FEEDBACK  2008

Paul, one of the Suzuki GSX 1400 owners sent me a photo of his bike parked at a picturesque spot near the sea. Right across the road is what he describes as “a terrific coffee shop; a great place to look out over the water. Life is good!” Riding to a nice spot where you can have a coffee and admire great scenery (and your bike!) - yeah, my kind of enjoyable afternoon ride too! 

A reader wrote in response to my blog entry of not buying the 2nd-hand Triumph Sprint. He said, “Flamin' Triumphs are only English Kawasakis anyway!” Yes, he was joking! (I think!). Actually, I'm told there was a rumour that early Triumphs copied Kawasaki engines - yeah, probably just a rumour! (Thanks for that Steve).

My mate Steve’s comment on the same issue: “Hey, save a fortune and buy a DR650. Purrrrrrfect!”  (Yes, that’s Steve who did the around-Australia trip on his DR650. Also joking – well, half-joking perhaps!).

I was talking to Rod, a riding-friend (and reader of the web-site), and lamenting the fact that Yamaha don’t produce a sports-tourer in the same sort of style as the Sprint ST or Honda VFR etc. He said, “If Yamaha did produce something around the litre and weighing in at around 190 to 200 kilo, I’m sure it would be a big seller.” Yes, that would be a bike I would definitely be interested in! (See the test on the FZ1S - with a different approach, Yamaha could easily turn that into the bike we want!).

A reader, David, wrote asking if I would publish this photo. David is the little guy in the side-car, and that’s his father on the bike. He would like to know what type of bike it is, and was wondering if anyone could identify it. He thinks it’s a BSA, and I would agree; you can almost read the name on the tank, and the shape of the section where the name appears is very BSA too. Can anyone identify it?

Thanks to Martin who helped identify the old bike that David and his father traveled in. We’re very sure the bike is a BSA A7. Martin sent in this photo of the A7. (Although it was incorrectly labeled as an A5). Sure looks like it to me! And I’ve seen other photos of the A7 (from the left-side) that confirms to me that we’ve got the right one. Martin also recommended this web-site as a good one for info on classic bikes. And it sure is a good site! http://www.vintagebike.co.uk/index.htm Thanks to Nigel from that site too, for his lightening quick reply to my email confirming details of the bike. The bike in the photo is a late-40’s model. The A7 was a 500cc twin. It was designed before the war, but first released in 1946. It stayed in production until 1962.

My son-in-law, Damien, also had a ride on a Buel Ligthtning the day we rode the Harleys. He had a ball on that! It was the first reasonably powerful bike he’d ridden. So he was gunning it away from the lights, almost lifting the front wheel (you could see the front tyre compress again as the weight came back on it when he eased off). Part of the test-route was along a highway section. Most of the bikes were traveling at around 100 - 110. Damien was doing around 110 and kind of inbetween two groups of bikes. So he knocked it back a gear and wound on the throttle. He got it to 160 - "It took just seconds to get there - and it still had two gears to go!" he described enthusiastically afterwards. (First time he's had a bike to 160kph too). Then he quickly backed off down to around the same speed as the other bikes.

If you’ve read my article on visiting bike shows, you’ll remember my mate, “John”, who dislikes Harleys with a passion! In response to me riding the Harley Sportsters he said, “You wasted time riding Hardlys! You could have stayed home and watched grass grow or even the cricket on telly. Something useful. Anything!” Nah, mate, they’re all bikes, and all worth riding!

Paul sent me this kind email, saying, "Please stop writing, such interesting articles, the wife thinks I am spending to much time reading all the articles & tests on the internet!" Thanks, Paul. Actually, my wife is always telling me that I spend too much time writing them!

Garry wrote to say that he'd just returned to riding after a 30+ year break. He said, "Just started riding again after retiring on a 750 yammy in 1974 (married kids etc), I am now 57 and got myself a 250 Suzuki Across to get with it again. I also did the standup course. After 30years I thought it was a good idea. I read your article advising taking it slow, maybe something smaller and that's what I thought too." He says that he intends to ease himself back into riding and then get a Suzuki Bandit. What a great approach! If you're just getting back into bikes after a long break you'd do well to take the same path Garry has.

Laurie wrote in response to my quandary over what type of bike to buy. As you'll know if you've been reading the Blog page (and others), I'd been weighing up the merits of more up-right riding positions compared to typical sports-tourers (like the Sprint). Laurie says he's a bit older than me (you never know, the hair is greyer at the front!) and also suffers back problems. He says, "I find that the more upright I sit while riding the more uncomfortable I am. My two mates (one is 72) ride GSXF750s and I ride a ZX14 (up from a Blackbird) and regularly ride 350 to 450 Ks a day, on a weekly basis, and pull up fairly well."

A regular reader, and riding friend, Rod, has done a couple of overseas biking trips. At the time of writing this he’s in the middle of a bike trip in India, riding around on a Royal Enfield. (And over there they’ve still got Brit-style right-side gear-change and left-side brake-pedal!). He sent me an email from India and said, “The trip so far has been very interesting riding the Royal Enfield. Not a bike I would call comfortable by a long way. The traffic is a real eye-opener as there appears to be no rules at all. Once you get out on to the open road you then have the added challenge of dodging cows, goats, camels and humans. It certainly makes life interesting for the motorcycle rider!”

Greg wrote in response to the test of the Ducati Multistrada. He said, “I rode a Ducati Multistrada when they were new and 1000 cc's. It was without a doubt the single worst, and most uncomfortable, bike I have ever ridden”. Good to know I’m not the only one who found them uncomfortable! Remember the mags were all saying how great they were. He went on to say that the mechanic that put the bike together quietly agreed with him. He said, “He rode it as far as the end of the lane behind the shop before coming back and declaring it the biggest shit-box he had ever been on”. And they don’t even look good!

Paul wrote to tell me about a trip he did over Easter. He rode his Suzuki GSX1400 from Brisbane to Sydney and back. The trip down he did in two days, stopping because of weather, but did the return trip in one day. The bike went well and he said that the trip home, while being a long day, didn’t seem like he’d done almost 1,000km in a day’s riding!

He sent me this photo of the bike ready to leave in the early morning. If you’ve read my test of the Yamaha XJR1300, I said that I didn’t think that this style of bike was suitable to long-distance touring – mainly because of the up-right seating-position and the wind-factor. Hmmm, maybe I was wrong! Especially with the right gear fitted (he has a screen, and a couple of other minor improvements – and note the AirHawk seat), long-distance touring is not only possible, but also enjoyable! 

Since returning home from his trip around India, Rod (see item above) has told me more about his ride. Check out the bikes they were on! Yes, they were Royal Enfields, but they were about 20 years old! He says, “At first the seats felt like sitting astride railway sleepers they were that hard!”

He still says it was a great trip though! This was the second overseas bike trip he's done with  Ferris Wheels, and he has great praise for their organisation and running of the trip. (The previous trip was a tour of Turkey on Suzuki V-Stroms - the country and the bikes both being very impressive!).

They did attract a lot of attention wherever they went. He says, “It was amazing where the crowds came from sometimes. We, sometimes only two or three bikes, would pull up at an intersection on the highway somewhere with no one around and all of a sudden people appeared. It seemed as though they just materialized.”

I got an email from Garry, who I mentioned above as having recently returned to bikes after a 30 year break. He went about it the right way – starting back on a 250 and doing a rider-training course. His intention was to get a Suzuki Bandit, but instead he was attracted to the Triumph Speedmaster – the new 2008 one with the black and red tank. He’s very happy with the bike; and says his back is okay on the bike. (Unlike my experience, which upset my back). Good to see him back into bikes and on a bike he likes! Enjoy the riding Garry!

A few people wrote in response to the story on A Scary Ride. Jens very kindly said that it was “Well written and easy to read” and then asked, “Are you sure you are not some high level journalist in hiding?” I wish I was! And thank you for the kind words! I do appreciate them; and it's just good to know that people enjoy what I do write!

One reader from Queensland said that until he read the mention of the location being in NSW he thought I was writing about Brisbane! He said, “It described Brisbane drivers perfectly!!!” Yeah, the idiots are everywhere aren’t they – unfortunately!

Rod, who I mentioned above having done the bike trip in India, and was actually the friend who accompanied me on the ride I wrote about, agreed that in these sort of situations, saying, “Luck plays a big part in our survival on the roads”. Hmmm, yes, we like to think that if we’re careful, we control our own luck; but rides like this make you wonder! He also said, “One factor that I believe makes our roads so dangerous is aggression, particularly in younger drivers, and it seems to be getting worse.” He said that in India aggression wasn’t as bad. He says, “Even though there appear to be no rules, the drivers are not aggressive.”

One of the nice things about running this site is the way readers are always looking to help other readers of the site. A regular reader, Martin, wrote to ask if I’d pass on to Garry (the new Triumph owner I mentioned above) the details of “Ratbags”. This is a mostly on-line based club for Triumph owners; and a kind of local extension of the official factory owners club Triumph rat.net. As Martin mentions, it is now nation-wide. So I thought I’d put the details on this page too, for any other Triumph owners who might be interested. And you don’t have to own a Triumph to join either! You can find them at http://www.ratbags.org.au

I got a follow-up email from Garry, who I mentioned above had bought the latest 2008 Speedmaster; and he sent me this pic of the bike. He's loving his new bike, especially when he gets it outside the city. And he says that even the guys at his work are admiring it. He says, "I am having a ball; it really reminds of the freedom you feel on a bike!" He's just bought a set of after-market mufflers to release a bit more of that lovely twin-cylinder sound. Keep enjoying it, Garry!

A reader sent me this photo quite a while ago, but it never found it's way onto the site. I only re-discovered it recently. From what I recall, it was taken on a Melbourne expressway. Hmmm, scary sight isn't it! "You bring the snags and I'll bring the barbie! No problem, it'll fit on the bike easy!" What makes it even worse is you'll see he's got a steel-mesh grille up infront of his face! I wonder what Gordon Ramsey would have to say about this?  

Steve (of round-Australia fame), wrote about the Australian Motorcycle Museum at Ipswich. You can go to their web-site and get all the info you need by clicking the highlighted name. By the way, this is a different one to the National Motorcycle Museum at Nabiac, near Taree (which I understand is still operating); and was the one originally located in Canberra. Anyway, Steve says they have a big range of bikes, including English, Japanese, Italian, German, Spanish and American bikes. He says, "Some of the highlights for me were a Triumph Hurricane, Water and Air cooled Norton Rotaries, a Hesketh, a Munch, a Vincent V twin, a Bimota VDU and both Hercules and Suzuki Rotaries. There were a couple of bikes I had never seen in the flesh before." And here's something you won't find on their web-site: Steve says that the museum is built on the same land as the old Warrego Water Park and has toilets and (cold) showers. He got talking to one of the owners, Lorraine, who said that they were, "Considering providing overnight camping for Ulyssians who visited the museum on their way to or from the AGM in Townsville". As Steve says, this could be an added bonus for members.

Martin wrote to correct my mention of the "Ratbags" organisation above. He writes, "We are definitely not an extension of TriumphRat, though we do our best to support them." Sorry, Martin, a bad choice of words on my part! Martin had explained in his original email to me that they weren't actually part of the factory club, so when I wrote "a local extension" I meant in terms of what they were and what they hoped to achieve, not organisationally. As I said, a bad choice of words on my part! I'll let Martin explain. "Part of the brief to dealers by the manufacturer under that (TriumphRat) banner was to put on regular rides and get togethers for Triumph owners.  It was the utter failure of dealers to do this, and on the occasions when they did the rides were disappointing and badly organised, hence a group of people decided to start something which they wanted to be a great motorcycling experience for Triumph owners. That was how Ratbags was born. It is completely independent and has no association with any other organisation.   In just 18 months we are now rapidly approaching 1000 members. The on line site was decided as the best means to communicate and bring people together with rides, events and charity functions, so it is very much a hands on organisation not just an on line chat room." From what he tells me, they've been very successful; often having events on every weekend. They also have their own T-shirts, patches, pins etc. Thanks for straightening this out, Martin. Once again the web-address is http://www.ratbags.org.au

In a few road test reports I’ve commented about the handlebars being “too straight” or “turned up at the ends”, saying that “I’d prefer them to be angled down more”. Ivor pointed out that, “This can usually be easily rectified by simply rotating the bars in their clamps. It’s just how they were set-up at the factory.” Yes, good point! But I just report on the bikes as I find them; as they are presented to be tested. And I don’t make assumptions that these sort of things can be done; even though, mostly, they probably could be. And of course even if rotating them doesn’t fix the problem, fitting an after-market set of bars can often be another possibility. In my extended test of the XJR1300, I discovered that simply being set at a different rotational angle cured my earlier problem with the bars. So a case in point right there!

I wondered if he’d publish my letter, and if he had, I would’ve published his reply here. But he didn’t. So I’ll mention the reply he sent to me. I have a lot of respect for Peter “The Bear” Thoeming. He’s a great writer, and writes a very sensible review of bikes. I even respect him as a person, from the very brief personal contact I’ve had with him a couple of times, and from what he’s written. But I had to disagree with the review he wrote of the Harley Davidson Nightster in the May / June issue of Road Rider. He began by going back to a time in the 1960s when he, and others, dreamt of hot-rodding their Harleys. This bike, he said, was what they dreamt about. He started his report on it by using words like “perfect” (saying it was “very close” to it). He then said things like, “Ergonomics are terrific” (except for wanting forward-controls). If you’ve read my test on it, you’ll see we obviously have very different opinions! And I just had to write and challenge his use of words like “perfect” and “terrific” etc. I suggested that he might be looking at the bike “through rose-coloured glasses”, from that time of his youth when dreaming of modded Harleys. I suggested his readers might be interested in a different opinion; and referred him to the test on my web-site. He replied to my email, admitting that he probably was looking through “rose coloured glasses”, but went on to say that it was all about perception, and said, “Motorcycling is all about perception.” Well he’s right about the Nightster being about perception, but I’m not sure I’d agree that motorcycling is all about perception. Perception plays a big part, but when the bum hits the seat and the wheels hit the road, a big dose of reality kicks in! No matter what the bike. And that’s where I reckon the Nightster shatters the dream! Anyway, I remain a fan of the man and the magazine.

Thanks to Aussie, who sent me this pic of a really weird bike. I’ve also seen it in one of the bike mags. Despite the appearance from this shot, it actually has two wheels, side-by-side. It is electrically powered, has a top speed of about 45kph, and is controlled by how you position your body. There is some sort of gyroscopic device which keeps the bike vertical. So to accelerate you lean forward, and the bike accelerates to maintain an up-right stance. Lean backwards to slow down. Apparently the inventor, a young guy from Canada, is looking for an investor to help get it into production. Hmmm, good luck!

Rod had an interesting comment on the price of new bikes. “When you compare the price of cars to the price of bikes, considering the number of components and the amount of material etc, it’s hard to justify the price!” Yes, when you think of it like that, it is isn’t it! Okay, so there’s the issue of number of units built and the necessary production costs and profit to be spread over that number, but then considering that most bikes are world units (they’re produced in almost identical form for many countries), that should allow the prices to be lower than they are. 

Aussie wrote about technology in modern vehicles; such as ABS and stability control, traction-control etc that are appearing in our cars, and bikes. He says, “Enthusiasts who enjoy taking a pride in actually operating their machines with maximum personal input must despair at how boring motoring is becoming”. Now, these things are good, in themselves, and many will argue that ABS especially saves lives. But I agree with the sentiments. When we bought our current car (about 9 years ago), it was the first car I'd owned with auto and air-con. Driving in city traffic was now a joy! But I still had an old car (1974 Triumph) that enabled me to enjoy the pleasures of actually driving and changing gear etc. As well as the bike, of course! I have often said I'd miss that aspect of changing gear etc if I didn't have the bike, and the old car. Aussie says he is losing interest in modern bikes because they’re becoming too much like modern cars. He says he subscribes to a magazine called “Old Bike Australasia”. He reckons it’s a good magazine. “Unlike the Brit mags, it features Japanese as much as British and Euro sickles. It is also extremely informative on Australian motorcycling history including past heroes and race tracks.” Sounds like a good one to watch out for!

Paul wrote to tell me about his new bike. (It’s always great to hear about people buying new bikes – especially what they bought and why). Paul was riding a GSX1400, but said that, due to having had a few operations in the past, he was getting muscle-cramps in the hips. He tried highway-pegs, which improved the situation, but then he took a Suzuki M109 for a test-ride. And liked it so much he bought one! “With the feet forward position I don't get the cramping muscles. After the test ride I knew I had found a solution to my problem.” Good to hear! He says, “I know you are not keen on cruisers but this bike is comfortable, even on the lower back.” Yes, even though the cruisers I’ve ridden have given me problems with comfort, I know that all cruisers aren’t the same. And different bikes will suit different people. I’ve sat on the M109 and it did feel comfortable. He reckons it takes longer at servos now, because people keep coming up and asking him about the bike! Yes, they are very unique aren’t they! Anyway, good on you Paul; I hope you have a great time riding the new bike!

Remember that old add for the electric-shavers where the guy says, "I liked it so much, I bought the company!" Well, a similar thing happened with a reader, Ricco, when he bought some thermal jeans while holidaying on the south island of New Zealand. Now, you'd reckon they'd probably know a thing or two about being cold down there, and Ricco reckons these jeans were great. In fact, he liked them so much that he ... well, no, he didn't buy the company, but he has become the Australian distributor for them. He'll have a web-site up and running by the end of July. So check them out at www.axionsjeans.com.au.

Bruce recently joined our mailing list. He owns a Yamaha XJR1300, on which he has put up an impressive 64,000km. As the XJR is a bike I’ve considered buying, I asked him for his thoughts on it. He replied, “Best bike I've ever ridden!” He said he’s ridden it from Noosa to Sydney and back 9 times in the past couple of years. “And I ride it every day to work and heaps more.” He likes naked bikes. He says, “Nakeds are where it’s at for me; none of that nancy-boy cruiser stuff!”

Another recent new reader, Doug, sent me this photo of a bike he has. It’s a 1977 Suzuki GS750. Nice looking machine isn’t it! It's great to see these old bikes being kept on the road and in such good condition. Doug says the bike is good to ride. "It goes like those good old fours did, plus it is one of the best handling bikes of that era."

I mentioned Paul, who traded his Suzuki GSX1400 on a new Suzuki M109, above. He sent me this photo of his new bike. Looks good, doesn’t it! He’s done a couple of minor mods since this photo, including fitting foot-boards from the M50. He’s very happy with his new bike. Good to hear! And thanks for the photo, Paul.

Sigs wrote about tyres and punctures. He’d sent an email to Motorcycle Trader’s Spannerman on the subject, in particular regarding retro bikes that run spoked-wheels, and tubed tyres rather than tubeless. (He pointed put that BMW use tubeless tyres on spoked-wheels). Spannerman replied that BMW are able to use tubeless tyres because they mount the spokes on the outside of the rims, not in the centre as is usually the case. He also said, “You’re just as likely to get a puncture in a tubeless tyre as a tubed tyre – a nail is a nail.” “Not so!” says Sigs. “A nail in a tubeless tyre does not necessarily mean a puncture. A nail or screw or piece of wire in a tubed tyre is always a flat tyre to be repaired on the side of the road!” And he speaks from experience, having traveled for many km with a nail in a tyre. I've seen this too, and even experienced it myself; a long time ago. I had a nail or screw in a car tyre that didn't immediately deflate - it just went "click, click, click" with each rotation of the wheel. I took the wheel off and had it fixed as soon as I discovered what it was. If the nail or whatever goes in very cleanly the tyre will seal around it. Although, in probably most cases, the offending object still results in a flat tyre. Still, the point is that you’re better off having a tubeless tyre. They're also a lot easier to do a temporary repair on the roadside. He suggests that manufacturers of these bikes should spend a few more dollars engineering their wheels to accept tubeless tyres. It’s a good point, and one that owners of bikes with spoked wheels should be aware of.

Doug, who I mentioned above owning the Suzuki GS750, also has another bike. It's a Yamaha XVS1100. Before buying this he'd always been a Harley man, and had owned several. But he likes the Yamaha, which he bought 2nd-hand but just a few months old. He says, "It was less than half the price of anything similar in a Harley but I can honestly say that it sounds better, handles better, brakes better and is a much nicer bike to ride than any of the Harleys I have owned." And it's a great looking bike, I reckon!

I mentioned my letter to "The Bear" regarding his test of the Harley Nightster a few paragraphs above. I said he didn't publish the letter, but in the latest (Sept / Oct) issue of Road Rider it does appear. In his reply there he says, "You get nothing for nothing". I presume he means you don't get that low-slung look without sacrificing something. But I still think they could've come up with a better solution than just chopping the suspension down! The rest of his reply is basically, "To each his own". And he's right, of course. Everyone is entitled to their own choice of bike! Anyway, it shows a good deal of integrity to publish the letter, complete with my web-site details so that people can read an opinion that contradicts his. And we're each entitled to our own opinion too, aren't we. Nice one Peter!   

Greg is a police-officer and wrote in response to my story "Of Us And Them." He made the point that the police are entitled to ask for your licence on any "lawful stop"; of which an RBT is one such stop. He said that on RBTs they pick up a lot of unregistered cars and unlicensed drivers / riders. That's a scary thought really isn't it! He had quite a bit to say on speed-cameras, including how they're set-up and administered etc. His opinion? "Speed-cameras; hate 'em!" I'm still surprised at how many people get caught! I mean, the signs before them are big enough aren't they! Anyway, good to get a bit of feedback from a police officer.

Gary wrote to me about scooters; in particular his Yamaha T-Max. He bought this after quite a long line of impressive bikes. He emphasised how scooters have changed, from the scary little thing that I first rode. He says, "It has 14" wheels, is utterly smooth and comfortable over an 800km day ride, is rock solid stable whether upright or banked over at ANY speed up to an indicated 170, has great ground clearance and a lean angle approaching 50 degrees. I have (unintentionally) pissed off quite a few bikers with it." Sounds impressive, doesn't it! And I've read a few other very good comments about it too.

Another reader, Keith, who also owns a scooter, asked if I’d done a test on any scooters. When I replied that I hadn’t, but I intended to, he wrote, “Have your first test on a Suzuki Burgman Executive 650; you will be astounded. They are, in my mind, the yardstick for all maxis.” There is a special feature on scooters coming, so check under the "Bikes" section, and also under the "Comments" section for those.

Gary (who wrote about his T-Max above) also wrote about his impressions of Harleys, having ridden a couple a few years ago. The first was a Heritage Soft-tail; a full-dresser with forward -controls. He said, "After 30 minutes I returned it feeling quite underwhelmed. 'Battlestar Galactica' is the best description I could manage - NOT a compliment!" The next one was a modified Sportster 1200. That he found to be much better; describing it as, "actually very nice; almost Japanese in its feel, layout and performance - and that IS a compliment!" He didn't buy one though. But he has a theory as to why people do; something to do with the engine-vibes, and where they are most felt! (I'll let you work out the details of that one!).

Gary, (above) wrote in response to my article on scooters and whether we should accept them as real motorbikes. He said, “Regarding whether scooters should be considered real bikes, I believe I have one answer......after a lot of musing I now believe that ANYTHING that has an engine and can be leaned is - by definition -a proper motorcycle. This includes Gold Wings and all scooters - even the new breed of closely-paired twin front wheel ones (eg Gilera 500 Fuoco). They can be leaned over quite a way and therefore deserve to be included.” Not a bad definition is it! And as to what doesn’t qualify? “I believe that what does NOT qualify as a proper motorcycle includes ALL Trikes (eg  VW-powered things with huge rear tyres) and most definitely the new Can-Am Spyder. If it cannot be leaned it ain't a bike!” I’ll go along with that! Although he adds another category that might be a bit controversial. “As to motorcycles fitted with sidecars......they are 'Outfits'. By my reasoning they cease being motorcycles until the sidecar is removed at some time in the future!” Hmm, I won’t buy into that one! Well maybe you could call them “a motorbike doing duty in another role?”

Gary takes a further swipe at the Can-Am. He says, “I find it difficult to imagine any other type of vehicle that so completely combines all the DISadvantages of a car with all the DISadvantages of a motorcycle. No creature comforts, no protection from the elements, minimal storage capacity, no security when parked (all motorcycle features!) PLUS the footprint of a medium sized car and the resulting inability to filter through traffic! Why would ANYONE want one, except to pose on or to kid oneself that one is a biker.....without the need to acquire biking skills!” Yeah, along with trikes, they really are a whole different category aren’t they!

A riding friend and reader of the site, Rod, wrote with a good tip. He checks a web-site that lists recalls on all products. He says he checks it out of curiosity, but when making any major purchase he finds it a good idea to check. He’d noticed that there had been a recall for the Yamaha XJR1300 I was buying, and wrote to let me know. Good to know; in case the current owner hadn’t taken it in for the fix. In this case he had, but it’s a good thing to check.

Rod (above) wrote in response to my new bike and the comments I’d made about getting used to it. He said, “You mention that the ‘naked muscle bike’ is not your style but ‘you like it.’  That is the bottom-line in my opinion, you ride what you like.” I think he’s right! Well that’s why I bought it!

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I got an email from Lindsay, who is the newly-appointed editor of the magazine of the Redcliffe branch of the Ulysses Club. She sent me a photo of their brand-new Kawasaki Vulcan 900 cruiser. The trailer they bought at the Ulysses AGM. It’d come from Tasmania, and Lindsay says has traveled around Australia three times, but is in great condition. They painted it to match the new bike. Great looking rig, isn’t it!

Paul sent me a couple of photos taken on a weekend away with a Suzuki M109 Owners group. Check out that group of big Suzis! Paul says there were 41 M109s, plus a Harley and Yamaha cruiser in attendance. Quite a sight, hey! Paul said it was good to meet the other owners and check out what mods they'd done to their bikes etc. And good to see so many of your own model bike in one place!

And if you were wondering about Paul's own machine, well here it is! There's a photo of it further back up this page, which he sent to me not long after he got it. But here it is, ready to leave on the big trip. A kind of cruisin’ Super–tourer! I reckon it looks great! And practical! Good one, Paul.

On the subject of weekends away, Wade sent me this shot of his bike and his father’s on last year’s Snowy Ride. His is the Honda Blackbird (in the background), his father’s is the Triumph Sprint (in the foreground). Look good don’t they! And a nice setting! I just wish I was going there again this year. Wade and his dad are off again, so I hope you enjoy it Wade.

Several readers have written in saying what a great idea the “Questions” page is. Thank you! Well, thanks to Peter, who suggested it! One reader said he spends quite a bit of time on forums for his particular model, and values the comments from other riders.

I got an email from Rod (who I mentioned above), who had just returned from the Snowy Ride. He really enjoyed it. I understand there were about 3,000 bikes there this year. He said that there was a great variety in bikes too. He said, “There were large numbers of Rocket IIIs, Yamaha FJRs, Suzuki V-Stroms (very popular), various model BMWs and more scooters than I would ever had have imagined.” Scooters! Now there’s a sign of the times. When I was there 3 years ago I didn’t see any scooters! (Click here to go to my story of the Snowy Ride; which has some up-dates from the last couple of years when I didn’t make it).

Paul wrote to tell me that his father had just bought a bike. He says, “My dad, who turns 70 next year, decided that he didn't want to be a pillion and wasn't going to be left at home, so decided to look for a new bike.” The bike he bought is a Suzuki GS500. Paul says his father likes the bike and says it is very light and quick enough for what he wants in a bike. He says, “I now get to spend time with my dad doing something we both really enjoy!” As I said to Paul, it’s great to be able to spend time together like that!

Rod was one of the people who weren’t overly impressed by the Sydney Motorcycle Show. He said, “I liked the bike shows that were held at Canterbury racecourse in the late 70’s early 80’s. There always seemed to be more products on display and for sale than there is at the current shows.” I agree! They were good shows. And there was always something going on outside, like demonstrations by the Stay Upright team etc. I still enjoyed this year’s though.

Not really “feedback” as such, but I didn’t know where else to put it. One of our readers, Lindsay, has recently taken on the task of producing the monthly newsletter for the Redcliffe branch of the Ulysses Club, and is using some articles from this web-site. She sent me her first newsletter, and I enjoyed reading it. One story was of some riders who went down to Phillip Island for the MotoGP. They enjoyed the trip, but it wasn’t without incident. The writer of the article discovered he’d lost his ticket. After much searching he went and bought another one. On the Monday after the race he found the original one – in his pocket! One of the group was packing his bike after one of the over-night stops and struggling to close the left-side pannier. A good shove got the job done – and over-balanced the bike, sending it crashing to the ground! One broken mirror. And a lot of laughing I’d reckon! (No, you shouldn’t laugh, but….!). 

Steve wrote to say that MCA had a big clearance sale of clothing and accessories at the Sydney Motorcycle Expo. It was outside the main area apparently. It couldn’t have been well sign-posted or advertised, as there were quite a few comments from others who obviously didn’t see it either! (Maybe we should all have our glasses checked!).

Steve, who I should mention owns a Suzuki, also wrote about my comments on the new naked Bandit. He said, “I have nothing against Yamahas, BUT it would be a non decision for me to save the couple of $1000s and have a Bandit instead of a XJR1300.” Yes, I’d agree, really. For me personally though, I tried both and the comfort of the XJR was the real decider for me. I wasn’t happy with the seat and the ride of the Bandit. But for anyone who is (and for many people this wouldn’t be an issue; it’s not that bad!), then the extra price of the XJR would be hard to justify. (I'm glad I didn't pay full retail price for a new one though! At $10,000 for an as-new, I can be happy that I got a good buy). They are different bikes; the XJR being more retro and having a different image to the Bandit. That could be reason enough for certain buyers to go for the Yamaha over the Suzuki. But on price and specification alone, the Bandit would be a clear choice!   

 

One of our readers, Martin, is a member of "Ratbags" in Queensland. I emailed him and told him that I'd been on a Ratbag run (see Blog entry for November) and said "I suppose that makes me an honorary Ratbag." He replied and said, "You're not an honorary ratbag, you ARE a ratbag!" Hmmm, not sure how to take that!! :-)  He explained that the organisation doesn't have fixed rules about who can join etc, so that if I ride with the group I'm one of them!

Bernie recently bought a bike; a 1996 Triumph Daytona. The bike is in great condition and Bernie is enjoying his time with it. He said, "A side benefit has been the many doors it has opened in meeting so many new and terrific people. This bike will always be known to me as the catalyst for beginning many contacts with folks." Isn't that great! As the add used to say, "You meet the nicest people on a ....." umm, Triumph!

Another reader who is enjoying his bike is Peter, who is presently doing-up a 1989 Honda CBR250R. Interesting bike; and Motorcycle Trader's Spannerman reckons it's the best 250 ever made! Peter says, "The little Honda provides a thrill every time I set eyes on it!" I like to hear people enjoying their bike!

Tim wrote in to our Questions page asking for advice on buying a new bike and riding gear. He wrote to me recently to tell me he had found a bike. Not the one he asked about, but something probably even better! I'll let him tell you about it. "It's a 2006 blue/white Suzuki GSX1400 with 8000ks, vortex sports exhaust, steering damper, power commander3, smart timing retard eliminator, braided lines, slim indicators, k&n filter, fighter mirrors." Looks great, doesn't it! And he's loving it! Good to see. I hope you continue to enjoy it, Tim!

I got an email from Bruce. He wrote to me a while ago. Scroll up to the picture of the old Suzuki with the handlebar fairing, and his email is just above that. (There were a couple of other emails too, that I didn't publish here). Read that email again first. Now, this was his email today. “Riding home from work, 22/7/08, far left lane of multi lane road, Hi-lux going opposite direction 3 lanes over does right hand turn, goes between line of stopped cars and cleans me up big time. 42years of riding over for good! Leg broken in 2 places, knee also, right wrist. Hospital 2 months, off work 7 months, driver charged with not making safe turn $200 fine. He drives away, I’m smashed for life! Be careful; you are invisible and THEY ALL want to kill you!” What can you say? Accidents do happen. We all know that riding is dangerous. But it’s still upsetting! And it’s not just the horror of the accident, the pain, the lifestyle change, time off work etc. There is sometimes an even greater change. This sort of thing not only changes your life, it often changes the way you look at life! That’s why I wanted you to read the other email first. Bruce was so enthusiastic and positive about his riding; and now ....! Very sad! It doesn't seem fair - and it's not! I wish there was something we could do. Anyway, I know that Bruce wanted me to post this here as a timely reminder to always be on your gaurd. The roads are a dangerous place! Our thoughts and prayers are with you, mate!

Aaron sent me this item. It is of Federal MP John Forrest. He says that a campaign to raise the public profile of motorcycles was launched in Canberra at the doors of Parliament House. Riders from all sides of parliament put aside their differences to publicly declare their love for riding and commit to help raise the profile of motorcycles as an important part of the Australian transport mix. Apparently this was initiated in 2007 by Brendan Nelson (himself a rider - and part-time road-tester for Road Rider magazine!), when he said that "Governments of all persuasions should encourage the use of motorcycles." Interesting!

I received quite a few emails in response to Bruce's report of his unfortunate accident. (See item previous to the one above). I was going to put them here, but there were so many, and with some good points mentioned, that I think it's worth a separate article.

Steve, of the "Around Australia" story, is selling his trusty Suzuki DR650. He's just bought another brand newie! (Likes his DRs, does our Steve!). Anyway, the bike is not yet 3 years old (2006 model), is in excellent condition, and, take my word for it, has been fastidiously maintained, by both Steve and his local bike shop. Apart from a recent trip to Birdsville (you'll read about that when I can get him to write up the story!), it's spent all of it's life on the black stuff. It's never been used for bush-bashing or trail-riding. 

Steve says that the chain and sprockets were replaced fairly recently, as were both tyres. It's registered until April next year. The only down-side is that it's clocked up almost 50,000km. (Yes, in less than 3 years! I think he only gets off it to sleep!). But considering it's use, and it's care, I reckon the bike has a lot of life left in it yet! So why is he selling it? Steve says, "It has nothing wrong with it, I just thought I'd exchange it while it was still worth something and before the new ones increase in price with the falling Aussie dollar." And the good thing is that you can have it for $4,850. So if you're interested in a DR650 that's in great condition, and has been the star of a story on this web-site(!!), give Steve a call on 0412491317.

And speaking of the DR650, Steve says that the Suzuki DR650 and Kawasaki KLX 650 are basically the same recommended retail price now as they were in 1994! That’s 14 years ago! He says the DR was $7400; yep pretty close to today’s price! The price for the Kawasaki is also more or less the same. In 1994 it was just over $8000. Of course some might say the actual bikes haven’t changed much either! Anyway, still makes them a great bargain doesn’t it!

As I think I've mentioned before, since selling my previous bike, the new owner has kept in touch. (It's good when it’s very friendly like that isn’t it!).

She’s done quite a bit of touring on it, and has been putting up the kms with riding it to work each day as well.

Anyway, she sent me some photos of the bike on Mt. Panorama, Bathurst; including this one on the left. Nice to see her enjoying it!

On the Questions page there was a question from Tony asking for advice on what bike to buy to replace his Kawasaki ZX6R. He was considering (or had almost decided on), a Suzuki Bandit. I tried to give him some objective advice, and then encouraged him to buy the Bandit. Well, he did. He wrote to me, having made the decision, just before picking it up. He said, “I have to ride my beloved ZX6R 130km to the dealer to trade it for the Bandit. A sad day but yet a happy day also. My ZX6 has given me no problems at all and been a very faithful companion on many rides, so will be sad to see her go. But a new life and relationship is just beginning with the Bandit and I.”

Russell wrote in response to my article on life with my new bike. He said that he sold his previous bike, a late-model Suzuki V-Strom, to a guy who lived in Victoria. He said that, “He was up for heaps of expense to re-register. He also flew up to Sydney and rode the bike home, so that was all added to his costs. He could have bought a brand new bike in Vic for what he paid me and the rego and other expenses.” Yes, if you do buy a late-model bike interstate you do have to do the sums. In my case I still came out about $3,000 or more under the recommended retail.

Aussie wrote in with a photo of some helmets he and his wife used to have. He says, “Remember Eric And Douglas on the back of long defunct Revs Motorcycle News rag?” I wonder how many of you do? It certainly brought back memories for me! The Douglas helmet was his wife's. He says that riders could pick them out on the road from a fair distance.

Aussie also wrote in response to the “Would They Approve it?” article. He said that back in the 1980s at the scene of a mass protest ride, “An indignant politician publicly declared that if motorcycles were invented tomorrow, they'd be banned.”

Gary also wrote in response to the “Would They Approve it?” article. He said that, “If the motorcycle was to be invented now it would most definitely not be approved for use.” Yes, that’s the conclusion I think the article was suggesting! (Not helped by our fictious Bazza!). Gary went on to say, “In that alternate reality every Western country would by now have a secret dossier on obscure inventors who had 'gone missing'. Taking into consideration all the attempts over the last 30 years by Western officials to ban or limit motorcycle use, I believe that the only reason that bikes are tolerated today is because - in our reality - they pre-date cars.”

Tony wrote with an up-date on his new Suzuki Bandit. He’d just had his first decent ride on it; a 450km round-trip through central Victoria. He said, “The Bandit is a beautiful bike to ride, I think we were made for each other! The suspension settings were excellent; I thought they may have been a little tight but compared to the ZX6R, it was a big improvement. Power delivery was exceptionally smooth.” He was also impressed by the handling, saying, “Its not quite as edgy as the ZX6R but it is 50 odd kgs heavier and not a race bike.” He reckons it will easily out-perform its current owner! He agreed with my criticisms of the seat, and also mentioned hitting the horn button when using the blinkers. He also mentioned the lack of a temperature gauge (I didn’t notice that!), and said the side-stand was a bit hard to get at. And the over-all verdict? “I am very happy! I have made a really good choice and should be quite happy for some time I believe.” Great to hear! He has a good tour planned, so it’ll be interesting to hear how it goes on that!