On the morning of 4 December 2024, TyreSafe chair Stuart Lovatt attended the National Motorcycle Council (NMC) and National Motorcycle Dealers Association (NMDA) parliamentary breakfast at the House of Commons. The event is sponsored and hosted by Fabian Hamilton MP and to discuss “Motorcycling and the Future of Transport”.
Kenda Europe is expanding its European activities in the powered two-wheeler segment with the formation of a dedicated Powersports team. Leading this initiative is Shaun Jones, who currently serves as Segment Director for Trailer & Caravan. Jones will transition into his new role in January 2025 and will collaborate closely with Kenda’s global Powersports teams in Taiwan and the United States, as well as the European Specialty unit, to drive growth and innovation in this market.
Pirelli is extending its Diablo and Scorpion motorcycle tyre ranges in 2025 with a new custom-touring tyre and a successor to the Italian brand’s “most successful” Motocross World Championship product. The Diablo Powercruiser is Pirelli’s sporty interpretation of the custom-touring tyre for sport Cruisers and Baggers; the Scorpion MX32 Mid Soft will offer 2025 competitors in the FIM Motocross World Championship new rubber to follow an exceptionally successful predecessor.
Dunlop has been appointed as the official tyre partner to the first-ever FIM Intercontinental Games (ICG). The event will take place at the Circuito de Jerez on 30 November and 1 December, 2024, coinciding with the FIM’s 120th anniversary. Dunlop will supply tyres from its renowned KR racing series to 48 competitors from 19 nations, representing the six continental teams. The Games unite all six FIM Continental Unions for the first time, offering a platform for young riders to compete on an international stage. The inaugural ICG will be dedicated to circuit racing, featuring two classes, Supersport and Supersport 300 with riders competing on Dunlop-equipped Yamaha R7 and R3 bikes in each of the two classes, respectively.
Mitas has announced that the company will be sole provider for tyre sales and services throughout the 2024 Roof of Africa Hard Enduro race competition, which runs from November 28-30, 2024, in Lesotho.
Cambrian Tyres, the UK’s largest motorcycle tyre distributor, is adding Mitas motorcycle tyres and mousse products to its expanding portfolio. The first delivery is expected to arrive on 5th November and will initially focus on the adventure and enduro markets, although Cambrian plans to expand the range it offers into other areas early next year.
Bridgestone will launch its new sport touring radial motorcycle tyre, the Battlax Sport Touring T33, in January 2025. The Battlax Sport Touring T33 is a next-generation sport touring tyre that maintains the touring performance of its predecessor, the T32, while improving its mileage by 47 per cent. The latest addition to the Battlax tyre family is also designed to improve performance in the dry over its predecessor with more secure handling, while maintaining the high wet performance of the T32.
The European Tyre and Rubber Manufacturers’ Association (ETRMA) has published its members’ replacement tyre sales figures for the third quarter and first nine months of 2024, comparing these results with statistics for tyre imports during the period. Adam McCarthy, the association’s Secretary General, notes that while member sales volumes for Consumer segment tyres are improving, mainly driven by rising demand for all-season tyres, volumes are still negative in the Truck segment. Significantly, both are still far from their pre-pandemic volumes.
The latest Dunlop road-focused hypersport tyre, the SportSmart mk4, has arrived. Dunlop says it designed the tyre to build on the established performance of its predecessor across a broad spectrum of sports bikes. Replacing the 2019-introduced SportSmart Mk3, the new model represents a “substantial improvement thanks to relentless continuous development of every component in the tyre.” Primarily designed for road use, the SportSmart mk4 sits in the Dunlop portfolio alongside the SportSmart TT road and track tyre.
Pirelli and the Motorcycle World Championship paddock visit the Motegi Mobility Resort, formerly known as Twin Ring Motegi, for the Japanese Grand Prix (4-6 October) in a rare novel challenge for the tyre supplier. While Pirelli has competed on some races in the domestic All Japan Road Race Championship, it has never raced with either the Moto2 and Moto3 classes or other major international competitions at the circuit, meaning it has little data to rely on. As a result, Pirelli has opted for the standard tyres from the Diablo Superbike range included in this year’s standard allocation, albeit in greater quantities for some compounds.
Mitas tyres have been chosen for the newest Colibri M22 e-motorbikes, made for longer lasting road trips and offroad riding, too. Colibri’s selection of Mitas tyres shows their commitment to providing the best possible on road and offroad experience for riders. Mitas will give Colibri riders three tyre range options: the MC-25, MC-32 and Speedway tyres, made to ensure optimal grip on any terrain and in any weather.
King Tyre claims credit as the first, and currently the only, Chinese tyre maker designing and producing radial motorcycle tyres. The company reportedly has big expansion plans for Europe, including a presence in the UK market. Cambrian Tyres, the leading independent two-wheel tyre wholesaler in the region, will exclusively distribute the King Tyre range in the UK.
Since the commencement of the FIM Motocross World Championship season, Nestaan Husqvarna teammates Kay de Wolf and Lucas Coenen have triumphed in 10 out of 14 Grand Prix races in the fiercely competitive MX2 class. Reflecting on their most successful season to date, the championship leaders credit their performance in part to their Dunlop tyres.
The all-time track and race lap records for the Moto2 and Moto3 championships were substantially improved at Catalunya, continuing a streak of broken records broken on Pirelli tyres. The Diablo Superbike slicks helped riders reduce lap times on the Montmelò track.
Two new sizes have joined the Mitas Sport Force+ RS tyre range for track day riders. Mitas says it specifically engineered these 180/60ZR17 and 200/55ZR17 rear tyres for more powerful motorcycles. The new additions expand the Sport Force+ RS to a total of eight sizes that cater to a variety of bikes.
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