Piaggio boss Roberto Colannino got tagged with a four-year-one-month sentence for his role in the collapse of the Italian Real Estate and Holiday Village group, but the 'Teflon Don' still remains as the head of Piaggio.
Piaggio boss Roberto Colaninno has recently been convicted for his part in the collapse of the Italian Real Estate and Holiday Village group, Italcase-Bagaglino in 2002. As a result he has been given a four-year-one-month prison sentence, but like his fellow conspirators, it is unlikely that he will actually go to prison, with the sentence being suspended.
Universally known in Italian business circles (where the convictions raised little more than a ripple of interest) as the 'Teflon Don' he still remains as the head of the Piaggio Group (Piaggio, Vespa, Gilera, Derbi, Aprilia and Moto Guzzi) despite being suspended from his various roles on the boards of several banks and other major businesses. He first rose to fame when he revitalized the failing Italian typewriter company Olivetti and then used this to engineer a hostile takeover of Telecom Italia before selling the whole lot to tire giant Pirelli. As a result of these moves, he netted a personal profit of $1.2 billion according to some sources!
Last year we brought you news of the new Aprilia that turned out to be the 750 Shiver. Now we hear that this very machine will be the basis of a new $12,000 sports bike. There is no name yet, but sources suggest that the bike will retain the same name with perhaps an S designation attached to it. The Shiver's 750cc V-Twin makes 95 bhp as it stands and is already well on par with some 600 Multis like the Honda Hornet or Yamaha Fazer. The half steel, half aluminium chassis lends itself well to tuning for a sportier ride at very little cost. The addition of a top-half fairing will certainly make the bike more interesting to potential buyers in the UK and Europe who will appreciate the extra protection against the very changeable weather conditions present this side of the 'pond.'
Ducati aims to boost its revenue this year by heavily pushing its own brand of clothing.
, as we all know by now, is pushing ahead with some stunning new models, and it seems they will also be heavily pushing their own brand of clothing this year as well. Boss Frederico Minoli stated at a recent opening of a Ducati store close to the Bologna factory that they want sales of clothing to top £31 million this year.
We have mentioned before in this column about the possibility of a new entry-level Ducati to take over from the 695 Monster, and now Minoli has confirmed this in writing. However, his blog entry did not specify what shape or form that this new machine may take. Sources inside the factory deny that the bike will be a single-cylinder machine due to the cost element of developing a new engine.
The 2007 NCR Ducati Millona weighs in at a claimed 267 lbs for an impressive power-to-weight ratio of 0.95:1, comparable to the Yamaha R1's 1 hp per kg.
The NCR Ducati Millona has been overhauled to the extent that it now nearly has the power-to-weight ratio of a Yamaha R1 (1 hp per kg). The bike first seen in 2004 is now powered by a Multistrada motor, which now pumps out 116bhp. The whole bike now weighs just 121kg (267 lbs) which gives a 0.95:1 ratio to bring it very close to the R1!
The new 2007 version has an NCR Corse camshaft in the motor, with a clutch coming from the same source, and it includes uprated pistons and cylinders with titanium con-rods and valves. One of the biggest changes is the 2-into-1-into-2 titanium exhaust system, which helps unleash the performance potential as well as contributing to the overall weight reduction. Top-notch Brembo brakes, Ohlins suspension and carbon fibre bodywork help justify the $80,000 price tag. The only drawback to this bike is that it is intended for the track only, but if you still want one
www.ncrfactory.com will give you all the information you need.
Dainese are launching a data-logging system to the public called the Rider Dynamics data Recording system or RDRS. Using GPS technology and sensors, it will allow a rider to recreate their lap on the computer to see where they are losing speed just like professional riders working for factory teams. In addition, it will allow Dainese to improve the fit of their suits as well as carry out crash analysis so as to improve future designs and suits. Part of this work also involves developing their airbag crash protection system as the data allows engineers to differentiate between normal rider movement and that needed to trigger the inflation of the air system.
United Kingdom
Recently unveiled financial information reveals good news for
Triumph which has seen its revenue increase by 13.5% to £200 million for the first six months of 2006 compared to 2005 figures. Triumph is still privately owned by its boss John Bloor, so it has declined to reveal pre-tax or net-profit figures, but has stated that they remain in a 'healthy' state.
Bikes like the 'International Bike of the Year Award' winner Daytona 675 have helped put Triumph's revenue charts in the black.
Still on the good news front, the Daytona 675 has won the 2006 International 'Bike of The Year' Award for 2006. This prestigious award is the result of votes cast by the world's leading consumer bike magazines (
They were just following the lead of MCUSA, which awarded the tasty Trumpet our Streetbike of the Year. -Ed) Fifteen of these actually gave the bike maximum marks, contributing to it beating its nearest rival, the Yamaha YZF-R6, by twice the number of votes cast for the Japanese machine!
But it is not all good news from the Hinckley factory as they have now had to acknowledge that the braking systems on the Sprint ST and Speed Triple 1050 are 'causing concern' amongst customers. The dissatisfaction has led them to instruct dealers to change the master cylinders on the ST and the caliper pistons on the Speed Triple free of charge if the customers ask. This apparently just a goodwill gesture!
However, there is no official factory recall and many riders, including some who have suffered severe brake fade, are unhappy that this is not a mandatory recall and relies on riders knowing about the offer and asking for the work to be done. (The company is still under investigation by the UK Government Vehicle and Operator Services Agency regarding this and the spoke-breaking issue previously highlighted in this column.)
Looking to replace the swingarm on your RSV? Beware buying one on e-Bay, as defective, potentially dangerous swingarms have been found for sale on the site.
Meanwhile, Aprilia in the UK has warned of potentially dangerous swingarms being offered for sale on eBay. Last year the firm replaced 1892 potentially dangerous items from RSVs, which should have been destroyed as part of the recall process. Now it appears that some have found their way onto the world-famous online auction site. The Importers are currently investigating how they got out of the system but warned anybody against buying these items that have extra screw holes in the left arm, which can lead to cracking and, in extreme cases, failure of the item!
The UK's largest bike insurance company, Carole Nash, has just been taken over by a French-based company, Groupma UK, the third biggest general insurer in France in a deal reported to be around £70 million. It is claimed that this will have no effect on the 250,000 bike policy holders.
The speed cameras fancied by the British government in regulating speeders were never tested on motorcycles and may give false readings.
Speed cameras and laser speed-detection guns used by the police authorities are the Bain of the British motoring public who see them as a poor substitute for proper roads policing by police officers. However, at a recent court hearing the manufacturer of one of the devices in regular use has admitted they are not accurate when used on motorcycles and may give false readings. This revelation comes after it was found that the government had not tested the devices on motorcycles, despite approving them for general enforcement use. Hopefully for the beleaguered motorcyclist it may mean that they will not be targeted by the camera partnerships in the future!
The very last Vincent motorcycle produced in 1955 at the Stevenage factory before it closed forever, a 'Black Prince' model, will be auctioned on the 1st March when it is expected to make $72,000!
France
We've seen BRP's version of the high-performance three-wheeler, the Can-Am Spyder. It appears the French have their own version built by Ludovic Lazareth called the Triazuma.
The Paris Motorcycle Show, or put another way, the Salon International de la Moto, is all set to run at the Paris Expo at the Port de Versailles between the 29th September and the 7th October 2007. This will be the first of the true International shows for this year and the one where it is expected that the vast majority of new models are launched by all the major manufacturers. That is, apart from the Italians who will wait until the Milan Show. For more information see
www.mondial-deuxroues.com
Frenchman Ludovic Lazareth has a reputation for producing some pretty impressive specials. Now he appears to have beaten Bombardier's Can-Am Spyder to the post with his version of a road-legal three-wheeler. The Yamaha-R1 powered 'Triazuma' is based on an earlier Quad he built that was restricted to 20 bhp because of French motor vehicle regulations. However, this new machine has the full 100bhp (maximum power allowed under French law for a motorcycle) and can be ridden on a bike license.
Though we don't know when Lazareth's $60,000 Triazuma will go on sale, the $15,000 Can-Am Spyder (above) is set to hit U.S. streets in the fall of 2007.
The machine has two wheels at the front and apparently requires practice to ride it fast through the bends. (But with car giants Peugeot and Volkswagen interested in producing their own versions, it may be a skill we all acquire in the not too distant future.) See
www.lazareth.fr for more information on his hand-built machines or to place an order for the Triazuma at around $60,000!
Any French car driver who now wants to ride a motorcycle must have held a full car license for two years and must now sit a through a three-hour training session that includes hazard perception before they can go out on the road on a 125cc machine. The idea is to highlight the differences between the two types of vehicle to prospective riders.
Germany
Despite the no-show of the GS version of the
BMW F800 Twin at last year's Cologne motorcycle show, factory insiders say that it is actually ready to go and the only reason that is delaying the launch is lack of production facilities at the factory!
It looks like BMW will continue to expand its line of off-road machines like the G 650 Xchallenge with a 450cc single-cylinder motocross-styled bike.
Meanwhile the company has filed some patents for a 450cc single-cylinder motocross styled bike. The motor is mounted in a tubular steel frame and one set of plans shows a shaft drive, another belt or chain to the rear wheel. Obviously the company is continuing to broaden their overall appeal, especially in light of the success of the new G Series range of bikes launched last year.
One of the benefits of having a car arm to your company is that technology can be shared between the two, benefiting both sides of the equation. BMW cars currently have alternators that only charge the battery on the overrun or during braking, thus avoiding the unit sapping power when the engine is accelerating. Apparently, this idea could soon move across to bikes, thus giving a few extra bhp without too much effort! Watch this space for more information on the above two items in the future.
Austria
KTM has decided to remain an independent company and therefore the planned merger with ATV giant
Polaris is now off. As result, the shares currently owned by Polaris will be sold back to the parent company of KTM over a period of time. According to both sides, the split will not affect the existing technical and marketing tie-ups between the two companies.
A new 525 Enduro has been spied out on the track during final testing. The engine is a new single-cam design that is very different to the current 525 motor. The frame differs too, as does the swingarm. Bodywork, though, is almost identical to the 505SX. Expect to see it launched towards the end of this year as part of next year's line-up.
China
Claiming the world's biggest motorcycle company, producing 5 million bikes annually, and by building 40% of the world's motorcycles overall, China's adoption of Euro III emissions regulations couldn't have come at a better time.
The second 'Intermotor China' motorcycle show is to run between May 4th through the 7th this year and is backed by the Chinese government. Run in Shanghai by the Shanghai Xiesheng Exhibition Company and the industry association for Chinese motorcycle manufacturers, it is hoped that attendance will exceed last year's figure of 100,000 visitors.
The REEcat Catalyst Company, which is probably the largest manufacturers of exhaust catalysts for motorcycles globally, has just been taken over by the giant
BASF company. With over 81,000 employees spread over 170 countries, they are without doubt the world's largest chemical company, and it is interesting that they are now moving into the motorcycle world as they have already been a player in the catalyst market for cars.
However, it should be noted that China is now adopting the Euro III emissions regulations from Europe and analysts are predicting that soon China will be producing over 40% of the world's motorcycles. Shrewd investment then, especially when you consider that the state-owned China South Motorcycle Company, which produces the Jialing brand amongst others, is now officially the world's biggest motorcycle company. According to recent figures, the annual production is 5 million bikes, many of which will soon need catalysts! For more information on Chinese machines see
www.made-in-china.com
And Finally
In Jakarta, Indonesia, police recently issued 1,000 tickets by midday to riders who failed to use a new 'slow' left-hand lane meant for the throngs of small-displacement motorized bicycles there. This was on the first day of the new system aimed at cutting accidents involving motorcyclists. Traffic Police Chief, Djoko Susilo, defended the measures, pointing out that of 4,206 accidents in the previous ten months, 3,826 involved motorcyclists!
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