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

Suzuki Avenis and Suzuki Burgman Street EX Launched

Suzuki Malaysia launched the Suzuki Avenis and Suzuki Burgman Street EX scooters, aimed at strengthening the brand’s presence in Malaysia’s small capacity scooter segment.

While both models share the same platform, Suzuki says the Avenis is aimed at younger riders while the Burgman Street EX is a more premium offering.

Highlights of the Suzuki Avenis

A 4-stroke, air-cooled, SOHC 125cc Suzuki Eco Performance (SEP) engine.
It produces 8.6 HP (8.7 PS) of peak power at 6,750 RPM and 10 Nm of torque at 5,500 RPM.

Compact LCD screen with an intuitive layout and an eco indicator light for fuel-efficient operation.
External hinge-type fuel cap located conveniently at the rear behind the seats.

21.5 litres of under-seat storage, two helmet hooks, and two utility hooks for additional items.
5.2-litre fuel tank capacity.
The three colour options are Metallic Matte Fibroin Grey with Metallic Lush Green, Metallic Matte Black with Glass Sparkle Black, and the special Metallic Sonic Silver with Triton Blue ‘GP Edition’.

The standard colours are priced at RM 6,980.00, while the GP Edition is priced at RM 7,200.00 (nett selling prices, not on the road).

Highlights of the Suzuki Burgman Street EX

A 4-stroke, air-cooled, SOHC 125cc Suzuki Eco Performance-Alpha (SEP-α) engine.
It produces 8.6 HP (8.7 PS) of peak power at 6,750 RPM and 10 Nm of torque at 5,500 RPM.
Equipped with Engine Auto Stop-Start (EASS) and Suzuki Silent Starter System.

Longer wheelbase for better stability, planted feel, and a comfortable riding experience.
Extended floorboards offer both flexibility in foot positioning and comfort during long rides.
21.5 litres of under-seat storage, two helmet hooks, and two utility hooks for additional items.

A closable front compartment with a USB charging port and easy access to front storage compartments.
A larger 5.5 Litres fuel tank capacity, best in its class.

The Burgman Street EX comes in two colour options – Pearl Moon Stone Gray and Metallic Mat Black.
It is priced at RM 7,500 (nett selling price, not on the road).

Suzuki Avenis Photo Gallery

Suzuki Burgman Street EX Photo Gallery

MBP Moto Acquires Legendary Morbidelli Brand

MBP Moto has acquired the legendary Morbidelli brand.

The purchase was made by Chinese-owned Keeway Group through MBP Moto. MBP stands for “Moto Bologna Passioni,” hence MBP Moto will now be renamed Morbidelli MBP.

The purchase has been discussed since the end of 2022 when logos and names for Morbidelli MBP and Morbidelli MBP Pesaro were registered in Hong Kong by Powerlink, a company linked to the Qianjiang Motorcycle group that owns Keeway and another legendary Italian brand, Benelli.

Giancarlo Morbidelli started Morbidelli in Pesaro but the new Morbidelli MBP will move to Bologna, instead. The Centro Stile Morbidelli and a new R&D Center will be built “to explore new technologies and materials, improving the design, performance and bringing Italian motorcycling excellence to the world, in the name of heritage and passion by Giancarlo Morbidelli,” Morbidelli MBP says.

The new brand’s range will consist of scooters between 125cc and 500cc, and motorcycles between 125cc and 1000cc. An electric range is set to be revealed in 2025. Morbidelli MBP is targeting the US, European, and Chinese markets to begin with. MBP’s current range consists of bikes such as the C1002V cruiser and M502N naked.

Dante Bustos, CMO of Keeway Group, said: “This acquisition is a testament to MBP Moto’s aspiration for excellence in the motorcycle industry. We are thrilled to welcome a historic premium brand like Morbidelli into our family. It will allow us to blend the legacy of racing and Made in Italy craftsmanship with our vision of the future of motorcycling. Our passion for innovation, combined with Morbidelli’s rich heritage, will lead to the creation of motorcycles with an unrivalled blend of performance, design and history.”

The original Morbidelli’s fame came primarily from racing. It began in the Motorcycle World Championship in 1969 in the 50cc class, and would race in the 125cc, 250cc, 350cc, and 500cc World Championships throughout the 1970s. Four titles were captured by Morbidelli between 1975 and 1977, with three in the 125cc class and one, in 1977, in the 250cc class. Racing activities ceased in 1982.

On the local front, the Malaysian distributor, Mforce Bike Holdings has confirmed that MBP Moto and Morbidelli will make an appearance at Malaysia Autoshow 2024, from 22 to May 26 at MAEPS Serdang. They will feature several models intended for the Malaysian market, such as the T1002V, SC150 and N252V, besides launching several new models.

Michelin Malaysia Launches MICHELIN Power 6, MICHELIN Power GP 2, MICHELIN Anakee Road

Michelin Malaysia launched the latest range of motorcycle tyres, namely the Michelin Power 6, Michelin Power GP 2, and Michelin Anakee Road, in an event last night.

According to Michelin, these new tyres are the result of their commitment to excellence, performance, and safety on the road, showcasing the brand’s continuous efforts to meet consumer needs.

Managing Director of Michelin Malaysia, Singapore, and Brunei, Prichapakorn Dangrojana states that,

“We’re thrilled to demonstrate Michelin’s steadfast dedication to adapting to ever-changing consumer needs through the innovative expansion of our motorcycle products. With innovation at the core of Michelin’s strategic approach, we are dedicated to advancing our motorcycle tire offerings to maintain our position as the benchmark in the industry for riders and OEMs alike and are delighted to be able to cater to Malaysian motorcyclists whose passion encompasses both the open road and the racetrack. Now with the MICHELIN Power 6, MICHELIN Power GP 2, and MICHELIN Anakee Road, we’re embarking on a technical revolution that promises to elevate the riding journey for Malaysian motorcyclists.”

MICHELIN Power 6: Your Everyday Tire for Excitement and Sportiness

The Michelin Power 6 follows in the footsteps of the excellent Power 5 sport-touring tyre, with emphasis on sport. (On the other hand, the Road 6 is also a sport-touring tyre, but with emphasis on touring.)

Michelin says that the Power 6 is optimised for wet and dry conditions, sporty handling and agility. They added that the tyre was also developed with mileage and lasting performance in mind for those long trips.

MICHELIN Power GP 2: From Racetrack Dominance to Roadside Adrenaline

Originally crafted for the track and now certified for street performance, the Michelin Power GP 2 represents the pinnacle of tire engineering. These tyres cater to supersports bikes above 600cc.

In other words, these are true sport tyres which can be used on the track and vice versa. It also means that you can ride it to the track, have fun in a trackday, and ride back with the same tyres.

MICHELIN Anakee Road: Trail-Designed Thread Pattern for Road Usage

There used to be only one Michelin Anakee tyre which provides a balance for road and off-roading, but Michelin has since split the range into several variants according to their respective uses. Now there is the Anakee Wild for off-roading, and this, the Anakee Road for road-biased riding but with light off-road capabilities.

As such, the Anakee Road features a 90/10 ratio for on-road/off-road use. That means adventure bike owners need not fear about grip on the road, while still being able to take to the trail into the durian orchard.

Pricing

With 130 years of history in developing 2-wheel tires, and more than 500 wins in the FIM World Championships, Michelin benefits from a vast and unique know-how that has helped them remain a driving force behind innovation in the automotive industry.

The Michelin Power and Michelin Anakee ranges have been homologated by premium manufacturers such as BMW Motorrad, Triumph, KTM and Honda along with many others.

Recommended retail pricing (RRP) for the new Michelin Power GP 2, Michelin Power 6, and Michelin Anakee Road tires along with size pairing are as follows:

MICHELIN POWER GP 2		PRICE RANGE PER SET (RM)
FRONT & REAR
120/70 ZR 17 (58W) TL	160/60 ZR 17 (69W) TL 180/55 ZR 17 (73W) TL 190/55 ZR 17 (75W) TL 200/55 ZR 17 (78W) TL	RM 1,300 – RM 1,700
MICHELIN POWER 6		PRICE RANGE PER SET (RM)
FRONT & REAR
110/70 ZR 17 (54W) TL 120/70 ZR 17 (58W) TL	140/70 ZR 17 (66W) TL 160/60 ZR 17 (69W) TL 180/55 ZR 17 (73W) TL 190/55 ZR 17 (75W) TL 200/55 ZR 17 (78W) TL	RM 1,020 – RM 2,000




MICHELIN ANAKEE ROAD		PRICE RANGE PER SET (RM)
FRONT & REAR
90/90 – 21 (54V) TL/TT 120/70 R 19 (60V) TL/TT 110/80 R 19 (59V) TL/TT	150/70 R 18 (70V) TL/TT 170/60 R 17 (72V) TL/TT 150/70 R 17 (69V) TL/TT	RM 1,300 – RM 1,700

For more information, visit https://www.michelin.com.my/motorbike/motorbikes-scooters-tyres.

RM185 million MySikap Contract Through Open Tender – Loke

The RM185.07mil contract awarded to Heitech Padu Bhd for MySikap was through open tender, said Transport Minister Anthony Loke.

The contract is for the maintenance of the Road Transport Department’s (JPJ) MySikap website. It was awarded to the said company as their bid was the lowest and most reasonable.

Anthony Loke said a submission awarding the three-year contract to the firm for the amount was sent to the Finance Ministry and was approved by the Treasury on Feb 2. The letter of acceptance was issued by JPJ to Heitech Padu on April 5.

He dismissed claims that the contract was given to the company as one of its major shareholders is Farhash Wafa Salvador, who is Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim’s former political secretary.

Loke said Farhash had acquired 15.9% of the firm’s shares only on March 16 this year. “This means he acquired the shares after the contract was awarded to the company on Feb 2 and not before it secured the project.

“As emphasised by the Prime Minister, after Farhash acquired the shares in the company, there has been no other government contract offered to Heitech Padu till this day,” he said in a press conference at the Transport Ministry here yesterday.

Loke said Anwar and the Cabinet viewed very seriously the insinuations by certain parties that the contract was awarded to Heitech Padu due to the prime minister’s close ties with Farhash.

“Farhash is no longer with the government and is not serving the government in any capacity.

“If there are parties who are still dissatisfied with this clarification, the Prime Minister welcomes them to lodge a report with the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission for a thorough investigation,’’ he added.

Loke disclosed that two other companies that met the technical and financial prerequisites had also vied for the contract with bids of RM186.8mil and RM199.5mil. He said the ceiling price for the contract was RM207.3mil.

The contract was for a three-year term as it is deemed a new contract, instead of an extension.

“Usually, maintenance contracts are long term. This is a new contract and not an extension of contract. If it is an extension then it will be on a year-to-year basis,” he said.

The contract comprised two job scopes, namely MySikap and Mainframe. MySikap was an online platform offering various services such as vehicle registration, road tax and driving licence renewals, while Mainframe provided servers to store data from MySikap.

In March 2023, JPJ decided to merge both components to a single tender and for it to be overseen by a single company for more effective monitoring and management.

Fuel Subsidies Cut will Begin this Year

The Minister of Economy, Rafizi Ramli stated that the reduction of fuel subsidies will begin this year.

He said the move is to reduce the country’s fiscal deficit in an interview with Bloomberg last Tuesday.

He also said the move was needed to “manage the sequence” of subsidy cuts, given the risk of inflation rising before the cuts are implemented. Since last year, Rafizi said he wanted to implement the RON95 subsidy program which was targeted in the second half of 2024 so that it would be delivered to those who needed it. For now, the T20 group is taking the opportunity to receive 53 percent of the existing oil subsidy system.

Of the RM81 billion subsidy budget for 2023, the subsidy for RON95 petrol has taken up a large portion of it.

During the interview, he said the government plans to reduce the budget deficit to 4.3 percent of gross domestic product this year, up from 5 percent in 2023.

“To achieve the fiscal target of 4.3 percent, certain timelines need to be adhered to,” said the Pandan Member of Parliament.

Our opinion is that the government must have a mechanism to reduce the impact of fuel price increases in the future because there will be parties who take the opportunity to increase the prices of other goods. Withdrawal of subsidies from those who do not need it is a good move but it must be done carefully so that the less fortunate are not affected.

Ducati to use Thailand as Export Hub

Ducati to use Thailand one of their export hubs. The decision follows the opening their first and new Asian production factory in Rayong.

The 400-million-baht plant has the production capacity of 10,000 units per year in the first phase.

Chief Executive of Ducati Motor Holding, Claudio Domenicali said, “Thailand is an important market for premium motorcycles, or big bikes, and we want to make Thailand our export base.”

“We produce every model of Ducati motorcycles at our plant in Rayong. We ensure the products meet high standards set by the parent firm in Italy,” he added.

The factory will be overseen by Ducati Motor Thailand and will supply the Asia-Pacific market. China was once Ducati’s key market but has seen sales slide due to an economic downturn.

Ducati sold a nearly 58,000 motorcycles last year but have yet to set a sales target for 2024. The sales volume will be determined by demand growth and market sentiments, said Mr Domenicali.

Nevertheless, sales of large capacity motorcycles in Thailand is set to increase.

Surapong Paisitpatanapong, vice-chairman of the Federation of Thai Industries (FTI) and spokesman for the FTI’s Automotive Industry Club, expects sales of big bikes (motorcycles above 400cc) to hit 15,000 units this year. He also said that production will also increase to supply both domestic and international markets.

Production of all types of motorcycles in Thailand rose by 5.2% year-on-year to 2.12 million units in 2023, with 1.7 million of them for export, according to the Thai Automotive Industry.

Thailand is already the hotbed for several major automotive and motorcycle manufactures including BMW, Honda, Kawasasi, Suzuki, and Yamaha.

In an interview with Triumph during a visit, we found out that the decision to set up these manufacturing facilities in Thailand is not due to labour costs, which is in fact higher than at neighbouring countries. Instead it is due to the automotive supply infrastructure in place at Rayong.

Source: Bangkok Post

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Latest News

Suzuki Avenis and Suzuki Burgman Street EX Launched

Highlights of the Suzuki Avenis

Highlights of the Suzuki Burgman Street EX

Suzuki Avenis Photo Gallery

Suzuki Burgman Street EX Photo Gallery

MBP Moto Acquires Legendary Morbidelli Brand

Michelin Malaysia Launches MICHELIN Power 6, MICHELIN Power GP 2, MICHELIN Anakee Road

MICHELIN Power 6: Your Everyday Tire for Excitement and Sportiness

MICHELIN Power GP 2: From Racetrack Dominance to Roadside Adrenaline

MICHELIN Anakee Road: Trail-Designed Thread Pattern for Road Usage

Pricing

RM185 million MySikap Contract Through Open Tender – Loke

Fuel Subsidies Cut will Begin this Year

Ducati to use Thailand as Export Hub

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