While public transport is a popular means of commuting in many countries, it is, unfortunately, less appealing to Malaysians. This is partly due to the various issues that affect punctuality as well as accessibility, discouraging many from using public transport systems more. We often read of delays and disruptions on rail lines and buses seem to be unpredictable in their frequencies.
Thus personal mobility, where one has better control of travelling, is preferred even if it means putting up with congestion and then looking for parking spaces. For many, it may be better than standing on a platform waiting for a train to come – and then find that some technical problem has suspended services and an alternative way to get to office has to be found.
Using a car does mean enduring congestion daily and parking charges can also be high. An alternative to a car would be a two-wheeler which cuts through jams and is generally easy to park almost anywhere. It’s also cheap to maintain and the only thing you have to accept is that when it rains, then your journey will be interrupted.
Boasting a cruising range of approx. 80km, a top speed of 55kmh and a 3-hour charge time from zero, MForce Bike Holdings recently launched the all-new, all-electric, zero-emissions NIU scooter!
In terms of size, the NIU is quite small, and ideal for use around the suburban area for grocery runs and leisure rides, as well as daily-commuting, since the NIU is JPJ approved and road-legal to be used on public roads. The NIU uses BOSCH brake-energy regeneration technology and its battery is by Panasonic. It’s equipped with front and rear ABS as well.
A short ride around the launch area at Gurney Plaza (below) showed that the NIU is absolutely silent when it comes to propulsion, and gets to its top speed of 55kmh very quickly. There’s no lag at all, and with 3 riding modes in terms of power delivery the NIU accelerates very rapidly, and in total silence.
You can find out more about the NIU at the “NIU Concept Store” in Gurney Plaza Penang, which was officially opened on the same day as the launch. The NIU is priced at RM8,800 on the road.
Naza Premira Sdn Bhd, official distributor of the Vespa brand in Malaysia is back in black with trendy and stylish Vespa Notte Edition in conjunction with Valentines’ Day. Available to the Malaysian market in two variants; Vespa Notte GTS Super 300 ABS and Vespa Notte Sprint 150 i-Get ABS, the exclusive Vespa Notte special series was crafted based on the technical and mechanical foundation of the most recent large and small frame Vespa scooters.
Befitting its name “Notte” which is the Italian word for “night”, the Vespa Notte special series exudes a mysterious and elegant allure, and is made for those who love attention to detail. Characterised by total black graphics, the Vespa Notte’s “night-time” style pairs its beautiful and sleek new opaque black chassis with glossy black details including mirrors, ornaments like its classic “tie” on the front shield, handlebar ends, passenger handle and the extractable footpegs of the GTS Super Notte. Additionally, the Vespa Notte Edition comes with refined details including a saddle dedicated to each model with the logo placed on the rear shield, and glossy black rims and muffler guard.
Vespa scooters have always been a symbol of love and freedom. Picture this – you and your significant other touring around town on a stylish Vespa scooter while feeling the wind in your hair. With the introduction of the Vespa Notte Edition, you and your significant other can recreate Audrey Hepburn and Gregory Peck’s iconic romantic scene from Roman Holiday as they toured around Rome on a Vespa scooter on your Valentines’ date, but this time with a touch of mystery and elegance with the Notte Edition’s sleek black build.
The Vespa Notte GTS Super 300 ABS is the perfect blend of nocturnal style and sporting character of the Vespa GTS Super. Equipped with four-stroke single-cylinder Quasar engine with electronic injection, 4-valve distribution and liquid cooling, the GTS Super Notte 300 is capable of putting out 15.6 kW at 7,750 rpm and a maximum torque of 22 Nm at just 5,000 rpm. The Notte GTS Super 300 ABS is also equipped with environmental-friendly features such as reduced fuel consumption and emissions. Truly the top of its category in terms of performance without compromising its safety, the powerful and exclusive scooter also comes with double channel ABS System and Anti-Slip Regulator (ASR) safety system making it the perfect road companion to manoeuvre through the congested Malaysian city traffic effortlessly.
As for Malaysians with a strong personality with the desire to be noticed, the Vespa Notte Sprint 150 i-Get ABS is a world style icon and symbol of the Italian lifestyle built on elegance, donning the charisma of the Vespa tradition. Powered by a cutting-edge 150 cc single-cylinder, four-stroke i-Get engine equipped with electronic injection and 3-valve distribution, the remarkable Sprint Notte 150 puts out 9.5 kW at 7,750 rpm and a torque of 12.8 Nm at 6,500 rpm, giving the lightweight scooter a particularly lively acceleration. The Notte Sprint 150 i-Get ABS was also engineered with a specially detailed exhaust and transmission casing inner structure to provide a smooth, quiet and comfortable ride.
Starting at RM29,000 and RM17,700 respectively, the exclusive, sleek and elegant Vespa Notte GTS Super 300 ABS and Vespa Notte Sprint 150 i-Get ABS are now available for viewing at all authorised Vespa dealerships and outlets nationwide.
Terrorists! Bombs! Communists! Dangerous! You will be kidnapped and raped! There’s no petrol stations! There’s no food! You will DIE! These are just some of the unbelievable horror statements and stories I’ve heard about the infamous Route 410 (below) that goes from Danuk to Betong, close to Pattani and Yala in Southern Thailand. And that’s exactly why I needed to find out for myself…
You see, this is exactly what terrorists and terror-groups want you to believe, to instill ‘terror’ (hence the terminology) in the hearts of everyone, to the point that if you believed everything you hear from a friend – of a friend, of a friend, of a friend, ad infinium – or read about from various sources on the internet, you’ll be too afraid to even leave your house, much less undertake a 5-hour road trip like I did, in previously unexplored and unknown terrain, laden with supposed terrorists just waiting to kill you…
Don’t get me wrong, I don’t have a death-wish, but I fervently believe that when your time is up, it’s up. It doesn’t matter what you could be doing at the time, a car could come crashing through the Starbucks you’re sitting at peacefully sipping your mocha-latte, and take you out spectacularly. You’ll probably make the evening news. Heck, you could die right now from a stroke or heart-attack, just ask my dear departed friend Ramesh Kanagasundram…
Hence the line from that movie “The 13th Warrior” always rings true for me: “The skane of your life was written the day you were born, go hide under a rock if it makes you feel better, you won’t live an instant longer, fear benefits man nothing…”
And that fear is what prompted me to write this article. As was the fact that after successfully and safely completing this journey with my trusted ride-buddy Buck Saleh (above, that’s his best side, snigger, snigger, arf arf) on his brand new Yamaha N-Max, there were still some who felt compelled to mention the dangers of riding here, in his later social media posts about the trip, despite the fact that I’m quite certain that some of those commenting have never even set foot in this area, much less travelled its entire distance.
Sure they can always say that ‘news reports’ said so, and if it’s online then it must be true right? Well, yes and no. Don’t forget that “sensation sells” and no news sells better than bad news. Ever been drawn inexplicably to look at a crash on the highway? You know it’s bad, you know you might see a dead body possibly in pieces, which will haunt your thoughts for days and maybe even weeks to come, and yet we are compelled to look.
It’s the same with news, a lot of it is sensationalism in order to capture an audience. I just did the exact same thing on purpose with the headline for this story. Hammer it home hard and long enough, and soon fantasy becomes reality, fabrications, embellishments and even outright lies become truths. Thus the more I heard about the (hearsay) dangers of Route 410, the more curious I became. How bad could it really be? The ‘want’ to find out manifested itself over the years and soon it became a ‘need’. I needed to know…
Yes, there are petrol stations along the way on Route 410. Still not one terrorist in sight at this halfway point…
Let me cut to the chase. It was one of the most brilliant+/- 288km of back-roads I’d ever travelled on a bike in my life. And when it was over I wanted to turn back and ride it again. I even recall Buck and I being quite pissed-off that we’d taken to heart all the horror stories about Route 410 over the years, and seriously regretted not doing this ride sooner.
At no point did I ever feel in danger or threatened in any way, (point of fact, I’ve felt in more in danger riding in downtown KL than the whole of Route 410) since there were numerous check-points to go through, and save for the last one before the destination town of Betong (the red pointer in the map above), we were not stopped or hassled even once. Along the way there were various places to stop and take a break, like the Khao Nam Khang Historical Tunnel Complex in the National Park, where we also had some of the best coffee ever at this small hut leading to the entrance…
Route 410 proved to be one of the nicest, most well made roads I’d ever had the pleasure of riding on, and seems to be a favourite not just with the locals, but I distinctly recall seeing quite a few Malaysian registered vehicles go by as well. Average speed throughout the entire stretch was about 80kmh, and that was fine, seeing as how my steadfast rule when it comes to biking is that if you go too fast you lose the essence of what biking is all about, and you’ll completely miss everything the location has to offer, since all your concentration is taken up just staying on the road.
Ban what??
The other point I wanted to prove was more to myself than anyone else. I wanted to really know if #Scootouring, or touring on a scooter, was a plausibility or just a hashtag I made up because it sounded funky. It’s a real thing by the way, I even have a Facebook page on it, so it must be real, right? Well, the fact that I’m hacking away on this laptop back home after 1,233kms over 4 days through supposed terrorist-infested roads proves that it is. Just make sure your vehicle, be it bike, scoot, car or truck is properly maintained, and in tip-top condition before any long-distance trip, to anywhere, not just here.
Before I end, let me set the record straight. I’m not telling you to go out now and drive to Beirut okay? No. All I’m trying to impart is to NOT let what you hear stop you from doing something that you’ve always wanted to do, or doing something that you love. That’s what terrorists want, to change how you think and feel; to change your way of life, to make you afraid. Remember, it’s all about how much fear they can instill in you, nothing else. And like I said earlier, if your time is up, hey, it’s up; only the man upstairs knows how and when. Your skane is written…
In the meantime, #yolo… we only get one shot at this, one chance, one life… so I don’t know about you, but I intend to make full use of it. I’m already planning the next ride, wanna come? Peace. – Chris Wee.
Boon Siew Honda (BSH) has just launched a new Honda Automatic Transmission (AT) model called the Vario 150. Boasting a combination of sporty style, high-performance and value-for-money features, the new Vario 150 is a “scooter-cub” bike (a.k.a. skuchai) an ideal option for bikers who seek a competent daily-commuter. In-line with its commitment to bring more joy to the customers, Boon Siew Honda has been continuously working to enhance customer satisfaction and evoke the creation of new value.
BSH noticed a growing popularity for AT models especially among young riders who wish to be pampered with quality features and specifications with an affordable price tag. Having understood the market demand, Boon Siew Honda saw great potential in the AT segment and decided to provide more options to Malaysians by introducing the Vario 150.
The advanced safety features of Honda AT Model provide peace-of-mind, while the automatic transmission makes them easy to handle. Other than the safety features and manoeuvrability, there is also an increased interest towards Honda’s smaller bikes with higher cc amongst Malaysian riders. The Vario 150 is powered by a 150cc liquid cooled 4-stroke single-cylinder engine that produces 13.1 PS at 8,500 rpm and 13.4 Nm of torque at 5,000 rpm. The 150cc engine is incorporated with eSP technology and advanced Idling Stop System (ISS) to provide an outstanding balance of riding performance and fuel efficiency. Riders will be able to enjoy the dynamic performance of the new AT Model that will exhilarate the riding experience to a whole new level.
The striking Honda AT Model offers many value-added features such as the Dual LED Headlight and LED Taillight, LCD Digital Meter Panel, Honda SMART Key System, Sporty Style Muffler with Aluminum End Cap, 14-inch Sporty Wheel with Wavy Disc Brake, 18-litre Under Seat Compartment and Double Inner Rack. Boon Siew Honda has also taken account of safety concerns into the AT Model design. The new model is equipped with a Combi Brake System (CBS) that helps to balance the braking system across the front and rear wheels to reach to an optimal standard.
Boon Siew Honda is targeting to sell 1,000 units per month and the company believes the standard of the AT segment will be elevated following the launch of this new model. Set to be the trendsetter in the AT segment, the Vario 150 (RM7,199) is available in four colour options, which are Pearl Magellanic Black, Pearl Nightfall Blue, Force Silver Metallic and the Repsol edition (RM7,399).
Available at all authorized Boon Siew Honda dealers from 30th August onwards, the Vario 150 comes with a 2-year or 20,000km manufacturing warranty (whichever comes first). In conjunction with the National Day celebration, a series of exclusive and unique Vario airbrushed with the flags of the nation and 13 states of Malaysia will be hitting the roads across Peninsular Malaysia. These special Vario by Boon Siew Honda embody the patriotic spirit of Malaysians.
For more information, please visit www.boonsiewhonda.com.my or call Boon Siew Honda’s Toll-Free number at 1800-88-3993 (Monday to Friday, 9am – 5pm, except for public holidays). You can download the official price list below:
I want both. Oh man, how I would have loved to keep them permanently. Of course it really didn’t help that I tested both the Yamaha X-Max 250Scooter (below) and MT-09 Streetfighter (above) back-to-back, and for the first time ever, here were 2 bikes – well one bike and one scooter, but for the purposes of this article I’ll be referring to both of them as ‘bikes’ – that I really, really despised. Despised the fact that I had to return them of course.
It’s no big secret that I’ve been a biker longer than I’ve been driving cars, having cut my teeth on 2-wheelers long before I was even allowed to ride them legally (sorry, I was a bit of a juvenile delinquent in my youth, but hey I turned out fine….ish. Sorta…), and over the years I’ve owned a slew of high-performance machines, only to unexpectedly and inexplicably turn to the ‘retro’ scene about the decade ago, as well as the scooter scene around the same time.
I reckon the bike that caused this ‘turning-point’ in my biking life was the Kawasaki Ninja ZX-14 a.k.a. ZZR1400 which I reviewed many moons ago when it first burst onto the scene. Capable of an amazing 200bhp going to the back wheel (not a typo) with its infamous ‘ram-air’ induction system, and a top speed in access of 300kmh, this six-eyed monster was to me the epitome of everything that had gone wrong with the world of biking…
Although I must admit I thought the ZX-14 was (and still is) an incredible feat of engineering and admired the hell out of it for its sheer audacity and in-your-face disregard for political-correctness in an age where we’ve never been more so, I also strongly felt that bike makers had lost the plot completely when it came to biking, by constantly producing bigger, faster and more powerful 2-wheelers. Where would it end?
This incredible leap in technology also sent the price of big bikes rocketing through the stratosphere locally, seeing as how our taxation system for bikes over a specific cubic-capacity was thought of and introduced when the main mode of personal transport was a bicycle called the ‘Seven-up’. Google it… okay, I’ll save you the trouble:
So yeah it was in and around that time when I decided nope, no more insanely high-powered bikes for me, and decided to go retro, starting with a BMW K1100RS, and followed-up with the likes of old skool Suzuki GS’s, GSX’s, etc. etc. etc. and as mentioned I got heavy into scooters. In successive order I’ve owned a V100, VS125 (2 actually), Elegan 150, and a currently a Sym200 VTS.
I’ve toned-down a lot when it comes to biking, preferring instead to just cruise at moderate speed rather than ‘balls-to-the-wall’ type riding, and in that respect, I’ve found that as far as daily-commuting and the occasional scootour long-distance ride is concerned, there aren’t many scooters I’m comfortable on apart from my Sym, and I’ve always bench-marked any scooter I review against my own.
Thus far I’ve been content with the fact that my Sym suits me the best insofar as the riding position, comfort and long-distance capability is concerned; that is until this goddam Yamaha X-Max came along… Here’s my post-ride video that sums up my thoughts nicely:
And then, having returned the X-Max, it just so happened that the new Yamaha MT-09 was available if I wanted it for a few days, and of course I could not say no, because the MT-09 – to me anyway – does not belong in the Yamaha line-up; as a matter a fact, a bike like this shouldn’t be in any bike-makers line-up and here’s why…
The MT-09 is a Streetfighterthrough and through, and although there isn’t a badge, emblem or sticker that reads ‘Streetfighter’ anywhere on the bike that I could see, it definitely is one simply by virtue of the way it looks, the way it’s built and the way you ride it. And the reason a Streetfighter doesn’t belong in any bike-maker’s official stable is because it was created by bikers, not bike-makers, and purely by accident too, literally.
Streetfighters came about when sportsbike owners had crashes and sent their fairings in to be repaired. Since the bikes could still be ridden sans fairing, many did so after slapping on a straight handle bar to replace the inevitably damaged clip-ons, and the trend caught on around 20-odd years ago, when some realised that a sportsbike looked kinda cool with its kit-off, and owners started to remove their expensive fairings from their bikes on purpose – possibly to save them big bucks if they had an ‘off’ – and ‘lo and behold Streetfighters were born.
The moment I swung my leg over the MT-09 and spirited myself away from Hong Leong Yamaha in Sg.Buloh, I could tell this was a Streetfighter right away. The riding-position is possibly the biggest giveaway, because in typical Streetfighter fashion, the rider sits quite upright and very ‘forward’ with his franks and beans right up against the tank. It’s also a very short bike from nose to tail, allowing for incredible maneuverability. Here’s my post ride, jittery, shaky, adrenaline enhanced video…
The nimbleness of the MT-09 is only overshadowed by the unbelievable amounts of torque from it 847cc, 3-cylinder engine. On paper the torque is only rated at 87.5Nm, with a healthy 115Ps @ 10,000 rpm, in a bike that weighs less than 200kgs. You know what that means don’t you? Should I elaborate? Very well then…
This bike is insane. It is so quick you’ll not believe how fast it reaches triple-digit speeds from a standstill, especially since it’s equipped with a ‘Quickshifter‘ you won’t need to use the clutch after 1st gear or shut the throttle to upshift. Hard acceleration sees the digital speedometer become absolutely worthless because this bike’s acceleration is so brutal, it just becomes a blur of flying digital bars that look like they’re on flakka.
It really did remind me of the bikes I used to lust after in my youth, and as the song goes, it made me feel eighteen again. If only for a while anyway. The thing to remember though, is that even with all my years of riding experience, this was still a very hard bike to tame. It’ll take a much younger hand with an equal (or more) amount of riding experience to fully explore the capabilities and limits of this bike, something I was not prepared to do myself unfortunately. But that doesn’t mean I didn’t have a lot of fun on this thing…
So back to taking things slow. In a nutshell, if an easy ride is what you’re after, a fuss-free daily commuter that can easily double-up as an occasional long-distance tourer, the Yamaha X-Max 250 is by far one of the best options out there now at around the RM20k price ballpark.
However, if you have the inclination to step-up your game and swing a leg over something totally bonkers, the Yamaha MT-09 at around RM45k is definitely a bike worth considering. I’m still recovering from the adrenaline rush to be honest… – Chris Wee.
