TRAIL ZONE

TRAIL BOSS BLOG:

"ON YA!" TO THE BOYS AT THE BIKESMITH

Myself and TRAIL ZONE Technical Editor Dr Phil Gielis dropped in at The Bikesmith workshop in Blacktown yesterday afternoon to complete a couple of editorial projects that will be featured in upcoming issues of the magazine.

I rode over on our Yamaha XT1200Z Super Ténéré Project Bike, complete with a fresh set of Mitas E10 Adventure tyres to be fitted -- as the bike's current Mitas hoops were well and truly shagged after our recent Ténéré Tragics Run to the Rocks ride from Sydney to the Flinders Ranges and back again (check it out at the www.teneretragics.blogspot.com blog page).

The picture shows me, the mighty XT and The Bikesmith's Simon Thomas, who kicked off the specialist motorcycle workshop service centre with business partner John Manwarring just over 18 months ago.

Myself, Dr Phil and Simon go way back, so it was great for us catch up, shoot some photos and bench-race in The Bikesmith workshop well into the afternoon.

One of the tech stories Dr Phil was working on for the mag involved tubeless tyres, which presented a whole new world for the good Doctor, even though he is a former world tyre changing champion. But all Phil's experience is with tubed dirt bike tyres, so the Doctor was all ears as Simon passed on a wealth of tips about how to repair a puncture on a tubeless tyre and get yourself mobile again.

Look out for Phil's tech editorials featuring The Bikesmith in upcoming issues of TRAIL ZONE magazine.

And if you need the service of a top-shelf specialist motorcycle service centre, check out the www.bikesmith.com.au web site and give Simon or John a call on (02) 8814 8605 and tell 'em TRAIL ZONE sent ya!

-- Clubby, www.trailzone.com.au