We’re a good start into National Wellness Month, and if you’re anywhere close to the hours I’ve racked up on the road… you’re a couch potato.
For those with tan lines stronger than a dirty chai bourbon, you’re my hero and I’ll take any vitamin D you toss this way; in return, here is the week’s proof that some brands never sleep:
- Yamaha’s new high-performance EV patents are renewed for the Development Lab
- …And Honda’s signed on to be Yamaha’s supplier for electric motorcycles in Japan (try to figure that one out)
- A new club bike movie will showcase Triumph’s bikes (not 007)
- Our very same Hinckley-based fave has made mention of two new ‘triumphs” that will be dropped into our laps before 2025
- Ducati’s got plans for a 450cc enduro
Are you excited? I’m excited.
Fast Filings: Yamaha’s Patents Show Plans for a High-Performance Electric Motorcycle
One Word: FINALLY.
Yamaha’s always bandied about with the idea of debuting an electric motorcycle. In our archives, we’ve talked about how Yamaha was committed to producing electric motorcycles as early as 2013… and while the 2013 PES1, 2015 PES2 concept, and more recent movement with the “Gachaco” swappable battery system made some waves, the projects didn’t quite hit home.
What consumers were REALLY thirsting after was a high-performance electric motorcycle made available to the public – something that Yamaha has yet to produce, despite the successes in their GEN series (and all that hype over the Motoroid concept that would follow you around).
All this dancing about, however, seems to be coming to a conclusion. CycleWorld’s Ben Purvis has unearthed a series of patent applications on a high-performance electric motorcycle – exactly what people have been wanting to see – with the purported focus being on “maximizing the space for batteries and minimizing weight.”
According to Purvis, these patents show fresh movement from Yahmaha. New designs include:
- A “finned” case that houses battery and electronics
- A high shock system to compensate for the novel decision of installing an electric motor as far back as possible
- Air-cooled technology mated to an EV battery to help reduce weight and simplify internals
Of course, one cannot have all of the above in a “high-performance” electric motorcycle unless there’s enough power to punt this baby into torque-happy categories; as such, Purvis makes some estimations on what could be in store for the results of Yamaha’s new patents:
| “How powerful would a bike like this be? That’s unknown, but Yamaha already has its own in-house EV powertrain business, supplying motors from 35kW (47 hp) to 350kW (470 hp) to external customers.
With well over a decade of largely unseen development on electric bikes under its belt, it seems likely that Yamaha—like several of its rivals—is now simply waiting for the right market conditions to enter the arena for large, high-performance EVs.” – Ben Purvis, “High-Performance Yamaha Electric in Development.” (CycleWorld) |
Time will tell as to when Yamaha plans on capitalizing on a sassy, high-punt EV beastie, but we might have the answer in a new press release from Yamaha and Honda.
Take a look below.
Powersports Partnerships: Honda is Yamaha’s OEM for Certain Electric Motorcycles in Japanese Markets
So.
Patent application papers are found from Yamah showing a high-performance electric motorcycle in the works… and then Honda publishes a press release proving that Big Red will be an electric motorcycle supplier – or OEM – for Yamaha in Japan’s markets.
Coincidence? Probably; for the time being, MCNews tells us that the Yamaha x Honda partnership is limited to Honda supplying Yamaha with “electric motorcycle models… based on the Honda “EM1 e:” and “BENLY e: I” Class-1 category* models.”
*For transparency, Class-1 vehicles are listed in Honda’s press release as containing “an engine with total displacement of 50 cc or less or an electric motor with rated output of 0.60 kW or less.”*
According to Honda’s press release, talks have been going on between Honda and Yamaha since 2016 (one year after Yamaha debuted the PES2). The chats addressed issues like:
- Compliance with increasingly stringent safety standards
- Compliance with emissions regulations
- Challenges surrounding the pursuit of electrification
For Honda and Yamaha, those talks narrowed focus on the following:
- “Supplying 50cc scooter models as an OEM”
- “Joint development/OEM supply of next-generation 50cc business scooter models”
- “Collaboration toward the popularization of electric motorcycles in the Class-1 category”
Honda has apparently already been supplying Yamaha with 50cc scooters since March 2018, so this recent update simply acknowledges that the partnership is expanding the types of motorcycles it is handing out. For the time being, assume that both marques will be sticking with 50cc bikes.
Do you think Honda will ever supply Yamaha with high-performance electric motorcycles?
The Big Screen: New Film “One Fast Move” to Feature Triumph Motorcycles
“The Only Option is to Go Faster”
What new feature stars KJ Apa, Eric Dane, Maia Reficco, Edward James Olmos, and Austin North… and came out yesterday on Amazon Prime?
If you’re looking for a film filled with two-wheeled revs and some serious attitude, look no further than the new hit flick, “One Fast Move.” Coverage from Roadrcing World tells us a story of a club racer – Wes Neal, the typical underdog archetype – and how he goes pro with the help of Dean Miller (Eric Dane).
Scenes of the ensuing chaos include Neal’s speed demon of choice – a Triumph Daytona 765 in full race trim – and a hefty motherload of stunning race scenes courtesy of high-profile stunt doubles (pro racers such as Daytona 200 Champ Brandon Paasch and Horizon Award winner Brian Stokes).
The main reason why we’re excited about this film is because writer and director Kelly Blatz went above and beyond to ensure that scenes in this movie are as realistic as possible. Thanks to Blatz’s research, commitment to realism, and sheer stubbornness, the perks of watching “One Fast Move” now include the following:
- Instead of adding pipe sounds afterward, onboard microphones were rigged to each motorcycle to record the real pipe sounds (“avoiding the pitfall of making all motorcycles sound like a V-Twin”).
- Instead of unrealistic jump scenes glued together with bikes slowing to allow film crews to keep up, film cameras were connected to each motorcycle so that riders could unleash full speed whenever necessary.
- “To create a realistic paddock setting, the entire field of riders were genuine racers who brought their personal trucks and trailers filled with race bikes and constructed the same pit set-up they would on any race weekend.”
Fans have been commenting that the movie plot is “Rocky 6, just with bikes” (via YouTube) – and to that, I simply respond by logging on and scheduling a movie evening for some proper gandering.
Call up your friends, take a night to watch this thing, and enjoy the residuals of proper yanks down proper circuits with proper racers… oh, and let us know what you think of “One Fast Move”!
Triumph to Debut Two New Motorcycles Before 2025
Debut Anticipated for November
On top of all that juicy bit of business in “One Fast Move,” Triumph’s also apparently getting ready to spit out two more 400cc bikes – and the machines will be here by November 1st.
Per coverage from Bernardo Matias (Motorcycle Sports), the bikes are built in partnership with Bajaj Auto; for anybody wondering, this is a “long term, non-equity partnership” (via Triumph), so no need to ask about whether Bajaj will be taking over a percentage of Triumph (such as what happened with KTM/PIERER Mobility’s aquirement of MV Agusta).
But back to the bikes.
Acocrding to Matias, the new bikes will share the same 398.15cc single-cylinder heart and chassis as Triumph’s current Speed 400 and Scrambler 400X; estimates point to spy shots of a Thruxton 400, with the second bike model still kept in the dark by her company.
Whatever Triumph’s working on, we’re expecting competitors to include Harley-Davidson’s X440, Royal Enfield’s Guerrilla 450, Hero’s Mavrick 440 and others of similar caliber (via Hindustani Times).
What o you think Triumph’s working on for a November debut?
Ducati’s Got Plans for a 450 Enduro Bike
Tony Cairoli Talks with MCN About Team Red’s New Project
There’s no better way to know what a brand’s up to than by picking the brand of a factory rider – and MCN’s recent interview with Motocross legend Tony Cairoli leaves little to the imagination.
Per coverage from MCN, Cairoli comments that Ducati’s got a road-legal 450 enduro bike in the lab.
Will this machine be included in Ducati’s 2025 World Premiere? The thought is unlikely, only because we are told that this bike will not hit our markets until closer to 2027.
Here are some further words from Cairoli, back when he was present at the World Ducati Week event:
| “The plan is first to complete the 250 motocross platform, that’s the next step. Then we will have enduro bikes… By 2027, we will have some [enduro bikes] ready on the market.
We haven’t decided for certain yet when it will be though, because we want to develop the bikes well. Next year, the 450 will be here for sure, and after that, the 250 will follow.” – Tony Cairoli, “Ducati to hit the trails.” (MCN) |
Ducati’s choice to go off-road with more accessible cc’s is apparently steeped in the reach for a younger rider audience, which has seen an increase in demand for off-road beasties. Currently, Ducati sports one other machine that can be considered under this same umbrella: The new Hypermotard 698 Mono supermoto range, which debuted late last year.
What do you think Ducati has in store for this enduro offering?