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Triumph Motorcycles Malaysia

  • The Triumph Thruxton R TFC is part of the Triumph Factory Custom range.

  • As the name suggests, it will be a limited-production, high-end flagship.

  • Only 750 will be built.

Triumph Motorcycles are definitely on a roll in debuting many exciting models in a short space of time. The Triumph Thruxton R TFC is the next model being tested on the road.

Photo credit MCN

In October, Triumph launched the 2019 Street Twin and 2019 Street Scrambler at Intermot, followed by the new Scrambler 1200 during the Global Dealer Conference (GDC) in London. It was during the conference that the manufacturer laid out their plans to introduce additional models in 2019. The new bikes included the 2019 Speed Twin (launched in early December), new 180-bhp Rocket III and this, the Thruxton R TFC.

The Thruxton R TFC is part of the Triumph Factory Custom range. The range consists of limited edition, flagship bikes. The TFC Bobber and Scrambler show bikes were first revealed in 2014.

The Thruxton R TFC features a hotted-up Hi-Power 1200cc parallel-Twin engine. The use of titanium Vance & Hines exhausts and remapped ECU raises its power from 96 bhp to 106 bhp.

In the chassis department, Öhlins NIX 30 forks replace the Showa BPFs. It should create an even better pairing with the Öhlins dual shocks currently in place. The Brembo front brake calipers will have the fluid pumped into them by a Brembo radial master cylinder. If that’s not racy enough, the Thruxton R TFC will wear Metzeler Racetec RR tyres.

Triumph has also pared nearly 5kg off the bike’s weight.

The Thruxton R TFC will be fitted with a carbon-fibre “bullet” fairing as standard. Only 750 examples will be built. Lucky owners can stare at the production number on the billet top triple clamp.

We named the Thruxton R as the funnest café racer we’ve tested. The TFC should be even better!

Triumph Thruxton R Test & Review

  • We visited the Imperial War Museum, London at the end of Day 2 of the Triumph Motorcycles Malaysia London Adventure.

  • The Imperial War Museum displays exhibits that many of us had only seen on TV or read about.

  • It was full of with important modern warfare exhibits.

Continuing on the Day 2 of the Triumph Motorcycles Malaysia London Adventure, I was getting blown away by how just awesomeness of London. I came across the Imperial War Museum by blind luck.

(Please click here for the Triumph Motorcycles Malaysia London Adventure Day 1 at Tower of London and The Bike ShedDay 2 Part 1, here for Day 2 Part 2)

Coming off Westminster Palace (The Houses of Parliament), I consulted Google Maps for my next destination. I was thinking of the British Museum and St. Paul’s Cathedral, but something else popped up at the edge of the screen: The Imperial War Museum.

It’s not that I like war, but warfare intrigues me. Unfortunate as it is, warfare is where human emotions are at its rawest. There’s also a saying that “No one is an atheist in the trench.”

However, warfare pushes the boundaries of technologies the hardest. For example, it was the US Department of Defence who created the precursor to the Internet. So was the GPS (global positioning system). Titanium was first widely used in the Northorp SR-71 Blackbird reconnaissance jet. Many of the technologies or solutions available to the public resulted from research and development in the military.

Along with my late-Dad, we’ve watched and read so much about the conflicts in antiquity (Rome, Greece, China, et al), World War 1, World War 2, communist insurgency in Malaya and Malaysia, Vietnam war, and every subsequent one in recent times.

St. Paul’s Cathedral and British Museum will have to wait.

Getting there

The Imperial War Museum has facilities divided among many locations throughout London and the United Kingdom. But this one at Lambeth is the main facility; a “short” 1.4-km (0.9-mile) walk across the Lambeth Bridge from the MI5 Security Service building.

My calves started to burn as I got to within 700m of the destination, but I kept pushing on. London has this magic of compelling you to keep moving, instead of squirrelling into the nearest café at the road side. Believe me, there are just so many cafés and restaurants anywhere you go around the city.

“We will never surrender,” as Winston Churchill said.

Soon, the courtyard of the museum appeared. Children running around the garden in multicoloured jackets confirmed it. The museum moved here in 1936. The building was originally the Bethelm Royal Hospital.

The compound

Alhamdulillah for the cool weather. I arrived without feeling like I’ve just completed a walkathon.

My eyes spotted a large yellow-colored shells and the barrel of a long gun. “Ya Allah! This is what I want to see,” my lips uttered involuntarily. (I’ve totally forgotten that I’ve not had lunch or any drink since breakfast at this point of time!)

I almost ran up to those guns. These are the BL 15-inch Mark-1 naval guns that I’ve read so much about! I suddenly felt a chill and goosebumps rose on my skin out of excitement. These were the best naval guns produced by the Royal Navy, hence serving from 1915 to 1959. The 15-inches referred to the gun’s bore (circumference of the tube, not length), while the length is at 16.52 metres long.

The gun was capable of shooting shells of 879kg with 222kg (490 lb.) supercharged cordite to a maximum distance of 27.3 kilometres, at 20barrel elevation (such as on the HMS Hood). The HMS Vanguard’s maximum 30elevation mounting increased the gun’s range to 34.6 kilometres. The guns were also employed as coastal defence guns in Singapore during WW2. At maximum elevation, the range was 40.3 kilometres.

Both are identical guns, except that the one on the left belonged to the HMS Ramilies and the other to the HMS Roberts.

These weren’t the biggest naval guns, by the way. That distinction belonged to the 18-inch behemoths fitted to the WWII Japanese battleships Yamato and Musashi.

Foyer and atrium

This particular Imperial War Museum does not charge an entrance fee. However, visitors are welcomed to drop some money into a donation box. Perhaps more importantly was photography and videography are allowed!

If those guns outside were interesting, I almost went complete bananas inside. Because, hanging from the ceiling (front to back) are a Harrier GR9 jump jet, V-1 flying bomb, V2 rocket and Spitfire fighter. These, all these fangled war machines were in those books and documentaries, but I didn’t for the life of me ever imagined seeing them up close and personal.

V-1 Flying Bomb

The V-1 (Vergeltungswaffe1 “Vengeance Weapon 1”) flying bomb was the first operation cruise missile of WWII. It was used by the Nazi Germany regime to terror bombing London. The first was fired at the city on 13thJune 1944, exactly after Allied troops landed at Normandy. A total of more than 9,500 V-1s were aimed at London.

However, the V-1 was primitive that it could not avoid anti-aircraft fire or fighter aircraft, and many were shot down that way.

V-2 Rocket

So, the Third Reich worked on Vergeltungswaffe2, better known as the V-2 rocket. The V-2 was the first proper intercontinental missile and the first manmade object which crossed into space.

Unlike the V-1, there’s no defence against the V-2. A survivor of a V-2 attack attested to seeing an entire block of London building lifting a metres into the air before exploding. More eerily, a double crack sound followed after the explosion. The “cracks” were the result of the bomb passing the sound barrier. The BBC reported that nearly 9,000 civilians and military personnel were killed by the rocket bomb.

Nazi Germany had been working hard on a nuclear program (they invaded Norway for the supply of “heavy water”) but they didn’t succeed in weaponizing that technology, thankfully. Otherwise, all of Europe would probably be speaking German now…

Another interesting fact was that the chief designer and engineer of the V-2 Werner Von Braun and his team surrendered to the American forces at the end of the war, rather than to the Soviet Union.

Von Braun and his team would go on to create the Saturn V rocket which carried the first humans to the Moon.

T-34-85 WWII Tank

The T-34 Soviet medium tank was widely regarded as the best battle tank in World War 2. Despite being outgunned by the excellent German Panzer and Tiger heavy tanks, the Soviets produced so many more T-34s to counter their losses. In fact, 44,900 T-34s were lost – the most in the war.

The secret to the T-34s success was its simplicity, which in turn meant easier and cheaper production. A total of 84,070 we built. By May 1944, they were producing 1,200 units of the T-34-85 variant per month.

Reuters Land Rover

The beat-up Land Rover was wearing the bright white paint and multiple “TV PRESS,” “REUTERS,” “FOREIGN PRESS,” etc. notations when the Reuters crew were covering the conflict in Gaza in 2006. Yet, an Israeli helicopter launched a rocket at it. The rocket went through the roof and exploded in the gearbox. Journalist Sabbah Hmaida was injured badly in his legs but his cameraman Fadel Shana suffered minor injuries.

Sadly, Shana was killed later when he was shot by an Israeli tank. The tank opened fired the second time, destroying the SUV he was travelling in. Eight other unarmed Palestinian civilians aged between 12 to 20 lay dead or dying from the blast.

As a journalist, it truly angered me that the Israelis actually shot vehicles with “PRESS” prominently emblazoned on their sides and roofs! What stank even more was when the Zionis regime exonerated the soldiers who fired the shots, through some incredulous reasoning.

You can read the full report here https://cpj.org/blog/2008/08/-in-the-gaza-strip.php

Rolls-Royce Merlin III Aircraft Engine

You would definitely hear about the iconic Rolls-Royce Merlin engine if you’re an aviation/history fan. It was installed in almost every British warplane including the Hawker Hurricane, Supermarine Spitfire, de Havilland Mosquito, Lancaster heavy bomber, etc. etc.

This particular Merlin III engine was a 27,000cc (27-litre), 60oV-12 with single-stage, single-speed supercharger, producing 1030 bhp. The later Merlin XX produced 1,240 bhp.

According to the IWM, it powered the Hurricane Mk. 1 flown by Squadron Leader Tom Gleave of 253 Squadron. The squadron was protecting the Biggin Hill airfield on 31 August 1940 when they intercepted a formation of German Junkers Ju 88 bombers. Gleave hit two bombers but a shell hit his starboard wing fuel tank. His planes burst into flames, but he managed to bail out. The plane crashed at Mace Farm, east of the airfield. This engine was recovered by a local flying group in the 1960’s.

The American Packard Motor Car Company produced the Merlin 28 under license and designated it as the V-1650-1. It was this engine which went into the early North American P-51 Mustang. The later Merlin 66 became the Packard V-1650-7 which powered the P-51D variant. It was this plane which helped cripple the Luftwaffe fighter arm in the skies over Europe.

Enigma Machine

Radio messages in the military have to be codified (ciphered) to avoid the enemy from knowing your intentions.

Great Britian was in the process of being starved out and deprived of military materiel from America by Hitler’s U-boats (submarines). The U-boats meanced the Atlantic Ocean and sunk merchant ships of the Atlantic Convoy at will. Something had to be done quickly and one way was through breaking the German’s radio code.

The Germans used a machine called the Enigma to cipher their messages. The machine looked like a typewriter, but it actually replaced each letter typed with another letter through a “code” which only the sender and receiver know. Let’s say we typed in “Guten Morgen” on our end, the receiver will receive “XOGAT NQLRZ.” Therefore, the message is gibberish to anyone who intercepted it without the code.

The Allies made concerted efforts to capture the Enigma and break the code. It was finally broken by a British mathematician named Alan Turing. From then on, the U-boats were either avoided altogether (the Convoy charted other routes) or ambushed by the Royal Navy.

The cracking of the Enigma code remained Top Secret in the UK until the 1970’s.

Krupp Flak 8.8cm Flak

This is another piece of weaponry that Call of Duty players should know. It’s better known as the “Flak 88,” or “eighty-eight” in English and “acht-acht” in German.

It started out as a Flugzeugabwehrkanone, German for “anti-defence cannon.” The term “flak” is a contraction of that word. These cannons shot flak shells that are pre-set to explode at the chosen altitudes. The explosion throws out metal shrapnel in all directions. This method of anti-aircraft defence was for high altitudes where smaller shells could not reach. Remember this was World War 2 and SAMs (surface-to-air missiles) have not been developed yet.

The mechanisms of the gun was so well designed that later modifications adapted it to other roles such as artillery and anti-tank. That 8.8cm Flak KwK 36 version was fitted to the Tiger I heavy tank and it outranged every Allied tank on the battlefield. The later PaK 43 was fitted to the Elefant and Jagdpanther tank destroyers and lastly, the KwK 43 was fitted to the Tiger II.

Avro Lancaster Heavy Bomber

The Avro Lancaster was the backbone of the British Bomber Command in WW2.

It was used primarily in night bombing missions. But the true strength of the “Lanc” was its ability to be transformed quickly to carry almost any payload or mission. Its most famous missions include the bombing of German dams on the river Ruhr with “Upkeep” bouncing bombs, besides the fire-bombing of Hamburg.

The IWM displays the forward fuselage of a Lancaster christened as “Old Fred.” Old Fred served with the 467 Squadron of the Royal Australian Air Force. It flew in 49 missions in enemy territory, marked by the 49 “mission marks” below the canopy.

Japanese Katanas

One level up and it begins with the Pacific Theatre of WW2. Displayed here are a number of katanas (Japanese Samurai swords) that were issued to Japanese military officers. The katana gained its notoriety during this period as they were used to behead prisoners of war. Truth is, the katana is a weapon of chivalry and honour, as was the samurai spirit of Bushido. But war corrupts many things.

Mitsubishi A6M3 “Zero” Fighter

The Japanese Zero was the most feared fighter plane in the Pacific War’s early stages. It was instrumental in leading the attack on Pearl Harbor. As it was built light, it could outclimb and out-turn any American fighter, initially.

Fortunately, the Americans discovered an intact crashed Zero in Akutan Island, Alaska. It was shipped back home and experimented on. The US then developed the F6F Hellcat and new tactics to counter the Zero. The Zero was relegated to kamikaze attacks in the latter stages of the war.

M4 Sherman Medium Tank (refer to the video above)

Just as the Soviet T-34, the M4 Sherman Medium Tank was built in great numbers in WW2. Furthermore, it also had the sloped armor similar to the T-34.

Being built simple and easy to maintain, the Sherman were ubiquitous in the battlefields of both European and the Pacific. The chassis served as the platform on which the Allies could build specialized machines including the amphibious DD (Duplex Drive) M4 which “swam” from the landing ships to the beaches, Zippo flame throwing tank, T34 Calliope rocket launcher, anti-mine tank with steel chain flails, and more.

Some 49,234 were built from 1942 to 1945.

Battle of Berlin

At the end of the European theatre, the Allied forces USA, Great Britain and Soviet Union were racing toward the seat of the Third Reich – Berlin. While none of the nations admitted it, whosoever reached and conquered the city first would most probably have the biggest say after the war.

The Soviets made almost suicidal efforts to finally conquer the city, and it was costly for both sides. The Soviets Red Army also committed many atrocities towards Berliners, especially the women. As word spread, more Germans decided to surrender to the Americans, including Werner Von Braun.

These were the main infantry small arms of the Red Army.

BMW R75

The BMW R75, especially with a sidecar attached is probably one of the most enduring images of the Great War. The Wehrmacht (German Army) used it in Africa and Russia extensively. The sidecar’s wheel is attached directly to the motorcycle’s rear wheel. A locking differential and selectable road/off-road gear ratios could be selected. There are also gear for reversing. The engine was a new 750cc, OHV, Boxer which produced 26 bhp.

BMW’s rival Zündapp also had a motorcycle during the war called the KS750. However, the Army urged both manufacturers to standardize their parts for the sake of simplicity in the field. It resulted in both the R75 and KS750 sharing 70% of their parts.

It was the R75’s success that prompted the American Army to demand for a motorcycle of their own, resulting in the Harley-Davidson XA. The XA became H-D’s first shaft-driven model.

The R75’s story didn’t end there. In producing the legendary movie “The Great Escape,” the producers dressed up four Triumph TR6 Trophies to mimic the R75 for the jump sequences.

Field Marshal Montgomery’s Humber Super Snipe Staff Car and North African Campaign Map

This Staff Car was called “Old Faithful” and was used by Montgomery as his personal chauffeur-driven transport while commanding the British Eighth Army in North Africa. He used it to visit his troops in the field and gave them his famous “pep talks” from it.

Montgomery was the commander who led his troops in pushing German Field Marshal Edwin Rommel’s Afrika Korps all the way to Al Alemein, Tunisia and out of North Africa, opening the way for the Allies to invade Sicily, Italy. The Italian campaign knocked out the Fascist Italians, depriving Hitler of an ally.

It also turned out that the first shots in the Battle of Al Alemein were fired by the British on 23rd October 1942, exactly 76 years ago when I visited this museum. What a coincidence! The British troops had lost and surrendered in one battle after another, including Dunkirk, Norway, Tobruk and Singapore before this, so the Battle of Al Alemein was the turning point for the British.

Willys MB Jeep

The Jeep was another symbol of WW2. Simply put, it was the first 4X4 SUV. The troops loved it as a multirole vehicle that could do just about everything.

This particular Jeep was used by the Red Cross Homes in La Selva and Cuvia, Italy and Klagenfurt, Austria. The Jeep’s windscreen can be folded forward flat on the hood, thereby making it ideal as an ambulance. This particular unit was also used to deliver supplies to the Casualty Clearing Stations in those theatres. The Red Cross didn’t want to keep the Jeep after the war and handed it back to its former owner, Joan Whittington, who drove it back to England from Austria.

The Jeep were jointly built by Willys-Overland (MB) and Ford. The former produced 359,489 units while the latter built 277,896. It was used extensively in WW2, the Korean War and Vietnam War.

Little Boy Atomic Bomb Casing

This was one of the five actual spare Little Boy atomic bomb casings.

Filled with 64kg of enriched uranium-235, “Little Boy” was the atomic bomb dropped in the history of mankind. It flattened the Japanese city of Hiroshima on 6thAugust 1945. The bomb which was dropped on Nagasaki on 9thAugust 1945 was called the “Fat Man,” on the other hand.

The “bombs” hastened the Japanese military to surrender to the Allies, thereby ending the war in the Pacific and WW2, overall.

BAe Harrier GR.9

The Harrier attack/fighter was the first operational vertical/short take-off (V/STOL) and landing aircraft when it was introduced in 1969. Vertical take-off means the plane could get off the ground without needing to sprint down a runway. Instead, it goes up like and hovers like a helicopter. The engineers did this by aiming vectoring jet nozzles on the fuselage.

The carrier-borne version called Sea Harrier distinguished itself against the Argentine Air Force in the Falklands War in 1982. Although slower, the Harriers shot down 20 Argentine aircraft with no loss. Only 2 Harriers were brought down by ground fire.

Harriers were license built in the US for the Marine Corp as a close-support aircraft, called the AV-8B.

This particular Harrier started out as a GR.5, before being upgraded to the GR.7 and ultimately the GR.9. Great Britain had stopped flying the Harrier since 2010, replacing them with the American-made Lockheed F-35 Lightning II.

One Last Look

There were more which I videoed on that day but too numerous to be included in this already too long article.

There were sections on the Korean War, Cold War, War on Terror, UN Peacekeepers, and many more. Besides those, the museum also had a resource centre which was stocked full of books and videos for researchers. Its shop was like a toyshop combined with a bookstore!

In fact, I didn’t have much time to spend at the museum, unfortunately, as it was already 4pm. I didn’t have the luxury of reading each info card of the exhibits. Almost the all notes here were from my prior research. However, touching the V-2 rocket had my senses tingling. This was something significant out of history.

The only I could do at that sad moment was vowing to return some day. Like General McArthur.

Before I close, there’s something that I feel strongly about mentioning. It was heart-warming to see so many parents who patiently read the cards and explained it to their children. That’s what my late-Dad did for me.

On the other hand, I’ve seen so many Malaysian parents shrugging their shoulders and saying, “I dunno, let’s go” instead of teaching their kids. I hope these parents can take a cue from the English and educate your children.

  • Motosikal Triumph Bonneville Speed Twin 2019 telah pun diperkenalkan.
  • Ia dilengkapi dengan pengendalian serta enjin berprestasi tinggi, dan juga rupa paras retro.
  • Motosikal ini mengambil ilham daripada motosikal berprestasi tinggi pertama keluaran Triumph, iaitu model Speed Twin 1937.

(more…)

  • The 2019 Triumph Bonneville Speed Twin has been introduced.

  • It features a high-performance engine and handling, with retro looks.

  • It is inspired by Triumph’s first high-performance bike, the 1937 Speed Twin.

The 2019 Triumph Bonneville Speed Twin breaks cover after being first revealed to dealers during the Global Dealer Conference in October.

The 2019 Bonneville Speed Twin is inspired by the original 1937 Speed Twin – Triumph’s first high-performance parallel-Twin. As such, the new bike is an uprated Bonneville T120.

But it isn’t the case of just slapping on new parts on a T120. Its styling is from the new 2019 Street Twin, but the Speed Twin combines the practicality of the T120 and performance of the Thruxton R.

Triumph pays lots of attention towards how their bikes handle. Consequently, the Speed Twin receives a new frame which was based on the Thruxton R. The front is suspended by cartridge forks. The rear twin shocks are adjustable for preload. Wheels are lightweight 17-inch aluminium shod with Pirelli Rosso Corsa 3 tyres. Four-piston Brembo calipers take care of front braking.

Its seating position is more upright than the Thruxton, but sportier than the regular T120. The ergonomics may look aggressive, but the seat is only 807mm tall.

Powering the bike is the 1200cc High-Power (HP) engine but it has been updated, as well. Triumph revised the engine by adding a magnesium cam cover, new clutch and side cases. The updates yielded a 2.5kg weight saving. Overall, the Speed Twin is 10kg lighter than the Thruxton at 196kg, dry.

There’s now 96 bhp and 112 Nm of torque. The Speed Twin also features ride-by-wire throttle, three riding modes, traction control and ABS.

There is no pricing yet, so stay tuned!

  • We continue with the Triumph Motorcycles Malaysia London Adventure – Day 2 with more historic and important landmarks.

  • Westminster Abbey should be high on everyone’s list should you fancy history.

  • Big Ben and The Houses of Parliament are the landmarks no one should miss.

It was another short jaunt from St. James’s Park to Westminster Abbey. All these sites were set up close to Buckingham Palace.

Seeing it all in pictures was nothing compared to the first-hand experience of being there yourself. The sights, the sounds, the cool air, the sunshine, the people and everything else contribute an immersive experience none could forget.

WESTMINSTER ABBEY

Yes, Westminster Abbey is a gothic church, but I don’t have a fixation for anything goth. Nevertheless, it is where monarchs, royalties, Sir Isaac Newton, Charles Dickens and Stephen Hawking (among other luminaries) are interned (buried). It was also the site in a number of famous movies.

But first, who was Sir Isaac Newton?

You’ve probably learned in school about the guy who discovered gravity when an apple fell on his head. That guy was Sir Isaac Newton. However, the part about an apple knocking Sir Newton’s noggin was a myth. Truth was, he sat under a tree and wondered why apples always drop perpendicularly to the ground, instead of sideways or upwards.

There are stronger connotations to why I venerate Sir Isaac Newton. I love the subjects of physics and motion, besides history and astronomy. The first two are innately connected with how engines and motorcycles work. In fact, an engine’s torque is measured (among other units) in “Nm,” as in Newton-metre. Additionally, there are Newton’s three laws of motion.

 

It was Newton who gave us the laws of universal gravity, laws of motion, calculus, among many more which he published in the groundbreaking book Philosophiæ Naturalis Principia Mathematica– better known as just “Principia.” It was one of the most important works in the history of science, marking the epoch of a great revolution in physics.

Financed by Astronomer Royal Edmond Halley (remember this name), Principia was published in 1687. We came to understand the motions of the planets, comets and other celestial bodies.

Without Newton’s work, we wouldn’t have satellite communications and GPS because we wouldn’t be able to keep satellites orbit. Worse, we won’t be watching MotoGP “live” on weekends (plus all the football matches). In fact, scientists and engineers today still use Newton’s formulas to send spacecrafts into space and the orbits of other planets.

It was he who created the first practical reflecting telescope, so much so the type is often referred to as the “Newtonian.” He also discovered that a prism separates white light into the colours of the spectrum and continued to research the subject. His findings were published in another book called “Opticks” in 1704.

This was why he’s oft regarded as the “father” of modern physics.

Newton passed away in his sleep in London on 20 March 1727 (NS 31 March 1737) aged 84 and was buried in Westminster Abbey.

Back to Westminster Abbey, the site was established in 960 (1,058 years ago) when King Edgar installed a community of Benedictine monks. It was then expanded and extended by various monarchs through the centuries.

Since the coronation of William the Conqueror in 1066, all coronations of English and later British monarchs had been performed at Westminster Abbey. There were also 16 royal weddings since 1100. Princess Diana’s funeral service was held here in 1997.

I got goosebumps as I walked in the yard, while looking at all those huge centuries-old stones that were used to build it. Immense buttresses supported the walls. Visitors entered through the magnificent North Entrance façade which is decorated with tracery, arcading and figurative carvings.

The ticket counter’s in the narthex. Entrance fee for a single adult is £22, inclusive of an audiobook and guided tour. Unfortunately, photography wasn’t allowed, and I had a schedule to adhere to. I decided that Sir Isaac Newton’s tomb is one compelling reason to revisit London.

BIG BEN

It’s amazing when you do some of research. I never knew that “Big Ben” is in fact the name of the largest of five bells in the clock tower. The tower’s name was simply the “Clock Tower” before being renamed as Elizabeth Tower in 2012. Did you know that? I didn’t.

Did you know that the main bell, officially known as the “Great Bell” and “Big Ben” to us, was installed in the tower’s belfry in 1858 (160 years ago)? At 2.9m high, 2.74m in diameter and weighing 13.76 tonne (13,760kg), it was the largest and heaviest bell in the British Isles until the 17-tonne (17,000kg) “Great Paul” bell was cast for the St. Paul’s Cathedral in 1881.

Apart from that, do you know the musical chime of alarm clocks? (Please click on the link below to listen.) It had originated from the four Quarter Bells in the tower.

I used to listen to the BBC radio broadcasts with my late-Dad. The channel always used the tolling of Big Ben to mark 12 midnight, Greenwich Meridian Time (GMT). The practice began in 1923!

(AP Photo/Lefteris Pitarakis, File)

The movement of the four-faced clock was designed by horologist Edmund Beckett Denison and George Airy, a Astronomer Royal (remember these names. They will show up again). What makes the clocks tick? A pendulum! Yes, like those in grandfather clocks. And like all old clocks it needs to be wound three times a week. The process takes 1½   hours.

The clock was the largest and most accurate when it was completed in 1859. It was so accurate that removing or adding a penny adjusted the clock by 0.4 seconds.

The clock’s mechanism – Courtesy of Wikimedia Commons

Big Ben was hit by a bomb one occasion and an anti-aircraft shell during WWII, but it kept working and ringing. It was taken as one of the symbols of British defiance and stoicism during the war.

Big Ben is probably the most famous landmark of London. There’s no doubt every one of us has seen it in a movie or on TV.

However, it’s covered in scaffolding since 2017 for a four-year refurbishing project and the bell silenced. The works will also add a lift inside the tower. The renovation costs add up to£61 million as of September 2017.

Was I disappointed for not being able to view Big Ben? I was at first, but I knew the restoration will sustain the building for ages to come.

THE PALACE OF WESTMINSTER A.K.A. HOUSES OF PARLIAMENT

“Big Ben” is located at the northern end of The Palace of Westminster, better known as Houses of Parliament. The two structures are so famous that almost everyone on earth would recognize them as part of the City of London.

 

It is called Houses of Parliament because the House of Commons and House of Lords convened there.

The first royal palace was built on the site in 1016 and served as the primary residence for the Kings of England until a fire destroyed much of it in 1512. The Parliament of England had been meeting there since the 13thcentury but used the palace full-time afterwards.

Another fire broke out in 1834, destroying both Houses of Parliament and most buildings in the palace complex. The job to rebuild the site was awarded after reviewing 97 proposals. Work began in 1840 and was only completed in 1876. This was when the building acquired its current Gothic architecture.

The Blitz (German air bombing) in WWII hit the Palace of Westminster on fourteen separate occasions.

The building is old and in need of urgent restoration. There were reports of the ceiling dropping onto MP’s desks. Consequently, MP’s voted in 2016 to vacate the building in 2022.

Walking up close past the building was quite another experience compared to looking at it in pictures. Pictures all but show the outlines and little else. I was totally in awe while standing right in front of a structure that I’ve seen thousands of times in books and visual media. There are so many intricate details that need to be experienced. It was an imposing structure, as well. Of course, it had been a residence for the King, after all.

The Houses of Parliament has seen some serious cases of security breaches. As such, like Big Ben, tours are only allowed for British nationals who had obtained an authorization letter from their MP’s.

 

INTERMISSION

We’ll take another break here because the last part of Day 2 is another long article as it covers The Imperial War Museum London, a River Thames ferry ride and the Tower Bridge.

Please click here for the Triumph Motorcycles Malaysia London Adventure Day 1 and here for Day 2 (Part 1).

  • Day 2 of the Triumph Motorcycles Malaysia London Adventure trip opened up a free day for this writer.

  • He decided to visit the famous tourist sites since it was his first ever visit to the city.

  • The places included Hyde Park, Buckingham Palace, Big Ben among others.

Dato’ Malique and the Tan family had to attend the Triumph Global Dealer Conference on Day 2 (23rdOctober 2018) of the TRIUMPH MOTORCYCLES MALAYSIA LONDON ADVENTURE trip. That meant a full day of excursions for me.

I sat up in my bed 4am and couldn’t go back to sleep. My temples pounded in excitement, adventure. I turned on the telly (TV). “It is going to be a blustery day but there’s plenty of sunshine. We should see 15oCelcius in the afternoon and dropping to 5oCelcius at night,” said the weatherperson.

15Celcius is like the weather up in Cameron Highland at night. I was thinking of just wearing a knit sweater and hoodie, but Dato’ Malique advised that I should put more layers on. He’s very well-versed with the city.

Asep had invited me earlier to visit the National Motorcycle Museum in Birmingham. It’s a 5-hour return trip by car, however. It pained me to refuse but I had to, since it was my first trip to London.

PLANS FOR THE DAY:
  1. Stroll under the canopy of yellowing leaves in Hyde Park;
  2. Witness Changing the Guard at Buckingham Palace;
  3. Head to Westminster Abbey to see where Sir Isaac Newton among others is interred;
  4. Visit Big Ben and the Houses of Parliament;
  5. Turn back towards St. Paul’s Cathedral;
  6. Head back to Tower Bridge to photograph it in evening sun and with the lights on at night.

Greedy? Not according to Google Map, anyway.

Okay, let’s be on our way. Chop chop!

GETTING THERE

Travelling in London is easy as the Underground train services (colloquially called “The Tube”) wind through the entire city like a spider’s web. Or how an earthworm digs through the soil.

Photo credit: Rafique Muzaffar Razak

There’re also above-ground tains, busses, taxis, Uber, Santander bicycles besides The Tube. There’s even a River Thames ferry service. The best way of seeing the city is by these methods since you’re above ground, but the Tube is the fastest as you don’t have contend with traffic.

Google Map suggests which form of transport to take and it’s up to you to decide how quickly you want to get there, or if you’re willing to change trains or transports multiple times.

However, comfortable sneakers are a must since you’ll be doing lots of walking.

HYDE PARK

I left the Grange Tower Bridge Hotel at 7.30am and walked to the Tower Hill Underground Station for the train to Hyde Park Corner station.

30 minutes later, I entered the park from the south-eastern end and found what I had always wanted to see. Paths leading into the distance under canopies of trees with black trunks and yellow(ish) leaves.

Hyde Park in late autum – Courtesy of montcalm.co.uk

The leaves were still greenish-yellow as the autumn weather hasn’t turned really cold. We would later learn that it’s the first time in 50 years.

To cut the story short, Hyde Park was massive! How huge? Try 350 acres. For a more relatable representation, the distance between Speaker’s Corner at the northeast end to Hyde Park Corner is 1.9km! Henry VIII established the park in 1536 as a hunting ground before it was opened to the public in 1637.

Hyde Park was recently named as the world’s fourth most valuable park at £19 million.

Deciding that Speaker’s was too far, I veered onto a side path ended up at the lake called “The Serpentine.” I’ve covered walked 1.93km (1.2 miles) in Hyde Park, so far.


There was a light wisp of fog hanging over the lake when I got there. Geese, ducks, gulls, pigeons, besides many species of birds hung around.

I found a café called Surpentine Bar & Kitchen at the southern bank. Feeling pretty cold despite being wrapped in a t-shirt, knit sweater, hoodie and down jacket, I stopped for a hot latte. I went outside and took a bench to enjoy the view and cool air.

I suddenly realized I was this one crazy Asian sitting outside relishing the cold while all the Mat Sallehs were inside the heated café…

I continued my stroll through the park towards the Palace afterwards. Guided by Google Map, I was soon back at the arch where I first entered the park. Right at the moment, a mounted policewoman came through. She nodded at me and said, “Please stay where you are.” I nodded back.

Then, the first horse-mounted soldier rode up in ceremonial regalia.

Having researched about the royal troops prior to the trip, I identified him as part of the King’s Troop, Royal Horse Artillery. They’re a ceremonial unit of the British Army, created in 1946 as an homage to horse-mounted troops by King George VI. When his daughter, Queen Elizabeth II succeeded to the throne, she decided to retain the unit and its name in his honour.

More troopers followed behind, including six-horse units towing World War I 13-pound field guns (cannons).

The unit parades in such fashion only when there are state functions such as the monarch’s birthday, royal weddings or state visits. They’d ride to an area in Green Park and fire their cannons as a ceremony. I couldn’t believe my luck that I saw them!

WELLINGTON ARCH – CONSTITUTION HILL

Crossing the road brought me to the awe-inspiring Wellington Arch. It was built in 1826, but the current dark quadriga(four-horsed chariot) was installed in 1912. King George VI planned it (and the Marble Arch) to commemorate Britain’s victories in the Napoleonic Wars.

The arch used to be the outer gateway to the road leading from Buckingham Palace called Constitution Hill. It’s therefore the grand entrance into central London.

Next was the Commonwealth Memorial Gates. They’re monuments to pay tribute to armed forces of Commonwealth countries who served Great Britain during WWI and WWII, including those in the Battle of Malaya.

The main thruway along Constitution Hill was closed. More and more security personnel started to appear. I soon spotted a large signboard which announced the time of the ceremonial firings to be performed by the King’s Troops who I ran into earlier. It turned out that the King and Queen of The Netherlands were visiting England at that very moment. I almost slapped myself a few times to believe that I was really here!

BUCKINGHAM PALACE

It got more and more crowded the nearer I got to Buckingham Palace. Thousands were waiting to witness the Changing of Guard. There was no good vantage point, so I proceeded further up The Mall and staked out a position.

Just in time too! I heard a marching band from the Palace and there they were, the Queen’s Guards marching proudly by in their iconic red tunics and black bearskin hats.

Tourists may think of them as novelties, but they’re actually operational soldiers. Besides that, it’s a myth that the guards would not respond to provocations (as some uncouth Chinese tourists found out the hard way).

It’s too bad I didn’t have more time. I had to leave as soon as the Queen’s Guards passed and had to miss the Queen’s Life Guard cavalry.

ST. JAMES’S PARK

Google Map showed the fastest route as walking down Birdcage Walk, but St. James’s Park proved too beautiful to resist on this beautiful morning. I caught a glimpse of it from the embankment outside the Palace earlier.

I’m glad I gave in to my heart. Pathways wind romantically through the park, flanking a lake. This 57-acre site was established in 1603 (415 years ago!), although not its present form.

There were birds everywhere, but the pelicans were the most notable. These’re the descendants of those presented to King Charles II by a Russian Ambassador in 1664.

I’m starting to love London. It’s as if I was breathing in history everywhere I went.

Crossing the Blue Bridge which straddles both sides of the lake afforded a great view of the Horse Guards, HMS Finance Ministry, the London Eye, The Shard to the east and Buckingham Palace to the west. A large island called “Duck Island” on the eastern bank obscured the view to Downing Street where the Prime Minister’s official residence is located.

INTERLUDE

We’ll stop here for Part 1 as the article is getting too long. Next up are Westminster Abbey, Big Ben, the Houses of Parliament.

Please do check out our coverage of the Triumph Motorcycles Malaysia Visit to London (Day 1) report.

Triumph Motorcycles Malaysia Visits London – Day 1 “Game of Crowns”

  • Triumph Motorcycles Malaysia and Triumph Motorcycles Bukit Mertajam visited London for the Global Dealer Conference.

  • The schedule included sightseeing and shopping trips.

  • This writer had won the lucky draw to document the visit.

IN THE BEGINNING

To those unfamiliar, please allow me to start these chronicles from the beginning. During the launch of their 2018 models at Bukit Tinggi earlier this year, Triumph Motorcycles Malaysia had announced a trip to London and Triumph Motorcycles’ Factory Visitor Experience in Hinckley.

The entourage was to include Triumph Motorcycles Malaysia’s Chief Operations Officer, Dato’ Al-Razak Malique Hussein and his son Rafique Muzaffar, plus five more spots for Triumph dealers or owners. Dato’ Malique had also opened a spot for a Malaysian motojournalist to chronicle the trip. The place was determined via a lucky draw.

During the draw, Deni Asep, wife of Art of Speed extraordinaire, Asep Sastrawijaya, held the box while Dato’ Malique rummaged through it. He picked a piece of rolled up paper, held it up and passed it to Deni. And Deni announced, “The winner is: Wahid Ooi Abdullah.”

I ran up the stage, arms swinging wildly above my head like a rampaging baboon. Every eye on the stage, including the band members’ were as wide as the front disc brakes of the Triumph Street Triple RS.

I was the one! I couldn’t believe it! I’ve never thought I’d ever set foot at Triumph Motorcycles’ HQ at Hinckley, much less an entire trip to London.

Fast forward to 21st October 2018. My head was still ringing as we congregated at KLIA together with the Tan family from Guan How Superbikes, who will soon be Triumph Motorcycles Bukit Mertajam, and Asep Sastrawijaya.

Our hotel in London was called the “Grange Tower Bridge Hotel” and sure enough, the Tower of London and iconic Tower Bridge (which is always mistakenly called the “London Bridge”) was just less than 10 minutes away by foot.

We decided to visit the Tower of London first.

THE TOWER OF LONDON A.K.A. THE TOWER

It was just after 9am and the crowd was already picking up. It was the mid-term school holidays in the UK, so parents took leave for some family time.

We were directed to wait in an area just out the main entrance. It turned out to be the remnants of a liquid-filled moat, now drained and grassy. A Yeoman Warder, also known as a “Beefeater” came out to join us and presented an amazingly entertaining history of the Tower.

The Tower of London, officially known as “Her Majesty’s Royal Palace and Fortress of the Tower of London” was built by William the Conqueror in 1066 after he conquered London. The new king decided to build many castles to defend his realm but the Tower of London was the most impressive fortress at the time.

Since then, it had been used as both an accommodation by royalty as well as a prison, armourer, mint, menagerie (mini zoo), chapel, place of torture and execution.

Indeed, the Thames used to beat against the southern wall of the castle and a water gate called “Traitors’ Gate” was used to ferry in prisoners who would later be beheaded on Tower Hill.

Even Kings and Queens weren’t spared. Henry VI was murdered as he was praying in the Wakefield Tower. Later, the Princes of Edward IV, aged 12 and 10 were snuffed to death with their pillows where they slept. The bodies were secreted away until discovered 191 years later.

Henry VIII’s wife Anne Boleyn was accused of adultery and treason and sent to the Tower. She was held in luxurious lodgings before being beheaded with a sword in the Green Tower. It is said that her spirit still haunts the tower.

Another famous prisoner was Lady Jane Grey. Also known as the “Nine Days Queen,” she had been installed as Queen of England before being arrested for high treason against Queen Mary I. She was later executed, aged 17.

But it wasn’t all about making “The Game of Thrones” seem tame. The Tower now holds the Crown Jewels as it is considered one of the most secure locations in England.

The latest crown called the Imperial State Crown was worn by Queen Elizabeth II during her coronation. The embedded jewels all came from the annals of history, totaling 2,868 diamonds, 17 sapphires, 11 emeralds, 269 pearls and 4 rubies!

There were the crowns of other Kings, of course, including their coronation regalia including a massive punch bowl made of solid gold!

We stopped by at the adjacent building which had been converted into the Fusilier’s (riflemen) Museum.

Just as fascinating were the Yeoman Warders who served as our guide. They were not just well-trained tourist guides, instead they are the Royal Guards at the Tower. Each need to serve at least 22 years in the military before he can become a “Beefeater.”

We exited the castle through the southern gate and into the sunshine. Where the Thames used to bash against the Tower walls is now a walkway. The biggest attraction here, of course, is the majestic view of the Tower Bridge.

BIKE SHED MOTORCYCLE CLUB

Visiting the Bike Shed Motorcycle Club was part of our itinerary from the very beginning.

We descended into the tunnels of the famed London Underground, better known as “The Tube,” to catch a train. London’s rail network is extensive, branching out in every which way to where you wished to go.

But first, we had to purchase an “Oyster” card. To put it simply, it’s a plastic card which holds the credit you need for public transportation in greater London. You can use it for The Tube, bus, tram, DLR rail service, London Overground, TfL Rail, River Bus, most British National Rail and even Emirates Air Line services.

Our local Touch ‘n’ Go card was in fact modelled after the Oyster card. We purchased new Oyster cards at £10 each.

The train showed up in under 2 minutes.

The Central Line’s train cars looked a lot like our LRT and those in Japan. We noticed that it was much warmer in here than out on the streets. There are people of every race here, not just Caucasians. But even then, Caucasians spoke in all different dialects, accents and languages. It is said that the character of London is the hodgepodge of different cultures and we are seeing a bit of it here.

First, we stopped at a business district to obtain the local sim cards for our phones. We stepped into an O2 store where they offered a prepaid card for £10. The package includes 500 minutes of talk time, 500 texts and 2 GB of mobile data. That’s a great deal compared to paying RM38 per day for roaming! (I eventually ran out of data on the sixth and final day, after posting many videos on Facebook.)

It was time to head to the Bike Shed.

We got back into the Tube station we came out of, took another train and walked the remainder of the way.

The Bike Shed café and restaurant is somewhat hidden from view as it is set in the four arches of a train bridge. The entire place rumbled as everytime a train passed overhead.

The four different spaces under the arches serve different purposes. The first, as we entered is the restaurant. They brew their own beer here. The Tan Family tried it said it was “fresh.”

Next is the space for retailers where they sold everything from riding gear to souvenirs. Third in line is the exhibition and event hall. This is where builders could display their customized bikes. There was a Triumph Thruxton R, Speedmaster, Street Scrambler and a modified Thruxton dubbed “Hoxton.”

The fourth space is for motorcycle parking. That’s right. Customers ride their bikes past the restaurant and open-air café to reach the parking and vice versa. A rider on a Triumph Street Cup rode out as we sat down for lunch. A couple of Zero electric motorcycles pulled in later.

OXFORD STREET

Time for some shopping. We caught a ride on London’s iconic two-level red bus for this short trip. It turned out that riding the bus was the best way to see more of London as we’re obviously above ground and not buried inside the earth.

Oxford Street is one of the most famous shopping districts in greater London. It stretches 1.9-km West-East from the Marble Arch to Tottenham Court Road. You can find just about anything here.

There shops of familiar names such as Selfridges, The Body Shop, Sniggle, Zara, Ted Baker, Canada Goose, H&M, Uniqlo, Clarks, a huge Apple store and just everything. And all I bought were 3-for-£5 fridge magnets.

Impressive and scary at the same time was the human traffic, too, despite it being a Monday. There were just thousands of people thronging the sidewalks and inside shops, restaurants, and pubs.

It was all too much to take in. I was here, in (adjective) London, amazed at beautiful old buildings and impressed by the modern ones, while drowning in the crowds of people pushing past each other.

When Dato’ and Rafique jumped into the Canada Goose shop, my mind hit an invisible wall of some sort so I decided to just hang outside and watch London go by. Newspaper peddlers stacked the evening edition at the entrance to Underground stations, yelling out the headline. Something about Brexit. A group of pretty young girls sang a hit song between giggles as they ran by. A couple of ladies talking loudly about their boyfriends. A guy swearing fluently into his phone while walking hand-in-hand with his partner. A few guys smoking around the corner while pulling their coats close. Friends smiling and laughing in a coffee parlor.

Honestly, I was quietly thankful for Dato’ Malique and Rafique’s guidance throughout the day. London was a maze and can quickly overwhelm any one. Dato’ even gave me detailed instructions on how to get to the Speakers’ Corner in Hyde Park the next day.

We then headed to a kebab shop for some grub. The plan was to head back to the hotel after that for prayers, but the Lebanese restaurant owners had an empty hall next door for that. Individual faith is very much respected here.

So, hanging onto Dato’s coat tails, we headed to one last stop at Camden, before travelling back to the hotel for the Triumph welcome dinner for global distributors and dealers.

I called an early night as the Triumph Malaysia entourage will be visiting the Global Dealers’ Conference tomorrow. That meant it was a free and easy day for me to visit some of London’s greatest sights and experience the history that my late-father had taught me.

  • Triumph telah kembali ke asal usul perlumbaan padang pasirnya di Baja 1000.
  • Mereka akan mempertaruhkan jentera Triumph Scrambler 1200 XE 2019.
  • Motosikal ini akan dilengkapi dengan kelengkapan standard secara amnya kecuali untuk beberapa buah kelengkapan perlumbaan padang pasir.

(more…)

  • Triumph is going back to its desert racing roots at the Baja 1000.

  • They will be entering the 2019 Triumph Scrambler 1200 XE.

  • The bike will be mostly stock apart from desert racing gear.

Triumph Motorcycles is serious about the off-road capabilities of the just-launched 2019 Triumph Scrambler 1200. The race on an indoor dirt-track during the launch party was one thing, but the British manufacturer wants to push it even further by entering the bike in the historic and punishing Baja 1000 rally.

As we’ve described in our coverage of the launch, Steve McQueen and his stuntman Bud Ekins have joined the rally many times on Triumphs in the past. Hence, returning to the rally with the 2019 Scrambler 1200 is only right since it is the soul successor to the TR6 Trophy Baja (pronounced Ba-Ha) desert racers.

2019 Triumph Scrambler 1200 First Look Review

The Baja Scrambler 1200 XE will remain mostly stock. Instead, the only additions are engine protection bars, extended sump guard, race exhaust system and race-specification lights. They will also remove the pillion footpegs and signal lamps.

A prototype of the racer was shown briefly on stage during the launch party. It will be ridden by Triumph’s official rider and stuntman, Ernie Virgil.

Ernie said, “I am so excited to get the chance to only take on the Baja 1000, but also to be the first racer to take Triumph’s next generation Scrambler back to desert racing where it all began.”

The rider had contested the race on a Triumph Tiger 800 previously.

While the Baja 1000 rally is not a drawn out and tough as The Dakar, it is still a very tough event. It consists of two courses. One is point-to-point is regularly more than 1000 miles (1,600-km) long (hence the name). The second is the loop race which usually ranges between 600 to 800 miles (960-km to 1280-km) long.

The Baja 1000 is also part of the World Championship for desert racing. Held at the California-Mexican peninsula it attracts participants from the world over in motorcycles, cars, trucks, ATVs and buggies.

  • Triumph Motorcycles have launched the 2019 Triumph Scrambler.

  • It was unveiled to global distributors and dealers yesterday.

  • Triumph Fans France leaked the photos on their Facebook page.

Triumph Motorcycles have launched the 2019 Triumph Scrambler 1200 to worldwide distributors and dealers last night (23rd October 2018).

2019 Triumph Scrambler 1200 Launch in Just a Week’s Time

An embargo was put in place but the pictures were leaked by Triumph Fans France on their Facebook page

The full details are sketchy at this time as the bike will be officially launched to the global media between 2pm to 5pm (London time) today. But we can see a number of important features:

  • There are two variants to the Scrambler 1200 – one off road (XC), the other more road-centric (XE).
  • nacelle houses a full TFT screen.
  • The connectivity option includes GPS navigation and ability to sync with a GoPro, so you may control the camera via a toggle on the handlebar.

  • Updated, longer travel suspension (180 mm travel) for the off-road version.
  • Showa forks and Öhlins shocks.
  • Brembo radially-mounted four-piston Monobloc calipers up front.

  • The XC’s engine is wrapped in crash bars.
  • Beefy aluminium swingarm.
  • High-mounted front mudguard.
  • Reinforced barkbuster-style handguards with aluminium framing on the outside.

The updates to the chassis and suspension ought to make the Triumph Scrambler 1200 a truly off-road capable modern retro. The long-travel suspension and swingarm are the tell-tale signs. So, no matter how one looks at it, the 2019 Triumph Scrambler 1200 could be the real-deal of scramblers.

Although engine remains the 1200cc, liquid-cooled, 270o crank, parallel-Twin unit, we are not sure if it has been upgraded.

More details to come later on today. Please stay tuned for more pictures and details of the bikes!

Photo credit: Triumph Fans France

  • Sarawak Borneo Cross Country Rally 2018 akan bermula pada 25 November 2018.
  • Ia bakal meliputi 2,800km merentasi Borneo, Brunei, dan Kalimantan.
  • Detik pengiraan ini telah berlangsung di ibu pejabat Triumph Motorcycles Malaysia.

(more…)

  • The Sarawak Borneo Cross Country Rally 2018 will begin on 25th November 2018.

  • It will cover 2800km across Borneo, Brunei and Kalimantan.

  • The countdown was officiated at Triumph Motorcycles Malaysia’s HQ.

The countdown to the momentous Sarawak Borneo Cross Country Rally 2018 (SBCCR) has begun. The event was held at Triumph Motorcycles Malaysia’s HQ on Saturday, 20th October 2018.

The SBCCR is a mixed motorcycle brand ride. It is set to be flagged off at Kota Kinabalu, Sabah on 25th November 2018 and ends in Kuching, Sarawak on 5th December 2018. By then, the participants would have travelled an estimated total of 2800 kilometres across 7 cities and 3 countries. The three contries include Malaysia, Brunei Darussalam and Kalimantan, Indonesia.

As such, they will experience the scenic tropical rainforest of Borneo which is the second largest in the world. Apart from that, the riders will also explore the sights and sounds for its diverse culture, nature, heritage and adventure.

The organizer of the rally, Unides Events Sdn. Bhd. hopes that the ride showcases the untouched green lungs of Borneo. Consequently, that will bring attention to the importance of containing the climate change phenomenon that’s gripping the planet.

The Sarawak Borneo Cross Country Rally 2018’s partners are Triumph Motorcycle Malaysia and Liqui Moly Asia Pacific.

In Unides Events Sdn. Bhd.’s press release, Managing Director Kho Sze Min said: “We are glad to have Liqui Moly Asia Pacific and Triumph Motorcycles Malaysia on board. Triumph Motorcycles have a full range of models, be they on-road or off-road, and that is the unique selling point of this iconic brand. Liqui Moly offers a complete line of products for two-wheelers to promote cleaner engines to reduce carbon dioxide emission.”

The SBCCR is also supported by Pekema Riders Club, H-D Borneo, Consulate Generals of Brunei and Indonesia, Destination Explore, K Multimedia, Royal Malaysia Police, and the respective councils in the three nations.

YB Datuk Hj. Abd. Karim Rahman Hamzah, Minister of Tourism, Arts, Culture, Youth and Sport Sarawak trying on a Triumph Bonneville Bobber Black.

YB Datuk Hj. Abd. Karim Rahman Hamzah, Minister of Tourism, Arts, Culture, Youth and Sport Sarawak launched the rally on 1st April in Kuching. The Minister was present during the countdown. Also present were Triumph Motorcycles Malaysia’s COO Dato’ Razak Al-Malique Hussein and President of PEKEMA Riders Club YBhg Dato’ SM Zulkifli SM Amin.

This ride is not the first for Unides Events Sdn. Bhd. They were the official event manager for the Ducati Multistrada Borneo Experience 2011, which consisted of 60 participants. Besides that, they had also organized the 2nd Southeast Asia Harley Owners Group Sarawak Rally in 2012, which saw 350 participants. Both convoys were held over ten days.

Please head over to Sarawak Borneo Cross Country Rally 2018 Facebook page for more details. For more information on Triumph Motorcycles Malaysia, please click on this Facebook link.

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