Page 82 - Motorcycle Trader (February 2020)

Spannerman

Write to MT’s Mailbox at mct@trademotorcycles.com.au
or Motorcycle Trader, PO Box 2094, Oakleigh, Vic 3166
SPANNER’S SOAPBOX

Let the mechanical master solve your woes. It might even be about your bike

Get out the tissues. Ken Cowell’s letter on page 8 emy Bowdler, long-time editor of Two Wheels,
has reminded me of those who have come and go d of heart disease a week after returning from a
in the service of motorcycle journalism in Austra ati launch in the Middle East. He was courageous
and NZ and while it’s easy to think of motorcycl what he published and lived through the glory
magazines simply as entertainment, real huma s of the now-deleted title.
beings have been involved and they’ve been I miss Brian Woodward and his alter-ego,
outstanding in their contributions. Francis Whitworth-Socket.
Dave Sanders is remembered in Ken’s Lots of the writers of great motorcycle
letter and he was a hard-riding, pot- material from 1950 onwards are still
smoking hippie in the 1970s who alive and, miraculously, still working.
shone because he could reflect the Peter Th oeming should have died the

excitement of riding in his words. death of 1000 cuts years ago but is
Kel Wearne, who was a Two Wheels clearly impervious to pain and Lester
hero, could do it as well. Kiwi Brian Morris is still with us.
Cowan edited Two Wheels after he’d New writers are still emerging. MT has
lost an arm in a motorcycle crash and Chris Harris, photographer Ben Galli and,
says much of his time was taken up editing of course, the youthful Cam Donald and Kaz
Wearne’s copy, which was often ragged. Kel Anderson. Ex-ADB staffer Dylan Ruddy has just
killed himself in Broome when he was 71 when been made editor of Bikesales.com.au and we wish
there was a full moon. It would have been nice to him well. The latest editor of AMCN isn’t exactly old
have a drink with him the night before to know and neither is the current editor of ADB.
exactly what was going on. Bless them all.

FINDING NEMO I also run a Honda

I’m new(ish) to Newcastle Grom to get to work and
and hope to stay here for back. I’m in love with the
a long time yet. I love the thing.
place. You can be an absolute
I run a Honda CBF1000 pest and still not break
for long rides and trips any road rules. It’s got a
away. It must be one of big ol’ straight-through
the most underrated bikes FMF exhaust and heated
ever. It’s powerful enough, grips for those chilly
comfy as anything, Hunter mornings. I fill
pillion-friendly, it up once every couple
has ABS and of months and don’t stop
as cheap as for anything between
chips to buy home and work. I’ve
and run. also worked out that by
It does taking the Grom to work
everything and to sports, the fuel
I need for saving versus taking the

less than CBF means it’s paying
$5000. for itself – the argument

80 MOTORCYCLE TRADER