Search in Bikes:

2022 Yamaha 135LC Fi V8 - from RM7,798



Latest Bike Stories

  • Shell #ShellSelamatSampai – road safety movement

    2016 MV Agusta Stradale 800 -2

    Since Merdeka, Shell Malaysia has been involved in road safety training at school level, with the Shell Traffic Games being held annually at school-level for the past six decades. Recognising that times, and public perception, have changed, Shell yesterday – in conjunction with the Malaysian Institute of Road Safety and the Malaysian Road Saftey department (JKJR) – launched #ShellSelamatSampai, a programme designed to drive road safety behaviour in three strategic environments, namely secondary schools, universities and the community.

    Beginning with secondary schools, #ShellSelamatSampai will provide knowledge and practical training as part of the school’s official extra-curricular programme. This learning module is developed in collaboration with JKJR, with Shell providing funding for selected students that successfully complete the training to obtain their motorcycle licenses.

    At university and college level, “road safety bootcamps” will be held to teach students defensive driving, and have their motorcycles inspected by the Road Transport department (JPJ). Shell will also work with communities where schools, colleges and unviersities are located to create Shell Safety Zones, so that students can travel safely to and from school.

    2016 MV Agusta Stradale 800 -5

    During his speech, Datuk Seri Saripuddin Kasim, chief secretary of the Road Transport department, pointed out that the nation has to bear losses of RM9 billion a year as the result of road accidents and lost productivity, not to mention the human cost. “Studies by MIROS have shown that the segment of population most at risk from road accidents is the 18 to 25 age group,” said Saripuddin.

    In addition to this, Shell has also recently announced a partnership with MIROS to improve road safety through the International Road assessment programme (IRAP). This programme intends to provide a comprehensive evaluation of roads throughout Malaysia in order to improve road conditions and safety.

     
     
  • MV Agusta restructuring plan for financial problems

    Mercedes-AMG MV Agusta F3 800 Solar Beam (10)

    Despite closing 2015 with a turnover of 100 million euro (RM45 million), an increase of 30% over the previous year, MV Agusta are in financial hot water over its ability to finance continued commitments towards its current growth and development of new motorcycle models.

    With its 2016 order book back-ordered to 42% over last year’s figures, and 100 million euro in turnover, MV seem to have reached something of a tough situation with regards to continued funding. Creditors are reportedly pushing hard for some sort of settlement, to the tune of 40 million euro (RM180.7 million), with a 15 million euro (RM67.7 million) loan from Banco Popolare di Milano taking the lion’s share.

    Mercedes-AMG, holding a 25% stake in MV, has been rumoured to be looking into a larger stake in MV, but no news has been forth-coming, and something of a denial of such a thing happening has been issued by MV.

    Mercedes-AMG MV Agusta F3 800 Solar Beam (3)

    “MV Agusta has decided to hold its ground together with the employees and its creditors by means a composition with creditors proceeding to request continuity that will allow the company to be able to restructure and generate positive growth returns for its stakeholders,” said an official press statement.

    It remains to be seen what the final outcome will be, since the loan facility from Banco Popolare will immediately fall due should Mercedes-AMG drop its share-holding in MV below 20%. MV expressed confidence that its current financial liquidity issue will be resolved, but neglected to release any details of its proposed restructuring plan.

     
     
  • LIT Motors C-1 – the future of two-wheeled transport?

    Lit_Motors-C1_01

    Despite appearances to the contrary, the dominant form of transportation around the world is the motorcycle. This fact led LIT Motors founder Danny Kim to re-think what was required of a car as urban transport, and how to combine it with his other passion, riding a motorcycle.

    Based in San Francisco, US, LIT Motors – formed in 2010 – was Kim’s brain-child, an answer to the congested city streets and vehicle pollution created during rush-hour commutes. The fact that the majority of vehicles in cities are only occupied by a single occupant struck Kim as he was nearly crushed underneath a 4WD vehicle he was building.

    He wondered why he was building such a large vehicle when most people drive alone. Thus, the LIT Motors C-1 was born in 2013. Starting by going back to school to earn a degree in industrial design and sustainable transportation, the C-1 prototype was a fully-enclosed, single-seat, electric two-wheeler.

    Kim recognised the fact that while motorcycles stay upright only by virtue of the rider’s input, this would not be a workable solution for the C-1, which was intended as a replacement for the typical car, and marketed to non-motorcyclists. The solution to keeping the C-1 upright and stable was a pair of gyroscopes.

    The gyroscopes keep the C-1 up-right even when unattended, and are spin fast enough to prevent it from toppling even when pulled by an SUV. Steering is by-wire, and uses a car steering wheel. While motorcycles steer using counter-steering, the C-1 uses signals generated by steering movement to turn the motion into counter-steering, letting the C-1 lean into turns the way a motorcycle does.

    Lit_Motors-C1_02

    Powered by lithium iron phosphate batteries, LIT claims the C-1 has a top speed of 160 kmh, while 0-100 kmh is done and dusted in less than 6 seconds, and a range of 320 km per charge. The C-1 weighs in at a hefty 360 kg, due to the battery pack, gyroscopes and full-coverage bodywork.

    A mishap in 2015 left Kim bed-ridden for six months, and he has only recently resumed work. In the meantime, the LIT team has developed a new prototype, the EP4, which is under-going development. Pricing for the C-1 was listed as 24,000 USD (RM96,600) during its initial kickstarter campaign, but no word on what current or final pricing is likely to be.


     
     
  • 2016 Yamaha X-Max 250 cc scooter in Indonesia?

    Reports have emerged in Indonesian media that the 2016 Yamaha X-Max 250 cc scooter was showcased just before the screening of the Qatar MotoGP race on Indonesian TV recently. Rumours are rife that the maxi-scooter is due in the Indonesian market soon, as a range-topper to the 150 cc N-Max.

    The 2016 Yamaha X-Max is a single-cylinder, liquid-cooled 249 cc scooter that has a power output of 20 hp and 21 Nm of torque. Available in Europe since 2014 with EFI and ABS, the Yamaha X-Max is marketed as a daily commuter alternative to a car.

    Differing names have been put forward for the Indonesian X-Max, with one website calling it the “M-Max”. The 2016 Yamaha X-Max is not available in Malaysia, but retails in Britain for 4,499 pounds sterling (RM25,636), while the Yamaha N-Max 150 cc scooter retails locally for RM8,812. An alternative to the X-Max is the 2016 Kawasaki J300 scooter, which retails for RM31,489.

     
     
  • BMW not interested in MotoGP, says Motorrad CEO

    2016 WorldSBK, Round 02, Buriram, Thailand

    Despite having a very successful business year in 2015, BMW Motorrad has unequivocally stated it has no intention to compete in MotoGP. According to an autoevolution report, BMW Motorrad CEO Stephan Schaller has stated that BMW Motorrad will concentrate its efforts towards developing road-going motorcycles and will not be forming a two-racebike team in the top-flight of motorcycle racing.

    With its coffers bulging, BMW Motorrad obviously does not have financial issues when it comes to racing. “BMW would obviously have the economic strength to participate in the championship, but we will not use it to have two riders racing in that category,” said Schaller.

    BMW has withdrawn from formally competing in championship racing, with its last effort being the World Superbike in 2013. However, it continues racing efforts with a support programme for privateers, with one million USD (RM4,000,000) being allocated as contingency funding. This funding will support “19 championships, 318 races in 23 countries, on six continents, with the overall winner and the top 15 riders collecting cash prizes,” as reported.

    While BMW Motorrad has no desire to compete in MotoGP, Austrian outfit KTM seems to be setting its sights forward to the future. KTM CEO Stefan Pierer had previously said that the boys from Spielberg would not enter MotoGP due to investment and financial issues, only to announce successfully testing its RC16 MotoGP bike.

    According to reports the RC16 is already putting out 270 hp, and KTM is looking to get even more horses out of the V-four engine. At the moment, KTM has signed up Bradley Smith, formerly of the Monster Yamaha Tech 3 MotoGP team, to spearhead its MotoGP efforts in 2016.

     
     
  • Ducati Scrambler Mike Hailwood in Thailand – RM80k

    2106 Ducati Scrambler Mike Hailwood Edition - 12

    Ducati Thailand, together with the estate of Mike Hailwood, have issued a limited edition run of the 2016 Ducati Scrambler Icon, called the “Mike Hailwood edition”. The limited run of the Hailwood edition of Ducati’s Scrambler is to commemorate the 58th anniversary of Hailwood’s first encounter with Ducati.

    The name of Stanley Michael Bailey Hailwood, better known by his sobriquet, “Mike the bike”, has been synonymous with motorcycle racing success since the sixties. Perhaps what he is best known for is his legendary comeback in 1978 to professional racing with Ducati 900SS after an 11-year break, taking an astounding victory at the deadliest race course in the world, the Isle of Man TT.

    1978 Mike Hailwood Isle of Man TT Ducati 900SS

    A meeting in October 2015 between Hailwood’s widow, Pauline, and Apichat Leenutaphong, owner of Ducati Thailand, arranged by 1972 Imola 200 winner Paul Smart, led to the idea of a special edition Ducati Scrambler. Scheduled for customer deliveries in September 2016, only 58 units of the 2016 Ducati Scrambler Mike Hailwood edition will be produced.

    Based on a 2016 Ducati Scrambler Icon, the Hailwood edition will have the Scrambler’s 803 cc, air-cooled V-twin, with two-valves per cylinder producing 74 hp and 68 Nm of torque. Using the bodywork of the Scrambler Icon as a base, the Hailwood edition fits a different tail-piece and side-covers.

    A two-into-one-into-two exhaust by Termignoni gives the Hailwood bike a retro-look, along with graphics inspired by Hailwood 1978 winning racebike, along with gold-painted wheels. Other touches include a special nose-fairing, custom handlebar, grips and mirrors from the Ducati Performance catalogue and a special edition plate on the seat cover.

    Listed on the scramblerhailwood website at a price of 699,000 Thai baht (RM79,800), 26 out of the 58 units of the 2016 Ducati Scrambler Mike Hailwood have been sold at the time of writing. The 2015 Ducati Scrambler Icon retails in Malaysia for RM63,999 with GST and road tax, excluding insurance.


    GALLERY: 2016 Ducati Scrambler Icon

     
     
  • Honda to install DCT gearboxes in sportsbikes?

    2009 Erion Racing Honda CPeris

    A report has emerged that Honda is in the midst of developing a DCT (Dual Clutch Transmission) gearbox that is suitable for use in sportsbikes. According to visordown, Honda DCT engineer Kosaku Takahashi said efforts were on-going to develop DCT technology for use in high-performance motorcycles.

    Several bikes in Honda’s range use DCT gearboxes – either standard or as an option – including the NC, CT and VFR series bikes, as well as the NM4 Vultus and Integra super-scooters. A new addition to the DCT stable is the 2016 CRF1000L Africa Twin dual-purpose bike, which was recently previewed in adventure form.

    DCT, or for that matter, other transmission options, have not found wide-spread adoption in sports and racing bikes because of the larger size and weight of the gearbox. Due to the use of its dual clutches, a DCT gearbox will add about 10 kg to the weight of a bike.

    2014 Honda CTX Technology.

    2014 Honda CTX Technology.

    A Honda bike equipped with DCT will come with three transmission modes, selected by a rocker switch on the right handlebar pod. ‘D’ performs like the automatic transmission most people are familiar with when driving cars, just twist the throttle and go.

    Selecting ‘S’ shortens the time between changes in gear ratios, giving the bike a little more “get-up-and-go”. Putting the selector switch to ‘M’ lets the rider shift gears manually using a pair of switches on the left handlebar pod.

    While some might say DCT gearboxes turn motorcycles into glorified scooters, Honda seems to have a different opinion, from the point of performance. Takahashi explained that if two bikes with identical weight raced – one with a traditional cassette-type gearbox and the other equipped with DCT, the DCT bike would be faster due to the almost seamless shifting and constant power transmission to the drive-train.

    This makes both up-shifts and down-shifts smoother, and eliminates the ‘jerk’ that comes with clumsy operation of the clutch and gear shifting in normal motorcycles. In the case of Honda’s DCT bike models, there is even the option of a foot shifter, in the standard position, that lets riders change gear in manual mode in the usual way.

    Takahashi was reticent about any details on how far along Honda was in developing a sportsbike with DCT, or whether such a machine would enter the performance motorcycle market, where riders tend to be too hung up on pure horsepower figures rather than how that power can be safely controlled and used.

    What do you think? Is there a place for a future sportsbike that delivers its engine power smoothly and seamlessly? Leave a comment with your thoughts and opinions below.

     
     
  • VIDEO: 2016 Yamaha M-Slaz – behind the scenes

    Yamaha Thailand has released a behind the scenes video of the making of its 2016 M-Slaz commercial, featuring Pol Espargaro and Bradley Smith of the Yamaha Tech 3 MotoGP satellite team. The 2016 Yamaha M-Slaz, launched in Thailand last year, and in Indonesia in January as the Xabre, is a naked sportsbike that follows the styling of its bigger stable-mates, the MT-07 and MT-09.

    The M-Slaz uses the same 150 cc, single-cylinder, liquid-cooled engine as the Yamaha R-15 and the Malaysian-market FZ150i that puts out 16.8 hp and 15 Nm of torque at 7,500 rpm. The humped 10.5 litre tank gives the M-Slaz a hulking look, in keeping with its motard/streetfighter styling, with LED lighting throughout.

    Retailing in Thailand for a reported price of 89,900 Thai baht (RM10,200), the 2016 M-Slaz is targetted at beginners, as well as young riders who want to upgrade to a sports bike. The M-Slaz comes in four colours – silver-green, blue-white, red-black and matte black.

     
     
  • 2016 Indian Scout custom dealer contest winners

    2106 Indian Project Scout - 10

    The 2016 Indian Project Scout custom dealer contest – the first ever – winners were announced at the 75th annual Daytona Bike Week that was held from March 4 to 13. During a special Indian Motorcycle award ceremony, the winners – determined by online voting – in two categories were named, while fans at the event voted for their favourite.

    Project Scout was designed to showcase the talent and ingenuity of Indian motorcycle dealers around the world, and there were 35 contenders. Competitors were allowed free-rein on their imagination with a 2016 Indian Scout, with any and all modifications permitted. The only caveat was that a minimum of three Indian Scout accessories from the official catalogue had to be used.

    2106 Indian Project Scout - 17

    Winner of the inaugural Project Scout custom contest was “Boardtracker”, by Motos Illimetees of Quebec, Canada. Designed as a tribute to the legendary boardtrack racers of the early 20th century, Boardtracker features white tyres mounted on 26-inch wheels. Wooden accents adorn this vintage racer-replica, including the footrests, number plate, handlebars and seat.

    Taking honours for the Builder’s Choice category was “Ol’ #71” by Heritage Indian Motorcycles from Arkansas, US, inspired by two-time AMA National Champion & Indian Wrecking Crew racer, Bobby Hill. Known as one of the friendliest racers during his time in the 40s and 50s, Hill had a lot of input in the build which carries his old racing number. Details include a sprung seat with copper springs and matching distressed leather fender pad, vintage style flat track handle bars and number plates with the iconic #71.

    2106 Indian Project Scout - 21

    Fans at the Project Scout event voted for “Fusion” as their favourite. As its name suggests, Fusion, designed by Indian Motorcycle Charlotte from North Carolina, US, is a blend of old and new, brought together into a 2016 Indian Scout. Taking details from bikes made 70 years ago, Fusion has full fenders and incorporates details of that ear, including fish-tail exhausts and swept-back handlebars.

    The 2016 Indian Scout is powered by a 1,130 cc, liquid-cooled V-twin, with EFI, producing 100 hp and 97.7 Nm of torque and weighs in at 256 kg wet. The 2015 Indian Scout is available at Naza Automall for RM119,326 including GST. Visitors to the showroom will be eligible for a special discount.

     
     
  • GALLERY: 2016 BMW Motorrad G310R in Bangkok

    BMW_G310R-1

    The impending market release of the 2016 BMW Motorrad G310R is getting closer, although everyone at Motorrad is tight-lipped about pricing and release dates. Close-up pics taken at the 37th Bangkok motor show, running till third April, show what seems to be pretty much a market-ready model.

    Coming with a 313 cc liquid-cooled single cylinder that pumps out 34 hp and 28 Nm of torque at 7,500 rpm, the G310R represents BMW Motorrad’s re-entry into the small commuter bike market since the R27 of the sixties. The cylinder orientation is reversed, putting the intake facing forward. This lets the engine be tilted a little further forward to place weight over the front wheel, while giving the exhaust a straight path to the rear.

    Design touches noted in the gallery pictures include a pair of cut-outs on the rear-seat grab-handles, perhaps a convenient hooking point for bungee cords, or maybe mounting points for a pair of rear panniers. Conspicuous by its absence are LED indicators, indicating the G310R may have been built to a very tight price point.

    Cockpit controls are basic, with a standard tubular handlebar, while being cheap to manufacture, is also cheap to replace, a useful touch considering that the potential market for the G310R will likely be young and new riders. The brake fluid reservoir seems a touch small, and with a tall form-factor, stepping away from the low, slim brake reservoirs found on most bikes in this class.

    Weighing in at 158 kg, and with ABS as standard, the G310R is designed by BMW to be marketed world-wide, meaning that there may not be market-specific variants in terms of 250 cc engines to meet local licensing requirements. BMW Motorrad Malaysia has also been silent on any news about the 2016 G310R, so it’s a matter of playing the waiting game now.

     
     
  • 2016 Yamaha R-15 launched in Indonesia – RM9,000

    2016 Yamaha R-15 Indonesia

    Yamaha Indonesia has just launched the 2016 R-15, with a retail price of 29.8 million rupiah (RM9,000). Mechanically unchanged from the previous year’s model, this year’s edition of the R-15 comes in three new colour schemes – Speed Grey, Racing Blue and Supernova White.

    Using a 149 cc single-cylinder, liquid-cooled power-plant with 16.8 hp and 15 Nm of torque, the 2016 Yamaha R-15 seems to be a place-holder till the release of the 2017 model. Popular in Indonesia with the younger crowd, the R-15 features a variation of the Deltabox frame, with front and rear discs, but no ABS.

    The Speed Grey and Supernova white models come with black cast-alloy wheels, while the Racing Blue R-15 gets colour-coded hoops in blue. For a limited time, Yamaha Indonesia is offering a special edition 2016 R-15 with Ohlins rear suspension, available for order from their website.

    No word if the 2016 Yamaha R-15 will ever come to Malaysia. The equivalent capacity local Yamaha model is the FZ-150i streetbike which retails for RM9,156 including GST, without road tax and insurance.

     
     
  • Samsung phone talks through your motorcycle screen

    2016 Samsung Smart Windscreen - 4

    Motorcycling is pretty much a solitary activity, with the rider ensconced inside his or her helmet while riding. But in today’s wired, wireless and inter-connected world, anyone with a smartphone is almost instantly reachable, anytime, anywhere. Samsung has showcased a motorcycle windscreen that allows riders to receive information from their smartphones without having to stop and fish out their phone.

    A see-through display is mounted on the bike, and information displayed on the windscreen. As reported in autoevolution, the technology used is not new, and builds on and integrates existing tech. The intention of the Samsung Smart Windshield is to allow the rider to obtain information such as GPS directions, and respond to calls and messages, without having to take his hands off the handlebars.

    By using buttons mounted on the bars, a rider can choose pre-determined responses such as “I’m riding” or “Call you back later”, without being distracted or diverting their attention from the road. No word on whether Samsung will be putting this technology showpiece into production, but it is an intriguing glimpse into the future of the way riders will be communicating with their machines.

    Other manufacturers are also looking into see-through displays for motorcyclists, such as BMW Motorrad’s Connected Ride HUD helmet. What do you think? A good idea for riders, or a technological dead-end? Leave a comment with your thoughts and opinions below.

     
     
  • Honda Africa Twin Adventure Sports concept preview

    2016-Honda-Africa-Twin-Adventure-Sports-Concept2

    The burgeoning adventure bike market, a trend started in part by BMW Motorrad’s big GS Adventure, has seen many manufacturers throw their hat into the ring, hoping for a slice of the lucrative, and expensive, pie. With that in mind, Honda has shown the Africa Twin Adventure Sports concept, a development of the 2016 CRF1000L Africa Twin that was launched in late 2014.

    While the 2016 CRF1000L took many design cues from the original, and legendary, XRV750 Africa Twin, as well as the CRF450 Rally, the Adventure Sports concept has a massive, up-swept Termignoni silencer. This is addition to a large, aluminium bash-plate that covers all off the bottom surface area of the engine, as used on the CRF450 Rally.

    The seat is a flat, narrow unit that borrows from Honda’s range of moto-crossers, letting the rider slide far back along the seat to place weight on the rear-end for rear-wheel traction. The tail-unit is new, and comes adorned with an “Adventure Sports” decal that was first seen in the original Africa Twin.

    A proper luggage rack made from tubular-section steel is fixed to the rear, replacing the cast alloy items on the CRF1000L. Knobby tyres are also seen on the Africa Twin Adventure Sports, and the graphics go back to the 90s, again from the first-generation Africa Twin, which sees its 30th anniversary this year.

    The 2016 CRF1000L Africa Twin has a 998 cc V-twin engine that puts out 93.8 hp and 97.6 Nm of torque. Coming with the option of a manual or DCT (Dual-Clutch Transmission) gearbox, the CRF1000L weighs in at 228 kg wet in standard form, 232 kg with ABS, and 222 kg with DCT.

    GALLERY: 2016 Honda CRF1000L Africa Twin DCT

     
     
  • 2016 Honda MSX125SF Grom given a HRC make-over

    2016 Honda MSX125SF Grom HRC (1)

    Honda Racing Corporation (HRC), the racing division for Honda, has produced racebikes with outstanding performance, from top-flight GP bikes to bonkers moto-crossers. It was something of a surprise to find that the power-meisters at HRC had set their sights on the 2016 Honda MSX125F – also known as the Grom – and turned it into a race weapon for the HRC Trophy Series competition.

    According to a Motorcycle News report, HRC took the four-stroke, single-cylinder 124 cc engine from the MSX125F, and tuned it to within an inch of its life. In addition to the (unspecified) engine work, the miniature racebike also got two-stage fuel injection, a quickshifter, pit-lane speed limiter and a new exhaust.

    HRC will be selling the MSX125SF as a complete customer racebike for the HRC Trophy in Japan. No word on pricing, but considering the standard and quality of HRC work and components, don’t expect it to be cheap.


    GALLERY: 2016 Honda MSX125SF and MXS125SF Custom builds

     
     
  • Honda CB1100 concept litre-bike nearing production?

    Shown at the Osaka motorcycle show were two Honda CB1100 concepts featuring naked litre-bike styling harking back to the days of four-cylinder UJMs (universal Japanese machines). While the first concept CB1100 had been shown at the Tokyo motorcycle show last year, the new bike, dubbed the “CB Concept Type II” by Honda, is subtly different from the first.

    “They keep saying these are concept bikes but I have been told these two bikes preview the way Honda is thinking of splitting the CB1100 range across classic and modern performance. I know the CB Concept Type II has already started track testing at Honda test tracks. It may not be immediate production but it’s not that far away,” Motorcycle News reported an unnamed source as saying.

    That the market for retro litre-bikes is gaining traction is not news, with Triumph launching the Bonneville series of bikes this year, including the Street Twin, and BMW Motorrad with the R nineT and Scrambler in its range, bikes that the Honda CB1100 concepts will be going up against if Honda puts them into production.

    From pictures, it can be seen the CB1100 concept borrows heavily form the previous generation CB1300, with 17-inch cast alloy wheels, Showa forks and Ohlins rear absorbers, radial-mount brake calipers and retro-patterned Pirelli rubber, reminiscent of the Pirelli Phantoms of the 80s. A neat touch is the classic looking four-into-two exhaust, which is made from titanium by Japanese tuners Over on the CB1100 concept.

    While Honda have been saying the CB1100 concepts are merely that, concept, it doesn’t take much to see that the quality of finish, and the way the bikes fit together, that putting these two into production wouldn’t take much of a stretch. What do you think? Is there room for a retro-styled litre-bike in your garage? Leave us a comment with your thoughts and opinions below.

     
     
 
 
 

Latest Fuel Prices

PETROL
RON 95 RM2.05 (0.00)
RON 97 RM3.47 (0.00)
RON 100 RM5.00
VPR RM6.00
DIESEL
EURO 5 B10 RM2.15 (0.00)
EURO 5 B7 RM2.35 (0.00)
Last Updated Mar 28, 2024