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Triumph Moto2 Engine Tested by Marquez in Aragon

Triumph is the exclusive engine supplier for the Moto2 class in 2019.
Moto2 teams are beginning to test the new engine.
The engine is based on the 765cc, inline-Triple based from the Street Triple RS.

Triumph Motorcycles is slated to supply the standard engine to Moto2 teams beginning next year (2019) as Honda’s current contract ends at the end of the 2018 season. Please click on the link below for our coverage.

Check out this 2019 Triumph-powered Kalex Moto2 bike!

As such, Moto2 teams have begun testing the engine this year in preparation for the new season. Do note that Moto2 teams consist of frame builders such as Kalex, Speed Up, NTS and KTM (including Suter and Moriwaki at one point) who build frames and chassis around the spec engine which was based on Honda’s CBR600RR from 2010.

Triumph Moto2 engine being tested about a Triumph Daytona – courtesy of Ultimate Motorcycling

With the advent of a new engine supplier, these teams would have to build frames and chassis to suit the new engine’s mounting points and power characteristics. This should mean close competition in the season ahead as the teams obtain new data on handling and tyre wear.

The latest rider to test the 765cc, inline-Triple based on the new Street Triple (please click here for our review) was Alex Marquez, multiple MotoGP champion Marc Marquez’s younger brother, on the EG 0,0 Marc VDS Kalex – Triumph.

Alex tested the new engine in the new Kalex at Motorland Aragon yesterday, following Julian Simon and Ricky Cardus’s tests aboard the KTM on the previous day. Jesko Raffin had also tested for Kalex, while Alex De Angelis tested the engine for NTS.

During testing at Valencia earlier this year, Jesko Raffin posted a time that was 1.3 seconds faster than the lap record set by 2016 Moto2 champion, Johann Zarco – using a standard 765cc triple engine from the Street Triple RS! Raffin commented that he encountered “zero problem” with the powerplant. Another rider had commented about the engine’s abundance of low-down and mid-range torque.

Harley-Davidson and Indian Motorcycles Slapped with Huge Import Tariffs

The EU will levy heavy tariffs against U.S.-made products.
The victims include Harley-Davidson and Indian Motorcycles.
The tariffs are a retaliation against the U.S. adding tariffs on imported steel by 25%.

In the latest trade wars with the U.S., the European Union (EU) has just retaliated against American President Donald Trump’s decision to levy new import taxes on steel and aluminium from Europe. A hefty 25% tariff will be put in place for the American-made bikes, including a whole list of other American-made products.

The EU had threatened reprisals against the U.S., who adopted the new tariffs earlier this month by adding a 25% tariff on imported steel and 10% on imported aluminium.

The European nations unanimously supported the plan last week. The European Commission is due to meet later today. They have so far listed 10 pages full of American products. As for motorcycles, the tariff is worded as:

Motorcycles and cycles fitted with an auxiliary motor, with or without sidecar. With reciprocating internal combustion piston engine of a cylinder capacity exceeding 500cc but not exceeding 800cc.
Motorcycles and cycles fitted with an auxiliary motor, with or without sidecar. With reciprocating internal combustion engine of a cylinder capacity exceeding 800cc.

Which means any bike from the US that’s bigger than 500cc will be subject to the new tax.

This does not bode well especially for Harley-Davidson who are being hit hard by low sales in America and has been depending on international sales. Indian Motorcycles, on the other hand, had been performing well on all counts but this ruling will no doubt hit them hard, also.

But it isn’t only bad news from Europe, as India had also slammed US motorcycles above 800cc with a 50% duty, as a retaliation against the U.S. who had also levied a 25% tariff on Indian steel

The U.S. tariffs are part of President Donald Trump’s “Make America Great Again” campaign which seeks to protect the country’s industries.

Yes, you can say it in Trump’s voice: “This YUGE!”

UCLEAR AMP GO Bluetooth Helmet Audio System Initial Review

The UCLEAR AMP GO helmet audio system connects via Bluetooth.
It worked seamlessly throughout our initial testing.
It is also very attractively priced at just RM 600.

Being used to having a Bluetooth in-helmet headset for three years, I could never ride comfortably without one. Having one makes riding a whole lot more entertaining and relaxing, if not the convenience while on-the-go.

Of course, there are many “Bluetooth helmet audio system” maker these days, so choosing the right one saves you money and aggravation.

From our neighbours in Singapore is UCLEAR Digital. The Malaysian and Singaporean distributor, Hodaka Motoworld provided a couple of sets of the flagship AMP GO system to try out.

First and foremost, it was apparent that the UCLEAR had simplified the AMP GO. A set consists of:

Control unit.
Pair of Boost Plus stereo speakers.
Permanent helmet mount.
Temporary helmet mount.
Two Velcro pads.
USB charging cable.
Quick Start Guide.

However, there is no microphone boom nor “button” microphone, as they are stereo and built into the speakers.

The sets were provided to us at the right time, as we rode the three variants of the four-cylinder BMW S-Series bikes to Cherating for a company getaway.

Installation was very easy and straightforward, even for first-time users, as there were fewer parts to fuss about. The control unit was equally easy to mount as it was just a clip.

Pairing via Bluetooth to our phones was easy and especially fast, considering that the iPhone’s iOS is finicky about connecting to non-Apple devices. Pairing the two control units for intercom communication was also fast and easy.

The speakers were loud(!) as soon as we streamed music from our phones. But it’s not just about being loud, there was plenty of bass, treble and clarity – we could hear each word and each note with the helmet on the table. This is important especially when riding at speed and with earplugs in.

With the BMW S 1000 R at hand, I tested the UCLEAR AMP GO from slow city speeds to (crazy) high speeds right away. The sound level stayed consistent throughout, as the volume is controlled seamlessly according to ambient sounds i.e. it increases when your speed rises and decreases when you slow down.

The three buttons on the control unit were also easy to feel through our gloves. I’ve tried doing so through thin summer gloves and thick full-leather racing gloves.

During our ride, Keshy was about 200 metres ahead of me on the S 1000 XR, when one of us mistakenly activated the intercom function while travelling at nearly 200 km/h. Although there was wind noise (there’s bound to be at this speed!), we could still hear each other’s voices clearly, showing that the unit’s auto noise-cancelling feature worked. Besides that, our concerns about not having a boom microphone were allayed, as the AMP GO triangulates our voices’ sweet spots to deliver clear speech.

UCLEAR advertised that the AMP GO has a maximum range of 200 m, so I let Keshy ride further and further ahead. We only broke contact when he was a dot on the horizon, but we were conversing again almost as soon as we were back in range. The intercom function can connect up to four units.

Apart from that, I could hear the music clearly at all times, even through the Alpine MotoSafe Tour earplugs (also available from Hodaka Motoworld). These special earplugs filter out harmful noises such as roaring and whistling wind noises but allows conversations, traffic and your motorcycle’s engine sound through.

We thought we had escaped from the rain during our ride, but a wall of rain awaited us as soon as we passed the Gombak Toll Plaza. It was so heavy that it overwhelmed my helmet’s anti-fog insert within minutes, rendering me almost sightless. However, the UCLEAR AMP GO kept going and not a drop of water got inside through the cable connector port.

We’ve since ridden around with the UCLEAR AMP GO without fail and it dawned on us that its battery lasts a long time. I only had to charge my unit after we had ridden to and returned from Cherating, plus another four days of commuting and riding. Even then, there was still 5% to go.

Any shortcomings?

The audio kept cutting in and out while riding in the city after the initial installation (perhaps due to interference). However, I discovered that the unit required a firmware update after I downloaded the app (called CLEARLink). It has never cut off again after the update.

Speaking of the app, while you do not need it for music streaming and phone call functions, it is best that you download and install it in your phone. The app allows you to check for the latest firmware and provides total control over the configurations of the unit, such as auto volume, bass boost, voice answering, and more. You can also find the full owner’s manual there.

In conclusion, we love the UCLEAR AMP GO. It’s easy to install, simple to use, has great audio, connects to our devices quickly, the intercom works as claimed, weatherproof, and long-lasting power.

But there’s one important advantage of the UCLEAR AMP GO. With all its great features and functionality, it is attractively priced at just RM 600. That is unbeatable for a top-of-the-line Bluetooth helmet audio system.

Visit Hodaka Motoworld to get yourself a set. You may also visit Hodaka Motoworld’s Facebook page see more products.

UCLEAR AMP GO TECHINCAL SPECIFICATIONS

Bluetooth:	V4.2 (BR/EDR/BLE), Class 1
Profiles:	HSP, HFP, A2DP, AVRCP, Intercom
Group Intercom:	Full duplex up to 4 users
Range:	Up to 200 metres per user
Battery:	3.7V lithium-ion
Talk Time:	Up to 10 hours
Standby Time:	Up to 400 hours

Review: Harley-Davidson Sportster Iron 1200 – The lean, mean corner carving machine

The Harley-Davidson Sportster Iron 1200 is the latest addition to the popular Sportster family.
It builds on the Iron 883 but has a bigger 1202cc engine that offers over 30% more power.
With tall mini-ape handlebars, mid-set foot pegs and a big 19-inch front wheel, the Iron 1200 is an absolute brute when it comes to corner carving fun.

The Harley-Davidson Sportster is the oldest continuously produced motorcycle. It has been in production since 1957, and though a lot has changed, park new and original together and you will still be able to pick out some similarities through 60 years of evolution.

This is something the geeks in product development call ‘product continuation’, it is the retention of the DNA of a particular model so it can develop and evolve but yet stay true to the original. Sometimes in design, sometimes in purpose.

But the Sportster is special because it is one of the few motorcycles that is perfectly adaptable to being multiple versions of the same bike.

And that is what has made it immensely successful, because it can be a bike to ride up to the mountains or go touring with. It has spawned variants that were absolutely devilish in corners yet perfectly friendly for newbies to get started with.

The popularity of the Sportster grew at about the same time as the Triumph Bonneville’s, the Norton’s and the Enfield’s. The rise of today’s modern retro machine is considered to be a revival of this era, and the Sportster Iron 1200 is the perfect salute with its classic styling.

Fast and stylish with radical chopper styling, the Sportster Iron 1200 we rode in Croatia is everything Harley-Davidsons were meant to be from the start, fast and stylish.

To the uninitiated, the Iron 1200 may look just like an Iron 883 with taller mini-ape handle bars instead of the usual flat-bend handle bars on the regular Iron. But the Iron 1200 is not just the same motorcycle with a bigger engine, it is very much its own motorcycle.

It has plenty of style to begin, it could have been on the cover of U2’s Achung Baby and would have fit right in with the AMF-era tank stripes.

And just like the original Sportster intended, the Iron 1200 is brilliantly fun in corners. It shares the same chassis as the Iron 883 so it has the same frame, wheels, suspension and just about everything else. In fact, despite the fact that the it has a bigger engine and taller handle bars, it manages to be less than a kilogram heavier than the Iron 883, which is a feat by itself.

So the two are clearly siblings, just with different characters. You sit with your fists in the wind, the mid-set foot pegs giving you a perfectly adapted peg-scrapping sitting position, and the big 19-inch front wheel makes this Sportster one of the best handling in its class. It also has an amazingly comfortable seat, much much more comfortable than the 48 Special.

But it is that engine that suddenly makes this Sportster Iron everything it should have been right from the start. The Iron 883 was great but it was also very much an “entry-level” model at one point of time so it felt limited when it came to performance. The Iron 1200 obviously built around the fun package of the 883, but with heaps more fun.

So it all begins with a new air-cooled evolution engine which has 30% more capacity than the 883 and produces about 100Nm of torque. The engine is connected to the same 5-speed gearbox as the 883 though with different gear ratios. As with most Harley-Davidsons, the best way to ride the 1202cc engine is just to leave it in a higher gear and ride the mountain of torque is offers through the corners. Of course, you could bang down the gears and catapult out of corners too. Either way the Iron 1200 is happy to oblige.

But as fun as that sounds, there’s an unnerving feel as you get on the throttle though. Just as the bike piles on some speed, the front goes into a mini-wobble as the bike squats on maximum acceleration. It is not very noticeable but it is there everytime you blast out of a corner.

And matching all the fun and power is some fantastic handling. Don’t ever let anyone tell you that you can’t have fun with Harley-Davidsons because the Iron 1200 is brilliant in corners. Purists will love the fact that it does not come with a lot of electronics like ABS (optional) and traction control. And the entire meter cluster has been flushed down to the bare necessities, giving you only the most important information. And don’t let that headlight cover fool you, it sucks at deflecting the onslaught of wind, the Sportster Iron 1200 is still very much a city bike than it is a highway cruiser.

But despite the new herculean engine, the brakes and suspension are the same as the Iron 883, which means the same dual-piston calipers front and rear with a single disc keeping you in check. But this just means adjusting your riding style to allow for more foot-peg scrapping fun as you get to carry more speed into corners.

And because there is no electronic interference to control the wheel from slipping, you have to be gentle with the throttle, ask for too much and you risk lighting up the rear on exit. Which can be fun in experienced hands, but scary for the rest.

We spent the entire day literally carving up mountain roads, scrapping foot pegs on both the Iron 1200 and the new Sportster 48 Special (which we will get to in a later article). There is no doubt that the Iron 1200 is one of the greatest Sportster’s to date, just a pity that it has not made it to the Malaysian market as yet, but when it does, pay attention as only a few bikes have the talent to back up good looks, and this Iron 1200 is more than just talented.

Do you prefer a bigger bike? How about something like a Road Glide? Click here to read our review and to watch a video on it. Or do you prefer the classic styling of the Street Glide? We rode that too! Watch our video review here.

Terminator 2 Harley-Davidson Fat Boy Auctioned for USD 500,000

The iconic Harley-Davidson Fat Boy from the movie Terminator 2 was put up on auction recently.
It fetched a price higher than it was estimated.
The Fat Boy arguably became famous after its appearance in the movie.

Remember Terminator 2: Judgment Day?

The movie began like one of those bar jokes: A T-800 walked nude into a bar.

Anyway, he scanned the patrons one by one, while they stared at him in bewilderment. He picked out a biker dude and delivered one of the ballsiest lines in Hollywood, “I need your clothes, your boots and your motorcycle,” demanded the T-800 said in a thick Austrian accent (SkyNet must’ve been programmed by Hitler, such). In the ensuing bar fight, the bike gang got a beat down, ending with the biker donating his clothes and motorcycle… willingly.

He walks out the bar and scanned the bikes parked outside, picking out a Harley-Davidson FLSTF Fat Boy. The T-800 gave it a smoky burnout and powerslid away (called “drift” these days), to George Thoroughgood’s iconic song, “Bad to the Bone.”

That very motorcycle was ridden by Arnold Schwarzenegger himself in the movie and was part of the “Icons & Legends of Hollywood” auction recently. Against an estimated sale of between USD 200,000 to 300,000, it sold way over at USD 480,000.

The Fat Boy had been launched in 1990, just ahead of the movie’s release in 1991. As a result, the Fat Boy became of Harley’s best-selling models until this very day. Even Harley’s employees attributed the bike’s success to the movie, which was itself one of the highest grossing movies of all time.

Later in the film, the bike was also part of one of the most thrilling and hence iconic vehicle chase scenes of all time, when Arnie’s character, the T-800, rescued a young John Connor on a Honda XR from being crushed by the T-1000 on a big rig tow truck.

Also listed among the items on auction was the “punk” leather jacket worn by Arnie’s character in the film, along with all the bloody bullet holes. It sold for USD 24,000!

Hasta la vista, baby.

Dovizioso, Lorenzo to Battle Against Bayliss, Davies

Factory Ducati MotoGP riders Andrea Dovizioso and Jorege Lorenzo will race against other riders in The Race of Champions.
The race will take place during the World Ducati Week 2018.
The event takes place from 20^th to 22^nd July 2018.

Ducati has lined up a Race of Champions past and present during the 10^th World Ducati Week (WDW).

The race is slated to run from 20^th to 22^nd July 2018, on the historic Misano World Circuit Marco Simoncelli. Twelve riders including current works Ducati MotoGP riders Andrea Dovizioso and Jorge Lorenzo, will line up against Troy Bayliss, Marco Melandri, among others. Besides them, Danilo Petrucci and Jack Miller will also take part in the race.

By “race,” we meant a real race, as the riders will go through free practice, qualifying and all the way to the podium.

Ducati fans are in for a real treat as all riders will ride specially-prepared and limited-edition Ducati Panigale V4 S.

The World Ducati Week is an annual celebration for Ducati owners. It consists of a myriad of activities to celebrate the Ducati brand, including stunt shows, rides on the track, competitions such as engine disassembly and assembly, Ducatistas parade, Scrambler Village, Monster Village, Ducati Service, DRE Safety Academy, DRE Enduro Academy, Ducati factory and Ducati Museum visit at Borgo Panigale, and much more.

Please visit https://www.ducati.com/ww/en/experience/world-ducati-week if you are interested in joing the event.