JPJ Warns Motorcycle Workshops Against Modifications

The Perlis state JPJ sent a warning to motorcycle shops and owners against illegal modifications.

The Department caught fifteen modified Yamaha Y15ZRs during an operation.

Among the modifications are to increase top speeds and excessively loud exhausts.

The JPJ (Jabatan Pengangkutan Jalan or Road Transport Ministry, in English) has warned motorcycle workshops against modifying motorcycles.
Shahrul Azhar Mat Dali, Director of JPJ Perlis sent the warning after catching a number of modified motorcycles. 15 modified Yamaha Y15ZRs discovered during an operation on the night of 26thNovember 2018. The department is aware there are a number of workshops carrying out the illegal modifications in the state.
“The customers who request modifications and the workshops agreeing to it are both complicit,” he continued.
“If we catch any more individuals who modified their bikes, the owners will be investigated under Section 114 of the Road Transport Act 1987. If found to be true, the motorcycles will be confiscated, and the owners charged under Section 64(1) of the same Act.”
The Director further added that the JPJ has identified three main active locations of carrying out the modifications. They are Beseri, Serian and Arau. The main offences are modifying motorcycles for more speed and using exhausts that are excessively loud.
The operation is part of JPJ’s advocation program to educate motorcyclists to adhere to road laws. This is in view of the high number of fatalities among motorcyclists in the country.
He also advised all road users to report offences to the JPJ. The Department in Perlis can be reached at 04-9763995 or through email p.perlis@jpj.gov.my.
Sourced from Bernama.
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2018 TVS Apache RR310S previewed + VIDEO!

The 2018 TVS Apache RR310S is just a few hours from its grand debut which is about to be launched in India.
TVS together with BMW Motorrad collaborated to build the latest entry-level sports bike.
This is why the latest TVS Apache RR310S will be using the same 313cc single-cylinder engine found in the 2017 BMW G 310 R and BMW G 310 GS.

With only a few hours remaining until the official debut of the highly-awaited 2018 TVS Apache RR310S in India, the latest entry-level sports bike into the market is said to bring some serious heat to other manufacturers in the category.

What makes the bike so special to India and the rest of the world? The fact that it’s a product built based on the alliance between TVS and BMW Motorrad makes it even more interesting because we can’t wait to see what this German-based 300cc sports bike is capable of.

Speaking of BMW Motorrad, the 2018 TVS Apache RR310S will be using the same power plant as the ones equipped in the 2017 BMW G 310 R and BMW G 310 GS. This also means that the capable 34hp single-cylinder engine will be wrapped around a more sports-oriented package.

We’ve personally tested the 2017 BMW G 310 R extensively in our ride to the BMW Nightfuel event in Penang a few months back. Although it’s a capable machine with respectable long distance capabilities (thanks to its comfortable seat), that very engine would do wonders in the track if provided with a capable chassis and a bit of retuning.

While the launch of the 2018 TVS Apache RR310S has been delayed for quite some time now, it has the potential to pose as a serious threat to many entry-level sport bikes in its category. It might take some convincing for Malaysians to use this bike (if it’s made available in the future) as there are still people debating over getting their Full B license in order just to ride a bike that’s just 63cc above the 250cc mark.

Whatever the case may be, TVS is looking primed and ready to drop one magnificent bomb into the ever-growing market for sports bikes. Based on what TVS is capable of with their track-ready Akula 310 with all the TVS Racing goodies, the Apache RR310S’s potential is looking sexier by the minute.

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Suzuki GSX-1000 and GSX-S1000FA Yoshimura specials

Special Suzuki GSX-1000 and GSX-S1000FA Yoshimura edition models revealed.
Suzuki have partnered up with the famed Yoshimura accessories brand in creating these special Suzuki GSX-1000 and GSX-S1000FA Yoshimura edition models recently.

Both the Suzuki GSX-1000 Yoshimura Edition streetifghter and GSX-S1000FA Yoshimura Edition sport-tourer litre-class models are richly adorned with a variety of parts and accessories from the famed Yoshimura brand. These include a Yoshimura R11 exhaust, Yoshimura steering stem nut, timing plug, oil filler cap and bar ends.
Besides that, both the Suzuki GSX-1000 and GSX-S1000FA Yoshimura edition models also features rim tape, a tank pad, fuel cap trim, paddock stand bobbins, matte black lever, heel plate trim, as well as a unique graphics kit. All of these were kitted on each bike in an effort to let it stand out from the standard models they underpin.

These Yoshimura special models gain with the deletion of their rear pillion seats and footrests, with the former replaced with a cowl to complete its single-seater looks.
Presently, both models are slated to debut in UK showrooms starting next month, but it remains unknown for now whether if both the special Suzuki GSX-1000 and GSX-S1000FA Yoshimura edition models would be offered elsewhere around the world.

Sources: Visordown / MCN
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Family travelled 6,011km through Six Borders on SYM Bike and Scooter

A family of three travelled across Indochina in 16 days on the SYM Sport Rider 125i and VTS 200

It was a momentous achievement and experience when expert biker Rusli Osman travelled through six borders in just 16 days on a SYM Sport Rider 125i. The 6,011km trip was made even more amazing with his wife, Yong Suzi, and daughter Yong Sofea who followed along on board the SYM VTS 200 scooter.

They started their journey from the SYM headquarters up in Penang on the 28th November 2016 and headed for Bukit Kayu Hitam before crossing over into Thailand. They made a few stops at interesting places like Gulf of Siam, Pattaya and into other countries like Cambodia and Vietnam.

Probably the most interesting place they visited was the Magic Hill located in Mae Sot, Thailand. It is a place where vehicles seem to roll up the hill without turning the engines on. The cause is said to have something related to the electromagnetic fields on top of the mountain.

Another place that was mentioned by Rusli and his family as one of the most memorable stops was Udonthani and its cold weather where the temperature dropped below 10°C. it was especially memorable for the couple’s 13-year-old daughter, Yong Suzi, who stated that the cold weather was almost unbearable. She did however have a wonderful time in the rest of the trip.

They made it back to Bukit Mertajam on the 13th December 2016 completing the entire trip through six borders just over two weeks. When asked about the travel preparations, Rusli stated that entire trip only cost them a total of RM3,380 including insurance and documentation to travel through Indochina.

Rusli was on board the Sport Rider 125i and the biggest remark made by Rusli was the exceptional suspension package on the Sport Rider. The VTS 200 on the other survived the journey with flying colours thanks to its huge 14.7 litre fuel tank, storage space and travelling comfort.

Maintenance was taken care of with the help of PJ1 engine oils where the family only needed to make two oil changes throughout the 6,011km journey. The regular engine oil change made sure both bikes maintained good delivery of power as stated by expert rider, Mr Rusli himself.

All in all, it is proven that SYM bikes are good commuters as well as long distance travels. While it is designed for city travel comforts, the Sport Rider 125i and VTS200 have more than what it takes to travel cross-country and even a short off-road session. You can click here for our Sport Rider 125i review and here for the VTS 200 details.
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Honda Patents New Electric Scooter In India

Honda is likely to introduced an all-new electric scooter in India after filing a new patent application in the country.

borrows similar design cue from the Activa.
features 12v battery unit, telescopic fork and double-sided swingarm.

India’s motoring publication, AutoCarIndia published the new patent application showing what could Honda upcoming e-scooter would look like.
*credit: AutoCarIndia
As expected, the image showcased an e-scooter that looks similar to the Activa.
Firstly, the front fascia – including the handlebar and headlight – shares similarities with the Activa. However, the rest of the bodywork looks new.
According to reports, the e-scooter is equipped with hub-mounted motor to reduce clutter and the production cost.
The patent also shows a 12v battery unit, telescopic forks, single rear shocks and double-sided swingarm.
The swingarm is mounted to the 10-inch rear wheels with drum brake.
The e-scooter is likely to be introduce in the Indian market in 2023.
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Triumph-Bajaj Partnership To Roll Out First Motorcycle In 2023

We’ve been hearing about Triumph-Bajaj collaboration for a while now and although we’ve seen the motorcycle they are working on, both parties have yet provided the exact launching date.

Triumph-Bajaj partnership to debut the new motorcycle in 2023.
Expected to feature between 200cc to 250cc engine capacity.
Bajaj to manufacture the motorcycle in a new manufacturing plant in Chakan, India.

However, according to recent speculations, the Triumph-Bajaj partnership will release their first motorcycle in 2023.
The motorcycle is expected to make a mark in the premium entry-level class that is now high demand especially in India, Asia and Europe.
Despite no words on the engine capacity, the collaboration is likely to have engine sizes ranging from 200cc to 250cc.
If the launch is due in 2023, the debut model could make a surprise appearance at the EICMA show in Milan, Italy later in the year.
While it may carry Triumph’s badge, the motorcycle will be manufacturer out of Bajaj new manufacturing plant in Chakan, India.
This would aid greatly in ensuring the price point of the motorcycle which could also lead to a higher sales volume.
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2019 BMW R 1250 GS Adventure Debuts with ShiftCam Engine

The 2019 BMW R 1250 GS Adventure has been officially launched.

It will also feature the new 1254cc ShiftCam engine.

LED lights and 6.5″ TFT screen are standard standard.

The 2019 BMW R 1250 GS Adventure may not be a big surprise after the launch of the 2019 BMW R 1250 GS in September.
BMW Motorrad Officially Unveils New 2019 R 1250 GS and R 1250 RT

However, the Adventure version (popularly called “GSA”) is an important variant for the Bavarian motorcycle manufacturer. The GSA is the long-distance adventure tourer of the two.

Also as expected is the use of the new 1254cc Boxer with ShiftCam engine. The new brings power output to 136 bhp and 143 Nm of torque, as compared to the 1198cc Boxer which produced 125 bhp and 125 Nm.

Please click on the link below to learn more about the BMW ShiftCam engine. in a nutshell, the ShiftCam technology uses two cam lobe profiles to manage power output and fuel usage according to engine load and throttle application.
BMW Motorrad Officially Unveils new 1250cc Boxer Engine

As for the electronics, the 2019 R 1250 GS Adventure will be equipped with Hill Start Control (HSC) and Automatic Stability Control (ATC) as standard. The optional “Riding Modes Pro” package adds two extra riding modes (Enduro and Enduro Pro), plus Dynamic Traction Control (DTC).

Cornering ABS is also an option called ABS Pro. A new option called Dynamic Brake Control (DBC) is available to customers. It automatically modulates the throttle so the drive torque utilizes the torque at the rear wheel for more stability while braking.
There are many more add-on options but LED lighting is now standard. Additionally, the GSA gains the 6.5” TFT screen.

The main difference between the GSA and GS versions is the former has a larger fuel capacity. The new GSA carries 30 litres.
On the flip side, all the upgrades come with an 8kg weight penalty. The 2019 BMW R 1250 GS Adventure weighs a hefty 268kg with 90% fuel, ready to ride.
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FIRST LOOK: 2021 Harley-Davidson Sportster S Arrived In Malaysia – RM92,900

From concept to reality in under two years, the all-new Harley-Davidson Sportster S now lands in Malaysia with a starting price of RM92,900.
Didi Resources, the sole distributor of the Harley-Davidson brand in Malaysia, recently unveiled the new Sportster S officially at Tropicana Grandhill Property Gallery in Genting Highlands.

We also had the opportunity to test out the new Sportster S; however, we will hold on to our thoughts until we have the bike for a proper review later.
Harley-Davidson first unveiled the 1250 Custom in July 2018, a concept motorcycle dubbed to be the heir to the throne of the ageing Sporster range.

Three years later, the Milwaukee-based company finally unveiled the finished product with the 2021 Sportster S.
The new Sportster S is set to take the world by storm thanks to the acclaimed 1250 Revolution Max, a liquid-cooled, DOHC, 1,252cc V-Twin powerplant capable of producing 121hp and 127Nm.

In an effort to make the riding experience even better, the Sportster comes with variable valve timing (VVT) and self-adjusting lifters, the same function available on the Pan America.

According to Harley-Davidson, the powertrain also function as a stressed member, thus eliminating the traditional frame, which significantly reduces motorcycle weight to just 227kg and results in a very stiff chassis that contributes to precise handling.
The Sportster also comes equipped with a preload-adjustable Showa (piggyback) rear shock connected to the steel trellis swingarm and a fully adjustable 43mm Showa upside/down fork.

A four-piston Brembo radial calliper handles the braking with a 320mm disc at the front and a two-piston Brembo calliper at the rear with a 260mm disc.
Harley’s even generous enough to fit the motorcycle with a six-axis IMU that offers cornering enhanced antilock brakes, enhanced traction control, Drag-Torque Slip Control System, and tire-pressure monitoring system.

To complete the 21st-century features, the Sportster S sport a spherical 4″ TFT instrument, all-around LED-lighting, three riding modes with two custom setups and Bluetooth connectivity.
Other notable functions include:

two dedicated power points for pre-wired heated grips
USB-C port
Cruise control
Temperature sensor
12L tank

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Malaysian Women Bikers Participating in Women Riders World Relay (WRWR)

Malaysian women bikers are set to Women Riders World Relay (WRWR).

Ladies of Harley and Anita Yusof (part of GIVI Bella) are involved.

GIVI Asia sponsored helmets and backpacks to some of the participants.

The ride begins on 27thApril 2019 led by Ladies of Harley from HDPJ.

It used to be that women bikers are a novelty among the motorcycling community. But the Women Riders World Relay (WRWR) is set to change that perception.
The “event” seeks to unite women riders the world over, as women riders from one country hand over a GPS “baton” to those in another. The relay also transcends the different cliques and types of motorcycles.
Tina Sharman, the Ripple Rally Ambassador clarified on a number of details:

The main WRWR is a worldwide event and will reach Malaysia in August.
In the the Global Relay, a baton is passed from woman to woman while travelling by motorcycle through 80 countries on a round-the-world route.
As such, the Global Relay consists of long day rides and the majority of them on highways to cover as much distance as possible. It is so to cover the entire globe within 1 year.
Therefore, the Global Relay requires registration, fees and signed waiver to participate.
In the Global Relay, men can join as companions but are not allowed to carry the baton. Conversely, it is up to the teams to invite male riders to the Ripple Relay.
On the other hand, the Ripple Relay is more leisurely and planned around the individual or team’s schedule. The only objective is to pass the flag around within 1 year.
No registration and fees are required for the Ripple Relays. Teams are only expected to communicate with other teams to pass the flag. The handover will be photographed and shared on social media.
Thereby, in support of the main relay, “Ripple Relays” are held in each country where rides are conducted throughout the year.
Consequently, instead of using the GPS baton, the Ripple Rally will hand over the Malaysian flag among various Team Leaders or Women Riding Clubs while travelling through the country.
The Malaysian flag will ultimately travel to London in February 2020 for the WRWR closing ceremony.

As such, Malaysian women bikers are set to join the event which begins on 27thApril 2019. The inaugural ride will be led by the Ladies of Harley from Harley-Davidson of Petaling Jaya. They will ride through Melaka, to highlight the attractions in the state.

A preview to the Malaysian ride was hosted recently by GIVI Asia Sdn. Bhd. GIVI Asia has been active in supporting women bikers in the country, having hosted a ladies-only ride and camp not too long ago. In fact, GIVI Asia’s brand ambassador is none other than Anita Yusof who rode her motorcycle around the world.

Present at the preview were Anita, the Ladies of Harley and ladies of other motorcycle groups. Sam Sharman, the Marketing Manager of GIVI Asia handed over GIVI helmets and backpacks to those present.
Nor Cillia (left) with Sam Sharman
BikesRepublic.com interviewed a number of the ladies including Tina Sharman (as Ambassador of the Ripple Rally), Sue Rahman and Nor Cillia Omar (of Ladies of Harley), plus Anita Yusof (representing GIVI Bella).
Tina Sharman
BikesRepublic.com:Can you tell us a little bit more about WRWR?
Tina Sharman:WRWR was set up by Hayley Bell in 2018 in the UK. It’s to highlight that there are more and more women bikers in the world. However, there’s still very little in terms of support for women bikers, especially when it comes to riding gear.
Sumai with Sam
You go into a shop and you’ll find the gear are all for men. Instead, there are maybe 2 pieces and invariably in pink!

WRWR is a relay but carried out on motorcycles. The batons are GPS trackers, but it isn’t a “linear” relay. Instead it’s a “ripple relay” (like how ripples in water propagate outwards) which covers all corners of the globe. Besides that, the different groups in Malaysia will hand over the Malaysian flag.

Sumai is now currently arranging the groups, there are close to 15 of them. As part of ripple relay, they will take their own routes on different dates so that the rides don’t overlap. The Malaysian ride covers both West and East Malaysia.
We want this unity among all women bikers. This is the best platform.

There are many different routes being planned to cover all states in Malaysia. For example, Sumai will lead the off-road group, while Anita leads the GIVI Bellas. In doing so, we will also highlight the beauty of Malaysia to the overseas riders.

BikesRepublic.com:How far will each group ride, at average?
Anita Yusof:We encourage ladies on all types of bikes and engine capacities, including those on kapchais. But they are still willing to ride long distance and camp. Some routes are over Labour Day weekend, so it depends.

The longest route will start from Ipoh – Kedah – Penang – Perlis – Kelantan – Terengganu – Cameron Highlands (Pahang).
BikesRepublic.com: Is there another underlying theme behind your participation in WRWR besides sisterhood?
Tina Sharman: It’s also to show what we can do. The women riding scene really started in 2016, so it shows how far we’ve come within three years.
We will also contribute towards charity during the WRWR rides.

BikesRepublic.com:As for you Anita, which group will you be heading?
Anita Yusof:I’ll be leading GIVI Bella. Sam (Sharman) of GIVI Asia had organized ride and camp trips for guys. After my ride in Africa I decided to approach him and propose ride and camp trips for ladies as well. He liked the idea, since we are GIVI Explorer. The theme is Explore, Enjoy. This is the way to promote the lifestyle of exploring and riding.

For the WRWR, GIVI Bella will ride to Pangkor Island to camp. GIVI Bella covers all ladies on all motorcycles.
Sue Rahman with Sam
BikesRepublic.com: Chilla (Nor Chilla Omar), can you tell us more about Ladies of Harley’s role in WRWR?
Nor Chilla Omar: We (Ladies of Harley) will be the first to start the ride and we are very excited. We are trying to gather as many women bikers as we can, regardless of what bike they ride. We would like this sisterhood to grow and that more ladies will start riding.

We plan to start the ride from Harley-Davidson of Petaling Jaya (HDPJ) on 27th April. We will then ride to landmarks around Kuala Lumpur. We are planning to ride to the Sepang International Circuit, for the ladies to ride on the circuit itself. From there, we are going to ride along the trunk roads to Pantai Klebang and into Melaka.

It’s a great opportunity to show may we have in Malaysia including the gastronomical delights! We hope to draw the attention of the world to Kuala Lumpur, Melaka and Malaysia.

Conclusion
So, ladies please block your calendars for the Women Riders World Relay! It’s going to be blast!
PICTURE GALLERY

				Sue Rahman with Sam

				Sumai with Sam

				Nor Cillia (left) with Sam Sharman

				Tina Sharman

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What do Motorcycle Names Mean? (Part 1)

Motorcycle names can be as interesting as the bikes themselves.

There are ones which made you wonder what they mean.

There are just too many, thus we’ll break them into parts.

Motorcycle names can be as interesting as the bikes themselves. Manufacturers usually choose them based on heritage, branding, range or the kind of emotions they allude to.
There are too many to think about, so we’ll put in what comes to mind.
1. BMW GS

The “GS” moniker made its appearance in 1980 with the R 80 G/S. It stands for Gelände/Straße (or Strasse), or off-road/road in German. Appropriate for the dual-sport bike.
2. Ducati 851, 888, 916, 995,996, 999, 1098

Ducati superbikes were named with numbers between the 750 SS/Pantah and Panigale. The numbers simply pointed out the bikes’ engine capacities. Other models had and do have their capacities in their names, of course, but they include specific names such as Hypermotard, Monster, Multistrada, Scrambler, Supersport.
3. Ducati Panigale

The Panigale is named after the Borgo Panigale industrial district in Bologna, Italy. It’s also where Ducati calls home. Do make sure that your Panigale doesn’t have the “e” missing, because “Panigal” is a soap manufacturer in the same district.
4. Ducati Paso 750
1989 750 Passo
Debuting in EICMA 1985, the Ducati Paso 75- was a tribute to Italian GP racer Renzo Pasolini. Popularly known as “Paso,” he crashed during the 250cc Monza race in 1973. Jarno Saarinen (who pioneered the kneedown technique) who was directly behind couldn’t avoid Paso and also crashed. The accident caused a chain reaction which involved 12 riders and took the lives of Paso and Saarinen.
5. Triumph Bonneville
Triumph Bonneville T100 Black
This one is quite easy. The Bonneville Salt Flats in Utah, United States is the prime location where land speed records are made or broken. As for the Triumph Bonneville, it’s an homage to the “Devil’s Arrow,” piloted by Johnny Allen in 1955. The “streamliner” (which basically looks like a rocket) was powered by a Triumph 650cc parallel-Twin which was tuned to burn methanol. It hit a two-way average speed of 311 km/h.
6. Triumph Thruxton

The Thruxton name is actually a racetrack in the UK. But Triumph had built special models for the Thruxton 500 endurance in 1969. They came away with 1st, 2nd, and 3rd placings. It was the start of the café racer era.
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Yamaha YZF-R6 20th Anniversary Unveiled in Japan

Yamaha YZF-R6 20th Anniversary - Photo credit planetjapanblog.blogspot.com

The Yamaha YZF-R6 20th Anniversary was unveiled in Japan recently.

However, there was no additional data.

But it ought to be the same as the current R6.

The Yamaha YZF-R6 20th Anniversary was unveiled in Japan during a YZF-R Owners Meeting at the Sugo racetrack recently.
There wasn’t any information accompanying the launch, unfortunately, except that the variant commemorates the introduction of the first YZF-R6 in 1999.

The R6 was a groundbreaking motorcycle when it was launched. It was the first production motorcycle to utilize ride-by-wire throttle, which Yamaha calls YCC-T for Yamaha Computer Controlled Throttle. It was from here that the technology was soon adopted throughout the industry. Additionally, it marked the beginning of rider selectable ride and power modes.
Anyway, Yamaha had introduced the R6 to challenge the Honda CBR600F and later CBR600RR’s supremacy in the middleweight class. Unlike the Honda, the R6 had an alloy frame. The engine was claimed to produce 120 hp at 13,000 RPM. While it didn’t sound a lot, it translated to the first production bike to measure 200 hp per litre. Besides that, it had the shortest wheelbase and lightest weight of 169kg dry in its segment.
Photo credit planetjapanblog.blogspot.com
The current YZF-R6 produces 117 hp at 14,500 RPM, probably because Yamaha revised the engine to provide more midrange rather than outright horsepower.
Anyway, let’s savour the pictures of this 20th Anniversary special edition.
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Boon Siew Honda introduces the new 2017 Honda CBR250R – From RM21,940

Boon Siew Honda (BSH) has just announced the latest 2017 Honda CBR250R in our Malaysian market.
The new and improved CBR250R comes with a 250cc liquid-cooled, four-stroke, fuel-injected, DOHC single cylinder engine that produces 27hp @ 8,500rpm and 23.3Nm of torque @ 7,500rpm.
Prices starts from RM21,940.94 to RM22,258.94 (basic prices with GST).

Big news from Boon Siew Honda! They have just announced the new 2017 Honda CBR250R here in Malaysia. With the catchy tagline “Gear Up, Your Dream Awaits”, the new CBR250R sports bike is all about style and performance paired with classic CBR qualities.

This entry-level 250cc sports bike from Honda is one of the best options out there for those looking to start their passion in big bikes. Thanks to its improved handling dynamics and ease of use, the new CBR250R is suited for all sorts of riding whether it’s commuting daily to work or going for a fun Sunday ride on mountain roads.

The CBR250R for 2017 is equipped with a 250cc liquid-cooled, four-stroke, fuel-injected, DOHC single cylinder engine that produces a good 27hp upon hitting 8,500rpm and 23.3Nm of torque at 7,500rpm. This forgiving yet fun engine offers great flexibility including a newly-designed exhaust that gives the rider an uplifting soundtrack across the rpm range.

The diamond-shaped frame is connected to the front telescopic forks and Pro-Link rear suspension which gives a nice and balanced ride. Coupled with all-round 17-inch wheels, the new CBR250R is said to have a much smoother and dynamic riding feel.

Interested in getting a brand new 2017 Honda CBR250R of your very own? Boon Siew Honda is offering them at RM21,940.94 for the Black colourway and RM22,258.94 if you opt for the Millennium Red or Lemon Ice Yellow (basic prices with GST). All new 2017 Honda CBR250R comes with  a two year or 20,000km manufacturing warranty (whichever comes first).
CLICK HERE to check out all of the other Honda bikes available here in Malaysia via our exclusive Bike Buyer’s Guide.

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Yamaha Ego Gear 2023 Arrives In New Colourway – RM5,998

Hong Leong Yamaha Motor (HLYM) is thrilled to announce the introduction of vibrant new colors for their popular model, the Yamaha EGO Gear.

This latest update aims to enhance the overall appeal and style of the motorcycle, offering riders an opportunity to make a bold statement on the road.
Priced at RM 5,998 this model offers exceptional value for money.

The Yamaha EGO Gear will now be available in three stunning colors: Yellow, Blue, and Green. These eye-catching hues are designed to capture attention and cater to the diverse preferences of motorcycle enthusiasts. Whether riders are seeking a vibrant and energetic look or a cool and sophisticated vibe, these new color options provide ample choices.

Powering the Ego Gear is a a 125cc BluCore engine with Smart Motor Generator that’s capable of producing 9.3hp @ 8,000 rpm and 9.6 Nm @ 5,500 rpm. It also comes with a USB charging socket and an anti-slip footpad.

Starting from 4 July 2023, the Yamaha EGO Gear in its new color selection can be purchased at any authorized Yamaha dealer across the nation.

As usual with each purchase of the new Ego Gear, customers will receive a Yamaha safety disc lock worth RM 100. This additional benefit emphasizes Yamaha’s commitment to rider safety and security.
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Has MV Agusta recovered?

Has MV Agusta recovered from its reported mounting financial crisis?

After the recent debut of its one-off collaboration with Zagato called the F4Z, it was safe to assume that things may be on the up again for the MV Agusta brand. But, before we digress further, here’s a recap of things.
Earlier this year, MV Agusta reportedly had to scale down its operations and budgets somewhat drastically. The Varese-based brand had reached a point where its finances, specifically its cash flow, weren’t stable yet again.

This was indeed a huge blow for the firm despite having secured Mercedes-AMG as a key shareholder early on, which also allowed the easy approval of several loans for the marque to expand its business as well.
Despite tremendous sales growth since, MV Agusta soon ran itself into a huge debt with suppliers. This rapid sales increase proved too much for its credit line, thus prompting a massive restructuring in its finances and operations.
Giovanni Castiglioni (Right)
The good news here is that the restructuring may have worked in the brand’s favour. In a recent interview with MCN, CEO Giovanni Castiglioni appeared highly optimistic. The exec was keen to highlight that MV Agusta was “back on course” and back to full production capacity as well.
He adds, “We are still working on the final elements of restructuring the company in order for it to become a smaller company that is focused on our core markets like the Brutale models, our three-cylinder bikes and bikes like the Dragster, which have been selling very well.”
Castiglioni even confirmed that MV Agusta will be receiving new investors, and that discussions are on going with them and current shareholders in regards with the marque’s future business progress. This, according to Castiglioni, will likely be confirmed in October.

Crucially, Castiglioni also highlighted that none of MV Agusta’s current models will be discontinued by the upcoming Euro 4 standards’ implementation. He clarified by saying, “No current models will be killed off by Euro4 and all of the new bikes will be released later this year. These will be the new 2017 models and there might a surprise or two later this year too!”
Castiglioni’s last statement likely indicates the strong chances of us seeing a range of new models come EICMA 2016 in November. While the executive didn’t release further details, it looks certain that the MV Agusta brand has indeed undergone a significant business renaissance – one that it desperately needed.
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Shark Helmets Unveil New Spartan RS With ECE22.06 Ratings

Shark Spartan range is among the most popular from the French manufacturer thanks to its versatility to accommodate sports bikes and touring riders.
While the Spartan remains a popular choice, Shark Helmets decided it’s time for an upgrade to meet the latest ECE 22.06 safety ratings.
The Spartan RS is the first Shark helmet to meet the ECE 22.06 ratings, setting a new high for the brand’s 2022 lineup.

Nonetheless, Shark retained several key elements from the previous-gen Spartan, including the carbon fibre and fibreglass shell, UV380 sun visor and Pinlock 120 MaxVision insert.
Thanks to a new VZ 300 visor, the Spartan RS now achieves an optical class 1 rating, the highest certification for reduced optical distortion.

It also features a new 4-point anchoring system taken from the flagship Race-R Pro GP helmet.
Other features include:

retractable sun visor
three air intakes and four air vents
removable Alveotech interior
removable chin curtain
Shark EasyFit (for riders that wears glasses)

The Shark Spartan RS is available from XS and XXL and price at EUR349.99 (RM1.6k).
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2019 BMW R 1250 RT Test & Review, “The Unbeatable”

The 2019 BMW R 1250 RT is fitted with the new 1254cc Boxer with BMW ShiftCam tech.

Outwardly, the new bike looks identical to the R 1200 RT.

But there are small updates here and there that made it even better.

Having tested the previous R 1200 RT, the prospect of testing the 2019 R 1250 RT was very much welcomed, with a dash of curiosity.
For starter, the bike features the new 1254cc Boxer. It’s not just a matter bigger bores only as it features the new BMW ShiftCam variable valve timing tech.

The capacity increase and ShiftCam work together to push maximum power to 136 hp at 7,750 RPM and torque to 143 Nm at 6,250 RPM, up from 125 hp/125 Nm in the previous 1204cc Boxer.
The new Boxer and its transmission in the RT is brought over entirely from the R 1250 GS and R 1250 GS Adventure, including the same gear ratios.
The version we tested here is the Sport version, distinguishable by its Mars Red paintjob and lower windscreen. But it’s fitted the Dynamic Package which includes:

Daytime Running Light (DRL);
Headlight Pro;
An extra Dynamic riding mode;
Auto Hill Start Control (HSC);
Dynamic Brake Control (DBC);
Dynamic Electronic Suspension Adjustment (ESA);
Quickshifter which works for both up- and downshifts;
BMW Keyless Ride.

Standard equipment include:

ABS Pro;
Switchable Automatic Stability Control (ASC);
Anti-hop clutch;
Panniers.
Cruise control.

We’ll leave the equipment list as such as there are so many different ways one could a BMW motorcycle. If so inclined, one could go all out and opt for the Option 719 Package.
I remembered my experience on the previous R 1200 RT fondly. It was big, but it was easier to ride than some 600cc middleweight bikes, I kid you not. It handled like a large scooter and getting through traffic jam wasn’t as difficult as most thought.

So, as I approached the R 1250 RT, it looked exactly like its predecessor. The only things to tell them apart are the spoiler ahead of the transmission and the exhaust headers that are swept further backwards.
I guess there’s no need to change when the old bike’s aerodynamics and design worked so well already.

The ergonomics remain exactly the same: Comfortable to the stage of being coddled.
But I noticed small changes to the TFT screen in the instrument cluster. An added readout was the Hill Stop Control (HSC) icon. Besides that, the Dynamic ESA’s preload settings no longer showed the icons of “helmets and briefcases.” Instead there were the options among MIN, AUTO and MAX. There were two damping settings: ROAD, DYNA (for dynamic)
Personally, the Dynamic ESA settings, HSC and new engine are the real new stuff for the R 1250 RT.
But oh, what difference they make!

First up, the engine drives a whole lot smoother now especially below 4,500 RPM. The engine note becomes louder above that rev and the bike accelerates much faster. However, the way it picked up speed was deceptive. It didn’t have the arm-straightening and neck snapping effect, but you’d be running at 200 km/h in no time. The typically smooth BMW quickshifter contributed to this as well.
Throughout testing I found that it’s best to keep power mode at DYNA during normal riding as the throttle action was more direct. But I’d usually switch to ROAD when I had my wife as the pillion and riding through city traffic. There’s a slight delay in RAIN mode, of course, but the engine’s smooth torque made you forget it pretty soon.

But I’d like to add that the ESA’s preload settings confused me in the first few days. I’d usually keep it in “single helmet” mode in the 1200, so I left it in MIN on the 1250. That gave rise to a heavier feeling bike and steering. I was so confused that I thought there’s too much weight below the fuel tank, which shouldn’t be so for a BMW Boxer…
MAX setting was too tall for my stubby legs… so I chose AUTO for a test, and that sorted out the “problem” immediately. The setting gave the bike optimal chassis balance at all times depending on how much you and your passenger, and the luggage weigh.

As for the ESA’s damping, DYNA worked best as it had more compression and rebound damping to control the shock’s action. The ROAD setting was somehow to soft, resulting in the rear pumping up and down. On the other hand, you’d get ultimate comfort while riding on smooth highways in ROAD setting.
I rode the bike around in KL for a few days, using the bike in a commuter role. I was glad that BMW retained the RT’s signature agility. Yes, the bike was wide, but it was easy to judge the gaps. Also, that Boxer engine, Telelever forks and Paralever swingarm meant that the RT was actually a dressed-up GS. In fact, it was more agile than the GS as the swingarm is much shorter.

As such, I just stood on the footpegs when traffic slowed down to crawling speeds and the RT exhibited had that signature low-speed stability like a GS when I stood up!
Of course, there were instances when there was no gap at all. Drivers were especially kind when they saw the RT and strived to open up gaps. Thank you. But when I had to sit behind cars, I played around with the radio stations and settings. So, there’s nothing to it.

The ultimate riding pleasure was out on the open roads, without doubt. The bike gobbled up the distances so seamlessly that I found myself reaching my destinations almost unexpectedly. There’s this grin I couldn’t wipe off my face when I rode to Ipoh and back.
Talking about the journey back, I was caught in an immense rainstorm that I had only experienced in Cambodia thus far. It was so heavy that I could only see the taillamp of two cars in front! The rain sounded like BB pellets as they pounded my helmet.

But the R 1250 RT? It just kept going. I had set the screen to its highest position and it deflected rain past my helmet’s visor.
I switched to ROAD mode in this rain to see what the bike could do.

And I got what I wished for!
Riding in the right-most lane at 140 km/h (it’s still raining heavily), I switched lanes to visit an R&R ahead. The rear tyre ran over a white line and started sliding. It wasn’t one of those mini-slips, mind you, I glanced down at the handlebar quickly and saw that it had turned right, in opposite lock to the slide.

At this stage, what Sifu Oh Kah Beng and the California Superbike School would tell you is just to relax and ride it out. Yes, that’s right: Do nothing.
I held the throttle open. The slide changed direction to the left, then back to the right, once again to the left… followed by a wiggle at the handlebar… and finally, the bike ran straight at 100 km/h. Why the bike kept sliding was because I was running in a straight path over the white lines. It would’ve been only one slide had I travelled past them and into the next lane.

I’m sure the bike’s automatic stability control had cut in and saved the day, and my skin. I didn’t even feel like my heart had escaped out of my throat. No shaking knees. No WTF was that! No eyeballs as wide as dinner plates. The slide felt controlled, despite the R 1250 RT weighing some 279 kg when fully fueled.
Speaking of fuel, I only refilled the tank once during the KL – Ipoh – KL trip. Ridden carefully, the 25 litre tank has a range of 500 kilometres.

So, there you go, I’ve already mentioned in the R 1200 RT review that I loved the bike for its comfort, handling, features and balance. The R 1250 RT took those attributes and continued with them while adding newer and better functions.
I divide the bikes that I personally like by categories. The R 1250 RT is unbeatable in the luxury sport-tourer category.

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New 2020 Honda BeAT launched in Malaysia – RM5,555

Boon Siew Honda (BSH) conducted a very special Facebook live session where they’ve unveiled a number of interesting things, particularly the updated 2020 Honda BeAT. The unveiling was conducted by Malaysian rap star, Aman RA who also performed his Boon Siew Honda special song, “Semangat Impian”.

Back to the 110cc scooter, the 2020 Honda BeAT gets a host of updates which includes a new 110cc single-cylinder eSP (enhanced Smart Power) fuel-injected engine that is Euro4-compliant that offers great fuel efficiency. This new powerplant produces the same 8.7hp at 7,500rpm but has a higher torque of 9.53Nm at 5,500rpm – 3.3Nm more than the previous model.

The new 2020 Honda BeAT also carries Honda’s new enhanced Smart Architecture Frame (eSAF) that provides a more ‘agile, stable and comfortable’ riding experience. The new BeAT is also lighter by 4kg sitting at only 90kg kerb. Young riders who just obtained their B2 license should be a perfect fit for this Boon Siew Honda AT motorcycle.

Other updates include:

New headlight design
New exterior looks & graphics
Updated designs for taillight, signal light, speedometer and rims
New seat opener & parking brake lock
Larger 4.2-litre fuel tank (0.2-litre increase from previous model)
Larger 11.7-litre underseat storage (0.5-litre increase from previous model)
Combi Brake System (CBS) + more

Those who are interested can book yours at any Boon Siew Honda authorised dealers. Four colour options are up for grabs – Vivacity Red, Force Silver Metallic, Pearl Nightfall Blue and Space Magenta Metallic. Head over to www.boonsiewhonda.com.my for more details.

Written by: Sep Irran
CONFIRMED: 2021 Honda CBR250RR will come to Malaysia!

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Meet The 2023 Yamaha Tenere 700 And Tenere 700 Rally Edition

Yamaha has updated its popular middleweight adventure motorcycle, the Tenere 700and Tenere 700 Rally Edition for 2023.

The 2023 Tenere 700 and Tenere 700 Rally Edition features a new dash and electronic package.
The Tenere 700 is powered by Yamaha’s high-torque CP2 engine.

The Tenere 700 has continued to be a hit among adventure riders since its introduction in 2019, with the bike’s success contributed by its off-road capability as well as excellent value for money compared to the rest of its competitors.
What’s new?
Riders will appreciate the new instrumentation that comes in the form of a 5-inch TFT colour display replacing the outdated LCD digital dash.

The new dash also features smartphone connectivity that can be connected to a smartphone which feeds incoming calls, emails and text messages.
The new display also allows riders to link it to the Yamaha My Ride app.
Other notable updates include pre-wiring for a quickshifiter, USB port, redesigned brake lever and LED turn signal.

Electronically, the 2023 Tenere 700 gets new and improved three switchable ABS modes; ON, OFF and REAR OFF.
Other features available on the 2023 Tenere 700 and 700 Rally Edition include:

lightweight double-cradle tubular steel frame
adjustable 43mm upside-down forks
remotely adjustable rear suspension
21-inch front and 18-inch rear wheel
16L fuel tank
handguards

Powering the 2023 Yamaha Tenere 700 and Tenere 700 Rally Edition is the high torque 690cc 4-stroke, CP2 Euro5-compliant engine that puts out 72.3hp @ 8,750rpm and 67Nm @ 6,500rpm. Power is delivered to the rear wheel via a 6-speed manual transmission with a final chain drive.

Meanwhile, the Rally Edition is fitted with a dedicated rally seat, radiator protector and Akrapovic slip-on muffler as standard.
GALLERY: 2023 Yamaha Tenere 700 and Tenere 700 Rally Edition

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2021 Moto Guzzi V9 Roamer & Bobber unveiled – 65hp, 73Nm

Together with the launch of the 2021 Moto Guzzi V85 TT, the Italian manufacturer also introduced its new 2021 Moto Guzzi V9 range which includes both the Roamer and Bobber. What they’ve basically done is they’ve taken the V85 TT’s engine and stuffed it within the cruiser’s frame.

This resulted in the new 2021 Moto Guzzi V9 range producing 65hp and 73Nm of torque, which is around 10hp and 11Nm torque more than the previous-generation models. With these newly found powers, both the V9 Roamer and Bobber get updated frames for better riding stability and comfort.

Both of these models are also equipped with new rubber-padded footpegs which help to absorb vibrations when riding. In other words, the 2021 Moto Guzzi V9 Roamer and Bobber are now more powerful and comfortable.
If you opt for the Bobber, you’ll also be getting a new saddle, aluminium side panels, revised front mudguard, new digital meter display, and a full LED lighting system which includes the Mandello eagle-styled daytime-running lights.

So far, no word on pricing or availability just yet. The 2021 V9 Roamer comes in the Grigio Lunare colour option, while the V9 Bobber will be available in the very sexy Nero Essenziale finish. Stay tuned for more updates.
Ducati sold almost 10% fewer bikes in 2020

Written by: Sep Irran
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ASB1000: Azlan Shah Signs With SHARK Helmets Malaysia, Ready For Title Defence

Malaysian rider Azlan Shah Kamaruzaman is set to begin his title defence at the 2022 Asia Road Racing (ARRC) with a new helmet.
The 37-year-old rider has officially signed with SHARK Helmets Malaysia – the official distributor of Shark Helmets in the country.

Azlan will wear the SHARK Race-R Pro FIM GP helmet for the upcoming 2022 ARRC season, according to SHARK Helmets Malaysia.
The SHARK Race-R Pro FIM GP features a shell built using reinforced COVA RS (Carbon On View & Aramid Intégral Structure) to fully meet all requirements of the new FIM Intégral #1 standard.

The new 100% Carbon Aramid structure also offers increased resistance to abrasion and compression and enhances the anti-delamination performance.
Apart from the new helmet, Azlan will also compete in the Asia Superbike (ASB) 1000 category with a new partner, former Moto2, Moto3 and CEV rider, Adam Norrodin.
Adam was recently announced as the newest addition at TKKR Racing, with both riders set to compete on board the new BMW S 1000 RR.
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OFFICIAL: SIC And Petronas Mutually Agree To End Partnership

Sepang International Circuit (SIC) and Petronas have mutually agreed to end their partnership as title sponsor of Petronas Sepang Racing Team (SRT).
The official announcement came after an initial report by motorsport.com that Petronas is seeking to withdraw its sponsorship from SRT on Friday.
The Malaysian giant oil company has been the title partner to SIC since 2018, with Petronas Sprinta Racing in Moto2 and Moto3 before the project was expanded to MotoGP with SRT.
“SIC wishes to thank Petronas for the unwavering support during the partnership and a remarkable journey together.
“We respect Petronas decision and mutually agreed that this partnership had accomplished its purpose and objectives. We have enjoyed a meaningful partnership with great achievements and memorable moments with the team.
“I believe this is not the end of our collaboration in motorsports as we continue our quest in nurturing Malaysia’s motorsports talents,” said Azhan Shafriman Hanif, Chief Executive Officer of SIC.
Meanwhile, Datin Anita Azrina Abdul Aziz, Petronas Head of Strategic Communications, lamented that it was the right time to conclude the partnership.
“We entered into this partnership with SIC to showcase our R&D capabilities, and we are proud that PETRONAS Fluid Technology Solutions have been instrumental towards establishing the team’s status as a championship contender.
“Together, we have created some standout moments in the sport, serving as an indication that we have achieved what we set out to do, and we feel it is the right time for us to conclude the partnership.
“On behalf of PETRONAS, we would like to express our gratitude to SIC for their commitment towards ensuring the success of the partnership,” she explained.
Meanwhile, SIC suggests that SRT will continue in MotoGP from 2022 under a new independent entity, with an official announcement to be made soon, including the dissolution of Moto2 and Moto3.
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2017 Honda RC213V Livery Revealed

Classic Repsol Honda colours

New “big bang” engine

New SC-Project exhausts

Repsol Honda has taken off the wraps to unveil their latest machineries for the 2017 MotoGP season. The all-new Repsol Honda RC213V might look very similar like the previous season but it has definitely gone through quite a few changes in order to be more competitive this year.

The unveiling of the new bikes was made during a launch in Indonesia a couple of days back showing a rather unchanged but timeless Repsol Honda colours.  The only major difference in terms of the paint job is the white fuel tank which was the Repsol Orange last season.

The fairings also went through a minor update to comply with the ban of winglets this year. Although no major changes to the overall fairing design, what’s lies beneath is a different monster altogether. The boys over at Repsol Honda are currently experimenting on a new “big bang” setup to the powerful 240hp engine in order to solve the problem of corner exit speed.

Based on what Marc Marquez commented during the recent winter test over at Sepang, the problem is still present even with the new engine setup. On the other hand, Marquez did set the second fastest lap of the testing despite the drawbacks.

The other major change to their 2017 bikes is the swap to SC-Project exhausts. Based on the looks, the overall looks remains unchanged apart from the slightly longer side exhaust as compared to the previous shorter version design from Termignoni. We’re guessing that the new exhaust setup is to compensate for steady power delivery from the new engine firing order.

With the MotoGP line-up being more competitive than ever, Dani Pedrosa and Marc Marquez will need to work harder than ever to compete with the likes of Yamaha, Ducati, Suzuki, KTM and Aprilia. For the fans, things will more interesting and we here at Bikes Republic can’t wait for the season opener in Qatar.
Stay tuned to Bikes Republic for more MotoGP updates.
Image source: Repsol Honda

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Kawasaki, Kymco Among The New Members Joining Swappable Battery Consortium

The Swappable Batteries Motorcycle Consortium (SBMC) has expanded from its first four founding members to 21 in just a year after its establishment in September 2021.

SBMC welcomes 17 new members to support the initiative.
Kymco and Kawasaki among listed as new members of the SBMC.

 The consortium was originally founded by Yamaha, KTM, Honda and Piaggio which is equivalent to Iron Man, Thor, Hulk and Captain America founding the Avengers.
While it took many years for the Avengers to expand, SBMC only took a year to add 17 other members.
 “The underlying aim of the Consortium is to find solutions to the concerns customers may have regarding the future of electromobility, such as the range, the charging time and infrastructure, and costs,” said SBMC.
According to the official statement, those members include motorcycle manufacturers, tech companies, and others that work in similar fields.
The list of SBC members includes:

AVL
Ciklo
Fivebikes
Foresee Power
Hioki
Honda
Hyba
Japanese Automobile Manufacturers Association
Kawasaki
KTM
Kymco
Niu
Piaggio
Polaris
Roki
Samsung SDI
Sinbon
Sumitomo
Suzuki
Swobbee
Vitesco
VeNetWork
Yamaha

As reported previously, SBMC aims to standardise battery specifications while also improving the charging infrastructure.
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Shell Advance Asia Talent Cup 2015 Rd. 1 – Somkiat takes victory on home soil!

Thai rider Somkiat Chantra makes history after taking maiden series win on home soil in the first Shell Advance Asia Talent Cup 2015 race.

The Shell Advance Asia Talent Cup 2015’s first race of the season took off on a thunderous note here in the Chang International Circuit, Buriram, Thailand. The 16-lap race saw Thai riders Nakarin ‘Chip’ Atiratphuvapat and Somkiat Chantra taking full advantage of their home ground, but the day ultimately belonged to Somkiat who took the chequered flag in first place.

Now in his second season of the Shell Advance Asia Talent Cup, Somkiat took his first victory in the series ahead of second-placed Ayumu Sasaki from Japan, and Indonesian series rookie Gerry Salim who placed third. Somkiat’s victory however did not come easy as both he and Chip Nakarin had an intense fight on their hands against the Japanese trio of Sasaki, Takuma Kunimine and rookie Kazuki Masaki, Malaysia’s Helmi Azman and Adam Norrodin, as well as Indonesian duo Gerry and Andi Izdihar.

The six-way battle across16-lap unfolded first with Chip Nakarin overtaking pole-sitter Helmi Azman at the start of Race 1, followed by countryman Somkiat seizing the early initiative as well. Despite dropping down the order, both Helmi Azman and Adam Norrodin put up a brilliant fight alongside their Thai counterparts in fending off the strong pace of Kunimine, Sasaki, and rookie Masaki.

A slight contact between between Helmi and Kunime ended the former’s run, whilst Izidihar’s strong charges ended with disappointment after crashing out during the mid-point of the race. And, despite successfully fending off Sasaki, Kunimine, and Masaki, Chip Nakarin was forced wide whilst tackling one of the most difficult heavy braking points of the Chang International Circuit with just over a lap left.

The six-way battle’s outcome only became clear during the final corner on the final lap, with Somkiat leading the pack to take the chequered flag in front of an elated home crowd with Sasaki and Gerry not far in tow in second and third respectively, with Gerry charting the first podium scored by an Indonesian rider in the series. Rookie Masaki took fourth, with Chip Nakarin settling for fifth, and Adam Norrodin in a strong sixth.

Whilst the Thai’s celebrated, the Malaysian encampment’s progress in Race 1 is bittersweet to say the least. Despite having secured pole position, Helmi Azman could only settle for eighth place as a result of his contact with one of the Japanese trio in the lead group.

Shafiq Rasol, on the other hand, could only muster a ninth place finish in Race 1, whilst rookie Azroy Anuar classified fourteenth. For the towering Pasir Gudang native Fakhrusy Rostam, his first race of the season came to a disappointing conclusion after crashing out following a contact with Japanese rookie rider Ryusei Yamanaka.

The upshot to this is the improved race craft shown by Helmi Azman and Adam Norrodin. Together with Shafiq Rasol, the trio have kick started their Shell Advance Asia Talent Cup 2015 campaign on a good note, scoring crucial championship points in the process. Hopefully, things would fare better for our boys in Race 2 tomorrow with Helmi still holding the advantage of starting from pole position.

The season-opening weekend’s Race 2 is scheduled to take place tomorrow at 11:30am (local time) prior to the weekend’s scheduled World Superbike Championship (WSBK) main events. Stay tuned here for more updates as it comes along.

In the meantime, enjoy our extensive photo gallery below or on our official Facebook page as well.
Shell Advance Asia Talent Cup 2015 Round 1 – Race 1 Thailand
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WorldSBK: 2018 season starts this weekend in Australia!

The 2018 WorldSBK season will begin this weekend from 23 to 25 February 2018.
The opening Yamaha Finance Australian round was officially launched at the Phillip Island Grand Prix circuit.
Race 1 will start at 12 pm local time tomorrow (Saturday) and Race 2 (Sunday) at the same time.

Get ready, folks. The 2018 WorldSBK season will begin this weekend and it promises to be one of the most interesting ones yet. The iconic Phillip Island Grand Prix circuit will play host to the Yamaha Finance Australian opening round where the superbike boys will duke it out once again.

With new rules and regulations thrown into the mix this year, the 2018 FIM Superbike World Championship will bring the grid closer together than ever before with tighter races, more level playing field and opportunities for other manufacturers to catch up to Kawasaki and Ducati.

The boys had their time on the 2018 machines just a few days back to finalise their machinery for this season. Unsurprisingly, Jonathan Rea of Kawasaki Racing Team (KRT) took his latest Kawasaki Ninja ZX-10RR race-bred superbike to the top of the timesheets ahead of Ducati’s Aruba.it Racing Marco Melandri.

Tom Sykes seems to be more ready this year with the third fastest time during last weekend’s testing. The next rider sitting in P4 was Eugene Laverty (Milwaukee Aprilia) on board the RSV4 RF. He impressively managed to take his Aprilia within half a second gap of the top runners of the testing.

Chaz Davies (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati) seems to be struggling with his Ducati Panigale R last weekend. He finished the testing in P11 which was a whole second slower than last year’s champion, Jonathan Rea. Rea and Davies constantly battled each other last year and by the looks of things, things might be a lot different.

Free Practice will start this morning whereas the Superpole qualifying sessions will begin tomorrow (24 February 2018) at 9.30 am local time. As for the races, get your gears ready as the lights will go out for Race 1 on Saturday and Sunday (Race 2) at 12 pm local time right after the conclusion of the WorldSSP race which starts 10.30am.
Image source: WorldSBK
WorldSBK: Ducati unveils final Ducati Panigale V-Twin race bike!

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SECOND PODIUM FOR KHAIRUL IDHAM AT CATALUNYA

Khairul Idham Pawi delivered a sterling performance to bag his second consecutive podium in the Moto3 Junior World Championship at the Catalunya Circuit in Spain on Sunday.
The Honda Team Asia rider who started from front row mounted a serious challenge for victory throughout the 16-lap race but rival, Aron Canet got the better of the budding Malaysian during the final sprint to the finish line.

In the end Khairul settled for second in 30’03.480s, 0.083 seconds adrift Aron while Italian, Nicola Bulega completed the podium steps in third place. This marks Khairul’s second podium finish since stepping up to the Moto3 Junior Championship after claiming the 2014 Asia Dream Cup title.
His first podium was in the second leg at the legendary Le Mans Circuit in France where he bagged a second place finish.

FIM CEV REPSOL.
Round 3 – Catalunya Circuit
Honda Team Asia – Khairul Idham Pawi
Moto3 Race Results
Moto3 Race Results
1.Aron Canet (SPA) 30’03.397s
2.Khairul Idham Pawi (MAS) 30’03.480s
3.Nicola Bulega (ITA) 30’05.162s
4.Albert Arenas (SPA) 30’05.391s
5.Lorenzo Dalla Porta (ITA) 30’05.454s
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MSC 2015 Rd. 1 – Ducati 899 Cup Raceday

Inaugural Ducati 899 Cup Race Series Malaysia ends debut race weekend with its first two winners.

The inaugural Ducati 899 Cup Race Series Malaysia ends its debut race weekend on a high note after crowning its first two winners.

Organised by the Ducati Club of Malaysia (DCM), the new support event of the revamped Pirelli Malaysia Superbike Championship 2015 (MSC 2015) saw 13 riders form up its grid and competing over two categories – 899 Superstock and the 1199 Superstock. Two races were held on Sunday, each lasting 8 laps around the 5.5km-long Sepang International Circuit (SIC).

Whilst things got off to a smooth start for Race 1, drama soon ensued when it was red-flagged after just three laps. This came after one of the grid rider’s experienced mechanical issues and began leaking fluids on the track. As a result, three other riders and their machines fell victim to this, forcing the race’s suspension.

Race 1 resumed after circuit officials cleared most of the leaked oil, continuing with three more laps instead. Though shortened by two laps, the first race was a memorable one indeed for rider Syamsul Bakhtiar Bin Esa as he was the first of the remaining eight riders to claim the chequered flag.

Syamsul also took victory in the 1199 Superstock class, sharing the podium with Muhammad Akhimullah Zalani in second, Zulkiply Bin Yahya in third, and Mohd Khairul Baharudin in Fourth.
In the event’s 899 Superstock category, Muhammad Hidayat Bin Harun claimed victory. He in joined on the podium by Hasli Abdul Hamid in second, Muhammad Aeri Azlan in third, and Amir Rafiq Abd. Rahman in fourth.

Syamsul would later repeat that feat in Race 2 scheduled in the later part of the day, only this time without any disruptions. Race 2 ran without incident for its scheduled eight laps. The 1199 Superstock category podium rostrum saw a repeat of Race 1, with Syamsul in first, Akhimullah in second, Zulkiply in third, and Khairul Baharudin in fourth.

The 899 Supestock category, on the other hand, saw a slight change in its podium rostrum. Whilst Hidayat retained his top spot on the podium, rider Muhammad Aeri Azlan managed to move up into second, relegating Hasli Abdul Hamid down into third, whilst Amir Rafiq rounded up the podium in fourth.
The day ends with Syamsul Bakhtiar crowned as the overall winner in the 1199 Superstock category, whilst Muhammad Hidayat takes the overall win in the 899 Superstock category.
The Ducati 899 Cup Series is set to return for its second round along with the second round of the MSC 2015 at the end of July. Check out more photos from the weekend in our extensive gallery below and on our official BikesRepublic.com Facebook page as well.
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Police Caught Singaporean Bikers with Taped Up Plates

The Malaysian police have caught the Singaporean bikers with taped up number plates.

Malaysian Inspector-General of the Police confirmed the news

They paid up their summons.

PDRM caught the Singaporeans bikers who taped up their bikes’ number plates yesterday.
PDRM showed a radar gun picture of a Suzuki Hayabusa travelling at 253 km/h, although they did not specify where the group was stopped.

Another picture of a PDRM highway patrol car stopped in front of the motorcycles outside a petrol station shop. The bikers were seen taking selfies and smiling nonchalantly.

The next set of photos saw them paying up their summons at a PDRM payment counter. We assume they were escorted to the nearest police station.

Inspector-General of Police Tan Sri Dato’ Sri Mohamad Fuzi Harun confirmed that the group were Singaporeans and the dashcam video was caught in Johor Bahru. “We have taken action against those bikers involved, regardless if they are locals, what more foreigners,” he added during a media press conference yesterday.
The Royal Malaysian Police had set up roadblocks and speed traps on Malaysia’s main highways and roads in conjunction with the Chinese New Year. Major celebrations in the country always sees the exodus of thousands of Malaysians to their hometowns and holiday destinations. So, it was foolhardy to pull such a “trick.”

This unruly bunch were lucky they didn’t get involved in accidents and causing even more difficulties to highway users during this busy time.
In any case, well done, PDRM.
All pictures: Info Roadblock PDRM/JPJ
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This Gadget Reminds You To Turn Off Your Blinkers

Most premium bikes now come fitted with self-cancelling turn indicators, but how many of us can afford the price tag that comes with it?
So for us who can’t afford to own a technologically advanced bike, we tend to forget to turn off the blinkers considering we can’t hear the ticking sound.
However, the days of forgetting to turn off your indicators might come to an end as someone has just invented a Bluetooth intercom system called Indimate, that reminds you to turn off your blinkers after a turn.
The mechanism is simple; when the indicator is turned on, it transmits an acoustic signal to the Bluetooth unit in the helmet. (Yes, the Indimate can only function if you installed Bluetooth comms on your helmet.)
Meanwhile, you can mount the Intimate anywhere on the motorcycle; however, Nicolas Rogers, the man behind the device, suggest it’s best to hide it under the seat to prevent theft.
According to Rogers, the installation process is simple. There are four cables, and each needs to be connected to the right and left indicator, one ground and one on the battery positive terminal.
Interestingly, Indimate also allow riders to use it as a Wi-Fi hotspot and pair it to their smartphones. While connected, riders can hear the indicator ticks in the background while listening to music, during a phone call or while communicating with fellow riders.
The Indimate is expected to cost around USD70 (RM292) and will be available for pre-orders soon.
(Source: Motorrad Online)
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QJMotor SRK 400 launches in Europe

QJMotor SRK 400 starter naked launches in Europe, packs a 400cc parallel-twin with desirable styling and tempting price tag.

QJMotor SRK 400 entry-level naked streetfighter launches in Europe this week.

It packs a decent 400cc DOHC twin-cylinder heart plus sharp styling and a tempting price.

Notable features include full-colour TFT dash display.

Chinese motorcycle manufacturer QJMotor is hard at work again. This week, the firm has launched the QJMotor SRK 400 entry-level naked bike in Europe, packing a respectable powertrain package matched with sharp styling and a tempting price tag.
Much of the styling cues are akin to what we’ve seen from its sister Italian brand Benelli. Underneath, the SRK 400 is motivated by a liquid-cooled 400cc DOHC parallel-twin that’s reportedly good for 41.5HP and 37NM.
Notable features present aboard include a full-colour TFT digital dash plus a sizeable 13.5-litre fuel tank capacity.

Obviously, it is poised to rival against things like the Kawasaki Z400 and KTM 390 Duke. Compared to said rivals, the SRK 400 is a tad larger and heavier, the latter made apparent as it is the heftiest in class with its claimed 186KG weight figure – roughly 20KG more.
Despite so, this Chinese fighter does have a huge advantage in price, which reportedly reads at €5,800 (approx. RM 26,602.77). Said figure sees this starter naked undercut the bulk of its competition anywhere between €200 to €450 (approx. RM917.34 to RM2,064.01).
While it looks promising, the overall market reception of the QJMotor SRK 400 in Europe remains to be seen. Though given how this particular Chinese marque, as well as a few others, have progressed, we reckon it’s a matter of time.

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2020 KTM 890 Duke R launched online – “Super Scalpel”

KTM has officially unveiled the 2020 KTM 890 Duke R via an online YouTube presentation due to all the restrictions placed by the unprecedented COVID-19 pandemic. Determined to not stop them in their tracks, the latest big boy Duke was presented with the nickname “Super Scalpel”.

If you thought that the KTM 790 Duke was already super fun and sexy, KTM dropped the bomb with an even extreme version of what naked bikes are capable of. The biggest difference between the two is obviously the engine where the new KTM 890 Duke R carries a bigger bore and stroke (90.7mm & 68.8mm) which now produces a hefty 122hp @ 9,250rpm and 99Nm @ 7,750rpm.

Almost everything from the 790 Duke R 799cc engine has been upgraded for the 890 like increased intake and exhaust valves, enhanced compression ratio, more aggressive camshaft profiles with added rotational mass, new connecting rods, forged box pistons (lighter too), balance shaft, and more to keep everything running aggressively fun yet smooth.

The transmission setup has been slightly enhanced with lighter springs and shorter lever travel for more efficient gear shifts. Go for the optional Quickshifter+ and you’ll get an even more exciting up and downshifts without having to use the clutch.

Apart from the upgraded powerhouse of an engine, the electronics is where the bike shines even further. The additions of new 6D IMU lean angle sensor works together with Cornering ABS, traction control, and other techs to allow riders to fully control tyre drifts, wheelies and power all together. In short, the new 890 Duke R is not only more powerful but smarter as well.

The suspension area is taken care of by WP Suspension’s Apex unit that allows for full adjustably on both front and back. It’s a more ‘top shelf’ spec compared to the 790 and combined with higher seat height, the 890 has better anti-squat properties for riders to really break away after corner exits.

The brakes are probably the biggest differences with all other KTM models available to date as they come standard with Brembo Stylema brakes. When it comes to road-legal bikes, there’s arguably no better calipers in the market and the 890 Duke R deserves this premium treatment.

If you think naked bikes don’t belong in the track of any races, you’d be surprised at what the new 2020 KTM 890 Duke R is capable of. Its ‘Ready-To-Race’ ergonomics offers lower and flatter tapered bars with adjustable position on the triple clamp. It gets even more aggressive with higher and rearward footpegs, which is as aggressive as it can get for a naked bike.

You would think that the KTM 890 Duke R would be a pricey beast but for the US market, it’s just a grand more than the 790 – $11,699 to be exact (around RM50,622). That would be translated to a whole different price if KTM Malaysia decides to bring one over as the 790 was priced around the RM65,000 mark when it was launched a couple of years back.
MotoGP: Has KTM ‘found’ something for 2020?

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Honda announces 300 million bikes built

Honda Motor Co., Ltd. today announced that they have reached a cumulative worldwide motorcycle production of 300 million-unit milestone in September 2014 this year
.Honda held a ceremony at Kumamoto Factory, the company’s primary motorcycle production plant in Japan, to celebrate reaching the 300 million-unit milestone which is a 40th Anniversary Edition Gold Wing.
It all started 66 years ago in Japan in 1949 when when Honda began mass-production of the Dream Type-D.
Production outside of Japan began in Belgium in 1963, and since then Honda has been expanding its local production to many countries around the world including Malaysia based on Honda’s commitment to “build products close to the customer.” Currently they are producing motorcycles in 33 plants in 22 countries.
“Thanks to support from our customers and all of the people involved in development, production and sales, Honda was able to reach the 300 million-unit milestone.
We will continue to provide products that will please our customers in each country and region in the world,” said Takanobu Ito, president and CEO of Honda Motor Co., Ltd.
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Bigger and more powerful Yamaha Ténéré 900 in the pipelines?

Sources indicate that a larger and peppier Yamaha Ténéré 900 is already in advanced development stages.

Yamaha Ténéré 900 reportedly in advanced stages of development already.

It’s poised to slot above the Ténéré 700 and pick up where the XT1200Z Super Ténéré left off.

Reports indicate the adoption of Yamaha’s signature 890cc CP3 triple-cylinder.

19-inch spoke wheel, multiple ride modes and the a steel tube frame chassis are expected too.

It looks like a bigger and more powerful Yamaha Ténéré 900 is on its way. This seems like a natural step for Yamaha given that the Ténéré nameplate previously covered lower (600-700cc) and upper (1200cc) market space.
The absence of a supposed replacement to the discontinued XT1200Z Super Ténéré has led to many petitioning for such a version, and it appears this wish will be granted soon enough according to a report by French motorcycling portal Moto-Station.
Said portal’s report indicates that Yamaha are already in advanced development stages of the Ténéré 900. All signs point towards it harnessing Yamaha’s signature 890cc CP3 triple as what powers the Tracer 9 tourer, MT-09 naked, and the XSR 900.

Unlike the discontinued XT1200Z Super Ténéré, the upcoming Ténéré 900 will be positioned as a lighter, more usable off-roader instead. Though it will pack more power than the Ténéré 700, there are also signs that suggest the Ténéré 900 will lean more towards refined on-road performance too.
Other key details reported included the adoption of a 19-inch spoked wheel (likely up front), the presence of multiple ride modes, as well as the use of Yamaha’s steel tube frame chassis architecture. Of course, the Ténéré 900 is also expected to command a bigger price tag over the Ténéré 700.
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Top reasons to visit AOS 2019 this weekend!

The Art of Speed Malaysia 2019 or AOS 2019 is just around the corner, we can smell it! As you can tell, we’re pretty excited about this year’s extravaganza and we’re quite sure that most of you are feeling the same as well. Happening this weekend on 27 and 28 July 2019 at MAEPS Serdang, here are just some reasons why you should clear up your schedule and basically camp out at AOS 2019.
(NOTE: To check out the highlights, from last year’s Art of Speed, check out the link, below.)
Highlights of the 2018 Art of Speed Malaysia festival

1) You can win a custom Suzuki Hayabusa-powered MINI dragster!

Each year, the folks from AOS attracts thousands upon thousands of attendees from around the globe with many different showcases and activities. They love to give away something so awesomely unique (like last year’s custom 600cc Honda C70) but this year, it is something truly mind blowing.

The grand prize lucky draw giveaway for AOS 2019 is a custom one-off MINI drag car powered by a 1,300cc Suzuki Hayabusa engine! Called “Mizuki”, the car is currently being built by a very talented customizer hailing from Ipoh, Perak, Irwann Cheng of FNG Works.

This is the same dude that built last year’s AOS grand prize, the 600cc Honda C70. Essentially, it’s a MINI Cooper with a superbike engine capable of reaching extraordinary speeds and fitted with fat 10-inch drag racing wheels. If you don’t think this is cool, then you need to check into Hospital Serdang (right next to the event venue) and get your heads examined by medical professionals.
A Glimpse of Mizuki – The Grand Prize at Art of Speed Malaysia 2019

2) Hausboom is also giving away a custom Volkswagen Beetle!

Hausboom, a 100% Malaysian soft drink company and proud supporter of Art of Speed, will also be doing a grand prize giveaway this weekend at AOS 2019 and their prize is just as exciting. Their prize? Asia’s first custom full-scale Hot Wheels design-approved Volkswagen Beetle!

To enter, you need to purchase their custom 6-pack specially designed for Art of Speed and that will be your entry into their lucky draw giveaway. The 6-pack is limited to only 200 packs so better be there bright and early if you want to participate!
3) Custom BMW R nineT built by Heiwa Motorcycle (Japan) is coming to town

When BMW Motorrad wanted to customize their beloved BMW R nineT Scrambler, they wanted something raw and unique. Something that no mere custom bike builder can accomplish. They only knew a few guys who can do it and they decided to commission it to Japan’s Kengo Kimura of Heiwa Motorcycle.

BMW Motorrad fully entrusted him with the task and he ultimately gave the R nineT Scrambler the ‘Heiwa’ magic. No sketches for approval, no Photoshop to help render the final product. According to Kengo, “We wanted to create a motorcycle that customers want to drive. Even if we rebuilt the frame and changed two thirds, we did not go to extremes as we otherwise would do for show bikes.”
If you’re a BMW Motorrad enthusiast, you definitely do not want to miss seeing this baby live in front of your very eyes. In the eyes of many, this is considered one of the most beautiful custom BMW R nineT Scrambler ever built.
4) Hot Dock Custom Cycles (Japan) custom 1948 FL Harley-Davidson aka “StG Nautilus”

Built by Keiji Kawakita, the bike appears to look almost stock but the work that has gone to make this bad boy a reality is indeed legendary. Built around the S&S 1,500cc ‘Shovelhead’ engine, 50 custom bike builders from around the globe entered the competition but the StG Nautilus (inspired by submarine in 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea and Keiji’s favourite gun, the Sturmgewehr 44), this bike emerged as the champion.

The bike that was dubbed the Grand Champion at the 2008 S&S 50th Anniversary “World’s Largest Build-Off” is coming to wow the AOS 2019 crowd and this is another masterpiece you must see to believe. Why? Head over to MAEPS Serdang this weekend to find out!
5) Kustom & Koffee Talk with Bikes Republic, The Cutrate & Speedhunters

It has been an annual affair with AOS to host a live forum in the main hall where international guests and speakers discuss about the world of bikes and cars and everything in between. This year, our very own ‘big boss’, Keshy Dhillon will be talking about the latest trends in bikes and car industries together with Oliver Jones Grayson from The Cutrate and Matt Everingham from The Speedhunters.
Shaik Ridzwan of The Mighty Motor
These are just mere highlights of what’s in store from Art of Speed Malaysia 2019. What we have mentioned is just the tip of the iceberg and there will be so many things happening, you’ll have a hard time catching up. These include:

Sound Circus – Musical entertainment by the likes of Hujan, Bittersweet, Masdo, Gerhana Ska Cinta, Kapow, Asheed Def Gab C, Kid Search and headline, Blues Gang, and many more
Major international legendary appearances – MOONEYES, Mighty Motor, Return of the Café Racers, Pipeburn, Chopper Journal Magazine + many more
Art of Speed Invitational Car Build Off 2019 powered by PETRONAS
Hot Wheels Japan Historics 3 series “Legendary Japanese Cars” global debut
VANS skate clinic
Hail Vintage exhibition
AND MANY MORE (we can’t emphasize enough on how many things will take place at this year’s AOS)

So, before you continue with your day, head over to https://aos.qtic.my/ to get your entry tickets for the event. General Weekend Pass is RM20, Sound Circus is another RM35 but if want to experience the whole thing, we suggest you get the Speedlane ticket at RM50 where you you’ll get both the General Weekend Pass and Sound Circus plus entry into the hall an hour earlier at 10am.
See you at Art of Speed Malaysia 2019!
Top reasons why the Art of Speed Malaysia 2017 was AWESOME

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MotoGP: KTM confirms all 2021 riders – Danilo Petrucci to Tech3

Hold on to your hats, folks. Things are about to get interesting. For the 2021 MotoGP season, KTM has confirmed its entire line-up. Brad Binder and Miguel Oliveira will be riding for the factory squad whereas Iker Lecuona and newly signed Danilo Petrucci will be doing their part over at Red Bull KTM Tech3.

View this post on Instagram

Excited to share the news with you that we are going to welcome #MotoGP race winner Mr. Danilo Petrucci in our garage from 2021 ?? ? #TheFuture #KTM #Tech3 @MotoGP #DP9 #2k21 #Welcome to the #OrangeFamily
A post shared by  Red Bull KTM Tech3 (@redbullktmtech3) on Jun 25, 2020 at 6:47am PDT

The decision was made after deciding that Miguel Oliveira now has enough experience for the factory seat after two seasons with Tech3. It was initially thought that current Ducati factory rider, Danilo Petrucci, will be taking over Binder’s spot in the factory team, but considering the South African’s long-term dedication with KTM (and dozens of wins since Moto3), he will be maintaining his position.

It would be interesting to see how Petrucci will perform on the KTM RC16. All four riders will be riding the same bike with similar specs (as they’ve done so in the past season, which saw a rapid increase in development, performance, and results).
Combined together with test rider, Dani Pedrosa, and his vast experience with Honda, we might just see KTM fighting for the world championship in the near future.

The next big question has to be about KTM’s current star rider, Pol Espargaro. After years of spearheading the KTM RC16 MotoGP project since its inception, the Spaniard is said to have inked a deal for a spot in the Repsol Honda team in 2021. This means that Alex Marquez might be moved to LCR Honda despite the fact that he has not even raced to prove his worth on the Honda factory team.

The building blocks continue to fall as we’re expecting either Cal Crutchlow or Takaaki Nakagami to get the boot at the of the 2020 season. Both of these riders’ contracts end at the end of the year and with only one spot open, they will need to prove their worth or get a deal done somewhere else (and fast).
Should We Ride Like How MotoGP Riders Ride?

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5 Things To Know About The Kawasaki Ninja ZX-25R Set To Land In Malaysia Next Year

The Kawasaki Ninja ZX-25R is finally coming to Malaysia, two years after its official debut in Indonesia.

The ZX-25R is fitted with the smallest inline 4-cylinder engine in the market.
A high revving machine, the quarter litre screamer can go up to 17,000rpm.

The quarter-litre screamer will arrive early next year by the newly appointed distributor and partner, MODENAS.
The confirmation news was delivered by none other than MODENAS CEO Roslan Roskam, during our recent visit to the company factory plant, in Gurun, Kedah.
While we wait for the ZX-25R imminent arrival, let’s take a look at what makes the smallest inline-4 an exciting machine to look out for.
1. High rev ceiling.

To put things in perspective, a factory MotoGP bike can rev up to 18,000 rpm while an F1 car can go up to 15,000rpm.
The ZX-25R can go up to 17,000rpm, and you can get to 10,000 rpm just by riding to the nearest ‘Mamak stall’. Let that sink in.

This makes the ZX-25R an impressive engineering machine brought to you by the brilliant mind from Kawasaki.
2. Small yet powerful engine.

The Kawasaki Ninja ZX-25R gets you a 249.8cc, DOHC, fuel-injected, liquid-cooled 16-valve, in-line 4-cylinder capable of delivering 51hp @ 15,500rpm and maximum torque of 22.9Nm @ 14,500rpm.
The impressive power figure puts the bike at the top of the 250cc segment.
3. Not a beginner-friendly bike as you might expect.

With such a high rev ceiling, the power only kicks in at a dizzying 15,500rpm, and below 10,000rpm, there is pretty much nothing.
This makes the bike a bit challenging to ride, especially for new riders who might get caught out when the power kicks in all at once at 15,000rpm.
4. Perfect track bike.

To be fair, most track-oriented machines cost a fortune and the cheapest option with the proper specs you can get your hands on are 600cc supersport motorcycle.
However, Kawasaki realised that twins and singles mostly dominate the 250cc and 300cc class, and while they are good enough to take you around the track, they don’t make a lot of power.
The ZX-25R is the perfect high-revving motorcycle for the track, and with 50hp, it currently has no competition.
5. Phenomenal soundtrack.
No word can best describe how good is the sound that comes out of the ZX-25R. We suggest it might be best to take a look at the video shared by Kawasaki Indonesia.
A reminder, the bike in the video is installed with Akrapovic full system exhaust, so the eargasm is not a joke.

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Team Classic Suzuki Might Have Just Win Best Lockdown Project With The GSX-R1000 Katana!

Team Classic Suzuki (TCS) just took the expression of “when life gives you lemons, make lemonade” to a whole new level.
For starters, the good people at TCS managed to build a GSX-R1000 Katana out of a 2008 World Superbike during last year lockdown.

Build around the engine of a 2008 Alstare GSX-R1000 race bike, the newly born Katana now produces around 200hp.
According to TCS, the engine now features world superbike headers, Racefit link pipe with an end can, factory radiator, and oil cooler matched with aluminium oil and water pipes.

In an effort to ensure the monstrous Katana is manageable (a statement which we think has been watered down), the motorcycle comes with Yoshimura EM Pro kit ECU.

Although the dimension of the frame is the same as the GSX-R1000 K8, TCS has redesigned the swingarm and subframe from Alpha Performance Fabrications to fit in the twin shock set-up to pay homage to the original Katana.

Other exciting features include:

Ohlins suspension
Brembo disc and callipers
custom seat from Race Seats with Katana logo
traditional red Suzuki logo on the tank

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8 Types of Annoying Personalities During Group Rides

A group ride is a great way to enjoy what you love.

But there are times when you wish you’d rather ride solo.

That’s sometimes due to 8 types annoying personalities.

You know what we mean. You guys planned a nice little group ride over the weekend and it all went to shreds because of one or two annoying personalities. Everyone would probably return home and begin unfriending each other or kicking said individual/s out of your Whatsapp group.
We’ve narrowed them down to eight types.
1. The GP Star

He’ll turn even the most benign nasi lemak ride into the Ulu Yam TT. Watch out! Because he’ll come from a long way back and stick his bike inside yours “because there was a gap.” To him, the lead marshal is the race’s leader and must be followed right up the exhaust pipe to put pressure on him to go faster. Failing to get a knee down will see him sulking in the corner for the entire duration of the ride. He rides well, no doubt, just in the wrong place.
2. The Bulls***ter

He’ll tell you he’s raced with Marquez AND defeated the GP champion, or that he holds the record at the Nordschleife. His other bike was a Ducati Desmosedici but he gave it away as it was “too slow for him”. And being a philanthropist at the same time. But he’d turn down your invitation to a trackday with 1001 excuses. He’d be missing at the end of the ride, sending everyone into a frenzy to look for him. He’ll then show up an hour later saying that the tyres on his bike are crap compared to the soft compound slicks and Öhlins he raced on in MotoGP. Everyone rolls his eyes when he talks.
3. Toxic Man

You guys wanted to ride to Batu Pahat for nasi beriani gam and are excited about it. But Mr. Toxic told you that “it sucks” without assigning a reason. So, you guys changed plans to ride to the same town for wan tan mee. He told you that the one in Sungai Besi is even better. But he went along for the ride anyway without forgetting to tell everyone clearly that he’s just “being sporting” – twice. Then he starts complaining that it’s too hot, too cold, too fast, too slow, too many stops, too few stops. Maybe that’s why the other group kicked him out.
4. The Headmaster

He’ll single you out and chastise you in front of everyone that you should ride this way and that when all you did was park your bike. He’d tell everyone to gather up and make an example of a rider who entered a corner just a little faster than he did. The Headmaster will then conduct a riding clinic on the spot. If asked if he’d learned riding in any formal riding schools, he’d tell you that those are “a waste of money.”
5. Mr. Blur

The details of what’s required to cross the border was already told during the planning TTS (teh tarik session) and in the group Whatsapp channel. Yet he showed up at the border missing the necessary documents. The group finally crossed the border after three hours, only to find that Mr. Blur didn’t have any Thai Baht on him when refuelling.
6. The Flat Battery

He feels tired after riding 150 km and the group needs to stop for him to sleep. He slept at every fuel stop. He slept during group dinner. Not many of these but oh yeah, they’re irritating. Your plans to reach the destination in 8 hours became 13 hours.
7. The Egoist

The Egoist can be easily confused with the The Headmaster and The Bulls***ter. They share same traits but there are subtle differences. The Egoist looks away when he shakes hands. To him everything less than a five-star hotel and 8-course fine dining is considered… rubbish. In fact, you don’t even deserve the right to talk to him unless you’re riding a Ducati Superleggera or BMW S 1000 RR HP4 Race. Good luck in telling him that riding with straight arms and back will tire him out.
8. The Show-Off

New gear everytime when the group rides. His bike is so kitted out in that it resembles a Rizoma, Öhlins, Brembo, Pirelli catalogue, combined. That’s fine, of course. But the Show-Off will prance around telling everyone how much the gear costs – in a tone so loud he could be heard throughout the warung. He’ll even go on to compare how much it is in comparison to someone’s salary. But he’ll happily ask for cigarettes from everyone else…
So, how do you ride in a group? Of course, just be yourself but keep in mind that group riding is a democracy. Being humble and a team player gets you invited back for more future rides. Be an annoying person and you’d see the guys ignoring you.
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Ducati V4 Superleggera Confirmed – Possible 161 kg Dry Weight

2019 Ducati Panigale V4R

The Ducati V4 Superleggera is on its way.

It will possibly weight 161 kg, dry.

No launch date yet.

The Superleggera name has become a mainstay of Ducati’s most exotic models and recent type approval submissions confirmed that the Ducati V4 Superleggera is on the way.
Superleggera means “superlight” in Italian, hence the bike will feature lots of carbon fibre, magnesium and titanium parts to shed all that weight.
The type approval submission documents show the kerb weight (ready to ride) at 173 kg. But don’t be alarmed as manufacturers need to submit the bare minimum weight to have the bike in rideable condition. Which means all the weight of the engine oil plus fluids and minimum fuel.
Photo credit RideApart.com
So, what’s the real weight? Let’s compare it to the Panigale V4 R. The type approval kerb weight of that bike is 184 kg. That means the V4 Superleggera is 11 kg lighter in this sense. Ducati claimed the V4 R’s dry weight at 172 kg and wet weight at 193 kg. This ought to mean that the Superleggera’s dry weight is only 161 kg(!) and wet weight of 182 kg(!). That’s heavier than the 1299 Superleggera but the V4 is more complex thus weighs more.
However, all that extra weight will be forgotten when the throttle is twisted. The engine will be based on the V4 R’s 1000cc V-four instead of the 1103cc version in the V4 and V4 S. A new titanium exhaust liberates an extra 3.6 bhp bringing the maximum to 221 bhp. But! A race exhaust and ECU will pump that up to 234 bhp. Insert ear-to-ear grin here.
There are a number of other changes, as well but we have to wait for the official launch to see the specs.
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New Ducati Panigale V4 seen in all its glory

The upcoming Ducati Panigale V4 is not due to be official unveiled for another two months or so; Ducati will take the wraps off of it on November 5th, most likely during this year’s EICMA show. But because it is arguably the most anticipated motorcycle of the year, photos and teasers have already been hitting the internet for a while now.
The photo above was published in a few motorcycle websites and blogs, and shows what seems to be the full production ready machine.
This is not the only photo to hit the internet, just last week the photo below was uploaded, supposedly from a track test session. While the photo below is grainy and not does not show much about the bike, we do get the full view of the fairing while the photo above shows a clearer view of the rest of the bike.

The fairing is probably the biggest change to the new Panigale V4. The wordings on the side that clearly read Panigale V4 also confirm the fact that the new Ducati will retain the Panigale branding.
From these photos we can deduce that the new Ducati sports bike does not look all that different from the model it replaces. The headlights, seat and tail unit seem to be largely the same as the old bike.
But despite looking visually similar, the fairing is all-new, with the headlight recesses looking more like air ducts than headlight mounts. It is likely that the recesses will play a dual-role of channeling air to the radiators as well as headlight mounts.
Not much else is know about the new V4 except for the engine. According to Ducati, the new 1103cc V4 engine is derived from the race spec Desmosedici engine used in MotoGP. It produces 210hp and 120Nm of torque. There will also be another engine with less than 1000cc but producing more power. Ducati says that the engine will be used in the new Panigale R, and is already in advanced stages of testing.
Listen to the sound of Ducati’s new V4 engine in the video below:

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CONFIRMED: Royal Enfield & Benelli Joins Honda At EICMA 2021

Royal Enfield, to follow Honda in confirming their attendance at this year biggest motorcycle event, the EICMA 2021.
Historically, EICMA has always functioned as the launchpad for every motorcycle manufacturers worldwide to introduce the upcoming model and provide a glimpse into the company next project.

However, due to the Covid-19 pandemic, the 2020 event was cancelled, which also led to manufacturer resorted to digital platforms.
Things look gloomy for 2021 when BMW Motorrad decided to pull out from any motorcycle show before Honda announced their participation for this year event, followed by Royal Enfield.
“We at Royal Enfield is delighted to be part of EICMA 2021 and are incredibly excited about the opportunity to connect with the wider motorcycle community after such a busy time for everyone,” said Royal Enfield, Head of International Business Arun Gopal.

At the same time, Benelli also announces their presence at the 78th edition EICMA scheduled from 23 to 28 November 2021.
“We are very pleased and honoured to confirm Benelli’s presence at EICMA 2021 and to once again take the opportunity to present our news on one of the most important stages in the world of two-wheeler,” announced CEO of Benelli and QJMotor, Yan Haimei.
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Boon Siew Honda celebrates 60 successful years with five million units produced!

Boon Siew Honda (BSH) celebrates 60 successful years with the production milestone of five million units at their Penang production plant.
What started life back in 1957 with only 50 Honda cubs grew exponentially with their first millionth unit produced in 1986.
The numbers kept growing thanks to a number of successful models including the Honda EX5 and the latest Honda RS150R.

After six decades in the Malaysian motoring industry, Boon Siew Honda (BSH) celebrates quite a historical milestone today as the manufacturer and distributor of Honda motorcycles here in the country. The celebration was further enhanced with its five millionth unit produced in their assembly plant located in Penang.

Present during the momentous occasion were Dato’ Seri Ong Ka Chuan, Minister of International Trade and Industry II (MITI), Dato’ Madani bin Sahari, CEO of Malaysia Automotive Institute (MAI), Dato’ Surveyor Haji Rozali bin Haji Mohamad, President of Municipal Council of Seberang Perai, His Excellency Kiyoshi Itoi, Consul-General of Japan in Penang, Datuk Loh Kian Chong, Executive Chairman of Oriental Holdings Berhad, Mr. Seiji Kuraishi, Executive Vice President, Executive Officer & Representative Director of Honda Motor Co. Ltd., Dato’ Seri Loh Cheng Yean, Chairman of Boon Siew Honda Sdn Bhd and Mr. Nobuhide Nagata, Managing Director and CEO of Boon Siew Honda Sdn. Bhd.

What started off as a motorcycle business way back in 1957 in a little showroom located at Pitt Street Penang with just 50 Honda cubs grew tremendously and by 1969, the commencement of locally-produced Honda cubs took off thanks to a technical collaboration between Tan Sri Dato’ Loh Boon Siew and Mr. Soichiro Honda. Through the years, Boon Siew Honda kept growing and bigger milestones were achieved unlike any other manufacturers in Malaysia.

1957 – Boon Siew Sdn. Bhd. (BSW) began import sales of Honda motorcycles
1969 – Local production of motorcycles began
1986 – Cumulative production reached 1 million units
1999 – Cumulative production reached 2 million units
2007 – Cumulative production reached 3 million units
2008 – Boon Siew Honda Sdn. Bhd. (BSH) establishment
2011 – Cumulative production reached 4 million units
2013 – Began motorcycle manufacturing at the new plant in Batu Kawan
2017 – Cumulative production reached 5 million units and celebrates 60 anniversary of Honda motorcycle business in Malaysia

To know more on the history of Boon Siew Honda, CLICK HERE.

According to Dato’ Seri Loh Cheng Yean, Chairman of Boon Siew Honda, “For over 60 years, Oriental Holdings Berhad had developed a strong relationship with Honda Motor and we have unified our vision to offer innovative and reliable motorcycles to the public through their latest agreement. This bond between Oriental Holdings Berhad and Honda Motor reflects on the business relationship between Malaysia and Japan in the automotive industry. Through this partnership, we have seen the growth along the Malaysia economy and we will continue to provide valuable contribution to the nation with Honda.”

The Executive Vice President and Executive Officer & Representative Director of Honda Motor Co. Ltd. Seiji Kuraishi also added “I would like to express heartfelt appreciation to Boon Siew and Oriental Holdings for great collaboration through60 years of our partnership in motorcycle business. With Honda Vision to 2030 and strong support from the government, business partners, and customers, I’m certain that Boon Siew Honda will be able to provide attractive and quality products that make customers’ lives more enjoyable and be a company that Malaysian society wants to exist.”

“Thanks to the support from our customers in Malaysia, Boon Siew Honda has reached the 5millionth unit production of motorcycle. The passion of our company founders who wanted to help people in their daily lives and pursue the joy of riding has been inherited by all associates and we commit to offer products that go beyond the customers’ expectation,” said Nobuhide Nagata, Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of Boon Siew Honda.

With over 60 years in the industry and still going strong, we won’t be surprised if Boon Siew Honda continues to dominate and innovate the world of motorcycles here in Malaysia. A big congratulations from all of us here at Bikes Republic and our sister site, Motomalaya.net!

To know more on the 30th anniversary 2017 Honda EX5 Dream Fi limited edition, CLICK HERE.
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SBK Malaysia – Zaqwhan qualifies 7th for WSSP

Malaysian wildcard rider Zaqhwan Zaidi made the nation proud today after successfully qualifying seventh for the World Supersport (WSSP) race tomorrow.

The 19-year-old, fresh from his victory in Cub Prix last weekend, showed good pace since Friday. A quick chat with the Malaysian hopeful revealed that he and the team are indeed ‘on-track’ towards meeting their target (read our interview from Friday with Zaqhwan and coach Shahrol Yuzy here).

At one point, the Zaqhwan was high up as fifth in the timing board before the last grid’s regular riders went out on their last minute stints to improve their times. His best time of 2:09.552 is just 1.221 seconds off the category’s pole position time set by French rider Julez Cluzel who was astride a MV Agusta F3 675 WSSP race bike.

Zaqhwan will start on the second row of the grid for the race tomorrow.
In the meantime, check out our gallery below of the Malaysian rider from today’s final practice and qualifying session.
Zaqhwan Zaidi/SIC Racing Team Honda CBR600RR WSSP
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