To make its debut even grander, the first limited edition batch called the BMW R 18 First Edition will only be made in limited numbers. You can book yours online now via BMW Motorrad Malaysia! (more…)
BMW Motorrad Malaysia memperkenalkan waranti lanjutan baharu, program perlindungan bagi semua motosikal BMW termasuk lima tahun waranti bagi helmet BMW.
Lanjutan perlindungan ini berlangsung sehingga 1 Julai 2020 bagi motosikal BMW yang waranti berakhir di antara 18 Mac hingga 1 Jun 2020.
Bukan itu sahaja, BMW Motorrad turut mengumumkan kempen khas bagi membantu pemilik yang mengalami masalah bateri dengan memperkenalkan beberapa harga menarik bagi semua bateri dan pengecas bateri.
Kempen ini berlangsung sehingga 10 Julai 2020.
Pengarah Urusan BMW Motorrad Malaysia, Owen Riley menyifatkan lanjutan waranti ini sebagai inisiatif untuk membantu para pemilik motosikal BMW kembali menunggang.
“Kita kini telah memasuki Perintah Kawalan Pergerakan Pemulihan (PKPP) sekaligus pemilik motosikal sudah boleh kembali melakukan aktiviti berkonvoi.
“Bagi memudahkan semua pihak, kami di BMW Motorrad akan memastikan setiap ‘rider’ menerima pengalaman pemilikan premium terbaik terutamanya di masa sekarang.
“Kami teruja untuk membantu mengembalikan semua ‘rider’ kembali di atas jalan raya menerusi program lanjutan waranti, bateri dan helmet,” katanya.
The Recovery Movement Control Order (RMCO) has just kicked in starting today and BMW Motorrad Malaysia wants owners to know that they’re introducing new extended warranty coverage programs for authorised bikes as well as an additional five-year warranty extension for BMW helmets (on top of its initial two-year period). (more…)
BMW Motorrad Malaysia has finally brought in the latest 2020 BMW S 1000 RR into the Malaysian market, their latest superbike with great performance, supreme handling, and advanced riding technologies. (more…)
Baru-baru ini, BMW Motorrad Malaysia memperkenalkan dua model baharu bagi tahun 2020, BMW F 900 R dan F 900 XR dan untuk membuat tinjauan dengan lebih dekat kami bergegas terus ke Auto Bavaria Ara Damansara.
Membuat penampilan sulung ketika di EICMA 2019 dan diberi jolokan The Twin, kedua-dua jentera bernadikan enjin 900cc ini menawarkan dua pengalaman tunggangan berbeza namun selesa.
BMW F 900 R merupakan jentera dengan pengayaan Sport yang menawarkan tunggangan lebih sporty.
BMW F 900 R
Bagaimanapun, bagi peminat sport touring, F 900 XR merupakan jentera idaman bagi penunggang yang gemarkan tunggangan jarak jauh.
Bagi memastikan keselesaan, F 900 XR dilengkapi dengan penghadang angin yang tinggi sekaligus menonjolkan lagi rupa motosikal pengembaraan.
F 900 R didatangkan dengan tangki 13 liter sementara F 900 XR mampu pergi lebih jauh dengan tangki 15.5 liter.
BMW F 900 XR
Kerangka belakang kedua-dua jentera turut dikemaskini dengan penggunaan bahan keluli sekaligus tampak lebih tirus dan kompak.
BMW F 900 XR
BMW F 900 R dan F 900 XR dilengkapi enjin 900cc yang menjana 105hp pada 8,750rpm dan 92Nm pada 6,500rpm namun menariknya, kedua-duanya menghasilan tork tinggi sekitar 87Nm pada rpm rendah – sekitar 4,500 hingga 8,500rpm.
Antara ciri lain ditawarkan:
dua mod tunggangan – Rain dan Road
Automatic Stability Control (ASC)
Dynamic Traction Control (DTC)
ABS-Pro
Dynamic Brake Control (DBC)
Drag Torque Control (MSR)
Sistem infotainmen turut dipertingkat dengan paparan 6.5′ berwarna TFT yang boleh dilaras menerusi
kawalan BMW Motorrad Multi-Controller.
Bagi yang berminat untuk memetik bunga di taman, kunjungi Auto Bavaria Ara Damansara untuk menyaksikan kedua-dua jentera yang ditawarkan pada harga RM62,500 (F 900 R) dan RM69,500 (F 900 XR).
Pasukan Malaysia menamatkan saingan BMW Motorrad International GS Trophy 2020 di kedudukan ke-18.
Trio negara, Norizuan Abdullah, Chan Kiang Wei dan Mohd Zulfakar Mohd Alghaus – yang merupakan juara kelayakan Asia Tenggara – antara 23 pasukan yang bertanding dalam pengembaraan lebih 3,000 kilometer.
GS Trophy edisi ketujuh ini yang berlangsung selama lapan hari menyaksikan pasukan negara mengembara di bahagian utara dan selatan New Zealand.
Sementara itu, Pengarah Urusan BMW Group Malaysia, Harald Hoelzl, menyifatkan penyertaan pasukan Malaysia sebagai satu kebanggaan.
“Kami bangga dapat menyaksikan pasukan Malaysia beraksi di peringkat dunia kerana mereka bukan sahaja mewakili negara malah seluruh Asia Tenggara buat julung kalinya,” jelasnya.
Pada masa sama, selaku pelumba, Norizuan beranggapan beraksi di GS Trophy 2020 sebagai satu pencapaian tertinggi buat mereka bertiga.
“Mewakili Malaysia di International GS Trophy 2020 merupakan pencapaian terbesar kami. Meskipun bergelut di peringkat awal tetapi selepas bekerja keras kami muncul sebagai penunggang yang lebih baik.
“Saya percaya ini adalah objektif utama GS Trophy, menyatukan semua penunggang BMW. Bukan mudah untuk menamatkan kesemua peringkat sehingga ke garisan penamat,” jelasnya.
BMW Motorrad Malaysia melancarkan BMW F 900 R dan F 900 XR, motosikal segmen roadster dan sport touring bagi pasaran tempatan.
BMW F 900 R
Membuat penampilan sulung ketika di EICMA 2019 dan diberi jolokan The Twin, kedua-dua jentera bernadikan enjin 900cc ini menawarkan dua pengalaman tunggangan berbeza namun selesa.
BMW F 900 R merupakan jentera dengan pengayaan Sport yang menawarkan tunggangan lebih sporty.
Bagaimanapun, bagi peminat sport touring, F 900 XR merupakan jentera idaman bagi penunggang yang gemarkan tunggangan jarak jauh.
BMW F 900 R
Bagi memastikan keselesaan, F 900 XR dilengkapi dengan penghadang angin yang tinggi sekaligus menonjolkan lagi rupa motosikal pengembaraan.
F 900 R didatangkan dengan tangki 13 liter sementara F 900 XR mampu pergi lebih jauh dengan tangki 15.5 liter.
BMW F 900 XR
Kerangka belakang kedua-dua jentera turut dikemaskini dengan penggunaan bahan keluli sekaligus tampak lebih tirus dan kompak.
BMW F 900 XR
BMW F 900 R dan F 900 XR dilengkapi enjin 900cc yang menjana 105hp pada 8,750rpm dan 92Nm pada 6,500rpm namun menariknya, kedua-duanya menghasilan tork tinggi sekitar 87Nm pada rpm rendah – sekitar 4,500 hingga 8,500rpm.
BMW F 900 R
Antara ciri lain ditawarkan:
dua mod tunggangan – Rain dan Road
Automatic Stability Control (ASC)
Dynamic Traction Control (DTC)
ABS-Pro
Dynamic Brake Control (DBC)
Drag Torque Control (MSR)
Sistem infotainmen turut dipertingkat dengan paparan 6.5′ berwarna TFT yang boleh dilaras menerusi kawalan BMW Motorrad Multi-Controller.
BMW F 900 R dan F 900 XR boleh didapati di semua pengedar BMW Motorrad Malaysia bermula 29 Februari ini.
BMW Motorrad Malaysia has updated its current line-up of premium bikes with the introduction of the 2020 BMW F 900 R and BMW F 900 XR. The addition of the new models in the Roadster and Adventure ranges showcase the increasing popularity of the brand’s mid-range two-wheelers in the country. (more…)
BMW Motorrad Malaysia together with BMW Group Malaysia celebrates yet another successful year of sales back in 2019 where they manage to deliver a total of 11,567 units to customers nationwide. 1,125 units of them were bikes which showcased a consistent figure as compared to 2018 where they managed to sell 1,130 units of fine BMW Motorrad two-wheelers. (more…)
Auto Bavaria, the official custodian for BMW, MINI and BMW Motorrad here in Malaysia, recently organised its first-ever overseas ride dubbed the Auto Bavaria Ride to Khao Yai. The six-day day was held in conjunction with BMW Motorrad Day in Thailand last month where 20 invited BMW bike owners travelled around 3,000km from Auto Bavaria Glenmarie showroom all the way to Khao Yai, North Thailand, and back. (more…)
We were given the honour to cover the 8 Hours of Sepang FIM EWC race from inside the BMW Motorrad World Endurance Team.
We had an unprecedented access to what made them tick and the strategies involved.
The team finished third overall.
Excitement fills the air as the bikes were fired up for 8 Hours of Sepang FIM Endurance World Championship (FIM EWC) race.
As adrenaline started coursing through the veins of the BMW Motorrad World Endurance Team members, their cheerful disposition gave way to steely stares and clenched jaws. It’s time to go racing.
The Planned Start
A technician pushed the BMW S 1000 RR onto the pitlane with rider Ilya Mikhalchik following closely behind. As he reached for the started button, I braced myself as if squeezing my ear canals in anticipation of an exhaust blast. But… nothing… there was a slight roar from the titanium Akrapovic exhaust silencer but that was it. No eardrum assaulting, chest punching roar.
And away he went along with other riders. The technicians grabbed their equipment and hurried to the gate to the grid. By then, the first riders had completed their warm-up lap.
When the bikes returned to the grid, they were wheeled backwards and parked against the pitwall at an angle. The riders then went to the other side of the start finish straight. The factory BMW sat in fifth while the crew blanketed the rain Dunlop tyres with warmers again.
Alas, the rain started coming down in earnest with just 25 minutes before the start.
The Safety and Medical Cars were sent out to check but it was visible that the sheer volume of water had overwhelmed the drainage. The cars sent up huge plumes of spray.
By then there was a delay in starting the race and the field was given another sighting lap. The riders roared away in a whiteout wall of spray. Back in the pit, the team had their eyes transfixed on the TV monitors.
The riders tip-toed through every corner and there was still lots of standing water including at the apexes of Turns 5, 9, 13 and 14. There was a river-like puddle running across the track at the braking area for Turn 15.
Upon reaching the start/finish line, marshals instructed the riders to their bikes, away from the where they were supposed to start running from. A few minutes later, race direction suspended the start. Team managers were then called to the briefing room at 1:15pm. We feared the worst i.e. outright cancellation, but that decision never came.
Now, the long wait began.
The BMW Motorrad World Endurance crew didn’t look agitated, but they didn’t seem relaxed, either.
We waited.
This is how the stripped down BMW S 1000 RR endurance racebike looks like
The 1st Restart
The rain began abated somewhat by 2:30 pm. At 2:40 pm, a message flashed across all monitors at the track: PITLANE OPENS FOR 2 MINUTES AT 3:05 PM.
Yes! We’re finally going racing. As per endurance racing rules, the duration was shortened to 6 hours.
However, there was no Le Mans style start. Instead, the riders were flagged off one by one by a marshal holding the Jalur Gemilang (Malaysian flag). Again, a wall of spray hung in the air as the bikes made their way to Turn 1. Also this time, they had to follow the Safety Car (SC).
Photo credit FIM EWC
The spectators in the grandstands were excited. Kids who’ve been running around suddenly sat ran back to their parents’ arms and pointed excitedly at the track.
The SC took the grid past the finish line for Lap 1. There was still too much spray. They went past for Lap 2. Then Lap 3, Lap 4, everyone in the pits was hoping for the SC to turn off its emergency lights. It would mean that it would peel into the pits and let racing commence.
All teams began to prepare for the eventual pitstop by placing tools, axle stands, refueling rigs near the pit entrance. They also place spareparts and assemblies such as front ends, rear subframes, bodywork, radiators, etc. where they are within easy reach (in case of crashes or breakdowns).
The refueling can was placed nearby together with a large fire extinguisher. The refueling man’s helmet and Nomex gloves were placed on top of the fuel can. There’s no time to rush back into the pits for something!
Sadly, the SC never turned off it lights and pulled in at the end of Lap 8. The red flags went out signaling another race suspension.
Another team managers meeting was called at 5.00 pm. BMW Motorrad World Endurance Team’s manager Werner Daemen ran up the steps again to the briefing room.
The organizers, stewards and teams deliberated for more than an hour before coming to the decision to either race or suspend it outright. However, should they choose to restart, the race has to end at 9.00 pm.
Sources told us that the teams were eager to go on and it’ll be a shame to cancel since they had travelled so far for this race. It would’ve been 8 Hours of Rain if it were cancelled.
The 2nd Restart
Soon, the message RACE TO RESUME AT 6.00 PM appeared on the monitors. Mechanics rushed to the holding area to pick up their bikes. They were pushed back to outside the pits and parked on the “hot pit lane” (the red line) and waited for the signal from Race Direction.
At the sound of the air horn, mechanics rushed their bikes into their respective pits to begin working on them.
Why such ruling? So that everyone starts working on their bike from the same time as everyone else. No handicap.
The team mechanics jumped in to change the rear sprocket for a taller gearing, fresh wet tyres were installed. They gave the bike a one-over to make sure everything was alright.
The pit reopened at exactly 6.00 pm and every single person at the track was eager to see the race get going. The field first formed up behind the Safety Car and the riders must be in their qualifying order before the car turns off its warning lights to let the 50 riders loose.
Finally, it was time to race after a couple of laps behind the SC. The 8 Hours of Sepang was go.
By the end of the first restarted lap, it was Mike Di Meglio of F.C.C. TSR Honda (#5) who was challenging Michael Van Der Mark from the Yamaha Sepang Racing Team (#21) for the lead.
The #37 bike of the BMW Motorrad World Endurance Team was in sixth at the end of the same lap, in a pack of four bikes including the Tecmas Racing #9 BMW S 1000 RR (older model). The Tecmas team’s pit neighbor’s the Motorrad’s pit.
Soon, a fierce battle developed up front between #5 and #21, as if it was the last few laps of a WorldSBK race.
The rain had stopped by the 4h 15 minute mark, but the track was still wet.
But neither leading rider backed down and they were pushing so hard that their bikes squirmed under hard braking. That frenetic racing saw a pace that no one else on the field could or want to match. While most of the field was lapping in the 2m 30s bracket, the dueling duo was circulating around in 2m 15s.
Meanwhile, #37 and #9 were locked in a battle of their own, and the former was briefly in fourth by the 4h 40 minute mark. The team members were glued to the TV monitors, a few mini-hopping up and down, a few chewed their fingernails.
Then it happened. V.D. Mark outbraked Di Meglio into Turn 15, but he went wide. Seeing the gap, Di Meglio stuck his bike up the inside. As V.D. Mark tried to tighten his line for the exit, he was surprised to find #5 there and lifted his #21 bike. Di Meglio was also surprised by the move and probably dabbed his front brake and lost the front tyre, which slid into #21’s rear tyre. It sent both men skidding off the track.
A huge roar went up all around the circuit and in the pits.
Di Meglio managed to pick up his bike first and continued racing, while V.D. Mark’s Yamaha was heavily damaged and had to return to his pit.
To give you an idea of how far they were ahead, Di Meglio rejoined the race in first place.
Into the Night
At the same time, #9 got the better of #37 and the latter dropped back to sixth. But four laps later, there was huge plume of white smoke leading into Turn 1. #9’s engine had gone bang in spectacular fashion. Peeking into our neighbours’ pit saw them slumped into their chairs. One of the crew members had told me during the start that they’re using Michelin tyres and gave the thumbs up. Michelin makes arguably the best rain tyres.
The Safety Car was called into action as the track crew removed the stricken bike from the gravel trap and to assess if any oil was dumped onto the track. It led the field for five laps.
During this time, BMW Motorrad team manager Daemen ran back and forth between the pit and pit wall, discussing their fueling strategy. He had told me earlier that the 24-liter tank could last between 26 to 27 laps in rainy conditions. But with the Safety Car period thrown into the mix, they needed to recalculate the bike’s fuel consumption. They also needed to figure out their pace in comparison to other competitors. Calling for a stop at the wrong time would be out of sync with field and cost them track position.
The mechanics began arranging different types of “stands” on the pit lane. They were all custom made for different purposes, including those to place the wheels. A loose wheel rolling down pit lane will be punished by a penalty.
They also prepared two types of Dunlop wet rear tyres, one intermediate and one full wet. The current rider will advise the team on which to choose.
At last, the #37 got the “BOX” message on his pit board. So do the other teams.
The bikes may appear slow on TV as they headed down pit lane, but they were fast in real life as the riders held on to the pit lane speed for as long as possible. The #37 flew into position in the blink of an eye and the four-man crew descended on it in that split second it stopped.
The wrenches went “rat-tat-tat-tat” in unison, the front and rear wheels came out, new ones went on, and and “rat-tat-tat-tat” again. But the mechanics also checked the nut with a torque wrench. (Here it was, where every second mattered, yet they still used torque wrenches, whereas most real-world mechanics never touch them.)
They yelled “GO!” to the fuel man and cleared away from the bike. With one swift motion, the biggest man in the pit (dressed in flame retardant suit) heaved the can above bike’s fuel tank and plunked it down into the dry break female coupling with an audible click, while another man stood by with the fire extinguisher. It took only a few seconds. He pulled the can off and the rider jumped on the bike, punched the starter button and away he went.
All these in less than 20 seconds.
You can watch video of the lightning fast pit stop below.
Countdown to the 8th Hour
We thought the field would settle into a rhythm. Instead, it was a crash fest.
Most riders crashed at Turn 5. Local riders know to stay away from apex as moisture seems to cling to that spot. The track was starting to dry but again, we local riders know that the Sepang International Circuit’s new surface may look dry while it’s still damp.
The most prominent crasher during this period was Mike Di Meglio on the #5 bike. While the earlier crash caused minor scrapes, this one saw extensive damage to the bike. He had to pit for repairs. His partner continued the race dead last but managed claw his way back to 21st at the 8th hour.
As the minutes ticked away, the top three began to emerge: YART Yamaha, Honda Asia-Dream Racing and BMW Motorrad World Endurance.
A second and last pitstop was called with 20 minutes to go. Again, the team did their choreographed magic. Again, they sent the rider and bike out in less than 20 seconds.
It’s all up to the rider now.
YART Yamaha was in an unassailable lead with one lap in hand, while the Honda Asia-Dream team was 1m 40s ahead in second.
By now, the BMW rider Mikhalchik was lapping 3 seconds a lap faster the leading pair, but there was no way in catching the second-placed team.
The team climbed atop the pit fence to welcome their rider home. It was their second podium finish in as many races. It’s a fantastic result by all means, considering that this is the first season for the factory BMW Motorrad team.
It was also the second podium of the year for Dunlop. (Remember, there’s a tyre war in the FIM EWC, unlike in MotoGP and WorldSBK.)
The next race will be the 24 Hueres Motos at the Bugati circuit in Le Mans, France on 18th and 19th April 2020.
We wish to record our heartfelt thanks to the BMW World Endurance Team for allowing us to cover the race along with them. Them team was very professional and they were very focused on their tasks at hand. It was a true honour to experience it firsthand.
A big thank you and appreciation to BMW Motorrad Malaysia also, for setting up the coverage.
Last but not lease, congratulations to the team and BMW Motorrad as a whole.
We were given access to the BMW Motorrad FIM Endurance World Championship Team’s pit.
There we saw the BMW S 1000 RR endurance racer.
The 8 Hours of Sepang FEWC race is happening this weekend.
BMW Motorrad announced that the new BMW S 1000 RR will be entered in the FIM Endurance World Championship last year, just prior to the start of the 2019-2020 season.
The decision seemed to have justified itself when the team finished third overall in the season opener at the 24-hour Bol D’or race in France.
We’ve published an article on some of the technical rules for the FEWC, but of course, who wouldn’t want to see the bikes up close? Well, we were given access to the team’s pits and bikes, thanks to BMW Motorrad Malaysia.
First of all, we were surprised how “open” all the teams were in FEWC. There was no giant separators to hide the insides of the pits, bike parts were in the open, riders walked about nonchalantly without being mobbed.
Walking into the BMW pit, there were fuel tanks on top of a transport case. These tanks feature extensions underneath and to the rear. The rear portion is placed under the rider’s seat. A 24-litre capacity is allowed in FEWC so the teams need extra space to store all that fuel.
But sitting right there in the middle was a stripped out 2019 BMW S 1000 RR. It was sitting on paddock stands without its wheels, seat cover and fuel tank.
Since refuelling need to be lightning quick, all teams use the dry break refuelling system. There are those with two couplings, the rest are with single couplings. Why two holes? Air from the tank exits through one hole while fuel flows through another. Doing this speeds up the fueling process.
Team manager Werner Daemen greeted us and went on to explain about the bike. (Greeted by a team boss? Never happened in MotoGP.)
There are pitstops for fuel, tyres and rider change (and also crashes). As such, every attachment on the bike is made for quick release. Both wheel axles/spindles needed only three turns to be extracted. Consequently, tyre swaps take only 3 seconds!
The footrests, foot pedals, clip-ons and levers are also quick release systems. Their cable and hose attachments have quick-release couplings that can be twisted on and off.
Looking at the handlebar, there’s a button which says “START.” Yes, the bike’s starter is in place. That’s because riders will line their bikes on one side of the track, then run over from the opposite side. They then have to start their bikes and get going. This endurance tradition lives one.
Daemen pointed out the brakes. The team uses Nissin brakes instead of the usual Brembo. We’ll leave the good/bad arguments to the riders but it shows that there’s room for other manufacturers to shine in the FEWC.
We noticed the gorgeous swingarm. A closer inspection showed that it’s made by Suter, who were once involved in Moto2 racing.
Suter also makes the swingarm for the BMW S 1000 RR HP4 Race, but the swingarms on these race bikes were custom made.
We walked over to the other two bikes. One was crashed yesterday and the rider suffered some shoulder injuries.
Here, we could look right into the engine compartment. The huge airbox was still attached and the ECU sits atop it. The ECU is available to BMW customers who wish to race in endurance. However, instead of unlocking more of the engine’s power, it’s programmed to provide better fuel efficiency and engine reliability. Endurance racing is about strategy and who can be the fastest on a consistent basis, rather than an all-out horsepower battle like in MotoGP.
The rep explained that the riders love the new BMW S 1000 RR engine as it produces a lot of midrange torque. He says that this is due to the BMW ShiftCam variable valve timing/lift system.
It’s this midrange grunt that propels the bike and rider out of corners, not top-end horsepower. If you look at SIC’s layout, there are only two areas that require high horsepower i.e. the rear and front straights, while the rest are made up of short “chutes” leading into other corners. In fact, the torque helps the bike to build speed much quicker when exiting corners, translating to higher speeds down the straights. Remember our article?
It has to be said here that the FEWC is a production-based series. That means the racebike must be essentially be the same as the homologation street bike. It also means that the engine architecture and capacity; frame design and material must be exactly be the same.
The FIM scrutineered the bikes and stamped the parts such as the frame.
As we mentioned before, the FEWC is where a proper tyre war takes place. This is where Dunlop, Bridgestone and Pirelli duke it out to produce the best tyres in terms of grip and durability.
The overall objective of all these rules is to encourage manufacturers to produce bikes and products that the buying public can benefit from.
The second round of the season is now in Malaysia at the Sepang International Circuit. Called the 8 Hours of Sepang, the race will play the role as the qualifier for the Suzuka 8 Hour season-finale for “part-time” teams. It means that these teams will compete alongside the regular teams of the FEWC.
So do make your way over to the Sepang International Circuit for this grand event. More details on the SIC webpage.
