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Harley-Davidson 2025 Select Motorcycles Revealed

Harley-Davidson today revealed select models from its 2025 motorcycle portfolio on H-D.com. These bikes will be available at authorised Harley-Davidson dealerships globally.

Harley-Davidson also announced Harley-Davidson Factory Custom Paint & Graphics, a new program offering highly desirable paint-and-graphics schemes on select motorcycle models. Additional 2025 Harley-Davidson motorcycles, including the 26th annual installment of the limited-production Custom Vehicle OperationTM (CVOTM) collection, will be revealed on H-D.com at 5 p.m. CST on January 23 (7 a.m., January 24, Malaysian time).

Grand American Touring

From the company that invented the cross-country experience. Grand American Touring models are designed to carry riders over the horizon with comfort, performance and technology that makes the journey spectacular. Returning models include the Street Glide®, Road Glide®, and Road King® Special motorcycles.

2025 Location Photography – FLHX Street Glide®, FLTRX Road Glide. CONFIDENTIAL & EMBARGOED UNTIL JAN 2, 2025 AT 5PM CST

Harley-Davidson® Factory Custom Paint & Graphics

Harley-Davidson Factory Custom Paint & Graphics offers premium paint-and-graphics schemes on select motorcycle models for customers who crave a unique, show-stopping finish. When ordered through an authorized Harley-Davidson dealer, a Harley-Davidson® Factory Custom Paint & Graphics finish is applied by Harley-Davidson to components installed as the motorcycle is assembled. The customer receives a motorcycle with exclusive paint-and-graphics, backed with a full factory warranty, without the expense or downtime associated with custom paint applied by a third party.

For 2025, three Harley-Davidson® Factory Custom Paint & Graphics offerings will be available on select models. Each paint set features a special black tank medallion with chrome accents and a mother-of-pearl textured background in either purple or orange.

Mystic Shift offers a dramatic hue shift which travels from a dark gun metal to purple to blue to almost orange and is especially apparent in full sunlight when walking around the motorcycle.

Firestorm responds to a current custom trend for flame details in paint. Harley-Davidson offered its first factory flame paint scheme on the 1980 Wide Glide® model and has reprised the look several times, most notably on the 2011 Wide Glide® model. The Firestorm schemes feature a “ghost fade” or inner fade effect – the fade color is slightly brighter than the basecoat. In certain angles, the flames pop dramatically but are subtle in others. The Firestorm schemes are available in two popular colors.
- Midnight Firestorm is a dark flamed paint scheme featuring ghosted flames over a Vivid Black base with a charcoal inner glow.

- Whiskey Firestorm features an added mid-coat for a deeper orange shade with Ember Sunglo ghost flames with a brighter orange inner glow.

Model availability, timing, variants, colors, specifications and pricing may vary by market. Customers can enquire more information with their local H-D dealerships.

JPJ Offers Special Compound for 3 Offences for 6 Months

The Road Transport Department (JPJ) is offering a special compound rate of RM150 for 3 offences for 6 months, starting today, January 3, 2025.

Malaysian Transport Minister, YB Anthony Loke said it involves 3 types of JPJ summons notices, namely the Automatic Awareness Security System (AwAS) summons (Summon 53A), the Investigation Interview Notice (114) and the Stamped Summons Notice/JPJ(P)23 (115).

All three usually have a compound rate of RM300. So we are giving a special compound rate starting tomorrow, January 3, for six months so that they can settle this compound.

“Because there are two million outstanding AwAS summons… and there are indeed restrictions on those who do not settle AwAS summons, if they do not settle the summons they cannot renew their driving licence or motor vehicle licence,” he said.

Loke said payments can be made through various channels including at JPJ counters, public portals, JPJ kiosks, JPJ mobile counters and the myJPJ application.

He said the special compound payment cannot be made through the MyEG channel and at Pos Malaysia.

Meanwhile, he said the collection of demerit points will be temporarily suspended from tomorrow until June 30.

Loke said during that period, the JPJ Enforcement Division will conduct a review of the method of implementing the Demerit Points System.

2025 Zontes 368G Price Announced in Malaysia – From RM28,800

Finally, after much anticipation, rumours, gnashing of teeth, the 2025 Zontes 368G’s price has been announced in Malaysia. Zontes Malaysia puts the recommended selling price at RM28,800.

We have posted about the bike’s mind-boggling list of features from our test rides in Guangzhou, China, but here is a recap (the ones we missed are highlighted in bold):

368cc, liquid-cooled, DOHC, single-cylinder engine that produces a whopping 38.8hp and 40Nm of torque. It takes the prize as the most powerful powerplant in the 350cc-400cc scooter category.
Upside-down 41mm forks adjustable for compression damping and tension (rebound damping).

Dual shocks adjustable for preload and tension, with remote reservoirs.
300mm front disc grabbed by a four-piston J.Juan radially-mounted caliper. J.Juan is now owned by Brembo.

ABS is dual-channel but the rear ABS can be turned off for off-road riding.
790mm standard seat height. The owner can opt for the 770mm lowered seat height.

Ground clearance is 180mm.
Front wheels are 17-inches, the rear are 14-inches.

Massive 52-liter underseat storage space that can take two full-face helmets. You can fit an adventure helmet (sideways) at the rear portion!
Three. Yes, 3(!) USB charging ports.

8-inch colour TFT screen which supports connectivity to the rider’s smartphone and Bluetooth intercom.
Two power modes – Sport and Economy.

Backlit switchgear.
Keyless ignition and fuel filler cover.

Adjustable windscreen over 7 positions.
Adjustable front and rear brake levers.

Hand protectors are standard.
Extra pair of footpegs for the rider to stand on when riding off-road (or if he wants to ride aggressively).

Front and rear facing dashcam as a standard feature.
Tyre pressure monitoring system (TPMS).

Heated grips. Don’t laugh about this feature – wait until you ride at Genting Highlands in the rain!
Crash protection bars.

There are three colourways, namely Grey with Blue, White with Gold, and Golden Stone Green.

Last but not least, about consumers’ concerns about after-sales and spare parts availability, this is what Zontes Malaysia has to say:

In light of recent public concerns about our after-sales services, particularly the availability of spare parts, we have undertaken a comprehensive review and implemented a series of measures to address this issue. Our primary goal is to ensure that our customers will not experience and inconvenience due to spare parts shortages in the future. These measures include increasing our inventory levels and establishing a stronger partnership with (the) Zontes HQ. We are committed to provide the highest leverl of service and reliability to our customers.

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Cybertruck Explodes Outside Trump Towers, 1 Killed

A Tesla Cybertruck exploded outside Trump Towers in Las Vegas. At least one person, the vehicle’s occupant, was confirmed to have been killed while another seven suffered minor injuries, according to Sheriff Kevin McMahill of the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department said.

He called the explosion “an isolated incident” and said there is no indication that it was linked to ISIS.

The Sheriff also said gasoline canisters, camp fuel canisters and large firework mortars were found in the back of the vehicle after the explosion, which occurred about 15 seconds after the vehicle pulled in front of the building. It’s still unclear how the explosives were ignited, he said.

The Cybertruck, a 2024 model, pulled up to the hotel’s glass entrance doors, McMahill said. Smoke began emerging from the vehicle, and then a large explosion occurred.

He added further that the truck was rented in Colorado and arrived in Las Vegas on Wednesday morning. It appears to have been rented via the Turo peer-to-peer car rentals app. It is the same app that a source said was used by the New Orleans attacker to rent the pickup he used. In a statement, a Turo spokesperson said: “We are actively partnering with law enforcement authorities as they investigate both incidents. We do not believe that either renter involved in the Las Vegas and New Orleans attacks had a criminal background that would have identified them as a security threat.”

The explosion occurred hours after a deadly New Orleans attack, when a man intentionally drove a pickup truck into a crowd of revelers on Bourbon Street, killing at least 15 people. The FBI said “weapons and a potential IED,” or improvised explosive device, were found in his vehicle, which was flying an ISIS flag.

In a post on X, Tesla CEO, Elon Musk said “The whole Tesla senior team is investigating this matter right now. Will post more information as soon as we learn anything. We’ve never seen anything like this.”

In another post a few hours later, he said the blast “was caused by very large fireworks and/or a bomb carried in the bed of the rented Cybertruck and is unrelated to the vehicle itself.”

In the past year, Musk became a major donor and close adviser to Trump, with the billionaire tasked to head up Trump’s Department of Government Efficiency, or DOGE. Musk, along with his co-leader of DOGE, Vivek Ramaswamy, are aiming to cut billions in federal spending.

The case is now being investigated as a possible act of terrorism.

Tunnelling Work for Tianshan Shengli Tunnel, World’s Longest Roadway Tunnel Completed

Tunnelling work for the the Tianshan Shengli Tunnel, the world’s longest expressway tunnel, has been completed on Monday morning. The completion will facilitate the opening of a new shortcut linking southern and northern parts of Northwest China’s Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, the Xinhua News Agency reported on Monday.

The 22.13-kilometer tunnel, “Shengli,” which means “victory” in Chinese, will reduce the time it takes to drive across the middle section of the Tianshan Mountains from several hours to about 20 minutes once operational, according to Xinhua.

The mega project’s design features a dual-direction, four-lane tunnel with a design speed of 100 km/h. It is located in the remote depths of the Tianshan Mountains, at an average altitude of over 3,000 meters, the China Media Group (CMG) reported on Monday.

Over the past four years, more than 3,000 workers have toiled continuously in high-altitude, low-oxygen environments, while tackling numerous geological challenges and risks such as rock bursts, large deformations in soft rock, and collapses, according to the CMG report.

The project faces severe environmental conditions and highly complex geology. Typically, it would take about 72 months to complete the tunnel using conventional methods. However, the builders successfully completed it in just 52 months, according to CMG.

The Tianshan Shengli Tunnel is a key project of the Urumqi-Yuli Expressway, which runs from the regional capital of Urumqi in northern Xinjiang to Yuli County in southern Xinjiang. The expressway is expected to be fully completed and open to traffic in 2025. The driving time between the two locations will be reduced from about seven hours to just over three hours, according to Xinhua.

Two Puspakom Personnel Called for Questioning

The Computerized Vehicle Inspection Centre (Puspakom) confirmed that two of its employees from the Wangsa Maju branch have been summoned to give statements to the Road Transport Department (JPJ), today.

Its Chief Executive Officer, Mahmood Razak Bahman, however, did not elaborate on why the two employees were ordered to give statements to the JPJ Enforcement Department.

“Puspakom stressed that the staff involved will not be protected from any internal disciplinary action, if any misconduct is proven.

“To ensure the integrity of Puspakom’s inspection, the company will not hesitate to take appropriate action against the staff involved as provided for under the terms and conditions of the employment contract, including suspension or dismissal,” he said in a statement to the press, yesterday.

Apart from that, Mahmood also confirmed that a vehicle inspected at the Wangsa Maju branch was seized by JPJ for using a foreign driver without a valid driving license.

Earlier, JPJ was reported to have conducted simultaneous operations at all Puspakom branches nationwide yesterday, to ensure that every vehicle inspected at the facility complies with the set standards.

Among the offences detected by lorry drivers in PUSPAKOM’s Surprise Operation was the use of worn and unsafe dipped tyres among heavy vehicles, despite being aware that they were at risk of leaking at any time.

Meanwhile, Mahmood said that full cooperation would be given to JPJ which was conducting surprise inspections at all Puspakom branches nationwide, today.

He said Puspakom also welcomed the enforcement action on the company’s branches, aimed at ensuring that inspection operations are carried out in accordance with the standard operating procedures (SOP) set.

“This step will help in efforts to instill road safety practices in the country.

“The collaboration between Puspakom and JPJ is believed to strengthen efforts to improve road safety levels and preserve the integrity of the country’s transportation system.

“Puspakom is always committed to ensuring that all vehicles inspected meet the set safety requirements.

“This surprise inspection is part of JPJ’s ongoing efforts to ensure safety and compliance with laws relating to vehicles on the road.

“We fully support the initiative to ensure that all inspection procedures are carried out transparently and in accordance with the standards set by the authorities,” he said.

JPJ Issues 5306 Notices Against Commercial Vehicles in 5 Days

The Road Transport Department (JPJ) issued 5,306 offence notices against 17,729 commercial and public service vehicles that were inspected during the five-day Operasi Khas ‘Gempur Teknikal’ nationwide which began on December 25.

The Secretary-General of the Ministry of Transport, Datuk Jana Santhiran Muniayan, said that in the operation, 16 vehicles were seized involving 15 commercial vehicles and one public service vehicle.

He said that the special operation, which was held in conjunction with the Christmas celebration, JPJ had mobilized more than 1,500 personnel who focused on enforcement against commercial vehicle offences.

“This operation focused on overloading, technical, documentation and traffic offences as well as technical vehicle manufacturing and use.

“A total of 17,729 vehicles were inspected involving 15,770 commercial vehicles and public service vehicles (1,959).

“A total of 1,787 vehicles were subject to action while 578 vehicle owners were given inspection slips involving 544 (commercial) and public (34),” he said.

He said this to the media after leading the Special Technical Raid Operation at the Southbound Rest and Treatment Area (R&R), North-South Expressway Project (PLUS), here, today.

Also present were JPJ Senior Director of Enforcement, Muhmmad Kifli Ma Hassan and Negeri Sembilan JPJ Director, Hanif Yusabra Yusuf.

Commenting further, Jana Santhiran said his party views seriously the series of accidents and deaths due to road accidents involving commercial vehicles.

“Therefore, stricter enforcement action is being taken against vehicles that fail to comply with regulations under the Road Transport Act 1987 (Act 333), the Land Public Transport Act 2010 (Act 715) and Rules nationwide.

“To ensure more aggressive and proactive monitoring can be carried out, JPJ will maintain a total of 1,500 members in each special operation including during festive seasons such as Chinese New Year and the upcoming Aidilfitri,” he told Harian Metro.

Courier Stabbed in Eye – Police Denies Refusing Report

The Bentong District Police Chief has denied allegations that his department refused to accept a report made by a courier who claimed to have been stabbed in the eye.

Superintendent Zaiham Mohd Kahar said the Bentong District Police Headquarters (IPD) detected the allegation which was spread via WhatsApp.

He said, based on the screenshot, it claimed that the Bentong police refused to accept a report from a delivery man regarding a disagreement between the courier and his customer that resulted in the victim being injured.

According to him, the content of the WhatsApp that went viral was untrue because his department received the report from the victim and was investigating the case.

“The victim was also sent to Temerloh Hospital for further treatment,” he said in a statement today.

In this regard, he said, at 3.01 pm yesterday, a police report was made by an assistant criminal investigation officer of the Bentong IPD regarding the defamatory allegation.

“The case is being investigated under Section 500 of the Penal Code and Section 233 of the Communications and Multimedia Act 1998,” he said.

Meanwhile, Zaiham advised the public to be more responsible and not arbitrarily spread something that is not true.

“Bentong Police also requested that the suspect who spread the WhatsApp message come forward to the Bentong IPD for further investigation,” he said.

Woman who Burned Motorcycle Remanded

The woman who set fire to a motorcycle has been arrested by the police and remanded for three days until Sunday.

Taiping District Police Chief, Assistant Commissioner Mohamad Nasir Ismail, said they arrested the woman at 7.30pm last Thursday to assist in investigations under Section 435 (criminal trespass with fire) of the Penal Code.

“Earlier at 4.27pm, the police received a report from a man who works as a repossessor regarding the actions of a woman setting fire to a black Honda RSX.

“Following the report, the police managed to arrest the woman and the motive for the incident was that the arrestee was dissatisfied when the motorcycle was repossessed.

“It is understood that the monthly payment for the motorcycle has been outstanding for more than 20 months and the motorcycle was purchased in the name of her son,” he said when contacted by the media.

He added that an investigation paper has been opened under Section 435 of the Penal Code (criminal trespass) which, if convicted, can be punished with 14 years in prison or a fine.

Earlier, it went viral on social media when a woman who is also a trader set fire to a black Honda RSX motorcycle near a stall in Pokok Assam, Taiping.

It is understood that the incident occurred after the woman refused to cooperate with a tow truck that wanted to tow the motorcycle because it was in arrears for 20 months.

The video shows the woman pouring a liquid believed to be kerosene or petrol on it before setting it on fire. The Fire Department had to be called in to extinguish the fire.

1457 Deaths Involving Lorries Since 2019

A total of 1,457 deaths from 3,500 accidents involving lorries were recorded from January 2019 to November 2024. The statistics were revealed by the Director of the Bukit Aman Traffic Investigation and Enforcement Department (JSPT) Datuk Seri Mohd. Yusri Hassan Basri.

He also detailed the number of deaths due to lorry accidents by year:

2019 – 274 deaths.
2020 – 226 deaths.
2021 – 230 deaths.
2022 – 232 deaths.
2023 – 235 deaths.
2024 (as of November) – 260 deaths.

In addition, there were 473 cases of serious injuries and 1,076 minor injuries from the total number of accidents.

For accidents involving buses, 548 cases were recorded for the same period with 153 deaths, 120 serious injuries and 218 minor injuries recorded.

“The police will continue to intensify monitoring and enforcement operations on commercial vehicles, especially lorries and buses, in an effort to reduce the alarming number of deaths recorded,” he said when contacted by Bernama today.

Datuk Seri Mohd. Yusri said the police would increase cooperation with relevant parties such as the Road Transport Department (JPJ), the National Anti-Drug Agency (AADK) and highway concessionaires for that purpose. He also hoped that owners, companies and drivers of commercial vehicles would work together to ensure the safety of their vehicles.

Aprilia RS125, Aprilia Tuono 125 Refreshed for 2025

While we have quite a large offering of Aprilia motorcycles in Malaysia, there are several models missing from the line-up, namely the Aprilia RS125, Tuono 125, RX125, and SX125. These are available in Europe especially since the continent has A1 and A2 license rules. They seem to be selling well over there and Aprilia has refreshed them for 2025.

Starting with the engine, the single-cylinder, four-valve, liquid-cooled powerplant (shared among the four models) has now been overhauled to meet Euro5+ standards. The engine produces 14.8hp at 10,500rpm and 11Nm at 8500rpm, which at the limit of A1 license regulations. For comparison, the Aprilia 125cc engine’s power output sits in between the Yamaha 135LC’s (12hp) and Y15ZR’s (15.1hp).

The sportier pair in the foursome, the RS125 sportbike and Tuono 125 naked continue to use the same aluminium twin spar frame as before – making them the only bikes in their class without steel frames. They come with upside-down forks, aluminium swingarms, radially mounted front brakes, and LED lighting all-round.

Colour choices for each are now Kingsnake White or Cyanide Yellow for the RS, and Viper Yellow or Mamba Grey for the Tuono.

The other two variants in the Aprilia 125 lineup are the SX125 supermoto and RX125 dirtbike. The former uses 17-inch wheels front and back, while the latter has a 21-inch front wheel and 18-inch rear wheel. Both these use steel frames. Both machines come in Cubozoa White or Varanus Black.

Prices for the Aprilia RS125, Tuono 125, SX125, and RX125 have not been revealed. Wonder if these will be in Malaysia some day.

2025 Aprilia Tuareg 660 Rally to Defend Aprilia’s Africa Eco Race Win

Aprilia had won the Africa Eco Race rally in 2023 in their first attempt with the Tuareg 660. And now, they will be back to defend the win with a 2025 Aprilia Tuareg 660 Rally.

The race will take place from 28 December and conclude on 12 January, again with Jacopo Cerutti, Francesco Montanari and Marco Menichini. It was Cerutti who won last year’s race.

The Rally version of the Tuareg 660 is new for 2025 and features new distinctive race graphics, going alongside the standard 660 which receives the usual Aprilia Racing colourway and several other variants including a ‘Dakar Podium’ colour scheme, Martian Red, Acid Gold, Indaco Tagelmust and Canyon Sand.

Montanari is no stranger to the Africa Eco Rally as he joins the fold for the 2025 edition, while Menichini is a new entrant to the race and will feature as part of the ‘Junior class’ which is designed for riders under 25 years of age.

Ahead of the event, Cerutti said: “The dream is to win again, in spite of the fact that there are almost 4,000 km of timed sections extremely demanding along the way where anything can happen. In the Africa Eco Race, navigation is always a huge challenge and each day can hold surprises all the way to the last mile.

Aprilia Racing CEO Massimo Rivola also spoke about the upcoming event as the Noale-based brand is keen to make another statement. “After last year’s outstanding performance, it’s hard not to be optimistic about this edition, although being defending champs comes with great responsibility. It won’t be easy to repeat the performance, partly because our rivals are even more prepared. Jacopo is in grand form and he is determined to demonstrate his full potential.

“We are also counting on Montanari’s experience, who showed us his value last year, and on Marco Menichini’s skills in the Junior class. We are confident in the Guareschi Team’s great performance.”

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