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Moto2™: rewriting the script

The Italian started the year looking imperious, and then came COTA. But still, looking at his record at the track – no previous points – it could have been expected as the place for a blip. And Jerez, where he recovered from a rough Friday affected by a few mechanical issues, seemed to suggest it had been just that – a blip. Then came Le Mans, another crash out of another race, and Mugello became the litmus test. Was this how the Italian’s season was going to go? Everything or nothing? He said in the pre-event Press Conference he wanted to make sure it didn’t, concentrating on staying on the bike and taking points when a win wasn’t possible. But surely that wouldn’t be necessary at Mugello, where his record has seen him perilously close to a win?

Source: MotoGP.comRead Full Article Here

Arbolino dedicates maiden win to Lorenzo

“We are not bad in the championship, we are sixth, 32 points from first and it is something I look at because my goal is to finish ahead of the rest end of the season. We are not far, I expected to be in a bit higher if I had finished in Le Mans and Jerez but we do not give up and we concentrate race by race and when we return home we think of the next stage. We do not think about the end of the Championship because it is still early, but we must be able to take as many points as possible, win races, get podiums and everything we need.”

Source: MotoGP.comRead Full Article Here

KTM Australia & NZ now fully owned by KTM HQ in Austria

KTM Group Australia and New Zealand

After 25 years of stable and successful business Automotive Holdings Group (AHG) has sold the remaining 74% share of its motorcycle importation business to the brands’ parent company KTM.

AHG has been the exclusive importer and distributor of the KTM brand for the Australian and New Zealand market since 1994, with the Husqvarna Motorcycles and WP Suspension brands joining the stable in recent years.

In 2017 KTM, which is Europe’s leading motorcycle manufacturer purchased a 26% share of the AHG motorcycle importation business. It now moves to full ownership of both KTM Group Australia and KTM Group New Zealand.

The move to full ownership will see KTM Group Australia and KTM Group New Zealand become full subsidiaries of the Austrian company. Now selling more than 11,000 KTM and Husqvarna Motorcycle units combined, the Australian and New Zealand business has become the third largest market in the world for KTM and will now become the third largest subsidiary for the company.

“What a journey it has been since our first AHG Dealer Conference in 1994 and there have been so many significant milestones along the way,” said Jeff Leisk, General Manager, KTM Group Australia and New Zealand.

“I am extremely proud to have seen the KTM and Husqvarna Motorcycle brands go from strength to strength in both the Australian and New Zealand markets. We have built strong relationships with our dealers and our customers and this has been the key to our success. Becoming a factory owned subsidiary will increase the level of support that we can offer our dealer network, our staff and our customers, so I am excited about the next chapter,” said Jeff.

About the new acquisition Hubert Trunkenpolz, Chief Marketing Officer, KTM said “We are absolutely delighted with the outcome and our full ownership of KTM Group Australia and KTM Group New Zealand. This transaction once again reinforces our commitment to the Australian and New Zealand markets. This is a very positive development for the KTM dealer network and the KTM customer in both countries.”

The change will take effect from the 1st July 2019. While the change of ownership is a significant development for both the company and the market, there will be no impact on KTM Group staff or the established dealer networks for KTM, Husqvarna Motorcycles and WP Suspension.

Source: MCNews.com.au

FIM CEV Repsol lands in Barcelona

In the FIM Moto3™ Junior World Championship, current leader Yuki Kunii (Asia Talent Team) has confirmed he will not attend this event after suffering a wrist injury. The Japanese rider, who leads the point standings with a cushion of 13 points after two wins and a second place in his last three races, has made it easier for his competitors, especially Jeremy Alcoba (Laglisse Academy), third in the last race, while Xavier Artigas (Leopard Impala Junior Team) is third overall with 53 points, one more than Barry Baltus (Sama Qatar Angel Nieto Team).

Source: MotoGP.comRead Full Article Here

KTM to take full ownership of Australian and NZ subsidiaries

Long-time importer AHG sells remaining shares to Austrian manufacturer.

Image: Supplied.

After 25 years of stable and successful business, Automotive Holdings Group (AHG) has sold the remaining 74 per cent share of its motorcycle importation business to the brands’ parent company, KTM.

AHG has been the exclusive importer and distributor of the KTM brand for the Australian and New Zealand market since 1994, with the Husqvarna Motorcycles and WP Suspension brands joining the stable in recent years.

In 2017 KTM, which is Europe’s leading motorcycle manufacturer, purchased a 26 per cent share of the AHG motorcycle importation business. It now moves to full ownership of both KTM Group Australia and KTM Group New Zealand.

The move to full ownership will see KTM Group Australia and KTM Group New Zealand become full subsidiaries of the Austrian company.

Now selling more than 11,000 KTM and Husqvarna Motorcycle units combined, the Australian and New Zealand business has become the third largest market in the world for KTM and will now become the third largest subsidiary for the company.

“What a journey it has been since our first AHG Dealer Conference in 1994 and there have been so many significant milestones along the way,” said Jeff Leisk, general manager, KTM Group Australia and New Zealand.

“I am extremely proud to have seen the KTM and Husqvarna Motorcycle brands go from strength to strength in both the Australian and New Zealand markets. We have built strong relationships with our dealers and our customers and this has been the key to our success.

“Becoming a factory owned subsidiary will increase the level of support that we can offer our dealer network, our staff and our customers, so I am excited about the next chapter.”

About the new acquisition Hubert Trunkenpolz, chief marketing officer, KTM said: “We are absolutely delighted with the outcome and our full ownership of KTM Group Australia and KTM Group New Zealand.

“This transaction once again reinforces our commitment to the Australian and New Zealand markets. This is a very positive development for the KTM dealer network and the KTM customer in both countries.”

The change will take effect from 1 July 2019. While the change of ownership is a significant development for both the company and the market, there will be no impact on KTM Group staff or the established dealer networks for KTM, Husqvarna Motorcycles and WP Suspension.

Source: MotoOnline.com.au

Pilot Motosport Announces Full-Service Leather Care Division

Pilot Motosport is known for its high-quality leathers, and several MO staffers own sets. We’d expect the same attention to detail that Pilot lavishes on its products to be included as part of the newly announced Pilot Leather Works in leather repair and maintenance.

Begin Press Release:


Pilot Motosport Launches Full Services Leather Care Division

Murrieta, CA – Pilot Motosport is excited to announce the launch of Pilot Leather Works, a complete leather repair and care solution for professionals and amateurs alike. All brands welcome.Pilot Leather Works is fully equipped to repair any leather suit, jacket or pants. With over 20 years of experience designing and manufacturing leather motorcycle garments makes us uniquely suited to preform the highly technical repairs required on race specific apparel and street goods.

In addition to Pilot’s years of experience, a complete array of the highest quality materials is available for each repair. Pilot uses only the highest quality US made nylon thread, Japanese YKK zippers, Swiss made Scholler Keprotec and high-strength milled cowhide in all colors for leather repairs. Whenever possible, Pilot’s goal is to restore the leather garment to better than original strength.

Also available is adding/replacing names, logos and patches that we make or you submit to us. We can also do minor adjustments to suits, jackets, and pants. Circumference increase/decrease, length increase/decrease, etc.

Pilot knows that the world of professional racing can be unpredictable and even the greatest amount of planning can often be undone by an untimely crash. Knowing this, lead times for suit repairs are generally 1 week. Pilot can help keep you on the track or street with an absolute minimum of downtime.

To help moves things along faster, we offer a no hassle flat fee return shipping service via emailed ship label. You simply print, tape up, box and drop off at any UPS Store with no waiting in line.

For a free quote, visit: pilotleatherworks.com

The post Pilot Motosport Announces Full-Service Leather Care Division appeared first on Motorcycle.com News.

Royal Enfield North America Partners With SS Cycle

Royal Enfield partners with S&S Cycle to develop new Royal Enfield Genuine Motorcycle Accessory slip-on.

Begin Press Release: 


Royal Enfield North America Partners With S&S Cycle 

Royal Enfield

MILWAUKEE (June 5, 2019) — Royal Enfield North America has partnered with S&S Cycle, launching high flow, slip-on mufflers for the newly available Twin 650 platform.

Through this collaboration, Royal Enfield will be offering S&S performance slip-on mufflers exclusively through Royal Enfield dealers.

“The new INT 650 and Continental GT 650 Twins are enjoying a great reception in our markets.  By partnering Royal Enfield Genuine Motorcycle Accessories (GMA) with S&S Cycle, we give our customers another reason to see that Royal Enfield motorcycles are fun, accessible and affordable. After the successful collaboration between Royal Enfield and S&S to create a record-breaking motorcycle for the Bonneville Salt Flats, we feel that this is a natural step in giving consumers some of the best attributes that Royal Enfield and S&S Cycle have to offer,” said Rod Copes, president, Royal Enfield North America. “Offering this product exclusively through our dealer network affirms our objective of delivering the best ownership experience.”

Royal Enfield

“We’ve been very impressed by the 650 Twin platform. The RE engineering team created a worthy machine, and we are happy to add to the level of performance this bike is capable of,” S&S President Paul Langley said.

Built in their exhaust facility in the U.S., the new slip-on is a brushed, stainless-steel, tapered cone design, featuring a performance cat and tunable baffles (removable dB reducer). “We created a higher flow catalyst that adds sound and performance and brings on the power earlier in the RPM range,” notes S&S Cycle engineer Jeff Bailey.

Royal Enfield

The new tapered cone slip-ons are:

  • 10 pounds lighter (4.9 kg)
  • Easy to install
  • 49-state legal (50-state CARB approval pending)
  • Removable sound insert
  • Available exclusively through Royal Enfield North American dealers by the end of June
  • Compliant with Royal Enfield manufacturer’s warranty
  • MSRP $674.99 for a set of two

To find out more details, visit your local Royal Enfield dealer.

About Royal Enfield

The oldest motorcycle company in continuous production in the world, Royal Enfield made its first motorcycle in 1901. A division of Eicher Motors Limited, Royal Enfield has created the mid-size motorcycle segment in India with its unique and distinctive modern classic motorcycles. With its manufacturing base in Chennai, India, Royal Enfield has been able to grow its production rapidly against a surge in demand for its motorcycles. Royal Enfield is a leading player in the global middleweight motorcycle market.

Royal Enfield North America (RENA) is headquartered in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, and is developing a growing network of 90 dealers in North America, including the U.S., Canada, Mexico and Puerto Rico. RENA currently offers the Bullet 500, Classic 500 and Himalayan motorcycles along with a range of genuine motorcycle accessories and apparel.

For more information on Royal Enfield North America, please visit www.RoyalEnfield.com/us/en/

www.Instagram.com/RoyalEnfield_NA

www.Facebook.com/RoyalEnfieldNorthAmerica.

About S&S Cycle

Recently celebrating six decades in the powersports performance space, S&S Cycle is considered the go-to company for building top-quality, high-performance parts for some of the best brands in the two-wheeled market. Headquartered in southwestern Wisconsin, S&S prides itself on proven performance and the ability to translate lessons from the race track into viable parts for street-going motorcycles. For more information on S&S Cycle, visit: www.sscycle.comhttps://www.facebook.com/SScycle and https://www.instagram.com/sscycle.

The post Royal Enfield North America Partners With S&S Cycle appeared first on Motorcycle.com News.

Bautista hopeful he’ll be ‘back to normal’ at Jerez

Factory Ducati pilot targeting victory at second home round of the season.

Image: Supplied.

Points leader Alvaro Bautista is hoping to be back to his winning ways at Jerez’s sixth round of the 2019 Motul FIM Superbike World Championship (WorldSBK) this weekend after recording his first losses of the season at Imola’s previous round.

The Aruba.it Racing – Ducati pilot, who went undefeated in the first four rounds of the world championship, is anticipating strong support from the Spanish crowd as he takes part in his second home race of the season.

“After the last round at Imola, the next race on the calendar is at Jerez, a track I know very well, and so I hope for me that everything will be back to normal,” Bautista stated. “Last week we tested for two days at Misano with a good feeling even though the conditions weren’t great.

“It was an important and positive test for a series of reasons, also for the future, and we did back-to-back tests with various components on the bike rather than aiming for a fast time. For me Jerez is another home race, so we hope to enjoy ourselves here and put on a good show for the increasingly numerous Spanish crowd.”

The Spaniard currently leads four-time defending champion Jonathan Rea (Kawasaki Racing Team) by 43 points.

Source: CycleOnline.com.au

Yamaha YZ65 Cup to feature at Wollongong AUS Supercross

News 6 Jun 2019

Yamaha YZ65 Cup to feature at Wollongong AUS Supercross

Popular junior feature race strengthens round three at WIN Stadium.

Image: Supplied.

It’s been revealed the highly-popular Yamaha Motor Australia bLU cRU YZ65 Cup will feature in Wollongong’s third round of the 2019 Australian Supercross Championship on 9 November at WIN Stadium.

The feature class will offer 20 youthful riders the incredible experience of racing in front of thousands of supercross fans, with rider to be selected from a mix of current YZ65 owners along with wildcard juniors who don’t currently own the model.

The junior riders get to experience what it’s like to be a professional rider and become guests of Yamaha’s factory race teams, which event promoter Troy Bayliss says will provide valuable insights into professional racing, including mentoring from CDR Yamaha Monster Energy factory riders and owner Craig Dack.

“We are pleased to be able to provide the opportunity for junior girls and boys to experience supercross within an incredible venue like WIN Stadium, and for them to do laps in front of thousands of fans will be something they will remember for a lifetime,” Bayliss explained.

Since releasing the YZ65 in 2018, Yamaha Motor Australia has given many junior riders the opportunity to compete side-by-side within select Australian Supercross Championship events and MX National rounds, including the last year’s Geelong supercross at GMHBA Stadium.

“Our first YZ65 Cup experience at supercross was in Geelong last year and the parents and kids enjoyed the full bLU cRU treatment, and to see so many happy faces and positive feedback we knew we wanted to offer this experience again this year within the Yamaha presented round three of the Australian Supercross Championship at WIN Stadium,” said Yamaha Motor Australia’s national sales and marketing manager Matthew Ferry.

“Spots are limited to 20 lucky riders available to YZ65 owners, plus Yamaha will also offer a few wildcard entries for non YZ65 owners to experience what it’s like to be part of the bLU cRU – it’s a money-can’t-buy experience.”

Further junior championship classes will be announced in the coming weeks. Wollongong’s third round of supercross will also feature the newly-branded Australian Motorcycle Festival, which will take place at Lang Park on 8-10 November.


Source: MotoOnline.com.au