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Metzeler MC 360 tyre sets three world records
The brand new Metzeler MC 360 tyre which already has three world records in its trophy cabinet. At the beginning of March this year, the tyre was subjected to the final stages of a test that challenged it with extreme trials in Chile at the Nevado Ojos del Salado volcano, situated at the border between Argentina and Chile. At 6,891 metres high, it is the highest volcano in the world, and the MC 360, with the Honda Africa Twin and CRF450RX, established three records in riding it: 1) From zero to 5,900 metres above the sea level in less than 24 hours 2) 5,960 metres as maximum height for a twin-cylinder motorcycle 3) 5,977 metres as maximum height reached with a motorcycle in less than 24 hours The team for this record expedition was composed of Salvo Pennisi, Metzeler’ s Head of Testing Department, Carlo Fiorani, Honda’ s Head of Racing Communications, the industry journalists Francesco Catanese and Karsten Schwers, and Fabio Mossini, the enduro champion, now part of the Honda Sud America team.
The first record set was a real team victory: Francesco Catanese, Fabio Mossini and Karsten Schwers riding the Honda Africa Twin and Salvo Pennisi, riding alternately both the Africa Twin and the CRF450RX, managed to reach 5,900 metres, after starting from sea level, in 22 hours and 30 minutes. The second success was an individual record scored by Fabio Mossini, who managed to bring his Honda Africa Twin to 5,960 metres above sea level, the highest level ever reached with a twin-cylinder motorcycle. The third record, another individual one, was set by Metzeler’ s Head of Testing. Riding the CRF450RX, he set the record for the highest climb above sea level ever reached by a motorcycle,
Kawasaki unit sales up in“ developed markets” for 2016-2017 fiscal bringing his single-cylinder Honda to 5,977 metres of altitude in 22 hours and 40 minutes. This came after a challenging climb to reach the Atacama hut at 5,200 metres when riding the Africa Twin. Both the Africa Twin and the CRF450RX had been equipped with the new MC 360 tyres, in prototype sizes for the Africa Twin and standard sizes for the CRF450RX. The adventure in Chile represented the final and most severe testing for the new tyre, aimed at assessing its level of performance, wear, versatility and resistance to tearing in extreme conditions, with temperatures ranging from + 40 ° in the Desert of Copiapó, down to-15 ° on the Andes.
For their full year 2016-2017( the period to March 31st 2017) Kawasaki is reporting net sales from its Motorcycle & Engine division of 313.0 bn yen, down by- 6.1 percent(-20.5 bn yen) from the same period of 2015 / 2016; with operating income down by-25.5 percent at 11.7 bn yen. It ascribes |
the decline to the appreciation in the value of the yen during the period and in the sales of motorcycles to its“ emerging markets”. Total worldwide motorcycle, UTV, ATV and PWC unit sales in the full year were 540,000 units( up from 524,000 units 2015 – 2016); of |
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which 153,000 were motorcycle sales in“ developed markets”( up from 135,000 units and generating 112.6 bn yen), 321,000 were sales in“ emerging markets”( down from 328,000 and generating 86.9 bn yen) and 66,000 units were |
utility vehicles, ATVs and PWC( up from 61,000 and generating 73.3 bn yen). The Motorcycle( and Engine) division delivered 20 percent of overall corporate net sales, down from 22 percent in 2015-2016. |
Energica MY 2017 updated
Modena, Italy based high performance E-bike manufacturer Energica has achieved the European Euro 4 homologation and as a result has announced new, increased specs for its 2017 Ego and Eva models. Energica Ego, the electric sportsbike, now offers a higher power output of 145 hp, and Energica Eva, the electric streetfighter, revealed 108 hp. The maximum power of the Ego is now reaching 107 kW( constant maximum power at 6.000 rpm), while Eva has now 80 kW( constant maximum power at 6.000 rpm). The value of the maximum torque is increased too- for the Ego it goes from 195 to 200 Nm, while for Eva from 170 to 180 Nm. Energica says that with the Euro 4 homologation, the new Energica 2017 model year will have the OBD diagnostics( on board diagnostics). As per European regulations, the Energica motorcycles will have standard software that will communicate with a universal diagnostics tool, so any workshop will be able to get access to the data.
Energica Ego Lunar White( Photo: Damiano Fiorentini)
14 INTERNATIONAL DEALER NEWS- JUNE / JULY 2017