Cycle News - Archive Issues - 1990's

covered up discreetly and turned aside direct questions. The evidence for injection goes back to Honda's Malaysian test a month before the first GP of the year, where Michael Doohan was pitched off, breaking his wrist. He and his team confirm that the crash was caused by fuel spillage from a broken fuel line, but fumly deny the favorite theory that the fuel was sprayed under pressure from an injection line. More evidence came in the Australian race, where Doohan, Alex Criville and Daryl Beattie all suffered problems consistent with fuel injection. Doohan retired after an intermittent misfire almost had him over the handlebars; Criville slowed unexpectedly in front of Peter Goddard in the closing stages, causing him to crash; and the way Beattie backed off towards the end is now also attributed to the fact that the harsh on-throttle character of fuel injection caused him problems once his tires were worn. At Malaysia, both Doohan and Beattie admitted that changes to their bikes since Australia had improved the harsh throttle response, leading theorists to the conclusion that the injection had been removed; while an enigmatic comment by HRC boss Yoichi Oguma seemed to bear this out. "The way the bikes were in Australia was my decision," he admitted. "1 tear my hair out." Honda doesn't necessarily have a monopoly on technical mystery in the GP wars. In the wake of news that Kenny Roberts has approached an Australian company with a view to building a 500cc class racing engine come rumors (promptly denied by often unreliable official sources) that Yamaha is working on a new disc-valve engine. This would incorporate the latest advances in electronic control over disc valves, as used by Aprilia; and should result in improved power and efficiency compared with the current reed valves, universal in the SOOcc class. Disc valves allow asymmetrical crankcase induction timing without imposing any barrier on incoming mixture. Reed valves, by their very nature, obstruct the intake passage. All SOOcc class machines eventually switched to reed valves after they were introduced by Honda in 1982, to take advantage of their smoother response when opening the throttle. But Yamaha's first V-fours, introduced during the same year, first used a complex system of skew-driven rotary disc valves between the cylinder vee. Freddie Spencer withdrew from the Malaysian GP, s till suffering giddiness after his heavy crash in Australia the week before. The three-time World Champion went out in the first "untimed" practice session, but blurred vision and an off-kilter sensation caused him to pull out of the race and fly straight horne. The cause of the crash in Australia has now been positively identified. It was a failed water pump, which resulted in the engine overheating and boiling, and spraying water and steam onto the back tire, which in tum skewed him sideways and caused his crash at the fast Tum One of Eastern Creek. "I have never heard of such a failure before," said team coordinator and former World Champion Christian.Sarron. "At first when we stripped the engine we could find nothing wrong. Later we found the water pump problem." The Spanish federation requested all Spanish riders to wear black armbands on Saturday, April 3, in Malaysia, to commemorate the death of the father King Juan Carlos, Don Juan de Bourbon, Count of Barcelona, who died on April 1. Thailand is the latest candidate for a road race Grand Prix, according to reports in the Malaysian press. This will put them in opposition with Indonesia, who are also known to want to host a GP. Both Indonesian promoters and a six-man delegation from China visited the Malaysian GP to see how things are done. The Chinese authorities are in the process of building an international circuit at Zuhai City in Guangdong Province, with help and advice from the Shah Alam Motor Sports Paradise management. The circuit is scheduled for completion in 1995, and is part of a major sports complex including a golf course and other facilities. The Chinese hope to host both car and motorcycle GPs there. The sidecar crews have at last been paid for the balance of their 1992 racing season. The amount of $400,000 has been stuck amid various complex international banking arrangements since the end of last season, but has now been released and handed over to Inter-national Sidecar Riders Association (ISRA). "We passed it straight on last week," said Theo van Kempen, ISRA general secretary, in Malaysia. He added that negotiations for their nine-race calendar were now complete, and that all TV contracts were in place. However, a proposed second round at Assen had fallen through. "I don't see why we should race for no money," he said. The calendar now includes four rounds with World Superbikes (Germany's Hockenheimring on May 9, Austria's Osterreichring on July 11, Brno in Czechoslovakia on July 18, and at Anderstorp, Holland, on August 8); and five at GP races: the Hockenheimring on June 13; Assen, Holland, on June 27; England's Donington Park on August 1; Misano, Italy, on September 5; and at Kyalarni, South Africa, on October 3. Well-known American race mechanic George Vukmanovich (now with Team Kanemoto, formerly with Freddie Spencer and Randy Mamola) was disciplined after a pit-lane fight over fuel testing in Malaysia. The testing, introduced this year as a pilot scheme to rehearse for compulsory testing next year, is carried out by IRTA-appointed technical director Jack Findlay, with three separate oneliter samples taken from three bikes per class per race. Vukmanovich complained that Findlay had arrived in the middle of a practice session. Over the next hours, the row escalated until: "I called the race director an asshole:' Vukmanovich was unwilling to recant, so on race morning the director imposed a fine.of 3000 Swiss Francs on Team Kanemoto, and confiscated Vukmanovich's pass for a punitive 18 days. This ruled the furious little mechanic out of the Malaysian GP, and also the Japanese GP which will be held on April 18. Continuing a bad weekend for team owner Erv Kanemoto came news from Italy of problems for his star rider Massimiliano Biaggi. The Italian is accused by his 1992 employers, Aprilia, of failing to honor an agreement with them for 1993. Now the Italian federation has issued a "spOrting judgment" against him, opening the way for the matter to come before the Italian courts on May 10. Biaggi, the European 250cc champion in 1991, joined the Rothrnans-sponsored works Honda team to replace two-time 250cc World Champion Luca Cadalora. The so-called "semi-automatic" electronic quick-shift system first seen in the 250cc class last season has made greater inroads into road racing. The latest convert is Kevin Schwantz, who was blasting out of the tight comer before the pits at Malaysia and shifting up with the throttle pinned to the stop. Rainey, who has a slick-shift, prefers still to close the throttle out of low-gear comers to keep wheelles under control. One equipment supplier liked the Malaysian heat. AP Racing brakes technicians were having a lazy time, with few problems to deal with. "This is a track with a lot of hard braking, and combined with the ambient temperature it means our carbon-fiber brakes are getting really hot," said a spokesman. "That makes them work better, so we're not getting any complaints to speak of." He confirmed that several other riders are now using the large-size 320mrn diameter brakes used exclusively by Kevin Schwantz last season. Yokohama's debut in the 500cc class has not been ~ntirely smooth. One of their three privateer riders, Dutchman Cees Doorakkers, opted to use Michelins in Malaysia, and immediately felt more comfortable. "I believe Yokohama will produce some new tires in time for the· Japanese GP," he said. "Then I hope to start using them again." Another of their riders, rookie Brit Sean Emmett, qualified 11 th in the first timed practice session, but dropped back to 20th after failing to improve on day two. He wasn't sure whether or not to blame the tires, but planned to test Dunlops·on race morning to get some basis for comparison. He immediately ran one second faster, enQugh for Yokohama to release him temporarily from his contract for the race, in which he finished a fine fighting 14th. Racing Enterprises Motocross announced that a special REM Bonus will be paid to selected classes at. the May 22-23 Commotion by the Ocean, an annual MX race held at southern California's Carlsbad Raceway. In addition to the substantial Pro class purse offered, the top finishers in the 125 and 250cc Junior and Intermedia te classes will be awarded $100 for first, $50 for second and $25 for third. For more information call 619/484-1441. If you plan on being in or near Columbia City, Indiana, on Monday evening, April 19, and would like the opportunity to check out the new Yamaha Team Transporter tractor-trailer rig, stop by R&D Cycle at 515 Line Street. Team Yamaha mechanics Brian Lunniss, Steve Butler and Randy Lawrence will be on hand to answer your questions. For more information, call 219/248-8522. The 2nd Annual Mikuni Calendar Motorcyle Show will take place on Sunda¥, July 25, at the Museum of Flying at the Santa Monica Airport in southern California. Among the bikes on display will be the 500cc GP Yamaha that Wayne Rainey rode to his third World Championship and the Yamaha FZR750 that Eddie Lawson rode to victory in this year's Daytona 200. Attendees will also have the opportunity to see and get the autographs of many of the models who are featured in the Mikuni America calendars that are produced by former Cycle NI!WS editor Jim Gianatsis of Gianatsis Design. Bike show registration in three classes Custom Harley-Davidsons, High Performance/Race Bikes and Classic Bikes - is now open; the entry fee is $20. Prospective entrants can preview a copy of the judging form by mailing a SASE to Mikuni Calendar Bike Show, 7944 Kentland Ave., Canoga J?ark, CA 91304. The Red Dots M.e. of the Los Angeles area used to put on the Mother's Day Function, the annual District 37 desert race back in the 70s. Now they're having a reunion at the May 15 Camel Supercross at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena. In order to sit together, buy your ticket at Red Dot Jim Woods' Simi Valley Honda which is located at 4346 Los Angeles Avenue in Simi Valley. For more information, call 805/526-4122. In the continuing shuffling of the road race Grand Prix schedule, the FIM has announced that the Czechoslovakian GP which was scheduled to take place on August 15 will now take place on August 22. The FIM said the change was made "in order to avoid the coincidence of date with other events." To avoid? Papa notices that the Czech 500cc MX GP is also scheduled for August 22. The FIM informs us that on April 5 in Luxembourg, "The Council of Ministers on the Internal Market decided to postpone a vote on the commission proposal on a lOG-horsepower limit for motorcycles. This means that no so-called 'common position' was taken, which is necessary for the proposal to go back to the European Parliament for a final vote, after which the Council of Ministers can _only make a final decision by a qualified majority." The decision on proposed limit, just one of many proposed changes facing Europeans under the newly formed community market system, carne against all odds and marks a great success for the FIM and its affected member federations which lobbied strongly against the limit. The FIM warns that it is by far not a final victory and that the Commission will certainly try to get the limit on the agenda when the Internal Market Council of Ministers meets on June 8. Greg Albertyn admitted at the third round of the World Championship 250cc MX Series in Valkenswaard, Holland, that he would like to ride in America if the right offer comes along. "I was offered a place on the American Honda team last autumn, and I would have accepted it if I had not already agreed to ride for Jan De Groot again," said the 12See World Champion, who is currently leading the 250cc points race. "I hope that Honda America are still interested in me, but I will only go to the States if I have the offer of '" place on a 250 in a factory team:' The South African seemed interested in making the switch whether or not he wins a second world title. Mike Healey, who will contest the 12See National Championship MX Series aboard a Tuf Racing-backed Suzuki RMl25, flew to Europe to ride the opening round of the World Championship 500cc MX Series in Hawkstone Park, England. Healey rode a borrowed Honda, but failed to finish a moto. No Americans plan to contest the entire series this year. - Senator Dianne Feinstein will hold one of her "Town Meetings" on Friday, April 16, from 12:00 to 1:30 p.m. in the San Diego area. The meeting will be held in the Hopper room on the Terrace level at the San Diego Community Concourse, Downtown 202, C Street. Readers in the area who oppose Feinstein's proposed "California Desert Protection Act" (521), are urged to attend and make their feelingsknown. Mike Brown of the Central Coast Motorcycle Club, will promote the fourth round of the Nor Cal Kawasaki Challenge at a new track near Shandon, California, on May 23. The race will serve as a charity benefit for the Shandon Lions Club, who are helping to promote the event. According to Brown, the track is almost entirely natural terrain, and he hopes to hold more races there in the future. Camping is available, Continued on page 4 3

• Cover