Cycle News is a weekly magazine that covers all aspects of motorcycling including Supercross, Motocross and MotoGP as well as new motorcycles
Issue link: https://magazine.cyclenews.com/i/127810
VOICES America's weekly motorcycle newspaper . Letters to the ednor . Volume XXXIII Sharon Clayton, President Michael Klinger, Pu.blisher Editorial Paul Carrothers, Editor Kit Palmer, Associate Editor Scott .Rousseau, Associate Editor Mark Hoyer, Managing Editor Keith Bush, Assistant Editor/Copy Editor Cameron Coatney, Assistant Editor To,:" Titus, Copy Editor Advertising Terry Pratt, National Accounts Manager Mark Mitchell, Eastern Accounts Manager Mark Thome, Western Sales Manager . Thomas Gonter, Western Sales Manager . Forrest Hayashi, Western Sales Manager Greg Mitchell, Eastem Sales Manager Rick Matheny, Eastern Sales Manager Rhonda Crawford, Western Ad Coordinator Laurie Snow, Assistant Carla Allen, Eastern Ad Coordinator" Tina Farr, Assistant . Marketing & Promotion Mark Thome, Manager New Media Development Mark Mitchell, Director Rick Matheny, Operations Oassified Ads Sharon Van Hai10elen Graphics and Production Ree Johnson, Prodl/ction Supervisor Mandy Loo, Production Manager Dennis Greene, Lab. Tech. Stacey Guest, Graphic Artist Vance Lanoy, Graphic Artist Administration Judy Klinger, Coordinator Leanne Sims, Administrative Assistant AccountinglData Processing Donna Bryan-Diamond, AiR Coordinator Geneva Repass, Assistant Herlane Lewis, Credit Circulation Rheba Smith, Mallager Alma Anguiano, Processing Coordinator Keshona Dawson, Billing Coordinator Carol Begovic, Dealer Coordinator Service and Support Bridgett Bobrofsky, Receptionist Micl1ael Swedberg, Service & Support National Headquarters 2201 Cherry Ave., Long Beach, CA 90806, P.O. Bo~ 498, Long Beach, CA 90801-0498 (310) 427-7433; (213) 636-8844. FAX (310) 427-6tj85 Eastern Office 4188 First Ave., Tucker, GA, 30084; mailing address P.O. Box 805, Tucker. GA 30085-0805. (770) 934-7850. FAX (770) 934-3112 e-mail editor®cyclenews.com subscribe@cyclenews.com advertising@cyclenews.com Internet http://www.cyclenews.com Cyde News (USPS 141-340) is published weekly excepl the last two weeks of the calendar year for $50.00 per year by Cycle News, Inc., 2201 Cherry Avenue, Long Beach. CA 90806. Periodicals Postage Paid at Long Beach, CA and at additional mailing offi,ce. Canada Post International Publications Mail #546615. POSTMASTER: send address changes to Cycle News, P.O. Box 498, Long Beach, CA 90&01-0498. To determine lhe expiRtion date of your subscription, check the four numbers on the first line of your address label. The first two digits indicate the last lssue number you'll receive ~d the last two characters indicate the year of the last issue. Subscription rates: Rates for the United States and its possessions for one year, (50 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 (50 issues), $90,00; two years (100 issue;s), $175.00; six months. (25 issues), $45,00; trial sub (15 issues), $38.00. Cyde News welcomes unsolicited editorial material including stories, cartoons, photos; etc. Such material, if published, becomes the exclusive property of Cycle News. Reprinting in whole or part only by pe:nnission of the publisher. Advertising rates and circulation infonnation-will be sent upon request. See S.R.O.5, Get real in reference to Davey Coombs' column (Racer X, Issue #45, November 13) - get real. You better hope that motocross has more in common with traditional racing than with surfing and skateboarding. If it doesn't, then you can kiss any real hope of the sport ever getting any bigger goodbye. Of course, motocross does have its expressive side but what sport doesn't? But overall it is a lot closer to a hardcore athletic sport than it is a fad sport. Case in point, motocross races are riot won based on subjective judgments, but are in fact won based on who crosses the finish line first. Motocross racers show up to do battle, trade paint, and hook bars. Motocross is two-wheeled fighting. Motocross is first and foremost an athletic event (witness the fitness books by former pros, the stories about McGrath's new-found conditioning, etc.). Participants still talk about the study that ranked motocross second only to one other sport in terms of conditioning. Skateboarders throwing up after a tough round on "the pipe." I don't think so. Don't get me wrong, I like to skate"board but it's not in the same league as motocross - it's not even close. As for Seth Enslow and Mike Metzger - yeah, it's great to watch two guys who are really slow racers do some really neat tricks, but so what? If racers start getting evaluated based on style points, these guys have a really great future. Finally, yes it's great to be able to go riding - everybody's first love - but as anybody who has ever raced will tell you, riding and racing aren't even close to being the same thing. . Rob Green RG807@ao!.com No grandstands While in Florida" few weeks ago, I thought it would be fun to go to the NASB final at Daytona International 'if Prince of a guy Varna-bucks Vintage motorcycling lost a great friend recently with the passing of Peter Ford. The jovial Northern Californian was a fixture in the motocross and trials scene, campaigning BSA Gold Stars and Greeves since" the inception of vintage competition in the United States. A tough competitor on the track (Pete in midrace was a sight to behold), he· was also quick to lend a hand or share a bench-racing story. While his accomplishments in AHRMA racing won't soon be forgotten, it's the friendly, helpful, caring and fun person that we'll miss the most. As a tribute, AHRMA has retired #41 from motocross. Godspeed, Peter. Matt Hilgenberg Long Beach, CA I would like to take this time to let you know how much my family and I appreciate Yamaha's contingency program. Without vouchers from Yamaha, racing would not be possible for us. We have purchased seven to eight new Yamahas over the past several years with the aid of your contingency program. News of the discontinued contingency program from Honda was a shock to us and all of the motocross industry. We will not be purchasing anything that bears the Honda name. Please, Yamaha, keep in mind what an asset you have with such a great contingency program and we will continue to support Yamaha, as will a lot of our friends and fellow racers. I would like to add that Yamaha's promptness with the maiiing of its YZ Bucks was a big deciding factor when we switched from Kawasaki to Yama- L.A. Times blunder Your article on Friday, November 8, titled "The Elsinore Grand Prix Revs Up" had one little paragraph regarding the Catalina Grand Prix. I have no idea where you got your information, but all of it is wrong. First, the maximum number of racing motorcycles was 260 and not 2,200. Secondly, the last race was in 1958, and thirdly the number of spectafors could only be estimated at about 20,000 - and there were no motorcycle gangs terrorizing the city. Lastly, 150,000 people in Avalon would have destroyed it. I expect a retraction of this paragI'aph in the Times and one to me personally. As a former competitor in five of the races from 1951 through 1955, I ha. Michael Justus Hendersonville, NC Letters to the editor should be sent to Voices, Cycle News, P.O. Box 498, Long Beach, CA 90806-0498, faxed to 310/4276685 or e-mail.editor@cyclenews.com. Published letters do not neces·sarily reflect the position of Cycle News, Inc. Letters should not exceed 200 words • and all letters are subject to editing. Anonymous letters will not be considered for publication. All Letters should contain the writer's name, address and daytime phone number ... Editor. . FEATURES FIRST RIDE RIDING IMPRESSIONS 1997 Yamaha Royal Star 1997 Kawasaki Off-Roaders 6 MOTOCROSS White Bros. Vet World Championships Tour Deluxe 22 DEPARTMENTS RESULTS LEADERBOARD .28 CALENDAR .39 WANT ADS .43 VIEW FROM THE FENCE 14 RACER TEST Corona Ducati 748SP .27 EVENTS HARE SCRAMBLES Sunday Creek National .26 .59 10 Printed in U.S.A. C0l'yrighr' Cycle News, In(.l996, TrademMk Cycle News regastered U.S. Patent Office. All rights reserved, McLaughlin sent the above letter to the Los Angeles Times ... Editor. feel you slandered me and printed all the wrong "facts." I call them "lies." Show me proof and I will be the first to apologize. I don't know what I can do about the slander, but if I fail to hear from you. I will make an effort to find out. John L. McLaughlin Oaremont, CA INSIDE ·ISsue #46, NOVember 20, 199&. W/BnA AUDITED wJ:'~ CIRCULATION ~peedway. What a joke. We dtove two hours only to get there and find 03't that the grandstands were closed. That's right - no place to sit. Infield only - at the worst track in the United States to watch from the infield. Now I know why I have so much fun at the AMA races. They are run by professionals aRd not a bunch of cheap nustiers. Hal Finkle Joliet,IL 18 LOOKING BACK : 59 ON THE FRONT COVER Off-reading in Idaho with the 1997 Kawasaki Iineu p, including the KLX300R, the KDX200 and the KDX220R. Photos by Kinney Jones.