With all the gray-market motorcycles on the streets of Beijing and other big Chinese cities, the biggest surprise is why it took Harley-Davidson so long to open its first authorized dealership in this country of 1.3 billion people.

The U.S. manufacturer said on Thursday that it has appointed Beijing Feng Huo Lun as its initial Chinese dealer, with the official opening slated for early April. Additional factory-authorized Harley stores are expected to open later this year and next in Shanghai and other major cities.

The new store, called “Beijing Harley-Davidson,” will sell motorcycles and related Harley products, including apparel and collectibles, and will provide after-sales service. The dealership is located on the Fourth Ring Road, just outside the downtown area in northeast Beijing. FHL has been selling brand-name imported motorcycles in China for more than 10 years.

In addition to sales and service, the dealer, which operates a riders’ club in Beijing, will offer rider training, organized rides and related events.

(this article was taken from edmunds.com)

The word from the UK importer for Peugeot Motorcycles;

Peugeot have introduced a highly specified and stylish new 125cc motorcycle that is designed to appeal to the growing numbers of young learner riders, (the UK’s best-selling bike in 2005 was a 125cc learner-legal machine).

The new XPS CT125 is a full-sized motorcycle that takes its styling cues from motocross machines but is built to handle the rigours of the urban jungle. Most people associate the French manufacturer with cars and scooters, but Peugeot built their first motorcycle over 100 years ago.

The CT125 combines the looks of a modern motocross bike with road tyres and follows in the French tradition of Supermotos. With their light weight and wide bars, supermotos are ideally suited to novice riders as they are easy to handle, particularly on congested urban streets.

This stunning motorcycle has a specification that is just as impressive as its looks. A reliable Yamaha-derived 125cc 4-stroke engine, housed in a modern alloy beam frame, powers the CT125. The front forks are 36mm diameter Paioli items, holding a 19″ front wheel with powerful 240mm disc brake for reassuring stopping power.

At the rear is a Paioli mono shock that holds a 17″ wheel and 200mm disc brake. Overall weight is an easily manageable 104 KG and the fuel tank has a 7L capacity (1 ½ gallons) - plenty for such a frugal engine. A rev counter nestles behind the bikini front fairing to complete its sporting looks.

The Peugeot XPS CT125 sells for £2,599 OTR in Metal Black and Blue Star colour schemes. A 2-year warranty is included for peace of mind.

(For further information call 01202 823344 or visit www.peugeotmoto.co.uk. This article was taken from insidebikes.com)

The latest from MAG, who wanted Gordon Brown to do more to encourage the use of small capacity bikes and scooters;

Gordon’s Lost the Plot

The Motorcycle Action Group (MAG UK) slams Vehicle Excise Duty (VED) rises for bikes.

Gordon Brown has totally forgotten Labour’s Back to Basics policy that they trumpeted before they came to power says MAG. ( Er, wasn’t the Back to Basics policy started by John Major? - Baffled Ed )

The bikers lobby group say that the decision to increase motorcycle VED rates while some cars are being zero rated means that the chancellor has missed a great opportunity to send a simple message for promoting economy of space and fuel.

MAG’s Director of Public Affairs Trevor Baird said, The green credentials of motorcycles cannot be measured simply by looking at fuel consumption, you have to consider the shape and size of motorcycles which means they can slip through traffic when cars, however fuel efficient, will be stuck.

MAG’s President Ian Mutch was equally adamant, Gordon’s lost the plot on this one. Why can’t he see that if people move from cars to bikes then they will liberate road space that will let those bigger vehicles that have to use the roads move around more efficiently, it’s not rocket science.

Although the increases in VED rates are small the Motorcycle Action Group is stepping up its campaign to get all motorcycle tax reduced, with a target figure of zero.

(this article was taken from insidebikes.com)

The annual National BikeSafe event, supported by the major motorcycle manufacturers, is taking place on April 1st and 2nd at Cheltenham Racecourse in Gloucestershire. The event will run from 10am - 5pm on both days, entry nad assessments are FREE.

This event is unique, in that it provides the opportunity for people to admire the up to date models on display and benefit from a free BikeSafe assessed ride and assessment provided by some of the UK’s top motorcycle police.

Motorcyclists will have the opportunity to enjoy a fully assessed ride using either their own machines or having the luxury of briefly borrowing an up-to-date model from the manufacturers in attendance. Riders, who want to enjoy the riding experience, MUST bring BOTH parts of their licence. The assessments are informative and fun. Designed to help riders learn about their riding style and understand more about their strengths and weaknesses enabling them to choose the most appropriate type of post-test training.

Major manufacturers BMW, Honda, Triumph, Ducati, Kawasaki, Yamaha and Harley-Davidson will be at the event with a fabulous range of machines.

Many other attractions will create a weekend event that appeals to people of all ages offering an enjoyable and exciting day out for the whole family. Musical entertainment will be provided by local groups and performers including Mid Life Crisis, Vince Freeman and the Bleeding Hearts.

Family entertainment, vintage clubs, free advice on clothing and security along with shopping opportunities will be available. Other attractions will include a demonstration from drag racers Crew 22, a climbing wall, a trial bike stunt display, refreshments, children’s entertainment, such as inflatables, prizes and draws. Talks and demonstrations, as well as a Tri Service area highlighting the work of the emergency services and crime prevention advice to help prevent bikers falling prey to thieves will also be highlighted.

Famous faces from the world of biking, including John Reynolds and fastest female TT rider Maria Costello will be around over the weekend, signing autographs and meeting the public. An assortment of fantastic prizes will be given away too.

Karen Cooke, MCI’s Head of Motorcycle Safety said, The national BikeSafe Event is a unique day out with lots to see and do and is an entertaining day out for everyone - especially motorcycle riders who can participate, free of charge, in a ride assessed by some of the best police riders in the UK.

Based on last years experience we know that people enjoyed the day out, but it is important to remember that there is a serious side to the event. We want riders to think more about their own skills and experience and take further training to help them become better riders and get more from their machines.

BikeSafe is ‘ Bridging the Gap’ from passing a test to post-test training. It provides an invaluable opportunity for people to learn about their capabilities with the support of experts.

Following the success of last year’s event it is once again organised by Gloucestershire Constabulary and is supported by the Motor Cycle Industry Association.

(this article was taken from insidebikes.com)

Sixty8, Triumph’s new sublimely stylish accessories collection, is inspired by a pretty cool year. Bikes were anarchic. A cultural revolution was in the air. The Stones were charting with Jumping Jack Flash, and Steve McQueen starred in Bullitt. Triumph made a classic that still gets talked about almost four decades later.

Designed for the iconic Bonneville, the sixty8 range is not about panniers and boring old tank bags. sixty8 is about well-designed, hand-crafted accessories which allow you to be personalize your looks in a slick and stylish contemporary way: be that on your Bonneville, in your favorite club or in the boardroom.

Created by the same design team that produced the devastatingly sexy Triumph Speed Triple and the new, effortlessly gorgeous Triumph Daytona 675 motorcycles, the sixty8 range does not include leather panniers, but instead supple, stylish laptop bags. It doesn’t include tank bags but convenient wallet and MP3 player holders. Available in Triumph dealerships from Spring 2006, the sixty 8 range truly puts a contemporary twist on a modern classic.

Tue Mantoni, Commercial Director at Triumph commented, “The chic, urban sixty8 range dramatically enhances the Triumph classic collection with its beautifully designed and crafted products, which also match the needs of today’s modern biker. sixty8 gives even more choice to a discerning audience looking for that extra, individual touch.”

For more information, please go to www.triumpmotorcycles.com.

(this article was taken from rubbermag.com)

TVS Motor Company Limited, an Indian manufacturer of motorcycles, has entered the ‘premium’ segment with the launch of `Apache’ targetted at youths aged between 18 and 22 years. Premium in the Indian motorcycle industry doesn’t mean 1400cc 200mph bikes, it means 150cc!

Speaking at the launch of Apache (is there a pun there?) AGM (Marketing) TVS Motor, M V Krishna, said the bike had a displacement of 150 CC and a host of stunning features (stunning that is to Indian youths not used to seeing big bore superbikes on a daily basis).

He said the premium segment is growing at a good pace, with the current volumes hovering around 55,000 units per annum. Small fry maybe but don’t laugh, the Japanese industry was here fifty years ago and went on to decimate the mighty of the British and European factories.

Krishna estimated that this number would rise to near 70,000 units in the coming year.

Talking about overall market share, he said TVS’ was enjoying 13.5 per cent.

Perhaps collectors should snap up a few of these machines as early Japanese motorcycles, even tiddlers, now go for big money.

(this article was taken from insidebikes.com)

The Dirt Bike Show will run at Stoneleigh Park for the next three years.

Promoto, the Company that has successfully run the Dirt Bike Show since founding it six years ago, has signed a three year deal with Stoneleigh Park that will see the Show running at the popular Midlands venue until 2008.

Visitor numbers at the Dirt Bike Show have grown at an average rate of 10% each year, reaching over 21,000 in 2005, firmly establishing it as the biggest off-road exhibition of recent history. A semi-permanent marquee was added in 2004, creating a third exhibition hall and this, along with the new thousand-seat indoor action arena, eased the crowding experienced in previous years. The introduction of a ‘Virtual Paddock’ outside the entrance for 2005 proved hugely successful and brought total exhibition space to 15,000 square metres.

Promoto believes that its policy of delivering consistent and manageable growth has been the key to the success of the Dirt Bike Show. Plans for this year’s event reveal that there will be more in terms of both quality and quantity. Halls One and Two will become display only, with new shell schemes and smart carpet tiles throughout. Extra floor space will be provided by an enlarged marquee, which will accommodate all the retail stands previously in Hall One and more besides. This will be supplemented by Hall 4, an all new ‘autojumble’ style retail area, located adjacent to the Live Action Arena. The popular stage will be moved from the marquee into Hall 2, where it will enhance the buzz created by all the latest bikes, quads and kit.

So make a date in your diary for the 2006 Dirt Bike Show at Stoneleigh Park from Thursday 16th - Sunday 19th November.

(this article was taken from insidebikes.com)