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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.

The Monster Energy Yamaha Team will drop VR46 Racing Apparel as their team apparel’s supplier beginning the 2025 MotoGP season. It is the end of a 4-year partnership.

Instead, Italian sportswear brand Macron will be the team’s official apparel partner. Macron will take on the role of sponsor and official supplier of team clothing, designing and producing official products and corporate uniforms, including racewear and travel gear. The company will also provide new uniforms for the Yamaha Motor Corporation and Yamaha Motor Racing.

This separation with VR46 Apparel adds to the list of Yamaha’s severance with Valentino Rossi’s various business projects. Previously, Yamaha also announced the termination of the Yamaha VR46 Master Camp, a young racer development program based at the VR46 Riders Academy facility for their Moto2 racing team.



As a step forward, Yamaha will rely on cooperation with its new satellite team, Pramac Racing, to develop young talent at pre-MotoGP level.

This decision also breaks rumors that the VR46 Racing Team will become a new Yamaha satellite team. On the other hand, VR46 chose to stay with Ducati, considering that the performance of Ducati motorbikes is much more competitive than Yamaha.

In fact, the relationship between VR46 and Ducati is increasingly close. Starting next season, VR46 will be the only Ducati satellite team that is supplied with the latest motorbikes, on par with the factory team. Full support will be given to Fabio Di Giannantonio, while Franco Morbidelli, a former Yamaha racer, will use a Ducati motorbike from this season.

Looks like the Chinese motorcycle makers know that sportbikes represent the pinnacle of engineering prowess, despite the ever growing popularity of adventure and sport-touring motorcycles. Just look around and you will see every Chinese motorcycle manufacturer having at least one sportbike in their line-up: Benelli, QJMotor, Kove, Zontes, and of course, CFMoto. Among them, the latter is the most aggressive, and has since filed the type approval for a CFMoto 750SR four-cylinder sportbike.

The new bike would probably be called the 750SR or 750SR-R (and 750SS in the US) has been filed as “CF750-2” in the type approval documents. Notice the “-2”? It could very well mean there will also be a naked 750NK variant.

What tips us off that this will be a four cylinder engine is due to the engine’s codename of “472MV.” Under Chinese type-approval conventions, the first digit – “4” in this case – alludes to the number of cylinders, while “72” here tells us about the engine’s bore size of 72mm. The CFMoto 675SR’s three-cylinder engine also has 72mm bores, so it may well mean the 750SR’s engine shares the smaller engine’s pistons, valves, and combuster chamber design.

CFMoto says that the 749cc engine produces a certified 110hp. Apart from that that, curb weight is listed at 213kg, and a maximum speed of 230km/h. Its ABS system is the Continental MK100. There is also a linkage to suggest a quickshifter.

That is all the information we have now. We are sure that it will not take long for the CFMoto 750SR to be launched.

 

 

The Bonneville Bobber became Triumph’s best-selling model when it was launched at the end of 2016. It has gone through several refreshers besides spawning the Triumph Factory Custom (TFC) model along the way. So, here is another Bobber TFC to usher in the new year, the 2025 Triumph Bobber TFC.

Of course, the TFC variant receives some high-end bling and components such as carbon fibre bodywork, two-tone gold black finish, retuned 1200cc engine, suspension, and electronics.

The engine’s mapping is more aggressive, moving the peak horsepower point down to 6,000 RPM from 7,000 RPM. Likewise, the peak torque of 106Nm was also moved to 3,750 RPM from 4,000 RPM. This is what is called a “cruiser” powerband – more tractable torque and power at lower RPMs. Capping off the performance shift, Triumph fitted a pair of Akrapovič silencers.

The 2025 Triumph Bobber TFC also receives Brembo M50 radially-mounted calipers, 310mm brake discs, and Brembo master cylinder. Up front are fully-adjustable Öhlins 43mm NIX 30 upside-down forks. The monoshock at the rear is adjustable for preload and rebound.

The standard Bobber has Road and Rain riding modes, so Triumph added a Sport mode for the TFC. The rear lights are integrated into the signal indicators. The front wheel is 19-inches and the standard handlebar is replaced with a clip-on type.

Apart from these, there are find hand-painted marble gold elements on the tank and side panels, with the underside of nine-litre fuel tank hand signed on the by the artist that painted it.

Other touches further include an embossed leather seat, carbon fibre mudguard stays, gold fork lowers, billet machined engine cover badges, and even a gold chain.

Price of the 2025 Triumph Bobber TFC in the UK is £17,195 (RM96,807.35) and it is limited to 750 units only.

Since its birth in 2011, the Diavel has aroused enthusiasm and achieved great success for its unique design, at once muscular, sporty, exaggerated and elegant, as evidenced by the numerous awards from important design institutions. So, for the new year, the Ducati Diavel V4 Black Roadster Livery was unveiled at Intermot.

Created by the Centro Stile Ducati, the new graphics are based on colours linked to the history of the Borgo Panigale manufacturer and the Diavel. The Racing Yellow, featured on the tank and in the stripes on the tail and side panels, “lights up” a colour scheme featuring black and titanium tones, creating a livery that puts the Diavel V4 even more at the centre of attention. The new seat covering completes an uncompromising design, giving the Diavel even more character.

Inspired by muscle cars, the 2025 Diavel V4 Black Roadster Livery reinterprets the image of an athlete ready to take to the starting blocks, with masses concentrated at the front and an agile, slim tail. The signature of the front and rear light clusters and the direction indicators, naturally full-LED, also contribute to the unmistakable look of the Diavel V4. The rear light cluster, in particular, is made up of a matrix of point-shaped LEDs positioned under the tail: a unique, unprecedented and spectacular solution that makes the bike immediately recognisable.

The Diavel V4 adopts the 1,158 cc V4 Granturismo engine (shared with the Multistrada V$), a central element of its design and at the same time a highly sophisticated technical solution, derived from the Desmosedici that Ducati uses in MotoGP. Powerful (168 hp), rich in torque but also extremely light and compact, it is at the same time fluid, smooth and usable even at the lowest revs. Thanks to the timing control with spring return, it also has benchmark maintenance intervals: the valve clearance is checked every 60,000 km.

The Twin Pulse firing order, together with the exhaust system specific to this model, with a four-exit silencer, characterise the exhaust’s unmistakable timbre. Another distinctive element of the Diavel V4 is the massive 240/45 rear tyre. The five-spoke alloy wheels with a profile embellished with machined surfaces are one of the most refined elements of its appearance.

In just two years of life, the Diavel V4 has won the Good Design® Award, attributed by the “Chicago Athenaeum: Museum of Architecture and Design”, the Special Mention in the Excellent Product Design category at the German Design Awards 2024, and was elected “Best of the best” in the prestigious Red Dot Award 2024. Awards that add to those already won by previous Diavel models and that confirm Ducati design as the most appreciated in the world. The Diavel has also proven itself capable of captivating fans of four-wheel luxury, with the numbered and limited series of Ducati Diavel for Bentley, a collector’s model born from the collaboration between Ducati and Bentley presented with the seventh episode of the World Première 2024.

Price in the UK is £24,495 (RM137,681.08), which is £500 (RM2,810.39) more than the £23,995 (RM134,870.69) for the standard red version.

Didi Group, sole distributor and importer of Aprilia motorcycles in Malaysia is thrilled to introduce an exclusive sales campaign for its celebrated Aprilia SR GT 200 series (SR GT 200, SR GT 200 SPORT, and SR GT 200 REPLICA). This campaign start on December 2024 while stock last , offers irresistible cash rebates, exceptional value, and a chance to experience Aprilia’s innovative edge.

Campaign Highlights:

1. Aprilia SR GT 200

    • Selling Price : RM19,900
    • Cash Rebate: RM 6,000

2. Aprilia SR GT 200 SPORT

    • Selling Price: RM20,900
    • Cash Rebate: RM 5,000

3. Aprilia SR GT 200 REPLICA

    • Selling Price: RM20,900
    • Cash Rebate: RM 2,000

The Aprilia SR GT is more than a scooter—it’s a dynamic urban commuter designed to deliver performance, comfort, and versatility.

Key features include:
  • All-Terrain Capability: A semi-off-road design featuring wide, all-terrain tires ensures confident
    handling on various surfaces, from city streets to rough paths.
  • High-Performance Engine: Powered by a 174cc i-get engine, delivering responsive acceleration and
    fuel efficiency, the SR GT is perfect for daily commutes or weekend adventures.
  • Sporty and Ergonomic Design: Inspired by Aprilia’s racing DNA, the SR GT combines sporty
    aesthetics with a rider-centric ergonomic layout for long-lasting comfort.
  • Advanced Technology: Includes full LED lighting, a digital instrument cluster, and an optional
    connectivity system to sync with your smartphone for added convenience.
  • Superior Safety: Equipped with a front-wave disc brake and ABS for optimal stopping power.

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