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.
Norton Atlas Nomad-1
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.
Norton Atlas Ranger-1
Both bikes share the same 650cc, parallel-Twin, 270ocrank 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.
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.
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 20thNovember 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 20thNovember 2018 and end on 15thDecember 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.
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.
BMW Motorrad is returning to the 2019 World Superbike Championship (WorldSBK).
The manufacturer will enter the 2019 BMW S 1000 RR.
Tom Sykes and Markus Reiterberger are the team’s riders.
BMW Motorrad announces their return to the 2019 World Superbike Championship (WorldSBK).
BMW is the one manufacturer that’s glaringly missing from WorldSBK. Their last effort was with the GoldBet BMW team which was disbanded after 2013. Their riders were Marco Melandri and Leon Haslam.
The new team will be racing the recently-launched 2019 BMW S 1000 RR. The bikes will be developed and prepared by BMW’s factory in Munich together with the Shaun Muir Racing Team.
BMW Motorrad announced 2013 WorldSBK Champion Tom Sykes and European Superstock 1000 Champion Markus Reiterberger as their riders.
The championship should heat up next year with BMW’s re-entry with the new S 1000 RR. The new bike is new from ground up with emphasis on higher power and compactness. While the stock production 2019 S 1000 RR produces “only” 204 bhp compared to the new bike from Ducati, you can bet that the racing S 1000 RR will be up there among the top runners.
There is hope among racing fans that WorldSBK 2019 will see the end of four-time and current champion Jonathan Rea and Kawasaki’s domination of the series. A one-horse race is never a spectacle.
The new bike continues this legacy, but Honda has updated it in more ways than one.
Starting from the engine, the 2019 650cc, DOHC, inline-Four sees upgrades identical to the CB650R. The updates include works to the engine, fueling (ECU), and higher rev limit. The revisions yield nearly 5% increase in power (from 90 bhp to 95 bhp) and improved torque delivery. Additionally, there is a 6kg reduction in weight. That equals an 8% improvement in power-to-weight ratio.
The riding position of the 2019 bike is more aggressive. The clip-on handlebars are moved 30mm to the front and lowered. The footpegs are 3mm rearward and 6mm higher. Seat height remains at a comfortable 810mm.
The 2019 CBR650R has a new styling which looks pretty much like its CBR1000RR bigger brother, too.
We have a feeling that the 2019 CBR650R will fill the void left by the Honda CBR600RR. Honda will definitely have a winner if they could maintain the 2019 CBR650R’s pricing in the range of the 2018 CBR650F.
Ironically, Stefano Manzi is the current and future rider in the Forward Racing Team. He would’ve been Fenati’s teammate next year. It was later established that Manzi had provoked Fenati. Was Manzi playing mind games to establish the pecking order?
Anyway, Fenati announced that he’d leave racing and concentrate on continuing his studies.
But MotoGP.com has just dropped a bombshell by announcing that Fenati’s Marinelli Snipers team has re-employed him for the 2019 Moto3 season. The team has just signed on Tony Arbalino, thus Fenati will be his teammate.
Marinelli Snipers has good reasons to re-sign Fenati as the fiery Italian took 23 podium finishes with 10 wins in the starter class. He finished second overall in 2017, after all.
Fenati in 2017 – Courtesy of MotoGP.com
The team and Fenati have not made official announcements, but we expect that to happen at the final round at Valencia this weekend.
On a personal note, we hope that Romano Fenati puts his raw talent to greater use and keep his temper in check. This must be the very last chance he’d ever get.
Launched at EICMA 2018, the Panigale V4 RS19 isn’t for sale to public. That’s because it’s the racing machine which Ducati factory riders Alvaro Bautista and Chaz Davies will ride in the World Superbike Championship (WorldSBK) in 2019. Ducati has been trying very hard to retake the superbike honours since their domination in the 90’s.
The most important thing for race bikes is power. The homologation model Panigale V4 R produced 217 bhp in stock form but it’s raised to 231 bhp with the race exhaust and tuning of the ECU. Judging from this, the Panigale V4 RS19 should make at least that same amount or perhaps even around 250 bhp! That V-Four engine was developed as a direct lineage from the Desmosedici in MotoGP, anyway.
Secondly, weight is always an enemy when racing. We can expect the bike to tip the scales at the 168 kg weight limit set by the FIM. Ducati was proud to show off the bike wrapped in carbon fibre.
The Panigale V4 R has winglets on the fairings, paving the way for them on the Panigale V4 RS19. WorldSBK is production-based racing, so certain features of the race bike must be produced on road-going machines.
The Panigale V4 RS19’s fuel tank has also been moved backward and seems larger to make room for the airbox. Ducati didn’t release more details of the bike, of course.
Looks like Jonathan Rea and Kawasaki will have some real competition next year.
TuneBoss introduced new products at the 2018 Malaysian MotoGP.
The products will unlock the performance potential of stock motorcycles.
They include ECUs, quickshifters, electric water pump, fuel injector and fuel pump.
FSR Technology, our own Malaysian electronic tuning experts, revealed a range of new TuneBoss products at the recent 2018 Malaysian MotoGP.
The new products are:
High-performance ECUs;
ShiftBoss quickshifters;
CoolBoss electric water pump kit;
Racing fuel injector;
Racing fuel pump kit.
High-performance ECUs
There are four models specifically optimized for the Yamaha YZF-R15, Yamaha NMAX 155, Honda CBR250R and Honda CRF250. TuneBoss will announce the ECUs for motorcycle models based on the same platforms at a later date.
The price range of the new products are expected to be “within range of existing products.”
ShiftBoss quickshifters
Quickshifters are in demand from almost all current motorcyclists. TuneBoss responds by introducing the ShiftBoss for the Yamaha YZF-R25 and Honda RS150R. Unlike most aftermarket quickshifters, ShiftBoss includes a new load sensor for more precise gear shifts.
The new ShiftBoss products will be sold alongside current models and are priced between RM600 to RM800.
CoolBoss electric water pump kit
Traditional and stock water pumps rely on engine speed to circulate coolant. As such, the flow rate may not be sufficient, especially in the heat (pun intended) of competition.
The new CoolBoss electric water pump kit consists of an electric brushless water pump and smart algorithms to control the functions of the fan according to engine load and cooling needs. Such functions prolong the engine and engine oil lifespan.
Parasitic loss is also reduced. TuneBoss claims the CoolBoss kit gains 0.3 to 0.5 bhp throughout the rev range besides fuel savings.
The product will be available for the Yamaha YZF-R25 only from next year. It should be available for other motorcycles later.
TuneBoss Racing Fuel Injector
This product has been available in the market for a number of months now. This 370cc injector provides a super high flow rate with ultra-linear control. The injector is good for 15 to 40 bhp applications and is compatible with the Yamaha Y15ZR (1stmodel) and Yamaha FZ150i MY 2014 and MY 2016.
TuneBoss Racing Fuel Pump Kit
This product is an integrated system consisting of fuel tank, fuel pump, fuel lines and fuel injector. The kit was specifically developed for the Open Drag Bike Category. Racing fuel is allowed in this category.
The stainless-steel tank has a capacity of 3 litres and is specially treated to resist corrosion from racing fuels such as the Elixir Powered E85R or K2.
Conclusion
All the above add-on products are compatible with TuneBoss ECUs. They have been tested in various drag events and at the Sepang International Circuit before being made available to the buying public.
FSR Technology Sdn. Bhd. can be reached at:
Address: 43 Jalan PJU 1A/18, Ara Damansara, 47301 Petaling Jaya, Malaysia
Phone: 603-7831 5041
Email: sales@fsrtech.com
Facebook: FSR Technology
Day 2 of the Triumph Motorcycles Malaysia London Adventure trip opened up a free day for this writer.
He decided to visit the famous tourist sites since it was his first ever visit to the city.
The places included Hyde Park, Buckingham Palace, Big Ben among others.
Dato’ Malique and the Tan family had to attend the Triumph Global Dealer Conference on Day 2 (23rdOctober 2018) of the TRIUMPH MOTORCYCLES MALAYSIA LONDON ADVENTURE trip. That meant a full day of excursions for me.
I sat up in my bed 4am and couldn’t go back to sleep. My temples pounded in excitement, adventure. I turned on the telly (TV). “It is going to be a blustery day but there’s plenty of sunshine. We should see 15oCelcius in the afternoon and dropping to 5oCelcius at night,” said the weatherperson.
15o Celcius is like the weather up in Cameron Highland at night. I was thinking of just wearing a knit sweater and hoodie, but Dato’ Malique advised that I should put more layers on. He’s very well-versed with the city.
Asep had invited me earlier to visit the National Motorcycle Museum in Birmingham. It’s a 5-hour return trip by car, however. It pained me to refuse but I had to, since it was my first trip to London.
PLANS FOR THE DAY:
Stroll under the canopy of yellowing leaves in Hyde Park;
Witness Changing the Guard at Buckingham Palace;
Head to Westminster Abbey to see where Sir Isaac Newton among others is interred;
Visit Big Ben and the Houses of Parliament;
Turn back towards St. Paul’s Cathedral;
Head back to Tower Bridge to photograph it in evening sun and with the lights on at night.
Greedy? Not according to Google Map, anyway.
Okay, let’s be on our way. Chop chop!
GETTING THERE
Travelling in London is easy as the Underground train services (colloquially called “The Tube”) wind through the entire city like a spider’s web. Or how an earthworm digs through the soil.
Photo credit: Rafique Muzaffar Razak
There’re also above-ground tains, busses, taxis, Uber, Santander bicycles besides The Tube. There’s even a River Thames ferry service. The best way of seeing the city is by these methods since you’re above ground, but the Tube is the fastest as you don’t have contend with traffic.
Google Map suggests which form of transport to take and it’s up to you to decide how quickly you want to get there, or if you’re willing to change trains or transports multiple times.
However, comfortable sneakers are a must since you’ll be doing lots of walking.
HYDE PARK
I left the Grange Tower Bridge Hotel at 7.30am and walked to the Tower Hill Underground Station for the train to Hyde Park Corner station.
30 minutes later, I entered the park from the south-eastern end and found what I had always wanted to see. Paths leading into the distance under canopies of trees with black trunks and yellow(ish) leaves.
Hyde Park in late autum – Courtesy of montcalm.co.uk
The leaves were still greenish-yellow as the autumn weather hasn’t turned really cold. We would later learn that it’s the first time in 50 years.
To cut the story short, Hyde Park was massive! How huge? Try 350 acres. For a more relatable representation, the distance between Speaker’s Corner at the northeast end to Hyde Park Corner is 1.9km! Henry VIII established the park in 1536 as a hunting ground before it was opened to the public in 1637.
Deciding that Speaker’s was too far, I veered onto a side path ended up at the lake called “The Serpentine.” I’ve covered walked 1.93km (1.2 miles) in Hyde Park, so far.
There was a light wisp of fog hanging over the lake when I got there. Geese, ducks, gulls, pigeons, besides many species of birds hung around.
I found a café called Surpentine Bar & Kitchen at the southern bank. Feeling pretty cold despite being wrapped in a t-shirt, knit sweater, hoodie and down jacket, I stopped for a hot latte. I went outside and took a bench to enjoy the view and cool air.
I suddenly realized I was this one crazy Asian sitting outside relishing the cold while all the Mat Sallehs were inside the heated café…
I continued my stroll through the park towards the Palace afterwards. Guided by Google Map, I was soon back at the arch where I first entered the park. Right at the moment, a mounted policewoman came through. She nodded at me and said, “Please stay where you are.” I nodded back.
Then, the first horse-mounted soldier rode up in ceremonial regalia.
Having researched about the royal troops prior to the trip, I identified him as part of the King’s Troop, Royal Horse Artillery. They’re a ceremonial unit of the British Army, created in 1946 as an homage to horse-mounted troops by King George VI. When his daughter, Queen Elizabeth II succeeded to the throne, she decided to retain the unit and its name in his honour.
More troopers followed behind, including six-horse units towing World War I 13-pound field guns (cannons).
The unit parades in such fashion only when there are state functions such as the monarch’s birthday, royal weddings or state visits. They’d ride to an area in Green Park and fire their cannons as a ceremony. I couldn’t believe my luck that I saw them!
WELLINGTON ARCH – CONSTITUTION HILL
Crossing the road brought me to the awe-inspiring Wellington Arch. It was built in 1826, but the current dark quadriga(four-horsed chariot) was installed in 1912. King George VI planned it (and the Marble Arch) to commemorate Britain’s victories in the Napoleonic Wars.
The arch used to be the outer gateway to the road leading from Buckingham Palace called Constitution Hill. It’s therefore the grand entrance into central London.
Next was the Commonwealth Memorial Gates. They’re monuments to pay tribute to armed forces of Commonwealth countries who served Great Britain during WWI and WWII, including those in the Battle of Malaya.
The main thruway along Constitution Hill was closed. More and more security personnel started to appear. I soon spotted a large signboard which announced the time of the ceremonial firings to be performed by the King’s Troops who I ran into earlier. It turned out that the King and Queen of The Netherlands were visiting England at that very moment. I almost slapped myself a few times to believe that I was really here!
BUCKINGHAM PALACE
It got more and more crowded the nearer I got to Buckingham Palace. Thousands were waiting to witness the Changing of Guard. There was no good vantage point, so I proceeded further up The Mall and staked out a position.
Just in time too! I heard a marching band from the Palace and there they were, the Queen’s Guards marching proudly by in their iconic red tunics and black bearskin hats.
Tourists may think of them as novelties, but they’re actually operational soldiers. Besides that, it’s a myth that the guards would not respond to provocations (as some uncouth Chinese tourists found out the hard way).
It’s too bad I didn’t have more time. I had to leave as soon as the Queen’s Guards passed and had to miss the Queen’s Life Guard cavalry.
ST. JAMES’S PARK
Google Map showed the fastest route as walking down Birdcage Walk, but St. James’s Park proved too beautiful to resist on this beautiful morning. I caught a glimpse of it from the embankment outside the Palace earlier.
I’m glad I gave in to my heart. Pathways wind romantically through the park, flanking a lake. This 57-acre site was established in 1603 (415 years ago!), although not its present form.
There were birds everywhere, but the pelicans were the most notable. These’re the descendants of those presented to King Charles II by a Russian Ambassador in 1664.
I’m starting to love London. It’s as if I was breathing in history everywhere I went.
Crossing the Blue Bridge which straddles both sides of the lake afforded a great view of the Horse Guards, HMS Finance Ministry, the London Eye, The Shard to the east and Buckingham Palace to the west. A large island called “Duck Island” on the eastern bank obscured the view to Downing Street where the Prime Minister’s official residence is located.
INTERLUDE
We’ll stop here for Part 1 as the article is getting too long. Next up are Westminster Abbey, Big Ben, the Houses of Parliament.
The 2019 Ducati Multistada 950 S and 2019 Ducati Multistrada 950 have been launched at EICMA 2018.
Both are updated with new features, but the “S” model has a higher specification.
The 950 S closes the gap to the Multistrada 1260.
We reported earlier that Ducati was seen testing a new Multistrada 950 and the rumour turned out be true. Ducati has launched the both 2019 Ducati Multistrada 950 S and base 2019 Ducati Multistrada 950 have been launched at EICMA 2018.
True to the “S” designation, the 2019 Ducati Multistrada 950 S offers more features. It will be the model that closes the gap between the base Multistrada 950 and the big bore Multistrada 1260. The base Multistrada 950 will remain the entry-level option but it too, will include a number of new features.
New features for both Multistrada 950 S and Multistrada 950 are:
Vehicle Hold Control for uphill starts;
Hydraulic clutch;
Auto-off turn signal;
Bosch Cornering ABS.
In addition to the above, the Multistrada 950 S is equipped with:
Sach semi-active “Skyhook” electronic suspension;
Up and down quickshifter;
Full LED headlight;
TFT display;
Backlit switchgear.
The IMU-based Cornering ABS is part of Ducati’s move to arm all their 2019 models with the feature.
Additionally, the 2019 Multistrada 950 S has a new fairing burrowed from the Multistrada 1260. The swingarm has also been painted black.
Customers may opt for wire spoke wheels should they want to take the bike off-road (read: Rimba Raid).
The engine remains unchanged from the based Multistrada 950. The 937cc 90o V-Twin (Ducati calls it “L-Twin”) produces 111 bhp (83 kW) and 96 Nm of torque. The 950 S weighs 230 kg with a full 20-litre tank. The base 950 weighs 223 kg, on the other hand.
The 2019 BMW F 850 GS Adventure has been launched at EICMA 2018.
It has the same specs as the standard model except for its 23-litre fuel tank.
The F 850 GSA is geared towards off-road riding.
The 2019 BMW F 850 GS Adventure made its debut at EICMA 2018 as expected.
Its introduction is hot on the heels of the F 850 GS. BMW Motorrad now have four adventure motorcycles on offer.
The F 850 GS Adventure or just “F 850 GSA,” is the German brand’s assault on the middleweight adventure segment and takes off-road capability to a higher level.
Its engine is the same 853cc, parallel-Twin which also powers its F 850 GS sibling. It produces 95 bhp and 92 NM of torque. However, the GSA’s weight made a jump to 244kg wet and ready to ride. Much of that gain results from the 23-litre fuel tank.
Most riders would probably not complain as the fuel capacity allows for a range of 550km.
The GSA has a larger touring windscreen, adjustable gear shifter and brake lever.
Electronics include ABS and stability control as standard. Standard riding modes are “Road” and “Rain.” Customers may opt for the Riding Modes Pro option which adds “Dynamic,” “Enduro,” and “Enduro Pro” besides dynamic brake light and Dynamic Traction Control. BMW Motorrad also offers electronic suspension. LED headlight is standard.
The 2019 BMW F 850 GS Adventure will be equipped with the 6.5” TFT instrument display.
