Victorian riders are invited to attend a motorcycle safety forum next month to pass on to the State Government.
The forum on 19 May 2022 during National Road Safety Week has been organised by the Victorian Chapter of the Australasian College of Road Safety.
They have invited motorcycle riding group representatives and riders to attend.
College spokesman Dr Tana Tan says the collated input will be submitted to the Victorian Government “for their consideration as they develop the motorcycle safety strategy”.
German adventure motorcycle accessories company Touratech has launched a boot it claims is a three-in-one to cover touring, sports and adventure riding.
Touratech Australia does not yet have a date for the arrival of the Touratech Destino Ultimate GTX boots and are currently only gauging interest.
But wait for it — if or when they do arrive, they will set you back almost the price of three boots at $A1492 in sizes 39-47.
For that price they better one good.
Touratech says they have the all-day “comfort of a touring boot, the safety of a sports boot and the robustness of an MX boot”.
So let’s check the claims on these boots, developed for Touratech by Dutch motorcycle clothing company REV’IT!
Comfort
The comfort is provided by a flexible joint system, a SEESOFT protector insert in the tongue and an Apex sole, developed with Vibram.
They claim the sole makes them easier to walk in so you don’t clump around like you are wearing skit boots without the skis.
Touratech also claim the sole has different zones; one for operating the brake lever; another for strength and others for walking comfort.
The insole is made of washable, open-pored PU foam.
Safety
The Destino boot features a lot of protection as you would expect from an adventure-style boot with what they call a Dynamic Support Frame (DSF).
It is made up of a calf shield, heel cup and a stability frame to prevent twisting with extra impact protection in the toe area.
Destino boots are certified for safety with the highest EC approval level: EN 13634:2017 Level 2.
Fit
Another feature is the BOA Fit closure system which uses a now-popular hand-operated ratchet dial that pulls wire laces for the optimum fit and release at the touch of the centre button.
There are no show laces to tie and no bulky and uncomfortable clasps that feature on many off-road boots.
Having the boot tight not only ensures a correct and safe fit, but also prevents mud and dust getting in.
Waterproof
These boots are made of a combination of materials such as SuperFabric, microfibre lining, Omega leather, supple nubuck leather and a Gore-Tex membrane that they claim guarantees “absolute waterproofness with simultaneous breathability”.
Excuse my cynicism here, but I have yet to find any breathable clothing that is also 100% waterproof.
This rating consists of two numbers. The first from 0-6 measures protection from foreign bodies such as dust, while the second from 0-9K measures resistance to water. Click here for more details.
I can’t find any reference to an IP on their website. It just says “Waterproof Yes”.
The ride’s call to action “Just Ride!” asks women to be on their motorcycles or powered two and three-wheelers on the first Saturday of May each year.
IFRD was created in 2007 by Vicki Gray, a lifetime motorcycling advocate, road, and race instructor.
Her purpose is to profile and highlight the many diverse female riders, build awareness and strive for parity for women in motorcycling.
Many motorcycle manufacturers are promoting the day, including Harley which has long marketed to women as a growth area given they are half the population but represent less than 20% of riders. In Australia it’s as low as 12%.
Another company promoting heavily to women and encouraging them to ride on IFRD is Can-Am, the makers of the three-wheeled Spyder and Ryker roadsters.
Women with the Can-Am Ryker
They have organised rides and ambassadors in Australia, the US, Canada, Europe, Asia, and Latin America.
CanAm Global Consumer Public Relations Brian Manning says that because of their focus on growing female ridership, Can-Am is heavily involved.
“We have rides lined up all over the world plus a call-to-action out to our owners to hit the streets that day,” he says from Quebec.
“We anticipate a lot of love from women coming together to celebrate their mutual passion for riding.”
One of the biggest hurdles to riding often quoted by women is the fear of dropping a bike and not being able to pick it up.
It’s not an issue with a three-wheeler … and of course it’s not an issue if you learn properly and don’t drop the bike.
However, it remains a hurdle that doesn’t exist for the Can-Am Spyder family.
Consequently, Can-Am claims a much higher proportion of female owners than any other brand.
More than 38% of their entry level three-wheeled Can-Am Ryker owners are female.
It’s about double the number of women who ride in the USA and about three times the female involvement in motorcycling in places such as Australia and Europe.
Can-Am’s success is the envy of other motorcycle companies which are gradually realising they should be targeting the forgotten half of the population.
That’s why they are organising rides for IFRD on May 7:
In Sydney, Can-Am Ambassador Helen Chik, editor of the popular lifestyle magazine, Grazia, will be riding her Ryker alongside others to celebrate the day.
Helen with her Ryker
Canada
In Ontario, Olympic Games gold medalist and member of the Canadian National Women’s Hockey Team, Natalie Spooner, will join TV host, Sherry Holmes, for a group ride that’s open to Can-Am owners.
In Los Angeles, Can-Am ambassador, actress and model, Karrueche Tran, will host a ride with Can-Am Spyder and Ryker owners.
In 28 other cities around the U.S., the US Spyder Ryders owners’ group is holding rides to mark the occasion.
In the UK, Can-Am ambassador, Sophie Morgan, will be riding her Can-Am Ryker with others to take part in the day’s efforts.
In Lausanne, Switzerland, the Can-Am team based out of the BRP office there will be taking to the streets to celebrate.
In Germany, the Ladies Riding Class community, which counts about thirty members, will also hit the road for the occasion.
Latin America
In Puerto Rico, singer-songwriter, Calma Carmona, will also participate in a “GRRRL Ride” event behind the handlebars of her Can-Am Ryker.
Can-Am is inviting all women riders to “Just Ride” on May 7 to celebrate IFRD along with these riders. If you do, use #IFRD2022 to be part of the movement!
Click here for more about the Can-Am Women of On-Road program and the brand’s participation in IFRD.
Eight motorcycle jackets and five pairs of riding pants have been added to the growing list of motorcycle gear rated by the award-winning MotoCAP website so riders can compare items before buying.
MotoCAP has now tested a total of 443 jackets, gloves and pants and now includes helmet safety and comfort ratings.
In the latest round of testing, RST Kevlar Tech Pro CE Mens denim pants and BMW PaceGuard textile pants were the highest performing, receiving four out of five stars for safety.
BMW Paceguard gear
The BMW PaceGuard pants are now the highest performing non-denim textile pants for safety and also received ten out of ten for water resistance.
The new ratings for jackets can be viewed here. The new ratings for pants can be viewed here.
The online site also allows readers to view items side by side for easier comparisons before buying.
It is based on evidence from crash injury research and the test protocols of the current industry standard. It is an initiative of state automobile clubs and transport departments.
In 2019, MotoCAP, has won a Fédération Internationale de Motocyclisme (FIM) road safety award.
MotoCAP is a partnership between Transport for NSW, State Insurance Regulatory Authority (SIRA), VicRoads, Transport Accident Commission (TAC), Royal Automobile Club of Victoria (RACV), Department of Transport and Main Roads (TMR), Motor Accident Insurance Commission (MAIC), Lifetime Support Authority (LSA), the Department for Infrastructure and Transport, Western Australian Police: Road Safety Commission, Department of State Growth, Insurance Australia Group (IAG), Australian Motorcycle Council and Accident Compensation Corporation in New Zealand.
Testing is carried out by the Deakin University Institute for Frontier Materials on behalf of the MotoCAP partners.
All gear rated so far has been obtained through a secretive buying system to guarantee integrity.
Riders seem to cop more road rage than other motorists.
This could be because we are seen as road menaces, making loud noises, zipping through the traffic (even though filtering is legal) and skipping to the front of the queue at the lights.
It could also be because we are seen as non-threatening because of our size. It’s easy to menace another road user if you are in a big pickup and they are on a scooter or motorcycle!
And if we react to road rage, we are likely to come off second best.
So, as riders, we have to learn to avoid it and/or live with it and not react which can escalate the situation.
“Unfortunately, it seems to involve individuals from all road user groups as both the victims and the perpetrators,” he says.
“Motorcyclists and bicyclists are of course the most vulnerable due to the lack of physical protection around them. But the fundamentals of personal safety of the roads are no different to anywhere else,” he says.
Now Aussie car rental company StressFreeCarRental.com have come up with a guide to tackling road rage before it occurs.
Their following tips are relevant to all motorists and riders can certainly learn something from them:
Stay in the right: It is never a good idea to copy what another driver has done on the road, if they have undertaken a bad or wrong move. In the heat of the moment, it may seem a good idea to try to replicate them or make a gesture towards them, but it is unproductive. Stay grounded and level-headed.
Emotional intelligence: Often people get behind the wheel when there has been an argument in their life, and they may feel very down or frustrated. Then they have to turn their attention to driving, with the potential to put themselves, their passengers and other road users in danger. Always take a few moments to prepare for your journey at these times.
Music: This can be a good diversion from the stresses of the day. By playing some classical music or your favourite track, it can impact your mood for the better and enable you to counter stressful situations more readily.
Dangers of eye contact: People who feel they have been wronged on the road may have the natural instinct to look at the driver in the other vehicle, but this is rarely a good idea. If a situation has the potential to escalate, making eye contact with the other driver is not a good idea.
Time: it is worthwhile allowing some ‘injury time’ in footballing terms for your journey, to ensure you are not racing against the clock to reach your chosen destination and meaning you won’t get as frustrated in a traffic hold-up.
Flexible thinking: No matter how good people are at driving for the majority of the time, mistakes happen. Don’t allow yourself to get swept away with anger if you see something has gone wrong on the road in front – stay focussed to know how to avoid danger and remain calm.
Here’s your chance to own some amazing motorcycle memorabilia including helmets owned by famous racers such as Mike Hailwood, Joe Dunlop and Marco Simoncelli.
The contents of the Phil Morris Road Racing Museum, one of the world’s largest collections of motorcycle racing memorabilia and motorcycle spares is to be offered by Bonhams in an online auction from Monday April 18 to May 3.
Phil was a schoolboy trials racer who graduated to four-wheels competing in the RAC Rally.
He is known in British racing circles as a sponsor and team owner and started collecting motorcycle memorabilia in the 1970s.
In 2001 added machines to the mix when he bought back his first Ariel.
Phil set up a dedicated space for the collection in 2007 when it had outgrown his home and his then wife’s patience. Forty to sixty people would visit every Thursday until the doors closed with the first lockdown last year.
His collection is one of the world’s largest arrays of rare sets of spares, matching helmets and leathers for the GP bikes, Moto 2 and Moto 3 motorcycles, raced, worn and won by some of the most famous names on two wheels, such as Phil Read, Joey Dunlop, Mike Hailwood and Kenny Roberts.
More than 330 lots are offered in the online sale, running from Phil’s Museum in Oswestry, dubbed ‘The Church’ by Isle of Man TT rider Rob Barber.
The auction follows the successful sale of racing motorcycles in Phil’s collection in the 2021 Autumn Stafford Sale.
Harley-Davidson is replacing the old-favourite 883 Sportster with a new liquid-cooled 975cc Nightster.
It is arriving now in Australian and New Zealand showrooms at $A23,995 in black ($NZ25,495) and $A24,300 in grey or red ($26,330).
This is the first of the 975cc versions of the liquid-cooled Revolution 1250cc engines which have been fitted to the new Pan America adventure bike and the Sportster S which replaced the 1200cc Sportsters.
Pan America Special
Sportster S
Consequently we can soon expect a 975cc Pan America version in the showrooms.
Meanwhile, the “Night” moniker which is familiar from the old Night Train and Night Rod is returning with the entry level 975 Nightster.
It is powered by a 975cc version of the Revolution V-twin with 67kW of power, which is a massive set down in power from the Pan America with 112kW of power and the downtuned Sportster S at 90kW.
However, the interesting thing is that Harley even nominates a power rating which they had rarely done before the advent of these new motors.
More importantly, the new motor packs 95Nm of usable torque at just 5000 revs.
Harley says it has less mechanical noise thanks to hydraulic valve lash adjustment which also reduces service costs, although I see service intervals are still at 8000km.
The balanced engine also now runs smoother than the juddering 883 Sportsters.
Other features of the bike are mid-foot controls, low-rise bars and a low 705mm seat which means the rider sits “in” the bike rather than “on” it like with new Sportster S.
Compared with its bigger Sportster S brother, there are no bronze accents, the pipes are lower and leaner, and there is a more conventional round headlight set into a mini cowl.
Harley says the engine is a structural component of the chassis and the tail section is aluminium which both help to reduce weight, yet it still weighs in at 218kg with a full 11.7-litre tank.
Actually the “tank” is an airbox and the fuel is stored in a plastic tank under the seat for a lower centre of gravity. There is no fuel cap as such with the filler hidden under the hinged solo seat.
The company has again employed the tried and trusted 41mm Showa Dual Bending Valve conventional forks and twin emulsion-technology shock absorbers with coil springs.
Lean angle is now 32 degrees which is similar to the Softail models.
Company boss Jochen Zeitz describes the Nightster as “a canvas for creativity and personalisation”, which usually is code for “basic”.
However, Nightster comes with a suite of electronic rider aids including traction control, a torque-slip control to prevent rear wheel lockups under downshifts and three engine modes.
All can be controlled via buttons on the handlebars.
The 4.0-inch round analogue speedometer is augmented by an inset multi-function LCD display on the handlebar riser.
It comes with LED lighting including their literally brilliant Daymaker headlight.
Harley-Davidson Nightster with accessories
As expected, there is a host of dedicated accessories including higher bars and a pillion seat.
Harley-Davidson Nightster tech specs
Price
$A23,995 in black ($NZ25,495), $A24,300 in grey or red ($26,330).
The 2022 Australian Touratech open day will be held at the company’s newly renovated Adventure Centre at Carboor, in Victoria’s beautiful and adventurous high country on May 28.
In the past, the event has been held in Myrtleford or Bright, Victoria, and over the perevious two years it was cancelled by the pandemic.
The Adventure Centre is at 1933 Carboor Everton Rd, Carbour, where you can learn all about the German company’s latest adventure accessories, camping goods, riding gear and other products.
You can also sharpen your off-roading skills with help from the experts and meet like-minded adventurers and hear their stories.
More details on activities, guests and the overall schedule will be available soon.
Meanwhile, you can register your interest by clicking here.
They usually arranged some interesting routes to get you to the venue on some of the region’s best roads.
We have included the routes from last year – one from the north starting in Albury, the other from the south starting in Mansfield.
Specialised routes to the Aussie Touratech Open Day:
Back in black
The famed German motorcycle accessory company was bailed out of a voluntary insolvency in 2017 after an increased demand in sales saw them unable to fulfil many orders – attributed mostly to the late completion of their new factory and showroom.
The new owner is interior design and accessory manufacturer Happich who took over on January 1, 2018.
The motorcycle sales boom that happened in the wake of the first pandemic lockdown appears to be over.
Sales of motorcycles, scooters and ATVs in Australia dropped by more than 10% in the first quarter.
While there are no reasons given, it could be a combination of the threat of rising interest rates, inflation, a looming election, supply chain issues and the war in Ukraine.
The Federal Chamber of Automotive Industries figures for the first quarter of 2022 show 24,338 motorcycles, scooters and OHVs were sold, a drop of 10.7% on the first quarter in 2021.
This follows a record 13.4% increase last year, mainly led by off-road motorcycle sales.
On the release of those figures, FCAI Chief Executive Tony Weber said that despite pandemic restrictions limiting access to showrooms, the new motorcycle, scooter and OHV market in Australia remained positive.
Tony Weber
He gave no reason for the drop this year, but says bikes and scooters are the answer in times of rising fuel prices.
“In a period of rising fuel costs and increased congestion, now is the time for States and Territories to implement nationally consistent licensing regulations for motorcycles and scooters,” he says.
“Enabling more motorists to move to motorcycles and scooters is a key tool in helping to lower the cost of living and reducing the amount of time road users spend in traffic.”
In the first quarter, off-road motorcycles again led with 39.6% of the market, but the 9644 sales were a decrease of 17.2%.
Road motorcycles accounted for 9723, which is 39.9% of total sales, up 12%.
The OHV market recorded a drop of 40% to 3275, representing 13.5% of the market.
Scooters made up the smallest portion of first-quarter sales with 1696, an increase of 15% and a 7% market share.
“Motorcycles, scooters and OHVs are a crucial element in the lives of many Australians, be it on the road or for recreation.” Tony says.
FCAI figures
It should be noted that the official FCAI figures don’t necessarily mean a lot these days.
The supposed “peak body for the automotive industry in Australia” now represents a dwindling number of importers who pay to be members.
While several manufacturers who are not members may be minor players, CFMoto is not included and it is most likely in the top 10 sellers in Australia.
Plus scooter sales are possibly much higher as most scooters sold are 50cc models from Asian manufacturers who are not FCAI members and therefore not included in the figures.
The figures now only provide the breakdown in classes (road, off-road, OHV and scooters) and do not include the top 10 sellers in each category such as sports bikes, enduro, tourers, cruisers, learners, etc.
So riders now have no idea how their brand, model and category is performing which used to be a good indicator of resale value.
The figures used to include a list of the top sellers by manufacturer, but now riders have no indication of which manufacturers might be desperate for sales and offer discounts.
Now she is once again asking Aussies to be involved in an international survey.
“We all know that sometimes replacement parts can be expensive and not always easy to find. So, it makes sense to ask riders about their experiences and the cost of getting their bikes repaired as well as finding replacement parts,’ she says.
The survey aims to identify the cost of motorcycle repairs, in particular those motorcycle parts sold by motorcycle manufacturers (OEMs), the independent sector and second-hand dealers or salvage yards.
The objective is to understand parts pricing in general as well as the cost of repairing motorcycles by dealers, repair shops or independent mechanics in different countries in order to compare the costs of maintaining a motorcycle.
For a motorcyclist, the replacement of any particular part because of wear or damage can be a costly affair.
What this survey intends to discover is where the cost of specific parts and repairs are the most expensive or cheapest to offer riders information so that hopefully they can get better deals.
There are 12 questions in this survey plus extra space at the end of the survey so that riders can give us their views and provide information that they think might be useful.
The survey is anonymous and none of the questions are mandatory.
The survey ends on 31st July 2022 and the findings should be ready to publish in October 2022.
