Cycle News - Archive Issues - 1980's

That I was in Tokyo and came across Veno and was sure I'd gone to Heaven. Suzuka's GP was over and they'd all split to Australia, all of the riders and their team machines. Down to Phillip Island for the second round. And it was me alone in Edo, the ancient name of this new marvel of the East. I was here doing business, motorcycle stuff in an otobai city, where RCs and Slingshots snooze under cherry blossoms. And where the struts are alive with the sound of 2-strokes. Not hundreds, but thousands, in all the districts, on all ,the narrow ways, and those that stretch wide as Parisian pavement. And I'd found a new friend at breakfast, a' fellow American, a motorcycle junkie who rides a Boxer GS alongside his wife's. Lex and Carole of San Jose. It was Sunday and we became -tourists, riding the elevated trains, taking the Yamanote Line around To.kyo's core. And we'd already herd about Veno - and said it like Wayne-O h - and got off there with a flow of, well, Motorcycle People. And followed them into Motorcycle Fantasia! Literally! For blocks there was nothing but bikers, and 'bike stores, and the cough and blurp and ring of bikes. From V-Max to the skinniest mini fifty. Enough 250Rs for a quadruple World Championship. And the stores formed an endless maze of accessory temptations, from the most expensive racing leathers to hundred-yen stickers. Helmets filling one entire floor, boots another. Electric mannequins roved the ceilings, reflected in hot chrome and mirror glass. And it got to me, and got to my wallet in a nasty way. 10,000 yen notes-were flyin' fast! Outside, there were whole stables of NSRs and European exotica, probably more Hailwood Replicas than in all of Italy. And Harleys, too, old and new, A.nd Japanese classics that vanished Stateside decades ago. It was almost too much to handle at once. And then another alley exploded into view - another ,thousand motorcycles, another twenty stores. Corin Road! Flight Club! D's! I had to be dreaming, but wasn't. And IIp.ughed and told Lex that I needed oxygen. That this Veno high was knocking me down. But, Hey! It was Tokyo! This was just another Sunday in Japan. ' ROAD RACING: Schwantz stars in Japanese GP win : 6 Italians dominate Donington Park World C'ship Superbike opener ... 32 SUPERCROSS: Wards edges Stanton in Dallas dogfight 12 PREVIEW: The 1989 Laguna Seca . United States Grand Prix 16 The GP sidecar invasion 20 Interview: 1988 Laguna Seca 500cc GP winner Eddie Lawson 24 1988 Laguna Seca 250cc GP winner Jimmy Filice 28 INTERVIEW: World C'ship 125cc MX contender 'Bobby Moore 30 LOCAL RACING: From knee draggin' to berm-busting racing action ..... 36 CALENDAR: What's in your racing future " 46 RESULTS: Da winners! 35,51 WANT.ADS: Let your fingers / .do the shopping 52 ON THE FRONT PAGE: Pepsi Suzuki's Kevin Schwantz charged to his second-consecutive Japanese Grand Prix win in the opening round of the World Championship Road Race Series at the Suzuka Circuit in Suzuka City, Japan. Race coverage begins on page 6. Photo by Henny Ray Abrams. William Edgar r--------------------------------------------~-------- ------------, SUBSCRIPTION ORDER FORM Name_-::--::-:-:::-:-:-".,..".:-::-:-:-:-:,.,.,-,, _ o This is a renewal o Please bill me o Enclosed is check or money order tPleASe PRINT CLEARlYI Address _ City Order Date: '.• • • • L • State -LZip ..... Charge my 0 Visa 0 Mastercard _ _ OK, please start my subscrip~ion to Cycle News and send me-the newspaper o every week for one year (50 issues) for $35.00 o every week for two years (100 issues) for $65.00 o six months second class (25 issues) for $18.00 One year (50 iouea), 2nd ciao Canada or Mexico and all other foreign countries $75.00 (U.S. funds). First cla.s and airmail rates available upon request. Signature ---,,..- MC/Visa# Expiration Date Send to,: CYCLE NEWS, Inc., P.O. Box 498. Long Beach, CA 90801-0498 1(213) 427-7433 _ _ _ ~ 3

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