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KTM Group - first half unit sales down , revenue up
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Harley-Davidson ' s much anticipated flotation of its LiveWire electric motorcycle brand finally happened at the end of September . Harley used a SPAC merger with equity investor partners to list a LiveWire IPO on the NYSE ( ticker LVWR ) at around $ 8 per share . As at the time of writing , the share price had dropped by some 4 % after three days of trading . The new company is a joint venture that sees Harley in business with Korean manufacturer KYMCO , who have a minority stake . On floatation , the listing raised less capital than had been hoped for .
EV sceptics frequently point to the unholy trinity of infrastructure , range and price as reasons why electrification is not a satisfactory forwardfacing transport solution . However , researchers at MIT may have found a solution to the charging conundrum . In a paper published by MIT ' s ( Massachusetts Institute of Technology ) Donald Sadoway ( along with 15 other authors from Peking University , Yunnan University , Wuhan University of Technology , University of Louisville , University of Waterloo and Argonne National Laboratory ), the Materials Chemistry Professor claims to have found a cheap solution to expensive lithium-ion batteries . Using the second-most commercially available and most Earth-abundant metal , aluminium , and the cheapest available non-metal , sulphur , as the battery ' s other electrode and a molten salt electrolyte . While the battery ' s composition prioritises cost-efficiency and easily obtainable resources , Professor Donald Sadoway cites several additional advantages - " the ingredients are cheap , and the thing is safe - it cannot burn ." The aluminium-sulphur battery still prizes heat , however . Studies showed that the unit actually charged 25 times faster at 110 degrees Celsius ( 230 degrees Fahrenheit ) compared to 25 C ( 77 F ). What ' s more , the battery generates heat during both charging and discharging periods . This allows it to maintain an optimal operating temperature while keeping the salt solution from freezing .
PIERER Mobility AG , parent company for KTM , Husqvarna and GasGas , has posted what it describes as a " strong performance in the first half of 2022 " with revenue of € 1,154.1m (+ 7.1 % vs . H1 2021 ) despite motorcycle unit sales being down by -7.2 % at 163,334 units ( a figure which includes the models sold by its partner Bajaj ). It is reporting sales of 51,417 e-bicycles and bicycles for the period , down by -3.1 % compared to H1 2021 . EBIT was down -9.6 % for the first half of 2021 at € 92.8m . During the period , the global headcount increased by 768 to a total of 5,656 employees . Despite ongoing supply chain issues , a total of 198,163 Powered Two- Wheelers ( PTWs - motorcycles and e-bicycles ) were sold worldwide ( -8.1 % year-on-year ). Growth was said to be particularly strong in North America , where 44,689 motorcycles were sold . This represented an increase of + 47 % compared to the first half of 2021 . In Europe , supply chain issues were particularly acute with 61,435
We ' re about to see Suzuki retire one of its most famous engines - the 650 cc V-twin that debuted nearly a quarter of a century ago in the SV650 . It will be replaced with a completely new parallel twin engine that will form the basis of a range designed to go head-to-head with Yamaha ' s MT-07-based lineup . Suzuki first suggested a middleweight parallel twin back in 2013 when it unveiled the Recursion concept bike , complete with a turbocharged 588 cc SOHC parallel twin engine , making a claimed 100 hp . Intended to offer a new balance between economy , emissions and performance , the idea of a boosted two-cylinder continued with 2015 ' s ' XE7 ' engine , shown at that year ' s Tokyo Motor Show , with an increased capacity of around 700 cc and DOHC cylinder head XE7 that would have formed the basis of a long development project that is now resulting in Suzuki ' s upcoming two-cylinder models .
" Do you dare - the 2023 890 Adventure R is here to break travel barriers on or off the beaten track ".
motorcycles sold in the first half of the year ( -15 % year-on-year ). In Australia / New Zealand , 6,707 motorcycles were sold . In India , too , the lack of availability of parts led to a decline in the number of motorcycles sold to 18,251 units ( previous year : 30,561 ). " Although the entire motorcycle market was affected by supply chain issues and recorded slightly declining rates of growth in the first half of 2022 , the PIERER Mobility Group was able to largely stabilise its
Suzuki parallel twin range
Two bikes using a nonturbocharged version of the XE7 engine were recently spotted on test in Europe , looking very close to production-ready . The first is a naked roadster with styling reminiscent of the GSX- S1000 , including stacked rectangular LED headlights , and using oversized air intakes on either side to feed the new engine . This bike , as yet lacking a name but potentially using the ' GSX ' designation , will replace the SV650 . market shares in the global markets . " In the European market , registrations of the three KTM , Husqvarna Motorcycles and GasGas brands reached a combined market share of 9.9 %. This represents a decrease of -1.8 % compared to December 31 , 2021 . " In North America ( USA , Canada ), the current market share of the Group with its three motorcycle brands is 10.6 % ( end of 2021 , USA : 11.3 %, Canada : 14.1 %)."
Alongside it , an adventure bike using the same engine was also seen on test . Clearly intended to replace the V- Strom 650 , it takes a much more serious off-road approach , with a 21-inch wire front wheel and a 17 or 18- inch rear , plus long-travel suspension and substantial engine protection bars to prevent damage to the cases or the exhaust . Since the new engine is believed to be around 700 cc , it should be good for around 75 hp in normally aspirated form . However , patents from Suzuki over the last few years have shown that a turbocharged version , similar to the original XE7 concept engine , has also been in the works . This engine has yet to be seen in a test bike , but should it reach production , it could be the solution to Suzuki ' s sports bike problem in Europe , where emissions limits have long since driven the GSX-R600 and R750 from the market , and , for 2023 , the GSX-R1000 is expected to go the same way .
12 INTERNATIONAL DEALER NEWS - OCTOBER / NOVEMBER 2022 www . idnmag . com