THE NIKEN GT, ON TOUR

"…TIGHT AND SWEEPING CURVES, ONE OF THE LONGEST CLIMBS IN THE COUNTRY…"

You know how it is. As soul-satisfying as washing the garden and mowing the dog is… the impulse to get on the bike eventually becomes irresistible. When Coolangatta accommodation at 60 per cent off came up, it was time to commit. Add in the Niken GT I tested for the last issue was still available and it was a no-brainer.

My ability to get rained on is legendary; my riding friends call me the “Kiss of Death”. Departure day from Newcastle went exactly to script. We’d had no rain for three months, then, two days before lift-off, the Hunter scored 150mm. We needed it, but also perfect for bringing oil up to the road surface. The rain continued to my breakfast stop at Gloucester, and so did the slipperiest conditions I’ve ever encountered. Even the Niken’s leach-like grip was tested. Gentle applications of throttle or brake had the electronics — traction control and ABS — active. Tricky, but no heart-in-the-mouth stuff. Might have been different on two wheels.

Gloucester is a recommended fuel/cafe stop;