American Motorcycle Dealer 308 March 2025 AMD308 March 2025 | Page 12

Sources : AMD , IDN , FT , Reuters , PSB , MPN , BDN , MCN , AP , Bloomberg , MSNW , Electrek , electricmotorcycles . news , RideApart . com , Motor1 . com , Cycle World , motorbikewriter . com

NEWS

BRIEFS

Drag Racer Dustin Lee , of Hard Times Parts and Service has bought the respected , previously Sanford , FL based Motorcycle Performance Specialties ( MPS Racing ) business from owners Dan and Beth Rudd . Long an electrical and component innovator in motorcycle drag racing , MPS is also a warehouse distributor for many top brands in the sport - including APE , Web Cams , Worldwide Bearings , DME , Vance & Hines , and many more . Lee has developed a respected distributing business of his own with Hard Times Parts and Service , and both of these brands will continue the goal of operating seamlessly as the transition to Lee ' s Tennessee shop occurs over the winter . Dan Rudd started MPS in 1980 , " placing it on the forefront of the technological innovations that have transformed both drag racing and internet retailing ," says Dustin . " From the first Mixture Control Unit EFI tuning device in ' 81 through the first ever autoshift in ' 85 and their leading edge of motorsports websites in ' 96 , MPS has always been a leader of motorcycle drag racing technology ;" www . mpsracing . com , www . hardtimesparts . com
Royal Enfield is returning as AFT Official OEM Partner for the sixth consecutive year in 2025 . Additionally , the manufacturer returns as the event entitlement sponsor for the Royal Enfield Short Track at Daytona , scheduled for Thursday , March 6 and Friday , March 7 , in Daytona Beach , Florida . Royal Enfield ' s " Build . Train . Race ." ( BTR ) program will return to Progressive AFT events in 2025 , kicking off with both days at the Royal Enfield Short Track at Daytona along with other select rounds in the season ahead . This initiative , which highlights and celebrates women in flat track racing , has become a cornerstone of Royal Enfield ' s involvement with the series . Utilizing customized Royal Enfield INT650 motorcycles , the program combines hands-on motorcycle preparation , skill development , and national-level competition ; www . royalenfield . com
JCS Racing has announced the return of Brandon Robinson as its premier class rider in the now fully Production bike only AFT SuperTwins class for the 2025 season - this time aboard the H- D XG750R . Robinson boasts 16 career Mission AFT SuperTwins wins , 45 podium finishes , and numerous top five championship finishes . This marks a reunion of sorts with the H-D brand . He was a Harley factory rider from 2017 to 2018 . Wrenching on Robinson ' s machines this season will be returning crew chief Ben Evans alongside suspension tech Kayl Kolkman .
success , and it is still driving us today ; and the expansion of our family of performance-oriented PowerPlus models is a perfect example . " From liquid-cooled motors and mono-shock rear suspension to the advent of modern performance baggers with the Indian Challenger , we were first to market in the V-twin category with these advancements . It ' s all part of our ongoing commitment to innovating with features and options that enhance the riding experience for our customers and for generations of riders to come ."
' Chiseled Lines ' The new Chieftain PowerPlus and Roadmaster PowerPlus are described as wearing " aggressive and chiseled lines that are a visual representation of their high-performance hearts . Their compact stance makes each model look smaller , lighter , nimbler and more athletic . The new fairing ' s design is sleek and aerodynamic , offering improved handling and stability at high speeds to provide superior control when compared to previous Chieftain and Roadmaster models ." Additional new features include a new LED headlight with integrated daytime running lights around its center .
New PowerPlus 112 The PowerPlus 112 delivers a claimed 126 horsepower and 133 ft-lbs of torque in a contemporary design of high revving , liquid-cooled engine with overhead cams and 4 valves per cylinder with optimized acceleration across the rev range . It is claimed the engine reduces the perceived need to keep constantly changing up that push rod V-twins ask of the rider , with " unrivaled passing power in every gear ." Powering the Indian Motorcycle factory race team , the PowerPlus 112 helped deliver the 2024 King Of The
Challenger Limited
PowerPlus 112 engine
Baggers championship and is now available across the PowerPlus family , including Chieftain , Challenger , Roadmaster and Pursuit .
Technology For 2025 , the PowerPlus lineup will debut a host of new Rider Assist features that are aimed at improving rider awareness and enhancing rider convenience . These new Rider Assist features will be bundled with previously offered SmartLean Technology and come standard on vehicles with the PowerPlus 112 engine and include bike hold control , electronic combined brake system , blind spot warning , tailgate warning , rear collision warning , 7 " display powered by Indian ' s RIDE COMMAND software and features suite and advanced infotainment system with Bluetooth connectivity . Select PowerPlus models also include RIDE COMMAND + connected services , offering GPS navigation with turn-by-turn mapping , Apple CarPlay , live traffic and weather overlays , intuitive destination search and more ( including next-level bike information sharing , control and connectivity with features such as Bike Locator Bike Health ). Three Ride Modes , keyless ignition , USB charging and remote locking saddlebags are standard . Roadmaster PowerPlus and Indian Pursuit offer electronically adjustable rear suspension preload via the indash seven-inch , a stitched ClimaCommand heated seat and grips are a luxury that spoils riders when in extreme weather conditions . There is a slew of accessory upgrades that emphasise rider and passenger ergonomics . Riders wanting to improve performance out-of-the-crate can do so with an all-new PowerPlus 112 factory kit that includes highperformance pistons , cylinders , head gaskets and premium badging ; there is also a PowerPlus Air Intake and heavyweight stage 1 slip-on exhaust ( and exhaust tip options ) - " all of which is designed to unleash additional power and enhance midrange throttle response ."
12 AMERICAN MOTORCYCLE DEALER - MARCH 2025 www . AMDmag . com