from https://auto.economictimes.indiatimes.com Approximately US $ 276,000 was presented to State of Tamil Nadu, India which is the home of Royal Enfield. Its commitment to extend support to the state government is being accompanied by other initiatives in the region, the company said. Chennai: Royal Enfield, part of Eicher Motors Ltd, has committed INR 20 million to the Tamil Nadu Disaster Relief Fund for the Covid-19 relief works in the State. The cheque for this was handed over to Chief Minister M K Stalin by Vinod K Dasari, CEO, Royal Enfield, at the Secretariat on Tuesday. “Tamil Nadu is the home of Royal Enfield motorcycles and we are committed to supporting the State in all its efforts to combat the devastating second wave of the pandemic. Our commitment to extend support to the state government today is being accompanied by a host of initiatives that Royal Enfield is undertaking in the region for the community. We continue to assess the situation closely and will extend further support to the relief and rehabilitation efforts in the long run,” Dasari said.

by Swaraj Baggonkar from https://www.moneycontrol.com

Royal Enfield will have the highest number of launches this year: CEO Vinod Dasari

This year, Royal Enfield is ready to introduce more models annually than ever before as the niche bike maker looks to further strengthen its iron grip on the middleweight motorcycle segment

The Eicher Motors-controlled company that specialises in building bikes with engine sizes of 350cc to 650cc, currently, has its order backlog full. This can keep its factories running for the next 2-3 months without any new bookings.

Speaking to analysts, Vinod Dasari, CEO, Royal Enfield, said: “We have a very exciting (product) pipeline. This year will probably see the highest number of new models that is ever seen from Royal Enfield in a year. And that is just the beginning of the pipeline.”

Over the last few months, Royal Enfield launched the Meteor 350 and the new Himalayan, besides offering new colours on the 650 twins – Continental GT and Interceptor. Dasari did not provide details on the models that can be expected from Royal Enfield.

“We will continue to have one new model every quarter. Because there is a delay due to COVID right now, I don’t think we will squeeze everything in but there are some very big models coming in. We are very excited about it. We will have to do all the marketing and market preparedness for that,” Dasari added.

While sales of the 650 twins in India nearly halved to 10,256 units in FY21, largely due to COVID-19 disruption, Royal Enfield believes that there is space for more 650cc products.

“Yes, there is a need to think about every platform. Not just the Twins, but Himalayan, Meteor and Classic. So we should think about every platform on how we can meet other kinds of customer requirements,” Dasari added.

The pandemic disrupted the supply chain network of the automotive industry, leading to shortages and delay of critical parts with parts manufacturers dealing with high absenteeism on the shop floor. Shortage of semiconductors, which started in Q3FY21, is still impacting output.

Royal Enfield production has also taken a hit, dropping to half of its peak output during the first two months of FY22. From 80,000 units a month, Royal Enfield sold an average of 40,000 units a month between April and May. The company, however, has an order backlog of 2-3 months.

“New model launch development takes 3-5 years depending on the complexity of the vehicle. So, the models are ready, I want to be able to have a clear visibility of the supply chain so I can launch it in enough quantity and not be short of supply. So, we may delay the launch by a month or so but I don’t see any massive changes because of that,” Dasari added.

Royal Enfield New Motorcycle Launches Will Be Highest This Year – CEO
by Arun Prakash from https://www.rushlane.com

In Dasari’s own words, “This year will probably see the highest number of new models that are ever seen from Royal Enfield in a year”.

Although Covid-19 has led to disruptions of operations at many levels, Royal Enfield is still confident to launch multiple new models in FY2022

Even if the company does not receive any new bookings, it has enough backlog orders to clear which will keep the assembly line moving for at least the next 2-3 months.

Late last year, the Chennai-based bikemaker announced that henceforth it will be launching as many four models (new and upgraded) every year which meant one new launch every quarter.

Future RE models
Since November last year, Royal Enfield has launched one brand new model in the form of Meteor 350 and updated three others including Himalayan, Interceptor 650 and Continental GT 650. The brand’s next big-ticket launch is expected to be the new-gen Classic 350 which will be based on the J architecture as Meteor. Along with this, the company has planned a couple of 650cc models including a cruiser and a classic roadster.

The manufacturer is also reportedly developing a new scrambler based on the same 650cc parallel-twin chassis. The company recently filed a trademark for the same called ‘Scram’.

Another crucial new model slated to launch in the coming few months is the new roadster which goes by the name ‘Hunter’ and is expected to take on Honda CB350 H’Ness. According to Dasari, all these models are ready to be launched as they have already been in development for 3-5 years.

At Laconia – We Ride!

The origin of Laconia Motorcycle Week was a small group of motorcycle enthusiasts gathering for a “gypsy tour” to Laconia, over 98 years ago. Today, the spirit of Progressive Laconia Motorcycle Week® continues with rides and gypsy tours at the center of an already packed events schedule. Join us for at least one of our many Motorcycle Week rides, where you’ll enjoy the spectacular NH scenery while also raising money for some worthy causes.

The 15th Annual Peter Makris Memorial Ride to NHMS kicks off the week on Saturday, June 12th at 11am. This NH police escorted ride around Lake Winnipesaukee starts and ends at Naswa Resort, where riders can enjoy lunch and entertainment. Proceeds benefit the Easter Seals NH Veterans Count Program, Laconia Fire Department’s Emergency Response Teams (CERT) and “Building Dreams for Marines.”

The AMA Gypsy Tour to NHMS for USCRA Vintage Races takes place on Sunday, June 13th. The tour leaves Rally Headquarters on Lakeside Avenue at 10:30 and ends at NH Motor Speedway for the USCRA Vintage Races. Tour includes a 50% discount on race tickets for the day and a lap around the track!

Monday “Life of Ridetime” ride to benefit families of fallen first-responders. Register at Laconia Harley 9am-9:55am, kickstands up at 10am. Join us for a scenic ride to Cigar Shenanigans in North Conway for an afternoon of live music, food, & fun! $20/rider, $15/passenger, lunch included. For more info: lifeofaridetime.org or call 732-210-6910.

Show your love for pets on Monday, June 14th by taking part in the Mae-West Memorial Pet Run Ride, leaving Rally Headquarters at 10:30am for a ride through scenic local towns and ending at Destination TBD. Participants receive a custom t-shirt for their donation. Proceeds to benefit local animal support shelters.

On Tuesday, June 15th, join the Ride to Bentley’s Saloon! The Bentley’s crew will lead this gypsy tour from Rally Headquarters at 10:30am for a 70+ mile scenic ride to Bentley’s Saloon in Arundel, Maine.

Tuesday: Ride to the Racetrack! Help New England children in need by joining this motorcycle ride from Laconia Harley-Davidson to NH Motor Speedway for laps around the 1.6-mile full road course! Registration is $20 per rider or passenger & ALL proceeds benefit the NH Chapter of Speedway Children’s Charities, the official charity of NHMS. Registration at 9am and Kickstands up at 10am! More information here.

Don’t miss the Covered Bridge Gypsy Tour on Wednesday, June 16th, leaving Rally Headquarters at 10:30am. Route includes at least 6 covered bridges throughout New Hampshire and a stop for lunch along the way. A popular ride led by Dave and Deb!

This is just a sampling of the many organized tours and rides offered during the week. Check out our events page here for a complete list of rides and other events.

Don’t forget, you can skip the traffic by parking the bike in Meredith and taking the Weirs Shuttle Train to the Weirs and back June 12 & 13 and June 18 & 19. A convenient (and scenic) way to visit ground zero of Progressive Laconia Motorcycle Week®.

Still time to WIN a Harley!

Enter to win a Harley-Davidson FLHX Street Glide (valued at over $23,000) by purchasing your raffle tickets now. Only 3,000 tickets will be sold and you don’t have to be present to win.

We’re just days away from #98! We can’t wait to see you here June 12-20!

For more information on the catastrophic fire at our rally headquarters office on Christmas Day, please visit our GoFundMe page. Friends of Laconia Motorcycle Week

“Laconia – Where Rallies Were Invented”

#LaconiaMcWeek
#NHLakesRegion
#LaconiaBikeWeek

Last week, the U.S. House of Representatives Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure unveiled its 2021 highway bill, titled the Investing in a New Vision for the Environment and Surface Transportation (INVEST) in American Act. As you may remember, every five years Congress is required to reauthorize many of the highway related spending bills it passes. The current highway bill, known as the FAST Act, was given a one-year extension last year and is set to expire in September of 2021. The bill introduced Friday is a key component of the major infrastructure spending push the Biden Administration has made a top priority.

For the last two years, the Motorcycle Riders Foundation and its members have diligently educated and lobbied lawmakers about the need to include motorcyclist specific priorities in a new highway bill. These grassroots efforts were given a boost with the inclusion of three major motorcyclist specific items in the bill. The Democrat lead bill includes the following provisions in its nearly 1,300 pages of text:

1. Expanded prohibition on motorcycle only check points, including prohibiting using the clothing or apparel of riders or their passengers to profile or target bikers.
2. Reestablishment of the Motorcyclist Advisory Council, which gives bikers a voice within the Federal Highway Administration. Included in the bill, a seat on the council is specifically designated for a “representative of a national motorcycle foundation.”
3. Inclusion of motorcycles as a specific category that autonomous vehicle studies must account for during the testing of this new technology. Additionally, a motorcyclist rights organization is assigned a seat on an autonomous vehicle working group at the U.S. Department of Transportation.

The road ahead for a massive infrastructure plan remains uncertain. Negotiations between the House, Senate and White House will be contentious and as always political. However, what is certain is that the work of MRF members has ensured that motorcyclists are being heard in Washington, D.C. and as this newly released legislation shows they are being prioritized.

by Elle Cabrera from https://www.thespectrum.com

K-9 division of DWR gets help from Christian Motorcyclists Association for dog vests

The St. George chapter of the Christian Motorcyclists Association hosted a motorcycle ride and fundraiser Saturday for K-9 vests.

The CMA-Truth messengers are a group of motorcyclists who travel all over Utah to bless motorcycles and participate in fundraising to help the community. They partnered with the Vietnam Veterans of St. George and Zion Harley Davidson to host this event, which raised more than $1,500 for protective K-9 vests for the Division of Natural Resources and Wildlife.

“We want to support law enforcement in any way we can. We go around to local police departments, the St. George Police department, blessing their motorcycles and their staff,” said Steven Gaither, president of the CMA chapter in St. George. Gaither is also retired from law enforcement.

The fundraiser had food provided by the Veterans and K-9 demonstrations done by the DNR. They brought both tracking and defense dogs to showcase the need for protective vests.

“All of our dogs to tracking, they all do article search and detection work. So, wildlife detection is our specialty in the detection field,” Conservation officer and Lead K-9 trainer Josh Carver said.

These officers specialize in looking for bear poachers and searching for people out in the wild. Often, these dogs will track remains and possibly the poachers themselves which means they’re searching for someone who is potentially armed. These vests can make the difference between life and death for these dogs.

“Tracking is another thing we take pride in. That’s something that we either do for search and rescue, which we love to help when we can, but we do a lot of tracking bad guys-fugitives, trespasser, you name it,” Carver said.

Tracking is a large part of what the DNR does with the K-9 unit. The dogs are picked as early as eight weeks old and their training begins shortly after. Utah K-9s are certified in two states and require 400 hours of work.

To get involved with the CMA visit http://cmaswr2.org/UT/TRUTHMESSENGERS/default.aspx.

To learn more about the DWR K-9 unit visit https://wildlife.utah.gov/news/officers-on-patrol.html.

by Angie Trindade from https://www.wane.com

ABATE Foundation motorcycle organization kicked off its 32nd annual ride in Fort Wayne with strong turnout.

FORT WAYNE, Ind. (WANE) – ABATE Foundation, or American Bikers Aimed Toward Education, hosted its 32nd annual Mayor’s Ride.

The ride started at The Plumbers and Steamfitters Local Union 166, 2930 in Fort Wayne and ended after an hour-long ride to Decatur.

Fort Wayne motorcycle enthusiasts arrived in droves to register around 9 in the morning. They were set to ride by 11 a.m. Event organizer and Region Zero Secretary of Abate, Sherri Gordon, said she was thrilled with the strong turnout this year. ABATE was unable to host this event last year due to COVID.

“I’m definitely pleased with the turnout this year,” said Gordon, “And we’re hoping to get to where it used to be 15 years ago where we had almost a thousand bikes.”

The Mayor’s Ride originally started in Indy with the Governor’s Ride but then other Indiana counties joined in on the fun for Motorcycle Safety and Awareness Month.

“It’s all about motorcycle safety, promoting it. People need to be aware, stay off your devices. Watch out, we are out there. We are somebody’s mother, brother, sister, husband, wife, and grandmother, just listen for us and watch out.”

Gordan was assisted by her fellow chapter members Jeff Eads, Dekalb County Rep, and Jamie Swagart, Adams Wells Rep. Eads was eager for the ride considering last year’s cancelation.

“It’s been wonderful,” Eads said, “We are so glad to see people together. Just this many bikes together, it’s good to see our brothers and sisters riding with each other again.”

by Stuart Price from https://www.fourstateshomepage.com

JOPLIN, MO – Today was an ideal day to spend on a motorcycle, and that’s what a large group of riders did.

A group, that made its only official stop in the state of Missouri, in Joplin.

Hideout Harley-Davidson in Joplin was the one and only stop in the Show-Me State for the Nation of Patriots motorcycle ride.

An event that takes a single American flag on tour throughout the U.S. which starts on Memorial Day and ends on Labor Day.

Roger Beckley, who spent nearly 30 years in the U.S. Army had the honor of bearing the flag through his native state of Kansas.

“I retired in 2009. I’ve been to Iraq, Afghanistan and Kuwait, in today’s world, I don’t know how much respect is still out there for this flag and so when we can put it on a bike and ride it down the road and people see it coming, it makes them think what it is and what’s it stand for,” Says Beckley.

Beckley took an oath to carry the flag to honor the nation’s veterans, the enlisted, and their families.

On Saturday many of these same riders will be joined by others from Arkansas for its next destination, which will be fort smith, before eventually making its way back to Nevada.

This is the 12th year for the event and each year it starts and ends in the same state, this year it ends in Las Vegas.

But veterans aren’t the only riders who take part in the event, so do people like Ryan Mitchell, the regional commander for the Nation of Patriots, who rides with the procession through three of the four states: Missouri, Oklahoma, and Kansas.

He says it’s his chance to serve those that did serve their country.

“Raising money and helping veterans, I’m not a veteran but I do everything I can to help veterans and so this just fills my heart to see all these bikes and all these people show up and raise money to help the veterans that need it, um they’ve already gave us our freedom, it’s time for us to give them their freedom back.” Says Mitchell.

Once the flag makes it back to its state of origin, it’s retired and donated to a worthy veteran or volunteer.

by Phil West from https://www.motorcyclenews.com

Who said Royal Enfields weren’t fast? Not Mid-Life Cycles, the dealer behind this special Interceptor 650 which recently posted a record 132mph at the Australian equivalent of Bonneville Speed Week.

Called the Sabre, the machine is based on a 2019 Interceptor 650 but puts out around 70bhp (up from 47bhp) and has been built to show the bike’s potential and as a test bed for parts and accessories to be offered to the public.

Created to conform to the ‘M-F 650’ class, an unfaired, production-based formula, the intention was to compete at 2020’s Speed Week at Lake Gairdner in South Australia, a salt lake similar to Bonneville in Utah, USA.

The pandemic scuppered those plans – until now, as rider Charlie Hallam posted a class record of 121.78mph first time out before gradually setting a new standard of 132.05mph. Not bad for an air-cooled, OHC parallel twin displacing just 648cc.

The engine has, of course, been heavily reworked, by specialists HRA Geelong. Although capacity is unchanged, as per the rules, the crank has been balanced, rods shot-peened and new pistons added to help raise compression to a heady 11:1 requiring 98 RON fuel.

Head and ports have been modified to flow as much fuel as possible and there are special custom valves while the single camshaft is now HRA’s ‘Competition Profile 1286 Racing Camshaft’. Open race pipes exit each side, the transmission’s gears were recut to reduce friction and special sprockets were made.

Although the frame is stock, the swingarm has been lengthened to the maximum permissible, suspension replaced by Öhlins front and rear, wheels are lighter, wider alloys, and ultra low clip-on bars and a more aerodynamically efficient front mudguard were fitted. Now the plan is for Mid-Life to offer performance and big-bore kits for the road.

“The 650 really lends itself to performance mods,” said Mid-Life Cycles CEO Michael Catchpole. “So we set out to build a Salt Racer using the standard Interceptor frame, as dictated by M-F-650 rules, but with a modified engine.

“We’ve kept the 648cc capacity but used various turning parts including a special cam developed by Hallam Racing. We’re also developing performance kits for the Interceptor and GT 650 road bikes based on using this cam, in Stage One, Stage Two, and Stage Three versions.”

Royal Enfield Interceptor 650 breaks 4-year-old speed record at over 212 km/h
by https://www.financialexpress.com

The Mid Life Cycles’ Interceptor was entered in Class M-F 650, for 650cc un-streamlined motorcycles running commercial unleaded fuel. The old record of 191.93 km/h was set at Lake Gairdner in 2016.

Royal Enfield Interceptor 650 has broken a long-standing speed record in Australia. Mid Life Cycles’ Interceptor 650 Salt Racer has set the class record at the annual Speed Week run at Lake Gairdner, South Australia. The Interceptor 650 Twin broke the four-year-old class record on each of its runs, leaving the new mark at 212.514 km/h. The Mid Life Cycles’ Interceptor was entered in Class M-F 650, for 650cc un-streamlined motorcycles running commercial unleaded fuel. The old record of 191.93 km/h was set at Lake Gairdner in 2016.

The remarkable record was broken by Charlie Hallam on day one of Speed Week (Monday 8 March 2021), with his first run at 194.85 km/h. He backed that up with a 197.76 km/h pass, for a provisional record of 196.3 km/h.

On the morning of day two of the Speed Week, the Interceptor 650 clocked 206.29 km/h and 208.32 km/h for a new provisional record of 207.31 km/h. Charlie believed there was a little more to come.

That afternoon, the Interceptor ran 208.59 km/h and was then impounded overnight until it could do a back-up run the next morning. This run, under increasingly stormy skies, saw a stunning 214.04 km/h top speed, for a new record of 211.28 km/h.

The traditional twin-loop steel frame was carried over from the road bike to the racer, with minimal modifications allowed under the class rules.

This is the second time that we have established a remarkable feat with the Twins, in 2018, the Bonneville Racer recorded an impressive top speed of over 159 mph at Bonneville Salt Flats and this speed record is yet another remarkable feat for us. This recognition validates the tremendous progress we continue to make in our journey and we hope this will inspire many more motorcyclists to push their boundaries and achieve the pursuit of excellence, Vinod Dasari, CEO, Royal Enfield, said.

by Arian Movileanu from https://www.zenger.news

Bike-mad fan’s creations have turned him into a social-media star.

YouTuber and amateur sculptor Henry Goncalves has a singular passion: producing life-size cardboard replicas of motorcycles

Goncalves, 19, makes replicas of real-life cycles at his home in Sao Jose do Rio Preto, Brazil.

“I’ve always found it easy to do that kind of thing: build, assemble, draw, etc.,” he says. “When I was little, I saw a video of a guy who made a Porsche at home, so I always wanted to make a car, too.”

By last year, Goncalves gained an online following for his original image editing.

“That’s when I thought: Why not assemble a motorcycle? It seemed crazy, but I needed to start this project.

“In the beginning, a lot of people doubted it, and I understand. Before I made these bikes, it was really hard to imagine something like that. But I made the bikes, a lot of people like them, and I still make them today.”

Henry used to paint houses with his dad. However, these days, he gets his income solely from his popular YouTube videos on his Robertahornet channel, which has 169,000 subscribers.

“I always wanted to become popular with something. This was not my first attempt. I remember in 2014, I posted my first video on YouTube, and since then, I’ve never stopped trying. I’ve had several channels, on several subjects, but they seemed to always going wrong in some way, until I finally found the one that worked for me.”

Henry fashions his motorcyclereplicas from cardboard, PVC pipe and screws.

Given trial and error, Goncalves said it took him 10 months to build his first motorcycle, a Honda Hornet. But his next effort went much faster, even though the construction was more complicated.

“The second bike was the one from the video that went viral, the [BMW] R1200. It took four months to make. If we compare, the 1200 is much more difficult than the Hornet, but with the 1200, I already had a certain amount of experience, so it was easier to do.”

Goncalves admits he was always a car guy.

“Since I was a kid, I’ve always liked cars. I was hugely influenced by the Fast and Furious movies and the Need For Speed video games.

“For a long time, the appeal of bikes never made much sense to me. But that changed when a friend of my father’s arrived with a Hornet. At that moment, I couldn’t believe what I was seeing. I said to myself: I have to have one of these.”

As for the future, Goncalves wants to keep his present fame in perspective, and also build something even more ambitious than two-wheelers.

“I know I’m never going to be up there forever, so it’s important to bond with people who like you and don’t abandon you in the future,” he said of the first point.

As for the second, he’d like to tackle creating a cardboard house.

This Month Has it All – Ready to Dive in?

Summer’s here and so are the Races.

It’s time to finally introduce you to the ladies of Build.Train.Race. Road Racing, as we expand yet again. This month will be jam-packed with celebrating these ladies’ hard work, the debut of their motorcycle builds at MotoAmerica at Road America June 11th-13th, & get them ready for their first race at the end of July in Brainerd, Minnesota.

The weekend is kicking off with the official reveal of the custom Continental GT 650s at the Moto Union X Royal Enfield Open House at Moto Union in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Join us Thursday, June 10th from 5-7pm to see the bikes & meet the riders. With a special appearance by professional road racer & MotoAmerica crew chief Melissa Paris, live DJ, a chance to win free MotoAmerica tickets & more!

Flat Track Racing
The ladies had a great time in Texas unveiling all their hard work during the build phase. They were even more excited to hit the track for the first time at the Chicago Half-Mile. Catch up with all that’s been happening now! Then get ready because the next race is almost here – High Voltage Races in Elkhorn, Wisconsin is June 6th.

ROYAL ENFIELD JUNE SCHEDULE OF EVENTS

B.T.R. ROAD RACING

June 4th & 5th | Belding, Michigan

The ladies put their motorcycles through their paces for their first official practice session at Grattan Raceway.

ROYAL ENFIELD SLIDE SCHOOL

June 4th & 5th | Verona, Wisconsin

Johnny Lewis & Moto Anatomy are showing you how to get sideways at S&S Cycle Speed Ranch. Grab your spot!

B.T.R. FLAT TRACK

June 6th | Elkhorn, Wisconsin

Whose taking home the checkered flag this round? It’s sure to be a great race.

MOTO UNION X ROYAL ENFIELD

June 10th | Milwaukee, Wisconsin

Come out to Moto Union X Royal Enfield Open House to see the B.T.R. Road Racers reveal their builds, win free MotoAmerica tickets, & more!

B.T.R. ROAD RACING DEBUT W/ AT ROAD AMERICA

June 11th – 13th | Elkhart, Wisconsin

This is it, the ladies of Build.Train.Race. are taking to the track for their first official MotoAmerica race of the 2021 season. The weekend is packed with things to do – get your tickets now!

AMERICAN FLAT TRACK

June 26th | Lima, Ohio

Moto Anatomy Powered by Royal Enfield with rider Johnny Lewis is back at it and ready to take home the win. We hope to see you at the track. Get your tickets now!

JUST ANNOUNCED! ROYAL ENFIELD AT FULL IMS TOUR

July – November

Curious about how the new Meteor 350 takes to the road or still haven’t been able to stop thinking about a Twin? You’re in luck! Royal Enfield will be at every stop for the IMS Show 2021 which means a demo ride is waiting for you. So which stop will we be seeing you at?