Royal Enfield are opening a CKD plant in Thailand in June 2019.
They plan to supply the Thai market directly.
RE received more than 700 orders for the new Interceptor 650 and Continental 650 GT in the country alone.
Royal Enfield announced that they will open a CKD plant in Thailand in June this year.
The plan means the brand has somewhat come full circle since Thailand was one of the first Southeast Asian market that they penetrated. The Kingdom was also amongst the first global market to receive the Interceptor 650 and Continental 650 GT.
Royal Enfield (RE) claimed that they haves received over 700 bookings in the country itself for the two models since their launch last year. 100 have been delivered to date.
The manufacturer hopes to further expand their reach and support in the country. Besides the factory, they are also aiming to set up 15 dealerships and 25 service centres by March 2020. There will be more dealerships in Bangkok, Greater Bangkok, Phuket, Pattaya and Chiang Mai. Not bad considering that they started with just one dealership in Bangkok just not long ago.
The Royal Enfield Interceptor 650 won the “Best Modern Classic Middleweight” award at the Thailand Bike of the Year 2019 awards ceremony.
However, RE did not mention if they plan to export the bikes produced in Thailand to other Southeast Asian countries.
The countdown to the 25th Phuket Bike Week begins.
It will be held from 12th to 14th April at Patong, and 19th to 20th April at the Phuket Boat Lagoon, this year.
50,000 visitors are expected.
It’s almost April and enthusiasts know it’s almost time for the pilgrimage to the Phuket Bike Week (PBW).
The annual event is extra special this year as it celebrates its 25th anniversary and is dubbed “World Ride Together (sic).” Hence it promises to be the biggest ever than an already largest motorcycle gathering in Asia.
The organizers and tourism authority expect more than 5,000 motorcycles of all types, and 50,000 participants and visitors from more than 30 countries including Thailand. They also project that the event will draw in THB 500 million in revenue.
As per tradition, the PBW will be held in two locations on the island of Phuket on two subsequent different dates. The first chapter will be held at Loma Park, Patong Beach from 12thto 14thApril. The second will be held at the Phuket Boat Lagoon from 19thto 20thApril.
Do note that this year’s PBW coincides with the Songkran water festival, which starts from 13thApril and ends on 15thApril, thus visitors can expect an even merrier fun quotient.
Activities include motorcycle exhibitions, custom bike contest, Miss Phuket Bike Week contest, charity ride. Rock bands and performers include the legendary Thai band Carabao who shot to fame with their song “Made in Thailand;” our very own Wings and many more.
So, start planning now for your convoy to the north!
The 2019 Yamaha Y15ZR v2 has been launched after much anticipation.
The new model comes with a number of new features.
It will be available from mid-April, so as the price.
The 2019 Yamaha Y15ZR v2 was launched yesterday after much speculation and anticipation.
The launch continues the timeline of the hotly popular model. Yamaha calls the v2 (for Version 2) the “King of the Streets.” It is hard to argue with the tag as its predecessor was ubiquitous and seen on the streets everywhere in Malaysia.
New for the Y15ZR v2 are:
High low beam LED headlights.
New LCD meter panel.
Wider 90/80-17 front tyre.
New graphics and design.
The facelift also comes with 4 new vibrant colours called Striking Cyan, Blazing Red, Storm Blue and Dynamic Grey.
It will be available from authorized Yamaha dealers nationwide from mid-April 2019. Customers will also receive a free exclusive Yamaha disc brake lock worth RM 100, and complete with reminder wire.
The Y15ZR v2 was launched at Round 1 of the 2019 PETRONAS AAM Malaysia Cub Prix Championship in Jasin, Melaka. It’s a fitting venue as the previous model was crowned the CP150 category champion in 2017 and 2018.
Yamaha Cub Prix riders Ahmad Afif Aman, Kasma Daniel Kasmayudin, Tengku Amirul Haffirudin and Md. Akid Aziz accompanied the launch. Md. Akid dominated the CP150 category in the last two years, while Tengku Amirul won the CP115 category in 2018.
The Youth and Sports Ministry (KBS) explained why the Automobile Association of Malaysia (AAM) was booted out as the sanctioning body for motorsports.
KBS recommended to the FIM that the Motorsports Association of Malaysia (MAM) take AAM’s place.
According to the FIM’s Sports Commissioner, “The AAM consistently broke the rules.”
The Automobile Association of Malaysia (AAM)/Motorsports Association of Malaysia (MAM) saga riles many feathers and had many racing enthusiasts talking about it. In the latest twist, Kementerian Belia dan Sukan (KBS – Youth and Sports Ministry) joined the ring, calling for AAM to be booted out of role as the country’s authority on motorsports.
The minister of the department, Syed Saddiq said, “AAM has been suspended by the (FIM) Sports Commission for consistently breaching the provisions of the Sports Development Act 1997. Many warnings have been given out before.”
“It is important for international regulatory bodies to be aware of this and take whatever action as necessary. We do not dictate what they should or should not do.”
On the other hand, “MAM has always been registered with the Sports Commissioner under the Sports Development Act 1997 to carry out national motorsports events.”
He added that this was in effect from many years ago, even before he became a minister.
Malaysian Insider had previously claimed that Syed Saddiq sent a letter to the International Motorcycling Federation (FIM) in September last year. The letter sought to recognize MAM as the sole Malaysian motorsports authority.
Photo credit malaymail.com
According to the FIM’s Sports Commissioner’s Office, it cancelled AAM’s status as a sports body in late 2018 after the latter “broke the rules.” AAM did not submitted their year-end report and amending their own constitution.
AAM chairman Tunku Mudzaffar Mustapha, on the other hand, said that they had been in constant communication with the FIM, but was suddenly deregistered on 30thNovember 2018.
AAM is the only sporting body in Malaysia sanctioned by the FIM, International Automobile Federation (FIA), and International Carting Federation (CIK). Hence, participants need to apply for their racing license and insurance from AAM if they compete overseas.
Tunku Mudzaffar warned that international motorsports events such as MotoGP will be jeopardy since AAM is the sole sanctioning body.
Our take
Dato’ Ahmad Razlan Ahmad Razali had said that the SIC MotoGP teams registered their riders including Hafizh Syahrin directly with the FIM without the involvement of AAM or MAM.
But if the FIM accepts MAM as the sanctioning body in Malaysia, international motorsports events ought to continue, which contradicts AAM’s statement.
The reality is this: The AAM has long been reviled by Malaysian racers on both four wheels and two wheels. To them, the body had only been charging high premiums for the racing license and insurance but have done nothing to promote the country’s motorsports. “AAM is beyond reproach,” they said.
These grouses were aired to this writer when he was covering the FIM Asia Supermoto Championship from 2015 and many other motorsports events.
Famed American motorcycle builder and designer Arlen Ness has passed away.
He was often referred to as the King of Custom Motorcycles.
He also designed the Victory and Indian motorcycles.
Famed American motorcycle builder and designer Arlen Ness has passed away. This sad news was confirmed by Ultimate Motorcycling.
Ness became a giant in the custom motorcycle business and was often referred to as The King of Custom Motorcycles. He built a number of award-winning bikes in his lifetime, earning him the Builder of the Year and Lifetime Achievement Awards. He was also inducted into the Motorcycle Hall of Fame in America.
But he didn’t just build them, he also pioneered selling his custom parts and accessories through mail order. Just look around and see almost every Harley-Davidson has an Arlen Ness accessory.
Additionally, he was tapped by Polaris to design Victory and Indian motorcycles. The most well-known model was the Victory Vision Tour.
His empire also expanded to include riding gear in association Berik.
Ness’s son Cory and grandson Zack will succeed him in the business. They are notable custom builders themselves.
The trophy will award 30 top participants (BMW riders) in the rankings.
You may not have heard of this competition, but the BMW Motorrad Race Trophy continues in 2019 for the sixth season.
In this competition, top 30 participants in the BMW Motorrad Race Trophy (BMRT) rankings will be awarded trophies and prize money. There are also prizes for teams who win the title in their respective championships, besides categories such as “Best BMW Rider in Class” and “Newcomer of the Year.”
How does it work? Let’s take the Pirelli Malaysia Superbike Championship for example. The championship is classified as a “participant” in the BMRT series. The riders on BMW bikes in different categories are then ranked against other BMW riders in other series worldwide.
26 different championship classes in 21 international and national races are classified for the trophy in 2019. The number includes WorldSBK, Endurance World Championship, International Road Racing Championship (IRRC). New additions are the FIM European Superstock 1000 Cup and Asia Road Racing Championship (ARRC). The ARRC added the 1000cc superbike class this year.
Azlan Shah in ARRC 2019 – Photo credit mekanika.com.my
Registration in the BMRT begins on 30thJune and ends on 17thNovember.
This year, BMW will disburse a total of €100,000 in prize money among the best participants.
