LiveWire

LiveWire - 'Twist & Go' promotion in Europe

Harley-Davidson EMEA (or should that be Livewire EMEA?) has announced a sales promotion for select international markets that sounds more like a fire-sale than a love-sharing exercise from a brand in a position of strength.

The news comes not long after 'Milwaukee' had announced the sale of part of its historic Juneau Avenue Headquarters building to house a distillery, and the sale of a 10% chunk of one of the undoubted jewels in it crown - the HDFS Loan Book - to a pair of reputationally challenged investment houses not known for their positive 'bedside manner'.

It looks like 'Cash Really is King' for Harley at this time and that the search is on to find themselves some Kings. Small change down the back of the sofa anyone?

The LiveWire 'Twist & Go' promotion is billed as incorporating expansion into new European markets and updates with new features for the S2 models - "LiveWire makes it easier to enter e-mobility on two wheels with attractive price advantages, optimised machine availability, expansion into new European markets and the introduction of new, driver-oriented functions."

Describing itself as a "leading manufacturer of electrically powered motorcycles," Livewire says its announcements represent "three strategic initiatives" that are aimed at making it easier to get started with e-mobility on two wheels, making more machines available in Europe and optimising the riding experience on the bikes.

"The first initiative is the global Twist & Go campaign, which offers significant incentives for the S2 model range.

S2 Alpinista (left), S2 Del Mar 

"The second initiative is to expand into seven additional European countries; the third initiative is a free software upgrade that will equip the S2 models with a reverse function and roll-forward brake recuperation.

"For a limited time, the LiveWire Twist & Go promotion offers attractive incentives that make it easier than ever for riders to experience the power and innovation of LiveWire e-motorcycles. From August 28 to October 31, 2025 (or until available stock is sold out), customers will benefit from significant price savings for the entire S2 product range (from 18 years of age; subject to availability; T&Cs apply)."

S2 Mountaineer

Those incentives appear to be close to a half-price sale in some instances with savings of up to £10,000 ($13,650) in the UK (for example). The S2 Del Mar can now be bought for prices starting at € 9,999 in Germany (8,599 CHF in Switzerland); with the S2 Mulholland priced from € 10,999 in Germany (9,499 CHF in Switzerland) and the S2 Mountaineer from € 12,099 in Germany (10,399 CHF in Switzerland).

LiveWire models have already been available (at least to some degree or another) in France, Germany, the Netherlands, Great Britain and Switzerland, with market expansion now bringing Spain, Italy, Poland, Finland, Belgium, Portugal and Luxembourg on-stream. The expansion is for the full Livewire range - including the 'ONE'. LiveWire models will be available "through the growing network of European dealers" in each of the new markets. 

 S2 Del Mar 

The free software update for all S2 models (reverse and roll-forward brake recuperation) will be additionally available to all US owners of an S2 model. 

AIMExpo

AIMExpo and Supercross join forces in Anaheim

For the first time, AIMExpo will run alongside the kickoff of the 2026 Monster Energy SMX World Championship and Round 1 of the Monster Energy AMA Supercross season - "creating one high-energy week in Anaheim, California."

The 2026 show is set for 7-9 January at the Anaheim Convention Centre, with Supercross Round 1 taking place Saturday night at Angel Stadium.

Photo credit: Feld Motor Sports

"This collaboration with Round 1 of Supercross, the most iconic race of the year, brings two major forces together in a way that's never been done before, giving the whole industry more reasons to get excited and show up," said Andre Albert, MIC's Director of Marketing and Events.

"This is what makes AIMExpo more than a trade show," said Cinnamon Kernes, MIC's Vice President of Market Expansion. "We've worked hard to create an experience that connects the dots between business, culture, and community, and that's what this event delivers.

"The collaboration with Feld Motor Sports ties the business of powersports to the thrill of competition, and underscores Supercross' place in the motorcycling culture."

www.aimexpousa.com

Honda

Honda CB1000F SE  

By Ben Purvis

Officially Honda calls the CB1000F a 'concept' but the pretence that it's anything other than an upcoming production model is wearing increasingly thin with the reveal of a second variant - the new CB1000F SE - and multiple colour schemes for the machine that will essentially replace the age-old CB1300 Super Four and Super Bol d'Or in the company's lineup.

CB1000F SE Concept and CB1000F

After showing the CB1000F Concept earlier this year, Honda took the wraps off the CB1000F SE Concept at the Suzuka 8-Hour race in August. Like the previous bike, it's based on the FireBlade-derived 999 cc four-cylinder engine and the chassis from the current CB1000 Hornet, but wrapped in 70s-inspired styling that owes a lot to the old CB750F.

The 'SE' version adds a small, bar-mounted cowl and windscreen to the previous design, as well as a few other tweaks including a slightly more luxurious seat and heated grips. Honda also displayed modified versions, including a Moriwaki-made, race-style CB1000F.

Details not seen before include the bike's instrument display - the same TFT panel that's used on the CB1000 Hornet - and elements like the indicators and numberplate hanger, which were absent on the original CB1000F concept earlier this year. Although the bikes still lacked mirrors, they were otherwise in road-ready form.

The chassis is largely identical to the CB1000 Hornet, and the subframe under the CB1000F and SE's retro-style tail bodywork is reshaped.

A question remains over whether the CB1000F will be offered outside Japan. Its predecessor, the CB1300 Super Four, was sold around the world when it was new, but was discontinued in markets other than Japan many years ago.

RK Chain

RK MRU Series - premium replacements for non-sealed chains

The Japanese-made RK 420MRU and 428MRU2 chains are designed to be the premium replacement for OE non-sealed chains, featuring RK's unique ultra-thin seal, U ring technology.

This technology makes it possible to design a sealed chain with the width of a non-sealed chain and converting non-sealed to a sealed chain - "resulting in at least four times chain life and minimum chain adjustment after initial stretch while ensuring highly efficient horsepower transmission throughout the chain life," says Daisuke Takagoshi, RK's Export Sales Manager. "RK 420MRU and 428MRU2 are long-lasting solutions for motorcycles for daily corporate use and commuting.

“These lightweight, low friction, sealed U-Ring chains are perfect for current popular small engine size motorcycles such as Honda Monkey, MSX125 GROM, Kawasaki Z125 for 420MRU, and Honda CBR125R and Yamaha YZF-R125 for 428MRU2."

Photo: Yoshimura

Daisuke says that "the RK 520MRU is the lightest multipurpose sealed chain specially designed for engine size up to 450 cc, applicable to both street and track use. On the road it delivers 15,000 km of chain life, and on the track it is a high-performance chain delivering excellent lap times."

Additionally, the unique ultra-thin seal, UW-rings technology incorporated into the RK 520MRU minimizes the chain weight and friction loss. By narrowing the application from 125 cc to 450 cc, each chain component is shaped up to its limit, making RK 520MRU as light as 13.8 g link, 10% lighter compared to street bike chains. 

"The 520MRU is the perfect match with small engine size motorcycles such as the Yamaha MT-03, Kawasaki Ninja 400, KTM 390 Duke, and is a suitable chain for Supermoto models." RK MRU series chains are in gold as standard, with a Black Scales colour available for the 420MRU.

RK JAPAN

www.rk-europe.com

SIP Scootershop

Sportier look for Vespa rear ends

German specialist SIP Scootershop has designed a styling update for the standard 2023 and up Vespa GTS/GTS Super/GTV 125-310 cc licence plate holder. It raises the plate higher, showing more rear tyre "for an even sportier and more contemporary look without compromising the Vespa's classic elegance," says CEO Ralf Jodl.

Ralf says that although the standard licence plate holder fits perfectly and is practical, he reckons that Piaggio has left something on the table in terms of its styling. "There is definitely some room for improvement in terms of looks, in an area of the motorcycle that designed to do exactly that - attract looks. Reason enough for us to go into series production with an SIP licence plate holder design that is made of high-quality ABS plastic and includes LED licence plate illumination."

Precisely finished, this licence plate holder guarantees a long service life and a perfect fit. The untreated surface provides an ideal basis for customised painting, so the holder can also be painted to suit the rider's taste.

The e-approved licence plate lighting is from KOSO and the reflector with E-number ensure excellent visibility of the licence plate. The precision fitting design makes for an easy, modification free, fully reversible installation.

SIP SCOOTERSHOP GMBH 

www.sip-scootershop.com

CFMOTO

CFMOTO 750SRS 

By Ben Purvis

China's motorcycle industry is continuing its breakneck pace of evolution with CFMOTO joining the growing ranks of brands offering a high-performance four-cylinder machine in the form of the new 750SR-S.

Only the company's second four-cylinder, following on from the appealing 500SR Voom retro sports bike that's sold in Asian markets and Australia, the 750SR-S is a much more serious sports bike, with performance that promises to put it into competition with a number of middleweight European and Japanese rivals.

Sharing the same 72 mm bore as CFMOTO's existing three-cylinder 675SR-S, but adding another cylinder and pairing it with a shorter 46 mm stroke instead of the triple's 55.2 mm, amounts to a 749 cc four with a similar bore/stroke ratio to classic 750 cc race-reps like the 1990s Suzuki GSX-R750 SRAD and Yamaha's YZF750R of the same era. However, CFMOTO is starting out with a conservative 110 hp from the 750SR-S, arriving at a relatively low 10,250 rpm. 

The four-cylinder engine has Continental's two-mode cornering traction control. The six-axis inertial measurement unit also enables lean-sensitive Continental ABS brakes paired to Brembo 4.32 monobloc radial callipers on 320 mm front discs and a 220 mm rear rotor with a two-piston Brembo calliper.

There's also a pair of aero cowls around the front brake discs, directing airflow to the callipers, and the bike is claimed to be wind tunnel-developed - with photos showing it in the Pininfarina wind tunnel that, famously, was used to sculpt BMW's R 100 RS in the 1970s, creating the world's first fully-faired production bike in the process. 

AIMExpo

AIMExpo moves to LA

Originally slated for February, the American International Motorcycle Expo (AIMExpo) will make its Southern California debut a month earlier than its usual calendar slot, on January 7-9, 2026.

The venue is the Anaheim Convention Centre, at Anaheim, 25 miles/40 km southeast of Los Angeles. Registration is already open. The date change has meant that AIMExpo now coincides with the opening round of the 2026 Supercross season.

AIMExpo is expanding its footprint to more than 293,000 square feet (27,200 sq m) to meet what Kernes said is "growing demand". As of June 2025, more than 175 exhibitors were already confirmed, including major OEMs such as Honda; Piaggio - including Aprilia, Vespa and Moto Guzzi; KTM, Husqvarna and GASGAS, Kawasaki, Kayo USA, Moto Morini, Suzuki, Triumph, and Yamaha. 

Leading distributors are already slated to include Automatic Distributors, Parts Unlimited/Drag Specialties, and Turn 14 Powersports.

www.AIMExpoUSA.com