American Motorcycle Dealer AMD 241 August 2019 | Page 12

NEWS
BRIEFS
Triumph Motorcycles has announced
a new collaboration with UK industry
experts such as Williams F1
Advanced Engineering and Integral
Powertrain Ltd's e-Drive Division, and
Innovate UK, to develop specialist
electric motorcycle technology, which
will provide significant input into
potential future electric motorcycle
offers from Triumph. This two-year
project (TRIUMPH TE-1) also includes
partnership work with Warwick
University's world famous WMG
(Warwick Manufacturing Group).
BMW Group has
officially opened its
new automotive plant
in San Luis Potosi in
Mexico. BMW has already been
making cars in the USA for 25
years at Greer, South Carolina -
the speculation has been that
this is where they may start
manufacturing motorcycles for
the North American market if
they finally do decide to go
down that route. The company
has invested more than one
billion US dollars in the new
production location, with a
capacity there of up to 175,000
units per year.
PSB reports that 2018 saw annual
SxS retail sales in the US higher than
motorcycles for the first time. Cited
MIC data puts US SxS sales at
458,000 new units in 2018, against
457,000 new motorcycles.
KTM "radically race-refined" its
EXC range with a "new
generation" of MY20 2 and 4-
stroke Enduro machines,
including its premium KTM Six
Days line-up and a special
edition KTM 300 EXC TPI
Erzbergrodeo. Developed on the
"toughest climbs, gnarliest
terrain and in deepest mud",
the MY20 line-up includes a
new model - the Euro 4
homologated KTM 150 EXC TPI.
Features throughout the range
include "new and more efficient
engines, a redeveloped chassis
with improved WP XPLOR
suspension, improved handling
and new bodywork, air filter
box, cooling system and
exhausts. Accessories include
Neken handlebars and clamps
(France), Brembo brakes, No-
Dirt footpegs and CNC-milled
hubs with Giant rims as
standard.
12
Mees and Bauman Trade AFT Wins
Photos: Scott Hunter/American Flat Track
Reigning AFT Twins Presented by
Vance & Hines Champion Jared Mees
saw this season's fortunes hit a high
with a win in the Lima, Ohio Half-Mile
at the end of June.
Arguably the most thrilling race of the
2019 AFT season so far, and one with
massive championship implications,
the opening laps featured an intense
head-to-head showdown that put
Mees up against championship leader
Briar Bauman (No. 14 Indian
Motorcycle/Progressive Insurance
FTR750). That duel was cut short by a
red flag on lap 7, which altered the
complexion of the race dramatically.
Mees got a stellar jump at the restart,
while Bauman was sucked into a battle
for second with Jeffrey Carver Jr. (No.
23 Roof Systems of Dallas/Indian of
Metro Milwaukee FTR750), Henry
Wiles (No. 17 Bandit Industries/DPC
Racing/Wilco Racing Indian FTR750),
and rookie Brandon Price (No. 192
Roof Systems of Dallas TX/DPC Racing
Indian FTR750).
Bauman's luck only got worse from
there, as his rear tire came clean off the
rim on lap 10. That unusual mishap put
an end to his perfect season's podium
streak while instantly eliminating the
bulk of his hard earned championship
padding.
Following Bauman's exit, Carver ate
up the gap to Mees, and the two then
engaged in their own wild shootout for
the lead. Mees took the checkered flag
0.199 seconds ahead of Carver, with
Wiles third, Price fourth and Bronson
Bauman (No. 37 Indian
Motorcycle/Progressive Insurance
FTR750) fifth.
In the Singles, Shayna Texter (No. 52
Red Bull KTM Factory Racing SX-F
450) took the win, ahead of Dan
Bromley (No. 1 Red Bull KTM Factory
Racing 450 SX-F) for a Red Bull KTM
1-2. Chad Cose (No. 49 Parkinson Bros
Racing/Ritchie Reynolds Racing
Honda CRF450R) was third.
In the AFT Production Twins, Chad
Cose earned his first-career American
Flat Track victory following a race-long
scrap with runaway AFT Production
Twins title leader Cory Texter (No. 65
G&G Racing/Holeshot Powersports
Yamaha MT-07). Cose's maiden win
comes after more than a decade on the
scene and after finishing the 2018
season ranked sixth overall in the
premier AFT Twins class with a podium
to his name. Highly decorated road
racer James Rispoli (No. 71 Black Hills
Harley-Davidson ProBEAM XG750R
Rev X) also scored his best finish of the
season in third.
Two weeks later Briar Bauman (No. 14
Indian Motorcycle/Progressive
Insurance FTR750) rebounded from
AMERICAN MOTORCYCLE DEALER - AUGUST 2019
Lima
Lima with a dominant victory in Round
9, the New York Short Track at
Weedsport Speedway.
Having won at the Daytona season
opener, the result gave Bauman his
second win of the series so far, a
seventh top two and an eighth podium
in the first nine championship rounds.
Jeffrey Carver Jr backed up his first
podium of the year with a second
consecutive runner-up result. He was
followed to third by Short Track
standout Henry Wiles (No. 17 Bandit
Industries/DPC Racing/Wilco Racing
Indian FTR750), Bronson Bauman was
fourth, with Robert Pearson (No. 27 R/J
title leader Mikey Rush (No. 15 RMR
Honda/Red Riders Rewards Honda
CRF450R) was forced to watch from
the fences after he failed to make the
Main event. Morgen Mischler (No. 69
Waters Autobody Racing/D&D
Powersports KTM 450 SX-F) took
second, with reigning class champion
Dan Bromley (No. 1 Red Bull KTM
Factory Racing 450 SX-F) third, Kevin
Stollings (No. 99 Roof Systems/Motion
Pro Honda CRF450R) fourth and
Shayna Texter (No. 52 Red Bull KTM
Factory Racing SX-F 450) fifth.
The series takes a short break until the
Buffalo Chip TT on August 4th and
New York
Performance/Hite Trucking Indian
FTR750) securing his best result of the
season in fifth.
Meanwhile, multi-time defending AFT
Twins Champ Jared Mees (No. 1 Indian
Motorcycle/Progressive Insurance
FTR750) could manage just seventh
on the night. As a result, Bauman
stretched his championship advantage
over Mees back out to 26 points (170
- 144) as the title fight reached its
halfway point.
In the AFT Singles, Dalton Gauthier
(No. 122 D&D Cycles/Gobert Smash
Husqvarna FC450) took his second
victory of the season to reclaim the AFT
Singles championship lead. Pre-race
Black Hills Half-Mile (Rapid City, SD)
on August 6th, before the rearranged
Cycle Gear Sacramento Mile, August
10.
The series then descends on Illinois for
three races - the Peoria TT, August 17,
the rearranged Springfield Mile I on
August 31 and the as originally
scheduled Springfield Mile II the next
day, September 1.
The 2019 series wraps up in
September with the Williams Grove
Half-Mile (Mechanicsburg, PA.,
September 9), the Minnesota Mile
(Minneapolis, September 21) and the
final round, the Meadowlands Mile,
East Rutherford, NJ, September 28.
www.AMDchampionship.com