108 | AUSTRALIAN ROAD RIDERSTORY AND PHOTOS: IAN NEUBAUERT
en years ago while working as
a journalist in the Cambodian
capital Phnom Penh, I
bought my fi rst motorbike
— an old Suzuki SX 150 trailbike — for
commuting around town. Shortly a er
I found myself taking off on weekend
adventures along the coast and into
the mountains. While I no longer live
in Asia, I go back there to ride two or
three times a year. I’ve had a few close
calls and come off once or twice, but
never have I broken a bone or wri en
off a bike. I credit my track record to
“the survival triangle” — a code for safe
and successful adventure riding based
around three key elements: comfort,
navigation and dealing with obstacles.
It isn’t a failsafe system, nor is it all-
encompassing. But it makes a worthy
addition to the pantheon of motorbike
safety literature and will prove
especially insightful to anyone thinking
about heading off on an adventure ride
in Asia, South America or Africa for
the fi rst time. So without further delay,
here’s the gist of it ...COMFORT
Being comfortable on long rides is not
just about feeling good. It’s a key survival
strategy that will stop you from fi dgeting
and ensure your concentration remains
fi xed on the road. It begins with your
underwear. Boxer shorts are preferable
to Y-fronts for preventing wedgies and
chaffi ng. If chaffi ng begins, smear the
aff ected area with Vaseline to prevent it
from ge ing worse. Your socks should
be long, thin, and made from natural
or high-tech fi bres that are breathable.
Douse the insides with a puff of
medicated foot powder to prevent itchy
toe jam.
For pants, I’ve only used one product
since day one — Australia’s own Draggin’
Jeans. Lined with Kevlar and available
in both jeans or cargo pants, they’re
comfortable, look good and the lining will
never, ever tear.
In terms of boots, as long as they off er
hard protection to your heels, toes and
ankles, you can’t go wrong. But make
sure you can walk comfortably in your
boots too. During your adventure, you’ll
invariably come across a waterfall orviewpoint that’s a few hundred metres
from a car park or the road. The last thing
you’ll want to be doing in this situation is
foraging through your bags for a pair of
hiking shoes.
For the upper body, a Bonds singlet
will give you be er mobility and airfl ow
than a T-shirt, while your jacket should
likewise allow your skin to breathe. I’ve
tried half a dozen diff erent kinds over the
years, though none has served me be er
than Dririder’s Rallycross Pro 2. It has a
removable waterproof liner, removable
moulded plastic armour and a removable
2L water bladder with hose. I can’t
overstate the importance of remaining
hydrated on long rides because when
your body is thirsty, your brain has a
hard time thinking about anything else.
Carrying a bo le of water in your luggage
or bumbag just won’t do because you’ll
delay pulling over for a drink in order
to cover more distance. So if your jacket
doesn’t have a built-in bladder, go and buy
a CamelBak backpack.
Gloves that off er good grip and thumb
movement are indispensable. They
should be made of nothing but cowhide
and feature moulded knuckle protectors.
Once again, Dririder manufactures a
number of gloves that tick all these boxes
at around the $100 mark.ARR112_106-111_Survival Triangle.indd 108ARR112_106-111_Survival Triangle.indd 108 2/3/2015 9:52:24 AM2/3/2015 9:52:24 AM