CUCU ABANG GODAM

It appears as if Ducati is not the only player in the game with the  1299 Superleggera ‘s carbon fibre frame, as BMW Motorrad has stepped up with the BMW HP4 Race prototype. Revealed during the EICMA show in Italy, the HP4 Race displays a carbon fibre frame, along with a fairing, tailpiece and wheels made from the same material. The standard  HP4  carries a 999 cc inline-four cylinder with 16 titanium valves that puts out 193 hp at 13,000 rpm and 112 Nm of torque at 9,750 rpm. The HP4 uses BMW Motorrad’s Dynamic Damping System (DDC), along with traction control and ride modes. There is not a lot of information forthcoming about the HP4 Race, save that it will be hand built, and produced in limited quantities in the second half of next year. However, BMW Motorrad president Stephan Schaller said, “The HP4 race will feature the full carbon fibre main frame and carbon fibre rims as shown here. We will reveal more about this model next spring.” - Paultan

The Aprilia MotoGP team will run a special livery at this weekend's Valencia season finale, to celebrate the Piaggio Group's support for (RED).  Founded in 2006 by Bono and Bobby Shriver, (RED) has contributed $360 million to the Global Fund in the battle against AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria.  These funds have arrived in Ghana, Kenya, Lesotho, Rwanda, South Africa, Swaziland, Tanzania and Zambia. 100% of the resources have been invested in Africa to finance programmes intended to fight HIV/AIDS.  (RED)'s support for the Global Fund has had an impact on more than 70 million people with prevention, treatment and consulting operations, as well as HIV tests and assistance services.  The hashtag #iRideRED has been created to coincide with the Valencia race.   Aprilia Racing and the Piaggio Group thanked their partners, sponsors and riders for agreeing to the creation of the special livery, which will see not only the machines but also...

The Ducati Desmodue V-twin, thought to have had its final hurrah with the Ducati Scrambler series machines, has made a comeback with the 2017 Ducati Monster 797. Carrying an 803 cc Desmodue Euro 4-compliant engine, the Monster 797 is a return to roots of the original 1992 Monster 900, somewhat. Producing 75 hp at 8,250 rpm and 69 Nm of torque at 5,750 rpm, the Monster 797 is now the “baby” Monster in the range. Designed to be fun and accessible to all riders, new or old, the Monster 797 uses Bosch ABS, and brakes use a pair of Brembo M4.32 radial-mounted calipers. Suspension is by Kayaba and Sachs, front and rear, respectively. The front fork is a Kayaba 43 mm upside-down unit, non-adjustable, while the rear is a Sachs absorber with adjustable pre-load and rebound. Full LCD instrumentation graces the cockpit, and LEDs are used for the side-lights and tail light, with a USB port tucked under the seat for charging electronic devices. The Monster 797 is also ready for for the D...

The Multistrada 1200 now has a sibling, the 2017 Ducati Multistrada 950, which was launched at the EICMA show in Milan, Italy. Carrying a 937 cc Testastretta 11 V-twin engine with 113 hp at 9,000 rpm and 96.2 Nm at 7,750 rpm, this new Multistrada takes firm aim at the 2016 KTM 1050 Adventure. Drawing on the DNA of the Multistrada 1200, the 2017 Multistrada 950 is lighter than its big sister, and has a lower 840 mm seat height, with 820 and 860 mm seats available as options. Suspension travel is a suitably long 170 mm front and rear, and suspension duties are done with Kayaba forks and Sachs rear shock. Coming standard with the Ducati Safety Pack that includes Bosch 9.1 MP ABS with three settings, the Multistrada 950 also has four riding modes – Sport, Touring, Urban and Enduro – as well as eight-level Ducati Traction Control (DTC). Riders also have the option of user customised traction modes, which can be combined with the ride modes. Fuel is carried in a 20-litre ta...

While Malaysia still awaits the official release of BMW’s “baby” Motorrad, the G310 R, BMW has announced the international arrival of the dual-purpose styled 2017 BMW G310 GS. Drawing heavily on BMW’s heritage of Gelande/Strasse (land/street) machines, the G310 GS looks like smaller version of the massive R1200 GS overlander machine. Using the 313 cc DOHC liquid-cooled single-cylinder that is used in the G310 R, the G310 GS has 34 hp at 9,500 rpm on tap, with 28 Nm of torque at 7,500 rpm. All this pushes a package that weighs 169.5 kilogrammes, which is a DIN number, not a manufacturer’s claim. Two-channel ABS – which can be user deactivated – comes standard, and suspension is with upside-down forks and a monoshock in the rear. The front wheel is a 19-inch unit, while the rear wheel uses a 17-inch hoop, held by an aluminium swingarm. BMW Motorrad has not indicated when the 2017 G310 GS will enter the market, or what the likely pricing might be. It should b...

Without much fanfare, Kawasaki has released the 2017 Kawasaki Versys-X 250, a small displacement. dual-purpose style sports-tourer. Two versions are available – the stripped-down Versys-X 250, and the fully-loaded Versys-X 250 Tourer, which comes with panniers. The Versys-X uses a 249 cc liquid-cooled, parallel-twin DOHC engine, but Kawasaki hasn’t revealed output numbers for the bike. However, based on the Kawasaki Ninja 250R, it’s safe to assume that the engine on the Versys-X won’t veer far from the 250R’s 29.9 hp at 10,500 rpm and 21.7 Nm torque at 10,000 rpm. Single brake discs are mounted front and rear, with a Nissin four-pot caliper in front. The Versys-X 250 comes in both ABS and non-ABS versions, while the Versys-X 250 Tourer features ABS as standard. Standard telescopic forks hold up the front end, with what looks to be at least 170 mm of suspension travel, while a single shock absorber suspends the rear end. Spoked wheels are fitted front and back, the front usin...

After the recent launches of the Street Cup, T100 and T100 Black and Bonneville Bobber, Triumph has added another model to its Modern Classics range, the 2017 Triumph Street Scrambler. Using the basics ofStreet Twin, the Street Scrambler carries on the mantle of the previous generation T100 Scrambler, but better. Taking the retro-styled Street Twin as a base, the Scrambler utilises a 900 cc parallel-twin liquid-cooled engine which puts out 54 hp and 80 Nm of torque at 5,900 rpm, driving a five-speed gearbox. While 54 hp may not sound like much, the high-torque Triumph power plant has 22% more ponies available from 2,750 to 4,750 rpm than the previous generation engine. The new Triumph Street Scrambler comes with specific options unique to the bike, evoking the classic image of Steve McQueen and BMX 822 B, the 1964 Triumph TR6 SC he campaigned in the International Six Day Trials competition in East Germany. First off are the twin high-swept exhausts, which fo...