Reviews Archives

The Greatest Honda V4 Motorcycles (Part 1)

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

10. Honda VF750F Interceptor (1982-1985)

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

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

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

9. Honda VF1000R (1984-1987)

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

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

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

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

8. Honda VF400F (1983-1987)

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

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

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

7. Honda VFR1200F (2009-2017)

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

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

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

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

6. Honda NR750 (1992)

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

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

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

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

To be continued…

What is a 270-Degree Crank Engine?

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Cordura – The Wonder Material for Motorcycle Clothing?

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

Real world evaluation

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

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

So, what is Cordura?

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

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

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

Key points about Cordura motorcycle gear:

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

Important considerations when choosing Cordura gear:

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

Zontes 703RR First Ride Review

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

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

What is the Zontes 703RR?

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

A short highlight of its features include:

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

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

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

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

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

196kg wet weight.
Seat height is 795mm.

Riding the Zontes 703RR

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

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

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

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

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

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

Conclusion

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

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

Zontes 703F First Ride Review

Zontes was in the midst of developing three cylinder engine and motorcycle when we visited the factory in 2019. They have teased it since then and there had been several prototypes along the way. Now, after just three years (not counting the two years spent in lockdown due to the Covid-19 pandemic), they have launched the Zontes 703F three cylinder adventure bike.

The Zontes 703F has the distinction of the first Chinese produced three-cylinder motorcycle. The boss of the company had stated that he prefers the three-cylinder format as it provides strong torque in the low-end and mid-range RPMs and useable maximum horsepower in the upper RPM range.

And true enough, the bike was launched at EICMA this year when the bike has already been in production back at their factory, unlike other manufacturers who take another year to produce their final products.

But Zontes being Zontes, the bike is not just the engine and little else. As such, it is equipped with a whole litany of features.

Highlights:

699cc, three-cylinder, DOHC, fuel-injected engine which produces 97hp at 10,000 RPM and 76Nm at 7,500 RPM. That is a good spread of RPM between maximum torque and maximum power.
Six-speed transmission with quickshifter.

Cast aluminium frame (not welded anywhere).
One-piece cast aluminium swingarm.

One-piece cast aluminium subframe.
Full coverage sump guard.

Handguards.
Marzocchi upside-down forks adjustable for compression and rebound damping.
Marzocchi monoshock adjustable for compression and rebound damping..

There are two variants. One is a road-biased version, fitted with a 19-inch front wheel. The other is an adventure variant, fitted with a 21-inch front wheel. The rear wheel is 18-inches for both. The wheels are fitted with Michelin Anakee tyres.
Dual 310mm brake discs gripped by J.Juan 4-piston calipers up front. J.Juan is a subsidiary of Brembo.

Seat height of only 825mm.
Electrically adjustable windscreen.

8-inch colour TFT screen.
Automatic headlights and cornering lights.

Traction control and ABS are standard.
Built-in front and rear dashcam.

Keyless ignition and fuel filler cap.

First ride experience

To start off, the seat was low and allowed even the shortest of us tester to plant our feet securely on the ground. Although the specs say a seat height of 825mm, it felt much lower than that. That low seat height made lifting the bike off its stand rather easy despite it weighing 240kg, wet. Pushing it around was different, though.

The engine started with the characteristic three-cylinder roar, and the stock exhaust system was actually pretty loud and gave off a throaty rumble. Then that rumble is combined with a howl at higher RPMs just like what a triple is supposed to do. It surely surprised us because new Euro5+ compliant bikes are aurally emasculated these days.

Slip the clutch and the bike goes. The engine was super smooth for a triple, which the factory told us was due to the new frame. In fact, it was the smoothest triple we have ridden thus far, besides sounding smooth too. Be careful here, because we snapped the throttle open and the bike responded immediately and just took off. We rode on the same narrow road on top of the dam and it was shared with the villagers on their trikes around here, so we took it easier. However, the fastest rider in our group plus a racer from Zontes Malaysia managed to take it up to 200km/h from a rolling start in just 500 metres!

The suspension was also much improved compared to the internally built ones of old. The damping rates were much more supple regardless of what kind of surface we rode on.

Our concern was mainly for the 21-inch front end of the adventurer, or more specifically whether it wanted to tuck under when cornering. But that did not happen.

Conclusion

Zontes spent the last several years working non-stop on this bike and it showed. The body panels all fitted well. The same body panels were robot painted and had not one single blemish in them. There were no loose cables and wires anywhere, nuts and bolts were hidden way. Its quality rivals the best Japanese and European bikes that are double its price.

We did not get to ride the Zontes 703F as much as we wanted during that one day but all the indicators point towards a well-developed bike. It just goes to show how much the premium Chinese motorcycle makers can improved in just a short time.

We really hope Zontes Malaysia will extend us a test Zontes 703F when it gets here.

Zontes 368G First Ride Review, The Game Changer

Five years ago, just before the world went in survival mode, we had visited the Guangdong Tayo Motorcycle Technology in China, the maker of Zontes Motorcycles. Since then, we have seen the arrival of the Zontes 310 and 155 line-ups in Malaysia. Fast forward five years and here it is, the Zontes 368G.

What is it?

The Zontes 368G is a scooter built on Zontes’ all-new 368 platform and is the latest contender in the crossover scooter segment. That means semi-knobby tyres on wire spoked wheels, and crash bars. But we shall see what sets this one apart from the competition in a bit.

Zontes says that they took inspiration from the Gundam anime series for the bike’s design.

Launched in China in May 2024, it has taken the Chinese, European, and Thai markets by storm. The factory had to work overtime in order to keep up with the orders. Well, why not because the Thai distributor alone saw 9,000 orders on the very same day of the launching in September this year!

Features

Be warned, the list of features will put even some bigger and more expensive bikes to shame, much less its direct competitors!

368cc, liquid-cooled, DOHC, single-cylinder engine that produces a whopping 38.8hp and 40Nm of torque. The only more powerful cylinder engine is the 399cc LC4c from 2024 KTM Duke 390. But then the Duke is a naked sportbike, so the 368G’s engine takes the prize as the most powerful powerplant in the 350cc-400cc scooter category.
Upside-down 41mm forks adjustable for compression damping and tension (rebound damping).

Dual shocks adjustable for preload and tension, with remote reservoirs.
300mm front disc grabbed by a four-piston J.Juan radially-mounted caliper. J.Juan is now owned by Brembo.

ABS is dual-channel but the rear ABS can be turned off for off-road riding.
790mm standard seat height. The owner can opt for the 770mm lowered seat height.

Ground clearance is 180mm.
Front wheels are 17-inches, the rear are 14-inches.

Massive 52-liter underseat storage space that can take two full-face helmets. You can fit an adventure helmet (sideways) at the rear portion!
Three. Yes, 3(!) USB charging ports.

8-inch (uh-huh) colour TFT screen. Much sharper and bright under harsh sunlight now.
Two power modes – Sport and Economy.

Backlit switchgear.
Keyless ignition and fuel filler cover.

Adjustable windscreen over 7 positions.
Adjustable front and rear brake levers.

Hand protectors are standard.
Extra pair of footpegs for the rider to stand on when riding off-road (or if he wants to ride aggressively).

Front and rear facing dashcam as a standard feature.
And a partridge in a pear tree.

Our first ride

The media were bused to a remote region for a nice stretch of country road over a water reservoir’s dam. A few minutes later, a truck arrived and dropped off the 368G, 368D, 368E, plus the Zontes 703F triple. The three 368Gs looked like they just rolled out of the factory with all the plastic sheeting intact over the decals.

We rode over a truly bumpy road through a quaint farming village in order to reach and served as the initial test of the bike’s suspension. We did not even bother to ride on the smoother concrete portion as the chassis soaked it all up.

We cut loose as soon as we hit the beautifully paved dam road and the Zontes 368G just pulled smartly and quickly without that familiar shake typical of single-cylinder bikes. And it steered smartly into the corners too, without hesitation.

Oh, I forgot that I had a passenger onboard at the time. On later runs, the fastest (and most daring rider) managed to clock 166km/h with more to spare! Remember, these bikes have not even been broken in yet.

But me, I took it easy it was so peachy to ride. The throttle response was with no perceptible flat spots – open it and it goes, close it and the bike slows down smoothly. Similarly, the brakes had a good bite while providing great feedback. You just know how much finger force is needed to slow the bike.

Although it looks like the X-ADV at first glance, the body is actually much more compact. The footboards are also narrower, allowing the rider to plant his feet confidently on the road.

Speaking of planting his feet, we were surprised to find an extra pair of footpegs in addition to those for the passenger’s. These are meant for the rider to step on when he rides off-road. Not only that, the rubber pads can be removed, for the footrests’ spikes to grip the rider’s soles. This is a much better alternative than attempting to stand on the footboards. Additionally. the handlebar has markings for more accurate positioning. The passenger’s footrests are also placed higher and further behind compared to those on other scooters for the pillion’s comfort.

As for the electronics, the TFT screen in now much, much more improved – larger, sharper, brighter and can be read even under direct sunlight. The switchgear’s backlight is also much brighter and in red (not blue anymore) so to not degrade the rider’s night vision.

The other bits that impressed us was the built quality and attention to detail. which the pictures do no justice. The panels fit superbly and the paint was top notch (Zontes uses robots to paint their bikes). The plastic bits did not feel cheap to the touch or that they may become brittle, either. The finish on the mirror stalks and brake levers are the best we have seen.

It is simply lightyears ahead of the 155 and 310 series, and it shows you what Zontes has achieved in just 5 years from our visit. Now just compare that with most manufacturers who only refreshed their bikes’ graphics every year.

Price and availability

Zontes Malaysia says it will sell under RM29,000 and are targeting an official launch in the first quarter of 2025. The Road Transport Department (JPJ) will take two months for testing in order to award the bike its Vehicle Type Approval prior to its sale, anyway.

Conclusion

We hope to be able to test the bike more extensively when it gets here, Everyone of us came away super impressed with the Zontes 368G. The engine, suspension, attention to detail, quality, features, and finally price may well see it as the most popular scooter in the country.

D3O Vibration Dampening Insoles Instroduced, but What is D3O?

The British shock absorption specialist, D3O, has come up with a solution in the form of D3O vibration dampening insoles for footwear.

One thing that never goes away when riding a motorcycle is vibration from both the road and the bike itself. Road vibrations is something we can address by tweaking the suspension or changing the tyres, but that high frequency buzz from some bikes can cause our legs and feet to go asleep especially when riding for long distances.

But who and what is D3O…?

Putting D3O aside for a moment, let us look at other motorcycle gear armour: If it is comfort you want, let us say for daily riding, the armour is soft and may not be able to absorb high impact forces. You can wear the jacket or pants as casual clothing.

On the other hand, if you want more protection, comfort is sacrificed because the armour is usually harder and larger. You will look like a cyborg if you want to wear that jacket around and the hard armour can be uncomfortable and limits mobility.

Enter D3O. D3O’s armour is made of substances that result in non-Newtonian properties. Non-Newtonian solid do not exist but there are non-Newtonian fluids. One good example is tomato ketchup which flows easier when shaken.

So, D3O’s signature armour is malleable and soft to the touch, allowing for great mobility and comfort, but the molecules will instantaneously together and stiffen to absorb large impact forces. And that is really all there is to it.

As such, D3O armour sees a wide variety of uses including in military helmets, bicycle helmets, the aforementioned riding gear, and shoes such as several models in Stylmartin’s line-up.

Back to the new D3O insoles…

The D3O vibration dampening insoles were developed from Formula One teams. These insoles are engineered distribute impacts and vibrations evenly across the soles for improved comfort.

There are three levels of protection: ‘Minimalist’, ‘Standard’, and ‘Loaded.’

Across all three, the main protection is afforded to the midsole area, where the foot meets the peg. The more premium versions feature additional damping material over larger areas.

The product is much welcomed, given that some of us riders have sought many ways to damp our bikes’ vibrations. D3O says it will be available in 2025.

2024 Suzuki V-Strom 250SX Test and Review, The Most User-Friendly Dual-Purpose Bike?

So, the motorcycling world has been shifting towards dual-purpose/adventure and sport-touring motorcycles for many seasons now. Say ‘dual-purpose’ and people usually think about those 1000cc and above behemoths such as the GS, Africa Twin, Super Adventure, V-Strom 1050… But, there is a demand for lightweight adventure bikes, as well, hence the 250cc dual-purpose/adventure market is fought over teeth and nails by manufacturers. And this is where the 2024 Suzuki V-Strom 250SX fits in.

The smallest of the V-Strom family is not new, by the way, and it was in fact one of the very first 250cc adventure bikes, known as the DL250 since 2017. However, the updated bike, now wearing the ‘V-Strom’ family name has just arrived in Malaysia.

Features

As with its peers in this segment, it is a simple bike.

The engine is a 248cc, single-cylinder, SOHC, oil-cooled unit which produces 26hp at 9,300 RPM and 22.2Nm at 7,300 RPM. Before we forget, the bike is a certified EEV – Energy Efficient Vehicle.

That power is sent through a six-speed transmission. There is no assist and slipper clutch.
The engine is housed in a tubular steel frame, to which the front telescopic forks and rear monoshock are also mounted.

Brakes are discs front and rear, with ABS as standard.
Steering angle is a relaxed 27º, seat height is 835mm, and kerb weight is 167kg.

Lighting is LED all-around, the instrument panel consists of an LCD screen, and there is a USB charging port at the side of the instrument “tower.”
Speaking of the tower, the windscreen occupies a high position and is unadjustable.

There are several adventure bike features such as hand protectors and a small sump guard.

And that is all, folks.

Riding the 2024 Suzuki V-Strom 250SX

The seat heigh of 835mm is not low but it is not the highest among its rivals, either. Suzuki did a great job of slimming the area where the seat meets the tank, allowing the rider to place a foot on the ground easily. Anyway, just an advice from us, which we learned from Chris Birch, “The biggest mistake among new adventure bike riders is trying to place both feet on the ground at the same time. Putting one foot down is more secure.”

Having ridden other 250cc adventure bikes before, we kind of expected the engine’s torque to be further up the rev range. Instead, the Suzuki pulled away briskly when the clutch was released.

It turned out to be a good thing because it made short work of riding through heavy traffic. We took the bike off-road and that low-down torque made the bike easy to manage, too. All we needed to do was open the throttle slightly and modulate the clutch. Easy.

While it makes a “mere” 26hp, we found that it was more than sufficient while cruising at 120-130km/h on highways. If you are looking for high top speeds from this bike, you are missing the point.

Road handling is good, just like other Suzukis, but the bike turned in a little slower, before plopping on its side. We attributed that to the MRF tyres. These tyres offer some good grip on dry roads and light off-road trails, but they are super slippery in the wet. The first to go was the front as it tries to slide underneath. So, to overcome this, we pushed the bike down on wet roads and leaned to the inside when it was dry.

But the true revelation of the Suzuki V-Strom 250SX is the suspension. It was supple yet held its own when hitting bumps and potholes. In fact, we had to confirm it by purposely riding over bumpy roads and through potholes. We even jumped over speed bumps. Sorry, Suzuki Malaysia.

Mated to superbly padded seats and you have a bike that made riding around in KL an easy and comfortable affair. Riding it felt like a bigger bike but with lower weight and easier handling.

The icing on the cake was the fuel frugal engine. We averaged 31km/litre consistently despite riding the bike between 110-130km/h.

Build quality

The bike’s build quality was superb: Flush fitting panels, even paint, and there was no wayward cables and wires when you took down past the top triple clamp. Even the undersides of luggage rack was smooth to the touch.

Pricing

It is actually hard to believe that the 2024 Suzuki V-Strom 250SX is priced at only RM17,800, while all its rivals are above RM20,000. You get a lot of value given its quality, engine, suspension, comfort, and looks.

Conclusion

Truth is, if you want an user-friendly beginning adventure bike, or a lightweight adventure bike for the daily commute, this is it. Beginners can use the V-Strom 250SX to learn the intricacies of off-road riding, while veteran riders can look forward to a jump they can jump on and ride away.

In closing, it is a great buy. Just make ours in Champion Yellow No. 2.

Photo gallery

Yamaha did Make V4 Grand Prix Engines Previously

Yamaha announced several months ago that they will be trying out a new V4 engine in MotoGP next year. It is the first time that the manufacturer will be fielding the configuration since MotoGP first signalled the start of four-stroke engines in 2002. However, it is not the first Yamaha V4 Grand Prix engine.

Just like what is happening now since Fabio Quartararo’s rider’s title in 2021, Yamaha’s GP efforts had lost their way in the early 1980s. The maker had won three world 500cc titles on the trot in 1978, 1979, and 1980 with ‘King’ Kenny Roberts onboard the Yamaha YZR500 OW48 inline-four two-stroke machine, but Suzuki had been close especially in 1980 with their rotary valved square four RG500.

So, Yamaha built their own rotary valved square four engine for the 1981 season, dubbed the OW60. But Suzuki improved their bike further and caused Roberts to finish third overall behind Suzuki riders Marco Lucchinelli and Randy Mamola.

Yamaha decided to take another route for 1982, this time with the OW61 V4. However, Roberts found it difficult to ride and he dropped to fifth in the championship. Legend has it that the OW61 was so bad that Yamaha’s race chief Mike Maekawa personally dumped the bikes into the crusher at the end of the season.

The factory introduced an improved OW70 V4 for 1983 and Roberts so nearly won his fourth title that year, only to lose by a mere 2 points to Freddie Spencer on the sweeter handling Honda NS500 V3.

“The Yamaha OW70 was the first GP bike to utilise Öhlins suspension.”

Frustrated, Roberts decided to retire but it was too soon because in 1984, Eddie Lawson was crowned champion on the new OW76, becoming the first V4 champion. Lawson would repeat the feat in 1986 and 1988.

Thus it became apparent to other makers that the V4 configuration is the best bet for power and chassis performance. Honda, Suzuki, Cagiva soon built their own V4 machines. This continued until the 500cc two-strokes were replaced by 990cc four-strokes in 2002.

Hence, if Roberts’ era was the war between Yamaha and Suzuki, Lawson’s era started the epic Honda vs. Yamaha war in 500cc GP. Freddie Spencer (Honda – 1985), Lawson (Yamaha – 1986, 1988, Honda – 1989), Wayne Gardner (Honda – 1987).

Come 1990, it was another American rider who would go on to be a GP legend on the Yamaha V4 GP bike: Wayne Rainey. He would win the title in 1990, 1991, and 1992 while battling his Suzuki arch rival, Kevin Schwantz on the Suzuki.

Rainey was on his way to his fourth consecutive title in 1993 but a crash at Misano caused him to be paralysed from the chest down.

Schwantz would take his only 500cc GP title that year.

“1993 was also the end of the Yamaha V4’s winning streak and they would not win another 500cc two-stroke title.”

The subsequent years from 1994 to 2001 saw Honda’s dominance of the championship with Mick Doohan (1994-1998), Alex Criville (1999), Valentino Rossi (who won 11 races in 2001). The only year when a Honda rider did not win the championship was in 2000 when Kenny Roberts, Jr. won on a Suzuki ).

“Yamaha’s next championship title would only materialise in 2004 when Valentino Rossi switched over from Honda.”

However, Yamaha had gone the inline-four route in MotoGP since the beginning in 2002, perhaps because they worked off the YZF-R1’s engine as the base. The R1 ruled the 1000cc superbike sales during the time, anyway, so Yamaha may have wanted to tie in the R1 to the YZR-M1 racebike.

They are the last manufacturer to switch to a V4 in MotoGP after Suzuki left the championship, amongst their rivals Ducati, Aprilia, KTM, and Honda who run V4 bikes. In any case, Yamaha has said that the performance of new V4 engine will be compared against the inline-four, and will only complete the changeover should the new engine perform better.

Let us see if the new engine will debut in the Winter Tests.

Tyre Review: Michelin Power 6 – Predictable In The Wet & Dry

Michelin Malaysia expanded its motorcycle tyre line-up with the introduction of the Power 6 earlier this year. The Power 6 is the successor to the Power 5 and in terms of line-up, it sits above Michelin’s Road 6 sports touring tyre, and just below the Power GP2.

The Power 6 has been developed using knowledge derived from MotoGP. It utilises a new carcass construction as well as silica rubber that maximises long-term durability and grip in all conditions.

As for the compound of the tyre, the Power 6 is made of dual compound material – soft on the outside and hard in the middle. This is said to improve cornering grip while also improving long durability.

The Power 6 is a road tyre and hence a lot of its construction material is focused on that. According to Michelin, the Power 6 is designed for 10% track use and 90% road use. But despite that, some reviews suggest that the new tyre does pretty well on track as well.

What bikes is it suitable for?

When Michelin Malaysia introduced the tyre back in April, the company said the tyre is suitable for bikes above 600cc. However, according to the official press release on the company’s global media site, the Power 6 is suitable for motorcycles over 300cc, and has already been homologated on the 2024 KTM 390 Duke.

What is it like?
Michelin Malaysia handed us a pair for review about two months ago. We fitted it onto a Aprilia Shiver belonging to a member of our team.

The 10 year bike previously ran on Michelin Power GT at the rear and a Power Cup 2 on the front. According to owner Raimi, this set up gave him the confidence to attack corners.

Raimi is not exactly a power rider in the usual sense, he rides about 200km per weekend and describes himself as a leisure rider.

After two months and 2000km of corner carving fun, and having ridden the bike in fair and rainy weather, Raimi came back with a glowing report.

He said that it has good wet weather grip, and it performs in the wet just as Michelin describes it. He was initially concerned that the hard compound of the mid-section may result in some squirms or slides, but there was none of that.

In the dry, he said the bike feels more ‘flickable’, with sharper cornering characteristics and more predictable grip than his previous tyre choice.

However, he mentions that some tend to mistake the tyre for the Road 6, so Michelin’s idea of having the Power 6 branding embosses onto the tyre was a good idea.

Raimi gave the tyre 5 stars and loves the fact that despite riding 2000km on the tyre, it still looks new.

The Michelin Power 6 is available in Malaysia from RM1,020 to RM2,000 depending on the size of the tyre.

Did You Know there were Bata Tyres?

The Bata brand of footwear is a global phenomenon. It is so well engrained in the lives of so many in so many countries for so long that the population of almost any of those countries thought that Bata is a local brand. For example, Malaysians think it originated from Malaysia, Indonesians think that it began in Indonesia (as they do with everything, anyway), even some countries in Africa think the same, too. But did you know there were Bata tyres, too?

Yup, that picture above was taken in 1932. The gentleman on the left was Dr. Ferdinand Porsche and the driver was Hans Stuck, in an Auto Union race car. Auto Union was what became Audi later.

History of Bata

The Bata Corporation (Baťa in the Czech Republic and Slovakia) is a multinational footwear, apparel, and fashion accessories manufacturer and retailer of Moravian (Czech) origin, headquartered in Lausanne, Switzerland.

The corporation is one of the world’s leading shoemakers by volume with 150 million pairs of shoes sold annually. It has a retail presence of over 5,300 shops in more than 70 countries across five continents and 21 production facilities in 18 countries. Bata is an employer to over 32,000 people globally.

A family-owned business for over 125 years, the company is organized into three business units: Bata, Bata Industrials (safety shoes) and AW Lab (sports style). Bata is a portfolio company with more than 20 brands and labels, such as Bata, North Star, Power, Bubblegummers, sprint, Weinbrenner, Sandak, and Toughees.

The T. & A. Baťa Shoe Company was founded on 21 September 1894 in the Moravian town of Zlín, Austria-Hungary (today in the Czech Republic), by three siblings: Tomáš Baťa, his brother Antonín, and his sister Anna. The Baťa family had been cobblers for generations. The company employed 10 full-time employees with a fixed work schedule and a regular weekly wage.

But Tomáš ran into financial difficulties almost as soon as the company was set up. So he decided to sew shoes from canvas instead of leather, which becme extremely popular. The company soon grew to 50 employees.

Tomáš was also active in seeking out new manufacturing techniques a-nd kept modernising his factory for mss production. By 1912, Baťa was employing 1500 full-time workers, plus another several hundred who worked out of their homes in neighbouring villages.

World War I

The company fortunately continued to do well when World War I broke out in 1914, as they secured orders from the military. In fact, Bata’s employees increased 10 times between 1914 and 1918.

However, the Austro-Hungarian Empire was broken up after the war, giving birth Czechoslovakia (and the Balkan states). The new country’s currency was devalued by 75%, demand for products dropped, production was cut back, and unemployment was at an all-time high. Tomáš Baťa responded to the crisis by cutting the price of Bata shoes in half. The company’s workers agreed to a temporary 40 percent reduction in wages; in turn, Baťa provided food, clothing, and other necessities at half-price. He also introduced one of the first profit-sharing initiatives, transforming all employees into associates with a shared interest in the company’s success (today’s equivalent of performance-based incentives and stock options).

Baťa also began to build towns and factories outside of Czechoslovakia and to diversify into such industries as tanning (1915), energy (1917), agriculture (1917), forestry (1918), newspaper publishing (1918), brick manufacturing (1918), wood processing (1919), rubber (1923), construction (1924), railway and air transport (1924), book publishing (1926), the film industry (1927), food processing (1927), chemical production (1928), tyre manufacturing (1930), insurance (1930), textile production (1931), motor transport (1932), sea transport (1932), and coal mining (1932), airplane manufacturing (1934), synthetic fibre production (1935), and river transport (1938). In 1923 the company boasted 112 branches.

But we are here to talk about Bata tyres, so let us carry on from there.

Bata tyres

In the 1930’s, tyres in Czechoslovakia were either overpriced imports or local high quality tyres. The high cost of transporting goods caused by the price of foreign tyres prompted Tomáš Bat’a to set up his own tyre factories.

In 1932, the first Bata tyres were used on the journey from Zlín to Luhačovice. The demand for Bata tyres grew rapidly, so Tomáš Bata built new factories and expanded production both in terms of the number of units and the breadth of the product range, displacing competing tyres from Czechoslovakia.

Unfortunately, 1932 was also the year when Tomáš Bat’a died after his airplane crashed during takeoff.

Then, in 1939, World War II broke out.

After The Great War

The Bata company’s assets in Czechoslovakia, East Germany, Poland and Yugoslavia were confiscated and nationalised.

In 1945, the decision was taken that Bata Development Limited in Great Britain would become the service headquarters of the Bata Shoe Organisation. Now based in the West, Thomas J. Bata, along with many Czechoslovakian expatriates, began to rebuild the business.

Back in Czechoslovakia, the three largest tyre manufacturers agreed to merge and create a single brand. The three were Bata, Rubena, and Mitas, therefore birthing the brand Barum.

Barum continues to operate through the communist regime’s rule until 1992 when they signed a contract with Continental. Barum Continental became the second largest joint venture in the Czech Republic when they began operating on 1 March 1993.

As for the Bata, they continued to produce shoes the world over, and leaving the tyre business altogether.

Pierer Mobility Looking for Cash Infusion, Will They Sell off Brands?

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.

Bikesrepublic

Reviews

10. Honda VF750F Interceptor (1982-1985)

9. Honda VF1000R (1984-1987)

8. Honda VF400F (1983-1987)

7. Honda VFR1200F (2009-2017)

6. Honda NR750 (1992)

To be continued…

Real world evaluation

So, what is Cordura?

Key points about Cordura motorcycle gear:

Important considerations when choosing Cordura gear:

What is the Zontes 703RR?

Riding the Zontes 703RR

Conclusion

Highlights:

First ride experience

Conclusion

What is it?

Features

Our first ride

Price and availability

Conclusion

But who and what is D3O…?

Back to the new D3O insoles…

Features

Riding the 2024 Suzuki V-Strom 250SX

Build quality

Pricing

Conclusion

“The Yamaha OW70 was the first GP bike to utilise Öhlins suspension.”

“1993 was also the end of the Yamaha V4’s winning streak and they would not win another 500cc two-stroke title.”

“Yamaha’s next championship title would only materialise in 2004 when Valentino Rossi switched over from Honda.”

History of Bata

World War I

Bata tyres

After The Great War

Archive

Follow us on Facebook

Follow us on YouTube

BikesRepublic