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GIVI Malaysian Adventure 2019 Day 9 and Wrap-Up

The GIVI Malaysian Adventure 2019 ended with Day 9.
It was an amazing ride to show what Malaysia offers.
It was also an amazing ride due to the organization and support.

All good things come to end. Unfortunately, it had to be the GIVI Malaysian Adventure 2019 on Day 9.

For the last day, the GIVI Explorers were pretty much let loose to enjoy the best riding road we Malaysian bikers have come to love i.e. Karak Highway, Bukit Tinggi and Genting Highlands.

Many of the riders were very skilled especially with the Triumph Tiger 800 XR, XRx and XCx in their hands. Mexican Explorer Manuel stood on the pegs of the XCx most of the time while blasting through corners. I can second what he did, because the XCx is one bike which instills supreme confidence in the rider.

The ride ended at the Grand Ion D’Element Hotel. It was a great way to end the ride at a place that’s cooling.

We gathered for the Gala Dinner that night, when Joseph handed out gifts to honour the Explorers based on their “exploits” during the ride. Check out the pictures to see what the gifts were!

The police escorts received a boisterous cheer for their efforts in keeping the routes clear and us safe throughout. The same kudos went to the marshals as well, who always checked to see that there were no rider missing from their flocks.

A personal view of the adventure

The adventure had been epic, taking the GIVI Explorers on a loop through Peninsular Malaysia. We started at the West Coast, rode over to the East Coast, before turning back west. We had crossed the central spine of Peninsular Malaysia twice; dined in a limestone cave in Ipoh; spent a day and night at beautiful Redang Island; partook authentic Baba and Nonya food in historic Melaka; fed elephants at Kuala Gandah. In short, we rode from the city to a cave, lake, beach, island, jungle and up mountains.

Amongst all that, though, the crown jewel had to be GIVI Rimba Raid at Janda Baik. Here we not only watched an event but took in an experience that has no equal anywhere around the world.

But there’s no illusion that it’s our beautiful Malaysian roads that connected all these locations. The marshals from Desmo Owners Club Malaysia who recce’d the routes did a fantastic job in seeking out asphalt ribbons with corners after corners, thereby minimizing zombie-like droning on the highways. They were the ones who filled our fuel tanks when we stopped.

I couldn’t stress enough about the pleasure of having the Traffic Police escort us all the way. Imagine riding through Kuantan and Melaka without escort: The convoy would’ve have fragmented so terribly that some riders would’ve either gotten lost or worse. If local riders find it challenging, what more to those who were visiting Malaysia for the first time!

More importantly, no one got left behind or hurt.

The accommodations were top-notch, as always, and served great food. It’s something good to look forward to at the end of the ride each day.

The GIVI crew provided superb support everywhere we stopped. They were always there to make sure that there was parking and space for us to sit down as a group. Drinks and snacks were always available in the back of the Honda Odyssey, so much so I called it the Snack-On-Wheels. Besides that, they were the ones who moved our luggage into our hotel rooms before we arrived, then pick them up and load them up when we checked out, only do it all again the next day.

I also couldn’t ignore the fact that the GIVI equipment was reliable. The tank bag could accommodate a 2-litre hydration bladder in addition to my DSLR camera. The Trekker Dolomiti hard cases not only looked classy, but stored everything away safely.

We were also very lucky that the weather stayed on our side throughout. We had expected rain, but none caught us. Besides that, the ride ended just one day before the haze from Sumatra returned!

Roll of Honour

The epic ride was the direct result of extensive work put in. It’s work that we didn’t see that manifested in the smooth running of any event. There’s no such thing as just organizing a ride of this magnitude and crossing fingers.

So, a big thank you to Mr. Joseph Perucca. The GIVI Explorer project is his baby and it highlights a number of salient and important points. It’s already established that GIVI produces the best motorcycle luggage and accessories, but there is a driving passion behind it. The people of GIVI, distributors and dealers are what constitutes a family. The GIVI Explorer expeditions are the result of this familial togetherness, sharing the passion for riding and exploration the world over, while using the real world as the rolling laboratory for GIVI products. This love for the family is especially seen in the Explorers who had joined the annual rides from the very beginning (this being the seventh).

I wish to also thank Joseph and Pietro (Ambrosioni – GIVI’s Communication Manager). Joseph would send Pietro to accompany everytime I needed to break free from the convoy to shoot pictures.

Next on the list is Mr. On Hai Swee, the Managing Director of GIVI Asia Sdn. Bhd. It was a pleasure to finally ride with him and Mrs. On. I’ve always learned so much about GIVI from him. His hard work and foresight has brought the brand to where it is in these 25 years in Malaysia. A special appreciation to him for arranging the Traffic Police escort throughout the ride.

A thoroughly special thank you to Dato’ Hussein Al-Malique, Chief Executive Officer of Triumph Motorcycles Malaysia. Every Explorer on the Tiger 800 (XR/XRx/XCx) had a great time and there wasn’t a single concern about their bikes. They were perfectly suited to the curvy road along the tour’s routes.

Thank you and congratulations to Dato’ Captain Nik Huzlan who put together another stunning and the largest yet Rimba Raid. I wished I had more time to cover the event, but Insy’Allah I could do so from a rider’s perspective next year. It’s always great to chat with you and I could count on learning so much!

This list wouldn’t be complete without the hardworking (read: overworked) GIVI crew on both the ride and at GIVI Rimba Raid. Sam Sharman, Edwin, Sherlyn, Julian Loh, Aina, and everyone you guys were amazing as always. It was great to see familiar faces everywhere we stopped!

A special shout out to Jeremias Israel. He may be a Dakar and pro racer but he’s one of the most down-to-earth guys I’ve ever met. The guys who attended his off-road clinic enjoyed it immensely and we were all behind you at Rimba Raid.

Let’s not forget Nikkasit, the official photographer who worked non-stop. Awesome pictures, Khun Nikkasit. Please visit soon!

Last but not least, kudos to the GIVI Explorers. It’s always nice to see everyone I’ve met before, but I make new friends everytime we ride together. Your laughs were always so infectious. I hope to learn Spanish and Thai before the next ride (if I’m ever invited again). I hope that you guys enjoyed Malaysia and come back for a more extensive tour. There’s so much more to offer than what we experienced during the ride.

Till then, ride safe!

Please click on this link for our report on GIVI Rimba Raid at Janda Baik 2019.

Please click on this link for GIVI Malaysian Adventure 2019 Day Eight.

Please click on this link for GIVI Malaysian Adventure 2019 Day Seven.

Please click on this link for GIVI Malaysian Adventure 2019 Day Six.

Please click on this link for GIVI Malaysian Adventure 2019 Days Four and Five.

Please click on this link for GIVI Malaysian Adventure 2019 Day Three.

Please click on this link for GIVI Malaysian Adventure 2019 Kick Off.

Hafizh Syahrin Offered Tech 3 Moto2 Ride in 2020

Tech 3 offers Hafizh Syahrin a Moto2 ride in 2020.
But the Malaysian is also hoping for an option in the PETRONAS SRT outfit.
Hafizh says that he will know by the Austrian GP.

There may be a silver lining for Hafizh Syahrin yet, now that Tech 3 has offered him a ride in their Moto2 outfit in 2020.

Tech 3 team principal Herve Poncharal confirmed the news recently, saying that the option is for Hafizh if he accepts. The Tech 3 Moto2 team also fields KTM bikes. However, unlike in MotoGP, the Moto2 bike uses KTM’s frame wrapped around the Triumph three-cylinder engine.

Poncharal said that he spoke to Hafizh a few races prior to announcing Brad Binder’s ascension to the MotoGP team. As such, Hafizh wasn’t entirely shocked by the news.

Hafiz, on the other hand, acknowledges Tech 3’s offer but is leaving options open. He looks to be more interested in joining the PETRONAS SRT outfit should a seat be available, instead.

“I speak (sic) to Herve, also I speak (sic) to Razlan (Razali, the PETRONAS SRT Boss). I cannot say 100 percent. I need to wait until maybe Austria, I will know where I go.”

Stepping back into Moto2 wouldn’t be so bad for Hafizh, since he’s now accumulated priceless experience in MotoGP. He’d been progressing well in Moto2 anyway, before he was picked to replace Jonas Folger in the Monster Energy Tech 3 Yamaha team in 2018.

Special Service Clinic and Merdeka Campaign for Aprilia and Moto Guzzi Owners

Goh Brothers official workshops rolled out a special Service Clinic and Merdeka Campaign for Aprilia and Moto Guzzi owners.
The offer includes just RM 10 for an original engine oil filter.
Please visit the nearest Goh Brothers workshop for more details.

The official imported and distributor of Aprilia motorcycles in Malaysia, Didi Resources Sdn. Bhd. has rolled out a special Service Clinic and Merdeka Campaign for Aprilia owners.

The campaign seeks to care for Aprilia and Moto Guzzi owners in the country, letting them enjoy their pride and joy without as much as a worry.

As Juan Chow Wee, General Manager of Didi Resources put it, listening to customers goes beyond just selling motorcycles.

Through this special clinic, the official Goh Brothers workshops are offering the original engine oil filter from just RM 10. Together with semi-synthetic engine oil change, parts and labour, the cost totals only from RM 270 for an oil change service. (A big bike service at official service centres usually cost from RM 350 and upwards.)

The promotion is available at official Goh Brothers workshops (GBMC) in both Aprilia and Moto Guzzi official dealers.

Ownership and maintenance of large capacity motorcycles doesn’t necessarily mean high costs at official workshops. Do note that technicians are trained to carry out the job and only approved tools and machinery are used. Also, servicing at the official workshop prevents from voiding your motorcycle’s warranty.

EXCLUSIVE: How Helmets are Officially Imported into Malaysia

There are formal procedures in importing helmets into Malaysia for distribution and sales.
This was why the Customs Department warned against self-importation.
The procedures are centred around motorcycle helmets being safety related items.

What started it all?

We posted an article some time back after a Royal Malaysian Customs Department poster was spotted at an airport.

The poster had warned that helmets without prior approval from the Road Transport Depart Malaysia (better known as “JPJ”) or SIRIM, and without the UN 22.05 (ECE 22.05) and/or SIRIM MS1 standard will be detained or confiscated outright.

(Please click on the link below for the full article.)

Malaysian Customs Dept May Confiscate Your Helmet

That warning is specifically catered to travelers, but there are cases where individuals carry more than one helmet into the country. The Customs Department suspects that the helmets are for distribution and sales.

Moving away from that subject, let’s see how helmets are officially imported into Malaysia. To do so, we met with our long-time helmet partner, HJC Helmet Malaysia for further clarifications.

Mr. Ben Ng, Director of NKS Distributors (KL) Sdn. Bhd. They are the official HJC importer and distributor in Malaysia

Why are imported helmets regulated?

Helmet importation isn’t as simple as ordering the desired models then paying taxes when they arrive at the seaport or airport.

That we find is because many are unaware that helmets are considered safety items. “Motorcycle helmets pertain to safety and are therefore controlled items,” said the now-retired Director of JPJ’s Technical Department when we met him three years ago.

Being controlled items means that their importation needs to be regulated.

The Procedures

These steps are a summary of what’s required. There are many more intricate details that we left out because it’ll result in an article that’s way too long.

STEP 1

The importer, in this case HJC Helmet Malaysia (HJC MY), chooses the models they wish to distribute. For ease of this article, let’s pick one model say the new HJC i70.

HJC MY then prepares the set of documents with the help of the HJC headquarters in South Korea. The documents must state the specifications of the helmet i.e. material, and dimensions such as eyeport size, etc. Since the model was approved under the ECE 22.05 regulation, the manufacturer must also state which lab in which country approved it. TÜV Rheinland in Cologne, Germany carries out the tests for HJC helmets.

HJC MY is also required to provide one piece of the HJC i70 to JPJ for vetting.

STEP 2

HJC MY then hands over the documents to the JPJ’s Technical Department for vetting.

Additionally, HJC MY also needs to furnish the distributor’s details, model and its specifications, quantity to be imported.

The JPJ Officers will then vet through the documents by getting in touch with TÜV Rheinland, or other labs if other components such as the faceshield was tested somewhere else.

The important thing here is to establish that the HJC i70 was indeed tested in the same specifications and obtained the ECE 22.05 certification.

Once fully verified, JPJ will issue a Supporting Letter (Surat Sokongan) to HJC MY.

STEP 3

HJC MY then brings the Supporting Letter to the Royal Malaysian Customs Department. The Customs grants the importation and HJC MY pays the duties and taxes.

JPJ Warning

The JPJ has warned before that the “JPJ Approved” or “Diluluskan oleh JPJ” sticker is not allowed on imported helmets, despite the department’s approval of importation. Please take note!

Other points

As you can probably see, JPJ and SIRIM doesn’t allow exclusively DOT certified helmets into Malaysia. That’s because the DOT certification omits and has a different certification pathway compared to ECE 22.05 helmets. However, helmet is allowed if it has both DOT and ECE 22.05 certifications.

There are also officially imported helmets with both ECE 22.05 and SIRIM MS1 standards. This is unique to Arai helmets (as far as we know), as the Arai headquarters in Japan requires that every model imported to undergo local certification in every country they are imported into. Hence, SIRIM in Malaysia.

We’ll touch more on the different standards in a future article.

How does this affect you and I?

For one, we don’t have to sweat it about buying our helmets from overseas, and risking it being confiscated. The approvals and taxes have been settled by the importer.

Also, we can relax when stopped by a JPJ Officer at a roadblock. We can request that he checks with his superiors or the importer that the helmet was brought through legit channels.

Aprilia Central Riding Club (ACRC) and Desmo Owners Club Malaysia (DOCM) Celebrate Italian Kinship

The Aprilia Central Riding Club (ACRC) and Desmo Owners Club Malaysia (DOCM) held a “live” MotoGP viewing to celebrate their Italian motorcycle kinship.
Together, they watched the Czech MotoGP over the weekend.
On another note, Didi Resources is offering a special Service Clinic and Merdeka Campaign to Aprilia owners.

The Aprilia Central Riding Club (ACRC) and Desmo Owners Club Malaysia (DOCM) celebrate their Italian motorcycle kinship – or brotherhood, if you will – for the “live” viewing of the Czech MotoGP over the weekend.

Motorcycle brand loyalty can manifest in fierce tribalism, meaning loving whoever is riding the same brand while eschewing others. It’s not something bad per se, because it’s one of our basic human instinct to protect the clan we live in. (That’s the central theme of post-apocalyptic shows such as “The Walking Dead.”)

So, it’s definitely something to celebrate when ACRC and DOCM got together as one large biker community.

“The love for Italian motorcycles is something we all cherish. In this gathering organized by Shell, we gather our brothers and sisters from Aprilia to join us the Ducati Owners for MotoGP viewing to support our Italian race teams,” mentioned Gaddaffi Shazalli, Vice President of Desmo Owners Club Malaysia.

According to Juan Chow Wee, General Manager of Didi Resources Sdn. Bhd. (the official importer and distributor of Aprilia motorcycles in Malaysia), “To further strengthen the ownership experience, our doors are always open to various owner clubs to foster greater relationship among bikers and we believe the best biking lifestyle is from owners themselves.”

Juan also added that “listening to our customers” goes beyond just selling motorcycles. “As such, Didi Resources just rolled out a special Service Clinic and Merdeka Campaign for for Aprilia owners. We are offering the original factory oil filter at just RM10, and other important parts like brake pads and air filter at special prices.”

(Please refer to our article pertaining to this campaign.)

“We always believe in listening to our customers as they are important in improving how we do business, and today we roll out an after sales program to further reduce ownership cost and to ensure our owners get the best from our network in terms of quality.”

Can you ride the BMW R 1250 GS daily?

BMW Motorrad Malaysia recently celebrated their annual BMW Motorrad Night Fuel event held at the Malaysia. There were many highlights of the night which included the launch of the all-new 2019 BMW R 1250 GS, R 1250 GS Adventure, and the F 850 GS Adventure. We got our hands on the latest R 1250 GS and we’re here to answer the question; can you ride it on a daily basis? (more…)