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Convoy to a Vacation and… Robbing Rampage

Four friends rode in a convoy of Yamaha Y15ZRs for a holiday and robbing rampage.
A CCTV footage showed woman being dragged at high speed.
Three of the four were caught by the police.

Four friends rode in a convoy of Yamaha Y15ZRs for a holiday and robbing rampage.

The four buddies rode more than 100 kilometres from Cheras, Kuala Lumpur and Rawang, Selangor to Muar in Johor to commit their crimes. However, the Royal Malaysian Police (PDRM) busted the gang in less than 72 hours.

PDRM caught three of the suspects, but the fourth perpetrator is still at large. PDRM revealed his name as 27-year-old Mohd. Fariezzuan Shah Che Arif, better known by his “Toncet” nickname. His last known address is at the Sri Kota Flats in Bandar Tun Razak, Cheras.

Chief of Police of the Muar District, Assistant Commissioner Zaharudin Rasip said that all four were involved in three cases of snatch theft in the district last Saturday. One of the incidences involving a woman at Jalan Pesta were caught on video and went viral in social media.

The police acted on public information and a detachment from the District Headquarters (IPD) in Muar launched two separate raids which netted a 22-year-old and 24-year-old male in Cheras on 15 April. Another raid in Rawang caught another 24-year-old suspect.

All three will are put on remand until 22 April.

Social media went wild after a video of a woman was dragged at high speed after her handbag was snatched. The footage was caught on CCTV and residents of Muar voiced their concern over the violent crime.

The police added that the four suspects rode their bikes in convoy to Muar for a holiday but switched their mode to a rampage of robbery upon reaching the city.

“The first case was at a petrol station in the city centre but the robbers obtained nothing. The second happened at Jalan Pesta in Bakri but they also achieved nothing. However, the female victim sustain minor injuries.”

“In their third attempt at Jalan Mega, Bakri, the suspects made off with RM 4,500 in cash.”

The police also stated that three of the four have criminal records of past crimes.

They will be investigated under Section 394 of the Penal Code and face 20 years in prison and fine or whipping.

Source: Harian Metro Online

First Women Riders in JPJ Motorcycle Enforcement Unit

The Kuala Lumpur Road Transport Department (JPJ) now has three women riders in their Motorcycle Enforcement Unit.
The department is starting out with three women riders.
The ladies underwent the same training as their male counterparts.

The Kuala Lumpur Road Transport Department (JPJ) has the distinction of being the first to include women in their Motorcycle Enforcement Unit (UPB – Unit Penguatkuasaan Bermotosikal).

The department starts with three women, Wah Moliz Bah, 28; Asma Shafie, 24; Siti Syazwani Hajizin, 27; in the UPB among an all-male force prior to this.

KL JPJ director Datuk Ismail Mohd. Zawawi felt it was time for women to join the UPB and called upon those in their ranks to join the unit.

Wah Moliz took on the director’s call as she had always wanted to ride large capacity bikes.

“The UPB consists of only had men so far, but now the JPJ has opened opportunities for female members to join. It also proves that women are just as competent in operating big bikes,” she told reporters after the 73rd Kuala Lumpur JPJ Day celebrations on Wednesday.

“The courses and training that we underwent were the same as our male counterparts, but the main challenge is the high level of stamina and strength we need because the bikes are heavy,” she said.

On the other hand, Siti Syazwani expressed surprise that she had the opportunity to join the unit.

“The thing that I remember most when I attended the course was when we were asked to lift the Kawasaki Versys 650cc motorcycle that weighs almost 200kg.” (It’s actually more than 200 kg – Ed.)

“We need to know how to lift the motorcycle and if it falls, we have to learn the technique of picking the machine back up. So far, we have been riding our motorcycles to Melaka but there will be more training and courses for us to strengthen and hone our skills,” she said.

Ismail added, “It was an idea that came up early this year and I challenge women to join the UPB because they can do it,” he said.

Source: The Star Online, Bernama

The Fine Art of Motorcycle Detailing – by Horus Detailing Studio, Glenmarie

Horus Detailing Studio is based in Glenmarie.
It specialises in car and motorcycle detailing.
Its products are fast becoming popular.
A Moto Guzzi V7 III Anniversario is one of the most difficult motorcycles to keep clean.
But the boys at Horus did a fantastic job at bringing out the shine to the acres of chrome on the bike.

Buying a motorcycle is one of life’s greatest pleasures. A motorcycle represents freedom, but in the modern sense that usually means freedom from getting stuck in traffic, freedom to go anywhere, and the spirit of adventure.

But what about maintaining the motorcycle? The mechanical parts are usually sorted out by a trusty mechanic or even the service centre from where the motorcycle was bought from.

But the aesthetics of the bike, well that is the owners prerogative.

Not too long ago, I bought a Moto Guzzi V7 III Anniversario, one of 1000 around the world. Being a limited edition model built to celebrate the company’s 50th anniversary, the motorcycle is fully decked out in chrome.

Everything from the tank to the mirrors and the mudguards is 100% chrome. And then there’s the saddle which is made out of plush brown leather.

I knew from the start that maintaining it was going to be difficult, but I didn’t know how difficult.

A ride in the rain resulted in the entire tank being blotched by rain spots. And with dirt being kicked up from the road, the chrome quickly becomes a dull shade of silver.

Maintaining it was, simply put, difficult.

Then I got a phone call one evening from a long lost friend – Mark.

“Horus have just opened a detailing shop bro, it is something I have been working on for a while now, come check it out,” said the enthusiastic voice over the phone.

Mark has always been one of those guys who you don’t see very often but you know is always there working on something awesome and always has a cool story to tell.

“I’ll come by tomorrow”, I responded.

Located at Temasya Glenmarie, Horus Premium Tints and Detailing Studio, the Malaysian dealer principal for Horus, specialises in everything needed to bring out the aesthetic shine in your car.

‘We started off in Singapore and did rather well, and now we’re in Malaysia with our good friend Azmi and looking to expand,” explained Mark.

On the topic of motorcycles, Horus did a fantastic job at working on the chrome and all the tiny bits. Detailing motorcycles is unlike a car, a bike has hundreds of tiny sensitive areas which if not handled carefully can be catastrophic.

The talented team at Horus consist of experienced bikers as well says that the entire process began with a an inspection of the bike, and from there the team planned out which Horus product to apply.

A bath with anti-static biodegradable shampoo started off the process followed by the usage of clay to remove heavy dirt.

This of course needed to be washed and wiped off before anything else could be done, so the Anniversario was cleaned and dried with a microfiber cloth.

From there the entire surface of the bike was wiped down with an alcohol based solvent which removes any excess oil and dirt. This was a necessary step as the next step involves paint correction to remove any scratches.

“We do that by using a medium cut polish, this retains the shine and removes small microscopic scratches. After that we leveled out the paint using a fine cut polish, this ensures the shine is consistent with zero paint defects,” explained Azmi Ismail, Managing Director of the Malaysia’s Horus dealer principal and another long time friend of mine.

From there, the entire process involved polishing with medium compound and the usage of solvents to remove any dirt and grime that may be tucked away deep inside the nooks and crannies of the bike.

To cap it all off, each component of the bike is cleaned with a microfiber cloth and a generous amount of Horus premium hybrid coating is applied to that extra shine.

It has been about three weeks now since I collected the bike. I have ridden the bike in the rain (in fact it rained right after I collected the bike) and it is now covered with dust again. But a quick swipe of a microfiber cloth immediately brings out the shine again.

Detailing motorcycles is a long tedious process, and not everyone can do it as it requires knowledge of the internal electronics of the bike. Am I happy with the final result? Im ecstatic with it, and for a bike as unique as the Anniversario, every bit of shine matters.

Horus Premium Tints and Coating is located at 32-G, Japan Penguasa B U1/53B, Temasya Glenmarie, Shah Alam, Malaysia. And can be contacted at 0122749586.

Franco Morbidelli Happy to Take PETRONAS Yamaha Sepang Racing Team to First Top 5

Franco Morbidelli was happy to finish fifth in the Red Bull Grand Prix of the Americas over the weekend.
His teammate and rookie Fabio Quartararo crossed the line in seventh.
It was a great for the PETRONAS Yamaha Sepang Racing Team.

While everyone was transfixed by Marc Marquez’s early departure and the subsequent battle between Valentino Rossi and Alex Rins, Franco Morbidelli rode to fifth in the Red Bull Grand Prix of the Americas over the weekend. It the first Top 5 finish for him and the new PETRONAS Yamaha Sepang Racing Team.

Morbidelli fought hard against a resurgent Andrea Dovizioso of Mission Winnow Ducati but had to give way at the end. Dovizioso had qualified 13^thon the grid and fought his way up the field to eventually finish fourth. However, Morbidelli managed to defend his fifth position from Dovizioso’s team Danilo Petrucci.

It was Morbidelli’s best MotoGP result to date since joining the premier class last year.

“I’m very, very happy about this fifth position. We were starting a bit too far, because yesterday we had not a great qualifying. But I was confident that I could be fast in the race today” said the Italian.

His team was also very happy when MotoGP rookie Fabio Quartararo finished in seventh place, one behind Petrucci.

It was excellent results for the Malaysia-based team which didn’t exist a mere six months before the start of the 2019 season.

However, Morbidelli kept his pragmatic approach, saying that the team has to keep improving. “We need to work, we need to improve to get those 8 seconds here. Couple of seconds in Argentina. So we are missing something to get on the podium.”

Confirmed: Dakar Rally Moving to Saudi Arabia in 2020

The Dakar Rally is moving to Saudi Arabia beginning 2020.
The move is due to political and monetary concerns in South America.
Stay tuned for the press conference on 25^thApril.

The Dakar Rally is moving to Saudi Arabia beginning 2020, after months of speculation.

Rumours of the end of the series in South America began within weeks after the completion of the 2019 edition. There were also rumours of the race heading back to Africa, albeit in the south. Soon, an Instagram post claimed that the Saudis were lobbying to hold the race.

Confirmation of the move was confirmed by a Dakar Rally’s official Facebook post.

Africa had hosted the rally since the beginning but political upheavals in Mauritania forced the cancellation of the 2008 edition. The organizers decided to move to the South American continent, where the rally was held in Argentina, Bolivia and Peru.

However, more political and financial concerns dogged the Dakar, forcing it to be held in Peru along earlier this year.

That’s when rumours began circulating that it might head back to the African continent, but will take place in South Africa, Namibia, Angola and Botswana instead of in the historic northern regions.

But an Instagram post by a competitor identified the Saudi kingdom as the next venue. The rally will now cover part of the 3.6 million square kilometre Arabian desert.

The Dakar’s organizer Amaury Sport Organization (ASO) confirmed that they have inked a five-year deal with Saudi Arabia. The kingdom is now an addition as a motorsport venue in the Arabian Peninsula along with Qatar, Oman and United Arab Emirates.

A press conference will be held on 25^thApril to reveal the details of the 2020 Dakar Rally.

What Bikes do John Wick aka Keanu Reeves Own?

There are many celebrities who ride but John Wick a.k.a. Keanu Reeves had his own brand of motorcycles.
He also owns a number of rare motorcycles.
His company Arch Motorcycle builds futuristic custom bikes.

There’s no secret that that John Wick a.k.a. Keanu Reeves er… or is it Keanu Reeves a.k.a. John Wick loves motorcycles. But what bikes does he own?

There are many celebrities who love motorcycles and actually ride instead of just posing with them. The list is long and distinguished including Tom Cruise, Ryan Reynolds, Ewan McGregor, Orlando Bloom, Bear Grylls, Pink, Justin Timberlake, Alanis Morissette, Bradley Cooper, Michael Fassbender, Hugh Laurie, Richard Hammond, Jay Leno, Brad Pitt, David Beckham.

But there is only one among them who owns his brand of motorcycles, and that’s John… er.. Keanu Reeves.

In this interview with GQ Magazine, gives us an insight to Reeves’ passion. He showed us the 1973 Norton Commando 850 MK2A which he bought in 1987. The second bike is the 2004 Ducati 998 Reloaded Edition which was the feature bike in The Matrix: Reloaded. Ducati presented him the bike after to commemorate the film, resplendent in dark green.

He also listed the movies that he rode in such as Chain Reaction, My Own Private Idaho, and the upcoming John Wick Chapter 3: Parabellum. (We’ve featured the article about the film’s trailer where John Wick battles assassins on a fleet of Yamaha MT-09s.)

Over to the motorcycle brand he co-founds and co-owns, Arch Motorcycle. It began as a customization contract for a Harley Dyna Wide Glide. The bike became the prototype of the first Arch Motorcycle model – the KRGT-1. Arch Motorcycle produces more than 200 machined aluminium components for the bike themselves, and only outsources the suspension, exhaust and engine.

He also spoked about the company’s next model called the Arch 1S. The bike is a sportier version of the KRGT-1. Reeves went on to show the Method 143 concept which utilizes a carbon fibre monocell chassis.

What other bikes does Reeves hope to own? The 1955 Vincent Black Shadow and Brough Superior. He also hopes to ride a MotoGP bike.