KTM, GasGas, Husqvarna’s parent company, Pierer Mobility is now looking for a cash infusion. Things have gotten much more dire than expected, especially for the KTM brand.
The once proud Austrian manufacturer has since laid off jobs, fired four directors (one of them the grandson of KTM’s three founders), and restructuring the production. But nothing seems to work.
Just weeks after releasing their Q3 2024 financial report, Pierer Mobility released an “ad hoc announcement” saying, “The Executive Board is currently working on securing the financing of KTM AG, in particular on a bridge financing in the three-digit million range.” KTM is responsible for 95% of the group’s revenue but has seen a precipitous drop in sales. Adding to the hardship was Pierer Mobility’s acquisition of a controlling stake in MV Agusta and needing much resources to restructure it.
Another part of the statement says, “To this end, discussions are ongoing both with the core shareholder Pierer Bajaj AG and with existing financial creditors. The aim is to agree a standstill agreement with the financial creditors involved for the duration of these discussions as basis for the financial restructuring.”
Is Pierer Mobility looking to sell a controlling stake to or a further merger with Bajaj? Bajaj and Pierer had been working together for many years, producing the smaller range of bikes of 125cc, 200cc, 250cc, and 390cc. The 390 platform is the best-seller the world over. Bajaj is one of the world’s biggest motorcycle makers hence has huge resources, so who knows.
It is well known that some F1 drivers also ride motorcycles.
Motorcycle riders can agree that motorcycles offer the most visceral enjoyment. There is no roof and huge windscreen to block the wind, the controls that require the entire body’s muscles. The most powerful street motorcycles may have “only” 200+hp compared to some supercars that sport 1000+hp, but the motorcycle accelerates harder and faster. And that feeling of dragging a knee through a corner… ah heaven.
Lewis Hamilton
Seven-time F1 World Champion Lewis Hamilton is visibly passionate about riding motorcycles, both on the road and track. The peak of this was swapping rides with Valentino Rossi (in Hamilton’s F1 car) at the Ricardo Tormo Circuit.
The Briton even has motorcycles dedicated to him, namely the MV Agusta F4 and Brutale LH44.
Now and again the MV is paraded in front of the world’s press as Hamilton takes the short commute to ‘work’ at the Monaco Grand Prix from his nearby home.
Fernando Alonso
Fernando Alonso tested Marc Marquez’s Honda RC213V MotoGP at the Motegi Ciruit bike in 2015.
Since then, after parting ways with the Honda days now way behind him, Alonso returned to F1 with the Alpine team part-managed by ex-Suzuki MotoGP boss Davide Brivio. The driver purchased an Aprilia RS 660 to get around.
Sebastian Vettel
The four-time World Champion prefers classic motorcycles. Although he keeps his collection away from public eyes, he had been spotted on a Kawasaki two-stroke triple in the past and a Suzuki GS550. There are also rumours that he regularly visits classic motorcycle shows. He has also been see several of KTM and BMW motorcycles.
The German says he loved motorcycles after buying a Cagiva Mito 125.
Charles Leclerc
Charles Leclerc’s Husqvarna 701 Vitpilen is a one-off special created by French custom house Bad Winners. The ‘Apex 2.0’ used a Vitpilen 701 as the base, and spec’ed it up with a unique frame and bodywork, a full system exhaust, and gorgeous looking DYMAG carbon fibre wheels. And oh, a KTM headlight.
Max Verstappen
Max Verstappen had been spotted riding motorcycles in his native Netherlands.
Like Leclerc, the current F1 World Championship leader has commissioned his own custom, but prefers a cruiser in the shape of a Montois-custom Harley-Davidson.
Kimi Raikkonen
The “King of One Liners” in F1 loves his motorcycles and owns a large collection of motorcycles in his native Finland.
However, his passion is primarily for ‘Choppers’ and Harley-style cruisers and even has a series of special customs made under his ‘Iceman’ nickname.
Having retired from F1 at the end of the 2021 season having started more grands prix than any other before him, Raikkonen spent approximately five minutes with his feet up before taking everyone by surprise by being announced as the new team manager for the factory Kawasaki team in MX1.
Nico Rosberg
Being an outspoken environmentalist, Rosberg has popped up now and again touting the advancements made in automotive technology and electric transport. That laid the way to collaborating with Italian manufacturer Energica. Rosberg was hired to launch the company’s latest generation Ego sportsbike in 2019.
Michael Schumacher
Unlike others in this list, seven-time F1 World Champion Michael Schumacher not only loved motorcycles, but he even raced them. It led to him bringing his megastar status to the comparatively modest German IDM Superbike Championship in 2008 aboard the factory Holzhauer Honda.
He wasn’t a front runner on a bike that his team-mate Martin Bauer was winning the title, but he didn’t disgrace himself either. Alas, a heavy crash led to a shoulder injury that not only ended his motorcycling aspirations but ruled him out of a planned return to F1 with Ferrari to replace the injured Felipe Massa.
Ayrton Senna
The Brazilian won devoted fans around the world for his passion for anything fast, including motorcycles.
He particularly loved Ducatis and would often arrive in the Monaco Grand Prix paddock riding a Ducati Monster. The Italian firm later created the Ducati 916 Senna.
Alas, the man himself never got to experience his dedication, being launched the year following his tragic and untimely death during the 1994 San Marino Grand Prix.
One of the most irritating (and dangerous) thing to pick up a tyre puncture. Good news is, plugging a tubeless tyre puncture is rather straightforward as you do not have to remove the tyre, unless the hole is too large to plug. On the other hand, a tube tyre requires you remove the tyre from the rim.
What we need
Firstly, you need an Oxford Tyre Repair Kit. The kit is complete with:
1 x Connector complete with valve.
1 X Cutter.
5 x Sealing strips, also known as rope strips (also colloquially known as “cacing” in Malaysia).
1 x Plug insert tool.
1 x Hole routing tool.
1 x Tube of glue.
3 x CO2 canisters (avoiding the need for an air pump).
Secondly, you need the Oxford Tool Kit Pro. The set includes further pieces of tools including pliers to pull the thing that punctured the tyre. You may also consider the Oxford Tool Kit.
Plugging the puncture
Usually, the hole is easy to find as there is still a nail, screw or some object embedded in it.
1. Rotate the tyre and check for other signs of puncture.
2. Pull offending item out with the pliers.
3. Pick up the corkscrew-like tool and ream in and out of the hole to rough it up a bit.
4. Apply the cement into and around hole. The cement is to hold the rope plug (also called ‘cacing‘ colloquially in Malaysia) in place.
5. Insert the sticky rope plug through the eyelet of the needle.
6. Push the needle with the rope plug through the hole and pull the needle back out quickly.
7. Cut off the excess rope plug, leaving just a little higher than the tyre’s surface.
8. Place the metal part of the valve adapter on the tyre valve.
9. Push in a CO² canister into the red end of the adapter.
10. Check again to see if air is escaping from the repaired hole, by sprinkling some water on it or spitting on it.
11. You can ride away if there’s no further leak, or you may need to insert another plug if there is.
After plugging
You can ride away after inflating the tyre with the CO² canisters. Ride slowly, not over 80 km/h for 15 minutes to let the plug settle in.
However, the tyre pressure may not be correct after doing so, thus the first thing you should do is head to a petrol station or workshop to reinflate the tyre, whichever comes first.
Also do visit a motorcycle workshop to have the tyre removed and patched from the inside, as the rope plug is NOT a permanent fix. After that, remember that the tyre’s top speed is reduced by one level i.e. Z => V.
The best solution is to replace the punctured tyre completely, as its structure has been compromised.
The biggest milestone in motorcycle safety is the one which protects your head. It was in 1963 when the first ever full-face motorcycle helmet called the Bell Star, was designed and developed in the by Bell Helmets.
Motorcyclists (as well as drag, car and boat racers) were faced with limited choice in safety headgear. back then. There were only either three-quarter open-faced or half-helmets. Some car and bike racers wore so-called “helmets” made from leather or cork. Deaths due to severe head trauma were common.
According to Bell, it was motorcyclists that pushed for a better helmet design. Bell engineers finally came up with the first full-face motorcycle helmet called the Bell Star.
The rigid outer shell was constructed from stain weave fibreglass cloth, which was used in the aircraft industry. The direction of the weave was crucial to ensure maximum strength across the helmet’s surface and it was bonded with a high-impact polyester resin that was then coated with a scuff-resistant epoxy coating. Inside there was a conventional EPS liner, not that dissimilar to type you find on today’s helmets. In the 1960s Bell made a point of marketing the fact that the liners used in all of its crash helmets were made from the same material used by the U.S. military in its HGU 2/P flight helmet and by NASA astronaut helmets.
The Santa Cruz-based company began selling the Bell Star in February 1963 and described the helmet in its catalogue as being revolutionary, with maximum face protection, better visibility and breathing for the wearer than a conventional helmet.
But of course, being the first full-face helmet, it did not have the features of modern helmets. Firstly, there is no flip up visor. Instead, it was a shatterproof plastic lens that had to be popped out of its rubber mouldings. The eyeport was also rather small vertically, more like how auto racing helmets would have. And there were no openings for airflow.
Still, it was a good beginning. The Bell Star met the crash criteria set up by the Snell Foundation independent safety organisation. The requirement simulated crash tests to see if the helmet could withstand serious damage to the helmet or the wearer’s head. The impact test involved holding up to a 162.7 Nm impact, or the equivalent of a 7.3 kg (16 lb.) weight traveling at 25.7 km/h (16 mph) and hitting the helmet.
The Bell Star sold at USD59.50, and was the most expensive in Bell’s helmet line-up. It quickly found a big following among motorcycle enthusiasts, including racers, as well many of the world’s leading race car drivers.
Today’s crash helmet technologies are light years away from the 1963 Bell Star in terms of design, construction, materials, and features. But every single one can trace its heritage back to the iconic Bell Star.
Ride a motorcycle and hang around with other motorcyclists long enough and you will start to hear all sorts of myths. These myths involve every aspect of riding from riding techniques to components to maintenance. Today, we will look at the 10 most common and alarming tyre myths.
Tyres have come a long way since the invention of pneumatic tyres. Unfortunately, myths started to appear along the way as there is more and more misunderstanding when it comes to the technology and science of modern tyres.
1. “Racing compound tyres faster, safer.”
First and foremost, not all products meant for racing are suitable for everyday street use. For example, racing brake fluid is totally unsuitable for road use as it is super hydrophilic.
Back to tyres, there are reasons why there are different types of tyres for different purposes. Each type is designed to accommodate variables such as grip, longevity, weather, heat cycles, comfort and feel, warm-up times, etc.
That said, leave the racing slicks for the track and stick to sport/track, sport, sport-touring, road/adventure tyres for the road.
2. “Ride aggressively to break in new tyres.”
While it is true that tyre makers have stopped using mould release agent during the manufacturing process, a new tyre still needs to be broken in. Heat generated from riding further homogenises the different compounds in the tyre’s compound (because it is made up of many different materials hence the word), while friction with the road scuffs away the smooth surface of the tread.
As such, riding too aggressively on new tyres will cause the compounds to not break in correctly, and will usually result in a bad tyre by the time you get their midlife. So take it easy for at least the first 300km.
3. “Breaking in new tyres is faster with lower inflation pressure.”
Best to stick with the recommended tyre pressure. Running a tyre with lower inflation pressure will generate too much heat too quickly and can result in overcooking the elements in the compound and destroying the tyre in the process. Also, running lower pressures on the road may cause bump damage to the tyre and rim, apart from higher rolling resistance, more steering effort, and increased fuel consumption.
4. “Traction is due the tread compound.”
It is true that traction is the result of friction between the tyre’s tread and road surface, thus a softer compound offers more traction. However, there are also other complex mechanics at play that influence a tyre’s grip performance.
The construction of the tyre’s carcass and sidewalls also play a large factor in traction. More malleable carcass and sidewalls allow the tyre to absorb bumps and conform to irregularities of the road surface, enhancing traction. Conversely, a harder tyre will bounce over road irregularities, thus compromising grip.
5. “Lower/higher inflation pressure is better for traction.”
There are road riders who intentionally overinflate their tyres (by way too much!) because they want to “feel the tyres.” On the other hand, there are riders who lower the inflation pressure by too much to promote grip.
Truth is, the biggest issue here is due to incorrect riding techniques. Sticking to the recommended pressure is the best way, although you may increase or decrease the pressure slightly to cater for bodyweight, passenger, cargo, tyre construction, and such, but not by a whopping 30-100 kPa!
6. “Sport-touring tyres are for slow riders”
The question here is slow in what sense? On the road? On the track? For the daily commute? In good weather? Under heavy rain?
Of course, one should not use sport-touring tyres for racing, but there are sport-touring tyres that can be used on the track for high paced riding, just not for all-out racing. Truth is, there are current sport-touring tyres can outpace sport-oriented tyres of just two generations ago on the track! Sure, sport tyres are grippier, but sport-touring tyres are by no means inferior especially when the road conditions get gnarly, and in the rain.
7. “You can just leave a ‘cacing’ in place.”
Using the rope repair (‘cacing’ in Malaysia) is a temporary fix for a puncture, intended to get the rider to the nearest workshop. Leaving the rope in place will cause the hole to grow bigger over time. Instead, the puncture should be repaired with the proper tyre plug as soon as possible. However, remember that a punctured and subsequently repaired tyre has its speed rating dropped by one level.
8. “Old tyres are bad.”
There is no “used by” date on any tyre. Why? Because there is no true expiry date. The condition of a new tyre depends more on how the workshop stores it. Improper storage such as leaving the tyre on a concrete floor and stacked to the ceiling, in a hot and humid environment will cause the tyre’s compound to oxidise faster. Conversely, an older tyre which was stored properly (stood up, rotated once a while, in a climate controlled area) will still be in great shape.
9. “No need to follow the tyre’s intended direction of rotation.”
No, you should not. Tyre manufacturers designed and constructed a tyre with a certain rotational direction to optimise their performance. Mounting it backwards can lead to dire consequences. There are bidirectional tyres in the market, but the majority of road tyres are unidirectional.
10. “Mixing tyre type/brand is okay.”
Different tyres have different properties and performance envelopes. As such, they are designed to work in pairs. Combining different tyres will compromise the bike’s handling characteristics and even safety. And no, it is not a conspiracy to sell more tyres!
Yamaha made big waves back in 2009 when they introduced the YZF-R1 of that year with a “crossplane engine.” It is also known as the CP4 in short for “crossplane four cylinder.” Yes, it has been 15 years already, yet there still exists some confusion on what it actually means.
Not helping to clear the air is Yamaha calling their parallel-twin CP2 (MT-07, Tenere 700, and YZF-R7) and their triple CP3 (MT-09, Tracer/Tracer GT, YZF-R9).
So, let us take a closer look as to what a “crossplane engine” actually means.
Let us start with the “flat plane” engine
The “plane” in the word alludes to the crankshaft’s throws i.e. how the crankpins are arranged. Crankpins are the cylindrical extrusions on a crankshaft where big end of a connecting rod (conrod) is mounted. On the top of this conrod is a smaller end where a piston is attached via a wrist pin. As such, combustion pressure pushes down on the crown (top) of the piston, forcing the piston down. This motion is carried by conrod to push the crankshaft, making the later go around. The rotation of the crankshaft is what gives the engine its torque and power.
Traditionally, inline-four engines have their crankpins arranged in 180° intervals between them. In other words, piston one is up, the piston two is down, the following piston three is also down, and finally the last piston four is up. Seen from one end of the crankshaft, all the crankpins appear one a single plane (axis), hence the engine is known as a “flat plane.”
In accordance to this, the engine’s firing order (the order which a spark is introduced to ignite the fuel/air mixture) is every 180° of crank rotation i.e. 720°/4 cylinders = 180°. Why 720°? That is because a four-stroke engine requires two crankshaft rotations (720°) to complete the four strokes i.e. intake, compression, combustion, exhaust.
To illustrate this: Cylinder one fires, the crank turns 180°, cylinder three fires, the crank turns another 180°, cylinder four fires, and finally, cylinder two fires after another 180°. This is called an even firing order since it is 180°-180°-180°-180°.
With this crankshaft structure all 4 pistons generate the secondary force in the same direction at the same time. 2 pistons move from TDC towards 90° and 2 other pistons move from BDC to 270°. It results in accumulating all the forces, because all forces are directed in one and the same direction. This is the total secondary force of this 180°crankshaft structure.
In other words, the inline-four engine has a lot of vibration but it only feels smooth because the shakes are quelled by a counterbalancer shaft.
Now the “crossplane engine”
The first crossplane crankshat/engine was actually first proposed in 1915, before Cadillac introduced the first crossplane V8 in 1923. V8 engines used flat-plane cranks prior to that.
Now, since we have illustrated the flat-plane crank, the crossplane crank has its crankpins offset by 90°. This means, while crankpin one fully up, crankpin two is 90° away. The last crankpin is 180° from crankpin one, thus crankpin three is 90° away from crankpin four.
This arrangement would give the engine a 90°-90°-90°-90° firing order but(!) it results in a very wild power delivery like the traditional 500cc two-stroke (albeit V4) GP bikes. Mick Doohan called this the “Screamer” engine.
So, to quell that kind of character, the Big Bang firing order was introduced in the 1990 Honda NSR500, which crowded all the four cylinders’ firing order closer together, while leaving the crankshaft to turn the rest of the way without power pulses.
This is especially useful for high-powered motorcycles, because power pulses will disrupt the tyre’s grip. Each power pulse “kicks” the tyre and if the rear tyre starts to lose grip and spin, the power pulses will keep it spinning, hence losing grip. The rider has two choices here: Roll out of the throttle or end up having less acceleration off a corner, and even crash. In today’s world, traction control will interfere to cut the torque to the rear wheel causing the rider to lose acceleration off a corner.
On the other hand, having no power pulse lets the tyre “rest,” allowing it time to grip. Another advantage of this is better tyre life.
Moving forward to the Yamaha R1’s, its inline-four crossplane engine fires at 270°-180°-90°-180°. The firing order has also been changed to 1-3-2-4, instead of the flat-plane’s 1-3-4-2.
We have 4 pistons that are all in a different position from each other. Two pistons are at the beginning of moving downwards, and two pistons are at the beginning of moving upwards.
Piston 1 is at TDC and moves to 90°, while piston 4 is at BDC and moves to 270°. Both these pistons generate a force that is directed upwards (conrod outward movement), but piston 2 is at 270° and moves to TDC, while piston 3 is at 90° and moves to BDC. Both these pistons generate a force that is directed downwards (conrod inward movement).
This means that pistons 1 and 4 are a pair that have a force upwards and pistons 2 and 3 have a force directed downwards. As such, the upward forces are cancelled out by the downward forces. Ultimately, the crossplane crankshaft has no secondary force.
Benefits of the inline-four crossplane engine
With the crossplane crankshaft design, the inertia force (= inertia torque) is reduced to almost zero, apart from a little due to flex and torsion from the crankshaft. So what remains is the ‘pure’ combustion torque. The feeling of the combustion torque is what is meant by throttle feeling. The combustion torque is no longer overruled by the inertia torque with the crossplane crankshaft. This gives the rider the feeling he is directly controlling the rear wheel without any interference, thus improving the ride ability.
In addition to this is the irregular firing order which allows the rear tyre to rest as we mentioned earlier.
This was why Valentino Rossi chose the crossplane engined YZR-M1 when he joined the Yamaha MotoGP team in 2004. To him, it had a smoother throttle response and promoted better rear tyre traction. Remember this was when traction control and certainly aerodynamics were still decades away.
Yamaha then became the first manufacturer to adopt that crankshaft arrangement to a road bike, namely the YZF-R1 in 2009. It continues to be the only inline-four road bike with a crossplane crankshaft.
So, what about CP2 and CP3?
There are two types of parallel-twin crankshaft layouts, initially. Traditionally, the British twins used a 360° layout which the both pistons rose and fall together. Then, it was revised to the 180° twin, which one piston is at TDC while another is at BDC. But the former has a high secondary and primary vibrations, while the latter has high primary vibrations.
So, Yamaha first introduced the TRX850 in 1995 with a parallel-twin engine with a 270° crankshaft, to mimic the firing order of a 90° V-Twin’s.
But somehow, the TRX850 faded away. Not the engine layout, though, because Yamaha revived that format in the MT-07 in 2014, and called it the CP2 (crossplane 2-cylinder).
As for the CP3, as you may have guessed it, it is a three-cylinder engine with a crossplane crankshaft. However, it has to be said that the inline three-cylinder engine is already a crossplane engine, as the crankpins are spaced at 120° to each other rather than being on a flat-plane. It is just a matter of familial continue (and for marketing purposes) that Yamaha calls it the CP3.
So while the CP2 and CP3 are trademarks for Yamaha, the technology is not.
It is now in the middle of the transitional season in Malaysia, bringing sudden thunderstorms and heavy downpours. And as expected, there will be flash floods, like this morning on 15 October 2024.
While it is safest to sit out from riding in pouring rain and flooded roads, there is no escaping it at times, especially around flood-prone areas where the roads remain flooded even after rain has stopped.
Here are our tips for riding through flash floods (and deep puddles of water).
1. Stop and inspect
Treat riding through deep water like like it is adventure riding. No sane adventure rider will just blast headlong into an unknown body of water without first inspecting its depth, potential hazards underwater and exit on the other side.
While you may not have to get off your bike and walk through floods on the road you travel on each day, you do need to stop and look for clues. If there is another vehicle pushing through the water, note how deep it is. Observe if there is a strong water current from one side of the road to the other.
If the water is too deep or current’s too strong, forget it. Just wait for it to subside.
If you do not already know the location of your engine’s air intake, now is the good time to start. Check if it is high enough above the water. (This also applies to car drivers.)
2. Stand Up
Standing up on the footpegs promotes better stability at slow speeds, allowing you to control the bike. It can also keep your head hence eyes above water splashes so you can see where you are going.
3. Go Slow (and straight)
This goes without saying.
Throwing up a big splash may look spectacular in pictures but it is not a good idea in real world situations unless you are riding an enduro motorcycle. Hitting a deep body of water at speed would most turn the water into a liquid brake/barrier. The bike will cut through the first few metres easily before coming to a sudden halt and causing the rider to lose control (or even thrown off).
Keep your speed steady and as low as possibleto keep the water’s bow wake below the height of the engine’s air intake. Remember, you are riding a motorcycle, not a jetski.
It is also best to stay off the sides of the road and ride in the middle of the lane as roads in Malaysia are typically higher in the middle.
4. Keep moving
Do not pull in the clutch or shut the throttle abruptly.
Maintain a steady throttle and speed in the gear you are in right now, even if you should feel a tyre or tyres kicking loose when contacting something in the water. In fact, you should open the throttle a bit more if that happens.
Roll off the throttle smoothly if you need to slow down more and stay off the brakes.
5. Exiting
Do n0t gun it immediately after exiting the flood. You may increase your speed, but do not slam open the throttle, without first giving the time for the water or whatever debris collected on the bike to “drop off.”
Also, with the bike still moving, apply the brakes lightly to clean them.
6. Kill It!
But what if you hit, for example, a pothole and the bike goes down?
Make the effort to kill the engine before you lay the bike down into the water. You would most probably have the time to do so since you were riding at a slow speed, right? Right? Regardless, the engine should be shut down as quickly as possible.
An internal combustion engine is basically an air pump which sucks in air, adds fuel to it, compresses the mixture and sets it alight. But water is incompressible and non-combustible (duh!), and therefore has the potential of causing catastrophic engine damage.
Do not immediately attempt to start a motorcycle that has been lying underwater. Instead, you should pull out the spark plugs and the airbox cover to check for water ingress. If the spark plug electrodes are wet, do not reinstall them, but turn on the bike’s ignition and crank the starter a few times to push the water out of the combustion chamber.
Reinstall only when it is sufficiently dry.
Conclusion
Riding through a flood is n0t difficult but one should do it with care and logic, obviously. Sticking to the above steps will have you home way ahead of car drivers, instead of ending up swimming in that filthy water. Think of it as urban adventure riding.
The motorcycle’s air filter is another oft-neglected component. One can pick any motorcycle of age, open the airbox and find a filter that is totally caked in dust and bugs! And it is amusing to hear the owners lament that their motorcycles have “lost power.”
But then, do you clean the filter or should you get a new one? Personally, we opt to upgrade to an aftermarket filter which can be cleaned multiple times over and offer better air flow.
There are several brands of aftermarket air filters in the market; of some we have tried and discovered that some were good, while some were not so much. But there is one brand we have came to like and trust, called DNA High Performance Filters.
DNA are based in Greece and their filters are of very high quality. Each piece is inspected before being packed and there are models available for almost every motorcycle in the market.
What does the air filter do?
Its task is as essential as it is simple: To filter the intake air before it is inducted into the engine, ensuring that the air free of dust, water, and other objects that will damage the throttle bodies/carburettor, and engine. In saying so, DO NOT operate your motorcycle without an air filter – even race bikes use air filters!
“DO NOT operate your motorcycle without an air filter!”
A clean air filter allows for smooth airflow which in turn results in efficient fuel combustion. The mass airflow (MAF) sensor of EFI-equipped motorcycles sits between the filter and throttle body/bodies and measures the amount of air coming through. The engine’s ECU uses this data to inject the corresponding amount of fuel. Thus, low airflow will cause the incorrect amount of fuel being injected, hence causing a drop in engine performance.
But, the engine’s ECU can only be flexible to a certain degree. So, the insufficient airflow will also cause incomplete fuel combustion, therefore increasing relative fuel consumption.
Also, a blocked filter will cause abrupt throttle response. Air has density, hence momentum i.e. a body at rest tends to stay at rest, while a body that is moving tends to keep moving. As such, you may find that the engine is slow to respond when you first open the throttle, then it suddenly revs up quickly. That is not ideal especially for balancing your throttle input in mid-corner!
Advantages of using an aftermarket air filter
Stock air filters are typically made of foam or paper for particulate filtration.
Sure enough, there are aftermarket filters use the same materials. However, good aftermarket filters such as DNA use oiled cotton as the filter material.
Better Airflow
This is the main advantage over OEM filters is better airflow due to the material. This feature causes many other performance benefits (more on this below). The cotton gauze of a lot of aftermarket filters is highly porous, meaning that it can still block out dirt and other contaminants while allowing maximum airflow.
DNA air filter for Yamaha Y15ZR
Improved Filtration
By using oil on the gauze, the filter is able to catch all of the dirty elements that may harm your engine. In fact, it is generally even more effective at filtering than paper filters.
Better Engine Protection
Thanks to better filtration, aftermarket air filters offer better engine protection than other stock filters. Since the oiled gauze is able to trap and keep out more dirt and dust than paper filters, your engine will be better protected from the damaging effects of these particulates.
Additionally, in environments with a lot of dust, OEM paper and foam filters will generally need to be replaced quickly. They can easily be clogged up with dust and dirt, which blocks air needed to power your engine.
There are foam aftermarket filters for off-road use but these need to be cleaned more often.
Longer filter lifespan
Aftermarket air filters are typically made to last longer than OEM ones. We know how paper responds to water. Similarly, in our experience, foam OEM filters tend to crumble in our humid environment.
Just make sure you or the garage you visit cleans and oils the aftermarket filter at regular intervals.
Performance benefits of aftermarket air filters
We will not mislead you by telling you that fitting an aftermarket air filter will result in an immediate high level of performance gain. Instead, you will need to recalibrate the ECU to fully exploit the benefits. However, there are several small gains from the outset, from our experience.
Horsepower
One of the reasons why riders may choose to upgrade their air filter is to gain more horsepower. However, this benefit is only noticeable when other recalibrations and modifications are made.
Why does an air filter need other modifications? An air filter simply allows maximum airflow into the engine, but it is the ECU which decides to inject how much fuel. More air plus fuel equals more bang.
Still, modern ECUs do have a wide range of mapping programmed in and are able to account for the extra airflow to a certain degree.
On the other hand, DNA offers several “stages” of air filters for motorcycle owners. for example, there is the “normal” Stage 1, Stage 2 and Stage 3 depending on the level of modification and ECU remapping.
DNA air filter for BMW R 1300 GS
Torque
There is no horsepower without torque. Along with the potential for power increase, an advanced air filter will allow for extra oxygen which in turn results in overall better combustion process which increases torque.
Throttle Response
As we mentioned earlier, a smooth flow of air will let then engine breathe easier. You can certainly feel that the engine has softer response when you install an aftermarket air filter, and the engine will rev much quicker when you snap the throttle open. You will also see smoother torque and horsepower curves should you place the bike on a dyno due to this.
Fuel Efficiency
One of the other main benefits of installing an aftermarket air filter is the improvement in fuel efficiency. When filters do not let in enough clean air, engines have to work overtime to compensate for this loss. This leads to excess fuel consumption.
Our experience with DNA saves between 10% to 20% fuel on different motorcycles compared to when using OEM filters.
Whether you ride a 200hp sportbike or scooter, one essential area of the body that should protected is the spine. This is why we should invest in a good back protector.
While we buy the best helmet to protect our heads, and jackets that protect our elbows and shoulders, we often forget about our backbone. Like your motorcycle’s main frame, the spine is what holds the entire body together and an injury will have lasting consequences. Back injuries are common, thus wearing a decent back protector can massively reduce the chances of a damaged spine if you’re unlucky enough to be involved in an accident.
We can just see how many professional and riders have walked away from horrific crashes since the advent of back protectors in the 80s. Those who unfortunately did not had injuries to other parts of their bodies instead of the spine. (Wayne Rainey broke his spine just below the neck as his head was planted into the gravel, instead of a direct impact.)
Many modern leather or textile jackets and suits already house back protectors but some are inadequate, except if the protector is CE Level 1 or Level 2 certified. As such, we strongly recommend spending a little extra to give yourself maximum protection with a dedicated back protector. These absorb an impact far better than the flimsy piece of foam you find stuffed down the back of most jackets and some racesuits.
So, what should we look for when we buy a dedicated back protector? Here are a few simple tips to bear in mind when buying:
It has EN 1621:2013 CE-certification or approval to either Level 1 or Level 2.
Try on the protector with the kit you will be wearing, making sure it does not dig into your neck. Try a smaller one if it does.
Check the shoulder straps are adjustable for maximum comfort.
Some back protectors are articulated, while some are one piece. Test them out to see which is more comfortable or suits your needs.
Most have an adjustable Velcro waistband. Make sure it is a suitable size for you.
There are that extend to your coccyx (the tailbone at the bottom of your spine), so may try that out, too.
Brake pads are the last thing that stops your vehicle, and keeps you from ramming the vehicle in front, or going off a cliff. Thus, its importance cannot be underemphasised.
But there are three main types of brake pads, namely sintered, ceramic, and organic. So let us take a look at the differences among all three, plus their pros and cons.
A word on asbestos
But first, a safety message. Asbestos was widely used in brake pads many years ago. There are six types of this mineral and their melting points range between 400° C to 1,040° C. It is also inflammable. As such, it became the natural material for brake pads. In fact, asbestos was also widely used in other sectors and products such as electrical insulation, lining for ceramic cookware, house insulation, even firefighting suits.
However, it was discovered in the 1970s that asbestos is toxic to humans and causes mesothelioma (a type of cancer that causes a thin lining of tissue over internal organs), asbestosis (long-term inflammation and scarring of the lungs), and lung cancer when the dust is inhaled. As such, the use of asbestos containing products has been banned in 66 countries.
However, Russia continues to be the biggest miner and exporter of the material (790,000 tonnes in 2020), and there are concerns of it being used in cheap aftermarket brake pads produced in India and China. So, DO NOT skimp on the cost of brake pads and use only those from reputable brands! Additionally, do not breathe in the dust when a mechanic sprays air onto your brake components to clean them.
On the other hand, Malaysia has banned five types of asbestos i.e. crocidolite, actinolite, anthophyllite, amosite, and tremolite, but allows chrysotile for “controlled use” in the private manufacturing sector, while banning it completely from public buildings including schools and hospitals.
Sintered/Metallic brake pads
These brake pads are made of copper, steel, iron and other metals mixed with a graphite binding component.
Pros:
Metallic brake pads perform better than organic and ceramic brake pads in a wide range of temperatures.
They also continue to perform well even under the heaviest rainstorms.
They’re responsive and require minimal pressure on the pedal. The metal also withstands heat well.
They are more resistant to wear, hence last longer.
Cons:
Metallic brake pads are noisier than other types.
They cause more wear on the brake discs.
Metallic brakes are pricier than organic brake pads but more affordable than ceramic ones.
Organic brake pads
These contain the replacement materials for asbestos, known as non-asbestos organic (NOA). This mixed material is made of rubber, Kevlar, fibreglass and carbon compounds bound together with resin.
Pros:
Organic brake pads are the least expensive on the market and recommended for normal driving.
They generate enough friction to effectively stop the average vehicle yet do not produce as much heat as other pad materials.
Cons:
Organic brake pads wear out more quickly than other types, which means you will have to replace them more often.
They also do not work as well as ceramic and metallic pads in extreme temperatures.
In addition, you have to apply a bit more pressure on the lever than you do with other types of brake pads.
Ceramic brake pads
These brake pads are made from a type of dense ceramic that has copper fibres in it in order to increase friction and conductivity.
Pros:
Ceramic is the quietest brake pad material.
Ceramic brake pads perform better than organic brakes in a range of temperatures.
They last long but has less wear on steel brake discs compared to sintered pads.
Cons:
Ceramic brake pads are pricier than other types.
Plus, they underperform in extreme cold.
In addition, ceramic does not absorb as much heat as other materials.
What is missing here?
You would probably notice there is mention of carbon brake pads. Well, truth is, carbon brake pads for road use is not 100% carbon, but are of mixed materials so you would find sintered-carbon or carbon-ceramic brake pads.
True carbon brake pads are only used in the highest echelons of racing i.e. MotoGP and Formula 1.
A word about copper
More and more manufacturers are switching away from having copper fibres in ceramic and all other types of brake pads as brake dust containing copper had been found to pollute the environment, especially in waterways.
SBS is one manufacturer who are doing so and their copper-free brake pads are marked as “Better Brakes.”
The radial motorcycle tyre is so common now that almost no one gives a second thought to it. Jump on almost any big bike above 250cc and ride away… it would most probably be rolling on radial tyres. Even riders who moved up from mopeds do not question what radial tyres actually mean.
But how do you know if that tyre has radial construction? Just look for the “R” letter after its size info or speed symbol.
The radial tyre is fairly recent especially for motorcycles, compared to when the pneumatic tyre (tyre filled with air) was invented.
The first pneumatic tyre
Contrary to popular belief, the patent for the pneumatic was lodged by Scottish inventor, Robert William Thompson in 1847, instead of John Dunlop. His invention, however, did not make it to production.
But it was John Dunlop, a veterinarian, who created the first working pneumatic tyre in 1888. He invented it for his 10-year-old son who complained of headaches after riding their bicycle fitted with wooden wheels.
A pneumatic tyre means there is a layer of air inside the tyre. That air provides elasticity and hence comfort. Adjusting the air pressure adjusts comfort, and also performance.
It has to be said that the early pneumatic tyres were glued to their wheels to prevent the air from leaking and the pressure was not adjustable like in modern tyres. It was the Michelin brothers who figured a way to mount inflatable tyres without gluing them onto their rims. Incidentally, the French word for the tyre it ‘pneu‘.
Radial vs. bias-ply
Early tyres were essentially bias-ply until the advent of the radial tyre.
Bias-ply (also known as cross-ply) describes the plies that form the body the tyre being laid diagonally from bead to bead. Subsequent plies are laid on top at opposing angles, forming a criss-cross pattern (hence the name cross-ply). This allows the tyre to flex easily hence greater comfort. However, this quality was also the main disadvantage of this type of tyre, as it causes increased rolling resistance (takes more effort to get going), together with less traction and control at high speeds (the tyre deforms). Bias-ply tyres generally could not withstand the high centrifugal forces at high speeds, leading to blowouts.
On the other hand, a radial tyre utilizes ply cords that extend from bead to bead and parallel to each other, usually around 90-degrees to the tyre’s travel, instead of diagonally across like in bias-ply tyres. The plies are held in place by stabilizer belts that run just beneath the tread. The advantages of radial tyres are numerous including longer tread life, better steering control, improved fuel economy due to less rolling resistance, and better grip.
The history of the motorcycle radial tyre
It was the French tyre maker Michelin who patented the radial tyre in 1946. They finally developed the first practical radial tyre (starting with cars) in 1951 and fitted to the Lancia Aurelia. It took more than 30 years later before radial tyres made their debut on road bikes.
Who actually created the first production radial motorcycle tyres is still up for debate.
Pirelli claims it was first in 1983, when they introduced radial tires for the Honda VF1000 R. However, that tyre was only available for the said motorcycle.
Michelin, on the other hand, was the first to offer (albeit a small range) of radial tires for all brands of motorcycles in 1987 called the A59X and M59X, front and rear, respectively.
But whatever the stakes, it was Michelin who did the most research into radial tyres from the very start. The actual concept of a radial tire does though belong to Michelin, as its engineers came up with the idea for automotive tires in the 1930s.
Michelin claims its program for radial motorcycle tires began in 1981. The majority of the development work was undertaken at the racetrack with three-time World Champion Freddie Spencer running a single radial tire on the rear only of his Honda NSR500 for the 1985 season.
The next stage in radial tire development saw Michelin, in 1990, introduce silica into the rubber tire compound to resolve the early problems of finding the right balance between grip and rolling resistance, without adversely affecting the tyre’s grip. By adding silica, Michelin was also able to improve wet weather performance and its grip. It took another nine years for the Michelin Pilot Sport to become the first production bike road tire to have this feature.
Michelin also took another step to develop the first dual compound tyre, introducing a harder wearing compound at the centre combined with a softer and gripper compound on the shoulders in 1994. It was first used exclusively for racing and the development of the tyre finally bore fruit as the Michelin Power Race in 2005. The tyre was the first ever racing tyre that could be homologated for road use.
The first true all-road dual compound tyre was the Michelin Pilot Road 2 with 2CT (2 compound technology) in 2006.
Conclusion
Tyre technology and development have gone through so many milestones especially in the last 5 decades. The rise of ever more powerful, faster, and heavier motorcycles today can be directly traced to the advancement in radial tyres.
Being a moto-journalist since 1998 and having test ridden so many motorcycles, I am constantly being asked which is my favourite or which one will I recommend to own. And since this is the review of the new Triumph Speed 400, it is a forgone conclusion to a now rhetorical reason, right? Well, you need to read to the end to find out, just like a Coen Brothers’ movie.
What is the Triumph Speed 400?
The Speed 400 is one of two variants in Triumph’s new 400cc range, the result of their cooperation with Bajaj Auto which began many years ago. The range is seen as the entry level point into the Triumph family, and both take on the shape of the modern-classic Bonneville.
The 400 range which consists of this Speed 400 and the Scrambler 400 X are powered a 398cc, single-cylinder, DOHC, 4-valve engine which produces 39.5hp at 8,000 RPM ad 37.5Nm of torque at 6,500 RPM. Make no mistake, this is a Triumph-spec engine, unlike the one which powers the Dominar 400 which shares some of its architecture with the KTM 390 Duke’s.
Perhaps we need to reiterate that this lineup is built by Bajaj, but the bikes are definitely Triumphs.
What we liked, Number 5: The simplicity
Before motorcycles were segmented and micro-segmented into different categories, the Bonneville’s type of motorcycles were the only motorcycles, hence you can label it as a “standard motorcycle.” They were pure in the sense that there are two wheels, an engine, a fuel tank, a seat, a handlebar, footpegs.
Point is, motorcycles were uncluttered, uncomplicated, and in other words, simple. You only needed to jump on it, start, and go.
The Triumph Speed 400 embodies this perfectly. There is no need to fettle with the engine mapping, level of traction control, connect your smartphone.
Just ride.
What we liked, Number 4: Its specification
While this seems like a contradiction to Number 5, it is a necessity. The Speed 400 may be an entry-level model, but it has some “hidden” modern features.
The engine is modern throughout and features EFI and liquid-cooling, and is Euro 5-compliant. Likewise, the suspension consists of upside-down forks (albeit unadjustable) and a monoshock at the back, similar to the Bajaj Dominar 400’s. The instrument panel looks classic with a large speedometer, but there is a small tachometer at the side. There is traction control which can be switched on or off, but no ride mode. Brakes are Bybre and ABS is dual-channel. There is also a USB charging port, cleverly placed behind and just underneath the instrument panel.
What we liked, Number 3: That engine
It pulled really hard. It revved so quickly that it gobbled up the first three gears instantly, causing us to run into the rev limiter the first time we hammered down. It even continued to push the bike hard in 6th from 6,000 RPM and onwards to its top speed of around 160km/h.
The good spread of torque is a character of all Triumph motorcycles, letting you accelerate hard from whichever point you currently are in the rev range, in any gear. Consequently, it made short work of riding in traffic or up our KL-Genting Highlands test route.
It needed more gear-shifting than bigger bikes when we tested it by going up the Genting Highlands road, but the torque was always present for punching out of slower corners. But because it is a smaller capacity, it never overwhelms and you are not afraid to open up, compared to bigger capacity bikes where you have to judge your throttle, braking, steering actions judiciously or risk going wide.
The throttle response was smooth – again, a trait of all Triumphs – meaning the bike reacts exactly to the twist of the wrist. And this made it so much fun hammering the bike up and down Genting Highlands.
It even cruised happily at 130km/h (8,000 RPM) all day without sounding like the engine will explode.
What we liked Number 2: Its handling!
We have said this over and over again: Triumph makes the best handling bikes and we are glad that the Speed 400 is no exception. In fact, it is the best handling Triumph!
All we needed to do was, for want of a better word, chuck the bike into any corner. See the corner, chuck it in. See another corner, chuck it in. The wide handlebar made countersteering a cinch because it responded immediately to our inputs.
The suspension may seem rudimentary but it absolutely soaked up all the bumps and holes on that road. We were a little apprehensive at first but discovered that no amount of road imperfection apart from speed bumps could throw the bike off its cornering line.
First victim to discover this was a VW Golf R32 driver who tried to race us. He was gone in just two corners. Another Proton X50 driver thought he could do the same, even by attempting to squeeze us off our cornering line. He was also despatched after two corners.
On the way down, a KTM 390 Duke rider gave chase but was left behind after the section consisting of “S” bends. Next was a group consisting of a Honda CBR250R, Yamaha YZF-R25, and several Yamaha Y16ZRs. They could not keep up after we chucked the Speed 400 through that one particularly tricky slippery and reducing radius left-hander.
On the SPE, a BMW R 1200 GS rider saw us in his mirrors and opened up. Of course, we could not keep up in a straight line due to the huge engine power deficit, yet we managed to cling on behind him in the corners as we chucked the bike around at speeds between 120-130km/h without even going off throttle. He was surprised to see us still behind when the road straightened out and he rolled out to see what bike it was.
How we wished we could paint the silhouettes of our “kills” on the side of the tank, just like how fighter pilots do!
Now, this would not have been even a blip of a talking point if the Speed 400 was a sportbike, but it is not – it is a modern classic standard. Comparing it to the likes of the 390 Duke, the Duke needs more commitment and a skilled and experienced rider to ride it fast, whereas we think almost anyone can be fast on the Speed 400. Heck, I do not think I went up and down Genting this fast even on the Triumph Street Triple 765 RS!
To put it into perspective, it was like riding a 250cc naked bike with well-sorted suspension, great throttle response, and smooth torque.
What we liked, Number 1: Accessibility and practicality
Great features, engine, handling, all wrapped up in an accessible and practical package. The seat is low and comfortable, with the handlebars placed at just the right height. The brakes were good although it needed a slightly harder pull, the clutch action was smooooooth. The gears slotted in solidly. The bike was light on paper and could be felt immediately. It went fast immediately when we wanted to be fast, and cruised serenely when we wanted to relax.
You could install a tank bag and side bags for touring. The engine is fuel efficient, wringing out 300+km from 12 litres.
And all these, for just RM26,900 (selling price) which puts it as a power player in the 250cc-400cc segment.
Shortcomings
Of course there were, but they probably due to rider preferences and riding styles.
Firstly, the first three gears where too short and the space from third to fourth a little wide. That left us changing up and down between third and fourth while in traffic. This can be fixed by swapping the stock front sprocket out to one with one tooth bigger, or dropping two teeth out back. It should make the engine run at lower revs during cruises, and help with rolling speeds into corners.
Secondly, we detected iffy fuel injected between 5,000-6,000 RPM on partial throttle in all gears. We circumvented this by either using a higher gear in lower RPMs, and lower gear above those RPMs. Still, it should not exist for a Triumph.
Thirdly, the bike tended to squirm during hard braking due to the aggressive steering angle (24.3 degrees). However, this was cured by clamping our inner thighs hard onto the sides of the fuel tank. That said, they bike does not like being trail braked into corners due to its rearward weight distribution, consequence of its riding position. It also waggled the handlebar in really high-speed corners. We suspect this can be easily fixed by increasing the rear shock’s preload to move more weight to the front.
However, these are just (very) minor niggles to detract from the overall enjoyment of riding the bike. We had to come up with these for the sake of a balanced review.
Closing
Coming back to the opening, can I place the Triumph Speed 400 as one of my personal favourites? And would I recommend buying it?
