Honda Africa Twin Achieves The Impossible

Honda has broken the world record for highest altitude reached by a twin-cylinder motorcycle using their new Africa Twin

A team of five climbed the Nevada Ojos del Salado, the world’s highest active volcano situated between Argentina and Chile

Fabio Mossini, world enduro champion from Honda’s Sud America race team took the Africa Twin all the way to the record breaking height  5,965 metres above sea level

The Honda Africa Twin has been hailed as one of the greatest adventure bikes of our generation. And a full year after its hugely successful world debut, the Africa Twin has reached even greater heights by breaking the record for the highest altitude reached by a twin-cylinder motorcycle. This achievement was also made possible thanks to Metzeler’s new off-road MC 360™ tires on the Africa Twin and CRF450RX. CLICK HERE to know more about Metzeler’s side of this momentous feat.

Fabio Mossini, world enduro champion from Honda’s Sud America race team was one of five men who rode the Honda up the world’s highest active volcano – the Nevada Ojos del Salado situated in between Argentina and Chile. The team rode the Africa Twin up the steep slopes of the volcano on to a record-breaking 5,965 metres above sea level. They could have progressed further but were halted by two metres of snow.

It took five days of acclimatisation, and the Africa Twin was completely stock standard except for the Termignoni exhaust, revised final sprocket, and the new Metzeler MC360 tyres together with a range of Honda genuine accessories which are also available for the public to buy. CLICK HERE to read more about Metzeler’s award-winning tires.

It took the international team 24 hours to complete the ascent. The route took them through extreme temperatures that went down to minus five degrees, through broken asphalt, gravel, mud, sand and finally stretches of ice pockets known as ‘penitentes’.
There has been no other motorcycle that has completed such a feat, and this underlines the Africa Twin’s credentials as the best off-road motorcycle in its class.
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A Biker’s Guide To Surviving The Road

Here’s a simple biker’s guide to surviving the road that you can use everyday before riding.

Riding the open road can be lots of fun and liberating, but ask any seasoned biker and they will tell you how quickly a good Sunday blast can become dangerous. The following tips are a reminder to us bikers everywhere regarding how to survive and stay safe on the road.

Proper Riding Gear
A biker’s first line of protection against the unforgiving asphalt is their gear. Be sure to purchase proper gear before you start hitting the road, including a good helmet, boots, gloves and various other street bike gear.

Head injuries are the leading cause of motorcycle deaths in this country. Bikers not wearing helmets the proper way and bikers wearing cheap plastic lids are far more likely to sustain fatal head injuries. Suffice it to say that wearing a helmet properly fastened is a good habit to develop and it takes only a couple of seconds; seconds which could save your life.
A full face helmet is the safest type of lids on offer, the initial drawback is not feeling the wind blowing, not feeling the speed and wind hitting your face but its benefit is serious injury avoidance.

A proper riding jacket and pants with good quality padding are also highly recommended for road riding. While many might not consider a rash a serious problem, road rash, on the other hand, could be extremely painful. If you experience even a minor accident without proper protection, the first to go will be several layers of your skin.

Proper shoes – preferably motorcycle boots – are also recommended as the choice of footwear when riding a motorcycle.

Pre-Ride Inspection
Before mounting your bike, you’ll want to give the bike a quick inspection – something we all learnt about in riding school. Our guide to spotting lemons should help you here too.

It is always a wise recommendation to start by checking the status of your motorcycles lights, brake lights, tire pressure, mirrors, signal lights, chain condition and petrol level every time you plan to go out for a ride.
Walking a lap around the bike, to see if anything looks obviously wrong or out of order, is recommended as well. Doing so could potentially save you from unnecessary repairs due to riding around with busted equipment.

Leave Emotion At Home
Just like when getting behind the wheel of a car, make sure you are calm and collected. Never ride angry, or overly emotional in any way. Distractions impair judgment, and could ultimately cause an unforeseen accident.
On a motorcycle, your reaction speed is key to disaster avoidance. If you’re sick, tired or just having a tough day – it might be best to just leave the bike at home.

Because riders must twist their bodies in order to maintain balance when turning/cornering or braking suddenly, it may also be a good idea to practice encountering emergency situations, such as vehicles merging into your lane due to you falling into their blind spots.

Eyes On The Road
Just because you see a car doesn’t necessarily mean that they see you too. Defensive riding is key to motorcycle safety. Maintaining maximum visibility is of the utmost importance, and can be done in a variety of ways.
Don’t look around too much at the passing scenery. While it might be tempting to gaze upon the terrain you’re riding by, stop your bike if you’d like to take a thorough look around. Your head should remain in a forward position with your eyes focused on the road at all times when riding a motorcycle.

One of the most dangerous places for a motorcycle is when two roads meet. In fact, 70% of motorcycle accidents occur at junctions. This is part of the reason why maintaining visibility is critical. Unexpected cars will pull out from side roads or lanes, into the path of a somewhat oblivious motorcyclist. It is extremely important to plan ahead for upcoming junctions or intersections, and begin braking early on.
When riding, one should always be scanning the road, aware of your surroundings, as well as leaving three seconds of crash avoidance space for safety precautions. Another highly recommended safe riding practice is buffering, or creating as much space around your bike as possible to avoid hazards when riding.

We hope that this simple biker’s guide to surviving the road will serve you guys well. Ride safe and keep on rolling.
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All-New Moto Guzzi V100 Sport Tourer Caught At Photoshoot

In the next few weeks, Italian manufacturer, Moto Guzzi, is set to unveil an all-new sport-tourer motorcycle.
Thanks to Moto.it, we can now see the V100 in its proper form despite not being all too clear.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Mauro Lardini (@mauro_lardini)

The V100 will be Moto Guzzi newest model since 2019, with the V85 TT the last brand-new motorcycle introduced by Genoa-based company.
Despite not too many details, we can gather at the moment, we can safely assume the new motorcycle carries a 1000cc powerplant based on the name (V100) itself.
Nonetheless, we can expect Moto Guzzi to reveal the full detail on the all-new V100 at the 2021 EICMA scheduled in November.
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WSBK Malaysia: Aprilia masterclass

Marco Melandri and Aprilia clinches double victory in WSBK’s inaugural outing in Sepang, Malaysia.

WSBK’s first ever race in the Sepang International Circuit, Malaysia, concluded on a high note for the Aprilia works team after rider Marco Melandri dominated both races on Sunday. Despite starting from fifth on the grid, Italian rider Melandri displayed some excellent race-craft in both races, charging in at the late stages to outride fellow teammate and pole-sitter Sylvain Guintoli who finised second in both races.

Race 1 saw an incident at Sepang’s notorious Turn 2 that took out several bikes – defending world champion and crowd favourite Tom Sykes included. Sykes was knocked out by his Kawasaki teammate Loris Baz knocked him form the rear, causing Sykes to run into another bike ahead and subsequently crashed out with a minor wrist injury. Race 1’s final podium position went to Irish rider Eugene Laverty who was racing on a Suzuki GSX-R 1000.

Race 2 started smoothly until it was red-flagged on lap 4 after the MV Agusta race machine ridden by Claudio Corti suffered an engine blow-out and caught fire, leaking oil and lubricants on the track surface. Race 2 was restarted after the swift recovery and clean up done by Sepang’s ‘Orange Army’ of track marshal. As mentioned earlier, Melandri pulled off another late-stage charge to ride past teammate Guintoli for the victory. Despite his wrist injury, championship leader Sykes still managed to put up a good fight that landed him a well-deserved third-place finish.

Sykes leaves Sepang with a steady lead in the championship standings with 201 points whilst Guintoli is second with 188 points, and English rider Jonathan Rea ranks third with 179 points. The WSBK fraternity moves to its next race in Misano, Italy on June 22.

Check out our extensive gallery below from Sunday’s race. You could also check out more exclusive photos on our official Facebook page as well.
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Meet The Laurus, A Bespoke 1996 Honda CB750 By Unik Edition

Unik Edition is a Portugal-based workshop that operates in the capital city of Lisbon that was founded several years ago by two individuals.
Uni Edition has become one of the established workshops in the region thanks to its outstanding and unique (no pun intended) design.

This time around, the shop breathe new life into a 1996 Honda CB750 with all the aftermarket goodies.

For starters, the CB750 gets a state-of-the-art Koso headlight followed by an analogue speedometer from Motogadget.

Then the bike is installed with a unique CNC-machine triple clamp to accommodate the bike’s front fork (taken from a Suzuki GSX-R), including a top-of-the-line dual Ohlins shocks rear.

Interestingly, the 747cc inline-four engine also gets a comprehensive rebuild thanks to fresh cylinder heads, which boost the power to 73hp and 62Nm.

Lastly, Unik Edition modified the subframe to accommodate a single saddle followed by applying a unique golden-yellow paint job.

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New colour updates for 2020 Yamaha MT-09 – RM48,920

Hong Leong Yamaha Motor (HLYM) has announced a new colour update for the 2020 Yamaha MT-09 offering, specifically the iconic Yamaha Blue colour scheme. The new update consists of several panels throughout the bike which is now grey (previously black) to further enhance the overall look of this very popular naked bike.

Upon closer inspection, the new grey panels consist of the front mudguard, appendages under the front headlight aka “winglets”, and a couple of bits covering the rear subframe. These minor updates might have elevated the façade of the Yamaha MT-09, but HLYM has also stated that there will be no changes to the price tag, which sits at RM48,920 (excluding insurance and road tax).

The Yamaha MT-09 remains to be a popular choice amongst Malaysian big bikers not only because of the price tag, but also the amount of power you get. Equipped with an 847cc inline-three DOHC engine, this naked bike produces a healthy 115hp at 10,000rpm and 87.6Nm of maximum torque at 8,500rpm.

Other specs of the 2020 Yamaha MT-09 remains the same, which includes its front 298mm dual disc brakes, rear single 245mm disc brake, 14-litre fuel tank, 193kg wet weight, and more. For more information, head over to the nearest authorised HLYM dealer or visit http://www.hongleong.com.my/.
MotoGP: Petronas Yamaha SRT ‘waiting’ for Valentino Rossi

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Suzuki Rolls Out Special Edition GSX-R1000R Phantom – With MotoGP Tech, 199hp

Inspired by the iconic 2006 GSX-R1000 K6, the Hamamatsu factory has revived the Phantom legacy with a special edition GSX-R1000R.
The Phantom is not just your regular GSX-R1000R with a different nameplate and paint job; this special edition motorcycle is also fitted with the same variable valve timing system that’s available on Suzuki’s MotoGP GSX-RR machine.

The 199hp inline 4-cylinder engine also comes with a bi-directional quickshifter, launch control, lean-angle sensitive traction control, three riding modes and a Yoshimura exhaust.

Suzuki also enhances the GSX-R1000R with track-focused brake and clutch lever guards, tank pad, fuel cap trim and a smoke double bubble screen.

The contrasting gold wheels and gold Showa Balance Free front fork goes well with the overall matte black livery.

According to the Japanese firm, the Phantom edition is the most powerful GSX-R ever built.
Other highlights include all LED light setup and fully digital LCD.
For those who are interested, the special edition GSX-R1000R is available in the UK for GBP17,499 (RM99k).

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Anthony West furious with FIM – claims Marquez & Rossi cheated

It seems that Anthony West, a once motorcycle racer with huge potential to make it into the big leagues, is extremely upset with how FIM has treated him in the past few years with claims to destroy and ultimately end his racing career.
In his latest post on Facebook, there were a lot of wild things that the furious 38-year-old Australian stated, even related to MotoGP world champions, Marc Marquez and Valentino Rossi.
Image source: ARRC
We’ll just post it as how Anthony West did (because any attempt to paraphrase it will probably lose the ground-breaking effect the Australian was going for).
I quit. I’m done. These corrupt people are out of control and out to destroy me. I raced in Brazil a championship That was a NOT FIM affiliated. Now they invent their own rules like they have control over me racing there. They already stopped me from racing there by going to Kawasaki japan and making them stop my sponsorship in Brazil.
I hate life as it is, and I was trying to do my best to come back broke. Kicked out of home from my dad. I have no money. And can’t get a decent job as all I have done in my life was waste my time racing motorcycles. What a loser I am! Here is some advice to everyone don’t think you will ever make it racing by working hard. If you want to win, pay for it $
They let Marc Marquez win a Moto2 championship buy cheating with his ECU. When Tom Luthi’s team went to complain they said to keep quite Spain needs a new champion. You have to accept 2nd place or less. Or you won’t be racing here again next year.
They let Rossi win all his 500cc championship by giving him special tires made for the tracks they were on. They used to helicopter tires in from the factory only for Rossi. So, he could win races. Everything you see is fake and controlled. Don’t believe anything you see. They control who wins races and who doesn’t. I’m so f**king angry ? I have a 100 other stories like this. I give up. I planned on coming back racing in September, but I can’t take this shit from FIM anymore. It’s destroyed my life to the point I wish I was dead. I hate life. F**k you again FIM.

We sure hope that there’s a bright side of all this for poor Anthony West. It has been a tough few years for the Aussie, despite having made quite an impact in MotoGP, Moto2, WorldSBK, ARRC, and more.
Anthony West Launches Tirade Against FIM

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2020 Honda CRF1100L Africa Twin Specs Leaked

Honda CRF1100L Africa Twin render - Photo credit MCN

Specifications of the 2020 Honda CRF1100L Africa Twin have been leaked.

The new bike promises more performance.

But will be heavier than their predecessors.

Rumour of a bigger 2020 Honda CRF1100L Africa Twin has been circulating for some time now. But now, some of its specs have been leaked early ahead of its unveiling.
It’s no secret that Honda has to update the Africa Twin. Although at 998cc, the engine produces “only” 94hp, on par with middleweight adventure bikes such as the Triumph Tiger 800 XR/XC line-up, BMW F 850 GS/GS Adventure, and KTM 790 Adventure.
The upgrades are also to prepare the Africa Twin to meet the upcoming Euro5 regulations.
First up, the engine capacity is bumped to 1084cc through an increase in piston stroke. Consequently, power is hiked from 101 hp from 94 hp, and torque from 99 Nm to 107 Nm. These figures far off those of the new BMW R 1250 GS/GS Adventure and especially of the KTM 1290 Super Adventure series, but Honda has always insisted on building bikes that are easy to ride through fewer horsepower.
The new Africa Twin may be offered in four models. They are the standard version with manual transmission; standard with Dual Clutch Transmission (DCT); Adventure Sports manual; and Adventure Sports with DCT.
The Adventure Sport models will have longer travel suspension. But most notably, they will have bigger fuel tanks compared to the standard models, the standard models utilize 19-liter tanks, while their Adventure Sport brethren will sport 24-litre fun juice capacity.
However, the 2020 model will be heavier than its predecessor. It was reported that the standard version with manual gearbox will weigh 238 kg, while the Adventure Sport manual tips the scales at 240 kg.
Adding DCT to the bike adds another 10 kg.
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Motonation 2017 collaborates with TERAJU SUPERB young talents program

Motonation 2017 has signed a collaboration with TERAJU SUPERB program by organising the SUPERB Walk-In Bizpitch @ Motonation 2017 competition.
A total of RM3 million will be distributed to selected business owners in the motoring industry to assist emerging individuals in the automotive industry to grow into successful businesses.
The walk in business proposal selection will start this weekend during the Motoring Art Festival (26 August 2017) and it will continue throughout the road show period in six different locations.

Motonation 2017 (Procara Entertainment Sdn Bhd) together with Unit Peneraju Agenda Bumiputera (TERAJU) will be collaborating together in organising the SUPERB Walk-In Bizpitch @ Motonation 2017 competition.

The collaboration between both parties will see the event organiser to assist in scouting for young Bumiputera talents by giving out grants worth RM 3 million to multiple winners with the most compelling automotive business model courtesy of TERAJU SUPERB.

Individuals and business owners aged between 18-40 years old are all eligible to enter the business pitch program where the selections will run throughout the Motonation road show starting this weekend at the Motoring Art Festival on 26 August 2017 at the National Art Gallery.

The event is open to the public where the festival will highlight the automotive art industries such as airbrush, metal fabrication, automotive art and painting, graffiti contest, auto salon show-off battle, modern and classic vehicles exhibition and many more.

In the official signing ceremony today, it was stated that “SUPERB Walk-In Bizpitch @ Motonation 2017 will have as its central theme calling for creative and innovative ideas related to the automotive sector which could range anything from the automotive workshops, auto detailing, auto tuners and modifications, new inventions, manufacturing technologies, related support services, auto servicing methodologies and many more.”

30 finalists will be selected to go on to the final selection process from 1 to 3 December 2017 at Putrajaya International Convention Centre (PICC) during the gigantic Motonation carnival.

SUPERB which stands for the Bumiputera Entrepreneurs Startup Scheme (Skim Usahawan Permulaan Bumiputera) is a funding program organised to assist emerging individuals in the automotive industry by helping and nurturing them to grow pass their full potentials with the hopes of making them into successful businesses.

The program under the wings of TERAJU began their efforts back in 2014 via “meaningful, resilient and sustainable Bumiputera economic participation.” So far, over RM60 million has been distributed to help 125 young entrepreneurs to further enhance their business plans in the ever growing and competitive market.

The collaboration with Motonation was signed today with the hopes that these talents will be unearthed via Malaysia’s first automotive and lifestyle carnival which will be happening from 1 to 3 December 2017 at the Putrajaya International Convention Centre (PICC).

To know more about the Motonation automotive and lifestyle carnival, CLICK HERE.

For more information, head on over to Motonation official website or Facebook page. In addition, you can also check out TERAJU’s official website or Facebook page for more information regarding the collaboration program.
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Boon Siew Honda officially introduces new colour for 2017 Honda RS150R – from RM8,478!

Boon Siew Honda (BSH) has officially introduced the latest colour options for the 2017 Honda RS150R supercub.
The latest 2017 models will be available in three new and exciting colourways; Pearl Metalloid White (Trico), Candy Scintillate Red and Pearl Nightfall Blue.
The latest super cub offering offering is priced by BSH at RM8,478.94 (basic price with GST).

Boon Siew Honda Sdn Bhd (BSH) introduces the 2017 Honda RS150R with new colours and stripe to fuel the extra excitement in the ever-growing demand for the premium Honda “SuperCub”.

Sporting the new tricolour Pearl Metalloid White, the bike was displayed at the Boon Siew Honda booth during the previous round of the Petronas AAM Malaysian Cub Prix held at Malaysia Agro Exposition Park Serdang (MAEPS), Selangor just a couple of weeks back.

CLICK HERE to know more about the said Honda RS150R displayed during Round 5 of the Malaysian Cub Prix.

RS150R was first introduced in Malaysia in June 2016 and released to market in August 2016. Sporting a 150cc single-cylinder, liquid-cooled DOHC engine, driving a six-speed gearbox, the RS150R offers a power output of 15.4hp at 9,000 rpm, while torque is rated at 13.5Nm at 6,500 rpm.

With an overall kerb weight of only 123kg together with the fully-filled 4.5-litre fuel tank, the bike is known for great rideability with superb handling paired with aggressive outline, luminous sharp light, inner-skeleton and exoskeleton layer design. This complete package represents the uniqueness of RS150R that have most influences in Malaysian heart.

Interested in checking out our official review of the Honda RS150R? CLICK HERE.

The new RS150R will be available in three new colours: Pearl Metalloid White (Trico), Candy Scintillate Red and Pearl Nightfall Blue. It will be available in Boon Siew Honda dealer showrooms from 7 August 2017 and they are priced at RM8,478.94 (Candy Scintillate Red and Pearl Nightfall Blue) and RM8,796.94 (Trico and Repsol). Prices stated are basic prices with GST.

To know the complete specification of the Honda RS150R, CLICK HERE.
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Top 10: Bikes for the ladies

Image courtesy of Harley-Davidson

Gone are the days when women were perceived to be the weaker sex. Today, they are capable of doing whatever men can, and that includes suiting up and riding a high-powered motorcycle for hundreds of kilometers.
In fact, we have not one or two, but thousands of female riders already, including normal riders, racers, and even stunt riders!
That said, if you are one of the female riders who has just obtained your license, looking for the right bike to begin your journey, you have come to the right place as we have compiled a top 10 bikes which we feel, are best suited for you.
1) Kawasaki ER-6N
Like we mentioned before in one of our Top 10 compilations, this is without a doubt, among the best beginners’ bikes as it is what is being used in most of our driving schools. Despite being powerful, it is not too wild, and remains as one of the most comfortable middleweights out there in the market.
2) KTM Duke 390
Ideal for small-sized individuals, this lightweight naked would appeal to most female riders. Besides that, it is also very sporty, and proves to be an excellent platform for those who are upgrading from a smaller bike. Where the Duke 390 really stands out is in the city, as it is very agile and punchy.
3) Ducati Monster 795
If you’re a beginner and you want something more exotic, the Ducati Monster 795 is a dream come true for you. While other models from the brand might be more suitable for veterans, the Monster, which is smaller, stylish, yet still powerful, is ideal for Asian women. In fact, this model is among the most popular choice among female riders in Malaysia.
4) Yamaha XJ6

It looks good, it is not too small or too big, it is affordable, and most importantly, the XJ6 is a very smooth and comfortable bike that is ideal for you to get used to long distance riding.
5) Honda CBR250R

The CBR250R is among the best starter bikes in the market in our opinion. Ideal for both city-dwelling and long distance riding, the baby CBR is suitable for both beginners and slightly more experienced riders.
6)Yamaha YZF-R25

The R25’s biggest strength is that it is nimble and offers easy-to- use daily riding experience, while being sporty. Its asymmetric swing arm is strong and solid for a stable ride. Complementing the stable ride is the Monocross Twin-tube rear suspension that provides good handling during cornering.
7) Kawasaki Z250SL

Powered by a 4-stroke Single mounted in an original trellis frame, the newest Ninja offers sporty fun in a slim, lightweight and compact package. With competitive performance, quick, nimble handling, and aggressive ergonomics, it is a lighter, ideal platform to learn the basics of riding larger bikes.
8) Harley-Davidson Sportster 883

Among all of Harley-Davidson’s Sportster 883 motorcycles currently available, the Iron is the newest, debuting in 2009. It has the smaller “peanut” style fuel tank so it holds less fuel than the SuperLow. Its styling is edgier than the traditionally styled SuperLow with drag style handlebars, a chopped rear fender, and blacked out accents. The Iron gets beginners going with attitude! In 2015,upgrades were made to the Sportsers including new brakes, an ABS option and of course, new colors.
9) Kawasaki Vulcan S

If cruisers are what you have in mind, and Harley-Davidsons are too expensive, Kawasaki has a perfect candidate for you. Priced under RM30,000, the Vulcan S, which is Kawasaki’s most recent offerings, provides a super low riding position, a smooth 650cc engine, and most importantly, an option to custom fit the handlebars and the foot pegs based on your height.
10) Scrambler Ducati

Ducati’s smartly styled bike that correctly reinterprets the spirit of the 1960s, was built with no room for complicated technology, such as ride-by-wire throttle or a hydraulic clutch. The bike is aimed at people who are looking for a bike that’s not just easy handling, comfortable and accessible, but one’s that’s also as fashionable as the original.
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Ten Fiercest Motorcycle Racing Rivalries (Part 1)

Pedrosa knocks out Hayden - Courtesy of MotoGP.com

Motorcycle racing has always served up the most colorful characters.

When these characters get in each other’s ways, equally colourful rivalries flare up.

It’s these rivalries, among other things, that make motorcycle racing so interesting to watch.

The recent rivalry altercations between Valentino Rossi and Marc Marquez aren’t new, that’s for sure.
Marc Marquez (93) rubbing Valentino Rossi (46)
As PR-savvy as they are, professional motorcycle racers are humans too. And being humans, they are just as prone to emotions, or maybe even more so since they have their livelihoods and pride at stake. However, it’s this kind of rivalries that provide the colours for us spectators.
10. Neil Hodgson vs. Aaron Slight, WSB, 1998
Hodgson (5) leading Slight (111)
You may have heard of both of these names, since they are both now motorcycle racing commentators, especially Aaron Slight in MotoGP nowadays.
Just before the start of the World Superbike race at Brands Hatch in 1998, the New Zealander Aaron Slight told Neil Hodgson to get out of his way since he wanted to challenge Carl Fogarty for the WSB title.
First of all, Hodgson and Slight are not teammates, and secondly, how could Hodgson give way when he’s riding on his own home ground. Neil ignored Slight’s “team orders” and raced the latter hard in the race. Slight got so furious and lashed out at Hodgson during the cool down lap. Both men then dropped their super-exotic race bikes for a boxing match. The track marshals pulled them apart before WSB organizers could organize a new category for boxing.
Wait! Was this the reason Aaron Slight talks so slow now?
9. Loris Capirossi vs. Tetsuya Harada, 250cc GP, 1998
Capirossi (65) takes out Harada (31) – Courtesy of enoanderson.com
Aprilia had fielded a 3-man factory team consisting of Loris Capirossi, Tetsuya Harada and newcomer Valentino Rossi. Capirossi had led the standings with a mere four points as they went into the final round at Argentina, but Harada was as determined to win the championship and was leading the race. Capirossi knew he had no real chance of passing the Japanese. If it finished this way, Harada would be crowned champion by just 1 point.
Capirossi knew what he had to do. He lunged inside Harada and took both of them out, and stole the title.
Aprilia was livid and so was Harada, understandably. The factory refused to extend Capirossi a contract for the next year although he was the 250cc champion.
8. Dani Pedrosa vs. Nicky Hayden (RIP), MotoGP, 2006
Pedrosa knocks out Hayden – Courtesy of MotoGP.com
The late-Nicky Hayden had been battling with Valentino Rossi throughout the entire 2006 season. The latter had won five races but was sidelined a number of times due to mechanical failures on other times, but was still able to claw his way back from a 51-point deficit to challenge Hayden at the last two rounds.
But even at this stage, Hayden’s teammate Dani Pedrosa was determined to not play the bridesmaid and was willing to go toe-to-toe with the American for a win.
At the penultimate round in Estoril, Portugal, instead of supporting Hayden, both teammates were locked in a fierce battle. Soon, the inevitable happened when Pedrosa stuffed his bike inside Hayden’s, taking them both out. (That brash move even sparked a meme.)

The Honda camp thought Hayden’s chance for a world title was a cooked goose.
However, Rossi crashed at the next and final round in Valencia. He remounted to in 13th, handing the title to Hayden with a five-point gap, ironically reflecting the five points he lost to Toni Elias, the winner in Portugal.
7. Matt Mladin vs. Ben Spies, AMA Superbikes, 2000 – 2008
Spies (1) leading Mladin (66) – Courtesy of AMA
Australian Matt Mladin had dominated the American Superbike Championship but winning the title six years in a row, before a young upstart by the name of Ben Spies came along to show the way. Mladin felt humiliated and resorted to trash talking with statements such as, “He (Spies) still has his mom hanging around wiping his bum,” in the hopes of unravelling Spies.
But Spies took it all in his stride and won three titles in a row, before moving to WSBK to win the title in his rookie season, and then jumping over to MotoGP.
6. Kenny Roberts Sr. vs. Barry Sheene, 500cc GP, 1978 – 1982
Sheene (7) leading Roberts (1) – Courtesy of otorcycleoftheday.blogspot.com
Barry Sheene had been the 500cc World GP champion until the arrival of a mad Californian who rides his bike sideways. Kenny Roberts.
Both riders took an immediate dislike of each other. Sheene was asked what he thought about Roberts being a development rider to which he replied, “He couldn’t develop a cold.” Kenny Roberts retorted by saying that the only reason he got out bed every morning was to beat Barry Sheene.
Their rivalry reached its zenith at the 1979 British GP when Sheene flashed Roberts the middle finger after passing the latter. Roberts fought back immediately and started an epic battle before getting the better of Englishman to win the race.
Stay tuned for Part 2 as we count down to the fiercest rivalries in motorcycle racing!
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Zero Unveil The 2021 FXE Electric Motorcycle – RM49k

Electric motorcycle manufacturer, Zero Motorcycles, presents the new 2021 FXE.
Based on the Zero FX and FXS, the 2021 FXE offers an entirely new look thanks to its redesigned bodywork.

The Zero FXE sports the same 46hp (34kW) electric motor available on the FX model that offer a 160km city range, making it a suitable motorcycle for every urban commuter.
Clad in a dirtbike-ish look and new electronic package, the FXE takes the FXS range into a new future.

According to Zero’s CEO, Sam Pachel, the company has an obligation to drive the brand forward.
“Being the brand that defined the category means that Zero has an obligation to continue driving innovation in electric Powersports forward.
“Our leadership position also comes with the responsibility to elevate the form and function of the modern motorcycle and ignite riders’ passions in a whole new way.
“The FXE delivers on the design, technology and rides experience characteristics one expects from the motorcycle of the future,” he explained.

Thanks to a lightweight frame, the bike weighs barely 113kg, making it a suitable vehicle for riders seeking a clean and low-maintenance electric motorcycle.

Other significant upgrades on the FXE includes a 5″ TFT display replacing the digital LCD found on the FX range and Zero’s new operating system called the Cypher II, which now supports Bluetooth connectivity.

The connectivity allows riders to adjust the ride parameters, including power, torque and top speed, with a smartphone.

The motorcycle can also reach a top speed of 136km/h, however, keep in mind that the 160km range drops considerably at high speeds.
The all-new 2021 Zero FXE is available now in the United States for a price of USD11,795 (RM49k).

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BMW to Update Whole Boxer Line-Up in 2019?

From riders.drivemag.com

It has been widely speculated that BMW may debut a new 1254cc Boxer engine.

The new engine had been expected to power the new R 1250 GS and R 1250 RT only.

But CARB has revealed it will power the entire “R” series.

First and foremost, BMW will reportedly introduce nine new models for 2019, but the biggest news is of course that there is a big possibility of a bigger capacity Boxer engine, hence a new R 1250 GS, which had been speculated since May this year when a new R 1200 RT was spied while undergoing road tests. Now there is also news of the new engine powering the entire Boxer line-up.
BMW R 1250 GS to be Released in 2019?

The news leaked through filings with the California Air Resources Board (CARB), California’s emissions watchdog department, revealed that BMW will drop the new 1254cc Boxer into five new models. The news has surprised us as we had initially thought that it would only be installed in the new R 1250 GS and R 1250 GS Adventure, and perhaps the R 1250 RT.
In addition to the three mentioned models, BMW has filed for the R 1250 RS and R 1250 R.
The 1254cc horizontally-opposed-Twin engine, better known as the Boxer engine, is rumored to feature variable valve timing for the first time for BMW. Power output is also speculated to hover around the 134 bhp figure. Besides that, the engine will pick up some weight.
The updates will mark another big step in the evolution of BMW’s venerable Boxer engine since becoming liquid-cooled in 2013.
The “Wasser Boxer”
There is no news regarding the R nineT range which is powered by the previous generation oil-cooled Boxer, though. In 2020, maybe, since the Euro 5 standard will begin from that year?
We foresee small updates to the designs and perhaps chassis of the new bikes, since the main update is the new engine. We are expecting to see the new models at the Intermot show in Cologne, Germany next month.
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2022 Petronas Malaysian Cub Prix To Kick Off This Weekend In Sepang!

The Petronas Malaysian Cub Prix is set to return this weekend, with the first round to take place at the Sepang Circuit (North) on 12-13 March.
The 2022 edition is set to kick off with a bang after two previous seasons was hampered with the ongoing pandemic and Movement Control Order (MCO).
Nevertheless, the 29 edition Cub Prix will return in full blast as the team and riders prepare to hunt the 2022 championship.

CP150 defending champion Azroy Hakeem Anuar will return to the grid feeling refreshed after taking the 2021 crown with Honda Yuzy Idemitsu.
However, this time around, the 24-year-old will pilot the all-new Honda RSX 150, replacing the RS150R.

Meanwhile, the 2022 season also witnessed the return of former two-time Moto3 stage winner Khairul Idham Pawi.
The ex-Petronas Sprinta Racing rider made a u-turn to two-wheel racing after announcing his retirement in December 2020 after his contract with the Malaysian outfit ended.

SuperKIP will feature alongside former CP150 champion Helmi Azman at SCK Honda Racing Team.
The Petronas Malaysian Cub Prix will continue to pursue its primary objective as a significant platform to raise future world championship racing riders.
The first round of the 2022 Petronas Malaysian Cub Prix will be at the Sepang Circuit (North) from 12 to 13 March.
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Biker Stories (Part 2) – The Wave

You know The Wave. Not the Mexican Wave but the Biker Wave.
You’re riding along on a quiet country road.
You take sharp deep breath and sigh in relief to get away from your office and boss which you named “The Gulag” and “Jong Un” respectively in your phone. Let’s not get to the Mrs.
As you ride under a natural canopy formed by overhanging branches, you wonder how nice it would be if other bikers, your brethren, had ridden here and admired such beauty. You make a mental note to share this route on Facebook later.

With that positive thought in mind, you notice quaint houses dotting the roadside every few kilometres, but they all seem empty. You haven’t seen a car or a motorcycle for the last 20 kilometres, come to think of it. Not a soul except for birds darting among the branches. Some loneliness, or a pang of guilt, perhaps?
A few more kilometres down the road and you spot a group of bright lights heading up the hill towards you. You smile in your helmet.

As your draw near, you notice they are riding the same model as yours, perhaps it’s a same-make ride. So, you take your left hand off the handlebar and wave.

The leader looked straight on as he passes by, as if he doesn’t want to acknowledge seeing a ghost. Slightly irritated, you keep waving nonetheless, but the rest of the group did the same too!
Langsinyeri!!!
You start to question yourself. Are my bike and I cloaked in an invisibility shield? Was it because they didn’t notice my hand because of the black gloves? Am I in Padang Mahsyar and my soul continues to ride?
That episode has left you seething under your helmet for the next 10 kilometres, swearing their pistons would seize. Or a solar flare shorted out their ECUs. Or the same flare blew out their GPS and send them riding in circles.
The above scenario isn’t unique to a just one occasion, it’s now happening everytime I go out on a ride.
Everyone waved at each other when I started biking in the 80’s, regardless of what either party rode; be it a sportbike, cruiser, tourer, dual purpose, even small bikes.

More and more bikers don’t acknowledge each other these days, although when riding on the same model, what more when encountering others on different makes. It happens even when we’re side by side at the traffic lights. Or worse, they’d return your wave by flipping the middle finger. Adoi.

I’m not being annoyed because of not being acknowledged but are people so full of themselves these days? Are they trying to say, I own a large capacity motorcycle, thereby I’m an elitist, therefore another person isn’t supposed to be on one? But hey, I bet they pound their chests about “brotherhood” and “sisterhood” at biker meets. I’ve often noticed male bikers waving to lady bikers without reservation, though. Tsk tsk!
When one biker waves at another, it might also be because he’s trying to warn you about the dangers that lie ahead. Watch out, there are potholes on the road. Or slow down, there’s taik lembu in the next corner.

Well, I continue wave at other bikers. But I don’t wait around for their response anymore.
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Honda to introduce supercharged motorcycles?

Honda NC750X

A series of leaked patent images seem to suggest that Honda is set to follow Kawasaki into the realm of supercharged motorcycle engines.
It seems as if some top motorcycle manufacturers are reaching the ceiling of what is technologically possible with modern day motorcycle engines.
Not too long ago, Kawasaki reintroduced the supercharger with the H2 and H2R. However, the step towards forced induction wasn’t entirely new. Back in the early 80s, the Japanese motorcycle big four all had a supercharged model for offer – Honda had the CX500 and 650 Turbo, Yamaha had the XJ 650 Turbo while Suzuki had the XN 85 Turbo and Kawasaki had the Z750 Turbo.
Anyway, the point is – supercharging isn’t entirely new for motorcycles. In fact it has been around since the 1930s, it seemingly took a break from the mainstream and now it is making a come back. Again.
New to the modern supercharging bandwagon is Honda Motorcycles, though yet unconfirmed but a leaked patent image seems to suggest that Honda will soon follow Kawasaki down the forced induction road.

The leaked image (shown above and below) doesn’t show much expect that the engine looks like a single-cylinder unit with the supercharged mounted on the left.

The patent image also doesn’t do much to suggest which Honda motorcycle will get the supercharging treatment, but word on the internet suggests that the NC750 (pictured above) could have been designed to eventually receive a supercharger.

Kawasaki has always maintained that it’s H2 and H2R won’t be the only machines to get a supercharger. So could we be at the brink of another big-four forced induction era? We certainly hope so.
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Is this the NEW BMW GS?

A photo of what looks like a brand new BMW GS model has made its way online.
The new BMW is said to be the first to replace the entire F series starting with the F800GS.
BMW Motorrad has plans to come up with a brand new parallel-twin powered F-series later this year.

A shot has surfaced online showing what might possibly be the latest evolution of the BMW GS. According to Australian Motorcycle News, BMW Motorrad has big plans to release an entire range of brand new parallel-twin powered F series which will make their debut probably at the end of the year.
Photo source: AMCN
The brand new GS is said to be brand new bike built from the ground up as compared to the 2017 model which was only had minor changes to pass the Euro 4 emissions regulations. It was said that this was the case to make way for some time to let this brand new GS to be developed properly.

Of course, the new bike will come with a brand new engine. New cases and cylinders are paired with a newly-designed cylinder heads for the new power plant. The same goes for the transmission system and final chain drive which will go through their evolutions to fit with the new engine. In the photo above, you can see that the chain drive is now on the left to make way for the new exhaust silencer on the right nestled right below a brand new swingarm.

From what we can see in the photo, it seems like the usual steel trellis frame has been replaced with an aluminium beam frame type. What type of material or components that BMW has used is still much under wraps. Looking more at the design, it looks like this new GS will have some characteristics adopted from the original F800S.

AMCN also stated that this bike (most likely to be named the F900GS) will probably be the first model to replace the outgoing F800GS and the changes will actually go through for all the F800 series currently on offer like the F700GS, F800GS, F800R and the F800GT Tourer. Stay tuned to Bikes Republic for more updates.
CLICK HERE to check out the entire BMW Motorrad range that’s available in Malaysia via our exclusive Bike Buyer’s Guide!
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Aprilia Malaysia Inaugural Track Day

Aprilia owners in Malaysia had a great day at the Sepang International Circuit yesterday.

Didi Resources, the new custodians of the brand organized a track day as promised.

A great mix of Aprilia models took to the track.

As promised by Didi Resources, the new custodian of Aprilia motorcycles in Malaysia, the inaugural (under new management) Aprilia Malaysia Track Day went off without a hitch yesterday at the Sepang International Circuit.
Didi Resources Organizes Inaugural Aprilia and Modclass Track Day

Besides rides and convoys, organizing a track day for Aprilia owners is the right thing to do as the activity demonstrates the manufacturer’s “Be a Racer” philosophy.

It was great to see owners showing up from all over Malaysia and even Singapore on all sorts of Aprilia models, because we are used to seeing the RSV4 superbike in the Malaysian Superbike Championship (MSBK), Malaysian Speed Foundation (MSF) and track days on weekends.

Instead, this track day organized by Didi Resources provided the opportunity to ride on track on any bike, more like a “Run what ya brung” track weekend.

Indeed, we saw the Shiver 750, Tuono V4, SL1000R, RSV Mille (the father of the RSV4), RS250 two-strokes, and an SR-Max 300 scooter ridden by Khairul Hafiz.

Of course, the riders attended a safety briefing after registration. Aprilia Malaysia had also prepared race suits and riding gear for rental to those who don’t own them.

It had rained on the track from early morning and the open track day riders came back to report on a slippery track after their first session. However, the Aprilians were lucky as their sessions started close to noon and went on through late afternoon. The sun had started to shine and dried the track by then.

It was visible that the participants had a great day although they were also exhausted after riding under the hot sun. Didi Resources also provided refreshments and lunch so that they had nothing to worry about except of having fun.

Lastly, while there weren’t many who took the track as expected despite the large number of Aprilians who showed up, we believe there will be many more in the next track days. We would also like to add that they event went without a hitch, and there was no mishap.

PICTURE GALLERY

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Gallery: 2016 Yamaha MotoGP team livery

A closer look at the new and updated 2016 Yamaha MotoGP factory team livery scheme.

Besides its WSBK program, Yamaha also unravelled its updated 2016 MotoGP team colours in Spain. Besides its new set of 17-inch wheels and accompanying Michelin tyres, it appears little has changed with for the Movistar Yamaha Factory Racing team’s overall outlooks.

Here is a full technical readout of the lightly updated Yamaha YZR-M1 GP bike that both Valentino Rossi and Jorge Lorenzo will master this season:

Engine
Liquid-cooled 1,000cc in-line four-cylinder with crossplane crankshaft

Claimed Power
Over 240hp

Chassis
Twin tube aluminium deltabox construction
+ aluminium swingarm
with multi-adjustable steering geometry

Gearbox
6-speed cassette-type gearbox with
alternative gear ratios available

Electronics (ECU)
FIM-compliant unit by Magneti Marelli

Wheels
17-inch MFR forged aluminium (front and rear)

Tyres
Michelin (Slick, Intermedium and Wet)

Brakes
Front: 2x Brembo 320mm / 340mm carbon discs with 2x quad-piston calipers

Rear: Stainless steel single disc with dual-piston caliper

Weight
157kg (FIM regulated)

Of course, much of the changes lie beneath the YZR-M1’s pretty carbon fibre skin, most notable here being the FIM-controlled Magneti Marelli ECU running the unified team software. For most teams and riders (Yamaha included), the biggest hurdle lies in coming to terms with the new regulated electronics.

The other challenge comes from new-for-2016 Michelin tyres that replace the previous spec-tyre supply from Bridgestone. Winter testing reports indicate that the new Michelin tyres offer tremendous rear grip levels whilst front-end grip is somewhat lacking ¬– this being the total opposite nature of the previous Bridgestone spec-tyres.
Nevertheless, the true test lies in the upcoming Sepang test session next month. This is where we’ll see which rider has managed to master his riding style with the new tyres and electronics.

Whilst Spaniard Jorge Lorenzo sets himself to defend his world championship title, teammate Valentino Rossi will likely mount a good challenge this season. Rossi’s contract with the Movistar Yamaha Factory Racing outfit reported lasts until the end of this season, and word has it that this could be the Italian superstar’s final season. Rossi could be looking to go out on a bang by claiming his elusive 10th world title here as well.

With the aforementioned changes in tyres and electronics, it will be interesting to see how Lorenzo and Rossi will fair against each other this year. We’ll have more once we gauge the performance of both Lorenzo and Rossi during the upcoming test session in Sepang.
In the mean time, feast your eyes on the extensive (and hi-res!) images we’ve prepared below for your viewing pleasure.
Jorge Lorenzo – #JL99 2016 Yamaha YZR-M1

Valentino Rossi – #VR46 2016 Yamaha YZR-M1

Source: Yamaha Racing via Asphaltandrubber
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2018 Yamaha YZF-R25 updated with new colours – RM20,630

Hong Leong Yamaha Motor (HLYM) has introduced the updated 2018 Yamaha YZF-R25.
The latest updates include new graphics and colour options which are Blue and Black.
HLYM has priced the latest 2018 Yamaha YZF-R25 at RM20,630.78 (basic price with GST).

Hong Leong Yamaha Motor (HLYM) has officially introduced the updated Yamaha YZF-R25 for the year 2018. The latest model comes with two new updated colours; Blue and Black. Considered to be one of the most popular 250cc bike in Malaysia, other aspects of the bike remain the same including the price tag.

Infused with Yamaha’s DNA for motorsports and racing, the R25 comes ready with a 249cc parallel-twin engine that produces a cool 35.5hp at a screaming 12,000rpm and 22.6Nm of maximum torque at 10,000rpm. Pushing a wet weight of only 166kg (fully loaded with 14.3 litres of fuel), the R25 presents quite an astounding performance throughout the rev range.

Built around a steel diamond-type frame, all its weight is evenly distributed making it very balanced and planted to the road. The R25’s handling is optimised further with its 17-inch wheels together with a 41mm front telescopic fork and rear monocross suspension unit.

The new colours represent a more race-ready design reflecting its bigger siblings particularly the Yamaha YZF-R6. Having these colour options including Black will make the R25 even more exciting than ever before. HLYM has priced the 2018 Yamaha YZF-R25 at RM20,630.78 (basic price with GST).

To know more, head over to the Hong Leong Yamaha Motor official website.

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TESTED: 2017 KTM 250 Duke – “Budget Corner Rocket”

KTM 250 Duke
The 2017 KTM 250 Duke was launched around September 2017 together with the KTM 390 Duke.
Everything from the dimensions, brake, and suspensions are identical to the 390 Duke.
Priced at RM21,730 (basic price with GST), the 250 Duke is just as agile and fun as its 390 bigger brother.

The KTM 250 Duke has been quite an icon amongst the current young generation (and even the young at heart) who are looking for that next level motorcycle after the normal everyday cubs or ‘kapcai’. With its edgy and aggressive design paired with an engine capacity that does not require riders to obtain the full B licence, the KTM 250 Duke seems to be a very good choice.

Last September, the Malaysian market was introduced to a brand new 2017 KTM 250 Duke where the manufacturer took the previous generation and evolved it in every single possible way. Together with its bigger sibling, the 2017 KTM 390 Duke, they were indeed as good as they look (and pretty comfortable too especially the seat).

We’ve tested the new 390 Duke a while back and it was honestly one of the most fun bikes we’ve ever tried. Injected with the latest technology like TFT screen, KTM MY RIDE, Ride-by-Wire, and Supermoto Mode, getting this baby sideways or even one wheel up in the air are as easy as ABC. You can check out our review in the link, below.
2017 KTM 390 Duke – “Are you DUKE enough?”

So we were slightly sceptical when we were given the opportunity to test out the 2017 KTM 250 Duke. After a week of constant riding, we were able to determine that the 250cc machine does have a few setbacks but nonetheless, also very fun to ride.

Based on the looks and dimensions, the 250 Duke is not that different from the 390 apart from its front headlights. While the 390 Duke comes with all LED lights, the 250 Duke is fitted with a halogen variant but the shape still carries the same DNA as its bigger and more powerful brother, the KTM 1290 Super Duke R.

Everything from the ride height, WP suspension package and ByBre brakes are similar to the 390 Duke which means one thing; the 250 Duke handles just as good. This also means that the 250 Duke is also a legitimate ‘corner rocket’ and weekend rides up to Genting or Bukit Tinggi are just as exhilarating.

The 249cc single-cylinder engine offers a respectable 30hp which is actually a very competitive power figure compared to other bikes in the similar category. The 250 Duke is, however, one of the best when it comes to the power-to-weight ratio as it only 147kg (dry).

Power delivery when the throttle is wide open sends the bike up to highway speed in no time but there was one thing that fell under one of our pet peeves. While the 390 Duke comes with Ride-by-Wire technology, the cheaper 250 Duke is only fitted with the normal throttle system. Upon opening, there was a very significant lag when the bike is around the 3,000rpm range.

This quickly dissipates once above 4,000rpm so if you’re ever in situations where you need to take over a vehicle, drop down a gear (or more), give a short blip and progressively work the throttle to make yourself disappear.

The top speed, on the other hand, is slightly below our expectations as we only managed around 145km/h but that’s probably due to this particular journalist who has gained a few extra kilograms in recent months.

On the other hand, the 250 Duke fits in quite nicely for those who ride constantly in congested cities and busy highways. With a higher seat height, improved ergonomics and shorter wheelbase, the 2017 KTM 250 Duke is easy to manoeuvre and flick about even through traffic jams.

To conclude, the 250 Duke is just as capable as the 390 Duke apart from lack of power and electronics. With its aggressive looks and very capable 250cc power plant, those looking for a more affordable option may opt for this particular baby. KTM Malaysia has priced it at RM21,730 (basic price with GST) which is a whopping RM7,070 cheaper than the 390.

You can basically fill its 13.4-litre fuel tank with RM19 worth of fuel every single day for an entire year. There’s a fun fact for y’all to think about.

				KTM 250 Duke

				2017 KTM 250 Duke

Check out Rok Bagoros’ latest 2018 KTM 250 Duke stunt bike!

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BMW Motorrad Concept Definition CE 04 shows the future of motorcycling

The BMW Motorrad Concept Link at #NEXTGen 2020 showcases the future of motorcycling in the form of the BMW Motorrad Concept Definition CE 04 electric scooter. This machine which looks like something that was taken straight from the Dragon Ball Z anime presents a combination of future urban mobility and communications rolled into one.

Designed to be smart AF, the BMW Motorrad Concept Definition CE 04 is able to adapt to the rider’s every requirement by connecting both analogue and digital worlds together. With its “Plugged to life” motto, it is hoped that to bridge everyday living, urban mobility and connectivity closer than ever.

According to Edgar Heinrich, Head of Design at BMW Motorrad, “Electric mobility is a central drive system for the BMW Group and we are consistently relying on this technology in our sustainability strategy. Electric drives are also a current topic for BMW Motorrad, especially for the urban environment. Since 2013, we have been a pioneer in this area with the BMW C evolution scooter.”

“The BMW Motorrad Definition CE 04 is the logical continuation of the electromobility strategy for urban conurbations and provides a concrete preview of what a contemporary production vehicle could look like, with which we will take two-wheel electric mobility in metropolitan areas to a new level, both technically and visually,” added Heinrich.

This Definition CE 04 features flat energy packs mounted in the underfloor together with a compact drive train that allows them to let their creative juices flow in terms of design. What’s also unique about this electric scooter is the fact that its storage compartment opens to the side. Unique? Yes. Utilitarian? Perhaps.

Other features include Mineral White metallic finish, U-shaped LED headlights, cooling ribs, single-sided swingarm, spring strut, tooth belt, 10.25-inch display, and functional apparel that works together with the concept electric scooter. Now that’s thinking outside of the box.

2021 Ducati XDiavel Dark & Black Star launched

Written by: Sep Irran
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Route 77 Harley-Davidson Of Kuala Lumpur Kick-Start Covid-19 Relief Funds

Route 77 Harley-Davidson of Kuala Lumpur has kickstarted a Covid-19 emergency relief fund campaign for the whole month of October.
The relief fund campaign will begin on the 1st of October and continue to run until the end of the month.

According to Route 77 Harley-Davidson of Kuala Lumpur, the initiative will benefit several charities within Klang Valley.
“During this trying time and the pandemic largely affecting the economy and the livelihood of many, we would like to take the opportunity to help those who are in need.
“This is now a time for us to give back to the community,” said Sterz Yap, General Manager of Route 77 Harley-Davidson of Kuala Lumpur.
All proceeds collected from the sales at Route 77 Harley-Davidson of Kuala Lumpur will be allocated towards the Covid-19 fund.
The funds will then be distributed to charities in the form of monetary value.

Meanwhile, customers who walk into Route 77 H-D of Kuala Lumpur can also book a test ride for the all-new Harley-Davidson Pan America.
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Dovizioso, Lorenzo to Battle Against Bayliss, Davies

Factory Ducati MotoGP riders Andrea Dovizioso and Jorege Lorenzo will race against other riders in The Race of Champions.

The race will take place during the World Ducati Week 2018.

The event takes place from 20th to 22nd July 2018.

Ducati has lined up a Race of Champions past and present during the 10th World Ducati Week (WDW).
The race is slated to run from 20th to 22nd July 2018, on the historic Misano World Circuit Marco Simoncelli. Twelve riders including current works Ducati MotoGP riders Andrea Dovizioso and Jorge Lorenzo, will line up against Troy Bayliss, Marco Melandri, among others. Besides them, Danilo Petrucci and Jack Miller will also take part in the race.
By “race,” we meant a real race, as the riders will go through free practice, qualifying and all the way to the podium.
Ducati fans are in for a real treat as all riders will ride specially-prepared and limited-edition Ducati Panigale V4 S.

The World Ducati Week is an annual celebration for Ducati owners. It consists of a myriad of activities to celebrate the Ducati brand, including stunt shows, rides on the track, competitions such as engine disassembly and assembly, Ducatistas parade, Scrambler Village, Monster Village, Ducati Service, DRE Safety Academy, DRE Enduro Academy, Ducati factory and Ducati Museum visit at Borgo Panigale, and much more.
Please visit https://www.ducati.com/ww/en/experience/world-ducati-week if you are interested in joing the event.

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Moto Guzzi Vengeance Challenge Ride

Called the Moto Guzzi Vengeance Challenge Ride, Moto Guzzi Malaysia organised the ride to Penang.

The fasting month did not stop Moto Guzzi riders from riding.

It was an fun ride as the riders got to enjoy their bikes in many different situations.

Many already know that the holy month of Ramadan is when Muslims observe the act of Puasa (fasting). But it goes beyond not eating during the daylight hours of the day. Ramadan is the ninth month of the Muslim calendar and was the month when the Holy Quran was revealed. Fasting is the one of the Five Pillars of Islam, so Ramadan is a time of spiritual reflection, improvement and worship. Muslims are expected to increase their effort into following the teachings of Islam.
It the time to challenge our resolve as Muslims to resist temptation.

Hence this was the reason Moto Guzzi Malaysia decided to organize a special ride on 1st June 2018. Called the Moto Guzzi Vengeance Challenge Ride, it was planned as an iftar (breaking fast) ride over two evenings.

The destination this time was Penang. As usual, the participants congregated at The Gasket Alley first for iftar before riding north at night. Jeya Thevan was the head marshal this time, thus he conducted the pre-ride briefing.

Riding at night during the Puasa month is much welcomed as we didn’t have to bask under the sun. The group of 12 kept a tight formation from the start point.
However, it started to rain slightly as we passed Rawang, cooling the ambient temperature even further. At least it wasn’t the heat causing drowsiness.
We topped off our tanks at the Tapah R&R and got rolling again, under the rain, all the way to another stop at Sungai Perak. It was planned as a relaxing ride, so we took our time to enjoy the fresh cool air, the ride and the soft rumble of the Moto Guzzi 90o V-Twin.

From there it was a straight shot to the Penang Island via the Sultan Abdul Halim Muadzam Shah Bridge (the new bridge). It was 2.30 am when we arrived at the toll plaza and there was no traffic to be seen. As a note to bikers, there is a motorcycle lane from the time you turn onto the bridge’s slip road and it’ll lead you to the toll plaza and all the way to Penang Island. However, please make double sure that you have a Touch ‘N’ Go card with you, especially at night as the counters are closed. Imagine having to turn around to get one or have some amount topped up into your IC at Juru.
Penang being Penang (it’s my hometown, by the way), turned left right, left, right, left countless times before reaching the Vouk Hotel Suites along Jalan Azlan Shah. At 3am.
Yes, we surely took our own sweet time. What’s the hurry, anyway? It’ll probably be even more tiring if we had blasted our way there.

We were given some time to freshen up and head back out to Nasi Kandar Line Clear for sahur (breakfast).
The group was given some free time until check out time at 1pm, but we’re not sure if anyone did go around Penang.

From the hotel, it was to Sheng Fatt Motor, Moto Guzzi’s authorized dealer in Penang, situated along Jalan Dato’ Keramat. The dealership provided top-class Penang hospitality, as the shop’s crew even helped us to park our bikes. Looks like Moto Guzzi owners now have a good home up north.

Mr. Sheng, Boss of Sheng Fatt organized a crew to lead us first to Fort Cornwallis for a goup photography session. The Guzzi’s looked especially great in that kind of setting.

Next, the Sheng Fatt boys ran point as they guided us to the first Penang Bridge to Harley-Davidson of Penang at Juru Autocity. The dealership is now fully operational for sales and aftersales.

We bade farewell and got back on the road again, this time towards our first stop at Sungai Perak. The weather stayed clear and hot all the way to that particular R&R before turning cloudy. That cooled down the air and road.
Although most of the riders fasted, none seemed to show signs of fatigue. Instead, they were smiling and laughing as they joked with each other.

It was over to the Foods Project Restaurant in Ipoh for iftar. We arrived ahead of schedule and that allowed us to rest up first. We kicked back a bit more after our dinner before getting on the road again, straight to the Tanjung Malim R&R.

A few riders went their separate ways from the R&R as they didn’t need to ride all the way to Moto Guzzi Malaysia. Not a single Moto Guzzi broke down or encountered any serious problem. But more importantly, everyone got home safe and sound without a single untoward incident.

In conclusion, it was a pleasurable ride. However, we didn’t visit many historic sites in Penang as it was just not practical to explore during fasting, then continuing with the ride after that. Moto Guzzi Malaysia has promised a ride which includes visiting places of interest in Penang in the near future, so stay tuned!
PICTURE GALLERY

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New KTM 750 series being developed with CFMoto

CFMoto has sealed the deal with KTM as the sole distributor for KTM products in China, and that in itself is a huge contract. The recently published investors’ presentation showcased details of the joint venture between the two companies, most notably their plans to develop and manufacture a new KTM 750 series.

This particular JV will also birth a new middleweight bike for CFMoto, the MT800. Planned to be launched within the first quarter of 2021, the CFMoto-MT800 will be using a lot of the same specs from KTM’s 790 range.

With that being said, CFMoto will also assist in the development of KTM’s new middleweight series, the 750. Three models will be manufactured at its new upcoming factory in Hangzhou which are the 750 Duke, 750 Adventure, and 750 Supermoto T.

This new factory with the starting annual capacity of 50,000 bikes, the new KTM 750 series will be manufactured for the local Chinese market as well as global consumption. We’re still not entirely sure about when all of these will take place but considering how fast and efficient China works, we probably won’t have to wait very long.
2021 KTM RC390 spotted testing – mini RC8?

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Ducati Worldwide Sales Down 7.4% in First Half 2018

Ducati Motor Holdings is the latest to report a decline in sales.

It was in Q2 2018 which dropped more over the first half of 2018.

Ducati is just one of the manufacturers who are seeing the decline in a soft worldwide motorcycle market.

When analysts said regarded the worldwide motorcycle as “soft,” they weren’t kidding. Ducati Motor Holdings is the latest to announce a sales decline of 7.4% in the first half of 2018 compared to the same period last year.
Total units sold were 32,250 motorcycles, representing €448 million revenue for the Audi-held motorcycle brand.
To analyze further, Ducati’s second quarter sales were down by 8.9% compared to Q2 2017, translating to 20,319 units compared to 22,300 in the same quarter last year.
Sales in all segments took a hit except for the manufacturer’s sport category which includes the SuperSport and superbike models. This sport category is what keeps them doing reasonably well despite the slump in sales for the other models, as there was a 29% increase with 7,683 units sold in the first half of this year.
That report leads to the Panigale V4 being the key driving force. Sportbikes are dead? We don’t think so. The manufacturer had also iterated that the Mutlistrada 1260 had also performed well.
2018 Ducati Panigale V4S Test & Review

Ducati did not reveal their performance in individual markets, however. However, we do know that the Italian motorcycle market is seeing a resurgence of late, driving up not just Ducati’s sales but also BMW as we reported earlier.
BMW Motorrad Q2 Sales Decline

Will 2018 see the end of Ducati’s eight-year sales increase? In fact, Ducati barely grew in 2017. Do note that this current motorcycle sales slump hit all other manufacturers, too. In our opinion, the industry-wide slump shows that it’s not due to one brand being more popular that the other.
Ducati sold over 55,800 bikes worldwide in 2017!

And of another intriguing note is how will VW Group treat this news (although we feel they won’t divest in Ducati yet).
VW Hints of Selling Ducati (Again)?

It’ll be interesting to see what the other European manufacturers such as KTM and Triumph will report, as they had been doing very well for many years. Triumph, in particular, has seen great growth year-on-year.
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BMW Motorrad Working on 1800cc Boxer Platform?

BMW Motorrad teases with a new 1800cc Boxer engine.

The manufacturer contracted Custom Works Zon built a custom bike around it.

Rumors say BMW will build a cruiser.

It seems like BMW Motorrad is working on a new model platform based on a new 1800cc Boxer engine.
However, rather than producing a teaser video, BMW contracted Yuichi Yoshizawa and Yoshikazu Ueda of Custom Works Zon to build a show bike called “R18” around the new engine. The build has already picked up multiple awards on the custom bike circuit.

The new engine is reputed to feature pushrod valve actuation and retaining air/oil-cooling. BMW Motorrad is mum apart from that information.

But what bike would they fit it into? BMW has every segment covered except for a true heritage-style cruiser. It would make sense because BMW could capitalize on the shrinking segment by introducing their iteration of the cruiser.

The manufacturer has already shown that they could utilize the older air/oil-cooled Boxer in the r nine T heritage platform. However, as the impending Euro5 regulations close down on emissions, the 1800cc displacement would make up for the lost power. Additionally, the large capacity would also bring BMW up to challenge heavyweight cruisers from Harley and Indian.

It’ll be interesting to see, whatever will come.
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MV Agusta updates all three cylinder bikes to Euro4 – Now quieter & cleaner!

MV Agusta has finally announced that all their three-cylinder motorcycles to comply with the strict Euro4 regulations.
The MV Agusta F3 675, F3 800 and Dragster 800 models have gone through evolutions to their engines, electronics, engine noise and exhaust gas emissions making them quieter and cleaner.
The move to make their bikes comply with the Euro4 regulations means that they can continue selling their bikes in European countries in 2018 and beyond.

MV Agusta has finally of their three-cylinder motorcycles to comply with the even more strict Euro4 regulations.

As most manufacturers have already know, the Euro4 emissions regulations are much stricter which has led MV Agusta in making proper modifications to their bikes’ engines as well as electronics in order to comply.

The European market and manufacturers who are planning to continue to sell their two-wheelers in that particular continent will need to comply with Euro4 if they wish to do so beyond 2018.

MV Agusta bikes like the F3 675, F3 800 and Dragster 800 have gone through their evolutions to become Euro4 certified by making modifications to their engines, electronics and many more.

In terms of engine noise and exhaust gas emissions, MV Agusta has managed to cut them down for all of their motorcycles by half as compared to their Euro3 counterparts. This also means that the new MV Agusta bikes are much quieter and cleaner.

Both the F3 675 and 800 have received an updated chassis for better rigidity besides the engine updates. As of now with the Euro4-certified bikes, the F3 675 now produces 128hp while the F3 800 now churns put 144hp.

With all the updates, MV Agusta can continue to do their business as usual especially in Europe and with the ability to comply with the strict Euro4 regulations, it won’t be a surprise if we see a whole new line up of motorcycles from the Italian marquee.

Stay tuned to Bikes Republic for more motorcycle news.
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SW-Motech Introduces Compact Tank Bag For Ducati DesertX

SW-Motech introduced a new clip-on tank bag for the all-capable Ducati DesertX for 2023.

The DesertX is Ducati first ever fully-capable off-road motorcycle.
At the heart sits the 937cc Testastretta 11-degree Desmodromic engine capable of producing 110hp @ 9,250rpm and 92Nm @ 6,500rpm.

Dubbed one of the most exciting motorcycles to come out of the Borgo Panigale factory, the DesertX is the firm’s maiden attempt at a proper off-road-focused ADV machine.
That said, it’s not surprising that there are more aftermarket parts available for the DesertX including SW-Motech’s latest PRO Micro Tank Bag.

Completely expandable, the bag offers extra space to stash your essentials including your smartphone, power bank, action cameras, documents and more.
Thanks to the bag’s laminated EVA shell and a water-resistant inner coating, the shape will remain intact whilst offering better protection from the rain.

Also, if you need that extra assurance, the contents can be separated with mesh-divide compartments to ensure that every stuff you put in would not get smashed against one another.
According to SW-Motech, the tank bag is also glove-friendly thanks to large zip pulls.

Interestingly, the PRO Micro Tank Bag is designed to be fitted centrally on the DesertX fuel tank, allowing easy access to its off-centre fuel-filler cap.
To those interested, the SW-Motech Pro Micro Tank Bag is priced at GBP112.96 (RM597).
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WorldSBK to Introduce Standard ECU Package?

The WorldSBK scene is considering introducing a standardised electronic package for all bikes competing in the races.
This has been brought into light to make the sport more competitive and exciting for teams and riders taking parts and also for the spectators as well.
The regulated spec-ECU hopes to give a fighting chance for other teams and riders to make it on podium as the first five rounds of 2017 were clearly dominated by only Kawasaki and Ducati.

The WorldSBK has been going through a few evolutions for the past couple of years to make sure that the motorsport is up to date with current times. With the introduction of the new starting line up where the podium finishers in Race 1 will start from the third row in reversed order, the WorldSBK is doing everything they can to make the races as interesting as they can be.
Alex Lowes, Pata Yamaha Official WorldSBK Team
CLICK HERE to know more about the new race configuration for Race 2 with reversed order.

Now, rumours are floating around the garages that they will be introducing a standard ECU (Electronic Control Unit) for 2018 in hopes that the races will give a fair competition to all manufacturers and teams in the WorldSBK arena. This option has been discussed for a while now to make the race more exciting and competitive for all competitors in the field.

The other reason why some folks are calling out for the unified electronic packages is probably due to the fact that the sport is being dominated by the likes of Ducati and Kawasaki. All 10 races in the past five rounds since the start of the 2017 season has clearly being conquered by Jonathan Rea from Kawasaki Racing Team and Chaz Davies from Aruba.it Racing Ducati squad.

CLICK HERE to check out the race results from the previous round at Imola, Italy.

Actually, the podiums finishes for all of the 2017 races so far are all shared between just four different riders; Jonathan Rea and Tom Sykes from Kawasaki, Chaz Davies and Marco Melandri from Ducati. No other manufacturers have stepped up to the podium spot so far.

This is probably due to the fact that Kawasaki and Ducati have the necessary funds and manpower to develop superior electronic packages for their bikes and riders while other manufacturers are somewhat limited in those two aspects. So, we can understand why there’s a calling for a standardised electronic package like MotoGP to even out the playing field.

All in all, there’s one question remains. Will the spec-ECU help the sport or will it affect the overall development of the manufacturer’s products when they go on sale in their respective showrooms? Well, race wins are a good way to promote the brands and products and those participating in the races do want to win.

We will only know in the near future whether the spec-ECU will be implemented in the world superbikes championship as how it is in MotoGP. One thing is for sure, an even playing field offers a much more interesting race instead of just seeing either green or red on crossing the finish lines time and time again.
Stay tuned to Bikes Republic for more updates.
Source: Asphalt & Rubber
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MotoGP: Maverick Vinales will start Valencia GP from pitlane

Maverick Vinales (Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP) will start this Sunday’s race from pitlane no matter how good he performs in today’s qualifying sessions. Why? The Yamaha factory team had no other choice but to bring in a sixth engine, which counts as a penalty for Vinales in the form of a pitlane race start.

It has not been a good start to the weekend for Yamaha in general as they arrive to the final three races of the season. It all started with points deducted from the constructors’ championship as well as some team points from the factory squad as well as the Petronas Yamaha SRT. Why? For using different spec valves without approval.

A huge blow to @mvkoficial12‘s championship hopes! ?
Due to using an extra engine beyond his allocation, the @YamahaMotoGP rider will start Sunday’s race from pit-lane! ⚠#EuropeanGP ?? pic.twitter.com/V5ZBlK95ur
— MotoGP™? (@MotoGP) November 6, 2020

Luckily for them, no points were taken away from the riders’ championship title chase, but teams like Ducati are protesting that matter as we speak. Then there’s the COVID-19 scare. While Rossi has been cleared to partake in this weekend’s activities (sorry Garrett Gerloff, you were awesome yesterday), some key members of Yamaha will be forced to sit out due to one of them testing positive while the rest were in close contact.

There he is!!!! ?@ValeYellow46‘s second PCR test came back negative. He is back in our pit box and will be riding tomorrow! ????#MonsterYamaha | #MotoGP | #EuropeanGP pic.twitter.com/rwtIVf4oiQ
— Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP (@YamahaMotoGP) November 6, 2020

Vinales is also one of them and he’s currently waiting for results to come in. If he tests positive for COVID-19, he will be out of this weekend’s race and ultimately, out of the 2020 MotoGP championship crown contention. Stay tuned for more updates.
2021 Ducati Multistrada V4 prices revealed in the US – From RM82,700

Written by: Sep Irran
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Video: Ryan Reynolds and his custom Triumph Thruxton

A stunning short film featuring Deadpool star Ryan Reynolds and his custom Triumph Thruxton café racer built by Kott Motorcycles.

As a movie star, Ryan Reynolds has secured his place in the hearts and minds of many fans after his stellar performance in the blockbuster film titled Deadpool. Well, with this beautifully shot short film directed by Bryan Rowland, Deadpool has also found his place amongst many of his biker fans.
In this short film, which is titled ‘Invite The Uninvited’, we see the 39-year-old Canadian actor’s specially built Triumph Thruxton get crafted by California-based custom bike artisan Kott Motorcycles. As we see the bike being built, Ryan Reynolds also intimately narrates his life as a biker, explaining how he built his interest for café racers.
The film caps off with the special one-off Triumph Thruxton being presented to Reynolds by its builder, followed by a series of stunning aerial photography of the actor taking his new and specially tailored bike out for a spin across some of the most stunning roads.
Source: Vimeo via Airows
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MotoGP: I Did Not Expect To Lead The Championship After 35 Days – Zarco

It was only 35 days ago since Johann Zarco was given a chance to test the Ducati GP21 at the pre-season testing in Qatar.
Who would have thought, the 30-year-old rider, who was in limbo after his surprise departure from KTM in 2019, now leads the championship with 40 points after securing back-to-back second place at Losail International Circuit.

The Pramac Racing rider finished 1.092s behind Maverick Vinales in the first race before losing out to race-winner Fabio Quartararo on Sunday.
Not only that, the Frenchman is currently top Ducati rider, edging Ducati factory rider Francesco Bagnaia and Jack Miller.
“I did not expect to be leading the championship when I came here 35 days ago to start testing and learn the Ducati.
“I still have things to control better, to feel more comfortable and have more options during the race. So if I can still grow up in that way and use the full potential of the Ducati, then I can enjoy myself also at other tracks”, Zarco said.

Zarco can breathe easily now, having made one of the hardest decision in his life, to quit a factory team (KTM) to pursue a better machine that suits his riding.
“What happened two years ago is part of life. I took some decisions, and I’m pretty happy now that I’m back with the top guys.
“The first two races were a lot of fun and it was such a nice feeling. So it’s not the time to think of redemption or something like that. Just live your time and right now is this moment with Pramac and Ducati.
“What I decided two years ago, it’s done. So, happy. I cannot say I took the right decision or not. I took a decision then I did my way and thanks to Ducati I’m here,” he added.
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More Powerful Yamaha R1 Underway?

Yamaha is set to celebrate the R1 legacy next year with the potent superbike reaching its 25-year anniversary.

The R1 is reaching its 25th birthday in 2023.
The 1000cc sportsbike could received major upgrade.

That said, rumours from Japan suggest the Iwata manufacturer is looking to roll out a significantly updated R1.
The R1 received its extensive overhaul in 2015 before Yamaha’s latest changes in 2019 seem to perform fairly well, with the superbike dominating the 2021 WorldSBK season.

While it may relatively outperform the Kawasaki ZX-10RR and Honda CBR1000RR-R, the R1 could be left behind after Ducati and BMW’s recent introduction of the new Panigale V4 R and M 1000 RR.

As both motorcycles make more than 200hp, the bi-crossplane 998cc 198hp might not be seen enough to go up against the Italian and German moniker at the WorldSBK.
That leaves Yamaha with a dilemma regarding how they should proceed with the R1.
However, a Japanese publication, Young-Machine, (yes, them again), reported that a heavily updated Yamaha R1 could be well underway.

Thanks to a new render by YM, the R1 might be getting a complete overhaul of bodywork and engine development.
Also, the R1 could get an all-new aerodynamic winglet and a higher peak power from its bi-crossplane engine.
Interestingly, YM also claimed that the next-gen R1 would feature a special edition retro white and red livery, complete with a 90s typeface.

Although the new development might seem too good to be true but knowing how accurate Young-Machine usually is, we might be seeing a new R1 soon enough.
Moreover, we are intrigued to find out how Yamaha plans to squeeze more power out of its inline-four-cylinder engine, which we think is already hitting its peak.
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KTM introduces new 2018 KTM Freeride E-XC electric motorcross bike! From RM35,499

KTM has introduced a brand new addition into the Freeride electric motorcross bike line-up with the 2018 KTM Freeride E-XC.
The KTM Freeride E-XC comes with a 260V electric motor that offers 21.5hp and 42Nm of torque at the twist of the throttle.
KTM North America is running a special program offering the new 2018 Freeride E-XC at a special introductory price of $8,299 (around RM35,499).

KTM has once again propelled themselves ahead in the electric off-road segment with the launch of their latest 2018 KTM Freeride E-XC for the US market. Based from a recent report made by Rideapart.com, KTM USA will be running a special pilot program that’ll offer the new KTM Freeride E-XC in limited number at lower prices.

Those who have their doubts in the ability of electric dirt bikes performing like their internal combustion counterparts, KTM stated that the electric motor chosen for the new Freeride E-XC churn out a good 21.5hp and 42Nm of torque which is about the same as most 250cc bikes in the market to date.

However, the 260V plus 2.6KW lithium-ion battery can provide all that power and torque starting from 0 rpm whereas petrol-powered engines have to reach a certain rpm in order to achieve the same output. Another great advantage is that it’ll only take 80 minutes to fully recharge its battery.

The E-XC has three selectable riding modes which are Economy, Standard and Advanced which offers different levels of power and torque according to your preferred riding style at the moment. The new Freeride addition does not come with a clutch level and the lever on the left handlebar has been replaced for the rear brake instead so riding it will be as easy as riding a scooter.

According to Tom Etherington, KTM Sales Vice President of North America, “KTM has created this pilot program as a way to better understand the level of consumer interest in electric motorcycles, which will assist us in future planning when considering serial production of electric motorcycles in the coming years. The exciting part for consumers is that through this pilot program, the FREERIDE E-XC is available for a price that is substantially less than these models would sell for outside of this program.”

The new 2018 KTM Freeride E-XC will be available at a special introductory price of $8,299 (around RM35,499 after direct conversion). No news regarding its availability in Malaysia but looking at KTM’s effort in putting some fire back in the Malaysian motorcross scene, we reckoned that it might arrive soon to ‘electrify’ everyone in its path.

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New 2017 Honda CB500X – now with new exhaust & colours! From RM31,893

Boon Siew Honda Sdn Bhd (BSH) has just announced their latest updated 2017 Honda CB500X which now comes with a brand new exhaust design plus three new colours.
The three new colours for the latest CB500X generation are Asteroid Black Metallic, Candy Rosy Red and Pearl Horizon White (available for the CB500XA).
BSH has priced the updated 2017 Honda CB500X from RM31,893.28 (Standard) up to RM35,391.28 (CB500XA with ABS).

Boon Siew Honda Sdn Bhd (BSH) has just introduced their latest updated 2017 Honda CB500X. For this year, the very capable CB500X now comes with a brand new muffler design plus three new colour options; Asteroid Black Metallic, Candy Rosy Red and the latest Pearl Horizon White specifically for the Honda CB500XA.

Those who are looking for the perfect touring or commuting two-wheeler should really consider the CB500X as it is was designed for great riding comfort as well as performance even for beginners.
2016 Honda CB500X ABS
Powered by a 471cc, DOHC, liquid-cooled parallel twin engine, the current CB500X produces a healthy 49.6hp at 8,500rpm and 44Nm of torque upon hitting 7,000rpm.

What makes the CB500X even more unique is that the ‘triangle’ proportion of crankshaft, main shaft and countershaft is very similar to that of Honda’s four-cylinder RR engines and much of the internal structure and engineering is taken directly from both the CBR600RR and CBR1000RR.

Developed with the idea of taking the best bits from their flagship middleweight sports bike and superbike, the CB500X is the ultimate middleweight touring machine that’ll take you anywhere in style and comfort.

Click the link below to check our own extensive review on the Honda CB500X.
Test-ride: 2016 Honda CB500X ABS

We’ve even made a comparison between the present CB500X with its previous generation. To find out more, check out the link BELOW.
Old vs new: Honda CB500X ABS (with video)

Weighing just below the 200kg mark (kerb), the CB500X is light on its feet and as far as endurance goes, it’ll cover quite a distance with its 17.5-litre fuel tank before one need to stop for refuelling purposes.

The latest 2017 Honda CB500X range will be available at all Honda Impian showrooms starting today. BSH also has confirmed the prices at RM31,893.28 (Standard) up to RM35,391.28 (CB500XA with ABS). All prices shown are basic prices with GST.
The model comes with two years or 20,000km manufacturing warranty (whichever comes first).
For more information on the 2017 Honda CB500XA, you can visit www.facebook.com/HondaMotorcyclesMalaysiaBoonSiewHonda. To check out the full specification, CLICK HERE.
Source: Boon Siew Honda
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2018 Yamaha YZF-R15 launched in India! RM7,651

India Yamaha Motor (IYM) has officially launched the 2018 Yamaha YZF-R15 during the Auto Expo 2018.
The third version of the R15 comes ready with a 155cc single-cylinder engine that produces 19hp and 15Nm of torque.
Other impressive features include Variable Valve Actuation (VVA), Assist & Slipper clutch, digital instrument console and many more.

The Auto Expo 2018 currently going on in India has many surprises up its sleeves and one of the latest launches came in the form of the 2018 Yamaha YZF-R15. The small-capacity sports bike was introduced by India Yamaha Motor (IYM) which surprisingly has a lot of very interesting specifications.

With looks that are heavily inspired by its bigger siblings such as the YZF-R6 and YZF-R1, the power plant is much more docile. Powered by a 155cc, single-cylinder, liquid-cooled, SOHC engine, the 2018 Yamaha YZF-R15 is said to produce 19hp at 10,000rpm and 15Nm of maximum torque at 8,500rpm.

Compared to the very popular Yamaha Y15ZR super cub, the new YZF-R15 produces more power and torque by 4hp and 3.7Nm. This is possible thanks to its extra 5cc engine capacity, Variable Valve Actuation (VVA) which delivers more top end power and internal ECU.

What’s even more amazing is the fact that the this 150cc sports bike comes ready with an Assist & Slipper clutch system which makes the bike easier to roll off from a standpoint and prevents rear wheel chatter during downshifts. Not bad, little Yammy. Not bad at all.

All of these impressive features are wrapped around a Delta box frame which has been proven to be a magnificent piece of chassis that provides impressive sporty handling. The total kerb weight of this Version 3.0 is only 139kg which helps the handling section even more.

It is also worth noting that that the new R15 comes with a fully-digital instrument console which shows all the necessary details of the bike including a shift light and gear position indicator. The digital meter is also heavily-inspired by its bigger and more powerful sibling, the YF-R1.

Want to take this bad boy out onto the track? India Yamaha Motor also announced that all of the authorised dealers in the country will be selling a ‘racing kit’ where one can obtain a pair of track-worthy Metzeler rubbers, Daytona muffler and frame sliders. INR sure knows how to market their product to a wide variety of consumers.

The Indian market will be able to purchase the 2018 Yamaha YZF-R15 at 125,000 INR which is around RM7,651 after direct conversion. Quite a decent deal for a 150cc sports machine. How we wish these bikes can magically make their way to our shores.

Source: xBhp & Tech 2
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2022 Rimba Raid: The Battle Of Big Bore ADV Bike Returns!

While some owners tends to unnecessarily  accessorised their big bore adventure bikes just so it looks good in front of a ridiculously priced coffee shop on a Sunday morning, there are those who are actually taking their ADV bike for its actual purpose, going on a proper adventure.

230 riders from 13 countries will endure a more than 200km of deep rainforest jungle.
XCape Resort, Kuala Tahan, returns as host for the 2022 edtion after successfully hosting the 2018 edition.

This is one of many reasons why Rimba Raid is born, to gather every adventure bike riders  around the world to compete against one another for the ultimate prize, being the best enduro rider of the competition.
Also, it gives you the honour to tell others that your bike is probably the best ADV bike available in the market.

That said, the 2022 Rimba Raid Taman Negara will witness the battle between big-bore adventure motorcycle, including BMW R 1200/1250 GS(A), Honda CRF1000/1100 Africa Twin, KTM 1050/1190/1290 Adventure/Super Adventure and Yamaha XT1200Z Super Tenere.
Interestingly, this time around, there is a new competitor in town, the 2021 Harley-Davidson Pan America 1250 will also try to get a piece of the action.

Also making its first appearance at Rimba Raid is the Moto Morini XCape 650, WMOTO SX300 and Fantic Caballero 500.
A total of 230 riders from 13 countries will set foot in Kuala Tahan, including riders from Malaysia, Colombia, Canada, Thailand, Singapore, Australia, Vietnam, Poland, USA, UK, Indonesia, Netherlands and Italy. The 2022 edition also welcomes four female riders, Elissa Airin (Malaysia), Shamira Azhar (Malaysia), Cherie Tan (Singapore) and Kanthaphat Kitisophonchodiran (Thailand).

The 2022 Rimba Raid will kickstart on 24th September 2022 at XCape Resort, Kuala Tahan, Pahang who is the main host of the race, after successfully hosting the 2018 edition.
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Yamaha Ego Avantiz Updated With New Visuals – RM5,998

Hong Leong Yamaha Motor (HLYM) announced new visuals for the 2023 Yamaha Ego Avantiz.

Yamaha updated the Ego Avantiz scooter with new paint job.
The 2023 Ego Avantiz registered an increase in pricing for Malaysian market.

The 125cc compact scooter is now available in three exciting colours; Grey, Cyan and Red.
The updated model will be available at all Yamaha-authorised dealerships from 22 December 2022 (today) with an updated selling price of RM5,998.

Nevertheless, no changes are made to the Euro4-compliant engine that continues to make 9.3hp @ 8,000rpm and 9.6Nm @ 5,500rpm.
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Triumph @ INTERMOT 2016

Triumph @ INTERMOT 2016: New Bonneville T100 series and Street Cup unveiled in Germany.

The famed British motorcycle purveyors from Hinckley unveiled three new additions to its new generation liquid-cooled Bonneville range this week during INTERMOT 2016.
Here’s a quick walkthrough of the three new Brits for 2017.

2017 Triumph Bonneville T100 & T100 Black
Meet the new Bonneville T100 and T100 Black twins. Inspired by the original from 1959, the T100 series now offers fans a direct replacement from the last Bonneville T100.

Unlike the existing Bonneville T120 series, the T100 features Triumph’s new liquid-cooled 900cc parallel-twin derived from the Street Twin entry-level model. Though power and torque are lower than the T120, the new T100 makes up for it through its minimalistic styling and vast accessories catalogue.

Aesthetically, both bikes mirror what their T120 siblings offer. While the standard T100 offers a true classic stance complete with all the chrome brightworks, the latter T100 Black offers a darker approach and stance instead.

Fans will definitely appreciate the T100’s minimalist approach, looking a lot cleaner and neater than its predecessor as it makes do without all the exposed wiring and ancillaries.

Triumph has also gone to work with the T100 series’ chassis, focusing more on enhancing ride comfort. New-aged electronics are key here too as both feature ride-by-wire throttles, ABS, switchable traction control, torque-assist clutch plus a under-seat USB charging port.
Other notable features worth mentioning here include the LCD instrument display, cruise control and heated grips, with the latter two making this a much more touring-friendly model over its Street Twin sibling.

2017 Triumph Street Cup
Launched alongside the T100 series was the new café racer offshoot of the Triumph Street Twin. Christened as the Triumph Street Cup, the model now offers fans a café racer option based off the popular Street Twin.

Distinct new elements here can be seen with its bullet seat and removable seat cowl, fly screen plus the drop bars and bar end mirrors. Capping things off, Triumph will also offer two-tone paint scheme options for the Street Cup.
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