Honda’s V3 Mystery Bike is Confirmed for the US,...

This week, we’ve a slightly particular lineup to your perusal: 

1. We have been capable of come up with Damon’s new CEO, Dominique Kwong, who sat with us to speak about all the things from the HyperSport to Damon.io.
2. Honda’s V3 bike has formally been confirmed for a US debut, making room for what the trademark functions are calling “V3R E-Compressor.”
3. The gravel-to-grid Puig PISTA R1000 GS Observe Package that was debuted at EICMA 2024 is formally open for pre-orders!
4. Triumph has given us a superb have a look at their Scrambler 400 XC, and it’ll be within the US by September. 

The total interview with Damon Inc. goes reside on Friday, however we’ve been capable of present a peek within the newsie listing right this moment! Let’s begin with that interview, we could?

Interview: CEO Dom Kwong Talks About Damon.io and the Hypersport

The Automobile, the Information, and What’s Coming Subsequent for Damon Inc.

Within the fast-paced world of electrical car startups, headlines can typically overshadow the actual story. That’s why, when main strategic shifts happen at firms like Damon Inc. (beforehand Damon Bikes), listening to straight from the supply is the one method to hold rumour at a minimal. Dominique Kwong, CEO of Damon Inc., lately make clear the corporate’s pivot to an ‘asset-light’ enterprise mannequin and their evolving imaginative and prescient, and he was sort sufficient to find time for us in an interview that can be going reside in its full entirety on Friday. 

We began by wanting into Dominique’s background as {an electrical} engineer. After spending a variety of years main Alpinestars’ electronics staff within the developping, upkeep, coaching, and servicing of their airbag tech and techniques, Kwong revealed his return to Damon was pushed by a continued ardour for motorbike security: 

One of many massive factors Kwong needed to nail dwelling for us was that Damon’s focus isn’t solely on manufacturing of the HyperSport; in truth, partnering with ICE or EV producers to make Damon’s security know-how a market-published actuality was undoubtedly on the desk for the corporate presently. Briefly, the HyperSport remains to be very a lot a part of Damon’s dedication, but it surely wants extra time. The corporate is open to partnering up with different labels to deliver their security tech to market quicker:

A key a part of Damon’s future – and one we have been eager to lean on for this interview – is Damon.io, a system that goals to make use of “contextual knowledge” to supply riders with the last word management over their experience. Concepts like linking car and environmental knowledge with private preferences to supply automated confidence and cut back distractions is a really actual dream for Kwong, however whereas excited in regards to the system’s potential, he needed to emphasise strongly that rider knowledge with Damon.io is rarely in peril of being mal-used or distributed past the rider’s non-public expertise:

Finally, Damon’s imaginative and prescient extends past a single car to all types of private mobility, whether or not EV or ICE, and we’re curious to see the place this takes the corporate within the coming years. 

For the total, in-depth interview with CEO Dominique Kwong on Damon Inc.’s strategic shift, standby for Friday’s publishing. Within the meantime, Damon’s imaginative and prescient is out there on their web site: 

Quick Filings: Honda Confirms Incubating V3 Thriller Bike for the US

A view of Honda’s V3R together with the brand new electrical supercharger Honda’s obtained coming by means of the pipeline. Media sourced from Honda.

…And This Debut Contains an Electrical Supercharger!

Do not forget that V3 bike that was present in filings from CycleWorld earlier this 12 months? Properly, it’s simply been confirmed for a US debut together with hints that this V3 machine will carry the electrical supercharger that we noticed from Honda final 12 months. 

For these needing a reminder, Honda’s “E-Compressor” is basically a battery-powered supercharger that guarantees instantaneous increase; Ben Purvis at CycleWorld highlights how this unit provides the advantages of compelled induction with out the downsides of conventional turbos or mechanical blowers, and is simpler to bundle throughout the bike’s design.

In response to this identical report, Honda has filed trademark functions in the US for each “V3R” and “V3R E-Compressor.” Final 12 months, Honda debuted an electrical supercharger at EICMA, so we’re below the idea that this “V3R E-Compressor” is simply that: A V3 bike with an electrical supercharger that now reveals affirmation for our personal markets right here in the US. 

The “V3R” within the paperwork denotes a sporty mannequin; though we haven’t been given the precise style of the bike, we’re estimating it seemingly that this mannequin can be both a sportbike or a sporty touring mannequin. 

We’re informed that there’s a probability that this bike can be able to 800cc; if that is appropriate, then the presence of the electrical supercharger posits a robust probability that this 800cc bike is not going to essentially really feel like an 800cc bike. 

Count on extra particulars and a full unveiling later this 12 months, with manufacturing doubtlessly kicking off by early 2026. We’d additionally suggest to maintain a climate eye out for Honda’s choices at this 12 months’s EICMA, seeing because the world’s largest bike expo has lengthy been the house of bike debuts worldwide. Solely time will inform!

For a full deep dive into Honda’s trademark filings and the potential of the V3R with Honda’s new “E-Compressor,”, you’ll want to head over to CycleWorld’s protection of the tech: 

Dialog-Starters: Pre-Orders Open for Puig PISTA R1000 GS Observe Package

A view of the Puig PISTA R1000 GS Observe Package. Media sourced from Puig.

Puig Says It’s Time to Take Your BMW R1000 GS to the Observe!

Again in June, I paid a go to to Michigan’s Grattan Raceway. The observe was well-known for having a number of tough stretches, not the least of which was “flip 7,” or what the locals known as “Bus Cease” – a blind apex on a slight incline with the very satan in its curvature.  I could have sacrificed by amenable little R3 to this flip, however the model new Honda Africa Twin that got here behind me made stunning work of the grid’s strains – all of which to say that that single expertise transformed me to the concept that gravel-eating bike genres would possibly very effectively have a little bit of enjoyable on the observe right here and there, too. 

In step with this common mindset, we deliver you the package that debuted finally 12 months’s iteration of EICMA: The Puig PISTA R1000 GS Observe Package. Puig (Puig Tech Parts) has taken the thought of BMW’s R1000 GS – the Bavarian, big-bore adventure-touring bike – and slapped bodywork on the factor to make it extra aerodynamic and “sporty” for a observe day. 

Apparently, Puig’s aim with this “PISTA” ( “observe” in Italian) is to develop a package that not solely seems cool however will be simply mounted with only a few changes. The important thing to this unimaginable thought lies in Puig’s meticulously designed geometry formulation, which incorporates the next parts: 

• Sport windscreen
• Headlight covers
• Entrance fender
• Brake cooler
• Frontal spoilers
• Stomach pan
• Decrease spoiler
• Aspect deflectors
• Rear seat cowl
• Rear cowl
• Tank cowl
• Lever protector/mirror

A view of the Puig PISTA R1000 GS Observe Package. Media sourced from Puig.

Need to make the R1000 GS extra aerodynamic however want lights for the streets? No drawback – we’re informed Puig has that too, and it has a entrance flip sign relocator package and license plate help for the perfect translation from gravel to trans-country highways (by way of Belissimoto). 

Riders wishing to get a more in-depth have a look at this observe package will discover it on Puig’s website, the place we’re informed pre-orders are formally open and solely 100 observe kits can be made for this 12 months. 

To be taught extra in regards to the Puig PISTA R1000GS package and to position your pre-order, head over to the official Puig Tech Elements web site: 

From Triumph, With Love: Meet the Scrambler 400 XC

A view of Triumph’s Scrambler 400 XC. Media sourced from Triumph Bikes.

The Newbie-Pleasant Retro Bike with Spoked Wheels and Extra

Triumph is beefing up its standard 400cc lineup with a brand new, off-road-styled retro cutie: The Scrambler 400 XC. Set to reach within the US by September, we’re informed that this beginner-friendly bike can be coming in good and low at an MSRP of $6,695. For that worth, MCN tells us that riders can sit up for enjoyable perks like tubeless spoked wheels and tweaked bodywork whereas persevering with with glorious selections like a highway-happy six-speed gearbox and a torque-assist clutch.

Naturally, the sibling closest in visuals to the XC is Triumph’s Scrambler 400 X, which carries the identical tubular metal hybrid chassis housing a 398cc liquid-cooled TR-series single-cylinder engine. Count on the XC’s efficiency figures to stay unchanged from final 12 months’s 4–line variants, that includes 39.5 hp @ 8000rpm and 27.7 lb-ft of torque @ 6500rpm. 

Triumph’s Chief Business Officer, Paul Stroud, is wanting ahead to a “robust international demand for this mannequin,” manifesting the next in mild of the 400 XC’s pending debut: 

Maybe the most effective options about this bike is the devoted scrambler package that swaps the X’s forged alloy wheels for trendy spoked side-laced Excel hoops, shod in Metzeler Karoo Avenue rubber. The rider has additionally been gifted with the next componentry:

• A high-mounted, color-matched entrance mudguard
• An aluminum sump guard
• Engine bars
• Handguards
• A small flyscreen

Tire dimension stays the identical because the 400 X, whereas a retro-happy analog speedometer joins the inclusion of an built-in LCD display screen, ride-by-wire throttle, switchable traction management, and an off-road ABS mode. Triumph’s brand selection for this mannequin is black – very applicable, given the retro vibes – and three paint schemes are current for this 12 months: yellow, gray, and white. Like its 400cc siblings, riders can anticipate the brand new Triumph Scrambler 400CX to help 10,000-mile service intervals and a two-year limitless mileage guarantee.

For a full dive into the rugged new Triumph Scrambler 400 XC, head over to MCN:

*Media sourced from Puig Tech Parts, in addition to CycleWorld, Damon Motorcycles, and Triumph Motorcycles*