Gabit Saleh meneruskan kemaraan di hari kedua GIVI Rimba Raid apabila memenangi kategori terbuka perlumbaan Enduro semalam selepas mempertahankan kejuaraan Kelas A pada Sabtu.
Pelumba ‘off-road’ negara itu menamatkan lima pusingan dengan catatan masa terpantas di antara 37 pelumba lain dengan 1 jam 20 minit 36.490 saat sekaligus mengukuhkan namanya dalam arena off-road.
Tempat kedua jadi milik Ahmad Lezzam Roslim dengan catatan masa 1 jam 20 minit 42.859 saat diikuti Richard Lim ketiga dengan 1 jam 25 minit 15.784 saat.
Sementara itu bagi kategori veteran menyaksikan 53 pelumba berentap bagi merebut kejuaraan dengan Rohaizam Rizal Mansor muncul juara dengan catatan masa 47 minit 40.073 saat diikuti Mohd Fauzi Ali kedua dengan 49 minit 26.849 saat dan Lai Kok Hing ketiga yang hanya dipisahkan beberapa saat di belakang.
Kategori novice menyaksikan Muhammad Fareez Burhanuddin juara dengan 55 minit 51.473 saat diikuti Mohammad Syamin kedua dengan 56 minit 46.992 saat sementara Michael Soh ketiga dengan 56 minit 50.331 saat.
Aksi Enduro melengkapkan GIVI Rimba Raid yang memasuki hari kedua semalam sekaligus mengukuhkan pertandingan itu dipersada tempatan dan antarabangsa.
Hari pertama yang berlangsung pada Sabtu melibatkan acara tumpuan ‘jungle race’ menyaksikan Gabit berjaya mempertahankan kejuaraan dimenangni tahun lalu di Mat Daling.
Perlumbaan itu turut menampilkan pelumba jemputan dari Chile, Jeremias Israel yang merupakan pelumba raki Dakar Honda.
Saksikan rangkuman hari kedua Rimba Raid di bawah:
NAKHON CHAI SI, THAILAND, 3 SEPTEMBER 2017 – Beautiful weather and a , wonderful circuit welcomed Round 1 of the FIM Asia Supermoto 2017 Championship. The competition saw 17 riders from 13 countries striving for national and personal pride.
The day began with Free Practice, and as expected, the top three spots were dominated by United Kingdom’s Lewis Cornish, returning 2015 Champion, Thailand’s Trakarn Thangthong, and defending 2016 Champion Malaysia’s Muhd. “Gabit” Habibullah, respectively.
MOTO 1
Moto 1 started with the sun shining directly above the riders.
Pole sitter Cornish grabbed the holeshot, but was followed tightly by all riders onto straight of the tarmac section, instead being diverted into the off-road section.
The tight hairpin turn immediately after the last table top remained as the biggest challenge, serving as an advantage to some riders and vice-versa for others.
With Cornish speeding ahead on an empty circuit, he opened up a two-second gap within a few laps to the pursuing Gabit and Thangthong. That left the latter two to battle between themselves, giving Cornish an even bigger cushion.
The top three remained the same, until five minutes before the end of Moto 1, when Gabit was overtaken by Thangthong. The Thai rider had planned his move at the right moment, giving Gabit no time to regain the second spot.
Lewis finsihed Moto 1 in 22:236.002, followed by Thangthong and Gabit in 22:42.962 and 23:14.056, respectively.
Dutchman Marcel Van Drunen, who had fought tooth and nail against Cornish in Qualifying and SuperChrono, was stuck in a fierce battle with another of Malaysia’s ace, Khairi Zakaria throughout the race to finish fourth, with the latter in fifth.
MOTO 2
Cornish stole the holeshot again at the start and never looked back to win his second Moto of the day, finishing the race comfortably five seconds ahead of Thangthong.
“It was a very technical track. Most of us were using slick tyres to race on the track. With the triple dirt section, it feels more like a motocross track instead. I made multiple mistakes in Moto 1 but reduced it in Moto 2. I believe Trakarn and Gabit made mistakes as well, which gave me an advantage to the race,” said Lewis.
“I was fortunate when Gabit hit on a hole at the third dirt section. That was when I passed him. He grew so much since we last faced off in 2015. I enjoyed riding with all the riders, and hopefully, I can perform better in Indonesia,” said Thangthong.
Seemingly making amends to his fourth place finish in Moto 1, Van Drunen fought with Gabit for the final podium spot. The two exchanged places multiple times with high-risk maneuvers in the tighter corners.
The contest ended just two laps from the end of the race, when Gabit ran off the track. It was a brave performance from the Malaysian, however, when the KTM Malaysia factory rider revealed later that he had lost his brakes.
“My front and rear brakes malfunctioned, and I lost control of my bike. This makes it even harder for me to maintain my pace, especially on this track. I tried my best to ensure the best possible result in this condition,” said Gabit.
Gabit landed the sixth spot in Moto 2, clocking a total time of 24:20.495.
Malaysia’s Khairi Zakaria attempted to close the gap to the Dutchman, but his efforts were forlorn when he made a mistake at the transition between the road and off-road section. Khairi landed fourth in Moto 2, finishing nearly two seconds behind Marcel with a total time of 23:50.924.
Japan’s Naoto Takayama performed well in Moto 2, and came home fifth .
“It was a perfect and successful race. We would like to congratulate the Asia Supersports Group, FMSCT, all the partners and all the riders. The opening round of the season was exciting, and everything was in order. The track is probably one of the most challenging tracks in the season’s history, but all safety aspects were taken into consideration,” said Stephan P. Carapiet, FIM Asia Safety Officer.
The 2017 FIM Asia SuperMoto Championship will commence in Jogjakarta, Indonesia on 7 and 8 October 2017.
For more information, visit www.supermotoasia.com or watch the race live for free in HD on www.twenty3.tv powered by E-Plus Global Sdn Bhd.
FIM Asia SuperMoto Championship is promoted by Asia Supersports Group, a consortium of three companies namely Bikenation Motorsports Sdn Bhd, Trade My Superbike and E-Plus Global Sdn Bhd; sanctioned by FIM Asia and FMSCT; and supported by Malaysia Major Events, a division of Malaysia Convention & Exhibition Bureau (an agency under the Ministry of Tourism and Culture Malaysia), Malay Mail, Kelab Blogger Ben Ashaari and TX Sports.
Moto 1 Race Result:
Pos | No. | Name | National | Laps | Best Time | Total Time |
1 | 8 | Lewis Cornish | GBR | 18 | 1:11.606 | 22:36.002 |
2 | 5 | Trakarn Thangthong | THA | 18 | 1:12.526 | 22:42.962 |
3 | 1 | Muhd Habibullah | MAS | 18 | 1:13.472 | 23:14.056 |
4 | 17 | Marcel Van Drunen | NED | 18 | 1:15.169 | 23:31.190 |
5 | 32 | Khairi Zakaria | MAS | 18 | 1:14.316 | 23:33.763 |
6 | 162 | Farhan Hendro | INA | 18 | 1:17.095 | 23:55.446 |
7 | 300 | Naoto Takayama | JPN | 17 | 1:16.645 | 22:37.403 |
8 | 12 | Kenneth San Andres | PHI | 17 | 1:18.520 | 23:10.666 |
9 | 28 | Natthapat SuksanWatthana | THA | 17 | 1:15.368 | 23:34.965 |
10 | 97 | Arten Teslenko | RUS | 17 | 1:20.359 | 23:36.386 |
11 | 7 | Pedro Wuner | INA | 16 | 1:19.964 | 22:39.942 |
12 | 77 | Hasroy Osman | SGP | 16 | 1:18.960 | 22:40.996 |
13 | 720 | Lin Chin Pei | TPE | 16 | 1:18.960 | 22:40.996 |
14 | 40 | Lee Wei | TPE | 15 | 1:22.517 | 22:43.571 |
DNF | 102 | Tsang Wai Kei | HKG | 13 | 1:30.587 | 23:46.389 |
DNF | 27 | Sun Tong | CHN | 12 | 1:25.996 | 19:4.087 |
DNF | 101 | Takashi Sasaki | JPN | 7 | 1:18.032 | 9:30.062 |
Moto 2 Race Result:
Pos | No. | Name | National | Laps | Best Time | Total Time |
1 | 8 | Lewis Cornish | GBR | 18 | 1:12.459 | 23:00.233 |
2 | 5 | Trakarn Thangthong | THA | 18 | 1:14.494 | 23:27.317 |
3 | 17 | Marcel Van Drunen | NED | 18 | 1:15.223 | 23:48.316 |
4 | 32 | Khairi Zakaria | MAS | 18 | 1:16.522 | 23:50.924 |
5 | 300 | Naoto Takayama | JPN | 18 | 1:17.768 | 24:07.549 |
6 | 1 | Muhd Habibullah | MAS | 18 | 1:12.741 | 24:20.495 |
7 | 162 | Farhan Hendro | INA | 18 | 1:18.292 | 24:26.555 |
8 | 12 | Kenneth San Andres | PHI | 17 | 1:20.493 | 23:35.442 |
9 | 101 | Takashi Sasaki | JPN | 17 | 1:22.063 | 23:56.181 |
10 | 28 | Natthapat Suksanwatthana | THA | 17 | 1:18.431 | 24:03.932 |
11 | 7 | Pedro Wuner | INA | 16 | 1:22.101 | 23:01.271 |
12 | 77 | Hasroy Osman | SGP | 16 | 1:22.921 | 23:03.908 |
13 | 720 | Lin Chin Pei | TPE | 15 | 1:25.411 | 23:32.197 |
14 | 27 | Sun Tong | CHN | 15 | 1:29.510 | 24:09.029 |
DNF | 102 | Tsang Wai Kei | HKG | 13 | 1:32.737 | 23:45.547 |
DNF | 97 | Artem Teslenko | RUS | 11 | 1:21.761 | 24:31.701 |
DNF | 40 | Lee Wei | TPE | 5 | 1:25.683 | 7:43.684 |
Overall Standing
Pos | No. | Name | National | M1 | M2 | Total Point |
1 | 8 | Lewis Cornish | GBR | 25 | 25 | 50 |
2 | 5 | Trakarn Thangthong | THA | 22 | 22 | 44 |
3 | 17 | Marcel Van Drunen | NED | 18 | 20 | 38 |
4 | 1 | Muhd Habibullah | MAS | 20 | 15 | 35 |
5 | 32 | Khairi Zakaria | MAS | 16 | 18 | 34 |
6 | 300 | Naoto Takayama | JPN | 14 | 16 | 30 |
7 | 162 | Farhan Hendro | INA | 15 | 14 | 29 |
8 | 12 | Kenneth San Andres | PHI | 13 | 13 | 26 |
9 | 28 | Natthapat Suksanwatthana | THA | 12 | 11 | 23 |
10 | 7 | Pedro Wuner | INA | 10 | 10 | 20 |
11 | 77 | Hasroy Osman | SGP | 9 | 9 | 18 |
12 | 720 | Lin Chin Pei | TPE | 8 | 8 | 16 |
13 | 101 | Takashi Sasaki | JPN | 0 | 12 | 12 |
14 | 97 | Artem Teslenko | RUS | 11 | 0 | 11 |
15 | 27 | Sun Tong | CHN | 0 | 7 | 7 |
16 | 40 | Lee Wei | TPE | 7 | 0 | 7 |
17 | 102 | Tsang Wai Kei | HKG | 0 | 0 | 0 |
The 2017 season of the FIM Asia Supermoto Championship kicks off on 2nd September 2017 at the Thailand Circuit Motorsports Complex, Nakhon Chai Si, near Bangkok, Thailand.
Promoted by the Asia Supersports Group (ASG), E-Plus Global and Bikenation, the championship has come a long way from its humble beginnings, consisting of a series of races cobbled together, to what is now a series which has attracted participation and attention the world over.
But why is supermoto popular? Here are the Top 10 reasons:
10. THE ATMOSPHERE
Yes, it’s true that there’s a carnival-like atmosphere at any race, but you could find all sorts of stuff from the very affordable to the most expensive stuff at supermoto races. There’s also the authentic street food at each of the countries supermoto visits, compared to having to spend RM15 for a diarrhea-inducing burger at the track.
9. THE PITS
The pits and paddock areas are not enclosed in concrete booths. You could see the bikes up close and how the teams work on them. Call out to the riders and they are more than happy to go over for selfies and autograph your gear. Same with some of the umbrella girls.
8. THE UNITED NATIONS
The championship may be titled “FIM Asia Supermoto,” but the field consists of riders from as far away as Australia, India, Sri Lanka, Russia, France, United Kingdom and the United States in addition to those from Asia. It’s truly an international championship.
7. THE BIKES
The motorcycles that compete in supermoto usually originate from motocross bikes (enduro bikes in some cases), with the wheels swapped out for 16-, 16.5- or 17-inch ones and shod with sticky rubber. The suspension is also reworked to have less travel and stiffer for the high-speed stresses of the road course. These aren’t purpose-built racing prototypes like in MotoGP, but bikes that you and I could purchase from the shop down the block and modify for road riding or racing.
6. THE PERSONALITIES
Since supermoto isn’t much like other motorsports, there are plenty of colourful characters in the paddock and on track.
2016 FIM Asia Supermoto Champ, Gabit Saleh from Malaysia rides aggressively almost like a high-speed bulldozer that smashes through all the different sections. Being a part-time stunt rider, he’s especially entertaining when he flies through the air. His signature is his head twitch, a sign that he’s switched on his personal “Race Mode.”
Gaban Saleh, Gabit’s older brother could be described as the road warrior when he races. He’s probably the hardest rider to pass as he puts up a huge fight rather than ceding a position easily. His riding style is also very aggressive and a thrill to watch.
Lewis Cornish from the UK is quiet and unassuming but he is just superfast and never gives up. He’s unafraid to charge through the smallest of gaps to grab the win – as Trakarn found out in the final round in 2015.
10-time British Supermoto Champ, Chris Hodgson is always jovial and happy-go-lucky but takes no prisoners on track. He can spot an opportunity to pass when no one does. His signature are his long, long high-speed drifts.
5. THE VIEW
Whereas other forms of motorsports cordon off the spectators far away from the action on track, you could view supermoto from almost up next to the riders as they flash by. You could hear the rear tyres howl when the riders drift into corners, smell the exhaust and rubber, feel the rumble in your chest and even see the expressions of the riders.
4. THE COMBO
Supermoto combines roadracing, motocross and flat track disciplines into one race. That means instead of having to visit three different races, you could watch all three in one race. There are two sections to each track: A tarmac section and a motocross section consisting of mountain-like jumps.
The riders have to perform well in all disciplines; being good at just any two, what more if just one of the three, would mean getting left behind.
3. THE WEATHER
As in the show goes on regardless of weather.
For example, the second round of the 2016 season was held in Malang, Indonesia. The weather had been hot all week, then rain came down with a vengeance during the weekend. The torrential rain was so heavy that puddles around certain parts of the track were ankle-deep. Yet, that didn’t stop the riders from battling tooth and nail against each other as if it was a jetski race.
2. THE SLIDES
Apart from the inclusion of both tarmac and offroad sections, drifting and powersliding are the hallmarks of supermoto racing.
The rider would blast down the straight into the braking zone, snap the rear wheel outwards and howl into the corner, and finally powerslide out, laying down a dark line on the track.
Seeing them do so lap after lap, laying down their bikes almost on their sides as they slide through corners is one of the most spectacular sights in motorcycle racing. As was in Indonesia, they’d even do it in the rain!
1. THE RACING
Well, what is racing without the action, right? But supermoto racing is elbow-to-elbow in the literal sense.
Supermoto race starts are always heart attack inducing as 30-odd riders pile into one tight corner, similar to motocross starts. You could see the riders having both elbows out, pushing other riders inside and outside away from him, while his opponents do the same to push him out of the way in return.
And while most motorsports see the greatest excitement at the start and a couple of laps after, supermoto features dogfights throughout the field, throughout the race. Lesser humans would be on their heads in no time.
So there you go. Do start following supermoto if you haven’t already, you could find many great videos on YouTube and the internet. Make sure you follow the latest reports on the 2017 FIM Asia Supermoto Championship at their official Facebook page and here at Bikes Republic.
It was a hot and humid day for the second round of the 2017 Malaysian Supermoto Championship (MSMC) which was held last weekend at the Taman Tasik Permaisuri, Cheras.
The weather however did not stop the supermoto riders from going full gas especially for one Muhamad Habibullah bin Mohd Saleh aka “Gabit” who once again took the spot in the SM Open category with his KTM. (more…)
Over 20 international riders from 14 countries will be contending for the last time in this year’s season of the FIM Supermoto Championship for overall standing and championship title. They will battle it out one last time this season from 17-18 December 2016 at the Shah Alam Stadium. (more…)
© Copyright – BikesRepublic.com 2023 Trademarks belong to their respective owners. All rights reserved