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Want a Cub Scrambler? Here’s the Honda CT125

The Honda CT125 is going into production.
It could be sold under Trail 125 or Hunter Cub name.
It’s an homage to the original Honda Cub trail of the 60s.

It looks like the Honda CT125 is headed into production.

The prototype bike was first shown at the Tokyo Motor Show but could be sold under a different name. Bennets UK reported that the manufacturer had trademarked the “Trail 125” and “Hunter Cub” names in the US.

The bike is based on the Super Cub 125 which our sister site Motomalaya.net reviewed a few months back. The four-stroke, single-cylinder engine produces 9.5 bhp, sent through a 4-speed gearbox. As the name suggests, and to highlight the bike’s vocation, it’ll be fitted with chunky knobby tyres on wire spoke rims. The CT125 will also receive a substantial pressed-steel frame instead of the Super Cub’s steel-tube chassis. The exhaust is also placed high a la scramblers.

In fact, the CT125 is an homage to the Honda Cub off-road line-up in the 60s. You’ve probably seen a few running around in Malaysia or hiding in a shed.

We hope it’ll make its way to Malaysia. It’s definitely one cut off-roader!

Didi Resources Appointed as New Piaggio and Vespa Distributor in Malaysia

Didi Resources Sdn. Bhd. has been appointed as the new Piaggio and Vespa distributor in Malaysia.
A Motoplex concept shop will also be opened to offer all brands under the Piaggio Group umbrella.
The news follows Naza Primera’s announcement to cease Vespa operations.

Didi Resources Sdn. Bhd. has been appointed as the new Piaggio and Vespa distributor in Malaysia.

The announcement was made by the Piaggio group. As such, Didi Resources will take over the role from Naza Primera Sdn. Bhd. The news follows the announcement made by Naza Primera yesterday.

Read: Naza Premira to Stop Vespa Operations

Mr. Gianluca Fiume, Chairman & General Director of Piaggio Vietnam cum Executive Vice President Asia Pacific 2 Wheeler, said, “The appointment of Didi Resources is part of Piaggio’s business strategy to group the Piaggio, Vespa, Aprilia and Moto Guzzi brands under a single entity to maximize efficiencies across all aspects of the business and reinforce customer commitment in Malaysia. With the Piaggio Group brands under one roof established under the Motoplex concept, we are able to better offer a wider range for potential customers who seek an enriching Italian two-wheel experience backed by style, technology, superior performance and rich heritage. We look forward to collaborating closely with Didi Resources to push forward the brands to greater heights.”

According to Mr. Rewi Hamid Bugo, Chairman of Didi Resources Sdn. Bhd, “In addition to handling Aprilia and Moto Guzzi, we are very honoured to be presented with this opportunity to manage Piaggio and Vespa, the premium scooter brands which have transformed the concept of individual mobility and freedom. With this acquisition we can now manage Piaggio, Vespa, Aprilia and Moto Guzzi under the iconic Motoplex concept of the prestigious Piaggio Group for the Malaysian market. Didi Resources is firmly committed to strengthening the positioning of the brands by intensifying marketing and communication efforts, offering dedicated aftersales support, affirming the communities, and ensuring that engagement with the brands is continuous in the light of a competitive two wheel environment in Malaysia.”

Motoplex is the most innovative retail model for the two-wheeler industry and enables importers and dealers to leverage the potential of the Group brands and products in the same outlet. Each Motoplex store provides the full offer of the Piaggio, Vespa, Aprilia and Moto Guzzi brands in a single location, together with services, accessories, merchandising and entertainment, to give customers an exciting global overview and a unique experience of the two-wheeler world.

Launched in 2015, the Group has already passed the significant milestone of 500 Motoplex stores open around the world in Europe, the Americas, Oceania, Asia, and the Indian subcontinent, alongside the traditional distribution network. Among the main cities in which Motoplex Stores have been opened are New York, Bangkok, Tokyo, Milan, Pune, Malta, Madrid, London, Berlin, Vienna, Lisbon, Stuttgart, Sydney, Jakarta and Bali.

The official appointment of Didi Resources as sole importer and distributor for Piaggio and Vespa will take effect from 1 January 2020. Plans for the construction of the Motoplex are underway with the launch scheduled in early 2020. A complete listing of Vespa dealers is available on https://www.vespa.com/my_EN/store-locator.html.

Motorcycles Top Vehicle Theft List in 2018

Motorcycles were the most stolen vehicles in 2018.
A total of 26,779 motorcycles were reported as stolen.
In another news, fatalities from road accidents dropped by 2.4%.

Motorcycles top the vehicle theft, according to the statistics released by the Department of Statistics Malaysia (DOSM).

The DOSM report stated that there was a total of 71,760 71,760 property thefts reported in 2018. Of that number, 50.1% represented vehicle theft.

Of that number, motorcycle and bicycles top the list with 26,779 stolen. This was a huge sum compared to 7,412 cars and 1,761 lorries/vans.

Is someone playing Grand Theft Auto in real life?

Most of crime cases in 2018 were related to property. The highest property crime was contributed by vehicle theft (50.1%).#StatsMalaysia #MyStatsDay #BetterDataBetterLives #LeaveNoOneBehind #SDG #HIES2019 #MyCensus2020 #DOSM70Tahun pic.twitter.com/xtaOZzOpnc

— DOSM (@StatsMalaysia) November 27, 2019

All we can say please lock up even if you’re stepping into 7-Eleven for a couple of minutes, or if the bike’s parked within your driveway. Thieves look for instances of vulnerability and won’t want to spend a long time trying to unlock that disc lock (for example).

On another note, deaths caused by road accidents in 2018 dropped 2.4% from the previous year, from 4,499 to 4,391.

While that number looks big, it represents only 1.1 percent of the total number of reported road accidents. Selangor registered the highest fatality rate of 1,046 cases, while Kelantan had the highest injury rate of 1,626.

Remember to gear up and ride safe. Like a public safety message once said, “Don’t become a statistic.”

Naza Premira to Stop Vespa Operations

Naza Premira Sdn. Bhd. will cease Vespa operations.
The move takes effect from 1^st January 2020.
They will continue to provide services for the brand until 31^st December 2019.

Naza Premira Sdn. Bhd. announced that they will cease operations for the Vespa brand with effect from 1^stJanuary 2020.

The news was confirmed by Group Executive Chairman & Group CEO of Naza Corporation Holdings Sdn. Bhd., SM Nasarudin SM Nasimuddin.

“Since July, the Naza Group and Piaggio Group have been in mutual discussion with regards to the separation. We thank the Piaggio Group for our nine-year partnership and wish them all the best with their new partner.”

He added that letting the brand go was due to the corporation reassessing and strengthening their operations.

The company will continue to provide vehicle service, parts, warranty and aftersales service until 31^stDecember 2019.

Although the news may come as no surprise to some, executives from the Piaggio Group had brushed aside the question on many occasions prior to this. The last such instance was during the Moto Guzzi V85TT Asia Pacific Media Launch in May 2019 which took place in Thailand.

As for the future distributor, it is expected that Didi Resources Sdn. Bhd. will take over the operations. This in view of them already being the custodians of two other Piaggio Group brands namely Moto Guzzi and Aprilia.

Stay tuned for further news.

OPINION: Loose Clothing Claims Another Victim – When Will We Learn?

Another accident and death occurred due to loose clothing.
It claimed the life of a 10-year-old girl this time.
This isn’t the first time.

There’ve been many motorcycle accidents caused by loose clothing and another such incident took the life of a 10-year-old.

The accident took place in Kampung Gong Tanah Merah, Jertih, Terengganu yesterday.

According to the victim’s aunt, who was riding the motorcycle, her daughter’s rain suit had gotten stuck in the bike’s sprocket. It then tied around her throat and dragged her off the bike. She passed away on the spot.

Chief of Police for the Besut District, Superintendent Abdul Rozak Muhammad confirmed the accident and death. He said that the subsequent autopsy found that Tuan Nur Irdina Najwa Tuan Rosli had suffered mortal wounds to the throat.

She was spending her school vacation in her grandparents’ hometown.

This isn’t the first occurrence. Many media outlets and us have reported many times about the need to secure loose clothing while riding a motorcycle, for both the rider and pillion. Motorcycle occupants are faced with a chain final drive that’s open to the environment. The chain could act as a chainsaw, while the wheel and sprocket as pulleys.

Read: Child’s limb trapped due to loose clothes

Yet it seems that all the advice fell on deaf ears, just as countless advice on safe riding and proper techniques. Another frustrating was the victims’ family blaming fate (takdir) for the accidents, when it was their negligence and could’ve been fully avoidable. What? Is god responsible now?

Is every motorcycle supposed to be fitted with an enclosed chainguard like the Honda EX5?

Stop wearing jackets front to back and secure those loose clothing today. Also, bear tie-downs and soft luggage in mind.

Source: Berita Harian

Here’s How the KTM RC16 MotoGP Bike’s New Frame Looks Like

The KTM RC16 MotoGP bike have new frames.
They are now being tested at the Jerez pre-season tests.
The frames are still made of steel but have a different shape.

You may have heard of Red Bull KTM Factory Racing Team rider Pol Espargaro singing praises about the KTM RC16 MotoGP bike’s new frame.

He even went as far as setting the same lap time as reigning world champion Marc Marquez at one point. He then thanked test rider Dani Pedrosa for his input.

The first new frame was tested at the first 2020 pre-season test at Valencia last week. It still features steel as the material but in rectangular form instead of the usual tube-shape KTM had been using since the first RC16.

Comparison of the frames at Valencia – Photo credit Motor Sport Magazine

Now there’s a second frame at the Jerez tests, painted black presumably to hide its shape.

“The black frame is the newest one, maybe not the biggest improvement, but it’s already a small step better (than the orange frame,” said Espargaro.

“We have an advantage over the others because our metal tube chassis is much faster (to make) than the others. This is going to be helpful to us,” he revealed.

Indeed, that’s true as the aluminium beam frames in MotoGP are machined from billet(!), instead of being cast or extruded. This main section which includes the headstock and spars are then welded to the uprights.

KTM RC16 new frame v2 – Photo credit Crash.net

On the other hand, steel beams are extruded then welded together. In fact, the team could cut and weld different sections with much ease compared to welding aluminium frames.

Overall, the team is seeking to create a bike that’s better in terms of turning, traction and stability. As Espargaro said of the old frame, “The best part about our bike is the front. On the brakes the bike is stable, and we can go deep in braking. Normally the problems we have is from the back of the bike, low grip and low turning (difficult to turn).”

Pedrosa also took to the track during the test sessions. Hopefully we’ll get to see him again in Malaysia.