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Tips for Helmet Care

The helmet is the most important safety gear.
A little care and maintenance goes a long way.
But maintenance should be done right for a long-lasting helmet.

The helmet protects your head from impacts and injury, and it’s always in your best interest to take good care of it in return. However, a brain bucket doesn’t need intensive maintenance like say, the bike, but it does need some tender loving care.

1. Carrying It

We see it all the time, and yes, we’re guilty of it too.

Grabbing it by the chinbar is easier, of course, but that could result in detaching or damaging certain components, in addition to the padding behind the chinbar itself. Winding the arm under the chinstrap and out the eyeport is stable, but you chance detaching or breaking the breath deflector.

The best way of carrying the helmet correctly is to tie up the strap securely and carry it like a handbag or just use the bag which it came in.

2. Gloves Out

Since a helmet is bucket shaped, it becomes a convenient basket for the bike keys, ciggies, lighter, and of course, the gloves.

If the sweat from your hands and traffic pollutants can eat away at the stitching of the gloves, it’ll destroy your helmet’s comfort lining soon enough. The gloves will also cause your helmet to smell funky.

So remember, the only thing that should be inside the helmet is your head.

3. Store Upright

This may sound as an unnecessary reminder, but do place the lid the correct way up. There’s a reason why there’s a rubber gasket that runs around the bottom.

Placing the helmet upside down will not only destroy the paint and finish but may also start to compromise the shape and strength of the shell if such mistreatment is kept up.

4. Cleaners

Manufacturers usually recommend cleaning the shell and faceshield with just soap and warm water. However, there are many helmet cleaners in the market that are convenient to carry along during a ride or to the track.

Experiment with a new cleanser on your helmet by starting on a small section before committing to the entire helmet or faceshield.

Do not ever use harsh cleaners such as dishwashing liquid or lighter fluid (to remove sticker residue). Another note: Do not ever use glass cleaner on the faceshield as it will erode the sensitive coating. Don’t ask how we found this out.

5. Hanging On

Motorcycle mirrors and handlebar ends are understandably convenient places for placing the helmet.

However, it isn’t the right thing to do, as the shape of the mirror and handlebar end may deform the EPS lining of the helmet, leaving it weaker in certain spots. The EPS liner must be as uniform as designed to spread the shock of impact.

6. Bath Time

Do make it a point to clean your lid at least once a year. This writer personally does it every three months or so, depending on usage.

Remove any removable liner, wash in warm water and clean the rest of the helmet. Use Q-Tips to clean hard-to-reach places such as vents.

7. Drying Out

A helmet should be dried out first before being stored in a cabinet or the bag.

But please use care when drying it. Best to remove the comfort liners and allow the inside of the helmet to dry naturally. Using high heat everytime the helmet gets wet will soon weaken the glue in some parts.

The comfort liners should also ideally be air-dried but if heat is needed, you may use a hairdryer for the padded side and not over the plastics, to again, preserve the glue.

9. How Long?

Dropping the helmet from a low height may not necessarily damage it, but best to have it checked over by the manufacturer. On the other hand, a headgear that has never been dropped needs to be replaced after a maximum of five years of use from the day it first went on your head.

9. Waxing

There are certain manufacturers that okayed the use of automotive waxes. Use the soft variety, sparingly and wax gently by hand.

10. Lubing Up

The faceshield mechanism should be lubricated with silicone lubricant for better action. Arai includes the lubricant with every lid they sell.

Moto3: Juanfran Guevara announces retirement at age 22

Moto3 rider Juanfran Guevara has officially announced his retirement from the world of motorcycle racing.

The decision was made due to the pressures revolving motorcycle racing and funding to continue further.

The 22 year old Spaniard has decided to focus on his career in business and studies.

One of the world’s top Moto3 riders has sadly made decision to retire from motorcycle racing earlier today. 22 year old Juanfran Guevara made the announcement via an official press release today despite the fact that he is still in the provisional entry list for 2018 together with his current team, RBA BOE Racing KTM. (more…)

Ducati 959 Panigale Tested During The Ducati Riding Experience At Sepang Circuit!

Bikes Republic was invited to attend the iconic Ducati Riding Experience, or better known simply as DRE.
While some classes focus on developing basic riding skills, this one was designed to sharpen track riding skills, and also to let participants experience the splendour of the machine tasked with entertaining everyone for the day – the Ducati Panigale 959.
The 959 took over from the ageing Panigale 899 as the entry level model to the wonderful world of Ducati sport bikes.
The 959 is not a heroes-only superbike, far from it actually. Say that you suddenly had the means to fork out RM99,999 for a 959, but had limited riding experience, you could actually get on a 959 and ride around with relative ease.

Some say that a Ducati is considered as a “must-own” motorcycle, no matter the model. They also say it is a right of passage to the life of a biker, and that every able biker with the means to do so has to, at some point, own a Ducati.

While sitting for my SPM examinations, I had printed out two postcard size photos of a Ducati 916 and pasted it to my study table as motivation to do well. The plan then was to study smart, graduate as a geologist, make a ton of money, and buy a 916, a Titan Coyote (really), and a Harley-Davidson. I was 17.

The plan, as with many things in life, did not work out as I had intended to but I was well into studying geology before deciding that rocks, mud, and off-shore work was not for me. I was fated for motorcycles, cars and computers.

My love for the 916 still burns, and though I have owned some fun machines, a 916 eluded me. But I still have a soft spot for everything Ducati.

A few months ago, Bikes Republic was invited to attend the iconic Ducati Riding Experience, or better known simply as DRE. The DRE is an exclusive training session for Ducati owners that focuses on building riding skills through various levels.

The one we attended was open for anyone willing to fork out 1000 Euros (about RM4,842 with today’s exchange rate) to experience riding a Ducati Panigale on track, under the watchful eye of super experienced Ducati trainers such as the legendary Dario Marchetti (DRE Technical Director and Daytona Champion), Alessandro Valia (Ducati official test rider and Italian Superbike Champion) and Manuel Poggiali (two-times 250cc world champion). These are just some of the instructors on hand, there were other legends from around the region as well, but more on that later.

The Ducati Riding Experience has many levels to it and all are held at different locations around the world. The one we attended was held at Sepang and focused on track riding. While some classes focus on developing basic riding skills, this one was designed to sharpen track riding skills, and also to let participants experience the splendour of the machine tasked with entertaining everyone for the day – the Ducati Panigale 959.

The 959 took over from the ageing Panigale 899 as the entry level model to the wonderful world of Ducati sport bikes. And though it may take a keen eye to tell the difference between the two, the differences are vast.

The most obvious difference is of course the engine, which now offers 57cc more capacity to take the total figure to 955cc. Power too has been uprated – where the 899 made 148bhp at 10,750rpm up to 157bhp at 10,500rpm.

But that is just on the power front, there is a galaxy of difference between both bikes such as a new crankshaft, camshaft, new pistons and con-rods, a new and quieter timing chain, thicker engine casing to reduce noise pollution, and a revised gearbox and rear sprocket (the 899 had a 44-teeth rear sprocket, while the 959 has one less at 43).

There is also a slipper clutch while the Ducati Quick Shifter on the 959 features software derived from Ducati’s MotoGP race bikes. In simpler terms, the 959 shifts gears quicker than it takes you to read this sentence.

And just in case you were wondering, the chassis and overall design is not much different. The monocoque aluminium frame is shared by both bikes, and the two also feature the same 43mm fully-adjustable Showa BPF front forks and a fully-adjustable Sachs rear shock. The 959 also has a 5mm longer wheelbase.

There are other details too that make the 959 a better bike than the 899, such as the swingarm that is located 4mm lower to help maximise traction, “showered” injectors that have been carried over from the Panigale R, bigger exhaust diameter, and more importantly, a completely reworked exhaust system with the pipes located on the sides ala Panigale 1299 rather than the underbelly exhaust of the 899.

So an entry level superbike the 959 may be, but it is by no means a bike specifically built for those who just started riding yesterday. Don’t let its good looks and sexy silhouette fool you, the Panigale 959 is a proper crotch rocket, and one that rewards the rider who knows exactly what he is doing. And for those that do not, well there is an armada of onboard sensors designed to keep you safe and feeling like a hero.

But the 959 is not a heroes-only superbike, far from it actually. Say that you suddenly had the means to fork out RM99,999 for a 959, but had limited riding experience, you could actually get on a 959 and ride around with relative ease. The bike will warm up to you with its 176kg dry weight, immediately giving you confidence even at a crawl. The L-twin Desmodromic engine will inspire you to give it a burst of power, and you will because the sitting position is sporty but not aggressivel; nudging on comfortable. And the sound the engine creates seduces you to open up the throttle – just to hear the revs scream.

You might suddenly snap out of the 959’s allure and panic at the speed the bike has so easily piled on. Your lack of experience with superbikes may leave you confused while your senses may be overloaded with information, but Ducati has your back and has equipped the 959 with ABS, Ducati Traction Control, Engine Brake Control and even three different riding modes.

The riding modes is possibly what makes this sports bike such an approachable machine for just about any type of rider; it has race mode which gives you maximum performance, sport mode gives you the full power of the engine but with a restrained throttle response and heightened traction control interference, and wet mode keeps the entire package on a leash and is best for the inexperienced. But one thing is for sure, fun is guaranteed in all modes.

However, the Ducati 959 Panigale is most at home on the track. This is where its sporting DNA really shines through.

Back to the Ducati Riding Experience. So a few other participants from China, Hong Kong, Philippines, and I were paired together with Chinese Superbike Champion Simon Kwan as our instructor.

The most important thing about attending a riding class is of course the instructor. He or she does not need to be the best racer or the guy with the most wins, but he has to speak well and communicate his knowledge to his students. And that is why I am glad we got Simon because he speaks our kind of English, the kind that south east asians understand. I am sure the other instructors are brilliant at what they do, but language accents can be difficult sometimes.

The lessons were simple such as using the correct riding position (you should be able to insert your fist between your crotch and the tank), body position during cornering and braking. Simon keeps an eye out for all his participants, first by letting us follow him around the circuit, and later he rides behind you and comments on your style and do’s and dont’s later in the pit garage.

But most of all, you just end up having a lot of fun out on track with the 959.

I had the bike either in Sport or Race mode all weekend long, and it performed beautifully. My limited skills wouldn’t let me back the rear wheel into the corner, and neither would it let me manipulate the traction control to come sliding out of a corner with the rear wheel smoking. None of that. But the twin 320mm semi-floating front discs with Brembo monobloc 4-piston callipers with front wheel ABS allowed me to brake really late, while a single 245mm, twin-piston calliper with Bosch ABS kept the rear wheel in check.

I learned somewhere that the later you brake the more traction the front wheel has as it expands from all the forward inertia, but there’s a risk of upsetting the balance of the bike as you lean into the corner carrying a load of speed. Very few bikes give you the confidence to brake later and later, lap after lap, and the 959 is one of those bikes.

Of course there is modern technology like the Engine Brake Control that helps keep things in check. There is also the traction control that is adjustable in eight different levels with level 1 being the least intrusive. This helps you burst out of a corner with the quick shifter banging home the gears just as the rev limiter comes on. Did I say that the 959 makes you feel like a hero? Well, it does. The 959 Panigale is like a good friend that always has your back, the kind that always hangs out with you and laughs at your silly jokes, but is always up for some fun anytime you want to.

Every once in a while comes a bike that expertly balances the demands of a street bike and a track bike. This is no easy task because track bikes are focused machines with dedicated technologies designed for maximum performance. While street bikes are usually set up for comfort, safety, convenience and fuel efficiency with a dash of good looks sprinkled on for good measure. The bikes that manage to do both are remembered and talked about at the pub. But the bikes that do both so effortlessly and with such surgical precision, now those are the bikes that go down in the history books as legends. The Ducati 959 Panigale is one of those bikes because its feathery weight, advanced technologies, and superb engine and handling. But mostly it will be remembered for being mega fun to ride no matter the occasion.

And the DRE? It is well worth the money and a must try experience for every type of biker.

Enjoy the photo gallery below, courtesy of the official photographers from the day:

2018 Honda CBR500R, CB500F & CB500X now available! From RM31,363

Boon Siew Honda has officially announced the arrival of the 2018 Honda CBR500R, CB500F and CB500X at all BSH authorised dealers.

The 2018 Honda CB500 range have been updated with some styling changes including brand new stripes and colour schemes.

All the 2018 models are priced from RM31,363.28 to RM35,391.28 (basic prices with GST).

We got some exciting news from Boon Siew Honda (BSH). It seems that they have officially introduced the updated 2018 Honda CB500 range in the form of the Honda CBR500R, CB500F and CB500X. For 2018, all the models will come with a much sportier, more aggressive and adventurous look together with new designs and colours. (more…)

Five Things About 2018 Kawasaki Z900RS That We Like

We can expect the Kawasaki Z900RS and Z900RS Café in 2018.
Both bikes are truly modern bikes.
They’re set to take the market by storm.

We mourned the loss of the Kawasaki W800 modern retro. Here was a bike that looked properly retro: The engine had the bevel drive cover on the outside of the engine block, and beautifully polished aluminium accented cooling fins; the “bread loaf” seat; peashooter exhausts; twin rear shocks; even the front brake disc looked retro.

Then Kawasaki launched the W800’s replacement during EICMA last month. Called the Z900RS and Z900RS Café, they rocked the motorcycle fraternity.

Here are some of the features we are looking forward to.

Heritage

Back in 1972 (for model year 2013), Kawasaki unveiled the monster bike which cemented the Japanese manufacturer’s name as a premiere brand. It was the Z1.

The 900cc, inline-Four was the first air-cooled engine which featured double overhead camshafts (DOHC) and produced 82 bhp to propel the bike to 210 km/h. It was the fastest production bike of its time. It also went to dominate sales and Motorcycle News name it as the Best Bike of the Year four years in a row.

The Z1 went on to spawn the Kz900 which in turn gave birth to the dominant Kz1000-S1 which gave rise to GP greats Freddie Spencer, Eddie Lawson, Wayne Rainey, and Wayne Gardner.

It was also the bike in the popular TV series CHiPs.

(Click here for our article on the evolution of famous Kawasaki motorcycles.)

Best Iteration of the Z1 Yet?

Kawasaki had revived the inline-Four modern classic in the vein of the Z1 before. Remember the Zephyr 400/750/1100 in the 1990’s?

How about the later ZRX1100 (1997 to 2005) and ZRX1200 (2001 to 2008), modeled after the mighty Kz1000R-S1?

They were surely beautiful, showing just eternally beautiful was the Z1’s form. However, these were fairly heavy.

The Z900RS on the other hand, weighs only 214 kg, ready to ride. Additionally, it features fully adjustable forks and a rear shock that’s derived from the ZX-10R superbike. A new, lightweight trellis frame holds it all together. The Z900RS is given a sporty rake angle of 25.4 degrees and trail of 88.9, ensuring agile handling.

Z1 Styling Cues

Oh yes, they’re all there.

The ducktail back end, oval rear light, machined engine fins, textured metal tank, side panel badges, cam covers, bread loaf seat, the instrument panel, and gauges that use the same fonts. Even the needles rest at the same angle as the original.

The new upper frame accommodates the seat and tear-shaped fuel tank. The two-tone orange and metallic brown paint are faithful reproduction of the original.

If you want a more racer-esque feel, opt for the Z900RS Café, which has a bikini fairing, lower handlebars and humped seat.

Let’s not forget the new 4-into-1 double-wall steel exhaust system, which most owners of the K1 modified to and mimics the Kz1000’s. Anyone know if Kerker still makes exhausts?

Torque!

Horsepower is useful for the track. Out here on the mean streets, it’s torque that rules.

While the Z900RS’s engine shares the same architecture as the Z900 naked sportbike’s, it’s tuned for more low- and mid-range grunt for the real world.

It means that you don’t have to shift like you’re auditioning for Riverdance when you need to overtake other vehicles and while riding at low speeds.

Practicality

Judging from how the bike looks, its spec sheet and reviews from overseas media, the Z900RS and Z900RS Café are both practical for the daily commute and weekend mountain road riding. It also looks like it has a more pragmatic riding position for all day comfort.

The way we see it, we could attach soft luggage on both sides (since it’s a monoshock) and tankbag without ruining the looks of the bike.

So there you go. We’re sure to discover many other great (and not so great) features of the bike when it arrives in Malaysia. Oh, that may be in the second quarter of 2018.

2018 Benelli 402S – Mini Ducati XDiavel?

The folks over at Benelli will be launching the 2018 Benelli 402S cruiser sometime next year.

Obviously inspired by the Ducati XDiavel power cruiser, the Benelli 402S has so many similarities when it comes to the looks.

Powered by a 399cc parallel-twin engine, the 402S is said to produce 39hp and 35Nm of torque.

The world of motorcycling keeps giving us more and more interesting news as days go by. The latest information from the Chinese market shows that Benelli has been quite busy coming up with quite a beauty which looks very, VERY familiar. (more…)