How to recover from a ransomware attack

How to recover from a ransomware attack

It’s one of the most dreaded malware experiences you can have: Your computer freezes on a screen message that demands money or all your data will be destroyed. Ransomware is a serious problem, but it is possible to recover from it.

CSO’s Steve Ragan has deliberately infected a computer with the Locky ransomware so he can show you step-by-step how you might get your data back on a Windows 10 system. Note that this process assumes you have backed up your computer prior to the ransomware attack. A summary of the video follows.

0:16 – Reboot Windows 10 to safe mode. Hold down the Shift button, and click Restart. When the computer's back up, you'll see that you have three options to pick from. Click Troubleshoot. Once that screen comes up, click Advanced Options and then Startup settings. From there, click Restart. 

This will put your computer into a selective boot mode. Once the computer boots out of BIOS and comes back into the operating system, you're going to be shown a list. This list requires your function keys: F1, F2, etc. Press F4 for Safe mode.

2:35 – Install anti-malware software. Once Safe mode is loaded, you need to install some anti‑malware. Steve downloaded and installed Malwarebytes and HitManPro, Both are free. The goal is to find and remove Locky, though there's no guarantee. 

3:00 – Scan the system to find the ransomware program. The passive scan with Malwarebytes detected and removed Locky, requiring a reboot. The reboot returns you to the normal desktop. At this point, boot back into Safe mode and open Malwarebytes again.

Select the Custom scan. Configure that to scan all of drive C and all of drive E if you suspect the malware resides there as well. On the left side of the screen, check the box that says Rootkits and then hit Scan. This scan will take some time. Then run HitmanPro to see if it finds anything that Malwarebytes missed.

4:55 – Restore the computer to a previous state. Right‑click and go to System. Click on System Protection, and you see System Restore. You should see an an automatic restore point from before the computer was infected. Once started, you can't stop.

Right‑click on the Start button and go to Control Panel. Select Backup and Restore to restore your files from a backup. Hit Restore and Finish.

Get a 3-year Windscribe Pro VPN subscription for $22.49

Get a 3-year Windscribe Pro VPN subscription for $22.49

CNET's Cheapskate scours the web for great deals on PCs, phones, gadgets and much more. Questions about the Cheapskate blog? Find the answers on our FAQ page. Find more great buys on the CNET Deals page and follow the Cheapskate on Twitter!

Windscribe

This is something of a rerun. In the past I shared the lifetime version of this offer, but, let's face it, technology changes so rapidly... Does lifetime anything really make sense? Three years from now, we might all be using implanted-microchip-based security.

Anyway, if you're already using a virtual private network (VPN) to keep your internet connections secure, you can skip on down to the bottom, where you'll find some lovely bonus deals.

Everyone else, listen up. You should be using a VPN to keep your internet connections secure. That's especially true if you frequent coffee shops, airports and other places that serve up public Wi-Fi networks. Hackers can and will do their thing if you give them the chance. Look no further than this story of a midflight security breach experienced by a journalist.

That kind of thing is kind of scary, I think, but there's an easy fix: Always use a VPN. There are countless options out there, including some perfectly decent free ones. That said, I'm always a fan of "going pro" when you can do so on the cheap. And today's deal definitely qualifies.

It's a Windscribe VPN Pro 3-year subscription for $22.49. Normally this service runs $90 for just one year. 

I've featured other VPN deals before, so what makes this one different? For starters, it's available for just about every platform: Android (a native app is just about to be released), iOS, Linux, Mac and Windows. Your Pro subscription entitles you to unlimited data and unlimited access on unlimited devices. The service offers servers in 46 locations worldwide.

Windscribe also unlocks geo-restricted content, and its browser extensions block ad beacons/trackers as well.

Does it really work, though? Windscribe earned positive reviews from sites such as BestVPN and VpnMentor, though be aware that both of those sites are affiliate-supported. Interestingly, one of BestVPN's big complaints was price -- but that goes out the window with today's deal. Check out this recent TechRadar review as well.

I'd also point you to the user reviews of the iOS version: They average out to 4.5 stars out of 5. 

For what it's worth, the free version of Windscribe might be sufficient for your needs, or at least a good place to start, but it's limited to 10GB of data per month, one connection and eight locations.

Your thoughts?

By the way, if you're looking for more VPN choices, check out CNET's VPN service roundup.

Bonus deal: Costco shoppers tend to assume the warehouse offers the best prices on absolutely everything, including tech products and electronics. But that's not always the case, so before you splurge on that laptop or big TV, make sure to shop around.

Don't have a Costco membership? Here's a rare chance to get a deal on one: For new members only, Groupon has a Costco 1-year Gold membership for $60, a price that includes a $20 Costco cash card, a $75 Costco travel card, $25 off any online order of $250 or more and three in-store freebies. Combined value: $215.63.

Today's lesson: "Qi" is pronounced "Chee." Don't ask questions.

Seneo

Bonus deal No. 2: I've never owned a phone that supports wireless charging -- but, boy, do I want to. If and when that happens, I suspect I'll need a few charging pads: one for the desk, one for the nightstand and so on.

Like this one: For a limited time, and while supplies last, you can get the Seneo Qi wireless charging pad for $5.99 when you apply promo code Z6HZESBG at checkout.

This works, of course, only with Qi-compatible products: late-model Samsung Galaxy phones, Google Nexuses, etc. I'll freely admit I don't know a lot about the tech, but it appears this pad has just one charging coil; others have two or even three. So it's probably not as fast at charging? In any case, the user reviews are mostly positive, which some complaints regarding the brightness of the charging indicator. (This might not be the best option for your nightstand.)

Bonus deal No. 3: Game time! Ending tomorrow, or when the licenses run out, GOG is giving away copies of zombie platformer Deadlight: The Director's Cut. (Just look for the rather slim giveaway banner on the home page.) You'll need a GOG account; once you're signed in, just click the giveaway banner to add the game to that account. Then go to your game library, where you'll find three installer files to download.

Incidentally, Deadlight: The Director's Cut would cost you $11.99 if purchased from Steam. The user reviews there are somewhat mixed; apparently the game has some problems with saving your place. But, hey, it's free, so no harm in giving it a try!

Bonus deal No. 4: Still renting your cable modem? You could save as much as $10 to $12 per month by buying your own (though you'll need to add a router to the mix if your rental modem doubles as one). Typically I see these selling for $60 to $70, but for a limited time, and while supplies last, Office Depot/Max has the TP-Link TC-7610 Docsis 3.0 8x4 cable modem for $24.93, shipped (plus tax). It's compatible with Comcast, Time Warner and several other major cable companies (but you should probably call yours first just to make sure it'll work).

Protect Your Private Browsing Using VPN Router

Protect Your Private Browsing Using VPN Router

Reggie Yater, Negosentro | A VPN is an abbreviation for Virtual Private Network. This demonstrates an encrypted and secure connection. The term, “encrypted” denotes the conversion of the codes into information and only an authorized network can read and access the codes. As to security purposes, the data are protected from any means of web threats due to the functionality of these devices.

Moreover, a router can help you visit and share on a different private network. Did you experience visiting a site but it does not allow you to enter? Well, that’s one of the reasons why people are using VPN routers.  

What are the 3 benefits of VPN Router?

Secure Your Surfing Mode

The router secures the internet connection usage and it serves as a cloak in protecting the data packets. However, it may still be penetrated with suspicious data attacks hence; you should install a VPN router to maximize the protection.

In this way, you can have the secure mode whenever you surf to different sites and networks. It will also deter the possibility of lags and web threats. For a safe encryption process, some of these devices are installed with SSL, PPTP, or IPSec as a security conversion.

Avoid Filtering and Censorship

Connecting to a different network is definitely threatening because it may affect the performance of your connection. It may also put your computer at risk since you are illegally entering into a private network hence, it may reject your IP address and disallow your entry.

Using this router, it helps the user to enter in a private network without causing any threat to that network. Let’s say, for instance, some computer gamers are allowed only up to their country’s area location. If you use the router, it can help you visit their country’s online games and you can be able to play their games.

3.VPN and SSL Encryption Built-in

By simply buying a VPN router, there’s no need to separately install the private network and SSL encryption. Of course, you can choose quality and best routers that can provide you the excellent service. To name a few, you may consider Netgear R7000 AC 1900 Nighthawk DD-WRT, Linksys WRT1200AC DD-WRT, or Asus RT-AC56U AC1200 TomatoUSB.

For the providers, these are the most popular service providers across nations namely HideMyAss, ExpressVPN, and IPVanish.

How to check the status of your VPN?

In the recent discovery, the programmers have found out that some remote sites can access a user’s IP address through WebRTC (a.k.a. Web Real Time Communication). It is a feature built-in to the popular browsers which has the capability to reveal the user’s IP Address even if they’re connected with a VPN. In this section, we will show you how to detect if your VPN is affected by this issue.

Look for a legit site for testing such as “What is my IP address”. Next, put your actual IP Address.

Log in using your private network and select preferred exit server in another country then, verify that you are connected.

Switch your tab again to the IP test site and check your IP add. You should see a new IP add that corresponds to the country that you selected and to your VPN.

Take another test using the WebRTC test page and make sure that both have the same results. If not, it only means that your browser is leaking your IP add in public.

As the final solution, you may disable the WebRTC in your browser’s settings then repeat the steps to verify the outcome.

Internet

Internet-based Companies Boost U.S. Ad Revenue

Aug. 15, 2017 11:55 a.m. ET

Domestic ad revenue in 2017 is on track to increase 4% to 5% in 2017, thanks to growth from internet-based companies, according to Brian Wieser, a senior research analyst for Pivotal Research Group.

A group of ten large web firms, including Google, Amazon and Expedia, increased their spending on sales and marketing by a median growth rate of 24% in the most recent quarter, he said in a note to investors.

“We think it’s safe to say that this implies web endemics increased spending on advertising at a significantly faster pace than did other types of advertisers,” he said.

Amazon spent $951.2 million on media in the U.S. in 2016, not including spending with some of the biggest social media platforms, according to data from Kantar Media. That’s up about 8% from $877.2 million in 2015.

Increased spending by web-based companies is likely fueling the 20% growth rates experienced by digitally-oriented media owners, said Mr. Wieser.

Many of these big ad spenders, such as Google and Amazon, are also the digital media platforms that are raking in ad revenue from advertisers.

“Industry growth is more notable considering the widely reported weaknesses at many of the world’s largest mass marketers, especially including fast moving consumer goods manufacturers,” he said.

Mr. Wieser is forecasting a 1% decline for national TV and similar rates for radio and outdoor due to more “tepid growth rates” by “traditional marketers.” Most print-based media will experience double digit declines, he predicts.

While digital media platforms like Facebook and Google are currently benefiting from increases in digital ad spending, Mr. Wieser predicts that digital media owners will experience a deceleration of growth of domestic ad revenue into the “low teens and then high single digits within several years’ time.”

Write to Alexandra Bruell at alexandra.bruell@wsj.com

Networking

Millions of Ransom Demanded by Hackers for Stolen HBO Data

The hackers who breached HBO's servers have declined a ransom payment of $250,000 from a top HBO exec, according to an email leaked by hackers to the press. Now, we have learned that HBO has been trying to bargain with the hackers, even offering them a $250,000 "bug bounty" award to give the company more time.

Earlier this week, a video circulating online authored by someone identified only as "Mr. Smith" said the hackers had videos, scripts, personnel files and other from the breach.

The hackers claimed they stole no less than 1.5TB of data after more than six months of probing the security of HBO's internal network and threatened to reveal more content, including more personal data.

HBO, which previously acknowledged the theft of "proprietary information", says it's continuing to investigate and is working with police and cybersecurity experts.

The hackers have already begun to trickle some of the data into public, including unaired episodes of Ballers and Room 104 and a script summary of Game of Thrones. Leakers gonna leak. Just... please no Game of Thrones spoilers before Sunday night? With this new release of data, the hacking group demanded millions of dollars in order for them to stop leaking any more of the company's information.

R. Kelly Criminal Investigation To Be Pursued By Fulton CountyFriday afternoon, however, Howard released a statement that his office is not now investigating R. It is unclear if Chicago police will follow Georgia's lead in launching an investigation as well.

An extension for the deadline of payment of the ransom was also requested by HBO. This was the second data leak from the hackers, but so far, the damage to the network has been limited compared to a similar hack on Sony's network in 2014.

It is unlikely that the hacker obtained of actual Game of Throne episodes.

One document allegedly includes HBO CEO Richard Plepler's contact list, along with a GoT cast list with contact information for actors including Emilia Clarke, Lena Headey, and Peter Dinklage.

In statements to the press, HBO still maintains that "the review to date has not given us a reason to believe that our email system as a whole has been compromised".

Model wanted her wealthy pals to pay ransom to ‘kidnapper’

Model Chloe Ayling’s alleged kidnapper demanded ransom money from three well-heeled Britons who she hoped would prevent her from being hawked online, according to a report.

Italian authorities named the trio Friday as celebrity agent David Read, 50, former Loaded magazine publisher Paul Baxendale-Walker, 53, and banker Rory McCarthy, 57, the Daily Mirror reported.

Ayling told police in Milan that her alleged kidnapper, Lukasz Herba, 30, ordered her to find three people who would be willing to fork over ransom money, the news outlet reported.

They were asked to pay about $65,000 to secure her release.

Read, who runs Neon Management, said he met Ayling during one of her photo shoots.

“Three weeks ago I was contacted by the Met Police who explained an email had been sent from her kidnapper to her model agency, in which I was named as someone who might help,” Read told the Mirror.

“I told the police everything I knew, which was not much. I understood Chloe was still in danger so I kept the meeting with the police secret, as the officers asked me to,” he said. “Next thing I heard about it was news she had been found.”

Ayling told investigators she provided the names of her wealthy contacts to her captors in hopes they’d pony up the cash to prevent her from being peddled on the dark web by the “Black Death” gang.

Herba, who released Ayling at the British consulate in Milan on July 17, has been charged with kidnapping to extort money. He claims he only got involved in the wild plot to raise money for leukemia treatment.

Motorcycle

Pramac confirms Miller for 2018 MotoGP season

Motorsport.com revealed that Miller, who currently races for Marc VDS Honda, reached an agreement to move across to Pramac during the last round before the summer break at the Sachsenring.

However, the Australian's Suzuka 8 Hours commitments with the works Honda HARC-Pro team made an announcement impossible before the Japanese enduro took place at the end of last month.

Further negotiations then took place last weekend at Brno, where the final details of a direct one-year agreement with Ducati were firmed up.

Miller replaces Scott Redding aboard Pramac's year-old Desmosedici machine, while teammate Danilo Petrucci will ride a latest-spec GP18.

Having lost his seat to Miller, Redding now faces an uncertain MotoGP future, with a move back to Marc VDS thought to be his best option of staying in the grand prix paddock.

He is also believed to have an option join World Superbikes with the privateer Barni Ducati squad, but said last weekend that this was not his preferred option and that staying in MotoGP remains his priority.

Meanwhile, Honda World Superbike rider Stefan Bradl has been linked with a move back to MotoGP with Marc VDS in recent weeks.

2018 MotoGP rider line-up so far: Team Riders Repsol Honda

 Marc Marquez

 Dani Pedrosa

Movistar Yamaha

 Valentino Rossi

 Maverick Vinales

Ducati

 Andrea Dovizioso

 Jorge Lorenzo

Suzuki

 Andrea Iannone

 Alex Rins

Aprilia

 Aleix Espargaro

 Sam Lowes*

KTM

 Pol Espargaro

 Bradley Smith

LCR Honda

 Cal Crutchlow

 Takaaki Nakagami

Marc VDS Honda

 Franco Morbidelli

TBA

Tech 3 Yamaha

 Johann Zarco

 Jonas Folger

Pramac Ducati

 Danilo Petrucci

 Jack Miller

Aspar Ducati

 Alvaro Bautista

TBA

Avintia Ducati

 Tito Rabat

TBA

Sports Car

9 Best Sports Car Leases This August

 By Cherise Threewitt of U.S. News & World Report - Cars | 

If you’ve been thinking about trying out a sports car, but you’re not quite ready to make a long-term commitment, you’re exactly the kind of customer who should consider leasing. A lease lets you drive a new car for a few years and then, when the term is up, you get to decide if you want to keep it.

Sports cars are a particularly popular vehicle to lease because those customers tend to want the latest and greatest. You can find some great sports car leases this August on popular models like the Dodge Challenger, Ford Mustang, and BMW 2 Series. Check out the best sports car lease deals we’ve found this month on the following slides.

Manufacturers’ lease specials may vary by region, so check with your local dealership to confirm availability. If you’re interested in purchasing a sports car instead of leasing one, and you’d like to see financing and cash back deals, check out our sports car purchase deals article here.

© Mazda North American Operations

Shop online

Alibaba tipped to make major investment into Indonesia’s Tokopedia

BrandingFinancial ResultsMarketing 28/07/2017 Fri 19:31 in Indonesia by Vivienne Tay

Alibaba Group Holding is tipped to make a big investment into PT Tokopedia, one of Indonesia’s largest online marketplaces. This was according to a report by Bloomberg, which said that Alibaba is current looking to lead a funding round of nearly US$500 million.

If successful, the company will join the ranks of Sequioia Capital and SoftBank Group who are current investors. Marketing has reached out to Alibaba and Tokopedia for comment.

The move follows Alibaba Cloud’s plans to establish an international cloud data centre in Jakarta, which were announced in June this year. It currently anticipates opening the two new centres during the current fiscal year, ending on 31 March 2018. It also responds to Indonesia’s “1,000 Start-ups Movement” initiative launched last year.

It also follows Alibaba’s recent investments into Southeast Asia. In June, it invested an additional US$1 billion in Southeast Asian e-commerce company Lazada Group, increasing its stake in the company from 51% to approximately 83%. This was following its acquisition of Rocket Internet’s 9.1% stake in Lazada for US$137million in 2016, making it the controlling shareholder of the Southeast Asian online retailer.

Meanwhile in Malaysia, Alibaba was tipped to be setting up a regional distribution hub in Malaysia. This is according to sources close to Reuters. The distribution hub which would be located KLIA Aeropolis is expected to generate more than US$1.58 billion worth of domestic and foreign investments.

Back to Top.

Amazon steps deeper into Asia by introducing Prime Now delivery in Singapore

(Bloomberg)—Amazon.com Inc. is kicking off in Singapore with its most aggressive service yet, offering the Prime Now two-hour delivery service on everything from chilled Tiger beer to Samsung mobile phones.

Customers in Singapore can shop using the Prime Now app and get tens of thousands of items delivered to their door with free delivery on orders of more than S$40 ($29), according to Henry Low, director of Amazon Prime Now, Asia Pacific. Amazon is No. 1 in the Internet Retailer 2017 Top 500 and No. 4 in the Internet Retailer 2016 Asia 500.

Bloomberg News | Jun 29, 2017

Amazon’s entry into Southeast Asia could spark fierce competition with Alibaba Group Holding Ltd., which has acquired control of Lazada Group SA and is said to be considering an investment in Indonesia’s PT Tokopedia. The region of 620 million people is home to an e-commerce market forecast to reach $88 billion by 2025, according to a report by Google and Temasek Holdings Pte.

“Southeast Asia is a burgeoning marketplace for us with more than 600 million consumers, growing wealth and digitization,” Low said in an interview. “I’m super optimistic with opportunities that we have. This is day one.”

Bloomberg News | Jul 25, 2017

The U.S. e-commerce giant has been stepping up its overseas expansion. Having largely ceded China to Alibaba, the Seattle-based firm is waging a war of attrition with Flipkart Online Services Pvt in India (No. 76 in the Asia 500), where it has pledged to spend $5 billion in the next few years. In March, Amazon agreed to buy Dubai-based online retailer Souq.com.

Amazon will always evaluate deal opportunities, Low said, declining to comment on its road map for regional expansion.

“Together, Amazon and Alibaba are set to create an unprecedented disruptive force,” said Raghav Kapoor, an analyst at Smartkarma.

In Singapore, Amazon and its rivals are betting on the growth of online retail. E-commerce accounted for just 0.9% of the city-state’s retail market in 2003 before rising to 4.8% last year, according to data compiled by Euromonitor.

Amazon’s Prime Now service will be available for trial for free for a limited time in Singapore, before the company rolls out its Prime membership program, Low said. It’s the first time the service has been offered on debut in a new market. In other cities, it’s a prerequisite to be a Prime member to get the two-hour delivery service.

The company will also offer a one-hour expedited delivery service for S$9.99 per shipment.

Amazon’s Prime Now in Singapore will operate out of an urban fulfillment center, a facility of about 100,000 square feet, the company’s largest Prime Now only fulfillment center in the world, Low said. He added that the company plans to hire hundreds of people in Singapore as it expands services.

Alibaba Is Said in Talks for Stake in Indonesia's Tokopedia

Alibaba Group Holding Ltd. is in talks to make a major investment in Indonesia’s PT Tokopedia, people familiar with the matter said, potentially scoring a second deal to accelerate its expansion into Southeast Asia’s largest economy.

The Chinese company is in negotiations to lead a funding round in Indonesia’s largest online marketplace of up to $500 million, one of the people said, asking not to be identified because the deal is private. Alibaba, which already controls Lazada Group SA, would be joining existing backers SoftBank Group Corp. and Sequoia Capital if the financing goes through.

An alliance with Alibaba would likely preclude a deal with JD.com Inc., which was also in talks to invest hundreds of millions of dollars in Tokopedia, a person familiar with the matter told Bloomberg in May. Representatives for Alibaba and JD declined to comment. Tokopedia wasn’t immediately available for comment.

China’s largest tech firms such as Tencent Holdings Ltd. are accelerating their investments into Southeast Asia, the first step in concerted efforts to expand beyond their increasingly saturated home shores. Alibaba has been the most aggressive of its peers, setting up not just e-commerce operations but also digital payments networks in anticipation of Amazon.com Inc.’s eventual debut.

Alibaba shares were little changed in U.S. trading.

Read more: China’s Road to World Tech Domination Begins in Southeast Asia

Alibaba said in June it invested another $1 billion to raise its stake in Singapore-based Lazada to 83 percent, securing control of a fast-growing startup at the vanguard of its Southeast Asian expansion. Indonesia alone as an e-commerce market is expected to climb to $65 billion by 2020 from just $8 billion now, according to a report by Macquarie Research.

Exclusive insights on technology around the world.

Get Fully Charged, from Bloomberg Technology.

Tokopedia was co-founded by William Tanuwijaya, the son of a factory worker, in 2009. The business model is similar to that of Alibaba’s Taobao emporium, matching customers with merchants instead of selling products from its own shelves. It raised a then-record $100 million funding round from SoftBank and Sequoia Capital in 2014, heralding Indonesia’s coming-of-age as a bona fide destination for technology investment.

Read more: Factory Worker’s Son on Path to Build $1 Billion Web Startup

— With assistance by Lulu Yilun Chen, and David Ramli

Bike

Bike sharing battles: Startups pioneering a new breed of bike borrowing fight for market share

SOUTH SAN FRANCISCO — Adding a two-wheeled spin to Silicon Valley’s ongoing ride-sharing wars, competition is heating up between rival startups racing to cash in on the area’s newest transportation trend — stationless bike sharing.

Unlike Ford GoBike, which is installing dozens of bike parking kiosks throughout San Francisco and the South and East Bay, these new programs are untethered to parking stations — just leave the GPS-tracked bike anywhere after your ride, and the next cyclist uses a smartphone app to find it. Proponents say the convenience will transform biking the way Uber and Lyft have transformed driving. But the business model is controversial — some city leaders worry abandoned bikes will block sidewalks and create a nuisance, a concern that’s prompted San Francisco to enact strict new rules and a hefty fee schedule for bike sharing startups.

Two companies, Spin and LimeBike, simultaneously launched dueling fleets of bikes in South San Francisco on Tuesday. Already Mountain View, San Mateo, San Francisco and San Ramon have similar programs, and fleets are rolling out soon in Sacramento and Santa Cruz. Two stationless bike sharing startups also say they’re considering setting up programs in San Jose and Palo Alto.

“We’re at this inflection point,” said Shiloh Ballard, executive director of the Silicon Valley Bicycle Coalition, “where there’s a lot of disruption and there’s a lot of actors in the market coming in and saying ‘we want to be first, we want to the be the best product,’ and they’re all fighting. And that’s really exciting to see.”

Bicycles operated by bike sharing startup LimeBike are displayed during a press event to celebrate the company’s launch in South San Francisco on Tuesday, Aug. 8, 2017. (Marisa Kendall/Bay Area News Group) (Marisa Kendall/Bay Area News Group)

LimeBike on Tuesday launched a six-month pilot program in South San Francisco, planning to deploy 300 bikes this week. The San Mateo-based startup demonstrated several of its lime-green and yellow bikes for the media and curious passersby Tuesday morning, showing them how to unlock the back wheel by using their smartphone to scan a QR code attached to the bike’s seat. Rides cost $1 for 30 minutes.

Though they tend to charge low user fees, stationless bike sharing startups also keep their own costs down because they don’t have to pay to build docking stations. Social Bicycles, for example, which launched its first pilot programs in 2013, already is making a profit.

As for safety, despite the rear wheel locks, there’s not much to stop a thief from picking up the bikes and walking away with them. Locked LimeBike bicycles sound an alarm when you try to move them, and they use custom parts, giving thieves less of an incentive to steal them and strip them down.

So far it hasn’t been an issue for Spin. The company has counted a few “isolated incidents” of bikes being vandalized in Seattle — where the company has 500 bikes — and no thefts, founder Euwyn Poon said.

Bo Bixler, who lives on a boat in South San Francisco’s Oyster Point Marina, happened to be walking by during the LimeBike demo Tuesday, and said he loves the idea.

“I’m so tired of watching bicycle riders go faster than traffic,” the 61-year-old said. “I want to be one of the bicyclists.”

The stationless bike sharing trend started in China, where bike fleets operated by unicorn companies like Mobike and Ofo have become immensely popular. Ridership in the country more than doubled from February to March of this year, skyrocketing from 10 million users to more than 20 million, according to Kleiner Perkins Caufield & Byers partner Mary Meeker’s annual Internet Trends report. But the bikes also became an eyesore in some areas — in Shenzhen, users took to dumping discarded bicycles in massive piles, The Guardian reported.

Those images of unseemly heaps of bicycles looming over sidewalks and public squares prompted San Francisco officials to fight back in January when Chinese bike sharing startup Bluegogo attempted to roll out a fleet of stationless bikes without the city’s permission. Bluegogo ultimately pulled the bikes, and now the city requires stationless bike sharing startups to go through a permitting process and pay tens of thousands of dollars in fees before launching. So far Spin, LimeBike and Social Bicycles have submitted applications, but no one has yet been granted a permit, said Ben Jose, spokesman for the San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency.

Bikes from the bikesharing company Spin, wait for customers outside the Chamber of Commerce building in Mountain View, California, on Monday, Aug. 7, 2017. (Karl Mondon/Bay Area News Group) (Karl Mondon/Bay Area News Group)

Also on Tuesday, San Francisco-based Spin deployed 125 bikes in South San Francisco, and plans to scale up to at least 500 after that. The startup has a pilot program in Mountain View, with a fleet of 10 bikes parked in bike racks outside the Chamber of Commerce on Castro Street.

Social Bicycles, which has offices in San Francisco and New York, rolled out a fleet of 50 bikes in San Mateo last year, which it expects to expand to 100 by the end of this year. The startup also operates 100 bikes in the Bishop Ranch office park in San Ramon, and in June rolled out a few dozen electric bikes in San Francisco to test a new program called “Jump” while it waits for official approval from the city to launch on a larger scale.

Massachusetts-based Zagster operates around two-dozen bike sharing programs around the Bay Area at corporate offices, including Salesforce, and college campuses including Santa Clara University. While the startup provides docking stations to its clients, the bikes also have smart locks that let riders lock them to other public bike racks when they’re done.

But a stand-off could be brewing between these startups and competitor Ford GoBike, as the startups try to expand into San Francisco, San Jose, Oakland and other areas where Ford GoBike has contracts with city officials. Ford GoBike, which is currently expanding from 700 bikes to 7,000, has exclusive rights to operate bike sharing programs in public right-of-ways in those cities, said Dani Simons, spokeswoman for Motivate, the company that runs the program.

Jose says the SFMTA, which doles out bike sharing permits in San Francisco, is still working with the City Attorney’s Office to determine what that exclusivity provision means for competing startups.

But that contract is a concern, said LimeBike founder and CEO Toby Sun, and his company is looking for ways to tweak its program so it won’t butt heads with Ford GoBike.

“There’s a certain level of monopoly there,” he said, “driving the innovation away from providing better service to the city.”

Stationless bike sharing in the Bay Area

Spin

Headquarters: San Francisco

Operates in: South San Francisco, Mountain View

Learn more: spin.pm

Social Bicycles

Headquarters: New York

Operates in: San Mateo, San Ramon, San Francisco

Learn more: socialbicycles.com

LimeBike

Headquarters: San Mateo

Operates in: South San Francisco

Learn more: limebike.com

Bike Share Takes a Beating

The Bay Area’s bike share system, which expanded in San Francisco and launched less than a month ago in the East Bay, seems to be off to a rocky start, with many reports on social and traditional media of slashed tires, stolen bikes, and even one bike dumped into Lake Merritt.

It’s important to note that, as much as it’s interesting to see a picture of a stripped-down Ford GoBike hung from a tree, it doesn’t say much about whether the system is working or not–the roll out numbers are still not crunched. No matter what, a certain number of bikes were bound to get stolen and/or damaged.

“The data I have seen is … showing usage at each pod,” wrote Dave Campbell, Advocacy Director of Bike East Bay, in an email to Streetsblog. “I intend to take a closer look at this data, but it is still early.” The San Francisco Bicycle Coalition expressed similar sentiment, that it was just too early to say anything about whether the system is taking off or not.

People familiar with bike-share systems in other cities say it’s not that unusual for vandals to go after the bikes initially–after all, it’s a new target and it can even get your handiwork on TV. “… vandalism and theft of private vehicles and bikes is also a common occurrence around here, sadly, so it should also be no surprise when this extends to the bike share bikes as well,” wrote Robert Prinz, Education Director for Bike East Bay.

The bike vandalism may also be part of a general blow-back effect other cities have seen after launching bike-share systems. Remember the Wall Street Journal‘s Dorothy Rabinowitz’s comment about New York neighborhoods getting “begrimed” by bike shares? If you’re not familiar with that, and some of the other ‘bikelash’ that took place when New York launched its system, check out this hilarious video of unintentional self-parody embedded in a post by Streetsblog NYC.

Meanwhile, bike-share operators are doing their best to clean up the messes and get the bikes back into circulation. “Our team operates 24-hours a day and we are rapidly responding to any reports of vandalism, and making any necessary repairs,” said Dani Simons, a spokesperson for Motivate.

“It’s all speculation at this point, but I see everyday in Oakland, bus shelters smashed, BART cars trashed, litter all over the freeways and car windows broken into. I guess someone hates transportation in general,” wrote Campbell.

Still, the pictures of the abused bikes are oddly amusing. One has to wonder if Bluegogo, the renegade bike share company that was essentially chased out of San Francisco by regulations, is laughing at it all. In addition to the bike hung from a tree and the submarine bike in Lake Merritt, Hoodline has a shot and video of a row of Ford GoBikes with slashed tires. And, in case you think this is particular to the Bay Area’s official bike share system, Streetsblog found this Jump electric bike with both tires popped, on Valencia.

This Jump electric bike also suffered some wrath. Photo: Streetsblog/Rudick

The reasons for the bike-share vandalism are unclear. Is it an anti-gentrification protest statement? Or generalized bike-lash as they saw in New York City? Or all-too-common vandalism of objects in the public realm? Or multiple reasons?

Is all this abuse beating up bike-share, making it difficult to use? Do you ride Ford GoBikes? Do you find the recent expansions useful? Tell us what you think.

Motorcycle

Cooper Podiums On New GSX-R1000 At Thruxton BSB

Team Suzuki Press Office – August 5.

Richard Cooper took another podium finish for the Bennetts Suzuki team and the new GSX-R1000 at Thruxton, finishing in second place in today’s National Superstock 1000 race at the seventh round of the MCE British Superbike Championship. Cooper qualified on the front row, and led for periods of the race. Sat in third towards the closing stages, he made a move for second, as Danny Buchan began to pull away at the front. He bridged the gap, but towards the end of the race, tyre wear became an issue and he was unable to mount an attack, instead taking second place.

Cooper also made a wildcard appearance in the British Supersport class onboard the team’s GSX-R600. He qualified in ninth place, but a problem on the warm-up lap meant he had to start from pitlane. He recovered to 11th.

In qualifying for tomorrow’s opening British Superbike race, Sylvain Guintoli posted the 14th quickest time on his first ever visit to the super-fast circuit, while Taylor Mackenzie will start from 18th on the grid.

Michael Dunlop, who is racing in the British Superbike Championship for the first time since his Senior TT, Southern 100, and Armoy road race wins, will start from 25th, as he continues preparations for the forthcoming Ulster Grand Prix.

Richard Cooper:

“I’m disappointed really, in the end we ran out of tyre – it’s worn down to the canvas. We all had a few turns at leading, then Danny [Buchan] started to edge away. I passed [Michael] Rutter and caught him back up, but with about five laps to go, every time I shut the throttle, the rear kept coming round on me and I struggled to get into corners. It’s frustrating because I feel we could have won the race, and should have won. The bike’s been working well all weekend, the speed’s been good and I’ve been comfortable. We’ll make some setup changes tomorrow to try and help with tyre life, and hopefully go one better.

“I had good fun on the little 600, too. We qualified well, but had to repair the gear linkage after the warm up lap and start from pitlane. But I enjoyed it.”

Sylvain Guintoli:

“This is my first visit to Thruxton and it’s a very unique track. It’s very fast and you can pick different lines to do the lap times. We are improving all the time and have made steps forward; and I’m learning the track more and more. We have two races tomorrow and tyre life is important here, so hopefully we can have two good races and make more progress.”

Taylor Mackenzie:

“I was a bit annoyed with qualifying; for one reason or another we didn’t get the one lap in we needed in Q2. But I’m feeling good. We’ve made some progress with the electronics and the engine braking. And the bike’s a rocket ship. It’s so fast, and I’m topping the speed traps more often than not. I think our race pace is quite good. We’re going to make a couple more changes for warm-up, do some work on the front to help with corner entry. The rear’s good; we’ve been working on tyres. The plan is to try and be smooth, be patient, save the tyre, and try and make some progress as the race goes on and hopefully come through.”

Steve Hicken – Team Manager:

“It’s been a solid day today. We’re disappointed with the Superstock result as believe we could have won the race and it was important for our championship to try and get the 25 points. We just ran out of tyre in the end, without that I think we could have had a go. But it’s another podium and shows how well the bike is working. In Superbike, we’ve made progress. Sylvain’s seeing the place for the first time, and we’ve taken some steps with Taylor’s electronics and setup. He didn’t get the lap in in qualifying but I think, come the race, we’ll have good pace and can do the full distance. With Michael, this weekend is just more bike time for him and a chance to try some different things before the Ulster Grand Prix.”

Superstock 1000 race result: 1. Danny Buchan, 2. Richard Cooper (Bennetts Suzuki GSX-R1000), 3. Michael Rutter.

Supersport 600 race result: 1. Keith Farmer, 2. Jack Kennedy, 3. Alastair Seeley, 11. Richard Cooper (Bennetts Suzuki GSX-R600).

Superbike qualifying result: 1. Jake Dixon, 2. Josh Brookes, 3. Peter Hickman, 14. Sylvain Guintoli (Bennetts Suzuki GSX-R1000), 18. Taylor Mackenzie (Bennetts Suzuki GSX-R1000), 25. Michael Dunlop (Bennetts Suzuki GSX-R1000).

Yamaha YZF-R1 vs. Aprilia RSV4 RR vs. Suzuki GSX-R1000 vs. Honda CBR1000RR On The Street Review

Cycle World 2017 Superbike Shootout Part 2: Street

Rain is the only thing that could put a damper on a 350-mile day aboard the latest crop of literbikes. And it’s raining. Not hard. But strong enough to have us second-guessing our ride plan. “Maybe if we ignore it and just keep riding, it’ll go away,” I think. It works. Or at least the sky starts to play nice during our run down the 5 freeway then completely clears by the time we finish our (late) breakfast and prepare to head inland. A little suffering for a full afternoon of fun. We can live with that.

Keys get tossed around quickly as we regroup. A few wide-open back roads cutting through Santa Ysabel are all that separate us from the tighter sections of asphalt crisscrossing their way up Palomar Mountain, and already, it’s clear that the winner in this final stretch of straight road will be anyone on the Suzuki GSX-R1000 or Honda CBR1000RR—the two most forgiving bikes of the group.

Cycle World 2017 Superbike Shootout Part 1: Track

The GSX-R is the more accommodating motorcycle—ergonomics-wise. With a neutral seating position and relatively plush seat, it offers some reprieve to wrists and bottom ends, especially when compared to the R1 (which puts more weight on your wrists) and RSV4 (which has a more firm, sharp-edged seat). The problem? Suzuki has ditched the balancer shaft on this latest engine, and as a result, the bike has a propensity to vibrate your extremities at anything higher than 6,000 rpm. This was more noticeable on the track, where you sustain higher revs for longer, but still a frustrating point on the street—a blemish in an otherwise very street-friendly package.

Honda’s CBR1000RR is velvety smooth by comparison. Most of the aggressive on/off throttle transition that we felt at the track is gone due to the less-aggressive nature of our riding here, and while the clip-on angle feels a little more assertive, the seat is plush enough to be considered comfortable. The only real downside is a lack of bottom-end grunt that’s felt when ridden alongside the throaty RSV4 or R1, with Mark Hoyer going on to add that: “The riding position, seat comfort, and engine smoothness made a two-hour freeway drone perfectly tolerable. My all-day sportbike for sure.”

Sean would argue that the RSV4 fits well, while Hoyer countered that the ergonomics are too compact. One thing everyone could agree on is that the Aprilia has the most seamless fueling of the group and is the most emotionally stirring motorcycle here. Similarly, everyone agreed the RSV4’s new dash and switches were a nice touch but took a bit longer to work around. “I could figure the Honda display out on my own, right away, whereas the Aprilia I still can’t quite figure out how to change settings,” Aaron Colton says. We should add that standard cruise control is more of a benefit than you realize, and that suspension is supple enough to make racetrack performance seem manageable on the street.

Rider-aid adjustments on the rest of the bikes—Suzuki and Yamaha—are done easily, with the difference being the Suzuki’s dash appears a touch less glamorous. It fits the bike but not the group. A common theme: You’re almost always wishing for a touch more nicety from the Suzuki.

The CBR’s lightweight handling sets the bike apart when a road turns tight, making it one of the easiest bikes to hustle up a hill. The RSV4 feels heaviest in any part of the corner, while the Suzuki and Yamaha feel slightly heavier through a transition (the Suzuki more so here) and at corner entry (the Yamaha more so there). Fortunately for these two bikes, the chassis are so sure-footed that you can get more aggressive and close the gap to the Honda rather quickly. You will miss having a quickshifter on this Suzuki and be wishing for an auto-blip downshifter on the Yamaha as well. Things to come?

Parked at the top of the hill, attention turns toward the Honda and Yamaha. The R1 is, without doubt, the most capable motorcycle of the group. You simply have to sacrifice a little comfort. The CBR is a gentler animal. It feels and looks more refined than the GSX-R yet tackles public roads with a sense of user-friendliness that the more potent RSV4 and R1 can’t match.

If you’re of the opinion that a little suffering is worth the added fun you'll experience in return, then the Yamaha is absolutely the bike for you. And if not, consider that the Honda is the most polished and formidable streetbike of the group.

More photos from the Superbike Shootout on the Road:

Related:

Smooth street missile

Its headlamp is slightly larger than a man's palm. Its mirrors lack coverage, just like its pillion seat. As for its boxy titanium end can, you will either love it or loathe it.

Given its aggressive riding posture, your lower limbs will ache even if your journey is a short scoot to a nearby cafe.

Despite these flaws, the 2017 Suzuki GSX-R1000 ABS could strike a chord with track-day junkies and riders who yearn to reconnect with their youth.

Typically, before any GSX- R1000, often referred to as a Gixxer, goes on a circuit, its standard-issue pipe would be replaced by a sleeker, free-flowing one.

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The mirrors and headlight would be removed before a fibreglass fairing is installed.

Without its number plate holder, the short-tail Grand Prix look is complete.

The new GSX-R1000 retains much of its DNA, having evolved from a long line of superbike inspired machines.

SPECS / SUZUKI GSX-R1000

Price: Around $42,000 with COE

Engine: 999.8cc water-cooled, inline-4

Transmission: Six-speed manual, chain-driven

Power: 199bhp at 13,200rpm

Torque: 117Nm at 10,800rpm

0-100kmh: 3 seconds (estimated)

Top speed: Over 295kmh (estimated)

Fuel consumption: 7 litres/100km (tested)

Agent: Guan Hoe Co

The latest 999.8cc inline-four cylinder Suzuki is more refined with improvements made to its performance, handling and user- friendliness. It also has a new chassis and a new engine that has the most horsepower - about 200bhp - in the Gixxer family.

Worldwide, there are three versions of the six-speed GSX-R1000 - a base model, a circuit-ready version with better suspension and more electronic wizardry (read: more expensive), and a version with anti-lock braking system (ABS), which The Straits Times tested for this review.

The on-the-road price tag for the 203kg GSX-R1000 ABS is about $42,000.

If I have to use one word to describe the Gixxer, it would be smooth. This does not suggest weakness or a lack of excitement.

The fuel-injected GSX-R1000 is powerful. It performs the 0-100kmh dash in about three seconds - quicker than you can say "Is that the Traffic Police I see in the rear view mirror?"

Its smoothness manifests in its predictable and linear power delivery. The bike offers a wide spread of power from low in the rev range to about 14,000rpm, especially in ride Mode A, where throttle response is the most instant compared with its other two modes.

As you accelerate from 4,000rpm, there is a strong surge to its 14,500rpm redline. Its speedometer reads 90kmh when cruising in sixth gear at about 4,000rpm.

The current model is compact. It has a lower fuel tank height and a smaller and lighter engine with a higher compression ratio.

On our street test, the Suzuki's size made it easy to squeeze past stalled traffic. Like most litre-bikes, the Gixxer gets hot when caught in start-stop traffic.

Without making adjustments to its Showa Big Piston Forks and Showa rear shock, the agile Gixxer takes to bends like an eagle swooping down on its prey. The fluid transition from an upright stance to a lean is also stable.

While braking duties are handled by radial-mounted Brembo monobloc callipers up front, front-end braking is less polished than on some of the Suzuki's rivals. More input is required at the lever to stop instantly.

Its selectable traction control processes data from a three-axis Inertial Measurement Unit. It is a mouthful, but the system works, kicking in when I gave the Gixxer too much throttle during two corner exits.

Luckily, my test bike's rear wheel did not protest by spinning out of control. All I noticed was a blinking "TC" light on the LCD instrument panel.

The bike's large dashboard displays traction control settings, gear and shift indicators, and even an average distance per litre of fuel.

At best, I achieved about 14km to the litre. The Gixxer can theoretically cover around 220km between fuel stops with its 16-litre fuel tank.

Road review of the agile 2017 Suzuki GSX-R1000. Go to str.sg/4zDc