Friday 6 September 2013

Long-term Review : Benelli Keeway TX200G - Banksy

There had been quite a few e-mails requesting for this bike's reviews and most readers know the way that I fuss over my bikes and that my rides would be in relatively tip-top conditions, which could have been the reasons that my previous rides had been "courted" right after I posted 'em adverts.

Benelli Keeway being new in Malaysia, many interested fellow readers were concerned about the reliability, riding experiences and re-saleability of this new marque in our Malaysian market. To call a spade a spade, I'll start filling in my long-term review of my Benelli Keeway TX200G, which I shall name as "Banksy" henceforth.



"Why Banksy?", you ask.

Well, before he was recognised for the social artist that he was now, he was known as an elusive graffiti outlaw wanted for art terrorism. Or to use plain English, kinda like a hoodie- you know, a hooded hooligan.

And a motard, or supermoto, is a pretty misunderstood genre too. You have a scrambler bike more suited for climbing hills and doing somersaults, and slap on a pair of road tires and you have motards terrorizing the roads of Kuala Lumpur. These bikes could climb up and down pavements and stairs easily thanks to their light bodies, agile forks and large tires; and their riders would cross flash floods like child's play with the exhausts safely tucked away with high clearance. So yes, I think that motards are bikes with dual personalities.

I have had mopeds, racers, streetfighters, sport tourers and easyriders eg Kawasaki ZX2R, Aprilia RS Tuono, Kawasaki Eliminator, Kawasaki Vulcan, Kawasaki ER6F, etc; but I have never really tried a motard.

And how could I be a real rider if I have not tried most, if not all, genres of the bikes in the market?

 


Motards generally have riders thinking about Kawasaki and KTM, but I saw and took a chance with Benelli Keeway. Sure, it was new to Malaysian shores but the brand has had good reviews overseas, and I liked the fact that it came equipped with upside down forks, front and rear disc brakes, LED brake lights and Pirelli Speed Demon tires. And Benelli Keeway has a Bike Assist phone line in which a mechanic would be despatched to your location within the Klang Valley if something goes wrong with the bike, and a warranty that covered 1 year or 10,000 km, whichever came earlier.


So off I went to get for myself a Benelli Keeway TX200G, which should cost you approximately RM7,600 cash OTR with insurance and road tax.


And I soon had Banksy parked alongside his brothers-in-arms at the resident superbike parking spot.

Next : Riding Impressions

1 comment:

  1. esta bonita tu colección me gusta la azul que tienes al final yo tengo un TX SM 2011 no me apedido nada hasta los momento le cambien el piñon y corona de 15 45 a 17 43 corre mas pero en subida solo anda bien, mas los caucho que le coloque pirelli mt 60 atras 130 90 17 y adelante 120 90 17 claro ahora tengo un lio con el codo del tubo de escape de la moto que sale de la camara si podrias recomendarme una moto que le quede bien o igual que sea de aluminio asi como el ktm o un kawasaki yamaha honda o no se otra que tu me recomiendes pero el codo hasta el empate del tubo de escape

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