Bikesrepublic

Latest News

  • A motorcycle thief thought he had easy pickings.

  • But he fainted from exhaustion after being chased.

  • Jakarta police arrested him while he was still unconscious.

A motorcycle thief passed out after being chased relentlessly by the owner of the motorcycle he stole.

Tanah Abang Police Chief Sr. Adj. Comr. Lukman Cahyono said the thief had stolen a motorcycle outside a house.

The owner of the motorcycle had left the engine on while warming it up. The thief saw his opportunity and jumped on it and rode off.

But his thoughts of an easy score was dashed when the owner gave chase on another motorcycle. The chase kept up until Tanah Abang in Central Jakarta. By then the engine of the stolen motorcycle had given up and sputtered to a halt.

The thief got off and ran on foot, while still being hounded by the motorcycle owner. Finding himself cornered, he decided to jump into flood canal (a large storm drain) and tried to swim away.

However, he fainted from exhaustion after pulling himself up on the far bank.

The police arrested the GTA-wannabe while he was still unconscious. The owner of the motorcycle recovered his vehicle and brought it home.

Source: Jakarta Post

  • Moto Guzzi Malaysia has offically unveiled the 2019 Moto Guzzi MGX-21 for the Malaysian market.

  • The state-of-the-art “Flying Fortress” is powered by a 1,380cc 90° V-Twin Big Block engine with 96.6hp and 121Nm of torque.

  • The recommended selling price has been set at RM172,000 (without tax or insurance).

Moto Guzzi Malaysia which is brought to you here in Malaysia by Didi Resources Sdn Bhd has officially introduced the brand’s latest and most advanced model yet, the 2019 Moto Guzzi MGX-21. Dubbed the “Flying Fortress”, this is the next step in Moto Guzzi’s technological advancements when it comes to their world of two-wheels. (more…)

  • Ex-MotoGP and WorldSBK star Max Biaggi will ride a Voxan Wattman to claim the electric motorcycle speed record.

  • Voxan Motors claimed the Wattman as the “fastest electric motorcycle in the world.”

  • They will carry out the attempt at the Bolivian Salt Flats.

Yes, THAT Max Biaggi. The ex-MotoGP and WorldSBK star will attempt to break the electric motorcycle speed record.

Biaggi will ride the Wattman (as in “Watts”, geddit?) by Voxan Motors. Voxan is currently preparing the bike for Biaggi to ride at the Bolivian salt flats.

The current record is held by Jim Hoogerhyde who rode the electric Lightning SB-220 (close cousin of the LS-218). Hoogerhyde took the Lightning to 327.608 km/h (203.56 mph). Voxan and Biaggi are aiming for at least 330 km/h (205 mph) to break the old record and set a new mark.

Biaggi is the ambassador to Voxan’s parent company, Venturi since 2018.

Max Biaggi as Venturi’s ambassador – Photo credit RideApart

“When my friend Gildo Pastor (Venturi’s president) came to me with his plan for the world land speed record and the Voxan Wattman, I was obviously going to say yes. Gildo is both an expert and a pioneer in the field of electric mobility. Under his impetus, Venturi Automobiles has set a number of records and marked a host of world firsts,” said the charismatic race, also known as “Mad Max.”

Voxan is the direct competitor to performance motorcycle makers Lightning and Energica. They claim the Wattman as the most powerful electric bike in the world. The motor produces 200 hp and 200 Nm of torque, compared to the Lightning LS-218’s 200 hp and 228 Nm. The Wattman can hit 160 km/h in 5.9 seconds.

Even the beastly 2015 Kawasaki Ninja H2 needed 5.2 seconds to go from 0 to 160 km/h.

Other than brute power, the Wattman can charge from 0 to 80% in less than 30 minutes, and has a range of 180 km.

  • Rumours of Dainese being up for sale is circulating again.

  • The premier Italian riding gear specialist is currently held by Investcorp.

  • The investment group may be looking to cash in on their 80% stake in the brand.

Rumours of Dainese being up for sale is circulating again.

The premier Italian brand is currently held by InvestCorp, and investment group from Bahrain. They are holding a controlling stake in Dainese S.p.A. and are looking to sell their shares, according to rumours.

It was also said that Investcorp have enlisted the assistance of asset management company Lazard. In turn, Lazard will begin looking for buyers of Investcorp’s 80% shares in Dainese.

Whether true or otherwise, time is ripe for Investcorp to cash in on their shares. The group has taken the brand to newer heights and higher profits since their takeover in 2014.

Prior to Investcorp’s involvement, Dainese’s turnover was € 117 million in 2013. It grew € 187.4 million in 2017, allaying initial fears of the brand being ruined by profit hunters. Employees increased from 609 to 757 in March 2018, too. The company earned € 30 million (earnings before interest, tax, depreciation and amortization) in 2018 alone and is expected to grow to € 35 million by the end of this year.

Consequently, the company could be evaluated at nearly half-a-billion Euros.

Founder Lino Dainese holds the remaining shares and continues to be the President, while Cristiano Silei took over as CEO from 2015.

Since then, Lino Dainese founded the D Airlab, dedicated to research on applying D-Air technology not only to motorcycle riders, but in other applications such as aerospace, worker safety, sailing and the elderly.

ESA stands for European Space Agency

Dainese also continues to work with the Trauma Team at the Niguarda Ca’Granda Hospital in Milan as part of the Dainese Advanced Research Program. The program analyses the effects of motorcycle accidents in order to improve the design of protective gear.

Dainese’s spacesuit for Mars mission
  • The KTM 390 Adventure test bike was spotted undergoing road tests in India again.

  • It’s apparent from the spy pictures that the bike’s styling follows the 790 Adventure’s.

  • There is also a TFT display like the 390 Duke’s.

The KTM 390 Adventure test bike was spotted undergoing road tests in India again.

The Austrian off-road and adventure juggernaut have filled the midrange and open-class categories, so it is ironic that they do not have one in the lightweight segment. Virtually every rival manufacturer has one.

It is thus of no surprise to see a 390 Adventure. The factory has not provided more details of the “new” bike. However, we could see from the pictures that the test mule uses upside-down forks.

The headlamp cluster’s styling also takes after the new KTM 790 Adventure, as do the seats and sidepanels covering the sub-frame beneath. The panels flaking the radiator looks similar to the manufacturer’s EX/C and Enduro lineup.

Photo credit news18.com

Apart from those, the fuel tank is in the traditional position as opposed to the 790 Adventure’s low-slung unit. We cannot judge the seat’s height from the photos, though. Also, we’d like to point out that the exhaust is mounted too low if this new bike is off-road capable. A revised version is in the works, perhaps? Or are there two versions: One more road-oriented “S” model and another off-road biased “R” model?

It’s apparent in the second picture that the bike has a TFT display identical to the 390 Duke’s. Will it feature the Rally mode first seen in the 790 Adventure?

Come what may, we’ve got our fingers crossed.

  • HJC helmets just introduced the HJC RPHA 70 ST Wolverine.

  • The graphics feature the popular Marvel Comics character and his trademark slash marks.

  • The RPHA 70 ST bridges sport-riding and sport-touring helmets.

South Korean helmet manufacturing powerhouse, HJC has introduced the HJC RPHA 70 ST Wolverine.

The HJC RPHA 70 ST is intended to bridge the gap between sport riding and sport-touring. As such, it is one of the very few sport-touring helmets that obtained FIM certification. The certification means that you could wear the helmet in FIM sanctioned races.

Being a sport-touring helmet, the lid has all the features associated with long-distance touring including a drop-down sun visor, large vents and anti-fog insert.

The RPHA 70 ST is BikesRepublic.com and MotoMalaya’s official sport-riding and sport-touring helmet.

Now, HJC brings you another creation from their collaboration with Marvel Comics. This time, the Wolverine gets his own design.

The graphics features sharp eyes above the brow and the trademark triple slashes from the character’s claw.

Highlights of the RPHA 70 ST are:

  • Advanced P.I.M. Plus (Premium Integrated Matrix Plus) construction: carbon fiber and carbon-glass hybrid fabric for enhanced shock resistance.
  • Intake and exhaust top vents for maximum air circulation.
  • Rear vent switch for easy control of air flow.
  • Anti-fog smoke tinted sunshield deploys quickly.
  • RapidFire shield replacement system: quick, tool-less shield removal and installation.
  • Emergency cheek pads removal.
  • Multicool interior with advanced anti-bacteria fabric provides enhanced moisture wicking and quick drying.
  • Crown and cheek pads are removable and washable.
  • HJ-26 anti-fog lens prepared shield.
  • Includes anti-fog insert lens.
  • Glasses-friendly EPS design.
  • ECE 22.05 approved.
  • Official licensed Marvel product.

HJC Helmet Malaysia informed us that the helmet is on the way to our shores. Please follow their Facebook page for more information.

Archive

Follow us on Facebook

Follow us on YouTube