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Product review: Shark Skwal LED Sak Art Design

When Winmaster Sdn Bhd, the authorised distributor of Shark helmets in Malaysia announced the arrival of the Skwal; the market’s first helmet to incorporate LED lights into its design, the level of excitement in the air was definitely on the higher side, as it was nothing like we have seen before. Although the brand had many other models that ranked higher in the product line up, it was the Skwal which got all the attention, as it was a potential game changer.

So, in order to find out if the Shark Skwal was just a novelty or if it really delivers, we managed to get our hands on one, thanks to Winmaster Sdn Bhd, to get a first-hand feel of the helmet.

Now, for those who are unaware, the Skwal is the latest helmet to be released by Shark into the existing Pulse range, and is the first helmet to incorporate LED lights into its design in the market. According to Shark helmets, it is confident that the Skwal marks the beginning of a new era in rider safety and electronic helmet functionality.

The Skwal has three cleverly integrated neon green LED’s, which are situated in the front mouth piece, the front air intake, as well as the rear air vents, which not only enhance the sleek and aggressive look of this helmet, but is also a huge factor in visibility and rider safety.

Among all the colours in the spectrum, neon green was the colour chosen by Shark for the LED as it was a prime colour, alongside red and blue. However, since red and blue are used by authorities, green was the best option for visibility.

In case you’re wondering how the LED’s operate, they are powered by a small in-built battery, which is fully rechargeable via a micro USB cable. The company said that the helmet’s battery has up to 5000 recharge cycles and an impressive battery life of five hours on the continuous light mode, or ten hours on the flashing light mode. The two light modes can be selected with a press of the button positioned on the lower right side of the helmet.

Although it seems like there are a lot of components involved, the Shark Skwal only weighs 1,470 grams, including the lights and battery pack, putting it into the feather weight category of the helmet market.

In terms of standard features, the Skwal comes with a flip-down internal sun visor, Shark ‘easy fit’ feature for riders who wear glasses, a micro-lock buckle system, a fully removable and a washable lining made of bamboo.

A couple of interesting things about the bamboo inner lining is that it has a generous dosage of anti-bacterial properties to keep it clean at all times. In addition, the material is much more odour resistant than other materials that are usually used to make inner linings.

It also features a clever Autoseal visor adhearing gasket, which makes the helmet one of the most stable helmets today. What the Autoseal feature does is that it pushes the visor inwards when it is pulled down, making it air-tight, quiet, and waterproof.

As much as the design is concerned, the Shark Skwal is quite neutral. It doesn’t look too futuristic or too traditional, not too complicated or too simple, and not too rounded or too angular.

The good thing about this is that it suits riders who are astride any type of motorcycle, regardless of whether it’s a cruiser, a sports bike, or even a scooter. Simply put, it looks good with anything.

What we love most about the Shark Skwal LED helmet is the drop down integral anti-scratch and anti-UV sun visor. Not only is it scratch-proof, but it is designed in a way that it drops much lower than many helmets out there in the market, making the rider feel like he or she is wearing sunglasses.

As safe as it is from wind, and water, it couldn’t escape from the infamous fogging woes. However, Winmaster Sdn Bhd said that it will not be an issue for its customers as a helmet pinlock worth RM120 will be given for free with every purchase of the Shark Skwal LED helmet.

Catered towards riders of all age, the Shark Skwal is available in black, white, matte and gloss finishes, as well as a wide range of graphic and colour scheme for those who would like to stand out from the rest. The model you are looking at now, however, is more special, as the livery was designed by Sak Art design; an internationally renowned graphic design house that has collaborated with numerous companies in the automotive industry.

Priced very competitively at RM950 for solid finish and RM1,030 for the units with graphics, the Shark Skwal is worth every sen it asks for. Not only does it look good, but it is feature-packed, comfortable and has decent build quality. Although it is not the quietest helmet around, features like the LED lights, and the visor systems work well. Besides that, most importantly, for what is being offered, RM1,030 is as sweet as a deal can get.

Helmet: Shark Skwal LED Sak Art Design
Type: Full face
Distributor: Winmaster Sdn Bhd
Weight: 1.47kg
Price: RM950.00 (solid) / RM1,030 (graphics)

First look: 2016 BMW G310R – the baby beemer!

After numerous spyshots and being teased as a stunting concept, the worldwide wait for the new small capacity BMW bike is finally over.

Meet the all-new BMW G310R, BMW Motorrad brand’s first ever sub-500cc model that was developed in partnership with Indian manufacturer TVS.

Unveiled online just recently, the new ‘baby beemer’ enters the ever-growing yet lucrative lightweight bikes segment, and will surely stand as a strong rival against segment favourites like KTM and the usuals from Japanese powerhouses. Here’s what we’ve managed to garner so far about this small yet feisty new made-in-India BMW.

As previewed in the concept, the BMW G310R is powered using a newly developed liquid-cooled DOHC 313cc single-cylinder heart with four valves. Unique traits here are its 80mm x 62.1mm bore x stroke figures, followed by its backward-tilted cylinder in open-deck design with the cylinder head turned by 180 degrees, making it possible to position the intake tract at the front.

As a result, the mill develops 34hp at 9,800rpm and peak torque of 28Nm at 7,500rpm. All that power is channelled to the rear wheel using a six-speed constant mesh transmission primed with a wet multi-plate clutch and a chain drive system.

The powertrain is encased within a Tubular steel frame design that was built with a grid structure whilst having a bolt-on rear frame and a long swingarm assembly made using cast aluminium. Up front sees a pair of 41mm telescopic inverted forks that are combined with steering geometry honed towards safe and predictable handling, offering 140mm of fork travel too. The wheelbase stands at 1,374mm with the adjustable rear shock mounted directly whilst boasting 131mm of travel as well.

Next comes a set of lightweight yet strong 17-inch five-spoke wheels front and aft that are shod in 110/70/17 (front) and 150/60/17 (rear) tyre sizes. Anchors come in the form of single discs all round measuring 300mm up front and 240mm in the rear, radially-mounted four-piston caliper in front, as well as the BMW Motorrad ABS suite primed as standard.

Notably, the BMW G310R also gets a decently-sized 11-litre fuel tank, a low unladen weight of 158.5kg and a standard seat height of 785mm. Despite its size, BMW further claimed that the new G310R is capable of reaching a top speed of approximately 145km/h as well.

BMW did mentioned that low and high seat heights are available with optional accessories ranging from 760mm through to 815mm. Other additional accessories available include luggage, top boxes, a centrestand, LED indicators, a 12-volt charging socket and heated grips too.

As far as the design goes, much of the G310R’s lines are inspired by the bigger S1000R streetfighter. The basic paint scheme on offer is a black and white combination with silver highlights, followed by a more premium metallic blue and grey scheme plus a Pearl White option as well.

Excited? So are we, and the news just gets better as insiders at BMW hints at more variants to come soon based on the G310R. That includes a half faired and ‘adventure’ bike versions slated to debut at a later stage.

The new BMW G310R will be debuting at EICMA later this month with markets sales set to commence early next year. We are not sure when it will arrive locally, but all signs indicate that this is one BMW worth waiting for indeed. Check out the extensive gallery we’ve prepared below to see the bike in full detail.

2016 BMW G310R (static)

2016 BMW G310R (action)

Sources BMW Motorrad / Visordown, MCN and MoreBikes

Roland Sands Yamaha MT-09 Faster Wasp unveiled (with video)

The ever popular and acclaimed Yamaha MT-09 has gone under the knife with Roland Sands Design (RSD), resulting in this special one-off Faster Wasp custom concept.

With the reveal, Yamaha further added that this custom is hinting at its newest model based on the MT-09 that will debut at EICMA 2015 this month.

Back to this RSD special, it joins the Yamaha brand’s range of Yard Built custom machineries that are usually followed closely by production model. This RSD-built special follows the footsteps of Shinya Kimura’s Faster Son custom concept (the XSR700 preview) and the Deus Eau Rouge (XJR1300 Racer preview), and it now charts a new chapter in the Yamaha Faster Sons trilogy.

It is plain to see that the Roland Sands Yamaha MT-09 Faster Wasp is more than just a tribute to the famed black and yellow speed-block donned on Kenny Roberts Senior’s legendary TZ750 race bike. Underneath the bespoke aluminium bodywork and is the MT-09’s acclaimed 847cc in-line triple and lightweight aluminium frame. Also exclusive to the Wasp are a whole host of cycle-part updates that are not found on any production model.

Being an RSD creation, it sports plenty of the design firm’s signature elements and traits. These include the hand-fabricated aluminium petrol tank, tail section, intake scoops, radiator covers, front number board and front mudguard fender. The custom also sports a prototype Clarity timing cover, rearsets, rear brake reservoir and case guards, plus chain guard, timing plug, axle sliders and fuel cap.

Sources believe most of these will likely be available as official, or RSD, accessories for the incoming new Yamaha model. Other notable bits and pieces include the Wasp’s forged aluminium wheels, Two Bros Racing stainless steel header with an RSD Slant muffler, Renthal sprockets, Performance Machine radial brake calipers, an RSD radial brake master cylinder and Spiegler brake lines, as well as a custom leather seat is made by the Bitchin Seat Co.

Also primed are a set of RSD Nostalgia handlebar risers plus Renthal Fatbar handlebars with RSD Traction grips. The chassis is further enhanced too thanks to Öhlins fork cartridge kit and rear shock tasked at providing better bike control.

You can check out more of the Roland Sands Yamaha MT-09 Faster Wasp in the video we’ve attached at the top or by browsing the extensive gallery we’ve prepared below.

Roland Sands Design Yamaha MT-09 Faster Wasp

Sources: YouTube, MCN and Visordown

IPONE launches its full product range in Malaysia

The motorcycle industry in South East Asia continues to grow in recent years, with more and more riders reverting back to their motorcycles, not only as a mean of transportation, but also for leisure and recreation. (more…)

First look: 2016 Triumph Speed Triple

After treating fans worldwide with the debut of the all-new Bonneville classic, Triumph has kept its momentum going by revealing the new and improved 2016 Triumph Speed Triple streetfighter range ahead of this month’s EICMA 2015 expo.

We’ve already seen spyshots and reported of the possible updates the new Speed Triple would get, and the result is this heavily revised version for 2016. Firstly, the new models carries new Speed Triple S and Speed Triple R naming schemes for 2016.

Crucially, both versions retain the outgoing model’s chassis but does gain with an extensive update package revolving around its on board electronics and powertrain. Complementing that are a host of mild cosmetic enhancements comprised of sleeker bodywork inspired from the Daytona 675R and a new seat design as well.

For the 2016 model, the Speed Triple gains with a revised 1,050cc triple-cylinder heart that boasts 104 new development. It now offers more power and torque across its entire rev range with fuel efficiency improved by 10%. Highlights here are a new combustion chamber and cylinder head, new machined crank, redesigned pistons and the adoption of new ride-by-wire throttle bodies.

The engine and radiator has been narrowed down in size too with Triumph says grants the entire package with a 20mm narrower standover. Other new bits include a slipper clutch, a smaller new radiator, as well as a revised exhaust system that Triumph claims to have an improved flow rate of 70%.

Triumph has yet to release the official power and torque figures, but sources believe the 2016 Triumph Speed Triple’s revised heart will have at least 140hp.
Perhaps the biggest improvement incorporated in the 2016 Speed Triple is its heavily revamped electronics suite. The update primes the 2016 model with a new ECU and an adjustable ride-by-wire throttle with changeable throttle maps. As a result, the new bike now offers five selectable riding modes: Road, Rain, Sport, Track and a Custom rider-programmable mode. Next up comes the uprated ABS and Traction Control suites that grants riders with selectable levels with both being linked to the riding modes as well.

Updates with the chassis hardware are mild, but there are several notable new bits starting with Brembo monobloc calipers. Next up comes the full compliment of Öhlins suspension all round exclusively for the Speed Triple R, which is comprised of the brand’s NIX30 front forks and TTX36 rear shock.

Also exclusive to the Speed Triple R are several unique and racy exterior trims. These include a carbon-fibre front mudguard, carbon tank inserts and a bellypan. Completing its premium racy looks, the R also boasts new billet-machined bar clamps and risers, swingarm pivot covers and rear wheel finisher, plus a red radiator cowls and a red subframe.

Completing the update are a set of new colour schemes starting with the Speed Triple S model’s ‘Diablo Red’ and ‘Phantom Black’ followed by the R’s ‘Crystal White’ and ‘Matt Graphite’.

We can expect more details surrounding the revised 2016 Triumph Speed Triple range as soon as they make their public debuts at the annual EICMA show in Milan, Italy later this month.

Sources: Asphaltandrubber, Visordown and MorBikes

Honda teases three updated 2016 models

Following yesterday’s report of the Honda CRF250 Rally concept heading to production, Honda has officially teased three updated models that it will introduce for the 2016 model year. Revised for the coming year are the CB500F and NC750S naked bikes plus a revised Integra scooter, with all of which reported destined to debut during EICMA 2015 later this month.

Though the teaser images do not reveal much, Honda did release a few details surrounding each. Here’s what you can expect from the refreshed threesome that’s coming in 2016. More is expected as soon as all three debut in Milan later this month.

2016 Honda CB500F

This should come to no surprise after the firm recently released updated 2016 editions of the CB500X and CBR500R. With the F naked, the entire CB500 family refresher is complete for 2015.

Like its X adventure sport and sport-bodied R siblings, the CB500F naked will receive mild cosmetic enhancements. The most prominent of which will be the presence of LED lighting front and aft.

New on board is an adjustable brake lever, as well as a redesigned ‘lightweight’ exhaust silencer, along with a range of six new vibrant colour schemes. Completing the update are the adoption of new pre-load adjustable front forks and a new fuel tank enlarged by 1-litre to 16.7 litres.

2016 Honda NC750S

After its faired-body NC750X adventure sport sibling, the naked Honda NC750S is set to receive similar updates seen in the X. Leading the list of updated features is a new LCD instrument panel with personalised colour options, as well as the adoption of a newly redesigned and shortened pentagon-shaped exhaust that promises a deeper engine note too.

Variants of the NC750S equipped with Honda’s Dual-Clutch Transmission (DCT) will offer riders with three sporty levels in ‘S’ mode, each devised to suit different riding styles and scenarios. Also, Honda stated that the NC750S’ parallel-twin heart will now meet strict Euro 4 emissions standards.

Completing the update is a mildly revised exterior design accompanied by LED lighting, plus two new special edition two-tone paint schemes as well. The revised NC750S variant completes the NC750 model series’ 2016 revision after the 2016 NC750X revelation not too long ago.

2016 Honda Integra

Last but not least comes the NC750 series’ maxi-scooter offshoot, the Integra. Like its naked and adventure sport sibling, the maxi also gains with a new LCD instrument panel offering personalised colour options. Aesthetic enhancements remains mild but it will include modern LED lighting front and rear.

Besides the promise of an updated and Euro 4 compliant 745cc parallel-twin engine, variants equipped with DCT will offer three sporty levels in ‘S’ mode yet again to suit different riding styles and scenario.

Though the chassis design is retained, Honda did state that the 2016 Integra will gain further with a new set of Showa fork with ‘dual bending valves’.

Sources: Asphaltandrubber, Visordown ( Link 1 / Link 2 / Link 3 ) and MoreBikes.co.uk