The new year is just around the corner and what better way to start things off than a huge bundle of cash, right? Well, Shell Malaysia wants to help you to ease some of that burden with their latest campaign called ‘Nak Ekstra RM20,000’ and the grand prize? You guessed it, RM20,000! (more…)
It looks like the folks from MV Agusta will be diving into the 350cc motorcycle category, hopefully in the next couple of years. The manufacturer will still stand as a premium exotic brand but plans to extend its offerings to a bigger market with the introduction of smaller capacity bikes below 500cc. (more…)
You know what we mean. You guys planned a nice little group ride over the weekend and it all went to shreds because of one or two annoying personalities. Everyone would probably return home and begin unfriending each other or kicking said individual/s out of your Whatsapp group.
We’ve narrowed them down to eight types.
He’ll turn even the most benign nasi lemak ride into the Ulu Yam TT. Watch out! Because he’ll come from a long way back and stick his bike inside yours “because there was a gap.” To him, the lead marshal is the race’s leader and must be followed right up the exhaust pipe to put pressure on him to go faster. Failing to get a knee down will see him sulking in the corner for the entire duration of the ride. He rides well, no doubt, just in the wrong place.
He’ll tell you he’s raced with Marquez AND defeated the GP champion, or that he holds the record at the Nordschleife. His other bike was a Ducati Desmosedici but he gave it away as it was “too slow for him”. And being a philanthropist at the same time. But he’d turn down your invitation to a trackday with 1001 excuses. He’d be missing at the end of the ride, sending everyone into a frenzy to look for him. He’ll then show up an hour later saying that the tyres on his bike are crap compared to the soft compound slicks and Öhlins he raced on in MotoGP. Everyone rolls his eyes when he talks.
You guys wanted to ride to Batu Pahat for nasi beriani gam and are excited about it. But Mr. Toxic told you that “it sucks” without assigning a reason. So, you guys changed plans to ride to the same town for wan tan mee. He told you that the one in Sungai Besi is even better. But he went along for the ride anyway without forgetting to tell everyone clearly that he’s just “being sporting” – twice. Then he starts complaining that it’s too hot, too cold, too fast, too slow, too many stops, too few stops. Maybe that’s why the other group kicked him out.
He’ll single you out and chastise you in front of everyone that you should ride this way and that when all you did was park your bike. He’d tell everyone to gather up and make an example of a rider who entered a corner just a little faster than he did. The Headmaster will then conduct a riding clinic on the spot. If asked if he’d learned riding in any formal riding schools, he’d tell you that those are “a waste of money.”
The details of what’s required to cross the border was already told during the planning TTS (teh tarik session) and in the group Whatsapp channel. Yet he showed up at the border missing the necessary documents. The group finally crossed the border after three hours, only to find that Mr. Blur didn’t have any Thai Baht on him when refuelling.
He feels tired after riding 150 km and the group needs to stop for him to sleep. He slept at every fuel stop. He slept during group dinner. Not many of these but oh yeah, they’re irritating. Your plans to reach the destination in 8 hours became 13 hours.
The Egoist can be easily confused with the The Headmaster and The Bulls***ter. They share same traits but there are subtle differences. The Egoist looks away when he shakes hands. To him everything less than a five-star hotel and 8-course fine dining is considered… rubbish. In fact, you don’t even deserve the right to talk to him unless you’re riding a Ducati Superleggera or BMW S 1000 RR HP4 Race. Good luck in telling him that riding with straight arms and back will tire him out.
New gear everytime when the group rides. His bike is so kitted out in that it resembles a Rizoma, Öhlins, Brembo, Pirelli catalogue, combined. That’s fine, of course. But the Show-Off will prance around telling everyone how much the gear costs – in a tone so loud he could be heard throughout the warung. He’ll even go on to compare how much it is in comparison to someone’s salary. But he’ll happily ask for cigarettes from everyone else…
So, how do you ride in a group? Of course, just be yourself but keep in mind that group riding is a democracy. Being humble and a team player gets you invited back for more future rides. Be an annoying person and you’d see the guys ignoring you.
The 2019 Asia Road Racing Championship (ARRC) just wrapped up its inaugural season with the new ASB1000 superbike category and our very own Azlan Shah Kamaruzaman was crowned the first-ever ARRC Superbike Champion in Buriram, Thailand yesterday! (more…)
Guy Martin Triumph will replicate the scene of Steve McQueen’s character jumping a Triumph over the fences in “The Great Escape.”
However, he will attempt it on the new Triumph Scrambler 1200 XE, instead of the classic TR6. The new bike has better power, frame and suspension to go with it, but the technical crew will upgrade the suspension in some ways to cushion the landing, just like in the movie.
The stunt will take place on 8th December, so stay tuned.
In the 1963 movie, Captain Virgil (played by McQueen) attempted to break out of a German Nazi POW camp. He got his hands on a “BMW R75” but was soon surrounded by German troops as he tried to escape from a town. The only way out was past a series of lower fences and the main 4m (12 feet) perimeter fence.
The image of him and bike suspended mid-air, clearing the fence became so famous that it even graced everything from t-shirts to song album covers – all propounding about freedom from oppression.
Truth is, the bike was a Triumph TR6 which was dressed up to look like a BMW R75. The R75 was rare in those days after the war and when the film was shot. Also, it was McQueen’s stuntman buddy Bud Ekins who made the infamous jumps.
However, we’d like to add that both McQueen and Ekins compete on TR6s in a number of rallies and winning them.
These were the reasons why Triumph introduced the commemorative Bonneville McQueen and Bonneville Ekins.
When it comes to the world of motorcycle Grand Prix racing, the biggest legend of them all has to be none other than the great Giacomo Agostini. With a grand record of 15 world championship title, 123 Grand Prix victories, 18 Italian championship titles, and 10 TT wins, you’ll need a complete museum tour guide to go through his massive wins racked up over the years. (more…)
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