manufacturing

Royal Enfield Opens New CKD Facility in Brazil

Royal Enfield strengthens commitment to Americas region with the inauguration of new CKD facility, the third motorcycle assembly unit in South America and fourth across the world. Milwaukee, WI (Friday, December 9, 2022) – Royal Enfield, the global leader in the midsize (250cc – 750cc) motorcycling segment, today began a new chapter on its journey in the Americas region, and specifically in Brazil, with the commencement of operations of its new CKD (complete knock down) assembly facility. This is a significant step forward in Royal Enfield’s plans in LatAm, and reiterates the brand’s commitment to the region, as Brazil is a strong market for Royal Enfield. Located in Manaus, capital of Amazonas state, the new facility is the fourth Royal Enfield CKD assembly unit across the world—after Thailand, Colombia and Argentina—in addition to its state-of-the-art manufacturing and ancillary facilities located in India. With an assembly capacity of more than 15,000 units per year, the local assembly unit in Manaus is a modern facility that will cater to growing demand in the country. The facility will engage in local assembly of the entire lineup of Royal Enfield motorcycles, including the Classic 350, the Meteor 350, the Himalayan, and the 650 twin motorcycles, Continental GT and the INT. With this setup, Royal Enfield can now ensure seamless and quicker delivery timelines for motorcycles in Brazil. Speaking at the inauguration of the new facility, Royal Enfield CEO, B Govindarajan, said, “Royal Enfield has been working extensively to grow the middleweight motorcycling segment globally. With markets like the Americas region, Europe and the Asia-Pacific growing significantly, it has been our strategic intent to be closer to these markets and grow the business. We commenced on this journey a couple of years ago and have set up strategic assembly facilities in Thailand, and in Argentina and […]

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Handlebar Recall On Nearly 1,100 Harley-Davidson Nightsters

Faulty welds on these Harley-Davidson motorcycles could cause the bars to break. by Dustin Wheelen from https://www.rideapart.com Harley-Davidson Nightster made a triumphant return to the Sportster lineup in 2022. We last saw the blacked-out bobber in 2012 as the Evolution-powered Nightster 1200 (XL1200N). Ten years later, the revived model benefits from the Motor Company’s new 975cc Revolution Max V-twin and an innovative under-the-seat fuel tank. Those technological advancements don’t eliminate all teething problems, unfortunately. On August 4, 2022, Harley-Davidson received a complaint from a 2022 Nightster (RH975) owner that the left portion of their handlebar broke off while riding. After performing warranty analysis and investigating the matter, the brand potentially received one additional claim related to this issue between August 5, 2022, and September 8, 2022. Harley then informed the U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) of the Nightster recall on October 6, 2022. According to the documents, a “weld quality issue” with the Nightster’s handlebar (Part No. 55801154) “could lead to separation between the inner and outer sections.” The consequences of such a failure need little explanation, but the recall lists that “a broken handlebar can cause a sudden loss of steering control, increasing the risk of a crash.” The Milwaukee manufacturer narrowed down the recall scope to Nightsters produced between December 6, 2021 and September 9, 2022—accounting for 1,074 units. However, Nightster models produced after September 9, 2022, don’t apply to this recall, as Harley employed “enhanced manufacturing controls” on those units. After informing the NHTSA, the firm notified its dealers of the impending recall on October 11, 2022. One week later, on October 18, 2022, the brand sent notification letters to impacted owners. Once eligible customers transport their Nightster to their local dealership, Harley will replace the faulty handlebars free of charge. While the notification period

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Norton Motorcycles unveils new Café Racer bike

from https://www.coventrytelegraph.net/ by Enda Mullen The V4CR, a derivative of the company’s V4SV superbike, will go on show at Motorcycle Live Legendary manufacturer Norton Motorcycles has revealed a prototype of a new motorcycle. The V4CR, is a Café Racer derivative of the company’s V4SV superbike. It is the first prototype to be designed, engineered and built at the company’s recently opened global headquarters in Solihull. It shares the same engineering DNA as the superbike, including its 185bhp 1200cc V4 engine as well as some engineering advancements. Norton said the new V4CR’s stripped-back appearance showcases the craftsmanship and quality behind one of the most powerful British café racers out there. Fitted with a carbon fibre fuel tank and body panels, polished billet aluminium swingarm and frame, the V4CR also features compact framework and a shorter rear frame for an aggressive and commanding stance. Norton Motorcycles’ CEO Dr Robert Hentschel said: “The prototype VC4R is the next step in Norton’s strategic growth plan on its journey to becoming the world-leader in luxury hand-crafted motorcycles.” The V4CR prototype is Norton’s latest project to use the marque’s refined V4 platform, revised over the last 16 months by a team of 30 engineers and subject to tens of thousands of road and track miles, as part of Norton’s development process. The V4CR reintroduces fans to Norton’s iconic café racer heritage. Norton’s V4CR prototype will make its public debut at Motorcycle Live, taking place at the NEC in Solihull from December 4-12. Norton formally opened its Solihull headquarters in November this year. The motorcycle maker has a long and illustrious history, though fell on hard times before being revived. It became one of the most iconic British motorcycle brands, manufacturing famous models such as the 650SS, Atlas, Commando, Dominator, Manx, Navigator and many more. It gained

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BSA Motorcycles Global Debut Date Announced

from https://www.rushlane.com by Satya Singh BSA motorcycles will first be launched in the UK for a reason – as the brand has sizeable fan following in the country Looking to replicate the level of success achieved with Jawa motorcycles in India, Mahindra-owned Classic Legends will soon introduce BSA brand in UK. The formal unveil event is scheduled to take place at the Motorcycle Live Show in Birmingham, UK. Classic Legends will be revisiting BSA’s origins to establish a better connect with the brand’s glorious past and its ambitious resurrection in 21st century. It will be interesting to see how enthusiasts in UK, Europe and other global markets respond to the return of the legendary motorcycle brand. BSA motorcycle details BSA has plans to manufacture both petrol-powered and electric motorcycles. The first BSA motorcycle could be petrol-powered, equipped with a 650cc motor. Among the rivals will be Royal Enfield 650 twins that have emerged as popular options in several global markets. BSA motorcycles will be manufactured at the company’s facility in Midlands. The company will also setup a technical and design centre in Banbury, Oxfordshire. BSA electric range could be introduced next year. Classic Legends has received a grant of £4.6 million (~ INR 46 crore) from UK government for setting up an R&D centre. This facility will focus exclusively on developing electric motorcycles. It’s imperative for BSA to focus on electric segment, as many European countries are aggressively targeting a complete shift to electric ecosystem. Speculations To ensure it retains its old-world charm, BSA motorcycle will focus on retro styling. It is expected to have features like round headlamp, tear-drop shaped fuel tank, flat and wide handlebar and broad front and rear fenders. Some variants could be equipped with spoke wheels for enhanced retro experience. L Liberal use of chrome

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Norton Motorcycles opens new Global Headquarters

TVS-owned Norton Motorcycles opens new Global Headquarters: 8,000 bikes to roll out every year from https://www.financialexpress.com by Pradeep Shah The new headquarters is creating over a hundred new high-skilled jobs and more in the coming years and will be able to build around 8,000 motorcycles a year. Norton Motorcycles has announced the completion of its new global headquarters that includes state-of-the-art manufacturing capability and the company’s new global design and R&D hub as well. The new HQ is a display of significant commitment by TVS Motor Company in its partnership with Norton Motorcycles. Within just 18 months of acquiring the iconic British marque, TVS has overseen the creation of its world-class facility in Solihull, West Midlands, UK. The new Norton leadership, together with TVS Motor Company, has conducted a wide-ranging review of Norton Motorcycles operations, resulting in new appointments and processes and these have been specifically in engineering, design, and manufacturing areas in order to ensure the highest quality standards, the company stated. Moreover, the new headquarters is creating over a hundred new high-skilled jobs and more in the coming years and will be able to build around 8,000 motorcycles a year. As part of the new manufacturing process, every single component of every new Norton bike will be evaluated in a new quality-testing laboratory to ensure the highest build quality. Moreover, the company says that within the laboratory are inspection rooms, testing areas including destruction testing, and a rolling road while a customer reception and showroom, service workshop, and office are also housed at the new HQ. The Norton manufacturing facility has also been engineered to be highly sustainable and to minimize waste. The brand says that the build used numerous sustainable and rapid build techniques on the project, the components of which are almost 50% reconfigurable as a

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Launch of Honda CB750 & Dick Mann at AMA Daytona 200-Mile Race

by Todd Halterman from https://www.autoevolution.com On Twitter by Honda Powersports: Monday’s passing of Dick “Bugsy” Mann, American Honda sends its heartfelt condolences to his family, friends and fans. Mann’s 1970 Daytona 200 win aboard the CR750 (the racing version of the CB750 four-cylinder) was momentous in Honda’s history Thank you, Dick, and godspeed. The Honda CB750 Changed the Way Motorcycles Were Made, Raced and Sold Though now highly prized for their potential as re-imagined cafe racer machines, the venerable Honda CB750 was – back in its infancy – the bike that changed the game. So how did it happen that the Japanese took over the worldwide motorcycle manufacturing industry? To a large extent, it came down to the creation of a single model. With five consecutive championship titles under their belts, Honda decided to withdraw from the World GP circuit in 1967 with a plan to develop high-performance consumer motorcycles at the forefront of their vision. While Honda exported more than half of their output back in the mid-’60s, they didn’t make a large-displacement sport bike model which would appeal to the hardcore rider in the U.S. And it’s not like the honchos at Honda failed to notice that glaring deficiency. Sales of Honda motorcycles in America were flagging in 1966, and the company knew a brand-new worldview was in order. While the company had created the Dream CB450 in 1965, they were still being outgunned by big bikes from other makers. The CB450 sold well, but for the vast majority of American riders, it just didn’t have the requisite zing and bottom-end torque they craved. What really drove Yoshiro Harada, the head of Honda product development at the time, was hearing the news that Britain’s Triumph was deep in the development process of a high-performance, 3-cylinder 750 cc engine.

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Political Agendas on Electrical Vehicles Charge Up Emotions

by Colby Martin from SEMA Action Network (SAN) at https://www.semasan.com GROUNDING THE “EV” BUZZ Political Agendas Surrounding Automobiles Charge Up Strong Emotions The impending arrival of electric cars and trucks has caused quite a stir. Sure, everyone shares the well-intentioned notion of a healthier environment. But constant announcements about the potential phasing out of new gas-powered vehicles have enthusiasts worried about the future of the hobby. Thanks in part to a 24-hour news-cycle, the automotive-minded are forced to ponder this great unknown with greater frequency. With the topic weighing heavier on many minds, the question arises: what’s to become of the tailpipe—and when? Clearly there are crossed wires needing to be untangled. Acronym Soup First, we must understand the common lingo used in automotive discussions. The gasoline-sipping internal combustion engine (ICE) has long been the motivator of choice. However, the low- and zero-emissions vehicles (ZEVs) categories have emerged and made significant improvements in recent years. There are several different models of these cars and trucks such as electric vehicles (EVs), plug-in hybrids, and those running on hydrogen fuel-cells. With such competition, it may seem like traditional rides could have a tougher existence in a yet-uncertain future of alternative powerplants. Government Directives The latest update in the automotive world came from the nation’s top office: the Biden Administration. President Joe Biden signed the “Executive Order on Strengthening American Leadership in Clean Cars and Trucks” in August. In short, the measure calls for 50% of all sales of new cars and light trucks in the US be ZEV by the year 2030. “It is the policy of my Administration to advance these objectives in order to improve our economy and public health, boost energy security, secure consumer savings, advance environmental justice, and address the climate crisis,” said President Biden. Biden’s action was

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

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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The Flying Wrens: Sisterhood of Motorcycling Heroes

All-Female British dispatch riders of WW-II Originally, the Women’s Royal Naval Service (WRNS) was formed in 1917, during WW-I. Riding on narrow British roads in all weather conditions can be a dangerous enough occupation. Doing so around the clock during WW-II with the German Blitz going on around you required steel nerves. The bikes used were mostly small, single-cylinder affairs, built specifically for military use. Click Here to Read this Feature Article & Historic Photos on Bikernet.com Join the Cantina for more – Subscribe Today. https://www.bikernet.com/pages/custom/subscription.aspx

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