Indice dei contenuti per Issue 320 in Motorcycle Trader

Indian Motorcycle has upped the styling and exclusivity stakes of its Chieftain baggers with a pair of higher-spec models: the Chieftain Limited and a Chieftain Elite flagship (pictured), of which only 350 will be built. Both models are mechanically unchanged from the entire Chief-based range, which produces 162Nm at 3000rpm from its 1811cc ‘Thunderstroke 111’ air/oil-cooled V-twin. At $47,995 rideaway, the Chieftain Elite is $11,000 more expensive than the regular model, but the premium buys exclusivity and “a bike that’s as close to custom as possible”, the company says. It is distinguished by a ‘Fireglow Red’ candy paint with marble accents, applied by hand by a small, specialised team at the company’s paint facility in South Dakota. Indian says it takes more than 25 hours to paint each bike and…

Michelin has released its all-new Power RS sport road tyre that is said to be 3.5 seconds faster per lap than its Pilot Power 3 predecessor while offering better dry-weather grip and stability than its rivals. These include the Bridgestone S21, Continental Sport Attack 3, Dunlop SportSmart 2, Metzeler M7RR and Pirelli Diablo Rosso III. Developed over a two-year period and featuring two new patents, the Power RS is a premium sport tyre that is primarily intended for road use while handling the occasional track day. It is positioned below Michelin’s track-focussed Power Cup Evo and also replaces the SuperSport Evo model. The Power RS features dual-compound technology whereby soft and hard compounds are overlaid – including on the front tyre for a quicker turn-in – with a softer compound…

“You use the same lines through the corners and the same braking markers” JAKE LEWIS #29 HONDA RC30 Honda’s late-’80s RC30 was a game-changer but was an impossible dream for many racers of the day. Its showroom-floor price nudged $30,000 and then you had to buy the $10,000-15,000 race kit to be competitive. This was twice the price of any of its rivals. But good things come to those who wait. Terry Reed (left), a former mechanic for top Kiwi rider John Boote, finally got his dream bike last year. He found a race-kitted 1988 RJ in Adelaide and got it shipped to New Zealand late last year. “After years of working on race bikes, I decided it was time to get a good one for myself,” he said as…

YOUNG GUN As a reader of MT for the past five or so years, I thought I may as well write something, seeing as the opportunity has arisen. That is, I was at the International Festival of Speed at Eastern Creek recently. I had the privilege of watching Cam ride the mighty Irving Vincent full pelt around the track and, while I didn’t get to say hello, hats off to you, Cam – I’m a real fan, and it was brilliant seeing you beat some of the fastest machines out there. But, by far, the highlight was meeting the legendary Agostini. I waited an hour and a half in the heat for him to return to his bags, until eventually the media manager for the event, Steve, saw me and…

“It was rugged, reliable and heavy – perfect for the trials scene back then” Maybe it was an appropriate setting for the end to a long era of English domination. The bleak, boggy moors were enveloped in icy wind and torrential rain as riders negotiated the Scottish Six Days Trial course in 1964. Most were mounted on various four-stroke British singles. AJS had its long-serving Model 16, Triumph its little Tiger Cub single and some detuned 350cc and 500cc twins, Royal Enfield its Bullet, BSA its C11 single and Ariel had Sammy Miller and a secret weapon. It was clan against clan in a showdown fitting of the craggy highland glens. The tough little Irishman Sammy Miller battled through the gloom to win, with the least number of points lost.…

“This model had many sophisticated features, such as offset cylinders” 1914 FEILBACH 10HP LIMITED SOLD: $US195,000 ($254,270) Arthur and William Feilbach made their first motorcycle in a small Milwaukee garage/ workshop in 1904. Their single-cylinder bikes were around 350cc and had belt drive to the rear wheel. The brothers’ exclusive machines, known simply by the family name, sold locally and earned a reputation for quality and reliability. They formalised their business in 1907, as the Feilbach Motor Co. Ltd, but another five years passed before the company had a factory. For 1914, a new 1130cc V-twin model was introduced and ‘Limited’ was added to the Feilbach name. This was to stress the small production volume designed to maintain the company’s high-quality manufacturing values. This model had many sophisticated features, such…

Laverda is set to return to the world stage of motorcycling – but not as we know it – with a modern take on its iconic SFC café racer from the 1970s. Making its world debut at the International Festival of Speed in Sydney recently, the sleek, bright-orange SFC/4, under the guise of Laverda Corse, will be available in two versions: a track-day-only “gentleman’s racer” and a road-going sportsbike. Each is intended to represent what the original SFC would have been, had it remained in production. The exclusive machines are updated versions of Laverda’s 668 sportsbike from the 1990s, featuring a 668cc parallel-twin engine fitted to a tubular space frame with modern suspension and brakes. Each promises 52kW (70hp) at 8000rpm from the fuel-injected twin. The project is the brainchild…

CFMoto has taken the fight to Yamaha, with its LAMS-approved 650MT sportstourer to rival the recently launched Tracer 700 (launch report on page 52). With a rideaway price of $6990, or $7490 with semi-hard panniers, the 650MT is more than $5000 cheaper than the conceptually similar Yamaha, which is priced from $12,299 (plus on-road costs). Powering the 650MT is the same 649cc parallel twin as the 650NK naked bike, which produces 41kW (55hp) at 9500rpm and 62Nm at 7000rpm. Comparatively, the Tracer 700 – powered by a 655cc parallel twin – produces 38kW (52hp) at 8000rpm and 57Nm at 4000rpm. The 650MT features long-travel suspension, while the brakes comprise twin 300mm discs and a 240mm single disc, front and rear respectively, with standard ABS. Equipment highlights include a large wind-deflecting…

BMW Motorrad Australia has announced dates for its annual BMW Safari program and launched GS Tours, a series of smaller adventure rides, the first of which has already sold out. Participation will be capped on the low side, and tour support will be provided in the usual BMW Safari manner. The first GS Tour starts from Merrijig at the base of Mt Buller and runs through to Bright, showcasing the Victorian High Country. The GS Tours also feature a ‘Bring a Friend’ program to introduce non-BMW adventure riders to the GS experience, providing they attend with a friend who is on a GS motorcycle. Pricing for GS Tours starts from $250 for participation only, $495 for the tour and two nights’ accommodation, or $1435 with the inclusion of off-road training…

One of my all-time racing heroes, Kevin Schwantz, made his Grand Prix debut aboard a Suzuki RGB500 as a wildcard at the Dutch TT in 1986. At the time, I had just begun watching the GP on TV and had seen all the riders on 500cc two-strokes. I had idolised them and had aspired to one day race one of ‘those bikes’. Sadly, two-strokes were put to pasture before I began racing professionally. So, to track test one now is an incredible privilege. The RGB500 is often referred to as the greatest production racer ever. That’s a big call but a fair one. Launched in 1976, the Mk1 RGB500 was an affordable four-cylinder two-stroke with disc-valve induction, packaged in a well-handing chassis. It was so well-handling, in fact, that it…

I didn’t notice the first S 1000 R when BMW launched it in 2013. See, it might be a generational thing, but the whole ninja-turtle-gets-whacked-in-the-faceuntil-its-pants-fall-off look did nothing for me. Naked bikes just weren’t my thing. But things can change. At the Aussie launch of this year’s S 1000 R, I found that – like traction control, ABS, riding modes and all the other stuff I’ve managed to avoid in life – the R is an absolute winner. Okay, maybe it’s stolen its headlight from a Transformer, but even the G-string-look at the rear can grab you by the goolies once you’ve had a ride. Priced from $19,390 and $21,690 for the standard and Sport versions respectively (plus on road costs), the S 1000 R is seat-of-the-pants stuff – and…

ROLLO AND CO This is Rollo on his Harley with Max on his Triumph next to Fred’s BSA, breaking camp at the Bathurst Races in the pre-compulsory helmet days of 1969. KINGS OF KURRI This pic was taken in front of the now demolished Kings Theatre in Kurri Kurri, NSW (circa 1967). Pictured are Lyle and his Triumph, Ed’s BMW, Lingy with his back to the camera, Dallas and his Triumph with Ned and Tiddler (RIP). WOODY FOR VEE Jason Wood took this photo of his ’99 V-twin Suzuki TL halfway up the Mount Morgan Range, Queensland. He says the weather looks ominous but it was actually a good day. Jason’s last bike was a boxer and, as different as that is to a V-twin, he says it sparked a…

Ducati and the term ‘financial pickle’ have not always been mutually exclusive. The company has certainly been through its share of peaks and troughs. But when it tried to reinvent its history and develop a retro market more than a decade ago, the result was a classic case of unlucky timing. Circumstances conspired against the idea. For a start, the then-recently-launched 999 hero sportsbike was being lambasted, mostly for its styling. But I reckon the designer, Pierre Terblanche, got a bum rap. His challenge had been to come up with something to follow on from Massimo Tamburini’s exceptional 916-998 series. That’s like saying, “Mate, Michelangelo’s stuff was pretty good, but the paint on the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel is looking a bit flaky and we want something better. Can…

“The Münch was simply the fastest, most powerful, and most expensive motorcycle of its time” Germany’s Friedel Münch was undoubtedly one of the most innovative and inspired independent motorcycle manufacturers of the 1960s and ’70s. For many years, he was a motorcycle dealer in the small village of Ossenheim, nestling in the Hessian hills. During the 1950s, Münch earned a reputation for developing Horex engines and continued working after Horex closed in 1958. Aware of this reputation, French dealer and road racer Jean Murit commissioned Münch to build a motorcycle more suitable for the German autobahns than what was available. At the time, most motorcycles were barely able to reach 170km/h, and they self-destructed if they maintained those speeds for any long period. With money being no object, Murit…

PROTECT YOUR NECK If you’re a serious adventure rider, the benefits of neck protection are probably not lost on you. But wearing something resembling a haemorrhoid seat isn’t all that appealing to most. Even stockist Andy “Strapz” White had his doubts when he first picked up this EVS R4 Race Collar. “Riding around in what looked like a cart horse collar never looked that comfortable to me,” Andy said. However, having worked in hospital emergency departments for many years, White knows the importance of safety gear. So, he gave the product a proper chance. “Jeez, I’m good at wrong,” he reckons. “I hardly knew the EVS R4 Race Collar was there.” According to Andy, the collar didn’t impinge on his hydration pack and allowed all the head movement he needed.…

Ducati has launched an off-road training program and organised tours for enthusiasts of its Multistrada range and off-road-biased Scrambler models. The Ducati Adventure Riding Experience, or ‘DARE’, comprises two levels of off-road training that will be held in New South Wales, Victoria and Queensland. The fully supported treks will range between two and 10 days in duration, with an annual expedition to be held later this year. Dates and locations were yet to be finalised as MT went to print. Future plans will see Ducati Australia run a hardcore expedition for adventure riders who can travel self-sufficiently and unsupported as well as treks through Europe. Both training and tour components of the new venture will be run by Motor School, a registered training organisation operated by George Foessel. A former…

“You want me to go on a BMW launch to ride the S 1000 RR? I thought that was a race bike? You sure you haven’t dialled the wrong number? It’s Roothy here, Chris – you know, old, fat, hairy, technologically stone-aged. I’ve got Cam Donald’s e-what’s-it address here somewhere.” Mr Harris insisted. “No, no, we thought it might be interesting to get your opinion. Come at it from a different perspective. The world might be interested to see how, err, someone like you deals with the latest technology. You might be interested in 200hp, too.” I detect giggles in the background – possibly deputy editor Sean Muir smothering a chuckle. What has the BMW corporate team done to deserve this? Messed up the drinks order? Not that I know…

Somebody at Yamaha either had an epiphany or was engrossed in The Book of Genesis during the development of the Tracer 700 because “Let there be light” was misconstrued. Based on the hugely popular MT-07 naked learner bike, Yamaha’s second Tracer and smallest tourer proves that, at $12,299 (plus on-road costs, $NZ13,999), you don’t need a big, bulky and expensive bike to enjoy godly touring. A lightweight touring bike for learners – it sounds like the answer to a question nobody’s asked, but learner bikes are the most popular motorcycle segment after all. There is, of course, the Honda CB500X, Kawasaki Versys 650 and Suzuki V-Strom 650, but these are touted as adventure bikes, not pure bitumen blasters, like the recently arrived CFMoto 650MT. Regardless, the Tracer 700 has become…

SPANNER: Do you realise you have around 250,000 Facebook followers? ROOTHY: Strooth, who let you near a computer? And note the important bit: very few are ladies of the nymphomaniac persuasion. SPANNER: I’m just a bit surprised given what a Luddite you are when it comes to motorcycle technology. You refuse to accept advances like brakes and EFI and the like, but you’re at the cutting edge of social media. ROOTHY: It’s not I don’t accept tech on motorcycles. I just figured there wasn’t a need. I was on the test of the first ABS in Australia, on K100 BMs at the Waterloo fire station wet pad. Couldn’t believe how well it worked but didn’t think I needed it enough to put up with the complexity. I didn’t think there…

You’ve probably heard this before but, if you’ve got a bike that’s a bit overdue for an upgrade, there are worse places to start than with a better air filter. I just picked up one of these DNA High-Performance Air Filters from Kenma, marking the start of what I hope will be a practical upgrade of my 2008 Triumph Bonneville. Currently, the bike is stock, so I’ve got a long way to go. But by the end of it – possibly in 100,000 coffees from now – I’m hoping to have a slightly more respectable daily. I’ve started with a DNA filter because it’s relatively inexpensive – need coffee money – and should give me some noticeable improvements early. Air filters aren’t exactly a sexy upgrade, but getting a better…

NEW SOUTH WALES THE RALLYMAN Motorcycles, mountains and music. Free entry, free camping and firewood. Live music Saturday. Food and alcohol on site. Rally badges $10. All motorcyclists welcome. When: June 9-12. Where: Old sawmill site, 3154 Summerland Way, Grevillia, 30km north of Kyogle. Contact: Kog, 0456 690 145 ROYAL ENFIELD CLUB OF AUSTRALIA INC. Meetings first Tuesday of the month at Public House Petersham in Sydney, 7.30pm. The NSW club aims to promote the preservation and restoration of historic Royal Enfields. Membership of the Royal Enfield Club of Australia covers the cost of NSW club membership. Contact Peter Jackson on 0466 233 781. Rally: Queanbeyan Rally, May 7 to 9. Contact Garry Eyles on 0400405158 POLISH MOTORCYCLE SOCIAL GROUP, SYDNEY All types of bikes welcome. No attitudes. Just social…