Country with the most MotoGP fans? Indonesia!!!

Indonesia Unite!

Well, first it was “SEMAKIN DIDEPAN”, now a MotoMatters a respected motor racing web site, reporting that based on Google Trend (follow this link to Google Trend) Indonesia beat Italy, Spain, and Jakarta beat Bologna, Milan or Barcelona for Google Search about MotoGP related matters.

Do follow this link from MotoMatters for full report.

Photography: Learning to do “Panning”..

I have been enjoying photography lately, it was a hobby of mine about 5 – 6 years ago and somehow the bug bite again. Early this year I’ve updated my gear with the help of my big brother which already a “pro” photographer already and I started again to familiarized my self with the new stuff. My intention is to focus on action/sport photography and perhaps some human interest and landscape with a little bit of macro… Heheheh

Just like today , I brought my camera and since I was at track what better subject to shoot then bike? And lets do it with “panning” so the background will be blur to emphasized the bike speed. So after I finish my lap, grab my camera and start shooting.

“SEMAKIN DIDEPAN”, how important is Indonesia’s market for Yamaha?

There, the picture shows it all. “SEMAKIN DIDEPAN”, an Indoenesian word put at the back of Yamaha’s 2010 M1. “SEMAKIN DIDEPAN” literally means “ON THE FRONT” or “ALWAYS IN THE FRONT”. It’s Yamaha’s Indonesia marketing tag words for Indonesia market.

Yamaha world wide business were dismal in 2009, part of  it was due to the world economic crisis. But not in Indonesia. Just last year, Yamaha sells about a million and a half  (yup 7 digit figures) units of motorcycle in Indonesia, all of them were moped and small cc bike. Correct me if I’m wrong, but in term of unit sold Indonesia is the highest for Yamaha in the world and still growing.

What the definition of “Production” bike?

My previous post about the most powerful “Production” bike got quite well responses, with many suggestion about “this” bike or “that” bike that have more power then the current HP (horse power) king, the BMW S1000RR.

I guess as the title suggest, the term “Production” bike need to be defined. Which bike is a “Production” bike, and which is not. Then we can come to conclusion which production bike is the most powerful of them all.

This post is about my personal definition of “Production” bike in sport bike 600cc and above, other may have their own definition about it, but if you don’t agree (or if you do) chime in!

Say hello to the most powerfull production bike ever!!

As I flip my fingers over UK’s Bike magazine I can’t stop the amazement from the number that the S1000RR produce. It has 30 more HP compare to the Ducati 1198S and Aprilia RSV4. 18 HP more then the most powerful Jap liter bike the ZX-10R. And more power then the previous horse power king the Suzuki Hayabusa (180HP). Keep in mind the Suzuki Hayabusa is 1300cc bike, as the S1000RR is 1000cc bike.

If you must know, here’s the figure compering the S1000RR with its rival, all numbers are rear wheels HP figures off course:

Another Proudly Present: My new ride for 2010…

2010 Yamaha Mio Soul!! Yup, got my self a new ride early this year. I tested it and max I can do was 90km/h. But it broke the record time it took for me to go to the office, about 50 minutes by car, and about 15 minutes by the above ride Not even riding a  Ducati came close with that time!

Yamaha Mio, or commonly known as Mio, is the ubiquitous mode of transportation here in Jakarta. Do you know why Rossi and Lorenzo visit Indonesia for several times already? It was because Yamaha sells million of them (Mio and other moped model) in Indonesia annually. You want to truly experience riding two wheels in Indonesia? Ride what the locals ride, ride one of these during Jakarta’s peak hours

I put a small Givi box at the back for rain coat, etc, and I can go almost traffic free any where around Jakarta. Look for my ride report with this baby soon.

Proudly Present: New look for 2010. Part 2.

Graha Digital Racing Team 2010, HONDA CBR600RR.

More pictures bellow.

New look for 2010. Part 1.

With a new year, a new look seem to be appropriate. One of the things that I love about track bike is its look, and how simple it is to change them once you get bore with the old one. This year the tone will be white, and yes it was inspired by special Repsol Honda MotoGP livery for Valencia GP back in 2008.

For the paint job, I went to PERFORMANCE workshop in Hj Nawi street in South Jakarta. As always they did a god job painting the new livery.

CBR600RR HRC Rear Shock by SHOWA. Part 2.

On the next track day it was time to explore more the new HRC SHOWA shock. All the shock setting was still unchanged, I just want to familiarized my self with the rear end feel first. The Showa is a HRC racing shock so it was designed to be used by rider that more capable then yours truly. I might not have the shock on the limit at all, but I’m certain that the rear end feeling (and overall the bike handling) will be different than with that of stock shock.

CBR600RR HRC Rear Shock by SHOWA. Part 1.

HRC called it CUSHION ASSY, RR with Part No. 52400-MFJ-R11, it commonly known as shock or mono-shock. It was a racing parts by HRC for CBR600RR. The unit is made by SHOWA that supply almost all the suspension for HRC bike up to the MotoGP level. Only just late last year some HRC’s bike starting to use OHLINS, the most well known brand for suspension in MotoGP when Dovisioso started to test and used them in 09′MotoGP race, but before that HRC almost exclusively used suspension made by SHOWA for their MotoGP bike.

Some say since OHLINS no longer own by YAMAHA in 2009 then HRC started to try and use OHLINS for their MotoGP bike, but hey we are not here to talk about OHLINS and HRC, let just installed the SHOWA shock in my CBR!