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NEWS
BRIEFS
Together with Siemens Energy , Porsche and a line-up of international companies are implementing a pilot project in Chile that is expected to yield the world ' s first integrated , commercial , industrial-scale plant for making synthetic climate-neutral fuels ( e-fuels ). In the pilot phase , around 130,000 litres of e-fuels will be produced as early as this year . In two further phases , capacity is then to be increased to about 55 million litres of e-fuels a year by 2024 , and around 550 million litres by 2026 . Porsche will be the primary customer for the green fuel and will use it in beacon projects . Those include using the e- fuel in vehicles for Porsche motorsports , at the Porsche Experience Centres and possibly also in serial production sports cars . The project takes advantage of the availability of wind energy in southern Chile and the fuel will allow vehicles with combustion engines , including motorcycles , to be operated almost climate-neutrally . Porsche has recently increased its stake in e-fuels group HIF Global , which is planning a potential A $ 1bn production plant in Australia to make e-fuels , modelled on the plant in southern Chile . Ducati is said to be eyeing e-fuels too - both Porsche and Ducati are subsidiaries of the Volkswagen Audi Group ( VAG ).
Piaggio Group Americas has opened its first complete allbrand retail concept in Canada - Motos Illimitees in Montreal . The flagship is an exclusive Piaggio Group retail location featuring Aprilia , Moto Guzzi , Piaggio and Vespa motorcycles and scooters - showcasing their " global vision of an elevated two-wheeled dealership experience . Together under one roof , the MotoPlex retail concept provides service , accessories , merchandising and entertainment to give customers a unique global two-wheeled experience ".
Hero MotoCorp , which has an R & D presence in Munich and styles itself as " the world ' s largest manufacturer of motorcycles and scooters ", has strengthened its operations in Turkey with the introduction of Euro 5 compliant variants of its three globally popular products - the Xpulse 200 4V motorcycle and Dash 110 and Dash 125 scooters . Hero ' s distributor in Turkey since 2014 is The Soysal Group .
BMW Motorrad Days , Berlin
BMW says that around 17,000 people visited its 20th edition of the BMW Motorrad Days in Berlin at the beginning of July 2022 . Billed as " the world ' s largest BMW Motorrad meetup ", it was immediately preceded by the Pure & Crafted Festival ( 1 July ). " Fans both with and without motorbikes came not only from Germany and neighbouring countries , but from over 40 nations in total . While visitors from Italy and the United Kingdom were well represented as is traditionally the case , the first ever BMW Motorrad Days to be held in Berlin also attracted a number of guests from the Berlin-Brandenburg region , Poland , Argentina and a few fans even from South Korea , Columbia and South Africa , among others . " The Pure & Crafted Festival kicked off a great motorbike weekend on Friday ( 1 July ). Initiated by BMW Motorrad , the festival took place for the second time in the Sommergarten at Messe Berlin , delivering the usual mix of hand-crafted music , motorbike culture and newheritage lifestyle . Acoustic highlights were provided by the band Nothing But Thieves , the rockers of Altin Gün and London ' s The Vaccines .
Breda , Netherlands based Powersports Distribution Group ( PDG ) has concluded the purchase of the entire share capital of the Hobbyist in the Netherlands . " With this acquisition PDG further strengthens its position of motorcycle parts and accessories in Europe and in the United States ". Els and Kaspar Mulkens , Directors and owners of the Hobbyist added : " We are excited to be joining PDG and look forward to working together with our staff and the PDG team . This a great opportunity for us and will strengthen our service to our existing customers and able us to reach more new customers globally ." Tom Beyers , CEO of PDG , said : " We are excited to welcome the Hobbyist to the Group and we look forward to further developing the company with the team at the Hobbyist . Their extensive assortment ,
" The extensive BMW Motorrad Days programme of events saw street bike stunt shows along with trial and FMX shows , the wall-of-death riders at the original Motodrom , the world ' s longest-standing wall of death show , with customising fans well catered for with converted motorbikes in the Wheels Area . " Motor racing enthusiasts were thrilled to see the BMW Motorrad WorldSBK riders as well as members of the BMW Motorrad World Endurance Team . In addition , the entire product range was available for tours of the charming surroundings of Berlin and Brandenburg . First-time attempts at
Tom Beyers , CEO of PDG : " We are excited to welcome the Hobbyist to the Group and we look forward to further developing the company with the team at the Hobbyist . Their extensive assortment , knowledge and experience of parts for BMW motorcycles will further strengthen our offering ."
knowledge and experience of parts for BMW motorcycles will further strengthen our offering . " The acquisition of the Hobbyist is another important step in the further development of the Group - which we are actively motorcycling without a licence were on offer , as were Enduro taster training sessions . Tours of the BMW Motorrad production plant were a unique highlight for many visitors . Over 100 exhibitors set up at the extensive trade fair and exhibition area . " The BMW Motorrad Days have long been considered a core event for BMW Motorrad and occupy a permanent place in the calendar . The event took place for the very first time in Seefeld , Austria , in 2001 , after which it was held 18 times in succession in Garmisch-Partenkirchen . It was cancelled in 2020 and 2021 due to the global pandemic ".
De Hobbyist joins Powersports Distribution Group ( PDG )
and continuously expanding . " Formed in 1984 , the Hobbyist " has become an important global distributor of parts for BMW motorcycles and is mainly active in Europe and in the United States . The Hobbyist has a global reach and an extensive offering that allows customers to find parts for their BMW motorcycle ." The company and warehouse are located in Hunsel in the Netherlands . The acquisition is the latest in a series of market moves that has PDG build an impressive portfolio of subsidiaries that includes Hoco Parts , Motorcycle Storehouse , DC AFAM and CMS - a leading global distributor of vintage Japanese motorcycle parts . PDG is majority owned by Torqx Capital Partners in partnership with management and former owners . www . powersportsdistribution group . com www . hobbyist . nl
8 INTERNATIONAL DEALER NEWS - AUGUST / SEPTEMBER 2022 www . idnmag . com