Omar Jumiran of Eastern Bobber has won second place in the AMD World Championship of Custom Bike Building.
Omar’s creation, Bone-X, beat out tens of other custom bike builds.
The trip and entry to the AMD at Intermot was sponsored by Motonation.
Omar Jumiran of Eastern Bobber has been crowned the First Runner Up the prestigious AMD World Championship of Custom Bike Building at the Intermot Show in Cologne, Germany.
Omar’s creation, Bone-X, was the winner at the 2017 Motonation Custom Ride Championship event in Cyberjaya, Malaysia. Judging was performed by AMD Showmaster, Neil Blaber. Bone-X beat out all other competitors’ bikes and earned Omar a place at the AMD finals in Germany.
Motonation funded the customizer and Bone-X’s trip to the show.
Bone-X had breezed through the preliminary rounds at Intermot and was among the Top 10 finalists. Judging was conducted by other builders’ and carefully chosen VIP judges. Points were awarded for creativity, execution, finishing, among other criteria.
Omar’s bike came in second after the points were tallied. The winner was “Insomnia” built by Russian customizer Dmitry Golubchikov.
Where to from here?
Malaysia is full of motorcycle customization talents but they have operating “underground” for many decades due to lack of recognition, not by fans, but by certain governmental agencies. A number of these customizers had almost nothing to live on but by their insatiable passion to create wonderful works of art on wheels.
Shows such as Art of Speed and Motonation (to a smaller extent since they are new) have brought these builders and their creations to the fore but there is still much more that needs to be done, because more publicity is needed. And publicity costs money.
Omar Jumiran’s success at the international stage will spur the authorities and private entities to pay more attention to the Malaysian custom motorcycle scene in both local and international events.
The fifth edition of BMW Motorrad Nightfuel was held at Puteri Harbour, Johor Bahru.
BMW Motorrad Malaysia launched the F 850 GS during the event.
Almost 600 bikers took part.
BMW Motorrad Malaysia held the fifth edition of their lifestyle event – BMW Motorrad Nightfuel – at Johor Bahru over the weekend.
Nearly 600 bikers joined the party from all over Malaysia to celebrate the good life of BMW motorcycle ownership. The event was held at the picturesque Puteri Harbour marina, within view of luxury yachts.
For us in the Klang Valley, the event began with a massive ride consisting of BMW owners who gathered en masse as the Dengkil R&R. The riders were notified by their respective BMW Motorrad dealerships.
Almost every BMW model were present ranging from the new K 1600 B, to the R 1200 RT, S 1000 RR, S 1000 R, S 1000 XR, variants of the r nine T, and of course many R 1200 GS and R 1200 GS Adventure.
Thankfully, the weather stayed dry all the way to Johor Bahru despite this rainy season. When the rain did come down the riders were already checked in and relaxing in their hotel rooms.
At the event grounds afterwards, the riders picked up their BMW Motorrad Nightfuel JB T-shirts, goodies, wristbands and lucky draw tickets at the registration booth. BMW Motorrad had encouraged online pre-registration to guarantee availability of T-shirt sizing and avoiding the long queue like the one at Nightfuel Putrajaya earlier this year.
Participants were then free to try and browse on new BMW Motorrad riding gear in the pop-up container. An r nine T Racer was secured to the roof.
They also had the chance to participate in the Match and Win game. Participants of three persons to a team need to put together a complete picture of either an S 1000 RR HP4 Race or R 1200 GS Rallye under 1 minute 30 seconds to win an exclusive BMW Motorrad baseball cap for each person.
Additionally, BMW Motorrad Malaysia had demo bikes on display on which participants could get on and take photos with.
Besides that, they were encouraged to autograph a BMW Motorrad Community Top Box. The item will then be mounted to a BMW and brought around. The last such project was signing on the fuel tank of the r nine T Scrambler which we rode to the Distinguished Gentleman’s Ride 2018 in Melaka the previous week.
Of course, there was food and drinks. As with each Nightfuel, the caterers served well-known local food, besides grilled and BBQ meats. Laksa Johor and nasi briyani gam got the pick this time.
No alcohol was served.
The local band Nine Lives was back to rock the crowd with classic rock hits that could well be Top 10 Riding Songs.
Mr. Owen Riley, the Head of BMW Motorrad Malaysia took to the stage to deliver his welcome speech and conducted three lucky draw sessions, giving away exclusive BMW Motorrad gear.
BMW Motorrad Malaysia had always used the BMW Motorrad Nightfuel as the platform to launch the latest models and it was the much-anticipated F 850 GS tonight. BMW knows that the 800cc adventure category is hard fought and the F 850 GS would bring them back into the fray. Please click on the link below to learn more about the bike.
The Peugeot P2X Café Racer concept was unveiled at the recent Paris Motorshow.
The P2X range consists of a 125cc roadster and 300cc café racer.
Peugeot’s scooters are currently being sold in 60 countries around the world.
Yes, Peugeot does make motorcycles and are popular in Europe and they have just introduced the Peugeot P2X concept at the Paris Motorshow.
There are two models that make up the range, a 125cc roadster seen below and the 300cc café racer.
Both motorcycles are powered by double-overhead-cam, liquid-cooled, single-cylinder engines. Both utilize upside-down forks and twin rear shocks.
The 125cc version is styled after the Peugeot 515 from the 1930’s. Details include the “Legend” Peugeot Motorcycles logo on the side panels and spoked, chromed wheels.
The 300cc café racer, on the other hand, is finished in Peugeot sport colours. Besides that, it has clip-on handlebars, forged wheels and a solo rider seat.
Both bikes are covered by ABS on both front and rear wheels. There is a 5” full-colour TFT display complete with i-Connect Bluetooth connectivity for smartphone pairing and GPS.
“Participating in the return of Peugeot to the world of motorcycles is injecting even more emotion into the design mission that is entrusted to me by this 120 years old French company,” said Damien Basset, Head of Design at Peugeot Motorcycles.
“We have paid immense attention to the proportions of this city bike, studied every millimetre of each of its surfaces. P2X is THE new Peugeot motorcycle.”
Peugeot built their first motorcycle in 1898 although it did not go into production. However, motorcycle production began in 1901. Mahindra purchased a 51% controlling stake in 2014. Peugeot currently produces motorcycles and 3-wheelers ranging from 50cc to 500cc. Peugeot scooters are sold in 60 countries.
Hafizh Syahrin was back to scoring points at the Buriram International Circuit in Thailand.
It was the Malaysian rider’s first scoring performance since Brno, Czech Republic in August.
Hafizh now needs to beat Franco Morbidelli who is leading the rookie’s by 5 points.
Malaysian MotoGP rider, Hafizh Syahrin rode a steady race to score points in the Thai MotoGP round at the Buriram International Circuit.
Hafizh had started the race in 18th place but worked his way up to 12th at finish.
The result meant that he finished two places ahead of this nearest Rookie of the Year challenger, Franco Morbidelli. Hafizh took 2 points away from Morbidelli over the weekend, closing the gap to 5 points. Morbidelli still leads the rookie hunt with 33 points to Hafizh’s 28.
But it was not an easy race as Hafizh revealed later, “I was working really hard with the team and they believed in me, which is what I needed. My bike was overheating in the beginning of the race.”
“The oil temperature was too hot, and I didn’t feel the power of the bike. I decided not to slipstream (other riders) because the bike was so hot,” he continued. “I first passed Takaaki Nakagami and thought I could catch up with Morbidelli. I managed to pass Morbidelli and then tried to keep the rhythm.”
“I still need to work hard in the next rounds and try to get closer to Morbidelli again. We gained two points on him. There’s still five points to go, so we have to try to be in front of him for the rest of the season,” he added.
Hafizh’s performance in Thailand scored his first points since the race in Brno, Czech Republic back in August. The unfortunate showing was due to Yamaha’s inability to solve issues with the bikes. As evidence, the problems had also affected Hafizh’s Monster Tech 3 Yamaha teammate Johann Zarco, and the factory Yamaha pairing of Valentino Rossi and Maverick Vinalez.
Moto Guzzi V9 Bobber Sport was introduced at Intermot 2018.
It is the “sportier” version of the normal V9 Bobber.
It features Öhlins shocks and stylistic updates.
Moto Guzzi unveiled a “sport” version called the Moto Guzzi V9 Bobber Sport at the Intermot 2018 show in Cologne, Germany.
The Sport features lower single seat and black pipes to “bring out the mean and moody” look. The fat front tyre is retained.
Other features on the Bobber Sport are fork gaiters for that retro look, cut-down front mudguard and lowered headlamp with a new aluminium fly-screen. The riding position is made sportier by installing lower drag bars with lower risers.
The shock absorbers are adjustable Öhlins units for “improved” handling and ride over the normal V9 Bobber. Megaphone exhausts will hopefully liberate some noise rather than sounding muted.
Moto Guzzi did not upgrade the bike’s performance, however. The Moto Guzzi V9 Sport is still powered by the very same 853cc, transversely-mounted 90o, V-Twin which produces 60 bhp and 62.4 Nm, instead of the new 80 bhp, 850cc engine which will power the V85 TT.
“Bobber”-style motorcycles have become very popular recently. The name “bobber” is derived from their shortened rear fenders hence “bobbed.” The bobber scene was invented by post-WW2 American riders. Although Harley-Davidson has been producing bobber-style bikes ex-factory for many years, it was the Triumph Bonneville Bobber which broke records as the manufacturer’s best-selling motorcycle. Other manufacturers had to follow suit, including Moto Guzzi with their V9 Bobber line-up.
BMW Motorrad Malaysia had introduced the 2018 BMW F 850 GS.
It was unveiled at the BMW Motorrad Nightfuel lifestyle event in Johor Bahru.
No price has been announced but the bike will be available from November 2018.
The much-awaited 2018 BMW F 850 GS mid-range adventure motorcycle has been introduced at BMW Motorrad Nightfuel in Johor Bahru.
The F 850 GS is all-new from the ground up and now features a distinctive look besides a bevy of new features, as BMW’s weapon in the middleweight adventure wars.
No prices have been released as of yet and it shall be available from November 2018 onwards.
Principle of the F 850 GS
First introduced in 2007, the GS version of the F-series follows the formula set by its granddaddy, the R80G/S. It was the R80G/S which singlehandedly started the adventure-touring segment. “Gelande Strasse” means off-road/road in German.
Compared to the R 1200 GS, the F-series GS models represent bikes that are simpler, lighter, more accessible as well as more affordable and easier to work on.
Styling
The F 850 GS’s predecessor may resemble the flagship R 1200 GS in many ways, but it now looks more distinctive while remaining tie to its bigger brother.
For example, the new bike a new asymmetrical headlamp and GS “flyline” that announces itself as a member of the GS family. There is also a new “beak” ahead of the healight.
Odd corners and edges around the fuel tank and seat have been removed to improve off-road riding. The windshield can be exchanged for off-road or road-riding.
In a nutshell, the 2018 F 850 GS is much sharper-looking than before.
Engine
The engine has been revised for increased performance while optimizing fuel efficiency.
While It is still a parallel-Twin (for more compactness), it now displaces 853cc with a 270o crankshaft to mimic the firing interval of a 90o V-Twin for optimum and smooth torque characteristics. The new firing order also results in a growling exhaust note. Engine vibrations are quelled by two balancer shafts.
Its maximum power has increased to 95 bhp (75 kW) at 8,250 RPM and 92 Nm of torque at 6,250 RPM. There is a 2,000 RPM spread between maximum torque and maximum horsepower, illustrating a flexible engine.
A slipper clutch has been added to the new bike while the final drive has been moved to the left side.
Frame and chassis
The “bridge” frame is made of deep-drawn and welded components. The engine is mounted as a stressed element. The fuel tank has been moved to a more customary position from underneath the seat on previous models. Doing do optimizes mass centralization.
The front is suspended by nwq upside-down forks with a new monoshock at the rear.
The biggest change for the F 850 GS’s rolling stock, however, are the new cross-spoke wheels that allow for tubeless tyres.
Ergonomics
The F 850 GS’s ergonomics have been designed to accommodate a wider range of riders. BMW has made the seat height lower while still retaining large ground clearance. The rider triangle – relation among the handlebars, seat and footrest – have been revised.
Electronics
The “Road” and “Rain” riding modes are standard. However, customers may add the Pro option which extends riding modes to “Dynamic,” “Enduro” and “Enduro Pro.” Additionally, ABS and ASC (Automatic Stability Control) allow for greater safety.
There is also a new TFT screen.
Optional equipment and accessories
BMW offers a wide range of optional Original BMW Motorrad accessories for the F 850 GS.
Customers can choose ex-work packages such as Comfort, Touring, Dynamic, Lights according to their needs.
BMW offers three colour schemes, namely Exclusive, Rallye and Racing.
The Honda Neo Sports Café 650 concept was unveiled at the Paris Motorshow.
The model follows in the footsteps of the CB1000R and CB250R.
No word yet on if it will make production but watch out for EICMA 2018.
The Honda Neo Sports Café 650 concept was unveiled at the Paris Motorshow after the introduction of the CB1000R and CB250R as part of the Neo Sports Café line-up.
In naming the range Neo Sports Café, the bikes feature post-modern twists on the café racer theme. Replacing the previous CB1000R, the styling was a bigger departure. The pointy headlamp made way to a massive round headlight with a distinctive circle LED. There is also a wide radiator in front of the engine. The new bike’s silhouette are rounder and softer for a retro feel.
Now here comes the 650. From the looks of the four swooping exhaust downpipes and the cylinder block that’s tilted 60o forward, the engine has to be from the CB650F we tested not long ago. The twin silencers look aggressive, too.
The headlamp has been replaced with a round unit and the cowls flanking the fuel tank have been removed. The result is a dramatic-looking bike – even better-looking than the 1000cc model, in our books.
Is Honda hinting on replacing the CB650F? The introduction of the production model should debut at EICMA in November.
Omar Jumiran from Eastern Bobber is now competing in the AMD World Championship of Custom Bike Building 2018.
The championship is currently taking place at the Intermot Show in Cologne, Germany.
Omar and his creation “Bone-X” has made the Top 10 as this article is published.
Omar Jumiran of Eastern Bobber fame won the custom bike show at Motonation 2017, earning him a place at the AMD World Championship of Custom Bike Building 2018 (AMD). The AMD is part of the prestigious Intermot Show in Cologne, Germany.
Omar’s entry in Motonation was called, “Bone X,” a radical custom framed bike built around a 1967 AJS single-cylinder engine. Apart from the engine, the parts on the bike were entirely self-fabricated and welded without the benefit of CNC machining or robotic TIG welding. But the most radical aspect has to be the suspension, featuring a centre-steering hub front end and a plunger-type rear end. The spring and shocks are located on top of the frame’s backbone in order to suspend both ends.
Omar Jumiran had been dreaming of entering the AMD for the past 30 years and now his dream has come true, thanks for Motonation who fully-sponsored his entry and trip to Germany.
The veteran builder had seven months to fully prepare his bike, spending some RM 80,000 in the process. Bone-X was shipped out from Malaysia in July and arrived safely in MalProC Germany’s (Motonation’s group of companies) warehouse. The bike was delivered to the competition last Tuesday among entries from 45 countries.
Organized by AMD Magazine, the judging system in the AMD is unique as it is known as “Peer Group Review.” As the term suggests, the competitors themselves plus a few carefully chosen custom industry VIP judges and past competitors review other competitors’ entries, thereby ensuring open, honest and fair judging.
AMD’s intention is to reward motorcycle design and engineering quality, with the premium on originality and hand-craftmanship. All builders are required to provide a “Run Test Video” to be eligible for competition.
Bone-X is entered in the “Freestyle” category as it does not conform to other classes such as “Custom Harleys,” etc.
Omar and Bone-X have made the Top 10 when this article was published. He has done Malaysia proud regardless of where he finishes, but let us put together our prayers and wish him the best.
The new engine produces 38.2 bhp – the most powerful 250cc, four-stroke roadgoing engine.
It is priced from RM 23,071 (basic selling price).
Testing the 2018 Kawasaki Ninja 250 kinda reminds me of having my favourite tomyam.
However, the first I’d do when it’s served is to locate and remove the cili padi (called “bird eye chili” in English, but that doesn’t sound good as a title, does it?). Then again, I’d sometimes miss a little flake and chewed it. Oh, the horrors! How could something so little cause so much “excitement”?
Being used to bigger bikes, my initial inclination was, “Beautiful bike, but how fast can it go?” Okay, let’s come back to this later.
I’ve always referred to the 250cc segment as the “Game of Thrones” category. Being the most affordable higher capacity motorcycles after sub-200cc bikes, manufacturers fight tooth and nail for a piece of the pie. Yes, Kawasaki wants to dominate this sector, hence the 2018 Ninja 250 is new from the ground up.
First, the design. Kawasaki are styling their bikes to reflect a family identity. As such, one could very well mistake the new bike for the ZX-6R or even ZX-10R at first glance.
There are plenty of sharp angles at the front alone, especially on the “chin spoiler” below the headlamps alluding to more downforce at high speeds. The fairing flares outwards by the time it reaches the knee cutouts, making the bike look like a bigger capacity model.
The 249cc, liquid-cooled, DOHC, eight-valve, parallel-Twin is all new and has been tuned to produce 38.2 bhp at 12,500 RPM and 23.5 Nm of torque at 10,000 RPM. It’s apparent that the engine is a screamer. The assist-and-slip clutch is retained.
Other changes include:
Reworked radiator fan shroud which directs hot air away from the rider.
Improved ergonomics.
Single 310 mm floating disc clamped by a 2-piston caliper.
41 mm telescopic forks.
14-litre fuel tank.
164 kg wet weight.
The seating position was sporty beyond doubt. The clip-on handlebars may look tall but it feels much lower when you’re seated on the bike; due to the compact fuel tank which puts you right up front. Such arrangement is good for mass centralization. The clip-ons are also angled downwards for a more comfortable riding position at high speeds.
The new engine is much quieter when idling, too. Gone is the loud ticking from the valvetrain of its predecessor. Blipping the throttle sends the needle flying up the rev counter.
First gear in, added some throttle, clutch out and… CLACK! The engine cut out. Lucky for me no one was looking. You need to slip the clutch a little more to get going.
Acceleration was much, much smoother than I had anticipated. But the engine felt rather benign below 5000 RPM. More gas then. The rev counter’s needle swung up, up, up and the bike took off when it hit 8000 RPM. The exhaust note changed to a howl, accompanied by a guttural growl from the airbox underneath the tank.
Once, I let rip on the Ninja 250 to teach an MT-07 rider a lesson he won’t soon forget. Pinning the throttle, the “Little Red Chili” picked up speed surprisingly quickly for a 250, until we hit 179 km/h with 1000 RPM before the redline. Mr. MT never dared to re-approach.
I related the experience to fellow journalists and one guy who’s smaller and lighter than I am recounted that he hit 192 km/h!
That’s almost unheard of for a stock 250cc four-stroke road bike.
Of course, none of that speed would mean anything if the bike couldn’t handle.
Steering was close to being effortless and you could swing the bike from side to side even while accelerating at full throttle. Yet, it was uncannily steady like a long wheelbase big bike in a straight line.
The suspension’s well-tuned for the war on corners. Here’s a tip: To maximize the Ninja 250’s corner speed, brake early followed by early brake release.
The slipper clutch’s nicely tuned to provide a degree of engine braking but it still allows the bike to freewheel into corners. Yes, like a two-stroke. Fun!
Riding a lightweight bike such as the Ninja 250 in traffic is a breeze as the bike changes directions quickly. The brakes are pretty strong, too. Another thing which I appreciated was the lack of hot air from the engine cooking certain organs. I do want another child, you know.
So, back to “Beautiful bike, but how fast can it go?” You see, the 2018 Kawasaki Ninja 250 isn’t about just top speed. Instead, Kawasaki has done a great job in reinventing the sporting 250 by infusing awesome handling and speed seamlessly, and wrapped in a beautiful bodywork.
And yes, small things can cause great excitement, just like the “Little Red Chili” here.
Auto Bavaria BMW Motorrad organized a convoy for r nine T owners to the Distinguished Gentleman’s Ride 2018 in Melaka.
Thirty riders took part in the ride.
There were also other fun activities besides the ride for the participants.
Auto Bavaria BMW Motorrad organized a ride to Melaka to participate in the Distinguished Gentleman’s Ride 2018 (DGR) over the weekend.
Most bikers ought to know what the annual Distinguished Gentleman’s Ride advocates by now. Motorcycle convoys are held on a single day all over the world to bring awareness and raise funds for research in men’s health issues. This is why participants consisting of men and women dress up in their best attires to ride their motorcycles.
The event has grown to such gigantic proportion that it has become a permanent schedule in every biker’s calendar. In Malaysia, DGR 2018 was held in nine cities namely Kuala Lumpur, Penang, Melaka, Johor Bahru, Kota Kinabalu, Kuantan, Miri, and Sibu.
While DGR’s message is about serious health issues, that doesn’t make it less fun. In fact, Auto Bavaria BMW Motorrad has been taking part in the event for the second year running in Melaka.
The ride was specially organized for BMW r nineT owners, since the r nineT range is BMW’s heritage line-up. “BMW r nine T owners, they very unique people so we want to create a memorable experience for them where they enjoy themselves and contribute to DGR,” explained Faisal Mustafa, Motorrad Manager at Auto Bavaria.
Faisal Mustafa welcoming the participants
“The r nine T is about heritage, lifestyle and emotional motorcycling so DGR bodes well for the owners.”
We assembled at Auto Bavaria’s (AB) showroom in Glenmarie, Shah Alam on Saturday morning, 29th September 2018.
A light breakfast was served. The AB crew loaded our luggage into the support van as the participants chatted with each other over “Nasi Lemak AB” which was apparently a hit among AB customers.
A ride briefing was held afterwards. The r nineT’s assembled consisted of every variant except for the Racer. The model was designed to be customized and not one was 100% identical as the other. (Including mine which was the r nineT Scrambler with a fuel tank covered by signatures.)
We rode out onto the highway and headed south. AB’s crew also rode along on their personal bikes in support of the convoy and DGR.
Soon, it became clear that the AB crew had worked hard to plan the ride as we proceeded onto the Seremban – Port Dickson highway. The route was clear today despite being a weekend. The convoy lead even signaled the participants to ride freely, if they so wished.
We turned west toward and Ayer Kuning and Linggi as we got near Port Dickson to ride along the coast. We stopped at an old two-storey shophouse with the classic Singer signboard for a few photos, before continuing passing famous places such as Masjid Tanah.
This route had a good mix of straights and corners, covered by smooth asphalt. The village view on both flanks of the road was interesting and cool air still hangs around the trees despite the sun beating down on us.
The participants showed plenty of restraint and discipline along the way. There was no show-boating, dangerous riding, holding up traffic, etc.
We soon reached a small “kedai makan” called Anjung Santai at Pantai Puteri where we stopped for lunch. As with traditional eateries in our country, it was built in the compound of a house and family operated. If you crave Melaka’s “asam pedas,” forget about those big and crowded restaurants in town because Anjung Santai’s beats them hands down.
Anyway, we ended up eating a little too much and then worried about feeling sleepy for the rest of the way. We were pleased to learn that the eatery was just 1.8km away from Shah’s Beach Resort.
We checked in and were given plenty of free time to rest before reassembling for some fun and games.
AB had organized a “slow ride contest” in which the slowest rider wins. A G 310 R was provided as the competition vehicle. The winner recorded 30 seconds to cover the 50m path. The fun part was listening to the guys teasing their buddies who were riding.
“We wanted the riders to have fun together,” says Hasrul of AB. “The best way is to organize some fun and games. A ride is boring if we just get to a place and give everyone free and easy time. There’s camaraderie that way.”
Dinner followed soon after. AB had chosen the resort as it was some ways out of Melaka’s city centre for the sake of some peace and quiet, which was a great choice. But riding into town on Saturday night was going to be a challenge. But have no fear because AB had enlisted the assistance of the traffic police and marshals to escort us all the way to the Nonya Kitchen restaurant at Jonker Walk.
Dinner consisted of traditional Baba and Nonya cuisine. Prizes were handed over to the contest winners after dinner. We were then given free time to roam Jonker Walk or whatever activity we chose.
Some took to riding around the city for photos, some went shopping, others went to Hard Rock Melaka, while some rode back to the hotel for some well-earned rest.
We reassembled early the next day (Sunday, 30th September) for the DGR ride. The riders both men and women must’ve been truly excited about DGR as they were already dressed by 8am!
We rode to the Straits Werks Café in downtown Melaka, opposite Masjid Kampung Hulu which is one of the oldest mosques in Malaysia, for the start of DGR Melaka 2018.
As with every DGR, it appeals to all sorts of bikes and we witnessed classics, customs, sportbikes, nakeds, retros, etc. all in one place. The ride was flagged off by the Governor of Melaka.
BMW r nine T owners, regardless if they rode up with AB or otherwise, looked out for each other and started to ride in one large group of oil-head German Boxers. The collective sound of 30 air-/oil-cooled Boxers resembled that of squadrons of piston-engine fighter aircraft.
Holding DGR in Melaka presents its own unique set of challenges, the main one being the weekend traffic as out-of-towners (such as us) flood into the historic city. The roads around the historic sites will surely be packed as will the roads leading in to the city.
Therefore, DGR 2018 in Melaka was different as we ran the loop without stopping unlike the previous year and this year in other cities.
We rode from Straits Werks Café, past Stadthuys, Hard Rock Café and the entrance to Jonker Walk, down to Klebang and turned back. Done within an hour. And yet there were drivers who shoved their cars into the middle of the convoy when the police escorts weren’t in sight.
The weather was way too hot by the time we got back and the participants were definitely feeling the effect underneath their suits and vests. We adjourned quickly back to the hotel to freshen up before checking out from the resort.
AB presented another round of prizes to the owners of the best-looking r nine T and best dressed male and female DGR participants.
We rode back the way we came and stopped at Alor Gajah for lunch for the famous cucur udang near the town’s main roundabout. It was good!
The convoy participants separated from that point as a few were headed to different places, including to the DGR in Kuala Lumpur.
One last group shot
In conclusion, it was one the best rides I’ve ever had the pleasure of joining. Credit has to go to the hardworking (read: overworked) Auto Bavaria Motorrad crew who organized the ride. It has to be said that a successful ride represents only 10% while the other 90% was the work that went into organizing it.
The hardworking crew of Auto Bavaria Motorrad
“Organizing rides in Melaka is always difficult. The (traffic) jam, finding parking spots, trying to keep the convoy together, but I feel satisfied with the ride because they riders had enjoyed themselves; that’s our main objective. This ride was planned two months ahead, especially on choosing the route, marshaling and safety. I am also thankful to have a great and supportive team,” said Faisal in closing.
The ride was also made enjoyable by the r nine T owners themselves as they were a happy and fun-loving bunch. They rode and enjoyed it together as a unit. Their personalities are reflected in their choice of bike.
Triumph has updated the 2019 Triumph Street Scrambler.
Updates range from chassis to engine to cosmetics.
The update ought to make the bike even more fun.
The 2019 Triumph Street Scrambler was also launched alongside the 2019 Triumph Street Twin at Intermot 2018.
The updates will definitely up the fun quotient over the current and already super fun Street Scrambler, which is the soul successor of the TR6 Trophy used in the classic movie The Great Escape.
The 900cc, liquid-cooled, 270o crank, parallel-Twin engine is shared with the Street Twin, hence it reaps the benefit of a 10 bhp increase, along with the flexibility of a higher 7500 RPM rev ceiling.
Other updates to the engine include lighter magnesium cam cover, dead shafts and balancer shaft, in addition to a torque assist clutch which reduces lever effort and also results in a more positive feel.
Braking power has also been increased now that the bike features a Brembo 4-piston front caliper. The forks are cartridge type and spaced wider for better control. Triumph also offers an optional tyre pressure monitoring system.
Triumph updated the electrical system too, by adding an immobilizer, LED taillight and USB charging socket.
Power modes, traction control and ABS are standard. The ABS is switchable should the rider take the bike off-road.
The 2019 Triumph Street Scrambler’s has also been given new aesthetics without altering its overall look. There is a new speedometer, seat cover and number board panels and graphics.
As with the Street Twin, Triumph also offers an Inspiration Kit for the Street Scrambler. Called “Urban Tracker,” the kit includes a 25-litre pannier and mounting kit, Vance & Hines exhaust, CNC black oil filler cap, black handlebar brace, number board kit, black bench seat and dresser bar kit, headlamp grille and bezel, high level front mudguard and sump guard.
Moto Guzzi has formally launched the V85 TT at Intermot.
The bike uses an all-new 850cc engine.
Moto Guzzi also unveiled the bike in a new colour.
Yes, yes, we’ve seen many pictures of the Moto Guzzi V85 TT adventure bike, but you know what? We love it. Moto Guzzi has finally and officially unveiled it at the Intermot show after many months of “leaked” photos and patent filings.
Moto Guzzi has also added a new colour to the model during the launch, together with aluminium side and top cases.
Apart from that the exciting news is the engine. The transversely-mounted 850cc 90o V-Twin may seem like the one powering the V9 line-up, but it is actually all-new. It features a lighter crankshaft, bigger fuel intakes, bigger valves and pistons with shorter skirts. The changes bring power output to 80 bhp compared to the V9’s 55 bhp.
News is the new serves as a platform for future Moto Guzzi models.
The engine is mounted in the steel tube trellis frame as a stressed member for “exceptional stiffness” (according to Moto Guzzi).
The rear suspension is mounted asymmetrically since the swingarm/driveshaft housing is also asymmetrical on the right side of the bike, which makes it easier to reach the fully-adjustable shock’s settings. The front suspension consists of fully adjustable upside-down forks. There should be plenty of suspension travel, judging from the photos – good for some off-road trail riding.
Moto Guzzi says that the V85 TT is as much function as there is much form. The design harks back to the heady days of the Paris-Dakar Rally in the 80’s when large capacity bikes ruled the dunes of north Africa. The manufacturer also claims that the bike is instilled with lightness, agility and true off-road capabilities.
We do hope to see it on our shores soon. The Moto Guzzi V85 TT should be able to ride the adventure-touring wave if it proves to be any good.
