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

Upcoming Honda Africa Twin To Feature Front-Facing Camera

New patent drawings from Honda revealed that the Honda CRF1100L Africa Twin would soon be equipped with a front-facing camera.

Honda to feature a front-facing camera on the Africa Twin.
The camera will feed the necessary information to the riders.

The camera will monitor the traffic and feed the active rider aids with accurate data.

According to reports by Motorrad, the camera would operate similar to a smartphone camera, which uses sensors rather than a lens.

In addition, Honda also patented a specially-design mount for the camera.

The mount will protect the camera from debris and stones while on the road and also from light sources that could disrupt the camera’s operation.

Interestingly enough, the camera is not fixed in position in the mount but rather suspended to protect the camera from vibrations.

Nevertheless, while the patent showcased the camera being mounted on the Africa Twin, we expect Honda to apply the same features to future models.

(Source: Motorrad)

KTM RC 8C To Make Its Way To Australia And New Zealand

KTM made a surprised announcement when they introduced the track-only KTM RC 8C back in June last year.

24 units of newly-produced KTM RC 8C to be made available in Australia and New Zealand.
The RC 8C is powered by a 899cc parallel-twin engine producing 128hp.

The introduction of the RC 8C marks the Austrian firm’s comeback into the supersport segment after the discontinuation of the 1190 RC8.

At the time, only 100 of these bad boys were made, and only those who were lucky enough managed to get their hands on the ultra-limited RC 8C.

However, if you’re currently residing in Australia and New Zealand, KTM has some fantastic news for you at the land down under as 24 units of newly-produced RC 8C are making their way there.

According to KTM, the RC 8C is on sale for AUD56,990 in Australia and AUD61,999 in New Zealand, with online orders that will open starting October 19, 2022.

Now, you might think the RC 8C is just another sportsbike considering it runs on the same 889cc engine found in the 890 Duke.

We can assure you that is not the case, and although it shares the same powertrain as the Duke, the RC 8C is as race-focused supersport as it gets.

When they said the RC 8C is similar to a race bike, they meant it, especially when the carbon-reinforced fibreglass superstructures are heavily inspired by Red Bull KTM Factory Racing MotoGP RC16 and only weighs 140 kilograms (that’s 26 kg lighter than the Yamaha YZF-R25)!

Underneath that vibrant-orange panel sits an 889cc parallel-twin LC8 DOHC with an eight-valve (taken from the 890 Duke R) strategically placed in a specially designed 25CrMo4 tubular steel frame and capable of producing 128hp.

The RC 8C gets a 43mm WP Apex Pro 7545 with a handmade closed cartridge front fork assembled by the same team responsible for making and maintaining the suspension of the RC16.

Meanwhile, the rear is managed by a WP APEX PRO 7746 monoshock equipped with separate compression and rebound adjustments to make the bike suits the need of every race track on the planet.

Other exciting features include:

16L tank
Dymag forged wheels with Pirelli SC1 slick tires
pair of Brembo Stylema callipers
290mm floating disc at the front
230mm floating disc at the rear
Brembo 19RCS Corsa Corta radial brake pump
Akrapovic titanium exhaust

As we were saying, the KTM RC 8C is a full-blown track beast and lucky Australian and New Zealanders will get a chance to get their hands on a very potent sportsbike.

HJC Debuts All-New V10 Retro Full-Face Helmet In Europe – From RM1.5k

HJC (Hong Jin Crown) is ready to take on the Shoei Glamster, Arai Rapide Neo, Biltwell Lanesplitter and Bell Bullit with the new V10 retro full-face helmet.

HJC finally has its own retro-style full face helmet.
The V10 will go up against the Biltwell Lanesplitter and Arai Rapide Neo.

The South Korean brand has been busy in the last few weeks as the company launched a range of new RPHA ranges, including the RPHA 1, RPHA 11, RPHA 71, RPHA 91 and the latest RPHA 31.

Nevertheless, the HJC V10 has captured our attention thanks to its retro build.

Unlike the rest of its competitors, HJC has never produced a full-face retro-style helmet, with the V90 being the closest you could get to vintage-style headgear.

That said, the V10 marks a new direction for HJC.

The HJC V10 seems to be inspired by the Biltwell Lanesplitter, especially the boxy chin bar.

In addition, the V10 features premium components, including a fibreglass construction shell and emergency release cheek pads. More importantly, the new V10 helmet meets the UN’s new ECE 22.06 safety standard.

According to their website, the V10 is listed for EUR329.90 (RM1.5k) and is available in seven different colours ranging from White, Black, Flat Black, Nardo Grey, Deep Green, Deep Red and Depp Yellow.

Meanwhile, the graphic option comes with a slightly higher price tag at EUR369.90 (RM1.7k).

The Yamaha Tenere 700 Is Likely To Make Its Way To Malaysia

Hong Leong Yamaha Motor (HLYM) recently launched the 2022 Yamaha TMax Tech Max maxi-scooter for the local market with a recommended selling price of RM74,998.

The Yamaha Tenere 700 could finally be introduced to the Malaysian market.
There is a considerable demand for middleweight adventure motorcycles in the country.

During the launch, HLYM also revealed their plans to introduce more big-capacity motorcycles in 2023.

While the exact models are not disclosed, an unnamed source told Paultan.org that HLYM realized that there is a surge in demand for an off-road capable motorcycle in the country.

That said, it could be a strong indicator that the Yamaha Tenere 700 could finally make its way to Malaysia soon.

Powering the Tenere 700 is Yamaha’s CP2 689cc parallel-twin engine, capable of producing 74hp and 67Nm.

Earlier this year, Yamaha updated the Tenere 700 range with a World Raid variant, carrying a massive upgrade, including a 23L twin-tank that can take the bike up to 470km of range.

Although there is no official confirmation regarding the Malaysian launch just yet, but reports suggest that it is highly likely that the Tenere 700 will soon find its way to our shores.

We expect that the Tenere 700 could price around the RM50k mark as the motorcycle is currently on sale in the Philippines and Thailand at RM51,900 and RM58,300, respectively.

The middleweight adventure bike was again the talk of the town as five of the overall top 20 finishers at the recently concluded Rimba Raid 2022 were riding onboard the Tenere 700.

Royal Enfield On Course For Another Breakthrough Year

If you owned a Royal Enfield motorcycle, then you are probably one of the contributor to the brand staggering growth in global sales for September 2022.

Royal Enfield sold more than 80,000 motorcycles in September 2022.
India remain as the biggest market for Royal Enfield.

The Indian-owned motorcycle company has just recorded a 145 percent increase in sales for the month of September 2022.

That said, Royal Enfield sold 82,097 units of motorcycles purchased over the 30 day period compared to 33,528 units sold in the same period last year.

As expected, 73,646 units from the total sales was generated in India which continue to become the stronghold of the Royal Enfield brand to this day.

Nevertheless, the major surge of sales in comparison to last year is down to the brand latest model, led by the all-new Royal Enfield Scram 411 and the Hunter 350.

Moreover, with the demand of small and middleweight capacity motorcycle on the rise will only continue to boost the sales of Royal Enfield motorcycles.

In fact, the Meteor 350 – introduced in 2020 – is currently contesting the BMW R 1250 GS Adventure for UK”s best selling full-size two-wheelers.

Meanwhile, the brand sales figure is expected to reach greater heights in months to come with a number of other arrivals on the way, including the Himalayan 450, Super Meteor 650 and Shotgun 650.

Royal Enfield also rumoured to be working on a Himalayan. 650. Coming from a fan of ADV motorcycles, a bigger Himalayan is a big yes from us.

Ducati Unleashed New 240-Horsepower Panigale V4 R

The fourth episode of the Ducati World Premiere web series takes us to the unveiling of a more powerful Ducati Panigale V4 R.

The 2023 Ducati Panigale V4 R gets higher max rev at 16,500rpm.
DLC-coated piston and titanium conrod contributed to higher horsepower.

The introduction of the 2023 model year Panigale V4 R continue to set a new mark for Ducati’s racing department.

Ducati has seen remarkable results this season at the 2022 WorldSBK, with the current Panigale V4 R at the helm of Alvaro Bautista leading the championship with a massive gap.

Watching Bautista flying by rival teams in a straight line is nothing short of excitement, but that doesn’t stop Ducati from upping the ante with the 2023 Panigale V4 R.

On paper, the 2023 Panigale V4 R produces 218hp @ 15,500rpm but Ducati has increased the maximum revs to 16,500rpm at 6th-gear.

However, by adding a new racing exhaust combined with Shell-developed fuel, the new Panigale V4 R can hit a peak power of 240.5hp.

The additional power is boosted by the use of gun-drilled titanium connecting rods and DLC-coated pistons, which Ducati claimed is a first for a road bike even though the technology is common in MotoGP machines and Formula 1 race cars.

Thanks to a new piston geometry, Ducati also reduced the inertia significantly and the weight by 5g.

In addition, the 2023 V4 R gets new engine modes with ‘Full’ and ‘Low’ added to the existing package. As the name goes, the ‘Full’ mode unleashes the full power of the V4 R while ‘Low’ reduces the power to 160hp, allowing for a calmer riding experience on the road. But hey, who are we to tell you not to go full blast on public roads?

Ducati also revised the Ducati Quick Shift system to allow for a smoother shift during partial and full throttle.

The 2023 Panigale V4 R remains faithful with Ohlins suspension, but the travel in the NPX25/30 pressurised fork is increased by 5mm.

Ducati also increases agility thanks to a higher swingarm pivot position that raises the rear height by 20mm. Also new on the 2023MY is a bigger 17L fuel tank.

Finally, the 2023 Panigale V4 R will be a numbered model, with each bike verified by a plaque on the steering head.