UNSEALED 4×4 scours the entire planet for the latest and greatest gear and kit for your 4WD adventures. Take a look at what we found at the Explore Australia Expo in Melbourne. There might just be something perfect for Father’s Day!
BENELLI TREK
Thanks to Urban Moto Imports, these ruggedly handsome touring bikes from the venerable Italian marque Benelli are now available in Australia. The TreK 1130 Amazonas is Benelli’s ultimate unsealed expedition machine, retailing for $17,900. They come with a two-year unlimited kilometre warranty and two-year premium roadside assistance.
Go to benelli.com.au for more details.
LIGHTFORCE LED 180
Nothing says ‘Happy Father’s Day’ like an awesome set of driving lights. I have some Lightforce HIDs at the moment, and the LEDs look to be just as quality. They feel really solid to hold, and look life they would last forever. The LEDs crank out over 5000 lumens per light, and will last for more than 50,000 hours. Maybe this light actually would last forever.
RRP is $495. Go to lightforce.com for more information.
BIG TURTLE SHELL
Ever wanted to shout to your dad: “Hey, turn that bloody music down!” You’ll get the chance if you get him “the world’s loudest ruggedised and water-resistant Bluetooth wireless speaker”. We at Unsealed 4X4 don’t believe “ruggedised” is a proper word! What the boys at Outdoor Tech are try to say is that it’s shock-proof, dust-proof and water resistant. It will survive knocks on your next 4X4 adventure. If it gets covered in dust you can hose it down. And exactly how loud are we talking here? The boys at Outdoor Tech say: “It’s really loud. Like, rattle-your-teeth, shatter-the-fish-tank, honestly-bro-I-can’t-hear-you loud.” The Big Turtle Shell has a wireless range of 10m and runs on a rechargeable lithium-ion battery that’s got so much juice it also has a USB port so you can use it to charge your other electronic devices.
Go to outdoor-technology.com.au
to grab a Big Turtle Shell for $299.95.
4WD TREKS CLOSE TO BRISBANE
A two-year production effort by photo-journalist Danielle Lancaster, the first edition of this spiral-bound book is available through Boiling Billy Publications for $39.99. Its 272 pages chronicle in beautiful detail 25 great adventures around the Queensland capital including Fraser Island, Gympie’s Western Forests, The Rainforest Way, Glass House Mountains, the Scenic Rim and Stradbroke Island. The mix includes leisurely day trips, rugged challenges and overnight jaunts. That should get dad off the couch!
Find more information at boilingbilly.net.au.
TAIL FEATHER CAMPER
It can be a super-light camper or toy hauler on a trailer, it can be a backyard shed or emergency shelter off the trailer, you can make it bigger or smaller, you can choose between side and rear-door entry, you can even move around the windows to suit you! These US-made Tail Feather Campers can be whatever dad wants them to be. They are made from individual foam-injected panels that can be shuffled around like Lego blocks into your ideal ensemble. The basic little Tail Feather 8.0 Camper Kit weighs just 225kg and costs $13,230 (trailer not included). No need to upgrade dad’s 4X4 to tow that weight, even though he could afford to with the money you’re saving on the camper.
Go to tailfeathercamper.com.au
for more information.
DTV SHREDDER
This could make dad’s year, not just his day. The people behind the Shredder boast that it does nothing less than redefine off-roading. Check out the cool video to see how the Shredder goes. It’s basically a cross between a tank and a skateboard that can conquer all terrain all year round – snow, sand, water crossings, mud, mountains, the works. And it folds up small enough to fit in the back of a decent sized vehicle. A 196cc four-stroke petrol engine gives you a top speed of 40kmh. You control its 127kg via a thumb-operated throttle and a foot deck which allows you 15 degrees of lean from the horizontal to steer left and right. A full tank of juice will give you a range of 48km or an hour of rigorous riding. Ben Gulak, the founder of North American-based BPG Werks, which dreamed up the Shredder, says: “Our goal was simple: We wanted to create a new vehicle that was compact yet powerful, rideable year round in any weather and be truly all-terrain.”
Go to ausextreme.com.au for more details. The Shredder is retailing for $9700.
AUSSIE DESERT
COOLER RADIATORS
One name that pops up in Street Machine magazine more than any other is Aussie Desert Coolers; all the cool guys like Gary Myers seem to have one under the bonnet. Now, Norm (the man behind Aussie Desert Coolers) has turned his attention to 4WD radiators and intercoolers, which are all dripping with craftsmanship. With his decades of skill and experience in making performance radiators, you know they will be awesome.
Prices start from $790. Go to aussiedesertcooler.com.au
for more information.
TAIPAN XP EXHAUST
It’s always good to see top quality, Australian made products that show the world what we are capable of. Like Aussie Desert, Taipan XP (from the Gold Coast) are a great example. Their exhausts are like a work of art, and a quick chat with well-known 4WDer Tim Bates confirmed suspicions that they are great for performance as well, dropping the exhaust gas temperatures of his hard-working 3.0 litre turbodiesel dramatically.
Prices vary according to application.
Go to taipanxp.com.au to see the full range.
RECARO CAR SEATS
There are countless 4X4s getting around with shabby, torn and tired seats; a new set would certainly go a long way to improving comfort. These seats have adjustable side bolsters, adjustable lumbar support, and you can option up electric controls and armrests. Considering how long you can spend in the seat, the cost can certainly be worthwhile. Imagine getting one of these for Father’s Day!
Prices start from $2115.
For more information, go to Idealseat.com.au
STEALTH ELECTRIC BIKES
Powered by a 4.5 kilowatt electric motor, these electric bikes are an absolute hoot to ride. They have more than enough pokes for anything bar highway riding, and are supremely manouverable with their lightweight, fat tyres and good suspension. It has a nine-speed sequential gearbox, and can even regenerate power through braking. This is one of the few electric modes of transport that genuinely got me excited.
Prices start from around $9700. For more information, go to stealthelectricbikes.com.au.
