Cycle News is a weekly magazine that covers all aspects of motorcycling including Supercross, Motocross and MotoGP as well as new motorcycles
Issue link: https://magazine.cyclenews.com/i/108863
P30 IN THE WIND power, "because you can't get on the throttle as you would like, for example, a 600 you can get on the throttle a little bit more, let's say, aggressive. On a 1000 if you do that, you get thrown over. So I think the main thing is getting off the corners and you have to adjust a little bit and be more precise and more gentle with the throttle." The team has tested twice with Cardenas, once in Las Vegas and also at Chuckwalla. There are two more tests planned, a return to Las Vegas and a final shakedown at Willow Springs, which will be the highest speed course of the three to prepare him for the Daytona season-opener. Cardenas was hopeful of being 100 percent comfortable on the Suzuki when he arrives at Daytona, but he wasn't certain that would be the case. "I think when we get there you can see really where we're at," he said of the mid-March curtain raiser. Part of hitting that comfort level is becoming more familiar with set-up. He said there were more things to adjust than on a 600, and he was at the beginning of the learning curve. "And there's millions of combinations you can do with the electronics, suspension, the geometry of the bike. So a few more things to adjust to, but it's going quite good." Cardenas won his championships by being consistent and winning races. Now that he's in the senior class, he'll have to face three-time AMA Superbike Champion Josh Hayes and his Monster Energy Graves Yamaha. Despite Hayes' success, Cardenas said he wasn't going to change his approach. As for facing off against Hayes, he said, "I don't think it's just him. I think this year the Superbike grid… there's a bunch of fast guys. But definitely he's the one I've seen on the top spot for a few years. So I think it's going to take a lot of effort and also be in a very good shape… also luck, not to get hurt, not to get injuries, I think that combination of all those things can be the main thing." Henny Ray Abrams 2013 AMA SUPERBIKES: 9 ROUNDS? T he AMA Pro Road Racing Championship remains at nine confirmed rounds after the Circuit of the Americas in Austin, Texas, decided against hosting a round of the series. The Austin round was the TBA (to be announced) listed on the calendar in the August 23 to September 8 time frame. But after extensive negotiations with AMA Pro Racing about holding the race on Labor Day weekend, circuit officials chose not to go forward. Other than the nine confirmed races, the other possibility is for a race to be held during the long break between Daytona and Road America. The current schedule lists a TBD (to be determined) between April 1 and May 26. If no racetrack is willing to host the championship, there will be a two-and-a-half month break between the March 14-16 season opener in Daytona and the sec- The AMA Superbike Series will feature nine rounds – and one of them won't be at Road Atlanta. ond round at Road America from May 31 to June 2. A phone call to AMA Pro Racing requesting clarification on the schedule wasn't returned in time for this issue. Henny Ray Abrams