» BMW Updates Models for 2014
BMW has released information on a
variety of models coming for the 2014
model year. While most receive nothing more than Bold New Graphics (aka
BNG), several have been updated more
extensively.
Headlining the list is the new K1600GT
Sport (above). Based on the six-cylinder
touring K1600GT, the Sport features
black wheels, a shorter screen and a sport-ier seat design along with a new two-color
paint scheme in Sakhir Orange Metallic
and Black Storm Metallic.
Another highlight is a collection of
sophomore year updates for the new water-cooled R1200GS. For 2014, the various
riding modes have been juggled, with
the Enduro and Dynamic modes joining
Enduro Pro under the Pro Mode collection
as an optional upgrade. Dynamic ESA can
now be ordered as an a la carte option
and a steering damper is now included as
standard equipment.
The rest of the announcements are
either minor changes to trim levels or
option pricing, such as with the F800GS,
C600 Sport and C650GT scooters, or
simply BNG on the R1200R, F800R,
S1000RR and existing K1600 models.
Finally, in less entertaining news, BMW
Motorsport formally announced the termination of its FIM World Superbike racing efforts. Calling the move a “strategic
realignment,” BMW will focus on expanding its model range both in the US and other
markets, including Brazil and Asia.
» MIC Aims to Reduce
Industry Impact From CARB’s
Off-Highway Emissions Regs
In late July, the California Air Resources
Board (CARB) adopted new regulations to
control evaporative emissions from off-highway recreational vehicles (OHRVs), including off-highway motorcycles (OHMs),
all-terrain vehicles (ATVs), and recreational
off-highway vehicles (ROVs), sometimes
called UTVs or side-by-sides.
According to the Motorcycle Industry
Council (MIC), while these regulations
were being developed, the MIC worked
closely with CARB to ensure the regulations
would not severely limit product availabil-
ity or performance or significantly increase
the cost to buyers. The MIC’s persistence
resulted in less stringent standards and test
procedures, a multi-year extension of the
implementation and phase-in period, the
removal of refueling emission controls for
most vehicles, improvements to the emis-
sions inventory model, and other revisions
to CARB’s initial proposal. The MIC also
convinced CARB to walk away from an
eleventh-hour proposal to consider evapo-
rative controls on Red Sticker OHRVs—
vehicles that are not required to comply with
exhaust emission standards. Instead, CARB
will hold industry workshops in the coming
months to explore whether the Red Sticker
program needs to be revisited.
“The MIC OE Technical Committee has
worked diligently to find solutions that will
further improve California air quality, while
at the same time protecting off-highway recreation for the State’s enthusiasts,” said MIC
Vice President Pamela Amette. “California’s
ever-changing and increasingly stringent
regulations require an ongoing, intense effort
by committee members to fight to prevent
unintended consequences of well-meaning
but ill-advised proposals, and those efforts
have made a significant impact today.”
» H-D Reports Sales Increases
Harley-Davidson’s second-quarter
2013 diluted earnings per share increased
13.1% on higher motorcycle shipments,
including a 5.2% increase in motorcycle retail sales and continued gains in
operating efficiencies, compared to the
year-ago period.
“Harley-Davidson again drove strong
financial performance in the second quarter, reflecting the many improvements in
operations we have made throughout the
Company over the past few years as well
as our brand strength globally,” said Keith
Wandell, Chairman, President and Chief
Executive Officer of Harley-Davidson,
Inc. “Our employees, dealers and suppliers continue to do an outstanding job,
working as one team and moving in one
direction, to deliver a great experience for
our customers,” Wandell said.
“During the second quarter, we completed our first year of seasonal surge
production at York with great success. We
also surpassed a milestone for international
dealership growth. With the opening of a
dealership in Salvador, Brazil on June 29th,
we have added 104 dealerships outside the
U.S. since late 2009, achieving our goal to
add 100 to 150 international dealerships by
the end of 2014,” said Wandell.
“Of course, all summer long we are celebrating our 110th anniversary with Harley-Davidson enthusiasts from around the
world, including one of our biggest-ever
international consumer events last month
in Rome and the upcoming celebration
in Milwaukee on Labor Day weekend,”
Wandell said.
» Suzuki On- and Off-Road Sales
Improve by 50+% Over 2012
Suzuki also had reason to celebrate,
claiming sales figures during the key months
of June and July “counted double-digit
gains” compared to the same period in 2012,
according to Steve Bortolamedi, Communications Manager for Suzuki Motor America
Inc. He said that Suzuki saw sales increases
in every segment, led by the 57% growth
in the touring motorcycle segment, spearheaded by the C90T B.O.S.S. introduced for
the 2013 model year.
Suzuki also claimed strong ATV sales
growth of 55% when comparing July 2013
to the previous year.
Suzuki aims to continue its year-over-year growth with new model roll-outs,
events planned to celebrate its 50th anniversary in the United States, and continued
sales incentives, including zero-percent
financing on a variety of models.
» New Text Deflector App
Aims to Improve Driving Safety
Text Deflector is a new free smart phone
app designed to provide a safer driving
environment for everyone. Every rider has
horror stories of distracted drivers, so it’s
nice to see that efforts are being taken to
reduce the urge to text and drive.
Text Deflector takes the impulse to
respond to texts out of drivers’ hands so
they can focus on the task at hand… driving
safely. It works by sensing and linking to
in-car hands-free devices and automatically
responding to any incoming texts, notifying
the sender that the driver is unavailable and
optionally requesting the sender call instead.
“This is an app that should come pre-in-
stalled in every phone for the safety of the
driving community,” says Suite B Media’s
director of marketing, Loralee Fultz. “Text
Deflector is simple to use—just launch the
app and assign it to any in-car Bluetooth
hands-free device and it’s ready to go.”
Text Deflector is completely automatic,
not locked to a specific carrier or device type
and is not motion based, so a driver won’t
be able to text while at a stoplight, either.
Text Deflector is free and available now
for Android devices via Google Play. Apps
for Windows and Blackberry are devices
coming soon as well.
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