Vlogger Rusia yang terkenal dengan nama LITVIN baru-baru ini memuat naik video dirinya meletupkan sebuah BMW M5 Competition sekaligus menjadi sensasi di ‘Youtube’.
Sebelum ini, dia telahpun menjadi bualan ramai pada Oktober 2020 susulan tindakannya memusnahkan sebuah Mercedes-AMG GT 63 S sebagai tanda protes terhadap pengedar jenama itu yang tidak mahu membaiki jentera mewah terbabit.
Video tersebut meraih tontonan melebihi 28 juta setakat hari ini.
LITVIN kembali pada tahun ini dengan video dirinya meletupkan jentera mewah BMW M5 Competition milik sahabatnya.
Video seperti ini dianggap sekadar meraih perhatian dan jumlah tontonan semata-mata walaupun dia mendakwa keputusan itu diambil atas dasar memberi penghormatan kepada salah seorang sahabat yang terbunuh di Moscow tahun lalu ketika memandu BMW M4 Competition.
Melalui perkongsian klip, LITVIN dilihat memandu kenderaan itu meredah salji sebelum meletakkannya di kawasan lapang.
Setelah menyimbah kenderaan itu dengan petrol, dia kemudian melepaskan anak panah yang menyala dengan api.
LITVIN berjaya mendapat sasaran tepat selepas beberapa kali percubaan yang menyebabkan BMW itu meletup.
Tindakannya yang mungkin dianggap berani, sebenarnya agak bodoh dan membahayakan diri.
Video terbaharunya itu sudah meraih tontonan mencecah 6.2 juta (setakat hari ini) hanya dalam masa tiga hari setelah dimuat naik di platform ‘Youtube‘.
Tidak mustahil, dia akan kembali dengan kandungan video melakukan kerja gila seperti ini pada masa akan datang.
The final day of the three day two night ride, we head back to KL from Penang.
But because it is a relatively straightforward ride, the participants suggest to check out the new highest highway in Malaysia (at 61.5 meters above ground, the Paya Terubong to Ayer Hitam road takes over from the Rawang bypass as the highest highway) – this though turned out to be a disaster of traffic proportions.
Disaster is probably an overstatement, because we ended up in an absolute hellish traffic crawl through the market in Ayer Hitam, Penang.
Everything and everyone was stuck in that traffic, from the guy on a bicycle, to a cute Vespa and even a bus amongst the many cars.
And in the midst of it all were us! On gleaming BMWs with mega engines protruding out the sides, slowly inching along traffic, trying not to scratch the engine or get a dent on that beautiful body work.
If there is one thing that this epic traffic jam revealed was just how good the R18s were in slow traffic.
The low speed balance of the bike was fantastic, and only at extremely low speeds did we need to tripod it around traffic.
I know this is not a big deal, but keep in mind that the massive twin 1,802cc boxer engine keeps pushing the bike from side to side, so keeping this thing steady at low speed can be a workout. The fact that the R18 does it so effortlessly is genius.
We didn’t actually reach our destination, because we were stuck in traffic for quite a while and then lost our way, so we decided to get on to the second bridge and head south.
And this time I was on the R18 Classic, and boy am I glad for that.
Riding at about 160km/h on a shieldless cruiser is like holding onto a pole at hurricane level winds.
According to the Beaufort Wind Force Scale (a scale used to describe nautical wind speed), any wind that is stronger than 118km/h is enough to devastate a coastline.
So the next time you see anyone riding a cruiser faster than 110km/h, give his arms the due credit.
On the highway, the cruise control function available solely on the R18 Classic is a welcomed feature. Especially on long distance rides where the constant throttle input can become tiring.
The abundance of torque though lets you glide effortlessly. Even when you need to overtake.
Having said that, I did find myself downshifting a gear or two when I needed to get out of the way of an idiot in a fast moving murder machine aka Myvi.
Later I hopped on to the R18 Pure because a media colleague wanted to try out the Classic, because he saw that I was a lot more comfortable than anyone else was.
The R18 Pure can be brutally uncomfortable at anything above 120km/h. But that’s also the case with any shieldless cruiser such as a Harley-Davidson Fatboy or anything of that sort.
But on the long sweeping corners after Kuala Kangsar towards Ipoh was when the R18 Pure came together nicely.
From the vantage point of the rider, the engine looks like it’s just a few centimetres off the road. And this creates a psychological barrier when cornering for fear of scrapping the engine covers.
But get over that and you will notice that the R18 Pure really does like to corner. The R18 Pure at least.
It doesn’t take much to scrape the foot pegs, but it is only the brave that can keep scraping without fear. A quick check between my legs tells me that the size of my nuts doesn’t allow for that.
We reached Ipoh a little after noon, for lunch at The Andersonian Club.
Being an Ipoh boy myself, I have to say that this is not the finest that Ipoh has to offer, but there’s no arguing against a good banana leaf lunch.
But that made the ride back to KL a little more arduous because we all know what happens after a banana leaf lunch at noon.
But I was back on the R18 Classic for that part of the journey. The screen shielding me from the wind, the cruise control taking on the throttling duties, and that fat front wheel soaking up bumps better than the 70 profile Michelin on the R18 Pure.
I have said this before in the previous diary entries over the past two days – the R18 Classic is the better highway cruiser. While the R18 Pure is better and more stylish around town.
But the other thing that I truly enjoyed was the ride itself.
Riding in the cool Cameronian breeze. Carving the many corners of Sungai Koyan. The yummy food in Penang and the stay in G Hotel in Gourney drive. And especially the company.
I enjoyed it all. Everything was beautifully put together and the people and the R18’s made it better.
But this is not a journey that only a select few can enjoy. You too can sign up for this at a little over RM3,000.
I received a message from a friend saying that it didn’t sound like a good deal – I didn’t understand that.
The bike rental alone costs RM1,000 a day (if you can find one) while a stay at the G Hotel in Gourney comes in at over RM500 per night.
You can’t really put a value to not having to line up at Nasi Kandar Deen Maju. And that sunset cruise was a classy touch – typically BMW. But just so you know, the cruise alone costs RM4,500 for three hours.
For RM3,350, you get an all expenses paid trip. Even the petrol is covered and you don’t even have to worry about carrying your own bags because there will be a support car to manage all of that.
All you have to do is ride. And perhaps just like it did for me – your soul too can be fuelled.
Visit www.fsadventures.com.my for more information!
Our riding yesterday didn’t just end after we arrived at the Century Pines hotel in Tanah Rata.
In fact, right after I had published yesterday’s entry, we jumped back on the bikes and headed to one of the oldest hotels & restaurant in Cameron Highlands – The Smoke House.
The ride there was chilly. If there is one good thing that Covid did, it stopped people from over visiting some key landmarks in the country, like Cameron Highlands.
This allowed the environment to somewhat heal, and the cool weather Cameron Highlands was once known for is thankfully back.
We rode in 18 degrees Celsius yesterday. And that was at 730pm. I hope it stays that way for good now. Fat chance I know.
Anyway, as I had mentioned it had rained earlier and that meant we were riding in the dark on wet roads.
I didn’t bother changing the ride mode and kept the bike in Roll (as I mentioned yesterday, the R18 has three riding modes – Rock, Roll and Rain)
Throughout the many corners between Century Pines and The Smoke House, never did the traction control light blink.
Power was easily manageable thanks to the masses of torque, so you don’t really need to downshift when entering a corner.
I did try the Rain mode on the ride back, but that just made the throttle feel too lazy. I reckon that would be best left for riding in torrential rain.
On the ride down from Cameron Highlands, I swapped the R18 Classic for the R18 Pure. I found the 16 inch front wheel a little too heavy and un-obliging when I wanted the front end to be where I wanted it to be.
So swapping the 16 inch front wheel for the 19 inch front wheel of the Pure should sort that out, in theory at least.
The Pure is also about 5-8 kilograms lighter than the Classic since it does without the windshield and cruise control and a lighter front wheel.
At first, the tight corners of Cameron Highlands had me huffing and puffing to manage the 350 kilograms of the R18.
It is a heavy bike and there is no sugar coating that fact.
KK Wong, the BMW certified trainer then pulled me aside and reminded me of something I had already known all this while – just be in the right gear and look where you want to go, and let your right hand manage the throttle and ultimately the weight of the bike.
And then it all flowed nicely.
Sometimes we all need a cool three minute talk to remind us of what is already in our entrenched memory.
From then on, the R18 Pure proved to be perfectly tractable in tight and long corners.
That front end was obliging anytime I needed it to move away from a pothole.
But the joy of riding the R18 Pure ended at the corners around Cameron Highlands, because as soon as we came down from the hills and hit the highway, I found myself wishing I was still on the R18 Classic.
Northbound on the highway heading towards Penang, we had the perfect opportunity to feel how the R18 is like on the open roads.
The 1,802cc engine and the 158Nm of torque were perfectly at home on the open highway, all you ever need to get up to speed is to gently squeeze the throttle and you would reach jail term speeds in about 200 meters or less.
There is no denying the power of the engine.
But there is also no denying the well known fact that a cruiser with no windshield and open handle bars can be extremely uncomfortable on the highway at high speed.
And I reiterate the now very important point that the first thing that needs to be done when you buy a R18 (Pure or Classic) is to change the seat for something more comfortable.
But if there is one thing that I learnt today, it would be the fact that the R18 Pure is quite capable in corners and can be quite fun too, which is amazing for such a heavy bike.
It would however need some aftermarket accessories to make it more comfortable on the highway.
A BMW representative nailed it on the head when he said, “The R18 is not a long distance tourer, it is a mid or short range tourer”. And you can’t blame them for that either, because they have the RT or the GS for those who want to go far comfortably.
After reaching our destination of the day, we ended up in what could just be the most difficult nasi kandar to have in Malaysia, and that is simply because of the long lines that the shop almost always seems to have.
I am talking about Deen Maju Nasi Kandar in Penang. For those not in the know, this joint always seems to have a long line that snakes out and around the shop. It is quite normal for people to wait upwards of an hour to have a meal.
But of course, in another stroke of pure class, BMW simply reserved a room and we trudged right in for lunch.
And about two hours after lunch, we hopped onto a catamaran for a relaxing sunset cruise under the Penang bridge.
Though quite common in islands like Langkawi, I never knew that you could charter such cruises in Penang. I suggest that you check them out at the “Straits Quay Sunset Cruise” Instagram and Facebook page.
Or you could simply email them at stratsquaysunsetcruise@gmail.com
Tomorrow is sadly the last day of the R18 Getaway.
But not before some cruising around Penang Island, and a spot of banana leaf “lunching” in Ipoh.
This could just be your adventure too.
You too can join the BMW R18 Getaway Ride Malaysia at just RM3,350 which includes all that I have mentioned including the cruise and even the BMW R18 motorcycle itself. And if you would like to bring a pillion along, you just have to add a further RM2,200 to that.
Seems like a steal doesn’t it? Consider this, the yacht trip alone costs RM4,500 for three hours. And you simply pay RM3,350 for the entire ride.
This is the ultimate motorcycle tour bargain, if there ever was one.
Visit www.fsadventures.com.my for more information.
It has been about seven years since I had last attended an official BMW Motorrad ride. The year was 2015 and the destination was somewhere in Spain.
The model that was introduced back then was the much loved BMW S1000XR – Munich’s first ever salvo at the Ducati Multistrada. That is of course an entirely different story.
Fast forward to 2022, and I write this lounging at the Century Pines Hotel in Cameron Highlands, after completing day one of the first ever BMW R18 Getaway.
This is a unique event put together by BMW Motorrad Malaysia for R18 owners or those who would like to experience the R18 and the lifestyle it offers.
The ride costs somewhere in the RM8,000 region, but you could have it for a little over RM3,000, owner or non.
To be able to offer this, BMW Motorrad Malaysia partnered with a company that could just be the authority on BMW motorcycles in Malaysia – FS Adventures which owned and run by BMW fanatics Faisal Sukree (above) and KK Wong (below).
FS Adventures is a company that specialises in putting together adventure rides for BMW owners in Malaysia and around the world.
Faizal is also a contestant in the extremely demanding GS Trophy, while KK is a BMW road riding trainer.
We had interviewed Faizal in depth some time ago and spoke to him about his rides and adventures. He is a man of many tales, like how he once rode off a snow cliff in Alaska because he couldn’t see the road ahead in the thick snow.
You can read about Faizal and his adventures here.
The ride started after a brief at Bungalow 37 in Bangsar. The destination for the day was Cameron Highlands.
It wasn’t too far of a ride but the roads were beautiful.
After a quick splash and dash at the famous BHP station at Karak, we headed towards Century Pines hotel in Tanah Rata via the secluded but much loved Sungai Koyan – Cameron Highlands road.
Lunch was served at a quaint cafe and guest house called Tiny Boutique.
When Faizal told us that the cafe serves some of the best pizzas in Malaysia, I dismissed that. Almost everyone says that about pizza at some cafe.
But after trying it out for myself, admittedly it is one of the best I’ve had. Even the soup served as a starter was made of five different types of mushrooms, Alaskan snow crab and mussels. It was unique and a must visit.
We reached the hotel at about 330pm for some downtime before riding back out for dinner later at 7pm.
Both the BMW R18 Pure and R18 Classic was on offer in the morning, but I chose to start with the classic.
Why? Well, it came with a windscreen and cruise control, which is not available on the Pure.
The windscreen offered some protection from the wind blast at illegal speeds, while the cruise control provided some comfort after about an hour and a half of my arms being stretched out to grip the handle bars.
The R18 Classic came with a bigger front tyre as well. Measuring in at a chunky 130/90 16 while the Pure offers a slimmer Michelin tyre measuring in at 120/70 R19.
This made the front end feel a little less eager to turn especially around the winding rounds of Sungai Koyan and up Cameron Highlands towards Tanah Rata.
More saddle time should fix that issue.
Talking about saddles, the seat on the R18 could be better. My bum was absolutely murdered after about two hours of riding.
But that isn’t too surprising though, BMW does after all offer a selection of aftermarket seats, and there’s even more from BMW’s aftermarket partner – Mustang Seats.
This is a strategy seen in other cruisers such as Harley-Davidsons as well.
The BMW R18 is after all supposed to be a blank canvas for you to customise according to your taste. To create your own custom BMW according to your whim and fancy.
It is a very capable canvas too.
That 1,802cc engine is a masterpiece, not only to look at but the way it delivers its power as well.
The controls are mid-set with no option of forward set controls simply because the mammoth of an engine gets in the way.
It is undoubtedly one of the most beautiful engines ever to grace a motorcycle.
It puts out 91hp at 4,750rpm and about 158Nm of torque from just 3,000rpm.
This means that on the highway and around fast bends, you can simply ride the torque wave without downshifting.
But when the corners get tighter, you need to adopt the regular riding style of downshifting or risk the bike running wide.
There are also three different riding modes, and in typical BMW fashion, are called Rain, Roll and Rock.
As you would probably expect, Rain dumbs down all the electronics and power to keep you safe when the roads are wet.
Roll is for regular dry road riding with maximum power available at a squirt of the throttle.
While Rock is what we regular folks would usually call Sport. This is when the bike is at its liveliest and gives you full beans.
Tomorrow we head to Penang with some corner carving on the way down from Cameron Highlands and some highway time on the north south highway.
I will bring you more about the R18, and also hope to spend some time with the R18 pure.
For now though, I need a whisky.
Most motorcycles saddle can be adjusted mainly the seat heights however BMW Motorrad has a slightly different ideas in mind.
Latest patent has confirmed that the German firm is currently working on an adjustable-width saddle, something that could really revolutionised the motorcycle industry and potentially becomes an interesting solutions for riders.
The patent suggest that the adjustability does not involved the narrow part of the seat instead relegated to the back section, the part where a rider’s cheek spend a lot of time on.
According to reports, the seat comes with two pivoting section that can be expanded (either manually or electronically) which increased the seat width.
Nevertheless, it would be interesting to see how BMW plans to incorporate the adjustable saddle and which model would received the treatment.
Personally, such innovation could do wonders on the R 18 which we think needs a better seat and better positioning footpegs, a story for another time.
However, further details is still uncertain and it could take years before such system could actually put to work.
Nonetheless, the idea itself is interesting and we are looking forward to it.
Although the world was going into a frenzy, no thanks to Covid-19, motorcycle manufacturers, including BMW Motorrad, had excellent years, especially in 2021.
After all, two-wheelers were seen as the best option to get away from everything, including a time out from congested areas known to be the favourite spot for Covid-19 to spread.
Which is why it’s not a surprise that 2021 brings total luck to BMW.
The German firm managed to deliver a total of 194,261 units of motorcycles worldwide, overcoming its 2019 highest sales record of 175,162 units.
The undisputed BMW R 1250 GS continue to be the most sought after model as a total of 60,000 units managed to find their way into customers’ hands. According to BMW, the R 1250 RT, R 18 and the S 1000 R sales also went really well.
Nevertheless, BMW is expected to achieve higher sales in 2022 because of the introduction of the company’s upcoming electric motorcycle, the CE-04.
While the CE-04 looks promising, we firmly believe that the Gelande Strasse range will remain the most popular this year as well.
Moreover, the company could well be on their to unveil a few more new models this year.
BMW Motorrad WorldSBK team is putting a high expectation to challenge for race wins during the opening round of the 2022 WorldSBK Championship.
BMW suffered a lacklustre campaign in the 2021 season despite stepping up the game with an all-new BMW M 1000 RR replacing the S 1000 RR.
The M 1000 RR is a limited-edition homologation special developed specifically to achieve success on the track but it wasn’t a big step forward as hoped in 2021.
Team riders, Tom Sykes and Michael van der Mark struggled to bridge the gap with the Yamaha R1M, Kawasaki ZX-10RR and the Ducati V4 R.
Despite the shortcomings, BMW Motorrad says it has identified the major issue which is the mid to top-end power.
Furthermore, the addition of 13-time race winner, Scott Redding will boost the team chances of making a huge impact in the opening rounds.
“We’ve got two or three areas where we’ll focus on really hard over winter.
“The development guys are working on that already and we know that first test we’ll do, we’ll show those steps and those gains will have been made.
“We can really say that we’re going to give both riders a bike that can win races from round one,” said team principal, Shaun Muir.
BMW Motorrad and TVS Motors has officially extend their existing partnership to develop and manufacture new models including an EV.
This was confirmed by Dr Markus Schramm, head of BMW Motorrad.
“In light of our fruitful association with TVS Motor Company, we are delighted to extend and expand our cooperation agreement to include long-term partnership and joint development of new platforms and technologies, including electric vehicles.” he said.
The German and Indian firm penned a deal back in 2013 and the partnership proven fruitful thanks to the introduction of the entry-level G 310 series in 2018.
The G 310 series was instantly a hit alongside TVS’s own TVS Apache 310 RR, as more than 100,000 units were sold globally.
Meanwhile, the new agreement will not only expand the collaboration but BMW and TVS will showcase revamped technology within the next 24 months including a new range of electric-powered motorcycles.
“In the nine years of our long-term strategic partnership, we have always cherished the common core values we share with BMW Motorrad: focus on quality, engineering prowess, innovation and customer satisfaction.
“These factors and our commitment to deliver superior quality products with a strong value proposition has been key to the success of all three products launched from the platform. The new world of future mobility encompasses a strong play through alternate solutions, including electric mobility.
“Expanding this successful partnership to EVs and other newer platforms will create opportunities to deliver advanced technology and aspirational products to global markets and bring valuable synergies to both companies,” said Sudarshan Venu, Joint Managing Director TVS Motor Company.
TVS itself is expanding rapidly, a part from the success with BMW Motorrad, the Indian firm also became the new owner of Norton Motorcycles in February 2020.
Under the new guidance, Norton recently unveiled the V4 SCR prototype, which is set to enter production soon and marked a revival of the iconic British brand.
If the RM249,500 BMW M 1000 RR is too much for your pocket, then you might want to consider the a more affordable BMW M 1000 RR LEGO Technic set.
According to BMW Motorrad, the LEGO Technic features a 1,920-piece set that makes a 1:5 scale to the original carbon-wheeled machine.
The set includes a gold chain, functional three-speed gearbox, forks, rear shock and a dashboard with three display options.
The BMW M 1000 RR is a special machine, as it is the first two-wheeled machine produced by BMW M Division.
“In the same way, the LEGO Technic team realised they needed to come up with something unprecedented to pay tribute to the M RR.
“The result is a motorcycle and a technical model that each represent the state of the art in their respective fields,” said Ralf Rodepeter, Head of Marketing and Product Management at BMW Motorrad.
Interestingly, the M 1000 RR LEGO Technic sete is USD150 more than the Ducati Panigale V4 R set that came out last year.
Moreover, the BMW Motorrad Technic set will only be available in January 1st.
Kurang enam bulan selepas pelancaran global, BMW R 18 Transcontinental dan R 18 B kini dirasmikan di Malaysia menerusi BMW Motorrad Malaysia.
BMW R 18 Transcontinental dan R 18 B (Bagger) mengangkat taraf R 18 ke peringkat lebih tinggi sebagai motosikal Great American Tourer.
Dibangunkan berdasarkan model R 18 First Edition dan Classic, varian Transcontinental dan Bagger ini memfokuskan keselesaaan tinggi bagi tunggangan jarak jauh hasil penggunaan panel depan jenis ‘batwing’ dan penghadang angin lebih tinggi.
Menurut BMW Motorrad, R 18 Transcontinental menawarkan elemen motosikal gaya Amerika manakala R 18 B direka untuk tunggangan santai.
Bernadikan enjin Big Boxer 1,802cc, kedua-dua varian ini kekal menawarkan 91hp pada 4,750rpm dan 158Nm pada 3,000rpm.
Penggunaan kerangka jenis ‘double-loop tube’ juga meneruskan kesinambungan jentera BMW R 5 yang suatu ketika dulu cukup ikonik.
Antara ciri menarik terdapat pada R 18 Transcontinental dan R 18 B adalah seperti berikut:
Bagi melengkapkan ciri sebagai jentera ‘touring’, kedua-dua varian ini disertakan dengan fungsi ‘Dynamic Cruise Control’ yang sebelum ini tidak ditawarkan pada varian R 18 Classic.
Tahap keselesaan penunggang juga dipertingkat dengan tempat letak kaki diposisikan di bahagian tengah manakala tempat duduk lebih selesa dengan fungsi pemanas
Bagaimanapun, varian R 18 B tampil dengan tempat duduk lebih langsing.
Sementara itu, ruang depan pula memuatkan skrin paparan TFT 10.25″ berwarna yang menawarkan fungsi navigasi dan boleh disambungkan kepada telefon pintar.
Antara ciri elektronik lain ditawarkan ladah tiga mod tunggangan (Rain/Roll/Rock), Automatic Stability Control, Engine Drag Torque Control, Hill Start Contro dan pembesar suara Marshall.
Untuk makluman, BMW R 18 Transcontinetal dan R 18 B ditawarkan pada harga RM198,500 dan RM186,500.
In less than six months after its global launch, BMW Motorrad Malaysia has officially unveil the R 18 Transcontinental and R 18 B cruiser motorcycle for the Malaysian market.
The R 18 Transcontinental and R 18 B (Bagger) takes the R 18 range to new heights as a Grand American Tourer motorcycle.
Built based on the R 18 First Edition and Classic, the Transcontinental and Bagger are ideal for the long-distance ride thanks to the large batwing front fairing and taller windshield.
According to BMW Motorrad, while the Transcontinental offers the classic American motorcycle elements, the R 18 B, on the other hand, is designed as a “rider’s machine” delivering emotional riding pleasure and is ideal for cool touring and cruising.
Nonetheless, the R 18 Transcontinental and R 18 B continue to be powered by the Big Boxer 1,802 cc engine capable of producing 91hp @ 4,750rpm and 158Nm @ 3,000rpm.
Meanwhile, a double-loop tube steel frame sits at the heart of the chassis, designed to continue the legacy of the iconic R 5.
Other interesting features available on the R 18 Transcontinental and R 18 B includes:
While the R 18 First Edition and Classic missed out on the cruise control feature, the two new variants come equipped with Dynamic Cruise Control (DCC) as standard.
However, customers can opt for the Active Cruise Control (ACC) as an ex-works option.
The ACC allows relaxed gliding with distance control – without the rider having to adjust the speed to the vehicle in front.
To increase comfort, the R 18 Transcontinental feature a ‘mid-mounted footpeg’ and a comfortable seat with seat heating functions as standard, while the R 18 B comes with a slimmer seat bench.
The cockpit features classically designed round instruments and a 10.25″ TFT colour display with map navigation for convenient route planning and extensive connectivity as standard.
Other electronic features include:
The R 18 Transcontinental and R 18 B is priced at RM198, 500 and RM186,500 respectively.
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