International Dealer News IDN 152 December 2019/January 2020 | Page 20

news ROOM
Ferodo Racing online
BRIEFS 'E-cat' and range extensions
NEWS
ISMA, the International
Snowmobile Manufacturers
Association, is predicting that
the upcoming season should be
a good one for the snowmobile
industry, with the winter
projected to bring high
snowfalls. Sales for 2018-2019
totalled 55,025 new
snowmobiles in the USA, with
46,784 new units sold in Canada
and over 31,000 sold in Europe.
Boston based IDTechEx Research is
forecasting that electric vehicles will
be a $2.6 trillion market, with several
new sectors prominent by 2030. Said
to be based on analysis of some 100
different sectors, IDTechEx says it has
studied and forecasted EVs for over
20 years. Although the primary focus
to date has been on personal
mobility, IDTechEx points to the
growing importance of EV in sectors
such as construction, agriculture and
mining (CAM), logistics and road
freight, final mile delivery, Micro EVs
and commuting, shuttle and school
buses, trains, military, aircraft and
marine.
Yamaha Motor is investing
further in Autonomous Driving
Technology Developer "Tier IV",
strengthening development
capabilities for low-speed
autonomous driving vehicles
through the development of
Autoware (autonomous driving
OS software). Through this
investment, Yamaha Motor aims
to strengthen development
capabilities and acquire
knowledge regarding low-speed
autonomous driving technology.
This additional investment
forms part of "ART for Human
Possibilities, Rethinking
Solutions", one aspect of the
company's long-term vision to
provide multi-use vehicles and
alternative mobility systems to
regions where there are many
elderly and other people with
limited access to transportation.
BMW Motorrad was able to increase
deliveries of its motorcycles and
maxi-scooters in the third quarter to
43,744 units (2018: 39,818 units;
+9.9%); revenue growth was
+17.2% (€ 558 m). Motorcycle
deliveries during the first nine
months of 2019 totalled 136,932
units (+8.0%), generating revenues
of € 1,871 million. October sales
were down -3.1% for the month
(12,645 units), but up by +7%
(149,577 units) for the YTD.
20
This has been another excellent year
on the track for Ferodo Racing and
Champion. As reported last month,
using Ferodo brake pads and
Champion spark plugs and oil filters,
Brad Freeman (Costa Ligure Boano
Team) won the Enduro GP and Enduro
1 World Championships (and the
Italian Championship), with the team
scooping the Enduro GP and Enduro 1
Manufacturer's Team World
Championship.
That has been followed up with Alex
Lowes and Michael Van der Mark
taking third and fourth place
respectively in the WorldSBK
Championship, with Ferodo Racing as
an official technical partner to their
PATA Yamaha Factory Racing team.
Add into that success for Matteo
Pavoni (Italian youth 125 cc
Championship) and Deny Philippaerts
(Italian 300 cc Champion) and it was
a pretty impressive year for the Ferodo
backed racers. Off the track Ferodo
continues with its new application
blitz (more than 500 in 2019!) as
MY2020 production models hit
showroom floors and dealers can take
advantage of a new online 'E-cat'
function - an online E-catalogue tool -
and new Ferodo and Champion clutch,
brake fluid and filter range extensions.
www.ferodoracing.com
Kawasaki to manufacture
Bimota in Italy
Those visiting the
Kawasaki stand at
EICMA may have
noticed something a
bit different from 'Big
Green' - Bimota
design concepts!
Kawasaki Motors
Europe NV (a wholly
owned subsidiary of
Kawasaki Heavy
Industries, Ltd.) set up
a new subsidiary
(April 2019, Italian
Motorcycle
Investment S.P.A./IMI)
to manufacture and
sell motorcycles under the
Bimota brand in Rimini, Emilia-
Romagna, Italy.
Ever since it released its first
model in 1972, Bimota has been
admired and 'storied' in equal
measure. Its unique, premium
and carefully crafted
performance motorcycles have
earned it fans from all over the
world. However, as a brand, it
INTERNATIONAL DEALER NEWS - DECEMBER 2019 / JANUARY 2020
has had its share of corporate
"near death experiences".
With Pierluigi Marconi guiding
events, IMI will revive the
Bimota brand and expand its
operations, developing,
producing and selling Bimota
motorcycles. Kawasaki will
supply engines and other key
components in support of a
Bimota revival.
The two design concepts on
show at EICMA were
Marconi/Kawasaki
collaborations, which will
combine TESI technology from
Bimota and innovative
technology from Kawasaki's
ultra-high- performance Ninja
H2 motorcycle. IMI plans to
offer 200 Bimota brand
motorcycles for sale in 2020.
www.idnmag.com