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CROSS COUNTRY RACERS WILL TWIST THROTTLES TO THE MAX Bike throttles will be twisted to the stops in the Central Hawke's Bay region this weekend as the four-round 2019 New Zealand Cross Country Championships blast off. Words and photo by Andy McGechan, www.BikesportNZ.com The nation's dirt bike elite will converge on farmland at 782 Ahiweka Road, Flemington, about 22 kilometres east of Norsewood, for round one of the series on Sunday (February 10) with all riders knowing a good result is essential if their respective bids for glory are to bear any fruit. Points from three of the four rounds only are counted towards New Zealand titles in the various categories, with riders to discard their one worst score, but that still doesn't leave a lot of room for error. Outright senior winner last season was Taupo's Brad Groombridge and he will be expected to rate among the favourites again this time around, especially considering his sharp performances at the parallel-but-separate New Zealand Motocross Championships, that series having just completed its opening round in Taranaki last weekend. Groombridge was in solid in his cross-country campaign last season, registering a 1-1-9-2 score-card over the series, and this was easily enough for him to edge out Taupo's Nathan Tesselaar – who had a 4-3-1-3 score-card for 2018 – for the outright series win, the third consecutive year that Groombridge had taken the title. Groombridge will of course be chasing title No.4 this year, although he knows to expect tough challenges from rivals such as Coatesville's Sam Greenslade, Eketahuna's Charlie Richardson, Titirangi's Callan May, Hamilton's Phil Goodwright, Bombay's Richard Sutton, Stratford's Josh Hunger, Raglan's Brandon Given and Napier's Mackenzie Wiig. The talent pool is deep in the senior grade, with riders such as Raglan's Jason Dickey, Te Awamutu's Daniel White, Stratford's Karl Roberts, Wairoa's Reece Lister, Palmerston North's James Galpin, Whanganui's Seth Reardon and Cambridge pair Seton Head and Ashton Grey also likely to feature near the front. In the junior grade, Eltham's Adam Loveridge will be aiming to hold onto the title he won last year, although Napier's Bryn Codd, the series leader early on in the 2018 series, will be looking to snatch back the ascendency. Riders such as Cambridge's Callum Paterson, Hamilton's Caleb Richardson, Raglan's Coby Rooks, Dannevirke's Ben Paterson and Cambridge's Michael Henry might have an influence on proceedings too. "The venue on Sunday is a great track and should be pretty testing," said Motorcycling New Zealand cross-country commissioner Chris Smyth. "It's a property we have used in the past and about 25 kilometres in length. It features a bit of everything. "It will be physically demanding, with steep rock ridges that will take some concentration from the riders. "A few of the rider who were juniors last season may have decided to move up to the senior ranks and we just won't know which individuals have done that until the day of the race. "A few of the other juniors from last year will have remained in the junior ranks ad they are entitled to do that until aged 17, when the jump to senior grade in compulsory." The series is supported by The Dirt Guide, Oakley goggles, Bel Ray oils and Michelin tyres. NZ Cross Country Championships calendar 2019 Round One: Sunday, February 10 - Central Hawke's Bay MCC Round Two: Sunday, March 24 - Mosgiel District MCC Round Three: Sunday, April 14 - Marlborough MCC Round Four: Saturday May 25 - Taupo MCC

CODY COOPER TAKES CHARGE AT NATIONALS OPENER The number 121 is emblazoned on the front and sides of Cody Cooper's motorcycle, an unprepossessing digit that hints at nothing more than the fact that he is not the reigning New Zealand Motocross Champion. But the rider from The Mount took first place at the first round of the 2019 New Zealand Motocross Championships nonetheless. Words and photo by Andy McGechan, www.BikesportNZ.com But that could be set to change this season as the man from Mount Maunganui launched his bid for top honours in the premier MX1 class at the first of four rounds for the 2019 Fox New Zealand Motocross Championships in Taranaki on Sunday. Coincidentally, those same digits were also the same ones that could be used to register his results at the Barrett Road Motocross Park, on the outskirts of New Plymouth, Cooper finishing the day with a 2-1-1 score-card, enough to give him a three-point edge over his nearest threat, defending champion Kirk Gibbs. Australian visitor Gibbs finished the day 1-2-2 to settle for the runner-up position, while Mangakino's Kayne Lamont chimed in with three third placings and he took the third step on the MX1 podium. Lamont is just nine points behind Gibbs. Cooper is a six-time former New Zealand MX1 champion and did not take kindly to losing his crown to Gibbs last season, something he is determined to rectify this year, his performance in Taranaki on Sunday certainly setting him on the right path to achieve that. Cooper is in hot form at the moment – he won the MX1 class at the annual Honda New Zealand Motocross Grand Prix at Woodville a week ago. But what Cooper craves most is winning the national title and there is actually still a long way to go before he can relax, with another three tough events (and nine races) to survive in the coming weeks. "I was trying to tippy-toe around the track today, to not make any mistakes," said Cooper. "There are parts of this Taranaki track where you can be pushing and feel good and then suddenly it all lets go. "As long as I was in the hunt for the title when I left here today I would be happy and I'm actually leading the way, so that's even better." Meanwhile, West Aucklander Hamish Harwood is on target to make it a fourth consecutive MX2 (250cc) class title win this season after he finished 2-2-1 in the three MX2 races on Sunday. That score-card put him nine points ahead of another visiting Australian, Wilson Todd, while Mangakino's Maximus Purvis equalled Todd's points tally, but settled for the third step on the MX2 podium thanks to the count-back rule. Ironman Harwood also took charge in the 125cc class, winning all three races there on Sunday, with Tauranga's Brodie Connolly and Ngatea's Ben Broad completing the 125cc podium. Harwood is nine points clear of Connolly, with Broad six points further back in third. The MX2 class battle-within-a-battle for under-19 honours went to Purvis, with Australian Morgan Fogarty and Hamilton's Reef Wheki rounding out that podium. Round two of the 2019 Fox New Zealand Motocross Championships is set for Rotorua in just two weeks' time (on February 17). Round three follows at Pukekohe on February 24 and, finally, the nationals wrap up at Taupo on March 10. Round one of the 2019 Fox New Zealand Motocross Championships was additionally supported by Mach 1 Yamaha, while Patterson O'Connor Motorcycles supports round two, Ebbett Pukekohe supports round three and Yamalube supports round four.

We've already covered the Top 5 pieces of technology your bike doesn't need, now let's take a more positive track and look at the Top 5 must-have features you want your motorcycle to have next time you're in the market. LED Lighting More reliable, brighter, and often much better looking, LED lights are more than an exercise in electrical efficiency. Not only do they look significantly better than conventional lights, LEDs can also be programmed for different uses. One such use is demonstrated by the big 1290 KTMs, which feature corning headlights which illuminated around the corner as you lean the bike in. It's trick stuff, but one day will hopefully be more mainstream. The other benefit is you don't have to worry so much about your lights durability. LEDs are pretty reliable, and generally won't completely fail like a conventional lightbulb will unless there is an issue with the power source. Then we have the brightness factor. LEDs simply put out a much brighter light for your watts. Drawing less power to produce more light is a win win, because it means your electrical system is less taxed and you can add accessories without the fear of overburdening your electrics. ABS Braking Yes it's an "electronic safety aid" which makes those riders with balls of steel scoff, but that doesn't mean that ABS braking systems aren't worth their weight in gold. While the more adventurous among us may also scorn ABS for its negative effect off sealed roads, for the majority of Kiwi riders they will be spending the majority of their time on road dodging traffic and splittin' lanes and an extra safety net is a welcome one. Yes, it is true that ABS does NOT reduce your stopping distance compared to a trained rider modulating their brakes, but it does prevent your wheels from locking up which keeps you more in control of your bike in those 'oh, shit!' moments. TFT Instrumentation This is a guilty pleasure of many in motorcycling journalism circles, but you've got to admit, there is something quite sexy about a full colour and crystal clear dash. While the first time we really knew of a Thin Film Transistor LCD dash - or TFT - being used on a motorcycle was the 2015 Yamaha YZF-R1, the technology has been adopted by the majority of mainstream manufacturers due to how easy it is to build a rider friendly user interface in to them. Not only that, but man do they look great and the shear amount of information you have available with a TFT is unlike anything a more traditional dash can match. Heated Grips Seriously, don't knock 'em until you've tried 'em! If there is one crucial part of your body you want to keep warm and in good knick while riding – it's your hands! While you also want to keep your core body temperature up to avoid generally going into hypothermia, your hands are critically important to the control of your bike. Heated grips are more than a creature comfort - especially if you ride in a colder climate at times and if the option is there it does pay to tick it. Factory heated grips (such as the Triumph Bonneville ones pictured) are unobtrusive and not an eyesore when not in use. Sure, you can always add heated grips down the track, but controllers for them often look out of place in the cockpit and if they don't have a low power kill switch built in they can run you battery flat if you forget to turn them off at the end of your ride. A Comfortable Seat It shouldn't be something we have to ask, but some bikes that are used on our roads may as well have a steel beam as their seat. Sometimes a good seat can be ruined just by the wrong choice of underwear or trousers on the day, but by and large there are genuinely some very uncomfortable seats that have made it into full production. [If possible] make sure you put in at least an hour while test riding bikes to get an idea of how comfortable the seat will be like on longer trips. While there are plenty of ways to improve a seat's comfort, if you're starting out with something that is comfortable to begin with it won't cause you a pain in the ass in the long run.

The Powerband Podcast's Ray Heron is a man on a mission. Loving to ride in the dirt whenever the opportunity knocks, but hating the arduous task of cleaning up after, he needed something to take the effort out of the job. Enter Motomuck. Words and Photos by Ray Heron Let’s get one thing straight from the beginning, I hate washing motorcycles. I love a clean bike, but there are so many nooks, cranneys, and fiddly bits. And no matter how long you spend washing, scrubbing, wiping, there are always bits you miss. Then you get chain lube on the rims or swing arm and that's pretty difficult to get off on top of it all. Not to mention tar spots and water marks, and if you ride your road bike year round, don't get me started on the road grime that accumulates literally everywhere… So that said, what will Motomuck do to change this? Well, before we see if it worked on our test bike, we should discuss where Motomuck came from. Motomuck was started by Hylton Pause in 2009, after he became frustrated by not being able to find a cleaner good enough for his beloved vehicles. There was a lot of testing which lead to the original Motomuck Cleaner eventually becoming the product Hylton had been looking for. The rest of the family were roped in and put to work in the manufacturing, bottling, packaging and delivering, all from the garage of the family home! Not gonna lie, that’s pretty damn cool! These days Motomuck is 100% NZ developed, and operates in bigger premises with bases in Auckland and Brisbane. Add to that the fact that Motomuck is currently endorsed by multiple NZ World Champions, iconic rally drivers, professional speedway racers, NZ Offroad Champions and many other NZ motorsport champions. They wouldn't put their name to it if it wasn't the goods would they? Motomuck also has over 300 other supported competitors who are supported via the Motomuck sponsorship program. With backing like that, it must work, right? With the bold claim of “no effort cleaning” we put Motomuck to the test on our 2003 Yamaha WR250 dirt bike. We usually clean the bike the ol’ fashioned way, that is with a bucket, sponge, standard car cleaning detergent and a pressure sprayer for the non-sensitive parts. But as stated already, the results can vary due to energy left at the end of the day and attention span. Following a four hour ride through dust, mud, and river crossings, we were satisfied the bike was sufficiently filthy and a worthy test of this “no effort cleaner”. We started by hosing the bulk of the mud and grit off the bike. Next up we sprayed the pink Motomuck cleaning solution all over the bike. Being sure not to skimp on the fiddly bits like the rear shock, around the triple clamp and the swing arm. If we’re being honest, the hardest part of this was the repetitive motion of squeezing the spray bottle trigger. Surprisingly, already some of the grime that had been on the bike for years was already starting to run off – including hardened chain lube on the swing arm! After a couple of quick coats of Motomuck (as advised by Hylton) we cracked a Fanta and gave the cleaning solution a good 5 minutes to soak in before taking the pressure sprayer to the bike. At this point I would like to be perfectly clear, we have not been paid to review this product. Hylton and the team at Motomuck have not put us under any pressure to supply a positive review. So when we say we are impressed with this product, that is the truth. We could instantly see a massive improvement. Seriously, our WR250 has actually never been cleaner. When they say “no effort” they’re not kidding. At the risk of sounding like like a laundry powder commercial, the whites are whiter, the colours are brighter and the decals and stickers haven't been damaged in the slightest. If there is any downside at all, that would have to be the need to be quite liberal with your usage of the Motomuck cleaning solution, but if that's the only downside, and it is, we struggle to see that as a reason not to use Motomuck every wash. What we are more impressed with however is the fact that we are assured this product is safe to use on plastic, metal, rubber, chrome, and anything else you find on your bike. Meaning you can use the same bottle of Motomuck on your road bike as well as your dirt bike. Regardless of weather its a Harley, Indian, KTM, BMW, Yamaha, what ever. While taking a look at the Motomuck website we were impressed at the wide range of products the company now has on offer. Everything from products for alloy wheels, Off-road vehicles and 4X4s, mountain bikes or even your lawnmower. Then there's a range of applicators and spray nozzles, and when you completely fall in love with Motomuck, you can grab some apparel and stickers too. We’re struggling to think of another product that cleans our bikes as well and with as little effort as Motomuck, though we’re willing to try as Motomuck is without a doubt THE benchmark. This is honestly a must in the garage for any motorcycle owner, not only for dirt riders, but for any motorcyclist, for removing that road grime and restoring the lustre of your ride. Motomuck, 5 stars, look for it at Repco, Supercheap Auto, or local motorcycle dealer, if they don't stock Motomuck, do them a favour and ask them to get it in.

Words and action photo by  Michael Esdaile, Takeme2. The spectacular celebration of motorcycling at Hampton Downs on March 2-3 known as the Mike Pero MotoFest welcomes a special guest this year – World Champion Chris Vermeulen. A neighbour of returning Kiwi star Simon Crafar when they were both living in Andorra, Vermeulen enjoyed a decade-long world championship racing career. There are not too many international circuits the Australian has not turned a wheel.  In his ten years in world championship racing he qualified on pole 11 times, took 15 race wins and 40 podiums in his 155 world championship appearances. Along the way he clinched the World Supersport Championship in 2003 and became the first rider to win a MotoGP race for Suzuki. But the Queenslander with a Dutch family name has never raced in New Zealand, let alone made it to a local race circuit.  That will change when he appears at the Mike Pero MotoFest at Hampton Downs on March 2-3 alongside fellow Aussies Kevin Magee and Rob Phillis as well as Kiwi stars Crafar and Aaron Slight. Although he has not raced here, he is no stranger to these shores and is keen to catch up with the many friends he has on this side of the Tasman at Hampton Downs on March 2-3. “My wife and I have been around most of the North Island and I have mountain biked in the South Island around Nelson and ridden the Heaphy Track with some mates.  I always love coming over. “My connection with the Mike Pero MotoFest is with (former New Zealand international) Stu Avant.  I met Stu a few years ago through Kevin Magee and got on straight away.  I have a lot of respect for him as a rider in his day as well.” Vermuelen says he has had New Zealand mechanics in the many teams he has raced with during his career but “the Kiwi I spent the most time with when I was living in Europe racing was Simon Crafar.  We lived in Andorra only a few kilometres from each other and used to go training and trials riding together.” “I have also spent a bit of time with Mike Webb (technical director for MotoGP) and travelled a bit, from Australia and around Europe in short breaks between races, with Brent Stephens, who is a mechanic for Valentino Rossi.” Nowadays Vermeulen lives at Maleny in the hinterland of Queensland’s Sunshine Coast, sharing a 50-acre property with his wife Toni and two daughters some cows, a few horses – and a few off-road bikes. Over the past four years he has developed a television career as a MotoGP commentator for Fox Motorsport and just like Kiwi Simon Crafar, he found the switch from world championship racer to commentator rather difficult. "When I started it was awkward and I remember thinking ‘this isn’t for me.’  However, the more I appear on camera, the more comfortable I become with it," he says. Vermeulen is naturally very much looking forward to spending time with Crafar at the Mike Pero MotoFest and comparing notes. He will ride a British Superbike Championship Suzuki GSXR1000 at Hampton Downs. For more information on the Mike Pero MotoFest weekend, go to http://www.hamptondowns.com

Australian visitors claim victory at the 2019 Honda New Zealand Motocross Grand Prix at Woodville Words and photo by Andy McGechan, www.BikesportNZ.com There was much more to the weekend's 58th annual New Zealand Motocross Grand Prix at Woodville than met the eye. In addition to its unrivalled status as New Zealand's largest stand-alone motocross event, the Honda-sponsored two-day event was again this year  hosting the FIM Oceania Challenge Cup competition. The Oceania battles see-sawed over the two days, with Australia’s squad ending the junior phase of racing on Saturday with a slender 2.5-point advantage. This was mostly thanks to Australia's Brad West winning all three of his Junior 14-16 years' 250cc races, while New Zealand's FIM Oceania representative, Whanganui's James Rountree, finished runner-up each time. Weather conspired against the organisers on Sunday, with rain and gale-force winds causing havoc on the track, and a decision was made to scale back the day's programme to just two races for each class. In the end, the event’s main winner was Mount Maunganui’s Cody Cooper, the six-time former national MX1 champion winning both the premier MX1 races in Sunday's abbreviated senior programme, earning him the prestigious Woodville crown, but, for the FIM Oceania Challenge Cup sub-plot, it was a slightly different story. On both occasions the runner-up to Cooper in the MX1 class on Sunday was Gold Coast rider Kirk Gibbs, Australia's MX1 class nominee for the FIM Oceania Challenge Cup battle-within-a-battle. Cooper had earned 50 points from his two wins, while Gibbs – actually the current New Zealand MX1 champion – had a tally of 44 points for the weekend. Australian Wilson Todd finished first and third in his two MX2 (senior 250cc) class races, while the Kiwi hopes for MX2 class ascendancy rested with Mangakino's Maximus Purvis, who crossed the finish line fourth and then second. The other class results in the head-to-head FIM Oceania exchange were something of a mixed bag, but, when the final tally was done, Australia had won the FIM Oceania Challenge Cup by a solitary point. "It was really cool to win this and our juniors really pulled their weight," said Australian MX1 star Gibbs. "Heading into the senior day, Australia was up in the points and then Wilson (Todd) did really well and I was consistent. It was really close and good to bring it home. We really enjoyed the banter with the Kiwis too." FIM Oceania results: Australia: Kirk Gibbs (MX1) 2-2; Wilson Todd (MX2) 1-3; Brad West (Jnr 250) 1-1-1; Jason West (8-11 85cc) 4-7-9; Hayley Ball (8-11 85cc) 32-DNS-27 and (8-11 65cc) 15-20-DNS; Brooke Ball (65cc) 19-19-20. New Zealand: Cody Cooper (Mt Maunganui, MX1) 1-1; Maximus Purvis (Mangakino, MX2) 4-2; James Rountree (Whanganui, Jnr 250) 2-2-2; Cole Davies (Waitoki, 8-11 85cc) 1-0-1; Breanna Rodgers (Tokoroa, 8-11 85cc) 23-20-18; Ruby Piraka (Rolleston, 8-11 65cc) 22-22-18; Karaitiana Horne (Raetihi, 8-11 65cc) 18-18-19.

It's now been two years since Honda's CRF250L Rally first made its New Zealand debut, and while there are without a doubt more powerful and dirt ready machines available in the market, the Honda CRF250L Rally still holds a few aces up its sleeve. We first rode the CRF250L Rally back in 2017, and absolutely fell in love with the little dual sport. While it lacks suspension adjustment to any substantial degree like its Japanese 250 competition, the Rally does have that windscreen, and importantly the braking system is backed by ABS. It was because of these important factory additions to the Rally that we chose to part with our hard earned cash and make the Rally a permanent addition to the On Throttle garage. But while we chose to make this Rally ours, we're not under any illusions that it is the perfect motorcycle. At least not yet. With that said, however, we think that the Honda Rally is still hands down the best looking 250 in today’s motorcycling market. Okay, that’s just our opinion, but with its HRC Rally Team inspired aesthetic seemingly plucked straight off the Dakar Rally race bike the little Honda has the good looks to whet your appetite for adventure. If that bright red HRC colour scheme doesn't take your fancy, since it was launched the Rally now is also available in a svelt charcoal grey and black colour scheme. When it comes to embarking on that adventure though, is the 250cc engine that powers the Rally enough? If you take away the Rally's bodywork, 10.2-litre fuel tank, and long travel suspension what you’re left with is essentially an update on Honda's CRF250L which debuted in 2013. Now the CRF250L is no meek little city trail bike either. In fact, the CRF250L is a favourite of tour operators in South East Asia for its dependability, non-threatening engine, and no-nonsense easy-to-use nature. The Rally builds on this quality little adventurer with that previously mentioned taller suspension – which increases ground clearance by 14mm to 269mm– the rally raid inspired bodywork, and a larger capacity fuel tank which addresses the main complaint riders had with the 250L which was it had a very limited fuel range. On the face of it then, the CRF250L Rally has the looks of a fun go-anywhere machine, but the only way to find out if that was true was to hit the road, with a little bit of gravel and mud thrown in for good measure. Unlike some of the other bikes in the class which are much more like a dirt bike in terms of setup, swinging up onto the 894mm high seat of the Rally doesn't require a step ladder and, despite its tall height, and once aboard the suspension sags down enough which allowed me to comfortably plant a foot down when at a stop. In another departure from its trail bike looks, the seat of the Rally is in fact quite comfortable, with the only annoyance coming from the pillion grab strap which caused a bit of pain after a couple of hours in the saddle – thankfully this was easily removed and is temporarily stored in the factory toolbox. The rest of the cockpit feels purposeful, with a wide steel handlebar with plastic wind deflectors nestled behind the raised dash and rally raid inspired windscreen. The screen itself creates a worthwhile air pocket that reduces pressure on the rider, while the asymmetrical LED lights that call it home do a great job lighting the way at night. Those wind deflectors aren't particularly sturdy and won't protect the levers in the event of a fall. We've already binned them and invested in a set of Barkbusters for our Rally. As an entry level adventure machine sophisticated electronics such as those found on the top dog of the CRF-L family – the Africa Twin – are a bit much to ask for, but that doesn’t mean the Rally does without. With ABS now being a requirement for all bikes over 125cc to get Euro 4 compliance, Honda have given the Rally a switch next to the high mounted dash to deactivate the rear ABS for off-road use – just like the big brother Africa Twin. Taking the Rally to the annual Cold Kiwi motorcycle Rally, it soon became clear that despite the 249cc engine’s low 17.9kW and 22Nm power output, that it has enough to carry a heavy (read: fat) rider and camping gear on the highway with ease. After 700km in the saddle the little Honda was still begging to be ridden. But it is when the road gets rough the little Honda comes alive. With eyes peeled for every opportunity to take the Rally off the beaten path, every ride felt like an adventure, and each time the knobbly IRS tyres hit gravel I felt like a hero thanks to that easy-going nature which has filtered through to the Rally from the base CRF250L. With a low 157kg kerb weight (by ADV standards, admittedly the Rally is quite porky when compared to the stripped back WR250R and KLX250S) that low power output isn’t so much of an issue on the highway as the 250cc motorcycles many of us came through the ranks on. It’ll hold 100km/h all day long, and I even find myself easily overtaking the slower country traffic on my adventures with the Rally. It is no speed demon though and runs out of momentum when the digital display reads 130km/h, which is still plenty of speed to get you into some expensive trouble. To my surprise even shod in knobbly tyres the little Honda was a dream to link corners on while out enjoying some of New Zealand's best back roads. While the factory IRC knobblies are meant to be a 50/50 split between road and off road, they definitely don't lack grip. With the throttle sitting on the stop for most rides the knobbly tyres offer an reliable amount of grip. There are a few annoying bits with this incredibly fun little machine that are worth noting, however. The suspension is VERY soft and heavier riders will notice both the forks and mono-shock running out of stroke with the factory settings, so turning up the preload at the rear will be a must for many riders. Sadly the front is non-adjustable and needs some big dollars spent on the forks to take away the squishy nature Honda bestowed the Rally with. The engine, while punchy enough, will probably get tiresome for some riders who don’t venture off road, and I’m still wondering why Honda didn’t opt for their slightly punchier 300cc version (as found in the CBR300) for the Rally. Even two years later Honda are stubbornly sticking to their guns and keeping the Rally as a 250. Then there is the quality of the HRC graphics which adorn our bike. We were one of the first to ride this very bike back in 2017 and found it incredibly easy to scratch up the graphics with the most gentle of riding. Now the bike is a couple of years older and the graphics really look like its gone through the ringer in its short 4500km life. Thankfully replacement decals appear to be inexpensive to buy over the internet, but it is a pain nonetheless. With that said, the service interval of the tried and true CBR250 derived 249cc single-cylinder is a mind boggling 12,000km which allows for plenty of adventures before you need to look at heading to the dealership again - although, the dealership we picked up our Rally from recommended following a tighter service interval to ensure nothing was forgotten along the way. With that said however, a decent service interval is something the forthcoming CRF450L can't boast with its MotoX derived high-performance 450cc single. But with that all said and done, the Rally is a fantastic budget adventure bike for the money, and at only $9,250, it makes for an excellent entry in to the world of adventure riding. We know exactly what we'll be doing with ours that's for sure. Honda CRF250L Rally Specs Engine Type: Liquid-cooled single-cylinder four-stroke CC Rating: 249.6cc Bore and Stroke: 76.0mm x 55.0mm Ignition: Full transistorized ignition Final Drive: Chain Transmission: Six-speed Suspension Front: 43mm telescopic inverted fork; 11.0 in. trave lSuspension Rear: Pro-Link® single shock; 10.3 in. travel Brakes Front: Single 296mm disc w/ twin-piston caliper; ABS Brakes Rear: Single 220mm disc; ABS Tyre Front: 3.00-21 Tyre Rear:120/80-18 Wheelbase: 1445mm Seat Height: 894mm GroundClearance: 269mm Trail: 114mm Kerb Weight: 157kg Fuel Capacity: 10.2l Dimensions: 2210mm(L) x 900mm(W) x 1425mm(H)

Much like the overall top-selling motorcycle of 2018, Suzuki's DR650SE proved that you don't need high-end technology to be popular with the Kiwi motoring masses. Suzuki’s venerable DR650SE has proven that when it comes to the adventure class of motorcycles, you don’t need the latest and greatest technology to be a top selling motorcycle. The Suzuki DR650 (priced from $8,995) came in as the 11th best selling motorcycle of 2018, with the 82 registrations noted by industry body the Motoring Industry Association (MIA) making the admittedly ageing Suzuki adventure platform the country's top selling adventure model. Not only that, the DR650 was well and truly ahead of the competition in terms of sales, with over twice as many new bikes hitting the road than its most direct competitor – Kawasaki's KLR650 (32) while the only other adventure class machine in the Top 20 being Royal Enfield's Himalayan. This follows a similar pattern as to the rest of the top-selling bikes of 2018, with Kiwi motorcycle buyers spending their hard earned dollar on less expensive (and predominantly Learner Approved) motorcycles. The surprise number one seller of 2018 being Suzuki’s $3,495 GSX150F. But why are Kiwis shunning more modern motorcycles for cheaper, less tech heavy models? “The DR650 is successful based on a combination of factors with value pricing and simple reliable product being a key influencing factor for our customers, says Suzuki General Manager of Motorcycle Marketing Simon Meade. Of equal importance is the off-road capability when compared to other competitors. The DR650 will easily run all day at our open road speed limits and still be agile enough to take on secondary roads, forest trails and even some reasonably challenging trails.” When asked why the humble DR650SE outsold much more technologically advanced adventure motorcycles, Meade believes there is a straightforward reason for the DR650’s popularity. “Kiwis like the idea of being able to go off-road, away from the bitumen. The problem is that many of the larger adventure bikes have a higher seat height and weigh in excess of 200kgs and whilst they can go off-road you need to be very skilled to keep them upright. When you consider the bulk and size of larger adventure bikes along with the cost to repair in case of an accident  many customers look at the DR650s simplicity and rugged capability and find it ticks almost all of the boxes.” The DR650 was initially released in 1990 as the replacement for the DR600, making it one of the oldest bikes on sale in the New Zealand market. While it has undergone multiple minor updates over its near 30-year lifespan, the DR650 remains an incredibly simple motorcycle powered by a 34kw (46hp) 644cc 4-stroke SOHC single cylinder with analogue an speedometer/odometer the only instrumentation included from the factory. The Top 5 Adventure Bikes of 2018 1st - Suzuki DR650SE (82) 2nd - Royal Enfield Himalayan (49) 3rd - BMW R 1200 GS (46) 4th - Honda CRF1000 Africa Twin (42) 5th - Kawasaki KLR650 (32) and KTM 690 Enduro (32)

In our first gear review, we are going to be testing the all-new HJC i70 Helmet, which is distributed in New Zealand by Darbi Accessories and retails from just $399. Is this mid-level helmet punching above its price tag? We'll soon find out. Words and Photo by Mathieu Day-Gillett It's a new year and after 3-years wearing the same old helmet it was time for us to find ourselves a new lid. Lucky for us, when we put the call out to New Zealand gear distributors, Darbi Accessories – the team behind motogear.co.nz and distributors of HJC – answered the call and sent us the all new i70. The i70 replaces the long lived IS 17 in the HJC lineup and retails from $399 here in New Zealand putting it in one of the most competitive segments for helmet buyer's dollar. It's a good thing then that the HJC i70 is packed full of features which only a few years ago would have seen a much higher price tag. First impressions of the helmet are good, with the Rias MC1SF graphic we chose looking top notch (and an excellent match for our Rev'It! Replica leather jacket), and if the red white and black colourway isn't your thing there are plenty of other great looking options to choose from. Just check out the motogear.co.nz website for the full range of available colours. A big thing for me when choosing a new helmet is whether or not my glasses will fit without causing a headache as I'm one of those unfortunate riders who legally need to wear corrective eyewear while riding. Lucky for me the i70 is totally spectacle friendly and is an absolute breeze to slip my glasses on while wearing – but that's not its only trick for the optically challenged. Having maximum peripheral vision is an important consideration when selecting your next helmet, as you don't want to be swivelling your head around like a demon doll just to check what's in the lane next to you. HJC designed the i70 with an extra large eyeport, which roughly is 10mm wider than other HJC helmets. It doesn't sound like a lot but in practice it works a treat. There is of course the "must-have" in helmets these days as well, which is of course, a drop down sun visor. Using it so far the mechanism is smooth and the visor drops down and retracts easily and drops down far enough to completely cover your eyes. No annoying sun strike issues here! Now normally I prefer the traditional double D-ring method of doing up my helmet, but the i70 comes with what HJC calls a Micro-Buckle and I have to say I might just be converted. It is simple and easy to use, and instead of taking a minute to do up my helmet I can literally plonk it on my head, clip the buckle together and ride off. Plus I can do it while already wearing my gloves which is another big tick for me. Ventilation is good, with five ports to allow cool fresh air in and out of the i70. A pet peeve of mine which has stemmed from my older helmet is the ease of opening and closing those ventilation ports. My old helmet still has me confused from time to time as to whether or not it is actually open or closed. Thankfully there is no such issue with the HJC and it is quite obvious which setting you have the vents in, even with a quick glance in your mirrors. Wind noise is comparable to other helmets in this price bracket, with noticeable noise while riding at a constant 100km/h. This is part and parcel of an affordable helmet and one that even some of those $1000+ lids you see advertised still haven't managed to rectify. While it's not annoyed me in the slightest, if wind noise is something you could live without a simple pair of ear plugs from your local pharmacy almost completely eliminates wind noise. Stay tuned in the coming months as we come back with our thoughts after some more time to get to know the HJC i70.

While the Toyota Corolla may have topped the registrations charts for the Kiwi car industry once again for 2018 when it came to the motorcycle industry the figures released by the Motor Industry Association (MIA) provided plenty of surprises. Based on the figures released by the MIA this month – which records a total of 6482 new motorcycles registered – the best selling motorcycles were all well within reach of the entry level rider. Learner approved models such as Suzuki’s 150cc GSX150, Kawasaki’s Ninja 400, Royal Enfield’s Classic, Harley-Davidson’s Street 500 and Yamaha’s MT-03 all shifted significantly higher unit numbers than what could be thought of as more traditionally desirable models. While two of those bikes also gained a boost to sales thanks to the successful racing series based upon them – the GSX150 provides the base of the Suzuki GIXXER Cup while the Ninja 400 is the star of the Carl Cox Motorsport Hyosung & Ninja Cup – the shear numbers sold reflect a shift in the motorcycle industry towards the more approachable motorcycles of the LAMS class. Not only were the top five selling motorcycles previously mentioned all classed as Learner Approved Motorcycles (LAMS) rather than the bedroom wall poster bikes which so often grab headlines, of the top 20 best selling motorcycles only two were out of reach of entry-level riders. Of the Top 20 best selling models of 2018 only two – the Indian Motorcycle Scout Bobber and Harley-Davidson Breakout – were not learner approved. So what can we take from this data? Well, the state of motorcycling in New Zealand may not be as dire as some may suggest and the popularity of LAMS machines signals strong market in the entry level of motorcycling. While it would require digging into NZTA data to get a closer handle on whether the popularity of the LAMS class in 2018 also signals an increase in the number of motorcyclists hitting New Zealand roads, motorcycles will always be a competitive solution to combating rising fuel costs and congestion on our roads. BY THE NUMBERS | THE TOP 20 SELLING MOTORCYLES OF 2018 SUZUKI GSX150 FDZA GIXXER | 200 KAWASAKI EX400G L |168 ROYAL ENFIELD CLASSIC |118 SUZUKI GSX150 DXA GIXXER |110 HARLEY-DAVIDSON STREET 500 | 106 YAMAHA MT-03 LAJ |106 SUZUKI GN125H | 96 KTM 390 DUKE | 93 HONDA GLC 150SH |91 SUZUKI DR650SE | 82 HONDA CMX500 | 73 TRIUMPH STREET TRIPLE S LAM | 68 YAMAHA MT-07 LAH | 68 SUZUKI UK 110NE ADDRESS | 67 BMW G 310 R 63 HARLEY DAVIDSON SOFTAIL BREAKOUT S | 52 INDIAN SCOUT BOBBER | 52 YAMAHA YZF R3AH | 51 YAMAHA YZF R3AJ |50 ROYAL ENFIELD HIMALAYAN | 49

Words and photo by Andy McGechan, BikesportNZ.com Fourteen months can seem like a lifetime for a 17-year-old, but still it’s hard to believe that it was only Christmas time last year that Taupiri’s Zak Fuller first climbed on board a road bike and started racing it. Now he’s a fully-fledged motorcycle road-race champion, the young man accepted the challenge to race the GIXXER Cup class for the first time in the 2017-18 Suzuki Series, bravely switching from dirt to tarmac and tasting immediate success. He finished fifth overall in the GIXXER Cup class during his road-racing debut season in 2017-18 and he returned for another crack at it this December, finishing first equal – level with Hamilton’s Jesse Stroud – after the Taupo and Manfeild rounds of the three-round Suzuki Series. Fuller then won the day outright at Whanganui’s Cemetery Circuit on Boxing Day, the GIXXER Cup competition a special stand-alone two-race affair incorporated within the street race programme. “That’s two years in a row that I’ve won at the Cemetery Circuit. That’s pretty awesome. I just love this track,” said Fuller. Fuller had twice finished runner-up to win the day at Whanganui last season, but this time around he scored stunning back-to-back wins. “I’ve got a bit more experience under my belt this year. Last year I was a bit more of an amateur. Last year was a surprise win and this year I felt more confident coming here this time. “It’s more about strategy than anything else. Thinking about what will win the race without blowing it on the last lap.” The GIXXER Cup class, introduced to the New Zealand motorcycling scene first the first time last December, is reserved for riders aged between 14 and 21 years and all of them competing on identical Suzuki GSX150F bikes. It is a seven-round series this year, with five more rounds left to run, incorporated within the five-round New Zealand Superbike Championships, which kick off at Mike Pero Motorsport Park in Christchurch on January 5-6. According to some observers, this year’s GIXXER Cup contest has already been achieving even more than it did during its inaugural season. “I think the young riders who have come along this year have been able to learn very quickly off the more-experienced riders we now have in the GIXXER Cup,” said Greymouth man Peter Fountain, father of GIXXER Cup sensation Clark Fountain – who finished third overall in the series last season and is third overall after the first two rounds this year. Clark Fountain is still too young to be eligible to race the Cemetery Circuit event on Wednesday. “This season’s GIXXER Cup riders have been able to mimic and learn race lines and that sort of thing off the guys who raced this last season. I’ve spotted some young ones this year with great potential. “It will be a closer competition this year than it was last year. The top runners from last year will be showing their experience, but the first-timers are definitely getting dragged along. And they’re catching up quick. “What Suzuki has done here by creating the GIXXER Cup competition is great for the sport.” Meanwhile, it was Taupo’s Scotty Moir who won the Suzuki Series’ premier Formula One Superbike class, the 35-year-old another former dirt biker who has managed to make a successful transition from soil to tarmac. Moir was prominent on the motocross scene several years ago, before taking on Super Motard racing. He has been a leading New Zealand superbike racer for the past few years. He finished with a national superbike ranking of No.5 last season. Racing was intense in the various other classes too during this season’s Suzuki Series, with Whakatane's Damon Rees winning the 600cc Formula Two class this year, while Taumarunui’s Leigh Tidman won the Formula Three class; Paraparaumu's Peter Bogusz topped the Post Classics Pre-89 (senior, over-600cc) class; Lower Hutt’s Dean Bentley finished on top in the Post Classics Pre-89 (junior, under-600cc) class; Ngaruawahia's Steve Bridge won the combined senior Bears (non-Japanese bikes) and Formula Sport class; Te Awamutu's Gary Morgan won the combined junior Bears/Formula Sport class and Tauranga's Duncan Hart claimed Super Motard class win for the series. International talent also glistened in the sidecars classes, where visiting UK rider John Holden and Tauranga's Robbie Shorter dominating the F1 grade and Tauranga pair Barry Smith and Tracey Bryan took the F2 grade win ahead of visiting British co-riders Gary Bryan and Phil Hyde.

Harley-Davidson has brought back the spirit of the V-Rod in an entirely new motorcycle - the FXDR Softail. We grabbed it by the clip-on handlebars to find out just how sporty this sports cruiser really is. Okay, so the words "sports" and "cruiser" don't normally go together well but what Harley-Davidson has created here is probably as close as you can currently get to the two words making any sense together. As above, the idea behind the FXDR is to bring back a bike into the Harley-Davidson linup that evokes the spirit of the short lived (by Harley model standards) but well-loved V-Rod. With a 240 section rear tyre wrapped around the 18-inch sold rear wheel, a monstrous 114cu in Milwaukee-Eight engine and clip on handlebars attached to big USD front forks – you know you're in for a party with the FXDR. First impressions upon walking up to the bike are conflicting. Sure, you've got all those cool parts and that beautiful exhaust, but the bike itself has a very large presence. While the FXDR is as big as any of the other Big Twin powered Harleys, it somehow manages to feel smaller once you thumb the starter and hit the road. The solo saddle is comfortable, but ergonomically the bike is slightly compromised by the huge air intake off your right knee. If it annoys you too much you can swap it for a more traditional Harley-Davidson mushroom style air filter, but the big filter is such a It seems that it has been quite some time in which Harley-Davidson has been without a truly sporty cruiser in their lineup. While bikes such as the Street Rod have tried to muscle in on the spirit of the infamous V-Rod – which was discontinued in 2017 – none have succeeded to gain the following of Harley’s first water-cooled mass-production motorcycle. But that could be about to change with the introduction of the FXDR 114. It’s no secret that the V-Rod was discontinued due in no small part to its Porsche developed 1247cc V-twin being unable to meet Euro emissions standards. As such, it is no surprise to find that the FXDR utilises the latest Euro compliant Big Twin engine from Harley-Davidson – the muscular 114cu (1868cc) Milwaukee-Eight V-twin. For an engine which was first seen in public between the frame rails of the Harley-Davidson CVO (Custom Vehicle Operations) tourers in 2016, the Milwaukee-Eight 114 makes for a brilliant powerplant for the sporty FXDR. With a stump-pulling 160Nm of torque available from just 3,500rpm, the “114” as the emblem on the unique FXDR air intake screams (more on that later) is a monster of an engine and muscles the FXDR up to the legal limit and beyond via a 6-speed gearbox and massive 240 section rear tyre. While such a large tyre would normally cause handling to suffer dramatically the FXDR, being part of Harley’s revamped Softail line of motorcycles, benefits from modern suspension and geometry. With an easily adjusted monoshock at the rear and large 43mm forks up front, the ride is firm yet not uncomfortable and helps the bike feel like a sporty machine rather than a large two-wheeled boat. Like the rest of the new Softail lineup, the FXDR benefits from easy rear preload adjustment via an adjuster placed just below the saddle on the right-hand side. Turning the preload up from the factory setting sharpens the handling noticeably, with the big rear tyre fighting you less than previously. I set the adjuster to level 2, but it can be adjusted further depending on the needs of the owner. Ergonomically the bike is quite comfortable, with the only fly in the ointment being that bulbous air intake. Despite looking utterly awesome in line with the power cruiser theme of the FXDR, I found that the intake would impact just below my knee while riding. This was only really noticeable while trying to make the most of the FXDR’s specially designed cornering abilities, which include an exhaust system which is sculpted to allow for maximum lean angle, but when you are trying to grip on to the bike with your knees as you brute force your way around your favourite back road that air intake quickly becomes an uncomfortable annoyance. Thankfully the rest of the bike is as comfortable as you could ask for, with Harley-Davidson breaking from tradition and fitting the FXDR with genuine clip-on handlebars. These offer plenty of adjustment for tailoring the bike to the rider and really hammer home the sporty intentions of the FXDR. However, there is no escaping the sheer mass of this motorcycle. Despite its solo rider setup and stripped back hot-rod aesthetic, the FXDR tips the scales at 289kg dry. When you add to that the 16.7 litres of fuel plus oil for the big engine and you’re pushing over 300kgs of Milwaukee steel before you even add your own weight into the mix. Thankfully Harley has equipped the FXDR with more than enough stopping power to haul that weight to a stop just as quickly as the big engine can put speed on. Up front, the bike is equipped with twin 300mm disc brakes with 4-piston calipers clamping down on both, while out back the 292mm disc brake is clamped down on by a twin-piston brake caliper. ABS is standard and when combined with that huge rear wheel and great suspension setup the FXDR has no issues when it comes to hauling itself up in a hurry. This all comes at a cost, however, with the FXDR boasting one of the highest price points of the entire Softail family at $37,500. For your money, you can choose from six colour options, with traditional colours such as the stunning Bonneville Salt Denim (White) and Vivid Black offset by more unique colour options such as the Rawhide Denim (matte brown) and Wicked Red Denim. Plus there is, of course, a plethora of additional extras to customise the big power cruiser to your liking including Screamin’ Eagle exhaust ready to bolt straight on. One optional extra that may be well worth the investment is the pillion accommodation kit – which includes a pillion seat and footpegs retails for various prices here in New Zealand dependant on dealer according to H-D ANZ – as the FXDR leaves the dealership floor with accommodation only for the one rider. If that doesn’t interest you, however, the FXDR is a wonderfully selfish motorcycle to get on and hit the road to enjoy the full muscle bike experience which Harley-Davidson has so carefully crafted. PROS AND CONS | 2019 Harley-Davidson FXDR 114 Price: $37,500 + on road costs Engine: 1868cc Milwaukee-Eight 114 Power: 160Nm at 3,500rpm Pros: Stonking power, Looks cool, great handling for a big cruiser Cons: Heavy, Air intake position can annoy