Wahid Ooi, Author at BikesRepublic.com

First Look Review: 2018 Moto Guzzi Audace Carbon

The 2018 Moto Guzzi Audace Carbon represents the dark side of the manufacturer’s line-up.
It is meant to be a power cruiser, with many beautiful details.
Priced from RM 123,000 (basic selling price not inclusive of SST, road tax and insurance).

Moto Guzzi may be the represent the “heritage” side within the Piaggio group of motorcycle brands, but that does not mean the brand is without “characters” such as this Audace Carbon.

The Audace Carbon represents the “dark soul” of the Guzzi line-up along with the MGX21, a reflection of its name which means “audacious.” There is not one single chromed part. You could say it is the gothic version of the regular Audace.

Distinguishing parts include the carbon fibre cowlings on either side of the fuel tank and front mudguard. Besides that, the cylinder head covers and Brembo front brake calipers are painted in “Mandello Red,” to mark it as the dark lineage shared with the MGX21 and V7 III Carbon.

Moto Guzzi Malaysia introduces limited edition V7 III Carbon – Priced at RM74,900

At the heart of the Audace Carbon is a monstrous 1400cc, transversely-mounted, 90^o V-Twin which punches out 96 bhp. Being a cruiser, however, means torque is always more important than outright horsepower. As such, the engine produces an arm-straightening 121 Nm at just 3000 RPM. It is also Euro 4 compliant, featuring 2 sparkplugs per cylinder and a 3-way catalytic converter. Along with an Eco Ride mode, you can have best mix of performance and fuel consumption while touring.

Speaking of modes, there are three power modes: Veloce (sport), Turismo (Touring), and Pioggia (Rain). The power maps are linked to the adjustable Moto Guzzi Traction Control (MGTC) thresholds. The power modes are courtesy of the ride-by-wire (rbw) throttle.

There is also cruise control, activated by a single switch on the left handlebar.

Lastly, the Audace Carbon includes the Moto Guzzi Multimedia Platform (MG-MP) which interfaces with the app in your smartphone to provide a complete suite of riding information. The system will even show the location of the nearest petrol station within range when the fuel level goes into reserve.

Priced from RM 123,000 (basic selling price not inclusive of SST, road tax and insurance), the 2018 Moto Guzzi Audace Carbon is now available at Moto Guzzi Malaysia. Please follow the Moto Guzzi Malaysia Facebook page for more information.

PICTURE GALLERY

Moto2: MV Agusta Cancels 2019 Moto2 Contract with Romano Fenati

Giovanni Castiglioni has announced that we will stop Romano Fenati’s contract with MV Agusta for the 2019 Moto2 Championship.
Fenati caused an uproar after squeezing Stefano Manzi’s front brake lever at the San Marino GP.
Fenati has been given a two-race ban but many are calling for his outright ban from motorcycle racing.

Giovanni Castiglioni announced on his Instagram account that MV Agusta he will stop Romano Fenati from his contracted ride for MV Agusta in the 2019 Moto2 season.

Hot headed Moto2 rider Fenati caused an uproar among racing fans for his actions at the San Marino Grand Prix yesterday. Ironically, Manzi is the current rider for the Forward Racing Team who are the team running MV Agusta and contracted Fenati for next season.

Romano Fenati Picked to Ride MV Agusta Moto2 Race Bike

Giovanni, the CEO of MV Agusta, did not mince his words and opined that Fenati’s actions was the “worse and saddest thing he had seen in a bike race,” before going on to say that he would have handed Fenati a lifetime ban if he was with Dorna.

View this post on Instagram

This has been the worse and saddest thing I ever seen in a bike race. True sportsmen would never act this way. If I would be Dorna I would ban him from world racing . Regarding his contract for a future position as rider of MV Agusta Moto 2 , I will oppose myself in every way to stop it . It won’t happen , he doesn’t represent our company true values ⚔️⚔️⚔️ #mvagusta #rc #moto2 #fairplay

A post shared by Giovanni Castiglioni (@mvagusta.gc) on Sep 9, 2018 at 11:33pm PDT

Indeed, Fenati had been handed a 2-race ban by Dorna and FIM from the next GP but everyone, including us, is of the opinion that it is not enough. Banging fairings is one thing but applying the brakes at 230 km/h could have caused Manzi to flip over.

If the race ban is ridiculous, adding insult is Dorna docking Manzi with a six-grid placing penalty at the next GP. Other MotoGP riders have done worse stuff and gotten away.

Manzi had lunged inside Fenati at Turn Four when the latter went wide. Fenati turned back toward the apex and the two came together, and almost crashing. However, both riders managed to collect themselves and continue riding. Fenati then caught up with Manzi after Turn Seven and squeezed the latter’s front brake lever when they were side-by-side. Manzi would go on to crash in a separate incident two laps later, while Fenati was black flagged for “irresponsible riding.” Please click on the video below to watch.

Aprilia Malaysia Inaugural Track Day

Aprilia owners in Malaysia had a great day at the Sepang International Circuit yesterday.
Didi Resources, the new custodians of the brand organized a track day as promised.
A great mix of Aprilia models took to the track.

As promised by Didi Resources, the new custodian of Aprilia motorcycles in Malaysia, the inaugural (under new management) Aprilia Malaysia Track Day went off without a hitch yesterday at the Sepang International Circuit.

Didi Resources Organizes Inaugural Aprilia and Modclass Track Day

Besides rides and convoys, organizing a track day for Aprilia owners is the right thing to do as the activity demonstrates the manufacturer’s “Be a Racer” philosophy.

It was great to see owners showing up from all over Malaysia and even Singapore on all sorts of Aprilia models, because we are used to seeing the RSV4 superbike in the Malaysian Superbike Championship (MSBK), Malaysian Speed Foundation (MSF) and track days on weekends.

Instead, this track day organized by Didi Resources provided the opportunity to ride on track on any bike, more like a “Run what ya brung” track weekend.

Indeed, we saw the Shiver 750, Tuono V4, SL1000R, RSV Mille (the father of the RSV4), RS250 two-strokes, and an SR-Max 300 scooter ridden by Khairul Hafiz.

Of course, the riders attended a safety briefing after registration. Aprilia Malaysia had also prepared race suits and riding gear for rental to those who don’t own them.

It had rained on the track from early morning and the open track day riders came back to report on a slippery track after their first session. However, the Aprilians were lucky as their sessions started close to noon and went on through late afternoon. The sun had started to shine and dried the track by then.

It was visible that the participants had a great day although they were also exhausted after riding under the hot sun. Didi Resources also provided refreshments and lunch so that they had nothing to worry about except of having fun.

Lastly, while there weren’t many who took the track as expected despite the large number of Aprilians who showed up, we believe there will be many more in the next track days. We would also like to add that they event went without a hitch, and there was no mishap.

PICTURE GALLERY

Moto2 2018: Romano Fenati Red Mist Moment at San Marino GP

Romano Fenati’s red mist moment in Moto2 at San Marino was captured on camera.
The fiery Italian had a run in with Stefano Manzi in the Moto2 race.
Fenati was DQ’d in the race but expect a heavy penalty soon.

If Moto3 is usually always exciting, let us be honest, Moto2 is snooze inducing (to put it kindly). The Moto2 contest at the San Marino GP was going to be no different, what with Francessco Bagnaia running away with his home grand prix. Well, that was until the red mist descended on racing bad boy Romano Fenati.

Fenati had been running down in 15^th, when Stefano Manzi snuck his bike inside the formers into a right hander. When Fenati turned toward the apex, both riders came together and ran wide into the sand trap but managed to stay upright.

It was visible at that moment that Fenati was furious and he gesticulated wildly at Manzi.

As the camera focused adoringly (read: boringly) on the race leader, it suddenly cut away to Fenati’s team preparing the pitboard signaling that the rider had been DQ’d (disqualified). Soon, the we saw the slow-motion footage of Fenati riding up beside Manzi, then reaching out with his left hand to squeeze the latter’s front brake lever.

Romano Fenati had great talent and was one of the first riders picked by Valentino Rossi himself to ride in his SKY Racing Team by VR46 in the Moto3 Championship back in 2014. He was sometimes brilliant while totally nowhere in the remainder. Yet, the team knew he had raw talent and retained his services.

In 2016, he was suddenly dropped beginning the Austrian GP and his contract for the remainder of the year and 2017 was terminated. The team would later cite “behavioral issues in conflict with team policies.”

But Marinelli Honda decided to take gamble and signed Fenati for the 2017 Moto3 season. The team was rewarded with three victories and five second places as Fenati finished second overall.

He moved up to Moto2 this and suffered tremendously as he languished near the tail end. However, MV Agusta has signed him up for their foray into Moto2 in 2019.

Romano Fenati Picked to Ride MV Agusta Moto2 Race Bike

In our opinion, such action is unquestionably dangerous and inexcusable, besides being just one of a few cases. Dorna and the FIM has not published any actions on Fenati at the moment but expect a heavy penalty.

MotoGP 2018: Andrea Dovizioso Dominates at San Marino GP

Ducati MotoGP rider Andrea Dovizioso controlled the San Marino MotoGP race and won.
Pole sitter Jorge Lorenzo crashed out with 2 laps to go.
Marc Marquez finished 2^nd to extend his championship lead.

Jorge Lorenzo had been fully expected to win the MotoGP class at the San Marino GP after yesterday’s magnificent qualifying, in which he broke the track record twice over.

But it was a different scene during the morning’s warm-up session when Marc Marquez was the fastest, followed closely by the Ducati factory pairing of Andrea Dovizioso and pole-sitter Lorenzo.

That was not the full news, however, as the times of the top 11 riders were covered by less than 1 second.

There was also hope of a revival for the Movistar Yamaha factory team after Maverick Vinalez put his bike third on the grid.

Lorenzo shot into the lead during at the start, trailed by his teammate Dovizioso and the rest of the field. Dovi then started to shadow Lorenzo and finally overtook him on Lap 4. Behind them, Marquez fought his way through the group of riders to break free into third. He rode as hard as he could and caught the Lorenzo midway through the race.

Dovi meanwhile, rode a steady race and started to open up a gap until he was 1.8 seconds ahead of the chasing two.

Marquez made his move on Lorenzo with some fifteen laps to go, but Lorenzo fought back tenaciously. They kept passing and repassing each other but it was Lorenzo who finally made his overtake stick and started to close down on his Ducati teammate with 8 laps to go.

But Dovi managed to react to Lorenzo’s push. Behind him, Lorenzo was in turn pushed on by Marquez. Lorenzo decided to push harder and attempt to catch Dovi but made a mistake and low-sided his bike with two laps to go, handing 2^nd place to Marquez.

Cal Crutchlow had broken free and finished on the final step of the podium.

Alex Rins battled with with his ex-Suzuki teammate Vinalez and prevailed to finish 4^th. Pedrosa rode a quiet race to finish 6^th while Rossi crossed the line in a lowly 7^th.

Marquez extends his championship lead with 201 points, from Valentino Rossi who has 142 and Jorge Lorenzo with 130 points.

Moto3: Lorenzo Della Porta Wins Dramatic San Marino Race

The San Marino GP Moto3 race was another dramatic affair.
Lorenzo Della Porta wins after a thrilling five-way battle.
Marco Bezzecchi crashed out to hand the championship lead back to Jorge Martin.

Moto3 racing never fails to provide the best racing and it did not disappoint at San Marino, ultimately seeing Lorenzo Della Porta winning his maiden category victory.

The drama started when five riders came together in a horrific crash at the end of the very first lap which claimed Nicolo Bulega, Aaron Canet, Auyumu Sasaki, Jaume Masia and Enea Bastianini. Canet and Sasaki were sent to the mobile medical centre for check-ups, but thankfully all riders were okay.

The pile up also allowed the front five consisting of championship contenders Marco Bezzecchi, Jorge Martin besides Lorenzo Della Porta, Fabio Di Giannantonio, Gabriel Rodrigo to break away.

The five battled incessantly throughout the race with multiple lead changes which became fiercer and fiercer as the laps wound down. All riders were involved in one aggressive pass after another; all the while Bezzecchi and Martin were trying to contend with each other for the championship.

But everything changed when Bezzecchi’s rear tyre broke loose and the bike almost highsided him into the gravel trap with just two corners to go to start the last lap. It was the Italian rider’s third crash while leading the last lap this season, the other two being at Le Mans, France and Assen, The Netherlands. His crash had effectively handed the championship lead over to Jorge Martin.

However, it was not the end of drama. Fabio Di Giannantonio had overshot a corner with two laps to go and was relegated to the back of the group. He ended up riding like a man possessed to catch the group. As Della Porta led the last lap into the last turn, Di Giannantionio lunged up the inside. But it appeared that the former kept his throttle pinned through the corner. While this was happening, Martin snuck through on the left side of both riders. It was a three-way charge to the line!

The results took a while to appear. When it did, it was Della Porta who crossed the line in 1^st, by just 0.058s from Martin. Di Giannantionio lost out after his audacious move as he had to hold back on his throttle lest he ran wide and finished 3^rd.

Malaysian rider Adam Norrodin finished in 12^th.

Jorge Martin now leads the championship with 166 points from Marco Bezzecchi with 158 and Fabio Di Giannantonio with 138 points each.

Jorge Lorenzo Secures Masterful Pole at San Marino MotoGP

Ducati Team’s Jorge Lorenzo broke his own circuit record to lock out pole position for the San Marino MotoGP.
Championship leader Marc Marquez crashed in the early part of the session to qualify 5^th.
Jack Miller rode a fantastic session to grab the 2^nd while Maverick Vinalez will start from 3^rd.

The 2018 MotoGP Championship is back at San Marino after the upsetting cancellation of the British GP a couple of weeks ago.

With one round fewer, all riders want to do their best at this round to make up for lost points; much more at the top of the leaderboard among Marc Marquez, Valentino Rossi, Jorge Lorenzo, Andrea Dovizioso, set al. Marquez leads the championship by 49 points from Rossi coming into this 13^th round.

The Ducatis of Dovizioso and Lorenzo had led the way through FP3 yesterday, but Maverick Vinales went fastest in FP4 ahead of Lorenzo, Dovizioso, Marquez and Rossi. FP4 is the untimed practice session, hence this is when teams and riders look for the optimal race settings.

Marquez was the first who posted a low 1:32 time, but it was Lorenzo who turned the tables on him and set the fastest time of 1:31.763s on his very time lap out the pits. It was the fastest lap record on the Misano World Circuit Marco Simoncelli.

Marquez then rode as hard as he could in a bid to regain the pole position but slid out. He then hopped on a marshal’s scooter and ran through his pits to ride his spare bike out of the pits with just 4 minutes to go in the Q2 session.

The next two spots on the front row became a contention between Dovizioso, Jack Miller, Rossi and Vinalez.

But in the meantime, Lorenzo managed to go even faster and locked out the pole with a record breaking 1:31.629s.

Jack Miller then secured the second spot on the grid with a great ride, while Vinalez charged up from 8^th to displace Dovizioso from the 3^rd spot.

Marquez was relegated to 5^th, Cal Crutchlow suffered another fall in the closing stages to qualify 6^th, while Rossi will start from 7^th in tomorrow’s race. Malaysian racer Hafizh Syahrin finished 25th after a difficult weekend.

BMW to Update Whole Boxer Line-Up in 2019?

It has been widely speculated that BMW may debut a new 1254cc Boxer engine.
The new engine had been expected to power the new R 1250 GS and R 1250 RT only.
But CARB has revealed it will power the entire “R” series.

First and foremost, BMW will reportedly introduce nine new models for 2019, but the biggest news is of course that there is a big possibility of a bigger capacity Boxer engine, hence a new R 1250 GS, which had been speculated since May this year when a new R 1200 RT was spied while undergoing road tests. Now there is also news of the new engine powering the entire Boxer line-up.

BMW R 1250 GS to be Released in 2019?

The news leaked through filings with the California Air Resources Board (CARB), California’s emissions watchdog department, revealed that BMW will drop the new 1254cc Boxer into five new models. The news has surprised us as we had initially thought that it would only be installed in the new R 1250 GS and R 1250 GS Adventure, and perhaps the R 1250 RT.

In addition to the three mentioned models, BMW has filed for the R 1250 RS and R 1250 R.

The 1254cc horizontally-opposed-Twin engine, better known as the Boxer engine, is rumored to feature variable valve timing for the first time for BMW. Power output is also speculated to hover around the 134 bhp figure. Besides that, the engine will pick up some weight.

The updates will mark another big step in the evolution of BMW’s venerable Boxer engine since becoming liquid-cooled in 2013.

There is no news regarding the R nineT range which is powered by the previous generation oil-cooled Boxer, though. In 2020, maybe, since the Euro 5 standard will begin from that year?

We foresee small updates to the designs and perhaps chassis of the new bikes, since the main update is the new engine. We are expecting to see the new models at the Intermot show in Cologne, Germany next month.

Secrets of the Triumph 765 Moto2 Engine Revealed

More secrets of Triumph’s 765cc triple Moto2 engine has come to light.
The race engine is mostly stock.
The new engine will power Moto2 bikes from 2019.

In case you missed the news or have just arrived from another galaxy, you would pretty be much aware of Triumph supplying engines to the Moto2 class next year. The engine is the 765 triple based on the one powering the new Street Triple 765.

Before we proceed further, please allow us to share that the Street Triple 765 (especially the RS variant) is the most fun motorcycle we’ve ever tested, credit in part to that new engine.

Okay, we’ll leave it at that.

Triumph had revealed the third and completed engine at the British GP a couple of weeks ago. Fitted to modified Daytona chassis, the bike made a parade lap while members of the British media were given the opportunity to ride the bike. (Yes, we are green with envy; even The Hulk is less green.)

Every single journalist reported huge power in terms of acceleration and flexibility (availability of power anywhere in the rev range).

But what makes the engine tick? Surely you wonder.

Speaking to MCN, Steve Sargent, Triumph’s Chief Product Officer revealed, “We needed to get more power and torque and this was done by increasing the revs and reducing inertia. A standard 765 makes 123 bhp (in the Street Triple RS) and we’re pushing this to 135 bhp and about 80 Nm.”

Wait, only 135 bhp? You ask. Remember that Moto2 took over from 250cc two-strokers that produced on 80 to 90 bhp.

He continued, “A lot of this comes from the cylinder head. We’ve worked with the ports to increase gas flow and put in titanium valves and race valve spring to reduce flutter (valve float) at high RPM.”

What is “flutter” or “valve float”? It basically describes what happens when the valves do not follow the cam lobes effectively at high engine speeds. This is one reason why an engine’s maximum power is limited. MotoGP engineers, except for Ducati, combat this by using pneumatic valve springs.

“To reduce inertia, we did simple things like removing the starter motor and starter gears. It (the race engine) also has a race-kit alternator as the race bike has much less demand for electrical power and a lighter, fully-adjustable slipper clutch.”

“We’ve also changed the gearbox ratios. The first and second are both taller now and bring the rest of the ratios closer together.”

“Another new casting is the right-hand crankcase and clutch cover. The separate cover for the clutch allows teams easier access to the tuneable slipper clutch.”

Apart from those minor upgrades, the 765 Moto2 engine is surprisingly stock! The pistons, crankshaft, conrods, cams, main engine cases and air box are all the same as the standard bike’s!

The modifications bring the rev limit from 12,650 RPM to 14,000 RPM for more power and overrev in the corners. The 2019 Moto2 bikes will also receive a new Magneti Marelli ECU which features traction control for the first time in the championship. Besides TC, the ECU also allows for launch control and quickshifter with autoblipper.

“We’re running standard rods, standard cams, standard pistons and a standard crank. All of these parts are good enough for the higher sustained rpm and mean that the engine is affordable.

“The engines will be built and maintained by ExternPro, who built all the Honda Moto2 engines previously. We will shop them a kit of parts for each engine, they build it up, dyno test it and hand it to each team. Each (engine) will do three weekends of racing before it’s rebuilt.”Secrets of the Triumph 765cc Moto2 Engine Revealed

Suzuki Releases GSX-1000 Katana Teaser

Suzuki had revealed the new Katana concept at EICMA 2017.
Now the manufacturer has released a teaser video.
The new Suzuki Katana is set to be introduced at Intermot on 2^nd October.

It was nothing short of a revolution when the Suzuki GSX1100S Katana was introduced in 1980.

Suzuki had revealed the new GSX-R1000 powered Katana concept at the EICMA show in Milan last year but nothing else had come from them since, although we did report earlier about Suzuki filing the patents. Until now. Check out the video below.

It shows parts of the processes of forging a katana before ending with the “Coming soon. Intermot 2^nd October” message. That’s just 25 days to go at the time this article went online!

However, we are of the opinion that the concept looks like it’s made by Tupperware (as in too plasticky) and we hope Suzuki would’ve done away with it when the production bike’s revealed.

The 1980 Suzuki GSX1100S Katana was a motorcycle which featured a groundbreaking design concept, which blended the rear line of the fuel tank with the front portion of the seat. The seat itself had two different colours which lent the solo racing seat look. The fairing was given a sharp leading edge – “Katana” means samurai sword, by the way (watch “Kill Bill Vol. 1.” Or “The Last Samurai” if you’re a hopeless romantic).

Ten Most Unusual Motorcycles (Part 4)

The design concept, especially that seat/tank interface has since been widely adopted by other motorcycle manufacturers. This is why the first-generation model still looks great after 38 years and is highly sought-after.

Then in 1984, Suzuki released the GSX750E Katana with the pop-up headlight. It was the first and only motorcycle which has that feature.

It is also interesting to note that the bike was designed by Hans Muth, who was the chief designer at BMW. Among his greatest work during his tenure with the German manufacturer was the R90S and R100S. The R90S was the first production motorcycle to feature a headlamp-mounted fairing, while the later R100S was the first production motorcycle with a full-fairing.

SC Premium Kawasaki GT World Ninja Shop Officially Opens

Kawasaki Motors (Malaysia) has added another Kawasaki GT World Ninja Shop.
The new facility is operated by SC Premium Bikes Sdn. Bhd. located at Bandar Sunway.
The shop also includes a Kawasaki Exclusive Service Centre.

Fans, customers and owners of Kawasaki motorcycles now have a new home in Bandar Sunway, with the official opening of SC Premium Bikes Sdn. Bhd’s Kawasaki GT World Ninja Shop and Kawasaki Exclusive Service Centre (KESC).

As the Kawasaki GT World Ninja Shop is a flagship concept store, customers can expect a one-stop centre to view and purchase the latest Kawasaki motorcycles and buy the latest merchandize and riding gear.

Additionally, aftersales service is also fully supported in the Kawasaki Exclusive Service Centre. KESC provides the necessary expertise and tools to maintain and repair customers’ bikes, besides ensuring only genuine parts and accessories are used.

During the grand opening, Kawasaki Motors (Malaysia) Sdn. Bhd. (KMMSB) gave the assurance that they will continue to build a “ONE KAWASAKI” spirit among Kawasaki motorcycle owners, dealers and distributor, in line with the manufacturer’s “Let the good times roll” philosophy.

SC Premium Bikes Sdn. Bhd. is well-known among large-capacity motorcycle owners in the Klang Valley as a tuner. In fact, they were among the first motorcycle shops to provide electronic engine tuning in the country.

Finally, in the spirit of being “green,” the SC Premium facility employs green technology in its daily operations. It is the first Kawasaki GT World Ninja Shop which uses solar energy to power the electrical supply for the office equipment and lighting.

Please visit SC Premium Bikes Sdn. Bhd.’s and Kawasaki Motors (Malaysia) Sdn. Bhd.’s Facebook pages for more information.

PICTURE GALLERY

Suzuki Italy Teases with Special GSX-R1000 Model

Suzuki Motorcycle Italia posted a picture of a “special” GSX-R1000.
The hashtags seemed to suggest it will appear at the San Marino GP this weekend.
We hope it is a homologation model for WSBK in 2019.

Suzuki Italy had done a naughty thing by posting a picture of a special carbon-clad GSX-R1000 on their Facebook page along with #spotted #staytuned #motogp #2019 hastags. It’ll probably give Suzuki fans sleepless nights.

It seems to be a special edition Gixxer, by the looks of it since it is fitted with carbon-fibre fairing, lever guards and racing style windscreen. Plus, judging from the hashtags, it will probably break cover during this weekend’s San Marino MotoGP and is a 2019 model in accordance with the #2019 hashtag.

But of course, it may not be a high-volume production bike, instead it would very well be a limited production, high-end homologation model for the World Superbike Championship. Remember that WSBK is productions-based, hence manufacturers need to produce a certain number of homologation models in order to be eligible in the series. Being production based also means that the race bikes has to be as close to the bikes you and I can buy, so manufacturers build these special models with as close as they are to racing specs. Case in point: The 2019 Kawasaki Ninja ZX-10RR with titanium connecting rods and finger follower valve actuation.

Other manufacturers have followed such path for example the Ducati 888 SPS, Ducati 916 SP/SPS, Ducati 1199 Panigale R, Yamaha YZF-R1M, Aprilia RSV4 APRC Factory, the aforementioned Kawasaki Ninja ZX-10RR, Honda CBR1000RR Fireblade SP2, and many more.

Let us hope that Suzuki does build this special model, instead of being a one-off for the San Marino GP and reclaim the World Superbike Championship title they won in 2005 with Troy Corser.

Stay tuned.

Bikesrepublic

Wahid Ooi

The 2018 Moto Guzzi Audace Carbon represents the dark side of the manufacturer’s line-up.

It is meant to be a power cruiser, with many beautiful details.

Priced from RM 123,000 (basic selling price not inclusive of SST, road tax and insurance).

PICTURE GALLERY

Giovanni Castiglioni has announced that we will stop Romano Fenati’s contract with MV Agusta for the 2019 Moto2 Championship.

Fenati caused an uproar after squeezing Stefano Manzi’s front brake lever at the San Marino GP.

Fenati has been given a two-race ban but many are calling for his outright ban from motorcycle racing.

Aprilia owners in Malaysia had a great day at the Sepang International Circuit yesterday.

Didi Resources, the new custodians of the brand organized a track day as promised.

A great mix of Aprilia models took to the track.

PICTURE GALLERY

Romano Fenati’s red mist moment in Moto2 at San Marino was captured on camera.

The fiery Italian had a run in with Stefano Manzi in the Moto2 race.

Fenati was DQ’d in the race but expect a heavy penalty soon.

Ducati MotoGP rider Andrea Dovizioso controlled the San Marino MotoGP race and won.

Pole sitter Jorge Lorenzo crashed out with 2 laps to go.

Marc Marquez finished 2nd to extend his championship lead.

The San Marino GP Moto3 race was another dramatic affair.

Lorenzo Della Porta wins after a thrilling five-way battle.

Marco Bezzecchi crashed out to hand the championship lead back to Jorge Martin.

Ducati Team’s Jorge Lorenzo broke his own circuit record to lock out pole position for the San Marino MotoGP.

Championship leader Marc Marquez crashed in the early part of the session to qualify 5th.

Jack Miller rode a fantastic session to grab the 2nd while Maverick Vinalez will start from 3rd.

It has been widely speculated that BMW may debut a new 1254cc Boxer engine.

The new engine had been expected to power the new R 1250 GS and R 1250 RT only.

But CARB has revealed it will power the entire “R” series.

More secrets of Triumph’s 765cc triple Moto2 engine has come to light.

The race engine is mostly stock.

The new engine will power Moto2 bikes from 2019.

Suzuki had revealed the new Katana concept at EICMA 2017.

Now the manufacturer has released a teaser video.

The new Suzuki Katana is set to be introduced at Intermot on 2nd October.

Kawasaki Motors (Malaysia) has added another Kawasaki GT World Ninja Shop.

The new facility is operated by SC Premium Bikes Sdn. Bhd. located at Bandar Sunway.

The shop also includes a Kawasaki Exclusive Service Centre.

PICTURE GALLERY

Suzuki Motorcycle Italia posted a picture of a “special” GSX-R1000.

The hashtags seemed to suggest it will appear at the San Marino GP this weekend.

We hope it is a homologation model for WSBK in 2019.

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Marc Marquez finished 2^nd to extend his championship lead.

Championship leader Marc Marquez crashed in the early part of the session to qualify 5^th.

Jack Miller rode a fantastic session to grab the 2^nd while Maverick Vinalez will start from 3^rd.

The new Suzuki Katana is set to be introduced at Intermot on 2^nd October.