Motorcycle news, Motorcycle reviews from Malaysia, Asia and the world

Thousands of Litres of Cooking Oil Spilled on Karak Highway

Thousands of liters of cooking oil was spilled on the Karak Highway yesterday.

The spill was caused by a tanker truck carrying a load of used cooking oil when it was involved in an accident at Kilometer 36.8 of the highway near Genting Sempah.

Gombak District Police Chief, Assistant Commissioner Noor Ariffin Mohamad Nasir, said the police received a report regarding the incident at about 9pm.

“The result of the investigation found that the incident happened at 2pm with a 50-year-old man driving the tanker from Kuantan to Port Klang, Selangor.

“It was raining heavily when he arrived at the location. He lost control of his truck and it hit the metal road barrier.”

He said the driver was uninjured and the case was investigated according to Rule 10 LN 166/59.

We would like to advise users of the highway, especially those riding motorcycles to be careful when in the area as the road surface may still be slippery. Anyway, the corners on the Karak Highway are certainly inviting, but there have been many unwanted incidents.

Indian MotoGP 2024 Maybe Dropped due to Non-Payment

The Indian MotoGP 2024 round may be dropped.

Autosport revealed that the local promoter, Fairview Sports has not made payments to the “local vendors and MotoGP rights holder Dorna Sport.” However, Fairview is given time until 20 May to sort out the matter.

The Indian MotoGP 2024 was set to return the second time from 19 to 22 September. Its cancellation could very well mean Kazakhstan taking over the slot. The Kazakh round was to begin on 16 June but was postponed due to massive floods.

The 2024 MotoGP calendar will see a reduction back to 20 rounds should the Indian MotoGP gets cancelled. The Argentinian round was cancelled before the start of the season, bringing the total down to 21.

Last year’s inaugural GP in the country also saw difficulties as the Buddh circuit was only ready and certified at the last moments, but remained dirty when MotoGP arrived. Riders also raised concerns that the track’s undulating and flowing layout had inadequate run-off areas.

Speaking of arrival, several riders’ and team personnel’s Visa approvals were also delayed causing the riders to miss out on several promotional events.

India is currently the world’s largest motorcycle market hence is an important stop for the manufacturers and MotoGP.

8 Reasons why Riding Solo is More Fun

It is true that riding in a convoy has its appeal such as camaraderie among friends who have the same love for motorcycles. However, there are times when riding solo is more fun. Everyone needs some time away, anyhow.

1. Alone with our thoughts

This is the main reason some bikers like to ride solo. It is time to get away from the toxic partner, the screaming kids, the unappreciative boss, etc., etc. Riding solo gives you a clarity of mind and who knows, you may discover the answer to that nagging problem.

2. No peer pressure

Peer pressure is real during group rides and it is not confined to riding fast, but also riding too slow. It is not uncommon for the faster riders to berate the slower ones (who chose to ride at a relaxed pace), or vice versa. We may even get riders who seem to challenge us to a race. Such group dynamics create a dangerous riding environment. Riding solo does away with peer pressure.

3. Our own pace and schedule

Riding solo means we ride at our own pace and adhering to our own schedule (or not). There is no one to harass us if we put on our gear slowly. Or stopping every few minutes. Or having to chase someone else’s schedule.

4. Stop whenever we want

We decide when we want to stop. Or pull over whenever you see a beautiful view such a sunset. Or a green carpet of paddy fields. Just stop, take in the view. No one will complain.

5. Start whenever we want

As much as we like taking our own time, we also hate those who take too much of our time. Strange but true, is it not? We will ALWAYS find that one friend who takes forever to gear up (only to stop the entire convoy because he forgot something). Or that guy who needs to stop and pee every 15 minutes. Or the group that constantly stops to eat even before the engine is anywhere near lukewarm. So instead of taking 4 hours to reach your intended destination, it took 8 hours. The answer? Ride solo.

6. Idiot riders

Sometimes riding in a group sets a rider’s ego loose to show off such as pulling wheelies. Or teasing the local ladies and earning the ire of the residents (It actually happened on one of our trips to Thailand!). Or some guys who decided to go another way, getting lost, and holding up the entire group by hours as we go look for them while they look for us.

7. Safety

The safety aspect is derived from not riding with idiots. We can mitigate our own risks instead of putting our lives and limbs in the hands of others. You may get one rider who constantly speeds up then slotting in, another rider who insists of riding several centimetres from you like as if it is a Blue Angels’ display. Ride solo and ride relaxed rather than worrying about the safety of the others and ours.

8. Change of mind

Imagine riding and you suddenly get a craving for food you have not eaten for some time. Or decide to spend the night in a nice town that appeals to our fancies. Just do it because you do not need to consult with anyone.

BONUS: Practice your riding skills

Trying to practice your skills during a group ride is not a smart thing to do since there are other bikes around. Also, we can bet there will be several others around to impart the wrong advice which would be detrimental to our riding and safety. Riding solo lets you practice your own skill sets.

Q1 2024 Motorcycle Sales Dropped by 20 Percent in Malaysia

Q1 2024 motorcycle sales dropped by 20 percent in Malaysia.

The figure was reported in the MotorCycles Data website which tracks the sales to customers, rather than sales from manufacturers and distributors to dealers.

A total of 135,717 motorcycles were delivered in Q1 2024, representing a -20% decline compared to the same period in 2023. All major brands recorded double-digit decline. On the other hand, sales for the entire 2023 was also a -11.9% decline from the high in 2022.

Yamaha’s sales were down by -18.3%, Honda saw a -11.9% decrease, and the top domestic brands such as SM was down by -35.8% and Modenas hit -51.0%.

The downward trend was possibly a consequence of the many long holidays during the first quarter, as Chinese New Year was in February, continued by the month of Ramadan through March, and Hari Raya Puasa in April.

Although Bank Negara expects the economy to grow between 4 to 5%, hence an improvement in sales, several subsidy “rationalisation” (just a high word for “reduction”) plans will surely impact the spending power of many citizens in the months to come.

The high sales figure in 2022 was partly due to the government of the time allowing for withdrawals from contributors’ Employee Provident Fund accounts. This was what some experts called “spurring a false economy.” The present government has just allowed the same now, albeit through a different withdrawal structure. Will this improve motorcycle sales for several short months?

Malaysia is the 13th largest motorcycle market in the world. The Top 3 now are India, China, and Indonesia. Truth is, almost all markets reported a decrease in sales in Q1 2024.

French Red Bull MotoGP Rookies Cup 2024, Hakim Danish on the Podium Again

Malaysia’s young racer, Hakim Danish Ramli was once again on the Red Bull MotoGP Rookies Cup podium, this time at the French Grand Prix. It was his second podium finish in the 2024 season, after scoring a second-place finish in Spain, previously.

The 16-year-old had led much of Race 2 after a good start. He had also changed his riding style, which allowed him to match the front runners.

“This time I changed my riding, I had my body further forward and pushed my elbow down, I was scraping it through the corners and tried to open the throttle earlier in the corners and it worked very well.”

However, he was overtaken by the eventual winner Brian Uriarte and second place finisher Màximo Quiles just moments to the end of the race. Quiles, the winner of the Race 1 a day earlier was leading when Uriarte lunged inside at the final turn, surprising Quiles and caused him to slide his front tyre. Quiles managed to save it and finished just ahead of Hakim.

“In the last lap I tried to lead but two people overtook me, That’s OK I tried to overtake again. Into the last corner, I almost wanted to try a pass on Maximo and Brian but I was just too far away. I already overtook another rider the turn before and that cost me a little bit, I couldn’t go for the win at the last corner,” continued Hakim who finished 3rd.

Hakim had finished in 6th in Race 1 on Saturday, and admitted that he could not match the front runners’ pace. Still, it was a positive result overall as he had targeted a podium finish in this round.

Lambretta is Back, but Who are the New Lambretta?

As we posted earlier, Lambretta is making a comeback to Malaysia and it has since showed lots of interest, not to mention sparking nostalgia among ex-Lambretta owners and fans. In fact, my late-Dad rode a Lambretta in the 60’s and he was like a rock star among his peers!

However, one comment had us thinking too. “Is the engine made in China?” one of our followers asked.

So, we decided to do some digging.

The beginning and peak of Lambretta

Let us start with the history of Lambretta, because we do not know where we are and where we are going if we do not know where we have been.

Italy was in ruins after World War 2, and her people were looking more affordable forms of transportation. Vespa was the first to recognise the opportunity and began in 1946. A year later, Dr. Ferdinando Innocenti who owns an iron and machinery works in Milan which made steel tubings, realised that it was indeed a great time for his firm to profit. He ordered his technical staff to design a two-wheeled vehicle to be produced at a low cost.

Instead of going the Vespa route, the Innocenti staff drew inspiration from the Cushman Model 53 foldable scooters used by American and British airborne troops when they landed in Italy during the war. Hence the single downtube frame to which everything else is connected to.

Now they needed a name and in the age-old Roman/Italian fashion, they chose one after the mythical water sprite that lived in the Lambro river near where the company was located. Lambretta was born.

This was the age of pioneering engineering and manufacturers looked for distinguishing features rather than copying and pasting them like they do these days. Again, Lambretta did not want to follow Vespa’s methods, such as connecting the engine directly to the rear wheel. Instead, they sent the engine’s power through a three-speed gearbox and a sealed oil-bath chain. The engine and gearbox were placed along the frame’s axis.

This designed was what started Lambretta’s success and their fan’s fierce rivalry with Vespa. Lambretta riders mocked Vespa’s off-centre construction (the engine’s to one side) which made them “look like sailboats.”

So, to make the story short, Lambretta released several groundbreaking models such as the LD in 1950, followed up by an evolved LD in 1951, and the LI series which began in 1958 until 1973.

Other great Lambrettas include the 175 TV Series 3 which became the first scooter equipped with a disc brake in 1962.

The peak of the Innocenti company was the 1969 with the 200 SX 200/200 DL Electronic, which featured electronic ignition, disc brakes, and an 11 hp 200cc two-stroke single. It was the most powerful engine in a scooter at the time. Heck, even the current 2024 Ysuku (Yamaha Y15ZR) does just 15 hp.

The decline of Lambretta

The brand actually outsold Vespa for many years but ran into a crisis when cheap cars such as the Fiat 500 started becoming more prominent.

Vespa, on the other hand, weathered this critical juncture partly due to aggressive marketing and unchanging image. Lambretta sought to market their bikes as more sophisticated and upscale products and even hired Italian designers such as Bertone (who designed Ferraris, Lamborghinis, Lancia, Citroën, amongst other famous marques) to refine their bikes. However, this only added costs, while the majority of buyers were still seeking cheap modes of transportation.

Innocenti sells Lambretta

The production lines to the Indian government, who in turn created Scooters India Limited (SIL), who used the Lambretta name until 1998. SIL produced the LI 150’s derivatives, Lamby and GP150 for export. We have seen many Lamby in classic Bollywood movies.

SIL then sold Innocenti to BMC (British Leyland), who began producing the Mini in Italy, shortly after. The Italian market responded positively, and BMC planned huge investments to increase manufacturing capabilities.

But it did not occur to BMC that Fiat is the taikor (big brother) in Italy, which had the Italian government blocking BMC’s projects. As such, BMC Innocenti went bankrupt.

The company’s assets were transferred to one Alessandro de Tomaso who had connections in the Italian government. Yes, the very same Tomaso of the legendary De Tomaso Pantera. However, just as other de Tomaso firms, Lambretta suffered and was shut down for good.

Lambretta has a new owner

The following years saw the Innocenti and Lambretta brands going around from one court to another embroiled in the fight for ownership.

Finally, a longtime Ductch Lambretta owner and investor Walter Scheffrahn got hold of both brands. He went on to establish a new operative headquarters called Innocenti SA in Lugano, Switzerland. Innocenti SA finally launched three Lambrettas, the V50, V125, and V200 in 2017 that received success in Far East markets.

This led to a partnership with Thailand’s Gaoking company. So, to answer our readers: the current Lambretta’s headquarters in Switzerland is home to their R&D department under Scheffrahn’s personal control and leadership. The Thai partners are in charge of manufacturing.

Lambretta Returns to Malaysia

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Latest News

Thousands of Litres of Cooking Oil Spilled on Karak Highway

Indian MotoGP 2024 Maybe Dropped due to Non-Payment

8 Reasons why Riding Solo is More Fun

1. Alone with our thoughts

2. No peer pressure

3. Our own pace and schedule

4. Stop whenever we want

5. Start whenever we want

6. Idiot riders

7. Safety

8. Change of mind

BONUS: Practice your riding skills

Q1 2024 Motorcycle Sales Dropped by 20 Percent in Malaysia

French Red Bull MotoGP Rookies Cup 2024, Hakim Danish on the Podium Again

Lambretta is Back, but Who are the New Lambretta?

The beginning and peak of Lambretta

The decline of Lambretta

Innocenti sells Lambretta

Lambretta has a new owner

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