Cycle News - Archive Issues - 1980's

press conference. Asked if he knew who would be Eddie Lawson's teammate in 1984, Roberts said, "Yes. It will be a Yamaha. Oh no? It's between Kel Carruthers and Giacomo Agostini," Udo Gietl, Honda's road racing team manager, said that "works type" Superbike engines began being shipped last week to riders who qualified, and according to other sources, had the reponed 10,000 purchase price. Honda will also be selling their 250cc GP racer, but that won't be available until April, according to Gieu, Also, Honda will announce a contingency program for Formula One, Formula Two, Superbike and club racing events sometime in the near future. The Harley-Davidson Motor Company has entered into a retail financing agreement with Ford Motor Credit Company, Vaughn L. Beals, Harley-Davidson chairman, and James W. Ford, Ford Credit chairman, announced January 6. "We strongly believe that one of the best ways that HarleyDavidson can assist our 700 U.S. dealers and their customers is to provide a national retail financing source:' 8eals'said, adding "the agreement provides new support for our dealers. Through Ford Credit's network of 141 'vehicle sales finance branches, all the dealers will have the same convenient and reliable national financing source." Beals said that Harley-Davidson had been seeking a national financing arrangement for some time. He said that Ford Credit's branches should be ready within the next 60 days to accept Harley-Davidson retail customer applications. The entire HarleyDavidson line of motorcycles may be financed through Ford Credit, 8eals said. Ford Credit will provide typical motorcycle financing rates and payment terms of up to 36 months. Freddie Spencer added yet another honor to his collection since winning the 500cc Road Racing World Championship when he was named M otorweek Illustrated Champion Spark Plug Racer of the Year on Saturday, January 7. Spencer was the unanimous choice ofthe weekly TV show's staff. Others who were in the running included MXer David Bailey and auto racers Bobby Allison, Teo Fabi and Nelson Piquet. "It was a tough choice," said host Dave Despain, "but the M otorweek Illustrated staff felt Freddie Spencer was the best individual representative of American motorsports on a world wide scale." Ironically, Spencer, who is a Honda dealer in his hometown of Shrevepon, Louisiana, received a Honda Interceptor for winning, along with a Bell helmet. Spencer donated the motorcycle to the Shreveport Lions Club to be raffled off at a fund raiser for the Lighthouse for the Blind. "Since Freddie donated the bike to the Lions," said Despain, "we didn't want him to go away empty handed so we arranged for an all-expence-paid trip to Mexico which Spencer said he will take sometime after Daytona Cycle Week in March. That trip will be courtesy of Aero Mexico." Ken Maely, who has been making steel skid shoes for dirt trackers for over 30 years and is best known as "The Shoeman," was doing a bit of globe trotting in December. "I just came back from nearly four weeks in China on an engineering project for their government," said Maely. "I don't want to get into specifics, but it did have to do with consultation on development of a four-stroke street bike for their domestic market. I'll be making another three or four trips during the year. I took my time coming back and visited a number of exotic islands." Maely's four-stroke credentials come from his design and manufacture of the Maely speedway engine as well as consulting, research and development projects with manufacturers Honda, Yamaha and Husqvarna. Dave Fulton has assumed responsibilities as team manager for the Wrangler Supercross Series as well as the Wrangler Trador Pulling Championship. Fulton, 35, spent the last two years as team manager for Wrangler's NASCAR involvement. He takes over for Kathy Hoy, who moved to Fulton's previous position. The annual AMA District 37 awards banquet is scheduled for January 27 this year, and things will begin at 8 p.m. The location is the Sportsman's Lodge, and the address is 12833 Ventura Blvd. in Studio City. We're told that in addition to all the number one plates, there will be dancing, raffles and other neat things. For more details, contact Charleen Ho at 818/8944793. As you read this, this BMW (above) and Honda (below) are in action out in the African desert. They're both factory entries for the January 1-21 Paris to Dakar Rally. We'll have a full report early next month. Scott Pearson, who suffered a serious k!!ee injury while practicing last year, will return to contest the 1984 AMA Grand- ational Championship/ Camel Pro Series. "My knee has gone £rom 20 degrees of movement to 106 degrees, and I've been riding on it for two months now," said Pearson, who recently moved to Ceres, California. Pearson said his program for next year will consist of Hondas on the shorl tracks and Harleys for the miles and half miles, with Craig Filmer maintaining the bikes, and Steve Storz doing the primary motor work on the Harley. Help for Pearson's anempt will come from PIC Racing, Megacycle Cams, SuperTrapp, Circle Bell Industries, Works Performance Shocks and Shoei Helmets. Husqvarna has a trio of new riders on its off-road/desert team. They are the Pfeiffer brothers; Scott, Kent and Kurt. The Pfeiffers lost their Honda ride when Honda dumped its off-road team, but Kurt and Kent were out at the World Championship Hare & Hound in Nevada on the white machines. However, both suffered mechanical difficulties. Harry Klinzmann will be flying Super Trapp colors while contesing the AMA Formula OneSeies in 1984, and Rich Oliver will be joining him on the squad, but riding in the Superbike class. Speaking of KJinzmann, who works cooking in his (ather's restaurant, he had a familiar associate working with him behind the grill. The associate is fellow knee dragger David Emde. A record guaranteed purse of $103,000 has been announced for the March 11 Daytona 200 Motorcycle Classic at Daytona International Spedway. The world's richest motorcycle race is also this nation's biggest annual international sports event with teams entering competition from five continents. In making the announcement, John Riddle, speedway general manager, said, "We are pleased to announce the purse increase for this great race. It will be the 42nd running of this stellar event and we expect the best racing action in history." The Motorcycle Industry Council is rescheduling its recently announcea Aftermarket Business Conference program to a later and more convenient date in 1984. The first conference between motorcycle industry warehouse/distributors and aftermarket manufacturers had been announced for J armary 11-12, 1984, in Atlanta, Georgia. However, a substantial number of potential participants could not arrange their schedules to meet the early January date. Keith V~nHarte, MIC Aftermarket Program Director, said, "The very essence of a conference of this nature is to provide !"aximum ef.ficiency for everyone mvolved. ThiS has to include not onl~ time and travel expence consideratton, but also the ability to secure full appointment schedules for all participants. The rescheduled dates are August 22-23 in Las Vegas, ~evada." The ABC program is deSigned to bnng motorcycle industry warehouse/distributors and aftermarket manufacturers together over a two-day period at one location so they can review policies and practices of conducting business together. Beginning with January production, all Harley-Davidson XL-series (1000cc) models will feature a new clutch/alternator assembly. Previously a DC generator was located forward of the engine. A high-capacity oil filter now mounts in this position. The new alternator's outer rotor mounts to the rear of the primary driven gear and the inner stator mounts to the transmission door. The all-new clutch uses a diaphragm spring instead of coil springs. In addition, the clutch actuating ball-and-ramp assembly and the shifter detend follower have been re-designed. Two weeks ago, Team Yamaha's Broc Glover broke his thumb while snow skiing with his brother and friends. Chuck Warren, Glover's roommate, said, "Broc broke his right thumb a little over a couple of weeks ago and is expected to have his cast taken off next week. The injury isn't too serious and he will be ready for the Anaheim Supercross at the end of this month." Kathy Hoy, Wrangler manager of specialevents,hasannouncedthat Wrangler will be the major sponsor of the Supercross series to be conducted in 1984 by InSport. "Wrangler has reached an agreement with InSport for Supercross in 1984. The series will be named the 1984 Wrangler Supercross Series, and Wrangler will provide a rider point fund with a total of $125,000:' Hoy said. "We have left the door open for the AMA, and may possibly have some form of sponsorship for their 1984 National Outdoor Motocross events." Steve Morehead will ride for Ken Parker Racing in the '84 Camel Pro Series, taking the spot opened when Bubba Shobert moved to the Honda factory team. "I haven't been this jazzed in years about starting a new season," said veteran Morehead. • 3

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