are just a few examples, and if I sound a bit gushy (I do) it’s because I have been seriously impressed by these people. One firm I always find intriguing is Wunderlich, who make accessories for BMWs. With a brand as thorough as BMW, you might…

PRICE: $21,149 (ride away) WARRANTY:Two years, unlimited distance SERVICING INTERVALS: Every 10,000km or 12 months ENGINE: Liquid-cooled in-line four cylinder, 4-stroke, DOHC, 4 valves per cylinder BORE x STROKE: 79 x 50.9mm DISPLACEMENT: 998cc COMPRESSION: 12.0:1 POWER: 118kW @ 11,500rpm TORQUE: 111Nm @ 9000rpm TRANSMISSION: 6-speed, wet multi-plate assist/slipper clutch, chain final drive SUSPENSION: Front, 43mm inverted fork, adjustable preload, compression and rebound, travel 120mm. Rear, mono-shock, adjustable preload, compression and rebound, travel 120mm. DIMENSIONS: Seat height 825mm, weight 210kg (wet), fuel capacity 17 litres, wheelbase 1400mm TYRES: Front, 120/70/ZR17. Rear, 190/55/ZR17 FRAME:Aluminium Deltabox BRAKES: Front, twin 320mm discs with radial mount four-piston ABS calipers. Rear, 220mm disc, single-piston ABS caliper. FUEL CONSUMPTION: 8.68 litres per 100km, premium unleaded THEORETICAL RANGE: 195km COLOURS: Ice Fluo,Yamaha Blue, Tech Black VERDICT: MENTAL…

“Whisky, whisky, my old friend, I’ve come to see you again…”- KRIS KRISTOFFERSON SMOKEHEAD ISLAY Single Malt Whisky has teamed up with Tyler Lunceford over the past nine months to build a one-of-a-kind customised Ducati, inspired by vintage motorcycles. The time has come to reveal ‘The Smoker’. The expertly crafted motorcycle was unveiled to media, trade and bike fanatics on 12th November in London at The Bike Shed, Shoreditch. Hosting the evening was bike blogger, Motobob who ran a Q&A with Tyler, while custom motorcycle helmet designer Piers Dowell painted two Smokehead helmets live on the night. Bike fans also enjoyed video footage of the creation of The Smoker, including the final video of the bike on the open road. Mind-blowing cocktails made with Smokehead, Smokehead High Voltage and Smokehead…

BASED IN THE western suburbs of Melbourne (100 New Street, Spotswood, Victoria 3015 to be exact) JAX Garage was created in mid-2019, so they’re definitely the new kids on the block in terms of custom motorcycle building. The company was primarily created to scratch a personal itch, but it turned out to be much more as the inaugural build (the K75C shown here) developed. While the company itself doesn’t have a long history just yet, the people behind it do. The team is comprised of Jas Babalija (founder, builder, and engineer), Dom Scarpari (builder and lead mechanic), and Christina Scarpari (creative director). The custom builds are worked on by Dom and Jas. Christina captures this work, as she has a skillset in photography. Dom has over 30 years’ experience as…

ONE OF THE comments you’ll hear quite often following, or even during, a visit to Turkey is how amazingly friendly and hospitable the Turkish people can be. Especially considering how we, the Anzacs, invaded their country during the First World War, it is quite astonishing to receive such warmth and welcoming from a people who could have every right to hold a grudge against us. The main man at World On Wheels, Mike Ferris, brought back some pleasant memories for us with this piece about the wonderful experience of touring Turkey. One cold bleak morning on the Black Sea coast, a bunch of riders had started fairly early and after a couple of hours’ riding we felt it might be time for a warming cup of tea. In a quiet…

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 THIS MONTH’S winner is Tony Gray, who reminds us that yes, there is a world out there behind the…