Unlikely though it may seem, Italian electric sports bike manufacturer Energica has joined forces with the Malaysian oil giant Petronas Lubricants International. Petronas has become Energica's Industrial Partner and was Energica Racing's main sponsor for 2023. Supporting Tytlers Cycle Racing in the Roland Sands Design's Super Hooligan National Championship, part of the MotoAmerica series, Energica was the only electric manufacturer to compete alongside ICE (Internal Combustion Engine) motorcycles for the full season.
BMW may finally have found a way of making the kind of 'winglets' increasingly seen on sport bikes actually useful. A patent filing shows BMW integrating LED lights into the 'winglets' on a S 1000 RR-style superbike. The design gives the manufacturer the option of eliminating protruding, stand-alone indicator lamps.
Reports suggest that Royal Enfield has targeted 2025 for the launch of its first new electric motorcycle. Having acquired a 10% stake in internationally respected Barcelona based Stark Future (of Stark Varg eMX vehicle), it is thought that Royal Enfield will be leveraging Stark's expertise to launch a global EV - based on RE's Harris Performance developed chassis capabilities.
With the cold, hard realities of life cast adrift from the European Union that legendary Brit Conservative Prime Minister Winston Churchill first called for some 75 years ago starting to become apparent, the United Kingdom has abandoned the new, post-Brexit UKCA (United Kingdom Conformity Assessed) mark. The scheme was intended to reduce complexity and cost for vendors selling on the UK market, allowing their products to diverge from EU standards - namely become poorer quality. But it turns out the scheme was actually increasing complexity and cost and was starting to reduce consumer choice as nobody wanted poorer quality goods than riders elsewhere could buy. With brands starting to decide that the extra overhead on building down to the new UK standards for a diminishing market would not likely result in an acceptable ROI, the British Conservative government, the same one, in essence, that thought commercial isolation was a "good thing" in the first place, has now surrendered to the Johnny Foreigners' nasty rules and abandoned the UKCA scheme. Who'd-a-thunk it!
Finland based electric sport bike manufacturer Verge has been reshaping its senior leadership team as it chases international growth and stakes a claim to a place in the U.S. electric two-wheel space. It has hired Haydn Baker as its new Chief Programme Officer. Baker's career has included senior roles at McLaren Automotive in the UK and at U.S. EV manufacturer Rivian. Former CFO at the British Aston Martin Lagonda set-up, Mark Wilson has been tasked with looking after the money at Verge.
BDN has reported that intercom maker Cardo has acquired the Austria based Pierer Mobility (KTM etc.) linked Riser bike navigation app - giving Cardo access to navigation functions with expanded social media utilities. Cardo CEO Alon Lumbroso: "Riser has created an innovative motorcycle app that enhances the riding experience. This acquisition will enable us to provide our customers with an even wider range of solutions, including navigation, community and safety." Stefan Pierer added: "I am delighted to see Riser find a new home with Cardo, and we have every confidence that together they will achieve great success."
Leatt has introduced a Helmet Replacement Programme, offering discounts on new helmets if a less than three-year old, damaged helmet no longer offers the expected safety levels. The Leatt Crash Replacement Programme will see Leatt helmet partners worldwide offering up to a 40% discount on a new replacement helmet within three years from purchase.
Yamaha Motor has changed its Chinese joint venture partner. Effective November 2023, Yamaha added itself to the already crowded stable of CFMoto collaborators, after agreement was reached for Chongqing Jianshe Mechanical and Electric Co., Ltd., the previous partner in Yamaha's motorcycle manufacturing joint venture in China (Zhuzhou Jianshe Yamaha Motor Co., Ltd./ ZJYM), to transfer ZJYM’s equity interest to Zhejiang CFMoto Power Co., Ltd. (CFMOTO). The name of the new business is Zhuzhou CF Yamaha Motor Co., Ltd. (ZCYM). Yamaha Motor has positioned China as one of its important production and sales bases and will continue to discuss the direction of the joint venture with CFMoto going forward, with the aim of further raising competitiveness.
Sources: AMD, IDN, FT, Reuters, PSB, MPN, BDN, MCN, AP, Bloomberg, MSNW, Electrek, electricmotorcycles.news, RideApart.com, Motor1.com, Cycle World, motorbikewriter.com
