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/126500
Competitive machinery is expensive, usually needs to be built-up from scratch in kit form, and the pounding and abuse the highrevving heavyweights are subje~ted to make them less reliable than production two-5trokes despite the increased maintenance they receive. That doesn't mean four-stroke racing can't be exciting. Not by a long shot. In fact, I think an event like the reeent CMC Four-Stroke Nationals at Carlsbad with top-caliber riders and bikes provides more excitement than its two-stroke counterpart, a 500cc National Championship race. Nothing matches the deep-throated sound nor the intricate beauty of a handbuilt thumper that can be just is exotic as any factory wor.,ks bike. The small accessory companies involved in the Four-Stroke Nationals work all year building and preparing their latest creations just for a one-shot chance at victory and glory. Here is a look at the imponant entries in this past year's event. o 00 0') ....-4 Kelvin Franks Honda Jeff Jennings and David Gerig rode these . Kelvin Franks- built Hondas which use his specially-built frame and swingarm. The engines are XR500 Hondas modified with such goodies as a Hannon cam and Bassani pipe. Yamaha hubs keep the wheel assemblies light, Suspension travel is 330mm at the rear provided by Fox Factory Shox and 320mm at the front with Honda CR forks modified with longer BFI tubes. Weight is llOkg. Franks Racing Products, 17786-F Sky Park Circle. Irvine, CA 92714. 714/546-3484. Pro-Tee 650 Yamaha Rex Staten rode the biggest displacement bike at the Nationals to grab the Championship; a TT500 Yamaha bored and stroked to 650cc by Pro-Tee and stuffed into one of their special frames. Suspension travel is 330mm at each end provided by Fox Factory Shox in back and Fox Factory Forx. Factory Yamaha magnesium hubs help to keep weight down around I 12kg. Pro-Tee, 282 Gemini, Brea. CA 92621. 7141738-0631. . Horsepower Factory Honda .Ron Turner rode for a company which is a relative newcomer in the four-stroke bike building business, but Malcolm McCassy's Horsepower Factory bike looks to be one of the best performing bikes on the track. The 500cc Honda uses their HPF frame and Alba Honda aluminum swingarm. Swingarrn sion travel at the rear wheel is 335mm provided by Fox Factory Shox and 330mm up front with the 44mm Fox Factory FoTX. Special HPF engine modifications give the four-valve Honda motor a flat 45 rear wheel horsepower powerband between 2,400 RPM and 6,000 RPM that looks like a cardiac arrest line. This quick handling thumper tips the scales at 112kg. Horsepower Factory. 320 N. EI Camino Space A, Encinitas. CA 92024. 714/436-8692. Mugen C&J Honda Team Honda riders Donnie Hansen and Johnny O'Mara rode XR500 Hondas modified with C&J frame kits and engine pans which are available from Honda dealers as the High Performance Options Kit and from Mugen; USA. Ohlins piggyback shocks offered 320mm of rear wheel travel and Showa 39mm works forks from Mugen provide 320mm of travel at the front wheel. Weight was about 123kg. C&J Precision Products, 1151 Mission Road, Fallbrook, CA 92028. 7141728-1707. Mugen, USA, 6878 Santa Fe Avenue East. Hesperia, CA 92345. 714/244-6405. • .... to . . i I . Wall Ad YAMAHA SUZUKI SIMI VALLEY CYCLES 2902 LO ~NGELES AVE. SIMI VALLEY. CALIF. (80S) S22-"'3~ 93065 VARNA MAICO DEGUMMED RACING CASTOR OIL .\\AXI.\\A I'IlIxlma Perfonnance Ptoduets 1401 Pioneer WlJY '14 • EI Cajon. CA 92020 (714) 442·9723 Canoga Park Suzuki 7045 Canoga Ave. Canoga Park, CA 91306 2138840413 Open Daoly 9 6 Ci0sed Sunday 9