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Suzuki has invested in Glydways , Inc ., a California based startup that develops on-demand Personal Rapid Transit of autonomous batteries that is to " revolutionise urban mobility core-efficient and convenient with lower infrastructure and operating costs ". Suzuki and Glydways will discuss partnering on vehicle development and manufacturing .
In USA , the 2024 SEMA Market Report finds that automotive specialty-equipment market sales grew to $ 52.3bn in 2023 , an increase of about 1 % over 2022 .
The SBK Commission is working on the introduction of a new entry class to the MOTUL FIM Superbike World Championship in 2026 , " marking a significant evolution in the racing landscape ". The new class will replace the FIM Supersport 300 World Championship ( WorldSSP300 ), which has served as a feeder class since its inception in 2017 .
Brembo has won a 2024 Red Dot award for its MotoGP technology-derived GP4- MotoGP brake caliper .
Michele Colaninno , Chief Executive Officer of the Piaggio Group ( PIA . MI ), has been elected to a second term as President of ACEM - the Brussels based international motorcycle industry trade association . He stated : " The market and urban environments are changing fast and mobility is evolving . This is a challenge for the industry , but also an opportunity not to be lost : sustainability , connectivity , safety and competitiveness are the key points of our agenda and the ACEM manifesto .”
Yamaha Motor Europe is engaged in a ' proof of concept ' collaboration in Berlin with smart battery swapping and charging infrastructure provider Swobbee to test swappable batteries with NEO ' s in Berlin . The project started in July and will be staged in central Berlin , which is described as " the epicentre of electric mobility in Europe ". Customers with a 50 cc equivalent AM license can subscribe to Swobbee ’ s service to receive Yamaha electricpowered scooter NEO ' s on a monthly basis .
Michael Dunlop beat a 24-year record to become the new ' King of the Isle of Man ' - fittingly , as the record of 26 wins was held by his uncle Joey Dunlop . Michael took home his 27th TT victory when he won the Supertwins class , making him unquestionably the new king of the mountain course .
AEP merges P & W with Bihr ' s German subsidiary
As the Genstar Capital owned Arrowhead Engineered Products ( AEP - Blaine , Minnesota ) continues its search for synergies and adjacencies in order to optimise efficiencies and rationalise economies of scale in the diverse network of acquisitions it has made in the powersports industry ( on both sides of the Atlantic ) in the past decade , one such has been a decision to merge two of its German motorcycle industry subsidiaries , announced in April this year . Bihr ( powersports distributor of Bartenheim , France , and Kontich , Belgium ) formally acquired Glinde , Hamburg based distributor and own brand operator Paaschburg & Wunderlich ( P & W ) in June 2021 - having co-located its own German market subsidiary ( Bihr GmbH ) at the P & W premises some 21 months earlier . Bihr was in turn acquired by AEP in October 2022 , with P & W ( and several other European motorcycle businesses that Bihr had acquired ) coming as part of the package . At that stage , AEP had already owned British distributor Hi-Level since 2015 and Italian piston manufacturer Vertex since 2016 . Bihr itself had additionally acquired several businesses ( P & W being one of them ) by the time the deal with AEP took place . These included the British Moto Direct / RST apparel operation . In the United States , AEP owns and operates Western Power Sports , one of
British suspension manufacturer K-Tech has announced that it is investing heavily in a programme of initiatives to grow and support its European sales , starting by hiring former Showa by Genuine Parts Europe executive Pere Vilanova as new Business Development Manager . Based in Barcelona , the 39-year-old Spaniard will be establishing a central warehouse for K-Tech Europe in Barcelona " provide better service and pricing for European customers . " Initially , Pere will be focused on opening new accounts with suspension businesses primarily in Southern Europe , promoting the success of K- Tech in motorcycle sport , and developing sales of the vast range of service and upgrade parts K-Tech offers for both off-road and road bikes . The target is to be a one stop shop for the suspension industry , also the K-Tech the largest powersports industry P & A / G & A distributors , and a number of other brands , including All Balls Racing , Winderosa and the C & E Companies
brands - such as Cylinder Works , Hot Cams , Hot Rods , Pivot Works and Tiger Lights . Now , in what AEP describes as a " significant milestone ", the two German entities , Paaschburg & Wunderlich GmbH and Bihr GmbH , will be merged by the end of this year , and will operate under the name Paaschburg & Wunderlich GmbH . " This merger brings together the best of both companies , promising unparalleled local expertise , a high level of service and an unbeatable brand portfolio ," said an AEP company statement . The joint entity is headed up by Peter Hakanson ( as Managing Director ), the former automotive and electronics industry executive ( Delphi , Volvo , GE ,
website will be a key point to develop business in Europe . " This will include developing dealer programmes for our class-leading front fork cartridge upgrades and Razor shocks , the development of which filtered down to our street product range through our road racing and
Barcelona based K-Tech Europe Business Development Manager Pere Vilanova
Philips ) who AEP hired as president to head-up its consolidated Powersports Europe operation a couple of years ago . " This migration has prompted several key developments : the company is focused on expanding the growth of its leading own brand HIGHSIDER across Europe . As such , the product portfolios of its proprietary brands , Shin Yo , LSL , V- Parts , and Vicma will be reassessed and integrated into HIGHSIDER . Further details on this process will be released in the coming months . " Additionally , the business will also streamline its range of supplier brands . As a result , a portion of the existing brands it distributes will be phased out and replaced by equivalent products from HIGHSIDER and other brands within the Bihr portfolio . " These strategic decisions will position Paaschburg & Wunderlich to have the most relevant technical accessories brands within in the sector ." Peter Hakanson is quoted as saying : " This merger and the new brand strategy represent a significant step towards an even stronger market position for us . We are confident that the combination of proven expertise , excellent service and a comprehensive brand portfolio will provide even greater value to our dealers ." The company says it " looks forward to an exciting future and reiterates its commitment to remaining a trusted partner for its suppliers and customers " www . arrowheadepinc . com
K-Tech Europe hires Pere Vilanova
Motocross championship success . " This year K-Tech is the suspension partner for the BMW R900 Cup and Tracker Kawasaki British Superteen Championship in the British Superbike Championship , and suspension supplier to Moto Rapido Ducati , FS-3 Kawasaki and TAS Racing BMW , with rider Davey Todd winning the Superstock and the Senior class at Isle of Man TT races , using the latest Through Rod Damping System ( TRDS ) race suspension ". K-Tech also supports overseas team in World Supersport , AMA , ASBK and other series , including Royal Enfield in the BTR Flat Track and Road Race series in the U . S . Alongside manufacturing replacement suspension products K-Tech offer many parts to upgrade and service original suspension . www . ktechsuspension . com
10 INTERNATIONAL DEALER NEWS - JULY / AUGUST 2024 www . idnmag . com