Here are tips on how to ride through flash floods (or deep water)
Cardinal rule is to go slow
Throttle control and a cool head applies
The weather has been mighty unpredictable in the Klang Valley lately. The days invariably start with burning white sunlight and scorching heat, only to give way to sudden heavy downpours. If the downpours continue for more than two hours, we could find ourselves caught in flash floods.
Courtesy of Astro Awani
While it’s safest to sit out from riding in pouring rain and flooded roads, there’s no escaping it at times, especially around flood-prone areas where the roads remain flooded even after rain has stopped.
Here are our tips for riding through flash floods (and deep puddles of water).
1. Stop and Inspect
It’s just like adventure riding. No sane adventure rider will just banzai headlong into an unknown body of water without first inspecting its depth, potential hazards underwater and exit on the other side.
While you may not have to get off your bike and walk through floods on the road you travel on each day, you do need to stop and look for clues. If there’s another vehicle pushing through the water, note how deep it is. Observe if there’s a strong water current from one side of the road to the other.
If the water’s too deep or current’s too strong, forget it. Just wait for it to subside.
If you don’t already know the location of your engine’s air intake, now’s the good time to start. Check if it’s high enough above the water.
2. Stand Up
Riding through floods is no different from riding through a river when adventure or trail riding, so stand for better low-speed stability, meaning there’s more control when you crawl ahead at 10 to 20 km/h.
Courtesy of twistedthrottle
3. Go Slow and Straight
This goes without saying.
Throwing up a big splash may look spectacular in pictures but it isn’t a good practice in real world situations. Hitting a deep body of water at speed would most likely have the water act as a liquid brake/barrier. The bike will cut through the first few metres easily before coming to a sudden halt and causing the rider to lose control (or even thrown off).
They need to go a little slower than this. Courtesy of thestar
Keep your speed as low as possible and steady to keep the water’s bow wake below the height of the engine’s air intake. Remember, you’re riding a motorcycle, not a jetski.
It’s also best to stay off the sides of the road and ride in the middle of the lane.
4. Keep Moving
Don’t pull in the clutch or slam the throttle shut.
Maintain a steady throttle and speed in the gear you are in right now, even if you should feel a tyre or tyres kicking loose when contacting something in the water. In fact, you should open the throttle a bit more if that happens.
Courtesy of visordown
Roll off the throttle smoothly if you need to slow down more and stay off the brakes.
5. Exiting
Don’t gun it immediately after exiting the flood. You may increase your speed, but don’t slam open the throttle, without first giving the time for the water or whatever debris collected on the bike to “drop off.”
Also, with the bike still moving, drag the brakes lightly to clean them.
Courtesy of ultimatemotorcycling
6. Kill It!
But what if you hit, for example, a pothole and the bike goes down?
Make the effort to kill the engine before you lay the bike down into the water. You’d most probability have the time to do so, since you were riding at a slow speed, right? Right? Regardless, the engine should be shut down as quickly as possible.
Courtesy of smugsmug
An internal combustion engine is basically an air pump which sucks in air, adds fuel to it, compresses the mixture and sets it alight. But water is incompressible and non-combustible (duh!), and therefore has the potential of causing catastrophic engine damage.
Do not immediately attempt to start a motorcycle that has been lying underwater. Instead, you should pull out the spark plugs and the airbox cover to check for water ingress. If the spark plug electrodes are wet, do not reinstall them, but turn on the bike’s ignition and crank the starter a few times to push the water out of the combustion chamber.
Reinstall only when it’s sufficiently dry.
Conclusion
Riding through a flood isn’t difficult but one should do it with care and logic, obviously. Sticking to the above steps will have you home way ahead of car drivers, instead of ending up swimming in that filthy water. Think of it as urban adventure riding.
The Pink October Charity Ride 2017 went off without a hitch today
The ride is in conjunction with October being the Breast Cancer Awareness Month
About 200 participants joined the ride
Organised by Hawa Motor Club and Ipoh Road Clan together with support from the Malaysian Cancer Society, and hot on the heels of the Distinguished Gentleman’s Ride (DGR) last month, the Pink October Charity Ride (POCR) 2017 proceeded well today.
While DGR sought to raise awareness towards prostate cancer in men, POCR’s objective was a campaign to highlight breast cancer research.
About 200 participants congregated at the Malaysia Handicraft Development Corporation’s (Perbadanan Kemajuan Kraftangan Malaysia) grounds for the flag off.
There was a good mix of motorcycles: From mopeds and scooters, to standard bikes, naked sportbikes, adventure-tourer and 1000cc superbikes; besides the large number of customs and café racers – including the famous Puting Beliung (“tornado” in Bahasa Melayu).
Participants were provided a white T-shirt with the words “Pink October Charity Ride” emblazoned on its back, patches and stickers. They may also donate to the Malaysian Cancer Society (Yayasan Kanser Malaysia).
As more and more riders, young and old arrived, it soon became apparent that this wasn’t a ride which encouraged only female participant. There were as many men as there were ladies. It’s encouraging and heartwarming to see that both the Pink October Charity Ride and DGR transcend the gender barrier, despite both rides sought to raise awareness for afflictions common to respective genders.
And despite gutter politics kicking up religious and race issues, everyone rode together for a common cause, regardless of religion, ethnicity and creed. How common is it to see a 150cc café racer ride alongside an R 1200 GS? Or a Triumph Street Twin next to an S 1000 RR?
The participants were briefed by the Chief Marshal and Royal Malaysian Traffic Police escort, before being flagged off.
The convoy proceeded at a steady pace until it reached Naza Auto Mall in Petaling Jaya.
There were lucky draws and a helmet bidding session throughout the day. Participants were also offered a free health check-up, free of charge.
Seeing the success of this Pink October Charity Ride 2017, we hope the event will continue next year with even more participants.
The Yamaha Y15ZR SE GP Edition is set to hit the market
Features the colour and graphics of the factory Yamaha MotoGP team
Basic sales price of RM 8,891.28 with 6% GST but without roadtax, insurance and number plates.
Yamaha’s Y15ZR is by no doubt a popular kapchai, seen everywhere throughout the country. Launched in Malaysia in 2015 (click here for the launch event), sales have been and are still going strong. Similarly, there are already many Y15ZR owners clubs, consisting of thousands of owners.
Since then, there has been one update for the model earlier this year whereby new colour schemes were introduced. The Y15ZR remains mechanically the same as there is a need to – the design is sound and reliable.
That is why the Yamaha Y15ZR is hailed as “The King of the Streets.”
To commemorate the 2017 Malaysian MotoGP and Yamaha’s long-time active participation in the pinnacle of two-wheeled motorsports, Hong Leong Yamaha Motor Sdn. Bhd. (HLYM) is set to introduce the Y15ZR GP Edition. This special edition is bedecked with the new Movistar Yamaha MotoGP Team colour and graphics.
The bike will be available in the market beginning next week onwards.
Recommended Basic Sales Price with GST (without r/tax, no. plates & Ins) is RM 8,891.28.
I was working as soon as I finished my SPM examinations. Didn’t go on a long holiday with friends, didn’t even bum out at the beach night after night with a cold drink. “Time to earn your own money, Son.”
Through the help of a few friends, I became a waiter in a hip new pub in Penang, called “20 Leith Street.” The place has since been converted to a hawker centre and it’s just next door to the blue-coloured Cheong Fatt Tze Mansion, which is now a boutique hotel. Back then, the latter was overgrown, run down and pitch black like a haunted house. I didn’t dare step near it.
Anyway, one morning after work, the five of us guys stood outside, just chilling, talking gibberish and smoking. Our supervisor whistled at and teased the transgenders who walked up and down the street outside. A homeless man in torn shirt and pants sat on the sidewalk opposite ours, mumbling to himself (hoped he didn’t see dead people). Yeah, those were the bad ol’ days.
Anyways, we talked about all sorts of stuff. Fishing, camping, hiking, swimming… There was no such thing as Astro and PlayStation in 1998.
Boys being boys, we got around to talking about cars and motorcycles. (About girls too, of course, on how we don’t understand them – and we still don’t today – but that’s for another story).
Among us, only Poh Keat owned a bike, a used Honda C90.
The rest of us wanted a bike for ourselves too, but we haven’t ridden one before. Then Chris got super-enthusiastic and wanted to learn how to ride at that very moment. The compound was huge, tarred over as a parking lot and there’s no one around to be a bother
After much cajoling, Poh Keat gave in to Chris’ requests. He pointed out on how to get it in gear, roll out and stop.
As Chris got moving, we started throwing insults at him. We were his buddies, right. But he ignored us and started doing pretty descent by his second orbit around Poh Keat, who stood in the middle and barked orders.
We lost interest in teasing him so we went back to talking about girls. I was still single, okay. All the while, Chris passed by like clockwork, getting a little faster each time.
Then on one pass, Chris gunned the throttle a little too much, casuing the bike to roar forward. Surprised, he instantaneously chopped the throttle, which resulted in the rear hopping and squirming (he must’ve been in first gear). His arms went straight immediately and his legs came off the footpegs, looking like a character from The Flinstones trying to brake by dragging his feet on the ground.
The bike now went straight, instead of turning into the circle and headed for the tall wall separating 20th Leith Street and Cheong Fatt Tze!
At this point, we heard “BEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEP!!!” all the way to the wall. THWACK! The bike’s front tyre tapped the wall like how when someone walked into a glass door.
Chris and the bike plopped over like sacks of potatoes stacked too high. And the horn was still on! BEEEEEEEEEEeeeeeeeeeppppp….. its sound tapering off as it got hotter.
Picture 112
Poh Keat had caught up to Chris and tried to lift the bike up. We ran over to help too.
“WHY DIDN’T YOU BRAKE?!” yelled the unfortunate bike owner.
“I did try to brake!” replied Chris in defiant defense. “But instead of stopping, your stupid bike only went beeeeeeeeeeeep!”
Our wisecrack Supervisor spoke up, “So did the wall move out of the way when you honked at it?” Apart from Poh Keat and Chris, I believe the other three of us have never laughed any harder than that morning until this day.
This classy custom Harley-Davidson XL1200 is built by Thrive
Thrive is based in Jakarta, Indonesia
Dubbed the Kuzuri, it drew inspiration from traditional Japanese custom bikes
Pictures of a custom Harley-Davidson XL1200 by Thrive showed up on the internet lately, and for good reasons.
Thrive Motorcycle is based in Jakarta, Indonesia with the reputation of building some of the most beautiful custom bikes. This example, dubbed the Kuzuri is a prime example.
The project began two years ago when the custom builders were looking for a stock Harley-Davidson engine which was to be used as the testbed for developing their T/H/R/V brand of parts and accessories. A friend of theirs had 2000 XL1200 Sportster, by coincidence. The builders started fitting the new parts to it initially, handcrafting more along the way.
As an overall theme started to take shape, the Thrive team visited the Yokohama Hot Rod Custom Show and found discovered many great designs and, the traditional Japanese chopper. It was also here that they found the inspiration for Kuzuri, or wolverine in Japanese.
The team ordered a custom rigid frame from another custom garage and started shaping the aluminium panels, aiming for a bike with “timeless and streamlined looks” that’s clean, sleek and minimalist.
Thrive built the gas tank, headlight fairing, tail unit, oil tank and electrical in-house around the frame and engine. The forks were shortened to allow the bike to hug the ground. Custom accessories such as switchgear, footpegs, gullwing handlebars, brakeless front hub and Mooneyes grips were installed.
The Sportster’s stock belt final was converted to a chain drive. A chain-tensioner fashioned out of a skateboard wheel was installed underneath the drive chain.
Another cool feature is the stop light, modified from a Softail and hidden beneath the rear fender.
As the final touch, Thrive sprayed-painted the frame and body in sapphire blue and silver.
HJC has long been known as the helmet maker who produces world-class helmets and offering them at lower prices to consumers.
The Korean helmet manufacturer have tied up with Marvel Comics and Disney Films in recent times, resulting in helmets with rightly distinctive designs and graphics from famous franchises such as Venom, Iron Man, Spiderman, and Star Wars characters Kylo Ren and Boba Fett. Find out more by clicking here and here.
It didn’t stop there and HJC Malaysia showed off a few models and graphics recently
CS-15 “Spiderman”
The CS-15 is HJC’s entry-level helmet which replaced the popular CL-STII range. Comfortable and relatively quiet, the CS-15 range it earmarked for riders who are moving up the motorcycle capacity ladder and want a full-face helmet that doesn’t break the bank. However, in terms of classification, HJC calls the CS-15 a sport-touring helmet.
Features
Advanced Polycarbonate Composite Shell is lightweight
Removable and washable interior pads with NYLEX
Anti-UV and anti-fog faceshield
Quick-release faceshield mechanism
Advanced Channelling Ventilation System (ACS) ensures cooling airflow
Glasses groove
Micro adjustment buckle
ECE R22.05 certification
IS-17 “Deadpool”
With advent of Marvel Comics’ graphics, many HJC and fans of the movie have been asking if there will ever be a Deadpool helmet.
Well, your prayers have been answered.
Shown here is the IS-17 Merc-with-a-Mouth aka Deadpool. The IS-17 is more of a jack-of-all-trades, standing in as the helmet for all riders from the daily commuters to sport-touring to track riding. HJC has invented much in building their own wind tunnel and as a result, the IS-17 is built to be aerodynamic and relatively quiet. The helmet includes a one-touch drop-down sunshield.
Features
Advanced Polycarbonate Composite Shell is lightweight
One-touch integrated sunshield
Anti-scratch anti-UV faceshield
RapidFire Shield Replacement System for ultra-quick faceshield replacement
2-stage faceshield closure system with one-touch centrally-located lock
Advanced Channelling Ventilation System (ACS) ensures cooling airflow
SuperCool interior with anti-bacterial, moisture-wicking fabric
Crown padding and cheeckpads are removable and washable
ECE R22.05 certification
RPHA 70 ST “Grandal”
Want a helmet that’s comfortable, stable and quiet while touring, but also one which is lightweight, stable while blasting down the straight at top speed, and certified for trackdays? You have to choose from either type to fit your requirements but the RPHA 70 ST has bridged that gap. Built on the principles of the RPHA 11 race helmet, the RPHA 70 ST is certified by the FIM for track use, making it the true 2-in-1 helmet.
Features:
Advanced P.I.M. Plus (Premium Integrated Matrix Plus) construction: carbon fiber, Aramid, carbon-glass hybrid fabric for enhanced shock resistance
Anti-fog smoke tinted sunshield deploys quickly
RapidFire system for quick, tool-less faceshield removal and installation
Emergency cheek pads removal
Multicool interior with advanced anti-bacteria fabric provides enhanced moisture wicking and quick drying
GCK (Chopper Garage Kelantan) has apologised to the Thai government
Marshals caught on video stopping traffic
What are the potential repercussions?
Last year, we had just checked into our honeymoon suite, freshened up and were in the midst of renting a scooter for some gallivanting until we saw the news on TV: “Malaysian biker shot dead” in Hatyai. (Click here for the coverage.)
We cancelled our plans for the scooter that evening, although we knew we were just being too careful. But how could we be sure since we’re now in another country where conversing with the locals was not as easy? Whose cultures and sensitivities are different from ours?
The Thai police acted quickly and caught the shooter. The reason of the shooting was because he didn’t “like the way the (Malaysian) rider rode.”
Courtesy of Bernama
I was also in Phuket two months prior to the shooting, first for the Phuket Bike Week and then back in Phuket again on a ride a week later.
We were covering the festivities at the bike week when a video captured by a Thai driver on his dashcam had made rounds in Facebook, showing a group of Malaysian bikers stopping traffic at an intersection for their riders in their group to pass. He was courteous in his comments however, hoping this doesn’t repeat the next time.
But on the next trip to Phuket two weeks later, we had this one guy who raced against every Thai who overtook him. His reason, “no-face” to lose against the 100cc scooters on his 1000cc naked sportbike. Additionally, there were a few others who couldn’t stop harassing young Thai ladies on their scooters from the moment we crossed the border, all the way to Phuket, and back. We warned these buffoons, but habits die hard, right? I won’t be riding with them any longer, that’s for sure.
I thought it’s all buried and done.
Then this video showed up on Channel 7 News in Thailand, just a few weeks ago.
Recorded on another Thai driver’s dashcam, it showed four Malaysian riders blocking an intersection for their buddies to blow past the red lights.
A firestorm of criticism blew up in social media. Non-bikers called these guys a whole bunch of undesirable names, and some even criticized all Malaysian bikers. Bikers also joined in the fray in criticizing those chumps, partly in attempt to distance themselves from that selfish act.
Stopping traffic by marshals, unless by police riders, has already been outlawed in Malaysia by the authorities, but what in the world were these cretins thinking when they did so in Thailand?
They’ve not only sullied the reputation of bikers, but the nation’s as a whole.
But even then, there were those who defended the indefensible, by claiming that the Thais drive without manners at our border towns. But hey, did they stop traffic for their friends to pass? Were there videographic proof?
I’ve met those drivers on the road many times and yes, they were FAST. But they didn’t stop traffic, race with the locals or harass our adiks and aweks, did they?
Let’s face it, we’ve seen how belligerent some mat sallehs can be in the way they treat the Thais or any populace of developing countries, but at least they don’t stop traffic the way these guys did.
We’ve even ran into members of the Bandidos MC during Phuket Bike Week, a 1-percenter bike group (means outlaws) bike group with affiliations to the Hell’s Angels, but they didn’t stop traffic for their buddies, did they?
The offending “marshals” were part of a group from Choppers Garage Kelantan (CGK). They have since done the right thing and handed a letter of apology to the Thai consulate to Malaysia. (Click here for the report on MyMetro.)
But what about the repercussions? Is it so easily solved? I wonder if the apology was picked up by Thai networks at all.
The Thais are among the most hospitable people in the world. Most, if not all, are genuine in their welcoming attitude, correctly earning them the title The Land of Smiles. Go to places like Buriram or Chiang Mai and they’d wish you everytime they see you. School kids smile and wave when they see you riding a big bike. Restaurant owners welcoming you into their premises with the wai and a bow of the head, as if you were the king.
Tourism contributes up to 10% and beyond to the Thai economy and the locals know this. Most turn a blind eye towards the uncouth “traditions” of some tourists. The cops also tend to be more lenient towards visitors.
In recent times, Chinese tourists have taken over as the majority to visit the kingdom. According to Association of Thai Travel Agents website (click here for more details), the Chinese constituted to 59.29%, equivalent to 2,576,129 visitors, from 1st January to 30th September this year alone. But their failure to observe and adhere to local traditions have driven the Thais to respond in kind. Chinese tourists now have to be driven into Thailand.
Malaysians contribute a smaller number of visitors to the kingdom. 26,723 made their way across the border in the same period, but even then, the Thais still regard us Malaysians as friends from afar. They’d usually ask, “Where are you from?” and cheer up when we mention, “Malaysia.”
But if we kept treating them with a sense of us being the master race, what’s to stop us being treated like the Chinese and Middle Easterners before this? Or see our entry requirements tightened or being harassed by the Thai authorities?
Or worse, stare into the barrel of a Beretta 9mm.
What do we want to be? Do we want to be bikers who are cultured, learned, courteous? Or do we want to be modern-day barbarians on steel horses? If anyone chooses to the be the latter, please do so after you lose those Malaysian number plates and whatever other thing that will identify you as a Malaysian.
A total of nearly 500 fake GIVI rainsuits were seized in a raid this morning
The raid was carried out by KPDNKK officers with representatives from GIVI Asia Sdn. Bhd.
The business owner sells the counterfeit products online
Kepong, Kuala Lumpur, 4th October 2017 – A raid was carried out by the Ministry of Domestic Trade, Co-operatives and Consumerism (better known as KPDNKK – Kementerian Perdagangan Dalam Negeri, Koperasi dan Kepenggunaan), under the jurisdiction of Tuan Haji Wan Mohd. Yusof bin W. Taib, Chief Enforcement Officer of the KPDNKK for the state of Wilayah Persekutuan.
Trustees of the GIVI brand had tipped off KPNKK after finding the suspect selling fake GIVI rainsuits on the 11Street.com online shopping platform.
KPDNKK proceeded to stake out the business owner’s modus operandi since May 2017, discovering that he had stored the fake GIVI rainsuits at his personal premises before transferring them to the rented warehouse in Kepong where they will be dispatched to the respective customers.
Courtesy of KPDNKK
A total of nine uniformed KPDNKK officers descended upon the warehouse at 11am, which they found locked by with a keycard access. The GIVI representatives who were present identified themselves to the workers at the premises but were refused entry. The business owner showed up 15 minutes later and was requested access by the KPDNKK officers.
Courtesy of KPDNKK
Upon gaining entry, the officers called upon the GIVI representatives to identify the products, at which point the business owner became belligerent and cut off the power supply, in an attempt to make off with the fake products through the backdoor. He even tried to provoke the parties by threatening that he had gangsters in two cars on standby to intervene.
A negotiation ensued among the officers, GIVI representatives and the businessman, resulting in the fake GIVI rainsuits being seized and a hefty fine issued.
The owner will be charged under Sec. 8(2) of the Trade Descriptions Act 2011 (Akta Perihal Dagangan 2011), pertaining to counterfeit goods with intellectual property infringements.
Under the Act, the business owner stands to face a fine of up to RM10,000 per item, or a jail sentence of not more three years, or both; for the first offence.
A total of 445 pieces of fake GIVI rainsuits were seized, worth RM22,500 on the market.
As a piece of advice: Buy GIVI goods from GIVI Point concept stores or official GIVI dealers. Please follow GIVI Malaysia’s official Facebook page (click here) to identify the original items. And remember, if a product is too cheap to be true, it usually is.
David Robb – Father of the F 800 series and R 1200 GS
David Robb was born in Boston, raised in Japan, and influenced by California. He graduated with honors from the Art Center College of Design in Pasadena, California; whose other graduates included the current BMW Motorrad’s Head of Vehicle Design, Ola Stenegärd; Willie G. Davidson who’s the grandson of William A. Davidson, co-founder of Harley-Davidson; and one Miguel Angel Galluzzi.
Robb started out in Chrysler, then over Audi before joining BMW’s auto division in 1984, under another famous name, Chris Bangle. Bangle was the (in)famous for the controversial design of the E65 BMW 7-Series. It was Bangle who asked Robb if he take BMW’s motorcycle designs into a new direction.
When Robb took over in April 1993, BMW Motorrad had sold only 30,000 motorcycles worldwide. There were 19 models at the time, “They were all doing the same thing. Let’s quit copying ourselves,” Robb said in an interview.
What followed was an explosion of motorcycles that went on to become the stalwarts of the company, including the K 1200 RS, K 1200 R, R 1200 C, C1 (enclosed scooter), F 800 S, F 800 ST, F 800 R, F 800 GS and of course, the world’s bestselling motorcycle, the R 1200 GS.
It was Robb who also penned the S 1000 RR superbike, which took sport riding fraternity by storm.
Courtesy of Cycle World
BMW Motorrad sold almost 104,286 motorcycles in 2011, the year Robb retired.
Besides riding, Robb loves to fly and has even competed in aerobatic planes.
Courtesy of Cycle World
Robb’s brothers have interesting careers too, although unrelated to the motorcycle industry. Doug is the lead singer and rhythm guitarist for Hoobastank, while Tom was a bodyguard for Metallica.
The BMW R nineT Urban G/S is based on the rnineT platform
It harks back to the iconic R80G/S which won four Paris-Dakar Rally races
Accessibility, practicality and unconventional styling are its key points
“Wahid,” said Shaz in her sweetest voice, “You need to work on article about adventure riding.” That made the office lights turn in circles around me. Sure, I’ve ridden off-road and attend motocross training at Oh Kah Beng’s Most Fun Gym (MFG) from time to time, but to write about it was something else.
But lo’ and behold, a little research unearthed a whole treasure throve of amazing stories regarding the Paris-Dakar Rally.
This legendary rally raid event (now Dakar Rally or just The Dakar, and had moved to South America from Africa) which started in 1979 features classes for motorcycles, quads (ATVs), cars and trucks.
The Dakar isn’t quite like the type of rally we’re used to seeing in the World Rally Championship (WRC) where the competitors fly through 2km-long Special Stages (SS) to stamp the fastest time.
Oh no. Compared to The Dakar, WRC looks like a kiddy kart ride on the rooftop of a shopping mall.
The Dakar required competitors to cover 800 to 900 kilometres per day in tough conditions. Less than 30 percent consists of road stages, while the rest are offroad – crossing over dunes, mud, camel grass, rocks and a whole bunch of other terrains that are difficult to even walk on, plus who knows of dangers the desert lie in wait for the unfortunate soul. There were even competitors who vanished without a trace. The total distance over the rally ran up to 10,000 kilometres. To finish is akin to winning in itself.
It didn’t come to be called The World’s Toughest Rally for nothing.
Anyway, as I scrolled through the long list honours, two particular letters jumped out at me. “G” and “S”. More specifically, “BMW R80G/S.”
You see, motorcycles of the time were divided clearly into their respective roles; it was either fully road-going or off-road. The road-going motorcycles offered touring capabilities such as longer range, ability to haul luggage, and comfort for two. On the other hand, if you wanted a motorcycle that could handle Alpine dirt paths, desert tracks, sandy roads or the forests, it’s one which was stripped out of all the touring accoutrements. There was nothing in between.
BMW Motorrad made the bold decision to fill this void with a motorcycle that could do it all. The Reiseenduro (touring enduro) segment was born. (Reise means “a change of location” in German, while duro means “to endure” in Spanish.)
To cut a long story short, BMW Motorrad presented the R80G/S to the world press in Avignon, France on 1st September 1980. The “G/S” moniker stands for Gelände/Straße (off-road/road). BMW Motorrad promoted the R80G/S with the phrase, “Sports machine, touring machine, enduro… Welcome to a motorcycle concept with more than one string to its bow.”
The R80G/S also broke several engineering grounds, including how its 800cc Boxer-Twin was mated to a single-sided swingarm which carried the driveshaft, called the “Monolever.” (The “Paralever” was introduced in 1987 on the R80GS and R100GS.)
So, the R80G/S was the Adam of all adventure-touring motorcycles, including the current R 1200 GS.
BMW joined the Paris-Dakar Rally in 1980, and rider Jean-Claude Morellet finished fifth on the R80G/S. That result had shown the G/S’s potential and encouraged BMW to commit everything in 1981, resulting in Hubert Ariol winning 3 hours ahead of the next competitor, while Morellet came home in fourth. A non-factory G/S with little modifications finished in seventh.
BMW won again in 1983 in the hands of a diminutive Belgian rider by the name of Gaston Rahier, ahead of Auriol. Rahier would go on to win his second Paris-Dakar rally in 1984 with R80G/S.
Four Dakar victories in five years. That’s why the R80G/S is an icon.
Let’s time travel back to 2017.
The 2017 BMW R nineT Urban G/S was formally launched in Malaysia during the BMW Motorrad Malaysia’s Nightfuel event in Penang. (Click here for our coverage.)
Built upon the modular BMW rnineT platform (click here for our test and review), its styling harks back the R80G/S, so it does look retro. But is it just a heritage bike?
BMW Motorrad Malaysia had prepared a unit for the ride up to Penang to cover the event, but since we were sharing different bikes among other members of the media, I only got to ride the Urban G/S from Tian Siang Motorrad in Ipoh.
Getting off the manic S 1000 R naked sportbike/streetfighter, the R nineT G/S was a great change of pace, and of physical and mental aspects.
Compared to the S 1000 R’s plethora of features, the rnineT Urban G/S makes do with single large speedo with a small LCD screen embedded in it, there’s no ride mode (although ABS is always on), no electronic suspension settings, no quickshifter, no howling inline-Four.
But it does have the 1170cc “Oilhead” Boxer-Twin, with 110bhp and 116 Nm of torque!
It started up with a roar and a “very” noticeable kick to right; similarly when you blip the throttle. This thing’s alive it’s is telling you to get going.
The handlebar behind that classic “windshield” put me in a straight up riding position. The seat was coloured like the R80G/S Paris-Dakar Edition’s and was flat. The footpegs were slightly forward like those on an enduro.
Letting out the clutch, the Boxer’s flat torque took over and pulled away smartly. There’s no rush, the engine note was relaxed, lazy even.
Out on the North-South Highway, we decided to punch it as we reached the winding road leading to the Menora Tunnel. The engine’s steady rumble turned into a roar, mixed with a warble from the airbox underneath the tank and BRRRAAAAP from the single exhaust. The exhaust was loud enough to warn other vehicles out of the way.
The suspension might be basic and lack adjustability but both ends handled well as we swung through those corners at high speeds. They also soaked up the bumps from the red speed-breaker lines painted across the lanes, without the bike threatening to go wide.
We switched bikes again when we stopped for fuel at Gunung Semanggol, and I got the K 1600 GT tourer this time. But I jumped on the chance to ride the Urban G/S again on our way to the Nightfuel venue.
Penang’s traffic was clear when we left G. Hotel at Gurney Drive, but it was a total gridlock when we reached the coastal highway leading to the old Penang Bridge. It was so bad that even small bikes found it hard to get through. Sep would later say, “It looked like a scene from a disaster movie. It’s like everyone in Penang was running away from a catastrophic event!”
I managed to hook on to the back of a group of local R 1200 GS riders as they blazed a trail by using the motorcycle lane. It was here that I truly appreciated the R nineT Urban G/S’s agility. It was stable while cutting lanes at crawling speeds even at full handlebar lock. Helping along was the progressive clutch lever and engine’s smooth, low down torque. The brakes were strong and progressive, without being too aggressive.
We hit the clear past the bridge. Then the heaviest rain came down out of nowhere!
My riding gear had gotten wet on the way into Penang and I’ve left them to dry back in the hotel, so I was in my long-sleeve BMW GS Trophy T-shirt and, I’ve got the DSLR hanging in the rain! There’s only one thing left to do.
GUN IT!
I pushed past 130, 140, 150km/h while the rain slammed onto my skin like cold needles from the left. Yet, the R nineT Urban G/S remained stable. With my head slightly down behind the screen, knees and elbows tucked in, there was surprisingly little wind blast.
I parked at the first space in sight when I reached the event ground (in first place, just like Rahier, I’d like to think) and ran inside. It was only during the launch that it occurred to me that I was riding the country’s first registered BMW R nineT Urban G/S with such abandon.
Anyhow, an acquaintance in Penang met up with me later that night and we rode into town.
Penang’s roads seemed to have deteriorated somewhat and they were bumpy everywhere. Ridden at speeds of 60km/h above, the R nineT Urban G/S’s suspension glided over the bumps and potholes, but they felt a little stiff below that speed. So ride faster! Still, the pillion didn’t complain about being bumped around, since she’s much lighter than me.
Back in Kuala Lumpur where the traffic moves at a faster rate and the roads are wider, the R nineT Urban G/S had no trouble with whatever road surface it encountered. Big bumps and potholes were taken while standing up on the pegs, and they felt like road pimples and dimples. I was fully in tune with the bike by then and riding felt very natural.
Additionally, true to its Euro 4 rating and BMW Motorrad’s principle of building economical bikes, the full tank of gas from the Tapah R&R lasted for two more days of urban riding.
Conclusion
The BMW R nineT platform was created to spawn more variants and it was truly refreshing to have the R nineT Urban G/S as a stablemate. It still does retain resemblances to the iconic R80G/S and it positively handled the touring aspect very well. While we didn’t take it offroad, the R nineT Urban G/S met the challenge of rough city roads with aplomb. That is why there’s “Urban” in its name.
Honestly, I wasn’t too enamored with it initially but having discovered its character and that it shared the R80G/S genes turned me into a believer.
Besides that, the BMW R nineT Urban G/S is further customizable to your personal tastes – the Lac Rose Concept being an example – letting it stand out from the sea of cookie-cutter styled bikes.
TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS
ENGINE
Engine type
Air/Oil-cooled, 4-stroke, DOHC, 4 valves per cylinder, horizontally-opposed (Boxer) Twin
Compression ratio
12.0 : 1
Bore X Stroke
101 mm X 73 mm
Displacement
1170 cc
Fuel system
Electronic intake pipe injection
Maximum power
110 bhp (81 kW) @ 7550 RPM
Maximum torque
116 Nm @ 6000 RPM
TRANSMISSION
Clutch
Single dry plate clutch, hydraulically actuated
Gearbox
Constant mesh, 6-speed, shaft drive
CHASSIS
Front suspension
43mm telescopic forks, 125mm travel
Rear suspension
Single central shock absorber adjustable for preload and rebound damping. 140mm travel
Front brakes
Two 320mm floating discs, Brembo four-piston radially-mounted calipers
Rear brake
Single 265 mm disc, Brembo two-piston floating caliper
ABS
BMW Motorrad ABS, front and rear
Front tyre
120/70-R19
Rear tyre
170/60-R17
FRAME & DIMENSIONS
Frame
Three-part frame consisting of one front and two rear sections; load-bearing engine and transmission; rear set frame removable for single rider
Swingarm
Cast aluminium single-sided swingarm with BMW Motorrad Paralever
Buy Shell Advance motorcycle engine oil on Lazada Malaysia and you could Meet Jorge Lorenzo
Online shoppers stand to win exclusive meeting with the Ducati rider, MotoGP™ tickets and Oakley eyewear
Contest period from 3-29 October 2017
Buy Shell Advance Oil on Lazada Malaysia and Meet Jorge Lorenzo. Bikers nationwide can now purchase the complete range of Shell Advance motorcycle oils in full convenience from the Shell Malaysia Official Online Store on Lazada Malaysia, the leading e-commerce platform in the country.
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Also from 3-20 October, purchase any of one pack of Shell Advance Ultra or Ultra Scooter and receive one (1) Hillstand ticket and a welcome kit at Sepang International Circuit (SIC), on a first-come-first served basis
From 25-29 October, purchase one carton of Shell Advance Ultra with PurePlus Technology or Shell Advance AX7 for a chance to win a pair of Oakley eyewear personally autographed by Jorge Lorenzo.
Shell Lubricants General Manager for Malaysia and Singapore, Baljit Singh, said that the company’s continued collaboration with Lazada Malaysia following the successful launch of Shell Helix passenger car motor oils in August was further proof that it was working hard to meet their customers’ needs.
“We are now providing convenience to bikers all over the country who want nothing less than complete protection for their bikes’ engines that only Shell Advance can offer. Buying from the Shell Malaysia Official Online Store, you can ’outride’ any unpredictability or uncertainty about the quality or authenticity of the product. Best of all, you could be rewarded with a memorable meeting with the Ducati’s Jorge Lorenzo or tickets to the Hillstand at SIC that has been reserved exclusively for Shell this year,” he said.
Baljit also expressed delight that Shell Advance and Shell Helix products through its Shell Malaysia Official Online Store will be part of Lazada Malaysia’s Online Revolution shopping extravaganza this coming 11 November 2017.
The annual event is the biggest online shopping fest in Southeast Asia. Themed ‘Shop the Universe’, shoppers in six countries can look forward to millions of products from around the world at ‘out-of-this-world’ prices. This year, for the first time, the offerings will include genuine, officially-sourced Shell Advance motorcycle engine oils and Shell Helix passenger car motor oils.
“We are thrilled to extend our collaboration with Shell Malaysia with the introduction of the Shell Advance range of motorcycle oils on our platform. Bikers across Malaysia can now enjoy unparalleled access to genuine products online with just a few clicks of the button. We look forward to the introduction of more products and services at the Shell Malaysia Official Online Store even we gear ourselves for the our biggest campaign in November, the Online Revolution,” said Hans-Peter Ressel, Chief Executive Officer of Lazada Malaysia.
The Kawasaki Versys-X 250 offers the fun of adventure-motorcycling at a great price
It is also designed with features for adventure riding
It should appeal not only to beginners but also to seasoned riders
Courtesy of advpulse
The Kawasaki Versys-X 250 has come a long way from when adventure, adventure-touring, dual-purpose bikes that were big, tall, powerful beasts; runaways from the dunes of the Paris-Dakar Rally. Anyone remember those mighty 750cc and 900cc V-Twin DP (dual-purpose) bikes in the 90’s? Well, those were the granddaddies of adventure motorcycles.
The motorcycle class in the Paris-Dakar Rally (now Dakar Rally) had started out with competitors on smaller, single-cylinder bikes but as an arms war pushed the factories and riders to gain the upper hand against each other, the bikes became bigger and heavier, and of course more powerful. The single-cylinder, enduro-based bikes that were sold to the public and modified to race, gave way to purpose-built machines that were then sold afterwards as replicas.
However, with the increase in speed came increased number crashes and fatalities in the world’s toughest rally. That had the organisers knocking back the multi-cylinder format to single-cylinder bikes to cap the speeds, first from 690cc and to 450cc since 2011.
On the road, ironicaly, it went the other way in terms of engine capacities. Most true adventure and adventure-touring motorcycles in the market are being dominated by middleweight (750cc to 80cc) to open-class (1000cc and above) models.
The open-classers are not cheap for most motorcycle enthusiasts, unfortunately, ranging from around RM80,000. The middleweights on the other hand, are usually priced from RM50,000. Engine power range between 70bhp to 160bhp.
1. Smooth Power
Riding in the rough is not all about outright speed. Average offroad speeds are typically 30km/h, the fastest top speed being approximately 60km/h. Anything above that is for the pros, or if you’ve signed your last will and testament.
Let’s face it, most of us aren’t full-time or even part-time motocross or enduro riders.
The Versys-X 250 produces 33.5bhp and 21.7 Nm of torque, with a wet weight of 173kg, for a 5.2kg/bhp ratio. Comparing it to the Kawasaki KLX250 enduro, the KLX250 produces 23bhp and 21Nm of torque, but weighs only 136kg wet, for a 5.6kg/bhp ratio. They are actually very close to each other.
Why the lower horsepower on the KLX? Because too much speed in the rough isn’t necessarily a means to an end. Just like the big Dakar bikes of yesteryears.
For the Kawasaki Versys-X 250, beginners would appreciate it, pros would find it interesting.
Not only that, the throttle response is smooth and benign at the initial opening.
2. Controllability
Riding offroad is all about the ability to handle a bike that’s on the edge of tyre adhesion, besides being able to point it where you want it to go.
Courtesy of advpulse
Sure, the bigger bikes have more electronics but they are still heavier, taller and may have too much power for the rough for most riders to handle.
Smooth and predictable power delivery and throttle response is super important.
Controllability stems from acceptable power, smooth power delivery, lightness, narrowness of the bike, long-travel suspension and especially for beginners, an acceptable seat height.
3. Lightweight
The motorcycle will jump, drop, slide, squirm under you as your ride offroad. Soon, your arms, leg, back, and core muscles will start to feel “The Burn.”
Courtesy of Ksatria Pinandhita
Now imagine if you’re riding a 200+kg bike while all that’s happening.
Not fun.
Your body and mind might give up soon enough, followed by a spill. Talk about putting a damper in your enthusiasm for the ride.
Let’s cite an example: This writer has ridden in ankle-deep sands in South Africa. While most participants chose the 1200cc adventure-tourers, this writer opted for a much smaller and lighter 660cc enduro. Soon, every single 1200cc rider crashed in that section except for one, but this writer got through without a single scratch. And that sand was nothing compared to the sand dunes of the Tenerife desert!
Having ridden the Versys-X 250 offroad afterwards, it’s the perfect bike for the job.
4. Slender Body
Having a narrow midsection where the seat joins the tank is an important design factor. As covered in our offroading tips article last week (click here to read), you need to stand up.
As you stand, your legs ought to be parallel to the bike’s vertical profile, instead of being splayed outwards like on a cruiser. That way, you could help to steer the bike by pushing down with your legs, or clamping onto the midsection to stabilize the bike on the faster straight sections.
The Versys-X 250 does have a narrow midsection, but there’s also a bonus.
Notice how the fuel tank slopes precipitously downwards toward to seat? That’s for the rider, especially us of Asian heights, to push our upper weight forward onto the front wheel. The sloping tank means there’s much less likelihood of it upper cutting the rider in the groin, should the bike hit a bump.
5. Long-Travel Suspension
As with adventure motorcycle convention, the Versys-X 250 has 130mm front and 150mm rear suspension travel. The front wheel is 19-inches in diameter. That combination equals a relatively spacious ground clearance of 180mm.
A long-travel suspension means there’s more “space” for the suspension to absorb hits from the ground, especially on rough “no roads” to deliver a smoother, less jarring ride for the rider.
6. Low seat-height
Although adventure bikes are generally tall, the Versys-X 250 features a low-seat height of only 815mm to accommodate beginners and us of shorter stature.
Being able to touch a foot down in while riding offroad is reassuring especially for beginners, but it’s also something which has to be done while cornering. The quicker the foot touches down means the less the bike has to lean into a corner, consequently the less chance of the tyres sliding out from underneath.
Back on the road, the lower seat height also contributes to security when the bike is at standstill or crawling through traffic.
7. Practicality
Bikes of this nature are practical and the Kawasaki Versys-X 250 is no different. But since it’s a smaller capacity bike, it has a slender profile with tall a handlebar. Coupled to its lack of weight and you have a great urban bike. Being slim with the tall handlebar means you could filter through traffic without much worry, while being lightweight means its agile.
Plus, since the bike is comparatively tall, it gives you a better field of vision ahead of the traffic all around you.
8. Touring Capability
Because the Kawasaki Versys-X 250 is an adventure bike, it has much room for luggage. Throw on a pair of GIVI panniers and a top case and voila! You’ve got yourself an adventure-tourer (just like the Versys-X 250 we reviewed here).
The liquid-cooled, four-valve per cylinder, DOHC, 249cc, parallel-Twin engine is also fuel efficient. Throughout our testing, we’ve extracted between 260 to 300km from the 17-liter fuel tank.
Top speed is a little above 150km/h and that’s fast enough for most applications.
Conclusion
In closing, the Kawasaki Versys-X 250 is the recommended for those who want to embark on the wonderful journey into adventure-riding. However, because it is practical, lightweight and agile, it should also appeal to seasoned road riders who want to try out the rough stuff. But remember that it’s also a very capable roadbike.
The enjoyment of adventure-riding shouldn’t need to be done on expensive machinery only, evidenced by the Versys-X’s wallet-friendly price tag of only RM23,789 (with GST). Truly the only kind in the Malaysian market.
TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS
Engine
Liquid-cooled, DOHC, 8-valves, parallel-Twin
Displacement
249cc
Bore x Stroke
62.0 mm x 41.2 mm
Compression ratio
11.3 : 1
Fuel system
Electronic fuel injection, 28mm with dual throttle valves
Maximum power
33.1 bhp (24.7 kW) @ 11,500 RPM
Maximum torque
21.7 Nm @ 10,000 RPM
Front suspension
41mm telescopic forks
Rear suspension
Bottom-link Uni-Trak gas-charged shock, adjustable for preload
Front brakes
1 x 290 mm petal disc, 1 x balanced actuation dual-piston caliper
