Dorna has confirmed the cancellation of the Valencia MotoGP 2024 due to a devastating and deadly flood which hit the region. The BBC reported that the calamity has claimed 202 lives, with more missing victims, at the time of writing (2145 hrs., MY time).
Pictures from the region has shown the landscape covered in thick mud, along with motor vehicles strewn everywhere, even on highways. The Spanish national weather agency said that the region saw more than 300 litres of rainfall per square metre.
In a statement released today, MotoGP organisers stated that “the championship will put our collective efforts behind backing the relief funds already in place to ensure our positive impact can connect with the area”.
Much of Spain has been hit by extreme weather for the past week, with the Valencia region being one of the worst hit. Some parts of the Ricardo Tormo circuit have been completely washed out, with access roads collapsing and huge amounts of damage making it difficult to see how a grand prix weekend could go ahead beginning 15 November.
The round in Malaysia this weekend will now become a springboard for the fundraising effort, as organisers try to ensure a positive impact can be made for the people and communities affected by the extreme weather.
Indeed, several MotoGP riders have expressed their wish not to race in Valencia regardless if the Ricardo Tormo track can be repaired in time. Defending World Champion, Francesco Bagnaia went as far as to say that he will boycott the event even if it costs him the championship. 9-time World Champion, Marc Marquez had also said that it is only right that the championship not be held in Valencia this year out of respect for the victims.
In the meantime, Dorna is considering another location to hold the last race of the 2024 season. Some pundits have speculated that Malaysia will indeed be the last round. Some have called for the Sepang International Circuit to hold another round, since everything is already in place, anyway.
Our hearts go out to those who were affected by the floods.
The 2025 Yamaha MT-07 has been launched, marking the model’s fourth generation since its introduction in 2014. Instead of refreshing its looks alone, the new bike brings along many changes throughout including new chassis, electronics, weight reduction, and electronic features.
In a shocking move, KTM’s parent company Pierer Mobility Group has removed four directors. As such, their board of directors with be downsized from six to only two members.
The decision will leave only CEO Stefan Pierer and Co-CEO Gottfried Neumeister to helm the company. The biggest name to be cut is Hubert Trunkenpolz, who is the grandson of one of KTM’s founders Hans Trunkenpolz – the “T” in the brand’s name. The other three directors are Alex Pierer, Florian Kecht, and Rudolf Wiesbeck.
The decision follows the group’s continued financial struggles which already saw two rounds employee downsizing. They had cited high costs of living in the United States and recession in Germany.
According to the company’s statement, “The European economy is stagnating, with the important German market in particular in recession.”
“In the USA, consumer purchasing power remains low due to the high cost of living and long peirod of expensive consumer credit.”
PMG has seen a -6.3% decline in registrations in the US from January to September 2024. September alone saw a decline of -14.3%. Such alarming figures had prompted PMG to claim that “rapid recovery cannot be expected.”
The company which owns KTM, Husqvarna, GasGas and MV Agusta announced earlier this year that they are planning for more growth in non-European markets in partnership with Bajaj Auto (India) and CFMoto (China).
The statement adds: “Despite the slight reduction in inventories, further destocking remains an important objective.”
“Pierer Mobility remains clearly committed to supporting dealers and suppliers as a strategic partner in these difficult times. As a result of measures taken in this regard, working capital and consequently the company’s net debt and interest expenses increased.”
Due to the worrying circumstances, PMG has landed itself in, it confirmed that it is also revoking its 2024 guidance.
The statement concludes: “As a result of these circumstances Pierer Mobility will fall short of expectations in terms of revenue and earnings, as well as with regard to the reduction in working capital and net debt in the current financial year, and is revoking its guidance for the 2024 financial year.”
“A new review of non-cash value adjustments will also be carried out by the end of the year.”
As part of its commitment to fostering safety education for motorcyclists, Berjaya Sompo Insurance is proud to support the development of future talent in motorcycle sport racing through its sponsorship of Hong Leong Yamaha Malaysia’s racing activities. (more…)
The brand-new 2025 Triumph Tiger Sport 800 has been launched. It fills the gap left by the outgoing Tiger 850 Sport, between the Tiger Sport 660 and Tiger 900.
Unlike the Tiger 850 Sport which is based on the Tiger 900 dual-sport platform, the Tiger Sport 800 is based on the fully road-biased Tiger Sport 660. The 660 platform began with the Trident 660, before seeing the Tiger 660 Sport and Daytona 660 being added on.
As such, the Tiger Sport 800 will be more powerful than the Tiger 850 Sport, touting a 798cc, three-cylinder engine which produces 113hp and 84.1Nm of torque. Those figures put it in the range of the Yamaha Tracer 9 GT (117hp, 93Nm) and BMW F 900 XR (105hp, 92Nm). Although the Triumph’s peak torque output is lower than its competitors, do remember that all Triumph engines are tune to provide 90% of their peak torque over a wider rev range.
The bike’s chassis is shared with the 660’s, meaning that Triumph has somehow managed to squeeze the bigger engine into the frame. Yes, the 800’s frame and swingarm are shared with 660’s but the former’s suspension is higher in spec. Up front are fully-adjustable 41mm upside-down Showa forks, and a Showa monoshock at the back. Brakes consist of dual 310mm discs and four-piston calipers up front.
Electronics include a TFT display with smartphone connectivity via the My Triumph Connectivity System, allowing for turn-by-turn navigation, phones calls, music streaming.
There is a six-axis Inertial Measurement Unit (IMU) which provides optimised cornering ABS and traction control. Riding modes are Road, Rain, and Sport. Cruise control and quickshifter are standard.
Triumph claims fuel consumption is a frugal 25.5 km/litre, giving a maximum of range of 402km when coupled to the 18.6 liter fuel tank.
The 2025 Triumph Tiger Sport 800 sells for £10,995 (RM61,865.91) in the UK.
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