Bikesrepublic

test

Malaysia named one of several markets where the Yamaha E01 electric scooter will be tested.

(more…)

  • Motosikal BMW R nine T Scrambler adalah pertaruhan BMW Motorrad dalam ‘revolusi scrambler”.
  • Ia berkongsi casis dan kejuruteraan enjin yang sama seperti model R nine T yang lain.
  • Namun begitu ianya dihasilkan untuk penunggangan ‘off-road’ yang ringan.

(more…)

  • The BMW r nine T Scrambler is BMW Motorrad’s answer to the “scrambler revolution.”

  • It shares the same chassis and engine architecture with other r nine T’s.

  • But it is meant for light off-roading.

BMW has been steadily adding new variants to the r ninet T heritage line-up since its introduction in 2013. The BMW r nine T Scrambler was introduced in 2016, on the other hand, to offer buyers a scrambler option from other manufacturers.

The r nine T Scrambler is meant for light off-roading fun, and thereby wears a 19-inch front wheel. Customers can opt for tubeless spoked-wheels.

The bike is powered by the previous generation BMW oil-cooled, horizontally-opposed Twin “Boxer.” The engine is the common platform which the r nine T range is built around. It produces 110 bhp and a huge 116 Nm of torque.

As with all BMW Boxers, power is sent through a six-speed transmission and a Paralever-controlled driveshaft on its way to the back wheel.

The standout feature of the Scrambler among the r nine T line-up is the high-mounted dual exhaust pipe tips.

We have since tested almost every variant of the r nine T including the (base) r nine T, r nine T Racer, and r nine T Urban G/S, but this time, BMW Motorrad Malaysia extended an r nine T Scrambler for the ride to the recent Distinguished Gentleman’s Ride 2018 in Melaka.

Auto Bavaria Motorrad BMW r nine T Ride to Distinguished Gentleman’s Ride Melaka 2018

This r nine T Scrambler was extra special, by the way, as it wears the BMW Motorrad Community fuel tank. It is covered in signatures of BMW motorcycle owners. (I was extra careful with the bike, I swear.)

The ride consisted of a good mix of highway, trunk road and urban riding, giving us a good taste of the r nine T Scrambler’s capabilities and versatility.

Out on the highway, the bike drones along at 110 – 140 km/h, with a soft rumble accompanying us. However, the Akrapovic pipes on this one this one sure had plenty of bark, which sounded a lot like a group of piston-engine fighter planes when mixed with other r nine Ts.

The r nine T Scrambler doesn’t like being rushed during highway rides. Instead, it’s big torque should be put to great use to cruise and overtake other vehicles with ease. You could keep it in 6th gear all the way down to 60 km/h, and a twist of the throttle would have the bike roaring back up to speed in a hurry.

But it’s on country roads where the bike comes into its own. Here, the wave of torque accelerates you from corner to corner in a quick yet smooth fashion. It soon became addictive as the exhausts sing “the Boxer rumble” when you grab fistfuls of throttle at corner exits.

Handling is commendable although it could benefit with some more suspension tuning, as it felt a little harsh over sharp bumps. The “relaxed” chassis geometry requires you to trace graceful long arcs through corners. You can hard-flick the bike but without the chassis complaining, though. However, if blasting corners is your game, the base r nine T is the better option with its sport-oriented suspension.

BMW R nineT Review – You Have the Power

But that doesn’t mean the r nine T Scrambler is bad. The bike is made for relaxed and unrushed riding. Treating it as a sportbike is just wrong.

We rode into the Melaka city centre on a couple of occasions and we were thankful for the bike’s torque and upright sitting position. Its torque allows you to hold on to higher gears even at low speeds and that smoothens out your riding.

Characteristic of BMW’s Boxers, it was also easy to maneuver at low speeds. Those cylinders that jut out into the breeze provide low-down stability; while the crankshaft which spins longitudinally along the bike’s centre line produces its own centrifugal force to keep the bike upright even at very low speeds.

The r nine T Scrambler is as pure as it gets, being a heritage model. Apart from ABS and fuel injection, there is no ride mode or traction control. Consequently, you feel as a part of the bike instead of the feel being filtered through a gaggle-load of electronics.

The BMW r nine T Scrambler sells for RM 88,900 inclusive of SST but no on the road.

TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS

ENGINE
Engine type Air/Oil-cooled, 4-stroke, DOHC, 4 valves per cylinder, horizontally-opposed (Boxer) Twin
Compression ratio 12.0 : 1
Bore X Stroke 101 mm X 73 mm
Displacement 1170 cc
Fuel system Electronic intake pipe injection
Maximum power 110 bhp (81 kW) @ 7550 RPM
Maximum torque 116 Nm @ 6000 RPM
TRANSMISSION  
Clutch Single dry plate clutch, hydraulically actuated
Gearbox Constant mesh, 6-speed, shaft drive
CHASSIS
Front suspension 43mm telescopic forks, 125mm travel
Rear suspension Single central shock absorber adjustable for preload and rebound damping. 140mm travel
Front brakes Two 320mm floating discs, Brembo four-piston radially-mounted calipers
Rear brake Single 265 mm disc, Brembo two-piston floating caliper
ABS BMW Motorrad ABS, front and rear
Front tyre 120/70-R19
Rear tyre 170/60-R17
FRAME & DIMENSIONS
Frame Three-part frame consisting of one front and two rear sections; load-bearing engine and transmission; rear set frame removable for single rider
Swingarm Cast aluminium single-sided swingarm with BMW Motorrad Paralever
Trail 110.6 mm
Rake 28.5 degrees
Wheelbase 1527 mm
Seat height 850 mm
Wet weight 220 kg (Read to ride with full fuel tank)
Fuel capacity 17 litres

 

PICTURE GALLERY

  • The Yamaha XMAX 250 is the biggest scooter officially sold by Hong Leong Yamaha.

  • It is more of a GT scooter compared to the NMAX and NVX.

  • The new basic selling price is at RM 21,225.00 with 0% GST.

Sure, scooters are the embodiment of convenient motorcycling, to the stage of being lazy – nothing else you need to do but to fill up, twist and go. Besides that, I don’t need to worry about slinging a backpack hence neckaches and backaches, since I could throw everything into the storage space under the seat.

But, I’ve never actually considered owning a scooter prior to this; due to the fact that their suspension gets hammered followed by my spleen over sharp bumps or potholes. If that’s not bad enough, their front tyres weave about when cornering. Those two factors alone had always put a damper on my enthusiasm.

But what about this new Yamaha XMAX 250? I was looking forward to testing the new MT-09 and was a little smitten when Hong Leong Yamaha Motor only had this XMAX available during the time. Well okay, for the benefit of our readers who do like scooters, I acquiesced to the offer.

WHAT IS IT?

Hong Leong Yamaha Motor is the one manufacturer who offers a wide selection of scooters in the Malaysian motorcycle market.

The XMAX 250 on the other hand, is powered by a 250cc, single-cylinder engine, making it the biggest scooter officially offered by HLYM. While the rest could be considered “city” scooters, the XMAX is of the maxi/GT type. As such, the XMAX is much larger in size, complete with a large windscreen and bigger fuel tank. The underseat trunk is also much bigger and you could fit a couple of helmets, or a helmet and a backpack filled with a 15” laptop.

WHAT FEATURES DOES IT HAVE?

There instrument panel is also large in size, dominated by a large speedometer and tachometer, flanking an LCD multi-display in between.

There are storage compartments on each side of the front panel – the left is locked with the ignition while the one on the right is unlockable. A 12V cigarette lighter type outlet is on the left, enabling you to charge your phone on the go.

The XMAX also features the SMART Key system first seen on the NVX. It needed a little figuring out at first, but it becomes second nature soon enough. Once you’re used to it, you’d swear that it’s the best motorcycle locking system. For example, it’ll warn you if you’ve forgotten to arm it.

The XMAX is one of the best-selling scooters in Europe, therefore it’s equipped with ABS and TCS (traction control) as standard equipment.

Those beautifully designed headlamps are fully LED with LED “positioning lights” (other manufactures call them daylight running lights). The taillights were equally good-looking and they were LED too. The turn signals remain as normal bulbs, though.

WHAT WAS THE FIRST IMPRESSION?

The seat was taller than it looked. Although the spec sheet described the seat height at a low 795mm, I had to move one cheek off the seat just to tip toe on one foot like I was on an adventure bike. The wide portion under the seat was the cause. And surely enough, the test bike had been dropped on one side.

The handlebar is placed lower than on most scooters and it felt sporty. That placement also meant that my view of the instrument panel wasn’t blocked at all.

The seats were definitely comfortable and supportive.

HOW DID IT PERFORM?

The 250cc, fuel-injected, single-cylinder engine features Blue Core enhancements, including variable valve timing (VVT). It started up quickly every time and there was very little vibration for a scooter.

The fun of a twist ‘n’ go is of course the acceleration and the XMAX accelerated very quickly all the way to its redline. Hold on to it and you’ll hit a little more than 140 km/h. However, the bike was very economical. We managed to obtain 324 km from 11 litres of fuel despite our heavy-handed testing and we had to fill it up only once in the nine days that we had the bike.

But best of all, the XMAX 250 never once shook its handlebar when we blasted it through fast, sweeping corners unlike other scooters.

The handling was confidence-inspiring, and I didn’t hesitate in taking up to Genting Highlands. At night. On these roads, it was a joy to ride the XMAX as I could just swing it into the corners. It had plenty of cornering clearance and took lots of lean angle to scrape the centrestand. Even then, it never once threatened to chuck itself down the road (or off the mountainside) at full lean.

The brakes were superbly strong although they felt a little vague at full pressure, possibly due to the rubber hoses. However, that’s just a personal preference as I’m sure owners will find them pretty strong in standard trim. Another thing I noticed was the brake levers didn’t pulsate when ABS was triggered. Instead, the levers actually extended slightly to the front when that happened, allowing me to maintain maximum brake pressure.

The headlights were bright as a much-welcomed feature in the fog.

Down Karak Highway, I could ride the XMAX almost as if it was a normal bike, surprising a few car drivers along the way.

As for the suspension, it was a good balance between comfort and performance. Big potholes still translated to big hits but they were a lot more damped out than other scooters and mopeds.

CONCLUSION

The Yamaha XMAX 250 is a great scooter for the daily commute and also some touring. Its great looks is matched by its great performance, especially because it doesn’t wobble in corners, but also due to its practicality and economy.

 

So I guess I’ve found the scooter that I’ve been looking for.

 

Artikel oleh: Wahid Ooi Abdullah

  • Bmw G 310 GS adalah motosikal adventure-tourer dalam rangkaian motosikal G.
  • Ianya lebih cenderung ‘off-road’ berbanding dengan model G 310 R.
  • Sesuai untuk penunggang berpengalaman, baru, mahu pun yang baru bermula kembali.

(more…)

  • The BMW G 310 GS is the adventure-tourer of the G-family.

  • It is more offroad-oriented than the G 310 R.

  • It is suitable to veteran, returning and new riders.

When people discover that part of my job is to test and review new motorcycles or every kind, their first words would be, “Oh, how lucky you are.”

And then I’d brace myself for the next questions, which invariably includes, “What’s your favourite bike among those you’ve tested?” Uh oh. That’s like the missus asking whether she should go on a diet.

Now, it’s not that I mind sharing my personal Top Ten Bikes (which consists of Triumphs, KTMs, BMWs, Yamahas, Ducatis, et al – not necessarily in that order), nor am I afraid of being called biased and risk angering our advertisers, instead I dread the prospect of having to debate (read: argue) about my choices for two hours. And there’s no place for contravening views or dissent these days – everyone wants to be right and you’re always in the wrong.

On the other hand, there are bikes that are truly worth defending.

When BMW Motorrad launched the G 310 R, the whole world went ga-ga over the prospect of owning a BMW that’s accessible to a wide range of audience, judging from the point of unintimidating power output and of course, price (story of the G 310 R launch here).

Sure enough, BMW Motorrad was inundated with overwhelming orders, justifying their decision to build a small capacity motorcycle. However, the G 310 R couldn’t shake its “BMW for beginners” assumption., although it isn’t by a wide margin.

Then, BMW Motorrad pulled the wraps off the G 310 GS at the Malaysian MotoGP in October this year (story of the launch here). Many took an instant liking to it especially for its looks which consists of many styling cues from its F 800 GS and R 1200 GS brethren.

But the questions from the market are “Good no cheap, cheap no good, right?” based on the Chinese saying of, “Yat cham chin yat cham for (1 sen for a 1 sen good).” The second question is, “Has BMW Motorrad compromised on their quality?”

Okay. It’s time to address these queries.

First up, yes, the G 310 GS is based on the G 310 R (R for roadster), which means both share many common components, including the 313cc, DOHC, 4-valve, liquid-cooled, single-cylinder engine. It’s worth mentioning that the cylinder block is rotated by 180-degrees for the exhaust to face the rear and throttle body to the front. The whole block is also tilted backwards into the frame, for better mass centralization and lower center of gravity.

Another positive consequence is a much more compact power and drivetrain unit, since there isn’t the need to create a space if the exhaust was up front. From this, BMW Motorrad could use a longer swingarm for more stability, while still maintaining a short wheelbase for agility and front wheel feel.

The frame of the G 310 GS is similar to the roadster’s but the suspension has gained extra travel by 41 mm up front and 48mm out back, to a total of 180 mm on both ends. The front is suspended by non-adjustable upside forks, while the rear shock is adjustable for preload only. Seat height is 835 mm.

But how does it perform since it’s wearing the infamous “GS” (for Gelände/Straße – offroad/road) moniker? Does the G 310 GS deserve that honour?

Approaching the bike for the first time, it looked pretty much like any of BMW’s adventure-tourer bike, especially the R 1200 GS. Its profile is slim and tall, with many wedges in its lines. Getting on confirmed that it was tall, but it wasn’t difficult to lift off the sidestand since its super light (170 kg wet weight).

The single-cylinder engine fired up without fuss, but it needed some revs to get going. Out there on the road, the long travel suspension was supple leaning towards soft and soaked up every bump. Slamming the bike into fast corners produced a perceptible compression while the Metzeler Tourance tyres dug into the road. But there was hardly any wobble. However, the front forks dived quickly under hard braking. Those Bybre brakes are good!

With maximum revs is at 10,000 RPM, 130 km/h comes up at 8,000 RPM. At this juncture, you’re reminded by the buzziness in the handlebar and footpegs that you are riding a single. It didn’t numb my hands, but I believe the addition of dampers to the handlebar mount would be sweet. Torque is commendable, although you need to be in the correct gear.

But oh my, the bike was really agile. The biggest fun about riding it on the daily commute was the enjoyment of sitting high up over traffic, giving you a view far ahead. Besides that, you could actually swing the Baby GS in and out of traffic. Ah, the joys of a lightweight bike. The seats are pretty comfortable too.

We’ve tested its Strasse capabilities so it’s now over to the Gelande part.

Where’s the best place to do some offroading? At Oh Kah Beng’s Most Fun Gym, of course. We had also wanted “Foreman” Oh or KB, as some call him, to ride the G 310 GS and provide his feedback since he’s the Sifu. KB had also trained his nephew, Oh Jin Sheng who went to qualify second on the first day of the BMW Motorrad GS Trophy Asia Qualifier.

But KB was caught up at the bank when we arrived so we decided to go ahead and ride the bike around the basic flat-track course.

I started out gingerly since the tyres were 50/50 offroad/road, compared to knobbies. Apart from that, the seat is rather far behind compared to a pure-bred motocrosser, hence I had some reservations if I could really lean the bike into dirt corners. (Cornering in the dirt calls for the rider to sit as up front as possible and stick out his inside leg to put more weight on the front tyre.)

But as soon as it hit the first berm it was apparent that the G 310 GS was setup towards offroading. Standing up on the straights the bike exhibited a totally natural balance at both ends. I went faster and faster, even did a couple of small jumps as confidence picked up.

The track’s surface was dry with loose soil and sand, but the tyres surprisingly slipped very little. I had to kick my leg further out to displace my weight and give it lots of throttle to slide the rear around. Otherwise, it was as if the bike has traction control (it doesn’t, it only has ABS).

While the suspension soaked up the bumps on the road, on the offroad course it was magic! It ran over those offroad bumps as if they weren’t there. It suddenly didn’t matter that the fuel tank was tall and slightly long, the G 310 GS was amazingly well-balanced whether I was seated or standing up (as I’ve mentioned earlier).

The only gripe I had with running it offroad was the road-oriented rear sprocket size. For true offroading, a 4-teeth bigger sprocket would provide the punch out of corners by rear wheel slide-steering.

KB showed up a little later in the afternoon, a bit agitated from his experience at the bank.

But his expression lit up as soon as he saw the G 310 GS, “Whoa, that’s a beautiful bike! Really looks very close to the R 1200 GS.”

He didn’t waste time in suiting up and hopping on. “The seat’s a little tall for most Malaysians, but the rear shock compresses when you sit on it, like a motocrosser’s.”

As soon as he hit the corner berm, he remarked, “Wow! The balance!” He proceeded to traverse down a steep slope. Both of us wanted to find out about the ground clearance. Nothing touched down.

Next, KB rode the bike down a trail behind the “pit building.” A trail that I would never for the life of me ride on. He just kept going, “Wow this is really good,” and continued on up the hill to the Expert’s Course. He kept riding steadily without jumping, “I don’t want to risk bottoming out the suspension and injuring the bike,” he explained.

And he just kept going and going, with a smile underneath his MX helmet, while I chased him around to grab a few shots.

When he finally pulled in, there were nothing but superlatives from him. “This bike is truly amazing. It soaked up the bumps, it steered beautifully, gripped a lot, and the throttle was very smooth.” (A smooth throttle response is of utmost importance when riding offroad or on slippery surfaces.)

His conclusion was, “It may be an affordable bike at 29K, but it felt like something way more expensive. Plus, it’s really pretty. BMW should extend a test bike at MFG so those who visit MFG could take a look at it. It’s capabilities and quality.”

If a racing legend and super coach who has done it all, seen it all says that, then the G 310 GS is truly special. The bike truly caters to both new and veteran riders. It’s practical for the daily commute, comfortable for long-distance rides and fully capable when the paved road disappears.

Just like in the opening story, the BMW G 310 GS is one bike worth defending – not because it’s a BMW.

TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS

ENGINE
Engine type Liquid-cooled, 4-stroke, DOHC, 4-valves, single-cylinder
Compression ratio 10.6 : 1
Bore X Stroke 80.0 mm X 62.1 mm
Displacement 313 cc
Fuel system BMS-E2 electronic fuel injection
Maximum power 34 bhp (25 kW) @ 9,500 RPM
Maximum torque 28 Nm @ 7,500 RPM
TRANSMISSION  
Clutch Cable-operated, multi-plate, wet clutch
Gearbox 6-speed synchromesh
CHASSIS
Front suspension 41mm USD forks, 180 mm travel
Rear suspension Single shock, adjustable for preload, 180 mm travel
Front brakes Single 300 mm disc, single four-piston radially mounted Bybre caliper
Rear brake Single 240 mm disc, single-piston floating caliper
ABS BMW Motorrad ABS
Front tyre 110/80-R19
Rear tyre 150/70-R17
FRAME & DIMENSIONS
Frame Tubular steel
Swingarm Solid die-cast aluminium
Trail 98.0 mm
Rake 26.7 degrees
Wheelbase 1420 mm
Seat height 835 mm (unladen)
Wet weight 169.5 kg (ready to ride)
Fuel capacity 11.0 litres

PICTURE GALLERY

 

  • Motosikal Moto Guzzi V9 Roamer dan V7 III Stone melengkapkan lagi rangkaian motosikal Guzzi.
  • Moto Guzzi mengelaskan V9 Roamer sebagai sebuah motosikal buatan khas, dengan rekaan yang mengimbau kembali motosikal tahun 70-an.
  • Motosikal V7 III Stone menjadi asas bagi pengkhususan.

(more…)

  • The new Moto Guzzi V9 Roamer and V7 III Stone complements the Guzzi family.

  • Moto Guzzi calls the V9 Roamer a custom bike, but its design harks back to the beautiful 70’s bikes.

  • The V7 III Stone forms the basis for further customisation.

Moto Guzzi is a legendary Italian brand since 1912, but a few hiccups along the way gave the impression of the brand being “on/off.” However, Moto Guzzi is seeing a resurgence lately as the new official distributor, The Gasket Alley, has stepped up their marketing and aftersales efforts.

However, having ridden just one Moto Guzzi for mere hours in the past, I wasn’t sure of what to expect from these two bikes: The V9 Roamer and V7 III Stone.

When Sep and I went to pick them up, both had that modern-classic look, but it was the V9 Roamer which appealed to me with lots of chrome offset by anodized black parts and yellow paintwork. It looked like a 70’s kind of standard motorcycle. That’s just the looks, because the 853cc, 2-valve, 90-degree V-Twin engine is all new.

On the other hand, Sep preferred the V7 III Stone as it looked more “masculine” with its boxier fuel tank with flared sides over the cylinders, no chrome and flat yellow tank. In a way, the V7 III Stone has that unfinished look, no doubt being the model for further customization (there are hundreds of items in MG “Spark” catalog). The “III” designation means this is the third generation V7, inspired the by the 1971 V7 Sport. The V7 has been revamped in many ways including a 10% engine power bump.

Both bikes now feature MGTC (Moto Guzzi Traction Control) and ABS.

Pushing both bikes around The Gasket Alley’s parking lot revealed that they were light. It’s even more so when we climbed on board. Their seats were low and both of us could place both feet on the ground with ease.

 

The V9’s handlebar was mounted on a riser and swept back to meet the rider. The V7’s was flatter for a slightly more café racer feel.

As I reached out to thumb the starter button on the V9, I noticed that the switchgear had a new design, outlined by brushed aluminium bezels, similar to the Calfornia. The V7 made do with the conventional switchgear.

Both bikes starter quickly when the starter button was pushed, to a 90-degree V-Twin growl and the bike kicking to the right simultaneously. Such is the character of transverse-mounted twins (both cylinders projecting out the sides, instead of sitting fore and aft inside the frame), since the crankshaft is longitudinal along the axis of the frame. Conversely, V-Twin that’s mounted longitudinally (Harley, Ducati, et al) has the crankshaft across the frame, thus the frame damps out the crankshaft’s secondary vibrations.

As with Moto Guzzi’s engine configuration, the transmission mates directly to the back of the crankcase (like a BMW Boxer-Twin), although the Guzzi’s single dry clutch is behind the transmission instead of sitting in the middle between the two parts. Power transfer to the rear wheel is best served by a shaft final drive for transverse Twins.

This arrangement makes for a lower centre of gravity as the heavy parts are lower near the ground, as opposed to engine configurations where the transmission is “stacked” above the alternator (although it is more compact).

Anyhow, right away, the V9 Roamer exhibited a relatively maneuverable despite having a 19-inch tyre up front and 16-inch at the rear. Similarly, squeezing through traffic was easy as the bike’s pretty slim. My only gripe about riding it in traffic was the overly soft exhaust volume in order to comply with the Euro 4 emission standard. I don’t have to tell you that some car drivers in Kuala Lumpur are complacent behind their steering wheels, so a loud exhaust is the way to grab their attention unless you honk all the way.

The suspension of both bikes were supple in their initial strokes but took big hits over the shraper bumps and deep potholes. Still, they were remarkably better than their predecessors.

Out on the highway, the V9 Roamer went with the flow due to its taller gearing – it’s not that the engine lacks punch – the transmission was already in overdrive in fifth gear, while sixth was an even taller overdrive. This is definitely a bike for relaxed cruising.

The V7 however, felt more engaging due to its shorter gearing, meaning it kept pushing all the time. In Sep’s words, “The V7 feels more hooligan.” He’s right, because the Stone is just one of the variations in the V7 III family, which includes the V7 III Racer.

Italian bikes are famous for their handling, but I wish I could say so for these two. But it wasn’t because of the bikes, it was due to the standard Pirelli Sport Demon tyres. I’ve experienced the very same trait on another test bike. These tyres are great in running straight but their sidewalls flex like rubber stress balls when pushed in corners, causing the bikes to wobble. It also caused the V9 Roamer’s 19-inch front to steer slower into corners. My concern is that customers who are uninitiated to the Sport Demon will blame the bike.

Anyway, the V7 III Stone wasn’t a slouch when we blasted down the highway. With a sportier riding position, the rider has more confidence to take it to higher speeds. The V9 Roamer, on the other hand likes to be ridden smoothly and in a benign manner. That said, remember the crankshaft’s torque kicking the bike to one side? It all disappeared as soon as we got rolling and the engine became really, really smooth.

We took a different route to Kuala Kubu Bahru for the photoshoot and while it had many beautiful corners, certain sections were bumpy as hell, but these bumps were handled better as long as they weren’t sharp, whereas I would have a chiropractor on standby on the older bike.

We also noticed that there wasn’t any “shaft jacking” despite the lack of an extra arm, like Moto Guzzi’s CARC setup. The term shaft jacking pertains to the bike lifting upwards due to the shaft’s torque as power is applied to the rear wheel.

As our four days with both bikes coming to an end, we liked both the V9 Roamer and V7 III Stone for what they are. They’re just different from other bikes in the market, hence to compare with other makes may not be fair. Both bikes’ appeal rest in the ease of riding them, with a certain kind of soul that could only come from the transversely mounted V-Twin. Besides that, there aren’t many Guzzis around so you’ll earn plenty of inquisitive stares when you ride one.

So which one did we pick as our favourite? Let’s call it a split decision. Keshy and Sep chose the V7 III Stone for its no-frills approach, while Chaze and I chose the V9 Roamer for its looks and soft character.

PICTURE GALLERY

 

  • Helmet HJC RPHA 70 ini merapatkan jurang antara helmet sukan sepenuhnya dan helmet touring.
  • Ianya telah dibina berdasarkan prinsip helmet HJC RPHA 11.
    Ringan, selesa, selamat, pada harga yang hebat.
  • HJC Helmet Malaysia juga telah memperkenalkan beberapa buah model yang lain selain dari model RPHA 70 ini – TEKAN SINI untuk melihatnya.

(more…)

  • The HJC RPHA 70 bridges full sport and touring helmets

  • It is built upon the HJC RPHA 11’s principles

  • Lightweight, comfortable, safe, at a great value

  • HJC Helmet Malaysia have also introduced other models besides the RPHA 70 – click here to see more

It’s probably needless to say that motorcycle helmets have come a long, long way to where they are now. But along with that progress, helmets have become sub-divided into many categories for different uses. Gone were the days when a rider could almost wear just one helmet for every application (off-road riding notwithstanding).

Nowadays, you’d have specific helmets for the track, sport-touring, adventure-touring, touring, sport classics, cafe racers, customs, urban riding, and everything else in between.

We’ll pick the first two.

A race helmet should ideally be light, stable at high speeds, and snug-fitting. Comfort is relative, as a race helmet should hold tight to the wearer’s face and head, lest it moves around when blasting down SIC’s back straight at top speeds.

A sport-touring helmet, on the other hand, should provide all-day comfort, good ventilation and also good stability at high speeds. The emphasis for sport-touring helmets is comfort, something which is a compromise in racing helmets.

Courtesy of womenridersnow

Bridging that gap is never easy, as the resulting helmet is more often than not compromised for either spectrum. So how? You need both.

Or do you?

Built on the solid foundations of the HJC RPHA 11 race helmet (see here for more), the HJC RPHA 70 seeks to bridge those two concepts into one complete high performance package.

As with the RPHA 11, the RPHA 70’s shell is made from a what HJC calls their “Premium Integrated Matrix Plus (PIM+)” material, which consists of carbon fibre, Aramid, fiberglass and Kevlar; resulting in a lightweight but strong shell. The EPS has different densities around the helmet.

Traces of the RPHA 11’s design philosophies are evident in the RPHA 70’s tall chinbar, aerodynamic shell design, optically correct 2D faceshield with the centrally-located lock (which it shares with the RPHA 11), and interior paddings, in addition to the cheekpads that are extractable in emergencies.

Sport-touring features include the internal drop-down sunshield and large vents on the chinbar and crown (top of the head). The are deep cutouts for the ears, closed off by padding. Remove those pads and you have yourself built-in velcro pads to attach your Bluetooth speakers (I really welcome this).

The cheekpads are thick and tall. There are eyeglass “pockets” on both sides – spectacles wearers will welcome this. The crown pad is also thick and seems to float a couple of milimetres above the inner EPS lining.

Our first opportunity to sample the RPHA 70 was during the ride to Penang to cover the BMW Motorrad Nightfuel event (click here for our coverage and pictures). We rode a myriad of bikes including three variants of the R nineT, S 1000 R naked sportbike, K 1600 GT tourer, and G 310 R lightweight roadster. That means we rode on more bikes without fairing for wind protection.

The BMW S 1000 R was fast! You’d drone along at 60km/h in sixth gear, hit the throttle and you’re suddenly flying at 180km/h. But there was no wind protection. This was where the RPHA 70 showed its mettle. It stayed stayed stable without wobbling around, nor did it felt like ripping our heads off when we turned to the sides. Besides that, it resisted lifting and diving

Sep was testing the BMW G 310 R all the way into Penang (with top speeds close to 170km/h) and he reported the RPHA 70 being stable, too.

The HJC RPHA 70 is also relatively quiet at high speeds even without earplugs, which meant that I didn’t have to turn up my Bluetooth communicator’s volume to full blast, and it’s definitely a pleasant experience with earplugs in.

The sunshield dropped down and retracted quickly when activated via the switch at the bottom of the left chinbar. As with the main faceshield, the sunshield is optically correct, which means it won’t give you headaches from bad vision. My only gripe with the sunshield is that the bottom edges drop ever so slightly when its up, although Sep didn’t encounter this problem.

Airflow through the Advanced Channelling System (ACS) can be described as good and satisfactory. Air entering through the chin vents is directed upwards to the faceshield. A secondary and smaller chin vent directs airflow straight to wearer’s chin and mouth (the switch is on the inside). With the top central vent open, the wearer could feel a cooling stream of air moving past his crown.

We had encountered some rain on the way into Penang, and we thought we’ve come through the worst.

On that same evening, we rode from our hotel at Gurney Drive to the event ground next to the new Penang Bridge, when we got hit by the heaviest rainstorm we’ve ever encountered. There wasn’t even time to close the vents but thankfully, no water got through and the faceshield remained clear as we’ve installed the anti-fog lens which came in the box.

We’ve since donned the helmet everywhere we went, including riding around the city in all weather conditions and times of the day. As with most fullface helmets, the air inside could get a little stuffy on scorching hot days but all one needs to do is crack open the faceshield a little or, just ride faster.

Back to the subject about track usage: Not only does the HJC RPHA 70 comply to the ECE R22.05 standard, but it is also approved by the FIM. Approval by the FIM means the wearer could use the helmet for FIM-sanctioned racing events. That’s unprecedented, as most if not all, FIM approved race helmets are without built-in sunshades.

So, there you go. A real two-in-one helmet at one great value.

Features:

  • Advanced PIM+ (Premium Integrated Matrix Plus) construction: carbon fiber, Aramid, carbon-glass hybrid fabric for enhanced shock resistance
  • Anti-fog smoke tinted sunshield deploys quickly
  • RapidFire system for quick, tool-less faceshield removal and installation
  • Emergency cheek pads removal
  • Multicool interior with advanced anti-bacteria fabric provides enhanced moisture wicking and quick drying
  • Crown and cheek pads are removable and washable
  • Anti-fog lens prepared shield
  • Includes anti-fog insert lens
  • Glasses-friendly EPS design
  • ECE 22.05 and FIM approved

PICTURE GALLERY

 

 


Artikel oleh: Wahid Ooi Abdullah

  • Motosikal BMW R nineT Racer adalah motosikal cafe racer dalam rangkaian motosikal R nineT.
  • Ianya sebuah motosikal moden retro yang bersusur-galur dari motosikal R90S.
  • Pengendalian yang baik, enjin yang penuh dengan daya kilas, serta rupa paras yang menawan adalah tanda pengenalannya.

(more…)

  • The BMW R nineT Racer is the café racer of the R nineT family

  • It’s a modern retro which draws its lineage to the R90S

  • Good handling, torquey engine and great looks are its hallmark

I once dated a girl who was gorgeous, smart and independent, all-in-one. We’ve had so much to talk about, so much to share, including our passion for movies, music, the high life and motorcycles.

She was quite tall, had a nice chassis with the right dimensions in the right places. When she smiled, her lips curved bewitchingly. When she looked at me, those eyes burned straight through to my soul, eliciting primal desires I never thought I had.

Everywhere we went, other men would stare unabashedly. They didn’t even bother to grab serendipitous glances at her. I could “read” what was in their heads. Jealous? Yes. Yet I felt proud that she was holding tight onto my arm. Yeah, look all you want, bud, she’s mine. Imma playa and I play for keeps. Nyah nyah.

What more could a man ask for right?

Behind closed doors, on the other hand, it was all her. My opinions never mattered. I gave up on seeing my friends only to find her out partying with hers when I returned home.  I bought her the most expensive I could afford, but it wasn’t enough. She complained wherever I brought her, nevermind it cost RM400 for a dinner.

But all those heartaches turned into meaningless gripes as soon as she smiled, and especially when I see the look on the faces of other guys when I’m with her.

What is it with tough love?

When BMW Motorrad’s chief designer Ola Stenegard approached Roland Sands to “do a BMW,” the famed customizer built the Concept 90 Prototype which drew inspiration from a famed BMW roadracer, the R90S.

We were excited when we saw the R90 Concept, resplendent in that classic metallic orange paint, retro half-fairing housing a single round headlight. But when production of R nineT got underway, we wondered if BMW Motorrad will ever produce a café racer like the R90 Concept.

Well, here it is. The BMW R nineT Racer, complete with a frame-mounted half-fairing, clip-on handlebars, small seat, seat hump, and vintage BMW Motorsport paint scheme. Each component seemed to enhance the beauty of another.

The BMW R nineT Racer is another variant built on the R nineT platform, to complement the base R nineT (click here for our review), R nineT Scrambler, R nineT Pure, and the just-launched R nineT Urban G/S (click here for our review). That means the R nineT Racer shares the 1178cc oilhead Boxer and frame but there’s where the similarity ends.

Unlike the base R nineT, The R nineT Racer’s forks are conventional telescopic, non-adjustable units while the fuel tank is steel instead of aluminium. The wheels are 17-inch cast aluminium ones, instead of cross-spoked ones.

Behind that fairing’s bubble are two analog dials with LCD screens to display different info. No fuel gauge, tho’. Thumb the starter button and the Boxer-Twin comes to life just like the others – with a kick to starboard. But’s that’s the character of the Boxer through the decades. The charm is in how it vibes and rocks the mirrors, reminding you that it’s alive rather than merely “ON.” It fuels impeccably throughout the rev range, which puts more emphasis on torque rather than all-out horsepower.

On the handling front, the Racer isn’t a bike you’d just throw into a corner. The long wheelbase, generous rake and trail, low height produces a bike that absolutely revels in long, high speed sweepers like those you find near the Menora Tunnel and Karak. But once it’s on its side, it’s battleship steady. The suspension is supple to deal with road irregularities despite being “low tech.”

Those Brembo front brakes are strong, though. Give it a hard two-fingered squeeze to suddenly and it would seem that your breakfast disagrees with your stomach.

True to its Racer name, the seating position is stretched out – long reach to the handlebars, torso low down onto the tank, feet back, knees up and bum offered to the sky gods. Just like a 70’s and 80’s racebike. Or a road race bicycle. Mass centralization be damned. Having owned a Cagiva Mito and Ducati 916 in the early 90’s, the R nineT Racer’s riding position didn’t seem too foreign, unless compared to contemporary sportbikes such as the S 1000 RR.

Of course, it’s more tiring compared to bikes with sit up riding position. With all that tank gripping, upper torso being supported by muscles in the lower back and core, you need to stretch yourself out when you stop after riding for 150 kilometres or so.

Still, I rode the bike from Penang to the Sg. Buloh R&R with a bagpack filled with my laptop, camera, clothes and toiletries strapped to my back, but I didn’t come away looking like the Igor from Notre Dame.

The engine is already good, but what really makes the R nineT Racer a great bike is its awesome looks. And it is drop dead gorgeous. The Malaysian populace at large has mostly grown familiar to big bikes and not many superbikes will grab their attention anymore.

But not the R nineT Racer. There seems to be an aura surrounding it.

We would return to a crowd surrounding the bike wherever we parked. Conservative uncles would circle around the bike, with huge grins on their faces. Even other bikers will crowd around and started asking a whole bunch of questions. Park the bike anywhere and it seems to light up those premises. Stop at a set of traffic lights and everyone will stare at it like it was Claudia Schiffer.

The main question we encountered was, “Isn’t it uncomfortable to be draped over the bike like that?” “No, it’s alright,” was how we answered. And if we were asked which of the R nineT range we would pick, we would answer, “The Racer,” without hesitation.

Guess looks beat tough love anytime.

TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS

ENGINE
Engine type Air/Oil-cooled, 4-stroke, DOHC, 4 valves per cylinder, horizontally-opposed (Boxer) Twin
Compression ratio 12.0 : 1
Bore X Stroke 101 mm X 73 mm
Displacement 1170 cc
Fuel system Electronic intake pipe injection
Maximum power 110 bhp (81 kW) @ 7750 RPM
Maximum torque 116 Nm @ 6000 RPM
TRANSMISSION  
Clutch Single dry plate clutch, hydraulically actuated
Gearbox Constant mesh, 6-speed, shaft drive
CHASSIS
Front suspension 43mm telescopic forks, 125mm travel
Rear suspension Single central shock absorber adjustable for preload and rebound damping. 120mm travel
Front brakes Two 320mm floating discs, Brembo four-piston calipers
Rear brake Single 265 mm disc, Brembo two-piston floating caliper
ABS BMW Motorrad ABS, front and rear
Front tyre 120/70-ZR17
Rear tyre 180/55-ZR17
FRAME & DIMENSIONS
Frame Three-part frame consisting of one front and two rear sections; load-bearing engine and transmission; rear set frame removable for single rider
Swingarm Cast aluminium single-sided swingarm with BMW Motorrad Paralever
Trail 103.9 mm
Rake 26.4 degrees
Wheelbase 1491 mm
Seat height 805 mm
Wet weight 219 kg
Fuel capacity 17 litres

 

PICTURE GALLERY

Archive

Follow us on Facebook

Follow us on YouTube