X-1R’s appearance at Motonation 2017 was good to highlight the benefits of supplementary products to your bike and car.
All the products were highlighted during the event.
Most of the products can be safely used in motorcycles.
X-1R has been anonymous with automotive engine protection products and what better way to highlight them than at the recent Motonation 2017 grand finale at PICC.
X-1R has been working together with the American National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) for the past 22 years, and such, their products are “Space Certified.” Their lubricant is especially used in “The Crawler,” the vehicle which transports the assembled space vehicles such as the Space Shutter and other rockets from their assembly buildings to the launchpad.
The know-how gained from this venture is what gives this company the edge in engine and mechanical protection in the gruelling real-world driving scenarios.
During Motonation, X-1R Asia had displayed and sold their world-famous products, headed by the Engine Treatment.
This product is formulated as a supplement to whatever engine oil you have in your engine and works to further reduce friction amongst the working parts. From reduced friction, benefits include increased engine life, improved fuel economy, reduced operating temperature, reduced mechanical noises and of course, increases overall efficiency and performance.
A variant of this Engine Treatment is available for motorcycles, called the X-1R Small Engine Treatment. It works to perform the same tasks.
It has long been an indispensible companion for this writer on his long-distance touring trips, especially to neighbouring countries. The product came into play during his recent trip into Cambodia and counteracted the negative effect of using fuel of suspect quality. (Click here for the report.)
Other products included the X-1R Engine Flush, which is useful when your bike is due for an oil change. Changing the engine oil without first flushing the old oil may leave behind some residue and possibly sludge in older engines, and end up corrupting the new oil.
This writer has also used the X-1R Fuel System Cleaner on a few occasions, especially after letting his personal bike sit at home for many days and weeks. The compound in the product removes the gum and varnish residues left over by evaporated petrol in the tank, fuel lines, fuel pump, parts of the throttle bodies and fuel injectors.
Also showcased was their Diesel System Treatment. There’s no diesel-powered bikes yet, but this product should be used for the pickups used by those who use them to transport their bikes.
Among the many vendors during Motonation 2017, a few caught our attention.
There were many vendors during the event but these catered specifically to motorcycle users.
We hope to see more in the next edition of Motonation.
As we reported earlier, the Motonation 2017 finale saw the participation of motorcycle manufacturers, besides automotive-related distributors, suppliers and vendors of every kind. (Click here for the report.)
The most prominent in terms of motorcycle products, however, were X-1R, WD-40 and Modenas.
Modenas’ main pavilion in Hall A was erected over a large area and consisted of their latest motorcycles, including the massively successful Pulsar RS200 and NS200, the latter mounted in a wheelie position as part of the photo booth.
More significantly, Modenas also displayed the customized V15 bikes for the SUPER MOD contest (as part of the Bakat Besi competition). The bikes were then judged by AMD Showmaster, Neil Blaber, who also judged the Motonation custom bikes competition.
Modenas also had a smaller booth at the mall area, next to the main stage. Here, they displayed the Cub Prix race bikes. Their riders made a short demo run during the official launching of the event on Saturday.
X-1R’s booth in Hall A were fully converted to reflect on the lubricant specialist’s famous yellow corporate colour and theme. X-1R supplies lubricants and engine maintenance products, hence their unique products in little bottles were displayed on oil drums painted yellow, that had the front portion removed to form display stands.
Products included the Octane Booster, Small Engine Treatment, Fuel System Cleaner, Engine Flush, Petrol System Treatment and many more.
There were two driving simulators for visitors to try their hands on. There was also a custom bike by Bigcat Customs being displayed centrally and prominently at the booth. Other activities included a huge 50% promotion for their products and visitors stood the chance to win special gifts by spinning a “wheel of fortune.”
Over to Hall B was WD-40, the infamous multipurpose penetrating oil. WD-40 was running a special promotion for the original yellow and blue can product, starting from just RM10 for the smallest can to just RM12 for the largest!
However, WD-40 had also introduced a new line of maintenance and cleaning products during the event, which they had demonstrated their effectiveness in cleaning a KTM 1290 Super Adventure T. The 2-year-old bike looked spanking new when they were through with it.
The products included the Engine Degreaser, Parts Cleaner, Chain Lube and so forth.
Neil Blaber of AMD Magazine was brought in to judge Motonation’s custom bike and Modenas’ SUPER MOD contests.
Motonation will sponsor the winning bike and builder to the World Championship at Intermot.
Neil was impressed with the quality and creativity of Malaysian builders.
We had the pleasure of meeting and chatting with Neil Blaber of AMD Magazine at the recent Motonation carnival in PICC. Neil had been called in by the organizers of Motonation to judge the custom motorcycles competition.
It was a high-stakes game as Motonation will support the winner’s entry to the AMD World Championship of Custom Bike Building 2018, in the Intermot Show in Cologne Germany. (Click here to read more of our coverage of Motonation and here for the report of the competition).
Bikes Republic: How does AMD run its bikes shows? Neil Blaber: We did bike shows and competitions a little bit differently than those in the past. We’ve had people enter their bikes in more than one class, and found out not to ever, ever do it. It’s a nightmare, because how we do the judging is all the competitors vote on their peers’ bikes.
We’ll have a few VIP judges also, but they’re usually builders who didn’t enter their own bikes. There’ve also been trusted journalists who don’t just won’t for their mates (friends), besides other experts in the industry who know what they’re looking at.
It’s done almost like a survey among experts. When you think about it, who are the best qualified to determine which is the best bike than these guys. You’ve got all these experts there and if judging is handed over to just four guys, it’s all wasted.
So, in the end, if people aren’t happy with the results, at least they know it’s fair because it was peer reviewed.
In the end, you could end up with a hundred votes papers returned. Counting the ballot papers was hard work, I’d usually be up until 4 in the morning, tabulating the results. I’d take the feedback from the ballot sheets and key them into the spreadsheet for the results to be tabulated.
They’ll vote for their favourite 12 bikes, the top build will receive 15 points, second place gets 12, third gets 9, then 7, 6, 5, 3, 2, 1 points respectively. What that means is that getting voted as the top isn’t necessarily a huge advantage. In the end, the winning bike is usually the one which was rated reasonably high by all the guys. (What Neil means here is the entries must be good overall.)
You may get a controversial bike which was voted first by three guys but no one else, on the other hand, you get a bike that’s voted for third or fifth by everyone and it will win.
Bikes Republic: Is peer judging carried out in many bike shows? Neil Blaber: It is carried out in many bike shows now but not many are done properly.
For example, you got have enough bikes for representation, because if you just ask for which is your favourite bike, you’d probably end up with the same result. However, if there are enough bikes, and if a certain or a few judges don’t like a certain type of bike and put it as last, the bike still earns a point.
Some shows look for the Top Three and the spread is just not enough in order to get a true representation of what people sincerely feel.
Some people don’t like not winning and the World Championship is the worst feeling. They may have spent two years or more working on their bike then ending up 50th is, well, you know how it’s like.
We award down to 10th place for the Freestyle class, and the Top Three of the other classes, as the latter classes attract smaller entries.
Bikes Republic: What’s your thought on what you’ve seen this weekend? Neil Blaber: Honestly, I had no idea to see what Malaysia had to offered and I surprised and impressed at what I saw this weekend. Those eight finalists had some truly wonderful material.
Motonation’s roadshow and carnivals concluded today (3rd December) at PICC.
The event drew the interest of a large number of corporations, vendors and clubs.
The winners of the AMD World Championship for Custom Bikes has been concluded.
The winner of the Bakat Besi competition has also been determined.
The event’s lucky draw winners will be announced on this Friday (8th December).
1st – 3rd December 2017, Putraja International Convention Centre (PICC) – The Motonation 2017 roadshow that has been touring the country for the past few months came to a grand conclusion over this weekend.
From having just a few vendors and vehicles being displayed at the initial shows, the event at PICC was certainly grand – occupying the main concourse, multiple halls, and all of the outdoor areas – featuring everything pertaining to the automotive lifestyle, regardless is directly or indirectly influenced.
That meant different family members could occupy themselves with different activities and attractions, while not bore the others.
For example, while the main display areas were occupied by automobiles, motorcycles and related products, there were smaller vendors who sold watches, sunglasses, toy motorcycles and cars; JKJR was present to convey the message on road safety, there was a dance competition, and outdoor concerts featuring local bands such as the infamous Indy-band, OAG. There was also a vendor who displayed their awesome feat of completing a replica Harley-Davidson Evolution engine completely from Lego blocks! Tayman Chua decided to show his airbrush skills by “tattooing” visitors – FOC!
The major players in the automotive industry were present, including Petron, X-1R, WD-40, Modenas, Shell, Brisk, Audi, Ricoh, etc.
Besides the specialist car and motorcycle customizers such as Eastern Bobber, Beautiful Machines MC, FNG Works, The Rusty Factory, Taymen Airbrushing and many, many more.
Speaking of Modenas, the competition based on their motorcycles, called Bakat Besi saw FNG Works’ creation winning the contest, with a novel creation which even carried a skateboard.
Besides that, run for the first time in Malaysia, Motonation had invited Neil Blaber of AMD Magazine to judge the custom bikes in the running to representing Malaysia during the AMD World Championship of Custom Bike Building 2018. In the end, it was Eastern Bobbers’ ultra-radical entry which won the ticket to Intermot, beating the entries by Beautiful Machines by a whisker.
The event started slowly on Friday, before picking up on Saturday and had the crowds packing into the halls and outdoor areas on Sunday as the news got out.
There was a trial riding demonstration by Acoi Pangkolo Riders on Saturday evening, while today saw pocket bike races.
Motonation is also holding a lucky draw for ticket holders to the event, which the Grand Prize is an Audi A3, iPhones, iPads, amongst other great prizes. The winners will be announced this Friday.
There were of course voices of criticism, as the event areas were too spread out over such a vast area, besides other teething problems, but do remember that this is only Motonation’s first year in the automotive event segment and being able to draw the massive number of prestigious corporations, vendors, motorcycle and car clubs, hold a custom motorcycle competition is more than commendable. Motonation will learn and will improve for the next one.
Day Four of the GIVI Golden Triangle Adventure 2017 took the GIVI Explorers to Phnom Penh.
The GIVI Explorers stopped at the 800-year-old bridge in Kampong Kdei.
They got a taste of some truly chaotic traffic with vehicles buzzing around everywhere.
Phnom Penh, 15th November 2017 – As we GIVI Golden Triangle Adventure 2017 Explorers had breakfast and prepared our bikes for the next leg of the adventure in Siem Reap, the rain came down on us.
We pondered if the occasion has finally arrived to test the new GIVI rainsuits (made specifically for this GIVI Golden Triangle Adventure 2017). One of the Thai marshals, Nok (full name: Sitthithat Ritthikraironnaka), consulted his weather radar app, and informed us that it was only a passing cloud that’s headed away from out travel route.
We hopped our bikes as soon as the rain subsided, as we had been delayed for an hour. Today’s destination was Cambodia’s capital, Phnom Penh, 315 kilometres away.
Again, we rode through the slightly chaotic urban Cambodian traffic before breaking clear and opening up in the countryside. Much of Cambodia is very flat, with rice paddies on both sides of the road. The rain had turned the roadside laterite into mud and some of it had been thrown onto the road surface itself, so we took it easy.
We were actually travelling south, adjacent to the great Tonle Sap Lake to the west (on our right) but heavy foliage and built up areas obscured our view. Shame.
There were many cows grazing and chewing on their cud serenely right up on the road shoulders. It panicked me a few times initially as I’ve grown wary of livestock crossing the road back in my wife’s kampong in Kuala Pilah, Negeri Sembilan, prompting me to stick my leg out to warn the other Explorers behind. But it had been unnecessary as the ones in Cambodia stayed off the roads. “Cows here are much smarter,” remarked Giorgio Dalla Rosa, GIVI Vietnam’s Factory Manager, when I recounted the experience to him.
By the way, speaking of the word kampong, villages in Cambodia are incidentally called the same as we do in Malaysia, for instance Kampong Kdei, Kampong Thom, and so forth.
We rode 63 kilometres out before the marshals called for us to pull off the road on another ornately designed bridge, similar to the one we saw at Bayon yesterday. Just as well, the heat and humidity had returned after the downpour.
Known as the Kampong Kdei Bridge, and officially known as Spean Praptos (some called it the Naga Bridge), it was also built in the 12th century during the reign of that Jayavarman VII guy, the same King who commissioned the construction of the temples we visited in Siem Reap.
The bridge was one of the world’s longest corbeled stone-arch (same building technique at the temples in Angkor) bridge and one of the few Khmer Empire’s bridges to have survived to today. The stone railings on both sides end with carved articulated cobra heads.
Anyway, we noticed a few locals shooting pictures of us with Nikon DSLRs as we maneuvered our bikes to park along the bridge, and as soon as we got off, the same ladies were already there with the pictures they shot and mounted, “Photo, photo, Sir? 5 dollars.” Wow! Their speed was even more impressive than their enterprising spirit!
However, the locals (without DSLRs) had also come out en masse to greet us. Well, more like to witness this group of bikers on big bikes attached with all sorts of space-aged equipment visiting their kampong.
It was heartwarming to see the children smiling in all their innocence when we waved at them.
Later, we watched as a mini bus unloaded a crowd of loud tourists (no prizes for correctly guessing where they’re from) before commencing with our own photography and drone video session of the convoy crossing the bridge.
We then continued on our way riding on a wet dirt road. I love offroad riding.
Image courtesy of GIVI Explorer
The GIVI Golden Triangle Adventure continued on its way after lunch. It was a great break from the Cambodian humidity, that’s for sure, as we gulped down jugs of water. Credit also need to be given to the Thai support guys as they would invariably bring in hot water and coffee for the Explorers.
We were greeted by heavy traffic in the form of mopeds and scooters, a few with more than two occupants onboard. The riders tend to overtake each other without checking what’s behind them, and I noticed none of them actually looked in their rearview mirrors, not once. So why do they have mirrors…? Well, nevermind.
We maneuvered around them as best as we could, but we were just as unaccustomed to them as they were to us. They’d cut pass our front wheels as if we weren’t there. On the other hand, we were worried about them being unaware of us having side cases and panniers – the local riders may think we’ve passed them and end up being hit by a box.
The Explorers got away safely and arrived at Phnom Penh Hotel, but a few of us went back out to shoot pictures for GIVI. With just four riders in the group, we rode in a super tight four-ship formation, preventing ourselves from being cut off.
We stopped at a beautifully opulent temple complex, all the main buildings seemingly encased in gold, starting from the gate itself.
Image courtesy of GIVI Explorer
But the best thing was watching Pietro Ambrioso, GIVI’s Official Photographer at work, shooting the photos for GIVI’s official catalogs and website.
We rode back to the hotel, witnessing how luxury SUVs cut into traffic, pushing plebs aside. But we were told that the traffic in Cambodia so far is only a warm up for the main event: Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam.
It was here that I saw how the GIVI cases looked like after riding through the weather. They were more or less encased in mud, but no water nor soil got in. Thank God, ‘cos my laptop’s in there!
A few Explorers took to the riverside for some nightlife while many chose to rest for tomorrow’s ride into Vietnam.
We’ve featured the review of the Modenas Pulsar NS200 and Pulsar RS200 recently (click here to read the story), and came away impressed with both bikes.
However, aside from the official tests, we at Bikes Republic would voice our opinions to one another about certain bikes we’ve tested.
All of us love the Pulsar RS200 for its contemporary racy looks and presence, but truth is, our hearts are torn between both bikes. This writer however, fancied the naked Pulsar NS200 (stands for Naked Sports).
Sure, it looks Plain Jane next to the RS200, but that doesn’t mean it didn’t ooze its own appeal. On its own, the Pulsar NS200’s looks does hold its ground, especially when we looked at the riding shots.
Firstly, the rider figures more prominently on the naked bike. Strange as that sounds, but personally, a bike ought to emphasize that the rider and bike both make up as one entity when riding. You couldn’t have one or the other. Naked bikes, standards, streetfighters and classics have always appealed to me because of that.
Mid-life crisis? I don’t think so, as I’ve always loved the unadulterated looks of bikes that expose their mechanical parts since I was a kid.
Secondly, I personally figured that performing maintenance on the Pulsar NS200 is easier. I could get to the sparkplugs, oil filter, oil sump, front final drive sprocket, etc. so much easier because I don’t have to get around the bodywork of the Pulsar RS200.
Thirdly, and this is really my personal opinion, I’ve found out through time that motorcycles that don’t appeal to me on the basis of love at first look tend to have me liking them for a much longer period of time. The Pulsar RS200 truly looks great, make no mistake, however, the Pulsar NS200 has kept my attention longer, for some reason. It’s more like liking someone’s personality over looks.
Fourthly, there’s less cosmetic damage to concern about when you own a naked bike. That applies to either a crash or the accumulated abuse by careless mechanics when they removed and reinstalled the fairing. Not one fully-faired bike of mine has lasted its lifetime without missing fairing fasteners, causing them to flare open or even dropped a panel.
Fifthly, the naked Pulsar NS200 lends itself better to customization. It’s already a naked bike, so you don’t have to feel the pinch about having to store the fairings somewhere. A set of clip-on handlebars with bar-end mirrors, racing rearsets would make the bike look the proper streetfighter. Or go beyond conventions by stripping everything down and turning it into a bobber or a scrambler or a classic.
Sixthly, the Pulsar NS200 has a slimmer cross-section, which means it’s much easier to scythe through KL’s crazy traffic.
But, but, but! What about wind protection? Ah, that’s an easy fix. Just install a windscreen and you’re done!
So there you go, my own opinion on why I prefer the naked Modenas Pulsar NS200.
Oh and have you heard? Modenas is giving away free motorcycles for the Bakat Besi design contest. Stand a chance to win that and other amazing prizes, more information here.
Modenas Malaysia had recently launched the Bakat Besi: Peraduan Reka Bina contest (translated vis-a-vis as Metal Talent), Malaysia’s inaugural talent search program for motorcycle design and engineering. (No, it’s not a talent show for heavy metal bands, sorry guys.)
Motorcycle builders, mechanics, students and enthusiasts standa chance to build a career out of their passion for designing and building motorcycles. The first instalment of the program is Bakat Besi: Peraduan Reka Bina (Metal Talent: Design and Build) which seeks to unearth the appropriate talents.
There has never been a lack of creative talents here in Malaysia. Instead, they are hidden from mainstream view due to either lack of continuous exposure or mainly just because these builders are driven by their passion alone.
But what Bakat Besi: Peraduan Reka Bina aims to do is to bring these talents to the fore, with the opportunity to put their motorcycle design and engineering skills on the table, and to ultimately build a source of income for themselves and seeding the creativity of the Malaysian motorcycle industry.
The contest is divided into two categories. The first, called Bina Sifu, groups of 12 top builders (shown above) in Malaysia to customise the latest Modenas V15, Pulsar RS200 and Pulsar NS200. Modenas is the main sponsor of the Bakat Besi: Peraduan Reka Bina and they are sponsoring those bikes.
The 12 participants will be divided into six teams, consisting of a builder and constructor in each, and an RM10,000 budget is allocated to each team for the build. Entries will be judged on the grounds of aesthetics, performance and commercial value. The winner will receive a cash prize, a new Modenas motorcycle, and perhaps most importantly a production contract.
In the second category called Reka Sifu, contestants will submit their conceptual designs of a Modenas motorcycle or sticker designs. The entries will be judged by a panel, besides the public on social media.
The panel of judges will score 60% of the total points, while the remainder will be determined by the public.
As the Bina contest will be filmed, the public will gain exclusive insights to the design and build processes. The series consists of nine episodes and will be aired on Modenas’ official YouTube channel.
For more information on the contest, please log on to www.r8der.my and follow Bakat Besi: Peraduan Reka Bina on R8DER’s Facebook page.
Watch the video below for more information regarding Bakat Besi!
The Kawasaki Test Ride Roadshow will visit Sungai Petani, Kedah from 1st to 3rd December 2017.
The location is at the Amanjaya Mall, Sungai Petani, from 10am to 6pm.
There are many activities besides the test rides to look forward to.
Fancy test riding your dream Kawasaki? The Kawasaki Test Ride Roadshow, dubbed Close to You, will visit Kedah from 1st December 2017 (Friday) until 3rd December 2017 (Sunday). The event will be held at the parking lot of Amanjaya Mall, Sungai Petani, from 10am to 6pm.
This is your best opportunity to test ride the wide range of Kawasaki’s superbike models, which include the fun and go-anywhere Versys-X 250, the high performance and fierce-looking Z900 Special Edition ABS, the revolutionary-styles Z650 ABS and the quick yet rider-friendly Ninja 650 ABS. The Kawasaki Test Ride Roadshow aims to share the unique experience of the performance, comfort and versatility of Kawasaki’s motorcycles firsthand with the general public. Who knows, you may discover a bike that best fits your style and be amazed by its performance.
As with all Kawasaki Motors Malaysia’s (KMBS) programs, safety is the highest priority. Hence, riders must be aged 18 years and above, holds a valid motorcycle license. Please be dressed in long pants and closed shoes (slippers and sandals are not allowed) should you wish to test ride the bikes.
Each rider who test rode the bikes will also receive a lucky draw coupon (valid only for the corresponding day of the event) for a chance to win exciting prizes.
Apart from the test rides, KMSB has lined up many activities that will surely appeal to every visitor.
KMSB will also display a number of Kawasaki superbikes including a replica of the World Superbike Championship (WSBK) winning ZX-10R. It’s racing sister ZX-10R had won the WSBK in 2013, 2015 and 2016. (Kawasaki had also won the 2017 WSBK title but the replica is not present yet.) KMSB will also display the world’s fastest production motorcycle – the supercharged Kawasaki H2 – which has hit 400 km/h.
Besides that, Kawasaki superbike owners will enjoy the luxury of having their pride and joy inspected and services during the event. Highly trained Kawasaki Exclusive Service Centre (KESC) personnel will provide free consultation and advice.
Additionally, Bikers Gallery will be displaying and selling their latest range of products at great offers and packages during the event.
The Kawasaki Test Ride Roadshow is part of KMSB’s program ito reach out to Kawasaki’s new and existing customers, and the public at large. Visit the KMSB website and Facebook page for more information. Mark your calendar and let the good times roll!
It now obtains real-time information from other motorcycles, rather than automobiles.
The developer has said the app will be able to send motorcycles through smaller roads that are inaccessible to cars.
Community-based navigation and traffic app, Waze, has just introduced a motorcycle feature.
Waze is the favourite navigation app among the majority of drivers the world over. It sources real-time data from other drivers before being processed and relayed to other users. For example, if the route you are travelling on experiences a slowdown, the crawling speeds affecting other Waze users will be construed as a traffic jam. The app will then attempt to reroute you through another faster route.
Waze was created as a social navigation tool, after all.
Traffic jam in Penang. Notice the 1 km/h speed!
However, the app has always been based on automobile data since its inception. This creates some problems for bikers as we are able to squeeze through traffic, for instance. Consequently, the estimated time of arrival (ETA) presented to us bikers are virtually incorrect.
Also, motorcycles are able to get through smaller streets and lanes as opposed to automobiles. The new feature should be able to guide us through these shortcuts. We hope it covers motorcycle lanes, too.
To activate the motorcycle feature in, go to Settings, followed by Navigation, the click on Vehicle Type and select “Motorcycle.”
Settings -> Navigation -> Vehicle type -> Motorcycle
We will put it to the test soon and see if it works, and hopeful that it does not send us into a “Waze Daze.”
The GIVI Golden Triangle Adventure 2017 visited Angkor Wat on Day Three.
The Explorers visited the Tomb Raider Temple (Ta Prohm), Bayon and Angkor Wat.
We discovered the history, culture and unfortunate violence which enveloped Cambodia.
Siem Reap, Cambodia, 14th November 2017 – The GIVI Explorers (participants) took a break from riding today. As with every edition of the GIVI Adventure, there is one day allocated for an excursion to the main highlight of the ride. It was the Kruger National Park in 2015, when I last rode with the group, but for today, it was one of the Wonders of the World – Angkor Wat.
Angkor Wat and the surrounding temple ruins in the Angkor region have been one of the main highlights in this year’s GIVI Golden Triangle Adventure 2017, underlining Joseph Perucca, GIVI’s Overseas Operational Director’s philosophy about the GIVI Explorer’s spirit of adventure, exploration, discovery and learning about new histories, peoples and cultures. In fact, all the logos on our GIVI and Hevik riding gear and motorcycle equipment featured the pictogram of Angkor Wat prominently (among other famous structures).
GIVI had contracted a local tour operator to assist and guide us through the day. We boarded two mini busses after breakfast for the ticketing centre, not far from our hotel in Siem Reap (pronounced See-em Re-ap).
The guide on the bus presented some quick facts about Cambodia, and he was unambiguously affected by the Khmer Civil War between 1970 to 1975 and the subsequent Khmer Rouge (Red Khmers as in Communist Khmers) regime’s reign of terror between 1975 to 1979.
When the Khmer Rouge came to power in 1975, the regime’s leader Pol Pot called it Year Zero. Teachers, merchants, artists, intellectuals, professionals or anyone who wore glasses were purged, and all culture and traditions were erased to be replaced from ground up with an agrarian society. Schools, factories, banks, currency and even hospitals were closed. All religions were outlawed – the minority Cham Muslims were fiercely exterminated and as many as 25,000 Buddhist monks were executed. The atrocities escaped any form of humanity and even infants were not spared. Official figures of the genocides vary but it is estimated that as many as 3 million Cambodians were killed or missing (from a population of 8 million at the time).
For many, it was the end of the world as if Satan had come up from Hell.
The sign says it all. Good thing we didn’t visit the “Killing Fields”
The Khmer Rouge was deposed when their former allies Vietnam invaded Cambodia in 1979, but the collapse of society, and loss of educators and guidance had taken the country back many decades, making the country one of the world’s poorest. There are still millions of landmines and unexploded ordnance uncleared in Cambodia.
There are still many mines and unexploded ordnance to be cleared in Cambodia but the efforts are ongoing
But! There’s a ray of hope.
It’s not even 10am and there was already a large crowd at the ticketing counter. The tourism industry is picking up in Cambodia and the government has plans to replace the current airport in Siem Reap to a larger one, 60km outside the city.
There were a few options for the number of days allowed to visit he sites, each with different pricing. For a one-day excursion, the price was USD 37. Yes, it’s expensive to us Malaysians due to our weak currency, while the GIVI Explorers from other nations happily paid up.
Check out the prices. But the funds go to the restoration and conservation of the ancient ruins
There isn’t just one large temple complex in Angkor i.e. Angkor Wat, instead there were tens of them scattered around an area collectively called Angkor Thom.
We boarded the buses again and headed to Ta Phrom, or better known as the Tomb Raider Temple, being the location for the movie. Built in circa 1186 CE, as part of King Jayavarman VII’s program of construction and public works, it was constructed for his mother and served as a Mahayana Buddhist monastery and university.
UNESCO has included Ta Prohm (and the other sites) on the World Heritage list since 1992. Conservationists came to the consensus that Ta Prohm should be left largely in the state that it was discovered. Still, much work have been done to stabilize the complex and provide access to the influx of tourists. As such, wooden walkways, platforms and roped railings have been built to avoid further damage.
The most distinctive feature of Ta Prohm is by far the trees growing out of the ruins, their roots coiling over the stones like reptiles.
Also, there’s an intriguing carvings here which seemed to resemble dinosaurs. Yes, dinosaurs. Experts say otherwise.
Remember I mentioned landmines? There was a band playing traditional Khmer music outside and the ensemble were the victims of those weapons.
As we alighted the buses for the next location, it suddenly dawned on me how lucky we Malaysians are. We battled the communist insurgents from the end of World War 2 all the way into the late 80’s, but we didn’t have a major civil war which wiped out everything. Let’s keep it that way, shall we?
Some of the peddlers here followed us around trying to sell their goods, and they even dropped the prices from US Dollars all the way down to Thai Baht, just so that they could make at least one sale. They weren’t trying to get rich, instead it was just for that one evening’s dinner for their families.
We drove a short distance to Bayon Temple.
We were blown away even before we entered the walls as we crossed the Siem Reap River on the ornately decorated bridge leading to the Victory Gate.
Bayon was a contrast to Ta Prohm. While the latter was almost overgrown by large trees, Bayon sits out in the clear and its rich decorations were apparent even from a distance. Known as the state temple for King Jayavarman VII, there were multitudes of serene and smiling faces on the towers that jut out from the upper terrace and cluster around the central peak.
We noticed a great number of corridors throughout the complex.
Bas-reliefs were a combination of mythological, historical and everyday scenes. There were depictions of the once-proud Khmer Army marching out to battle. Khmer was once an empire, (known officially as the Angkor Empire) encompassing modern-day Laos, Thailand and parts of Vietnam and Myanmar. And where was the capital of this empire? You got it, Angkor.
The weather was turning very humid and wore many of us down, so we headed back to the busses ahead of time. It was time for lunch.
We exited via the West Gate and decided to stop for pictures.
Most of the large restaurants in Siem Reap contain the name “Tonlé” or “Tonlé Sap” after the Tonlé Sap River and annually inundated Tonlé Sap Lake. Food items invariably include steamed rice, freshwater fish, fresh tropical fruits and morning glory (kangkong), although these major restaurants also offer foods from other countries at separate stalls.
It was a quick lunch as we rushed back to the main attraction: Angkor Wat.
Angkor Wat was built in the early 12th century, predating Ta Prohm and Bayon, by King Suryavarman II and completed by Jayavarman VII. It’s the symbol of Cambodia, featured prominently on the nation’s flag. Angkor Wat is actually its modern name, meaning “temple city” in Khmer. It is in fact the largest religious monument in the world, covering 1.6 million sq. m.
Other little-known facts:
It was constructed out of up to 10 million sandstone blocks.
Each block weighed up to 1.5 tonnes.
The entire city of Angkor used more stones than all the Egyptian pyramids combined.
Angkor occupies an area much larger than modern-day Paris.
Unlike the pyramids whose rocks were quarried 0.5 km nearby, those for the Angkor complex came from 40 km away at Mount Kulen.
The original stone causeway leading into the complex was closed for restoration works, so visitors had to cross the 190m moat on a pontoon (floating) bridge. The whole area was teeming with thousands of tourists.
As we approached the outer wall, it became clear just how impressive was the feat of putting this monument together. Those were huge stone blocks and they were somehow lifted into place. There were galleries that ran the length of this outer enclosure, supported by square pillars. The spaces between them were decorated with lotus rossettes.
Going past the wall brought us face-to-face with the long stone walkway to the central structure.
There were libraries on each side, a large pond, lush gardens (where a couple was having their pre-wedding shoot), although most places were under heavy vegetation.
From this walkway, the towers and overall form of Angkor Wat was starting to take shape as those we see in pictures, except that the palms on either side have since grown taller, obstructing some of the view.
But before seeing those towers up close, one has to go through a huge complex of galleries. In here, the remnants of artwork painted on the ceilings showed how beautiful this place would have been at its zenith. There were inscriptions and bas-reliefs on almost every column, but they reflected different scenes on each separate wing.
The central tower represents Mount Meru, the home of the gods. The flanking towers symbolizes the peaks of the mountain, while the wall and moat represents the mountain range and ocean respectively.
As we walked up the staircase into the central structure, we noticed that it was steel. We peeked underneath and discovered that the conservationists or authorities had installed these steps over the ancient stone steps to protect them. Good move!
A few Explorers queued up to climb the central spire but the line was so long, most of us decided to explore the temple by ourselves.
The GIVI Golden Triangle Adventure 2017 Explorers tried to take in a much as they could but it soon became apparent to us that there was just too much to absorb from this single visit, what more when other tourists keep walking past us while we were trying to study something or photograph them!
The guide advised us that the best way to study these structures is to visit early in the morning. Angkor Wat is open from 5am, while the others are from 7.30am. Good tip!
We didn’t have much time to discover more since we were short of time and the humidity was difficult to bear. We exited Angkor Wat, feeling that there’s still much to see and experienced at this magnificent location.
We looked behind to see the evening sun shining across the whole main façade of the monument, turning it gold! (Angkor Wat differs from other structures as it faces west.)
We left with heavy hearts, yet we were thankful that the GIVI Golden Triangle Adventure Ride 2017 had actually brought us to one of the Seven Wonders of the World.
Dinner that night was at another large restaurant and we didn’t miss the traditional Apsara dance show this time! One could see that it was heavily influenced by Hinduism, which predated Buddhism.
We called an early night as we’re riding to Cambodia’s capital, Phnom Penh, tomorrow.
The just-completed KMOG Borneo Ride 2017 was truly memorable in many ways. it covered cities and villages, great roads and broken roads, mountains and sea, heat and rain, as the participants encountered excitement and exhaustion.
But as of every ride, it’s not only the journey or destination that truly makes a mark, it’s also the people and what they experience on their bikes. That’s right, rides or convoys as we like to call them in Malaysia, is what motorcycling is about.
It’s also worth mentioning the hard work and dedication put in by members of KMOG (KTM Malaysia Owners Group) and KTM Malaysia in ensuring the success of the ride.
So here is a collection of our favourite photos to relive the KMOG Borneo Ride 2017. It’s a shame that we could not follow the ride to its ultimate destination in Kuching, Sarawak.
The KMOG Committee members awaiting the arrival of participants and more importantly, the bikes!Among the hardworking KMOG and KTM Malaysia crewKudos to this McDelivery rider (in GIVI rainsuit) who sent the food in heavy rain!These guys have many kilometres of touring experiencePretty Sabahan girls welcomed us to the dinnerSelfie!All smiles as the participants were welcomed with traditional bead necklacesCouldn’t wait to the ride to beginOng Soo Yong delivering the ride’s briefingThe KTM factory racing shirt was signed by KTM’s factory riders and presented to Soo Yong, who put it up on lucky drawParticipants visited the Tip of Borneo 2nd November – by bus – as the bikes have yet to arriveGroup photo at the special plaqueOne for the momentThe current may be a bit rough but it was clearGroup shot with the cove in the backgroundI’m the Queen of the world!We’re here!Great view of the sea from the rocks belowDown at the coveThe Milky Way (our home galaxy) is visible on clear nights
Romantic settingThe third and final container of bikes arrived just as returned to the hotel!The guys got right to workUp and over!Outside the hotel at KundasangPhillip Ho and his roaring 900R AdventureMount Kinabalu. Note the evidence of landslides due to the 2015 Ranau earthquakeGroup photo before continuing on the rideStopping at the Sabah Tea Plantation for tea……and picturesAt a restaurant in SepilokThe owner of restaurant treated us to the UFO cakeAt the Sepilok Orangutan Rehabilitation CentreThese guys couldn’t help monkeying aroundWefie timeWe were told to stay out of this guy’s wayWaiting for feeding timeThe orangutan is waiting to be fedStopping fuel on the way to TawauStopping for lunch in TawauGot hammered by heavy rain just after we left TawauStopping to fuel up the 990R AdventuresStill time for a wefieVisiting the looOutside Keningau after a 12-hour and 600km slogRiding over the famed Crocker Range not far from KeningauComing off the Crocker RangeRefuelling at Kuala Penyu before lunchA great view should not go to wasteKuih KelupisWe were welcomed by a traditional bandButod (sago tree weevil larvae) – a local delicacyA group photo before we moved onOn the ferry to LabuanA group shot on the ferryThe quicker way to Labuan, locals call these boats “flying coffins”Full view of the ferry like the one we boardedThe marina behind the hotelAnother great setting for a KTM
The Kawasaki ZX-10R has been dominating the WSBK Championship.
It has been built with winning the championship from the outset.
The 2018 Ninja ZX-10RR revealed at EICMA seeks to continue the dominance.
There’s much to learn from the cut-throat world of racing. Almost every modern-day technology on a motorcycle available to the public was trickled down from racing. That applies not only to sportbikes and race replicas but also to all types of motorcycles from the tyres up.
Motorcycle frames, chassis, engine power delivery, materials, and the way they look, were born out of the necessity to trump the competition in races and ultimately championships.
There are two premier racing classes in the racing world, namely MotoGP and World Superbike.
The motorcycles that race in MotoGP are thoroughbred prototypes, meaning they do not share similarities with motorcycles that are available to the buying public, although the technologies may soon find their way to road-going models.
The World Superbike Championship (WSBK) on the other hand, is production based. But what does that mean?
Being production-based means the machines racing around the world on weekends must be based on bikes that are available to you and I when we visit the bike shop. To be eligible for WSBK competition, the manufacturer must produce a certain amount of motorcycles similar to the one they’d be campaigning with – this process is called “homologation”. The minimum number of homologation models to be produced depends on the total output of the manufacturer – the bigger they are, the more homologation models they have to produce.
While the racebikes aren’t 100% stock, they are much closer to production machines than one might think, since they have to conform to certain stipulations laid out by WSBK. Among them: Frame design and dimensions (therefore chassis dimensions such as rake, trail and wheelbase), the engine’s cylinders’ dimensions, throttle body size, and bodywork dimensions and look must not be altered.
Thus, in order for their bikes to be competitive on the track, manufacturers must create homologation specials that are already imbued with high performance – or shall we say, ready to race. Think of the difference between the standard ZX-10R and ZX-10RR Racing and you get the picture.
2017 ZX-10RR
It’s not only customers who reap the enjoyment of these engineering marvels. Because it truly goes both way as they are also beneficial to the riders too.
Kawasaki has won the World Superbike Championship five times times, including four in the last five years (2013, 2015, 2016, 2017, plus the first in 1993).
Scott Russel
Kawasaki for one is a manufacturer who’s never afraid to push engineering boundaries.
Tom Syke’s 2013 championship-winning ZX-10RR had actually been carried over from 2011. The 2013 model is well-known for its exceptionally linear power delivery, great handling, good ergonomics and advanced K-STRIC traction control electronic package. That meant Sykes and co had something good to work on from the beginning. The ZX-10RR’s 998cc was in fact so good that Colin Edwards’ CRT MotoGP team used it in 2013 MotoGP season.
Tom Sykes in Donington Park, 2013
Sykes was close to defending his title in 2014, but ultimately losing out to Sylvain Guintoli by an agonizing six points due to a single retirement in Malaysia.
The 2015 Ninja ZX-10R wasn’t changed much in terms of hardware, testament to how well it was designed from the outset. It was this year that Jonathan Rea won his first WSBK crown, in his first full season on a Kawasaki. Rea amassed a total of 548 points at season’s end, 132 more than the next rider, Chaz Davies on the Ducati.
Jonathan Rea, 2015
Kawasaki revamped the Ninja ZX-10R in 2016, after taking cues from both factory riders Rea and Sykes. Project leader, Yoshimoto Matsuda even said that his team wasn’t looking at the aesthetics so much as improving the bike’s mechanicals.
The engine had gone on to develop 197 bhp, while weight was reduced to 205 kg. The crankshaft and primary gear were lightened to reduce inertia. The steering head was moved 7.5mm closer to the rider for better control. The swingarm was elongated by 15.8mm to put more weight on the front wheel and reduce wheelies. Both the steering head angle and swingarm pivot are adjustable.
2016 Ninja ZX-10R
Rea went on to dominate the 2016 season and successfully defend his title.
Jonathan Rea, 2015
For 2017, Kawasaki brought back the Ninja ZX-10RR in Winter Test black and single seat. The biggest change was to the engine, where the new cylinder head was designed to readily accept the high lift cams in the race kit. Only 500 units were built.
2017 Ninja ZX-10RR
On the track, Rea decimated the field to win his third successive title, to become only the second rider to have achieved the feat.
Jonathan Rea at Assen, 2017
Kawasaki has also revealed the 2018 Ninja ZX-10RR during EICMA (complete with snowflake logos). Again, because the bike is already so good, almost no changes were made except for cosmetic ones. Will Rea and Sykes dominate again in 2018? It’ll be unwise to bet against them.
2018 Ninja ZX-10RR
That’s the main appeal of the Kawasaki ZX-10RR, as it’s made to dominate on the track from the time it went out of the factory’s doors. As such, customers will get their hands on the best sportbike in the world.
