Innehållsförteckning för Issue 238 från Dirt Action

When it comes to things that die hard, Bruce Willis has nothing on the venerable Kawasaki workhorse. Two short years after being discontinued, the mighty Kwaka is back from the dead. While it won’t be setting any lap records at your local track, it’s still one of the better allround touring motorcycles on the planet. Given it’s pushing 35 years old, the MY22 KLR six-fiddy has been given a modernity makeover to keep it competitive with the sexier dual-sports on the market. The bike is available in two models, the KLR and the KLR Adventure, which (finally) feature fuel injection and sport a 23L tank. This means the range on these things should be nothing short of spectacular, while there’s the usual slew of genuine accessories that enable you to…

There is just something about Cape York. It’s a place that is like no other on the planet, offering more than just endless tracks and infinitely variable terrain; it’s a fair dinkum must-do on every rider’s bucket list. I’m not even exactly sure why that is. It’s not like you can’t find corrugations, water crossings, mud or any of the other terrain you’ll encounter anywhere else, but there is an undeniable pull to the region. It’s chock-full of dichotomies on mescaline. Simultaneously heartbreakingly punishing and overwhelmingly rewarding; mercilessly savage yet stunningly beautiful; undeniably remote and inhospitable while cultivating the warm sensation of coming home after being too-long away. It is aloe vera for a sunburned soul. It is impossible to explain to someone who has not been there and experienced…

Trials riding 10-15 years ago wasn’t the subject of many bench race sessions by enduro or trail riders. Clearly, discussing roostin’ mates, tearing up some single track and railing ruts carries way more kudos than riding as slow as possible around a small circuit without touching a foot down, but the advent of hard enduro popularity and YouTube videos of Toni Bou in action have changed many people’s perceptions of the skill. Most of the big-name riders in the Hard Enduro World Series previously held trials titles before embarking on chasing hard enduro events. Knight, Jarvis, Blazusiack, Webb, Walker and Bolton, to name just a few, display bike skills and balance way beyond what us mere mortals thought was possible. With this in mind, keen to see if we could…

01 The first Hybrid SXS, putting out 196hp, 250Nm of torque and more smiles per gallon than anything this side of a functional Iron Man suit. Just quietly, I reckon with the right attitude you could totally get a 125 in the back too. 02 Double A-arm front and trailing arm rear suspension means you can confidently huck this thing over washouts, corrugations, whoops or your annoying neighbour’s Hyundai without lifting. Seriously, if these were road legal we’d already own one, if not two. 03 It looks fast sitting still. The minimalist bodywork and functional tube-frame cage warm the cockles of our cockles. I mean, it’s even got a winch for yet more cool points. 04 Oh, you like technology? The Villain has all of it with its Smart Moving…

01 Ditch the vented riding gear. It lets body heat out and cold air in, which is great in summer but sucky in winter. 02 Get buff. Wait, that’s not it. Get a buff. They keep your neck warm and prevent that icy water from using your spine as a slippery dip. 03 You know those hand warmers you can buy from the servo? They’re actually pretty good on cold mornings. However, once you’ve gone heated hand grips you won’t look back. If you ride a lot in the cold and wet, they should be near the top of your ‘to-buy’ list 04 Thermals FTW. Long-johns and a skivvy under your riding gear will keep you toastier than a Pop-Tart, even on the iciest of days. 05 Not so much…

Mud, sweat and gears will be flying in Australia’s Top End on the first weekend in May. The legendary Kamfari enduro (four-hour mud race) is turning 50 and you are all invited. If you’re up for a challenge, contact the awesome team at the Kamfari Facebook page who can help you work out logistics to get yourself and your bike to the race. The Kamfari is held at Cox Peninsula, which is about an hour’s drive outside Darwin, Northern Territory. The Darwin Motorcycle Club will assist with information regarding accommodation options, vehicle hire, bike setup and interstate transport tips to make an awesome adventure to suit your budget. It’s not as hard as you think and with borders now open, it’s time to ride. C&R Constructions is on board yet…

As if Yamaha didn’t have enough to crow about when it unleashed the YZ400F and YZ426F motocross thumpers — when the YZ250F small-bore pleasure machine came along immediately after, the men in blue were crowing about ruling the roost. Hot on the heels of the thundering MX race bikes came the WR-F range of trail/enduro models, which immediately jumped to the top of the Australian dirtbike sales and registration stats. What’s curious, though, is while other brands have fought back hard in the 400cc to 450cc four-stroke trail/enduro category against the WR400F and WR426F, the WR250F stands tall and proud as the Lone Ranger in the 250cc four-stroke ranks. When it was introduced two seasons ago — as a 2001 model — the WR250F was accompanied by more than a…

If you don’t know the name Jack Field, chances are you’ve still seen him ripping it up in online videos or in the movies, or at one of his many live shows. Or maybe you just plain don’t get out much. For those who don’t know, Jack has been a professional rider for the better part of two decades, racing AMA Endurocross and mixing it with the best in the world at X-Games. Oh, and he’s stunt doubled for the likes of Vin Diesel and Mark Wahlberg. In other words, he’s a bit gifted on a bike. We managed to snag a chat with him right after the GASGAS launch (covered in this issue), before he had to duck back home to Byron Bay and prepare his Race and Stunt…

101 FEATURE HOW TO: WATERHOLES 01 First things first, when approaching a crossing, boghole or even a large puddle, it’s always good practice to take a minute to assess the obstacle in front of you. You’re looking at things like water depth (clear water always looks shallower than it is), line selection, hidden nasties like rocks or logs and for good entry and exit points. Walk it first if the situation calls for it. 02 Your riding position is standing up, gripping the bike with your knees and looking ahead to your exit point, which will help you maintain your chosen line. The bike may wriggle around underneath you and it can feel weird, so focus on staying balanced and keeping the momentum up. 03 When entering the water, don’t…

ANTIGRAVITY BATTERIES AG401 Lithium batteries aren’t exactly new these days, but you may not be fully aware of how awesome these things are — and not just in terms of performance. They weigh four-fifths of bugger all too, which is something every one of us can appreciate. Antigravity Batteries has been at the forefront of lithium technology for years now, and we recently had the chance to trial the company’s AG401 four-cell little screamer. First off, this thing is tiny. As in a few inches high and a couple tall and like one-and-a-bit wide. Picture a VHS tape, then cut a third off it and you’re pretty much there. It probably weighs about the same too. How does 0.45kg sound? Pretty freaking astounding, we reckon. The batteries are built in…

Honda America recently announced its ever-popular CRF450 line-up for next year, featuring six new models to suit a variety of riders and terrains. The benchmark is still the CRF450R, with the 2022 model featuring some ECU tweaks and different valving in the suspension that the Honda boffins reckon make the bike handle more responsively than ever before. Our American cousins will also be getting the CRF450WE, which stands for “Works Edition”, and receives a laundry list of upgrades like a Yoshi pipe and Showa forks. There’s also the enduro race-spec CRF450RX and its sibling the CRF450X, which features the same enduro-friendly features we’ve come to know and love over the years. The CRF450L is being marketed as the most tar-friendly of the bunch, and wrapping things up is the CRF450R-S,…

Rolling up to the Hampton Halfway Hotel and seeing such a nice-looking venue in the middle of nowhere with bright-red GASGAS flags and banners out the front, I just knew it was going to be a great two days. Walking in the doors, the staff greeted me and I could see two flame-red motos lurking in the background next to a big screen and a mannequin kitted out head to toe in GASGAS gear. We did a little meet and greet before jumping straight into the presentation. We found out some key information about the new range and it was cool to hear a bit of history behind it all and the way that they want to market the brand. One of the main things I took away was that…

Fact: Wheelies are where it’s at. All the cool kids do them and they’re one of the most useful skills to master if you want to take your riding ability to the next level. Not only that, you look like a boss when you have the front way up in the air – I saw it on Instagram so it must be true. THE BALANCE POINT IS ABOUT THREE TO FOUR INCHES FURTHER BACK THAN WHERE YOU THINK THE BIKE IS GOING TO TIP OVER POWER VS CLUTCH There are basically two techniques for popping the front up. Both should be done on flat, soft ground, like a grassy field or similar. The first is done by weighting the front forks, then moving your body position rearwards while rolling onto…

01 Which air filters generally give the best overall protection and flow? A) Foam filters B) Paper filters C) Gauze filters 02 What is your fork tube runout if your dial indicator reads 1.2mm? A) 0.6mm B) 2.4mm C) 3.6mm 03 Brake fluid is hygroscopic, which means what? A) It repels water B) It absorbs water C) It can be poured on your garden after use 04 A pilot jet is also known as a: A) Main jet B) Fast jet C) Slow jet 05 How do you check that your rear-wheel alignment is bang on? A) Ensure the axle is on the same clicker on both sides B) Ensure the measurement from the centre of the swingarm pivot to the rear axle is equidistant on both sides C) It’s…

OK, hands up who grew up riding a two-banger? Yup, me too, and while the growing-up part may not have stuck, that love of lightweight, revvy, ring-dinging trailbikes is like a tattoo on my soul. The way they smell, that distinctive sound — the pure pleasure of riding a two-stroke on song will likely be something that stays with me until I die, and I’m a strong believer that everyone should own at least one of these smileproducers in their riding career. With that in mind, we thought we would throw together a quick guide to the basics of blasting through the bush on a dinger. Because after all, a 125 2T is the most fun you can have on two wheels — change my mind. START OFF EASY Slow…