Francesco Bagnaia recorded his third consecutive pole position after recording the fastest time at Circuit of the Americas, round 15 of 18 in the 2021 MotoGP World Championship.
The Ducati rider also ended Honda’s Marc Marquez perfect pole position record at Austin after clocking 2:02.781s during the later stage of Q2.
Championship leader, Fabio Quartararo, will start at P2 in a bid to retain his lead against Bagnaia, with the two separated by just 48 points.
Meanwhile, despite clocking the fast time during the earlier stage of Q2, Marquez was push back by Bagnaia and Quartararo to start at P3.
However, it was a positive result for the Spaniard, who returned to the front row 441 days later since the 2020 Spanish GP.
Pramac’s Jorge Martin appears as the second-fastest Ducati rider on the grid and will start at P4, followed by Honda’s Takaaki Nakagami (P5).
Surprisingly, Jack Miller, who was fast all weekend, could only manage the tenth place and was visibly furious at the end of the session.
As an effort to promote riders safety with Allianz Motorcycle Plus, Allianz General Malaysia is stepping up the game by offering the Honda CBR250RR for one lucky winner.
Riders who purchase the Allianz Motorcycle Plus or Allianz Motorcycle (Comprehensive or Third Party) policy between 1st October and 31st December 2021 will stand a chance to be in the running to win a Honda Wave Alpa or the grand prize, the 2021 Honda CBR250RR worth RM25,999.
The campaign will feature three draws; each draw will be held at the end of each month, October, November and December, with the grand prize winner to be announced in the final month.
Customers who purchase the Allianz Motorcycle Plus and Allianz Motorcycle Policy (Comprehensive) are entitled to three entries, while Third-Party policy permits one entry.
“We know it has been a tough year for everyone, and with everything that has been going on, we wanted to do something nice for the riders out there.
“We have seen a lot more motorcycles on our roads since the pandemic, and with riders being so grossly underserved, our focus was on doing things to change that. We enhanced our Allianz Motorcycle Plus to offer improved protection and even introduced free roadside assistance for motorcycles.
“Having the 111 Motorcycle Campaign is just a nice way to bring everything together and hopefully bring a smile to our customer’s faces said Sazali Abdul Rahman, Deputy Chief Sales Officer of Allianz General.
Ducati rolls out the first episode of the Ducati World Premier 2022 (DWP 2022) web series with the new Multistrada V2.
While it may look like the current 950S, the Multistrada V2 is a far technologically advanced motorcycle thanks to an all-new electronic package.
According to the Bologna-based company, the entire build was focus on ergonomics, weight reduction, and engine updates.
As a result, the new Multistrada V2 is equipped with the latest 937cc Testastretta 11° with desmodromic distribution and a water-cooled unit that delivers 113hp and 98Nm.
The twin-cylinder engine offers linear and manageable power at low-revs while also capable of pumping greater torque when needed.
Ducati claimed the engine has an extended maintenance interval, with a regular oil change at every 15,000km and Ducati Desmo service (valve clearance check) at every 30,000km.
This is contributed by using new connecting rods, a new 8-disc hydraulic clutch and an updated gearbox that guarantees better precision during shifting.
In order to achieve maximum comfort, the Multistrada V2 features a 19″ front wheel and Ducati Skyhook Suspension EVO semi-active suspension that adjust the suspensions settings according to the road conditions.
Shorter riders will also benefit from the shorter 830mm seat height and narrower saddle, allowing you to touch the ground with your feet easily.
Interestingly, the Multistrada V2 also features a new footpeg taken from its bigger cousin, the Multistrada V4 and a 5kg weight reduction compared to the current Multistrada 950.
Moving on to the best bits, the Multistrada V2 is packed with a host of electronics packages, beginning with ABS Cornering, Vehicle Hold Control, Ducati Traction Control, four Riding Modes and Ducati Brake Light System that flickers in the event of sudden braking.
Meanwhile, the S version gets you the Ducati semi-active suspension, Cruise Control, LED headlight with Ducati Cornering Lights, quickshifter, a hands-free system, and a 5″ full-colour TFT display.
Kawasaki Heavy Industries, Ltd. (KHI) appoint Edaran Modenas Sdn Bhd (EMOS) as the new official distributor of the Japanese brand in Malaysia.
Taking over from Kawasaki Motors (Malaysia) Sdn Bhd (KMSB), EMOS will now run all of Kawasaki products, including motorcycles, spare parts and accessories, customer service and technical service.
The transition period of 6-months will take place with the help of KMSB Motors Sdn Bhd.
Meanwhile, current Kawasaki owners can still refer to any Kawasaki dealers for spare parts of service inquiries during the transition period.
Previously, we were informed that EMOS will handle all of Kawasaki’s 250 to 650cc range, however, no further details are available at the moment.
Andrea Iannone is set to embark on a new challenge on reality television as one of Italy’s Dancing With The Stars contestants.
The former Aprilia rider is currently serving a 4-year ban after failing a doping test at the 2019 Malaysian GP.
The ban means Iannone is prohibited from competing from anything two-wheels which could have been the primary factor behind his decision on trying something new.
This is the first time a MotoGP rider will be seen as a reality television star after Carl Fogarty famously appeared in ‘I’m A Celebrity, Get Me Out Of Here’, and Jorge Lorenzo was revealed as one of the finalists of ‘Masked Singer’ in Spain.
Iannone was first hit with an 18-month ban after failing his doping but the sentence was extended to four years after losing his appeal at the Court Arbitration of Sport (CAS) in November 2020.
Willem Heijboer dreamt about turning his BMW K1600GT into a GS, but as he started grinding out the engine case, he realised he might not be able to get the job done.
He then reached out to Dutch bike builder expert, Nico Bakker where he specifically told him that he wants the K1600GT to feature the same handling, litheness and looks as the GS but most importantly, it could handle the power from the inline-six K1600 engine.
Bakker then used the K1600GT as a base and retained the engine, shaft drive, 320mm brakes disc, Brembo callipers, Bosch ABS and electronics, including the ESA.
However, to emulate the rigidity and stiffness to accommodate the K1600 engine, Bakker custom built the frame using chrome-moly steel tubing and extended the wheelbase from 1618mm to 1635mm.
He also had to sharpen the steering geometry, but to do so, Bakker ditched the Telelever front in place of a fully adjustable 48mm WP fork.
The complete the GS look, the K16 is fitted with 19″ front, and 17″ rear spoke wheels.
Bakker also fitted the bike with a 6-into-2 exhaust with custom twin carbon-wrap silencers.
Interestingly, Heijboer already took the custom build K1600GS for long-distance touring and even to a track day just to test out the handling.
