Cycle News - Archive Issues - 1990's

Dirt Track September 14, the promoters of the Converse Half Mile - scheduled for the same day in Converse, Indiana have moved their program forward with practice starting at 10 a.m. andracing to begin at noon. Elf Racing Fuels will post money for the top-finishing privateers in the final two rounds of th.e AMA Superbike National Championship Series at Sears Point (August 25) and Las Vegas (October 6). Elf will award the top privateer finisher in the Superbike National with $400, with the second and third best privateers getting $250 and $150, respectively. In addition, Elf will pay $400 to the pri. vateer "Hard Charger," the rider who most improves his finish position in eaCh National. ATK/Husaberg of San Jose (California), recently pledged $600 to AMA 0-36 in support of their efforts to overturn or modify regulations that would prevent new two-stroke motorcycles from getting a California OHV (Green Sticker) registration after January, 1997. According to Bill Woolman of ATK/Husaberg of San Jose, his dealership challenges all other California dealers to meet or exceed its pledge to 0-36. Donations can be made to 0-36 LAQ P.O. Box 13730, . South Lake Tahoe, CA 95702. Suzuki ,motocrossers olished for 1997 A limited edition bike will be numbered and delivered with a letter of authenticity. According to a report in the Orange County (California) Register, Petersen Publishing, the publishers of such motorcycle magazines as Motorcyclist, Dirt Rider and Sport Ride.r, has been purchased by Willis Stein & Partners LP. Dr. Oaeys Bahrenburg. who was ousted last year as president of Hearst Magazines, will become chairman and chief executive of Petersen, the report says. merican Suzuki has been pretty tight-lipped about the changes to the 1997 Suzuki RMs, but our overseas sources have clued us in. After a total redesign of the RM250 last year, Suzuki has concentrated its efforts on refining it this year. The bike received a new two-piece exhaust valve which provides a three-stage (low, mid and highitr m) power transition throu out the range. The 250 also • gets e twin-finned carburetor that Kawasaki went to last year. The Keibin PWK38 carburetor is said to improve air flow and provide greater throttle response. New porting. cylinder-head and combustion-chamber designs are said to increase the torque from last year. Transmission revisions are said to have reduced clutch play. Up front, Suzuki has gone to a new, more compact conventional twin-chamber fork with 18 position compression and rebound adjusters. The forks are 20mm shorter on the bottom to reduce the risk of damage from rocks and ruts. The new fork will also be standard on the 1997 RM125. Both bikes also get revised shock linkages that deliver a more . progressive action. The shock absorber stroke has been increased by 3mm. The RMl25 gets a new cylinder without exhaust sub-ports, new porting specs and new compression ratio (8.9:1 to 9.1:1 at high rpm valve openings), and exhaust scavenging has been improved to provide better torque and midrange power. It also gets a twin-finned .Keihin PWK carburetor, but in a 36mm. The RMBO has not undergone any major changes other than a new front fender and the bold new graphics that all of the RMs received. . The California Superbike School and A1 Performance Rider Training of Melbourne, Australia, have signed a threeyear deal to provide Australian riders and racers with Keith Code's training program. The amalgamation will be called the Australian Superbike School. With 1996 marking its 75th anniversary, Moto Guzzi plans to quadruple 1995's production of 5300 motorcycles by the year 2000 at its Mandello del Lario facility, according to a release from the Plummer Menapace Group. For 1996/1997, Moto Guzzi also will release four models to the United States - the V-10 Centauro, a refined Daytona model called the RS, a fuel-injected version of the Sport 1100 and the fuel-injected version of the California 1100 cruiser. BMW's Miracle Ride to benefit the Crohn's and Colitis Foundation (CCFA) will be held September 22. The 6D-mile ride begins in Harbor Island Park in Mamaroneck, New York, and finishes at BMW of North America's headquarters in Woodcliff Lake, New Jersey. The Miracle Ride is open to riders of all makes and models and is AMA-sanctioned. For more information,. call 2031 629-5353. Chris Haines of Baja Off Road Tours and AJ Martinez of Inter Shows Motorspo!,! Promotions Inc. are joining forces to produce On the Road to Ensenada, an on-road motorcycle tour to Ensenada, Mexico, September 7-8. AU touring motorcycles are welcome. For more information, call 714/830-6569. FMF Racing is now accepting racing resumes for the 1997 se.ason, but they must be sent prior to October 31 for consideration. Mail resumes to FMF at 25930 Belle Porte Ave., Harbor City, CA 90710-3317. For more information, call 310/539-6884. The final calendar for the :(996 FlM World Supereross Championship has been released. The schedule is as follow~: November 3 - Fukuoka, Japan; November 8 - Paris, France; November 9 - Paris, France; November 10 - Paris, France; November 24 - Tokyo, Japan; December 6 - Geneva, Switzerland; December 7 - Geneva, Switzerland. Accepting Resumes Part Il: Raee Tech is also accepting racing resumes for the 1997 season, with a deadline of November 30. Send them to Race Tech, att: Joe Meyers, 3227 Producer, #127, Pomona, CA 91768. GT Bicycles has signed an agreement with Harley-Davidson to manufacture and market Harley-Davidson brand bicycles. The inaugural limited edition cruiser model is targeted for delivery during the 1996-97 holiday season. Each sleeves, gaskets and all necessary machining for a total cost of $1100 with cylinder exchange. For more information, call Zlock at 206/537-3775. Gary Rothwell, England's world record-holding wheelie 'man, will perform his stunts and wheelies at the Pocono Cycle Festival August 31-September 1 in Pocono, Pennsylvania, during the NASB Formula USA weekend. APPOINTED: Robert s. Michel as vice president 1partner of Milwaukee HarleyDavidson in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. 2215 First Street, Suite 103, Simi Valley, CA 91311. MOVED: Fast By Ferracci Inc., to 1901 Davisville Road, Willow Grove, P A 19090-4193. Ferracci's fax and phone numbers remain the same at 215/6571276 (phone) and 215/657-3832 (fax). OPENED: RPI's Weekend Place, a home page on the World Wide Web. The motorcycle chat site can be found at the following address: http:/ 1www .uuic.coml rpi. CANCELED: The Championship Cup Series event scheduled for Gingerman Raceway on on September 7-8. The even t will not be rescheduled. OPENED: Stiffie's home page on the World Wide Web. The site can be found at the following address: http:/ 1www .stiffie.com. In addition, Stiffie is currently accepting race resumes for the 1997 racing season. They can be submitted to Stiffie, att: Bryan I Race Support, Spanish enduro rider Joan Roma has been disqualified from the French round of the Two Days' Enduro World Championship, held on May 18-19, because his fuel has been found to be illegal, according to the FIM. Zioek Racing has announced that it will sell its Formula USA kit for the Kawasaki ZX7 and ZX7R after the kit passed "rigorous reliability testing" in race conditions. The kit includes pistons, rings, AUTOGRAPH SIGNING: At Cycle West Honda/Suzuki in Petaluma, California, August 22. from 6 to 8 p.m. Yoshimura Suzuki's Pascal Picotte, Matt Mladin and Aaron Yates are scheduled to appear. For more information, call 7071769-5240. AUTOGRAPH SIGNING: At Fairfield Yamaha in Fairfield, California, August 23 from 7 to 8 p.m. Vance & Hines Yamaha's Jamie James and Tom Kipp and Team OliverI Yamaha's Rich Oliver are scheduled to appear. For more informa(N tion, call 707/429-1913. r-----------~------------------------------~---------- -----------, (j]ID ~ SU~SCRIPTIONORDER FORM Name ___,-------------- Address City _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ State _ _ Zip Order Date _ Please start my subscription to Cycle News: o Every week for one year (50 issues) for $38.00 (can be billed 3 monthly payments) o o L _ o This is a 0 New Subscription o Renewal o o o Please bill me Bill 3 payments of $12.67 Enclosed is my check or money order Charge my 0 Visa 0 Mastercard Signature _ MC/Visa# Expiration Date Every week for two years (100 issues) for $70.00 Six months second cla!,s (25 issues) for $19.00 One year (SO issues), 2nd class Canada or Mexico and all otherforeign countries $78.00 (U.S. funds). 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