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

Yamaha To Introduce MT-07 Based Sportsbike?

Last year, Yamaha announced their decision to discontinue the YZF-R6 due to the stringent emission rules.

The motorcycle instead continued to be sold as a non-homologated, track-only machine.

Nonetheless, rumours start to rife that Yamaha may be working on an MT-07 based Supersports, possibly called the Yamaha YZF-R7.

Japanese publication, Young-Machine even predicted the R7 before Yamaha decided to pull the plug on the R6.

The said motorcycle is rumoured to fill the gap between the beginner R25 and the 1000cc R1.

If the rumour is accurate, we are looking at a possible R7 powered by the same CP2 engine of the MT-07 that produces 74hp.

Even though the power is not up to par with the Aprilia RS660 or their Japanese counterpart, the Honda CBR650R, we can assume that Yamaha might tweak the engine to add more power.

The R7 might also retain the same chassis and electronics as you get on the MT-07.

Buell Motorcycles To Return Without Erik Buell, 10 Models To Arrived By 2024

Out of the blue, the Michigan-based Buell Motorcycle plans a big comeback after Harley-Davidson ousted the company in 2009.

The American brand continued to exist after the exclusion under Erik Buell Racing (EBR) in November 2009.

However, their struggle continues, and EBR filed for bankruptcy before they were bought out by ‘Liquid Asset Partners’.

According to the latest reports, Liquid Asset Partners has taken ownership of Buell Motorcycles and plans to release an all-new line-up with the help of investor Bill Melvin.

“Buell is back, and we are excited to bring Buell back with this incredible assortment of superbikes and performance motorcycles.

“We start with the fastest American production motorcycles, hand-built in the USA, so that’s a nice start!

“We’re building out those platforms for more touring & adventure models, and then we’re expanding our displacements to be competitive with other global brands. The passionate Buell Nation can grow and thrive again,” expressed Melvin.

It might sound farfetched to assume that Buell is trying to go head to head with Harley-Davidson considering the Milwaukee counterpart has established itself as a vital American brand.

Nevertheless, with Harley’s recent corporate and product restructure after disastrous Q4 sales last year, the return of Buell Motorcycles seems well-timed.

CFMOTO Plans To Roll Out All-New Models For 2021

While other brands are taking a more cautious approach towards 2021 due to the current coronavirus pandemic, CFMOTO is going ahead with their plans to introduce a few new models.

What surprised us is that while other manufacturers seek to introduce small-displacement two-wheeler to reach broader demographics, CFMOTO is busy with larger-displacements products.

Three new motorcycles are expected to land this year with 2021 CFMOTO 650NK, 700CL-X and the 800MT.

2021 CFMOTO 650NK

The 650NK is a mid-segment naked motorcycle that features a liquid-cooled 649cc parallel-twin engine that produces 60hp and 56Nm.

The motorcycle also packs with a dual-channel ABS, all-around LED lights, telescopic fork and a rear monoshock by KYB, while the braking hardware consists of twin disc setup and a single rear disc with a pair of Pirelli rubber.

The 650NK also comes with a new 5″ TFT screen and a 17L fuel tank.

2021 CFMOTO 700CL-X

This excites us the most, as the 700CL-X is CFMOTO modern take on the scrambler/cafe racer motorcycle, apart from offering higher specifications than the 650NK.

The 700CL-X is packed with a 693cc parallel-twin that produces 73hp @ 8,500rpm and 68Nm @ 7,000rpm and paired to a slipper clutch.

Like the 650NK, the suspension setup is handled by KYB with an adjustable 41mm upside/down fork and monoshock.

It also comes with ride-by-wire technology, riding modes and cruise control, and LED lights with DRL.

2021 CFMOTO 800MT

The 800MT is CFMOTO attempt to penetrate the adventure segment with an all-new dual-purpose motorcycle in partnership with KTM.

As a result, the same KTM LC8 799cc parallel-twin powers the 790 Adventure is injected into the 800MT.

The 800MT is expected to come in two variants, spokes and alloy rims, based on leaked photos.

The 800MT is expected to come with a TFT display, four-piston brake callipers, ride-by-wire, riding modes and cruise control.

There Is A New Player In Town, Introducing Motron Motorcycle

There is a new motorcycle brand emerged from Austria, and the name is Motron Motorcycle.

According to reports, Motron Motorcycle is a brand new motorcycle division from the KSR Group after Lambretta, Brixton Motorcycles and Malaguti, which aimed at the entry-level and mid-range market.

Motron Motorcycle offers both the conventional combustion and electric motorcycle in the form of scooters and minibike.

During the new brand launched, Motron also introduced several models with Whizz, Cubertino, Volz and Vizion (all-electric motorcycle) to hit the road in 2021.

Meanwhile, six combustion engine motorcycle, X-Nord 125, Revolver 125 and Warrior 400, will land in Q2, including three scooters, Breezy 50, Ventura 125, Ideo 50 and 125.

Currently, Motron Motorcycle will only be distributed in Austria, Switzerland, Italy, Spain, France, Belgium, the Netherlands, and Greece.

Malaysian Army Receives 180 Units of the Kawasaki KLX 250

The Malaysian Army has added 180 units of the Kawasaki KLX 250 as part of their assets list to discharge their duties during operations.

The motorcycles will be used as part of the ongoing OP BENTENG – which is an multi-enforcement agency initiative to prevent illegal entry of foreigners, and is also part of the Malaysian government’s initiative to curb Covid-19 infections.

According to reports dated October 2020, OP BENTENG had at that time already nabbed 7,000 illegal immigrants. A further 775 skippers and 316 human traffickers were also arrested nationwide during the same period.

In a handover ceremony held yesterday (17/2/21), the 180 motorcycles were presented to General Tan Sri Datuk Zamrose Mohd Zain by the Managing Director of Kawasaki Malaysia, Dato Jefry Lim.

There was also a special demonstration of the capabilities of the KLX 250 conducted by The Army Warrior Motorcycle Team.

The motorcycles will be put to immediate use at the various borders of Malaysia to help in patrolling and curbing illegal entries into Malaysia.

All-New 2021 Triumph Trident Lands In Malaysia – From RM43,900!

As far as middleweight naked bike goes, the latest 2021 Triumph Trident 660 is certainly one of the most highly anticipated motorcycles for the coming year.

Officially launched today, the Trident offers class-leading tech and impressive handling at a very competitive price package.

For the Malaysian market, the Trident is available from RM43,900 for the Crystal White dan Sapphire Black colour options while the Silver Ice/Diablo Red dan Stealthy Matt Jet Black/Matt Silver Ice comes at RM44,900.

In terms of firepower, the all-new Trident comes with a 660cc three-cylinder DOHC liquid-cooled engine that produces a respectable 80hp at 10,250rpm and 64Nm of torque at 6,250rpm.

This package offers a punchy power delivery throughout its rev range together with a unique triple-cylinder soundtrack.

A six-speed manual transmission handles all the power delivery to its rear wheel and that is further enhanced with the presence of an assist/slipper clutch. There’s also the addition of a ride-by-wire throttle, selectable riding modes, and switchable traction control for even greater riding efficiency across the board.

As for its looks, the 2021 Triumph Trident 660 is definitely a bike that would be turning heads. A minimalist roadster paired with Triumph’s iconic triple muscles is contemporary yet timeless at the same time.

This whole look is tied together with its five-spoke wheels (17-inch aluminium), elegant swingarm, and many more.

Other highlighted specs include:

14-litre fuel tank
Front Showa 41mm upside down separate function forks (SFF)
Rear Showa monoshock RSU, with preload adjustment
Front 310mm twin discs + Nissin two-piston sliding calipers with ABS
Rear 255mm single disc + Nissin single-piston sliding caliper with ABS
Multi-function instruments with colour TFT screen
My Triumph Connectivity System (turn-by-turn navigation, GoPro, phone & music control via Bluetooth)
Handlebar mounted switch cubes
189kg (kerb weight) + more

There are over 45 dedicated Triumph optional parts and accessories to further elevate its riding experience, which also includes a bi-directional quickshifter. Service interval? Every 16,000km. Very impressive, indeed.