EV

Kawasaki Set to Electrify Its Entire Range in Developed Markets by 2035

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by Sergiu Tudose from https://www.autoevolution.com/ Japanese motorcycle manufacturer Kawasaki has announced that all its bikes sold in developed countries will become fully electric by 2035. They also plan on exploring hydrogen propulsion as more of a near-term solution, as they make the push towards carbon neutrality. While the global pandemic didn’t spare the motorcycle market, some people still view these two-wheelers as the best means of transportation, seen as how it carries with it the lowest risk of infection. According to Kawasaki chief executive Yasuhiko Hashimoto, his company is open to establishing a partnership with others in order to achieve their environmentally friendly objectives, reports BikesRepublic. “Outdoor leisure activity has been popular during the COVID pandemic. We will strengthen our environmental efforts with our sights set on post-pandemic lifestyles. Partnerships with other companies may be possible in the future,” he said. The first order of business is to launch a total of ten battery-powered motorcycles by 2025, before switching to EV power alone by 2035 in Japan, Europe, the United States, Canada and Australia. While short term plans might include new nameplates and “spin-offs”, if the company’s entire range is to be electrified within the next 14 years, that means fans need to start getting used to the idea of a fully-electric ZX-6R, ZX-10R or a Z650, just to name a few of their most popular (gasoline powered) models. Kawasaki sold 380,000 motorcycles last year, despite a global market share of roughly 1%, as per Nikkei Asia. The bikemaker does of course have a strong presence in both Japan and North America, driven by its best-selling motorcycles. As for its rivals, Honda is still the world’s largest motorcycle manufacturer. Yamaha meanwhile wants to make 90% of its models electric by 2050, which would put them somewhat behind the curve when […]

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Damon Motors New Production Plant for World’s Smartest Electric Motorcycle

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by Otilia Drăgan from https://www.autoevolution.com World’s Smartest Electric Motorcycle to Be Produced at Brand-New Plant in Vancouver Whether two-wheeled or four-wheeled, electric vehicles are taking over the roads by storm, offering not just a clean energy alternative, but also advanced connectivity and the latest tech. One of them is Hypersport, Damon Motorcycles’ flagship model, set to enter production at the company’s new plant. The concern for a green, sustainable future extended beyond the vehicles themselves, to the manufacturing process. Several carmakers have already opened or planning to open sustainable production plants, and Damon is doing the same in the motorcycle sector. The Canadian company recently unveiled its latest facility, located in Surrey, British Columbia. Developed together with Bosa Properties, the new production plant is a state-of-the-art, 110,000 square foot (10,219 square meters) facility that will not only become “ground zero” for the Damon electric motorcycles, but will also premiere a cleaner, advanced manufacturing process. This new milestone adds to the brand’s success, after recently having surpassed $40 million in orders for the award-winning Hypersport, presented as “the world’s smartest, safest, fully electric motorcycle”. This innovative motorcycle is based on the brand’s proprietary electric powertrain, Hyperdrive, which is the first monocoque-constructed, fully electric, multi-variant powertrain on the market. With an aerodynamic design and having passed through extensive wind tunnel testing, Hyperdrive claims to deliver better speed, range, and acceleration than any previous powertrain. The battery was designed for top performance, but also to be as light as possible. Hyperdrive is integrated as a structural component of the motorcycle itself, and the battery enclosure acts as the bike’s load-bearing frame. The high-tech motorcycle also boasts an award-winning 360-degree Advanced Warning System that uses integrated windscreen LEDs, a long-range radar, plus front and rear cameras, to warn the rider of potential danger. Shift

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Stay Calm Bikernet Weekly News for September 30, 2021

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Screw it, Let’s Party I finally broke the ice with my Chopper Chronicles series about stolen motorcycles. Still some work ahead, but I believe it’s coming together. Steve Klein, Sierra Madre Motorcycle Company, is working on a story about all the cross-country motorcycle rallies currently available. Hang on. We’re getting there on several fronts. In the meantime, ride fast and free to the final party in the sky, –Bandit Click Here to Read the Latest News & Views on Motorcycle Industry on Bikernet.com Join the Cantina for more – Subscribe Today. https://www.bikernet.com/pages/custom/subscription.aspx

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Is the Highway Bill Moving Forward?

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On September 30th, numerous highway funding programs will expire unless Congress acts. Currently, there are two separate and dramatically different highway bills in Congress. These bills go by many different names but are often referred to as infrastructure bills by the news media. The first bill, passed by the House of Representatives in June with a price tag of $750 billion dollars includes six priorities of the MRF. Continued ban on NHTSA lobbying in the states 32% Increase of Motorcycle Safety Training Funds Reestablishment of the Motorcyclist Advisory Council at the Department of Transportation Increased restrictions on motorcycle only check points and the profiling of bikers Inclusion of the types of vehicles stopped to federally collected data on traffic stops Inclusion of the ability to detect and respond to motorcycles as a requirement of autonomous vehicle studies The Senate bill passed in August, with a cost of 1.2 trillion includes just three of those priorities. Continued ban on NHTSA lobbying in the states 32% Increase of Motorcycle Safety Training Funds Reestablishment of the Motorcyclist Advisory Council at the Department of Transportation There are four potential outcomes. First, the Senate can pass the House bill. This is unlikely as Senators have been forceful in their desire to take the lead on infrastructure. Second, the two chambers can merge their bills together, finding common ground. This too is unlikely as it is time consuming, and the deadline is fast approaching. Third, the House can vote on the Senate bill. Speaker Pelosi has scheduled a vote for next week to try this path. However, members of her party have voiced their concerns over moving this piece of legislation until they get a larger 3.5 trillion-dollar bill focused on what many are calling “human infrastructure.” If that vote fails the fourth option comes into

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Enlightenment Bikernet Weekly News for September 23, 2021

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It is going to be good! NEVER GIVE UP—We won’t. We’re having too much fun, because we’re living in the best of times. Most aftermarket companies are making bank this year. Life is just so interesting. We are living in the best of times and I’ll prove it over the weeks to come. We’re bikers and the party never ends. Ride fast and free forever, –Bandit Click Here to Read the Weekly News on Bikernet.com Join the Cantina for more – Subscribe Today! https://www.bikernet.com/pages/custom/subscription.aspx

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NCOM Legislative Motorcycle News for September 2021

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RPM Act re-introduced, NTSB Chief demands re-designed roads to stop speeding vehicles, Presidential Executive Order of 50% of All Vehicles Sold to be Emission-Free by 2030, NY Governor Bans Sale of Combustion Vehicles from 2035, Zero-Emissions Legislation, More than 38,000 deaths in road-accidents in 2020 is highest since 2007, Per-Mile Motorcycle Insurance in USA, FEMA Survey, Programs to Slow Speeding Vehicles, Robot-cop in Singapore. Click Here to Read the NCOM Biker Newsbytes for September 2021 on Bikernet.com Join the Cantina for more – Subscribe Today. https://www.bikernet.com/pages/custom/subscription.aspx ABOUT AIM / NCOM: The National Coalition of Motorcyclists (NCOM) is a nationwide motorcyclists rights organization serving over 2,000 NCOM Member Groups throughout the United States, with all services fully-funded through Aid to Injured Motorcyclist (AIM) Attorneys available in each state who donate a portion of their legal fees from motorcycle accidents back into the NCOM Network of Biker Services (www.ON-A-BIKE.com / 800-ON-A-BIKE).

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Zero Motorcycles Announces Early Release of All Electric Motorcycles

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by Benny Kirk from https://www.autoevolution.com If you thought the world of motorcycles would be exempt from the all-electric revolution, it seems that prediction is just plain false. Zero Motorcycles, makers of electric bikes for 15 years, is going to have a real challenge keeping up with demand it seems. The Santa Cruz, California-based EV manufacturer announced it’s going to release several of its 2022 electric bike models ahead of schedule to satiate what they called “unprecedented demand”. Including the model year 2022 S street motorcycles, DS, and DSR dual-sport models. Zero Motorcycles claims this dramatic uptick in demand for electric bikes is partially due to lockdown restrictions from the latest public health crisis finally being lifted, creating a surge of riders chomping at the bits to get back on the road again. This desire to get bikes on the road before the end of the 2021 riding season is the main impetus for this change of pace. The company also claims that demand in the electric motorcycle category far outpaces the demand for traditional internal combustion-powered motorcycles. While this claim can not be verified, the industry-wide shift from petroleum to electric drive in cars over the last five years makes this a more agreeable claim. Zero’s line of motorcycles coves a wide range of different motorcycle categories, including normal street bikes, street racing bikes, supermoto, and even motocross. The company touts performance specs like a top speed of 98 miles per hour (158 kilometers per hour) and a range of 82 miles on its 2022 Zero S street bikes. With stats like those, it’s no wonder demand is skyrocketing. It would still no doubt be difficult to persuade most die-hard motorcycle fans on board with the idea of a street bike that makes zero noise whatsoever. But with governments worldwide

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Piaggio, KTM, Honda and Yamaha set up swappable batteries consortium

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by Reuters from https://www.investing.com MILAN (Reuters) – Italian scooter maker Piaggio said on Monday it had set up a consortium with Honda Motor Co., KTM AG and Yamaha Motor Co. to encourage the use of swappable batteries for electric motorcycles and light electric vehicles. The Swappable Batteries Motorcycle Consortium (SBMC) aims to broaden the use of light electric vehicles, such as scooters, mopeds and motorcycles, and support a more sustainable management of their batteries, a joint statement said. It will focus on issues such as battery life, recharging times, infrastructure and costs and will work on defining international standard technical specifications for swappable batteries. The companies in the consortium said they welcomed others joining them to extend standards to as many companies as possible. “Urban mobility is going through a delicate transition moment towards electrification. Thanks to this consortium, motorbikes will keep their key role,” Piaggio Chief of Strategy and Product Michele Colaninno said. Honda’s Motorcycle Operations Chief Officer Yoshishige Nomura said the consortium’s objectives aimed to make electric motorbikes more convenient for clients, as their “use on large scale can substantially contribute to the creation of a more sustainable society”. Piaggio Group owns iconic two-wheeler brands such as Vespa, Aprilia, Moto Guzzi, among others.

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BMW Vision AMBY showcases excellence against H-D Serial 1 e-bikes

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SOURCE: https://www.autoevolution.com/ SOURCE: https://www.financialexpress.com/ BMW unveils Vision AMBY electric bikes: 300+ km range, 60 km/h top speed! BMW Motorrad Vision AMBY Breaks the Norm With Striking Design and Advanced Tech Of BMW’s 2021 IAA display, a very interesting one is the BMW i Vision AMBY, a peddle electric bicycle that boasts three speed ratings – 25 km/h for cycle tracks, 45 km/h for the city and 60 km/h for multi-lane roads (although, higher speeds would require a licence as well). The i Vision AMBY also gets the rest of fancy EV features like geofencing which can be used for automatically adjusting its speed. It is one of five different concept vehicles with which the BMW Group is presenting at the IAA Mobility event. While users of the BMW i Vision AMBY have to constantly pedal in order to benefit from the assistance of the electric drive system, BMW Motorrad Vision AMBY accelerates via a throttle grip One of the five concept vehicles showcased by BMW at IAA Mobility 2021 is truly innovative – neither a bike or a motorcycle, the BMW Motorrad Vision AMBY blends the best of each category with advanced connectivity and geofencing technology. BMW unveiled two electric vehicles with two wheels under the “Adaptive Mobility” (AMBY) concept. Both of them come with three speed levels for different types of road, and require an adequate driving license, insurance license plates, and a helmet for riding at maximum speed. Compared to the BMW i Vision AMBY that requires constant pedaling, the Motorrad Vision uses the throttle grip and features footrests instead of pedals, like a motorcycle. According to BMW, while it resembles a bicycle, the new Motorrad Vision flaunts the features of a powerful motorbike, including an 830 mm-tall (32.6”) seat, a large bicycle fork, a small headlight with

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Eight of the Fastest Street-Legal Motorcycles You Can Buy in America

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by Todd Halterman from https://www.autoevolution.com It begins with the story of the legendary Suzuki Hayabusa. When that beast launched back in 1999, it triggered a hurricane of anxiety among various manufacturers – and it all came down to the top speed of the bike – a stunning 194 mph. The Hayabusa represented a quantum leap in speed and made it the fastest motorcycle you could buy and ride on the streets. In fact, it took the title away from the already insanely fast Honda CBR1100XX Super Blackbird, and it did it by a startling 14 mph. In answer, Kawasaki announced the creation of the Ninja ZX-12R, and it promised a top speed of more than 200 blistering miles per hour. That announcement led regulators to consider tamping down the lust for speed among manufacturers, and it also led to what’s come to be known as The Gentleman’s Agreement among the top motorcycle manufacturers across the globe. As the story goes, the “agreement” called on manufacturers to set the upper limit on motorcycle speed at 200 mph. Since then, that agreement has been violated to varying degrees, and here are some of the motorcycles that flirt with – and exceed – the barrier posited by The Gentlemen’s Agreement. The Yamaha YZF-R1M, which purports to achieve a top end of 185.7 mph, has itself become legendary for its on and off-track precision and power. The R1 line and the street legal R1 models achieve their punch following a power-and-less-bulk formula. Offering lightweight carbon-fiber construction and powered by an explosive 998cc, liquid-cooled “cross-plane” inline-four, the R1 creates 200 hp and offers 89.2 lb-ft torque. When that kind of juice moves through its 6-Speed manual, the R1M does 0-60 mph in a snot-loosening 2.3 seconds. One of these beasts will set you back just

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