Voge

Voge debuts new 525R and 250RR
By Ben Purvis

Voge is one of a new class of Chinese brands targeting a higher bracket of the motorcycle market. Having recently launched in select European markets (such as the UK), there's a good chance that its latest new models will eventually reach the rest of Europe too.
Owned by established Chinese bike maker Loncin, a company that's had a long-standing relationship with BMW (having built both engines and complete bikes for the company), Voge has been building a model range in China for some time. While the company's initial Europe/UK offering is a single model, the 500DS adventure bike, the two additions to the range that have been unveiled at the CIMA show in China could be well suited to European markets.

525R

The first is the 525R, which will replace the 500R that's currently sold in much of Europe as well as China.
Where the current 500R, like the 500DS, has a 471 cc parallel twin that's clearly a close relative of Honda's CB500 engine, the 525R gets a capacity hike and more power. Despite the name, it isn't taken to 525 cc but to 494 cc, upping peak power from 47 hp to 53 hp.
More significant, perhaps, is the bike's weight reduction, dropping from 198 kg to 188 kg wet, and improved specifications including a new TFT colour dashboard and revised styling, including a new seat unit and tail, plus redesigned side panels either side of the radiator.

250RR

The second new Voge to debut at CIMA is the 250RR, an out and out sports model that pushes into a new market for the company. Although Voge already makes a full-faired 300RR with a similar frame and engine, it's not as serious a sports model as the 250RR.
Despite its smaller 248 cc single-cylinder engine, the 250RR makes fractionally more power than the 300RR - 29 hp at 9,750 rpm instead of 25 hp - and it's a much lighter machine with a kerb weight of only 147 kg, down from 165 kg for the 300RR. The bike's styling is also a step forward, with Italianesque looks, while the chassis is uprated to include a new aluminium swingarm and a radial-mount front brake caliper.
There's no word yet on how soon the 525R or 250RR will reach production, but the bikes have been type-approved for the Chinese market already, suggesting they're likely to start rolling off the lines sooner rather than later.

Zontes

Zontes 350 coming soon
By Ben Purvis

A new range of 350 cc bikes is to replace the 310 cc line-up of single-cylinder bikes in the Chinese-made Zontes range - led by an all-new ZT350-GK retro-inspired roadster.
Zontes has been teasing the GK for a while, revealing renders and videos of the bike, and now the final version has emerged in Chinese type-approval documents. Alongside it, every model in the existing ZT310 range is to be replaced with updated ZT350 versions featuring the same engine and updates to their suspension and brakes.

ZT350-GK

The current Zontes 310 range includes the ZT310-R naked bike, ZT-310T adventure mode, ZT310-X sports tourer and ZT310-V cruiser, all based around a shared chassis and engine. Most models come in more than one form, with the choice of wire or alloy wheels and the option of a single-sided swingarm, and they're all moving to the new 350 cc single.
It's not just a bored-out engine as the 350 gets new cases, a new cylinder and a new cylinder head. Inside, there's a different starter motor and oil pump. Originally, the company intended two versions of the engine - one with 32 kW (43 hp) and one with 29 kW (39 bhp) - but testing showed the more powerful one was unsatisfactory, with excessive vibration, so only the lower-powered version will be offered, at least initially, with a lower compression ratio.
All the bikes get a redesigned frame to suit the updated engine, with increased rigidity and revised suspension, brakes and wheels. The forks are bumped up from 37 mm to 43 mm in diameter, while the brakes go from axially-mounted, two-piston calipers to radial-mount J.Juan four-pots, on 320 mm discs instead of 300 mm.
A larger-diameter spring and damper is fitted at the back, with a redesigned, stiffer dual-sided swingarm alongside the existing single-sider, while the front tyre on all models rises from 110-section to 120-section.

Held

Fresco II glove with TFL-Cool-System technology

Internationally recognised motorcycle gloves and apparel specialist Held has introduced what it describes as a "revolutionary technology capable of disrupting established, common sense assumptions about the rules of summer heat management - allowing even the darkest skin to reflect sunlight as if it were light in colour, keeping the inside of the glove cooler".

The first Held glove specifically dedicated to motorcyclists dates back to 1975, and since then the German company has never stopped carrying out research, always pushing the 'art of the possible' to take motorcycle glove technology that little bit further, which is in its DNA.
The Fresco II summer touring glove is unlined, has a back in soft cowhide, a palm in kangaroo leather (highly resistant to abrasion), a durable sweat-proof colour, but above all it uses the breakthrough TFL-Cool-System technology.
Counterintuitively, Held says that dark skin now no longer needs to automatically get warmer than light coloured skin under the heat of the sun. TFL-Cool-System technology is a system that, applied to dark skin, radiates the sun's rays just as if it were lighter coloured skin. 

The surface temperature of the leather can be reduced by over 20 degrees C, with the wearer experiencing a reduction in the internal temperature that can go as low as -12 degrees C - improving heat resistance while maintaining its original appearance.
Additional features of the Fresco II include special stitching, removing pressure points inside the glove to improve sensitivity, crease-free, pre-curved palm, adjustable Velcro closures for wrist and inner sleeve and elastic inserts on the back, thumb and fingers.
The Fresco II is EN 13594:2015 certified (protective gloves for motorcyclists) and there is special Temperfoam for knuckle protection (knuckle shell tested with an impact test), Teramid to protect the thumb base, and reinforcements on the side of the hand, the ball of the thumb and on the palm of the glove. It is available in black in men's and women's sizes.

HELD GMBH
www.held.de

Polini

Updated Maxi Hi-Speed variator for Kymco

Polini has added an updated Maxi Hi-Speed variator application for the Kymco Agility 300i E4 - enhancing its performance, throttle response and durability.
The chromium nickel steel shaft has a very low friction coefficient thanks to the carbon-based DLC (Diamond Like Carbon) treatment - an advanced and innovative technology developed for sliding and high wear components in racing and aeronautical applications.

The shaft has a large internal pocket for the lubricant, inside of which is a special spring that allows a constant supply of grease, even during the hardest conditions of use. This ensures a reliable and consistent performance so that it is no longer necessary to continuously adjust the rollers to find the best performance of your variator.
The Polini Maxi Hi-Speed variator for Kymco Agility 300i E4 is supplied complete with a 15% harder compression spring - increasing the engine rotation speed when starting. The rollers weigh 16 g and the pulley is designed with a new 13-degree angle of inclination.

POLINI MOTORI SPA
www.polini.com

Yoshimura

Kawasaki ZX-10R 3/4 Race Series system

Yoshimura's new AT2 3/4 system for the 2021 Kawasaki ZX-10R and RR sport bikes has been retuned for the electronics and emissions updates Kawasaki made to the revised ZX-10 engine for 2021.

"The stock header on the ZX-10R is hard to beat," says Yoshimura R&D of America's 'Big E' Erick Bartoldus. "Made of titanium, it performs very well for a stock unit, so our engineers focused on where they could make the most gains. Rather than an entire system, it seemed perfect to develop a 3/4 Race Series system.

"Our AT2 styling and performance is perfect for Kawasaki's newest litre bike. Dripping with looks and performance, the AT2 woke up the 998 cc inline four cylinder engine like you would expect, enhancing the maximum hp by a huge 10.4% and torque by an additional 7.7% throughout the entire rev range.
"Substantial weight savings were achieved as well. The AT2 3/4 system drops over 8 lbs (3.63 kg) over the stock muffler while providing that insane Yoshimura AT2 exhaust note."

YOSHIMURA R&D
www.yoshimura-rd.com

Zandona

'NetCube' jacket and kneeguard

Italian protection gear specialist Zandona (Treviso) has extended the range of applications for its versatile made in Italy Net3 'NetCube' 3D netting technology.
The 'NetCube' jacket is a protective multisport jacket made up of a back protector (CE EN1621-2 Level 2 certified), chest protector (CE EN1621-3 Level 2 certified), shoulder and elbow protections (CE EN1621-1 Level 2 certified) and ribs paddings.

The innovative structure of Net3 Technology is made of nitrile anti-shock rubber with patented 3D net technology - "the result of detailed research that allowed us to obtain a winning combination of shape with a high-performance material composition that guarantees substantial impact energy absorption to ensure the maximum protection," says Sales and Marketing Manager Luca Baldissera.

The jacket is in compliance with the FIM 2020 motocross and Supermoto requirements. "The limited thickness of the padding, its lightness and outstanding fit ensure excellent stability and comfort," says Luca.
Also seen here, the 'NetCube' kneeguard is a "special knee protection developed for protecting knees from impacts and bruises. Also equipped with our Net3 Technology, it is CE Level 2 certified according to EN1621-1.
"The textile is breathable, there is an anti-shock internal lining, the shape is ergonomic and the Velcro elastics guarantee optimal stability for the kneeguard," says Luca.

ZANDONÀ
www.zandona.net

ACEM

Europe - 2021 key market registrations surpass 2019

The latest data from ACEM, the Brussels based international motorcycle trade association for Europe, shows full year 2021 new motorcycle and scooter/moped registrations in Europe's key markets (ICE and Electric combined) as now being above the pre-pandemic levels reported for 2019.
Motorcycle registrations in five of the largest European markets (France, Germany, Italy, Spain and UK) rose by +7.8% compared to 2020. A total of 949,470 motorcycles were registered in the main European markets in 2021, compared to 880,763 units in 2020. Almost all the main national motorcycle markets registered volume gains in 2021. 

Italy remained the largest European market with a total of 269,600 vehicles registered (with a staggering +23.6% growth on a year-on-year basis). France, the second largest market, grew +8.5% (206,955 motorcycles), whilst Germany, the third largest motorcycle market in Europe, saw a decrease of -9.7% (199,132 motorcycles) - partly compensating for the extremely positive and counterintuitive results seen there in 2020.
The Spanish and UK motorcycle markets grew by +8.0% (166,513 units) and +10.2% (107,270 units) respectively.
Moped registrations in the six European moped markets monitored by ACEM (Belgium, France, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands and Spain) reached a total of 264,807 units. This figure represents a decrease of -5.6% compared to the same period in 2020.
Electric motorcycle registrations (all L-category vehicles) were +28.2% in Europe's 'Big FIVE' markets at 23,084 units. Italy is the largest electric L-category vehicle market in Europe at 6,233 units (+10.9%) in 2021, with Spain second (5,494 units/-6.5%), France third (4,585 units/+61.0%), Germany fourth (3,541 units/+30.1%) and the UK fifth with 3,231 units (+243.4%).

 

Commenting on the current situation of the sector, Antonio Perlot, ACEM Secretary General, said: "The registration figures for the year 2021 confirm the recovery of the market, after the impact of COVID-19 in the first months of last year. If we look at motorcycle and moped registrations combined, the key European markets have grown continuously between 2019 and 2021."
"Even more, if we consider the moped and the motorcycle segment separately, each of them had a higher number of registrations in 2021 than in 2019. This upward trend for three consecutive years confirms the attractiveness of our vehicles is well present, even in the current context, both as urban mobility solutions and as leisure opportunities."