International Dealer News IDN 152 December 2019/January 2020 | Page 18

news ROOM
NEWS
BRIEFS
Maxxis is ending its 14-year
partnership with the ACU in the
UK as title sponsor of the British
Motocross Championship from
the 2020 season. Maxxis says
that "due to changing needs,
following substantial growth
over the years, Maxxis' brand
marketing activity will now take
a more globally focussed
approach, shifting the focus of
its domestic sponsorship
strategies to working with UK
teams to achieve successes on
its products".
VW has 'bet the farm' on its electric
future, committing over € 66 Bn ($72
Bn) to an electric car future. The
group plans to have introduced up to
75 all-models by 2029, plus some 60
hybrid vehicles. € 33 Bn of that will
be dedicated to developing electric
cars across its global brands -
Volkswagen, Porsche, Audi, Bentley,
Bugatti, Lamborghini and its Skoda
and Seat Europe specific brands.
Honda UK is to return to road
racing at the North West 200
and the Isle of Man TT races
with a new rider line-up of
Glenn Irwin and Davey Todd
(Superbike and Superstock
classes on the new CBR1000RR-
R Fireblade SP), with Glenn and
his brother Andrew in the BSK
and Davey with Tom Neave in
the National Superstock 1000
Championship.
BST Wheels
EICMA was a big show for South
African carbon specialist BST
(Blackstone Tek). Not only did it debut
a new Pierre Terblanche designed
thing of beauty in its hyperTEK
electric motorcycle, but two stunning
new wheel designs too.
The BST brief was simple - "design and
build the lightest motorcycle wheel
possible". The GP TEK front wheel
weighs only 3.9 lbs/1.8 kg and the rear
wheel is only 5.29 lbs/2.4 kg
(depending on fitment). Using
specialised carbon fibre to tailor the
cornering stiffness, the hubs are
manufactured using 6000 grade
aircraft aluminium and the fasteners
are grade 5 titanium.
Backed by RFID tag traceability
throughout its lifespan, a new BST
painted and serviceable coating
between the tyre and the rim protects
the wheel from damage during tyre
changing.
The front load rating is 330 lbs/150 kg
and available in 17 x 3.50/17 x
3.75/17 x 4.00. The rear is available in
17 x 6.00/17 x 6.25.
The Torque TEK is for American V-
twins (H-D, Indian and custom
cruisers), said to be the strongest
motorcycle wheel BST manufactures -
The BST hyperTek, designed
by Pierre Terblanche
GP Tek
with a front load rating of 518 lbs/235
kg and 904 lbs/410 kg at the rear.
The split midway on the spoke
optimises the support of the outer rim
to fit the strength and power of custom
Torque Tek
choppers and Harley-Davidsons. The
Torque Tek design is not only strong,
but also very light - tipping the scales
from only 10.58 lbs/4.80 kg
(depending on the fitment), and it too
has the new BST painted and
serviceable coating between the tyre
and rim to protect the wheel during
tyre changing.
Depending on fitment sizes, the front
weighs in at 10.69 lbs/4.85 kg and the
rear at 10.85 lbs/4.8 kg. The front load
rating is 518 lbs/235 kg, with 904
lbs/410 kg at the rear. The front is
available in five size options from 16 x
3.50 to 26 x 3.50; the rear in four
options from 16 x 5.00 to 18 x 5.50.
www.blackstonetek.com