Brought to you by Ai (Andy idiocy) |
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| Contemplation of Re-Tyrement |
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Wow, I was almost drowned in love after the planned retirement news in the last edition of Strapzagram. Thanks so much for your encouraging and kind words.
Snag of Infomoto stirred things up on the socials. Many people read it to mean I was half-dead and locking the doors immediately. I'm fit as an ageing Mallee Bull and hoping the interest generated in the sale of Strapzland will come to fruition in the next 12 months. After settling the new owners in I can ride off into the sunset. Many people have kindly described Andy Strapz as my legacy. I sincerely hope the world will still have access to Andy Strapz gear.
Before I've even made it to the beer fridge to toast my addled luck, the AMCN crew have started loading me up with testing gigs. |
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| Here's a glimpse into the next Adventure Issue. |
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It's funny how we go through cycles of lull and flood, in and out of biking life. I'm sure you, like me, go through periods of disengagement or dulling interest in riding motorcycles. Down our way, winter does that for us. Cold, grim and wet don't make for ideal conditions. Most of us don't give a rats if we get wet, cold or uncomfortable when we are on a multi-day ride. It comes with the territory. It's easy to see the knobs on a plan to tog up and head out in the cold and grim for a day ride. I can only imagine life in the freezing Northern Hemisphere when snow up to the lintels forces time-out.
On a recent ride, I was short on Gunnado, getting dressed and protected seemed such a pain in RRs. By the end of my road the old feeling comes gushing back and the joy replenishes my soul. Recently the sun has graced the southern parts, the clouds scudded to wherever clouds scud to and the joy of riding flooded back in. With fewer layers and rigmarole, it's so much easier to get out there.
Us human beens are an odd lot, in the end, I'd rather ride in the cold than the heat. Sweating and grunting over a 35-degree dusty track has just as big knobs on it. |
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Some years ago we were courted by a few motorbicycling garment purveyors. In our usual way, we scoped out what we thought represented the best function and then looked at the price tag.
Not only did the Held Carese series come up trumps in the function hand, it did very well in value for money. Since then I've become a convert, almost evangelical about the way this gear works. Other lines from the same mob don't work like this kit, so we focus on it.
First off, the game changer is the Goretex internal liner doubling as an external shell. Yep, it comes out and goes over the top as a raincoat, cold weather wind-block shell. So many other jackets are a great proposition in the Northern Hemisphere but (we) struggle in hot weather. By not trying to get a watertight jacket like laminated versions do, this system allows Held to pepper the garment with 12 vents and design a serious flow through a set of channels. Bingo, only one jacket is required for all conditions.
Tailored rather than knocked together, it's as if it was designed specifically for Aussie conditions. Bonded membrane gear may be great in the Northern climes but when we can ride in four seasons in a day, I love the flexibility of it. |
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Them As Said Bucket... and did it! |
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| You may remember that we offered to allow readers have a crack at their own colour design Bucket Bag. |
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Cudos points go to Guido who pushed the boat out with this colour combo.
It's not too late to have a crack yourself. Click below, let us know what you want and we'll do the rest. |
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Rain-sensing wipers, dark-sensing lights, speed sign recognition, lane departure warnings.
Fer crying out loud, let's do all we can to make sure this technostupidity doesn't get a foothold on motorcycles! I fear it's already here and there seems to be a race to outdo the competition or at least keep up... If YAMHONCFW has a gadget then APDUTM needs a trickier version.
Despite having a clock, my van still warns me that I'm in a school zone... At 3 am on a Sunday. The taillights on the car in front come on as they pass under a skinny overpass, causing a fkknuckle brake check to ripple back for a couple of klicks. The lane departure warning thing scares the crap outta me every time I enter a freeway as the car shudders and veers about. If I believed the speed sign warning icon, I'd find myself doing 60 in a 100 zone once too often.
Motorbikes are ridden with total involvement, we control the things with our hands, feet and brain. Sure ABS and traction control could be lumped into that list but I reckon they are more rider aids that dickhead prevention.
Come to think of it, rain-sensing wipers on my helmet visor might not be a bad idea. |
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We've just completed the frameset for the new 450 Himalayan. We've decided that a bike this size is best suited to using our Traveller Panniers.
A whole kit, frames, bags, liners and all fittings weigh in at under 3kg!
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Happy Fathers (and Grandfathers) Day
It's been a chock-full month, that's all I got.
Copyalater
Andy |
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