Wahid Ooi, Author at BikesRepublic.com

Why Did MotoGP Specify a Standard IMU (Intertial Measurement Unit) from 2019?

MotoGP rights holder, Dorna, will be introducing a standard IMU from the 2019 season.
The IMU (Inertial Measurement Unit) measures the bike’s “attitude” for traction control strategies.
Dorna suspected some teams were using their tailormade IMUs to enhance traction control within the parameters of the standard ECU.

Wonder if you could recall the 2016 MotoGP season. It all started with an excitement of uncertainties, as apart from switching to Michelin tyres, it was the year when Dorna finally won through on their long-time proposal to have the teams use a standard Dorna-issued ECU and software.

Dorna had hoped that the standard ECU and software closed the performance gap between different manufacturers and teams, giving more control back to the riders, rather than relying on the algorithms inside a black box.

The changes yielded the most unpredictable hence exciting MotoGP season for a long, long time which saw 9 different race winners, including wins by Jack Miller and Cal Crutchlow on their satellite Hondas.

It was perhaps from the 2016 season that MotoGP spectatorship swelled to even larger proportions. We watch MotoGP because we relish the overtakes, the close racing and mayhem like the one at Phillip Island, Australia last year and at Assen, The Netherlands last month (a total of 175 overtakes). If we get a single rider blasting off into the distance leaving the rest of the field to complete a procession, we might as well watch **cough** Formula One.

Assen MotoGP 2018 – Courtesy of MotoGP.com

Now, Dorna will take MotoGP rider assistance electronics down another rung. The decision was derived from their suspicions that certain riders and teams were benefitting unfairly from using tailormade IMUs (Inertial Measurement Unit).

But what’s an IMU? You may have heard of this term lately especially in high-end bikes as KTM’s 1290 Super Duke and 1290 Super Adventure series, the Ducati Panigale V4, and MV Agusta F3 800, among others.

The IMU is made up of gyroscopes and accelerometers that gather information on the bike’s chassis attitude. It’s akin to your balance and sensory system to your brain. The IMU is usually a 6-axis system and measures: Pitch (up and down movement, front-to-back i.e. front dive under braking or lift from a wheelie), yaw (side-to-side, front-to-back axis i.e. rear wheel slides), roll (lean angles i.e. cornering). The information is sent to the ECU to process the traction control strategy and regulate the engine’s power delivery. It’s from the advent of the IMU that we now have lean angle sensitive Cornering ABS (although ABS is banned in MotoGP), traction control, wheelie control, engine-braking control and launch control.

For example, if a rider leans his bike fully over and the rear end starts to slip when he applies the throttle, the ECU will act on the IMU’s signal and reduce the engine’s torque accordingly. But isn’t this the same with traction control without IMU? Without an IMU, the ECU doesn’t know if the bike is leaned over or going straight and will intervene whenever the tyre slips. The IMU is more sensitive as it measures the aforementioned 6-axis, hence more accurate in terms of the level of assistance.

And this exactly what worried Dorna. A certain team could, for example, use the IMU’s data as a means to regulate tyre wear. Current IMUs are all tailormade for the specific bikes in the MotoGP paddock, which means their signals could be tweaked to send certain information to standard traction control software in the standard ECU. (The standard software means teams have to work within the parameters programmed within unlike when teams were free to use their own programs.)

Using the IMU for this purpose is illegal of course, but it was impossible to check. Conversely, a standard-issue IMU should address this concern.

A good question was brought up regarding all this, and it was about the factory Movistar Yamaha team who are having a nightmare season. It’s of no secret that Rossi and Vinalez’s struggles are down to electronics, so does it have to do with their IMU since they run out of tyres by the end of the race?

Maybe, but it could also be because other teams have either employed Magneti-Marelli ex-staff or sent their crew for training at Magneti-Marelli to learn of the standard software’s algorithms and maps more effectively (Magneti-Marelli is the ECU and software supplier). Yamaha on the other hand, insists on unlocking the mysteries of the black box by themselves in the interest of in-house R&D. It can be done, of course, but it will take time.

So, that’s why it’s better to have some control than none. Detractors may accuse of such decision stunting motorcycle technological developments, but spectators love to watch close racing.

In closing, since we aren’t sure what the standard IMU ruling will bring about, let’s just brace ourselves for another storming season!

VW Hints of Selling Ducati (Again)?

After announcing that Ducati isn’t for sale in April, VW Group CEO hinted at the possibility of selling Ducati again.
The Volkswagen Group is looking to recover losses due to the Dieselgate scandal in 2015.
This announcement could also mean Ducati will expand into other categories or engine capacities.

Volkswagen Group (VW) started a couple of firestorms before when they announced the possibility of selling the Ducati brand in order to recover the losses they experienced through the “Dieselgate” scandal in 2015.

The scandal broke after it was discovered that VW had cheated in engine emissions tests in the US and Europe. The revelation cost the conglomerate billions of Euros, causing them to plan the offloading of some assets, including Ducati which is considered a “non-core” business.

Other companies were quick to jump on the chance, with Harley-Davidson and Bajaj Auto Limited readying to go into a bidding battle.

However, VW announced in April 2018 that the Italian brand “is not for sale,” putting an end to all speculations. (Please click on the link below for the report.)

Ducati for sale AGAIN?

But just a last week, Volkswagen AG Chief Executive Office, Herbert Diess, opened the rift all over again during an interview with Bloomberg TV. According to him, VW will either expand or sell their motorcycle business, saying, “Either we find a way for Ducati, which provides some growth, or we have to look for a new ownership.”

Let’s roll our eyes in exasperation.

But, but, but why offload a brand that makes money? Ducati is the second most profitable entity in the VW Group – the first being Porsche, outranking Bentley, Audi, Seat and Skoda by wide margins. In fact, Ducati returned 9.5% compared to 8.2% during the first half of this year alone.

We won’t pretend to be financial experts, but we would hold on to a money maker with all our lives!

Audi released a statement last Friday, “The new Volkswagen Group structure aims to develop sustainable future perspectives for non-core businesses – calmly and with the necessary thoroughness. This can be expansions and growth strategies, but divestments are conceivable as well.”

Notice that the word “expansion” keeps cropping up. Could we expect Ducati to start producing smaller capacity bikes like how BMW did with their G-series and what Harley-Davidson announced last week? Think about it, a new range of 250cc Panigales or Monsters for the SEA and Indian markets. They could go electric too, since most countries are adopting the electric vehicles only ruling within the next 10 to 15 years.

Is this the new Ducati Scooter?

But whatever VW’s decision would be, we just wish they stop being wishy-washy about it!

TechTOC with “Foreman” Oh: When to Replace Tyres?

“Foreman” Oh Kah Beng answers a good question about tyre wear in this edition of TechTOC with “Foreman” Oh.

It goes without saying that your bike is only as good as the tyres it wears. Tyre wear must be kept an eye on at all times.

QUESTION:

How do I know when is the right time to change my tyres? Manufacturers say when the threads are worn to certain depth but my friends say I could use them until they look like racing tyres. Out of curiosity, how does one check the wear on racing tyres?

Ahmad Sukri – Johor Bahru

ANSWER:

On street tyres, there are small “TWI” prints embossed on the outer edges of the thread surface to specify the locations of the respective “thread wear indicator.” Now, move your sight directly across the width of the tyre from the TWI print and you should spot a little “knob” which protrudes inside the tyre’s groove. If the surrounding tyre threads have worn down to this knob, it is time to replace the tyre. Allowing the tyre to wear beyond that indicator isn’t a good idea as there isn’t enough groove depth to evacuate water. This is considering normal wear.

As for a slick racing tyre, the wear indicators are signified by visible pin holes from left to right across the tyre.

There are other factors that you should also consider such as age of the tires (5 years from time of manufacture), signs of abnormal wear (one side worn more than the other), signs of heavy damage (parts of the thread peel off, for example), already patched too many times, obvious signs of deterioration such as cracks.

Just one word of advice, please remember to check your tyre pressure at least once a week. This is the time when you may pick up on the condition of the tyres, also.

Keep sending in your questions to me at TechTOC with Foreman Oh to stand the chance of receiving a complimentary session at Most Fun Gym.

You may follow us at Most Fun Gym – MFG through our Facebook page.

Please visit the TOC Automotive College Facebook page or their campus (map below) or call call (+603) 7960 8833 for more information. Likewise, you can find more information about the TOC Bina Bakat Program here, or email info@toc.edu.my. Please click on this link for further information on the TOC Superbike Technician Course.

2018 Honda CBR650F Test & Review – “Between Two Worlds”

The 2018 Honda CBR650 is a sporty all-rounder, just like the CBR600F and CBR600RR series.
It should appeal greatly to beginners and advanced riders.
Priced from RM 44,453 (basic selling price with 0% GST).

When it comes to the hallowed “CBR” name, one conjures up images of red, white and black sportbikes howling at the redline, including the infamous CBR600F and CBR600RR that rule the middleweight class. How about this 2018 Honda CBR650F we tested here then?

We had an earlier impression of the CBR650F during Honda’s iftar event and during the RC213-V test ride, both at the Sepang International Circuit last year.

On the track, the CBR650F was a joy to ride, due to the smooth surface (compared to public roads). I remember fondly of it being flickable and the torquey engine.

First and foremost, the bike looks great, like a pure sportbike. The bodywork leaves a number of bits exposed, such as the magnesium-coloured engine cases. The bodywork which covers the subframe is duly sculptured and gives the bike a very slim waist. The seat reminds one of the CBR600F’s.

The seating position is also sporty with more weight on the front and high-mounted footpegs, hence putting your face just behind the small windscreen. There are two small LCD screens underneath that windscreen. The LED headlamp can be regarded as distinctive.

Quality as you’d expect of a Honda is readily apparent throughout the entire bike. From the paintwork to how the panels join, most cables and wires are hidden way, the switchgears don’t feel tacky. Honda always goes OCD about the tidiness of their bikes.

For a four-cylinder engine, the engine actually rumbles during idle. Blip the throttle and you’ll hear a warble from the airbox underneath the fuel tank.

You need to slip the clutch in order to pull away, not due to the engine but because there’s only a clutch cable adjuster. So, the problem is if you adjusted it to bring the clutch lever closer to the handlebar, the clutch takes a long while to engage and vice-versa. But you’ll get used to it after a while or fit an aftermarket adjustable lever

Another point scored is its low seat height, which should cater to all riders. The seat cushioning is pretty comfortable, too.

But once underway, the CBR650F’s engine belies the “stereotype” of inline-Four engines. It’s torquey! Unlike certain 600cc inline-Fours of the same class we’ve ridden, the Honda’s engine doesn’t wait until it hits midrange to be of use. Instead it charged forward as soon as the throttle was twisted.

It picks up speed really fast all the way to its top speed, without feeling strained. However, it did feel like the bike was geared short for urban and casual riding. In my personal opinion, I would reduce two teeth on the rear sprocket to give the bike longer touring legs.

On congested city streets, the smooth throttle, linear power delivery and torque makes for an easy bike to ride; meaning you’re hardly ever find yourself in the wrong gear.

The steering felt a little “heavy” at first but was because I was pressing down onto the handlebars. However, in a sporty crouch with the arms straight out, the bike was predictably nimble.

That didn’t mean the ergonomics was designed by Marquis de Sade, though.

Around corners, you could do your best impression of Marc Marquez (well, maybe 30% of it). You could hang off very nicely by using the deep knee cutouts on the tank to support your lower body and the tank to support your outer arm as you carve through corners at some pretty scary speeds.

This is when the chassis showed its class as the Showa Dual Bending Valve (SDBV) forks provide good feedback to the palms of your hands while the rear shock handled damping pretty well, for a basic set up. The CBR650F was stable through corners without a tendency to either stand up or shake its handlebar.

Of course, being a basic suspension system, the bumps on KL roads are its worst enemies. Still, you don’t get kicked out of the seat.

On congested city streets, the smooth throttle, linear power delivery and torque makes for an easy bike to ride; meaning you’re hardly ever find yourself in the wrong gear.

The brakes are up to the job although it lacked an initial hard bite. It’s not a problem if you came up from smaller bikes but remember to brake earlier and harder if you’re used to four-piston calipers on bigger bikes.

But what can one expect from a RM 44K bike? Öhlins, Brembos, Bosch IMU?

There were a couple of things that I found at odds with the bike, though. First was the LCD screens. While they aren’t difficult to decipher, I’d prefer one large screen. Secondly, I’d prefer the front brakes to have a harder bite.

Those are just my personal opinion as the Honda CBR650F is a sweet, entry-level middleweight to ride. It has the kind of comfort and performance you’d find on the early CBR600F models. Being a simple bike, the rider could learn much from riding as you need to learn the fundamentals of motorcycle control.

Speaking about the CBR600RR, that’s a pure sportbike. The CBR650F, on the other hand sits comfortably between other anemic 600/650cc middleweights and the CBR600RR’s hardcore edge. While the former’s engine produces 120bhp, the CBR650F’s brings 90bhp (4bhp up from 2016) to the table. That’s already way more powerful than the rest of its class; it’s 20bhp more than the Kawasaki Ninja 650 and only 16bhp more than the Yamaha MT-07.

In conclusion, the 2018 Honda CBR650F is a great as a daily commuter and weekend thrill chaser. It wouldn’t be out of place on the racetrack, either. So yes, you could say the 2018 Honda CBR650F is the best of both worlds.

TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS

2018 HONDA CBR650F
ENGINE
ENGINE TYPE	4-stroke, DOHC, 16-valve, liquid-cooled, inline-Four
DISPLACEMENT	648.72 cc
BORE x STROKE	67.0 mm x 46.0 mm
POWER	90 bhp (67 kW) @ 11,000 RPM
TORQUE	64 Nm @ 8,000 RPM
COMPRESSION RATIO	11.4:1
TRANSMISSION	6-speed
FUEL SYSTEM	PGM-Fi programmed fuel injection
CLUTCH	Multiple-plate wet clutch, cable-operated
CHASSIS
FRAME	Steel diamond
FRONT SUSPENSION	ø 41 mm Showa Dual Bending Valve (SDBV) telescopic forks
REAR SUSPENSION	Monoshock with adjustable spring preload
FRONT BRAKE	2 X Two-piston caliper and ø 320 mm discs
REAR BRAKE	1 X Single-piston caliper, ø 240 mm brake disc
TIRES FRONT/REAR	120/70 ZR-17; 180/55 ZR-17
STEERING HEAD ANGLE	25.5^o
TRAIL	101 mm
WHEEL BASE	1,449 mm
SEAT HEIGHT	810 mm
FUEL TANK CAPACITY	17.3 litres
KERB WEIGHT	214 kg

PICTURE GALLERY

Brembo Hit with Second Major Safety Recall

Brembo has issued a statement regarding a second major safety recall.
Some of their aftermarket rear brake calipers may be fitted with faulty brake pads.
The brake pads from batch #672 were supplied by a third party called Federal Mogul Italia.

The preeminent Italian brake systems maker, Brembo has initiated a second major safety recall after the first one broke out in January this year (2018).

This second round follows after the storm of the first recall due to potential cracks in the 15mm or 17mm piston in PR16 radial master cylinders made between 2015 and 2017. (Please click on the link below for more information).

Brembo official statement released on PR16 master cylinder recall

Brembo says this round of safety recall affects motorcycles from Aprilia, Ducati, Husqvarna, KTM, MV Agusta, TM Racing, Moto Morini and Horex. The recall covers aftermarket fitted Brembo brakes only, so if your your stock brake system are Brembos , you are safe.

However, this second recall covers some of Brembo’s aftermarket rear brake caliper kits. The manufacturer found faults with a batch of the brake pads supplied by Federal Mogul Italia. The batch #672 number is imprinted on the brake pads’ backing plates. (Please click on this link for the instructions to check for batch #672).

Federal Mogul Italia brake pad batch #672

The pads were sold together with the rear brake calipers as spare parts.

A list of the possible calipers that might be fitted the said pads. (Please click on this link.)

List of Brembo rear brake calipers that are likely affected

There was no further enlightenment of the potential effects the pads may produced except that “… they could compromise the vehicle brake performance, with safety risks for the rider.”

If you are affected by the safety recall, the manufacturer has advised that you contact your local authorized distributors listed by country below. Please note that Hodaka Motorworld is also the authorized Brembo distributor in Malaysia. As this news broke over the weekend, we shall contact our friends there on Monday, 6^th August for more information.

Distributors

Country	Company	Contact
USA	RACE TECHNOLOGIES	jaime@racetechnologies.com mary@racetechnologies.com
Japan	BREMBO JAPAN	K.Futatsugi@brembo.jp
Germany, Greece, Czech Republic	MOTORQUALITY SpA	simonecolombo@motorquality.it
Taiwan	FERRANNI	janet@ferranni.com.tw
Singapore, Malaysia, Vietnam, Laos, Philippines	HODAKA MOTOWORLD	muji@motoworld.com.sg
Thailand	RIDERS CLUB	rider@riderclub.co.th
China, Hong Kong	STARBIKE	info@bg-performance.com
Spain	V2 MOTORSPORT	Marc_garcia@v2ml.com
UK	MODE PERFORMANCE	Marc_garcia@v2ml.com
Benelux	HOCO PARTS	bvanderveen@hocoparts.com
Australia	GAS IMPORT	DSharp@gasimports.com.au
France	SEMC	catherine.foltzer@semc.pro

Stile Italiano Moto Guzzi CR950

Stile Italiano is based in Italy and specializes in high-end classic, collectable and exotics.
Launched in 1999, they create café racers for themselves.
This Moto Guzzi CR950 took four months to build.

This Moto Guzzi 950 from Stile Italiano had made café racer/custom bike news some time ago, but it’s just too beautiful not to share.

Stile Italiano was launched in 1999 and specializes in selling high-end classic, collectable and exotic motorcycles and cars, which include a Ducati 900NCR Endurance racer ridden by Virginio Ferrari, Moto Guzzi 850 Le Mans Mk I, and, and, and, and…. Just too many to list! (Please click here to visit their website.)

But hidden in their workshop lies another passion – building exquisite, ball-achingly beautiful café racers.

However, Stile Italiano’s founder Gianluca Tieppolo, business parner Chritian Diana, skilled mechanic of 25 years, Loris Lession, and his team of skilled builders only build café racers for themselves. That way, they could pour their souls into their creations and conform not to what others want.

They work on mostly Moto Guzzis. This “950” here started from the Moto Guzzi 850 T3, first introduced in 1975. As Stile Italiano took the design cues from Honda’s legendary CR750 race bike, this project was then christened as “Moto Guzzi CR950.” Gianluca wanted this to be their most elegant project and chose a 70’s racebike styling.

First, the Guzzi’s frame was modified to it the revised bodywork. The stock forks were replaced with a pair of 80s-era anti-dive forks, while a pair of rare FOX air shocks took up the job of suspending the rear.

But take a closer look at that front brake. It was considered the ultimate drum brake of its time. This is a 300mm magnesium drum/hub Fontana item, usually found on the Triumph Trident racebikes of the 60’s.

Since the bodywork came from the aforementioned Honda CR750, it had to be modified to allow the engine’s transverse cylinders to poke through, creating an integral form rather than two separate “skin-and-bones” look. A new rear end was fashioned to complete the bike’s lines, instead of leaving the original 850 T3’s fender.

Other beautiful bits include clip-on handlebars and an original Moto Guzzi V7 tachometer. The tank is handmade from alloy and has a battery housing underneath it.

As for the engine, it has been modified from stock. The heads were ported, and the capacity increased to 950cc. The heads are twin spark using a Dyna ignition system. The original 30mm Dell’Orto VHB carburetors were changed to Dell’Orto 40mm items. Spent gasses exit through a custom Virex system whose muffler box wraps up tight underneath the bike.

Finally, when it came to completing the bike, Stilo Italiano would not compromise on the best paint scheme, fit and finish as a reflection of their shop being specialized in high-end classics. Gianluca chose the special “mirror effect” like what you’d see on a grand piano. There were touches of brass to complement the black and gold paint scheme.

It took the team a total of four months of painstaking work to complete the CR950. Worth it, in our books.

Let’s see what these guys can come up with next!

Source: Return of the Café Racers, photography by Max Trono

2019 Ducati Diavel 1260 to Feature DVT

Ducati introduced the DVT (Desmodromic Variable Timing) in the 2015 Multistrada 1200.
It will now be carried over to the 2019 Diavel 1260.
But what is DVT and how does it work?

Ducati had first introduced the DVT (Desmodromic Variable Timing) in the 2015 Multistrada 1200 to a great reception and will now be carried over to the 2019 Diavel 1260, in addition to the Multistrada 1260 and XDiavel.

But what exactly is DVT and what does it do?

To understand DVT, we need to understand about valve timing.

Truth is, there are many considerations when it comes to valve timing. For one, if the intake valves open for a short duration, less fuel-air mixture can be inducted, compared to the valves being kept open longer. At low-RPMs less fuel-air mixture (also called “charge”) should be inducted for it to burn quicker, resulting in higher torque. Conversely, the valves need to be kept open longer for more charge to enter to produce higher maximum power.

Hang on, that’s not all, because there’s “valve overlap.”

The term describes the timing when both intake and exhaust valves are open together – hence “overlap.” Overlap occurs when as the exhaust valves are starting to close and the intake valves are starting to open. This way, the exiting exhaust gas causes a vacuum which helps to suck in fresh fuel-air mixture and fills the combustion chamber quickly.

So high overlap timing is the magic bullet? Not necessarily.

A racing engine profits from prolonged overlap because each piston travels 20,000 times up and down at 10,000 RPM, thus each stroke lasts merely 0.003 second. The exhaust gas is able to evacuate quickly and draw in fresh charge.

But if the same engine is used as a road bike, there will not be enough time to push all the exhaust gas out and some of it will end up being sucked back into the combustion chamber and mixed with the fresh charge, contaminating and diluting it. That’s when the bike spits, sputters and backfires. And you will end up with a bike that’s sluggish at low- and mid-RPMs.

Of course, the fuel injection ECU could shoot in very specific amounts of fuel at any given load, but there’s not much way around the engine’s basic architecture.

From this, we can deduce that the perfect engine should have less overlap for good torque at low-RPM to mid-RPM, and maximum overlap at higher-RPM for high horsepower (read: top speed).

Problem is, you can only have one cam profile for either characteristic. Take your pick.

You may have heard of Honda’s VTEC (Valve Timing Electronic Control). Ducati’s DVT works on the same principle of varying valve timing but uses a different method to Honda’s copyrighted VTEC.

Ducati’s DVT uses an ECU to control valve adjusters to keep the valves totally shut; or delay, advance or prolong their opening. Each of this behavior translates to the character of the engine, resulting in a super-smooth powerband, enhanced throttle response, higher power production and optimized fuel economy.

The addition of the DVT will surely make the 2019 Diavel 1260 a much better all-round power cruiser to ride. To be unveiled at EICMA 2018, is it also slated to receive Bosch’s six-axis IMU (Inertia Measurement Unit) to enhance rider aids, Ohlins suspension, Bluetooth connectivity and cosmetic updates.

Stay tuned!

Ten Motorcycles Named After Racetracks (Part 2)

There was a time when manufacturers named their motorcycles after racetracks.
The names were as memorable as they were interesting.
Here’s the final part of this series, closing with a bike that’s currently in production.

We complained in Part 1 of this series about how boring new motorcycle names have become, but in Part 2 Ten Motorcycles Named after Racetracks, there is one current bike in production which is named so and thankfully, it goes as great as its name. Can you guess which one is it?

5. Moto Guzzi V50 Monza

Moto Guzzi V50 Monza – courtesy of www.madeinitalymotorcycles

Moto Guzzi was clearly in financial problems in 1973 when De Tomaso took over with the backing of the Italian government. The management decided that smaller, less expensive bikes was the solution, resulting in the 500cc V50 and 350cc V35 in 1976. They were less than popular, so Moto Guzzi created a more powerful version of the V50 called the Monza in 1980. V35 also went through a similar makeover and was named the Imola.

4. Yamaha RD400F Daytona Special

Yamaha RD400F Daytona Special – Courtesy of www.motorcycleclassics.com

Named after the infamous Daytona track, the 1979 RD400F Daytona Special commemorated Yamaha’s successes at the track and also the last of street-legal two-strokes in America. When the RD350LC introduced, it was only sold in Europe but imported in the States as a competition-only motorcycle.

3. Triumph Daytona 500

Triumph Daytona 500 – courtesy of www.bikesrestored.com

When American racer Buddy Elmor won the 1966 Daytona 200 aboard a Triumph Tiger 100, it was the first victory at the track for Triumph. Triumph then launced a 500cc, twin-cylinder roadster called the Daytona to commemorate their feat (there was also a Tiger Daytona in 1967). Moving forward to the current Triumph Motorcycle Ltd era, the Daytona name was used specifically for the Hinckley-based manufacturer’s sportbikes. The Daytona lineup were universally praised for its performance and sublime handling until being phased out in 2017.

2. Moto Guzzi Le Mans

Moto Guzzi 850 Le Mans Mk I – courtesy of www.motorcyclespecs.co.za

Moto Guzzi build the 850 Le Mans Mk I from the iconic 1971 750cc V7 Sport, which was the first production motorcycle to feature a five-speed gearbox and hit 200 km/h. Guzzi upped the displacement to 850cc, as well as adding new disc brakes. It was the world’s fastest and best handling motorcycle of its time. Guzzi called it the “Le Mans” after the infamous racetrack in France. The 1976 Moto Guzzi 850 Le Mans Mk I is most collectible Italian motorcycle today (sorry, Ducati).

1. Triumph Thruxton/Thruxton R

In 1965, Triumph hand-built 52 bikes as homologation specials in order to contest in the Thruxton 500 mile (800 km) production endurance race. Many enthusiasts believe that it was this series of races that created the café racer era as standard production motorcycles were modified for extra performance.

In 2004, John Bloor’s Triumph Motorcycles Ltd. produced the new Thruxton 900 as the café racer of the new modern classic Bonneville lineup. In 2016, the Thruxton was revised and featured the new 1200cc liquid-cooled engine. A “hotter” R version was also added which featured Brembo brakes, Ohlins shocks and Showa BFF forks.

The result is the new Thruxton R is the best factory café racer in the market.

Triumph Thruxton R Test & Review

BMW Motorrad Q2 Sales Decline

BMW Motorrad has announced a decline in sales for Q2 2018.
The sharpest drop was in Germany, driving overall results down.
BMW plans to reveal 9 new models this year and they should turn the figures around.

As the results of the second-quarter sales start filtering through from manufacturers, BMW Motorrad is the latest to show a decline due to a soft world motorcycle market. It’s very a surprising news considering that they have been enjoying record sales for the last 7 years.

Another Record Breaking Year for BMW Motorrad in 2017

BMW reported a total of 51,117 motorcycles sold worldwide, compared to the 52,753 units sold during Q2 last year, marking a 3.1% decline. Correspondingly, it translates 5.8% decline in revenue (€658 million) and 6.8% drop in profits before tax (€174 million).

This also works out to a 1.6% decline by unit volume with only 86,975 motorcycles and scooters sold to customers. As such, revenue dropped by 10.1% (€1,182 million) and a 23.7% decrease in profit (€196 million).

With the European Union being BMW’s largest market, which accounts up to 60 % of their sales, the manufacturer’s sales was dragged down by that very market by 7.9%. This is the biggest contributor to the overall sales decline.

However, if analyzed by countries, their sales was down by 18.8% in their home country of Germany, followed by -5% in Italy and -4% in France. Fortunately, there were modest gains in other European countries such as Spain with a 1.3% increase.

One big surprise however, was BMW Motorrad’s gain in the United States, given the soft motorcycle market there these days. BMW Motorrad USA reported a 3.1% increase on the first six months of the year. The gain upswing was in no doubt due to BMW’s new models, including the BMW K 1600 Grand America and updated middleweight GS. And while the ultra-exotic and ultra-limited S 1000 RR HP4 Race doesn’t help with the bottom line, 14 have been confirmed to be sold in there.

BMW Motorrad plans to launch nine new models this year (although we don’t know how many of those will be introduced in Malaysia) and they’ll most probably turn the sales figures around for the 8^th record-breaking year. Would you dare to bet otherwise?

Husqvarna 701 Supermoto Test & Review

The Husqvarna 701 Supermoto brings the excitement of supermoto racing to the streets.
Supermoto combines dirt riding with road racing styles, meaning a bike that’s super agile.
Riding it is the best fun one could have.

Uncle next door smiled and nodded his head. “So, what are you riding today?” as he walks closer while scanning the white, blue and yellow Husqvarna 701 Supermoto. He looks like he was leaving to meet his buddies at the coffee shop to discuss the ways on how the country should be run.

“It’s a supermoto, a Husqvarna 701 Supermoto,” I answered.

“Looks like it to a plantation for durian kampung, I suppose” he replied, obviously oblivious to what’s termed as a supermoto.

“Oh… How much is this thing?”

I told him the price and cringed as soon as I did. Because I knew what was coming next.

“WAHLAO EH! You might as well get a mini-SUV!”

“Yeah, but bikes are more fun.”

“Fun? What kind of fun?”

And that opens up the question. How does one define “fun”?

We’ve been salivating over the Husqvarna 701 Supermoto ever since it was unveiled to the public at the end of 2015. Although looks like a rebadged KTM 690 SMC R (KTM owns Husqvarna now), the bike was originally designed by Husky. It looked better in Husky’s white, blue and yellow livery, definitely.

But for 2017/2018, Husqvrna did the right thing to upgrade the engine like the one in this durian bike.

The engine is sourced not from the 690 Duke as most would believe but from the 690 SMC R

I first rode it around on the streets like I would on dirt-bikes: Gingerly. But it all changed as soon as I hit the first roundabout. But my road ridings habits took over subconsciously and I leaned into the corner. The Husky snapped over like a bicycle! I almost ran over the roundabout’s curb.

Now I let loose. For the next corner, I sat up on the outside, stuck my leg out and steered the bike. It responded immediately to the command, but the sole of my boot was still a long way from skimming the road surface.

While there are bikes on which you have to mind the throttle unless you want to discover how a Vellfire’s rear door feels like, the 701 Supermoto encourages to open up. And opening up on the throttle of the 701 Supermoto enriches your life.

That’s because the engine is incredibly smooth, regardless if you’re just trotting or on a last lap type charge. Speeds picks up quickly too but you are far from being intimidated and use it to blow away traffic like the bow waves behind a boat.

I’m sorry, did I say, “trotting”?

My bad, because the 701 Supermoto isn’t about trotting. It’s about summoning all your street, worries, grudges, and general unhappiness into one spot and blasting them away on this bike.

It’s not just about medium to long corners on the bike as you can readily chuck it into that pesky, off-camber corner at the intersection or even a decreasing radius corner, because changing lean angle is done without needing (too) much analysing.

In other words, it’s almost impossible to be a good boy on this bike. In fact, I got so guilty I handed the bike over to Sep and Oh Kah Beng for their turn of the fun.

“Man, it was so difficult to ride responsibly on this bike,” gushed Sep, “and it’s fast too. I grabbed some big throttle and it was off to more than almost twice the speed limit.”

Our MX-guru, “Foreman” Oh Kah Beng rode the bike at his Most Fun Gym facility on the standard road tyres. “We use road tyres in supermoto racing anyway,” he said.

“The Husky 701 Supermoto is just so much fun!” he exclaimed. “I could just do anything with the bike, whether it’s on the road of off.”

The fun factor also came from the engine which isn’t intimidating, which means you could ride the bike to its full potential. Sure a 160 bhp is faster but reaching its potential is often fraught with danger. The 701’s one bike which transcends the type of riding one would normally do, which needs lots of concentration. It allows you to ride any way you’d like, even sometimes pulling off impossible tricks like mad lean angles and the ability to square off any sharp corner.

In conclusion, the Husqvarna 701 Supermoto is just a wonderfully fun bike. Sure, it’s expensive but all that money is worth it.

So, how to define fun? Fun is when you don’t have to worry about the bike and riding to your heart’s content. It’s just you and the bike. Everyone else are in the weeds.

Oh Kah Beng, Sunny, William, Jack, Dato’ Eric, Dino, Marcus, Gabit, now I know why you guys are so happy all the time!

I wished Uncle Neighbour rides, because if he does, he’d ride the bike down to the coffee shop to meet his buddies and tell them what “fun” means over cups of kopi ‘o’ and half-boiled kampung eggs.

For more information, please follow Husqvarna Motorcycles Malaysia’s Facebook page, or pay them a visit at the location below.

Boon Siew Honda Unveils 2018 Honda RS150R

Boon Siew Honda has revealed the 2018 model year Honda RS150R.
The 2018 edition has a new colour called Pearl Magellanic Black.
The Black, Blue and Red editions are priced from RM 7,999 while the Repsol edition continues to be priced from RM 8,299.

Malaysian Honda motorcycle distributor, Boon Siew Honda (BSH) has introduced the 2018 Honda RS150R, with a new livery.

The new colour, called Pearl Magellanic Black, is BSH’s response to RS150R owners who have been customizing their bikes to reflect their preferences. In other words, a new colour that allows owners the flexibility of changing the looks of their bikes without being encumbered by racing stripes and colours such as those currently available.

“We realize that the RS150R is selected and even customized to suit its owners’ identity,” said Keiichi Yasuda, CEO of Boon Siew Honda. “Therefore, the latest colour for the new 2018 edition of the Honda RS150R needs to be more imposing to complement its aggressive yet sublime looks.”

The RS150R is currently enjoying a popular following, hence brisk sales since its introduction in 2016. Targeted at the sports cub segment, it is one of the best-selling motorcycles in the BSH’s lineup.

The bike is powered by a Euro 3-compliant fuel-injected, liquid-cooled, DOHC, four-stroke 149cc engine. The 11.3:1 compression ratio shows that the long-stroke engine is has sportier intentions, while Honda’s proprietary PGM-Fi fuel-injection system ensures optimum power delivery while being economical and environmentally-friendly at the same time. The engine is then set in a twin-perimeter welded frame, suspended by telescopic forks up front and a monoshock at the rear.

The new Pearl Magellanic Black complements existing RS150R colours, namely Trico Edition, Candy Scintillate Red, Pearl Nightfall Blue and of course, the Repsol Edition.

New Daytona 765? Triumph Says Not in 2019

We’ve been hoping for a new Triumph Daytona 765.
The excitement follows the British manufacturer supplying the 765cc engine to Moto2.
However, they have affirmed that there will be no Daytona 765 in 2019.

Excitement had started to build for a new Daytona even before the ink dried on the agreement with Dorna, when Triumph announced that they will be supplying engines to the Moto2 championship from 2019.

MotoGP: Triumph Confirmed as Engine Supplier for Moto2 in 2019

After all, the engine is the same but race-kitted 765cc inline-Triple found in the new Street Triple lineup. And if the new Street Triple (especially the RS) could slay plenty of bikes out there, a new Daytona 765 could bleed the souls of ZX-6R, GSX-R750, F3 800, R6 riders through their faceshields. Easy.

Additionally, Honda hadn’t capitalized on their involvement in the intermediate class since 2010. Did they launch a “CBR600RR based on lessons learned in eight seasons of competitive racing in Moto2”? Nope.

Triumph could certainly do so!

Well, bad news for those who await the Daytona 765 with bated breath. Triumph had said they will not debut it in 2019, reported Asphalt & Rubber.

But, but, but it would be incredulous to believe that Triumph hasn’t something up their sleeves other than capitalizing on such an awesome opportunity to take their branding to a higher plane, innit? The Hinckley-based manufacturer is in the best position to do so.

One thing we speculated is that the delay could be due to the Euro 5 emissions standards taking effect from 2020. Bikes Republic had reported that the manufacturer had filed a patent for the “Daytona” name in the United States earlier this year.

2019 Triumph Daytona 765 coming soon?

We also understand that the supersport/sportbike market is soft but supersport/sportbikes appear to be making a comeback, especially along with the sudden spurt of racing activities Malaysia.

In the meantime, or in the truly sad case that a new Daytona doesn’t come by, we could almost be certain that Moto2 technologies could be transferred into evolving the Street Triple. That’s already a great bike to increase your giggles-per-km quotient, anyway.

TESTED: 2018 Triumph Street Triple 765 RS test & review

Bikesrepublic

Wahid Ooi

MotoGP rights holder, Dorna, will be introducing a standard IMU from the 2019 season.

The IMU (Inertial Measurement Unit) measures the bike’s “attitude” for traction control strategies.

Dorna suspected some teams were using their tailormade IMUs to enhance traction control within the parameters of the standard ECU.

After announcing that Ducati isn’t for sale in April, VW Group CEO hinted at the possibility of selling Ducati again.

The Volkswagen Group is looking to recover losses due to the Dieselgate scandal in 2015.

This announcement could also mean Ducati will expand into other categories or engine capacities.

QUESTION:

ANSWER:

The 2018 Honda CBR650 is a sporty all-rounder, just like the CBR600F and CBR600RR series.

It should appeal greatly to beginners and advanced riders.

Priced from RM 44,453 (basic selling price with 0% GST).

TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS

2018 HONDA CBR650F

PICTURE GALLERY

Brembo has issued a statement regarding a second major safety recall.

Some of their aftermarket rear brake calipers may be fitted with faulty brake pads.

The brake pads from batch #672 were supplied by a third party called Federal Mogul Italia.

Distributors

Stile Italiano is based in Italy and specializes in high-end classic, collectable and exotics.

Launched in 1999, they create café racers for themselves.

This Moto Guzzi CR950 took four months to build.

Ducati introduced the DVT (Desmodromic Variable Timing) in the 2015 Multistrada 1200.

It will now be carried over to the 2019 Diavel 1260.

But what is DVT and how does it work?

There was a time when manufacturers named their motorcycles after racetracks.

The names were as memorable as they were interesting.

Here’s the final part of this series, closing with a bike that’s currently in production.

BMW Motorrad has announced a decline in sales for Q2 2018.

The sharpest drop was in Germany, driving overall results down.

BMW plans to reveal 9 new models this year and they should turn the figures around.

The Husqvarna 701 Supermoto brings the excitement of supermoto racing to the streets.

Supermoto combines dirt riding with road racing styles, meaning a bike that’s super agile.

Riding it is the best fun one could have.

Boon Siew Honda has revealed the 2018 model year Honda RS150R.

The 2018 edition has a new colour called Pearl Magellanic Black.

The Black, Blue and Red editions are priced from RM 7,999 while the Repsol edition continues to be priced from RM 8,299.

We’ve been hoping for a new Triumph Daytona 765.

The excitement follows the British manufacturer supplying the 765cc engine to Moto2.

However, they have affirmed that there will be no Daytona 765 in 2019.

Archive

Follow us on Facebook

Follow us on YouTube

BikesRepublic