Hero MotoSports Team Rally, the motorsport team of the world’s largest manufacturer of motorcycles and scooters, Hero MotoCorp, has taken the lead position at the ongoing Rallye du Maroc 2024 with an impressive performance in Stage 1. Hero team pilot Ross Branch emerged as the fastest rider of the stage.

Riders Ross Branch, Sebastian Buhler and Nacho Cornejo, who were competing in the premier Rally GP Class, finished the first stage in 1st, 6th and 8th place, respectively. In the overall Rally GP Class standings, they are currently ranked 1st, 6th and 9th. Branch had the advantage of starting 11th for Stage 1 after placing second in the Prologue, which he capitalised by finishing first by a 48-second cushion over his closest rival. Cornejo started the stage today and made a determined effort to go cautiously across the incredibly challenging terrain, reaching the finish line without suffering any significant errors.

The first complete Stage of the 2024 edition included 180 km of timed sections and an additional 200 km of liaisons. The event organisers had to make last-minute changes to the race strategy yesterday when floods caused delays in the cars' arrival at the bivouac in Zagora. Participants in Stage 1 were dispatched on the Stage 2 course, although with a shorter mileage and later start times. However, this circuit around Zagora turned out to be one of the most difficult stages that Maroc has experienced recently. On rocky, uneven paths badly harmed by the rains, the day began with dangerous pathways that lay ahead, with much of the original routes swept away. In the last stretch, where visible, rolling trails guided the way to the finish line, the riders finally found some solace after risking their journey across narrow dunes.

In Stage 2, the participants will return to the original course planned for Stage 1. This second loop around Zagora will be one of the longest specialities in this year, spanning 314 km in the Sahara and an additional 158 kilometres in road sections.

Rallye du Maroc is the fifth and final round of the FIM World Rally-Raid Championship (W2RC) 2024. Since the second race of this season, Branch has held the top place in the standings chart, and this impressive perfoemance in the Maroc Rally has increased his chances of winning the World Championship title.

Branch said, "I’m happy to have finished Stage 1 with a good result. It was a really tough one – definitely one of the most challenging stages I’ve ever ridden at Rallye Du Maroc! The tracks were really beaten up and washed away from yesterday’s rains, but I managed to pull through. Nacho did an amazing job opening the track; I can only imagine how much more difficult it would have been for him. Opening the Stage tomorrow will be a mammoth task, but we’re pushing forward with confidence."

Buhler said, "It was a very difficult Stage – perhaps one of the hardest I’ve ever ridden here at Maroc. The terrain was full of rocks and rivers, making it challenging to manoeuvre. I tried to maintain a good pace, but it wasn’t easy – every time I went full on the gas, I seemed to be hitting something. I’m glad to have finished well, and I hope tomorrow will be a bit smoother."

Cornejo said, "Stage 1 is complete, and it was very rough, thanks to the rains from yesterday. I did my best opening the Stage, and lost a few minutes here and there. But overall, I’m happy with my focus and navigation. Tomorrow is a new day, so we’ll keep pushing and doing our best – one day at a time."

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TVS Motor Company hosted the TVS Apache Racing Experience International (ARE GP) in Nepal. The event, held at the Vehicle Academy and Research Centre in Satungal, Kathmandu, marks the 20th anniversary of the TVS Apache series and represents the first international expansion of this racing programme.

The initiative provides a platform for owners to operate their motorcycles in a championship environment. Participants receive instruction in race craft and riding techniques from professionals. The selection round in Kathmandu attracted over 55 riders and 300 spectators. Competitors navigated a circuit featuring 10 corners, with performance tracked by lap timings.

The event featured three classes based on engine displacement: 160cc, 200cc and 310cc. The top three finishers in each category qualified for a final at the Madras International Circuit (MIC) in India, scheduled for April 2026. These finalists will compete against riders from four different nations.

Rewards for the championship winners include a trip to a MotoGP event, entry into the TVS India One Make Championship (OMC), and team apparel. The programme also provides winners with a tour of the TVS factory and access to brand events such as TVS MotoSoul. The day included stunt shows, gymkhana sessions and music to create a festival format for enthusiasts.

Vimal Sumbly, Head – Premium Business, TVS Motor Company, said, “As we celebrate 20 years of TVS Apache built on a legacy of TVS Racing, performance and racing led technology the international expansion of ARE GP is a natural extension of our journey to push boundaries and set new benchmarks in motorsport. ARE GP has played a pivotal role in nurturing grassroots motorsports, and Nepal’s rapidly growing community of performance enthusiasts makes it an ideal destination.”

Shahil Agrawal, Executive Director – Jagdamba Motors, added, “Motorsports has always inspired the younger generation and with the launch of TVS ARE GP internationally, starting with Nepal, the platform will support in channeling the aspiration and structure it professionally. The racing format will significantly enhance the visibility for performance motorcycling, nurture local talent and energise dealerships while bringing riders, enthusiasts and communities together. We are proud to partner with TVS Motor Company in creating opportunities for Nepalese riders to compete, grow and represent the country on an international stage.”

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Yulu, an electric vehicle company, has conducted rider awareness initiatives in Bengaluru and Delhi to mark National Road Safety Month. The activities, aligned with the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways (MoRTH) theme ‘Sadak Suraksha, Jeevan Raksha’, aimed to promote traffic discipline among electric vehicle (EV) users and delivery partners.

In Bengaluru, the company held a 5-kilometre rally focused on road safety and anti-drug awareness. The event was flagged off by Inspector R. Veeresh of the Vivek Nagar Police Station and included the participation of 30 police officials. The route covered junctions in Koramangala and surrounding areas to engage with residents and road users regarding responsible riding.

In Delhi, Yulu joined a two-wheeler rally organised by MoRTH and the Delhi Traffic Police at Connaught Place. Flagged off by Additional Commissioner of Police (Traffic) DK Gupta, the event involved 200 riders. These participants interacted with commuters to highlight safety protocols.

The company utilises various platforms to communicate safety information, including in-app notifications, WhatsApp alerts, training videos and workshops held with local authorities. In Bengaluru, Yulu has also stationed safety marshals at junctions to assist riders and ensure compliance with traffic regulations at the request of the city's traffic police.

RK Misra, Co-Founder and President - Ecosystem Partnerships, Yulu, said, “Enabling people to navigate cities safely and securely is a vital part of Yulu’s mission. Therefore, we work closely with all relevant stakeholders — from delivery brands to gig workers and transport officials — to sensitise communities to the importance of responsible and safe riding.”

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Vega Auto has launched a nationwide public safety initiative, ‘Pehnoge to Bachoge’, to address the practice of two-wheeler users carrying helmets rather than wearing them. The campaign aims to shift consumer behaviour from owning helmets to avoid traffic fines to using them for protection on every journey.

India records over 400,000 road fatalities annually, with data showing that more than 55,000 two-wheeler riders die because helmets were not worn at the time of an accident. The campaign features a 60-second film set in Mumbai traffic, depicting everyday scenarios where riders treat helmets as accessories. The narrative ends with a crash to highlight that carrying a helmet provides no safety benefit.

The initiative uses the hashtag #WearItDontCarryIt and focuses on the gap between helmet sales and actual usage.

Vega Auto is calling on influencers, policymakers and citizens to promote helmet wearing as a non-negotiable habit. The campaign identifies a trend where helmets are frequently carried on arms, handlebars, or used as footrests while the rider's head remains unprotected.

Dilip Chandak, Chairman, Vega Auto, said, “Every year we sell lakhs of world-class helmets, yet we see the same heartbreaking sight on our roads where helmets dangle from handlebars, arms, or are used as footrests while heads remain unprotected. At Vega Auto, we celebrate when someone chooses Vega, but our job isn’t done until that helmet is worn on every journey. The statistics are heartbreaking because the solution already exists in millions of homes. Pehnoge toh Bachoge is our commitment to shift the nation from helmet ownership to helmet usage, from evading fines to embracing life. Let’s turn every helmet into the protection it was designed to be.”

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Classic Legends, one of the leading mid-sized motorcycle manufacturers, has been granted a patent for an adjustable visor and speedometer system. The patent, initially featured on the 2025 Yezdi Adventure, is valid for 20 years from 21 March 2023. This mechanical innovation allows riders to modify the height and position of the interface to suit their stature and comfort during road or off-road use.

The company has developed a portfolio of intellectual property, including a previous patent for an Airfilter Multifrequency Resonator used in its 650cc models, such as the BSA Gold Star. Unlike standard resonators that target a single frequency, this technology dampens air-filter noise across the engine's entire revolution range. Classic Legends also introduced the Alpha 2 liquid-cooled 334cc engine, which focuses on thermal efficiency and performance within the mid-capacity segment.

The OEM’s approach focuses on ergonomics and mechanical function. On the 2025 Yezdi Adventure, a centrally routed exhaust is used to manage heat and improve comfort, while twin headlamps are employed for illumination width. For the 2025 Yezdi Roadster, design decisions regarding chassis geometry and mounting strategies allow for adjustable seating and specific riding triangles.

Susheel Sinha, Head – R&D, Classic Legends, said, “This patent may solve a specific rider-interface problem, but it represents how we think about motorcycles. At Classic Legends, performance engineering is not about feature accumulation. It has to bring mechanical clarity and durability to how a motorcycle feels over years of use. It is the same with design decisions that start with the rider and the road. The recognition is fresh encouragement for us to keep building rider-centric motorcycles with a strong engineering foundation.”

Classic Legends continues to invest in in-house R&D and engineering talent, resulting in two granted patents and two pending filings. The company manufactures the 650cc engine for the BSA Gold Star, which is among the largest single-cylinder engines in production in India. Its product range has previously introduced technologies to the mid-sized category including six-speed gearboxes, traction control, and assist and slipper clutches.

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