Selamat Hari Raya to all my readers out there.

Maaf Zahir and Batin

SOL, the helmet manufacturer made famous by the Malaysian A1 team has been been making strides in the local motoring industry in the last few years.
 A Malaysian-Taiwanese colloboration, the brand is becoming quite popular here, judging by the number of half-face and full-faced SOL wearers I see on my daily commutes.
 However, none of the helmets I have seen can compare to the latest Sol creation.
 At first glance - some people may think it's a bit wacky.
 After all, the SOL 68s has built in LEDs on the rear which make the back of your head light up.
 Yes, you may think that's the most silly idea in the world. But wait - it's really not that silly.
 This helmet is very well designed.
 The LEDs come with smoked lens covers, so nobody really notices that you've got LED in the back of your head - until you actually turn them on.
 In daylight - they are not very clear - but at night, they are visible hundreds of metres away.
 This ensures SUV drivers can see you way, way before they even come close to you - which is a good thing knowing how Malaysians drive.

 There are 6 LED lights in the rear. They're powered by two AAA batteries located in a plastic casing on the rear of the helmet.
 To me - the lights are very familiar. They are the same kind of lights I use when I go cycling on my daily cycles on my mountain bike at night.
 A switch in the middle is used to cycle the LED lights through off, on, blinking and fast blinking. 
 The plastics look a bit flimsy - but according to SOL, the whole assembly will disentegrate if a rider falls off and knocks the helmet against something - so I guess that's why the plastics look a bit thin - they were probably purposedly designed in this way.
 But fancy lights are not the only feature on this RM450 helmet.
 Add another RM240, and you have a 'Bluetooth' option.
 For this price, you get an itech Bluetooth device which hooks inside the front of the helmet and a pair of special ear pads that fit in the ear pockets of the helmet interior.
 I tested this option, and it works pretty well on my daily commutes to work.
 Before putting on the helmet, all you have to do is activate the Bluetooth clip, then wear your helmet.

 The itech clip has a built in radio - so you can listen to your favourite radio station while riding, although the volume shouldn't be too high to drown out traffic sounds.
 If a call comes in, the clip will automitically turn off the radio and connect the call when you touch your phone's keypad.
 It's all pretty convenient. I found it very useful. Now, I didn't have to stop, remove my helmet and gloves everytime someone called me. 
 What's interesting is the i-tech device is placed in the helmet and uses it's own microphone instead of the odd looking 'sponge ball' microphone which is usually used with helmet intercoms.
 Since the assembly is inside the helmet, you dont have to worry about water reaching the device when it rains either.
 Besides the lights and sounds (I guess you could term the 68s a 'multimedia' helmet heheheh) - this helmet has pretty good ventilation. 
 SOL claims on it's website that the helmet has
19 air vents for 'STATE OF THE ART VENTING'. This includes 9 intake vents and 10 exhaust vents. 
 The result is pretty impressive. The helmet has a light and breezy feel to it - although we recommend ear plugs to those who cruise at illegal, statospheric speeds.

 All in all - the helmet is a pretty decent buy.
 One things for sure - there is probably no other helmet right now on sale in Malaysia which has the features of the SOL. At least not for this price.

There was a lot of questions on the differences in physical proportions between the new Kawasaki Ninja 250r and the Naza Blade 250r. Here are some shots we took to highlight the difference in size between the two:

Sometimes, I can't help but wonder what awesome fate beholds sportbikes in the future.
 Aeons ago - in 1972, Kawasaki introduced what some regard as the first true superbike, the Z1 - which had a paltry 82hp.
 This year, the latest reincarnation of Kawasaki's top of the line superbike, the 2008 ZX-10r churns out a hair raising 179hp. Factor in the ram air effect, and you have roughly 193hps, with a maximum torque of 83 ft-lbs at 8,700 rpm.
 It seems the evolution of sportbikes is hurtling to some infinite point that is yet to be determined. But where will this all end?

 Fortunately, last week - I was lucky enough to ride the 2008 ZX-10, the penultimate acheivement for motorcycles in our time, so if an asteroid comes crashing down and ends civilisation as we know it, I can still be happy knowing I have sampled the cream of over 100 years of motorcycling development.
 As I took the ZX-10r up the now familiar corners of Genting Highlands, I could not but admire how easily it hauls itself up the steep gradients.
 A few months ago, I took the 2007 ZX-6R up these same hills, and the bike kept getting lugged down when shifting up through gears.
 It needed some revs to scream itself up the inclines.
 But this is not the case with the 10r. With so much power, the bike just powers up casually, leaving lots of extra wallop to overtake the occasional car crawling up the steeps roads.

 Throttle response is crisp and immediate. But that is nothing new - even the old 10Rs had smooth and crisp power delivery.
 What is amazing though, is how easily and well this superbike handles, despite the amazing powers that it has been endowed with. 
 There has been a lot of hype about the supposed traction control system that exists on the new ZX-10r.
 Kawasaki claims it doesn't exist, but there are people who think this is a ploy to avoid liability issues.
 Whatever the Kawasaki Ignition Management System can or cannot do - one thing is for sure, this new ZX-10r inspires a new level of confidence over the previous generations.

 As I rode the bike halfway up Genting, I was beginning to realise that I was much more comfortable on this bike than many other bikes I have taken up over the past few months, regardless of size.
 What does KIMS do?
 It's pretty complex really. It curtails sudden spikes in engine speed. The ECU retards ignition timing when it senses wheelspin through an array of sensors reading engine speed, throttle position, vehicle speed, gear etc etc.
 However, the system doesnt engage when the throttle is opened hard - making it possible still to wheelspin the rear end.
 It will only engage when rear-wheel slip is detected at constant throttle openings.
 In addition to KIMS, the bike has undergone some major geometrical changes.

 The rake angle has increased by 1.0 degree, there is 8mm of additional trail and a wheelbase stretching almost one inch longer over the previous year's bike.
 The bike is also over 2kg heavier than the previous one, but for some reason it feels perfectly balanced.
 I am not sure whether it was the KIMs or the new geometry of the bike which made it much more easier to ride than the previous generation.
 Besides the changes in the power and handling, the braking has been uprated slightly with a larger rotor diameter of 310mm and now boasts better heat dissapition properties.
 Riding downhill hard - with constant acceleration and violent braking - I suddenly realised why those Moto GP riders need to work on their upper body strength.
 I was also pretty sure that I was putting on some major wear on the rear tire. Luckily, the bike had just been registered by Kawasaki - and had less than 1,000km on the clock and new tyres.
 However, I have to add that the brakes are a bit mushy in the first few mms of travel and lacks feel like the Z1000, but this is probably a minor thing to most riders. 

 

Another thing that riders will appreciate about the 10r is the slipper clutch - an innovation that allows fast downshifts and better control before entering corners.
 With conventional clutches, when you downshift at high engine speeds, the rear wheels will transmit the braking forces to the engine directly - causing the rear wheel to hop or lose traction.
 But with the slipper clutch, the bike senses this and disengages the clutch momentarily, giving you even better control.   
 The 2008 ZX-10R is pretty close to the ultimate sport machine right now. That is until one of the bike manufacturers release the latest version of their own litre super-achievers.
 In terms of power, handling and sheer technical wizardy - it's not that for off from the best track bikes, and it's yours for just RM - after factoring in some exorbitant taxes.
 To put things in perspective, Rossi's bike for the 2008 Moto GP season produces 210hp - just 8.8 per cent more power than the ZX-10r.  

Umno elections are coming closer. I wrote this analysis for the NST:

By Arman Ahmad

armanahmad@nst.com.my

THE race for the three Umno vice-presidents' posts is turning into a mad scramble.

With four months to go before the final nominations, the number of people expressing interest has reached 15, and still rising.

On Tuesday, supreme council member Datuk Seri Shafie Apdal said he was motivated to vie for a higher post because of the new challenges the party was facing.

Other hopefuls include Education Minister Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Hussein, Umno information chief Tan Sri Muhammad Muhammad Taib, Foreign Minister Datuk Seri Dr Rais Yatim, Home Minister Datuk Seri Syed Hamid Albar, Minister in the Prime Minister's Department Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi, Higher Education Minister Datuk Seri Mohamed Khaled Nordin, Pahang Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Adnan Yaakob, Sabah Chief Minister Datuk Musa Aman, Negri Sembilan Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Mohamad Hasan and former Perlis menteri besar Datuk Seri Shahidan Kassim.

The incumbents, Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin and Datuk Mohd Ali Rustam, have not yet announced whether they would be defending their posts.
Earlier this year, former Umno Youth chief and former Malacca chief minister Tan Sri Abdul Rahim Tamby Chik also expressed interest.

Despite the general consensus that his political career was over, Rahim, who resigned from all government and party posts in 1994 amid allegations of sexual misconduct with an underage girl, stunned many when he announced he was ready for a "political comeback".

The 58-year-old politician also let off a stern warning to anyone planning to discredit him on the campaign trail.

"Do so at your own peril. I will not hesitate to take legal action," he was reported as saying.

The contest for the vice-presidents' posts is the race for the third highest post in Umno. It is also the training ground for the ultimate post -- party president.

The candidate, as pointed out by an Umno veteran, must have leadership qualities and be credible and capable.

But now, it seems everyone is throwing his hat into the ring despite the requirement that candidates must receive nominations from at least 10 per cent of Umno's 191 divisions.

With branch meetings kicking off yesterday, the race for the three posts has begun in earnest.

Word on the ground is that branches which are holding their meetings over the weekend are planning to discuss likely candidates for the vice-presidencies and to endorse support for party president Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi and his deputy, Datuk Seri Najib Razak.

Political pundits are saying that the record number of candidates running for the posts is a natural reaction to the transition plan. Abdullah will hand over the reins to Najib in mid-2010 -- which means the deputy president's post will be vacant in due course.

But this does not discount the fact that most of the 15 candidates made their intentions clear even before Abdullah made that announcement.

Prof Mohammad Agus Yusoff, lecturer at the Faculty of Social Science and Humanities, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, said the scurrying for posts was a phenomenon never before seen in the party's history.

"The reason is because the position of the party is now uncertain. The foundations of the party used to be built on solid ground."

He said many of the candidates believed they could provide the leadership the party needed and were capable of changing the party's fortunes in this time of need.

He also said the record number of candidates had less to do with the announcement by Abdullah to step down, but more with the candidates' belief that they were "senior" enough to contest.

Agus sees this as a good move for Umno.

"This is a good turn of events. Umno is a 'mature' party that is 50 years old. Any efforts to limit the number of contestants and stifle democracy will be a step backwards."

The fortune of these candidates will be decided by the almost 20,000 branches at their meetings.

The branch meetings mark the first phase in the party election process, which will conclude with the elections for the top posts in December.

One thing is for sure: this will be a race worth watching.

I still haven't recieved a tester bike from Kawasaki, but I managed to get my hands on one that is being reviewed by Cars, Bikes and Trucks.
 This is not a comprehensive review, just my first impression - because I wasn't able to test it under a variety of conditions and during daily commuting.
 Climbing on top of the bike, I do understand why some people who see the baby Ninja for the first time are a bit dissapointed.The tank is slim - even slimmer than a ZZR-250. It almost feels like an RXZ.
 The handlebars - which are connected to a pair of conventional forks are also very upright - giving you a very unsporting position.
 

The experience is much different from sitting on a Blade 250r - which feels big and sporty compared to the little Ninja.
 However, whatever shortcomings in terms of feel and aesthetics are immediately offset by the revvy and punch little engine.
 It feels exactly like a ZZR-250, except the power delivery is much improved.
 It is a high revving engine, but it feels very smooth.
 If you look at the Ninja in detail, you can't help but feel impressed by the level of quality on the little bike.

This is a beautiful little bike. The styling is sharp and fresh. It's just as good looking as the 2007 ZX-6 and ZX-10. It's way, way better looking than the ER-6F or Ninja 650r. It also looks more refined than the ER-6N.   

The instrumentation is neat. While there are no fancy digital meters - it has a fuel gauge and that to me is already a convenience compared to some bigger sports bikes.
 It feels well built and looks well built.
 The plastics feel expensive, and the fairing is well bolted together.
The bike isn't that small. From most angles, it looks almost as big as it' bigger 600cc brother, the ZX-6. A 5'10'' rider still looks ok riding it, although anyone over 6 feet may want to consider something a bit bigger or risk looking clownish.

However, the first thing I would change would be the tyres.
 The standard 130 rear end doesnt really do justice to the bike.
 I used to have a ZZR-250, and used 150s on the rear.
 The Naza Blade 250 also uses 150 rubber.
 Heck, even the little Mito uses a 150 rear.
 There are those who say that a 130 rear end is good enough for the amount of power the bike makes, but I can't say I can agree with them.
 Tyres are not just used for laying down power - they are also used during braking.

 If 130s were good enough, then how come MotoGP 125s use such wide tyres.
 There's not much contact area on that 130, and it locked up the moment I started riding the bike even a little hard, so maybe  a change to bigger tyres would be on the to do list if you get this bike.
 

I remember watching the 125cc World Championship about 12 years ago, and wondering what this guy named Valention Rossi was trying to accomplish by falling so many times off his bike. It was ludicrious, but there was something about the guy that told you he was special.
 Special he was - since his first 125cc race at the now non-existent Shah Alam circuit in our very own country, Rossi has won countless 125, 250 and 500 cc and MotoGP titles.
 He has stamped his dominance on MotoGP, and while there currently may be lull in his career - at the young age of 29, - he still has seven world championships to his name.
 But Rossi is not just about stats.
 There is a flamboyance to the guy that has endeared him to motorcycle fans throughout the world.
 I'm sure everyone remembers the chicken that he took for a ride around the track as well as that blow up doll that he paraded after a GP win.
 This book by Matt Oxley takes the reader back through the early part of his career - racing go-carts and then making a foray into 125s.
 Aptly named MotoGenius, it also reveals to the reader one of the most interesting aspects of Rossi's riding style - the ability to spin the rear wheel to improve cornering and lay off the load on the front end of the bike.
 While in certain parts of the book, Oxley may show excessive adoration for Valentino - he does pretty well to paint a vivid picture of "The Doctor" from behind the scenes.  Worth reading, especially if your'e a Rossi fan.

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.