It has been announced that the FIM Superenduro World Championship will start to allow electric motorcycles, finally. During the 2023/24 season, Barcelon based Stark Future had built a bike that met the regulations and was confirmed as an entrant by the organising body. But less than a day before the opening event in Lievin, France, the FIM changed the regulations specifically to stop the Varg from racing. The FIM has again changed the regulations ahead of the first round of the new season, which is scheduled to run on December 14th in Poland - this time to allow electric motorcycles to compete, though in the prestige class only at this stage.
It has emerged that Liberty Media cannot, apparently, fully afford the acquisition of MotoGP and WorldSBK rights holder Dorna Sports (Madrid, Spain) after all. It is selling over 10 million shares in Formula1 in order to complete funding of the $4.2bn MotoGP purchase.
Akrapovic has extended its Honda Racing Corporation (HRC) partnership with a new multi-year deal to collaborate in the FIM World Rally-Raid Championship - equipping the Monster Energy Honda Team CRF450 RALLY motorbikes with lightweight and performance-oriented titanium exhaust systems.
Founded in 2020 in Barcelona by Swede Anton Wass, Stark Future (of Stark Varg electric MX bike fame) has been on a trail of a different kind this year…on the trail of fresh investment capital. Earlier this year, it secured an additional € 25m line of credit from existing share holder 'Big Bets', a "leading start-up investor and an active backer of successful repeat entrepreneurs". Anton Wass has followed that up by securing € 40m from the EIB (European Investment Bank).
Red Bull KTM Factory Racing has confirmed a collaboration with Marelli Motorsport for the FIM Motocross World Championship. Marelli has been a long-term KTM partner in the development of electronic systems and data administration in various racing disciplines, especially road racing, and with the birth of the MotoGP project midway through the last decade. "The company began an official affiliation with Red Bull KTM Factory Racing (in Rally) in 2023, and this bond will now intensify as Red Bull KTM Factory Racing pursues its goals in the MXGP and MX2 classes".
In some European markets, KTM and Husqvarna are discounting the dealer cost of a large number of 2023/2024 models by 19%, by effectively not charging them the VAT - in order to reduce unsold inventory levels at dealerships and at the factory. The promo runs to the end of 2024.
Finnish electric motorcycle manufacturer Verge has opened its first German retail store, in the centre of Oberhausen. Stores have also opened in UK and USA. The store designs have been masterminded by George Blankenship, who supervised retail store design at Apple and dealership design at Tesla.
Spanish electric motorcycle brand Torrot is on the expansion trail - looking for distribution partners for its range of (mostly) children's, youth and city machines in select markets.
Chinese lightweight e-dirt bike manufacturer Gowgow (Shanghai) has opened new headquarters in Munich for the EMEA markets.
MotoGP racers are to finally start using radio comms systems with their pit box. Radios have been tested before, but were abandoned for privacy and focus reasons. Finally, however, the realities of the needs of good pit crew-rider teamwork at speeds of over 300 kph have triumphed over indiscretions and egos.
