Sources: AMD, IDN, FT, Reuters, PSB, MPN, B & B, BDN, MCN, AP, Bloomberg, MNW news ROOM
NEWS
BRIEFS
Parts Europe is celebrating the 50th anniversary of the legendary Thor MX apparel brand. Founded in Sweden by Torsten Hallman, a former professional motocross racer( four-time MX World Champion) and then Husqvarna dealer, Hallman is widely credited as being one of the pioneers who introduced MX into the United States in the late 1960s. He started what became THOR Motocross( Torsten Hallman Original Racewear) by selling pants and gloves from the trunk of his car at MX races.
AJP, the Portuguese enduro and offroad motorcycle manufacturer has appointed Torque Racing as its UK importer.
Millions of jobs are likely to be displaced by automation, but a report from the World Economic Forum( in Switzerland) has suggested that while robots will displace 75 million jobs globally by 2022, their impact on production and commerce will create 133 million new, alternate jobs- a " net positive ". The think tank says that advances in computing would free up workers for new tasks.
The Tax Foundation, a non-partisan US policy group that supports simple tax regimes, says the latest round of tariffs imposed on China could lose more than 94,000 jobs in the USA. However, the organisation warns that the risk is higher if all of President Trump’ s existing and still threatened tariffs against China and other countries are enacted, and it could result in the loss of almost 460,000 jobs and cost the US about 0.6 % in economic growth.
Omnia Racing( Naples) durable‘ Magma’ Cordura high-abrasion and tear resistant tyre warmers feature a large lateral extension for quick and efficient heating of the shoulder of the tyre and rim, with fire-retardant Nomex and Kevlar on the interior. The highstrength, precision made 2.5 mm thick chrome-nickel heating element is silicone coated for durability.
Australian off-road tyre specialist MOTOZ has the new Tractionator RALLZ, based on the popular Tractionator Adventure tyre. Offering 80 / 20 off-road dirt and street performance, it offers a more aggressive self-cleaning off-road tread pattern for excellent predictability, power delivery and performance in all weather conditions without the need to alter the tyre pressure.
Honda and Panasonic in Indonesian battery sharing research joint venture
Honda and Panasonic are to conduct a research experiment in Indonesia on battery sharing, using the Honda Mobile Power Pack detachable mobile battery with electric mobility products, including electric motorcycles. The two companies are planning to begin the research experiment in December 2018. As the third largest motorcycle market in the world, Indonesia is facing an issue with air pollution associated with the increase in traffic volume. To address this issue, the Indonesian government has announced a policy to facilitate the widespread use of electric mobility products. Honda says that“ while being environmentally responsible, electric mobility products still have some issues that need to be addressed, including range and charging time. The Mobile Power Pack and mobility products powered by it are expected to solve such issues and provide a boost to the widespread use of electric mobility products”. The two companies will install charging stations at several dozen locations, which will charge multiple
The Repsol Honda factory team and rider Toni Bou( 32, Spain) have won the 2018 FIM Trial World Championship – the 12th consecutive time Bou has won the championship, clinching his first on HRC’ s Montesa COTA 4RT factory bike in 2007. Bou has also won his 12th consecutive X Trial World Championship, an indoor competition raced on artificially prepared trials tests. Overcoming injuries in the preseason X Trial World Championship, Bou started off the season by winning the Trial GP in Spain, then after finishing 4th and 2nd in Japan, he won the next four rounds. Round 4, Portugal, was his 100th Trial World Championship victory. The Montesa COTA 4RT is a liquid-cooled 4-stroke singlecylinder in an aluminium twin-tube frame with 21” front and 18” rear wheels. units of the Mobile Power Pack simultaneously and supply fully charged Mobile Power Packs to users at any time. Users of electric mobility products who experience a low battery level can stop at the nearest charging station and exchange their Mobile Power Pack for a fully charged one and get back on the road.
Bou HRC make it 12 consecutive Trials Championships
Honda global motorcycle sales + 11.4 % units for Q1
For the first quarter of its 2018 to 2019 financial year( the three months to June 30), Honda has announced consolidated motorcycle sales of 3,615,000 units; up by 11.4 percent( 370,000 units) from the first quarter fiscal 2017 / 2018. Their total corporate sales revenue( including automotive and Power Products) was up by over 311bn yen for the period(+ 8.38 percent) at 4,024.1bn yen; operating profit was up by 30.1bn yen(+ 11.2 %) and attributing profit for the period was up by 37bn yen after taxes(+ 17.85 %) at 244.3bn yen. Honda Group unit sales( motorcycles,
ATV and SxS) were + 653,000 units for the first quarter(+ 13.9 %) with 80,000 sold in Europe, 72,000 sold in north America and 49,000 in Japan( 4,840,000 were sold in Asia, 311,000 in other regions). Motorcycle sales revenue was 554.9bn yen(+ 9.1 %); operating profit margin was 16.6 % at 92.1bn yen. Overall corporate operating profit margin was up by + 5.7 % in Europe to 7bn yen.
12 INTERNATIONAL DEALER NEWS- OCTOBER / NOVEMBER 2018