THE BRADLEY REPORT
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THE BRADLEY REPORT
NEWS
BRIEFS
Graham Sykes , a 59-year-old selfprofessed " nutty inventor " and precision engineer from Yorkshire , England , has broken another track record - this time the World Land Speed record for a steam-powered motorcycle at 163 mph in 3.87 seconds over 1 / 8 mile - set at the UK / ITA World Records Speed Week . Called ' Force of Nature ', the thrustdriven bike reached speeds of 169 mph using a self-designed steam powered rocket motor . The bike uses the latent energy of superheated , pressurised water that is then released through nozzles . The bike then turns this water to steam , which thrusts it forwards . The prior record was 80.509 mph set in 2014 by American inventor Bill Barnes with a wheel-driven bike . The invention is eco-friendly and uses nature , science and innovation to reach incredible speeds - " it ' s just a big bomb really , and it all started in my shed . I ' ve taken the principles of chemistry and married them with precision engineering to create something I ' m passionate about - fast bikes . I wanted to do this in a way that is sustainable for the planet ( I ' ve got nine grandkids after all ), and that demonstrates that you don ' t have to compromise on speed , you just have to get creative ." Graham had previously shattered the British national record for the fastest threewheeled vehicle in 2015 with his self-built V8 three-wheeler " SYKO ," reaching a peak speed of 180.3 mph ( 171.4 mph average over the flying 1 / 4 mile ). Next up , Sykes plans to break his own record and become the fastest steam-powered vehicle ever , aiming to take the Steam Rocket Bike over the 200-mph mark in the standing 1 / 8 mile .
Pirelli is to be the official , exclusive tyre supplier to the lightweight and intermediate classes of Grand Prix racing - the Moto2 and Moto3 classes - from 2024 to 2026 inclusive . This new three-year agreement will see the Italian tyre marque become an integral part of the MotoGP Paddock , having had a long legacy as the sole supplier for all classes of the MOTUL FIM Superbike World Championship . The deal also extends across the ' Road to MotoGP ' programme as Pirelli become the official and sole tyre supplier for all classes of the Finetwork FIM JuniorGP World Championship , the Idemitsu Asia Talent Cup , the Northern Talent Cup and the Red Bull MotoGP Rookies Cup , in addition to their established commitment to the FIM MiniGP World Series .
Peugeot takes majority ownership of DAB Motors
French motorcycle manufacturers DAB Motors and Peugeot Motocycles have announced an industrial strategic partnership that will create a " unique offering in the electric motorcycle market ". As part of this collaboration , Peugeot Motocycles has made a substantial new investment in DAB Motors , and now owns the majority stake in the company , to launch the serial production of the highly anticipated Concept-E . Last year , Indian conglomerate Mahindra and Mahindra sold its controlling stake in Peugeot to German private equity investor Mutares SE & Co . KGaA . Peugeot and DAB have joined forces to leverage their respective strengths , with DAB Motors bringing an " innovative vision in EV design and Peugeot Motocycles contributing its industry expertise and global distribution network . This partnership
CFMoto is rapidly forging a reputation as a market leader among Chinese brands and its affordable 650MT adventure bike has been a key element to its progress - and now it ' s getting a substantial upgrade as it transforms into the 700MT for 2024 . The company has had a larger , 793 cc version of its long-lived parallel twin engine for several years , initially using it in the 700CL-X retro bike , and now it ' s made the rational decision to slide the same motor into the MT adventure model . The capacity increase might be just 44 cc over the previous 649 cc , but the performance boost is larger , giving 18 % more power from just 7 % more capacity . The 700MT puts out 49 kW ( 66 hp ) at 9,000 rpm , up from 41 kW ( 55 hp ) for the old 650MT - enough to put it into rivalry with a whole new class of machines . Torque is also increased , from 54 Nm to 60 Nm at 7,250 rpm . The rest of the mechanical makeup is largely the same as the old 650MT , with no change to the frame or to the 218 kg curb weight including fuel . The 43 mm USD forks , adjustable for rebound damping only , are carried over , as is the rear shock , adjustable for rebound and preload . The same applies
marks a new chapter in the evolution of the French electric motorcycle industry and promises to deliver Made-in-France cutting-edge technology and innovative solutions to consumers ". Simon Dabadie , CEO and founder of Bayonne , France based DAB Motors , said : " I am thrilled to be partnering with a historical manufacturer such as Peugeot Motocycles . This strategic collaboration will take DAB Motors to the next level . With the support of Peugeot Motocycles , DAB Motors will soon be mass-producing its electric motorcycles and delivering worldwide .” The plan is for Peugeot Motocycles to enable DAB to scale up launch of its " innovative electric motorcycle " on a large scale , with production based at Peugeot ' s historical factory in Mandeure ( south of Mulhouse , near the Swiss border ). The expectation is
to the J . Juan brake calipers ( these days owned by Brembo ), although they now clamp onto 300 mm circular discs instead of the petal-style ones of the 650MT . Visually , the bodywork is updated but still retains many of the shapes from the previous Kiska-designed 650MT , with a new look to the nose and the side panels . On board , the 700MT gets a new 5- inch TFT dash borrowed from the recently launched 450SR sports bike , that this will increase production , improve efficiency and lower costs . Sebastien Mas , President of Peugeot Motocycles , is quoted as saying : " The primary driving force behind our collaboration lies in the DAB brand promise . We have recognised the necessity of venturing into the electric realm , building upon our legacy of launching motorcycles 125 years ago . Additionally , the essence of both brands is rooted in production in France . We take great pride in manufacturing our premium ranges locally , preserving our strong expertise , and contributing to the growth of the French industry ."
CFMoto 700MT launched
By Ben Purvis
with phone connectivity for media and navigation , plus updated USB sockets to include a Type-C port as well as a Type-A one . Although the 700MT ' s prices rise compared to the 650MT , the margin isn ' t a large one and in most markets the bike substantially undercuts rivals like Kawasaki ' s Versys 650 , Yamaha ' s Tracer 7 and Suzuki ' s V- Strom 650 , while now offering a similar level of performance - something that the old 650MT couldn ' t achieve .
24 INTERNATIONAL DEALER NEWS - AUGUST / SEPTEMBER 2023 www . idnmag . com