Ricardo’s ambition to become the international partner of choice for the world’s motorcycle industries — from concept design to full product development, embracing all aspects of vehicle and power-train engineering support — was set in motion with the recent announcement that the company has acquired UK consultancy Vepro Ltd, and is forming a new motorcycle-focused business.

The new Ricardo Motorcycles business combines the strengths of Ricardo plc’s existing in-house motorcycle engineering team, based at the company’s Schwäbisch Gmünd Technical Centre in southern Germany, with UK-based independent motorcycle, power-sport and niche-vehicle consultancy Vepro.

Speaking at Ricardo plc’s AGM, company CEO Dave Shemmans said: “From the luxury high-performance motorcycle brands of Europe, North America and Japan to the much-higher-volume economy-focused commuter products of many Asian manufacturers, the global urban mobility sector is one in which Ricardo plc has a very significant role to play.”

The combined specialist motorcycle and scooter design, development and engineering team of Ricardo Motorcycles will comprise about 90 staff, including 15 who will join Ricardo as a result of the Vepro acquisition.

In addition, the new business can draw upon the skills and resources of the wider global Ricardo organisation.