Cycle News - Archive Issues - 1980's

though there's a supercro..scheduled for the Los Angeles Coliseum on July 26, renovation plans at that facility may write "canceled" on the event. If so. the Anaheim race would be the only motocross event of National caliber to take place in the greater Los Angeles area this year. APPOINTED: Ray Van Voorhis, as national sales manager of Cagiva North America; Van Voorhis was formerly with Kawasaki as district sales manager in the Central Region; he will be responsible for marketing and dealer development of Cagiva, Ducati and Husqvarna motorcycles. The California Racing Club will hold its annual Club Challenge at the Candy Ass Enduro in Barstow, California, on February 8. O'Neal USA will sponsor the challenge and each member of the winning team will receive an O'Neal tool beg, plus Del Taco of Barstow will wine and dine (well, at least dine' the winners. Any club interested in entering a 15-rnan team in the Club Challenge should contact the CRC at 714/689-6114. Honda Motor Co. announced last week that its overall earnings for tl1e fi rst nine months of its fiscal ye-.u fell 45.5 percent. That was due mainly, the company said, to the dollar's decline against the Japanese yen. The American doJIaraveraged 171.31 yen between january and Septe!Dber of last year, down 31 percent from an average 249 yen to the dollar in we same period of 1985. While Honda car sales rose 8.7 percent in we company's fiscal third quarter which ended November 30, motorcycle sales fell 29 percent to $296 million. • The American Motorcyclist Association Board of Trustees met in a special session in Chicago on January 4. Treasurer james Hansen reported a strong financial performance for we first quarter of the 1987 fiscal year, resulting primarily from reduced operating expenses. Chairman john Hasty reported that four lawsuits in which we AMA was named defendant had been seuled or dismissed since November. AMA President Ed Youngblood reported that the Association's new corporate membership campai~ had .. .weU still need about 100 more to catch up with Hannah. Ifytm added up Holland, Schmit and my wins... HeyKehoe, ifweget O'Mara to pitch in, weU only need... about 50 more. In the past, Bob would ride a course and report back to the engineers. Now a computer was doing it. For Hannah, this took some getting used to. But after all was said and done, the special Suzuki team of Hannah, the engineers and the comIJuter created the '87 RMl25 andRM250. How good are they? So good, that these bikes and Bob Hannah persuaded Johnny "O'Show" O'MaFa to join Team Suzuki. After his first ride, O'Mara looked at Hannah and said: ''Great bike, oldman:' "Thanks, sonny." Hannah replied. "Don't forget to gas it up:' said the computer. Here's what the '87 RMl25 and RM250 are made of in black and white: The heart of the RMl25 and RM250 is an all new engine that delivers increased torque right throtUdt the rev range. The new guillotine-type exhaust valves are activated by the Automatic Exhaust Tuning Control System for smooth, powerful performance at all RPMs. A new lighter crank and bigThe computer says that was a radIcal jump, dude? linkage that keeps the rear wheel on the ground bettertban ever before. Plus, the new "piggy-back" shock has . a hard anodized coated cylinder for reduced fric7 ger air box make for quicker tion. The redesigned piston and valving provides smoother action revs and better engine response. and consistept damping. A new electronic ignition withspecial Compression and rebound can be adjusted separately. You'll advance and retard design feel the difference out of the turns, ensures optimum timing throughout the power over the bumps and through the band. It's not affected by whoops. The new dual piston front extreme heat and disc brake gives greater stopping maintains consistent power. Plus, this year there's a spark from clean new color of Suzuki start to finish. Our new cartridge yellow and great new graphics. style front And that's not all. forks help prevent airSuzuki's 1987 RM Contingency Program for oil mixing for amateurs and professionals more consistent perforhas been increased to over $L25 million. And there's manceover the toughest increased support for up and coming riders through track conditions. Compression and rebound dampparticipating Suzuki dealers. See ing can be quickly adjusted so you your Suzuki dealer for details. can tune the bike to your riding Put it together and you can see that for '87, Suzuki's done style and different track it right. conditions. The dramatically improved Right Suzuki Full-Floater Rear Suspension System features an ultra-low friction On, If that computer could ride, weU all be in trouble. SUZUKI Far )'OW' nareIt Sauki tDlJIklI'qde aad ATV dealer call: 1-800-255-2550 been kicked off on schedule in late December. He submitted and' the trustees approved an application for membership by Team Obsolete, an accessoiy manufacturer of products for vintage motorcycles. Youngblood reported that final details had been settled with R.J. Reynolds for the 1987 Camel Pro Series. He described the AMA's involvement in bankruptcy proceedings for Stadiurrt Motorsports Corporation wat have taken place in California and mat could have impeded the opening of the 1987 Insport Tour Supercross Series. He stated that SMC's assets, including its agreement to receive AMA sanctions, had been acquired by a new promotional organization and mat the series would begin on schedule in Anaheim on January 31. The trustees reviewed and approved a policy statement regarding, we Association's legal liability. A copy of the statement is available to members upon request. ' The trustees reviewed a preliminary study for renovation and additions to the Association's national headquarters, including a proposal to open the American Motorcycle. Heritage Foundation museum on the site, and approved expenditures to proceed wiw development of a detailed plan and budget prior to meir next meeting. The trustees authorized a new awards program that will be an-· nounced in connection with the AMA's annual meeting of corporate members scheduled (or February 21, 1987, in Cincinnati. The program is aimed at encouraging and honoring individuals and organizations mat publ icly depict the positive aspects of motorcycling. The trustees reviewed and approved a policy statement regarding we Association's position against sanctioning events connected wiw political demonstrations. A copy of the statement is available to members upon request. Vice President for Professional Racing Bill Amick reported that a .$3000 claiming rule for carburetor assemblies would be applied in the 750cc Superbike road racing class in 1987. l;Ie reported that the staff would . study the possibility of implementing , a single tire rule in professional dirt track racing as early as the 1988 season. The trustees reviewed a staff proposal to improve reliability and wereby reduce me cost of dirt track racing through implementation of an air intake restrictor rule in 1987. After listening to comments by the Association's engineering consultant and a number of guests, and discussing the topic for a time in executive session, me board chose to leave the decision in the hands of me pro racing staff. Based on the goal of improving dirt trade. competition by improving motor reliability, the AMA staff announced the following: A. Effective with the first 1987 Grand National dirt track event, 33 millimeter restrictors wiIJ be required on all Harley-Davidson XR750 and Honda RS750 motorcycles used in me Expert class. Restrictor size will remain unaltered throughout 1987. B. Other previously or newly-approved motors will be allowed to enter competition unrestricted until a clear need for restrictors is indicated. C. Based upon performance of equipment during 1987, a variable air flow restrictor rule may be implemented if necessary in 1988 in order to provide closer compei"tition within the racing field. The AMA Board of Trustees will next meet in Cincinnati, Ohio, on February 21. John H. Hasty Chairman

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