20/04/2025

theSunday Special XIV ON SUNDAY APRIL 20, 2025

Unfortunately the sidecar wont make it to Malaysia.

X-Wedge bikes will also be offered with a full customisation package.

WHAT ABOUT X-WEDGE MOTORCYCLES?

regular motorcycle appeals more to me, but I can also understand the charm of a trike for some. And when it is launched in Malaysia, the X Wedge Vanguard will open up the world of a trike to a lot more people because the only brand that offers a trike is Harley-Davidson, and those things cost upwards of RM200,000. The Vanguard will cost a fraction of that. Voyager VS2000 This is essentially the RX2000 but with a side car, so it shares the same common fea tures. The only main difference here is the weight. Because it has a sidecar, this model tips the scales at 490kg. As mentioned earlier in the article, the Voyaer is basic the Ranger RX but with a side car. Unfortunately, this will not make it to Malaysia which is a bit of a pity. Riding the Voyager is a lot of fun as well, but right-hand turns can be challenging as it feels like the car wants to flip over. So, you definitely have to change your approach to motorcycling if you want a side car. Walker WR1000 This is the only machine in the X-Wedge line-up that is different. It breaks away from the cruiser design and conventions and in fact looks more like a Can-Am Spyder than a clas sic cruiser with two-wheels up ahead and one at the rear. It is also powered by an entirely different engine. A 975cc V-Twin engine powers the Walker, with power rated at 81hp and 80Nm of torque. Power is delivered to the rear wheel through a CVT transmission, and it also has a reverse gear. Riding the Walker is similar to riding the Can-Am, you need to muscle the handlebars when you want to change directions. It is not as powerful as the bigger engine in the cruis ers, but it definitely has some grunt. The CVT transmission works seamlessly, and it otherwise seems quite comfortable as well, though a proper road test will better reveal its character. The cogs are already turning, dealers are being appointed, and showroom locations are being identified already. When it makes it here, you can expect a proper buying experience with dedicated 3S centres, very much like that of premium brands like Harley-Davidson, Ducati and even BMW. You will only buy X-Wedge motorcycles from their showrooms rather than from multi-brand shops. That alone should tell you what X-Wedge aspires to be. Their motorcycles don’t only look good, but the entire buying experience screams pre mium from the moment you step into the showroom. Except that you don’t have to worry about paying premium prices. WHEN WILL X-WEDGE BE AVAILABLE HERE?

The Ranger RX2000 offers classic chopper looks.

In all honesty, this writer experienced a jaw drop moment the first time I saw all of their models. There were five models on display, the Ranger RX2000, Rover RL2000, Vanguard VT2000, Voyager VS2000 and Walker WR1000. Almost all of which are coming to Malaysia, except for the Voyager VS2000 which is a Ranger RX2000 but with a side car. If you are wondering why, well Malaysian regulations simply does not allow for sidecars to be registered for anything else but for com mercial purposes. That is something for JPJ to look into but for now we will focus on what will Four out of the five models are powered by the 1979cc V-Twin engine with overhead valves which are “activated” by pushrods. This engine produces 103hp @ 5,000rpm and 158Nm of torque at 3,000rpm. Interestingly, the compression ratio of this engine is rated at a lowly 9.75:1, which means that it can run on low octane fuel. So, if you ever find yourself in a country where the petrol is on the lower end of RON 95, you really don’t have anything to worry about. WHAT ABOUT THE MODELS THEN? I had the pleasure of riding almost all the motorcycles during our trip to the Huansong headquarters, and detail all of them below: Ranger RX2000 The Ranger is what we call a basic cruiser. It has all of the key ingredi ents such as a low-slung design, long wheelbase and a hardtail look. Fuel is carried in an 18-litre tank while the overall bike weighs in at 350kg. The RX2000 is undoubtedly a good looking bike, but it is no Harley Davidson. There are certain things about it that feel a little rough around the edges such as the welding, switch quality and even the speedometer. You also feel the heft of the bike when you first get on it, but that is to be expected. The gearshifts are a little spongy while the brakes and the suspension do a decent job. Our ride was limited to the factory vicinity which is not exactly the most ideal situation to show the true capabil ity of a motorcycle, but good enough to show that the Ranger switches direc tions easily, delivers good power instan taneously and can come to a stop on a dime. The engine reminds me of Harley Davidsons from a little over a decade ago where you felt the vibrations and even some of the heat, but it made me feel nostalgic because modern Harley engines are just way too eventually make it here. WHAT POWERS THE MOTORCYCLES?

smooth bordering lacking character. Rover RL2000 This is basically the touring version of the RX2000. It comes with an upper case and a backrest as well as arm rests for the passenger, a large fairing, leg shield, footboards instead of pegs and side cases. It too has an 18-litre fuel tank and weighs in at a hefty 420kg. Riding this needed some strength. Even picking it up needed some effort but that is to be expected considering the weight. Since the engine is the same as the Ranger RX, the shifts and power delivery largely felt

the same. But handling, braking and suspension char acteristics are entirely different since this is a significantly heavier bike. Low speed handling is not as graceful as its Harley equivalent, but considering what X Wedge has accomplished from the get-go, I believe that is just a matter of time. Vanguard VT2000 This has a single front wheel like a regular motorcycle but two rear wheels like a car, which makes this a trike. Based on the Rover RL2000, like the previ ous two, it too has an 18-litre tank and weighs in at a whopping 505kg. Riding a trike of any sorts is always a fun experience. You don’t have to worry about the balance and can just completely immerse in the experience. But this also allows you to soak in the details such as the quality of the motorcycle and such. Some of the representatives of the company had mentioned that all bikes from X Wedge will be priced significantly lower than their Harley-Davidson

counterparts, so that also means that buyers will accept that qual ity will not be up to par with the American competitors. So, the Vanguard trike offers every thing that we love about

motorcycling but then adds an extra wheel at the back. I have never

personally rid den a trike over long distances but not because I did not want to, but

The X-Wedge engine has been inspired by S&S engines.

never had the chance to. I was not going to spend my own money on one since a