Need a quick hit of motorcycle news, but don't have a lot of time? Don't worry, RideApart has got you. Welcome to Speed Reads, our new roundup of bite-sized stories we thought you might find interesting. We'll skip the long-winded intro and get right to the good stuff.
Red Bull KTM Factory Rider Matthias Walkner Will Not Race At Dakar 2024 Due To A Broken Leg In Training
Both Walkner and his teammate, reigning Dakar champion Kevin Benavides, suffered injuries sustained in the US while training for Dakar 2024. Thankfully for Benavides, his injury wasn't serious enough to keep him away from the Rally in January. While he did have to adjust his training schedule, that's better than what happened to Walkner.
“It’s been a very difficult few days for the team here in the United States. Training for the Dakar had been going extremely well, with all riders working very hard. Kevin damaged his leg last Sunday, but thankfully, it wasn’t too bad. We hope he will be back to near full fitness by Dakar," Red Bull KTM Factory Rally Team Manager Andreas Hölzl began.
"On Monday, Matthias had a nasty crash while training, which ended up in him having several fractures. The surgery went really well, and they have attached a fixator to his left leg to help the recovery. But he will require more surgery, once the swelling starts to go down. Obviously, these two incidents have been a massive blow to the team, but we will continue to look ahead and do all we can to be as strong as possible for Dakar. The whole team wishes both Matthias and Kevin a quick and full recovery," he concluded.
As it turns out, Walkner broke his tibia, fibula, and also his ankle joint in the crash. Here's hoping he heals as speedily and well as possible.
Trackhouse And Aprilia Are Teaming Up On A Three-Year MotoGP Agreement
NASCAR fans likely already know the Trackhouse name, but this is its first foray into the world of two-wheeled motorsport. Owned by former NASCAR and IMSA driver Justin Marks and his Grammy Award-winning business partner Pitbull, the Trackhouse partnership with Aprilia will be a new independent team entry into the MotoGP field.
"We are happy and proud to welcome Trackhouse into the Aprilia Racing family. What they have been able to build in a very short time in NASCAR is an extraordinary presentation card, which anticipates the potential of this partnership," Aprilia Racing CEO Massimo Rivola said in a statement.
"This is thanks to Justin Marks and his team, whom I got to know through my long-time friend PJ Rashidi, and with whom we were immediately in sync both in terms of technical ambitions and marketing and communication developments in such an important market as the US. Our commitment will increase significantly, a responsibility we gladly take on because, I am sure, it will allow us to grow even more," Rivola concluded.
KTM, Husqvarna, And GasGas Parent Company Pierer Mobility To Cut Up To 300 Jobs In Mattighofen, Among Other Changes
In a notice to investors dated December 5, 2023, Pierer Mobility outlined a few significant changes that it intends to make in the immediate future. The notice bore the rather benign title of "Pierer Mobility: Strategy Sharpening and Guidance Adjustment," but the contents seem more consequential than the title might lead a casual reader to expect.
The document contains four key points. The first one reads, "Focus on the core brands KTM, GasGas, Husqvarna, and MV Agusta." Although MV Agusta is not yet fully controlled by the Pierer Group in 2023, as you may recall, the company previously announced that plans are underway to gain a controlling interest sometime in 2026.
To facilitate the focus on powered two-wheelers, Pierer is selling off its two non-motorized bicycle brands, R Raymon and Felt. According to PMG, the deal for R Raymon has already been signed and will be completely closed by the end of 2023. It will now become an independent brand under new ownership. Felt, meanwhile, is being sold to a consortium with a deal that will close sometime in the first half of 2024.
PMG also mentions that it will revise its reporting structure into two segments: Motorcycles and E-Mobility. Importantly, electric motorcycles will be reported in the E-Mobility category, along with electric minibikes and stand-up scooters.
What is perhaps PMG's biggest announcement in this investor notice is that, in order to tighten its belt amid "unfavorable economic conditions in Europe," the company plans to "relocate parts of production for individual mid-range models and certain R&D activities to strategic partner Bajaj Auto, India and CFMoto, China.
Along with this shift, PMG says it may cut as many as 300 employees at its Austrian locations sometime in 2024.
Watch Daniel Arsham Walk You Through His MV Agusta x Daniel Arsham Superveloce Design
The MV Agusta x Daniel Arsham popup at Perrotin Art Basel Miami will only be open to visit through December 10, 2023. Since it's now December 8, 2023, you'd better move fast if you want to see it in person.
Whether you can make it in time or not, Arsham popped up on MV Agusta's Instagram to offer some insight into how the bike was made. Although it ups the art quotient considerably, it's still a functional bike, just with many custom touches.
Did you have the chance to see it in person? Do you plan to see it before it leaves? Let us know in the comments.
Like your news in bite-size form? Be sure to check back each weekday for more. Happy reading and riding!
