Cycle News - Archive Issues - 1990's

VOICES· America's weekly motorcycle newspaper Letters to the elinor Thanks After the announcement of the death of my son, Gary McDonald, appeared the week of August 1 in Cycle News, I received so many wonderful cards and letters that I may not be able to answer them all. I can't tell you how very much it has meant to his whole family to know how much he meant to his friends in the sport, which he loved so much. Thanks to all of you. Lydia Reed Pacific Palisades, CA Pleased As a long-time subscriber, I am pleased with the improved quality and coverage of your paper. I was glad to see you add the World Enduro and Trials events last year, and appreciate the "Briefly..." sections in all major race reports. Since I also subscribe to AutoWeek, I had often wondered why you couldn't do sameweek coverage of the European events, so I'm glad to see it happening now. Being an off-roader, I used to skip the road race articles, but now that they have improved I find myself going cover to cover. Good to see the e-mail now - it finally got me off the line to write this. Phill Ellsworth Lawrence, KS A great guy Gary and DeWayne Jones, Skeet Wyman and myself were probably Bob Elliott's best friends. Bob was a great guy and we all loved him and will miss him dearly. Bob certainly was one of the top three or four motocross suspension experts on this planet. Of this there is no question. From Mark Barnett's works bikes to Larry Ward's factory beating Noleen Sizzler Yamahas, Bob made his mark. Bob was a top pro motocrosser in the late 70s at the famous Saddleback Park race track. I can still see him now with his evolutionary full-face helmet and "factory" Suzuki leathers. I went hunting with Bob a week before his death and I was struck by how caring and innocent he was about life and the human experience. Some would call him naive, but I would call him genuine. Bob was the real thing, a nice guy who would give you the shirt off his INSIDE· Issue 135, back. Life kind of overwhelmed Bob and swept him away from us. Perhaps it was God's will. For Gary, DeWayne, Skeet and all the folks at Noleen, and all the other friends Bob made in his 39 years, we miss you. , Brant Russell Hesperia, CA It's only August I realize in writing this letter that the 1995 supercross season may have ended in the hearts and minds of the fans as a disappointment. However, I usually contact the (now bankrupt) Mickey Thompson Entertainment Group for early discount tickets to some of the events. Who do I contact now? AIR? The AMA? The manufacturers? Is there going to be an Anaheim Supercross? When will we find out? As ridiculous as it may seem, for the diehard, it is never too early to ask about when the next supercross will be. August Spillers Glendale, CA Sit tight, August. We hope to have all the pertinent informJJtion on the 1996 Supercross Series shortly... Editor. Thanks for the help The ninth annual Wegman Benefit Auction raised over $8500 for injured road racers. I would like to thank the many companies and people who made this possible as well as all of the supporters and helpers at the auction. I am truly grateful to everyone who got involved this year. I would also like to update the condition of Doug Werdehoff, who was injured at Road America during the NASB weekend. Doug is still in a coma but had spinal surgery to repair the vertebrae damage he suffered. Paralysis is still in question. He is also fighting off several infections. Doctors are hopeful tha t he can be transferred soon to a hospital near his home in Ohio. Cards and letters can be sent to Doug or Sarah Werdehoff, 2617 Elsie, Toledo, OH 43613. Any donations to help with medical costs can be sent to the Wegman Benefit Fund, 3212 N. 92nd St., Milwaukee, WI 53222. Please make checks payable to Wegman Benefit Fund and specify that the donation is for Doug. Thank you once again for your support. Gordon Lunde Sr. President, Wegman Benefit Fund Milwaukee, WI More on 600s I'm an "old fart" and have read Cycle News since its beginning, and I like it very much. I wait for each issue every week. In order of importance I read the dirt track articles first, classified ads next, inside front and back page, then the road racing articles. I also like the technical articles. I have a few comments to make on Scott Rousseau's '10 The Tapes" column (Issue #31). I think the Harley 883s are heavy, clumsy, expensive, unwieldy dirt trackers but generally agree with most of the things Scott said. I'd like to see a class for both Juniors and Experts be as follows: 600cc four-valve singles, 550cc fourvalve twins, 550cc two-stroke singles. The combination of both speed and weight kills, therefore I propose that instead of having a minimum weight limit, as the AMA does, they shouJd have a maximum weight limit. The only way to keep things fair and to keep people from making light bikes out of exotic metals would be to have a $6000 claiming rule. The interest in this class would be terrific. I can think of at least 10 motorcycles that would be competitive. Also, with this class a rider could ride one bike in all four forms of AMA dirt track competition. That's my two cents worth. Gaylord Ladwig Braham,MN Broken Record During the World Superbike round at Laguna Seca, a number of riders broke the track record. But when Anthony Gobert broke the record by one second and then Troy Corser beat it by almost one and a half seconds, I would like to know how their times would even be considered. After all, World Championship Superbikes are lighter than AMA Superbikes, if I'm not mistaken. Corser and Gobert are excellent riders and they deserve the wins and records that they earned. But their bikes ar!! in a different class. Wouldn't it make more sense to have different lap record times for each Superbike class? Jim Vanderbeck Los Gatos, CA Lettus to the editor should be sent to Voices, Cycle News, P.O. Box 498, Long Beach, CA 90806-0498, faxed to 3101427--6685 or r-ma.i1, editor:Ocyclenews.com. Pu.blished letters do no.t nec~y reflect the position of Cycle News, Inc. Letters should not exceed 200 words and aU letters are subject to editing. Anonymous letten will not be considued for publication. All letters should contain the writer's name, addrcN and daytime phone number' ... Editcn:. Volume XXXII Sharon Gayton, President Michael Klinger, Publisher Editorial Paul Carruthers, Editor Kit Palmer, AssodJzte Editor Donn Maeda, AssodJzte Editor Scott Rousseau, AssodJzte Editor Mark Hoyer, MD1JJlging Editor Laurel Allen, EditoriDl Assistant Keith Bush, Copy Editor Advertising Terry Pratt, Natio1JJll Accounts MD1JJlger Mark Mitchell, Eastern Accounts MDnager Mark Thome, Western Sales MD1JJlger Thomas Ganter, Western Sales MDnager Forrest Hayashi, Western Sales MD1JJlger Greg Mitchell, Eastern Sales MDnager Rick Matheny, Eastern Sales Ma1JJlger Rhonda Crawford, Western Ad Coordinator Carla Allen, Eastern Ad Coordi1JJltor Laurie Snow, Assistant Marketing &: Promotion Mark Thome, MD1JJlger New Media Development Mark Mitchell, MDnager Gassified Ads Sharon Van Hazelen Graphics and Production Ree Johnson, Production Supervisor Mandy too, Production MDnager Dennis Greene, lAb. Tech. Stacey Guest, Graphic Artist Amy Faught, Graphic Artist Administration Judy Klinger, Coordi1JJltor Peggy Rivera, Secretary to t~ P.blisho AccountinglData Processing Donna Bryan-Diamond, AIR Coordi1JJltor Geneva Repass, Assistant Herlane Lewis, Credit Circulation RhebaSnliili,Nmnager Alma Anguiano, Processing Coordi1JJltor Pam Klein, Billing Coordinator Carol Begovic, Dealer Coordi1JJltor Service and Support Bridgett Bobrofsky, Receptionist Leonard Herring, Service and Support NationalHeadquart~ 2201 Cherry Ave., Long Beach, CA 90806, P.O. Box 498, Long Beach, CA 90801-0498 (310) 427-7433; (213) 636-8844. FAX (310) 427~ Eastern Office 4188 FIrst Ave., Tucker, GA, 30084; mailing address P.O. Box 805, Tucker, GA 30085-0805. (404) 934-7850. FAX (404) 934-3112 e-mail editor@cyclenews.com subscribe@cyclenews.com advertising@cydenews.com ex""" Cycle News r $50.00 per year by Cycle News, Inc., 2201 CherTy Avenue. Long Beach, CA 90806. Second class postage paid at Long Beach, CA and at additional mailing office. Canada Post International PubUca.tiom Mail 1IS46615. ber 6; 1995 FEATURES MOTOCROSS Binghamton National World MX Report ..4 52 ROAD RACING Sears Point National Japanese World Superbike 10 20 DIRT TRACK Goshen Grand National Sturgis Regional Converse 600cc National 16 48 56 TRIALS Finnish World Trial uTECup 26 54 1996 MOTOCROSS BIKE PREVIEW SECTION MX Bike Buyer's Guide 30 Test: 1996 Yamaha YZ125 Test: 1996 KTM 250SX Test: 1996 Honda CRSOO POSTMASTIJC Send addttss ch.1nses to Cycle News, P.O. Box 498, Long Be;och, CA 90801-D4!/8. . 38 ..40 42 OFF-ROAD Nevada Rally 44 INTERVIEW Lucky Strike/Suzuki's Scott Russell To dttmnine the expiration date of your subscription,. cltedc the four numbers on the firat line of your addJ'tSS bbd. The first two dipt:5 ind.ica~ the last i sue number yoo11 receive ilnd the last two c:harad~ indicate the year of the last issue. . .50 Subsaiption rates: Rates for the United States and its p0sses.sions for one year, (SO issues), $50.00; two years (100 issues), $95.00; six months, (25 issues), $26.00; trial sub (15 issues), $19.00. Canada and Foreign. one year (SO issues), S90.(X); two years (100 issues), 5175.00; six months (25 issues), $45.00; trial sub (15 issues), $38.00. DEPARTMENTS RESULTS EVENTS CALENDAR WANTADS LEADERBOARD TURN FOUR LOOKING BACK _ _ 49 .58 70 76 92 00tsert OUtsert ON THE FRONT COVER Jordi Tarres won his seventh World Championship in Finland. Photos by Makoto Sugitani. We test the '96 KTM 250SX and the Yamaha YZ125. Photos by Kinney Jones. Cycle News welcomes unsolicited editorial material including stories, cartoons, photos, etc. SuclllIlltteria, if published, becomes the exclusive property of Cycle News. Reprinting in whole or part only by permission of the publisher. Advertising rates and circulation infonnation will be sent upon request See S.R.DS. WIlrA ~c:ITffnoN Printed in U.S.A. COfyrigh~ Cycle News, Inc. 1995. Trademm Cycle News t

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