Yamaha

Yamaha targets carbon neutrality
By Ben Purvis


Yamaha Motor has set itself a series of targets to help the company achieve carbon neutrality by 2050 by turning its attention increasingly towards manufacturing low and zero-emissions vehicles and aiming to expand into new niches.
Although Yamaha only expects 2.6% of bikes to be electric by 2030, Yamaha projects a rapid increase after that, reaching 20% by 2035 and 90% adoption by 2050, with low-carbon technologies like synthetic fuel accounting for much of the remaining combustion-engined market at that stage.

E01 concept

Initially the company's plans for electric vehicles will focus on Europe, where it has established that renewable energy use is high, with ASEAN markets - responsible for the majority of CO2 emissions from Yamaha products at the moment - following between 2030 and 2035.
Yamaha's electric bike output looks set to start with scooters, initially with production versions of the 125 cc-equivalent E01 and the smaller E02 concept bikes that were shown in 2019. The E01 features a fixed battery pack, able to be charged to 90% full in just an hour at a high-output charger, while the E02 adopts the idea of swappable battery packs, using a 48V system that's likely to be aligned with the standards that all four Japanese companies have agreed upon. That means the same battery that powers a future Honda, Kawasaki, Yamaha or Suzuki should also slot straight into their rivals' bikes, allowing a support infrastructure to be rapidly built, ensuring fresh batteries are always near to hand.
More intriguing is the company's commitment to creating new products, targeting the space between cars and motorcycles and the market between scooters and power-assisted bicycles.

MW-Vision

In the former, the plan is to create leaning multi-wheel machines derived from the 2019 MW-Vision, a roofed three-wheeler with bike-like controls and the ability to tip into corners, but something approaching car levels of safety. The assistance of the computerised stability systems Yamaha learned with its MOTOBOT and MOTOROiD self-riding bike development projects means that these vehicles are intended to offer the advantages of bikes in terms of taking up relatively little space on the road, but to be easy for anyone to use regardless of experience. The MW-Vision featured a series-hybrid powertrain, with a petrol engine operating as a generator to recharge batteries driving an electric drive system.
Further down the range, in the sub-scooter segment, Yamaha's TriTown concept - a leaning three-wheeled scooter that you stand up to ride - has already been made in limited numbers for a pilot project in Japan to test its popularity. It now appears set to be more widely produced, although at the moment it's not clear whether Yamaha intends to sell them directly to the public or if they'll be used for bike-sharing schemes where they're rented as needed.
The idea is that, like the electric scooters used by some rental schemes already, they will be able to be used like a bicycle, without the need for licences and registrations.

Energica

Energica records a +91% increase

Energica Motor Company, the market-leading high-performance electric motorcycle manufacturer and FIM Enel MotoE World Cup 'spec' manufacturer (until the end of 2022), continues its growth thanks to increases in its number of resellers and a +17% increase in its workforce in the first six months of this year - with its headquarters facility having to double in size as a result of the growth (additional property acquisitions were underway in July 2021).
Energica saw unit sales growth of 91% in 2020, and that has been followed by a further increase in the first half of 2021. 

"This is the result of a commercial strategy aiming at selecting strategic dealers all around the world. June saw us extend our presence in Sweden, with the appointment of ProBike Sverige AB, a new dealer from Täby, Sweden, which will also serve as a coordinating hub with their other outlets in Stockholm, Göteborg and Malmö.
"This new partnership further strengthens our already impressive North European network - Sweden has been in the top ten 'most-selling EV markets' since 2015 (Bilsweden)."
The ProBike appointment takes Energica to nearly 90 dealers around the world. Energica's commercial strategy is not the only reason behind the brand's current success.
Recent engineering news included the introduction of a new EMCE motor - built in co-engineering with Mavel Powertrain in Italy, standing for "Energica Mavel Co-Engineering". A familiar name among the automotive OE community, this collaboration with Energica has been Mavel's first contract in the motorcycle industry, and the new powertrain will be used exclusively on the entire Energica range.
"Innovation is the main strength of our technical department which, together with Mavel, has found the perfect collaboration to push the limits of current technology, further improving an already high-performing product," said Giampiero Testoni, CTO of Energica Motor Company S.p.A.
"The introduction of the new EMCE engine was scheduled for release in 2022, but following difficulties in our supply chain we decided to bring the timing forward, and in just six months we have been able to develop this new powertrain with Mavel and successfully integrate it into our current model year production."

Among the main features that contribute to improving the performance of the motor and inverter are innovative rotor and stator geometries that minimise energy losses and maximise performance. The uniformity of the torque delivery and the optimisation of the weights "make the engine unique in terms of power and torque density and allow the optimisation of the production processes," explained Testoni.
"Innovative and patented cooling of the rotor by generating an internal airflow that laps the magnets and cools them allows the engine to exploit its potential even at high speeds. Adaptive control algorithms ensure that the inverter is always able to operate the system as efficiently as possible and patented sensors capable, among other things, of collecting and storing the operating data of the motor mean the onset of any mechanical failure can be predicted."

The new EMCE motor increases peak power to 126 kW at 8,500 rpm, and with a liquid-cooling method that guarantees greater performance, Energica motorcycles will now be lighter by 10 kg, with a relative increase in range of 5-10% according to riding style.
"Transition from oil cooling to liquid cooling allows for better thermal conditioning of the motor and inverter, which translates into the ability to work with greater torque and power density which, even with a smaller in volume and lighter motor, leads to greater acceleration. Among perceptions in riding an Energica motorcycle with an EMCE engine, we find above all an improvement in handling."
Livia Cevolini, CEO of Energica Motor Company S.p.A., is quoted as saying: "We constantly receive messages of appreciation from our customers, and this is why we continue to advance and develop in order to maintain our edge over all others, and it's our determination to keep this edge into the future."
www.energicamotor.com

Akrapovic

Akrapovic 30th anniversary

Akrapovic is celebrating its 30th anniversary in 2021. The beginnings for the Slovenian exhaust manufacturer go back to even before its formal incorporation in the spring of 1991, when operations started in a workshop just over a kilometre away from its current headquarters at Ivancna Gorica.

The Evolution Line (Titanium) 30th Anniversary exhaust system for the Kawasaki Ninja ZX-10R and Ninja ZX-10RR will be a one-off special with an engraved Akrapovic logo and numbered in a series limited to 30 - each will come with a special certificate to verify its exclusivity and rarity.

Igor Akrapovic was a motorcycle racer who had also tuned motorcycles during his racing career - on his own machines to start with, but later also on those of others, even his rivals. It was this passion for technology and constant improvement of motorcycle components that made him decide to start his own business and dedicate his future to developing high-performance exhaust systems.
Exhaust systems were where Igor saw his greatest opportunity, because at that time there was little competition on the market, and substantial room for improvement. He initially focused on racing motorcycle exhaust systems, building a rich tradition of state-of-the-art products, from which he soon expanded into the mainstream motorcycle market, as well as the car market later on.

Three decades after its inception, the company is operating at two state-of-the-art production sites in Slovenia, with over 1,300 employees. The facilities at the company's headquarters in Ivancna Gorica comprise an in-house titanium foundry, a durability dyno on which a robot rides the motorcycle, a metallurgical lab, an R&D department and a racing department. The entire production, from tube making to final assembly, takes places in a large production hall at Crnomelj.
To date, the company has secured 140 world championship titles with its partner racing teams in various racing disciplines, along with numerous victories in FIM MotoGP, FIM WorldSBK, FIM MXGP, FIA WEC and DTM, famous races like the Isle of Man TT, 24 Hours Nürburgring, 24 Hours of Le Mans, 24 Hours of Daytona, Dakar Rally, and more.

Ducati

Ducati

For the first six months of 2021, Ducati says it "delivered 34,485 motorcycles to enthusiasts" for an increase of
+43% over 2020 and, more importantly, +9% over the same period of 2019.
"The order portfolio (motorcycles to be delivered) is the highest ever recorded by the company at the end of the first half," says Francesco Milicia, VP Global Sales Director for Ducati, "with +63% compared to the same period in 2020 and a growth of +284% compared to 2019.

Francesco Milicia, VP Global Sales Director: "June confirmed the positive trend that began with the excellent second half of 2020 and with the significant growth in the first quarter of this year."

"June confirmed the positive trend that began with the excellent second half of 2020 and with the significant growth in the first quarter of this year. Despite the great complexity seen in the supply and transport sectors, Ducati recorded truly significant growth, exceeding pre-Covid values by almost 10%. The excellent order portfolio demonstrates the fact that enthusiasts are appreciating the 2021 range and the family of Ducatisti is expanding ever more".
Growth was led by Australia (+82%), Italy (+55%), which remains its top market with 6,071 motorcycles, Japan (+53%) and North America (+51%). The bestselling bikes were the Multistrada V4, the Scrambler 800 and the Streetfighter V4, with excellent numbers for the new Monster too - it arrived in dealerships in April.
Ducati sells through 769 dealers in over 90 countries around the world. "The new Diavel 1260 S 'Black and Steel', which draws inspiration from the 'Materic' concept presented at Design Week in Milan, and the Hypermotard 950 SP, in the new dynamic livery that recalls the racing world, have just arrived in Ducati dealers".



Ducati Panigale V2 Bayliss edition
By Ben Purvis

Go through Ducati's superbike range and there's a missing link - where virtually every other model is available in both base and Öhlins-damped 'S' forms, there's no S version of the Panigale V2.
Now that's effectively been remedied, but instead of a succinct 'S', the new model wears the unwieldy title of Ducati Panigale V2 Bayliss 1st Championship 20th Anniversary. Officially, it's a 'numbered edition', although there isn't a cap on how many will be made, and of course it marks two decades since Bayliss took the first of his three Ducati-riding WSB titles aboard a 996R in 2001. 

The Panigale V2 might be Ducati's entry-level superbike these days, but it's fitting that the Bayliss branding should be on a V-twin, as he rode three generations of Ducati twins to the superbike championship, the 996R, 999R and 1098R in 2001, 2006 and 2008 respectively.
Changes compared to the normal Panigale V2 include the addition of Öhlins suspension, with NIX30 forks and TTX36 shock, as well as an Öhlins steering damper. The normal dual seat is swapped for a single seat unit, and a Li-ion battery helps cut 3 kg from the weight for a kerb mass of 197 kg. Cosmetically, the bike gets paintwork to reflect the 2001 WSB colours, complete with Bayliss' number 21, which is also embroidered on the seat. A carbon and titanium silencer cover, a decal of Bayliss' signature on the tank and a numbered plaque on the top yoke complete the updates.
Power and torque are unchanged at 155 hp and 76.7 lb ft respectively, and as usual for Ducati, there's an extensive electronics package including cornering ABS and traction control, wheelie control, engine braking control and an up/down quickshifter, all accessed via a 4.3 in TFT dashboard. In Italy, the bike sits neatly between the € 17,990 Panigale V2 and the € 23,790 Panigale V4, with a price of € 20,990.

KTM

PIERER Mobility - KTM, Husqvarna, GasGas
Additional Reporting by Ben Purvis

Following the announcement of record growth for the first quarter of 2021, provisional results released by PIERER Mobility AG, the KTM, Husqvarna and GasGas parent company, says it has doubled its sales in the first half of 2021 with 176,045 units sold - a +95% increase over the Covid impacted 90,331 units sold in the first half of 2020.
Additionally, the group sold some 53,378 e-bicycles and non-e-bicycles, a +25% increase over the same period last year, of which 39,603 were R RAYMON, HUSQVARNA and GASGAS branded e-bikes. 

Europe recorded 73,224 motorcycles sold (+76% over the same period of the previous year). Growth was particularly strong in North America, where 30,419 motorcycles were sold in the first six months of 2021 - this corresponds to an increase of +160% compared to the first half of 2020. A similar trend was seen in Australia/New Zealand, with a +25% increase for a total of 7,842 units sold.
Despite the ongoing difficult conditions related to the COVID-19 pandemic, sales in India increased by +52% to 30,561 motorcycles (previous year: 20,160).
Compared to June 30, 2020, the PIERER Mobility Group has increased its headcount by around 500 people to approximately 4,900 and continues looking for new employees in various areas. As part of its apprenticeship offensive, 70 more apprentices will start their education in this year. In total, the group is educating around 200 apprentices.

Bulgarian e-bike joint venture

In additional business news, PIERER Mobility AG has established a joint venture in Bulgaria with Maxcom Ltd for e-bike production in Bulgaria. The move will expand Pierer's bicycle and e-bike production capacity in Europe.
The venture is a 50/50 deal with an investment of € 40m and will see a "state-of-the-art e-bike production facility built on an area of ​​130,000 m². International suppliers are also given the opportunity to set up production facilities on site. Commissioning is planned for the second half of 2023. The annual production capacity is around 350,000 pieces".
Maxcom is one of the largest bicycle manufacturers in Eastern Europe and a member of the MAXEUROPE group in Bulgaria - they already produce the R RAYMON brand and some Husqvarna e-bicycles for Pierer E-Bikes GmbH.

Simplified shareholding structure with Bajaj

 Meanwhile, the Byzantine evolution of the share ownership structure of PIERER Mobility AG and its owners and holding company Pierer Industrie AG and PTW Holding AG that has evolved ever since Bajaj Auto Ltd. (India) took a major ownership stake in KTM is finally to be simplified. Allegedly.
An agreement in principle had been reached with Bajaj Auto Ltd. and its wholly owned subsidiary Bajaj Auto International Holdings BV (Netherlands, "BAIHBV"), to place BAIHBV's 46.5% stake in KTM AG into PIERER Mobility AG.
As a next step, Pierer and Bajaj will now initiate competition and takeover law consultations with the relevant authorities as well as the necessary valuations. PIERER Mobility AG, for its part, will go ahead with preparations under capital market law.
"Depending on the outcome of the valuation process, the opinion of the Austrian Takeover Commission and the transaction negotiations as well as the clearance by the competition authorities, PIERER Mobility AG will carry out a capital increase through contribution in kind from the existing authorised capital of the company under exclusion of subscription rights by up to 50% of the existing share capital".
[In other words - "we are sorry our shareholding structure is such a mess, but we are now going to try to sort it out, honest".]
After completion of the transaction, the shareholding of PIERER Mobility AG in the operating KTM AG division will increase from currently about 51.7% to about 98.2%. The Pierer Group will continue to maintain sole control over PIERER Mobility AG.

KTM RC 8C offers Moto2 performance
KTM is unique among the competitors in the MotoGP championship as it's the only company to race, and win, at the very highest level in motorcycling without having a production superbike in its range to capitalise on the publicity that competition generates.
While MotoGP fans supporting Honda, Yamaha, Suzuki, Ducati or Aprilia can all step into a showroom and buy a superbike bearing at least a vague similarity to the race machines, KTM's biggest full-faired sports model is the single-cylinder RC390.

 

After discontinuing the V-twin RC8, KTM turned its back on superbikes, with boss Stefan Pierer suggesting he believes there's no place for such high-performance machines on today's roads. However, for several years KTM has pursued the idea of a track-only sports bike, and now it's launched exactly that in the form of the RC 8C.
The RC 8C isn't quite the bike that KTM was expected to make. Originally the company's plan was to build a V4-powered RC16 based on its MotoGP contender, but that idea seems to be on hold. Instead, the company has joined forces with Kramer Motorcycles to create the limited edition (100) RC 8C.
Kramer is the key to the new bike. Set up by former KTM engineers, the company initially developed a track bike based on the KTM 690 single-cylinder engine and then created the GP2 890R around the 890 Duke R's 899 cc parallel twin.
In creating the RC 8C, KTM has simply taken the existing GP2 890R - a pure trackday bike - and wrapped it in MotoGP-inspired, KTM-branded GRP and Kevlar bodywork.
The chromoly steel frame, cast alloy swingarm and the plastic, tail-mounted fuel tank that doubles as a self-supporting seat are all straight from the Kramer GP2 890R. So is the dummy 'tank' between the rider's legs - actually a large airbox for the engine, which helps boost power by 7 hp from the 890 Duke R's 121 hp to 128 hp. The lightweight, slick-clad Dymag wheels, Brembo brakes and race-spec WP suspension are also straight from Kramer. What's new is the bodywork, based on the RC16 GP bike's and complete with aerodynamic winglets and a downforce-creating 'scoop' under the swingarm. Dry, the bike weighs a claimed 140 kg, putting performance roughly on a par with a Moto2 racer.
As a purpose-made trackday bike, the design has some neat features including replaceable crash bungs on the sides of the frame, the swingarm, the fork bottoms and the edges of the tail - so a minor off shouldn't lead to catastrophic damage. The ride height, seat height, footpegs and bars are all adjustable, as is the steering head angle and offset.
Of the 100 customers, 25 will also be able to pay more to join KTM's MotoGP test at Jerez in October, where their bikes will be handed over and they'll get tuition from KTM test riders Dani Pedrosa and Mika Kallio. Those lucky 25 will also get an extra track package including a second set of wheels, rain tyres, front and rear paddock stands and tyre warmers.
None of this comes cheap, of course. The RC 8C's base price is approx. € 35,990, but even so, they're likely to sell out fast. As a toe-in-the-water exercise, if the project is successful, it might well increase the chances of a true RC16-based track-only KTM making an appearance in the future, and of course any customers who miss out on the chance to buy the RC 8C will always be able to go directly to Kramer to get the mechanically identical GP2 890R.

KTM-backed EMotion electric project update

After a year of development work, a consortium including the Austrian Institute of Technology and KTM is approaching the prototype stage for a project exploring the future of lightweight, efficient electric bikes.
Called EMotion, the goal is to create a scooter-style electric bike aimed at young riders in the 16-18 age group and older riders over 50. It's intended to be inexpensive, efficient and comfortable while offering a direct alternative to traditional combustion engine bikes.
To achieve those targets the consortium, which also includes KTM's sister company and styling partner Kiska, has set goals of increased efficiency compared to current alternatives, lightweight construction for improved performance, and an innovative 'human-machine interface'.

The project kicked off in March last year and instantly faced the challenge of the COVID-19 pandemic, preventing physical meetings between members of the consortium. That led the team to turn to the use of augmented-reality technology to allow members to meet in virtual settings and see the computer models of the project as though it was real.
Since the start of the project, work has focussed on the chassis and drivetrain, using data collected from a sensor-equipped test vehicle used on a variety of roads to set parameters for simulation of the new bike's components. This led to the adoption of a steel tube frame with aluminium alloy elements, and the establishment of the riding position and the shape and location of the battery pack, all optimising storage space and usability.
The motor technology was also chosen - a permanent magnet synchronous design - and the team is now focussing on the development of the charging hardware using gallium nitride semiconductors to achieve high charging power from a small unit.
Project coordinator Thomas Bäuml from the AIT Center for Low-Emission Transport said: "We are well on the way to actually getting the e-two-wheeler on the road. However, there are still some technological hurdles to be overcome before the prototype can be built. The concentrated innovative strength of the EMotion consortium makes me confident that our mobility solution will be an integral part of the transport system in just a few years."

Motorcycle Storehouse

MCS for BMW

When building any kind of retro conversion, including a BMW boxer bobber, less is more and basic is best. The virtue of a 2-valve bobber is well known to the Germany based speedo specialist MMB, so it has produced this small 'mini speedo', which measures just 60 mm in diameter. 

To not overpower or hide the 'old-time look', the turn signal, high beam, neutral and warning light are designed as inconspicuous LEDs. The speedo is M18 threaded for the speedo cable nut and comes with a k value of 0.7. Available in a chrome or black housing, with a white or black 200 km/h face.

Also seen here, from American accessory specialist Kuryakyn, these kickstand shoes for BMW models are ideal for parking on soft or uneven surfaces.

They enlarge the footprint of the side stand and do double duty as a tyre bead-breaking tool during roadside or trailside repairs. They are made from a CNC-machined 6061-T6 aluminium top with a black, silver or gold anodised finish and a laser-cut stainless steel bottom.
They are available for BMW '19-'20 R 1250 GS and R 1250 GS Adventure, '16-'18 R 1200 GS and '14-'18 R 1200 GS Adventure.

MOTORCYCLE STOREHOUSE BV
www.motorcyclestorehouse.com

GIVI

'Alaska' top case

GIVI's 'Alaska' luggage set is now complete with the addition of the ALA56 top case made from aluminium, stainless steel and technopolymer in natural or black.

The central top case has a 56-litre capacity that can comfortably accommodate two modular helmets. It is equipped with the MONOKEY coupling system, and the aesthetics match the pair of side cases (available since 2020). The four belt loops for anchoring additional load, usually riveted to the lid, are incorporated in the robust technopolymer corners. Thanks to the use of nautical silicone and seals on each individual rivet, the ALA56 is said to maintain its performance in the worst riding conditions.
The locking system offers the security lock as standard, and the maximum allowable load is 10 kg (excluding the weight of the top case). The size is 559 (W) x 463 (D) x 328 (H) mm.

GIVI S.P.A.
www.givimoto.it