Bikesrepublic

Wahid Ooi

GIVI Malaysia organized the Media Ride as a sign of appreciation to the media.

The ride is also a direct approach for the Media to experience GIVI’s products first-hand. 

This year’s ride’s destination was Port Dickson.

It’s the tangible experience that translates into what constitutes a great impression or the proof of a product’s efficacy. Seeing something on the internet may be inspiring, but there’s no beating the sensations and emotions of being actually there.

Take for example, GIVI’s annual international adventure rides. Worldwide dealers of the Italian brand have ridden through exotic landscapes such as Dakar, Patagonia, South Africa, Colombia and soon parts of Indochina this year. Of course the pictures, videos and articles convey a sense of wonderment, but the real experience of riding along wind swept coastal cliffs, squirming through tough offroad sections, seeing the local cultures, could never be fully described. I was there with GIVI in the 2015 GIVI Wilderness Adventure in South Africa and it had been my most unforgettable experience!

The same goes for products, especially those that are meant to be tough. Like GIVI’s. The international adventures serve as rolling laboratories to review the integrity of existing products, while testing those under development, in real-world scenarios.

That concept is not lost upon GIVI MALAYSIA.

GIVI MALAYSIA had organized the GIVI Media Ride 2017 on the 25th to 26th July, starting from GIVI Point at Jalan Ipoh to The Thistle Hotel, Port Dickson.

It was a great opportunity to ride alongside GIVI personnel, which included the top guns. GIVI had also supplied each participant with a yet-to-be-launched E32 “BOLD” top box complete with the mounting and rack system, M50.2 TURISMO full-face helmet (dubbed Head Protection System or HPS by GIVI), the top-of-the-range PRS01.AX rain suit, and the new model RWB02 waterproof waist pouch.

We were pleasantly honoured to discover that we were the first ever 41 riders to use the 32-litre E32 BOLD box. It already looked great the first time we laid eyes on it, as it was designed to be err… boxier (no pun intended) in the vein of the popular E43 MULEBOX which was launched last year. Although the E43 MULEBOX was intended for bigger bikes, GIVI found (unexpected) success with many kapchai owners who installed them, inspiring GIVI to design the “E32 mini-MULEBOX,” as I called it. Similarly, the E32 features a silver accent panel and chrome GIVI logo for a luxurious (read: expensive) look.

And hey, it looked great on my Kawasaki ER-6f.

Having a hard box on your bike is definitely a luxury, as we chucked our luggage and gear in there and saved us the neck ache of having to lug them over a long trip. Besides that, it was the best place to store the rain suit, because unless you ride a scooter, there’s no accomodation for it under the seat of your big bike or kapchai.

The morning had started out sunny and hot, but as if to prove a prophecy, it started to rain just before the convoy started. The rain then moved on to another location, but we were advised to just wear the rain suit anyway.

We were flagged off soon after a safety briefing by En. Ismadi Ishak and K.K. The big bike riders, including me, shepherded the smaller bikes at speeds not exceeding 100 km/h.

We first stopped at the Petronas Solaris, Serdang station to top off our tanks, before stopping again at the Seremban R&R.

That’s when the rain caught up to us. It just came down like a God-scaled ice-bucket challenge, triggering a mad scramble for shelter under the roof of the Shell petrol station. Now, anyone who had not already donned the rain suit pulled it on in a hurry.

So, just like the GIVI Adventure rides, we received an unprecedented product testing session. The rain became heavier further down the highway towards the Seremban-PD Highway. The rain blasted against our helmets, rain suits and the box. Visibility dropped like cement shoes and we could barely make out the traffic in front. And you get car drivers who refused to turn on their headlights despite the conditions…

We reached the Seremban-PD intersection at last, where the rain began to recede and eventually stopped. With the exception of one motorcycle which its sparkplug found out that it couldn’t combust water, everyone got there safely.

We continued to the Eagle Ranch Resort for lunch.

We were all dry under the rain suit and best of all reassuringly, all our gear in the box was totally dry too. While I didn’t utilize the waist pouch, those who did reported that their most valuable belongings such as wallets, phones and especially cigarettes stayed dry, too. The insides of the helmet stayed mostly dry too, surprising considering the amount of rain!

We trudged into the eating hall in soggy shoes (I should’ve purchased the rain boots in GIVI Point!), where we soon joined by a party of Taiwanese visitors who were in town to compete in a kung-fu competition!

GIVI had organised a fun activity after lunch. We got to race each other on go-karts! Even the GIVI bigwigs and staff joined in. In a world where we’re fed bad news everyday, I’ve never seen such a collective of smiling faces and laughs and giggles. Well done!

It was time to leave the Eagle Ranch and check in to our hotel, The Thistle.

The Thistle was a luxurious hotel, boasting the best swimming pool at Port Dickson. Even the kiddy pool was awesome. We were introduced to and given a tour of GIVI’s event bus (I bet AC/DC would love it as their tour bus), which functions as a corporate suite and racebike transporter during Cub Prix race events. Juliah Loh explained that this was the place where many important deals were made.

We were then given free time until 6pm, before GIVI started their Press Conference. Participants took the opportunity to freshen up, went exploring, experience the pool, or basically just slept for a couple of hours.

At the Press Conference, GIVI Malaysia had set up displays of their latest products, including a couple of “replica” helmets. One had the livery of the Yuzy Racing Team, which GIVI Malaysia has worked with for many years and another painted to the colours of the LCR Honda MotoGP team. We also got a view of the vast models of and types of boxes, besides the all-important rain gear, as we’ve experienced earlier in the day.

The conference was handled expertly by Mr. Joseph Perucca, Overseas Operation Director of GIVI; Mr. On Hai Swee, Managing Director of GIVI Malaysia; and Cik Rozaida Ahmad Zaki, the designer of E32 BOLD and E43 MULEBOX (among others). These guys really do know their products, their segment of the market and the overall market so well. But even more awe-inspiring was their total commitment to quality and innovation.

There was so much useful information for us and GIVI customers to live on. GIVI hadn’t continued growing all these years by producing crappy products, to put it bluntly. All were well researched and have been made to last. (More on this in another section.)

We then adjourned to a wonderful BBQ dinner at the side of (another) pool. Another round of chit-chat ensued.

We checked out the next day and headed our own way home, elated to own the convenience of a GIVI top box and experiencing the comfort of the M50.2 TURISMO helmet.

Thank you again GIVI MALAYSIA management and staff for an awesome event. We had lots of fun and learned many new things.

Stay tuned for the transcribe of the Press Conference and individual product reviews!

BIKE NATION appointed as an authorised dealer for Husqvarna Motorcycles

Bike Nation will operate a Husqvarna 3S Centre

Dealership to be headed by Tan Tee Heng

Supermoto and off-road motorcycles specialist center, BIKE NATION SDN. BHD, has been appointed as an authorised dealer for Husqvarna Motorcycles. The appointment was made by the official importer and distributor of Husqvarna Motorcycles for Malaysia, Premium World Motorsports Sdn. Bhd. Husqvarna Motorcycles or popularly known as Husky or Huskies is made up by a range of premium off-road and motocross motorcycles originating from Sweden.

BIKE NATION’s existing showroom and service center located in Dataran Mentari, Bandar Sunway will now double as its Husqvarna 3S center. The sales and management front will be led by retired road and motocross racer, Tan Tee Heng or better known as Ah Heng among seasoned bikers. Tan believes that Husqvarna’s impressive heritage since 1903 and its long running success in the off-road racing scene has substantial following in Malaysia.

“Husqvarna has a history of winning motocross championships since 1950s and is still raking in podiums finishes with star riders like Graham Jarvis and Max Nagl. Husqvarna has specialty products for the various disciplines of dirt riding, namely motocross, enduro and supermoto,” said Tan, who was the 1983 and 1984 Shell 4-Hours Endurance Race champion.

After-sales service and performance products upgrades are without a doubt on the menu for Husqvarna Motorcycles at BIKE NATION. The service personnel at Bike Nation have garnered vast experience handling Husqvarna Motorcycles from their involvement in local and regional Supermoto racing series.

“We have the 3P at the after-sales department for Husqvarna Motorcycles – Personnel, Parts and Performance upgrades. And for riders who wish to compete in racing series, BIKE NATION also provides racing services,” added Tan.

BIKE NATION has played an important role in the development of the Malaysian Supermoto Championship. As the organiser and promoter of the supermoto race, BIKE NATION has nurtured the series from 2012 to 2014 which gained traction among supermoto racers and fans around the region.

This Malaysian Supermoto Championship has since developed into the internationally acclaimed FIM Asia Supermoto Championship. The FIM Asia Supermoto Championship has been organised and promoted by associate company ASG (Asia Supersports Group) since 2013. BIKE NATION still plays an important role as an event partner to the championship.

BIKE NATION is located at 18, Jalan PJS 8/17, Dataran Mentari, Sunway, Petaling Jaya and Tan is contactable directly at 0193535222. The showroom is open Mondays to Saturdays from 9.30am to 6pm.

Products, services and other activities at BIKE NATION are also updated on its official Facebook fanpage: www.facebook.com/bikenationmalaysia

The ready stock of Husqvarna’s Enduro, Motocross and Supermoto variants at BIKE NATION and its retail pricing are listed below.

  • 2016 FE250 -RM34,500
  • 2016 FE350 -RM39,000
  • 2016 FC250 -RM31,000
  • 2017 FC250 -RM37,500
  • 2017 FC350 -RM39,500
  • 2017 FC450 -RM41,500
  • 2017 FE250 -RM41,500
  • 2017 FE350 -RM46,500
  • 2017 FE450 -RM47,500
  • 2017 TE250 -RM37,800
  • 2017 TE300 -RM45,500
  • 2017 TX300 -RM45,500
  • 2018 FS450 -RM55,800
  • 2016 FS701 -RN48,000

(Note: Prices are inclusive of 6%GST but exclusive of insurance and registration fees where applicable)

Accessibility to wide range of riders, ability to fulfill many roles, stylish and fun are cited as main reasons.

Updates make the Kawasaki Ninnja 650 and Z650 more agile and smoother to ride.

Both motorcycles are new from the ground up.

For many years from 2009 to 2015, three models of midrange large capacity motorcycles ruled the Malaysian streets. The Kawasaki ER-6f, ER-6n and Versys 650. (We’re leaving the Versys 650 out of this article, however.)

There are many factors contributing to their popularity. The fully-faired ER-6f looked sporty, while the naked ER-6n looked “fierce”. But since they were built around a common platform of engine, frame and chassis, they shared common traits among them: A torquey and tractable engine, street tuned suspension, easy handling, good brakes, and upright seating position. They were both easy to cut through traffic and haul luggage on long rides. They became the bikes that a rider could do everything with them. Topping off those endearing features was the affordable price, since they were the first CKD big bikes.

Both bikes were ideal for beginners, commuters, weekend riders, riders who returned to motorcycling, veterans and there were those who took it down to the track. It was the most popular model for club racers in the United States.

So popular was the ER series that even Malaysian riding schools started using them as bikes for newbie training and “Full B” license exams.

One could hear the distinctive exhaust note, resulting from a unique 180-degree crank, anywhere. The engine was a simple, liquid-cooled, DOHC, eight-valves, fuel-injected, 649cc, parallel-Twin. It pumped out a healthy 71 bhp and between 66 Nm (2006 to 2011) and 64 Nm (2012-2016) of torque.

And I do not want to hear about “reliability issues.” My 2011 ER-6f has covered nearly 100,000 km without a single engine problem, valve adjustment or rebuild. I ride my bike very hard, day in, day out. In fact, ER-6 engines went on to power flat track racing in America to a high level of success. Click here for the articles.

EVOLUTION
The ER-6 variants (called Ninja 650R in some countries) made their debut in 2006. The second generation ER-6 made their appearances in 2009 to 2011, before being superseded by the third generation from 2012 to 2016.

There were only major exterior and internal mechanical changes between 2006 to 2011. The 2012 ER-6’s signified many changes including styling, stepped seats, a bigger fuel tank capacity, a new frame, and suspension with added travel. The ER-6f now looked even sharper and sportier, while the ER-6n looked muscular.

The engine was left almost untouched except for a small reduction in compression ratio. Spent gasses was pumped through a revised exhaust system. A new engine management mapping was tuned to spread torque further down the engine range, which lowered the peak power slightly. Kawasaki also debuted the ECO indicator in the LCD.

Since I own a 2011 model, I had felt that the 2012 version represented the peak of the ER-6 model evolution, when I tested both the –f and –n versions. Power was delivered smoother, the seats were comfier and most of all, it handled way better and was more stable than my own bike. It started right up every time and never once coughed through the throttle bodies.

Then Kawasaki took the covers off the 2017 models. Oh boy.

Kawasaki has dropped the ER-6 name. The fully-faired version is now called the Ninja 650, aligning it as one universal designation. The naked version, on the other hand, is called the Z650, and inducted into Kawasaki’s family of naked bikes. Both the Ninja 650 and Z650 share the same engine and chassis components.

We had expected only cosmetic changes but it turned out otherwise, because Kawasaki had gone ahead to totally update an already great format.

STYLING
The Kawasaki Ninja 650 now looked almost exactly like the company’s range-topping ZX-10R superbike, especially when decked out in the special-edition KRT colour scheme. Those headlights have gone “raptor-like” and the fairing wraps tightly around the body.

However, as sporty as the Ninja 650 may look, Kawasaki has wisely designed the ergonomics to be friendly to a broad spectrum of riders. The handlebars are set high and slightly forward, the rider’s seat is low (790mm seat height), and the levers are 5-way adjustable.

A new multifunction instrument panel is installed which includes a much-welcomed gear position indicator, shift light, and ECO indicator. The tach needle changes colour from white to pink to red as it swings up.

The Kawasaki Z650, meanwhile, has been given the Kawaski Sugomi (“sugomi” means “awesomeness” in Japanese) design treatment for a distinctively organic look. Kawasaki explained that they see the Z650’s stance as that of a black panther stalking its prey, in a crouched stance, with its head low and tail upswept.

A naked sportbike has to look fierce and that’s a great inspiration.

Unlike the Ninja 650, however, the instrument panel has a different design in order to fit behind that “flyscreen.” The tach is stacked on top of the LCD display, with the gear position indicator in the middle. The tach needle flashes at the rider’s preset rev limit.

The Z650 shares the same architecture as the Ninja 650 (more on this below), and as such it has the same seat height of 790 mm.

ENGINE
Kawasaki reengineered the familiar parallel-Twin engine to feature new cam profiles to reduce valve overlap duration (for better low-down and midrange torque); smaller, 36mm throttle bodies for smoother and precise throttle response; and a new exhaust system. These changes collectively result in a broader torque curve to provide the rider with power anywhere (in the rev range) at anytime it’s called upon.

Any previous ER-6 owner, myself included, could tell you that the engine’s strong back torque (engine braking) could sometimes impede smoother cornering transitions (as you’re dragged back by heavy engine braking, which causes the bike to loose speed, followed by instability and the reluctance to turn, ultimately resulting in the rider losing confidence), besides encountering rear wheel hop (or even skid) if we downshifted too aggressively.

Kawasaki countered this by adding an assist and slipper clutch. The slipper function is a nice addition, allowing for smoother corner entries and eliminating wheel hop. The assist function provides easier gear upshifting, by using cams that function as a servo mechanism which pulls on the clutch hub and and operating plate together, to compress the clutch plates.

FRAME AND CHASSIS
Kawasaki has also given the new 650’s a new trellis steel frame, which is 15 kg lighter than its predecessor –  contributing to a light 193 kg and 187 kg overall weight for the Ninja 650 and Z650, respectively. The sections are made as straight as possible to tune the frame for shock and load dispersion. Rake is at a sporty 24-degrees.

Moving downwards, the old ER-6 (and Versys) mounted their rear shocks on the right side of the motorcycle, connecting the frame and swingarm directly without a link. Adjusting the shock’s preload couldn’t be easier, but there are riders who complained of cornering imbalance. (Although this is subjective, as many motorcycles utilize this solution.)

The Ninja 650 and Z650’s new shock is now mounted in a horizontal back-link format for a more progressive action. But instead of having the part of the shock and linkage underneath the swingarm, they are positioned on top. This also ensures the components are moved away from the engine’s heat. The swingarm is now a curved unit.

BRAKES
Braking is handled by a pair of dual-piston Nissin calipers gripping 300mm petal discs up front, while the rear is stopped by a single-piston caliper gripping on a 220mm petal disc. ABS is standard on both ends.

If a motorcycle is the sum of all its parts, then the it’s easy to see why the Ninja 650 and Z650 is enjoying overwhelming success in America ad Europe. The answers are: Easy to approach, practical, economical, stylish while still being able to provide an exhilarating ride for both new and experienced riders.

Plus the price. An unbeatable value.

Pictures by Kawasaki Motors Malaysia and Sep Irran

TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS

Engine type Liquid-cooled, 4-stroke, DOHC, 8-valves, parallel-Twin
Compression ratio 10.8 : 1
Bore X Stroke 83.0 mm X 60.0 mm
Displacement 649 cc
Fuel system Fuel injection, 38 mm throttle body with dual throttle valves
Maximum power 67.3 bhp (50.2 kW) @ 8000 RPM
Maximum torque 65.7 Nm @ 6500 RPM
CHASSIS
Front suspension 41 mm telescopic forks
Rear suspension Horizontal Back-link, adjustable for preload
Front brakes Dual semi-floating 300 mm petal discs, two-piston calipers
Rear brake Single 220 mm petal disc, single-piston caliper
FRAME & DIMENSIONS
Frame Trellis, high-tensile steel
Trail 100 mm
Front wheel travel 125 mm
Rear wheel travel 130 mm
Wheelbase 1410 mm
Ground clearance 130mm
Seat height 790 mm
L x W x H 2115 mm x 740 mm x 1135 mm (Ninja 650)

2115 mm x 775 mm x 1080 mm (Ninja 650)

Curb weight 193 kg (Ninja 650) / 187 kg (Z650)
Front tyre 120/70-ZR17 (58W)
Rear tyre 160/60-ZR17 (69W)

 

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