Fans, customers and owners of Kawasaki motorcycles now have a new home in Bandar Sunway, with the official opening of SC Premium Bikes Sdn. Bhd’s Kawasaki GT World Ninja Shop and Kawasaki Exclusive Service Centre (KESC).
As the Kawasaki GT World Ninja Shop is a flagship concept store, customers can expect a one-stop centre to view and purchase the latest Kawasaki motorcycles and buy the latest merchandize and riding gear.
Additionally, aftersales service is also fully supported in the Kawasaki Exclusive Service Centre. KESC provides the necessary expertise and tools to maintain and repair customers’ bikes, besides ensuring only genuine parts and accessories are used.
During the grand opening, Kawasaki Motors (Malaysia) Sdn. Bhd. (KMMSB) gave the assurance that they will continue to build a “ONE KAWASAKI” spirit among Kawasaki motorcycle owners, dealers and distributor, in line with the manufacturer’s “Let the good times roll” philosophy.
SC Premium Bikes Sdn. Bhd. is well-known among large-capacity motorcycle owners in the Klang Valley as a tuner. In fact, they were among the first motorcycle shops to provide electronic engine tuning in the country.
Finally, in the spirit of being “green,” the SC Premium facility employs green technology in its daily operations. It is the first Kawasaki GT World Ninja Shop which uses solar energy to power the electrical supply for the office equipment and lighting.
Please visit SC Premium Bikes Sdn. Bhd.’s and Kawasaki Motors (Malaysia) Sdn. Bhd.’s Facebook pages for more information.
Kawasaki Motors Malaysia Sdn Bhd (KMSB) has officially introduced their latest generation 250cc sports bike that is the 2018 Kawasaki Ninja 250. The new Ninja 250 was officially launched at the Art of Speed Malaysia 2018 currently happening at MAEPS Serdang. (more…)
Inspired by those before, Stephen Langitan decided to see the world on a motorcycle, and his chosen steed is the Kawasaki Versys-X 250.
Stephen had started out from Jakarta on 25th March 2018, rode through south Sumatra to Medan before hopping over to Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. From here, he will travel north first to Thailand and then continuing on a north-westerly tack towards Europe and ultimately London. He expects to reach the UK’s capital by 17th August 2018 to commemorate Indonesia’s Independence Day there.
Stephen was invited to Kawasaki Motors (Malaysia) for a Meet & Greet session with the Versys-X club members and media, to share his views, experience and knowledge on his solo ride.
What spurred him to embark on this ambitious ride? “I wanted to prove to myself that I could do it. I also wanted to fly the Indonesian flag all the way throughout the trip, that’s why my bike is painted in the red and white Indonesian flag.”
The conversing point on everyone’s lips was Stephen’s choice of bike, the Versys-X 250. We’ve written before that it is one of the best choice for an adventure bike (click here for the article), on account of its affordability, reliability and light weight. It turned out to be the same sentiments echoed by Stephen: “The main reason is because it’s light. One must always be prepared about dropping the bike when adventure riding and the Versys-X 250 is light enough for me to lift it back up by myself. Sure, you could ask for help, but what if I dropped it where there’s no one around? All I need to do is remove the tank bag, sleeping bag, and other luggage and get it back onto its wheels.”
“The second reason is of course fuel economy. I don’t ride fast – normally around 80 to 90 km/h. The Versys-X averages approximately 30 kilometres per litre of petrol at that pace, hence I could touch up to 450 kilometres per tank, through multiplying 30 km by 15 litres with 2 litres as reserve.”
“I have a very tight schedule due to Visa constraints through a number of the 26 countries I’m riding through, and that’s is why I cannot afford to stop too often, unless I feel sleepy and need to refresh myself,” Stephen explained.
His Versys-X is decked out in luggage and the aforementioned paintjob, besides a few accessories. We asked if it had been modified in any way. “No, the motorcycle is fully stock. I’ve only added accessories such as the engine protection bars, brackets for the panniers and top case, a GPS holder, high-powered spotlights, except for the stock rims which have been made to support tubeless Metzeler Tourance tyres.”
“As for challenges so far, I think I’ve travelled on the worst roads through southern Sumatra already. The roads ahead should be well-built and I hope for a smooth ride.”
Stephen’s final message before the end of the event was, “Thank you Kawasaki Malaysia for welcoming me, thank you Kawasaki Versys-X Club of Malaysia for coming out to meet me. I’m very touched by your support.”
You may follow Stephen Langitan’s further progress on his Kawasaki Versys-X 250 on his blog http://stephenlangitan.com/archives/115906.
Artikel oleh: Wahid Ooi Abdullah
It’s undeniable that three particular models ruled the Malaysian streets for the years between 2009 to 2015. They were the Kawasaki ER-6f, ER-6n and Versys 650 (we’ll omit the Versys 650 for the moment). Let’s see how the ER-6f and ER-6n have evolved into the Ninja 650 and Z650.
It could also be accurately said that the ER-6 models were collectively the catalyst which started the bike big boom, which consequently ushered all the other big bikes we have nowadays.
The ER-6 family began in 2006. A few of the model made their way to our shores.
However, the ER-6’s true popularity started with the 2009 models. The ER-6f was fully-faired, while the ER-6n was a naked roadster.
Both models were built on the same frame, chassis and engine platforms. They exhibited easy handling, good brakes, upright and and comfortable riding position, and a tractable engine with good torque and power characteristics to please newcomers, veteran and born-again riders. They were bikes that could do it all: Commuting, weekend canyon bombing, long rides, sport-touring, and track riding to some degree.
Best of all, they were the most affordable big bikes at sub-forty thousand Ringgit, since they were first to be CKD’d.
So popular was the ER series that even Malaysian riding schools started using them as bikes for newbie training and “Full B” license exams.
The engine was a simple, liquid-cooled, DOHC, eight-valves fuel-injected, 649cc, parallel-Twin. It pumped out a healthy 71 bhp and between 66 Nm (2006 to 2011) and 64 Nm (2012-2016) of torque. The distinctive thumping exhaust note results from the 180-degree crank.
EVOLUTION
The ER-6 variants (called Ninja 650R in some countries) made their debut in 2006. The second-generation ER-6 made their appearances in 2009 to 2011, before being superseded by the third generation from 2012 to 2016.
There were only minor exterior and internal mechanical changes between 2006 to 2011. On the other hand, the 2012 models had many changes including styling, stepped seats, a bigger fuel tank capacity, a new frame, and suspension with added travel. The ER-6f looked even sharper and sportier, while the ER-6n looked muscular.
The engine was left almost untouched except for a small reduction in compression ratio. Spent gasses was pumped through a revised exhaust system. A new engine management mapping was tuned to spread torque further down the engine range, which lowered the peak power slightly. Kawasaki also debuted the ECO indicator in the LCD.
Since I own a 2011 model, I had felt that the 2012 version represented the peak of the ER-6 model evolution, when I tested both the –f and –n versions. Power was delivered smoother, the seats were comfier and most of all, it handled way better and was more stable than my own bike. It started right up every time and never once coughed through the throttle bodies.
Then Kawasaki took the covers off the 2017 models.
Kawasaki has now dropped the ER-6 name. The fully-faired version is now called the Ninja 650, aligning it as one universal designation. The naked version, on the other hand, is called the Z650, and inducted into Kawasaki’s family of naked bikes. Both the Ninja 650 and Z650 share the same engine and chassis components.
STYLING
The new Ninja 650 stands out prominently when viewed side-by-side with the 2011 model, showing how much the model has evolved and improved over a short period of time.
At the initial glance, the Ninja 650 now looks almost identical to Kawasaki’s multiple-race and championship-winning ZX-10R superbike, especially when decked out in the special-edition KRT colour scheme. Those headlights have gone “raptor-like” and the fairing wraps tightly around the body.
Speaking of the fairing, the new Ninja 650’s still features large side openings to vent hot air, but the rear part of the vent is enlarged and flared outwards to push hot air away from the rider’s thighs. Plus, the rear part of the fairing fits tightly to the frame, minimizing hot air from rising into the rider’s crotch.
The effects are amazingly effective when compared especially to the 2011 and marked improvements over the 2012 models.
However, as sporty as the Ninja 650 may look, Kawasaki has wisely designed the ergonomics to be friendly to a broad spectrum of riders. The handlebars are set high and slightly forward, the rider’s seat is low (790mm seat height), and the levers are 5-way adjustable.
A new multifunction instrument panel is installed which includes a much-welcomed gear position indicator, shift light, and ECO indicator. The tach needle changes colour from white to pink to red as it swings up.
The Z650, meanwhile, has been given the Kawaski Sugomi (“sugomi” means “awesomeness” in Japanese) design treatment for a distinctively organic look. Kawasaki explained that they see the Z650’s stance as that of a black panther stalking its prey, in a crouched stance, with its head low and tail upswept.
A naked sportbike has to look fierce and that’s a great inspiration.
Unlike the Ninja 650, however, the instrument panel has a different design in order to fit behind that “flyscreen.” The tach is stacked on top of the LCD display, with the gear position indicator in the middle. The tach needle flashes at the rider’s preset rev limit.
The Z650 shares the same architecture as the Ninja 650 (more on this below), and as such it has the same seat height of 790 mm.
ENGINE
Kawasaki reengineered the familiar parallel-Twin engine to feature new cam profiles to reduce valve overlap duration (for better low-down and midrange torque); smaller, 36mm throttle bodies for smoother and precise throttle response; and a new exhaust system. These changes collectively result in a broader torque curve to provide the rider with power anywhere (in the rev range) at anytime it’s called upon.
Any previous ER-6 owner, myself included, could tell you that the engine’s strong back torque (engine braking) could sometimes impede smoother cornering transitions (as you’re dragged back by heavy engine braking, which causes the bike to lose speed, followed by instability and the reluctance to turn, ultimately resulting in the rider losing confidence), besides encountering rear wheel hop (or even skid) if we downshifted too aggressively.
Kawasaki addressed this by adding an assist and slipper clutch. The slipper function is a nice addition, allowing for smoother corner entries and eliminating wheel hop. The assist function provides easier gear upshifting, by using cams that function as a servo mechanism which pulls on the clutch hub and operating plate together, to compress the clutch plates under acceleration.
FRAME AND CHASSIS
Kawasaki has also given the new 650s a new steel frame, which is 15 kg lighter than its predecessor – contributing to a light 193 kg and 187 kg overall weight for the Ninja 650 and Z650, respectively. The sections are made as straight as possible to tune the frame for shock and load dispersion. Rake is at a sporty 24-degrees.
Moving downwards, the old ER-6 (and Versys) mounted their rear shocks on the right side of the motorcycle, connecting the frame and swingarm directly without a link. Adjusting the shock’s preload couldn’t be easier, but there are riders who complained of cornering imbalance (although this is subjective, as many motorcycles utilize this arrangement).
The new shock is now mounted in a horizontal back-link format for a more progressive action. But instead of installing part of the shock and linkage underneath the swingarm, they are positioned on top. This also ensures the components are moved away from the engine’s heat. The swingarm is now a curved unit (stronger while keeping the wheelbase short).
BRAKES
Braking is handled by a pair of dual-piston Nissin calipers gripping 300mm petal discs up front, while the rear is stopped by a single-piston caliper gripping on a 220mm petal disc. ABS is standard on both ends.
If a motorcycle is the sum of all its parts, then the it’s easy to see how the Ninja 650 and Z650 has evolved to be even better bikes. The answers are: Easy to approach, practical, economical, stylish while still being able to provide an exhilarating ride for both new and experienced riders.
Plus, the unbeatable price.
There’s much to learn from the cut-throat world of racing. Almost every modern-day technology on a motorcycle available to the public was trickled down from racing. That applies not only to sportbikes and race replicas but also to all types of motorcycles from the tyres up.
Motorcycle frames, chassis, engine power delivery, materials, and the way they look, were born out of the necessity to trump the competition in races and ultimately championships.
There are two premier racing classes in the racing world, namely MotoGP and World Superbike.
The motorcycles that race in MotoGP are thoroughbred prototypes, meaning they do not share similarities with motorcycles that are available to the buying public, although the technologies may soon find their way to road-going models.
The World Superbike Championship (WSBK) on the other hand, is production based. But what does that mean?
Being production-based means the machines racing around the world on weekends must be based on bikes that are available to you and I when we visit the bike shop. To be eligible for WSBK competition, the manufacturer must produce a certain amount of motorcycles similar to the one they’d be campaigning with – this process is called “homologation”. The minimum number of homologation models to be produced depends on the total output of the manufacturer – the bigger they are, the more homologation models they have to produce.
Hence, the limited edition race replicas or in Kawasaki’s case, the “RR.” Kawasaki has been producing the RR-spec models since the ZXR750RR in 1989 (Click here for our article on iconic Kawasaki motorcycles.)
While the racebikes aren’t 100% stock, they are much closer to production machines than one might think, since they have to conform to certain stipulations laid out by WSBK. Among them: Frame design and dimensions (therefore chassis dimensions such as rake, trail and wheelbase), the engine’s cylinders’ dimensions, throttle body size, and bodywork dimensions and look must not be altered.
Thus, in order for their bikes to be competitive on the track, manufacturers must create homologation specials that are already imbued with high performance – or shall we say, ready to race. Think of the difference between the standard ZX-10R and ZX-10RR Racing and you get the picture.
It’s not only customers who reap the enjoyment of these engineering marvels. Because it truly goes both way as they are also beneficial to the riders too.
Kawasaki has won the World Superbike Championship five times times, including four in the last five years (2013, 2015, 2016, 2017, plus the first in 1993).
Kawasaki for one is a manufacturer who’s never afraid to push engineering boundaries.
Tom Syke’s 2013 championship-winning ZX-10RR had actually been carried over from 2011. The 2013 model is well-known for its exceptionally linear power delivery, great handling, good ergonomics and advanced K-STRIC traction control electronic package. That meant Sykes and co had something good to work on from the beginning. The ZX-10RR’s 998cc was in fact so good that Colin Edwards’ CRT MotoGP team used it in 2013 MotoGP season.
Sykes was close to defending his title in 2014, but ultimately losing out to Sylvain Guintoli by an agonizing six points due to a single retirement in Malaysia.
The 2015 Ninja ZX-10R wasn’t changed much in terms of hardware, testament to how well it was designed from the outset. It was this year that Jonathan Rea won his first WSBK crown, in his first full season on a Kawasaki. Rea amassed a total of 548 points at season’s end, 132 more than the next rider, Chaz Davies on the Ducati.
Kawasaki revamped the Ninja ZX-10R in 2016, after taking cues from both factory riders Rea and Sykes. Project leader, Yoshimoto Matsuda even said that his team wasn’t looking at the aesthetics so much as improving the bike’s mechanicals.
The engine had gone on to develop 197 bhp, while weight was reduced to 205 kg. The crankshaft and primary gear were lightened to reduce inertia. The steering head was moved 7.5mm closer to the rider for better control. The swingarm was elongated by 15.8mm to put more weight on the front wheel and reduce wheelies. Both the steering head angle and swingarm pivot are adjustable.
Rea went on to dominate the 2016 season and successfully defend his title.
For 2017, Kawasaki brought back the Ninja ZX-10RR in Winter Test black and single seat. The biggest change was to the engine, where the new cylinder head was designed to readily accept the high lift cams in the race kit. Only 500 units were built.
On the track, Rea decimated the field to win his third successive title, to become only the second rider to have achieved the feat.
Kawasaki has also revealed the 2018 Ninja ZX-10RR during EICMA (complete with snowflake logos). Again, because the bike is already so good, almost no changes were made except for cosmetic ones. Will Rea and Sykes dominate again in 2018? It’ll be unwise to bet against them.
That’s the main appeal of the Kawasaki ZX-10RR, as it’s made to dominate on the track from the time it went out of the factory’s doors. As such, customers will get their hands on the best sportbike in the world.
Thank goodness it’s Friday! And if you do not have anything planned for the weekend or if you have time to kill, then we have something for you.
Kawasaki Malaysia has recently been busy with its roadshow where all visitors will be able to experience the awesomeness of Kawasaki motorcycles. The roadshow has been all over the country, and this weekend it will be in Kajang.
Beginning tomorrow November 18 until Sunday the 19th, the Kawasaki Test Ride Roadshow will take place at Tesco Extra, Kajang from 10am to 6pm.
Kawasaki bikes are legendary for their perfect balance of power, practicality, comfort and day-to-day usability. Find out for yourself how a Kawasaki motorcycle feels, you will be able to test the Versys-x 250, Z900 Special Edition ABS, Z650 ABS and the Ninja 650 ABS.
Since safety is always the priority, you will have to meet the following conditions to qualify for the ride: you must be 18 years old or above, you must have a valid motorcycle license. And just for extra precaution, you will need to wear long pants and shoes if you plan on testing any of the bikes.
You won’t only be able to test the bikes, but will also stand a chance to win goodies through a lucky draw on the event day.
Also, Kawasaki Malaysia will be showcasing a number of legendary Kawasaki superbikes like the Ninja ZX10R WSBK Replica which won the World Superbike Championship in 2013, 2015 and 2016. Also on display will be the legendary supercharged Kawasaki H2, known as the fastest production bike in the world.
If you are a current Kawasaki owner, you will be able to get your motorcycle serviced and inspected during the event which be conducted by the well trained Kawasaki Exclusive Service Centre (KESC) personnel.
That’s not all, SC Premium Bikes will be displaying the latest range of GIVI products and Bridgestone tyres, and will have some special packages to be offered at the Kawasaki roadshow.
For more information, visit http://kawasaki.com.my, or Kawasaki’s Facebook page.
See you there!
Artikel oleh: Wahid Ooi Abdullah
© Copyright – BikesRepublic.com 2023 Trademarks belong to their respective owners. All rights reserved
