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BMW Motorrad Returns to 2019 World Superbike Championship (WorldSBK)

BMW Motorrad is returning to the 2019 World Superbike Championship (WorldSBK).
The manufacturer will enter the 2019 BMW S 1000 RR.
Tom Sykes and Markus Reiterberger are the team’s riders.

BMW Motorrad announces their return to the 2019 World Superbike Championship (WorldSBK).

BMW is the one manufacturer that’s glaringly missing from WorldSBK. Their last effort was with the GoldBet BMW team which was disbanded after 2013. Their riders were Marco Melandri and Leon Haslam.

The new team will be racing the recently-launched 2019 BMW S 1000 RR. The bikes will be developed and prepared by BMW’s factory in Munich together with the Shaun Muir Racing Team.

BMW Motorrad announced 2013 WorldSBK Champion Tom Sykes and European Superstock 1000 Champion Markus Reiterberger as their riders.

The championship should heat up next year with BMW’s re-entry with the new S 1000 RR. The new bike is new from ground up with emphasis on higher power and compactness. While the stock production 2019 S 1000 RR produces “only” 204 bhp compared to the new bike from Ducati, you can bet that the racing S 1000 RR will be up there among the top runners.

There is hope among racing fans that WorldSBK 2019 will see the end of four-time and current champion Jonathan Rea and Kawasaki’s domination of the series. A one-horse race is never a spectacle.

2019 Honda CBR650R Introduced at EICMA 2018

The 2019 Honda CBR650R makes its appearance at EICMA 2018.
Honda has dropped the “F” designation and made the bike more aggressive.
We hope Honda could maintain the new bike’s price like the CBR650F’s.

The 2019 Honda CBR650R was unveiled next to the CB650R Neo Sport Café at EICMA 2018.

Notice that Honda has dropped the “F” designation for the 2019 650cc models, so it will be less confusing. But it isn’t just a name change.

We tested its predecessor earlier this year. We called the 2018 CB650F “Between Two Worlds” as it combined sportiness with everyday practicality.

2018 Honda CBR650F Test & Review – “Between Two Worlds”

The new bike continues this legacy, but Honda has updated it in more ways than one.

Starting from the engine, the 2019 650cc, DOHC, inline-Four sees upgrades identical to the CB650R. The updates include works to the engine, fueling (ECU), and higher rev limit. The revisions yield nearly 5% increase in power (from 90 bhp to 95 bhp) and improved torque delivery. Additionally, there is a 6kg reduction in weight. That equals an 8% improvement in power-to-weight ratio.

The riding position of the 2019 bike is more aggressive. The clip-on handlebars are moved 30mm to the front and lowered. The footpegs are 3mm rearward and 6mm higher. Seat height remains at a comfortable 810mm.

The 2019 CBR650R has a new styling which looks pretty much like its CBR1000RR bigger brother, too.

We have a feeling that the 2019 CBR650R will fill the void left by the Honda CBR600RR. Honda will definitely have a winner if they could maintain the 2019 CBR650R’s pricing in the range of the 2018 CBR650F.

We only wish it has a quickshifter.

“Bad Boy” Romano Fenati Returns to Moto3 in 2019

Romano Fenati will compete in 2019 in the Moto3 category.
His ex-team, Marinelli Snipers Team has recontracted him.
Fenati created a firestorm when he grabbed the front brake lever of another competitor in the 2018 San Marino GP.

Romano Fenati will return to the Moto3 championship in 2019.

Fenati gained infamy when he grabbed Stefano Manzi’s front brake lever at the San Marino GP in September this year. In the firestorm that followed, Dorna slapped a Fenati with a two-race ban. The FIM banned Fenati for the rest of the season, on the other hand. His Marinelli Snipers Moto2 gave him the marching orders.

Moto2 2018: Romano Fenati Red Mist Moment at San Marino GP

If that wasn’t enough, the Forward Racing Team which is slated to campaign with MV Agusta in Moto2 in the 2019 season also dropped him. Soon, MV Agusta’s Boss, Giovanni Castiglioni tweeted that he will not allow Fenati to ride his bikes.

Moto2: MV Agusta Cancels 2019 Moto2 Contract with Romano Fenati

Ironically, Stefano Manzi is the current and future rider in the Forward Racing Team. He would’ve been Fenati’s teammate next year. It was later established that Manzi had provoked Fenati. Was Manzi playing mind games to establish the pecking order?

Anyway, Fenati announced that he’d leave racing and concentrate on continuing his studies.

But MotoGP.com has just dropped a bombshell by announcing that Fenati’s Marinelli Snipers team has re-employed him for the 2019 Moto3 season. The team has just signed on Tony Arbalino, thus Fenati will be his teammate.

Marinelli Snipers has good reasons to re-sign Fenati as the fiery Italian took 23 podium finishes with 10 wins in the starter class. He finished second overall in 2017, after all.

The team and Fenati have not made official announcements, but we expect that to happen at the final round at Valencia this weekend.

On a personal note, we hope that Romano Fenati puts his raw talent to greater use and keep his temper in check. This must be the very last chance he’d ever get.

Honda CB125X Concept – The future of adventure-touring?

During EICMA 2018, Honda Europe showcased the Honda CB125X Concept, a next-generation small-capacity adventure bike.
The Honda CB125X Concept features super clean lines with a huge dose of adventure, aggressive looks, and dynamism.
Its most prominent features apart from the overall design are the SC-Project exhaust and front triple futuristic lights.

There were many show-stopping bikes which were showcased and presented throughout the duration of EICMA 2018 last week in Milan, Italy. Amongst the elite of future production bikes, there were some concept machines that really took things to the next level. One of them has to be the Honda CB125X Concept and it is ‘the bomb’. (more…)

2019 Ducati Panigale V4 RS19 Debuts at EICMA 2018

The 2019 Ducati Panigale V4 RS19 was formally introduced at EICMA 2018.
It made an appearance earlier during the British round of WorldSBK.
The Panigale V4 RS19 is a race-only bike and not available to the buying public.

The 217-bhp Ducati Panigale V4 R not fast enough? How about this Ducati Panigale V4 RS19, then?

2019 Ducati Panigale V4 R Debuts at World Ducati Première 2019

Launched at EICMA 2018, the Panigale V4 RS19 isn’t for sale to public. That’s because it’s the racing machine which Ducati factory riders Alvaro Bautista and Chaz Davies will ride in the World Superbike Championship (WorldSBK) in 2019. Ducati has been trying very hard to retake the superbike honours since their domination in the 90’s.

The most important thing for race bikes is power. The homologation model Panigale V4 R produced 217 bhp in stock form but it’s raised to 231 bhp with the race exhaust and tuning of the ECU. Judging from this, the Panigale V4 RS19 should make at least that same amount or perhaps even around 250 bhp! That V-Four engine was developed as a direct lineage from the Desmosedici in MotoGP, anyway.

Secondly, weight is always an enemy when racing. We can expect the bike to tip the scales at the 168 kg weight limit set by the FIM. Ducati was proud to show off the bike wrapped in carbon fibre.

The Panigale V4 R has winglets on the fairings, paving the way for them on the Panigale V4 RS19. WorldSBK is production-based racing, so certain features of the race bike must be produced on road-going machines.

The Panigale V4 RS19’s fuel tank has also been moved backward and seems larger to make room for the airbox. Ducati didn’t release more details of the bike, of course.

Looks like Jonathan Rea and Kawasaki will have some real competition next year.

FSR Technology Debuts New TuneBoss Products at the 2018 Malaysian MotoGP

TuneBoss introduced new products at the 2018 Malaysian MotoGP.
The products will unlock the performance potential of stock motorcycles.
They include ECUs, quickshifters, electric water pump, fuel injector and fuel pump.

FSR Technology, our own Malaysian electronic tuning experts, revealed a range of new TuneBoss products at the recent 2018 Malaysian MotoGP.

The new products are:

High-performance ECUs;
ShiftBoss quickshifters;
CoolBoss electric water pump kit;
Racing fuel injector;
Racing fuel pump kit.

High-performance ECUs

There are four models specifically optimized for the Yamaha YZF-R15, Yamaha NMAX 155, Honda CBR250R and Honda CRF250. TuneBoss will announce the ECUs for motorcycle models based on the same platforms at a later date.

The price range of the new products are expected to be “within range of existing products.”

ShiftBoss quickshifters

Quickshifters are in demand from almost all current motorcyclists. TuneBoss responds by introducing the ShiftBoss for the Yamaha YZF-R25 and Honda RS150R. Unlike most aftermarket quickshifters, ShiftBoss includes a new load sensor for more precise gear shifts.

The new ShiftBoss products will be sold alongside current models and are priced between RM600 to RM800.

CoolBoss electric water pump kit

Traditional and stock water pumps rely on engine speed to circulate coolant. As such, the flow rate may not be sufficient, especially in the heat (pun intended) of competition.

The new CoolBoss electric water pump kit consists of an electric brushless water pump and smart algorithms to control the functions of the fan according to engine load and cooling needs. Such functions prolong the engine and engine oil lifespan.

Parasitic loss is also reduced. TuneBoss claims the CoolBoss kit gains 0.3 to 0.5 bhp throughout the rev range besides fuel savings.

The product will be available for the Yamaha YZF-R25 only from next year. It should be available for other motorcycles later.

TuneBoss Racing Fuel Injector

This product has been available in the market for a number of months now. This 370cc injector provides a super high flow rate with ultra-linear control. The injector is good for 15 to 40 bhp applications and is compatible with the Yamaha Y15ZR (1^stmodel) and Yamaha FZ150i MY 2014 and MY 2016.

TuneBoss Racing Fuel Pump Kit

This product is an integrated system consisting of fuel tank, fuel pump, fuel lines and fuel injector. The kit was specifically developed for the Open Drag Bike Category. Racing fuel is allowed in this category.

The stainless-steel tank has a capacity of 3 litres and is specially treated to resist corrosion from racing fuels such as the Elixir Powered E85R or K2.

Conclusion

All the above add-on products are compatible with TuneBoss ECUs. They have been tested in various drag events and at the Sepang International Circuit before being made available to the buying public.