Day two started poorly with Mother Nature’s own welcome to camping – rain. I also came to realise that I would have been better off camping in the middle of nowhere – with no one around – especially drunken park yobbos. Leaving the park and setting off on my day, I glanced into my mirror only to see that during the course of last night, some idiot had taken a swipe at my left rear mirror.
This unfortunate ‘gift’ was never going to slow me down mind you, but was a slight dampener on the spirits... albeit momentarily. I giggled a bit actually because I had had such an awesome day the day before and slept better than I had in weeks, months even, that they probably could have smashed the whole bike up and I wouldn’t have heard a thing. I looked upon the mirror as merely a battle scar – don’t all athletes carry some sort of injury?
To brighten my mood I ventured off road again for a while this morning. My plan was to steer clear of the highway as much as possible so I hooked left and headed for a country ride out to Grassy Head.
On the way back I checked my maps and spotted a ring road that I could take to get me back on the highway for a while. Fishermans Reach it was called and included a small section of unsealed rode.
I knew the bike would handle and I was up for it.
It was great – just dirt and quite tame really – until it turned to
sand. I didn’t give a thought to the fact I had road tyres on, had not
let any air out and was carrying quite a load.
HEMA didn’t say anything about sand and I was quite inexperienced in the loose stuff - but what the hell, it’s an adventure after all. I punched the air after the first stretch as it became dirt again. I had handled it well – loose sand with a bike under weight and I had won the battle. I came to the end of the line however and was to discover the bridge was out. Damn. Oh well. I did a u-turn and commenced the trip back.
It was here I ran into a spot of trouble. As I rounded the first bend, the soft sand grabbed the front wheel and skewed it to the left. In my attempts to right my direction I realised I was going down and there was nothing to do except let it happen. Down we went falling to the right. The wheels were slightly up hill on the edge of the track. It was here I came to realise that the bike was quite a bit heavier than I could manage – and I was in the middle of nowhere.
(Pictured below from left: My first dirt experience. The aftermath of the fall. You can see the remnants of sand on the side of the pannier.)
Side note:Later on this would prove to be not only a great learning experience but probably a huge moment for me on this trip and in the end a sense of achievement. I had gotten myself into, and then out, of a spot of bother. I had to find a way to overcome a challenge and I did so through determination. The kind of thing that is good for the soul occasionally.
If I learnt anything about the position I was now in, it is that if you do get yourself in a bind, sometimes there is no one to help out so you just got to work it somehow. It took me about 15 mins to dig under where the wheels were to level the ground, I literally dragged the bike on its side to the middle of the track and then with a big heave (actually it was several big heaves to be honest) I managed to get the bike up without having to take off the panniers and unload the gear.
Cutting a long story short, I got myself back on the highway and opted for a stint on the blacktop to have a rest. I am sure that others have found themselves in much bigger binds than this and got themselves out but this was my first and at the time it was big enough for now. I justified dropping my bike by telling myself that if I didn’t drop it at some point then I was simply not trying hard enough. That will do for now.
The highway travelling was simply to make up for the time I had lost out near Grassy Head this morning. Eventually I came to Nabiac where I made a brief stop at the Australian Motorcycle Museum (a must see if you are in the area).
A right turn here sees me on yet another recommended ride out to a
little town called Gloucester. Yet again, HEMA maps were right on the
money. Just before arriving in Gloucester I stopped at an awesome
lookout over the valley - simply breathtaking.
Through Gloucester I
traversed about 80km down Bucketts Way through another small town called
Stroud which was quite nice also. Soon I was to meet the highway once
again at Raymond Terrace.
My camping ground for that night was at
Toowoon Bay in The Entrance and before I knew it I had the tent up and
the camp kettle boiling my coffee. This sure was the lifestyle I was
dreaming of. Yet another awesome day of riding I must say.
I had a great view over the ocean and I found myself sitting
back against the front wheel of my bike and watching a ripper of a storm
roll in. It was really windy tonight, so before I turned in, I secured
the main guy ropes to my tent with extra pegs.
I am sure glad I did
because that storm looked like it would pack a punch. A little old lady
came over the next morning and asked if I survived the night OK. I had
slept so well I asked her why?..... She told me their annex had blown
off. My little tent was as solid as a house.
Day Three – The best was yet to come...
My third day on this trip would be no different and I was about to discover the two best rides of this trip. First thing this morning though I had to make a call to the guys at TeamMoto Enoggera regarding my broken mirror courtesy of the idiot in Nambucca. A new one was placed on order and a call to the Canberra Motorcycle Centre saw me fixed up with a substitute in the mean time. You have got to love mobile phones, huh.
I made my way from The Entrance around to Gosford and then headed up to the freeway.
Big mistake - the wind was unbelievable and it would have been too dangerous to stay on there.... so... once again my HEMA Map would prove my saviour.
I looked up where I was only to find a recommendation to travel on the Old Pacific Hwy to Hornsby. I had already planned to ride through the middle of Sydney and over the Harbour Bridge so this was perfect. I never knew this road existed but it was terrific. The speed limit was a bit nanna-ish but the road was great.
In the big smoke now and I expected the usual traffic snarls in the city so it wasn’t a surprise they eventuated. It wasn’t as bad as it could have been though.
I really wanted to stop and get a picture with the bridge and the bike but there wasn’t anywhere decent to stop (probably for a reason) so I kept going.
(Pictured Left: The lighthouse at Kiama.)
Touring through Sutherland I stopped next to an older gentleman on a BMW
GS1150. He was all kitted out and seemingly on his own adventure as
well. We followed each other for a bit before we had the chance at a big
intersection to swap a quick hello and each to run down what they are
up to.
He was on his way to Melbourne but only wanted to stay on the freeways
for some reason (on a GS?!?!). I wanted to steer clear of the freeway so
we parted ways which was a shame as it would have been good to have a
riding buddy for a while.
The second of my awesome roads for this
day saw me weaving my way through the Royal National Park. This was
truly a highlight and a must do next time I am down this way – even in
the car I would take this road from now on.
I pulled into a clearing and parked the bike under tree and made a
cuppa. I sat there up against a tree, in the shade on another warmish
day counting my blessings. I have come to realise that there is nothing
better than a spontaneous road-side picnic in a secluded patch of lush
green grass smack in the middle of a National Park.
A light breeze
cooled us both off (me and the bike) and an hour had passed in no time
at all. Without rushing as I really didn’t want to leave, I packed up
the kettle and away I went again.
Further down the road I realised that the best was yet to come...
Stanwell Park Lookout. Winding my way down the mountain I had just been
climbing then stopping at a couple of the vantage points.
On such a clear day, I could see all the way down past Port Kembla
steelworks (which was amazing considering how much smoke that place
churns out) and all the way down the coastline. It was incredible.
At the base of the windy mountain road, along the aptly named Sea Cliff
Road through Scarborough, I meandered into Wollongong (my birthplace but
I AM a Queenslander don’t worry). The northern distributor saw me flash
past the city and onto Kiama. My best friends own a van park there on
the beach and had saved me a prime beach front plot. It’s not what you
know hey....
Day Four/Five – A zig zag down the coast...
I headed for Jamberoo Mountain which was a great ride over the top and down again. Through Robertson I progressed but not without stopping at the famous Robertson pie shop. Albeit early in the day, you still cannot beat a great Australian meat pie and these guys do it well. It was recommended to me and I can surely pass this stop on to you.
I was now in Nowra and heading due south once again. Camp tonight is at Batemans Bay and the final leg of the southerly journey could not have ended any better.
If you have never been to Batemans Bay before you should – it’s gorgeous. I found a caravan park along the Clyde River and was lucky enough to score a patch of grass that would see me out for the night. I am in a real rhythm now with the riding and the camping and sad that the away journey was coming to an end.
I didn’t want this to end - I know now that this trip will definitely be the precursor to a BIGGER trip in the not too distant future.
I was literally 140km directly east of Canberra – my final destination for this trip. I still had some riding to do but I was nearly there. When I set off for this trip I could never have imagined that I would enjoyed it as much as I have – Nambucca Heads incident included (it’s all part of the experience).
I watched a beautiful sunset this evening – the kind of sunset you really must savour – the kind best shared with a loved one.
Lacking that special someone in my life, I decided to dedicate it to my new best friend... my Super Tenere.
You see, this bike was really a snap decision to buy. I didn’t know too
much about it when I test rode it. Some say I was too spontaneous – yes
maybe - but it had proved to be a great decision.
I had found what I was looking for and I finally had something to look
forward to... my next trip. Mother nature had one last present for me
before this one was over though.....
Tune in next issue for Part III of Christian's story as he heads back home to Brisbane! Here is a sneak peek for you...
"I am not sure if this was the same system that I had earlier encountered in Jenolan or if it was its big brother - it was looking ugly though. Electrical lightening and loud thunder claps preceded torrential rain as I approached Bathurst. Still 20km out of town, this was going to be the hardest (and wettest 20km) of the day. So much for drying out – I was now wetter than ever. As I took my gloves off to take a picture of the storm, I saw how red my hands were – I figured this was from gripping the bars so tightly through the bad weather and I chuckled to myself."
IT won't set the world on fire with its performance, aerodynamics or technology, but the Kawasaki W800 will put a lump in the throat of many middle-aged bikers.
The Triumph Bonneville look-alike was last in Australia a few years ago as a W650 with carburettors. It's now returned with 800cc and fuel injection.
The 1970-style naked bike competes against other retros from Triumph, Ducati, Harley-Davidson and Moto Guzzi.
While it doesn't have the performance of these models, it isn't lacking in tradition.
The Kawasaki W series actually began as the K1 in the early 1960s, then the legendary W1 a few years later. Today it looks much as it did back then with its Brit-style parallel twin.
So the new W800 isn't some Japanese imitation. It's the real deal.
At $500 less than the standard Bonneville it comes with a few extras such as traditional chromed guards, rubber tank pads, fork gators, lockable petrol cap and a centre stand.
Despite that, it's a basic bike with only one trip meter. None of your modern unnecessary gizmos here.
Build quality is exceptional with deep and lustrous metallic green paint, gold pin-striping and metal parts such as the side covers where others would use plastic.
But the highlight is the beautifully polished engine with a chromed bevel cam cover and connecting shaft. When Triumph converted to EFI they retained the carby look. Kawasaki's injector unit is ugly but at least it's small.
It's a bike you sit on, rather than sitting in it or crouching over it. Riding position is neutral and the bike feels small; no, tiny.
The seat is ribbed and comfortable and the corner piping ends before your thighs so it doesn't cut into them.
There are big pillion grab handles on the back but they are set a little too low.
The previous W650 put a lot of lumps in a lot of throats, yet few wanted to buy it because it was only a 650cc bike. The bigger capacity may persuade a few more converts.
However, the performance isn't greatly enhanced.
In fact, while the free-revving W800 may be quicker off the mark and haul a pillion easier, it's no better in the top end.
It also doesn't brake any better with a single 300mm disc up front and rear drums. They're ok, but not performance standard.
The fuel injection is smooth, with a good feel off idle and prompt start-up.
The engine races for the first minute after start-up, so you have to carefully ease out the clutch as it feels like a stuck throttle. As soon as it's warm, it calms down.
Then it runs like honey with hardly any mechanical noise except for the occasional Swiss clock whirring of the iconic bevel-gear-driven cam.
This bike won't make your heart race, but its 360 crankshaft will stir your pulse.
Owners will probably want more sound from the very quiet peashooter-style silencers and vintage long tailpipes.
The five-speed transmission is slick and smooth with an easy-to-find neutral, no angel gears and almost no mechanical noise.
It could do with a sixth gear for the highway and there is a bit of a gap between first and second yet acceleration is totally linear.
There are simply no gaps or peaks in engine performance.
Handling is compromised by the non-adjustable front end and the rear preload-adjustable twin shocks which bounce a bit much.
Despite the 19-inch front wheel, the bike turns in quite quickly probably thanks to the narrow back wheel. It is predictable to steer, but can buck out of line on bumpy corners.
The W800 is a great "blank canvas'' for customisers and if Kawasaki
were smart, they would add a cafe racer and scrambler version like other
retro models.
Prime city location combined with a motorcycle heritage stretching back decades, Kawasaki Bowen Hills has an eclectic mix of characters whose motorcycle knowledge combines to almost a century of experience in the industry.
For over 30 years a Kawasaki motorcycle dealership has been located at 39 Allison St, just off the river in Bowen Hills. This distinctive store has been the #1 Kawasaki Dealership in Australia more than 15 times in the past 30 years – and it is actually the current #1 Kawasaki Dealership in Australia, having claimed the title once again in 2010.
Shane Goldberg
Shane is the fresh-faced, always smiling Dealer Principal who started riding motorcycles at the tender age of four years old. 30 years on, his passion for motorcycling, particular motocross and off-road, is utterly contagious.
With his high energy and exuberance Shane has moved through the ranks at TeamMoto, starting as a salesman, before becoming a Business Manager in the finance and insurance department and then making the move to Bowen Hills as Dealer Principal. Found most weekends at the local motocross track on his KX450F, Shane’s enthusiasm for a sport he loves is evident at Bowen Hills every day.
Ron Grant
Ron began work at the tender age of 13 in his parents dealership. Starting out as a trade assistant in the workshop, Ron has not looked back since.
Having been in the industry almost 40 years, Ron’s experience covers working as a salesman in parts and accessories and also as a workshop manager and accessories manager. But even though his experience is second-to-none, it is Ron’s enthusiasm for riding a bike that truly makes him unique.
Having raced speedway, short circuit, enduro and trials, in the last
fifteen years Ron’s attention has been captured by adventure riding.
Most weekends Ron can be found traversing trails across Queensland South
East.
He has even attempted and succeeded in the Longest Day Ride –
traversing over 1400km in one day to reach Cameron’s Corner from Brisbane. Most years
he also takes a trip down to the snow, whether in ACT, Victoria or New
Zealand for an adventure ride. His enthusiast for the sport is
infectious and no one knows accessories for all levels and genres like
Ron.
Bob Drummond
Bob started in the industry back in 1976 – that’s 34 years in the industry – working as a spare parts manager, in the finance and insurance department and even managing his own store for 21 years in Coffs Harbour.
Bob’s passion for bikes comes from his involvement racing dirt track both solo and with sidecars, as well as road racing.
Bob has run the parts department at Bowen Hills since 2002 and is “the
guru” when it comes to Kawasaki spare parts. Have a question about
anything concerning road or off road parts and be sure Bob is the man to
have an answer.
Marty Blake
Bowen Hills has always had a strong affiliation with road motorcycles, however not many people realize the experience they have in off-road motorcycles, particularly motocross. This is especially true in the workshop and a major contributor to this is: Marty Blake.
Marty did his apprenticeship at Kawasaki Bowen Hills and has been with the store on and off for over ten years. He honed his specialist motocross skills by working for the Factory Kawasaki Race Team as a mechanic for three years (2007-2009). Specializing in engine performance and engine modifications, Marty was the Kawasaki Race Team’s “engine man” – even flying in and out for every race just to tune the race bike engines.
Marty is now based full time at Bowen Hills and is ready to share his unique skills with TeamMoto customers. Marty specializes in performance mods on any motocross bikes, including fuel injection (EFI) and he has done the research and development for all current models. Marty has been a mechanic for 16 years now and his valuable experience and knowledge makes him a serious asset to the Bowen Hills team.
Tony Hughes
Tony has been a mechanic for over 20 years and started at Kawasaki Bowen Hills in 1995.
His knowledge of Kawasaki bikes is simply outstanding - seriously, he has an encyclopedic memory when it comes to anything regarding Kawasaki; parts, mechanical issues, models.
If you have any question regarding the green machines, Tony will most likely have an answer, however obscure!
Becoming Workshop Manager for Kawasaki Bowen Hills over ten years ago,
Tony goes that extra step to offer customers the best possible service.
Being located so close to the city, loan bikes are a huge part of the
workshop business and he constantly ensures customers can bring their
own bikes in for a tune up and still be able to get to work in the city -
even if that means he gives them a lift himself!
Troy Campbell
Troy has been a mechanic for 25 years, 11 of which have
been spent with Bowen Hills. Working with all brands and models, Troy
is an old hand at all motorcycle maintenance, he is even approved to do
mods for single to double seat conversion and vice-versa.
Sam Bannan
Sam is another mechanic who has spent over a decade with this
shop- starting with his apprenticeship, Sam has spent 12 years with the
green team and he now specializes in smash repairs and repair work.
***
So there you have it, a little delve into a dealership that you may not have known much about. Kawasaki Bowen Hills has an extensive heritage stretching back over the years, and at present the experienced and knowledgeable team is continuing the successful traditions of an iconic store.
Inside look at Yamaha's new R15
After introducing this new Yamaha in our February Events earlier this month, we thought we would take a closer look at this new LAMS small capacity weapon which has burst into the very competitive small bore market.
Yamaha announced this "chip of the old speed block" in early January, adding another model to the prestigious R lineup. But enough for now about the straight and narrow marketing lingo... what is this bike really like?
"It's a bloody good little thing!" TeamMoto Moorooka Dealer Principal Chris Chenoweth has taken this little beauty for a spin and was very impressed. "It handles just as good as a Ninja250 and has just as much power, if not more, because it is lighter."
"The fuel injection is crisp and responsive, it handles extremely well and stops well. This is a great little bike, very impressive for the price, to be honest it totally surprised me!"
So back to some technical Yamaha stuff - the R15 blends performance, reliability and low running costs.
With the ability to cruise at 120kmh plus and return an average fuel consumption of around 45kms per litre, it is designed to appeal to riders looking for a practical motorcycle for every day riding that sports R-series trademark sharp looks.
Tech heads are well catered for with a 150cc liquid cooled and fuel injected engine slotting into a Deltabox chassis boasting linked monocross suspension. R15 bristles with state-of-the-art technology also seen on the world’s best supersport bikes, such as a forged aluminium piston running in an all aluminium DiASil cylinder which offers the benefits of light weight, great heat dissipation, less oil consumption and high levels of wear resistance.
A lightweight fuel injection system uses only four sensors to gather large amounts of information relating to engine operations, which is sent to a small 26-pin ECU, which in turn calculates the optimum fuel supply.
The fuel supply component consists of a small, fuel pump, modularised regulator and filter, and a small six hole type injector, all of which come together to enable a lightweight, compact system. A large (three litre) air cleaner provides the clean air mix. The duct area of the intake is designed to optimise the flow of intake air.
A special compact and lightweight aluminum radiator maximises airflow
for heat dissipation. This has enabled the creation of a lightweight,
compact Overall the engine offers superb fuel efficiency, excellent
response, is environmentally friendly and produces a quiet, comfortable
ride.
On the handling front, an R-series style Deltabox frame forms the basis for riding comfort and performance. The synergy created by optimising longitudinal, lateral, and torsional rigidity delivers a solid riding feel as well as agile riding performance.
The engine’s low vibration makes rigid supports possible, ensuring excellent balance of rigidity. Plus a linked type monocross suspension delivers a comfortable ride and a cushioning performance that is less prone to bottoming out. In particular, the R15 makes for a great pillion motorcycle.
The R15 is available in two colour schemes of Racing Blue or Midnight Black.
This little bike is a serious surprise package - with the biggest surprise of all being the price. At only $4,799 Ride Away this bike is very competitively priced compared to other bikes in the same category.
The R15 is now rolling into TeamMoto Yamaha stores now, so click here to contact your local dealership and book a test ride - you may find yourself seriously surprised!
.
KTM350SX-F - Is this Every Man's Bike?
By Ian Kerr, TeamMoto Virginia Off-Road Performance Centre Technician
Years ago, before 4 stroke motocross came along, we had three classes (125cc, 250cc and 500cc) and all the big brands made bikes to suit. As the 500cc bikes got better and more powerful (55hp +) they became the domain of only the very fittest and best riders in the the world.
The 250cc bikes then became the most popular because they were easier to ride faster over a long moto.
It soon came about then that the 500cc 2-strokes became redundant - they were just too powerful and heavy.
It was then that 4-strokes became main stream and it went back to two classes, pretty much 250cc 4-strokes and 450cc 4-strokes.
?When 450cc 4-strokes were first released they made similar peak power (45-50hp) to 250cc 2 stroke, however they got more traction in the rear, making them fairly easy to ride quickly without being too tiring despite the extra weight (around 10kg).
Fast foward to present day and we have the latest fuel injected 450's putting out more horsepower that ever (around 55hp) yet still being quite heavy which makes them increasingly harder to ride flat out for the average person.
The 250f's are still only putting out around 35hp, meaing the gap between these two main capacities is getting bigger.
Enter the KTM350SX-F.
On paper KTM filled this gap perfectly, with the bike boasting around 45hp and weighing in between the 250 and 450 (even with electric start).
So where do does this bike really fit in? Well if we look at it logically, this bike is probably the best bike for about 60% of off-road riders.
The initial verdict... straight up I think the 350 will struggle in the hands of a dedicated Pro guy against a well set-up 450. And I do believe 250f's will always have a place, but for those who are bored on a 250f, yet not dedicated or fit enough to ride a modern 450 all day long the 350 is perfect.
We tested the two bikes which were both relatively stock (just
pipes and ECU tuning, which the 350 really responded well to) on a hard
packed track.
After a few sessions nobody wanted ride the 450, because the 350 was just so easy to ride fast and way less tiring.
Check out the video below for some action footage and our initial thoughts after riding both bikes.
Stay
tuned as we will do suspension modifications to both bikes before
getting out their again with a broader mix of riders and another track.
If you own or are thinking of purchasing a KTM350SX-F feel free to give
me a call at TeamMoto Virginia's Off-Road Performance Centre on (07) 3259 2980.
Until next time. - Ian
TeamMoto Photo Competition - Last chance to WIN!
The TeamMoto Photo Competition is almost over, just over a week to go until the deadline of February 28th, 2011!
With the Grand
Prize of a Strike Genius Motorcycle GPS (RRP $499) up for grabs, don't
miss out on this great chance to showcase your love of motorcycle
riding.
Below are some examples of the great photos that have already been sent
in. So get shooting - competition ends February 28th, 2011!
Below. Photo by Carl Spencer.
Below. "There is nothing more exciting than the anticipation felt before heading out on a ride...bike manufacturers know this, and they add to it cleverly. Just look how my Triumph Speed Triples dash flickers and lights up when the key is turned, it's like a drag strip christmas tree light...into stage, set, and then go!" - Ben Chambers
Below. "I'll just keep the front wheel up till I come across a track!" - Steven Green
Below. "This is me the old guy, tribal name (grasshopper) real name Dennis showing off doing some shots of myself and my wife's new 2010 Dyna-wide glide to show off my new Draggin Jeans. But hey got to admit he scrubs up of for a 62 year old yes?" - Dennis Edwards
Below. "My first ride after getting my XVS650. A proud moment." - Greg Benardos
Competition Guidelines:
The picture must include you and your motorcycle - that's it! Whether
its in front of your garage or beside Uluru, we will be looking for that
picture that truly portrays how much you love your ride.
Competition closes February 28th, 2011 - so there is plenty of time to
think up some creative and fun settings for you and your motorcycle.
So put your photograph thinking caps on - and when your ready send in your entry to photocomp@teammoto.com.au with your full name and contact phone number.
Happy Snapping!
Please
note that by submitting your photograph to the TeamMoto Photo
Competition you are thereby giving your consent for TeamMoto to use your
photograph at their discretion. Your photograph may therefore be used
on the TeamMoto website, facebook page or for promotional or advertising
means.
Strike Genius Motorcycle GPS Product Review
By Des Stapleton, Honda Springwood CSM
Last month we brought you a review of the Scala Rider G4 Teamset and this month I had an opportunity to test another of the Strike Group's gadgets. The Strike Genius Motorcycle GPS. And what better way to do it than on an Australia Day ride with Wifey?
We had a Honda VFR1200 DCT in the garage, a clear sunny day and a destination, Bellbird Creek Teahouse at Kenilworth, who were putting on an Aussie Day BBQ.
Just one problem... I've never been out to Kenilworth by myself before.
What to do?! (Astute readers will see were this is going... and you'd
be absolutely right.)
A moment of inspiration hit me and I grabbed the Strike Genius that had conveniently been handed to me that week.
"What a fortuitous convergence of events!" I cried and set about wiring up the power cable to the big Viffer's battery.
Then, I had to mount the little Genius to the bike somehow. I selected the windscreen suction cup arm and mounted it to the underside of the windscreen, giving me a good view and easy access to the GPS and doing away with the need to bolt anything to the demo VFR.
The software in the Genius was very easy to use and I was familiar with it straight away as it appears identical in function to the Uniden GPS Wifey has in her car. Plugging in the address for the Bellbird Creek Teahouse we were on our way!
Now I could bang on for another three paragraphs about all the features of this great little device...or you could watch a neat video of the features accompanied by up-beat rock music! Thought so. Here's the vid...
So, does it work? Well we got to the Bellbird and back home again, no worries at all.
And that is the whole point of any motorcycle gadget, I think. It does it's job well and with a minimum of fuss and let's you get on with simply enjoying the ride.
After all, that's what it's all about isn't it? Enjoying the ride.
The Strike Genuis Motorcycle GPS goes for RRP $449 at any TeamMoto dealership.
We do however have a Photo Competition running at the moment, with one of these beauties going to the Winner! Click here to check out the Photo Comp guidelines… but hurry, competition closes February 28th, 2011!
Des Stapleton, Customer Service Manager Honda Springwood
Motorcycle Riding School: Just relax and it won't hurt a bit.
By John Bacic, TeamMoto Motorcycle Riding School Senior Instructor
O.K. It’s confession time. I’m not as smart as I thought I was, I’m still quite convinced that I am in fact one of the smartest people on the planet... I might have gone a bit far there, let’s just say I’m really, really, really smart ... and good looking.
One issue that continues to come up is
riders holding on to the handlebars too tightly. So let’s see what we
can do as riders to improve our control over the bike with good posture.
Good posture on a bike can help make a rider feel more confident. Approaching a corner at a safe comfortable speed and using the brakes smoothly and selecting an appropriate gear, go a long way to making the bike feel settled and predictable.
What is good posture? What sort of bike do you ride? What conditions are you riding in? Are you going into a corner so fast that the bike is disappearing up your arse due to the vacuum affect of the pucker factor?
If the bike doesn’t feel settled and predictable when approaching a corner then it will affect the rider’s confidence and this may affect the rider’s posture. So the first step to good cornering posture is to be smooth on the throttle, brakes, and gearbox.
The idea of good posture will differ from bike to bike and the conditions you ride in.
If you’re on an enduro you might have your elbows high in the attack position, if you’re on a sports bike your elbows won’t be up under your ears they’ll be tucked in.
Move forward towards the tank, move back over the rear wheel. Lean in to the corner, lean away from the turn in a U-turn.
Good posture on a bike aids control and stability. So for the purposes
of this broad discussion we will examine posture from the point of view
of what you need to be able to do when riding a bike.
Being able to control where your weight goes on a bike is an important facet of riding a bike. Having a light grip on the bars allows you to use the switches on a road bike, having a light grip also allows you to steer more effectively.
Being able to move your feet on the pegs allows you to change gears, use the rear brake and maybe move your toes out of the way if you’re leaning into the corner a lot.
You need to be able to keep your eyes up and your head level through corners so you can see ahead to keep your balance and to scan the surface you are riding on.
One undeniable fact about a bike is that you need to hang on to it. If you don’t you will be all over the place and probably fall off.
Hanging on to the bike is where people go wrong. Hang on to the bike with your knees. If you are hanging on to the handle bars too tightly you will have trouble using the throttle, steering and moving your weight on the bike.
Good cornering posture on a bike requires the rider to support their wrists at the elbow and at the shoulder.
If you find yourself resting your hands on the handlebars then you are more than likely holding on to the handlebars too tightly.
A wise scruffy looking Irishman who I thought would have lost the accent years ago puts it this way;
"Imagine the grips are a little bird, you have to hold on tight enough to stop it flying away but not so tight that you hurt the little fella."
Regardless of what type of bike you are riding the best way to keep control of your posture is through your core muscles.
Your thighs and your abdominal muscles is where your stability comes
from.
A good exercise to do to identify what muscles you need to use is
to put the bike on the side stand, get a friend to hold the bike steady
then sit on the bike and lean in the direction the bike is leaning.
Once
you’ve done that let go of the bars at that point you will identify the
muscles you need to recruit to maintain stability. You can use your
core muscles to lean into the corner. If you need to move your bum
forward, back, left or right than you can use your knees and the
footpegs.
A good starting point with posture is to hang on below the belt and stay loose above the belt.
As with anything to do with riding, practise, practise, practise, developing good posture takes mental vigilance and a constant evaluation of how you feel and what feedback you are getting from the bike.
I hope this article confirms with everyone how very clever I am . You will all have to take my word for how devilishly handsome I am (photo pending).
So remember people when you’re riding, just relax and it won’t hurt a bit.
Tech Tips: Options for tuning your EFI Honda
By Ian Kerr, TeamMoto Virginia Off-Road Performance Technician
Three Options for Tuning your Fuel Injected CRF450R & CRF250R
1. HRC Tuning Tool. This method flashes or Remaps your STD Honda ECU. The Bikes come with what they commonly refer to a zero (or STD Map), the HRC Tuning Tool is a fairly basic tool that allows you to make small changes to the Ignition Map and Fuel Map either side of zero. I.e. you can + ignition Timing or Fuel or can – Ignition or Fuel.
This tool can change to feel of the power delivery and is mainly
noticeable in the Bottom and Midrange, but makes very little if any
difference to top end, good for correcting fuel to suit pipes, air
filters etc. Custom Remaps are available at TeamMoto Honda Stores for
$200.
2. Power Commander Five & Self Tuning Tool. Dyno Jet Power Commander's are the most populer Fuel Injection Tuning Tools in the world. They are a piggy back system that tricks the signal going to the ECU to alter that amount of Fuel to Engine.
The New Power Commander (PCV) is a much more compact box than the old model that makes it a lot easier to mount on the bike. At the moment it only controls Fuel, not Timing, which Limits it somewhat (I believe ignition modules will be available for MX Bikes in the future).
The Power Command V comes with all that is needed for the owner to tune his own bike, and maps to suit pipes & air filter setups are available to customers for free off their website.
If you are not confident mapping your bike yourself, we can help at TeamMoto Virginia Off-Road Performance Centre. Dyno Jet have just released a tricky new feature to add to the PCV, a self tune module which mounts a sensor in the Header pipe of the bike and tunes your own bike (to suit any mods) while you ride, how cool is that!! The PCV costs $419 with the Self Tune Model $399. Available now at TeamMoto dealerships.
3. Vortex Performance ECU. Unlike the other two options the Vortex is a Replacement ECU.
That's right, you unplug your old ECU and replace it with the Vortex so it has a completely new Zero map, which gives increased performance from idle to red line, and has been tested by race teams in Australia and across the world.
Its' the most expensive of the systems at $799 retail, but is the easiest to tune, which 4 Clicker Style Dials on the Back of the Unit.
The 1st Dial Controls Timing, with 10 Different Settings.
Than you have Low Speed Fuel, Mid Speed Fuel, High Speed Fuel, with five clicks richer and five clicks leaner on each.
These are also reprogrammable with the ability to change Rev Limits, spark Voltage etc, etc.
Vortex Ignitions are now available at TeamMoto.
Most brands of Fuel Injected motocrossers have similar systems available as well, for more info give me a call at the TeamMoto Virginia Off-Road Performance Centre on (07) 3259 2980.
Shots of the Month
This issues "Shots of the Month" is actually "Video of the Month".
The TeamMoto crew hit up Parklands MX track at the beginning of February
for some testing on the all new 2011 KTM 350 SX-F and 2011 Suzuki
RM-Z450.
After having some fun on the motocross track, the team headed
out on a trail ride. Great conditions - had a blast! Michael Oliver
has the Go Pro HD Hero Helmet cam on board to document the fun. Check out the video below.
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Sneak Peek! TeamMoto featured on Great South East!
A quick Sneak Peek for everyone out there - TeamMoto will be featured in an upcoming episode of the Great South East!
Focusing on promoting women in motorcycling, the segment will feature some off-road women riders talking about getting into motorcycles, what bikes might best suit lady trail riders and much more! Also featured is the Motorcycle Riding School and how easy it is for girls to get a licence for both road and off-road riding!
So don't miss Great South East in the upcoming weeks. For more information on the show check out www.greatsoutheast.com.au.
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Check out the NEW TeamMoto homepage!
Have you checked out the new updated version of the TeamMoto homepage? With new styling and easy to use functionality, everything you need is just a click away.
Used bike search engine, new bike specials, search pre-owned Harley's, huge online accessories store with road, off-road and clearance items, tyre specials, finance & insurance information, we want your bike for cash today, monthly eNewsletter and events information, TeamMoto Videos for reviews and rides... everything you need in the motorcycling community!
Click here to check out the new homepage now.
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It truly is a phenomenon... Facebook. Kids, young adults, parents, grandparents, pets. Everyone is on Facebook these days. There is even a movie about Facebook that is tipped to win some Oscars!
Everywhere you turn these days Facebook is a burgeoning outlet for people and businesses (and even pets, seriously!) to connect and share… so why not use it?
We love to hear what is happening in your motorcycle world – so post
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same lifestyle as you!
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