Cycle News

Cycle News 2014 Issue 19 May 13

Cycle News is a weekly magazine that covers all aspects of motorcycling including Supercross, Motocross and MotoGP as well as new motorcycles

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Michelin made a couple of costly blunders, no- tably at Laguna Seca in 2008, after snootily de- clining to take part in a pre-race tire test there. By then the French company was already on the back foot, with one rider after another de- manding to switch to the ever-improving Bridge- stones. Rossi was the first; Dani Pedrosa fol- lowed, rather sensationally mid-season. At the same time, all three tire companies had been engaged in a protracted game of hide and seek with Dorna's Carmelo Ezpeleta, striv- ing to bring vaulting costs under control. For some years attempts to limit tire numbers and tests had failed to make headway. As the fight between Bridgestone and Michelin continued to escalate, Carmelo put his foot down. From 2009, MotoGP would run on control tires. Michelin withdrew, Bridgestone reluctantly accepted. They've made their blunders too. During 2012 there was a particularly bad spell of tires that were treacherously difficult to warm up. Out-lap or first flying lap highsiders were very frequent; victims were many. Including all the big names. The matter was fixed, but the chorus of com- plaint about how long it took resounded. Only last year came the debacle at Phillip Is- land, when the race not only had to be shortened on the unexpectedly abrasive new surface, but with a compulsory bike-change pit-stop for new tires. Overall, however, the achievement has been impressive, considering that these are one-size- fits-all covers. The current Bridgestones warm up well, grip well, and last extremely well. Often the last laps are the fastest, and race lap records continued to tumble. Although there are still cir- cuits where the 2008 "tire wars" lap times, set on supersoft qualifiers, have yet to be bettered – Le Mans, Catalunya, Sachsenring and Qatar, where the 2008 lap record also still stands. Bridgestone's decision to quit has left every- one staring into the abyss. It's not a pretty sight. There is slim comfort in the knowledge that at least it's the same for everybody. CN VOL. 51 ISSUE 19 MAY 13, 2014 P123 LOOKING BACK 40 Years Ago May 21, 1974 Enduro riders were pictured on the cover of Cycle News 40 years ago to accom- pany our coverage of the Black Hills En- duro in Washington. Mike Hennen, on a Bultaco, was the overall winner… Marty Smith, Pierre Karsmakers and Kenny Zahrt were the big winners at the AMA MX Qualifier at Valley Cycle Park in Cali- fornia… The issue also had our coverage of the Belgian 250 MX GP won by Sylvain Geboers… We also had a feature on the 1974 works bikes of the MX GP circuit. 30 Years Ago May 23,1984 Eddie Lawson was pictured on the cover for winning the Spanish GP… We covered the Ascot Half Mile where Scott Parker edged out Ricky Graham by a wheel for the win… It was a Honda sweep at the Atlanta National Motocross, where Johnny O'Mara (125), Ron Lechien (250) and David Bailey (500) all won… It was another close one in Indiana where Mike Melton edged out Johnny Martin for the Burr Oak Na- tional Enduro win. 20 Years Ago May 18, 1994 Mike Kiedrowski made front-page news for winning the Seattle Supercross at the Kingdome. A flat tire prevented Jer- emy McGrath from clinching the title… Scott Russell also got a portion of the cover for grabbing a win at the Donington Park World Superbike… Ty Davis won the Wells-to-Wendover National Hare & Hound. 10 Years Ago May 19, 2004 Brian Jorgensen was featured on the cover for winning his first MX1-class GP in Germany… The WORCS Series trav- eled to Colorado and the Avalanche OHV Park where Nathan Woods left with the win… For the first time, the Minimoto Su- percross was held at the Orleans Arena in Las Vegas. Tommy Hofmaster and Jer- emy McGrath were some of the night's big winners. Subscribe to nearly 50 years of Cycle News Archive issues: www.CycleNews.com/Archives

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