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BRIEFS
Responding to demand and opportunity , legendary British auto and motorcycle engine developer Ricardo is to open a hydrogen test facility at its Shoreham-by-Sea headquarters in southern England . " The stateof-the-art facility boasts test and advanced development capabilities both in alternative fuels and electric vehicles , supporting a range of hydrogen and fuel cell services for Ricardo ' s global customers ."
Vancouver based Damon Motors announced an order book that had exceeded a $ 90m order backlog globally to October 2022 , with the potential of exceeding $ 250m through international partnerships , like the one with Latin America ' s Auteco . Damon says it has over 3,500 waiting customers and is preparing a pilot production facility at San Rafael , California - over 25 % of Damon ' s orders are from buyers in California . To prepare to scale manufacturing , Damon says it has also leased a 108,000 sq ft facility in Vancouver , Canada , which is being readied for world production .
Japanese made motorcycle exports to USA ( 250 cc +) were 38,008 units for the first seven months of 2022 , down by -9.07 % for the year-ago period . The corresponding figure a decade ago ( 2013 ) was 71,152 units , having peaked ( in 21st century terms ) at 249,000 units in 2006 . The data is for the ' Big Four ' Japanese manufacturers - Honda , Yamaha , Kawasaki and Yamaha . Though all four have spread their production globally even more than ever in the past 20 years , including into the United States , most of America ' s higher value units are still manufactured in Japan .
Motorcycle registrations in Italy were + 4.56 % for the year to August 2022 at 99,226 units . Total PTW registrations in Italy for the period to end of August show an overall market that is in negative territory at -3.69 % YTD ( 206,247 units ). However , though down on 2021 so far , it is still the second best first eight months for the Italian PTW market since 2011 . Of the YTD total , 107,021 were classed as Scooters , which is -10.26 % compared to the first eight months of 2021 . The Benelli TRK 502 / X was again the top selling motorcycle YTD at 5,712 units . Italy was again the largest market in Europe in 2021 with motorcycle registrations + 26.49 % ( 119,079 units ) compared to 2020 - the best for more than a decade .
Honda Hornet 750 Parallel Twin By Ben Purvis
Honda has been teasing its new Hornet project since last year , but the company has finally revealed some genuine photographic evidence along with the first specifications . There ' s already a 745 cc twin in Honda ' s range , powering the NC750 line of bikes , but the new 755 cc twin for the Hornet ( and the upcoming Transalp 750 ) is a very different proposition , despite sharing some characteristics . Like the NC engine and the Africa Twin ' s 1,084 cc twin , the Hornet ' s 755 cc unit uses the Unicam cylinder head arrangement , with a single camshaft acting directly on the
Madrid based Dorna Sports , the FIM ' s MotoGP rights holder , has signed a memorandum of understanding with Saudi Motorsport Company ( SMC ) to host a MotoGP round in Saudi Arabia - SMC is the dedicated commercial entity established to bring the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia ' s ( KSA ) motorsport events under a single umbrella . SMC acts as the local promoter for KSA ' s growing motorsport events portfolio , which currently includes the Formula 1 Saudi Arabian Grand Prix , the Formula E Diriyah ePrix , the worldrenowned Dakar Rally and an annual round of the Extreme E series . The signing of the deal took place in September at the San Marino Grand Prix by HRH Prince Khalid Bin Sultan Al Abdullah Al-Faisal , Chairman of the Saudi Automobile and Motorcycle Federation and the Saudi Motorsport Company and by Dorna CEO Carmelo Ezpeleta . Commenting on the deal , Dorna stated : " The FIM MotoGP World Championship is watched by more than 800 million people , broadcasting live to more than 200 countries around the world . The addition of Saudi Arabia intake valves and opening the exhausts via rockers . It ' s a compact layout that helps reduce both the size of the engine and its parts count . In terms of performance , the new Hornet engine is superior to the NC750 engine . Despite only a 10 cc capacity advantage , it offers a peak of 90.5 hp at 9,500 rpm , much more than the lazy 57 hp at 6,750 rpm of the NC . Torque is also up , from 50.9 lb-ft to 55.3 lb-ft , coming at 7,250 rpm . This new Hornet engine uses a 270-degree firing interval to replicate the throb of a 90-degree V-twin , and it will benefit from electronic throttles and the usual
to the MotoGP calendar on an annual basis will see the sport expanding further into the Middle East , with Qatar currently hosting the only round in the region .
" The partnership initiative between SMC and Dorna will also see the establishment of a new talent development program for young Saudi riders , designed to increase awareness of and accessibility to the sport in the Kingdom ." array of traction control and riding mode software . The Hornet Test Project Leader is Fuyuki Hosokawa , who led the development of the current Fireblade . He said : " Before starting this project , we thought long and hard about what kind of performance we wanted to give to the rider . We knew that it was essential to keep the classic Hornet top end power ' hit ' and at the same time , as a new generation Hornet for modern times , we wanted the engine to have a really strong torquey feel and ' throbbing ' sensation at low to mid rpm . " To get the kind of performance and lightweight handling we wanted , we knew we had to develop an all-new , short-stroke , twin-cylinder engine with a 270 ° crankshaft . This would not only deliver that top-end rush , but also the sporty lowdown torque , ideal for riding in urban environments and powering out of corners on the open road ."
Dorna Signs Saudi Arabia MotoGP Deal
Carmelo Ezpeleta is quoted as saying : " As the leading global championship for two-wheel circuit racing , we are thrilled at this opportunity for MotoGP to expand its reach within the Middle
Dorna CEO Carmelo Ezpeleta ( left ) with HRH Prince Khalid Bin Sultan Al Abdullah Al-Faisal , Chairman of the Saudi Automobile and Motorcycle Federation ( SAMF ) and the Saudi Motorsport Company ( SMC ).
East by adding an annual GP in Saudi Arabia . The region is a key market for motorsport and the demand in the Kingdom for events of this kind is growing , with research showing that 80 % of Saudi fans wanting to see more in their country ."
14 AFTERMARKET MOTO DESIGN - NOVEMBER 2022 www . AMDchampionship . com