SURU Inc. introduced the world’s first scrambler e-bike.
SURU Inc. builds their bikes in Canada to ensure high quality. However, their key technological partner is a Malaysian tech firm called Ezee Kinetic. Ezee Kinetic is based just outside Kuala Lumpur. As such, the components used to make SURU bikes originate from Malaysia.
The SURU Scrambler is based on the SURU One Fifty, which is regarded as the “Honda Super Cub of e-bikes.” The Scrambler expands upon the One Fifty’s strengths and innovations to turn it into a practical town and country mobility vehicle.
The team behind the SURU Scrambler is the same folks who created the Amarok P1 electric motorcycle. Among them is the award-winning designer Michael Uhlarik.
“Many people love the look and feel of a café racer and dirt track style motorcycle,” observed Uhlarik. “But getting into motorcycling can be intimidating. The e-bike offers the ideal platform for all kinds of people to dive into the fun of the custom motorcycle experience without fear or high cost.”
Therefore, the SURU Scrambler seeks to open up the two-wheeled experience to a wider, younger audience.
SURU’s philosophy is to integrate motorcycle-grade engineering into lightweight and elegant e-bike designs. The SURU aluminium monocoque features a removable and lockable battery. The power electronics are contained inside the monocoque, protecting it from the weather and theft.
The frame is offered in 6 graphic designs. However, the owner can customize it.
All SURU bikes are street legal. Top speed is 32 km/h. Range is up to 70 km using the battery with the throttle only. The user may choose to pedal, if he so wishes. It takes 3.5 to fully recharge through a household electrical outlet.
Please visit www.ridesuru.comfor more information.
Forget about the naysayers, the Ducati Panigale V4 proved to be the world’s best-selling sportbike in 2018.
In fact, Ducati was the leading sportbike manufacturer through selling 9,700 Panigale models. That figure corresponds to a 70% increase over 2017. Of those, 6,100 were the new Panigale V4 models. That is remarkable, considering the price of the bikes!
Hence, the Italian manufacturer now holds a 26% market share in the sportbike segment. Yes, 1 of 4 sportbikes is a Panigale.
On another hand, the Multistrada line-up also contributed to Ducati’s overall sales. 11,829 of the sport-tourers were sold in 2018. 6,569 of those were from the new Multistrada 1260 range – a 25% increase.
Unfortunately, Ducati’s overall global sales dropped by 5% to 53,004, which ended an eight-year streak of record sales. The reduction was due to the precipitous 9% drop in American motorcycle sales.
As such, America is no longer Ducati’s biggest market; handing over that title to Italy (4.5% up).
Other growing markets are China (up 23%), Spain (up 8%), Switzerland (up 2.2%) and Japan (up 2%).
The Italian manufacturer has 9 new models in 2019, all equipped with IMU-based traction control and cornering ABS. They are hoping the new bikes will drive up sales for the year.
For those waiting to see the 2019 Repsol Honda bike were surely disappointed as the livery remains unchanged.
Many had expected a new colour scheme as the Spanish petroleum giant and Honda celebrate the 25thanniversary of their collaboration. Unfortunately, it turned out to be the stale same-ol’-same-ol’ stripes.
However, there seem to be a few notable differences on Jorge Lorenzo’s bike (pictured above).
The launch was held at the Sentul circuit in Indonesia. Current riders Marc Marquez and Jorge Lorenzo were joined by past Repsol Honda champions Mick Doohan and Alex Creville.
The Repsol-Honda partnership began in 1994 when Doohan won the first of his five world 500cc GP championship. Alex Creville won the 1999 championship when Doohan crashed heavily during qualifying for the Spanish Grand Prix at Jerez and retired.
Of course, both current riders spewed team savvy answers about how happy they are with the team, how they are confident in winning, yada, yada, yada.
Marc Marquez will be in action at the shakedown test from 1st to 3rd February prior to the first 2019 pre-season testing from 6th to 8th February. Both tests will be held at the Sepang International Circuit.
A taxi slammed into a motorcycle, killing an 11-year-old girl.
According to The Star, 11-year-old Athierah Batricesya was riding pillion with her 18-year-old brother along Jalan Maarof, Bangsar at about 7am.
A taxi then rammed into them at a junction, throwing both occupants onto the road. Athierah suffered severe head injuries and passed away on the spot, while her brother received bruises to his left leg. The girl has been sent to the Kuala Lumpur Hospital for a post-mortem.
Kuala Lumpur Traffic Investigation and Enforcement Department head, Assistant Commissioner Zulkefly Yahya confirmed the accident when contacted by the newspaper. He also said that Athierah was a student at Sekolah Kebangsaan Bukit Bandaraya.
“The taxi driver was unhurt. The case falls under Section 41(1) of the Road Transport Act 1087 for reckless driving,” he added.
We do not know what actually transpired this fateful morning, but we as motorcyclists must always have a 360-degree awareness around us at all times. Always ride with a sense of paranoia that no other vehicle drivers see us, much less stopping or giving us the right of way.
PLUS (Projek Lebuhraya Utara Selatan Berhad) will submit a proposal to the authorities to install more AES (Automated Enforcement System) speed cameras.
The concessionaire is thinking of installing more of the speed cameras on all six highways under their charge. If the proposal is approved, the cameras will also be installed on the Penang Bridge.
Speaking to The Star, PLUS Managing Director Datuk Azman Ismail said the proposal is to ensure road users obey traffic laws and create road safety awareness.
Datuk Azman made the statement at the launching of Ops Selamat 14. The operation will be held from 29thJanuary to 12thFebruary in conjunction with the Chinese New Year.
We’ve heard some motorcyclists say that covering the motorcycle’s speedometer will avoid the AES snapping the speedometer. We didn’t know if we should laugh or cry.
The AES trigger works by determining how much time it took the vehicle to travel through a set distance. Remember the formula Speed = Distance/Time? (Please click here if you don’t.)
For the road detectors, a pair are embedded some distance before the camera. The earlier the vehicle passes both, the faster it is travelling.
Radar works by bouncing microwaves off an object. The faster the waves return to the detector, the nearer the object is to the detector. The processing unit calculates the time difference between when the first wave was returned to the subsequent waves. The faster they come back, the faster the vehicle is travelling.
Let’s assume the two detectors or radar waves are 20 metres apart, and the car crosses in 0.5 second.
Speed = 50m/5 second = (20/1000) km/(2/3600) hr = 0.02 km/0.00014 hr = 142 km/h
CLICK! Check in MyEG for your summons.
The Malaysian government has abolished for motorcycle toll collection at three locations.
The move is the first step toward full abolishment of toll charges in the country. Finance Minister Lim Guan Eng said that the government could not eradicate all toll payments at the moment due to the large debt accrued by the previous administration. Stopping toll charges would mean the government has to pay the highway concessionaires in order to subsidize the Rakyat’s toll payments.
“Abolishing motorcycle tolls at Penang’s First and Second Bridges together with the Malaysia-Singapore Second Link in Johor is the first step to completely abolish tolls,” said Guan Eng.
Singapore will also scrap toll payment for motorcycles on the Republic’s end from 21stJanuary.
Deputy Works Minister Mohd. Anuar Tahir officiated the removal of toll collection at the Tuas checkpoint. He said that Malaysian motorcyclists will save between RM 24.20 to RM 66.00 per month.
He also reiterated the current administration’s pledge in stopping all toll payments.
The Minister also spoke about fuel prices. While there was no cap (maximum price) before, RON 95 is now capped at RM 2.20 per litre, and diesel at RM 2.18 per litre. New retail prices will be in effect from 1stJanuary 2019 onwards.
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