Moto Morini has named Chris Peterman as the new VP of sales and dealer development. Peterman brings nearly 30 years of experience in the motorcycle industry and intends to expand Moto Morini’s U.S. dealer network.
Moto Morini was founded in 1937 and has its European headquarters in Milan, Italy. The company’s U.S. headquarters are in Irvine, California. The brand currently offers eight models for the U.S. market, including the X-Cape adventure bikes, the STR nakeds, the SCR scramblers, and the Calibro cruisers.
Chris Peterman has experience in the industry that includes management positions with Yamaha and CFMOTO, as well as serving as a general manager for a dealership.
“I believe Moto Morini is well positioned for major expansion in the US market,” said Peterman. “Moto Morini is an iconic Italian brand that offers a tremendous line of high-quality motorcycles and accessories. The tradition of the brand combined with the great Italian design, performance, and high quality makes Moto Morini a stand-out brand. I look forward to growing the family of Moto Morini dealers.”
“We are excited to have Chris Peterman on the Moto Morini team,” said Chris McGee, COO of Moto Morini. “Chris has a great deal of experience connecting with dealers to help strengthen their businesses. Chris will continue the Moto Morini mission of industry-leading dealer support and cultivating long-lasting partnerships.”
Triumph owners and fans can enjoy light food, beverages, live music, and a look at 2025 Triumph models during the Triumph Icons Tour showcase parties in January and February, 2025. Taking place in 13 U.S. cities, the tour offers a unique chance to see new and limited-edition models while gathering with other Triumph owners in your area.
The tour will travel throughout the U.S., beginning January 14 in Orlando, Florida, and ending February 13 in Houston, Texas. Admission is free, but space is limited, so it’s important to register early to secure your spot. The first 100 guests will receive a complimentary goodie bag.
Those interested can pre-register to reserve their spot at the Triumph website. To find Triumph news and bike reviews, visit Rider’s Triumph page.
In a partnership between Fontana Village Resort & Marina in Fontana Dam, North Carolina, and Killboy, the photography company that captures professional-level images of riders and motorists on the Tail of the Dragon, seven new Killboy-themed cabins are being renovated to meet the needs of riders and motorists who travel to the area to enjoy some of the best riding in the U.S.
Fontana Village is located close to Tennessee Valley Authority’s Fontana Dam and about 20 miles from the Tail of the Dragon, the famous road through the Great Smoky Mountains that includes 318 curves in only 11 miles. The Village is located on Moonshiner 28 (NC Route 28), another popular motorcycle road. It’s also within a few miles of other great riding roads, including the Blue Ridge Parkway, the Cherohala Skyway, and the Foothills Parkway.
The new Killboy-themed cabins at the Village were designed in close collaboration with Killboy owners Darryl and Lori Cannon. They include special features to meet the needs of riders and motorists, like a rack for helmets and leatherwear. Spacious blacktop parking provides easy access and security for motorcycles and cars, and the interiors feature road signs, a map of the Tail of the Dragon, and stunning Killboy photography. The cabins provide a motorcyclists-in-mind retreat for riders who want to make the most of a trip to the area.
To further meet the needs of riders and motorists, the team is working with designers to install professional lighting for those who shoot content for their social media channels. The lighting will allow hobbyists and professional photographers to capture high-quality photos and footage of their vehicles.
Killboy photography has been featured in Rider and many other publications. In episode 53 of the Rider Magazine Insider Podcast, editor-In-Chief Greg Drevenstedt sat down with Killboy owner Darryl Cannon for a chat about his photography, running his own business, and how he got started.
To make a reservation and find more information, visit the Fontana Village website. Find more information about Killboy’s photography on the Killboy website.
The series of wildfires in Los Angeles has become one of the country’s worst natural disasters in history and still continues to rage. Tens of thousands of residents have been forced to evacuate their neighborhoods, and hundreds of homes have been burned to the ground. The situation remains highly volatile because the conflagration has been fueled by monthslong dry conditions, persistent high winds, and unseasonably warm temperatures.
Our hearts go out to those who have been displaced by the fires and especially to the families who have lost everything in this apocalyptic weather event that continues to churn and threaten thousands of people and their homes. We care about all our subscribers, advertisers, sponsors, and friends going through this horrific event, so we’ve made charitable donations to help those in need.
Anyone who has seen coverage of this catastrophe surely feels as sympathetic as we do about the dire plights facing the residents in the L.A. basin, so we encourage you to give generously to offer your assistance. Please check out the options of ways for you to help in the list we’ve compiled below.
Shelter and Emergency Relief
American Red Cross The Red Cross is providing shelter, food, emotional support, and health services to displaced residents.
How to Help: Donate at redcross.org, call 1-800-RED CROSS, or text REDCROSS to 90999 to make a $10 contribution.
United Way of Greater Los Angeles United Way is assessing needs and working with community partners to aid long-term recovery efforts.
Pasadena Humane Pasadena Humane is caring for animals displaced by the fires and seeks donations of food, crates, and blankets. They also need foster homes for larger dogs.
California Community Foundation – Wildfire Recovery Fund This fund supports long-term solutions for communities affected by wildfires in Los Angeles County.
Real Deal Revolution, the nonprofit organization with a mission to “revolutionize the perception of skilled trades and women’s roles in them,” celebrated its 10th anniversary in 2024 with its most impactful year to date.
In 2024, Real Deal Revolution led its Workshoppes at 13 industry events, including The One Moto Show, Babes Ride Out, the Harley-Davidson Homecoming Festival, Four Corners Rally, Biker Belles at Sturgis, the SEMA Show, Handbuilt Moto Show, and more. During these workshops, the RDR team of skilled tradeswomen taught women, children, and male motorcyclists skills like welding, pinstriping, rebuilding carburetors, and more.
The organization was founded in 2014 by Jessi Combs, the fastest woman on Earth and the first female Grand Marshal of the Sturgis Motorcycle Rally, and Theresa Contreras, a renowned automotive painter and bike builder. The nonprofit furthers its mission through educational outreach, community building, and traveling workshops to “create opportunities that focus on empowering women to learn new skills.”
In 2024, Real Deal Revolution launched several new programs, like a Moto scholarship with Doffo Winery. It was also awarded a VF Foundation grant and was recognized by Event Marketer among its “Top Experiential Exhibit Trends.” Real Deal Revolution is supported by brands like Dickies, Harley-Davidson, Lincoln Electric, and Industrial Metal Supply Co., with assistance from the Jessi Combs Foundation.
Workshops during the 2024 season of events included pinstriping by instructors Shayna Guy and Theresa Contreras, resin by Tamara Robertson, carb rebuilds by Riley Schlick and Bobbi Prueter, and welding by Hannah Stout-Ortega, Zoe Carmichael, Lindsey Hover, and Sana Abbas.
“As we celebrate our 10th year, we’re even more driven heading into our next decade of empowering others through hands-on skilled trades,” said co-founder Theresa Contreras. “Working with partners like Dickies and being awarded the VF Foundation grant has played a pivotal role in not only us looking good while doing what we love, but by supporting us in our mission to help supercharge our future. With support like theirs, we look forward to making Real Deal Workshoppes even more accessible to everyone.”
Find more information, learn how to get involved, and view the events schedule at the Real Deal Revolution website.
KTM continues implementing advanced technology on its motorcycles with its latest announcement of a new touchscreen TFT display with higher-quality graphics, more functionality, and better connectivity possibilities. This announcement comes on the heels of recent news about KTM’s new Automated Manual Transmission.
KTM’s new TFT dashboard has a 1,280×720-degree resolution and Anti-Reflex, Anti-Fingerprint, and Anti-Glare screen coatings. Impressively, the display now includes 256,000 colors compared to the previous TFT’s 65,000, and it’s more visible from all angles. Its touchscreen function is useable with or without gloves, and touchscreen shortcut buttons on the main screen eliminate the need for auxiliary switches for things like switching on heated grips or seat or turning on fog lights.
The new TFT has a split-screen function with five layout options. Now integrated into the connectivity is Offline Map Navigation to provide real-time navigation without needing to sync the motorcycle to a mobile phone.
The upgraded CCU3.0 connectivity unit has 32 GB of storage and 3 GB of RAM to run the Android Automative operating system. It allows for IoT connectivity with eSim, a GPS Antenna, Bluetooth, and wi-fi, which will make updates easier. For now, all updates must be done through a KTM dealer, but the unit will allow for over-the-air updates directly to the motorcycle in the future, extending the lifespan of this technology.
Additionally, the backlit switchgear has been revised to further enhance the riding experience. There is now a dedicated Ride Mode button, a new five-way joystick and back button, new cruise control buttons, a new automatic/manual button for models equipped with KTM’s Automated Manual Transmission, and new paddle buttons that are customizable for models without AMT.
The new TFT dashboard will first be available on premium KTM models, and KTM plans to add it to other models in the range in upcoming years.
Mark Tuesday, June 11, on your calendar and join fellow motorcyclists as we saddle up for the 33rd annual Ride to Work Day.
Ride to Work is a nonprofit organization that advocates for “the use of motorcycles and scooters for transportation, providing information about everyday utility riding to the public.” The event was inspired by the “Work to Ride – Ride to Work” marketing materials from 1989-1991 by Aero Design and Manufacturing Company (now called Aerostich), with the first annual RTW Day taking place in 1992. Now, RTW takes place each year on the second Tuesday in June.
RTW Day helps raise awareness of motorcyclists on roads, and the purpose of the event is to demonstrate the following:
The number of motorcyclists to the general public and politicians
Motorcyclists are from all occupations and all walks of life
Motorcyclists can reduce traffic congestion in large cities
Motorcycles are for transportation as well as recreation
In keeping with these goals, the RTW website offers an extensive list of resources for both cities and advocates, from information about lane splitting laws and parking regulations to research and articles about the benefits of using motorcycles as transportation.
Rider fully supports RTW’s mission and efforts to get more people riding, make our roads safer for riders, and convince local governments to introduce more moto-friendly ordinances.
You can find more information on the RTW website, Facebook page, and Instagram account. Help us spread the news about RTW Day, and support the event by participating.
BMW has announced its M 1000 RR 50 Years M anniversary edition, a higher-end evolution of the formidable S 1000 RR. The new model celebrates the 50th anniversary of BMW’s vaunted M performance sub-brand, featuring several notable upgrades over the standard RR. It includes carbon-fiber wheels, a lighter silver-anodized aluminum swingarm with an adjustable pivot, a GPS-based data logger, and a lightweight lithium-ion battery, as well as a taller windscreen and several billet-aluminum and carbon-fiber parts.
The new M boasts a 205-hp inline-Four engine and a 189-mph top speed. It weighs 423 lbs when fully fueled, and retails for $36,995 in its special Sao Paulo Yellow anniversary edition. More information in the press release below.
To mark the 50th anniversary of BMW M GmbH, founded in 1972 as BMW Motorsport GmbH, BMW Motorrad presents the M 1000 RR 50 Years M anniversary edition in Sao Paulo Yellow with historic 50 years BMW M badging. This striking combination pays homage to the spirit from almost 100 years of BMW Motorrad production and from 50 years of BMW M vehicles. To get the anniversary edition, the M 1000 RR should be equipped with the optional 50 Years ///M Package. In addition to the extensive use of M milled aluminum and M carbon parts, this package features a lighter silver anodized aluminum swingarm, M GPS lap trigger unlock software as well as the M endurance chain and passenger seat and seat cover.
The M 1000 RR can also be ordered in non-anniversary guise by selecting the Light White / M Motorsport Competition Package.
M – The Most Powerful Letter in the World
At the end of 2018, BMW Motorrad unveiled M special equipment and M Performance parts for selected existing motorcycle models. The M 1000 RR, the first BMW motorcycle to bear the M brand name made its world debut in September of 2020.
The letter M is synonymous worldwide with racing success as well as with high performance BMW vehicles aimed at customers with high demands for performance, exclusivity and individuality. The BMW M 1000 RR delivers on all of these expectations and continues the racing tradition of BMW M by being the base bike for the BMW Motorrad World Superbike Team since 2021 as well as being used by many race teams around the world.
BMW Motorsport GmbH and BMW M GmbH
BMW Motorsport GmbH was founded in 1972 with the idea of uniting all BMW motorsport activities under one roof and consolidating the construction of high-performance race cars and race engines. The BMW 3.0 CSL (CSL = Coupe Sport Light) made its debut as the first race car from BMW Motorsport GmbH in 1973. On the occasion of the foundation of BMW Motorsport GmbH, Robert A. Lutz, member of the Board of Management of BMW AG for Sales in 1972, stated: “A company is like a human being. If it does sports, it stays fit, enthusiastic, more effective and powerful.”
The BMW 3.0 CSL made its debut in the European Touring Car Championship in 1973 sporting the three defining BMW Motorsport colors of blue, violet and red on a snow-white background. Today’s updated Motorsport colors of are Blue – Dark Blue and Red.
This legendary color combination could be found on BMW M street vehicles which appeared in the second half of the 1970s as well as on successful race cars. Iconic cars such as the 1978 BMW M1 and the Brabham BMW with which Nelson Piquet won the 1983 Formula 1 World Championship.
From Isle of Man to Dakar – BMW Motorrad and motorsports
Racing success was not the exclusive realm of four-wheeled BMW vehicles however. Innovation stems from motorsport and this was especially true in the early decades. Legendary names from those early years include Ernst Jakob Henne who set no less than 76 world land speed records between 1929 and 1937 on supercharged BMW motorcycles and Georg “Schorsch” Meier who won the 1939 Senior Tourist Trophy on the Isle of Man on his 500cc supercharged BMW.
In 1976, exactly 37 years later, Helmut Dähn and Hans Otto Butenuth celebrated fifth place in the Isle of Man Production TT class. They had actually set the fastest time on their BMW R 90 S but due to handicap rules, they were listed in fifth place behind two 250cc and two 500cc motorcycles. Nevertheless, given the fastest time, this fifth place was celebrated like a victory.
74 years after “Schorsch” Meier’s success in the Senior TT, Michael Dunlop rode his BMW S 1000 RR to victory in the 2014 Isle of Man TT Superbike race. In the following years, the RR would go on to leave its unmistakable mark on the TT with more victories.
BMW M colors would also be represented in off-road conditions such as the Paris-Dakar rallies of the early 1980s which were dominated by BMW GS factory riders Hubert Auriol and Gaston Rahier.
Like no other BMW motorcycles, the M 1000 RR 50 Years M model carries all of this historic motorsport DNA within it.
MSRP of $36,995 plus $645 Destination.
$32,495 plus the required $4,500 50 Years ///M Package.
Equipment
Standard Equipment
Windshield high
BMW Motorrad Race ABS and ABS Pro
7 riding modes (Rain, Road, Dynamic, Race, Race Pro 1-3)
Pit-Lane-Limiter
Launch Control
Dynamic Traction Control (DTC) +/- Shift
Wheelie Control
Slide Control
Hill Start Control (HSC) Pro
Dynamic Brake Control (DBC)
Shift Assist Pro
6.5″ TFT-Display
LED-Headlight, Taillight and Turn Signals
Heated Grips
Cruise Control
M Lightweight Battery,
M Chassis Kit with rear height adjustment and swingarm pivot
50 Years ///M Package (optional)
Sao Paulo Yellow
50 Years M Anniversary badges
M GPS Lap Timer trigger software
Rear seat cover and passenger kit
M Carbon Package – Carbon front and rear fenders, Upper fairing side panels, Left and right carbon tank covers, Carbon chain guard and sprocket cover.
M Billet Pack – Billet aluminum engine protectors, folding brake and clutch levers, M rider’s rearsets, front brake lever guard.
Clear anodized swingarm
M Endurance chain
Specifications
Engine type
Water-cooled, inline 4-cylinder, 4-stroke, four titanium valves per cylinder, BMW ShiftCam
Wouldn’t it be great to know if there were unforeseen hazards on the road ahead you before you got there? That’s the goal of a new rider-sourced hazard reporting function provided by Charles River Analytics that will be hosted on the popular REVER ride route app. Users will be able to offer real-time hazard reporting, like Waze for motorcyclists but with a greater emphasis on safety. More information in the press release below.
REVER, the Colorado-based powersports app and part of the Comoto family of brands, today announced a collaboration with Charles River Analytics to introduce the industry’s first motorcycle hazard warning app integration driven by rider-sourced information.
The collaboration introduces Charles River Analytics’ technology – “Bolstering Awareness with Real-Time Rider Alerting and Cueing for Upcoming Danger Avoidance” (BARRACUDA) – as a user-generated feature within the REVER app that encourages riders to share accurate and real-time information about the roads and trails they’re exploring. The software is designed to help create safer roads, build community, and increase access to pertinent information for riders—no matter where they may be. Charles Rives Analytics’ development of BARRACUDA was funded by the Federal Highway Administration as part of the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Small Business Innovation Research Program.
Unlike automobile drivers, motorcycle riders are much more vulnerable to road hazards. Potholes, inclement weather, and slick roads can pose immense danger to riders and increase the probability of accidents. BARRACUDA provides timely hazard alerts designed to minimize distractions and, ultimately, keep motorcyclists safe. REVER users can interact with the BARRACUDA feature in a variety of ways, including through voice commands and button-based controls.
REVER has the largest online community of motorcycle riders. Through this partnership with Charles River Analytics, REVER will offer BARRACUDA to its millions of powersport enthusiasts and app users. Users will be able to natively interact and provide accurate, real-time hazard reporting, laying the foundation for a mass movement toward heightened rider safety.
BARRACUDA is available to REVER users on the Android platform, with the iOS version currently in private beta.
“This joint venture showcases the care and concern that the U.S. DOT shares with us regarding the safety and well-being of motorcyclists. The BARRACUDA SBIR project needed a large community of riders to bring this vision to life, and we knew that the REVER network was an optimal place to start,” said Justin Bradshaw, VP of Mobile Operations at REVER. “We like to think of BARRACUDA as the Waze for motorcyclists, but with a heightened emphasis on safety. Access to our millions of powersports enthusiasts allowed us to work with our partners to create a comprehensive, user-powered platform that warns riders of road hazards. This addresses a huge need for our community and we’re thrilled to be a part of the team bringing this technology to life.”
“Motorcycle riders can now benefit from state-of-the-art technology that improves their safety and adds to their experience while they are on the road,” said Dr. Elaine B. Coleman, VP of Commercialization at Charles River Analytics. “We are grateful to the U.S. DOT for selecting Charles River for an SBIR award to develop our app, and we’re very excited to partner with REVER on a solution that allows riders to avoid and report dangers without sacrificing safety.”
As it continues to provide essential services to its loyal customer base and national dealer network, Suzuki Motor of America, Inc. (Suzuki) is excited to support dealers’ ability to temporarily deliver products to customers’ homes or offices with “Suzuki Direct 2 You”. Suzuki announced this service on April 6, 2020 to its powersports dealers, providing them the opportunity to send Suzuki motorcycles, scooters, and ATVs directly to their customers, all while ensuring the same quality of service as an in-store visit
“We understand the landscape of the COVID-19 pandemic is challenging for everyone, and we are working hard to ease that burden with new and innovative ways to continue our commitment to keeping customers and dealers a priority,” said Kerry Graeber, Vice President MC/ATV Sales and Marketing. “With Suzuki Direct 2 You, we feel it’s a great way to follow appropriate guidelines while providing a way for customers to still enjoy the perks of a new Suzuki motorcycle or ATV.”
Customers are relying on Suzuki to help make the buying experience safe, professional, and convenient, especially those unable to visit a dealership. To help facilitate the purchase process, Suzuki encourages its dealers to communicate through electronic means and other methods to minimize contact, where and when appropriate.
“Suzuki Direct 2 You” will be available through June 30, 2020 at participating dealers, subject to local laws and directives.
For more information on “Suzuki Direct 2 You”, please visit SuzukiCycles.com or contact a local Suzuki dealer for availability.
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