Category: Motorcycles

1. FULLER GETS ONBOARD A KTM

   Posted on 9:15am Sunday 2nd Feb 2014

   British Winter Olympic snowboarder Aimee Fuller takes to two wheels

   •22-year old Aimee Fuller - Team GB medal hope for Olympics
   •Completes CBT on 125 Duke before Games
   •‘Slopestyle’ Snowboarder used to race motocross
   •Planning on a 390 Duke and completing full test after Games
   •Watch the video of Aimee’s CBT here

   Winter Olympic snowboarder, Aimee Fuller, has taken the first steps in getting her motorcycle licence by completing the Compulsory Basic Training (CBT) on a KTM 125 Duke.
   
   One of the country’s most promising freestyle snowboarders, Fuller, 22, will represent Team GB in the ‘Slopestyle’ event in Sochi, Russia, on February 6. Originally from Kent but based in Holywood, County Down, Aimee needed two top 12 finishes in the last two World Cup events to represent her country at the games and did so with 11th and fifth, sitting eight overall in the world standings.
   
   No stranger to bikes or KTM, Aimee began riding on a 50SX and even competed in motocross for a number of seasons from the age of X. Earlier this winter she found time to head to Shires Motorcycle Training (Derby) and complete her CBT as the first stage to obtaining her full licence.
   
   Aimee Fuller said: “I’ve always wanted to get a road bike, but I’ve been so busy travelling and competing all over the world to find the time to do it. Fortunately, I was able to do my CBT with Shires on a 125 Duke. I’ve sold my car now, so once the games in Sochi are finished I’m going to complete my full test and get a 390 Duke.
   
   “Bikes will be a buzz for me when I’m away from the slopes and I’m planning a big tour through Norway in the summer taking in snowboarding, surfing and bikes – as long as I pass my test!”
   
   In 2013, the 125 Duke became the first bike in its class to be equipped standard with a two-channel (front and rear) ABS system and for 2014 it continues to be offered with free insurance* and 0% finance options.**
   
   Incredibly easy to handle, lightweight, torquey, comfortable and perfectly suited to everyday use alone or two-up, the Duke has also been tested and ergonomically designed for extreme manoeuvres and thrillingly fast cornering. The bike is supremely well equipped, robust, extremely economical, inexpensive to maintain and only £3,995 on the road in a choice of orange or white.
   
   Visit www.ktm.com for more information.

2. RECORD YEAR FOR KTM IN 2013

   Posted on 5:03pm Monday 20th Jan 2014

   Sales, revenue and the number of employees increased strongly again.
   
   •Sales: 123,859 units (+ 15.6%)
   •Revenue: 716.3 mio. EUR ( +17.0%)
   •Employees: 1,849 (+150 employees compared to prior year)
   Mattighofen, January 17 , 2014

   2013 was a record year in KTM’s history. Sales, revenue and the number of employees increased again strongly. 


   Sales and revenue on record level 

   By consequently implementing the global product strategy and the expansion in the growth markets Asia and South America, KTM increased both sales and revenue and achieved a record year in 2013. 


   Therefore, KTM is the fastest growing motorcycle brand in the world for already three years.

   
In the business year 2013, KTM sold 123,859 bikes worldwide and could therefore increase sales by 15.6% compared to previous year. Revenue could be increased in the same period by 17.0% to 716.3 mio. EUR. Therefore, KTM expects a record result for the business year 2013. 


   Record employment at the headquarter in Mattighofen
   As of December 31 , 1,849 people were employed at the KTM group 
worldwide, which is a record employment. To further realize the global growth, KTM’s headcount was increased by 150 people in the business year 2013. 


   Outlook 2014 

   KTM will continue to follow the global product strategy and expects further increases in revenue and sales for the business year 2014.

3. 2014 Pata Honda Team presentation

   Posted on 7:28am Friday 17th Jan 2014

   It is with great pleasure that we invite you to join us for the presentation of the 2014 Pata Honda team at Motor Bike Expo to be held at the Verona Fiere in Italy on Saturday 25 January.

   Contesting the 2014 World Superbike and World Supersport championships, the Pata Honda team will compete with the same rider line-up as in 2013 with the clear aim of securing race victories in order to battle once more for two championship titles.

   Following a difficult 2013 season, in which they both sustained serious injuries, British riders Jonathan Rea and Leon Haslam will climb aboard the new Honda CBR1000RR Fireblade SP that was launched in Milan last September.

   Meanwhile, Dutch flyer Michael van der Mark will once again team up with Italian ace Lorenzo Zanetti on Honda’s CBR600RR machine to build on the experience and podiums gained in their World Supersport rookie seasons in 2013 when they finished in fourth and fifth places respectively.

   The 2014 Pata Honda team will be presented at 15.00 hrs on Saturday 25 January and the presentation will be followed by opportunities to interview the riders, team management and Honda personnel.

   Please let us know if you can join us by replying to [email protected], and we look forward to welcoming you to the Verona Motorbike Expo and a new championship season with Pata Honda.

   With best wishes

   The Pata Honda Team

4. Motorcycle sales have bottomed out – the industry looks ahead to a better 2014

   Posted on 9:00am Friday 10th Jan 2014

   The Motorcycle Industry Association (MCI) is optimistic about motorcycle sales during 2014, after surveying its members, following Motorcycle Live.

   Interest at Motorcycle Live, the Association’s flagship show, is traditionally a barometer which predicts sales for the coming year. Intention to buy a bike seems to be high, with Kawasaki’s exit poll showing this could be as many as nearly 50% of those visiting the show.

   Figures released today, show that new registrations for December 2013 were 11.3% up on the same time for 2012. This follows increases for September 8% and October 6.7%, compared to the same time the previous year.

   CEO of the MCI, Steve Kenward, explained that any upturn in the motorcycle market is a good indication that economic recovery is sustained.

   “The motorcycle market in the UK has taken longer to pick up than the car market. The majority of our sales are to leisure customers, and so upgrading the bike regularly became a casualty of reduced disposable income. That seems to be changing from what our members are reporting with regard to intention to buy in 2014.

   “Though the UK motorcycle market has fared better than mainland Europe, it’s been a tough few years, and those areas where there has been growth tended to be from new customers looking for more economical ways to commute."

   General Manager of Kawasaki, Howard Dale explained: “This is our one chance per year to meet the maximum number of current, past and future customers. Just about every Kawasaki Motors UK head office staff member worked at the show during its 9 day run, and they were all unanimous in reporting that the reception to the stand, new machines, Kawasaki riders and attractions was overwhelming. New models were a particular draw.

   “Perhaps the most encouraging and exciting thing to come out of the show for us was that an independent exit poll we commissioned to gain opinion on those leaving the Kawasaki stand told us that almost half of our visitors are ready to buy during the forthcoming 2014 sales season”.

   Head of Honda Motorcycles UK, Nick Campolucci is optimistic for 2014 and beyond: “In a market which at present remains flat, Honda (UK) is seeing signs of improvement on the previous year. We are 3.9% up on sales volume (2013 vs. 2012) and 1% up on market share (up from 17.5% to 18.5% across all sectors, 2013 vs. 2012). These are of course positive figures and we are optimistic that there will be further improvements going forward, with the introduction of several new 2014 models in the coming months and modest growth in the total market in the coming years.

   Yamaha’s General Manager for Sales and Marketing, Adam Kelley says they too felt interest at the show suggested confidence in the UK market for 2014 is well founded, “There was a real buzz both on our stand and at the show in general. The market is changing and we were particularly pleased by the interest level in many of our new models as well as the existing line-up both from existing and non Yamaha customers. It has left us with a more positive feeling about sales in 2014”.

   Harley Davidson’s UK manager David Hackshall is looking forward to a particularly good year: “We had an amazing response at Motorcycle Live with our best ever level of customer enquiries driven through the Harley-Davidson stand team. This gives us a very positive outlook for the coming year.”

5. 50,000+ BMWs R and K series are to be recalled

   Posted on 9:00am Thursday 9th Jan 2014

   The German manufacturer BMW are to recall 1,000's of motorcycles built between January 2004 and 2012 (both boxer and four-cylinder models), over a possible fuel leak.

   It has been discovered that a fuel pump flange on theses models can crack, causing petrol to escape. Customers are to be notified and the flanges will be modified and replaced as necessary.

   BMW GB are however anxious to point out this is not a matter for panic, as there have been no safety issues related to this in the UK. Owners will either have the fix carried out for free at a BMW dealer at their request or at the next service. A spokesman added: "Technically it is not classed as a ‘recall’ in the UK, as it is not safety related and customers will not be asked to immediately return their bikes to the dealers. We would class it as a campaign."

   The measures follow an investigation by the US National Highway Traffic Safety Administration into consumer complaints. The fault concerns more than 50,000 motorcycles in America alone.

   One owner told the NHTSA: “I started the motorcycle engine and a few seconds after it started, gasoline started to gush from the front of the bike onto the engine. Before I knew it, I was in a puddle of gasoline. I shut it off as soon as I realized what was happening. I mopped up the gasoline off of the floor to eliminate the fire danger.”

   A report posted by BMW on the NHTSA’s website says the first warrantee claim describing a fuel leak was received in 2006.

   The models affected are:

   BMW HP2 ENDURO 2006
   BMW HP2 MEGAMOTO 2008-2009
   BMW HP2 SPORT 2008-2010
   BMW K 1200 GT 2006-2008
   BMW K 1200 R 2006-2008
   BMW K 1200 R SPORT 2007
   BMW K 1200 S 2005-2008
   BMW K 1300 GT 2009-2011
   BMW K 1300 S 2009-2011
   BMW K 1600 GT 2012
   BMW K 1600 GTL 2012
   BMW R 1200 GS 2005-2011
   BMW R 1200 GS ADVENTURE 2006-2011
   BMW R 1200 R 2007-2011
   BMW R 1200 RT 2005-2011
   BMW R 1200 S 2007
   BMW R 1200 ST2005-2007
   BMW S 1000 RR2010-2011

    

   www.bmw-motorrad.co.uk