Australasian Dirt Bike – June 2019

http://www.adbmag.com.au JUNE 2019| 141

OdesMCF450

TheOdesMCF450wasthatbreedofbikeknownasa

“Chonda”. AChinese-builtHondacopy,butitwas

claimedthattheOdeshadhadinputfromItalyand

Australia.Thistestwasofapre-productionmodel

withsomefaultsyettoberectified.Theclutchwas

veryheavyandthefrontbrakeleverhadno

adjustmentnut.Themainproblemwasthatthe

Odesboggedviciouslyonlandingfromjumps,

nearlysendingourtestrideroverthe‘bareach

time.Anupdatedcarbwassaidtobeplannedfor

theproductionbikes.Theboggingonlyoccurred

ontheMXtrack,withtheOdesperformingwellon

bushtracks.Handlingwassaidtobegooddueto

theHonda-stylealloyframeandbasespecOhlins

suspension.TheOdessportedafive-speed’box,

weighed105kgdryandwasavailablefor$6990.

Wespoketoanex-Odesdealerwhosaidthey’d

droppedthebrandduetoreliabilityissuessome

yearsago.Anonlinesearchrevealedthedomain

nameisupforsale.

TheRightTrack

Inthisfeature,ADBlookedatallthe

requirementsforbuildingyourowntrack,ifyou

hadthelandtodoit.Advicewasgivenonhow

longatrackshouldbeforeitherSXorMX,getting

onwiththeneighbours,thelegalrequirements,

trackdesignandsafety.Differentmachinerywas

alsodiscussed,fromBobcatstoD7bulldozers,

andAdamBlackwellofBlackwellBros

Earthmovingprovidedthetech.knowledge.An

ex-racerhehadbuiltover 100 privatetracks,as

wellastheX-rayFreeridevenueforRobbie

MaddisonandatrackforchampJayMarmont.

ParadiseRoosted

Theregularfull-timestaffofSamMac,Broadley,

LyonandWigangottotakefourbikesonatripto

FraserIslandfora“test”...somethingwelowly

contributorscanonlyeverdreamabout.The

steedsforthetripwereaHuskyTE510,Berg

FE570,Sherco5.1iandKTM530EXC-R.Despitea

saltwatercrocbeingspottedinthearea,Cyclone

Hamishcausingtheislandtobeevacuatedandan

oilspillof100,000litresourintrepidadventurers

madeittoFraserallokay.Inthreedaysthey

discoveredthepristinewatersofLakeMcKenzie,

thattheHuskywouldgo 1 kmfurtherthanthe

Shercobeforerunningoutofjuiceandthatsand

ridingishardworkbutflatoutrunsonfirmsand

belowthehightidemarkaregreatfun.Theyalso

hadarun-inwithanEPAofficerwhiledoinga

photoshootattheMahenowreck.Shewentcrook

atthemforignoringthewarningsignsandwhen

shewenttoshowthemwhatshewasreferringto

theyhaddisappeared,possiblyinanothercyclone.

Ads

back

then

ASKANELEPHANT

ThisMetzeleradbyADB

cartoonistRogerHarvey

featuredacaricatureof

StefanMerrimanaswellas

boastingofthetitleswon

onMetzelertyres.

FACTORY RIDE / READERS RIDE / HERITAGE / ACTION / OAS / BUYERS GUIDE

ANGLE OF ATTACK

When the 70-degree

Husabergs fi rst came out

all sorts of claims were

made about the engine

design centralising mass

better for improved

handling. If so why has no

other manufacturer gone

that way?

SHOWING PROMISE

Teknik were offering a

money-back guarantee

for anybody not happy

with suspension work they

performed. They must do

a good job as they are still

going strong, still make the

same offer and have never

had any claims on it.

SIX Of The Best

WE PUT FORWARD our nominations for the fi rst

BOTY, with all to be revealed in July. The criteria

were as follows: Had to be a designated 2009

model; have had a signifi cant upgrade; have been

ridden by ADB and be a full Australian production

model. The contest was open to any bike fi tted

standard with road/trail, knobby or off-road

specifi c tyres. The nominations were: MX – Honda

CRF450R, Enduro 4T – Husaberg FE570, Enduro

2T – KTM300EXC, Trail/recreation – Yamaha

WR250R, Fun – Honda CRF230L, Dualsport – KTM

690 Enduro. The Berg went on to win.

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