Cycle News is a weekly magazine that covers all aspects of motorcycling including Supercross, Motocross and MotoGP as well as new motorcycles
Issue link: https://magazine.cyclenews.com/i/605808
IN THE WIND P32 GAS GAS PURCHASED BY TORROT I t's official, Gas Gas has been acquired by electric bike com- pany Torrot. The Spanish-based firm became the new owners of Gas Gas motorcycles when the Commercial Court of Girona issued an order on November 16, 2015 awarding them the company. Torrot, based in Mataro, Spain, is controlled by busi- nessman Ivan Contreras and supported by Black Bull Capital Fund (BTC), the financial firm that will be funding the capital to bring Gas Gas back to life. By way of a $10 million share- holder loan, BTC will control 30% of Torrot. The Gas Gas employees, who fought so hard to keep their company and brand together during the bankruptcy and liquidation proceedings in 2015, finally got their wish in finding new ownership. As reported by La Vanguardia, the purchase by Torrot has preserved the jobs of 55 (of the original 89) employ- ees at the production unit. The new owners have also promised to incorporate 25 more employ- ees in the coming years as they implement their strategic plan. "After a year of having stopped production, we are pleased to announce that the brand Torrot acquired produc- tion unit Gas Gas motorcycles, [breathing life back into] a brand that almost suffocated at the hands of former [owners]," read a statement from the Salvemos A Gas Gas website. "From the legal representatives of the workers, we thank all the fans who have supported us through- out this journey. You have comforted [us] during our fight and given [us] strength when our spirit wavered. Gas Gas employees are looking forward to making machines [you will] all crave."CN HRC TEAM PRESENTS 2016 DAKAR RALLY TEAM A longside Honda's unveil of its 2016 models, the HRC Team made the trip to Milan for the presenta- tion of the 2016 Dakar Rally team. The five-man team will consist of heavy hitters Joan Barreda and Paulo Goncalves along with Michael Metge, Paolo Ceci and American rider Ricky Brabec. Big Red promises a solid effort in the January 2016 Dakar Rally, saying they are "painstakingly prepared." Brabec earned a spot in the Dakar Rally after having raced with Team HRC earlier this year in the Abu Dhabi Desert Challenge, finishing fifth overall in the rally. At 24 years old, Brabec is by far the youngest rider on the team, and Honda hopes to groom the young American desert racer into a top Dakar competitor. Team HRC added that they have teamed up with Kyocera, who will serve as a technical partner in the upcoming rally. Honda riders will be utilizing "ruggedized" Kyocera smartphones in the upcoming rally for telemetry and communication. CN Ricky Brabec (left) will join the HRC Team at the Dakar Rally in 2016. PHOTOGRAPHY BY HRC