Wahid Ooi, Author at BikesRepublic.com

Spanish MotoGP 2019: Quartaro and Morbidelli Qualify First 1-2 for Petronas Yamaha SRT

Fabio Quartararo and Franco Morbidelli qualified 1^stand 2^ndat the Spanish MotoGP 2019.
It was the first pole position and 1-2 qualifying result for the new Petronas Yamaha SRT team.
Quartararo also became the youngest rider to score a pole position.

Rookie Fabio Quartararo and Franco Morbidelli qualified 1^stand 2^ndfor today’s Spanish MotoGP. It was the first 1-2 qualifying result for the new Petronas Yamaha SRT outfit.

The results gave the fledgling team much to cheer about in just their fourth race. Both riders had been strong through the practice sessions, with Quartararo setting the leading pace.

In doing so, it was the first pole position in MotoGP for the youngster. Additionally, it reset the records as the youngest rider to achieve the feat, which was formerly held by Marc Marquez.ni

Speaking to MotoGP.com, Quartararo said that he had improved his braking from being his weakest point to his strongest.

Fabio Quartararo – Photo credit MotoGP.com

The Petronas Yamaha SRT team is using the same 2019 Yamaha YZR-M1 as the Monster Energy Yamaha factory team, but they are the B-spec bikes with lower rev limits.

Quartararo’s time of 1:36.880s was almost 8/10 quicker than the old record 1:37.653s set by Cal Crutchlow in 2018.

Morbidelli put in his fastest lap of 1:36.962s, followed by Marc Marquez (Repsol Honda) at 1:36.970s, just 0.008s behind to round out the Top 3.

Andrea Doviziso (Mission Winnow Ducati) did well to qualify in 4^thwith a time of 1:37.018s despite the Ducati Desmosedici’s traditional dislike of the Jerez Circuit’s layout.

Maverick Viñalez (Monster Energy Yamaha) had struggled throughout the first three practice sessions but managed to qualify 5^th. The M1 still displaying a sensitivity to changing conditions. Qualifying was carried in cooler temperatures which benefitted the tyres.

Rounding out the Top 10 are Cal Crutchlow (LCR Honda), Danilo Petrucci (Mission Winnow Ducati) Takaaki Nakagami (LCR Honda), Alex Rins (Suzuki Ecstar), Francesco Bagnaia (Pramac Ducati).

The first 16 riders qualified faster than the previous year’s lap record, showing how far MotoGP progresses by the year.

Prototype KTM 390 Duke Caught Testing

A prototype KTM 390 Duke was caught testing on the road.
The pictures show revised frame and chassis.
It is believed to be the 2021 model.

The KTM 390 Duke is one of the most rip-roaring bikes we’ve tested. Small as it may seem, the 2018 model rode more like a 500cc bike rather than a 372cc single-banger.

There isn’t others like it as most of its peers are dual-cylinder machines. But KTM made the 390 Duke in their “Ready to Race” spirit, hence the ability to use it for the daily commute and at a trackday. Many riders agree and it is actually KTM’s best-seller throughout the world.

And while we don’t see a reason to upgrade it, the manufacturer thinks otherwise, apparently.

Recently, RideApart reported that the prototype of the 2021 version was spotted testing.

Check out the photo. There’s a new headlight and TFT screen up-front. The front turnsignals are attached to the meter’s mount. Look closer and you’ll see the new frame and the engine is mounted on V-shaped hangers rather the single “bone” we see on the current model. The lower triple clamp behind the headlight is massive, hinting towards a change in geometry. Further back, the swingarm is likewise different.

The seats look thicker and bigger in the picture but they are probably dummies used during testing.

Source and picture: RideApart

Triumph Rocket III TFC Officially Unveiled

The new Triumph Rocket III TFC has been officially unveiled.
The engine is now 2500cc, producing 167hp and 221Nm.
Its electronics, chassis and suspension are also upgraded.

After teasing us earlier this year, besides the launch of the Thruxton R TFC, the Triumph Rocket III TFC has been officially unveiled.

Besides wearing the TFC (Triumph Factory Custom) badge, the Rocket III also claims the record as the biggest volume-production engine. Triumph upped the capacity from 2282cc to a whopping 2458cc. Thus, the new powerplant produces 167 hp and get this: 221 Nm of torque! If you’ve never pitied the rear tyre, now’s the time to do so.

However, it wasn’t just the extra cubes that contributed to the extra ponies. The manufacturer also reworked the head and gave it titanium valves. The carbon-tipped Arrow silencers also helped.

Reining in that massive power is a new electronic suite consisting of lean-angle sensitive traction control and ABS, in addition to four ride modes. Oh, there’s also a quickshifter with auto-blipper.

Other electronics include hill hold control, cruise control, keyless ignition and tyre pressure monitoring. The full-colour TFT display/instrument panel is the latest which appeared on the Triumph Scrambler 1200 XE. As such, it ought to include integration with not only your phone but also your GoPro camera.

The chassis and suspension have also been upgraded. At the front are 41mm cartridge Showa forks and a rear shock with piggyback reservoir. The front brakes consist of Brembo Stylema calipers, just like those on the Panigale V4 range.

The updates have turned the Rocket III into a serious power-cruiser to challenge the Ducati Diavel and Harley-Davidson V-Rod. Gone is the sedate-looking “old man’s cruiser” with a big engine.

Before we forget, Triumph will only build 750 units of the Rocket III, priced at £22,000 each.

But will there be a regular, non-TFC new Rocket III? We’d like to think so!

Aprilia RS660 Caught Testing at Imola

A video surfaced of an Aprilia RS660 being tested at Imola.
While it wears the RSV4’s bodywork, the video is titled as RS660.
Will we see the revival of the middleweight supersport class?

The upcoming Aprilia RS660 middleweight supersport bike garnered plenty of attention and anticipation since its unveiling at EICMA 2018.

As the Noale-based manufacturer said before, it’s basically an RSV4 minus the rear two cylinders. That turns the engine into a parallel-Twin.

Since then, Aprilia confirmed that the bike will make production and slated for 2020. That just leaves months to go before Intermot and EICMA 2019 for the purported official launch. So, there’s still plenty of work to do.

Lately, a video surfaced in the Aprilia Cup Facebook page claiming to be the RS660 prototype undergoing testing at the Imola racetrack. You can check out the video by clicking on the link below:

https://www.facebook.com/ApriliaCup/videos/2577483428964228/

However, we’d like to point out that the bike sounded a whole like a V-Four and the fairing is that of an RSV4. However, if you could spot a rough-looking parallel-Twin just ahead of the rider’s shin. Our conclusion is that it could very well be the test mule for the RS660. Furthermore, the video is titled RS660.

As the 1000cc superbike market keeps shrinking, we are hoping to see the revival of middleweight supersport class. Not only that they are cheaper than the 1000s, their level of power is more accessible to a wider range of riders. Fingers crossed for the RS660 to be priced reasonably.

Ducati Signs Deal with Vmoto to Produce Electric Scooters

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Source and pictures: Electrek.co

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Source: WBST-TV

KTM Secures Miguel Oliveira for 2020 MotoGP Season

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

KTM secures Miguel Oliveira through the 2020 MotoGP season.

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

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

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

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

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

Teenager Scammed in Buying Motorcycle Online

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Source: The Star

Suzuki Patents a Novel Single-Cylinder Engine

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

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

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

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

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

Suzuki’s patent shows a different kind of layout.

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

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

Kawasaki Buys More MODENAS Shares

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Bikesrepublic

Wahid Ooi

Fabio Quartararo and Franco Morbidelli qualified 1st and 2nd at the Spanish MotoGP 2019.

It was the first pole position and 1-2 qualifying result for the new Petronas Yamaha SRT team.

Quartararo also became the youngest rider to score a pole position.

A prototype KTM 390 Duke was caught testing on the road.

The pictures show revised frame and chassis.

It is believed to be the 2021 model.

The new Triumph Rocket III TFC has been officially unveiled.

The engine is now 2500cc, producing 167hp and 221Nm.

Its electronics, chassis and suspension are also upgraded.

A video surfaced of an Aprilia RS660 being tested at Imola.

While it wears the RSV4’s bodywork, the video is titled as RS660.

Will we see the revival of the middleweight supersport class?

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

The scooters will be rebranded as licensed products.

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

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

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

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

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

He has so far impressed everyone this season.

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

A teenager was scammed when he bought a motorcycle online.

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

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

Suzuki patents a special kind of single-cylinder engine.

It has two conrods but only one piston.

The objective is to reduce vibrations.

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

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

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

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

Berluti is a sub-brand of Louis Vuitton.

The bodywork is carbon fibre and engine stock.

Wipey is a helmet visor wiper.

The Kickstarter crowd-funded project has not started production.

Hopefully it helps to keep the visor clear.

Archive

Follow us on Facebook

Follow us on YouTube

BikesRepublic

Fabio Quartararo and Franco Morbidelli qualified 1^stand 2^ndat the Spanish MotoGP 2019.