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Take a good long look at this bike as it is going to be the base bike for the upcoming BMW baby sports bike – the 313cc sports bike based on the G310R.

Word on the grapevine is suggesting that TVS Motor Company, the same company that assembles the G310R in India, is officially putting this bike into production as the TVS Apache RTR 300.

Based on the BMW G310R, the Apache RTR 300 will be powered by the same 313cc liquid-cooled single-cylinder engine as the G310R. Though both the engine and gearbox will eventually offer unique power figures different from the G310R, in its existing state of tune however, the BMW motor produces 31bhp and 28Nm of torque.

According to Indian website Rush Lane, the final production version of the Apache RTR 300 is expected to retain much of the dramatic bodywork shown in the pictures here as the Akula 310 factory racer concept which was showcased at the Auto Expo 2016 in India. According to Rush Lane, the bike will retain its twin headlamps, tall windshield, chiselled fuel tank, split seats, LED taillights and a stubby exhaust. ABS and sticky tyres could be offered as options.

When it is launched the Apache RTR 300 will take the fight to the KTM RC390, Yamaha R25, Honda CBR250RR and the Kawasaki 250.

The TVS model is unlikely to make it to Malaysia based on current conditions, but we are excited to see the BMW spin-off of this bike. Expected date of arrival in Malaysia will be sometime in the second or third quarter of 2017. As for the name of the bike, how does BMW S310RR sound?

Image and story credits: Rush Lane

There are lots of variables that need to be considered when writing about the most expensive motorcycles – do we include classic bikes that can only sit in a museum? Or do we only consider road bikes? What about bikes that are sold at astonishing prices at auctions but never ridden in real life? Or race bikes?

It’s tough to think so much, so we just thought of the bikes we would like to have in our garage or those that our readers should know about. So here’s a list of the most expensive and interesting bikes that we came across the internet listed in no particular order. It is worth noting that there are more expensive bikes out there, one in particular costs a stonking US$11 million, but with no credible proof of that much money changing hands for the bike, we did include it in this list so you can marvel at it. We also listed the prices in Ringgit Malaysia pre-tax, so the actual price, should you want to buy one, can be much higher than listed here.

1. 1915 Cyclone Board Track Racer (RM3,330,292)

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This classic bike was sold at an auction in 2015 in Las Vegas. So what makes this bike so expensive? A record holder and a celebrity ex-owner is bound to jack the price up.

Back in 1911, this Cyclone belt-driven 996cc Overhead Cams V-twin motorcycle was capable of an astounding 180km/h, which was considered super fast back in the day. Even in the early 90s the Cyclone was a rare sight, so to come across such a well maintained unit a hundred years later makes it almost as rare as a unicorn.

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Below is an interesting silent video of how motorcycle racing used to be in the first and second decade of the 1900s.

2. Captain America Chopper (RM3,906,500)

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Said to be the most famous bike to have ever been on Television, this Harley-Davidson started life as a 1952 Harley-Davidson Hydra-Glide. Legendary actor Peter Fonda had earlier bought it from a police auction, and given to bike customiser Tex Hall for the 1969 motion picture “Easy Rider” .

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The bike is also known to be one of only two bikes to have ever sold for a million US dollars at an auction. Two bikes were built for the movie, one was stolen and never recovered, and this one was crashed in the final scene of the movie. It was later rebuilt and sold at auction 1996. Never watched the movie? Check out the introduction to the movie below:

3. Confederate B120 Wraith – (RM361,352)

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This bike is all about the design and not much else. It is made out of aircraft grade billet aluminium and carbon fibre everything. It is powered by a twin-cylinder engine that makes 125hp and holds a record as the fastest bike in its class, it holds a speed record of 267km/h achieved at the Utah Salt Flats. Check out the video below and you will understand just how unique this bike is and how it justifies it’s asking price.

4. Vyrus 987 C3 4V – (RM405,494)

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The brand and model of this bike may be a mouthful, it is one of those things that looks just as crazy as it’s name suggests. It is designed by Italian company Vyrus, and is powered by a 1200cc Ducati engine that gives it an unbelievable 211 horsepower and with exotic build materials, it weighs in at just 159 kilograms. The Vyrus company specialises in designing ultra-cool bikes powered by Ducati engines.

5. Kawasaki H2R – (RM300,000)

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Just to mix things up between the unusually expensive and the real world expensive, the Kawasaki Ninja H2R is the stealth fighter of modern motorcycles. We have wrote about it numerous times and you can read about it all here, or you can read about our special test ride here, yes we ridden this bike.

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The H2R is all carbon fiber and is powered by a 998cc, in-line four cylinder engine that puts out an scarcely believable 297hp with the use of a supercharger. The H2R is not road legal but if you are able to buy one, Kawasaki Malaysia will also throw in a few track days for you to test its limits.

6. MV Agusta F4CC – (RM468,470)

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This bike is super exclusive (and expensive) because it actually started off life as a one-off model exclusively for MV Agusta CEO Claudio Castiglioni as his personal bike. Only 100 models were ever made and other nice touches include lots of carbon-fibre, and Ferrari know-how as the engine valves were designed in collaboration with the Italian car maker. Sadly it was introduced during a recession so most of these bikes now sit in showrooms around the world.

7. NCR MH TT (Mike Hailwood) – (RM507,845)

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Now this is a real unicorn as only twelve units were ever built. Dubbed the NCR MH TT, this motorcycle was built to commemorate the 30th anniversary of Mike Hailwood’s victory at the Isle of Man. It puts out 130 horsepower but its titanium frame weighs only 136 kilograms. With its price tag and exclusivity, this bike is almost exclusively for collectors only.

8. Honda RC213V-S – (RM718,796)

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Now this is as close to a MotoGP bike any mere mortal is going to get. It is based on the race-only RC213V which Marc Marquez rode to two MotoGP world championships and Honda said that the new street-legal machine is closer to a MotoGP bike than any road-going model ever offered to the public.

The bike is built in an exclusive workshop in Japan and is powered by a compact 90-degree 999cc V4 engine with titanium connecting rods. Race derived features include a under-seat fuel tank, carbon fibre fairing and then there are parts that come directly off the MotoGP bike like the swing arm, slipper clutch, the magnesium Marchsini wheels, Ohlins fork, adjustable footrests and foot controls, plus parts of the Brembo brake components. Up to 80% of the bike is from the MotoGP race bike. Mental is an understatement.

9. Icon Sheene – (RM671,918)

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When it was introduced in 2010, the Icon Sheene was for a while the most powerful motorcycle in the world. Built as a tribute to racing legend Barry Sheene, the bike is a work of experienced hands and modern technology.

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The engine is a turbo-charged 1400cc Suzuki engine that produces 250 horsepower. The bike is also built by engineers and riders who used to work on Barry’s bikes. For example the frame is all hand made from aluminium by Barry’s former frame builder. The handling of the bike is tuned by Steve Parish, Barry’s former teammate. The overall paintwork and bespoke helmet is all done by Mike Fairholme, Barry’s former helmet painter. No kidding.

It is also built using a lot of exotic materials, watch it go in the video below.

10. Dodge Tomahawk V10 Superbike (RM2,152,122)

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Many will remember the Dodge Tomahawk as the bike that took the world by storm when it was introduced back in 2003. However, the Tomahawk is not in production, it is still in concept form. But it offers some juicy statistics; it runs on the same 8.3 litre V10 engine as the Dodge Viper, it produces 500 horsepower, it weighs a hefty 680 kilograms, it accelerates to 100km/h in just 2.5 seconds and reaches a hypothetical top speed of over 480km/h – 680km/h.

Watch the Dodge Tomahawk in action in the video below:

11. Yamaha BMS – (RM11,738,850)

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This bike is here just because of it’s price tag and its outrageous design and the fact that it is coated in 24K gold. It is powered by a 1700c V-twin engine and is nothing out of the ordinary mechanically, but in terms of overall design, the Yamaha BMS is a rolling work of art.

12. NCR Ducati Desmosedici – (RM909,760)

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The Ducati Desmosedici is already wildly expensive (rumoured to be over RM600,000 in Malaysia in stock form), but at the hands of NCR and its vast selection of trick parts, the parts have turned this already capable bike into a wild, lightweight performance monster and one of the most expensive bikes in the world. The bike produces over 200 horsepower, features ceramic matrix composite Braketech brakes, two-into-one (x2) titanium NCR exhausts and Ohlins FGR000 43mm with adjustable off-set. The bike weighs in at a feathery 144 kilograms.

13. Suzuki AEM Carbon Fiber Hayabusa – (RM782,590)

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By itself the Suzuki Hayabusa is already unbelievably fast, but with some collaboration work with AEM Carbon Fiber, this Hayabusa is simply mental. Introduced at the 2008 Sema show in Las Vegas, this extremely lightweight ‘Busa allows its engine to go up till 300km/h while forged 9.5:1 turbo pistons and rods, adjustable cam sprockets and HD valve springs, a MLS head gasket give the bike an exotic and exclusive touch.

13. Harley Davidson Cosmic Starship – RM5,864,325

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There’s only one way to truly describe this bike – it is a Harley-Davidson V-Rod with one really expensive paint job. Known as the Cosmic Starship, this Harley was handprinted by artist Jack Armstrong whose paintings usually fetch around US$300,000 and US$3,000,000. So judging by the price of the paintings, some are calling this bike a real bargain. We would like one to place in our living room please.

14. 1949 E90 AJS Porcupine – RM27,366,850

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Retro cafe racers are all the rage these days, but it doesn’t get more retro than this, the AJS Porcupine, a race winning machine from 1949. Only four versions of this bike were ever produced. This bike in particular won the 1949 World Championship, and what makes it even more valuable is that the design for AJS bikes changed a few years later, so this bike in particular is one of the rarest motorcycles in the world. It even has the title as one of the most innovative and beautiful motorcycles ever designed, we don’t know about the innovative part, but beautiful it definitely is.

15. Neiman Marcus Limited Edition Fighter – RM43,005,050

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If you are thinking this bike is not worth the price tag, you are of the same opinion as us. Neiman Marcus is actually a departmental store that deals in luxury goods, so why it is branding motorcycles under it’s name is beyond us. And besides, this bike is actually made by the Confederate Motor Company and costs US$110,000 and is limited to just 45 units. So why it would sell for RM43 million at an auction is beyond us. There is no real information online about the transaction, which could mean it is a bogus claim. But the bike is undoubtedly beautiful and is made of all the right exotic materials and is powered by an air-cooled V-Twin engine, which is quite regular really.

Source: The Richest, Forbes

Leaked patent sketches indicate possibility of a turbocharged Suzuki GSX-R being developed.

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New Kawasaki Ninja ZX-10R racing parts catalogue released and ready to cater all trackday warriors and privateer racing teams.

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Kawasaki Malaysia has a unique way of providing some fun for owners of Kawasaki motorcycles.

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Every Sunday, the Japanese motorcycle manufacturer encourages its owners to meet up at the Kawasaki headquarters in Glenmarie Shah Alam.

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There are no pre-planned rides, nothing glamorous. Riders just meet at the HQ and decide what they want to do on that day. They decide where to ride and what to do at that point itself.

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The bike maker works with various Kawasaki clubs like the Z250 club, Z800 club and the Versys club to bring owners together. But that doesn’t mean only owners of a certain bike are allowed to come; every Kawasaki owner is encouraged to come together.

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We had a chance to witness this camaraderie for ourselves last Sunday. About 30 Kawasaki riders came together at about 830am not knowing where they were going or what the plans were, they just showed up.

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After everyone showed up, it was decided that the group was going to ride to Sungkai, Perak for lunch and return back before 3pm.

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From the HQ, the group rode to a nearby ‘mamak’ restaurant for breakfast, which was paid for by Kawasaki Malaysia.

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On the safety front, Kawasaki Malaysia provided marshalls to help ensure everyone’s riding within limits.

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All riders were encouraged to bring full riding and safety gear, but those who did not were not turned away, just advised on the need for proper riding gear especially for long distance rides.

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Kawasaki Malaysia is one of the few manufacturers that actively engages its owners and customers to go on weekend rides. Kudos to the company for this amazing effort.

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Want us to feature your story or go riding with you and your group? Email us at info@bikesrepublic.com and we will try to be there. Ride safe.

The Kawasaki J300i is an export model scooter built by Taiwanese based motorcycle manufacturer, Kymco. It is built for long commutes and is perfectly comfortable and adapted to life on the move in vibrant cities. We covered 160 kilometres with it during the test ride organised by Kawasaki Malaysia, but hardly felt the distance, and I am not even trying to sugar coat anything here. The J300 is a handsome looking scooter and tops that off with plenty of party tricks.

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So what is it really?

If you have heard that the new J300 is based on a Taiwanese scooter that is already on Malaysian roads, you would have heard correctly. Kymco first introduced the Downtown 300i in 2011, and that is what the Kawasaki J300 basically is, but redesigned and repackaged of course.

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Kawasaki has re-engineered the design of the J300 to keep it within the Ninja design family, but the platform, engine, brakes and suspension are all from Kymco. This rebranding exercise is not a bad thing as some would imagine. The updates to the J300 to keep it unique from the Downtown 300i are all brilliant, but most of all buyers will benefit from Kawasaki engineering and know how, as well as its well-known aftersales service.

How is it like?

Comfortable, a delight to ride but a little cramped for long legs. Other than that it is brilliant. The ride began in Putrajaya to Sungai Pelek to Morib, Teluk Panglima Garang then back to Palm Garden hotel. A 160km loop with a good mix of bad roads, curves, highways and traffic – all of which are situations the J300 is designed to excel at.

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And excel it did. The big seat is plush and comfortable with a tad bit of back support from the heightened rear seat; the pillion sits taller than the rider. Handling is swift and nimble thanks to a 13-litre fuel tank that is placed at the bottom of the frame, and a seat height of just 775mm from the floor, which lowers the centre of gravity, giving better low speed control at the same time.

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But space is cramped, as it is on the Kymco Downtown 300i – which is fine if you are only going to be running around town, but it could be a pain if you want to munch some distance with the J300.

However, the scooter makes up for that with some nifty storage space. There is a cubbie hole near the handle bar that lets you store your phone (an iPhone 6 Plus can fit in there), house keys and a fat wallet at the same time. The under seat storage area is capable of holding a few loose items like gloves or a water bottle, and a full face helmet together with a half shell helmet as well, so there is no lacking in storage space.

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Handling is light and nimble with an upright sitting position that makes it easier to control the bike with your hips and thighs.

What about the engine?

The J300 is powered by a 299cc, liquid-cooled, SOHC with four valves engine which gives 27.2 hp at 7,750rpm and 28.7Nm of torque at 6,250rpm. And the whole package is connected to a CVT transmission with a centrifugal clutch.

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299cc engine develops 27.2 horsepower and gives instant power without any lag.

Scooters usually suffer from a lag in power delivery, like an elastic band that first has to be coiled before releasing its power, but not the J300. Power is surprisingly instant and smooth, but some more torque would have been nice for accelerating away from about 120km/h, though I doubt many J300 riders will find themselves in such a situation.

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Exhaust system looks like it has been designed after a jet engine.

So is it comfortable?

Yes! Very! Too comfortable perhaps because it was difficult to stay focused on the road ahead, though I suspect I could have had too much coffee before getting on the bike. The suspension is managed by a 37mm telescopic fork up front, and a twin shock, 5-way adjustable with preload at the rear.

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The seat is big, plush and very comfortable, though taller riders may find it a bit too low.

It does a beautiful job at soaking up the bumps and combine that with a plush soft seat, you get perfection.

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Front brake is a 260mm petal disc with a twin piston caliper gripping the disc. ABS is for the rear brake and comes as standard.

It looks big, how are the brakes?

Easy peasy. The braking system consists of a single 260mm petal disc with a dual-piston caliper up front, and a single 240mm petal disc with a dual-piston caliper at the rear. It comes standard with ABS and having tested the ABS system, I must say that it is not one of those systems that violently shakes the brake lever, rather it sends gentle pulses to your fingers to tell you that the system is working, and that it is okay to take an evasive manoeuvre if you have to. ABS is for the rear brakes only.

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The meter panel is clear and well lit, blue hue makes it easier to see at night.

So should you buy one?

RM31,489 with GST is a lot of money considering that the Kymco badged version of the same bike is priced at around RM24,000 before GST. But then again, it comes backed up with Kawasaki’s aftersales service which is available throughout Malaysia. Can’t say the same about the Kymco though.

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The Kawasaki J300 is only available in Black and White in Malaysia.

Being so comfortable and with a cruising speed of around 110km/h, it is the perfect scooter for those who live around the outskirts of Kuala Lumpur, or any other city for that matter, and have to commute to the city and back daily.

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From left: Encik Awalludin Mohammed Lip, Assistant General Manager of Kawasaki Motors Malaysia, Dato Jeffrey Lim, General Manager/Director of Kawasaki Motors Malaysia, Mr Satoru Akitsu, Technical and Factory Controller of Kawasaki Motors Malaysia.

There are other pleasant touches like a 12V power socket to charge your electronics, a foldaway cargo hook for when you want to “bungkus balik” your food, and plenty of cargo space.

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Under seat storage fits a full face helmet and a half shell helmet at the same time with enough space for jacket, gloves and a water bottle.

It is not the most athletic in terms of size for when you want to squeeze past traffic to get to the traffic lights, but it makes up for that in so many other ways. So if you are looking at something to beat the traffic with and want something reliable and comfortable, yes you should buy the Kawasaki J300.

New Kawasaki Ninja R2 supercharged superbike for the masses reportedly planned for 2017.

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We scour through the classifieds at Bike Trader Malaysia to find nine awesome used bikes to consider buying. (more…)

National racer Zulfahmi Khairuddin excited and ready take on the season-opening World Supersport Championship race in Phillip Island, Australia. (more…)

With the BMW G310R coming soon into Malaysia, we list down 12 alternative bike models it will likely compete against. (more…)

The anticipation for the soon the be launched BMW G310R is getting hotter. So hot that dealers are already accepting bookings for the new entry level BMW in anticipation of increasing demand.

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Click here to view this post on Mudah.my

A post on mudah.my by a dealer of BMW Motorcycles has welcomed a 20% downpayment on the 310R with deliveries expected to begin in June this year.

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As for the price, there has been no clear indication of that but there is word from a recent dealer conference that prices are set to begin from RM25,000 up till RM30,000 with a long list of accessories set to take those prices up higher should you wish to do so.

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We know that the G310 will eventually spawn a mini sports adventure touring model similar but much smaller from the BMW GS. There will also be a full sports model similar to the RR (read about it here) and the regular naked model we see in the pictures here.

The official launch event is said to be happening sometime in March.

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Once introduced, the new G310R model will take on the likes of the KTM 250 and the 390, Kawasaki Z300, the Yamaha MT-03 and others.

The G310R will be the most affordable BMW motorcycle ever, and is powered by an all-new 313cc, liquid-cooled, single-cylinder engine with four valves and two overhead camshafts together with electronic fuel injection.

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It outputs 34hp at 9500rpm and 28Nm of torque at 7500rpm. We had an informal introduction with the G310R in Milan late last year, you can read all about it by clicking here.

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You can also view the official video of the BMW G310R below:

As you might have heard a couple of months ago, Kawasaki has updated the ZX-14 for 2016 with an updated engine to keep up with the strict European emission regulations.

This is due to the fact that the ZX-14 was one of the bikes that did not match the emissions standards set by the US Environmental Protection Agency.

So, with a few tweaks to the powerplant, the bike is now ready for the European market. However, the bike’s maximum output, which stood at 210.7hp in the outgoing model, has been decreased to 199.9hp.

The latest EPA test data shows the model has a ‘new’ version of the 1441cc engine with a three-way catalyst rather than an ‘oxidising’ cat. Along with peak power, carbon monoxide emissions have also been lowered.

Set to be available in two variants (ZX-14R and the ZX-14R Performance Sports) for 2016, notable changes include the new instrument cluster with LCD displays with dot-pattern background, black and white interchangeable displays, Brembo M50 monobloc brake calipers with Brembo radial-pump master cylinder, stainless steel brake lines, Ohlins TTX39 rear shock absorber, as well as Akrapovic exhausts.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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