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Triumph, the British motorcycle manufacturer, is set to launch its first affordable, single-cylinder models on June 27 in London. 

  • Triumph-Bajaj partnership set to reveal first bike in London. 
  • According to reports, two models have been caught testing in Europe. 

The retro-styled street bikes have been developed in partnership with Indian manufacturer Bajaj and mark a significant turning point for Triumph, which hasn’t produced an entry-level, single-cylinder bike since the early 1990s. 

The bikes will be available worldwide and will join the current Triumph product portfolio, distributed by the Triumph-led dealer network. 

Two models have been spied on test, a retro-style roadster and a 1960s-inspired scrambler, both of which share the same DOHC single-cylinder engine. 

The launch event will be global, organized by Triumph, and the bikes should be available at dealerships in India from the second quarter of this financial year.

Yamaha has appointed racing legend Valentino Rossi as its brand ambassador. 

  • Rossi retired in 2021 with Petronas Yamaha Sepang Racing Team (SRT). 
  • The Italian rider continue to ride Yamaha motorcycles at his VR46 Moto Ranch. 

The Italian rider spent the majority of his MotoGP career with Yamaha, winning four world championship titles with the manufacturer. Rossi retired from racing in 2021, but he has continued to maintain close ties with Yamaha, occasionally riding Yamaha machinery at his VR46 Moto Ranch.

Yamaha Motor Racing Managing Director Lin Jarvis expressed excitement about the appointment, stating that Rossi and his YZR-M1 shared a special bond. 

“We always considered Valentino as ‘family,’ and as soon as he expressed his desire to keep using Yamaha bikes and to become a brand ambassador, we went to work to make it happen,” said Jarvis.

Rossi has also collaborated with Yamaha on the Master Camp Moto2 Team and occasionally used Yamaha bikes for his “training and leisure” purposes. The new partnership with Yamaha only strengthens their already strong ties.

Rossi expressed his pleasure at the new role, stating that he had always planned to keep riding motorcycles even after retiring from MotoGP. 

“During my MotoGP career, I rode Yamaha bikes as part of my contract. But even after retiring, I kept using Yamaha bikes because I enjoy it. I’m happy that the agreement is now signed, so Yamaha and I get to work together in this new set-up,” said Rossi.

The appointment of Rossi as Yamaha’s brand ambassador is a significant moment for both the manufacturer and fans of motorcycle racing. Rossi’s passion for the sport and his close ties with Yamaha make him the perfect candidate for the role.

Honda is reportedly working on an electric motorcycle with a power output equivalent to a 500cc to 750cc petrol-powered bike, according to Shinji Aoyama, the head of Honda’s global electrification program.

This would be a step up from the smaller electric scooters and 125cc-equivalent bikes currently on the market. Aoyama stated that Honda is hoping to release this electric motorcycle by 2025.

This news is in line with Honda’s previous announcement that they are working on electric motorcycle development specifically for racing. 

Aoyama also revealed that Honda is researching the development of solid-state batteries for future EVs, a technology also being studied by other automakers such as BMW and Ford.

While some motorcycle manufacturers, like KTM, have been dismissive of the idea of larger, high-powered electric motorcycles, Honda’s willingness to invest in this technology is an interesting development. 

It remains to be seen how the motorcycle market will react to the release of Honda’s electric motorcycle, but it’s clear that the industry is beginning to shift towards more sustainable and environmentally friendly options.

(source: Young-Machine)

Qianjiang, the parent company of Benelli, is reportedly developing a new V-4 engine that will power the company’s future motorcycle models.

  • QJ Motor plans to introduce it’s own V4 engine in the near future.
  • The V4 powertrain is said to be around the 1L mark and offers more than 200hp. 

The engine has been featured in several patent applications published in China recently, revealing that it is a 90-degree V-4 engine with double overhead camshafts and four valves per cylinder, somewhere around the 1,000cc mark.

*the new patent showcased a 90-degree V4 engine.

Although the engine’s intended motorcycle model is unknown, some of the patent drawings feature the QJMotor logo, indicating that it will appear in at least one model in the company’s fast-growing QJMotor range. However, Qianjiang already shares its current engines across both the QJMotor and Benelli lineups, making it likely that the V-4 engine will eventually appear under the Benelli banner.

QJMotor range already includes more than 30 motorcycles, ranging from 50cc to 900cc. Therefore, the addition of a V-4 engine will help the company achieve its goal of having every type of combustion engine in its motorcycle lineup.

Qianjiang’s new V-4 engine project is a significant step towards establishing the company’s presence in the high-performance market.

The Road Transport Department (JPJ) in Malaysia has issued 14,514 notices for various offences under the Road Transport Act 1987 (Act 333) and confiscated 500 motorcycles through the HRA 2023 Integrated Motorcycle Ops from April 18 to 25 in conjunction with Hari Raya Aidilfitri (HRA).

Senior JPJ Enforcement Director Datuk Lokman Jamaan said that the notices were issued after carrying out inspections of 51,039 motorcycles while the motorcycles were seized due to the lack of insurance coverage, driving licence, and others involving 291 Point of Duty (POD) locations across the country.

He revealed that the six most common offences were no driving licence, expired vehicle licence (LKM), no insurance, expired driving licence, not wearing a helmet, and violating traffic lights.

According to Lokman, the correct use of a helmet can reduce injuries by 25%. Therefore, strict advocacy and enforcement measures will continue to be implemented by JPJ to reduce the rate of accidents and fatal accidents among motorcyclists.

Lokman officiated the Special Motorcycle Ops for the state of Perak in conjunction with the HRA 2023 Integrated Ops where a total of 7,146 motorcycles were inspected while action was taken against 1,313 motorcyclists under Act 333.

(source: BERNAMA)

Indian Motorcycle’s latest giveaway for riders living in Europe, the United Kingdom, and South Africa has generated quite the buzz.

  • one of the custom built FTR is up for a special giveaway. 
  • the custom built FTR is purely aesthetic. 

The prize includes one of two FTRs designed by custom shop Tank Machine and nine-time World Rally Championship champion Sébastien Loeb, with the matching bike remaining in Loeb’s possession.

At the time of the announcement, only renders of the FTR Loeb design were available. But as of April 27, 2023, Indian Motorcycle has officially released photos of the completed FTR Loeb design, which are now available for viewing.

The changes in this design are purely aesthetic, with the custom saddle featuring contrasting red stitching and a discreet French flag, along with the stylized numeral ‘9’ on the front headlight cowl and the tail cowl at the rear. The two fenders have Tank Machine’s name under the Indian Motorcycle logo against a chunky carbon fiber background, with a bold blue Loeb logo that darts from the middle to the tip of each fender.

If you’re eligible and interested in entering the contest, there’s still time. The drawing is currently open and will remain so until May 15, 2023. Eligible riders from Austria, Belgium, Cyprus, France, Germany, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, South Africa, Spain, Switzerland, or the United Kingdom can visit the official Indian Motorcycle webpage in their country and fill out the FTR Loeb contest form.

To enter, riders must also head to their nearest Indian Motorcycle dealer and take a test ride on an FTR, with no purchase necessary.

One lucky winner will be chosen at the end of May 2023 to win their own FTR Loeb and receive a VIP trip to Wheels and Waves 2023 in Biarritz, France. There, they will meet both Tank Machine and Sébastien Loeb, who will present the FTR Loeb to them in person.

Don’t miss your chance to enter this exclusive contest and possibly win the ride of a lifetime.

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