Leatt celebrates 20 years of protection and performance
It began in 2004 with a groundbreaking protective product : the Leatt-Brace . Fast forward to today , and Leatt has become a top name in motocross , mountain biking and extreme motorsports protection . Founder Dr . Chris Leatt says : " For the past 20 years , it ' s been incredibly rewarding to know our passion and products have revolved around saving lives ." After witnessing the heartbreaking loss of a fellow motocross racer , Dr . Leatt , a neurosurgeon in training and a passionate rider , saw the urgent need for a neck brace to guard against common neck injuries . Over the next three years , Dr . Leatt developed a rough prototype designed to work with a helmet to provide significant neck protection . This was the beginning of the Leatt brand and
the award-winning Leatt-Brace " not only defined the category , but also revolutionised neck protection . As more riders embraced the brace , neck injuries declined . A ten year independent study by Great Lakes EMS Inc . showed the effectiveness of wearing a neck brace : without one , neck injuries were 89 % more likely , death from a cervical spinal injury was 69 % more likely , non-fatal cervical spinal injuries were 75 % more likely , and collarbone fractures were 45 % more likely . “ These studies back up what we ’ ve seen in our testing - and validate the importance of riding with a neck brace ,” Dr . Leatt states . “ It ' s incredibly fulfilling and a huge point of pride to see my life ’ s work making such a real difference .” Building on the success of the Leatt
neck brace , the range has expanded to include helmets , body armour , knee braces , elbow guards , hydration systems and apparel . By 2025 , there will be over 430 different Leatt products across three different line categories - offering " comprehensive head-to-toe protection for all kinds of riders : motocross , adventure moto riders and mountain bikers . " Our commitment to ongoing research , development and testing happens at the Leatt Lab in Cape Town , South Africa . Here , products are meticulously designed and rigorously tested . The result is high-performance protective gear for both pros and casual riders . We collaborate directly with pro athletes , using their feedback in our R & D efforts to ensure every product is state-of-the-art . “ As a cross-country rider myself , I ' m thrilled to see our endurance line grow . But look out for new product categories . We ’ re constantly innovating as technology advances . We ’ re exploring what ’ s needed in different sports , and we have some exciting new stuff coming .” www . leatt . com
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KTM is staging its 19th annual North American Adventure Rider Rally at Deadwood , South Dakota , October 10-13 , 2024 .
Last year saw renewable sources supply 30 % of global electricity for the first time . The rapid growth of solar power led to a record-breaking year for clean energy generation in 2023 , and the year is expected to mark the start of a long-term decline in fossil fuels - the rapid growth of solar power in China is being cited as having irrevocably changed the world ' s electricity mix ( New Scientist ).
In 1992 , America ' s net debt amounted to 46 % of GDP . Today it has reached 96 % of GDP . For the past five years , first under Donald Trump and then Joe Biden , the federal deficit has averaged 9 % of GDP a year . The IMF says that America ' s borrowing is so vast that it is endangering global financial stability . S & P and Fitch , two creditrating agencies , have already downgraded America ' s debt ; a third , Moody ' s , is threatening to do so ( The Economist ).
Consumers in America are said to be carrying a record level of credit card debt with defaults running at almost double the rate they were in the lead up to the 2007 / 08 Financial Crisis . Home mortgage and auto loan arrears and defaults are also running at levels in excess of 2007 / 08 on an inflation weighted basis ( WSJ ).
Italian premium brakes manufacturer Brembo reports H1 revenues of € 2,004.8m , up by + 2.8 % (+ 3.3 % on a like-for-like exchange rate basis ). EBITDA was € 351.4m ( 17.5 %), EBIT was € 218.8m ( 10.9 %).
Sources : AMD , IDN , FT , Reuters , PSB , MPN , BDN , MCN , AP , Bloomberg , MSNW , Electrek , electricmotorcycles . news , RideApart . com , Motor1 . com , Cycle World , motorbikewriter . com www . idnmag . com INTERNATIONAL DEALER NEWS - SEPTEMBER / OCTOBER 2024 15