Motorcycle news, Motorcycle reviews from Malaysia, Asia and the world

Benelli TRK902 Explorer Takes on Off-Road Segment

The Benelli TRK902 Explorer has been launched as the company’s entry into the rugged middleweight adventure segment.

Although technical details are scant at the moment, we do know that the TRK902 Explorer uses a new engine, based on the old 754cc 4-valve. The stroke and bore have been increased to take it up to 904cc. Benelli claims the engine produces 98.6hp and 90.0Nm of torque. Not bad.

Benelli has adventure bikes prior to this but the TRK902 Explorer is the most rugged TRK thus far. The frame is the usual tubular steel trellis type, with fully-adjustable 50mm upside-down forks. The rear monoshock is adjustable from spring preload and rebound damping. Both ends have 200mm travel, which in turn gives the bike a generous 230mm ground clearance. However, Benelli gives the bike 19-inch front and 17-inch rear wheels instead of a 21-inch and 18-inch combo.

Pirelli Scorpion Rally tyres are standard fitment and the twin 320mm discs are gripped by Brembo four-piston monobloc calipers with an ABS system that has a dedicated off-road mode.

There is no mention of a traction control system or variable power modes, but they are likely to be fitted as it runs a ride-by-wire throttle. Benelli claim a dry weight of 235kg with a seat height of 865mm.

When it comes to practicality, the Benelli TRK902 Xplorer features a 7-inch TFT colour dash with connectivity and a navigation function, two fog lights integrated into its design, tyre pressure monitors, a 22-litre fuel capacity and even an electronically-adjustable screen.

Its price has not been revealed.

The Greatest Honda V4 Motorcycles (Part 2)

Welcome back to Part 2 of our countdown of the greatest Honda V4 motorcycles. The remaining five are so iconic that we are sure you have heard of them.

5. Honda VFR750/800 (1987-2013)

Among all of Honda’s V4 production motorcycles, the VFR750 and the later VFR800 were the most successful in terms of numbers sold. In fact, they were probably some of the best motorcycles ever made.

Comfort was excellent, great build quality, good handling and equipment, it was the classiest motorcycle you could buy. Honda may have since revived the VFR800 in face-lifted form along with the Crossrunner, both of which are decent, but those ‘80s and ‘90s VFR750s can still claim to being the greatest V4s of all.

4. Honda RVF750R (RC45) (1994-1999)

The RVF750R was launched in 1994 as a long-awaited and much anticipated successor to Honda’s first all-conquering V4 superbike, the VFR750R RC30.

Closely-related to the RC30, it uses a 90º V4 with gear-driven cams housed in an aluminium twin spar frame featuring a single-sided swing arm. However, it was actually all-new and co-developed by Honda’s racing division, HRC, and Honda R&D. Differences included a shorter stroke, more compact design and fuel-injection. In its last racing form, the engine made more peak horsepower than even Mick Doohan’s NSR500 two-stroke GP bike.

Although highly successful at the Isle of Man TT and in world endurance, it won only one WSB crown. While on the road, its road legal 120bhp was nothing special. It was of course supremely expensive at nearly £18,000.

3. Honda VFR400R NC30/RVF400R (1989-1996)

What? A 400cc V4 in the Top 3? Well, why not? The VFR400R and later RVF400R were the little brothers to the RC30 and RVF750R respectively. They were much more affordable and accessible to the man in the street.

Both were produced in parallel to their 750 siblings although, as mass market bikes, had lesser spec, fewer exotic materials and were not hand-built. Both were also the result of a then-prevailing Japanese licensing law that favoured 400cc machines. Several units made it to Malaysia and certainly in Singapore.

The NC30 was definitely among the best: effectively a ‘slightly smaller RC30’ with sublime handling and an impressively flexible V4 producing 59bhp. The RVF400R was said to be even better but unfortunately was short-lived.

2. Honda RC213-V (2015-2016)

Conceived as a road-going replica of the then RC213V MotoGP machine, it is as close to that bike as was possible and practical with little concern given to cost.

Around 250 were built in total, hand-made by small teams of hand-picked engineers. Although road regulations limited performance to 159bhp, its chassis boasted the best of everything including Ohlins TTX25 gas forks, forged magnesium wheels and a slimline full-colour TFT dash while, with the optional Sports Kit fitted, intended for track use which includes a revised ECU and exhaust together unleashing 215bhp, it’s as close to the full works V4 MotoGP experience mere mortals can buy.

Which is as it should be, considering the £137,000 price.

1. Honda VFR750R (RC30) (1987-1990)

The RC30 remains the best Honda V4 ever built. There we have said it.

Timed to promote Honda’s new VFR V4s, it conceived to exploit the new World Superbike and world endurance racing regulations (based on 750cc production machines). As such it was developed with no expense-spared by HRC.

As a homologation special racer it won straight out of the crate – not just in WSB (becoming the first champion in 1988), but in endurance, F1 and at the TT. It also dominated Malaysian superbikes.

Not to mention the most beautiful amongst them.

The Greatest Honda V4 Motorcycles (Part 1)

Being the world’s largest motorcycle maker would invariably mean you would have produced all sorts of motorcycles and the engines that power them. However, Honda loves the V4 engine in particular hence so many of their iconic motorcycles were V4-powered. -However, regulatory bodies do not share such enthusiasm and the Euro5 emission had put an end to any V4 bike in Honda’s line up. So, here is a fond look at the greatest Honda V4 motorcycles of yesteryears.

10. Honda VF750F Interceptor (1982-1985)

Honda’s V4 ‘project’ began with the ill-fated NR500 GP racer in 1978, but their V4 road bike story began with the VF750S Sabre and VF750F Interceptor in 1983.

The S was a semi-cruiser roadster, while the F had a half-fairing. Both were based on the same 90º V4, with the S being shaft driven and the F via a chain. They were both considered high-tech at the time, being liquid-cooled and 16 valves. The VF750F in particular was an advanced, impressive design with box-section frame, nose fairing, 16-inch front wheel, adjustable suspension and more.

Unfortunately, early versions were blighted by premature cam wear, so much so they became known as the ‘chocolate cam’ V4s. Honda initially ignored the problem, which was caused by inadequate oil flow, then eventually improved the design, eliminating the fault. But, following the folly of the NR racer, it was too late to save the V4 the bikes’ reputation, hence the short model lifespan.

9. Honda VF1000R (1984-1987)

Honda was not content of building just a 750cc V4, they went big the next year by introducing three(!) 1000cc, in addition to a 400cc V4s.

The R was intended to be the ultimate, showcasing all Honda’s latest technology as a successor to the CB1100R. Where the other 1000s (and 750s) had chain-driven cams, the R had a sophisticated gear-driven arrangement.

It also had anti-dive forks, GP-alike Comstar wheels, a box-section frame, twin radiators and race-style bodywork comprising a full-fairing, removable seat hump and twin endurance style headlights, a year before Suzuki’s new GSX-R750.

High compression heads helped produce 122bhp and drive the VF onto 150mph, making it the fastest bike of the day (prior to the Kawasaki GPz900R). Unfortunately, all that tech and gear-driven cams also made the R quite heavy. It was also ridiculously expensive hence there are not many examples these days.

8. Honda VF400F (1983-1987)

Despite Honda’s intends and purposes to dominate the big bike market with the VF750 and VF1000, many enthusiasts say that the best Honda V4 of the era was the VF400F.

The engine had 16 valves and produced 55hp, very close to Yamaha’s RD350 YPVS two-stroke’s 59hp. It also had those iconic inboard disc brakes and bikini fairings.

Honda released the fully-faired VF500F in Europe the next year. It had conventional disc brakes, and 70hp. And it did not have cam issues.

7. Honda VFR1200F (2009-2017)

Wait! Where is the VFR750/VFR800? Do not worry, those are further up the list, as we are counting down based on merit, rather than when they were produced.

In fact, the VFR1200F was the successor to the VFR750/800. However, the bike’s development was fraught with prolonged teases and delays.

The all-new 1237cc V4 engine was actually good: producing 170bhp, lots of midrange torque and power, and featuring shaft-drive. From 2010, it became the platform to debut Honda’s optional, semi-automatic ‘DCT’ gearbox.

Unfortunately, the buying public during the time found it was too heavy; the ‘sports-tourer’ concept was by then outdated; its styling was disliked; its fuel tank was too small and lack of high-spec tech, with an old school dash and no electronic rider aids, compared to its peers.

6. Honda NR750 (1992)

In many ways the NR750 was not only the ultimate Honda V4, it was the most exotic motorcycle of all – ever.

Hand-built, no expense-spared road-going ‘celebration’ bike to mark Honda’s oval-piston V4 racing project, the NR750 could very well be Honda’s most exotic production motorcycle. Ever.

Honda had first proposed the oval piston concept in the NR500 racer in 1978. It was a four-stroke V4 GP bike but with oval pistons with twin con rods and eight valves per cylinder to create the power of a V8. The company wanted to show the world that their four-strokes could take the fight to two-stroke GP bikes of that era. Unfortunately, the project did not yield the success they sought, and Honda went on to create firstly the NS500 three-cylinder two-stroke racer, and finally the world-conquering NSR500 four-cylinder two-stroke GP machines.

Back to the NR750 road bike, it had 125bhp and too much weight. But its gorgeous styling, plus high-end specs such as a carbon fibre single-sided swing arm, titanium con rods, inverted forks, etc. put it above production bikes of the era. Only 200 were built with a new price of £38,000 in 1992.

To be continued…

What is a 270-Degree Crank Engine?

‘It’s powered by a parallel twin with a 270-degree crank’ is such a commonplace now that riders probably do not pay attention to it anymore. However, they may notice the exhaust note sounds a little different than the ‘other’ parallel twins.

To understand this, let us go back a bit to another article about the CP4 a.k.a. crossplane engine. We spoke at length about the crankshaft and its crank pins (journals) where the big ends of the pistons’ connecting rods are mounted to.

In a traditional parallel-twin engine, the journals are spaced at 180° apart: When one piston is at the top of its stroke (called top dead centre, or TDC), the other is at the bottom of its stroke (called bottom dead centre, or BDC). In other words, one goes up, the other goes down.

Now, anything that has mass creates inertia, hence the primary force of one piston nearing the top is (nearly) balanced by the other piston nearing the bottom. However, these movements create a side-to-side motion called the ‘rocking couple’ which needs to be damped with counter rotating weights. Some riders do not like the lumpy exhaust note.

Certain manufacturers opt for the 360° crank to counter this, meaning both pistons rise and fall at the same time. Now you have no rocking couple, but the primary forces are X2. Several motorcycles actually used this format up until not long ago such as the old Triumph Bonnevilles (prior to the liquid-cooled version), the old BMW F 800 series. However, the 360° crank parallel-twin sounds like Boxer flat-twin.

So, here comes the 270° crank parallel-twin. Yamaha had debuted it in the 10-valve, 849cc, TRX850 in 1995/1996. Production of the bike stopped in 2011, but Yamaha believed in the engine layout’s potential, thus bringing it back as the CP2 (crossplane-2) in the MT-07 in 2014.

As hinted by the term, the crank journals are spaced 270° degrees apart. After one piston fires, the crankshaft rotates 270° before firing the other. No, the primary forces are not balanced, which is countered by the use of a balancer shaft.

The rocking couple still exists, but the effect is less pronounced due to the uneven firing order. The pistons are also always moving, unlike in a 360 or 180-degree twin, reducing inertia. However, the secondary forces in a 270° parallel twin are balanced.

This offset firing order gives the parallel twin a 90° V-twin-like exhaust note.

The true appeal of this engine format is packaging. In other words, it requires less space in a motorcycle’s frame, compared to a V-Twin as it the V-Twin is longer front-to-back. Also, the entire engine can be moved closer to the front wheel to promote better chassis balance at the front for better handling. A third advantage is that a more compact engine allows for a longer swingarm while maintaining a shorter overall wheelbase, again for quicker handling.

The list of bikes that use the 270° crank parallel-twin is long. Apart from the Yamaha MT-07, there are the Suzuki 800cc range, KTM 790 and 890 range, Triumph Bonneville, Honda X-ADV, Transalp 750, and Africa Twin, etc.

Cordura – The Wonder Material for Motorcycle Clothing?

There are many materials used to make motorcycle clothing, a far cry from just leather many decades before, following the development of different types of motorcycles for different purposes. Let us look at Cordura.

Real world evaluation

This author had the opportunity to evaluate the RS Taichi RSJ330 Cordura Hoodie during this recent trip to Guangzhou, China. It is already in the middle of the winter months, as Beijing and Shanghai are already covered in snow. Guangzhou is situated much further south, so the weather was much more pleasant: 20° Celsius during the day, and as low as 12º Celsius at night. As such, it was not exactly the feature for full-blown winter gear.

The jacket held up truly well, keeping him warm for most of the day. As Cordura is breathable, it can get blustery and cold at night but an extra shirt underneath was all that it took.

So, what is Cordura?

Cordura was developed and trademarked by E.I. du Pont de Nemours and Company (DuPont) in 1929, Cordura is currently owned by Invista, a subsidiary of Koch Industries.

DuPont’s scientists were had tried to improve upon rayon, and came across Cordura as a “high-tenacity rayon, as strong as mild steel yet able to stand up under repeated flexing.” These two properties made Cordura suitable for a wide range of products including bags, shoes, clothing.

Cordura motorcycle gear refers to protective motorcycle clothing made from Cordura fabric, a high-quality nylon material known for its exceptional abrasion resistance, tear strength, and durability, making it a popular choice for motorcycle jackets, pants, and other riding gear, providing excellent protection against impacts and scrapes in case of a crash while offering a relatively lightweight and comfortable feel compared to traditional leather options.

Key points about Cordura motorcycle gear:

Abrasion resistance: The primary benefit of Cordura is its high resistance to abrasion, meaning it can withstand significant rubbing against rough surfaces like asphalt during a slide, minimizing skin damage in a crash.
Durability: Cordura is designed to last longer than many other fabrics, making it a good investment for riders who want long-lasting protective gear.
Flexibility: While strong, Cordura can be woven into fabrics with good flexibility, allowing for a comfortable range of motion while riding.
Weatherproofing: Cordura can be treated with waterproof coatings to protect against rain and wet weather, making it suitable for all riding conditions.
Variety of options: Cordura is used in a wide range of motorcycle gear, from lightweight summer jackets with mesh panels to heavier duty touring jackets with additional protective features.

Important considerations when choosing Cordura gear:

Denier rating: The “denier” number indicates the thickness of the Cordura fibers, with higher numbers signifying greater abrasion resistance. For example, 500D, 1000D and so forth.
Armor placement: Ensure the gear has proper armor placement at key impact areas like elbows, knees, and shoulders for optimal protection.
Ventilation: Check for mesh panels or other ventilation features for comfortable riding in hot weather.

Zontes 703RR First Ride Review

Yes, it is another Zontes but hear us out as there are so much to this bike! The Zontes 703RR represents the company’s first ever sojourn into the big capacity sportbike category, by utilising their new 699cc, three-cylinder, DOHC engine which also powers the 703F adventure model. It had just been launched at EICMA, less than a month prior to our visit.

The engine was in its design stages just five years ago. What we say back then there several renderings on a computer screen, and that was it. So take away two years due to the Covid-19 lockdowns, Zontes took only three years to make it happen.

What is the Zontes 703RR?

It is the sportbike of the Zontes family and looks to be the flagship model, at least in the time being. It features a beautifully sculpted and distinctive bodywork with sharp lines, even winglets covered in aerobodies.

A short highlight of its features include:

699cc, inline-triple, DOHC engine, fed by a ram air intake. It produces 100.5hp at 11,200 RPM and 74.5Nm at 8,500 RPM. Ram air intake should add another 10hp in the upper RPMs.

The frame is real wow factor here: Each side of the twin-spar aluminium frame is cast as one piece then joined in with the other side. On the other hand ,conventional aluminium frames have their headstock and “uprights” that hold the swingarm pivot are welded onto the spars.

Zontes claims that this reduces the engine vibes and also provide better targeted stiffness vs. flex characteristics.
The subframe is also a one-piece cast aluminium component, and bolted to the back of the main frame.

Adjustable Marzocchi forks and monoshock.
Dual front disc brakes gripped by J.Juan calipers, dual-channel ABS is standard.

LED lighting all-around.
8-inch colour TFT screen complete with power modes and lap timer.

196kg wet weight.
Seat height is 795mm.

Riding the Zontes 703RR

If you like sportbikes, the seating position is so right. The ergonomics are somewhere along the lines of the Aprilia RS660 mixed with that of the Triumph Daytona 660. The clip-on handlebars are mounted slightly higher than the top of the fuel tank, so they do not put your weight onto your wrists. And that seat was so low that putting your feet down was of no issue.

The only place to test ride the bike was on a small test track at the factory’s compound. The front “straight” was just 100m long and there was a double-apex hairpin on each end, with a three-turn chicane in between. So it was tight like a small go-kart track.

Heading into the first turn, I squeezed the front brake lever with two fingers and was almost thrown out of the seat. It was THAT powerful!

Despite screwing up the corner entry from overbraking, the Zontes 703RR happily tipped into the corner without threatening to collapse the front tyre. Still in 2nd gear, I opened the throttle as the bike touched the apex and WHOOOOOOOOOP went the engine. Thankfully, the corners are marked by lines drawn on the road rather than curbs, because the bike shot all the way from the exit of the first corner to the last corner!

So, I short-shifted into 3rd and rounded the last turn, and stand the bike up quickly and rolled on the throttle to exit the corner. The 703RR just blasted down that 100m straight in a flash. The company’s CEO had insisted on building a three-cylinder engine because he prefers its strong torque and accessible horsepower.

I continued going around and around, and avoided making eye contact with those in the starting area because I did not want to be flagged in. In the end, a Zontes crew stepped almost onto the middle of the track to wave me in. I must have covered some 9 laps.

Conclusion

Yes, yes, it was a short ride but having ridden so many motorcycles before, I can confidently say that the Zontes 703RR has the chops of a great bike, although its prowess on the track needs to be discovered. But, as a midrange street superbike, the present contenders better watch their backs.

We asked Zontes Malaysia if it will make it here. The official returned a cheeky smile.

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