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Yamaha ' s R3 bLU cRU series is upgraded to FIM World Cup Status for 2024 . The FIM Superbike World Championship ' s feeder class and previously known as the Yamaha R3 bLU cRU European Championship , has been upgraded to World Cup status and will now come under the global FIM umbrella . Launched in 2021 by Yamaha Racing it is designed to provide a structured and direct path into world championship racing for riders aged between 14 and 20 years old . Managed by Japan Italy Racing ( JiR ) and supported by the FIM and Dorna WSBK Organisation ( DWO ), the series forms an integral part of DWO ' s SBK Roadway program . This partnership between all parties has proven to be an effective and successful one , with a large percentage of the FIM Supersport 300 World Championship grid now made up of former bLU cRU riders . This new World Cup will be contested across 12 races at six European rounds of the 2024 FIM Superbike World Championship , and the overall champion will earn a supported ride in the 2025 FIM Supersport 300 World Championship provided by Yamaha Motor Europe .

A new CEO often does mean a change of direction and after what is generally regarded as a less than positive two-year experiment in Berlin , BMW Motorrad has announced a return to Garmisch- Partenkirchen for its BMW Motorrad Days ' Brand-Fest '. Slated for 5 to 7 July , the volteface is described as " a response to the heartfelt desire of its fans all over the world for unadulterated motorcycle culture , a party atmosphere and unique riding experiences against a breathtaking Alpine backdrop ". With its 100th anniversary celebrations now firmly in the rear-view mirror , " what better location for the " Year of the GS " than Garmisch-Partenkirchen with its magnificent surroundings , winding roads and nearby alpine passes . It is the ideal terrain for unique motorcycle rides especially with the legendary icon of adventure riding " states the BMW PR team ! Indeed . Although some 80 % of the KMs ridden by most all ASDV bikes are actually urban , congested downtown traffic and parking hassles aren ' t really the image they want to be identifying the GS with .

Almost every electric motorcycle is direct drive - the motor is permanently geared to the rear wheel via a single ratio - so there ' s no need for a clutch or gear shifter . But American EV pioneer Zero is considering adding a false clutch lever to its electric bikes to give them an extra dimension of controllability . While the purpose of a clutch is simply to disengage drive from an engine to the transmission , so you can come to a halt without stalling , and to shift gears smoothly , in reality , riders use that lefthand lever in a much more subtle way . It ' s as important as the throttle , or even more so , when it comes to deciding how fast you get off the line when the lights go green . It ' s used to moderate the amount of engine braking at the rear wheel when you downshift and can be invaluable in giving fine control during low-speed manoeuvres . When an experienced rider gets on an electric bike for the first time , it ' s the lack of a clutch lever , more than anything else , that is initially jarring . While electric motors offer vast torque at low revs , without a clutch , you ' re at the mercy of a pre-programmed torque curve and throttle response map when it comes to

getaways , and changing the amount of regenerative braking available often means delving into the depths of menus hidden in the dashboard ' s user interface . Zero ' s new idea , revealed in a patent application from the company , is to use a control that looks , feels and operates like a clutch lever , but doesn ' t actually involve fitting a real clutch between the electric motor and transmission . Instead , the lever will operate a rotary sensor that alters the amount of torque reaching the rear wheel , or back-torque from regenerative braking when the bike is decelerating , to mimic the response of a clutch . Pull the lever in and the power and torque to the rear wheel is cut , even when the throttle is wide open . Release it again and the

Benda is another of the many Chinese bike companies that are looking towards the global motorcycle market with exports to Europe and the USA , but it stands out from the competition thanks to innovative and unusual designs . The brand came to prominence as the first Chinese bike maker to launch a fourcylinder machine a couple of years ago in the form of the LFC700 musclecruiser , followed swiftly by the more conventional LFS700 , using the same engine . It followed those with the Dark Flag 500 , the first Chinese bike to have its own homegrown V4 engine , and most recently impressed with the Napoleon 500 , a V-twin bobber with exotic styling and a faux girder fork at the front . Now there ' s the Napolean 250 , also packing a V-twin and sporting bobber design cues , but with a smaller engine and yet more innovation in the form of unusual front and rear suspension

designs . Official specs are thin on the ground , but the bike has been type-approved in China , revealing a peak power of 19 kW ( 25.5 hp ) from a Benda-built 249 cc V- twin . It sits in a steel frame with a relatively long 1,545 mm wheelbase and an all-in weight of 182 kg . The styling follows the Napoleon 500 , with a similar single-seat layout and retro-inspired proportions . However , where the larger bike uses upside-down telescopic forks hidden behind cowlings , giving the impression of prewar girder suspension , the Napoleon 250 ' s front end combines elements of both telescopics and girders . The main part of the front suspension is a pair of normal , right-way-up forks , but there ' s an additional casting mounted on the fork lowers , with extra external spring units on each side . Whether these are functional or simply cosmetic , like the larger Napoleon ' s fork cowls , remains unclear at this stage .

torque is returned to the wheel . That means riders with years of ingrained experience of balancing throttle and clutch controls will be able to get the same response from an electric bike , using the ' pseudo-clutch ' lever alongside the throttle . It ' s not just useful for the sake of familiarity , though , as it gives the ability to control the throttle mapping on the fly in a natural , instinctive way , and perhaps more importantly control the amount of regenerative braking on the rear wheel without switching between modes . And with relatively few additional components - most of the changes are software driven , not hardware ones - it ' s a system that shouldn ' t add substantially to prices .

The rear suspension is also unconventional . The triangular swingarm matches the angle of the main frame ' s upper rails , giving the proportions of a hardtail , but there ' s a coil-over shock on each side connected to an unusual rising-rate linkage . Most cruisers in this capacity class make do with very simple twinshock rear suspension , not to mention parallel twin engines rather than V- twins , so it ' s surprising to see something so sophisticated on such a small bike . With other Benda models already available in several European countries , and NHTSA documents already filed in America , that indicate the company is entering the North American arena in 2024 , there ' s a strong chance the Napoleon 250 will be a global model once it gets its full unveiling later this year .