by Chris Best from https://www.wkrg.com BAY MINETTE, Ala. (WKRG) — Veterans at the William F. Green State Veterans Home may be isolated, but they are not alone. 150 motorcycle riders wanted to send that message loudly this Saturday. They lined up and paraded around the home on their bikes, honking their horns and revving their engines. Signs leading up to the home read “Heroes work and live here.” These bikers wanted to make sure that heroism is recognized. Just the day before the riders honored the heroes it was announced a 3rd employee at the facility tested positive for COVID-19. The state announced it would be ramping up testing at all state-run veterans homes as well. So far none of the residents of the home have tested positive. But there have been cases at other state homes. The veterans have been isolated since the COVID-19 outbreak. Long-term care facilities are particularly high risk. Nursing homes across the country have become hot zones for the virus. The veterans are not able to see their friends, families or others who regularly come to visit them. The Patriot Guard Riders, Combat Veterans Motorcycle Association and American Legion Riders are among several of the groups that normally visit the heroes to raise their spirits. Unable to do that, they got together to plan the parade. Employees in scrubs and masks came outside to wave at the bikers. Another stood in salute. The bikers circled the facility, some of the veterans able to come to their windows and see the excitement. And those who couldn’t certainly heard it.

We want to say with a great deal of sadness, good bye to Charlie Brechtel, who died on his motorcycle last night. And also to Kia Raeke, who passed away due to a brain tumor. Kai worked for Easyriders and Paisano Publications for over 25 year.

–Bandit

By Rob Talley

Editor’s Note: The Washington Report is a regular feature of the NMA’s quarterly Driving Freedoms member magazine. Our representative in DC, Rob Talley, wrote the original version of this newsletter for the spring issue of the magazine before the pandemic halted its publication. So Rob recently updated his dispatch to include more recent developments on Capitol Hill, and we are pleased to share it with you here.

The outlook in Washington for any issue, much less transportation policy, was completely upended with the outbreak of the coronavirus and associated US responses beginning in February.

Before the national crisis, House and Senate policymakers were working on transportation-related legislation that would have established funding levels for major highway and transportation safety programs for the next five years. In 2019, the Senate Committee working on the legislation passed a bipartisan proposal that authorized $287 billion in funding over five years.

In January, key Democratic leaders released a much more comprehensive infrastructure framework that would authorize $760 billion in funding. A significant portion, $329 billion, would go toward highways infrastructure according to discussions with staff working on the proposal. Another $105 billion would go toward improving public transit. Also included were non-traditional transportation proposals such as funding $34.3 billion worth of clean energy investment, and modernizing the electric grid to allow for more electric vehicle charging stations. House Republicans have not endorsed the proposal, expressing concerns about the expansive nature of the bill and objecting to some of the priorities.

While policy differences are an overarching problem in finding middle ground, the difference in funding levels is also a significant hurdle to passage. Even the more modest Senate proposed a $287 billion funding level that requires new funding mechanisms as the current gas tax fails to keep up with infrastructure funding needs.  Before the pandemic, policy leaders were looking at options that include the vehicle miles traveled tax and even surcharges on electric vehicles to cover EV road use, but these have proven politically sticky.

The NMA has expressed objections to policy leaders endorsing these proposals over the inclusion of funding for Vision Zero and Complete Streets programs. The Complete Streets program proposed by Congress would seriously degrade the consideration of automotive needs in transportation decisions. In communities that enact these programs, Vision Zero Coordinators, often full-time government staff, have no objective but to make sure that road usage is constrained, not enhanced, to protect the public and get people out of their cars. The Senate proposal creates a linkage between funding to states and localities and passage of Complete Streets programs that come close to creating a federal directive for setting local transportation decisions.

The NMA also continues to push the DETER Act, a bill to eliminate the use of ticket quotas in determining allocations of funding to states and localities for highway safety programs. We will seek to have the proposal attached to the highway authorization bill as it moves forward in the process.

Most recently, the discussion of stimulus-related legislation has sparked interest by some legislators for the inclusion of a transportation bill in a massive economic package. President Trump tweeted his support for as much as $2 trillion in overall infrastructure investment in the next stimulus bill. Still, signals for support are mixed, and the situation is very fluid. Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi (D-CA), has endorsed and subsequently retracted support for such an effort in a stimulus bill.

Further clouding the outlook, decisions on the inclusion of provisions in previous stimulus bills have been made by a handful of senior policymakers in a closed room, not through regular legislative processes. Until Congress can get back to Washington and begin a more regular schedule, predicting the future of legislative action is very difficult. In the end, the greater the economic stress, the more likely major federal spending on things like infrastructure becomes.

–Support the NMA, (National Motorists Association)

by Chanchal Pal Chauhan from https://auto.economictimes.indiatimes.com

Norton is one of the most iconic British brands, besides Triumph, Royal Enfield and BSA. Incidentally now all of the remaining famed British brands either have Indian owners or strong engineering relationships with local entities.

Another Indian company bags a storied European brand.

This time it’s TVS Motor, the third largest two wheeler maker from the world’s biggest bikes and scooter market, and getting ‘Norton’ under its belt would not just fill the technology deficit, but would also make it a serious contender in the super-bike category, something its rivals are always vying for.

Industry veterans cite it as a major catch for any aspiring Indian company aiming to hit the global circuit in style. “Norton is a major brand in the developed markets of Europe and the US and at Rs 150 crore, it’s a steal. The brand has a major pull and would fill the void for TVS Motors in technology and take it many years ahead of its rivals,” says a two wheeler specialist.

TVS Motor Company has announced the Norton acquisition on Friday. Norton is one of the most iconic British brands, besides Triumph, Royal Enfield and BSA. Incidentally now all of the remaining famed British brands either have Indian owners or strong engineering relationships with local entities.

Typical of the cash-starved British brands, Norton was started in Birmingham in 1898 by James Lansdowne Norton. It has a fantastic global appeal, a strong unique design and British heritage carried for decades. It has always been closely associated with “Motor Racing” and also makes superbikes in various categories across markets.

It is a brand which has a huge opportunity for TVS to scale up and create value. TVS Motors can now focus on these developed markets with a known brand and the hugely expanding recreation biking segment. This classic and unique British design and heritage will be the core for the company looking at building out a future in premium, luxury and classic bikes as well.

TVS has spent about 16-million British Pounds on the acquisition, funded through internal approvals and, it is an asset purchase. The cash savvy Indian companies have been on the prowl with Bajaj Auto acquiring KTM and Husqvarna marquee brands in the past.

Meanwhile, the SUV major, Mahindra&Mahindra through its two wheeler company had also acquired another iconic British motorcycle brand, BSA a few years back. Mahindra also owns 60 percent of Classic Legends Private Limited (CLPL), who had re-introduced the Yezdi brand back into India.

The two wheeler market leader Hero MotoCorp had acquired American superbike maker Erik Buell Racing or EBR, – the East Troy, Wisconsin-based firm, to harvest cutting-edge technology and design to develop future models. However, the deal turned sour and the Indian entity lost a good amount of money.

EBR, a fairly new enterprise, turned bankrupt a few years after the acquisition and the technology it was developing almost got wasted for Hero MotoCorp and failed to harvest any of its investments. Subsequently, it has developed new technology centres at Kukas in Rajasthan and Germany to fill the tech-deficit.

The cash-rich Indian companies have been looking at the global spectrum of motorbiking and Norton gets TVS to that niche level.

Virtually on a bankruptcy mode, Norton had undergone a rough patch in the past two-years, though TVS has not taken any of its past liabilities or the responsibilities. While the Chennai-based entity has committed to meet all customer commitments and will carry on with all the existing employees too. There are about 55-60 of the permanent employees serving Norton at the time of acquisition as per the company website.

Industry insiders say what is the need for TVS to acquire Norton of UK at approximately Rs 150 crore at such an unpleasant hour, amid the coronavirus scare and massive uncertainties, especially when they already have a tie up with BMW Motorrad.

An industry veteran quipped, “BMW tie-up restricts them to 500cc (in terms of engine capacity), whereas with Norton acquisition they can wheel out 650-1800cc of biking. Moreover this opens up the entire Europe and the US markets for them … Norton may not be too popular in the West, but mind you it is strong in technology and engines, which will determine the future of performance biking and motor racing…”

According to Sudarshan Venu, Joint Managing Director, TVS Motor Company, “Norton is an iconic British brand celebrated across the world, and presents us with an immense opportunity to scale globally. We will continue to retain its distinctive identity with dedicated and specific business plans.”

Due to the challenges it (Norton) faced in the last few years, TVS insiders believe in the flipside there’s potential to scale up the company to create massive value in the long-term from the new acquisition to the Indian two wheeler company.

Norton is a brand that always stood for bespoke production, craftsmanship and unparallel motoring luxury along with unique design and innovation, something TVS has been looking for and really seeks to build out. In fact, each bike costs upwards of 25,000 British Pounds and is custom-built for the customer in those markets.

As for the industry gains, TVS would be eyeing huge synergies across supply chain and distribution. These gains would be beyond the product and the company would be looking forward to the new products in the pipeline. TVS has got all the intellectual proprietary and brand rights and is looking forward to resurrecting and scaling it in the future.

TVS Motor Company, a reputed manufacturer of two-wheelers and three-wheelers in the world, has operations across a dozen international markets like Indonesia, Philippines, Yeman, Columbia, Kuwait, Yeman, Honduras etc. The new string; Britain’s iconic sporting motorcycle, Norton will carve out TVS into a storied motorcycle maker of modern times and will reflect its rising prominence in the highly competitive international two-wheeler market.

by Paula Tracy from https://www.seacoastonline.com

LACONIA – On Monday night, Laconia City Councilors will be asked to approve the 97th Progressive Laconia Motorcycle Week for Aug. 22-30 if it cannot be held June 13-21 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Charlie St. Clair, executive director for the Laconia Motorcycle Week Association, said he is hopeful the request will be approved.

“It’s too important an economic event for it to be canceled,” said St. Clair, who is also a Democratic state legislator.

He said if the rally is postponed until August and the pandemic is not greatly improved in summer, he would look to find a date and hold it into the fall.

“We would not expect the numbers to be what they normally are,” he said, estimating 300,000. “But who knows, maybe everyone will be chomping at the bit.”

Gov. Chris Sununu is in the driver’s seat ultimately. He is concerned about health and safety as well as the economic consequences. Sununu said this week he wants to hold out as long as possible before deciding. He has held out, as well, on closing or modifying the use of campgrounds, which many bike week enthusiasts rent out from across the country, along with hotels, motels and house rentals.

The visitors would require, gas, groceries, and restaurants, which currently allow for only take-out under the emergency orders due to the pandemic.

Sununu said he spoke with Laconia Mayor Andrew Hosmer and discussed the matter on Thursday.

Laconia Bike Week is the oldest and third largest motorcycle rally in the nation. The largest is in Sturgis, South Dakota, Aug. 7-16. The Sturgis City Council will vote June 15 on whether to hold the rally this year.

Lake George, New York, which holds a motorcycle event the week before Laconia Bike Week, has decided to push the event into July this year due to the coronavirus.

Enthusiasts annually come to the rally from across New England, the New York, New Jersey metro areas and Quebec and other parts of Canada. The border is closed until at least the end of May and if that is extended, that would be another setback for Bike Week in June, St. Clair observed.

Riders and enthusiasts come to socialize, see each other’s motorcycles, attend competitions, tour the various regions, attend concerts and outdoor parties. The epicenter is always Weirs Beach where the chrome lines up bike to bike along the boardwalk and there is a virtual tent city that pops up selling anything and everything a biker might want.

But the world has dramatically changed due to the pandemic, which has killed more than 50 and sickened more than 1,600 in New Hampshire alone.

The Laconia Motorcycle Week Association Board of Directors held a teleconference meeting March 26 and decided it would make the call to postpone no later than April 30.

St. Clair wrote to have the event would be “a huge boost for the morale of not just motorcycle enthusiasts but everyone in the region.

“Not only that, but we have also all been cooped up inside for well over a month,” he added. “What better way to tell the world we’re returning to normal when we hear the familiar June roar of motorcycles returning to Weirs Beach?”

by Mihnea Radu from https://www.autoevolution.com

We hate regular concept art sometimes – here’s a nice rendering we did and a press release, now give us some money. However, Curtiss Motorcycle Co. has just built a prototype for its electric bike and it’s even more amazing than its sketches.

Seriously, just look at this thing! Look at it, and then scroll to the end of the photo gallery to see the 3D model. The final destination is obviously building a bike that hasn’t existed before, purely electric and looking cool.

Curtiss used to be known as Confederate Motorcycles but in 2017 decided to go all-electric and re-brand itself. Since then, they’ve basically just shown prototypes and concepts.

The Hades promises to be different. It’s being introduced with some amazing specs. The electric motor is supposed to produce something like 215 horsepower and 147 lb-ft of torque (200 Nm). It’s mounted coaxially with the rear swingarm and drives the rear wheel via a belt.

The battery itself is mounted in that weird rocket-like enclosure under the frame. The rose gold coating is what really sets this apart from other bikes.

The battery is a 399 VDC pack with capacity having been quoted at 16.8 kWh, which would give it a higher capacity than the largest standard battery offering in the Harley-Davidson’s LiveWire (15.5 kWh).

The “prototype” part of what we see here is probably the frame. Based on the concept, it’s probably going to get a carbon fiber chassis for lightness. Sounds exotic, but then this is supposed to be a $75,000+ bike. That sounds like a lot of money compared to the LiveWire, but plenty of people are willing to pay extra for custom fabrication. To their credit, Curtis are reportedly also working on a cheaper version.

If it were our money, we’d skip that funky front end, just have some normal forks and save a few bucks.

from https://www.dailymail.co.uk

New owner set to invest tens of millions of pounds

Norton Motorcycles’ new owner has pledged to double its workforce and launch more products.

India’s TVS Motor, which bought the British brand out of administration for £16million earlier this month, is reportedly set to invest tens of millions of pounds in the luxury motorbike maker in a bid to revive its fortunes.

Sudarshan Venu, TVS’ joint managing director, said 122-year-old Norton, whose bikes have been ridden by Che Guevara and Clint Eastwood, had ‘tremendous potential’.

He said production at its Donington Park site in Derby would be restarted to fulfil outstanding customer orders, but that Norton would require a newer, larger factory within six months to begin its expansion plans.

TVS, India’s third-largest motorbike maker, said it planned to run Norton at arms-length. John Russell, former boss of Harley Davidson, has been named interim chief executive.

Venu said: ‘Norton is an iconic brand.

‘We want to restore it to its former glories, produce the excellent products that it has and delight its loyal fan base.’

by Pradeep Shah from https://www.financialexpress.com

China-made Brixton 1200 cleared for production: 1200cc modern classic has Bonneville T120 in its sights!

About the new 1200cc model, Brixton says that it “shows the way of Brixton Motorcycles into even higher capacity classes and proves the development competence of our brand.”

Brixton 1200 – a 1200cc modern classic has been cleared to enter production as per a report on Bennetts. The modern classic will lock horns against the likes of the Triumph Bonneville T120 in the segment. Showcased as a concept at 2019 EICMA motorcycle show, the said model will be made in China. However, Brixton comes under the KSR Group from Austria that is responsible for importing motorcycles from multiple Chinese manufacturers. The design and engineering part for the Brixton 1200 has been taken care of at KSR’s design center that is located in Krups, Austria. The Brixton will most likely draw power from a 1200cc, parallel-twin engine that will put itself very much in the Bonneville T120 territory. In terms of aesthetics, the Brixton 1200 looks like a proper modern classic with an all-LED rounded headlamp upfront, wired wheels, all-black theme and touches of chrome just at the right places.

About the new 1200cc model, Brixton says that it “shows the way of Brixton Motorcycles into even higher capacity classes and proves the development competence of our brand.” As of now, the exact timeline for the production of Brixton 1200 isn’t clear and the company says that it wants to create a technically mature vehicle without time pressure, a vehicle that meets more than just the high-quality requirements in these cubic capacity classes.

Apart from showcasing the Brixton 1200, the company launched Crossfire 500 and Crossfire 500X last year. The two get power from a 486 cc, parallel-twin motor good for churning out 47 bhp of power. The said models entered production soon after they were showcased as concepts and the same can be expected from the Brixton 1200 as well. More details on the Brixton 1200 expected soon, so stay tuned for all the updates!

Also, will the Brixton 1200 be able to give a tough fight to the Triumph Bonneville 120?