Leatt

Leatt releases Adventure helmet range

Capetown, South Africa based Leatt Corporation has announced the launch of its first motorcycle adventure helmet. 

Available in 9.5 Carbon and 8.5 models, the new Leatt ADV Helmet "combines "essential road and off-road features, creating a highly adaptable solution for the demands of adventure motorcycling," says European Sales Manager Kris Kurowski. "This marks a significant expansion for Leatt, completing our head-to-toe lineup for riders across all terrains."

9.5 Carbon

In the design phase of the ADV Helmet development, Leatt placed significant focus on practicality and comfort. "Exceptional vision comes standard via the large eye port, complete with a photochromic shield. This design increases rider safety as well as enhancing performance off-road when goggles are worn.

"Outstanding aerodynamics make long distance riding more comfortable and less tiring and by working seamlessly with goggles on, the shield can be opened and closed at any time. In true Leatt fashion, the ADV helmet includes all necessary accessories in the box as part of the base model. So, while the price remains competitive for the helmet, the additional accessories that make up the package ensure that this offers riders great bang for their buck."

By combining road and off-road helmet elements, Kris says that the ADV helmet features the best of both - a streamlined aerodynamic shape allows for smooth, high-speed road performance - meaning it is configurable for different riding styles."

8.5 in Hi-Viz

Put through its paces in the Leatt Lab, and refined and perfected with meticulous attention to detail before going to market, extensive wind tunnel testing shows up to 38% lower lift and 8% lower drag compared to industry benchmark helmets - delivering stability, noise reduction and comfort on long rides.

"With a tool-free, quick-release shield system, a removable chin curtain, emergency quick-release cheek pads, and compatibility with communication devices, the ADV helmet prioritizes rider safety and convenience above all else - they are sold with spare parts and shield mechanism covers to protect from sand and other elements when using off-road mode."

A photochromic shield is fitted to the helmet as standard, with an additional clear shield included. Pinlock 120 XLT MaxVision delivers fog-free visibility "and bulletproof Leatt 4.5 Velocity goggles are perfect for off-road trail riding. All this, a helmet bag and spare parts are included in the box. The 9.5 Carbon model features a magnetic Fidlock buckle, while the 8.5 has a DD Ring system. The 9.5 Carbon also comes in a premium helmet bag, ideal for travelling with on planes.

The Leatt ADV meets the rigorous ECE 22.06 and DOT safety standards, and features Leatt’s 360° Turbine Technology, improving rider safety by reducing both low impact energy associated with concussion and brain rotational acceleration. Four densities of impact foam further enhance protection, all housed under a thin shell profile for a stylish, compact looking helmet. The Leatt 9.5 Carbon helmet weighs in at 1,490 g (M/L) and the 8.5 composite version 1, 575 g.

Leatt’s three-year Helmet Replacement Program offers riders added peace of mind, providing support for a replacement unit in the event of any helmet damage sustained while riding.

LEATT CORPORATION

www.leatt.com

ACEM

ACEM statement on US/EU motorcycle tariffs

In response to the U.S. decision to impose 25% tariffs on up to € 26bn of EU steel, aluminium, and derivative exports, the European Commission has launched countermeasures matching the economic impact of the U.S. tariffs. The EU will reinstate its 2018 and 2020 tariffs on U.S. imports starting on the 1st April and will introduce additional countermeasures by mid-April.

Specifically, the European Commission confirmed yesterday that, without further action, a 50% additional duty will be added to U.S.-origin motorcycles above 500 cc from April 1st, 2025. 

Furthermore, in the European Commission's expanded second phase rebalancing proposal, due to apply on April 13th, all motorcycle categories below 500 cc, as well as electric motorcycles, have been suggested for possible inclusion. The second phase list remains subject to a public consultation to which ACEM will respond urging the exclusion of all motorcycles from this trade war unrelated to our sector.

The motorcycle sector in Europe and the U.S. is deeply interconnected, with strong industrial and economic ties. European manufacturers export significant numbers of motorcycles to the U.S., while American manufacturers have a strong presence in the European market. Placing tariffs on motorcycles risks disrupting businesses, harming consumers, and threatening jobs on both sides of the Atlantic.

Instead of allowing this dispute to escalate with retaliatory measures, the European motorcycle industry calls for a negotiated solution for transatlantic trade. The U.S. and EU motorcycle industries want fair transatlantic trade and to be able to continue delivering our highest quality products to our passionate customers across Europe and the United States.

Commenting on the measures, Antonio Perlot, Secretary General of ACEM, said: "Whilst we recognise the need for a balanced response to trade disputes, motorcycles should not become collateral damage in broader trade conflicts. 

"The motorcycle industry provides high-quality manufacturing and related jobs, mobility and access to employment for millions of people and is a fundamental economic driver. As nobody wins in trade wars, we strongly call for a return to reason and for both parties to reach a fair solution".

www.acem.eu

Ducati

Ducati sells 54,495 motorcycles in 2024

For the third consecutive year, Ducati recorded revenues of more than one billion euros in 2024 (€1,003bn; compared to €1,065bn in 2023) - "a result achieved despite the challenges that are the industry is facing and the current global competitive environment."

Claudio Domenicali, CEO of Ducati, said: "The 2024 results confirm the strength of our brand and the company's ability to generate the financial resources that allow us to continue to invest and consolidate the excellence, value and exclusivity of our products."

Ducati CEO Claudio Domenicali: "The 2024 results confirm the strength of our brand and the company's ability to generate the financial resources that allow us to continue to invest and consolidate the excellence, value and exclusivity of our products."

Described as proof of the effectiveness of the strategic choices made in recent years - "oriented towards the development of a product range that represents the best fusion of beauty, performance and technology" - Ducati posted 2024 operating profit (EBIT) of € 91m (9.1% margin; 10.5% in 2023).

The company sold 54,495 motorcycles in 2024 (58,224 in 2023). "2024 ended with a positive balance for Ducati, one that confirms the solid basis that Ducati has both as a brand and in financial terms - a benchmark of profitability in the two-wheeler market." 

Henning Jens, Ducati CFO, added: "2024 was a complicated year due to the particularly challenging market conditions the whole industry faced. In this context, we chose to focus on protecting overall profitability and prioritising long-term sustainability rather than just aiming at increasing sales volumes. This approach, combined with further improvements in the efficiency of our manufacturing processes and logistics operations is in line with our premium strategy."

For 2025 Ducati has presented ten new models, including the new XDiavel V4 and Multistrada V4, equipped with the V4 Granturismo engine, alongside the Panigale V4 and Streetfighter V4, both powered by the latest evolution of the Desmosedici Stradale engine. There is also the Panigale V2, Streetfighter V2 and Multistrada V2 - equipped with Ducati's new V2 engine, the lightest twin-cylinder ever made by Ducati. 

However, the news that has the potential to either take Ducati to another level, or rain on its parade, is its entry into Off-Road racing with the introduction of its first motocross bike due to be available at selected dealerships from June 2025 - the Desmo 450X.

www.ducati.com

Honda

Honda outlines its motorcycle strategy

By Ben Purvis

Honda believes that the global motorcycle market is set to grow from 50 million to 60 million sales per year by 2030 and has set out a strategy that it hopes will see the brand's share of that market expand to 50% of the total.

At the moment, Honda sells 20.2 million bikes per year globally, accounting for 40% of the overall market, with Asia responsible for the majority of those sales - 17.17 million, or 85% - while the high-end markets of Japan, Europe and the USA make up a mere 6% of the company's bike sales at 1.2 million units. The long-term ambition of expanding to a 50% share of a larger, 60-million bike market would mean Honda needs to increase its global sales to 30 million bikes per year.

Honda believes that the main growth area will be an area the company calls the 'Global South' - encompassing Southwest Asia, which includes India, plus Indonesia, the Philippines, and Central and South American countries. The projected 60 million-strong 2030 market includes electric bikes as well as conventional ones, with battery-powered machines becoming increasingly important.

Specifically looking at Europe, Honda's plan is to expand its system of using common platforms as the basis of multiple models. It's already the master of that art, with various common-platform model ranges in its lineup - for example, the Africa Twin platform, which also forms the basis of the NT1100 (and in Japan the Hawk 1100) - and more recently the CB750 platform used underneath the CB750 Hornet and XL750 Transalp. It's a system that allows a broad model range while minimising R&D and production expense, vital given the relatively small proportion of sales that the European bikes account for in Honda's global picture.

The new V3 engine complete with an electric supercharger that was shown inside a trellis-style frame at EICMA last year previewed another common platform that's set to underpin multiple models in the future, according to Honda.

Electric bikes is another area that the company is focusing on despite disappointing - and falling - sales of electric bikes in European markets. Honda's plan is to have 30 electric bikes in its global lineup by 2030, accounting for 4 million sales. Honda's electric plan revolves around two separate pillars: one is the concept of swappable, standardised batteries, used in small, low-performance bikes and scooters - Honda already has battery-swap networks established in Japan, Indonesia, Thailand and India - the other is the more European-focused idea of larger electric bikes with fixed batteries.

To ensure the success of electric bikes, Honda wants to bring costs down so the total cost of owning an electric bike, over a period of three years, is equivalent to the same period of owning an ICE bike. That indicates initial purchase costs will remain higher, but the overall savings from cheaper energy will be used to bring the ownership costs level with conventional machines.

As part of its efforts to make electric vehicles - both two and four-wheeled - more appealing, Honda began operation of its pilot plant manufacturing all-solid-state batteries in January. The factory isn't making batteries for production vehicles yet, but it's verifying the production methods at full scale, so once perfected and proven it's possible to rapidly expand. All-solid-state batteries are a potential game-changer, replacing the liquid electrolyte used in existing li-ion cells with a solid one, they allow batteries to be smaller and more energy-dense. Because there's no flammable liquid electrolyte inside - it's replaced with a solid one, allowing the electrodes to be closer together without needing a separator layer - they can be run hotter than existing designs, in turn making them faster-charging. 

Solid state batteries can also be made without using as many rare materials as existing li-ion designs, and thanks to the reduced fire risk, they don't need the same heavy, bulky protective cases. For electric bikes, where the size, weight and cost of the battery make up a larger proportion of the whole vehicle than in electric cars, the benefits of cheaper, smaller, lighter and more powerful batteries will be even more keenly felt.

Honda expects solid-state batteries to start appearing in production vehicles in the latter part of this decade.

As a final note, Honda expects to hit a key milestone of cumulative global motorcycle production this year, with the 500,000,000th bike to wear the Honda badge since 1948 rolling off one of its production lines at some point in 2025.

Vmoto

The Vmoto Eco system - making it easier to love electrics 

EICMA 2024 saw the Vmoto take a major step forward with the launch of its EMS – Electric Mobility Solution.

Described by CEO Charles Chen as "an innovative integrated ecosystem designed to tackle the challenges of charging, range, and fleet management for electric vehicles, this project, focused on the B2B sector but offering benefits to private users as well, marks a decisive step toward more efficient and sustainable mobility."

At a time when ecological transition is at the forefront in every sector, Chen says that Vmoto has approached the issue from a completely different direction of travel, from the endpoint - "despite electric vehicles being the best choice in terms of operating costs, reliability, and ease of use, why do they continue to provoke scepticism among users, especially in the ideal context of urban last-mile delivery"?

CEO Charles Chen 

To answer this question, Chen says that the Vmoto Team has worked intensively to develop not just a single product, but a complete system based on seven key components, tightly integrated and designed to work synergistically. 

• 74V battery architecture: developed to ensure greater vehicle range, available in two versions: 74 V/30 Ah and 74 V/45 Ah.

• Fast charger system: the new rapid charging system, designed for the new 74V batteries, enables full charging in 30 minutes. Available in both portable and wall-mounted versions.

• Vmoto fleet platform: the B2B platform for comprehensive fleet management services. An intelligent software for monitoring charging, movements, and maintenance of each vehicle.

• Swapping station: Vmoto's new technology designed to minimize battery stock at dealerships and drastically reduce charging times.

• Super-fast charging station: designed to minimize charging times, featuring a simple, functional design with Type 2 connectors on both sides for simultaneous charging of two vehicles.

• Financial consulting and business development: an advanced consulting service to support companies in planning and managing electric fleets, offering customized solutions and tailored business plans for an efficient and sustainable ecological transition.

• Vmoto E-Fleet Range: Vmoto's B2B vehicle range, tailored to meet specific business needs, offering reliable and high-performance vehicles. Each model is designed to ensure maximum productivity in daily operations, with particular attention to sustainability and operating cost containment.

It was EMS and Beyond for Vmoto at EICMA, where the company also introduced the VS4, a new L3-homologated electric motorcycle designed for urban commuting. Drawing on B2B experience, the VS4 combines "high performance, exceptional range, and a competitive price, catering to both professional and private needs".

Graziano Milone, President and CMO of Perth, Australia headquartered Vmoto Limited, said that "at a time of cultural transition when the challenge of using electric vehicles for urban mobility has become a necessity for our plane, our goal is to prove that electric vehicles are already the solution for getting around in large urban centres. 

"The seven pillars of EMS are proof of this, as well as the launch of the new Vmoto VS4 and the Workshops that we had at EICMA. Vmoto is ready with concrete solutions that meet the needs of users".

Royal Enfield

Royal Enfield planning more twins

By Ben Purvis

Royal Enfield's twin-cylinder lineup has already grown substantially from its original two-bike range to at least seven variants but it will soon be hitting double figures with a new Bullet 650, Himalayan 650 and a faired café racer model all expected in the coming months.

All three machines have already been spotted on test in India, indicating their development is well underway, and they each represent a significant step for the Enfield twin-cylinder range. The company recently filed trademark registrations for the name 'Bullet 650 Twin' - and the name alone leaves few questions over the bike it will be attached to.

As a Bullet model, it's likely to be an access point to the company's twin-cylinder range, with a lower price point than machines like the Meteor 650 or Classic 650. Spied prototypes have shared the cruiser-style chassis of the Meteor, Classic and Shotgun models, and most closely resemble the Classic 650 in terms of components like the wheels and suspension. In keeping with the smaller 350 cc Bullet, the Bullet 650 Twin will have a long, one-piece saddle and a squared-off rear fender instead of the Classic 650's single seat and curved mudguard.

The Himalayan 650 will use the same engine, but in a quite different chassis. It's set to be the first twin-cylinder Royal Enfield that isn't a retro-style bike, instead adopting styling influenced by Dakar race bikes and using a purpose-made chassis with upside-down forks and a monoshock rear end. A circular headlight ties the bike to the existing Himalayan 450, but the twin-cylinder model will get more bodywork, with a nose cowl that sweeps back to merge into the fuel tank.

Finally, there's the upcoming faired café racer model. Also spotted on test recently, this machine uses a classic, bullet-shaped fairing and humped seat, allied to the same twin-shock frame used on the Continental GT. 

However, it's expected to be a transitionary model, debuting a next-generation version of the air-cooled twin-cylinder engine, potentially with more capacity and power - it's rumoured to be a 750 rather than a 650. That's backed up by the fact that the spied prototypes' engines have been extensively wired to datalogging equipment, indicating they have internal changes compared to the twin used in the existing range.

SBS

SBS launches 243HF brake pad for Cygnus RayZR

Seen here specifically for the Yamaha Cygnus Ray ZR, the SBS 243HF is a brake pad specifically designed for scooter applications that is "set to redefine urban commuting with its exceptional performance and durability."

An OE replacement compound tailored for scooters with non-sintered pads, it is "meticulously engineered for commuters, general-purpose street, and cruiser bikes, ensuring a seamless fit and superior braking performance."

The ceramic compound offers long pad life, low dust, and minimal brake disc/rotor wear, making it ideal for daily city rides. The consistent performance delivers excellent braking power in both wet and dry conditions, ensuring safety and reliability in all weathers.

SBS uses NUCAP NRS Technology to secure a mechanical and indestructible bonding of the compound, providing unmatched durability and an innovative noise-reduction technology design to reduce noise for a comfortable and quiet ride, enhancing the overall riding experience.

Part of SBS 'Better Brakes' programme, the innovative and refined heavy metal-free compound delivers improved braking power with reduced waste and contamination of the environment.

"SBS is committed to providing top-quality brake solutions that meet the demands of modern urban riders," said Thomas Midtgaard-Jørgensen, Product & Marketing manager at SBS. "The SBS 243HF brake pad is a testament to our dedication to innovation and excellence, offering scooter riders a product that not only enhances performance but also ensures safety and comfort in dense city environments."

SBS FRICTION

www.sbs.dk