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Asphalt & Rubber
KTM’s Stefan Pierer Gobbles Up 25% of MV Agusta
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KTM’s Stefan Pierer Gobbles Up 25% of MV Agusta

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The BMW M1000RR Superbike Takes Another Step Forward for 2023
Bikes

The BMW M1000RR Superbike Takes Another Step Forward for 2023

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The BMW S1000RR Gets Wings and Updates for the 2023 Model Year
Bikes

The BMW S1000RR Gets Wings and Updates for the 2023 Model Year

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Racing

Dakar Rally – Stage 7: American Kurt Caselli Takes First Win

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A last-minute replacement to the injured Marc Coma in the 2013 Dakar Rally, the expectations around race-rookie Kurt Caselli were purposefully modest. Filling big shoes at KTM’s factory-backed Dakar team, the Austrian brand started the two-week long race with hopes for competitive finishes from the Ameircan hare-scrambler, but today they got much, much more: a stage win in the seventh day of racing.

The fastest man through Stage Seven, Caselli finished the timed special in 1’51.31 on his KTM 450 Rally race bike, which averaged 117 km/h over the course. The stage win result leaves Caselli in eighth place overall, with second through eighth dominated by KTM riders, save David Casteu who maintains 3rd place for Yamaha. Elsewhere in the KTM camp, race-favorite Cyril Despres suffered mechanical issues, and dropped to fifth overall after his 34th place finish in the stage. He is 14 minutes behind race-leader Olivier Pain.

“Everything for me was fine. I’m learning the navigation better and I can understand it,” said Caselli. “This is my first Dakar so I’m just learning a lot. I didn’t have any idea what to expect when I first came here. It’s fun and I’m enjoying it.” Enjoy it indeed, congrats Kurt! Photos of Caselli from Dakar are after the jump.

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Uh-Oh BMW, KTM Had Its Best Sales-Year Ever in 2012

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If we asked you which Germanic company was the largest motorcycle brand by volume, you would likely guess BMW Motorrad…and you would be wrong. Snap! Displacing the venerable brand from Bavaria, which set its own sales record, KTM’s 2012 sales year of 107,142 units has handed the Austrian brand the distinction of being the best-selling Germanic brand worldwide (by a margin of less than 1,000 machines). KTM’s growth doesn’t just come from its partnership with Bajaj and sales in India, as the Austrians saw a 9% kick in sales in Europe, which bucks the rest of the industry’s 12% tailspin in that market. Furthermore, that increase in sales was good for a 7.5% market share increase — a huge piece of pie-taking for a single year.

Bikes

Triumph Tiger Sport – A 1050 with More…Sport

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Although the Triumph Tiger 800 and Triumph Tiger 1200 models are doing well in the market, the British brand from Hinckley doesn’t seem ready to kill the Triumph Tiger 1050, and has instead revised the model for the 2013 model year. Adding 10hp to the three-cylinder motor (123 hp & 76.7 lbs•ft of torque at the crank now), the renamed Triumph Tiger Sport features a new single-sided swingarm, a slimmer subframe, a revised suspension and geometry, along with redesigned fairings and wheels. With the Triumph Tiger Sport being a decidedly a sport-touring model with 17″ wheels, it should steer clear of its 800cc and 1200cc brethern in their more “adventure” uses.

News

Husqvarna Showing Life? 2012 Up 15% with an Asterisk

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Normally when we talk about Husqvarna’s sales, it is about how the German-owned, Italian-run, Swedish-in-name-only brand is slowly collapsing in on itself like a dying star. Not so in 2012 though, as Husqvarna sales to dealers were up a solid 15.7% (10,751 units) over the 2011 figures (9,286 units). With numbers that sounds almost too good to be true, a closer examination of Husqvarna’s sales figures sheds some interesting facts. Without the introduction of the new models and the new on-road segment, Husqvarna’s 2012 sales would actually have been another disappointing posting. Clearly, Husqvarna’s new model strategy is helping move more units, but the company has yet to turnaround its shrinking off-road market.