Wahid Ooi, Author at BikesRepublic.com

Art of Speed (AOS) 2019 Powered by PETRONAS Set to Rock

The Art of Speed (AOS) 2019 Powered by PETRONAS will feature even more attractions for motorcycle nuts, car enthusiasts and the entire family.
It will take place at MAEPS, Serdang 27 July 2019 (10:00 am – 11:00 pm) and 28 July 2019 (10:00 am – 7:00 pm).
It will the biggest ever AOS, by far.

The Art of Speed (AOS) 2019 will feature even more attractions for motorcycle nuts, car enthusiasts and the entire family. It will be the biggest ever AOS event Malaysia has ever seen.

AOS has grown from just a small exhibition in a shopping mall’s open air parking lot to where it is now, due to the hard work put in by founder Asep Ahmad Iskandar and wife Deni, along with his partners and fellow exhibitors and vendors. AOS has now opened the eyes of not only the Malaysian public, VIPs and authorities, and media but also the international custom vehicle and its niche media communities.

Founder of Art of Speed Malaysia; Asep Ahmad Iskandar

Please don’t be put off by the terms “exhibitors and vendors” as AOS is nothing like certain bike weeks. The exhibitors here are automotive fans like you and I.

Art of Speed 2019 (AOS 2019) will once again take place at the Malaysia Agro Exposition Park, Serdang (MAEPS), on 27 July 2019 (10:00 am – 11:00 pm) and 28 July 2019 (10:00 am – 7:00 pm).

Begin Press Release:

Art of Speed, Malaysia’s premier Old-Skool & Kustom Kulture event, returns for its 8^th iteration in 2019, bringing with it a showcase of locally-built customised cars and bikes, art gallery, interactive activities and exciting lucky draw giveaways that visitors have come to enjoy.

With a high crowd expectation exceeding 40,000 visitors across two days, Art of Speed 2019 (AOS 2019) will once again take center stage at the Malaysia Agro Exposition Park, Serdang (MAEPS), on 27 July 2019 (10:00 am – 11:00 pm) and 28 July 2019 (10:00 am – 7:00 pm).

A big highlight of Art of Speed is the support from international custom community and media including:

Shige Suganuma, Hiro “Wildman” Ishii & Masakazu “PAN” Sumi from MOONEYES.
Oliver Jones Grayson a.k.a. The Cutrate; USA (Winner of Born Free 2019).
Shaik Ridzwan a.k.a. The Mighty Motor; USA.
Geoffrey Douglas Baldwin from Return of the Café Racers; Australia.
Christopher Cooper Raymond from Fuel Tank Magazine; Australia.
Matthew Everingham from Speedhunters.com; Australia.
Marlon Slack from Pipeburn; Australia.
Makoto Watanabe from Chopper Journal Magazine; Japan.
Makoto Ukai from Model Cars & Let’s Play VW Magazine; Japan.
Daisuke Katsumura & Satoshi Furuuchi from Kousoku Yuen Magazine & Street VW Magazine; Japan.
Kanda Manabu from Kalifornia Look Magazine, Japan.
Yasuo Sekijima from Vibes Magazine; Japan.
Kengo Kimura from Heiwa Motorcycles; Japan.
Keiji Kawakita from Hot Dock Custom Cycles; Japan.
The Nash from Burnout Magazine; Japan.
Daisuke Sakon from Kustomstyle; Japan.
Kenichiro Kaneko from Truck Masters Show; Japan.
Kenji Hasegawa from Orion Ace; Japan.
G Tiki Art & Pinstriping; Japan.
Makoto M&K Custom Signs; Japan.
Ken Takano from Ken’s Art Kustom Garage; Japan.
Jeffrey Chang from MOONEYES Taiwan.
Lou Nozaki from Beetle Helmet; Japan.

Every year we aim to help inspire locals by bringing in highly modified ‘kustom’ vehicles from overseas, and AOS 2019 continues this tradition with several CQQL bikes and cars from Japan for the show. This year’s featured vehicles include:

HEIWA MOTORCYCLE (JAPAN) with their BMW R9T Custom, which was commissioned by BMW Motorrad.
MOON OF JAPAN 1961 Ford Falcon Sedan Delivery “PANTASTIC”.
HOT DOCK CUSTOM CYCLES (JAPAN) with their 1948 FL Harley-Davidson Custom “StG Nautilus”. The bike was awarded “Grand Champion” at S&S 50^th Anniversary “World’s Largest Build-Off” in 2008.

Special highlights for AOS 2019 will include:

Art of Speed Invitational Car Build Off 2019 powered by PETRONAS, which will feature 7 builders vying for the RM10,000 cash prize (jury selection) & RM5,000.00 cash prize (public choice). The competing builders are:

The Classic Garage from Johor Bahru with builder Ravinder Singh
Naza College Motorsports Team from Shah Alam with project leader Jagjeet Singh together with 5 students
Carazee Artwork from Klang, Selangor with builder Ajie
WakSam Garage X RebanBlackbird from Subang with builders Odie & WakSam
Kazuto Garage from Klang, Selangor with builder Kazuto Soon.
Faroib Autosport from Klang, Selangor with builder Ismail Ibrahim
Garage 63 from Bukit Jalil, Selangor with builder Shawn Foo

The winning car of the Sabah Old School Mega Gathering 2019 will also be shipped in as special featured guest vehicle of the Invitational Car Build Off.

PETRONAS as Title Presenter for the 3^rd consecutive year will also be releasing a once in a lifetime limited edition collectible in collaboration with Hot Wheels & Krome Bandits. Make sure to get yours at AOS 2019!

Hot Wheels will be at AOS 2019 with Global Hot Wheels Lead Designer (Premium and Collector Segments) Steve Vandervate. Coming all the way from the United States, Steve will hold a meet and greet at the event. He will be unveiling the Japan Historics 3 series, which will be released in 2020 under the theme “Legendary Japanese Cars”. Life-sized Nissan Skyline R31 and Honda City Turbo II along with prototype of the diecast will be showcased for attendees during the event. There will be a media walkabout at 10am so please register early at 9am for this exclusive experience!
Hausboom, in collaboration with Hot Wheels, will present an official 1:1 scale New Beetle Gen 1 as a prize give away for a lucky Hausboom consumer at the show. This official collaboration is the first of its kind in Asia. The Beetle will be designed and built by 405 Industries, the studio arm of Art of Speed Malaysia.

VANS will be showcasing a tribute to “Era”, a line of shoes that goes back to 1976. This special exhibition will be featured in Hall A. VANS will also host a skate clinic and families with children can join to learn how to skateboard with equipments provided. This year Sound Circus is also proudly supported by VANS, which promises a line-up of A-list performers at this music festival.
Hail Vintage is back to AOS 2019 and will be hosted in Hall C, featuring a vintage work wear exhibition and 16 specialist vendors. This year’s exhibition will feature even more collectible vintage items to the tune of RM2 million.
Keshy Dhillon from Bikesrepublic.com will be this year’s host for our annual Kustom & Koffee Talk inside Hall A at 3pm on Saturday, together with overseas panelists Oliver Jones Grayson from The Cutrate and Matt Everingham from The Speedhunters. The forum will discuss the latest trends in bike and car industries.

Other AOS 2019 activities include:

Roda Rumble 2019 – Two Wheels Gathering & Outdoor Festival supported by Retro Mania
Food Park featuring Food Trucks, Outdoor Marketplace & Vintage Flea Market
Strider Race for kids organized by Strider Kids Malaysia
MINI 60^th Anniversary Malaysia Celebration
Scale Dicast Culture gathering (Hall C)
Hot Wheels Club Malaysia Custom Contest & Play Zone (Hall C)
MSF Solo Masters Round 2 (Parking Hall D)
Best Of British vintage bike showcase by The Return of The Café Racer & Triumph Motorcycles Malaysia. (Hall A)
Malaysia Automotive, Robotics & IoT Institute showcase (Hall A)
Special Forum with YB Tuan Mohd Khairuddin Othman, the Exco for Youth, Sports & Human Capital Development for the State of Selangor sharing initiatives by the state government
The event will be officially launched by YAB Dato’ Menteri Besar Selangor, Tuan Amirudin Shari at 2pm, Saturday 27 July 2019

With music being an instrumental segment of Art of Speed, the main stage of AOS (known as ‘Sound Circus’) will be moved outdoors in order to accommodate an ever-increasing music fanbase. This year’s Sound Circus* line-up will feature Hujan as the main headline together with upcoming bands Bittersweet, Masdo, Gerhana Ska Cinta, Kapow and many others on Saturday & Sunday featuring Asheed Def Gab C, Kid Search and headline, Blues Gang.

*Sound Circus on Saturday is strictly for ages 18 years old and above ONLY!

Completing the show on Sunday will be the highly coveted lucky draw giveaway where a lucky winner will go home with ONE (1) unit Mini Cooper fully customized by FNG Works with a Suzuki Hayabusa engine. The winners of Best of Show motorcycle and automobile categories will win package trips to the 28^th Annual MOONEYES Yokohama Hotrod and Custom Show this coming December as the Guest of Honour.

Grand Prize for STRIDER CUSTOM COMPETITION

AOS 2019 will be introducing the Speed Lane ticket, which opens one hour earlier at 10am; priced at RM50 valid for both days. Visitors can enjoy one extra hour inside the main hall and Hall C. Speed Lane ticket holders are also entitled to enter Sound Circus outdoor concert. The regular weekend ticket (without Sound Circus outdoor concert) priced at RM20 will also be on sale. Online tickets are available at https://aos.qtic.my/

“Every year there’s a challenge which prompts us to aim further and raise the bar higher, but there’s also reward and satisfaction when you look at how far our local scene has come and how it continues to grow,” said Asep Ahmad Iskandar, Founder of Art of Speed Malaysia.

“As we continue to grow with the scene, so does Art of Speed as it enters its 8^th year running. New and returning visitors can continue to enjoy this year’s show with an air-conditioned 150,000 square feet hall housing a Show and Shine competition for customs and classics in Hall A, NEAT Fest in Hall C in collaboration with NoEqual, the Sound Circus outdoor concert with line-up of A-list performers, Moto Circus art gallery featuring local and international artists, family-friendly activities for parents and children by VANS and many more at Art of Speed 2019.”

For more information about this event, please visit www.artofspeedmy.com or www.facebook.com/ArtOfSpeedMY/

Brad Binder Joins Red Bull KTM Tech 3 in MotoGP 2020, Hafizh Syahrin is Out

Red Bull KTM Tech 3 confirmed today that Brad Binder will move up to the MotoGP team in 2020.
He will replace Malaysian rider Hafizh Syahrin.
There is currently no word on Hafizh’s future ride.

Red Bull KTM Tech 3 confirmed today that South African rider Brad Binder will join the MotoGP team in 2020, while Malaysian rider Hafizh Syahrin is out.

Binder was the 2016 Moto3 champion on a Red Bull KTM and promoted to the Moto2 class for this season. Although the Moto2 team is suffering, Binder has distinguished himself by finishing on the podium twice in a row. He put in an especially extraordinary run in the last German Grand Prix at Sachsenring by charging to a second-placed finish from 19^th on the grid.

He will be the first South African to compete in the premier class, partnering his old Moto2 teammate Miguel Oliveira.

This month has been speculated for months, following Hafizh Syahrin’s unfortunate form. He has struggled to gel with the KTM RC16 throughout the season hence finishing at the bottom of the field consistently. Although we are saddened by this news, we understand that racing is a business.

There are rumours that Hafizh will step back into Moto2. However, there is no word in which team. He may step onto Binder’s Red Bull KTM Moto2 or the Petronas Sprinta Racing Team, which is now without a full-time rider following Khairul Idham Pawi’s injuries.

LEGO Creator Expert Harley-Davidson Fat Boy, Not For Your Kids Only

The LEGO Group revealed its latest LEGO Creator Expert Harley-Davidson Fat Boy model.
The model features 1,023 pieces and measures 20 cm high, 18 cm wide and 33 cm long.
There are moving and working parts on the model.

The LEGO Group revealed its latest LEGO Creator Expert Harley-Davidson Fat Boy model that will cruise into LEGO Stores globally on August 1, 2019.

Developed in collaboration with Harley-Davidson, this detailed LEGO interpretation of the iconic Milwaukee motorcycle captures the beauty of the real-life machine with finishes, surfaces, and design elements crafted to replicate the full-size Harley-Davidson Fat Boy. Featuring 1,023 pieces, the model comes complete with solid-disc wheels, teardrop fuel tank, integrated speedometer, and dual exhaust pipes.

The finished model measures over 20 cm high, 18 cm wide and 33 cm long and features several moveable parts for owners to engage. Spinning the rear tyre will the Milwaukee-Eight engine with moving pistons and dual exhaust pipes, spring to life. Turn the handlebar, move the gear shift and brake levers, and flip down the motorcycle’s kickstand for easy parking. Finished with an authentic dark red and black color scheme with Harley-Davidson logos on each side reflective of the 2019 Fat Boy motorcycle’s Wicked Red paint scheme, it’s a perfect display centerpiece for any home, office, or anywhere to channel the inspiration to ride.

“Bringing this Harley-Davidson motorcycle to life in brick form is incredibly exciting,” said Mike Psiaki, Design Master at LEGO Group. “The model truly captures the iconic design, advanced engineering and attention to detail of this iconic motorcycle, offering an immersive building experience and a unique collector’s item for Harley-Davidson enthusiasts and LEGO fans of all ages.”

“It’s been exceptionally exciting for Harley-Davidson to collaborate with the LEGO Group – another brand that champions creativity and expression,” said Heather Malenshek, Chief Marketing Officer at Harley-Davidson. “Not only do we want customers to be inspired by the end result, we want them to enjoy the building process.”

“The authenticity of Harley-Davidson design comes by sweating the details from start to finish.” said Brad Richards, Vice President of Styling & Design, Harley-Davidson. “We looked at every nut and bolt on the bike, all the finishes, and every small detail. Working with the LEGO team on this project allowed us to bring that same attention to detail to a collaborative product, and to celebrate a brand that inspired the imagination and creativity of many of us at Harley-Davidson from a young age, including myself.”

To celebrate the launch, LEGO Master Builders created a life-size model of the motorcycle, complete with silver coated parts, Wi-Fi animation control, sound and light effects to imitate a real Harley-Davidson Fat Boy and 6,000 special LEGO elements. The extraordinary creation took 865 hours to build, is made of 69,569 pieces and will be on display at select LEGO stores and Harley-Davidson events for fans to see.

The LEGO Creator Expert Harley-Davidson Fat Boy model is available directly from LEGO Stores and shop.LEGO.com exclusively for LEGO VIP members beginning July 17, 2019, with general public availability beginning August 1, 2019.

As for us, we cannot wait until it gets here.

Shell Malaysia “Anda Beli, Kami Derma” Raya Charity Campaign Raises RM 1.92 Million

The recent Shell Malaysia “Anda Beli, Kami Derma” Raya Charity campaign raised a total of RM1.92 million.
It was the fifth year of such campaign, which ran between 30 May to 8 June 2019.
Mastercard also joined Shell Malaysia this year in contributing to the funds.

The Shell Malaysia “Anda Beli, Kami Derma” Raya Charity campaign raised a total of RM1.92 million. In its fifth year, the campaign ran for ten days between 30 May 2019 to 8 June 2019 in an effort to spread the spirit of caring and sharing during the balik kampung season.

During the campaign period, Shell donated 1 sen (RM0.01) for every litre of Shell fuel pumped and 1 sen (RM0.01) for every RM1.00 spent at Shell SELECT stores to the National Cancer Society Malaysia, Food Aid Foundation, and Malaysian Nature Society. Mastercard joined this effort as a valued partner for the second consecutive year and contributed 1 sen (RM0.01) to the Food Aid Foundation for every litre of Shell fuel pumped and every RM1.00 spent at Shell SELECT stores paid for with any Mastercard credit or debit cards.

ShellMalaysia’s‘Anda Beli, Kami Derma’campaign raised a total of RM1.92milfor three (3) organisationsthis year –The National Cancer Society of Malaysia, Food Aid Foundation, and Malaysian Nature Society.Photo 2-From L to R:1. Mr. I.S. Shanmugaraj, Executive Director of Malaysian Nature Society2. Dr. Muralli, Medical Directorof National Cancer Society of Malaysia3. Yang Berbahagia Datuk Muez Abd.Aziz, Secretary General, Ministry of Domestic Trade and Consumer Affairs (MDTCA)4. Shairan Huzani Husain, Managing Director of Shell
Malaysia Trading Sdn Bhd and Shell Timur Sdn Bhd5. Devesh Kuwadekar, Vice President and Head Market Development, Mastercard 6. Rick Chee, Founder of the Food Aid Foundation7. Hayati Ismail, Operations Director of the Food Aid Foundation

This year, motorists were given the option to donate to the organisation of their choice. Additionally, Shell’s agencies and partners came together to support this initiative through contributions in the form of media advertising and resources.

Shairan Huzani Husain, Managing Director of Shell Malaysia Trading Sdn. Bhd. and Shell Timur Sdn Bhd applauded the collection this year and shared, “We are once again humbled by the generosity and support of our Malaysian motorists, in helping us raise a total of RM1.92mil for the organisations in just 10 days. We wish to thank all our customers and partners for contributing to this cause. In line with our mission to make life’s journeys better for all Malaysians, we hope this initiative will continue to inspire others to extend a helping hand for those who are in need.”

Photo 3-From L to R:1. Zharin ZhafraelMohd,National Sales Manager of Shell Malaysia2. Dr. Muralli, Medical Director of National Cancer Society of Malaysia3. Yang Berbahagia Datuk Muez Abd.Aziz, Secretary General, Ministry of Domestic Trade and Consumer Affairs (MDTCA)4. Shairan Huzani Husain, Managing Director of Shell Malaysia Trading Sdn Bhd and Shell Timur Sdn Bhd5. Devesh Kuwadekar, Vice President and Head Market Development, Mastercard5. Rick Chee, Founder of the Food Aid Foundation6. Mr. I.S. Shanmugaraj, Executive Director of Malaysian Nature Society

Perry Ong, Country Manager of Malaysia and Brunei, Mastercard said, “This partnership has been instrumental in encouraging Malaysians to use cashless payments for their everyday purchases, while at the same time, giving back to the community and impacting the lives of the less privileged. Contributions made through this campaign will support local causes, including the provision of meals for children in need. Driven by its philosophy of ‘doing well by doing good’, Mastercard is committed to collaborating with partners like Shell who share the same philosophy.”

The continuous support and generosity of Malaysian motorists has encouraged Shell to run this campaign annually to impact more lives. In the spirit of caring and sharing, the funds collected from this year’s ‘Anda Beli, Kami Derma’ campaign will go towards supporting the organisations’ efforts in building a brighter future for the communities they serve.

For more details, please visit: www.shell.com.my/CSR

GIVI Explorer Adventure Comes to Malaysia This Year!

The GIVI Explorer Adventure will be held in Malaysia this year.
Called the GIVI Malaysian Adventure, participants will ride from 20^th to 29^th July, covering 2500 km of Peninsular Malaysia.
The ride includes witnessing the GIVI Rimba Raid 2019 at Janda Baik, Pahang.

Called the GIVI Malaysian Adventure, the prestigious ride comes to our beautiful Malaysia this year. For 10 days from 20^th to 29^th July, the convoy consisting of worldwide GIVI dealers and riders will enjoy the best of what this amazing country has to offer.

The adventure is also held conjunction with GIVI Asia Sdn. Bhd.’s 25^th Anniversary in Malaysia. As such the event will begin from GIVI Asia’s headquarters and factory in Bukit Beruntung, Selangor. It is here that most of GIVI’s polymer motorcycle cases are made. The participants will tour the facilities prior to the flag off.

Participants will ride a host of motorcycles including the Triumph Tiger 800 XC and XR variants, the new Triumph Scrambler 1200 XC and XE, Ducatis, Moto Guzzis and Kawasakis.

Particular attention is given to the Scrambler 1200 XE as one of the riders will race it in the GIVI Rimba Raid Janda Baik 2019.

The adventure’s itinerary includes riding to Malaysian landmarks such as the leaning tower in Teluk Intan, Kelly’s Castle, Belum Rainforest and Temenggor lake, Pulau Redang, before heading back to the historic city of Melaka to visit A’ Famosa, St. Paul’s Cathedral, Stadthuys, Jonker Walk among others.

From Melaka, the convoy heads to Janda Baik, Pahang for the GIVI Rimba Raid Janda Baik 2019.

You are welcome to witness the international event. It will be held from 26^th to 28^th July at the Rimba Valley Motorcamp (please see the map below).

The adventure will end at Genting Highlands on 29^th July.

We have participated in the GIVI Explorer Adventure on two previous occasions: South Africa in 2015; Thailand, Cambodia and Vietnam in 2017. Apart from those, the adventure had covered the Patagonia region in Chile, Colombia, and Morocco last year.

The GIVI Golden Triangle Adventure in 2017

While it may seem like vacations in exotic places (indeed, the bywords for the ride are “Explore, Enjoy”), the GIVI Explorer Adventure is the rolling test lab for the company’s new products. This is about taking R&D onto the road, in the real world, before they are further refined, manufactured and finally sold to bikers like you and I. Thus, the GIVI Explorer Adventure is an important event.

So see you on the road!

Malaysian Customs Dept May Confiscate Your Helmet

The Malaysian Customs Dept may confiscate your helmet at points of entry.
It is to stop non-regulated helmets entering the country and made available for sale.
We called the Customs Dept for clarification; details below.

Our friends at Ministry of Superbike posted a picture at a Malaysian airport regarding motorcycle helmets. The Malaysian Customs Dept and JPJ (Road Transport Ministry of Malaysia) are working together on this new ruling.

The poster warned that helmets imported and brought into Malaysia without the UN R22 (ECE22.XX) or SIRIM MS1 standards will be confiscated.

This helmet has a SNELL print but is also a SIRIM MS1 sticker, so it’s okay

BikesRepublic.com made a few (urgent) calls to the Customs Dept. regarding this matter. That’s also because we bring our own helmets and riding gear for overseas test rides.

Firstly, the Customs Dept. recommends that Malaysians leaving the country with a helmet or two to declare the items. We may do so at the Customs office at points of disembarkation.

That’s because we may have a hard time convincing the officers that it was our personal helmet(s) that we brought overseas in the first place. We’ll have to pay a Customs Duty if we couldn’t convince them otherwise.

Secondly, for Malaysians, if we are question regarding a helmet in a box, it needs to comply with the said regulations, even if it’s for personal use. For example, it’s a DOT certified helmet with no other certifications. It will be confiscated if you did not seek prior permit from JPJ. (Due to suspicion of importing it for sale.)

Thirdly, if you are a foreigner travelling to Malaysia with a helmet that doesn’t meet those regulations, make sure it is for personal use. If you bring one together with a box, you may have it detained while seeking approval from JPJ or confiscated outright.

So please bear these points in mind lest you have your MotoGP star autographed helmet end up in the bin at the airport.

These steps by the ministries involved have been a long time coming, since many irresponsible parties have been illegally importing helmets that do not meet Malaysian safety regulations.

You may also reach the Malaysian Customs Department’s enquiry hotline at 1-300-888-500.

German Court Rules Sikh Bikers Are Not Exempt from Wearing Helmets

A German court judge ruled that Sikh bikers in the country must wear helmets.
The decision was in response to an appeal for Sikh bikers to continue riding in their dastaar.
The judge cited safety concerns.

A German court has decided to rule that Sikh bikers are not exempt from the country’s helmet laws.

The ruling was in response to a Sikh man’s appeal that a helmet could not fit over his dastaar (the traditional turban worn by Sikhs).

Federal Administrative Court of Leipzig judge Renate Philip said that the law does not excuse a motorcyclist not wearing a helmet on grounds of religion. He also added that a helmet protects the rider and avoid head trauma. Additionally, riders who do wear helmets can assist others in accidents.

Several countries have exemptions for wearing a motorcycle crash helmet. Malaysia is one among other countries which includes India, the United Kingdom, et al.

Similar appeals have been made by the Sikh biker community in Australia in 2017, where even cyclists are required to wear helmets.

Over in the United States of America, the New York Police Department (NYPD) ordered the Sikh Motorcycle Club members to wear helmets during the Sikh Day Parade in 2017, although they rode a slow, parade pace. The club members decided to park their motorcycles and parade by foot. They cited that it served as a great way to educate children on riding with helmets.

Source: RideApart

Where is the 2019 BMW S 1000 RR?

The new 2019 BMW S 1000 RR has yet to arrive in Malaysia.
The delay is due to the great demand for the M Package S 1000 RR worldwide.
BMW Motorrad is currently working on clearing the supply bottleneck.

Besides the just-launched new 2019 BMW R 1250 GS and GS Adventure, one has to ask where in the world is the 2019 BMW S 1000 RR?

Even we at BikesRepublic.com were hoping to see it launched during the BMW Motorrad Night Fuel Kuala Lumpur lifestyle event a few weeks ago.

Alas, the bike didn’t appear. So, we decided to post the question to BMW Motorrad Malaysia.

Apparently, it turned out that BMW Motorrad’s factory in Munich is overloaded with orders for the “M Package.” Based on the standard S 1000 RR, the M Pakcage adds motorsport paint, carbon fibre wheels, lightweight battery, M Chassis kit which includes rear seat height and swingarm pivot adjustment, sport seat and Pro Mode.

It has to be said that this is the first time BMW Motorrad is offering an M Package for their bikes. BMW cars have had the M option for a long time, in contrast.

It’s due to this demand for the M Package that reduced the number of the standard S 1000 RR.

This delay is worldwide and affects not Malaysia alone.

In any case, you can bet that BMW Motorrad is working to clear the supply bottleneck.

VIDEO: Tiger Chases Motorcyclists

It’s not everyday that motorcyclists get chased by a tiger.
This video came from the Pambra, Wayanad region in India.
The region is surrounded by tiger sanctuaries.

This news may have gotten around somewhat, but it’s not everyday that motorcyclists get chased by a tiger.

In the video, the pillion spotted something moving in the bushes parallel to the road, which suddenly turned out to be the striped apex predator. You can hear him screaming in panic as the big cat lunges out onto the road and started chasing the motorcycle. They got away, fortunately, otherwise this would’ve been a real-life “found footage” news.

The video was shot in the Pambra, Wayanad region in India. The area is flanked by the Nagarhole National Park and Tiger Reserve to the north, and the Bandipur Tiger Reserve and National Park to the east. The former is reported to house 9 tigers for every 100 square kilometres, while the latter is home to another 231 of the majestic cats.

The Nagarhole Park is completely wild, meaning the animals are not caged and allowed to roam freely. This is why two-wheeled vehicles are not allowed to travel through. Instead, they need to go around the sanctuary. However, there are safari tours by jeep and boat.

We don’t know about how these guys felt afterwards, but we’d need new underwear if it were us.

BMW R nine T/5 Commemorates BMW 5 Series

The BMW R nine T/5 commemorates the classic BMW /5 series which made its debut in 1969.
It also happens to be the 50^th anniversary of BMW Motorrad’s Berlin Spandau factory.
There are many classic touches and a badge on the bike.

The BMW R nine T/5 commemorates the classic BMW /5 series which made its debut in 1969. It also happens to be the 50^th anniversary of BMW Motorrad’s Berlin Spandau factory.

As such, the R nine T/5 is finished in Lupine Blue with white pinstripes and features many other classic touches. They include silver and black finishes smattered throughout the bike, such as the chrome mirrors, exhaust manifolds and silencer.

The seat is reminiscent of the BMW /5 with white lining, grab strap and embossing. The forks are covered with rubber gaiters. The aluminium silver wheels and spokes are definitely vintage looking. The footpegs and fork brace are anodized aluminium. The black knee pads on the fuel tank is a nice classic touch, too.

The R nine T is BMW Motorrad’s modern-classic line-up hence they are modern bikes, of course. There are heated grips, instrumentation that combines classic and modern features, ABS and ASC (Stability Control) are standard.

Sure, one could take a standard R nine T Pure and build it too look exactly like the R nine T/5, but the latter comes with a commemorative badge on the tank.

2019 Aprilia RSV4 1100 Factory: Ten Things You Should Know

Didi Resources launched the 2019 Aprilia RSV4 1100 Factory today.
It’s the most powerful normally-aspirated and non-race homologation superbike.
It’s also the lightest of the lot.

Didi Resources launched the 2019 Aprilia RSV4 1100 Factory today. The price is from RM 159,900 but Didi Resources will include the optional carbon fibre front brake ducts worth RM 4,000 for the first batch of buyers.

While eyes are on another Italian bike, the 2019 Aprilia RSV4 1100 Factory promises to be even faster and focused on outright performance.

But rather than bore you with a long write-up, here are ten things you should know about this bike.

1. 10^th Year of the RSV4

The 2019 RSV4 1100 Factory actually commemorates the 10^th year of the Aprilia RSV4. The 2009 bike won a number of accolades including Best Sportbike of the year not only for its power and performance but also the groundbreaking APRC (Aprilia Performance Ride Control) electronic suite.

2. Most powerful sportbike

The RSV1100 Factory is 100cc up from previous models. The 1078cc 65-degree V-Four powerplant sees the increase of 16 hp and 6.8 Nm to 217 hp at 13,200 RPM and 122 Nm of torque at 11,000 RPM. That makes it the most powerful normally-aspirated and also non-homologation special sportbike.

3. New APRC package

The APRC rider aid package has been expanded to include extra features to rein in those 217 horses. Together, they are Aprilia Traction Control (ATC), Aprilia Wheelie Control (AWC), Aprilia Launch Control (ALC), Aprilia Quick Shift (AQS) and Aprilia Pit Limiter (ALC). These features were brought over from the RSV4 RR.

4. The lightest

It is also the lightest among its peers (apart from the race-homologated Panigale V4 R). The RSV4 1100 Factory weighs 5 kg lighter than its predecessor, resulting in a lithe 199 kg, fully fueled and ready to ride.

5. Weight-loss regiment

A Bosch lithium-ion battery and Akrapovic exhaust system contributes to the low weight.

6. Special Akrapovic exhaust

Speaking of the exhaust, the system was specially designed developed together with the famed maker, Akrapovic. The new system is not only responsible for the power increase but also yielding smoother power and torque curves.

7. Redesigned frame

The aluminium frame has been redesigned for even more cornering prowess that Aprilias are famous for. New steering bushings steepen the rake angle by 2-degrees. Additionally, there is a 2mm less offset of the triple clamps for less trail. The changes to the steering geometry results in a 4mm shorter wheelbase. Aprilia also stiffened the swingarm. These changes ought to make the bike even more nimble.

8. Öhlins, of course

The bike is suspended by fully-adjustable Öhlins NIX forks and Öhlins TTX rear shock. The forks have 5mm more travel. They are non-electronic, however.

9. “Stylo” Brembo Stylema

Hauling the RSV4 1100 Factory down from speed are Brembo’s latest Stylema brake calipers. These are smaller, lighter yet stiffer for a better feel at the lever. (Make sure you secure them!) As we mentioned earlier, owners can fit the optional carbon fibre ducts to channel cooling air to the calipers.

10. MotoGP-inspired aerobody

There are two spoilers mounted on each side of the fairing. They generate up 8 kg of downforce at 300 km/h to keep the front tyre on the road.

Bikesrepublic

Wahid Ooi

The Art of Speed (AOS) 2019 Powered by PETRONAS will feature even more attractions for motorcycle nuts, car enthusiasts and the entire family.

It will take place at MAEPS, Serdang 27 July 2019 (10:00 am – 11:00 pm) and 28 July 2019 (10:00 am – 7:00 pm).

It will the biggest ever AOS, by far.

Special highlights for AOS 2019 will include:

Other AOS 2019 activities include:

Red Bull KTM Tech 3 confirmed today that Brad Binder will move up to the MotoGP team in 2020.

He will replace Malaysian rider Hafizh Syahrin.

There is currently no word on Hafizh’s future ride.

The LEGO Group revealed its latest LEGO Creator Expert Harley-Davidson Fat Boy model.

The model features 1,023 pieces and measures 20 cm high, 18 cm wide and 33 cm long.

There are moving and working parts on the model.

The recent Shell Malaysia “Anda Beli, Kami Derma” Raya Charity campaign raised a total of RM1.92 million.

It was the fifth year of such campaign, which ran between 30 May to 8 June 2019.

Mastercard also joined Shell Malaysia this year in contributing to the funds.

The GIVI Explorer Adventure will be held in Malaysia this year.

Called the GIVI Malaysian Adventure, participants will ride from 20th to 29th July, covering 2500 km of Peninsular Malaysia.

The ride includes witnessing the GIVI Rimba Raid 2019 at Janda Baik, Pahang.

The Malaysian Customs Dept may confiscate your helmet at points of entry.

It is to stop non-regulated helmets entering the country and made available for sale.

We called the Customs Dept for clarification; details below.

A German court judge ruled that Sikh bikers in the country must wear helmets.

The decision was in response to an appeal for Sikh bikers to continue riding in their dastaar.

The judge cited safety concerns.

The new 2019 BMW S 1000 RR has yet to arrive in Malaysia.

The delay is due to the great demand for the M Package S 1000 RR worldwide.

BMW Motorrad is currently working on clearing the supply bottleneck.

It’s not everyday that motorcyclists get chased by a tiger.

This video came from the Pambra, Wayanad region in India.

The region is surrounded by tiger sanctuaries.

The BMW R nine T/5 commemorates the classic BMW /5 series which made its debut in 1969.

It also happens to be the 50th anniversary of BMW Motorrad’s Berlin Spandau factory.

There are many classic touches and a badge on the bike.

Didi Resources launched the 2019 Aprilia RSV4 1100 Factory today.

It’s the most powerful normally-aspirated and non-race homologation superbike.

It’s also the lightest of the lot.

1. 10th Year of the RSV4

2. Most powerful sportbike

3. New APRC package

4. The lightest

5. Weight-loss regiment

6. Special Akrapovic exhaust

7. Redesigned frame

8. Öhlins, of course

9. “Stylo” Brembo Stylema

10. MotoGP-inspired aerobody

Ducati confirmed that Danilo Petrucci will ride for the Ducati factory team in the 2020 MotoGP season.

The decision follows his consistent podium finishes and victory at Mugello.

Jack Miller will likely continue with Pramac Ducati.

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Called the GIVI Malaysian Adventure, participants will ride from 20^th to 29^th July, covering 2500 km of Peninsular Malaysia.

It also happens to be the 50^th anniversary of BMW Motorrad’s Berlin Spandau factory.

1. 10^th Year of the RSV4