IDN 87 January 2011

Is this the dawning of a new age of

COMMENT: dealer focused events in Europe?

Page 3

JANUARY ‘11 – ISSUE #87 PRODUCTS

NEWS ROOM Page 12-13

Page 22

National Cycle: moving ahead

Page 23

CATHCART REPORT

MILAN 2010

Pages 7-11

Page 15-17 Page 27

SHOW ZONE Page 18-21

Page 23

Review Part II

NEWS ROOM SIFAM ROAD TRIP Pages 48-51 Page 40 Page 39

Group Lloyd: leaner and meaner Page 42-43

Pages 35-40

NEWS ROOM 4-6,48

Page 36

TRADEZONE 44-45

INDEX 46

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COMMENT • COMMENT • COMMENT • COMMENT • COMMENT • COMMENT •

Is this the dawning of a new age of CONTENTS NEWS dealer focused events in Europe?

Pages 4-6, 48 T is ten years now since the first attempt at creating a Europe-wide independent parts and accessories industry trade show was made.

EuroMoto burned brightly for the one year that it was staged in Amsterdam, but ownership issues, trade association politics and finances killed it off soon after.

The timing for EuroMoto was both excellent and awful. It came after a series of years that had seen new motorcycle sales across most of Europe grow strongly.This meant that the market was as ready for such a project as it was ever going to be.

Unfortunately that timing also marked the high-point of new motorcycle sales and since then, a decade of decline has followed.And the rest, as they say, is history.

In that time we have seen INTERMOT in Germany move to Cologne, the home of its forerunner, IFMA; in Italy we have seen EICMA relocate to Milan’s new designer palace of exhibitions and become an annual show; Mondial du Deux Roues was suspended and has now metamorphosed into a new show; MotOH! in Barcelona briefly flourished and then fell victim to the downturn; Padua has become Verona;the annual show in Sweden was also suspended, but is now about to reemerge; and we have seen the major Dutch trade association-backed show in Amsterdam, RAI, disappear completely. In the UK, the annual trade association consumer show has changed date, name and focus with alarming regularity. ndeed we have seen so many additions and changes to consumer show and event names,dates,ownership,focus and venues that it is hard to keep track of what is happening where.

Above all, though, as the general market has declined, we have seen dealer show projects flourish. In the UK, Motorcycle Expo,which started in the 1990’s,finally matured into Europe’s largest dealer show, although this crown has now been seized by its French equivalent, JPMS in Lyon, which is now locked solid as an important annual event. In Germany we have seen separate dealer magazine publishers going head-to-head with rival dealer events, and in Italy dealer magazine Moto Dealer News will run MDN Expo in February for the first time.

All the existing events have of course found the going much tougher as our decade of decline morphed seamlessly into the global economic downturn since 2008, but numerically the

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dealer show landscape we have today is one of proliferation and success compared to where we were ten years ago when EuroMoto had its moment of glory.

Which brings me to report an extraordinary number of contacts received by IDN from vendors in several European countries (Sweden, the UK, the Netherlands, Germany and Italy) pleading the case for a pan-European dealer show project as an alternative to the major trade association OE-driven consumer shows, where there is growing dissatisfaction with costs, effectiveness and focus. s it happens, we here at IDN have been researching an expo concept of our own,but one that represents a rather different formula to the one that has been suggested to us by different market players.

Our concept is less an alternative to the important role that the trade association-owned, OE-driven events play in our market, and more of an additional concept that fills a gap that the OE events can’t directly address as their primary mission.

It would be a Europe-wide crossover event for consumers, dealers and trade, and would take place in Spring, rather than in Autumn or Winter.

Our market research and discussions will continue to focus on this over the coming months, and while there are as yet no guarantees that the process will come to fruition,it has to be said that the concept has met with high levels of approval from the sixty or seventy vendors whose views have so far been canvassed.

However,as a part of that research,we are open to all inputs and ideas, and if the desire for a pan-European dealer show is as widespread as some are suggesting, then maybe one of the lessons we will end up learning, one of the market changes that will emerge from the decade of recession, will be a refocusing of parts and accessories industry marketing onto the importance of vendor and brand relationships with the industry’s retail space.

Maybe the need to achieve that is the dynamic that is now at play, and the dynamic that we here at IDN need to follow.

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brand relationship with retail space

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Robin Bradley Publisher/Co-owner robin@dealer-world.com

Chapman House, Chapman Way. Tunbridge Wells Kent TN2 3EF, UK

SHOWZONE Page 7-11

SHOWZONE Page 18-21

Part two

PRODUCTS Pages 22-28 INDUSTRY EXTRA Page 30-33

MOTORCYCLE FASHION

Pages 35-40 INDUSTRY EXTRA Page 42-43

TRADEZONE Page 44-45

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INTERNATIONAL DEALER NEWS - JANUARY 2011

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NEWS ROOM

NEWS Bike und BUSINESS 2010 DESK Best Brands, Industry and Dealer of the Year Awards

Spanish brand Motorhispania has been revived, with new bikes using Minarelli and Yamaha engines. Models range from a 50cc Enduro to a Naked 125 and Supersport 125.

European distributors include TCR of Germany.

THE Bike and BUSINESS German Dealers’ Symposium was held on 26 November at the Vogel Convention Center in Würzburg, Germany, where 190 representatives from the industry attended three awards ceremonies.

The Dealer of the Year Award was given to CRM Zworad of Mannheim, a Honda, Triumph, Kymco and Peugeot dealer.

The Best Brands 2010 Awards went to:

Ducati Speed Week will take place from 28 to 31 July 2011 at the Pannoniaring racetrack in Hungary, with entries closing at the end of March.

The JT Racing USA MX apparel line is being relaunched in 2011 with a new collection of highend clothing and helmets available from January.

Oxford Products is now the exclusive UK distributor of IXON, the leading French motorcycle clothing brand.

Oxford says the mid-priced brand will fit well between the range of boots and gloves from Alpinestars it distributes and its entry level Oxford BoneDry garments.

Pirelli will once again be the tyre of choice for the British Superbike (BSB) and Supersport Championships after winning a competitive five-year supply tender.

The Italian tyre manufacturer will also continue its 100% supply agreement with Ducati by fitting all Diavel musclebikes with the new Diablo Rosso II. GZM of Alicante is the distributor in Spain for DMD helmets and the Reevu rearview full-face range.

Tyre dealer: Tyre manufacturer: Cleaning agents: Oils and lubricants: Workshop equipment: Helmets: Clothing: Accessories and consumables: Scooters: Quad/ATVs: Motorcycle niche brand: Motorcycle volume brand:

The 2010 Bike and BUSINESS and International Dealer News Industry Award went to Jochen SchmitzLinkweiler of LSL Motorradtechnik, based in Krefeld. Other companies nominated were ABM of Breisach, and Gilles Tooling of Wecker in Luxembourg.

Jury members included Robin Bradley, publisher of International Dealer News, Stephan Maderner, Editor in Chief of Bike and BUSINESS and Ragnar Lang, Project Manager at Bike and BUSINESS. www.kfz-betrieb.vogel.de/motorradmarkt/articles/294104/

New appointments at MAG MOTORSPORT Aftermarket Group (MAG), a family of leading brands and businesses in the motorsport industry, announced that Thomas Breed has been promoted to the newly created position of Managing Director of International Sales for MAG, and Robert Brinkmark will serve as the new Managing Director of MAG Europe. Both promotions align with MAG’s

Former Furygan UK agent John Wevill has set up Motosolo, which will distribute Italian brands in the UK. So far these include A-Style helmets, Prexport boots and clothing, Five gloves and Zandona body armour.

The UK Motor Cycle Industry Association (MCI) has appointed a new Chairman: Howard Dale, General Manager, Kawasaki Motors UK.

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M & A Reifenhandel, Kreuzwertheim Schwalbe, Reichshof Matthies, Hamburg Motul Germany, Cologne SNA Germany, Snap-On Tools unit, Hohenstein-Ernstthal Arai Helmet (Germany), Alpen Germot Motorcycle Accessories, Dreieich Wieren Motorcycle Accessories, Bonn Suzuki International Europe, Bensheim Polaris Germany, Griesheim Husaberg/KTM Germany, Ursensollen Triumph Motorcycle Germany, Rosbach

INTERNATIONAL DEALER NEWS - JANUARY 2011

Thomas Breed, Managing Director of International Sales for MAG

interest in expanding its focus in foreign markets, including Asia, Australia and South America, in addition to Europe.

Breed and Brinkmark will both report to MAG Vice President of Sales & Marketing, Eric Anderson.

Previously President of MAG Europe, Breed now oversees and is responsible for all of MAG’s sales and marketing affairs on the international front, while Brinkmark, who most recently served as GM of MAG Europe, will focus exclusively on MAG Europe’s sales and marketing initiatives. In their respective roles, both will actively look after the interests of MAG’s portfolio of brands, including Vance & Hines, Kuryakyn, Renthal, Progressive Suspension, Performance Machine, RSD, Mustang Motorcycle Products, and Cycle News.

“These moves represent our commitment to building a team that will grow our brands on a global basis,” says Brian Etter,

Robert Brinkmark, Managing Director of MAG Europe

President & CEO of MAG. “As we expand our portfolio of brands, their leadership in these new roles will no doubt allow us to better serve our customers while positioning us for growth in Europe and the rest of the international marketplace.” www.maggroup.com

NEWS ROOM

Motorcycle Expo 2011

THE UK Motorcycle Trade Expo will take place at the Birmingham NEC from 23 to 25 January 2011.

The 2010 event recorded a total of 4,711 visitors, and the organisers are trying to top this figure in 2011. Special deals include stands available at cost price for new exhibitors.

Events at the show will include the British Dealer News Trade Awards, and voting is still open to UK dealers on the website below.

www.motorcycle-expo.com

Revolutionary ThermaHelm Halo helmet A high-tech helmet designed to keep the wearer’s brain cool after an accident was unveiled at the Carole Nash Motorcycle Live 2010 show in Birmingham in December.

UK manufacturer ThermalHelm claims its Halo helmet could save hundreds of lives a year by mitigating brain swelling in accidents involving head injuries. According to ThermaHelm, conventional styrofoamlined helmets act like ovens causing post accident brain temperatures to reach a potentially fatal threshold.

The Halo on the other hand triggers an endothermic chemical reaction inside its lining at the moment of impact, immediately cooling the rider’s head to control brain swelling, a key

factor in life threatening head injuries.

Each helmet also includes a beacon transmitter that alerts emergency services to a downed rider’s exact GPS coordinates.

ThermaHelm was invented by

neuro-protective specialist Julian Joshua Preston-Powers in 2005 and has won a number of technical innovation and safety awards. www.thermahelm.com

New Italian dealer show in 2011 THE Moto Dealer News Expo will take place on February 14 and 15, 2011, at the Congress Center Milanofiori in Assago near Milan.

Organised by Edizione Speciale and Moto Dealer News, the Italian motorcycle sector trade

publication, the event is billed as a new opportunity for manufacturers and distributors of motorcycle and scooter products to meet and do business with Italy’s 5,000 dealers.

The Expo is not open to the public, and to retain total business focus, event stands will be modular and of the same design, with the use of hostesses and models discouraged in favour of qualified commercial personnel.

There will also be a programme of workshops, debates and conferences centred on the most critical issues facing the industry in 2011.

EDIZIONE SPECIALE Milan, ITALY Tel: +39 02 58 14 04 58 alberto.comparato@edizionespeciale.it www.motodealernewsexpo.it

INTERNATIONAL DEALER NEWS - JANUARY 2011

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NEWS ROOM

New Metisse website THE new Team Metisse website went online on 1 December.

With additional functionality and running on a highperformance server, it has over 25,000 exclusive high quality products in the integrated web shop, which the company says is now one of the most comprehensive in the motorcycle industry. In addition

to the existing ranges of products, the lowering, carbon parts and screw assortments (in aluminium, titanium and stainless steel) have been expanded significantly.

Special attention has been paid to ease of use, and Metisse says it is particularly intuitive. www.metisse.de

JPMS 2011 THE ninth annual JPMS (Journées Professionelles Moto, Quad et Scooter) French dealer show will take place in Halls 4 and 5 at the Eurexpo exhibition centre near Lyon on 6 and 7 February, 2011.

The organisers say the two halls are now full, and they are looking at the possibility of extending into adjacent halls at Eurexpo. Some 95% of last year’s exhibitors have rebooked, and 80% have expanded their stand area.

In 2010 attendance reached 9,072 visitors, up 12.5% on the total in 2009, with a total of 750 brands displayed on 220 stands, up from 600 and 210 respectively in 2009, making it the largest dealer-only show in Europe.

According to research carried out by the organisers, the visitors came from 2,700 shops and dealerships from across France: 42% from around Paris and the north of the country, 29% from the south and 25% from the centre, while 4% came from elsewhere in Europe.

For 2011, the organisers are aiming to attract more than 10,000 trade visitors. www.jpms.fr

Honda profits and unit sales up HONDA Motor said net profits more than doubled to 135.9 billion yen (E1.2 billion) for the fiscal second quarter to September, up from 54bn yen (E482m) a year earlier.

Honda's sales rose 9.5% to 2.25 trillion yen (E20.1bn) over the quarter.

The company forecasts a net profit for the financial year to end-March 2011 of 500bn yen (E4.4bn), against the 455 billion yen projected earlier.

Honda's global vehicle sales were up 7.2% from a year earlier thanks to increased demand in the large emerging markets of India and China, as well as

moderate recoveries in Japan and North America.

Motorcycle sales rose 13% over the quarter, the company said, due to robust sales in Asia and South America, although sales in North America remained in a slump.

Motorcycle sales over the first half of the company’s fiscal year were 5.6 million, up 20.5%, and global motorcycle sales forecasts for the full year have been raised from 10.8m to 11.5m, with a further 7.1m from joint venture affiliates. www.world.honda.com

SHOW ZONE

The 68th EICMA International Bike and Motorcycle Show in Milan recorded more than 500,000 visitors over six days, according to the organisers, Italian motorcycle industry association ANCMA. This compares with 450,000 visitors in 2009 and 535,000 in 2007, before the economic crisis.

Written by Al Franck - al@dealer-world.com

www.eicma.it The next EICMA is scheduled to run from November 8 to 11, 2011.

HE show was launched by Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi and recorded 45,708 motorcycle industry attendees, including 12,583 from outside Italy, and a total of 1,104 brands from 39 countries, down from 1,341 in 2009. Total exhibition space was 50,000 sq.m., against 55,000 sq.m. in 2009. The reduction in the number of companies exhibiting compared to 2009 is partially due to the overlap in 2011 with the biennial INTERMOT show in Cologne.

The organisers say there were 2,104 accredited journalists (against 1,631 in 2009) and the show website was visited by 300,000 internet users totalling 3 million page views and 50 million hits. The Motolive outdoor event area covered 80,000 sq.m, with eight stands seating 4,500 spectators and more than 400 riders taking part in competitions.

All the major manufacturers were present this year, unlike in 2009 when Honda and Yamaha failed to attend. One new exhibitor was U.S. electric performance bike maker Brammo, which displayed both its Empulse and Enertia models.

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nside the exhibition, the Green Planet section again proved popular, attracting many who were interested in alternative-powered vehicles. It had a track on which attendees could ride a range of electric and hybrid scooters and motorcycles, and many stands on which manufacturers of vehicles, engines and other parts and accessories displayed their products.

Aspes showed its Vega 125 and Perseus 150, both equipped with a 1.36 hp electric engine and an internal combustion engine. Yamaha displayed its EC-03, electric retro-styled scooter, while Oxygen exhibited the CargoScooter electric scooter, 1,000 of which have already been bought by the Swiss postal service.

For the first time there was also a custom bike display. Called Custom City, this showcased the cream of Italian and European customising, and should be an increasingly important part of the show in future years.

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he highlight of the first day was the opening ceremony with Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi, who congratulated soon-to-retire EICMA and ANCMA executive director Costantino Ruggiero on the excellent work he has done over the last 25 years, supporting the Italian motorcycle industry and organising the world’s largest international motorcycle exhibition.

Berlusconi emphasised current challenges to the Italian motorcycle sector, and the importance of exporting to the Far East. “The aptitude for innovation and investment by the Italian industry, despite a difficult economic period caused by the crisis, deserves admiration. The challenge is still very open, and we must make China our main export target,” he said.

ANCMA and its members are already very much involved in China, with the second EICMA China show scheduled to run from 2 to 4 July 2011 at the China National Convention Center in Beijing, and an increasing number of joint ventures bringing Italian powered two-wheeler (PTW) expertise to this rapidly expanding market.

NCMA forecasts in November were for a big fall in new Italian PTW registrations over the whole of 2010, with low and mediumpowered scooters down 30%, and medium powered motorcycles down 13%, a smaller decline in larger motorcycles and a small increase for maxi-scooters. Nevertheless, the positive trade balance in the Italian motorcycle and scooter sector is still around E300 million.

ANCMA and EICMA President Corrado Capelli said there was cause for cautious confidence, with Italian manufacturers still increasing exports in key markets: “This show is intended as a message of optimism to an industry capable of producing great products from the best of Italian technology, design and quality.”

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>>> INTERNATIONAL DEALER NEWS - JANUARY 2011

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SHOW ZONE

BARRACUDA: Stylish Race and Street mirrors are available respectively for racing and naked bikes, whilst X-Version is a universal mirror designed to enhance the looks of any bike, and is available in black, silver and gold. Freccia LED indicators are made from ABS and have an original aerodynamic design. www.barracudamoto.it

GIANNELLI: The company’s EICMA stand highlighted its updated range of silencers and exhaust systems with homologated and nonhomologated versions for mopeds. scooters and two and four stroke on- and off-road motorcycles. The high-end GX-One range is being upgraded for the latest Superbikes and higher-displacement nakeds, while the Ipersport line now includes systems designed for many of the latest motorcycle models. www.giannelli.com

OJ ATMOSFERE METROPOLITANE: The latest winter collection includes Black and Black Lady waterproof polyester gloves, and Mister and Lady leather fashion gloves with hidden palm and knuckle protection. Classic men’s and Kiss women’s jackets have a waterproof membrane and removable lining, as well as CE protection on elbows and shoulders and back padding. www.ojatmosferemetropolitane.com

BC BATTERY CONTROLLER: The Bravo series is claimed to be the only charger with battery and alternator test in the world, and the Smart and Junior series are flexible and easy-to-use, according to the company. BC chargers cover all 12V batteries (trad, Gel, MF, AGM, VRLA) from 1.2 to 60 Ah and carry a three year warranty. www.batterycontroller.it

SPYKE: Now with a reinforced management team, the Italian apparel specialist displayed its new Raptor collection comprising leather racing suit, leather jacket and waterproof textile jacket, and an expanded range of boots and gloves. The new urban collection has four textile and two leather jackets for men and women. www.spyke.com

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INTERNATIONAL DEALER NEWS - JANUARY 2011

CGMITALIA: Having established a strong Italian base for its value ECE homologated helmets and accessories, the company is now expanding into other European markets. The 2011 catalogue contains 16 jets and demi-jets, five children’s helmets, two flip-ups (including one with Bluetooth unit compatibility), two full-faces and three MX models. Other specialities include wind and waterproof combinations including jackets, overtrousers, neckroll and overboots, all of which can be stashed in their own backpack or waistbag, and scooter rain skirts. www.cgmitalia.net

FALCO: The 2011 boot range incorporates d3o flexible protection, with the top-of-the-range 309 ESO Pro racing boot containing an inner bootie with d3o shock absorption, while the 317 Oxegen mid-range racing boot and 579 Kodo touring boot contain d3o energy dissipation inserts. www.giannifalco.com

MIVV: The new Double Gun exhaust is similar to a sawn-off shotgun, the company says, because it is aggressive, short and gives out a roar. Made from full titanium with TIGwelding, the system will be available for an expanding list of sportsbikes. Also on display were the black oval Sport Line dedicated to 125cc to 500cc scooters, specialist off-road systems, Special Parts, and much more. www.mivv.it

NEWMAX: The revolutionary Brembo B-Tech and B-Jet helmets are now on sale and initial demand is strong, according to company representatives, who also expect the new Airflow open-face designed in conjunction with Pininfarina to be a best seller. www.newmax.it

SHOW ZONE

LS2: Based at a 33,000 sq.m. site in Jiangmen, southern China, and employing more than 1,800 employees, the parent company has been one of the main third party suppliers of helmets in the world for the last 20 years. In 2007 the LS2 brand was created to carry the company’s expertise direct to the European market from a logistics base near Barcelona.

The much expanded 2011 collection includes racing, touring and sport-touring full-face models, flip-ups, demi-jets, jets, and MX models for adults and children. www.ls2helmets.com PREMIER HELMETS: The highlight of the 2011 collection is the Dream Liner flip-up with a lightweight (under 1.5kg) tricomposite aerodynamic shell giving exceptional quietness, the company says. Other new models include the Angel touring helmet and Vintage open-face which has all the classic styling elements while being totally up to date in safety and comfort terms. Other news is that Troy Bayliss has signed a two-year deal to wear the company’s helmets during testing and championship races. www.premier.it

MATRIS: This prominent Italian manufacturer of suspension systems uses CAD-CAM systems to design and manufacture all the components of its assemblies and materials with outstanding technical and mechanical characteristics such as Ergal and titanium to ensure maximum lightness and strength. New for 2011 are the F43P fork, FO5 fork kits including the RS125SP and FO5S, the latest MO5 monoshock applications and many new steering damper applications. www.matrisdampers.com

CLOVER: The new Tekno three-layer jacket is the first to be CE marked EN 13595 Level 2, according to the Italian riding apparel specialist. Comfort and convenience are guaranteed by the removable membrane, detachable thermal lining, air-conditioning system and excellent fit, according to the company. www.clover.it

ARROW: The Race Lab 2 support vehicle with workshop and test bench was the main feature of the company’s presentation at EICMA, and will be present at every European SBK event this and next season. The range of street bike exhausts has been improved and now includes the Works silencer range with oval section, GP2 slip-ons, Pro-Racing, RaceTech and Street Thunder silencers and mid-pipes and collectors. New systems on display included street legal slip-ons for the Ducati Monster 796, and full systems for the Multistrada 1200. www.arrow.it

GAERNE: The Italian motorcycle boot specialist has one of the widest ranges on the market covering all motorsport disciplines, and says its all-new GP1 is the ultimate racing boot, developed with the collaboration of race champions and with much technological innovation. It incorporates the unique Gaerne Floating System, made of carbon composite, which allows the foot to move naturally and prevents ankle twisting without compromising flexibility. www.gaerne.com

FASTER96: Established originally as Fast By Ferracci Europe, Faster96 is a leading distributor of performance parts and workshop tools based in Bologna. It represents brands such as Battery Tender, Dynojet, Dynatek, Fast by Ferracci, Goodridge, Healtech, Moto Tassinari, Performance Friction, Powerbronze, Pro Bolt, SCM, SenDec, SFS, Surflex, Technobike, Tecnomotor and TSS. Faster96 has also developed its own line of products, including air filters, brakelines, crash posts and more. www.faster96.com INTERNATIONAL DEALER NEWS - JANUARY 2011

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ACERBIS: Amongst a host of products on the stand in Milan were new luggage options, including the Aster 105 litre and Obe 190 litre bags, Poker MX pants and jersey, Na-No technical waterproof jacket, X-Fiber off-road helmet, Sunset urban helmet and much else. www.acerbis.it

CABERG: Highlights of the latest collection are the Ego and HyperX touring helmets, the former a full-face with a unique ventilation system incorporating a 60 sq.cm. top vent that can be adjusted to give optimum airflow depending on weather and temperature. The latter is a full-face with an easily removable chin-guard homologated in both configurations. Caberg has also introduced a range of EN 1621-2 homologated back armour, BP01, in three sizes. www.caberg-helm.com

OLTREMOTO: This new company’s own brands include Helmo Milano helmets and Audrey women’s riding gear, and it also acts as a distributor on the Italian market for Shark exhaust systems, Kali helmets and EcoAlarm security products. The latest Helmo models include Veloce, which has a streamlined urban design, Pelledura, with hand-crafted materials and a sophisticated finish, and Anni Ruggenti, which recalls the proud Italian biking tradition. www.oltremotoitalia.it

RIZOMA: Highlights on the stand included the company’s take on the new Kawasaki Z750R, developed in conjunction with the Japanese OEM over 120 days in total secrecy and available as an official option from launch.

Other popular styling kits included that for the BMW S1000RR, which won the 2010 FIM Superstock Championship ridden by Ayrton Badovini. www.rizoma.com

PROJECT: The new PJ Evolution range has a Pinlock-ready extended and shaped visor, and a unique ventilation system with patented directional control. Designed for optimum visibility in all weather conditions and providing airblast protection comparable to a full-face, the helmet has low noise characteristics and other features necessary in a touring helmet such as a retractable internal sun visor. The entry-level Smarty is claimed to be the most compact jet helmet in its class and comes in nine colours. Above – founder and CEO Giancarlo Daneu. www.projectforsafety.it

STYLMARTIN: The company’s extensive boot range has a number of new models for 2011, including the Denver urban, Indian militarystyle, Red Rock unisex, Zeudi women’s laced boot and Navigator technical touring boot.

The new Legend RS touring model unveiled at the Milan show is a high-end classic-style leather waterproof boot with state-of-the-art protection. www.stylmartin.com

WIND TRADING: The 2011 Wind Raceware catalogue has a number of new lines for off-road riders, an expanded selection of gloves and comprehensive protection, from chest and back protectors to knee and elbow braces and the W2 off-road boot range now includes the top-ofthe-range MX-Elite, heavy duty P-07, Youth-X for teens and 4-Dirt Adventure for Enduro and ATV riders. The WRP range of hard parts and accessories covers exhausts, brake discs and pads, handlebars, chains, MX rims and much else. www.windtrading.it

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INTERNATIONAL DEALER NEWS - JANUARY 2011

GIVI: The TW01 and TW02 waterproof motorcycle roll bags are exceptionally flexible pieces of motorcycle luggage, according to Givi, and other novelties on display included Trekker aluminium and plastic enduro hard cases, with special alternative top entry hatches. New helmets include the HPS X.01 Trekker full-face with removable chinpiece for enduro use, 40.2 tri-composite shell top-end full-face, 50.1 Runner entry level full-face and 10.6 urban demi-jet. www.givi.com

SHOW ZONE

NZI: Highlighted helmets at EICMA included the super-light RCV carbon full-face, Convert III flip-up with integrated sun-visor and nose protector and Center open-face, and the entrylevel Helix Verti flip-up, and new design Celebrities, Caravelle, Haute Couture and BCool jets. The NZI Tech Com communications and entertainment system now comes in basic and full duplex versions, the latter with Bluetooth, intercom with up to 6 other riders and many further features. www.nzi.es

DMD: The 2011 collection includes new Vintage open-face designs and Rebel MX helmets. The former is a remake of a classic 70s shell, and is claimed to be the smallest ECE homologated helmet in its category, while the latter has an exceptionally light carbon/Kevlar shell and advanced ventilation. www.dmdhelmet.com

CARAT: New Maxi wheels from Kineo are designed to set the standard for off-road tubeless wheels, the company says, and the range of Maxi 17 Series wheels for Adventure, Enduro and Naked bikes has been expanded to include many new Ducati, Triumph and BMW models. Main features are the forged hub, new-design spokes and nipples, and CNC-finished rims, which give much-increased strength and lightness compared to classic spoked wheels. www.caratsrl.it

PBR: This leading manufacturer of sprockets, chains, handlebars and accessories displayed its new HARD Treatment Racing Line sprocket range for larger displacement road bikes.

Made from hard anodised Ergal, they feature special ‘buttonholes’ and are very light. The company’s Mecdraulic hydraulic clutch conversion system is now available for “nearly all” traditional mechanical road and off-road motorcycle clutches, and also comes with different optimised hydraulic transmission ratios, allowing the use of master cylinders with piston diameters from 10mm to 16mm. www.pbr.it

NOLAN GROUP: The 2011 collection includes a number of new models, which Nolan says are exceptionally innovative in terms of comfort and safety. The N71 is a new crossover helmet, a homologated full-face that transforms into an open-face thanks to removable chin guard, with an extra wide-field view. In the openface configuration, the extra long visor ensures maximum protection. The N63 is a new lightweight fullface helmet designed for women, young people and urban use, and the N33 demi-jet is suitable for urban and touring use with a particularly flexible visor system. www.nolangroup.it INTERNATIONAL DEALER NEWS - JANUARY 2011

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INDUSTRY EXTRA

National Cycle: moving ahead National Cycle is the world leader in windshield manufacturing, and is an OEM supplier to BMW, Harley-Davidson, Honda, Kawasaki, Polaris, Suzuki, Triumph and Yamaha. IDN’s Al Franck met up with company President and CEO Barry Willey at the recent EICMA show to find out what the company has in store over the coming months.

EWEST products from the screen and accessories specialist include a wide range of new windshield applications, which is where the company’s principal focus is at the moment.

“We make exhausts, luggage, fairings and many other accessory lines, but at the moment we’re focused on expanding our VStream range of windshields. We feel there’s a real opportunity to gain market share here – they’re the right product at the right time,” says Barry.

The main feature of the patented VStream is its aerodynamic shape.The typical airflow pattern of the wake from most windshields is called a ‘von Karman vortex’. At speeds of 80-140 km/h, the vortex rolls off the windshield, hits the bottom of the rider’s neck and curves off the shoulder at approximately 45 degrees. The VStream’s V-shape pushes this vortex out and away more than ten centimetres from the side of the rider’s head. The rider’s helmet then resides in still air, greatly reducing noise and buffeting, and the passenger’s environment is greatly improved, according to the company.

The VStream can fit directly into an OEM fairing body, but, as Barry explains, on many adventure and naked motorcycles a strong and stable mount point needs to be identified and the correct attachment bracket made. This is where the company’s long history of processing metals complements its extensive experience in making plastic products.

National Cycle’s in-house metalworking

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The VStream shifts the main vortices further out from the rider, decreasing turbulence and noise

capabilities include tool and die making for press stampings, laser cutting and brake press processes, machining and polishing, all of which are used to create brackets specific to different models of motorcycle. For some models, the company has to incorporate ingenious configurations to the mount system, and although the brackets are lightweight, they also have to be rigid enough to withstand the stresses of the motorcycle environment. ther factors are also important. “We will often try to reduce the vacuum created behind the screen, which is particularly important for big touring bikes with wide screens. Designing the VStream for the Honda Goldwing, for example, was particularly difficult because of its huge size and the distance

between rider and stock screen. Our final design was even wider than the stock item, but had a central air vent and was much closer to the rider, which neutralised the vacuum problem.”

VStream windshields are constructed from 4.5 to 6.0mm thick Lexan polycarbonate, which has four times greater crack resistance than high impact aircraft acrylic and ten times more impact resistance.

Windshields generally have good optical clarity when brand new, but lose this over time through fine scratches, abrasions and hazing. VStreams are specially treated with FMR hardcoating (with three times more abrasion resistance than acrylic) or exclusive Quantum hardcoating (with thirty times more abrasion resistance than acrylic) to reduce this problem. The latest applications also have the company’s exclusive RainZip water-repellent surface.

“We are also concentrating on our ‘Rider-Centrik’

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Unique bike-specific mountings are key to the successful positioning of VStream screens

The new VStream for the Goldwing is positioned closer to the rider and has a central vent to decrease the vacuum which develops at speed

INDUSTRY EXTRA

Barry Willey at EICMA in Milan: “Now is a good time to invest.”

concept,” says Barry. “This involves approaching product research and development from the point of view of the rider. We are trying to make the rider’s experience as comfortable as possible. Motorcycles are fun, but they can also have a lot of negatives.

They can be cold, wet and noisy, and after a long ride your butt and arms can really hurt! We want to enhance the rider’s experience, and a major way of achieving this is to decrease turbulence and noise, and improve visibility.”

Barry personally undertakes many long-distance tours to test new products.

“We ride Harleys in middle America, Triumphs in Britain, Ducatis in Italy and BMWs in the Alps, and when you do that you realise that these bikes are designed for local riding conditions, roads and terrain. You see motorcycling from lots of different perspectives and that really helps with new designs.

“In Europe it’s a different market because no one is used to the really large screens we have in the USA. We looked at this for over a year and came up with a solution for a smaller screen acceptable in Europe that reduces air pressure on the torso, much reducing the tiredness and tension that can build up when riding for hours down the Autobahn or on a tour.” he company is taking advantage of the increase in Adventure bike sales across many markets.The ZTechnik offshoot has a comprehensive range of VStreams for BMW GS series bikes, and National Cycle itself provides windshields for models such as the Triumph Tiger.

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Another area of interest is electric scooters, and the company is collaborating with a number of manufacturers in this sector. Barry reckons that with current technology electric and hybrid vehicles will have their place, but will not become mainstream until there are further breakthroughs in electricity storage, citing capacitors or carbon nanotubes as potential game-changers.

His considered view is that the industry should see an improvement in the not too distant future. “My crystal ball’s as murky as everyone else’s, but I feel that the motorcycling sector will continue to be affected by lack of confidence in the economy for the next year or two in North America and Europe. But there is plenty of money out there, and we could see a rapid turnaround in the sector once some level of confidence is restored.

“Some manufacturers have cut back investment, waiting for the good times to return, while others have put their foot down hard on the gas pedal.

Triumph is a good example of an OEM that is moving into new categories and investing heavily in new models to gain market share at the moment,” Barry says. “We also believe that now is a good time to invest, and we’re moving ahead on many fronts, both internally and in terms of new products.”

NATIONAL CYCLE Maywood, Illinois, USA Tel: +1 708 343 0400 E-mail: info@nationalcycle.com www.nationalcycle.com

National Cycle supported Peraves’ bid to win one of the Automotive X-Prize categories

E-Tracer wins X-Prize ational Cycle joined Swiss speciality transportation manufacturer Peraves in the latter’s bid for the Automotive X-Prize project.

The electric-powered Peraves E-Tracer (based on the conventionally-engined MonoTracer) won one of the categories with mpg equivalency of 197.

The model used in the tests generated over 200hp and had a top speed of more than100mph.

“These types of vehicles will never use glass as its far too dense, heavy and brittle to be used in these curvaceous shapes,” says Barry. “Nor will they use acrylic, which cracks if there’s any kind of impact and degrades when a windscreen-wiper is used, as on the MonoTracer.

“We have been providing the windshields and transparent sections for many vehicles similar to the MonoTracer for years. Hardcoated polycarbonate is the solution – our tests show that the surface is unaffected after millions of wipes, and is tough enough to withstand every kind of impact.”

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W r i t t e n b y A l a n C a t h c a r t - c a t h c a r t @ d e a l e r- w o r l d . c o m

Comeback Commando: An interview with Norton Motorcycles’ Stuart Garner ORTON’S comeback is gathering pace,with Stuart Garner, the Derby-based British businessman who in 2008 purchased Great Britain’s most historic sporting motorcycle brand from its American then-owners, bringing the marque back to the street just 18 months later with the range of born-again Commando 961 models launched at the NEC Birmingham show last November. These have been in production since April 2010 in the 7,500 sq.ft. (700 sq.m.) Norton factory within the Donington Park GP circuit, which is already being expanded as production ramps steeply upwards to meet the unprecedented demand from all over the world for the new bikes.

Garner, 41, has an established business empire including Britain’s largest fireworks wholesaler, an engineering business,a childrens’ goods distributor,and a commercial game farm in South Africa, where he breeds wild animals for sale to Safari parks, as well as springbok for meat.

In 2006 Garner acquired a stake in local frame specialist Spondon, which built the chassis for the Norton Rotary racers he recalls watching beat their Japanese rivals to win the British Superbike title 20 years ago. Then, in April 2008, he signed a deal to lease the Norton name for a new generation of rotaries – an arrangement which led to his outright purchase of the Norton brand in October that year.

AC:Stuart,Norton’s come a long way in a short time. You’re now in full production with the Commando 961, but as a man with the best of all problems, that you’re unable to keep pace with demand, how many bikes has Norton built so far?

SG: We’ve delivered around 100 bikes to date, and are now producing

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Norton Motorcycles owner Stuart Garner

Photo: Kyoichi Nakamura

around 10 a week, which is a couple of months behind where we wanted to be in building up production. That’s because some of our suppliers have been slow in establishing a consistent delivery schedule for key parts.But we’re picking up the pace, and we’ll be back on schedule soon.

AC: Is it fair to say you were overwhelmed by the response to the Commando 961 after you launched it at the NEC show last November?

SG: Yes, it was incredible to see people five or six deep around the bikes throughout the ten days of the show, and we sold a lot of Commandos both there and since. We now have a global order book of around 700-800 bikes, mainly from UK customers, but in the case of the orders we have taken, we’ve taken care to tell them that there’s going to be a delay in delivering their bike while we get up to speed in producing them. We tell them up front that the expected delivery date is backing into 2011, but this doesn’t seem to deter them, and we appreciate that. We’re doing our best to speed up deliveries.

AC: So if I as a UK customer wanted to buy a Café Racer, how long will I have to wait to get it if I put down a deposit today?

SG: February 2011 at the earliest.

INTERNATIONAL DEALER NEWS - JANUARY 2011

That’s based on our increasing production to 30-40 bikes per week by the start of 2011 – we’re looking to deliver approximately 2,000 units next calendar year.

AC: Is it true that engine supply has been the main problem in ramping up production?

SG: It’s been one of the main problems, especially of late as the production numbers have increased, and our order book has grown to the point that the original agreement we had for engine supply has been overtaken by demand. But even if we’d had the engine delivered in the volume we wanted, we’d probably have had other issues – we’ve had two or three key suppliers who’ve taken several months to get themselves up and running, but now that they are, we’re able to consistently deliver ten bikes a week, moved up to 20 per week by October, then to 40 a week by the New Year.At present, all these are the limited edition SE version with carbon wheels, that’s 200 bikes in total, and then we’ll shortly move to the volume production wire-wheeled Sport. We first plan to satisfy the UK customers who’ve been waiting longest, and then we can start shipping abroad in volume. All we’ve done so far is drip-feed a few bikes out to overseas markets to provide some of

the distributors there with some product they can use to generate orders, so that next year when the volume starts to grow properly, we’ve got some distribution to sell into. I don’t want to sound too sorry for myself, but Norton has essentially been a victim of its own success, which I must admit is even greater than I’d hoped - the demand for the product is way beyond expectations.

I just hope people will understand that we’re doing our best to step up production to satisfy that demand, without in any way sacrificing quality.

AC:Will the Commando engines continue to be supplied by an outside company?

SG: Given the problems with supply that we’ve had, and the need for as many engines as we can obtain to satisfy demand,we’ll be bringing engine manufacture in-house within the coming weeks. Norton needs to control the supply of this key component in the motorcycle, although we may well run the two sources in parallel – we’ll assemble them ourselves, as well as having some out-sourced,because right now we can’t have too many engines.

We’re in the process of attaching a new stand-alone building to the side of the present factory, we’re recruiting staff and have parts and equipment on order, and expect to start manufacturing our own engines in house as part of lifting production to 40 bikes per week.Yet all that’s without yet tapping several major potential markets for Norton, like the USA, Australasia, South Africa and key European countries like Germany, Italy and Spain,plus we’ve already sent some bikes to Japan and France, which have promptly asked for more.

AC:This means you’re looking at a significant demand for the bikes in 2011. Will you really be able to satisfy that?

SG: Yes, it’s true that we’ve barely scratched the surface in terms of market coverage, but if we were to have set up

CATHCART REPORT the factory to make 5,000 or 10,000 units a year from the outset, the cost of doing so, and the negative cash-flow this would have generated, are the kind of things that kill start-up engineering projects like this. So our first build week was one bike several months ago. The second week was two bikes, and now we’re at ten a week. Starting slowly has enabled us to survive some of the delays the suppliers have caused us, because the volumes are small. If we’d tried to build 100 bikes a week from the start, we probably wouldn’t be here today. So while we know there's a big global demand for the Commando, we’re building the Norton company for 10 or 20 years from now. It will take time – and I hope the people around the world who want to buy a Commando will understand that, and be patient.

AC: How about America? That’s likely to be Norton’s biggest single market outside the UK,so when do you anticipate satisfying the demand that’s built up there after you launched the bikes at the Long Beach Show last December?

SG: We’ll be in the States with bikes early in 2011,and in good numbers.Our EPA and CARB approval is now on track.

We expect that by year’s end we’ll have that done, though of course you have to allow for slippage when dealing with government agencies. But we’re on schedule to start delivering 49-state bikes in the USA from January onwards, with February or March for California bikes.

AC: For 2011, you’ll have stopped making the SE, since that was only a limited edition 200-off run, so does this mean the Norton range will only consist of the Café Racer and Sport?

SG: No, the third Commando model was launched at the NEC Show in November 2010. It was a tight push to get it ready in time, but it’ll give us a quite different Commando variant on the same engine and chassis platform, and we’ll run with those three models for 2011-2012 onwards. We call it the Urban within the business, although that may not be the final choice of name.

It’s a more modern-looking version of the Commando without the retro look, with a new styling package including a different fuel tank, airbox, seat etc., new plastics, a little bit of carbon fibre, and so on. It has a fresh feel that’s aimed at everyday, real-world usage, so you’ll be able to commute to work on it through city traffic in weekdays, then take it out on a Sunday morning to scratch around the lanes. It’s a true all-rounder with more upright handlebars, a dual seat as standard, and there’ll be luggage as an option to carry a briefcase or overnight clothing inside. But it’s still a twinshocker, with the same Öhlins suspension as the other models.

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Norton Commando 961 model range.

Left to right: Special Edition, Café Racer and Sport. A dual-seat prototype was also unveiled at the end of 2010

AC: When you bought the company two years ago, I remember you telling me you always envisaged Norton would be more than just a retro brand.

So, now that you have the Commando up and running, and with the security of it being a marketplace hit, are you ready to take the next step forward to design a range of modern Norton motorcycles using your own dedicated engines?

SG:Yes,we are.As you know,the lead times involved in engine development are quite long, though quicker for a smaller, more agile company like Norton than for a major company producing tens of thousands of bikes a year. A Norton year is probably worth two years for most other manufacturers, because I have a great team of guys here, and we’re working seven days a week at the present time while we’re getting the company established.Even then,it’ll still take us 18 months or to produce such an all-new platform and bring it to market, so we need to be looking at developing that now, in order to have a new model available for 2012. It’s our expectation that the Commando will continue to sell very well in 2011 and 2012, and hopefully onwards from that - but as I said to you back then when you first broke the news of what we were doing, Norton indeed won’t be just a retro brand.So we need to make it frontfacing, to move it forwards with new technology, and innovative product design and styling.We now feel qualified to start doing this, with a full order book for the Commando and sustainable volume, so we’ve already begun developing the all-new next generation Nortons that we’ll start manufacturing around 18 months from now.

AC: What engine platform will you be using for these?

SG:It’ll be a V4 1000cc engine,which will be developed to power different models and styling packages to maximise development value and the

INTERNATIONAL DEALER NEWS - JANUARY 2011

return on investment from that design, in ways that other European manufacturers like Ducati, MV Agusta and KTM already do.

AC: Will your first four-cylinder Norton model be a Superbike?

SG: We don’t need to take that decision for a few months yet,but it’ll be either that or a streetfighter. But Norton is the most famous and historic British sporting brand, so whatever new generation Norton models we develop will recognise that fact.We see racing as a complete central core to our business plan,so you can expect to see the model range,as it matures,reflect that we have a racing core, and have done so for over 100 years, even before winning the very first Isle of Man TT in 1907. Whether in the road bike R&D programme, or our own future racing activities, Norton has a glorious competition history that must come to the top again.

AC: If you’re going to develop a V4 1000cc sportbike, does this mean Norton will go racing in the Superbike category?

SG: No – Superbike rules stipulate you must first build 3,000 examples of that bike before you can actually race it, which we won’t do for quite a long time, by which stage there’s no longer any point in going racing with it as a promotional exercise.

So if we’re saying that Norton must go racing because it’s in the company’s blood, in its heritage, that leaves only two forms of racing, and that’s MotoGP, and public roads racing, essentially the Isle of Man TT, and the Irish races plus the Macau GP. And whilst road racing doesn’t have as big a global coverage as World Superbike and Moto GP, it’s certainly been at the core of Norton since Rembrandt Fowler won the first Isle of Man TT in 1907 on a Norton, and we fully intend to compete with a full Norton factory effort for years to come, and be winning TT races again.

AC: How about MotoGP? SG: As I said earlier, Norton is a racing brand, so Norton has to race.

Today, it’s far too early for Norton to be racing at World Championship level.

We’re only two years old as a company, we only started manufacture of our first range of models four months ago, we’re only just getting consistent delivery volumes into our roadbikes, we have a queue of customers waiting for product, and our focus has to be delivering those bikes to the customers who have supported us and the brand by ordering a motorcycle and paying a deposit on it.

It has to be that way, and no other. But we now know for sure that Norton has a future as a company, and given the lead time of developing an engine and a racebike, we have to start thinking about where we’re going to be in two years from now. Then, we will indeed want to be in World Championship racing – it’s where Norton belongs as a brand, and we have to start the ball rolling now, so as to be there in two years’ time.

But MotoGP is a completely daunting task. To say that Norton as a brand needs to race on a global platform in a big bike championship,and that the only way that commercially makes sense is to do so in Moto GP, fills you with fear for a while, when you look at the giant budgets of Honda and Yamaha, and top riders like Valentino and Lorenzo. But then we did our homework,and realised it can make sense for Norton – it’s entirely feasible.

We’ve got such fantastic design talent in the UK - we can make the chassis, we can make the engines, because we have a wealth of racing skills and experience here in the UK, especially with the Formula 1 industry.

We own Spondon, so that's the chassis taken care of, and the engine will be a four-cylinder four-stroke engine that we’ll develop ourselves. It won’t be a rotary and it wouldn’t be a twin or a triple, but we’re appraising a V4 that would be quite different from our road bike engine, and that technically looks the way to go, because of the small, compact packaging it offers.

CATHCART REPORT AC: Have you been given guaranteed places on the grid by Dorna for 2012?

SG: Yes, we’ve spoken to Carmelo Ezpeleta, and he’s offered us grid places for two riders for five years from 2012 onwards, as a works team, not a claiming rights team, and that's what we’re looking to put together.But I must emphasise that it’s incredibly early days.

AC: Going racing in MotoGP is an extremely expensive operation. The profits from 40 Norton Commandos a week wouldn’t pay the fuel bill for the trucks, so how are you going to fund the Norton MotoGP team?

SG: That’s not actually quite true, because from 2012 onwards we’ll have other models to market, so our volumes will have grown and we’ll start to have a reasonable income from our roadgoing motorcycles. However, we’re not going to bet the ranch on MotoGP racing, or indeed any other kind of racing. So unless we can see going racing on a neutral budget, or even a cash positive budget for Norton the company, we will not do it.

AC: So this implies getting an appropriate outside sponsor.

SG: What we’re looking at, and are working with a couple of agencies to achieve, is some intelligent business-tobusiness models, where Norton plus a partner equals a revenue raising opportunity for the content and awareness that they produce. We’re actively talking to several such companies now, so that they don’t have to repeatedly put cash in year on year.

We can generate income from the activity of racing and the brand awareness of the team, coupled with their knowledge of how to extract value from their product.

AC: Building a new model range of modern Nortons implies a much bigger factory than the 7,500 sq.ft. one you already have here, so what are your plans for expansion, or will you move elsewhere?

SG: Norton will stay at Donington Park. We’re already in discussions with Kevin Wheatcroft, our landlord, about doubling the size of the factory.We have two further long-term plans that we’re in discussion with Kevin about, so we’ve got the capability to put the space on as we need it over the next several years.

We have the outline of an agreement with Kevin to have a home at Donington Park pretty well forever, there’s 1,000 acres (400 hectares) of room here, with several tens of acres with development zone planning, so that within the area that Norton is located, we can put more factory space in as and when needed.

Donington Park has been through a tough time lately, but it’s now been saved, and has plans for expansion to

Alan Cathcart and the South Bay Norton team set a new AMA Land Speed Record at the 2010 BUB Bonneville Speed Trials, Utah, with a stock Commando 961, exactly as delivered to any Norton customer

bring it back even better than before.

AC: You’re now two years along the road since you acquired Norton.Do you feel you’re on track in rebuilding the company?

SG: In the big picture, we’re a long way ahead of where we thought we’d be with the business plan that we put together 18 months ago, and that’s partly thanks to the incredible team we’ve assembled who have covered more ground than we ever thought possible in building the business, and partly because of the brand strength and the goodwill that Norton has retained globally. In the small picture, we’re maybe a bit behind because of that delay in shipping the first batch of UK bikes, but we think within two or three months that will be long behind us, and as we look into 2011 we’re well on target and even ahead of the game.We have 35 people or so working here at the moment, and we’re expecting 50 soon, then a surge again with the new building in the first half of 2011.

AC: So your response to the bloggers who say that Norton is not delivering product because it’s run out of money, is that you have sufficient money and Norton is sufficiently well-funded.

SG:Yes,that’s all complete nonsense.

You can’t deliver a bike without the parts to assemble a bike, and if your supplier doesn’t deliver the parts on time, you cannot build the bike. You can have all the money in the world, but if you haven’t got your number plate brackets, you can’t deliver the bike, and no amount of money can ‘magic’ a number plate bracket out of thin air. I have a good example of how stupid things you have no control over can affect production as you’re building stock and

building inventory levels within the limits of what you can afford.We source our carbon fibre parts from BST in South Africa. A few months ago we were just starting to build and deliver the bikes, so as the stock came in, we were ramping up production nicely. Then the Icelandic volcano erupted, and while everybody was worrying about their holidays being cancelled, for three weeks we had no carbon fibre shipments from BST because all the parts are flown in. So now you have to go to a customer to say, I'm sorry we can’t deliver your bike, but it’s because there’s a dust cloud from a volcano, and we can’t truck them in from Johannesburg. If any one of the several hundred components needed to make a motorcycle is missing, there’s non-delivery – and as we build up the company from scratch, it takes a period of time for us to build inventory levels to survive a week or two of non-supply.

This just-in-time delivery system that everybody talks about – it’s rubbish! If you have no beer, you’re not a pub! If you have no components, you’re not a motorcycle manufacturer.So in quite the reverse of the internet chatter, we’ve spent the last few months and a great deal of capital putting inventory in our stores to make sure we won’t have to stop production again. It’s part of Norton’s growing pains, but we’re building momentum all the time.We’ve never had a stronger balance sheet than today; we’ve never had more stock and

inventory in the business than today; and we’ve never delivered more bikes than we delivered last week – 12 in total, en route to 40 a week, so we’re now in a position to satisfy the orders we have already received, and accept more. Norton is adequately funded, and the key performance indicators of the business are getting stronger each week. So, keyboard warriors beware we’re fine and dandy, and growing all the time!

Alan, a couple of years ago when we first spoke, I told you then, and I’ll say it again - I can’t quite believe being the lucky person that when Norton came around, it fell into my lap, not someone else’s. And the timing’s ended up working so well, in that we acquired the Commando in its Kenny Dreer prototype stage, then we were able to re-engineer it for homologation and production without losing the trademark Norton styling that he got right first time. It’s slotted into the market place perfectly, as our order book confirms – really, to acquire Norton the brand; to include that prototype motorcycle with that design as part of the deal; to be able to base ourselves at Donington Park; to attract the high quality and experienced staff that we’ve got – talk about right time, right place. The potential now is that if we go to MotoGP with Norton, it could be another question of being in the right place at the right time…… www.nortonmotorcycles.com

INTERNATIONAL DEALER NEWS - JANUARY 2011

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WUNDERLICH: New style kits on display at INTERMOT included the new BMW S1000RR Poisoned Arrow, including PowerSportErgo handlebar conversion, VarioLever adjustable hand levers, ActiveComfort SportErgo seat, DoubleBubble sports screen, tail piece conversion, aluminium licence-plate mount and turn indicators with built-in rear/brake light functions. Other new designs included the S1000RR Piranha, a naked version of the Bavarian superbike, and the Lightweight kit for the F800GS. www.wunderlich.de

VROOAM POWERSPORTS LUBRICANTS: This new Netherlands-based lubrication and maintenance product company, set up by Sander Van Der Velden (above), has a full range of four and two-stroke motorcycle engine oils including Synthetic, SemiSynthetic and Mineral options, transmission oils, suspension fluids and much else. www.vrooam-lubricants.com

18 INTERNATIONAL DEALER NEWS - JANUARY 2010

TECMATE INTERNATIONAL:There was much interest on the company’s stand for the new OptiMate 4, an all-in-one tool for 12V battery care at home, which now comes with a dual programme that diagnoses, recovers, charges, tests and optimally maintains batteries automatically. Batteries can be charged direct or via a programme to charge via the 12V port on any CAN-bus-equipped bike. www.tecmate-int.com

PROFI PRODUCTS: The company presented its new Scooter Alignment Tool at INTERMOT, designed for rim sizes from 10" to 16", and says it is priced to be affordable for enthusiasts, small racing teams and hobby workshops. Another new item was the BatteryTender Solar Charger from Deltran, which has a solar panel with a control unit for 12V batteries. www.profiproducts.de

JOFAMA: The Scandinavian leader in motorcycle apparel offers three brands: Jofama is the entry level brand, while Halvarssons is high-function and high-tech. Lindstrands is more aggressive and sporty, and includes most of the company’s off-road ranges.

New items include the Halvarssons Etna ladies textile jacket and Carat leather/textile men’s jacket with TFL Cool System. www.jofama.se

SHOW ZONE

SBS: Europe's leading specialist of friction technology and brake pads for motorcycles, scooters and ATVs had a busy time at INTERMOT this year, and their many championship wins in 2010 included KTM factory riders Cairoli and Musquin in MX1 and MX2, as well as long time WSS and WSBK partner Team Honda Ten Kate with Kenan Sofuoglu’s WSS victory. www.sbs.dk

CMS HELMETS: The Portuguese helmet specialist launched its new D-Jet Classic and Vintage lines at the show, and the 2011 collection includes new graphics for the SUV GT flip-up, GP7 Race and the D-Jet models, and new colours including Orange Reflex, Grey Titanium and Pink Fuschia. www.cms-helmets.com

SURFLEX: The Italian clutch specialist continues to expand applications of its specialist anti-hopping and high-torque clutch kits, while at the same time introducing new high-tech materials. Recent introductions include new aftermarket clutch kits for the Ducati 1098 and the latest Aprilia models. www.surflexclutches.com

VARTEX: The Belgian cruiser luggage specialist has K-Drive Click & Lock saddlebags sets for an everexpanding range of models and now also offers saddlebags and luggage for touring and sports bikes, as well as scooter bags and seats for Vespas. www.vartex.be

PUTOLINE: The Oil Ice Cooler is a silicate-free long-life coolant based on nano technology and mono propylene glycol (MPG). It offers protection for all types of metal used in modern motorcycle race engines and cooling systems, Putoline says, and is fully compatible with all water pump seals and gaskets. It is non-toxic, biodegradable and not harmful to the environment and offers frost protection up to a minimum of –26°C. www.putoline.com

SHOW ZONE

MRA KLEMENT: The X-creen Spoiler can be easily adjusted without tools in many positions and comes in different versions suitable for most motorcycle and scooter models, while the double-joint (XCD) version allows 11 cm extension, the adjustment of the spoiler angle and the distance to the base-plate. www.mra.de

RS TAICHI: The Japanese riding apparel manufacturer had a number of innovative products on its stand at INTERMOT including 005 WP BOA leather riding shoes with dialled-in spool lacing and Intention EL-System jackets with battery-powered luminous stripes for maximum night-time and poor weather visibility. www.rs-taichi.com

PUIG: The new Z-Racing line of aerodynamic screens is now available for the 2010 Kawasaki Z1000 and Honda VFR1200F, featuring special cut-downs on the bubble edges to deflect the airblast along the side. The windscreen is made of 3mm high impact acrylic, providing additional strength and flexibility. www.puig.tv

HEPCO & BECKER: New for 2011 is the Speedrack, which provides a secure base for rear luggage on SuperSport bikes. It is positioned on the pillion seat mount and serves as a base for luggage roll, top case or special rear bag, and with enlargement racks offers further luggage possibilities. Also new are the Lock It tank ring for tankbags and special GRP Crash pads. www.hepco-becker.de

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INTERNATIONAL DEALER NEWS - JANUARY 2010

SEIBENROCK: This manufacturer of parts and accessories for classic BMW bikes showcased power kits, gearboxes, exhausts and electric systems alongside suspension systems, handlebars and luggage. New for 2011 are the oil-tolerant dry clutch and high-torque clutch kits. www.siebenrock.com

KOCHMANN: Redbike boots are designed to be comfortable for walking as well as offering excellent protection when riding. New models include Commander, Cup-DTX, EstorilDTX, Journey-DTX, Route and Speed-GT White. www.kochmann.de

UVEX: Innovations on display at INTERMOT included the Variotronic visor for the Uvex GT 500 helmet, whose double lens is powered by a rechargeable battery that can switch from light to dark in milliseconds, either by pressing a button or automatically via an integrated photo cell, reducing sunlight transmission from 65 to 25%. New full-face helmet models include the Discovery, Boss Polavision, Xenova and X-Ride, as well as the Enduro SLT off-road model, all with market-leading new features. www.uvex.com

HELMET CITY: The 2011 collection from the Florida-based helmet specialists includes the Glitter range, with an ABS painted glitter shell, plush comfort liner and 3-snap visor, with optional clear or smoke visors. www.helmetsales.com

PLANET KNOX: The latest concept from the UK protection specialist is Kinesis, which the company says is the most significant innovation in impact protection in the last 15 years. The multi-part Kinesis protector is designed to deflect impact, as well as absorb it, and will be available in the Knox product range soon. www.planet-knox.com

MAGURA: The new Radial 195 is a compact hydraulic fitting for brakes or clutches offering great value for money, according to the company, and can also be installed easily where space is limited. Also on display were X-Line handlebars, developed with the assistance of champion stunt-rider Chris Pfeiffer. www.powersports.magura.com

ABM: New products on display included CNC-machined Rinova indicators and the Talgarflex footrest system. The company’s latest line up includes MultiClip clip on bars, short Synto brake and clutch levers, sport footrest assemblies, CNC-milled S-Grips, and conversion kits for many new models including the 2010 CBR 1000. www.ab-m.de

POLISPORT: New for 2011 are Free Flow Lite hand protectors, HMX and LMX LED headlights and easily portable Tripod bike stands. The lightweight ergonomic Convertible chest protector with adjustable body rotational parts will be available later in the year, and new processes patented by the company include Plastic Décor Plus, a production process that fuses graphics onto larger plastic parts. www.polisport.com

The PARTS EUROPE team at INTERMOT: Left to right - Dimitris Chatziarapoglou, Bettina Antony, Kees van Ham, Ralf Kaduk, István Németh, Larissa Petry, Greg Blackwell (Parts Unlimited), Hilda Armacanqui, Jens Kloos, Gunther Hildebrandt. www.partseurope.eu

CROSS-CENTER PRODUCTS: Torbjörn Bergh has used his off-road race experience to build a business that sells some 5,000 part numbers and exports to over 20 countries. Signature products include a patented universal hub, a wide range of stainless steel spokes and the AP Products protection range. www.cross-center.com

LeoVince exhaust for Beta RR450 THE X3 Enduro Sport full titanium system for 2010-11 Beta RR450 models has a silencer and header pipe in full titanium, end cap and double bracket in carbon fibre and silencer in conformity with pending regulations dB(A) FIM. The system weighs only 2.9kg, the company says.

SITO GRUPPO INDUSTRIALE Monticello d’Alba (CN), ITALY Tel: +39 0173 465 111 E-mail: info@leovince.com www.leovince.com

Polini Evolution Ø19 carburetor

LighTech naked bike mirrors

POLINI Motori’s racing department is offering this new Ø19 Dellorto carburetor, modified by Polini, completely reworked in the company’s factory at Alzano Lombardo using CNC machining centres, and giving increased power and engine performance.

The Evolution carburetor is homologated for track racing.

POLINI MOTORI Alzano Lombardo (BG), ITALY Tel: +39 035 2275 111 E-mail: mail@polini.com www.polini.com

THIS new line of LighTech mirrors for naked bikes is made from aluminium 6012 and CNC-machined to reduce weight. The number of joints means the mirror is very flexible and offers optimum visibility, and the elegant design is available in black and silver.

LighTech mirrors are fitted with specific connections with two-sided threads.

LIGHTECH Santa Lucia di Piave (TV), ITALY Tel: +39 0438 453010 E-mail info@lightech.it www.lightech.it

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INTERNATIONAL DEALER NEWS - JANUARY 2011

PRODUCT NEWS

Rolly bags from AGM ROLLY bags are made of rip-stop polyester 600D with an inside coated with PU layer 210D. The cylindrical shape means they can be easily mounted on the handlebars, backrest, seat or luggage rack, and they are both light and functional, the company says.

They have two side pockets and one zippered inner pocket, YKK zippers in the standard version and waterproof zippers in the deluxe version, reflective strips, and come with a two-year warranty.

They can be mounted together using buckles, increasing luggage capacity, and have shoulder straps for carrying off the bike, and also fit in the carry-on luggage space of an aircraft.

PB GERMANY Seeheim-Jugenheim, GERMANY Tel: +49 (0)6257 84820 E-mail: info@agm-bikers.com www.agm-bikers.com

Elab mirrors from Barracuda NEW for 2011, these non-homologated mirrors are designed for special naked bikes, the company says. They have strong lines, are made from billet aluminium, and the shell is available in black and chrome.

They will be available from the end of January.

BARRACUDA Florence, ITALY Tel: +39 055 412 746 E-mail: info@barracudamoto.it www.barracudamoto.it

INTERNATIONAL DEALER NEWS - JANUARY 2011

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PRODUCT NEWS

OptiMate 4 charger and tester THIS diagnostic desulphating charger and tester for 12V lead acid batteries from Tecmate has a sealed weatherproof enclosure and cables rated down to -40C. The company says OptiMate 4 is even more effective at saving neglected batteries, with new dual-stage Recovery and Turbo Recovery desulfating programmes available depending on the battery’s condition.

The OptiMate 4 then charges the battery, verifies that the battery is as fully charged as its basic state of health allows, and then checks for and detects dead battery cells.

New features include microprocessor control, six-step charge programme, safe 24/7 storage charge programme, automatic power loss test, deep-discharge diagnosis, unique charge optimisation and verification system, automatic power loss test, five possible status test results,

energy-efficient low heat rise, a stylish 10-LED control panel, 19 possible LED indications, built-in replaceable mounting lugs and new “glide-in” connector guides.

Tecmate says its most important attribute is the safe, optimal maintenance of the battery during long-term storage, achieved by its gentle maintenance cycle, which automatically allows the battery to rest for 30 minutes of each hour of the maintenance cycle while it remains connected.

OptiMate 4 comes with a two-year limited warranty.

TECMATE INTERNATIONAL Tienen, BELGIUM Tel: +32 (0)16 805 440 E-mail: sales@tecmate-int.com www.tecmate-int.com

New Magura hydraulic clutch conversions GERMAN control specialist Magura has expanded its range of HYMEC hydraulic clutch kits with applications for popular road bikes, including the Yamaha FZ6 (2007-2010), Suzuki SV650, Kawasaki Z750, Versys and ER-6F. Originally developed for motorcycle offroad sport, the HYMEC system replaces the clutch lever and cable with a small lightweight hydraulic system for improved clutch control.

Having been tested under the toughest conditions possible in the world of dirt biking, this compact unit is more than capable of withstanding the demands of road going motorcycles.

Replacing the traditional cable with a hydraulic system has several benefits, which can significantly improve vehicle performance. It ensures an easier operating pressure with a constant pressure point that

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allows the user to feel the point where the clutch releases and actuates. It also removes the need for cable adjustment and ensures that the clutch is at its optimum operating pressure every time.

Thanks to UK distributor Venhill (www.venhill.co.uk) for this information.

MAGURA Bad Urach, GERMANY Tel: +49 (0)7125 153 262 E-mail: mot@magura.com www.magura.com

INTERNATIONAL DEALER NEWS - JANUARY 2011

PRODUCT NEWS

MIVV exhausts for Z1000 Sport Ghibli

Sport GP

Suono Full Carbon

MIVV’s R&D department has come up with three exhaust options for the 2010 Kawasaki Z1000 designed to offer the widest choice and best performance for all road and racing activities, while maintaining the original configuration – one exhaust on each side.

Suono Full Carbon is designed to match the futuristic style of the Z1000 with the black colour of the frame and the lower superstructures, while Suono Stainless Steel comes with two carbon inlet/outlet cups.

Sport GP twin exhausts give a racing look and lighten the rear axle, and are available in titanium or carbon versions.

The newest MIVV exhaust, Ghibli, is proving a hit with tuning enthusiasts.

100% made in Italy, this partly handmade exhaust is the lightest and

the most aggressive of the three options.

Results of bench tests, measured at the wheel, show that stock exhaust gives 126.1 hp at 7.900rpm and weighs 7kg. This compares with the following for the MIVV exhausts at the same rpm: GP homologated: 128.3 hp and 3.8kg; GP open: 129.5 hp and 3.6kg; Suono homologated: 128.1 hp and 3.8kg; Suono open: 129.7 hp and 3.5kg; Ghibli homologated: 128.9 hp and 3.6kg and Ghibli open: 129.9 hp and 3.5kg.

MIVV Sant’ Omero (TE), ITALY Tel: +39 0861 8120 237 E-Mail: info@mivv.it www.mivv.it

Bitubo shocks for 1200 GS ITALIAN suspension specialist Bitubo is offering new options for the BMW 1200 GS. For the front, the WAT 11 shock absorber enhances the stability and the feeling of the GS, according to the company.

Pressurised with a separate (nitrogen) tank, this device offers several adjustments.

12 clicks in compression, continuous nut extension, continuous nut spring preload, and continuous nut wheelbase.

For the rear Bitubo says its CYU 31 monoshock offers nitrogen pressurisation, with a floating piston to separate oil/petrol in the compensation chamber, with a piston shaft 16 mm in diameter with anti-friction treatment and low-friction bushes.

Entirely made of aluminium

alloy, Teflon and special steel, this device offers several adjustments: low-speed compression (24 clicks), highspeed compression (20 clicks), extension (24 clicks), hydraulic spring preload (24 clicks), adjustable wheelbase (8 mm).

BITUBO Selve di Teolo (PD), ITALY Tel: + 39 0499903475 E-mail info@bitubo.com www.bitubo.com

INTERNATIONAL DEALER NEWS - JANUARY 2011

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PRODUCT NEWS

Arrow exhausts for ZX10R ARROW has a number of different silencers for the 2011 Kawasaki ZX10R Ninja. The Race-Tech, Works and Pro-Racing models have been specifically made for this bike, and can be fitted with the original pipes or with Arrow tubes.

The Pro-Racing silencer comes in Nichrom alloy and with carbon endcap, the Works silencer in titanium and with carbon end cap and the Race-Tech silencer in titanium or carbon fibre with carbon end cap, all are street legal.

Race-specific options include the Race-Tech silencer in aluminium, black anodised aluminium, carbon fibre, and titanium, all with stainless steel end cap.

Race-Tech and Works silencers can be fitted to the original catalytic converter using an Arrow stainless steel mid-pipe, while the Pro-Racing silencer can be

Race-Tech street-legal silencer

Pro-Racing silencer

fitted directly to the original catalytic converter.

Stainless-steel mid-pipes to remove the catalytic converter are available, one for Race-Tech and Works silencers and another with Pro-Racing silencers and the original silencer.

Arrow collectors are available in stainless steel for the 4:2 kit to be used with the Race-Tech and Works silencers, and a separate one for the ProRacing silencer.

Competion and Competition Full Titanium systems are also available for use on tuned bikes for track use, the former with stainless steel headers.

ARROW SPECIAL PARTS San Giustino (PG), ITALY Tel: +39 0758 61811 E-mail: info@arrow.it www.arrow.it

Works silencer

Race-Tech racing silencer

PRODUCT NEWS

Ermax Vespa mini-screens

Gilles updates crash pad

THE Mini Sportivo nose screen from Ermax for the 2010 Vespa 50/125 S is made from 3mm thick Perspex and is 38cm high. It has a square headlight cut-out and comes with a special fitting kit, has a choice of screen printed designs and comes in 16 colours.

The Piccolo nose screen for the same models has similar features to the Mini Sportivo, but is 30cm high.

GILLES Toolingâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s popular ip.gt crash pad has been technically improved with six additional springs to support the impact inlay.

The patented innovative crash pad already has a highly ingenious design with a crash cap made of high resin polymer specifically selected for its sliding characteristics, while the progressive impact inlay reduces the risk of major damage to the motorcycle.

Each set is bike-specific, and flexible frame mounting parts are also available as a universal fitting kit.

ERMAX Roquefort La Bedoule, FRANCE Tel: +33 (0)4 42 73 67 91 E-mail: accueil@ermax.fr www.ermax.fr Piccolo nose screen

Mini Sportivo

The Piccolo nose screen comes with a choice of screen printed designs

GILLES TOOLING Wecker, LUXEMBOURG Tel: +352 (0)267 893-45 E-mail: info@gillestooling.com www.gillestooling.com

INTERNATIONAL DEALER NEWS - JANUARY 2011

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PRODUCT NEWS

Puig protection and screen for Versys

SHAD topcases and bags SB-25 tank bag

PUIG products for the Kawasaki Versys 2010 include Pro frame sliders and a Touring screen.

The windscreen is made of 3mm high impact acrylic designed to provide both strength and flexibility. Using stock mounting hardware, it controls vibration and the wide surface area improves the windblast protection.

The Pro frame sliders are made of nylon with high impact resistance and offer good performance when sliding. Puig says they are practically unbreakable and come with instructions for an easy and quick assembly process.

Versys Touring screen

The Pro frame slider protects the engine

PUIG Granollers, Barcelona, SPAIN Tel: +34 938 490 633 E-mail: info@puig.tv www.puig.tv

Motorex updates 2-stroke oils All Motorex 2-stroke oils have recently been reissued with updated formulas and are equally well suited to pre-mix and separate lubrication, the company says.

The fully synthetic top product of this range, developed for fast 2-stroke street bikes, is Motorex Power Synt 2T. It offers optimum performance, the highest possible temperature stability and maximum wear protection as well as a very clean combustion.

The bestseller for off-road use is Cross Power 2T, a fully synthetic, top-quality oil for the most demanding applications on the motocross track. The fully synthetic Scooter Forza 2T has been specifically designed for scooter racing and direct-injection scooter engines.

The semi-synthetic Formula 2T ensures high performance and a low-smoke combustion, while semi-synthetic Two Stroke 2T has been specially formulated for light motorcycles, while Scooter 2T, an all-round semi-synthetic oil for scooters, is especially well suited to year-round use in the most intense city traffic, according to Motorex.

Motorex 2-stroke oils are available in

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NEW luggage from SHAD includes the SH-37 Topcase, which has 37L capacity, and one of its main features is that the colour SB-60 lateral of its cover can be trolley bag changed; a wide range of colours are available.

The SB-25 tank bag has 23L capacity, sufficient for a full-face helmet, and measures 24cm x 30cm x 40cm. It also has additional fastening straps and a shoulder strap.

The SB-60 saddle bags are a couple of lateral bags that can be fixed together to make a â&#x20AC;&#x153;Trolleyâ&#x20AC;? type roller bag for onward transportation.

The SH-46 topcase has a futuristic look and 46 litre capacity. For the black case, the reflector is red and white; while for the case with a coloured cover, the reflector is silver and red. It includes a standard plate and a screw set, brake light (optional) placed under the grid and it can also incorporate (also optional) a comfortable backrest.

SHAD Mollet Del Valles, Barcelona, SPAIN Tel: +34 935 795 866 E-mail: info@shad.es www.shad.es SH-46 topcase

packages ranging from convenient 1-litre bottles with integral spout, up to 200 litre barrels, all with re-designed and easy to understand labels, with photo-realistic depictions of the different vehicle types and colour coding, with red for fully synthetic and yellow for semi-synthetic oils.

MOTOREX Langenthal, SWITZERLAND Tel: +41 (0)62 91975 75 E-mail: info@motorex.com www.motorex.com

INTERNATIONAL DEALER NEWS - JANUARY 2011

SH-37 topcase

Sifam: Where focus meets ambition Written by Al Franck - al@dealer-world.com

Sifam founder and General Manager Pierre Manuel

difficulty – which gave me an interesting overview of business culture in France and Spain.

“My time with that company enabled me to develop socially, personally and professionally to a great degree, and also gave me insights into the strengths and weaknesses of different company models, not least Fagor’s cooperative model.

“It also turned me into a believer in humans, rather than money. Money is a means to an end.

Sifam is not a cooperative, but I think people that work here are happy.The group structure is designed to optimise human potential, with clear lines of responsibility and a common sense of purpose. ccording to Pierre, each staff member has a tightly defined role to play. “Here in St Laurent we have order takers and checkers, product specialists, buyers, stock fillers, after-sales service, product image and reference specialists. The latter will, for example, ensure we have all the necessary technical drawings for the latest bike models to ensure we alter our products to fit them perfectly.

“Another staffer works full-time on updating the catalogue, an important task, because it is a bible for the mechanics and workshop staff in the dealership, so we have to get everything there right first time.”

Christophe, his eldest son, has been with the company from the start. He is now responsible for products, R&D, purchasing and supplier relations.

Pierre’s second son Jean-Luc heads the group finance and accounts department. Sifam has two inhouse chartered accountants as well as supplier and customer account managers.

“The important thing in this business is to be as well organised as possible, including in ancillary and back office activities, to keep costs to a minimum” says Pierre.“This means we can continue to keep our overall costs down, enabling us to keep our product costs down.”

The Sifam Group employs 87, 47 of them sales staff. “And that shows our main focus,” Pierre says.

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AVING been founded only sixteen years ago, the Sifam Group is now one of the top three distributors of motorcycle, moped and scooter parts, accessories and consumables in France.

This achievement is principally due to the driven nature of founder and General Manager Pierre Manuel, who has followed a remorseless policy of internal cost-cutting and external expansion to create a lean organisation well-adapted to service the different markets in which it operates.

After training as a joiner in his youth, Pierre joined the French subsidiary of the Spanish domestic appliance manufacturer Fagor, rising through the ranks and gaining wide business experience in the process. Looking to set up his own company, he saw a real opportunity in the motorcycle industry, where there was wide dissatisfaction with the existing supplier structure.

“I set up Sifam in 1994 after market research showed me there was a niche for a company that supplied quality consumables to motorcycle dealers on the day after delivery, with excellent service and back-up,” he says. “Existing suppliers at the time tended to respond far more slowly, and service and quality were not so good.”

“Initially there were three of us, including my son Christophe, selling a range of chain and sprocket kits to dealers and workshops on the basis that if the order was received by 17.30, it would be delivered the following day before midday.”

From day one, Pierre ensured the system was computerised, which greatly helped expansion over subsequent years as increasing numbers of items were added to the Sifam catalogue and the customer base expanded.

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“Turnover doubled every year in the early days, and soon we were offering a complete range of consumables – which I define as everything a mechanic needs to maintain a bike in good order,” he adds. n 2000 Sifam moved into larger premises, and a restructuring operation took place. The newly formed Sifam Group comprised a holding company to oversee all financial activities, with separate French and Swiss subsidiaries, soon to be followed by one in Italy.Another company, Sifam Trading, was set up to import and supply goods to the subsidiaries.

“At Fagor I was initially a salesman,” says Pierre, “and was supported as a mature student through university by the company, returning to head up research and development for new products in French-speaking countries. We also specialised in market research for Spanish companies that were in

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Sifam’s HQ at Saint Laurent du Var near Nice has a 3,900 sq.m. warehouse facility and attached offices, with room for expansion

INTERNATIONAL DEALER NEWS - JANUARY 2011

From a strong base in France, the Sifam Group is expanding ever deeper into other European markets, aiming to be one of a handful of major players across the continent in five years’ time.

IDN visited the group’s base at St Laurent du Var, near Nice in the south of France, to find out more.

Some 40 out of Sifam’s 87 staff are based at Saint Laurent du Var, including all support functions

“Our main focus? Getting out there and selling product!”

“Getting out there and selling product!”

Work schedules for staff are kept as flexible as possible. But the other side is that if there is a sudden rush, staff will be expected to work as long as it takes.

For the IT department, one staffer has to be on post within minutes if the system goes down.

Sifam has separate subsidiaries in France, Italy, Switzerland, Spain, Portugal and Poland. n each of these there is a director, sales manager, sales team, secretary, product specialist and order checker, all working directly on Sifam’s main online system. Every customer can order via one of the sales team or directly from the website. If the former, in Italy for example, the sales staffer will pass the order to Sifam Italy, which will check the status of the customer, and place the order, which is then registered by export market specialists in St Laurent and placed in the delivery queue.

The structure and systems in place showed their

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value in 2005, when, after a fire, the group was up and running again soon after. In 2007, Sifam moved into the current purpose-built facility at Saint Laurent du Var, with 3,900 sq.m. of warehouse space and an attached office suite. he warehouse at any one time contains E3 million worth of stock, including 201,000 batteries, 37,000 chain and sprocket kits, 1,000,000 spark plugs, 159,500 brake pads, 154,000 tyres, 64,000 filters, 71,000 helmets and 80,000 litres of oil, representing 19,000 separate part numbers.

In 2010 the facility directly supplied 5,000 customers in Europe, of which 2,600 were in France, 1,000 in Italy, 80 in Switzerland and smaller numbers in 24 other countries in Europe and around the world. Stock turnover is very rapid because all orders are fulfilled directly from the St Laurent facility, for example the Italian subsidiary’s orders go direct to Italian customers from there.

“We shift 500 boxes and 20 pallets every day,” says Pierre, “and our 24-hour production schedule means maximum efficiency and maximum return on our fixed investments. We have built up very close relationships with transport companies and aim to fulfil an international order the next day if it is received by 11.00, and a French order by 17.00.

In France, Sifam is a distributor for Athena, Bosch, Dunlop, Pirelli, Bridgestone, Champion, Duro, Esjot, Fabbri, Gates, Izumi, Kappa, Koyo, Mach, Marving, Osram, Regina, Skyrich, Supersprox, V-Max, Vesrah and Yuasa, amongst others, and apart from these high-end brands, also offers its own medium-level brands, such as Kyoto hard parts and consumables, and S-Line helmets and apparel.“Kyoto is recognised in the market as a brand that is really good for dealers, because it offers excellent quality and value for money,” says Pierre.

The warehouse is highly automated, with advanced stock control software in use

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The warehouse has a ‘Transtockeur’, a customdesigned automatic stocking system with a 10metre computer-guided stacker crane

Production of own-brand lines is sub-contracted all over the world: in China, Taiwan and India, but also in Italy and Germany for higher-end products. ifam distributes Yuasa high-end batteries in France, and Kyoto own-brand medium-range batteries. According to Pierre, they must always remain vigilant with own-brand products. “A few years back our dealers told us they were starting to have problems with some of our batteries, so we dumped our stock and found an alternative supplier who could guarantee the quality we needed.”

Sifam France is one of the top three parts and accessories distribution companies in France, where it claims 10% of the consumables market and the

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>>> INTERNATIONAL DEALER NEWS - JANUARY 2011

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ROAD TRIP

“If we don’t keep our costs as low as possible, we won’t survive.” >>>

widest consumable products range. Some 93% of orders are delivered directly from stock and consumer satisfaction levels exceed 91%, with the company claiming to offer dealers access to latest order taking deadlines in the evening, and the fastest delivery times. utside France, the group aims to ensure its own brands offer good quality and good features at a single price that is attractive across many markets.

This is often difficult, as it will often be competing against well-known brands that will have widely

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INTERMOT Cologne 2010

different price structures across individual European countries.

“By 2012 we are looking to have between eight and ten subsidiaries or joint ventures in Europe’s major markets. Currently we have three whollyowned subsidiaries in France, Italy and Switzerland, with joint ventures in Spain, Portugal and Poland,” says Pierre.

The company’s most successful foreign subsidiary is in Italy, where turnover is more than E2 million.

“We are one of the very few French companies to have achieved market penetration there,” says Pierre,“mainly by offering good products at the right price, despite the many competitors on this market.

But it is the hardest market of all in terms of price, and we have to keep a very close eye on what the competition is doing.”

The Swiss subsidiary is holding its own, and the group is in the process of negotiating with partners to open two further subsidiaries, in the U.K. and Germany.

“The German market is technically demanding because of TüV, without which sales are difficult, so we have to ensure that our products are technically advanced enough to get this certification.Nevertheless it’s been one of our most buoyant markets these last two years, and setting up a full subsidiary there is the key to future expansion.”

The group had a subsidiary in the U.K. some years ago but wound that up after differences with the then partner. Now they believe they have found the right team to re-establish Sifam’s presence in this market and are waiting for the signature of a final agreement. ierre’s eldest son Christophe emphasises how important it is to find the right individuals to work with.

“We have to find managers and staff for our subsidiaries and distributors who know their local markets very well indeed. Then there must be compatibility, and an understanding of how we operate.To crack these markets is the most important challenge for us.”

Sifam’s Export Manager is Jerôme Giraudo, the former S2 Supermoto champion, who is responsible for extending the group’s reach around the world.

The group now has distributors in Eastern Europe, Russia, and in all the Northern European countries, as well as Malta, North Africa and Canada, with importers in Japan and Australia for specific parts of the Sifam range. In all, the group exports to 24 countries worldwide.

Key to the success of operations at Sifam is warehouse efficiency, with all items controlled in real time by bar code and RFID. In the goods inwards section, pallets are stored before being checked for quality and completeness, with content details then loaded into the company’s IT stock system.

The main storage area is divided into four sections: heavy, cumbersome, normal and riding gear. Heavy stock includes items such as boxes of batteries or oil, cumbersome includes tyres, exhausts and fork tubes, with normal covering remaining items where size and weight is not an issue.

The picking operation is highly automated, with all normal items deposited and retrieved by a

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Sifam exhibited at most of the major European trade shows in 2010, including INTERMOT in Cologne. Among the many new products on display were the new Skyrich lithium-ion motorcycle battery, giving increased power but weighing only 800g (above), the Quick tyre range, new top cases and rucksacks, and the ultralight AWAX carbon MX helmet (below)

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INTERNATIONAL DEALER NEWS - JANUARY 2011

Supplier relations, R&D and production manager Christophe Manuel, who has worked for Sifam since it was founded sixteen years ago

custom-designed automatic stocking system with a 10-metre computer-guided stacker crane running along a 45-metre trackway.This performs three types of movement: forwards and backwards along the corridor between shelving; upwards/downwards and deposit/retrieval of the load unit. Sifam is the only motorcycle sector parts distributor with such an advanced system, to Pierre’s knowledge.

In the goods outwards section the packaging process is semi-automated, but plans are well advanced to introduce complete automation.

“What I’m looking to do here, as elsewhere, is make staff savings where I can, but at the same time make the working process as agreeable as possible for those who remain,” says Pierre. “If we don’t continually focus on keeping our costs as low as possible, we won’t survive.”

The riding gear and helmet section is relatively new, with the group only having decided to expand its offer away from hard parts and accessories in 2007. From nothing two years ago, the company now sells 70,000 helmets a year: imported V-Max models in France, Italy and Switzerland where it is the exclusive distributor, and its own S-Line brand in all markets.

“We offered 12 models in 2010, and will expand this to 19 in 2011, says Christophe, “including fullface, jet, flip-up, off-road and children’s models. This will include a carbon demi-jet weighing just 800g.

“Apart from helmets we provide two value jackets, one rucksack, one riding boot and gloves.

Our gloves range has really taken off, with our first winter collection available from last autumn now selling very well.

“We also have new goggles, from basic to top-ofthe-range, with features including visor tear-offs and roll-offs, and 10 separate riding sunglasses, all designed with special feedback from Jerôme,” Christophe adds. nother area of expansion is tyres. Sifam earlier became exclusive distributor in Europe for Quick tyres from Taiwan, to add to its portfolio of established brands, which include Dunlop, Pirelli and Metzeler, as well as its own brands.

“It’s a really nice line that we think will sell very well, with nice profiles, high speed and performance characteristics, and a good range for maxi-scooters, which is a sector that is still expanding. Jerôme recently introduced Quick in Germany via a specialist tyre distributor and it has taken off,” says Christophe.

And when IDN caught up with Christophe at the INTERMOT show in Cologne last October, he demonstrated two of the group’s latest potential

A

Sifam supports a number of riders, including Steven Frossard of Kawasaki Team CLS

Export Manager Jerôme Giraudo is a former World Supermoto champion, and is now piloting the group’s expansion in foreign markets Jean-Luc Manuel is Sifam’s Financial Manager

signing up distributors for new markets where there is currently no representation.

Another goal is to research the possibility of buying out motorcycle and scooter parts distribution companies abroad that are already well established in their own markets.

And finally, the group aims to continually improve its service to customers, the quality of its products and the prices it offers.

Pierre still has serious ambitions for Sifam.

“Turnover doubled year-on-year for many years and only slowed down in 2008, but we still achieved a 7% increase in 2009 and will hold our own in 2010, which is better than many competitors. From group sales of E10 million in 2006 we should have made E15 million in 2010, which is quite an achievement.” evertheless, he is realistic about immediate prospects given the contraction in sales in so many markets. “Our best markets have definitely been France and Germany,” he says. “Italian sales have slowed, and those in Spain have declined significantly because of the economic problems there. Currently some 40% of group sales are in France, but that will get smaller as our international expansion continues.

“Every year there is more competition on the

N

best-sellers, the ultra-light AWAX full-face carbon MX helmet and a new lithium-ion motorcycle battery giving increased power in a unit fully seven times lighter han a traditional battery. o Sifam is forging ahead on many fronts despite the uncertain economic times.The group’s threeyear strategy involves developing the own-brand product range, signing new distribution agreements for the French market with international brands, expanding the network of foreign subsidiaries and

European market, and the winners will be those who can ship stock immediately, provide excellent service, the best quality, the best prices, and react quickly to market changes. I think we’ll see an increasing number of takeovers – there are too many players chasing too little business. The only way many nationally-based companies will survive will be to join European or international-level distribution groups.

“In a period of economic difficulty, the first items of household expenditure cut are leisure-related. So at such a time we will concentrate on the more basic end of the market, on scooter commuters in particular, at the expense of our motorcycle offer.

“The future is really quite uncertain,” Pierre concludes. “We have some suppliers who want us to give them order forecasts for the next 18 months, when at the moment we find it difficult enough over a six month period! Nevertheless, Sifam has put down solid foundations, and I think we can face the future with confidence.”

SIFAM Saint Laurent du Var, FRANCE Tel: +33 (0)4 97.00 07 77 Email: info@sifam.fr www.sifam.fr

S

The Kyoto parts line includes a wide range of mirrors

The company’s S-Line range includes basic apparel, boots, goggles and a popular range of gloves, with the latest winter glove collection selling particularly well

Esjot sprockets

Kyoto grips

Sifam is exclusive distributor in Europe for ‘Quick’ tyres from Taiwan (right), sells established brands including Dunlop, Pirelli and Metzeler, and has its own Kyoto brand (left)

INTERNATIONAL DEALER NEWS - JANUARY 2011

33

MOTORCYCLE FASHION

OJ Atmosfere jackets and gloves

Classic Black four-season jacket

ISSN 1476-8747

JANUARY 2011

™

Project PJ Evolution

OJ Atmosfere Metropolitane’s winter collection includes a number of stylish jackets and gloves.

The Classic four-season jacket is made from double-layered nylon, with a fixed waterproof membrane, detachable thermal lining, and seven pockets, five on the outside, one on the right sleeve and one inside.

It has ventilation zips on sleeves and chest, reflective inserts, removable CE protectors on elbows and shoulders and shock padding on back. Sizes range from XS to 4XL. Soft is a sleeveless long gilet for use under a winter jacket or over a shirt or t-shirt in the summer, and can be kept in a scooter storage compartment in case of a sudden cold spell.

It is made of polyester, is padded and equipped with four external pockets and one inside.

Sizes are XS to 3XL and colours black and blue.

Combox gloves have a

Combox gloves

‘Soft’ sleeveless long gilet

waterproof and breathable outer made of polyester and a non-slip palm, while the fully removable interior microfleece glove is usable on its own.

It has an adjustable wrist lanyard and comes in black, sizes XS to 2XL. OJ ATMOSFERE METROPOLITANE Milan, ITALY Tel: +39 02 26117342 info@ojatmosferemetro politane.com www.ojatmosferemetro politane.com

THE PJ Evolution range from Italian open-face helmet specialist Project has received a makeover for 2011 with new profile, graphics, ventilation system and compatibility with the innovative extra-length Supervisor visor.

The updates, designed to maximise safety and enhance comfort, include a new ventilation system with two air inlets with rocker mechanisms to enable them to work both as air inlets or extractors, depending on the riding conditions and temperature.

Other features include a retractable internal sun visor, removable and washable microfibre lining, and an improved shell profile to optimise air protection and soundproofing.

The innovative Supervisor visor is an extended length shaped visor with a patented ventilation system and directional control of airflow,

with internal anti-fog Pinlock visor compatability. The result, says Project, is optimum visibility in all weather conditions and air protection comparable to that of a full-face helmet.

Graphics include the new ‘Jeep Willis’ black and white style, and the model is available in six sizes, from S to XXL, with two fibreglass/Kevlar shell sizes.

PROJECT Marcignago (PV), ITALY Tel: +39 0382 921772 info@projectforsafety.it www.projectforsafety.it

MOTORCYCLE FASHION - JANUARY 2011

35

MOTORCYCLE FASHION

CGM P-Series helmets

Ufo Plast Hero boot

CGMItalia says its new top-of-therange P-Series helmet range was created after extensive research, laboratory and practical tests to develop a reasonably priced line

THE Ufo Plast Hero is a top end MX boot that features the Hinge Brace System (HBS) which gives increased freedom of vertical movement, reduction of transversal movement and greater safety. This feature allows for correct distribution of pressure on the ankle and the new posterior articulation greatly helps towards preventing transversal movement of the ankle.

The boot has a waterproof and breathable internal membrane, the inside lining is made of expanded rubber and there are gel pouches in those areas most subject to pressure.

The buckles are made from anodised aluminium and easily adjusted and closed, and the integrated “Soft Touch” gives

610P an MX helmet weighing 1,200g, and both have advanced Air Stream ventilation systems and interior linings made from removable, anti-allergic and anti-bacterial Coolmax material.

Both have anti-scratch visors, visor quick release, anti-scratch treatment and a rubber gasket.

providing maximum comfort and safety. The 30% Kevlar, 70% carbon shell keeps the weight down, while the aerodynamic profile and double D closure emphasize the racing style of the helmets.

Moonlight 310P is a full-face weighing 1,250g and Moonshine

CGMITALIA Gricignano di Aversa (CE), ITALY Tel: +39 081 813 1743 E-Mail: info@cgmitalia.net www.cgmitalia.net

them a firm hold. Hero also has metal toe-caps with spoiler protection screws.

All the various protections are made in polyurethane of different thicknesses, which means it is harder in the abrasion points and softer in the flexion points. All materials of which the boot is made conform to the REACH Registration, Evaluation, Authorisation of Chemicals regulations.

An external protection made in heatresistant compound rubber has been applied to the inside of the boot in the contact point between the exhaust and the frame, while the sole is made from double thickness rubber compound.

UFO PLAST Calcinaia (PI), ITALY Tel: +39 0587 488012 E-mail: info@ufoplast.it www.ufoplast.it

Brighton jacket and Bullet glove from Clover DESIGNED to reconcile the office dress code with the protective and practical exigencies involved when travelling to the workplace by motorcycle or scooter, the Brighton jacket is a heavy jacket made of technical fabric providing all the necessary protection for city commuting, and is the perfect companion to a business suit and tie.

The outer layer is made of highly resistant Duratek 7 fabric, and the Aquazone waterproof membrane makes the Brighton 100% waterproof and breathable, while the MicroValtherm thermal insulation is designed to ensure a high level of comfort in all weather conditions. The insulated lining is detachable, meaning that the jacket can also double up for use in

36

warmer seasons. Additional features for warm weather riding are the lateral zippered vents for air circulation.

The safety features included CE approved shoulder and elbow protectors (made in Italy), which may be repositioned inside or removed from the garment.

Internally, the jacket is ready to accommodate an optional CE approved back protector.

Brighton’s features include a double belt which adjusts the waistline, 2 large zippers to modify the width of the jacket at the bottom hem, enabling the garment to adapt to the typical scooter riding position.

There are six outer pockets, in addition to an internal waterproof breast pocket.

Clover also says its Bullet glove is a perfect match with the Brighton jacket.

They too are 100% waterproof and breathable due to the Aquazone membrane, and made from soft sheepskin leather.

MOTORCYCLE FASHION - JANUARY 2011

Protection against the cold is guaranteed by Thinsulate thermal insulation and safety is enhanced by leather reinforcements in critical areas.

The elasticised wrist works in synergy with the upper tab to ensure the glove fits perfectly.

CLOVER Cornedo (VI), ITALY Tel: +39 0445 459532 clover@clover.it www.clover.it

MOTORCYCLE FASHION

Spine Kid back protector ZANDONA’S new children’s back protector Spine Kid is a 100% made in Italy back protector designed to protect the back zone from collisions and to offer good kidney support.

It has a high-technology deformable structure made from splinter-proof plastic materials and rubber with a memory system of cells which guarantees high shock

absorption levels, according to the company. The plates are joined by a wire system, which guarantees impact distribution throughout the whole protection surface and has an

anti-torsion system which limits twisting.

Spine Kid is certified CE EN-1621-2 Level 1 and comes in black and white.

ZANDONA Caerano di San Marco (TV), ITALY Tel: +39 0423 569135 E-mail: info@zandona.net www.zandona.net

Hell’s Kitchen fashion helmets and goggles DESIGNER Marco Lai’s unusual company creates motorcycle accessories from recycled tyres. The range includes helmets, backpacks and satchels, retro-style goggles, bags and wallets. Aimed at the environmentally and fashionconscious rider, Hell’s Kitchen says its products have ‘ecochic’.

The company’s open-face demi-jet helmets have linings made from recycled inner-tube, transparent, 2mm-thick aviator style shells with personalised retaining screws, and thermoplastic resin shell with micrometric chinstrap. They have breathable padding in different densities for greater comfort around

the ears and meet Italian E3 and ECE 22-05 standards.

Conchiglioni has a visor and is available with contrasting black stitching with black inner lining or orange stitching with orange inner lining, while Conchiglioni Hole is available in white, orange, violet and green with black lining and stitching.

Lumaconi is visorless, has a rear flap with snap fastener to hold a goggles strap, and is available with contrasting black stitching with black inner lining or orange stitching with orange inner lining, and Lumaconi Hole comes in white, orange, violet and green with black lining and stitching.

Lenticchie aviator-style goggles have a mask made from recycled innertube and leather lining, interchangeable lenses and adjustable elastic.They are available in two colour variations with contrasting stitching.

HELL’S KITCHEN San Giovanni Lupatoto (VR), ITALY Tel: +39 045 9612294 E-mail: info@hellskitchen.it www.hellskitchen.it

Lenticchie 50s’ aviator-style goggles

Conchiglioni (above) and Conchiglioni Hole (below) come with visor as standard

Lumaconi (above) is available in orange and black and Lumaconi Hole in white, orange, violet and green

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MOTORCYCLE FASHION - JANUARY 2011

MOTORCYCLE FASHION

Hebo Gobi Pro jacket and Kara Kum Pro trousers

Gobi Pro jacket

HEBO has a new range of dual sport/adventure riding apparel for 2011, designed to offer this burgeoning sector practicality, comfort and protection.

The top of the range three layer Gobi Pro jacket and Kara Kum trousers have a removable Gore-Tex Performance Shell membrane, detachable thermal lining, multiple air vents and sleeve width control, and both jacket and trousers use the Air Plus System Textile engineered ventilation system that reduces heat saturation with two levels of cooling.

The first involves removing the lining and leaving the Gore-Tex membrane, and the second involves also removing the membrane. The Active Fit system gives maximum adaptability by tightening and loosening different parts of the torso, arms and legs. Hebo says these clothes have been designed for the hottest southern European climates, but can be used all year in all environments.

The Gobi Pro jacket is made from ballistic nylon fabric, weighs 2.7kg and has many pockets both inside and outside and comes with a belt and zip trouser connector. Sizes are S â&#x20AC;&#x201C; 3XL and colours are black and black/khaki.

Features include detachable neck, anti-slip Sure shoulders for a rucksack, reflective armbands, CE EN1621 protectors on shoulders, elbows and back, stretch fabric on back, waterproof front pockets made with a Gore-Tex membrane, and preinstallation for a hydration system.

Kara Kum trousers are also made

Kara Kum trousers

from ballistic nylon, have inner leather knee protectors, waterproof front pockets made with a Gore-Tex membrane, CE EN1621 protectors on knees and hips, a jacket connecting zip, elastic gusset, stretch fabric, and are available in black, sizes S â&#x20AC;&#x201C; 4XL. MESBO PARTS Fornells De La Selva, Girona, SPAIN Tel: +34 972 476 440 E-mail: export@hebo-line.com www.hebo.com www.mesboparts.com MOTORCYCLE FASHION - JANUARY 2011

39

MOTORCYCLE FASHION

New DMD Vintage designs

Smack

Geisha

different graphics with a size range from XS to XL. The compact helmet is designed for comfort and at 1kg is relatively light, with a fibreglass shell, dual-density light-weight EPS, removable and washable liner and cheekpads.

DMD has expanded its Vintage helmet collection to include a number of new striking designs, including Croco (crocodile skin effect), Decò (Art Decò), Fenice and Geisha.

Vintage is now available in 25

Decò

Fenice

Croco

DMD HELMET Bergamo,ITALY Tel:+39 035 362006 contact@dmdhelmet.com www.dmdhelmet.com

Knox updates Warrior harness KNOX, has updated its Warrior safety harness for 2011.

Developed with input from Jamie Law during this year’s Maxxis MX1 championship, the revised Warrior covers the back, lumbar region, chest and shoulders with CE-approved protectors as before. For 2011 the waist strapping system has been modified, using technology developed for the race track. The wide Velcro waist belt is fully adjustable and pulls the back protector tight into the body for a close fit. The chest protector now attaches to the waist belt with two Velcro tabs.

Quick release straps allow the upper arm protectors to be removed from the shoulder armour, giving the

is lightweight and breathable. Knox says the Warrior is one of the few harnesses designed for crash impacts rather than simply roost protection, meeting all relevant European EN1621 standards. For riders who wish to use a neck brace, the BC9 model is compatible with most popular brands and now features Leatt-specific attachment tabs to ensure that neck brace and harness stay connected during use. wearer the option to customise the Warrior.

At the core of Knox protection is a naturally strong hexagonal honeycomb that absorbs massive amounts of energy from an impact, yet

PLANET KNOX Cockermouth, Cumbria, UK Tel: +44 (0)1900 825 825 sales@planet-knox.com www.planet-knox.com www.knox-armour.co.uk

Dragon Titanium Troy Bayliss Replica THIS exceptionally light helmet from Premier weighs about 1,200g, comes in two shell sizes and uses exclusive TitaniumVectran-Carbon with aramidic fibres in its construction.

The Troy Bayliss special edition is based on the version used by the three times World Champion, and only 500 will be sold.

Ventilation is through

breathable, anti- allergenic neck roll. The inner is lined with Shalimar, a hydrophilic treated special microfibre fabric. The visor has a quick release system and has been treated to prevent condensation. The helmet has a double ring chinstrap and is available in 5 sizes, from XS to XL.

two front vents and four back extractors. The interior is removable and washable, with a

PREMIER HELMETS Gallicano (LU), ITALY Tel +39 0583 730310 E-mail: info@premier.it www.premier.it

MOTORCYCLE FASHION - JANUARY 2011

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Lloyd Lifestyle, the riding apparel supplier set up by George Lloyd more than 30 years ago, is to merge with VSJ, the helmet and apparel group established by his children, Vicky, Susan and John, which will celebrate its 10th anniversary in 2011.

Written by Al Franck - al@dealer-world.com

HE resulting entity,Group Lloyd,will oversee all the existing brands and operations, including Nitro,Takachi, Syko, G-Mac and Akito, and will be based at both companies’ current HQ at Pallet Hill near Penrith in Northern England.

VSJ and now Group Lloyd Director Susan McElnea spoke to IDN at INTERMOT last October to explain developments.

“The simplified structure of Group Lloyd will get rid of duplication and help us prepare the ground for further sales expansion. As a family business, rather than a conglomerate, we can act pretty quickly if we see a business opportunity or a gap in the market, and the new Group Lloyd structure will help us move even faster.

“As well as being market leader in the U.K., Group Lloyd will be one of the largest suppliers of helmets and riding apparel in Europe. We also export to 59 countries around the world and really have to be on the ball to give riders what they want in all these different markets.When a distributor tells us he wants something new, we can now supply it – from design through manufacturing to shipping - in as little as three months. That’s pretty unique!

“And we are our own brand owner – the majority of dealers in the U.K. have to go through distributors, but with us they’re dealing straight with the supplier.

Although we have the product made in the Far East, everything else is based in the U.K. and we can turn things round really quickly as a result.”

This is underpinned by massive investment in stock, with the latest just-in-time logistics systems ensuring optimum inventory levels. The group has warehouses in Germany and the U.S.A., and in the U.K. a new storage facility has just been completed on the Pallet Hill site in addition to the 4,000 sq.m. warehouse at Longtown on the English/Scottish border. An advanced new IT system has also been inaugurated by the group, which should radically improve stock control and ordering. usan says emerging markets are increasingly important to the group, with South America, Central and Eastern Europe deserving special mention. “Our distributors are ordering heavily despite the downturn,” she says.“Our combination of price and features are very popular in most markets.

We have been turning away would-be distributors at INTERMOT because we already have those markets covered. We have built up good partnerships and strong relationships in most of our markets over the

T

Left to right: Cath Lloyd, George Lloyd and Susan McElnea

years.”

Group Lloyd often has several distributors in a particular market because of the multiplicity of its brands. The philosophy is to maximise penetration by giving Nitro to one distributor and Takachi to another, for example, with full support given to both.

George still actively oversees group operations, and with wife Cath shuttles between Pallet Hill and the group’s other main office, M.R.D. in Monaco, through which all group export business is channelled and French operations controlled.

As for the other family members,Vicky manages the interface between the offices in Pallet Hill and Monaco, Susan continues to focus on group

S 42

INTERNATIONAL DEALER NEWS - JANUARY 2011

marketing, while John, formerly responsible for design and production, has stepped back from the group to concentrate on a new venture, which should be introduced to the market later in 2011. ew products on show at INTERMOT included the Nitro Rebecca women’s jacket and pants, G-Mac Pilot jacket,pants and gloves,and new glove and boot collections from both Akito and Nitro, alongside established best-sellers such as the Desert Evo collection,Station,Sierra and Edge jackets.But the main focus was on new helmet models.

Exceptionally-priced Nitro carbon full-face helmet models include the N1900VF Carbon, weighing just 1150g, with a number of special features including

N

The Group Lloyd stand at INTERMOT 2010

INDUSTRY EXTRA

The Nitro Aikido helmet (left) won a prestigious Motorcycle News 2010 ‘Product of the Year’ award

Left to right: International Sales Manager Eric Macfarlane, Susan and UK Sales Manager Chris Dockerty

visor with shield posts for tear offs, while the Nitro N-PSI is a feature-rich polycarbonate shell full-face helmet using an integral pump to inflate interior cheekpads. The DVS version, also available in other models such as the NSFP Uno, has a retractable dark inner visor system operated by a button on the side of the helmet and an injection moulded anti-scratch 3D outer visor.Both of these retail at a far lower price than existing carbon or internal pump system helmets. he Nitro Aikido has an aerodynamic fibreglass composite weave shell and advanced ventilation system, is ECE22.05 and ACU Gold Approved, rated Sharp 5-Star and won the UK’s MCN’s Product of the Year award. It also comes at an exceptionally low price despite its features and build quality.

“One thing we’ve always done is reinvest in our products,” says Susan.“You need to do this to get the best out on the market. We don’t sponsor MotoGP or WSBK riders or indulge in any other expensive promotional activities - all the money goes back into products. And that’s why year on year we can show our dealers and distributors a wide range of really interesting new products at fantastic prices. We developed six new helmet shells for 2011, and have a further eight under development.

“And for 2011 we’ve reinvented what we’re doing on a product level. We aim to make advanced technology really affordable to ensure maximum safety for as many riders as possible.

“The market is difficult but people are still buying, they’re just more aware of the price/benefit ratio.Why pay so much more for the same features? And we look after dealers by giving them good margins and monitoring Internet sales to ensure fair competition.

We also have special entry level kits – helmet, gloves, boots, jackets and pants for £200 – which really help dealers and their customers in these hard times.

“We think our strength of brand, product development and pricing policy are unbeatable,” Susan concludes. “Because of this, we are confident Group Lloyd will continue its expansion in the U.K., Europe and elsewhere around the world in the coming months and years.”

Nitro N1900VF carbon helmet

T

GROUP LLOYD Penrith, Cumbria, UK Tel: +44 (0)17684 83784 E-mail: info@lloydlifestyle.com www.grouplloyd.com

Nitro Rebecca women’s jacket and pants

Nitro Rebecca gloves

N-PSI Sidewinder (left)

Nitro N-PSI DVS helmet with interior pump pad action (left)

INTERNATIONAL DEALER NEWS - JANUARY 2011

43

TRADEZONE TRADEZONE TRADEZONE TRADEZONE TRADEZONE

Distributors of TECMATE retail chargers AUSTRALIA - A1 ACCESSORY IMPORTS T. (61) 7 3806 1800 - E. sales@a1accessory.com.au AUSTRIA - SCHUMOTO KG T. (43)(732)757080 - E. office@schumoto.at BELGIUM - BIKE DESIGN BVBA (MOTORCYCLE) T. (052) 453361 - E. info@bike-design.be CROATIA - PICCILO RACING D.O.O. T. (385)(21)325677 - E. piccilo-racing@st.t-com.hr CYPRUS - J.L. MOTORACE LTD (MOTORCYCLE) T. (357)(22)752234 - E. motorace@cytanet.com.cy CZECH REP. - MAREK BRANDT T. (420)725 790 662 - E. marek.brandt@seznam.cz DENMARK - CARL ANDERSEN MOTORCYKLER T. (45)(86) 946177 - E. hjn@ca-mc.dk ESTONIA - OÜ HELADORA LLC T. (372) 5285672 - E. rain@motopood.ee FINLAND - OY BRANDT A/B T. (358)(9)895501 - E. ulf.bjorklund@brandt.fi FRANCE - MORACO SAS T. (33)(3)85 51 45 30 - E. moraco@wanadoo.fr GERMANY - ECON WERKST.-AUSRÜSTUNGS T. (49)(2689) 928747 - E. info@econ-wa.de HERMANN HARTJE GMBH T. (49)(42) 51 811 273 - E .info@hartje.de HS-MOTORRADTEILE GMBH T. (49)(621) 105 200 - E. info@hs-motoparts.de NIEMANN+FREY GMBH T. (49)(2151)55 54 20 E. zentrale@niemann-frey.de PAASCHBURG & WUNDERLICH GMBH T. (49)(40)248 277 0 - E. info@pwonline.de “SCHÜLLER MOTORRADTEILE T. (49)(6245)994 79 10 - E. info@enuma.de GREAT BRITAIN - PROBIKE SHADOWFAX LTD T. (44)(1604)660555 - E. sales@probike.co.uk GREECE - TECNOPNEUMATIC A.E T. (30)(210)34 67 000 E. kalosakas@tecnopneumatic.gr HOLLAND - HOCOPARTS B.V. T. (31)(342) 412290 - E. pppeters@hocoparts.com HUNGARY - DOVER KFT T. (36)(1)2392202 - E. arpi@doverkft.hu ICELAND - NITRO N1, DIVISION OF BILANAUST T. (354)-535-9000 - E. agust@n1.is IRELAND - MEGABIKES T. (353)(1)44784200 - E. info@megabikes.ie ISRAEL - A.E. MOTORCYCLE T. (972)(50)271923 - E. ae_motor@netvision.net.il ITALY - SOCIETEA GENERALE RICAMBI T. (39)(051)722557 - E. DelucaR@sgr-it.com JAPAN - OKADA CORPORATION T. (81)(3)5473-0371 E. k.iwabuchi@okada-corp.com KUWAIT - TRISTAR MOTORCYCLES T. (965)2405194 - E. shams@tristarkw.com LATVIA - MOTOSPORTS LTD T. (371)-7802351 E. lauris.ermanis@motosports.lv

www.barnettclutches.com

LIECHSTENSTEIN - RÄTIKONBATTERIEN AG T. (423) 3738010 - E. mgraf@raetikonbatterien.li

USA

MOROCCO - SHENO T. (212) (0)5 22 35 97 16 - E. larichimed@sheno.ma NEW ZEALAND - NORTHERN ACCESSORIES T. (64)(9)276-6453 - E. steven@northacc.co.nz NORWAY - SPARE PARTS SERVICE AS T. (47)(64)837500 - E. jang@sps.no PHILIPPINES - STRONGHAND INC. T. (632) 373-2311 - E. open@stronghandinc.com POLAND - HART SP Z.O.O T. (48) (77) 45 66 316 E. motocykle@hartphp.com.pl PORTUGAL - JMP EQUIPAMENTOS T. (351)(232)961841 E. geral@jmpequipamentos.com

Dealers only!

RUSSIA - EXLAND LTD T. (7)(812)380-3072 - E. exlandyura@mail.ru SERBIA - MOTO-BIKE T. (99)(381)641289979 - E. motobike@ptt.rs SINGAPORE - DWA LUBRICANTS PTE LTD T. (65) 6515-6282 - E. adele@teampetronas.com SLOVAKIA - MICRONIX S.R.O. T. (421)(48) 4123779 - E. info@micronix.eu CENTRAL & SOUTH AFRICA, OCEANIA TECMATE SOUTH AFRICA T. (27)(21)5316087 - E. tecmate@netactive.co.za SPAIN - HESPERIA S.A. T. (34)(91)5088830 E. fsoria@hesperiainternacional.com SWEDEN - MOTOSPEED AB T. (46)(21)351925 - E. klarkner@motospeed.se SWITZERLAND - TECHNOPOLYMER AG T. (41)(91) 683-0333 E. robert.maier@technopolymer.ch TAIWAN - PROMO-TEC INTERNATIONAL T. (886)(2)2562-7770 E. pro.motec@msa.hinet.net TURKEY - VELOMOTO T. (90)(212)6061707 - E. info@velomoto.com.tr UAE - TRISTAR MOTORCYCLES DUBAI T. (971) 4-3330659 - E. floyd@tristaruae.com USA, CANADA, CENTRAL & SOUTH AMERICA TECMATE NORTH AMERICA T. 905 337 2095 - E. sales@tecmate.com TecMate (International) SA BELGIUM

www.tecmate-int.com TEL: 0032 (0)16 805440 FAX: 0032 (0)16 805441

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INTERNATIONAL DEALER NEWS - JANUARY 2011

Parts Unlimited (608) 758-1111 Hap Jones (408) 432-1918 TEC Dist. (800) 356-0043 Newcomb Southeast (803) 732-5135 M.A.P. Ent. (727) 381-1151 KK Motorcycle Supply (800) 543-9638 Suncoast Cycle Ent. (727) 725-3664

Canada Parts Canada (403) 250-6611 Motovan Motorsport (450) 449-3903 Kimpex Action (519) 659-0508

Germany Grossewaechter 0049 (0)5225859256

UK P.D.Q. Motorcycle 0044 1628667644

Australia Serco 07 38232833

Netherlands Motorcycle Storehouse BV 0031 (0)50 303 9771

Sweden Roffes Motordelar 08-640 43 46

Japan Wellington Moto

France Bihr Racing 0033 389673639

TRADEZONE TRADEZONE TRADEZONE TRADEZONE TRADEZONE

INTERNATIONAL DEALER NEWS - JANUARY 2011

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ISSUE INDEX THIS MONTHâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;S EDITORIAL Access Equip Motos France (FR) Now distributed in UK by Oxford Products ............4 Alice Evenements (FR) 2011 JPMS show preview ....................................................6 Arrow Special Parts (IT) 2011 exhausts for ZX10R ................................................26 This INTERNATIONAL DEALER NEWS INDEX is a complete listing of all the items in this edition.

It includes all our advertisers and the product, feature and news items published this month.

The INDEX will act as a quick reference guide, and will be useful when searching this and other editions either for contact details for a particular company, or for a specific item that has appeared. The INDEX appears in every edition of IDN.

THIS MONTHâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;S ADVERTISERS

ACEM (BE) EU q3 2010 stats ................................................................................48 Barracuda (IT) Elab mirrors....................................................................................23 Bitubo (IT) New shocks for BMW 1200GS ............................................................25 Bucher (CH) Updates Motorex 2-stroke oils ..........................................................28 CGMItalia (IT) P-Series helmets ............................................................................36

ACCEL Motorcycle Products (US) Self Learning Module ........................................27

Clover (IT) Brighton jacket & Bullet glove ..............................................................36

B&G Racing (DE) German high-end parts ..............................................................45

DMD Helmets (IT) New Vintage designs ................................................................40

Barnett Performance Products (US) Clutch kits, distributor network ..................19,44

Ducati Motorcycles (IT) Ducati Speed Week 2011 preview ......................................4 Edizione Speciale (IT) Moto Dealer News Expo preview ..........................................5

Barracuda (IT) Barracuda racing parts....................................................................12

EICMA (IT) 2010 EICMA show review................................................................7-11

Bikeson Group (DE) Parts & accessories ................................................................29

Ermax Accessoires (FR) Vespa mini screens ............................................................27

Commerciale (IT) Motor Bike Expo Verona 2011....................................................41

Gilles Tooling (LU) Updates ip.gt crash pad............................................................27 GZM Europe/Accessories Unlimited (ES) Spanish distributor of DMD & Reevu helmets......4

Davida UK (GB) Helmets ......................................................................................39

Hell's Kitchen (IT) Lumaconi, Conchiglioni helmets & Lenticchie goggles................38

Deltran Corporation (US) Battery Tender chargers..................................................14

Honda Motor Co (JP) Q2 results & yearly forecasts ..................................................6

DID Europe (IT) D.I.D Dirt Star rims........................................................................29

Italjet Moto (IT) Velocifero model reintroduced ......................................................48

DP Brakes & Clutches (US) Brakes & clutches ........................................................26

JT Sports (US) 2011 relaunch ..................................................................................4 LighTech (IT) Naked bike mirrors ..........................................................................22

Fehling (DE) Parts & accessories ............................................................................45

Lloyd Lifestyle (GB) Group Lloyd mini-feature ..................................................42-43

Grossewaechter Racing Parts (DE) CP Pistons........................................................44

MAG Inc (US) Thomas Breed & Robert Brinkmark new appointments ......................4

GSG-Mototechnik (DE) Parts & accessories............................................................44

Magura (DE) New Hymec clutch applications ........................................................24 Mayo Media (GB) 2011 Motorcycle Trade Expo preview ..........................................5

GZM Europe/Accessories Unlimited (ES) Parts & accessories, distributors ..............45

Mesbo Parts (ES) Hebo Gobi Pro jacket & Kara Kum Pro trousers ..........................39

Ilmberger Carbon Parts (DE) Carbonparts & exhausts ............................................24

MH Motorcycles (ES) Motorhispania range revived for 2011....................................4

Industrias Galfer (ES) Parts & accessories ................................................................5

MIVV (IT) 2011 exhaust range for Z1000 ..............................................................25 Motoplastic (ES) Puig protection & screen for Versys..............................................28

Kibblewhite (US) Valvetrain components, distributor network ................................45

Motorcycle Industry Association (GB) Howard Dale appointed MCI Chairman ..........4

LSL Motorradtechnik (DE) Parts & accessories........................................................14

NAD (ES) SB-25, SB-60, SH-46 & SH-37 luggage ..................................................28

MAG Europe (GB) CS One Urban Brawler for sportsbikes ......................................47

National Cycle (US) Mini-feature on company and VStream windshields ................12

Motoplastic (ES) Puig screens & accessories ............................................................6

Norton Motorcycles (GB) Interview with Stuart Garner - Cathcart Report..........15-17 OJ Atmosfere Metropolitane (IT) Classic jacket & Combox gloves ..........................35

Mustang Motorcycle Products (US) Wide Tripper seat ............................................44

Oxford Products (GB) Now exclusive UK distributor for Ixon ....................................4

Renntec (GB) Moovamoto product range ..............................................................25

PB Germany (DE) Rolly bags ................................................................................23

Rick's Motorsport Electrics (US) Starters, chargers & ignitions ................................48

Pirelli Tyre (IT) Will supply BSB for another 5 years ..................................................4 Planet Knox (GB) Warrior harness updated............................................................40

Scandinavian Brake Systems (DK) SBS brake pads....................................................2

Polini Motori (IT) Evolution 19 carb ......................................................................22

Spectro Oils of America (US) Premium-quality lubricants........................................23

Premier Helmets (IT) Dragon Titanium Troy Bayliss replica ......................................40

Stop & Go International (US) Tire repair products ..................................................45

Project (IT) PJ Evolution helmet & Supervisor visor ................................................35

Surflex (IT) Anti-hopping clutch for KTM 450 4T ....................................................13

Sifam (FR) Company feature ............................................................................30-33 Sito Gruppo Industriale (IT) LeoVince X3 Enduro Sport for Beta RR450 ..................22

Taiwan External Trade Development Council (TW) Taiwan Motorcycle 2011 ..........37

Team Metisse (DE) New website ............................................................................6

TecMate International (BE) Optimate4, distributor network ..............................21,44

TecMate International (BE) Optimate4 charger & tester ........................................24

TRW (DE) Lucas parts accessories, distributor network......................................41,44

ThermaHelm (GB) Revolutionary Halo helmet ..........................................................5 UFO Plast (IT) Hero boots......................................................................................36

WL Gore & Associates (DE) Gore-Tex garments ....................................................34 World of Powersports (US) OEM parts from USA ..................................................44

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INTERNATIONAL DEALER NEWS - JANUARY 2011

Vogel Auto Medien (DE) Bike & Business 2010 Awards ..........................................4 Zandona (IT) Spine Kid back protector ..................................................................38

NEWS ROOM

Velocifero returns VELOCIFERO, the iconic Italian scooter originally introduced by Italjet,has been revived after a gap of 10 years with the same retro style, but technologically brought fully up to date.

On display at both INTERMOT in Cologne and EICMA in Milan, the scooter is available in four versions (50cc 2-stroke, 50cc 4-stroke, 125cc 4-stroke and 151cc 4-stroke), has new brake plates, alloy wheels, luggage carrier, hand-sewn seat, cigarette lighter, mobile recharge point and folding passenger footrests.

The small speedometer unit contains

all the main control and display functions, and the scooter has one headlight, rather than the original two.

With automatic transmission, electric start, locking helmet storage under the seat, the Velocifero is userfriendly and available in a range of colours. The 151cc version weighs 102kg and has a maximum speed of 85km/h.

The scooter is currently available from distributor ACSUD in Italy and France. www.italjet.com

INABIKE 2011 Indonesia INABIKE 2011, the international trade show for bicycles, motorcycles, scooters, parts and accessories in Indonesia, will take place between 23 and 26 March 2011, at JIExpo Kemayoran in Jakarta.

This country has a population

of 240 million and one of the largest economies in Asia.

Motorcycle sales are forecast to reach 7.3 million units in 2010 (not including scooters) and should continue to

increase between 12.5% and 15% annually, potentially exceeding 10 million units by 2014.

INABIKE 2011 will give those interested in this key market

an opportunity to network with Indonesian and regional buyers, according to the organisers. www.inabike-exhibition.net

New bike sales crisis deepens OVER the first nine months of 2010 new motorcycle and scooter sales in European member countries fell to 1.28 million units, according to the European motorcycle manufacturers’ association ACEM. This represents a fall of 33% on the figure for the first nine months of 2008 and of 13.8% on the same period of 2009.

The worst performance was in Italy, the continent’s largest market, where a third quarter decline of 26%

compared to the same period of 2009 dragged the total further downwards than had been expected. This was mainly due to the end of the incentives from the Italian Government to help out the sector, however, the Italian Ministry of Industry recently announced its intention of renewing the subsidies for fuel-efficient powered twowheelers (PTWs), thus allowing some optimism for the immediate future in

this market.

Other major EU markets which saw a downward trend include Germany, the UK, France, Denmark, Greece, Poland, Norway and Sweden.

The market share of powered twowheelers under 50cc is also experiencing a steady decline. While in 2009 it lost an already considerable 26%, the first nine months of 2010 recorded a further 15% contraction compared to the

same period in 2009. Motorcycles above 50cc recorded a 13% drop over the same period.

The next edition of IDN will contain a detailed breakdown of 2010 new PTW sales across major European markets. www.acem.eu

THE RIGHT PRODUCT - THE RIGHT FIT - THE RIGHT PRICE • Starting, Charging and Electronic Ignition components: Specifically, we offer regulator rectifiers, stators, starter motors, starter drives, solenoid switches, ignition coils, CDI boxes, brushes and brush plate kits

• Replacement pieces as well as multi-fit universal style pieces for the obscure models

RICK’S MOTORSPORT ELECTRICS 30 Owens Ct. #2 - Hampstead - NH 03841 USA Tel: (603) 329-9901 - Fax: (603) 329-9904

info@rickselectrics.com www.ricksmotorsportelectrics.com

• Specializing in Asian street bikes, ATVs, & Off Road vehicles • Quality bolt-on/ plug-in OE replacement pieces at a competitive cost

• Highest quality thermal/shock resistant material in construction • 1 year warranty on all products, excluding CDI boxes