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, it doesn't take too much to get there.
You'll notice that, for convenience (it's easier for you to find where to scroll to!) I've divided the page into separate months. I've also split the year into two - one page covers January to June, while the other July to December.
For the previous feedback page, just click the button down the bottom of the page.

JULY 2013.
Tony sent in this photo of a trike he saw in Coober Pedy. He said, “He had this trike imported from the United States. Him and his wife are travelling around Australia with a couple of friends with custom trikes too. This trike had a V8 Cobra motor powering this beast.” A V8 Cobra motor!!! Wow, that’d be something!
A reader commented on the item about helmets in my Blog. He rides regular track days and said that one big issue is aerodynamics. When you’re riding down the track at 270+kph aerodynamics are a very important issue! And I know the both Arai and Shoei do extensive testing in their own wind-tunnels. The reader mentions that Shoei make very different helmet designs for road or track purposes. Even for “normal” speeds on the road, the aerodynamics are an important consideration.
Joe wrote regarding the proposed hike in CTP insurance in NSW that has threatened to increase premiums up to $2,000. He writes, “It seems odd that Motorcycle dealers which have a lot to loose are so quiet on this matter.” Indeed! You’d think they would be hollering out loudest of all! Apparently the prosed changes have stalled on their first attempt in parliament, and I never thought that they would actually get this through anyway. (Not unless he government wanted to seriously turn away a lot of support). But having said that, if no-one speaks up against this sort of thing, it gets quietly passed into legislation.
One reader wrote in regarding the up-coming article on “Where To Eat”. He said he hadn’t offered any suggestions because, “I don’t eat out any more.” He said that with finances getting tight he avoided eating while on a ride. I know what he means. Just check out the article on The Cost Of Riding to see how these sort of “extras” can add up. While I do enjoy having lunch while out for a day-ride, in summer (when daylight-saving extends the afternoon sunshine) I will often make my ride an afternoon ride, to avoid the cost of having lunch on the ride. And in fact, the whole issue of affordable eating is what inspired this article!
Chris has just returned from a trip to USA riding the famous Route 66. What a great trip that would be! I invited him to tell of his adventures in our Readers’ Rides section, but Australian Motorcyclist want to publish his story. So look out for it in an up-coming edition of that! In the meantime, he writes, “It was indeed a great ride; more an adventure really and quite tiring. Up most days at 6.30am and on the bikes by 8am. A couple of days we were riding until 8pm after stops for lunch, coffee, sites etc.” Hmm, that does sound tiring! I’ll look forward to reading the story.
Ivor wrote in response to the item about helmets too. He said, “A mate of mine, now retired, used to replace his helmet every three years. He rode to work every day, whether rain or sun, and thought that it would wear out quicker than normal in these conditions. Me, being a weekend rider, I’ve taken the view that my helmet will last longer because I don’t intentionally ride in extreme conditions.” Yes, Ivor, I agree. I have always thought that a big factor would be how often it is worn and in what conditions. And this view was confirmed by one of the staff I was talking to when I bought my helmet. He said that one of the biggest things that causes deterioration in a helmet is climatic conditions. A helmet that is being worn in high temperatures and rain etc will deteriorate much quicker than one that is sitting in a cupboard. So the casual rider, who rides say just on weekends, (like yourself, and me) is not going to “wear-out” a helmet as quickly as someone who rides every day in rain hail or shine. Therefore the recommended “replace-by” date can be extended for those people. He also said that the actual shell doesn't deteriorate much; what deteriorates is the lining and foam padding; and the glues that stick it together. These things are affected more by being worn. The more they’re worn, and worn in tough conditions, the faster they will deteriorate. However time does cause deterioration too, so there is a limit to how long you should allow a helmet to go past that “use-by” date.
On the subject of when to replace ypour helmet, one reader wrote to say that he was under the impression that the recommendation was 3 years and had been replacing his helmet at about that period. Another reader said his wife was wearing a helmet that was about 10 years old; although he said he did realise it should be replaced, even though it was still in excellent condition and hadn’t been dropped etc. Yes, it is a gray area, I think, and as I explained above, there can’t really be any hard-and-fast rules.
I’m not the only one who is having trouble with a new helmet. A friend and regular reader of this site recently bought a new helmet. Like me, he bought what was basically the up-dated model of the same brand and same size that he’d had before; a Nolan in his case. The new helmet he says is a bit more noisy than the old one, but is also uncomfortable. In his case, the new one is a bit tight. He’s hoping that the padding will compress enough to make it comfortable, but at the moment he says, “I couldn’t wear it on a two-day ride.” Yes, despite how careful you are, buying a helmet can be a bit of a gamble!
My daughter took some photos of her hubby and his mate riding their dirt-bikes recently. Here they are getting some “air” around a bush track. My son-in-law is the one on the Kawasaki; the Yamaha is one of his mates.
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Francine wrote in response to my request for places to eat. This isn’t exactly a place to eat, but a great place to stay. She wrote: “Miffy's Cottage, Broken Hill: this is a fully furnished home in a great location, home away from home, sleeps 5 people, it worked out cheaper than a cabin in the local caravan parks and offered so much more. I found this place on the ‘Take a Break’ website.” Sounds good for anyone heading that way, and I know Broken Hill is a popular destination for outback touring.
Aussie wrote about my item on helmets (see my Blog, scroll down to June 22). “After ‘testing’ my first fibreglass Stadium helmet some years before, I always paid that extra and stuck to fibreglass. When I threw away my fabulous ‘67 R60 BMW at 100kph, that Stadium was not only seven years old, but it had been painted black and then brought back to its original colour with potentially damaging solvent, turps if I remember rightly.
“Despite time and harsh treatment, it did its job admirably as you can see. That crack would have been my skull. Notice there is no padding; it had an interior cross harness with a strip of silk lined fake leather skirting. Virtually an old style  'pudding bowl' with sides. It was sold as a new ‘jet style.
“Bear in mind that the helmet industry relies on turn-over to keep producing. I have an Arai open face sitting in my bedroom which I wore for thousands of kilometres over 20 odd years before the lining finally collapsed. I don’t ride nearly the distances I used to these days but my current Shoei is at least 12 years old and still fits snuggly.” Yes, I’m sure there is a bit of sales-hype to their recommendations, as you suggest, to make sure that the turn-over keeps happening. As I mentioned, even the salesman where I bought mine said that the shell doesn’t deteriorate (well not much anyway), and it is really the lining and padding that is the main thing that goes over time. I found that with an old one I had once where the foam started to crumble.
As you would’ve read in my latest Blog (July), I’ve had a problem with the new one (basically, it is the wrong size), so I’m back to using the old one for the time being; and I don’t feel I am compromising my safety by doing so. For a while at least.
Jorge rides a Vespa GT200 and was looking for a bigger bike. He got interested in a 2nd-hand Yamaha XJR1300, and asked for my opinions. He then heard bad reports about fuel consumption (the earlier models were carburettor), and so started looking for other things. “I went looking for a Honda CB1300 (fuel injection), but it was only sold by order in Portugal. So I came up with the Suzuki GSX1400 (also fuel-injection). I guess I’ll  go for this one.”
Soon after, he wrote to say that he’d bought his new bike. “I’ve finally bought the big bored naked. “It is the GSX1400 in all-Black version. As you had asked for a feedback this is it. (I’ll send you some photos after I fetch in on Friday). I was wanting the blue & white colour scheme, but I came across this black one that is impeccable. Only 16,000km and looks like it’s coming from the dealer so good it is. 2005 model, so it’s got the latest factory improvements. Despite liking this type of bike with 2 exhausts, 2005 came with 1 from factory.” Good to hear you’ve got the new bike, Jorge. And the GSX1400 is a great bike!
Is this for real? Rod sent in this link to CTP pricing in W.A. His comment was that we in NSW are getting ripped-off big time! Motorcycle CTP is $144.63. And amazingly I couldn't see any difference for different capacity or even age of rider. How can that be? In NSW it varies from around $200 I think, for a tiddler, up to over $1,000 for a high-risk bike, such as sports-bike or large-capacity bike ridden by an under-25 year old rider. I think we all need to move to W.A.! 
Ivor commented on the item on thermal underwear on my Blog. “Trying to keep the cold out is a good method of keeping warm, so I’ve often worn my wet-weather jacket; that stops the cold air hitting directly on the riding-jacket and helps keep you warm.” Yes, Ivor, I’ve done the same myself if I’ve felt cold on a ride. Throw on the winter jacket (and pants too), and it makes quite a difference.
Chris wrote in response to the Big-Bore Nakeds Up-date. He wrote, “Where is the grand daddy of them all? The MT-01! Weighing in at 250kg with a 1670cc V2 producing 150nm (112 ft/lb), it has enough torque to pull a small planet and handles pretty well into the bargain, courtesy of its R1 bits and pieces.” Ah yes, the MT-01! In the original comparison I said, “I think this is a kind of ‘out-there’ special type bike. At just under 1700cc, it almost goes beyond ‘Big-Bore Naked’ and onto ‘Huge-Bore Naked!’ Yamaha actually put it (and the V-Max) into a separate category they call “Torque Sports” – as opposed to just “Sports” where you’ll find the XJR. Maybe I should’ve included it too, but it was a matter of where to draw the line in terms of what to include and what not to. If you want big-bore and naked, well the description of “Grand Daddy of them all” is probably pretty accurate! 
AUGUST 2013.
Joe wrote about servicing his XJR1300. “I like doing services on my bikes so yesterday I decided to do an oil & filter change on the mighty 1300. So off with the drain plug and out came the old oil. When I removed the filter element there was no flat steel washer between the spring & the element. In effect the spring was chewing out the rubber seal on the filter, not good! I could only come to the conclusion that the Yamaha mechanic forgot to put it back during the 1st service so off I went to the dealer to express my concerns. They said ‘sorry about that’ and gave me the washer so I could finish. Their attitude was very slack though and I certainly won't let them do any type of work on my bike, even warranty work; I’ll go somewhere else. In all my years of motorcycling I have never come across a decent dealer workshop; I have lots of horror stories from past experiences!” That’s pretty poor isn’t it; and sadly typical of most (most, but certainly not all!) dealer mechanics. I’ve found the same thing, with both bike and car dealerships; the workshop mechanics generally aren’t good, and the cost is much higher than private mechanics.
The worst dealer I encountered was when I bought my Triumph 2500TC in 1975. They were hopeless! There were a couple of problems that they couldn't sort out so I ended up taking it somewhere else to get that done (at my expense). They were servicing cars and yet they had no stock of air-filters. (So how were they servicing them?). One day while I was in there, they had to move a Mini to get at another car in the workshop. So a couple of big blokes grabbed hold of the back of the Mini and bounced it sideways across the floor so they could access the car they wanted to work on. I wrote to British Leyland and asked them if I would void the warranty by doing my own service? They (reluctantly) said that I could do the servicing myself, and the warranty would still apply, so it didn't ever go back to the dealer!
Joe lists some of his past experiences with dealer workshops:
“1. Yamaha RD250. The dealer forgot to refill gearbox; result, a seized gearbox and a short hospital stay for me.
“2. Honda CB900. I got a rear tyre fitted when I checked it, the direction arrow was wrong way so the dealer rushed putting the tyre on correct way and buckled the rear rim.
“3. Honda CB900. The dealer put a big scratch on side cover during service; said it was there when I dropped it off. Result big argument, that I won, and a new side cove supplied.
“4. Suzuki GSX1150 EFE. I picked it up new, rode home and it’s spewing oil out of a breather; the dealer put way too much oil in it.
“5. Suzuki GSX1150EFE. I admit I stripped the oil drain plug thread, the dealer put a helicoil in it and cracked the sump from incorrect and ham fisted attempt at workmanship. Result, a new sump pan.
“Plus a few more I have forgotten about.”
That's an impressive – or rather unimpressive! – list! Why is it that the official dealer is always the worst offender at these things? Your empty gearbox reminds me of a similar incident I had with my brand new DT175. I was travelling along – fairly slowly, thankfully! – when suddenly the back wheel locked up. The engine stalled and the bike came skidding to a stop. The back wheel was locked solid. I walked to a nearby farm house, called my wife and she came out with the trailer. I took the bike to the dealer. Apparently what had happened was that, during assembly, someone had forgotten to correctly tighten the nut holding the front sprocket. This allowed the output shaft to move back into the gearbox and the gears jammed up. The mechanic at the dealer freed the shaft, did the nut up properly and there was no more trouble. I wasn't hurt at all, but it could've easily ended up like your incident!
Aussie wrote in to say that he really enjoyed Geoff’s Turkish tour; and that was at least partly because he had been there too. He wrote: “I was there Christmas / New year ‘91-‘92. It was an adventure tour where I had a pre-arranged link up with a group of Pommies escaping their bitterly cold winter. Unfortunately for them it was Turkey’s coldest winter in 14 years which put paid to a mild Mediterranean winter. We travelled in the back of an old Bedford truck and as they were “trekkers” we did a lot of bushwalking in far out remote places. Meeting in Istanbul we crossed the Bospherous by pedestrian ferry and boarded an overnight train to meet the truck in the middle of nowhere before it took us to Antalya. We travelled through many of the same places as Geoff but in the opposite direction. We finished up back in Istanbul where the Poms returned home and I caught a bus to Gallipoli where on my own I found the language barrier very difficult as I no longer had a guide. While travelling in the truck I often thought how I would love to have been riding my GS Suzuki except when we were high up in snow. Even back then many of the main roads would have been great for motorcycling. I thought motorcycles and sewing machines in the same shop at Finike was a novelty feature.
“Bit of trivia. I had several meals at 'The World Famous Pudding Shop' from where the drug courier was said to have made his escape in the movie Midnight Express. Turns out that the movie was shot mainly in Malta and that was not the Pudding Shop in the movie.” Sounds like a fabulous adventure, Aussie!
Dave wrote about the item in My Blog on helmets. He said that he had friends who regularly renewed their helmets and paid $800 - $1200 for them. He asks, “Why on earth would you pay that much money for a hat?! Then, of course, I realised that a helmet is as much a socio-economic symbol as the bike. Even the $800 Alpinestar boots seem to tell you all you need to know about the rider. Funny thing is, most of these guys would be a lot better off investing some money in a riding course because while they seem to be able to twist the throttle on a 1300+cc bike, they mostly have no idea how to ride safely at any speed, let alone quickly.” A good point, Dave; yes I’d reckon some riders would be better off spending some of that money on learning to ride safely and responsibly.
Norm, who told us about his trip around Australia, is planning to do it all again. He writes, “For my 75th. birthday I am planning another trip around Australia, this time as close to the sea as good roads will allow me. This will add quite a few kms to my previous ride, and I’ll be unwinding the last trip, going clockwise this time. At this stage I plan to start this venture in August 2015, health permitting. When I’m about one year out I may contact various media and motorcycle people to see if I can get a little sponsorship. I hope to do a lot of movie segments as well as photos on this trip so it could be seen as a travel segment as well as an adventure tour. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated. I really am quite excited about this trip, 2 years seems so far away but then I don’t want to wish my last few years away too quickly.” Sounds great! Any ideas anybody? I would suggest writing to the various motorcycle magazines and seeing if they can do anything for you. Could be worth a try!
Tony wrote with an up-date on his new Triumph Speedmaster. One of the things he had done was have a custom seat made by Australian Comfy Seats in Melbourne. He says, “I have only been on one ride since I put it on, but I got off the bike without any ill effects, I was very happy! (They) were very nice to deal with and a brilliant finish with the seat.” I’ve heard they are good – so it's good to get some more feedback. I’d be interested to see what they could do with the seat on mine, even though it’s pretty good as seats go.
A reader wrote in response to Dave’s comment on helmets (see above). While agreeing that an advanced-riding course is a good idea (he reckons everyone should do one), he didn’t agree with Dave’s objection to people buying the expensive model helmets. He wrote, “For some, a $1,000 helmet every 3-4 years makes perfect sense.” This reader regularly does track-days, so his perspective is a little different to the average rider. He explains, “$550 on boots and $1k on a helmet for someone who plans to go fast would see a rider set up with the sort of gear which may make a massive difference in a crash.” He adds that this sort of money is, “Small change for some, for others it is a fortune. We're all in different circumstances.” (I reckon Dave and I are probably more towards the “it’s a fortune” category!). I will say that when comparing expensive helmets and cheaper ones (which I have done, as detailed in my Blog), there is a very noticeable difference in over-all quality, such as superior materials, quality of construction and fit of components.” All price-levels are legal though, and have met the appropriate standard; so it’s a matter of choosing what you can afford and what is best suited to your type of riding.
Kevin wrote to tell me about his new bike, a Triumph Speed Triple. He is very impressed with the bike and reckons it’s one I should test-ride! He even took it to a track-day and was very impressed with it – especially for the type of bike it is.
The bike comes with fully-adjustable suspension, and he wanted to take it somewhere to have them adjust it for him. One place he tried didn’t seem interested in doing it and basically told him that, “The bike is set up for European Roads, not Aussie roads, and basically nothing could be done at all without a complete suspension rebuild including new springs and new valves all round.” Kevin quite rightly reasoned that, “It doesn't make sense to me that a manufacturer would go to the trouble of putting high spec components on their bike if it was to no benefit. It also doesn't make sense that someone running a business would basically piss on someone walking in ready to spend some money.” Pretty poor service, and pretty poor advice, I reckon! If they didn’t have the expertise – or didn’t want to spend the time trying to personalise the bike to the customer’s preference – they could’ve just politely declined. Kevin got a bit of advice from others and began fiddling with it himself. He writes, “I think I have achieved a significant improvement. Its not rocket-science really, I just wanted some professional backup.” As I said to Kevin, one of the reasons I bought my current bike is because it had adjustable suspension. It’s true that if you don’t know what you’re doing you can make a good bike terrible, but if you do a bit of research, find out what each adjustment does and go slowly and methodically, it can make a huge difference! It certainly helped me tune the bike to ride the way I wanted it to.
Aussie wrote about Anthony’s Suzuki GSX1400. “Just read about Anthony’s GSX 1400 Suzy. I rode a mate’s some years ago. Talk about Torque City! From memory, rolling on the throttle had it pulling away in top from 10kph! I love these sickles and will never understand why they stopped producing them when they did. For a baby-boomer like me it was the perfect retro. Looked classic 1970s superbike and went like stink. Had I not had my ol’ GS1000 I definitely would have bought one.” Yep, they were a good bike! I think it was European emission laws that killed them, as they were still selling fairly well I think.
Quite a few readers wrote to say that they liked the test of the Honda CB500, saying that it was “better than the bike magazine’s, and “honest” and “comprehensive” and “unbiased”. Thank you to all those who wrote such kind words – your comments are much appreciated and really make what I am doing seem worthwhile.
Dave added a further comment on the Honda. “For years I've been bleating about this endless quest for more horsepower / cubic capacity. Now we see a BMW Adventure bike weighing in at nearly 300kgs unladen! Anyone who watched ‘Long Way Round’ will have seen Charlie and Ewan struggling with all their might to muscle those big bikes through the mud and creeks. And they're young men! It just doesn’t make sense to me. I ride with blokes who have 1400cc bikes (and bigger for the cruisers) who will simply never need more than 25% of that power.” Yes, I remember a scene from that movie where Charlie and Ewan were struggling up a steep hill pushing their Beemers, while the cameraman was riding a small bike (I think it was even a road-bike, from memory!) because his BMW had broken. The cameraman got his smaller lighter bike up the hill much easier than Charlie and Ewan did. Lighter bikes certainly make more sense when you get off-road.
Ah, but my tests miss things too! Steve wrote with a question on the Honda CB500. He’d just read a test of the X model that mentioned the lack of a temperature gauge, and asked if the R had one. I had to look at my photos. No, there is no temperature gauge on the display panel, so unless it’s on one of the displays selected by the button (which would be silly!), then it doesn’t have one. As Steve said, “Seems like an odd omission on a liquid cooled bike.” Indeed it does!
Wayne wrote to say that he enjoyed reading my tests on the Triumph Speemaster and Harley V-Rod. He noted that I’d been critical of some Harleys and said, “I suggest you try the Fatbob, it is raw but really nice handling for a Harley. Yes they have the forward controls but as you say you do get used to them.” He said that he was considering buying a Speemaster, which, when he did a Google search, was what brought him to my web-site. Thanks, Wayne. I’ve avoided testing the larger model Harleys mainly because I’m a weak old bloke and don’t fancy the cost incurred by dropping one in the driveway! So thanks for the feedback on the Fat Bob.
SEPTEMBER 2013.
A couple of readers commented on the photo of “Betty Bikie” in my Blog. Well, not so much the photo as the fact she said that, back in the day, she had ridden with no helmet, and I seemed to be okay with that, commenting, “Ah the freedom.” One reader questioned whether it would’ve even been legal in 1976. Well, let me assure you that I would never condone riding without a helmet! I’ve always been an ATGATT person! Even when riding off-road in my younger years, when mates would just jump on their bikes and ride, I’d be pulling on helmet and gloves. So, no, I do not condone the fact that she rode without a helmet! My comment of, “Ah the freedom” was in reference to her memories of that time and the concept that it represented. And also I wasn’t going to berate her now for something she did almost 40 years ago! She still rides – occasionally – and I know that she wouldn’t even consider riding without a helmet today. And legality? From what I could establish, wearing a helmet became mandatory in NSW in 1979, so it would still have been legal to ride without one then.
There were a couple of comments on my “heart-in-mouth” moment I described on my Blog. Firstly there seems to have been some misunderstanding of my intended exit-line. No, I wasn’t intending to run onto the other side of the road before the crest! What I expected to do was go over the crest in a wider line than the corner, still keeping to my side of the road, but expecting to be able to let it run wide once over the crest where I could see that nothing was coming. Because it was a back road with little traffic, I expected to be able to do this, but it turned out I couldn’t. So I had to pull it in tighter, which, as I described, I was able to do, still keeping to my side of the road and keep everything safe. And no, I wasn’t saying that was the right approach to the situation; the right approach would’ve been to just tip it tighter.
Con said he’d had a similar experience, which he put down to lack of concentration. “I came up to a corner which, for some reason just didn’t register with me. I kept going at the same speed, looking at the corner but not registering I should slow down. When I got to the corner it was like I suddenly woke up and thought ‘Shit! Corner!’ I made it around okay, but it left me wondering why my brain hadn’t acted on what my eyes were seeing!” Hmm, scary isn’t it!
Aussie commented on the item on the Questions page about eliminating the clunking into gear after starting from cold. He wrote, “I have a similar problem with my ol’ Suzy. I used to start it cold while holding the clutch in but with the choke full on it would rev to blazes before I could get my hand from clutch to choke.” Ah, yes, on bikes with carburettor rather than fuel-injection, you’d need three hands – one to thumb the starter, one to hold the clutch in and one to adjust the choke. What Aussie does is to roll the bike forward while clicking it into gear.
I’ve had quite a bit of response to the article on Where To Eat. Thank you for your kind words; I’m glad you have found it interesting and useful.
There have already been further suggestions / recommendations, which I will put together and put on an up-date section.
Greg wrote, “I’m sure it will find its way onto many a smart-phone.” Ah, if only! Unfortunately, the web-site is not very phone-friendly – in my experience anyway. Blocks of text over-lap. It’s all about the way the phone’s browser handles the gaps between each block of text and photos etc. Some phones may handle it okay – I’d be interested to know what, if any, phones handle it properly.
Rod agreed with Keith’s recommendation of The Coffee Club. He writes, “I’ve had a couple of meals in different franchises and found the food to be very good.”
Martin wrote about the Two Pines Café; he agrees it is good, and says, “The road from Nerang through to the N.S.W. town of Murwillumbah is a real favourite of motorcyclists and a great one day ride with an alternative route back just as good with some great eating places in Murwillumbah too.” In his recommendation, Chris said, “There was no bridge to be seen”, but Martin has an explanation. “One of the main features of this road is the wonderful rainforest area with an easy circular walk to the ‘Natural Bridge’ or ‘arch’ as some refer to it. A unique feature where over thousands of years water and pebbles had eroded through the roof of a cave to flow through a large hole into a sunlit pool below which houses micro bats and glow worms.” He gave this link to a description of it. He says that, “Anyone who rides past and never visits is missing one of natures greatest wonders.” Looks like you’ll have to go back and check it out, Chris!
Russ wrote to correct a mistake. In the item on Bundeena I said that the bistro looks out over the water of Botany Bay. But it doesn’t: the water is Port Hacking. Thanks Russ, I have made the appropriate correction.
On a ride recently, Dave noticed that no riders waved back to him. He said that when he began riding, in the 1970s, all riders waved to each other, or at least nodded. That doesn’t seem to happen now, he said. On the ride he mentioned, he said that he waved to all the other bikes he saw, but no-one waved back. I find that a lot of other riders do at least nod. Some don’t: but probably most do. There are exceptions though – Dave listed some exceptions in a humorous way – and there’s nothing we can do about that, it’s just the way they are. But keep up the friendly nod to other riders, we are all a kind of brotherhood out there!
Jorge, a reader from Portugal, wrote to tell of his new (2nd-hand) Suzuki GSX1400.
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He sent in this photo of the bike; it looks good! He said the photo was taken at Lisbon, which is a popular tourist location in Portugal.
Great to hear from you, Jorge!
NOVEMBER
Michael, who has written some great ride stories for us, (such as his trip through the Victorian High Country, a trip to Hill End, and the wonderfully-named Bogan Gate) sent us this photo of his new bike.
The trusty old Virago (which he had named “Black Betty”) had a major transmission failure while on a trip to Queensland. Repairing it was not really an economical proposition, so he decided to buy a bike he had admired for along time, the Triumph Thunderbird.
He went with the up-spec model, the Storm. This has a bigger engine, and other goodies, including a front end look borrowed heavily from the Speed Twin. Enjoy the new ride, Michael!
John, wrote in with a comment on The Snowy Ride. “After our return home I learnt that the Snowy Ride had claimed 3 lives this year. This unfortunately is becoming a yearly tragedy, but having attended the ride for 13 years, the one thing that I have learnt is that this event attracts many motorcyclists with minimal or no riding skills. Of the other participants, many ride way beyond their capabilities and do not possess the necessary roadcraft to cope with the prevailing road conditions in that area.” It’s a comment I’ve heard quite often, John, and observed myself to a certain extent when I was there. Sad, but I’m not sure what the answer is. The organisers go to some lengths to try to persuade riders to ride responsibly; but many don’t listen. And many, as you say, lack the level of skill to handle the more demanding conditions of these roads. As a postscript to this John adds, “Certainly, the way things are going, the event is claiming more lives at this time than it is saving.”
On the subject of Downsizing, Oldie suggested that when your desired bike gets too heavy, why not convert it to a trike. Good thinking! I’ve heard of people who have become disabled, through illness or injury, or even just (dare we say it) old age, going for this option.
Anton, who wrote in reply to the Question on the proposed anti-bikie legislation in Queensland, and accused me of writing “half-baked support” for petitions to fight it, wrote to put his comments in context. He wrote, “I am frustrated by those that do not fully understand the ramifications of these laws, especially those that are able to publish their opinions in blogs and newspapers.” (Meaning, among others no doubt, me!). Fair enough, Anton. As I mentioned on the Questions page, I must admit that I have not read the whole legislation, so am not in a position to make expert comment. That’s why I haven’t written anything on the subject other than those few comments in reply to the Question raised by our reader. As indicated in his reply, Anton sees a more sinister agenda to the proposals. He writes, “It is about ultimate control and losses of our freedoms. I, being a migrant of 43 years took a long time understanding governments and was not aware they are there to legislate and then some more. I objected to compulsory helmets, seatbelts, pushbike helmets etc, and people laughed at my objections, but each time they legislate to save us from ourselves they create a sense of security in their minds, thinking they become invincible.” Well, I must say that I didn’t – and still don’t – object to compulsory wearing of helmets, and seat-belts in cars, because some people actually do need protecting from themselves. But I get your point about governments going further and further down the “nanny-state” path, until they have total control. You say that you are “an immigrant”, and as such, probably have a better understanding of freedom, and how it can be lost, than we do. About 20 years ago I heard a song by a folk singer, Pat Drummond, called “Flicker Of An Eye” that he said came from his discussion with a man who had escaped Communist Yugoslavia and made his way to Australia. He warned that the freedom we enjoy could be very quickly lost. It had quite an impact on me at the time. On the Questions page I mentioned that famous quote, “All that is needed for evil to triumph is for good men to do nothing”. That was really the message of that song. Take a listen.
Ian read the story of Ian’s Matchless where he told about a bike he left at a repair shop in Newcastle, 45 years previously. He asked if anyone knew what had happened to the bike. After all that time he didn’t remember what shop it was. Well, Ian (the one who just read the story) was able to work out what shop it was. By applying the clues in Ian’s story he said it would have to be Frasers. Thanks Ian! I suppose we’ll never know what happened to the bike that was left there though.  
Noel had a good comment about the Sydney Motorcycle & Scooter Show. “The problem with the show is: If you own a bike and go to see the accessories and talk to the importers or manufacturers they are not there. For example, Ventura racks and bags, RJays, Givi panniers & boxes, Bagster, Shoei, Shark, Nolan, AGV, Bell, Arai: and what about exhaust systems like Staintune etc. And what about the big clothing people like DriRider and aftermarket Windscreen companies etc. Someone said to me maybe it is the cost of the stalls, then how come the little guy's can do it and go? I am sick and tired of going into bike stores and the sales people know nothing of the products.” Yes, good point, Noel! The sales people in shops often don’t know these products well, and where else do you go? Especially when these companies don’t have reps at the show? And good point about the cost of stalls, yes they probably were expensive, but the “small guys” were there. For example I visited a stand by the Christian Sport Bike Association, which is non-profit organisation: so if they got a stand there's no reason why the big names you mention didn't. Good call!
Like me, Rod is annoyed by the “Don’t sit on the motorcycle without asking fro assistance” signs that many bikes had. “You had to ask an attendant and they weren't always available to help you.” Yes, I get annoyed at that too. Although I think they were mainly for the irresponsible. I sat on a couple without noticing the signs. Then when I did see the sign before I sat, when I caught the eye of a sales person and asked, I was told, “Of course you can!” Still, I would prefer the signs weren't there!
Sharon wrote, “I was waiting to take a pic of a bike - waiting for the early-teens girl to hop off. When she did, she pulled the whole bike over. I think they should all have been on centre stands or with the back wheel in a cradle like a lot were.” Oh dear – I bet the reps weren’t pleased with that! The rear wheel cradles were a great idea.
Noel added another comment that there was, “Nothing you can’t see in a bike shop, but the trade stands were good!” I read that comment before I went to the show, and that was partly what inspired me to spend more time looking at the stands and less time looking at and sitting on bikes. Although there were bikes that you don’t see in bike shops – the yet-to-be-released V-Strom 1000, of course, and also some slower selling models that most dealers don’t stock.
DECEMBER 2013.
Con thought our reader, Anton, was being a bit harsh in his comments (on the Questions page and above) on the subject of the so-called anti-bikie laws. “Gee, that Anton is being a bit rough on you, isn’t he! The way I read your reply was that you were against the new laws, so I don’t know where he gets the ‘half-baked’ support bit from. I think he’s a bit over the top when he says that the government is trying to turn Queensland into a Nazi state. The way I see it this is all about bikes. The government says that bikies have caused trouble so they want to get rid of all bikes. It’s stupid legislation! But I think you said that.” Yes, Con, I did. Part of what Anton was objecting to was my admission that I hadn’t read the proposed (as it was then) legislation. He’d said he’d seen too many people making comment about it who hadn’t read the proposals. And that’s a fair comment. I wouldn’t have made comment at all only I was replying to our reader’s question. But it’s also why I included, as part of my reply, a link to comments by a reader who had read it all. I think I may have also admitted to not having signed any petitions when I first posted my reply (but edited it out because by the time it was published it I had). So that would justify Anton’s comment of my objection being “half-baked”. And I want to thank Anton again for his comment – it’s good to get different views, and especially from someone, like Anton, who probably has a better understanding than many of us, how governments can turn a democracy into a dictatorship.
Ivor commented on this too. “Anton’s comments got me thinking. Like you, I have no problem with compulsory seat-belts or helmets, but it makes me wonder where we draw the line. Obviously the Queensland lot have gone too far. So where do we draw the line? What is reasonable legislation to protect people, and what is nanny-state law making? Makes you think doesn’t it.” Yes, Ivor, it sure does. And if you listened to that song, that was the message there. We can easily take the freedom we enjoy in this country for granted; and it can be lost “in the flicker of an eye” as the song said. Like the man referred to in that song, Anton appears to have experienced the situation where governments do take away that freedom. But, like Con in the comment above, I did’t think there was anything quite that sinister in what the government is doing here, although now I'm not so sure! In any case, the legislation is so open to abuse and misinterpretation that it is ridiculous!
Peter sent in this video of a race between an Audi R8 and a couple of bikes (Kawasaki and Suzuki) racing along a highway. Watch the speedo (digital) – that’s one quick car! And a couple of quick bikes! And they’re all crazy!
Another video, this time from Aussie, who appears in it. The video is a promotion for this year’s Melbourne Toy-Run, which might be over by the time you read this. But it was still worth putting up here. It features the iconic “Father Bob” doing the presentation and lots of old photos of toy-runs in previous years. Click here.
Oldie wrote to point out what he saw as possibly an oversight by manufacturers today – the lack of a kick-starter. He said he inadvertently left the ignition turned on for about 5 hours. Next morning his V-Star 1100 was sluggish to start, and later that day, after some city running around, it refused to start at all. He writes, “What a joy it wasn't, to have to push start the bike in town traffic! It was then that I wondered why the manufacturers stopped putting kick-starters on their road bikes? Something I think is a massive oversight on the part of manufacturers.” It seems strange that it was hard to start later in the day, batteries normally re-charge pretty quickly. Did it kill the battery? Anyway, as for the lack of a kick-starter, no, you don’t see them on road-bikes today. But then I don't fancy the thought of trying to kick-start an 1100cc twin! So it probably wouldn’t be of much use even if they did fit one.
Peter, who lives in Queensland, wrote about the new laws. He said he was stopped recently for what he assumed was a normal RBT, but says the police were, “Out to get the bikies.” He said they had a trailer at the ready to confiscate any bikes. All they did to Peter was perform a breath-test, so I suppose it actually could’ve been just a RBT. But police harassment, he says, is nothing new. He said that about 10 years ago while riding with his Ulysses Club, they were often harassed by police – or members of the public – when they stopped; he assumed people didn’t like the look of these biker types! He said once they spoke with the police or public they were usually left alone. But he recounted an even worse display of assuming any bikers were bad types. “I also remember being in a supermarket with two Ulysses friends. We were wearing our patches, and the next thing we had two security guards escorting us and were asked basically to leave as we posed a threat apparently. However once again a little bit of humour with the security plus people watching we were allowed to stay.” Wow, being thrown out of supermarket just for wearing Ulysses gear! I wonder what that shop would do now? 
Norm wrote to tell us about a charity ride he is planning. He will ride around Australia in an effort to raise funds for the Childhood Cancer Association. He writes, “I am in the reasonably early stages of a fund raising web site that you may find of interest, and could be published by you if you so desire.” Well, I am more than happy to publish the details, Norm, it is a great thing you are doing! And the fact that you have given yourself plenty of time to organise it shows how much thought you’ve put into this. I think we can all get on-board and help as much as we can; it’s a very worthy cause. The web-site is at: http://www.nevertooold.org.au.
Joe liked my “good honest review” of the Harley 72, but reckons I wouldn’t get a job with a motorcycle magazine, because he said they only write good things about the bikes they test – to the extent that he now doesn’t bother buying the mags. Yes, I often wonder about the lack of criticism in many of the reports. Joe had an interesting question too: “If the Harley doesn’t have an ignition key, how do you lock the steering?” Good point: I’ll find out.
Joe also wrote about Oldie’s comment on kick-starters. “That bought back a few memories. My 72 RD 250, 74 Honda CB750, a couple of late 70’s Kawasaki Z1 900s, all had kick-starters. Apart from the RD250, which is kick start only, I don’t think I ever used ‘em on the bigger road bikes. Also had a 80’s Kawasaki KLR600 kick only model – easy to start, after that a Suzuki DR 600 kick only – I was actually scared of this one, the kick-backs bloody hurt! But it was a great bike when it was running.” I wonder how hard it would’ve been to kick over a Kawasaki 900? Pretty hard, I would think! (That’s a photo of one on the left). I began my riding on 2-stroke trail-bikes, and they were all kick-start of course, and all easy. But one of those big 600 singles would probably launch me into space!
Ivor had a comment on the lovely looking paint on the Harley 72. “It looks great, but it’d be a nightmare trying to paint-match a stone-chip!” Hmm, yes, it would! The paint on my bike is a (much more moderate!) metal-flake, and trying to match that was impossible (for me anyway!).
Martin commented on the Harley 72 test too. “Harley have certainly created an image but I really do not understand why anyone would buy one. Just fantastic propaganda which started many years ago when a much better motorcycle, in my opinion – the Indian – found they could no longer compete. Somewhat similar to Betamax and VHS for those who remember!” Ah yes, VHS versus Beta, I sure do remember. And the point – for those who don’t – was that the Beta system was actually better, but VHS won the market.
Martin also commented on the link I provided for the Mini Jump-Starter. (I saw the unit at the Sydney Motorcycle Show). He reckoned that “Jump” was a good name, because, “The web site jumps around so much that you can't really see how the whole thing works; and the descriptions are no better.” I think they might be having problems, Martin, because when I tried the link again now it wouldn’t work at all.
Another comment from Martin, who lives in Queensland, on the police and new laws. “Regarding the police, the percussionist in our band (who rides a cruiser and wears a leather waistcoat), was telling me that he is being pulled over more and more because he has a shield shaped patch worn over his left upper side. He said they seem almost disappointed to find it is the patch for his Christian motorcycle club.” He said he wondered if another group, The Tribe of Judah, have the same problem, “Because they have their name emblazoned over the back of their jackets and it is very large.” Well, by coincidence, just today I read a report that Tribe Of Judah organised a Christmas Toy Run. They had informed the police of the run. About 700 bikes turned up and they rode towards the place where the toys would be donated. But the police stopped them and, allegedly, detained them long enough that they were late for the arranged handing over of the toys. Ridiculous! It’s looking like a very bad situation there, isn’t it!
Ivor was puzzled by the photo, in my Blog, of my bike parked outside a police-station. “After all that to-do with getting a new helmet, I notice that you appear to have a different helmet again! Your new one was plain colour and the one in the photo looks like it has graphics. What happened to the Shoei?” You’ve got a good eye for detail, Ivor! No, I’ve still got the Shoei and am very happy with it. The helmet in this photo is my old one. I still have it as a spare, and because I would be putting it on the ground (where it might potentially be trodden on, kicked, have ice-cream dropped in or whatever!), I used the old one. 
Chris had a comment on the Motorcycle Show in Sydney. He said, “The two bikes that impressed me most were the new Yamaha Bolt, which I feel is going to be extremely popular with our demographic looking to downsize, and the gorgeous Moto Guzzi California Custom.” Yes, that Moto Guzzi Cali was a nice-looking machine! I will hopefully get a test of the Bolt soon, when I get a bit of time.
Chris, who knows his ex-police bikes because he used to ride them, commented on the Betty Bikie piece on my Blog back in August. “The Trophy would have been 650cc, not 500cc, essentially a Bonnie with a single carb. And the Trident she graduated to would have been 750cc not 650cc.” Thanks, Chris. I checked with Bikie Betty and she assures me that the Trophy was a 500; a single-carb model. The Trident, however, is a 750, as you suggest. Thanks for pointing out the error – I do like to be accurate with these things!
The police used to have some interesting bikes. Chris wrote, “I well remember arriving early one morning at the North Sydney Special Traffic Patrol depot, to see lined up in among the black police Trophys, a Norton Commando 750, Triumph Trident 750, BSA Rocket 3 750 and this amazing Honda CB750, four cylinders with disc brakes. Wow! All there to be evaluated for use as police bikes.” Of course the Honda got the gig, but it must’ve been interesting riding those bikes and helping make the decision!
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