Motorcycle sales in Europe grew by 23% in Q1 2019.
The biggest growing markets were a number of former Eastern Bloc countries.
The traditional EU markets also grew.
While motorcycle sales is languishing in the United States and dropped markedly around the world, sales in Europe has actually picked up.
Q1 2019 sales picked up by a heady 23.6% in Europe against a 5% general drop worldwide. Even China and India saw a drop in the number of bikes moved, dragging down the worldwide market average.
The result surprised even KTM CEO Stefan Pierer, whose brand increased by 10%.
The fastest growing European markets were the former Eastern Bloc countries including Poland (+87.3%), Romania (+86.9%), Hungary +72%), Lithuania (+71%) and Slovakia (+54%). Many riders from other countries have taken to riding in these countries recently, perhaps sparking the local interest in motorcycles.
Traditional EU markets also saw growth including France (+31.8%), Italy (+17%), Spain (+19.1%), Germany (+22.1%), and the United Kingdom (+10%) despite Brexit fears.
By contrast, the Asian motorcycle market saw a drop of 9.9%. However, the ASEAN region recorded a 5.9% growth, spurred by a 15% increase in the Indonesian market. Malaysia, Thailand and Vietnam recorded reductions, on the other hand.
New rumours suggest that a new Honda CRF850L Africa Twin is in the works.
Honda is currently without a middleweight dual-sport model.
The rumours also say the new bike will debut for 2021.
Honda may be the Japanese manufacturer, but they have no middleweight adventure/dual-sport motorcycle to speak of. However, that may change soon if the rumours of a new Honda CRF850L Africa Twin turn out to be true.
Honda currently has the CRF250L, CRF250 Rally and CRF1000L Africa Twin (to be bumped up to 1100cc next year) in the lineup, currently. The only other bike with a gavel mode apart from the trio is the 750cc X-Adv scooter. There is the NC750X, but it isn’t a full-fledge dual-sport bike. So, that leaves an empty spot for a middleweight dual-sport. Honda knows this and acknowledge that they are missing out on the popularity of that segment.
A CRF850L Africa Twin ought to do well given a lower price tag than the CRF1100L. It would compete head-on against the Yamaha Ténéré700 in the American market. Besides that, the BMW F 850 GS/GS Adventure, Ducati Multistrada 950, KTM 790 Adventure/R, Triumph Tiger 800 XC/XR and new Moto Guzzi V85 TT will be the CRF850L’s rivals, too.
Our guess is that the CRF850L will not be equipped with the Dual Clutch Transmission to cut down on price and weight.
Rumours suggest that the new Honda will debut in late-2020 for the 2021 model year. Honda fans will definitely be looking forward to it.
Valentino Rossi struggled immensely at the Italian MotoGP round at Mugello.
He qualified a lowly 18thafter making mistakes in Q1.
He went off the road once and finally crashed out during the race.
To recap, it was a horrible weekend for Valentino Rossi at Mugello. He qualified 18thon the grid, went off the road once before ultimately crashing out altogether.
Rossi had won nine times at Mugello, after all. But even when Yamaha started suffering, he qualified in pole position and led the race in 2016, only to see his Yamaha YZR-M1’s engine blow up later in the race. A year later, he finished fourth despite an injury prior to the race. Lastly, he finished on the podium last year.\
But everything unraveled at the Italian MotoGP 2019.
Although it seems that Yamaha has solved the tyre degradation problem, the bike still lacks acceleration and top speed. This is especially critical at the Tuscany track where we saw how the Ducati and Honda took the top spots in qualifying.
In Q1, Rossi was caught together with Alex Rins (Suzuki Ecstar). Matters were complicated by the presence of Mission Winnow Ducati riders Andrea Dovizioso and Michele Pirro who found themselves in Q1, too, due to their botched FP3 session. Keep in mind that only two fastest riders will advance to Q2.
Rossi didn’t want to provide Rins with the all too important slipstream but neither did Rins to Rossi. Because if one did so, one rider will progress to Q2 while the other stays behind.
Then Rossi made a mistake at the end of the session. His bike developed a huge headshake while exiting a corner in fourth gear. When he braked for the last turn, the brake lever came back all the way to the handlebar. Rossi overshot the corner, thereby ruining his chance to set a good time and progress to Q2.
The headshake had forced the brake pads back like after how a mechanic pries the pads apart to re-install the calipers. Brembo has a system which brings the pads back in contact with the brake disc, but Rossi didn’t install it because the system yields a different feel at the brake lever.
In the end, Rins was stuck in 13thwhile Rossi ended up in 18th. Both Dovizioso and Pirro snuck into Q2.
Over to the race, Rossi came together with Joan Mir on the other Suzuki and both went into the gravel. The former kept the bike going and rejoined the race. He finally crashed at the Arrabbiata 2 corner from pushing too hard.
Triumph and Bajaj signed an agreement in 2017 to produce smaller capacity bikes.
The new model ought to appear in 2021.
It will be made for the Indian market and we wonder if it will reach Malaysia.
Year 2020 will be probably the most interesting time for the motorcycle industry as manufacturers debut their new Euro 5 compliant models. Following that, the rumour of a new model born of the Triumph-Bajaj collaboration may debut not in 2020 but a year after.
Triumph and Bajaj signed a letter of intent back in August 2017 to develop and manufacture a sub-400cc to 600cc bike for the Indian market. In the deal, Triumph will design and develop the bike. Bajaj, on the other hand, will manufacture and sell it through their vast distribution and sales network.
However, the plan seemed to have been delayed in January this year as Bajaj wanted to focus on Husqvarna first.
Anyhow, Triumph have submitted the designs to Bajaj and the latter have already started mechanical development by the R&D team.
We spoke to Mr. Paul Stroud, Chief Commercial Officer of Triumph Motorcycles in February 2018 about the collaboration. More specifically, we asked if the new bike will be available in other markets besides India. Mr. Stroud commented that Triumph will survey other markets for the bike’s feasibility before making a further decision.
A “lightweight” Triumph will give Royal Enfield a run for its money. It may also offer the opportunity for riders who seek to enter the Triumph brand’s lifestyle but could not afford the dearer models, yet.
Motorcyclists riding motorcycles below 150cc are entitled to free petrol today.
The program will be held today from 12pm to 4pm today.
The venue is at the Caltex station at Batu 8, Jalan Kepong, Kuala Lumpur.
Motorcyclists in Klang Valley can fill up their tanks with free petrol today. Activities will take place from 12pm at the Caltex petrol station along the 8th Mile (Batu 8), Jalan Kepong, Kuala Lumpur.
Kepong Member of Parliament, Lim Lip Eng said in a press release, “The Fill up With Free Petrol for Aidilfitri Program (Program Isi Petrol Percuma Sempena Aidilfitri) is held with the co-operation of Parti Amanah Negara (AMANAH) Kepong. It is to show our appreciation to the area’s constituents in celebrating the upcoming Hari Raya Aidilfitri.”
AMANAH Head of Vendors in Kepong, Datuk Mohd. Noor Ali Bakar said that only motorcycles below 150cc are entitled to the program. It is an assistance to the B40 group to lighten their load as they prepare to head home for Hari Raya.
This program is a continuation to the free petrol for 300 food couriers the previous month.
The program ends at 4pm so make your way to the station, pronto!
Danilo Petrucci wins his first and emotional MotoGP race at the Italian MotoGP.
It was a thrilling race from start to end, but it was only decided on the last lap.
Alex Rins fought hard, but his Suzuki was outgunned by the Ducatis and Honda.
Danilo Petrucci has come agonizingly close to a win on many occasions, but he couldn’t have scored his maiden MotoGP race at a better place than at the Italian round in Mugello. Petrucci was having a fever coming into the race, making the win even sweeter.
It was a nail-biting race from the start, with eight riders battling for the lead. The front group included Marc Marquez (Repsol Honda), Andrea Dovizioso (Mission Winnow Ducati), Danilo Petrucci (Mission Winnow Ducati), Jack Miller (Alma Pramac Racing), Cal Crutchlow (LCR Honda), Takaaki Nakagami (LCR Honda), Fabio Quartaro (Petronas SRT) and Maverick Vinalez (Monster Energy Yamaha).
Photo credit – MotoGP.com
Marquez led into the first corner, stalked by the Ducati riders and Cal Cructchlow. But it soon developed into a slipstream race as the Ducatis made good on their supreme horsepower. Quartararo found himself swamped by the more powerful bikes and was ninth into the first turn.
Photo credit – MotoGP.com
The race settled down to a five-horse race by mid-point but Alex Rins overtook everyone and led the race for a number of laps, only to find his Suzuki outgunned by the Ducatis and Honda along Mugello’s long, long front straight.
Photo credit – MotorGP.com
Soon, Petrucci and Dovizioso overtook Marquez to set the pace. Behind Rins, Jack Miller started pushing, recording the fastest lap of the race. Unfortunately, the Australian made a mistake and crashed out at the chicanes.
That left Petrucci, Dovizioso, Marquez and Rins to battle it out until the end of the race.
Dovizioso stalked his teammate Petrucci before pouncing with three laps to go. But Petrucci fought back the next lap and held on until to start the last lap.
As Dovizioso slipstreamed Petrucci on the straight, Marquez played the role predator as he double-slipstreamed both rider and passed them into Turn One.
Photo credit – MotoGP.com
However, Marquez couldn’t hold on to his line and went wide mid-corner. Dovizioso slipped into the gap, but Petrucci didn’t give up and slotted inside Dovizioso turning it into three bikes abreast in the corner! Rins, holding ship in fourth probably thought he had a chance of the podium had all three crashed.
The move surprise Dovizioso who had to stand his bike up into Marquez, which forced Marquez into second and Dovizioso back into third.
Marquez kept up the pressure but Petrucci didn’t crack and held on through the last turn and past the finish line with the former in firmly in his slipstream.
Rins attempted a gutsy last gasp past on Dovizioso into the last turn but was again out-dragged to the checkered flag.
An emotional Petrucci apologized his teammate Dovizioso for the last lap move, but also thanked him for the support and assistance.
Nakagami rode a steady race to complete the top five. Maverick Vinalez fought up the field to cross the line in sixth, Mission Mission Winnow test rider Michele Pirro in seventh, Crutchlow faded to eighth at the end, Pol Espargaro made it to ninth on the Red Bull KTM Factory Racing bike, Quartararo eventually finishing tenth.
Valentino Rossi had a torrid weekend after qualifying 18th before coming together with Francesco Bagnaia and running off the track. He managed to get back to racing but crashed out eventually.
