IN
THE
WIND
P32
YAMAHA AND THE ELEGANT WINGS
Y
amaha had a creative response to this year's
banning of wings in MotoGP—with both
Movistar riders and factory tester Kouta Nozane
exercising a smooth-flanked double-skinned fair-
ing with vanes generating down-force sandwiched
between the outer and inner skins.
While information was kept under wraps and rid-
ers forbidden to comment at the Sepang MotoGP
test, Rossi did at least say that he liked the new
bodywork because it was "more beautiful."
The new rules ban projections from fairings,
and thus the new design was pronounced legal by
technical staff.
Observers were expecting similar solutions from
other manufacturers, and wondering what Ducati
might come up with, as the factory most affected
by the ban.
Like engines, fairing design will also be "frozen"
by the time the season begins.
Michael Scott
Yamaha's design gets rid of the ugly
wings but keeps their benefits.
HUSQVARNA IS DOING GOOD THINGS UNDER KTM OWNERSHIP
H
usqvarna has seen a 43 percent growth
in international sales in 2016, with
30,700 units finding new garages.
The brand is now under its third year of
KTM ownership and has seen solid growth
since that 2013 purchase, with a stack of
new models finding their way onto dealer
floors.
The company has been on the front foot
when it comes to introducing new models,
with the 701 Enduro and Supermoto both
being strong performers for the brand.
Husqvarna's solid motocross lineup is still
the backbone of the company, but there's a whole new road lineup on the horizon with the 410 and
eventually the 701 Svartpilen café racer and the Vitpilen scrambler coming soon, bikes that already have
potential customers waiting thanks to their unique styling.
Prior to KTM ownership, Husqvarna (when it was owned by BMW), never sold more than 11,000
units, with a high mark of 10,751. When KTM took it over and reorganized the brand and its lineup in
2013, sales went to 16,337 in 2014 and 21,515 in 2015. Now they've cracked the 30,000 mark with
more new models to come; it's safe to say that Stefan Pierer's gamble of taking on a rival manufacturer
is paying off handsomely. CN
Husqvarna's sales have been mighty
impressive under KTM ownership.
