EICMA 2023

The "EICMA Effect" - targeting young people and urban mobility

With the 80th edition of EICMA (International Two Wheel Exhibition) upcoming from 7th November 2023 at the Fiera Milano Rho, Confindustria ANCMA (Italy's National Association of Cycle and Motorcycle Accessories) has announced that "Young people and urban mobility" will be the marketing themes for this year's Expo.

Said to showcase "more than 1,700 brands from 45 countries", features will include "shows, previews, gaming, passion and racing," says EICMA President Pietro Meda. "In brand and exhibitor number terms, 2023 will see EICMA returning strongly to pre-pandemic parameters, already heralded a successful edition with the show now using eight halls, which is two more than in 2022.

"Very significant and important are the comebacks, both among manufacturers and among companies in the entire supply chain. This year 28% of the booths will new exhibitors, while 64% of the companies present this year come from abroad - representing as many as 45 countries".

"This is a sign of the strategic market leadership of EICMA and of our international importance and reach," says EICMA CEO Paolo Magri. "EICMA is seen as a dynamic exhibition model that is increasingly rich in content and special initiatives."

According to Magri, two of those new initiatives for 2023 are the EICMA Esports Arena and an area dedicated to Urban Mobility. "The former will be a space entirely dedicated to the world of electronic sports and motorsport video games, which will host a rich schedule of initiatives, including the finals of the four-stage online motocross championship, which EICMA launched recently.

"Together with the ongoing NFT's initiative that we launched last year, we want to introduce a sort of 'EICMA algorithm' on the web to engage our audience and bring them to live a direct experience of passion among the stands. The Urban Mobility area emphasizes the institutional value of the event." 

"The urban mobility area will welcome companies, institutions and, above all, startups in the sector, to which we are offering an international showcase thanks to the support of ITA, the International Trade Agency. 

"This space is a seed in the soil of EICMA that we want to grow and will be configured as a special and dedicated place to listen to the needs of businesses and citizens".

Further new initiatives for EICMA 2023 have been a new preregistration platform and a B2B meeting scheduling tool ("EICMA business meeting").

"There will be the well-established e-bike test ride area, the EICMA EFFECT photo set, where EICMA photographers will capture the public's emotions and responses to being at the show."

7th November is the Press Day; 8th November reserved for Press and Industry Professionals of all kinds [in theory] with four days of public attendance from Thursday 9th through Sunday 12th.

www.eicma.it

News Briefs

Triumph unveiled its new 250 cc motocross bike to the public for the first time at the SuperMotocross World Championship Final on September 23rd, at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum, California. Two of the new MX-ers made a grand arena entrance to fireworks and fanfare. The production-spec bike was ridden by Jeff 'Six Time' Stanton, a former winner at the LA Coliseum. He currently serves as the manager of Triumph's Adventure Experience in the U.S. Joining him was Ricky Carmichael, also known as the GOAT (Greatest of All Time), whose bike featured his own graphics and non-standard specification components. The full U.S. unveiling is scheduled for November 28. 

Italian electric motorcycle manufacturer Energica has announced further expansion of its growing international dealer network. Its new dealer in Ireland is 'Sprocket & Hubs Motorcycle Emporium' of Limerick, a sub dealer of English Electric Motor Co (EEMC). Alec Sharp, owner of EEMC, said: "Ireland is an emerging market and this will enable demos to be held within an accessible distance of potential customers in Ireland." In advance of banning the sale of conventionally fuelled new Internal Combustion Engined (ICE) vehicles by 2035, the European Commission aims to have 30 million EVs on the road by 2030 and estimates that three million public chargers will be needed to support them. Ireland would need 100,000 public chargers, with all new installations being fast chargers. Electric Vehicles market unit sales in Ireland are expected to reach some 50,000 units annually by 2028, with revenue showing an annual growth rate of +15.19%, resulting in a projected market volume of € 2,793.00m by 2028. 

MEGA ChinaMotor reports China Chamber of Commerce for Motorcycle (CCCM) motorcycle production and sales data showing month-on-month and year-on-year increases in August. In August, fuel motorcycle production and sales were 1.2947m and 1.2835m units, a month-on-month increase of 0.73% and 1.27%, and a year-on-year increase of 22.74% and 14.29%. Electric motorcycle production and sales were 438,500m and 43.7m units, output increased by 10.66% and 17.5% month-on-month and decreased by 41.92% and 43.88% year-on-year. The entire industry produced and sold a total of 1.7332m and 1.7204m motorcycles in August, a month-on-month increase of 3.07% and 4.95%, and a year-on-year decrease of 4.23% and 9.53%. From January to August, fuel motorcycle production and sales were 9.5162m and 9.5399m units, a year-on-year increase of 2.53% and 1.18%. Electric motorcycle production and sales were 3.8448m and 3.4588m units, a year-on-year decrease of 26.83% and 34.62%. From January to August, the entire industry produced and sold a total of 13.361m and 12.9987m motorcycles, down 8.08% and 11.68% year-on-year. Among them, the production and sales of two-wheeled motorcycles were 11.8261m and 11.4586m, down 9.3% and 13.22% year-on-year. The production and sales of large-displacement recreational motorcycles (displacement >250 cc) were 351,900 and 358,400, down 7.47% and 8.31% year-on-year, respectively. The production and sales of three-wheeled motorcycles were 1.5349m and 1.5401m units, a year-on-year increase of 2.49% and 1.7%. 

BDN reports that the UK government has performed an embarrassing U-turn on its proposed replacement for the widely accepted CE consumer and safety product approval scheme. The UKCA (United Kingdom Conformity Assessed) mark was intended to offer a non-European way for manufacturers to show that their products complied with safety and performance rules. In an August 2023 announcement, the UK government has said that CE approval will be accepted in Britain indefinitely. 

Yamaha Motor Europe has announced that Dominique Aegerter will remain with Yamaha in the FIM Superbike World Championship until the end of the 2024 season, after agreeing terms with the 32-year-old Swiss rider to extend the existing contract for an additional year. At the end of this season, Jonathen Rae will leave Kawasaki to join Yamaha's WSBK efforts. 

 

Yamaha is mourning the loss of GRT Yamaha's Mirko Giansanti who has passed away after a long battle with a serious illness. Giansanti's career saw him make the move from racer to team owner as the founder and Sporting Director of the Giansanti Racing Team. 

Silicon Valley, California based Sibros Technologies, Inc. has been selected by Pierer Mobility to power a Connected Vehicle Ecosystem for its motorcycles - deploying Sibros' 'Deep Connected Platform', a holistic suite of "safe and secure in-vehicle and cloud applications, purpose-built for managing software and data across the full mobility product lifecycle". The platform will allow Pierer  to collect live microcontroller and sensor data, deploy over-the-air updates (OTA) of mixed criticality, and dispatch remote diagnostic and end-user commands. 

Honda Racing Corporation (HRC) in Sakura, Japan, and Honda Performance Development (HPD) in Santa Clarita, CA, have announced that HPD will formally become Honda Racing Corporation USA (HRC US) starting with the 2024 motorsports season. With this change, HRC US will play an integral role in Honda's global motorsports activities, which includes contributing to the company's Formula One (F1) programme. HRC was established in Japan in 1982 as Honda's motorcycle racing arm, and is recognised for more than 40 years of championship racing heritage in pinnacle global racing categories such as WGP/MotoGP, Superbike, Motocross, World Trial and the Paris Dakar Rally.  In 2022, HRC added auto racing, including Honda's F1 programme to its responsibilities, with the Sakura Centre dedicated to auto racing and Asaka Centre focused on motorcycle racing. HPD was established by American Honda Motor Co., Inc. in 1993, as a separate racing arm to compete in the IndyCar series. 

Sources: AMD, IDN, FT, Reuters, PSB, MPN, BDN, MCN, AP, Bloomberg, MSNW, Electrek, electricmotorcycles.news, RideApart.com, Motor1.com, Cycle World, motorbikewriter.com

German motorcycle registrations

Germany - motorcycles +16.36% to August

The significant rebound in new motorcycle registrations so far this year in Germany (the German motorcycle market was -7.22% for the 2022 full year) has continued through August 2023.

The most recent available data from the IVM (the motorcycle trade association in Germany) show June up by +31.34% (14,708 units), July by +17.31% (12,193) and August by +13.55% at 11,147 new motorcycles registered.

For the year to August, registrations were +16.36% at 103,077 units - the best January to August motorcycle market performance in Germany since before 2008.

In total PTW terms, the German market was +9.51% to August (174,945 units), which is also the best since before IDN started keeping comparable records in 2008. 

Reflecting continued benefit from licencing changes, the Scooter and Moped markets in Germany continue to recover from poor sales in 2021 and 2022 with total PTW (Powered Two-Wheeler) new unit registrations running at +9.51% (174,945 units) through August 2023 - also the best in the German market since before IDN's comparable records began in 2008.

BMW has seen a decline in the number of models it has in the top 25 best-sellers - from seven to four - but retained its home market share with increased sales but reduced share in a faster growing market. For the period to August 2023, BMW sold 20,030 units for a 19.43% market share compared to 19,098 units for a 21.56% share YTD in 2022.

Honda is second (17,843 units/17.31% share), with Kawasaki third (10,538 units sold for a 10.22% share), followed by KTM, Yamaha, 

H-D, Ducati, Triumph, Suzuki and Husqvarna in 10th spot.

The BMW R 1250 GS has continued into 2023 as the best-selling model so far this year (6,557 units sold YTD for a 6.36% share). Kawasaki's Z 900 is second, with its Z650 in fourth - showing Kawasaki's market resurgence of recent years as continuing with 3,152 units sold for a 3.06% share and 3,087 units sold for a 2.02% share, respectively. Honda's new-for-2023 CB 750 Hornet remains the third best-seller YTD in Germany (2,886 units sold for a 2.80% share), with the CB 650 R Neo Sports Café in sixth spot (1,666 units sold YTD for a 1.62% share).

Other best-sellers YTD on the German market are the Yamaha MT-07 (fifth), Honda's CMX 500 Rebel, CBR 650 R and XL 750 Transalp in seventh, eighth and ninth places respectively - all showing that the rise of the middleweights continues; followed by the BMW F 900 R in 10th, the Yamaha Ténéré 700 11th and MT-09 in 12th, followed by the KTM 690 SMC and 390 Duke, with the Husqvarna 701 Supermoto in 15th.

In electric (light) motorcycle terms, Zero Motorcycles was the top-selling brand YTD, but on low volumes still with 257 units sold for a 19.97% share of the German electric (light) motorcycles market. Vmoto was the second placed manufacturer (162 units/12.59% share), third was Tinbot (46 units, 3.57% share), followed by KTM fourth (45 units sold, 3.50% share) and Horwin fifth (34 units sold for a 2.64% share).

Overall, 1,287 electric models were sold in Germany in the first eight months of 2023. Though road-going electric motorcycles are only part of the full EPTW story, they are a bellwether, and with the top-five brands only recording 544 units registered between them so far this year, out of that 1,287 total in Germany (of all markets!), there is clearly still a long way to go if the tsunami of capital being invested in electric PTW brands is ever to show a return.

In that context, the EU's compromise of its 2035 new ICE vehicle bans in the face of the powerful German auto lobby, to allow post-2035 registration of vehicles that run exclusively on e-fuels, puts some of the EPTW forecasts being used for stock market flotations into an even more ambitious context (especially 'looking at you' Harley-Davidson/LiveWire.)  

Vehicles with internal combustion engines can now still be newly registered throughout the EU after 2035, if they exclusively use zero emissions fuels of any kind. 

For the record: German motorcycle registrations were -7.22% for the full year in 2022 (107,992 units); thanks to the ongoing beneficial impacts of changes in domestic German licencing, total PTW registrations were essentially flat in 2022 at +0.69% (201,433 units).

Newfren

New brake discs from Newfren 

Turin based Newfren says it anticipates announcement of new brake discs later in 2023 as a result of a series of projects and year-long R&D programme that has included collaboration with the expertise now available to it from Grimeca - in the same group that Newfren is a part of (Endurance Two Wheels).

"Elisabetta Quadrini, Newfren Brand Manager - The work we have done for our OEM customers has fuelled the opportunity to further develop our aftermarket brake disc range."

Newfren Brand Manager Elisabetta Quadrini added that "being chosen by Fantic Motor for the development of off-road and road brake discs marked an important step for Newfren, which is now not only recognised as a historic manufacturer of aftermarket brake discs [Newfren was founded in the late 1950s], but is also now known as a centre of engineering and production excellence for original equipment.

"We believe that Fantic's choice to equip its vehicles with Made in Italy components sends an important signal to the world of industry and to the buyers of motorcycles of that respected Venetian brand. A choice that goes against the trend or perhaps anticipates that of others, and which saw Newfren as the partner of choice."

'chosen by Fantic Motor'

Fantic's Caballero 700 is now equipped with Newfren's 330 mm disc at the front and 245 mm for the rear. The 2024 MX and Enduro Black Editions will be on the market with a kit of special parts that will include Newfren 270 mm front brake disc and 245 mm rear brake disc in solid or slotted versions. Its Rally XE 450 Dakar is equipped with a 300 mm Newfren front brake disc and 245 mm rear Newfren brake disc; plus, all Fantic race bikes are equipped with Newfren brake discs and pads.

In racing terms, Newfren is the Technical Partner for Davide Giuliano's Team DG34, equipping their Ducati in the WORLDSSP and the AC RACING Pre-Moto3 and Moto3 teams - "we love racing," says Elisabetta.

"The work we have done for our OEM customers has fuelled the opportunity to further develop our aftermarket brake disc range and we are working on a review of our aftermarket product line-up that sees us able to update and upgrade our entire road range with a 2024 new product launch.

"Our range of sintered brake pads with coloured layers have proven to deliver excellent performance and been very well received by the market - the products have received the European R90 certification and will continue in the Newfren range in 2024".

EMX

EMX wins first ever FIM E-Xplorer World Cup

In collaboration with Midori Moriwaki's MIE Racing team, an important milestone has been reached with the end of the first ever FIM E-Xplorer World Cup with Dutch based manufacturer EMX crowned champion in this important inaugural season. 

Riders Sandra Gómez and Jorge Zaragoza secured the title after a thrilling final round, concluding the season with a ten-point advantage over the runners-up, the Gravity Team of Camille Chapelière and Kiara Fontanesi.

"The MIE Racing team achieved fantastic results," said EMX CEO Elmer Dohms, "with Gómez and Zaragoza reaching the podium at every round to amass two wins, two second place finishes, and one third over the five-race championship - one which played out on different types of tracks, with the EMX FX30 platform bikes finishing every session and race without any mechanical issues.

"The FIM E-Xplorer World Cup provides the ideal arena in which to showcase the EMX proposal. Considering the mission is to offer an enjoyable, easy to ride platform to riders of all skill levels, we entered the championship with the exact same bike that is available to all motocross enthusiasts.

"With only the suspension and tyres changed to suit riders' preferences, no further technical modifications were made to the production model in order to compete in the championship," says Elmer.

Midori Moriwaki established the MIDORI Corporation in March 2018 with the aim of expanding in the motorsports industry and set up her own "MIE Racing Honda Team" that same year - the intention being to compete in the Superbike World Championship as of 2019. In 2020, Moriwaki confirmed her commitment to the FIM Superbike World Championship by entering the series with the satellite MIE Racing Honda Team and Honda CBR1000RR-R machines, managing a project that she continued to develop in 2021 and 2022. 

Electing to expand her commitment to the production-derived championship in 2023, Midori launched a brand-new WorldSSP project to run alongside her WorldSBK Team (Petronas MIE Racing Honda Team) - entering the 2023 Supersport World Championship with Honda CBR600RR machines and taking a stunning first win of the season in the second race of the Czech round with British rider Tarran Mackenzie. 

Always keen to push the boundaries so as to explore new paths, test and develop new technologies, and, last but not least, promote gender parity in sport, Moriwaki also entered the inaugural 2023 FIM E-Xplorer World Cup - ultimately securing the title on EMX XF30 machines in the team's first year.

As a true motocross enthusiast and a former racer, himself, Elmar Dohms recognised early on that the future of the sport is threatened by outside influences. To continue enjoying the thrill that motocross offers, he decided to develop a motocross bike with his company EMX Powertrain that offers the true feeling of motocross in a future-proof concept. 

Since 2018, EMX Powertrain has been engaged in developing a competitive electric motocross bike that combines the familiar feel of an existing motocross bike with a low-noise powertrain that allows motocross riders to enjoy their favourite sport - even in the distant future. 

"Participation in the FIM E-Xplorer World Cup was the next step for our company - to prove that the concept can compete with the best manufacturers in the world in terms of electric all-terrain motorcycles - and what a success it has been". 

www.emx-powertrain.com

BMW

BMW F900GS, F900GS Adventure and F800GS By Ben Purvis

The big news at BMW for 2024 is undoubtably the launch of the all-new R1300GS. It is likely to be a best-seller across the world, but the company hasn't ignored its smaller GS range - launching a trio of heavily revised machines to replace the old F850GS and F750GS.

For 2024 they become the F900GS, F900GS Adventure and F800GS. Those names alone reveal a key difference, because the old 853 cc engine has been replaced by the 895 cc version that was previously reserved for the F900R and F900XR. Even the F800GS has the 895 cc engine, just as the old F750GS was actually 853 cc, but with artificial restrictions to keep its power down.

The bigger engine has a 2 mm larger bore than the old version at 86 mm, with the same 77 mm stroke, with forged instead of cast alloy pistons and a raised compression ratio of 13.1:1 instead of 12.7:1. In the F900 models, that means a peak power of 77 kW (105 hp), which is enough to leapfrog some larger models - including Honda's 1084 cc Africa Twin - and matches the output of the KTM 890 Adventure. The F800GS peaks at 64 kW (87 hp), but it's very clearly another artificial restriction - the power curve mimics the F900's up to the 6750 rpm torque peak, but then plateaus while the F900s continue to rise towards their peaks nearly 2000 rpm higher. 

Of the three new models, the F900GS gets by far the most significant changes. The welded sheet steel frame remains the same as the old version, but there's new bodywork, new lights, a new plastic fuel tank and a completely different tail and subframe that help slice an impressive 14 kg from its weight, which is down to 219 kg including fuel. It also gets new 43 mm, fully-adjustable Showa forks that offer the same 230 mm travel as the Adventure version, as well as a matching monoshock, giving 215 mm of movement for the rear wheel. 

Both the GS and GS Adventure have 21-inch front, 17-inch rear tyres on wire wheels. The optional 'Enduro Pro' package gives even bigger 45 mm forks with titanium nitride coating and a more widely adjustable rear shock to the bike.

The F900GS Adventure looks more like last year's bike, but also gets the same new forks as the F900GS and some new side panels to mark it out from its predecessor. It's 2 kg heavier than last year's version at 246 kg wet. Both the Adventure and the less powerful F800GS can be optioned with BMW's ESA electronically adjustable suspension.

The 6.5-inch TFT dash is carried over from last year's F850 models, but now goes to the F800GS as well to replace the analogue and LCD combination of the old F750GS. On all models there's phone connectivity and turn-by-turn navigation with the help of BMW's own app. 

Airoh

Airoh - 2024 'Strycker' RACR•

Created in collaboration with RACR•, Airoh's special edition 'Strycker' RACR• has been designed in association with international Motocross legend Antonio Cairoli's RACR• clothing and streetwear brand and is described as "the must have of the season".

"With a simple, minimal and cool design and all the innovative features of the 'Strycker' helmet, it is the perfect mix of style and performance", featuring a wind tunnel optimised shape and performance and is the Italian brand's latest ECE 2206 approved off-roader.

"Making no compromises and leaving nothing to chance, especially when it comes to safety, comfort and style, 'Strycker' is made in three sizes of carbon composite carbon shell with anallergic, breathable, fully removable and washable inner lining equipped with AEFR (Airoh Emergency Fast Release)".

Safety is enhanced with what Airoh describes as its "revolutionary" AMS2 (Airoh Multiaction Safety System) - designed to reduce the amount of energy that reaches the head in the case of angular impact.

The ventilation features five air vents with two rear extractors "which are perfectly designed with the contours of the wind-shaped shell".

Additional features include removable crown padding, cheek pads, adjustable and extended peak, chinstrap cover and anti-dust net kit. Spare parts are available. Retention is by DD ring, and 'Strycker' ships with peak screws and Airoh stickers.

LOCATELLI S.P.A.  

www.airoh.com

Athena

Athena Aprilia-Suzuki 250 cylinder kit

Celebrating its 50th anniversary this year, Vicenza, Italy based Athena has added a new cylinder kit for Aprilia RS 250 and Suzuki RGV 250.

A leader in the high-performance motorcycle, scooter and moped spare parts market, Athena's years of race experience "allowed the Athena R&D Department to create a unique product - a standard bore cylinder replacement kit for the original Aprilia-Suzuki, fully compliant with the OEM specifications and installable without making any modifications to the motorcycle crankcase".

The kit is composed of an aluminium cylinder, a flat-top piston, and all the specific gaskets to ensure optimal sealing and to achieve maximum performance.

Made of aluminium alloy, the cylinder is ready for immediate installation. The kit includes the oil mixer inlet fitting and the brass bushing for the exhaust valve shaft - both pre-assembled. The cylinder wall is finished with a galvanic treatment and a Motor-Nicksil coating developed by Athena to ensure smoother sliding of the piston, less friction and reduced wear of the piston rings.

To overcome the corrosion issue affecting the original Aprilia-Suzuki sleeve, Athena engineers have created a new brass sleeve that can be screwed directly into the cylinder.

The cylinder head stud seats have also been redesigned to no longer be connected to the cylinder water passages. The inner diameter of the CNC-machined exhaust crossbar eliminates the risk of excessive expansion that could damage the piston.

The Athena flat-top piston kit was designed and developed specifically to maximise the high performance of this cylinder kit - "we selected a high-silicon-content aluminium alloy to ensure a low coefficient of thermal expansion, and, consequently, much tighter mating tolerances between piston and cylinder.

"The lightweight piston skirt and the molybdenum disulfide coating ensure effective friction reduction, improving smoothness and durability. Additionally, the CNC-machined window on the intake side is designed to maximise lubrication for the needle roller cage bearing and the connecting rod small end shims".

The biconical piston pin is made of a nitride-treated aeronautical steel alloy and the rings included are 'Made in Japan' and crafted from special steel with chromium nitride coating to ensure high hardness and low friction.

The gasket kit includes all the gaskets necessary for installing the cylinder kit and is fully compatible with the original Aprilia-Suzuki components. The materials used and the manufacturing technologies make them particularly resistant to oils, fuels, mixtures of water with antifreeze and anti-corrosion: in particular, the head gasket and the cylinder base gasket have been redesigned using an innovative reinforced graphite material to ensure excellent adaptability to surfaces and uniform sealing over the entire surface.

The sealing is further improved through the application of a silicone bead sealing applied using high-precision screen printing machines and a special surface finishing treatment. 

ATHENA 

www.athena.eu

National Cycle

VStream windscreens - KTM 390 Adventure

Seen here for 2020-2023 KTM 390 Adventure models, Maywood, Illinois windscreen specialist National Cycle's taller and wider size replacement windscreens "are perfect for almost every rider - offering improved wind protection and riding comfort compared to the OEM or other aftermarket windscreens".

VStream gets its name from its unique patented shape. The advanced "V" profile and dimensional contours push the wind vortex out and away from the rider's helmet, resulting in a quieter and less turbulent riding environment.

This windscreen is made from tough 2.0 mm Quantum hardcoated polycarbonate - a high quality material which, along with National Cycle's internationally recognised state-of-the-art manufacturing techniques, provides an outstanding level of optical clarity, impact strength and scratch resistance that is "unmatched by any OEM or aftermarket windscreen maker in the world". 

Quantum hardcoated polycarbonate "is the material of choice for serious motorcycle riders". It is rated at 10 times more scratch resistant than FMR hardcoated polycarbonate, and 30 times more than windscreens made from commonly used acrylic or "aircraft plastic". VStream windscreens are easy to install and are protected by a 3-year warranty against breakage.

NATIONAL CYCLE INC.  

www.nationalcycle.com

Bonamici

Bonamici - MT-09

With Yamaha's MT-09 riding high in its class in the lists of the top-selling models in much of Europe, EICMA will see Italian race and street parts and accessory manufacturer Bonamici Racing unveil a comprehensive line-up of CNC-machined parts featuring some of the most commonly changed and upgraded components - including rearsets (gear and brake sides), lever protectors (in aluminium or carbon), clutch levers and gas tank and oil caps.

The rearset kits and brake and clutch levers are available in a selection of colours - standard black, red, blue, green, orange, gold, silver and the company's new bronze. The material can also be personalised with laser engravings such as logos, numbers or names.

Bonamici is a race engineering company, with all the R&D and manufacturing quality and precision that it requires. In addition to being an HRC sponsor, it is a technical partner with a whole range of top teams including Leopard Racing, Snipers Team, BMW World Superbike Team RoKiT and GTR Yamaha.

Additional products available for a range of models include engine protectors, handlebars with steering damper brackets, top triple clamps, dashboard protector, brake levers with remote adjuster or racing style remote adjuster, complete lever kits and mirror blocks.

BONAMICI RACING

www.bonamiciracing.it

BMW Motorrad

BMW Motorrad Welt

Opened with 150 invited guests in attendance, outgoing head of BMW Motorrad, Dr. Markus Schramm, in the presence of the Federal Chancellor of the Federal Republic of Germany, Olaf Scholz, and Berlin's Governing Mayor Kai Wegner, opened BMW Motorrad Welt in Berlin on 28th September 2023. Adjacent to the brand's Berlin-Spandau production facility - where BMW motorcycle production has been based since 1969.

The creation of this new homage to all things BMW Motorrad was timed to be exactly 100 years to the day after the first BMW motorcycle, the R 32, was presented at the Berlin Motor Show on 28th September 1923.

BMW further marked the occasion with a € 100,000 donation to UNICEF and local and regional charities in Berlin and Brandenburg.

The highlights of the opening ceremony included presentation of the best custom bikes based on the BMW R 18 model family, as part of the BMW Motorrad Customizing Championship, and the much- hyped world premiere of the new BMW R 1300 GS.

Olaf Scholz said: "When we celebrate 100 years of BMW Motorrad today, we are, of course, celebrating 100 years of German industrial history, 100 years of development and innovation, 100 years of global competition.

"The industrial country of Germany thrives on women and men who choose a career in industry. I was able to get an idea of how they work here last December. Craftsmanship meets high-tech, digitalisation in education and training, employees with a wide variety of backgrounds, all of whom are passionate about 100-year traditional crafts, that impressed me. I am happy that with today's opening of the Motorrad Welt, BMW is also enabling many curious people to discover what is being created here in Berlin thanks to your work."

Helmut Schramm, the Head of BMW Group Plant Berlin, said: "The BMW Group Plant in Berlin is one of the most steeped in tradition and at the same time most innovative industrial location in Berlin and the region. It is an essential part of the BMW Motorrad success story. Almost the entire BMW Motorrad model range is manufactured in Berlin. From here we control the manufacturing in our international production network. It fills us with pride that we are reaffirming our commitment to Berlin with the opening of BMW Motorrad Welt at the production site." 

Every day, 900 motorcycles and e-scooters roll off the assembly line on almost 230,000 sq m and in partly listed buildings. BMW Motorrad Welt has been created in one of the historic, authentic, original brick buildings on the production campus. On an area of around 1,000 sq m, "it offers a holistic brand experience that connects BMW Motorrad with its community in a lively and highly emotional way."

News Briefs

September 24, 2023, saw Honda marking the 75th anniversary of the founding of the company in 1948, starting with 34 employees. The first motorcycle to be mass-produced was the 98 cc two-stroke Dream D-Type in 1949. Shortly after the launch, at which Soichiro Honda met Takeo Fujisawa, who turned out to be his ideal business partner and company Managing Director, investing some of his own money into the company as it increased its capital despite the difficult economic situation in post-war Japan. The Cub F-Type was a bicycle with a 50 cc two-stroke auxiliary engine that was sold in more than 15,000 bicycle shops and the rest, as they say, became history, becoming the largest motorcycle manufacturer in the world just 10 years later. 

Celebrating its 10th anniversary in 2024, AIMExpo is the largest and most important powersports tradeshow in North America and will be back in Las Vegas, NV, February 6-8, 2024. Open only to dealers and industry professionals, AIMExpo offers an immersive experience for the powersports industry - a platform for key brands, manufacturers, dealers and distributors to learn about and discuss the important issues currently facing our industry. The venue is the Las Vegas Convention Center, South Hall, and international visitors can register on-line at www.aimexpousa.com 

Internationally recognised Egli Motorradtechnik AG (Bettwil, Switzerland) has closed its doors. In the absence of a successor to take the business forward, founder and inventor Fritz W. Egli (now aged 80) has reluctantly had to take new orders with a close-down sale to happen soon. Egli is famed for his central tube frame designs and bike tuning. 

Finland based electric motorcycle manufacturer Verge has appointed the developer of Apple and Tesla stores, respected business and retail visionary George Blankenship, as its new Chief Revenue Officer. With a career spanning more than 40 years, Blankenship has developed acclaimed retail strategies for world-renowned brands and will be responsible for developing Verge Motorcycles' customer interface and customer journey, as well as its global store strategy. 

Alexander Buckan will take over from Edgar Heinrich as the new head of BMW Motorrad Design, effective 1 January 2024. Buckan will be responsible for the design of all BMW Group two-wheeled vehicles, rider equipment and accessories. Edgar Heinrich, who has been BMW Motorrad's Head of Design since 2012, is retiring after 35 years at the BMW Group. Buckan began his career at BMW Motorrad as a transportation designer back in 2003. Since then, he has been responsible for a variety of different models, including the F 800 GS, 450 X, R 1200 GS LC and R 1200 GS Adventure LC. 

MEGA ChinaMotor reports that "noteworthy" new electric PTW introductions at CIMAMotor 2023 in September included new models from the likes of VFLY, a new brand from Yadea; FELO, a "a cutting-edge high-performance electric motorcycle brand that has competed in MotoE last year"; Arctic Leopard, a Chinese electric off-road vehicle brand that has announced its participation in the 2024 Dakar Rally; QJETECH, the electric vehicle brand of QJMOTOR Group, with ADV scooter models;  Loncin owned Bicose with its EC04 'flat' scooter and the EF03 electric off-roader; CINECO, a "high-end electric vehicle brand" owned by ZONGSHEN; Surron and leading lithium battery brands such as Ampace and Greenway. 

French electric snowbike manufacturer Moon Bikes says it will be opening ten new MoonBikes Parks in Europe and North America this winter - "enhancing our presence worldwide and complementing our existing family of 45 parks". 

Sources: AMD, IDN, FT, Reuters, PSB, MPN, BDN, MCN, AP, Bloomberg, MSNW, Electrek, electricmotorcycles.news, RideApart.com, Motor1.com, Cycle World, motorbikewriter.com

Dainese

Dainese - new CEO

The Dainese Group (Dainese apparel, AGV helmets and TCX boots) has announced Angel Sánchez as its new Chief Executive Officer (CEO).

Sánchez has previously held CEO and senior leadership roles at leading international groups including Keter, ABM Italia and Conserve Italia. At the same time, former Ducati man Cristiano Silei, CEO of Dainese since 2015, becomes non-executive Chairman of the company.

Supported by majority shareholder Carlyle (NASDAQ: CG) - a global investment firm - Dainese Group has been seeing double-digit growth reaching sales revenue of some € 300m in 2022 with what the company says is "best-in-class profitability".

The Group says it is investing to support an expansion strategy that saw it establish a direct presence in China and open a new production facility in Vietnam in 2022. Dainese says that "as CEO, Sánchez will be responsible for leading the company into its next stage of growth, including continuing the international expansion of the Group, development of its multi-channel proposition and its shift toward an increasingly Direct-To-Consumer distribution strategy". 

www.dainese.com

Supersprox

Supersprox - 'Performance' sprockets

Supersprox is introducing a range of sprockets for people who are looking for economy over brand, for lower cost and entry level motorcycles. 

"The riders of these bikes do not have the same demands compared to racers. The kits are referred to as 'Performance' rather than 'Race', and this is the focus of the range. Whilst still retaining the aesthetic appearance and brand image, the sprocket and chain kits are designed to provide great value for money." 

Featuring applications for bikes such as Benelli TRK 502, CBR 125, YZF-R 125 the Voge Valico 500, there are 27 bikes in the range and the complete kits will be targeting a consumer price in the region of € 40-60.

Supersprox CEO DJ Maughfling says: "We entered this market category in 2019, with kits for the Cub type scooters. In certain markets, we have seen successful sales and we wish to expand the range. 

"Our goal is very clear. Sell kits, where we don't have sales today, don't damage the business done by dealers' and distributors' existing sales opportunities and provide great value for money to the rider - who may become a future repeat customer in another sector of the market. 

"We are great at making racing sprockets and we have a keen perception of market trends. Even at the entry level, people want confidence in the parts they buy. This will be a replacement market, not upgrade."

Even in exceptional circumstances, Supersprox has not lost sight of its USP. "Racing is at the heart of our culture, and we have been lucky enough to support great teams and the results make us proud to be in the industry. 

"Some of our 2023 racing highlights include YART Yamaha winning the 2023 World Endurance Championship, KTM Kevin Benavides winning the 2023 Dakar rally - the 13th consecutive Dakar victory for Supersprox - and BMW taking 3rd in the 2023 World Endurance Championship."

Turning his attention to one of the many direct impacts of the war, DJ told IDN that "since the start of the war in Ukraine, Supersprox has not been able to sell the waste metal and we currently hold approximately 500 tons of steel and aluminium scraps at Zhytomyr. 

"As the steel production market has collapsed, the resale market for waste metal also collapsed, and material scraps are currently 60% undervalued. 

"We will be obliged to sell the scraps in the near future, at the low market price. It is growing into a small mountain outside - even at the knockdown prices. This is a hidden cost of the conflict. Waste material contributed 8% of Ukraine company income before the war."

Donated ambulance

DJ also told us that Supersprox has donated an ambulance to the Ukraine "as our way to help anyone injured in the war. We would prefer to give some support that can save lives, rather than taking lives."

SUPERSPROX 

www.supersprox.com

Ducati

Ducati Monster 30° Anniversario By Ben Purvis

It's not hyperbole to say that without the Monster there's a good chance that Ducati might not exist today. Despite being overshadowed by the glamourous 916 superbike back in the 1990s, the company's radically simple naked bike provided essential cashflow during some tough times and the fact it lives on today - still recognisable after several generations - shows how effective the ultra-simple styling of the original machine was.

Miguel Angel Galluzzi's design stripped back the idea of a motorcycle to the absolute essentials. An engine, a frame, a fuel tank, a headlight and a seat. Combined in a forward-hunched package that concentrated the bike's visual mass towards the front wheel, it laid a template that virtually every rival has since copied. Ducati itself has made Monsters from 400 cc to 1200 cc, but in today's line-up there's just one engine on offer - the 111 hp, 973 cc Testastretta V-twin - and that's what appears in the limited-edition Ducati Monster 30° Anniversario.

Only 500 examples will be made, and given the way short-run Ducatis have been snapped up in recent years, they're likely to be gone fast. 

The Ducati Monster 30° Anniversario's specs are essentially similar to the Monster SP, with Öhlins NIX30 forks and an Öhlins monoshock along with Brembo Stylema brakes as upgrades compared to the cheaper Monster and Monster+. To that package, the Anniversario adds a Termignoni exhaust and an adjustable Öhlins steering damper, plus forged alloy wheels instead of cast ones and a lighter, lithium-ion battery. Those wheels and the battery mean the Anniversario is 2 kg lighter than the Monster SP and 4 kg less than the base model at 184 kg wet.

Tricolour paint in Ducati's patriotic red, white and green, along with the inevitable numbered plaque to mark its limited-edition status, complete the changes.

Landport

Landport - 'New Gen' batteries at EICMA

Celebrating its 30th anniversary this year, Dutch specialist Landport Batteries offers batteries for all powersports applications as well as being the European Master Distributor for the powerful USA made Braille XCEL-Lite lithium batteries range.

The Landport range runs from Absorbent Glass Mat lead-acid technology (AGM) featuring advanced cranking performance and excellent vibration resistance, through Advanced, Classic, Deep Cycle, EV Series to Dry, GEL, LP Series and Extreme application battery architectures.

EICMA 2023 will see them taking another step forward with the introduction of a new generation of powersports batteries and a new range of Braille lithium batteries.

"Designed and manufactured in the USA, Braille is a globally recognised market leader in providing the best starting solutions for all aspects of the motorsport and tuning markets for over 20 years".

www.landportbv.com

Italian market news

Italy - total PTW registrations to September +19.29% 

The slowdown in the rate of market growth seen in the first half of this year in Italy has proved to have been temporary - seasonal or weather related perhaps, or maybe due to consumer confidence as the Italian economy appeared to be softening? 

Either way, the trend appears to have levelled out, and the good news is that in total new PTW registration terms in July saw 19.47% growth (36,107 units), August saw 15.40% growth (17,093 units) and September saw growth of 23.16% (25,453 units). 

The cumulative result has seen new unit registrations in the Italian market grow by 19.29% for the YTD at 270,573 units - the best first nine month for the Italian market since at least before 2011. 

 In motorcycle terms, the market was +19.66% (11,217 units) in September and was running at +13.48% (123,118 units) for the YTD. That also marks the best performance for the motorcycle sector since the financial crisis recession of 2008-2012. 

The Benelli TRK 500/502 X has taken over as the best-selling motorcycle in Italy YTD with 3,883 units sold so far in 2023, displacing the Honda Africa Twin into second place with 3,245 units sold. 

Th Honda Italia SH 125/150/350 range remain the best-selling scooters in Italy for the first nine months of the year, but the ongoing popularity of the larger displacement Maxi Scooter and burgeoning ADV-style Scooter sectors is worth note. 

Honda's ADV 350 was the 6th best-selling model of all in Italy YTD with 5,475 units sold, and the X-ADV 750 and Forza 350 have been the 8th and 9th best-sellers with 5,109 and 4,538 units sold respectively. 

Piaggio has six models in the top 20 best-sellers in Italy, with KYMCO (two - in 4th and 18th places) and Sym (one - in 12th place) pointing to the ongoing and growing strength of Asian manufacturers. 

For the record: for the full year, new motorcycle registrations were +6.35% in Italy in 2022 at 126,571 units. Total PTW registrations in Italy for the 2022 full year were essentially flat at +0.09% - but the 270,416 total of new model registrations was the best for the Italian market since before 2011; of those, ANCMA classified 143,845 as scooters (-4.84% compared to the full year 2021). 

Polini Motori

Polini - complete braking system

Italian scooter specialist Polini Motori has announced a new and complete braking system. The system includes an 11 mm right and 13 mm left side pump, four-piston brake caliper, brake line, M8x1 connection screw, adapter and a radial support for Piaggio Zip SP. The four-piston caliper is machined from billet and made of hard anodised aerodynamic aluminium.

"The development of the brake calipers from 2 to 4-pistons has many advantages," says Polini. "It gives 30% additional friction surface on the brake pads, reducing the temperature peaks for improved reliability and durability."

The 24 mm pistons increase the braking force, and the caliper design has been engineered to maximise stiffness and reduce volume. It can be installed both on the right and left side by just inverting the connection and bleeding the front and rear side. The 8 mm radial connection has an 84 mm centre holes distance. It comes with high-quality sintered pads, but carbon-ceramic mixture pads are separately available.

By using Polini's application-specific support bracket, the caliper can be installed with the Piaggio Zip SP fork. The caliper can be connected to the new Polini pumps with the machined-in 8 mm union. The level position can be adjusted to adapt to the rider's needs. An adaptor for 10 mm brake lines is separately available.

POLINI MOTORI SPA 

www.polini.com

Galfer Racing

Galfer Racing brake products in Moto3

This has been another good race season for Barcelona based brakes specialist Galfer, with its products featuring prominently on Moto3 World Championship podiums in 2023.

World-class riders like Jaume Masia [at the time of press the current leader of the Moto3 World Championship], David Munoz and Diogo Moreira "relying on Galfer Floatech brake discs and Racing G1310 sintered brake pads for their sporting success," according to the manufacturer.

"The Moto3 category stands out as the most competitive in the world of motorcycle road racing, where small nuances make a crucial difference. The braking system plays a decisive role in boosting the confidence of riders during races, allowing them to overtake their rivals on slower, tighter corners as they compete for the smallest of advantages.

"Galfer Racing riders can rely on the high performance of Galfer brake discs and brake pads on all tracks and under all weather conditions - as evidenced by the numerous victories and podium finishes during the 2023 season - and the amazing absolute lap records set by David Muñoz in Austria 2022 and Assen 2023.

"With his KTM BOE Motorsports, the Spanish rider clocked the Netherlands' Assen circuit in just 1:41.181 using Galfer Floatech brake discs along with Racing G1310 sintered brake pads, a combination that undoubtedly provided him with great braking power and reliability to reduce lap times to the maximum".

Galfer says that, as a combination, its Floatech discs and Racing G1310 sintered pads "significantly improve the braking performance of Moto3 motorcycles thanks to their improved thermal characteristics, perfect alignment between disc and pads, optimised left/right structure", and their 'Thermal Break' - a new golden nitride pin that joins both parts of the brake disc (track and core), improving the thermal regulation between both parts.

"At high temperatures (200°C and higher), the brake track tends to expand in all directions. Our Floatech system controls the increase in the brake track size, preventing possible issues with the brake track locking against the core".

The alignment between disc and pads is important as the more precise it is, the better the system achieves free expansion of the brake track. The self-alignment that Galfer says it achieves prevents loss of 'floatability' due to the inclusion of washers and a preloaded spring. The spring tightens and fixes the brake track, ensuring that it maintains the same position at all times, aligning precisely with the brake pads "in any situation". 

This eliminates the "free movement" that Galfer says most competition brake discs on the market have. This avoids the issue of the brake pads being" pushed in an uncontrolled manner" under the strong vibrations and gyroscopic forces produced during competition. "Our Floatech system achieves perfect self-alignment between the disc and the brake pads at all times, allowing the brake caliper pistons to maintain the position set by the brake equipment manufacturer. This results in much more stable braking".

By analysing the braking forces, and given the technology needed to design specific directional left/right brake discs, Galfer says it has been possible to determine the key points for optimising the design of the brake disc cores, providing greater structural rigidity with the lowest possible weight. This means specific directional brake discs for each side of the wheel.

Jaume Masia - at the time of press the current leader of the Moto3 World Championship

"We introduced our G1310 sintered brake pads in 2022 as a 'new generation' race-specific compound formula, developed in collaboration with our riders and their teams - specified for the needs of MotoGP (excluding carbon discs), Moto2, Moto3, WSBK, Superstock 1000, Supersport, etc.

"These brake pads have considerable initial deceleration, with powerful and progressive initial braking, and remarkable stability throughout the race. They perform well under all temperatures and conditions - these brake pads are not overly aggressive on the brake discs and offer minimal wear".

Galfer says that the high level of initial deceleration brings with it a very powerful and modulable entry, great stability throughout the race, operation at any temperature and under all conditions and rapid bedding-in without being "overly aggressive on the brake disc".

In the 2023 Moto3 World Championship, Jaume Masià (Leopard Racing) achieved three victories and five podiums in 2023 using G1310 pads, David Muñoz (Boe Motorsport) set multiple absolute lap records (Spielberg and Assen) and scored a podium - as did Brazilian rider Diogo Moreira (MT Helmets/MSi).

www.galfer.eu