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98 Pages·2015·50.41 MB·English

WELCOME
cycletorque.com.au MAY 2015 I 2
May 2015
Welcome to the May 2015 issue of Cycle Torque. We hope you’ve enjoyed
the new Cycle Torque style, we think it looks great.
On the cover you’ll find the new BMW R 1200 R. It’s the first naked boxer
to use the new liquid-cooled flat twin cylinder engine, and it’s a fantastic
performer as a result.
We ride plenty of other bikes too, like the Yamaha MT-09 Tracer. Yamaha’s
modular design ethos with its MT-09 range is working very well indeed.
Suzuki has also finally got its four-stroke 450cc enduro bike some ADR
compliance. It’s a beauty.
Then there’s a couple of enterprising souls riding Enfield Bullets across
INSTRUCTIONS
Myanmar, the go to man behind the Long Ride and much more.
Lastly, the second series of Cycle Torque TV has finished but you can catch
NEWSLETTER
every episode of this, and series one too, on our youtube channel at www.
youtube.com/user/cycletorquedotcom
EMAIL US YOUR
– Chris Pickett
FEEDBACK
[email protected]
CONTENTS
cycletorque.com.au MAY 2015 I 3
Ridden
25 LAUNCH 35 LAUNCH 44 LAUNCH 54 TEST
2015 YAMAHA 2015 SUZUKI DUCATI
BMW R 1200 R MT-09 TRACER RMX 450 Z 821 MONSTER
Features Regulars
ON THE COVER:
BMW R 1200 R BY JEFF CROW
5 NEWS TORQUE 23 GUNTRIP
62 WINTER BIKE GEAR
15 SMALL TORQUE 86 SHOP TORQUE
75 TOURING MYANMAR
19 EDITORIAL 87 MARKET TORQUE
80 CT PEOPLE 20 DIRTY TORQUE 90 BOOK SHOP
22 RACE TORQUE 95 TORQUE BACK - LETTERS
83 QUAD TORQUE
cycletorque.com.au MAY 2015 I 4
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NEWS TORQUE
ccyycclleettoorrqquuee..ccoomm..aauu MMAAYY 22001155 II 55
MA Board Steps Down
MOTORCYCLING Australia has been undertaking a detailed review (Whole of Sport Review WOSR) over the last few months of
motorcycle sport and MA’s role in it. As part of this process, the MA board has decided to all step down en masse.
Many people have been quite critical of MA’s role in promoting motorcycle racing in Australia when it says it is merely a governing
body and doesn’t promote.
This has clearly not been the case in my opinion, despite what MA says but current MA President Braxton Laine has pledged to all
members that the findings of the review would be made public.
Laine has said that findings from the WOSR and the recommended strategies from those findings will improve financial sustainability
and operational efficiency so that funds can be re-distributed back to MA’s members. This may include development of better programs
to assist at grass roots and elite levels which provide a pathway for rider development. He also says though, that implementation of the
recommendations from the WOSR is subject to agreement by all of the seven State Controlling Bodies.
He also goes on to say the current MA Board realises the WOSR is the largest change that has occurred since the formation of the governing
body, and lending its support to this entire process, following the adoption of the WOSR recommendations by the State Controlling Bodies,
he and his fellow board members will step down from their board positions at this year’s AGM. This will allow for a transparent process for
the election (and appointment) of the individuals who the members believe will be best able to govern this organisation during this new and
exciting phase in its history. All current directors will be able to make themselves available for election/appointment if they choose to do so.
As part of the review process, Motorcycling Australia has formed a Nominations Committee whose role will be to identify a pool of people who
have the range of skills and experience the organisation requires as potential candidates for board positions. While the Committee may actively
seek out candidates, the State Controlling Bodies will still be able to nominate candidates, but will have to do so through the Committee.
If you feel you can add your skills to Motorcycle Australia you can provide an initial expression of interest to MA CEO Dale Gilson at ceo@
ma.org.au.
For the record, I think that generally the people at MA do a great job. It would not be easy and being a target for disgruntled members would
be a common occurrence I would think. I have been involved in road racing for a quarter of a century and have rarely found myself at odds
with MA officials. But that said it would be hard to say that all decisions over the last decade or so have been done with transparency and the
best interest of the members at heart, in my opinion, and therein lies some of the problem MA currently finds itself in. I hope they sort it out.
– Chris Pickett
NEWS TORQUE
ccyycclleettoorrqquuee..ccoomm..aauu MMAAYY 22001155 II 66
Braaap comes
to Liverpool
AUSTRALIAN designed and owned
We provide a one- stop shop for all your motorcycle, braaap Motorcycles has recently
We provide am oulne ean- ds AtoTVp n seehdosp. H faovre aa lbl ryowosuer tmhrooutgohr ocuyrc le,
partnered with Liverpool Bikes at
Virtual Used Bikes Showroom, which displays a cross
mule, ATV & jest escktioi nn oef eoudrs s.t oHcka -v aep paro bx r1o60w bsikee st honro thueg flho oor.ur Emu Plains in New South Wales.
Virtual Used BWikee psr oSudhlyo awndro poromfe,s swiohnaicllyh s edrvisicpe llaatyesr mao dcerlo ss
bikes in our onsite service facilities. All types of service
section of our stock - approx 160 bikes on the floor. Gary from Liverpool bikes is
is covered including fitting tyres. We carry a full range
of accessoriesS anede s poaurer pparrotsf.e Wses aiolsno ahal vtee aa mloa no f stocking the entire range of braaap
bike service to keep you mobile.
technicians for all your service
Motorcycles including all dirt and
• 9 Buckingham Dr Wangara - p 08 9409 2330
needs. We carry a full range
• 237 Great Eastern Highway Midland - 08 p 9250 2522
road models.
of accessories, tyres and
w w w . m a cskpa1re. pcarots.m We. aalsuo “We are excited to have a dealer
have a loan bike
out west of Sydney CBD,” a braaap spokesman said.
service to keep
you mobile. “As the only Australian Motorcycle Manufacturer we now have 30 plus dealerships
across Australia and New Zealand,” he said.
You can view the complete dealer list here -
www.braaapdealer.com
“braaap also offers a lifetime warranty of all their bikes,” the spokseman said.
Read the latest review Cycle Torque did on the Mercury 250cc which is a joint
TWO LARGE STORE LOCATIONS
• 9 Buckingham Dr Wangara - p 08 9409 2330 braaap-Sol Invictus motorcycle -
• 237 Great Eastern Highway Midland - p 08 9250 2522 http://www.cycletorque.com.au/
w w w. m a c k 1 . c o m . a u cycle-torque-test-mercury-cafe-
racer/
Gary is located at 1/3 Bromley
Rd, Emu Plains.
Ph. 02 4735 7788 n
MRB 2253 D/L 19719
NEWS TORQUE
cycletorque.com.au MAY 2015 I 7
The Barry
2105 was another stellar year for the Barry Sheene Festival of Speed. The event
seems to be getting stronger with each year’s passing.
This year the headline celebrity has Freddy Spencer, with British fast lady Maria
Costello again making the trip south. Both were popular, especially ‘Fast Freddie’
who made himself very available to fans.
Spencer had a number of guest rides on machines similar to those he rode back
in the glory days. Post Classic Racing stalwart Ken Lindsay once displayed a
wonderfully prepared motorcycle, this time a Honda RS250 in Spencer colours,
and the man himself rode it for the gathering crowd. Wayne Fox is another
classic racing veteran with a beautiful collection of racing motorcycles. He
turned up with his Honda VF750 superbike, complete with all the factory go fast
bits like the RSC engine and grand prix wheels. Despite some dramas coaxing
the bike out a hibernation, the crew worked tirelessly to get it ready for ‘Freddie’
and to hear him get that bike on the ‘pipe’, well in this case the two pipes, was something special.
There were big crowds over the three day event, and there were some fantastic machinery on display too, both in the pit
garages and on club stands and the show-n-shine.
Many racing classes were catered for and grids were full but the headline act on the track was always going to be the
Barry Sheene for the fastest 50 Period 5 and 6 bikes. This essentially had bikes built from 1973 through to 1990 going
at it together for bragging rights. The front row consisted of Shawn Giles and Steve Martin on Trevor Birrell built Suzuki
Katanas in one and two respectively, closely followed in third by Cycle Torque’s own Alex Pickett on another Suzuki GSX,
with Mr Superbike himself Robbie Phillis rounding out the front row on a Suzuki powered XR69.
The first race was chaos with Giles crashing on the first lap after his engine broke, then a couple of laps later Phillis took
out Martin with an overtake move everyone could see was never on. The race was red flagged and at the restart it was
Pickett on the front row all by himself. Of course he got the holeshot but clutch problems saw him relegated to fourth at
the end of race one behind Malcolm Campbell (Harris Honda), Dean Oughtred (Suzuki GSX-R1100) and John Allen on the wonderfully prepared Yamaha TZ750.
This would be the top three in each of the next two Barry Sheene feature races as Phillis, Giles, Martin and Pickett were all out of contention either with injuries or mechanical
woes. Other notable performances in the feature race was Stephen Ward on his ex Fast by Feracci 888 Ducati and Scott Campbell on the second T-Rex Harris Honda.
Other feature races included the Freddie Spencer Challenge which was won by Simon Thomas on a TZ250 from that man again, Stephen Ward on his Armstrong 250 and Alan
Johnston, Yamaha TZ mounted also.
It was run in conjunction with the Paul Dobbs Memorial race for Period 4 machines up to 750cc. It was won by Aiden Coote on a Triumph Trident from Nick Cole on a Norton ES2
and Cam Donald on a slick looking Egli Vincent.
You can find out more results by going to www.natsoft.com.au n
NEWS TORQUE
ccyycclleettoorrqquuee..ccoomm..aauu MMAAYY 22001155 II 88
EBR reportedly folds
TOUGHEN UP
AUSTRALIAN distributor of EBR
(Erik Buell Racing) Urban Moto
YOUR RIDE
Imports says it is business as
usual and there were no reports
to the contrary as Cycle Torque
went to press.
The Wilwaukee-Wisconsin Journal
Sentinel reported on April 15
that the company had ceased
operations leaving 126 employees
out of work.
The US publication reported that
the company apparently had $20million in outstanding liabilities and had
filed for court protection from its creditors.
Initially, the new company produced hand-built $40,000 sport bikes for road-
racing enthusiasts. More recently, it geared up to build a less expensive mass-
production motorcycle with a racing pedigree.
Company founder Erik Buell invested his own money into the venture, while
V P S S T O R M C A R B O N
Hero MotoCorp Ltd., the largest motorcycle manufacturer in India, had a 49%
stake.
• Hand and lever protection for your street bike
America’s financial laws are different to Australia’s so it may well be not as
• Single or two point mount handguards
clear cut as it reads. They may be seeking protection from their creditors and
• Choose your style from Carbon, VPS or Storm
attempting to trade out of the current financial woes.
EBR was founded by Erik Buell, whose original incarnation as Buell Motorcycle
Co, was owned by Harley-Davidson until it dropped the brand in 2009.
We here at Cycle Torque think it would be a great shame to see the company
shut its doors. Buell produces his motorcycles with extreme passion and they
are an amazing product as a result. n Find what fits your bike at www.barkbusters.net
NEWS TORQUE
CY CccyyLccEllee TttooOrrqqRuuQeeU..ccEoo mmF..EaaBuu RMMUAAAYYR 22Y00 211550 1II 995
Get Routed to Enzed
GET Routed New Zealand was previously owned and run by Dave Milligan and Maggie Wolfenden.
Due to Dave’s heart attack in May 2013 the need to reduce stress saw a change of ownership. The NZ part of the
business has been taken over by Clive McFadden of Tuggerah, NSW.
Clive is a weekend motorcyclist riding a 2006 Kawasaki Nomad.
His first bike was a Yamaha DT250 scrambler, riding with mates over the sand hills of Kurnell. (a long time ago)
A carpenter by trade with an eye for detail and doing things right, Clive has every intention of providing the
same personalised and professional service offered by Dave.
The purchase of the business was driven by the enjoyment of motorcycling, an affinity with New Zealand that
came about during a 12 month holiday in 1974 and the friendship formed with a Kiwi who moved back to New
Zealand two years ago.
Clive is hoping the business will allow him to ride New Zealand in the near future.
Dave Milligan will assist Clive with the administrative functions for the first few months and will continue loading New Zealand
bound shipments from Melbourne.
For bike shipping to Europe, UK and North America go to www.getrouted.com.au. For specific New Zealand shipping check out
www.getroutednewzealand.com.au n
It’s not where you’re going, It’s how you get there!
http://www.kenma.com.au/motorcycle_luggage.html
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