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

Lane splitting increases your chances of getting into an accident by 12%

Lane filtering or lane splitting is so engrained in the Malaysian motorcycle culture that it is hard to imagine riding a motorcycle without splitting lanes.

Can you imagine if that did not happen? Your Grab and Food Panda delivery orders will take much longer, and Malaysian roads would just be so – weird – if all bikers stuck to riding behind cars instead or riding in between them.

But this so called “accepted behavior” is not necessarily safe. In fact it does not need mega hours of research to tell you that lane-splitting is extremely risky. But that is what we are about to get into here – a detailed study on the safety of lane splitting.

A five-year experiment conducted by the Federation of European Motorcycles Associations (FEMA) and assessed by the Centre for Studies and Expertise on Risks, Environment, Mobility and Planning (CEREMA) found that lane-splitting caused a 12% increase in motorcycle crashes in areas where splitting was allowed.

And the areas where lane-splitting was not allowed, actually saw a decrease of accidents by a whopping 10%.

But then again, this is not something that needs an in-depth study, any biker that rides everyday can tell you that lane-splitting is very dangerous. And there are thousands of videos that show you what can happen when lane-splitting is done wrong.

But the purpose of this study is to protect motorcyclists.

French motorcyclists organisation, “Federation Francaise Des Motards En Colere’ which literally translates to “Angry Bikers Federation” was involved in the study from the very beginning and was one of the organizations that helped set up guidelines for lane splitting. And it found that with proper training of young drivers as well as setting up of guidelines for lane-splitting, the act of lane-splitting itself had a positive impact.

And even though the results were not satisfying, but with proper guidelines and training of both riders and drivers, lane-splitting can be made safe.

But don’t expect such a thing to every be introduced to Malaysia in the near future – lane-splitting is so engrained in our riding culture that it would take generations to make it safer through training.

You can read the full report here.

Bajaj To Introduce Pulsar RS400 Later This Year?

Bajaj Auto is planning to expand the current Pulsar range to target more significant demographics.

Based on latest reports in India, Bajaj is looking to launch its top of the line Pulsar RS400 later this year.

Even though the “rumours” were squashed last year, it looks like the Pune-based manufacturer is going ahead with the plans after a great response with the Dominar 400.

The RS400 will be powered by the same liquid-cooled, 373.2cc engine that powers the Bajaj Dominar and KTM 390 and produces 41hp and 34.5Nm.

Meanwhile, Bajaj is also looking to launch a Pulsar 180 naked sports motorcycle based on the semi-faired 180F.

It will be powered by a single-cylinder, air-cooled 178.6cc engine that generates 16.6hp and 14.52Nm and mated to a 5-speed gearbox.

MOTOGP: Joan Mir To Maintain His #36 For Title Defence

2020 MotoGP World Champion, Joan Mir, will head into the 2021 season with his usual #36.

The Suzuki rider opted to stay loyal to his current #36 instead of using the #1 after winning the title last season.

“The number will be the same as always, the loyal one, #36.

“I think it would have been awesome to use the #1, a unique experience and a dream.

“But I believe that 36 is the number with which I’ve worked hard, and it has taken me to where I am now, winning two world championships [MotoGP and Moto3],” he explained.

The #1 was last seen in 2012 with Casey Stoner at Repsol Honda, while Marc Marquez and Valentino also kept the usual numbers with 93 and 46, respectively.

2021 MV Agusta Brutale And Dragster RR Launched With Major Updates!

MV Agusta has officially revealed the updated Brutale RR, RR SCS, Rosso and Dragster RR for 2021.

The two triple-cylinder naked sportsbike have received extensive updates mostly focusing on the engine, frame and suspension.

The 798cc engine on the Brutale and Dragster are now Euro 5, thanks to the reworked done with the counter-rotating crankshaft to reduce friction.

The crankshaft and conrod now use micro-bored bearings, which require less oil than the conventional bearings, which leads to a lower amount of work the oil pump needs to do, which subsequently reduced energy wastage.

Other improvement includes a new electronic control unit, reinforced clutch and 3rd-generation EAS semi-automatic transmission.

Both the motorcycle also received a redesigned frame that is now stiffer with the bikes also boast new suspension setup as standard including a more comfortable seat and a steering damper.

Nevertheless, the iconic triple exhaust still presents, and in our books, that’s enough for MV Agusta to received an A-plus!

Other significant improvements are as follows:

43mm Marzocchi fork
newly improved 6-axis IMU
Continental MK100 ABS
front lift control
5.5″ TFT Screen with MV Ride App Connectivity System
launch control
MV Agusta Smart Clutch System (SCS) 2.0
LED lights

Harley-Davidson Plans To Introduce A Supercharged V-Twin

Harley-Davidson potentially planning to introduce an all-new supercharged engine based on the latest patent.

The Milwaukee based company is looking to integrate a supercharger into its Big Twin lineup.

However, the patent does not specify whether the supercharger unit will be fitted in the current engine or future powerplants.

Nevertheless, the patent shows how Harley plans to apply the technology.

According to the documents, the crankshaft will power the supercharger via a covered belt drive.

Air will then enter the intake system, and the pulley-driven supercharger compresses the air before delivering it to the combustion chamber.

Currently, the Kawasaki H2 is the only supercharged motorcycle available in the market.

The H2 is an embodiment of power and speed, which then raises the question on Harley’s supercharger project, are they also trying the grasp the same idealogy?

The New BMW F 850 GS “40 Years GS Edition” Is Here – RM85,500!

BMW Motorrad Malaysia has launched the “40 Years GS Edition” F 850 GS for the local market priced at RM85,500.

The model offers new black and yellow colour schemes to further intensify the unique GS experience for owners old and new. They also come with expanded standard equipment that was previously offered as optional.

The major changes that can be found on the F 850 GS as standard are new tape designs with unique styling on the side fairings, LED signal lights, USB charging port, ABS Pro, and Dynamic Traction Control (DTC).