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/126556
grandma's house, which is about 20 yards from Mark's trailer, and pro· ceeded to do something which takes up quite a bit of Mark's ·time-eating.· Mashed potatoes, white gravy, turnip greens with pepper sauce, green beans, biscuits, corn bread, fried chicken, milk and coffee sat in front of us, amI we feasted. Mark left the table and got involved on the phone settling up the final details of a trip he had to take to Canada for a Suzuki dealer show. After dinner we went back to Mark's trailer and relaxed. "I moved down here to ride and stay away from the parties. That's what most everyone else .does. Alabama is good for romance, riding and recreation, that's why-I'm here." It wasn't long before Mark's plans for next season came up. "I don't know, maybe the 250 class next year. I think I'd have a good chance of taking. it. Kent (Howerton) might ride the 500 class, so that would leave me and Hannah, Hansen. maybe one or two others. Everyone here (America) is getting really serious because we (Barnett, Glover, Howerton) are going so fast. That's why it's easier in Europe, there's no one a whole bunch better like here. "The bikes will be a lot heavier next year, and some of the guys who were going fast might be fading out. I think I can ride a heavier bike really well. We had my stadium bike down to 195 this year, about the weight of a production 125, and next year the AMA limit will be 213. It'll stop development with rhat limit." Motocross took a back seat for the moment and we started making plans to go into Selma, a historical little town on the Alabama River that found its roots during the Civil War. Mark asked me what I wanted to go to town in, as there were some options. He has three Toyota trucks, one he bought, one from Team Suzuki, and the most recent from Motocross Action magazine for winning their rider of the year contest. Along with that is a custom van and aJeep. We decided on the Jeep for this trip. . A few miles down the road Mark turned ff and, pointed us towards a It's about 40 miles from Mark's house. OUf first mission once into town was to pick up Mark's girlfriend Anita. "It (Mark datingl'\nita) was a problem at first. My dad thought I was going to get married right away. I worked really hard for three years to Ret where I am, and I just signed a three year contract with Suzuki. First she'll just have to see if she likes how I have to live." steep upgrade on the' side of a hill. "My new Toyota wouldn't make it, but this will!" and with that he gunned it. The butterflies in my stomach soon ~ubsided when we crested the top, but returned when we turned around and went down the same way we came up. No problems; we took a few more runs just for fun and went into Selma. It was a quiet night in town, with a few people acknowledging Mark with a AS' L SHOEI S-20 GEAR BAGS M ROBERT ALL COLORS M ROBERT HALF STYLE PAD MOTO 3 LIGHTWEIGHT STREET SERIES Reg.76.95 HONDA,YAMAHA, SUZUKI. KAWASAKI Reg.21.95 54.95 GOLD BELT . OAKLEY GOGGLES SHOEI S-22 PROFESSIONAL KIDNEY' PROTECTION Reg.29.95 15.95 21.95 SIMPSON ./ SNELL APPR. OPEN FACE Reg 8 •.95 THE OFF-ROAD RIDERS CHOICE GREAT EYE PROTECTION Reg.21.95 64.95 M ROBERT MODEL 30 17.95 Reg.S7.9S Reg.139.95 87.88 USED BY TOP PROFESSIONALS M ROBERT 110.00 44.95 M ROBERT MX TEAM PANTS CHILDS RIDING BOOT LATEST FEATURES ALL TEAMS & COLORS QUALITY LEATHER 1$ Reg.ll0.00 89.95 Reg.B9.9S FULL STYLE PAD Reg6T.95 79.95 49.95 TEAM JERSEYS Berts Motorcycles SIMPSON MODEL 61 MOTORCYCLE MALL 9OOW. Foothill Azusa. Ca. 91702 213 334-1288 RADICAL STYLING Reg.204.95 160.00 TOP QUALITY LEATHER RED OR BLACK Reg129.95 99.95 SEND CHECK OR MONEY ORDER OR CHARGE IT ON WC OR VISA PHONE ORDERS WELCOME ALL ORDERS FREIGHT COLLECT NYLON VENTED ALL TEAMS & COLORS Reg.19.95 13.95 , ()·.~()f~O&)IJ.li IJ1~rE): 1\ a.;; 1-;" .) J..{ e g. '.f 1 1 i},' r J' ('t.".1Vf •• 11 3 '139.95 21 'I I j 10 TOURING MODEL Reg.157.00 ) ::} .. ,. .,. ,•• ~ • (