When it comes to MotoGP factory team liveries, Team Suzuki Ecstar probably has the best looking one for the 2020 season as they’re the only one so far who introduced a brand-new fresh look as compared to Repsol Honda, Monster Energy Yamaha, and Ducati. (more…)
Moving on from the standard bike, we move on to the naked bike, since we both segments consist of motorcycles that don’t have full-coverage bodywork. It’s easy to confuse the two because they look pretty much alike and there are those that are crossovers.
First and foremost, a naked bike has no full fairing, hence the term “naked.” The engine and mechanical parts are exposed for all to see. Some of these are also regarded as “hooligan bikes” due to their propensity for all sorts of shenanigans.
Good examples are the (in no particular order) Triumph Street Triple and Speed Triple; Yamaha MT-09 and MT-10; Ducati Monster and Streetfighter V4; Aprilia Tuono V4, BMW S 1000 R; Kawasaki Z900, Z1000, Z H2; KTM 200/250/390/690 Duke, 1290 Super Duke R; Benelli TNT600; MV Agusta Brutale F3; etc.
However, there are crossovers that blur the line between standards and naked bikes such as the Kawasaki Z250, Z650; Modenas Dominar 400 (although Bajaj insists on calling it a sport-tourer), Suzuki SV650A, Aprilia Shiver 900, Honda CB650R and CB1000R, etc.
Styling usually follows contemporary designs and need to look dynamic. The current design brief calls for bikes with multiple facets, pointy fronts and rear.
Seating position is sportier than neutral, yet now as extreme as full-on sportbikes. Naked bikes usually put the rider into a “3/4-crouch” due to the lower handlebar and longer reach. The handlebars are usually one-piece tapered type rather than clip-ons like on café racers and sportbikes.
The rider’s seat is higher than the standard for cornering clearance. The passenger’s seat is usually separate and much higher up, almost like a sportbike’s. Most manufacturers design seats that are wider and longer, besides more comfortable than sportbikes’.
The rider’s footpegs are more rearset and higher up, compared to the standard’s. Such placement is in line with the sportier crouch to put more of the rider’s weight over the tank and front wheel.
Engine capacities range from 250cc right up to 1300cc.
There are therefore almost all types of engines in such a wide range including Singles, parallel-Twins, V-Twins, Triples, V-Fours, inline-Fours, plus one supercharged inline-Four.
As we mentioned before, nakeds are performance bikes, but made a little more practical and comfortable. Virtually all are made to dominate their corresponding capacity segments, hence high torque and horsepower.
The supernakeds, especially, stand out from the crowd. These beasts are about wind-in-the-face, balls-to-the-wall, unadulterated performance. KTM led this category for a long time with the 990 Duke, then the 1290 Super Duke R with over 180 hp. Aprilia joined the club with the Tuono V4 1100 which punches out 175 hp. Then Kawasaki decided that they should have the most power supernaked since they’ve the mental supercharged H2, which gave birth to the 197hp Z H2. Ducati had the same thoughts as Kawasaki due to their Panigale V4. And now the Italians lead the club with the bonkers 208hp Streetfighter V4. But wait! The Streetfighter V4 S produces 216 hp!
Suspension on these bikes are of better fare. The truly performance oriented nakeds are suspended by fully-adjustable suspension, including electronic ones. This is where we see brands such as WP, Showa and Öhlins duke it out.
Brakes are also high-end, the favourite being Brembo. Even the middleweight models utilize monobloc calipers.
Frames are another area which they manufacturers pay a lot of attention to. They are much more sophisticated than those on standards and follow the latest developments such as engineered flex.
This is one area which we didn’t touch on for the standards. Naked bikes have almost everything going for them like the sportbikes do, even for the lightweights. The KTM 390 Duke was the first lightweight bike to utilize a full TFT screen with Bluetooth connectivity. These features are now found in most models in the middleweight and heavyweight classes.
Sophisticated traction control and expanded ABS functions are also found in the supernakeds, including IMU-based lean angle sensitive traction control, ABS, wheelie control, rear wheel lift mitigation, engine braking control, slide control, etc.
Fuel tank sizes typically range from 12 litres and above. Again, like the standard, the overall design of the bike which limits the sizes of the tanks. Does one really care about fuel mileage on naked bikes…?
Customization usually revolves around enhancing performance. Apart from that, naked bike riders accessorize their bikes with some race parts such as footpegs, brake and clutch lever protectors, bits of bolts here and there. There are owners who do customize the looks of their bikes and that usually includes performance upgrades.
The Petronas Yamaha SRT (Sepang Racing Team) took the opportunity of the upcoming Sepang Winter Test to launch their latest 2020 livery on home soil. Proudly presenting their new colours, both team and riders, Fabio Quartararo and Franco Morbidelli are ready to step things up for the upcoming season. (more…)
Ducati Malaysia has just launched the new Ducati PJ showroom which is now the second-largest Ducati showroom in the whole of Southeast Asia. Covering an impressive 16,339 square feet plus over 5,000 square feet of service area, Ducati PJ plans to ramp things up in both sales and aftersales services for 2020 and beyond. (more…)
Riding with a dirty visor is uncomfortable and can be dangerous at night. But what should we use to clean it? We recommend the Liqui Moly Visor Cleaner and Helmet Cleaner.
We ought to take great care when cleaning the visor. Using alcohol-based solvent will strip the anti-scratch coating, leaving behind blotches. Using handwash solution is good but it doesn’t eat through insect guts, necessitating some aggressive rubbing which will induce scratches.
Do understand that the grime covering the visor and helmet consists of oil and dirt. Using the wrong cleaner will result in streak, stains and scratches.
The safest best, we discovered in our experience, is to use specific products that are formulated for the purpose.
The Liqui Moly Visor Cleaner and Helmet Cleaner comes in a 100ml bottle that’s compact, hence easy to carry anywhere in the bike or riding pouch. The product is safe to use on glass, thus can used to clean eyeglasses, as well. On top of that, the product has some anti-misting property.
The Liqui Moly Visor Cleaner (100 ml) is available from our e-commerce online store.
The 2020 Italjet Dragster marks the return of one of the world’s most iconic ‘super scooters’ in the game and the company has confirmed that the new legend will go into production starting May 2020 in Italy. The news was confirmed by Italjet’s President and CEO himself, Massimo Tartarini. (more…)
