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Ferrari F1 Sporting Director Massimo Rivola is New CEO of Aprilia Racing

Aprilia Racing has signed Massimo Rivola, Ferrari F1 sporting director as CEO.
Incumbent Romano Albesiano will focus on technical matters and changed to Technical Director.
Rivola spent 21 years in F1 and worked with Sebastian Vettel and Fernando Alonso.

Aprilia Racing will have a new CEO following the migration of Ferrari F1 sporting director Massimo Rivola.

Incumbent Racing Manager Romano Albesiano will focus on the technical side of the RS-GP MotoGP racer. Hence, his official role will change to Technical Director.

Speaking to Crash.net, Albesiano said, “Personally, I would like to have more possibility to focus on the technical side,” Albesiano said at Valencia, when asked about more management support. “In our company I’m doing these two roles and for sure it is something that we have to fix for the future.”

The appointment of Rivola shows Aprilia’s commitment to MotoGP racing.

Rivola spent 21 years in Formula One. He started with Minardi/Toro Rosso where he spent twelve years, before joining Ferrari in 2009. That makes him the longest-serving sporting director in the Italian team.

He also headed the Ferrari Driver Academy for the last three years.

Aprilia Racing signed Andrea Iannone and retains Aleix Espargaro, in addition to Bradley Smith as test rider for the 2019. They have also signed two new crew chiefs Antonio Jimenez and Fabrizio Cecchini.

The Noale-based team were agonizingly close to sealing fourth place in the 2018 Teams’ Championship but was beaten to it by KTM in the final round.

Ducati Multistrada 950 Media Ride

Ducati Malaysia organized the Ducati Multistrada 950 Media Ride recently.
The ride’s objective was to highlight the Multistrada 950’s capabilities.
However, the ride gave journalists a taste of the lifestyle attached to the bike.

What’s the biggest fun about motorcycling? It isn’t just the motorcycle, instead it is the entire lifestyle or “eco-system,” that’s attached to it. It was definitely so with the Ducati Multistrada 950 Media Ride.

Ducati Malaysia wanted to highlight the capabilities of the MTS 950, but it was more than just about the bike.

The Gathering

A row of three Multistrada 1200 Enduro and another row of eight shiny Multistrada 950 greeted us in Ducati Malaysia’s compound.

The crew nodded and smiled at us as soon as we arrived. One guy handed us DRE: Ducati Riding Experience stickers before ushering us inside for the registration. The registrar proceeded to assign us to our individual MTS 950 and pointed us to breakfast.

Pre-ride briefing began with a welcoming speech and short product presentation by David Lim, Marketing Executive of Ducati Malaysia. We knew what the MTS 950 represents when it was launch but may have forgotten by now, so it was a great refresher.

Next up was a presentation by Haizal Omar, the Lead Marshal and DRE Instructor. He briefed us by using points from a very famous set of riding tips called “The Pace.”

“The Pace” was written by the famous motojournalist, Nick Ienatsch. It was first published in Motorcyclist in 1991 before being reprinted in the sister magazine Sport Rider in 1993. The sub-heading read, “Separating street from track, riding from racing.” He refined and added a few more tips later and published them as “The Pace 2.0” in Cycle World Magazine in 2013. Many instructors, other motojournalists and even bike clubs refer to it. (More on “The Pace” in another article.)

I had adhered to The Pace (mostly) ever since reading it in Sport Rider while I was recuperating after crashing my Cagiva Mito EV.

The Pace covers the disciplines of road riding, especially in a group. We were split into two groups, led by Haizal and Didi, respectively. They will lead at a pace that’s comfortable for the riders in each group. They will continue to check from time to time to determine each person’s comfort level.

Additionally, Haizal is a certified instructor out of California Superbike School and teaches riding techniques himself. Hence, he will impart his experience and knowledge to us during the ride as part of the Ducati Riding Experience.

Ducati Malaysia also loaned us Ducati-branded riding jackets. Most of them were made by Dainese, although there are some by Rev’ It.

The Ride

We rode straight to the Karak BHP petrol station before continuing down the fabled highway. Traffic was light since it was a weekday.

The Marshal kept the pace up for us to experience the MTS 950. The keyword here, however, was a high pace without feeling rushed. Attempting to banzaicorners will cause fatigue, mistakes and people getting left behind.

Instead of blasting through the turns like it was the Motojournalist GP at Karak Circuit, it was a nice, flowing ride on Tuesday morning.

Klau Dam

We turned off the highway and rode towards Sungai Klau.

This route not only bypassed the busy Bentong town, it was also way more scenic. The narrow road was flanked by oil palm estates until they gave way to the view of a river and small lakes. We could see the Titiwangsa mountain range topped with cotton-like clouds up ahead.

We stopped for a breather and photo opportunity. One of Ducati Malaysia support vehicles had arrived ahead of us, and the crew waved us into a parking area. They handed us much welcomed cold towels and drinks.

YES Orchard & Café

The cafe is off the main road, giving us a chance to do a little off-roading.

We arrived well ahead of time for lunch so the orchard provided a basket of Raub durians to sample. They were huge! But the fruits inside were just as huge once we split the open. Those were the best durians I’ve ever tasted. The flesh was as thick as cake, but super creamy and sweet! (I’ve got a sore throat now as I type this.)

The DRE instructors sat down with us to impart some tips, in the meantime. We were briefed on countersteering, vision, line selection and other important riding skills.

Lunch was served soon after. I’m never a fan of tempoyak ikan patin but this was exceptional! I bet I need to search like mad for something this good in KL.

Sungai Koyan – Cameron Highlands

Probably the highlight of highlights of the ride.

The Sungai Koyan-Cameron Highlands road is heaven for riders who abhor having chicken strips on their tyres. It consists mostly long corners with tight entries. There are a number of decreasing radius turns to up the thrill quotient.

The surface is grippy, but the apexes of many corners have sunk since the dam project. My wife and I were thrown off the seat the last time we came up here on a bike. This was going to be a real test for the MTS 950.

As before, the pace was controlled expertly from the front. We rolled off the throttle early, hang outside the corners a little longer to establish the safest lines, before peeling in late and coming on the throttle a little earlier to balance the bike. There was no full throttle blast, eyeball-popping braking, bike squirming, tyre-squealing corner entries. It was all smooth, smooth, smooth riding. We were riding at a brisk pace yet there was still time to admire the view. Ah, what a pleasure riding at The Pace.

The MTS 950 was fully at home here. A small force at the handlebar was enough to have the bike leaning over. Once on its side, a crack of the throttle settled the chassis and the bike stuck beautifully onto the chosen line. Tightening the cornering arc only needed a slight shift of the shoulder into the corner.

The dips on the road were noticeable, of course but the suspension didn’t threaten to send us into orbit on the rebound.

(You can read the full review of the Ducati Multistrada 950 here.)

Ringlet, Cameron Highlands

It’s true how time flies when you’re having fun. The white-canopied nurseries on the hillsides welcomed us as we approached Ringlet. They look like groups giant UFOs, if the lighting is right.

We rode into the Shell petrol station at Ringlet to top off our tanks. This was the only refueling stop since we left Ducati Malaysia in the morning. We had covered 294km with a balance of 30 km of fuel. That’s impressive considering our pace.

Jim Thompson’s Cottage

From there it was up the mountain to our accommodation at Jim Thompson’s Cottage. It’s situated up a hilltop near the Sultan Ahmad Shah Golf Course.

But, who was Jim Thompson?

American Jim Thompson built this house back before WW2. He decided to go for a walk one day in 1947 but never returned. His body was never found and there was no sign of him anywhere else.

It wasn’t a large bungalow by any means but it was classical with wrought iron doors, heavy wooden room doors, wooden floorboards, wooden staircase, and get this, fireplace in the living room and a number of rooms.

The cottage is now a resort and hotel. It turned out that many auto manufacturers have chosen this location for their functions. Good choice, I say. That’s because there’s a large compound and garden to chill (literally) to the cool air and enjoying the beautiful vista. The “restaurant” is a covered part of the compound.

We checked in to our rooms and we didn’t even close the doors. Instead, we convened in the living room to chit chat. It felt like… home. This was way different than staying in a high-rise hotel where participants hide in their rooms.

Dinner consisted of steamboat and the obligatory BBQ. But we sat and ate together, the media, Ducati crew and Naza employees. We shared stories, laughed at what happened in the ride today (like me consistently failing to U-turn the bike). The atmosphere was so lively that we completely forgot to visit Brinchang town.

Ducati Malaysia and the DRE Instructors handed out our certificates of participation. Additionally, the instructors picked three participants who had adhered to The Pace and convoy riding etiquette.

Cameron Highlands

My roomie roused me at 7.30 for breakfast. The eating area was just outside my window, so I was tempted to order “room service.”

It was a simple breakfast, but we had time to chit-chat again, until it was time to check out.

I don’t think anyone had the heart to leave.

Cameron Highlands – Simpang Pulai

We were surprised by the heavy traffic despite being a weekday. Good thing it was a small convoy, as we did our best to scythe through without upsetting the car drivers.

It was a tough ride, but we soon made it to the beginning of the Cameron Highlands-Simpang Pulai road. We stopped at a vantage point for a breather and some photos. The traffic was noticeably lighter here, except for the opposite lane heading up the mountain. Poor souls.

We hopped back on our bikes after 30 minutes. It was time to clean the tyres.

Again, The Pace was applied and we had a whale of a time riding down this notorious stretch of road. The marshals had advised us to ride loose and look through the turns at all times.

That piece of advice was fully practiced when the Lead Marshal ran through a deep pothole in the middle of a corner. The rear tyre slid sideways but he controlled it so expertly that Amir and I didn’t even flinch. Kudos.

We got down to the hot and dusty quarries of Simpang Pulai soon enough. Too soon. We weren’t tired in the descend but our energy was soon sapped by the heat.

We stopped at a Shell station to refuel and headed to lunch at Gopeng.

Adeline’s Villa

Adeline’s Villa is located in the eco-tourism area near the Geroh River. The main buildings in the resort are wood huts with thatched roofs. American troops in Vietnam named these type of buildings “hooches.”

We had another wholesome meal here despite being fully aware that we’ll be drowsy afterwards… But how can any “normal” Malaysian resist food?

There’s a surprise at this resort. Diners are required to wash their own dishes after eating. Hmm… that’s “novel.” However, before you yell “forced labour,” the food here was great. The vegetables and meats were fresh and juicy.

So, we did our dishes and suited up for the trip home. The sun was beating down on our heads at that moment and our eyes looked more like the slit between the cam lobe and shim. Yet we frowned at rain clouds in the distance.

The highway had slow traffic in a couple of spots due to road construction but was otherwise clear. It was a brisk ride, we covered the 188-km distance to Ducati Malaysia in just over one-and-half hours.

Conclusion

Having the opportunity to sample the Ducati Multistrada 950 was already fun itself but the entire trip made it extra special. The organization was top notch, and everyone carried out their tasks professionally. For example, the Ducati crew were cleaning our bikes while we joked and laughed ourselves hoarse. A few guys went around checking the bikes from top to bottom and made adjustments while we were at breakfast. The support crew were always (somehow) ahead of us at the stops to help us park the bikes and offer ice-cold face towels and drinks.

The management crew were always on hand to answer our queries or listen to our critiques. The DRE Instructors Haizal and Didi were always on their toes to impart their hard-earned knowledge.

Well done, Ducati Malaysia. Keep up the great work.

Please contact Ducati Malaysia for more information on the Multistrada 950 and other Ducati models. The dealership can be reached at 016-2291533. You can also follow the official Facebook page.

PICTURE GALLERY

New Malaysian Bike Introduced: Ottimo VIZ 110 – RM4,288

Ottimo is a home grown Malaysian brand.
The Ottimo VIZ 110 was designed in Malaysia with 70% of parts coming from China.
The Ottimo VIZ 110 seems to be a good bike, but is it priced too steep?

Mount Jerai of Kedah was ground zero for a historic day for Malaysia. The mountain, which is the highest in Kedah and offers stunning views of the Kedahan coast, was the venue for the launch of the newest Malaysian motorcycle brand – Ottimo.

Ottimo, which is Italian for ‘great’ – was established in January of 2018 by a group of visionaries and passionists. The CEO of the company is an accountant by training but has spent a great deal of his career in the manufacturing business. He is supported by a experienced team of engineers and executives, almost all of who have spent a great deal of their careers at Malaysia’s first motorcycle builder.

In just within a year, Ottimo Technologies Sdn Bhd (OTSB) has put together and launched their very first motorcycle, the VIZ110 step through commuter (kapcai).

As a first attempt, the VIZ110 has quite a lot to offer. It’s slim and sleek design is reminiscent of a certain Japanese model, but looks great anyway. It is powered by a Chinese-sourced single-cylinder, SOHC, air-cooled 107cc engine. The four-stroke engine puts out 5kW@8000rpm and 6.9Nm of torque at 6,000rpm. The carbureted engine can be brought to life either by a push-start button, or a more traditional kick-starter.

The engine is fed by a 3.6-litre fuel tank, which according to OTSB, is capable of travelling 180 kilometres before it needs to be refuelled again. Power is managed by a 4-speed gearbox.

Both wheels measure in at 17-inches, and the suspension consists of a regular telescopic fork up front while the rear offers a standard dual-shock suspension. As for the brakes, the front features a single disc with a twin-piston calliper, while the back features a conventional drum brake.

While all of this may seem pretty regular, the Ottimo VIZ110 does also offer some genius touches like a USB port and a slot to keep your phone while it is being charged. There are LED daytime running lights that not only aid road safety, but also makes the bike look really cool. Even the turn signals are made up of LED lights.

From what we saw at the launch ceremony, the VIZ110 seems to be a bike that has great potential. If the bike proves to be reliable, then the sky is the limit for OTSB. The VIZ 110 may be a partially Chinese made bike with 30% localisation with local parts, but it is very much a Malaysian product. OTSB showed us the early sketches and even the CAD files, so yes, the Malaysian team had a lot to do with the bike you see here.

And judging by the few hours we got to poke and prod around the bike, there are only three things that go against what seems like a good bike. First is the fact that it has very little under seat storage area. Secondly is the price, at RM4,288 before road tax and insurance, the price of the VIZ110 is quite steep and puts it square against the likes of Modenas and Benelli. And the price is only temporary, there will be a price revision after the first 500 units have been sold, so it may go down or worse. And finally, the VIZ110 is only available in Northern Malaysia, specifically Penang, northern Perak, Kedah and Perlis, so if you are anywhere else and want an Ottimo, well you can’t, yet.

OTSB says that it is adopting such a strategy to offer better quality control and better after sales support to its owners during the initial stages. With a sales target of 300 bikes a month for the first year, it is understandable that the company wants to keep the buyers closer to the headquarters, which is located in Sungai Petani. That way it can immediately offer support and also learn how their first motorcycle is handling real-world situations.

Also, in addition to having its manufacturing plant and spare parts centre in Gurun, Kedah, the company also plans to open a 3S centre in Sungai Petani by February 2019.

The Ottimo VIZ110 is now available in Northern Malaysia with two colour variants – Syinta Red (top) and Syantik Blue (bottom).

Photos from the launch ceremony and close ups of the VIZ110.

Local Councils (Dewan Bandaraya) Now Empowered to Enforce Traffic Laws

Amendments to the Road Transport Act (RTA) allow local councils to appoint their own traffic wardens.
These wardens can enforce traffic laws instead of just issuing parking fines.
The amendments also mean traffic enforcement agencies can only issue court summons instead of compound fines.

We have seen motorists flout traffic laws under the noses of Dewan Bandaraya enforcement officers, but the officers could nothing about them. That will soon change when the Road Transport (Amendment) Bill 2018 takes effect.

Local Traffic Wardens

The Dewan Rakyat passed an amendment to Section 3(4B) of the Road Transport Act on 11^thDecember. According to the section, local councils (Dewan Bandaraya and Majlis Perbandaran) can now appoint their own traffic wardens. These wardens can enforce traffic laws, for example against a motorcyclist running the red light. This is great news indeed as the police need assistance in enforcing the laws.

However, a restriction was added to Section 4 of the act. It details that the local council traffic wardens can only enforce laws within the areas under their jurisdiction only. It means Dewan Bandaraya Kuala Lumpur wardens cannot act on offences in Shah Alam.

So, please stop at the red light and park in allocated spaces.

Court Summons Instead of Compound Fines

An amendment to Section 120 of the RTA states that traffic enforcement agencies no longer have the discretion to compound offences. A fine (saman) means you can pay it at your own leisure. however, a court summons means you have to attend court and answer to the magistrate.

The agencies will need to first obtain the consent of the Attorney General in writing in order to issue a fine.

Failure to appear in court will result in an arrest warrant being issued.

This is serious, so please do remember. It may sound draconian, but it is probably one of the more effective ways to stop errand motorists.

Source: asklegal.my

Thailand MotoGP Best of 2018

asThe inaugural MotoGP round in Thailand was voted as the best in 2018.
More than 220,000 spectators show up over three days.
The votes were cast among the Grand Prix Commission.

Sawadeekahp! The Thailand MotoGP was voted as the best round in the 2018 season. It was MotoGP’s inaugural round in the country.

At final count, more than 220,000 spectators descended on the Chang International Circuit in Buriram over the event’s three days. It was the highest number of attendances throughout the entire season. It was even more remarkable if you factor in that the little town of Buriram lies in the middle of nowhere. To be exact, the location is some 379km to the east of Bangkok and takes 5 hours to reach by road.

The MotoGP race was won by Marc Marquez after a thrilling race-long battle with Andrea Dovizioso. Maverick Vinalez and Valentino Rossi finished in third and fourth on the resurgent Yamaha.

The Grand Prix Commission made their appreciation known to MotoGP.com. The commission consists of the FIM, IRTA (International Road Racing Teams Association), and Dorna, MSMA (Motorcycle Sports Manufacturers’ Association).

IRTA’s statement

Speaking to MotoGP.com, Herve Poncharal, president of IRTA said, “The whole MotoGP paddock was keen to discover how the new Thai GP would be, we were impatient for it to arrive and there was plenty of expectation. In the end we can be assured it was the best GP of the season due to many different aspects – we expected good, but we didn’t know quite what they would be able to achieve.”

“Everything went smoothly, the commitment of the organisers was fantastic, and they faced any problems through the weekend quickly, trying to find solutions as soon as possible. The crowd, the people…every single person involved was happy and always smiling.”

“The fans’ support was incredible, the access to the circuit was fast and they demonstrated that they understood MotoGP – creating a commercial area close to the paddock, giving good exposure to our businesses, investors, sponsors, teams and riders.”

“It’s also significant that a new event in this area – an important region for MotoGP – has achieved this result. It’s a perfect example for other countries to follow and this prize is fully deserved. From my point of view, it will be hard for them to improve!”

Dorna’s statement

Carmelo Ezpeleta, CEO of Dorna Sports, called Buriram “a perfect blueprint for future events and we’re excited to return to Buriram already.”

President of Chang International Circuit’s statement

Newin Chidchob, President of the Chang International Circuit said: “On behalf of both the people of Buriram and Thailand, we are extremely honored to receive the MotoGP Grand Prix of the year 2018.”

“We must also thank the people of Buriram, for showing the capability of Thai people to the world… Everyone really came together to make this sports entertainment experience for our visitors from around the world unforgettable.”

Possible New Triumph Rocket III Leaked

Pictures of a possible new Triumph Rocket III were leaked on the internet.
The “new bike” is styled more aggressively than its current crop.
It will bring the Rocket III to compete directly with the current power cruisers.

Want to ride something audacious? Something which blows your neighbour’s mind when you tell him your bike’s engine is bigger than his Honda Accord’s? Ride a Triumph Rocket III, then.

At 2,294cc, the Triumph Rocket III’s engine holds the record as the world’s largest production motorcycle engine. It produces 145 bhp, but that’s not the entire story. Because at 221 Nm, forget about “mountainous torque,” instead the torque moves mountains.

Now pictures of the “new” Rocket III have started showing up on the internet. According to Visordown, they were snapped during the Triumph Global Dealer Conference last October.

Judging from the picture, the new bike or variant will look more aggressive than the current classic-looking model. Check out the Brembo Monobloc calipers, upside-down forks, dual exhaust pipes exiting on the right, and most of all, the single-sided swingarm.

Yes, we admit too. It does look like the Ducati Diavel power cruiser.

Revamping or adding such a model is good for the Hinckley-based manufacturer as they can have a more modern-looking cruiser. It can compete with the power cruisers from other manufacturers like Harley-Davidson, Indian and the aforementioned Ducati. The timing is good too, since BMW has just teased with a new 1800cc Boxer.

We hope the new Rocket III project is a go. Watch out, mountains.