Chief Presidential legal counsel, Salvador Panelo, plans to ban pillion riding to curb criminal activity involving motorcycles.
According to reports, authorities in the Philippines have been trying to find the best solution to curb motorcycle-related crime, and Panelo proposed an outright ban on pillion riding.
“Let’s ban another person from riding a motorcycle. Only one rider is enough,” he said during the launch of the Philippine National Police Tactical Motorcycle Riding Unit.
This is mainly because the pillion is primarily responsible for committing a crime while the rider assists in escaping.
Scooters and underbone motorcycles make for easy getaway vehicles, especially in the urban area where the traffic is high; hence become one of the leading transportation for criminals in the country.
Panelo also suggested the ban should also extend to family members.
“If we don’t outlaw riding-in-tandem, there will always be shootings because they can always pretend to be husband and wife, father and son,” Panelo concluded. – MotoPinas
According to a report by the New Straits Times, Deputy Home Minister Datuk Mohd Azis Jamman was involved in a motorcycle accident while traveling from Kota Kinabalu to Ranau today.
He was part of a convoy aiming to raise awareness for anti-drug abuse.
According to a statement issued by his office, the accident happened near Nabalu town at about 10am.
“Deputy Home Minister, Datuk Mohd Azis Jamman was in Kota Kinabalu today to launch the ‘Jelajah Kesedaran Bahaya Dadah’ convoy organised by the National Anti-Drug Agency (Nada).
“However, at about 10am, during the convoy in Nabalu town area heading to Ranau, he was involved in an accident.
“Datuk Azis suffered minor injuries. He is in stable condition and is still being treated at the moment,” said the statement.
According to NST, Datuk Azis who is the Member of Parliament of Sepanggar, was sent to Hospital Queen Elizabeth I for treatment.
Datuk Azis flagged off the motorcycle convoy at 630am today and was scheduled to launch a similar program when the convoy stopped at the Ranau Pekan Mingguan Pasar Minggu Guest House at 10am this morning and in Sandakan later tonight.
We at Bikesrepublic.com wish Datuk Azis a speedy recovery.
Motorcycle sales in Japan has dropped precipitously
Sold only 338,000 in 2016 compared to 3.285 million in 1982
Hardest hit is the moped segment
Yes, you read the title correctly.
Ironic as it seems, sales of motorcycles in the birthplace of the many motorcycles around the world have been dropping for many years now.
The Japan News reported that the decline is due to the increasing popularity of low-cost minicars and electric bicycles. Moped sales are the most affected as manufacturers focus on the middleweight and open class motorcycles.
The moped market had to contend with electric bicycles that are less than half the cost. In 2016 alone, there were 540,000 electric bicycles sold, compared to 338,000 motorcycles. The number is a far cry from the 1982 peak of 3.285 million motorcycles sold. In view of this, Honda and Yamaha will join forces to develop a low-cost moped, while still allocating more resources to large capacity motorcycles for export.
Japanese industry observers expressed fear that the emphasis on larger machines will turn away the younger buyers, since big bikes can cost up to six times more than mopeds. The numbers don’t lie: A Japan Automobile Manufacturers Association (JAMA) in 2015 reported that the average age of a motorcycle buyer was 53 years old, a 1.5-years increase over the past two years.
On the other hand, sales for 126- to 250cc machines have increased by 20 percent in 2016.
“If we can provide the younger generation with the fun and excitement they’re expecting, they’ll come back to us,” said Noriake Abe, chief officer of Honda’s motorcycle operations.
Are we seeing the same shift towards bigger motorcycles here in Malaysia as the population gets older, and the availability of affordable large capacity motorcycles?
Since the dawn of technology, men have been searching and developing many different ways to quench their thirst for speed. Bikes, riders and teams have been getting more and more competitive in the track and every millisecond counts for each and every racer. One of the high tech gadgets they use to shave off lap times is the quickshifter. What exactly is a quickshifter? In this article, we’re going to look into what they are and whether we really need them. (more…)
Engine oil grading system, we help you understand the difference.
Lubricant brands are producing a plethora of different engine oils that if you don’t know what you are doing, it’ll cost you the ingredients of your wallet and maybe even your precious motorbike. Asking friends does not help either as they will tend to give you different answers on which is the best. We here at Bikes Republic will help you break down the mystery of engine oil for your motorcycles.
TYPES OF ENGINE OIL
The first basic thing every rider needs to know is the type of engine oil that they are using or planning to use. When it comes down to the materials of engine oils, there are only THREE basic types; Mineral Oils (MO), Semi-Synthetic Oils (SS) and Fully Synthetic Oils (FS). Below are the basic explanations for each individual type.
1) Mineral Oils (MO)
Mineral oils are essentially a product or by-product of petroleum processing. Essentially the most basic type of engine oil, it is highly recommended for smaller capacity engines which do not impose a lot of mechanical pressure while running. Most manufacturers will recommend new bike owners to use mineral oils as they offer good engine protection for the first few kilometres of running the engine in.
The upside of mineral oils is that they are very affordable and will not hurt your wallet for frequent oil changes. The downside of mineral oils is that they don’t last very long so you need to make sure to replace the oil at recommended intervals. Even with frequent oil changes, it is still considered as affordable to most folks.
2) Semi-Synthetic Oils (SS)
As the name goes, the semi-synthetic oil is a mixture between mineral oils and synthetic oils. Manufacturers have taken the best of both worlds; the high level of protection from mineral oils and high performance aspects from synthetic oils.
If you’re running a smaller capacity bikes upwards to 250cc which produces a healthy horsepower but still are not put under a lot of stress (like normal daily commutes to work), the semi-synthetic oil is the right choice for you. You will also hear recommendations to switch to semi-synthetic oil after the bike has been run-in using mineral oil.
Generally, all small capacity motorcycles can use this particular type but it will cost more than the normal mineral oil. If you’re using small mopeds below 150cc, mineral oil is more than enough for the engine to run efficiently.
3) Fully Synthetic Oil (FS)
The fully synthetic oils are considered to be the best of the best. Constructed out of pure polymers based of factory made oils, it is the exact opposite of mineral oil (you can say it is artificial and not made using any natural products). The best example of when to use this type of oil is for high performance motorcycles that are constantly put under a lot of stress. Superbikes and race machines are prime examples of machinery that require the help of fully synthetic oils.
The main benefit of fully synthetics oils is that they won’t degrade in terms of quality as they have constructed to have a very long life cycle. They won’t break down as fast as mineral oils or semi-synthetic oils. They also give the best lubricating performance which won’t break under pressure (providing that the right grade of oil is used). Some manufacturers would also state that they’re particular fully synthetic oil will increase performance but that is still a very subjective topic.
So now that we’ve covered the basic types of oil, the next most important thing everyone needs to know is the ENGINE OIL GRADE or grading system.
ENGINE OIL GRADING SYSTEM
So many times, a lot of us rely on mechanics and workshops to advise on what would be the best engine oil for our bikes. Looking at so many different brands with all those numbers and letters can be overwhelming for some like 5W40, 10W40, 15W50 and so on. So, lets break it down on the things you need to know about engine oil grades.
When looking at the engine oil grade, just pay attention to the number before and after the letter ‘W’. The numbers are called Multigrade. The letter ‘W’ stands for ‘Winter’ and the number that is stated BEFORE the letter represents the lowest performing temperature for the particular oil (NOTE: The temperature refers to OUTSIDE temperatures, not the engine). Check out the chart below to have a brief look at engine oils using the SAE grading system.
Lets use the grade 10W40 as an example. The number 10 represents the lowest point of temperature which the oil will hold its viscosity. The lowest operating temperature for this grade is usually -25°C. If you’re located in place where the outside temperature is lower than the grade, it won’t be viscous enough to provide sufficient lubrication when the engine is started or running.
So, the lower the number, the better the oil will hold its form and viscosity at freakishly cold temperatures. Thankfully, we don’t have to worry too much about this here in Malaysia.
Now, the number 40 which is located after the letter ‘W’ represents the suitability of the oil performance in higher temperatures. Other factors like high engine revs, engine cooling system and surrounding temperatures play a role as well. So, the 40 means that the oil will hold its shape and viscosity within the 40°C range.
If the temperature exceeds the set temperature, the oil will start to thin and lose its viscosity. When this happens, the oil will start to break down and won’t provide sufficient lubrication to the engine. A lot of people will recommend using 10W30 or 10W40 in Malaysia as the average temperatures in the country is usually around 28-30°C.
So there you have it, folks. When it comes down to engine oils, different manufacturers have different formulations using multiple additives that come with a variety of claims. Just keep it simple and understand the basics and you’ll be just fine. Knowing these basic criteria will give you a peace of mind, a happy wallet and happy motorbikes. Like the saying goes, “Happy bikes, happy lives”. Or something like that…
From zero to 5,900 metres above sea level in less than 24 hours
Maximum altitude reached for a twin-cylinder motorcycle at 5,960 metres
Maximum altitude reached with a motorcycle in less than 24 hours
Metzeler broke three different records last Saturday on 24 February 2017 with their brand new off-road tyre, the Metzeler MC 360™ paired together with Honda Africa Twin and CRF450RX accomplished by a team of riders which included the Head of Testing Department of Metzeler, Salvo Pennisi. (more…)
As far as classic bikes go, no other name carries its weight in gold as much as the famed Brough Superior marque. Famed for hand-building motorcycles, sidecars and motor cars for the wealthy elite from 1919 to 1940, the British marque’s motorcycles were dubbed by many as the Rolls-Royce of motorcycles in its heyday.
Founder George Brough, who was a famed British motorcycle racer, had a clientele list that many would envy as it included the likes of Lawrence of Arabia and George Bernard Shaw. In its 21-year history, Brough Superior successfully developed 19 bike models and produced 3,048 units before operations ceased, but reports suggest that only less than a third of those still exists in the hands of collectors today. However, a recent barn find in a village on Bodmin Moor, England, is about to increase that number, albeit slightly.
Dubbed the ‘Broughs of Bodmin Moor’ collection, a series vintage motorcycles were found partly buried under dust and machinery. At least three complete bikes were found including a rare four-cylinder version of the Brough Superior – one of only eight known to be built and the last to be accounted for. Also in the mix was an ultra-rare Brough Superior 750cc BS4 that features a peculiar twin rear wheel layout.
Experts have stated that this is perhaps the greatest motorcycle discoveries of recent times as their existence was thought to be mythical prior to being found. Adding to that is the fact that this could also be the last un-restored collection of Brough Superior motorcycles to be found.
With that in mind, it is easy to see how the ‘Broughs of Bodmin Moor’ collection was given an estimated value of £340,000 in its entirety – that’s roughly RM2.2 million. Leading this is the twin rear wheel model, which has been valued between £80,000 and £120,000 (approx. RM518,000 – RM777,000). Besides its rare layout, this particular bike’s value skyrocketed thanks to the fact that it once belonged to Hubert Chantrey, a friend of George Brough.
The collection is expected to meet its £340,000 estimated total value when each bike goes under the hammer with specialist auction house Bonhams April next year. Additionally, you can view the complete collection and details in this press release issued by the auction house online.
Veteran Israeli paramedic Eli Beer recently took centre stage at the TED Medical global conference, presenting the idea of his motorcycle-borne paramedic movement organisation called United Hatzalah. (more…)
ACCORDING to a recent study in the US, age is now a factor in causing motorcycle injuries. Data collected in the study between 2001 to 2008 revealed that bikers ages 60 and above are three times more likely to be hospitalised after crashing. (more…)
