Innholdsfortegnelse for Issue#121 - January/February 2016 i Australian Road Rider

The Northern Territory has decided to permanently allow motorists to choose their own speed on a 336km section of the Stuart Highway after a successful 18-month evidence-based trial. Territory chief minister Adam Giles said their trial report confirmed that open speed limits had reduced the number of accidents along the trial section of highway when compared with a 130km/h posting previously in place. The NT dropped open speed limits on some highways in 2006 to 130km/h, but instead of accidents reducing, they increased. In fact, 307 died in the NT over the next six years, 15 more than in the previous six years. So the government trialled open limits again. Now this must surely be the proof that open speed limits work and motorists aren’t so stupid as to consistently…

As lane filtering becomes legal in more Australian states, drivers are expected to become more jealous but less aggressive over time. Riders in Queensland and NSW, where lane filtering has been legal for some time, and the ACT where it is trialled, have reported incidences of drivers trying to prevent them from lane filtering. It became legal in Victoria on November 2. However, a Californian motorcycle lane sharing study shows the incidence of drivers trying to prevent riders from filtering through lanes will decrease over time. The study of lane splitting (filtering at speed) was conducted over three years by Ewald & Wasserman Research Consultants in California, where the practice is not legally sanctioned, but allowed, mainly so bike cops can move through traffic in hot conditions on air-cooled motorcycles.…

If electric motorcycles are ever going to gain a foothold in the market, they need a rider incentive like in Vietnam where they waive registration fees. Some countries have similar tax incentives to encourage riders to switch from internal combustion engines to electric power, but there are no such incentives in Australia. That could change after the car manufacturing industry closes down in the next couple of years as the government won’t feel obliged to prop them up. In Vietnam, electric scooters and motorcycles are becoming popular. The National Steering Committee of Traffic Safety has revealed that 70 per cent of EVs across the country are motorcycles. However, riders on electric motorcycles must not exceed speeds of 50km/h and the motors must be no greater than 4kW. A range of…

The rampant use of fog lights on cars causes riders dangerous glare, yet police seem more interested in speeding infringements than patrolling for illegal use of fog lights, says Australian Motorcycle Council spokesman Guy Stanford. He says he witnesses a lot of cars driving home in western Sydney with their fog lights on, yet the highway patrol officers ignore them and are more interested in catching speeders. “The message delivered to road users is that allowing glare is acceptable as long as the vehicle is below the speed limit,” he wrote in his submission to the Senate Select Committee Inquiry into Road Safety. Fog lights are standard on many modern vehicles and can be fitted to the front and rear of any vehicles, including motorcycles. However, they can only be…

The racer who first sprayed champagne on the podium may have discovered a more efficient and powerful four-stroke motorcycle engine. American racer Dan Gurney believes bringing back the double crankshaft from the old Ariel Square Four will reduce motorcycle engine vibration, making it more reliable as there will be fewer moving parts. He calls it “moment cancelling”. His patented “Moment-Cancelling Four-Stroke” (MC4S) engine also features a special cylinder design that accelerates fuel flow and increases power up to 85 per cent while having low compression and a lean fuel mix for better economy. Dan is already known for being the first to do the champagne spray when he won the 1967 Le Mans, as well as being the first driver to win races in Sports Cars (1958), Formula One (1962),…

BMW has jumped in with all guns blazing, escalating a small tribal war into a major conflict. Like the US war machine, this superpower has thrown the world’s most high-tech armoury at a bunch of low-tech factional fighters with the aim of establishing regional dominance over a part of the motorcycle world that no one has been paying much attention to at all. It’s the S1000XR against the rest. Most of us have ignored the little war that’d been waged for control of a little kingdom tucked away in a place few riders had heard about, let alone paid much attention to it. Adventure bikes with 17in wheels? Pfft. Did anyone really care whether X-branded Hondas, Kawasaki Versys, or that breakaway from mainstream Triumph Tiger beliefs, the 1050 Sport, drew…

REST AND RECREATION BMW R 1200 RT It’s been a quiet month for the BMW because I’ve been away, riding a different BMW on a holiday in Europe with Adriatic Moto Tours. Slovenia’s a beautiful and fascinating place, and the riding is superb, but that’s another story for our next issue. The poor, neglected RT is the subject for now. And all I really have to say is that I’ve come home and she’s sitting there as patient and ready as always. I plugged the RT into a CBE battery conditioner as a matter of course. I hardwired the charger’s plug to the bike’s battery some months ago and have always hooked it up when the BMW was going to be sitting for any length of time. It’s just good…

A dull “whoompa-whoompa” filters through the thick tree canopy of the Lamington Plateau, alerting me to the impending arrival of a fleet of classic Italian machinery. It’s a rare spectacle — like spotting an endangered bird species with your binoculars — and I’m as eager as any birdwatcher, waiting for the conga line of rare machinery to come into my camera lens view at the end of a tunnel of trees. The four-stroke boom echoes louder and louder, then a single headlight appears and streaks toward me at surprising pace. It’s an early 1970s Ducati 450 Desmo Silver Shotgun. Yep, I feel just like an excited birdwatcher identifying a rare species flitting through the treetops. As it thumps past me, its white-bibbed rider waving an acknowledgement at my camera, the…

New bike prices can go up and down like the stock market, so in every issue we’ll bring you the sticker prices. To be completely up to date with things like factory discounts and incentives, check the Road Rider website (www.roadrider.com.au) where we will bring you all the special deals, bonus offers and cashback promotions we can find. We have included the importers’ websites, which is the place to go if you’re looking for more information. You’ll see that we haven’t listed every bike on the market (yet) but we aim to get there with all of them. Sometimes even we struggle to find the details of the smaller, newer importers. Meanwhile, enjoy this most meaningful of Australian bike listings, covering the bikes you’re interested in. The prices are the…

ON THE BIKE We ride Indian’s broody Dark Horse andYamaha’s too cool for school Bolt C-Spec. RIDE TIME From the sparkling beaches of Western Australia to mountainous Slovenia, the Adriatic and the Alps, there’s plenty of the world to see! ORIGINS Adventure bikes — from desert racers and globetrotters to the accession of a new genre of production motorcycles. SNAP SHOTS We give you the best photography tips from one of ARR’s most-published contributors to make your shots as good as theirs! NOT FORGETTING All the other beaut stuff and regulars you expect to see in each and every issue of ARR. See you next month!…

Theft of motorcycles in Australia dropped almost three per cent in the past financial year, according to the National Motor Vehicle Theft Reduction Council. Thefts were down by 242 to 8078, which was the lowest for the past four financial years. The biggest drops were in Western Australia (-10.6 per cent to 2396) and Queensland (-10.4 per cent to 1333). There was a 6.4 per cent increase in Victoria, up 113 to 1872. Most stolen motorcycles were low-capacity Japanese models, which dominate market sales, followed by KTM, Harley-Davidson and then a range of scooters. The hot spot for motorcycle thieves was South-East Queensland, with Brisbane topping the list at 291 (-3.3 per cent) ahead of the Gold Coast (162 -13.4 per cent) and Moreton Bay and Logan City also in…

Australian women want their world riding record back from the Poms and they have set a date this year for the record attempt. Debb Dagger, organiser of the Babe Raids, which set the record for female riders in 2014 in Ballina, has created a Facebook page to launch the 2WheelBabes record attempting event in Dubbo on April 9 at noon. The 2014 Babe Raid set the record when 284 women rode to the coastal NSW town of Ballina. Record Setter officially declared the record at 221 women on 190 bikes. However, 618 women rode to the famous Ace Cafe in London in August to set the world record for the largest female bike gathering, and then break the Aussie world record with 251 women riding 251 bikes in a parade.…

Australian rider Amy Harburg has won a spot in the gruelling annual international GS Trophy in Thailand from February 28 to March 5, 2016. Amy was one of 10 women from the UK, France, Spain, Iceland, USA, Canada, Brazil, Thailand and South Africa battling it out in South Africa for a place on the first female team to contest the GS Trophy. “I was so excited about coming here for this qualifying event,” says the Sydney rider. “I had high expectations for myself, but it was hard to gauge what the other girls would be like until we were all together. But the time we’ve spent in South Africa exceeded all my expectations and to actually make the team is amazing for me.” A worldwide search earlier this year for…

While electric motorcycles charged from mains power are starting to make inroads into mainstream production, an African university is already ahead of the pack with solar power. Three students from the University of Nairobi have built a system they call Ecotran, which captures the sun's energy, stores it in batteries, and uses it to charge a motorcycle's electric motor. The technology is already being used in Nairobi motorcycle and scooter taxis. As much of western Kenya has no grid electricity and many towns and cities have frequent power disruptions, solar energy is a promising alternative. Not only is it cheaper than paying for grid power, it’s also the cleaner option for countries that burn coal to make mains power. The three students have set up a company called Pfoofy Solar…

Suzuki has added a frame-mounted fairing and a small screen to its new GSX-S1000 naked bike to give it a more touring-friendly feel. As if to make the point, the Australian launch of the GSX-S1000 and GSX-S1000F took us deep into the NSW Blue Mountains on a wet, bitterly cold day for an overnight stay at Jenolan Caves. The fully-faired F-models were in the minority and keenly sought-after by all the freezing under-dressed journos, but when the weather fined up the next day many seemed to gravitate back to the unfaired model. And there you have it. Given the two bikes are otherwise almost identical, it’s remarkable what a difference even a small fairing and screen makes, much like the similarly-equipped R1200R and R1200RS BMWs. I suspect it has as…

Arriving at Bucklands Private Game Reserve conjured Jurassic Park déjà vu. An electric fence loomed overhead and the massive metal gate wore a huge sign: WARNING! WILD ANIMALS CROSSING AND NO FENCE. I pushed the gate closed behind me, slammed shut the bolt, then hauled myself back into the saddle. The 2015 Indian Roadmaster is a rhino of a bike, but the chance of encountering a real rhino lumbering out of the bush had me spooked. My nerves tingled as I eased out the silk-smooth clutch for the 3km run to the lodge. “Many of our visitors come by motorcycle,” owner Michele Stewart had assured me. She must have been speaking of BMW GSAs and other dual sports. Barely 100m along the track I hit pools of gravel and sand.…

FUBAR is an unofficial military term. It stands for “F’ed Up Beyond All Recognition”. If one acronym sums up the way WWII vets felt about how they were treated, this was it. We can get into politics all we like and talk about the futility of war. Likewise, we can get into psychology and talk about post-traumatic stress disorder. This is a motorcycle magazine, so we’ll stick to the bits which went on to influence the newfound culture of motorcycle customisation. US vets returned from victories in Europe, Africa and the Pacific and after the initial celebrations, the public stopped waving their flags. Things changed. The Korean War came five years after victory against the Nazis, and further troops were deployed to Vietnam shortly after that. It is no surprise…

VENTZ Ventz is an innovative rider cooling system that attaches to your jacket and funnels it straight up your jacket arm. It’s a perfect accessory for the hotter months that seem to be getting longer as the years go by! Now available in green, the stylish product is also available in black, blue, red, white and yellow to match any riding gear design. Price: $29.99 www.ventz.com.au SAVANNAH WAY TOUR The Savannah Way is Australia’s ultimate adventure ride along the northern edge of the continent. From the Coral Sea to the Indian Ocean, this two-day adventure motorcycle tour encompasses dirt riding across four world-heritage areas and finest off-road routes under the expert guidance of Dakar legend Simon Pavey and his Off Road Skills team. The inaugural Savannah Way tour departs Cairns…

Harley-Davidson did it, much to the delight of many people and the horror of others. They beat Honda to become the top-selling road bike brand in Australia. Yes, even if you count small-capacity bikes, H-D edged ahead by the end of the first half of 2015, was miles ahead at the end of the third quarter (by 1401 bikes) and will still be comfortably in front when the end-of-year figures are tallied. I’ll stand by that comment even though the year was still not quite over as I wrote it. Come and visit me at roadrider.com.au because the figures should be freshly released about the time this issue goes on sale in the new year, and we’ll see whether or not I’m going to be cut down to size. Thing…

Thousands of Harley fans around the world downloaded the app in eager preparation for the launch on August 26. The broadcast was beamed live from Portland Oregon and went on a “virtual ride” of 40,000km across 24 time zones around the world over the 26-minute broadcast. Harley designer Ben McGinley introduced the new models, then turned it over for broadcasts around the world, starting with Australia. Harley-Davidson Australia marketing director Adam Wright then appeared on screen and began taking us for a ride on the 2016 Street 500 with upgraded brakes, paint and wiring. Adam said they were very nervous about the launch and the new technology and admitted there were a few hitches in the broadcast, but it did give the company an “edgy, modern feel”. He then passed…

A rare barn-find Harley-Davidson racing outfit that was literally locked away in dry storage for the past 50 years has set an Australian auction record of $600,000. But the best news for enthusiasts is that the Internationally sought-after circa-1927 FHA 8-Valve V-Twin racer with its scramble-type sidecar – one of fewer than 50 built – will remain in Australia. The bike sold at the Shannons Melbourne Spring Auction in September after strong pre-auction interest from enthusiasts in Australia, the United States and Europe. The previous highest price they are aware of was also for a factory-built Harley-Davidson racer – a 1923 two-cam Board Track Racer that sold for $118,000 at Shannons Sydney Winter Auction last year. Bidding for the ‘no reserve’ 1927 Harley opened strongly at $100,000 and rose rapidly…

Internationally renowned motorcycle designer professor Byron Fitzpatrick, who worked on the Triumph Trident and BSA Rocket III, passed away at his home on Bribie Island, Queensland, on Sunday, September 27, 2015, aged 84. Byron worked for Ford in England and Germany, and Ogle Design in the UK, where he helped design the Triumph Trident/BSA Rocket III motorcycle. The 750cc bike was designed to be sold under both the Triumph and BSA names and was the last major motorcycle developed by Triumph Engineering at Meriden. It’s believed Byron worked on creating a less-Triumph look for the BSA with a squarer fuel tank, sloped cylinders and “ray-gun” silencers.…

Leaving the lovely Moorcroft Manor Hotel, we ride down the road just a kilometre to Himeville, a little rural town in South Africa. The streets of Himeville are lined with blossom trees and the whole place is very well kept. We’re attracting a fair bit of positive attention as our cavalcade of Beemers and 4x4s trundles through the leafy town. The first part of today’s riding is on road, a nice gentle start to the day, while the second half is teeth-rattling gravel that winds through some stunning countryside. This trip is exactly what these BMW bikes are about. We ride through passes and farmlands close to Mount Fletcher Dam and through the Tenahead Mountain Reserve. The GS’ers just suck it all up — it’s brilliant. We’re heading skyward along…

Look. At. Me. Yes, me! I’m on a Victory Magnum and I’m loving it. Me, the bloke who is actually a bit shy and retiring, who’d sooner have a slightly ratty and nondescript matte black bike than this Flash Harry with its loud paint, loud stereo and loud styling. Oh, and loud pipes too, thanks to the accessory ones fitted to the test bike. I’m not sure they were within the letter of the law but they announced my arrival as surely as the Magnum attracts attention. Setting out to do this test, I imagined I’d do the professional, objective and slightly detached review. I’d have to detach myself if I were to truly get what the Magnum is trying to be, because it’s not me. At least, I thought…

We were starting in Kuranda, just outside of Cairns, heading south and skirting the cities as much as possible. The plan was to get as far as Kyogle in NSW before looping back up to Brisbane. This is a trip that should take you about three weeks, but it could take a whole lot more. If you are lucky enough to live in tropical Far North Queensland, it’s easy to skip some of the local attractions at the beginning of this ride, but you shouldn’t. Head south on the Bruce Highway, take a right turn towards South Johnstone and follow the signs to Paronella Park. This place is spectacular, a labour of love hand-built by Spanish immigrant Jose Paronella and his wife, Margarite, in the 1930s. Built from hand-poured slabs,…

One of today’s hottest motorcycling accessories is the action camera. While telling friends and family about your most recent journey over a cold one is fine, there’s no better way to share the joy of a ride than with a high-definition video of the places you’ve visited. It’s also a great way to remember past rides when the grey matter in your noggin starts slowing down. But with so many different cameras on the market, each promising to be better than the rest, how do you know which one is for you? Fear not, because ARR is here to lend a helping hand. TOP BUYING TIPS The first thing you’ll need to decide on is your budget. With camera prices ranging from a couple of hundred dollars to more than…

Some things about riding bikes are obvious: like, disc brakes are better than drums. Some things are purely down to preference: like, feet-forward cruiser or sporty naked bike. Other aspects are impossible to rationalise: like, red ones go faster. But there are some dilemmas that can be resolved, including those we’re about to tackle. We have choices but we don’t always make the best ones. This is entirely forgivable if you’ve gone that way because you know what you like and it isn’t the sensible thing. It’s also entirely reasonable if your budget tops out before your ambition. Been there, done that! But it’s very unfortunate if you’re making the wrong decision through inexperience or poor advice. So as part of ARR’s community service obligations, here are the correct answers…

TRIUMPH IN FAILURE The passing of Professor Fitzpatrick reminded us of the start of a turbulent time for the Triumph name. The release of the Trident — close cousin of the BSA Rocket 3 — wasn’t enough to match the Japanese onslaught of the late ’60s and the brand struggled to survive. When the BSA group went bankrupt in the early ’70s, Norton Villiers Triumph (NVT) was created with government funds. The company lasted a few years until funding ran out and the factory closed its doors in 1977. The Meriden Motorcycle Cooperative resurrected the brand in 1978 and by 1983 had produced a handful of bikes and was bankrupt again. British industrialist John Bloor bought the brand and relaunched it in the late ’80s, while spares manufacturer Les Harris…