Touratech says the mount is more robust than its predecessor system and can be attached and taken off easily thanks to the rounder design of the fasteners.
Simply slide the hooks on to the rack and push the tension lever down until it clicks into place. To remove, pull on the tension lever and lift the pannier from the rack.
Yet they say they are secure and won’t fall off on the roughest track.
Zega Evo sizes
The waterproof Zego Evo come in 31-litre, 38L and 45L capacities and cost $1150.01 each in black and $1069.59 in silver.
Weight is 5.9kg for 31L, 6.4kg for 38L, 6.9L for 45L.
To better organise your luggage, there are fastening hooks on the inside of the lid. The outside of the lid also has high-strength attachment eyes.
Zega Evo comes with a webbing carry handle integrated into the lid recess.
Touratech has been making the Zega family of aluminium panniers for more than 25 years.
Like its predecessors, the new Evo is made of high-strength 1.5-millimetre-thick aluminium.
The new lid catches retain the popular hinge function that allows the lid to be opened from both sides or removed completely.
The lid and base of the pannier are manufactured using a modern deep-drawing process, which eliminates the need for unattractive welding seams.
Waterproof
The outer shell and base are attached by high-quality, waterproof rivets and the pannier is sealed with silocone.
The lid has a tongue and groove profile with an integrated silicone seal, which guarantees a watertight seal.
The newly developed ventilation system relieves the pressure in or on the pannier if there’s a change in altitude.
This means you can open a pannier at high altitude even though you closed it thousands of metres down in a valley.
Zega Evo has accessory fixing pins to attach the special Evo accessory holders without drilling holes in the case.
Touratech has mounting units to suit most adventure and touring motorcycles.
A combination of stiffly sprung modern motorcycles and old war wounds have many mature-aged riders searching for motorcycles with the most comfortable ride.
I’ve ridden a lot of different bikes over the years and what stands out is how soft old bikes were and how stiff modern bikes are.
This trend is to improve handling and cope with larger and heavier riders. However, it presents problems for riders who suffer from old motorcycle injuries or arthritis.
You could buy an old bike with sagging springs for a softer ride, but they handle poorly. The soft springs also mean you hit the bump stops which pounds your body every time you clout a reasonably sized bump or pothole. And isn’t that a too-frequent occurrence!
If you want a bike that handles yet still has a plush ride, there are some modern motorcycles that offer both.
But first let’s rule out bikes that are uncomfortable.
Uncomfortable bikes
Ducati boss Claudio Domenicali with a Panigale V4 R
That means just about every over-sprung, under-damped Ducati and most sports bikes, except those special editions with uprated suspension from experts such as Ohlins, Sachs, Kayaba, etc.
It also means ruling out “slammed” cruisers such as many of Harley’s line-up, especially anything with the word “Lo” in the model name.
In fact, many cruisers that are considered comfortable have short rear springs that won’t save your spine if you hit a big bump.
Making a bike more comfortable
If you can’t find a comfy bike, get one with decent-length springs and fit better suspension with decent damping.
Ergo Seats added more padding to my hard Ducati GT1000 seat
Some people swear by seat cushions such as Airhawks and sheepskins. However, I find they slip and move around which tends to divorce you from what the bike is doing.
That’s fine if comfort is your only consideration, but I like to be able to feel the bike so I can control it.
It’s not just the rear suspension that causes problems. Harsh forks can have a jackhammer effect on your hands.
So which bikes are comfortable straight off the showroom floor?
You can’t tell from just pushing down on the forks or jumping on the bike in the shop. You need to go for a long test ride over bumpy stretches of road.
Look for bikes that have suspension adjustment and then get it professionally set up for your weight.
There are also many models that come with electronic suspension that you can adjust on the fly from “sport” mode to “touring” or “comfort”.
Electronic suspension
Obviously, touring bikes often come with plusher suspension, more adjustment and well-padded seats.
Adventure motorbikes also have a good ride on bad roads with their extended suspension, although that makes them very tall in the saddle.
Top 10 comfy bikes
Here is our top 10 most comfortable bikes.
1 BMW R 1250 GS: The telelever front suspension sets this apart from other adventure models. It also has ride-ranging electronic suspension adjustment.
BMW R 1250 GS
2 Honda Gold Wing: This has long been known as a lounge chair for the open road. Not only does it soak up the bumps, but cossets the rider in a bubble of luxury.
Honda GL1800 Goldwing
3 BMW K 1600 GTL: Like the Gold Wing, this bike has all the luxuries.
BMW K 1600 GTL
4 Indian Chief: The entire range of Chief models ride on plush suspension and high-profile tyres.
6 Triumph Tiger 800XCx: Seat and suspenders are plush enough to cope with the toughest off-road terrain.
Triumph Tiger 800 XCx
7 Suzuki V-Strom 650 and 1000: Always a great adventure favourite it now rides even better with more padding in the seat.
Suzuki V-Strom 1000
8 Yamaha FJR1300A: Rider and pillion will enjoy the ride and thermal comforts, although it’s best for tall riders. Cops love ’em!
Yamaha FJR1300A
9 Kawasaki GTR1400: There are good reasons why many Iron Butt riders choose this highway mile-muncher. Ergos and ride are great for long distances at high speeds.
The world’s best motorcycle is now even better with the BMW R 1250 GS getting a bigger, cleaner and more powerful engine and a range of useful technology.
My impression was confirmed after Ballina Motorcycles owners Andy and Steve Fisher recently invited me to ride the new GS around their beautiful neck of the woods.
Steve and Andy of Ballina Motorcycles
GS models
I’ve owned every GS model since the R 1150 GS, except for the first of the liquid-cooled models, although I have ridden them on several occasions.
The quantum leap from the 1150 to 1200 convinced me that this was the best bike in the world.
It could tour and haul luggage comfortably, it could challenge sports bikes on twisting tarmac, it could tackle gravel, sand and mud, and I even enjoyed it as a commuter because it was so manoeuvrable with good height to see over the traffic.
The GS then received a twin cam engine which improved power and then went to liquid cooling.
MotorbikeWriter’s BMW R 1200 GS Rallye
Each updated improved the world’s best motorcycle a little more.
However, there have been some issues:
The switchgear proved faulty when BMW moved from separate indicators to the conventional one-button system;
I had some scary tank-slapping moments on the first liquid-cooled model, until they added a steering damper as standard;
The liquid-cooled model’s soft spoked wheels could easily be dented; and
The new 1250 models had spokes working their way loose. They now have a quick fix for the problem.
Those issues aside, the GS is an astounding vehicle that makes bad riders look good, skilled riders look amazing and even caters for lazy riders!
R 1250 Shiftcam tech
The latter is thanks to the new drivetrain.
BMW’s new 1254cc boxer engine comes with Shiftcam Technology which is a type of variable valve timing (VVT) similar to the systems used by Ducati and Honda.
VVT has been proven in cars for years. It not only boosts power, but also reduces emission and improves fuel economy.
It not only makes the Boxer engine cleaner and more powerful, especially through the all-important midrange, but also makes it so much more refined, mechanically quieter and smoother.
There has always been a coarse feel to these big Boxer engines and there is still plenty of “character” in the sideways thumping pistons, but it is now just so smooth with power and torque wherever you need it.
Transmission update
But it’s not just the engine that has improved the drive.
Previous models have always had clunky gear shifts. In fact, I adapted to preloading the shifter before changing gears for a smoother shift.
Now the transmission its nearly as slick as on a four-cylinder Japanese superbike.
Gearbox and clutch are now integrated into the new engine housing to reduce weight and increase “torsional response”.
The multi-plate wet clutch has eight friction discs and the clutch system is fitted with an anti-hopping mechanism.
What that means is that gear changes now feel smoother and quieter and the up/down quickshifter makes shifts almost seamless.
Together with the 14% more torque and 9% more output, you can be the laziest rider around and still reap plenty from the powerplant.
Just quick shift through to fifth or sixth and leave it there like an automatic.
If you suddenly need to drop a gear or two for a tight corner, just slam it down without touching the clutch and there is no rear-wheel hop, just a planted feel as the rear hunkers down and tracks around the bend.
More tech
The GS range has gradually added more and more technology with each new model over the years.
It would take a book to learn about all the features. But there are two worth a special mention.
First is the fact that you can now customise your settings and save them with the optional “Riding Modes Pro” plug.
No more will you have to stop and fiddle with ABS and traction control settings when your wheels hit the dirt. Just change engine modes on the fly to the Pro setting.
The other is the magnificent 6.5-inch colour TFT instrument screen.
It’s like having a flat-screen TV in front of you.
The screen is so enormous with big, clear numbers and letters you can see them in your periphery vision without having to look away from the road.
Not that you have to look too far, as it is set further forward and higher.
We rode the Rallye model around the hills and valleys of the Northern Rivers region where you ride through thick forests that are almost like midnight even on a bright, sunny day.
Yet riding in and out of these lighting extremes, the screen was clear and easy to see.
Knobby tyres
Andy and Steve of Ballina Motorcycles let me ride the knobby-shod Rallye version, even though they say less than 10% of GS customers ever fit knobby tyres.
In their neck off the woods, some of the tarmac roads are so poorly maintained they are like riding off-road, anyway.
The Karoo knobbies lack tar grip so the traction control light was constantly flashing as I rode around the region.
And at the end of the day’s ride, the knobs had been chewed substantially. These tyres really are designed for the dirt and you can expect low life if you do too much asphalt.
If you opt for this model and these tyres, you need to do about 80% of your riding on gravel.
Ride
One of the biggest attractions of the GS range is the ride and handling.
The clever telelever front suspension is an amazing mix of plushness, precise steering and unflappable stability on the tar and dirt.
Together with the electronic suspension adjustment with an automatic preload mode that adjusts for load, you can select the right setting for every type of terrain.
At the end of our day riding some of the most jarring roads imaginable, my delicate rear end and my damaged back felt like they’d been to a day spa!
BMW R 1250 S model pricing
All that extra tech, engine capacity and power has added about $1600 to the starting price of the GS range.
But it’s worth it for the upgrade in sophistication and useful technology.
While many bikes are a jack of all trades and master of none, the GS range continues to master a variety of terrain and riding purposes.
Tall riders have almost as much trouble finding a bike to suit their build as short riders and it’s not just about seat height.
For short riders, seat height is the most important factor. So we put together a comprehensive list of seat heights of your favourite motorcycles to compare.
Lanky-legged riders might also find the list of interest, especially if they read it from the bottom up as the bikes are ranked from lowest to tallest seats.
The tallest bikes are mostly adventure bikes, followed by naked and sports bikes.
Some motorcycle companies such as BMW and Harley-Davidson will offer high-seat options.
There are also many aftermarket companies and upholsterers like John Moorhouse of Ergo Seats that can offer taller seats.
Ergo Seats added more padding to my Ducati GT1000 seat
However, a tall seat won’t solve all tall riders’ woes.
Tall tales of woe
The main problem for tall riders is feeling cramped in the legs and arms. This is the result of the combination of seat, handlebars and footpegs.
Having a tall seat won’t help if the footpegs are too high or the bars too close.
For example, most cruisers have very low seats, but if they have forward controls, they can be very comfortable for tall riders.
Conversely, some sports tourers have high seats, but the pegs and clip-on bars are too close and non-adjustable.
So tall riders should look for a motorcycle that has adjustable bars and footpegs.
Clip-on bars are rarely adjustable for more reach. However, one-piece bars with a significant bend in them will move further away for a comfortable reach simply by rolling them forwards.
Of course, you will also have to then adjust the mirrors and levers to suit.
Michael Madsen looks cool as “The Gent” with his ape hanger bars in Quentin Tarentino’s Hell Ride. But are they legal?
Few motorcycles have adjustable footpegs, but you can buy accessories that move the footpegs a little further away. You will also have to adjust your foot brake and gear shift to suit.
Highway pegs are also handy for relieving the cramped feeling of footpegs that are too close.
Suspension can also be adjusted, but usually only with the addition of slightly longer rear shocks. Be aware that these will change the handling and steering geometry of the bike.
KTM Australia has announced the pricing for all their 2019 adventure models, including the new 790 Adventure and Adventure R, arriving in June 2019.
The 790 models start at $21,195 ride away and an extra $1500 for the R model at $22,695.
That compares with the BMW F 850 GS which starts at $17,990 (plus on-road costs) and goes up to $22,305 for the Rallye X model.
The KTMs arrive several months before its major new mid-mid-sized competitor, the Yamaha Ténéré 700.
790 Adventure
The much anticipated 790 Adventure is powered by KTM’s new-generation LC8c 799cc in-line twin-engine with 70kW of power (95hp) and weighing in at only 189kg.
KTM claims 400km of range from the 20-litre tank. And it should all be smooth riding with two balancer shafts and long service intervals of 15,000km.
Suspension is, of course, WP, with 43mm forks, 200mm of travel, 233mm clearance and an 850mm seat height, compared with the Ténéré 700 at 880mm.
The engine sits in a CroMo steel frame with an open-lattice swingarm.
Finally, a manufacturer has provided an easy-to-adjust handlebar. It can be set in six different positions with a 30mm adjustment range making it comfortable no matter what size the rider and whether standing or sitting.
Instruments are in a 5-inch TFT display with a wide range of configurable information. The display varies according to light and the rev counter blinks to indicate when to shift.
Electronic rider aids include traction control, cornering ABS, and an off-road mode with a smooth throttle response.
Other tasty features are LED lighting, steering damper and hefty 320mm twin discs with four-piston radially mounted callipers.
Factory accessories include an up/down quickshifter, heated grips and cruise control, as well as the usual protection parts and luggage.
790 Adventure R
The R model adds longer-travel 240mm suspension, Karoo 3 dirt tyres, 48mm WP XPLOR forks, upgraded shock and different bodywork.
690 Enduro R
690 Enduro R
The 690 Enduro R which returns in 2019 with several updates will cost $17,595 ride away.
It was previously available at $14,695 plus on-road costs.
One of the best for long-range touring is the addition of two balancer shafts to smooth out the LC4 single.
It also now gets the super-duper fully-adjustable WP XPLOR suspension.
There are two changeable rider modes (off-road and street), cornering ABS and traction control.
Styling is now sharper and slimmer, with a redesigned seat.
KTM Australia has also confirmed ride-away pricing for the rest of their 2019 adventure range: 1090 Adventure R $24,295, 1290 Super Adventure Super Adventure S $28,395 and 1290 Super Adventure R $29,195.
KTM Australia has recalled model year 2015/16 1290 Super Adventure motorcycles over a possible fuel leak.
The official notice issued through the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission says an error occurred in the moulding process of the fuel tank.
“There may be a fuel leakage at the lower fitting insert for the fuel tank fairing in the seat area,” the notice says.
“Should a fuel leak occur, escaping fuel could cause damage or may result in fire.”
The Vehicle Identification Numbers (VINs) of the 278 affected 1290 Super Adventure models are listed at the end of this article.
1290 owners
Owners will be contacted by direct mail, notifying them of the recall and requesting they make an appointment with their local authorised KTM Australia dealer.
We have published this recall notice in case the bike has been privately sold and KTM Australia no longer has a record o the owner.
“Authorised dealers will complete an inspection of the tank production information. This will determine the required course of action, which may include a corrective measure,” the notice says.
In 2016, KTM recalled the 2015/16 1290 Super Adventure over an an oil leak in the semi-active rear shock absorber.
Even though manufacturers and importers contact owners when a recall is issued, the bike may have been sold privately to a rider unknown to the company.
Therefore, Motorbike Writer publishes all motorcycle recalls as a service to all riders.
If you believe there is an endemic problem with your bike that should be recalled, contact the ACCC on 1300 302 502.
To check whether your motorcycle has been recalled, click on these sites:
Despite a broken wiring loom, Lithuanian motorcycle adventurer Karolis Mieliauskas has successfully competed an epic ride to the coldest place on earth on a Yamaha Tenere.
We published an article in late January about his plans and many readers thought he was crazy to ride 1000km across Siberia in temperatures down to -60C.
Some even suggested the oil in his suspension would freeze!
However, Karolis emailed us to say he had completed the aptly named The Coldest Ride from Yakutsk to Oymyakon, one of the coldest habitable places on earth.
Mind you, it wasn’t -60C, but a relatively balmy -56C!
The Coldest Ride started on February 04, and was scheduled to finish on February 10.
However, Karolis reached his destination two days ahead of schedule, and celebrated with a dip in a frozen river, despite temperatures of -45C.
The endeavour was filmed and will be featured on the BBC Travel Show later in 2019.
Mind games
Karolis says his journey on a single-cylinder Yamaha Tenere across the Road of Bones was a research exercise into what he calls “active meditation”.
Basically, it’s a way of forcing the mind to meditate by subjecting the body to harsh conditions; in this case, the cold.
But for others it is an enlightening experience. Some even refer to an out-of-body experience when the mind takes control of the pain and discomfort, divorcing the rider from their body.
This is not his first or most epic ride in the cold.
In July 2016, he rode 11,000km from Vilnius to Vladivostok in 12 days and in March 2017 he rode 785km across the ice of Lake Baikal, the deepest lake in the world, with our support, camping gear or a satphone.
Bridgestone’s new Battlax Adventurecross AX41 tyres have arrived in Australia to get adventure riders dirtier, taking them further off the beaten track.
The problem with making an adventure tyre more aggressive is that it usually compromises on-road stability and shortens the life of the tyre.
The biggest destroyer of adventure tyres is the braking force that shaves the trailing edge of the block tread under hard braking on asphalt.
Battlax block
However, the new Battlax Adventurecross AX41 has a changed block profile and tread pattern to counter the deformation under braking, reducing wear.
That’s great news, especially for those riding heavy one-litre-plus adventure motorcycles that chew up expensive adventure tyres.
Bridgestone has also redesigned the tyre dimensions to increase the total amount of blocks on the tyre.
The Japanese manufacturer says the new tyre has a 30% increase in the cross section area compared with the previous Adventure A41.
They also claim this increases compound rigidity and strength over the A41 to “ensure the balance between durability and off-road performance”.
Bridgestone rates them as 40% on-road and 60% off-road.
