Like beauty is subjective, so is everyone’s preference for motorcycle exhaust note.
V-Four engines are among the best – if not the best – sounding.
Listen to this Yamaha YZF-R1 and Aprilia RSV4 RF.
Just as beauty is subjective, so is everyone’s preference for motorcycle exhaust note. To bikers, the exhaust note is another aspect which stirs the sould. However, V-Fours sound the best in our books as demonstrated by this Yamaha YZF-R1 and Aprilia RSV4 RF.
Yes, yes, the Yamaha R1 isn’t a V-Four but an inline-Four, instead. But I’m sure you already know that the “crossplane” crankshaft is arranged in such a way that the engine fires like a V-Four, hence sounding like one. Or like some say, sounds like Valentino Rossi’s YZR-M1 MotoGP bike.
The crossplane crankshaft spaces the crankpins at 90ofrom each other. Therefore, the R1’s firing order mimics the firing order of a V-Four with a 180ocrank, which gives it a 270o– 180o– 90o– 180oignition timing. The irregular firing order is what gives the bike its distinctive exhaust note compared to traditional inline-Fours.
The Aprilia RSV4, on the other hand, uses a 65oV-Four with a 180ocrankshaft. As such, the firing order is a regular 180o– 115o– 180o– 245o, giving it another distinctive and gloriously LOUD(!) exhaust note.
By the way, the numbers with degrees denote the crankshaft rotation angle.
A car carrying ketum leaves collided with a motorcycle ridden by a mother sending her eldest child to kindergarten.
The collision killed all three motorcycle occupants.
Police discovered 150 kg of ketum leaves in the car.
A car carrying ketum leaves (kratom or Mitragyna speciose)collided with a motorcycle ridden by a mother sending her eldest child to kindergarten. Another younger child was also riding pillion at the time.
The high-speed front-end collision killed the mother Nor Zurita Shah Kadir, aged 26 and both children, Muhammad Adam Mukhriz Adnan, aged 5 and Siti Husna Qaisara, aged 4. Muhammad Adam’s kindergarten was only 3 kilometres away from home in Tanah Merah, Kelantan.
Investigators who arrived at the scene inspected the Wira Aeroback and discovered 150 kg of ketum leaves in the boot. They believed the product was on its way to be distributed in the Tanah Merah area.
Police deduced that the car had lost control while being driven at high speed, judging from the 50m-long skid marks on the road. The car then veered into the opposing lane and rammed the motorcycle. The Honda EX5 broke into two and was thrown into the bushes nearby, while all three motorcycle occupants were thrown 10m away.
The police also arrested the driver who tested positive for methamphetamine. He was a 25-year-old Thai national.
The Road Transport Department of Malaysia is implementing the Vehicle Entry Permit system for foreign-owned vehicles to enter the country.
It will be implemented in three phases.
Phase one covers vehicles entering from Singapore.
The Road Transport Department of Malaysia (JPJ – Jabatan Pengangkutan Jalan) will require all foreign owned vehicles to register for a Vehicle Entry Permit (VEP) to enter the country. The system will be implemented from October 2019.
The department will issue the VEP via an online “simple three-step action.” They also added that the program will be implemented in three phases.
Phase one commences from 1stOctober 2019. It covers vehicles entering from Singapore through Bangunan Sultan Iskandar and Kompleks Sultan Abu Bakar in Johore. The VEP-RFID tag can be installed or collected at four designated areas in Johor Bahru:
Gelang Patah Southbound R&R;
Plaza Angsana open carpark;
Pandan R&R;
Lima Kedai Toll Plaza.
Phase two involves foreign-owned vehicles entering Malaysia from Thailand, while phase three covers vehicles entering through the Malaysia-Brunei border. These two phases will be implemented “in due course.”
Each VEP is valid for five years (RM 25), although drivers can apply for a one-off permit which costs RM 10.
The RTD aims to avoid cloned vehicles from entering and being sold in Malaysia. Additionally, it prevents vehicles with outstanding summonses from leaving the country.
Seven vintage motorcycles were found in a Los Angeles warehouse.
The discovery included six Vincent.
Vincents were renowed for the speed and quality.
You’re doing your laundry and checking through each pocket to make sure they’re empty. And suddenly, your hand pulls out a RM 50 note. Note the elation of that find. Now imagine discovering 7 rare vintage bikes – 6 of them being Vincent Motorcycles!
These following bikes were found in a Los Angeles warehouse after the passing of their owner. A liquidation firm has been nominated to auction the bikes and they told of an owner who had imported the bikes in the 1960s when he moved to the States. He also brought along a large cache of spare parts from the UK.
The Vincents discovered are:
1938 Vincent Series-A HRD Twin
1938 Vincent Series-A HRD Twin – Photo credit RideApart
Vincent stopped production of the Series-A in 1939 due to WW2, then resuming business in 1946. That makes this Series-A even rarer. Only 78 Series-A were ever made, with probably only 40 to 50 still intact.
1948 Vincent Series-B Rapide
What made Vincents so much sought after? Performance. The Series-B Rapide already had a top speed of 177 km/h right out of the crate! It was the world’s fastest motorcycle of the era. Remember that this was at a time when motorcycle tyres were just a little wider than those on bicycles. Company owner Phillip Vincent and his genius chief engineer Phil Irving modified the Rapide event further, resulting in the latter Rapide which hit 201 km/h.
1950 Vincent Comet (basket case)
The liquidation company reported this bike as a basket case.
1953 Vincent Series-C “Black Shadow”
1953 Vincent Series-C Black Shadow – Photo credit RideApart
The Black Shadow and its Black Lightning racing counterpart are probably the best-known Vincents. It was a groundbreaking motorcycle when it was launched, especially in terms of its suspension and detailed quality work that’ll make modern bikes cry. Check out the picture. Vincent made only 42 Series-C, reported each at a loss to the company.
1955 Vincent Victor (replica)
1955 Vincent Victor Replica – Photo credit RideApart
If you do some research on Vincent motorcycles, you’d find that the company’s true passion was pushing the boundaries of motorcycle technology. They already experimented with a full fairing back in 1955. There were three models: The Black Knight based on the Rapide, Black Prince based on the Shadow, and Victor based on the Comet.
The concept was too far ahead of its time, so Vincent made only 1 Victor. This owner probably couldn’t obtain one, thus he modified his Comet into this “Victor.”
1954 Vincent Rapide D/C
1954 Vincent Rapide D:C – Photo credit RideApart
These were produced one year before Vincent went under. But that didn’t mean the bike was under-built for it was still imbued with Vincent’s legendary built quality, technology and performance. Vincent kept losing money because their bikes were expensive to build and were priced much higher than the competition.
A track marshal was caught stealing an item from Alex Rins’s Suzuki at the Spanish MotoGP.
The video was uploaded to YouTube and went viral.
He is now forced to return the item and apologize to Rins and team.
The Jerez marshal who stole an item from the Suzuki of Alex Rins at the Spanish MotoGP 2019 has returned the item.
Alex Rins rode another incredible race on his Suzuki GSX-RR in yesterday’s Spanish MotoGP. He qualified in 9thand fought his way up the field to finish 2nd.
But when he parked his bike at a barrier and got off to celebrate with the fans in the stands, a track marshall reached down into Rins’s bike and removed the sweatband covering the front brake fluid reservoir. The marshall then inserted the item into his pocket as he watched Rins finished his celebrations and rode back to parc fermé.
The marshall must have forgotten that MotoGP bikes are equipped with “live” action cameras. Soon, his face and act were circulated around the world.
Alex Rins laughed it off when he was asked about it. He even joked that it’s probably selling on Wallapop (the Spanish version of Lazada) for €1,000 by then and that he’d buy it back if he saw it.
Alex can his money since the race organizer has forced the marshal to return the item. Additionally, he is required to apologize to Rins and the Suzuki Ecstar team.
Motorcycle drag racing is fun to participate in and watch.
This video shows how fast modern bikes can be even in the hands of non-pro riders.
Some of these modified beasts hit 100 km/h in 1 second!
We know, the first day of Ramadhan is always the hardest shock to our bodies. But here’s a motorcycle drag racing video to cheer us up. Make sure you turn up your speakers!
There isn’t much description except for the models of motorcycles taking part in the ultimate contest of acceleration. But it appears to be a “run what ya brung” race, where competitors enter what they rode to the event. So, you can see a variety of motorcycles that are stock, modified, turbocharged, equipped with nitrous oxide system (NOS), “dropped ‘n’ stretched,” have anti-wheelie bars installed, etc.
Some of these modified beasts hit 100 km/h in 1 second!
But we would like to highlight a number of details here:
The timed length is 1/4-mile, which is equivalent to 400 metres.
There are timing and speed sensors at different intervals along the length of the track.
Those numbers displayed after the finish line are the elapsed time (ET) above and speed in miles-per-hour (mph). So, you need to multiply them by 1.61 for the km/h number i.e. 167 mph X 1.61 = 268.76 km/h.
The starting lights are called the “Christmas tree.”
In professional-organized races such as these, the riders “stage” their bikes before being released.
Notice the box with the three holes next to rider? There’s a light/laser beam coming out of the holes.
There are two lines on each lane. Crossing the first line will have the front wheel cutting off the light/laser beam. This is when the bike is “pre-staged” and the PRE-STAGE lights will illuminate on the Christmas tree.
Moving forward a little more to cover the second hole will trigger the STAGE lights, meaning the rider is ready to go.
Now the Christmas tree will begin its countdown.
The rider launches when the green light comes on (obviously).
The third hole detects whether the rider crossed the light beam and white line before or after the green light came on.
If the rider crossed the light beam before the green light, he will be disqualified (red light on the Christmas tree).
The beam provides an accurate way to determine if one or both competitors jumped the start.
The “RT” (reaction time) is calculated electronically as the time between when the green light illuminated and rider shot past the light beam.
The “ET” at the end of the run stands for “elapsed time” i.e. the time between the rider took off and crossed the finish line.
It sounds complex, but it’s pretty simple. Get going as soon as the green light comes on and hold on for dear life. Motorcycle drag racing isn’t as easy as it seems, because the bikes tends to wheelie when charging hard off the line. With the front tyre bereft of weight, it’s up to the rider to shift his weight around to control the bike’s direction.
Anyhow, enjoy the video and Ramadan Mubarak from us a BikesRepublic.com.
