The Singaporean Maserati driver who allegedly caused the death of a Malaysian motorcyclist had pleased not guilty in a Malaysian court. The 27-year-old man caused the fatal accident along the Malaysia-Singapore Second Link Expressway in Johor, on 9th May.
The driver, Irshad Abdul Hameed, a civil servant in Singapore made his plea after his charge was read out in court. He was accused of driving his Maserati dangerously and causing the death of A. Vasanthraj, 32, at 6.40 pm on that day.
Thus, he was charged under the Road Transport Act 1987 for reckless driving which caused the death of another individual. If found guilty, he could face up to 10 years in jail and fined up to RM50,000 as this was his first offence under the Act.
The court set a bail at RM12,000 and revoked the defendant’s driving license. He is also required to check in at the nearby police station once a month.
Irshad was travelling towards Johor initially, but made an allegedly illegal u-turn towards Singapore. However, the car crashed into a metal barrier, causing the latter to protrude into the right-most lane.
The deceased could not avoid the barrier and crashed. He was confirmed dead on location due to severe head and leg injuries.
Irshad’s two lawyers insisted that their client did not attempt to make an illegal u-turn. Instead, the car had suffered problems causing Irshad to lose control and hit the barrier, and ended up stalling on the opposite side of the road.
Local motorcyclists who arrived later on the scene were said to have confronted Irshad and his passenger, besides vandalising the Maserati.
The Honda CB350RS generated plenty of excitement when it was launched in Malaysia. Here it was, a handsome, big(ger)-cc, and possibly more importantly, affordable motorcycle for the masses. But of course, the main draw was its looks – who would want to ride an ugly bike, eh? (Ok, ok, beauty is in the eye of the beholder.)
What is the Honda CB350RS?
It is a modern-retro motorcycle, parked in the 350cc-400cc segment. Its design harks back to the standard motorcycle of the 60s and 70s, but is actually packed with contemporary features.
Power is provided a single-cylinder, OHC, air-cooled engine.
It produces a maximum power of 20.7 hp (15.5 kW) at 5,500 RPM and maximum torque of 30 Nm at 3,000 RPM.
Again, as usual with Hondas, torque is the main importance for street bikes.
The engine is mated to a assist and slipper clutch, then to a constant mesh, 5-speed transmission.
Fuelling is via PGM-FI injection.
A semi-cradle steel tube frame holds everything together.
Front suspension consists of non-adjustable telescopic forks, while a pair of shock absorbers are at the back.
19-inch front wheel, 17-inch rear wheel.
Braking is via a 310mm disc up front, and a 240mm disc at the back.
The instrument panel has a round, analog speedometer with an embedded LCD screen.
The LCD screen displays data such gear position, fuel level, odometers, fuel consumption.
LED lighting.
15-litre fuel tank.
Honda claims a lithe 178kg kerb weight.
As you can see, it is a (very) simple motorcycle and holds true to the adage of having an engine, a fuel tank, a handlebar, a seat, and two wheels. Purity of form and function.
Riding the Honda CB350RS
The first thing that surprised us in this day and age of Euro5+ regulations was the relatively loud exhaust. Not ear-splitting loud, but definitely a soulful rumble which you can hear in our video. Turn up the revs and it sounds even better but not the kind you get from modified exhausts. Cool.
The dimensions of the bike felt so right when we first climbed on. Small around the “waist” (where the seat meets the tank), low seat height, handlebar in the right position. Its low weight shone through even before we began moving. The bike was easy to push around while we were in the saddle. That was a plus point.
There was nothing to fiddle with like ride modes or power settings, apart from changing the odometer to real-time fuel consumption. Getting on a motorcycle and riding off immediately never gets old.
Its engine was pretty smooth, despite being a single-cylinder. Torque came in gradually, while the bike picked up speed handsomely. No tachometer? No problem, because we could feel the engine’s power tapering off as it revved past peak power. Hence, we never once ran into the limiter.
Gears 1 thru 4 were evenly and spaced closer together, but changing into 5th took us aback. We were accelerating quickly until we came upon the rising on-ramp to a highway. Snicking into 5th, the engine’s rev began to drop and the bike slowed down. Ah okay, so 5th is an extra tall, overdrive gear for long distance cruising and fuel saving. Indeed, we saw 5 litres/100 km while cruising at 130 km/h.
Then again… it does not mean that the bike could not be ridden with a little aggression, as it loved to corner due to its short wheelbase and low weight. And with low weight comes higher mid-corner speeds, reaped through a smoother corner entry style, rather than being chucked in.
Helping this was the suspension which proved to be nicely compliant even over potholes. Those forks look rudimentary but Honda did a great job of giving them street-oriented damping rates. But the rear shocks truly stood out we did not even remember running over bumps or through potholes.
One last thing, it may be a 350cc engine, but it started to run out of breath around 120 km/h. However, remember that trying to see the top speed on this bike is truly missing the point. The Honda CB350RS is built for riding around in a relaxed manner for you to destress after a long day/week. We did not give a toss about rempits revving at us or flying by. We were one with the bike in a state of zen. The engine’s maximum torque is higher than its maximum horsepower which made it easy to ride in the city, while 5th gear allows you to cruise on the highway. We like.
Conclusion
Simple motorcycles such as the Honda CB350RS reminds us of what motorcycling has become. Sure, modern motorcycles are better as they embody new technologies, but we do feel that these advancements have robbed some of the bikes’ pure soul along the way. Some may say that they would get bored of such simple motorcycles but we gravitate to them instead because we have grown somewhat enamoured with overly complex motorcycles. For example, forgetting to set the ride mode from RACE or SPORT to RAIN while it pours would result in a white-knuckled ride.
Let us not forget that it is a good-looking bike with some quaint details such as the old school fuel tank cap. It even has the classic Honda crankcase covers.
So, at just RM20,500, the Honda CB350RS is a wonderful little machine we would love to ride day in, day out, while leaving the 200hp superbike for the track, or Africa Twin for the weekends. Hey, you may even find yourself riding the CB350RS only, after a while.
The Castrol POWER1 ULTIMATE SUPERBIKE 10W-50 engine has just been launched in Malaysia.
Selecting an engine oil for your pride and joy is no easy task. The market is inundated with tens, if not hundreds, of brands that offer different grades for different types of motorcycles, and different budgets. Even we, despite our experience, find it overwhelming at times.
And, of course, each oil is advertised along the lines of the five main functions of engine oil i.e. 1) Lubrication, 2) Cooling, 3) Cleaning, 4) Prevention against oxidation, 5) Sealing. Not forgetting terms such as superior performance and so forth.
Anyhow, you purchased the oil and tested it on your motorcycle only to find it being “meh,” to say the least. The engine felt sluggish and lazy to accelerate besides sounding noisier (it got worse as the oil wore), seemed to be running hotter, gear changes required the strength of King Kong’s foot, pulling the clutch lever required Conan’s hands, etc. We were exaggerating a little, but you get the idea.
Thinking back to the copywriting, it seems like something was lost in the translation between the technology of the oil to how it performs in the real world. Yes, we have been there, too.
Introduction
However, we have experienced oils that performed as they were advertised, sometimes even better. We found that it came down to well-established brands (no, we were not paid to say this) because they pay a lot of attention to research and development in the real world.
One such brand is Castrol, who have been in business since 1899. It has to be said that the company’s name was derived from castor oil which was added to the company’s early lubricants. Castor oil is a more complex ester compared to general ester. And if you were brought up on two-stroke motorcycles, you would know a famous Castrol product called “Castrol R40.” R40 was added to 2T oil to provide superior protection against seizing (“engine jam” in layman terms).
The classic Castrol R40
Moving to the current day, the company has just launched the Castrol POWER1 ULTIMATE SUPERBIKE 10W-50 engine oil. Its specs are:
Type: Fully synthetic, ester based
Viscosity grade: 10W-50
Wet clutch certification: JASO MA2
Service code: API SN
Viscosity Index: 169
The most important, yet unfortunately the most overlooked and misunderstood factor above is an oil’s Viscosity Index (VI). It is the measure of how the oil film stays intact when subjected to heat. The higher the VI, the more the oil can stand up to heat without thinning out too much. Hence, 169 is a good.
Additionally, the Castrol POWER1 ULTIMATE SUPERBIKE 10W-50 oil has a 5-in-1 formula, for extra benefits, namely:
Excellent acceleration.
Excellent protection.
Enduring performance.
Smooth riding.
Keeps engine cool.
Before you dismiss these points as mere advertising, they were actually tested on the streets and the results verified.
Excellent acceleration
Proven through a 30-second full-throttle acceleration test. Being on full-throttle is hard on any oil, let alone 30 seconds. To illustrate this point, a superbike takes much less than 30 seconds to cover the Sepang International Circuit’s front straight on full throttle.
Furthermore, Castrol measured distance of the bike running on CASTROL POWER1 ULTIMATE SUPERBIKE 10W-50 and found that it was 8 meters ahead of key competitors during the test.
Excellent protection
Let us not forget engine protection should not be compromised for performance. An excellent oil needs to protect the engine parts from wear and tear, and this oil was found to provide over 50% more wear protection than standard oil.
Enduring performance
Nobody wants an oil which stays good only for the first 1000 kilometres (sometimes even less!), only to break down soon after. A good oil should see its performance degrade gradually up to the engine’s service interval. The formulation in CASTROL POWER1 ULTIMATE SUPERBIKE 10W-50 helps the engine to maintain its starting viscosity and keep the engine cleaner for longer.
Smooth riding
The new lubricant is JASO MA2 rated, which is the highest clutch friction performance rating. This provides a smooth ride by maintaining the right friction level to prevent clutch slippage. Even after 3,000km, the oil kept its MA2 rating, ensuring smoother rides.
Keeps the engine cool
Remember what we said in the previous article? Despite the advent of liquid-cooling, oil remains as the engine’s essential cooling medium as it circulates where coolant cannot reach such as the piston and rings themselves, valvetrain, crankcase, transmission, clutch. This is one aspect in which viscosity index plays such an important factor.
And, we would like to add that ester has that ability from the outset, which was why Castrol chose to use it as the base oil.
Castrol subjected the new lubricant to mileage accumulation tests on a 300cc and 1000cc bike, and found the oil temperature remained stable throughout the test.
The CASTROL POWER1 ULTIMATE SUPERBIKE 10W-50 was tested among 10 Malaysian bikers for over 2000 kilometres before it was made available to the market. Their testimonials include:
Smoother clutch engagement.
Smoother gear changes and better gear synchronisation.
Much quieter when shifting through gears.
Riders rated acceleration 85 out of 100 with a noticeable boost in performance.
All riders will recommend it.
Conclusion
So there you have it, a new oil called CASTROL POWER1 ULTIMATE SUPERBIKE 10W-50 in the market made by a trusted lubricant specialist. It delivers superior performance and protection at the same time. Talk about having your cake and eating it.
Finally, it is here: The 2025 Honda CB1000 SP. It was launched at the recent Malaysian Autoshow 2025.
Also known as the CB1000 Hornet SP, this model is differentiated from the Neo Sports Café CB1000R. As such The Honda calls the former a bike with a streetfighter stance.
Highlights
1000cc, liquid-cooled, 16-valve DOHC inline-four delivers 155 hp (115.6kW) at 11,000rpm and 107Nm of torque at 9,000rpm.
A gain of 5.4 hp (4kW) and 2Nm is achieved through the addition of a Revolutionary Controlled (RC) valve in the 7.1L exhaust muffler, compared to the earlier versions.
Fuel is managed via PGM-FI (Programmed Fuel Injection), supported by a 17L fuel tank.
Multi-plate assist & slipper wet clutch, and 6-speed transmission.
Riding the Honda CB750 Hornet was eye-opening for sure, what more having after having ridden both the 650cc CBR650R and CB650F in succession. And it was not because of the engine capacity upgrade, only.
What is the Honda CB750 Hornet?
The bike occupies the 750cc-900cc midrange naked/roadster segment, which is also hotly contested among manufacturers that include European brands. Virtually every maker is represented here, from A-Z.
However, the segment is sub-divided into several categories such as sport-naked, roadster (the standard naked bike), and of course, adventure. The Hornet is not an adventure model, so we probably need to find out if it is a sport-naked or roadster.
But first, a history about the “Hornet” name.
Origins of the Honda Hornet
The original Honda Hornet was launched in 1998 utilising a 599cc inline-four engine. This engine was adopted from the CBR600 supersport, albeit in detuned form and the Hornet carried it in a basic frame and components to keep its price down.
As such, it became an extremely popular motorcycle especially in the UK, beating out the midrange Suzuki Bandit and Yamaha Fazer. Production of the CB600F Hornet went on for a full 15 years, before the competition got serious: Kawasaki launched the Z800/900, Yamaha with the MT-7 and MT-09, and Suzuki brought out the GSX-8S. From across the ocean were the BMW F 850/900, Triumph Trident 660 and Street Triple (765), KTM 790 Duke, and of course, the Ducati Monster, although costing more.
1998 Honda CB600F Hornet
The CB600 Hornet began falling out of favour so Honda pulled the plug. However, the European market, especially fans in the UK wanted a new Hornet. Honda heard them, thus unveiling the new CB750 Hornet at the 2022 Cologne Motorshow.
It was sold in the UK for £6,999 and with higher specifications than the MT-07. It also marked Honda’s entry into the modern two-cylinder middleweight class. It became the best-selling 750cc naked bike in Europe.
2012-2013 Honda CB600F Hornet
And it has to be said that its 755cc two-cylinder engine became the basis for the Honda XV750 Transalp which made its debut the next year.
Thus, the “Hornet” name, just like the Fireblade, Transalp, Africa Twin, is important for Honda.
Back to the CB750 Hornet
While appearing basic, there are several outstanding features:
755cc, SOHC, 8-valve, parallel-twin, with 270° crank engine which provides 90.6 hp (67.6 kW) at 9,500 RPM and 74.4 Nm of torque at 7,000 RPM.
As you can see, maximum power occurs at a “sane” RPM rather than in the 10,000s, showing that it is tuned for road use, rather than being more suited to the track.
The engine is mated to a slipper and assist clutch, and 6-speed transmission.
The frame is steel diamond, coated in beautiful metallic red.
Suspension consists of non-adjustable Showa 41mm SFF-BP USD forks up front, and a preload-adjustable monoshock damper with Pro-Link swingarm at the back.
Front brakes are 296mm twin discs with Nissin radially-mount 4-piston calipers, and a 240mm disc with 1-piston caliper out back. ABS is standard.
Seat height is a low 795mm.
Along with a 15.2-litre fuel tank, Honda claims a kerb weight of 190 kg.
5-inch full-colour TFT screen with Honda Smartphone Voice Control system (HSVCs) that connects via the Honda RoadSync app through Bluetooth.
Ride-by-wire throttle which allows for ride modes – Sport, Standard, Rain, and User.
Riding the Honda CB750 Hornet
This particular model was from 2024 as the 2025 model has been updated visually. In any case, they are still the same.
Sitting on the bike confirmed that Honda did not BS about the seat height and both feet touched the ground comfortably (this writer is 167cm in height and inseam challenged). The handlebar is set well within reach and not too high nor too low for us.
Starting the engine told us that immediately that it had a different feel to it compared to other Honda inline-fours. It was still smooth, but you could feel the throbbing power pulses.
Even in Standard ride mode, the engine was eager to move, requiring little throttle input. We found that it was the best mode to use when riding in heavy traffic – the kind you get riding down Jalan Ipoh at lunch time. In fact, we used Standard mode for general riding.
Sport mode requires some finesse (read: focus) when riding through traffic but it was best suited for the carving corners and climbing “The Mountain.” But it soon became addictive as any millimetre of throttle movement was rewarded by a kick as swift a Larry delivered it to Moe. The Hornet punched hard away from traffic lights, through traffic, and out of corners instantly. And, this, our friends, perfectly illustrated the beauty of two-cylinder engines.
The engine has a 270° crank and therefore mimics the firing order of a 90º V-Twin. Meaning the engine delivers superb torque at low and mid-RPMs for that punchy nature while at the same time, the rider is serenaded with a throaty, pulsating soundtrack. The engine felt alive rather than the machine-like inline-four.
Thankfully, Honda did not just give the CB750 Hornet an entertaining engine while doing away with iffy handling. Not Honda. The bike’s handling had be to experienced in order for you to fully appreciate it. We are afraid that our words alone may not be enough to convey the full picture.
But we shall try.
The bike actually makes our-often used “light steering” term look overused, because this, by far, needed the lightest steering among its peers (apart for the Triumph Street Triple). Flick it right, flick it left, the Hornet did not protest, did not hesitate. In fact, riding it in Sport mode made it seem like we were riding a larger supermoto with a low seat.
Boon Siew Honda had retrofitted a quickshifter to the test bike which made it even more entertaining. As such, despite always starting out calmly we ended up riding the bike around like our hair was on fire.
The only side to the bike to remember was the test bike was fitted with Dunlop Roadsmart tyres which had a (very) round front profile. That meant we could not charge into corners like the way we liked (perhaps because we had just dropped off the CBR250RR). Instead, we slowed down a little more steered the bike through the corner, and surfed the wave of engine torque out of corners. We still managed to ride the tyres edge to edge that way – no chicken strips, yay! You may try out tyres with more triangulated front tyre profiles for even quicker steering.
Last but not least, we liked that TFT screen. It was not big thus it had cram a lot of information on the same screen, but the speedometer, tachometer, and turn-by-turn navigation was easy to pick up. That is a welcomed relieve for these tired old eyes.
Build quality is of course top-notch as per a Honda. We did not see stray wires and cables hanging around, the panels fitted beautifully, the paint had no blemishes.
Conclusion
Back to our earlier question: “Is it a sport-naked or roadster?” It was still undetermined at the end of our tests. It did exhibit the aggression of sport-nakeds, although it was not as mad. As roadster, it had all the hallmarks of practicality, until you switch it to SPORT mode. So, it is the embodiment of both worlds.
But that does not drown out the fact that Honda CB750 Hornet is an entertaining motorcycle, for sure, not to mention being accessible and practical at the same time. Easy to ride (relative to other bikes, of course), easy to figure out, it is a bike that will make sense for any rider.
Its price is of good value too, selling at RM50,800.
As such, we only have one thing to about the Hornet: Welcome back!
The driver of a Nissan Navara that rammed a motorcycle was sentenced to 30 days in jail and fined RM12,000 by the Kuala Lumpur Magistrate’s Court today.
He was charged under Section 42 (1) of the Road Transport Act 1987.
The court also ordered the sentence to start from the date of the accused’s arrest, which was May 11. The accused was remanded for two days from that date.
The driver was found to have driven recklessly, therefore causing injury to another party. Through a video that has gone viral on social media, the Navara he was driving hit the motorcycle’s right-hand side storage box. The impact caused the motorcycle to crash, spilling both the rider and pillion passenger heavily onto the road. As a result, the 53-year-old motorcyclist suffered a fractured collarbone and a lacerated ankle. However, his wife bore the brunt of the impact and was seriously injured with a fractured ankle and right rib, as well as a brain haemorrhage.
The driver initially reported that the motorcycle had swerved into his path and he was unable to avoid it. However, video footage from another motorcycle’s dashcam showed the victim’s motorcycle being ridden carefully in the far left lane of the highway. The driver did not stop his vehicle but continued to flee the scene.
There was also a video footage showing the driver racing with three other four-wheel drive vehicles.
According to the Head of the Kuala Lumpur Traffic Investigation and Enforcement Department (JSPT), Assistant Commissioner Mohd. Zamzuri Mohd. Isa, “The four-wheel drive vehicle is believed to have tried to overtake another motorcycle but failed to avoid it and crashed into the victim’s motorcycle.”
Both victims were rushed to the Sungai Buloh Hospital.
