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Fast Bikes Sdn Bhd

Fast Bikes Sdn Bhd, the exclusive distributor of Triumph Motorcycles in Malaysia, will end its distributorship with the UK brand on January 14, 2023.

  • Fast Bike ceases Triumph distributorship in Malaysia. 
  • Fast Bike’s Petaling Jaya headquarters is to undergo two months of renovation beginning in January. 

The announcement was made during a recent Triumph Ratpack Year-End Gathering and High-Tea session at Fast Bike’s headquarters in Petaling Jaya. 

However, under the leadership of Dato’ Razak Al Malique, Fast Bikes will take on a new adventure in 2023 as a Honda Big Wing dealership. 

Meanwhile, Fast Bike’s outlets in Penang, Johor Bahru and Kota Kinabalu also end their Triumph operation on the same date.

That said, a new Triumph distributor for Malaysia has been appointed pending an official announcement. 

While the news may be shocking, current Triumph owners continue to shower support on Fast Bike’s management for their support all these years. 

Triumph Speed Twin sememangnya menetapkan petanda aras baharu bagi motosikal segmen klasik moden sejak diperkenalkan pada 2018.

Digerakan dengan enjin sama yang menghidupkan Thruxton R, motosikal jenis roadster ini telah dinaik taraf dengan beberapa ciri terbaru bagi 2021.

Enjin

Kemas kini utama memfokuskan bahagian enjin 1200cc High Power yang kini telah mencapai standard Euro 5.

Menariknya, enjin ini kini menawarkan pertambahan 3hp berbanding model sebelumnya sekaligus menyumbang kepada 98.6hp pada 7,250rpm dan 112Nm pada 4,250rpm.

Menurut Triumph, enjin baharu ini juga menghasilkan kuasa ‘mid-range’ yang lebih baik, lebih responsif di samping merendahkan inersia lebih 17 peratus.

Pengendalian

Aspek pengendalian jentera juga dipertingkat bagi memberikan tunggangan yang lebih selesa.

Antara ciri yang telah dinaik taraf adalah seperti berikut:

  • fork depan Marzocchi 43mm dengan katrij damping
  • penyerap hentakan (berkembar) belakang (boleh laras)
  • kaliper brek (depan) Brembo M50 4-piston dan kaliper Nissin 2-piston belakang
  • cakera brek berkembar Brembo 320mm
  • cakera brek 220mm belakang
  • ABS
  • tayar Metzeler Racetec RR

Elektronik

Triumph Speed Twin tampil dengan teknologi terkini bagi tahun 2021 antararnya sistem ride-by-wire yang menjaminkan respon throttle yang lebih efisien.

Speed Twin 2021 juga menawarkan tiga mod tunggangan; Rain, Road dan Sport yang dijamin memberikan pengalaman menunggang dengan tetapan respon berbeza mengikut kesesuaian penunggang.

Bukan itu sahaja, model ini juga tampil dengan penggunaan lampu LED dengan DRL (daytime running light), paparan digital dengan gabungan meter analog, port USB serta Tyre Pressure Monitoring System.

Aspek keselamatan juga dipertingkat dengan fungsi immobiliser dengan transponder.

Bagi tahun 2021, Speed Twin ini ditawarkan dengan harga berikut:

  • Jet Black ColourRM77,900
  • Premium Metallic ColoursRM78,900

Menurut Fast Bikes Sdn Bhd, pelanggan yang membuat tempahan awal (RM500) sebelum 15 Julai ini akan menerima dua servis tukar minyak hitam secara percuma dan 35 peratus diskaun bagi barangan aksesori di samping memilih tiga pakej istimewa.

Early this year, Triumph Motorcycles unveiled their latest’ streetfighter’, the 2021 Speed Triple 1200 RS.

However, a few months later, the motorcycle has reached our shores via Fast Bikes Sdn Bhd, the sole distributor of Triumph Motorcycles in Malaysia.

If you’re in the market for a very muscular roadster that can deliver high levels of performance both on and off the track together with a stunning design, the new Speed Triple 1200 RS should be highly considered.

Starting with the design, you can instantly tell that this is indeed a true Triumph roadster that combines smooth lines, sharp and aggressive features that’s very well-proportioned. What defines the 2021 Speed Triple 1200 RS are the new LED headlights with DRLs, compact bodywork and tail unit, carbon-fibre mudguard, colour-coded belly pan, and those black 17-inch aluminium V-spoke wheels.

A host of other premium finishes like the graphics and branded handlebar clamp further amps up the RS-ness of the new Speed Triple 1200 where customers can choose to have it in either Sapphire Black (with red and silver graphics) or Matt Silver Ice (with sliver and yellow graphics).

All the exterior features highlight the star within its all-new lightweight mass-centralised chassis, which is the also new 1,160cc inline-three DOHC liquid-cooled engine that punches out 177.5hp at 10,750rpm and 125Nm of torque at 9,000rpm. Tuned with a slightly higher redline, Triumph claims that this beauty sounds like a beast thanks to new intake and exhaust systems.

In other words, it’s the most powerful and best sounding Speed Triple yet.

Developed using the brand’s knowledge and experience in Moto2, the new Speed Triple 1200 RS’s engine is 7kg lighter and produces around 30hp more compared to the previous-gen model. This also translates to a 25% improvement in the power-to-weight ratio thanks to the brand’s know-how in cutting its wet weight down to an impressive 198kg (15.5-litre fuel tank included).

Other noteworthy specs include:

  • New six-speed transmission + new slip & assist clutch
  • 5-inch TFT screen
  • Five riding modes (including Track Mode)
  • New Triumph Shift Assist quickshifter (up & down)
  • Cornering ABS
  • Switchable Optimised Cornering Traction Control
  • Enhanced front wheel lift control
  • Full keyless system
  • Fully-adjustable Öhlins suspension (Öhlins NIX30 upside-down front forks + Öhlins TTX36 twin tube rear monoshock)
  • Brembo Stylema brakes (320mm front discs + radial monobloc callipers, 220mm single rear disc + twin-piston calliper)
  • Metzeler Racetec RR K3 tyres
    Dedicated Speed Triple accessories + many more

The 2021 Triumph Speed Triple 1200 RS is priced at RM99,900 (excluding road tax and insurance).

Triumph Speed Triple 1200 RS 2021 telah pun selamat tiba di Malaysia menerusi sesi ‘unboxing’ yang dijalankan secara strim langsung oleh Fast Bikes Sdn Bhd, selaku pengedar rasmi tunggal jenama Triumph Motorcycles di Malaysia.

Bagi tahun 2021, Speed Triple tampil dengan enjin lebih besar dan berkuasa, 1,160cc tiga silinder yang kini menjana 178hp (180 PS) pada 10,750rpm (naik 30 PS) dan 125Nm pada 9,000rpm (naik 8Nm).

Menurut Triumph, enjin ini telah direka semula secara menyeluruh dengan setiap elemen telah dibangunkan dengan memfokuskan peningkatan prestasi di samping menurunkan berat keseluruhan sekaligus unit ini 7 kilogram lebih ringan berbanding Speed Triple sebelumnya.

Enjin ini juga menyalurkan kuasa dan tork lebih tinggi sekalgus menjadikan Speed Triple 1200 RS 2021 sebagai model paling berprestasi tinggi.

‘Red line’ juga naik 650rpm kepada 11,150rpm bagaimanapun, penyampaian kuasa dan tork sewaktu rpm rendah (low) dan pertengahan (mid) masih ikonik seperti Speed Triple sebelumnya.

Tidak hairanlah, nisbah kuasa-berat (power to weight) naik 25 peratus berbanding generasi Speed Triple sebelumnya serta hampir dua kali ganda berbanding model 1994.

Triumph juga mendakwa generasi baharu ini juga menawarkan bunyi paling terbaik susulan penerapan sistem ekzos dan ‘intake’ serba baharu.

Kotak gear dan klac juga dipertingkat dengan penggunaan transmisi 6-kelajuan serta klac slip dan assist lebih ringan dengan bantuan kompaun friction terkini yang mengurangkan penggunaan plat klac sekaligus meningkatkan kawalan sewaktu turunkan gear ketika dalam kelajuan tinggi.

Antara ciri menarik lain ditawarkan:

  • fork depan Ohlins NIX30 (USD) boleh laras (preload/rebound/compression
  • monoshock jenis twin tube Ohlins TTX36 (preload/rebound/compression)
  • tayar Metzeler RACETEC RR
  • Cornering ABS dan Cornering Traction Control (dengan IMU)
  • paparan TFT 5″
  • lima mod tunggangan
  • Triumph Shift Assist (Quickshifter)
  • lampu LED penuh
  • sistem keyless
  • My Triumph Connectivity
  • berat 198kg

Sementara itu sistem membrek dikendalikan kaliper brek jenis radial (berkembar) Brembo Stylema yang dipadankan dengan cakera brek 320mm di bahagian depan serta kaliper dua piston Brembo di bahagian belakang.

Triumph Speed Triple 1200 RS ini juga lengkap dengan sistem cruise control yang didatangkan secara standard termasuk penggunaan bateri jenis lithium ion.

Menurut Triumph Motorcycles Malaysia, Speed Triple 1200 RS 2021 ini ditawarkan pada harga RM99,900 (tidak termasuk cukai jalan dan insurans).

As far as middleweight naked bike goes, the latest 2021 Triumph Trident 660 is certainly one of the most highly anticipated motorcycles for the coming year.

Officially launched today, the Trident offers class-leading tech and impressive handling at a very competitive price package.

For the Malaysian market, the Trident is available from RM43,900 for the Crystal White dan Sapphire Black colour options while the Silver Ice/Diablo Red dan Stealthy Matt Jet Black/Matt Silver Ice comes at RM44,900.

In terms of firepower, the all-new Trident comes with a 660cc three-cylinder DOHC liquid-cooled engine that produces a respectable 80hp at 10,250rpm and 64Nm of torque at 6,250rpm.

This package offers a punchy power delivery throughout its rev range together with a unique triple-cylinder soundtrack.

A six-speed manual transmission handles all the power delivery to its rear wheel and that is further enhanced with the presence of an assist/slipper clutch. There’s also the addition of a ride-by-wire throttle, selectable riding modes, and switchable traction control for even greater riding efficiency across the board.

As for its looks, the 2021 Triumph Trident 660 is definitely a bike that would be turning heads. A minimalist roadster paired with Triumph’s iconic triple muscles is contemporary yet timeless at the same time.

This whole look is tied together with its five-spoke wheels (17-inch aluminium), elegant swingarm, and many more.

Other highlighted specs include:

  • 14-litre fuel tank
  • Front Showa 41mm upside down separate function forks (SFF)
  • Rear Showa monoshock RSU, with preload adjustment
  • Front 310mm twin discs + Nissin two-piston sliding calipers with ABS
  • Rear 255mm single disc + Nissin single-piston sliding caliper with ABS
  • Multi-function instruments with colour TFT screen
  • My Triumph Connectivity System (turn-by-turn navigation, GoPro, phone & music control via Bluetooth)
  • Handlebar mounted switch cubes
  • 189kg (kerb weight) + more

There are over 45 dedicated Triumph optional parts and accessories to further elevate its riding experience, which also includes a bi-directional quickshifter. Service interval? Every 16,000km. Very impressive, indeed.

Sejak dilancarkan di Eropah pada Oktober 2020, Triumph Motorcycles kembali menjadi sebutan peminat motosikal dunia menerusi Trident 660.

Tawaran terbaru bagi motosikal segmen pertengahan, Triumph meletakkan Trident sebagai jentera paling mampu milik ang lahir daripada kilang di Hinckley, United Kingdom.

Sementara itu, kami dimaklumkan bahawa Triumph Trident 2021 ini bakal mendarat di pasaran Malaysia tidak lama lagi menerusi Fast Bikes Sdn Bhd, selaku pengedar rasmi jenama itu di Malaysia.

Meskipun harga tidak didedahkan namun kami difahamkan, Triumph Motorcycles Malaysia telah pun menerima beberapa tempahan.

Bagaimanapun, kami menjangka Trident 660 ini akan ditawarkan pada harga antara RM3X,XXX dan RM4X,XXX.

Jika benar, maka pastinya Triumph Trident bakal merancakan lagi pasaran 600-750cc di Malaysia yang ketika ini hanya terdiri dari Yamaha MT-07, Kawasaki Ninja 650, Z 650, Honda CBR650R serta CB650R.

Trident 2021 didatangkan dengan enjin 3 silinder 660cc dengan penyejukkan cecair yang menghasilakn 80hp pada 10,250rpm dan 64Nm pada 6,250rpm.

Enjin tersebut merupakan unit yang diguna pakai pada Street Triple S namun telah dirombak semula lantas menyaksikan 90 peratus daripada tork dihasilkan dari 3,600rpm hingga 9,750rpm.

Kuasa enjin kemudiannya disalurkan menerusi transmisi 6-kelajuan dibantu dengan klac assist/slipper.

Triumph turut menawarkan opsyen quickshifter (aftermarket) bagi pelanggan yang berminat.

Selain daripada penggunaan kerangka (frame) jenis tubular steel, Trident turut dilengkapi dengan fork depan (upside down) Showa 41mm serta mono-shock RSU dengan preload boleh laras.

Sistem brek dikendalikan oleh kaliper dua piston Nissin (depan) dengan cakera brek berkembar 310mm manakala kaliper brek satu piston (belakang) dengan cakera brek 255mm di samping Anti-lock Braking System (ABS) dua saluran.

Antara ciri lain ditawarkan:

  • dua mod tunggangan – Rain/Road
  • lampu LED penuh (depan dan belakang)
  • modul Bluetooth
  • paparan TFT dengan rev-counter LCD
  • traction control
  • We visited the Triumph Factory Visitor Experience during our trip to London.

  • The visit included a factory tour in addition to the “gallery.”

  • The center featured significant models in Triumph’s history, highlights in R&D, new models, custom bikes, and much more.

Besides witnessing the launch of the 2019 Triumph Scrambler 1200, the other main highlight was visiting the Triumph Factory Visitor Experience, during the Triumph Motorcycles Malaysia London Adventure.

To recap, this writer had won the lucky draw’s Grand Prize during the launch of the 2018 Triumphs that included the two Tiger 800 variants, Bonneville Bobber Black and Bonneville Speedmaster.

The trip coincided with Triumph Motorcycles’ Global Dealer Conference (GDC) and launch of the 2019 Bonneville Scrambler 1200. Thus, the entourage included Dato’ Razak Al-Malique Hussein, the Chief Executive Officer of Fast Bikes Sdn. Bhd. (the official distributor of Triumph motorcycles in Malaysia); his son Rafique; the Tan family of Triumph Motorcycles Bukit Mertajam and Guan How Superbike; and Asep Ahmad Iskandar, the founder of the Art of Speed Malaysia.

The gang at The Bike Shed – credit Rafique Muzaffar

We assembled at the ExCel London at 5.30am before boarding the coaches to Hinckley in Leicestershire, the home of Triumph Motorcycles. It was good to get into the heated buses – the thermometer onboard showed 9oC outside.

The manufacturer’s HQ, factory and visitor centre complex is located 188 km from the exhibition centre but was a direct route via the oft-heard “M1” (Motorway 1). Traffic was heavy even during these early hours.

We were soon treated to the sights of the beautiful English countryside. Rolling hills and expansive pastureland were dotted with farmhouses in the yonder. Factories small and large sprung up intermittently.

We soon rolled up to the complex and an excited murmur went up in the bus. They were Triumph dealers from the world over. I heard Japanese, Korean, Spanish, American accented English.

We were shepherded to the 1902 Café and a staff member welcomed us. They also served light refreshments but more importantly, hot coffee. The café was named so for the year when the first Triumph appeared. Yes, Triumph was established earlier than Harley-Davidson.

At the back was the “wall of engines” which displayed Triumph’s engines through the ages.

Outside was the Avenue of Legends. Significant dates that represented milestones and names of Triumph riders were laid into the path leading up the main doors. I stood out here trying to believe that I was actually standing in front of THE Triumph Motorcycles Ltd. factory in England. The strong wind brought with it chilling temperatures but I didn’t care. I was too absorbed.

We shot a few photos with the Tan family along the Avenue of Legends after waiting for quite a while. He came back and complained that his children had disappeared into the gift shop as soon as they got off the bus. Who can blame them?

It was time to visit the facilities. The doors opened to a Street Triple RS and Bonneville Speedmaster in the foyer.

A new Speed Triple and classic Bonneville hung from the ceiling.

The Factory Tour

The exhibition area was choked up with the dealers, so I “‘scuse me, ‘scuse me” at a whole bunch of human torsos (that was all I saw at my height) and made my way into the factory. NOTE: No photography was allowed so there are a limited number of pictures from this area.

No, this wasn’t where random prank calls are handled. Crankshafts are made here. A case contained the Bonneville T120 crankshafts in different stages of machining.

There were many other areas along the way, of course, including engine assembly, motorcycle assembly and everything else in between. Unfortunately, the factory staff watched me intently as I shouldered a large DSLR. However, the Spanish-speaking dealers ahead were sneaking in shots with their smartphones. Merda!

We came up to a section where an elderly Englishman applied the striping to the wheels. The work was fast but the results were immaculate.

The inspection “booth” is where parts were picked up from the production line and inspected closely. Safe to say that inspection was carried out visually and with tools such as X-ray and ultrasound machines, among others.

At 2294cc, the Rocket III’s engine is the world’s largest production motorcycle engine. Here are three separated pieces of the cylinder head, showing the different stages of production. On the left is the raw casting; partly machined in the centre and; fully machined on the right.

Looks like an IKEA stock area, doesn’t it? It’s the same concept here except that the bikes are fully built, instead of needing self-assembly (although I wouldn’t mind doing that!).

Triumph Factory Visitor Experience

The Triumph Visitor Experience is a gallery adjoining the main building.

It’s divided into different segments, starting with ATTITUDE. It alludes the philosophy that Triumph was built on and what drives the brand. Etched into the wall are these words, “Built by riders, for riders, always chasing perfection, it’s what drives us, it’s what makes us.”

Although Triumph is proudly a British brand, it was started by Siegfried Bettman, who emigrated from Nuremberg, Germany. He sold bicycles originally and named his company Triumph Cycle Company in 1886, before registering it as New Triumph Co., Ltd the next year with funding from the Dunlop Pneumatic Tyre Company. He was joined by another Nuremberg native Moritz Schulte as a partner in the same year.

Schulte encouraged Bettman to turn the company into manufacturing. They moved to a site in Coventry in 1886 and produced the first Triumph bicycles in 1889. Now I know where my Grandad’s Triumph bicycle came from.

Anyhow, they expanded into motorcycle manufacturing and produced the first in 1902, powered by a Belgian Minerva engine. So voila, Triumph No. 1.

This beautiful 1937 Speed Twin had me staring at it for a good 20 minutes. Featuring a 500cc parallel-Twin, it was the first truly successful British twin and set the standards for those that followed.

Next was this X-75 Hurricane. BSA (owner of the Triumph brand back then) wanted a design that could sell in the US and employed Craig Vetter to redesign the BSA Rocket 3. But BSA went bust in 1972 so the bike was sold as a Triumph, thus the Vetter BSA Rocket 3 became the Triumph X-75. Production stopped in 1973 as the bike failed new American noise standards. I love the triple exhaust tips!

Before turning the corner, a Thruxton R sat in front of a large display case. The cubbies were filled with Triumph factory accessories. Yes, the manufacturer has more than 300 accessories to choose from.

Starting the PERFORMANCE area were two race bikes. A 1947 Tiger 100 Grand Prix Mark I Racer sits in front of a 1958 Thruxton 500. The Tiger 100 was also known as the T100, so it’s the Granddaddy of the present Bonneville T100. Ernie Lyons rode the race bike to victory at Manx Grand Prix. Triumph commemorate the win by selling the stripped-down Tiger 100 race replica in 1947, which became known as the “Grand Prix.” The victory at Manx was just one of the many that the Tiger 100 won.

1947 Triumph Tiger 100 Grand Prix poster

The name “Thruxton” actually belongs to a racetrack converted from an airfield near Andover, Hampshire. The track was well-known by 1951 and holds six-event motorcycle races as part of the Festival of Britain. Geoff Duke and John Surtees raced there. Thruxton started hosting endurance races soon after.

Mike Hailwood on a Triumph at the 1958 Thruxton 500 – Photo credit Pinterest.com

In 1958, the endurance race became a 500-mile (800-km) affair. Mike “The Bike” Hailwood a 650cc Triumph. This was the start of Triumph’s reputation as a fearsome competitor. Hailwood’s win was the first of eight Thruxton 500 victories for Triumph.

There weren’t exactly factory-built racing prototypes those early days. Instead, competitors buy their bikes from showrooms and modify them for racing. So, Triumph did the smart thing of producing racing parts (like modern-day race kits) and sold them to mechanics and dealers.

1964 Triumph Thruxton prototype – Photo credit sinistros-forever.blogspot.com

The first factory-built Thruxton racer was in 1964. 52 of these were made to homologate them for racing. The 1958 “Thruxton” may be the start but the supreme Thruxton was introduced in 1969. Based on the T120, it finished 1-2-3 at Thruxton, second in the Barcelona GP, and won the Isle of Man Production TT by a record average of 100 mph (160 km/h). That’s super fast for a 1969 bike!

1969 Triumph T120 Thruxton racer – Photo credit columnm.com

This is why the current Thruxton model is the racer variant and alpha-bike of the Bonneville line-up. As with its descendant, it’s built on the Bonneville T120 and shares the same engine, albeit with the High Power tune.

Triumph Bonneville Thruxton R TFC (Triumph Factory Custom)

(OMG! We still have 4 more sections to go!)

Gene Romero rode this racing  750ccTrident Triple to second place at the 1971 Daytona 200 race. It was part of Triumph Meridien’s 5-rider team assault on the pre-eminent American race. Romera finished just 2 seconds behind the winner in the 320-kilometer race (200 miles). Just below the fuel tank is the trademark “letterbox” airbox. Intake air was routed through the front of the fairing into the airbox and past the oil-cooler, like the modern ram air system. Gene Romero was a multiple AMA Grand National Champion. His teammates were Gary Nixon, Don Castro, Paul Smart and Tim Rockwood.

This Daytona TT600 won the Isle of Man TT in 2003. The bike was built by the famed Valmoto team. This was the early Daytona 600 which uses an inline-Four engine, instead of the triple in the later Daytona 675. But it cemented the Triumph Daytona’s name in the supersport category.

Ah hah. The Triumph Streamliner. Johnny Allen rode (drove?) this machine to the fastest land speed record of 214.40 mph (345.0 km/h) on 1stSeptember 1956 at the Bonneville Salt Flats in Utah, USA. 345 km/h seems mild now, but this was 63 years ago.

Triumph Streamliner at the Bonneville Salt Flats – Picture credit ultimatemotorcycling.com

But what made the feat even more remarkable was the engine which powered the streamliner. It wasn’t supercharged, turbocharged; not a factory-built one-off special. Only one engine normally-aspirated engine was used, instead of the twin-engine powered sleds used for breaking records. Not only that, the donor engine was a 650cc parallel-Twin which powered the Triumph Thunderbird. It was fettled a little by having larger valves, larger Amal carbs and ran on an 80% methanol/20% nitromethane fuel. But the cylinders were stock!

Oh yes! We’ve come to the bike I really wanted to see! It’s the original TR6 Trophy which was dressed up to like a Nazi’s R75 in Steve McQueen’s movie, “The Great Escape.” This was the legendary bike on which McQueen’s character jumped the concentration camp’s wire fences on this bike, although the stunts were performed by his stunt double and racing buddy, Bud Ekins.

The pair didn’t only use the TR6 Trophy model for the movie. They actually raced the bike in rallies, including the punishing Baja Rally.

The TR6 Trophy is the predecessor of the current 900cc Bonneville Street Scrambler and the new Bonneville Scrambler 1200.

Next to the Great Escape bike is another segment which showcases how Triumph carries out R&D and building their bikes.

The first display showed a raw aluminium ingot before it is turned into an engine casing.

Next was the frame and chassis of a new Tiger 1200. This area showcases the R&D carried out particularly for traction control, ABS and electronic suspension.

Moving on is the section showing how Triumph designs their bikes, in particular the Bonneville Bobber. The exhibit described the stages of development from pre-concept to the clay mock up displayed here. The Bobber is Triumph’s best-selling model of all time.

Roadgoing prototypes were built for real-world testing. These are the stages we see usually see in spyshots. Although it already resembles the production bike, look closer and you’ll see a different instrument display, extra wire looms, a not-so-subtle exhaust O2 sensor, and the unmissable bracket for the GIVI box. Notice the fat wire looms that lead into it. The box carries data acquisition devices (recorders) for various performance parameters.

In the farthest corner was a wall which displayed the components of a Speed Triple like a Lego set. Visitors i.e. me, were free to inspect the intricacy and quality of each piece.

In the centre of both areas was a neon-lit island which highlighted customized Triumphs. A custom Street Twin was joined by a Bobber and were surrounded by beautifully custom-painted fuel tanks.

Opposite the island was the “Wall of Dealers.” Hundreds of displays presented Triumph’s worldwide dealer network. Triumph Motorcycles Ltd. has definitely grown by leaps and bounds since John Bloor acquired the brand in 1983.

Also, near this centre area was an engine placed in a transparent case. The inscription on a plaque said, “ENGINE 000001. THE FIRST EVER HINCKLEY PRODUCTION LINE ENGINE. 1200cc Four-Cylinder Trophy Engine. Built 1990.”

On the way out, I stopped by at a Thruxton R which wore a white and blue bodywork akin to Gene Romero’s Trident Triple racer. It was on closer inspection that I found out it was supercharged!

Just as fascinating was its background. The bike was built by British rider and four-time World Superbike Champion Carl Fogarty to race at the 2016 Glemseck 101 event. Supercharging pumped maximum power up to 148 PS and torque to a huge 157 Nm. Glemseck is the annual café racer event held in Leonburg, Germany, consisting of a bike show and 1/8-mile drag race. Fogarty owned everyone on this bike by winning all 12 drag races he entered and walked away with the overall win in the Essenza class.

On the left side of the isle is the riding gear section. Triumph is not only hard at work in developing new bikes but also technology and design of riding gear.

Further up the line were rows of the latest models, including the Tiger 1200, Tiger 800 XRT, Street Triple RS, Speed Triple, Bonneville Thruxton R, Bonneville Street Twin.

It was time to visit the gift shop upstairs.

It was packed to the gills! People were grabbing stuff off the racks, tables, benches… the cashier had beads of sweat on his forehead, while two lady staff members ran around looking for clothing items the dealers asked for. I only managed to grab a cash box which looks like an oil can, an aluminium lunchbox, a couple of teddy bear keychains and a leather card holder. The queue extended from the cashier to outside the door.

The American couple of me had loads of t-shirts and leather jackets under their arms, that the half-dumped on the cashier’s desk in a heap. It took a long time for the hapless clerk to scan through all the items and the Japanese man behind me started to sigh (you know it’s taking too long when a Japanese sighs). “That’ll be £560 pounds please.” The cheerful demeanor of the couple turned to almost-horror. Compared to theirs, my stash cost “only” £50.

Back downstairs, Asep was waiting for me outside while puffing away on a cigarette. Later, we re-boarded the bus to take us back to London.

CONCLUSION

It’s only apt that Triumph calls the centre an “experience.” While there weren’t as many bikes in the gallery as we expected, those there were of great significance motorcycling history and culture, besides to the brand. I for one still could not believe that I actually saw The Great Escape’s TR6 Trophy in front of my very eyes.

The factory visit was just as awesome. It’s almost a spiritual experience to actually step foot inside the very facility which produced my favourite bikes. At the same time, the sense of amazement never ceased as I traced the progression of a piece of aluminium ingot into a complete engine assembly, which in turn became part of a Triumph motorcycle.

Again, we would like to thank Fast Bikes Sdn. Bhd. and Dato’ Razak Al-Malique Hussein for the opportunity of a lifetime.

  • Acara amal “Sayap Impian” Kawan Awan telah berlangsung semalam, di mana 135 kanak-kanak dari rumah kebajikan dan 4 orang kanak-kanak yang sakit tenat telah menaiki penerbangan pertama mereka mengelilingi Kuala Lumpur.
  • Dianjurkan oleh Nik Huzlan, yang lebih mesra dikenali sebagai Kapten Nik, acara amal yang unik ini bertujuan untuk memberikan satu pengalaman yang serba baharu buat kanak-kanak tersebut.
  • Acara ini telah mendapat sokongan Triumph Motorcycles Malaysia, ahli kumpulan Triumph RatPack, Kenanga Investors, Pasukan Rimba Raid, dan pelbagai badan yang lain.

(more…)

  • Triumph Motorcycles Malaysia has officially released the prices of their motorcycles with 0% GST.

  • The bikes from Hinckley are now even more attractively priced.

  • The new price announcement coincides with the arrival of the Tiger 800 XCA and Tiger 800 XRT.

Triumph Motorcycles Malaysia has published the prices of their motorcycles, with 0% GST, in accordance to the Ministry of Finance’s announcement.

The new prices will be effective from 1st June 2018 until 30th June 2018. Please refer to the list below. Prices are subject to change without prior notice.

Reductions for new motorcycles are between RM 3,000 to RM 6,0000, while price reduction for “Clearance Sale” models range between RM 2,937.06 to RM 5,603.77. However, it is safe for you to purchase your favourite Triumph now before 1st June 2018 as Triumph Motorcycles Malaysia had launched their Price Protection Scheme earlier (please click on the link below for more information).

GST vs SST? Triumph Motorcycles Malaysia says don’t worry!

The new price announcement coincides with the arrival of the first 2018 Tiger 800 XCA and Tiger 800 XRT in Malaysia. The duo are the flagship models of the Triumph Tiger 800 range.

The Tiger 800 XCA and Tiger 800 XRT have extra features and accessories compared to the Tiger 800 XCX and Tiger 800 XRX we tested earlier in a few areas:

  • Fully LED headlights and distinctive running lights (XCA and XRT).
  • Heated seats (XCA and XRT).
  • 6 TFT screen styles (XCA and XRT).

  • 5 riding modes including an extra rider customizable mode (XRT).
  • 6 riding modes including an extra rider customizable mode (XCA)

  • A pair of high-powered LED fog lamps (XCA only).
  • Off-road style footpegs (XCA only).
  • Adjustable front forks (XRT vs. XRX. The XCX and XCA have adjustable WP forks as standard).

  • Centre stand (XCA and XRT).
  • Aluminium radiator guard (XCA).

Now is the best time to bring home that Triumph you’ve been lusting for.

  • The 2018 Triumph Tiger 800 XCx was just launched earlier this month (March 2018).

  • Although it appears not much has changed, Triumph had performed some amazing updates.

  • The Triumph Tiger 800 XCx is priced from RM74,900 (basic selling price incl. 6% GST) but the road-centric and entry-level Tiger 800 XR is priced from just RM56,900 (basic selling price incl. 6% GST).

Other than reading about motorcycles and technical literature, I love science fiction or sci-fi, in short. I used to love thriller novels but I’ve since discovered that sci-fi forces us to take a hard look at ourselves in the face of our fascination with technology.  

There are many great works. Ted Chiang comes to mind – he who wrote “The Story of Your Life,” which was made into the seminal movie “Arrival.” But even more profound and important were the literatures penned by the late astronomer Carl Sagan. It was him who wrote the story, “Contact” which became the basis of the movie of the same name, starring Jodie Foster and Matthew McConaughey.

In that book which details the impact of man receiving a message from the extraterrestrials, there was one important line which has become a favourite quote for physicists and astronomers including Professor Michio Kaku and Neil deGrasse Tyson in describing the technological parity between “them” and us.

We were fortunate to ride the new Triumph Tiger 800 XCx prior to its launch at The Greatest Triumph Malaysia Grand Dinner at Bukit Tinggi recently and the early impressions bowled every motojournalist (including us) off their feet.

We missed the Tiger 800 XCx so much since that first ride. There was something about it that was so inviting and endearing. Could it be the confidence it exudes? The look? The sound?

The Tiger 800 XCx lineage is one of my personal favourite bikes, ever since riding the 2015 model to the Khao Sok National Park in Thailand with the RATPack. I just couldn’t believe how good it was at the time and even up until recently. I started to wonder how Triumph could ever better it with the new, fourth-generation model. In fact, I was worried if the Tiger 800 had reached its zenith.

Triumph did it. They just did it. They went ahead and made the Tiger 800 even better than an already splendid bike.

For starters, Triumph did a great job of making the new bike look fresh and attractive without resorting to a Korean plastic surgery. It drew in admiring looks everywhere we parked. Although looking vastly similar to its predecessor, there were many differences throughout. There’s a huge and adjustable transparent windscreen, new 5-inch colour TFT screen adopted from the Street Triple RS along with the switchgear, updated cruise control (only one switch), LED Daytime Running Light (DRL), Brembo brakes, recalibrated WP suspension, Triumph Comfort seats, and a new exhaust.

New seat compound and construction for exemplary comfort

The real updates in the engine and chassis, however. In fact, Triumph revised, updated or replaced 200 items in these areas alone.

The new Tiger 800 XCx seemed a little taller than before, possibly due to the thicker new seat. Nevertheless, reaching the ground wasn’t difficult as the bike has a narrow waist and the sidestand was easily within reach. The seating position was slightly more relaxed as the handlebar has been moved 10mm backwards to bring it nearer to the rider.

Just look at that quality

The TFT display was easy to read in all lighting conditions and scrolling through the menus was intuitive. It took us only 5 minutes to learn.

Every data you need right there

You feel you’re fully involved with the bike as soon as you grab that handlebar and start riding. Every input is taken care of smartly, instantly.

New switchgear adopted from the Street Triple RS. The cruise control is updated

The reworked WP forks made the bike feel extremely stable when coupled to the the 21-inch front wheel. Because of that, the front wheel seems to create an invisible groove in the road. The bike not only goes where you point it, it follows that line to millimeter perfection. It made the previous edition’s front end feel “flighty.” However, due to my height which located my weight over the rear, the front felt a little heavy to turn in and stiff when hitting bumps. Decreasing the compression damping by just 3 clicks – not full turns, but just click, click, click – transformed the Tiger into a large super-flicklable and fluid trail bike. Despite of that, it remained supremely stable whether it was travelling in a straight line, or scratching its footpegs when on its sides. If there’s ever any doubt about having a bike with a 21-inch front wheel, the Tiger 800 XCx tears those doubts into ribbons.

Suspension are still WP but fully recalibrated

And it was darn fun to ride. I’m never a morning person, but I found myself waking up at 4am just to prepare to ride it up to Genting Highlands to catch the first rays of the sun, three days in a row.

She’ll be coming ’round the mountain

I’ve never liked riding on the Karak Highway in the dark either, but the Tiger 800’s headlamps threw so much light down the road it startled even sleepy truck drivers. And I haven’t even touched the high beam and foglights yet! Rider confidence stems from the ability to see where he’s heading and those lights helped even through the thick fog as I headed up the mountain at 5.30am.

The larger windscreen is fully transparent, now adjustable and stable at high speeds. The lights are super bright!

Anyone knows just how bumpy and treacherous the Genting road is. The Tiger 800 XCx didn’t care whether if there were bumps, potholes, some sand, damp surface, paint strips – it just kept going. The ability of doing these things was disconcerting at first, but once it sets in, all you need to do is to stop worrying and have fun.

The brake calipers and discs are now all Brembo. Good progressive bite

What I truly appreciated, though, was Triumph’s emphasis on giving their bikes exceptionally smooth throttle response. I went through all the modes – SPORT, ROAD, RAIN, OFF-ROAD and OFF-ROAD PRO – none of them was snatchy from off-throttle, mid-throttle, rolling off the throttle and even snapping it shut. The engine is now more responsive, yet not abrupt. Amazing.

Did we say we loved the seat? So did the pillion

The throttle character is true for all Triumphs but it was extra special on the Tiger 800 as the engineers have removed the backlash gear in the transmission.

It may be an adventure bike, but it could really corner

The previous Tiger 800 felt like it had a slipper clutch when it didn’t, giving it a good amount of engine braking together with smoothness as you go into in a corner with the throttle off. On the new Tiger 800, on the other hand, the mix of engine braking and “freewheeling” was spot-on, as if the transmission has a computer-controlled back-torque limiter. Only thing was it didn’t. Kudos, Triumph!

The Tiger 800 XCx is pretty frugal on gas so you won’t be opening this much

The updates to the engine gives the Tiger 800 the tiger’s gallop anywhere in the rev range, in any gear. The power was just smooth, linear, predictable. Never once did it threaten to charge ahead with the rider flailing behind. A predictable power delivery is the dream of every rider, including the pros (critical for the pros, actually), because how can one enjoy a bike that has its own mind when you crack the throttle open?

You could see a timing chain inside the oil sight glass. How cool is that?

When I took it easy on the first trip up, I didn’t even have to go lower than 3rd gear through the sharpest corners, in ROAD mode. On the second trip, it was SPORT mode on Karak Highway and ROAD mode up Genting. The weather was clearer and I managed to hustle the bike through the curves much faster than I thought possible for an adventure bike. On the third morning, it was SPORT mode all the way. The XCx just hammered into, through and out of the corners like a sportbike with high handlebars, but with the benefit of not needing to worry about the whatever road condition.

We also got around to testing it in the dirt, with the help of “Foreman Oh” Kah Beng at his Most Fun Gym motocross and off-road riding school.

The living legend – “Foreman Oh” Kah Beng

He first went out in OFF-ROAD PRO, which switches off traction control and rear ABS, and leaving the front ABS on. He went straight to performing powerslides, riding it through a corner on the berm and jumped. He came back in and set the ride mode to OFF-ROAD, which leaves all intervention on. He was amazed, “The traction control was never intrusive, it only felt like the engine was holding back slightly but it didn’t cut you off. It’s crazy!”

Round a curve on a dirt berm

On handling, “The bike has a great balance and footing – somehow nimble and stable at the same time. That’s not something which is easy to achieve. Plus, the narrow waist gives you the ability to hold it with your knees.” It’s the testimony of Triumph’s emphasis on handling rather than outright power.

OKB powersliding the Tiger

The new, shorter first gear also helped heaps when we circled around a set of pylons by slipping the clutch, instead of using the throttle.

See how OKB’s upper torso is above the fuel tank? That position puts more weight onto the front tyre

When you stand up on the pegs and look down, all you see is the TFT screen, while the tank and triple clamp disappear from sight. It means that the bike has placed your upper body over the tank hence weight onto the front tyre – that’s the ideal riding position for riding off-road. But while standing up is mainly done off-road, it should also be done on the road when you encounter obstructions or rough roads. This bike’s riding position is there to help you with that.

The Tiger leaps!

That’s the Triumph Tiger 800 XCx. It’s so good when you ride it on the road that you forget that it’s also very capable in the dirt; and it’s so capable off-road that you completely forget about how good it is as a road bike.

City commuting, long-range touring, long-range adventure, weekend canyon carving, the Tiger 800 XCx does it all

I’ve tested bikes that I just rode from A to B, plus a bit more for shooting duties and parked them up. The Tiger 800 XCx, conversely, due to the combination of a finely designed seating position, superb windscreen, awesomely comfortable seats, and confidence just keeps begging me to go out riding. We received the bike with 673km on the odometer. It read 1550km when we returned in after 5 days, 4 nights. I couldn’t help staring it for god knows how long when I do park it up, either.

Anything negative? The handlebar buzzed around 5000 RPM, but we soon got used to it and it “went away” since it wasn’t upsetting.

I’d better stop here as I’d just keep heaping superlatives on the Triumph Tiger 800 XCx, if I continue. I’m really tempted to call it “The Best Adventure Motorcycle” but the only thing keeping me from doing so is its brother and bigger cat: The Tiger 1200, which we’ve yet to test. At this moment, though, it is the best middleweight adventure motorcycle, bar none.

Oh yes, what’s that poignant Carl Sagan quote? “The artifacts of a sufficiently advanced extraterrestrial civilization would be indistinguishable from magic.”

Wait, how’s that relevant since the Triumph Tiger 800 XCx is very Earthly in origin? It’s so good it’s almost magical that it might as well had been made by an advanced alien civilization.

TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS

ENGINE
Engine type Liquid-cooled, 4-stroke, DOHC, 4 valves per cylinder, inline-Triple
Compression ratio 11.3 : 1
Bore X Stroke 74.0 mm X 61.9 mm
Displacement 800 cc
Fuel system Multipoint sequential electronic fuel injection
Maximum power 94 bhp (70 kW) @ 9,500 RPM
Maximum torque 79 Nm @ 8,050 RPM
TRANSMISSION  
Clutch Wet, multi-plate
Gearbox 6-speed
CHASSIS
Front suspension WP 43mm upside down forks, adjustable for compression damping and rebound damping, 220 mm travel
Rear suspension WP monoshock with piggyback reservoir, hydraulic preload adjustment,2 220 mm travel
Front brakes Dual 305 mm Brembo floating discs, dual Brembo two-piston sliding calipers
Rear brake Single 255 mm disc, Nissin single-piston sliding caliper
ABS ABS standard, swtichable on/off
Front tyre 90/90-21
Rear tyre 150/70-R17
FRAME & DIMENSIONS
Frame Tubular steel trellis frame
Swingarm Two-sided cast aluminium allow
Trail 93.5 mm
Rake 23.4 degrees
Wheelbase 1545 mm
Seat height 840 – 860 mm
Dry weight 205 kg
Fuel capacity 19 litres

 

PICTURE GALLERY

  • Motosikal Triumph 3HW adalah salah sebuah motosikal Triumph yang telah dihasilkan untuk kegunaan tentera.
  • Ia telah berkhidmat sepanjang Perang Dunia ke-2.
  • Selebriti terkenal, Wak Doyok telah memperoleh sebuah model ini.

(more…)

  • The Triumph 3HW was one of Triumph’s motorcycles produced for the military.

  • It served throughout the Second World War.

  • This particular example belongs to celebrity Wak Doyok.

You’ll never know what kind of treasures will show up at the dealerships of classic motorcycle marques. Well, Triumph Motorcycles is the world’s second oldest motorcycle manufacturer, after all.

We were picking up the 2018 Tiger 800 XCx from Triumph Motorcycles Malaysia in Petaling Jaya for testing and review, when we spotted a “baby blue” vintage motorcycle sitting in the cargo bay of a 4×4 pickup. Imagine our surprise when it turned out to be 1940s Triumph 3HW, belonging to the popular celebrity Wak Doyok!

The Triumph 3HW wasn’t only a vintage bike but it had a significance in the history of motorcycles.

When World War II broke out in September 1939, the War Office requisitioned (sapu habis, in local speak) Triumph’s entire stock of civilian motorcycles. Triumph, based in Coventry at the time, went on to develop the 3TW specially for the military.

But on the night of 14th November 1940, the Luftwaffe (German Air Force) conducted a bombing raid on the city and devastated the Triumph factory along with the production of the 3TW. Many records of Triumph motorcycles since its heydays were also destroyed.

Triumph converted an oil foundry in Meriden, Warwickshire and started producing two single-cylinder motorcycles – the side-valve 3SW and the overhead-valve 3HW. The 3HW was based on the Tiger 80 sport roadster.

The 3HW’s rocker boxes were cast integrally with the cast-iron cylinder head, as opposed to the Tiger 80’s separate aluminium allow rocker boxes. The engineers resorted to cast iron as aluminium was in short supply.

Being more powerful than the 3SW, the 3HW eventually saw service in dispatch duties and general liaison for the Royal Navy in North Africa, India and Greece. In fact, the Greek Army used the bike from 1942 all the way to 1952.

The 343cc, air-cooled, single-cylinder engine had bore X stroke dimensions of 70mm X 89mm, a compression ratio of 6.7:1, and produced 17 bhp at 5200 RPM, pushing the bike to a top speed of 115 km/h.

Wak Doyok’s bike here shows the 3HW serial number stamped on the crankcase, but the fuel tank/instrument cluster could’ve been replaced with a 3H Deluxe model’s. Regardless, it’s still one awesomely beautiful motorcycle. Watch this video of Wak Doyok riding the bike, posted on 29th September 2017. Thank you Wak Doyok for letting photograph your bike!

PICTURE GALLERY

 

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