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TOC Automotive College: A Student’s Perspective

How is like to be a student at the TOC Automotive College?
We interviewed Louis Tan, an SKM Level 3 student.
TOC students have lots going for them from when they are studying to when they graduate.

As “The grass is on the other side” saying goes, it is always a pretty perspective to those looking in from the outside. It applies to just about everything in life: Other jobs, other countries, your mate’s girlfriend, another college.

We have published many articles regarding the TOC Automotive College from our point of view. However, we were always curious about how the college is truly like from an insider’s perspective i.e. from a student.

We grabbed one of TOC’s students and asked a few probing questions.

Louis Tan is now studying for the Sijil Kemahiran Malaysia (SKM) Level 3. He began studying in TOC in 2017.

Bikes Republic (BR): How’s it like studying in the TOC Automotive College, generally?

Louis Tan (LT): Studying in TOC is very exciting, because they always come up with many ideas on how to prepare students for the actual working environment.

For example, my core study is not on motorsports but just a few weeks ago, I was at the Sepang International Circuit for the Malaysian Superbike Championship (MSBK). TOC and MSF gave me the chance to be a pit crew in the Hiap Aik Suzuki Team.

BR: What motivated you to enroll in TOC Automotive College?
LT: I was learning a different subject in another college prior to enrolling in TOC. I studied there for only one semester and decided it wasn’t my thing.

My passion is for automotive subjects. I looked around and decided TOC was the best, as it had the best facilities. But TOC was costlier. I went back to my Boss, who was sponsoring my studies, and he encouraged me to go ahead with TOC. He said quality is more important.

Besides the facilities, TOC has partnered with many organizations. That way, students have plenty of opportunities when they graduate and that is very important.

BR: Does TOC prepare you for the current advancements in automotive technology?

LT: Truthfully, a course makes up 50% of what you learn. The other 50% is up to your own initiative. However, a good course guides you to obtaining the correct information.

TOC’s course structure consists of just 20% classroom theory but 80% actual hands-on learning.

BR: What future do you see for yourself?

LT: There’s lots of good future after studying in TOC. You can choose to be a technician or mechanic, race engineer or aftersales manager.

BR: Which manufacturers can TOC students look forward to working in after graduation?

LT: A lot! We can choose from around 800 of TOC’s partners! We’ve got partners such as Ferrari, Ford, Perodua, Proton, Honda, Toyota, Peugeot and many, many more.

BR: How did you like being involved in motorsports?

LT: It was the first time I witnessed a race from behind the scenes. It was during this time that I saw the passion of the race teams.

It was a great experience as a crew, too. The race was declared a wet race, meaning the riders have to come in and swap tyres after the race had begun. Each team had only 10-minutes to do so.

But one of the bikes’ fuel line came loose and sprayed out fuel just before leaving the pits. We had to rush like crazy to fix it!

The tension was crazy. That’s something one couldn’t experience in a classroom.

BR: So, it looks like students can have a great time learning here?

LT: That’s right! I’m glad I came here!

CONCLUSION

As we’ve written many times before, the TOC Automotive College offers comprehensive learning environment as well as future for the students. The college also offers plenty of different courses in catering to each student’s interest.

So what are you waiting for? If it has always been your dream to work in the motorcycle service line, or to start your very own motorcycle workshop, then this is the perfect platform to get you started on the path to achieving your dreams. Don’t wait, find out more about the TOC Superbike Technician Course at www.toc.edu.myor call (+603) 7960 8833 for more details.

CLICK HEREto know more about TOC’s Superbike Technician Course.

Norton Atlas Ranger and Norton Atlas Nomad Unveiled

The Norton Atlas Ranger and Norton Atlas Nomad are finally unveiled.
Both are 650cc-powered scrambler-type bikes.
The Ranger is off-road capable while the Nomad is for road use.

Rumours of Norton working on a scrambler-type modern-classic had been circulating for a long while. And now, the Norton Atlas Ranger and Norton Atlas Nomad have finally been unveiled.

The Ranger is more off-road capable with a 19-inch front wheel and taller suspension. The Nomad is road-centric with an 18-inch front wheel, on the other hand.

Both bikes share the same 650cc, parallel-Twin, 270^ocrank engine. Norton claims that it produces 84 bhp and 63.7 Nm of torque. The powerplant is essentially Norton’s own V-Four without the rear two cylinders.

Make no mistake, the Norton Atlas is no 2019 Triumph Scrambler 1200. Its ABS is standard as mandated by the EU but has no Cornering ABS ability. Traction control is basic with road, off-road and off options. The gauges are analog.

The bikes are suspended by Norton’s own Roadholder brand and the Brembo brakes are basic.

Norton pared the Atlas’ weight down to 178kg dry for more accessibility.

The company hopes to sell 2,000 Atlas a year through aggressive pricing. Norton lists the Nomad at £9995 and the Ranger at £11,995 in the UK.

Tenneco Inc. to Own Majority Stake in Öhlins Racing A.B.

Tenneco Inc. will buy a majority stake in suspension specialist Öhlins Racing A.B.
Öhlins founder Kenth Öhlin will remain with the company.
The deal will be finalized in 2019.

Tenneco Inc. will own a majority stake in premier suspension specialist Öhlins Racing A.B.

While many of us may not be familiar with Tenneco’s name, the American company owned the Marzocchi suspension brand. Tenneco shut down Marzocchi in 2015 before selling it to VRM, an Italian automotive company.

The deal is worth $160 million (RM669 million). The minority stake will remain with founder Kenth Öhlin. Industry observers consider the amount a premium. However, Teneco aims to lead the suspension industry, no doubt through Öhlins’s research and development in electronically controlled and semi-active suspension (CES).

Brian Kesseler, co-CEO of Tenneco said, “Öhlins’ technology team will allow us to rapidly grow our product offerings for current and future customers, as well as help us win a larger share of business in developing mobility markets.” He also added that the Öhlins team plays an important part of the new Aftermarket and Ride Performance company.

Öhlins currently employs 340 personnel in its R&D sit in Sweden. They have branches and subsidiaries worldwide are in Thailand, Sweden, Germany, USA. Öhlins practically holds a monopoly in the motorcycle road-racing scene, thereby etching the into road riders’ psyche. (Öhlins supplies suspension systems for cars, also.)

We expect the acquisition to close in the first quarter of 2019. Kenth Öhlin will continue to provide strategic and technological vision to the company, however.

“Ride for Sight” – Mohd. Adib to Ride from Penang to China

Mohd. Adib will ride from Penang to China for charity.
The proceeds will go to the St. Nicholas’ Home, Penang.
St. Nicholas’ Home, Penang provides care for the visually-handicapped.

“Ride for Sight” will Mohd. Adib ride from Penang to China for charity from 20^thNovember 2018.

The ride seeks to assist the St. Nicholas’ Home, Penang. St. Nicholas’ Home provides assistance for the visually handicapped from ages 6 through 77 irrespective of religion, race and background. They provide programs such as handicraft workshops, handing out low vision aid perscriptions, aftercare and job placement service, home for the elderly blind, among many others. There is also a multi-handicapped program caters to those who are afflicted with other afflictions in addition to being visually-handicapped.

This is why Mohd. Adib’s calls the ride “Ride for Sight.” The ride will take approximately 27 days to complete.

“My ride kicks off on the 20^thNovember 2018 and end on 15^thDecember 2018.The route I will be riding is from Penang – Thailand – Golden Triangle Border (Myanmar, Thailand & Laos) – Shangri-La – Tibet – Kunming – Laos – Thailand and back to Penang,” said the thirty-year-old Mohd. Adib.

The rider is no stranger stranger to overland rides on his Yamaha FZ150i. Among his achievements were:

Solo ride around Peninsular Malaysia in 2013.
Solo riding in the 7 Nations Expedition which covered Malaysia, Thailand, Cambodia, Vietnam, China, Laos and Myanmar in 2016.
Taking part in the Colombo Bike Week in Sri Lanka in 2017.

Mohd. Adib is raising funds for St. Nicholas’ Home through the sale os exclusive T-shirts. He will donate 10% of each sold to the home. The shirts are available through Mohd. Adib’sand Kembara Jiwa’sFacebook pages. Price for the T-shirts are RM50 (short-sleeved) and RM60 (long-sleeved).

Mohd. Adib can also be reaced at 016-4734748 for further information.

Honda CB125M Concept – The ultimate mini-moto

The Honda CB125M Concept was presented during the recent EICMA 2018 show in Milan.
The mini supermoto was unveiled alongside its adventure bike sibling, the Honda CB125X Concept.
Some of the specs fitted on the Honda CB125M Concept are 17-inch Marchesini wheels, Pirelli slick tyres, and an SC-Project exhaust.

The introduction of the Honda CB125X Concept 125cc adventure bike was presented during EICMA 2018 in Milan together with its super mini-moto sibling, the Honda CB125M Concept. When it comes to making the base Honda CB125R even more enticing, the folks over at Honda Europe R&D department came up with this particular baby. (more…)

GIVI Malaysia Launched Blog and GIVISTA Community

GIVI Malaysia has launched a blog space and GIVISTA Community.
The blog highlights products, lifestyle and trivia.
The GIVISTA Community highlights GIVI users’ activities.

GIVI Malaysia has launched a blog in their website and a GIVISTA Community in Facebook recently.

It is of no doubt that GIVI is world famous for their products. However, one may not be aware of just how extensive they are. The company has products for motorcycles of all types and engine capacities, from scooters all the way to the open-class adventure-tourers.

As such, the two new platforms provide up-to-date news and information about the latest products. However, there are certain differences between the two.

GIVI Malaysia’s blog at http://www.givi.com.my/blog.phpnot only features the latest products but also a mix of articles. You may find write-ups on practical applications for the products, first-hand accounts of using them and other trivia such as the company’s involvement in motorsports.

The GIVISTA Community Facebook page on the other hand is as the name suggests, is where a community of GIVI users share their experience, rides and most of all their love for GIVI products. One may also find the latest updates on GIVI Malaysia’s activities, for example, invitation to convoys.

You may also visit www.givi.com.myand https://www.facebook.com/givimalaysia/for more information.

Bikesrepublic

Latest News

How is like to be a student at the TOC Automotive College?

We interviewed Louis Tan, an SKM Level 3 student.

TOC students have lots going for them from when they are studying to when they graduate.

Bikes Republic (BR): How’s it like studying in the TOC Automotive College, generally?

Louis Tan (LT): Studying in TOC is very exciting, because they always come up with many ideas on how to prepare students for the actual working environment.

BR: What motivated you to enroll in TOC Automotive College? LT: I was learning a different subject in another college prior to enrolling in TOC. I studied there for only one semester and decided it wasn’t my thing.

BR: Does TOC prepare you for the current advancements in automotive technology?

LT: Truthfully, a course makes up 50% of what you learn. The other 50% is up to your own initiative. However, a good course guides you to obtaining the correct information.

BR: What future do you see for yourself?

LT: There’s lots of good future after studying in TOC. You can choose to be a technician or mechanic, race engineer or aftersales manager.

BR: Which manufacturers can TOC students look forward to working in after graduation?

LT: A lot! We can choose from around 800 of TOC’s partners! We’ve got partners such as Ferrari, Ford, Perodua, Proton, Honda, Toyota, Peugeot and many, many more.

BR: How did you like being involved in motorsports?

LT: It was the first time I witnessed a race from behind the scenes. It was during this time that I saw the passion of the race teams.

BR: So, it looks like students can have a great time learning here?

LT: That’s right! I’m glad I came here!

CONCLUSION

The Norton Atlas Ranger and Norton Atlas Nomad are finally unveiled.

Both are 650cc-powered scrambler-type bikes.

The Ranger is off-road capable while the Nomad is for road use.

Tenneco Inc. will buy a majority stake in suspension specialist Öhlins Racing A.B.

Öhlins founder Kenth Öhlin will remain with the company.

The deal will be finalized in 2019.

Mohd. Adib will ride from Penang to China for charity.

The proceeds will go to the St. Nicholas’ Home, Penang.

St. Nicholas’ Home, Penang provides care for the visually-handicapped.

The Honda CB125M Concept was presented during the recent EICMA 2018 show in Milan.

The mini supermoto was unveiled alongside its adventure bike sibling, the Honda CB125X Concept.

Some of the specs fitted on the Honda CB125M Concept are 17-inch Marchesini wheels, Pirelli slick tyres, and an SC-Project exhaust.

GIVI Malaysia has launched a blog space and GIVISTA Community.

The blog highlights products, lifestyle and trivia.

The GIVISTA Community highlights GIVI users’ activities.

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BR: What motivated you to enroll in TOC Automotive College?
LT: I was learning a different subject in another college prior to enrolling in TOC. I studied there for only one semester and decided it wasn’t my thing.