Table of contents for Issue 350 in Motorcycle Trader

Just two months short of her 25-year anniversary, we’ve reached the 350th edition of this fine publication, which we all hold so dear. Motorcycle Trader has sailed calm and rough seas with great captains at the helm over those years, and it now navigates uncharted waters of the modern media landscape. In the face of turning tides, corporate pressure or even naysayers, MT is a survivor and she continues to thrive. How? The passion and commitment of her unique crew is unquestionably her heart and soul, and vital to her longevity. So, on behalf of her Editors and outstanding contributors, we thank you for your ongoing passion and support, and keep those letters coming, good, bad or indifferent. We hope you’re enjoying the journey. The 350th edition was a fitting…

ENGINE: TYPE: Liquid-cooled, five valves-per-cylinder, inline four CAPACITY: 998cc BORE & STROKE: 74 x 58mm COMPRESSION RATIO: 11.8:1 FUEL SYSTEM: 4 x 40mm Mikuni downdraft carburettors PERFORMANCE: POWER: 110kW (148hp) at 10,000rpm TORQUE: 108Nm at 8500rpm TOP SPEED: 275km/h TRANSMISSION: TYPE: Six-speed, constant-mesh FINAL DRIVE: Chain CHASSIS & RUNNING GEAR: FRAME TYPE: Twin-spar alloy FRONT SUSPENSION: 41mm inverted forks, 135mm travel REAR SUSPENSION: Alloy swingarm, monoshock with 130mm travel FRONT BRAKE: Twin 298 discs with four-piston monobloc calipers REAR BRAKE: 256mm disc with twin-piston caliper DIMENSIONS & CAPACITIES: DRY/WET WEIGHT: 177/205kg SEAT HEIGHT: 813mm WHEELBASE: 1395mm FUEL CAPACITY: 18L WHEELS & TYRES: FRONT: 3.50-17, 120/70-ZR17, cast alloy REAR: 6.00-17, 190/50-ZR17, cast alloy OTHER STUFF: PRICE WHEN NEW: From $17,000 (plus on-road costs) Very collectable Not easy to find in good…

MENTAL AS ANYTHING As Cam mentioned in his story of riding last year’s 24-Hour Trial (MT #337), the preparation is just as monumental as the event itself. Between my day job, a big, young family and being properly wiped out with the flu less than two weeks before the race, however, I did very little to get ready. I organised the bike late, sourced the necessary parts and had them fitted late, and had bugger-all riding time. But I don’t believe any of that was to my detriment. If anything, it worked in my favour by allowing me to go into the event pretty green. And what I lack in shame and ability, I make up in enthusiasm and naivety. But I did do some preparation. What I lack in…

It’s November 1994 and the probably shaky plan to launch a new motorcycle magazine on the Australian market was about to hatch. Even then, when the print publishing industry was doing much better than it is now, it was by no means a move guaranteed of success. Australia has always been a notoriously crowded market for specialist magazines, and motorcycling has long been among the busiest battlegrounds. In addition to a host of local hopefuls, there used to be newsagent shelves stacked high with international competitors. So when what was then ACP (Australian Consolidated Press) dropped this little grenade on the shelves, there was plenty of interest in how the new chap would fare. Mike ‘Sinkers’ Sinclair, then deputy editor on Australian Motorcycle News (AMCN) and now a senior figure…

ROOTHY: What’s the meaning of life, Grant? I know, big question. The easy answer is motorbikes and sex. Maybe beer and red wine and sex. Usually in that order. But lately I’ve been a tad consumed by it. The meaning that is, not the... SPANNER: There’s a book called The Selfish Gene that says we’re just carriers of genetic material desperate to survive, which is why we think about sex all the time. In the bigger picture, the chance of us actually existing at all is so phenomenally tiny that meaning is meaningless, if you get my drift. We understand just about nothing so I think our job is to just work out the best way we can live our lives. That should be enough. If you get it more-or-less…

APRILIA TUONO (2003-10) ENGINE: TYPE: Liquid-cooled, four valves-per-cylinder, 60-degree V-twin CAPACITY: 998cc BORE & STROKE: 97 x 67.5mm COMPRESSION RATIO: 11.4:1 FUEL SYSTEM:›EFI, 51mm throttle bodies PERFORMANCE: POWER: 94kW (126hp) at 9500rpm TORQUE: 101Nm at 7250rpm TOP SPEED: 250km/h TRANSMISSION: TYPE: Six-speed, constant-mesh FINAL DRIVE: Chain CHASSIS & RUNNING GEAR: FRAME TYPE: Twin-spar alloy FRONT SUSPENSION: Ohlins 43mm inverted forks, 120mm travel REAR SUSPENSION: Alloy swingarm, Boge monoshock with 135mm travel, full adjustment FRONT BRAKE: Twin 320 discs with four-piston Brembo calipers REAR BRAKE: 220mm disc with twin-piston Brembo caliper DIMENSIONS & CAPACITIES: DRY WEIGHT: 194-184kg SEAT HEIGHT: 820mm WHEELBASE: 1415mm FUEL CAPACITY: 18L WHEELS & TYRES: FRONT: 120/70-ZR17 REAR: 180/55-ZR17 PRICE WHEN NEW: $21,900 (plus on-road costs) Fast and huge fun Goodbye license…

“The 1975 850 Norton Guido just bought is arguably the best-model Commando ever built,” quaffed Groff, following through with a stiff swig of Chateau Agedinthe Backofthevan... I don’t know where we were. I don’t care. I just know I saw blood. The first Commandos came out in 1968 but we didn’t see many of them because the frames kept bending. By 1969 they were the hottest thing on the block thanks to the scrambler-styled S model and the duck-tailed Roadster that shook the rest of the bike world by its boring square back and sides. Hipsters still climb over mounds of smelly old rags to get their hands on ‘that look’, usually with a chintzy copycat seat on a Yamaha 400. The year 1971 saw a disc front brake, 1972…

You going to the Rallyman, Johno?” Charlie had to shout over the thump kerthump of his Sportster, but at least this one idled. His last one, the cantankerous cast-iron jobbie he’d ridden since the late 1970s, would have spit a valve if you’d asked it to idle for longer than a minute. “Yeah mate, wouldn’t miss it.” How could I? The Rallyman Rally encompasses everything a good rally should be. It’s held about a day’s ride away, meaning you can get there in time to get pissed. It’s got a bar, courtesy of the Drake Hotel, and it’s got a choice of tucker from the common rally fuel of meat on bread to the pub’s menu. It’s also in the middle of winter in a valley known for its chill…

1. b) Giallo Sahara 2. c) Flying eagle 3. a) The handlebars are black. 4. All of them apply, but having the flu (d) was the main one. 5. c) Ten solid rides and, no, that didn’t happen. 6. c) The swinger leans out in front of the sidecar wheel in a P4 outfit. Kaz reported having trouble making it there from her normal position over the rear wheel at Broadford. 7. a) R 1250 GS, the X 400 GT supposedly looks like BMW’s electric cars. 8 c) BMW’s Scooter Canopy attaches to the bike and covers the rider’s legs and torso. 9. All of them, but he seemed particularly unhappy about the claim that it was “as used by Keith Campbell” (b). 10. d) Less likely to strip the…

IN IT TO WIN IT The CB750 Owners’ Club is running a raffle to celebrate the 50th anniversary of their hero bike, with first prize being the choice of a fully restored 350, 500 or 750 (which are all 1972 models). Tickets are $50 each, with all proceeds going to the Black Dog Institute, which assists in the treatment of male depression. The show-stopping bikes have been painstakingly restored by Puds Four Parts located in Yarram, Victoria, which specialises in single-cam Honda Four parts. If you can’t get it from Andrew, aka ‘Pud’ (below left), the parts don’t exist. For ticket sales, call 0499 355 725 between 9am and 6pm. Competition drawn November 24. POSITION VACANT Are you a two-wheeled enthusiast looking to build a career in sales with Australia’s…

ENGINE: TYPE: Liquid-cooled, four-valves-per-cylinder, inline four, crossplane crankshaft CAPACITY: 999cc BORE & STROKE: 73 x 50.9mm COMPRESSION RATIO: 13:1 FUEL SYSTEM: EFI PERFORMANCE: POWER: 149kW (198hp) at 13,500rpm TORQUE: 112Nm at 10,00rpm TOP SPEED: 300km/h TRANSMISSION: TYPE: Six-speed, constant-mesh, two-way quickshifter FINAL DRIVE: Chain CHASSIS & RUNNING GEAR: FRAME TYPE: Twin-spar alloy FRONT SUSPENSION: KYB 43mm inverted fork, 120mm travel, full adjustment REAR SUSPENSION: Alloy swingarm, KYB monoshock with 120mm travel, full adjustment FRONT BRAKE: Twin 320 discs with four-piston monobloc calipers (Unified system) REAR BRAKE: 220mm disc with twin-piston caliper ELECTRONICS: ABS, traction control, wheelie control, rider-adjustable engine and chassis modes, quickshifter DIMENSIONS & CAPACITIES: CLAIMED WET WEIGHT: 200kg SEAT HEIGHT: 856mm WHEELBASE: 1404mm FUEL CAPACITY: 17L WHEELS & TYRES: FRONT: Magnesium 120/70-ZR17 REAR: Magnesium 190/55-ZR17 OTHER STUFF: PRICE:…

It’s often easy to forget the impact photographers have on a magazine, or underestimate just how influential they really are. Ben Galli started with the mag several years ago as, he says, a relatively inexperienced photographer fresh out of training. A casual offer of some photos (“they’re there to be seen!”) led to a long and influential relationship with MT. A motorcyclist himself, he sees his role as interpreting what the subject and the story overall is about – not just recording what’s in front of the lens. Much of that happens at the shoot, but there’s a lot going on in post-production as well. And anyone who works with him knows he puts as much effort into getting his head around what the writer is thinking, as anything else.…

I’M BACK! I recently traded a car for a 2014 Harley-Davidson Sportster Custom 1200cc, with 10,199km on it. I wasn’t intentionally looking for a Harley, but this one somehow turned up. It’s a bike that fits my height and body shape nicely and it’s good to be back on a bike. It’s been around 10 years since I owned a motorcycle, the last being a red 1984 Suzuki GSX-750R, which I paid $1000 for. It has been a half-hearted search on and off over a few years. I was looking for something different than the every-day style of bike. These included a Moto Guzzi V9 Roamer, Moto Guzzi Audace, a Moto Guzzi V7R, a second-hand Victory Judge, an Indian Scout, plus I test rode a 2018 Kawasaki 650S cruiser-style bike…

As a rusted-on auction and market watcher with the exceptional historical knowledge developed through his books, Ian has a unique perspective on the motorcycle market. Here are a few of his picks for the budding motorcycle investor out there: Ducati Desmosedici RR 2008: That’s the green frame of the future. It’s a bit expensive now, you should’ve got one five years ago. They built quite a lot of them (1500) and quite a few still have no miles on them, but they’re a true hand-built GP replica and there’s growth left in them. Currently priced around $80,000-$125,000. Honda RC213V: Very exclusive and sold here in 2015 for near enough to $250,000. They’re in the same class as the Desmosedici but only 568 were to be built. Triumph Bonneville 1968-70: A…

The anniversary story in this issue entitled “The Best 350s of all Time” brought back quite a few memories, and not just about the bikes. Many of my mates from the past owned one or more of these models. I’m still in touch with a few of them and I can’t separate thinking about the bikes from thinking about them. Barry Campbell, a schoolmate from Lismore in the early 1960s bought one of the first Honda CB350s available and it was the first time I saw the magic ‘tonne’ on a speedo. Yes, when he lent it to me I told him I wouldn’t take it over 4500rpm but the red mist descended and I was helpless in its grip. Sorry about that, Barry. The 350 H-D? Newcastle in the…

1 Before the appearance of the production R90S, British rider Dave Potter rode a special 750cc BMW racer in the 1972 Imola 200. 2 During 1974 Reg Pridmore raced a 750 twin in a Rob North chassis in AMA racing against a field of Yamaha TZ750s. His exploits led to the establishment of Superbike racing. 3 Helmut Dähne and Hans Otto Butenuth rode an R90S to victory in the 10-lap Isle of Man production TT in 1976. Dähne’s best lap of 164.95km/h is still the best-ever at the Isle of Man by a pushrod-boxer twin. 4 The most impressive R90S racers were those of the US importer Butler & Smith prepared for 1976 by BMW guru Udo Gietl. These had special monoshock frames, shortened cylinders for additional ground clearance, and…

This was supposed to be a far more comprehensive story about the suspension upgrades to the Paris Dakar – and the real-world differences – but a certain ankle injury has put that on ice for the time being, so please bear with me. I did manage a few brief rides to get a semi-decent taste of the new suspension and the difference is like a fish to the face. I can’t wait to take it for a proper day’s ride, through the twisties, two-up, whatever. So with the disclaimer out of the way, let’s talk about what we’ve done. The bike came with soft springs up front and a doughy Hagon shock and, like most of us on older machinery, I just adjusted my riding style to suit. That made…

1998 – Gen 1 Completely new design, sold alongside the YZF1000 Thunderace. Twenty-valve inline engine claiming 148hp at 10,000rpm, 177kg dry. 2000 – Gen 2 Redesigned fairing, titanium muffler, 250 engine and chassis components modified. 148hp at 10,000rpm, 175kg dry. 2002 – Gen 3 Gains fuel injection, fitted with a Deltabox III frame which claims 30 per cent lift in torsional rigidity. 150hp at 10,500rpm, 174kg dry. 2004 – Gen 4 Claims to be the first production bike with a 1:1 power-to-weight ratio (1PS to 1kg). Completely restyle, with underseat mufflers, new-gen Deltabox ‘Victory’ frame and 12.4:1 compression. 170hp (172ps) at 12,500rpm, 172kg dry. 2007 – Gen 5 Major technical revision. Switched from five to four valves per cylinder, compression lifted to 12.7:1. Fly-by-wire throttle introduced, plus electronically controlled variable-length…

I wouldn’t have got to the start line, let alone reached as far as I did, without the support and generosity of: > Chris Dobie and Sean Goldhawk at Yamaha Motor Australia > Steve at Cisco’s Race Tuning > Mitch at Platinum Motorcycle Lighting > Scotty’s Dirt Bike Spares > Scott Motorsport (Ficeda Accessories) > TCX boots (Link International) > Pirelli tyres (Ron Angel) > Kriega Australia > Avade heated garments > Paul Bray at Trials Experience > Ben Galli for all his tireless help beyond photography > ADB’s Dylan Ruddy for lending me his kneebraces > Cam Donald for the encouragement and support > And my wife for putting up with me, pre- and post-race. Much appreciated.…

ONYA TOM That was a great column from Tom Rooth, in MT #348. He’s a young man with wisdom beyond his years. Dealing with major adversity teaches us a lot about what’s important, and he has always had an excellent ‘life coach’ in his father, John. As a long-term motorcyclist I’ve heard plenty of people talk about the dangers. But we all know people who are overly cautious and live just to preserve their life instead of enjoying it. Then some of them die young anyway because of illness or accident. Life is always a gamble and they’re the biggest losers. Tom told us about one of the great pleasures of owning motorcycles – doing your own repairs and maintenance. It gives you an intimate connection with your bike, the…

While we’re not about to claim the Italians invented the naked sportsbike, it’s fair to say they raised the art form to a new level when Aprilia launched the Tuono on an unsuspecting public. The relatively young company, which started with 50cc mopeds in 1968, had, through the 1990s, shown a very real talent for trying new things and making a name for itself as an at-times quirky innovator. In 1998, Aprilia signalled its intentions for the big end of the market, with the launch of the RSV Mille, a lively and very capable litre-class sports machine. That was backed up with the Falco sportstourer. While both of those machines made their mark, and the Mille in particular won fans, neither had quite the same impact as the Tuono, first…

BMW K18/K19 C650GT, C600/650 SPORT 2012-19 PROBLEM: The front brake hose may be damaged over time, resulting in brake fluid escaping and a loss of braking. ACTION: Contact your nearest authorised BMW dealer for an inspection/replacement. SPANNER SAYS: The ‘over time’ part of the problem is a worry. You can’t just conduct a visual inspection and decide you don’t have to be concerned about this. Contact your nearest BMW dealer for a proper check. TRIUMPH SPEED TWIN 2019 PROBLEM: The coolant hose between the radiator and the overflow tank may have been incorrectly routed during assembly and could come into contact with the exhaust header pipe, resulting in it melting and possibly spraying coolant onto the rear tyre. ACTION: Sixty bikes are affected and owners will be notified by Triumph…

TAKE A DEEP BREATH Standard air filters are like breathing through a straw, so the cheapest and easiest way of enhancing your bike’s performance is to fit a better-breathing filter. Of course, you know this already, but what you probably didn’t is the origin of high-performance air filter company DNA: Greece. Motorcycle racers Dino Nikolaidis (representing the two first letters of the brand’s name) and Maria Ralli started the company in 2002 with a bang when they won a prestigious Red Dot product design award for their ‘Stage 3 Mk3’ airbox for the KTM 990 range. If you’ve got a 990 in the shed, check it out – it’s a work of industrial art. Amid Greece’s economic downturn, DNA continues to expand its range of air filters “to transform air…

BSA’s B40WD was designed to army specification as a replacement for the ageing 1930s-designed M20. The OHV 343cc single-cylinder engine was developed from the C15 250cc. Britain’s Fighting Forces Research and Development Establishment (FVRDE) was prescriptive in what it needed. For instance, the bike was required to run efficiently using the same oil and fuel as the army’s four-wheelers. Therefore, the compression ratio was dropped to 7:1 to better handle military fuel, which was then rated at between 80 and 90 octane. This resulted in an under-stressed engine that developed a leisurely 20hp at 7000rpm. Another requirement was the fitting of a butterfly carburettor to avoid a sticking throttle. Fortunately, Amal made such a carbie at that time as all componentry had to be readily available commercially. As the engine…

There’s a letter for you.” I hate hearing that. Why can’t they just get in touch via my Google account partyboygroffhubbahubba69@gmail.com ? I never get bad news via electronic mail – it always comes in snail-mail print form. To be honest, that’s partly my fault. About 20 years ago, I helped redesign the luggage Australia Post puts on its bikes.AP was trying to reduce the incidence of posties crashing and I came up with a better system simply by consulting the laws of physics: put the letter holder behind the steering head rather than in front of it and move the big panniers forward so that the weight they carry is over the rear axle. I can’t remember what I did with the $100,000 consultancy fee but the result is…

The light at the end of the tunnel can turn out to be an oncoming freight train No matter how carefully a project is planned, something may still go wrong with it. That’s a lesson racing motorcycles has shown me all too often. In the last edition, I wrote about the then-upcoming 24-Hour Trial in the Barossa Valley and how Charris and I were scrambling to prepare for it in time. This month, I had hoped to be reflecting on our successful finishes. In an ideal world, Charris would’ve completed the race at his first attempt and I would have taken my second win in the two-stroke class. Post-race, you would have found us in the Kapunda pub. The beer would’ve tasted like nectar from the gods as we celebrated…

1 What is the name of the colour scheme on the Moto Guzzi V85 TT featured in the last issue (#349)? a) Ronaldo McDonaldo; b) Giallo Sahara; c) Rosso Kalahari; d) Sierra Madre. 2 What is the motif on the daytime running lights of the new Guzzi? a) The Piaggio logo; b) It’s based on the wind tunnel fan at Mandello del Lario; c) Flying eagle; d) There isn’t one. 3 Greg “Snag” Leech went for the Triple Black option on his BMW S 1000 XR. What is the distinguishing feature from the Black Storm Metallic colourway? a) The handlebars are black; b) The fork legs are anodised black; c) The windscreen is tinted black; d) You get a black BMW helmet as part of the deal. 4 In the…