International Dealer News 159 Feb/Mar 2021 IDN159 Feb/Mar 2021 | Page 10

Sources : AMD , IDN , FT , Reuters , PSB , MPN , B & B , BDN , MCN , AP , Bloomberg , MNW , electricmotorcycles . news , RideApart . com , Motor1 . com

NEWS

BRIEFS

Fantic Motor and Yamaha Motor Europe have concluded discussions for the closing of the deal for Fantic Motor to buy 100 % of the shares in Motori Minarelli from YME . The consultation process included the European Works Council of YME and the Local Works Council of MM in order to " safeguard the current employment levels ". Yamaha says the deal will strengthen " the existing YME and Fantic Motor synergy to move the collaboration between the two companies to the next level in the fields of motorcycle and e- mobility ".
Korean rider communications manufacturer SENA is forming a strategic alliance in 2021 with Italian company Interphone , who will use SENA ' s proprietary Bluetooth and Mesh 2.0 technologies - meaning its kit will be able to communicate with SENA ' s own Mesh 2.0 models .
Royal Enfield continues to extend its global footprint and is now " taking it to the Man " with the opening of its latest standalone flagship store - in Tokyo . Its local distributor PCI Co . Ltd . will introduce five models into a Japanese market in which there are emerging signs of growth ahead for low-cost lightweights - the Bullet 500 , Classic 500 , Himalayan and the Continental GT and Interceptor 650 twins .
As British Superbikes ( BSB ) prepares for its 25th season , Bennetts , the UK motorcycle insurer , is returning as the title sponsor for two further years ( 2021-2022 ), having agreed a new deal with series promoter MotorSport Vision Racing ( MSVR ).
In December the Italian government is reported to have approved legislation which , if enforced , could see a " significant tax deduction for those purchasing EU-certified airbag protective clothing " - a vest or jacket . Subject to final approval , under the regulation Italian motorcyclists could be refunded anywhere between 20 % and up to 50 % of the cost of EU-certified airbag protective motorcycle clothing , up to a limit of € 250,00 .
Created by Macau entrepreneur Faye Ho , Motul has announced a partnership with the three-rider , BMW supported FHO Racing team for the 2021 BSB Championship and international road races . The team will be on the 2021 BMW M 1000 RR and has been formed from the foundations of the successful Smiths Racing operation - riders will be Peter Hickman , Xavi Fores and Alex Olsen .
<<< Continued from cover contributing to the safety of the overall transport system ." At the presentation of the ' Basic Specification ' documents and signing of the extended CMC ' Next ' agreement between the manufacturers , BMW stated that " for decades , BMW Motorrad has been leading the way with regard to improving motorcycling safety . As a founding member of the CMC , BMW Motorrad will continue to work together with other renowned manufacturers to further increase the safety of motorcycling and to make riding pleasure on two wheels even safer and more attractive ". The next phase will now see the approach widened and the work include investigating the conspicuity of motorcycles by ADAS systems ( Advanced Driver Assistance System ). This ' system ' approach looks at creating synergies between on-board sensor systems and connectivity . " The ' Basic Specification ' is a first step to describe the function of motorcycle V2X systems ( Vehicles to Everything - which includes ' Vehicle-to-Vehicle ' and ' Vehicle-to-Infrastructure '). In a further step beyond 2020 , the participating manufacturers will define further essential functional requirements to standardise in detail . Now that motorcycles will be able to develop standardised communication , a further crucial step for CMC ' Next '
Antonio Perlot
after 2020 is cooperation with the car industry and other vehicle manufacturers , so that motorcycles can integrate with the on-board sensor systems ( radar , camera , etc .) and driver assistance systems being developed in the automotive , rapid transit and road freight markets . CMC believes that tailored motorcycle / car scenarios and tests need to be developed and standardised . The new organisation has already started its work in January 2021 . The six motorcycle

PDG expands again

Headquartered at Breda in the Netherlands and founded in 2017 , the Powersports Distribution Group ( PDG ) has made another play for growth in the UK market . Describing itself as the fast growing motorcycle parts distributor , PDG has bought a third UK business - Neo Distribution ( aka Putoline Distribution - not to be confused with the Dutch Kroon Oil owned Putoline brand ). The purchase of Neo Distribution follows the acquisition of Bradbury Brothers and Rob Hunter in 2019 - the combined company having been rebranded as Hoco Parts UK Ltd . Neo / Putoline Distribution Directors John and Sally Hayden are quoted as saying : " We are delighted with this transaction and look forward to working together with our staff and the Hoco Parts UK team under the umbrella of Powersports Distribution Group ." Tom Beyers , CEO of parent
Tom Beyers , CEO of PDG
company PDG , said : " We are very pleased to welcome Neo Distribution to the group and we look forward to further developing the company together with John and Sally . The acquisition of Neo Distribution is an important step in the further development of our Hoco Parts UK platform , which we are actively
manufacturers encourage other motorcycle manufacturers , suppliers , car manufacturers and the other related organisations to join the cooperation to further pursue the deployment of new elements for motorcycle safety . Executive Officer Takuya Kinoshita , Chief General Manager of Motorcycle Business Operations for Yamaha Motor Co . Ltd ., stated : " The future of traffic has to be one of being increasingly connected , and motorcycles must be integrated into that ecosystem . " Motorcycles need to stay a solution and remain an enjoyable means of transport for the decades to come . This is why activities like CMC are so important for the motorcycle industry ." The CMC ' Basic Standard ' documents are available for download at www . cmc-info . net
expanding with a well filled M & A pipeline still ahead of us ." Starting with leading Dutch distributor Hoco Parts , acquired from David O ' Neill and colleagues in 2017 , Torqx Capital Partners has deployed an aggressive ' Buy and Hold ' M & A strategy that has seen them add vintage parts specialist CMS ( Consolidated Motor Spares ) and Motoria in the Netherlands , Arno van de Glind ' s Rino Trading and DC AFAM ( both in Belgium ) from German owner KettenWulf , and now three businesses in the UK market . www . neodistribution . co . uk www . powersportsdistribution group . com
Photo : Autotalks Ltd .
10 INTERNATIONAL DEALER NEWS - FEBRUARY / MARCH 2021 www . idnmag . com