RIDEFAST AUG 21

WWW.MOTOMEDIA.CO.ZA AUGUST 2021 

First Ride 

YAMAHA TRACER 9 GT 

LOCAL TEST 

WE TAKE BOTH NEW AND OLD TRACER GT’s 

FOR A RIDE 

TRIUMPHS 1200 rs 

LOCAL TEST 

ready to race? 

READY 

KTM RC 8C SOLD OUT 

AUGUST 2021 RSA R35.00 

21008Track 

9 772075 405004

RP 

DA 

PIN 

PREORDER 

SA

RPHA 11 VENOM II 

DARK VISOR INCLUDED 

PINLOC INCLUDED 

RPHA 11 JOKER 

DARK VISOR INCLUDED 

PINLOC INCLUDED 

AVAILABLE FROM YOUR NEAREST PBA DEALER 

CAPE PROVINCE 

CRAIGS MOTORCYCLE NEVES 

MOTORCYCLE WORLD 

TRAC MAC BELLVILLE 

TRAC MAC PAARDEN EILAND 

TRAC MAC WYNBURG 

FREE STATE 

SALLEYS YAMAHA 

NORTHWEST 

BIKERS PARADISE 

MOTOS KLERKSDORP 

WATERITE MOTORCYCLES 

021 939 8916 





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N 

Intro. Keeping the wheels turning... 

August Edition 2021 

We wanna hear from you info@motomedia.co.za 

Read our back issues at www.motomedia.co.za 

An English man and an Irish man are riding head on at night, on a twisty, dark road. 

Both are driving too fast for the conditions and collide on a sharp bend in the road. To 

the amazement of both, they are unscathed, though their bikes are both destroyed. In 

celebration of their luck, both agree to put aside their dislike for the other from that moment 

on. 

At this point, the Irish man goes to the pannier and fetches a 12 year old bottle of Jameson 

whiskey. He hands the bottle to the English man, who toasts, “May the English and the 

Irish live together forever, in peace, and harmony.’’ The English man then tips the bottle 

and lashes half of it down. 

Still flabbergasted over the whole thing, he goes to hand the bottle to the Irish man, who 

replies: ‘’No thanks, I’ll just wait till the cops get here!’’ 

Have a great riding month! 

PUBLISHER: 

Glenn Foley 

foleyg@mweb.co.za 

ADVERTISING AND EDITORIAL: 

Sean Hendley 

sean@motomedia.co.za 

071 684 4546 

OFFICE & 

SUBSCRIPTIONS: 

Anette 

anette.acc@ mweb.co.za 

ONLINE & 

DESIGN LAYOUT: 

Kyle Lawrenson 

kyle.lawrenson@icloud.com 

Cape Town 

Lorna Darol 

lorna@motomedia.co.za 

074 122 4874 

2 

N 

PHOTOGRAPHY 

Stefan van der Riet 

CONTRIBUTORS 

Shado Alston 

Donovan Fourie 

Kurt Beine 

Videos and more 

available online... 

T 

B 

S 

be 

ap 

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an 

ri 

he 

An 

H 

on 

Copyright © RideFast Magazine: All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, distributed, 

or transmitted in any form or by any means, including photocopying, articles, or other methods, without the prior 

written permission of the publisher. 

WWW.MOTOMEDIA.CO.ZA

2021 

NC750X/D 

2021 

NC750X/DCT 

THE NEW NC750X: DO IT ALL, AND 

BETTER THAN EVER. 

Specialization may be fine for something like golf clubs, but we think great motorcycles should 

be able to do it all. Case in point: The 2021 Honda NC750X. This is a bike is for motorcyclists who 

appreciate both versatility and virtuosity in their adventure machines. This year, we’ve given this 

model some big improvements. More power. A larger integrated storage area. Lighter weight, 

and a lower seat height. Plus some huge technologic upgrades like throttle by wire, selectable 

riding modes, new instruments, a new frame, upgraded bodywork, and standard ABS. At its 

heart, the twin-cylinder engine produces a broad torque curve as well, making it a joy to ride. 

And you can choose from two transmissions: a conventional manual-clutch six-speed, or 

Honda’s revolutionary automatic DCT. Either way, this latest NC750X is going to be the perfect 

one-bike choice for the rider who wants to do it all. 

NC750X: R126 000 

NC750X: R135 500 DCT 

THE NEW NC750X: D 

BETTER THAN EVER 

Specialization may be fine for something like go 

be able to do it all. Case in point: The 2021 Hond 

appreciate both versatility and virtuosity in thei 

model some big improvements. More power. A l 

and a lower seat height. Plus some huge techno 

riding modes, new instruments, a new frame, u 

heart, the twin-cylinder engine produces a broa 

And you can choose from two transmissions: a 

Honda’s revolutionary automatic DCT. Either wa 

one-bike choice for the rider who wants to do i

All the NEWS proudly brought to 

you by HJC HELMETS 

Another motorcyclists hits JHB: 

A big congratulations to Rodney Serfontien of BMW 

Motorrad Fourways and his beautiful wife Lynette on 

the arrival of their little bundle of joy. May she bring 

you many, many blessings, happiness and love and 

may she also have many brothers and sisters. 

Meet the new team at BMW 

Motorrad West 

Every so often dealerships go through a 

metamorphosis and it is all part of the growing 

process as they get bigger, better and stronger. 

Jacques Pretorius joins the team as Motorrad Sales 

manager. Starting out in the industry 22 years ago, 

fresh out of school with Van Breda Motorcycles in 

Springs. Seven years later he joined the Motorrad 

network of dealers and movied up through the 

ranks as career growth opportunities presented 

themselves. Jacques is flanked by Duane Jordaan 

and Omri Naude, who has been in the Motorrad 

network for a few years and comes from a strong 

biking family with his uncle owning the oldest and 

biggest motorcycle dealership in Polokwane. Duane 

was part of the driving force behind the success 

of Mikes Bikes out in Boksburg. They entire team 

comes with a wealth of knowledge and experience. 

Aunty Joan Exner is still the friendly face behind the 

counter looking after your servicing and parts needs. 

Go meet them at Hendrik Potgieter Rd, Little Falls, 

Roodepoort or give them a call on 011 761 3500 

Bike Tyre Warehouse joins forces 

with Gedore 

Well, haven’t we all lost our 10mm ring spanner at 

least once this week, twice last week and so many 

times before that - all disappearing into that same 

void where the odd socks and tie downs go. Yeah… 

and the 8mm, the 12mm and 13mm spanners and 

a myriad of Allen keys. 

The guys at BTW have teamed up with premium 

tool company ‘Gedore’ to bring you the “Lost 

Spanner” tool kit. In a really nice looking, high quality 

and sturdy canvas roll up which fits snugly under 

your seat, your hydra pack or back pack or even 

inside your fairing and contains a 8mm, a 10mm, a 

12mm and a 13mm ring/open end spanner as well 

as 4 – 5 – 6, Alan keys, most every tool you need 

for a quick mid ride adjustment or emergency repair. 

For more info get hold of the gang at Bike tyre 

Warehouse for stock availability on 073 777 9269 

or 083 467 1349 or drop them a mail on sales@ 

biketyrewarehouse.com

SHIFT 

PERSPECTIVE 

KTM 250 EXC TPI SIX DAYS 

Enduro racing runs in the DNA of the 2022 KTM 250 EXC TPI SIX DAYS. 

A special tribute to the iconic FIM International Six Days Enduro, it‘s 100% 

ready take on the grueling week-long event straight out of its crate. 

Please make no attempt to imitate the illustrated riding scenes, always wear protective clothing and observe the 

applicable provisions of the road traffic regulations! The illustrated vehicles may vary in selected details from the 

production models and some illustrations feature optional equipment available at additional cost. 

Photo: R. Schedl / KISKA GmbH



BattTech LED Motorcycle spotlights 

- R1,400 incl. 

Be seen before you’re heard. We like this idea, 

especially with most drivers these days seeming 

almost oblivious to the world around them and other 

road users. Increase your visibility on or off road with 

BattTech LED Motorcycle Spots. These powerful 

add-on lights feature white light with an optional 

amber strobe, making them ideal for high-visibility 

all-weather commuting during normal riding or while 

lane splitting. 

BattTech LED Motorcycle Spots are suitable for 

Road, Dual Sport, ATV & Side-x-Side applications. 

KEY FEATURES: 

• LED Chip, CREE Lamp Beads 

• Colour Temperature: 6000K with White or Amber 

Strobe 

• Combo Beam Pattern 

• IP69K Water Proof Rating 

• Super-Tough Aluminium Housing 

• Bottom Mounting Adjustable Bracket 

• Wiring Harnesses Included 

• Multiple Strobe Settings 

Get hold of the gang at Bike tyre Warehouse for 

stock availability on 073 777 9269 or 083 467 1349 

or drop them a mail on sales@biketyrewarehouse. 

com 

Protect your ride with the alarm disc 

lock… 

Here’s a cool mergafter. A motorcycle disc lock 

that screams the moment that someone tries to 

move or relocate your motorcycle to a more suitable 

venue – like Maputo. It fits any bike with a disc 

brake and emits a howl that should scare the perps 

– or at least wake you up that you can get the .38 

ready. Pricesd at R600 per unit – and if you have a 

clooection of bikes, they will do you a discounted 

deal. 

www.gasjunky.co.za 

Just arrived … New from Tork Craft 

The latest Tork Craft 6 draw roller tool cabinet packed with 184 

quality tools that we all lust after. The unit has 4 standard draws, 2 

deep draws plus 1 side door all lockable, 4 castor wheels, 2 with 

lockable brake and all packed with every tool you will ever need 

Included is a working tabletop, the total unit measures 900 x 850 

x 450 mm. The 184 quality tools are well selected including every 

conceivable tool one would need for all professional industries, 

motor racing, all workshops and DIYers. 

The comprehensive range of Ratchets, all the sockets’ sizes inch 

and metric, T Bars, extensions, all accessories. Combination 

spanner sets, Allen key sets, deep wall sockets. All the hand tools, 

a full range of pliers and cutters, plus specialist pliers, wrenches and 

grip pliers, hammers, screw drivers, files, and full range of bits. For 

more information or to find your nearest stockist, or just to drool 

over some very tasty tools go to www.torkcraft.com and look up 

product code TC620050. 

As we are sure you are all aware by now, Tork Craft is a leading 

brand at Vermont Sales and all products are available from leading 

stores countrywide. For more information talk to your retail outlet 

or contact, Vermont Sales on 011 314 7711 or visit their web site 

www.vermontsales.co.za you can also follow them on all the social 

media platforms.



Ducati pay tribute to Troy Bayliss with special 

edition Panigale V2 

Ducati has honoured one of their most successful racers with a 

special edition bike to celebrate the 20th anniversary of his first 

world title. 

Troy Bayliss had an amazing career that included three world 

championships, 52 race wins and 94 podiums. 

Hi time spanned the 996R through to the 1098, Bayliss’ three 

titles in 2001, 2006 and 2008 marked him out as one of the finest 

racers of his generation, proven even more so by being the only 

rider so far to win a MotoGP and WSB race in the same season. 

Given that all of Bayliss’ victories came on twins, there could be 

no more fitting a machine than the current Panigale V2, although 

Ducati have souped it up somewhat in honour of the Australian. 

For a start the bike proudly displays Bayliss’ race number 21, 

while the graphics are inspired by his 2001 championship winning 

machine. Sticking with classic Ducati red, the rest of the bike has 

green and white highlights to channel the Italian factories proud 

heritage. On the tank sits Troy’s autograph while the triple clamps 

display the production number of the bike. 

To make the V2 even more special, the standard Showa and 

Sachs suspension is gone in favour of top notch Öhlins kit. Up 

front there’s an NX30 fork with a TTX36 taking care of things at 

the year, with Ducati saying the set up out of the box offers more 

precision and improved feel when riding on track. The Swedish 

firm also provide the steering damper. 

To make things even swifter still the Bayliss edition has a lithium 

battery and comes as a single seater as standard, which 

combined help to drop 3kg. It also comes with sport grips, a 

titanium and carbon fibre exhaust and a red contrast stitched 

saddle, with Troy’s race number embroidered alongside the Italian 

flag. 

The rest of the bike is stock so it comes with the 955cc 

Superquadro v-twin that produces 153bhp at 10,750rpm and 

77ftlb of torque at 9000rpm. It’s also got the full electronics 

package with slide control, wheelie control and every other 

control you can think of. 

The Bayliss edition is available to order now from your Ducati 

dealer with global deliveries starting in October…



TCX Street 3 WP Shoes 

The “Street” family of moto-specific riding shoes has always 

sported a strong features list including impact-mitigating ankle 

cups, a crush resistant midsole and reinforced toe box. What really 

honed the “street” cred of the Street series was the striking balance 

between riding features, protection and general comfort. Wear 

them daily. Wear them on a scooter. Wear them on a ‘Busa. Take a 

walk in them 

Specialty footwear A-listers Groundtrax and Ortholite teamed 

up to design the Street 3’s sole and footbed, respectively. The 

unique ZPLATE midsole is designed by TCX and creates a balance 

between protective transverse rigidity and walking comfort. At the 

ankle, malleolus protection is covered (literally) by D3O. 

The waterproof “WP” versions receive TCX’s proprietary T-Dry 

membrane that is both waterproof and breathable. The leather 

upper is finished differently according to colorway, and the rubber 

outsole is either weathered grey or gum rubber. All Street 3 Shoes 

meet CE 13634:2017 safety certifications and arrive 100% ready to 

ride. 

Features: 

• Full grain leather upper (brown and black versions) 

• Suede leather upper (black/brown version) 

• Nubuck finishing (black version) 

• T-Dry waterproof membrane 

• Reinforced midsole with ZPLATE shank to balance flexibility 

with transverse rigidity 

• Reinforcements on malleolus with D3O inserts 

• Reinforcements at toe and heel 

• Lace closure with elastic band to store the laces 

• OrthoLite footbed with long term cushioning and high levels of 

breathability 

• Oil-resistant Groundtrax rubber outsole 

• Burnished grey or gum rubber sole treatment 

• CE 13634:2017 certification 

Imported by Henderson Racing Products and available at most 

good dealerships. 

Harley-Davidson Sportster S unveiled with new 

chassis, new engine. 

Harley-Davidson have unveiled the Sportster S – the latest machine 

powered by their new Revolution engine – which promises more 

power and improved electronics built on a brand new platform. 

The Sportster range has been a mainstay of the Harley-Davidson 

line up since the mid 1980s, with its air-cooled Evolution motor 

powering thousands of them all over the world. 

Tightening emissions legislation put an end to the bike in Europe 

last year, leaving Harley with a gap at the bottom of the range. At 

the same time the competition from the more powerful Indian Scout 

and Triumph Bobber has left Harley’s air-cooled dinosaur out in the 

cold. H-D will be hoping this new machine puts them back where 

they want to be. 

The bike is powered by a 1252cc v-twin engine dubbed the 

Revolution Max 1250T. Just like the Revolution Max fitted to the 

Pan America 1250, the engine is a water-cooled 60-degree v-twin 

with DOHC and a VVT system but it’s got a few changes. 

Overall displacement, including the bore and stroke are the same, 

but there’s a new top end with smaller valves, different velocity 

stacks and altered cam profiles. The result is less peak power 

and torque (120bhp claimed rather than the 150bhp of the Pan 

and 92ftlb instead of 95ftlb) but an increase in torque elsewhere in 

the rev range with 10% more torque from 3000 to 6000rpm. The 

redline of the Revolution Max 1250T is also a little lower coming in 

at 8000rpm instead of 9000rpm. 

Also like the Pan, the Revolution motor is a stressed member in 

the chassis, helping to improve feel and reduce weight. Elsewhere 

in the chassis is new suspension from Showa that, unlike the old 

units, is fully adjustable, while Brembo now provide the brakes. 

The electronics too have had a huge uplift compared to the old 

model with three riding modes (Road, Sport and Rain) as well as 

cornering ABS and lean-sensitive traction control. 

All of this is controlled through the 4” round TFT screen, which 

also houses other functions from the Harley-Davidson app such 

as navigation. Along with the new dash are heaps of other new 

features including LED lighting, new multifunction switchgear plus 

the obligatory restyle complete with high-level flat track inspired 

exhaust. 

Chat to your local Harley Dealer.



Voxan and Biaggi set sights on more electric 

speed records… 

Former GP and WSB star Max Biaggi is preparing to take the 

electric bike speed record to a whole new level with his Voxan 

Wattman. 

After setting no fewer than 11 new records in November 2020, 

the Voxan Wattman is currently being readied for some new 

standard setting towards the end of summer. 

The Voxan Wattman was initially designed for world record 

attempts on the planet’s biggest salt flat, Salar de Uyuni in 

Bolivia. However, restrictions imposed in response to the 

Covid-19 crisis meant that journey was - and still is - impossible. 

In preparation for this latest attempt, at the runway of 

Châteauroux airfield in France, and to optimise the Wattman 

for this type of surface, the engine and transmission have been 

tweaked with the usual expert collaboration of Michelin, partner 

and official tyre supplier. The Voxan Wattman should weigh in 

at under 300 kilograms, enabling it to compete in that weight 

category. 

In November 2020, the Voxan hit 253.5mph. In order to beat 

that record, the engineering team at Venturi/Voxan have also 

worked on the motorcycle’s air penetration and stability. While 

simulations in the wind tunnel play a crucial role, the R&D 

department has also enlisted the help of specialists in fluid 

dynamics simulation, to take account of the incredibly high 

speeds targeted. 

Biaggi said: “Attempting to set new speed records barely a year 

after posting the very first is exhilarating! Eleven is great but... 

it’s not enough! I want to keep on and on developing electric 

mobility.” 

Biaggi, 49, steered the Voxan Wattman to success at the 2.17- 

mile Chateauroux airfield in France. While the outright top speed 

was captured at 254mph, the record now stands at 228mph 

as the average is taken from two runs in each direction. That 

obliterated the existing record of 204mph 

Vermont – Branded winter clothing 

Ideal for the frigid temperatures we are experiencing at the 

moment, we are all looking for that extra jersey, hoodie or jacket 

to keep the winter chills at bay. From soft shell jackets and warm 

polar fleece tops for working comfortably in the office to some 

serious Unisex jackets with removable polar fleece and thick, 

snug hoodies all branded with your favourite products from 

Vermont. Then to keep your ears warm is a great range of caps, 

hats and knitted beanies. It goes without saying that all these 

products are great quality and good value for money. For more 

information talk to your retail outlet or contact, Vermont Sales 

on 011 314 7711 or visit their web site www.vermontsales.co.za 

you can also follow them on all the social media platforms. 

G

125 

125 

R24 950 incl.VAT R39 950 incl.VAT 

G-DINK 300i 

R49 950 incl.VAT 

G-DINK 300i ABS 




For more information contact your nearest KYMCO dealership to arrange a test drive or visit www.kymco.co.za.



Linex Yamaha Lynnwood news... 

Justin Boniface has joined the team as customer 

relations manager. 

Roland Mobedi is now the Motorcycle Sales 

Manager. 

It’s a very impressive store, BUT - more 

importantly... they are planning a Playstation SX and 

Moto GP league.... note the current leader board! 

Linex Yamaha Lynnwood www.linexyamaha.co.za

KTM RC 8C offers an 

orange slice 

of the GP action 

KTM has taken their ‘ready to race’ motto to a whole 

new level with the RC 8C – a carbon-kevlar clad racing 

machine powered by the engine from the 890 Duke R 

naked. 

Developed with Krämer Motorcycles, as well as the KTM 

Factory Racing team, the RC 8C is designed to be outof-the-box 

fast and give amateurs the GP experience, 

without a pit crew behind you to do all the work. 

Every element has been designed with trackdays and 

racing in mind, from the quick-release body work to the 

bespoke crash protection. 

At the heart of the bike is the 899cc parallel twin from 

the 890 Duke R, which puts out 126bhp and 74.5lb.ft 

of torque. There’s a new air intake for improved throttle 

response and a custom exhaust (with quiet baffle if 

needed) but other than that, the motor is stock to make 

servicing simple. 

The engine sits inside a hand built steel frame, itself 

wrapped in GP-inspired bodywork complete with 

aerodynamic wings. Chassis components are top-notch 

including Dymag UP7X forged alloy wheels, Pirelli Diablo 

Superbike slicks, fully adjustable WP Apex Pro 7543 forks 

and an Apex Pro 7746 shock. It comes with racing-spec 

Brembo brakes including the 19RCS Corsa Corta master 

cylinder that allows riders to tailor their exact bite point, 

just like on a GP machine. 

The bike ships with AIM MXS 1.2 Race electronics that 

give access to more data than you can imagine – both 

through the 5in dash and when hooked up to your laptop. 

So what’s the price of all this loveliness? 

A 640K at the time of doing the feature, plus extra for the 

‘Race’ and ‘Trackday’ packages, which are TBC. 

KTM are only making 100 of the new model and if you 

were hoping to get your hands on one you’re probably 

out of luck as they sold out in just five minutes and, as we 

understand it none were sold in SA! 

TRACK ONLY KTM

SUZUKI’S 

GSX-S1000 on its way 

F 

ALL NEW 

STREET 

IGHTER

The previous GSX-S1000 A and F model did quite well in the 

South African market, customers just loved the power, smoothness 

and reliability. Laddering up to that, the NEW Suzuki 

GSX-S1000 now comes with an all-new electronics package 

and aggressive new styling. 

All New electronics and Rider Mode Package. 

The GSX-S1000 now hosts a benefit of features with the following 

electronics and upgrades. 

Suzuki Drive mode selector. (3 throttle response modes) 

Bi-Directional Quick Shift System. 

Suzuki Easy start system. 

Ride by wire Electronic Throttle System. 

Low RPM Assist. 

Five Mode Suzuki Traction Control System. 

Full LCD instrument panel. 

LED Headlights and position lights. 

Led Taillight and Turn Signals. 

An Engine that’s Ready to Rule the Streets! 

The GSX-S1000 engine power is supplied by a high-performance 

999cm3 four-stroke DOHC liquid-cooled inline-four 

engine that inherits true winning superbike DNA. 

This street-tuned engine is based on core architecture that 

benefits from know-how acquired over decades of developing 

the GSX-R1000 to win countless production race victories, as 

well as advanced technologies developed for MotoGP racing. 

Every aspect of performance has been refined. Overall power 

output is increased and is stronger through the low- to midrange 

engine speeds most commonly used in daily riding. 

A broader, smoother torque curve featuring greater cumulative 

torque production consistently delivers abundant power 

throughout the engine’s operating range and particularly shines 

in the mid to high rpm range. 

The revised exhaust and intake cam profiles decrease the 

amount of lift and reduce valve lift overlap to achieve a better 

overall balance of performance and controllability across a 

broad range of engine speeds, while also contributing to improved 

emissions performance. 

Changes to the internal structure of the new air cleaner box 

help improve power output characteristics. A change to the 

bore size of the new electronic throttle bodies helps achieve 

a better balance between idling throttle response and power 

output characteristics. 

New exhaust system. 

While retaining its clean, sharp looks and exciting sound, the 

4-2-1 exhaust system is completely redesigned and tuned to 

help satisfy Euro 5 emission standards, maximize overall performance 

and enhance the quality of its exhaust note. 

Changes include a new layout behind the collector, a new 

chamber structure, and the addition of a second catalytic 

converter inside the chamber. The redesigned structure of the 

connecting pipes between cylinder pairs increase the performance 

of the secondary air injection system, which improves 

the ability to purify exhaust gases. In addition, the collector is 

now marginally longer and the Suzuki Exhaust Tuning (SET) 

system positioned a little differently. 

Pricing and South African Launch details to follow soon.

RAD KTM - RAD Indeed! 

A lekker place to shop. 

One of the dealerships that has not succumbed to becoming 

a multi Franchise is RAD KTM in Witkoppen Road. 

We asked the DP Miguel why that was - and his reply was 

simple. “We love KTM and our focus is on that brand.” 

Take a wander out there some time. Its a really friendly store - 

and we hate to harp on about it - but in these chilly JHB times, 

they do serve a fine cuppa coffee. 

The showroom is mighty impressive with just about the full 

KTM range of Road, Adventure and Dirt bikes just looking for 

a home. 

On the same level you’ll find the full range of KTM Powerwear 

and a well stocked parts department. 

Go down a level to one of the most impressive workshops 

you’ll ever see, with qualified personnel giving the service 

bikes some attention. 

Now take the trek upstairs to Level 3 where you’ll find a 

selection of clean pre-owned motorcycles. The guys are quite 

fussy about what they trade and buy, so each unit is very 

clean - and they put it through the workshop before it goes to 

a new home. 

While you are there - go and have a look at RAD Moto’s 

selection of collectable classic motorcycles. 

Its worth the visit - a little bit of SA motorcycling history... 

Thats Rad KTM - 1 Wall street, Corner Rivonia & Witkoppen 

Road, Sandton Phone:011 234 5007 www.radmoto.co.za 

advertorial

advertorial 

World Of Yamaha Now A Full Retail Store: 

If you have ever driven along the M1 around the Sandton 

area, you’d be hard pressed to miss the magnificent Yamaha 

building. 

This used to be Yamaha South Africa’s head office and 

storage depot and all sorts but as of just a little while ago, 

it is also a full Yamaha retail outlet. 

And it is amazing and well worth a visit because... 

• Best Coffee. Andre the main man in charge Andre 

De Villiers challenges you to find a better cup at any 

dealership in SA. 

• Two motorcycle brands: Kymco’s impressive range of 

scooters and Yamaha’s lineup of delectable dirtbikes, 

Adventure machines, Ag units, ATV’s and superbikes. 

• An amazing accessory store. Pretty much, one of the 

biggest around with a massive variety of clobber for all 

kinds of riding in addition to casual wear from Yamaha 

and VR 46. 

• Workshop. Yup they will take your baby in and give 

it the love it deserves with very qualified technicians 

swinging spanners. 

• Parts. The parts counter is just about sorted and 

ready to roll. Naturally the focus is on Yamaha products 

but they will carry popular bits like brake pads, 

chains and so-on. 

But wait - there’s more! 

Yamaha is famous for a few other products too. If you are 

a Musician - you need to go and check out their range of 

instruments. Drive mom nuts and get junior a drum kit. We 

dare you. But there is everything from Guitars to pianos, 

drums to amps, and everything in between, including some 

sweet sound equipment like Hi-FI’s, speakers sound bars 

and so-on on display and some selected goods for sale. 

Power products - Mom needs a lawnmower and maybe a 

generator for that pesky Eskom intervention... 

Marine: 

If you are a person who loves to get out on the water - you 

need to check out some of the amazing watercraft in store. 

From Yachts to rubber dinghies, there is a massive selection. 

Guys its very impressive to see. An amazing store. if you 

are at a loose end on the weekend go and have a looksee. 

19 Eastern Service Rd, Kelvin, Sandton, 2054. 

Easy to get to. Lots of safe parking. 

www.yamahashop.co.za 

Phone: 011 259 7600 

WW

GET OPTIMIZED! 

WP PRO COMPONENTS 

WP develops high-performance motorcycle suspension and components. 

With a focus on innovation and precision, WP is committed to giving riders the technical edge to take their 

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WWW.WP-SUSPENSION.COM

V New 

YAMAHA’S SPORTS 

TOURER 

TRACER 9 GT

What happens when you blend an exciting CP3 triple 

900cc engine with a comfortable chassis and ply it with 

top of the line electronics? You get the new Yamaha 

Tracer 9. 

The Tracer has always been the more sensible, practical 

member of the MT family. The GT moniker includes a certain 

amount of sophistication. This year’s rendition is no different... 

The other day while we were at the World Of Yamaha store, 

we noticed a sports tourer lurking on a trailer outside the 

workshop. We thought it was an old Tracer, but as we chatted 

and walked closer, we noticed that it was significantly 

different. Turns out that it was Yamaha’s latest version of this 

model and it was on its way for Homologation … 

Thusly we were not yet allowed to take it for a spin. 

We bided our time and bombed the poor guys from Yamaha 

with emails and WhatsApp’s until it was sorted and they let us 

loose on the bike while it still had a mere 350 odd KM’s on the 

clock. The only one in SA so far and they entrusted our lot with 

it. Nine of them, Huh?! 

The Sports tourer segment is not massive in SA, but there are 

some really lekker bikes around. It’s a segment that makes 

sense - all given away in the name, sports performance with 

comfortable touring attributes. Straight off the top, this one 

ticks those boxes. It’s quick and nimble like a sports bike, but 

soft and comfortable, much like an adventure machine. 

We spent a full two days zooting all around JHB, long 

freeways, twisty back roads, solo and with a pillion and before 

we forget ... The Junior members of this bike mag generally 

get chucked on to the back of all the bikes that make their way 

to our offices.

New 

Old 

This one got two thumbs up as having one of the most comfortable 

pillion seats around. 

What’s new: 

Now in its third generation, Yamaha’s middleweight sport-tourer, now 

called the Tracer 9 GT, is new from the ground up. It has a larger, 

more powerful engine, a new frame, and a state-of-the-art electronics 

package that includes semi-active suspension. 

Any bike that comes billed as a Gran Turismo has some pretty high 

expectations to meet. Changes are apparent right out of the gate in the 

newly-designed front fender. This year there’s all-around LED lighting 

that ensures two-way visibility through smaller dual headlights and 

new cornering headlights. A revised, adjustable, rally-style windscreen 

comes well vented to reduce the dreaded head-buffet effect to a 

minimum. Aesthetic revisions continue into the stylish handguards. 

The unique twin 3.5-inch multi-function split TFT displays are 

interesting. 

The left one features Key running information like the a multi-coloured 

bar-type tachometer. As the revs increase, the colour changes. It’s 

quite lekker! There is also a digital speedometer, fuel gauge, gear 

position and TCS mode indicator. The left screen can be switched 

to the TCS mode and setting display, enabling the rider to select the 

desired intervention mode for the electronic rider aids. The right screen 

is split into four separate sections, each one displaying a range of 

information such as odometer, tripmeters 1 & 2, temperature and more. 

The Tracer 9 GT shares lots of stuff found in the naked MT09 SP and 

that’s a bike we really loved, so we were really curious to see what 

Yamaha had done to this one. 

This bikes Deltabox chassis comes straight from the MT-09 as do the 

lighter 10-spoke Spin-Forged wheels and an engine rotated almost 5 

degrees more upright in the frame. Yamaha has given the Tracer a new 

longer 64mm aluminium swingarm that still keeps the bike’s wheelbase 

at 1500mm. The Tracer’s new rear subframe is significantly beefier 

than before. The max load weight, (rider/pillion/luggage combined), 

goes up to 193kg. It also allows for the use of panniers and top box 

at the same time, where the old model was only spec’d for one or the 

other. 

Brakes are the same as the MT-09, with radial four-pot calipers up front 

matched to a radial master cylinder pinched from the R1 Superbike, 

and a simple two-pot caliper at the rear.

Was: R144 950 INCL. VAT 

Now: R124 950 INCL. VAT 





There are many different types of commuting, 

ranging from city streets to stretches of superslab. 

And we've got the ultimate commuter bike for you. 

www.yamaha.co.za · +27 11 259 7600 · Facebook: Yamaha Southern Africa · Instagram: @yamahasouthafrica

Engine: 

With an extra 42cc over the outgoing Tracer models, 

you’d expect the updated CP3 triple to have more 

power and torque. You’d be correct, but thanks to Euro 

5 compliance, there’s not a lot in it with just around 3% 

more at the top end. 

It is, however 2kg lighter than the motor used on the 

outgoing MT-09 and provides 6% more peak torque, 3% 

more peak output and, they say 9% more efficiency. The 

fuel injection system is heavily revised, with new injector 

banks squirting fuel more or less directly onto the tops of 

the intake valves, rather than further upstream in the inlet 

tracts. This is claimed to improve fuel atomisation and 

reduce the amount of fuel that resists combining with the 

incoming air and simply ‘sticks’ to the intake tract wall. 

The 6-speed transmission has an assist-and-slipper 

clutch and a new quickshifter. 

We are not too enthralled with the new square exhaust 

boxy type system that sits beneath the engine. We are 

pretty sure that that will make way for an aftermarket 

pipe straight away and we’d guess that this will unleash 

a few more horsepower. Despite the weird pipe it really 

does sound the business. The fact that Yamaha has 

managed to drop weight, meet Euro 5 emissions targets 

and still find a small increase in power tells us that 

Yamaha knows their stuff! 

Electronics and stuff: It’s a lot but have a read... 

Electronics on this bike includes brake, slide and traction 

control and are all funnelled through a new 6-axis IMU 

that is more compact than the hardware used on the R1. 

New for this year is KYB semi-active suspension front 

and rear. It’s not the most sophisticated system in the 

world, it doesn’t alter preload for example, just damping 

but it’s still a nice touch. They tell us that the IMU runs 

125 calculations per second, continually feeding data 

to the suspension, which electronically adjusts rebound 

and compression damping in the fork and rebound in the 

rear shock in real-time to suit the terrain and conditions. 

It also stabilizes the chassis under braking and 

acceleration and offers two modes, (Sport and Comfort). 

The IMU also feeds data to the new rider aids which 

can be adjusted to preference or completely turned off. 

These include lean angle-sensitive traction control, slide 

control, wheelie control, and cornering lights. The ABS 

is newly equipped with a brake control system, and 

riders can choose between two levels of intervention. 

Yamaha’s YCC-T throttle-by-wire system now includes 

Accelerator Position Sensor Grip, (ASPG), which uses a 

sensor and a magnet to detect throttle opening and send 

corresponding signals to the throttle valves. ASPG uses 

a spring, slider, and gear to produce variable resistance 

to the grip creating a natural throttle feel. 

You have a choice of 4 different engine modes, Mode 

1 is full power and sharpest delivery, through to Mode 

4 which makes it feel like it’s only using two out three 

cylinders, and three rider aid modes namely TCS 1, TCS 

2 and Manual, all accessed via the left-hand switchgear. 

TCS 1 is lowest intervention on all aids, TCS2 ramps it 

up a bit, and Manual allows you to tailor the whole lot to 

your tastes, with a choice of three intervention levels for 

each, plus the option to turn the Slide Control and LIF 

off while keeping some Traction Control. There’s also an 

option to just turn the whole lot off.

Cruise control and heated grips are standard. The 

ten, (yes that’s right!), settings of the heated grips 

worked great in the chilly early hours of the Highveld 

winter and the Yamaha’s up-and-down Quick 

Shift System is perfect, even though the Tracer 9’s 

gearbox, with a new longer first and second gear, is 

already so lekker. 

The Tracer 9 GT, is equipped with a 2-Mode Brake 

Control, (BC), system that provides added chassis 

stability during emergency braking situations. Data 

from the IMU is constantly analysed, and when 

excessive lever pressure is applied to the front or 

rear brake by the rider, the pressure is automatically 

modulated by the BC system. 

The rider can select either of two modes: BC1 is 

the standard ABS-active mode which prevents 

wheel lock-up during emergency braking in an 

upright, straight-line situation. When set to BC2, the 

system offers an even higher level of intervention 

by controlling brake pressure when the IMU senses 

that the chassis is likely to become unsettled in 

situations such as sudden mid-corner braking. 

Impressive stuff this... 

Ergonomics and ride quality: 

Yamaha has gone more ‘minimal’ with the sleek 

design of the Tracer 9, some comments were that 

it looks a bit spartan. We however do like that. 

The layered plastics and panels promote better 

airflow while the rest of the ergonomics add to the 

impression of balance. Riders of various sizes will 

appreciate the Tracer 9 GT’s new adjustable foot 

pegs, which along with the dual-height seat and 

adjustable handlebar from the previous model allow 

ergonomics to be customized. 

Windscreen adjustment is simple and at its max 

setting is really tall to keep bug invasions and wind 

at bay. We have no complaints, as you’d expect 

from any sports tourer it’s made for long journeys 

in comfort. Everything is logically laid out and the 

juniors had no complaints sitting out back. 

The bike does not feel too tall either, even with the 

seat on the higher setting, no one complained about 

getting foot to ground. 

It’s a really fun bike to ride. Maybe not quite as 

lunatic fringe as the MT09 SP we rode a while back, 

(Isn’t that the case with most nakeds?), but still 

peppy and fun. It’s powerful too with good, smooth 

triple cylinder torque through the gears. This bike 

only had 350 odd kilometres on it, and we did not 

want to push her until properly run in, but she ran up 

to the 200KPH mark without breaking a sweat. That 

triple engine offers some really lekker mid-range 

punch, which is great out of the corners. Freeway 

cruising is effortless. And like we said earlier, she 

sounds very good, especially banging her through 

the quick shifter which is particularly surprising 

looking at the strange exhaust. The gearbox and 

clutch are slick and smooth. 

The electronic suspension does everything that you 

ask of it and feels significantly better than the old 

bikes - and you have easy selections. In mode 2 it’s 

a very smooth, comfortable ride. With Tristan on the 

back and going quite fast along the back roads, she 

behaved perfectly. Mode 1 firms things up a little, 

perhaps better for solo sporty riding.

Both way, it all works and keeps the bike well in shape. 

So what do we think? 

Nippy, fast, really comfortable. We keep talking about sports 

touring but in and around the city it actually feels small, nimble 

and is a lot of fun to ride. 

B 

W 

Great brakes, great handling... lots of personality from 

the triple engine. From the four D mode throttle response 

options the sportier setting is the best giving a great slice of 

performance from Yamaha Control Chip Throttle. The four 

engine modes make a huge difference to the power delivery, 

but the immediate impression is of a much more civilised power 

delivery than the MT. Even Mode 1, which is pure hooligan 

on the MT, is calmer on the new Tracer. That’s got to do with 

power to weight ratios and we’ll bet the longer swingarm has 

something to do with it… 

It’s not the biggest baddest bike in this class, but Yamaha has 

built a bike that is perfect for … well sports touring. And we’ll 

wager that track aficionados will even give that a shot, it does 

comes with lap timers after all. 

Point it at the nearest horizon. Pop the cruise control on and 

just enjoy the ride. 

The previous model is really good. The new one feels just that 

much sharper and better. 

R 

20 

R25 R 

The current model came from World of Yamaha - www. 

yamaha.co.za 

The outgoing model is from Linex Yamaha. www. 

linexyamaha.co.za 

Yamaha Tracer 9 Specs 

Engine Four Stroke, Transverse triple Cylinder, 

DOHC, 4 Valves per cylinder 

Capacity 890cc 

Emission Euro-5 

Max Power 117.4hp / 87.5kw @ 10 000 rpm 

Max Torque 93Nm @ 7000 rpm 

Clutch Wet Multiplate Assist and Slipper 

clutch 

Frame Controlled-fill diie-cast Aluminium 

Front Suspension 41mm Semi-Active KYB 

inverted fork, fully adjustable preload, 

compression and rebound 

Rear Suspension Single shock, fully 

adjustable, semi-active horizontal KYB shock 

Wheelbase 1501mm 

Seat Hight 810mm 

Wet weight 220kg 

Fuel Capacity 18.9 litres 

R 

40 

R1 

R16 

R18 

B

BMW Motorrad 

West Rand 

R1200 RS, 2016 

R1200 GSA , 2015 

20 000km - Plenty Extras 

36 000km 

R255 R125 000 000 

R75 R169 000 000 

F800 GT, 2016 

39 8000km 

R89 R319 000 

000 

R NINE T, 2020 

R1200 GS Adventure, 2016 

4000km 

56 000km 

R124 R145 995 000 

R269 R299 995 

000 R175 R165 000 

R169 R185 995 000 

R165 R175 000 

R1250 RT, 2019 

2 950km 

R235 R185 000 

BMW Motorrad West Rand 

Email: japretorius@cfaomotors.co.za 

RIDEFAST MAGAZINE JUNE 2021 43

PILLIONS 

VIEW 

A LETTER FROM A READER 

Hello Ridefast ‘FANS’, 

We just love getting letters like this from our readers 

and will always make a plan to publish them. In the 

April 2021 edition we reviewed the BMW K1600GTL, 

sticking our resident hairy ape in the riders seat 

and a pretty lady on the back, but we only ever 

really give you the riders point of view and very 

seldom allow the pillion to do anything more than 

just look pretty on the back of a bike. Mrs Barbara 

Frew dropped us this mail below after reading the 

K1600GTL article and sent us these great photos 

taken while sitting in the luxury of the pillion seat of 

her and Rob’s 1600GTL on a 20 day trip through our 

beautiful country. 

“We enjoyed reading the article on test riding the 

BMW K1600GTL EXCLUSIVE in the April magazine. 

We have had the privilege of enjoying many great 

local road trips on the BMW 1300 GT, next the BMW 

1600GT and since 

2015 the BMW K1600 GTL EXCLUSIVE. The last 

trip before Covid was JOZI TO CAPE TOWN AND 

BACK, 

Route 63 and Route 62 … 4,500 km, 20 days and 12 

stays. 

To us what BMW got right are great touring bikes 

with spacious pannier bags. 

As a pillion I have taken many, many photographs 

“WHILE WE WERE RIDING”, with my cell phone 

handy, thought I will share a few with you. 

South Africa sure is worth traveling and enjoying the 

different landscapes and great local down to earth 

people. 

One farmer in Carnavon was totally amazed when 

Rob said the bike is a 1600cc 6 cylinder, his reply 

was 

“ MY DONNER PAPPIE HY IS GROOTER AS A 

GOLF GTI” 

I have also been following “ITCHY BOOTS” with 

great interest. 

Safe riding and keep up the great articles. 

Barbara and Rob Frew 

Amongst all the negative I remind myself everyday 

something positive even if it just to look back on 

the great times we had.” 

Ladies and Gents, we love this this kind of feed 

back, if you have any cool riding or bike touring 

stories with some really great pic’s please send them 

along to info@motomedia.co.za

PRODUCT REVIEW 

THROUGH THE EYES OF A PILLION 

PUNCTURE KIT 

By Barbara Frew 

Before lockdown we planned a long motorbike road trip 

with a great friend John. Jozi to Cape Town and back. 

Taking 19 days, Route 63, Route 62, 4500 kilometres, 12 

stop overs and as many mountain passes that we could 

find on route. 

We were well prepared for all emergencies, including tools, 

first aid kit and a STOP AND GO PUNCTURE KIT with a 

small compressor. 

Half way through the trip we somehow went through an 

informal settlement and John’s back tyre picked up a big 

nasty nail and the tyre was going flat. 

We removed it with a Leather-man and used a mushroom 

plug provided in the puncture kit, after inserting the plug, 

we tried to inflate the tyre with the compressor by plugging 

it into the external jack on the motorbike only realising that 

the power source is protected with a 2 AMP fuse which 

instantly blew. Luckily, we also had some CO2 bombers 

which we were able to inflate the tyre with and within 15 

minutes we were on our way. 

With the tyre pressure almost perfect, which we checked 

at the first garage we came to and no spaghetti or glue 

jammed into the tyre, we still did another 6000km on the 

tyre and when it was replaced at TYRE WAREHOUSE they 

were impressed with the way the puncture kit worked. 

When we finally got to our destination that day, we had 

to sort out the blown fuse, as the power point was being 

used for the Garmin. 

On returning to Johannesburg, John went to Donovan 

Muller at Cytech to install a 12 volt power point upgrade to 

accommodate the current drawn by the compressor. 

TOP TIP: Invest in the STOP AND GO puncture kit with a 

mini compressor. Install a 12 volt power point upgrade so 

no fuses on the bike will blow and if possible like us - we 

took an old tyre and practised at home a few times before 

the trip to insert the mushroom … it is very easy. 

STOP & GO puncture kits are supplied by CYTECH Johannesburg, 

chat to Gina or Kerry on (011) 433-8850 or 

drop them a mail on info@cytechmotorcycles.co.za or go 

to their website at www.cytechmotorcycles.co.za 

They assisted us with all of the above and it is sure worth 

for peace of mind. 

Safe riding from Barbara, Rob and John.

SAM LOWES

TRIUMPH 1200RS 

SPEED TRIPLE

No Replacement 

for Displacement... 

Man! We live in such a great time when it comes to motorcycles of all shapes and 

sizes. The very latest that our lot has got to ride is Triumphs new 1200 RS Speed 

Triple… 

Was It Worth the wait? Flippen right it was! 

Every once in a while we get to ride a bike that is really quite special. It’s not just 

a case of another bike test – it’s one of those machines that you get home and 

think about just how lekker the ride was. Over the years there have been quite 

a few bikes like this – and this one ranks right up there. 

At the time of collecting it the riots were just breaking out. Stressful. Unhappy. Hop 

on and head for our offices. Arrive at the destination smiling. Boss needs milk? 

No probs hop on and go, the long way round of course. Next morning up, listen 

to the news… get grumpy again, go for another ride – happy again. 

That’s what most bikes are about, but this one does inspire much joy. 

This bike is completely new from headlight to tail light. But we won’t bore you 

with all the tech details. 

Ok we might, just a little wherever it’s relevant – but we have previewed this 

one in great detail in previous issues. 

The new RS appears to be rather minimalistic – but there is a lot of under the 

skin stuff to it. And we like that. A lot. Sometimes less is more for sure! 

The most obvious thing to do is to compare this bike with the old street 

Triple- which was, in itself a great bike. But this is when the Speed Triple 

truly comes into its own.

B U 

de 

leg 

85 

O 

Where the old Speed Triple was a bit wide and 

chunky, the 1200 RS is slim and compact. It feels 

smaller and more trim. Like the predecessor, 

the riding position is sporty, but natural and 

comfortable. The bars are 13mm wider, footrests 

are the same height as before (although moved 

inboard for more ground clearance) and it’s easy 

to get your feet flat on the ground. It has an 

830mm high seat that is narrower and longer. It’s 

really comfortable and allows the rider to move 

around in the corners. 

The new aluminium chassis is lighter - and 

together with the engine’s weight savings and 

lighter lithium-ion battery, the new bike weighs 

in at just 198kg which is 10kg lighter than the 

outgoing model. They also tell us that its powerto-weight 

ratio is 26% better and double that of 

the original. 

Fo 

BBS_RID 

Some more interesting stuff: 

Triumph’s original 885cc, 1994 Speed Triple 

produced only 98bhp and 60 lb-ft of torque, 

but now that its powered by the 1160cc liquidcooled 

three-cylinder superbike engine, it makes 

178bhp. That’s 30bhp up on the outgoing 

1050cc Speed Triple and 11 lb-ft more torque 

(now 92lb-ft). The new engine is 7kg lighter with, 

they say its internals producing 12% less inertia. 

The bore and stroke is a racier, an over-square 

90 x 60.8mm compared to 79 x 71.4mm. 

The new Triumph’s power curves show slightly 

more power and torque below 4000rpm and 

around same in the midrange, before it takes 

off at 6500rpm to its new 11,150rpm redline 

-650rpm higher than before… 

And it all so refined. This one… well it gives you 

some pretty dirty thoughts! 

The new display is really cool with all of the 

electronics really simple to figure out. Google is 

your friend, go and have a look, but they include 

rider modes, an up and down shifter, Bluetooth 

connectivity, Turn by turn nav and Go Pro 

access. And it all works really well. 

The big question is: Was it worth the wait? 

Absolutely! This bike lives up to – and in our 

opinion exceeds the hype that preceded it. 

Why?

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BBS_RIDE FAST_JULY'21.indd 1 2021/06/15 09:45

Well - the race for 200BHP plus naked is a real thing, but often 

those bikes are simply too much for the average rider and at low 

revs they can be a bit clunky and rough. Simply put, they prefer to 

RideFast. 

Triumph has a habit of coming up with user friendly bikes that are 

fun to ride and although this bike can be a real maniac, Triumph 

has harnessed it all into a performance package that is still easy to 

ride at low revs every day. She is calm up to 6000 RPM and then 

that little devil on your shoulder comes to the fore and the street 

racer comes alive. 

But that’s not all that this bike is about. It’s the overall package 

that makes it so good. Comfortable,Smooth. Refined. So easy to 

live with. Smooth gear changes, smooth power delivery, refined 

acceleration and some pretty blistering performance when you feel 

like opening up. 

On any bike you don’t want to feel electronic intrusion – in fact if 

you are a good enough rider – you can use the tech to go faster. 

The traction control works in the background – every once in a 

while you’ll see the light flash a bit but you don’t really know that 

it’s there. The quickshifter is so smooth. 

Ok you got that now? It’s FUN with a capital F. 

Point it through a corner and open the throttle – the bike has so 

much pull that you’re laughing in your helmet. It’s GREAT! The 

Ohlins suspension is quite firm and stiffly sprung. She feels quite 

racey. Real superbike performance and handling. Steering is light 

and accurate, the Metzelers grip like race rubber, the Brembo 

Stylemas are, well Brembo Stylemas. 

Yes, yes it’s a naked but thanks to Triumphs attention to making 

things smooth it’s so comfortable and easy to ride. 

It’s justs So much fun on the road but how does she fare on the 

track? 

Our Donovan Fourie took the bike for a good thrashing around 

Midvaal. He shares his thoughs: 

A bike for every man and not only those rocket racing track 

fiends… 

It’s like that. Unadulterated fun. 

We had it for a couple of days and found every excuse in the book 

to hop on and take off. 

This is a romance story worthy of every Hugh Grant/Sandra 

Bullock Hollywood movie poor boyfriends have been dragged to 

for decades. 

The first time the Speed Triple and I met was in the mid-2000s 

after she had been drummed up by everyone I’d ever met – it’s a 

hooligan machine! It wheelies for nothing! It’s the most fun you can 

have on two wheels!

With such high expectations, no wonder things went wrong on the first ride. 

She felt big and bulky with handling that resembled a flat-bottomed barge. The 

motor seemed too sleepy to even get the bike moving, let alone get the front wheel 

up. Mind you, at that stage, I wanted bikes that would either break lap records or 

breathe out fire. I could have been more understanding. 

We met every few years again when Triumph threw in new updates at her, and 

we both kinda grew. Every time, the Speed felt smaller, nippier, more agile and 

ferocious. 

Then, a couple of years ago, we met again at Red Star Raceway. 

I was a different man to what I was 15 years ago, and she . . . she had really 

blossomed. She was beautiful, gorgeous, elegant and invigorating. From a 

beginning soaked in loathing to a point where actual feelings were flourishing. 

Now it’s 2021. We’ve had feelings for some time, and it’s time to spice the 

relationship up a bit. 

An extra 30 saucy horsepower helps, but not in an overly domineering fashion, one 

of respect and mutual happiness. 

On the track, the Speed is fast but not like a bucking bronco out of control. It feels 

like Mama Bear – strong but nurturing, pulling from nearly any revs in any gear with 

a sonorous roar. 

I had just recovered from Covid before we went to Midvaal for our latest encounter, 

and my superpowers had yet to return. I climbed a simple flight of stairs the day 

before and was left gasping for breath afterwards. 

My legs shook for the rest of the day. 

Hours of shooting around a track should’ve left me comatose. And yet, Speed 

even looked after me when I was sick. From our first ride where she was wayward 

and belligerent, now she ducked and dived through turns on nothing more than a 

suggestion. The flight of stairs nearly killed me. The Speed made me feel alive. 

The last Speed made me catch feelings and made me want to spend more with 

her. This model inspires full-on love. A lot of love. 

Look out for the wedding invitations. 

Ryan Robertson shares his thoughts: 

The last naked Triumph I swung my leg over was the 1050 Speed Triple R… I 

must admit, this new version (if you can call it that), seems to be a completely 

new motorcycle and it blew my mind. The first thing you notice is the extremely 

tidy and easy to use TFT display with simple to use glove friendly toggle buttons. 

Nice and sedate if ridden as such, but it will fully test the integrity of the ligaments 

that hold your arms in your shoulder sockets when that little thing on the right is 

twisted fully!! 

The brakes bring this rocket to a stop just as quickly and the Ohlin’s suspension 

front and back completes the package making this little rocket handle like it’s on 

rails! 

Photo by: Megan McCabe

Triumph RF - Print ad CMYK.pdf 1 2021/07/22 11:30 

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Triumph RF - Print ad CMYK.pdf 2 2021/07/22 11:30 

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MotoGP 

mid-term report: 

Upheaval again this year with venues being cancelled 

and races moved thanks to this flippen Virus. Despite 

the plague - Moto GP has been a fantastic show so far 

- and we cannot wait for the boys to fire up again on the 

8th of August. 

TV’s across SA - brace yourselves theres going to be 

shouting again! 

In America, they have things called mid-term reports 

where students are assessed at the halfway mark to see 

how they are doing. 

This is much like that but with MotoGP, so way cooler. 

Let’s look at some of the more interesting riders this 

year: 

By Donovan Fourie.

Fabio Quartararo: 

At the beginning of the year, we knew the Frenchman was 

fast, but we questioned his mental strength – being a MotoGP 

champion requires more than just outright pace. It requires 

a rider to deal with the pressure of the world on top of them 

through changing predicaments. 

It takes a mind of concrete to overcome these massive 

hurdles, and before this year, many said that Quartararo 

doesn’t have that. 

Whatever happened between 2020 and 2021 has made a 

marked difference. He no longer loses his mind on the bike 

when things go wrong. His emotions are in check, and he is 

using his head. 

With that out of the way, he is free to use his undeniable 

speed, and at half-season, he is leading the championship by 

34 points. 

If he keeps up this holistic strength, It’d be tough to bet 

against him for the rest of the year. 

Johann Zarco: 

With Andrea Dovizioso out of the 2021 season, Johann Zarco 

seems to have stepped in as Mr Consistency. He’s showed 

glimmers of speed but has never quite made it to the pointy 

end of a race. 

Apart from one fall in Portugal, he’s been consistently in the top 

ten, usually in the top five with four podiums so far. 

The problem is, with Quartararo being so strong, winning the 

title is going to take more than just consistency. 

Maverick Vinales: 

Where Quartararo has shown mental fortitude, Vinales has 

crumbled. 

Last year, he complained about Yamaha not listening to him 

and not giving him what he wanted, seemingly implying that 

Rossi is getting preferential treatment. This year, he gets a new 

teammate, and he’s still saying the same thing. 

At what point do the team lose patience with him? 

Seemingly at Assen when he announced that he’s leaving 

Yamaha at the end of the year. 

Many predicted he was moving to Aprilia, but that 

announcement hasn’t come yet. Other rumours suggest he 

might take a year off. 

It’s possible that the glory of Vinales is slipping away. 

Pecco Bagnaia 

While all the headlines are on Marquez, Quartararo, Vinales and 

Miller, this chilled out Italian has been getting on with things. 

He’s had one DNF, and every other race has been in the top ten. 

The MotoGP calendar is moving to some very Ducati friendly 

circuits in the second half of the year. Look out for Pecco. 

Jack Miller: 

He was one of the title favourites at the beginning of the year, 

but 2021 hasn’t seen all the Australians’ cards fall into place. 

He has taken two wins this year and a further podium position, 

but like previous years, Miller seems to shine more in the 

second half of the season. Let’s see what he can do.

Joan Mir: 

Life hasn’t been so easy for the world champion. 

Michelin changed the front tyre allocation for 2021, impacting 

many riders, including the Suzuki team. 

Mir has mostly kept up the consistency that won him the title last 

year, but where the opposition was in a shambles last year, this 

year they have their ducks in a row. Mir, Like Zarco, is going to 

need more than just consistency. 

Marc Marquez: 

“The king is back”, shouted his fans when he returned to the 

grid after nine months with his arm in a sling. 

It’s funny how things change in nine months, including his 

Honda, which has gone from a machine he could push to 

regular race wins to a bike that keeps biting him. 

He’s been gaining strength and confidence throughout the 

year until he returned to Sachsenring, where he finally took his 

comeback victory. 

Then he went to Assen where the Honda high-sided him 

spectacularly, and he seemed timid for the rest of the 

weekend. 

We have to wonder if this confidence knock is a permanent 

feature or a temporary setback. 

Alex Rins: 

Rins has been the opposite of Mir this year – fast but making too 

many visits to the gravel trap. 

He has crashed out four times in the first nine races, and he 

missed Catalunya because he crashed his bicycle. 

Rins could be a title contender if he could just stay on. 

Miguel Oliveira: 

Much like Quartararo, Oliveira is in his third season in MotoGP, 

and that seems to be when riders fully take control of these 

monster machines. 

The year started out for the Portuguese rider with various 

setbacks and hiccups, including KTM being sideswiped by 

Michelin’s new front tyre allocation. 

A new chassis seems to have fixed much of Team Orange’s 

problems, especially for Oliveira, who took a win and has 

looked strong ever since. 

Keep an eye on him for the second half of the season. 

Brad Binder: 

After his Brno win last year, in just his third race on a MotoGP 

bike, we all thought Binder was going on to glorious things. 

But MotoGP is a steep and cruel learning curve. 

The Michelin front tyre debacle has hindered Binder, a rider 

whose most significant strength is his phenomenal late-braking. 

But he is gathering speed and gathering confidence. His 

methodical learning style will pay dividends. 

The second half of the season should see a stronger Binder 

taking form. Next year Should be very, very good indeed. 

Valentino Rossi: 

In our opinion, he is still the greatest thing to ever happen to 

motorcycle racing. 

Detractors might scoff at this notion, but these scoffs do not 

come from a place of objectivity. 

More people have started watching MotoGP because of 

Rossi than any other element throughout the championship’s 

72-year history, and much of the global success of MotoGP is 

down to him. 

Now, he seems to be reaching the end of this remarkable 

career. 

Weirdly, it’s not really that Rossi is slow, but the ability to adapt 

to changing machines and technology becomes more and 

more difficult with age. Especially when youngsters raised in 

the ranks of Moto2 with very different riding styles take over 

the development reigns. 

Rossi bowing out will be an emotional day for the world. 

It’s going to happen soon, though. We are sure of that. 

But we’ll bet anything you like that we’ll see him involved 

somewhere.

ivate 

PCollection.

Beep beep! 

A whats app comes through: “Is anyone else 

concerned about these noisy bikes drag racing 

up and down our street?” Man the joys of 

modern tech! 

Sorry neighbours! We weren’t actually racing, we were just 

taking the bikes out for a little cobweb shaker ride... 

A few weeks ago we got a message from Mr Evan Hutcheson, 

Multiple SA Cross Country and Rally champ. “Hey guys – I’ve 

built a couple of very special bikes for my mate Justen Cooper 

– how would you like to come and do a feature?” 

Well – it’s a tuff job, but someone has to do it – and we are 

pretty happy that we made the effort... 

There must be so many cool custom bikes out there that 

never see the light of day – or a camera. We rolled out to the 

spot where these bikes live and were greeted by some of the 

coolest Harleys that we’ve seen to date. Oh yes! There were 

also some pretty swanky cars lurking in the background – now 

those we’d love to go and drag sometime. 

But this here is a motorcycle mag so – while the cars are 

cool – that Martini Porche in particular tickling this guys fancy, 

the focus is on the three custom 883 Harleys that are proudly 

on display. The two flat trackers were built by Evan who is, 

himself a dirtbike guy – and the one with the strange wheels 

was bought as it stands. 

Even if you are not particularly a Harley fan, these ones are 

pretty special... And the more you look and examine, the more 

you see the attention to detail that goes into builds like this. 

Evan Hutcheson and Justen Cooper

Bike 1: No 46, Fhe Ferraley ...... 

This bike started life as a 2015 fuel injected 883 Sportster and 

was built as a surprise for Justens birthday. 

Flat tracker feel: 

As we mentioned, Evan is essentially an off-road guy, in a nod to 

that, he sourced a set of Electroglide wheels to accommodate 

the big Conti Twinduro tyres. 

He chopped the frame, threw away the stock suspension – 

replacing the rear units with Ohlins shocks. The front end was 

donated by an 883 R which has a twin disc front wheel. The fork 

inners were replaced with aftermarket Race Tech springs and 

shims. 

The triple clamps were custom built with a Harley V Rod 

headlight to round the front off... 

Lots of custom goods were imported like the Roland Sands 

handlebars, grips, levers and foot pegs. The cockpit is Spartan – 

much like a dirtbike, with very neat custom digital display on the 

right handlebar. 

The exhaust is a blend of Vance and Hines headers mated to a 

sexy Akarapovic tailpiece. It sounds the biz – and the fact that 

the pegs are wide means that you won’t fry your tender bits. 

The massive rear sprocket is a focal point... looks really cool – 

correct gearing must have been challenging to say the least. 

Have a look at the attention to detail – the air filter housing was 

machined to match the design on the brake disc. Nice hey! The 

rear indicators are mounted into the swingarm. 

Rounding the bike off is a rolled custom tailpiece, Tricky to make 

and oh so smooth, with a custom scoop up front. 

All of the paintwork – tank, wheels, fender scoop and covers is 

by master painter Ashley Bothma – not a single sticker is used. 

Every logo is airbrushed with not a sticker in sight.

Bike 2: The Martini Racing Tribute Bike: 

This bike was originally purchased as a donor bike for the 

Ferraley... 

Before we get into the bike – the 1977 Porche 911T – also 

built by Evan is quite historic. That car used to belong to 

Ace SA race photographer Steve Wicks. Great to see a 

classic built to its full glory. 

The Harley also started its life as an 883 “R” sporty – just 

an older, carbureted model. 

It’s flippen gorgeous – same-same but different. The 

colour scheme is quite something – the classic blue with 

silver detailing by Ashley Bothma works so well on this 

Iron. That front scoop is pinched from a Suzuki GSXR. 

Handmade bits like the custom pipe, air filter cover and 

chain guard just compliment the bike. 

Lots of imported Roland Sands goodies are also to be 

found, with custom stepped Harley rims and the same 

rolled rear fender as on the other bike. This one has been 

fitted with a custom LED tail light and indicator setup. 

Very cool. 

Fox shocks are mounted out back and, just like the sister 

Ferraley much attention has been paid to the front end. 

Race Tech internals replace the standard fare. 

Once again, the cockpit is sparse in a note to Evans love 

for dirtbikes. 

A beautiful Motogadget digi display is mounted in the 

top triple clamp – everything is subtle and minimalistic, 

beautifully crafted. Front indicators are to be found 

nestled in the rearview mirrors. 

It is a beauty. A rolling work of art.

Bike 3: The Last Rebel Board Tracker. 

Evan is not the man responsible for this very unusual build – 

and unusual is absolutely the correct description. 

This bike also started out as an 883 Sporty – but someone 

decided to fit a 1200 Screaming Eagle kit. Why? Well we aren’t 

exactly sure coz we can pretty much guarantee that you won’t 

be going too fast on this one. 

You cannot miss those monster 26 inch wheels? 

Well the brakes and old school suspension don’t quite match 

the rolling mass... 

This is a showpiece with brass finishes, leather detailing and 

paintwork that really turns heads. 

Take a look at the bars. See any control buttons? 

Nope? 

They are there, just cunningly mounted into the steel of the 

handlebar – first time we’ve seen that. 

It really is something quite unusual. 

To whoever built it – your imagination an workmanship is quite 

something. Nice one. 

It’s Great to see these bikes in a passionate collectors hands. 

If you are keen on a bike build and are looking for a 

perfectionist to do the job: 

evan@ridefox.co.za

DON’T ‘BRAKE’ A SWEAT 

There’s a lot more to it than you might imagine… 

Sean takes a look at what slows things down… 

Possibly (Ok Maybe THE) most important part of your 

motorcycle is the braking system. 

When other bits like suspension and so on are 

defective, you can ride around the problem, but try 

riding a bike without brakes. 

I remember when my brakes failed on my bicycle 

during a downhill race… Everyone thought I was a 

friggin superstar – if they could only see the sheer 

terror in my eyes as I overtook the whole field… 

There is no hand brake to pull up like in a car - and 

banging down hard through the gears is only effective 

in slowing you down gradually and in a pinch you are 

basically screwed. Then brakes are also not as simple 

as they may seem with very many factors influencing 

how quickly you do or don’t stop. 

We all know and understand the basic function of 

brakes. A caliper pushes one or more pads onto the 

disc, causing friction and slowing the rotation of the 

axle it’s attached to and, in the case of drum brakes 

when the brake pedal is applied the two curved brake 

shoes, which have a friction material lining, are forced 

by hydraulic wheel cylinders against the inner surface 

of a rotating brake drum, the result of this contact 

produces friction which enables the vehicle to slow 

down or stop. However while all systems operate on 

these basic principles, they all vary depending on 

the application and the demands of the task at hand. 

Brake backing plates and friction materials are so 

advanced nowadays that they can be designed with 

specific riding conditions in mind, just like the brake 

discs and calipers. 

Brake discs or rotors … 

Firstly, let’s have a quick look at the different types 

of brake discs. 

Very few (OK - none that we know of anyway), 

modern performance bikes use brake drums these 

days. Those brakes are reserved for small capacity, 

low speed run-abouts and farm bikes, so we are not 

going to focus on them in this article. In our opinion 

– drum brakes should be a thing of the past, they are 

woefully inefficient compared to a disc brake system. 

But they are cheap to make, fit and maintain. 

Fixed and Floating Brake Discs: 

There are three principal types of motorcycle brake 

discs: fixed, fully floating & semi floating. 

Sounds confusing we know, but read on: 

A fixed brake disc is a one-piece brake disc, that 

means that its brake pad contact face and wheel 

mounting face are all part of the same piece of metal. 

They are cheaper to produce and they perform 

perfectly well within certain parameters, but if they 

are subjected to serious heat, then they are unable to 

dilate or expand because they are not floating. 

Both fully floating brake discs and semi-floating brake 

discs are constructed in two parts: 

Floating discs consist of a centre piece, fixed to the 

motorcycle wheel and a stainless rotor part which the 

brake pads push on.

When the rotor is subjected to serious heat, it expands. By allowing it to float 

separately from the mounting face it is free to expand and shrink again at will 

without being constrained by its mounting. When this expansion takes place is 

does so in all directions at once and it will not be constrained. 

If you prevent this from happening in one direction (by fixing it on its mounting 

face) it has no choice but to warp, so floating discs and semi-floating discs are 

made in two parts to allow the discs to expand and prevent them from warping. 

These are a high performance type brake disc. 

Bikes of more moderate performance can use fixed brake discs perfectly 

happily and you will also see that most rear brake discs are fixed. This is because 

they don’t get used as hard and therefore subjected to as much heat. 

Even so, most rear brake discs are thicker than the front brake discs and 

this is a compromise because the cooling is not as good as the front discs. 

They don’t get as hot but don’t cool as well either, so the thicker material 

helps prevent them from warping. 

Ventilated brake discs: 

Possibly the most common type of disc, (more on cars than bikes), a 

cast design that sees the two ‘faces’ of the disc spaced apart, giving 

room for cooling channels which allow heat to escape, preventing the 

disc from getting too hot and cracking, while also increasing the life 

of the pads. Initially they featuring straight channels but they have 

evolved through the years to improve airflow. 

Drilled Brake discs: 

Under heavy braking or in race conditions gases and particles are released 

forming a layer that prevents the pad from touching the disc 

effectively. Holes drilled through the disc give the gases and particles 

an escape route with a positive spin off of reducing weight 

of the part. However, if not done correctly, this process can 

also compromise the structural integrity of the disc. The 

brake disc acts as a big heat sync and by drilling it full 

of holes means there’s less of it to dissipate the heat 

generated by the friction of braking. However, with 

the evolution of braking technology and materials 

modern brake pads use are not as gassy as 

their predecessors thus reducing the need 

for drilling and the discs are manufactured 

more than strong enough. Fracturing is an 

exceptionally rare occurrence. 

Slotted or Grooved brake discs: 

The slotted, or grooved design is 

another attempt to answer the 

same issue. Slots or grooves in the 

surface of the disc allow gases to 

escape with the additional benefit 

of the scraping action introduced 

by the slots assist with cleaning 

the pad as well as the edges of 

the grooves increasing friction, 

(albeit at the expense of increased 

pad wear), and stopping 

power. And just like drilled discs, 

they look pretty awesome. 

Wave brake discs: 

Wave discs have been around in 

the motorcycle world for years. 

Wave discs place the mass closer 

to the axle for reduced inertia, 

better heat dissipation and lower 

weight. They were originally developed 

for Motocross bikes; however 

they see use on road going motorcycles 

too.


A reduction in weight because there’s less material and better 

heat dissipation is the main advantages. As with a lot of the 

designs we’ve just spoken about, the looks are almost certainly a 

factor for these being picked by manufacturers and consumers. 

Carbon brake discs: 

The most extreme way to approach heat management is opting 

for a carbon ceramic setup. 

A hot disc means hot pads, and that results in more gas and 

debris being released and the brake fluid heating up causing 

brake fade. So why not go for a different material? 

Carbon discs are much more resistant to heat, and are also less 

likely to warp or deform during heavy use, meaning they’ll usually 

last longer. As a bonus, they’re typically much lighter than their 

counterparts. HOWEVER!! And please take careful note of this: 

Other than being prohibitively expensive, they are not meant 

for road use EVER!! Carbon discs … and carbon pads for that 

matter are extremely heat resistant and require significant heat to 

work, hence why you see MotoGP bikes running on normal discs 

and pads in wet races. The water cools carbon discs down too 

much to be effective. 

For road riding, even if you believe yourself to be the fastest 

guy down Long Tom pass, you do not generate enough heat to 

get them up to operational temperatures and the long bursts 

of speed down open roads generates too much wind, cooling 

them down too much and too quickly making them completely 

ineffective the next time you grab a handful sending you off into 

oblivion. 

Disc Size matters … 

It really does, no matter what your significant other tells you. 

Most systems work by converting kinetic energy into thermal 

energy (heat) by friction. 

On motorcycles, approximately 70% of the braking effort 

is performed by the front brake. This, however can vary for 

individual motorcycles; longer-wheelbase types having more 

weight biased rearward, such as cruisers and tourers, can have a 

greater effort applied by the rear brake. In contrast, sports bikes 

with a shorter wheelbase and more vertical fork geometry can 

tolerate higher front braking loads. 

For these reasons, motorcycles tend to have a vastly more 

powerful front brake compared to the rear, (Thanks Wikipedia). 

The bigger the disc, the stronger the stopping power. The 

more pistons, (or pots if you like), on a caliper, the stronger the 

stopping power. The more rotors/discs … you guessed it, the 

stronger the stopping power. 

That is why bigger adventure and road/super bikes have twin 

rotors up front ranging in size from about 300mm to around 

330mm and sometimes even bigger, usually with multi-pot 

calipers and a single smaller rotor with single pot calliper out 

back. 

Generally most small bikes have a single rotor with single pot 

calipers front and rear and in the case of really small bikes those 

are sometimes swapped out for drum brakes. 

Brake Disc Applications 

Calipers … 

Single action calipers have brake pistons that operate on one 

side only. This type has a floating pin design which allows the 

piston side of the calliper to push onto the disc surface and pull 

the other side into contact as well. 

Dual action, or opposed callipers, are fixed into position to 

reduce flex. Dual action have opposed pistons either side of the 

disc to greatly improve the piston area. 

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Multi piston calipers: 

Larger rotors can be used to increase braking force, but this 

also increases weight and inertia. To overcome this, brake 

manufacturers developed callipers four, six and even eight 

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Increasing the number of pistons increases the swept piston 

area, allowing for longer, narrower brake pads and smaller discs. 

Caliper mounting … 

Axially mounted caliper 

Front fork leg mounted brake calipers, also called axially 

mounted. Early disc brake calipers were in front of the fork leg 

on top of the disc. This placed the caliper in an area of high air 

flow for better cooling. 

Calipers on most modern motorcycles are now mounted to the 

rear of the fork leg. 

This reduces the angular momentum of the fork assembly and 

improves low speed handling. 

Radial mounted calipers: 

A radial brake caliper is mounted parallel to the forward direction 

on the braking system, making them more rigid than the 

traditional axial mount, and not prone to torsional flexing. The 

lack of slight lateral movement allows more precise braking and 

crisper feeling brakes. 

Inboard brakes 

Honda tried an inboard brake design on a few models such as 

the VF400F and CBX550F, but reverted to the standard layout. 

The intent was to improve wet weather performance and have 

a cleaner appearance. The front brake assembly with vented 

discs was enclosed in a vented aluminium hub and the caliper 

was mounted onto the hub and gripped the disc from the 

outside. This kept the brake assembly dry and allowed the use 

of cast iron ventilated discs because the shrouding covered any 

unsightly surface rust on the disc. The system would prove to be 

short lived with all successive models reverting to the standard 

uncovered layout. 

Perimeter brakes 

Buell Motorcycle Company adopted a rim-mounted disc brake 

that was said to reduce unsprung weight in the wheel-brake 

system, allowing lighter wheel spokes. This style is generically 

termed a “perimeter brake” for its point of attachment to 

the wheel, and had been used in smaller numbers by other 

manufacturers before Buell. 

Single piston Caliper 

Double piston Caliper 

Rubber vs Steel braided brake lines … 

Most stock bikes come with rubber brake lines – and there is 

nothing inherently wrong with them – or else the manufacturer 

would not fit them. But over time, albeit a long time, they do 

degrade and break down. Also, they are rubber so they flex and 

expand a bit. Especially when things heat up. 

Visually you can sometimes see when they start to wear; you’ll 

notice little cracks on the exterior. When you flush or change 

your brake fluid (Yup you need to do that sometimes…) 

The fluid, instead of being translucent goes dark and looks 

almost muddy. That’s the rubber breaking down. Whilst they 

should not explode, on older bikes little bits have been known to 

come adrift inside and clog the works. 

Braided or steel brake lines: 

Aside from looking mighty trick (you can even choose a colour), 

the general consensus is that braided brake lines are a better 

option because they generally last a lifetime. They do not flex 

or expand which means better brake feel. The lines are stronger 

– particularly for off-road use when you donner into rocks and 

stuff. 

Replacement braided hoses are pretty common and not too 

pricey – just chat to your dealer.


Brake fluid: 

When was the last time you flushed your brake fluid? Yup you 

need to do it occasionally. 

Brake fluid is a hydraulic fluid and it is designed to withstand 

high temperatures with very low compressibility (Viscosity). 

Brake fluid is a glycol-ether-based (DOT3 and 4) or a siliconebased 

(DOT 5) fluid. Remember that these are not compatible, so 

don’t get them mixed up. 

Use whatever is imprinted on your front brake master cylinder. 

DOT3 or DOT4 fluid is hygroscopic, which means it absorbs 

atmospheric water and that degrades its performance over time. 

Swap your brake fluid occasionally and make sure that you bleed 

the system correctly. 

More on that in future issues. 

Brake pads … 

Now this is where things start getting really complicated and 

quite interesting. Each manufacturer uses their own codes, 

own descriptions and have several variants of each compound 

focused on different types of motorcycles, riding style, racing 

disciplines and all that. 

Wading through each brands different brake pad compounds 

could easily fill several magazines for a year. So we have decided 

to brake it down into the basic pads and level of motorcycle 

application and riding. If you would like to delve in deeper to 

compounds and all that, Google is your friend. 

The three fundamental compound types are: sintered, organic 

and semi-metal. Sintered pads are sometimes called “metal” 

or “metallic”. Organic pads are sometimes called “resin”. 

Each of these three compounds has their own benefits and 

disadvantages. 

Organic Brake Pad 

Sintered Brake Pad 

Organic Pads: Essentially an entry level brake pad designed 

more for the commercial, scooter, classic and cruiser market. 

The pads are made for bikes that do not travel at exceptionally 

high speeds and do not generate excessive heat on the discs 

and pads while braking. They are the softest form of brake 

pad, non-metallic pads are made up of different combinations 

of glasses, rubbers and resins like cellulose along with a small 

smattering of metal fibres that are all manufactured and cured 

to withstand a substantial amount of heat. The composite that 

results is relatively soft and therefore wears away quickly, but is 

easy on brake discs. This makes them poor for anything other 

than daily road driving, and even then a more metal-based pad is 

preferable to avoid frequent replacement. 

The accelerated wear of organic pads results in large amounts of 

brake dust covering nearby components which can also become 

a bit of a pain. Originally constructed from Asbestos (due to 

its talent for dissipating heat) non-metallic pads were swiftly 

switched to other compounds due to the health and safety 

issues revolving around the toxic material once airborne. 

Sintered Brake pads: 

Typically made using sintered steel, graphite or iron, semimetallic 

brake pads have a high thermal conductivity and – 

when combined with proper brake ducting for cooling – can be 

everything a high performance bike needs to cope with, even on 

the most intense of track days. 

Sintered brake pads are constructed from materials able to 

withstand more aggressive usage with higher friction and heat 

dissipation. Basically used on all modern dirt bikes, adventure 

bikes, cruisers, tourers and sport bikes. 

They offer good, consistent braking from cold all the way through 

to coping much better with higher heat generated from higher 

speeds, more extreme braking from riding style, faster speeds 

and heavier bikes. 

In short, they offer better thermal stability, fade free braking with 

good pad life and low disc wear. 

And there are lots of different types of sintered pads… 

Manufacturers offer a different sinter compound for rear and 

front brakes, maxi-scooter brake pads for those bigger,

heavier and faster scooters, some offer off-road/enduro 

specific pads as well as MX specific pads, ATV’s or even a dual 

or double sintered pad for extreme track riding on superbikes. 

You’ll need to chat to your dealer about what’s right for your 

bike. 

All round this is the most popular brake pad compound on the 

market and the most widely used as OEM by most motorcycle 

manufacturers. Sintered pads work equally well on stainless 

steel and cast iron brake discs. 

Carbon Brake pads: 

(Please do not use these for day to day riding on 

your ride, no matter what your Chommie tells you 

around the braai fire. You absolutely cannot generate 

enough heat riding on the road to get these pads up 

to operating temperature and will definitely end up in 

a world of trouble). 

Carbon Brakes are specifically designed for racing conditions 

at national and international competitive levels where extreme 

heat is generated through harsh and prolonged braking 

every couple of seconds. They offer a low heat transfer rate, 

designed to protect your discs, calipers and brake fluid against 

the extreme temperatures generated under these riding 

conditions. At full operating temperature they offer a smooth 

initial bite with a progressive in stop performance with brilliant 

feedback and modulation through the brake lever. They are 

quite pricey and as we mentioned before, and offer little to no 

braking force at low temperatures. 

So, there you have it in a rather large nutshell. 

As we mentioned earlier there are so many variants from each 

manufacturer that you will need to do your research to find out 

which best suits your bike and riding style. 

Carbon Brake Pad

Re-use. Re-Cycle 

FROM A MOTORCYCLE CHAIN TO A COLLECTABLE KNIFE 

It’s the right thing to do... 

OK chaps and chappettes! 

Now here is an unusual feature and you might ask why its 

in this here quality motorcycle magazine? 

Well that’s easy. 

Usually your old motorcycle chain will end up in the scrap 

yard fetching like a few cents to the hard earned rands that 

you paid for it. Here’s an innovative idea that Knifemaker 

extraordinary Michael von Brandis came up with. 

Bikes are a very personal thing. Why not put the chains to 

good use for a lifetime momento of the great times. 

We like - no we LOVE the idea - so we grabbed an old chain 

from our garage and headed to his forge and spent time 

learning about knife making. 

Burning out the O rings and residue. 

FEATURE 

Now. And lets cover this right away. 

These knives are not your usual run of the mill variety that 

you’ll find at your local flea market. Each piece is bespoke 

and unique and takes approximately 20 hours to manufacture. 

The tools and skills required for this craft are really 

specialized. 

It is an art - perhaps even, a dying art and we were amazed 

at the patience and time taken to craft this blade. In our opinion 

- worth every penny. 

So we’ll run you through the process. It was really fascinating 

to watch and learn about. 

• Clean the old chain. Sound easy? Well. The cleaning 

took the bulk of the time. To start with a forge is lit and 

the chain is left to braai on the flames. The idea is to 

burn out all of the little X-Rings and O-Rings and gunk 

used in the art of producing something as high tech as a 

motorcycle chain. Heat, Bash, Brush. Heat, Bash brush 

its a process that requires much patience. 

• Cut the links to length. Mike cuts the chain into sections 

of the correct workable length required. Then 

he piles five sections together and Tac welds the bits 

together as tightly as possible. And then its cleaned 

again... with a wire brush Mike welds a handle onto 

the block... 

• Start Baking. The welded chain is dipped into a 

solution of water and Borax. Borax is acidic and it 

acts as a flux to help weld the metals together. When 

the block is red - it comes out, borax is sprinkled into 

every nook and cranny - and it goes back in again. 

Out, clean, borax added, back into the forge. AND 

THEN.... guess what? In and out and clean, about - 

no lies 20 times.

Cleaning the chain 

Sections are tack welded. 

Spring steel forms the cutting edge. 

• Beating starts. Eventually Mike took the block 

and popped it onto a chunk of wood and 

started beating it with a hammer. Its all about 

compacting the links. You don’t want junk in the 

alloy. Guess what... back onto the cleaning tray, 

clean, clean, get any residue off the bar. 

• Compressing. Its just like in the movies into the 

forge - out again, beat it with a hammer, clean, 

and so-on... slowly slowly the links start to weld 

together into a single very hot bar. We are not 

going to lie. Those first few steps literally took 

hours. Once Mike was happy that he had a relatively 

compressed bar - it was time to use some 

modern technology. 

• The Press. Out of the fire and into the hydraulic 

press. Once again,a repetitive process. Compress, 

turn, compress, clean, borax, forge. Out 

repeat - and slowly, slowly a proper bar of metal 

starts to appear. Mike keeps stressing the importance 

of getting all of the rubbish out of the 

bar. Heat, beat clean, heat, beat and eventually 

the bar starts to elongate a bit. Eventually there 

is less junk falling out of the bar. Mike feeds the 

longer solid bar into his big boss mechanical 

hammer unit that helps to elongate and shape 

and compress. In the fire out, shape... you get 

the idea. After what feels like a lifetime... he has 

a solid bar that starts looking like something 

that could be used to make something out of. 

• Cooling. Once Mike had a bar that was the 

correct size and shape that looks nothing like a 

chain it was dunked into a barrel of vermiculite 

overnight to cool down SLOWLY. We went off 

to draw out the design of the blade that we 

wanted. 

Into the forge. 

lots of beating. 

Borax cleans and works as a flux.

Day 2: 

• Cutting edge. A piece of spring steel is used to 

make the cutting edge of the blade. Guess what? 

The following day, our poor chain is ground clean 

and cut into three even sections, piled one on top 

of the other and a block of spring steel is placed on 

what will be the cutting edge. The four blocks are 

compressed and spot welded together and - you 

guessed it - stuck back into the forge... 

• Bake, clean shape. By now you have the idea. 

Over time the four separate bits start merging into 

a solid block. The presses are used to combine 

the bits together and to start shaping what will 

eventually become a solid knife. Turn, squish, forge. 

Turn, squish, forge. Gently, patiently. Eventually, 

it starts to elongate. Mike carefully shapes and 

flattens the bar into a relatively rough looking piece 

of flat bar. It takes time and constant, precise 

measuring. The block probably went from forge to 

press 30 or so times... the better shape you get, 

the less work you need to do on the finished item. 

Once he was happy with the shape, the blade was 

back into the vermiculite to cool slowly... 

• Shape, cut, clean and dunk. The blade is ground 

down again. From a grinder to a belt sander just 

to remove any residue and to bring out the shapes 

formed by the links. Then. Etching magic. Mike 

dunks it into a solution of ferric chloride acid and 

the pattern comes out of the piece of metal. You 

can see the patterns formed by the chain. Too 

flippen cool! 

• Cutting and shaping. Mike cuts the bar into a bit 

of a shape - and it’s back into the forge. And then 

out again onto the anvil for a beating to shape the 

blade. All about patience. This job is performed 

and molded with a hammer. No press. Hand 

craftsmanship. Constant measurements to make 

sure that the blade and the tang are correctly sized. 

And just when we thought we were just about done... 

The blade was heated again and dunked overnight into 

the vermiculite for slow cooling. 

Etching the blade. 

Taking shape. 

Checking the thickness 

BE 

FEATURE 

Day 3: 

• The blade is removed from the vermiculite and 

its back onto the belt grinder to achieve an even 

thickness. Once it is all even, Mike uses a template 

to etch the basic shape of the knife onto the steel. 

The blade is carefully cut and ground to the exact 

template shape. 

• The holes are drilled into the tang (Handle) for 

handle fitment and Mike does the first grind of the 

blade before heat treatment. 

• Hardening: The poor old chain is stuck back into 

the forge until it glows yellow - and then just like in 

the movies, Mike removes it and dunks the blade 

into a barrel of quenching oil, which makes it very 

hard and brittle. 

• Tempering: You guessed it. Back into the forge for 

a final time at about 260 degrees. This lessens the 

hardness but makes the blade tough. 

After cooling the blade again, the blade is etched and 

sharpened and a handle of your choice is fitted 

Your knife is done. More than 20 hours of TLC. Is it not a 

beautiful thing? 

Mike makes knives to order but - you need to be 

patient, there is a backlog of orders just from the few 

people who we have shown this to. Its a great gift. 

A perfect memento made from the machines we all love. 

mcvonbrandis@gmail.com 

064-681-7220 

The chain links form a unique pattern.

BEAUTIFUL PRE-LOVED BARGAINS! 

CBR 1000 RR-R 2021 DEMO 0km 

R360,000 

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VFR 1200 CROSS TOURER, 2012, 47 000KM, SPOT LIGHTS, BARK BUSTER, CRASH 

BARS, BASH PLATES, TOP BOX, HEATED GRIPS R99,000 

CBR 1000 RR - SP, 2015, 14 600km 

R174,000 

BMW S1000 RR, 2018, 18 000km 

R195,000 

APRILIA TUANO 1000 FACTORY, 2008, 14 000 KM, FULL OHLINS, 

AKRAPOVIC, FORGED RIMS AND MUCH MORE R79,900 

CRF 1100 ADV SPORT, DCT, 2021, 1 200KM, TOP BOX, 

CRASH BARS, SPOT LIGHTS R289,900 

NEW & USED BIKE SALES / SERVICE / SPARES NATION WIDE DELIVERY 

Honda Wing Westrand 

011 675 3222 

NC750, DCT, NEW 

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17D_Q3+_SalesBull_2pg_r2_Layout 1 4/13/17 3:08 PM Page 1 

DURABILITY THAT MATCHES PERFORMANCE 

TRACK DAY 

310 

DO 

0 

THE MATH 

MORE 

62° 

PERFORMANCE 

SPORTMAX 

GPR-300 

More than 80% of the Q3+ Performance touring tyre Great Handling at an 

has been redesigned 

that not only lasts longer, 

affordable price. 

+ 

compared to the Q3 

but performs at higher 

20% MORE 

levels 

LESS TIRE LIFE = 

Offers a balance of 

FEATURES & B ENEFITS 

GRIP 

• This purpose-built track-day tire achieves lean angles up to 62 degrees*. 

• The Sportmax Q4 is DOT-approved for street-legal use. 

in the wet 

WEAR 

• The user-friendly Q4 does not require tire warmers, and runs at street 

MORE 

pressures, eliminating the need for chassis or electronic adjustments. 

dry 

PERFORMANCE 

MORE 

• Rear tire compound contains carbon black like Dunlop’s racing slicks for 

maximum grip. 

conditions with 

20% MORE 

LONGER 

LIFE 

to optimize stability, flex, and grip across the rear tread profile. 

WHERE WEAR 

• Carbon Fiber Technology (CFT) uses carbon fiber reinforcement in the 

SPORTMAX Q4 

sidewalls for exceptional cornering performance, braking stability and feel. 

320 

330 

340 

350 

10 

LEGALTRACK 

DAY 

120 

110 

90 

100 

62° LEAN ANGLE. STREET LEGAL. . 

62 LEAN 

ANGLE 

STREET 

20 

30 

40 

50 

60 

70 

80 

SPORTMAX 

• Jointless Tread (JLT) technology uses a continuously wound strip compound 

• Dunlop branding on the tread area. 

• Made in the U.S.A. 

• The Q4 is available through all Dunlop retailers, as well as race distributors. 

Size Load/Speed Part Number 

Sportmax Q4 Front 120/70ZR17 (58W) 45233176 

Sportmax Q4 Rear 180/55ZR17 (73W) 45233177 

180/60ZR17 (75W) 45233131 

190/50ZR17 (73W) 45233060 

190/55ZR17 (75W) 45233074 

200/55ZR17 (78W) 45233092 

S594/A 

RADIAL SPORT TIRES RACE TRACK STREET SPORT 

Sportmax Q4 

Sportmax Q3+ 

Sportmax GPR-300 

Sportmax Roadsmart III 

DunlopMotorcycleTires.com 

*As tested by Dunlop on a 2017 Suzuki GSX-R 1000 RR on a closed track at Barber Motorsports Park. 

@RideDunlop DunlopMotorcycleTires.com. ©2017 DUNLOPTYRESSA 

Dunlop Motorcycle Tires. 

PERFORMANCE 

TOURING 

©2018 Dunlop Motorcycle Tires. 

DUNLOPTYRESSA

RIDEFAST AUG 21

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