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2025 Ducati Streetfighter V4, King of Nakeds

You knew it was coming, following the launch of the 2025 Ducati Panigale V4. Here is the 2025 Ducati Streetfighter V4 with more engine power, revised chassis, updated aerodynamics, and better electronics.

This time, Ducati did not hold back as they have removed the fairings of the Panigale V4, gave the Streetfighter V4 S higher handlebars, and kept the engine power almost the same. The only difference for the 1103cc Demosecidi Stradale engine on the Streetfighter is a different airbox intake to deliver a stronger power delivery throughout the rev range.

Apart from this, the cams have higher lift profiles, the alternator and oil pump are shared with the Panigale V4 R, and the gear drum from the Superleggera V4. The Streetfighter V4’s engine also has variable-length intake trumpets.

The chassis is almost identical with the Panigale V4’s but is an all-new design, 1kg lighter than the previous bike. Just like the Panigale’s the front frame and double-sided swingarm offer less lateral stiffness: 37% in front and 42% at the back for better grip when the bike is leaned over plus improving feedback.

The 2025 Ducati Streetfighter V4 has 0.5º more rake, and 1mm more trail for better straightline stability. Forks are Showa Big Piston, and the rear monoshock in a Sachs unit for the standard variant, while the S variant gets electronic Öhlins NIX/TTX suspension.

The bi-plane winglets generate 17kg of downforace at 270km/h. Oh, Ducati claims the Streetfighter V4 S has a kerb weight without fuel of only 189kg, giving it a 1.13hp/kg of power-to-weight ratio, while the standard variant has a kerb weight without fuel of 191kg.

And of course, no Ducati is complete without a raft of electronics features that will rival the Space Shuttle. There are four ride modes (Race, Sport, Road, Wet), wheelie control, Cornering Traction Control, Cornering ABS, slide control, launch control, quickshifter,.

New is the predictive algorithm-based Ducati Vehicle Observer (DVO) system comes included to precisely estimate the amount of electronic intervention needed, as does a five-level Race eCBS – a combined braking system that can automatically modulate rear pressure without rider input to mimic the cornering techniques used by professional racers.

The electronic features are all controlled through a new 6.9-inch TFT screen. And a partridge in a pear tree.

But it is comforting to know that Ducati did not forget rider comfort. The area where the seat meets the tank is revised to offer more room for taller riders, as well as better grip when braking and cornering. The handlebar and footpegs were repositioned to provide long-distance comfort while still offering a sporty ergonomic.

Last but not least, there are internal deflectors to er… deflect hot air from the engine away from the rider’s legs.

Prices in the UK are £21,295 (RM120,211.52) for the standard variant, while the 2025 Ducati Streetfighter V4 S is £26,195 (RM147,872.31). Prices in MYR are direct conversions, thus the price may be (much) higher when it arrives in Malaysia.

2025 Royal Enfield Scram 440 Launched in India

The 2025 Royal Enfield Scram 440 was launched at the manufacturer’s largest annual motorcycle gathering, Motoverse 2024, which was held in Goa, India. The Scram 440 is updated from the current Scram 411.

Starting with the engine, Royal Enfield (RE) bored out the current anaemic 411cc, single-cylinder, SOHC, air/oil-cooled powerplant to 443cc. The added cubes upped maximum power to 25.4hp at 6,250 RPM and torque to 34Nm at 4,000 RPM. It is a model update from 24.3hp at 6,500 RPM and 32Nm at 4,250 RPM. Why RE did not go for even higher outputs in the 30hp region is beyond us.

Next up is the transmission, to which RE added a 6th gear to address highway cruising woes. Apart from that, the maker claims clutch pull is lighter now.

The frame is strengthened to accommodate heavier loads and top box, which the chassis remains the same. The wheels are wire-spoked 19-inches front and rear 17-inch rear, tubed type. Alloy tubeless wheels are optional.

Brakes are also upgraded as a response to present owners who found their braking power inadequate. The dual-channel ABS is now switchable, letting the rider turn off the rear wheel’s ABS for off-road use, akin the RE Himalayan.

Several new colours have been added for the 2025 Royal Enfield Scram 440 and will be released in India from January 2025.

2025 BMW R 12 S Launched, Beautiful Homage to the R90S

The 2025 BMW R 12 S has been launched, and it is a beautiful homage to the 1973 BMW R90S.

Why was the R90S such an icon? BMW says that the R90S “set an exclamation mark for BMW Motorrad with 67 hp, a top speed of 124 mph (considered the ‘sound barrier’ for motorcycles at the time), double disk front brakes and sporting riding dynamics.” Putting that PR agency spiel aside, the R90S was the bike which moved BMW away from the “old man’s motorcycle” stereotype and into the performance bracket. Indeed, Reg Pridmore won the 1976 AMA Superbike Championship on it. Cycle World called it the motorcycle which started the sport-touring revolution. It was also designed by Hans Muth, the guy who designed the original Suzuki Katana.

The R nineT range is been the brand’s modern classic range and has seen several beautiful iterations of the bikes of yesteryears, especially the R nineT Racer. But this one takes the cake in our books.

Based on the R 12 nineT, the BMW R 12 S uses the same 1170cc, air/oil-cooled Boxer which produces 109hp and 115Nm. However, the R 12 S is blinged out with Option 719 Wheel Classic II wire-spoked rims, black handlebar, and fork tubes. The engine also features several black accents.

The paint scheme is called N42 Lava (the original was called Daytona Orange) and includes red pinstriping and brushed aluminium accents on the fuel tank and rear seat cover. And don’t forget that old-school headlight fairing, as the R90S was the first production motorcycle to sport one.

Other features include Hill Start Control, Gear Shift Assist Pro, Cruise Control, heated grips, Headlight Pro.

Price is USD21,590 in the US before tax. Oh, now I regret for not being a stock broker…

D3O Vibration Dampening Insoles Instroduced, but What is D3O?

The British shock absorption specialist, D3O, has come up with a solution in the form of D3O vibration dampening insoles for footwear.

One thing that never goes away when riding a motorcycle is vibration from both the road and the bike itself. Road vibrations is something we can address by tweaking the suspension or changing the tyres, but that high frequency buzz from some bikes can cause our legs and feet to go asleep especially when riding for long distances.

But who and what is D3O…?

Putting D3O aside for a moment, let us look at other motorcycle gear armour: If it is comfort you want, let us say for daily riding, the armour is soft and may not be able to absorb high impact forces. You can wear the jacket or pants as casual clothing.

On the other hand, if you want more protection, comfort is sacrificed because the armour is usually harder and larger. You will look like a cyborg if you want to wear that jacket around and the hard armour can be uncomfortable and limits mobility.

Enter D3O. D3O’s armour is made of substances that result in non-Newtonian properties. Non-Newtonian solid do not exist but there are non-Newtonian fluids. One good example is tomato ketchup which flows easier when shaken.

So, D3O’s signature armour is malleable and soft to the touch, allowing for great mobility and comfort, but the molecules will instantaneously together and stiffen to absorb large impact forces. And that is really all there is to it.

As such, D3O armour sees a wide variety of uses including in military helmets, bicycle helmets, the aforementioned riding gear, and shoes such as several models in Stylmartin’s line-up.

Back to the new D3O insoles…

The D3O vibration dampening insoles were developed from Formula One teams. These insoles are engineered distribute impacts and vibrations evenly across the soles for improved comfort.

There are three levels of protection: ‘Minimalist’, ‘Standard’, and ‘Loaded.’

Across all three, the main protection is afforded to the midsole area, where the foot meets the peg. The more premium versions feature additional damping material over larger areas.

The product is much welcomed, given that some of us riders have sought many ways to damp our bikes’ vibrations. D3O says it will be available in 2025.

New Vehicle Sales Expected to Hit 800,000 Units in 2024

An investment bank has raised their automotive sales forecast for this year to 800,000 units from the previous 760,000 units.

The Hong Leong Investment Bank (HLIB Research) forecast has the potential to break the all-time high total industry volume (TIV) of 799,731 units recorded last year.

The revision by the investment bank reflects a significant backlog of orders for PERODUA and robust sales efforts by various original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) in the fourth quarter of 2024.

In October, TIV rebounded month-on-month by 20.3 per cent to 69,900 units, driven by PERODUA’s full production schedule and year-end sales boost by other OEMs.

However, TIV in October actually represented a 9.1 per cent decline compared to the same month last year, due to lower backlog of orders.

Total vehicle sales in Malaysia in October 2024 increased by 20 per cent compared to September to 69,859 units.

TIV for the period January to October 2024 was 2.4 percent higher at 664,002 units compared to 648,130 units in the same period in 2023.

In the 10-month period, passenger vehicles recorded sales of 608,225 units, an increase of five percent compared to 581,672 units in the same period the previous year.

For commercial vehicles, sales declined by 16 percent to 55,777 units compared to 66,458 units.

“We expect sales volumes to remain stable in the coming months due to the still high backlog for PERODUA and more aggressive sales campaigns launched by various OEMs.

“We also see more aggressive launches by Chinese OEMs with attractive pricing and features, which will provide stiff competition to existing OEMs,” he said in a research note.

The Malaysian Automotive Association (MAA) also raised its TIV forecast for new vehicle sales in Malaysia to 800,000 units for 2024.

The new forecast is equivalent to an increase of 35,000 units compared to the forecast made last July of 765,000 units.

Opposition MP Calls to Stop Sexy Models at MotoGP

Permatang Pauh MP Muhammad Fawwaz Mohamad Jan raised the issue of employing sexily-dressed female models in MotoGP because it contradicts against Islamic teachings and the Rukun Negara.

He requested the Ministry of Youth and Sports (Kementerian Belia dan Sukan/KBS) to stop the practice during the Debate Session of the Supply Bill (RUU) 2025 at the Committee Level for KBS at the Dewan Rakyat yesterday (November 27).

“We recently watched the Sepang 2024 MotoGP competition in early November.

“So I would like to raise the issue that apart from the event being well-executed, there are several things that could be improved.

“I want to share about the issue of the tradition of displaying sexy female models throughout the event.

“If we see it as contradicting the teachings of Islam and our fifth Rukun Negara, which is Modesty and Morality, it is very inappropriate for a motor sport that is enjoyed by men and is popular with various levels of society to be presented with such things, and many visitors even complained,” he said.

Therefore, he requested KBS to take the matter seriously, such as taking action to improve the issue of alcohol delivery during Formula One (F1) races, previously. (Formula One has also stopped the service of umbrella girls for several years. – Editor.)

“So I request that KBS take this view into account as we have done before.

“If we look at the F1 sports category, there was a ceremony where alcohol was given on the podium, but in recent years, before SIC was not activated, we have seen that alcohol was not given.

“This is a good thing and may be practiced in our country, especially in the issue of conspicuous women,” he said.

Earlier, Muhammad Fawwaz also agreed to the cooperation agreement signed between the Sepang International Circuit (SIC) and Petronas.

“I agree with the agreement between SIC and Petronas to work together for three years to reduce SIC’s dependence on the government.

“In fact, the string of these agreements if we see many vibrant programs being implemented at SIC,” he said.

Indonesian Motorcycle Market Maintains Upward Momentum

The Indonesian motorcycle market maintains its upward momentum, after seeing a slight reduction in the first half of the year. The first half had closed with a 0.9% reduction in motorcycle sales, but rebounded by 4.1% up to October.

The upswing was the result of the Indonesian government’s commitment to electrify the country’s vehicles. In April 2024, the government committed U$455 million to subsidise the purchase of electric motorcycles aiming to cover the purchase of 800,000 new electric motorcycles and the conversion of 200,000 combustion engine motorcycles into electric ones. The subsidy program provides an IDR 7 million discount on the purchase of electric motorcycles. Hence the segment has increased by 96.6% this year.

The Chinese EV leader Yadea was quick to capitalise on the opportunity and invested heavily to produce electric scooters and motorcycles in Indonesia.

The inaugural vehicle delivery ceremony, held on March 14th, 2024, in Cikarang, Bekasi, Indonesia, marked a monumental milestone for Yadea’s expansion efforts in the Southeast Asian region.

Situated in Bekasi, West Java Province, the Yadea Indonesia production base encompasses a sprawling 28,000 square meters, boasting state-of-the-art facilities and cutting-edge technologies, and an annual production capacity of 300,000 units.

KTM is Insolvent and Enters ‘Self-Administration’

KTM’s parent company, Pierer Mobility AG has failed to source for a cash infusion of at least €100 million, and as a result, KTM AG is now insolvent. The company has entered ‘self-administration’ in order to stave off bankruptcy. In other words, they are working on a reorganisation plan with their creditors within a 90-day timeframe.

As part of the restructuring efforts, Pierer Mobility outlined plans for KTM that involve scaling back production and gradually reducing surplus inventory. These measures aim to diminish the output of the company’s Austrian facilities by over €1 billion in the coming two years.

The impact on Pierer Mobility’s stock was severe, with a further 45% decline to 6.9 Swiss Francs. All in all, their stock has plummeted by 88.1% from its previous high of 95.00 Swiss Francs on 14 January 2022. This marked the steepest single-day decrease in the company’s history.

KTM’s problem began when they increased production to cater for the market demand post-Covid-19 pandemic. However, it soon became apparent that their production had grossly outstripped demand, leaving dealers with excess stock. To exacerbate their woes further, there is currently an industrial crisis across Europe, coupled with a decrease in the demand for motorcycles due to rising costs of living.

Some pundits have also pointed out the quality issues faced by the LC8c engine platform, which powers the 790 and 890 ranges.

Pierer Industrie AG, the parent company of Pierer Mobility, which is co-owned by Stefan Pierer and Bajaj Auto Ltd. of India, has been seeking to restructure its debt.

On Monday, the company approached its creditors with a request to prolong the maturity of nearly €250 million ($262 million) of its liabilities.

KTM CEO Stefan Pierer said alongside newly appointed Co-CEO Gottfried Neumeister: “Over the past three decades, we have grown to become Europe’s largest motorcycle manufacturer.

“We inspire millions of motorcycle riders around the world with our products. Now we are taking a pit stop for the future. The KTM brand is my life’s work, and I will fight for it.”

“The enthusiasm of our employees is our most important competitive advantage,” Gottfried Neumeister added. “Their passion is the reason why KTM is globally synonymous with peak performance.

“We build our motorcycles reliably and robustly for every race, for every terrain. Now it’s about making the company robust. Robust for the future. So that we can quickly focus again on what we do best: building the coolest motorcycles in the world.”

Despite Neumeister’s positive tone, a separate statement released by Pierer Mobility on the same day stated that the company expects KTM to end the 2024 financial year with a negative net financial outlook said to be in the ‘very high’ hundreds of millions.

Since 1992, KTM has grown from 160 employees and a production volume of 6000 bikes, to over 5000 employees and the capability of producing 1000 motorcycles per day. As such, further job cuts are expected.

Suzuki Q1 and Q2 2024 Worldwide Sales Increased

Suzuki Q1 and Q2 2024 worldwide sales has increased, so much so that the maker has adjusted their forecast higher for the entire year.

Suzuki sold 523,000 bikes in Q1 and 499,000 bikes in Q2 this year, compared to 479,000 in Q1 and 494,000 in Q2, 2023. Should the trend continue, Suzuki will see a 4.5 percent increase in revenues, 10.4 percent increase in profits, and 4.9 percent rise in global motorcycle sales.

The manufacturer’s annual sales has been increasing steadily since 2020 when the Covid-19 pandemic struck. They had sold 1,535,000 motorcycles that year, 1,634,000 in 2021, 1,859,000 in 2022, and 1,912,000 in 2023. So, the higher projections for FY 2024, given their current performance should see sales above the 2,000,000 mark.

Breaking performance down by region, Asia continues to be the best performer by notching up 1,225,000 sales from 2020-2023. The Asian countries which saw the biggest sales during the same period were India with 557,000 units, China (374,000), and the Philippines (136,000). Other Asian countries contributed 158,000 of sales, altogether.

Suzuki hopes that the new 2024 Suzuki V-Strom 250SX which we reviewed recently will strengthen their sales in the Asian region.

Updated 2025 BMW F 900 XR and 2025 BMW F 900 R Debut

The updated 2025 BMW F 900 R and 2025 BMW F 900 XR have been announced. Both feature lower weight, improved ergonomics, upgraded suspension, and revised aerodynamics. Most of the changes went to the XR sport-tourer variant.

With both variants based on the same F 900 platform, they share several features and components. The different being that the F 900 R is a ‘roadster’ in BMW’s terms a.k.a. naked bike, while the F 900 XR is a sport-tourer, hence the ‘X’ designation.

Highlights

The 895cc, parallel-twin, with 270° cranks is now Euro 5+ compliant but remain unchanged, including its peak power output of 105hp at 8,500 RPM and 93.0Nm of peak torque at 6,500 RPM.
Engine power is channelled through an anti-hopping slipper clutch, but now with the aid of the MSR Engine Drag Torque Control electronic aid to reduce engine braking at while downshifting at higher RPMs.

Both variants receive upgraded 43mm upside down, fully-adjustable forks. However, the R variant has 135mm, and the XR has 170mm of fork travel.
The monoshock at the back of each variant is adjustable for preload and rebound damping only. Owners can opt for the Dynamic ESA suspension.

The wheels are cast aluminium and borrowed from the S 1000 R, reducing 1.8kg on both ends. Lighter wheels means lesser unsprung weight allowing for quicker handling, faster acceleration and deceleration.
Speaking of weight reduction, a new, 800g lighter battery. All in all, there is a 3kg weight reduction for both the 2025 BMW F 900 R and 2025 BMW F 900 XR.

Other revisions include the lights, now featuring turn signals that also function as the brake lights.
The headlight now features Headlight Pro functionality as standard, with additional LEDs that light up inside corners while cornering.

Ergonomics on F 900 R have been revised to provide a sportier riding position. There is an optional sport seat to raise the ride height from 835mm to 860mm. There is also an optional 780mm low seat, which added to an optional low suspension results in a seat height of 760mm.
A for the F 900 XR, the windscreen is reshaped and handguards are fitted as standard. There is an optional 30mm higher windscreen through the Premium Package.

Electronic features include the two standard Road and Rain ride modes. The optional Ride Modes Pro adds Dynamic Mode as part of the Premium Package. Dynamic Traction Control and BMW Motorrad ABS Pro are included as standard, as is Dynamic Brake Control, which improves braking by suppressing any throttle input under deceleration.

Colour options and prices

Base price of the 2025 BMW F 900 R starts from USD8,995 (RM40,187.04), and comes in three colour options called Snapper Rocks Blue Metallic; Style Sport: Racing Blue/Light White (+USD695/RM3,105.06); Triple Black: Black Storm Metallic (+USD235/RM1,049.84).

Base price of the 2025 F 900 XR starts from USD12,370 (RM55,261.97) and is available in Racing Red; Style Sport: Racing Blue/Light White (+USD375/RM1,675.37); or Triple Black: Black Storm Metallic (+USD275/RM1,228.65).

2025 Benelli Tornado 550 Debuts

As far as we know, there are numerous Benelli fans in Malaysia, although we have not seen many new Benellis on the road these days apart from the odd Leoncino. So, will this 2025 Benelli Tornado 550 sportbike be a hit?

The 2025 Tornado 550 is the uprated model after the Tornado 500 prototype was teased at EICMA last year.

As such, it sports a new 554cc parallel-twin, claimed to produce 56hp at 8,250 RPM and 54Nm at 5,400 RPM, and is Euro5+ compliant. So, it is not shared with the Leoncino 500 nor the 502 range. There is of course a six-speed gearbox, but there is no mention of a slipper clutch.

The frame is no other than tubular steel, with yes, none other than Marzocchi forks. These are 41mm and fully adjustable. The monoshock at the back is bolted directly to the swingarm and is adjustable for preload and rebound.

Brakes consist of dual 320mm discs up front, both clamped by four-piston Brembo monobloc calipers (not the usual Benelli-branded ones). Dual channel ABS is standard. Wheels on both ends are 17-inch, made from aluminium alloy. Seat height is a low 790mm. The bike’s weight was not announced, too, but we hope it will be light unlike how hefty other Benellis are.

The bike is equipped with several electronic features including a 5-inch TFT colour screen with smartphone connectivity for navigation, music streaming, and phone call management.

The Benelli Tornado 550 will be available in 2025 in three colour options called Midnight Black, Tech Silver, and Gres White.

2024 Suzuki V-Strom 250SX Test and Review, The Most User-Friendly Dual-Purpose Bike?

So, the motorcycling world has been shifting towards dual-purpose/adventure and sport-touring motorcycles for many seasons now. Say ‘dual-purpose’ and people usually think about those 1000cc and above behemoths such as the GS, Africa Twin, Super Adventure, V-Strom 1050… But, there is a demand for lightweight adventure bikes, as well, hence the 250cc dual-purpose/adventure market is fought over teeth and nails by manufacturers. And this is where the 2024 Suzuki V-Strom 250SX fits in.

The smallest of the V-Strom family is not new, by the way, and it was in fact one of the very first 250cc adventure bikes, known as the DL250 since 2017. However, the updated bike, now wearing the ‘V-Strom’ family name has just arrived in Malaysia.

Features

As with its peers in this segment, it is a simple bike.

The engine is a 248cc, single-cylinder, SOHC, oil-cooled unit which produces 26hp at 9,300 RPM and 22.2Nm at 7,300 RPM. Before we forget, the bike is a certified EEV – Energy Efficient Vehicle.

That power is sent through a six-speed transmission. There is no assist and slipper clutch.
The engine is housed in a tubular steel frame, to which the front telescopic forks and rear monoshock are also mounted.

Brakes are discs front and rear, with ABS as standard.
Steering angle is a relaxed 27º, seat height is 835mm, and kerb weight is 167kg.

Lighting is LED all-around, the instrument panel consists of an LCD screen, and there is a USB charging port at the side of the instrument “tower.”
Speaking of the tower, the windscreen occupies a high position and is unadjustable.

There are several adventure bike features such as hand protectors and a small sump guard.

And that is all, folks.

Riding the 2024 Suzuki V-Strom 250SX

The seat heigh of 835mm is not low but it is not the highest among its rivals, either. Suzuki did a great job of slimming the area where the seat meets the tank, allowing the rider to place a foot on the ground easily. Anyway, just an advice from us, which we learned from Chris Birch, “The biggest mistake among new adventure bike riders is trying to place both feet on the ground at the same time. Putting one foot down is more secure.”

Having ridden other 250cc adventure bikes before, we kind of expected the engine’s torque to be further up the rev range. Instead, the Suzuki pulled away briskly when the clutch was released.

It turned out to be a good thing because it made short work of riding through heavy traffic. We took the bike off-road and that low-down torque made the bike easy to manage, too. All we needed to do was open the throttle slightly and modulate the clutch. Easy.

While it makes a “mere” 26hp, we found that it was more than sufficient while cruising at 120-130km/h on highways. If you are looking for high top speeds from this bike, you are missing the point.

Road handling is good, just like other Suzukis, but the bike turned in a little slower, before plopping on its side. We attributed that to the MRF tyres. These tyres offer some good grip on dry roads and light off-road trails, but they are super slippery in the wet. The first to go was the front as it tries to slide underneath. So, to overcome this, we pushed the bike down on wet roads and leaned to the inside when it was dry.

But the true revelation of the Suzuki V-Strom 250SX is the suspension. It was supple yet held its own when hitting bumps and potholes. In fact, we had to confirm it by purposely riding over bumpy roads and through potholes. We even jumped over speed bumps. Sorry, Suzuki Malaysia.

Mated to superbly padded seats and you have a bike that made riding around in KL an easy and comfortable affair. Riding it felt like a bigger bike but with lower weight and easier handling.

The icing on the cake was the fuel frugal engine. We averaged 31km/litre consistently despite riding the bike between 110-130km/h.

Build quality

The bike’s build quality was superb: Flush fitting panels, even paint, and there was no wayward cables and wires when you took down past the top triple clamp. Even the undersides of luggage rack was smooth to the touch.

Pricing

It is actually hard to believe that the 2024 Suzuki V-Strom 250SX is priced at only RM17,800, while all its rivals are above RM20,000. You get a lot of value given its quality, engine, suspension, comfort, and looks.

Conclusion

Truth is, if you want an user-friendly beginning adventure bike, or a lightweight adventure bike for the daily commute, this is it. Beginners can use the V-Strom 250SX to learn the intricacies of off-road riding, while veteran riders can look forward to a jump they can jump on and ride away.

In closing, it is a great buy. Just make ours in Champion Yellow No. 2.

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