No... it's not science fixtion, it's now. | The never ending debate as to whether the paper goes over or under persists. |
|
| Wow, the year 2025 was a regular science fiction date when I ravenously consumed it in my youth... Now it's here, there are many everyday life occurrences that were never envisaged. The big stand out is the internet, I can't remember a writer of that or previous eras who imagined digital communication. |
|
| Our vehicles do however, have that 'space-age' look. Can you imagine what Laurie of Arabia might have thought (or our parents for that matter) of a new Kia or a Livewire HD? Pop a new 1300GS in front of them and they might wonder what planet it came from. |
|
Alpine Stars Tech-Air
Off-Road - Update |
|
| This little tinted Teal has clocked up around 5,000km wearing what I've come to call the 'Super-Nang' suit. I've done 12-hour days and a few 30-degree plus days along the way.
I have to say I'm surprised at how comfortable it is. The only time I've found it hot was when I'm traveling slow and working at it. As soon as I can get airflow back I'm comfortable. |
|
|
| I do look like a Hunchbacked Grid Iron player, however, I feel so much safer. More info Here
Especially when I hit a patch of diesel on a corner 20km from home on the last trip. My thoughts turned to the Super-Nang suit and waiting for the gravel to arrive on the opposite side of the corner so I could get some traction... FaraaaaK! . |
|
Part of motorcycle safety is anticipation of incoming threats.
Never one to tar all tin tops with the same brush, it’s a game of percentages. We should be looking for any ‘advantage’ or warning clue to avoid threats, we can make a few precautionary inferences… just in case, to be on guard.
We all know that a car that pulls over to the left, might just swing out to pull a ‘uey’ in front of us. It’s that sort of caution I’m on about.
Over the years we learnt to beware the Volvo driver or White Van Man. Not that all Volvo drivers were crap and all white vans a nightmare on wheels… Errr, maybe I might have to re-think that one.
Take the Golf driver, the higher the spec the vehicle the ruder they tend to be. They’ll squeeze into a space that is big enough for two skateboards at the drop of a F1 cap. They’ll sneak up the inside and snap across to the outside lane like a rabbit on crack.
We’ve already examined the variance in Merc owners’ skill level but watch out... Audi drivers can be arrogant barstools. Many seem to think that having 80% of the Olympic rings emblazoned on the grille gives them a right to whatever they feel they deserve.
A big red flappy cloth should be attached to this category – Small sedans, with the rear window covered in stickers. There’s a direct relationship between sticker count and ‘count’ driving it. These drivers are often female, under 25 and entitled to the space you occupy. Indicators are a device that makes a space for them. All they need to do is operate that lever, make the little clicking light on the dash go on and off and presto… change lanes. They are constantly amazed at just how efficient the process is!
Any car with a spoiler on the rear might just jag into another lane or three, is likely to cut off your nose, fly past in the emergency lane and gain 4 places in a traffic queue. Commodores with spoilers need a suspicious eye on them at all times.
Ratty old sh1tboxes seem to be the worst offenders when it comes to tailgating and swaying into the emergency lane for a peek, or to pass on the message that they have already sent. “I’m a dickhead” seems to be the gist.
On a dirt road expect a P-plated, modified 4by with a deeply depressed loud pedal, taking up more road than it would seem possible – Can’t see… Can’t go! |
|
| Looking back at the tyre imprint we followed. |
|
| We followed what looked awfully like a flat tyre on a preceeding vehicle for at least 10 klicks. Expecting to find a stricken vehicle or trailer in the middle of the road any moment my guard was up. We thought ourselves lucky we weren't traveling in the opposite direction as the driver was unlikely to notice us if this was their level of application. |
|
You, dear loyal reader get first bite at a bunch of stuff that has been collecting dust around Strapz HQ for a bit too long.
Most are at cost or less.
|
|
| Is it a tank bag if it sits on an electric bike? Maybe we will see the emergence of the 'Battery Bag'. |
|
A recent visitor to Strapz HQ dropped us the challenge - "What 'tank' bag can you fit to my new bike"?
After a bit of head scratching and a trip to the sewing machine, we came up with an adapter strap for the Kreiga Tank bag adapter system.
FIGJAM! |
|
| Now that the peak madness season is winding down, it was time to get a few miles under the wheels. I won't bore with a how and where travel yarn but here's a bit of bike travel porn to consume. |
|
| Abandoning HQ on a Friday, I met up with riding buddy Tomaselli and wandered three times 'as the crow flies' distance to night one's accommodation. The Erica pub does a very reasonable 'Stone Grill' steak and the caravan park over the road makes an easy walk afterwards. Pop it on your to do list next time your in that part of the country. |
|
From there we took the dirt to Jamieson. In places it is a sh1t of a rocky, filling-shaking, bast4rd road. About three km out the Kato ran dry, three klicks short of a prayed-for four-hundred km range. Luckily, it was a quick fix. When Tom came around the corner he assumed I'd been booked as there were two vehicles with flashing blue and reds and uniformed officers gathered around me.
I rolled to a stop in a depression in the middle of an S-bend. It was a bad place to be stranded. In my usual RRsy way, the local copper (thanks George) crested the hill coming the other direction. He caught my hand signals, pulled over and turned on the lights.
A pair of Forestry Officers parked up and helped me get the bike off the steeply cambered road and into the shade. |
|
| After a re-supply of bang water and neck oil we struck out along the gloriously curvy Eildon Rd to lob on Purv for the night in the historic Rubicon area. |
|
| It struck me that the road engineers in Victoria from time to time seem to lose their geometry set and borrow their Mum's dress making curves. |
|
With a weather eye on the radar Purv showed us an entertaining narrow, cobbled rocky 'long cut' to the top of the Reefton Spur. As we reached the base of the hills the eeriest couple of minutes had us crossing everything crossable. It 'snowed' leaves and bark as the wind whipped up.
The refuge of the Reefton Pub came with seconds to spare as a flooding storm thundered in. Mr Lucky once more!
|
|
| In this segment we look at gear that generally rides below the radar. |
|
| It's often hard for me to believe that that little bit of perspex on the top of my screen does so much good work. |
|
| Designed to be clamped on or hard-mounted, it not only rises but tilts at the wind. The MRA screen on my Kato worked ok, but it wasn't great. The addition of the Vario spoiler on top has made the cockpit a still zone. Sometimes too still in summer. |
|
| Topping off Tom's 85 TT screen |
|
More sniggers from timewaster.com |
|
| Does that mean it might collapse and fk yer back as you load it |
|
Click below to see our new stuff
We've added a few more Unifilter filters. |
|
As Andy Strapz moves into its 28th year, I'd just like to thank all the fabulous people, from helpers to customers and suppliers, who have helped make it happen.
|
|
|
|
|
͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏
