Kawasaki today launched the locally assembled 2008
Kawasaki Ninja 250r and ER-6n.
With fuel prices skyrocketing, this is the best news
that I have heard in the past few months.
The Ninja is set to be a cult bike - following in the
footsteps of former Kawasaki 250s like the ZZR250 and
EX250.

Perhaps no other bike has stirred so much interest
from bike fans worldwide than this little Ninja.
The most incredible thing are the prices:
The ER-6n is selling for RM27,889 and the Ninja for RM19,889.
Both bikes will probably be good commuters. According
to various accounts, the baby ninja can get upwards of
50mpg.
Hats off to Kawasaki for delivering good, affordable
products to the Malaysian public.      

One of the most interesting exhibits at the recent BikeAsia 2008 held in Singapore was the new Cagiva Mito SP525.
 Three years ago, at the EICMA motorcycle show, Cagiva launched a race-tuned competition version of the Mito it called  the SP525. It was a tribute to the Cagiva GP500 'C594' race bike. 

 This bike was a legend. John Kocinski won a Grand Prix on a Cagiva GP500 (C594), finishing third in the 1994 world championship, and earlier versions of ther bike was even ridden by racing great Eddie Lawson.

 The 125cc racing edition SP525 bike was modified by Cagiva to produce over 37bhp, but it is not street legal.
 This year, Cagiva produced a road going version of the SP525. It retains some of the styling, especially the rear end.

 Mechanically, the bike also retains many of the same components of the previous Mito and is still two-stroke. However, a new Electronic Carburetion System developed by Dell'Orto allows it to pass the tougher Euro 3 emissions regulations.

 It is interesting to note that while the bike looks radically different from the Mito Evolution, not much has really changed except the top fairing, headlights and rear end.
 For technical specifications of the Mito SP525, click on this link:
 

http://www.mediafire.com/?bofd0woa0mg

For a press release usually reserved for motoring journalists, click here:

http://www.mediafire.com/?g6mcj1h9ddo

I rode down to Singapore on Thursday to attend the launching of Bike Asia 2008. I left Kuala Lumpur at 9am on a 2005 Aprilia Tuono. Pravin Menon from The Malay Mail accompanied me on his Suzuki DT800. It was a beautiful sunny day, and we rode so leisurely that we arrived at the Johor immigration checkpoint well after noon.
 Getting into Singapore was pretty straightforward. Initially, I was a bit apprehensive because I had a pretty colourful passport. In the past two or three years, I had travelled a few times to Pakistan and Indonesia on assignment. What was worse was that I also had an Afghanistan visa, and with my beard - I fit the profile of a terrorist pretty well. I half expected to be stripped down and body-searched.
 Pravin - who was dressed in all black body armour didn't help things much by appearing like a futuristic Tamil Tiger. I smiled at him weakly as I handed my passport to the Kiasu-looking officer sitting in his booth.
 Thankfully, the Singapore border guards were calm and were not trigger happy with their machine guns - and while we raised a few eyebrows - everything went smoothly, and we were soon heading at a steady 80km/h to the city centre.
 Ah.. Singapore. That wonderful city-state that is similar, yet so different from our own country.
 It's funny - all the plants on the side of the road are the same. The sky is the same colour, so is the stifling afternoon heat - and yet you can sense that something is just not right.
 For one - the police use Toyota Corollas and other Jap cars instead of Proton Wajas. Then there are the road signs - which are all written in a different font.
 Also, there is no trash on the side of the roads, nor smelly monsoon drains - which is a tell-tale sign that we had left Johor.
 In the 43 years since the island severed it's political ties with the mainland, the PAP led government introduced many regulations to make the lives of Singaporeans safer and better.
 Among the least favoured ones were the cameras littered all over the island to ensure people adhere to the speed limit.
 As we rode at a snails pace around the island enroute to our hotel, we watched in awe at people riding CBRs, Hayabusas and Ducatis at a responsible 90, 80 and 50 kph.
 If you have never driven on Singaporean roads, perhaps the best way to describe the feeling is by imagining perpetually taking a road test with a Road Transport Department officer looking over your shoulder, just waiting for you to make a mistake.
 You soon become paranoid, and with Big Brother peering over your shoulder, you start imagining all those SGD going down the drain.
 As if the speed limit wasn't enough - as we approached the city centre we had to avoid Electronic Road Pricing gantries - which are essentially tolled checkpoints to reduce congestion.
 If you passed through one without a special electronic pass - you would be liable to a fine. The gantries are operational at peak hours during the weekdays.
 We went in circles around the city for some time looking for our hotel, before finally reaching it at about 6pm.
 We rested, washed the road grime off our faces - then went down to the lobby where we took a cab to an Italian restaurant somewhere in the outskirts of city.
 There, we met fellow Malaysians Chris Wee and Faisal. After an Italian dinner, we were given a briefing by a group of mostly Italians. Their leader spoke loudly in Italian about the events that would be on tommorow while an American translated for our benefit in English.
 What was most interesting was that we would meet 73-year old Sophia Loren, who is some kind of brand ambassasodor for Italian products.
 The next morning, we were up by 7am. We took a cab to the expo centre. Due to the ERP, we couldn't ride there, because we didn't have the pass.
 It felt odd - going to a bike show in the back of a cab. But well, this is Singapore - and there are a lot of rules.
 But it was all worth it when we entered the exhibition hall.
 The first thing that caught my attention was the 2008 model Euro 3 spec Cagiva Mito SP525.

 I had read about it in international motorcycling magazines, but this was the first time I was seeing it in the flesh - or should I say, metal.
 Three of them were displayed at the Cagiva booth, and they attracted a lot of attention.
 I inquired with a representative from Hong Seh Superbikes Pte Ltd - the company bringing them in to Singapore, and they said they would be selling the bike for SGD15,800.
 From observations, the bike seems to share the same mechanicals as the Mito Fauzy edition sold by Momos but has a different coverset and a catalytic converter.
 Despite the SP525 designation - the bike retains it's 124.63 cc single cylinder engine.
 The latest incarnation of the Mito also appears much bigger than other 125cc bikes, and looks more like a superbike.
 BikeAsia 2008 is touted by it's organisers as the first international exhibition on bicycle, motorcycle, accessories and components in Southeast Asia, which is kind of funny, because I remember a bike exhibition in Malaysia just last year which was supposed to be this.

 Nevertheless, this regional show has an outreach of 500 million people who can reach Singapore within five hours flight and over a billion people within eight hours.
 "Thanks to the minimal visa requirements, its location in the middle of Asia and the high number of flight carriers in the area, Singapore is the ideal location to hold the first edition of BikeAsia," said the press release given to journalists by the organisers.
 Bike Asia is of course, an attempt by Italian manufacturers to bring their goods to South East Asia. And to spearhead this move - representatives from some of Italy's most well known brands were out in full force.

 This included Aprilia, Brembo, Colnago, Ducati, Guzzi, MV Agusta, Nolan, Piaggio and others.
 But perhaps the most interesting exhibit was the one by Marabese Designs - the reknown Italian styling house that designed some of the most stunning bikes of the last few years.  The 30 year-old styling house has produced work for manufacturers such as Piaggio, Moto Guzzi, Moto Morini, Aprilia, Triumph, Gilera and Yamaha.

  At their booth in Singapore, they displayed a special concept based on a BMW HP2 drivetrain.
 It was pretty amazing. I'm not sure if it can run, but the design was just simply radical.
 The designers were really thinking out of the box when they penned this bike.
 But sadly, this bike was the only really outstanding concept bike displayed at the expo.

 What the show lacked was prototypes. Being a trade show - many of the bikes on display had already been seen before by the visitors. Some, like the Demaks - where downright common.
 Besides the bikes, there were of course helmets, apparel and accessories.
 At about 11am, the show was officially opened.

 Miss Loren, the celebrity guest strutted in - accompanied by Lee Yi Shyan, the Singaporean Minister of State for Trade and Industry. With them was Roberto Fabbri, the managing director of BikeAsia.
 Sophia is quite tall in real life. She visited many of the booths before leaving.

Although there were wasn't any Japanese bikes at the expo, we did manage to spot one Kwak hiding inconspiciously at someone's booth. It was the new Kawasaki Ninja 250. At first glance, we thought it was the ZX-6. In fact, even after a minute, we were still debating whether it was a 250 or the 600.

But finally, after inspecting the exhaust closely and realising that the front fairing had no intake hole, we concluded it was the 250. It's simply gorgeous, and we hope Kawasaki Malaysia will bring it in soon and make it affordable to us bikers. After taking pictures and a quick lunch, I and Pravin left and headed to the famous Ah Boy for some shopping. I bought a pair of Forma boots and Pravin bought a Domo helmet.
 At 6pm, we headed towards the Tuas checkpoint with out booty. There, I and Pravin separated ways.
 A few minutes later, I regretted my decision to leave early.
 The hordes of working class Johoreans on kapcais were heading home from dozens of Singaporean factories.
 They lined up - six rows thick all the way to the checkpoint.
 It took more than an hour to literally inch the Tuono two or three kilometres to the checkpoint.
 My advice is - avoid leaving at this time. If you still have to, avoid lining up behind a two-stroke bike. I lined up behind a KRZ 150 and I could almost taste the two-stroke oil in my throat.
 The moment I passed the checkpoint, I breathed a tremendous sigh of relief. Finally, the Tuono could flex her muscles.
 Cruising on the rightmost lane on the highway - I arrived in Kuala Lumpur three hours later, stopping just a few times to refuel and eat.
 In all, it was quite an experience. However, I came back wishing that the expo had been organised in Malaysia. It would have been great - especially if we could actually ride to the expo site. 

Kawasaki Vulcan 900 Classic LT

This is the first motorcycle that I have ever ridden that has a full windscreen. It's not a small screen attached to a fairing, but a huge perspex screen that reaches almost as tall as a rider sits. I must admit that it's a bit odd riding around with it a few inches in front of your face. However it does work. You can actually travel at decent speeds even if you wear an open face helmet - which is what I wear on my daily commutes to work. The Kawasaki Vulcan 900 Classic LT however - is not something you normally ride to work on.

With two leather saddlebags, touring seats and that huge windscreen that keeps dirt, insects as well as other road grime from hitting you in the face - this bike is designed for the open road. Although it looks like something a person having a mid-life crisis would buy, the bike is actually very decent. Fuel injection and a belt drive equates to smooth power delivery. Those fat tyres grip the road pretty well, so you will soon be scrapping the massive footrests onto the tarmac. Fuel consumption is frugal - making this bike a pretty decent tourer.

 On top of this, there is an ample seat rest on the rear, giving your passenger pretty decent comfort to travel long distance. Gear shifts are smooth, and dials are simple and easy to use. In all this bike is something you can ride from Singapore to Bukit Kayu Hitam, making good time and in comfort.

Kawasaki Vulcan 900 Custom

I love that massive 21-inch cast alloy rim, I told myself when I first laid eyes on the Custom. It doesn't matter that the rear wheel doesnt match the front one - that huge rim makes the bike look really special - just like any bike that carries the name 'Custom' should. Unfortunately though, it leads to some drawbacks in terms of handling - because the bike doesn't really feel comfortable when riding over even small potholes and bumps. Still, it's a small price to pay to look this good. The bike is clean and simple, but attracts attention. Despite it's abhorence for bumps - it corners very well and feels really light for something that weighs in at 250kg.
The engine pulls strongly - and thanks to fuel injection - gives impressive fuel economy. This alone is enough reason to own one of the 900. Cruising at about 100km/h, one owner said that he managed to get 100 kms with just 4.7 litres of petrol. This equates to 100kms for just RM9. The tank can hold about 19 litres - which theoratically will give you a range of almost 400kms. Pretty amazing.
The V-twin produces 60.8 lb ft at 3,700 rpm, making the bike quick off the line. The wonderful thing is that this bike feels just as powerful as the Mean Streak, which has an 649cc advantage  over it (which is equivelent to one Versys).

Kawasaki Vulcan 1600 Mean Streak Special Edition

Kawasaki painted the frame and wheels of an ordinary Vulcan a shade of metallic red, before coloring the bodywork flat black to create this monster. Add some red, silver and black flame motifs and you have one of the most distinct cruisers to come out from a Kawasaki factory. The usual chrome pieces have gone dark with either black chrome or gloss black paint. If you parked a Mean Streak next to any other Vulcan, it would be hard to find out their similarities. But hop on one, and you would still recognise the silk smooth ride. Power for the 1,552cc cruiser flows out in a steady, linear fashion but starts fading relatively low in the rev range. Despite it's inverted forks and capable chassis - this is no sport bike. The power is transmitted to the rear 17 inch wheel via a driveshaft. Step on board, the first thing that hits you is how low slung the bike is. The seating position is radical, and the rear passenger will likely suffer due to the lack of a proper rear seat. The meters are well positioned although in American cruiser fashion - with the big readouts are in MPH instead of KMH. While riding the SE in Kedah, one of the sparkplug cables unwittingly popped out, but amazingly, I hardly realised it while cruising. With just one cylinder, the bike chugged along at about 130km/h for some time before I made a stop. It was only then that it began stalling while moving at slow speed. Due to the massive size of it's engine - the Mean Streak has a truly monstrous appetite. While I was riding it on the PLUS highway, it burnt through an entire tank of fuel in less than 150kms. With such a ravenous appetite, it is neccesary to plan your trip carefully to avoid getting stranded in between stops. The looks however, are incredible. This bike attracts attention every time you park it. The only complaint is that some of finishing details are a bit cheap. For example, the Mean Streak logo is a sticker instead of being engraved into the metal. People like Paul Jr from Orange County Choppers would probably call this nothing short of blasphemy. 

Didn't have much time to update the blog for some time. Been busy with election coverage. As some of you may know, I am attached full time on the nwsdesk of the New Straits Times, and I cover mostly politics, so I was pretty busy in the past few weeks. I was stationed in Gombak during the elections, and of course - it was an exciting night. When it was all over, the opposition had won the Parliamentary seat as well as all state seats. We journalists were huddled in a group with PKR vice president Azmin Ali, while outside - a 2,000 strong crowd of his supporters roared like some monster tethered on a leash. It was  4am before the results were finally announced by the SPR and we could finally head home.

Here is one of my commentaries that came out before the elections on March 6, Page 18:

A message from the new breed of voters

By Arman Ahmad

New Straits Times

FOR eight months in the past one year, I had to dodge potholes the size
of moon craters whenever I drove home.
  But now, barely a week before March 8, this has all magically changed.
  A few days ago, a band of workers appeared out of thin air with their
heavy machinery and fixed everything.
  Yes, you can tell that the election is near. You can smell it in the
air.
  Even if you're as blind as a bat and can't see the million or so
posters strung on taut lines like dirty linen, you can tell by the acrid
smell of tar that hangs thick in the air of countless housing estates.
  And it isn't just the roads leading to housing estates that have been
resurfaced.
  Jalan Riong in Bangsar, Kuala Lumpur, the site of our office, has
received a fresh coat of bitumen, too. It gleams richly black under the
sun, a reminder to all and sundry that it's election time.
  Elections mean different things to different Malaysians.
  For some, it is a chance to revel in yet another festivity. The
pilihanraya, just like Hari Raya, is a reason to celebrate.
  The festivities start on nomination day and will reach a crescendo on
election day, when the entire kampung will rejoice in the victory of
their newfound leaders in packed community halls.
  In cities across the nation, folks will be glued to the television for
the election results, with scorecards in hand.
  For many others, this is also the time to make money. Printing
companies will be making a small fortune by churning out countless
posters and election paraphernalia for the various political parties.
  The election period has always been an exciting time for me and my
family.
  My mother would be the most excited of all, being a fervent (or should
I say fanatical) BN supporter. When I was 21, she made me register at a
booth set up at our neighbourhood Carrefour, then advised me to vote for
BN.
  She is such a strong BN supporter that should I run as a PKR candidate
in my hometown, I suspect she would, in all probability, vote against me.
  As for me, I have always been apolitical. I have never voted. But I
will do so this year. I feel the time is right for me to vote as there
are many things which I feel strongly about in this election.
  Some people who bump into me think that just because I sport a goatee I
must be a follower of Ustaz Hadi Awang.
  Others, by virtue of my working with a mainstream paper, think that I
am a supporter of Umno.
  But the truth is, I myself have not decided for certain in whom I will
put my trust to run the country for the next five years.
  What I do know is that in the next few days, I will be doing as much
reading as I can, apart from listening to as many ceramah as possible.
  Which is quite easy really. For the people of my generation, who
breathe on Yahoo and YouTube, information is available at the click of a
mouse.
  So this is my message to all aspiring candidates of the 12th general
election, to their party leaders, information chiefs and heads of
election machinery.
  What we are looking for is a candidate who will give the most value for
our vote.
  We are not the same as our parents, who were much less informed.
  We will not be easily swayed by religious dogma or fooled by racist
propaganda.
  We can read about our elected candidates and the parties they represent
in the same way that we read a review on an MP3 player or a new computer.
  And rest assured, if we're not satisfied with the product, we probably
won't buy you again.

KUALA LUMPUR: The ban on motorcycles on the Kuala Lumpur-Putrajaya
highway does not make sense to members of the Superbikers Association of
Malaysia (SAM).
  SAM executive chairman Datuk Ahmad Zahid Hamidi said this was
particularly so as the highway had been built with facilities for
motorcyclists.
  "When it was first opened, I rode on the highway on my Honda Goldwing.
I don't see why Works Minister Datuk Seri S. Samy Vellu says the route is
dangerous. The concessionaires had even built motorcycle lanes at tolls
and bridges," said the deputy information minister.
  SAM president SAC II Datuk Jamaluddin Khalid said Samy Vellu's claim
that the ban would protect motorcyclists was invalid.
  "We are disappointed with this because motorcyclists are safer on
highways."
  According to Jamaluddin, statistics showed that 95 per cent of
fatalities involving motorcyclists happened on trunk and federal roads
and not on highways.
  On Thursday, Samy Vellu announced the ban, claiming that the 26km
highway, opened to traffic last December, had a road shoulder of up to
1.5m, making it unsafe for motorcyclists.
  Superbikers' Club Malaysia president Lt-Gen (R) Tan Sri Mohamad Ngah
said Samy Vellu should have thought about that when the highway was
designed.
  "Don't give excuses about not having enough space; a road is a road.
Why deprive the poor from using the road?"
  Moderator for motorcycle on-line forum Msportbike. com, Armand Ali,
said the ban was done without a study of the matter.

The Good, Bad and Ugly

ER-6n: The Bad-ass commuter bike

When I first saw the ER-6, I was pretty impressed with the Manga-styled design theme. This is one bad-ass looking bike.
It reminded me a bit of the Z1000, but was even more radical than it's big brother.
But riding it, I soon realised the two had very little in common.
For a 650, the ER-6 is pretty good. With 70hp on tap - the bike will exceed 200kmh if urged.
However, speeds above 150km/h are best left to those with very strong forearms.

The lack of wind protection means the bike is pretty hard to ride at high speeds.
Although the bike will cruise happily all day at 140-150km/h, the toll on the rider is more severe.
Be prepared for stiff neck muscles and make sure you wear your full fetish leathers and an airtight helmet on long journeys.
Otherwise - the constant blasting and negligible wind protection will have you stopping more often than your buddies are willing to tolerate.

This bike is actually meant as a budget machine - hence it doesn't have any upside down forks - so don't expect ZX-6 like handling.

The Tokico brakes are also not on par with the Nissins on some of the bigger Kwaks.
Some of my buddies who rode even complained that the brakes were 'scary' for the amount of power the machine produces.
At nearly RM50,000 it doesnt make much sense to buy the ER-6 here. While it was meant as a cheap commuter in most countries, the motorcycle tax structure here does it no favours.
Although it's simplicity would make it a good bike for beginners and the ladies, if you add in a couple of grands more you'll already be in 600 4-inline territory - which is much more 'interesting'.

---

ER-6f: The ugly beginner's superbike

This bike is similar to the ER-6n but has a cheap plastic fairing bolted on to it's frame.
The bike I tested was just a few months old but already - the horrible plasticky thing resonated at certain engine speeds.
Both bikes are virtually identical except for minor differences in geometry and weight.
The fairing makes the ER-6f much more practical than it's naked sibling of course. On a back to back ride - I was astonished by the difference in speed between the bikes.

The ER-6f feels like it can notch up speed much faster than the naked version. This bike is also much more relaxed at higher cruising speeds, and is pretty comfortable for travelling long distance. However, the drawback is that the fairing makes the bike much uglier than it's naked sibling. It's a case of less is best. And the fairing took away some of the ER-6ns nice detailing. In the United States - the ER-6f is known as the Ninja 650r and is considered by many to be the beginner's superbike. However, with it's nearly RM50,000 price tag here - it doesnt make much sense. It's just too plain for that price tag.
And the only reason why you would want to buy the ER-6f is if you're too short to ride the Versys anyways.

---

Versys: The do goody all-rounder

You would think that a tall bike with long forks would be a little ungainly in terms of handling.
Well, think again. This bike defies the laws of physics. It corners well, can go quite fast and at the same time has incredible ground clearance.
It shares the same engine as the ER-6 pair, but not many of their other characteristics.
For starters, it's dual purpose nature means you can ride the Versys crouched like a superbike, or upright like a supermotard.

It handles really well in both positions. In fact, I liked it much better than it's 'sportier' siblings, because of the tremendous versatility in riding style.
On a weekend run to Genting, I rode it supermotard all the way up, sitting upright and putting my foot down at the corners. The next weekend, I was riding it tucked down like a GP rider on the PLUS highway. The 70hp engine produces enough grunt to keep the bigger superbikes in sight, if not enough to overtake them.
In town, the bike also shines.

The high ground clearance puts the mirrors above car-mirror level, so you can cruise through traffic even faster than the 'kapcai' mob.
In really heavy traffic jams, the long suspension travel means you can climb tall kerbs (even with a passenger) to make your way through the urban jungle.
You can also ride through potholes without slowing down - which is a plus with KLs moon-like road surfaces.
It would be really hard to find a single bike that could do so many things for the RM47,000 price tag.

 

In the Malaysian biking landscape - where good bikes cost an entire fortune to own because of ridiculous taxes- this would be the bike to have.
In fact, we liked it so much that it was rarely left in the parking lot. Even the smallest errand became an excuse to take the bike for a spin.
If we were to be nitpicky - we would say the headlamp is a bit ugly and the brakes need a bit more stopping power.
But other than that - this bike is as good as it gets in the middleweight segment. Highly recommended.

 

 SPECIFICATIONS
  Kawasaki Versys 650
  Engine: Liquid-cooled, 4-stroke Parallel Twin, 649cc, DOHC 8 Valves
  Max power: 64PS @ 8,000rpm
  Max torque: 61Nm @ 6,800rpm
  Transmission: 6-speed, return
  Brakes: Dual semi-floating 300mm petal discs (F); single 220mm petal disc
  Dry weight: 181kg
  Price: RM46,900 retail

Bikes will no longer be allowed on the Kuala Lumpur-Putrajaya highway.

Effective today, motorcycles are no longer allowed to use the newly-opened highway, said Works Minister Datuk Seri S. Samy Vellu.
 “The ban is to protect the motorcyclists as well as other users safety.
 “The motorcycles can use the federal roads. Many roads have been upgraded to four-lane roads for their convenience,” he said while launching of the PLUS Expressways Berhad “Respect Your Limits” campaign in conjunction with Chinese New Year.
 He added the 26km highway, which was opened in December last year had only 1 to 1.5 metres road shoulder thus making it not safe for the motorcyclists.
 “There was only a limited space for us to build the highway."
 “After we looked into many aspects, we’ve decided to ban motorcycles from the highway,” he said.
 Samy Vellu added the ban on motorcycles had been enforced at the Ampang-Kuala Lumpur Elevated Highway and Smart Tunnel before.

Rumour has it that Samy Vellu is studying banning motorcycles on the PLUS highway as well as the NKVE as well.

So, to all those big bikers who pay expensive road taxes - it's unfortunate but you can't take your bikes on these highways - despite paying heavier taxes than some of the cars.

"I have been one acquainted with the night.
I have walked out in rain - and back in rain.
I have outwalked the furthest city light"

I rode after sunset from Kedah to Kuala Lumpur recently,  and as the kilometres whizzed by, Robert Frost's poem "Acquainted With the Night" kept playing in my mind.
I have ridden thousands and thousands of kilometres on dozens of bikes, but oddly enough - most of it was during daylight. While I often commute at night - I have never travelled long distance alone after sunset.
But something came up that night and my ride buddy, who was supposed to meet me in Penang on his Moto Guzzi bailed, so I had to ride the 450 odd kilometres on the Vulcan Mean Streak 1600 alone.
Riding at night gives you a different feeling. It's surreal. The pitch blackness. The cold biting wind.    
Even wearing a jacket and two layers of t-shirts, the cold still kept creeping in. The fact that the brutish Vulcan had no wind protection made things worse.
There were many stops. At highway speeds, the thirsty 1.6 litre twin needed refuelling every 110-120kms. Progress was slow.
I left near Magrhib and arrived well after midnight.
But I enjoyed it.
The sense of freedom was still there - eventhough you can't actually see the distant horizon because it was masked by the blackness of night.
But I could see the moon as it flitted above treetops on my left as it accompanied me throughout the entire journey.
And the stars formed a still picturesque mosaic above my head.
In the distance I could still make out the shadows of mountains illuminated by the light of the full moon.
And they all made me wonder why I rarely rode at night before.
I guess, like Robert Frost - I have been one acquainted with the night.

Now, if only there was a way to keep those darn bugs off my visor.

Helmets these days are pretty expensive devices. There was a time not so long ago when Arai, Shoei and AGV helmets were cheap, but nowadays the cheapest model from any of these brands could set you back by a cool grand.
 Enter SOL Helmets - the product of a joint venture between a Malaysian and Taiwanese firm.
 They offer a comprehensive range of helmets for all genres of motorcyclists.
 But what is most impressive about their products is the affordable price.
 We managed to test one of their helmets. Although it was unimaginatively labelled as the "Race" series, we were impressed with the build quality.
 The design and graphics were also quite well thought out considering the retail price of the helmet - which is less than half the price of their more established competitors.
 The helmet we tested has a thermo-plastic poly alloy shell and is Dot and Sirim approved.
 Flat black with red accents (called the Derk color scheme), it came with a clear anti-fog dual layer visor (which is not standard).
 But sportsbikes riders may want to opt for the Blade graphics - with graphics done by YF Design - the same guys who designed the graphics for Arai and Shoei helmets.