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BRIEFS
AdvRider . com reports that Siemens Energy , Porsche and a line-up of international companies are implementing a pilot project in Chile that is expected to yield the world ' s first integrated commercial , industrial-scale plant for making synthetic climate-neutral fuels ( e-fuels ). In the pilot phase , around 130,000 liters of e-fuels will be produced as early as this year . In two further phases , capacity is then to be increased to about 55 million liters of e- fuels a year by 2024 , and around 550 million liters by 2026 . Porsche will be the primary customer for the green fuel and will use it in beacon projects . Those include using the e-fuel in vehicles for Porsche motorsports , at the Porsche Experience Centers and possibly also in serial production sports cars . The project takes advantage of the availability of wind energy in southern Chile and the fuel will allow vehicles with combustion engines , including motorcycles , to be operated almost climateneutrally . Porsche has recently increased its stake in e-fuels group HIF Global , which is planning a potential A $ 1bn production plant in Australia to make e-fuels , modeled on the plant in southern Chile . Ducati is said to be eying e-fuels too - both Porsche and Ducati are subsidiaries of the Volkswagen Audi Group ( VAG ).
Triumph Motorcycle has announced the acquisition of British electric motorcycle manufacturer OSET Bikes - " a leader in the world of children ’ s electric off-road motorcycles ." Founded in 2004 by Ian Smith , OSET has sold more than 40,000 bikes globally that feature its inhouse developed electric powertrains . Triumph says that the OSET deal " sits within our 2020 announced strategy of entering the off-road segment ." OSET Bikes offers products that are suitable for any rider , starting from three years old and upwards .
Mystery surrounds the death of American jet ski world champion Eric Francis , 36 , from Orlando . He was found floating dead in the water near his undamaged Kawasaki off the coast of Guadeloupe after ' disappearing ' during a race . His death came weeks before the birth of his second daughter . Eric was married to British world champion jet skier Sophie Francis , 26 , who was with him in Guadeloupe for a race of her own .
BMW R12 Cruiser on the Way ? By Ben Purvis
After a decade and a half away from the cruiser market , BMW ' s massive R18 was perhaps the perfect machine to launch as a statement that the German firm was back in the game and serious about its intentions . Given the R18 ' s vast dimensions and weight , riders who want a BMW-branded cruiser with a little less excess will be pleased to hear that the chances of a smaller version of the bike reaching production have just increased . BMW has filed trademark applications across the globe for rights to use the name ' R12 ' on a future motorcycle , and given the company ' s current naming protocol , that badge seems sure to be used on a cruiser similar to the R18 . The R12 name clearly sits alongside the R18 , with the ' R ' denoting a boxer twin engine and the ' 12 ' indicating a capacity of around 1,200 cc . The existing 1,170 cc twin from the R nineT retro roadster would seem to be the ideal engine : with 109 hp it has got all the performance it needs to compete in the 1,200 cc cruiser sweet spot against machines like Indian ' s 1,133 cc Scout , Harley ' s 1,252 cc Sportster S and Triumph ' s 1,200 cc Speedmaster . The proliferation of 1,200-class cruisers and the potential that the BMW R12 will join them illustrates how much the market has changed since
In what , ostensibly , sounds like a remarkable move by the United States Federal Trade Commission , a complaint has been issued against Harley ( June 23 , 2022 ), ordering the company to " fix warranties by removing illegal terms and recognizing the right to repair ." The complaint goes on to urge Harley to " come clean with customers and ensure that dealers compete fairly with independent third-parties ." A similar complaint was issued against Westinghouse , and it is assumed that the two companies have been selected
BMW ' s last attempt at a cruiser - the 1997-2004 R1200C . While warmly welcomed by reviewers , the R1200C was left behind by the early-2000 ' s trend for ever-larger engines in the class . By the end of its life in 2004 , rivals included the Honda VTX1800 , Kawasaki VN2000 and , of course , the then-new 2.3-litre Triumph Rocket III . Speaking in 2004 , BMW Motorrad ' s then boss , Dr Herbert Diess ( now one of the most powerful men in the motor industry as CEO of the VW Group ) said : " There will be no direct successor to the cruiser in our next model generation . This is due to technical considerations : the new engine you know from the GS is designed consistently for low weight and therefore - quite intentionally - offers only a small margin for an increase in engine displacement . Since the trend in the cruiser segment has now been pointing far beyond 1,400 cc for quite some time , a cruiser in its former , classic style with a smaller engine would no longer fit into our concept for the future ." Even then , he left the door open for a return , saying : " This does not mean that we are turning away from the cruising philosophy with BMW motorcycles once and for all . On the contrary , it would be quite conceivable
Vance & Hines on FTC Action Against H-D
for sample action as the FTC seeks to clamp down on warranty policies that illegally restrict customers ' right of repair . Kennedy , President & CEO of Vance & Hines and himself a former senior Harley executive issued the following statement : " This action taken by the FTC is a huge win for motorcycle riders . " While we still need to see how this plays out , we anticipate that riders will have more choices in how they repair and update their motorcycles during the warranty period , which is clearly a big deal for companies in the
BMW ' s last venture into the Cruiser segment - the R1200C ' Independent ' was launched in 1997 , but dropped after 2004 . The original R12 is legendary - it was an R11 successor based on a 1933 Alfred Boening Art Deco styled R7 concept . It was the first production bike to feature hydraulically damped telescopic front forks and ran from 1935 through 1942 - 36,000 were made .
for us to reinterpret this theme quite differently at some time in the future ." Fast forward to 2022 , and the market today is very different , with a thriving class of cruisers in exactly the capacity category where the R1200C used to be . Since BMW already has the right engine for the job - in fact the R nineT ' s 1,170 cc twin is directly descended from the identically-sized motor used in the R1200C - the development costs of a new R12 cruiser would not be great . In fact , there ' s already an aftermarket kit from NMoto - called the ' R sevenT ' - that converts the stock BMW R nineT into a pre-war-style cruiser inspired by the 1934 one-off BMW R7 .
Mike Kennedy , President & CEO of Vance & Hines " This action taken by the FTC is a huge win for motorcycle riders ."
motorcycle aftermarket , too . " I hope that the ' it will void your warranty ' threat for someone who just wants a better sounding or smoother running Harley is a thing of the past ."
We have also heard from Marc McAllister , President and CEO of Tucker
UPDATE ... Powersports , another ex-Harley man , who is quoted as saying : " The
announcement from the FTC has a tremendous impact on dealerships , independent shops and consumers . All dealerships in the US , including Harley shops , will benefit from being able to offer their customers more choices . Ultimately , this means that consumers get to choose the products that are right for their bike and their riding , not what was right for the manufacturer . At Tucker , we will continue to offer our dealers great replacement parts and accessories that they can now consider for every one of their customer ' s bikes ."
22 AFTERMARKET MOTO DESIGN - AUGUST 2022 www . AMDchampionship . com