Kawasaki reports developed market motorcycle sales up by 2,000 units for 2024 Q2 at 53,000 against an annual forecast of 260,000. European sales were up by 3,000 at 21,000 units. Emerging market sales were up by 17,000 units at 63,000, with total global sales of 116,000 units and forecast at 520,000 for the full year (plus an additional 140,000 four-wheelers and PWC 11,000 sold in Q2, down by nearly 50% at 10,000 units).
MotoGP is to make a return to the storied Automotodrom, Brno. The Czech city first staged the Czech Grand Prix on a street circuit in the area and has hosted more than 50 Grands Prix since 1965. The Automotodrom Brno debuted on the calendar in 1987 and staged a MotoGP every year until 2020, barring a one-year break in 1992. Brno is back on the calendar from 2025 until at least 2029 inclusive.
Despite the apparent slowing of consumer, corporate and governmental enthusiasm for electrification of the global transport fleet, in a May business briefing on Direction of Electrification Initiatives and Investment Strategy, Honda reiterated its commitment to the cause. Restating its belief that EVs "are the most effective solution in the area of small mobility products such as motorcycles and automobiles", Honda remains committed to its "target to make EVs and FCEVs represent 100% of its global vehicle sales by 2040. Honda must look ahead to the period of EV popularisation and build a strong EV brand and a strong EV business foundation from a medium- to long-term perspective".
Having restated its commitment to make EVs and FCEVs represent 100% of its global vehicle sales by 2040, June this year saw Honda roll its first Fuel Cell Electric Vehicle off the production line at its Marysville, Ohio Performance Manufacturing Center. The all-new 2025 CR-V e:FCEV fuel cell electric vehicle is the first and so far only FCEV made in America, as well as being the first production hydrogen FCEV in the United States to combine an all-new U.S.-made fuel cell system with plug-in EV charging capability.
Honda Racing Corporation (HRC) and MotoGP class, Repsol Honda Team rider Joan Mir (Spain, 26 years old) have agreed to extend their contract for two more years, beginning in 2025.
Honda announced global Group unit sales up by +13.2% at 5.062 million motorcycles for Q1 of its 2024/2025 financial year (the period to June 30, 2024) - up by 580,000 units (+13.2%) over the same quarter of 2023. Sales in Europe were 138,000 units (+14%/19,000 units); 132,000 units in North America (+12,000); down by -8,000 in Japan at 50,000 units sold; 2,663 million units sold in Asia in total (+485,000), with 467,000 units sold (+72,000) in other regions (318,000 of those were in Brazil, up by +117,500). Honda's largest market in Asia is India with 1.414 million units sold in Q1, followed by Indonesia with 1.122 million units sold, then Vietnam and Thailand. Honda's global motorcycle business operations achieved a record high operating profit of 177.6bn yen for the quarter. Group motorcycle volume sales guidance remains unchanged for the year ending March 31, 2025, at 19.8 million units worldwide, 475,000 in Europe.
The 2023 INRIX Global Traffic Scorecard reports London as the most congested city in Europe, with traffic gridlock costing the UK economy approx. € 9bn a year. The average driver in the UK lost 61 hours a year due to traffic congestion, a four-hour increase compared to 2022. The top 5 most congested cities in the world are New York City, Mexico City, London, Paris and Chicago. The report identified and ranked congestion in nearly 950 cities, across 37 countries.
Rauschenberg, Germany based luggage and accessory manufacturer SW-MOTECH has marked 15 years of Open House and 25 years of SW-MOTECH with some 38,000 visitors at the company headquarters in June. This year saw a wide range of vendors set up at the SW Open House, including Continental, HJC, Heidenau, Shoei, Arai, John Doe, Kurven & Knödel, Held, Macna, Nolan, Shark, Öhlins, Rukka, Schuberth, Stadler, Wilbers, Klim, Michelin, Nexx and Yuasa.
Dell'Orto S.p.A has become an official partner of the annual FIM awards for the next three years. A celebration of the world champions from all motorcycle disciplines that compete under the FIM banner is scheduled for 7th December, 2024, in Palma de Mallorca (Spain). Dell'Orto is the sole supplier of the electronic control unit in the Moto3 category and partner (of the championship) for the data acquisition system in the MotoE category.
Sources: AMD, IDN, FT, Reuters, PSB, MPN, BDN, MCN, AP, Bloomberg, MSNW, Electrek, electricmotorcycles.news, RideApart.com, Motor1.com, Cycle World, motorbikewriter.com
