EXTREME CAMPING Have you ever been stung on the… er, the backside by a mosquito the size of a hummingbird? I mean, for all I know it actually was a hummingbird that got me near Ain Salah in the Sahara; a vampire desert hummingbird. Whatever it was, I was reminded of its attentions and those of its friends every time I sat down for a week after our night camping at the palmeries. Ain Salah is quite a pleasant sort of place, but then again any place would look pleasant if you had just covered near enough to 700km from Ghardaia without seeing anything other than sand. This is the real desert, and when we were there the road was a narrow ribbon of poorly maintained tar, swallowed regularly by peripatetic sandhills which challenged the XS1100 Yamaha Mrs Bear and I were riding. Not that the bike was short of power, but there is only so much soft, windblown sand any bike can manage.

Once upon a time (that’s always been a good way to start a story, hasn’t it?), motorcyclists held firmly to the belief that they were a fraternity. A brotherhood, as it were. Of the handlebars, no less. I was one of those believers.

WE LOVE TO HEAR FROM YOU, the letters are among the most keenly read parts of the magazine. Please try and keep letters down to no more than 300 words. Then you can read many, not just a couple. We do reserve the right to cut them and, unless you identify yourself and at least your town or suburb and state, we will print your email address instead. Please address letters to thebear@ausmotorcyclist.com.au or Australian Motorcyclist Magazine, PO Box 2066, Boronia Park NSW 2111. All opinions published here are those of the writers and we do not vouch for their accuracy or even their sanity! THE WINNER IS… This month’s winner of the excellent Andy Strapz AA Bagz is Jeff Cole from Alice Springs. The thought of his Family Jewels hitting the Velo’s tank was enough to make every one of us grimace, so we thought we’d make him feel a little better, anyway.

HELLO, HONDA! PART 1THE JAPANESE ARRIVE IN AUSTRALIA, AND WHO SHOULD BE THERE TO GREET THEM BUT OUR LESTER WORDS LESTER MORRIS The C100 Super Cub, Honda’s world-beater. One balmy day way back in 1958 I was lurking behind the spare parts counter of Ryde Motorcycles, the suburban motorcycle store in which I spent several happy years, idly re-adjusting a balled-up sock which had been sucked under my foot by an ill-fitting wool-lined `flying’ boot. I straightened up to behold a black Ford Mercury pulling into the gutter outside the front door. This seemed strangely ominous, and in fact was to be the portent of monumental things to come.

CARBON, MESH AND MUSTANGSYAMAHA MT-07 CARBON BARKBUSTERS This month our long term Yamaha MT- 07 has clocked up just over 2000km. I still haven’t had it in for its first service – naughty, naughty, but it has been planned with Yamaha to get it done. We all know the wonderful products that Bark busters make, mostly for the off-road crowd, but they also do a full road line of accessories, so we opted to put a set of the carbon hand guards onto the MT-07 and see what they’re like.

GREAT. AND SANDY FRASER ISLAND, QLD World Heritage-listed Fraser Island is a rare and beautiful destination, at the start of the Great Barrier Reef, offering a refreshing change from the mainland of Australia. The island’s untamed wilderness and rugged, natural charm entices from the first, providing adventure riding excitement, but also a relaxing atmosphere from your base – wherever that may be on the island.

Welcome to a new section of Australian MOTORCYCLIST, highlighting some of the products and services that are sure to interest you. Manufacturers and distributors: if you have something that you think may interest our readers, just send in a photo and a few words – it’s a free service. A MUST HAVESJS Smart Start ChargersPrice – $109 – $199

BEHIND THE COUNTER GENUINE BOURBON WHISKEY COMES FROM KENTUCKY. SO DO URALS. REALLY? Jon TaylorURAL-IMZ AUSTRALIA 500 Terrible Vale Road,Kentucky, NSW 2354 02 6778 7436jon@imzural.com.au