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BIZ BRIEFS
For its Q4 and full year 22 / 23 financial results ( the 12 months to March 31 , 2023 ), Suzuki is reporting global sales of 1.859m units , which is + 13.4 % (+ 220,000 YoY ). Sales in Europe were 31,000 units (+ 9.1 %/+ 3,000 units YoY ); North America was + 11.5 % (+ 3,000 units YoY at 32,000 ); Japan down by -14.6 % ( -8,000 units YoY at 46,000 ), with Asia + 15.4 % (+ 204,000 units YoY at 1.528m ). India is its largest Asian market by far , at 740,000 units (+ 21.4 %), followed by China at 430,000 units (+ 6.8 %) and Philippines at 197,000 units ( 22.5 %). Latin America was worth 198,000 units for Suzuki in 22 / 23 (+ 17.5 %). Total Suzuki production ( domestic and all international facilities , including JVs and 3PP ) was 1.914m units (+ 7.3 %/ 130,000 units ). Total sales revenue from consolidated net sales ( all factories ) was 333.3bn yen , which was + 31.4 % YoY , with Europe + 33.1 % at 39.2bn yen .
For Q1 of its 2023 financial year ( January to December ) - Yamaha is the only one of the Japanese manufacturers to run an annual calendar financial year - Yamaha states that " demand for motorcycles is strong " with unit sales in all major markets increasing - despite continuing shortage of inventory in the Premium Scooters segment - one where Yamaha is particularly strong . Total global unit sales for Q1 were + 112 % at 1.274m units for 347.9bn yen . Sales in Europe were + 107 % for Q1 YoY at 55,000 units and 52.7bn yen (+ 130 %). Sales in North America were + 191 % ( 26,000 ) units ; Japan was + 90 % ( 21,000 units ); Asia was + 114 % ( 1.028bn units ). Total ' developed market ' unit sales ( Europe , USA and Japan ) were + 113 % for Q1 , with overall inventory as at March 31st described as being lower than optimum levels to meet demand .
In Japan , Yamaha Motor and its wholly owned subsidiary Yamaha Motor Powered Products Co ., Ltd . ( YMPC ) has announced plans for a " partial transfer " of its power products business ( multi-purpose engines , generators and snow blowers ) to Earth Power Products Co ., Ltd . ( EPP ) - wholly owned subsidiary of Japanese auto parts maker Meiko Seiki Co ., Ltd .
" Simplicity is the key to brilliance "
Founded in Sweden in 2019 , electric motorcycle manufacturer RGNT Motorcycles has won admirers for its straightforward , ' classic ' naked-style street bike designs . Recent news is of a collaboration with German custom bike builders Crooked Motorcycles . The result of this crosspollination is the Crooked E-Type seen here - a stylish , minimalistic and 100 % electric custom motorcycle . The E-Type made its debut at the Bike Shed London show at the end of May and is now ready for serial production in the Crooked workshop near Munich . Dominikus Braun , CEO and founder of Crooked Motorcycles , said : " We had been debating doing an EV project for a while , but we wanted to collaborate with a high-quality partner , who shared our vision on custom style and design . As soon as we ran into RGNT at INTERMOT last October , we fell for the classic look and simple design of its bikes . After some talks with its team , we quickly decided we would partner with them for our first EV project ." The donor bike was a RGNT No . 1
BRP Inc . ( Bombardier Recreational Products , Canada - owner of Rotax and Can-Am among other enterprises ) has inaugurated its first European Design and Innovation Centre , located in Sophia Antipolis in the south of France . " This new Centre reasserts the central role that BRP assigns to design and innovation as a growth driver . This installation in Sophia Antipolis demonstrates BRP ' s desire to immerse itself even more in European trends and to continue to offer products that meet the current and future needs of its customers and the communities in which it operates ". The Centre , which will carry out advanced concept studies on sustainable urban mobility , will play a leading role in BRP ' s global electrification strategy . Acting on its CSR25 programme , the company committed to a technological transition . It aims to offer electric models in each of its existing product lines and to have 50 % of its units sold to be electric by 2035 . " Design and innovation are at the heart of our strategy and of our values . We will never stop pushing boundaries in order to offer consumers products that make their daily travels easier and allow them to explore new
Scrambler SE . Following the design principle of its successful Crooked XS400 series - " Simplicity is the key to brilliance " - the biggest challenge for the builders was to reduce or stow away the large electrical modules in the triangle frame , so the frame looks open and the bike loses weight optically . " Another challenge was to reduce the size of the very large original dashboard . To reach these goals , we ' ve redesigned the subframe in CAD to make duplication easier . We placed the converter unit inside the seat and then CAD-designed a cable duct inside the frame triangle to protect all cables in the best possible way . " We raised the rear by 3 cm and reinforced the chassis with new , more progressive YSS springs , covered with 3D-printed fork covers . Blacked out rims with Continental TKC 80 tyres , a
playgrounds ," said José Boisjoli , President and Chief Executive Officer of BRP . Nestled between sea and mountains in the heart of a region recognised as a hub for green technology research , " the Centre will enable BRP to continue attracting the best design talent in the world to its creative teams ". BRP ' s design and innovation team is composed of more than 130 experts from 19 different countries . " We can transform industry paradigms thanks to the creativity generated by sharing ideas and the plurality of perspectives within our team . The arrival of new colleagues , who will be rooted in the European ecosystem , will minimalistic Bates-style LED headlight with Motogadget blaze turn signals and a new LED brake / rear light from Supernova made the build complete ." Gideon Schipaanboord , Head of Marketing at RGNT , said : " We think Dominikus and the team at Crooked have done an outstanding job . Building your first electric custom in a tight , six-week timeframe is very challenging , but they worked day and night to get it done . We were delighted to show the Crooked E-Type at the Bike Shed London show to mark UK availability of our standard models this year ." www . rgnt-motorcycles . com
BRP European Design Centre
only stimulate our exchanges so that we put all the power of design at the service of our consumers and communities on both sides of the Atlantic ," said Denys Lapointe , Chief Design Officer at BRP . Nicolas Deluy , with his bicontinental expertise , has been leading the Centre ' s team since December 2022 , which is made up of about 15 experts , including industrial designers , colours , materials and finish specialists , as well as a clay modeller , from various countries . In addition to its work on advanced concepts related to sustainable mobility , the team will provide design services to internal BRP partners in Europe and Scandinavia .
14 INTERNATIONAL DEALER NEWS - JUNE / JULY 2023 www . idnmag . com