Australian Road Rider

I’ve ridden the future, and it’s electric. Literally — the electric motor is the future of two-wheeled propulsion. It might be the future, but it’s not the now, at least for most people, most of the time. The Harley-Davidson LiveWire is the first ma

Due to go on sale officially in Europe on October 1st, the Bimota Tesi H2 — a new generation of hub-centre steered machines from the iconic sportsbike manufacturer — should be available for order soon. When it was unveiled in late 2019, we wondered i

Suzuki was incorporated as a company — to build weaving looms — in 1920, and to celebrate there’s a range of 100th Anniversary GSX-Rs coming. Based around the retro-inspired livery of the 2020 Suzuki MotoGP GSX-RR machine, the new GSX-Rs look cool an

Indian has announced updates for numerous models in 2021, from new paint for the lighter Scout machines to new bikes in the touring and cruiser ranges. The Vintage Dark Horse is “for riders who want timeless style with a mean attitude”. Standard feat

Being with Brum — much-loved industry personality Neale Brumby — made you feel special; his blazing personality, unbounded optimism, intelligence and sheer joy for life were infectious and he didn’t know how not to share them. Everything he did was d

Triumph is building a new Trident, and it’s going to be LAMS approved for new riders in Australia. The new naked roadster is being shown off firstly as a design prototype, with images of the complete bike coming soon and bikes we can all ride in 2021

BMW has announced updates to 10 models for 2021, including new colours, dynamic options and customisability. Changes and updates have been made to the following bikes: • R Series: R 1250 R & RS • K Series: • K 1600 GT, GTL, B, Grand America • S Serie

Honda’s venerable CT110 has likely been the vehicle of choice for your postie for decades — indeed, I was involved in testing one for Two Wheels back in the 1990s. Now you can buy an updated version, the CT125, from your friendly Honda dealer. For Se

The first electric road bike from a mainstream manufacturer, the LiveWire is new, different and like nothing else from Harley-Davidson — ever. It’s a sportsbike, for a start — probably a deliberate move on the part of the Motor Co to prevent cannibal

“Don’t it always seem to go, that you don’t know what you’ve got ’til it’s gone.” So sang Canadian chanteuse Joni Mitchell in her 1970 hit, “Big Yellow Taxi”. Fifty years on, the words ring loud and clear. My battle with lung cancer continues apace.

Yamaha’s MT-09 has been a big seller because it’s a big bike in a small chassis. It looks great and the pricing is very, very affordable. For most buyers, the handling is fine. But not everyone. For that reason we have the MT-09SP — fully adjustable

Belting along Australia’s backroads requires a touring bike that is comfortable and capable — and Suzuki has delivered just that with the 2020 V-Strom 1050XT. We rode the new V-Strom on good bitumen, crappy backroads, hard-packed gravel and even some

The new boy on the block (and coming soon to ARR), Triumph’s Tiger is very much aimed at the same market as the V-Strom. With a little less capacity but three pots, with British style rather than Japanese, the latest Tiger looks like a strong competi

The affordable dream bike is out there, but it’s not this year’s model. If you’re a bit strapped for cash or simply want to try a different genre of machine to the one sitting in the garage, there’s an array of high-priced, exotic machines out there

If you’ve found the bike you want and it’s interstate, don’t give up on the dream. By taking the right precautions you can have the bike in your possession quicker than you think — even if it’s on the other side of the country. Yes, there are risks a

If you go searching for information about the 790 Adventure, you’ll find it’s almost all about the “R” model, the big-selling off-road focussed “Tough Guy” R version. The base-model KTM 790 Adventure has been the bridesmaid. The standard Adventure, w

Cheaper, lighter, less powerful and does not feature anything like the level of tech as the KTM. The new Yamaha might offer what you need if that’s more off-road capability. The latest and greatest triples from Triumph look to be even more versatile

The world is in lockdown. International travel, especially by, motorcycle is off. COVID-19 has turned the world upside down. But we’re lucky buggers to live on an island in a sparsely populated country. Don’t ignore our own backyard. Motorcycle trave

Summer is the best time to see the high country, and there’s no better place to base yourself to experience the rides, roads or deserted bush tracks than Bright in Victoria’s North East. Bright is a tourist town and caters for all levels, from tent s

Readers older than me might remember when road bikes were sold with 19in front wheels and everyone expected they would be ridden on dirt roads, at least occasionally. Not so much today. I bet you know people who won’t ride their bike down a gravel dr

The little Honda is bigger than the Kawasaki and those extra cubes are nice to have, especially for highway riding. However, the suspension on the Versys is a bit better, it’s cheaper and lighter. A single-cylinder machine from a company with its ro

The Hunter Valley, less than two hours’ ride north of Sydney, is a fabulous area to visit by bike. There are some awesome roads to the region from the south, north and west, and when you’re there there’s lots to explore, do and experience. The Putty,

You are just as wealthy as the world’s richest man, Jeff Bezos, when it comes to one thing: time. Like the man who established Amazon, you have 24 hours in a day, and using them effectively can make for more riding in places where it’s good to ride.

Using Google Maps, Apple Maps or one of the many mapping apps is fine, to a point. Changing your route is next to impossible if you leave an area of mobile service and finding the most enjoyable, rather than most direct, route is difficult. There are

TomTom is a name synonymous with GPS navigation. A Dutch-based multinational company with 4500 employees, its maps are used by many motor vehicle and phone manufacturers. The Rider 550 is the company’s only dedicated motorcycle navigator. Priced at $

The Rider 550 will suit touring riders looking for smart technology to help them find great roads, those who like to plan multi-day trips or complicated rides taking in great biking roads, anyone who wants a view of their route ahead, and the current

Beeline is a smart navigation device that is controlled by your smartphone. You plan your trip via its app and then use the Beeline to get you there. Created by (push bike) cyclists and launched as a Kickstarter project, the founders soon realised th

Garmin is a multi-billion-dollar American corporation founded on GPS technology. It now provides mapping info for automotive, military, sport, aviation and many other applications. Garmin produces the Zumo 396 LMT-S (4.3in) and Zumo XT (5.5in) motorc

Motodry’s Rapid is a protective, mesh-ventilated and armoured jacket which is designed for Aussie summers. With more rain falling in the summer months for many parts of Australia, we need full waterproofing, so the Rapid comes with a 100 per cent wat

The high ranges of the Rift and Atlas Mountains, the Western Sahara dunes and the culture those natural wonders helped develop drew us to Morocco. Its long history of civilisation, colonisation and subsequent cultural diversity is as broad as its lan

The sign on the wall was ominous: “Bear was given 10-80 on 3-3-04 which killed him.” The thought of Bear, hopefully someone’s pet, being given sodium fluoroacetate poison, had the theme from Deliverance in my head. Welcome to Terowie, South Australia

Every issue we’re giving away this beaut pack of Motul cleaning gear worth $49.95. All you have to do to be in with a chance of winning is send us a pick of your shining steed and we’ll pick what we think is the best shot and comment and the top blok

Turns out lots of people have gotten around to fixing things during COVID-19 lockdowns, me included. So much so independent workshops, those with mechanics willing to work on older machinery, often now have waiting lists stretching into months as peo