Ducati wins 2020 MotoGP Constructors’ world championship

It was an epic MotoGP weekend yesterday as Ducati finally won its first constructors’ world championship title since 2007. Miguel Oliveira (Red Bull KTM Tech3) won a flawless race up front, but Jack Miller (Pramac Racing) was the one who sealed the deal in P2 after battling Petronas Yamaha SRT’s Franco Morbidelli.

With Andrea Dovizioso (Ducati Team) and Johann Zarco (Esponsorama Racing) finishing the Portuguese GP in P6 and P10 respectively, Ducati collected enough points to soar ahead of its closest competitors in the constructors’ title chase, Suzuki and Yamaha.

All four Yamaha riders finished the race in point-scoring positions, which also puts Yamaha in second place with just two points separating them with Suzuki. Alex Rins (Suzuki Ecstar) only managed to collect one point yesterday, while the 2020 MotoGP world champion, Alex Rins, retired due to mechanical issues.

According to Claudio Domenicali, CEO of Ducati Motor Holding, “Winning the Constructors’ World Title is very rewarding, especially after a year so complicated that has forced us to overcome obstacles and situations we had never experienced before. It has been a bizarre season, but working together our engineers and all the Ducati riders have managed to make the Desmosedici GP competitive on all the circuits on the Championship calendar, taking it on the podium on eight occasions, including two wins.”

“Thanks to Andrea Dovizioso, Danilo Petrucci, Jack Miller, Pecco Bagnaia and Johann Zarco for allowing us to add a second Constructors’ World Title to our MotoGP history. And thanks also to the entire Ducati Corse department for once again demonstrating that with passion, dedication and determination, you can achieve important results like this. I take this opportunity to wish Andrea and Danilo good luck for what the future holds. They have been with us for many years, and together we have lived great moments, thanks for everything,” added Domenicali.

Moto2: Enea Bastianini wins 2020 world championship crown!

Written by: Sep Irran
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Child’s play: Meccano Ducati Monster 1200 S

Meccano Ducati Monster 1200 S building set signals new partnership between famed Italian brand and toymaker.

Want to start your kid’s love for Ducati early? Then you need to get yourself this – the Meccano Ducati Monster 1200 S building set. This is surely one toy that both passionate biker parents and kids can immerse into.
This Ducati Monster 1200 S kit is the first of a planned new range of building sets by the Meccano brand. Its parent company, Spin Master Corp., recently inked a licensing deal with the famed Bologna-based two-wheeled marque for a special new range of Meccano Ducati building sets.

The Meccano Ducati Monster 1200 S building set contains more than 290 parts, offering an excellent building experience as how most Meccano kits do. Some of the pieces in this kit includes coil-spring suspension, multi-piece wheels, as well as a real steering system that adds an even more authentic feel with this toy. Other notable components include the replication of the actual bike’s staggered twin-pipe exhaust, as well as a side-stand that functions.
Ducati states that the Meccano Ducati 1200 S building set is now available for purchase with major toy stores and chains. Ducati and Spin Master Corp. hasn’t disclosed as to how many model types and how many units of these kits will be made, but we can definitely expect it to include other models such as the Diavel cruiser and Panigale superbikes.

Source: AutoEvolution / MCN
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HOG PJ Buka Puasa Ride to Seafarer Restaurant, Melaka

The first ever HOG PJ Buka Puasa Ride was held last Saturday at the Seafarer Restaurant, Melaka.

Around 40 members of the Harley Owners Group Petaling Jaya chapter joined in the ride.

The Iftar session was also joined by Klebang’s state of legislative member, Gue Teck.

Last Saturday was the first ever Iftar ride for the Harley Owners Group (HOG) Petaling Jaya chapter where they organised a day trip to Melaka. Around 40 members of HOG PJ joined the festivities supported by Harley-Davidson of Petaling Jaya (HDPJ) conveniently located at the Gasket Alley.

A wide array of H-D machines rumbled down the highway from the Gasket Alley all the way to Alor Gajah, Melaka. The convoy was a sight to behold as they rolled down the open road with a thundering yet disciplined presence. Push off commenced at 4.00pm sharp and the group made it to the famous Seafarer Restaurant ahead of schedule shortly after 6.00pm.

The group was joined by Klebang’s state of legislative member, Gue Teck together with his entourage as well as a few members of Harley-Davidson Melaka. It wasn’t long for the riders to wait for breaking of fast where they were pleasantly presented with some good local food Baba and Nyonya style.

For the night’s entertainment, the members of HOG PJ were entertained by the Seafarer Restaurant’s resident singer which was quickly followed by one HOG member serenading the others with some good old’ oldies tunes.

After a few photo sessions, this group of disciplined individuals was already on their bikes at 9 pm sharp as scheduled ready to head back home to Kuala Lumpur. All in all, the ride was a success as everyone enjoyed a fun trip down to Melaka for some delicious food, good vibes, and great company. Another great day for the Harley Owners Group Petaling Jaya chapter.

HOG Petaling Jaya’s First Ride

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Orange fever @ Speedway PLUS

Sights and sounds of the KTM’s carnival and KTM 390 Duke Battle Malaysia at last weekend’s KBS MAM Kapcai Endurance Series race weekend in Speedway PLUS, Subang.

The third round of the KTM 390 Duke Battle Malaysia got off to a rocking start once again last weekend. Held as a support event to the weekend’s KBS MAM Kapcai Endurance Series weekend (read report here), the special one-make series once again had a full grid of 15 racers vying for the top two spots and their chance to race in the finals later this year.

Two races lasting ten laps each were held, one on Saturday and another on Sunday. Taking the opportunity of the race being held in the Klang Valley, KTM Malaysia CKD also held a special gathering for the KTM Dukers riding club, and also held a special launch event to introduce its new KTM Hospitality truck.

The truck, specially decked out in the brand’s distinct orange livery, will act as an essential promotional tool for the brand’s roadshow activities. On board, it features a small hospitality lounge for VIPs, a display of KTM Power Parts and Power Wear products, as well as a display space for two bikes. KTM Malaysia CKD general manager Muhd Zamry Abu Samah revealed that the firm also plans to have several more units ready in the near future.

A quick chat with Zamry also revealed that KTM Malaysia CKD are indeed planning on introducing the highly anticipated KTM RC390 sports bike later this year. “If all goes well, we could introduce the RC390 perhaps towards the end of September or in early October,” said Zamry. He also confirmed that the model will be assembled locally in KTM Malaysia CKD’s plant in Jitra Kedah. (Read our initial report about this here)

The first race of the weekend held on Saturday afternoon saw 22-year-old rider Zhafir Zarkasha Zamani taking the checkered flag in first place, achieving a fastest time of 52.332 seconds around the 1km-long Speedway PLUS. The second podium spot then went to Mohd Hanif Zakaria whilst Mohd Haniff Borhan took the final podium spot. Race 2 on Sunday saw Haniff Borhan dominating the grid, finishing first and clocking in a fastest time of 52.104 seconds. Race 1 winner Zhafir Zarkasha claimed second whilst Hanif Zakaria once again took third.

Despite not winning both races, Zhafir scored enough podiums to be declared the round’s champion whilst Haniff Borhan and Hanif Zakaria ranked second and third overall respectively. As the round’s top two winners, Zhafir and Haniff Borhan have automatically secured their entry into the series’ final in Sepang scheduled for later this year. Both riders also take home prize money worth RM700 and RM500 respectively, whilst third place rider Hanif Zakaria takes home prize money amounting to RM300.

Speaking with Zhafir shortly after the podium ceremony, the 22-year-old student said, “This is perhaps the crowning moment of my summer vacation from university!” The youngster, who is on a break from his studies in the UK, shared that his move to enter the series came after seeing his friends race in the first two rounds. He further shared: “Some of my friends raced in the first two races a few months back, but it was winter in the UK. So, I was languishing, looking at them. So when I came back for summer break, I felt I had to join and submitted my form at the first chance.”
When asked about his chance in the final race, Zhafir said: “Well, the winner of Round 1, Wafi, is a full-time professional, so it is going to be tough. But, we’ll see. If I get a chance to tag behind him, I might be able to do something.” Rest assure, Zhafir will be taking an earlier Christmas break in order to make the final round scheduled for December 13 and 14 in Sepang.

The KTM 390 Duke Battle Malaysia will hold it fifth round next month on September 6 and 7 in the Dato’ Sagor Circuit, Perak in conjunction with the KBS MAM Kapcai Endurance round there. Registration for the next round has already open and interested participants will need to head on over to the official KTM Malaysia CKD website to sign up.

Check out the gallery below of the buzz created by the raving KTM Dukers club members and the racing action from the KTM 390 Duke Battle race.
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Honda ADV teased in new video

Forthcoming new Honda ADV adventure-styled scooter teased in new video.

Honda just released a new teaser video of the forthcoming new Honda ADV scooter earlier this week.
Of course, this being a teaser, there were no clear views of the new adventure-styled scooter. Nevertheless, Honda did highlight that it will reveal more on 30th August.

To refresh your memory, the Honda ADV adventure-styled scooter was previewed first as the Honda City Adventure concept during EICMA 2015. A prototype was then spotted testing in Rome, Italy earlier this year confirming Honda’s plans to turn it into a production model for 2017.

It underpins the Honda NC750X adventure sport and Honda Integra maxi-scooter chassis platform. The upcoming new scooter will reportedly use the same 745cc parallel-twin powerplant whilst featuring the Japanese marque’s signature DCT (Dual Clutch Transmission) as well.
The adventure-styled scooter concept seemingly holds a huge appeal. Based on what we saw in the concept, notable features of this forthcoming model include inverted front forks, dual front disc brakes, wire spoke wheels, not forgetting a decently styled swingarm and a rugged exterior styling to match.

Additionally, design patents of the Honda ADV had leaked as well several months back. The drawings showed that the final production version underwent minor changes from the concept as it was being homologated for street use.
Teasing with the promise of more information towards the end of next month, it also perhaps suggest a possible debut as early as the upcoming INTEMROT 2016 show scheduled for October this year in Cologne, Germany.
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Launched: Aprilia SR GT adventure-styled scooter – from RM19,900

Aprilia SR GT adventure-styled scooter finally hits our shores, commanding a base price of RM19,900.

Much-hyped about Aprilia SR GT adventure-styled scooter finally makes landfall in Malaysia.

It arrives in SR GT 200 form, packing a 174cc single that thumps out 17HP and 16.5NM.

Key features include high-travel suspension, large 9-litre fuel tank, ABS, and digital dash.

Orders now open through dealers with special introductory price of RM19,900.

After months of hype surrounding it, the wait is finally over as local Aprilia distributors Didi Resources Sdn Bhd finally launched the 2022 Aprilia SR GT scooter for the local market. Said scooter arrives in SR GT 200 forms, and can be had in either standard or ‘Sport’ flavours too.
This is the second new Aprilia model launched by Didi Resources Sdn Bhd earlier today at the FTW Dirt Track in Gamuda Cove alongside the 2022 Aprilia Tuareg 660 middleweight adventure machine.

In this form, the SR GT scooter packs a liquid-cooled 174cc SOHC single-cylinder heart with four valves that thumps out 17HP and 16.5NM of twist. Typically, said outputs are sent to the rear wheel via a twist-and-go CVT belt-drive automatic drive line to propel this scooter’s claimed 148kg heft.

Chassis hardware includes a pair of 33mm high-travel (120mm) front fork plus a preload-adjustable dual rear-shock (102mm travel). Brakes, on the other hand, sees the SR GT employ a 260mm (front) and 220mm (rear) rotors that also feature an ABS suite. As for the wheels and tyres, the SR GT rolls on a 14-inch (front) and 13-inch (rear) cast alloy wheels wrapped in 110/80 and 130/70 profile tyres.

Besides high-travel suspension, the adventure styling and stance is made more apparent by the SR GT’s 799mm seat height as well. Other notable highlights here include a sizeable under-seat storage bin, a respectably large 9-litre fuel tank capacity, not forgetting a nifty digital dash display and all-LED lighting as well.
Key differences between the standard ‘Sport’ flavours lie in their colourways, of which there are six. Also, the Sport benefits with red-painted wheels, two-tone seat with red stitching, as well as a selection of three premium colourways.

Manufactured in Piaggio Group’s Vietnam plant, the 2022 Aprilia SR GT is now open for bookings through authorised dealers with a special introductory price of RM19,900. Didi Resources adds that first deliveries are expected to commence starting from July this year.

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Modenas to assemble Kawasaki bikes in Malaysia?

After a lengthy Q&A session with the folks from Modenas during the 2020 Modenas Pulsar NS200 ABS media ride to Port Dickson, it looks like national bike manufacturer will be assembling a number of Kawasaki models here in Malaysia. Which models are they referring to? That has not been confirmed just yet.

This bit of interesting news goes hand in hand with the fact that Kawasaki Heavy Industries (KHI) has a 30% stake in Modenas after agreeing to purchase 14.3 million shares in the national bike manufacturer. This figure will jump up to 48% after KHI successfully subscribe to 52 million convertible preference shares (CPS) issued by the Malaysian company.
Kawasaki Buys More MODENAS Shares

Mr Roslan Roskan, CEO of Modenas, has confirmed that they will launch a number of Kawasaki models which Modenas will assemble (most likely at their Gurun assembly plant) throughout this year. In other words, all the task of CKD work and assembly will be helmed by them in the coming months.

If this is true, the direction of Kawasaki Motors Malaysia (KMSB) will also take quite a turn in the months to come. Our best bet is that they will be focusing solely on the CBU market and other non-motorcycle aspects of the company while Modenas takes over the CKD unit.

As for the models, Mr Roslan also stated that they are still in discussions about finalizing everything, but one thing is for sure; it’ll be the more popular models. They could be referring to any of the 250cc and 650cc models like the Versys-X, Ninja 250 SL, Z250, Ninja 650, Z650, and more.

Will it affect the overall quality of the bikes? Modenas has assured that their assembly plant prowess is up to standard with KHI. Will the bikes be cheaper? We can’t confirm that yet, but we sure hope so! A lot of things are still in the dark but do stay tuned for more updates from us.
Hear the 2020 Kawasaki Ninja ZX-25R roar!

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MotoGP 2017: Michelin Will Sponsor Australian GP in October

Image source: MotoGP

Dorna Sports has announced that Michelin will be the main title sponsor for the Australian MotoGP round

The second of three flyaway races at Phillip Island will be on 22 October 2017

The Australian GP is arguably one of the most exciting races in the Motorcycle Grand Prix calendar

Andrea Iannone’s crash with Gavin the Seagull in 2016 (Image source: MotoGP)

A recent announcement made by Dorna Sports recently has stated the official tyre supplier for MotoGP, Michelin, will be the Australian GP’s main title sponsor. The Australian GP is set to run its course as the second out three flyaway races on 22 October 2017 at the legendary Phillip Island circuit. With that, the official name for the round has changed to the Michelin® Australian Motorcycle Grand Prix.
Image source: MCN
For the second year running now, Michelin has been the only tyre supplier for the MotoGP class. As 2016 proved to be challenging as well as a big learning curve which included a total of nine different race winners, it’s hard to deny the success between Michelin and its involvements in MotoGP.
Image source: Michelin
According to Michelin’s president of the two-wheel tyre division, Mr Gary Guthrie, he stated that “After the successful return of Michelin to MotoGP last year I am really excited about how we can together with the teams and organisers make the racing even more thrilling this year. We learnt a lot in 2016 from working with our partners in each of the teams and will use that to push Michelin’s technology still further for even better MotoGP racing,”
Image source: Michelin
At the same time we are using the technologies developed in MotoGP to bring new levels of performance and safety to our road tyres for riders everywhere. The opportunity Dorna has given us again this year to associate Michelin with the Australian GP, which is one of the MotoGP rounds that bikers from all over the planet invariably look forward to the most eagerly, is a tremendous lever for us.”
Jorge Lorenzo’s crash with a seagull back in 2013 at Phillip Island (Image source: MotoGP)
The next round will head to the Circuit of the Americas on 21 April 2017 with the Movistar Yamaha duos Maverick Vinales and Valentino Rossi leading the way. Stay tuned to Bikes Republic for more Motorcycle Grand Prix racing updates.
CLICK HERE to know on the highlights of the last race held in Argentina.
NOTE: No seagulls were harmed in the making of this article as they have been deemed by officials as ‘racing incidents’.
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Germany Replacing Dangerous Steel Road Signs with Plastic Signs

Hitting a plastic sign - Courtesy of Dekra

We motorcyclists have known for a long time that contact with metal road signs results in serious injuries or even fatalities.

The UN and EU have recommended that metal signs and barriers be removed.

Germany is taking the lead to replace steel road signs with plastic ones.

Apart from the steel barriers we see lining highways here, there are also steel road signs which are dangerous to motorcyclists. How many times have we seen bikers losing their limbs and lives after colliding with these “safety barriers”?
Many developed countries around the world are taking steps to replace their road barriers. Germany, on the other hand is taking the initiative to replace steel road signs with plastic ones, in addition to barriers. Check out the main picture of this article.
While we motorcyclists have long known about the dangers of crashing into a road sign, the German safety research facility DEKRA (seen this logo on Michael Schumacher’s cap) researched the hazard for quantifiable results. They found (no surprise) that motorcyclists are likely to be killed if they hit steel signs.
As such, they are advocating plastic road signs. Please watch the DEKRA video below.

The United Nations conducted a road safety survey and published a report in 2017. Among the recommendations are calls to remove roadside hazards that are proven to cause injuries and fatalities among motorcyclists. The 108-page paper by the World Health Organization found that motorcyclists are 15 times more likely to be killed compared to crashing where there is no hazard. The severities of injuries are also increased.
Hitting a steel sign post – Courtesy of Dekra
The Federation of European Motorcyclists’ Associations (FEMA) and European Union Road Federation (ERF) have also published a report called “Improving infrastructure safety for powered two-wheelers” which echoed the call by the WHO, which includes installing motorcycle protection systems on guardrails, maintaining skid resistance of pavement markings (i.e. lines) and ensuring that road surfaces are maintained.
Speaking about those hazards we need to point out that while our roads in Malaysia are actually quite good compared to our immediate neighbours but there are still much to improve for safety. Our observations are:

We’ve seen the new rolling guardrail barrier at a corner along the Karak Highway and hope more are installed.
The lines on the road are hardly “skid resistant” and are slippery even when dry.
While they highways are generally well-maintained, there still potholes that rival the craters on the moon.

We hope that the new Minister of Transport and the Road Transport Department will view these seriously.
Rolling guardrail in Korea – Courtesy of highways.today
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Petrol Subsidy Proposed for Below 125cc Bike Owners, Removal of RON95 Subsidy

Minister of Domestic Trade and Consumer Affairs announced that the proposal for petrol subsidy is ready.

The new subsidy plan hopes to help the B40 group.

The proposed subsidy will apply to owners of motorcycles below 125cc.

After more than a year deliberation, the Minister of Domestic Trade and Consumer Affairs announced that the proposal for petrol subsidy is ready.
If given the green light by the Cabinet, the government will employ a number of safeguards to ensure the that B40 group receives the subsidy. The measures proposed are in view of unreliable data which often plagues decision-making among government agencies in Malaysia.
The Malay Mail quoted sources who said that the government has a better database now. It is drawn up based on data from pension fund contributions, the applicant’s payslips, and vehicle ownership data with the Road Transport Department (JPJ). The Star reported that the government will also look at household electric bills that amount to between RM 100 and RM 200 monthly. Also, the assistance only applies to those whose monthly household income is less RM 3,900.
As for the amount of subsidy, the Ministry may be adhering to Minister of Finance Lim Guan Eng’s proposal in November. The plan calls for subsidising owners of motorcycles below 125cc and cars below 1,500cc with a minimum of 30 sen per litre of RON95 petrol.
The total amount of subsidised petrol is 40 litres for motorcycles and 100 litres for cars per month. The subsidy amounts to RM 12 for motorcycles and RM 30 for cars per month. The amount will be transferred to the recipients’ bank accounts on a monthly basis.
The current price of subsidised RON95 is capped at RM 2.08 per litre. Prices would fluctuate according to a weekly float once the subsidy is removed and may see an increase to RM 2.49 per litre.
It was revealed that government currently spends an average of RM 133 million a week on fuel subsidies.
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Top Motorcycle Designers (Part 4) – Ola Stenegärd

Ola Stenegärd is the father of the BMW R nineT series

His other projects included the HP2, S 1000 RR, G 310 R, among others

Stenegard’s inlfuences are deeply rooted in classics, cafe racers and customs

Ola Stenegärd is the current Head of Vehicle Design in BMW Motorrad.
Stenegärd studied Industrial Design in Stockhölm, Sweden and is also a graduate from the famed Art Center College of Design in Pasadena, California. His predecessor at BMW Motorrad, David Robb also graduated from that school. He first joined SAAB and then Indian Motorcycles before starting at BMW Motorrad in 2003.

Stenegärd said in an interview that no one was interested in sportbikes at BMW when he joined, hence he was given the HP2 project. The success of the HP2 saw him proceeding to lead the S 1000 RR’s development. Stenegärd could’ve chosen the conservative route for the S 1000 RR’s design, instead he went on to create a motorcycle that’s distinctive and instantly recognisable.

But Stenegärd’s roots are buried deep in the realms of cruisers, cafe racers and classics. He had known the legendary custom motorcycle builder, Roland Sands for many years and approached the latter about building a custom BMW. Stenegärd showed Sands what his team had been working on and the latter was intrigued. They went on to work together on the Concept 90.

Up to that point, BMW Motorrad was without a specific model to commemorate their 90th Anniversary in 2013. In the end, it was Stenegärd’s design for the R nineT which they chose.

The R nineT went into production soon after and it began the the legacy of an entire range of motorcycles based on the R nineT platform. The R nineT family now includes the base R nineT, R nineT Scrambler, R nineT Pure, R nineT Urban G/S and the beautiful R nineT Racer. Furthermore, BMW Motorrad has recently entered the small-displacement, lightweight market G 310  R.

Click here for Part 3: David Robb
Click here for Part 2: John Britten
Click here for Part 1: Fabio Taglioni
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Triumph Motorcycles Unveils Vibrant New Colour Options For 2024

Triumph Motorcycle introduces a range of vibrant and captivating colour options for its 2024 line-up.

The Roadster, Rocket 3, Tiger, and Tiger Sport models are set to don striking new schemes.
Customers can now place their orders for these exhilarating options, adding a touch of personalisation to their Triumph motorcycles.

Leading the charge in bold colour choices are the Speed Triple 1200 RS and Trident 660 models. The Speed Triple 1200 RS will be available in a captivating new Carnival Red scheme, alongside the existing Matt Silver Ice and Sapphire Black options. The Carnival Red fuel tank, headlight finisher, side panels, rear bodywork, seat cowl, and belly pan, coupled with distinctive silver RS graphics, create a truly eye-catching design.

The sporty and agile Trident 660 gains a striking new colour option for 2024, featuring a Jet Black and Triumph Racing Yellow scheme. This new addition complements the existing Silver Ice, Diablo Red, and Matt Jet Black and Silver Ice choices. The Jet Black fuel tank, headlight bezel, and front mudguard, combined with the dramatic Triumph Racing Yellow radiator cowl, rear bodywork, and mudguard graphic, result in a visually stunning combination.

The Rocket 3 line-up exudes sophistication with its new colour choices. The Rocket 3 R, Triumph’s ultimate muscle roadster, offers three elegant options: Matt Silver Ice, Triumph Sapphire Black, and the mesmerising Sapphire Black and Carnival Red scheme with Silver Ice detailing. The Sapphire Black fuel tank, Carnival Red infill with a Silver Ice coachline graphic, and various other black and silver components create a truly luxurious aesthetic.

For those seeking a touch of grandeur, the Rocket 3 GT comes in two sophisticated colour options. The metallic Sapphire Black underlines the bike’s muscular presence, while the Sapphire Black and Carnival Red scheme with Silver Ice detailing adds an extra layer of style.

The Tiger models also receive attention with their striking new schemes. The Tiger Sport 850 is available in two distinctive options: a bold Graphite and Diablo Red scheme, as well as a sophisticated Graphite and Jet Black combination. These designs feature a combination of black, graphite, and red elements, enhancing the bike’s adventurous spirit.

Triumph’s award-winning Tiger Sport 660, known for its versatility, now presents riders with three stylish colourways. The Snowdonia White and Jet Black option provides a clean and elegant appearance, while the Jet Black and Graphite scheme adds a touch of darkness. The third option, Korosi Red and Graphite, stands out with its bold and distinctive appeal.
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The ShiftFX Electronic Shift Transmission (with video)

ShiftFX kit is designed to give you fully automatic shift action from your bike’s transmission.

It appears that a Canadian-based firm called Biperformance Development Corporation (BDC) wants to beat Honda in liberating your left hand of the clutch lever – sort of – with its innovative ShiftFX Electronic Shift Transmission (EST) kit. (Read about the Honda DCT revolution here)

The ShiftFX system was designed for application in the modern gearboxes of most OEM motorcycles. It offers riders with the benefits of its dual operational modes – fully automatic shift action or button-actuated shifts – that are accessible via the system’s intuitive user interface. Essentially, the ShiftFX kit would allow you to add both automatic and semi-automatic abilities to your bike’s gearbox.

This is made possible through the way ShiftFX fully integrates with the bike’s transmission and electronics. Firstly, it integrates with the bike’s ECU and other electronics such as ABS and IMU using a CAN bus. This grant’s the kit with rev matching and engine braking abilities, as well as adaptability with the bike’s various riding modes available.

Next, the kit also employs BDC’s patented Active Clutch with electrohydraulic control suite. It uses a special gear control system that sees the foot shifter axle and all its accompanying components becoming redundant after being replaced with a high-speed DC motor tasked at actuating the shift drum directly.

BDC claims that the ShiftFX EST system takes just 50 milliseconds with each shift. Whilst not as quick as MotoGP’s seamless gearboxes, it is still fast and precise enough to reduce wear on both the transmission and engine. Notably, the clutch lever is still retained. BDC’s rationale behind this is that it serves as an override whilst offering better control during emergency braking, aggressive launches, or when riding in scenarios with poor traction.

The other ingenious bit about the ShiftFX system besides its adaptability with almost all motorcycles with a gearbox is the fact that it does not alter the architecture of the motorcycle’s engine when installed. Adding to that is the fact that the lightweight system only adds 2kg to the bike’s total weight when primed on board, and the ability for it to be fully programmable by the user as well..

You can see the system in action by viewing the featured video below. More information about the Shift FX EST kit is available online via this link.

ShiftFX EST

(Image credits: BDC)
Sources: BDC via AutoEvolution
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Man Drags Cat Behind Bike, Claims He Heard Voices

Mad man dragging cat - Photo credit Detik News

An Indonesian man tortured and dragged a cat behind a motorcycle.

The cat’s owner caught the act on video.

Police caught him later and he told them that he heard voices to kill the cat.

An Indonesian man was arrested for dragging a cat behind his motorcycle. He claims to have “head voices” telling him to torture the cat because it was evil.
Diefie Hafiez Maufalia was looking for her ginger-coloured cat, Mio, when she saw the horrific scene involving a familiar-looking cat. She was outraged at the act but was afraid to reprimand the man for fear of his reactions. So she whipped out her phone and shot the video of him dragging the cat behind his motorcycle.
“The passenger was the one who pulled the cat, but I wasn’t sure if the cat was still alive or not,” Diefie told Detik News (Indonesian media).
Ms Didie – Photo credit Detik News
The 15-second video went viral and the police hunted down the perpetrator based on the motorcycle’s number plate.
They revealed an even more disturbing find after questioning.
The man had beaten the cat until it stopped moving before tying a rope around the poor animal’s neck and dragged him behind his accomplice’s motorcycle. He also claimed that he
“heard voices” telling him to carry out the macabre act.
Police sent him to the hospital afterwards to check on his mental state after he kept chaning his story during questioning.
Diefie said Mio has yet returned home.
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All-Wheel Drive Motorcycles – Are they Real of Fake?

The question on whether all-wheel drive motorcycles are real or fake remains a mystery to most of us but some manufacturers have already filed patents for their version of the hybrid motorcycles.
Manufacturers like Suzuki have already filed patents for a two-wheel drive hybrid maxi-scooter whereas the BMW R 1200 GS ‘xDrive Hybrid’ still remains a big question mark.
While some say that the BMW bike is just a well-planned prank for this year’s April Fool’s joke, some think that it’s more than just a joke.

The question on this particular mystery still remains. Is there any manufacturer out there planning to produce an all-wheel drive motorcycles anytime soon? The reason why this question came to be dated back a few years ago but the last month, BMW Motorrad actually announced they are indeed planning for an AWD BMW R 1200 GS with the ‘xDrive Hybrid’ system.
The thing is, it came up right around April Fool’s day. Some sources believe that this the Germans somehow believed have found some sense of humour while others truly feel that this is sure thing. So, who or what can we count on for the truth? Let’s look at a few prime examples.
Suzuki Two-Wheel Drive Hybrid Scooter

Sometime at the end of last month, Suzuki filed a patent of what looked like the making of a Suzuki Burgman maxi-scooter but with a huge twist; an electric motor attached to the front end of the bike. We can confirm that this is indeed true as they have did file the patents at the US Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

This particular scooter is powered mainly by the conventional petrol-powered engine that drives all the power down to the rear wheel but with the electric motor mounted at the front tyre, both engines work in tandem to get the scooter going.

CLICK HERE to know more on the Suzuki two-wheel drive hybrid scooter.

The most impressive thing about these patents is how the front end was broken down and rebuilt in such a unique and fascinating way to cater both the front suspension system as well as the electric motor. This bit is indeed very challenging due to the size and dimension constraints found on a motorcycle as small as the scooter but it looks like Suzuki has the brains to pull this one off.
2017 Suzuki Burgman
Whether the hybrid Suzuki Burgman maxi-scooter will be put into production still remains in the dark. We’re guessing that Suzuki might reveal more information towards the end of the year during all the exciting motorcycle shows especially EICMA in Milan, Italy.
BMW R 1200 GS xDrive Hybrid

Now, the BMW R 1200 GS with the xDrive Hybrid system has been causing a lot debate and possibly arguments between a lot of motoring publications in the industry. There are two main reasons on why this can either be a hit or miss when it comes to the authenticity of the all-wheel drive BMW R 1200 GS.

The first red flag was the fact that BMW Motorrad shared the press release to the world during a time where nothing can be taken seriously, April Fools. With so many fake news and rumours floating around at the time, a lot of folks speculated on whether this is true of not.

Take for example the Triumph’s super funny ‘HandleWheel’ concept which came out around the same time as the BMW xDrive Hybrid system. With funny features like this being circulated, it’s hard to take anything seriously but that didn’t stop a few publications from posting about the BMW.
Triumph’s ‘HandleWheel’ System
On the other hand, BMW Motorrad did release a very specific and well-thought press release to either throw us of our game or if it is indeed a genuine system that they are really working on. A couple of weeks after April Fools, MCN posted that this all-wheel drive system is indeed real.
BMW Motorrad’s Electric Motor Patent
In the article, MCN stated that after the dummy press release was sent out, BMW Motorrad actually did file a patent entitled ‘Motorcycle with an electrically drivable front wheel’. This patent however might be referring to the Wunderlich X2 GS which broke into the motoring news back in 2015.
BMW R 1200 GS Wunderlich X2
To conclude, it’s a big possibility that all-wheel drive motorcycle may be a part of the future of motorcycling when we look at all the patents being filed by the manufacturers. Whether the actual systems we’ve been seeing for the past year is the real deal still remains a mystery. Whatever the future hold for the motorcycling industry, one thing is for sure; it won’t be boring.

Stay tuned to Bikes Republic for more interesting news on everything and anything motorcycles.
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BMW Motorrad Southeast Asia Qualifier 2017(Malaysia)

Day One of the BMW Motorrad GS Trophy Southeast Asia Qualifier 2017 has been completed on 12th August 2017.
Ten finalists are going on to the second round tomorrow (Sunday).
Number One finalist from Malaysia will represent Malaysia in the Southeast Asia Team.

BMW GS-series owners have a remarkable event to look forward to every two years when BMW Motorrad organises the International BMW Motorrad GS Trophy, one of the most prestigious, if not one of the toughest world-class enduro events.

The previous finals were held in the vicinity of the historic Thai city of Chiang Mai, in 2016. The GS Trophy will move to Mongolia in 2018 for the next edition.
While all GS riders are invited to participate, qualifying rounds are held the world over to determine the representatives for their respective countries in the finals. Malaysia will send one representative as part of the Southeast Asia team, which is completed by one rider from Singapore and Thailand, each. (Read more in our previous posting here.)

The Malaysian and Singaporean qualifier is special this year, as it is the first time to be held on Malaysian soil. However, the challenges were markedly tougher and varied this time as it was held at the wide-open Sepang Motocross Track, compared to the limited space of the BMW Motorrad Enduro Park in Bangkok, Thailand.

While the GS Trophy qualifies as a form of motorsport, it isn’t a motorsport in the traditional sense of the word – blatting around a track at high speeds isn’t the main objective of the GS Trophy.

The GS Trophy on the other hand, is about motorcycle control, skill, teamwork, and rider knowledge and IQ. Additionally, it’s also about building camaraderie among the GS owners. But most of all, it’s about self-discovery as the participants pushed themselves to and sometimes over their personal limits. The GS Trophy was based on a BMW Motorrad executive’s harrowing experience while riding through a Central Asian country, after all.

So what it came down to was how a GS rider would combine his skills and instincts with the specific and unique attributes of his GS to overcome obstacles, challenges, crashes and breakdowns in difficult environments.

A great example of extracting an “downed” R 1200 GS was in the “Team Challenge.” Teams of four first ran through a drain tunnel, then up a hill to retrieve the R 1200 GS parked there, before pushing it down into a muddy ravine. They needed to work together to extract the bike from the glue-like mud, and lastly pulling it up a steep slope to complete the challenge. Best time wins.

Riders were also thought to trust their instincts in what we personally called, the “Star Wars Test” (officially known as the “Blindfold Riding” test). A cover was pulled over the rider’s eyes, onto which he wore his helmet. Afterwards, a helmet bag was placed over the entire helmet. The rider literally rode blind, trusting only his instincts to keep his bike within the confines of a straight track. Your eyes deceive you, trust in your feelings, use The Force. A reference to Star Wars, is accurate, don’t you think?

If that’s not tough enough, there were still slaloms, narrow planks, vicious downhill zig-zags and navigation tests, besides strength and skills tests, such as picking up tyres and repairing a puncture to complete.

There was even a “knowledge test” which consisted of questions on trivia, history and technical specifications of BMW’s motorcycles right after lunch, when the participants’ stomachs were still full. The participants were made to drop their phones on a heap in the middle of the table before the exams commenced. No Professor Google, sorry.

In all, there were 11 tests of varying degrees of difficulty:

Product Knowledge;
Navigation;
Enduro Loops;
Mini Skills Challenge;
Blindfold Riding;
Orientation;
Tube Repairs;
Team Exercise;
Fitness;
Clutch Control Test;
“Coffee Grinder” Test.

The day got much hotter and humid in the afternoon. While we journalists and photographers were feeling the effects of the heat, we could only stare in respect for these guys and gal who slogged it out in their full riding gear, perched over a hot motorcycle.

At the end of the first day, the 10 who qualified for the next round tomorrow (Sunday) were:

#139 Wan Harith Wan Taqiyuddin Bin Wan Deraman – 1486 pts.
#135 Oh Jing Sheng – 1464 pts.
#115 Ghazi Fawwaz Bin Md. Arif – 1424 pts.
#137 Terry Teh Siew Kok – 1418 pts.
#118 Hamzah Bin Mazlan – 1413 pts.
#111 D. Suhaimi Bin Said – 1413 pts.
#140 Zulkifli Bin Zaizal Abidin – 1408 pts.
#105 Chan Kiang Wei – 1395 pts.
#128 Mohd. Apis Bin Sagimin – 1391 pts.
#102 Affendy Bin Syed Omar – 1368 pts.

These ten finalists from Day One will go on to another round of selection tomorrow (Sunday) where only the Number One qualifier represents Malaysia in the Southeast Asia Team. The Top Three Singaporean riders will then go on to the final qualifier in Khao Yai, Thailand from 1st to 3rd September, to select the sole representative.
The sole lady participant, Khaizatu Akmar, from Malaysia will go on to compete with the Thai female riders to represent the Southeast Asia Female Team.

Tune in tomorrow (Sunday, 13th August 2017) for more of our coverage of this exciting and unique event, on a reconfigured track and different set of tests.

You may also follow the latest news in BMW Motorrad Malaysia’s Facebook page here.
PICTURE GALLERY

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Cal Crutchlow suffers arm pump

British MotoGP rider Cal Crutchlow was reported to have undergone surgery last week on both forearms to help prevent arm pump yet again.
Professionally known as chronic exertional compartment syndrome or CECS which is common with athletes, this injury basically makes the muscles in the affected area under perform or becomes weak.
Doctors will usually cut a small incision to the muscle to relieve pressure in that area. Several weeks rest is recommended after such procedure.
Apparently Crutchlow already had his arm operated before, once on the left and three times on the right hand.
Image credit: Visor Down
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Honda PCX Hybrid Test & Review, “Economical Doesn’t Mean Boring”

The Honda PCX Hybrid combines a petrol internal combustion engine and electric motor.

It is the first working consumer hybrid motorcycle.

The motor assists the engine during acceleration.

While electric motorcycles are being fast-tracked for the impending datelines in various countries, Malaysia is still slow in implementing what could be remotely classified as “initiatives.” But fear not, there is another solution such as the Honda PCX Hybrid, which is sold alongside its petrol-powered brethren.
What is a “hybrid”?
The word “hybrid” describes something which is a combination. Hence, in a hybrid vehicle, the powertrain combines the traditional internal combustion engine with an electric motor which is powered by a battery or batteries.

How does it work?
The acceleration phase is where an internal combustion engine uses the most fuel, as compared to when we cruise at a steady speed on the highway. Therefore, the electric motor assists the 150cc petrol engine during the acceleration phase.

An alternating current generator (ACG) kicks in when you twist the throttle. Since electric motors deliver highest torque at lower RPMs, it’s ideal in assisting the engine.
The ACG provides 36% extra torque and 15% more power compared to the petrol engine.
Its power output are 1.9 hp (1.4 kW) at 3,000 RPM and 4.3 Nm of torque at 3,000 RPM.
The ACG is powered by a 48V lithium-ion battery. It sits under the seat, so it takes up some of the storage space.

Slowing down and braking charges the battery.
A power drive unit (PDU) is essentially the ECU which determines when the ACG is needed.
There are three “power modes.” “D” is for normal riding and optimum fuel savings. “S” sacrifices fuel economy for power. A third undescribed power mode disables Idle Stop and keeps the engine running at idle.
An indicator in the LCD screen shows if the motor is providing boost or charging.

Riding the 2019 Honda PCX Hybrid
The PCX Hybrid has the unmistakable PCX profile, that’s for sure, which in turn looks like a baby NSS300. It’s long and low-slung, so climbing on gives the immediate “welcome home to PCX” feel.
But I was surprised to find more than one car driver remarking about how good the bike looks. I kid you not. One Honda City Hybrid driver was drawn in by the bike’s good looks, only to discover that it’s a hybrid. We talk for nearly 30 minutes, with me doing the presentation like a salesperson.

I’ve also had more than one car driver winding down their windows and pointing to the HYBRID badge, “The bike is really a hybrid?”
The bike starts up just like any other twist-and-go scooter, meaning that you don’t have to go through 10 other steps to get it going.

At idle, the hybrid drive indicator shows one bar in the charging zone. The engine is quiet and has very little vibration.
Twist the throttle and WHOOAA! The bike actually took off instantly unlike any 125-150cc scooter! The hybrid indicator swung all the way into the ASSIST zone and doesn’t let up until you hit about 60 km/h. And that was in the “soft D” mode.

The ASSIST bar goes away completely when you cruise at any speed, but twist the throttle again and the bar returns, giving the bike a slight kick.
During testing, we came across a rider on a Yamaha Y15ZR who seemed keen to nail the green light. I switched the mode to “S”, held on to the grips and waited for the lights. We both gunned it as soon as it went green and the PCX Hybrid actually jumped half a bike length in front of the Y15ZR.

It caught him by surprise, and he started to slip back everytime he went for his clutch to shift gears. However, he went ahead in the end due to his petrol engine’s top-end power. Yet, I could still follow at one bike length behind, causing him to keep craning his head to look behind.
See what we’ve said time and again? DO NOT mess with electric bikes or a hybrid in this case.
But that’s crazy riding for the bike. The electric assist is for cutting down fuel consumption, instead of committing it to traffic light GP racing.

And safe fuel it definitely did, to much disbelief among us. Ridden calmly in “D” mode, we saw 1.9 litres/100km. That’s not a typo. Upping the pace with moderately strong take offs saw consumption increased to 2.2 litres/100km. Finally, riding in “S” mode like a screaming baboon hell-bent on scaring Y15ZR riders (full-throttle acceleration, hard braking, followed by more full-throttle acceleration) yielded 2.6 litres/100km. That’s beyond amazing.
At 1.9 litres/100km, you could theoretically cover 500km from the 11-litre tank. In the real riding condition, however, it means that you only need to top off the tank once if you ride it from Kuala Lumpur to Penang. Or not at all, if you could really maintain a steady pace and disciplined right wrist.

But it isn’t all about riding sedately. The PCX Hybrid is also a nice handling scooter. Most scooters tend to “wag” the front wheel in high-speed corners, but the PCX Hybrid didn’t do so at all. Bumps and potholes are any scooter’s nemesis, but this bike dealt with them much better. Besides that, the bottom of the fairing may look low but it never once scraped the road despite us trying our best.
Conclusion
The 2019 Honda PCX Hybrid should allay anyone’s fear of electric bikes, simply because it isn’t exactly one. You get high fuel economy combined with superb acceleration, while not needing to charge it.

Some may find it unsuited to Kuala Lumpur traffic, given the highways but that’s a small issue if you ride intelligently. The biggest benefit of the fuel economy would be for those who live in cities such as Penang, Melaka, or Johor Bahru where the roads are short and narrow. I think I’d only need to refuel once every three weeks or so if I were riding it in Penang. Even so, we refueled only once during our 11 days of testing it in Kuala Lumpur.
Besides that, I got us thinking and wishing that other bikes of different models will go hybrid, too.
Latsly, in case you don’t already know, we really liked the Honda PCX Hybrid.

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2023 Ducati Diavel V4 Voted Most Beautiful Bike At EICMA

EICMA motorcycle show brings you all the latest and upcoming production models to get you excited for the forthcoming year.

Ducati Diavel has been crowned the most beautiful bike at EICMA.
The Moto Guzzi V100 Mandello S and Fantic Caballero 700 took second and third place, respectively.

The best part is, at the end of the event, visitors are required to pick one bike to be crowned the most beautiful motorcycle of the event.
A reputable Italian publication, Motociclismo is the responsible party behind the voting and has been doing so since 2005.
*Ducati Diavel V4
That said, for 2022, visitors of EICMA have voted the all-new Ducati Diavel V4 as the most breathtaking bike above all else.
The Diavel V4 took the win with an impressive 36.3 per cent out of 22,880 total votes collected. Meanwhile, another Italian Moto Guzzi comes second with 13.2 per cent with the all-new V100 Mandello S.
*Moto Guzzi V100 Mandello S
Surprisingly, the Fantic Caballero 700 took the third spot with 11.1 per cent of the vote.
The remaining seven are as follows:

Triumph Street Triple 765 R
Honda XL750 Transalp
Benelli TRK800
Suzuki GSX-8S
Vespa GTS 300
Moto Morini X-Cape
Brixton Cromwell 1200

*Honda XL750 Transalp
On that note, the award has always gone to an Italian-made motorcycle, with Ducati winning it ten times, followed by MV Agusta (five times).
Do you agree with the result? Do drop us a comment and share your thoughts.
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PDRM ramping up efforts to curb ‘Mat Rempit’ scourge

Image source: Fiveprime
PDRM will strengthen efforts to curb resurgence of ‘Mat Rempit‘ scourge as nation enters endemic phase.

PDRM warns that shift to endemic phase may foster return of ‘Mat Rempit’ scourge.

Trending now are youths (teenagers) committing dangerous acts on motorcycles to chase social media hype and views.

To curb this, PDRM will ramp up efforts which includes greater monitoring online.

Image source: The Star
The Royal Malaysian Police (PDRM) is set to ramp up its efforts at curbing the ‘Mat Rempit’ scourge from resurging as the nation progresses into the endemic phase.
The effort includes increased monitoring of illegal ‘Mat Rempit’ activities online and on social media platforms according to deputy director of the Bukit Aman Traffic Investigation and Enforcement Department DCP Datuk Mohd Nadzri Hussain who confirmed this with local newspaper TheSun.
He cautions that the nation’s shift into the endemic phase may contribute to an increase in activities as such where motorcycle groups engage in illegal acts. He also noted the rise in youths, particularly teenagers, committing dangerous acts on motorcycles for the sake of creating content and garnering views on social media.
DCP Datuk Mohd Nazdri reminded that offenders doing so can be charged under the Road Transport Act 1987, whereas those also involved in street gangsterism can be charged under Section 42 (1).
Image source: theSun
“This phenomenon is a serious social problem involving mainly teenagers and efforts are being intensified by police to address the problem as best as possible,” he told theSun.
DCP Datuk Mohd Nadzri said this while commenting on an incident on Saturday where three youths aged between 15 and 16 were reportedly killed after they were involved in a crash while riding motorcycles in Masai, Johor.
According the Bukit Aman Traffic Investigation and Enforcement Department, their recent “Ops Samseng Jalanan” saw a total of 632 offenders arrested plus 9,117 summonses issued. DCP Datuk Mohd Nadzri Hussain said 399 operations were conducted, leading to the confiscation of 967 vehicles too.
“This was done between January and March and reflects our commitment to combat street gangsterism at the grassroots,” he further added.
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BMW Motorrad Malaysia Introduces the New BMW K 1600 GT

In-line six Euro4-compliant engine with 160hp and 175Nm of torque

Three riding modes and Dynamic Traction Control (DTC) for maximum safety during acceleration

RM159,900 (basic price with GST)

BMW Motorrad Malaysia today introduced the new BMW K 1600 GT, a powerful and luxurious motorcycle created from the ground up as the ultimate touring machine and continues the BMW Motorrad DNA of “Making Life a Ride”.

Apart from the new upgrades for improved touring capabilities, the new BMW K 1600 GT also features more optimised ergonomics for the footrests, seating areas, and handlebar positions – all of which engenders a more active seating position whilst retaining unmatched comfort.
Introducing the new motorcycle, Mr. Han Sang Yun, Managing Director & CEO of BMW Group Malaysia said, “Six-cylinder in-line engines have been an integral part of the history and brand identity of the BMW brand for over 100 years since the invention of the BMW IIIa airplane engine. BMW Motorrad has succeeded in skilfully transferring this tradition to the premium motorcycle industry with the BMW K 1600 GT having the lightest and most compact six-cylinder in-line engine for motorcycles with a capacity of over 1,000 cubic centimetres.”
Supreme engine expertise with six cylinders

Armed with the most compact six-cylinder in-line engine in motorcycle series production to date, the new BMW K 1600 GT brings to life BMW Motorrad’s expertise in automotive engineering. A supreme forward thrust coupled with abundant torque and smooth riding are assured with the power unit’s impressive output of 160 hp at 7,750 rpm and a maximum torque of 175 Nm at 5,250 rpm, the highest in its class.
At 102.6kg, the six-cylinder engine of the premium motorcycle also retains its position as the lightest series-production six-cylinder engine for motorcycles over 1,000 cc. Additionally, it’s extremely narrow cylinder spacing makes it significantly slimmer than all other serial production six-cylinder in-line engines. The consequent compactness adds to the motorcycle’s ethos as a dynamic touring machine.
Euro-4 compliant performance with new engine mapping

Designed to meet the requirements of the EU4 pollutant class, the new BMW K 1600 GT features a new engine mapping, a fuel system with carbon canister for fuel tank ventilation and an exhaust system with altered catalytic converters. Additionally, the dynamically designed end pieces with horizontal ribbing lend even great emphasis to the six-cylinder theme.
Manoeuvring convenience with the new Reverse Assist

In its continued pursuit to elevate the standards of bike riding, the new BMW K 1600 GT is equipped with the new Reverse Assist function which provides enhanced manoeuvring moving backwards. Conveniently engageable at the press of a button on the left handlebar panel, the Reverse Assist when activated instigates the blocking of the forward gear and consequently the activation of the reverse gear. Motion itself is resultant of a propulsion via a bendable shaft which is triggered when the rider presses the starter motor button.
Three riding modes and Dynamic Traction Control (DTC) for maximum safety during acceleration

As a standard, the new BMW K 1600 GT offers three riding modes – “Rain”, “Road”, and “Dynamic” – which can be directly activated at the press of a button strategically located on the right-hand side of the handlebars, thus enabling the rider to adapt the motorcycle to different riding needs and conditions including road touring, riding on wet surfaces as well as sporty and dynamic touring. To maximise safety, each mode is individually coupled with the Dynamic Traction Control (DTC), allowing for increased precision in traction control.
Shift Assistant Pro for shifting up and down with ease

Now fitted with the Shift Assistant Pro, the new BMW K 1600 GT enables the rider to shift up and down without engaging the clutch or throttle valve in the relevant load and engine speed ranges. As most shifting can be achieved using the shift assistant, the summative effect is not only enhanced comfort for the rider but an elevation in dynamic performance. With the Shift Assistant Pro, shift time is significantly reduced in comparison to a gearshift using the clutch. Also, the throttle valve no longer has to be closed for shifts using the throttle grip during acceleration. As a result, propulsion power is essentially constant without torque interruption. Meanwhile, engine speed is automatically adapted through double-declutching when decelerating and shifting down (throttle valve closed).
While the Shift Assistant Pro can support the rider on virtually all shifts, there is no shift support when the clutch is activated, when shifting up with the throttle grip closed or when decelerating.
Electronic suspension adaptation Dynamic ESA with automatic damping adaptation as standard

Equipped with Dynamic Electronic Suspension Adaptation (ESA) with adjustment settings of “Road” and “Dynamic”, the new motorcycle promises a more comfortable and improved riding as compared to the predecessor model. In the default “Road” mode, damping adaptation is fully automated across the entire range for maximum comfort as well traction over essentially all surfaces. The result is an optimum damping force in all riding states regardless of load. Meanwhile, the “Dynamic” setting activates a tighter damping set-up.
Exceptional damping comfort coupled with a stable ride response are ensured by the damping precision singular to the BMW K 1600 GT. Using various parameters, different riding states can be accurately identified to inform the damping forces required. What follows is a near instantaneous adaptation of the damping forces of the front and rear spring strut to deliver unparalleled comfort even in banking position.
More comfort and safety with Keyless Ride System and Hill Start Control

Riders can now start the new BMW K 1600 GT with an igniton button or via a transponder as backup. Through the transponder, the motorcycle can be started or unlockedwithout the need of placing a key in the ignition for comfort access. Additionally, the Hill Start Control enables easy ascension onto upward slopes. The new feature helps maintain the forward thrust needed to climb upwards even if the rider releases the brake levers.
Individual colour concepts to convey distinctive ethos

The new BMW K 1600 GT allows the rider to share in its ethos of an active and dynamic performer through a selection of new colour schemes. The Black Storm Metallic and Mars Red Metallic accentuate the technical components as well as the agile character of the motorcycle.
Meanwhile, the Lupine Blue Metallic finish conveys the dynamic capabilities of the new BMW K 1600 GT with a drivetrain finished in black. The image of a dynamic touring bike is made complete with golden brake calipers and a smaller “Sport” windshield.
The recommended retail price of the New BMW K 1600 GT is RM159,900.00 (basic price with GST).

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EICMA announces new dates for 2021

The very famous EICMA motorcycle show (International Motorcycle and Accessories Exhibition) may have its event cancelled this year due to concerns related to COVID-19, but they’re planning for a major comeback next year in 2021 located in Milan, Italy. And they’ve released the official dates.

Highly regarded as the exhibition to watch when it comes to new bike launches every year, EICMA plans to run its 2021 show from 25-28 November 2021. These four days, however, are only reserved for press and trade. As for the public, no news yet but we’re probably guessing that might be done on a later date if all this COVID-19 is finally behind us.

This is indeed a huge sigh of relief considering the fact that some international shows have chosen to postpone or cancel their 2021 events. These include INTERMOT and the Tokyo Motorcycle Show. The next INTERMOT event will be in October 2022, while the Tokyo Motor Show might just take place later in the year (or just stay cancelled until 2022 as well).

For the time being, EICMA is the last man standing when it comes to major motorcycle shows but considering how COVID-19 has impacted everyone and everything, we’ll try to contain our excitement for now. Who knows, one of these vaccines may actually work better than expected, eh? Stay tuned for more updates.
2021 KTM 250 & 390 Adventure launched in Malaysia – From RM21,500

Written by: Sep Irran
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Shell Advance Malaysian MotoGP 2014: Raceday

It’s a sizzler in Sepang once again for the Shell Advance Malaysian MotoGP 2014. Here’s our comprehensive report of how Sunday went down in Sepang.

Sunday in the Sepang International Circuit (SIC) kicked off early on Sunday starting with Malaysia’s finest in the Malaysian Super Series (MSS) Bikes races. Shortly thereafter, the Shell Advance Asia Talent Cup season finale race kept the adrenalin alive at noon (read our comprehensive race report here).

Off the black-top, the Mega MotoGP carnival also took centre stage as various bike and bike accessories brands made their presence felt in the circuit’s Mall Area.

Welcoming visitors first at the circuit’s Welcome Centre was title sponsor Shell Advance and its showcase. Plenty of activities were held, and the BikesRepublic.com team were present here as well, facilitating our friend’s at Shell with exciting activities, notably with our race bike simulators.

For the rest of the day, fans were treated with plenty of on-track action from the day’s Moto3, Moto2, and MotoGP races, lasting right up until the late afternoon. Providing one of the day’s most exciting action was the Moto3 race, giving fans their ticket money’s worth of thrills and spills.

Winning the 18-lap Moto3 race was Efren Vasquez from the Honda-powered SaxoPrint-RTG team. Taking the second podium spot was championship leader Jack Miller from the Red Bull KTM Ajo outfit, with the Aussie’s podium finish keeping his title chase alive against nearest rival Alex Marquez. Taking the final podium spot in the class was Estrella-Galicia Honda rider Alex Rins.

Unfortunately, the three Malaysians in the Moto3 saw their home race campaign end on a less than positive note. SIC-AJO riders Hafiq Azmi and Hafiza Rofa could only finish the race in 13th and 20th respectively on their KTM race machines.
Team Ongetta Air Asia rider Zulfahmi Khairuddin, on the other hand, suffered another blow to his struggling career after crashing out early in the race as well. It appears the Banting native will have his hands full next year when he joins the newly formed SIC Moto3 team.

The action and excitement continued with the Moto2 race shortly after. Spaniard Maverick Viñales from the Paginas Amarillas HP40 team took the race win, followed closely by Finnish rider Mika Kallio of the Marc VDS Racing Team.

However, the day’s glory went to Kallio’s teammate and third place winner Esteve ‘Tito’ Rabat. With the podium finish, 25-year-old Tito effectively secured his title as the 2014 Moto2 world champion in Sepang.
Just like Moto3, the Malaysian riders’ campaign in Moto2 was also dismal. Petronas Raceline rider Hafizh Syahrin, who was in line for a top ten finish, crashed out around the halfway point of the race. His Idemitsu Honda Team Asia counterpart Azlan Shah, on the other hand, could only settle for a 20th place finish, ending the Malaysian encampment with no results again this year.
Suffice to say, only Shafiq Rasol’s maiden win the day before in the Shell Advance Asia Talent Cup series was the only time the Negaraku was played on the podium throughout the weekend.

All eyes were then focused on the black top for the main event, the premier MotoGP class race. And, just like the Moto2 and Moto3 races preceeding it, fans got their ticket money’s worth here as well.
The first upset came when the ‘Sepang Specialist’ Dani Pedrosa from the Repsol Honda outfit crashed out at Turn 15 in the first lap. He subsequently suffered another crash later on, ending his campaign in Malaysia early.

To the delight of many Yamaha fans, both Jorge Lorenzo and Valentino ‘The Doctor’ Rossi charged up ahead of double world champion and Repsol Honda rider Marc Marquez. The two Movistar Yamaha works riders later gave fans more thrills as they battled for the lead up until the mid-point.

From the mid-point, pole-sitter Marc Marquez finally recovered from his bad start, and began battling against Rossi for the race lead. But, with just a handful of laps remaining, Marquez showed why he is the double world champion, passing Rossi, and keeping him at bay right up until the chequered flag.

With the win, Marc Marquez finally charted another record, equalling himself to with legendary Aussie rider Mick Doohan’s 12 wins in a season. Already crowned as the 2014 world champion, Marc Marqeuz’ win was certainly popular with the local crowd, but the overwhelming number of Malaysians donning the iconic number 46 yellow tee-shirts in the grandstands was hard to ignore.

As the day comes to a close, the annual Malaysian MotoGP weekend once again proved that the passion for two-wheeled racing amongst Malaysians is strong as it has ever been. With over 130,000 spectators filling the grandstands on raceday, SIC management surely has got a new benchmark for next year’s edition.
Below are several mega galleries from the weekend, with some additional images courtesy of Dorna/MotoGP.com, and the SIC Photo Desk. More pictures from the weekend can also be viewed at the official BikesRepublic.com Facebook page.
Additional images by Dorna/MotoGP.com and SIC Photo Desk

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Ducati Shows Off Anti-Collision Technology

As more cars are being fitted with anti-collision systems, Ducati is also developing theirs.

Developed together with Audi, the system uses the 5G network.

The system will warn the rider about upcoming danger but may apply the brakes automatically in the future.

Every motorcyclist knows that a collision with another vehicle sucks, but we push the thought to the back of our minds, like smokers who are aware of the dangers of smoking. Ducati aims to reduce the number of collisions with a new technology they developed together with Audi.
Called the Cellular Vehicle-to-Everything (C-V2X) tech, it builds a picture of vehicles in the vicinity to provide situational awareness. It works over the developing 5G mobile network.
Ducati and Audi recently demonstrated the system’s controlled collision avoidance by using a Multistrada and two cars. The vehicles communicated with each other to avoid the impending disaster. There were two types of assistance, called Intersection Collision Warning and Across Traffic Turn Collision Risk Warning.

Key points of C-V2X

Ducati Advanced Radar Assistance System reads the road and monitors multiple vehicles simultaneously.
It senses slowing vehicles and warns the rider of a potential problem. It may reduce speed or brake automatically in the future.
A rear radar system detects obstructions in the rider’s blind spot and highlights it in the rear-view mirror.
Ducati and Audi say all vehicles will communicate with each other in the future and avoid collisions autonomously.
The technology also seeks to communicate with roadside obstacles such as traffic lights, road signs and speed limits.

The system provides warning to the drivers and rider of the dangers at this moment, but further development could see vehicle autonomy being gradually fitted to motorcycles. Autonomous cars are starting to come into the market as we reported previously (click on the link below for more information).
Self-riding Motorcycle to Test Autonomous Vehicles

The systems in cars automatically applies the brakes to avoid a potential collision even before the driver is aware of a problem. This solution is not only available in luxury cars as the new Perodua Myvi is equipped with an earlier iteration of the system.
While pundits may be scoff about autonomy, remember that the ABS was also derided when it first came into the market. But it is now the single component that had saved the most lives.
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Ducati Multistrada V4 almost ready for production

It has been a while since we last heard anything related to the Ducati Multistrada V4. The last time the V4-powered dual-sport bike was spotted testing was before the chaos of COVID-19 and with situations clearing out everywhere, the Italian manufacturer has resumed the testing stages for their latest V4 motorcycle.
Source: Visordown
The latest set of spy shots posted by Visordown showcased a much clearer image of the upcoming Ducati Multistrada V4. The same test rider was spotted riding a slightly cleaner-looking machine sans all the camouflage decals and duct tape covering some parts of the bike.
Source: RideApart
What we can confirm from the photo is that the new Multistrada V4 is running a double-sided swingarm with gaping holes on the sides (this was previously covered with duct tape back in March during road testing). `This is probably going to be the range-topping Enduro model with hopes that the single-sided swingarm will still be available for other variants (like the Multistrada 1260).
Ducati Multistrada 1260 Enduro
There are also talks on major electronic updates for all Ducati models beyond 2020, including the possibility of adding radar technology. The tiny black box positioned between the front headlights might be the indicator of the brand’s latest riding safety systems. It might not look like the prettiest thing right now, but we’re sure the designer team will find a way to make it ‘sexy’.
2020 Ducati Panigale V2 now available in ‘White Rosso’ livery

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Honda Stuffs CBR1000RR SP Engine into Lawn Mower!

Honda held the record for the World’s Fastest Lawn Mower recently.

But was beaten by a Norwegian group.

Honda UK retaliated with the second machine powered by a CBR1000RR SP engine.

We at Bikes Republic cover every two-wheeled news but wait, this is a four-wheeler. But it isn’t a car or an SUV.
It’s a lawn mower. A what? Yes, a sit in lawn mower which cuts grass (so, it still means we don’t cover car news).
You see, Honda built the first Mean Mower which could hit 185km/h some time back and it rightfully earned them the World’s Fastest Mower record. All was happy, happy for the Japanese manufacturer.

Until some mad(der) Norwegians stuck a GM LS1 small-block V8 (a 5.7-litre is considered considered small for the Americans *rolls eyes*) in a Viking T6 lawn mower and it hit 215km/h.

You see, it doesn’t matter if you’re Honda Japan or Honda Timbuktu or Honda UK, Honda is Honda and Honda hates getting beat.
In the spirit of one-upmanship, Honda UK went on to build the Mean Mower V2 to reclaim what was theirs – the world’s fastest mower record.
They started with a Honda HF2622 lawn tractor (okay so now it’s a tractor), custom made the chassis, which saved some weight and also to harness the mower’s new power. A Scorpion titanium exhaust full-system was added. The ECU, clutch and transmission were transplanted over as stock from the donor engine. All four wheels are driven by chains.

Yes, the engine came from a CBR1000RR SP, complete with 189 bhp and 115 Nm of torque, pushing the “tractor” from 0 – 60mph (96km/h) in under 3 seconds.
But surprise, surprise, this new vehicle could still mow your lawn at a maximum speed of 80km/h. There are two electric motors that spin carbon fibre blades underneath.
The Mean Mower V2 had been raced at the recently concluded 25th Annual Goodwood Festival of Speed. It competed in the Hill Climb event.

But not before moving the Duke’s lawn.

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Help fund cancer chemotherapy cost for Supermoto ace Gabit Saleh

Muhd Habibullah bin Salleh (Gabit), 2016 FIM Asia Supermoto Champion
Here’s how you can help fund cancer chemotherapy cost for local Supermoto ace Gabit Saleh.

Two-time FIM Asia Supermoto champion and all-round nice guy Gabit Saleh has cancer.

News of his diagnosis sparked outpour of well wishes and plea for help across social media by friends, competitors and counterparts.

YOU can help fund chemotherapy costs for Gabit Saleh in perhaps the most important race of his life.

Over the weekend, a number of key local motorsports figure have taken to social media with both well-wishes and a plea to the public for donations and funding for local Supermoto ace Gabit Saleh towards his cancer chemotherapy treatment.
One of the most vocal here is none other than reigning ARRC ASB1000 champion Azlan Shah Kamaruzaman.

Hailing from Rawang, Selangor, Gabit Saleh (Muhd Habibullah Mohd Saleh) is a seasoned veteran of the local supermoto, motocross and enduro racing scenes. His key accolades include two FIM Asia Supermoto Championship crowns (2016 and 2018), as well as winner of the GIVI Rimba Raid Janda Baik 2019.
Apart from being an outstanding competitor, it’s worth noting that Gabit Saleh is also an all-out nice guy in general – a person renowned for his warm smile, sense of humour and, above all, an undying passion for motorcycles in general and racing them.
News of his cancer diagnosis comes as quite a shock indeed, hence the outpour of well wishes on social media last weekend from friends, fellow competitors and counterparts from other motorsports disciplines.

Notably, this outpour of support includes an honest plea for help, specifically with funding for Gabit’s chemotherapy treatment. Those familiar with cancer treatment will know how costly this gets, as well as the importance of early treatment. In other words, every little bit here helps.
Keen to help this local racing hero fund perhaps the most important race of his life? You can do so by channeling financial donations directly to the following details:
Gabit’s Wife – Maybank
Name : NURASYIDAHANI
Acc No : 162012915498
Or
Gabit – Maybank
Name : HABIBULLAH B. MOHD SALEH
Acc No : 162012915498
All of us at BikesRepublic.com send our best wishes and prayers to Gabit and his family as they face this monumental challenge.
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Ducati sold almost 10% fewer bikes in 2020

2020 was a year to be forgotten by almost anyone and everyone, including Ducati. COVID-19 showed itself to be quite a havoc, which is not surprising when the Italian manufacturer posted a sales drop of almost 10% last year when the figures are compared to 2019.

The reports posted by Ducati showed that they sold approximately 9.7% fewer motorcycles around the globe in 2020. In 2019, they successfully delivered 53,183 bikes all over the world, and 9.7% accounts for over 5,150 units. That’s quite a huge drop, but looking back, it could’ve been much worse.

The early stages of COVID-19 hit hard in Italy where Ducati had to undergo factory closures and many more, but they’ve managed to bounce back within the second half of the year, thanks to flourishing markets like China and across Europe.

According to Ducati’s CEO, Claudio Domenicali, “2020 was a complex year in many ways and a whole new challenge for everyone in the world. Inevitably, it ended in a different way than we would have liked, but Ducati was able to make the most of the recovery trend of the two-wheel market that began in June, achieving an excellent second half of the year with a result that was better than we had expected back in March.”

“By redefining working methods and processes we managed to maintain the safety of our employees, to stay close to the fans, and to consolidate the Ducati brand in the world by growing in some markets such as China. We also won the Constructors’ World Title in MotoGP for the second time in our history.”

The best-selling model of 2020 was the Ducati Streetfighter V4, where 5,730 models were successfully delivered to customers around the world. Scrambler Ducati also did well with 9,265 units sold, but that’s quite a drop from 2019 where they sold a whopping 27% more. Looking forward to what 2021 has to offer.
2021 Triumph Speed Triple 1200 RS teased ahead of launch date

Written by: Sep Irran
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New updates for 2018 BMW Motorrad models – new colours & ‘emergency call’ button

All 2018 BMW Motorrad motorcycles will get some interesting upgrades which includes new colours across all BMW models.
The upgrades are not only in terms of looks like new colours but also optional parts and unique features for individual BMW motorrad bikes.
The biggest highlight other than new colours is the ’emergency call’ button which automatically sends out signal for help in case of any serious crash or accidents.

Calling all BMW Motorrad fans and enthusiasts, the German boys has just announced that their 2018 models will be receiving some interesting new updates which include brand-spanking new colours, options and a few more minor updates to keep things fresh.

Of all the updates announced, the most interesting out of the whole lot is probably the ‘emergency call’ feature which will be available on the BMW R 1200 GS and R 1200 GS Adventure bikes. The feature which was introduced sometime in 2016 is fitted with sensor which will call for help in case of any serious crash or incidents.

Another awesome optional feature that both of these bikes have is the new 6.5-inch full-colour TFT display under BMW Motorrad’s Connectivity option. With this particular feature, riders can connect their smartphones to the bike which allows control like calls or music via Bluetooth-ready helmets.

If you opt for the new 2018 R1200 GS Adventure, you can also go for the other extras like the expanded the optional Pro riding modes as well as the new generation of electronic suspension adjustment Dynamic ESA. There’s also the ‘Shift Assist Pro with quickshifter functionality as well as keyless ignition for greater riding ease.
Here’s the overview of all the new upgrades, options and features for the 2018 BMW Motorrad bikes:
2018 BMW R 1200 GS

Emergency Call (optional equipment)
Connectivity (optional equipment)
LED auxiliary headlights in new design (optional equipment)

2018 BMW R 1200 GS Adventure

Emergency Call (optional equipment)
Connectivity (optional equipment)
Pro riding modes with additional “Dynamic” and “Enduro” riding modes Using a coding plug, the “Dynamic” mode is changed to “Dynamic Pro” and the “Enduro” mode to “Enduro Pro” mode. The Pro riding mode continues to feature ABS Pro, dynamic brake light, Dynamic Traction Control DTC as well as Hill Start Control HSC (optional equipment)
Dynamic ESA next generation with automatic damping adjustment and automatic self-levelling function (optional equipment)
Keyless Ride as a new component of the Touring Package (optional equipment)
Shift Assistant Pro as a new component of the Dynamic Package (optional equipment).
Passenger package with standard windshield and standard seat (optional equipment)
High Rallye seat (optional equipment)
LED auxiliary headlights in new design (optional equipment)
New colour Racing red, black frame, black brake callipers, silver fuel tank
Style Rallye: new colour Light white/Cordoba blue, Cordoba blue frame, gold brake callipers, Cordoba blue fuel tank with large logo, Rallye seat, radiator and frame protection, short windshield
Style Exclusive: new colour Black storm metallic/Dark slate metallic matt/Achat grey, frame Achat grey, gold brake callipers, Dark slate metallic fuel tank with large logo
The colours Racing Red Matt and Light White are no longer available

2018 BMW R 1200 RT

ABS Pro including dynamic brake light as standard
Emergency Call (optional equipment)
Dynamic Traction Control DTC (in conjunction with the Pro riding modes optional equipment)
RT logo embossed on passenger seat
BMW Motorrad Spezial parts (special paintwork and equipment)
Style Elegance: Carbon black metallic, windshield covers and chrome-plated handlebar weights, chrome pannier trim, gold brake callipers, silver wheel rims, silver drivetrain
Style Sport: new colour Mars red metallic / Dark slate metallic matt with tapes, gold brake callipers, Sport windshield, Asphalt grey wheel rims, black drivetrain
The paint finish Platinum Bronze is no longer available

2018 BMW R 1200 R

Style Exclusive: new colour Iced Chocolate Metallic, gold brake callipers, stainless steel fuel tank cover, Achat Grey Metallic matt frame, tape on fuel tank
The paint finish Thunder Grey Metallic will no longer be available

2018 BMW R 1200 RS

Style Exclusive: new colour Frozen Bronze Metallic/Black Storm Metallic, gold brake callipers, stainless steel fuel tank cover, Frozen Bronze metallic engine spoiler, Achat grey metallic matt frame
New colour Blackstorm metallic
The paint finish Lupin Blue Metallic will no longer be available

2018 BMW S 1000 XR

Style HP: new HP Motorsport colours (Light white/Racing blue metallic/Racing red) including Pro seat with stitched XR-logo (from 09/2017)
The paint finish Light white/Granite grey metallic/Racing red will no longer be available

2018 BMW S 1000 RR

Akrapovič full titanium exhaust system (optional equipment, available from October 2017).
2018 BMW C 650 Sport

New paint finish Austin Yellow Metallic
The paint finish Valencia Orange Metallic Matt will no longer be available

2018 BMW C 650 GT

New paint finish Ocean Blue Metallic Matt
The paint finish Frozen Bronze Metallic will no longer be available

2018 BMW K 1600 GT, K 1600 GTL and K 1600 B

LED auxiliary headlights in new design (optional equipment)
BMW Motorrad Spezial parts for K 1600 GT and K 1600 GTL (special paint finishes and optional equipment)

2018 BMW F 700 GS

New paint finish Racing Blue Metallic in conjunction with Light White frame colour
The paint finish Racing Red is no longer available

2018 BMW F 800 GS

New paint finish Racing Blue Metallic in conjunction with Light White frame colour
The paint finish Ostra Grey Metallic will no longer be available

2018 BMW F 800 GS Adventure

New paint finish Racing Blue Metallic in conjunction with Light White frame colour
The paint finish Catalano grey metallic will no longer be available

Source: BMW Motorrad
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Benda LF-01 Concept unveiled in China

The 18th China International Motor Expo (CIMA) is at full swing where a lot of Chinese bike manufacturers are strutting their stuff. One of the brands that caught a lot of attention is Benda and its latest concept cruiser baby, the Benda LF-01 Concept.

Patents of the LF-01 have been circulating around for quite some time but for CIMA, Benda took a step further by adding a nice colour and graphic designs to the digitised images and the displayed model. Other exterior features look similar to the previous BD700 design which in itself looks like the beautiful power cruiser from Ducati, the Diavel.

Nevertheless, the LF-01 Concept does carry a lot of the custom chopper vibe what the company is planning to run it on is a completely different story. A 680cc inline-four engine that produces 97hp at 12,000rpm is that to have been ‘borrowed’ from the Honda 650 range, and we’re not really surprised if it is.

With a similar bore size and a slight increase in stroke, the overall capacity was bumped up to 680cc. We’re guessing that they might that extra girth to push the massive 18-inch rear tyre wrapped with what they say is a 310/35R rubber. In other words, the Benda LF-01 Concept is a big, thick boy, 215kg to be exact.

Its most eye-catching feature has to be its turbine-like headlight which has two different functions, to light up the way for the rider and to act as a ‘ram air’ system for the intake. Not much else has been said about this particular concept but everything we’ve read so far, we like. Time will tell if this will go into production or just remain a Chinese/Italian/Japanese/American hybrid.
Written by: Sep Irran
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JPJ and Police conduct joint operations to nab errant motorcyclists

Image source: The Star

Police to nab illegal racers after identifying the ‘rat holes’ they use to avoid being caught.
Highway authorities to fix fences to stop motorcyclists from escaping.
JPJ and police team up to conduct joint road blocks.
Over 170,000 summons have been issued in just 3 months.

According to a report by The Star Metro, the Selangor police have upped their focus on nabbing Mat Rempit’s (Malaysian for street racers). And they plan to begin doing so by locating all narrow roads used by these racers as escape routes from housing areas to highways and vice versa.
These escape routes, dubbed by the Selangor traffic chief Supt Kamaludin Mohamad, as ‘rat holes’ are used by the racers to quickly evade police roadblocks around housing areas and on major highways.
To avoid getting caught, these illegal racers will break certain sections of fences along the highways.
According to the report published online, the traffic chief was quoted as saying, “We have informed the highway concessionaires – Besraya and Kesas – to repair damaged fences along the highway.”
The chief was also quoted saying that the police are planning to use a new technology to catch the culprits during the next raid, but the report made no mention of what the new technology is.
He did however remind the public that Selangor has an ongoing campaign called Ops Zero Tolerance in all 15 districts in Selangor, and which started on October 14 last year.
Both the police and the Road Transport Department (JPJ) are working together to curb illegal activities through regular raids and joints roadblocks, the latter can usually be seen operating at the entrance to major highways like the NKVE.
The chief also added that from October 14 last year to February 6 this year the police has issued summonses to 171,619 motorcycles. This consists of 54,507 summons to riders without a valid license, 10,751 for not having a road tax, 7,688 for not wearing a helmet, and 98,673 for causing obstruction.
Selangor JPJ director Nazli Md Taib said that in its three operations in the past two weeks, 1,900 motorcycles were checked and 553 of them were summoned.
Bikes Republic welcomes this move by the authorities as there are just too many motorcyclists with no regard for the law. It was just last week that a father and what we assume to be his daughter was seen riding on the NKVE without a helmet. We have reached a dangerous level of ignorance and it is good that the authorities are stepping up their game.
Story and image source: The Star
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MotoGP: Andrea Iannone confirms move to Aprilia!

Andrea Iannone has confirmed his place in the 2019 MotoGP season after signing a two-year deal with Aprilia.

The 28-year-old Italian will partner up with Aprilia’s current rider, Aleix Espargaro.

This also means that Scott Redding will be out of the Italian factory squad at the end of the 2018 season.

The current Team Suzuki Ecstar rider Andrea Iannone has announced that he will be riding for the Aprilia factory squad for 2019 and 2020. This comes to as no surprise thanks to a number of rumours floating around for a while and further discussed after announcing his exit from Suzuki at the end of the season.

The 28-year-old Italian will be joining Aleix Espargaro in the Aprilia Racing Team Gresini on board the Aprilia RS-GP MotoGP machinery. His announcement to leave Suzuki might have surprised a few folks considering that he has already given the Hamamatsu factory their first back-to-back podium ever since their return to MotoGP.

According to Aprilia Racing Manager Romano Albesiano, “With Iannone, we have another highly talented and fast rider who is also demonstrating his value this season. His arrival is a sign of the Piaggio Group and Aprilia’s growing commitment to the MotoGP programme, where our bike has already demonstrated that it can rely on a valid technical base.”

This announcement also means that Brit rider Scott Redding will be leaving the Aprilia factory team by the end of the 2018 season. So far, he has not confirmed any seat in the 2019 MotoGP season but there are still some options available in a few satellite teams.

Will the Iannone Espargaro combination be able to bring glory back to Aprilia? One thing is for sure, the 2019 season is shaping up to be one of the most interesting line-ups yet with a monumental shift in the grid. Stay tuned to Bikes Republic for more MotoGP updates.
Image source: MotoGP
MotoGP: Danilo Petrucci gets Ducati factory seat for 2019

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2018 Yamaha XMax 250 now available! RM22,498

Hong Leong Yamaha Motor (HLYM) has officially introduced the 2018 Yamaha XMax 250 scooter.
Sharing the DNA with the TMax, the XMax 250 is fitted with a 250cc single cylinder engine that produces 22.5hp and 24.3Nm torque.
HLYM has priced the 2018 Yamaha XMax 250 at RM22,498.50 (basic price with GST).

Hong Leong Yamaha Motor Sdn Bhd (HLYM) has officially made the 2018 Yamaha XMax 250 available now in the country. The 250cc sporty scooter first made its preview back in January when HLYM launched the updated 2018 Yamaha MT-09 streetfighter.

HLYM delivered their promise when they said that the new 2018 Yamaha XMax 250 will be made available in March. As stated before, the new 250cc scooter will arrive at all Yamaha authorised dealers across the country by the end of the month.

Powered by a 250cc, single-cylinder, SOHC engine with liquid-cooling, the Xmax comes with Yamaha’s Blue Core technology which is said to provide excellent power and torque outputs whilst conforming to the Euro4 emission standards.

This translates to 22.5hp at 7,000rpm and 24.3Nm of maximum torque at 5,500rpm. Compared to the Yamaha YZF-R25, the XMax 250 has a lower power output but a higher torque figure which means it’ll take off from the traffic light faster than you can say “Look at that Yamaha XMax!”

The XMax 250 is also the first motorcycle in its class which comes ready with a one-piece, compact and rigid forged crankshaft. This promises improved performance, efficiency as well as contributing to the bike’s overall light weight and low mechanical noise. Judging by the looks, the XMax definitely gets its DNA from its bigger and more powerful brother, the TMax.

Other extra features include ABS, traction control, large underseat storage which can fit two full-face helmets, smart key system, all-round LED lights, full LCD instrument panel, 12V power outlet for charging, adjustable handlebars and windshields just to name a few.

HLYM will be offering the 2018 Yamaha XMax 250 at a cool RM22,498.50 (basic price with GST). There are two colour options to choose from; Metallic White and Rusty Bronze. Well, what are you waiting for? Head over to the nearest Yamaha authorised dealer to know more!

Hong Leong Launches New MT-09 from RM 47,388

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2017 KTM 390 Duke – “Are you DUKE enough?”

The 2017 KTM 390 Duke was launched here in Malaysia on 26 September 2017 with the slogan “Are you DUKE enough?”
Heavily inspired by its bigger and more powerful brother, the 2017 KTM Super Duke R, this entry-level Duke is all about design and performance.
With a price tag just below the RM30,000 mark, the new 390 Duke is one of the most well-equipped entry-level naked bike in the market to date.

When the all-new 2017 KTM 390 Duke was launched just a couple of weeks ago, it came with a very bold catchphrase that has been stuck in our heads until today. What did KTM Malaysia meant when they presented everyone with the question “Are you DUKE enough?”
Helmet – HJC RPHA 70
The day after the launch, we were given the opportunity to try out the new 2017 390 Duke as well as its smaller 250cc sibling with a bunch of other lucky individuals. We were so impressed with the 390 Duke that we decided to request it for the weekend to really get a feel on what KTM Malaysia promises in terms of the bike’s abilities and how well it delivers them.

To check out our coverage on the launch, CLICK HERE.

First and foremost, the most obvious change (and a very good one) made to the latest 390 Duke is the design. Injected with the same DNA taken from its bigger and much more powerful brother, the 2017 KTM 1290 Super Duke R, you’ll notice the all-LED headlights straightaway. A total of 20 LED lights have been integrated in this sleek headlight package that makes it one of the bike’s most defining features.

To check our first ride review on the new 2017 KTM 390 Duke together with the 2017 KTM 250 Duke, CLICK HERE.

Moving forward with the design, it is arguably one of the best looking entry-level-ish naked bikes to date. Not a single part on the 390 Duke looks cheap or manufactured in a hurry. What seems to be a great combination of sharp edges and smooth lines makes the new 390 Duke a head-turner everywhere you go. If you like and want all the attention, this baby is for you.

One thing that you’ll definitely notice is that the new 390 Duke is slightly smaller in size compared to the previous generation. Even the riding ergonomics have changed to accommodate with the dimension changes but that’s actually a good thing.
Helmet – HJC RPHA 70
Designed to be more compact, it has the right to be given the nickname “The Corner Rocket”. Compared to the older 390 Duke, this 2017 model has a higher seat height and ground clearance BUT shorter wheelbase making it slice through any corner with buttery smoothness. If there’s an apex placed at every road bend on the streets, you will be hitting each and every one of them with pinpoint accuracy when you take the 2017 KTM 390 Duke out for a ride.

Prefer relaxed riding instead? The 2017 390 Duke offers that as well if you ever feel like a peaceful cruise around the neighbourhood. The 373cc, single-cylinder, liquid-cooled, DOHC engine allows for a smooth ride at lower RPM but when you need the power and instantaneous torque, just twist the throttle (which is controlled through an impressive Ride-by-Wire system) and you’re presented with 44hp and 37Nm of maximum torque. No matter what the ride is, the 2017 390 Duke is sure to bring a big smile on anyone’s face.

With all that power, one might think that it might not be a good commuter. We beg to differ. With a good riding position that allows for smooth riding even through traffic jams, the new 390 Duke is easy to handle even when riding to and from work. Combined with a bigger fuel tank capacity at 13.4 litres, you can go further and longer without having to make frequent fuel stops at the petrol stations.

Another game-changing feature that can be found on the new 390 Duke and not on any other entry-level bikes in the market to date is its beautiful TFT digital multicolour display. The screen allows you to customise any info related to bike to be displayed with a touch of a button with the controls placed on the left side of the handlebar.

There’s also the option to adjust the dual-channel ABS system available on the new 390 Duke. On normal “Road” mode, both front and rear ABS work in tandem to give a nice and controlled braking performance but you can choose to switch it off or engage “Supermoto Mode” to turn off only the rear ABS for some rear sliding action when you prefer more control while out in the track. Yes, you can have massive loads of fun in the circuit with the new 390 Duke.

There’s also the KTM MY RIDE system which allows you to connect your smartphone via Bluetooth to handle any incoming call or play some tunes while out on the road. Do make sure you combine this awesome feature with a good Bluetooth device for your helmets.

Other features that makes the 2017 390 Duke better than the old one are all-round WP suspension package (43mm front USD forks), slipper clutch, bigger 320mm disc brake with a four-piston Bybre caliper (developed by Brembo) just to mention a few.

KTM Malaysia has priced the 2017 KTM 390 Duke at RM28,800 (basic price with GST). At this very moment, you’ll never find another bike priced below the RM30,000 mark with such levels of high-tech specifications and features. From the Ride-by-Wire to TFT multicolour display, it is truly one of the best (IF NOT, THE BEST) entry-level naked bikes in the market to date.

On a side note, you can choose to customise you 390 Duke even further with premium KTM PowerParts offered for their latest naked bike option. For this particular model, you’ll find quite a few such as the Akrapovic Slip-on Line side exhaust, wave front brake disc, front and rear master cylinder covers, factory ignition cover plug and oil filter cover, brake and clutch lever guard kit, clutch lever, wheel trim ring sticker kit, crash bars, slide pads, tank pad and chain guard.

Going back to the question “Are you DUKE enough?” Obviously, it is a challenge. It’s a challenge to experience something that no other bike in its class can offer. It’s a challenge to rocket through corners with such tenacity and pizzazz combined with mechanical smoothness which is a rare combination for an entry-level naked bike.

Most importantly, it’s a challenge to other similarly-styled bikes in the market to take on what KTM so confidently consider as the best of the best. The 2017 KTM 390 Duke is indeed a worthy opponent but be warned, it’ll be a hard fight for anyone brave enough to take on the latest naked bike made by the Austrian geniuses over at KTM.

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New Modenas Service Plus Centre opens in Kuala Terengganu

As part of their efforts to provide the best aftersales services, Modenas has expanded its network in the East Coast region of Malaysia by opening a Modenas Service Plus Centre in Kuala Terengganu, Terengganu.

Operated by one of its esteemed dealers in the area, DRZ Motorsport, this is the second Modenas Service Plus Centre in the region and 37th one here in the country. The launch was graced by the attendance of YB Haji Ahmad Amzad bin Mohamed @ Hashim, the Deputy Minister of Science, Technology & Innovation, as well as members of the Dominar 400 Club Malaysia (D4CM) and Malaysia Pulsar Owners Club (MPOC).

According to Mr Roslan Roskan, CEO of Modenas, “The Service Plus Centres are dedicated to deliver top-quality service and spare parts to all Modenas street bike owners with fast turnaround times. This includes owners of the Modenas Pulsar NS160, NS200, RS200, Modenas Dominar D400 or the Modenas V15. The Service Plus Centre is fully equipped with all the latest diagnostic tools for our customers in and around Terengganu, thus they do not need to travel far or outside of Kuala Terengganu just to get their motorcycle serviced by Modenas.”

“As part of the Company’s aim to strengthen its effort to provide customers with quality services, MODENAS is targeting to complete a total of 40 Service Plus Centres by the end of this year. Each of our customers is important to the Company, and hence we strive to ensure we provide them with timely, high-quality services and solutions,” added Mr Roslan during the launch.

For those who are interested in acquiring the aftersales services from the new Modenas Service Plus Centre, head over to 116C Jalan Chabang Tiga Simpang Tok Ku, 21000 Kuala Terengganu, Terengganu, from Monday to Sunday (Closed on Fridays and Public Holidays) from 9.00 am to 6.00 pm.
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