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Dutch MotoGP 2019: Maverick Vinalez Ends Yamaha’s Drought

Maverick Vinalez won at the Dutch MotoGP 2019 round to end Yamaha’s year-long drought of race wins.
Marc Marquez finished in 2^nd place.
Fabio Quartararo finished on the podium again.

Maverick Vinalez (Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP) won at the Dutch MotoGP 2019 round to end Yamaha’s year-long drought of race wins.

Vinalez had battled all race long with the youngest back-to-back pole sitter Fabio Quartararo (Petronas Sepang Racing Team) and World Champion Marc Marquez (Repsol Honda). The trio traded places on and on until Quartararo had to slow down due to incessant speed wobbles. Both Vinalez and Marquez passed him without hesitation, to set up a two-bike battle in the closing laps.

Vinalez finally prevailed from Lap 18 to end the race 5 seconds ahead of Marquez. The latter seemingly slowing down to settle for 2^nd position to protect his lead in the championship. Indeed, he revealed in the post-race interview that his goal was to finish ahead of Andrea Dovizioso (Mission Winnow Ducati), Alex Rins (Suzuki Ecstar) and Danilo Petrucci (Dovizioso’s teammate).

Quartararo made it home in 3^rd for his second podium finish in his first season. He had battled through arm pump to stay ahead of Andrea Dovizioso.

His teammate Franco Morbidelli pushed up the field to pass Petrucci on the final lap to finish 5^th.

Cal Crutchlow (LCR Honda) fought back against Joan Mir (Suzuki Ecstar) to grab 6^th.

Jack Miller (Pramac Ducati) and Andrea Iannone (Gresini Aprilia) rounded off the top 10.

It was another nightmare race for Valentino Rossi (Monster Energy Yamaha) who crashed together with Takaaki Nakagami (LCR Honda) at high speed. Nakagami was stretchered off the track side.

Marc Marquez had predicted a strong race, if not a victory, but one of the Yamahas after witnessing their pace throughout the weekend. As in the previous race at Catalunya, the Yamahas demonstrated higher midcorner speeds and ease of being flicked side-to-side, fitting the twisting format of the Assen track well. Suzuki also had this advantage but Alex Rins crashed out from the lead on Lap 3.

It was Marquez’s remarkable skills to put the Honda in 2^nd place. The next closest Honda of Cal Crutchlow was way back in 6^th.

The Ducatis couldn’t take advantage of their towering engine power and straightline speed at the Cathedral of Speed. As Dovizioso remarked earlier this season, the Ducati Desmosedici GP19 still has trouble with keeping its line in midcorner, thereby hampering the riders from applying the throttle earlier.

Marquez currently leads the championship with a substantial 44 points clear of Dovizioso in second. Indeed, the cameras caught a despondent-looking Dovizioso sipping his drink in his paddock after the race.

What about Quartararo’s speed wobbles/tank slapper? As pointed out by our veteran journalist friend, both the Yamahas and Suzukis suffered the same problem down the back straight due to the strong crosswind. The two manufacturers’ bikes are set up for quick-steering hence have less stability, compared to the Honda RC213V, Ducati Desmosedici and KTM RC16.

The next round is at Sachsenring, Germany.

Triumph Bonneville T120 Diamond Edition and Triumph Bonneville T120 Ace Café Launched

Triumph Motorcycles Malaysia launched two limited-edition models today, namely the Triumph Bonneville T120 Diamond Edition and the Triumph Bonneville T120 Ace Café.
The Bonneville T120 Diamond Edition celebrates the 60^th anniversary of the 1959 Bonneville T120.
The Bonneville T120 Ace Café celebrates the birthplace of café racers, on the other hand.

Triumph Motorcycles Malaysia launched two limited-edition models today, namely the Triumph Bonneville T120 Diamond Edition and the Triumph Bonneville T120 Ace Café.

Both are special commemorative models and were launched as a pair earlier this year. Although they are Bonnie T120 twins, each boasts distinctively different stylistic cues, lending to that good twin/bad twin adage.

The duo are powered by the 1200cc, liquid-cooled, HT (High Torque) parallel-Twin which features a 270^o crankshaft spacing.

Triumph Bonneville T120 Diamond Edition – From 74,900

It’s called the Diamond Edition because it commemorates the 60^th anniversary of the Bonneville, which made its appearance in 1959 Bonneville T120. The “T120” name is hallowed in Triumph’s history as it was the first bike to hit 115 mph (185 km/h) in stock form and 120 mph (192 km/h) with slight modifications.

Highlights:

Premium one-off Snowdonia Whie and Aluminium Silver “Union Flag” on the gas tank.

Unique T120 Diamond side panel branding.
Chrome 4-bar Triumph badges on the gas tank.
Chrome cylinder head cover, cooling fins, crankcase covers, badges and chain guard.

Only 900 will be built.
Each owner will receive a special certificate signed by Triumph CEO, Nick Bloor.
Only 4 units are available to customers in Malaysia.

Triumph Bonneville T120 Ace Café – From RM 75,900

The legendary Ace Café in London is considered the birthplace of the café racer. Legend has it that the riders there will challenge each other to race on a street circuit and return to the venue before a song ends on the jukebox. Hence, probably why the bike is “blacked out” for that mean, stripped down, hopped-up and “Head Down – Hold On” attitude.

Features:

One-off Matt Storm Grey paint scheme with racing stripes.
Ace Café logo on the front mudguard and side panels.
“Head Down – Hold On” detailing on the fuel tank.

Blacked-out detailing throughout.
Black four-bar Triumph badge on the gas tank.
Black bench seat.

Only 1,400 units will be built.
Each owner will receive a special certificate signed by Ace Café Managing Director Mark Wilsmore and Triumph CEO Nick Bloor.

Please check out Triumph Motorcycles Malaysia’s website for more information.

Carl Fogarty Gets a Road Named After Him

Four-time World Superbike Champion Carl “Foggy” Fogarty has a road named after him in his Blackburn hometown.
Named “Carl Fogarty Way,” Fogarty wheelied past the ribbon.
Foggy’s exploits in racing and the motorcycling world is the stuff of legends.

Four-time World Superbike Champion Carl “Foggy” Fogarty has a road named after him in his Blackburn hometown.

The road is named “Carl Fogarty Way.” To officiate the road, Fogarty wheelied past the ribbon, instead of the usual cutting with scissors.

Only one way to open #carlfogartyway ..and that’s on the back wheel..?? #WheelieWednesday ⁦@CCMMotorcycle⁩ #Blackburn pic.twitter.com/fgh5liKg6R

— FOGGY MBE (@carlfogarty) 26 June 2019

His name is still famous among bikers, especially Ducati owners. It was Fogarty who dominated WorldSBK for a number of years, scoring 59 victories and ultimately four WorldSBK crowns.

He began racing for Honda in the Formula One World Championship for motorcycles and transitioned to the World Superbike series in 1988. He switched to the Ducati 888 in 1992 but inconsistency saw him finishing in ninth.

He continued with the Ducati 888 in 1993 and exhibited the kind of fiery determination that won him an army of Ducati fans. He would go on to win 11 races and stood on the podium 4 other times. This was when his intense rivalry with American racer Scott Russell began. However, Russell would prove to be more consistent and beat Fogarty to the title for Kawasaki’s first superbike crown.

Ducati released the game-changer for 1994, called the 916. Fogarty immediately found the bike suited his high mid-corner speed riding style and won 10 races and 4 podiums in a total of 22 races to snatch the title from Scott Russell and Kawasaki.

Fogarty would repeat his dominance in 1995. Out of 24 races, he only finished off the podium 3 times and retired twice. He won 13 races and no lower than 2^nd in the other 6 times.

But a certain team, specifically Honda kept pounding on the point that the Ducati V-Twin had 166cc more displacement than their 750cc RC45 V-Four. There were also certain quarters and riders who charged that Fogarty had won the championships due to the superiority of the Ducati.

Seemingly to prove them wrong, Fogarty went back to Honda in 1996. He won four times on the RC45, three more than long time Honda rider Aaron Slight but again consistency did him in. He eventually finished fourth.

He returned to Ducati in 1997 and fought season long with ex-GP rider John Kocinski. He eventually finished second to Kockinski.

He fought back in 1998 and retook the title, as he did in 1999.

Year 2000 saw the undoing of his racing career as he hit privateer Ducati rider Robert Ulm. The crash caused Foggy multiple injuries including a shoulder injury that never really healed enough for him to race again.

But that didn’t keep him away from the racetrack. Foggy became the manager for the Foggy PETRONAS team, hence the creation of the PETRONAS FP1.

There are still more exploits of the plucky Englishman to list here, but we hope to still see him in the motorcycle industry.

Moto Guzzi V85TT Launched in Malaysia – Special Promo from RM 79,888

The much anticipated Moto Guzzi V85TT is now officially in Malaysia.
The official Malaysian Moto Guzzi distributor, Didi Resources, launched the bike today.
You can test ride tomorrow from 8am.

The much anticipated 2019 Moto Guzzi V85TT is now officially in Malaysia. You may test ride the bike tomorrow.

Touted by Moto Guzzi as the first modern-classic travel endure, it retains the Guzzi DNA which has endeared the brand to those who sought something different. However, as classic as it looks, the V85TT is actually a very modern bike under its skin.

The 853cc, transverse 90^o V-Twin produced 80 hp at 7,750 RPM and 80 Nm at 5,000 RPM. It is tuned for a smooth and flat torque curve. That power is harnessed through modern electronics including ROAD, RAIN and OFFROAD riding modes. The Continental-based ABS is standard but the rear can be disengaged for offroad riding. The suspension is also a modern affair, consisting of upside-down forks and adjustable rear shock with piggyback reservoir.

But there’s only so much that the tech specs reveal for Piaggio made the bike to cater to 95% of riders in the real world. That means riders of any skill level and physique can find a sweet spot on the bike.

We have tested the bike during the Asia Pacific Media Launch in Thailand. Please click here for the full details.

The Moto Guzzi V85TT is priced at RM 87,888 for the standard colours (Blue Atlante, Grigio Atacama, Rosso Vulcano) and from RM 89,888 for the Evocative Graphics (which includes the yellow and white Sahara Yellow, and red and white Kalahari Red). However, Didi Resources is providing a special promotion from RM 79,888 for the standard colours.

The bike has generate more than 1,000 requests for test rides worldwide which converted to more than 80% sales. Consequently, the Guzzi production line is working overtime to keep up with the overwhelming orders.

Intrigue in US National Highway Traffic Administration List of 2020 BMW Motorcycles

The US National Highway Traffic Administration (NHTSA) published a list of 2020 BMW motorcycles and stirred some intrigue.
A number of popular models are omitted from the list.
They include the S 1000 XR, R nine T Urban G/S and the C 650 scooter.

The US National Highway Traffic Administration (NHTSA) published a list of 2020 BMW motorcycles and stirred some intrigue.

The NHTSA compiles and list the models of motorcycles homologated for the American market in the coming year. But BMW Motorrad’s list seems to hint at upcoming models.

That’s because missing from the list is the S 1000 XR. It may not be seen much on Malaysia roads as the R 1200 GS Adventure and R 1200 GS (soon R 1250 GSA and R 1250 GS) are the most popular models. In America, however, the S 1000 XR is one of the most popular.

One way of seeing it is because the new S 1000 RR superbike has a new engine equipped with ShiftCam variable valve timing technology. As such, the new engine is expected to be grafted to a new S 1000 XR.

However, the naked sport S 1000 R remains on the list and unchanged for 2020. Will there be a new ShiftCam model? You can bet so but maybe for 2021. Or BMW could working on the bike right now and unveil it at Intermot or EICMA later this year.

Other models missing are the F 800 GT sport-tourer and F 800 R roadster. This was expected with the debut of the F 850 GS and F 850 GS Adventure. The two bikes have a new engine with revised firing order, besides being completely new from ground up. Rumours are still surrounding the 9Cento concept on whether it will turn out to be the new F 850 GT or F 850 XR. If there is an F 850 GT/XR, there will definitely be a new F 850 R.

But the omission of the R nine T Urban G/S couldn’t be explained sufficiently. Will the new 1800cc Boxer engine make an appearance in a new Urban G/S-like model?

The C 650 Sport and C Evolution Urban Mobility models (i.e. scooters) are also missing. It’s understandable that the American market doesn’t like scooters.

Anyway, 2020 will be a big year for all manufacturers with the advent of the Euro 5 emission standard. It’s going to be hectic at the Tokyo Motorshow, Intermot and EICMA.

Honda CRF250L and Honda CRF250 Rally Recall, Boon Siew Honda Checking if Malaysian Units are Affected

American Honda has issued a recall for a number of models including the 2018 Honda CRF250L and Honda CRF250 Rally.
The issue concerns the transmission.
Boon Siew Honda is currently checking if the Malaysian units are affected.

American Honda has issued a recall for a number of models for issues regarding their transmissions. The recall include the 2018 Honda CRF250L and Honda CRF250 Rally, among others.

According to the circular, the models affected are the 2019 Honda CB300R, 2018 to 2019 Honda Rebel (CMX300), 2018 Honda CBR300R, as wells as the aforementioned 2018 Honda CRF250L and Honda CRF250 Rally.

Only the two CRF250s are being sold in Malaysia among the list.

BikesRepublic.com placed a call to the Malaysian distributor, Boon Siew Honda for further clarifications on the recall. While the Malaysian units may not be affected, Boon Siew Honda gave their assurance that they have taken the initiative to investigate the matter. They shall revert with the answers soon.

According to the American Honda recall, the circlip on the transmission’s main shaft may detach. It will cause gear misalignment should it occur.

The misalignment will in turn cause the transmission to shift into gear while in NEUTRAL during engine start. If the motorcycle is in motion, it may cause the transmission, hence the rear wheel to seize.

Stay tuned.