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

Husqvarna Vitpilen 901 is (Finally) Coming?

The Husqvarna Vitpilen 901 has been teased for so long that most do not even remember that they did so.

But now, Husqvarna has posted a teaser for the full “video edit” on 5 March 2024. The 30-second snippet was posted on Husqvarna’s Instagram and Facebook accounts. The 5 March video could well be the teaser to another teaser, but hey, we may just see if it is definitely a Vitpilen (cafe racer) or Svatpilen (scrambler).

The current video shows a bike ice racing with tyres using screws as spikes. The front headlight was teased which looks akin to the Norden 901. Another shot briefly show the (aftermarket) exhaust silencer rising underneath the rear seat a.k.a. the 890 Duke. There is a shot of the front end, which shows off the WP upside down forks and Husqvarna-branded brake caliper. The rear end looks like a Duke, alright.

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Of course, Husky being under the Pierer umbrella means it will share the underpinnings of the 890 Duke. That means the LC8c parallel-twin engine which kicks out 121 hp and 99 Nm. Other features will pretty much include the PASC clutch, Supermoto ABS, Ride Modes, Motor Traction Control, TFT screen. Optional extras may well be Quickshifter+, Track Mode, KTM MyRide communication suite, among others.

The Husky lineup has several nice models to choose from but they are missing a big-bore naked retro sportbike. So, that is where the Husqvarna Vitpilen 901 will fall into. However, there is no Vitpilen without a Svartpilen. As such, we can look forward to two new Huskies hitting the roads soon!

BMW Motorrad Malaysia to Introduce the BMW R 18 Roctane

BMW Motorrad Malaysia will introduce the BMW R 18 Roctane, at the BMW Premium Selection (BPS) showcase, happening from 1 st to 3 rd March at the Bukit Jalil National Stadium.

The R18 Roctane is the fifth edition to the R 18 family which combines time-honoured design elements with updated riding technology to provide a uniquely stylish touring experience.

Sashi Ambihaipahan, Head of Corporate Communications and Sustainability at BMW GroupMalaysia said, “Rolling in as a stylish symbol of SoulFuel in its own right, we are thrilled to preview the New BMW R 18 Roctane for our hot-rod touring enthusiasts in Malaysia. The Roctane edition, paired with our formidable “Big Boxer” engine, demonstrates our continued mission to always Make Life A Ride; offering superior riding experiences, whether on a relaxing solo cruise or a thrilling group ride. This, coupled with exclusive programmes for the BMW Premium Selection (BPS) showcase this weekend, further delivers on our promise to provide customers with the Premium Ownership Experience across our entire portfolio of premium vehicles.”

The BMW R 18 Roctane draws inspiration from iconic BMW models like the BMW R 5, prioritising the fundamental elements of motorcycling: pure, no-frills , which has long been the heart of BMW Motorrad’s riding joy. This combination sets out to create a truly unique and emotionally resonant riding experience, accentuated by meticulously crafted design elements, including a sleek rear section designed for optimal aerodynamics.

Highlights:

Inspired by iconic BMW models such as the BMW R 5, with pure, no-frills technology centred around the Boxer engine.
The chassis of the new BMW R 18 Roctane is built upon a double-loop tubular steel frame.
Akin to the legendary BMW R 5, the rear swingarm envelops the rear axle drive.
The New BMW R 18 Roctane also boasts well-balanced ergonomics with the presence of mid-mounted foot pegs.
Other features include a two-level seat, as well as updated running boards, gearshift paddle, and high
handlebars coated in sleek black.
The New BMW R 18 Roctane is offered in Mineral Grey Metallic as well as Manhattan Metallic Matt.
The heart of the BMW R 18 Roctane is the traditional air-cooled two-cylinder four-stroke Boxer engine, the largest boxer engine of the proud Heritage line-up, also called the ‘big boxer’.
With a capacity of 1,802 cc, it also stands as the most powerful 2-cylinder boxer engine ever produced in BMW Motorrad’s Heritage line-up, delivering an output of 67 kW (91HP) at 4,750 rpm and a peak torque of 150 Nm.
Riding assistance features for the BMW R 18 Roctane includes Automatic Stability Control (ASC), along with three standard riding modes – Rock, Roll and Rain.
Optional features for the bagger include the new Adaptive Headlight, that activates separate LED elements in the main headlight, allowing for better road illumination, especially when cornering.
Among other additional features are Hill Start Control, Headlight Pro, Reverse Gear Aid, Daytime Riding Light, Cruise Control, and lockable fuel filler cap.
The estimated pricing for the BMW R 18 Roctane is RM 160,000.

For more information on the BMW R 18 Roctane, please visit your preferred BMW Motorrad Showroom or the official website here.

Customers are welcome to view the BMW R 18 Roctane and experience all these exclusive offers at the BMW Premium Selection (BPS) Showcase by BMW Group Malaysia, happening March 1st to 3rd 2024 at the Bukit Jalil National Stadium (Carpark B) from 9:00AM to 7:00PM daily.

Visit the website HERE to RSVP your spot.

Why is kW used for Engine Power Instead of HP?

We all do it: Browse through a motorcycle’s spec sheets to look for the engine’s power above everything else. But why do more and more spec sheets use the unit kW for engine power instead of HP? Why do not we settle on just one power unit?

The short answer is about accuracy and a standard measurement, as we shall see below.

Where did HP (horsepower) come from?

It all goes back to the invention of the steam locomotive.

Thomas Newcomen was the inventor in 1712, but it was James Watt (familiar name, is it not?) who improved the design in 1776. Then, Watt devised the method of comparing the power of his locomotive to the equivalent of how many horses to promote the power of his locomotive on a more relatable scale. Hence, horsepower.

Since then, this value has been adopted for rotary motion for trains and through the Industrial Revolution. Therefore, the value stuck for motorcycle and car engines.

Watt’s mechanical horsepower is defined as a horse lifting a 550lb. load 1 foot in 1 second, which equals 32,549 ft-lb of work per minute, or 4,500 kilogram-metres per minute.

Okay, so why Watt?

However, Europeans prefer to adhere to SI units or in other words, metric units. This is where the discrepancies creep up.

See, Imperial horsepower measures as 745.7 Watts, while the European SI metric horsepower unit also known as PS (Pferdestärke) or CV (Chevaux-Vapeur) is only 735.5 Watts.

This is why while some spec sheets pronounce an engine to produce 70 PS, it actually produces only 69 HP.

These different units i.e. mechanical HP, metric HP, PS, CV only created confusion to vehicle buyers, so in 1972, the kW replaced PS as the SI unit for engine power through EEC directives. But as of 1 January 2010, the EU only permits HP as a supplemental unit to kW.

How is kW calculated?

Kilowatt is a function of torque and revolutions per minute (RPM) and is calculated as following: Power (kW) = torque (Nm) x speed (revolutions per minute, or RPM) / 9.5488.

The calculation is actually the same for horsepower: Power (HP) = torque (lb-ft) x speed (RPM) / 5,252.

However, to convert published kW to HP: Horsepower = 1 kW x 1.34. Thus, an engine which produces 12 kW of power equals 16.1 HP.

JSPT Investigates Escort who Halted Truck Dangerously

JSPT (Jabatan Siasatan dan Penguatkuasaan Trafik / Traffic Investigation and Enforcement Department) Bukit Aman is investigating the actions of an escort who stopped a truck in a dangerous manner.

The director of the department, Datuk Mohd Azman Ahmad Sapri said he was aware of the incident. “JSPT will investigate the incident and in terms of compliance with standard operating procedures,” he told Harian Metro.

The incident went viral after a 35-second clip believed to be a dashboard camera recording from the lorry was uploaded on social media.

The video shows a police escort suddenly swerving in front of a lorry and ordering the driver to stop immediately. The truck was able to stop but within a very close distance to the two motorcycles in front of it. The escort himself was also in danger should the truck’s brakes malfunction.

Every road user, what more trained enforcers such as traffic police, should be aware of the braking distances of other vehicles, especially for heavy vehicles such as trucks and buses. The weight of heavy vehicles produce very high momentum thus requiring a longer stopping distances. In addition, the driver may lose control of the vehicle when applying sudden braking.

Apart from that, drivers behind the bus or lorry may also be affected because they cannot see further ahead apart from the back of the bus or lorry. The driver behind has the potential to crash into the vehicle in front and cause a chain accident.

Seven “Superman” Arrested at KL – Seremban Highway

Police arrested nine motorcyclists on the Kuala Lumpur – Seremban Highway, last Sunday night. Seven of them were arrested for dangerous riding and performing “Superman” stunts, while the other two were arrested for altering the motorcycle’s registration number to confuse the authorities.

According to Bukit Aman Traffic Investigation and Enforcement Department Director, Datuk Mohd Azman Ahmad Sapri, the nine motorcycles are Yamaha Y15ZR, Yamaha 135 LC and Modenas Kris 110. All motorcycles have been confiscated for further action.

“The arrested persons were between 16 and 24 years old and they were taken to the IPD Seremban Traffic Police Station for further action. Legal action is carried out in accordance with Section 42 (1) of the Road Transport Act 1987 and Section 108 (3) (F) of the same act, ” he said.

Mohd Azman said those arrested were not involved with any motorcycle groups from nearby districts such as Port Dickson and Kuala Pilah. “Some of them came from several areas around the Klang Valley and only use this highway as a convoy route to go to eateries located around Senawang town.”

They were arrested while the authorities were carrying out Op Samseng Jalan (Road Hooligan Operations) at the Senawang Toll Plaza. A total of six officers and 68 personnel were involved in the operation from 4 pm to 4 am.

The police also issued 101 summonses for various offences. Among them such as the registration number does not follow the guidelines (5), no registration number (20), fancy registration number (1), imperfect accessories (12) and no side mirror (14).

Apart from that, other offences included not displaying P and L stickers (10), expired road tax (10), noisy exhaust (7), expired license (2), structural modification (1) no brakes (5) and the owner allows improper usage (1).

CFMoto 450SR S Launched in Europe

CFMoto has launched a racier version of the 450SR, called the CFMoto 450SR S.

It is powered by a 46.3bhp, 449.5cc parallel-twin engine with a 270-degree firing order (to mimic that of a 90-degree V-Twin). There are twin balancers to check engine vibes. Other features include those already on the 450SR such as winglets, and full colour TFT dash, but the main distinction here is a single-sided swingarm.

While sharing the same platform as the SR, updates to the new 450SR S further include an underslung exhaust, winglets, a bigger 240mm rear brake disc, and beefier 37mm upside down forks with damping adjustment. As with its sibling, that engine is installed in a Chro-Moly chassis which weighs just 11kg when combined with the subframe.

CFMoto claims a kerb weight of 179kg. The tank holds 14 litres of fuel, with the manufacturer claiming up nearly 300km of range.

Braking power is provided by Brembo on both ends, supported with ABS.

A five inch curved TFT dash allowing you to control the traction control, and mobile connectivity. There’s also automatic headlights and an ESS emergency braking feature, which flashes the rear stop light to alert other road users of hard deceleration.

Will the CFMoto 450SR S be heading to Malaysia? We hope so!

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Latest News

Husqvarna Vitpilen 901 is (Finally) Coming?

BMW Motorrad Malaysia to Introduce the BMW R 18 Roctane

Highlights:

Why is kW used for Engine Power Instead of HP?

Where did HP (horsepower) come from?

Okay, so why Watt?

How is kW calculated?

JSPT Investigates Escort who Halted Truck Dangerously

Seven “Superman” Arrested at KL – Seremban Highway

CFMoto 450SR S Launched in Europe

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