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Honda announced global Group unit sales up by + 13.2 % at 5.062 million motorcycles for Q1 of its 2024 / 2025 financial year ( the period to June 30 , 2024 ) - up by 580,000 units (+ 13.2 %) over the same quarter of 2023 . Sales in Europe were 138,000 units (+ 14 %/ 19,000 units ); 132,000 units in North America (+ 12,000 ); down by -8,000 in Japan at 50,000 units sold ; 2,663 million units sold in Asia in total (+ 485,000 ), with 467,000 units sold (+ 72,000 ) in other regions ( 318,000 of those were in Brazil , up by + 117,500 ). Honda ' s largest market in Asia is India with 1.414 million units sold in Q1 , followed by Indonesia with 1.122 million units sold , then Vietnam and Thailand . Honda ' s global motorcycle business operations achieved a record high operating profit of 177.6bn yen for the quarter . Group motorcycle volume sales guidance remains unchanged for the year ending March 31 , 2025 , at 19.8 million units worldwide , 475,000 in Europe .
The 2023 INRIX Global Traffic Scorecard reports London as the most congested city in Europe , with traffic gridlock costing the UK economy approx . € 9bn a year . The average driver in the UK lost 61 hours a year due to traffic congestion , a four-hour increase compared to 2022 . The top 5 most congested cities in the world are New York City , Mexico City , London , Paris and Chicago . The report identified and ranked congestion in nearly 950 cities , across 37 countries .
Rauschenberg , Germany based luggage and accessory manufacturer SW-MOTECH has marked 15 years of Open House and 25 years of SW-MOTECH with some 38,000 visitors at the company headquarters in June . This year saw a wide range of vendors set up at the SW Open House , including Continental , HJC , Heidenau , Shoei , Arai , John Doe , Kurven & Knödel , Held , Macna , Nolan , Shark , Öhlins , Rukka , Schuberth , Stadler , Wilbers , Klim , Michelin , Nexx and Yuasa .
Dell ' Orto S . p . A has become an official partner of the annual FIM awards for the next three years . A celebration of the world champions from all motorcycle disciplines that compete under the FIM banner is scheduled for 7th December , 2024 , in Palma de Mallorca ( Spain ). Dell ' Orto is the sole supplier of the electronic control unit in the Moto3 category and partner ( of the championship ) for the data acquisition system in the MotoE category .
Englewood , Colorado based Liberty Media has now closed the public offering of shares in Formula 1 that it announced in April , in order to help fund its controversial ( and ambitious ) acquisition of an 86 % ownership position in Madrid based MotoGP rights holder Dorna Sports . At a public offering price of $ 77.50 per share , underwritten by Goldman Sachs , Liberty sold some 12,247,500 shares in F1 ( FWONK ), resulting in approx . $ 949,181,300 in gross funds to Liberty Media . This represents sale of a $ 825m stake in Formula 1 to fund the purchase of MotoGP . At the time of the announcement , the
12 INTERNATIONAL DEALER NEWS - SEPTEMBER / OCTOBER 2024
Liberty Media concludes deal to buy MotoGP
deal was valued at $ 4.2bn , with the remaining 14 % stake staying with MotoGP management . The deal to buy Dorna will be cash only , with no shares in Formula 1 issued to the sellers - British Private Investment company Bridgepoint and the Canada Pension Plan Investment Board ( CPP Investments ). Liberty Media had originally hoped to be able to announce the deal in March 2024 , before the new MotoGP season started , but had to beat off competition from Qatar Sports Investments ( the country ' s sovereign wealth fund ) and Ultimate Fighting Championship and World Wrestling Entertainment owners TKO . At the time of the original announcement , Liberty Media President and CEO Greg Maffei described MotoGP as a " global league with a loyal , enthusiastic fan base , captivating racing and a highly cash flow generative financial profile . Carmelo [ Ezpeleta , Dorna CEO ] and his management team have built a great sporting spectacle that we can expand to a wider global audience . " The business has significant upside , and we intend to grow the sport for MotoGP fans , teams , commercial partners and our shareholders ." Initially at least , Ezpeleta and his Sporting Director son Carlos will remain involved .
DAB 1α - 400-unit inaugural production model
Bayonne , France based DAB Motors has unveiled a production protype DAB 1α electric motorcycle with plans for a limited initial production run of 400 units . Founded in 2018 by CEO Simon Dabadie , and majority owned since the middle of 2023 by Peugeot Motocycles , the design was first seen as a Red Dot Award-winning preproduction protype - the Concept E - four years ago . Simon describes the business as " a French boutique motorcycle manufacturer , hidden in the 1890s Peugeot Motocycles factory ." He says that the DAB 1α is " the most exclusive electric bike we have ever crafted , surpassing anything we ' ve produced before ." Materials include Airbus upcycled carbon fibre , steel double cradle frame , steel trellis subframe and cast aluminium swingarm and Alcantara seat . " But act quickly ," he says , " these aren ' t just motorcycles , they ' re a living piece of art . Show it respect , embrace the French flair , and start giving some lessons at the traffic lights ." Specs include : Renthal Fatbar with CNC-machined controls ; brushless DC 25 motor , 5 kW peak ( 34.6 hp ); 11 kW nominal with regenerative braking ; torque : 395 Nm at the wheel ; battery : DAB Li-ion reparable and recyclable battery , 72V / 711 kWh max . capacity / 6.2 kWh nominal ; range : 150 km ; top speed : 130 km / h ; transmission : DAB x Gates Carbon drive belt system ; charging : onboard charger ( home socket + Type 2 compatible ) - 3h from 0 to 100 %; front suspension : DAB x Paioli 46 mm USD gold adjustable fork with TIN gold treatment ; rear suspension : DAB x Paioli with external gas tank and spring preload adjustment ; brakes : Brembo radial 4-piston caliper front and single piston rear ; brake discs : DAB 320 mm floating front and 240 mm rear ; Peugeot Dual ABS system ; total weight 125 kg ; motorcycle category L3e-A1 ( doesn ’ t require a motorcycle licence in many EU countries ); worldwide delivery and servicing with two-year warranty .
Honda Motor Europe - senior leadership team changes
Honda Motor Europe ( HME ) has confirmed a series of changes to the senior management of its European business . Hans De Jaeger has been appointed as Senior Vice President , responsible for the Automobile , Motorcycle , Power Product , Marine and Customer Service divisions . Hans has over 30 years of experience with the brand , having started his career in the logistics division , before progressing through a series of roles . His first executive appointment was as Vice President responsible for Energy Services and Business Transformation Office . He replaces Tom Gardner who , after 30
Hans De Jaeger
years with the business , took the decision to retire at the end of March . Hans will be replaced as Energy Services and Business Transformation Office VP by Jean-Marc Streng , who started his career at PwC in 1991 , before various roles at Volkswagen Group ( France ). He joined Honda in 2007 , and since then has taken on positions as President and Managing Director , Honda Motor Europe UK , before his last appointment as General Manager , Business Transformation Office . www . idnmag . com