Austria - BAJAJ Mobility (KTM) subsidiary WP Suspension has been hooked by the drug of brand extension with its first major product diversification - into the brake components segment. Primarily for Original Equipment Manufacturer (OEM) integration, the new line is ambitious - starting with pads, hydraulic hoses and callipers straight away. All products are being made in-house at WP in Austria. Initially for lower displacement lightweights, the target appears to be the niche that Brembo is trying to carve out for its ByBre brand. The first application is a 740 g WP FCR4 radial 4-piston caliper for this year's KTM 390 Duke; www.wp-suspension.com
Barcelona, Spain based electric motorcycle manufacturer Stark Future has now passed three years since its first customer revenue and has marked its strongest financial milestone yet with Q1 2026 revenue growth of 212% year-on-year, equivalent to 3.12x growth, while delivering its first EBITDA-profitable period and outperforming its own internal budget. Anton Wass, Founder and CEO of Stark Future, said "the results show that Stark's growth is not being led by unsustainable losses, but by real market demand, strong product momentum, and increasingly disciplined execution.
Honda has opened a new motorcycle production factory in Turkey. The new facility (at Aliaga, Izmir) is operated by Honda Türkiye A.S and is Honda's 38th factory worldwide and has an initial annual production capacity set at 100,000 units, with the opportunity to expand to up to 200,000. Production started in April 2026. Turkey has become one of Honda's key growth markets. In 2025 Honda took the number one position in the market for the 11th consecutive year.
Aimed at Flat Track racing, Picasso Engineering (Switzerland) is introducing the new OMT450C. "This is not just a race bike, but a continuous development platform implementing the proprietary DAST (Dynamic Adaptive Stiffness Technology) system for the first time in Flat Track: a modular carbon fibre frame designed to actively adjust structural rigidity and adapt to track grip conditions. Powered by a proven Honda CRF450RX engine, the bike is currently competing at the highest level in the 2026 FIM Flat Track World Championship, with American star Sammy Halbert.
Switzerland - The Geneva based International Motorcycle Manufacturers' Association (IMMA) has appointed Katalin Dobranszky-Bartus as its new Secretary General. A Brussels based Hungarian and Belgian citizen, Ms. Dobranszky-Bartus "brings a wealth of expertise in international transport policy and regulatory affairs." And has frequently engaged with United Nations transport entities. Having held different positions in the banking and financial sector, her multidisciplinary background includes training in law, risk management, and investment analysis, she studied for a PhD in Sustainable Finance, having studied in Budapest, Maastricht, and Cambridge. Her appointment marks a return to full-scale operations for IMMA nearly two years after the tragic passing of former Secretary General Edwin Bastiaensen. www.immamotorcycles.org
Germany - Daniel Schnell has assumed the position of Managing Director of Suzuki Deutschland GmbH, succeeding Kazuyuki Yamashita, who will be joining Suzuki GB PLC, Suzuki's British subsidiary. Schnell is the first German Managing Director in the company's 50-year history.
The Honda WN7 Electric Motorcycle and UNI-ONE Mobility Robot won 'Red Dot: Best of the Best' Awards in Red Dot Award 2026: Product Design, with the WN7 also winning a God Award at the 2026 iF Design Awards.
