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      New Harley Davidson X440 Debuts – Made in India by Hero MotoCorp

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      New Harley Davidson X440Looking at some of the images, it seems that Harley-Davidson X 440 has stupendous lean angles, which could translate to a sporty characterHero and Harley-Davidson partnership has unveiled their first new motorcycle – the X440. It will take on the Royal Enfield motorcycles upon launch. In typical American fashion, this affordable Harley-Davidson Roadster comes with a larger engine than Royal Enfield. Going by past Harley offerings, the 440 in X440 will be its displacement.It is a single-cylinder unit with oil-cooling setup and fins for air-cooling. Even though Hero MotoCorp manufactures it in India, Harley-Davidson likely designed the X440. Launch is still distant, but a starting price of Rs. 2.5 lakh (ex-sh) for a barebones model and Rs. 3 lakh for all the bells and whistles is possible.New Harley Davidson X440 DebutsWe see a lot of inspiration from Harley’s Nightster in its muscular fuel tank, round headlight, round speedo on top of its headlight, wide handlebars and minimal body panels. Headlight gets ring-like LED projectors with a horizontal pill-shaped element above them, reading Harley-Davidson.Circular turn indicators have a Harley-Davidson logo in them, a nice attention to detail. At the rear, there is a pill-shaped LED tail light. The circular instrument cluster seems to be a negative LCD unit. But we hope it is a TFT unit with Bluetooth connectivity enabling navigation, calls and notifications.New Harley Davidson X440From a lot of angles, this affordable Harley-Davidson looks like a smaller Iron 883. This might literally be true where the engine is concerned. Hero MotoCorp might use this new powertrain on their upcoming Xpulse as well.Powertrain & ComponentryMade by Hero MotoCorp in India, Harley Davidson X440 is powered by an air/oil-cooled single-cylinder unit with a single exhaust. We expect it to have a 4V head and make around 30 bhp and much higher torque (around 40 Nm), spread primarily in the mid-range. A 6-speed gearbox is very likely. Rear sprocket gets a chain drive, over a belt drive. Refinement could slightly take a hit.Componentry include USD front forks, single disc setup at both ends with dual-channel ABS and equipment by Bybre, twin shock absorbers at the rear, neutral footpegs, alloy wheels, 17″ rear and 18″ front alloy wheels. All this is mounted on a tubular trellis frame. A single stepped seat, blackened engine bay, blackened exhaust are notable elements.New Harley Davidson X440Foot peg positioning looks pretty neutral and slightly higher set. This should enable impressive (from Harley’s standards) lean angles. Street Rod 750 with 210 mm ground clearance is revered as the sportiest Harley. Maybe X 440 can match it.Launch & PricingGiven the larger displacement and Harley-Davidson badge, we expect it to be priced at around Rs. 50K to 80K more premium than Royal Enfield’s 350cc portfolio. That is not a bad proposition, considering Royal Enfield doesn’t pose the same novelty factor as it used to before with large volumes already on road.New Harley Davidson X440A base variant costing around Rs. 2.5 lakh and a top-spec variant costing around Rs. 3 lakh is a good proposition for Harley-Davidson X 440. Hero MotoCorp will be its official distributor in India. Harley-Davidson X440 is different than X350 and X500 motorcycles launched in China recently. Those are based on QJ motorcycles and are China-specific. More

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      2023 Royal Enfield Meteor 350 Spied Testing – Gets LED Headlight

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      2023 Royal Enfield Meteor 350Meteor 350 could become the first 350cc motorcycle from Royal Enfield to feature an LED headlight setupRoyal Enfield rules the 350cc motorcycle segment. In April 2023, their sales in the 350cc segment were over 62k units. Despite having a market share of over 90% in the segment, Royal Enfield continues to be focused on updating their 350cc motorcycles.In comes MY2023 RE Meteor 350, spied testing for the first time. This particular test mule is based on top-spec Supernova trim, but features wire-spoke rims, a silver-finished engine bay and for the first time in Royal Enfield’s 350cc portfolio, an LED headlight. Let’s take a look at everything new.MY2023 RE Meteor 350 Spotted TestingWith this MY2023 update, Royal Enfield is aiming at adding a few more features to the Meteor 350. These new updates with Meteor 350 are likely to bring more retro-ness and classic-ness.We say this because Meteor 350 has always embraced a neo-retro cruiser look, instead of a classic cruiser look. Elements lending Meteor 350 a neo-retro appeal are alloy wheels and a blackened engine bay. Royal Enfield is bringing more chrome into the equation that will uplift its classic appeal considerably.2023 Royal Enfield Meteor 350More chrome is in the form of wire-spoke rims, engine bay finish (think Classic 350 Chrome Red) and headlight housing garnish. Adding more retro charm is an all-new front fender too. Rather, an all-new mud guard for the front fender brings an old-world charm of the yesteryears. Hat tip to automotive enthusiast Aditya Raja for sharing these exclusive spy shots.Mechanically similar to current modelThis new test mule is based on top-spec Supernova trim. Except for the new LED headlights, design changes and chrome additions are less likely to feature on Fireball and Stellar variants. Fuel tank is similar to the current model too. So, no 20L fuel tank like RE offered on the Thunderbird 350 and 500.Mechanically, the same 349cc J-series engine will power the MY2023 RE Meteor 350. Performance figures stand at 20.2 bhp of power at 6100 RPM and 27 Nm of torque at 4000 RPM, mated to the same 5-speed gearbox. The wire-spoke rim variant of Supernova trim along with new chrome additions will probably sell alongside existing variant with black engine bay and alloy wheel.2023 Royal Enfield Meteor 350While LED headlights will be part of the entire variant range. A small price hike could be associated with this update. Currently, Meteor 350 range costs Rs. 2.04 lakh for Fireball, Rs. 2.10 lakh for Stellar and Rs. 2.25 lakh for Supernova trims (all prices ex-sh). More

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      KTM Automatic Gearbox Patent Leaks – Interesting Engineering At Work

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      Image for illustration only. Credit – Motorrad OnlineWhile semi-automatic gearboxes for motorcycles are nothing new, the one KTM is developing is far simpler and more cost effectiveEven when the shift to electric is inevitable, OEMs continue to invest in developing newer technologies for their ICE-based motorcycles. A recent example involves KTM that is developing an automatic gearbox for its 1301cc LC8 V-twin engine. This engine is in use with most of KTM’s touring-oriented motorcycles such as KTM 1290 Super Adventure S/R and KTM 1290 Super Duke GT. New versions of these bikes for 2024 or 2025 are also under development.While the responsiveness and sense of control associated with a manual gearbox is always desirable, an automatic gearbox has its own set of benefits. For example, users can focus more on riding and avoid the possibility of stalling. An automatic gearbox is also useful when negotiating heavy traffic.KTM automatic gearbox patent leaksKTM automatic gearbox – How it works?With its automatic gearbox, KTM will be looking to improve competencies against rivals. For example, Honda already has a DCT system. The company has sold more than 2 lakh motorcycles in Europe, which are equipped with the DCT gearbox. However, Honda’s DCT system is quite complex. It has advanced electronic and hydraulic systems and the clutch and shifter cannot be used in conventional manner. KTM’s automatic gearbox is much simpler in comparison.KTM automatic gearbox comprises a centrifugal clutch that connects the engine and transmission. This is different from the SCS (Smart Clutch System) being used by MV Agusta. KTM automatic gearbox engages at rev range higher than idle, allowing users to start and stop without having to use the clutch lever. While riding, gearshifts can be achieved without disengaging the clutch with the use of an up-and-down quickshifter and blipper system.KTM automatic gearbox patent leaksSolution to prevent the bike from rolling on a slopePatent application filed by KTM reveals a solution to a common problem associated with centrifugal clutch. When parked on a slope with gear engaged, the motorcycle will start rolling. This is because the centrifugal clutch is set to disengaged state by default, disconnecting the engine from the transmission. This is just the opposite of what happens with a normal, manual clutch.KTM automatic gearbox patent leaksA solution to this problem is having a separate parking brake. OEMs like MV Agusta are already using this solution. However, KTM has developed a different solution altogether. KTM has developed a unique locking system that is placed inside the gearbox itself. It stops the bike from turning, which prevents the rolling away of the bike off its side stand.An L-shaped pawl is used to control the turning of the transmission. The pawl is controlled by the shift drum that will engage the pawl only when the user selects ‘Park’. This stops the transmission from turning.One of the key supporting components of KTM’s automatic gearbox is an electric actuator. This is used to move the shift drum. With an electric actuator, the working can be controlled by the bike’s electronics. It could be manual via dedicated buttons or fully automatic. The parking lock is designed as such that it is automatically disengaged when a gear is selected.Source More

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      Royal Enfield sales breakup Apr 2023 – Classic, Meteor, Bullet, 650 Twins, SM650

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      Royal Enfield Super Meteor 650Royal Enfield has posted a YoY and MoM growth in domestic markets while exports fell sharply in April 2023Royal Enfield is leading the 350cc segment in India. Thanks to their motorcycles such as the Classic, Hunter, Bullet, Meteor and Electra, each of which have contributed to outstanding sales growth in domestic markets along with the Himalayan, 650 Twins and Super Meteor.Total sales (domestic + exports) in the past month stood at 73,136 units. This was against 62,149 units sold in April 2022. However, a closer look at the table shows that the company did well in terms of domestic sales both on a YoY and MoM basis while exports finished in the red.Royal Enfield Sales Breakup April 2023Total domestic sales last month stood at 68,881 units, up 27.91 percent YoY from 53,853 units sold in April 2022. It was also a MoM growth of 15.02 percent from 59,884 units sold in March 2023.The list was commanded by the company’s 350cc range. At No. 1 was Classic 350 with 26,781 units sold in April 2023, down 17.79 percent from 32,575 units sold in April 2022. MoM sales were more positive, up 9.46 percent from 24,466 units sold in March 2023. RE Classic 350 currently commands a 38.88 percent share on this list.Royal Enfield sales breakup April 2023RE Hunter 350, a relatively newcomer to the company portfolio, saw sales at 15,799 units in the past month, a 45.96 percent MoM growth from 10,824 units sold in March 2023. Bullet 350 sales improved by 11.79 percent YoY but dipped 2.28 percent MoM to 8,399 units in April 2023 while Meteor 350 sales saw outstanding demand in domestic markets. Sales were up 64.57 percent YoY and 22.33 percent MoM to 7,598 units in April 2023.Royal Enfield sales breakup April 2023There was also the Electra 350 of which the company sold 3,779 units in the past month. The domestic sales list also included 350cc+ segment bikes such as the Himalayan (3,521 units), 650 Twins (1,865 units) and Super Meteor (1,139 units).Royal Enfield Exports Breakup April 2023Exports fell significantly in April 2023 both on YoY (-48.71 percent) and MoM (-65.55 percent) basis to 4,255 units. There were 8,296 units exported in April 2022 and 12,351 units exported in March 2023. Here too it was the Classic 350 that led with 1,239 units exported last month, down 31.05 percent from 1,797 units sold in April 2022. It was also a MoM de-growth of 52.29 percent from 2,597 units shipped in March 2023.Royal Enfield exports breakup April 2023RE Himalayan posted 70.58 percent YoY de-growth but improved by 26.57 percent on a MoM basis to 767 units. There were also 753 units of Super Meteor and 568 units of Hunter 350 exported last month out of which it was only the Himalayan that saw MoM growth of 26.57 percent. Exports of Meteor 350 (565 units) and 650 Twins (363 units) posted YoY and MoM de-growth. More

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      Simple One electric scooter launched – Price, Range, Specs, Warranty, Battery, Charging

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      2023 Simple One electric scooter launchedAfter a long wait, Simple One electric scooter is finally here – Delivery starts from 6th June 2023 in BangaloreOne of the most awaited electric scooter in 2023, Simple One electric scooter has been launched today at a starting price of Rs 1.45 lakh. While it seems like a late entrant in electric two-wheeler race, Simple One has potential to catch up with its range of segment-first features.Just like Ola, Simple One also has ambitious plans to emerge as a leader in electric two-wheeler segment. It will be a challenging task, but not completely out of reach. Electric two-wheeler segment has huge unlocked potential, which can be targeted by new brands. Simple One is aiming to scale faster to be able to become the number one electric two-wheeler manufacturer.Simple One electric scooterSimple One electric scooter styling and featuresSimple One electric scooter has a sporty, attractive design that will definitely find appreciation among younger audiences. The front fascia is especially fascinating and comes across as a compact version of a high-powered maxi scooter. The sharp cuts and grooves exude confidence and dominance, ensuring a strong street presence. The scooter is available in exciting colour options.Some of the key highlights of Simple One electric scooter include its triangular headlamp, prominent side panelling, compact visor, sleek turn signals and funky rear-view mirrors. The scooter has a flat seat design and offers a comfortable, upright riding stance. The entire seat is thick and wide, and long enough for proper pillion comfort. The scooter has chunky grab rails to provide adequate support to pillion riders during fast acceleration and deft manoeuvres across city streets.Simple One electric scooterSimple One is designed for everyday needs as well. There’s ample storage at the front for carrying a wide variety of items. The scooter also has 30 litres of under seat storage. This is big enough to accommodate a full-face helmet. Due to its unique design format exposing the rear wheels, Simple One has equipped the scooter with a saree guard.Simple One electric scooterSimple One electric scooter offers tons of tech including an intuitive smart digital dashboard, smartphone pairing, access to calls and music, screen customization options and turn-by-turn navigation. Users can access a range of connectivity features such as remote commands, remote locking, geo fencing, ride statistics, save and forward routes and OTA updates. Simple One mobile app will be available for both Android and Apple devices.Simple One electric scooter specs, rangePowering Simple One electric scooter is a 4.8 kWh battery pack. It connects to an 8.5 kW electric motor that churns out 72 Nm of peak torque. The scooter will be quite useful in city traffic, as it can accelerate from 0-40 kmph in just 2.77 seconds. Top speed is 105 kmph. Reaching home or office can also be achieved in quick time with a top speed of 105 kmph. The icing on the cake is a best-in-segment range of 212 km, which kind of eliminates the fear of getting stranded with a drained battery.Simple One electric scooterSimple One charging is via 750W charger. It takes 5 hours 54 minutes to charge the Simple One from 0-80% battery. Fast charging is possible, but will be launched in August. Speaking about warranty, Simple One vehicle / motor and battery warranty are at 3 years or 30k kms. Charger warranty is 1 year / 10k kms.Simple One electric scooter has patented CBS braking technology for handling its powerful performance. It has 12-inch wheels at both ends, shod with 90-90 tubeless tyres. The scooter complies with all the new safety standards, as mandated for electric two-wheelers. Simple One electric scooter has a challenging journey ahead, as it will take on popular brands such as Ather 450X, Ola S1 Pro, TVS iQube, Bajaj Chetak and Hero Vida. More

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      Bajaj Pulsar NS200 and NS160 get a new RED colour option

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      2023 New Bajaj Pulsar NS160 and NS200 colourWith this update, Bajaj intends to bring newness into the Pulsar NS range of motorcyclesPulsar NS200 and NS160 get a new colour based on earlier Burnt Red shade. Changes are in the way Bajaj is mixing and matching with other colours like Black and White. And of course, graphics. This new colour follows the recent update which came in the form of USD front forks for NS160 and NS200.Design-front, Bajaj has kept the Pulsar NS160 and NS200 identical to the 2012 model. Over the years, there have been revisions to its graphics, something Bajaj has quite a reputation in. This recent colour update is a reflection of Bajaj’s fondness for stickers, graphics and colours. Other than that, no mechanical updates are on offer.Bajaj Pulsar NS200 and NS160 Get A New Red colourTo keep the product fresh, Bajaj is offering a new colour with both NS160 and NS200. Arun Bajaj, company’s authorised dealer from Nagpur, Maharashtra, shared this update on social media platform Instagram.The major part of NS’ perimeter frame was finished in White before. Now it is gun-metal Grey. Tank shrouds had 160 or 200 written in faded White, which is now faded Grey. Red pin-striping on wheels is now Grey too, instead of Red. Headlight cowl now gets both Red and White stickers instead of just Red before.New Red colourThere is a White sticker in the lower part of the fuel tank, which wasn’t present before. Rear subframe body panels used to get a majority of Black, followed by Red and a tiny amount of White. Now, Majority is Red, followed by White stickering. While Black is completely absent.No mechanical changesApart from the recent update, this new colour doesn’t bring anything new to the table. The new USD front telescopic forks, larger disc brakes, Grimeca calipers from N250 and F250 are notable elements. There are benefits to USD forks as opposed to conventional telescopic forks.This way, there is significantly more front-end feel now which simply can’t be matched by conventional forks on offer before. Other changes include a gear position indicator on the instrument console, which was not present before. We wish Pulsars received Bluetooth connectivity, but the only thing coming close to it is a blue-backlit Bajaj logo.New graphicsThere are still no LEDs on offer in headlights and turn indicators. NS160 still dons the same 164.82cc single-cylinder air-cooled engine, making 15.68 bhp of power and 14.65 Nm of torque. It is coupled to a 5-speed manual gearbox. Whereas, NS200 dons KTM-sourced 199.5cc engine with 24.14 bhp of power and 18.74 Nm of torque, mated to a 6-speed gearbox and liquid-cooling setup.Pricing & ColoursBajaj priced Pulsar NS160 at Rs. 1.25 lakh and NS200 at Rs. 1.40 lakh for single channel ABS models at Rs. 1.36 lakh and Rs. 1.49 lakh respectively (all prices ex-sh). The name of this new Red colour is not yet out. That said, it will join other colours offered with NS160 and NS200.New attractive side profile More

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      Royal Enfield Himalayan 450 wheelbase in focus – Is this the longest RE?

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      Royal Enfield Himalayan 450 spiedThe new 450cc engine on Royal Enfield Himalayan 450 is likely to generate around 30 bhp of power and 40 Nm of torque, mated to a 6-speed gearboxRoyal Enfield Himalayan is a very popular motorcycle which has captivated ADV fans not only in India, but in global markets as well. Current version is based on the 411cc platform. Royal Enfield is readying a 450cc platform to spawn 5 different motorcycles. First of which, will be Himalayan 450.The new spy shots lend a whole new perspective on how long Himalayan 450 will be, thanks to a really long wheelbase. Visually longer than Himalayan 411’s 1,465mm wheelbase. If that is the case, Himalayan 450 will be the longest wheelbase in Royal Enfield’s product portfolio. Also, there is a very good possibility that Himalayan might not come with 21” front wheel as standard.Royal Enfield Himalayan 450 may not get 21″ front wheels as standardRoyal Enfield’s new camouflaging strategies involve cardboard and plastic corrugated sheets as well. Automotive enthusiast Guru Prasad Viswanathan spotted this test mule. The new spy shots lend perspectives, two of which are of stark prominence.One, Himalayan 450 will pack a really long wheelbase. And two, this test mule seems to be equipped with a 17” or 18” front rim. It could be the camera’s angle or uneven terrain, but this wire-spoke front rim doesn’t look like it is 21” in size as outgoing Himalayan 411 and previous test mules.Royal Enfield Himalayan 450 spiedThis might be a conscious choice by Royal Enfield to offer a low seat height for shorter riders. Something similar to KTM 390 Adventure V with suspension components from 390 Duke. Most Himalayan 450 buyers in the future might appreciate this gesture as it aids in handling this motorcycle and flat-footing capability. This version will have reduced ground clearance. Current Himalayan 411 has a 17” rear wheel. New Himalayan 450 could sport an 18” rear wheel like that of an Xpulse 200.Longer wheelbase increases straight-line stabilityOther notable elements include USD front telescopic forks and rear mono shock unit (both non adjustable), a large circular instrument console, a tall windscreen, a stubby exhaust (not very up-swept) and luggage mounts at front and rear, LED headlights, LED tail lights and LED turn indicators.The new 450cc engine will produce around 30 bhp of power and 40 Nm of torque. This new engine gets a liquid-cooling setup and is likely to feature a 6-speed gearbox. The long wheelbase will enhance straight-line stability and cross-wind protection. High ground clearance should ensure acceptable lean angles as well.Launch of the new Royal Enfield Himalayan 450 is expected later this year, at the EICMA 2023. It could be priced in the Rs 2.5 lakh to Rs 3 lakh range. More details will be revealed as the launch date gets closer. More

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      TVS sales breakup April 2023 – Jupiter, Apache, XL, Raider, Ntorq

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      New TVS RaiderTVS posted a YoY growth in domestic sales in April 2023 while exports suffered de-growthTVS Motor Company has seen total sales (domestic + exports) improve on a YoY basis in April 2023. Total sales stood at 2,93,304 units in April 2023, up from 2,78,378 units sold in April 2022. The company however, reported a MoM de-growth in total sales which had stood at 3,05,371 units in March 2023.Total domestic sales stood at 2,32,956 units in April 2023, up 29.04 percent from 1,80,533 units sold in April 2022. This was a 52,423 units volume growth. It was TVS Jupiter that once again led the domestic sales list while TVS Star City 125 saw the most exports to global markets in the past month.TVS sales breakup April 2023TVS Sales Breakup April 2023TVS Jupiter scooter topped the domestic sales list with 59,583 units sold in the past month, down 2.25 percent over 60,957 units sold in April 2022. The Jupiter scooter was at No. 2 on the list of top 10 scooter sales last month, second to the Honda Activa. The Jupiter commands a 25.58 percent share in the company lineup.TVS Apache has seen YoY growth to 38,148 units in April 2023, up 419.59 percent when compared to 7,342 units sold in April 2022. Volume growth stood at 30,806 units. It was followed by the TVS XL moped, sales of which dipped 9.94 percent YoY to 34,925 units, from 38,780 units sold in April 2022.TVS sales breakup April 2023TVS Raider has seen the highest YoY growth in April 2023 as sales improved by 828.39 percent from 3,392 units sold in April 2022 to 31,491 units in the past month. In April 2023, the company also introduced a new base variant called the Raider Single Seat variant while the drum variant was discontinued.TVS Ntorq (26,730 units) and Sport (18,472 units) came in next in terms of domestic sales, both posting YoY growth of 5.79 percent and 42.15 percent respectively. Sales of the Radeon dipped 19.39 percent to 9,375 units last month from 11,630 units sold in April 2023 while iQube sales improved by 338.52 percent to 6,227 units in April 2023 from 1,420 units sold in April 2022. TVS Motor models such as the Star City (4,627 units), Pep+ (2,136 units), Zest (918 units) and RR310 (324 units) each saw YoY degrowth in April 2023.TVS Export YoY de-growth in April 2023Total exports of the company dipped by 38.32 percent in April 2023 to 60,348 units. This was down from 97,843 units sold in April 2022 relating to a 37,495 unit volume de-growth. Most models in the company lineup ended up in the red. TVS Star City 125 was the most exported model last month with 23,910 units shipped. This was a YoY de-growth of 36.94 percent from 37,919 units exported in April 2022. Star City exports also fell by 58.64 percent to 11,936 units last month from 28.860 units exported in April 2022.TVS exports breakup April 2023Ntorq sales improved YoY by 176.97 percent to 7,276 units from 2,627 units exported in April 2022. However, Apache exports fell by 55.04 percent to 5,292 units from 11,771 units exported in April 2022. Good demand was seen for the TVS Jupiter in global markets with 3,548 units shipped in the past month, up 5531.75 percent when compared to just 63 units exported in April 2022.Exports of Raider (3,024 units) and Sport (2,754 units) dipped YoY by 66.92 percent and 54.12 percent respectively. Victor (1,440 units) and Wego (1,078 units) posted YoY growth while Radeon (80 units) and RR310 (10 units) saw exports fall on a YoY basis. More