Mastering All Roads by Riding Where There is No Road

OKB instructing Sep on how to control the throttle

All riders should learn motocross and dirt riding.

Dirt riding trains each rider the very core basics of motorcycle control.

We train extensively at Most Fun Gym (MFG), operated by Malaysian motorcycle legend, “Foreman” Oh Kah Beng.

Scenario 1:

20km outside Chiang Mai under the blazing sun, I started to feel groggy. I knew I should’ve avoided the heavy lunch, but how could one possibly resist authentic Thai food in Thailand herself?
Coming to a three-way junction, the bikes ahead turned right. Seeing it as an exciting opportunity to invigorate myself, I took a wider line into the corner without backing off. But as I soon as I flicked the Ducati Monster 821 in, the rear wheel kicked out to left, and sliding like a supermoto!
Chopping the throttle now would be a disaster because the if rear tyre suddenly regained traction, it’d pitch me over the bike in a high side.
Through MX training, I just kept the throttle pinned as I pushed on the ride side of the handlebar while pushing my left leg into the footpeg to lift the bike up slightly off its present lean angle. In a split second the engine power tapered off and both tyres tracked back in line.
Later that night, the Ducati bigwig in charge of the event proclaimed in both happiness and relief, “Best of all, we didn’t have any crash during the trip!”
Scenario 2:
A few months later I was riding in South Africa in the GIVI Wilderness Adventure.
We crossed an offroad section on the third day. A few participants had asked the marshals if the section was going to be tough, but they were confidently assured, “Nah, it’s a hard-packed dirt road so it’s super easy. Just relax and have fun. We’ll clear it in 30 minutes tops.”
Unfortunately, that hard-packed dirt road had become entirely different since the last time they recced it. It was now covered in ankle-deep sand!
I was right behind the Indonesian journalist when he dropped his bike in less than 1 km onto the trail when his front tyre hit a deep sand groove. Reacting immediately to the situation, courtesy of MX training, I stood up on the footpegs, relaxed my arms and just kept giving gas, instead of backing off.
Among the 15 participants, only the four marshals and I didn’t hit the ground on that day. The rest had dropped it at least once; one guy dropped it fifteen times and another suffered a broken ankle.
In the end, it took the convoy three-and-half hours to clear the section.
The above two scenarios were the most memorable so far in my 30-year riding experience, not to mention many more smaller ones on an almost daily basis.
I had met “Foreman” Oh Kah Beng (OKB) during the final round of the Malaysian Supermoto Championship at the end of 2014. During our conversation, he invited me to learn from him at his then fledgling motocross school, Most Fun Gym. Please click on the link below to learn more about “Foreman” Oh.
Most Interesting Biker –Oh Kah Beng

Since then, I had discovered a change in my riding. I no longer panic or freeze on the bike whenever I saw dirt, water and oil on the road. Apart from that, his offroad training had allowed me to break through my personal riding limit which had plateaued at a very low level. Needless to say, I am more comfortable with riding and enjoy it so much better now, not the least of being able to go a little bit faster than I could in 30 years.

This is not just a case of overpromising. Many have attended his school and came away as better riders. A great example was his nephew, Oh Jin Seng (JS), the son of Sunny Oh.
Although JS had been riding a BMW R 1200 GS for some time, he had not done much offroading. But he registered to participate in the BMW GS Trophy Malaysian Qualifier earlier this year anyway. JS started training with OKB in order to prepare for that prestigious event, and came away scoring the second highest number of points on the first day.
Apart from training, it’s also the place we headed to as soon as we received adventure of dirt bikes to review.

So, is dirt training really that good? Or more accurately, important for every rider? And why is it important?
The answer to the first question is the reason multi-time world champions such as Marc Marquez, Valentino Rossi and almost the entire MotoGP field train in the dirt during their free time.

It’s true that road- or track-based training also teaches the fundamentals, the core basics of riding a motorcycle, but dirt forces the rider to learn in a low-traction environment where the bike slides around all the time.

There are five basic points of total motorcycle control: Throttle control, steering, braking, vision and body control. All these individual skills need to come together as one skill set to allow you to ride better. Let’s analyze how dirt training could benefit those skills.
THROTTLE CONTROL
As we highlighted in an earlier article, throttle control affects the weight distribution, hence the tyres’ traction.
When you accelerate, the rider and motorcycle’s combined mass transfers to the rear wheel. Conversely, when you brake, that mass transfers to the front. Correct throttle control seeks to bring these two extremes to being as equal as possible when you’re leaned over in a corner, providing you optimum traction.
OKB instructing Sep on how to control the throttle
In a low grip environment on the dirt track, that forces you to control the throttle with more finesse instead of treating it as an on/off switch. Steady throttle manipulation is the ultimate goal in this exercise.
It also teaches you another very crucial aspect: What do you do with the throttle when the tyres start to slide?
Our first Survival Instinct (as Keith Code calls it) is to kill the throttle, to just chop it. It may not be something you choose to do, but your built-in instinct may react by thinking you’re going too fast and forces your hand to subconsciously slam shut the throttle or even grabbing the brake.

It’s not that bad if this happens in the dirt as you slide out due to the much lower speed, but on the road or track, it could very well you to overshoot the corner. Why? Because weight is transferred abruptly to the front wheel causing the bike to stand up while being leaned over. When a bike is straight up, the only way forward is straight ahead.
In a worst-case scenario, chopping the throttle when tyres slide (especially the rear) causes the tyre to slide even more, as all the weight has gone to the front. In extreme cases, an abrupt resumption of traction will send you over the high side.
This is one main cause to the spate of big bike crashes: Chopping the gas or over-braking in a corner.
With repeated training, dirt riding will teach your instincts to either roll out of the throttle smoothly or even to actually accelerate when the tyres slide. Doing so means you are in control of the slide, instead of the slide controlling of you.
It looks pretty cool too!

STEERING
Another common cause of crashes on the road is steering, or rather, ineffective steering.
It’s a normal reaction – another Survival Instinct.
You charged into a corner only to find self-doubt whether the bike will continue to steer through the corner. It’s usually caused by being surprised by a suspicious-looking patch on the road. You instinctively tense up and chop the throttle. The bike reacts by standing up and overshoots.

In the dirt, you’d be surprised that a bike could actually continue to steer even when it’s sliding, due to momentum. From this, you tie it in to throttle control.
How does this translate to road riding?
You lean your body into a corner on the streets. Coming up to a slippery patch, all you need to do is to keep your upper body leaned in, while you push on the outside handlebar (remember countersteering?) to reduce the bike’s lean angle. Since your upper bodyweight is displaced off the bike, your bike will still track through on your chosen line despite the reduction in lean angle.
This technique is very noticeable when racers accelerate out of corners.
Marc Marquez exiting a corner
Your Survival Instincts will soon learn to quiet down when this happens, allowing you to get around the corner with confidence and safety.
BRAKING
Brakes are often misused, treated no differently from a light switch i.e. ON/OFF. It should not be so unless you’re coming to a stop.
As we’ve mentioned earlier, applying hard braking in the middle of a corner will force your bike to stand up and head to the outside of the corner.

You need to learn that brakes are used to set your target speed when approaching a corner or rolling up to a traffic jam. But most of all, how do you react with the brakes when your bike slides around.
Again, without proper conditioning, our Survival Instincts will subconsciously cause your hand to chop the throttle and grab the brakes.
Dirt training teaches you to apply the brakes progressively (braking from soft to hard), and more importantly, to stay off the brakes when sliding. What if the bike is heading up the berm of going wide? Learn to apply the rear brake to tighten your line.
Apart from that, you’d learn on how to “feel the tyres” when you brake in low traction conditions. This means you’d discover how the tyres feel like depending on how much you brake in different conditions. This is most useful on the streets especially when it rains or if you encounter sand or oil in a corner.

OKB said it best, “Your senses will become finely tuned and you will know what’s the true limit. Not knowing your limits will either cause you to lose confidence and ride with fear, or riding too fast when it’s not safe to do so.”
VISION
As we mentioned before, you go where you look. Yes, we know that many of us know this very important law but what about when the tyres suddenly break traction?
Again, the untrained Survival Instinct will cause you to 1) Tense up with panic; 2) Chop the gas; 3) Jab the brakes; 4) Bike stands up and you don’t know how to steer; 5) Your vision tunnels down and is locked on where the bike is headed, instead of where it should be heading; and 6) Kablooie! (Crash.)

Dirt riding trains you to focus your vision on where you want to go regardless of what the tyres are doing. Your bike may be sliding and buckling around like a wild horse but your throttle control, steering, and braking actions WILL submit themselves to where you look.
The rider is Ahirine Aminuddin, as she trains for an MX race. See how she looks through the corner
Keith Code said in his video, “Whatever great skills you have is only as good as your visual skills.”
BODY CONTROL
You’ve may have noticed above that we kept mentioning about what bad will come by if the body tenses up when the tyres lose traction.
You must always remember to allow your bike to carry out its duties, including when it slides. A sliding or skidding tyre doesn’t mean that your next of kin can claim your insurance thereafter. No, what it means is that the tyres and bike are “hunting” for a stable position. Your job as the rider is to allow that to happen by not being tense.

Tied in with throttle control, steering, and vision it means that you are using those control inputs to assist the bike instead of wrestling with it.
Braking with a tense body is also unproductive as your senses will be fooled into thinking you’ve reached yours or the bike’s limits, when there’s actually much more to go. Tensing up will likewise undermine your ability to steer while braking. This is another common cause of motorcycle crashes.
Besides that, being tense will result in the bike transferring all the loads and bumps from the road to you. It will tire you out quickly.
Watch the motocross and supercross riders on TV and see just how relaxed their bodies are despite being trashed around like rodeo riders, and that’s exactly what dirt riding trains you to do.
OTHER BENEFITS
You will become a better skilled rider not only in terms of speed, but more importantly, how you take charge when critical situations arise. As a direct consequence of this, you are more confident and confidence breeds enjoyment. You will also see your riding breaking through to a new, higher level.

Another great aspect of dirt riding means you are truly exercising the majority of your muscles while doing what you love best: Riding. That’s why OKB’s school is called Most Fun Gym. Ask how much weight OKB’s apprentice, Ryan, lost by training in MX.
One last note. Learning motocross doesn’t mean you have to ride like a motocross pro. At MFG, you can learn at your own pace and you don’t have to jump if you don’t want to. You don’t have to ride fast to learn either. You’re there to learn how to ride a motorcycle that’s “not gripping” so that you may ride will full confidence on the road or track.

As for me, I’m truly thankful for OKB’s persistence in training me. It’s saved my skin and limbs many times over.
Please click on the link below for more details of Most Fun Gym (MFG).
Most Fun Gym (MFG) – the MX park for all!

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“R nineT family is now complete” – BMW Motorrad

BMW Motorrad recently announced that their Heritage R nineT family is now complete with five models.
This also means that there will be no more new additions to the R nineT line-up.
They also report a 7.2% worldwide sales increase for the first two months of 2018 with 18,627 unit sales.

The latest BMW Motorrad annual report has stated that their Heritage line which comprises of five different R nineT models is now ‘complete’. This also means that there will be no more retro additions in that particular family which already have the standard R nineT, R nineT Pure, R nineT Racer, R nineT Scrambler, and the R nineT Urban G/S.

Some folks around the world have been anticipating a Bobber version of the R nineT model to be released but it seems that BMW Motorrad is already satisfied with their current line-up. Their focus now is what we assume is something bigger and better.

BMW Motorrad also reported that they are seeing a positive growth in sales at the beginning of 2018 where they’ve successfully delivered 18,627 models to customers around the world. Compared to last year’s figure, they saw an increase of 7.2% for the first two months of 2018. That translates to an extra 8,455 bikes sold!

The manufacturer’s presence in Malaysia has been quite positive as well. They’ve recently opened a brand new showroom just last month in Seremban, Negeri Sembilan. Their recent BMW Motorrad Night Fuel 2018 gathering also saw over 1,000 bike owners congregating in Putrajaya earlier this month.

BMW Motorrad is off to a pretty good start. The question now is when and what will be their next new model launch. Stay tuned to Bikes Republic for more updates.
BMW Motorrad unveils BMW S 1000 RR 3D-printed chassis

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Sepang International Circuit gears up for 2016

Image credit: Shell

The Sepang International Circuit (SIC) gears itself up for 2016 despite a challenging year in 2015.

The Sepang International Circuit (SIC) is all set and ready to take on 2016. Despite the difficult year that was 2015, the circuit’s management remains optimistic as it readies itself to take on more challenges this year.
Last year saw the circuit record a decline in spectatorship for one of its key annual events, the Malaysian Formula 1 Grand Prix. Another major event that performed below its expectations was the 2015 eni FIM Malaysian World Superbike Championship (WSBK) race weekend.
In its press release, the circuit’s management admitted that these two events were plagued by the depreciating exchange value of the Malaysian Ringgit currency. It also highlighted that last year’s Hari Raya festive holiday period also played a role in the low fan support for the Malaysian WSBK race weekend.
Although the annual Malaysian MotoGP weekend was hailed as a major success indeed, even it was in jeopardy of being cancelled due to the major haze ecological pandemic. Nevertheless, last year’s 2015 Shell Malaysian MotoGP went ahead as planned with the infamous on-track drama adding further to the Malaysian MotoGP event’s 25th anniversary celebrations as well.
The circuit will be faced with a challenging year ahead. Besides the uncertain economic conditions, the early Hari Raya festive holidays, as well as the circuit’s planned temporary closure for resurfacing and upgrades, SIC remains optimistic and has even released tentative dates for three major events.

Things will kick off with the third running of the eni FIM Malaysian WSBK weekend from May 13 to May 15, followed by the annual Malaysian Formula 1 Grand Prix scheduled from Sept 30 to Oct 2, as well as the Malaysian MotoGP race weekend slated from Oct 28 to Oct 30.
More information as well as ticketing information can be obtained by visiting sepangcircuit.com.
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Custom BMW C Evolution electric scooter by Krautmotors – “E-LisaBad”

The folks over at Krautmotors in Germany have constructed a custom BMW C Evolution electric scooter dubbed the “E-LisaBad”.
Assigned by BMW Motorrad themselves, lead custom German builder Rolf Reick succeeded in building one of the most beautiful custom electric motorcycles of all time.
Lowered and fitted with some racing slick rubber, the BMW C Evolution produces around 72Nm of torque instantly; 9Nm more than the BMW C650 Sport scooter.

One look at this bike and you know the future of electric motorcycles is heading towards the right direction. What started out as the BMW C Evolution electric scooter, the geniuses over at Krautmotors were given the rare opportunity to customise this very special two-wheeler made by BMW Motorrad.

Dubbed the “E-LisaBad”, this customised BMW C Evolution scooter looks more like a secret military stealth machine created to wreak havoc on unsuspecting targets before they even know what hit them. The bike was introduced just last weekend in Berlin during the Pure & Crafted festival.

To know what the stock BMW C Evolution electric scooter looks like, check out the video below.

With unique angular shapes plus that crazy matte black fairing and rough stone finish, the “E-LisaBad” catches the attention of unwary bike enthusiast. That effect is amplified ten times over when they move their sights to the rear end where all the raw inner parts of the BMW C Evolution electric scooter can be seen in all its glory.

The main madman responsible for such a jaw-dropping piece of rolling art is none other than German builder Rolf Reick of Krautmotors. Reick was asked directly by BMW Motorrad to lead this build and he delivered a master class of a machine.
Rolf Reick of Krautmotors
With an idea to turn it into a machine made for speed, Reick lowered the entire bike by removing the rear shocks altogether and fitted some racing slick rubber to the already beautiful single-sided swing arm.

Due to the complexity of this futuristic electric scooter, the main power plant has remained untouched but with around 72Nm of torque, the C Evolution has better drive than the already stunning BMW C650 Sport scooter which sits at 63Nm of torque.
BMW C650 Sport
To know more about the BMW C650 Sport, CLICK HERE.
We can go on for hours on how this bike defies to normal conventions of bike design plus the artistic balance between form and function but like the saying goes, “a picture paints a thousand words”.  These amazing shots themselves have their own chronicles to enlighten us normal folks with tales from the future.

Image source:  Marc Holstein

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MotoGP: Lorenzo falls as Marquez shines in Argentina

Photo Credit: MotoGP
Marc Marquez takes sensational win in dramatic Argentina MotoGP race whilst Lorenzo suffers first blow in title defence.

MOTOGP
Photo Credit: MotoGP
Jorge Lorenzo has been hit with his first setback in his 2016 title defence after crashing out early in the Argentinian MotoGP race. Instead, the weekend’s top glory was snatched away by a resurgent Marc Marquez as the Repsol Honda rider takes his first race win since Phillip Island, Australia last year.
Photo Credit: MotoGP
Marquez dominance began on Saturday when he went all out to qualify in pole position. Despite crashing twice, the Spaniard was able to secure his front row start after clocking in his fastest time of 1:39.411. He was 0.375 seconds quicker than Valentino Rossi who qualified in second and 0.533 seconds ahead of Lorenzo who qualified third.
Unpredictable weather conditions and uncertainty in the Michelin tyres that resulted from Scott Redding’s dramatic tyre failure in FP4 forced officials to reduce the race distance to just 20 laps. On top of that, a mandatory bike swap was also enforced, leading to riders strategising their race according to the window set by race official to pit in – from the end of Lap 9 until just before the start of Lap 12.
Photo Credit: MotoGP
Drama began in the opening laps when Repsol Honda’s Dani Pedrosa was forced wide after making contact with another rider, which subsequently hampered his pace until the mandatory bike swap. However, it was defending world champion Jorge Lorenzo that felt the most gutted as he low-sided out of contention at Turn 1 on Lap 6, bringing his weekend to an early halt.
Marquez and Rossi’s battle kept fans in the Autódromo Termas de Río Hondo on their feet right up until both riders pitted in to make their bike swap. However, it was Marquez that got the edge thanks to a flawless swap that allowed him to maintain the lead coming out of the pits. From here, the Repsol Honda rider pressed on to create a significant gap ahead of the rest.
A less than ideal setup in his second bike saw Rossi’s pace dropping after the swap, and he soon got himself tangled in a battle with the two factory Ducati riders and Suzuki’s Maverick Viñales for the remaining podium positions. Viñales was the first to fall, ending his weekend early too, but the final drama came when the two factory Ducati riders – Andrea Iannone and Andrea Dovizioso – collided with each other on the last lap at the last corner.
Photo Credit: MotoGP
Whilst Marquez took a comfortable victory, Rossi capitalised on the two Ducatis crashing out in front of him to take second, whilst Marquez’ Repsol Honda teammate Dani Pedrosa finished in a well deserved third place after what seemed like a dismal start to the day for him.
With his win, Marquez has overtaken Jorge Lorenzo in the race for the title as he now leads the standings with 41 points. Rossi is second with 33 points whilst Dani Pedrosa elevates himself up into third with 27 points. Now ranked in fourth with just 25 points, Lorenzo will need to work harder to regain the lead and advantage to defend his title.

				Photo Credit: MotoGP

				Photo Credit: MotoGP

				Photo Credit: MotoGP

				Photo Credit: MotoGP

				Photo Credit: MotoGP

				Photo Credit: MotoGP

				Photo Credit: MotoGP

MOTO2

The weekend’s supporting Moto2 race got off to a smooth start with plenty of close and intense racing action. But the day belonged to defending class champion Johann Zarco as the Frechman rode his Ajo Motorsports Kalex machine to take a comfortable win – his second win in a row at the South American circuit.

Joining him on the podium was Briton Sam Lowes astride the Federal Oil Gresini Moto2 Kalex bike whilst German rider Jonas Folger astride the Dynavolt Intact GP Kalex finished third. For all three podium winners, this was sweet vindication after the sombre outing in Qatar previously where Zarco and Lowes dealt with jumpstart penalties while Folger dealt with an early crash whilst leading the desert duel.
Swiss rider Thomas Luthi still leads the Moto2 standings with 34 points, but defending champion Zarco is back on track and now sits in second with 29 points, followed by Lowes in third with 27 points.
Photo Credit: Petronas Motorsports
Petronas Raceline Malaysia Kalex rider Hafizh Syahrin also celebrated yet another strong performance. The Malaysian speedster clawed his way up the order from his 12th place starting position to finish in sixth. Hafizh not only put on a strong performance, he also collected valuable points and remains in fourth place of the standings with 23 points.

				Photo Credit: Petronas Motorsports

				Photo Credit: Petronas Motorsports

MOTO3
Photo Credit: MotoGP
History was made in the Argentina GP Moto3 race after rookie Malaysian rider Khairul Idham Pawi stormed to a sensational race win astride the Honda Team Asia bike. Starting from fourth position on the second row, Idham’s perfect start saw him rocketing ahead and led from start to finish with an unbelievable gap ahead of second place finisher Jorge Navarro.

Joining Khairul Idham on the podium were Estrella Galicia 0,0 Honda’s Navarro in second, followed by pole-sitter Brad Binder astride the Red Bull KTM Ajo machine in third.
Photo Credit: Drive M7 SIC Racing Team
Also worthy of praise here was the performance of yet another Malaysian rookie, Adam Norrodin. The Drive M7 SIC Racing Team rider was able to perform a brilliant start too from 17th place, moving up to second place by the second lap and battling out against the other front runners before crashing out dramatically on the last lap at the final corner.
Photo Credit: MotoGP
South African rider Binder still leads the Moto3 standings with 36 points, followed by Ongetta Rivacold Honda rider Nicolo Antonelli in second with 31 points and Navarro in third with 29 points.
Adam Norrodin. Image credit: Drive M7 SIC Racing Team
Khairul Idham Pawi is now ranked in fourth with 25 points whilst Adam sits in 19th place with 5 points. Read our initial report of Khairul’s and Adam’s sensational performances in our initial report here.

				Photo Credit: MotoGP

				Photo Credit: MotoGP

				Photo Credit: MotoGP

				Adam Norrodin (Image source: Drive M7 SIC Racing Team)

Round 3 – Austin, Texas
Round 3 of the 2016 MotoGP World Championship season will take place in the Circuit of the Americas, Austin, Texas for the Red Bull Grand Prix of the Americas in less than a week’s time from April 8 – April 10.
Broadcast times remains the same as Argentina with Moto3 flagging off at midnight, followed by Moto2 at 1:20am and MotoGP at 3:00am. (All times are on early Monday morning, April 11)
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Harley-Davidson Confirm Plans To Go Fully Electric

Harley-Davidson has steadily developing its own electric programme over the last few years with the LiveWire becoming the firm’s maiden voyage into electrification.

Harley-Davidson CEO, Jochen Zeitz confirm plans to go fully electric in the future.
Harley-Davidson spin-off brand, the LiveWire proven to be an ideal step towards electrification.

At first, the LiveWire came with a USD30,000 price tag before it was substantially reduced to USD21,999 after Harley-Davidson decided to spin off LiveWire into an independent brand in 2021 with the original LiveWire sold as LiveWire One.
Harley made another big move early last year by taking the LiveWire public which resulted the company revealed it’s product line for the future including the S2 Del Mar.
Unlike the LiveWire One, the S2 is LiveWire’s middleweight electric bikes developed in partnership with KYMCO.

The S2  – inlcuding S3 and S4 in the pipeline – showcased Harley’s dedication towards sustainability and a cleaner future.
That said, Harley-Davidson Chairman and CEO, Jochen Zeitz admitted that the brand will go fully electric in the future.
“At some point in time, Harley Davidson will be all-electric. But that’s a long-term transition that needs to happen. It’s not something you do overnight. It’s a natural evolution that needed to happen,” ,” Zeitz told design publication, Dezeen early this month.

Turning a company with its unique cruiser heritage into a full blown electric brand might not be something that a Harley-Davidson purist wants to hear.
However, Zeitz admitted that the company intend to do so by honouring the past, whatever that means.
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VanderHeide – A carbon fibre ‘Gentleman’s Racer’

The VanderHeide is a beautiful Aprilia-powered ‘Gentleman’s Racer’ built mostly out of carbon fibre.

When Dutch motorcycle builder Rolf van der Heide revealed this creation he named after himself – the VanderHeide – his only description was that it is a ‘Gentleman’s Racer’ of sorts.
We’re inclined to believe that the bike’s somewhat ‘retro’ racer styling has something to do with it. Fuelling the ‘racer’ bit though is the fact that the VanderHeide features the extensive use of carbon fibre all round.

As you could plainly see, Rolf van der Heide not only used the exotic element to construct the bike’s stylish fairings, he also designed and hand-built the bike’s monocoque chassis out of it as well.
In the powertrain department, Rolf opted to lift the 1,000cc V4 unit out of an Aprilia RSV4 superbike, which we all know outputs about 201hp and 115.2Nm of torque in stock form. In the VanderHeide, buyers have the option to have a tuned 230hp version that will cost slightly more of course.

The powerful engine is matched with equally powerful anchors in the form of Brembo twin discs up front and single-disc at the rear, as well as a unique suspension setup using Öhlins TTX36 shocks. There’s also a MoTeC digital dash display to complete the racy feel of things.

The suzzies are stacked on top of each other and runs across the tank, with the design reducing structural stresses on the carbon fibre chassis this way. Don’t worry about the ‘exposed’ top bit in the tank as there is a protective plexiglass cover placed over it – phew!

Couple with the with 17-inch BST carbon fibre wheels, the VanderHeide boasts a breathtakingly light dry weight figure of 175kg in street-legal form. There’s also a race version that weighs 10kg less at 165kg instead as well.

Just 25 units of the VanderHeide will be produced, each rightfully commanding a starting price of €150,000 – approx. RM685,806. You can find out ore about this racy and unique carbon fibre bike by visiting its official website, vanderheidemotorcycles.com.

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MotoGP: Dani Pedrosa wins 3000th Grand Prix in Jerez; Marquez and Lorenzo Podium

The 3000th MotoGP race saw Dani Pedrosa (Repsol Honda) taking the whole shot from start to finish with a classic textbook win at the Gran Premio Red Bull de España.
Marc Marquez (Repsol Honda) and Jorge Lorenzo (Ducati Team) completed the all-Spanish podium spots in front of their home crowd of Jerez.
Jorge Lorenzo scored his first ever podium spot on board his Ducati Desmosedici GP17.

In a MotoGP full of crashes and drama, it was Dani Pedrosa of Repsol Honda who pulled a stunning textbook win at the legendary Jerez circuit in Spain yesterday for the Gran Premio Red Bull de España. Pedrosa who started from pole position blasted down the first turn and never looked back while the scene at the back went through a lot of action.

Johann Zarco (Monster Yamaha Tech 3) who started from sixth quickly went through the top group with an eye of chasing the group leader, Pedrosa. With an early advantage using the medium tyres setup, Zarco got the best out the likes of Valentino Rossi (Movistar Yamaha MotoGP), Andrea Iannone (Team SUZUKI ECSTAR) and even Marc Marquez (Repsol Honda).

As Zarco’s tyres slowly dropped due to his early stint in the beginning of the race, Marquez regained second position while Jorge Lorenzo slowly made his way up the order and chased down Zarco for the final podium spot. Lorenzo finally made it to podium when he crossed the finish line three seconds of Zarco in fourth.

Towards the last 10 laps of the race, it looked like Marquez was edging closer and closer to his compatriot as he ran the hard options tyres as compared to Pedrosa who opted for the medium rear. To no avail, Pedrosa was too smooth in his riding that he preserved his tyres well until the chequered flag was waved.

Further back in the grid, there were a lot of crashes from the likes of Jack Miller (EG 0,0 Marc VDS), Alvaro Bautista (Pull&Bear Aspar Team), Cal Crutchlow (LCR Honda), Pol Espargaro (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing), Tito Rabat (EG 0,0 Marc VDS) and Andrea Iannone.

Andrea Dovizioso (Ducati Team) managed to nurse his Desmosedici GP17 to fifth just ahead of Maverick Vinales (Movistar Yamaha MotoGP) who finished in sixth just half a second ahead of OCTO Pramac racing rider, Danilo Petrucci.

Another rookie from the Monster Yamaha Tech 3 squad, Jonas Folger, finished in P8 ahead of Aleix Espargaro (Aprilia Racing Team Gresini) and Valentino Rossi who was clearly facing difficulties with the overall setup on his Yamaha M1.

With the results of yesterday race, the riders will head to France for the HJC Helmets Grand Prix de France at Le Mans in two weeks time with Valentino Rossi still on top of the standings with 62 points, Maverick Vinales in second with 60 points, Marc Marquez with 58 points and Dani Pedrosa with 52 points. Currently, the top four riders are separated by just 10 points between them.
Photo source: MotoGP
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Ducati Malaysia Offers Rebates up to 80% this Ducati Red Christmas!

Ducati Malaysia is making this holiday extra merry by offering rebates of up to 80%.

The Ducati Red Christmans Year-End Special promotions will have Ducati fans seeing 2018 out on a sweet note.

There are savings on bikes, accessories, besides promos on Desmo service and free 15-point check.

Ducati fans are in for a merry year-end treat as Ducati Malaysia is offering rebates up to 80% during the Ducati Red Christmas Year-End Special promotion.

Beginning now until 31stDecember, customers will enjoy savings up to RM50,000 on selected Ducati bikes (exclusively for Ducati PJ customers):

The fun and versatile Multistrada 950 from only RM76,000 which comes with a free Touring Pack;
Customers can now own a Diavel Diesel at just RM115,000 onwards.The Diesel edition embodies the timeless and Diesel’s hard rock DNA, complete with a Termignoni full-system exhaust package.

Ducati Malaysia is also offering amazing storewide discounts:

Up to 70% on Ducati and Scrambler Ducati apparel until 2nd January 2019 at the official Ducati merchandise shop in Ducati PJ.
To celebrate the jolly season, customers are encouraged to take this opportunity to gift their loved ones with festive Ducati merchandise gift sets.

Additionally, Ducati fans can usher in the New Year with brand new Ducati Performance Parts and accessories (at all authorised Ducati stores and dealerships nationwide):

Up to 80% for Ducati accessories and spare parts from 10thDecember 2018 to 13thJanuary 2019.
Customers will also be treated to a 25% rebate for Desmo service parts as part of its pre-purchase program.
To sweeten the deal, customers with minimum spend of RM600 in a single receipt will bring home a complimentary authentic Ducati T-shirt worth RM250!

As a token of appreciation for the continuous support from Ducati fans and owners:

Ducati Malaysia will also be providing a free 15-point check at the Ducati Service Clinic Ducati Malaysia from 21st– 23rdDecember.
This special value added service is available from 10am to 5pm and is open to all Ducati models, including official imports and grey import bikes.

So head over to Ducati Malaysia for this great Ducati Red Christmas!

For more information, fans can visit Ducati Malaysia’s Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/DucatiMY/ or Instagram page at https://www.instagram.com/ducati_my/.
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MotoGP: SIC confirms Malaysian GP until 2024 with new title partners PETRONAS

Malaysian GP will remain on MotoGP calendar until 2024, PETRONAS emerges as new title sponsors.

MotoGP sees Malaysian GP return this year after two-year hiatus due to pandemic.

SIC and Dorna Sports inks contract extension to continue hosting event until 2024.

SIC also welcomes PETRONAS as the event’s new title sponsors.

Event now christened as ‘PETRONAS Grand Prix of Malaysia’.

Good news for Malaysian MotoGP fans as both Dorna Sports – MotoGP commercial rights holders – and Sepang International Circuit (SIC) have agreed on a contract extension that sees the Malaysian GP event remains on the sport’s calendar until 2024 at least.
The event, a permanent fixture on the MotoGP calendar since 1999, saw its 2020 and 2021 editions cancelled due to the Covid-19 pandemic. The event marks its post-pandemic return this year, and this recent extension further secures its immediate future.
“After proving able to return to Malaysia for pre-season testing this year, we couldn’t be more eager to come back and race,” said Dorna Sports CEO Carmelo Ezpeleta ahead of the event.

Provisionally, the 2022 Malaysian GP race weekend is set to take place from 21 to 23 October. The event will serve as the championship’s penultimate round, as well as the season’s last ‘fly-away’ race event, prior to the season finale in Valencia.
“With record breaking crowds year on year, we look forward to welcoming the fans back to Sepang after a two-year break due to the pandemic,” expressed SIC CEO, Azhan Shafriman Hanif. He further added that fans can expect more unique offerings at hand as circuit initiates its novel #WelcomeHome event theme.

Crucially, this year’s event welcomes a brand new title sponsor in the form of national petroleum and energy giant PETRONAS. Their entry signals a new era for the event, which will be called the PETRONAS Grand Prix of Malaysia starting this year.
According to Datin Anita Azrina Abdul Aziz, PETRONAS’ Senior General Manager Group Strategic Communications, the title sponsorship offers a unique opportunity for the firm to connect with the sport’s massive fanbase and showcase its brand and products.
“More importantly, through this strategic partnership with Dorna Sports, we hope to help re-energise Malaysia’s sports tourism for the benefit of Malaysians and visitors as the world collectively rebounds from the pandemic,” added Datin Anita further.
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Voge Expands Its 300 Single-Cylinder Range With A Scrambler

Chinese motorcycle manufacturer, Voge, has expanded its 300cc single-cylinder range with the 300 ACX, a scrambler-type motorcycle.
Despite sharing the same chassis and engine as its sibling (300 AC), the 300 ACX features a higher ground clearance thanks to a longer travel suspension, wire-spoke wheels, and knobby tires.

Other exciting features include:

full-LED headlight
digital display
Bosch ABS
dual-disc (front)
single-disc (rear)
USB port
one-piece seat with stitching
798mm seat height
110/70-17 front tire
150/60-17 rear tire

Nonetheless, the Voge 300 ACX continues to draw its power from the same Euro 5 292cc single-cylinder, liquid-cooled engine capable of producing 26hp @ 8,500rpm and 23.2Nm @ 6,500rpm.

The Voge 300 ACX is available in Europe for EUR4,195 (RM20.8k).
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Honda Asian Journey 2016 Travel Log – Day 1

Highlights from Day 1 of the Honda Asian Journey 2016 enroute to the 2016 Shell Malaysian MotoGP.

As part of a massive regional effort at strengthening its brand presence, Honda kicked off its Honda Asian Journey 2016 program today in Thailand, with the 2016 Shell Malaysian MotoGP race weekend being its destination.
This is the first time that Honda has organised such a program in the region, aiming to inspire its very own big bikes touring culture through it. Closer to home, local Honda bikes assemblers and distributors Boon Siew Honda Sdn Bhd have much bigger plans.

The Penang-based firm is using the Honda Asian Journey 2016 program as a platform to properly introduce the Honda big bikes line up and culture into the Malaysian market. At the same time, the firm aims to create a new brand image through said products.
Boon Siew Honda’s key goal here is to create a new perception amongst local consumers that the mighty Japanese red wing marque stands for more than just commuters like the legendary Cub series and EX5 dream.

With that in mind, it is easy to see why Thailand was chosen as the starting point for this special regional program – the kingdom’s market is where Honda’s big bikes are thriving healthily in terms of sales volume and market share.
We’ve been invited to tag along on this epic Honda ride to this year’s Malaysian MotoGP race weekend and here’s how our first day went.

Day 1 – Honda Safety Riding Park, Phuket
Our first day starts in the tourist haven of Phuket where a safety riding course was held in the Honda Safety Riding Park. The purpose-built facility is one of many that AP Honda Thailand has set up all over the kingdom, proving to be one of the essential pillars in its big bikes segment’s success here too.

This is one massive cross-border group ride, and Honda isn’t taking any chances when it comes to safety. The park was built specifically to conduct such trainings and, interestingly, it also conveniently serves as a riding school where local Thais go to complete their license tests.

The course held today featured a rich array of Honda’s big bike models covering a multitude of genres including touring, adventure, naked and sport. The line up of instructors fielded were equally impressive as many participants – us included – learnt a great deal from them despite the apparent language barriers.

All in all, the day’s activities was a great refresher for experienced riders and gave others the chance to sharpen their riding abilities even further. One thing’s for certain is that AP Honda Thailand has proven that success in selling big bikes also comes from external efforts beyond the showroom floor, the Safety Riding Park being one of which.

Day 2 – Hat Yai, Sadao and Penang
The next phase of the Honda Asian Journey 2016 kicks off tomorrow with a cross-border group ride towards Penang, Malaysia via Hat Yai and the Sadao border.
Stay tuned for our next travel log as we rake up the miles towards reaching the 2016 Shell Malaysian MotoGP weekend with Honda. Check out more pictures in the gallery we’ve prepared below.
Honda Asian Journey 2016 Day 1 – Phuket, Thailand

Image credit: Gregsvideo.com / Boon Siew Honda
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MotoGP 2019: Why is Pre-Season Testing So Important?

Sepang Winter Test 2019 - Photo credit MotoGP.com

The MotoGP, Moto2 and Moto3 classes hold pre-season tests each year.

But there is an extra immediacy in MotoGP pre-season tests.

It’s especially crucial lately due to the limit on testing and development throughout the season.

There’s so much coverage not just for the regular MotoGP, Moto2 and Moto3 season these days. But why is pre-season testing so important?
Why do teams pay so much attention to just four sessions over three months, although the race calendar covers 19 venues worldwide over eight months?
The main objective of the pre-season tests is to discover more about the new machinery and gain the all-important data. This term is oversimplified as there are countless number of regimes that the riders, teams, the component engineers, tyre engineers, so forth need to test for and gain the required feedback.
Rossi and Vinalez during the Sepang Winter Test 2019 – Photo credit MotoGP.com
The riders would put in a large number of laps on track while trying to figure out how the tyres and bike work and finding the optimal way of extracting the best performance (i.e. lap times) out of them. The team’s engineers meanwhile, need to figure out what suspension and electronic settings could unlock the bike and its components’ full potential. That data will be useful in the races to come as the teams have a basic idea of what the bike does.
Other suppliers such as helmet and racesuit makers for the riders, exhaust makers, motorcycle component makers, etc. are also keen for feedback to improve their products. This is when they can tailor a certain fit for the rider. That goes for footpeg suppliers, for instance, as well.

However, that still doesn’t explain the immediacy we see these days. That is due to the limits on testing mandated by the GP Commission.
Along with standardized technological specifications, the GP Commission limit the number of official testing events to curb the cost spent by the factory teams, besides giving less time for the bikes to “evolve” over the season.
Marc Marquez at SIC test – Photo credit MotoGP.com
At the conclusion of the fourth and final pre-season test at Qatar, teams without concessions must declare the engine they will use for the entire season. When the engines are produced, they will be crated and sealed by the Grand Prix Commission. Thus, the team will need to use that engine throughout the year.
Therefore, the team is screwed for the entire year if they picked the wrong engine.

The GP Commission made this decision to keep development in check and ensures that teams with more resources (read: money) could not keep upgrading their bikes as the season progresses.
The progress we see these days come from elsewhere such as suspension tuning, electronic strategy, tyres, bike’s suitability to certain tracks and of course, rider skill.
By the way, what does it mean by “teams without concessions”? Under the rule book, teams or manufacturers who have not attained the number of podiums in dry races are given more leeway i.e. concessions to develop their motorcycles throughout the season.
Aleix Espargaro on the Aprilia RS-GP at the Sepang Winter Test 2019 – Photo credit MotoGP.com
This arrangement encourages new teams to join the MotoGP class. Indeed, manufacturers such as Ducati and Suzuki benefitted from this to challenge the Big Two of Honda and Yamaha. They are not without concessions.
On the other hand, Aprilia and KTM are allowed more concessions in terms of fuel limits during the race, more engines per season, more testing and development, and wildcard riders. This will help to fast-track their MotoGP programs to join the upper ranks.
Miguel Oliveira on the KTM RC16 at the Sepang Winter Test 2019 – Photo credit MotoGP.com
Without this rule, the bigger manufacturers will keep staying in front, while the smaller teams or newcomers find themselves languishing at the back of the field.
Andrea Dovizioso sharing a light moment with his crew chief during the Sepang Winter Test 2019 – Photo credit MotoGP.com
All images are originally published in MotoGP.com. Please click on this link to view the full gallery.
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Bali Bans Tourist From Renting Motorcycles

The Indonesian island of Bali has banned tourists from renting motorbikes in a new effort to curb antisocial behaviour. The move follows a string of traffic violations by foreigners, including drunk driving, speeding, and using fake license plates.

Bali is banning tourists from renting motorbikes to curb antisocial behaviour and traffic offences by foreigners.
Visitors will be encouraged to rent cars instead of motorbikes, which are popular among tourists.
Tourism is a vital part of Bali’s economy, but locals are increasingly frustrated with tourist hooliganism and unruly behaviour.

The new rules aim to encourage visitors to rent cars instead of motorbikes, which are popular among tourists and easily navigable on the country’s winding roads.
Governor I Wayan Koster said tourists should “act as tourists,” use vehicles provided by travel agents, and abide by traffic rules.
Tourism is a vital part of Bali’s economy, with the sector contributing about 60% of the island’s annual GDP. However, many locals have grown increasingly frustrated with tourist hooliganism and unruly behaviour, with some blaming tourists for the high number of road accidents that occurred in 2020, causing 405 fatalities.
Although travel has rebounded after international travel restrictions were lifted, Bali’s businesses have been hit hard by the pandemic.
The ban on renting motorbikes is expected to be implemented later this year, but the government has not yet revealed how it will be enforced.
Not all locals and tourists are pleased with the new rules, with some arguing that specific violations should be targeted instead of imposing a blanket ban.
One Twitter user said they would not be returning to Bali if motorbikes were banned. However, the government believes the move is necessary to tidy up the island and curb antisocial behaviour, which has been made more visible by the pandemic-induced lull in tourism.
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SIC and MAM organise First Ever Motorsports Awards

Joint partnership between Sepang International Circuit and Motorsports Association Malaysia

To honour Malaysia’s motorsports heroes

Recognition to Malaysian individuals, organizations, and teams in the industry

Sepang International Circuit (SIC) together with the Motorsports Association of Malaysia (MAM) will be organising the country’s first ever SIC-MAM Malaysia Motorsports Awards on 13 February 2017. The event will be held at the Royale Chulan Kuala Lumpur Hotel to recognise and credit those who have played major roles in the motoring industry here in Malaysia.
Another major collaborator to the awards ceremony is the Sportwriters Association of Malaysia (SAM) to credit the media members for supporting and giving coverage as well as support to the motorsports industry. There will be two SIC-MAM-SAM Awards for best journalist and best photographer where the nominees have been carefully and thoroughly selected via rigorous protocol and criteria.
Dato’ Razlan Razali, CEO of Sepang International Circuit
During a press conference with the CEO of Sepang International Circuit, Dato’ Razlan Razali, stated “In Malaysian Motorsports, so many people have played their part in contributing to the development of motorsports in Malaysia, which is exciting dynamic and inclusive – from competitors to teams, officials, journalists, clubs, corporations and even fans. We believe it’s about time that we recognised and honoured those who have contributed so much to the developments of motorsports in Malaysia.”
Khairul Idham Pawi (Photo source: MotoGP)
This awards ceremony will also marked the first ever individual to be inducted into the Malaysia Motorsports Hall of Fame. Individuals like Karamjit Singh, Alex Yoong, Ron Hogg, Shahrol Yuzy, Khairul Idham Pawi and others will be in the running to be the first entry into the motorsports hall of fame.
Zulfahmi Khairuddin
There will also be awards for best teams and drivers of the year for both two and four wheels included in the ceremony. For the ‘Rider of The Year’ category, the candidates are: Muhammad Zulfahmi Khairuddin from WorldSBK, Hafizh Syahrin, Khairul Idham Pawi and Adam Norrodin from MotoGP and also Zaqhwan Zaidi from the Asia Road Racing Championship.
Chia PJ Kawasaki team
As for the ‘Team of The Year’ category, the nominees are Chia PJ Kawasaki, Project X Racing Team, 65Garage.com, Sports Rider Racing Team and Ard Performance Motorsports. All of these teams have been very active in the Pirelli Malaysia Superbike Championship last season.
Hafizh Syahrin
Additionally, the will also be the Malaysia Motorsport People’s Choice Award for 2016. Seven nominees from all forms of motorsports have been selected and the voting is open to the public via the SIC’s Facebook Page from 3 until 10 February 2017. To vote for your favourite motorsports athlete, you can CLICK HERE.

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Hafizh Syahrin enters MSBK 2016 season finale

Photo Credit: Petronas Motorsports
National Moto2 rider Hafizh Syahrin will compete in this weekend’s MSBK 2016 season finale at the Sepang International Circuit.

With his world Moto2 championship campaign on a hiatus until next season, national Moto2 rider Hafizh Syahrin isn’t sitting idle in the off-season as he accepts an offer to race in this weekend’s season-ending Malaysia Superbike Championship 2016 (MSBK) double-header at the Sepang International Circuit (SIC).

Black Mamba is ready for tomorrow freepractice at @sepangcircuit for MSC national race this weekend,wish me luck.#bismillahfirst #akhiratdidepan #tautausampai #thepodiumbydaun #hafizhsyahrin #TeamHS #HS55 #pescao55racingteam #taksempurnamanapon #mesticabarlagi
A photo posted by Hafizh Syahrin Abdullah (@hafizh_syahrin) on Nov 30, 2016 at 4:23am PST

The young 22-year-old native of Ampang, Selangor will be competing for the Project X Racing Team in the MSBK’s 1000cc Superbike Open Class. Here, Hafizh will pilot the local team’s specially prepared Yamaha YZF-R1 superbike racer that he’s affectionately nicknamed ‘Black Mamba’.
With MotoGP’s ban on testing until March taking affect in all classes, Hafizh says that he’s using this opportunity as a means to keep himself fit over the off-season.
He further added, “It will also be good for me to further enhance my familarisation with the Sepang track. We race in Sepang every year, although it was different this year as the whole track had been resurfaced. Hence, I will take this opportunity to learn more about the fresh Sepang track.”

Though he is a world Moto2 championship rider, Hafizh modestly admitted that he isn’t the weekend’s main favourite. He was quick to note that competition levels in the MSBK are high thanks to the presence of world class international riders competing in it.
“For me, Cameron Donald would definitely be the favourite. He is very experienced, having won the Isle of Mann TT race. He is also a former Australian superbike champion. We also have top local riders in the race, with the likes of Ahmad Fuad Baharuddin, who had competed in the Malaysian Super Series, the Malaysian Cub Prix and the Asia Road Racing Championship,” added Hafizh in regards to that.
Nevertheless, Hafizh is eager to put his superbike riding skills to the test against the finest of the MSBK 1000cc Superbike Open Class. Rest assured that Hafizh will be one to look out for this weekend in Sepang.

Special treat for all race fans
This weekend, the MSBK season finale features a double-header where Rounds 4 and 5 will be competed on the same weekend. It will run alongside the season finale of the Malaysian Championship Series 2016 (MCS 2016) for cars as well where a 300km endurance race will serve as the series’ thrilling season finale.

Supplementing this will be a special carnival called the ‘Kempen Bikers Bebas Dadah 2016’. The campaign features special activities including a mini concert on Saturday evening headlined by a number of local acts plus daily a lucky draw that’s offering a 150cc motorcycle as its grand prize.
Tickets for the Kempen Bikers Bebas Dadah 2016 carnival is priced at RM19 for three-day access whilst fans aged 17 and below can enter for free.Ticket holders will have three-day access to both the Main Grandstand and the K1 Grandstand areas.
Fans can also purchase Paddock passes priced at RM85 that can be obtained at the paddock entrance during the event days. You can refer to the official event program we’ve provided below for further references as well.
RACE SCHEDULE – MCS 2016 & MSBK 2016 Season Finale
 Friday, 2 December 2016
0945 hrs – Briefing for MSBK riders
1015 hrs – 1045 hrs – Superstock Practice Session
1055 hrs – 1125 hrs – Production 250 / MGP3 Practice Session
1135 hrs – 1205 hrs – Superbike Practice Session
1215 hrs – 1245 hrs – Supersport Practice Session
Break / Friday Prayers
1445 hrs – 1515 hrs – Superstock Qualifying
1530 hrs – 1600 hrs – Production 250 Qualifying
1615 hrs – 1645 hrs – Superbike Qualifying
1700 hrs – 1730 hrs – Supersport Qualifying
Saturday, 3 December 2016
0910 hrs – 0950 hrs – Superstock Race 1 (12 laps)
1010 hrs – 1040 hrs – Production 250 Race 1 (8 laps)
1100 hrs – 1130 hrs – Superbike Race 1 (12 laps)
1130 hrs – Malaysia Championship Series Drivers Briefing
1150 hrs – 1240 hrs – Supersport Race 1 (12 laps)
1300 hrs – 1330 hrs – Malaysia Championship Series – Free Practice
1400 hrs – 1440 hrs – Superstock Race 2 (12 laps)
1500 hrs – 1530 hrs – Production 250 / MGP3 Race 2 (8 laps)
1550 hrs – 1640 hrs – Superbike Race 2 (12 laps)
1700 hrs – 1730 hrs – Supersport Race 2 (12 laps)
1745 hrs – 1815 hrs – Malaysia Championship Series – Qualifying
Sunday, 4 December 2016
0910 hrs – 0950 hrs – Superstock Race 3 (12 laps)
1010 hrs – 1040 hrs – Production 250 Race 3 (8 laps)
1100 hrs – 1140 hrs – Superbike Race 3 (12 laps)
1200 hrs – 1240 hrs – Supersport Race 3 (12 laps)
1300 hrs – 1340 hrs – Superstock Race 4 (12 laps)
1400 hrs – 1430 hrs – Production 250 Race 4 (8 laps)
1450 hrs – 1530 hrs – Superbike Race 4 (12 laps)
1550 hrs – 1630 hrs – Supersport Race 4 (12 laps)
1700 hrs – 1930 hrs – Malaysia Championship Series – Race (300km)
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MotoGP: Aprilia retain Espargaró and Viñales until 2024

Aprilia continues racing in MotoGP with Aleix Espargaró and Maverick Viñales until 2024, making it the first to announce its full rider line up beyond 2022.

Aprilia extends contract for both Aleix Espargaró and Maverick Viñales.

Both riders will continue to race aboard the Aprilia RS-GP in 2023 and 2024.

The Noale factory now stands as the first to confirm its full rider line up beyond 2022.

MotoGP 2022 ‘Silly Season’ kicks into high gear ahead of this weekend’s Italian GP at Mugello. Seizing the opportunity ahead of their home race is the Aprilia Racing squad, and the Noale factory have confirmed that both Aleix Espargaró and Maverick Viñales will remain with them until 2024.

The move isn’t a huge surprise, especially in the case of the older of the two Espargaró brothers – he’s been leading the Noale factory’s charge brilliant this season, scoring their first modern MotoGP era race win and charting a hat-trick of podium finishes over the last three races.
Furthermore, Aleix Espargaró currently sits a close second in the riders’ championship standings with 98 points – just 4 points shy of leader and defending world champion Fabio Quartararo. Though it’s still early to make a call on a favourite, Espargaró’s chances does appear very strong indeed.

The move to retain teammate Maverick Viñales draws more curiosity. Aprilia’s younger but yet experienced Spanish rider has struggled to finish higher than 7th (Argentina GP) in the last seven races. Nevertheless, Viñales’ spot in the Noale factory team’s MotoGP effort is secure for two more seasons.
“All the good we are doing this season is the fruit of many components, certainly the value of our designers and our technicians led by Romano Albesiano, the overall growth of our racing department and, in large part, the synergy that our ‘Captain’ Aleix has skillfully built with the bike and with the team,” read the statement issued by Massimo Rivola, Aprilia’s MotoGP Sports Director.

Adding to this was a clearly thrilled Espargaró who said: “Continuing to do so with Aprilia is a source of pride for me. We can grow even more and we want to demonstrate that on the track.” The Spaniard was reportedly vocal at the fact that he wasn’t offered a contract yet, but those thoughts have now been silenced.
“I’m extremely happy to continue my work with Aprilia Racing. Now our horizons are expanding and we’ll be able to work with continuity to achieve ambitious goals. I believe in this project and I’m happy to be part of it,” said Espargaró teammate Viñales regarding his two-year extension with the team.

With both factory-spec Aprilia RS-GP seats confirmed for 2023 and 2024, this leaves the Noale factory no longer an option for the rest of the grid, particularly for both Suzuki riders Alex Rins and Joan Mir. Their sudden availability following Suzuki’s shock decision to quit the sport and blown the rider market wide open.
The next destination for both, especially for 2020 world champion Mir, remains a hotly debated subject, as are the statuses of all Ducati riders bar Francesco ‘Pecco’ Bagnaia. Another rider still to sign for 2023 and beyond is defending world champion Fabio Quartararo but, despite the struggles with his Yamaha machine, the Iwata factory is widely expected to retain the Frenchman.
With four races left – including this weekend’s Italian GP – just before we hit the mid-season point, we can likely expect more contract announcements in the weeks and months leading up to it.
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HOG Petaling Jaya’s First Ride

Harley-Davidson of Petaling Jaya launched the new HOG Petaling Jaya Chapter.

In conjunction with the launching, they organized the HOG Petaling Jaya’s Inaugural Ride.

The ride began at the new dealership at The Gasket Alley to Tanjung Malim and back to the branch.

Petaling Jaya, 10th March 2018 – Along with the launch of the new Harley-Davidson of Petaling Jaya (HDPJ) dealership at The Gasket Alley on 9th March 2018 (for the media), it was also announced that the dealership will create the new Harley Owners Group (HOG) Petaling Jaya Chapter.

Please click on the link below on our coverage of the launch.
Harley-Davidson of Petaling Jaya Officially Opens for Business

Harley-Davidson of Petaling Jaya then called on Harley-Davidson owners to congregate at The Gasket Alley for the Chapter’s inaugural ride.

Harley owners began arriving at the dealership from as early as 7 am despite a morning downpour. They were seen wiping down their beloved steeds of steel soon after. But the owners started arriving en masse after the rain and they descended in droves –solo, with a passenger, in small groups, large groups.

As Harley-Davidson motorcycles appeal to a wide range of customers and fans, the riders were equally colourful in their demeanour, not to mention their bikes and clothing. There was a guy who arrived wearing a Red Indian bonnet (headdress).

Touring models were converted to baggers, Softails to show bikes, Sportsters to bobbers, Dynas to drag bikes, and anything else to the customers’ imagination.

Besides that, as with the saying, “No two Harley’s are alike,” many had been expectedly customized. There was one Street Glide with custom paint with a hog (since Harleys are also called “hogs”) as a fender ornament. There were others with tall ape hanger handlebars, drag bars, boulevard bars. The favourite modification is, of course, the exhaust, since almost all owners love to “liberate” the sound of that Milwaukee V-Twin. There were short (and loud) dual straight pipes, huge bazooka-like pipes, fishtails, and everything else in between.

The owners also showed up in their respective “colours,” as in which sub-Chapter or bike club or group they ride with. Thankfully, there wasn’t any who showed up with the “1%er” badge – denoting their outlaws.

It was apparent that they liked seeing their riding buddies – a familiar face or faces in a sea of people evokes a sense of belonging. Hugs, warm handshakes and secret handshakes were exchanged.

In the meantime, HOG’s Road Captain, marshals and PDRM Traffic Police outriders huddled for a briefing.

Soon, the emcee called for the owners to move into the hallway in The Gasket Alley, for the official launching of the dealership. By then, more than 500 bikers had shown up, inundating the compound and spilling out into the streets.

Mr. Juan Chow Wee, General Manager of DIDI Resources Sdn. Bhd., announced the Harley-Davidson of Petaling Jaya open and also launched the Harley-Davidson of Petaling Jaya HOG Chapter. Mr. Rewi Hamid Bugo, Chairman of DIDI Resources and Mr. Goh Kian Sin, Chairman of Goh Motorcycles Sdn. Bhd. would join the ride. Mr. Juan finally called out, “Let the good times roll and wished they participants a good ride.”

The massive convoy fired up to a heavy metal thunder and probably causing the Meteorological Department to panic in locating a mild earthquake in Petaling Jaya, to AC/DC’s “Highway to Hell,” nonetheless.

RELA personnel and the Traffic Police outriders controlled traffic as the Iron Horses rolled onto the road towards the sleepy town of Tanjung Malim in Perak. The riders pushed head in a smart two-by-two column.

The Police along with retired Traffic Policemen and HOG Marshals guided the long convoy along the North-South highway toward their destination with aplomb and professionalism, while signalling other traffic to pass, so as not to cause a massive traffic jam. As such, not one incident occurred along the way.

The group descended upon the small town, probably waking up anyone was still asleep during the hot morning and stopped at Sarang Art Hub for refreshments. The venue was an old bungalow and consists of a collection of antique wares. The hungry and thirsty (mainly thirsty) riders queued up for food and drinks.

The hosts put on a live band show, helmed by a singer who sounded uncannily like “Papa Rock” Ramli Sarip and backed up by an awesome band, in barefoot on the stage. He belted out classic hit after classic hit to the delight of the participants. A few started calling out a fellow biker to sing as he tried to hide away. He sportingly got up on stage and sang Guns ‘N’ Roses’s super hit “Sweet Child O’ Mine” and the ladies got up and danced. He even gyrated like Axl Rose, complete with a red bandana.

Soon, it was time to head back to Petaling Jaya, led again by the Traffic Police and marshals.

The ride back was brisk, but again, everyone arrived safely for more drinks and food for lunch. The Gasket Alley had also set up the Gasket Bistro, consisting of food and drink vendors in the compound. The party ran all the way to midnight.

Looks like Harley-Davidson owners in Malaysia have a great new Chapter and home.
PICTURE GALLERY

				Harley-Davidson of Petaling Jaya is located at The Gasket Alley

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Local Councils (Dewan Bandaraya) Now Empowered to Enforce Traffic Laws

Photo credit zaharibb.com

Amendments to the Road Transport Act (RTA) allow local councils to appoint their own traffic wardens.

These wardens can enforce traffic laws instead of just issuing parking fines.

The amendments also mean traffic enforcement agencies can only issue court summons instead of compound fines.

We have seen motorists flout traffic laws under the noses of Dewan Bandaraya enforcement officers, but the officers could nothing about them. That will soon change when the Road Transport (Amendment) Bill 2018 takes effect.
Local Traffic Wardens
The Dewan Rakyat passed an amendment to Section 3(4B) of the Road Transport Act on 11thDecember. According to the section, local councils (Dewan Bandaraya and Majlis Perbandaran) can now appoint their own traffic wardens. These wardens can enforce traffic laws, for example against a motorcyclist running the red light. This is great news indeed as the police need assistance in enforcing the laws.
However, a restriction was added to Section 4 of the act. It details that the local council traffic wardens can only enforce laws within the areas under their jurisdiction only. It means Dewan Bandaraya Kuala Lumpur wardens cannot act on offences in Shah Alam.
So, please stop at the red light and park in allocated spaces.
Court Summons Instead of Compound Fines
An amendment to Section 120 of the RTA states that traffic enforcement agencies no longer have the discretion to compound offences. A fine (saman) means you can pay it at your own leisure. however, a court summons means you have to attend court and answer to the magistrate.
The agencies will need to first obtain the consent of the Attorney General in writing in order to issue a fine.
Failure to appear in court will result in an arrest warrant being issued.
This is serious, so please do remember. It may sound draconian, but it is probably one of the more effective ways to stop errand motorists.
Source: asklegal.my
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Fake helmets are seriously dangerous!

Image source: BBC
They may look just as good and are cheaper to buy, but fake helmets are deadly!

Earlier this week, news broke out about local authorities seizing a number of fake helmets that were being passed off by an unscrupulous party to bikers as the ‘real’ thing.
Local daily Harian Metro reported that a Ministry of Domestic Trade, Co-operatives and Consumerism (KPDNKK) task force in Seberang Perai, Penang, seized the fake helmets after raiding a popular motorcycle accessories shop.
The raid was conducted following a tip off from the public. Upon further investigation, KPDNKK Seberang Perai branch head Abdul Madi Wahab revealed that the shop had been selling mainly counterfeit Arai brand helmets.
Image source: Harian Metro
In the special press conference, Abdul Madi Wahib showed a total of eight fake Arai helmets seized from the raid. The total collective value of the fake goods was estimated to be around RM2,600.
“These replica helmets that look like the genuine product are not guaranteed for safety and pose an imminent danger to users,” added Abdul Madi Wahab sternly during the press conference.
Despite the gallant efforts of local authorities as such, it is sad to note that many fake helmets and other counterfeit riding gears are still making their way into the local market, putting many bikers and consumers in danger.
If you’re wondering just how dangerous fake helmets and counterfeit gears are, just watch the following video.

Unlike the real thing they mimic, fake helmets and counterfeit gears won’t protect you when the inevitable happens.
You can never put a price on safety and it is better to be thankful when you get out of an eventual accident unscathed rather than regret from injuring yourself as a result of using cheap knock offs.

TOP TIP: If you’re going to buy a new motorcycle helmet, regardless of type and fashion, always ensure it has a SIRIM-approved sticker on it at the very least. This is the most basic form of verification if you’re buying helmets in Malaysia.

Fakes and counterfeits do not have this, or even any other type of local or international standards approval (ECE, DOT, SNELL or SHARP) for that matter.
Remember, if an offer is too good to be true, it usually is. Make it a point to only visit authorised dealers and outlets when buying gears such as helmets and apparels.
Another good practice is to always see, inspect and try out any gear before purchasing it. Check for the aforementioned approvals and ensure the product’s quality matches all the claims stated in its respective packaging.
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GIVI Malaysian Adventure 2019 Day Six – Kuantan to Melaka

The GIVI Malaysian Adventure 2019 convoy headed back to the west coast on Day Six.

First stop was Melaka, before heading to the GIVI Rimba Raid at Janda Baik 2019.

It was certainly heartwarming to see our visitor friends enjoying historic Melaka.

Day Six of the GIVI Malaysian Adventure 2019 was the stage when we cut back across to the west coast of Peninsular Malaysia. The GIVI Rimba Raid at Janda Baik 2019 event beckons.
But first, we will ride to the historic city of Melaka to spend a night.
Leaving Teluk Cempedak, Kuantan
Truth is, it seemed to not matter where we’d be riding to, as long as we leave the Hyatt Regency, Kuantan. Sure, most of the staff were friendly and the rooms were comfy, but there were a number of things they got wrong and refused to acknowledge. Personally, an episode left a bitter taste in my mouth during dinner. I asked a chef about what sauces was I looking at and he ignored me. I thought he didn’t hear me, but he walked a few metres away and yelled at a waiter to assist me.

Tsk, tsk, tsk.
So, it was like that Animals’ song, “We Gotta Get Out of This Place.”
The Ride
This leg was supposed to be an uneventful, but the lead marshal took a wrong turn and led us down a route with corners stacked upon corners. The usual droning ride suddenly turned lively as each Explorer swept through corners. It’s said that and adventure is “when something unplanned happens,” this was a happy mistake! The pace was still controlled by the lead police car, however, so it was a safe ride.
But it certainly opened my eyes as a Malaysian that even foreign visitors could enjoy our roads so much. (We’ll upload the videos later.)

The biggest worry for us Malaysians is trying to get into Melaka, given the large amount traffic lights and heavy traffic. But the hardworking police escorts and marshals did an outstanding job of providing a smooth ride.
Joseph Perucca, GIVI’s Overseas Operational Director and organizer of the ride had advised us to ride as closely together as possible to minimize the length of the convoy, thereby minimizing the time the escorts need to block off traffic. It worked and the ride cleared each intersection in less than 30 seconds.

We found the large overhead bridge along Jalan Keroh and near the Bukit Beruang intersection is now operational. It’ll save lots of time on future trips.
We made it into the city under Melaka’s infamous blazing sun and stopped at the Ole Sayang Restaurant for lunch. The eatery served authentic Baba and Nonya cuisines such as otak-otak, sambal fish, etc.

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I was seated next to Manuel De La Pena from Mexico. “What is otak-otak?” he asked. “It’s steamed fish meat,” I replied. “But what does otak-otak mean?” Oh dear… I was afraid to scare him off… “It means brain-brain… but it’s really just steamed fish.” So, he tried it and liked it. Phew.
We headed to A’Famosa after lunch. The local authorities had opened the gates for us to park in the square outside the ancient fort and Declaration of Independence building.

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The Explorers hiked up the hill to St. Paul’s Cathedral on top of the hill and down to the Stadhuys on the opposite side. These sites represent just a small part of the UNESCO World Heritage city’s history, but it was a great introduction. A number of participants rode the multi-coloured trishaws back to the where we stopped.
We regrouped and rode to Zong Heng Motors.

The shop was the first authorized dealer apart from GIVI Points in the country. The staff welcomed us with fresh coconut water to help us cool down.

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Zong Heng offers almost every item in GIVI’s catalog of products from riding jackets to the latest luggage and everything else in between. They had also “dressed” up a number of bikes on display with GIVI accessories. So, do make your way to Zong Heng motors to equip your bike.

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It was finally time to say goodbye as we headed to The Majestic Melaka to check-in for the night. It might be easy to miss the hotel’s pre-war facade since it’s only two-stories high. But it’s actually connected to a modern ten-storie building at the back, where our rooms are. The rooms were cozy with lots of wood paneling but provides modern amenities. The staff were also very hospitable and helpful. They never failed to smile and greet us whenever they saw us.

From the 10th  Floor, we had a front seat view of a bend in the Melaka River, where Kampung Morten i.e. Kampung Melayu was situated. A few metres down the river was the Ghost Bridge. It’s macabrely called such because the Japanese invaders during World War II beheaded prisoners there and hurled the heads into the river.
Dinner was served in the restaurant on the second level of that old building. Having local food for dinner was a welcomed changed for us Malaysian and Asian Explorers. However, it was also good to see our visitors enjoying the dishes, too.
Most went to visit Jonker Walk after dinner. It would’ve been a short walk had we stayed at the originally planned Casa Del Rio (Ronald told me it means “River House” in Spanish), but the hotel couldn’t provide enough rooms. But fear not, it was just a RM 5 Grab Car ride.
We turned in early tonight as we’re headed to Janda Baik tomorrow.
PICTURE GALLERY

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Praëm BMW S1000RR – a retro-modern racer (with video)

The Praëm BMW S1000RR is one exquisite retro-modern custom race bike.

Founded in 2014 by brothers Sylvain & Florent Berneron, French custom motorcycle firm Praëm has set some very high standards with its creations. When you grasp at the fact that Sylvain is both a former BMW Motorrad designer and track rider whilst his borther Florent is a certified aeronautical engineer, it easily explains why Praëm’s designs look both unorthodox and exquisite at the same time.

Their very latest work, the Praëm BMW S1000RR, is no exception. Based on the modern and very capable BMW S1000RR litre-class superbike, the exterior design sees Praëm’s drawing inspiration from race bike designs from the late 20th century.

To be more specific, the Praëm BMW S1000RR’s custom retro exterior design and livery was inspired by 1980s era race bikes that were typically fielded in the annual Suzuki 8-Hour endurance race.

With Sylvain Berneron’s ties to the brand, it is unsurprising to find out that BMW Motorrad France are working with the two brothers in this build, resulting the BMW S1000RR being the project’s bike of choice. Other partners and their contribution include Competition Werkes (exhaust), Rotobox (wheels), Pirelli (tyres, obviously), as well as Rizoma (misc. accessories).

Praëm also claims that their retro-modern custom BMW S1000RR weighs in at roughly 183.7kg when race-ready and laden with fuel, marking a weight reduction of roughly 18.14kg over the stock bike.
You can check out more images of the Praëm BMW S1000RR in the gallery we’ve prepared below whilst the featured video (above) will show you how the stock superbike was transformed into this cool retro-modern custom racer.
Praëm BMW S1000RR

Sources: Praëm via Asphaltandrubber and Derestricted
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Catch the BMW M5 MotoGP Safety Car LIVE in Kuala Lumpur!

The BMW M5 MotoGP Safety Car will be making a special appearance at Bangsar Village II on October 31st at 12 pm.

The BMW M5 MotoGP Safety Car will be joined by the BMW M5, BMW 530i M Sport, BMW S 1000 RR, and the BMW S 1000 RR Safety Bike.

There will also be a meet and greet session with three-time World Champion, Loris Capirossi.

Brace yourselves, the MotoGP circus is coming to town and it is going to be massively epic! To kick things off in style, the BMW M5 MotoGP Safety Car plus other notable vehicles in the Motorcycle Grand Prix will be convoying around Kuala Lumpur and will be making a pit stop at Bangsar Village II on 31 October 2018 from 12 pm onwards.

The BMW fleet of cars and bikes will be parading around the city centre where the convoy will be joined by the likes of the BMW M5, BMW 530i M Sport, BMW S 1000 RR, and of course, the BMW S 1000 RR Safety Bike which are all used in the organisation and support of the MotoGP World Championship.

The pit stop at Bangsar Village II is not something that you will want to miss as there will also be a meet and greet session with BMW M MotoGP expert and three-time world champion, Loris Capirossi! To make things even more special, fans can also participate in the BMW S 1000 RR Safety Bike puzzle challenge where they stand a chance to win Main Grandstand tickets for the MotoGP Malaysian round happening at Sepang from 2 to 4 November 2018.

Details of the pit stop are as below:
Date: 31st October 2018, Wednesday
Time: 12:00PM
Venue: Bangsar Village II
2, Jalan Telawi 1,
Bangsar Baru 59100,
Kuala Lumpur.

To know more, head over to BMW Malaysia’s Facebook page. More tickets can be won, there. It’s MotoGP week in Malaysia, baby!
2019 BMW S 1000 RR Teaser Video Released and Spotted Testing

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Asia Talent Cup CHAMPS mentoring program renewed

Dorna Sports, Shell and Accenture renew partnership for CHAMPS mentoring program for Shell Advance Asia Talent Cup series riders.

Young riders of the Shell Advance Asia Talent Cup moto3 series will continue to benefit with the expert aid of specialist communications consultants Accenture for another year.
Sports management firm Dorna, which organises and runs the Asia Talent Cup series, recently inked an agreement with title sponsor Shell and Accenture to extend the CHAMPS (Creating Higher Ambitions, Mentoring Program Success) intiative for a second year.

The CHAMPS initiative sees Accenture volunteers providing the series’ riders with one-on-one mentoring in interview techniques, writing skills and professional development. The aim of the CHAMPS program is to help the young racers in this series in building essential communication and interpersonal skills that will augment their careers.
CHAMPS is a comprehensive eight-month curriculum that sees Asia Talent Cup racers access to Accenture’s Learning Exchange, which boasts over 50 courses that range from career and professional development to technology and financial literacy too.
Each of these online class lasts around 15 minutes long. They are conducted in English and can be accessed from a variety of devices and taken as many times as a participant likes, in any order. Furthermore, the participants will also receive one-on-one mentoring from Accenture volunteers based in Indonesia, Japan, Malaysia, and Thailand.
Alberto Puig, Director of Shell Advance Asia Talent Cup, states:
“We are pleased to work with Accenture because English is very important for the world of racing. These guys will grow, and they will travel around and they have to understand that there are many important things in this life and the English will be very useful”.

The 2016 season of the Shell Advance Asia Talent Cup is on a short hiatus presently after concluding its first two rounds this month. The season continues with Round 3 that will be held in May in support of the Malaysian leg of the 2016 FIM Motul World Superbikes Championship (WSBK) in the Sepang International Circuit, Malaysia. (Read the WSBK Malaysia 2016 launch report here)
Image credits: Asia Talent Cup
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Furygan Ted D3O Sympatex review – style and functionality

New Furygan Ted D3O Sympatex riding boots tried and tested.

When it comes to riding boots for the daily rider, there are several aspects that must be fulfilled. At the very top of this list are safety and weather resistance, followed by functionality and lastly, style.
We’ll agree that finding the perfect pair is a tall order for anyone. However, we recently got around to testing these, the new Furygan Ted D3O Sympatex riding shoes, and we reckon these are worth a look, especially for those searching for casual, sneakers-looking types for daily use.

Having tested them for about a month now whilst cycling through several test bikes, the performance of the Ted D3O Sympatex is commendable. Clearly, this French brand knows what riders want in casual-looking riding boots as such.
Here’s what you ought to know about this simple yet versatile pair of riding boots.
D3O – flexible protection
 As you can probably guess, Furygan has incorporated the renowned D3O impact protection technology into the Ted riding shoes – the first in the market to do so in fact. The beauty of D3O, which is CE-approved, lies in the material’s ability at absorbing high amounts of pressure and forces whilst remaining in a very flexible and lightweight state.

When applied into riding footwear, the bonus here is that the high protection capability doesn’t impede the shoe’s overall flexibility. Having run these pair in so far, I personally found them to be much less rigid against some of its rivals. They actually felt just as soft as regular sneakers after a while, making them a cinch to live with as well when not riding.

Despite such ease, the Furygan Ted D3O Sympatex didn’t compromise itself for actual riding situations either, especially when operating your bike’s foot-controls. What deserve praises here too are the Ted’s soles that offered tremendous grip levels on both asphalt and concrete surfaces.
Sympatex – water- and weather-proof
 Being exposed to the elements most of the time, protection from this is also an ideal requirement. Fortunately, Furygan’s remedy to this lies in a revolutionary fabric material called Sympatex that’s used to cover most parts of the Ted.
This suede-like fabric is not only 100% waterproof, it also a highly flexible material. More importantly, Sympatex is also a highly breathable fabric, making it ideal for use under our temperamental tropical weather conditions.

Having tested them through some minor wet spells recently, the Sympatex material’s promises at being both waterproof and breathable holds up brilliantly. As long as you lace up in a right and secure manner, water will not seep in through the shoe’s tongue or toe area at all.
Essentially, Furygan’s use of both D3O and Sympatex have granted the Ted with great levels of protection and safety that most riders would expect from such. The added flexibility and breathability only adds to the shoe’s overall desirability.
Design – chic and minimalist

This being a French brand, we cannot go on without talking about the shoe’s design. At a glance, it is easy to note that the Furygan Ted D3O Sympatex boasts a simple basic design finished in black whilst the white soles offer added contrast.
This monochromatic scheme actually makes the Furygan Ted D3O Sympatex look more akin to regular sneakers than functional riding boots. With these on, you wouldn’t look out of place at either work or leisure as they don’t look bulky or off-coloured as most purpose-built boots do.

The same can be said with the Furygan Ted D3O Sympatex’ use for all kinds of bike genres too. It still doesn’t look out of place should you be riding a scooter, a naked street bike, or even a low-seat cruiser.
The only inconvenience is perhaps the boot’s use of traditional shoelaces to fasten it. The absence of supplementary Velcro locking is a bit of a let down, but it isn’t a deal-breaker at all given the protection, flexibility and style offered.
Verdict
Whilst the brand may be somewhat new still in our part of the world, this distinctively French marque’s technical know how is pretty much unrivalled, especially at the affordable retail price it commands for its products.
The Furygan Ted D3O Sympatex retails at a reasonable price of RM535. With that, it is easy to see that Ted holds tremendous value for money indeed.

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MotoGP: Yonny Hernandez replaces Jonas Folger for Sepang winter test

Former Aspar MotoGP rider Yonny Hernandez will be stepping in for Jonas Folger to assist the Monster Yamaha Tech 3 team during the Sepang winter test.
The 29 year old Columbian will showcase his skills for the very first time on board the Yamaha M1 MotoGP bike.
Hernandez is also said to be one of the riders shortlisted for the 2018 rider with the Monster Yamaha Tech 3 squad.

The Monster Yamaha Tech 3 team has announced that Yonny Hernandez will be replacing in for Jonas Folger this coming weekend at the Sepang winter test 2018. The 29 year old Columbian was selected for his vast experience on MotoGP machinery of over five years.

The former Pull&Bear Aspar team rider is also said to be one of the riders in the shortlist to step in for the recuperating Folger. The MotoGP field was stunned when Folger announced earlier this month that he won’t be racing this season with plans to fully recover from a diagnosed condition of Gilbert Syndrome.

According to Hernandez, “I’m obviously happy for myself to get such a fantastic opportunity riding a MotoGP bike again. I’m delighted I can do the test and work with a very good team and machine. I’m truly curious to ride a Yamaha bike, because in all my career I was sitting on a Ducati. I want to thank the Monster Yamaha Tech3 team and especially Herve Poncharal for giving me this unique chance.”

Tech 3’s Team Principal Herve Poncharal added by saying “I am pleased to give him this possibility to test for three days and with it giving him the chance to show his potential to both, Yamaha Motor Corporation and the Monster Yamaha Tech 3 team. Yet, no permanent decision will be taken before we fly back from Sepang. For sure, we will analyze in detail how Yonny performs during this test and obviously, he is one of the riders on our shortlist for 2018.”

The Monster Yamaha Tech outfit plans to reveal their 2018 rider this coming February during the pre-season testing in Thailand. This Sunday will be quite an interesting session where we will get to see how Yonny Hernandez will perform on board the Yamaha M1 MotoGP machinery.

Stay tuned to Bikes Republic for more MotoGP updates.
Source: MotoGP
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New Suzuki GSX-R to be launched in Malaysia

Last week, Suzuki Malaysia announced that they’re back on social media, and not long after, they posted a photo of the Suzuki GSX-R logo with the caption “We bring it back! Are you ready?” In the post, there’s also the message stating “Greatness is around the corner.”

We Bring It Back!Are You Ready? Stay Tuned for more exciting news!#suzukimalaysia
Posted by Suzuki Malaysia on Rabu, 23 September 2020

The word ‘greatness’ itself has been used several times in the past to portray the powerful and legendary Suzuki GSX-R. while this might be the case, it’s not a clear indication on which model it’s referring to. For the GSX-R family, the models range from 150cc all the way up to 1,300cc.

The Hayabusa, for now, is out of the picture, but anything else 1,000cc and below is fair game. Considering that Suzuki is celebrating its 100th anniversary this year, there’s a possibility that this new Gixxer might just be the 2020 Suzuki GSX-R1000R 100th Anniversary edition.

In our honest opinion, Suzuki Malaysia Sdn Bhd needs a model that can sell in huge volumes to get their cash flow going again after the dreadful MCO (movement control order) period thanks to COVID-19. These models have to be affordable and two bikes come to mind – GSX-R150 and the GSX250R.

Another great addition that they can introduce to hype up the brand’s presence here in Malaysia would be the V-Strom 250. The Burgman scooter series ranging from 125cc to 400cc might help in the matter but as a start, Suzuki Malaysia Sdn Bhd seems ecstatic for this new Gixxer model. And so are we. Stay tuned for more updates.
Written by: Sep Irran
Anyone interested in a 160cc Suzuki V-Strom?

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This Kawasaki Ninja H2 is actually a Z125 Pro!

There’s a custom garage in Japan that specialises in some very special products and their latest offering is converting a Kawasaki Z125 Pro into a ‘baby’ Kawasaki Ninja H2! The mastermind behind this custom work is Project MC, a custom shop based in Nisshin, Aichi Prefecture and their latest handy work is too cool to miss.

Every aspect of the Kawasaki Ninja H2’s design essence has been scaled down to fit with the Z125 Pro. Customers now can order these parts from them which consists of over 40 custom-made FRP (fibre-reinforced plastic) components to convert the Z125 Pro into a mini H2. Every single detail was made to match with the H2’s exterior, minus all the performance, of course.

If you’re interested, Project MC is open to order where you can get your very own mini Kawasaki H2 at 1,250,000 yen (around RM51,000 after direct conversion). This includes a brand-new Kawasaki Z125 Pro as the base. They’ll only sell the bike as a whole, so you can’t really get just the conversion kit.

They do however provide colour customisation according to your taste, but that’ll set you back a bit more than the base price. Just add another 200,000 yen (around RM8,100) and you can get the bike in any colour you want. Each bike will take around two months to deliver and prepped for shipping.
VIDEO: Kawasaki Ninja ZX-25R hitting 17,000RPM on the dyno!

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Ducati Recall Small Number Of Multistrada V4 For Full Engine Replacements

A small number of the all-new Ducati Multistrada V4 owners has been notified in the North American market to get a full engine replacement.
According to reports, Ducati has found quality issues with valve guides on the new Granturismo V4 engine that can lead to engine failure.

The issue stems from one of the two-part suppliers that produce the valve guides for the Granturismo V4, which Ducati later discovered.

As a solution, Ducati decided to replace the entire engine of the 60 models affected around North America with a new unit that has just been built in the Ducati factory.

The owners will also be compensated in three ways;
1) 2-years free annual maintenance
2) free radar software upgrade
3) USD1,500 voucher
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Honda CBR500R, Honda CB500X and Honda CB500F Launched – From RM 33,999

Boon Siew Honda launched the 2019 Honda CBR500R, Honda CB500X and Honda CB500F today to complement their big capacity range in Malaysia

All three bikes share a common frame and engine platform.

All are available from Honda Big Wing concept shops.

Boon Siew Honda launched the 2019 Honda CBR500R, Honda CB500X and Honda CB500F today to complement their big capacity range in Malaysia.

All three bikes are based on the same engine platform, namely a 471cc, DOHC, 8-valve, parallel-Twin. Honda engineers revised the inlet, exhaust and valve timing for a 4% increase in midrange power and torque. It now produces 49.6 HP at 8,500 RPM and 45 Nm of torque at 6,500 RPM. The engine for better low-down torque, rather than high-end horsepower.

Standard features for the 2019 models are:

Anti-lock braking system (ABS).
New rear suspension.
Assist and slipper clutch.
Full LED lighting.
New LCD screen with gear position indicator and shift-up light.
Strong yet lightweight steel diamond-tube frame.
The frame is designed to provide the swingarm mounting point close to the engine for optimum weight distribution.
An added safety feature triggers the hazard lights in case of emergency braking.

2019 Honda CBR500R – From RM 34,499
The CBR500R is the fully-faired sportbike format of the range and features a styling inspired by the company’s CBR1000RR Fireblade. There are a number of model-specific features, of course, including winglets on the bottom half of the fairing.

The clip-on handlebars were repositioned to underneath the top triple clamp for a sportier riding position. The seats are stepped and split into two in true sportbike tradition.
The Honda CBR500R is available in three colours: Grand Prix Red, Max Axis Gray Metallic and Pearl Metalloid White.

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2019 Honda CB500F – RM 33,999
The CB500F is the naked/roadster iteration in the line-up. It’s redesigned to appear more aggressive like a streetfighter buy integrating the radiator shrouds to the fuel tank for a more wide-shouldered and muscular look.

The clip-ons from the CBR500R are replaced with a one-piece tapered handlebar for a more upright riding position. Additionally, the battery has been moved away from the intake duct to allow for greater airflow. A dual-exit muffler provides the soundtrack.
The 2019 Honda CB500F is available in three colours: Grand Prix Red, Matt Gun Powder Black Metallic and Pearl Metalloid White.

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2019 Honda CB500X – From 36,099
The CB500X is the dual-sport format of the range and is touted as the perfect all-rounder. Its styling has been revised but still retains its unmistakable silhouette.

What sets the CB500X apart from the rest in the line-up are the longer-travel suspension and 19-inch front wheel. They allow the bike to traverse rough roads with more ease.
The front part of the seat where it joins the fuel tank was “shaved down” to make it slimmer, allowing the rider to move around and plant his feet when he stops. The steering has 3 extra degrees of movement from lock to lock.
The 2019 Honda CB500X is also offered in three colours: Grand Prix Red, Matt Gun Powder Black Metallic and Pearl Metalloid White.

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Please visit https://www.boonsiewhonda.com.my/for more up-to-date information.
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ZERO Engineering Japan showcases custom “Samurai Choppers” in Malaysia

ZERO Engineering is a custom motorcycle maker from Japan that makes “Samurai Choppers” that are fully customised like the previewed Type-5, Type-6 and Type-9i.

Each bike is custom built from the ground up with S&S Cycles engines with endless customizing options

Some high profile people who own a Samurai Chopper are Brad Pitt, David Beckham and even Tony Stark in the movie “Iron Man”.

The highly acclaimed custom motorcycle maker ZERO Engineering has previewed some of its infamous Samurai Choppers here last night during the launch ceremony at the Bon Estate Sales Gallery, Bangsar. The firm behind the gorgeous and fully customised “Samurai Choppers” displayed three of its wonderful creations at the gallery yesterday; the Type-5, Type-6 and Type-9i.

All of the custom bikes produced by ZERO Engineering are fully customised from the ground up starting from the S&S Cycles engine all the way to the accessories chosen by the customer. What makes it even more special is that each bike is made to order with endless arrays of choices to make that each motorcycle a one of a kind.

ZERO Engineering and their Samurai Choppers have been around for 15 years and basically made a name for themselves in Europe, US and Australia where the custom bike scenes are on a constant high. Being originally from Japan, the brand now is looking into penetrating even further into the South East Asia market especially here in Malaysia.

Some of the high profile owners who own a bike made by ZERO engineering are names like Brad Pitt and David Beckham who require no further explanation. Even their Type-6 model has been featured in one of the Iron Man movies owned by the man himself, Tony Stark.

With Harley Davidson as the basis of the each ZERO Engineering machine (engine and frame), it’s considered more like a premium art of rolling wheels that looks too good to ride. With their motto “Beauty and Style, Honours with Precision”, each Samurai Chopper will be a head turner to ride and an honour to own.

“Production is severely limited because of the amount of detail work. That also makes the bikes very expensive. Each of our motorcycles is completely handmade, taking several months to complete” said Mr Kondo Yoshimitsu, President of Plot Inc.

He also added “The name Samurai has come to define the elegant vintage look, which has the unique style of a beautiful yet functional weapon. The Samurai features the latest technology from Japan, and embodies the ‘Zero Style’ in every way.”

The bikes and orders will be handled exclusively by Stronghold Cycles Sdn Bhd as their official dealer here in Malaysia at Gasket Alley, a motoring lifestyle hub located in Section 13, Petaling Jaya once constructed. Check out their Facebook page to know more about this momentous project in the works.

Coinciding with the showcase of Samurai Choppers was the launch of “Ruby Helmets” from France. This hand-made custom helmet is the latest line of luxury riding helmets brought over to our shores by Riders Garage and Beautiful Machines.

Dubbed as “the world’s most luxurious and finest helmet”, Ruby Helmets combine functionality, comfort, lightweight and state-of-the-art technology to deliver pioneering products in terms of style and aesthetics.

For the price that you’re paying, you’ll get a shell made with carbon fibre and fibreglass layers for maximum strength and safety together with and high level shock absorbency inner shell. All of the fixing elements are made of titanium and aluminium to further fortified the overall helmet.

Those interested to purchase a Ruby Helmet of your own can head over to Riders Garage or Beautiful Machines in Bandar Sunway. Beautiful Machines has developed a brand new establishment under the same roof called “Working Class Heroes” that will feature a number of high-end riding gears such as the aforementioned Ruby Helmets. Pricing starts at RM3,500.
ZERO Engineering Samurai Choppers Gallery

Ruby Helmets Gallery

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