Global News Archives

Singapore’s Former Transport Minister Handed 35 Graft Charges

Singapore’s former Transport Minister S. Iswaran was handed eight more charges taking the grand total to 35 charges today.

The additional charges involved allegations of obtaining valuable items worth about SGD18,956 (RM66,582.50), in the capacity of a minister from an individual who had dealings with the Ministry, said the Corrupt Practices Investigation Bureau (CPIB).

According to the charge sheet, the items included bottles of whiskey, golf clubs and a Brompton bicycle worth SGD$7,907.50 (RM27,784).

The business transaction involved a contract between Lum Chang Building Contractors (Lum Chang) and the Land Transport Authority (LTA), for the addition and renovation of Tanah Merah Station and the existing viaduct.

The firm had also secured multi-billion dollar civil, building and infrastructure projects in Singapore including being the prime contractor for the Bukit Panjang station along the Downtown Line.

The case has gripped Singapore, as a major Asian financial hub that prides itself on a squeaky-clean government rarely involving corruption.

Iswaran, 61, denies the charges according to local media reports.

He was initially arrested in July last year and alleged to have obtained kickbacks worth S$384,340 (RM1,349,813.96) from property tycoon Ong Beng Seng, partly to advance Ong’s business interests.

Charge sheets show the favours included tickets to football matches, musicals, a flight on Ong’s private plane and tickets to the Singapore Formula 1 Grand Prix. Iswaran was advisor to the Grand Prix’s steering committee, while Ong owns the rights to the race.

Marquez-Bagnaia Clash a Racing Incident says Stewards

The FIM Stewards had decided that the clash between Marc Marquez and Franceso “Pecco” Bagnaia at the Portugese MotoGP was a racing incident. As such, no penalty will be handed out.

The incident saw Bagnaia losing the front of his bike underneath Marquez, thereby taking both of them out of the race, with just 3 laps to go.

While he accepted the FIM Stewards’ decision, Marquez also felt it was at the ‘very limit’ of such a description, on the grounds that Pecco had made a ‘mistake’ in launching the ‘optimistic’ re-pass attempt.

The incident occurred moments after Marquez had outbraked the fading factory Ducati rider for fifth place into the Turn 5 hairpin at the Algarve Circuit in Portimao. As the Spaniard then drifted slightly off line at the apex, Bagnaia retaliated by diving for the gap but the pair promptly collided and crashed.

What Marquez said:

“Just an impact on the shoulder, but nothing important,” said Marquez, who remounted to finish in 16th and out of the points.

“But it was a mistake because we were fighting for 5th, 6th position. Two more points, two less. And he was suffering a lot with the tyres, especially with the rear tyre. So in the end, when 3 laps remain, you know that you will lose the position, so it’s not necessary to come back in that aggressive mode. But, he decided like this. The consequence to Ducati is 0 points.”

Suzuki Returns to Suzuka 8 Hour with Something Different

Suzuki returns to the Suzuka 8 Hour endurance race, albeit with a difference. The Japanese manufacturer had announced their departure from the sport but has decided to participate in the prestigious race using sustainable fuel for their GSX-R1000.

The Suzuka 8 Hour is part of the FIM Endurance World Championship calendar, and features an Experimental Class within the race. This category is meant for motorcycles that do not conform to engineering norms. However, the Suzuki GSX-R1000 for the race does conform to norms but will use a fuel that is only partly of non-fossil origin.

Instead, the factory will use the Elf Moto R40 FIM, which consists of 40% bio-sourced fuel. Interestingly, the Suzuki MotoGP team had begun using the fuel during their last season in the championship in 2022, as stipulated by FIM and Dorna for the class.

The fuel may does not seem to cause any drop in performance as demonstrated in the first 2024 MotoGP race in Qatar, where some bikes were 14 seconds faster than those in 2023.

Suzuki has not confirmed their rider lineup, as yet. Their long-time endurance championship winning rider, Sylvain Guintoli has since signed with the BMW Motorrad Motorsport WorldSBK team as a test rider.

Suzuki will enter the race under the Team Suzuki CN Challenge banner, also a departure from their long-time Yoshimura SERT Motul Suzuki partner. However, Yoshimura Japan will continue to be the factory’s technical partner and seeks to use the platform to develop sustainable technologies in areas such as the muffler, tyres, oil, fairings, and brakes.

The 2024 Suzuka 8 Hours is scheduled for 19 July 2024.

KTM Drops Toby Price as Factory Rally Rider

KTM drops Toby Price as factory rally rider. Price is a two-time Dakar Rally champion, both times with KTM.

The legendary Aussie rider said that the Austrian factory dropped him after the the 2024 Dakar Rally. “Everyone has been asking me about what events I’ll be riding in this year, but in some personal news, KTM has decided to not renew my contract so Dakar 2024 was my last event with them,” he announced on social media.

This sad news marks the end of a 14-year racing career with KTM. KTM drafted him in 2010 when he competed in Australian rally championships. Price went on to a successful career in North America and Europe with KTM, then to Dakar in 2015. He won a stage and finished third overall on that very first attempt.

He came back even stronger the next year and dominated the rally and took to the overall victory. He was the first Australian to achieve the feat.

Price would repeat his performance in 2019 but again, in another amazing circumstance, he did so with a broken wrist!

However, results had not been the same since then due to Honda’s resurgence. Price took two podiums and a last stage win in 2022, with no overall wins. Honda overpowered KTM in 2024, pushing Price to a fifth place finish. And KTM decided to axe him after the rally.

Price continued, “I do feel like I’m still in my prime and going out there fighting for wins, especially at Dakar so it’s unfortunate to not have that opportunity to do it in 2025 but I’m really appreciative of the support they gave me in my career,” says Price. “We’ve been able to do some great things together like win two Dakars and get a couple podiums, a World Championship and our success in Australia too.”

He has natural talents and has many fans the world over. This writer also met him during the KTM 790 Adventure Media Launch in Morocco and he is a very nice, down to Earth bloke. We are sure that many factories will now court him and we wish him the best.

KTM 790 Adventure and KTM 790 Adventure R Test & Review

Ducati Revenue Increased Despite Lower Sales in 2023

Ducati reported an increased revenue to over €1 billion despite lower sales in 2023.

To be more precise, the Italian manufacturer posted a revenue of €1,089 million, for a net profit of €112 million (10.5% increase over 2022), although they sold 57,224 bikes compared to more than 60,000 in 2022.

Claudio Domenicali, CEO of Ducati, said:

“The results obtained by Ducati in 2023 confirm the validity of the strategic decisions and self-financed investment policy that we have been pursuing for several years. We closed the fiscal year with a revenue that once again exceeded one billion euros and a record operating result, to which must be added the successes in racing which saw us become World Champions in MotoGP and WorldSBK for the second consecutive year”. “ Strengthened by the goals achieved, we look to the future with determination and continue with the development plan of the brand and the product range, with the desire to expand our presence towards new segments, speak to new motorcyclists and grow the community of Ducatisti. The entry into motocross planned for this year is proof of this.”

The record results show for Ducati’s charge into several into different segments with several new bikes. For one, the DesertX was launched for the off-road adventure market and has found a strong following since then. Also, there is the Hypermotard 698 Mono, bringing the maker into the single cylinder supermoto fold. Other models also did well such as the sport-tourer (some call it the hyper-tourer) Multistrada V4 RS.

2024 Triumph Rocket 3 Storm Range Launched

The 2024 Triumph Rocket 3 Storm range has been launched, in both R and GT guises.

The Rocket 3 is famous for two things: One, it has the largest engine in production, and two, the engine’s massive torque will straighten your arms like a er… rocket. But make no mistake: Triumph has sold 18,000 Rocket 3’s since the remake in 2019.

And, Triumph knows that mo’ power is always better.

Here are the highlights of the 2024 Triumph Rocket 3 Storm range:

The 2,458 cc (yes, bigger than most cars in Malaysia), 3-cylinder powerplant now punches out 180 hp at 7,000 RPM and head-snapping 225 Nm of torque at 4,000 RPM.
That is a bump of 15 hp and 4 Nm.

Power is sent through a Torque Assist Clutch, the buyer can purchase the optional quickshifter.
The frame continues to be aluminium, which made its debut in 2019. Better to keep the weight down.
New, 10-spoke cast aluminium wheels to reduce unsprung weight by 2 kg. Reducing 2 kg is a lot when the wheels spin up, giving quicker handling as there’s less gyroscopic forces.

The front has massive Showa 47 mm forks, adjustable for rebound and compression damping.
The rear shock is a Showa RSU monoshock with piggyback reservoir.
Brembo Stylema calipers are up front, clamping on 320mm discs.
At the back, a Brembo M4.32 monobloc caliper grabs a huge 300mm disc (since the bike’s weight is rear biased).
Taming that power are rider aids like TC, ABS, and four power modes.
There are also lean-angle sensitive ABS, and well as optimized cornering traction control.
There is now Hill Hold, which prevents the motorcycle from rolling backward by applying the rear brake.
Cruise control comes as standard on both models, and you can activate it at the touch of a button and adjust it up or down in 1 mph increments.
All of the tech features should be easy to interact with via the full-color TFT display and five-way joystick.

Both R and GT variants deliver a blacked out, if not sinister, attitude.
The R has a sportier stance, with mid-mounted adjustable footpegs, while the R has forward footpegs and more laid-back riding position.

How much?

The 2024 Triumph Rocket 3 Storm R is USD 24,995 (RM 118,501.30) and Rocket 3 Storm GT is USD 28,995 (RM 137,465.29). Of course, prices in Malaysia will be much higher (along with everything else).

2024 Husqvarna Svartpilen 801 Launched (Finally)

The 2024 Husqvarna Svartpilen 801 has officially and finally been launched after years of rumours and several rounds of teasers.

It is now the biggest Svartpilen/Vitpilen model by utilising the KTM 790 Duke’s LC8c engine. Comparatively, the Norden 901 remains the largest Husqvarna by way of engine capacity, as it uses the KTM 890 Adventure’s engine, but it was tuned for torque, rather than horsepower, resulting in 103hp.

Highlights of the 2024 Husqvarna Svartpilen 801:

Powertrain

799cc, parallel-twin, DOHC, liquid-cooled LC8c engine makes 77 kW (103 hp).
Engine power is sent through a six-speed gearbox with a PASC assist and slipper clutch. There is an up-and-down quickshifter, too.
Service interval for the Svartpilen 801 is 15,000 kilometers.
Fuel consumption is claimed at 4.5 liters/100 kilometers.

Chassis

Chromium-molybdenum tubular steel frame with tuned flex and rigidity.
Adjustable WP Apex 43 front forks with 140mm travel.
WP Apex monoshock at the back, offering 150mm of travel.
The wheels are 17-inch alloy, wearing Pirelli MT60 RS rubber.
Up front, J. Juan radially mounted four-piston calipers clamp on 300mm brake discs.
The rear brake consists of a single two-piston caliper and a 240mm brake disc.
Bosch ABS is standard with Supermoto ABS mode.
The fuel tank holds 14 liters of fuel.
Husqvarna claims the Svartpilen 801 weights 181 kg, dry.

Electronics

A five-inch TFT dash and connectivity unit fitted as standard.
The rider can pair with TFT via the Ride Husqvarna Motorcycles smartphone app, for navigation, calls, and music.
There are three ride modes: Street, Rain, and Sport. The owner can purchase the optional Dynamic Pack which adds the Dynamic ride mode, Cruise Control, ten levels of traction control, and five levels of wheelie control.
LED lighting is also standard.

How much?

The 2024 Husqvarna Svartpilen 801 sells for USD 10,899 (RM 51,650.36) and will begin to enter several global markets by June. Might as well be the end of year or early next year for us.

KTM, Pierer Mobility Acquires Controlling Stake in MV Agusta

We recently ran a story about how MV Agusta may be in financial trouble after a dismal performance in 2023. We also mentioned that MV’s CEO Timur Sardarov was adamant in not relinquishing control of the company to the giant Pierer Mobility Group (KTM, Husqvarna, GasGas). Well, news just broke that Pierer Mobility has indeed acquired a controlling stake in MV Agusta.

Pierer Mobility Group (PMG) has made clear that they wish to acquire a controlling stake in MV since their initial 25% purchase in 2020. The finalisation of the agreement sees PMG as the controlling shareholder when they issued a call option, increasing their share in MV to 50.1%.

The deal also sees a shakeup in MV’s day-to-day business. Hubert Trunkenpolz replaces Timur Sardarov as the CEO and Chairmon of the Board of Director. (Hubert is the nephew of Hans Trunkenpolz, who co-founded KTM, hence the “T” in brand’s name.) Sardarov will remain with MV in the role of Vice-Chairman. Apart from that, PMG is planning to expand MV’s headquarters at Varese, Italy.

Sadarov said:

“MV Agusta embodies passion and a unique sense of romance that captivated me, a seasoned entrepreneur, from day one. The personal challenge of guiding the company out of crisis and steering it towards success through innovative business strategies, team expansion, and new product developments has been conquered. It is an honor to play a role in shaping MV Agusta’s legacy. Over the past five years, both the company and I have evolved significantly. Our growth together is a testament to the transformative journey we’ve shared. My time with MV Agusta has been a pivotal chapter in my life, filled with mutual joys and challenges. As I continue to serve as a dedicated Vice-Chairman, I am committed to supporting the company and its ongoing success.”

So what now? It is going to really interesting to see what kind of products that this new venture will produce. KTM, for one, has stated unequivocally that they did not wish to produce anymore sportbikes since the RC8’s production ended. As for nakeds, KTM already have their bases covered with the 890 Duke and 1390 Super Duke R. In fact, KTM, GasGas, Husqvarna have covered many segments among them, more so KTM.

Or will PMG continue with putting out the existing lineup of MV Agustas?

Time will tell.

MV Agusta In Dire Straits (Again)?

New 2024 Harley-Davidson Street Glide Debuts

When Harley-Davidson announced their returning models, two of them has received significant upgrades, namely the 2024 Harley-Davidson Street Glide and 2024 Harley-Davidson Road Glide. Both these models got many of the same styling, suspension and electronics upgrades, that were previously only available on the limited edition (read: expensive) CVO Street Glide and CVO Road Glide.

But let us talk about the Street Glide first.

Highlights of the 2024 Harley-Davidson Street Glide:

The heart of the Street Glide is the bigger Milwaukee-Eight 117 (that is 117 cubic inches, or 1917cc to us in the metric world).
The new cylinders utilise liquid-cooled heads, along with a new colling system.
It is a major upgrade from the previous Milwaukee-Eight 107 (1753cc).
The 117ci engine produces 105 hp and 176.3 Nm of torque, which is much healthier than the 86 hp for the 107ci powerplant.

Sure, 105 hp from 1.9 liters is not a lot, but consider the engine turning over below 1,500 RPM when cruising at 110 km/h and you will get the idea.
However, the 117ci engine does not have the VVT of the CVO’s 121ci (1982cc) engine.
Addition of a new infotainment system, with a powerful 200-watt amplifier, powering a pair of fairing-mounted speakers.

A huge (ok, gargantuan) 12.3-inch TFT colour touchscreen (the Apple iPad 2’s screen is 12.9-inches for comparison).
Riders can select riding modes (Rain, Road, Sport, Custom), interact with the infotainment system, etc. via the TFT screen as the analog buttons on the handlebar have been deleted.
Of course, H-D upgraded the bike’s styling too, to well, make it more contemporary, although the fairing retains the legendary batwing and shark nose profiles.
The fuel tank has a new shape.
The one-piece seat’s padding is improved for long-distance touring.

How much?

The 2024 Harley-Davidson Street Glide sells for USD 25,999 (RM 123,053.27), although the mind-numbing number of taxes will likely drive the price way up.

And my friends wonder why I wish I were rich…

Victorious First Outing for Ducati Desmo450 MX

It was a victorious first outing for the Ducati Desmo450 MX in its competitive debut in the Italian Motocross Prestige Championship.

Alessandro Lupino rode the Ducati to the MX1 class pole position on Saturday. Lupino, a former MXGP (Motocross World Championship) Champion converted the pole position to a win in the first moto (first race) on Sunday. Unfortunately, he made a bad start in the second moto (second race) to finish in 7th. The result meant that he could only secure 2nd overall.

There is understandably a lot of vibe surrounding the Ducati Desmo450 MX. The Italian factory was able to “lure” former MXGP legend Antonio “Toni” Cairoli over from his long-time home, KTM to act as the development and test rider.

Also, the bike is an effort to diversify into another segment different from the expensive sport-oriented bikes they are synonymous with. We can look forward to a Ducati MX bike, and sure enough, an enduro in the coming years.

Apart from that, the single-cylinder 450cc engine is an interesting development, again, moving away from their multi-cylinder offerings.

It has to be said that Ducati is hot on the heels of another European factory – Triumph – in building dirtbikes. However, the latter’s TF 250-X is a 250cc machine and is now racing in the American Supercross series. It had achieved great results in its opening race, as well. Additionally, the Triumph is already on sale.

CFMoto Ibex 450 – Will it Come Here?

The CFMoto Ibex 450 was launched last month in the US, and with a very attractive price tag to add. So, question is will it come here?

CFMoto first showed off the 450MT sport-tourer at EICMA in November 2023, and followed up by renaming it to the Ibex 450 soon after. The US market will receive it as a 2025 model.

By the way, an “ibex” is a wild mountain goat with thick long horns that are found in Central Asia and Ethiopia. So as the name suggests, the CFMoto Ibex 450 is a lightweight adventure motorcycle.

Highlights:

449cc parallel-twin engine, shared with the 450SS sportbike, 450NK naked bike, and the upcoming 450CL-C cruiser.
The powerplant produces 44 hp at 8,500 RPM and 44 Nm of torque at 6,250 RPM.
Being tuned for adventure and touring duties, that maximum power figure is 6 hp lower and peaks at 1,000 RPM lower compared to the 450SS and 450NK.
The engine also uses the now ubiquitous 270-degree crank configuration and dual counterbalancers.
Power is sent through a slipper clutch and six-speed gearbox.
The engine is carried by a chromoly steel tube frame.
Long travel KYB suspension provides a generous 203mm of travel.
Conversely, the seat height is only 820mm.
The front suspension is fully adjustable and the rear monoshock is adjustable for preload and rebound.
A four-piston, radially-mounted J.Juan caliper grabs a single 320mm disc in the front.
The bike rolls on spoked 21-inch front and 18-inch rear wheels.
Bosch ABS is standard for both fronts, but the rear can be turned off.
The traction control system is also governed by a Bosch ECU, and it can be turned off or off from the dash.
A 5-inch curved TFT display with smartphone connectivity, and wirelessly updated.
Other features include an adjustable windscreen, LED lighting, an aluminum skid plate, fold-away mirrors, and a USB-C charging point.

The bike was designed by Kiska, the same folks who designed KTM, Husqvarna, GasGas motorcycles, since CFMoto is in partnership with KTM anyway.

In closing, we do hope that this bike gets here since the adventure and touring market is still growing.

Honda Tops Global Sales in 2023, Yamaha Highest in Malaysia

While European manufacturers such as BMW, Ducati, Triumph et al continues to announce their “record breaking” sales each year, it is still Honda who tops global sales in 2023; continuing their dominance for the last 50 years.

According to the Motorcycles Data website which collates data from 92 countries, Honda sold a total of 18.4 million motorcycles globally. The figure represents an almost 700,000 unit increase (4.3%) from 2022.

It is not such a surprising revelation, given that Honda dominates the cub and scooter segments in ASEAN markets (except for Malaysia alone). The ASEAN region consists of motorcycle-centric countries such as Indonesia, Thailand, Vietnam, Malaysia, Philippines. In fact, they have cornered almost 1/3 of the entire world’s motorcycle market.

In Number 2 was Hero Motor from India with 5.6 million motorcycles sold, an 5.4% increase. Hero’s bikes are sold not only in their native country, but also exported to several other countries.

Third in the ranking is Yamaha, who moved 4.6 million units (0.9% increase). However, their overall market share has dropped by 5% to 7.5%.

Yamaha was however Numero Uno in Malaysia, consolidated by a hefty sales figure of 652,850 units. This result is the second best ever, being just 4.0% lower than the highest record. Malaysia is still the 12th biggest market for motorcycles globally.

Continuing the list, Bajaj Auto saw 3.6 million sales (up 8.7%) due to strong domestic demand.

In fifth is TVS Motor, selling 3.4 million bikes (increase of 19.8%).

Shanghai-based Yadea sold 2.5 million electric scooters in 2023. Although they are in sixth place in this list, it is actually a 3-place drop due to a 49.7% decline in sales compared to 2022. Yadea makes premium electric scooters and is selling in Malaysia under MForce Bike Holdings.

Suzuki resurged to seventh place, with 1.9 million sales (7.1% higher).

Three Chinese manufacturers namely Haojue, Loncin, and Zhongshen round out the top 10.

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Global News

What Marquez said:

Here are the highlights of the 2024 Triumph Rocket 3 Storm range:

How much?

Highlights of the 2024 Husqvarna Svartpilen 801:

How much?

Highlights of the 2024 Harley-Davidson Street Glide:

How much?

Highlights:

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