Like many global corporations at this time, Honda continues to invest its cash in share buybacks. The company bought back 3,827,000 shares of its common stock for around € 100m (US$98m) in the period August 12 through August 31, 2022. This is happening under a board authorisation to buy back up to 32 million shares (1.9% of its issued shares) in the period to March 31, 2023, at a total cost of up to 100bn yen (€ 717m/US$695m).
Norton has announced that it will not now be putting either of the previously announced, affordable and much anticipated Norton Atlas middleweights into production any time soon (if ever - the Nomad and the Ranger). First unveiled in April 2019 towards the end of the now infamous Stuart Garner era, the Atlas was set to be an all-new, entry-level, retro-styled naked 650 cc, liquid-cooled, parallel twin co-developed with China's Zongshen. Now though, under the ownership of India's TVS conglomerate, the plan has been cancelled - which will likely leave Zongshen and their domestic Chinese engine customers with a clear run at the platform, if not the brand names. Those who had paid deposits prior to the January 2020 closure of "Garner Norton" will have to seek redress from the bankruptcy liquidators. After the sale of Norton to TVS, interim CEO John Russell had originally told customers, in writing, that "Norton will build the Atlas", with production commencing in the second half of 2021, but present CEO Robert Hentschel has now confirmed that those plans have been abandoned.
BMW Motorrad USA has added shorter 3.8" Akrapovic rear silencers to its accessory programme for the BMW R18. Shorter than the two standard silencers, the Akrapovic units are made of durable stainless steel, coated in matt black with a silver end cap, which can be rotated in 90-degree steps. A screwed-in heat protection cover on each of the manifold sections of the slip-on rear silencers protects the rider's feet. With a combined weight of 19.2 lbs, the two Akrapovic rear silencers are 2.2 lbs lighter than the standard fishtail exhaust sections.
SX Global, the Australian company spearheading the FIM World Supercross Championship (WSX), has announced that it is to partner with Dream Traxx to oversee the design, development, management and maintenance of tracks for FIM World Supercross Championship rounds - "unique enhancements and adjustments to conventional Supercross track layouts will emphasize safety for riders, while increasing competition and intensifying racing action".
MV Agusta has appointed MV Agusta Malaysia Sdn Bhd as the sole and exclusive distributor of MV Agusta motorcycles, parts, merchandise and special parts in Malaysia - a newly formed subsidiary of AFY Mobility Sdn Bhd (AMI). To support the brand's competitiveness in Malaysia, all MV Agusta motorcycles distributed in the country will be completely assembled at the AMI assembly and training facility in Glenmarie, Shah Alam.
Sources: AMD, IDN, FT, Reuters, PSB, MPN, BDN, MCN, AP, Bloomberg, MSNW, Electrek, electricmotorcycles.news, RideApart.com, Motor1.com, Cycle World, motorbikewriter.com
