It was only a few days ago when we posted a video received via our email showing the top speed run of the 2017 Modenas Pulsar NS200. This time around, we got our hands on yet another video of its fully fairing twin brother in action, the Modenas Pulsar RS200. (more…)
The master of Sachsenring Marc Marquez (Repsol Honda) extended his unbeatable eighth straight win at Sachsenring halfway through the 2017 MotoGP season. This eighth straight win also marked his impressive stat of winning all these races from pole position. The win also puts Marquez ahead of the 2017 championship with a total of 129 points. (more…)
Unlike Formula 1 teams who enjoy being able to communicate with their drivers in the thick of a race (with some heated and sometimes hilarious responses from the drivers), MotoGP teams on the other have always tried to find ways to be able to better communicate with the riders.
Riders say they often miss the outboards as they concentrate on staying ahead of their rivals. And in Moto3 races where riders are often bunched up together and everyone is trying to get a tow in the slipstream, riders say it is difficult to read the plt board and stay focused at the same time.
Teams were previously given permission to place a system to tell the rider when he has been red or black-flagged, and it is already in place. But it is no secret that Race Directions and the teams want a more thorough system that lets them communicate with the rider rather than just inform him of the colour of the flag.
According to popular MotoGP website Moto Matters, they have apparently been given the go ahead. The spec ECU and the dashboard in use in MotoGP and in Moto3 is already capable in a mode called the ‘duplex mode’, where messages can be sent and received via timing loops around the track. This will allow Race Direction to send messages to one or more riders, but whether or not the rider sees the message, reads it and actually understands the message is a different thing altogether.
Apparently at the Sachsenring MotoGP race last year multiple riders missed their pit boards, therefore missed out on the perfect time to swap bikes from wet tyres to slick tyres. It was then that some riders shared some opinions on receiving messages from their team.
And so, at the recently concluded Dutch GP, the Grand Prix Commission had met to discuss some revisions to the MotoGP rules, including permitting the use of dashboard messages by the teams from 2018. The rules have been changed, and MotoGP as well as Moto3 teams will adopt the dashboard message system that lets teams and riders share more than just the colour of the flag. Moto2 will follow in 2019 when Triumph begins supplying engines and Magneti Marelli will supply the electronics. There will be no limitations or restrictions to the messages sent.
The following is the statement from the FIM:
Dashboard Displays and Messages: It has already been confirmed that machines in the Moto3 and MotoGP class must have the dashboard facility to display text messages, linked to the current warning lights, with effect from 2018. This will also apply to the Moto2 class from 2019. The GPC have now confirmed the precise list of messages that will be sent with the warning lights by Race Direction.
Some teams already have the facility on their machine dashboards to receive text messages and, following approval from the Safety Commission, the GPC confirmed that such teams may already use this facility as a “virtual pit board”. This does not require any amendments to existing regulations.
The Modenas Pulsar NS200 has been quite popular in Malaysia despite some people saying Modenas should be able to build its own bikes. Well, that’s a different story altogether but for what it is, the NS200 is a good bike for those looking for a cheap step up to bigger capacity motorcycles.
There are many reviews on the internet already, and we have also tested both the bikes with the review already in our draft board waiting to be published. Well, we were going to publish it today, but then we got hold of this video of someone taking the NS200 on a top speed run.
Well, the Modenas NS200 barely manages 151km/h, but some of our friends have seen 156km/h but it was on a downhill, so it doesn’t count. But that is not too shabby considering the price of the bike, we are just curious as to how stable the bike was at that speed. Watch for our review, meanwhile, enjoy the video!
Why is the Modenas Pulsar NS200 such a big deal? Click here to find out!
Our video review on the difference between the Z900 Standard and the Z900 Special Edition.
Naked bikes and street fighters have been a big part of the motoring industry even since motorcycle enthusiasts modified them to make their bikes more aggressive and perform better than ever before. Motorcycle manufacturers took note of this and ever since then, they’ve been churning out their ready-to-ride naked bikes and street fighters. (more…)
Motorsport is an emotional sport, it is full of ups and downs, trials and tribulations and plenty of heartbreak. For our national racing heroes like Hafizh Shahrin, Khairul Idham Pawi and even Adam Norrodin, emotions were running high at last weekend’s Dutch Grand Prix (Assen TT) as the race coincided with Hari Raya (Eid celebrations).
Though they had to be far away from their families, who were undoubtedly stuck to the TV to watch the race, it was Hafizh Syahrin who brought some Raya cheer to the track.
The 23 year old was seen around the track in the traditional ‘baju melayu’ complete with songkok. He was also keen to share some local delicacies as he offered dates and other yummies to members of his team and others.
The racer from Ampang, who had a scary moment on track when his race bike threatened to high side him but managed to control it with brute force, shared some interesting photos on his social media page showing him mingling around, and even wearing the songkok on the starting grid, only replacing it with his helmet when it was time for the teams to clear the grid. Some members of his team too were seen donning the baju melayu complete with songkok on the starting grid and around the pits.
Hafizh Syahrin finished the race in 8th place after a strong showing.
To Hafizh we say tahniah and thank you for flying the Malaysian flag up high. And Selamat Hari Raya!
Follow Hafizh on his Facebook page by clicking here.
Image credits: Hafizh Syahrin Facebook page.
