The 77th EICMA Show (Milan, November 6-10) has been universally judged to have been a "Good Year" by the market's parts, accessory and G&A vendors. The organizers are claiming what is almost certainly a greatly exaggerated turn-out of nearly 800,000 visitors, but the real number, even if half of that or less, is immaterial - there were plenty of people to keep the aisles rammed and the booths busy. With +50 cc PTW registrations in Italy running at +5.9% (196,956 units) for the first nine months of 2019, and, having been up consistently for the past few years, the Italian market is now "bossing it" where Europe's "business action" is concerned. Here AMD Magazine presents a selection from the 400 plus vendors who have products for the V-twin market…
Harley-Davidson: The hot news at EICMA was the pre-production design concept prototype debut for the 60-degree 'Revolution Max' liquid-cooled V-twin engined 750 cc 'Bronx' Streetfighter and 1,250 cc 'Pan American' ADV - a couple of weeks before Harley broke cover with them at the IMS at Long Beach, California. Harley clearly still has some styling work to do as the ADV especially looks a tad gauche in the context of Europe's mature Adventure Tourer market. Both models look somewhat heavy, but as a start-point to new platforms, they will give Milwaukee something more viable in 'More Roads' business opportunity terms than the LiveWire is doing so far; www.harley-davidson.com
S&S Cycle: Hosted at EICMA by Parts Europe, the Viola, Wisconsin based purveyor of 'Proven Performance' has always had an avid following in Europe - the addition of exhausts to the meaning of the S&S brand has gone down very, very well with European dealers, custom shop owners and custom bike builders; www.sscycle.com
BMC Air Filters: The oiled cotton filter technology developed by BMC has impeccable performance credentials as the filter of choice from Formula 1 to WorldSBK and MotoGP. BMC says that its oiled cotton filter construction is superior to synthetic materials and that under ISO 5011 'Coarse' grade dirt testing comes as close as possible to complete filtration efficiency - at 98% compared to 48% for comparable synthetic material filters tested. A year ago, BMC entered the Harley air filter aftermarket for the first time with a "no-hassle-fit upgrade" for the OEM H-D paper air filter element, manufactured with a metallic mesh that contains multiple cotton layers of oiled filtration material. Available in the USA through Tucker V-Twin, they are washable and reusable and also available for selected S&S Super B&D and E/G applications; www.bmcairfilters.com
HP Corse: Best known for its high performance sportsbike and streetbike exhausts, along with advanced hydroforming technology, recent new products from the Italian high-tech exhaust manufacturer include options from two of its lines for the Indian Scout Bobber. The V-2 is a 2-into-2 available in black that is said to deliver "clean lines, without rivets, with a CNC-machined solid billet aluminum end cap for an aggressive look that emphasizes the design character of Indian's top-seller." The Hydroform Black 2-into-2 features one of HP Corse's most popular and radical curved style mufflers, a "beautiful and unique solution for the aggressive lines of the Scout Bobber"; www.hpcorse.com
Puig: Spanish windscreen, parts and accessory specialist Puig (Motoplastic) is celebrating more track success in 2019 as a technical sponsor of the KRT team's WSBK winning team, with Jonathan Rea taking a fifth successive championship. Puig's 'CustomAcess' brand is one of the fastest growing custom accessory programs in the market and its range of products includes options from mirrors, screens and deflectors to pegs, grips, handlebars, lights, protectors, spools and sliders. It introduced a new semifairing at EICMA; www.puig.tv
Mupo: The "Eagle" has landed! The Italian performance suspension specialist has new front suspension cartridges specifically designed to improve the feeling and control of the front end of the Harley-Davidson. Called the "Eagle" cartridge kit, it transforms the original adjustment option free forks into fully adjustable units. The transformation takes place by replacing the entire original cartridge assembly with the "Eagle" cartridge, ensuring greater precision and better performance. There are 40 positions of compression and rebound to deliver immediate and noticeable handling and feel improvements. The range of available chrome-silicon steel Mupo springs means the fork can be tuned according to weight and driving style. Made in aluminum, the 22 mm cartridge has a 22 mm sintered piston and 12 mm steel rod. A new high level Mupo monoshock is also about to come to market for the FTR 1200. Mupo's offering for V-twin also includes adjustable rear shocks, "engineered to provide optimal comfort, safety and fun!"; www.mupo.it
SBS: Best known for its high-performance brake pads, the Danish manufacturer added to its range for Harleys and custom bikes with availability of a full line of European made stainless steel rotors for dealers in the USA through Drag Specialties. The program comprises both a standard OEM replacement range with the application-specific shape, construction and dimensions to make them a true OEM standard replacement line, and an OEM upgrade line that is "specifically designed to increase brake feel, performance, comfort and looks. We have been in braking for more than 50 years and offer the most comprehensive brake pad range in this market. Together with the brake rotors, we are now able to offer Drag Specialties and Parts Unlimited dealers a complete V-twin package"; www.sbsbrakes.com
Matris Suspension: Best known for its high performance sportsbike and streetbike shock absorbers, stabilizers and front suspensions, Italian specialist Matris also offers a good, better and best range of Classic and Custom twin shock absorber set-ups, available with a silver cylinder and chrome spring, or 'Black Edition' with black cylinder and black spring. Easy to adjust for a correct set-up and designed and manufactured with computerized systems using materials with high technical-mechanical performance properties, even the Matris M40E standard twin shocks are a feature-rich, ride-enhancing upgrade - hydraulic emulsion-type shocks with Nitrogen pressurized (N2) cylinders in aluminum alloy with a high resistance steel alloy piston with hard chrome coating; www.matrisdampers.com
