Wahid Ooi, Author at BikesRepublic.com

Motorcycle Battery: How it Works (Part 1)

Modern motorcycles cannot run without a battery.
Their technology has advanced much over the years.
Finding out about how they work is just as important as choosing one and maintenance.

There was a point in time when a motorcycle didn’t require a battery to start, relying instead on points and condenser ignition system, but now batteries are getting ever more advanced in order provide power to starter, lighting system, electronic ignition (ECU) and coils, riding aids, other electrical and electronic systems and accessories.

It’s the battery that’s powering all those systems at the start and when the motorcycle’s charging system can’t provide enough power for example when the bike is idling for a long time at the traffic lights.

Furthermore, the battery also needs to protect the delicate electrical and electronics by absorbing voltage surges and spikes.

BASIC WORKINGS OF A BATTERY

What exactly is a battery? To put it simply, it is an electrochemical device which converts chemical energy to electrical energy.

A basic 12 Volt (V) battery is made up of:

Six cells that typically produce approximately 2 volts each (depending on type of cells), producing between slightly above 12.0 to 13.2 volts, in total.
Each cell consists of alternatively charged positive and negative lead (Pb) plates i.e. positive, negative, and so forth. The more plates in a cell, the more current (flow of electricity – Amp) and energy capacity (ampere hours – AH).
Insulators that are placed between the individual cells.
The cells are then connected to each other.
Electrolyte (commonly known as battery acid) which is a sulfuric acid and distilled water solution, is added to the flood the plates.
The lead plates react chemically to the sulfuric acid, lead sulfate, while the acid is turned into water which in turn is split into hydrogen and oxygen.
The chemical reaction releases electrons from the negative plates. The electrons (which are negative in charge) flow to the components they need to and return to the battery’s positive terminal and plates. This is what’s known as the electrical current.
The electrolyte will eventually be diluted through discharge i.e. electrical usage.
Charging reverses the chemical process.

TYPES OF BATTERIES

1. Wet cell

Also known as the flooded lead-acid cells battery, it was invented way back in 1859. As the name suggests, the cells are inundated in electrolyte and needs to be checked and topped-up as required from time to time, especially in our hot and humid weather.

When stored in a discharged state, the heavier acid molecules sink to the bottom of the battery, causing the electrolyte to stratify (separating into layers of water and acid). When the battery is used again, most of the current will only flow around this area, wearing out the bottom parts of the plates.

Adios soon enough.

Being filled with liquid also requires the battery to be fixed in an upright position to prevent spillage. While being gradually being phased out as OEM fitment for motorcycles, they are still widely available due to their low cost.

2. Absorbed glass mat (AGM)

The AGM battery is the most common type of OEM fitment nowadays, usually produced by Yuasa for our market.

If you’ve ever replaced your OEM battery to another “maintenance-free” type, especially if it’s from Yuasa or Koyoko, chances are that it’s an AGM.

In an AGM type, the electrolyte is absorbed by a glass fibre mats that sit between cells. The mats greatly reduce evaporation and doesn’t require topping up, consequently. The electrolyte becomes the separator material, allowing the plates to be compressed together, increasing energy density compared to wet cells or gel batteries.

To reduce gas pressure build up in the casing when overcharged or discharged, the AGM battery includes a one-way blow-off valve. Due to that feature, AGM batteries also belong to the group called “valve regulated lead-acid” (VRLA) designs.

Another advantage of the mats is that the electrolyte is held in place and doesn’t slosh around or stratify like in wet cells, which means the battery could be mounted in different positions.

AGM batteries arguably have shorter lifespans since they have higher acid contents to increase standby voltage and lower water loss rate. If your AGM battery shows more than 12.56 V in an open circuit (battery not connected to anything on the bike), it means there’s more acid content. Again, while this is normal for the AGM type, it may not live long.

3. Gel battery

A gel battery, also known as gel cell, is A VRLA battery uses gellified electrolyte. Sulfuric acid is mixed with fumed silica, resulting in an immobile, gel-like mass.

Since there’s no liquid involved, it doesn’t need to be kept upright, electrolyte evaporation is reduced, there’s no spillage and corrosion problems. Besides that, it is more shock and vibration resisitant.

4. Lithium-Ion

Li-Ion batteries are all the rage now, despite not being fitted on a widespread basis due to cost. To describe the functions of a Li-Ion battery requires an entire article by itself!

To surmise, however, the advantages of the Li-Ion compared to VRLAs are mainly substantial weight savings and better cranking pressure (CCA – Cold Cranking Ampere). Cranking pressure denotes how much stored energy is available for cranking up the engine, besides supporting the electronics and electrical systems and accessories.

Disadvantages of Li-Ion?

A discharged Li-Ion battery can’t be brought back to life unlike a VRLA. Additionally, you need to use chargers that are compatible with Li-Ion batteries, although you may also use that charger for VRLA batteries.

That’s it for Part 1, the basics. We’ll cover the subject of maintenance in the next edition.

PDRM Traffic Offence Summons Rates

How much do you have to pay if you get pulled over for a traffic offence?
The guide below is standardized among the PDRM, JPJ and DBKL.
Remember that “The more you delay, the more you pay.”

Ever wondered how much is the summons rates you need to pay if you get nicked by the traffic police for an offence? We’ve put together this PDRM Traffic Summons Rates as a general guide. You may always check to see if you’ve been summoned at the Polis DiRaja Malaysia’s (PDRM) official site or through portals such as MyEG.

First category offence	Vehicle type	Standardized summons rates (RM)			Examples of offences
		1 – 15 days	16 – 30 days	31 – 60 days
Offences relating to primary cause of accident, safety or road users, traffic congestion and public safety.	All types of vehicles incl. motorcycles below 250cc	300	300	300	1. Driving above 40 km/h faster than speed limit.
					2. Failure to stop at red light.
					3. Using mobile phone
					4. Not wearing a helmet.
					5. Going against traffic.
					6. Using the emergency lane except for emergency purposes.


Second category offence	Vehicle type	Standardized summons rates (RM)			Examples of offence
		1 – 15 days	16 – 30 days	31 – 60 days
Offences relating to negativve behaviour of driver and vehicle technical problem that activelu contributed to the accident, traffic congestion and public safety.	All type of vehicles	150	200	300	1. Driving below 40 km/h faster than speed limit.

					2. Perforing U-turn where it is prohibited.

	Motorcycles below 250cc	100	150	300	3. No driving license.

					4. Stopping inside the yellow box.

					5. Not adhering to “No Entry” sign.


Third category offence	Vehicle type	Standardized summons rates (RM)			Examples of offence
		1 – 15 days	16 – 30 days	31 – 60 days
Vehicle technical problem which passively increases the risk of an accident, traffic congestion and public safety.	All type of vehicles	100	150	250	1. Lights not working.

					2. Brake light not working.

	Motorcycles below 250cc	50	100	150	3. Light is not turned on.

					4. Side view mirror not installed.

					5. Transporting unsuitable object on vehicle.


Third category offence	Vehicle type	Standardized summons rates (RM)			Examples of offence
		1 – 15 days	16 – 30 days	31 – 60 days
Other offences not contained above that did not contribute to accident, traffic congestion and public safety.	All type of vehicles	70	120	150	1. Expired driving license.

					2. Did not change vehicle ownership.
	Motorcycles below 250cc	50	100	150
					3. Not displaying “P” sign.

As you can see, traffic offences are divided into four main categories. However, certain offences don’t appear as clear cut. Take for example if a motorcyclist is riding a 1000cc motorcycle without a B (full-B) bike license and a full-B “L” license either. His offence is categorised as “having no valid motorcycle license.” If he has an “L”-license but didn’t display the L-stickers, his offence should fall under Category Four.

Another offence motorcyclists should take not is about not riding on the motorcycle lane where available. The offence is considered not adhering to a no entry sign.

There are non-compoundable offences, of course, such as riding with expired road tax. That would automatically mean that one is riding without insurance coverage. It’s an offence that sends one straight to the Majistrate’s Court and subject to the judge’s mercy.

Driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs could result being fined up to RM 5,000, a jail term and your license being revoked.

However, what kind of offence also depends on the issuing officer. So be nice if you get stopped.

Another thing to note is that the rates are standardised among PDRM, JPJ and DBKL. To encourage quick settlement of outstanding summons, the government has put the “The more you delay, the more you pay” initiative in place since 1st July 2013.

Ten Ways Motorcyclists Annoy the Public

We motorcyclists always complain about car drivers.
But car drivers always complain about bikers too.
Let’s be fair to ourselves and everyone we share the roads with.

If you’ve ever commuted during the rush hour, you’d encounter all sorts of Malaysian driving and riding behaviour. Well, thing is, motorcyclists blame car drivers and drivers blame motorcyclists. It seems that Malaysian road-users don’t take responsibility and accountability of their actions, resulting in this mess we call “Malaysian traffic.”

Yes, yes, I agree, there are drivers who shouldn’t even get out of their houses, much less drive, but when I drive do I see why car drivers always blame motorcyclists for every tit-and-tat.

Take for example at the famous Pandan Roundabout. I see bikes shooting past red lights everyday – one almost got run over by a 4X4 last night, but similarly, my wife and I were almost t-boned by an Exora last week.

Let’s be fair to ourselves and society.

1. Not stopping

Number One on the list is definitely no other than this. Red means stop. Full-stop. Period. End of story, end of argument. It doesn’t matter if the roads are empty like a zombie apocalypse.

Red light: STOP.

On the other hand, a traffic light that has just turned green doesn’t make it necessary to go right away. No, it’s not a racetrack. A green light signifies that it’s go when it’s safe to do so. One should look out for another vehicle that ran the light on the other side, before moving.

And hey, car drivers, stay off your freaking horn. Green means go only when it’s safe. Jeez!

2. Riding in Large Groups

Yes, I do enjoy group riding but please, leave some room for other traffic too, unless the ride is marshalled by the traffic police. It’s just best to ride with a lead marshal, one or two runners and the last man (sweeper), while leaving the group to ride in a loose formation.

3. Pipes too loud

The “loud pipes save lives” concept is still a much-debated subject, but I’ve noticed how a slightly louder than stock exhaust is enough to announce your bike’s presence to other road users. But problem is pipes that are so loud they’ll wake the dead. What does it prove? Loud equals fast? Loud equals fun?

Sheesh. An exhaust that’s too loud will only annoy the public. There’s this group of idiots who like to blast up and down the main road in our taman, scaring old folks and babies. In Indonesia, the kampung folks will throw rocks at these guys.

4. Jumping queue

Oh, this happens all the time.

We’re a lucky bunch that traffic filtering is allowed. But we have to do it intelligently. How many times have we seen motorcyclists who’d just cut in front of car to go into the other lane without signaling or giving adequate time to the car drivers? But when a car driver does this exact same thing, these same motorcyclists get upset. Ironic.

5. Headlights too high

The motorcycle’s headlights are pre-adjusted in the factory for the majority of riders. But if you’re a heavier rider or carry a passenger and luggage, you’d best remember to adjust the headlights.

If you notice road signs are brighter instead of the road in front of you, that’s a sure indication of the need to adjust it. Adjustment is simple as the headlight adjuster is easily accessible to most bikes.

6. Tailgating

Do we really need to tailgate cars to intimidate them out of the way? Most drivers don’t understand our bikes’ performance and think they’re already faster than everyone else on the road. Tailgating them may annoy them enough to “brake test” you.

It’s easier to just more productive to overtake them quickly on their left and leave them behind. It’s not the correct thing to do but let’s not waste our energy and time.

7. Scaring car occupants

As with tailgating, let’s just pass other cars even if they hog the lanes. Passing closely on purpose or giving them an Akrapovic- or SC Project-salute (blasting of the throttle to scare them) isn’t necessary. If a car driver pissed you off, honk, overtake to the front, and just roll your head. I would dare to bet my last Ringgit with you that 99.999999% of all drivers have no idea of what wrong they did, so it’s a waste of time.

8. Riding too slow

There’s definitely nothing wrong if you ride slow, but take the left lane and stay there, allowing traffic to pass on the right. It’s common to see a slow bike occupying the overtaking lane, holding up all the traffic. It’s as unsafe as much as it’s damn annoying.

9. Riding too fast

The safest way to filter through traffic in between two slow-moving lanes is to ride no more than 30 km/h faster. That means there’s enough room for emergency avoidance and braking, while the bike is still maneuverable since it’s moving.

But when we blast past traffic at much higher speeds, the safety margin becomes slimmer and slimmer. Many car drivers have complained aobut bikers not giving a damn and continuing to blast past, despite having signaled much earlier. Why? Because the bikes were travelling way too fast. Of course, there are braindead drivers who signal and turn in right away without checking what’s behind, but that’s a different story.

10. Pulling stunts

This is totally unacceptable and unforgivable. Pulling stunts in traffic or in public is the surest way of being branded as hooligans. And humans have this propensity to brand everyone as being the same just because of a small number of miscreants.

Stop it! Pull stunts in private spaces or on the track.

How does a Motorcycle Manual Clutch Work

The clutch is what allows the engine to either engage or disengage drive from the engine to the transmission.
How a clutch functions is simple and straightforward.
We also discuss how slipper, besides assist and slip clutches work.

For those who are currently riding motorcycles with manual clutches i.e. with a clutch lever, we’ve learned to use it from that very first time we rode one. We’ve gotten so used to it: Clutch in, shift a gear, clutch out and continue riding or stop.

But how does the clutch actually work? And more recently, what is a “slipper clutch?” To take it even further, what is an “assist and slip clutch?”

A motorcycle, or automotive clutch for that matter, is a mechanical device that engages or disengages the drive from the engine to the transmission and ultimately to the rear wheel.

Think of the clutch as being the middle man, between the engine and transmission. Or a fuse between two electrical circuits. No fuse to connect, no electrical transmission.

Truth is, the operation of a clutch is simple.

BASIC CONSTRUCTION

A clutch consists of a few basic parts. Referring to the picture below, we’ll use the corresponding numbers:

Primary drive gear. This gear is driven but another gear attached to the crankshaft’s output shaft.
Primary driven gear and clutch basket assembly. The gear is driven by the primary drive gear (1), which turns the clutch basket, along with the friction discs (3).
Friction discs. These discs have “teeth” on the outside to fit into the clutch basket. When the clutch is engaged, the material on the either side of the faces “grip” the steel clutch plates (4).
Clutch plates. These are usually made of steel and have their surfaces either “dimpled” or smooth. Their teeth are on the inner circumference and mate to the clutch centre (5).
Clutch inner, where the clutch plates (4) mate to and is splined to the transmission’s input shaft.
Clutch springs. These apply pressure to the pressure plate (7) to “press” it against the friction plates (4).
Pressure plate, which is sometimes called the clutch cover.

Items (3) to (4) make up what’s called a “clutch pack.” Let’s skip forward to the next parts:

Clutch lifter rod or pushrod; and

(Unnumbered) Clutch wire joint.

When you pull the clutch lever, the clutch lifter rod (9) pushes the pressure plate (7) outwards against the springs. The pressure plate now sits slightly above the frictions discs (3) and clutch plates (4). The decrease of pressure means the clutch plates (4) is able to slip against the friction discs (3), which means the clutch inner (5), hence the transmission’s input shaft also spins freely. In turn, the engine’s drive is disconnected from the gearbox, and it’s this instant when we say the bike’s “freewheeling.”

When you let go of the clutch lever, the lifter rod moves back in place, allowing the clutch springs to compress the pressure plate onto the clutch pack. The friction discs, as the name implies, produces friction against the clutch plates and they rotate together in unison, as with the clutch inner. The engine’s power is now fully transmitted through the clutch assembly to the transmission.

SLIPPER CLUTCH and ASSIST & SLIP CLUTCH

We’ve covered on the functions and benefits of the slipper clutch before. Please click here for the full article.

To recap, a slipper clutch, what was more commonly known as the torque limiting clutch, allows the clutch to “slip” when there’s too much engine back-torque resulting from overzealous downshifting or chopping the throttle especially in the lower two gears, to avoid the rear wheel from hopping or locking up.

Slipper clutches work on the same principles when under power. However, in a slipper clutch, there are “ramps” built into the basket’s inner hub and pressure plate. Under hard engine deceleration, the ramps are forced together which then pushes the pressure plate off the friction plates and clutch plates; in effect decoupling the engine and transmission.

As for the “assist and slip” clutch, used by KTM (which they call Power Assist and Slip Clutch – PASC) and a few other manufacturers, the ramps in the pressure plate are also made to compress harder onto the clutch friction discs and clutch plates during acceleration. This allows the use of softer or fewer clutch springs. Consequently, the clutch lever needs a softer pull.

CONCLUSION

Before we close, a wet clutch is bathed in oil for cooling and lubrication. As we mentioned in an earlier article, DO NOT use automotive oil in a motorcycle engine as the clutch will start to slip and wear them out abnormally. Please use engine oils with MA or MA2 rating.

You may also wonder why cars use only a single pressure plate and friction disc compared to motorcycles. The answer is space. It’s either we use larger-sized plates or multiple smaller plates in order for the clutch to absorb and transmit the engine’s torque sufficiently.

How Does a Two-Stroke Engine Work

We’ve shown how a four-stroke engine works, now it’s the two-stroke’s turn.
Production has been phased out but there are still many on the roads and in competition.
A two-stroke is simple hence lighter in weight.

We’ve covered how a four-stroke engine works and even took a peek inside the combustion chamber of one previously (click here for the article and here for the video), so it’s only right that we show how a two-stroke works this time.

While production of new two-strokes has been fully phased out, there are still many on the road and in competition. Fans this engine format love the simplicity, light weight and most of all, the power.

A two-stroke performs all the necessary functions of intake, compression, power and exhaust in one up-stroke and one down-stroke of the piston, within one complete 360^orevolution of the crankshaft (1 RPM). A four-stroke, on the other hand, completes all four tasks on each separate stroke in 720^o revolution of the crankshaft (2 RPM). This means the two-stroke produces twice the power stroke of a four-stroke in every 2 RPM.

Consequently, a two-stroke is twice as powerful as a four-stroke of the same capacity. In theory, anyway.

Let’s watch the video below:

As you can see, a two-stroke engine does not utilise poppet valves like in a four-stroke. That means it doesn’t require a cam chain or belt, camshafts, buckets, shims, springs, etc. in addition to the valves. That equals simplicity and weight savings.

The type seen in the video is the simplest variety, which uses the crankcase and underside of the piston as charge pumps. As such, this arrangement is called a “crankcase-scavenged two-stroke.”

When the piston rises on compression, the bottom of the piston creates a partial vacuum in the crankcase. The piston uncovers the intake port on the cylinder wall and the combustion mixture rushes in to fill the crankcase.

As the piston nears top dead centre (TDC), the sparkplug fires and combusts the mixture. The pressure of the combustion drives the piston back down, transferring the energy to the crankshaft.

On its way back down, the piston now uncovers the exhaust port, allowing the burned gasses to exit the combustion chamber. The piston also compresses the mixture in the crankcase simultaneously.

As the piston travels further downwards it starts to uncover the transfer port. The pressure created by the piston pushes the charge (combustion mixture) into the combustion chamber via the transfer port.

The process then repeats, with the piston first closing the transfer port.

Because the charge is constantly pumped through the crankcase, this makes it impractical to lubricate the crank and piston using pumped oil circulation like a in a four-stroke. The lubrication had to be therefore premixed i.e. lubricating oil mixed with the fuel or injected into the crank bearings with a metering pump such as Yamaha’s Autolube system. Yes, this is the 2T oil you and I are familiar with.

One more thing! Keeping the throttle closed while the engine is revving high will kill it. The oil pump is actually attached to the throttle, which means no 2T gets through when its closed. That’s why the 2T is mixed directly to the fuel, but this may cause sparkplug fouling, on the other hand.

Because the oil is mixed with the fuel, very little of the oil is actually combusted. This leads to the oil being ejected into the atmosphere, hence the pollution. Additionally, some of the fresh charge (unburned fuel) gets mixed with the exhaust gases and escapes through the exhaust. This is why you’d see two strokes having a sheen of black oily goo surrounding the exhaust header and exhaust pipe’s tip.

This is why two-strokes are phased out. There have been many developments over the years to make two-strokes cleaner but they have yet to be made practical for motorcycles.

One last thing: If a two-stroke is supposed to be twice as powerful, why are the 500cc two-strokes slower than 1000cc four-stroke bikes in MotoGP?

Running the engines on a dyno to produce high power output is one thing, but it’s another in real-life applications. A four-strokes generally spread their power throughout a wider range in the powerband but a two-stroke’s powerband is usually limited to a very small range, hence called “peaky.”

For a rider, a wider powerband means he could use it to exit corners easier. This translates to better lap times and higher top speeds, since he could open the throttle earlier. Well, this is just part of the story. There are many other aspects in play, also. We’ll save that for another article, so stay tuned!

ARRC Champ Azlan Shah Involved in Traffic Accident

Azlan Shah is the 2017 ARRC 600cc Champion.
He didn’t sustain bad injuries in the accident although his tongue required seven stitches, besides losing his phone and money.
Azlan is slated to begin his 2018 season preparation soon.

2017 Asia Road Racing Championship (ARRC) 600cc champion, Azlan Shah was involved in a traffic accident later yesterday.

“I was travelling home from Sunway. The road was very dark and I suddenly hit a lorry. I blacked out immediately and realised I was in the hospital when I came to,” said the rider when speaking to Malaysian daily, Berita Harian.

https://www.instagram.com/p/Bd5QhHggxdY/?taken-by=azlanshah25

Onlookers rushed Azlan to the Selayang Hospital after witnessing the crash which totalled his Toyota.

“I’m thankful that I escaped relatively unscathed, although I’ve lost my cellphone and money,” he continued. He received a deep cut to his tongue for which it received seven stitches. “I could eat or talk much due to the multiple stitches. It’s only porridge for me at the moment.”

https://www.instagram.com/p/Bd4_sCCAW0B/

Azlan will be heading to the Chang International Circuit at Buriram, Thailand to being his pre-season preparations today.

“The accident will not affect my focus on defending my championship this year. My determination and motivation remains unchanged from last year. It’s going to be more competitive this year but I believe I could still put up a big challenge.”

Azlan will be riding for the Manual Tech KYT Kawasaki Racing team from Indonesia this year.

Common Motorcycle Mistakes in Movies

Aaah… What a wonderful weekend it’s been, brought on by perpetually cloudy skies, light showers, hence low temperatures. There’s finally time to catch up on a few movies with the family.

‘Let’s watch something entertaining. One without needing to be analyzed,” said the Missus. Darn, I was just thinking about The Arrival. Ok, something entertaining. Let’s re-watch Deadpool, then. It’s a great movie. It’s got plenty of good ol’ action rolled in together with (slightly perverse) romance, over-the-top clashes, and of course, the off-kilter humour expertly executed by Ryan Reynolds.

I’ve probably watched the film more than five times and still love it, except for a little detail during the first car chase scene on the freeway.

Why? Hollywood, Bollywood (especially!) and almost all filmmakers have always got things wrong when it comes to motorcycles. Don’t any of these producers or directors ride?

Engine note

The Ducati Panigales in Deadpool sounded like inline-Fours, the Triumph Speed Triple in Hitman’s Bodyguard was like a small V-Twin despite having an Arrows pipe, John Connor’s Honda XR100 four-stroke single in Terminator 2 had a two-stroke sound, both Suzuki four-stroke dirtbikes in Black Rain sounded like Suzuki GSX-R’s, the two Ducati 916s in Fled alternated between the Desmo V-Due and ZX-11, the ZZR-250 in Kill Bill sounded like a ZZR-600….

However, Harleys sound exactly like Harleys.

Turbocharged + supercharged + hypercharged cars

The hero gets on a sportbike or high-powered bike and takes off. But the bad guys in crappy cars always catch up despite traffic that rivals Bangkok’s during rush hour. They must have fitted turbochargers, superchargers, NOS and teleporters in their cars. Naughty bad guys.

Custom transmission

You can hear the bikes upshifting again and again in almost every chase scene which involves motorcycles. Motorcycles don’t have 18-speed gearboxes like those on big rigs. This phenomenon applies to car movies, as well, for example in the Fast & Furious series.

Bikes can jump over everything

Yes, they’d jump over traffic, people, fences, and spaces between buildings, but inexplicably without ramps, and still end up perfectly okay after landing. The X-Fighters riders can learn something here.

No helmet, no problem

The rider in attention, regardless if protagonist or antagonist, could ride at high speeds and still see without a helmet. The Dhoom series of movies took it further, as the riders rode to nearly 300 km/h without helmet, safety gear and while sitting fully upright. Try riding your bike at 140 km/h with the helmet’s visor open and see how it feels like.

Self-stabilizing bikes

Back to Terminator 2 and the thrilling chase scene where the T-1000 drives a big rig to hunt down John Connor on the two-stroke sounding XR100. The killing machine managed to ram the motorcycle a couple of times, but our hero stayed up. Hello, we’d go down like nangka busuk even if whacked by another bike, what more by a truck!

Transform and roll out!

No, we’re not talking about Michael Mann’s abomination, but road tyres that to transform to offroad tyres and back, depending on the road surface. This was clearly apparent in Mission Impossible II.

Looking Inside a Four-Stroke Engine

We published an article earlier about how a four-stroke engine works.
We understand how the gas flows but what if we could look inside?
Video below is copyright of Smarter Every Day.

Remember our earlier post on the basic working principles of a four-stroke engine? (Click on the link below to read more.)

How Does a Four-Stroke Engine Work

We came across this nugget of a video while scouring through the thick web surrounding YouTube videos and thought it’ll be interesting to share with our Bikes Republic followers.

Destin Sandlin, the owner of the YouTube channel SmarterEveryDay (SED) had heard about some guys – Phil, Mike and Everett – who created a transparent engine head cover and visited them to truly see what actually goes on in the combustion chamber of an internal combustion engine.

The builders took a 1920’s Briggs & Stratton side-valve engine and replaced the stock head with a thick perspex cover. Destin then shot the action at 20,000 frames per second.

Let’s watch the video below:

The video clearly shows the four distinct strokes of a four-stroke: Intake, compression, power and exhaust. But what’s really apparent are the movements of the fuel/air mixture, combustion flame propagation and exhaust gas evacuation.

Remember that we also spoke about the spark being introduced before the piston actually arrives at TDC (top dead centre – where the piston is at its highest point in the cylinder) during the compression stroke? Well, you could see that here too.

Hong Leong Launches New MT-09 from RM 47,388

The Yamaha MT-09 has been a popular choice for those who wanted an aggressive big bike since its launch.
The new MT-09 has been facelifted and given a number of performance enhancing features.
Priced from an attractive RM 47,388 (inclusive of 6% GST but not on-the-road).

The Yamaha MT-09 has been a popular model for those who seek an aggressive bike and exciting riding experience ever since it was launched in Malaysia a few years back, and a facelift or upgrade has been expected to be forthcoming.

Well, wait no more because Hong Leong Yamaha Motor Sdn. Bhd. (HLYM) has launched the new Yamaha MT-09 tonight. Dato’ Jim Khor, the Managing Director of HLYM calls the new bike, “The Ultimate Street Fighter.”

Looking even more aggressive and radical than when its predecessor first hit the roads., the new model was inspired by its bigger brother, the MT-10.

Dato’ Jim continued, “Arrival of the new MT-09 marks another significant milestone for Yamaha towards its aspiration of becoming the desired lifestyle and recreation motor vehicle brand.

The engine is still the proven liquid-cooled, 847cc, inline-Triple but has now been hotted up with:

Quickshifter
Assist & slipper clutch
Traction control
Front and rear ABS
Fully-adjustable front and rear suspension (inclusive of compression and rebound damping).

The most striking features of the new MT-09 however, are the new LED headlights and taillights, leaner and sharper overall styling and components. HLYM will offer the new MT-09 in two colours called Night Fluo (Grey) and Tech Black. It will be available from Yamaha Big Bike authorized dealers from February 2018.

HLYM has set the selling price at a competitive RM 47,388 (inclusive of 6% GST but not on-the-road).

HLYM also previewed the Yamaha Xmax 250 during the event. It is slated to be officially launched in March 2018, and no price has been provided yet.

PICTURE GALLERY

Documents Required for Riding into Thailand

Riding into Thailand is painless but do prepare the necessary documents beforehand.
Failure to provide the necessary documents means refusal of entry.
There’s no such thing as trying to kaotim.

During the GIVI Golden Triangle Adventure ride in 2017, I rode to Pattaya, Thailand from Kuala Lumpur with a buddy.

We were excited for sure. Since I’ve ridden to Thailand many times, it’s a great opportunity to experience what those two other countries had to offer. As for my buddy, it was the first time he’d be riding to Thailand, let alone Cambodia and Vietnam.

As we approached the Malaysian-Thai border at Bukit Kayu Hitam, we pulled into a stop area to purchase the third-party Thai insurance and prepare other necessary paperwork. I obtained the insurance in no time at all, but my buddy was stuck.

It turned out that the manufacturer had balked in providing him with just one document – the Form 49 – and that meant the insurance could not be processed and issued.

He made a flurry of calls to the manufacturer and they insisted that he could actually cross the border with what he had in hand. The clerk at the layover suggested that we tried speaking to the Thai authorities at Sadao.

The Thai authorities had none of it and it was either that he submitted that one missing document or he had to turn back. Pisang. Does it mean that we’ve ridden for nearly 500 km only to be refused entry?

Another flurry of calls had the form Whatsapped to him. He got it printed, submitted the documents again and we were finally on our merry way, after almost three hours.

So, to avoid any such thing from happening to you, these are the necessary documents if you wish to ride into Thailand.

1. Malaysian International Passport, valid for at least another six months from your date of entry into Thailand. Malaysians are not required to apply for visa for entry into Thailand.
2. Driving license recognized in Thailand. It’s best to obtain the International Driving Permit (IDP) from JPJ or AAM.

3. Bike’s road tax (photocopy is fine), make sure it’s valid and not expired.
4. Vehicle registration card/geran (photocopy is okay), even if it’s held by the financial institution you’re servicing your loan with.

This is where it gets a little “interesting” in terms of the vehicle grant. If it does not specify your name on the card while you’re servicing your loan, you will need two additional documents:

5. Authorising letter from the financial institution authorizing you to ride the bike into Thailand. The letter must include his/her full name and NRIC number, in addition to your full name and NRIC number/passport number (I usually choose passport number thus I don’t have to dig out my NRIC).
6. Form 49 if it’s your financial institution that authorized you, which details the company’s register of directors, managers and secretaries.

With the documents in hand, look out for any shop displaying “THAI INSURANCE” or “INSURANS THAILAND” anywhere from north of Gurun to Changlun to Bukit Kayu Hitam.

Hand all the documents to the clerk and he/she will provide and fill in the necessary Thai forms such as:

7. TM.2 Information of Conveyance. There will be 2 copies of this.
8. TM.3 Passenger List. Also 2 copies but only if you’re riding in with a passenger, otherwise it’s unnecessary.

9. TM.6 Arrival/Departure Card. Also known as the “White Card.” You will need to sign the card, and best to provide the name of the hotel you’ll be staying in (the clerks will usually fill in Grand Plaza Hotel or Lee Garden Hotel).

10. Third party Thai vehicle insurance. It’s not expensive, usually less than RM20 for 9 days.

Please check and double-check if all the documents are in place and filled before heading to the border checkpoint.

Malaysia has constructed a new border checkpoint complex. Follow the sign for motorcycles and hand your passport over the counter to the Immigration Officer.

Further up the road, the Thais have also constructed a new immigration centre to stamp passports, so park your bike and head over. There is (usually) no charge during office hours. The officer will retain the arrival part of the TM6 card, stamp the return portion and hand it back to you together with your passport.

Having stamped your passport (do check!), head over to the booths where you see vehicles heading through. Look for the correct counter (ask the Thai guards, they’ll be more than happy to help), wish the person inside Sawadeekahp and hand over the documents.

He/she will ask for a small fee (again less than RM20) and point you to the counter in front. Queue or wait here until called, where you will be given the Thai Temporary Import/Export form. You’re required to write down your vehicle’s registration number and sign your name in a large book.

Done! You can head into Thailand to experience the Land of Smiles.

But, for the live of you, DO NOT lose the copies of the TM2, TM3, TM6 and Import/Export forms as these need to be returned when you cross back to Malaysia. Failure to return the Import/Export form will see the vehicle being levied a THB 1,000 fine per day to a maximum of THB 10,000, which needs to be paid when you ride it to Thailand again in the future.

So, that’s it. It’s a very simple process for Malaysians to enter the Kingdom, but remember to adhere to traffic laws at all times and BE HUMBLE. And oh, don’t stop traffic for your friends to pass.

How Does a Four-Stroke Engine Work

An internal combustion engine needs to combust air and fuel to produce mechanical power.
The air/fuel mixture needs to be inducted, compressed, combusted and extracted.
Here’s the basics on how a four-stroke engine works.

Recently while testing the Triumph Street Triple RS, I had someone ask me if the bike was a three-stroke. There was another occasion when I had a small argument with another person who insisted that the KTM 1290 Super Duke GT was a two-stroke. I wouldn’t give a second thought if those guys were motorcycle neophytes, but they were riders, and it happened many times over many years. What happens if it’s a BMW K 1600 or Honda Gold Wing? Do they have six-stroke engines?

It seemed like this phenomenon has been rampant for the last twenty years in our country. OMG.

There are two common types of power cycles for gasoline engines: Four-stroke and two-stroke. Let’s see how a four-stroke works. There’s also the rotary engine and Atkinson cycle engine, but they’re uncommon.

First and foremost, an internal combustion engine needs to combust fuel and air. The force from this combustion is transferred to mechanical energy. Hence, a four-stroke engine takes four distinct strokes to produce the power to move a vehicle.

Let’s take a look at the basics.

1: INTAKE

Also called suction, this stroke begins with the piston at top dead centre (TDC), as it travels downwards toward bottom dead centre (BDC). The intake valve opens and the piston travelling downwards causes a negative pressure (vacuum) in the cylinder, sucking in the fuel/air mixture and filling the cylinder.

2: COMPRESSION

As the piston travels back up from BDC to TDC, the intake valve closes and traps the fuel/air mixture inside the cylinder. The piston compresses the mixture in preparation for combustion.

The crankshaft will have travelled 1 full, 360^o revolution (1 RPM) when the piston reaches TDC.

3: COMBUSTION

Also known as ignition or power stroke. The sparkplug (or sparkplugs) fire, igniting the compressed fuel/air mixture. The pressure raises by 3200 to 5000 kPa (32 to 50 bars), and the temperature by 600^o Celcius.

The compression pressure forces the piston back downwards to BDC, creating the mechanical work (kinetic energy) to turn the crankshaft.

4: EXHAUST

Also known as outlet stroke. The exhaust opens as the upward movement of the piston pushes the burned gasses out past the exhaust valve, into the exhaust port and exhaust pipe.

The crankshaft completes two full revolutions when the piston fully reaches TDC. A four-stroke engine needs two RPM to produce mechanical power. Thus if you hold 10,000 RPM for one minute on the tachometer, there are 5000 power strokes in that one minute. Yes, that’s how hard the engine is actually working.

As we mentioned above, this are the basics of how a four-stroke engine works. There are other little details that we will discuss in the future, such as ignition timing which actually emits the spark before the piston fully reaches TDC, so forth.

Back to the opening story, no, there is no three-stroke or six-stroke engine. The answer I commonly use is, “It’s a one/two/three/four/six piston, four-stroke engine.” Or just show them this article.

What You Need to Know When Choosing Tyres

Tyres are the best way to improve your bike.
But how do you determine the best tyres?
Here are a few points to consider plus tips.

We’re overstating the obvious here, but tyres are definitely the most important component on your motorcycle. Tyres not only determine the bike’s handling, but also translates to rider safety, confidence, comfort, and fuel consumption in the overall picture.

But what are the factors you should base your choice on?

COMPROMISE

Do realise that all tyres are a compromise between mileage vs. wear, slow-speed vs. high-speed handling, stability vs. quick-turning, and many more aspects. A tyre that is popular in racing championships such as MotoGP and World Superbike may not suit your riding style or the mileage you have in mind.

That’s because different brands and even the models offered by one brand have different characteristics. For example, Bridgestones generally have hard sidewalls and round profiles compared to Metzelers and Pirellis that have softer sidewalls and round profiles. However, while the Pirelli Supercorsa ‘s profile is rounded, the Pirelli Angel ST sport-touring tyre is triangulated.

Firm sidewalls provide lots of feedback to the rider, but may not provide the confidence and comfort to some riders when the road gets bumpy. Conversely, soft sidewalls are more compliant, thereby providing more confidence over bumps at the expense of some feedback.

Furthermore, certain tyres are made to slide early as a signal to rider who’s nearing the limit (although there’s still much traction left). I personally like this characteristic because I don’t have to second guess the tyres’ limits, especially when riding in the rain or on wet roads. Certain riders may find it disconcerting or terrifying to have their tyres sliding around.

PROFILES

A triangulated profile gives the sensation of quick steering and willingness to lean into a corner. Additionally, a triangulated profile provide better side grip due to bigger contact patches. However, these type of tyres may not feel as stable when riding in a straight line and hard braking.

A round profile tyre offers more stability when running straight and during hard braking, sacrificing quick turning and flickability, hence feeling more neutral. Besides that, round profile tyres allow the rider to maintain his chosen line with comparative ease.

Again, the question: Which one?

It depends on your riding style, preference (read: brand) and skill level. My personal choice is the triangulated profile as I like the extra agility when commuting. But it’s also because of my preference to turn into corners later on the streets (to allow me to see further through corners), which requires me to flick the bike in quickly. Conversely, I prefer the round profile tyre on the track where the corners are set in place and since there’s no need to cilok through traffic.

COMPOUNDS

One undying tyre myth is that stickier race tyres allows riders to go faster. While this certainly applies to the track, it isn’t so on the streets.

As most already know, rubber becomes more pliable when it’s heated up, allowing it to conform to the “peaks” and “valleys” in the road surface. This heating and cooling cycles also alter the tyre’s character, turning the compound harder and harder over time.

Race tyres are made just for that: Racing. They perform at their optimum levels once or twice and then discarded. Race tyres are also designed to withstand more heat due to the extreme speeds; cornering, acceleration and braking forces; and abrasion before they finally degrade. For this reason, they need more time and aggressive riding to get them up to working temperature.

That in turn makes them unpractical for street use, as riding like a madman everywhere is just plain impossible, not to mention dangerous even if one is able to.

Besides that, dry race tyres don’t have much tread or even at all to handle rain, or other dirty conditions on public roads. Wet weather racing tyres on the other hand uses ultra-soft compound that’ll destroy itself in less than 60 km when ridden in the dry.

In this case, you should just go ahead and fit street compound tyres that’ll provide good mileage and still could be occasionally used on the track. As we discussed above, street compound tyres need very little time and aggressive riding to get them working properly.

Tyre technologies have advanced so much that even sport-touring tyres provide better grip for 90% of all the riders out on the streets. The Bridgestone T30 Evo, Pirelli Rosso Corsa, and Pirelli Angel ST, Michelin Pilot 4 are pretty good examples. You’d be surprised what some skilled riders could do with these tyres. Let’s be honest with ourselves here. Most of us couldn’t outride the capabilities of modern sport-touring tyres.

On the other hand, it’s not wrong to fit supersport tyres if that’s your cup of tea. However, do consider if your riding or intended riding consists mostly of daily commuting on the highway, with just the occasional weekend lemang ride and rarely to never on the track. It may make more sense if commute between Ulu Yam and the city, but how about rainy days?

TYRE AGE

A tyre’s production date is stamped on the sidewall and you may see something like “3017.” The first two digits denote the production week, while the last two denote the year. In this case, the tyre was produced on the 30^th production week in 2017.

Never buy tyres that are six years old or more, including second hand ones.

Speaking of used tyres, I’ve met riders who complained that their used tyres were terrible and couldn’t understand why many other riders swear by them.

Remember the earlier discussion about heat cycles? It’s safe to assume that second hand tyres have gone through a few heat cycles before being put up for sale. The chemicals in the tyre will “outgas” leaving behind a tyre that’s pretty much unlike a fresh tyre anymore, despite looking new and has deep treads.

Apart from that, because each rider has a different riding style or skill, a tyre will take on the characteristics as the direct result. Yes, you may say that tyres have “memory.” This is also one of the few reasons why we feel “different” on a friend’s identical bike.

Again, it’s not wrong to use second hand tyres, but do not compare them to how they would be when new.

BREAKING IN NEW TYRES

Breaking in, or running in, new tyres should be done with some thought.

A tyres need a few repeated heating and cooling cycles to stabilize its chemical compounds. Additionally, how you break in a tyre will determine how it would perform further into its life. Too much stress early in a tyre’s early life will have it hardening quicker. As such, don’t be too gentle or greedy in breaking in your tyres during the initial 300 km.

TYRE PRESSURE

Sometimes manufacturers would overinflate the tyres of the bikes leaving the factory for storage and transportation. There are dealers who don’t check for this when they deliver the bikes to customers, leading the new owners to believe that new tyres should be overinflated.

Truth is, it’s always best to refer to the bike manufacturer’s recommended pressures. (Ironic, eh?) We’ve posted this question directly to Pirelli during a recent Pirelli tyre clinic and they recommended so as well.

You may increase the tyre pressures when carrying a passenger and luggage, but again, your motorcycle manufacturer has recommendations for these scenarios. Just fill up according to the pressures usually stated on the swingarm for the respective scenarios.

Bikesrepublic

Wahid Ooi

Modern motorcycles cannot run without a battery.

Their technology has advanced much over the years.

Finding out about how they work is just as important as choosing one and maintenance.

BASIC WORKINGS OF A BATTERY

TYPES OF BATTERIES

1. Wet cell

2. Absorbed glass mat (AGM)

3. Gel battery

4. Lithium-Ion

How much do you have to pay if you get pulled over for a traffic offence?

The guide below is standardized among the PDRM, JPJ and DBKL.

Remember that “The more you delay, the more you pay.”

We motorcyclists always complain about car drivers.

But car drivers always complain about bikers too.

Let’s be fair to ourselves and everyone we share the roads with.

1. Not stopping

2. Riding in Large Groups

3. Pipes too loud

4. Jumping queue

5. Headlights too high

6. Tailgating

7. Scaring car occupants

8. Riding too slow

9. Riding too fast

10. Pulling stunts

The clutch is what allows the engine to either engage or disengage drive from the engine to the transmission.

How a clutch functions is simple and straightforward.

We also discuss how slipper, besides assist and slip clutches work.

BASIC CONSTRUCTION

SLIPPER CLUTCH and ASSIST & SLIP CLUTCH

CONCLUSION

We’ve shown how a four-stroke engine works, now it’s the two-stroke’s turn.

Production has been phased out but there are still many on the roads and in competition.

A two-stroke is simple hence lighter in weight.

Azlan Shah is the 2017 ARRC 600cc Champion.

He didn’t sustain bad injuries in the accident although his tongue required seven stitches, besides losing his phone and money.

Azlan is slated to begin his 2018 season preparation soon.

Engine note

Turbocharged + supercharged + hypercharged cars

Custom transmission

Bikes can jump over everything

No helmet, no problem

Self-stabilizing bikes

Transform and roll out!

We published an article earlier about how a four-stroke engine works.

We understand how the gas flows but what if we could look inside?

Video below is copyright of Smarter Every Day.

The Yamaha MT-09 has been a popular choice for those who wanted an aggressive big bike since its launch.

The new MT-09 has been facelifted and given a number of performance enhancing features.

Priced from an attractive RM 47,388 (inclusive of 6% GST but not on-the-road).

Riding into Thailand is painless but do prepare the necessary documents beforehand.

Failure to provide the necessary documents means refusal of entry.

There’s no such thing as trying to kaotim.

An internal combustion engine needs to combust air and fuel to produce mechanical power.

The air/fuel mixture needs to be inducted, compressed, combusted and extracted.

Here’s the basics on how a four-stroke engine works.

1: INTAKE

2: COMPRESSION

3: COMBUSTION

4: EXHAUST

Tyres are the best way to improve your bike.

But how do you determine the best tyres?

Here are a few points to consider plus tips.

COMPROMISE

PROFILES

COMPOUNDS

TYRE AGE

BREAKING IN NEW TYRES

TYRE PRESSURE

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**There’s no such thing as trying to kaotim.**