Skechers GoMeb Review

If you missed the unboxing of the GoMeb, you can read it in this blog entry. Much of the technicalities and also the marketing items were covered there, including the Carbon Fiber midplate that added more rigidity and provide some sort of energy return/bounce upon contact. This is due to the material properties that not only helped to shave off the weight of the shoe, but lend to some energy conservation for typical racing flats.

Fancy some tech in your shoe?

Racing Flats
Do you need one? Some of you may ask. I would say it very much depends on your running style. If you push constantly during the race, this could be it. Else, you might be better with shoes like GoBionic or GoRun2. Perhaps, this shoe can be used as a "speed weapon" - your arsenal of speed tools to be used when  you do your "A" Race.
Before I go on, here is the promised photo of the shoes' weight. Yes, despite this not being/marketed as superlight shoe when compared to GoBionic, 220grams or thereabout for a size US11 shoe is impressively light.

Need to get a digital scale ;-)

First Touch - With Socks

Much has been said with some spoiler in the original unboxing posting. We all now know that the internal is lined with microfiber and allow for a sockless experience. As I tried the shoe on with socks the first time, I thought it would be good to try it out to confirm the fit. A short 5km run ensued under the hot sun. As I am used to (read: spoilt) by the larger toebox of the other Skechers, the GoMeb felt restricted. I am glad i took a size larger as that allowed some "breathing space". For the record, i wear EE width leather/working shoes. 

The GoMeb was missing the "middle bump". It is less pronounced in GoMeb when compared against the other Go-series. It also felt stiffer and firmer. 

I started the run at a slower pace to feel the shoe. The bounce was apparent and different from the other Go-series. Right into my first KM, i started to pick up the pace...the shoe followed through and supported the stride as I push to my sub-threshold heart rate.

4:19 average on GoMeb Level 4 effort - Sub threshold

At KM4, i felt a blister forming on my right toe. Took it a bit slow and realised that the feet swelled a bit making the shoe tighter. Not helping that the socks was loose at that hotspot as I can feel additional material between my feet and the shoe. My own mistake as I failed to wear the socks correctly. Made some quick adjustment on the move and picked up the pace to finish the run in good timing. 

Verdict With Socks

Fit - Snug. I did two things wrong here. First, i did not pull the socks up and it bunched near the toe, causing the hotspot. Second, I tied the laces a bit too tight. This was corrected in the subsequent run with socks.

Cushion - Despite the racing flat profile, this shoe was adequately cushioned. Are you surprised it was adequately cushioned? I was. I've worn racing flats before and it is hard and bare. It makes you want to just run barefoot. GoMeb sort of made me smile when I wore it as it felt "hey, it's...soft but firm at the same time". 

Based on my Skecher's experience, on scale of 1 to 10 , 1 being barefoot and 10 being most cushioned, GoBionic at a 2, GoBionicRide at 3, GoMeb rings in at 4, GoTrail at 8, GoRun2 comes in at 10. So, if you own any of these shoe I mentioned, you can actually more or less gauge where my "feel" is coming from.

Follow Up - Sockless

Naturally, those of you that know me will also expect me to run without socks to see if the shoe is safe to use without socks. After the initial hiccup of over tying the laces and not pulling my socks that cause some hotspot to build up and a small blister forming, i ensured that the laces were made looser at the front portion. Despite having a painful sore spot from the day before, I decided to just keep to the plan.

Pain, as they say, is temporary.

The shoe without socks was comfortable as I initially tested. To compare to the comfort of GoRun2 would actually be silly. It could just be me spoilt by the other models. Lucky for me, I am adaptive to these changes. The run sockless on the GoMeb provided more feel to the feet. At times, it confuses me if I am actually wearing a racing flat as the cushioning is better than GoBionic Ride, which is supposed to be a cushion-minimalist!

Verdit Without Socks

Fit - Loosen up the front of the shoe. I now see the reason for the conventional shoe-tongue. It is for this purpose. A sewn down tongue would not allow this degree of expansion to accommodate broader feet.

Cushion - The landing is softer compared to GoBionicRide and because the shoe is stiffer, there is a bit more noise on landing and make Ninja-like landing tougher. Haha. Ninja-like as in quieter landing. The carbon fibre insert at the midfoot provides bounce and the familiar bump at the mid-foot is less pronounced even when compared to GoBionic.

Extended Test

Due to weather extremities and the need to clock in some mileage after dark, I brought the shoe into the gym and ran it on the treadmill. A quick 5km was completed in 22minutes which is technically "assisted" due to the motorised treadmill. Because less effort were required, I had the chance to be "aware" of the landing and how the shoe reacted to my leg lifts and take off.

For this test, I decided to go with Socks AND loosen the front of the laces. Take note of the photo below on how "wide" i loosened the front. I loosened it enough to be snug on my forefoot if you wondered.

Fat legs with uncle-knee length shorts. 

Happy to report that the socks+shoe combo were good and has no issues with hotspot. It responded similarly to running on tarmac and the feedback from the GoImpulse sole and the bounce from the carbon plate was good. 

To date, I've clocked close to 70km on the shoe over 8 outings. The mileage on this shoe is considered low as I am actively testing out GoBionicRide and GoRun2 concurrently. I must say the first thing many noticed of this shoe is the Red-Yellow combo.

Bottomline

Racing flats - they called it. Surprisingly light for the amount of cushioning and reflexes this shoe provide. Adequate support due to stiffer sole and narrower fit to minimise feet splay. Fast shoe for faster runners. Save this for speedwork and A-rated races - or get this if you are above average runners to complete your arsenal of speed weaponry. 

I had fun reviewing this shoe as the technology looked so basic (as a racing flat) yet advanced (with carbon insert and superlight material). A beautiful racer that will set heads to turn.

Avoid this if you have large feet. If you wear US10 and beyond, the snug fit will force you to go one full size up. Not sure how it will fit smaller feet, but I am expecting the same. Fit the shoe with how you will run in it (with or without socks) and always in late afternoon or evening. I will update in my blog as I clock in more mileage and report it here. 

This post unlike others has limited photos of the GoMeb in the usage review. I apologise for that. Reason was that I recently changed job and the laptop assigned to me has much restriction. I need to get my own laptop if I want to continue to "do more" with my photos or even start uploading videos again.

Note: This pair of Skechers GoRunSpeed or GoMeb is sponsored by Skechers Malaysia via collaboration with 2ndSkin Asia Athletes program. Thank you Skechers Malaysia and 2ndSkin! This pair of GoBRunSpeed or GoMeb retail (Peninsular)for RM399 (Women) and RM419 (Men), and (Sabah/Sarawak) for RM409(Women) and 429(Men) and is available at all Skechers store. 

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Biker On Budget : Make Your Own Helmet Pad

If you ride the motorbike or cycle, you will have a safety gear known as "le helmet". Most of these safety wear is expensive due to the construction and safety feature built into the helmet. One issue I've encountered when wearing helmet is sweat - bucket of it. I've learnt to wear a balaclava or use my "buff" head cover (those stretchable cloth made from microfiber) as a buffer when wearing helmet. That eliviate some of the heat/sweat but the helmet ultimately still feel damp. 
So, the usual way someone would place their helmet is with the open part (neck) at the bottom so the helmet would not roll down. But that will impede airflow and ultimately make the helmet smell as the helmet will stay damp for longer time. 
Best way, according to logic, is to leave the helmet with the open part up so it will be exposed to moving air. The biggest challege here is to prevent the helmet from rolling around, and God-forbid, drop to the ground. 
Something need to be done.
In come the Stupe Helmet Pad™ 
What you need:

• 1.5feet of Insulflex foam - you can ask the aircondman for some balance or buy it off from them.
• Some tapes - I used an old rim tape to tie the end. Red color add some "expensive" look to it. You can use cardboard or newspaper too, read on.
• A piece of hand towel or microfiber towel. I have abundance of the yellow towel given out during races and it's time to put them to good use.

First, you put two ends of the Insulflex foam together and tie the end with the tape. If this method doesn't fancy you, alternative (as I prepared another one as I pace my helmet at two location : Office and Home), is to use a piece of cardboard or old newspaper, roll them up and insert into the Insulflex foam with one end of the paper/board sticking out. Then you simply join both ends together (like jigsaw puzzle). As I ran out of cardboard, I used an old rim tape.

Crude. But I am a functional guy.

This is how the one at home looked like.

Cardboard in the Insulflex hole and used to join both ends

Once you get the shape you wanted (and don't waste time trying to make it round no matter how OCD you are), simple place it on the table and put the cloth over the foam you just made. It is made more presentable after this, i promise you.

No one would know (or need to know)

The one I made at home has the more luxurious feel as i use a microfiber cloth. I use the cloth to wipe my helmet everyday as well. It clean the helmet off fingerprints and the visor to be free from smudges and traffic grime.

Neon is in, if you wonder

The final product will be utilised by placing the helmet upside down. The shape of the foam and the softness of the cloth will ensure that the helmet do not roll off and surface not scratched. 

Tadaa! Angled towards aircond vent

This DIY were made more out of necessity that trying to be cool. So, pardon the very rough/raw approach. I have no intention to refine this as I want to make this as cheap as possible. I believe you could actually buy these stuff from shops or something similar. 
If you have any idea to improve this, do share! Until then, ride safe!

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SCKLM 2013 : 100Plus Back As Partner

Standard Chartered KL Marathon Set to Keep Runners Hydrated

100PLUS comes in for another three years as a partner for the Marathon.

KUALA LUMPUR, 11 June, 2013 – Malaysia’s leading isotonic drink, 100PLUS, is back this year as an official partner for the Standard Chartered KL Marathon 2013. The sports drink is a favourite amongst sports enthusiasts for its properties to restore essential ions and electrolytes lost during physical exertion and rehydrate athletes’ bodies to its optimal hydration balance. 100PLUS is manufactured and distributed by Fraser and Neave (F&N) Beverages Marketing Sdn Bhd (Malaysia) and is the only sports drinks in Malaysia to be recommended by the National Sports Council (NSC).

The partnership signifies the commitment and confidence of both 100PLUS and Standard Chartered KL Marathon in making this event memorable and successful.

“We are pleased to have 100PLUS join us for another three years as an official partner for the Marathon. 100PLUS is the ideal drink for the 33,000 runners who will be running this year,” said Rainer Biemans, Project Director of the Standard Chartered KL Marathon 2013.

This year, 100PLUS will be providing over 24 thousand litres of isotonic drinks for the runners and an additional 68 thousand litres of mineral water will also be provided on Race day on 30 June.

“100PLUS is proud to be partners with Standard Chartered KL Marathon and we hope to grow this partnership even further in the future. Standard Chartered KL Marathon is an outstanding sporting event that has contributed to nation building by promoting healthy lifestyles in the community. The event embodies the very essence of 100PLUS’ “Outdo Yourself” spirit, which we hope will prevail in this upcoming race,” said Mohamad Fauzi,  Fraser & Neave Beverages Marketing Sdn Bhd.

100PLUS is specially formulated to help restore what the body loses during physical exertion. The unique combination of carbohydrates (glucose and sucrose) and electrolytes (minerals) helps in efficient transport of nutrients into the body, and is an immediate source of energy, enabling athletes to achieve peak performance in their sporting fields.  

The Standard Chartered KL Marathon is once again made possible by title sponsor Standard Chartered Bank in partnership with the event owner and organiser Dirigo Events, and co-organiser Dewan Bandaraya Kuala Lumpur (DBKL) and the Ministry of Youth and Sports.

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There Is Life After Stroke - Run For NASAM

Stroke is a life changing non-communicable diesease that will rob you off quality life

The National Stroke Association of Malaysia (NASAM) was established in 1996 with the support of friends and volunteers, and it is South East Asia's first non-profit organization to offer rehabilitation services for stroke survivors and support for their family members.

NASAM's main objectives are two-fold; firstly to provide rehabilitation services to enable stroke survivors to live a normal a life as possible within the limits of their disabilities, and secondly, to raise public awareness and education towards stroke prevention. Today, NASAM operates eight centres nationwide in Petaling Jaya and Ampang (Selangor); Penang; Ipoh (Perak); Malacca; Kuantan (Pahang); Kota Kinabalu (Sabah); and Johor Bahru (Johor). NASAM's long-term mission is to avail stroke rehabilitation to as many stroke survivors as possible, especially the poor and those living in rural areas. To this end, the visionary aim of NASAM is to establish a stroke specific rehabilitation centre in every major town throughout Malaysia.

NASAM passionately advocates that, ‘There is life after stroke'.

Running For A Cause - Stroke

There are 23 runners currently committed to "Run For NASAM" during Standard Chartered Kuala Lumpur Marathon (SCKLM 2013). 

These are your average everyday people that hold a fixed 9-to-5 job. People that very much have the same problems and dilemma working to balance life and work. One of them were a stroke survivor and a few has family members that was stroke victim.

For a common cause, they decided to come together and work to "give back"  and to raise awareness about Stroke. It is also to support and give back something to the less fortunate; in this case, NASAM (NGO that champion the cause in Malaysia)

Myself and Wifey will be running for this cause. My own father was a stroke survivor. That was about 10 years ago. The stroke effected the right side of his body and he has an infrac the size of 50sen at the back of his head. He was determined and with support from the family, went from 25% (walking with limp) to now almost 90% recovered. He is still working at age 61 and nothing seems to stop him - not even his stroke. 

I have a Teammate in 2ndSkin named Roy Yeow. He is a two times stroke survivor. You can read his story here.

The above two is just an example of "There is life after stroke". This run is for them and with them. 

To read more about the 23 people committed to Run For NASAM, click here

Supporting The Cause

How You Can Help

Some of you might remember and has contributed to the previous cause initiated by Team 2ndSkin for Dignity For Children Foundation. It was a small effort from the team to give back to the less fortunate. Likewise for this wider effort, NASAM is working with PeopleGiving.Org for the same purpose. 

Through this initiative, NASAM is hoping to collect RM10,000.00 from pledges by the generous public. You can help by contributing any amount to help with the cause. All donations are tax deductible in Malaysia. 

CLICK HERE TO READ MORE AND CONTRIBUTE

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Happy Birthday Ma!

Happy birthday to the woman that has made me who I am today through sheer determination (and a lot of discipline). Many that know me say I am a reflection of my mother; not only the good look but the manner and also the temper. While I must say that was pretty accurate (on the good look), I did inherit (some) of my Pa's better traits too. To be honest, I had to ask my sisters how old my mother is today - not because I am ungrateful, but because in my eyes, my mother is always the 21 Years Old that had given birth to me in 1976.

Taken during my Pa's birthday last week. :)

Happy Birthday Ma. I know you won't read this - but one thing i know is that you know a lot of news from Facebook due to newspaper (Sin Chew Jit Poh) reporting it. Lets hope this get featured and you see it! Love you loads!

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Benelli Keeway TX200G Supermoto Review

Most of you in the recent month would had noticed that I've reviewed a motorcycle helmet and has turned to motorbike as an alternative mode of transportation. The decision to obtain a motorised two wheels were very much driven by a few factors - and middle age, as many would believe, is not one of them.
Push Factors
I recently made a career move and is now working about 10km away from home. Traffic along the road during evening peak hour is horrendous as I could possibly run back home faster than one would be driving. But as it is not practical to be running with a back pack laden with a laptop and running on the heavily trafficked road, the next best alternative is actually to get a motorbike. Traffic jam (push factor) is a waste of time and soul-consuming. Time are better spent at home longer with kids and doing other things.
The Bike Selection
I have not owned any motorised two-wheelers before. I do not have a license to ride even. Coming from a protective family, riding a motorbike is a taboo activity. Not helping with statistics of motor bikers being maimed or killed on the road everyday. I am very aware of that fact. The same can be said about driving too. Safety wise, walking, cycling, driving or riding a motorised vehicles has their own sets of risk. I believe the first step of acceptance is to not be in denial about it. With that, I've made the promise to wifey and family that the bike will only be meant for commuting. I will not be involved in long distance touring or night riding.
This meant, the selection of bikes are limited. Mopeds(aka Kapchai) and Scooters (no matter how elegant that Vespa looked) is out of the question. So are the superbikes that go from 0-100kmh at a twist of the wrist. Visibility (to others) is important, hence the need to find a larger bike that also ride higher. Scrambler-type of bike comes into mind. I consulted a few friends that rides to work. Marwan and Kam offered superb advices - Get a Motard-style bike. Motard or a Supermoto as they call it, is a class of bike that is a cross of a Scrambler and a Roadbike. It has the characteristic of both and offers good versatility and a more upright seating position.
The influx of China-origin bikes in Malaysia has introduced no less than three brands that offered such bikes. Demak (DTM 150 and DTM200), MLE (XTM200), Nimota (Ranger and RangerX) and Keeway (TX200G) is just four that covered this Supermoto section. The displacement ranges from 150cc to 200cc. Big enough for decent commuting and small enough to offer good fuel consumptions (will get to this).
Price wise, all the brands named above were between RM6500 to RM8000 on the road (insurance, registration etc). It falls into my budget of RM10,000 which include safety equipments and add-ons. I then did my own research comparing each specifications and also historical usage by current and previous owners. To cut a long story short (as I can actually list down all the specs of the bikes above to conclude the final decision), my decision were based on these few (important) things:
1. Seating position and comfort
2. Ride height
3. Visibility
4. Engine displacement and performance
5. Aftersales Services and Parts

1. Seating Position and Comfort
All the bikes above has upright seating position and it boiled down to the size of the seat. Keeway TX200G offered the biggest (widest) seat which translate to possibly more comfortable landing pad for the tush. The other bikes has seats that are very scrambler like - narrow.

2. Ride Height
The bikes above all ride above traffic. Definitely taller than most mopeds and scooters and this will lend visibility to both the rider and the traffic. All the bikes share about the same ride height with the Keeway TX200G allowing me almost landing with the one feet flat on the road. I have to tip-toe on the other bikes. Not a bad thing as it meant the road clearance on those bikes are slightly higher too (to ride through...flood?)

3. Visibility
With a higher position of riding, the visibility of the rider is very prominent. If one were to add on a bike box behind the bike, it will increase this factor. However, most of the bikes share a thin/narrow profile likely due to Supermoto classification of functioning as a potential offroad machine. The Keeway TX200G comes with fairing (or body kits, in car terms) that are more attractive and aggressive when compared to the other bikes. This alone add to the visibility of the rider on the road. As an added point, the Keeway TX200G comes with a rear LED stop lights, which reacts faster and gives it a luxurious big bike look. Upfront, the Keeway TX200G has the largest headlight. Logic says this will provide the largest amount of surface for the lights to reflect and thus, staying more visible to all traffics.

4. Engine Displacement and Performance
I strikes out the 150cc bikes (Demak DTM150 and Nimota Ranger) and concentrated on the 200CC bikes. Reason for it is the price differences and the additional power available for just a few hundred ringgit more. Zero-ing in to the 200cc range allowed me to consider only the Demak DTM200, MLE XTM200 and the Keeway TX200G. All three are 1-Cylinder, 2-valves and 4-stroke engine.
They range from (actual CC) 193cc to 199cc. Performance wise, the MLE XTM200 (199cc) churns out 14.5kW/7500rpm and 18NM/6000rpm with a 9.4:1 compression ratio. The Keeway TX200G churns out 9.5kW/7500rpm and 14.5NM/6500rpm with a 8.3:1 compression ratio. The Demax DTM200 however, has no information on the (malware) official website or on the pages I accessed.
With the higher power and performance of the MLE XTM200, it should had been the choice. However, as I am wary of the power (as I've not handled anything on two wheels more powerful than my own two pedal powered legs), I decided maybe a "lesser" powered machine could be better. Coupled with item 1, 2 and 3 above, Keeway TX200G seems to score more points compared to MLE XTM200 in my opinion.

5. Aftersales and Spareparts
This was the selling point. Keeway TX200G is supported by Benelli Keeway which is based in Bukit Beruntung and has their own Bike Assist (think of it as AAM for Motorbike) which is available within Klang Valley. I was told that the owner can call to the Bike Assist centre and mechanic will be deployed if needed (if verbal troubleshooting fails) to troubleshoot at location. For a new bike owner, that will be comforting.

Outside of Malaysia, the TX200G is known as Keeway Empire. The brand name Benelli itself points to an Italian manufacturer which was aquired by Keeway and has a strong tie up with QianJiang Groups that produced and sold the most motorbikes in China. That simply meant good support for parts both locally and within this region.
Finally, The Bike!

At the Official Showroom at Jalan Ipoh

I went to the bike showroom hoping to place an order and was told that it is just a showroom and service centre. The person in charge directed me to the nearest authorised seller just across the road and I ended up at Ah Hong Motor. A brief chat (not committed yet) with one of the personnel there and I was told the last two bike are still up for grab. I was told the price will be RM7,500 on the road, which is well within my budget. I went back and took the family along two days later and made the booking. It was well thought off and I had a week to sort out "how to tell your mother you bought a motorbike". That was also beside having to get an "L" or Learner's license or I would not be able to ride the bike back and had to trouble a few friends to do so.
I decided to get/obtain the same number for my bike as for my cars, which corelate to my regimental number in RMC. I ended up spending additional RM210 for that number (as I skipped the running number at JPJ). No issues as that has been accounted for within the RM10K budget. The same goes to the protective gears I've bought such as the Nolan N91 Modular Helmet, A riding jacket with crash pads (branded as Alpinestar, I know it's a good copy), a pair of riding boots and gloves from Fieldsheer, a set of raincoat (I did not take the raincoat from the motorshop as I want something brighter, and not dark) and a Givi 45liter box. Now, everything is (almost) complete!
On the day I were to get the bike, It was excitement. I've not ridden a clutch bike before. Yes, it is like driving a manual car (which I does very well) and I just need to remember to stay calm. Needless to say, after a few fumbling with the clutch and throttle, I was very much on my way riding the bike. No drama as my first stop was to the accessory shop to get an aftermarket horn fixed. Being visible is one thing, making sure I am heard is another! So, a loud 125dB horn has to go in!
First impression of the bike pick-up was good. The power was there and the delivery depends on how smooth you can change the gears. Needless to say, after a month of riding, i give myself 8/10 for this.

Day 1! Complete Noob!

Among the selling point of this bike, tying back from the 5-points above would be:

• High riding position. My side mirror is at the same level as a full sized MPV like Alphard and Hyundai Starex. If i ride behind a moped, I look above his helmet.
• Comfortable seating position. My longest ride was with Kam from Damansara to Gohtong Jaya (70km one way) to learn the finer point of handling the bike from Kam that has ridden for more than 10 years on his MZ Motard.
• Wifey commented that she can see me almost 100m infront in traffic. Visibility is definitely there.
• The 9.5kW or 13PS or 12.7hp power were sufficient for me. The bike claim to be able to achieve a top speed of 120km/h and I've only managed 110km/h on Karak Highway. That alone was already fast by my standard. I must admit that the bike struggle to pass the 100km/h mark and this could relate back to the compression ratio (low 8.3:1), which in turn, lessen the power output and finally the top speed. If you took note, the XTM200 has a 9.4:1 compression and the KW increase is substantial. Good thing about lower compression is that the engine will be able to take crappier petrol and still work (though we have Ron95 and 97 only). Meaning, it will be a waste of money to put in the Ron97 compared to a 10.1:1 compression ratio bike (typically a smaller CC bike to boost power)
• The bike comes with a 1 year warranty or 10,000km whichever come first. At the rate I am commuting, the 1 year will be up before the 10,000km. Free labor charges is for this period/mileage at all authorised distributor and of course, the service centre at Jalan Ipoh. 

Rode up Gohtong Jaya with Kam

The additional selling point:

• The bike comes with a set of Pirelli Speed Demon as standard. 100/80-17 front and 130/80-17 rear were installed and came with many good reviews. I've not pushed the bike hard enough to benefit from the stickiness of this rubber.
• The bike comes with upside-down front shock. What it meant is the shocks are activated from the bottom instead of the typical shock that works from the top. Looking at the photo above, you will see Kam's MZ has the conventional shock that travels from top to bottom where-else the TX200G works from bottom to top. This is typical for superbike for better road holding (I was told).
• Large disc brakes that gave good stopping power. In a lot of instances, how fast you go must equate to how fast you can stop. Having a fast bike with bad brakes is fatal.

No eye See

The bike does have a few cons. After riding it for about a month (at time of this posting), these are what I've noticed and for sharing for future owners.

• The engine sound is rough. You can hear the tappet even when wearing helmet and going at speed. I was told this will improve after the first service *can't wait.
• The chain get loose pretty fast. I had my first adjustment at a local bike shop (and got it free). This could be attributed to the mono-shock design where the chain will be longer to accommodate extreme movement in the jungle. 
• Sticky gear resulting in hard to find the N. Small adjustment at the clutch cable sorted this out. 
• Check the screws and nuts and ensure that they are tight. Some may come loose after a while due to vibration. I lost a screw holding the heat shield at the exhaust extractor. Replaced it with 6mm Hex nuts and secured it nicely.

Additional Accessories were the retrofitted front windshield. Makes riding easier with it deflecting the wind

Fuel Consumption

Over the course of owning the bike, it has given me good fuel consumption. I've been tracking it and on average it is recorded at about 25km/liter of RON95. Best I had was 27.4km/l and that was when I used it on the Gohtong Jaya trip with Kam. 

BHP gives better FC?

The tank size was declared at 10.5liters and if that is true, I would be able to push close to 260km on one tank. Not too bad and that would translate to me filling up only once every fortnight! Less fuel = less emission = green(er). Riding the motorbike has also helped me to save on fuel on my car. With fuel consumption as good as this, I am not complaining about the bike not having top (end) speed!
Bottomline
The bike has so far been serving me well with no problem. If there is anything of a complain it is really the rough engine sound (tappet tappy-tapping). Otherwise I am happy with the purchase! My only wish is that it has a higher compression value for that power! (yes, it's addictive).

For full specs of the bike, click here : Benelli Keeway TX200G Brochures

Off To Work!

There are very little information available for this bike in Malaysia and there are only one or two more blogs that wrote about this. One being the owner itself, Hazwan Hashim. Read about his take on the bike here.

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Processed Meat Declared Too Dangerous For Human Consumption

This is nothing new. In fact, it is something I've been trying to advocates. Remember your favourite sandwiches with the sliced cold meat? They aren't really meat but processed meats. I found this article and I thought it will carry more weight since there is a legit research done by an institution and it carries a lot of information and warning. It will not sound too convincing coming from me alone as some of you might actually ask "Who is Tri Stupe to tell us all these? His qualificiation?".
The Processed Curse
I decided to share this a bit more due to the recent food scandal of the Bubble Milk Tea's Tapioca balls. If you have not read it, perhaps it is not too late to read it and see why there is less people at these establishment or if you have been consuming it, why it is not available (for now) currently. By the way, the Ministry of Health Malaysia (MOH) has just declared and banned four more products from Taiwan as they are tainted with Maleic Acid. 
My only wish is that the MOH will be more stringent and actually do more for the general health of the Malaysians. It will be a mountainous task no doubt and here is my little bit to help raise awareness.
We all love cured meat, or processed meat. Corn beef, ham, sausages, salami and basically everything that has went through processing to be packed and stored on shelf for a longer period of time. For meat to stay that way without rotting, preservatives will naturally be used. Sodium Nitrate is the most widely used preservatives and read the label to see it present in the choice of food you put into your grocery basket. 
Specific to Malaysia, which i've noticed missing from the list are the burger patties and those chinese cured meat like lapcheong. 
While we can't really escape from eating these once in a while, awareness will be important to know what we are feeding ourselves and the family. Then comes the volunteering elimination where we pledge to eat more real food than processed food. No doubt it's convinient, but bear in mind that health is not cheap when you are diagnosed with non-communicable diseases such as cancer, hypertension diabetes, cardiovascular disease, hypertension, as well as Alzheimer's and other dementias - all these related to your lifestyle and particularly, food intake!

Share this out if you find it useful.

The Full Article
The article you will read come from Institute For Natural Healing. It is copied fully and directly from it and credit goes to them. There was a feedback from World Cancer Research Fund (WRCF) that they (WRCF) is in no way involved in the production of the article - but in the same line, they did agree that taking processed meat contributed to 4000 cases of bowel cancer in UK. ;-) This is their feedback dated May 22, 2013, a full year after the article was published.

The World Cancer Research Fund caught wind of our article. Thanks to everyone who has been spreading the word! As they put it, they were “in no way involved in the production of the article.” And they weren’t. We read their review and drew the only logical, possible conclusion. Their official response… “The articles talking about processed meat being ‘too dangerous for human consumption’ are unhelpful and scaremongering.” Yet in the very same online post, they tell you to avoid processed meat because it can cause bowel cancer! We’re sorry. But if a food is directly linked to 4,000 cases of bowel cancer in the UK alone (according to their stats), it is indeed “too dangerous for human consumption.”

And yet another detailed study in BMC Medicine from just this past March confirms it.6 Processed meats increase your risk of early death from cardiovascular disease and cancer. We don’t call it scaremongering. We call it the truth.

Read On : http://institutefornaturalhealing.com/2012/04/processed-meats-declared-too-dangerous-for-human-consumption/

The World Cancer Research Fund recently completed a detailed review of 7,000 clinical studies covering links between diet and cancer. Upon conclusion it is evident that processed meats are dangerous for human consumption and consumers should stop buying and eating processed meats.

What are processed meats?Processed meats include bacon, sausage, hot dogs, sandwich meat, packaged ham, pepperoni, salami and nearly all meat found in prepared frozen meals. Processed meats are usually manufactured with a carcinogenic (linked to promote and cause cancer) ingredient known as sodium nitrate. Sodium nitrate is primarily used as a colour fixer by meat companies to make the packaged meats look bright red and fresh. Monosodium glutamate is also added on a regular basis to enhance the savoury flavour.

Sodium Nitrate has been strongly linked to the formation of cancer-causing nitrasamines in the human body, leading to a sharp increase in the risk of cancer for those consuming them. A 2005 Hawaii University study found that eating processed meats increased the risk of pancreatic cancer by 67%, whilst another study found that it increased the risk of colorectal cancer by 50%. These are scary numbers for those consuming processed meats on a regular basis.

Monosodium glutamate (MSG) is a second dangerous chemical found in virtually all processed meat products. MSG is a dangerous excitotoxin linked to neurological disorders such as migraine headaches, Alzheimer’s disease, loss of appetite control, obesity and many other serious health conditions. Manufacturers use MSG to add an addictive savory flavor to dead-tasting processed meat products.

Food items to check carefully:

• Beef jerky
• Bacon
• Sausage
• Pepperoni
• Hot dogs
• Sandwich meat
• Deli slices
• Ham
• Frozen pizzas with meat
• Canned soups containing meat
• Frozen meals with meat
• Ravioli and meat pasta foods

…and many more meat products

If it’s so dangerous to consume why are they allowed to sell it?
Unfortunately now days the food industry interests now dominate the actions of the government regulators. The USDA for example tried to ban sodium nitrate in the late 1970′s but were overridden by the meat industry insisting the chemical was ‘safe’. Today the food and agriculture corporations hold tremendous influence over the food industry and as a result  consumers have little protection from dangerous chemicals intentionally added to foods, medicines and personal care products.

To avoid the dangers of processed meats:

• Always read ingredient labels
• Don’t buy anything made with sodium nitrate or MSG
• Avoid eating red meats served by restaurants, schools, hospitals, hotels or other institutions without asking for details
• Eat more fresh produce and only purchase fresh meats
• Avoid processed meats as much as possible
• Spread the word and tell others about the dangers of sodium nitrate and MSG

Vitamin C naturally found in fresh fruits and vegetables has been shown to help prevent the formation of cancer-causing nitrosamines, protecting you from the devastating health effects of processed meats. The best defence of course is to avoid process meats all together.

Sources:
http://www.wcrf.org/PDFs/Colorectal-cancer-CUP-report-2010.pdf
http://voices.yahoo.com/sodium-nitrite-processed-meats-causes-cancer-2522974.html?cat=5
http://organicconsumers.org/foodsafety/processedmeat050305.cfm
http://preventcancer.aicr.org/site/News2?page=NewsArticle&id=15642&news_iv_ctrl=0&abbr=pr_

http://today.com/id/16361276/ns/today-food/t/things-you-need-know-about-deli-meats

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Happy 61st Birthday Pa

Today is my dad's Birthday. While the chances of him reading this is thin (though he know i have a blog), but I would like to post it up here for him (possibly) to see.

Happy Birthday Pa. Happy 61st Birthday.

Love you very much

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GoRunSpeed aka GoMeb Unboxing

This has got to be the most exciting variant of shoes from Skechers Malaysia that I've received less than 10 days ago. I made no secret about the excitement when I started posting photos of it when collecting from 1Utama store.

Swanky.

GoRunSpeed aka GoMeb?
Yes, such name for the shoe. Skechers as a brand has more or less stuck to a few naming convention. The GO series refers to the Skechers Performance Division. The Bionic sub group refers to Minimalist. The Run sub group specific for running, the Trail sub group for trail shoes. Then you have the sub-sub group that has the addition of numbers, denoting the "generation", or  the Ride - specific for cushioning and this, the Speed, well, for speed. So, when I reviewed the shoe I try to be as specific and accurate as possible. GoRunSpeed is also known as GoMeb.
And who is Meb? And why is he so special that he was given an honor of a shoe named after him?
Meb Keflezighi is an American that was born in Asmara, Eritrea (which, by the way, I just found out, is at the northwest of Africa continent). He was a refuge coming in from Italy, before ending up in USA at age 12. He is 38 years old, "past his prime", they say.
His association with Skechers happened when he was dropped by another brand. This shoe was developed by Meb and the Skechers team and specific to Meb running the 42km race.

Shoe Built For Speed. But can YOU handle it?

For the record, Meb has a personal best (PB) of 2:09:08 for marathon and could easily run a 10km race in 27:13:98. That in my book, is super fast.

The Man.

When Skechers offered me a pair for review as part of the 2ndSkin collaboration, I was excited. I get a chance to wear a shoe made for a fast man, or rather, a shoe a Fast Man asked Skechers to make. If you are interested to read and know more about Meb, this is from Wikipedia.

Run To Win!

The GoMeb
First the marketing portion. The GoMeb boost of a seamless interior with microfiber lining for maximal comfort. That ultimately also meant blister free.

Suede-dy outer

The weight of GoMeb is impressively light. bear in mind that this is a full-fledged racer with support. It comes in at 7.5ounces (212grams) for the Men US9. I took the US11 and it came in at impressive 220grams. Just 0.3ounces more than the official weight. Just that much differences despite the larger size. Photo in the full review!

Light Racer

The GoMeb is marketed as a Racer. What it essentially meant is that it is a racing flat. It is meant for one thing and it is to get the athlete to finish the race fast. So, this shoe does come with a lot of expectations; and the major part of it would be on the wearer to keep up with the shoe.

Lightweight Resalyte and GoImpulse sensor - standard on GoRun variant shoes.

Standard for the shoe is the Resalyte, GoImpulse sensor and the "M"idfoot strike features. This is a 4mm drop shoe, which made it consistent with the GoRun2 I am wearing.

Carbon Fiber? Wait for it!

Here is the shoe, unboxed. I love the feel of opening up something new. Even though I already wore this pair in the shop, nothing beats (re)opening it again for that new feel. I like it that the shop pack it all back again, like how it should.

Comes with extra laces.

The shoe, at first look give a very clean line. Mixture of synthetic materials to offer both lightweight and structure. The upper are mostly welded together with very little stitching - perhaps to shave off the weight.

Suede-like material with synthetic material bonding

Follow through the back of the shoe as well.

The GoMeb i chosed was red-yellow. Reason for this was because I do not have a red shoe to match my red tri-top. Yes, we triatlethes are lame. But with a shoe this loud (in color), do expect us to perform too.

slightly diffferent from the graphic as the word "Skechers" was not etched on the front (please see the photo above)

So from this unboxing, we found know the similarity is with the Resalyte, M-Strike, 4mm Drop and GoImpulse sensor. If you want to add in "Awesome color", it is also a similarity then ;-)

The similarities stops there. As this shoe is totally different from what you has seen in the GoRun, the GoTrail and the GoBionic beyond this sentence.The Differences
This shoe is a racing flat. The fit is very snug in the front, which has caused me to go 1-size up. First feel of the shoe is the obvious stiffness when compared to GoRun2. The notable bump familiar in the Go series is notably less pronounced even when compared to the GoBionic. Rated at (mm) forefoot - midfoot - heel at 14-19.5-18 which resulted in a 4mm drop (heel minus forefoot), it actually profiled pretty flat. 

Top and Bottom

Up on the front for durability and also some toe protection is a rubberised or rubber like material covering the front. This lend some structure to the toe box as well. My previous experience with another brand shoe has shown that a badly reinforced toebox will shorten the life duty of the shoe. Skechers does this by using the material for reinforcement.

Noticed the shinier synthetic/rubber part

Add on the Swanky-factors

The bottom of the shoe or sole is the GoImpulse. I know I did mentioned it to be "the same" as the GoRun2. I would need to highlight the biggest difference here is the inclusion of a reinforced plate that Skechers marketed as "Carbon Fiber". 

Black thingy in the hole

This plate is situated in the midfoot section thus increasing the rigidness of the shoe. Infact, this is the "most rigid" shoe I've ever worn from Skechers. Not helping the other shoes allow you to literally roll up. However, this rigidity is a feedback from Meb. He said it's good, I am not going to challenge that. 

The Carbon Fiber

I am no material experts, but i feel the torsion plate is a specific thermoplastic that functions like carbon fiber. The intention is to lend strength and also allow for the shoe to "spring"  or "bounce" when bended/under pressure. This will create an energy return of some sort, lending a small portion of energy savings. It could be a carbon fiber reinforced polymer. Whatever it is, it sure made the shoe stand out. I was told by a triathlete friend that a similar featured shoe cost him almost RM600. The GoMeb retailed for RM419 or RM10 more than the usual GoRun series (for male, Peninsular Malaysia). How does this plate provide/lend stability and help with my run? My full review of the shoe in motion will come in soon. Wait up for that.
The GoMeb shoe tongue comes undone this time. Unlike the other GoRun (or Bionic or Trail), this pair has the tongue not sewn to the shoe. This strengthen my point of this shoe being a racing flat similar to what many other manufacturer has. Perhaps there are some merit in this configuration and through my (spoiler ahead) testing and reviewing of the shoe, i found the reason why - it was for the fit as the shoe is narrow. Un-sewn tongue allows the top to be more "open" instead of constricted. 

Tongue-undone

A lace - tongue holder

The tongue comes with a lace holder as a mean to hold the tongue when you are not wearing it. In a way, it should allow for trouble free or bunching-free when you wear the shoe in  a rush (like in transition, triathlon specifically).

The inner portion of the shoe claimed to be microfiber so you an actually wear them sockless. 

Almost smooth

Flatlock stitching could be seen inside the shoe which provide a smoother feel with the skin. However experience of wearing the shoe sockless (spoiler) provide me with a slightly less smooth surface when compared to GoRun2. 

The heel cup however, was fully lined with suede-like material. Perhaps this is the microfiber extention too. It is also used under the shoe's tongue.

Smooth like a baby's skin

Microfiber under tongue

Unlike the other Skechers I reviewed, the GoMeb comes with the sockliner glued to the shoe. Meaning, you can't remove it. If you are looking for customised fitting, GoMeb will provide lesser of this feature other than lacing options to accommodate not-so-narrow-feet.

Stuck On You

The feel of the sockliner, however, is super smooth. it actually felt very comforting wearing it without socks. If you wonder my feet slip when wearing it (as it's soft and smooth), the answer is no. My feet felt secured. This again, likely due to the snug fit.

small little breathing holes

On question of flexibility, the GoMeb is structured when compared to the other shoes' I've reviewed. Apart from having a stiffer midsole, the back cup/heel could not be pressed down more than 25%. 

Maximum I can press

This is not a bad or good thing if you ask me. Just as a way to illustrate since some of us might be spoilt by the idea of the shoe being soft. Perhaps this will provide those looking for a bit more structure to a racing flat something to look forward? I am not sure. To be honest, I am impartial. Blisters at the heel are often caused by bad fitting of the shoe and/or the back portion being too high it cuts into your Achilles (I've experienced with a brand (shall not be named) before)

Bottomline

I would recommend this shoe to anyone looking for a fast racing flats. This shoe stiffer construction will suit faster runner and faster footwork more. Being a racing flats, it auger well for those that are looking for a lightweight and responsive racing flats. Save this for A-list race as every little bit (of technology) might just help. 

Some extra photos of the shoes.

Meb's official shoe. I wish there is a GoStupe, soon. Haha.

The interior, looked very breathable (spoiler - it is)

The very contrasting color of GoImpulse.

The shoe comes with two pairs of laces. I kitted them with both lace. :) 

GoRun(S)peed :D

Next, the GoMeb Full Review.

Note: This pair of Skechers GoRunSpeed or GoMeb is sponsored by Skechers Malaysia via collaboration with 2ndSkin Asia Athletes program. Thank you Skechers Malaysia and 2ndSkin! This pair of GoBRunSpeed or GoMeb retail (Peninsular)for RM399 (Women) and RM419 (Men), and (Sabah/Sarawak) for RM409(Women) and 429(Men) and is available at all Skechers store. 

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