Certain parties weren’t happy about our recent review of the Honda CRF250L and CRF250 Rally. We called it as it was, “soft.” It has also to be said here that “we” here included Oh Kah Beng. So if you’re reading this, go ahead and tell off the legend if you’re not happy.
Why did I open with the above “intro?” Because in that same review, I mentioned that sometimes manufacturers aimed for too many segments in one model and ended up with a product that’s diluted at best (read: neither here nor there).
Take this bike, for instance. Honda meant the DN-01 to be a cruiser. Or more accurately, a cruiser/sportbike crossover. And a big scooter.
Courtesy of paratamoto.com
Firstly, the DN-01’s bodywork’s weird in anyone’s book, and wasn’t appealing to either the cruiser folks or sportbike fanatics. The ergonomics also took a bashing as was the lack of wind protection at speed, needing the rider to to hang on using the handlebar.
Customers were also unsatisfied due to the ridiculously low load capacity of only 147 kg. That meant if each the rider and passenger weigh 75 kg, their total weight of 150 kg has already overloaded the bike by 3 kg. That’s without figuring in luggage.
Wait, what luggage? There isn’t any storage space on the DN-01!
The transmission, however, was a different story. The continuously variable transmission (CVT) – marketed by Honda as “Human Friendly Transmission” – uses a hydraulic pump which varied the amount of fluid being pumped, changing the gearing as demanded. (It may sound the similar to the DCT in the current X-ADV, VFR1200X and CRF1000L Africa Twin, but no it isn’t.)
However, that brilliant CVT was mated to a 680cc engine (sourced from the Shadow) which produced an wheezing 43 bhp, which (sort of) propelled the 268kg DN-01 from 0 to 100 km/h in 7.41 seconds, and a quarter mile in 15.41 seconds at 140.7 km/h. Top speed? 182.0 km/h. Yawn.
Adding insult to injury was the US$15,599 asking price in 2009.
In 2000, MTT, Marine Turbine Technologies’ President Ted McIntyre appointed Christian Travert, a former motorcycle racer and custom motorcycle builder to head the motorcycle venture. Turbocharger? Supercharger? V8?
Nope.
Called the Y2K, MTT chose the Rolls-Royce-Allison Model 250-C18 gas turbine to power the bike. Oh, the gas turbine is just another name for a jet engine. However, it was a turboshaft, the variety used in helicopter. It made 320 bhp at 52000 RPM (not a typo) and over 400 lb. ft. of torque. Good news was, it didn’t require jet fuel to run; it burned kerosene, diesel or Bio-fuel.
MTT showed off the Street Fighter variant at the 2006 SEMA show in Las Vegas. The model marked the switch to the more powerful (as if 350 bhp on a motorcycle isn’t enough) Allison 250-C20 engine.
Last year, MTT announced the new 420RR, which they called, “New (Race Ready) Superbike.” The spec sheet reads like a it was put together by a mad scientist, more significantly, the 420RR is named so because the engine blows out 420 bhp @ 52000 RPM and 680 Nm of torque from just 2000 RPM. The fairing is carbon fiber and so are the wheels.
Each MTT 420RR is handbuilt to specific specifications of the buyer and only five are produced each year.
Jay Leno owns the first production Y2K and remarked that it’s his favourite bike despite being scared half to death. He also said the bike melted the bumper of the car behind.
Böhmerland or Čechie as its known domestically, manufactured motorcycles from 1924 up to the onset of World War II in 1939. All aspects of the bikes were designed by Albin Hugo Leibisch (who fought in WWI and was wounded in the Eastern Front); including the front-link forks and solid cast aluminum wheels. Böhmerlands were the first production motorcycles to be fitted with 27-inch aluminium cast wheels, before being fully adopted in the 1970s, almost 5 decades later.
Böhmerland’s motorcycles feature a variety of wheelbases. The Sport was a two-seater, the Touren was a three-seater and the four-seater Langtouren. The Langtouren still holds the record for the production motorcycle with the longest wheelbase, measuring 3.2 metres. A few models had two fuel tanks while the long-wheelbased ones feature three fuel “canisters” shaped like bombs.
They also build a Langtouren with a bomb-shaped side car. You could bring your wife, two kids and mother-in-law. How’s that for the ultimate family bonding?
If the Langtouren was not unusual enough, Böhmerland also experimented with a four-seater for the military. It had two gearboxes, the one in the rear operated by a passenger, giving a total of 9 ratios.
The bikes were powered by a single-cylinder, OHV, 598cc engine. However, the valvegear fully visible to the rider and being uncovered means he had to splash the valvegear with a cup of oil every time he stopped. Needless to say that oil eventually ended up on the rider’s clothes.
Leibisch found his factory turned over for military use when Nazi Germany invaded Czechoslovakia in 1939. He refused to coorporate with the Nazis and he along with his were sent to a Czech Gulag and forced to work manual labour at gunpoint. His dreams of restarting the company after the war didn’t work out as the factory and machinery were all destroyed.
Ultimately, some 3,000 of various models were built by a production crew of 20.
The KTM 1290 Super family is the flagship range for KTM.
Built around the 1301cc, DOHC, liquid-cooled, 75o V-Twin in different tuning they are exhilarating to ride.
The 1290 Super family consists of a naked sportbike, sport-tourer and adventure-tourer.
KTM’s 1290 Super family represents the pinnacle of motorcycling, not only in terms of engineering but also in design. But most of all, it’s the thrill of being on two wheels that they provide, never straying from the Austrian giant manufacturer’s “Ready to Race” philosophy.
Apart from a fully-faired sportbike, the 1290 series consists of the types of stupendous motorcycles that not only provide entertainment and smiles every kilometre, but also practicality in virtually any situation.
With the assistance of KTM Malaysia, we’ve assembled the power family for Christmas and the new year.
1290 Super Duke R
The 2014 KTM 1290 Super Duke R broke new grounds in providing a real kick to any rider, be they new or seasoned ones. Even veteran motojournalists who have ridden hundreds of bikes in their careers and lifetime swooned over it.
This was the start of “The Beast” and the “super naked sportbike” category.
But as if the 1290 Super Duke R could not be improved further, KTM went ahead and bettered even themselves. For 2017, the 1290 Super Duke R was built from the ground up.
The first thing anyone notices about the 2017 model is the fierce and distinctive split headlamp. The channel which splits the two sides actually performs as a cooling duct to reduce the temperature of the LED headlamps. Additionally, the main beam will come on automatically when the motorcycle is coming to a stop during daytime running.
The 1301cc, 75-degree, V-Twin engine was reworked and retuned for more power, yielding a horizon-bending 177 bhp and 140 Nm of torque. Specs on paper doesn’t reflect on the true character of the new 1290 Super Duke R, however.
While the 2017 model is faster than ever, it builds its speed in a smoother and controlled manner. Riders will not find a sudden burst of speed as if the bike has a hidden NOS injection system. This encourages confidence and smoother riding for even greater enjoyment. KTM did this by designing resonator chambers on the cylinder heads to smoothen the torque output.
The frame, chassis and riding position of the new 1290 Super Duke R have likewise been revised. The new frame is stronger yet lighter, the state-of-the-art WP suspension is fitted for total control. The brakes are Brembo all around, with M50 Monobloc four-piston calipers up front for maximum safety.
The new handlebar is 20 wider, 5 mm lower and 18.5 mm more toward the front. It also features a 22mm adjustment range to fit riders of any physique. Such placement puts more weight onto the front wheel for maximum control, besides provided better wind protection.
What’s a powerful motorcycle if not to be enjoyed in safety, correct? The KTM 1290 family are technological wonders and the 1290 Super Duke R is no exception. Gracing the bike are a plethora of electronic aid including Motorcycle Stability Control (MSC), Ride-by-Wire throttle, Ride Modes, Motorcycle Traction Control (MTC), ABS, Race On System, Tyre Pressure Monitoring System (TPMS), and Cruise Control, among others.
Owners can also upgrade the bike with the optional Quick Shift +, Motor Slip Regulation (MSR), My Ride connectivity suite, besides the Performance Pack and Track Pack.
1290 Super Duke GT
The 1290 Super Duke GT is KTM’s answer for a big bore sport-tourer that not only gets you places but flies to your long-distance destination while blasting other sport-tourers into the paddy fields. Yes, a bike has that effect when it’s built on the 1301cc 1290 Super Duke R’s engine platform.
However, the 1290 Super Duke GT differs from the 1290 Super Duke R in terms of comfort. The GT features a large frontal bodywork with an adjustable windscreen for wind protection on long rides, while mounting points for the panniers have been built in.
Likewise, the suspension uses the WP Semi-Active electronically adjustable variety, which varies its damping rates on the go. You could choose between Sport, Road and Comfort damping modes, besides the load for one rider, rider with cargo, rider with passenger, and rider and passenger with cargo. The system will keep the bike in optimum chassis balance for optimum handling at all times.
And handling (besides the speed, of course!) is where the 1290 Super Duke GT truly excels.
If there’s a bike in this world that seem to self-steer through a corner at blinding speeds, this is the one! No other large capacity sport-tourer has the propensity to steer into a corner and blast away like it, while remaining superbly composed over anything the road throws at it – all the while you’re seated comfortably on it.
Just like its 1290 brethren, the 1290 Super Duke GT is laden with the some of the best motorcycle technology available to the public. The electronics suite includes Ride-by-Wire, Ride Modes, the aforementioned WP Semi-Active Suspension, Motorcycle Stability Control (MSC), LED Cornering Lights, Motorcycle Traction Control (MTC), Quickshifter, Cruise Control, Tyre Pressure Monitoring System (TPMS), ABS and many more.
You could upgrade your 1290 Super Duke GT by adding the optional Hill Hold Control (HHC) and Motor Slip Regulation (MSR).
1290 Super Adventure S
Along with offroad bikes, adventure bikes have been the hallmark of KTM.
The 1290 Super Adventure S and its more offroad-oriented 1290 Super Adventure R brother are the flagship KTMs.
Although the 2017 model had evolved from its predecessor, the 1290 Super Adventure T, KTM had almost entirely revised it.
The most obvious change is to the design. KTM had wanted a look that doesn’t replicated other bikes in the market and something that’s unmistakably KTM. When the designers split the LED headlamp to incorporate the cooling channel in between – voila! – the result was something never seen before.
The engine is based on The Beast but retuned for overall smoothness and absolute reliability such as DLC coating on the cylinder bores and a long service interval. It still punches out 160 bhp and 140 Nm of torque. But to demonstrate its flexibility, 108 Nm are already available from as low as 2500 RPM!
Its chrome-moly steel trellis frame is again, strong and light, weighing only 9.8 kg. Both ends are suspended by WP’s Semi-Active Suspension, update for this bike to carry almost any load you wish.
The 1290 Super Adventure S is also a technology-laden adventure-tourer, but has additional features specific to it. In addition to the usual fare, the bike has Offroad Ride Mode, Offroad Traction Control, Offroad ABS, lean angle sensitive Cornering ABS and Combined Braking.
You could upgrade your 1290 Adventure S with a suite of features as part of the optional Travel Pack which includes Quick Shift +, Hill Hold Control (HHC), Motor Slip Regulation (MSC) and My Ride.
The Honda CRF250L and CRF250 Rally were intended as a beginner offroader and adventure-tourer respectively.
Both utilise the same engine but different suspension rates.
Prices start at RM24,378.94(basic price with GST) for CRF250L, and RM28,618.94 (basic price with GST) for the CRF250 Rally.
Designing a bike for the masses isn’t an easy proposition in this day and age, despite motorcycles being super-segmented according to their intended usage.
Even so, there are bikes that could fit its primary role plus one or two secondary roles pretty well, earning the title as “all-rounders.” Conversely, there are bikes that manufacturers seemingly tried too hard to fit too many roles into one bike and came away as being diluted.
Boon Siew Honda launched the 2017 CRF205L and CRF250 Rally during the company’s special Iftar event for motojournalists at the Sepang International Circuit (click here for our report).
Being a dirtbike enthusiast, I was pretty excited to be present during the launch. Both bikes look great – the CRF250L certainly had some of the looks of the CRF250R motocrosser and looks like a proper enduro, while the CRF250 Rally looked like a proper adventure bike to have ran away from the Dakar Rally.
In typical Honda fashion, the bikes exuded the kind of quality hardly matched by other manufacturer, save one or two. The paintwork, fit between the panels, switchgear, front and rear lamps, frame, engine, swingarm, etc., etc., right down to the last bolt and nut were quality.
The instrument panel was simple but Honda managed to squeeze quite a number of good information, including a fuel gauge, and the rev counter bar is on top of the speedo. Good call.
The PGM-FI fueled 249cc, DOHC, four-stroke, single-cylinder engine started up without fuss. But also without sound from the exhaust. It was super quiet.
We set course for our Sifu’s MX school, Most Fun Gym (MFG).
Out on the road and as expected, the CRF250L felt unplanted. But dirtbikes have always been torquey and offer a different kind of entertainment on the road, right? Right?
Well, being in the middle of a gaggle of rempits revving their engines, I thought it’d be the right time to educate them about dirtbikes. First engaged, clutch in, I revved it up to 6000 RPM, popped the clutch as I moved my weight backwards on the seat for a wheelie. The CRF went brrrrrrrrrrrr and the handlebar started flick-flacking back and forth, and all I saw were the rear lights of those rempits as they disappeared up the road.
Fine, let’s see how it rides over the rest of the road.
The long-travel suspension soaked up most bumps, but running the bike through potholes had both ends hitting the hard part of their travel almost immediately. Too soft.
Okay, okay. Let’s do it in the dirt then.
The CRF250L was joined by the CRF250 Rally at MFG, where Oh Kah Beng, his understudy Ryan, Ahirine, Sep and myself took turns riding both bikes in the dirt.
CRF250L
Oh Kah Beng (OKB) took it up over the entire course at MFG. But the bike was visibly struggling up the steep inclines, necessitating OKB to use first gear. “The bike has a soft powerband and needs to revved to get it going,” the GP legend said. “Look at the rear sprocket,” he continued while pointing at it, “It seems to have been geared for the road.”
OKB also jumped the bike once. Only once. Observing and shooting photos from the trackside, I saw the rear suspension bottom out with a loud clunk. “I didn’t jump anymore after that. It just bottomed out too early and easily,” said OKB.
I took over while OKB continued with instructing his students. Coming off the humps, bumps and turns, the rear end squatted ominously. There was no point in pushing harder because we discovered that the CRF250L is much more suited for trail “cruising,” rather than as a hardcore enduro bike.
Ridden at a super relaxed pace without jumps and hard turns, the bike was comfortable and composed. It’s a shame since the CRF250L has a quick-revving engine, mated a superb frame and body but let down by being overly soft of both ends.
CRF250 Rally
As mentioned earlier, the CRF250 Rally really looked the part of an adventure-tourer.
It has a windscreen, super bright dual LED headlamps (the binnacles look like goggles – nice!), a large front bodywork which looked like it had extra fuel tanks, and a large rear section. The colour combination was really pretty too.
OKB first rode it with a student as his passenger to show him the different points around the track. He then went full tilt after dropping the kid off.
The Rally was visibly harder sprung than the CRF-L and it didn’t bottom out. That was probably because it had to carry more bodywork and load when the owner takes it touring.
However, the engine response was the same as the CRF-L, which needed lots of revs over the harder parts. The rear sprocket is also geared for road riding. “It needs more kick,” said OKB.
OKB continued, “But in all, I liked the Rally better as it’s more composed around the track. It looks pretty sexy too.”
“On the other hand, it doesn’t ride too well on the road, so it means it’s meant for touring in the dirt.”
Sifu is right. I rode the bike on the road and it didn’t want to steer very well. However, once it started to lean, the front end plops into the corner. This was despite me riding it both road (lean in) and dirt style (push down).
Conclusion
I have my heart torn out for this Honda duo.
We understand that the CRF250L’s soft rear spring was intended to sag more with the rider on board so as not to intimidate with a tall ride height, but perhaps a more progressive spring would be good? It’s already using Honda’s wonderful Pro-Link set up anyway. As for the power delivery, it’s great for beginners as it’s not overwhelming. I guess you could always replace the rear sprocket for a bigger one when your skills improve.
As for the Rally. We can’t get over how beautiful it looked, but it too needs some improvements to make it the perfect all-rounder. It could be made to handle better on the road and in the dirt. But again, it was okay as a beginner bike.
The name “Katana” alludes to the Japanese Samurai sword, hence the symbol. The name and logo went on to grace many other Suzukis thereafter. Here in Malaysia, remember Suzuki Best and RG owners would apply the stickers to their bikes? That was part of the Katana’s legacy.
The Suzuki Katana was designed by Hans Muth and his company, Target Design. Muth was the ex-design chief at BMW and was tasked with overhauling the Japanese manufacturer’s image.
Suzuki chose one of Muth’s designs and the first production Suzuki GSX1100S Katana was made public in 1980. While they didn’t follow the concept’s design to the letter, many important design cues were adopted.
The design was avant-garde from the cookie cutter bikes of the era. Most notable feature was how the rear part of the fuel tank and front portion of the seat blended together. Also, the passenger’s seat was slightly raised and coloured differently, lending to a solo-seater look. Yes, it was the Suzuki Katana that started it.
The 1075cc, air-cooled, DOHC, inline-Four produced 109.5 bhp and Suzuki claimed the Katana as being the fastest production motorcycle. It ran the ¼-mile (400m) in 11.9 seconds at 191.5 km/h.
Following in the 1100’s tyre tracks, Suzuki launched the GSX750S Katana in 1981 and it had no windscreen. The model with the windscreen was the 750SS. The 747cc, air-cooled, DOHC, inline-Four produced 68 bhp.
1981 also saw the superbike racing homologated 1000S, since superbike racing capped the engine capacity at 1000cc. it had Mikuni smooth-bore carburettors among other racing accoutrements. This was the rarest Katana and collectors will pay a ransom for one!
1982 saw the Katana’s futuristic looks being modified to feature a round headlamp and tail unit from the previous year’s GSX1100E for the American market. Buyers there were obviously slow in adapting to change.
Not many changes were afoot for the Katanas in 1983, but it was 1984 when the 750 was forever known as the legend.
For that year, the GSX750SE Katana was a completely new model. The 16-valve, oil-cooled, inline-Four was taken from the GSX750R/ES/EF and made 90 bhp. It was also given the Positive Damping Forks up front and Suzuki Full Floater rear suspension which did away with the dual shocks. The frame, parts of the wheels and engine were painted in gold.
The most well-known feature was of course the pop-up headlight.
The Suzuki GSX750S continued into its last year of production in 1985 for the worldwide market and 1986 for the domestic market, making these models somewhat rare. Many collectors would love to have one in their collection.
It was sadly the same on the GSX1100S Katana front as it faded in obscurity as Suzuki had launched the GSX-R750F sportbike in 1985. Affectionately known as the “Slabside” or “Slabby,” the first Gixxer heralded the new age of race replica sportbikes and Suzuki went all out to capitalize on it.
Perhaps realizing their mistake, Suzuki in America tried to revive the Katana name in 1988, by slapping the name and symbol on a host of sport-touring and touring models, but it was not to be the same.
It’s a great shame to lose the Katana as it is still beautiful even after 27 years. It was truly unusual for its time and it still is somewhat today (that’s why there are many customized Katanas around today).
Fork dive – compression of the forks when the brakes are applied – has been something that gave chassis and suspension engineers migraine headaches ever since BMW featured the first production hydraulically damped telescopic fork on the R12 in 1934.
Fork dive is counter-productive; as little suspension travel is left to soak up bumps in order to keep the front wheel planted to the road. If the bumps are large enough or if there are multiple successive ones, the front wheel will start to hop as it runs out travel, causing loss of traction, instability and potentially loss of control. (Or a rolling stoppie!)
Besides that, most riders find it disconcerting when the forks bottom all the way down, leading to loss of confidence, leading them to either release the brakes and/or failing to turn into a corner.
Well, many folks decided it was time to eliminate front end dive, and one notable solution was presented by the ELF Racing Team GP racer in the late-70’s through to the late-80’s, ridden by one Ron Haslam. The single-sided swingarm front suspension removed shock absorbing and damping duties from the steering head, in the pursuit of making the front end more stable under extreme braking. Honda saw a potential in the program and started supplying racing engines to the team.
A designer named James Parker also saw the capability of the single-sided swingarm front suspension and went about designing his own, which he then named together with his company, Rationally Advanced Design Development – RADD.
His first prototype was based around a Honda XL600R engine and frame, donated by Honda USA, which he got a young dirt tracker and Superbike rider, one who will one day become a 3-time 500cc World Champion, to test ride it. He was Wayne Rainey.
Rainey was impressed by the handling and feedback of the front suspension. Honda Japan wasn’t interested, however, as they were already involved with ELF.
Parker went on to work on a Yamaha FZ750 next and the finished project named RADD MC2 was revealed at the 1987 Milan Motorcycle Exhibition.
Yamaha Japan got wind of the MC2 and began work on their own project, called the Morpho, without Parker’s approval. When Parker found out, he negotiated with Yamaha to license his designs before the Morpho was unveiled in 1989. But the project hit a roadblock as Yamaha has always outsourced fork production to contractors.
However, there’s light at the end of the tunnel for Parker’s RADD concept as Yamaha Europe demanded that Yamaha Japan build a new sport-tourer. That’s where the RADD chassis found a place.
The result was the GTS1000 in 1993. Besides the RADD front suspension, it also boasted other new technologies such as electronic fuel injection, ABS, and for the first time on a motorcycle, a catalytic convertor. The engine was lifted from the FZR1000, but detuned to 102 bhp.
The GTS1000 looked great and was generally praised by the media, unfortunately the price tag of US$ 12,999 put many potential buyers off as they felt the improvements and added weight did not justify the extra cost.
Plus the fact that Ducati launched the 916 in the same year, which overshadowed every single bike for the next two years, the GTS1000 included.
Continuing our unusual production motorcycles series, here’s the second instalment. (Please click here for Part 1.)
While most of the bikes on this list were a little too outrageous and tanked in terms of sales, there were a few that went on to become classics and icons. One of them was the 1978 Honda CBX1000, also known as the “Super 6.”
Honda was locked in an arms race with Kawasaki (also Suzuki) who slaughtered everyone with the Z-1. 10 years after the world’s first “superbike,” the CB750, Honda was on the warpath again and introduced the CBX1000 in 1978.
While multi-cylinder engines have been around for many years, the CBX1000’s engine was an air-cooled, DOHC, 24-valve, 1047cc, inline-Six. (But the Honda wasn’t the first production inline-Six, that honour went to the Benelli Sei in 1972. The Sei was based on the inline-Four Honda CB500, interestingly.)
The engine may look like an engineering monstrosity, but look closer and the careful considerations shine through in terms of minimizing the engine’s dimensions placement. For example, the cylinder block was tilted forward to lift the crankcase up higher from the ground. Similarly, the engine was only wide at the top while relatively shorter across the crankshaft. Honda’s engineers did so to avoid the critical items from scraping during full lean and or in a crash.
Weight was on the hefty side, as expected, tipping the scales at 272 kg, wet. But with 105 bhp on tap, the CBX1000 from blitzed the ¼-mile.
Cycle World ran a whole host of acceleration tests and found the production CBX1000 was in fact faster than the pre-production unit. In 1978, the test bike clocked a ¼-mile (400 m) time of 11.64 seconds at 188.72 km/h. A year later, they tested the production CBX and it blasted through the ¼-mile at 11.36 seconds, although the terminal speed was identical at 188.72 km/h. Top speed was 214 km/h. (The speeds may seem “normal” these days, but do remember that this was in 1978 – 79.)
Cycle World testing the CBX1000
Those performance figures confirmed that the CBX1000 was the fastest production motorcycle of its time and was immediately likened to the Vincent Black Shadow.
The Honda CBX1000 and its beautiful engine survive to this day, favoured by motorcycle customizers.
Among the cookie-cutter bikes, there are a few that were meant to break the mold.
These unusual designs sometimes worked, while some failed.
Here’s the first instalment of this series.
Is it surprising that a non-biker says, “That’s a what? And that one? All motorcycles look the same to me.” In this age where bike designs are governed by the wind tunnel or heritage, his observation is correct. So, please don’t get upset if he didn’t recognize your XZRT3000SR.
Motorcycles have evolved over the years and we are at an age where designers are churning out designs that have either proven to work or stood the sales floor test.
That meant they must’ve experimented with other concepts at some point, right? Correct. The successful ones evolved into the bikes today but whose concepts were too outlandish died unceremonious deaths.
Here’s Part 1 of the Ten Most Unusual Production Bikes.
1974 SUZUKI RE5
The rotary engine enjoys a cult status, especially in the automotive segment, powering the equally cult Mazda RX-7 family.
However, how many motorcycles have actually utilised that kind of powerplant? It’s rumoured that all the four Japanese manufacturers have rotary engine prototypes at some point, however it was Suzuki – typical in pushing the boundaries of motorcycle engineering – who had the jujubes to put it into production, in the form of the RE5, sold from 1974.
The rotary engine, also known as the Wenkel, offers a number of advantages when compared to the ever-popular piston engine. Rotary engines are more compact and lighter as they have fewer parts, and produce higher specific power outputs from smaller displacements.
So, that begs the quiestion: Why aren’t there more motorcycles powered by rotary engines?
While simple in concept, rotary engines require numerous complex subsystems to perform, and these add up to a weight penalty that outweighs its gains.
For example, although the RE5’s rotary engine consists of only a single rotor, exhaust temperatures could reach 930o Celcius – more than hot enough to melt aluminium, copper and zinc. Because of this, Suzuki engineers had to design a crazily complex double-skinned exhaust system. Besides that, the engine had to be lubricated from three oil reservoirs each with its own pump. The throttle controlled both primary carburetor butterfly and inlet manifold of the port valve, besides governing oil supply into the combustion chamber. A total of five cables were connected via the throttle grip.
The RE5’s 497cc engine produced 62 bhp and 74.4 Nm of torque, achieving the high specific power output objective of the rotary engine. However, the motorcycle weighed 260 kg, wet. On the other hand, the Honda CBX1000 “Super 6” with an inline-Six cylinder engine produced 105 bhp while weighing only 12 kg heavier.
Maybe its styling could save it? Err… but what about those “tin cans?”
Suzuki roped in the famed automotive designer, Giorgetto Giugiaro (yes, he whose company designed Alfa Romeos, Bugattis, Maseratis among many others), to style the RE5. He designed the “tin can” instrument cluster and taillight to reflect upon the “rotary” theme.
Not surprisingly, the RE5 bombed on the sales floor. Cycle World called it “expensive, over-complicated, underpowered and hideous,” and was subsequently declared as one of their “Ten Worst Motorcycles.” Ouch.
One of the best aspects of riding is the never-ending quest to ride better.
Riding skills should be learned correctly and refreshed from time-to-time.
It applies to all riders regardless of age and experience.
With the New Year long weekend coming up, there are surely many bikers who will go out riding and touring. Besides preparing yourselves in terms of logistics, please make sure that you’re prepared in terms of riding, too. We’ve assembled these Ten Quick Tips to Enhance Your Riding Skills to assist.
The fundamentals, of riding any motorcycle is the same whether if he’s just obtained his license or a veteran who has been riding since Merdeka. Similarly, while motorcycles and their related technologies such as tyres, brakes, chassis, electronics, weight distribution have improved exponentially within the last decade alone, that doesn’t mean the rider only has to sit onboard and do nothing. Those technologies assist in riding enjoyment and safety but are virtually useless if the rider isn’t equipped with the necessary skills.
1. Steering
Bikes don’t steer by themselves.
You need to countersteer.
You push on the left handlebar to go left, and push on the right to go right. The rate of steering (how quickly the bike tips over and turns) corresponds to the amount of force and speed you apply it to the handlebar. That means: If you shove on the right handlebar hard and abruptly, the bike will snap over to the right faster, and vice versa.
Learning to countersteer actively allows you to place your bike precisely on where you want to go.
Countersteering – Courtesy of sPEEDY pADDY
2. Throttle Control
Don’t treat your throttle as an on/off switch.
Instead, good throttle control plays a tremendous role in controlling the bike’s front and aft weight distribution, hence tyre traction, suspension action, smoothness and overall speed. It should be rolled on and rolled off, not whacked open or snapped shut in like a light switch. This is especially important when cornering or riding on slippery roads.
When approaching a corner, trace a line which will allow you to come on the throttle as soon as possible. Turn the bike in, come one the throttle smoothly and keep applying it as you leave the corner. Do not oscillate it on and off in midcorner as that’ll unbalance the bike and reduce tyre traction.
So, what’s the perfect line through a corner? It’s the line which allows you to open the throttle the soonest, all the way through, and on the exit.
Throttle control – Courtesy of dreamtime.com
3. Vision
“Your bike goes where you look.” Repeat that to yourself as soon as you wake up, on the bike and off the bike until you go to sleep.
Admittedly, looking away from danger is difficult as our brains are hardwired to “Keep an eye out on danger.” On a motorcycle, however, keeping your eyes on the taik lembu in your patch guarantees that you will run through it. It’s called, “Target fixation.”
Target fixation – Courtesy of Cycle World
Watch this video below (courtesy of RNickey Mouse channel):
When danger presents itself, look for escape routes and steer towards the best option, instead of towards the thing you want to avoid. That’ll keep you from spraying dung all over your bike and yourself, and similarly from hitting that car which swerved into your lane.
4. Braking
What’s the single most powerful component of your motorcycle?
The engine? No. It’s the brakes.
No other component translates so much of the rider’s input into such big reactions. Just like the throttle, you should start thinking of brakes as the device you use to achieve your target speed – say for a corner – instead of being an on/off switch.
And as with the throttle, the brakes should be applied smoothly. Never grab it abruptly with the grip of death. In fact, if done right, rolling off the throttle as you transition to the brakes and getting back on the throttle smoothly does wonders for your riding.
Also, do remember to clamp your knees onto the fuel tank and leave your arms and elbows as relaxed as possible when you apply the brakes.
Stiffening up your arms and elbows by locking them will render them useless in helping you to steer the bike away from danger.
Besides that, stiffening up your arms and elbows will transfer all of the deceleration forces to them and your body, fooling you to think that you’ve reached the limit of your suspension, brakes and tyres, when you could actually apply more brakes.
5. Let it Slide
We know, blood rushes through your body when a tire breaks traction and “kicks out.” Is that a bad thing? Unless your bike has swapped ends (the rear had overtaken the front), there’s always the possibility of saving it (although you may need new underwear).
The best way to practice slides is on a dirtbike on a dirt track. Dirtbiking teaches your body how to respond to slides by using all the skill sets you’ve learned so far. Once you’re back on the pavement, you won’t panic when the tires get loose. (Best place to learn this is at Most Fun Gym where we train.)
However, the basic technique is to always ride relaxed even when the bike slides. A sliding bike doesn’t mean it’s out of control. Instead, a sliding tyre is only trying to find a stable position. Riding stiff just means you’re resisting it from finding this position. So let it slide, while you stick to steering, throttle control and vision.
6. Turn and Burn
What are bikes for if not for corners!
Apply what you’ve learned above about countersteering, throttle control, braking, vision and sliding – in the correct order, of course – and soon find yourself confidently sweeping through corners without too much thought.
7. Visit the Track
The best place to apply all the skills you’ve learned is of course, the racetrack.
Track sessions are usually divided into “classes,” so you may start with newcomers to avoid getting scared senseless by the faster riders.
Needless to say, the track provides the best environment not just for racing but for pure riding, since there are plenty of run-off areas and everyone else is going the same direction; no punk driving his mom’s car; no zombie pedestrians with their faces stuck in their phones; definitely no babi hutan crossing the road; no diesel spill from the bus whose driver’s practicing for F1.
Since you ride at elevated speeds on the track, you’ll find yourself in so much control when you get back into the real-world – just don’t apply racetrack speeds on the roads.
9. Iqra (Arabic for “Read”)
Buy books and watch videos. Study, then go out and practice, because there’s no two ways about it.
Books we recommend are A Twist of the Wrist Vol. II by Keith Code, Sport Riding Techniques: How to Develop Real World Skills for Speed, Safety, and Confidence on the Street and Track by Nick Ienatsch, and Total Control by Lee Parks, among others.
Getting advice from your buddies could work, but if (while we’re not doubting their skills) he’s the kaki tapao at Kuala Kelawang, you may want to look for more reliable sources. Most, if not all, good riders take it easy on the road and only ratchets it up at the track. Best is to learn from a real teacher, or at least a buddy who has attended an official riding school or two.
9. Find a (Real) Sifu
As mentioned in No. 8, the best way to learn is having an instructor watch you ride and critique your riding.
Riding schools teach the fundamentals and you could always develop your own riding style in a correct manner. Learning to ride by yourself is open to interpretation and you may end up harbouring bad riding habits.
We always recommend that any rider learn dirt riding. As Most Fun Gym’s motto puts it, “Learn offroad, master all roads,” dirt training makes you a much, much better and safer rider. That’s why all the top riders learn dirt riding.
10. Maintain Your Own Bike
Performing your own maintenance means you could invariably find out more about your bike. Besides, you’re more likely to develop a personal bond with your bike and treat it with respect, instead of just being a machine that you’d flog without remorse.
Performing your own maintenance could also allow you to spot potential problems with the bike.
But maintenance should be done right for a long-lasting helmet.
The helmet protects your head from impacts and injury, and it’s always in your best interest to take good care of it in return. However, a brain bucket doesn’t need intensive maintenance like say, the bike, but it does need some tender loving care.
1. Carrying It
We see it all the time, and yes, we’re guilty of it too.
Grabbing it by the chinbar is easier, of course, but that could result in detaching or damaging certain components, in addition to the padding behind the chinbar itself. Winding the arm under the chinstrap and out the eyeport is stable, but you chance detaching or breaking the breath deflector.
The best way of carrying the helmet correctly is to tie up the strap securely and carry it like a handbag or just use the bag which it came in.
2. Gloves Out
Since a helmet is bucket shaped, it becomes a convenient basket for the bike keys, ciggies, lighter, and of course, the gloves.
If the sweat from your hands and traffic pollutants can eat away at the stitching of the gloves, it’ll destroy your helmet’s comfort lining soon enough. The gloves will also cause your helmet to smell funky.
So remember, the only thing that should be inside the helmet is your head.
3. Store Upright
This may sound as an unnecessary reminder, but do place the lid the correct way up. There’s a reason why there’s a rubber gasket that runs around the bottom.
Placing the helmet upside down will not only destroy the paint and finish but may also start to compromise the shape and strength of the shell if such mistreatment is kept up.
4. Cleaners
Manufacturers usually recommend cleaning the shell and faceshield with just soap and warm water. However, there are many helmet cleaners in the market that are convenient to carry along during a ride or to the track.
Experiment with a new cleanser on your helmet by starting on a small section before committing to the entire helmet or faceshield.
Do not ever use harsh cleaners such as dishwashing liquid or lighter fluid (to remove sticker residue). Another note: Do not ever use glass cleaner on the faceshield as it will erode the sensitive coating. Don’t ask how we found this out.
5. Hanging On
Motorcycle mirrors and handlebar ends are understandably convenient places for placing the helmet.
However, it isn’t the right thing to do, as the shape of the mirror and handlebar end may deform the EPS lining of the helmet, leaving it weaker in certain spots. The EPS liner must be as uniform as designed to spread the shock of impact.
6. Bath Time
Do make it a point to clean your lid at least once a year. This writer personally does it every three months or so, depending on usage.
Remove any removable liner, wash in warm water and clean the rest of the helmet. Use Q-Tips to clean hard-to-reach places such as vents.
7. Drying Out
A helmet should be dried out first before being stored in a cabinet or the bag.
But please use care when drying it. Best to remove the comfort liners and allow the inside of the helmet to dry naturally. Using high heat everytime the helmet gets wet will soon weaken the glue in some parts.
The comfort liners should also ideally be air-dried but if heat is needed, you may use a hairdryer for the padded side and not over the plastics, to again, preserve the glue.
9. How Long?
Dropping the helmet from a low height may not necessarily damage it, but best to have it checked over by the manufacturer. On the other hand, a headgear that has never been dropped needs to be replaced after a maximum of five years of use from the day it first went on your head.
9. Waxing
There are certain manufacturers that okayed the use of automotive waxes. Use the soft variety, sparingly and wax gently by hand.
10. Lubing Up
The faceshield mechanism should be lubricated with silicone lubricant for better action. Arai includes the lubricant with every lid they sell.
We can expect the Kawasaki Z900RS and Z900RS Café in 2018.
Both bikes are truly modern bikes.
They’re set to take the market by storm.
We mourned the loss of the Kawasaki W800 modern retro. Here was a bike that looked properly retro: The engine had the bevel drive cover on the outside of the engine block, and beautifully polished aluminium accented cooling fins; the “bread loaf” seat; peashooter exhausts; twin rear shocks; even the front brake disc looked retro.
Then Kawasaki launched the W800’s replacement during EICMA last month. Called the Z900RS and Z900RS Café, they rocked the motorcycle fraternity.
Here are some of the features we are looking forward to.
Heritage
Back in 1972 (for model year 2013), Kawasaki unveiled the monster bike which cemented the Japanese manufacturer’s name as a premiere brand. It was the Z1.
The 900cc, inline-Four was the first air-cooled engine which featured double overhead camshafts (DOHC) and produced 82 bhp to propel the bike to 210 km/h. It was the fastest production bike of its time. It also went to dominate sales and Motorcycle News name it as the Best Bike of the Year four years in a row.
The Z1 went on to spawn the Kz900 which in turn gave birth to the dominant Kz1000-S1 which gave rise to GP greats Freddie Spencer, Eddie Lawson, Wayne Rainey, and Wayne Gardner.
It was also the bike in the popular TV series CHiPs.
Kawasaki had revived the inline-Four modern classic in the vein of the Z1 before. Remember the Zephyr 400/750/1100 in the 1990’s?
How about the later ZRX1100 (1997 to 2005) and ZRX1200 (2001 to 2008), modeled after the mighty Kz1000R-S1?
They were surely beautiful, showing just eternally beautiful was the Z1’s form. However, these were fairly heavy.
The Z900RS on the other hand, weighs only 214 kg, ready to ride. Additionally, it features fully adjustable forks and a rear shock that’s derived from the ZX-10R superbike. A new, lightweight trellis frame holds it all together. The Z900RS is given a sporty rake angle of 25.4 degrees and trail of 88.9, ensuring agile handling.
Z1 Styling Cues
Oh yes, they’re all there.
The ducktail back end, oval rear light, machined engine fins, textured metal tank, side panel badges, cam covers, bread loaf seat, the instrument panel, and gauges that use the same fonts. Even the needles rest at the same angle as the original.
The new upper frame accommodates the seat and tear-shaped fuel tank. The two-tone orange and metallic brown paint are faithful reproduction of the original.
If you want a more racer-esque feel, opt for the Z900RS Café, which has a bikini fairing, lower handlebars and humped seat.
Let’s not forget the new 4-into-1 double-wall steel exhaust system, which most owners of the K1 modified to and mimics the Kz1000’s. Anyone know if Kerker still makes exhausts?
Torque!
Horsepower is useful for the track. Out here on the mean streets, it’s torque that rules.
While the Z900RS’s engine shares the same architecture as the Z900 naked sportbike’s, it’s tuned for more low- and mid-range grunt for the real world.
It means that you don’t have to shift like you’re auditioning for Riverdance when you need to overtake other vehicles and while riding at low speeds.
Practicality
Judging from how the bike looks, its spec sheet and reviews from overseas media, the Z900RS and Z900RS Café are both practical for the daily commute and weekend mountain road riding. It also looks like it has a more pragmatic riding position for all day comfort.
The way we see it, we could attach soft luggage on both sides (since it’s a monoshock) and tankbag without ruining the looks of the bike.
So there you go. We’re sure to discover many other great (and not so great) features of the bike when it arrives in Malaysia. Oh, that may be in the second quarter of 2018.
