The Top Ender Magazine August September 2022 Edition

GROM
Riding with Rose Coloured Glasses
Wearing ‘rose coloured glasses’ is a rather old (circa
1840) saying, which is often still used today to describe a
person’s ability to overlook reality in favour of achieving a
desired outcome and is driven by an unchallenged,
cheerful and optimistic view of things. Sadly, this mental
nirvana is usually not based on any rational information or
facts, but an emotional connection to an idea or goal. In
many cases, hard truth and critical analysis are not always
present when people decide to purchase a motorcycle,
thus excitement and adrenaline usually prevails.
It is not uncommon for new riders to charge forward with their
newly acquired L-plates in hand, ready to pounce on the first
motorcycle ‘bargain’ they see. Equipped with a fist full of freshly
pressed 100 hundred dollars bills and an unwavering ambition to
instantly buy the bike of their dreams, their first motorcycle
purchase can be a steep learning curve. For most riders, the
memory of purchasing their first motorbike is a moment they will
never forget. Motorcycle ownership changes our understanding of
transportation as purely a means of travel to an enjoyable journey
between destinations, which also comes with a feeling of
increased ‘coolness’ and endless excitement!
Amongst all this joy and anticipation, a wise rider benefits from
pulling together a rough spending limit, which needs to be realistic
based on market research and includes all 'out the door’ (OTD)
costs. It is important to calculate additional costs that will impact
your overall budget, such as; registration, riding gear, insurance,
any expected repairs (if second-hand), luggage racks, screens,
seating modifications and any upgrades required to suit the rider's
size and characteristics. It’s important to note that many secondhand
motorcycles in our region are commonly overpriced. This is
a simple supply and demand issue and is driven by other buyers
who purchase motorcycles with rose coloured glasses.
It’s a clever strategy to develop a purchase plan when looking for
a second-hand motorcycle. Create a list of ‘needs versus wants’
and research the features and common problems for various
models. A well-educated buyer is less likely to fall into the trap of
paying too much if they have the correct facts and figures on hand
when negotiating the purchase of a second-hand model.
If the budget allows for the purchase of a new motorcycle instead
of second-hand, purchasing from a dealer has been made
exceptionally easy, but it pays to be cautious of some of the
convenient dealership finance options as they need to be
researched against other loans and finance options. Look out for
inflated interest rates and hidden fees for a new motorcycle,
which is a waste of hard-earned dollars. Before signing any
purchase agreement or finance contract, read the terms and
conditions slowly and clarify any conditions that seem unclear or
ambiguous. It is also wise to find out about the warranty period
and post-sale service, as well as researching any product recall
notices on motorcycles and whether all recalls have been
completed prior to finalising the purchase.
A dealership will also have less profit margin on smaller models
and therefore, less room to negotiate purchase price. If a buyer is
not concerned about purchasing a current year model, it may be
possible to negotiate a discount on demonstration stock or
previous year models that the dealer is wanting to clear. It may
also be beneficial to purchase accessories and riding gear as a
package deal. The real profit to the dealer is through continued
connection to their store, which includes future equipment
purchases and bike servicing. Research Redbook and Bikesales to
better understand depreciation and market value, and remember
that the NT is geographically isolated, so a dealership will be
considering offers based on freight costs and local taxes.
And one last thing to remember – if choice of colour is not an
important factor, standard colours are generally less expensive
than metallic finishes.
In short, enjoy the ride and go forth without wearing rose
coloured glasses.
Ride Safe.
Written by GROM
Community Contributor
The Top Ender Magazine
injury risks in a crash
Overtwo-thirds(68%) ofun-helmeted
riders hadheadinjuries. Of these, the
majority (90%) had softtissueinjuries,
59% had brain injuriesand
31% had skullfractures.
hand
head
30% of crashed riders hadhandinjuries.
Almost all of these (90%) had softtissue
injuries;just17% had fractures.
knee
50% ofcrashed riders hadknee injuries.
Almost all of these (96%) had softtissueinjuries;
just6% had fractures.
foot
16%ofcrashed riders had injuries totheir
feet. Themajority (94%) had softtissue
injuresand 25% had fractures.
Figure 1.The typesofinjuries sustained byridersin crashes
leg
arm
56% ofcrashed riders hadarm
injuries. Almostall of these (91%)
had softtissueinjuries; just30%
had fractures.
81%ofcrashed riders had leg injuries.
Themajority of these (94%) had softtissue
injuries;just40% had fractures.
NOTE: This is the typical pattern of injury in motorcycle crashes before specialised motorcycle protective clothing was widely available. 4
ankle
Figure 2.Injury risk zones
Zone1hasthehighestlevel ofinjuryrisk.
These areasneedimpactprotectorsandhighly
abrasion-resistantmaterial.The European
standardsforjacketsand pantsrequirea
minimumof4secondsabrasionresistance:
thatis, 4 secondsofsliding across theroad
surfacebeforeyourgearwearsthrough.
Zone2 alsohas ahighinjury riskand
needshighly abrasion-resistantmaterialbut
noimpactprotectors.Multiplelayersaremore
likely tobeeffectivethana single one.
Zone3 has alowerinjury riskandrequires
onlymoderatelyabrasion-resistantmaterial
(minimum1.8seconds).
Zone4 hasa relativelylowinjuryrisk.
Materialtoprovideventilationandelasticity
can beusedin theseareas, buttheystill need
toprovideaminimumof1secondofabrasion
resistance.Regulardenimjeans have onlyhalf
thisresistance(0.6 seconds). 7
Images: (Above) The Good Gear Guide. The types of injuries sustained by riders in crashes and
Injury risk zones.
Towards Zero
Youth Road Safety
We are excited to announce that we
recently received a $4500 grant from
the NT Government Department of
Infrastructure, Planning and Logistics
for activities relating to road safety for
the defence community, especially
young people.
As part of our commitment to Road Safety
NT initiatives, we will be including road safety
information in every magazine edition and
launching a number of road safety activities
to support the safety of young and
inexperienced motorists. With many ADF
families across the Top End experiencing
periods of absence from a significant parent,
and the additional challenges of soloparenting
and covering the cost of regular
driving lessons, defence youth can often
struggle to obtain the experience and skills
they need to safely maintain a vehicle and
share roadways under a variety of conditions.
NT Motorcycle Safety
When preparing yourself for a motorbike ride, please
consider the following precautions to protect yourself:
1. Cover your whole body.
2. Use impact protectors over your joints.
3. Protect your skin with abrasion-resistant material in
vulnerable areas.
4. Check the seams on your gear. There should be more than
one line of stitching, and at least one line of concealed
stitching on exposed seams.
5. Check that all fastenings are secure and protected from
contact with the road or other surfaces in a crash.
6. Avoid external pockets or straps that could become tear
points or snag on something in a crash.
7. Use insulated, waterproof and windproof materials to
protect you from the weather.
8. Use reflective or light colours and ventilation to protect you
from overheating.
9. Check that all your gear fits you properly so that it will
remain in place in an accident.
10. Don’t carry anything in your pockets that could cause
further injury in the event of an accident.
For further information about ride gear and safety, head to:
https://nt.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0018/162513/the-goodgear-guide-for-motorcycle-scooter-riders.pdf
The Top Ender’s Road Safety Activities Launching Soon!
1. REGULAR MAGAZINE ARTICLES IN EVERY EDITION
We will be sharing relevant road safety information in every magazine edition
to help raise awareness for key safety issues across the Top End.
WIN DRIVING LESSONS
2. DRIVING LESSON VOUCHERS
We will be giving away 2 x 1 hour driving school vouchers for young
drivers within the defence community across Darwin, Palmerston and
Katherine in the next 6 editions. Each voucher is valued at $75 and will be
provided as a voucher to the winners’ preferred driving school.
• A1 TERRITORY DRIVING SCHOOL
• ONE2ONE DRIVING SCHOOL
• ABC DRIVING SCHOOL DARWIN
• ACHIEVE DRIVING ACADEMY NT
• DRV4LYF KATHERINE DRIVING
SCHOOL
Terms: Apply to win a one hour driving lesson. Strictly open to defence youth. Apply now at
www.thetopendermagazine.org.au/win
3. SEPTEMBER SCHOOL HOLIDAYS - GO KARTING
Get involved with our go-karting activity for defence youth (a
parent is also
welcome to participate or be a cheer squad!).
The 3 hour activity includes;
• Go-karting fun with other defence youth
• Youth road safety presentation
• Vehicle maintenance workshop
• Lunch and refreshments
• Free resources from NT Road Safety
Recommended Participant age: 7-17 years
4. JANUARY SCHOOL HOLIDAYS
Defensive driving workshop for the wet season
Registration for school holiday activities is essential due to
limited availability. Strictly open to defence youth,ADF
members and veterans. Dates to be confirmed. Register your
interested by contacting us at
admin@thetopendermagazine.org.au
Further information
Contact Department of Infrastructure, Planning and Logistics
Road Safety NT
1800 720 144
www.roadsafety.nt.gov.au
50 The Top Ender | Tri-Services Magazine Incorporated AUGUST/SEPTEMBER 2022 51