Harley-Davidson has revealed the 2021 Pan America 1250, the American brand's first adventure motorcycle that truly sheds the well-established conventional norms of what a Harley can be.

Expected to be launched globally in the coming months, the Pan American 1250 looks impressive with a wide circular headlight, a tall (and adjustable) windscreen fit on a high handlebar, the seats are split in design and at 868.6 mm.

The adventure motorcycle is available in two variants: Pan America 1250 and Pan America 1250 Special. Both are powered by the new 150Bhp Revolution Max 1250 engine, a liquid-cooled 1,250cc V-Twin.

 To minimize overall motorcycle weight (Pan America 1250- 242.218 kg,  wet/Pan America 1250 Special- 253.5 kg. wet), the Revolution Max engine is integrated into the vehicle as the central member of the chassis.

The cast-aluminium swingarm minimizes unsprung weight. The chassis is designed with a 62.2-inch wheelbase, ideal for touring capability and agile handling required for off-road manoeuvrability.

The cast aluminium wheels (19-inch front and 17-inch rear) are designed to be strong, yet lightweight, intended for use on paved roads and unpaved surfaces, such as gravel and rocky roads.

 Harley-Davidson and Michelin have collaboratively designed a Scorcher Adventure (120/70- Front, 170/60- Rear) for the Pan America models to meet the demands associated with adventure touring.

The Brembo Dual front brake rotors are 320mm in diameter, at the rear, we have a single rotor at 280mm. A new lightweight front brake master cylinder offers adjustable lever response.

The Pan America 1250 model features premium passive front and rear suspension that is fully adjustable for pre-load and compression/rebound damping. Front suspension is provided by a SHOWA, 47mm inverted cartridge fork. The rear suspension is a SHOWA Piggyback reservoir shock with adjustable hydraulic preload.

The 6.8-inch TFT touchscreen supports infotainment generated by the rider’s Bluetooth-equipped mobile device, including music and calls. Navigation is supplied by the free Harley-Davidson App for iOS or Android.

There are five riding modes on the base model (4 are pre-programmed and one can be customized). The Pan America 1250 Special model has two additional modes that can be customized by the owner

Pre-programed ride modes for the Pan America 1250 models include Road, Sport, Rain, Off-Road and Off-Road Plus. Each Ride Mode consists of a specific combination of power delivery, engine braking, Cornering Enhanced Antilock Braking System (C-ABS) and Cornering Enhanced Traction Control System (C-TCS) settings.

Additionally, Harley-Davidson is the first to offer Adaptive Ride Height (ARH) in the motorcycle industry as an option for the Pan America 1250 Special model only.

The 2021 Harley-Davidson Pan America 1250 costs $17,319 (Rs. 12.53 lakhs) for the standard variant and $19,999 (Rs. 14.47 lakhs) for the top-spec Special offering that comes with additional features like wire-spoked wheels, with tubeless tyres, and adaptive ride height. (TT)

The Yokohama Rubber Co., Ltd., has launched the ADVAN WINTER V907, a new ultra-high-performance winter tyre, as an afterparts tyre for the Mercedes-AMG E-Class luxury sedan.

The newly developed ADVAN WINTER V907 is designed to provide not only excellent performance on snow but excellent comfort and stability even when driving on dry roads at the high speeds. The tyre features a specially designed tread pattern with V-shaped grooves and 3D sipes as well as a centre rib. These features work in tandem with a special tread compound that combines a cap compound for excellent snow performance and an undertread compound for handling stability on dry roads.

To be sold initially through Mercedes-AMG dealerships in Europe, the new tyre will be available in size 245/45R19 102V for front and size 275/40R19 105V for rear. Both the sizes were jointly developed with Mercedes-AMG and carries the ‘MO1A’ mark on the sides, indicating Mercedes-AMG’s approval. Based on the new afterparts tyre, the company also intends to develop an ADVAN WINTER V907 replacement tyre in a larger variety of sizes. Sales will begin in 2025, mostly in Europe, and will be introduced sequentially at tyre dealers.

BYD has selected Continental’s PremiumContact C tyres as original equipment for its Seal U electric SUV. The electric SUV will come factory-equipped with the premium tyres in size 235/50 R19 99V.

The PremiumContact C tyre provides a pleasant and quiet ride. The rubber compound's unique silica lowers rolling resistance and friction by reducing energy absorption through the tyre while the vehicle is moving. This results in a long tread life and good energy efficiency. Together, a noise-reducing design and noise breakers in the tread pattern greatly reduce the tyre's rolling noise. The PremiumContact C offers a low-impact ride even at high speeds because of its rounded contact patch, which uniformly distributes pressure throughout the tyre.

Continental has been refining tyres for over a decade in an effort to produce ever-lower rolling resistance, minimal rolling noise and high mileage. All of Continental's tyres are able to sustainably lower emissions from combustion cars while still meeting the specifications for electric vehicles. Five most successful EV manufacturers in the Asia-Pacific area use Continental tyres as original equipment, as per the company.

Toyo Tires has introduced the Proxes Sport 2, a high-performance summer tyre designed for sports cars, SUVs and CUVs.

The new tyre features a redesigned profile and advanced tread compounds to enhance performance in wet and dry conditions. Compared to its predecessor, the Proxes Sport 2 offers improved handling, shorter braking distances and a quieter ride.

“The Proxes Sport 2 boasts a 15 percent shorter stopping distance in wet conditions and 10 percent shorter on dry surfaces along with improved handling performance over its predecessor, the Proxes Sport,” said Kevin Arima, senior manager consumer products, Toyo Tire U.S.A. Corp. “These improvements enhance the driver’s experience rain or shine on twisty canyon roads or around town.”

The Proxes Sport 2 will be available in over 75 sizes, ranging from 17 to 22 inches, in February 2025.

Atturo Tire has announced the expansion of its AZ810 all-weather tyre line with the addition of 24 new sizes. This expansion brings the total number of AZ810 sizes to 58, catering to a wider range of vehicles, including sedans, sports cars, SUVs, CUVs, hybrids and electric vehicles.

Designed to outperform traditional summer UHP tyres, especially in colder temperatures, the AZ810 offers exceptional wet traction, consistent grip and a smooth ride. The tyre’s versatility and style make it popular for drivers seeking high-performance tyres that can handle various driving conditions.