According to Kyodo News International:
A Tohoku University, Japan, study group and motorcycle maker Yamaha Motor Co. said Wednesday they have found riding motorcycles useful for brain training.
The group, led by Ryuta Kawashima, a professor who is known for brain research, looked into brain functions as measured by devices put on the heads of 21 males riding motorcycles and found their brains’ prefrontal areas activated. The area covers memory, information processing and concentration functions.
In another test, 22 males who had motorcycle licenses, but did not ride motorcycles often, were divided into two teams — one for … Details
Harley-Davidson Inc. of Milwaukee made the unusual move Thursday of disclosing in a regulatory filing that worldwide retail sales of Harley motorcycles fell 13 percent during the first two months of the year, results that one analyst said topped prior expectations.
U.S. retail sales of Harley-Davidson motorcycles were down 9.4 percent compared with the same period in 2008. …Â Details
Aprilia USA, the U.S. importer and distributor of innovative, technology-driven motorcycles and scooters, finished 2008 with strong sales gains across its expanding product range. The company sold 66.4 % more bikes and scooters to customers in the U.S. market, spurred by the addition of four all-new motorcycles, three fresh scooter models and continued strengthening of its dealer network. Along with plenty of new product arriving from the Noale, Italy based factory, Aprilia USA also continued to add racing successes to its long list of championships, such as the U.S. company’s second consecutive MOTO-ST road race championship and first place in the 2008 Pikes Peak International Hill Climb 750cc category.
For 2009, company executives see more opportunity. “Our 2008 sales results are remarkable, especially in light of overall declining motorcycle industry sales,†says Gary Pietruszewski, Vice President Sales and Marketing, Piaggio Group Americas. “Much of our success can be attributed to … Details
Honda has fueled some of motorcycling’s most significant leaps, including groundbreaking superbike technology in the late 1960s and a radical departure from the contemporary norm a decade later. The models behind these developments are the pioneering CB750 series and the fabulous CBX, which have consequently earned a place in the hearts of motorcycle fans worldwide.
AMA Vintage Motorcycle Days 2009, the country’s premier gathering of vintage motorcycle enthusiasts, will recognize the contributions of those models by honoring the Sandcast Only Owner’s Club (SOOC) and the International CBX Owners Association at this year’s co-Classic Clubs. AMA Vintage Motorcycle Days 2009 is set for July 24-26 at the Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course in Lexington, Ohio…. Details