Italian motorcycle registrations

Italy - 2020 motorcycle registrations -4.86% (theoretically)

According to the latest data from ANCMA (the motorcycle industry trade association in Italy (and the owner of EICMA), the Italian motorcycle and scooter markets ended a tumultuous year having recovered a lot more of the lost sales that, at one stage, looked like they were going to set the Italian market back years.

Having been +1.94% (6,502 units) in October, and massively up in November at +41.14% (5,012 Units) new motorcycle registration in Italy in December were up by +46.36% at 4,038 units to finish the year at -4.86% (94,108 units, compared to 98,917 in 2019).
However, as with the scooter and moped figures from ANCMA, and as seen elsewhere in Europe as the year ended (looking at you, Germany and United Kingdom), pre-registration of unsold Euro 4 units that do not meet the strict timescale criteria set by the EU for the end of series derogation approved in advance of Euro 5 final implementation have no doubt distorted the statistics in Italy and most of Europe's major markets.
Total PTW registrations are put at +23.98% for December (7,630 units) and +20.05%/11,012 units for November to close out the year at -5.76% (218,626 units, compared to 231,985 in 2019). Scooter sales are put at -6.43% for 2020 (124,518 units).
The top selling motorcycles in Italy for 202 have again been the Benelli TRK 502/502X (3,5693 units), followed by the BMW R 1250 GS (3,188 units), and the Honda Africa Twin (2,926 units). The top selling scooters remain the Honda SH 150, 300 and 125 range (in 1st, 2nd and 4th spots respectively), with the Piaggio Beverly 300 ABS, Liberty 125 ABS and Medley 125 in 3rd, 5th and 8th.
The Kymco Agility 125 R16 was 6th, with Yamaha's big TMAX scooter in 7th place, and the company's XMAX 300 in 10th behind the Honda Forza 300 (9th).

Honda

Honda - Q3 and nine months to December 2020

For the third quarter and first nine months of its current financial year (the period to December 31st, 2020), Honda has reported motorcycle sales revenue down by 39.3bn yen at 490.8bn for the period. "Although sales are recovering in many countries, sales revenue experienced a year-on-year decrease due primarily to decreased sales, mainly in Asia."

However, its segment operating profit was only down by 1.8bn yen at 72.7bn as a result of "cost reduction efforts and control of SG&A expenses (Sales and General Administration) - this was despite a decrease in profit related to changes in sales volume and model mix".
Total Honda Group motorcycle unit sales were 4.269 million units for Q3 (from 5.019 million in the year-ago quarter); consolidated total unit sales were 3.019 million (down modestly from 3.190 million units in Q3 2019).
For the nine-month period, Honda Group motorcycle unit sales were 10.591 million units (-29.6% from 15.038 million units for the year-ago period), with Asia responsible for around a third of that decline. 

32-year-old Argentinian Kevin Benavides claimed his first Dakar Rally win in January on his CRF450 RALLY factory bike, with 2020 winner Ricky Brabec (USA) second - giving Honda its first 1-2 victory since 1987, and its second successive win in the deserts of Saudi Arabia. 2021 marked the 43rd edition of the Dakar Rally, which was first held in 1979 (then known as the Paris-Dakar Rally). Honda first competed in the Dakar in 1981, scoring its first win in 1986 (the first of four consecutive wins) with the NXR750. The company left Dakar competition in 1990 and returned in 2013 (when the Dakar was held in South America) with the CRF450 RALLY.

 *Benavides did not compete in 2017 due to injury.
He was second overall in 2018, fifth in 2019 and 19th in 2020.

Group motorcycle unit sales in Europe were 159,000 units for the nine-month period, down by some 27,000 units from the 186,000 sold in the first nine months of 2019. North American sales were 240,000 units (up from 221,000 in 2019); domestic Japanese unit sales were also up by 1,000 units at 155,000 for the nine-month period.
Honda's largest market in Asia remains India, where sales were 2,643,000 units, some two thirds of the 2019 period.
Total global consolidated unit sales were 7.263 million for the nine-month period (from 9.732 million for the year-ago period). For the nine-month period, motorcycle segment sales revenue was 1,258,173m yen for a segment profit of 152,379m yen.

WSBK 2021

WSBK 2021 provisional calendar update

Following the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic and resulting regulations, the FIM, government officials, the TT Circuit Assen and Dorna WSBK Organisation (DWO) have postponed the Dutch Round until 23-25 July.

Local authorities have determined that no major events may be held in Drenthe until the 1st of June 2021, and the Dutch Round was initially scheduled from the 23rd to the 25th of April.
"FIM and Dorna WSBK Organisation are constantly working with government officials and circuits in order to continue putting the safety of everyone first. Any further updates to the 2021 WorldSBK calendar will be communicated accordingly".

 

Zard

Zard for 2020/2021 Ducati Diavel and Streetfighter V4

Everyone has heard the famous expression "Go Big or Go Home", right? Well, for MY 2021, Italian exhaust manufacturer Zard really is "Going Big"!

BIG weight savings, BIG hp gains, BIG torque gains and a BIG opportunity for Zard's dealers with no less than SIX new exhaust designs available immediately for SIX of the BIGGEST selling 2021 new models on the market - backed by a BIG choice of options.
There are systems for the Triumph Tiger 900, Rocket III and Speed Triple, a return to the 4-cylinder exhaust sector with an all-new 4-into-2-into-1 for the Kawasaki Z900 and, seen here, choices for two of Ducati's 2020/2021 models.

In addition to its existing designs, such as for the Panigale V4, there are new options for two of the 2020/2021 Ducati models - the 1,260 cc Ducati Diavel and the Streetfighter V4.
There is a choice of racing and Euro 5 homologated versions for the 1,260 cc 2020/2021 Ducati Diavel - a 2 into 1 kit in stainless steel with removable dB killer, double exit, and a +4 hp increase from the racing version without making any changes to the ECU; on the Euro 5 homologated version, Zard delivers a massive 6 kg weight saving and "an intense sound that the Ducatista will love"!

"Technology met Italian style" with the introduction of Zard's exhausts for the Panigale V4, but rather than simply a cross-over iteration, for the Streetfighter V4, Zard says it was able to start from a solid base and evolve styling and tech specifically for the acclaimed new Streetfighter model.

Ducati Diavel

Ducati Streetfighter V4

The slip-on kit has been designed for all-round performance, "but basically remains a product with a racing soul". Delivering a massive +11 hp and 5 kg weight saving without any other modifications, the exhaust is made entirely of stainless steel with titanium sleeves and two carbon covers.
These exhausts were premiered on 12th February, and a full video (in Italian with English subtitles) is available at youtube.com/officinezard.

ZARD S.R.L.
www.zardlab.com

Norton

Norton completes factory move

The new HQ will be a permanent base for all staff and incorporates state-of-the-art design, engineering, manufacturing and quality control capabilities. The opening is the result of a multi-million-pound investment from Norton's new parent company, TVS Motor Company (India).

Commissioning is expected to be completed in Q1 2021 and the company says that "over 50 high quality new jobs have already been created and more are expected to follow as business activity grows, providing a welcome boost to the local economy".
The site at Solar Park, Solihull is the most advanced facility that Norton has ever had in the 122-year-old motorcycle brand's history.

The premises will be the central hub for all of Norton's operations, providing a permanent base for design, engineering, purchasing, sales, marketing and support teams, as well as the skilled production team that is resuming manufacture of motorcycles. Some of the specialist tooling and equipment previously used by Norton has been carried over to the new site in Solihull, but the site is benefiting from substantial new investment.
In addition to some of the existing tooling, the company says that "the new facility will make use of modern-day, quality-assured production processes, skilled technicians and state-of-the-art new manufacturing equipment to ensure all bikes are built with great precision and quality.

"Norton will resume production of the Commando Classic model at the Solihull site, building a limited quantity to honour customers that had ordered and paid for a deposit on these bikes, with production of the V4SS commencing soon".
Sudarshan Venu, joint Managing Director of TVS Motor, said: "The opening of the new headquarters represents a significant step forward for Norton Motorcycles. The opening of this state-of-the-art facility will create the foundations for a sustainable long-term future for Norton.
"2020 was a tough year for the world, but we are excited to be moving into our new home and we are delighted this has been created by the Norton and TVS teams in just nine months. This new facility will produce bikes truly worthy of the illustrious Norton brand and take it into the future. We are setting out to create a future for the company, our employees, our customers and our partners that lives up to the highest expectations and enable Norton to once again become the real force its history deserves.
"This investment also represents the start of an important partnership between the West Midlands and TVS Motor. With Tata-owned JLR also based in the region, the West Midlands has a good relationship with India that we are constantly looking to improve through the West Midlands India partnership. This investment by Norton exemplifies what exactly we are trying to achieve with the partnership, and I am delighted to welcome the company back home."

UK motorcycle registrations

UK: 2020 motorcycle registrations -3.91%

As seen elsewhere in Europe, 2020 motorcycle registrations in the UK ended with a rush to pre-register unsold Euro 4 units that do not meet the strict timescale criteria set by the EU for the end of series derogation approved in advance of Euro 5 final implementation. This has no doubt distorted the statistics in the UK, Germany, Italy and most of Europe's markets - majors and otherwise.

According to the latest available data from the MCIA, the motorcycle industry trade association in the UK, motorcycle registrations were +53.99% in December, at 7,042 units, and were also likely distorted by pre-registrations in October and November too - maybe even as far back as July 2020. For the whole of 2020, registrations are said to have been down by only -3.91% at 96,539 units for the year.
In total PTW terms, December was reported to be +57.17% (7,808 units), with registrations running at -2.83% (103,656 units) for the full year.
In further evidence of the rush to pre-register unsold Euro 4 units in the UK, Honda dropped to the number 3 spot in market share terms in December (having been the market share leader all year), behind Lexmoto and Suzuki.
By way of context - motorcycle registrations in the UK grew slightly in 2019, +0.72%, with 100,472 units sold. Along with Italy, France, Germany and Spain, the UK remains one of Europe's 'Big Five' markets (actually, the fifth largest) and between them they account for just over 80% of annual new registrations in Europe.

KYMCO

KYMCO RevoNEX: made in Italy
By Ben Purvis

KYMCO has confirmed that the upcoming RevoNEX electric bike will be manufactured in Italy - not Taiwan.
The move is recognition of the fact that the bike is targeting European sales rather than the mass market in Asia, suggesting that its price could be significantly higher than the firm's usual price range.
The RevoNEX first appeared at the 2019 EICMA show in Milan as a follow-on to the full-faired SuperNEX concept bike that was shown at the same event 12 months earlier. At the time the company surprised the world by promising that the RevoNEX would reach showrooms in 2021.

Speaking at the company's 2021 new model unveiling, where the firm also showed its F9 electric scooter for the first time, KYMCO chairman Ke Sheng-Feng said: "RevoNEX has attracted global attention since its release. We continue to use the latest technology and innovation to create RevoNEX as the new generation electric motorcycle that consumers desire most. Therefore, I am very happy to announce that the mass production RevoNEX will come for the first time from a planned production base in Europe, making RevoNEX the first new-generation large electric model to be marketed globally under the Taiwanese brand 'Made in Italy' by KYMCO."
Although the fact that the European production base is still 'planned' rather than up and running suggests the RevoNEX won't be ready for sale until late 2021, and there have already been indications that the showroom version of the bike will be virtually unchanged from the original EICMA show model. The near-production model shown as part of KYMCO's 2021 presentation swapped the original concept's white and blue colour scheme for a black, grey and yellow paint job, but there were also subtle tweaks that suggest it's closer to the showroom. 

The original version's Brembo calipers, for instance, have been changed for KYMCO-branded stoppers, and there are detail changes to elements including the black plastic cover where the radiator would sit on a conventional bike and to the licence plate bracket.
Technically, the RevoNEX's specs are expected to match those announced back in 2019. That means we can expect a 3.9s 0-62 mph time and a 127 mph top speed that can be hit in just 11.8 seconds. Although electric, KYMCO has been at pains to make the RevoNEX as appealing as possible to riders accustomed to petrol power. As such, there's a six-speed transmission and a hand-operated clutch, even though neither item is strictly necessary on electric bikes.
The idea is to introduce a level of rider interaction that typical battery-powered bikes lose. KYMCO is also set on adding a system that amplifies and modifies the sound of the electric motor - not mimicking a petrol engine as such, but adding character to the electric motor and giving the rider an aural indication of revs, helping to encourage the use of the gearbox.
The conventional transmission also means KYMCO has opted for a chain final drive rather than the belt drive that's more common on electric bikes.
Key numbers including power, weight and range have yet to be announced, but the RevoNEX's performance figures put it close to the Zero SR/F, suggesting there's something in the region of 110 hp on tap. More details are expected later in 2021 as the bike nears production.

Arai

Arai 'Quantic' - "high speed comfort for the long haul"

The new Arai 'Quantic' full-face is described as a "brand-new generation of Arai helmets aimed at the sports-touring rider who wants dynamic, race-derived performance on the road, with cocoon-like, luxurious comfort and features suitable for long riding days".
"The new 'Quantic' is the result of R&D's extensive work in the lab, on the road and out on the racetrack. As its mathematical definition describes, it draws together in harmony, qualities and design elements found on helmets throughout the Arai range, from the popular Profile-V to the range-topping MotoGP-spec RX-7V Racing, but adds fresh features all of its own."
Sitting between the Profile-V and RX-7V, Arai says that the Quantic "marks a brand-new generation of sophisticated design and occupies fresh ground". The company expects it to be approved to the "new, more rigorous ECE R22-06 standard soon", and Quantic "is manufactured by hand from Peripherally Belted e-Complex Laminate Construction (PB e-cLc)". The outer shell "maintains the core strength that Arai is known for, but with a substantial weight reduction".

The new 3D Arai logo duct, air-scoop chin vent, F1-based dual tear-ducts and RX-7V Racing-derived one-piece rear exhaust/spoiler were developed in the wind tunnel, in real road conditions and at Suzuka. Alongside the brow vents and flush-fit rear exhausts, the Quantic's ventilation guarantees a consistent, controllable flow of cooling air via a total of twelve ports in the shell and from low around town speeds.  
It features a 5 mm flare around the base for easy access on and off, and the VAS MAX (Variable Axis System) vision visor comes with a Pinlock insert ready to use and yields an average of an additional 24 mm across both temple areas. The new, premium brushed nylon interior is removable and features Facial Contour System (FCS), speaker pockets and a neck roll wire pocket. It also features the Emergency Release System (ERS). The Quantic has been designed from the outset for easy application of an intercom. 

The new three-position (open, midway and closed) sliding air-scoop chin vent flows a larger intake air volume and has a replaceable filter. The actuating mechanism is thicker and easier to use with gloves.
The one-piece rear exhaust/spoiler is operated by a three-way switch and inspired by the DX-2 of the RX-7V Racing, but redesigned for touring use and tested at up to 300 km/h at Suzuka and sits a little more forward on the shell and is fed by three ports in the shell. It efficiently draws air, but also smoothes airflow over (and from the side) the helmet, improving stability and reducing buffeting, especially while overtaking at highway speeds. The result is much less rider fatigue. Manufactured as thin and light as possible, it's designed to crush or break away upon impact, therefore having no impact on protective performance.
The Quantic outer shell design has built-in side ducts for the first time on an Arai helmet. The AR-mat has been substituted with a new material which makes it possible to reduce the weight while maintaining strength. An extra layer of Super Fibre belting - instead of the Hyper Ridge found around the base of the Profile-V - maintains rigidity in a crucial area while offering flat sides for easy fitment of an intercom.

ARAI HELMET (EUROPE)
www.araihelmet-europe.com


Bihr adds Switzerland to its Arai footprint

Arai has reached agreement with Bihr (Bartenheim, France) to be its exclusive distributor in Switzerland.
Located just 15 km from the Swiss border, near Basel, distribution of Arai products will be managed by the Bihr Swiss team (Bihr Swiss SA, formerly known as Pichard Racing) and led by Philippe Chollet, with all dealers in Switzerland able to be supplied within 24 hours. All existing Bihr Swiss clients and prospects will have access to Arai products via the Bihr.pro platform. 

"We are very pleased to have found an agreement with Bihr to distribute our helmets in Switzerland. The Bihr team has clearly demonstrated its ability to distribute our products over past years, and we are more than happy to expand our collaboration to Switzerland," said Michio Arai, CEO of Arai Helmets Ltd.
This extends a relationship between Bihr and Arai that already sees it distributing for Arai in France, Belgium, Germany and in the UK through subsidiary Moto Direct.
Christophe Piron, CEO of Bihr, said: "Arai has a fantastic range with a safety reputation that is second to none. Our partnership with Arai has already been very successful and we are pleased to be able to deepen the relationship still further."
www.bihr.eu

LeoVince

LV-10 Carbon Fiber for Z 900

Based on its direct experience of racing in the Moto2 and Moto3 World Championships, LeoVince has developed a new line of exhaust systems for the Kawasaki Z 900 - its new LV-10 Carbon Fiber exhaust, which completes the LV-10 range.

"The new LV-10 Carbon Fiber maintains the compact and lightweight design that characterises the LV-10 range," says Brand Manager and Racing Team Coordinator Roberta Astori.
"The pre-preg, double-layer carbon sleeve and the CNC 'Full-Carbon' bracket enhance its lightness and aesthetic intensity, ensuring the best performance. The stainless steel end cap with sandblasted finish, combined with the rear stainless steel mesh, gives the silencer a convincing race-ready look, boosted by the unmistakable LeoVince sound.

"Uniquely in the LV-10 range, the matt finish, the TIG welded LV-10 Carbon Fiber is enhanced with an aluminium plate, embossed with the LV logo, previously used by LeoVince exclusively in racing, reflecting the strong bond between the LV-10 Carbon Fiber and the racetrack.

LEOVINCE
www.leovince.com

MIPS - a new way for dealers and consumers to understand the added safety technology

In addition to making it easier for consumers and dealers to distinguish helmet brands equipped with their safety technology, Swedish helmet safety technology specialist MIPS has an updated classification system that better defines its helmet safety products and classifies each based on its intended uses. 

All future MIPS-equipped helmets will be branded with the new product class and include a new hang tag, designed to inform and educate consumers about MIPS.
The new and simplified product range consists of five classes: MIPS ESSENTIAL, MIPS EVOLVE, MIPS ELEVATE, MIPS INTEGRA and MIPS AIR - each of which were previously standalone MIPS products under more broad usage categories (Sports, Moto and Industrial Safety).
This more specific approach to defining MIPS products will guide brands and consumers and help anyone looking to purchase a helmet select the one best suited to their needs without compromising safety.

"The move to better define its products demonstrates MIPS' growing focus on educating consumers around the world and empowering them to make more informed decisions when purchasing a helmet. Historically, MIPS has been a B2B-focused company; the updated product range is another step towards a more consumer-centric brand identity."
MIPS safety technology is sold to the helmet industry as an 'ingredient brand'. It is a model that is being more widely adopted, and in the motorcycle helmet industry has precedent with the successful model developed by Pinlock for its anti-fog systems.

MIPS' approach to helmet safety is based on managing and controlling the rotational energy caused by impact. Its solutions are fully patent protected and have been adopted worldwide by some 111 helmet brands offering more than 583 helmet models equipped with the MIPS system.
This new classification system is designed to help dealers to help their customers readily identify the MIPS-equipped helmets that are right for them.
www.mipsprotection.com

Zard

Zard for Z900 - A return to the 4-cylinder exhaust market

Everyone has heard the famous expression "Go Big or Go Home", right? Well, for MY 2021, Italian exhaust manufacturer Zard really is "Going Big"!

BIG weight savings, BIG hp gains, BIG torque gains and a BIG opportunity for Zard's dealers with no less than SIX new exhaust designs available immediately for SIX of the BIGGEST selling 2021 new models on the market - backed by a BIG choice of options.

There are systems for the Triumph Tiger 900, Rocket III and Speed Triple, for the Ducati Streetfighter V4 and 2020/2021 Diavel and, seen here, a return to the 4-cylinder exhaust sector with an all-new 4-into-2-into-1 for the Kawasaki Z900.

Kawasaki Z900 slip-on

Long regarded as a 'go-to' for Kawasaki models, there are slip-on and full-system options available and homologated Euro 5 compliant and racing versions. The racing versions do not need ECU modifications in order to benefit from the weight savings and horsepower and torque gains.

Kawasaki Z900 full system

Zard is offering either high-grade stainless steel or titanium options as slip-ons or full systems, or both (as appropriate), with carbon end caps, carbon heat shields/covers and removable dB killers mostly offered as standard. They are available in stainless steel (with satin or heat resistant black finish) or full titanium, with carbon end cap, removable dB killer and laser-etched logo as standard.

The two versions of the additionally available standalone slip-on - racing (+3.0 hp/-2 kg) and Euro 5 - for use with the stock headers - also come with carbon end cap, removable dB killer and laser-etched logo as standard and a choice of stainless steel or full titanium.
These exhausts were premiered on 12th February, and a full video (in Italian with English subtitles) is available at youtube.com/officinezard.

ZARD S.R.L.
www.zardlab.com

Comment by Editor, Robin Bradley

The future is mixed. Enjoy!

The news that the Connected Motorcycle Consortium (CMC) has published its first stage 'Basic Specification' to allow manufacturers to plan moves towards a V2V (or at least motorcycle-to-motorcycle) common standard is very important. This will enable rival brands of machines to 'play nice' with each other and other road users in the 'Brave New World' of autonomous driving.
A future in which Level 4 or 5 True Self Driving (TSD) fully autonomous vehicles will be able to read and recognise motorcycles, communicate with them, and vice-versa.
Many so-called collision avoidance devices and systems are already found in vehicles (cars especially), but Advanced Driver Assistance systems (ADA) are just Level 0, 1, 2 and 3 stages on the way to TSD full (but not full-time) autonomy. When Level 4 and 5 are with us, motorcycles will have to be recognisable to all vehicles and be able to integrate their systems with all other vehicles.
Seamless V2X (Vehicle to Everything) is going to need a common communications standard through which to be able to exchange information to make C-ITS (Cooperative Intelligent Transport Systems) practical.
The defining of the 'Basic Specification' isn't the end of the process, but it is the end of the beginning. It has been four years in the making, and an all-important and entirely necessary first step in a process that could give future users of two wheels unimagined levels of safety and convenience.
The Consortium has seen BMW, Honda, Triumph, Yamaha, Suzuki and KTM (ACEM is also a member) form a working party which, through several studies, the development and evaluation of prototype bikes and through meetings and discussions with different major stakeholders, has achieved that critical first stage.
Do not underestimate just how huge this has the potential to be for our industry. As ACEM Secretary General Antonio Perlot stated: "The integration of motorcycles in the C-ITS ecosystem will bring significant safety benefits and will lead to better integration of motorcycles in the transport system."
 

J3016 keeps the human role

But in fact, it goes way deeper even than that.
It is impossible to underestimate just how far our industry needed to move from the dawning of the first European Motorcycle Multi-Directive in 1996, and equally impossible to overestimate just how far in the right direction the industry has travelled since then.
The 'Gang of Six' are still hoping that other manufacturers will now be minded to 'come on board' as, either way, they will have to work with whatever standards are developed. December saw 'The Six' sign up to a second stage - CMC 'Next' - that already got underway in January.
This second phase will see the approach widened and the work include investigating the conspicuity of motorcycles by ADA systems. This stage will look at creating synergies between on-board sensor systems and connectivity and define further essential functional requirements.
The 'Basic Specification' is a first step to ultimately being able to describe the function of motorcycle V2X systems - which will include 'Vehicle-to-all-Vehicles' and 'Vehicle-to-Infrastructure'.
Motorcycle systems will need to be able to mesh V2X or DSRC (Dedicated Short-Range Communications) with the communication systems in the rest of the road transport industry. For example, motorcycles need to be able to integrate with the on-board sensor systems (radar, camera, etc.) and driver assistance systems being developed in the automotive, rapid transit and road freight markets.
Don't let anybody be under any illusion - this is not trivial. It may be a long-term issue, but it is one that places an opportunity-rich future for the PTW industry in opposition to an otherwise existential crisis with no apparent future for PTWs.
At present, the most advanced so-called autonomous systems being trialled and installed by the automotive industry are delivering Level 2 semi-autonomy, basically 'driver assist' rather than 'driver replace'. If Tesla continues to develop its AutoPilot, then it will break into Level 3 semi-autonomous territory at some stage soon.
From there to Level 4 and 5 is a huge leap, but after that the differences between Level 4 and 5 are subtle.
Both allow Artificial Intelligence (AI) to drive the vehicle. The primary difference is that Level 4 permits engagement of the automatic system only within the scope of the vehicle's pre-defined Operational Design Domain (ODD). In Level 5 there is no such set of limitations. Both are "True Self Driving", but both can also be driven by a human.
The SAE J3016 standard (actually, it's more of a protocol) stipulates that in all circumstances and in both levels the system can be overridden by a human. It is not a prescription for full-time autonomy, neither is it necessarily about 'driver replace' - but neither level stipulates that a human driver MUST be available in the vehicle.
The issues of the democratisation of transport, safety, energy and emissions are so huge that a connected and largely electric future transport policy is a genie that will never go back into the bottle.
However, provided that motorcycles are integrated into that traffic ecosystem, then our industry can continue to co-exist with autonomous vehicles, but it will be in a mixed ecosystem where some vehicles are being controlled by AI some of the time, some by humans some of the time and, in the case of PTWs, by humans all of the time.
With apologies to Yamaha's 'Motobot', without transporting humans as their mission, there would be no practical reason for PTWs to exist. All the other functions to which they could conceivably be purposed to would be better fulfilled by alternate solutions.
SAE J3016 guarantees that the future traffic ecosystem will be a mixed one. Therein lies the potential salvation of the motorcycle market. If motorcycle manufacturers 'get it right', then semi and full autonomy could be the 'Golden Ticket' our Chocolate Factory has been looking for ever since 1996.

Newfren & Fantic Motor

Fantic Motor race teams choose Newfren brake discs

Two prestigious Italian brands, Newfren and Fantic Motor, have signed a supply collaboration that will see the Turin based motorcycle brake components manufacturer becoming the race team brake disc partner of choice for Italian manufacturer Fantic.
The official Fantic Motocross and Enduro teams have a historic pedigree. For 2021 and beyond Newfren will supply a new Italian designed and manufactured line of discs for Fantic's race teams that will "underline the strength of Made in Italy products and brands today in the globalised world.

"The path that the two companies will undertake together will act as a mutual stimulus to continuous research and race success with high performance, high quality and uniquely designed products.
"We have developed a special brake disc line that will equip the Fantic Enduro and Cross teams and that will be offered to all Fantic users - professional racers and amateurs - as official spare parts."

 

Mariano Roman, CEO of Fantic Motor said: "The agreement reached with Newfren represents a new boost for us, both in terms of performance and quality of our products, and in terms of image. Newfren has always been a leading player in the world of brake discs and more, I am sure that along the way we will share some great results together on several fronts."
"Fantic Motor and Newfren have an important history behind them," says Elisabetta Quadrini, Newfren Marketing Manager, "and together we have an important future ahead of us.
"The shared desire to emphasize the Italian pedigree of both brands and the Made in Italy characters of quality and winning performance is a shared vision for this partnership and our mutual determination to succeed - in the market and at the races."
www.newfren.com

ACEM

Europe 2020 - "Increase for PTW registrations"
 

Before getting too excited by the latest PTW registration data from Brussels based ACEM, the international motorcycle industry trade association, it is worth noting that pre-registrations of unsold Euro 4 units before the end of December 2020 have distorted the 2020 full year and final quarter new unit registration data.

The effect is not as pronounced as when the Euro 3 to Euro 4 transition took place at the end of 2016, but the effects of securing street legal status for units that did not qualify for the end of series derogation agreed by the EU Parliament are apparent, albeit on relatively low volumes - especially in the November and December 2020 data.
In an understatement of epic proportions, ACEM says that "2020 was a difficult year for the motorcycle sector in Europe. The national lockdowns imposed to contain the COVID-19 pandemic in spring, when the motorcycle market usually picks up, caused a sharp drop, or even a halt, of registrations.
"Logistic chains were also heavily disrupted, at all levels, for manufacturers and suppliers, impacting production.

ACEM Secretary General Antonio Perlot - "All in all, the motorcycle sector seems to have coped well with a very difficult year."

"In aggregate, the largest European markets for motorcycles and mopeds recovered after spring, reaching an overall increase of +4% compared to 2019 data, although with different results across the countries. Some, as the Netherlands (+30.3%) and Germany (+27%), registered substantial increases, while others, such as Italy (-5.3%) and Spain (-8.8%), still lag behind 2019 figures."
 

'Big-5 markets +1.1% in 2020'

However, ACEM does acknowledge the problems with the registration data. "Generally speaking, the market progressively recovered in the second half of the year, although positive figures in late 2020 are also partly linked to pre-registrations performed by importers and dealers due to the end of validity of Euro 4 approvals (31 December 2020), for production falling outside end of series provisions.
"Looking at full-year 2020 results, a total of 883,102 motorcycles were registered in 2020 in the five largest European markets (i.e., France, Germany, Italy, Spain and the UK). This represents a marginal increase of +1% compared to 2019 numbers."
The largest motorcycle markets in Europe in 2020 were: Germany (220,304 units), Italy (218,027 units) and France (191,231 units).
The largest European moped markets (i.e. Belgium, France, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands and Spain) rose from 246,345 units in 2019 to 279,841 in 2020. This represents an increase of 13.6% on a year-on-year basis. The largest markets for mopeds in Europe were France (98,592 units), the Netherlands (84,732 units) and Germany (35,010 units).
Commenting on the 2020 registration figures, ACEM Secretary General Antonio Perlot said that "to a large extent market recovery was due to the renewed attractiveness and convenience of powered two-wheelers for urban and peri-urban commuting within a sanitary context in which public transportation has not been deemed a safe option by many citizens.
"Also, with reduced opportunities for holidaying abroad, most consumers, having had to delay their purchase in spring, still opted for a new motorcycle later in the year for leisure activities such as touring closer to home.
"All in all, the motorcycle sector seems to have coped well with a very difficult year. However, looking ahead, the jury is still out as many questions remain regarding the overall effects of the ongoing pandemic on the EU economy and on mobility."

News Briefs

Energica MY2021 models are now equipped with the CHAdeMO charging system option, and is therefore the first electric motorcycle manufacturer to adhere to both the major international protocols on charging systems currently in use on the global market - CCS and CHAdeMO. The company has developed a new control unit to manage the dialogue between the vehicle and the CHAdeMO charging station. This system manages the exchange of information to initialise and stop the charge and manage all the CHAdeMO protocol needs.

Some 230 or more classic motorcycles (mostly rare or very rare) have been destroyed in a fire that reduced the world's highest motorcycle museum to ashes. Located more than 8,000 ft (2,000 m) high in the Austrian/Italian Alps, Austria's 'Top Mountain Motorcycle Museum' at the crosspoint where Austria and Italy meet high in the Timmelsjoch Pass - a popular riding route with motorcyclists. The museum was founded in 2016 by twin brothers Alban and Attila Scheiber as a way to show off their personal collection of mostly European marques, and in 2020 it hosted a well-received exhibition of important and rare Indian motorcycle examples.

Battery electric vehicles took 54% of total new car sales in Norway in 2020 - making it the first country in the world in which EVs have outsold ICE units in a year, and putting the nation well on track to meet its previously announced objective of eliminating all new combustion engine vehicle sales by 2025 and becoming a zero emissions nation by 2050.

Fantic Motor and Yamaha Motor Europe have concluded discussions for the closing of the deal for Fantic Motor to buy 100% of the shares in Motori Minarelli from YME. The consultation process included the European Works Council of YME and the Local Works Council of MM in order to "safeguard the current employment levels". Yamaha says the deal will strengthen "the existing YME and Fantic Motor synergy to move the collaboration between the two companies to the next level in the fields of motorcycle and e-mobility".

Korean rider communications manufacturer SENA is forming a strategic alliance in 2021 with Italian company Interphone, who will use SENA's proprietary Bluetooth and Mesh 2.0 technologies - meaning its kit will be able to communicate with SENA's own Mesh 2.0 models.

Royal Enfield continues to extend its global footprint and is now "taking it to the Man" with the opening of its latest standalone flagship store - in Tokyo. Its local distributor PCI Co. Ltd. will introduce five models into a Japanese market in which there are emerging signs of growth ahead for low-cost lightweights - the Bullet 500, Classic 500, Himalayan and the Continental GT and Interceptor 650 twins.

As British Superbikes (BSB) prepares for its 25th season, Bennetts, the UK motorcycle insurer, is returning as the title sponsor for two further years (2021-2022), having agreed a new deal with series promoter MotorSport Vision Racing (MSVR).

In December the Italian government is reported to have approved legislation which, if enforced, could see a "significant tax deduction for those purchasing EU-certified airbag protective clothing" - a vest or jacket. Subject to final approval, under the regulation Italian motorcyclists could be refunded anywhere between 20% and up to 50% of the cost of EU-certified airbag protective motorcycle clothing, up to a limit of € 250,00.

Created by Macau entrepreneur Faye Ho, Motul has announced a partnership with the three-rider, BMW supported FHO Racing team for the 2021 BSB Championship and international road races. The team will be on the 2021 BMW M 1000 RR and has been formed from the foundations of the successful Smiths Racing operation - riders will be Peter Hickman, Xavi Fores and Alex Olsen.


Sources: AMD, IDN, FT, Reuters, PSB, MPN, B&B, BDN, MCN, AP, Bloomberg, MNW, electricmotorcycles.news, RideApart.com,  Motor1.com

MotoGP eSport Championship

Dorna announces 2021 MotoGP eSport Championship

Further expanded and "more hotly-contested than ever", the MotoGP eSport Championship will be back for 2021 "with an expanded format and a host of new, exciting challenges designed to test the ability of gamers from around the world". 

"Kicking on from a highly successful 2020, this year marks the series' fifth season. Recent figures show the MotoGP eSport Championship is not only increasing in size, but also continuing to build its audience.  Since 2017 the championship has accumulated 80 million video views, 338 million impressions and 10.5 million engagements. 50% of those numbers are courtesy of fans between 13 and 24 years old - combined with 23 Online Challenges, seven on-site events plus four virtual events, that makes the MotoGP eSport Championship one of the biggest racing competitions in the gaming landscape.
"The slickly-produced format of its dramatic Global Series showdowns – aired by 16 broadcasters across the globe – also resulted in MotoGP's eSport competition being nominated for the prestigious Sports Technology Awards in 2020, in the 'Use of Esports by a Sports Brand' category. Continued growth and evolution mean that current MotoGP teams are placing greater importance on the performance of its representative in the Global Series".
In 2021, the MotoGP eSport Championship will once again be played on the Official MotoGP videogame from videogame developer, publisher and longstanding partner Milestone. The Pro Draft kicks off in March as four Online Challenges decide which names make it into the next phase - the Pro Draft Selection. A total of 22 names can qualify for this phase (with the three winners of last year's Rising Stars Series also achieving a place, meaning there will be 25 in total). In the Pro Draft Selection, MotoGP teams pick the competitor to represent them in the main event - the Global Series.

Spanish motorcycle registrations

Spain:  Total PTW registrations -9.23% for 2020 full year

With motorcycle registrations having been -17.52% (13,299 units) for October and -18.50% (10,725 units) for November, the latest data from ANESDOR, the motorcycle industry trade association in Spain, shows a good December at +19.23% growth (12,685 units), to finish the year at -11.55% (155,298 units).

This represents a dramatic recovery for the market in Spain, where new motorcycle registrations were -46.64%, -94.43% and -43.68% for March, April and May respectively (21,174 units sold, compared to 52,179 in 2019). In full year terms, the year was still the third best seen in Spain in new motorcycle registration terms since before 2009.
In terms of total PTW registrations in Spain, the -9.23% decline (176,691 units) also represented the third best market performance there since 2009, with Moped registrations continuing their market recovery to close out 2020 at +12.13% (21,393 units), with electric motorcycles said to account for 8% of the total market (+17% at 14,910 units).
Jose Maria Riano, General Secretary of ANESDOR, said that "given the complex circumstances, it has been a positive year for the sector. The pandemic and resulting two-month market shutdown in the spring has caused an overall decline in general sales compared to 2019, but the advantages of PTWs as an urban mobility solution have been further amplified. The figures are less negative than might have been expected, especially compared to the automotive sector."
The top selling models in Spain YTD have been the Kymco Agility City 125, Honda PCX 125 and Yamaha NMAX 125. Honda remains overall market share leader with 18.2% of the Spanish market (28,264 units), followed by Yamaha, Kymco, BMW, Piaggio and Kawasaki (7,757 units sold for a 5.0% share).
For comparison, new motorcycle registrations in Spain were +11.07% in 2019 (at 175,585 units) and +14.32% in 2018 (158,086 units).

Supersprox

Supersprox wins Dakar again as HRC technical supplier

"It is not by chance that Supersprox sprockets have been fitted on all the winning bikes in the Dakar rally since Cyril Despres in 2005," says Supersprox General Director DJ Maughfling.
"When Honda decided to enter the rally in 2013, Supersprox was chosen as the technical partner for sprockets and many different test versions were beaten and battered before Honda stood once more on the top podium spot. 

"In 2021, Kevin Benavedes proved that it was not a fluke victory for Honda in 2020 - the fight for a victory in the motorcycle category can never be taken for granted and must be fought for every day, every year. The 2021 Dakar saw fantastically close racing, with the lead changing almost every day - the first three positions were up for grabs right up to the 10th stage.

"With such long races and marathon days (up to 740 km), where there is no outside support crew for the riders, it is vital that all the components, even those like sprockets and chain that sometimes have overlooked importance, hold up - they have to last the race in order for the rider and his team to be able to finish. There can be no weak points in the success system.
"The big challenge for hybrid sprockets is thermal expansion, where the steel and the aluminium expand and contract at different rates, creating massive stresses on the connected parts. Honda engineers have assisted with R&D to allow Supersprox to design a more stable sprocket, one that can resist the fatigue stress cracking, caused by the constant movement of the different materials.

 

"In the diagram can be seen the original design (2013) and the latest version (2021). The addition of six steps, supported by intermediate legs, has allowed the sprocket weight to be reduced by 11%, without risking its integrity. Supersprox also supports KTM, Husqvarna, Yamaha and Hero factory teams for world rally championships and Dakar. Altogether more than 70% of all competitors in Dakar 2021 were using Supersprox."
www.supersprox.com

Kawasaki

Kawasaki's Motorcycle and Engine division has reported net sales of 225.5bn yen for Q3 of its current financial year (October, November and December 2020), which is -4.6% down on 230.15bn yen for the year-ago quarter.
However, that represents a 1.8bn yen segment operating profit for the quarter, compared to a -4.5bn yen loss in the year ago period (a +6.4% improvement in segment profit).
Kawasaki states that "the market has been significantly affected due to the impact of COVID-19 in the major markets of Europe, North America and Southeast Asia. 

 

With Jonathan Rea hotly tipped to continue bossing it in the senior WSBK class, MTM Kawasaki has announced a strong rider line-up for the 2021 season. World champion Jeffrey Buis will be joined by Koen Meuffels, Yuta Okaya and Adrián Huertas, who will also compete for MTM Kawasaki on the Kawasaki Ninja 400 in the World Supersport 300 championship.

"Recent retail sales have exceeded the level of the same period of the previous year in the US market due to rising demand for off-road models, and the European market has recovered to the same level as the same period of the previous year. However, emerging markets are still sluggish and remain below the level of the same period of the previous year.
"Segment operating income has improved due to reduction of fixed cost and other factors, despite a decrease in revenue".
Total motorcycle unit sales are put at 300,000 for the quarter, worldwide, which is down from 404,000 units in the year-ago period, with "developed" market unit sales down at 91,000 units compared to 101,000 for the year-ago quarter, but unit sales revenue was up in developed markets at 73.7bn yen, compared to 72.9bn on 10,000 more units for the year-ago period.
Emerging market unit sales down at 151,000 from 252,000 a year ago, and UTV, ATV and PWC unit sales up a little at 58,000 units worldwide compared to 51,000.

Gaerne

Gaerne - three for the road

Gaerne's G.Vento is a premium made in Italy Gore-Tex touring boot designed for hot conditions. The upper combines Cordura plus leather and the Gore-Tex extended comfort footwear membrane offers superior breathability and 100% waterproofing.
Additional features include malleolus reinforcement, gear protection, elastic zipper and Velcro for a customised fit, reflex insert for better visibility even in poor conditions, and a rubber touring sole designed with specific grip areas.

G.VENTO

Gaerne's G.Razor is a comfortable sport shoe with lightweight and street-styled upper that combines suede and technical fabric with soft pads at the ankle area and on the heel.
The lace loop holder keeps them safely secured and the boot securely closed; the Gore-Tex extended membrane gives increased breathability while the newly designed rubber sole provides excellent on and off bike grip. 

G.ROCKET

G.Rocket has been designed for sport racing, but is comfortable off the bike as well. The upper is made of highly wear resistant microfibre and there is lateral air vent perforation to improve inside ventilation and comfort. 

G.RAZOR

High protection features include malleolus reinforcement and shift pad and heel protection. The mixed laces and Velcro strap closure system is fast and functional with a micro-injected insert to facilitate grip. The exclusive compound rubber sole is integrated with the upper design and offers maximum grip and wear resistance. There is also an internal breathable and antibacterial membrane. G.Rocket is also available with a Gore-Tex extended membrane for increased breathability.
All three models are CE certified.

GAERNE SPA
www.gaerne.com