Wahid Ooi, Author at BikesRepublic.com

MotoGP Riders Approve “Long Lap Penalty”

MotoGP will implement a new “long lap penalty” system beginning the first round in Qatar.
The penalty forces the offending rider to ride outside the racing line.
The GP Commission thinks it’s fairer this way.

In the past, we’ve seen riders being told by Race Direction to drop a position to the rider behind. But a new system called the “long lap penalty” begins its implementation in the first round at Losail, Qatar.

The penalty is meted out to riders who consistently runs a straight line through corners. In other words, taking the “shortcut” instead of following the turn. Doing so gives the rider an advantage as he covers a lesser distance and keep his speed up. Consequently, the pursuing rider has to work harder to make up for the gap.

As mentioned above, the offending rider will be instructed to slow down and allow the rider behind him to pass. But therein lies a problem: The pursuing rider could be a few tenths of a second, a second or 10 seconds behind.

The solution now is to force the rider to rider on the outside of a racing line – hence “long line” – through a corner, in this case Turn 6 at Losail. A “lane” is painted in green to allow the rider to follow it.

However, the GP Commission also stated that the long-lap penalty may not be implemented for track limit infringements only.

They also hope that this will lead to fairer racing and the field will remain closer.

2019 Harley-Davidson FLHT Electra Glide Standard Launched

The 2019 Harley-Davidson FLHT Electra Glide Standard has been launched in the US.
It has the basic features of the Electra Glide family but without a stereo and facilities for a passenger.
Harley reckons that it offers a rawer touring experience.

The 2019 Harley-Davidson FLHT Electra Glide Standard has just been launched.

By “Standard” it means that the bike is a “dressed-down dresser,” as the Motor Company calls it. What it does have are the trappings of the Electra Glide line-up.

Among them are the signature “Batwing” fairing, hard panniers, Milwaukee Eight 107 cubic inch (1753cc) engine mounted on the FLH touring frame. Additionally, there is cruise control, adjustable emulsion-technology rear shocks (instead of air-adjustable), bending-valve Showa forks, and Brembo brakes. Reflex linked braking system and ABS are optional.

Other details include cast aluminium wheels and polished chrome rocker cover, cam cover and derby cover. The company says the chrome treatment emphasizes the shape of the V-Twin engine.

However, what you don’t get are a sound system, passenger seat and the passenger footrests.

And oh, you can have any colour you like as long as it’s Vivid Black.

Harley-Davidson also said that the Electra Standard offers a “rawer touring experience.”

The way we see it, the bike is a good starting point for customization. A majority of custom Harleys don’t have accouterments for passengers, anyway. But the missing stereo…? Aftermarket 300-watt system, anyone?

The American price is listed as USD 18,899.

New Colours for 2019 SM Sport 110R

The 2019 SM Sport 110R will come with new colours.
The bike is a daily commuter for the city and town.
It represents value for money as it does include some useful features.

The 2019 SM Sport 110R will come in new colours. They are black, blue and red.

The SM Sport 110R belongs in the smaller, utilitarian category of underbone bikes (kapchais) to serve as daily commuters in both cities and towns.

However, it does boast a number of features despite of its greatly affordable price and capacity. It has a Fuel Saving switch to run it in economy mode. The air-cooled 109cc SOHC engine complies with Euro3 emission standards.

Furthermore, the bike has daytime running lights (DRL), LED turn signals all-around, Kayaba (KYB) suspension, safety key switch and a 5V USB charging port. Additionally, there is a large storage space. The SM Sport 110R ups the ante by using tubeless tyres.

Besides that, it has a sporty and aerodynamic styling which most riders could accept.

But what the bike truly represents is value for money, because at just RM 3,918.00 (basic selling price and not on-the-road), you’d be hard-pressed to find something like this in this price bracket.

Erik Buell is Back – with Fuell Electric Bikes!

Erik Buell is back with an electric bike and motorcycle.
The new company is called Fuell.
The e-motorcycle is called the Flow, while the bicycle is the Fluid.

Erik Buell is back with and electric bike and motorcycle, this time.

It was Buell who designed the chassis for the Harley-Davidson FXR, which became known as the best-handling Big Twin Harley of all time. He would later found the Buell Motorcycle Company, acting as the Chairman and Chief Technical Officer. The company produced naked sportbikes, using hotted-up Harley Sportster 1200 engines.

In 1998, Harley-Davidson bought out 98% of the shares of the company.

Buell left the Motor Company as he wasn’t happy to be restricted. Harley closed down the Buell subsidiary in 2009 amidst the financial crisis.

But that wasn’t the end of Buell. Shortly after leaving Harley, he launched Erik Buell Racing (EBR). He soon introduced the EBR 1190RS, 1190RX and 1190SX. The engines of these were fettled to produce 185 bhp and 142 Nm of torque!

India’s HeroGroup then bought 42.5% of the company’s shares in 2013 but poor sales resulted in the company being liquidated.

But like a phoenix rising from the ashes, Buell’s back again. This time, he teamed up with Formula E supplier Spark Racing to build the new motorcycle and bicycle.

The new company Fuell as a nod to the engineer. The e-motorcycle is known as the Flow while the bicycle is called the Fluid.

There are two versions of the Flow. The first is powered by a 11 kW or 35 kW wheel-mounted motor. There is also a 49-litre storage space inside the bike. A fully digital dash integrates all the systems.

Fuell claims the Flow will be priced around USD 10,995. That sounds a lot but it’s still better than the price of most other electric motorcycles.

Harley-Davidson Buys Out StaCyc, To Introduce e-Push Bikes

Harley-Davidson acquired StaCyc and will introduce e-Push bikes to kids.
The bikes will duly be branded as Harley-Davidsons.
There two models for kids of different height.

Damn, wish they had this when I was a kid! Harley-Davidson acquired StaCyc, Inc., a company who specializes in producing EDRIVE push bikes for kids.

Getting your kid on a bike at an early age would most probably inculcate your love for motorcycles in them. Even better, start the love on a Harley-branded bike and have them riding one along with you.

The StaCyc EDRIVE bikes actually came out in 2016. The Motor Company’s acquisition means they will be rebranded as Harleys. There are two models called the 12e and 16e. The 12e has a smaller 12-inch frame, while the latter uses a large 16-inch from for taller kids. The 16e more powerful, as well.

The bikes can function in both electric driven mode and push mode.

Harley’s Senior Vice President of Marketing and Brand, Heather Malenshek, says “We’re thrilled to have StaCyc become part of the Harley-Davidson family. The StaCyc team shares the same vision we have for building the next generation of riders globally and we believe that together, we will have a significant impact in bringing the fun and enjoyment of riding to kids everywhere.”

Malaysian riders can check with Harley-Davidson of Petaling to see if they are bring these cycles in.

10 Minutes with Dato’ Anand, President of Shadowfax MC

We had a chat with Dato’ Anand, the President of Shadowfax MC.
The group is active in riding and performing charities in Malaysia and overseas.
There are further plans to ride in Japan and to London on their own Harleys.

One thing interesting aspect about motorcycling is meeting people from all aspects of life. We met up with Dato’ Anand, the President of Shadowfax MC for a chat.

The group consists of Harley-Davidson owners only and is very active in riding and performing charity work around Malaysia and overseas.

BikesRepublic.com:You own many Harley-Davdison motorcycles, and you took delivery of a 115^thAnniversary CVO Limited (the exclusive version of the Electra Glide Ultra Limited) recently. What other bikes do you have?
Dato’ Anand:I have a 105^thAnniversary Electra Glide, 110^thAnniversary Road King, the 115^thAnniversary CVO and a Honda Gold Wing.

BikesRepublic.com:When did you start riding Harleys?
Dato’ Anand:I started in 2007 on an Ultra.

BikesRepublic.com:What got you interested in Harley-Davidson motorcycles?
Dato’ Anand:Harleys is about style and presence. It’s a recognized brand worldwide. I loved Harleys since I was young but couldn’t afford one yet. I rode a Kawasaki back then. But later I was the first customer when Harley was at Naza.

That was the 105^thAnniversary Electra Glide. I paid for the bike when I was in Sabah while doing a charity for the China earthquake.

When Harley-Davidson came over to Gasket Alley (Didi Resources) 15 years later, I wanted to be the first CVO owner. I’m now looking forward to the next 4 years (2023 for the 120^thAnniversary). Am thinking of getting two anniversary bikes, but after that (grimaces and gestured “no more”.)

It’s because I have too many bikes. Look at my Road King in the workshop now. I only rode from my house to Hard Rock Café and back. I use the other two bikes for overseas rides.

I did a Merdeka ride two years ago, from KL to India. We passed six countries: Malaysia, Thailand, Myanmar, Bhutan, Nepal and finally India.

We also rode in New Zealand.

The difference here is that we ship over our own bikes, rather than flying in and renting from there. Our trademark is to bring our own bikes.

I only rent my bikes in the US. Whereas we used our own bikes all the way to Sri Lanka, and Kunming in China. We’ve done Laos, Cambodia, Vietnam.

Next, we will head to Japan in May.

Phuket Bike Week is normal, we’ve also gone to the Tachileik Bike Week in Myanmar. I brought the HDPJ Chapter there in Myanmar.

BikesRepublic.com:How many members do you have in your club?
Dato’ Anand:I’ve 23 members in our club. Everyone is active but usually only 10 will ride overseas. Others have their commitments and time constraints, so we understand. To us, family is the most important.

BikesRepublic.com:What is the main mission of Shadowfax?
Dato’ Anand:We concentrate on doing charities. We look for those in need a provide our support. For example, a child needs money for school, we support. We should always do something good, give back to the community.

BikesRepublic.com:What activities are you planning for this year?
Dato’ Anand:The other one is the ride in Japan. No one from Malaysia brought their own bike there to ride. Renting a bike overseas isn’t as nice as riding your own bike. We hold overseas rides annually.

For example, we went to Myanmar last year and completed almost 6000 km.

We are planning to hold a Merdeka ride from KL to London next year. We’ll meet with the Malaysian Ambassador there and hold the celebrations at the embassy.

Of course, we have short weekend rides for some breakfast or tea.

Besides that, we support all the local bike weeks. So next weekend (10-11^thMarch) is the Terengganu Bike Week. There’ll be plenty of riding in March. There’s the Danok Bike Week, opening of the Penang branch on the 16^th.

BikesRepublic.com:What do you think of Harley-Davidson of Petaling Jaya, so far?
Dato’ Anand:HDPJ is very good so far. Good service from the staff, service crew.

BikesRepublic.com:How has HDPJ been supportive to you and your club?
Dato’ Anand: We’ve not asked anything from HDPJ so far, but they should support the KL-London ride. The previous dealership supported tyres and servicing for our ride to India. It’s because we are promoting HDPJ and Harley-Davidson motorcycles. We’re riding our bikes all the way there.

We’re not asking for money, just tyres and servicing.

Anyway, I’d like to say that Shadowfax has proven that Harley-Davidsons can be ridden through rough situations. Everyone said, “Cannot, only BMW can.” But we proved it with the touring models. We rode for 12,700 km and earned an entry in the Malaysian Book of Record.

So far, no Malaysian has ridden to London on a Harley.

PICTURE GALLERY

The Prodigy Frontman and Biker Keith Flint Passes Away

The vocalist and frontman of The Prodigy, Keith Flint has passed away.
He was also a biker, racer and team manager.
He owned a number of bikes in his lifetime.

The Prodigy frontman Keith Flint has passed away at age 49. It’s a news which shocked everyone around the world and us. He was found dead in in his Dunmow, Essex home.

The Prodigy give us awesome techno/rave hits in the mid-90s, going on to registering seven No. 1 albums and a string of Top 10 hits. But Flint was also a biker and motorcycle racer. Various magazines featured him test riding new bikes and covered his exploits on the racetrack.

His first bike was a Yamaha FS1-E, before moving up the Yamaha RD80LC and RD400. He went further up the scale to a Suzuki GSX-1100 EFE, which he modified to 1190cc.

Flint bought the Honda CBR900RR Fireblade when it came out in 1992 and had it painted to the Repsol colours since he was a Mick Doohan fan. He sold the ‘Blade and bought another for trackday use.

His first taste of a race bike when he tried Sean Emmett’s Red Bull Ducati in 1998. It got him hooked and started racing in a few Superbike rounds. A heavy crash brought his aspirations to a stop since the band was in the middle of working on the Firestarter album. Firestarter went on to become The Prodigy’s best-seller.

He joined Hottrax four years ago as a manager in endurance racing and scored some great results. The team finished fourth in their first year, won it the next. They moved up to the national series in 2017 and won the series in 2018.

Another team competes in British Supersport, with rider James Ripsoli.

The last bikes Flint owned was a KTM 350 EXC for enduro riding and a TTR150 for flat-track riding at the back of his house.

Rest in peace, Keith Flint.

Source: MCN

2019 KTM 790 Adventure and KTM 790 Adventure R Launching Soon

We will test and review the KTM 790 Adventure and KTM Adventure R in Morocco later this week.
Both bikes were introduced in EICMA 2018.
They expand the 790 range which also includes the 790 Duke.

The 2019 KTM 790 Adventure and KTM 790 Adventure R were unveiled at the 2018 EICMA show in November. Their introduction expands the 790 family, following the launch of the 790 Duke in Malaysia back in June 2018.

However, no one has ridden or reviewed the two new 790 Adventures as they are yet launched worldwide. But fear not, because BikesRepublic.com will be present to test ride both bikes during the International Media Launch in Morocco, courtesy of KTM Malaysia.

Till then, we can offer some introduction.

Engine

Both bikes use the same LC8c 799cc ultra-compact parallel-Twin as the 790 Duke. However, bearing the “Adventure” name means they are offroad capable, hence the different engine tune. Instead of the 103 bhp and 87 Nm in the Duke, the Adventure’s engine produces 94 bhp and 88 Nm.

KTM 790 Adventure

The 790 Adventure is a more road-biased dual-sport model. As such, it boasts a shorter suspension travel than the 790 Adventure R (200 mm vs. 240 mm), although taller than the 790 Duke (200 mm vs. 140 mm front/150 mm rear). The changes in suspension also gives it an 850 mm high seat height.

The forks are non-adjustable while the rear shock is adjustable for preload only. 21-inch front and 18-inch rear wheels are fitted with Avon Trailrider tyres.

Besides the suspension, it has a 20-litre fuel capacity. Instead of enlarging the fuel tank, the extra fuel is carried low in front of the engine. This way, the bike keeps its low centre of gravity. The “low” fuel tank is impact resistant.

KTM 790 Adventure R

The 790 Adventure R is a more off-road biased dual-sport motorcycle. Because of that, KTM it features longer-travel suspension. Moreover, it’s the only KTM 790 model to have fully-adjustable suspension. The rear shock is adjustable for spring preload for low- and high-speed compression and rebound damping. The forks, on the other hand, are adjustable for compression and rebound damping.

The 790 Adventure R’s suspension has 240 mm of travel on both ends. Consequently, the seat height goes up to 880 mm.

This model also uses 21-inch front and 18-inch rear wheels, but they are fitted with Metzeler Karoo 3 tyres.

Last but not least, the KTM 790 Adventure R also has a 20-litre fuel capacity and has the fuel tanks mounted like the Adventure.

Stay tuned for full report and videos!

Future Suzuki Models May Be More Visible to Radar

Suzuki may fit more radar reflectors on their future models.
It makes the bike more visible to radars on autonomous vehicles.
Ducati and KTM are working on fitting radar to their bikes.

Do you know that autonomous cars are already in the market now? That’s why Suzuki wants their future motorcycles to be more visible to radar, reports Australian Motorcycle News.

An “autonomous car” means it “self-drives.” It drives without the driver touching the steering wheel and brake pedal. As in the case of a Volvo XC70 we rode in, the car identifies the road and other vehicles. It automatically steered through long corners and slowed down or brake when there is another vehicle in front.

However, motorcycles provide the biggest challenge. Bikes have much smaller cross sections and are much nimbler than your average family car. Consequently, the radars fitted to autonomous cars may find motorcycles harder to pick up.

This is why Suzuki wants to fit more radar reflectors on their bikes. It’s the opposite of stealth fighter jets that work on the principle of deflecting and/or absorbing radar waves. (Doesn’t sound good for speeders, though.)

These deflectors are something like “stick on” solutions, instead of being powered.

Suzuki isn’t the only manufacturer working on radar solutions. Ducati promised a radar-equipped model in 2020, while KTM is also working on one. Vehicle electronics component maker Bosch is reportedly working on an “off-the-shelve” solution for front and rear radar system.

Source: Australian Motorcycle News

Picture Gallery of Zontes Motorcycles

We couldn’t provide clear photos of the Zontes models during the launch last week.
But we visited the brand’s factory in Guangdong, China.
Here are they are in the open.

Zontes Malaysia launced the new range of Zontes Motorcycles last week, but no one was able to grab clear photos due to the dark lighting condition in the hall.

But we had the honour of visiting the Zontes factory in Guangdong, China over the weeked. There, the manufacturer prepared the range of models for us to test.

They arranged the ZT310-T, ZT310-R, and ZT310-X models outside the factory. These are the initially models sold in Malaysia. There is also the ZT310-V power cruiser, which may make its way to our shores in the future.

By the way, the manufacturer, Guangdong Tayo Motorcycle Technology Co., Ltd. makes other brands of motorcycles, too. However, the Zontes brand is the flagship.

So, they are in all their glory.

ZT310-X

The ZT310-X is the sport-tourer of the family, hence the full fairing, and long wide seat.

This is the “GP” edition. The graphics cost more but makes the bike looks so much better

The ZT310-X is distinctive even from behind

ZT310-T

The ZT310-T is the adventure/dual-sport model. Many have remarked that it looks like the R 1200 GS at first glance, but look closer and you can spot many differences.

The beak and faux air intake give the appearance of an R 1200 GS, but look closer

LED lighting as well. The low and high beam are performed by the four central lights

The ZT310-T comes equipped with a steel crash bar

ZT310-R

What’s a motorcycle line-up without a naked sportbike?

The tailsection is definitely distinctive

Check out the quality. The plastics are shatter resistant

OTHER COMPONENTS AND FEATURES

The right hand side swtich block. Everything is at your fingertips

All Zontes ZT310 models feature Bosch dual-channel ABS

Check out the quality of the welding. It’s performed by robots

HJC RPHA 11 Venom 2 Helmet Debuts

The HJC RPHA 11 Venom 2 design makes its appearance for 2019.
The new design is fiercer and more intimidating.
The RPHA 11 is the flagship model in HJC’s helmet line-up.

The HJC RPHA 11 Venom 2 helmet debuts for 2019 in the footsteps of the popular first RPHA 11 Venom.

The first Venom helmet made its debut alongside the RPHA 11 Spider-Man in 2016. Every unit of the former design was sold out to those who wore them all the time and collectors – price be damned. HJC dealers the world over couldn’t keep enough of them in stock.

However, as fierce as it was, HJC felt that the design could be more aggressive. Hence HJC continued their work with Starlite who designed the first Venom helmet. Starlite also designs and paints helmets for a number of MotoGP stars. They wanted something angrier, darker which resulted in the Venom 2.

The new design is destined to hit the US this spring. But HJC Malaysia have also prompted us about the helmet, meaning it’ll arrive here sometime soon.

The HJC-Marvel tie-up is a successful venture so far, resulting in the designs of our favourite heroes as such Spider-Man and Black Panther, besides anti-heroes such as Venom and Deadpool.

The helmet maker also tied up with Disney to produce designs from the Star Wars universe. We’ve seen Kylo Ren, the Stormtroopers, Rebel Alliance fighter pilot, and Darth Vader’s designs.

The HJC RPHA 11 is the Korean manufacturer’s flagship and premium line-up. The helmets are meant for racing with an aerodynamic shell. Its shell is made of what HJC calls Premium Integrated Matrix which combines carbon fibre and Kevlar weaves. That makes the helmet light and quiet even at high speeds.

We’ll keep you posted of the prices when it arrives.

VIDEO: Marc Marquez Makes Music on the Honda X-Adv

Marc Marquez takes a spin on the Honda X-Adv while DJ Roger Wid records all the sounds.
The sounds were then turned into a techno song.
The Honda X-Adv became Europe’s best-selling motorcycle.

Just as Suzuki released the video of ex-GP rider Nobuatsu Aoki taking the new Suzuki Katana out for a spin, now Honda has MotoGP champion, Marc Marquez takes a ride on the Honda X-Adv and gets the sounds turned into music by DJ Roger Wid.

Every of Marquez’s move was recorded and turned into music, including zipping up his jacket, unlocking the bike, opening the seat to retrieve his signature Shoei helmet, flipping up the passenger footpegs.

The rider then proceeded to whip the bike into a smoky rolling burnout while it pirouettes around him, while sound technicians hold the microphones to the action.

At the end, all those sounds you and I have grown so familiar with on a daily basis were turned into techno music by the said DJ.

The X-Adv is powered by the 745cc twin-cylinder engine which is also fitted to the Honda NC750X. However, the X-Adv uses Honda’s proprietary Dual Clutch Transmission (DCT). The DCT is actually a manual gearbox without a clutch lever.

We’ve tested and reviewed the bike months ago and found it entertaining, although on the more expensive side. But here’s a bit of trivia, the Honda X-Adv became Europe’s best-selling motorcycle, even dethroning the might BMW R 1200 GS.

Source: A Ride Apart

Bikesrepublic

Wahid Ooi

MotoGP will implement a new “long lap penalty” system beginning the first round in Qatar.

The penalty forces the offending rider to ride outside the racing line.

The GP Commission thinks it’s fairer this way.

The 2019 Harley-Davidson FLHT Electra Glide Standard has been launched in the US.

It has the basic features of the Electra Glide family but without a stereo and facilities for a passenger.

Harley reckons that it offers a rawer touring experience.

The 2019 SM Sport 110R will come with new colours.

The bike is a daily commuter for the city and town.

It represents value for money as it does include some useful features.

Erik Buell is back with an electric bike and motorcycle.

The new company is called Fuell.

The e-motorcycle is called the Flow, while the bicycle is the Fluid.

Harley-Davidson acquired StaCyc and will introduce e-Push bikes to kids.

The bikes will duly be branded as Harley-Davidsons.

There two models for kids of different height.

We had a chat with Dato’ Anand, the President of Shadowfax MC.

The group is active in riding and performing charities in Malaysia and overseas.

There are further plans to ride in Japan and to London on their own Harleys.

PICTURE GALLERY

The vocalist and frontman of The Prodigy, Keith Flint has passed away.

He was also a biker, racer and team manager.

He owned a number of bikes in his lifetime.

We will test and review the KTM 790 Adventure and KTM Adventure R in Morocco later this week.

Both bikes were introduced in EICMA 2018.

They expand the 790 range which also includes the 790 Duke.

Engine

KTM 790 Adventure

KTM 790 Adventure R

Suzuki may fit more radar reflectors on their future models.

It makes the bike more visible to radars on autonomous vehicles.

Ducati and KTM are working on fitting radar to their bikes.

We couldn’t provide clear photos of the Zontes models during the launch last week.

But we visited the brand’s factory in Guangdong, China.

Here are they are in the open.

ZT310-X

ZT310-T

ZT310-R

OTHER COMPONENTS AND FEATURES

The HJC RPHA 11 Venom 2 design makes its appearance for 2019.

The new design is fiercer and more intimidating.

The RPHA 11 is the flagship model in HJC’s helmet line-up.

Marc Marquez takes a spin on the Honda X-Adv while DJ Roger Wid records all the sounds.

The sounds were then turned into a techno song.

The Honda X-Adv became Europe’s best-selling motorcycle.

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