Innholdsfortegnelse for Issue 173 i Australian Road Rider

The MotoGP grid is the dead-giveaway – KTM is planning to replace its LC8 V-twin with a V-four. Every bike manufacturer on the MotoGP grid builds a road bike engine in the same configuration as its racing engine, except KTM… well, Honda isn't selling any V-fours anymore, but don't be surprised if they make a comeback. Ducati, Aprilia and KTM are dominating MotoGP in 2023 and they are all doing it with a V4. Honda started the trend with its RC212V, a V-four. Yamaha is struggling with its M1, an inline four-powered bike. Suzuki has withdrawn. Simply put, a V-four is the smart configuration if you want to win at the pinnacle of the sport. It happened decades ago with the two-strokes and it's happening now with four-strokes. And it…

UPFRONT TWO-LITRE CVOS AND A NEW ICON Harley-Davidson has bumped up the size of its Milwaukee Eight engine to 1982cc and added Variable Valve Timing for more power, torque and rideability. The new Milwaukee-Eight VVT 121 engine is the largest mass-production motor Harley's ever produced and it'll be first sold in new CVO (Custom Vehicle Operations) announced as mid-year 2023 models. Australian Road Rider expects selected 2024 touring models and possibly some Softails will be available with the new engine in 2024, possibly as a special order. Beyond the new motor, if you want the most stylish and well-equipped Harley-Davidson, it's the CVO range you need to look at — the Motor Company describes them as “the ultimate in refinement of styling, design, craftsmanship and attention to detail, along with…

ROAD RIDER TEST HARLEY-DAVIDSON BREAKOUT A deeply distressing or disturbing experience is described as trauma, and that was on my mind as I threw a leg over the 2023 Harley-Davidson Breakout. I was still scared by my exposure to the original Breakout, caused by the terrifying experience of peeling into a corner, grounding the right peg almost immediately, quickly calculating that the arc through the corner I was now committed to take would lead into the scrub about half-way around and then discovering how weak the brakes were. There was a clue to an improved 2023 Breakout in the choice of launch location and the proposed route. It included the climb up to Mount Hotham from Harrietville, 30.8 kilometres of the Great Alpine Road which consists entirely of one tight…

ARR TOURING NEW MEXICO, USA The last time I had ridden a motorcycle through sand dunes was on a trail bike. This time, I was riding a heavy touring bike with my wife on the back and gliding among the dunes… We were in White Sands National Park in the south-west US state of New Mexico on a smooth asphalt road that snaked its way through a white desert landscape. Nicknamed the “Land of Enchantment”, New Mexico had already enchanted us with its history, culture and mountains and now we were being enchanted by a desert. The state is roughly the size of Victoria and Tasmania combined with a population of only two million, and the roads have very little traffic, always a plus when touring on a motorcycle. We…

RIXY'S RIDE The buzz word of the decade so far has to be “influencer”. While beauty is in the eye of the beholder, I'm not into those botoxfilled things swanning around espousing the virtues of kale or similar filling our online screens 24/7. Some of them make a fortune with in-kind sponsorship and $$$ for bombarding us with crap, encouraging us to part with our hard earned for things we don't really need. I'm no oil painting or fashion plate, so it came as a bit of a shock to realise that maybe I'm a modern-day influencer… without the crap botox or swanning. Parochialism and brand loyalty are rife in the motorcycling community. Sure, there are a few tarts out there who will ride anything with wheels. I'll confess… check…

AUSSIE-MADE TUAREG LUGGAGE WHATZ NEW Andy's been at it again, developing products to make bikes better suited to Australian conditions. “While the bike (Aprilia Tuareg 660) is a capable unit, it's hardly capable of carrying more than a credit card as delivered.” While Andy and his fabricator were designing the side frames for their pannier system, a rear rack solution fell into place. “Sometimes things just descend from the heavens into exactly the right place.” The satin-black, powder-coated, mild steel tubular-framed rear rack allows light gear carrying yet easy removal of the seat. You can run the rack with or without the Andy Strapz mild steel tubular side frames. Although the frame set may accommodate most “throw-over” bags, the Strapz team chose to design the system around their Traveller Pannierz.…

MOTUL CARE PACK WINNER…

Royal Enfield is building parallel twins these days, the Super Meteor joining the Interceptor and Continental GT in the range. Australian Road Rider will have an in-depth feature on that bike next issue, but what we can already say is it's a nice cruiser which is a full-size bike at a very affordable price that works well. Scan the QR code to watch the editor's first impressions video from the launch. And coming soon are the Honda Transalp and Suzuki GSX-S800 and V-Strom 800, updated CFMOTO and KTM twins… we're a little surprised Kawasaki hasn't enlarged its 650 twin to an 800 or 900. What we are sure of is the trend away from fours and back to twins isn't going away anytime soon. npaterson@umco.com.au Comment or rate this article.…

UPFRONT THE BALI BIKE BAN WON'T HAPPEN In Bali, where I live, the governor wants to ban tourists from hiring scooters and motorcycles — something they've been doing since a bunch of surfers discovered Kuta, a tranquil fishing village on the south-west coast with perfect glassy waves back in the ‘70s. The bike ban is part of a wider net to address tourists misbehaving in Bali: running businesses without permits, dressing indecently at holy sites, overstaying visas, noise complaints about nightclubs and, of course, tourists riding around on scooters like idiots, smashing up the place. And it's not just the bogans from the outer edges of Perth and Melbourne running amuck in Bali today. Every month, 20,000 Russians stream into Bali's international airport and they don't exactly have a reputation…

UPFRONT BMW CELEBRATES 100TH WITH TWO NEW MODELS Two new flat-twin motorcycles have been announced by BMW to celebrate the 100th anniversary of the company's first motorcycle, the R 32. The R 12 nineT and R 18 Roctane represent the heritage, touring, style, quality and tradition BMW has built up over 100 years of manufacturing bikes. For the first time in an R nineT, BMW has also incorporated a reference to the engine capacity by adding the ‘12’ (for 1200) to the name… although we're finding ‘R 12 nineT’ a bit of a convoluted mouthful around the Australian Road Rider office. The classic roadster is an update of earlier R nineT models, this new one featuring a redesigned airbox and exhaust system and customising options. BMW is emphasising the classic…

ROAD RIDER TEST HARLEY-DAVIDSON BREAKOUT SPECIFICATIONS ENGINE Type: Milwaukee-Eight 117cu 4-stroke V-twin Capacity: 1923cc (117cu in) Compression ratio: 10.2:1 Engine management: Electronic Sequential Port Fuel Injection (ESPFI) PERFORMANCE Claimed maximum power: 102hp (76kW) Claimed maximum torque: 168Nm @ 3500rpm TRANSMISSION Type: 6-Speed Cruise Drive Final drive: Toothed Belt Clutch: Mechanical, 10 plate wet, assist & conventional CHASSIS AND RUNNING GEAR Chassis: Mild steel, tubular frame; rectangular section backbone; stamped, cast and forged junctions; MIG welded; aluminium forged fender supports; mild steel swingarm Front suspension: Dual-bending valve 49mm telescopic with aluminium fork triple clamps; dual-rate spring Rear suspension: Hidden, free piston, coil-over monoshock; 43mm stroke; toolless hydraulic preload adjustment Front brakes: Single 300mm disc with 4-piston fixed caliper Rear brake: Single 292mm disc with twin-piston caliper Tyres: Michelin Scorcher, 130/60B21 front,…

HONDA CB750 HORNET ROAD RIDER LAUNCH “IT'S THE MIDRANGE WHERE THE BIKE REALLY SHINES…” The corners were flowing, left, right, left, right… uphill most of the way. Another uphill right and as I exited the corner, I saw the lyrebird scampering across my path. I rolled off and sat up, but our cute, shy and flightless bird was quicker than I'd expected and he was off into the bush long before there was any chance of a collision. My pace was tempered by the wet road, a result of overnight rain and cold temperatures, and I was enjoying myself far more than usual for a wet ride; a combination of the lightweight Honda CB750 Hornet, brand-new tyres and the glorious midrange of the new machine combined to make riding the…

SPECIFICATIONS ENGINE Type: Liquid-cooled SOHC parallel-twin four-stroke Capacity: 755cc Compression ratio: 11:1 Engine management: Digital electronic PERFORMANCE Claimed maximum power: 67.5kW (91hp) @ 9500rpm Claimed maximum torque: 75Nm @ 7250rpm Fuel consumption: 4.7L/100km TRANSMISSION Type: 6-speed constant mesh (quickshifter optional) Final drive: Chain Clutch: Slip and Assist CHASSIS AND RUNNING GEAR Chassis: Steel Diamond thin-walled chassis. Box section steel swingarm Front suspension: Showa SFF-BP non-adjustable 41mm USD forks. 130mm travel Rear suspension: Single Pro-Link spring/damper unit adjustable for preload. 150mm of travel Front brakes: Dual 296mm wave discs. Nissin radial mount 4-piston calipers. ABS Rear brake: 240mm disc. ABS Tyres: F: 120/70ZR17 R: 160/60ZR17 DIMENSIONS AND CAPACITIES Rake: 25° Trail: 99mm Claimed wet weight: 190kg Seat height: 795mm Wheelbase: 1420mm Fuel capacity: 15.2L ELECTRONICS, RIDER AIDS & CONVENIENCE FEATURES 5-inch…

IRAQ ARR TRAVEL Follow the travels of this intrepid pair and be ready for their book when it's available. links.roadrider.com.au/PackTrack The military escort comprised two gun turret-equipped Humvees, just in case ISIS decided we might be good for target practice or would make for quality hostages. The explosions we didn't see caused delays, but the burnt-out wrecks we did see along the way showed why the Iraqi military was keen to ensure visitors made it through safely. In a country you'd think would have no time for western tourists and wouldn't particularly care about their welfare, we found connections, empathy and help along with the expected bureaucracy, delays and military checkpoints. Despite being on the road for eight years, the thought of crossing Iraq had filled me with irrational fears.…

DAVID REIDIE COLLECTIONS Fancy riding a 1934 hard tail Harley from Broome to Darwin and across the Gibb River Road? For David Reidie, it's a challenge that had to be conquered. How did the old Harley go? “It ran fine, better than me,” grins David. Most Victorian motorcyclists will remember David's Harley City in Sydney Road, Brunswick. He began selling and servicing Harleys there after emigrating to Australia and working for memorable bike shops such as Quincey's in Moonee Ponds and Harley-Davidson Dealer/Importer Stanco's in Richmond. David started out working on Honda AG bikes in New Zealand. He rode Suzukis and Hondas but had a penchant for British bikes, eventually shifting to Triumphs. Modified bikes and the cafe racer scene were all the rage and David was right there with…

WHATZ NEW MERLIN WATERPROOF LEATHERS Merlin has produced something the Australian Road Rider team has wanted for decades — a practical waterproof leather jacket. By laminating a waterproof membrane into the outer of the jacket, the Merlin Gable D3O jacket is able to keep both the rider and jacket dry. Not only dry, but safe and warm as well. There's a triple-A CE rating overall for the Gable thanks to its 1.3-1.4mm tape-seamed single-layer waterproof two-tone cowhide leather and five-piece D3O armour set — which includes a CE-approved back protector, not just a foam pad like so many jackets. There's also a removable 125g thermal full-body lining for warmth. As befits a high-quality jacket, there are all the features you'd expect — short connection zip to pants, ventilation points front…

The right-hand side of Australia has been under water for much of the last two years and our roads are as wrinkly as our waterlogged fingers. Tarmac has vanished at alarming rates and councils are hard-pressed to keep up. It is a particular problem in the bush, where roads are long and ratepayers few. My destination was Albert, 120km west of Dubbo, for an annual motorcycling gettogether at the Rabbit Trap Hotel. But first I had to make sure the old girl was up to the 1100km round trip from the coast. Fixing the left-side rear blinker was easy enough; more worrying was a wonky rear wheel. It presented as a failed wheel bearing, but the culprit was a worn wheel hub. Pete the wonder mechanic shimmed it tight with…

UPFRONT THE DISTINGUISHED GENTLEMAN'S BONNIE Triumph has announced a limited-edition T120 Bonneville to celebrate its connection with The Distinguished Gentleman's Ride, the Australian charity event that has spread world-wide since its beginnings in Sydney way back in 2012. There will be just 250 examples produced. Based on the current T120 Bonneville, the DGR machine features “a stylish DGR metallic black-and-white paint scheme featuring official DGR branding with a custom logo on the tank and side panels, gold detailing and distinctive brown seat, each one comes with a numbered certificate signed by DGR founder Mark Hawwa and Triumph CEO Nick Bloor, with edition 001 being presented to the highest fundraiser for the 2023 ride.” If you want one, obviously you'll need to be quick and start the process by begging in…

Slipping and sliding around in the mud of the unsealed, mountainous section of the N Highway hadn't been part of the plan, but the rain radar and forecast had let me down, which left me riding in conditions unsuited to a sports-tourer… and then I saw an excavator doing embankment repairs… while sinking into the mud. At that point, I'd rather have been cleaning toilets at the GP than paddling through marginally less smelly muck on a brand-new Yamaha Tracer 9 GT. In the radar-invisible drizzle, I managed to squeeze past the excavator and eventually (and with considerable relief) made it back onto the blacktop 20 minutes later. Impressively, the Tracer, showcasing its touring adaptability, was dirty but not damaged. Yamaha's current sport touring range has something for most tastes.…

ROAD RIDER TEST 2023 YAMAHA TRACER 9 GT SPECIFICATIONS ENGINE Power: 117hp (87.5kW) at 10,000rpm Torque: 93Nm at 7000rpm Type: Liquid-cooled, 4-stroke, DOHC, 4-valve, 3-cylinder Capacity: 889cc Bore x stroke: 78 × 62.1mm Compression ratio: 11.5:1 Fuel system: Fuel injection Ignition: TCI TRANSMISSION Type: 6–speed Final drive: Chain Clutch: Wet multiplate CHASSIS AND RUNNING GEAR Chassis: Die-cast aluminium “Deltabox” Swingarm: Aluminium Front suspension: KYB telescopic upside-down fork. Continuous electronic compression and rebound adjustment. Manual spring preload adjustment. 130mm travel Rear suspension: KYB shock with continuous electronic compression and rebound adjustment. Remote manual preload adjustment. 137mm travel Front brakes: Radial-mount callipers, semi-floating dual discs, 298mm, ABS Rear brake: Single-piston calliper, single disc, 245mm, ABS Tyres: Front: 120/70ZR17 (58W) Rear: 180/55ZR17M/C (73W) Ergonomic adjustment: Handlebars fore/aft, seat height, footpeg height, screen height…

KAWASAKI VERSYS 650 SERVICE AND CUSTOMISATION FEATURE With a son still on a LAMS licence and stupid prices being offered for some old bikes in the garage during COVID lockdowns, a near-new Kawasaki Versys 650 was acquired by my household around 18 months ago. It's provided sterling service as a versatile all-rounder, but with Damien attaining his full motorcycle licence and moving out anyway, it was starting to look surplus to requirements. But first there was the Karuah River Rally… very local for me and with a bunch of mates going, I dug out some camping gear for a night under the stars. With around 15km of gravel road required to get to the campsite, the Versys coped admirably, although there were a few slips and slides on the standard…

ROAD RIDER TEST KAWASAKI KLX230SM “IT WORKS BEST IN THE TIGHT STUFF…” The 250cc class once ruled Australia, with more quarter-litre bikes sold than any other capacity, thanks in part to the learner laws in place at the time. The KLX230SM would have been a big hit back in those days — lightweight, spirited performance, good looks and affordable repayments would have had young riders queuing up. The idea of a lightweight dirtbike with stiffer suspension, road bike wheels and tyres, a big front disc and lime-green race paint would have had many a teenager laying down a deposit. Times change though, and now the new SM goes head-to-head in the same showrooms at a similar price to the Z400 and Ninja 400, a pair of twin-cylinder bikes which offer…

VICTORIA ARR TOURING Somewhere behind me is a Land Cruiser towing a horse float and somewhere in front of me is a non-descript white sedan. They were there before the thunderstorm unloaded on us, but the rain and spray make it impossible to see anything. I think of slowing down but the thought of being run over by the Land Cruiser keeps my throttle open. I consider pulling over but I can't see the side of the road and fear riding into a road sign or power pole. I try to open my visor a crack to stop the fogging, but it's the equivalent of having a hose squirted through the gap! For five minutes I ride like this with the speedo sitting on 100 — not daring to slow…

Give your Honda CB750 Hornet some additional protection from bumps and the capability to take the gear you want. Motorrad Garage already has a full line-up of SW-Motech products ready to make thenew Hornet just how you like it. Check out www.motorradgarage.com.au to view a huge range of accessories for bikes of all kinds.…

It was a time of V-twins: Ducati was winning the World Superbike Championship with its beautiful 916, Harley-Davidson was selling its cruisers faster than it could build them, and many bigbore inline fours were too powerful for their tyres, and too peaky for enjoyable street riding. Honda launched the VTR1000F Firestorm as a street sportsbike: a sporty but not cramped riding position, a grunty V-twin powerplant, a lightweight aluminium chassis and modern wheel and tyre sizes. And at a price that wasn't just affordable, it was almost cheap. They sold like the proverbial hotcakes. The VTR1000F wasn't perfect, far from it — no luggage capacity, poor pillion comfort with no grab rail and a lack of a centrestand were common complaints — but the fuel consumption caused by the twin…