Johann Zarco has been removed from the MotoGP team for the remainder of the season.
Mika Kallio will replace him for the rest of the 2019 season.
Zarco isn’t allowed to race or test for another team until the end of the year.
Johann Zarco has been removed from the MotoGP team for the remainder of the season.
The two-time Moto2 champion had requested to terminate his two-contract with the Austrian manufacturer a year early, which would see him leave at the end of the 2019 season.
Instead, Mika Kallio will return to ride for the factory team for the remainder of the season.
We weren’t told if Zarco insisted on leaving early or whether KTM told him to leave, but the team would surely want to move on quickly to develop the RC16 for the 2020 season. While the factory can still put in new parts for these last few rounds, they may see the rider as the stumbling block. Besides, KTM will also need to secure their secrets and will not let Zarco spill the beans when he joins another team. This is even more critical in case he becomes a test rider.
KTM noted that Zarco is still contractually tied to them until the end of 2019, hence he will not be able to race or test for another team.
Relationship between the two parties melted down after Zarco became more and more frustrated with riding the KTM RC16. His ex-teammate from Tech 3 Yamaha, Hafizh Syahrin also struggled with the KTM and was unceremoniously dumped for next season.
Shell Malaysia has joined forces with Malaysian enforcement agencies to combat counterfeit lubricants.
They organized a workshop for the Ministry of Domestic Trade and Consumer Affairs (KPDNHEP) and Royal Malaysian Customs.
The workshop will help the enforcers identify fake Shell lubricants when they conduct raids.
Shell Malaysia has joined forces with Malaysian enforcement agencies to combat counterfeit lubricants.
The issue of counterfeit lubricants is certainly not new in this country and it isn’t limited to a single brand, either. Criminals target the most popular brands, because they are business people too but unethical. This is why sometimes exists the perception that there’s widespread existence of counterfeit items being sold in the market.
KPDNHEP Deputy Director of Enforcement Tuan Suhaimi Mat Sari and Shell Malaysia Government Relations Manager Noorhisham Anas taking a closer look at Shell Helix packs.
For this, Shell conducted a research in 2018 to check for illegal lubricant proliferation. They procured samples from online portals and hypermarkets that were tagged as “genuine” Shell products. Samples were sent to their labs and 12 bottles were found to be counterfeits.
Counterfeit products not only create bad publicity for a company and its dealers, it may come down to being downright harmful to consumers, as well. Imagine using inferior lubricants in your engine. Or worse, other consumables such as brake fluid!
Shell organized a special workshop for more than 100 officers from the Ministry of Domestic Trade and Consumer Affairs (KPDNHEP) and Royal Malaysian Customs. The objective was to impart the knowledge to differentiate the genuine and counterfeit products, especially when they carry out raids.
An officer inspecting the security QR code sample on a genuine Shell Helix pack
Shell advises that official and genuine Shell lubricants for the Malaysian market are marked with a “Untuk Pasaran Malaysia” label together with a QR codes that can be authenticated via the SHARE website (http://www.shell.com.my/share).
Consumers who suspect they may have purchased counterfeits are advised to contact Shell Customer Service immediately at 1-300-88-1808 or email to generalpublicenquiries-my@shell.com.
Kawasaki has just released a teaser video for a supercharged “Z” model.
There were no other details provided.
It could be for a new supercharged Z1000.
Kawasaki has just released a teaser video for a supercharged “Z” model.
The announcement is quite a surprise since the “Z” model range consists of standard and naked sportbikes such as the Z250, Z650, Z900 and Z1000, with only one fully-faired model, the Z1000SX sport-tourer.
No other details were provided so it may go either one of two ways.
On one hand, the new bike may be a supercharged Z1000. Doing so would boost the engine’s horsepower and torque enter the bike into the supernaked category arena. its competitors are the KTM 1290 Super Duke R, Aprilia Tuono 1100, BMW S 1000 RR, Triumph Speed Triple RS, Ducati Monster 1200, Yamaha MT10. Kawasaki had ruled this segment a long time ago with the Z1, although there was no “sportbike” and “naked sportbike” category back then. The current Z1000 needs a reboot since its introduction in 2014.
On the other side of the coin, Kawasaki could supercharge a 500- or 600cc bike and bring it to the Z1000’s level. However, this seem a little far-fetched for us for a number of reasons, chief being very few buyers would pay big money for a 500/600cc bike, supercharged/turbocharged be damned. To them it’s more like overcharged. Besides that, as we mentioned earlier, the Z1000 is five years old and is dire need of a refresh.
But regardless of which direction Kawasaki takes, the new bike will be the fourth supercharged machine in their stable after the H2R, H2 and H2SX sport-tourer.
The SHARK Nano is small in size but big on style, features, comfort and value.
The features are as innovative as they are functional.
Going for only RM500!
The SHARK Nano open-faced helmet is designed to be radical and head turning, no matter what bike you wear it on. Intended for “metro” usage, it provides safety, comfort and a distinctive style that are not found on other helmets.
Sometimes wearing just any open-faced helmet wouldn’t cut it in terms of style. And definitely not in terms of safety either. The two factors seem to be at odds with each other, like my ex-wife and I.
That’s why you need the SHARK Nano.
Styling
SHARK Helmets opted for a futuristic styling to allow the helmet to stand apart from the crowd. One look at it and you’d probably think “astronaut” or an “intelligent extraterrestrial being.” No, those thoughts aren’t far out – it’s SHARK’s intention to bring forth those creative thoughts in the Nano.
The Nano also features Johann Zarco’s distinctive sunrise graphics. No one will mistake you for wearing another helmet.
Features
There are several innovative features on the helmet. Chief among them is the air vent at the bottom part of the visor. These little vents form an air intake to demist the visor when you’re riding in the rain. The visor’s bottom lip is shaped like an aerofoil to push air upwards through the intake.
The visor has little “fins” near where they attach to the helmet. SHARK call these “air deflectors.” While small, they actually function to smoothen airflow just before the “sidepods.” Consequently, the helmet is quieter and more stable.
As with most helmets from the brand, there is an integrated drop-down sunvisor. The mechanism is placed in the left sidepod for easy operation.
Comfort
Riding in the city needs an ultra-comfortable helmet. As such, the shell is streamlined to provide a closer fit, resulting in a small and lightweight helmet. As an added advantage, you can store the helmet in a top case or carry bag easily.
The comfort lining is supple and uses bamboo charcoal to fight odours. They are extractable and washable, too. Besides that, the surface feels cooling against the skin.
No worries for eyeglass wearers as there are the SHARK Easy Fit glasses pockets.
Safety
The helmet is (UN) ECE 22.05 standard compliant. That means it went through rigourous testing for protection before being produced.
How much?
The SHARK Nano is specially priced to offer an unbeatable value. You get great features, comfort and safety in a great-looking helmet for only RM 500.
Auto Bavaria BMW Motorrad organized the BMW Rider Training sessions over the weekend.
The lessons sought to make better riders and learn more about the capabilities of their bikes.
It also included basic emergency first aid training.
Bikes may be getting “smarter” but the soft science of riding – as in the rider – cannot be ruled out of the equation. This was why Auto Bavaria BMW Motorrad organized the BMW Rider Training clinic over the weekend.
Sure, modern motorcycles are loaded with safety features such as ABS, traction control, wheelie control, combined braking and everything in between, but that doesn’t mean riders just need to sit back and let the systems do the rest. We may as well hang up our helmets and take Grab Car, if it was so.
You see, riders still get into trouble despite the advancement of motorcycle technology. In fact, 90% of motorcycle crashes could be attributed to rider error from one degree to another. Technology complements the rider, instead of the other way around.
BMW R 1250 GS HP
This is why rider training is important. Auto Bavaria BMW Motorrad knows this, hence the rider training.
The sessions were carried out through the day and the number of participants was limited to only a maximum of eight. That low number allowed the instructor more time to focus on each student.
It kicked off with the introduction of certified BMW Motorrad trainer Wong K.K. K.K. has been riding extensively for many years, besides carrying out training for BMW car owners before switching to motorcycle training.
Class began with some reflective questions. The objective was to get the participants to recognize the risks, try to avoid them and solve threatening scenarios through training and learning to ride.
Therefore, subjects covered the basic tenets of riding including turning, braking, vision, throttle control, body positioning, cornering. Additionally, K.K. also touched on urban survival such as being visible to others, reading traffic flow, avoiding the blindspot, ATGATT (all the gears all the time), 3-second rule, being paranoid about other road users and situational awareness.
He also talked about group riding i.e. convoys which covered communication, rules, pacing oneself, avoiding fatigue, besides being fully prepared with emergency kits.
However, the main difference to this training was the basic life support talk and demonstration. The hosts roped in Dr. Khairul Azri, an Emergency Physician at the Universiti Malaya Medical Centre for assistance.
He spoke about the need for riders to learn basic life support (BLS) in order to save lives, those which could very well be our very own riding buddies’. As such, his talk covered subjects such as recognizing the severity of injuries, when and how to perform CPR, how to remove the helmet of a fallen rider, and other facets of emergency care.
It was a shame that his session was very compressed but AB will bring the good doctor back for a full-blown BLS course.
The participants and trainers then convoyed to the parking lot outside the Shah Alam Stadium for the practical part of the training.
The first exercise was for tight turns. It sought to provide the students with the confidence to turn their bikes within confined quarters and u-turns. It also highlighted the bikes’ abilities that are usually under-utilised by their respective owners.
For example, the participants needed to ride in a circle within a 2.2 metre square “box.” Most expressed surprise that their bikes including the R 1200 RT and R 1200 GSA could perform the task.
They proceeded to the slow speed slalom afterwards. This was to teach low-speed maneuverability to simulate riding through heavy traffic.
But perhaps one of the best module of the day was braking. Braking is a skill that not many riders are aware of and instead use that facet of bike control as an on/off switch. In fact, while riders everywhere specifically demand the ABS feature, not many are actually aware of what it does and how it works.
A sudden heavy downpour wetted the “track” and it became even more conducive to learn about ABS.
The exercise also served to emphasize BMW’s braking technology such as ABS Pro and Integral ABS.
ABS Pro is actually lean-angle-sensitive ABS, named as “cornering ABS” by other manufacturers. The system provides different braking strategy and brake pressure compared to when the bike is straight up to allow safe hard braking hard while leaned over in a corner.
Integral ABS, on the other hand, is called “linked braking system” or “combined braking system” by other makers. Pressing the front brake lever only will apply some rear brake pressure to stabilise the rear end and chassis. Vice-versa, applying the rear brake only will also trigger some pressure in the front brakes. Consequently, braking is more efficient and safer, in addition to providing more confidence to the rider.
With the ground drenched, the riders were told to ride to certain speeds and apply maximum braking pressure.
The most impressive part was watching a couple of riders who deliberately rode faster to test the limits of their bikes. Watching 250-odd-kg (the R 1200 GS Adventure) and almost 280kg (R 1200 RT) bikes being hauled down from high speeds to a complete stop without drama was probably the best spectacle of the entire class.
Lessons continued throughout the day with the riders learned more and more complex skills.
This writer also heard participants complaining that nothing of use was actually thought at driving schools. All they had to do was remember the procedures to pass. Not one was taught about steering, throttle control, braking, vision, steering and just about everything else. And some people kept wondering why we have so accidents and fatalities among motorcyclists. In any case, they were thankful that AB BMW Motorrad took the initiative to organise the clinic.
In the end, what mattered was eight BMW owners and riders rode home with better skills than when they first stepped into class that day.
HTC Motorcycle Club (HTC MC) handed over a new ambulance to the Malaysian Civil Defence Force.
The handover was carried out together with the Malaysian Association of Hotels, APM and state Public Works, Utilities and Flood Mitigation Committee Chairman.
The ambulance is one part of HTC MC’s charity drive during their “Rock to Rock Ride 2019.”
The HTC Motorcycle Club (HTC MC) handed over a new ambulance to the Malaysian Civil Defence Force (Angkatan Pertahanan Awam – APM) during their “Rock to Rock Ride 2019.”
It’s no doubt that Malaysian bikers are charitable and sympathetic souls below that tough and sometimes wild veneer. Virtually all large convoy events are not without stopping at a home of two to provide charity along the way.
But HTC MC did something which not only benefitted a number of charity homes, instead it may save some lives of an entire community.
Dubbed “Ambulance for Life,” the project sought to bring faster emergency medical response to the Teluk Bahang and Batu Ferringhi area.
Prior to this, ambulances have found their way blocked when they travelled from the Penang General Hospital to the Batu Ferringhi and Teluk Bahang areas. These two areas are prime tourist destinations and are prone to heavy traffic. Moreover, there is only one approach on a narrow coastal road. As such, they would usually arrive between 45 minutes to one hour after the calls were placed.
On top of that, the emergency personnel need to render emergency care to the patient, load him into the ambulance and fight through traffic again to reach the hospital.
Therefore, stationing the ambulance in the area would cut down on response time to the benefits of the community.
The handover was completed out on Wednesday (11th September 2019) at the Hard Rock Hotel Penang, together with the state’s Public Works, Utilities and Flood Mitigiation Committee Chairman Zairil Khir Johari; Khoo Boo Lim, the Chairman of the Malaysian Association of Hotels (MAH) Penang Chapter; HTC MC members; and APM deputy chief commissioner Norhafifi Ismail and deputy director Mohd. Huzaimi Raup.
Funds for the RM185,000 ambulance were contributed by a number of parties. According to MAH, Hard Rock Hotel Penang had raised RM70,000 while the Shangri-La Rasa Sayang Resort and Spa, Golden Sands Resort, Bayview Beach Hotel and Angsana Hotel donated RM10,000 each; and the Holiday Inn put up RM5,000. Members of HTC MC made up the balance of RM60,000.
Besides launching the ambulance, HTC MC handed over cheques to several charity homes while Hard Rock café hosted the children with great food and refreshments.
The event was a part of HTC MC’s annual “Rock to Rock Ride.” As the name suggests, the members rode from one Hard Rock Café to another, starting from the one in Penang to Kuala Lumpur and finally Melaka.
Club members rode to Penang from all over Malaysia to Penang for the convoy’s flag off.
It was in Penang that the participants were given their event t-shirts and patches.
The ride was then officially flagged off on Thursday (12th September) morning. Instead of taking the main roads through Penang island, the route was changed to the coastal road from Teluk Bahang to Bayan Lepas. This way, it spared everyone from struggling through heavy traffic and intersections. It was a great idea as it also allowed the riders to keep riding and enjoying the great views around the back of the island.
These guys may be riding Harley-Davidson motorcycles, but they did great to negotiate the tight and rough roads. More importantly, there was no “heroics” going on and everyone rode well within their limits. The marshals likewise didn’t push the riders to ride faster.
Everyone reached Hard Rock Café Kuala safely that evening. Once again, the HTC MC and the restaurant hosted charity homes, together with another round of cheque presentation.
The club rode to Hard Rock Melaka and Desaru the next day (Friday, 13th September). They visited an orphanage in Kota Tinggi on Saturday (14th September) before pushing on to the Desaru Bike Week.
The ride ended today (Sunday, 15th September). It was an epic run of riding and providing to the betterment of the lives of others.
