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NEWS
BRIEFS
Bauer Media ' s UK operation has closed the MCN( Motorcycle News) London Motorcycle Show. Staged at east London ' s Docklands based Excel exhibition centre since 2007, it is a show that can trace a lineage back as far as the earliest days of the Earl ' s Court International Motorcycle Show in London in the early 1950 ' s, and beyond. That leaves the modern MCIA UK motorcycle industry trade association ' s Motorcycle Live at Birmingham ' s NEC as the UK ' s only real ' major ' motorcycle expo, though Bike Shed ' s annual " School of Cool " at Tobacco Dock at the end of May and also in east London continues to grow.
The provisional 2026 MotoGP schedule, the first to be released under the imprimatur of new Dorna Sports owner Liberty Media( Colorado, USA) again includes 22 Grands Prix on five continents. A highlight will be the return of the Brazil GP for the first time since Makoto Tomada ' s win for Honda in 2004- the new venue for the Brazilian race will be Autodromo Internacional Ayrton Senna at Goiania near Brasilia. This will be the final season before the 1,000 cc formula( introduced in 2012) switches to 850 cc for 2027. The season opener is still slated for Thailand but an alternate city and venue to Bangkok is expected to be announced shortly. The casualty for 2026 is the Indian GP, due to ongoing logistical and financial issues since its inaugural race in at the Buddh International Circuit in 2023. Argentina ' s race at Termas de Rio Hondo also falls off the 2026 calendar, but it is expected to return in 2027 at a new location in Buenos Aires; www. motogp. com
Overcoming parasitic drain in your motorcycle
Finding the source of high parasitic drain in a motorcycle is time consuming and frustrating. Modern motorcycles have additional ' always on ' components requiring power to remain at ready for the( theoretical) convenience of the rider. Any motorcycle with key fob and / or electronic settings( e. g. suspension, mode settings) that need to remain in memory, will naturally have a higher parasitic drain. The most recent trend of factory fitted luggage that can be unlocked by a key fob, adds even more complexity that can lead to unintended higher drain. A modern BCM / ECM( Bike / Electronic Control Module) has a stand-by mode during which current draw should be very low, ideally in the sub 20 mA range, but it takes just one slightly malfunctioning component t( e. g. luggage locking relays, alarm system), or a keyfob stored on / near the parked motorcycle, to fire that BCM up to active status, resulting in a higher draw, sometimes up to 1 amp. This is without considering that electrical after-market accessories can also add to parasitic drain. Says Martin Human of TecMate: " the consequence of high parasitic draw left unattended in a parked vehicle is a deep discharged battery that will suffer permanent damage, the deeper the discharge the higher the level of damage it may suffer. " Not only can that mean a new battery, but it also results in rider disappointment and frustration that usually boils over to blaming of the vehicle and / or the dealer that sold it. Recommending the right charger for the job and the problem is very likely fixable- if the parasitic drain is less than 1 amp. For context, a parasitic drain of 100 mA results in a loss of 0.2 Ah daily."
Martin ' s experience and research with motorcycle electrics has resulted in an ever-evolving range of TecMate battery chargers, maintainers and conditioners that can meet the rider ' s needs and deal with parasitic draw issues. The OptiMate 2 DUO delivers 2 Amps of charge current, designed to overcome high parasitic drain, whether it is unintended or deliberate. It also charges and maintains both lead-acid( flooded / VRLA / AGM / GEL) and lithium( LFP / LiFePO4) motorcycle batteries. It is TecMate ' s BRONZE category charger perfect for the rider that might say ' I have no idea, nor do I care, what battery I have ', I just want to keep it charged and ready. OptiMate 2 DUO also comes in a two-station and four-station format. If a smarter battery charger is required, one that can additionally save ' deadflat ' batteries from as low as 0.5V then the OptiMate 4 Quad Program delivers 1.25 A of charge current and is the " ultimate charger for the discerning rider that prefers to choose exactly the right mode for their motorcycle. " If faster charging of any 12V lead-acid battery is a requirement, the OptiMate
6 A Ampmatic lithium
OptiMate 6 Ampmatic
OptiMate 2 DUO
6 Ampmatic( TM36x series) is the right choice. With its Ampmatic software, not only does it adjust current from its maximum of 6 amps to a lower level to match the size or condition of the connected battery, it also regulates charge voltage to ambient temperature, necessary if the battery is stored in extreme temperatures( below-10 ° C or above 35 ° C)- voltage is adjusted lower when hotter, higher when colder. " The ' 6A Ampmatic ' lithium equivalent is the OptiMate Lithium 4s 6A( TM39x series) with a unique Lithium Ampmatic software that also adjusts current according to battery size or condition, as well regulating charge current in extreme ambient temperatures( below 0 ° C or above 40 ° C). This product is globally recommended by both Honda and Suzuki for lithium engine start batteries in their vehicles. " Sometimes ' more power ' does solve the problem!" www. tecmate. com www. optimate1. com