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BRIEFS
Honda Motor Co ., Ltd . has made a strategic investment in California based Helm . ai " to strengthen its software technology development in the areas of artificial intelligence ( AI ) and computer vision1 technologies " stating that " Helm . ai has key strengths in the area of AI-based image recognition technologies advanced through unsupervised learning ". Founded in 2016 , Honda and Helm . ai have been working in collaboration since 2019 through Honda Xcelerator3 , Honda ' s global open innovation programme of Honda .
An as-new example of Honda ' s RC213V-S has broken a new world record , becoming the most expensive Japanese motorcycle ever sold at auction . Hosted by UK-based specialist automotive marketplace Collecting Cars , the ' MotoGP bike for the road ' sold for a total sales price of £ 182,500 ( approx . € 157,000 /$ 136,000 ). The rare superbike has never been ridden and remains in its original flight case , with just one mile on the odometer . Created with a focus on light weight and agility , the RC213V-S is a roadlegal 999 cc four-stroke V4 MotoGP bike , built around a hand-fabricated aluminium frame with carbon fibre body panels and titanium fasteners , resulting in a dry weight of just 170 kg .
The Duell Bike-Center Group has hired Karsten Hofmeister to set up and expand its dealer network in Germany . Hofmeister ( 56 ) is described as having 30 years of sales experience , including two decades in the motorcycle business , most recently having been with distributor Hartje ' s MOT team .
After the rumpus kicked up in Europe losing its largest dealer in Austria ( Zündwerk / Strasshof ) and the decision to terminate legendary long-standing dealer Bächli H-D in Switzerland , the trauma shaking Harley ' s dealer network in ' GAS ' markets continues . B & B reports that H-D Cologne / Bonn Managing Directors Daniela Kierdorf and Jan Schneider have successfully won a reprieve in court in Germany from their termination amid allegations of racism against parent company K & K Holding Managing Director Georg Kierdorf .
WorldSBK Champions Yamaha and Ferodo continue Partnership
After a stunning FIM Superbike World Championship season in 2021 , which saw the Pata Yamaha with Brixx WorldSBK team complete the " triple crown " of rider , manufacturer and team championships , Yamaha and technical partner Ferodo will continue the fight to out-brake their competition in 2022 . With defending champion Toprak Razgatlıoglu and 2021 Rookie of the Year Andrea Locatelli , Yamaha ' s official WorldSBK entry will kick off its title defence campaign at the first round of the season from 8-10 April at MotorLand Aragon , Spain . Turkish sensation Razgatlıoglu ' s hardon-the-brakes style , spectacular " stoppies " and unbelievable bike control has become a talking point across top-level motorcycle racing worldwide , and in 2021 a total of 13 race victories and 29 podiums broke
Kawasaki ' s stronghold on the WorldSBK Championship in one of the most thrilling seasons of the production racing series ' history . While the spotlight has been shone on Yamaha ' s recent achievements , its success certainly hasn ' t happened overnight . Ferodo has supported the team - and its operations partner
Crescent Racing - since Yamaha ' s return to WorldSBK in 2016 . Ferodo and Crescent ' s partnership spans more than ten years , both in WorldSBK and in UK off-road championships , with Yamaha ' s British MX entries including 2021 champions Cab Screens Crescent Yamaha with Estonian rider Harri Kullas .
SC-Project - 2022 Aprilia MotoGP exhaust system technical partner
The progress that Stefano Lavazza and Marco De Rossi have made with their SC-Project exhaust business since it was founded in 2006 has been remarkable . Their race credentials speak to the exhaustive R & D , hightech manufacturing processes , testing and quality control that the company invests in - in race conditions as well as on the street . In 2020 , SC-Project embarked on a collaboration with Aprilia , initially with the supply of exhaust systems for the Aprilia RS 250 SP Trophy . In 2021 , this was extended to include exhaust systems for the Aprilia RS 660 Trophy . Now , for 2022 , SC-Project is to be the official exhaust supplier for the RS-GP in the top tier of global racing - the MotoGP class . Officially a factory team from this year , after months of testing and development work , Aprilia Racing has chosen SC-Project as its supplier of full exhaust system for its 2022 MotoGP effort - with the new RS-GP 2022 now a real factory bike - managed directly by the Aprilia Factory Team . " The exhaust system for the new Aprilia RS-GP 2022 is totally manufactured inside our headquarters facilities near Milan ," says Stefano .
" Our aim is to make this project a case study in Italian design , engineering and manufacturing excellence - the exhaust is a full titanium system and is equipped with an exhaust valve - entirely machined from a solid block of titanium - developed in-house by SC- Project ’ s Race Department engineers ." Marco added that " this component is a technological masterpiece and throughout the electronic management of the bike allows an advanced and extremely precise management of the engine brake of the motorcycle , a fundamental aspect for the high performance and the huge power of the new RS-GP . " All our SC-Project staff are excited about this new and important partnership between two Italian companies , and we are both dedicated to show what an Italian partnership can achieve at the top level of worldwide motorcycle competition , the MotoGP World Championship . " Aprilia Racing has an illustrious racing legacy , having won 54 world titles - we are ready to help them add a new chapter to the Italian racing story ." www . sc-project . com
20 INTERNATIONAL DEALER NEWS - FEBRUARY / MARCH 2022 www . idnmag . com