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Millennium Welt BMW Motorrad – BMW Motorrad Club Malaysia Merdeka Ride

Millennium Welt BMW Motorrad hosted the BMW Motorrad Club Malaysia (BMWMCM) members for a Merdeka ride themed “Sayangi Malaysiaku” (Love My Malaysia).
The convoy rode to Muar, Johor.
About 150 riders and guests took part.

Millennium Welt BMW Motorrad hosted the BMW Motorrad Club Malaysia (BMWMCM) members for a Merdeka ride.

The ride, themed “Sayangi Malaysiaku” (Love My Malaysia) was held on the 62^ndMerdeka Day, 31^stAugust 2019.

It began from 7.30am with the arrival of approximately 150 riders and guests, in preparation for a convoy to Muar, Johor. Stops included the Bukit Kepong Muzium as a reminder to Malaysia’s stand against communist guerillas.

The staff from Millennium Welt handed over the ride t-shirts and also Malaysian flags to be placed on the participants’ bikes. The flags signified the riders’ patriotism and love for the nation.

Apart from patriotism, the ride demonstrated that Malaysians stand together as one in spite of race, religion or creed. Indeed, the representatives called for solidarity and to reject racism and fundamentalism.

The dealer also served a great Malaysian meal before the flag off. The national anthem “Negaraku” was sung by all and proceeded with the shouts of “Merdeka!” (independence) ringing throughout the Metal Bees Production House and surroundings in Sunway Damansara.

This was the first Merdeka ride organized by Millennium Welt BMW Motorrad and they promised more of such rides in the future. Attendees also had the opportunity to test ride the latest BMW Motorrad models.

PHOTO GALLERY

Is a New BMW S 1000 XR in the Works?

BMW Motorrad may be working on a new BMW S 1000 XR sport-tourer.
The new bike’s engine needs to be Euro 5-compliant.
It needs to contend with the Ducati Multistrada V4 and KTM 1290 Super Adventure.

We reported earlier that the BMW S 1000 XR was missing from BMW Motorrad USA’s submission to the air control board.

While we don’t see many S 1000 XR on our shores, the model is highly popular in Europe and elsewhere. In fact, it outsold the S 1000 RR sportbike in BMW’s four-cylinder line-up.

To kill the model outright would see the manufacturer lose out in a huge market, so that could only mean one thing: That BMW is working on a new model.

Again, almost all manufacturers must build Euro 5-compliant models by 2020 or 2021. Older models will have to comply by 2020 while completely new models can comply by 2021.

The new S 1000 XR will definitely feature an engine with the new Shift Cam technology, as already fitted to the new S 1000 RR. The technology allows the engine to generate the required horsepower and keeping emissions low.

Speaking of power, the current bike’s engine produces 165 hp. We wonder if we’ll see a power hike in the new bike since it has to contend with the new KTM 1290 Super Adventure and the rumoured Ducati Multistrada V4.

The new S 1000 XR may also feature radar-controlled auto cruise. KTM is reportedly testing it on the next generation 1290 Super Adventure.

Hafizh Syahrin in PETRONAS Sprinta Racing Team for Moto2 in 2020?

Is Hafizh Syahrin confirmed as a rider in the PETRONAS Sprinta Racing Team for Moto2 in 2020?
A website listed his name next to new signing Xavi Vierge’s.
There’s no official word yet from Hafizh or team principal Dato’ Ahmad Razlan Ahmad Razali.

Is Hafizh Syahrin confirmed as a rider in the PETRONAS Sprinta Racing Team for Moto2 in 2020?

The Hafizh saga started when KTM moved Brad Binder from Moto2 to MotoGP to replace Hafizh Syahrin in the Red Bull KTM Tech 3 Racing Team. Since there was no opening left in the premier class for 2020, Hafizh mooted to return to Moto2.

Hafizh Syahrin on the KTM RC16 at Qatar 2019 – Photo credit MotoGP.com

At this point, Tech 3 boss Herve Poncharal offered Hafizh a place in the Moto2 team. But soon after, KTM made the decision to pull out of Moto2 in 2020. Poncharal followed KTM’s plan and dediced to withdraw as well.

Hafizh went dark (as in quiet) since then.

However, something caught our eyes today.

Motorsport.com reported that Xavi Vierge will leave the Marc VDS team and join the PETRONAS Sprinta Racing Team in Moto2 next year. With the latter team currently running only Khairul Idham Pawi, it meant that he is out.

But hang on!

The website also published a list of confirmed riders for 2020, and Hafizh Syahrin’s name was listed together with Vierge in the PETRONAS Sprinta Racing Team!

List of confirmed Moto2 riders in 2020 – Credit motosport.com

This is the only website we’ve seen this thus far. There’s no official word yet from Hafizh or team principal Dato’ Ahmad Razlan Ahmad Razali.

As for Pawi, it’s been rumoured that he will join the PETRONAS Sprinta Racing Team in Moto3, replacing Ayumu Sasaki and will line up next to John McPhee.

What Does CE-Approved Protection Mean?

Discerning riders demand CE-approved protection.
But what does CE-approved protection mean?
Here we outline the codes found on protectors.

You’ve probably heard of the term “CE-approved” protection or armour.

What does that mean, actually? Here’s a short description for your knowledge and to avoid confusion.

What is “CE”?

Let’s start with what “CE” means. The letters stand for “ConformitéEuropéene” in French, which translates to “European Conformity.” However, you’ll find a large CE marking on an armour, plus the smaller “EN” mark followed by a code. The letters “EN” stand for “European Norm.”

The “CE Marking” is mandated by directive 93/68/EEC in 1993.

What do the markings say?

However, the markings on a piece of CE-approved armour will read as, for example, “EN1621-1 S/H TYPE A.” That’s in the case of the shoulder armour from the RS Taichi RSJ709 Frontier adventure jacket. Other manufacturers may mark their shoulder armours as “EN 1621-1:2012 S TYPE B”

You should find “EN1621-2 B (or FB) TYPE A (or B)” on a back protector.

Let’s take the second mark:

EN 1621-1:2012 S TYPE B

EN – The marking means the armour conforms to the CE standard.
1621 – The armour is meant for motorcycle applications.
1621-1 – The armour is for anywhere but the back i.e. shoulder, elbow, forearm, hip, knee, shin.
1621-2 – You can find this code only on back protectors.
2012 – The year the armour was certified.
S – This letter means the armour is meant for the shoulder. Please refer to the list below for other parts of the body.
TYPE A – Smaller coverage area but more specialized application.
TYPE B – Means normal coverage.

There are also two levels of protection:

Level 1 – Maximum transmitted force must be below 18 kN (kilo-Newton), equivalent to 1835.5 kilogram-force (kgf).
Level 2 – Maximum transmitted force must be below 9 kN, equivalent to 917.75 kgf.

This means Level 2 protection allow less forces through, hence providing better protection.

List of codes for different parts of the body (EN1621-1 protectors):

S – Shoulder
E – Elbow
H – Hip
K – Knee
K + L – Knee plus upper and middle tibia
L – Front of leg
KP – Knuckle protection (for gloves)

List of codes for back protectors (EN1621-2):

B or FB – Full back protector for the central back and scapulae
CB – Central back
L or LB – Lumbar

The accompanying information card must also specify:

Performance Level 1 or 2
Abrasion resistance Level 1 or 2
Impact cut resistance Level 1 or 2
Burst strength Level 1 or 2

CE Certification for other motorcycle protective gear:

The certification is mandated by directive 89/686/EEC.

The codes are:

EN13634 – Boots
EN12594 – Gloves
EN1621-3 – Chest
EN13595-1 – Protective motorcycle clothing i.e. jackets, pants, one-piece suit, two-piece suit. Note that while most clothing have CE-approved armour, the clothing itself may or may not be EN13595-1 certified.

2020 MotoGP Provisional Calendar Unveiled

The FIM have unveiled the 2020 MotoGP provisional calendar.
The championship will have 20 races next year.
The Thai round will be in March and the new Finland round will be in July.

The FIM have unveiled the 2020 MotoGP provisional calendar. The championship will have 20 races next year.

While most venues and dates look similar, the Thai round in Buriram will be moved from October to March. The schedule will also see the addition of Kymiring in Finland in July for the first time.

The Thai MotoGP race takes over from WorldSBK. The latter series saw a large drop of spectators since MotoGP was introduced to the country.

So, instead of the usual opener in Qatar followed by the two races in the USA and Argentina, Thailand slots in after Qatar.

The campaign continues in Europe with the Spanish round in May, continuing afterwards with France, Italy, Catalunya, Germany, Netherlands, the aforementioned Finland. The riders and teams get a well-earned 3-week break before continuing in Czech Republic, Austria, Great Britain, San Marino and finally Aragon.

The next three fly-away rounds are familiar to followers i.e. Japan, Australia, Malaysia in November and ending in Valencia.

There will be two winter testes for the MotoGP field. The first will be in Sepang from 7^thto 9^thFebruary. The second test is in Qatar, one week before the 2020 season kicks off.

Can We Have This Here? Michigan, USA Teaches Motorists How to Spot Motorcycles

The state of Michigan, USA is teaching motorists how to spot motorcycles in traffic.
The campaign uses visual aids to remind motorists about the presence of motorcycles.
We wish such a campaign is carried out in Malaysia.

The state of Michigan, USA is teaching motorists how to spot motorcycles in traffic.

How many times have we been cut off (colloquial: pangkah) by other vehicles on the road? In a flash of anger, we think these motorists are either blind or doing it on purpose. Truth is, no one wants any trouble. It’s usually because motorcycles are difficult to spot given the bike’s small cross section coupled with the abundance of blind spots in other vehicles.

A small cross section makes it hard to estimate the bike’s closing speed. A driver who glanced once at bigger vehicles can pretty much process its closing speed but not a motorcycle’s.

That’s why the campaign is called “Look Twice. Save a Life.”

The campaign features videos being circulated at gas stations, billboards and “tip cards” throughout the state. Michigan is also one of only 17 states in the US which has anti-distraction laws.

We wonder why such a campaign can’t be carried out here in Malaysia. Yes, there’s a public service announcement ad about the perils of using the phone while riding but there’s no concerted approach in teaching motorists on looking out for motorcycles.

Instead, the Transport Ministry, Public Works Department and MIROS are intent on listening to advice from a group who has no experience about motorcycles but has plenty of self-vested interests. As a result, motorcyclists may be punished instead by being relegated to the left lane.

Heck, even the motorcycle lanes along the Federal Highway have not been completed.