Weekly bike round-up: superbike or maxi-scooter?

Aprilia RSV4 1100 Factory

Aprilia Tuono V4 1100 Factory

Malaysians are blessed with a thriving motorcycling sector indeed. Whilst last week's debut of two new sub-RM16k commuters were aimed towards avid B2 license holders, this week saw the debut of three new bikes that are poised to woo avid B-full license holders with the means.

We'll start with the fastest two of the lot, and they come from Italian powerhouse Aprilia. Local Aprilia custodians Didi Resources refreshed its line-up this week after introducing both the updated-for-2020 Aprilia RSV4 1100 Factory and Tuono V4 1100 Factory models.

You may remember the local firm introducing the winged Italian two-wheeled track missile and its 'stripped' streetfighter twin not too long ago. The key update for 2020 is the inclusion of an even more advanced Öhlins semi-active suspension suite in both, promising even greater control and agility.

Like before, the RSV4 1100 Factory and Tuono V4 1100 Factory come fully loaded with Aprilia's latest and greatest APRC on board electronics package. Notable highlights here include cornering ABS, wheelie control, bi-directional quickshifter, pit lane limiter and much more.

Apart from styling, both also differ in power figures despite sharing similar 65-degree 1,078cc V4 hearts, with the RSV4 1100 Factory flagship superbike topping things with its whopping 217hp output figure whilst the more street-friendly Tuono boasts a respectable 175hp instead.

As for prices, Didi Resources Sdn Bhd have retained the same figures commanded by the previous 2019 models – from RM121,000 for the Tuono V4 1100 Factory and from RM159,900 for the RSV4 1100 Factory.

If the Aprilias are a little racy for you, fret not as there's a brand-new maxi-scooter on sale from popular Taiwanese brand SYM Motors too.

The SYM brand's assembler and distributor Mforce Bike Holdings confirmed this week that the brand new SYM TL 500 will hit dealer floors starting this month. First shown back in May this year, the Bukit Mertajam-based firm's latest flagship product is poised to woo avid B-full license holders seeking a practical, comfortable and somewhat stylish maxi-scooter package.

The SYM TL 500 harnesses a 564cc parallel-twin cylinder heart that outputs a respectable 40hp and 42Nm. Notable on-board features include upside-down front forks, rear monoshock, all-round disc brakes with dual-channel ABS, sizable 12.5-litre fuel tank, full LED lighting, as well as a nifty 4.5-inch TFT digital dash display panel and a USB charging port.

Bookings for the TL 500 can now be made through authorised SYM Motors dealers nationwide where it commands a RM35,888 base price figure (sans on-road costs).