Issue link: https://read.dmtmag.com/i/752766
AFTERMARKET Reverse LCD instruments attract riders BY LIZ KEENER MANAGING EDITOR Koso North America has been delivering gauges and other electronic accessories to the U.S. and Canadian markets since 2003, but this spring, the company launched its first V-twin line. Koso first introduced its V-twin line at V-Twin Expo in Cincinnati earlier this year. With about 30 products in the first release, Koso unveiled speedometers, tachometers, fuel level gauges, volt meters, an electric temperature and oil level dipstick, USB adapter and more. Koso's parent company has decades of expe- rience, as it began producing scooter perfor- mance parts in Taiwan as Chen Yah Industrial Co., LTD in 1981. Eight years later, the com- pany changed its name to Tong Yah Industrial Co., LTD, and it began building meters and started its electronic production line. Then in 2003, Koso North America was established in St-Jean-sur-Richelieu, Quebec, Canada. After more than a decade of bringing its uni- versal meters to North America, Koso decided to design product specifically built for the V-twin market. "It's a huge market, and a lot of people modify those vehicles," Pascal Lafrance, vice president of Koso North America, said. "They buy the stock bike, and usually they put parts on. There's also a big demand for instruments as well, so we thought it would be a good idea." Koso analyzed the market and found few players in the V-twin instrument segment, so development of the new line began in 2015. Prototypes were created, tested and run by potential customers. "We wanted to make sure that we had the right product before going out to the market. So it's a long process, but we wanted to make sure we were ready," Lafrance said. Much of the product developed for the V-twin market involved new technology that differed from what Koso was already offering in its universal applications, so the R&D took longer than if Koso would've used already- existing technology. "The plug-and-play instruments we have, we had to start from scratch because we use a different type of technology. For example, with the instruments, people like to see the screen totally black. When you shut off the bike, you want to see nothing. We used a different kind of technology to do that, which we don't have in the universal, so we pretty much started from scratch to make that," Lafrance reported. The HD-03 and HD-02 meter products offer black backgrounds with red or blue changeable displays. "It's reverse LCD. If you look at a normal LCD screen, the back of the instrument's going to be blue, and the digits are going to be black. This is the opposite, so when you disconnect the instrument, if you use a normal LCD, you're going to see the screen is grey. This one is totally black. That's why we say it's a reverse LCD because instead of the back being blue and the digits black, it's the oppo- site," Lafrance explained. Reaction at the V-Twin Expo and since has been positive. Dealers and consumers have been happy with the look and the technology, and technicians are glad that installation is quick and easy. "We received a lot of inquiries in the past in regards to developing products for the V-twin market. We followed through with our customers' wishes, which is why we have received great responses from the market," Lafrance said. With the reverse LCD on the new product and quality that comes from Koso's experi- ence, the product has impressed many. "It looks different. There are other com- panies that have been there for many years that are very good, but people want to see new technology, new things, and I think it's pres- sure coming on the market," Lafance said. The V-twin line is available through Drag Specialties, HardDrive and Midwest Motor- cycle Supply. PSB Koso North America adds V-twin line 28 • November 28, 2016 • Powersports Business www.PowersportsBusiness.com WPS (Western Power Sports, Inc.) is pleased to announce that the company has reached an agreement with Alpinestars for distribution of motocross and off-road riding products in the United States. Effective this month, WPS will begin to distribute Alpinestars' off-road and adventure boots, neck supports, knee braces, knee/shin/ elbow guards, chest protectors and roost guards, protective undergarments, moto socks and a limited line of MX casualwear from its six regional warehouses strategically located throughout the United States. To kick off the new agreement, on Friday, Oct. 28, the WPS management team and sales rep force, along with staff from Alpinestars, took part in a ride day at the WPS test track located on-site at WPS headquarters in Boise, Idaho. The ride day enabled WPS sales reps and staff to use Alpinestars products in a real- world track-day scenario before attending product training the next day in downtown Boise. Alpinestars athletes Andrew Short, Justin Barcia and Eli Tomac were on hand to support the event and talk shop with the WPS team. Alpinestars has been the leading innovator of performance protection in motocross rac- ing products since 1963, and early on, Alpin- estars pioneering boots caught the attention of motocross legend Roger Decoster, who became one of Alpinestars' first international athletes and a brand ambassador. From the outset, Alpinestars' vision has been to continually research and develop innovative products that deliver new and higher levels performance, and for more than 50 years this approach has built a rich heritage in motocross racing, motorcycle road racing and further into all disciplines of motorsports from the Dakar to Formula 1. Alpinestars has evolved into a globally recognized brand through its focus on con- tinuous introduction of cutting-edge product technology, which has helped countless world champions past and present to achieve their goals and devoted customers the world over to enjoy their riding every day. TWIN AIR EXTENDS PARTNERSHIP WITH HUSQVARNA RACING Husqvarna Motorcycles is pleased to announce the extension of its partnership with Twin Air, the world's leading air filter and performance accessories manufacturer. The agreement will see the majority of Rock- star Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing teams benefit from the solid support of the world-known firm throughout the 2017, 2018 and 2019 seasons. Twin Air has been at the very heart of off-road racing for almost half a century, developing ground breaking air filters and performance-enhancing products for all motocross and enduro motorcycles. SPEEDMOB MOVES TO A NEW HEADQUARTERS SpeedMob is growing and expanding its office space and warehouse footprint to better serve its customers. On Nov. 1, SpeedMob began operations at its new location: 631 Rail- road Avenue, Suite F, Suisun City, CA 94585. The additional office space will host a new showroom that will display SpeedMob's various products for an enhanced "in-store" experience. The expanded warehouse foot- print will house more on-site products to offer more readily available inventory and quicker shipping. The new location is not the only exciting news from SpeedMob. With the coming 2017 year, SpeedMob plans to add more brands that will be announced in the next few weeks. 2017 will also see a revamped website from SpeedMob, as well as a new advanced soft- ware platform for its network of dealers. All phone numbers and email addresses for SpeedMob will remain the same at the new location. SEMA ANNOUNCES THE BEST NEW PRODUCTS The Specialty Equipment Market Associa- tion (SEMA) announced the winners of the 2017 New Products Showcase Awards at the 2016 SEMA Show. Awards were given to the most innovative and cutting-edge aftermarket products that will be consumable in 2017. In the Powersports Product category, RIGID took the win with its Chase product. Runners up were InduraPower Battery with its InduraPower Series 108 and Advanced Accessory Concepts LLC with the Power Podz Jump Starter/USB/LED Lamp. PSB DIGEST WPS to distribute for Alpinestars motocross product To celebrate the agreement to have WPS distribute Alpinestars product, staff from both companies par- ticipated in a ride day on Oct. 28. The HD-05LT temperature and oil level dipstick is among the first products released in Koso's V-twin line. Koso's HD-03 and HD-02 meters have reverse LCD technology, with a black background and blue or red digits. Koso North America debuted its V-twin instrument line at V-Twin Expo in Cincinnati.