Wahid Ooi, Author at BikesRepublic.com

Guy Martin Goes 436km/h for the Win

Speed freak and hard man Guy Martin smashed through 436km/h to win at Straightliners event.
He rode a turbocharged Suzuki Hayabusa.
The bike is reputed to produce 830hp.

Speed freak and hard man Guy Martin smashed through 436km/h to win at Straightliners event.

Martin is well-known for his exploits at the Isle of Man TT and many other road course races. But he also has a penchant for breaking outright speed records. Breaking his back twice hasn’t slowed him down, evidently.

Martin already hold three Guiness World Records for fastest speeds on a gravity-powered snow sled, a soap box and on the wall of death. He also holds the British record for driving the fastest hovercraft.

This time, he rode a specially modified Suzuki Hayabusa. The turbocharged Holseshot Racing bike is said to make 830hp.

Posted on the Steve McDonal Photography Twitter account are pictures of Martin on the bike and a picture of the results. The bike blasted down the mile-long (1.6km) track in Elvington, England at a terminal speed of 270.965mph.

The rider and bike have been spotted undergoing speed trials earlier in May and June. It first appeared in the Road Racing Ireland Ballykelly North West Speed Trials in May. Then in June, he hit 413km/h.

There are mutterings Martin could’ve gone faster at the event if not high winds. He won’t disappoint next time.

Is the Honda CBR250RR Coming to Malaysia?

Many enthusiasts have been crying out for the Honda CBR250RR.
We had the opportunity to see one during an event yesterday.
The bike is chockful of high-end parts.

Many Honda fans and enthusiasts have been crying out, “Where’s the Honda CBR250RR?” However, it’s available only in Japan, Indonesia and Thailand.

Truth be told, we’ve only seen the bike in pictures thus far. But even then, we could deduce that the bike is full of great features for a 250cc sportbike, besides looking great, of course.

But thanks to Boon Siew Honda, we were able to get up close to one during the Idemitsu Boon Siew Honda Racing AP250 team rollout yesterday.

The CBR250RR definitely looks like the most advanced and high-quality 250cc sportbike out there, typical of Honda.

Check out the Showa upside-down forks; Nissin four-piston front caliper; ABS; those distinctive LED headlamps. That bodywork wouldn’t be out of place on a 1000cc sportbike, either.

Moving backwards, look at the quality of the front and rear footpeg brackets. Or that heatshield on the dual exhaust silencers. The seat unit looks like it came from the CBR1000RR Fireblade.

But take an even closer look and you’ll see that the aluminium alloy swingarm is cast in one piece, rather than welded together from different pieces of metal.

However, a Boon Siew Honda representative pointed our attention toward the various stickers in Bahasa Indonesia. This meant that the bike is for the Indonesian market. Besides that, the front signal lamps are integrated into the top part of the front fairing. This arrangement will not pass JPJ homologation unless Honda attach signals on the sides of the fairings or into the mirror nacelles.

Seeing its quality opened our eyes to the large expense it takes to build the bike. It’s said that the CBR250RR would cost in the regions of RM34,000 to RM38,000 should it be sold here.

Unfortunately, that’s why the bike will not enter our market where there’s an overriding sentiment of price vs. capacity. Buyers will be tempted to get a 600/650cc machine for that price.

But that doesn’t mean we’ve stopped hoping (and pestering) for it to enter the Malaysian market. At a competitive price, of course.

PHOTO GALLERY

2019 Yamaha 135 LC Special Edition (SE) Launched – Priced from RM7,118

Hong Leong Yamaha Motor (HLYM) launched the 2019 Yamaha 135 LC Special Edition (SE) today.
The SE has a special Knight Blu colour and graphics.
The 135 LC soldiers on despite being launched a number of years ago.

Hong Leong Yamaha Motor (HLYM) launched the 2019 Yamaha 135 LC Special Edition (SE) today.

The 135 LC continues to be a popular model, despite being launched some seven years ago. The reasons for its longevity are its evergreen styling, reliability, quality and affordable pricing. Many had thought that the model will be phased out or fade into obscurity with the introduction of the Y15ZR, but that clearly isn’t the case.

How many times have we received our orders from Grab Food and Food Panda riders on new 135 LCs (especially ones in gray with yellow rims)? Yamaha dealers are moving them relatively quickly too and there’s always stock for one.

The bike has gone through a number of small revisions but mostly in special MotoGP colours.

But now, the 2019 135 LC SE features Knight Blu colour and graphics. Additionally, there are 135 LC logo graphics on the cast wheels. It’s one way for a model refresher.

Each buyer will receive a Yamaha stainless steel disc lock. HLYM recommends the selling price from RM 7,118 (basic selling price without road tax, insurance and number plates). The bike will be available from 20^thSeptember 2019.

2019 Yamaha NVX Doxou Sports Fashion Edition Price Announced – From RM10,688

The 2019 Yamaha NVX Doxou Sports Fashion Edition was launched at the recent Hong Leong Yamaha Genblu Festival 2019.
Its graphics are specially designed to combine fresh “Sakura Copper” and a special matte blue.
It’s available from today onwards.

The 2019 Yamaha NVX Doxou Sports Fashion Edition was launched at the recent Hong Leong Yamaha Genblu Festival 2019.

It was launched side-by-side with the Y15ZR Doxou.

As the name suggests, the model expands Yamaha’s standing in the premium sports fashion lifestyle. Its graphics are specially designed to combine fresh “Sakura Copper” and a special matte blue.

But the Doxou range isn’t merely about bikes with different colours. The proud owners of the limited-edition model will receive specially-designed Doxou headphones and keychain. More importantly, purchase will include a certificate inscribed with the bike’s engine and chassis details (so no respraying a standard bike and selling it as a Doxou).

Hong Leong Yamaha Motors (HLYM) recommends the selling price from RM10,688 (basic selling price and not on-the-road).

The Yamaha Y15ZR meanwhile, has been priced from RM8,868 during the festival.

HLYM also informed us that the bike will be available from the publishing date of this article.

PHOTO GALLERY

Idemitsu Boon Siew Honda Racing Rolls Out AP250 Team Ahead of 2020 FIM Asia Road Racing Championship Season

Idemitsu Boon Siew Honda Racing rolled out their AP250 team for the FIM Asia Road Racing Championship (ARRC) today.
The team is slated to join the series full time next year.
The early entry will provide them with experience and data.

Idemitsu Boon Siew Honda Racing rolled out their AP250 team for the FIM Asia Road Racing Championship (ARRC) today.

The team is slated to join the Asia Production 250 (AP250) category fully next year. Therefore, the launch today is to “test the waters” in the series with a factory backed team and wildcard riders. The sixth round of the 2019 ARRC season is currently being held at the Sepang International Circuit.

Without a doubt, the experience and data gained this year will be priceless in their participation in 2020.

“The Asia Production 250cc class was added to the Asia Road Racing Championship roster in 2015. To date, the class had been dominated by Thai and Indonesian riders. However, we know that, given the calibre of Malaysian riders, they should be challenging for the title in every single season. After all, the Malaysian riders are dominant in every other category of the ARRC (ASB1000, SuperSports 600cc, and Underbone 150cc), except the 250cc class. By establishing our own factory outfit in the class, we take on the mission of changing the balance of power in this popular category,” said Mr. Keiichi Yasuda, MD and CEO of Boon Siew Honda Sdn. Bhd.

To achieve this, Idemitsu Boon Siew Honda Racing will field two wildcard riders. 18-year-old Muhammad Syarifuddin Azman and 15-year-old Muhammad Idlan Haqimi Raduan will ride the CBR250RR.

Muhammad Syarifuddin was the Yamaha PETRONAS Super Series champion in 2016, and also captured the 2018 Wira category title with Idemitsu Kozi Yam Honda Racing.

Muhammad Syarifuddin (left) and Muhammad Idlan (right)

Meanwhile, Muhammad Idlan was the 2018 Honda One Make Challenge champion.

Idemitsu and Boon Siew Honda also hopes that these riders will be developed into world-class riders of the future.

GIVI Bella Ride to Pangkor 2019 – 2nd GIVI Ladies Ride & Camp

The GIVI Bella group organized the GIVI Bella Ride to Pangkor.
The group consists of all lady bikers.
The event also saw the handover of the Women Riders World Relay to the group.

The GIVI Bella group organized the GIVI Bella Ride to Pangkor 2019 from 14^thto 16^thSeptember 2019. The event was the second GIVI Ladies Ride & Camp event and formed the next leg of the Women Riders World Relay.

GIVI Asia Sdn. Bhd. is now fully supportive of bikers of all ilk and gender. Take for example the GIVI Bella group, which consists of lady bikers only. The group has grown strength to strength with through many activities along with GIVI since their inception just a number of months ago.

This second edition of the Ladies Ride & Camp activity came hot on the heels (no pun intended) of the popular first edition, which proved popular among lady bikers.

The Women Riders World Relay, on the other hand, seeks to empower lady bikers around the globe. GIVI was represented by Brand Ambassador Anita Yusoff who received the Women Riders World Relay baton from the group “Bad Girls Throttle.”

The ride was flagged off from GIVI Asia’s headquarters and factory in Bukit Beruntung. A total of 22 participants joined the event.

The convoy took the ladies to the jetty at Lumut, where they transferred over to Pangkor Island for some fun on the beach. The campsite was right at the beach. The participants also set up some fun and games. They even had an aerobics class the next day.

What’s the beach without a BBQ? The GIVI Bella prepared and made the BBQ themselves, which is even more satisfying than calling for catering.

The group then rode home on Malaysia Day while flying the Jalur Gemilang.

Here’s looking forward to the next GIVI Bella event and GIVI Ladies Camp & Ride.

PHOTO GALLERY

Ducati Multistrada V4 Confirmed for 2021

The Ducati Multistrada V4 is confirmed to debut in 2021.
Ducati made the announcement while celebrating the 100,000^thMultistrada produced.
The new bike will be sold alongside the Multistrada 1260 and 950.

The Ducati Multistrada V4 is confirmed to debut in 2021.

Ducati made the statement in their press release celebrating the 100,000^thMultistrada. They also mentioned that the new Multistrada V4 (MTS V4) will be sold alongside the V-Twin engine Multistrada 1260 and 950 versions.

Making the announcement so far ahead seems unprecedented in the motorcycle industry. That’s because customers may hold off their plans of buying the current model and decide only when the new one is unveiled. However, we feel that Ducati is confident despite making the early announcement due to different price ranges, among others. The MTS V4 will most probably cost way more than even a fully blinged-out MTS 1260 GT.

As pointed out by Asphalt & Rubber, it could also be that Ducati wants attention to fall solely on the Streetfighter V4. Unveiling the MTS V4 right next to the Streetfighter will steal some of the naked bike’s thunder.

Anyway, the Desmosedici Stradale V-four engine will be detuned for low-end and midrange performance since the MTS is pretty much a road bike. But since the V-Twin MTS 1260 produces 158 hp, we may see 170 to 180 hp in the MTS V4.

The updates will see it go up against the likes of the new BMW S 1000 XR and KTM 1290 Super Duke GT. On the other hand, pushing the power higher will also see it competing against the Kawasaki 1400GTR (in terms of power, rather than segment) and who knows, the supercharged Kawasaki Ninja H2SX (200 hp).

In the meantime, the 100,000^thMTS is the 1260 Pikes Peak edition. The total number of MTS produced include all the variants in the 1260 and 950 line-up.

Source: Ducati Press Release

TVS Apache RTR 200 4V Race Edition 2.0 First Ride – Priced from RM10,950

The TVS Apache RTR 200 4V Race Edition 2.0 was launched on Malaysia Day.
It follows the preview in December last year.
It boasts a number of good features.

We were given a preview of the TVS Apache RTR 200 4V Race Edition 2.0 in December last year.

Let’s fast forward to the Malaysia Day weekend. Daju Motors Sdn. Bhd., the official TVS distributor for Malaysian and Brunei launched the bike during the Malaysia Day 2019 weekend at the Elite Speedway near USJ.

Member of the media, bloggers and YouTubers were invited to have a go on the bike on the circuit. Where better to test ride than in a controlled and safe environment like the race track.

The TVS Apache RTR 200 4V Race Edition 2.0 is a lightweight standard bike but is packed with features as a reflection of its “Race Edition” name. Those features put the bike (slightly) ahead of the competition.

They are:

A-RT (Anti-Reverse Torque) slipper clutch to limit engine back torque and rear wheel hop when downshifting aggressively. TVS claims an added advantage of 22% lighter clutch lever pull. The Apache RTR 200 is the first bike in its category to be fitted with a slipper clutch.

O3C Tech. This is a patented Oil-cooled Combustion Chamber (O3C) tech with ram-air assit to reduce engine heat but up to 10^oC.
Electronic fuel injection system which utilizes idling air control valve (IACV) and manifold absolute pressure sensor to deliver the optimal amount of fuel. Nothing fancy here except that the Bosch-developed fuel injector features twin spray nozzles for better fuel atomization.

Double cradle split chassis.
KYB suspension. The rear monoshock is tuned to deliver optimized compression and rebound damping characteristics.

Each journalist was given only five laps of the twisty, narrow and bumpy circuit but the layout favours lightweight bikes such as the Apache.

Our first thought was the tyres were overinflated for the task, which we highlighted to the organizer, but nothing was done. So, we went out there and ended up being trashed around as the tyres hopped over the bumps.

The engine took lots of revving to get going, especially coming around the final turn and onto the front straight. But there was a lot of overrun, thankfully as we carried 2^ndgear all the way into Turn One.

But the bike paid back in terms of handling in spades. The narrow tyres and seating position allowed the bike to be thrown around with little effort from the rider. At least the bike tracked exactly where we pointed it, so selecting a line and going after it was easy.

However, if there was one thing which we really liked was the brakes. We only used the front brakes during the track session since it was more than adequate. It may not be branded but it bit down hard and scrubbed off speed without much drama.

The chassis was pretty stiff, but it meant that the bike didn’t weave about like a drunken person.

The bike’s pretty affordable from RM10,950. Give it a test ride and judge for yourself.

PHOTO GALLERY

New Colours for 2019 Yamaha YZF-R15

Hong Leong Yamaha Motor (HLYM) has revealed new colours for the 2019 Yamaha YZF-R15.
The Yamaha YZF-R15 is enjoying unparalleled success in the lightweight sportbike segment.
It’s one of the most entertaining bikes we’ve tested.

Hong Leong Yamaha Motor (HLYM) has revealed new colours for the 2019 Yamaha YZF-R15.

The Yamaha YZF-R15 is enjoying unparalleled success in the lightweight sportbike segment. It was simply one of the most entertaining motorcycles we’ve ridden. There may not be much in the way of electronic wizardry but that’s part and parcel of the entertainment.

The 155cc engine may be adapated from the NVX 155 scooter, along with variable valve timing (VVT), but it feels a lot livelier in the R15. In fact, the engine revs quicker than the YZF-R25’s 250cc powerplant.

It highlights that lightweight motorcycles are way more fun in the real world. You can even knee down in corners on the Yamaha YZF-R15!

We’re starting to see the R15 quite often on Malaysian roads, hopefully as a sign that the model is performing well on the sales floor.

As such for 2019, HLYM rolled out three new colour schemes. They’re called the same namely Race Blu (sic), Yellow and Black but “arranged” a different manner to refresh the model.

The bikes with the new colour schemes will be delivered to dealers beginning September 2019.

The recommended basic selling price remains the same from RM 11,988 (without road tax, insurance and number plates).

KTM Removes Johann Zarco from MotoGP Team

Johann Zarco has been removed from the MotoGP team for the remainder of the season.
Mika Kallio will replace him for the rest of the 2019 season.
Zarco isn’t allowed to race or test for another team until the end of the year.

Johann Zarco has been removed from the MotoGP team for the remainder of the season.

The two-time Moto2 champion had requested to terminate his two-contract with the Austrian manufacturer a year early, which would see him leave at the end of the 2019 season.

Instead, Mika Kallio will return to ride for the factory team for the remainder of the season.

We weren’t told if Zarco insisted on leaving early or whether KTM told him to leave, but the team would surely want to move on quickly to develop the RC16 for the 2020 season. While the factory can still put in new parts for these last few rounds, they may see the rider as the stumbling block. Besides, KTM will also need to secure their secrets and will not let Zarco spill the beans when he joins another team. This is even more critical in case he becomes a test rider.

KTM noted that Zarco is still contractually tied to them until the end of 2019, hence he will not be able to race or test for another team.

Relationship between the two parties melted down after Zarco became more and more frustrated with riding the KTM RC16. His ex-teammate from Tech 3 Yamaha, Hafizh Syahrin also struggled with the KTM and was unceremoniously dumped for next season.

Shell Malaysia Collaborates with Malaysian Enforcement Agencies to Combat Counterfeits

Shell Malaysia has joined forces with Malaysian enforcement agencies to combat counterfeit lubricants.
They organized a workshop for the Ministry of Domestic Trade and Consumer Affairs (KPDNHEP) and Royal Malaysian Customs.
The workshop will help the enforcers identify fake Shell lubricants when they conduct raids.

Shell Malaysia has joined forces with Malaysian enforcement agencies to combat counterfeit lubricants.

The issue of counterfeit lubricants is certainly not new in this country and it isn’t limited to a single brand, either. Criminals target the most popular brands, because they are business people too but unethical. This is why sometimes exists the perception that there’s widespread existence of counterfeit items being sold in the market.

KPDNHEP Deputy Director of Enforcement Tuan Suhaimi Mat Sari and Shell Malaysia Government Relations Manager Noorhisham Anas taking a closer look at Shell Helix packs.

For this, Shell conducted a research in 2018 to check for illegal lubricant proliferation. They procured samples from online portals and hypermarkets that were tagged as “genuine” Shell products. Samples were sent to their labs and 12 bottles were found to be counterfeits.

Counterfeit products not only create bad publicity for a company and its dealers, it may come down to being downright harmful to consumers, as well. Imagine using inferior lubricants in your engine. Or worse, other consumables such as brake fluid!

Shell organized a special workshop for more than 100 officers from the Ministry of Domestic Trade and Consumer Affairs (KPDNHEP) and Royal Malaysian Customs. The objective was to impart the knowledge to differentiate the genuine and counterfeit products, especially when they carry out raids.

An officer inspecting the security QR code sample on a genuine Shell Helix pack

Shell advises that official and genuine Shell lubricants for the Malaysian market are marked with a “Untuk Pasaran Malaysia” label together with a QR codes that can be authenticated via the SHARE website (http://www.shell.com.my/share).

Consumers who suspect they may have purchased counterfeits are advised to contact Shell Customer Service immediately at 1-300-88-1808 or email to generalpublicenquiries-my@shell.com.

Kawasaki is Teasing with New Supercharged “Z” Model

Kawasaki has just released a teaser video for a supercharged “Z” model.
There were no other details provided.
It could be for a new supercharged Z1000.

Kawasaki has just released a teaser video for a supercharged “Z” model.

The announcement is quite a surprise since the “Z” model range consists of standard and naked sportbikes such as the Z250, Z650, Z900 and Z1000, with only one fully-faired model, the Z1000SX sport-tourer.

No other details were provided so it may go either one of two ways.

Please click on this link for the video: https://youtu.be/4u8Q6sr4h3Y

On one hand, the new bike may be a supercharged Z1000. Doing so would boost the engine’s horsepower and torque enter the bike into the supernaked category arena. its competitors are the KTM 1290 Super Duke R, Aprilia Tuono 1100, BMW S 1000 RR, Triumph Speed Triple RS, Ducati Monster 1200, Yamaha MT10. Kawasaki had ruled this segment a long time ago with the Z1, although there was no “sportbike” and “naked sportbike” category back then. The current Z1000 needs a reboot since its introduction in 2014.

On the other side of the coin, Kawasaki could supercharge a 500- or 600cc bike and bring it to the Z1000’s level. However, this seem a little far-fetched for us for a number of reasons, chief being very few buyers would pay big money for a 500/600cc bike, supercharged/turbocharged be damned. To them it’s more like overcharged. Besides that, as we mentioned earlier, the Z1000 is five years old and is dire need of a refresh.

But regardless of which direction Kawasaki takes, the new bike will be the fourth supercharged machine in their stable after the H2R, H2 and H2SX sport-tourer.

Exciting times ahead, my friends.

Source: Kawasaki Italia

Bikesrepublic

Wahid Ooi

Speed freak and hard man Guy Martin smashed through 436km/h to win at Straightliners event.

He rode a turbocharged Suzuki Hayabusa.

The bike is reputed to produce 830hp.

Many enthusiasts have been crying out for the Honda CBR250RR.

We had the opportunity to see one during an event yesterday.

The bike is chockful of high-end parts.

PHOTO GALLERY

Hong Leong Yamaha Motor (HLYM) launched the 2019 Yamaha 135 LC Special Edition (SE) today.

The SE has a special Knight Blu colour and graphics.

The 135 LC soldiers on despite being launched a number of years ago.

PHOTO GALLERY

Idemitsu Boon Siew Honda Racing rolled out their AP250 team for the FIM Asia Road Racing Championship (ARRC) today.

The team is slated to join the series full time next year.

The early entry will provide them with experience and data.

The GIVI Bella group organized the GIVI Bella Ride to Pangkor.

The group consists of all lady bikers.

The event also saw the handover of the Women Riders World Relay to the group.

PHOTO GALLERY

The Ducati Multistrada V4 is confirmed to debut in 2021.

Ducati made the announcement while celebrating the 100,000th Multistrada produced.

The new bike will be sold alongside the Multistrada 1260 and 950.

The TVS Apache RTR 200 4V Race Edition 2.0 was launched on Malaysia Day.

It follows the preview in December last year.

It boasts a number of good features.

They are:

PHOTO GALLERY

Hong Leong Yamaha Motor (HLYM) has revealed new colours for the 2019 Yamaha YZF-R15.

The Yamaha YZF-R15 is enjoying unparalleled success in the lightweight sportbike segment.

It’s one of the most entertaining bikes we’ve tested.

Johann Zarco has been removed from the MotoGP team for the remainder of the season.

Mika Kallio will replace him for the rest of the 2019 season.

Zarco isn’t allowed to race or test for another team until the end of the year.

Shell Malaysia has joined forces with Malaysian enforcement agencies to combat counterfeit lubricants.

They organized a workshop for the Ministry of Domestic Trade and Consumer Affairs (KPDNHEP) and Royal Malaysian Customs.

The workshop will help the enforcers identify fake Shell lubricants when they conduct raids.

Kawasaki has just released a teaser video for a supercharged “Z” model.

There were no other details provided.

It could be for a new supercharged Z1000.

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Ducati made the announcement while celebrating the 100,000^thMultistrada produced.