Global News Archives

BMW Motorrad Sales Broke Records in 2024

BMW Motorrad sales broke records again in 2024, with the German marque claiming to sell a total of 210,408 new bikes.

The biggest seller was of course, and without doubt, the new R 1300 GS and the previous R 1250 GS. Their biggest market was once again in their homeland.

Top sales region and countries:

118,727 new bikes were sold in Europe, making making it the most valuable region.
Sales in Germany were up eight per cent with 26,177 bikes.
France was the next best-performing country, with 20,693 units.
Followed by Italy, with 16,617 units.
Central Europe, which includes countries like Poland, Romania, Switzerland and Serbia collectively sold 11,411 new bike sales. It was a 12 per cent increase from the previous year.

Best-seling models:

As mentioned ealier, R1300 GS and R1250 GS were the most popular, selling 68,000 worldwide.
The S 1000 RR was the best-selling four-cylinder model, with 11,610 shifted
The entire four-cylinder family (S 1000 RR, M 1000 RR, S 1000 R, M 1000 R, S 1000 XR, and M 1000 XR) sold 27,147 units worldwide.

Markus Flasch, head of BMW Motorrad, said, “I would like to extend my heartfelt thanks to our customers and community around the world for the tremendous trust they have placed in us once again in 2024. With the strongest sales result in company history, BMW Motorrad remarkably claims the 1st Place in the global Premium Motorcycle segment. Our market leadership in numerous segments and markets in based on our claim to innovation leadership, our highly attractive product offering as well as the consistent strategic focus on brand strength. Based on these success drivers, BMW Motorrad is well-positioned for the future and so I approach the year 2025 with a very positive outlook.”

Triumph Thruxton 400 Prototype Spotted

There have been many rumours about an upcoming café racer for the Triumph 400 range. It looks like it is true, after all, as a Triumph Thruxton 400 prototype had been spotted undergoing road tests in India.

Triumph had stopped production of the Thruxton 1200 (Final Edition in the main picture), and instead moved the high performance Bonneville ‘task’ to the Speed Twin. That leaves the company without a model with the Thruxton name in their lineup. To us, the Thruxton 1200 was the best Bonneville. Ever!

However, it now seems confirmed that the name will live on, albeit in the 400 range. We have ridden both the Speed 400 and Scrambler 400X, and they were just amazing. On top of it, they are sold at very competitive prices. It is why both models are selling like hotcakes.

So, over to the Thruxton 400 prototype. The pictures show a café racer clad in a half-fairing, although it was an accessory for the Thruxton 1200. The handlebar or clip ons are also placed lower than the Speed 400. The rest of the bike appears the same apart from these two details.

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The engine will of course be the 398cc, single-cylinder unit built together with Bajaj Auto. It produces 39.5hp and 37.5Nm of torque, channeled through a 5-speed transmission. While it does not seem high on paper, it is entertaining enough.

Well, we cannot wait for more news about this bike. The Thruxton 1200 and its Final Edition were out of our financial reach, so maybe the Triumph Thruxton 400 could be the one!

Goodyear Sells Dunlop to Sumitomo

Goodyear has sold the Dunlop brand to the Japanese tyre brand Sumitomo, for a reported deal of USD701 million (MYR3.1 billion).

The entire deal is a little convoluted, as Sumitomo already owns the Dunlop brand since 1985 to produce Dunlop tyres under license for certain markets. However, Sumitomo did not buy the entire company. Then, in 2015, Sumitomo reacquired Dunlop’s entire motorcycle tire division from Goodyear.

The latest deal sees Sumitomo buying the entire Dunlop brand (including the car tyres) and their manufacturing facilities. The deal is part of Goodyear’s plan to streamline its operations, which it laid out in its ‘Goodyear Forward’ transformation plan. The plan has seen the closure of several factories around the world including in Malaysia, recently.

As well as the purchase price paid to acquire the brand, Sumitomo will also pay a “Transition Fee” and while it sounds like a lock, stock, and barrel purchase, in Europe at least, Dunlop will continue to manufacture, sell and distribute Dunlop branded consumer tyres until at least December 31, 2025. Furthermore, Dunlop will still supply certain branded tyres to Sumitomo for the European market for a five-year period, with quantities of 4.5 million tyres per year required to oblige the contract.

Speaking about the deal, Mark Stewart, Goodyear Chief Executive Officer and President, said: “This is another important milestone as we continue to execute against our Goodyear Forward transformation plan. We are optimising our portfolio and reducing leverage to drive sustainable and substantial shareholder value creation … Not only does the transaction deliver significant value for our shareholders, it better positions Goodyear to enhance our focus on the growth of our core brands.”

“Our team conducted a comprehensive process focused on maximising value for Goodyear through a divestment of our Dunlop Brand, and we are very pleased with the outcome achieved,” said Christina Zamarro, Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer. “We are committed to working closely with SRI to ensure a smooth transition for customers of the Dunlop Brand.“

Aprilia Tuareg 660 Rally Wins Africa Eco Race Again

As we published previously, the Aprilia Tuareg 660 surprised everyone when it won last year’s Africa Eco Race rally in maiden attempt. As such, the factory was more than keen to defend the title with the Aprilia Tuareg 660 Rally this year.

Racing the bike to the top podium was Italian rider Jacopo Cerutti who beat Alessandro Botturi on the Yamaha Ténéré 700 by a mere 26 seconds. The duel was thrilling as the two riders took on the last stage with only 9 seconds separating them in the overall standings. The two Italian riders fought for every kilometre but Botturi, in addition to a navigation error, found himself stuck in a net that he dragged to the finish line.

Cerutti had not only conquered the gruelling race, but also several challenges such a gastrointestinal virus, issues with the mousse in his rear tire, and non-functioning navigation instruments. In the end, Cerutti defended his title all the way to the last kilometre, and taking five stage victories and another two podiums.

He said, “Winning the Africa Eco Race for the second consecutive year is a dream. We had an outstanding advantage in the sand, both because of my riding style and the performance of the Tuareg Rally, and I was able to exploit it fully. It was an edition where strategy was fundamental and, in the last two days, I accomplished an undertaking that even I did not think possible. Congratulations also to Alessandro Botturi, it was great to have an opponent like him and to fight to the end.”

Cerutti’s teammate and race debutant, Marco Menichini, took victory in the Junior Under 25 class and sixth overall, as well as third place in the multi-cylinder class, on the other Aprilia Tuareg 660.

Yamaha star Pol Tarres also competed in this year’s Africa Eco Race but crashed at Kilometer 111 of Stage 2 while fighting for the win. He lost consciousness for several minutes and had to be airlifted to safety. He is safe and recovering from his injuries.

The sixteenth edition of the Africa Eco Race began in Monaco and crossing over to the breathtaking landscapes of Morocco, Mauritania, and Senegal. The rally actually traces the legendary Paris-Dakar Rally’s and Thierry Sabine’s legacy, and as such, it has come to be known as “The Real Race to Dakar” in recent years. Spanning 14 days and 12 challenging stages, it covered roughly 6,000 km of unforgiving terrain.

Vespa 946 Snake Limited Edition Launched in Italy

The new Vespa 946 Snake limited edition has been launched to celebrate the Lunar Calendar’s Year of the Snake celebration. Vespa had also released the 946 Dragon to celebrate the Year of the Dragon, in 2024. In any case, the Vespa 946 snake is limited to just 888 units.

Vespa says the design is “inspired by icy landscapes”: Simple yet eye-catching, the model features a series of accessories, and has been created with particular attention to design and functionality.

Snake-inspired details are evident in the handlebar grips and the seat, which mirror the reptile’s characteristic skin texture, while there are chrome elements featured across the fuel tank and mudguard to complete the model’s aesthetics.

Additionally, Vespa has a helmet with a removable interior and smoked visor along with a very stylish Bomber jacket specifically made to suit the model. By contrast, the 946 Dragon had a jacket only.

Vespa is planning to implement an international retail strategy through pop-up stores in various locations. The tour for the 946 Snake will begin in Rome, at Rinascente Tritone, followed by Galeries Lafayette on the Champs-Élysées in Paris. This is already ongoing and will end on 5 February. The itinerary also includes stops at flagship stores in Milan, Vienna, Beijing, Istanbul, Bangkok, Singapore, Hanoi, and Jakarta.

Pre-orders for the new Vespa 946 Snake began on 8 January with further information on the official Vespa website.

70-Year-Old KTM Controlled Foundry goes Bankrupt

A 70-year-old KTM controlled foundry has gone bankrupt.

The Austrian foundry, called Vöcklabrucker Metallgießerei Dambauer GmbH (VMG) was a family business and Pierer Beteiligungs GmbH took over 70 per cent of the business in 2022. The news outlet OÖNachrichten (OON) reported that the company had 150 employees and a turnover of €32 million at the time of the takeover.

Half of VMD’s sales was to KTM, while the other half came from other clients, including some from BMW.

OON further reported that KTM Components AG had promised VMG’s bosses that the former will keep the foundry afloat by providing funds including for the workers’ salaries, despite KTM’s struggles.

Unfortunately that did not come to pass as there seems to be no plan to restructure the company. It is a big blow to the staff, who are reported to be still owed wages, and also for the family that built the company. VMG was slated to celebrate their 70th anniversary in 2025.

A spokesman from the creditors’ protection association KSV1870 said, “We assume that the debtor company will be closed in bankruptcy court as quickly as possible after a prior examination by the insolvency administrator and that the remaining assets will be utilized in the best possible way.”

In other words, the creditors are keen to be repaid and VMG’s assets will be sold off.

Bajaj Hit 3.1 Million Registrations in 2024

Bajaj Auto recorded 3.1 million motorcycle registrations worldwide in 2024, a 10.6% rise. It was not far from their highest record.

The data was provided by the website MotorCycles Data who track actual registrations by consumers, rather than sales invoiced to dealers by the manufacturers.

The company’s sales growth was almost entirely driven by domestic consumption, taking the brand to fourth place in India behind Honda, Hero, and Yamaha.

By contrast, Bajaj’s share in the global market saw some drops, apart the African continent, where the demand is for cheap vehicles and consumers are considering Bajaj Auto as an alternative to Chinese motorcycles. 96% of the total sales and exports were mainly to Africa, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka.

The manufacturer also holds a strong position in South America, exporting from the local plant based in Colombia.

Biggest gainers were India (+13.4%), Brazil (+136%), and Nicaragua (+53%). Markets that saw the sharpest drops were Bangladesh (-27%), Philippines (-10.2%), and Argentina (-15.6%).

Overall, Bajaj Auto lost one place in the world ranking, dropping to 6th, behind TVS Motor.

Plane Crashes Killed 334 in 2024

Plane crashes killed 334 people in 2024 worldwide, according to preliminary data from the German Air Traffic Industry Association (BDL), German news agency (dpa) reported.

The fatalities included passengers, crew and seven people on the ground.

In comparison, only 80 deaths were reported in 2023, the second lowest number since 1970.

The BDL statistics cover accidents involving aircraft with at least 14 seats. Incidents involving smaller aircraft and military flights are excluded from the report.

Although the number of aviation fatalities hit a record low in 2017, there has been an increase in the following years, the association said.

However, long-term data shows significant safety improvements.

“The aviation industry was about 53 times safer last year (2024) than in the 1970s,” said BDL Managing Director Joachim Lang.

In 2024, 17 accidents involving passenger and cargo aircraft were investigated, the association said.

The deadliest accident occurred on December 29 when a Boeing 737-800 operated by Jeju Air crashed while landing at Muan Airport in South Korea. The crash killed 179 passengers and two crew members survived. Investigators are still trying to determine the cause of the accident.

According to projections by the UN’s International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO), about 4.7 billion passengers will fly worldwide in 2024, more than 10 times the average since the 1970s, when only 440 million people flew annually.

In other words, civil aviation is still the safest mode of transportation.

Cybertruck Explodes Outside Trump Towers, 1 Killed

A Tesla Cybertruck exploded outside Trump Towers in Las Vegas. At least one person, the vehicle’s occupant, was confirmed to have been killed while another seven suffered minor injuries, according to Sheriff Kevin McMahill of the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department said.

He called the explosion “an isolated incident” and said there is no indication that it was linked to ISIS.

The Sheriff also said gasoline canisters, camp fuel canisters and large firework mortars were found in the back of the vehicle after the explosion, which occurred about 15 seconds after the vehicle pulled in front of the building. It’s still unclear how the explosives were ignited, he said.

The Cybertruck, a 2024 model, pulled up to the hotel’s glass entrance doors, McMahill said. Smoke began emerging from the vehicle, and then a large explosion occurred.

He added further that the truck was rented in Colorado and arrived in Las Vegas on Wednesday morning. It appears to have been rented via the Turo peer-to-peer car rentals app. It is the same app that a source said was used by the New Orleans attacker to rent the pickup he used. In a statement, a Turo spokesperson said: “We are actively partnering with law enforcement authorities as they investigate both incidents. We do not believe that either renter involved in the Las Vegas and New Orleans attacks had a criminal background that would have identified them as a security threat.”

The explosion occurred hours after a deadly New Orleans attack, when a man intentionally drove a pickup truck into a crowd of revelers on Bourbon Street, killing at least 15 people. The FBI said “weapons and a potential IED,” or improvised explosive device, were found in his vehicle, which was flying an ISIS flag.

In a post on X, Tesla CEO, Elon Musk said “The whole Tesla senior team is investigating this matter right now. Will post more information as soon as we learn anything. We’ve never seen anything like this.”

In another post a few hours later, he said the blast “was caused by very large fireworks and/or a bomb carried in the bed of the rented Cybertruck and is unrelated to the vehicle itself.”

In the past year, Musk became a major donor and close adviser to Trump, with the billionaire tasked to head up Trump’s Department of Government Efficiency, or DOGE. Musk, along with his co-leader of DOGE, Vivek Ramaswamy, are aiming to cut billions in federal spending.

The case is now being investigated as a possible act of terrorism.

Tunnelling Work for Tianshan Shengli Tunnel, World’s Longest Roadway Tunnel Completed

Tunnelling work for the the Tianshan Shengli Tunnel, the world’s longest expressway tunnel, has been completed on Monday morning. The completion will facilitate the opening of a new shortcut linking southern and northern parts of Northwest China’s Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, the Xinhua News Agency reported on Monday.

The 22.13-kilometer tunnel, “Shengli,” which means “victory” in Chinese, will reduce the time it takes to drive across the middle section of the Tianshan Mountains from several hours to about 20 minutes once operational, according to Xinhua.

The mega project’s design features a dual-direction, four-lane tunnel with a design speed of 100 km/h. It is located in the remote depths of the Tianshan Mountains, at an average altitude of over 3,000 meters, the China Media Group (CMG) reported on Monday.

Over the past four years, more than 3,000 workers have toiled continuously in high-altitude, low-oxygen environments, while tackling numerous geological challenges and risks such as rock bursts, large deformations in soft rock, and collapses, according to the CMG report.

The project faces severe environmental conditions and highly complex geology. Typically, it would take about 72 months to complete the tunnel using conventional methods. However, the builders successfully completed it in just 52 months, according to CMG.

The Tianshan Shengli Tunnel is a key project of the Urumqi-Yuli Expressway, which runs from the regional capital of Urumqi in northern Xinjiang to Yuli County in southern Xinjiang. The expressway is expected to be fully completed and open to traffic in 2025. The driving time between the two locations will be reduced from about seven hours to just over three hours, according to Xinhua.

Aprilia RS125, Aprilia Tuono 125 Refreshed for 2025

While we have quite a large offering of Aprilia motorcycles in Malaysia, there are several models missing from the line-up, namely the Aprilia RS125, Tuono 125, RX125, and SX125. These are available in Europe especially since the continent has A1 and A2 license rules. They seem to be selling well over there and Aprilia has refreshed them for 2025.

Starting with the engine, the single-cylinder, four-valve, liquid-cooled powerplant (shared among the four models) has now been overhauled to meet Euro5+ standards. The engine produces 14.8hp at 10,500rpm and 11Nm at 8500rpm, which at the limit of A1 license regulations. For comparison, the Aprilia 125cc engine’s power output sits in between the Yamaha 135LC’s (12hp) and Y15ZR’s (15.1hp).

The sportier pair in the foursome, the RS125 sportbike and Tuono 125 naked continue to use the same aluminium twin spar frame as before – making them the only bikes in their class without steel frames. They come with upside-down forks, aluminium swingarms, radially mounted front brakes, and LED lighting all-round.

Colour choices for each are now Kingsnake White or Cyanide Yellow for the RS, and Viper Yellow or Mamba Grey for the Tuono.

The other two variants in the Aprilia 125 lineup are the SX125 supermoto and RX125 dirtbike. The former uses 17-inch wheels front and back, while the latter has a 21-inch front wheel and 18-inch rear wheel. Both these use steel frames. Both machines come in Cubozoa White or Varanus Black.

Prices for the Aprilia RS125, Tuono 125, SX125, and RX125 have not been revealed. Wonder if these will be in Malaysia some day.

2025 Aprilia Tuareg 660 Rally to Defend Aprilia’s Africa Eco Race Win

Aprilia had won the Africa Eco Race rally in 2023 in their first attempt with the Tuareg 660. And now, they will be back to defend the win with a 2025 Aprilia Tuareg 660 Rally.

The race will take place from 28 December and conclude on 12 January, again with Jacopo Cerutti, Francesco Montanari and Marco Menichini. It was Cerutti who won last year’s race.

The Rally version of the Tuareg 660 is new for 2025 and features new distinctive race graphics, going alongside the standard 660 which receives the usual Aprilia Racing colourway and several other variants including a ‘Dakar Podium’ colour scheme, Martian Red, Acid Gold, Indaco Tagelmust and Canyon Sand.

Montanari is no stranger to the Africa Eco Rally as he joins the fold for the 2025 edition, while Menichini is a new entrant to the race and will feature as part of the ‘Junior class’ which is designed for riders under 25 years of age.

Ahead of the event, Cerutti said: “The dream is to win again, in spite of the fact that there are almost 4,000 km of timed sections extremely demanding along the way where anything can happen. In the Africa Eco Race, navigation is always a huge challenge and each day can hold surprises all the way to the last mile.

Aprilia Racing CEO Massimo Rivola also spoke about the upcoming event as the Noale-based brand is keen to make another statement. “After last year’s outstanding performance, it’s hard not to be optimistic about this edition, although being defending champs comes with great responsibility. It won’t be easy to repeat the performance, partly because our rivals are even more prepared. Jacopo is in grand form and he is determined to demonstrate his full potential.

“We are also counting on Montanari’s experience, who showed us his value last year, and on Marco Menichini’s skills in the Junior class. We are confident in the Guareschi Team’s great performance.”

Bikesrepublic

Global News

BMW Motorrad Sales Broke Records in 2024

Top sales region and countries:

Best-seling models:

Triumph Thruxton 400 Prototype Spotted

Goodyear Sells Dunlop to Sumitomo

Aprilia Tuareg 660 Rally Wins Africa Eco Race Again

Vespa 946 Snake Limited Edition Launched in Italy

70-Year-Old KTM Controlled Foundry goes Bankrupt

Bajaj Hit 3.1 Million Registrations in 2024

Plane Crashes Killed 334 in 2024

Cybertruck Explodes Outside Trump Towers, 1 Killed

Tunnelling Work for Tianshan Shengli Tunnel, World’s Longest Roadway Tunnel Completed

Aprilia RS125, Aprilia Tuono 125 Refreshed for 2025

2025 Aprilia Tuareg 660 Rally to Defend Aprilia’s Africa Eco Race Win

BMW Motorrad Sales Broke Records in 2024

Triumph Thruxton 400 Prototype Spotted

Goodyear Sells Dunlop to Sumitomo

Aprilia Tuareg 660 Rally Wins Africa Eco Race Again

Vespa 946 Snake Limited Edition Launched in Italy

70-Year-Old KTM Controlled Foundry goes Bankrupt

Bajaj Hit 3.1 Million Registrations in 2024

Plane Crashes Killed 334 in 2024

Cybertruck Explodes Outside Trump Towers, 1 Killed

Tunnelling Work for Tianshan Shengli Tunnel, World’s Longest Roadway Tunnel Completed

Aprilia RS125, Aprilia Tuono 125 Refreshed for 2025

2025 Aprilia Tuareg 660 Rally to Defend Aprilia’s Africa Eco Race Win

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