Leaked photos of the upcoming 2018 Ducati Scrambler 1100 have surfaced online just a day prior the bike’s official launch.
Ducati has planned that their 2018 Ducati World Premiere will see no less than five models being introduced for next year.
The latest addition to the Scrambler family is seen as the best of both worlds between the Scrambler and Monster families.
With just a day away from the 2018 Ducati World Premiere event where the Bologna-based manufacturer plans to reveal no less than five new models for 2018, leaked photos of the all-new 2018 Ducati Scrambler 1100 have made their way to the land of the Internet. (more…)
The KMOG Borneo Ride 2017 entered entered Day Three.
We rode from Kundasang, through Ranau, to Sepilok before stopping at Sandakan.
Highlights included the Sabah Tea plantation and Orangutan Rehabilitation Centre.
Kundasang, 3rd November 2017 – Day Three of the KMOG Borneo Ride 2017 started from the Mount Kinabalu Heritage Resort & Spa in Kundasang, for Sandakan. Today’s ride reminded us the meaning of “adventure riding.”
As usual, we got early for a simple yet hearty breakfast at the hotel. The exception though, was the crisp and chilly mountain air, which accompanied us. Almost everyone went outside afterwards to draw lungfuls of it.
As we arrived after dark last night, we couldn’t see what was beside the roads. Well, Kundasang didn’t surprise at the break of day. The hotel was situated on a hilltop tall and was surrounded by tall pine trees looked. Looking around below, were lush valleys, interspersed with little houses.
However, there was a pathway which led to a viewing platform just outside the restaurant, and there, we stared at Mount Kinabalu’s crown.
Ranau, the site of the devastating 2015 Sabah earthquake, was just 20km away. Looking up the side of the mountain, there were massive patches of light-coloured rocks, evidence of landslides due to the quake. Still, the mountain was beautiful and I could only wished we had scaled it to the top during this trip.
The KMOG Borneo Ride 2017 convoy pushed off at exactly 8.30am, the efficient marshals made sure of that.
It took just a few kilometres out of Kundasang for us to realize that the road was very narrow, much like the old Gombak-Genting Sempah road, without the landslides (and cyclists).
Traffic was wonderfully light, except for a number of big trucks we encountered.
However, the road’s condition increasingly deteriorated the further we rode. Many sections were uneven with plenty of potholes and patches thrown in. Legacy of the earthquake?
KTM Malaysia had graciously loaned the 1290 Super Duke GT to me for this ride. There was another GT ridden by Mr. Kan and we pulled away from the middle pack to enjoy the corners. I rounded a corner and came face-to-face with section which resembled a motocross double jump! I clamped down on the brakes hard and triggered the ABS but I was too close, so I the brakes go and yanked on the throttle, because I didn’t want the rear to kick up hard and endo me into road.
The bike flew but the “landing zone” was badly rutted. I caught a rut and it drove me to the road’s shoulder. I gave the bike some gas and the bike recovered itself smartly.
I had set the riding mode to STREET and the damping for the electronically-controlled semi-active WP suspension to COMFORT. However, the road surface was so bad it caused the bike to wallow in midcorner. Switching to STREET helped somewhat, it was too harsh in the rough sections. Going faster than 120 km/h, helped though.
I watched with jealously as the 1290 Adventure Duke T and the 1290 Super Adventure S’s suspension (also electronic) soaked up the bumps as if they weren’t there. A few riders could even relax one arm while riding.
We rode past the town of Ranau, but there wasn’t time to check out the view as we concentrated on the road and traffic.
We reached the Sabah Tea Resort Restaurant 36km away without incident. We got the real taste of freshly brewed Sabah tea.
It was lovely. Good aroma with a full body and just the right amount of acidity. Slightly sweet, slightly sour, but not bitter. With a great view to boot!
We rode back down the hill, whose road was a no-road. It was an unpaved gravel road with some big rocks. The GT did well, never threatening to throw away a tyre despite being more of a sport-tourer, with the emphasis on sport.
It was a straight shot to Sepilok from there.
We reached the Banana Cafe just in time for lunch.
The food was simple yet tasty, and enjoyed the great hospitality. The restaurant’s owner had even treated us to the “UFO tart,” unique to Sandakan.
From there, it was a quick jaunt to the Sepilok Orangutan Rehabilitation Centre.
The facility is located at the fringe of the Kabili-Sepilok Forest Reserve, and as apparent from its name, it rescues orphaned orangutans and rehabilitate them for life in the wild.
It opens at certain hours to the public called, during feeding time. The orangutans are fed twice daily.
The facility features a boardwalk raised above the swampy land below. It leads to the main viewing area, where the orangutans get together for their meal time.
That done, we got back on our bikes and made our way to the hotel in Sandakan.
We were given a couple of hours to freshen up before we headed out to dinner at the famous Tai Lau steamboat restaurant.
“Dinner” was the inappropriate word for it. It was a 10-dish feast as KMOG had ordered a multi-meal course consisting of steamed fish, squid, mussels (lala), braised vegetables, kung pow chicken, stir-fried green vege, prawn platter, crabs fried with salted egg and fruits for dessert!
With our tummies full, it was time to fill up the bikes ahead of tomorrow’s long leg. The final stop is Keningau, but instead of riding back through the route we had come in on, we are going to ride south to Tawau, before turning west, over the Crocker Range. It promises to be the most epic part of the KMOG Borneo Ride 2017.
PICTURE GALLERY
Outside the hotel at Kundasang
Phillip Ho and his roaring 900R Adventure
Mount Kinabalu. Note the evidence of landslides due to the 2015 Ranau earthquake
Group photo before continuing on the ride
Stopping at the Sabah Tea Plantation for tea
…and pictures
At a restaurant in Sepilok
The owner of restaurant treated us to the UFO cake
Boon Siew Honda (BSH) announced that they will be rolling out two models of the 30th anniversary 2017 Honda EX5 Fi Limited Edition.
In conjunction with the bike’s three decades of success, BSH is also celebrating the production of Honda’s global 100 millionth unit milestone.
The limited edition Honda EX5 Fi will be available in two different variants; spoke wheels at RM5,309.54 and cast wheels at RM5,563.94 (basic prices with GST).
Boon Siew Honda (BSH) has announced that they will officially introduce a limited edition Honda EX5 Fi in conjunction with the iconic bike’s 30th anniversary this year. The limited edition EX5 will be available in two different variants; spoke and cast wheels. (more…)
Norton has released three 50th anniversary 2018 Norton Commando model to celebrate five successful decades of the Commando bike.
50 units for each of the 50th anniversary Norton Commando 961 Cafe Racer, Sport and California will be made as numbered models.
The bikes will be on a ‘first come, first serve’ basis so better be quick about it if you want one of your very own!
The Norton Commando is 50 years old! To commemorate the special occasion, Norton will be releasing three very special 50th anniversary 2018 Norton Commando models which are the Norton Commando 961 Cafe Racer, Norton Commando 961 Sport and a brand new Norton Commando 961 California. (more…)
Motonation will be organising a special contest for custom bikes this December during their mega carnival from 1 to 3 December 2017 at PICC.
The bike builder with the best custom bike will win a fully-sponsored trip and entry into the AMD World Championship of Custom Bike Building 2018 next year in Cologne, Germany.
AMD INTERMOT’s very own showmaster will attend the big event in December to choose the best custom bike. Registration is open until 20 November 2017.
That’s right, folks. Our friends over at Motonation has plans to fully sponsor one bike builder with the best custom bike to the AMD World Championship of Custom Bike Building 2018 which will be held in Cologne, Germany in conjunction with the INTERMOT show. (more…)
Day Two of the KMOG Borneo Ride 2017 took us to the Tip of Borneo and Kundasang.
The last batch of participants’ bikes arrived just in time for the Kota Kinabalu to Kundasang leg.
The ride will first stop at the Orangutan Sanctuary at Sepilok, on the way to Sandakan.
Kota Kinabalu, Sabah, 2nd November 2017 – Day Two of the KMOG Borneo Ride 2017 dawned early. The 6am sky in Sabah was already as bright as 8am back in West Malaysia. The weather has cleared this morning, giving way to bright sunshine and high heat by midday.
The KMOG’s Committee and KTM Malaysia’s crew were sleepless the entire previous night and day, in the hopes of receiving some good news from the port. The participants’ motorcycles were still in containers on a ship, anchored off the coast to weather the storm. (Click here for Day One.)
The hardworking (read: overworked and stressed out) committee KTM crew had to make a decision to either make the participants wait at the hotel until the bikes arrived, or find some way to let them visit the intended destination. Rather than moping around, they hired a tour coach which transported us to Tanjung Simpang Menggayau, more popularly known as the Tip of Borneo.
As the name suggests, it’s the northern-most cape of the Borneo island which extends into the South-China Sea. There’s breathtaking view all-around, as we stared into the great ocean. There, over the horizon is the Filipino Archipelago.
Apart from a few longhouse-type chalets, there’s very little else infrastructure.
I spotted a few photographs of the Milky Way, our home galaxy, posted outside the reception centre. That’s a great interest to stargazers and astronomy enthusiasts such as myself. Light pollution at popular tourist destinations has caused us to lose sight of nature’s most beautiful night show.
We left the cape and had lunch at a small beachside resort on the way back to the hotel. The tour operator, Borneo Excursions was amazingly professional and ensured all arrangements were fuss-free.
We were expected back at The Palace Hotel in Kota Kinabalu by 3pm. However, heavier than usual traffic put paid to the plans and we arrived at nearly 5pm, instead.
But you know what they say, every cloud has a silver lining.
The third and final container was in the process of being offload as the bus pulled into the hotel’s driveway. The other bikes have been offloaded, fully fueled and tyre pressures optimized.
A blur of activity enveloped the otherwise peaceful hotel, as participants scrambled to get changed, load their bikes and suit up for the ride.
While the skies turn bright early each day, it also means that it gets dark early. Make that very early and very dark.
It had started to look like 8pm at 6.30pm, during the safety briefing and when Ong Soo Yong (one of the hardworking committee members mentioned earlier) waved us off. He advised us to look out for one another along the dark road. Thus began the KMOG Borneo Ride 2017 in earnest.
We had to squeeze through the heavy traffic with large-capacity panniers and all. We made our way up the Gunung Kinabalu mountainside, passing the site of a recent landslide.
The marshals did their best to guide us and we finally arrived at the Mount Kinabalu Heritage Resort & Spa in Kundasang, safe and sound. We headed directly to the restaurant for dinner, before checking in and calling it a night.
We’ll be heading to the Orangutan Sanctuary at Sepilok on our way to Sandakan, tomorrow.
PICTURE GALLERY
One for the moment
Group shot with the cove in the background
I’m the Queen of the world!
The current may be a bit rough but it was clear
Participants visited the Tip of Borneo 2nd November – by bus – as the bikes have yet to arrive
Great view of the sea from the rocks below
Romantic setting
Group photo at the special plaque
Down at the cove
The third and final container of bikes arrived just as returned to the hotel!
