Welcome to round three of the Indian Motorcycle brake recall for the Scout and Scout Bobber motorcycles, where we now see the American brand recalling 2,742 motorcycles in an attempt to correct this defect.
After the first and second instances of this recall, we see that at the core of this trio of recalls is still a manufacturing issue that allows air to get into the ABS components on the motorcycles.
Just 10 days ago, we had to bring you the sad news that the INTERMOT show in Cologna, Germany would not be held in 2020, with the show’s organizers looking to 2022 to resume the trade show’s biannual schedule.
With INTERMOT arguably the second-most important trade show for the motorcycle industry, eyes then moved to Milan, to see if the EICMA trade show would follow suit, and today we have our answer.
Because of COVID-19 concerns, and perhaps due to a mild mutiny from participating brands, the EICMA trade show in Italy has announced that this year’s edition would be canceled, with aims to resume in 2021.
Autonomous vehicles are set to upend the transportation industry, including how motorcyclists enjoy the roadways. This much, we know. But, the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) says that the effect might not be as large as we think it will be.
According to a recent study that they performed, the IIHS says that autonomous vehicles will only prevent about one-third of on-road accidents.
The work by the IIHS is interesting, though the study comes with some rather large caveats to come to its conclusion.
If you have a 2019 or 2020 Kawasaki Ninja ZX-10R series motorcycle, then this latest recall from Kawasaki is for you.
The issue stems around poor ECU programming on the superbike’s computer, which can cause a backfire during high-engine load and use of the quickshifter.
The backfire can create a big combustion force in the exhaust system, which can lead to the air suction valves melting and/or catching on fire.
Episode 37 of the Brap Talk podcast is now out for your two-wheeled audio pleasure, and is packed full of motorcycle discussion for your open-road loving hearts.
This show covers a bevy of topics that we think you will find interesting, the first of which is about Harley-Davidson.
Continuing our live chat video series on YouTube with members of the motorcycle industry, on Monday, June 1st at 10am PDT / 7pm CEST, Asphalt & Rubber will be sitting down with Peter Halldin, one of the co-founders of MIPS.
For those who missed our recent story about MIPS, the Swedish company is at the forefront of helmet rotational impact research, and has been developing safety solutions for helmet brands in the motorcycle, cycling, equestrian, and snow sports industries for the past 20 years.
I was so impressed by what Peter and his team had to say on the subject when I visited MIPS in Sweden last year, that I immediately changed what helmets I wore when I got back to the US. As such, I am very excited to share this news and information with our Asphalt & Rubber readers and viewer.
Motorcycle helmets and innovation are three words I would not often put together in a sentence – at least, not in an affirmative use. This is because the motorcycle industry is incredibly slow to change, and furthering that regard, helmet manufacturers are at the pinnacle of resistance when it comes to technological progress.
For proof of this, look no further than the modern motorcycle helmet design, which has gone unchanged for over 50 years, and still offers the same basic concept: a hard exterior shell made from plastic or composites, a layer of styrofoam for impact absorption, and a comfort layer for the rider’s head.
In the same duration that motorcycle helmets have remained static in design, we have seen man walk on the moon; the proliferation of personal computers, the internet, and smartphones; and even the Boston Red Sox have overcome the Curse of the Bambino and become World Series champions, not once, but four times.
But yet, we have continued to build helmets the same tired way.
This isn’t because motorcycle helmets have reached some sort of peak design. Instead, this stagnation comes primarily from two factors: first, there is no driving force pushing for increased motorcycle helmet safety and effectiveness (sorry, hardline free market economists); and second, it is incredibly cheap to make a motorcycle helmets in their current forms.
There is however, a day coming when the motorcycle industry will have to reckon with a sea change regarding what goes on our heads when we ride a motorcycle, and that day is coming sooner rather than later.
This next, next big thing in motorcycle helmet technology is the implementation rotational energy mitigation designs and devices, of which at the forefront is the Swedish brand MIPS.
The good news was that Dorna had submitted a plan to hold two races in Jerez on the 19th and 26th of July, and that the authorities in Andalusia and the city of Jerez had supported the plan.
But many obstacles remained in the path to turning the plan into reality. Now, nearly three weeks later, those obstacles are starting to disappear.
The biggest obstacle was removed on Monday, when the Spanish government announced that the enforced quarantine on anyone entering the country would be lifted from July 1st.
For those of us who have been venturing outside of the home, the coronavirus pandemic has come with the silver lining that it has become easier to travel by road in the United States.
With more people working from home and sheltering-in-place, the need to get in a car and drive somewhere has fallen by the wayside, and we as motorcyclists have seemingly benefitted from having fewer vehicles to share the road with as we ride.
However, data from the National Safety Council (NSC) – a non-profit organisation chartered by US Congress – should give us some pause, as it suggests that those trips out have been substantially more dangerous than usual.
The big Brembo brake pad recall continues onward, this time with Aprilia reporting to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) that the recall affects its V4 lineup.
Accordingly, the recall affects both trim levels of the Tuono V4 and RSV4 sport bikes, for the 2017 to 2020 model years (only the 2017-2018 model years for the RSV4 RF though).
This recall affects 3,287 V4 units sold by Aprilia in the United States, which constitutes all the RSV4 RR, RSV4 RF, Tuono V4, and Tuono V4 Factory sold in the United States during those time periods.
Triumph is the second motorcycle company to report a recall with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration concerning Brembo brake pad failures, as a bevy of motorcycle brands are expected to be recall motorcycles that use the Italian firm’s brake pads.
For those who don’t know, this wave of recalls stems from the friction material separating from the metal backing plate, often because of exposure to corrosive conditions.
We won’t rehash the technical details over and over again as the recalls come through (we are expecting several more), but you can read our initial post on Brembo brake pad issue, if you require a primer on the situation.