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Moto Guzzi Sunday Ride

Moto Guzzi organized the Moto Guzzi Sunday Ride this past weekend.
First Moto Guzzi ride formally organized by Moto Guzzi Malaysia.
The ride headed to Gohtong Jaya and Bentong.

What’s the best way to build camaraderie and a family of bikers? Go on a ride, of course.

Moto Guzzi Malaysia organized their first official ride since relocating to their new home at Gasket Alley, Seksyen 13, Petaling Jaya.

Modestly called, “Moto Guzzi Sunday Ride,” the outing was planned to gather the number of Moto Guzzi owners in Malaysia for a relaxing ride to Genting Permai and onwards to Lemang To’ki 2 (the main Lemang To’ki outlet is closed) in Bentong, Pahang.

Guzzi and other motorcycles owners started gathering at 8.30am. Another great aspect of motorcycle rides is that one will get to see a pleasant mix of different bikes, and we weren’t disappointed this weekend.

There was a California, a number of V7 Racers including one which was customized into a scrambler, a V7 Anniversario 50, V9 Bobber, and a Norge tourer. There was a myriad of bikes of different makes too.

We pushed off after a safety briefing by the ride marshal and Juan Chow, riding at steady pace behind the marshal all the way to the BHP petrol station just after the Gombak toll plaza. We noticed the traffic was exceptionally heavy for a Sunday.

Everyone took a quick breather from the scorching sun while the marshals did a quick headcount.

From there it was a short ride up to the Nanyang Kopitiam Restaurant at Genting Permai. Apart from the Starbucks adjacent to it, Nanyang has now become was already packed with groups of bikers. We caught sight of celebrities Afdlin Shauki and Johan seated not far from us.

After a quick brunch, he descended back down to Karak Highway and headed to Bentong.

If traffic was heavy along the highway, it was worse when we reached the town. By now the convoy had gotten strung out as we had to navigate around other vehicles.

A traffic jam is the worst place to be for any biker, because that’s when car drivers start misbehaving out of frustration. A car cut right across this writer’s front wheel, and a 4×4 darted out of the intersection to Fraser’s Hill. Another car swung into our path, as if refusing to let us pass.

We finally reached Lemang To’ki after battling the traffic, only to realize that the marshal had mistakenly led us to the closed outlet.

We doubled back toward Bentong town but the guy in front of our group of eight bikes had lost touch with the marshal. Seeing a shaded and safe area, we pulled in and stopped. A rider in the group got in touch on the phone with someone and told us that there had been an accident.

The Yamaha T-Max ridden by a Moto Guzzi staff was T-boned by a mini SUV which charged out of an intersection the town, and both victims on the bike were taken to the Bentong Hospital. As my pillion was the other pillion’s housemate and BFF, we decided to just swing over to the hospital nearby.

The rider suffered a broken left foot. His pillion fared worse as her left knee was torn open. We feared the worst, but she suffered no broken bone after being X-rayed, thankfully.

Both are now recovering at home.

In closing, I would like to comment that it had been a relaxing ride, and it would’ve been perfect if not for impatient drivers. It was nice to see the participants getting along well, as they joked and laughed about the ride when we stopped at Gohtong Jaya. Also, a word of advice: Please be extra vigilant should you ride to Bentong on weekends and public.

PICTURE GALLERY

KTM announces 50cc electric mini bike for 2019!

KTM recently announced that they will be producing a 50cc electric mini bike for the motorcross scene as early as 2019.

Dubbed the KTM ‘E-Mini’, it is going to resemble the current 2017 KTM 50 SX Mini which is primed with a 49cc, single-cylinder, two-stroke, liquid-cooled engine.

The prototype race version of the E-Mini is said to lap around the dirt track around two seconds faster than the current petrol-powered 50 SX Mini.

Attention to all the cool parents who want to get their kids started in the motorcross or dirt bike scene! If you’re looking for the best way possible to do so, then you should pay attention to this latest announcement by KTM on producing a 50cc electric mini bike dubbed the ‘E-Mini’! (more…)

An electric Ducati bike by 2030?

There’s a plan indicating that an electric Ducati bike will appear in the market by the year 2030.

The VW Group announced at the recent Frankfurt Auto Show on their latest green initiative dubbed “Roadmap E”.

The initiative plans to diversify each and every motoring brand under its wings with at least one electric vehicle by the year 2030.

According to a recent report made by Asphalt and Rubber, the recent Frankfurt Auto Show saw Volkswagen Group Chairman Matthias Muller announcing that all of the motoring brands and companies under them will introduce at least one fully-electric machine by the year 2030. (more…)

A Smoother Ride with PETRONAS Sprinta with Ultraflex

PETRONAS Sprinta has been etched in the minds of Malaysians and they’re ready to take it further with their latest PETRONAS Sprinta with Ultraflex.

The latest lubricant from PETRONAS has been designed specifically to reduce the level of stress on an engine as it goes through the daily routine.

PETRONAS is also hosting a special online contest called the ‘Pengejar Impian’ (Dream Chaser) Facebook contest where you can win a year’s worth of PETRONAS Sprinta and Primax products.

PETRONAS Sprinta has been synonymous with motorcycle engine lubricants in Malaysia, as nasi lemak and roti canai are synonymous with being Malaysian. PETRONAS Sprinta has been etched in the minds of Malaysians thanks to it being so widely visible on both local and international motorsport platforms, and now the brand is set to take things up a notch with a new product called PETRONAS Sprinta with Ultraflex. (more…)

Suzuki suspends motorcross activities in FIM World MXGP and Japan for 2018

Suzuki Motor Corporation announced that they will be suspending their motorcross activities throughout Japan and the FIM World MXGP Championship starting next year.

In the announcement, Suzuki stated that they will be focusing more on its motorcycles operations and core business functions.

Suzuki also stated they will continue to produce their motorcross bikes like the RM-Z250 and 450 series.

Suzuki Motors Corporation has just announced that they will be suspending all of their motorcross efforts in Japan as well as in the FIM World MXGP Championship beginning of 2018. The sudden announcement was made on its official Suzuki Racing website at www.suzuki-racing.com just moments ago. (more…)

Miguel Oliviera Wins KTM’s First Moto2 Victory

Miguel Oliveira wins KTM’s first Moto2 victory at the Australian GP.
Teammate Brad Binder claimed his first podium in second place.
It is KTM’s first year in Moto2.
Pictures courtesy of KTM.

Miguel Oliveira and Brad Binder scored the top two podium finishes in the Moto2 race at the Australian GP yesterday, and a place in KTM’s record books.

Oliveira took the lead as soon as the lights went green and never looked back, even opening up a margin of six seconds at one point. Binder trailed in second place but was soon caught by championship leader Franco Morbidelli. The pair traded places with some aggressive moves until the rain flag waved just before the end. Binder held off Morbidelli for his first Moto2 podium in his first year in the intermediate class.

Brad Binder ahead of Franco Morbidelli, Australian Moto2 Race 2017

The Austrian manufacturer had decided to contest both Moto2 and MotoGP beginning this year (2017). But while Pol Espargaro and Bradly Smith have been posting encouraging mid-pack results on the RC16 in MotoGP, it’s Miguel Oliveira who has been knocking on the door for his first Moto2 win.

Oliveira, Binder and KTM Moto2 Team in Australia

Prior to the Australian GP, Oliveira had guided his KTM Moto2 bike to 6 podium finishes in its very first year in the class. In fact, KTM’s Moto2 effort got off to a flying start when the Portugese rider finished in fourth at the first race in Qatar, then following up with a second place in Argentina. He was on the podium again two races later in Jerez, Spain. More podium finishes came in Catalunya, Germany, Czech Republic, and Aragon.

In the sixteen races leading up to yesterday’s, Oliveira had finished out of the top ten only once in France, apart from two retirements in Austria and San Marino. He had also claimed two pole positions along the way.

Brad Binder, on the other hand, was the 2016 Moto3 champion, before moving up to the Red Bull Ajo Moto2 team to partner Oliveira this year. Fans would most probably remember Binder’s two victories after he started from dead last on grid!

Despite a difficult start to the season and injuries, the South African have been making steady progress since Round 11 in Austria.

Finishing 7^th in Austria, Binder has since logged 9^th in Great Britain, 4^th in San Marino, 5^th in Aragon, a DNF in Japan, and the second place in Australia yesterday.

With two rounds left in the 2017 Moto2 Championship, Miguel Oliveira now places third with 191 points, while Brad Binder is in tenths with 89 points.

Bikesrepublic

Latest News

Moto Guzzi organized the Moto Guzzi Sunday Ride this past weekend.

First Moto Guzzi ride formally organized by Moto Guzzi Malaysia.

The ride headed to Gohtong Jaya and Bentong.

PICTURE GALLERY

KTM recently announced that they will be producing a 50cc electric mini bike for the motorcross scene as early as 2019.

Dubbed the KTM ‘E-Mini’, it is going to resemble the current 2017 KTM 50 SX Mini which is primed with a 49cc, single-cylinder, two-stroke, liquid-cooled engine.

The prototype race version of the E-Mini is said to lap around the dirt track around two seconds faster than the current petrol-powered 50 SX Mini.

There’s a plan indicating that an electric Ducati bike will appear in the market by the year 2030.

The VW Group announced at the recent Frankfurt Auto Show on their latest green initiative dubbed “Roadmap E”.

The initiative plans to diversify each and every motoring brand under its wings with at least one electric vehicle by the year 2030.

PETRONAS Sprinta has been etched in the minds of Malaysians and they’re ready to take it further with their latest PETRONAS Sprinta with Ultraflex.

The latest lubricant from PETRONAS has been designed specifically to reduce the level of stress on an engine as it goes through the daily routine.

PETRONAS is also hosting a special online contest called the ‘Pengejar Impian’ (Dream Chaser) Facebook contest where you can win a year’s worth of PETRONAS Sprinta and Primax products.

Suzuki Motor Corporation announced that they will be suspending their motorcross activities throughout Japan and the FIM World MXGP Championship starting next year.

In the announcement, Suzuki stated that they will be focusing more on its motorcycles operations and core business functions.

Suzuki also stated they will continue to produce their motorcross bikes like the RM-Z250 and 450 series.

Miguel Oliveira wins KTM’s first Moto2 victory at the Australian GP.

Teammate Brad Binder claimed his first podium in second place.

It is KTM’s first year in Moto2.

Pictures courtesy of KTM.

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