Two Dunlop off-road motorcycle tyres have gained new designations that will benefit leisure riders and hardcore enduro enthusiasts alike. These changes apply to the Dunlop D952 and D908 RR ranges.
Dunlop has expanded its Mutant range with the introduction of two new rear sizes, enabling 142 models to use the “world’s first crossover tyre” for two-wheelers. The new 150/60ZR17 and 160/60ZR17 sizes cover a comprehensive range of bikes covering the naked, roadster and crossover sectors.
Dunlop has introduced the SP346+ steer tyre for “fleets and hauliers who demand a wide variety of performances in all on-road applications”. According to the company, the Dunlop SP346+ features a range of technologies designed to achieve high mileage, robust durability and improved fuel efficiency or low energy consumption for electric vehicles. It offers advanced winter grip, “making it a tyre for all seasons and all purposes” in Dunlop’s words.
On yer bike. Dunlop Motorcycle Europe has revealed its new brand attitude, with which it aims to encourage motorcyclists throughout Europe to ‘Just Ride’. This new brand identity encompasses all aspects of the Dunlop Motorcycle Europe brand and has already been implemented on its website and social media channels.
Murray Walker, whose voice became virtually synonymous with Formula One, has died aged 97. Walker commented on his first Grand Prix at Silverstone in 1949 and became a full-time F1 commentator in 1978, a position he held for the next 23 years. Such was the esteem in which Walker is held within the Formula One fraternity, a constellation of racing stars have celebrated his life. Following the news of Walker’s death, which was announced over the weekend of 13 and 14 March 2021, seven-time Formula One World Champion Lewis Hamilton summed up their words: “The iconic voice of our sport and a great man, thank you for all you did, you will never be forgotten”.
Following last month’s preview of the 2021 report, Brand Finance has released its full Tyres 10 ranking. According to the 2021 table, the tyre sector has taken a hit over the last year, with all 10 brands losing brand value. Brand Finance unsurprisingly puts this decline down to the pandemic-related behavioural changes: “Owing to the lack of travel due to lockdowns, car sales are declining, which means tyre brands are selling less units, resulting in a drop in market equity across the industry. Furthermore, since the economy has been riskier in general over the past year, investor risk has increased, triggering a rise in the cost of capital.”
The release of the Dunlop SportSmart Mk3 in a new 160/60ZR17 rear tyre size extends the range’s fitment suitability to some of the best-selling mid-size sports bikes from manufacturers such as Kawasaki, Honda and Triumph. These current-generation bikes are amongst the 85 motorcycle models that can wear the latest SportSmart Mk3 specification.
Sumitomo Rubber Industries (SRI) has announced the next evolution of Sensing Core, and says this latest update to its tyre sensing technology is “revolutionary”. In addition to tyre pressure, tyre load and load conditions, Sensing Core can now detect tyre wear.
Cross Magazin has given the Dunlop Geomax MX53 its ‘Product of the Year’ award in recognition of the motocross tyre’s wide range of performance and longevity after extensive testing. In its January 2021 issue, the German specialist publication presented Geomax MX53 as its ‘Product of the Year’ for 2020, explaining that its performance window as an intermediate to hard motocross tyre and durability after varied testing was not only an improvement over its predecessor the Geomax MX52, but outstanding in its own right.
Following changes to the names of the Goodyear-Dunlop national organizations in the UK and Belgium, the tyre manufacturer’s Poland-based company has now also been renamed, our colleagues at our German sister website Reifenpress.de have reported.
The FIM Moto2 and Moto3 World Championships will continue racing on Dunlop tyres for at least another three years following the extension of Dunlop’s contract with Dorna Sports. This means that Dunlop, who has partnered with Grand Prix motorcycle racing since its inauguration in 1949, will exclusively supply the two classes until at least the end of the 2023 season.
Sumitomo Rubber Industries (SRI) shares that a settlement has been reached in its patent infringement lawsuit against Timsum Rubber Tire (Weihai). SRI, which manufactures Dunlop tyres in certain regions outside Europe, filed a lawsuit with the Beijing Intellectual Property Court in response to unauthorised use of the Dunlop Geomax MX52 motocross tyre tread pattern.
Bridgestone’s Blizzak LM005 tyre has won the Auto Express Winter Tyre Test 2020 beating 205/55 R16 tyres from seven other manufacturers to the top of the table. Auto Express cited the tyre’s performance in the wet as a key factor. The tyre, which boasts an ‘A’ tyre label grade for wet grip across the full range, has secured Bridgestone’s first Auto Express test win and follows on from a series of improved results in recent times. However, there were strong performances from Hankook’s Winter i*cept RS2 (2nd) and Michelin’s Alpin 6 (3rd). At the same time, we have to note that Hankook Goodyear and Dunlop each won individual categories as well as Bridgestone, of course. Looking forward, Continental’s TS 870 has to be described as the one that got away because it’s market-beating performance couldn’t be counted owing to the fact that the Covid-19 pandemic has delayed the new tyre’s release for a year.
Whether it’s for journey planning or for looking at own houses online, we’ve all used Google Street View. Now, Sumitomo Rubber South Africa is helping fill the gaps in Street View’s maps and having and off-road adventure at the same time.
For the fourth year in a row, Michelin can be found at the top of Tyres & Accessories’ 2020 UK social media ranking. Indeed, such is Michelin’s dominance in the annual table, only Goodyear (in 2012) and Dunlop (in 2016) have done enough to overtake the UK arm of the French tyre brand since our research began in 2011. In both cases, Michelin still managed to take second place.
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Dunlop
Matthew Spencer; Flickr; CC-BY-2.0
Bridgestone
Sumitomo Rubber South Africa
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