FEEDBACK
Here is the next installment of Feedback. This is what you have said to me! One of the really great things, for me, to have come out of doing this web-site is the fantastic response it has brought from all you readers out there! I really appreciate your emails, and it's great to be able to share your comments with other readers through this page.The page runs from the first comments at the top, to the most recent ones at the bottom. So, as the year progresses you'll have to do a bit of scrolling to get to the latest entries. Sorry, but it kind of needs to work that way. Oh well, doesn't take too much to get there! For the previous feedback page, just click the button down the bottom of the page.If you read the question on our Questions page about CTP insurance, you will have read the reply by Bruce, who recommended Shannons, especially having had to make a claim a while ago following an “accident” where he was wiped out (and his bike written-off) by a wayward car. The worst injury was to his leg, sustaining severe compound fractures to tibia and fibia, and a broken left knee. He mentioned that he was wearing all the right gear, but made the point that the right gear is often not enough. “It's very clear that not many of us wear enough protection on our lower body; boots, yes, but leg and knees, I don’t think so.” It’s a good point! We have padding at strategic points on our shoulders and elbows, but usually very little for our legs, knees and hips. Motocross gear often has knee padding etc, so perhaps that is something that should be more commonly included in riding pants. Makes you think, doesn’t it!Rod sent in a couple of photos. The first one ….. perhaps taking a wheelie too far? It looks like it’s going to end in tears anyway! And the second one ….. what can you say? It is very clever isn’t it! I’ve seen this sort of stunt performed on TV. Probably my wicked sense of humour, but I have this image of one of the guys at the bottom going, “Let’s see what happens if I open up the throttle!” No, too horrible to think about! 
Susan, who wrote in with the question I mentioned above on CTP insurance, had an interesting experience with using ethanol-blend fuel. She writes, “I don't use ethanol petrol by choice however can always tell if I've inadvertently got a load of ethanol as I get 30 kms less before hitting reserve (168 kilns v 198kms); which is quite significant in a bike. Could make the difference between riding & pushing!” Indeed! I don’t think any manufacturers recommend ethanol fuel for their bikes (apart from a couple of very recent models). And I certainly wouldn’t use it – there are far too many issues with using ethanol in an engine not designed to run on it. And Susan’s experience gives you just another reason to avoid it! Susan also wrote in response to my story on dropping my bike. She said that she had a similar experience not long after getting her bike. She stopped at the top of her driveway to change into 1st, and put her foot down. Trouble was, her driveway is on a steep hill and she put her foot down on the downhill side. She says, “As the bike lent slightly to the downward side I put my foot down to save it and was promptly spat off across the footpath. This was in some ways a relief as I had always assumed the bike would fall on you in such an event (200 kgs would have left it's mark).”An interesting point there. Thinking about my episode, I also “got spat off the bike”, not buried underneath it. Hmm, interesting! Thankfully neither she nor the bike were damaged in the event.Rod wrote in with some more curious information on the issue of CTP insurance. (See item at the top of this page). He did some more experimenting with the quote son the MAA web-site. He filled in details for his bike but this time answered "no" to the question on comprehensive insurance. He said that only two companies changed, GIO and NRMA. GIO went from $360 to $632. That's a big difference! Especially when most of the other companies didn't change at all! As Nino Culotta would say, "They're a weird mob!"
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Aussie sent in a collection of very weird (and sometimes very cool!) sidecars. I think this one is very cool! (I wish the photo had shown a passenger, that would've looked quite funny!).To see the whole collection of these very weird sidecars that were in the email that Aussie sent in, just click here. and it will take you to the page they were on.
Craig wrote in response to our question on CTP insurance. He writes, “The cheapest I have found is Suncorp Insurance through Team Moto bike shops. I rang every insurance company in the phone book and on the net. I totally recommend them.” Craig also mentioned that Team Moto are in NSW – Sydney area in particular. I’ve had a bit to do with Team Moto and they seem a good dealership. Thanks for the info anyway, Craig. 
Ah yes, I like a woman with a big rear-end! And as rear-ends come, they don’t come much bigger than this! Thanks to Rod for sending this in. As he says, “It would be very difficult to ride I imagine.” The up-side is that you probably wouldn’t need a side-stand; it’d probably stand up all by itself!Rod also sent in an interesting link to the Safer Roads web-site. SaferRoads, according to the blurb on their site, is a diverse coalition representing motorists, medical practitioners, the transportation industry, local governments and others concerned about improving road safety for all Australians. They go on to say, "Great attention has been paid to vehicles and driver behavior, but we now need to focus on improving the one area over which we have the greatest control, roads, and make travel safer for everyone. By making roads more forgiving in a crash, we can help to reduce the impact road trauma has on individuals, families, work places, hospitals, and society generally." There's a lot of info and opinion here - worth checking out. Rod has been busy! He found this in his travels on the 'net. Follow the link here to R&G Racing Products, which is an English compnay specialising in, of course, certain motorcycle accessories. The particular product you'll see is an exhaust protector - a sort of Oggy-Kobs for exhaust idea. Looks like a good thing; and, in the event of a crash, would be much cheaper to replace than an exhaust!Russell wrote in response to my test of the Yamaha V-Star 1100. He writes, "About 3 years ago Frasers at Newcastle had an open day and I rode 2 Harleys, a Honda 750 and a Yamaha 1300. The Yammie killed the others for smoothness, cockpit room, comfort, ease of riding and handling." Yes, they are impressive! Aussie wrote in response to our question on rain-dispersing products. He says that he actually likes riding in the rain. He says, "Riding down an open road in steady rain can be quite a pleasant experience. I find the worst part about that is a couple of hours or so cleaning your machine after, though if you enjoy just messing around doing nothing in particular with your sickle, even that's not so bad. Tilting my head slightly up, down or as you suggested to one side keeps the beads running away while feeling rain, broken by turbulence, gently pattering in my face. Lovely!". Hmm, I'm not sure I'd actually describe it as pleasant, but I know what he means. Sometimes it almost is. Oh, and he uses a canauba-based car wax on his goggles to help disperse the water. He says you've got to rub it in hard, but then it pretty much lasts for life. A reader had this to say about road tests. “When you test a cruiser, it’s not about revs and power and specification; cruisers are all about lifestyle!” He’s right, of course. I could leave out the specifications and comments about performance etc and most people who’d be interested in buying one probably wouldn’t notice they weren’t there. However I still think that for readers in general the specifications and details of how the thing works are interesting and relevant. But he’s right about cruisers being a lifestyle. You’re not supposed to compare them objectively to other bikes. But I do! He then drew my attention to the world of custom choppers. Yes, they might be really “out there” in terms of their style and function etc, but it really emphasises the “lifestyle” aspect of cruiser ownership. So, was I wrong to praise the Yamaha XVS100 for being good at what other bikes are good at – handling and ride etc? Maybe I should’ve been critical of it because if you compare it to, say a Harley, it’s probably, well, a bit bland? Depends on your point of view I suppose; and I tried to address this aspect in the section at the bottom titled “Milwaukee Or Metric?” But it was a good call anyway.Peter, from Kenma Australia, wrote in response to the item in my Blog on tyres and the issue of wearing-off the release-mould. He says that many tyres today actually don’t have this release compound applied to the mould, so actually don’t need the wearing-in. I had heard this before, but I’m not sure which tyres and how common it is. In any case, he recommends taking it easy for the first 100kms to get used to the different feel of the new tyres, if nothing else. But he has a further point which I hadn’t heard about. He writes, “I think the main thing is to get a couple of heat-up cool-down cycles (we call this a phase change) into your new tyres before you go completely nuts.” He adds a further interesting observation. “In my experience Japanese tyres were more slippery when new. Euro stuff was better when new and also in cold or wet conditions, because of the climate where they were designed.” Thanks for the info, Peter.
Steve has a new bike – well, he has half a new bike. The other half is owned by his son. You can see it (with both halves together!) in the photo here. The bike is a Honda NSR150. He sees it as a good fun alternative to his DR650 Suzuki. Recently he took it on a Ulysses Club run. I’d reckon it would’ve stood out from the other Ulyssian mounts! He says, “The 2 stroke smoke keeps the mozzies at bay and it will cruise quite happily at 120kph, provided I ring it's little neck. Redlined at 11,000rpm and it goes well anywhere over 9,000rpm. So, a 2,000rpm power band. What more could you ask for?” 
I got an email from Damien Codognotto, from the Independent Riders' Group in Melbourne. It was a press-release advertising the first C J Dennis Ride. The ride happens on Saturday March 27, 2010, and starts at the Whittlesea Showgrounds between 9 am and 10 am. Although you can join in the run anywhere from that point onwards. The finish is at the Warburton Sports Ground where the raffle will be drawn between 3 and 4 pm. The objective of the ride is to promote road safety, attract tourists to fire effected areas, and to raise money for a Country Fire Authority station along the route. Damien, who has been organising road bike events since the mid 1970s, says “This is 152 kms of sensational bike roads. It's all sealed. It's for all road registered motorcycles, scooters, sidecars and trikes. It's suitable for novices and experienced riders. A route survey with more detail can be emailed on request.” Sounds like a good ride and a good cause. I wish I lived closer, I’d join in! You can contact Damien at d.codognotto.oam@bigpond.com.Steve, who rides a DR650, wrote in response to the article on Puncture Repair Kits. “Tubeless repair kits, eh? Thanks for nothing. They won't help me or anyone else with tube type tyres!” Yes, trail-bikes still use tubes, and yes, he was having a joke with me! He described an incident of having a puncture in a rather remote spot. “Not much fun changing a tube 120kms from Birdsville in the heat, no trees and on a bike with no centrestand. Three of us did manage it though. We were all suffering from dehydration by the time we finished.”Sorry, Steve, this was supposed to go in the Questions section, but it ended up here. Anyway, Steve went on to ask, “Whatever happened to that ‘OKO’ fibrous, gooey stuff I used to use in the late '70s? Maybe some of your readers have tried some of the modern equivalents and can comment on whether or not they actually work. We always carry spare tubes, tyre levers and a pump when we go touring just in case. What's that corollary to Murphy's Law? ‘The chance of something going wrong are inversely proportional to the preparations you have made.’” Well, with regard to the “gooey stuff”, I made reference in the article to the similar Finilec I used to carry; although, as I said, I never actually used it. As I mentioned in the article, this stuff isn’t recommended as it is horrible to get off the inside of the tyre and the wheel. But if it works, it sure beats wrangling with changing a tube in the middle of the outback! And, as you’ll read in the Questions section, one reader has used a similar product and it got him home (albeit with the help of a friendly farmer!). One reader, responding to the article on Puncture Repair Kits, said he should buy another kit, because, “After 7 years the glue in the one I have now has probably gone off.” That's a good tip; if you do have one with glue in it, you probably should replace it periodically. I’d been discussing car racing. I mentioned that, while I am an avid watcher of the V8 series, I actually don’t like the concept. Underneath the skin they are almost identical, and bear very little resemblance to the cars they look like. I prefer the old Group C that used to run back in the 70s and 80s. Or even Group A, which replaced that. At the same time I was discussing, with my mate Steve, the future proposed changes to MotoGP, which seem ridiculous, having virtually three different types of engine in the one class. Steve said, “At the upper levels it's business, NOT SPORT. I don't care if it's motorcycles, cars, golf, tennis, the various ball codes or whatever. With the amounts of money involved sport takes a back seat to financial interests.” That is so true! The V8 series – and its whole make-up and regulations – is all about money. Formula 1 is tied up in politics and money. MotoGP is all money. As Steve said, at the upper level it is, sadly, all about money!Martin sent in a link to a site in the UK that he had been sent by “a Pommie mate”. Martin owns a Triumph and the initial link is to a DVD of Triumphs. That alone is interesting because it has footage from past IOM races etc. But the site has a lot more; offering DVDs on a whole range of topics. Worth checking out! Martin also had a comment on puncture repairs. He wrote, “Front tyre punctures may be rare but I managed to get one! Each to their own decisions of course, but for me any repair on a bike tyre is to get me with caution to my favourite tyre supplier for a replacement. A punctured tyre has a point of weakness no matter how good the plug is.” Yes, a good point really. It’s the “what if” factor. What if the repair lets go? It might be rare but ….. I think I’d be happier with a new tyre too. Just a shame they’re so expensive!I got a very informative email from Rick, in response to the test of the Yamaha XVS1100. He wrote, “I liked your article on the XVS1100 and agree it’s a pretty good bike. I have one in its Custom form after previously owning a classic like the one you tested. I find that the Custom handles better than the Classic. Could be a shorter wheelbase or maybe the steering rake is different, either way they handle the twisties and around town stuff better. I also attended to some of your negatives. Firstly these motors need to breath more so opening up the exhausts, fitting a hypercharger and rejetting accordingly makes a huge difference to the throttle response. Mine performs exceedingly well for an 1100 low-tech motor. Also a screen. I use a sports screen from Windvest. It does the job of keeping the wind of your chest but doesn't look huge. Also you mention about looking down to read the speedo. A big complaint I agree. Ok for those who ride with an open face but I prefer a full face. To alleviate this I fitted a tacho & ride by revs mainly hardly ever looking at the speedo.” Thanks for the feedback Rick. I was surprised to read that the Custom handled better than the Classic – I thought the Classic handled well! Some very worthwhile modifications there too. Just goes to show that with a bit of work (and a little money!), you can turn a good bike into a great bike that really suits you.Martin wrote to say that he is having new Metzeler tyres fitted. He writes, “If you read the web-page with the Roadtec Z6 Interact you will find that they score higher in tests than both the Michelin Pilot Road 2 and the Dunlop Road Smart.” If you go to the page and look around the site, you get to a comparison between the Metzeler and other similar tyres. And the Roadtec Z6 came out 1 point I think it was, ahead of the Michelin and the Dunlop. Interestingly, the Metzeler is not a dual-compound tyre. Martin isn’t fitting the Roadtec though, he’s going for the sportier Sportec M3, for the “more extreme angles of lean which I seem to enjoy so much”. Thanks for the info, Martin. For anyone in the market for new tyres these Roadtec tyres (or Sportec if you’re a harder charger!) would be well worth checking out. Craig wrote in to thank everyone who responded to his question on GPS systems. He writes, “Thanks for all the info. I ended up getting one from Aldi for $129. Not a bad unit, just have to rig it up.” He’ll let us know how it goes. Sounds like a great price, Craig, and as I think I mentioned, Aldi stuff (in electronics anyway) is actually pretty good quality. And one of our readers, Steve, told us about one he bought from Aldi.Doug also owns a Yamaha XVS1100; another Custom model, as Rick (above) has. He writes, “In support of your reader Rick, I have the same modifications on my XVS and they do make a huge difference in performance and throttle response. Mine were all completed through a dealer and as such everything was done right and I think this is important rather than having a go yourself. Also the Vance and Hines exhaust I have sounds absolutely brilliant. The V Stars provide a nice relaxed ride.” You can read about Doug’s XVS (and a nice old Suzuki GS750) by clicking here. Diane wrote in to recommend Swann Insurance. She writes, “Just wanted to let you know that there is an insurance company that I am with and find them to be the cheapest for bike insurance, and that is Swann Insurance. You can get quotes on-line and in fact when my last renewal came, I got a better deal on-line with them than the renewal notice with them offered me. Strange, but true. They offer all kinds of insurance for bikes to suit all pockets; such as comprehensive, third party liability, fire and theft, and off-road rider insurance.” She says she has always found them to be cheaper. Yes, they are a good company. I’ve had a bike insured with them, and their rates are usually very competitive. Well worth checking Shannons and QBE too though; especially where there are discount rates applicable for age and low usage etc. You can find Swanns at www.swanninsurance.com/products/motorcycle. Thanks Diane.Steve, who wrote in with the question on riding with a pillion, wrote in to thank all those readers who responded with good tips and advice. He wrote: “Thank you for a well researched and detailed reply to my question. And please pass on my thanks and regards to all the experienced riders who were good enough to take the time and trouble to share their knowledge with myself and others.” He has continued to ride with his pillion, and is feeling much more confident. He says, “After reading the article, seems I'm going about it in the correct fashion.” Yes, thanks again to the readers who contributed to the article. And keep on enjoying the rides, Steve!Ivor liked the article on pillions; and thought the "models" were cute. He says, "Good article on pillion riding. Liked the 'models' you used for some of the illustrations. I'm guessing they were probably your grandkids?" Yes, you're right, Ivor, the kids in the photos were my grandkids. They like sitting on grandad's bike, so didn't take much encouraging! I didn't do much arranging of the shots either - just told them to sit on the bike, climb on etc. With my granddaughter I just told her to sit on the bike - the pose was all her! (She always puts on a pose when someone takes a photo!). It did get a bit scary though when they were crawling over the bike, and climbing on - from the wrong side! I’ve written, in a couple of places, that I like the Yamaha XT250. Maybe it’s a bit of nostalgia for the old trail-riding days (my trail-bikes were all 2-stroke DT Yamahas), but I just like them! Well, Ron wrote in to say that he likes them too – and he owns one. He writes, “The XT250 is a very good bike because last year I wanted a small bike and I bought one which I am very impressed with.” Ron has a small fleet of very interesting bikes, both road and trail, and still rides the dirt tracks. He says he belongs to a group of trail-riders who are all around the 60 years of age mark, and call themselves “The Buggered Knee Trailriders”. I love it! And I wish I was out there with them!
Look what you’ve started, Rod! Russ was with us when Rod and I (and a couple of others, including Russ’s brother, Steve) went for a ride recently, so he heard the new Beowulf exhausts. (See item in my Blog). He writes, “After hearing Rod's bike making that delicious note on our ride I just had to do something. Having a 1400 cc machine sounding like a sewing machine doesn’t seem right! I researched Beowulf and was all set to order when I came across Delkevic favourably mentioned on GSX1400.org.They distribute and maybe even manufacture from Coomera in Qld. Very similar to Beowulf but delivered for $299 instead of $350."Russ says that it was easy to fit, has a nice appearance, and with the baffle in sounds "fruity". With the baffle out he reckons it's borderline for the noise restrictions. I’ll be interested in catching up with Russ and hearing the big Suzuki’s new sound.Peter wrote in response to Martin’s complaint (on the Questions page) about changing a battery in his Triumph Sprint. He writes, “I struggle with people complaining about how hard everything is when working on their own bikes. The Sprint is designed to do a job and mass centralisation and compactness is part of the reason why the bike actually handles well. Nobody complains if it takes three hours to get the battery out of a Ferrari as they understand performance is the goal. Ease of maintenance would not be very high on the list of design parameters at Ferrari as most of us can imagine. Why the different attitude when it comes to modern high performance motorcycles? It seems to me that motorcyclists expect the low weight and high performance but not the associated maintenance difficulties that go along with designing bikes with amazing performance.” Hmm, he has a point there, doesn’t he! Although I would still say that designers sometimes make things more difficult than they have to be. Sometimes it would be just a matter of a slight alteration to the shape of an item, placing a bolt in a different place etc, things that would not effect handling or performance, but would make regular maintenance a lot easier. If you are a regular reader of the site, you would've got an email from me allerting you to therecall of a certain type of Avon tyre. A friend, Rod, gave me the tip, and I thought I'd pass it on. Peter, from Kenma Australia, wrote in with some more information. "The particular size tyre that was effected is sold in such limited numbers only 41 of the tyres from the affected batches are actually in Australia. Half of the 41 have already been replaced free of charge, even if very worn. Plus Avon paid for the labour to re-fit the replacement tyre, something Michelin did not pay for when they had a similar recall recently. You should also be aware that only 5 of these tyres failed worldwide and all had less than 100km. I think Avon should be commended for taking this so seriously." Thanks Peter. Thanks to Rod too; it's good to know when these recalls happen.Ivor commented on the Sportstourer comparison. “A good job with the latest comparo! So the Sprint won, but didn’t win! Or it didn’t win you. But you said that the Sprint came out on top as an absolute sportstourer. So I suppose that’s the real answer. Personally I don’t think the Tiger is really in the same category, even though it’s now got 17” wheels and a belly-pan. For me it’d be the Sprint!" Russ also commented on the Sportstourer comparison. NSW has been having quite a bit of rain recently, and he wrote, “Another good article Elwyn; now all we need to know is which one keeps us dry in this miserable weather!” Yes, it’s not particularly nice to be out in the cold and rain, no matter which one you’re on!Con thought that I could've included at least one other bike in the Sportstourer comparison. "What about the Honda CB1000F? That has always seemed like an ideal sportstourer to me; especially for us older guys. Good size engine, comfortable riding-position, all the quality that Honda usually bring. I think that'd cure your issue with the VFR being too sporty in ride-position, without getting into the ex-chook-chaser style of the Tiger, or the underpowered BMW." Yes, Con, a good suggestion. I think it would've been a worthy inclusion in the comparison. But I haven't had the opportunity to ride one yet. (I did go in a dealer to look for one). I have it on my list of bikes to test-ride though. Paul sent me this link to a list of movies involving bikes. They're on a site called "Chops's Place, and there's lots of other fun stuff there too. There are a lot of movies mentioned! How about such titles as, "Chopper Chicks In Zombie Town", or "I Bought A Vampire Motorcycle". Then there's such greats as "Wherewolfs On Wheels" and "She-Devils On Wheels". But there are the ones you would've heard of too, like "Easy Rider", "Stone", "The Wild One" (of course!), "Wild Hogs", "The World's Fastest Indian", and more. Check it out, it's well worth a visit to the site for the other stuff too.
There have been a couple of questions – and some readers’ responses, on GPS systems. Keith suggested a Uniden TRAX 5000. He writes, “I recently purchased a Uniden TRAX5000 GPS which has Bluetooth and enables the use of earphones. It has a 5inch screen. Cost approx $200. It takes a variety of earphones. The earphones I bought cost $29 and fit under the helmet easily. I generally know pretty much where I am going but the unit warns of speed cameras, radar and of exceeding the speed limit and gives you a GPS check on your speedometer's accuracy.” Paul wrote to me with this link to the story of a model Harley. The special thing with this model is that it’s a working model. – complete to a miniaturised working engine! Check it out.Rod sent in this link to the Federal Chamber Of Automotive Industries web-site, and an interesting article relating to the use of ethanol-blended fuel. It lists what the issues and problems are with using it in vehicles not designed to run on it, and also provides a list of which cars and bikes are designed to use ethanol and which aren’t. (Just click the link to go to it).Glenn wrote in with some comments on the mobile speed cameras I mentioned in my Blog. “Alledgedly the camera's will be operated by private enterprise on contract to the State Government. I wonder what sort of a commission they would be earning? One could imagine it must be a considerable amount as according to the Sunday Telegraph the Macquarie Bank has shown interest in investing in this public safety enterprise!” Yes, it just goes to show how much it is a revenue-raising effort when you have third-parties like the Macquarie Bank wanting a piece of the action! But, as I mentioned in the item, it isn’t necessarily the fault of the police – they just enforce the laws, they don’t make them. Glenn says, “I guess we need to realise it's not always the Police that bring these saftey (read ‘revenue-raising’) regulations upon us; they are just people doing a job for a set wage, no commission, no five million dollar Christmas bonus.”
Steve sent in this photo of a bike made out of, um, rather interesting material! Looks like the ultimate backyard-special! Get the bits (wheels, engine, lights etc) and knock up a frame out of timber, bolt it all together and … “There ya go, mate!” Now this is interesting! There’s an old saying – that applies particularly to bikes – that “You can’t see around corners.” Well, now you can! BMW has come up with a pivoting headlight that allows you to do just that. Click here to take a look at it. (Thanks to Rod for sending in the link for this).Barry wrote in with a bit more bad news on his Mv Agusta after its fall on the way home from the showroom. He said that the dealer has now determined that the indicator switch needs replacing, but there is some dispute between the local importers and MV Agusta in Italy, and the dealer says he doesn’t know when the switch will arrive! Pretty poor service – especially, as Barry says, on a machine costing over $32,000! He says he has now owned the bike for 12 weeks, and ridden it for 5 minutes!Rod wrote in about Barry’s story with a suggestion to try buying the lever overseas; and kindly supplied a link to the exact part. He writes, “It’s not unusual for parts of Euro bikes to be expensive, and Yamaha (he owns a Yamaha) parts aren’t too much cheaper. I think that the various government departments and bureaucrats like to bleed the consumer with big taxes and import duties on motorcycle parts, hence the big increase in ‘on line’ buying.” Yes, I think he’s right. I’ve found that overseas prices are often a lot cheaper than local.Ivor had a comment about Barry’s misadventure. He writes, “I really feel for Barry, laying down his pride and joy on the short ride home. And the price of the brake lever is scandalous! Thinking about the fall though, and his previous bike – a Suzuki Bandit I believe – I was wondering if the riding-position was a factor in him dropping it. The lay-down sporty riding-position doesn’t give you the same control as the more upright stance of the Bandit. Perhaps a message there for all those who change bikes – especially to something with a more sporty riding-position.” I’m not sure if it was, but it’s a good point, Ivor. The sportier riding-position doesn’t give as much control, especially at slow speed. So definitely something to watch for those who change bikes, or ride one that is different.And still on the story of Barry’s bike, a couple of people (including Barry himself) noticed the spelling-mistake; “Augusta” instead of “Agusta”. Barry originally spelt it that way in his story, and I just copied it. Isn’t it strange how you can look at something that is wrong, and know it’s wrong, but it just doesn’t register. In Barry’s defense, I think I know how this happened. Augusta is a city in the US; so when the spell-checker sees “Agusta” it reckons you’re trying to spell the famous city, so it adds the “u”. And “u” make a mistake! Anyway, it has now been corrected. Martin, who lives in Queensland, wrote in identifying the (closed) pub that Ian was parked outside in the photo. He said it was, “22k South of Glen Innes at Glencoe”. He went on to say, “Seems as though he should make his home in Queensland and get rid of all that wet and warm gear!” Yes, well, we have had a lot of wet and cold weather in NSW lately! Steve wrote in response to my tests of the SYM scooters, especially the 200. He wrote, “So, when you come to the ‘what comes after a big bore naked’ moment, are you going for a scooter? You seem to like them.” Yes, I did like the HDEVO. Not as a replacement for the XJR though! But it’d be great to have as a fun runaround for the suburbs and nearby back-roads; if I had plenty of money, which, sadly, I don’t.Rod sent in this link to a site that allows you to download motorcycle manuals for free. How does it do that? Good question! The site administrator states that all material is submitted by members of the public on the basis that it is not subject to copyright. Yeah, right! Anyway, legalities aside, it is a fabulous facility that will allow you to get a manual; for old and new models. Some of those hard-to-get manuals are here, and some that will just save you a big spend at the bike shop. Here is the URL. http://www.carlsalter.com/motorcycle-manuals.aspSteve wrote in response to the article on ethanol. He wrote, “I have read all the technical issues regarding ethanol, but what about the moral ones? Making ethanol from crops is a waste of arable land and resources that could, and should, be used to feed the hungry. Two things are already happening. Native flora and fauna are being destroyed in many countries to make land available for crops to produce ethanol and food shortages are occurring because crops are being used for ethanol instead of food. The clearing of land is also causing loss of valuable habitat for endangered species of flora and fauna. The whole idea is just plain wrong.”Rod sent in a link to an interesting article on the use of ethanol in the marine industry. Scroll down about 1/3 down the page to “Mandate…"Peter wrote in on the issue of ethanol too. “This is a complex issue that needs some thought and I appreciate you raising the issue. Various brands are different, for instance if I use a particular large oil companies E10 my bike will stall just off idle to the point of being dangerous, others are fine. 10% Ethanol as mandated by law has been used in some states of America since the 70’s.” He adds “You would have to be the biggest tight-arse to not use 95 anyway.” Russell also wrote about the ethanol issue. “Good article Elwyn. My bike’s manual states ‘Blends of unleaded gasoline and ethanol (grain alcohol) also known as GASOHOL, may be used in your motorcycle if the Ethanol content is not greater than 10%.’ So in an emergency I could use E10. Further to catalytic converters, the unit installed on my bike would have to be 50% of the weight of the entire exhaust system and for what benefit? The emissions from a 650cc fuel injected motorcycle with 2 spark plugs per cylinder for maximum combustion must surely be a non event.” Russell owns a Suzuki – which the FCAI web-site said none of which were approved to run ethanol. Shows the amount of mis-information that is about. Rod sent in this link to an article about oil. Ah yes, what's that old ad say ... "Oils, ain't oils, Sol!" That's pretty true, too. This is a long and rather technical article, but there's some interesting stuff in it; including a good argument for using synthetic (or semi-synthetic) oil. Worth the read!
I’ve been having discussions, along with a few other people, on a forum concerning the 2011 Yamaha XJR1300, mentioned in my Blog and pictured here. They’ve substantially changed the colour-scheme of the bike. But nothing else. The XJR1300 has been a long-running model, since its introduction in 1999, with the main changes coming in 2007 when they gave it fuel-injection, and tweaked the suspension and a few other details. Before then, and since, it’s mostly been a matter of changing the paint each year. This was interesting, not just because of the model particularly, but because of people's attitudes to change. One XJR owner got the discussion going into over-drive when he suggested they should make more substantial changes. “Something that makes you know it evolved from the well-loved bike, because you recognise certain aspects, but still different so that it gets the juices of the modern day biker going.” He said, and added, “I love the XJR, but this looks like an end-of-the-line model. To me they need to either kill it off or design the next step with the intention of attracting the next generation.” I thought he had a valid point. I know that many owners like the bike because of it’s retro style and character, but I also think the way forward for Yamaha could be to up-date it, while still retaining the retro style and appeal. I posted the comment, “They could keep the basic style of the bike – so it still retains a retro character – but up-date the engine to liquid-cooling, fit a mono-shock rear, and so on. Generally "modernise" it, while still retaining some retro character.” That generally brought much objection from other owners who like the bike as it is; or more accurately, as it was – before 2007! One owner said he bought a 2008 model and is now selling it in favour of a recently-purchased 1999 model. There were protests against changing from carbies to fuel-injection, and replacing the previous twin exhausts with the 4-into-1. One owner said, “In my opinion they stopped making the XJR in 2006.” Now, I understand the aesthetic appeal of the twin exhausts, and I agree it does look better, but I don’t mind the 4-into-1. And to me, fuel-injection is the way of the future; or actually the way of the “now”. Admittedly, some bikes don’t do fuel-injection very well, and suffer particularly from low-speed fueling problems, but fuel-injection is much more efficient. And the fuel-injection on the XJR is good.I then asked for reasons why people preferred the older models, adding that I might even agree with some points. For example, I think the seat on the older models is slightly more comfortable than the 07-onwards ones. Not by much, but a bit. I also think the suspension might be capable of providing a better ride. I know it was a little softer, and less resistant to dive, than the 2007 models. I have ridden an 06 model, but not far enough to really be able to comment. One owner of an earlier model replied, “I prefer the retro look of the XJR and like the twin exhaust, twin shock, look of the rear end. The comfort of my XJR is superb, rode it home in horrible weather 2 years ago, 11 hours in the saddle and no aches.” He added, “If I wanted a modern bike made to look retro, there's plenty to chose from out there. I like that there was little change right up to 2006 in the bike.”Another owner of an earlier model said, “Personally, I'd prefer to see the XJR killed off rather than butchered into something that it wasn't meant to be. The iconic features of the XJR are the symmetry (dual bright yellow shocks, big dual exhausts), a tank that looks like a giant flexed muscle, engine bulging out of the chassis etc. If you start to play around with it, it loses its style and character. If the XJR has to go, so be it, but let it be remembered fondly rather than fizzling out.” Hmm, interesting comments. If they substantially up-date it (by doing some of the things I suggested, for example), then it really does become a different bike; something that bears homage to its former self, but still a different bike. But is that a bad thing? I’m not sure. If it is left as it is, with no more than paint changes each year, it will die off. Current owners won’t pay the money to buy just a new colour-scheme, and the perceived older-technology of the bike won’t attract as many new buyers. But by changing it do you then destroy the bike that it actually is, its very "reason d'etre"? As I said, it's an interesting issue.Thanks to Rod for sending this link in. It has a lot of photos from the Legend of the Motorcycle Concours d'Elegance near San Francisco. Some wonderful machines! Take a look.Possum wrote in response to the article on Qvi gloves. He recommends getting your wheels properly balanced, saying that, “Wheel-balance problems are the main cause of tingling bars (unless you ride a 360 degree crankshaft British twin!).” Good point. I wouldn’t say that wheel-balance problems are the main cause, but certainly a possible, and probably common cause. Possum makes a good point about the primitive way bike wheels are balanced compared to car wheels. “I find it breathtaking that we will accept ‘static balancing’ or some black magic stick through the axle-hole and spin the wheel and add weight, apparently randomly, for our bikes. Yet we expect as a matter of course that Beaurepairs or Bob Janes electronically balance our car tyres.” Very true! If done correctly, the wheels are balanced at four rotational points. But even with this, it is still very primitive compared to an electronic balance. Possum says, “There are a few shops about who have proper electronic balancers like the car tyre places have, and it is worth finding them to get the job done properly.” Rod, who gave me the link to the information on the Victorian Government’s proposal for graduated licensing, (see my Blog) said, “It won’t bother us older riders, but the impact on the motorcycle industry could be huge.” It could be indeed! If it makes it more difficult for prospective learner riders to be able to ride (which these proposals would do), then fewer people will get into bikes, and the sales of bikes will fall, along with sales of clothing, accessories etc.Ivor wrote in response to the item on the Yamaha XJR 2011 up-date controversy (see above). He said, “I suppose there were people who didn’t want Henry to up-date his model-T, but progress has to come. Maybe they should do the sort of up-dates you suggested but give it a new name – say, XJS or something.” Not a bad idea, actually! The XJR doesn’t get turned into something it’s not (as the opponents of up-dating would say!), while the essence of the bike continues on in a re-named new model. As I mentioned in the item above, the issue wasn’t so much about the XJR in particular, but how people react to change. And thinking about that, I can’t recall the Suzuki Bandit coming in for disapproving comments from its loyal fans when it was up-dated. Interesting.Ivor had a tip to pass on too. Someone said to him, “Never ride so fast that you can’t look around you. If you can’t look around a bit, you’ll miss the enjoyment of the countryside you’re riding through, but also it’s not as safe because you won’t be aware of dangers, like wildlife etc, approaching from the side.” Good point, really.A reader sent this in. It is very clever! It’s a video-clip and called the “Self-assembling Bike”. Take a look – as I said, it is very clever!Rod sent in a link to a Motorcycles Ergonomics page. I reckon it’s so good I’ve added it to the Links page. You can enter in your measurements (height and leg measurements) and select a particular model bike and it will show you how you fit the bike. It also shows what happens if you alter the handlebars, by raising them up or moving them closer etc. I reckon an invaluable aid for comparison purposes (which the site lets you do too), when selecting a new bike. Or seeking to make your existing one more comfortable. Possum wrote in response to the story on Tarago and The Loaded Dog Hotel. One of Possum's interests (apart from motorbikes) is the history of bushrangers. And he said he had serious doubts about the validity of the story of the bushrangers at the pub. I'm no expert on the subject, but even I had doubts about the claimed robbery in Tenterfield; as Possum said, that was way out of Gardner's territory. He writes, "I have a number of painstakingly researched books written by the most authoritive historian I have ever run across in the bushranger/early Austalian history field, and I am re-reading his works on Hall and Co. A scan of these works has failed to find any mention of the two dills involved in the supposed killing and no mention of them being in Tarago." I had a search on the 'net and I couldn't find any reference to the murder either, apart from the Loaded Dog site and the book that it quoted from. Possum is going to continue to research and let me know. I'll put an up-date / clarification on the story when we have further, more certain, information. As Possum says, "If lies and 'folklore' are perpetuated long enough they become fact and if no-one corrects this mis-information accurate recording of history is doomed." And that, dear reader, is the problem with the internet - it is a great source of information, but much of it is wrong!Possum wrote to add a bit more to the story on Doug Sunderland. He writes, “For years Doug was a track marshall at Winton Race Track near Benalla Vic. As a lad I would go down there to watch the likes of Rob Phyillis (then a C Grade rider) and Doug would be running around in his white overalls with a battered slouch hat keeping the sun off. He always had time to give a bit of cheek back over the fence before rushing off to sort some riders drama. On one occasion he showed us his then current ride. He was preparing for some cross-country epic and had picked up a new 4 stroke trail bike. The trick part was how he had butchered the pillion section of the seat and had a zipper installed which opened a flap. Under the seat cover, carved into the foam of the cushion, he had made cutouts for all his tools; which did not rattle, took up no extra space and were safely hidden under his load. As you say, he is an inspiration to the rest of us.” Thanks for that Possum; yes he is a remarkable man indeed!Rod had a suggestion for another good motorbike traveling book. It’s called “Two for the Road" by Shirley Hardy-Rix and Brian Rix. The summary says, 56,671kms, 27 countries, one dream. Rod says it’s “A very good read.”Rod also sent in an interesting link to the latest version of the very exclusive U.S. built Travertson V-Rex. Click here to go to the site.Russell, from Queensland, sent in this link. It’s a motorcyling guide produced by the Queensland Government. Obviously it refers to Queensland, with its particular licensing laws etc, but there’s some good information in here for everyone. Click here to go to the page.
Aussie sent in some photos of this. It’s a 1930 Henderson that was customized before the war by O. Ray Courtney and fitted with ‘streamliner’ bodywork. Looks kind of, um, weird, doesn't it!I wonder how much it weighed?