Wahid Ooi, Author at BikesRepublic.com

Ducati Signs Deal with Vmoto to Produce Electric Scooters

Ducati has tied up with Chinese electric scooter and motorcycle manufacturer Vmoto.
The scooters will be rebranded as licensed products.
It will be a luxury version of the current Super Soco CUx scooter.

Ducati has tied up with Chinese electric scooter and motorcycle manufacturer Vmoto. The deal should see a Ducati-branded electric scooter before the launch of a fully-electric Ducati motorcycle.

The deal licenses Vmoto to build Ducati-branded Super Soco CUx electric scooters as “official products under the license of Ducati.” Soco is a sub-brand of Vmoto.

However, as expected, the scooters will not be any run-of-the-mill bikes. Instead, these will be a special luxury version of the CUx and sold at premium prices.

The deal also says that Vmoto will distribute the scooters to their distribution network. Ducati, on the other hand, will carry out the marketing duties.

If the upcoming scooter is based on the CUx, the performance figures ought to remain the same. Currently, the 2019 model uses a 3.75hp Bosch hub motor which gives it a top speed of 45 km/h. That isn’t a lot, of course, but it is applicable to the speed limit in heavily urbanized areas.

Its 1.8 kWh battery pack gives it a range of up to 75km. Other novel features include a built-in forward-facing camera for safety and sharing to social media purposes.

We are a little surprised by Ducati’s move, frankly. But the Italian manufacturer has also worked with a bicycle manufacturer and marketing the bike. Perhaps they are looking at a holistic approach, rather than just sticking to the big bike market only.

We shall see what they have in their sleeves by Intermot and EICMA this year.

Source and pictures: Electrek.co

200 Harley-Davidson Riders Gave Dying Man a Touching Final Sendoff

200 Harley-Davidson riders made a dying man’s last wish come true.
Jon Stanley was dying of cancer and wanted to hear the roar of a Harley V-Twin one final time.
A call to action brought 200 Harleys to his house, instead.

The general public may look at bikers, among them Harley-Davidson riders, as a rough and uncouth bunch, but truth is, bikers are just as human as everyone else. Think about it: Charity rides, toy runs, visiting orphanages, and the list goes on.

Jon Stanley was an avid biker who had recently purchased a Harley-Davidson Softail. Unfortunately, he was diagnosed with terminal brain and lung cancer soon after and was forced to stop riding.

As he laid dying, he had one last wish: To hear the roar of a Harley-Davidson V-Twin through his window for one final time.

Stanley’s brother contacted a local Harley rider David Thompson in South Bend, Indiana through Facebook and relayed the man’s wish. Thompson acted immediately by setting up a call to action also in Facebook.

About 200 Harley-Davidson riders responded in less than 12 hours. They got organized and rode en masse to Stanley’s house.

Stanley’s family and bikers carried him into a sidecar and a collective 250,000cc of American V-Twin thundered in unison.

Stanley fought his last battle with cancer and passed away later that night.

Here’s a big cheer to David Thompson who made the call and the bikers who made Stanley’s finish wish come true.

Source: WBST-TV

KTM Secures Miguel Oliveira for 2020 MotoGP Season

Miguel Oliveira will continue to ride for KTM in the 2020 MotoGP season.
He has so far impressed everyone this season.
He is currently in front of a number of more experienced men in the standings.

KTM secures Miguel Oliveira through the 2020 MotoGP season.

The Portuguese rookies has so far impressed everyone in the 2019 season, including veteran riders on the KTM RC16 MotoGP bike. He will continue to ride for the Red Bull KTM Tech3 team next year.

He was riding further up the field in the season opener at Qatar but dropped down to 17^that the finish after destroying his tyres. But he learned quickly and fought hard for 9^thwith Aleix Espargaro on the Aprilia and Pol Espargaro on the factory KTM, before settling for 11^th. In Austin, Oliveira finished 14^thbehind Johann Zarco on the factory KTM.

Oliveira came oh-so-close to winning the 2018 Moto2 championship, by winning 3 races and standing on the podium a total of 12 times. He would eventually end the season with just 9 points behind Francesco Bagnaia.

His results had him promoted to MotoGP right away, albeit to the Tech3 satellite team. But it didn’t matter, since both Red Bull KTM Factory Racing and Red Bull KTM Tech 3 Racing teams share the same factory-spec KTM RC16.

Oliveira is now 16^thin the standings, ahead of Jorge Lorenzo, Andrea Ianone, Johann Zarco, Tito Rabat and teammate Hafizh Syahrin.

Teenager Scammed in Buying Motorcycle Online

A teenager was scammed when he bought a motorcycle online.
The seller had used a fake identity card and many have fallen victim to such scam.
The safest way of buying a motorcycle is to view the bike together with the seller.

There’s a saying that “if it’s too good to be true, then it probably is.” But it’s human instinct to latch on to “irresistible deals,” isn’t it? That was how a teenager was scammed when he tried to purchase a motorcycle online.

19-year-old Arvin Veerasegaran had saved the money for the last three months by working part-time at a hotel. He had wanted a motorcycle for his daily conveyance.

So, when he saw an ad in the online portal, Mudah.my, he acted. The ad listed a secondhand Yamaha LC135 for only RM 3,000, below the market rate of RM 4,000.

The seller even presented his identification card as proof, which prompted Arvin to transfer the full amount of RM 3,000. The scammer then told him to visit the shop to pick up his bike the next day.

The operator of KS Wong Motor had lodged a police report as far back as August 4^th2018, after discovering that scammers had used her shop’s name. They were shocked again when Arvin presented an invoice bearing their shop’s name on April 19^th.

But Arvin wasn’t the only person who visited the shop to pick up his bike. There was another person who had wanted to pick up a Yamaha NVX on the same day. Four people have visited her shop and another 20 called for their bikes thus far.

It was also revealed that the seller had used a fake identity to open a bank account.

So, be careful of who you purchase your bike from. Best way is to ask to physically view the bike together with the seller.

Source: The Star

Suzuki Patents a Novel Single-Cylinder Engine

Suzuki patents a special kind of single-cylinder engine.
It has two conrods but only one piston.
The objective is to reduce vibrations.

Suzuki has just submitted the patents for a “special” kind of single-cylinder engine.

Single-cylinder engines may not get the cred for all-out horsepower, but they are quick-revving hence punchy. Besides that, having just one piston means fewer reciprocating parts resulting in a lighter engine which promotes agility. That’s the reason why dirt-bikes and lightweights such as the KTM 390 Duke are equipped with singles.

But the downside is lots of vibration especially at higher revs. It not only robs comfort but will also eventually loosen everything else on the bike.

That’s why single-cylinder engines feature counterbalancer shafts. The shaft normally sits low, in front of crankshaft.

Suzuki’s patent shows a different kind of layout.

Instead of using a balancer shaft, there is a second conrod without a piston. Doing so not only balances against the crankshaft, but also the piston, resulting in a much smoother engine.

Having a second conrod isn’t new by all accounts. Ducati did so with the Supermono. However, the Italian manufacturer employed a standard 90^oV-Twin engine with one cylinder without a sparkplug, hence turning it into an airpump.

Kawasaki Buys More MODENAS Shares

Kawasaki Heavy Industries, Ltd. has increased their stake in Modenas.
Their current purchase will see them hold a 30% stake, up from 11%.
But converting the upcoming CPS will bring KHI’s stake to 48%.

Kawasaki Heavy Industries, Ltd. (KHI) otherwise known as “Kawasaki Japan” increases their stake in Modenas from 19 to 30 percent.

KHI and DRB-Hicom Bhd. entered an agreement for KHI to purchase and additional 14.3 million shares which equals an 11 percent stake. The shares were valued at RM 40.3 million cash.

Additionally, KHI is also subscribing to 52 million convertible preference shares (CPS) that will be issued by Modenas. KHI’s stake in the company will rise to 48% upon conversion.

KHI’s larger equity means that will actively participate in Modenas’s operations, rather than just being a bystander. The two entities have been partners for more than 20 years and KHI has been a 19% shareholder in Modenas since the latter’s inception in 1995.

The first Modenas motorcycles were based on Kawasaki’s models, including the Jaguh 175 lightweight cruiser. Apart from producing motorcycles, Modenas also machines components for KHI.

Their production facility is based in Gurun, Kedah and has a capacity of 130,000 units per year.

It’ll be interesting to see what KHI has in mind for the Modenas-Bajaj partnership.

Berluti Triumph Bonneville, You Don’t Have to be Metrosexual

The Berluti Triumph Bonneville sees a good example of fashion and motorcycling.
Berluti is a sub-brand of Louis Vuitton.
The bodywork is carbon fibre and engine stock.

You know, there are many reasons why we love motorcycles; among them is the ability to individualize them to whichever philosophy one chooses. Case in point is this Berluti Triumph Bonneville which wouldn’t be out of place on a fashion catwalk.

It’s not new for fashion houses to get involved with motorcycling, of course. Some produce clothing with riding gear styles, some commission entire motorcycle builts. For example, Chanel recently teamed up with Pharrell Williams and Veldt to create some truly funky helmets.

This bike, on the other hand, was commissioned by Maison Berluti, a sub-brand of infamous Louis Vuitton (LV). The bike is part of the “Berluti Beach” collection which includes a Porsche 911 Targa, gym weight kit, and soccer ball.

As you can see from the pictures, the stock bodywork has been replaced with a curvy one, made from a single piece of carbon fibre. Since Berluti is a leather specialist, the seat is topped off with a specialty “Vitello Fiore” brown hide.

The 1200cc, liquid-cooled T120 engine is left stock.

The bike will be auctioned at Sotheby’s along with a pair of matching leather boots and leather-wrapped helmet.

Wipey Keeps Your Helmet Visor Clear… Wait, a What?

Wipey is a helmet visor wiper.
The Kickstarter crowd-funded project has not started production.
Hopefully it helps to keep the visor clear.

There are times when we feel envious of car drivers. Like during the current weather: Heat that feels like it’s going to roast your brain inside your helmet, and rain so heavy it’s like standing under a waterfall. Car drivers have air-conditioning to deal with the former, and wipers to keep their windshields clear in the event of rain.

For us bikers, the the most irritating and dangerous thing to happen during a rainstorm is loss of vision. Rain water or droplets stick to the helmet’s visor, robbing us of vision.

We’ve tried coating Rain-X Plastic on one of our helmets’ visor, but some water still sticks. The water droplets only started rolling upwards at high speeds. Besides that, the product is nigh-impossible to find!

There’s probably going to be a solution soon. Well, if this Kickstarter crowd-funded product takes off. From Slovenia and called the “Wipey,” it’s a self-contained mini wiper for the helmet visor.

First, the rider installs the mount on top of the visor before clipping the Wipey onto the mount. The mounting position doesn’t impede on the Pinlock insert. A single button activates the wiper blade and multiple presses turn on different speeds. The unit is powered by a 3V battery. There’s also an option for a handlebar-mounted Bluetooth controller.

New Kawasaki Ninja ZX-10RR for 2020?

Kawasaki is probably reeling in shock from Alvaro Bautista and the Ducati V4 R’s dominance in WorldSBK.
They are also upset that Ducati used MotoGP technology in the V4 R.
They’ve hinted that there’ll be a new Kawasaki Ninja ZX-10RR for the 2020 season.

Kawasaki had kept their faith in the Kawasaki Ninja ZX-10RR for the 2019 WorldSBK season. The bike had won four titles in a row, after all.

But the combination of the Ducati V4 R and Alvaro Bautista laid everything bare, destroying the entire field. It’s not good lose face this way so a new ZX-10RR must be in the works for 2020.

It was bound to happen as Kawasaki Racing Team (KRT) Senior Engineer Ichiro Yoda told German website Speedweek.

Kawasaki isn’t happy about Ducati building a number of special, homologation models that are far removed from the “normal” V4. To them, it’s going against the spirit of WorldSBK and thus has stuck to the slightly hotted-up Ninja ZX-10R, which became the ZX-10RR.

However, one has to remember that WorldSBK rules actually encourage this route. A factory needs to build 250 homologation specials in the first year, followed by another 250 in the next. The sales price is capped at € 40,000.

The question is if Kawasaki wants to really go down this route. The superbike segment is shrinking but there are still plenty of interested parties. But Kawasaki is the only one among the Japanese Big Four who are not involved in MotoGP. Consequently, they will definitely need to respond to the Ducati V4 R in WorldSBK, and that means a new ZX-10RR.

Kitaco Honda Monkey 125 Café – Edgy but Still Cute

Japanese aftermarket component maker, Kitaco, turned the cute Honda Monkey into an edgy café racer.
It looks like a riveted steel-plated beast but doesn’t lose its cuteness.
The Honda Monkey is a great platform for individualization.

The Honda Monkey has always been seen as cute bikes, but a Japanese aftermarket component maker turns it into something edgier. Case in point is this Kitaco Honda Monkey 125 Café.

Kitaco produces components for all for Japanese manufacturers. But they turned the playbike into this café racer. Their Monkey 125 Café was put together for the Tokyo Motor Show. It was also shown off during the 12^thMonkey Meeting in Tama, Japan.

If you thought the stock 12-inch wheels are too small, Kitaco swapped them out for a pair of even smaller 10-inch items. The cowling was one-off but Japanese magazine said that it could be volume-produced. The stock rear suspension was replaced with a pair of Nitron shocks with remote reservoirs.

The engine also received attention in the form of a 181cc NEO big bore kit. Exhaust gasses are vented through a Kitaco exhaust tip.

The whole packaged is finished in a theme that looks like metal plates riveted together, with sakura (cheery blossom) flowers floating over them.

So, call the Honda Monkey small, impractical or whatever because some customization could turn it into something amazing.

Triumph Bonneville Super Hooligan Flat-Tracker

Flat-track racers or inspired customs are unmistakable like this Triumph Bonneville Super Hooligan flat-tracker.
This one was modified for the Super Hooligan class racing.
Art Hartman, the racer who build this bike finds the Bonnie lighter and nimbler.

Flat-track racing may not be popular due to lack of visibility here in Malaysia, but no one could ever forget the experience of watching one of the races. The bikes that race in the series are also unmistakable, such as this Triumph Bonneville Super Hooligan flat-tracker.

If we behold sportbikes are about technology and unobtanium components, we ought to admire flat-track racers for their purity. That purity of form is for one thing – blasting sideways around a dirt oval track at 200 km/h.

Sure, there were other builts that take the form of flat-trackers, including a built kit in the Harley catalogue, but this Triumph looks prettier!

This Triumph Bonneville Flat-Tracker for the Super Hooligan class that you see here was built by racer Paul Hartman.

He had destroyed his Harley-Davidson racebike in a hill climb event and need to build a new Super-Hooligan spec bike. The regulations call for a stock frame and engine of 750cc and up.

Instead of redoing another Harley Sportster, Hartman chose the Triumph Bonneville. He explained that while Harleys are the chosen Super Hooligan racer, it is heavy and has a long wheelbase. However, he found the perfect bike in the Bonnie, since it weighs only 204 kg and the wheelbase is 51 mm shorter than the Sportster’s.

Hartman went to work with a 2006 Bonneville T100, leaving only the ECU and two other parts factory stock, while the rest are race-spec components. There is a lightweight Antigravity lithium battery to save weight. The exhaust is an S&S flat-track unit, intake air is handled by a K&N filter. The anodized black wheels are sourced from Performance Machine. The tanks and seat unit are painted blue to contrast with the black parts, to a stunning result.

Would you turn you Bonnie into something like this? We know we would.

Source: Pipe Burn

JPJ (Road Transport Department) Auctioned 65 Vehicles

The JPJ of Negeri Sembilan (Road Transport Department) recently auctioned 65 vehicles.
It pulled in a total of RM 389,963.
The highest bid for a motorcycle was RM 15,000 for a Yamaha YZF-R6.

The JPJ of Negeri Sembilan (Road Transport Department) recently auctioned 65 vehicles in one day at the recent Public Auctions Program Series 1/2019 in Seremban.

Apart from the vehicles, 172 auction books were also sold. The program netted an impressive total of RM 389,963.

The batch of vehicles consists of 30 motorcycles, 20 cars, nine MPVs, two trucks, one jeep, and a trailer.

Director of the JPJ’s Enforcement Unit’s Headquarters, Khairul Anwar Bachok expressed his surprise at the large turnout. A crowd started to show since 8am and stayed until the auctions ended at 3pm.

Bids for motorcycles opened at RM 150. A lucky bidder claimed a Yamaha YZF-R6 for RM 15,000.

The vehicles consist of those confiscated by the department for various offences. The vehicles were without legal owners after court rulings. Offences included not having valid Motor Vehicle License (better known as road tax), driving without a valid license, and driving below legal age. A number of the cars were “clones”.

The JPJ has auctioned a total of 599 vehicles since 2013, pulling in RM 737,780.

So, watch out for the next auction, because you don’t what you can walk away with.

Bikesrepublic

Wahid Ooi

Ducati has tied up with Chinese electric scooter and motorcycle manufacturer Vmoto.

The scooters will be rebranded as licensed products.

It will be a luxury version of the current Super Soco CUx scooter.

200 Harley-Davidson riders made a dying man’s last wish come true.

Jon Stanley was dying of cancer and wanted to hear the roar of a Harley V-Twin one final time.

A call to action brought 200 Harleys to his house, instead.

Miguel Oliveira will continue to ride for KTM in the 2020 MotoGP season.

He has so far impressed everyone this season.

He is currently in front of a number of more experienced men in the standings.

A teenager was scammed when he bought a motorcycle online.

The seller had used a fake identity card and many have fallen victim to such scam.

The safest way of buying a motorcycle is to view the bike together with the seller.

Suzuki patents a special kind of single-cylinder engine.

It has two conrods but only one piston.

The objective is to reduce vibrations.

Kawasaki Heavy Industries, Ltd. has increased their stake in Modenas.

Their current purchase will see them hold a 30% stake, up from 11%.

But converting the upcoming CPS will bring KHI’s stake to 48%.

The Berluti Triumph Bonneville sees a good example of fashion and motorcycling.

Berluti is a sub-brand of Louis Vuitton.

The bodywork is carbon fibre and engine stock.

Wipey is a helmet visor wiper.

The Kickstarter crowd-funded project has not started production.

Hopefully it helps to keep the visor clear.

Kawasaki is probably reeling in shock from Alvaro Bautista and the Ducati V4 R’s dominance in WorldSBK.

They are also upset that Ducati used MotoGP technology in the V4 R.

They’ve hinted that there’ll be a new Kawasaki Ninja ZX-10RR for the 2020 season.

Japanese aftermarket component maker, Kitaco, turned the cute Honda Monkey into an edgy café racer.

It looks like a riveted steel-plated beast but doesn’t lose its cuteness.

The Honda Monkey is a great platform for individualization.

Flat-track racers or inspired customs are unmistakable like this Triumph Bonneville Super Hooligan flat-tracker.

This one was modified for the Super Hooligan class racing.

Art Hartman, the racer who build this bike finds the Bonnie lighter and nimbler.

The JPJ of Negeri Sembilan (Road Transport Department) recently auctioned 65 vehicles.

It pulled in a total of RM 389,963.

The highest bid for a motorcycle was RM 15,000 for a Yamaha YZF-R6.

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