Wahid Ooi, Author at BikesRepublic.com

Research Recommends Saying “Bike” to Yourself When You See One

There are many reasons why car drivers don’t seem to see bikes.
But it’s usually due to how the human brain works.
A group of researchers recommend saying “bike” out loud to yourself when you see one.

Here we are, adhering to the ATGATT (all the gears all the time) rule, the headlights switched on and positioned in the lane for maximum visibility. Then we spot a driver waiting to exit her side of the junction. We know she sees us because we exchange glances.

Then she pulls right out in front of us with 10 metres to spare. It’s about this time when all the profanities of planet Earth, the galaxy and Proxima Centauri are spewed forth into the helmet’s chinbar.

Truth is, no driver wants the trouble of causing bodily harm to any biker (except for psychotic ones).

According to many researches, it’s all in the mind. Earlier, a study concluded that drivers could sometimes suffer from “inattentive blindness.” Their eyes saw the motorcycle, but their minds fail to register.

Now a new research from the University of Nottingham, UK says that drivers may suffer from “a short-term memory loss.”

They carried out tests with a BMW Mini and a driving simulator. The subjects consisted of both male and female subjects.

Tests found that the drivers actually saw the motorcycle, but somehow “forgot” that it’s there. It’s easy for drivers to be distracted by something and pull out in front of the bike. in 180 simulations, the subjects didn’t see a car 3 times and a motorcycle 16 times. Additionally, drivers tend to misjudge the distance and closing speed of motorcycles (this one we know very well).

The researchers have a solution to this problem. They recommended that the driver say, “Bike” out loud to himself when he sees one. Doing so will program the mind to register the motorcycle. It’s like reading out loud when you want to memorize the text.

We’ve kind of applied this in our daily lives when driving. Here, we would say, “Ada moto (there’s a bike).” Our spouses have also been helpful in this aspect.

Share this with your driving friends and see if it works.

“Safety Activist” Recommends that Kapchais are Banned

A “safety activist” recommended that the government ban kapchais from Malaysian roads.
He suggests electric scooters be used as the alternative.
It’s because electric scooters have limited range and lower speeds.

A “safety activist” recommended to the government that kapchais should be banned from Malaysian roads, reports Careta.my.

Speaking at a Malaysia Institute of Road Safety Research (MIROS) event, Sharhim Tamrin said that the government should consider electric scooters as the alternative, as they have limited range and top speeds of around 80km/h only.

He said this based on his findings that countries like China and Taiwan have banned kapchais. (The two countries did not “ban” kapchais, instead they urged the use of electic scooters as fuel is expensive and China especially didn’t want their economy to depend on petroleum. – Editor)

“I have, informally, proposed this to a number of government agencies. I will also send a (formal) proposal to the government to ban kapchais,” he said during a forum at the event.

A similar proposal was forwarded by Works Minister Fadilah Yusof in 2013, on the grounds of safety. He called for kapchais to be banned from entering highways.

Shahrim also mentioned the trend of 15- and 16-year-olds who likes to ride fast. He also called motorcycle manufacturers to task for advertising motorcycles as performance machines, which would influence the owners to ride fast and some to modify their bikes to go faster.

Assistant Director of Enforcement for the Traffic Investigations and Enforcement Department of the Royal Malaysia Police concurred that the government should ban motorcycles below 250cc.

According to him, there were more car accidents last year compared to motorcycles, but it’s the latter that contributed to higher death rates.

New KTM RC 390 Spotted Undergoing Tests

A new KTM RC 390 was spotted undergoing road tests.
Introduced in 2014, it needs an upgrade/redesign.
The new bike may be introduced for 2021.

As we speculated, all manufacturers are hard at work to produce new models by 2020 and 2021. But one bike which has gone under the radar for a long time is the KTM RC 390.

The bike made huge waves and sold like hotcakes when it was introduced back in 2014. Soon, they were everywhere. There were also RC 390-exclusive racing series and some owners took it to track days.

The bike was last updated in 2017. But 5 years is a long time (maybe too long) for the model’s product cycle in that cut throat segment.

So, as with the KTM 390 Duke test bike caught testing months ago, a prototype RC 390 was also spied over the weekend.

According to RideApart, the new bike will debut in 2021.

Changes to the new bike is immediately noticeable as KTM redesigned the bike: the front fairing has a similar profile, but the rest of the bodywork are different. Even the rear seat is different and takes a contemporary design instead of the current single-seat look.

Also gone is the lattice work of the rear subframe. The handlebars appear to be mounted higher for more comfortable ergonomics.

The new bike will of course be Euro 5 compliant, but there are no details yet if there are any power upgrades.

New 2020 Triumph Street Triple RS on the Way

A new 2020 Triumph Street Triple RS is one the way.
Triumph released a teaser video.
The new bike will be Euro 5 compliant and will feature new updates.

It’s confirmed: A new 2020 Triumph Street Triple RS is one the way.

As with the impending launch of new models, Triumph released a teaser video of the new Street Triple RS. Test mules had also been spotted a number of months earlier.

The video shows a heart-pounding run up to a corner while being accompanied by the triple’s distinctive and awesome soundtrack.

What we know is the new bike’s engine will be Euro 5 compliant but what we don’t know is what state of tune the engine will take on. As in our earlier report, the exhaust collector will house two catalytic converters.

There’s much speculation (hope, actually) that it’ll be fitted with some of the stuff from, or at least learned, from Triumph’s role as the sole engine supplier to the World Moto2 Championship. The current engine produces 121hp and 77.3Nm of torque. Will we see a hike to 135 horses? Please, please, please!

There will surely be updates in other areas, too.

The twin headlamps will take on a new look, there may be slight changes to the swingarm, and there’s a big chance that the instrument cluster will feature GoPro control a la the Scrambler 1200 XE.

The Street Triple RS remains this writer’s favourite all-time bike, so it’s interesting how the new bike will turn out on October 7th.

Aprilia GPR 250 Launched in China

The Aprilia GPR 250 was unveiled in China.
Its 249.2cc, single-cylinder engine produces 26.5hp and 22Nm.
Will it come to Malaysia?

Somewhat unexpected, the Aprilia GPR 250 was unveiled in China rather than in the traditional European markets first.

Aprilia has a long history with 250cc sportbikes, harking back to the glory days of the 2-stroke RS250 for the road. The bike capitalized on their outstanding success in the world 250cc GP in the hands of riders such as Tetsuya Harada, Loris Capirossi, Max Biaggi and one upstart by the name of Valentino Rossi.

However, their attention seemed to have shifted since they built the 1000cc Mille superbike, which culminated in the 1000cc RSV4 and finally the most recent RSV4 1100. Aprilia’s current MotoGP effort lends further weight to the RSV4.

But apparently Aprilia had not given up on lightweight sportbikes. They debuted the RS660 concept at EICMA last year and now this, the GPR 250.

One look and it’s apparent that it’s influenced by the RSV4 in many respects: The twin headlamps, swoopy bodywork, large twin-spar aluminium frame.

The 249.2cc, liquid-cooled, single-cylinder, four-stroke engine is claimed to produce 26.5hp and 22Nm of torque. The manufacturer claims a 150kg weight.

That power is on par with other 250cc single-cylinder sportbikes such as the Honda CBR250R, KTM RC 250 and TVS Apache RR 310. By comparison, two-cylinder machines such as the Kawasaki Ninja 250 and Yamaha YZF-R25 produce in the regions of 39hp and 36hp, respectively.

The Aprilia GPR 250 is slated for the Indian market soon. We wonder if it’ll ever come into Malaysia.

2020 Honda CRF1100L Africa Twin Breaks Cover

The 2020 Honda CRF1100L Africa Twin has broken cover.
The bike was unveiled in Europe ahead of the Tokyo Motor Show.
Changes centre on the engine, ergonomics and electronics.

Just as we were waiting for the 2020 Honda CRF1100L Africa Twin to be officially launched at the Tokyo Motor Show next month, the bike has broken cover in Europe.

The styling looks just like the photos leaked most recently. The new bike retains its predecessor’s silhouette but with a number of differences. The “goggle” headlights have been restyled to look more aggressive, the “nose” carrying the headlights is higher, the handlebars are taller, and the seat is slightly lower.

Speaking of seat height, height can be adjusted to a lower position and there will also be a low seat option. Honda will also offer a higher seat for taller riders.

The main subject is the new engine, of course, which sees displacement bumped to 1,084cc. the bigger capacity brings a 7hp increase to 101hp from 94hp. Torque is rated at 104.4 Nm. The increase in capacity is necessary in order to produce higher power while expelling lower emissions.

Other updates to the engine include direct fuel injection with twin-spark plug combustion chambers; aluminium cylinder sleeves; redesigned cylinder heads; new ECU settings; revised valve timing; split radiators.

Honda claims that the new bike is lighter than the outgoing model: The manual gearbox version weighs 226kg while the DCT-equipped version tips the scales at 236kg.

In terms of electronics, the 2020 Africa Twin includes six riding modes: Tour, Urban, Gravel, Off-Road and two user settings. There is a new 6.5-inch TFT screen (set horizontally now) with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto compatibility, wheelie control and Bluetooth connectivity. Honda has also added cruise control (yippee!).

The manual gearbox version retails for USD14,399 in the USA.

PHOTO GALLERY

Yamaha YZF-R15 Monster Energy GP Edition Coming to Malaysia – From RM12,618

The Yamaha YZF-R15 Monster Energy GP Edition is coming to Malaysia.
Its livery is exactly as the Yamaha MotoGP works bike’s.

The recommended basic selling price is from RM12,618.

The Yamaha YZF-R15 Monster Energy GP Edition is headed to Malaysia. The livery is derived directly from the Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP works team.

Yamaha has always transferred their MotoGP liveries to their motorcycles in many markets including Malaysia. That started long ago with the 135 LC, then the Y15ZR, YZF-R25 and now the YZF-R15 (R15).

The Monster Energy GP edition was launched in the UK on the YZF-R125 months ago and it was high time for our turn.

What makes it special this time is the Monster Energy livery which was replicated by enthusiasts on their own. It was said that the Monster Energy sponsorship in MotoGP was brought along by Valentino Rossi. The energy drink sponsored him since the Movistar days.

The bike is mechanically identical to the standard R15. We found the standard bike good enough already anyway, so there’s no sense in disturbing its equilibrium.

However, to those who’ve not ridden the R15, the upside-down forks, chassis and 155cc VVT engine produce a lively and entertaining ride. You could even knee down in corners if ridden well.

The recommended basic selling price is from RM12,618 (not including road tax, insurance and number plates).

Sikh Riders from Santana Riderz Malaysia Club Rides 16,000km to Raise Fund for Children with Cancer

A group of 17 Sikh riders from the Santana Riderz Malaysia Club will ride 16,000km to Pakistan.
The objective is to raise awareness and funds for children with cancer.
The ride is conjunction with the 550^thanniversary of Guru Nanak Devji, founder of Sikhism.

A group of 17 Sikh riders from the Santana Riderz Malaysia Club will ride 16,000km to Pakistan in order to raise funds for children with cancer.

The ride will see them travelling through five countries, and will raise awareness and donations for child cancer patients of the National Cancer Society of Malaysia. The convoy is held in conjunction with the 550^thanniversary of Guru Nanak Devji, founder of Sikhism.

The ride is slated to be flagged off from Gurdwara Sahib Polis at Jalan Balai Polis, Kuala Lumpur on 25^thSeptember 2019.

They will then ride through Thailand, Myanmar, and India and finally arriving in Nankana Sahib, Pakistan. Nankana Sahib is the birthplace Guru Nanak Devji.

“We hope we’ll be able to ease the hardship of families who are suffering both emotionally and financially. (That is) in line with the theme of our ride ‘Sarbat Da Bhala’ which means blessings for everyone irrespective of race or religion,” said club president Jas Pall Singh.

He also added that the club chose NCSM because they aim to help the children regardless of race, religion and background.

On top of fundraising, the group also planned a “550 Trees Planting Project.”

You may contribute to the funds through this websitehttps://www.peoplegiving.org/campaign/5-takhts-ride-to-india-for-cancer-charity-ride-2019.

Benelli 502C, Benelli 150S, SM Sport 110E Launched

Mforce Bikes launched the Benelli 502C, Benelli 150S and SM Sport 110E.
The Benelli 502C is a middleweight cruiser while the Benelli 150S is a 150cc standard road bike.
The SM Sport 110E follows the success of the SM Sport 110R.

Mforce Bikes Sdn. Bhd. continued with launched over the weekend, this time with the Benelli 502C, Benelli 150S and SM Sport 110E, after unveiling the new SYM JET14 200 and SYM MIO 110.

Benelli 502C

The 502C is the manufacturer’s foray into the middleweight sport-cruiser market, with a styling that resembles the Ducati Diavel.

Features:

Foot forward pegs and controls.
750mm seat height.
500cc parallel-Twin engine which produces 46.9 hp (35 kW) at 8,500 RPM and 46 Nm of torque at 5,000 RPM.
Electronic fuel injection with dual 37mm throttle bodies.
Benelli’s trademark steel trellis frame with steel plates.
41mm diameter upside-down forks up front and monoshock at the back.
Dual 260mm brake discs up front.
21-litre fuel tank.

The bike is available in Metallic Red, Matte Black and Metallic Black. It’s priced from RM31,588 (excluding road tax and insurance).

Benelli 150S

“The Benelli 150S prowls the streets of the dense urban jungle and stalks back roads, day and night,” according to them. Aside from the National Geographic reference, the 150S is a 150cc standard street bike.

Features:

149.88cc B3SP triple spark-plug engine.
The SOHC engine utilizes electronic fuel injection and produces 15.5 hp at 8,300 RPM and 12.5 Nm of torque at 7,000 RPM.
“Track-derived” and “GP-styled” (although Benelli doesn’t race) twin-spar chassis.
Upside-down forks and monoshock suspension.
260mm front brake discs.
LCD digital display.

It’s available in Lava Red, Space Black and Nixon Green. Priced from RM8,588.

SM Sport 110E

(No picture of the bike because the photos could not be downloaded from the press release.)

The SM Sport 110E means there’s an entry in the kapchaisegment for the distributor. According to the press release, the bike is a “110cc supercharger that saves especially on fuel usage.” Talk about overhype.

Features:

109cc single-cylinder engine which produces 6.0 hp at 7,500 RPM and 7.0 Nm of torque at 5,000 RPM.
Carburetor fueling system with CDI.
Tubeless tyres.

Available in Ocean Blue, Lava Red and Carbon Black. Priced from RM 3,488 (excluding SST and other fees).

Team Malaysia to Represent South East Asia in BMW Motorrad International GS Trophy Oceania 2020

Team Malaysia will represent the South East Asia region in the BMW Motorrad International GS Trophy Oceania 2020.
The finals will be held in New Zealand.
The riders qualified for their spots in the team yesterday.

Team Malaysia will represent the South East Asia region in the BMW Motorrad International GS Trophy Oceania 2020 in New Zealand.

Mohd. Zulfakar, Chan Kiang Wei and Norizuan Abdullah had come out tops during the Malaysian qualifier round on the previous day. They beat out a field of more than forty riders which includes some of the most experienced and talented off-road riders on various BMW GS models.

The three riders became Team Malaysia. Thailand now has their own team.

The South East Asia slot has been revised for the upcoming even. Instead of having three different riders of nationalities in one team, the region will be represented by a team of riders from a single country.

Hence, Team Malaysia had to compete against the teams from Indonesia, the Philippines Taiwan, Singapore and Vietnam in today’s SEA Qualifiers.

As with the previous GS Trophy qualifications, the organizer set up many different types of challenges, trials and tasks for the riders. While some of these challenges appear pointless to the casual observer, they varied in terms of difficulty and speed to test the riders’ skills and proficiency in overcoming them. That said, the GS Trophy is never about speed, and instead focuses on rider skill, his understanding and control of the machine, being calm under pressure, ability to adjust to different situations, besides physical and mental toughness.

The most memorable tasks were pushing a gym ball with a rake while the rider controls only the clutch; transferring as much water as possible from one point to another; a slalom around wooden blocks (topped with plushie sheep) while riding up and down slopes; 180o zig-zags (the ground underneath the tyres had different characteristic); coming down a slope while transferring motorcycle tyres from one pole to another; and a deep water crossing.

To keep things fair, the organizer altered the tasks and course. Therefore, the Malaysian riders has to perform all-new tasks today together with the other teams.

Each team was required to perform team tasks as one unit, as well as being sent out as solo riders. The points were later combined.

Speaking of points, the GS Trophy’s scoring system looks at who has the least penalty points. Each mistake is awarded penalty points, thus the team which accumulated the least amount of mistakes win.

The day started out with the Indonesian, Philippines and Vietnam teams putting in some solid riding and teamwork. As the GS Trophy becomes more and more famous and popular, the riders trained hard.

But as the day wore on, the Malaysian riders started to edge ahead.

In the end, Team Malaysia came out tops by scoring 185 points, ahead of Indonesia and the Philippines who tied for second with 230 points each.

Moving forward, the team members will now train together to build a coherent unit.

We hope to bring you continuous updates when the event kicks off in New Zealand, so stay tuned.

PHOTO GALLERY

Mforce Bikes Holdings Launches SYM JET14 200 and SYM MIO 110 – from RM7,888 and RM5,688

Mforce Bikes Holdings Sdn. Bhd. launched the SYM JET14 200 and SYM MIO 110 scooters today.
The JET14 200 is equipped with ABS.
The MIO 110 features a large storage space.

Mforce Bikes Holdings Sdn. Bhd. launched the SYM JET14 200 and SYM MIO 110 scooters today.

SYM scooters are already known in the Malaysian motorcycle market. Mforce are hopeful that these two new models will continue the brand’s momentum.

SYM JET14 200 (from RM7,888)

The JET14 200 is an evolution and updated from the previous SYM JET14 125.

The new bike is equipped with ABS, and a 260mm front and a 220mm rear brake discs.

Its engine features electronic fuel injection which is Euro 4 compliant. According to Mforce, the bike is designed for “great performance, comfort and style, and is very practical for daily riding in the city.”

It’s available in Cedar Brown, Jet Black and Steel Gray, and priced from RM7,888 (excluding SST and other fees). The bike is covered by a two-year, 20,000km warranty.

SYM MIO 110

Just as the JET14 200 is a continuation of another model, the MIO 11 continues the MIO 110’s lineage.

The engine is electronically fuel injected and complies to Euro 3 standards.

Main features include a digital LCD screen and large underseat storage space. It’s equipped with a 160mm brake disc up front and a drum rear.

The bike is offered in Papermint (sic), Flamingo and Matte Black. The price of RM5,688 excludes SST and other fees.

It’s also covered by a two-year, 20,000km warranty.

SHARK Evo-One 2: “Modular, Integral”

The SHARK Evo-One 2 improves the modular concept.
Its integral design makes it more convenient and safer.
It’s also loaded with a number of useful features.

Modular helmets are convenient but riding with the chinguard flipped up isn’t exactly safe or comfortable. The SHARK Evo-One 2 changes that.

While “normal” flip-up helmets have their chinbars hanging above the face, the Evo-One 2’s can be flipped all the way back for a true jet-type (open-faced) helmet. So, rather than being a modular helmet, it is a true integral-type helmet.

This is achieved by using SHARK’s patented mechanism. However, the Evo-One 2 takes the concept further by opening and closing the faceshield when the chinbar is flipped to open and vice-versa.

Features and highlights:

Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) designed compact aerodynamic profile reduces noise.
Retractable, removable and magnetized noise-absorbent breath guard.
Simple, ergonomic and shock-resistant chinbar locking mechanism.
Pinlock MaxVision anti-fog insert included.
Impact certification for both the chinbar and integral configuration.
Integrated drop-down sun visor.
Anti-scratch visor.
SHARK visor Auto Seal system which “pulls” faceshield inwards to seal against weather rubber seal.
Quick release visor mechanism.
Micrometric strap enclosure.
SHARK trademark Easy Fit eyeglasses pockets.
Removable and machine-washable interior comfort lining.
Bluetooth-ready location.

We would to mention that the Auto Seal feature makes a lot of difference in ensuring a tight seal against wind noise and water ingress.

We also found the SHARK Evo-One 2 mighty useful when touring: With the chinbar locked in front in the sport-touring role, and flipped to back when riding in the urban environment with heavy traffic.

The SHARK EVO-One 2 is priced at RM2,060. The price is negotiable so please call the number below for the best deal.

POWER STORE

3-G, Street Wing, Persiaran Mahogani

Sunsuria Avenue

Kota Damansara

47810 Petaling Jaya.

Bikesrepublic

Wahid Ooi

There are many reasons why car drivers don’t seem to see bikes.

But it’s usually due to how the human brain works.

A group of researchers recommend saying “bike” out loud to yourself when you see one.

A “safety activist” recommended that the government ban kapchais from Malaysian roads.

He suggests electric scooters be used as the alternative.

It’s because electric scooters have limited range and lower speeds.

A new KTM RC 390 was spotted undergoing road tests.

Introduced in 2014, it needs an upgrade/redesign.

The new bike may be introduced for 2021.

A new 2020 Triumph Street Triple RS is one the way.

Triumph released a teaser video.

The new bike will be Euro 5 compliant and will feature new updates.

The Aprilia GPR 250 was unveiled in China.

Its 249.2cc, single-cylinder engine produces 26.5hp and 22Nm.

Will it come to Malaysia?

The 2020 Honda CRF1100L Africa Twin has broken cover.

The bike was unveiled in Europe ahead of the Tokyo Motor Show.

Changes centre on the engine, ergonomics and electronics.

PHOTO GALLERY

The Yamaha YZF-R15 Monster Energy GP Edition is coming to Malaysia.

Its livery is exactly as the Yamaha MotoGP works bike’s.

The recommended basic selling price is from RM12,618.

A group of 17 Sikh riders from the Santana Riderz Malaysia Club will ride 16,000km to Pakistan.

The objective is to raise awareness and funds for children with cancer.

The ride is conjunction with the 550th anniversary of Guru Nanak Devji, founder of Sikhism.

Mforce Bikes launched the Benelli 502C, Benelli 150S and SM Sport 110E.

The Benelli 502C is a middleweight cruiser while the Benelli 150S is a 150cc standard road bike.

The SM Sport 110E follows the success of the SM Sport 110R.

Benelli 502C

Features:

Benelli 150S

Features:

SM Sport 110E

Features:

Team Malaysia will represent the South East Asia region in the BMW Motorrad International GS Trophy Oceania 2020.

The finals will be held in New Zealand.

The riders qualified for their spots in the team yesterday.

PHOTO GALLERY

Mforce Bikes Holdings Sdn. Bhd. launched the SYM JET14 200 and SYM MIO 110 scooters today.

The JET14 200 is equipped with ABS.

The MIO 110 features a large storage space.

SYM JET14 200 (from RM7,888)

SYM MIO 110

The SHARK Evo-One 2 improves the modular concept.

Its integral design makes it more convenient and safer.

It’s also loaded with a number of useful features.

Features and highlights:

Contact Number: +60128003470

Archive

Follow us on Facebook

Follow us on YouTube

BikesRepublic

The ride is conjunction with the 550^thanniversary of Guru Nanak Devji, founder of Sikhism.