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When it comes to Malaysian made motorcycles, most people will probably only be acquainted with the Modenas brand. That comes as no surprise since Modenas has been around since the 90s and has established itself as a serious player in the local two-wheel segment.

But the reality is a lot different. Over the years, many Malaysian-made motorcycles have come and gone. Some have made an impact on the local market, while some have even disappeared overnight.

If there is one thing that motorcycle buyers can learn here is to always buy from a reputable company instead of going for the cheapest model.

The latest motorcycle brand to hit the local market is Moda and it is brand spanking new, having been launched just this month. Its first salvo at the local market is a 250cc super scooter called the Sporter S.

As journalists operating across the automotive industry, we are always careful to throw our weight behind a brand through our reviews for if a brand were to wrap up and exit the market overnight (something which has happened before), it would be detrimental to our reputation.

But Moda is something different. It is built and distributed by a company called AMI, which is short for AFY Mobility Industries Sdn Bhd. You may not be familiar with the company, but it has been operating for a while and is also the sole and exclusive distributor of Suzuki motorcycles in Malaysia.

Besides that, the people helming AMI have also previously been in charge of assembling and distributing Kawasaki motorcycles for the Malaysian market. So, they know what they are doing and have been in the game for longer than you can imagine.

So, yes, the Moda brand is backed up by some powerful figures in the industry and they are not the type that would disappear overnight, leaving you with a product that you can’t service or find parts for anymore.

First, a little backgrounder.

AMI calls the Sporter S a super-scooter, which is odd since that terminology has usually been used for scooters with a displacement of 350cc and above, but we will roll with it.

What we really like about the Sporter S is that it is not a Chinese kit motorcycle with a local twist. If you are not familiar with that terminology, it is something that happens quite often.

A number of new, “local” brands are guilty of buying kit motorcycles from China, taking them apart and reassembling them here to get past local laws and taxes. This means these motorcycles are now “semi-knocked down”, or SKD, and are ridiculously cheap.

There is nothing about them that is Malaysian made but they are definitely reassembled by Malaysian hands. One local company has only embossed the Made in Malaysia wording onto the clutch cover to make it seem like a Malaysian model.

You too can start such a business if you have some money laying around. A quick check on Alibaba revealed a 50cc dirt bike that is priced at just under RM500. There is a minimum order of five motorcycles, and we are sure that you too could add a Made in Malaysia wording somewhere if you traveled to China to negotiate with the factory and put in a substantial order of say 100 units.

To get past local laws and duties, you can simply rent a factory somewhere and hire a bunch of people to reassemble the bikes. It really is that easy, provided you have the money.

But that is not what AMI did with the Sporter S. Yes, there are parts from China, but rather than go to one single factory to buy a kit bike, AMI sourced parts from some of the best companies in China.

For example, the tyres of the Sporter S are from TimSun while the suspension system is from Yu-An. The radiator fan is from Panasonic while the drive belt is from Mitsuboshi (not a typo). The ECU, fuel injector and EFI system are from Bosch while the adhesives around the bike are from 3M. The spark plugs on the other hand are from NGK.

The Sporter S is a truly global motorcycle with parts sourced from all over the world. And just to nail that fact, the design of the bike is by a French design studio called Yacouba.

So, you can tell that the Sporter S is not your regular kit bike, AMI wanted to produce something special, and they have nailed it from the get-go.

Let’s get the important stuff out of the way.

Powering the Sporter S is a 244cc, single-cylinder engine putting out 24.8hp and 22.5Nm of torque. In typical scooter fashion, the transmission is a belt driven CVT unit, and almost all of its power is delivered at the upper end of the rev band, between 6000 to 8500rpm.

We saw a top speed of 148km/h while some other publications saw 155km/h. The engines were still new so we will re-explore that topic once the engines are properly worn in.

Suspension duties are managed by inverted telescopic forks with 80mm of travel up front and double adjustable shocks with 66mm of travel at the rear.

Brakes consist of twin 260mm discs up front and a single 240mm disc at the rear. Dual-channel ABS is standard as well and it can be switched off via a dedicated button on the dash.

So how does it ride?

Just as you would expect a scooter to ride. It is smooth, power delivery is good, and it is easy to manoeuvre in traffic.

But there are a couple of things that need to be mentioned here. First things first, at 186kg, it is quite a heavy scooter. So getting on or off the double stand takes some work especially if you on the shorter or weaker side of the spectrum.

Then there is the meter panel, the good thing is that it can adjust from dark to bright automatically depending on the time of the day, but essential readings such as the fuel gauge, trip meter and such is tad small. So, if you use reading glasses, this might be a challenge.

We do appreciate the fact that it comes with a tyre pressure monitoring system though, that makes it one of the few scooters that comes with it.

The other thing that needs to be said is that the suspension travel is quite short, and that means that the scooter can bottom out quite easily. So rather than absorbing bumps, it can sometimes crash into them, throwing you off the seat.

One thing that we felt needs to be looked into urgently by the team at Moda is the high-speed stability of the bike. At speeds of over 130km/h, the front of the bike does not feel planted which makes it feel a little nervous. You really should not be riding that fast but we did push it a little during a recent first impression ride. Perhaps that is just a matter of tuning, but it is surely something to watch out for.

But that is about all we have to complain about.

What do we like?

We like that the size of the scooter, it is not very big which means that it is easy to park in congested areas. We also like that it has a 10-litre under seat storage, which some have criticised for being too small. A full-face helmet may not fit, but a couple of bags of groceries surely will.

We also like the design of the bike. Eager eyes may have noticed the similarities with the Ducati Panigale, but the Moda pulls it off quite well, especially in red.

The body mounted rear view mirrors have also attracted some criticism since it limits customisation options. But we like it because it does not vibrate as much at higher speed, and they also fold neatly against the body, which means you can lane split through tight traffic without worry about scrapping the mirrors.

We also like the fact that the windscreen can be adjusted which means that the Sporter S is ideal for highway riding. The big rider and pillion seat also deserves special mention because they are not only great for all shapes and sizes, but also means that the Moda is well suited for long distance riding where you spend hours on the seat.

Should you buy one?

At RM17,888, the Sporter S is one of the most affordable “super-scooters” in the market. Sure, there might be cheaper ones but this takes us back to the opening of this article where we advise that it is better to buy a motorcycle from a known company rather than one that has not been around for very long.

The Sporter S does offer quite a bit for your money and it seems quite easy to live with on a day-to-day basis. We only spent 30 minutes riding it so perhaps a longer test ride will show us more about the bike later.

But from what we have experienced, the Sporter S has a lot to offer.

Specifications
Engine: 244cc, 4-valves, 1-cylinder, SOHC
Power: 24.8hp @ 8500rpm
Torque: 22.5Nm @ 6500rpm
Transmission: CVT

We like: Design, practicality, comfort
We don’t like: High speed stability

Another feature that many motorcycle buyers seek these days is the quickshifter. As in the system that allows you to change gears without pulling in the clutch lever while the motorcycle is in motion.

As with many modern motorcycle features, the quickshifter began as race application only. Now, you can even find them on adventure bikes and there are aftermarket options for retrofitting to even kapchais.

How does the clutch work – briefly!

The earliest vehicles were direct drive, meaning the engine is hooked up directly to final drive. Problem is, it can only be switched on and move, and you have to shut off the engine when you reach a junction. Plus, the engine is stressed to provide acceleration and deceleration.

Then someone applied the principle of using gears to modify torque, and the transmission was born. Still, there needs to be a device to decouple and reengage the driveline. That is the job of the clutch.

So the clutch is a device to decouple the engine’s power pulses from the transmission, to enable smoother gear shifts.

So why do we need the quickshifter?

The clutch plates are meshed together by springs during normal drive to transmit the engine’s torque to the transmission. So, in order to change gears, we pull in the clutch lever which pushes a rod to push the clutch plates apart slightly to reduce the engine’s torque, and complete our gear shift.

Try shift gears without the clutch and see what happens! The gears in the transmission are still meshing against each other and other gears that are not meshing needs to synchronise to the running speed. Changing gears without the clutch, while on the throttle will cause the gears to grind.

So, the correct way of changing gears is by rolling out the throttle and pulling in the clutch lever simultaneously, change gears, slip out the lever and opening the throttle at the same time. Lots of work, but pleasurable when done right, especially when under pressure at the track.

However, knocking off the throttle and reopening it takes time and it causes the revs to drop. The bike needs to reaccelerate. Also, the motorcycle’s balance changes when you roll off and back into the throttle. The bike pitches forward and backwards, upsetting the suspension and the tyres’ footprint, changing traction.

A quickshifter, on the other hand, provides near instantaneous gearshifts to avoid too much rev drop and shifting the bike’s balance.

How does it work?

The quickshifter system stops the engine’s ignition momentarily (that is why you get some backfire out of the exhaust sometimes), taking the load off the gearbox to let you shift up the gears without backing off the throttle. The secret lies in interrupting the engine faster than is humanly possible to operate the throttle so time spent shifting gear plummets typically to between 15 and 50 milliseconds (0.015 to 0.050 second).

The quickshifter comprises a mechanical sensor that triggers an electronic interrupt device to the bike’s ignition. On a bike fitted with old-style carbs, this box is hardwired into the ignition coil wires to interrupt the ignition’s electrical supply, while on the device interrupts the ignition via the wiring harness at the ECU. Translogic has developed a system for fuel injected bikes that interrupts the signal from the ECU to the injector hence cutting the fuel supply.

The mechanical sensor also varies. It is either positional – i.e. you adjust it to the positioning of the gear lever, and as the lever’s position moves it sends a trigger to the electronic interrupt box. Or it is a pressure sensor – i.e. shifting the lever without shutting the throttle puts pressure on the gearbox, and a pre-determined amount of pressure triggers the control box. A positional system tends to fall out of adjustment and if you need to replace the gear lever at the track (ie after a crash) you have to re-adjust the entire system, hence GP and WSB teams opt for the pressure trigger: it’s more convenient to install and is less likely to fall out of adjustment, but it puts pressure on the gearbox and because it works with greater tolerances.

Is the quickshifter hard on the clutch and transmission?

There are stories of bikes’ drivelines suffering damage due to the use of quickshifters. This can be rather true for aftermarket quickshifters but we have also seen damage on factory equipped ones.

Truth is, the quickshifter is best used only at higher RPMs like 6,000 RPM and above. All the spinning parts like the crank and gears are moving at high speeds, so there is less shock when the quickshifter is activated. But let us cover this topic in another article.

You may remember that Ducati touted a counter-rotating crankshaft for the Panigale V4 was introduced. It is now a shared feature among their V4-engined family.

It is all about forces

Inside almost every motorcycle ever built the crankshaft turns in the same direction as the wheels. But in recent years a handful of exotic bikes have started spinning their cranks backwards. If you’ve heard the term ‘counter-rotating crankshaft’ but aren’t entirely sure what it means, what the advantages are or which bikes have one, read on.

(Quick point of order: we’re focusing on bikes with across-the-frame cranks here. Bikes with inline cranks, such as BMW boxers, Honda Goldwings and Moto Guzzi V-twins, can sit this one out. They’re free to spin either way.)

Spinning things like to stay spinning, called inertia, while the spinning motion causes gyroscopic and centrifugal forces.

When you’re riding along in a straight line, both wheels whizzing around beneath you, everything’s fine and dandy. But try to lean the bike over, shifting multiple spinning objects (wheels, brake discs, tyres, crankshaft) away from the plane in which they were quite happily turning, and they’ll resist.

How big this gyroscopic resistance is – which affects how much physical input you need to move the bike off line – depends on the weight of each spinning object, its diameter and the speed at which it’s spinning. One solution would be to reduce any (or all) of the above: lighter wheels (expensive), smaller wheels (wobblier), or slower wheels (boring).

Another fix is to introduce something spinning in the opposite direction. Something like, say, the crankshaft. It might be small, but it can spin really fast. At 100-110 km/h a typical 17-inch front wheel turns at just 1000 RPM; the crank, meanwhile, could be spinning ten times as fast.

Well, alrighty then. Simply spin the crank the other way and you’re reducing the bike’s total gyroscopic resistance. This means less effort is needed to get the bike turn, making for increased agility, lighter steering, nimbler handling and other great road test cliches.

But wait, there’s more! Spinning the crank backwards also gives a second benefit, in the form of an anti-wheelie effect. This is down to a torque reaction from the crankshaft accelerating. When a forwards-spinning crank accelerates, the rest of the bike rotates backwards: the nose lifts and the tail drops. With a counter-rotating crank, the nose instead drops, meaning less wheelie, allowing better acceleration.

So why don’t all bikes have it?

Spin the crank backwards and your rear wheel also turns backwards. To fix this mild inconvenience you have to add an additional shaft inside the engine (an idler gear/countershaft/jackshaft) to keep the rest of the powertrain moving the right way. This extra shaft adds weight, cost and complexity, plus it saps power due to friction.

The trade-off is worth making in MotoGP, where every bike on the 2023 grid uses a counter-rotating crank. It’s not actually an especially new idea in racing: Honda’s 1987 NSR500 had one, as did Yamaha’s first YZR-M1 in 2002, a year before the Petronas FP1 (which used a backwards-spinning crank by virtue of its completely back-to-front engine) in World Superbikes.

Who else uses it?

On the road, just two major manufacturers use counter-rotating cranks today: Ducati, in all its V4s and MV Agusta, in its triples. A tiny number of other two-wheelers have used them in the past, including – of all things – the Aprilia SRV850 maxi-scooter, which shared its 839cc V-twin and CVT with the Gilera GP800 and Aprilia Mana, both launched back in 2008. Curiously, Aprilia never thought to mention this feature until the SRV arrived in 2012.

We have written about fuel octane, or more specifically, what it does and why do we have different RON ratings at the pump. Fuel octane is directly tied to the engine’s compression ratio.

What is compression ratio?

A ratio means something divided by another thing. Firstly, take the cylinder’s volume when the piston is fully at the bottom of its stroke (bottom dead centre/BDC), and add the combustion chamber’s volume. Secondly, take the volume of the cylinder when the piston is fully at the top of its stroke (top dead centre/TDC). Now take the BDC volume and divide against the TDC volume. This is why compression is expressed as 10:1. 11:1. 13:1 and so forth.

The higher the ratio means the fuel air mixture that enters the cylinder is squeezed into a much tighter space. Higher compression is good for making more power as more of the heat from combustion is transferred to kinetic energy in pushing the piston down.

Whichever way we go about it boosting the compression ratio is an easy route to more power. High compression pistons are in essence “bolt-on horsepower”. Modern bike engines tend to run compression ratios in the 10:1 to 12:1 region.

However, there is a limit

But there are limits to how high the compression ratio can go.

Any medium, whether is it just air or the fuel air mixture will get hot as it is compressed more and more. The higher the compression, the higher heat the medium will achieve. And, when the heat becomes too high, the fuel air mixture will self ignite before the spark plug ignites it at the correct timing.

This self-ignition sends shockwaves around the combustion chamber that can cause catastrophic failure. These shockwaves can be audibly heard and has a metallic knocking sound, hence called “knocking” or “pinging.”

In fact, diesel engines work this way. They employ very high compression ratios and compressed air alone until it gets really hot before diesel is injected into the combustion chamber. This mix causes instantaneous ignition. It is also why diesel engines produce that signature clacking sound.

So, how do we stop self-ignition? There are three methods: Lowering the compression ratio, retarding the ignition timing, or using fuels with higher octane rating. We shall explore this in another article.

We were treated to an all-new Yamaha YZF-R1 for this year. Poring over the specification sheet we found that the engine’s bore and stroke has changed i.e. larger bores and shorter strokes. And yes, it revs higher.

What is bore and stroke?

To put it simply, the bore is the hole the piston sits in. Stroke, on the other hand, is the length that the piston needs to travel between its highest and lowest points.

But why is that?

The relationship between an engine’s bore and stroke determine, to an extent, how it makes its power. For a given capacity, ‘long stroke’ engines – ie those with a relatively long stroke in relation to the bore size – will tend to be relatively low revving but with strong low down power, while ‘short stroke’ or ‘oversquare’ motors – short stroke with a wide bore – will be able to rev higher. And, because more revs equal more horsepower (horsepower = torque x rpm divided by 5252, so increase the revs and the bhp increases too), manufacturers are always looking at ways of safely increasing the upper rev limit of their motors.

One of the major factors determining an engine’s upper rev limit is piston speed. For every revolution of an engine, the piston moves up from the bottom of its stroke (bottom dead centre or BDC) to the top of its stroke (top dead centre or TDC) and back again. So in the case of the ’04 R1, the 77mm wide piston goes from a standstill, travels 53.6mm up, stops, and comes back down again. At 10,000rpm it makes this journey just over 166 times each way every single second, at an average speed of 17.9 metres a second.

The stresses on a piston and conrod at high revs are massive. If the piston is forced to travel too quickly something’s going to break. Put very simply, if you reduce the distance the piston has to travel – ie its stroke – it doesn’t have to travel as fast and can make that journey more often. So that’s what Yamaha chose to do with their new R1, reducing the stroke by 4.4mm and adding 3mm to the bore. Last year’s R1 redlined at 11,750rpm, while this year’s redlines at 13,750, and makes its peak power 2000rpm further up the RPM scale.

Another way of reducing driveline stresses

Another way of reducing stresses is by using lighter materials for the pistons and connecting rods. Every moving part has momentum, and momentum is calculated by acceleration multiplied by mass. So, the more mass a moving object has, or/and the faster it moves, the higher its momentum. Lightening these parts will reduce stresses and also lets the engine rev faster.

We have covered the subject of the slipper clutch, now let us look at the assist clutch function. The assist function is an evolution of the slipper clutch and is fitted to an increasing number of motorcycles these days.

Why do we need the assist function?

Previously, harder clutch springs are required for high powered motorcycle engines in order to force the clutch plates and friction plates together, in order to maximise power transfer. Cutch springs that are too light can cause the plates to slip past each other, especially under hard acceleration.

Problem is, the clutch lever will feel very stiff as we need more finger pressure to overcome the springs’ force. It becomes even worse when the bike is accelerating hard and at speed, as the clutch’s centrifugal force pushes the plates in. Not only that, the gear lever can also feel really when using a quickshifter.

So how does the assist function work?

As with the slipper clutch, there are also ramps on the clutch’s pressure plate. However, these ramps face the other way, which cause the pressure plate to push inside onto the clutch plates for more positive engagement. In other words, less of the engine’s power is wasted from clutch slippage.

The takeaway from this is we can now use lighter clutch springs, allowing for a lighter pull on the clutch lever. It is especially useful when your motorcycle does not have a quickshifter. Additionally, shifting with the quickshifter can be potentially faster and the gear lever feels softer.

The slipper clutch is a common feature in road motorcycles nowadays, compared to when it was used in racing exclusively. Even some “performance” kapchais are equipped with it.

Why do we need a slipper clutch?

We are familiar with that deceleration when we shut off the throttle, or when we downshift. That is called engine braking or back torque. It is especially strong on four-stroke motorcycles with bigger engines that produce higher torque. The higher the engine’s torque, the higher its back torque too.

This engine braking can become intrusive, especially when we downshift to aggressively or we accidentally downshift to a gear that is too low. It can cause the rear wheel to hop, or even lock up momentarily. It is not something we want as we are tipping the bike into a corner, and certainly when the road is wet.

How does it work?

That is exactly why the slipper clutch was developed for: To reduce the engine’s back torque through the clutch plates to the transmission and to the final drive.

Slipper clutches usually consists of ramps that would cause the clutch basket to disengage or in other words, “slip” when the rear wheel tries to drive the engine faster above a certain deceleration threshold.


These angled ramps let the clutch faces which are normally meshed together under acceleration and normal riding to pull apart and disengaging the plates when there is too much back torque. Consequently, the rear tyre continue to rotate. It also decreases wear and tear on other transmission and engine parts due to the engine overrevving.

However, on some more sophisticated bikes (read: expensive), the slipper clutch works in conjunction with an electronic feature called engine braking control which regulates the engine speed to avoid clutch hop altogether. But that is a story for another day.

Following the news of an upcoming Triumph Thruxton 400 to replace the Bonneville Thruxton R 1200, let us take a look at the origin of the Thruxton name.

The Thruxton name plays a significant part in the marque’s history, just like the Daytona, Bonneville, Speedmaster, Trophy, Speed Twin. This is why Triumph decided to keep the name running albeit in the 400cc range, after stopping production of the 1200cc model.

What is Thruxton?

More like where, actually. It is the name of the Thruxton Circuit, in Hampshire, England.

It began as a military airbase, known as RAF Thruxton in 1942, and was home to troop carrying aircraft of both the RAF and USAAF. In fact, some of the airborne troops who took part in D-Day, 1944, took off from from this airbase.

The circuit was laid out along the perimeter of the runway since the 1950s, but the longer and present track was only fully established in 1968. History, it has since hosted the Thruxton 500 endurance race (1960-1964, 1969-1977), British Formula 3, British Formula 2, and many more. The circuit remains part of the British Superbike Championship (BSB) and British Touring Car Championship (BTCC) calendar until today.

The Thruxton 500

However, the most relevant and important race in this story was the Thruxton 500.

It all began as a 9-hour endurance race for motorcycles in 1955, followed by another two in 1956 and 1957. This 9-hour race evolved into the famous Thruxton 500 mile (800km) race from 1958.

The Thruxton 500 was a production motorcycle race, meaning the motorcycles being  raced must be available to the public, not unlike the current day FIM Endurance World Championship. Each bike entered will be ridden by two riders on rotation.

Anyway, Triumph entered the inaugural endurance race in 1958 with a Bonneville T120, entered with Mike “The Bike” Hailwood and Dan Shorey as riders. They won.

The race soon caught the attention of the public. As such, motorcycle manufacturers were keen to win it to showcase their products’ performance. “Win on Sunday, sell on Monday,” even before Soichiro Honda made those words famous.

Triumph won again in 1961 with Tony Godfrey and John Holder after being runner ups to the BMW and AJS in 1959 and 1960. It was this win that spurred the Triumph factory to build the T120R Thruxton, which was hand-built by a team of Triumph technicians using specially picked components and precision-machined cylinder heads and crankcases. Peak power was increased and each ‘Thruxton’ engine was bench tested to deliver around 53 bhp (40 kW) at 6,800 rpm with a safe rev ceiling of 7,200 rpm. Only 52 of the Thruxton T120Rs were built in 1964/5 to meet homologation requirements for production racing. About 100 more machines were subsequently manufactured and supplied to selected dealers and riders.

It was one of the rarest Triumph motorcycles.

Rise of the modern Triumph Thruxton

In 2004, the new Triumph factory based in Hinckley, England introduced the Thruxton 900. The engine was derived from the Bonneville lineup, but has new cams and pistons 90mm pistons, taking capacity to 865 cc and power up to 70 bhp. The crank was a 360°, which meant both pistons rose and fell together. Triumph was smart to sell the Thruxton 900 as the café racer of the Bonneville lineup. (Tom Cruise rode it in The Edge of Tomorrow, by the way.)

The company then introduced the new Thruxton in 2016. It used the new 1200cc, 270º, liquid-cooled engine. There were two variants, one the standard while the “R” got Ohlins shocks, Showa forks, and Brembo brakes.

The Thruxton has since enjoyed good sales the world over, although the later-launched Boneville Bobber pipped it as the best selling Triumph.

Then, in 2024, Triumph announced the Thruxton Final Edition as they moved the performance Bonneville to the Speed Twin.

Closing

Long live the Triumph Thruxton!

Continuing this series, let us check out another brand, the world-renowned RS Taichi.

To recap, we wanted to know how the makers of motorcycle riding gear take steps to ensure that you and I buy are genuine. These major manufacturers have put in much effort and cost to ensure that their products conform to safety standards in order to protect us.

However, the advent of online shopping platforms have created the problem of dishonest sellers parading copied and fake wares. And these shopping platforms are doing nothing to stop them.

Thus the onus falls back on our shoulders to ensure that we are spending our hard-earned money on genuine products.

Courtesy of Hodaka Motoworld Singapore
Who is RS Taichi?

The brand was founded my a professional motocross racer, Taichi Yoshimura in 1975, in Osaka, Japan. Yoshimura was raced for the Suzuki and Honda factory teams in motocross, and had the distinction of giving Honda their very first win in motocross racing.

The first RS Taichi product was a gear bag, before going on to making racing leather suits in 1978. Now, RS Taichi makes the complete range of motorcycle rider gear and accessories, from helmets to jackets, gloves, pants, shoes, inner wear, leather suits, bags, protectors, and more.

How can you detect a genuine RS Taichi product?

1. Look for the yellow Taichi tag in your jacket, gloves, pants, and bag.

2. Use a torchlight or your phone’s flashlight and shine through the tag.

3. You should see many Taichi logos.

Counterfeit RS Taichi products may have the tag, but the hologram will not show.

Conclusion

Alright, we have covered Komine and now RS Taichi, and we shall continue to cover other brands. Again, buy your riding gear from official channels. It is not worth saving a few bucks but compromising your safety.

Alright, let us continue with part 2 of this Adventure Motorcycles for New Riders (2025). But before we proceed further, let us clarify that “adventure motorcycles” describe motorcycles that have more fuel capacity and long-range comfort, compared to enduro motorcycles. In other words, these motorcycles retain some off-road capabilities and can be used for touring. Hence they are also known as dual-sport motorcycles.

Let us also move up the scale a bit and into the sub-500cc range.

6. KTM 390 Adventure

There are actually two versions of this bike i.e the standard 390 Adventure and the (much) more off-road oriented 390 Adventure R.

Launched in 2021 with cast alloy wheels, it underwent a revision for 2023, featuring wire spoked wheels.

Then, at EICMA last year, KTM revealed the long-awaited “R” version which was pretty much a totally new motorcycle including a new engine, suspension, bodywork, frame, swingarm, 27-inch front wheel, electronics. Come to think of it, it is much more like the smaller version of the 790/890 Adventure R.

In any case, the 390 Adventure was a hoot to ride both on the road and off-road, thrilling both new and veteran riders. However, wait for the “R” version if you plan on more exploring and off-roading.

(Specifications for the KTM 390 Adventure)

  • 373cc, single-cylinder, DOHC, four-valve, liquid-cooled engine, producing 44hp, 37Nm.
  • 14.5-litre fuel tank, 159kg (dry).
  • 855mm seat height.
  • Pros: Torquey engine, superb suspension, hard-edged.
  • Cons: Standard suspension tuning is a bit hard.
  • Selling price: RM33,800.
7. Royal Enfield Himalayan 450

The Royal Enfield Himalayan offers reliability, toughness, simplicity, versatility, and affordability all at one go. However, that toughness has a price in terms of weight. The 450 is the new model and features a bigger engine and TFT screen with smartphone connectivity, and there are 4 trims.

  • 452cc, single-cylinder, DOHC, four-valve, liquid-cooled engine, producing 40hp at 8,000, 40Nm at 5,500 RPM.
  • 17-litre fuel tank, 191kg (dry).
  • 825mm seat height.
  • Pros: Simple, reliable, versatile.
  • Cons: Rather heavy.
  • Selling price: From RM30,600.
8. CFMoto 450MT/450MT-X

A high-spec’ed motorcycle at a competitive price: Adjustable KYB suspension, TFT screen, J.Juan brakes, adjustable windscreen (although manual), switchable rear wheel ABS via a dedicated button, etc. This bike is gear more towards off-road riding with 21-inch front and 18-inch rear wheels, but has a low seat height. Go for the MT-X version for just RM2,000 more and you will get three aluminium cases.

  • 449cc, parallel-twin, 270º DOHC, four-valve, liquid-cooled engine, producing 44hp at 8,500, 44Nm at 6,250 RPM.
  • 17.5-litre fuel tank, 175kg (dry).
  • 820mm seat height.
  • Pros: Good features, light, low seat height.
  • Cons: Abrupt throttle action.
  • Selling price: RM28,800 (450MT), RM30,888 (450MT-X).
9. Triumph Scrambler 400X

Not as off-road oriented as the Scrambler 1200 but does a decent job with its longer travel suspension. But as with other Triumphs, the 400 platform is nimble, has a torque and entertaining engine, and superb suspension. And, the Scrambler 400 X comes equipped with a whole range of accessories, making it look really butch at a great price.

  • 398cc, parallel-twin, 270º DOHC, four-valve, liquid-cooled engine, producing 39.5hp at 8,500, 37.5Nm at 6,500 RPM.
  • 13-litre fuel tank, 179kg (wet).
  • 835mm seat height.
  • Pros: Easy to ride, stylish, entertaining.
  • Cons: Very short 1st and 2nd gears.
  • Selling price: RM29,900.
10. Benelli TRK 502X

The TRK 502X is the adventure version with 19-inch front and 17-inch rear wheels, while the TRK 502 is the sport-touring version with 17-inch wheels on both ends. Truth be told, this product lineup is kind of long in the tooth, although it was updated recently. But, you do get dual front brakes, and it is probably the best for long-distance touring among the group here.

  • 500cc, parallel-twin, four-valve, liquid-cooled engine, producing 48hp at 8,500, 45Nm at 6,000 RPM.
  • 20-litre fuel tank, 213kg (dry).
  • 840mm seat height.
  • Pros: Well appointed for long-distance riding.
  • Cons: It is heavy and feels heavy.
  • Selling price: RM35,288.

Closing

So there you have it, 10 most appropriate adventure motorcycles for new riders. It has to be said that motorcycles have come a long way and even a 250cc adventure bike can do wonders plus saving you a few bucks to be spent on riding gear.

There are several models missing in our list, including the Honda CB500X and Fantic Caballero 500. These two are fantastic bikes, nonetheless so we will write further features about them in the near future.

Adventure motorcycles are already known for their comfort and versatility, hence why the segment is still growing. While we ride 99.9% of the time on paved roads, adventure bikes still provide many advantages, including long-travel suspension is able to soak up bumps and irregularities, tall ride height which gives the ride great all-round vision, comfortable ergonomics, and the ability to be fitted with luggage and bags.

Then of course, there is ever present capability for off-road exploring although that potential depends on the specific motorcycle and rider.

Speaking of the rider, it is perhaps unwise for a new rider get the most powerful and fastest adventure bike, especially if you plan to do some off-roading. So, here are XX adventure motorcycles for new riders, which we have updated for 2025.

1. Honda CRF250 Rally

It all began with the CRF250L in 2013, then the CRF250L Adventure, before becoming the present CRF250 Rally. Built to look like the CRF450 Rally Dakar racer, this bike looks the part and is easy to ride. There is even a built-in tool space in the left underseat panel.

  • 250cc, single cylinder engine, which does 24hp at 9,000 RPM, 23Nm at 6,000 RPM.
  • 12.8-litre fuel tank, 153kg.
  • 885mm seat height.
  • Selling price: RM28,599.
  • Pros: Easy to ride, lightweight.
  • Cons: Seat height may be too tall for new riders.
2. Modenas Versys-X 250

The Versys-X 250 is a popular model as it has a lower seat height, and is gear more towards a sport-tourer although it does have some off-road capabilities. But get this: Modenas equips the bike with a pair of side cases as standard equipment in Malaysia.

  • 249cc, parallel-twin engine, producing 32.5hp at 11,500 RPM, 21.7Nm at 10,000 RPM.
  • 17-litre fuel tank, 181kg.
  • 815mm seat height.
  • Selling price: RM24,900.
  • Pros: Fast for a small cc adventure bike, low seat height.
  • Cons: Peaky engine (needs lotsa revs), rudimentary suspension.
3. Suzuki V-Strom 250SX

The V-Strom 250SX is a long-awaited model and had just been launched in Malaysia last year. All we can say is it was worth the wait. While the engine does not boost any new tech and looked underpowered on paper, it was full of low- and mid-range torque. And when coupled to a superb suspension, the bike was actually sweet to ride. In fact, it felt a lot like riding the KTM 250 Adventure, but at a much lower price. Build quality was the best even beating out the Honda.

  • 249cc, single-cylinder, SOHC, two-valve, oil-cooled engine, producing 26hp, 24Nm.
  • 12-litre fuel tank, 167kg.
  • 835mm seat height.
  • Selling price: RM17,800.
  • Pros: Torquey engine, compliant suspension, great value for money.
  • Cons: No assist and slipper clutch.
4. KTM 250 Adventure

The KTM 250 Adventure is gear more towards the adventure side of purpose, hence you can hit the trails put of the box. However, it is also a practical bike everyday riding and touring. The suspension is also more supple compared to its 390 Adventure sibling’s. It is also much simpler.

  • 249cc, single-cylinder, DOHC, four-valve, liquid-cooled engine, producing 29.5hp at 9,3000 RPM, 22.72Nm at 7,300 RPM.
  • 14.5-litre fuel tank, 156kg.
  • 855mm seat height.
  • Selling price: RM24,000
  • Pros: Torquey engine, compliant suspension, the most adventure-ready of the lot.
  • Cons: No assist and slipper clutch.
5. BMW G 310 GS

This bike always seems to escape everyone’s attention for some reason. Is it due to price? Maintenance costs? Reliability? Do let us know because we have reviewed it and found it to be a rather good all-rounder.

  • 313cc, single-cylinder, DOHC, four-valve, liquid-cooled engine, producing 34hp at 9,250 RPM, 28Nm at 7,500 RPM.
  • 11.5-litre fuel tank, 175kg.
  • 855mm seat height.
  • Selling price: RM31,500
  • Pros: Torquey engine, compliant suspension, best all-rounder.
  • Cons: You tell us!

Welcome back to Part 2 of our countdown of the greatest Honda V4 motorcycles. The remaining five are so iconic that we are sure you have heard of them.

5. Honda VFR750/800 (1987-2013)

Among all of Honda’s V4 production motorcycles, the VFR750 and the later VFR800 were the most successful in terms of numbers sold. In fact, they were probably some of the best motorcycles ever made.

Comfort was excellent, great build quality, good handling and equipment, it was the classiest motorcycle you could buy. Honda may have since revived the VFR800 in face-lifted form along with the Crossrunner, both of which are decent, but those ‘80s and ‘90s VFR750s can still claim to being the greatest V4s of all.

4. Honda RVF750R (RC45) (1994-1999)

The RVF750R was launched in 1994 as a long-awaited and much anticipated successor to Honda’s first all-conquering V4 superbike, the VFR750R RC30.

Closely-related to the RC30, it uses a 90º V4 with gear-driven cams housed in an aluminium twin spar frame featuring a single-sided swing arm. However, it was actually all-new and co-developed by Honda’s racing division, HRC, and Honda R&D. Differences included a shorter stroke, more compact design and fuel-injection. In its last racing form, the engine made more peak horsepower than even Mick Doohan’s NSR500 two-stroke GP bike.

Although highly successful at the Isle of Man TT and in world endurance, it won only one WSB crown. While on the road, its road legal 120bhp was nothing special. It was of course supremely expensive at nearly £18,000.

3. Honda VFR400R NC30/RVF400R (1989-1996)

What? A 400cc V4 in the Top 3? Well, why not? The VFR400R and later RVF400R were the little brothers to the RC30 and RVF750R respectively. They were much more affordable and accessible to the man in the street.

Both were produced in parallel to their 750 siblings although, as mass market bikes, had lesser spec, fewer exotic materials and were not hand-built. Both were also the result of a then-prevailing Japanese licensing law that favoured 400cc machines. Several units made it to Malaysia and certainly in Singapore.

The NC30 was definitely among the best: effectively a ‘slightly smaller RC30’ with sublime handling and an impressively flexible V4 producing 59bhp. The RVF400R was said to be even better but unfortunately was short-lived.

2. Honda RC213-V (2015-2016)

Conceived as a road-going replica of the then RC213V MotoGP machine, it is as close to that bike as was possible and practical with little concern given to cost.

Around 250 were built in total, hand-made by small teams of hand-picked engineers. Although road regulations limited performance to 159bhp, its chassis boasted the best of everything including Ohlins TTX25 gas forks, forged magnesium wheels and a slimline full-colour TFT dash while, with the optional Sports Kit fitted, intended for track use which includes a revised ECU and exhaust together unleashing 215bhp, it’s as close to the full works V4 MotoGP experience mere mortals can buy.

Which is as it should be, considering the £137,000 price.

1. Honda VFR750R (RC30) (1987-1990)

The RC30 remains the best Honda V4 ever built. There we have said it.

Timed to promote Honda’s new VFR V4s, it conceived to exploit the new World Superbike and world endurance racing regulations (based on 750cc production machines). As such it was developed with no expense-spared by HRC.

As a homologation special racer it won straight out of the crate – not just in WSB (becoming the first champion in 1988), but in endurance, F1 and at the TT. It also dominated Malaysian superbikes.

Not to mention the most beautiful amongst them.

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