NEW CONCEPT BIKES AT EICMA 2022
KSR with Malaguti and Brixton at EICMA 2022
After a forced break due to the pandemic, the EICMA motorcycle show was held again in Milan. KSR was there with Malaguti and Brixton Motorcycles and again attracted attention with three brand new prototype motorcycles.
KSR has always been closely associated with the EICMA motorcycle show. The biggest milestones with Malaguti, but especially with Brixton Motorcycles, are traditionally seen first at EICMA. This was also true in 2022: with the rugged Storr adventure motorcycle and the unconventional beach cruiser Layback, two original motorcycles were presented on the Brixton stand. The Malaguti stand also featured the XAM prototype. In addition, the entire range of 2023 models was on display at the two stands.
Brixton Motorcycles: for earth travellers and beach boys
At EICMA 2015, Brixton was first introduced as a new motorcycle brand. The manageable trade show of the related BX 125 prototype was hosted at the booth of engine oil manufacturer Liqui Moly. Two years later, the first 125cc models were delivered to dealers and shortly afterwards the first four-cylinder models. Then, in 2018, the Crossfire 500 πIt was a sensation – the concept with its unmistakable design was to go into series production just a year later. And just these days, KSR and Brixton Motorcycles are once again attracting attention in Milan with the mid-range adventure motorcycle Storr and the Layback e-cruiser.
The name Storr comes from the rock formation of the same name on the Isle of Skye in Scotland. It is the first model developed in collaboration with design studio RiDE based in Salzburg. The vehicle is powered by the Crossfire 500 engine, which is now also known for its outstanding durability. The Storr has a utilitarian design, with everything on it serving a purpose – from the tall windshield and tank shoulders that tilt forward to the elongated passenger handles and backpack-style luggage rack.
The concept bike Layback is moving in a completely different direction. Here, Brixton draws from the world of skateboarding and surfing, as it did with the skateboard-based BX 125 SK8 – but here, in the case of the Layback, in a completely different way. The Layback alludes to a movement in which the surfer leans way back on the board – a relaxed stance that is also inscribed on the concept bike. The Layback is Brixton’s first moped with an electric motor. A battery is supported by solid steel tubes and the concept’s innovative design means it’s extremely low to the ground, creating space for luggage – in the case of the Layback concept at EICMA, a beach bag and, above the saddle, a bath towel. The concept sees itself as a laid-back, casual beach cruiser that doesn’t want to take itself too seriously.
Malaguti: tradition and modernity for 2023
When KSR took over Malaguti in 2018, the first step was to bring the heritage-rich brand back to the world of two-wheelers and put it on a solid footing. Now, at EICMA 2022, four years after the launch, KSR presents Malaguti more modern than ever and at the same time closer to the brand’s great history.
Founded by Antonio Malaguti, the boundaries between bicycle and motorcycle were fluid. It’s not much different at Malaguti today. The concept Malaguti XAM closes the gap between bicycle and motorcycle – only with an electric motor instead of an internal combustion engine. The off-road model, which weighs only 70 kilograms, will be available with registration approval. With excellent value for money, the company feels particularly committed to the young audience, as was already the case with Antonio Malaguti.
Also on the Malaguti stand in Milan was the DRAKON125, the spearhead of the brand, which has been available on the market for the first time for a few weeks. With its flowing but sharply drawn lines, it defines Malaguti’s new design language. KSR’s development team explained the approach for the dynamic DRAKON as early as 2019 in the four-part range Unstoppable Series.
The existing models XSM and XTM125 have been upgraded and will be available at the beginning of the 2023 season. Both the off-road oriented XSM125 and the lightweight supermoto XTM125 follow the DRAKON design. The exhaust system, saddle, full LED equipment and ABS are also new. The lines of the MADISON125 have also been redesigned – the dynamic scooter is the first model to be developed in collaboration with GPX in Thailand.
About MALAGUTI
The history of the long-established Malaguti brand began in Bologna in the 1930s with a small shop and bicycle workshop run by founder Antonio Malaguti. Early on, Malaguti recognised the signs of the times, produced its own bicycles and shortly afterwards developed the first range of small motorcycles. In 1958, the soul of Malaguti conquered the streets of the world and finally, in 2003, Malaguti entered the racing world. In 2018, the brand was bought by the KSR group and revived. Since then, Malaguti has been designed, developed and produced again, reviving the spirit of Bologna with accessible sporty style and emotional design.
About BRIXTON MOTORCYCLES
“Any direction. As long as it’s your own“. This was the slogan under which the Austrian KSR Group presented its new BRIXTON MOTORCYCLES brand at the 2015 EICMA International Motorcycle Show in Milan. Unconventional and unconventional, classic but without kitsch elements and equipped with cutting-edge technology – with these ingredients, BRIXTON MOTORCYCLES started series production in 2017. Brixton motorcycles are exported to around 40 countries worldwide and in many of these countries Brixton is already one of the most popular 125 cc and 250 cc manual motorcycles. At the KSR Group’s design and development centre in the Krems-Gedersdorf business park (Austria), work is constantly being carried out to further develop and expand the model range.