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BRIEFS
December 2020 saw the motorcycle market in India achieve record growth for new motorcycle sales with most manufacturers seeing double digit growth there . India is already the largest motorcycle market in the world . Despite the implementation of the new B26 standard in April 2020 , among the successes , India ' s 1.353 billion population gave Royal Enfield + 35 % ( 65,492 units in December ), Yamaha + 33 % growth ( 39,224 units ) and TVS ( who bought Norton in 2020 ) + 13 % for a 285,000 unit annual total .
Originally planned for May , then October 2020 , Europe ' s biggest offroad rally - the Hellas Rally - is now planned for 23 - 30 May 2021 , at Nafpaktos , Greece . The Rally will cover 2,000 km ( 1,242 miles ) in total . Each day riders will follow roadbook directions for that day ' s route , Dakar style . Except for one extra-long day , most days will be a loop that ends back in Nafpaktos . The Rally offers FIM classes , amateur classes , and an Adventure Raid class for larger adventure bikes . There is also an Enduro Cup class , which does 70 % of the total route , plus ATV and SXS / UTV classes . Riders are allowed GPS backup .
Andrea Merloni , the man responsible for reviving Italy ' s historic Benelli motorcycle brand , died at his home in Milan in November ; he was 53 years old . A noted ' playboy ' and motorcycle racer , Merloni bought the then defunct Benelli business in 1995 . The purchase and subsequent relaunch was bankrolled by his billionaire father Vittorio Merloni ' s Indesit and Hotpoint domestic appliance business . Merloni got Benelli back into business with scooters , then launched the Ricardo engine 900 cc Tornado Tre superbike ( 2001 ). Vittorio Merloni eventually made his son sell the struggling motorcycle business to China ' s Qianjiang Group in 2005 . Production has been in China ever since , but the brand HQ has remained in Italy .
In the UK , riders rights group MAG ( Motorcycle Action Group ) says it has received confirmation that motorcycles are ' not in scope ' for the UK government ' s November 2020 announced plan to end the sale of new petrol and diesel vehicles ( Internal Combustion Engine Vehicles ) by 2030 .
2021 Resurgence Gear riding jeans feature PEKEV lining
Launched in Canada in 2013 , Resurgence Gear entered the highly competitive riding jeans market with an innovative protective lining material - PEKEV - which was the result of around ten years of material and design research . Having been developing motorcycle jeans for other brands , Resurgence became dissatisfied with the absence of style and inferior levels of protection that characterised the burgeoning sector . As a result , the Resurgence team went on a mission - " to design motorcycle clothing that gave the highest level of protection in combination with comfort and style ". It aimed to produce motorcycle clothing that was as comfortable to wear on and off the bike , " without taking away from the fundamentals of protection offered by PEKEV , retaining its super high strength and high levels of resistance to abrasion ". Resurgence says that its motorcycle jeans have currently exceeded all of the relevant tests with a record of 10.83 seconds abrasion resistance - achieving its full certification for both men and ladies jeans - indeed a first recorded for the ladies jeans . This was followed by a cargo trouser using PEKEV lining , the ' Cruiser '. This too was submitted for CE EN13595- 1 testing and has equally achieved a level 2 status , with an impressive 8.17 seconds of abrasion resistance . " Constructed from the toughest polymer with the highest breaking point of any yarn ", Resurgence Gear says that PEKEV is " unsurpassed among modern day protection layers . Compared to other polymers , PEKEV has the highest impact strength , is self-lubricating , has high wicking properties , a low amount of friction and is resistant to abrasion and is times more resistant to abrasion than carbon steel ". Resurgence says that PEKEV Ultra fabric has CE Level 2 abrasion rating , is over 200 % stronger than similar fabrics , features comfort stretch with integrated Elasteen and has longer lifespan compared to
other brands as it is durable against bleach , UV , heat dispersion , moisture , detergents and ionic enzyme washing . In Europe , Resurgence Gear products are exclusively distributed by UK based DOT4 Distribution , and new for 2021 is the single layer jeans the ' New Wave ', with an AAA CE rating ; an entry level single layer jeans , the ' Ultimate ', with a AA CE rating ; and the Ultra single layer riding shirt , also with an AAA CE rating - thought to be the only single layer shirt that is AAA rated . New regulations are now in effect that have five different standards , with Class C for offroad garments ; Class B for road garments where impact protectors are deemed not
' Warrior '
necessary ; Level A is a standard for urban riding ; Level AA is a standard that is said to provide sufficient protection for touring , and the top level , AAA , is designed to provide the very highest level of protection . The 2021 Resurgence Gear ' New Wave ' jeans is the first
' New Wave '
protective motorcycle jeans made with the innovative PEKEV Ultra single layer denim fabric . PEKEV Ultra is made by taking the patented PEKEV thread , wrapping it in cotton and then weaving it into a denim fabric . At the core of all of the thread , warp and weft is PEKEV - throughout the fabric - " providing the rider with the highest level of protection in a single layer jeans and 100 % PEKEV Ultra denim high abrasion resistance coverage ". Tested and certified to the CE standard EN17092 , it is certified as an AAA garment with an abrasion resistance of 11 seconds , nearly double the next nearest single layer jeans . Featuring a traditional fivepocket design with a slim taper cut for men , it comes with D3O Ghost CE EN1621-1 knee and hip armour included and a height-adjustable knee armour pocket . It is available in two colours for men or ladies , Indigo Blue and black . www . dot4distribution . com www . resurgencegear . net
12 INTERNATIONAL DEALER NEWS - FEBRUARY / MARCH 2021 www . idnmag . com