Kellermann

Kellermann i.NEX - universal lighting control solution

Kellermann GmbH (Aachen, Germany), the award-winning manufacturer of high-quality motorcycle accessories, presents Kellermann i.NEX - a universal electronic solution when installing motorcycle lights such as indicators, tail/brake lights and position lights.

"The Kellermann i.NEX finally eliminates the problems of converting motorcycle lights," says CEO Stefan Woeste. "No more despair for the mechanic or wasted hours in the workshop. From classic bikes to new models: Kellermann i.NEX is the system solution for every motorcycle. With the i.NEX, Kellermann is once again writing development history and offering a unique product."

Motorcycle electronics are becoming increasingly complex, with manufacturers sometimes making changes to the operating systems not only when changing models, but even as a sometimes poorly understood part of their annual update programmes. As a result, the installation of aftermarket lights has started to become a more time-consuming and sometimes more complex undertaking. 

"It is often not clear in advance which accessories are required for your own project or what problems you may encounter when retrofitting", says Stefan. "In recent years, Kellermann has already responded to these problems with the development of specific electronic accessories and has repeatedly offered solutions, including the i.LOAD, i.BOS, i.SED and i.LASH products. 

Kellermann CEO Stefan Woeste 

"However, the number of accessory products has become increasingly large, varied and confusing and new solutions have had to be found, especially for new models."

Kellermann says that its new i.NEX will now replace the individual solutions and act as a universal master module - simplifying the installation of motorcycle lights and optimising convenience and componentry. The i.NEX can be used to connect up to four indicators as well as taillight, brake light and position light. 

"The Kellermann i.NEX is a real problem solver in a compact format: error messages in the cockpit, incorrect flashing frequency of indicators and indicator control lights, as well as annoying idle currents can now be eliminated.

"In addition, this master device offers a universal solution for various requirements, e.g. when fitting indicators with higher power consumption or higher voltage than original - as well as original minus-switched indicators".

The lights are connected directly to the i.NEX. The necessary requirements are then easily set on the i.NEX using rotary switches - no matter which light, no matter which motorcycle.

KELLERMANN GMBH 

www.kellermann-online.com

Kellermann I.NEX Tech Spec

• Electronic universal solution for motorcycle lights such as indicators,tail/brake light and position light
• Compatible with classic bikes, new models and modern operating systems 
• Correct flashing frequency
• No error messages in the cockpit
• No disruptive quiescent currents
• Installation of indicators with higher power consumption [watt] than original
• Installation of indicators with higher voltage [volt] than original
• Installation on motorcycles with minus-switched indicators
• Installation on motorcycles with current-controlled indicators

KSR Group

KSR Group restructured

The Austrian KSR Group GmbH has successfully completed its restructuring proceedings following its September 2023 filing application for administered restructuring proceedings.

The court lifted the external administration proceedings of KSR Group in December 2023 and approved the restructuring plan. The creditors' meeting had previously approved the restructuring measures with a large majority. 

This cleared the way for a fresh start for the Gedersdorf, Austria based company, with over 140 jobs retained and sales in key core markets in Europe sustained. 

"The foundation for a successful future has been laid," said Michael and Christian Kirschenhofer, managing directors of KSR Group GmbH.

"This was made possible, on the one hand, by the willingness of our business partners to cooperate and, on the other hand, by the great support of our employees. We would like to thank everyone involved for their trust and can now be full of optimism for the next steps." 

In order to be able to adapt more flexibly to the economic conditions, KSR Group GmbH is being reorganised. Austria, Germany, Switzerland, Italy, Greece and Belgium remain as core markets in the mobility sector; other countries will be handled via importers in the future.  

The reduction of sales markets and sales brands creates leaner structures and greater cost efficiency. In global sales, the focus will be on the group brands “Malaguti” and “Brixton”. 

Before running into its recent difficulties, the company, which was founded by the Kirschenhofers some 25 years ago, had been selling around 60,000 vehicles a year. It owned, licenced or managed some 15 motorcycle, scooter and broader powersports vehicle brands (additionally including Motron, Lambretta, Italjet, NIU and CFMoto Off-Road). 

It had been selling through some 2,300 dealers in 60 countries worldwide and with offices in Greece, Italy, Spain, Switzerland, Belgium and the Netherlands, as well as its head office in Austria.

Mytech

MV Agusta x Mytech collaboration

Unveiled at EICMA in November 2023, Italian made luggage specialist Mytech Accessories is in collaboration with MV Agusta to supply 33-39 litre original equipment aluminium cases for the LXP 9.5 - MV's first true ADV model, and as the LXP Orioli, named for four-time Dakar winner Edi Orioli.

The new 931 cc three-cylinder machine is inspired by the Cagiva Elefant he rode to victory in 1990 and is set to provide the springboard for a range of new models powered by this engine.

The result of the synergy between the experiential design of MV Agusta and the 60-years of expertise that Mytech can leverage, "the collaboration between the two pioneering brands in their respective fields of motorcycling culminates in a fusion of the highest quality, created to excite enthusiasts and amateurs alike" said Laura Contò, Marketing Manager of Mytech.

"We are very proud of the cohesion established with the R&D department and the design centre of MV Agusta and we hope that this is just a first step towards other new and significant projects developed together."

www.mytechaccessories.it

Moto Parilla

Moto Parilla to enter the electric bike market? By Ben Purvis

The Moto Parilla name could be set to return to motorcycles in the near future after designs emerged showing an electric roadster that closely matches the design cues of the exotic e-bicycles that the company currently sells.

Parilla was one of a huge number of motorcycle brands to emerge in Italy in the wake of WW2, ploughing on for a couple of decades before it collapsed in 1967. However, the name has since returned on a range of e-bikes designed by Alessandro Tartarini's White Design and Engineering in Italy. Tartarini was the man behind the radical Italjet Dragster scooter in the 1990s, and a decade ago designed a range of motorcycles and e-bikes that were originally intended to wear the Caterham name, one that is best known for its long-running line of lightweight British sportscars. 

Those machines didn't reach production, but the same e-bike designs are now being offered under the Moto Parilla name, sporting Tartarini's distinctive chassis design with a fat central chassis tube that's pierced by two large, transverse holes. Tartarini's company is also behind the new electric motorcycle design seen here, which shares the same styling cue, but is clearly a step above the e-bikes that Parilla currently sells. 

The distinctive design features a battery pack that's slung beneath the distinctive upper frame, while the motor is mounted inside the rear wheel hub. Hub-motor designs are usually limited to relatively low performance electric bikes - it's a compact, lightweight and low-cost layout, but having the motor's weight inside the rear wheel isn't ideal when it comes to higher speeds and handling.

There's no word yet on whether these drawings will become a production machine, but since battery-powered e-bicycles have all but replaced conventional mopeds in the powered two-wheeler market, it makes sense for their manufacturers to look towards larger, faster motorcycles in order to hold onto their customers.

CFMoto

CFMoto plans 450CL-C Bobber, 250CL-C Cruiser and electrics By Ben Purvis

Last year's EICMA saw the unveiling of CFMoto's CL-C Low Ride concept bike - a slammed bobber with girder forks based on the company's new 450CL-C cruiser - and now a production version of that machine has emerged in Chinese approval filings.

Unsurprisingly, the showroom version tones down the style of the concept. The girder forks are gone, replaced by the standard upside-down telescopics of the normal 450CL-C, and the tyres aren't as fat as those on the show bike. Despite those downgrades, and the fact that it shares the same engine, frame and fuel tank as the base 450CL-C, the new bobber manages to look substantially different.

CL-C Bobber

The changes are focused on the rear end. There's a single seat, recalling bikes from the 1940s or earlier thanks to its clear, saddle-shaped style. It hovers above a rear fender that's close to the back tyre, almost disappearing from view and giving the back end a lightweight look. In a clever move, CFMoto supports that rear hugger with a diagonal, tubular bracket that extends forward from the rear swingarm to the upper front of the fender, giving the illusion of a hardtail bike's frame while actually using exactly the same monoshock rear end as the standard 450CL-C. The licence plate and rear lights hang on a swingarm-mounted bracket at the back.

Mechanically, the bike is powered by the same 449 cc parallel twin used in the normal 450CL-C, putting out 30 kW (40 hp), and rides on a 1,485 mm wheelbase. The more stripped-back style genuinely saves weight too, cutting 4 kg from the CL-C's mass and bringing it to 177 kg including fuel.

Another CFMoto type-approval, filed in China, shows a smaller cruiser heading to market soon in the form of the 250CL-C. This one has a new, twin-shock frame with a shorter 1,470 mm wheelbase and lower 165 kg wet weight. It's powered be the 249 cc single-cylinder engine that's already used in the 250CL-X and 250NK (and offered in a larger 292 cc form in the 300NK and 300CL-X in many markets), with 18.5 kW (25 hp). 

CL-C Cruiser

In addition to working on both advanced ICE models, CFMoto is still pushing ahead with electric bikes, including this battery-powered middleweight sports bike.

While CFMoto's future ICE sports bike projects include a 675 cc triple, a 500 cc inline four and a 1,000 cc V4 superbike, all intended to sit above its existing 300SR and 450SR machines, the brand has patented this electric model using the 450SR as its base.

Previously, CFMoto's electric bikes have been 'clean-sheet' designs, including the 300GT-E electric sport-tourer that was designed as part of a project for China's police force and security services to use. It also makes the Papio Nova electric minibike and has a dedicated EV sub-brand, Zeeho, for city models and scooters. 

But this new design takes a different approach by utilising the existing chassis from the 450SR sports bike and packing an electric powerplant into the space normally occupied by a 450 cc parallel twin.

The patent explains that the battery unit is in a metal case, bolted to an electric motor behind, and the whole thing can be used as a structural component to replace the combustion engine in the 450SR, which uses its motor to add rigidity to the chassis. By making a drop-in EV powertrain with the same mounting brackets as its 450 cc twin-cylinder engine, CFMoto would be in a position to create a range of electric models easily, quickly and cheaply. 

At the moment, bikes using variants of the same 450 cc V-twin include the 450SR sports bike, 450NK roadster and 450CL-C cruiser. The new electric power unit and batteries would easily slot into any of them.

Electric sports bike

The downside of this design, when compared to clean-sheet electric bikes, is that the battery pack appears to be much smaller, suggesting range would be limited. That might not be a big hurdle for small-capacity bikes used mainly in cities, and if CFMoto can implement a fast-charging system that can take advantage of the growing network of rapid chargers, refilling a small battery should be a relatively quick job.

What's clear is that CFMoto is positioning itself to be in a strong position regardless which way the market turns. If legislation forces or technology enables a rapid shift to electric power, or if combustion engines get a reprieve, the next generation of the Chinese company's bikes are likely to be formidable rivals to the motorcycling establishment.

Benelli

Benelli Leoncino 350 V-twin based on QJMotor SRV 350 cruiser By Ben Purvis

Design registrations filed by Benelli's parent company Qianjiang have revealed a planned V-twin Leoncino 350 model long before it's officially unveiled.

There's no mistaking the signature fuel tank design on the new bike, with a large circular badge set into a scooped-out section on each side to match the other models in the Benelli Leoncino family, and there's even readable 'Leoncino' script on each side of the machine, using the same font as the current Benelli models. However, the bike underneath these parts is very different to any other Leoncino variant.

At the moment, Benelli has a range of Leoncino-branded roadsters from 125 cc to 800 cc, all sharing a common set of styling cues. This new model breaks that mould, introducing a more cruiser-like stance and underpinnings, including a V-twin engine, a twin-shock chassis and a stubby-tailed set of bodywork with overtones of muscle-cruisers like the Yamaha V-Max.

The V-twin engine and steel frame appear to be borrowed from the SRV 350 cruiser made by Benelli's sister company QJMotor. The suspension, radiator, forward-mounted foot controls and even the wheels and brakes appear to be straight from the SRV 350, but the Benelli version adopts a less traditional cruiser style and gets a revised version of the 343 cc V-twin engine. 

Visible engine changes include new cylinder heads with faux cooling fins and a forward-jutting air intake on the left-hand side. The twin stacked muffler looks much the same as the QJMotor version.

In other news, new Chinese type-approval documents show that Benelli is preparing a new 902S that looks all but identical to the existing 752S, but with a huge increase in power.

The 752S's existing 754 cc parallel twin can trace its heritage back to the three-cylinder engine that revived the Benelli brand in the late 1990s. Taking a cylinder off the later 1131 cc version of that triple resulted in the twin that's still used today in a range of bikes including the Leoncino 800, Leoncino 800 Trail and the 752S - so the advent of a larger-capacity version could have implications for all of those models.

The new Chinese documents show that the 902S has a 904 cc capacity (the '902' name means '900 cc, 2 cylinder' rather than being an exact measure of the bike's engine size). The extra cubes come from the 92 mm bore (from 88 mm), along with stroke that's upped from 62 mm to 68 mm.

According to the same documents, the power increase that comes from this growth is remarkable. The paperwork says the new engine manages 77 kW (103 bhp), up from 56 kW (75 hp) for the current 754 cc version. Previously, Benelli has also filed documents for a 799 cc version of the engine making 71 kW (95 hp), but that has yet to appear in a production model.

Bonamici Racing

Bonamici - Kawasaki ZX-4RR

In recent editions we have showcased Italian parts specialist Bonamici Racing's components for top-selling models such as the Yamaha MT09 and BMW S 1000 RR. In this edition of IDN, we are looking at the sports and performance parts it has for the Kawaski ZX-4RR.

Designers and manufacturers of a comprehensive line-up of CNC-machined parts, featuring some of the most commonly changed and upgraded components, Bonamici's extensive selection for the mighty Ninja have been developed as a result of its multi-discipline race experience with leading multiple and multi-title winning teams.

The flagship item for the ZX remains its adjustable rear set kit, precision CNC-machined from aerospace grade aluminium on the latest 'new gen' equipment. "Both the footrests and the brake and gear levers are fully adjustable for perfect positioning and control of the motorbike," says Bonamici's Luca Migliorati.

"The new rear set kit allows you to work with either a standard or reverse equipped gearbox without any modification and without having to change the original electronics. A 'plug and play' install, these new rearsets are 100% ready for road use and track use with the original rear light stop switch reused."

Also seen here, the Bonamici brake and clutch lever hand controls kit features model-specific lever designs, available in a selection of model-match colourways, various shapes (standard, racing and straight) for choice of ergonomics and with custom laser engraving options.

"The brake lever can have the track use-developed remote adjuster mounted, and the range of hand controls is completed by a full clutch lever design (for track use and as already used in WorldSBK championships) that is available in different offsets, to adapt perfectly to every riding style."

To complete the line of the new parts, Bonamici Racing has also developed new clip-ons, a new top triple clamp (with the option of key block removal for track use), TFT dashboard protection, new fuel tank and oil filler caps, brand-new EVO brake and clutch lever protections, a rear brake fluid reservoir and swingarm spools kits (standard or racing).

All accessories are customisable with different colour and laser engraving options and various accessories. Each component can be installed without too much difficulty - either individually or in combination with other accessories.

All accessories are compatible with ZX-4RR, ZX-4R and the ZX-4R SE; hardware is supplied with each item and spare parts are always available.

"Our racing components are FIM-approved, used in MotoGP, WorldSBK, EWC, MotoAmerica, IOM TT and the most important national championships and trophies". 

Bonamici is a race engineering company with all the R&D and manufacturing quality and precision that is required. In addition to being a BMW WorldSBK team Official Partner, it is a technical partner with a whole range of top teams, including being a BMW WorldSBK team Official Partner, consisting of Leopard Racing, Snipers Team, BMW World Superbike Team RoKiT and GTR Yamaha.

BONAMICI RACING 

www.bonamiciracing.it