The motorcycling world, at least that part considered the developed world, has seemingly had its fill of traditional motorcycles. Blame the recession, blame ageing bikers with creaking knees and even the youth - traditionally motorcycling's backbone - who have all but abandoned biking, but whatever the case, the sales of large displacement street bikes in the UK, North America and Europe have all tanked.
The 600-cc supersport class, once the mainstay of sportbikedom, has all but disappeared. The Japanese Big Four - Honda, Kawasaki, Suzuki and Yamaha - have seemingly given up on four-cylinder 1,000cc superbikes, preferring to let BMW and Aprilia into a playground once a Japan-only segment. Even the cruiser segment, the backbone of the North American market, has fallen on hard times. Big bikes, especially if they're accompanied by equally hefty price tags, are just not selling.
The only bright spot - and it's still a relatively niched market, is adventure tourers. Once the sole domain of BMW's quirky GS series, adventure touring is blossoming, bikers finally figuring out that a motorcycle doesn't have to weigh 317kg to be comfortable.
This seismic downturn, no matter how damaging, has at least had one positive side-effect. After decades of ignoring the youth market, Japanese manufacturers are once again building motorcycles that are both affordable and fun to ride. For Honda, it was first the CBR125R that had seen surprisingly robust sales in Europe and North America. Encouraged, Honda followed up with the CBR250R, similarly powered by a single cylinder engine but just a little bigger and more powerful.
The question on everyone's lips then was what would Honda do to follow up. Even newbies will eventually get tired of 250 cubic centimetres and eventually want to trade up to something more powerful. But, if history has proven any indicator, these non-traditional motorcyclists want nothing to do with the hyper-powered superbikes that have always been motorcycling's traditional move-up machines.
Enter the NC700. Available in both quasi adventure touring X guise and as a naked S model, it looks far more traditional than the way rad (some would say too rad) DN-01 that was supposed to also appeal to non-traditional motorcyclists. It's got regularly-sized 17-inch wheels, there's a conventional six-speed manual (though an automatically shifting DCT may be offered) and it looks very much like the Japanese equivalent of Aprilia's Shiver.
The NC700's attributes that Honda is touting, however, are anything but traditional. For instance, though maximum horsepower hasn't been finalised, it's almost assured that the 700cc parallel twin will produce less than 60 horsepower, a fairly minuscule number for the displacement. And, looking at the instrument gauges, the first thing you notice is that the tachometer is redlined at a low, almost diesel-like 6,500 rpm. What the …?
On the other hand, Honda claims that the NC700 manages about the same fuel economy as the incredibly frugal single-cylinder CBR250R. In the UK they're talking about 80 real-world mpg (3.5L/100km), a number usually only matched by the lowest powered of scooters.
And, indeed, the NC700 feels different to ride. Since it's a mid-sized motorcycle, one expects it to rev to the moon and then, when you try to spin it, a pretty harsh rev limit halts the party at ten-thirty-on-a-Friday-night; 6,500 rpm seems that absurdly low. It's odd and a typical motorcyclist - that was me for the first 15 minutes aboard the X - will be banging hard against that rather abrupt rev limiter.
But switch gears, metaphorically speaking, and start short-shifting - literally now - the slick six-speed trannie to keep the engine in its 2,000 to 6,000 rpm sweet spot and it all starts to make sense. No, it's no road ripper, but, on the other hand, I had no trouble keeping up with the 1000cc Varadero adventure bike that was our guide. Unless I was trying to play junior hooligan, I would never have noticed the lack of top-end power. The closest metaphor I can come up with is the old BMW R100 airhead I used to own. The power started right off idle and there was but 50 or 60 rear wheel horsepower available, whether you spun it to 5,000 or 7,000 rpm. But it never really felt underpowered; just adequate in the best sense of the word. The NC700 is just a modern version with a heaping dose of civility.
The engine also has some character, a sensation that many complain is sometimes lacking in modern Hondas. Although it is a parallel twin, its crankshaft has the pistons spaced 270-degrees apart (360 is much more common) and, even more unusually, the two cylinders don't share common cam timing; the intake cams for each cylinder are different. The effect is the loping beat of a 90-degree vee twin, not unlike the thumpa-thumpa of an old air-cooled Ducati (it would be nice to hear the NC700 with a little more soulful exhaust pipe).
The engine is also tilted radically forward, barely 28 degrees from the horizontal. Combined with the fuel tank that is under the seat (the traditional tank is actually a scooter-like storage area that can fit most common helmets), it makes for a very low centre of gravity. Even with a seat height on the tallish side (830mm), that lower concentration of mass makes the NC700 a doddle to ride. And, to make sure that everything is manageable for the envisioned newbie rider, ABS is standard.
Honda has not yet set pricing, but NC700 will sell in Canada, for instance, for less than CD$9,000 (Dh32,400). It's not for everyone and, indeed, if your motorcycling life is full of powerslides and wheelies, the NC700 is definitely not for you. But, as the CBR125 and 250 have proved, there are oodles of non-traditional bikers for whom the NC700 will make an ideal trade-up vehicle. And Honda is to be congratulated for actually paying more than lip service to bringing new riders into the sport.
Sleep Well Beast
The National
4AD
The White Lotus: Season three
Creator: Mike White
Starring: Walton Goggins, Jason Isaacs, Natasha Rothwell
Rating: 4.5/5
The smuggler
Eldarir had arrived at JFK in January 2020 with three suitcases, containing goods he valued at $300, when he was directed to a search area.
Officers found 41 gold artefacts among the bags, including amulets from a funerary set which prepared the deceased for the afterlife.
Also found was a cartouche of a Ptolemaic king on a relief that was originally part of a royal building or temple.
The largest single group of items found in Eldarir’s cases were 400 shabtis, or figurines.
Khouli conviction
Khouli smuggled items into the US by making false declarations to customs about the country of origin and value of the items.
According to Immigration and Customs Enforcement, he provided “false provenances which stated that [two] Egyptian antiquities were part of a collection assembled by Khouli's father in Israel in the 1960s” when in fact “Khouli acquired the Egyptian antiquities from other dealers”.
He was sentenced to one year of probation, six months of home confinement and 200 hours of community service in 2012 after admitting buying and smuggling Egyptian antiquities, including coffins, funerary boats and limestone figures.
For sale
A number of other items said to come from the collection of Ezeldeen Taha Eldarir are currently or recently for sale.
Their provenance is described in near identical terms as the British Museum shabti: bought from Salahaddin Sirmali, "authenticated and appraised" by Hossen Rashed, then imported to the US in 1948.
- An Egyptian Mummy mask dating from 700BC-30BC, is on offer for £11,807 ($15,275) online by a seller in Mexico
- A coffin lid dating back to 664BC-332BC was offered for sale by a Colorado-based art dealer, with a starting price of $65,000
- A shabti that was on sale through a Chicago-based coin dealer, dating from 1567BC-1085BC, is up for $1,950
Mercer, the investment consulting arm of US services company Marsh & McLennan, expects its wealth division to at least double its assets under management (AUM) in the Middle East as wealth in the region continues to grow despite economic headwinds, a company official said.
Mercer Wealth, which globally has $160 billion in AUM, plans to boost its AUM in the region to $2-$3bn in the next 2-3 years from the present $1bn, said Yasir AbuShaban, a Dubai-based principal with Mercer Wealth.
“Within the next two to three years, we are looking at reaching $2 to $3 billion as a conservative estimate and we do see an opportunity to do so,” said Mr AbuShaban.
Mercer does not directly make investments, but allocates clients’ money they have discretion to, to professional asset managers. They also provide advice to clients.
“We have buying power. We can negotiate on their (client’s) behalf with asset managers to provide them lower fees than they otherwise would have to get on their own,” he added.
Mercer Wealth’s clients include sovereign wealth funds, family offices, and insurance companies among others.
From its office in Dubai, Mercer also looks after Africa, India and Turkey, where they also see opportunity for growth.
Wealth creation in Middle East and Africa (MEA) grew 8.5 per cent to $8.1 trillion last year from $7.5tn in 2015, higher than last year’s global average of 6 per cent and the second-highest growth in a region after Asia-Pacific which grew 9.9 per cent, according to consultancy Boston Consulting Group (BCG). In the region, where wealth grew just 1.9 per cent in 2015 compared with 2014, a pickup in oil prices has helped in wealth generation.
BCG is forecasting MEA wealth will rise to $12tn by 2021, growing at an annual average of 8 per cent.
Drivers of wealth generation in the region will be split evenly between new wealth creation and growth of performance of existing assets, according to BCG.
Another general trend in the region is clients’ looking for a comprehensive approach to investing, according to Mr AbuShaban.
“Institutional investors or some of the families are seeing a slowdown in the available capital they have to invest and in that sense they are looking at optimizing the way they manage their portfolios and making sure they are not investing haphazardly and different parts of their investment are working together,” said Mr AbuShaban.
Some clients also have a higher appetite for risk, given the low interest-rate environment that does not provide enough yield for some institutional investors. These clients are keen to invest in illiquid assets, such as private equity and infrastructure.
“What we have seen is a desire for higher returns in what has been a low-return environment specifically in various fixed income or bonds,” he said.
“In this environment, we have seen a de facto increase in the risk that clients are taking in things like illiquid investments, private equity investments, infrastructure and private debt, those kind of investments were higher illiquidity results in incrementally higher returns.”
The Abu Dhabi Investment Authority, one of the largest sovereign wealth funds, said in its 2016 report that has gradually increased its exposure in direct private equity and private credit transactions, mainly in Asian markets and especially in China and India. The authority’s private equity department focused on structured equities owing to “their defensive characteristics.”
Mia Man’s tips for fermentation
- Start with a simple recipe such as yogurt or sauerkraut
- Keep your hands and kitchen tools clean. Sanitize knives, cutting boards, tongs and storage jars with boiling water before you start.
- Mold is bad: the colour pink is a sign of mold. If yogurt turns pink as it ferments, you need to discard it and start again. For kraut, if you remove the top leaves and see any sign of mold, you should discard the batch.
- Always use clean, closed, airtight lids and containers such as mason jars when fermenting yogurt and kraut. Keep the lid closed to prevent insects and contaminants from getting in.
Abu Dhabi World Pro 2019 remaining schedule:
Wednesday April 24: Abu Dhabi World Professional Jiu-Jitsu Championship, 11am-6pm
Thursday April 25: Abu Dhabi World Professional Jiu-Jitsu Championship, 11am-5pm
Friday April 26: Finals, 3-6pm
Saturday April 27: Awards ceremony, 4pm and 8pm
Manikarnika: The Queen of Jhansi
Director: Kangana Ranaut, Krish Jagarlamudi
Producer: Zee Studios, Kamal Jain
Cast: Kangana Ranaut, Ankita Lokhande, Danny Denzongpa, Atul Kulkarni
Rating: 2.5/5
Women%E2%80%99s%20T20%20World%20Cup%20Qualifier
%3Cp%3EFrom%20September%2018-25%2C%20Abu%20Dhabi%0D.%20The%20two%20finalists%20advance%20to%20the%20main%20event%20in%20South%20Africa%20in%20February%202023%0D%3Cbr%3E%20%0D%3Cbr%3EGroup%20A%3A%20United%20States%2C%20Ireland%2C%20Scotland%2C%20Bangladesh%0D%3Cbr%3EGroup%20B%3A%20UAE%2C%20Thailand%2C%20Zimbabwe%2C%20Papua%20New%20Guinea%0D%3Cbr%3E%20%0D%3Cbr%3EUAE%20group%20fixtures%3A%0D%3Cbr%3ESept%2018%2C%203pm%2C%20Zayed%20Cricket%20Stadium%20%E2%80%93%20UAE%20v%20Thailand%0D%3Cbr%3ESept%2019%2C%203pm%2C%20Tolerance%20Oval%20-%20PNG%20v%20UAE%0D%3Cbr%3ESept%2021%2C%207pm%2C%20Tolerance%20Oval%20%E2%80%93%20UAE%20v%20Zimbabwe%0D%3Cbr%3E%20%0D%3Cbr%3EUAE%20squad%3A%20Chaya%20Mughal%20(captain)%2C%20Esha%20Oza%2C%20Kavisha%20Kumari%2C%20Rinitha%20Rajith%2C%20Rithika%20Rajith%2C%20Khushi%20Sharma%2C%20Theertha%20Satish%2C%20Lavanya%20Keny%2C%20Priyanjali%20Jain%2C%20Suraksha%20Kotte%2C%20Natasha%20Cherriath%2C%20Indhuja%20Nandakumar%2C%20Vaishnave%20Mahesh%2C%20Siya%20Gokhale%2C%20Samaira%20Dharnidharka%0D%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Credit Score explained
What is a credit score?
In the UAE your credit score is a number generated by the Al Etihad Credit Bureau (AECB), which represents your credit worthiness – in other words, your risk of defaulting on any debt repayments. In this country, the number is between 300 and 900. A low score indicates a higher risk of default, while a high score indicates you are a lower risk.
Why is it important?
Financial institutions will use it to decide whether or not you are a credit risk. Those with better scores may also receive preferential interest rates or terms on products such as loans, credit cards and mortgages.
How is it calculated?
The AECB collects information on your payment behaviour from banks as well as utilitiy and telecoms providers.
How can I improve my score?
By paying your bills on time and not missing any repayments, particularly your loan, credit card and mortgage payments. It is also wise to limit the number of credit card and loan applications you make and to reduce your outstanding balances.
How do I know if my score is low or high?
By checking it. Visit one of AECB’s Customer Happiness Centres with an original and valid Emirates ID, passport copy and valid email address. Liv. customers can also access the score directly from the banking app.
How much does it cost?
A credit report costs Dh100 while a report with the score included costs Dh150. Those only wanting the credit score pay Dh60. VAT is payable on top.
Our family matters legal consultant
Name: Hassan Mohsen Elhais
Position: legal consultant with Al Rowaad Advocates and Legal Consultants.
Name: Peter Dicce
Title: Assistant dean of students and director of athletics
Favourite sport: soccer
Favourite team: Bayern Munich
Favourite player: Franz Beckenbauer
Favourite activity in Abu Dhabi: scuba diving in the Northern Emirates
Zayed Sustainability Prize
Our family matters legal consultant
Name: Hassan Mohsen Elhais
Position: legal consultant with Al Rowaad Advocates and Legal Consultants.
COMPANY%20PROFILE
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3ECompany%20name%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Revibe%20%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EStarted%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%202022%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EFounders%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Hamza%20Iraqui%20and%20Abdessamad%20Ben%20Zakour%20%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EBased%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20UAE%20%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EIndustry%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Refurbished%20electronics%20%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EFunds%20raised%20so%20far%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20%2410m%20%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EInvestors%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EFlat6Labs%2C%20Resonance%20and%20various%20others%0D%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
UPI facts
More than 2.2 million Indian tourists arrived in UAE in 2023
More than 3.5 million Indians reside in UAE
Indian tourists can make purchases in UAE using rupee accounts in India through QR-code-based UPI real-time payment systems
Indian residents in UAE can use their non-resident NRO and NRE accounts held in Indian banks linked to a UAE mobile number for UPI transactions
AS%20WE%20EXIST
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