Happy November one and all! Welcome to Episode 122 of Chasing the Horizon, the podcast by, for and about motorcyclists that takes an in-depth look into the motorcycle industry in a way few other outlets bother to explore.
You may remember from Episode 121 a news item about the Helmet Inspection Company out of Scotland. Well, I reached out to them and got Martin Slowey, the company’s founder, to come on CTH and explain what it is his company does and why they started doing it.
In addition to their website, you can connect with the Helmet Inspection Company on Facebook, Instagram, YouTube and LinkedIn.
While we can’t always promise that kind of turnaround on a news item, it sure was fun getting it done for you this time around. I get a lot of ideas for guests from motorcycle news, so if you come across a news item you find interesting and would like to know more about, feel free to let me know via email and I’ll do my best to get in touch with the movers and shakers behind it.
As far as this episode’s news segment goes, our prediction that Royal Enfield would eventually drop their 650cc parallel twin engine into the Himalayan seems to be coming true. Indian Motorcycles also looks poised to release a new bike in the near future, a more touring-oriented bike using the same water-cooled engine as they use in the Challenger. Yes, it’s just another cruiser, but apparently those are still selling in big numbers!
Riders in the UK should probably start paying attention to what looks like a CARB-ish move to restrict riders’ ability to modify the exhaust or emissions systems on their motorcycles. For more or this issue or to get involved, check out the UK’s National Motorcyclists Council website.
Way back in the dregs of your memory, you might recall the partnership between MotoGP and Energica to bring electric motorcycles to the highly competitive world of motorcycle racing. That partnership is over – after one more season, anyway – and Ducati will be picking up where Energica is leaving off. Now the folks at Ducati have less than a year and a half to design and put into production an electric race bike.
For other electric motorcycle news, check out what’s going on with EMGo’s ScrAmper (Ukraine) and Kollter’s ES1/Tinbot (China).
Thanks to webBikeWorld for funneling news our way, and be sure to check out their website for the latest motorcycle news and in-depth product reviews.
Since we don’t have a Patreon page for you to visit, the easiest way to support Chasing the Horizon is by joining the BMW Motorcycle Owners of America. Digital memberships are $39 a year and traditional memberships are $49 a year; each come with a wide range of member benefits, including access (digital or in your mailbox) to BMW Owners News, the MOA’s monthly magazine. You also get access to one of the best roadside assistance programs for motorcycles available (sorry, only applies to the US), become eligible for a $250 motorcycle training scholarship every year, up to $750 off a new BMW motorcycle, discount tickets to great events and much, much more!