Motorcycle Industry Council (MIC)

MIC Adapts to Changing Times While Efforts Continue

With California in lockdown, the Irvine, California based Motorcycle Industry Council (MIC) says that while "staff members are operating remotely and haven't slowed down one bit, in the interest of physical distancing, MIC offices are empty, but the work for association members goes on without interruption."

MIC President and CEO Erik Pritchard)

"Things change, we adapt," Erik Pritchard said. "Our industry is facing a new world, along with everyone else. The association approach stays the same: collective efforts to benefit the powersports business and riders at large. We're well aware that the coronavirus pandemic will affect our members, big and small, but we are dedicated to doing whatever it takes to help us all ride it out, together.
"MIC leaders and department heads have canceled or postponed events in March and April, taking all precautions, while still performing critical functions and making plans for projects that can be done without assembling groups of people."

Royal Enfield

Royal Enfield, Moto Anatomy Partner for Production Twins Effort with New S&S, Harris Flat Track 650

In addition to its partnership with AFT as the Official OEM Partner, Milwaukee-based Royal Enfield North America (RENA) is to back the Moto Anatomy campaign in the Production Twins class, with decorated flat track racer Johnny Lewis developing and racing a new Harris Performance built Royal Enfield Flat Track (FT) machine.

As the chassis engineers behind the Royal Enfield 650 parallel twins, Harris, which is owned by Royal Enfield and has an impeccable motorcycle race frame pedigree going back more than 30 years, is the ideal partner to build the Interceptor 650 based special edition with support from Royal Enfield and S&S Cycle.
"This racing effort is unprecedented in Royal Enfield's North American history," said RENA's Breeann Poland. "Johnny Lewis is a legitimate contender anytime he's on the track, and we couldn't have picked a better partner in his organization, Moto Anatomy.
"Flat Track continues to garner attention from both a professional and grassroots level and we feel strongly about our extended partnership with AFT and now Moto Anatomy. We are thrilled to bring the Royal Enfield brand to more enthusiasts, and this is a great opportunity to do that on a major scale."
Lewis has risen through the ranks of AFT and enjoyed success at both the amateur and professional levels. The concept Twins FT was first seen at the 2019 EICMA Show and was slated to make its media debut at the Daytona TT in March.
Lewis will then compete with the motorcycle for the first time at the Laconia short track event on June 13 and will run all AFT short track events for the remainder of the season in the Production Twins class. The Royal Enfield FT will also run the Sturgis Buffalo Chip TT and Peoria TT as a wildcard entry in the Super Twins class.
"I'm excited to lead the development of the Royal Enfield Flat Track Twin program in 2020," said Lewis, owner of Moto Anatomy. "Being involved at such an early stage in a brand's racing efforts has been a fantastic opportunity. While our focus is on development, there is great potential in the platform and it's encouraging to see a manufacturer with as much history as Royal Enfield entering AFT.
"It's also great to see Royal Enfield helping grow the sport of motorcycling in North America with its new rider initiatives."
Besides racing, Moto Anatomy will also use the Royal Enfield FT411, a modified variation of the Royal Enfield Himalayan set-up exclusively for flat track use, as part of Royal Enfield Slide School Presented by Moto Anatomy.
This flat track riding clinic will be available to the public at select events during 2020, giving riders the opportunity to learn the basics of flat track in a controlled environment.
www.moto-anatomy.com
www.americanflattrack.com

Triumph/Bajaj

Triumph/Bajaj Plan Going Ahead

Indian conglomerate and KTM shareholder Bajaj Auto has confirmed that the non-equity global partnership agreed in 2017 with British manufacturer Triumph to manufacture a new range of mid-capacity motorcycles is still alive and well.
More than two years of radio silence since the initial announcement in 2017, after Bajaj had ended its long-term relationship with Kawasaki, had led some observers to assume that the plans had gone south - perhaps because of India's plans to go all electric by 2030. It would not have been the first time that a planned alliance between Triumph and one of the Indian 'majors' had failed to mature.

However, the company has stated that the first bike under the partnership will be rolled out in 2022 and will carry a starting price tag in India of around €2,550 (£2,150 / $2,800) according to Triumph Motorcycle Chief Commercial Officer Paul Stroud. The new bikes will be manufactured at Bajaj Auto's Chakan facility and be of various styles in the 200 to 500 cc range.
"The Triumph brand is iconic the world over," said Bajaj Auto Managing Director Rajiv Bajaj, "so we are confident that there will be a huge appetite in India and other emerging markets for these new products."
This is the second time that Triumph Motorcycles has tried to partner up with an Indian manufacturer - a prior agreement some years ago with TVR didn't result in any bikes being built.
New information since the original announcement is that Bajaj will take over distribution of Triumph's UK built large displacement models in India (where it currently sells around 1,000 bikes out of total annual production of around 62,000) and export and sell the new models worldwide wherever it has an existing sales structure.
Indeed, remarks by Triumph Managing Director Nick Bloor in a January 2020 press conference in India appear to suggest that Triumph's own dealer network in Europe, USA and elsewhere could also be 'in-play' when he stated that "the products that will come out of the partnership will also help attract a younger, but still discerning customer audience and is another step in our ambition to expand globally, particularly in the fast-growing markets of South East Asia, but also driving growth in more mature territories like Europe."
International Dealer News predicted that this would likely be the case once the plan matured when the partnership was first announced in 2017.
There has also been some speculation as to whether Bajaj and Triumph might strike a deal to make suitably tuned and compliant versions available through KTM dealers in Europe and North America, however, it is believed that KTM owner Stefan Pierer's brand lust may instead have seen his eye settle upon Norton, which went into administration in the UK in January 2020.
Founded in 1944, the Bajaj Group traces its origins back to 1926. In 2015, Bajaj had a market capitalization of around $10 billion. It employs around 8,000 people and is the world's sixth largest manufacturer of motorcycles, second largest in India (behind Eicher Motors' Royal Enfield brand) and the largest exporter of the Indian two-wheeler giants. Bajaj and Kawasaki ended a 33-year alliance in India in 2017, some months before the first iteration of the Triumph partnership became public. At the time, the split with Kawasaki was widely interpreted as signaling that Rajiv Bajaj’s international ambitions lay beyond his significant stake in, and manufacturing and distribution deals with, KTM.

HardDrive

FOX RSD Signature Series Bagger and M-8 Shocks

Seeking a performance edge on his motocross-racing competitors, Bob Fox designed and manufactured his first motorcycle shocks in 1974 and from these beginnings near San Jose, California, FOX Factory evolved into a major player in the aftermarket suspension business.
These days the FOX shocks range is immense - offering racer and enthusiast suspension solutions right across the powersports industry - from motorcycles and snowmobiles to UTVs, ATVs, trucks, mountain bikes, off-road desert racers and motorsports.
The company is now offering Roland Sands Design signature series shocks for Harley performance baggers and M-8 Softails.
Made in Watsonville, California, FOX-RSD performance bagger twin shocks are remote reservoir, 3-position quick switch (soft, medium, firm) compression and rebound adjust designs for 1993 - 2020 Harley-Davidson Touring models.
13.5" M-8 Softail mono shocks (2018 - 2020) feature a model-specific ride tune and also feature the 3-position quick switch compression and rebound adjust and FOX' advanced high-flow, deflective speed-sensitive damping.

HARDDRIVE V-TWIN
www.hdtwin.com
www.ridefox.com

Drag Specialties 'King of the Baggers'

'King of the Baggers' Teams for Laguna Seca

Fourteen teams have signed up to compete in the inaugural Drag Specialties 'King of the Baggers' invitational event that hopefully will be part of the MotoAmerica Superbike Speedfest at Monterey at WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca, July 10-12, with the grid now full for the exhibition race.

Fourteen teams have committed to racing in the inaugural Drag Specialties 'King of the Baggers' invitational at WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca, July 11.

"It's been really cool to see how well the 'King of the Baggers' invitational has been received since we made the announcement," said MotoAmerica's Senior Sponsorship Manager Lance Bryson. "The guys over at Drag Specialties have really stepped up with our event at Laguna and we've got a lot of great companies building tricked-out Performance Baggers for the race. It's going to be a lot of fun and we think our fans are going to like what they see with this and the rest of the cool stuff we have planned for the Superbike Speedfest at Monterey."
"In all my years of working in the motorcycle industry, I have never been to Laguna Seca," said Brandon Holstein, owner/builder of The Speed Merchant. "So, I am beyond excited to be going for the first time and being a part of the first ever Drag Specialties 'King of the Baggers' race."
Alex Fox, founder of SLYFOX Performance, added: "I'm honored to have my brand be a part of this first-ever event of this magnitude. That Corkscrew section will be something to keep an eye on. This day will be one for the history books."
"This is for the fans and for the brands who love to build and ride – racing is part of Saddlemen's heritage, and we're honored to be on the starting grid with our moto family," said David Echert of Saddlemen.

Zodiac

Zodiac International Additions

ODI V-Twin Moto Handlebars

 
Motocross technology in a V-twin handlebar - these black, hard anodized aluminum handlebars are slotted for internal wiring and notched for throttle-by-wire, available in black in 1" and tapered from 1 1/8" in the middle to 1" at the controls. The clutch side is knurled for improved grip adhesion and the 1 1/8" diameter will work with stock Harley or aftermarket 1" handlebar controls.

ThunderMax M-8 Oil Cooler Fan 

 
Zodiac says that the ThunderMax oil cooler fan is the answer to overheating of oil-cooled M-8 engines in Touring models. The fan works by using the engine temperature and vehicle speed sensor to reduce heat and keep the engine running cool. It fits 2017 to present Touring models, except models with a twin-cooled M-8 engine.

Universal Stainless Mufflers

 
Universal stainless steel mufflers for 1 3/4" (44.5 mm) or 2" (50.8 mm) diameter headers. Mufflers are 10" (25 cm) long, have a 65 mm baffle diameter and include a body mounting clamp. Both sizes are available with oval or triangle style muffler.

Vity's Design Road Glide Signals

Sleek little EU approved, high brightness LED diamond front turn signals that bolt straight onto the fairing. They are available in black or chrome for 2015 to present FLTRX and FLTRXS Road Glides.

ZODIAC INTERNATIONAL BV
www.zodiac.nl

Metalsport

Metalsport Introduces Three New Designs for 2020

South Gate, California based Metalsport Wheels has introduced its first three new wheel designs for 2020 - "always starting with USA forged wheel blanks made from 6061-T6 prime aluminum, each of these designs are meticulously machined.

3D Don Juan 10

"One of our most popular designs, the Don Juan, now offers two new versions. First up is the 3D Don Juan 10 which features all ten spokes evenly spaced. The second design is the 3D Don Juan Crossblade. 

3D Don Juan Crossblade

"This new wheel features seven spokes with blades crossed. The detailing in both designs goes into the lip area to give you the complete 3D look. You can get both designs in a chrome or all black anodized finish. Sizes available from the 16 x 5.5 up to and including the monster 34".

2D Equalizer

"Our third design is called the Equalizer. This 2D wheel features ten spokes that have been split and overlapped - check out the detailing in the lip. The Equalizer is available in sizes 16 x 3.5 up to and including the monster 32". You can get this design in a chrome or all black anodized finish. All our wheels come with hubs and we offer matching rotors and pulleys. We can even offer the wheel with tire mounted."

METALSPORT WHEELS
www.metalsportwheels.com

TecMate

Get Smart

Martin Human, CEO and CTO of TecMate, answers a common question - why is a different battery charger needed for a lithium battery if it works in a motorcycle that originally came with a lead-acid battery?

As with many things to do with battery types and motorcycle electrics, diagnostics and charging, the answer is not as simple as many people expect.

The safe working voltage range for both lead-acid (Standard lead-acid, AGM and Gel) and lithium LiFePO4 (LFP) battery types is 12.8V to 14.5V. As long as voltage is within that range, yes, a lithium battery works fine in the same system as a lead-acid battery, but below this safe voltage range, lithium and lead-acid batteries need different care.
An over-discharged lithium battery will accept charge at low voltage, but the healthier cells demand all the charge and weaker cells keep on falling behind. Charging at high current will damage that battery. A gentle low current pulse charge brings all cells back to good health simultaneously - once above 9V-10V the battery is ready to receive normal charge.
An over-discharged lead-acid battery is unable to accept charge at low voltage due to a high concentration of lead-sulphate that inhibits the ability of all cells to accept charge. To ‘convince’ the battery to once again accept charge, a higher pulsed voltage is required to break through.
A single battery charger that can differentiate between battery chemistries and deliver the right recovery method for the connected battery would be ideal, and fortunately the OptiMate 1 DUO fits the bill.
OptiMate 1 DUO recovers batteries from as low as 4V; the smart programming automatically figures out which recovery program is right for the attached battery, never mind the chemistry. A deep discharged lead-acid battery receives a higher voltage pulsing mode up to 14.5V, so it remains safe for lithium, and a deep discharged lithium battery receives a mild pulsing current that gently recondition the cells until they are equal and the battery recovers to above 9V - then a suitably higher charge current is delivered.
Here is a valuable tip learned from many years of experience - below 4 volt batteries need care from a chemistry-specific charger; OptiMate Lithium 4s 0.8A can safely recover lithium batteries from as low as 0.5V and test battery health as it does so. The best option for lead-acid batteries is the OptiMate 4. 

OptiMate 1 DUO’s 24-7 maintenance program is also adaptive, it can sense what is required. In a parked vehicle a lithium battery needs protection against total discharge by that vehicle’s system and the OptiMate 1 DUO delivers when needed. On the other hand, an AGM battery - the most popular lead-acid in powersport – receives hourly maintenance to remain at full charge and prevent lead-sulphate build-up that weakens the battery. 
Best of all is that the OptiMate 1 DUO has no buttons, no need to guess what battery is in the motorcycle. Simply connect to the battery and let that smart charger do the thinking.
In today’s world everyone wants ‘easy’. OptiMate 1 DUO is as EASY as connect and forget, no more battery problems - and that is what people want and need these days!
As time goes on, more and more reputable brands are choosing to partner with OptiMate 1 DUO for their diagnostics, maintenance and charging - the latest to offer the OptiMate 1 DUO is Moose Racing - and the Moose Racing OptiMate 1 DUO is distributed by Parts Europe, Parts Unlimited and Parts Canada.

TECMATE
www.tecmate.com
www.optimate1.com