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BRIEFS
GIVI ' s Maxia 5 ( its top of the range top case ) has won the Red Dot award for best product design . Structurally redesigned , optimising its weight to around 5.4 kg and increasing its strength , the Maxia 5 has a 50-litre capacity and can hold two modular helmets ; www . givimoto . com
The MIC in USA announced that Q1 total motorcycle unit sales were -5.6 % over the same period of 2023 at 118,702 units ; ATV / UTV sales were -4.8 % at 36,649 units for a total U . S . powersports industry unit count of 155,351 units sold in Q1 this year ( -5.4 %). Scooter sales were 3,312 units ( -5.6 %); On-Highway motorcycles were 66,290 units ( up by 2.1 %). After strong growth these past few years , ADV models (' Dual Sports ' as they are termed in USA ) were down by -6.0 % at 17,586 units in Q1 2024 , and following the huge explosion in demand during the Covid and immediate post-Covid years , Off-Highway motorcycles were seriously down in the first quarter of 2024 at -18.3 % ( 31,514 units ).
Women ’ s Circuit Racing is finally to get its own championship with an inaugural six-race 2024 FIM Women ' s Circuit Racing World Championship ( WorldWCR ) that kicked off in June at the Emilia- Romagna MWC “ Marco Simoncelli ” ( 14-16 June ) before a Prosecco DOC UK Round at Donington Park ( 12-14 July ). " As a single-make series , all participants will compete using the 687cc Yamaha YZF-R7 , focusing on skill and strategy rather than differences in equipment . This inaugural 2024 season will feature 24 riders from a variety of backgrounds , all poised to leave their mark on this historic championship ". The series will continue with races in Portugal ( Algarve ) and Hungary ( Balaton Park ) in August , Italy in September ( Cremona ) before a Prometeon Spanish Round as a finale at the Circuito de Jerez - Angel Nieto , October 18-20 ; www . worldsbk . com
Parts Europe adds Sweden ' s SKF , German John Doe and French AXP brands
Wasserliesch , Germany based international distributor Parts Europe has continued its regular new product programme with the addition of the Swedish SKF seals and bearings range , the German John Doe apparel brand and the French AXP Products MX / Enduro motorcycle protection hard parts line . Based near Mainz in Germany , apparel brand John Doe is noted for the materials and technologies that it uses for its motorcycle gear , including its inhouse XTM brand . " Every seam , every pocket , every single centimetre of fabric has been thought through down to the last detail and tested under maximum loads before it goes out on the road CE-certified ". XTM-Fiber is made up of an outer extremely abrasion-resistant layer of DuPont Kevlar fibres and an integrated Lycra stretch component - " ensuring a perfect balance between the best possible protection and maximum
comfort . The Twolayer with XTM- Fiber also has a breathable Coolmax blended fibre on the inside for a temperature-regulating effect on the body ' s response to the riding climate ". John Doe apparel is knee , hip and back XTM protectors-ready . Flat and 100 % made from polyurethane , this viscoelastic foam " adapts flexibly to every movement and has extremely good shock-absorbing properties , even in the event of a high-speed impact ". Founded in 1999 by Pierre Dugardin and based near Bordeaux , AXP Racing is an MX , Enduro and Quad motorcycle and powersports vehicle protection parts specialist , renowned for the robust construction of their strong , lightweight aluminium and
HDPE plastic components . HDPE plastic is 30 to 40 % lighter than aluminium , tougher than expensive carbon fibre , and " allows riders to glide over all kinds of rocks , stones and whatever else might get in their way ". The ' Radiator Brace ' radiator guard was developed for motocross and classic enduro , is made of 4 mm thick aluminium and fits the respective bike without any need for modification . Nowadays , extreme racing is becoming increasingly popular . To meet this trend , AXP Racing has also developed the new ' Xtrem Radiator Guards ', consisting of a radiator cage made of 4 mm thick aluminium ; the Xtrem version also contains a 6 mm thick HDPE grid that reinforces the protection . AXP also offers skid plates ( including ADV ), reinforced chain guides and trail racks . One of the best known and oldest established component manufacturers in the powersports industry , Gothenburg , Sweden based SKF can trace its origins back to 1907 . SKF is the world ' s largest bearing manufacturer and is considered a prestigious brand for powersports industry parts and component distributors to have in their portfolios . The company manufactures and supplies bearings , seals , lubrication and lubrication systems , maintenance products , mechatronics products , power transmission products , condition monitoring systems and related services , globally . www . partseurope . eu