Welcome to the first edition of Strapzagram

Righto, the plan is that this will be a quarterly e-mag that I hope will entertain and interest you all without being a pain in the arse, junk mail. That’s the key. I really want to avoid that as I hate it myself, and there’s no reason to expect you to like it either. I will try my level best to make something you look forward to receiving. Opt in or out at any time. I respect your privacy and your right not to be bothered by me.

This edition features a quick note from that doyen of Aussie motorcycling, The Bear and also a word from the Mayor de Moto, Bertrand Cadart.

I hope to get a wide range of contributions and keep it fresh and worth opening when it hits your inbox. You are welcome to send in stories, feedback, jokes, pictures or sprays, anything motorcycling. The more interesting the better, weird is good! Naturally, I will have to reserve the right to publish or not, in part or whole. I have no desire to share a cell with Bubba.

I'm also very keen to know what you think of this magazine format. I'm aware that reading off a monitor screen is not ideal so I'd like to know if this newsletter is useable.

Cheers, Andy

The Two Second GapI’m right onto it when it comes to the safe following distance... Two Seconds... right?

Designed to create enough room to take evasive action... or even stop if something goes balls up in front. You all know how to calculate it. Wait until the vehicle ahead passes a white marker post and count... one Harley Davidson, two Harley Davidson.

You, over the back! Siddown and turn around!I reckon that many of the notices regarding “Following too Closely” has unfortunately been posted out to citizens requesting to renew their Spotted Axolotyl Licenses. Instead of motor vehicle operators ticket.

Commuters know that the two second gap represents a glaring opportunity for a B Double, a Toorak taxi (piloted by the obligatory platinum blonde), two white vans, three P plated Barinas festooned in Frangipani flowers ... a tray-back courier ute and.... of course 1.7 motorcycle couriers...

My self preservation urge is constantly competing with the need to stay out of the splinter zone. And... stopping the bastards pinching my bloody spot!

Now, sense tells me that there is little advantage in being impatient on the roads. But, you try telling that to the bloke that puts my helmet on in the mornings!

Rude, ignorant shits really get to him after the first 20 minutes.

Come the revolution...

Death Valley StrapzIf, like The Bear, you find yourself riding into

the Valley of Death – and without the rest of the boys along – then an Andy Strapz AA Bagz

is what you want for your luggage. Plenty of room for wampum and travellers’ cheques, as well as a convenient luggage net in the lid that can hold your clothes as you start taking them off.

Why would you take your clothes off? Well, apart from any number of other reasons, because it gets hot. The temperature at the Stovepipe Wells ranger station was 46° – in the shade.

Well done, that AA Bagz!

The Bear

From my InboxChildren: We spend the first two years teaching them to walk and talk. Then spend the next 16 years telling them to sit down and shut up!

A computer once beat me at chess but it was no contest when it came to kick boxing.

If your bike could travel at the speed of light... would your headlights still work?

The lengths some blokes will go to to test Expedition Pannierz.

Mad Mal regularly tries to trash his bike to “put them through their paces.”

* If you use the dishwasher to wash bike parts ...make sure they are hers!

* Never cook Thai Food in the nude. Olek Sambal and genitals don't mix.

* Take care when minding the kids (or grandkids) and doing bike repairs they love to pinch tappet covers and use them in the sand pit.

* It is much better to stuff flowers down the front of yer jacket and wreck them than not make the "effort"

With the Sydney airport, outlaw trouble fresh in my mind this passage from Time Magazine quoted in Hunter S. Thompson’s, Hell’s Angels (Pan, 1967) stood out.

...all local law enforcement agencies have now been supplied with dossiers on each member of the Hell’s Angels and on similar gangs, and set up a co-ordinated intelligence service that will try to track down the hoods wherever they appear. “They will no longer be allowed to

threaten the lives, peace and security of honest citizens of our state,” said Attorney General Lynch. To that thousands of Californians shuddered a grateful amen".

The more things change eh!

We still have the political grandstanding and good old Law and Order distraction agenda while the pollies are doing who knows what to feather their nests.

DN01I recently had a call from Honda who wanted me to adapt my luggage to the DN01. Being a cheeky bugger I said "Sure, lend me one for a couple of weeks". Low and behold one was waiting at Jeffreys Honda a week later.

My first thought was that Honda should take some care as to how they store their bikes. Allowing a Gold Wing and a Jetski to mate has its consequences. Undoubtedly a bold move from the big H, by releasing an automatic bike that is part cruiser, part scooter and part sports bike was always going to be a big risk. Good on 'em for having a go. We need manufacturers to break the mould to keep styling moving forward.

I love the retro styling of the last few years, Triumph's Thruxton and now Moto Guzzi with the V7 Classic are fine examples of the art but that has a limited future, there are only so many classic designs to copy.

I fear that Honda will take a financial hit on this model because as much as we might talk change, we spend conservative. A shame really, manufacturers should be rewarded for pushing the envelope.

What is it and where does it fit in? The DN01 is an interesting bike but maybe it's not design that scares off buyers, but identity. It has ABS and Combined/Linked brakes but not heated grips. It has sports bike tyres and brakes but foot boards and bull horn bars. The screen is only there for looks. As a commuter the forward mounted mirrors are just the wrong height and position to lane split efficiently.

What's it like to ride. In a word... EASY. In that Honda way, everything works, quietly and efficiently. The 680cc V Twin motor from the Transalp is docile but punches out enough power to do almost any job from touring to commuting. Losing your licence would not be a problem. A fizz through the hills is quite entertaining. The Auto shift has a semi-manual, sports mode and once used to it I found I could punt it along much quicker than I imagined it would when I picked it up.

Who will buy this? Well it's light, low and easy to ride so that would fit a lot of bills really. As a down size or an intermediate upsize bike it would work on many levels. One of my customers is very happy around town on his wife's, leaving the Goldwing at home, even when going out two up. Will it be bought... let's wait and see.

Product review: Flip Front HelmetsI reckon I’m allowed to review products I have bought and used. Actually as a designer I’m arrogant enough to think I have something to contribute. If a bike designer can critique bike design in two wheels I can have my two bobs worth in MY newsletter!

I favour the flip front style helmet as I wear glasses, I like the ease of getting it on and off. I also like the clean air flush I get when cruising through a town. The current Australian Standard does not require chin bars to be tested so it is still an unknown factor.

Like all equipment, be it camping, cooking or motorcycling the rule of diminishing returns applies. An $1000 helmet is not 5 times as good as a one you'd pay 200 Oxfords for, but you always get what you pay for in the cheaper price brackets.

Over the last few years I have been through three white (what other colour would you wear in Oz?) flip front helmets. Weight is the other consideration and to be honest I'm not left with much of an opinion as to what the difference is between them.

Starting with the RXT Duo at a RRP of $199. The fit was great, very snug. I could wear it for hours without any pressure points giving me a bonce ache. Constructed of ABS plastic and featuring well... not much extra really. The ventilation system just worked but was less than ideal. From day one I was a bit dubious of the visor mechanism. It had no ratchet feel and fit was pretty ordinary. Water would leak down the inside in the rain and the whole chin bar needed dismantling to remove the visor. All in all a cheap helmet but a comfy one.

Next step was the HJC Sy-max version at a current RRP of $495. Again a snug and comfy brain bucket with removable, washable lining and better ventilation. The liquid sunshine still trickles down the inside visor though. The action was more positive and stayed a little freer of fogging. The chin bar locking never filled me with a great amount of confidence as it would over-ride inward if pushed with my hand. A blind fell on it when it was open in a motel and cracked the lining foam. To be fair these things are designed to be protective only when connected to the bits they lock into but I still had me doots. This helmet also required the chin bar to be removed to change visors.Just a few weeks ago I bit the bullet and took the ten dollar head approach to helmet buying. I went the “whole hog”

and picked up a Shoei Multi Tech at an RRP of cough, choke, splutter....$899. Really, can this bucket be four times better than the RXT or twice as good as the HJC? The short answer is no, but it is better, much better. It fits like a “finger in a bum!” Comfy from the first wear. Made of several different layers of fibreglass, “organic” fibres and dual layer internal foam I can see where the costs start to rise.

The chin bar has a very reassuring click as it is closed, it has substantial steel nipples that it attaches to rather than plastic hooks and levers in the other two. Ventilation is pretty terrific. Only when I stop at traffic lights does the visor fog up. It must be said that the dinky little pre-set anti-fog lever on the left has me a bit perplexed. I’ll have to work on the instructions some more. The face shield comes off easily with no tools required and has

yet to leak. The fit of the chin bar and visor into the helmet shell is precise.The lining is obviously removable and they have even made a channel for the arms of glasses. All in all this lid is clearly

of a higher quality and I am glad I could finally stump up the readies to put one on my scone.As the saying goes, “you get what you pay for”. So.... it seems you have to pay incrementally more as the quality

rises. However, after a close friend spent a few weeks arguing with St Peter, after a spill in a brand new helmet about entrance rights through the pearly gates. It’s worth every zac.

Strapz

Adventure? This is Adventure!Let's talk adventure touring and let's look at it in some perspective.Here’s the Mole’s Mum and Dad heading off on “holiday”. An educated guess puts it at about 1953 or 4, the Princes

Highway is yet to be sealed (which was completed in 1964 I’m told) and as you can see the gear is very basic, ex army

stuff. I just love the way this couple are set up. The front and rear back packs and the tarp lashed over the headlight.

Ah and the tennis racquet, all the essentials for the genteel couple of the day.

Aren’t we spoilt? Purpose built bikes and equipment, GPS, fuel stops

with Espresso coffee and trendy cuisine. We have heated grips,

Goretex clothing, mostly waterproof boots and bikes that rarely need

fettling on the side of the road.

Tearing apart a bike

on the side of the road

certainly takes away

some of the romance but

then again we certainly

got to know our bikes.

See ya, I’m off out the

back to design a tennis

racquet holder for the

Tiger, one must present

the right image,

mustn't one?

Dirt Riding Skills UpgradeOr How I Stopped Filling My Pants

Those of you who grew up on trailbikes... I hope your undies disappear up yer bum! Yes folks, I’m a crap trail rider. Watching Tontine and his kids who are growing up (yes he is still) on dirt I wish I had learned the skills before I learned how much it hurts to get off. Whenever I visit my mate Tontine, I get out on his dirt bikes and try to improve my dirt riding skills, embarrassing myself into the bargain, in front of his kids. Oh, the shame, the shame! They fly around the property (literally) as I wobble and graunch from jump to berm.Having said that, I do feel the benefits when I ride dirt roads now. I have much more confidence, and when things turn rough I no longer have my heart in my mouth. I have halved the numbers of pairs of undies I take on dirt road rides these days.

During recent forays I found myself mounted on an XR 250 and his new KTM 400 EXC. The XR is well sorted and is a gem of a little bike. It inspires confidence, goes well enough to get me into the Voltaren zone yet was docile enough for my teenage son to get to grips with.

A dose of dust in the morning...The Kato on the other hand is a weapon. I found myself feeling like I could ride! Not just flop around followed by the acrid waft of Dettol. Planting a foot near the front axle as I had been shown and blasting out of a soft berm saw it drifting, biting, then lofting the crossed up front wheel. Now I reckon that is one of motorcyclings’

great grin factors. The suspension is supple and controlled, much better than any of the 8 or so trial bikes I have ever ridden. Yeah, I'm a real gun rider, with err... minutes of experience!

It stops sublimely, goes like a cut cat, feels smooth and oh so controllable. The addition of the electric boot to motorcross bikes is such a boon. The Kato started easily and once warmed up never missed a beat. It lofts the front wheel with ease. I loved it! I felt at ease jumping for the first time. You go down there and watch how good I am.

A second jump posed no problems as I hit the deck under control rather than with a muffled gasp. As the photo of old form shows. Up until that weekend I was not in control of a bike enough to relax and go for a second or third jump. The 400EXC gave me that and more.

Kids growing up riding trial bikes get such a great grounding in motor vehicle control I reckon we could all give our kids a head start in sense and safety by putting time into getting them mobile in the dirt.

I wish I had the chance when I was a pup.

Ride Well!

Bonjour…

We, motorcycle riders, know very well what is a “close call”. Sweat suddenly comes out of nowhere in our helmet lining. In French we call this: “se faire une chaleur” (doing yourself a heat). This physical reaction has to be somewhat linked to the knowledge that thing would have been pretty grim and messy should the call had not been “close”.

When I naively entered the world of local politics in 2005, unlike after many years riding a motorcycle, I simply did not know that I could break in a sweat just by bringing an idea to a bunch of elected people for whom riding a motorcycle was as close as being a mortal sin.

Yet, when I proposed a motion, as a very new Councillor, that we could officially declare our municipal area “Motorcycle Friendly”, I certainly dripped with sweat from my hair follicles to the very tip of my moustache! The look I received then from the rest of the Council was as inviting as the residents of a house of ill repute following your request for them to cure you from the clap.

Over the next few issues, I shall elaborate on the tribulations of making an area of 3800 square kilometres of Tasmanian land “motorcycle friendly”. For this inaugural issue however, I will stick to a quote by my long time friend “L’Ours” (The Bear) who was of the first to be informed back in 2005; obviously making reference to the movie “Easy Rider” and probably, to a lesser extent “Deliverance”.

Frog, he said: “what does that mean, motorcycle friendly? Does that mean you don’t shoot at us?”

I knew then that I would be in for a long tortuous and challenging ride… and I sure was not wrong.

Bertrand “Le Frog” CADART.Councillor and Mayor of Glamorgan-Spring Bay (Tasmania)

www.gsbc.gov.tas.auwww.freycinetcoast.com.au

www.freycinetcoast.info

Tontine's Big Breaky?

... Huge!

Make sure you get your refunds from the bastards.Peter Hawker wants all motorcyclists in New Sarf Wheels to be aware that there is money from the Medical Care and Injury Services levy to claim back if you terminate your rego. Here is an excerpt from his reply from the Minstrel for Dollar Raking & Things that Go.

Well, that's about all I could dredge up for now.

I hope you enjoyed it. Please get involved and send me photos or contributions, events, tests or product reviews.

Talk at you in a couple of months.Strapz

You may have seen this but it tickles me every time I see it. The expressions on the faces of the people in the background is just delicious.

The humour of the Isle of Man locals. What more can I say?

New ProductsThe success of the A Bagz (30litre) and AA Bagz (18litre)

design prompted me to look at a way of adding to the

capacity without taking away any of the convenience. I

looked at placing add-ons to the top, side and front

but none really worked for me until I applied the KISS

principle and... Doh!... Put it underneath!Expansion Pakz fit beneath A and AA Bagz with exactly the

same “footprint”. The retaining straps of the Bagz slip

through loops on the Expansion Pak both front and back to

hold them securely in place. A neat and beautifully simple

solution, if I do say so myself.The A Bagz Expansion Pakz have an estimated capacity of

10 litres and the AA Bagz Expansion Pakz hold around 6.5

litres. Stiffeners are sewn in along the base, inside

webbing strips, just like A Bagz. As can be seen from the

photos they have a zipper on each end and as you have come

to expect are Made in Australia.

Available in black Cordura®For a limited time Expansion Pakz are available for a

special introductory price of $78 for the A Bagz Expansion

Pak and $65 for the AA Bagz Expansion Pak to newsletter

subscribers. Follow the links in the bold text in this

story to take up the offer.

Same old, same old

Juice’s Home Credit TipsA regular contributor, Juice has been around bikes all her life. She will share ways to keep yer nose clean at home.

“It fits like a ‘finger in a bum!’ Comfy from the first wear.”

“It lofts the front wheel with ease.”

“Yeah, I’m a real gun rider, with err... minutes of experience!”

“A fizz through the hills is quite entertaining.”