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MotoGP: Hafizh Syahrin Scores Points in Thailand

Hafizh Syahrin was back to scoring points at the Buriram International Circuit in Thailand.
It was the Malaysian rider’s first scoring performance since Brno, Czech Republic in August.
Hafizh now needs to beat Franco Morbidelli who is leading the rookie’s by 5 points.

Malaysian MotoGP rider, Hafizh Syahrin rode a steady race to score points in the Thai MotoGP round at the Buriram International Circuit.

Hafizh had started the race in 18^th place but worked his way up to 12^th at finish.

The result meant that he finished two places ahead of this nearest Rookie of the Year challenger, Franco Morbidelli. Hafizh took 2 points away from Morbidelli over the weekend, closing the gap to 5 points. Morbidelli still leads the rookie hunt with 33 points to Hafizh’s 28.

But it was not an easy race as Hafizh revealed later, “I was working really hard with the team and they believed in me, which is what I needed. My bike was overheating in the beginning of the race.”

“The oil temperature was too hot, and I didn’t feel the power of the bike. I decided not to slipstream (other riders) because the bike was so hot,” he continued. “I first passed Takaaki Nakagami and thought I could catch up with Morbidelli. I managed to pass Morbidelli and then tried to keep the rhythm.”

“I still need to work hard in the next rounds and try to get closer to Morbidelli again. We gained two points on him. There’s still five points to go, so we have to try to be in front of him for the rest of the season,” he added.

Hafizh’s performance in Thailand scored his first points since the race in Brno, Czech Republic back in August. The unfortunate showing was due to Yamaha’s inability to solve issues with the bikes. As evidence, the problems had also affected Hafizh’s Monster Tech 3 Yamaha teammate Johann Zarco, and the factory Yamaha pairing of Valentino Rossi and Maverick Vinalez.

Moto Guzzi V9 Bobber Sport Unveiled at Intermot

Moto Guzzi V9 Bobber Sport was introduced at Intermot 2018.
It is the “sportier” version of the normal V9 Bobber.
It features Öhlins shocks and stylistic updates.

Moto Guzzi unveiled a “sport” version called the Moto Guzzi V9 Bobber Sport at the Intermot 2018 show in Cologne, Germany.

The Sport features lower single seat and black pipes to “bring out the mean and moody” look. The fat front tyre is retained.

Other features on the Bobber Sport are fork gaiters for that retro look, cut-down front mudguard and lowered headlamp with a new aluminium fly-screen. The riding position is made sportier by installing lower drag bars with lower risers.

The shock absorbers are adjustable Öhlins units for “improved” handling and ride over the normal V9 Bobber. Megaphone exhausts will hopefully liberate some noise rather than sounding muted.

Moto Guzzi did not upgrade the bike’s performance, however. The Moto Guzzi V9 Sport is still powered by the very same 853cc, transversely-mounted 90^o, V-Twin which produces 60 bhp and 62.4 Nm, instead of the new 80 bhp, 850cc engine which will power the V85 TT.

“Bobber”-style motorcycles have become very popular recently. The name “bobber” is derived from their shortened rear fenders hence “bobbed.” The bobber scene was invented by post-WW2 American riders. Although Harley-Davidson has been producing bobber-style bikes ex-factory for many years, it was the Triumph Bonneville Bobber which broke records as the manufacturer’s best-selling motorcycle. Other manufacturers had to follow suit, including Moto Guzzi with their V9 Bobber line-up.

MSC: TOC Desmo Cup concludes maiden racing season

The TOC Desmo Cup concluded its final two races of the season in conjunction with the 2018 Pirelli Malaysia Superbike Championship (MSC).
Nine Ducati riders competed in two different race categories; Superstock and Supersport.
The TOC Desmo Cup is supported by the TOC Automotive College, Desmo Owners Club Malaysia (DOCM), Ducati Malaysia, Toyo Lube, Kratos Motorsports, and many more.

The previous weekend saw the conclusion of the first ever season of the 2018 TOC Desmo Cup held in conjunction with the 2018 Pirelli Malaysia Superbike Championship. The final two rounds which ran back-to-back on Saturday and Sunday saw an increase to nine participants in the maiden racing series organised by the TOC Automotive College and the Desmo Owners Club Malaysia (DOCM). (more…)

MSC – Superstock crown for Hafiq Azmi & TOC HKM Racing!

Amirul Hafiq Azmi and the TOC HKM Racing Team scored four straight wins in the final rounds of the 2018 Pirelli Malaysia Superbike Championship (MSC 2018).
Riding his BMW S 1000 RR, the 21-year-old was crowned the 2018 overall champion for the Superstock category.
For Superbike, Mohd Ramdan Rosli and Muhammad Jamalul Tarmizi fought brilliantly against the top 3 riders and secured multiple podium finishes.

It has been an amazing weekend for the TOC HKM Racing Team in the final two rounds of the Pirelli Malaysia Superbike Championship 2018 (MSC). Their star rider, Amirul Hafiq Azmi, swept the entire field clean and was triumphant in all four races where he emerged as the Superstock champion on board his BMW S 1000 RR. (more…)

MSC – Azlan Shah & Chia PJ Kawasaki crowned Superbike champion!

Azlan Shah Kamaruzaman and Chia PJ Kawasaki are the Superbike Champion for the Pirelli Malaysia Superbike Championship 2018 (MSC).
The 33-year-old rider managed to win three races and a third place

finish in the final two rounds this weekend.
Azlan Shah pulled off a stunning performance on board the Kawasaki Ninja ZX-10R.

It was a weekend filled with drama for the Chia PJ Kawasaki Racing Team as they battled through the final two rounds of the 2018 Malaysia Superbike Championship (MSC). With four races planned for Saturday and Sunday, their race-ready Kawasaki Ninja ZX-10R together with star rider, Azlan Shah Kamaruzaman, is all ready to bring home the championship. (more…)

2018 BMW F 850 GS Debuts at BMW Motorrad Nightfuel Johor Bahru

BMW Motorrad Malaysia had introduced the 2018 BMW F 850 GS.
It was unveiled at the BMW Motorrad Nightfuel lifestyle event in Johor Bahru.
No price has been announced but the bike will be available from November 2018.

The much-awaited 2018 BMW F 850 GS mid-range adventure motorcycle has been introduced at BMW Motorrad Nightfuel in Johor Bahru.

The F 850 GS is all-new from the ground up and now features a distinctive look besides a bevy of new features, as BMW’s weapon in the middleweight adventure wars.

No prices have been released as of yet and it shall be available from November 2018 onwards.

Principle of the F 850 GS

First introduced in 2007, the GS version of the F-series follows the formula set by its granddaddy, the R80G/S. It was the R80G/S which singlehandedly started the adventure-touring segment. “Gelande Strasse” means off-road/road in German.

Compared to the R 1200 GS, the F-series GS models represent bikes that are simpler, lighter, more accessible as well as more affordable and easier to work on.

Styling

The F 850 GS’s predecessor may resemble the flagship R 1200 GS in many ways, but it now looks more distinctive while remaining tie to its bigger brother.

For example, the new bike a new asymmetrical headlamp and GS “flyline” that announces itself as a member of the GS family. There is also a new “beak” ahead of the healight.

Odd corners and edges around the fuel tank and seat have been removed to improve off-road riding. The windshield can be exchanged for off-road or road-riding.

In a nutshell, the 2018 F 850 GS is much sharper-looking than before.

Engine

The engine has been revised for increased performance while optimizing fuel efficiency.

While It is still a parallel-Twin (for more compactness), it now displaces 853cc with a 270^o crankshaft to mimic the firing interval of a 90^o V-Twin for optimum and smooth torque characteristics. The new firing order also results in a growling exhaust note. Engine vibrations are quelled by two balancer shafts.

Its maximum power has increased to 95 bhp (75 kW) at 8,250 RPM and 92 Nm of torque at 6,250 RPM. There is a 2,000 RPM spread between maximum torque and maximum horsepower, illustrating a flexible engine.

A slipper clutch has been added to the new bike while the final drive has been moved to the left side.

Frame and chassis

The “bridge” frame is made of deep-drawn and welded components. The engine is mounted as a stressed element. The fuel tank has been moved to a more customary position from underneath the seat on previous models. Doing do optimizes mass centralization.

The front is suspended by nwq upside-down forks with a new monoshock at the rear.

The biggest change for the F 850 GS’s rolling stock, however, are the new cross-spoke wheels that allow for tubeless tyres.

Ergonomics

The F 850 GS’s ergonomics have been designed to accommodate a wider range of riders. BMW has made the seat height lower while still retaining large ground clearance. The rider triangle – relation among the handlebars, seat and footrest – have been revised.

Electronics

The “Road” and “Rain” riding modes are standard. However, customers may add the Pro option which extends riding modes to “Dynamic,” “Enduro” and “Enduro Pro.” Additionally, ABS and ASC (Automatic Stability Control) allow for greater safety.