Kawasaki Heavy Industries, Ltd. has increased their stake in Modenas.
Their current purchase will see them hold a 30% stake, up from 11%.
But converting the upcoming CPS will bring KHI’s stake to 48%.
Kawasaki Heavy Industries, Ltd. (KHI) otherwise known as “Kawasaki Japan” increases their stake in Modenas from 19 to 30 percent.
KHI and DRB-Hicom Bhd. entered an agreement for KHI to purchase and additional 14.3 million shares which equals an 11 percent stake. The shares were valued at RM 40.3 million cash.
Additionally, KHI is also subscribing to 52 million convertible preference shares (CPS) that will be issued by Modenas. KHI’s stake in the company will rise to 48% upon conversion.
KHI’s larger equity means that will actively participate in Modenas’s operations, rather than just being a bystander. The two entities have been partners for more than 20 years and KHI has been a 19% shareholder in Modenas since the latter’s inception in 1995.
The first Modenas motorcycles were based on Kawasaki’s models, including the Jaguh 175 lightweight cruiser. Apart from producing motorcycles, Modenas also machines components for KHI.
Their production facility is based in Gurun, Kedah and has a capacity of 130,000 units per year.
It’ll be interesting to see what KHI has in mind for the Modenas-Bajaj partnership.
The Berluti Triumph Bonneville sees a good example of fashion and motorcycling.
Berluti is a sub-brand of Louis Vuitton.
The bodywork is carbon fibre and engine stock.
You know, there are many reasons why we love motorcycles; among them is the ability to individualize them to whichever philosophy one chooses. Case in point is this Berluti Triumph Bonneville which wouldn’t be out of place on a fashion catwalk.
It’s not new for fashion houses to get involved with motorcycling, of course. Some produce clothing with riding gear styles, some commission entire motorcycle builts. For example, Chanel recently teamed up with Pharrell Williams and Veldt to create some truly funky helmets.
This bike, on the other hand, was commissioned by Maison Berluti, a sub-brand of infamous Louis Vuitton (LV). The bike is part of the “Berluti Beach” collection which includes a Porsche 911 Targa, gym weight kit, and soccer ball.
As you can see from the pictures, the stock bodywork has been replaced with a curvy one, made from a single piece of carbon fibre. Since Berluti is a leather specialist, the seat is topped off with a specialty “Vitello Fiore” brown hide.
The 1200cc, liquid-cooled T120 engine is left stock.
The bike will be auctioned at Sotheby’s along with a pair of matching leather boots and leather-wrapped helmet.
The Kickstarter crowd-funded project has not started production.
Hopefully it helps to keep the visor clear.
There are times when we feel envious of car drivers. Like during the current weather: Heat that feels like it’s going to roast your brain inside your helmet, and rain so heavy it’s like standing under a waterfall. Car drivers have air-conditioning to deal with the former, and wipers to keep their windshields clear in the event of rain.
For us bikers, the the most irritating and dangerous thing to happen during a rainstorm is loss of vision. Rain water or droplets stick to the helmet’s visor, robbing us of vision.
We’ve tried coating Rain-X Plastic on one of our helmets’ visor, but some water still sticks. The water droplets only started rolling upwards at high speeds. Besides that, the product is nigh-impossible to find!
There’s probably going to be a solution soon. Well, if this Kickstarter crowd-funded product takes off. From Slovenia and called the “Wipey,” it’s a self-contained mini wiper for the helmet visor.
First, the rider installs the mount on top of the visor before clipping the Wipey onto the mount. The mounting position doesn’t impede on the Pinlock insert. A single button activates the wiper blade and multiple presses turn on different speeds. The unit is powered by a 3V battery. There’s also an option for a handlebar-mounted Bluetooth controller.
Kawasaki is probably reeling in shock from Alvaro Bautista and the Ducati V4 R’s dominance in WorldSBK.
They are also upset that Ducati used MotoGP technology in the V4 R.
They’ve hinted that there’ll be a new Kawasaki Ninja ZX-10RR for the 2020 season.
Kawasaki had kept their faith in the Kawasaki Ninja ZX-10RR for the 2019 WorldSBK season. The bike had won four titles in a row, after all.
But the combination of the Ducati V4 R and Alvaro Bautista laid everything bare, destroying the entire field. It’s not good lose face this way so a new ZX-10RR must be in the works for 2020.
It was bound to happen as Kawasaki Racing Team (KRT) Senior Engineer Ichiro Yoda told German website Speedweek.
Kawasaki isn’t happy about Ducati building a number of special, homologation models that are far removed from the “normal” V4. To them, it’s going against the spirit of WorldSBK and thus has stuck to the slightly hotted-up Ninja ZX-10R, which became the ZX-10RR.
However, one has to remember that WorldSBK rules actually encourage this route. A factory needs to build 250 homologation specials in the first year, followed by another 250 in the next. The sales price is capped at € 40,000.
The question is if Kawasaki wants to really go down this route. The superbike segment is shrinking but there are still plenty of interested parties. But Kawasaki is the only one among the Japanese Big Four who are not involved in MotoGP. Consequently, they will definitely need to respond to the Ducati V4 R in WorldSBK, and that means a new ZX-10RR.
AJP Malaysia has introduced the 2019 AJP PR5 250 and PR7 600 Adventure for the Malaysian market.
The latest addition into the Malaysian enduro bike segment originated from Portugal with vast experience in dual-purpose riding.
The PR5 250 comes in three variants; Enduro, Extreme, and Supermoto.
AJP Malaysia has officially entered the Malaysian market with the introduction of the new 2019 AJP PR5 250 and PR7 600 Adventure bikes. The company which was established back in 2015 as AJP SEA Sdn Bhd was appointed as the sole distributor back in 2016 and now, they’re going full swing with the launch of their new enduro machines. (more…)
BMW Motorrad Malaysia introduced four new models, and we got to ride three of them.
Two of the four new bikes are the highly anticipated C400X and C400GT scooters.
We got to ride the scooters and the R 1250 RT, and this is what we think of them so far.
So after some quiet time, BMW Motorrad Malaysia has introduced four new models to its line-up.
The last time we attended a BMW Motorrad related event it was with BMW Motorrad Auto Bavaria for the launch of the Option 719 customisation program. Photos below, click here to read that story.
Today’s launch event (click to read about the new models) was not just a regular launch, but it was also a test ride session for three of the four models – the C400X, C400GT and R1200RT.
Sadly the new F750GS was not part of the test ride.
The new scooters are unmistakably BMW with their angular design language and that unmistakably BMW daytime running lights. Especially the ones on the GT.
Spot a 3-series in the design of the lights? The 3-Series and the GS was the first thing that came to mind when I saw those lights for the first time.
The lights are stunning to say the least, but are an optional item should you decide to buy a C400.
The size of both bikes is just right as well, even in maxi-scooter GT form.
Maxi-scooters are usually quite big and are thus more comfortable and better suited to highways and long distance riding. But are clumsy in heavy traffic and when you want to slip and slide in tight angles.
But the C400GT is comfortable (below), it is bigger than the C400X (above) but smaller than the usual maxi-scooters. Even my personal Kawasaki J300 is bigger than the GT.
Our test ride took off from TCP KL towards Damansara Heights, and back for a quick bike change and then back out towards the Istana Negara for another bike swap and back again via Hartamas.
This was a good mix of urban roads with a dash of traffic and the typical KL drivers who swerve into your lane without indicating and such. Perfect testing grounds for the C400X.
Both bikes are powered by a 350cc engine producing 34hp and 38Nm of torque. This is coupled to a CVT transmission while brakes are managed by ByBre callipers, which are manufactured by Brembo in India.
Brembos or ByBre are always great, but they are also a favourite among thieves, so what can you do to secure your calipers? Click here to find out.
Unlike the GT, the X feels smaller and nimbler. The screen on both bikes are fixed, but the one on the X is mounted lower than the GT.
The sitting position too is different. The GT has more leg space and lets you stretch out your legs for a more comfortable sitting position, ideal for long distance riding.
The X though has a more upright sitting position, and is sportier in character as far as sitting position is concerned.
Riding character and performance is about the same, both bikes have decent power while the CVT transmission has the typical elastic behaviour where you have to wait for it to spool up for a second or two before you get a burst of power.
Quality is of course top notch, and the colour 5-inch TFT screen is fantastic. Both scooters also offer intelligent Connectivity and let you play your favourite music, which you listen to via a bluetooth enabled helmet.
The C400 scooters are assembled in China, and unlike the C600 and C650 scooters, are made entirely by BMW and are not rebadged from any other model.
First impression: Fun, nimble, intelligent, the new BMW scooters are brilliant and perfectly priced to take the fight to the Kymcos and SYMs. And with the aftersales service standards of BMW too.
BMW R 1250 RT.
A 8km test ride route does not do justice to a bike purposefully designed to traverse continents quickly and comfortably.
But it was good enough to tell us that the new RT has fantastic handling, the engine is torquier than ever and requires little to no gear shifts through traffic. It will happily thump along in 3rd or 4th gear, uphill or downhill.
Design wise it is not much different, it has some aerodynamic upgrades for visual effects and engine cooling but not much else.
The real upgrade on the RT is underneath all that gorgeous panelling.
The 1254cc engine, up from the previous 1170cc engine, features some very clever engineering for more power and better fuel efficiency. It produces 136hp and 143Nm of torque, which is plenty and you feel it as soon as you get on the throttle.
However, the short test ride route didn’t allow for any ride mode changes. Heck there wasn’t even time to explore the onboard systems in depth. So we rode with what we got.
What sets this RT apart from the old one is the new BMW ShiftCam Technology, which is the first time such a technology has been used in a series production BMW Motorrad engine. It allows for a variation of the valve timings and valve stroke on the intake side, and as such gives better low end power.
The ultimate objective is, as always, to get as much power with as little fuel consumed.
But as a whole though, the bike feels light through traffic, feels surprisingly agile, and you can hold your desired line easily at all speeds. Simply said, it is a very easy bike to ride no matter your riding style.
First impression: This is not just a mere update, but a serious upgrade from the previous R1200RT. The engine is more powerful and you feel it more at lower speeds, you tend to use less gearshifts and rely on the torque a lot more. The bike feels a lot nimbler and though it is a big bike, cutting through traffic was effortless. There’s also a whole new level of electronic safety nets as well.
Note: We didn’t get to ride the F 750 GS, but will definately try to get our hands on one as soon as we can.
