The Youth and Sports Ministry (KBS) explained why the Automobile Association of Malaysia (AAM) was booted out as the sanctioning body for motorsports.
KBS recommended to the FIM that the Motorsports Association of Malaysia (MAM) take AAM’s place.
According to the FIM’s Sports Commissioner, “The AAM consistently broke the rules.”
The Automobile Association of Malaysia (AAM)/Motorsports Association of Malaysia (MAM) saga riles many feathers and had many racing enthusiasts talking about it. In the latest twist, Kementerian Belia dan Sukan (KBS – Youth and Sports Ministry) joined the ring, calling for AAM to be booted out of role as the country’s authority on motorsports.
The minister of the department, Syed Saddiq said, “AAM has been suspended by the (FIM) Sports Commission for consistently breaching the provisions of the Sports Development Act 1997. Many warnings have been given out before.”
“It is important for international regulatory bodies to be aware of this and take whatever action as necessary. We do not dictate what they should or should not do.”
On the other hand, “MAM has always been registered with the Sports Commissioner under the Sports Development Act 1997 to carry out national motorsports events.”
He added that this was in effect from many years ago, even before he became a minister.
Malaysian Insider had previously claimed that Syed Saddiq sent a letter to the International Motorcycling Federation (FIM) in September last year. The letter sought to recognize MAM as the sole Malaysian motorsports authority.
Photo credit malaymail.com
According to the FIM’s Sports Commissioner’s Office, it cancelled AAM’s status as a sports body in late 2018 after the latter “broke the rules.” AAM did not submitted their year-end report and amending their own constitution.
AAM chairman Tunku Mudzaffar Mustapha, on the other hand, said that they had been in constant communication with the FIM, but was suddenly deregistered on 30thNovember 2018.
AAM is the only sporting body in Malaysia sanctioned by the FIM, International Automobile Federation (FIA), and International Carting Federation (CIK). Hence, participants need to apply for their racing license and insurance from AAM if they compete overseas.
Tunku Mudzaffar warned that international motorsports events such as MotoGP will be jeopardy since AAM is the sole sanctioning body.
Our take
Dato’ Ahmad Razlan Ahmad Razali had said that the SIC MotoGP teams registered their riders including Hafizh Syahrin directly with the FIM without the involvement of AAM or MAM.
But if the FIM accepts MAM as the sanctioning body in Malaysia, international motorsports events ought to continue, which contradicts AAM’s statement.
The reality is this: The AAM has long been reviled by Malaysian racers on both four wheels and two wheels. To them, the body had only been charging high premiums for the racing license and insurance but have done nothing to promote the country’s motorsports. “AAM is beyond reproach,” they said.
These grouses were aired to this writer when he was covering the FIM Asia Supermoto Championship from 2015 and many other motorsports events.
Famed American motorcycle builder and designer Arlen Ness has passed away.
He was often referred to as the King of Custom Motorcycles.
He also designed the Victory and Indian motorcycles.
Famed American motorcycle builder and designer Arlen Ness has passed away. This sad news was confirmed by Ultimate Motorcycling.
Ness became a giant in the custom motorcycle business and was often referred to as The King of Custom Motorcycles. He built a number of award-winning bikes in his lifetime, earning him the Builder of the Year and Lifetime Achievement Awards. He was also inducted into the Motorcycle Hall of Fame in America.
But he didn’t just build them, he also pioneered selling his custom parts and accessories through mail order. Just look around and see almost every Harley-Davidson has an Arlen Ness accessory.
Additionally, he was tapped by Polaris to design Victory and Indian motorcycles. The most well-known model was the Victory Vision Tour.
His empire also expanded to include riding gear in association Berik.
Ness’s son Cory and grandson Zack will succeed him in the business. They are notable custom builders themselves.
The trophy will award 30 top participants (BMW riders) in the rankings.
You may not have heard of this competition, but the BMW Motorrad Race Trophy continues in 2019 for the sixth season.
In this competition, top 30 participants in the BMW Motorrad Race Trophy (BMRT) rankings will be awarded trophies and prize money. There are also prizes for teams who win the title in their respective championships, besides categories such as “Best BMW Rider in Class” and “Newcomer of the Year.”
How does it work? Let’s take the Pirelli Malaysia Superbike Championship for example. The championship is classified as a “participant” in the BMRT series. The riders on BMW bikes in different categories are then ranked against other BMW riders in other series worldwide.
26 different championship classes in 21 international and national races are classified for the trophy in 2019. The number includes WorldSBK, Endurance World Championship, International Road Racing Championship (IRRC). New additions are the FIM European Superstock 1000 Cup and Asia Road Racing Championship (ARRC). The ARRC added the 1000cc superbike class this year.
Azlan Shah in ARRC 2019 – Photo credit mekanika.com.my
Registration in the BMRT begins on 30thJune and ends on 17thNovember.
This year, BMW will disburse a total of €100,000 in prize money among the best participants.
John Wick Chapter 3 – Parabellum is due to premiere in May.
As usual, watch out for a gloriously violent episode.
The highlight of the trailer, though, is the motorcycle chase.
“All this because for what? Because of a puppy?” The latest and perhaps the conclusion of the hitman’s journey, John Wick Chapter 3 – Parabellumis just two months away from premiering.
Following him being branded as “excommunicado” status, it is now open season on John Wick’s head. He’s therefore a renegade and hunted down by scores of other professional hitmen. Cue another spectacular, stylish and violent episode.
The latest trailer shows him having a close quarter knife fight in a gallery of stabbing and slashing weapons, shootouts, hand-to-hand combat and all other ways of bring the hurt. He even uttered a famous line from another Keanu Reeves’ movie The Matrix– “Guns. Lots of guns.”
However, the climax of the 2 minute, 36 second video has to be that shooting and slashing with katanas riding on Yamaha MT-09s. Too bad a pencil wasn’t involved.
But what’s a protagonist without sidekicks. He’s got a new dog and allies including in a character played by the delicious Helle Berry.
*By the way, “parabellum” means a 9mm cartridge (bullet).
The AJP PR7 is the latest rally-ready dirtbike from the Portugese specialist.
It looks spartan but is actually high-spec-ed.
The PR7 is a 600cc single-cylinder machine.
While we’re still chuffing (and huffing) about riding the KTM 790 Adventure and KTM 790 Adventure R in the Moroccon side of the Sahara Desert, here comes the AJP PR7 adventure bike.
It’s different from KTM’s offering, of course. The AJP PR7 looks like the proper rally beast that we see throwing a rooster tail of sand over the rider’s head.
Instead, this is a simple bike that’s purpose-built for rallies. Yet, it comes equipped with some great specs. According to those who have tested it, it’s comfortable enough for all-day riding and can carry luggage.
Another feature that speaks of creature comforts is the Samsung Galaxy 6 tablet mounted in place of the road book. The rider can download their preferred navigational apps and can be used along a standard Garmin or TomTom (make sure you’ve got the Darth Vader voiceover) GPS.
Photo credit AJP Motos
Apart from a GPS, the tablet is used as an instrument display panel presenting the speedometer, timer, trip meter and so forth. The bike also has a USB charging port.
The engine is a 600cc liquid-cooled, single-cylinder unit. Other standard features include a rear hub with cush drive to smoothen drive, titanium header pipes, huge engine bash plate, lightweight Shorai lithium-ion battery. The suspension consists of high-spec fully-adjustable ZF Sachs that provide 300mm of travel on both ends. The forks are massive 48 mm diameter items. The bike rolls on 21-inch front and 18-inch rear wheels.
Seat height is a tall 920 mm (and we thought the Honda Africa Twin was too tall!). The frame is steel while the swingarm is aluminium. it weighs only 167 kg, ready to ride.
AJP hails from Portugal and is the brainchild of Antonio Pinto, who modified motorcycles for off-road racing. Setup in 1981, the company built the first production bike in 1991. They entered the National Championships of Enduro in their home country from 1991 to 2001, winning five times in a row from 1996 to 2000. They also won the National Off-road Championships in 1996, 1997 and 1999.
How much? £8,500 (RM 45,225.16) gets you in the club. Rimba Raid, anyone?
The 2019 Kawasaki Ninja ZX-10R SE may look the same as its predecessor, but it has gone through a number of revisions.
Apart from the cylinder head and valvetrain, the SE variant has an electronic semi-active suspension.
It’s a great bike to ride on the street and the track.
Fans of the World Superbike Championsip will know that Kawasaki had won the series four times in a row. Now they’re back with the 2019 Kawasaki Ninja ZX-10R SE.
Now, before going further, on-track results is one thing, but the bikes you and I can buy is quite another. That’s because despite WorldSBK is a production-based series, the bikes on the track have very few similarities to what’s available at the motorcycle dealer near you.
This is why certain sportbikes fare better in the real world, in exact opposite the results on the track. Case in point? This very bike.
Introduction
The 2019 Kawasaki Ninja ZX-10R SE is the middle-spec’ed bike between the base Ninja ZX-10R and Ninja ZX-10RR. The latter is the homologation model for superbike racing.
Kawasaki had only revised the bike slightly for 2019. I guess why fix it if it ain’t broke.
The revisions are:
More compact cylinder head to promote quicker combustion.
The cam lobes operate directly on finger followers rather than on tappets. It results in a 20% mass reduction.
Also, the cam lobes can be more aggressive.
The revisions are aimed at making the engine rev quicker and raise the rev limit. The net result is 200 PS without ram air, and 213 PS at 13,000 RPM with ram air. Maximum torque is quoted at 114.9 Nm at 11,200 RPM.
Other features are:
Kawasaki Electronically Controlled Suspension (KECS). The 2019 Ninja ZX-10R SE is the first Kawasaki to be equipped with a semi-active electronic suspension.
Bosch IMU-based lean-sensitive traction control and cornering ABS.
Öhlins electronic steering damper.
Swingarm with optimized rigidity and longer in length.
Brembo M50 Monobloc calipers gripping on 330 mm Brembo discs.
Electronic throttle valves.
Revised frame geometry moves the steering head closer to the rider.
Kawasaki Quickshifter which works for up- and downshifts.
“Self-healing” paint on parts that are prone to damage as like that on the 2019 Kawasaki H2.
Marchesini forged aluminium wheels.
Riding Impression
Phew, that’s a lot of stuff.
First thing we did was to check out the ride modes. There are three power levels: F (Full), M (Medium), and L (Low). We left it in F. Next, we selected the KEBC – engine braking control to on. And finally, we chose “ROAD” for the suspension.
The seat is quite high up, as with all sportbikes. However, the clip-ons are not as low as other bikes and definitely closer to us. That way, the bike doesn’t stretch you out like a spaghetti. The rearsets are high up but further towards the front than its contemporaries.
First thing we notice was that it was pretty easy to steer through tight spots at low speeds. The higher clip-ons doesn’t cause you to press down on them while at crawling speeds. Consequently, it didn’t take huge effort to turn the front wheel.
The bike got rolling smoothly when we let out the clutch. From there, gearshifts were managed by toeing the quickshifter. Shift action was buttery smooth even when dropping down to first gear. The system blips the throttle automatically, so you don’t get chucked into the tank when you downshift.
We were surprised by the power delivery. Sure, it still has that primal acceleration, but you could doddle around in 60 km/h in 4thgear without the engine loping or chattering like mad. Throttle response was very exact and smooth due to the wide powerband. So smooth, the throttle and engine response had the quality of a sport-tourer’s when ridden in the city.
However, the thing that impressed us the most was the KECS electronic suspension. The system is mated to Showa’s already excellent Balance Free Forks (BFF) and Balance Free Rear Cushion (BFRC) shock. On paper, it sounds like the same semi-active systems from Sachs and Öhlins, but this system is faster in its actuation. The solenoid valve has a direct, one-stage actuation. As a result reaction time is only 1 ms (1 milisecond equals 0.001 second), and is claimed to be the fastest system currently available. Not only that, the KECS’s dedicated ECU receives information from the suspension sensors in every 1 ms, 10 ms from the IMU and 10 ms from the road speed sensor. It will then decide on the best strategy and sends signals to the solenoid actuators every 1 ms. It means that the suspension adapts to road conditions faster and more correctly.
The rider can choose among RACE, ROAD and USER modes. The last mode allows you to set your own damping rates.
Ridden on the streets in ROAD mode, the suspension felt much more comfortable than that of any sportbike we’ve ever tested. Bumps were felt, of course, but they were nicely cancelled out. Again, it felt like a more aggressively tuned sport-tourer. Only the sharpest and gnarliest bumps are fully felt but there’s no danger of bruising your kidneys. Even my wife found it comfortable as a pillion!
However, comfortable as it was, the suspension never wallowed or bottomed out like if you had tuned it too soft.
Amazing!
But of course, what’s a sportbike without corner blasting. Karak Highway and Genting Highlands were again the testing grounds.
Speed built up quickly as you wind on the power and you watch the light bars rise quickly on the tachometer. The engine returned a pop everytime we shifted up or down. The speed piled on so quickly that it’s like going into warp speed in slo-mo. Yet, the bike was rock solid in a straight line.
But corners were its vocation as it swept through them at mighty speeds. Choose your line and steer: That’s all you needed to do. The only thing which stopped us at riding faster was the size of the fuel tank. It’s rather wide on top and at the sides, thus needing more practice for side-to-side transitions. Nevertheless, the wide tank made it easy to clamp your knees on them when you fire the retro rockets.
Speaking of braking, the brakes were what you would expect of Brembo Monoblocs. But there’s a small difference here. Feel was good and you know how much you modulate the brake pressure at the lever. Only thing was, it lacked the aggressive initial bite that some riders like. For us though, the feel was truly impressive as we trail-braked hard into the sharper corners when heading up the mountain. That and the superb suspension action allowed us to brake at the last moment and hold on to the brakes much deeper into corners. The only limitation is the rider’s abilities.
The older ZX-10s touched down on the footpegs quickly, but not this 2019 model. You have to lean so far over at such high speeds that if you did, it’s an indication that you’re riding too fast on the streets.
Conclusion
The 2019 Kawasaki Ninja ZX-10R SE is a sportbike that you could live with on a daily basis. The manufacturer had done so much to make it a great bike to ride not only the tracks but, on the streets, for everyone.
The amazing thing about this bike is how easy it was to be completely brutal one moment, then putter around in traffic without complaining. For example, it completely blew away everyone away at Genting and Karak, then cruised home along the Middle Ring Road 2. And oh, it didn’t attempt to roast you alive at the traffic lights, either.
Plus, the suspension doesn’t pulp your internal organs.
It’s almost like a beginner’s bike when you take it easy, but an MSBK rider’s weapon at full aggression.
Highly recommended.
PICTURE GALLERY
TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS
ENGINE
ENGINE TYPE
4-stroke, DOHC, liquid-cooled, inline-Four
DISPLACEMENT
998 cc
BORE x STROKE
76.0 mm x 55.0 mm
POWER
203 PS (149.3 kW) @ 13,000 RPM without ram air, 213 PS (156.8 kW) @ 13,000 RPM with ram air
However, when the announcement said that it’ll be the first MotoGP “street circuit,” the news attracted the same kind of negativity in social media as everything else. There were comments such as, “If it’s going to get riders killed then they shouldn’t ride there.”
Hey, guess what? Dorna and the FIM have better brains than armchair engineers.
The skepticisms were addressed directly by Mark Huges of MRK1 Consulting along with RoadGrip Motorsport. The two international companies were appointed by the Indonesian Tourism Development Corporation (IDTC) to plan, build and run the circuit.
“We are very conscious that when we announced this project there was a reasonable amount of scepticism about the concept of a street circuit,” Hughes said, during a presentation of the project at the season-opening Qatar Grand Prix.
“We have to make very clear that the track has been designed and will be built to the appropriate FIM safety standards for MotoGP.”
Dorna CEO Carmelo Ezpeleta also said that they will not compromise with safety.
“We’ve always said that we don’t race in a street circuit, but this has all the facilities of a street circuit – in a middle of a ‘city’, all the hotels will be there – but with full security (safety) for the riders,” declared Ezpeleta.
The Lombok circuit isn’t like other “street circuits” that we know of, for example Monaco and Macao. Instead, it is purpose-built for racing but opened to the public after the race. That means it is opposite of Monaco and Macao where public roads are cordoned off for racing.
“The master plan for the resort [layout] was actually finished before we got involved. And then between Roadgrip, MRK1 and ITDC we’ve tweaked that track design,” Hughes said.
“We knew we couldn’t go in and entirely change it, there had already been too much invested in that, and with the support of Dorna and also the FIM we then made some small changes to accommodate the safety requirements for a Grade A license.”
“When you arrive for the race event it will be like arriving at any other MotoGP track. It will have all the infrastructure there,” Hughes added. “But a large percentage of that infrastructure would then come out in order to turn the track back into a road network for the resort for the rest of the year.”
Infrastructure at the track will also be turned over for public use when there are no races. For example, the pit building will be used as a conference centre.
So, this is why the track is called “something special.”
Dato’ Ahmad Razlan Ahmad Razali has resigned from his position in the Motorsports Association of Malaysia (MAM).
He did so to concentrate on SIC’s efforts in the MotoGP, Moto2, Moto3 and MotoE championships.
Muizz Azli takes over from Dato’ Razlan in MAM.
Dato’ Ahmad Razlan Ahmad Razali (better known as Dato’ Razlan) has resigned from his position in the Motorsports Association of Malaysia (MAM), with effect from today.
Dato’ Razlan, who is Sepang International Circuit (SIC) CEO, decided on his resignation to focus on his works at the circuit as well as Team Principal representative of the newly-formed PETRONAS Yamaha Sepang MotoGP team, in addition to the PETRONAS Sprinta Racing Teams in Moto2 and Moto3, and the MotoE electric motorcycle series. On the home front, SIC has a team in the Super 250 category in the Pirelli Malaysia Superbike Championship.
His letter of resignation was submitted to MAM President, Tan Sri Mokhzani Tun Mahathir who replaced Tan Sri Azman Yahya. The replacement is part of MAM restructuring exercise.
In developing and growing motorsport in Malaysia, MAM which was established in 2009 takes up the role as a sanctioning body while assisting clubs, event organisers, officials, competitors, commercial operators and sponsors to ensure the future growth of motorsport in its many disciplines. It will always remain MAM main objective to promote the development of Malaysian grassroots motorsports and local talents.
In the letter, Dato’ Razlan, said that his resignation was in the best interest of MAM.
Dato’ Razlan further announce that Muizz Azli will be his replacement. He opines that Muizz is a suitable candidate for this position as he has dealt with legal cases involving motorsport events. He further believes that Muizz is capable in structuring MAM and take it to the next level.
Biker groups are protecting mosques across New Zealand in the wake of the fatal mass shootings.
The shootings occurred on 15thMarch 2019 in two mosques in Christchurch, during Friday prayers.
The groups provide security for the Muslim communities to pray in peace.
Biker groups are protecting mosques across New Zealand in the wake of the fatal mass shootings. The shootings occurred on 15thMarch 2019 in two mosques in Christchurch, during Friday prayers. 50 people were killed while another 50 were injured.
Biker groups, or rather “gangs” as other media touted, them include The Mongrel Mob, King Cobra and The Black Power promised to protect their local Muslim communities.
The Mongrel Mob offered to shied Jamia Masjid Mosque in Hamilton. Waikato Mongrel Mob chapter president Sonny Fatu said, “We will support and assist our Muslim brothers and sisters for however long they need us.” He also added that his group was contacted by representatives saying the Muslim community were fearful about attending Friday prayers. “The question was posed whether we could be a part of the safety net for them to pray in peace without fear.”
“Of course we would do that, there was no question about that and we will be dressed appropriately. We will not be armed. We are peacefully securing the inner gated perimeter with other community members.”
Photo credit Getty Images and Business Insider
Dr. Asad Moshin, head of the Waikato Muslim Association said he appreciated the support received from different sections of society, different interests and different dispositions. “It all gives us strength to overcome the grief we are undergoing.”
“We would like to welcome them to come into the mosque and pray with us. They are part of us as we are part of them. Islam is inclusive, free of judgment – we don’t see gang members, as we see them.”
“We value them as humans and appreciate that they value us too.”
Speaking to the New Zealand Herald, Dr. Moshin also said, “There are no fears and we are not sacred. They don’t have to stand outside the mosque, they can come inside, right behind where the sermon is given.”
Members of The King Cobra group also paid their respects to senior members of the Al-Masjid Al-Jamie mosque in Ponsonby on Saturday.
Other Mongrel Mob chapters have also shown their support throughout the country, including the Aotearoa branch who paid their respects at Hagley College school in Christchurch.
Even one of the group’s Australian chapters has reportedly been patrolling a mosque in Sydney.
BikesRepublic.com would like to convey our condolences and feeling of shock and grief to the victims’ families over the cowardly attack.
A client in Germany commission this Boss Hoss Lamborghini.
It combines a Boss Hoss motorcycle and Lamborghini Aventador.
The engine is probably the 6200cc, V-8 LS 445 for the Corvette.
So, you’ve got a whole shed-load of bikes and sportscars sitting idle in the garage, including a Boss Hoss V-8 cruiser and Lamborghini Aventador. What do you do? Yeah, what do you do?
Turn it into a bike/Lambo trike! Yikes!
That’s what might have happened when the customer commissioned this build. Although the first thing that springs to mind might’ve been the American Boss Hoss who built it, that’s actually half right because it was actually put together by their branch in Germany.
The heart of this monster is the 6200cc (not a typo!), V-8, 445 hp, 445 lb. ft. LS 445 Corvette engine. The powerplant is the weapon of choice since the founder Monte Warne created the first Boss Hoss in 1990.
While we’re not so much of car fans, we do feel a twinge of sadness seeing a bike and car were sacrificed this way. But that’s his money, probably too much of it in this case!
Indonesia saw the largest number of motorcycle sales in the ASEAN region in 2018.
The total was nearly half of the total of the entire region.
The country’s large population and income level contributed to the number.
We know for many years that Indonesia is the largest market for motorcycles in the ASEAN region, but it was a toss-up between them and Vietnam.
However, new data by the ASEAN Automotive Federation (AAF) and Federation of Asian Motorcycle Industries (FAMI) confirmed that the largest number of motorcycles sold in 2018 was in Indonesia.
In that year alone, motorcycle manufacturers and distributors in the Republic of 260 million souls moved a total of 6,383,111 units. That number represents a whopping 47% of all motorcycle sales in the ASEAN region. In terms of ratio, 1 out of 40.7 persons bought a motorcycle.
The second largest market in 2018 was Vietnam, with 3,386,097 units moved. The population of the country is 94 million. Converting that to a ratio, 1 out of 27.7 persons purchased a bike.
So, although Indonesia contributed the larger total, more Vietnamese bought motorcycles. It could also means that there’s still much space for motorcycle sales, if we know the current motorcycle population in each country.
Anyhow, in third was Thailand with 1,788,323 bikes sold. The Kingdom’s motorcycle market looks to be reaching a saturation point. The Philippines followed closely with 1,582,901 units. Malaysia contributed a distant but not entirely small 494,254. Last was Singapore with 10,377 bikes.
Triumph Motorcycles Malaysia launched the 2019 Triumph Street Twin, Street Scrambler, Speed Twin, Scrambler 1200 XC and Scrambler 1200 XE tonight.
The Scrambler 1200 XC and XE variants are all-new.
Other models are very much updated.
Triumph Motorcycles Malaysia launched the 2019 Triumph Street Twin, Street Scrambler, Speed Twin, Scrambler 1200 XC and Scrambler 1200 XE tonight. Prices range from RM 55,900 to RM 86,900.
The models are:
Street Twin.
Street Scrambler.
Speed Twin.
Scrambler 1200 XC.
Scrambler 1200 XE.
2019 Triumph Street Twin (from RM 55,900)
The Street Twin has enjoyed continued popularity since its launch in 2016. Being the most “contemporary” model in the Bonneville line-up means it’s the most sought after to play the role of a built platform. Yet, it is just as beautiful and unpretentious in its unmistakable Bonneville silhouette.
For 2019, Triumph has updated the Street Twin to turn into a class leader. Starting with the 900cc, 270o crank, DOHC, parallel-Twin which delivers a peak power of 65 PS at 7,500 RPM, while the maximum torque of 80 Nm is already available from 3,800 RPM. That’s a an increase of 18% in terms of power which equates to 10 PS.
Next, Triumph endowed the bike with dynamic handling, exceptional rider and pillion comfort, besides higher level of specification for greater control and improved ride. Now, there is a new 4-piston Brembo caliper up front for greater stopping power and rider control. The forks, too, have been updated to cartridge type.
Other highlights:
New Road and Rain riding modes for the optimum throttle map in all riding conditions.
Switchable traction control for the rider to choose optimum level of traction management for different riding conditions.
New Tyre Pressure Monitoring System (TPMS) as an accessory lets the rider monitor his tyre pressures for safety and confidence.
The 2019 Street Twin is offered in Matt Ironstone, Korosi Red and Jet Black.
2019 Triumph Street Scrambler (from RM 64,900)
This is one of BikesRepublic.com’s favourite bikes. Fun, easy to handle, full of character, and high-mounted exhaust pipes that garner as much attention as the bike itself (they won’t scald your and passenger’s thighs, we assure you).
As it shares the Street Twin’s engine, peak power is up to 65 PS and torque hikes up to 80 Nm.
Additionally, other highlights are the same, except for the rolling chassis. The forks are spaced wider for better control when riding off-road. They are cartridge forks, as well.
As for electronics, the 2019 Street Scrambler now features an off-road mode, in addition to Road and Rain.
The 2019 Triumph Street Scrambler is available in Fusion White, Cranberry Red and Khaki Green.
2019 Triumph Speed Twin (from RM 73,900)
The 2019 Speed Twin draws its inspiration directly from the 1937 Speed Twin, designed and engineered by the great Edward Turner. (We came across one at the Triumph Factory Visitors Experience in Hinckley.)
It may be easy to pass it off as a basic Thruxton, but that’s oversimplifying the model description.
As Triumph puts it, the Speed Twin “delivers comfort engaged with roadster ergonomics,” the riding position is adjusted for more comfort and straighter riding compared to the Thruxton’s café racer’s ergonomics.
The suspension consists high-specification cartridge forks and rear shocks that are adjustable for preload. Brakes are handled by dual 4-piston Brembo calipers that bite on dual discs.
The engine is the High-Power (HP) unit with the Thruxton’s racing tune. As such, it produces 97 PS at 6,750 RPM and 112 NM of torque at 4,950 RPM. That’s 49% and 40% more than the 2018 model, respectively.
As for the electronics suite, there are three modes: Sport, Road and Rain.
It is offered in three colours: Silver Ice and Storm Grey, Korosi Red and Storm Grey, and Jet Black.
2019 Triumph Scrambler 1200 XC and XE (from RM 80,900 and RM 86,900 respectively)
However, to refresh, these two bikes are the most off-road capable scramblers in the market. Triumph wanted to draw on the inspiration of their exploits in the off-road racing scene, specifically to when Steve McQueen and Bud Ekins rode their Triumph TR6 Trophy to multiple victories in the grueling Baja 500 desert rally.
As such, the new Triumph Scrambler 1200 is “The Real Deal.”
But it isn’t just a Bonneville with long-travel suspension. Triumph engineered it from the contact patch up.
Both variants utilize fully-adjustable Öhlins rear shocks with piggy reservoirs. The XC’s shocks provide 200mm of travel. The XE’s on the other hand, provide 250mm of travel.
As such, while both variants are fully off-road capable, the XC variant is biased more towards road riding, while the XE is for extreme off-roading.
The engine is derived from the High-Power version found on the Thruxton. However, it has a “Scrambler tune” for a flatter and fatter torque curve. It produces 90 PS at 7,400 RPM and 110 Nm at a low 3,950 RPM.
Highlights:
2ndgeneration TFT instrumentation.Housed in the classic-looking nacelle is a truly modern TFT display, which is fully customizable.
Up to 6 riding modes.Both XC and XE feature Sport, Road, Rain, Off-road, and rider customizable. However, the XE has an extra Off-road Pro mode.
Optimized Cornering ABS.The XE uses a Continental IMU (Inertial Measurement Unit) to provide the data for lean-angle-sensitive Cornering ABS. It means that the ABS system knows how much pressure and slip to apply depending when you are leaned over in a corner.
Optimized Cornering Traction Control.The IMU also enables lean-sensitive traction control.
World’s first integrated GoPro control system. This is an option which allows the rider direct control of his GoPro camera with taking his hand off the handlebar. It also means that the rider doesn’t have to second guess if the camera is turned on or off!
Turn-by-turn navigation system.Navigation system powered by Google. Fitted with the Bluetooth connectivity option, the direction to the desired is showed in the TFT display. Besides that, the rider also has a route planner and points of interest at his disposal.
The Scrambler 1200 XC is offered in Jet Black and Matt Black; Khaki Green; and Brooklands Green.
The Scrambler 1200 XE is offered in Fusion White and Brooklands Green; Cobalt Blue and Jet Black.
