Australian Motorcycle News

Australian Motorcycle News covers all things motorcycling from around the world, featuring new-model releases as well as comprehensive bike comparisons and race reports in every issue.

ED’S DESK.

Australian Motorcycle News

AUS-BOUND ADVENTURE BIKES • Australian type-approval documents answer big questions on the adventure market’s immediate future

TWO NEW V-STROM 800S

GIRDER FORK FOR CB1000R • Oddball suspension previewed in Honda patent document

BENDA VTR300 FLAPS ITS WINGS

UPDATED ZX-6R FOR 2024

TWO NEW 400CC CRUISERS

BRIEFS. • YOUR QUICK FIX

HOT & NOT • AMCN’S THERMOMETER

THE YEAR WAS… 2015

TOTALLY $HITHOUSE • When Pete Miller started the The $hithouse ADV Rider Facebook page a year ago, he had no idea how big it would grow in such a short period of time

ACCESS.

SOCIALS. • WHAT YOU SAID

SPOT THE DIFFERENCE • The old campfire banter at the end of a big day on the bikes. Spot the five changes Fred made to this image, email us your answers (and your postal address) and you could win a neck sock.

THE ACCESSIBLE ADVENTURER • Honda pitches its CB500X as an adventure bike that can still cut it in the city commute. Does it live up to the spiel?

YOU WANT MORE?

THE COMPETITION

MAGNIFICENT SEVEN • There are seven bikes in AMCN’s 2023 adventure test line-up and, while not direct competitor s, they all bring something special to the table

HOW WE DID THIS?

THE SHORTLIST • …in alphabetical order

THE CREW • JUST LIKE THE TEST FLEET, THE AMCN ADVENTURE RIDERS COME IN VARIOUS SIZES AND CONFIGURATIONS! AND HERE THEY ARE…

EATS DIRT • IT MIGHT BE THE SMALLEST BIKE OF THE GROUP, BUT THE APRILIA TUAREG 660 IS A BIG-HITTER ONCE THE BLACKTOP TURNS TO DIRT

WORLD CUP • IF YOU WANT A BIG-BORE ADVENTURE BIKE FOR SERIOUSLY LONG-DISTANCE TOURING, IT’S HARD TO GO PAST THE VENERABLE BMW R 1250 GS

FULLY LOADED • HERE’S A BIKE LOADED WITH HIGH-TECH KIT, COMFORT AND CONVENIENCE FEATURES, BUT WITHOUT THE FULLY LOADED PRICE TAG

X FACTOR • THE DESERTX ISN’T YOUR TYPICAL LATTE-LOCATING DUCATI: THIS IS A SERIOUS MILE MUNCHER BOTH ON THE ROAD AND OFF IT

JOURNEYMAN • OUTSTANDING OFF-ROAD CHOPS AND CRANKING OUT KAYS IN COMFORT:, IS THERE ANYTHING THE 890 ADVENTURE R CAN’T DO?

THE BIG RIG • SUZUKI’S RAMPED UP THE OFF-ROAD PERFORMANCE WITHOUT LOSING THE TOURING ABILITY THAT’S MADE IT SO POPULAR

TRIPLE TREAT • AS ALL-ROUNDERS GO, THE TIGER IS NEARLY AS GOOD AS IT GETS. AND WITH STACKS OF FRUIT, IT REPRESENTS EXCELLENT VALUE

HORSES FOR COURSES • NEWCOMERS, STALWARTS, HIGH-TECH AND SUPERB SIMPLICITY…

2023 ADV TEST SPECIFICATIONS

HAPPY HOUR • We convince an adventure riding veteran to swap his DR650 for KTM’s most accessible all-roads offering

THE SINGLE LIFE

ABC OF ADVENTURE • A beginner’s guide to off-road tomfoolery

WHOLE SHOT

RED RIDING HOOD • Experienced adventure rider or not, if you’re a Ducati rider it’s well worth getting along to a DRE Adventure Academy

“I AVERAGED ONLY FOUR HOURS SLEEP PER NIGHT FOR 16 DAYS” • The Dakar has changed significantly over the last two decades, and not necessarily for the better. Here are some first-hand accounts from assistance crews and riders

ROLAND BRUCKNER • When it comes to Dakar experience, few can match the 23 Dakar Rallies that Roland Bruckner has attended. Add to that, the Bavarian has been part of the winning KTM team an astonishing 12 times! For 10 years, Roland was the personal mechanic of five-time Dakar champion Cyril Despres, and until recently worked at the KTM Factory in Austria. I caught up with ‘Rollie’ to find out more about his rally achievements...