innovation

BMW Motorrad & legendary music brand Marshall enter strategic partnership

from Press Release at BMWgroup.com and from http://www.tradearabia.com/ BMW Motorrad has agreed a long-term partnership with world-renowned British company Marshall Amplification, to raise the innovation and quality of BMW Motorrad sound systems. The legendary Marshall spirit and the development power of BMW Motorrad will in future be reflected in new innovative products for motorcycles and music, especially in the BMW Motorrad Heritage segment. For 60 years, Marshall, originally from Hanwell, London, now based in Bletchley, Milton Keynes (UK), have produced legendary guitar amplifiers used by the world’s best musicians. Since 2012 it has expanded their audio quality into award winning headphones and active speakers designed for music lovers. PRESS RELEASE: Innovation and premium quality for future BMW Motorrad sound systems. Munich. Riding a motorcycle while listening to music – both fit well together, as they promise deep emotional experiences and intense pleasure on two wheels. It is not for nothing that generations of artists have dedicated their songs to the experience of motorcycling. “Born to be Wild” is a notable example. To ensure that beats and basses perfectly complement the ear while riding, BMW Motorrad has long been engaged in intensive development work on its sound systems. With its now agreed long-term partnership with world-renowned British company Marshall Amplification, the innovation and quality of BMW Motorrad sound systems are set to reach new heights. For 60 years, Marshall, originally from Hanwell, London, now based in Bletchley, Milton Keynes (UK), have produced legendary guitar amplifiers used by the world’s best musicians. Since 2012 they have expanded their audio quality into award winning headphones and active speakers designed for music lovers. The legendary Marshall spirit and the development power of BMW Motorrad will in future be reflected in new innovative products for motorcycles and music, especially in the BMW Motorrad Heritage segment. […]

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Norton Motorcycles Head Of Design Takes Aim At Ducati

by Bryan Campbell from https://www.forbes.com Norton Motorcycles Head of Design Simon Skinner thinks the British brand has what it takes to go head-to-head with Ducati. Admittedly, Norton taking aim at Ducati is a very, very bold aspiration. Considering the Norton name is just as synonymous with bankruptcy and financial turbulence as it is with beautiful motorcycles, you’d be forgiven for taking the current brand revival with a handful of salt. I spoke with a refreshingly candid Norton Motorcycles Head of Design Simon Skinner via video call, who said this time will be different. While there is an incredible amount of bias in that claim, this time around there’s evidence elsewhere to back it up. Back in January 2020, Norton entered the UK equivalent of Chapter 11 bankruptcy. The following April, the British brand was purchased by the third-largest Indian motorcycle manufacturer, TVS Motors. Now Norton has a new temporary factory in Birmingham, UK, is on a hiring spree and as Skinner puts it, ”the shackles have come off, in terms of design and innovation.” If this sounds at all familiar, there are similar plotlines going on at Jaguar Land Rover with Tata and Volvo and Lotus via Geely. Success isn’t guaranteed, but having a potent resource like TVS certainly helps. Speaking with Skinner, I wanted to hear just how Norton plans to not just take on Ducati and become its British equal. Bryan Campbell: Is Norton looking to follow Ducati’s lead on creating an accessible entry point with a Scrambler-esque model paired with top-tier sportbikes? Simon Skinner: Absolutely. We’ve already designed the 650cc parallel-twin range of motorcycles — the Atlas Nomad and the Ranger — and they are comparable to the Ducati Scrambler. Ours is probably a bit more modern, a bit more capable in terms of the geometry and

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All electric brand separate from the Harley-Davidson brand

Harley-Davidson launches new electric-only LiveWire brand. Harley-Davidson’s LiveWire is no longer just a model, it’s a whole brand. The brand’s first dedicated model will debut on July 8. by Kyle Hyatt from https://www.cnet.com Pretend you’re Harley-Davidson for a minute. You’re the oldest continually operating American motorcycle manufacturer. You have legions of rabid fans acting as unpaid brand ambassadors. Your name is basically synonymous with motorcycling. Sounds good, right? Now, as Harley-Davidson, try and do something completely and utterly different than what you’ve done in the past. Now that history is working against you, and those loyal customers think you’ve betrayed the ideals of the brand they love. It’s a real Catch-22. You need to innovate, or you’ll die, but if you innovate, you make your core customers angry, and then you die. While things weren’t actually quite that dire for H-D, it’s definitely been tough. That’s pretty much what happened when Harley-Davidson launched the LiveWire electric motorcycle a few years ago. Now though, the folks in Milwaukee have decided to try a different route with the whole electric motorcycle thing, and that’s to spin LiveWire off into its own brand, according to an announcement Monday. New brand equals no baggage and that extra freedom to do new things could be just what Harley needs. “One of the six pillars of The Hardwire Strategy is to lead in electric – by launching LiveWire as an all-electric brand, we are seizing the opportunity to lead and define the market in EV,” Harley-Davidson CEO Jochen Zeitz said in a statement. “With the mission to be the most desirable electric motorcycle brand in the world, LiveWire will pioneer the future of motorcycling, for the pursuit of urban adventure and beyond. LiveWire also plans to innovate and develop technology that will be applicable to Harley-Davidson

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Harley-Davidson Launches LiveWire as independent Electric Motorcycle Brand

Harley-Davidson Launches LiveWire, the independent Electric Motorcycle Brand (www.livewire.com) MILWAUKEE (May 10, 2021) – Harley-Davidson, Inc. (“Harley-Davidson”) (NYSE: HOG) today announces the launch of LiveWire as an all-electric motorcycle brand. LiveWire is more than a motorcycle. LiveWire plans to redefine electric, delivering the best experience for the urban rider, with personality and soul. LiveWire creates a unique connection between rider and vehicle. Today, the next chapter in the LiveWire journey begins. Jochen Zeitz, chairman, president and CEO of Harley-Davidson: “One of the six pillars of The Hardwire Strategy is to lead in electric – by launching LiveWire as an all-electric brand, we are seizing the opportunity to lead and define the market in EV. With the mission to be the most desirable electric motorcycle brand in the world, LiveWire will pioneer the future of motorcycling, for the pursuit of urban adventure and beyond. LiveWire also plans to innovate and develop technology that will be applicable to Harley-Davidson electric motorcycles in the future.” The first LiveWire branded motorcycle is scheduled to launch on July 8, 2021 and to premiere at the International Motorcycle Show on July 9, 2021. For more information and updates, register at livewire.com. Unique lineage: LiveWire draws on its DNA as an agile disruptor from the lineage of Harley-Davidson, capitalizing on a decade of learnings in the EV sector and the heritage of the most desirable motorcycle brand in the world. Motorcycles + beyond: with an initial focus on the urban market, LiveWire will pioneer the electric motorcycle space, and beyond. Virtual HQ: innovating by design and attracting industry-leading talent, LiveWire will be headquartered virtually, with initial hubs in Silicon Valley, CA (LiveWire Labs) and Milwaukee, WI. Marketplace: from launch, LiveWire will work with participating dealers from the Harley-Davidson network as an independent brand. An innovative go-to-market model

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Triumph Electric Motorcycle Prototype Project

from https://motorcycles.einnews.com PROJECT TRIUMPH TE-1 CREATING UK ELECTRIC MOTORCYCLE CAPABILITY TRIUMPH MOTORCYCLES ANNOUNCES PHASE 2 – POWERTRAIN PROTOTYPE Atlanta Georgia, USA, March 24, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Triumph Motorcycles reveals the innovative advanced electric powertrain and battery and the first styling sketches for the final Project TE-1 Prototype, of this landmark four-phase collaboration in British design and engineering as Phast 2 reaches a successful conclusion. Delivering on the objectives announced at the start of the TE-1 project in May 2019, focused on developing specialized electric motorcycle technology and innovative integrated solutions, this unique collaboration between Triumph Motorcycles, Williams Advanced Engineering, Integral Powertrain Ltd, and WMG at the University of Warwick funded by the Office for Zero Emission Vehicles, has already achieved significant results. Including innovation in battery and powertrain design, initial test performance results far exceed the current benchmarks and industry targets. Developments in performance, efficiency, and range is enabling Project TE-1 to fully deliver the partnership’s objectives to enhance the credibility and profile of British industry providing substantial input into the future electric motorcycle strategy from Triumph. Announcing the completion of Phase 2 – The reveal of the battery and powertrain prototype, initial high level performance results, and the first design concept drawings for the Project TE-1 Prototype motorcycle that will be created at the end of the next phase. Key project achievements to date – Test results show significant innovation in mass, battery technology, and powertrain performance that exceeds the target set by the UK Automotive Council for 2025, meeting the project’s ambitious objectives to deliver genuine innovation for a new standard in fully usable electric motorcycle performance. Project TE-1 is a unique collaboration between four major UK industry and academic leaders       – Triumph Motorcycles, Williams Advanced Engineering, Integral Powertrain Ltd.’s e-Drive Division, and WMG at the University

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San Francisco International showcases early American motorcycles

by Colleen Morgan from https://www.moodiedavittreport.com An exhibition exploring the history and development of motorcycling has opened at San Francisco International Airport (SFO). The SFO Museum exhibition, in the International Terminal Departures, started on 11 February and will run through 19 September 2021. According to exhibition organisers, early American motorcycles “reflect a bygone era of mechanical innovation and bold industrial design”. They are prized by collectors around the world and displayed on vintage rides, endurance runs, and at special events. The exhibition presents fourteen ‘exceptional’ examples made prior to 1916, along with a collection of rare engines and photographs from the pioneering era of motorcycling. It follows the development of the motorcycle – “one of the earliest and most exciting applications of another new invention, the gasoline-powered internal combustion engine” – from the 1890s until 1915. The exhibition highlights the progress of motorcycle technology during that period and the evolvement of riding “from a novelty, to a hobby, sport and a reliable source of transportation”. As the presentation points out, “motorcycling in the early twentieth century was always an adventure”. “Road conditions were generally poor and hitting a pothole or other hazard on a motorcycle supported by a primitive, stiffly sprung suspension could easily throw a rider off the bike”. It also underlines the need for “athletic ability” to start and ride these machines and that motorcyclists had to be mechanically minded to keep them in working condition. Early American Motorcycles is one of several exhibitions which are running for limited periods at the SFO Museum. Others include Hair Style, Instrumental Rock ‘n’ Roll, Paula Riff, Amelia Konow   and Alternative Process by the San Francisco University School of Art. The airport also offers a strong line-up of permanent exhibitions which include Pan American Airways, Harvey Milk ‘Messenger of Hope’ and Spirogyrate,

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Royal Enfield launches their first two-level movable dealership

by Pearl Daniels from https://www.rushlane.com This two level movable dealership has the complete range of Royal Enfield motorcycles on display Royal Enfield has introduced a novel way to display and sell its range of bikes in Thailand. A movable dealership has been set up at the Chiang Rai, Thailand region which is constructed out of shipping containers so as to allow it to be completely dismantled and moved to a different location. This is a two level showroom that boasts of a novel layout with the display area that showcased the entire range of Royal Enfield motorcycles while RE branded riding gear is also showcased on another level. The new store is a part of the Golden Triangle region bordering Laos, Myanmar and Thailand. It is currently open to customers in the Chiang Rai area. Royal Enfield commenced sale of motorcycles in Thailand four years ago. It offers its complete range of motorcycles and currently has 9 showrooms and 6 service centers in the country. There is also an assembly plant in Thailand which commenced operations in June 2019. It may be recalled that the Royal Enfield 650 twins were initially launched in this South East Asian market. Though this is a movable showroom, it is very much like any other RE showroom around the globe. The exteriors as well as interiors are decorated in the same global theme of Royal Enfield. Exteriors are finished in the same colours, while on the inside you will find motorcycle display area, accessories, etc. The idea behind such an initiative is to keep the costs low and have the freedom to set up your showroom in different areas – depending on business / time of the year. These new showrooms are easy to setup, and dismantle – in short period of time. They

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RIDING FREE FROM DC: Your Weekly Biker Bulletin from Inside the Beltway

Your Motorcycle Riders Foundation team in Washington, D.C. is pleased to provide our members with the latest information and updates on issues that impact the freedom and safety of American street motorcyclists. Count on your MRF to keep you informed about a range of matters that are critical to the advancement of motorcycling and its associated lifestyle. Published weekly when the U.S. Congress is in session. Capitol Hill Update Republicans Pressing Democrats With Democrats now the majority party in the House of Representatives, they control the committee chairmanships and thus control the agenda for each committee. The House Energy and Commerce Committee, who has jurisdiction over autonomous vehicle technology, is now chaired by Frank Pallone of New Jersey. This puts Republicans in a role they not been in since 2010, seeking the help of Democrats to tackle legislative priorities. Republican Greg Walden of Oregon, the previous chairman and now ranking member as well as Congresswoman McMorris Rodgers of Washington and Bob Latta of Ohio sent Chairman Pallone a letter regarding the need for Congress to act on autonomous vehicles legislation. “We write to urge the Energy and Commerce Committee to take up bipartisan self-driving vehicle legislation. Last Congress this Committee worked across party lines to draft H.R. 3388, the Safely Ensuring Lives Future Deployment and Research in Vehicle Evolution Act (SELF DRIVE Act). The SELF DRIVE Act was an example of this Committee at its very best: working together, across the aisle, to develop legislation that will advance lifesaving technology. As a result of our deliberative, transparent, and bipartisan process, the Committee voted unanimously, 54 yeas and 0 nays, to report the SELF-DRIVE Act to the House floor where it again passed unanimously. Unfortunately, the Senate failed to act on the bill,” Walden, Latta, and Rodgers wrote. The MRF has

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