My New Year's resolutions are now a distant memory, one day I'll trick myself into keeping one of 'em! Did you ever calculate how old you would be in 2000 or 2025? I did for 2000 but had no concept of the latter, it seemed more sci-fi than real. And here we are, at or around retirement age, still doing dumb, immature stuff like riding motorcycles. And... how good is that! Yes, despite the fact that I'm officially grounded, I've snuck out for a gentle 'spin'. Hey, what could possibly go wrong? A bloke's gotta live! I see that Chucka Marquez has pulled the pin on Honda. He's got the sh1ts with a dog of a bike and is moving for the chance to do what he loves. While Marc is kissing goodbye a shed-load of Euros, (he's probably in danger of serious injury as a result of falling off his wallet anyhow) as his career comes to a close he's betting on Ducati to give him a swan song. My hope is he comes out the end intact. I guess at the pointy end of the pointy end, the only way to find the limit is to not be scared of crossing it. Now I stop to think it out, I guess it's not a bad metaphor for life. Geez, I wish I'd had half a brain when I was in my 20's.
It's going to be a long and frustrating 9 months waiting to get back on my bike. I've already had to knock back an opportunity to test the new release Tiger 900 Rally Pro for AMCN. I'd best block out some time in October to get some bugs splattered on my visor and klicks under my wheels.
Next Gen SW Motech Dry Bags
If it ain't broke, don't fix it is a mandatory approach for something like a dry bag. But improving a proven item is always the goal. The crew at SW HQ have given their terrific dry bag range a bit of a 'juush' up. An external pocket with a waterproof zip sorts out the quick access issues of the last iteration, as does the change to the oddly configured top closing straps. The welded fabric is now a little more flexible and less prone to 'bruising'. The safety yellow version is still a little thin on the ground (we'll see them mid-Feb) but we have reasonable numbers of the grey now. A quality dry bag is an integral part of my riding and camping set-up. My strategy when travelling is to stuff all my inside tent gear into a dry bag. I don't stuff about packing bags in bags, in bags. I usually just roll the sleeping bag, liner, mattress and pillow in one and bung it into a dry bag, taking care to ensure I close it accurately. Come the end of the day, I just shake it all out and inflate the mattress.
This month I'm gonna bang on about the Loop. A cheap little jigger that punches way above its weight. If you pop the seat on any of my bikes you'll see a Loop threaded through the sub-frame, across the bike. It's arranged so that at any time I can whip out an anchor point for a bag or Strapz on either side of my seat.
A standard inclusion in our A, AA and Topsack Bags. They are pretty good tie-down extensions when trailering a bike too.
This month we'll sniff the sweat of Warren Willing. A '52 model, Willing was part of the golden age of Australian motorcycle racing, the days when tens of thousands of fans would turn up to line the fences. Often they came up to see Willing and his arch-rival Gregg Hansford go at it hammer and tongs lap after lap. Willing was as much interested in the bike, technology and science of racing as ducking down behind the fairing down the front straight. A trained motor mechanic, he took a very hands-on approach to bike preparation, keenly looking out for an edge on his competitors. Taking those skills to Daytona he and Hansford impressed the locals by giving them a floggin'. Eventually running away to join the European circuit circus in the late '70s, 1979 saw Willing nearly checked out in a Northern 200 race crash. It killed two other racers, he was extremely lucky to hang onto his life and right leg. After two years of rehab, eighteen operations and a tough realisation that he was no longer a racer, his second career started.
He turned his hand to swinging race spanners and carved out a reputation as one of the greats of race bike engineering. Through the nineties, as crew chief, he took Wayne Rainey and Kenny Roberts to three consecutive championships each before consulting to KTM and Ducati. Without Willing's influence on the sport, I doubt we'd see it where it is today.
Warren succumbed to bone cancer in 2015, aged 68.
This AGV helmet is a one-off replica. Marcus bought the plain white helmet and sent it the Good Ol' US of A who tracked down accurate reproductions of the logo stickers. The plan was to have it signed by Warren but he popped his clogs too early.
Aria Tour X-5 Are Here - Sort Of
The brand spankin' Aria ADV helmet have arrived! But... Arai in their wisdom...not, have changed sizing so that L and XL seem quite small. They don't seem to have plans to make 2XL size and only white have arrived so far. I'm yet to sneak a quick spin impression but it's all seeming somewhat half RRsed at this stage. The colour/graphics are missing in action as I write this and whites thin on the ground but I'm told that there is another shipment due in a couple of weeks.
We have four only solid colour (white and grey) XD-4s left sizes M-2xl that are going out for only $795. One Small Departure Grey for $825 CLICK HERE
My Favourite Rides
For the next few months, I'll have a crack at laying out some of my favourite rides down in this neck of the woods. Naturally, many of you will know the routes and may have improvements or side tracks to offer. If you have one you'd like to contribute, please don't hesitate. Road or Dirt or both, it's all welcome.
Orbost-Buchan Detour
One lesser known or perhaps, overlooked 'long-cut' for riders taking a look around Orbost, Buchan, McKillops Bridge, Bonang and the Barry Way is the Orbost-Buchan Road. It's a windey, narrow, sometimes bumpy but immensely interesting and absorbing ride. Roughly tracking the Snowy River and cutting out the highly policed stretch from Orbost to Nowa Nowa, there's excellent camping and lots of side tracks to explore. A quiet road, it requires high concentration levels (good eh!) and a sensible head. Visibility ranges from spectacular to FAAAARK! Both Orbost and Buchan have fuel and a pub but Orbost has the best choices for a re-supply. Criss-crossing the triangle in the middle are a myriad of tracks with a few campsites dotted about. To the north, riders can access the Barry Way to Jindabyne, McKillops Bridge and my favourite... the Limestone Road heading west. From Orbost, it's a short easterly hop to the coastal town of Marlo with views, a pub and varied accommodation choices. Turn left at Marlo for a nice ride to camping and cabins (need to be booked) along the coast to Cape Conran to the north. During peak times this area heaves with tourists and can be booked out.
Wipe off 5
FFS... The original idea with the Wipe Off 5 Campaign was to get drivers to ease back on the 5kph over the limit we all reckon is a reasonable thing. NOT to take 5 off the speed limit!
Whether a few klicks over makes a blind bit of difference is another matter as is whether speed limits represent any sense in the new, check my social media feed age. Some vehicle pointers figure that if 5 is good, why not 10 or 15 kph? That's twice or thrice safer! All it does is make them too fast to pass and too slow to follow. The only way past is to risk a contribution to consolidated revenue. AND... it always seems to be on the nice windey bits with double white lines. Now, we all know that double white lines are guides for automotive aimers, not bikes. Unfortunately, not every copper can see it that way. It is one of those compounding situations where knocking back a cog and giving the throttle a twist, crossing double rough-guide lines, would harmlessly leave them wondering which hole is for eating. But, my luck would see the only Old Bill working the roads in the state, waiting for me around the next bend. Come the Revolution!
Man alive, two fat ladies showing off their legs eleven. Knock at the door. Rise and shine, clickety clicks. Full house! This is gonna be a long nine months! Copyalater Andy
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