International Dealer News 176 2024 IDN 176 January/February 2024 | Page 19

THE BRADLEY REPORT because 2024 will be the last year of Thruxton production , and the occasion is being marked with a oneyear-only ' Final Edition ' model . Offered in the same spec as the Thruxton RS , with 105 hp , Showa forks , Öhlins shocks and Brembo M50 brakes , the ' Final Edition ' gets a ' Competition Green ' paint scheme with hand-applied gold pinstripes and a certificate of authenticity signed by members of the Thruxton design team and by Triumph CEO Nick Bloor . In future , the Café Racer duties in Triumph ' s Modern Classics range will be covered by the Speed Twin . More 2024 news from Triumph comes in the form of the company ' s new 250 cc single-cylinder motocross bike , the
THE BRADLEY REPORT because 2024 will be the last year of Thruxton production , and the occasion is being marked with a oneyear-only ' Final Edition ' model . Offered in the same spec as the Thruxton RS , with 105 hp , Showa forks , Öhlins shocks and Brembo M50 brakes , the ' Final Edition ' gets a ' Competition Green ' paint scheme with hand-applied gold pinstripes and a certificate of authenticity signed by members of the Thruxton design team and by Triumph CEO Nick Bloor . In future , the Café Racer duties in Triumph ' s Modern Classics range will be covered by the Speed Twin . More 2024 news from Triumph comes in the form of the company ' s new 250 cc single-cylinder motocross bike , the
TF 250-X , which will form the basis of a two-bike works attempt a the FIM Motocross World Championship in the MX2 class in 2024 , as well as the US SuperMotocross World Championship . Featuring a 250cc engine with a remarkable 14.4:1 compression ratio , forged aluminium pistons and titanium valves in an aluminium spine frame , the company claims it has the highest power-to-weight ratio in its class . Bold words for a company that ' s going head-to-head with the best that Japan and Europe can offer .
TF 250-X
Impressively , Triumph intends to open a network of specialist motocross and enduro dealers to sell the bike , its optional accessories and a range of clothing developed for it in conjunction with Alpinestars . Triumph says there will be 300 such centres open across the US , Europe and Australia by the end of 2024 . The bike itself uses KYB suspension front and rear , with a chassis and engine developed 100 % by Triumph , which has taken guidance from Ricky Carmichael and Ivan Cervantes throughout the project ' s progress . An enduro version is expected to join it by the end of 2024 , along with a pair of 450 cc models , and Triumph has already tied in with aftermarket accessory brands for a range of optional parts including an Akrapovic exhaust , an MX Tune wi-fi module , Athena LC-GPA launch control and an XTrig holeshot device .

Suzuki shows hydrogen-fuelled scooter By Ben Purvis

Suzuki has been flirting with hydrogen-fuelled bikes for nearly two decades , but its latest attempt at the idea is very different - using a hydrogen-burning combustion engine as part the HySE collaboration alongside Honda , Yamaha and Kawasaki . All Suzuki ' s previous hydrogen projects have used the gas to provide
electricity , via hydrogen fuel cell technology , for electric bikes . The company started down that path in 2007 with the Crosscage concept , tying in with British brand Intelligent Energy to pursue the idea . It went on to make fuel-cell-powered Burgman scooters in 2010 and even trialled them with the Metropolitan Police in London in 2017 and 2018 . However , under the HySE project , Japan ' s ' Big Four ' are joining forces with other companies including Toyota to work on hydrogen-fuelled combustion engines specifically for motorcycles and other small vehicles , and that ' s where the latest Burgman comes in . Revealed at the Japan Mobility Show , which is the new name for the Tokyo Motor Show , it ' s a modified Burgman 400 , using essentially the same engine that powers the conventional gasoline
version , but with changes to suit hydrogen power . Suzuki hasn ' t revealed details of the alterations to the engine , but they ' re believed to include direct fuel injection to allow
' Hydrogen combustion engine is part of HySE industry collaboration in Japan '
the hydrogen adaptation to work . The hydrogen itself sits in a tank between the rider ' s feet , pressurised at a remarkable 700 bar ( about 10,000 psi ) to get enough of the gas in there
to allow a respectable range . A filler below the rider ' s seat allows the bike to use a hydrogen filling system when the tank needs to be replenished . To make space for the tank , the whole engine and swingarm unit is moved backwards by around 200 mm , extending the wheelbase by the same amount but ensuring the under-seat storage isn ' t sacrificed , as it was on Suzuki ' s fuel-cell Burgman designs . Other HySE projects include a fourwheeled off-road vehicle that ' s due to compete in January ' s Dakar Rally , using a supercharged 998 cc fourcylinder engine developed by Kawasaki to burn hydrogen instead of gasoline . The same engine , based on the company ' s H2 superbike motor , is eventually intended to appear in Kawasaki ' s proposed hydrogenpowered sports-touring bike , drawings of which were revealed in 2022 .