Cycle News

Voices America.s weekly motorcycle newspaper Volume XXXVI Sharon Clayton, President Michael Klinger, Publisher Editorial Paul Carruthers, Editor Kit Palmer, Associate Editor Scott Rousseau, Associate Editor Mark Hoyer, Manoging Editor Keith Bush, Assistont Editor/Copy Editor Matt Freeman, Assistnllt Editor Alan Cathcart, Ellrope11n Editor David R. Holther, Copy Editor Advertising Western States (714) 751-7433 Terry Pratt, National Accollnts Manager Mark Thome, Western Sales Manager Forrest Hayashi, Weste", Sales Mannger Rhonda Crawford, Ad Coordinator Bridgett Bobrofsky, Assistant Advertising Eastem States (770) 934-7850 Greg Mitchell, Eastern Accounts Manager jim Clark, Easterll Sales Manager Carla Allen, Ad Coordinator Marketing &: Promotion Mark Thome, Director Forrest Haya hi, Manager Kory Klinger, Denier Representative LETTERS TO THE EDITOR Good PACE Adopted son I would like to comment on two things. First, to all those who wrote letters to Cycle News about not having Virtual Grandstand: Get over it. I have listened to the last two su percross races on the PACE web site and it was great. The audio player is simple to download and install, and I have it installed on three computers already. The coverage is great, and they reference the track map a they do the play-by-play. Sorry, Cycle NIWS, but it is better than Virtual Grandstand. Secondly, I was at the Missouri State Motocross banquet where Jeff Emig spoke to us. It was great. The series, the tracks and the banquet, were a big succe s. Thanks, Jeff Emig and the series' sponsors. I can't wait for next year. I would also like to thank my sponsors for their support - I finished thi rd in 250cc Intermediate. Casey Haynes St. Louis, MO Below is a portion of an e-mail we received from Antonio Maklauf, our adopted rider from Costa Rica a t the 1998 I DE in Australia. We thought the others who went as support crew for Team USA would like to read it. "Hola Queridos amigos: "Thanks again. Without your upport, I could have never made the medal that made me the first person in Central America to finish an !SDE. I really hope to see you again and talk about Australia..." Tommy and Linda Thomson Belfair, WA Middleweight Shootout New Media Development Rick Matheny, Webmaster Classified Ads Melissa Alvarado Graphics and Production Mandy Loo, Art Director Dennis Greene, Lab. Tech. Amanda Wollny, Lead Graphic Artist Sandi Gettys, Grapllic Artist Paul Fisher, GraphiC Artist Administration judy Klinger, Coordinatar Pam Klein, Administrative Assistant AccountingfData Processing Donna Bryan-Diamond, A/R Coordinator Geneva Repass, Assistant Theresa Milburn, Credit Circulation Alma Anguiano, Circlliation Manager Carol Maggio, Processing Coordinator joy Lau, Dealer Coordinator Service and Support Shannon Clark, Receptionist jim Olson, Service and Support National Headquarters 3505-M Cadillac Ave., Costa Mesa, CA 92626 P.O. Box 5084, Costa Mesa, CA 92628-5084 (714) 751-7433 FAX (714) 75Hi685 I was very happy with your 600cc Shootout. I wish you could have induded some horsepower/torque charts, but it was great all the same. You stated that the Yamaha R6 had 94 horsepower, just ahead of the ZX6. Where did the Honda and Suzuki fit in? Suzuki claims to have improved midrange power and torque - could you telI? I am going to buy one of these four 600 next month and have to rely on input from you, ince we all know that you get to testride them first. I know appearance seems to be a deciding factor a lot nowadays, and in that aspect 1 like the GSX-R best. I'm of a size (5-foot-7 and 140 pounds) that ergonomics don't really matter much. My last 600 was a '95 YZF600 California model. How will the Suzukj stack up against that? I can't wait for my first Cycle NI!WS to arrive. A great many of us buy these bikes based on what you recommend, since we don't get to test-ride them. Thanks in advance. Shane Kelsey skelsey@aol.com You:U find all lhe information you're looking for when your printed version of Cycle ews arrives. You obviously read the story on Cycle News Online, but there's more information - including the c1lOrts you are looking for - in tire printed version ... Editor 4188 First Ave., Tucker, GA 30084 P.O. Box 805, Tucker, GA 30085-0805 (770 934-7850 FAX (770) 934-3112 e��ma.il editor@cydenew .com subscribe@cyclenews.com Anaheim conversation Here are some random quotes from the Anaheim Supercross on January 9. "Who's in this race?" "I don't know - it's not listed anywhere:' 'Who got second?" "1 don't know, they only put up the winner." "Who transferred into the main?" '1 don't know, they don't show ya." 'Who's the Ralph's guy?" II] don't know." ''Those drunk chicks are taking their shirts off in front of the kids!" "Perfect." "The Thor track crew are cheering them on and taking pictures." " oway." "Look, the ESP camera man is there, too." "1 can't believe they're encouraging them." , ow there's a guy with no pants right in front of the kids." "Aaaaahhhh!" "Someone punched the guy with his pants down." "Good." "How cool would it be if they'd put the riders' names and numbers on the big screen for each race?" "So you could actually see what you were looking at?" "Yeah." "And maybe the finishing order, too." IINever hapJ;en." "Let's bail next year." "You say that every year." "I know, [ know - at least we��can check it out on Virtual Grandstand." Come on, PACE, you've styled the partygoers with more fireworks than the Fourth of July - how about doing something for the race fans? All we want to advertising@cyclenews.com INSIDE: ISSUE #4 FEBRUARY 3. 1999 Intemet http://www.cyclenews.com Cycle cws (USI'S 141��340) is published weeldy except the last two weeks of the calendar year for S50-OO per )'ear by Cycle NC"o'.��~ Inc������ 3S05-M Cadillac Avenue, Costa Mesa. CA 92626. Periodicals Postage Paid at Costa Mesa. CA and at additional mailing office. Canacb Post Intem.ltionaJ Publications Mail 1546615. POSTMASTER: Send address chmgts to Cycle Box 5084, Co ta Mesa. CA 92628-5084. Subscription rates: R.ltes for the United Slales and its p0ssessions for one year (SO issues). $50.00; hvo years 000 issues), 595.00; six months (25 is:>ues), 526,00; trial sub OS issues), 519.00, Canada and Foreign, one year (50 issues). 590.00; two years (lelO issues), 5175'(Xl; six months (25 issues), 545.00; trial sub 05 issues). $38.00. Cycle New!! welcomes unsolicited editorial m.1terial including stories, cartoons. photos, etc. Such material. if published. becomes the exclusive property of Cycle News, Reprinting in whole or part only by permission of the publishc:r. AdvertiS"" ing rates and circulation information will be sent upon requcst. 5�� S.R.OS. AUDITED CIRCULATION Printed in U.S.A. 4 Co~yrigh SUPERCROSS Round 3 - AMA U.S. Supercross Series 6 from Phoenix, Arizona Cycle News, lnc.l999. Tr.ldemark Cycle News registered U.S, Patent Office. All rights reserved. EVENTS _ 22 NEW PRODUCTS 32 RACER TEST Aaron Slight's Castrol Honda RC45 ....12 RESULTS .32 CALENDAR .34 ARENACROSS Rounds 15 & 16 - AMA/PJl National Arenacross Series from Hampton, Virginia : .14 WANT ADS 42 CHiCANERy .59 LOOKING BACK .59 RALLY Dakar Rally ON THE COVER ews, P.O. To determine the expiration date of your subscription, check the four numbers on the first line of your add.m5label. The fitst two digits indicate the l.lSt issue numlm' you'D receive and the last two characters indicate the year of the last issue. W/Bn'A V ...!'"~ DEPARTMENTS FEATURES .16 INTERVIEW Erion Racing's Kurtis Roberts 18 RIDING IMPRESSION 1999 Triumph Speed rtiple 20 Jeremy McGrath won his first AMA Supercross of the season when the series visited Phoenix, Arizona. Photo by Kinney jones. Inset: Scott "Wheelie King" Rousseau puts the Triumph Speed Triple through its paces. Photo by KinneyJones. know is who is on the line, and how they finished, with names and numbers on the big screen. How hard could that be? If the crowd knew more about what was happening on the track, th.ey would be less likely to cause problems in the stands. Try promoting a race instead of a party. In addition, local people go to the supercross. Virtual Grandstand is for race fans across the country - thanks for taking that away. Bill Bouman San Oemente, CA Anaheim II I heard someone complain at the Anaheim Supercross (a nonhardcore supercross fan) about the fact that it was hard to follow the race and know who was in the lead - especially towards the end. when you get lappers in the way. I thought that was a good point. Why don't they use the scoreboards to keep everyone informed on who is at least in the lead? (Or maybe the top five.) This way, even the nonhardcore fan could know what's going on. The announcer was good, but 90 percent of the time you couldn't understand a word he said. Maybe [ should direct this to PACE, but I thought you could mention it to some higher-up big cheese who could do somet.bing about it. One last question: Why in the world would they allow a 400cc four- troke to compete against a 250cc two-stroke? For one thing, it sounds like a Harley being chased by an angry swarm of bees. Seriously, isn't that bike in the wrong class? One more point: Congratulations to KTM for bringing the little guy to supercross. My 7-year-old son wants to go riding on Sundays at Starwest after seeing the little guys in action. He wants to be like McGrath now. (Don't we all?) Joe Jimenez joej imenez@aoI.com Homologation? In Iigh t of the letter submitted by Charles Lake regardin the addition of Scott Ru sell to the arley-Davidson team, I offer this wondrous insight: Why are we even mentio ing the words Harley-Davidson, or for that matter Honda RC45, in the ame breath as AMA Superbike racing? Apparently, the originally intended designs of the sport - prod uction-based, showroom-similar machines available to

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