Cycle News - Archive Issues - 1990's

going," Russell said. '1 didn't manage to get the bike going as well as I know we can and my tire never felt great." (N Phillip Island Phillip Island, Australia Results: March 23, 1997 (Round 1 of 13) QUALIFYING; 1. Aaron Sligh' (I,J4,683): 2. Akira Vanagawa (lcJ5.139); 3. Simon Cramr (lcJ5.184); 4. Colin Edwards n (lcJ5,204); S. Carl Fogarty (lcJ5.222); 6, Neil Hodgson (I cJ5,455); 7, John Kocinski (I cJ5.837); 8. Scott Russell (1;35,842); 9. Peter Goddard 0;35.887); 10. Piergiorgio Bontempi (1:36.073); 11. Pier-Francesco Oilli (1;36.078); 12. Troy Bayliss (1;36,203); 13. Steve Martm (l :36.327); 14. Craig Connell (1:36.466); 15. Damon Buckmaster (1;36,664); 16. Martin CraggiD (1;36.962); 17, Shawn Giles (1;36.994); 18, Mike Hale (1;37.113); 19. lames WhHham (1:37.615); 20, Greg Moss (1:38.618); 21. lason Love (1:38.905); 22, Pere Riba Cahana (1:39.104); 23. Andreas Meldau (1:39,113); 24. James Hayden (1;39.251); 25. David Emmerson (1 :39,373); 26. Igor Jerman (1.39.542); 27. Alistair Maxwell 0:40.035); 28. Craeme Wilshaw (1:40.363); 29. Beno Archibald (1:40.517);.30. Craig Stafford (1;41.462); 31. Simon Middleton (];41.470); 32. Daniel Vanoliru (U1554); 33, John Phelan (];4Ul3o); 34, Stephen Tozer (1;42,281); 35.lohn Orchard (1:42.690), RACE ONE; I.lohn Kocinski (Hon); 2. Carl Fogarty (Due); 3. Simon Crafar (Kaw); 4. Akira Yanagawa (Kaw); S. Troy Bayliss (Suz); 6. Martin Craggill (Kaw); 7. Scott Russell (Yam); 8. Andreas Meklau (Due); 9. Shawn Giles (Hon); 10. Pere Riba Cnbana (Han); 11. Jason Love (Due); 12, Igor Jerman (Kaw); 13, Benn Archibald (Kaw); 14. Greg Moss (Hon); 15. Craig Stafford (Yam); 16, Steve Martin (Suz); 17. Stephen Tozer (Kaw); 18. Simon Middleton (Kaw). Time: 41 min., 16551 sec, Distance: 22 laps, 60.698 miles. Average Speed: 88.232 mph. Margin of Victory: 15.722 sec. Fastest Lap; John Kocinski, 1;49,306/90.867 mph. RACE mOo 1. Aaron Slight (Hon); 2. Colin Edwards Jl (Yam); 3. Simon Crafar (Kaw); 4. Carl Fogarty (Due); 5. ·Brieflv... The second leg's podium had a different look: Colin Edwards II, Aaron Slight and Simon Cra'ar celebrate. Troy Bayliss (5uz); 6. Scott Russell (Yam); 7. John Kocinski (Hon); 8. Damon Buckmaster (Kaw); 9. Martin Craggill (Kaw); 10. Shawn Ciles (Han); 11. Craig Connell (Due); 12. Piergiorgjo Bontempi (Kaw); 13. James Whitham (Suz); 14. James Haydon (Due); 15. Andreas Meklau (Due); 16. Jason Love (Due); 17. Pere Riha Cabana (Hon); 18. David Emmerson (Suz); 19. Craig Stafford (Yam); 20. Stephen Tozer (Kaw); 21. John Orchard. Time: 35 min., 33.916 sec. . Distance: 22 Laps, 60.698 miles. Avenge Speed; 102.399 mph Margin of Victory: 0.033 sec. Fastest Lap: Colin Edwards ll, 1:36.078/103.378 mph. WORLD SUPERBlKE C'SHIP POINT STANDINGS (After 1 of 13 rounds); 1. John 'Kocinski (34 /1 wm); 2. Carl Fogarty (33); 3. Simon Crafar (32); 4. Aaron Slight (25/1); 5, Troy Bayliss (22); 6, Colin Edwards 0 (20); 7. Scott Russell (19); 8. Martin Craggil1 (17); 9. Akita Yamgawa (13); 10. Andreas Meklau (11); 11. Pere Riba Cabana (9); 12. Damon Buckmaster (8); 13. (TIE) Piergiorgio Bontempi/lgor Jerman (6); 15. mE) Jamie Whitham/Bonn Archibald (5). Upcoming Rounds: Round 2 • Misano, Italy, April 20 Round 3 - Donington Park, England, May 4 . lack of power and acceleration that hampered the green bikes in 1996.' A dry c1ulch is aiso likely to be introduced at one of the next races.• A 900d l\etup is very important.' staled team manager Eckl. •Judging from the data we got from last year. there could have been more work done in thal' fleld and in the selection of the The Australian World Superbike opener also saw the introduction right gearbox ralios. Appar~ntly. Anth,,"'y Gobert went well wilh of a new cllampionship poi'lt·paying system in the series, anything. But on this level, we-cannot afford to let any possible At flrst. Aammini and the ,AM had hoped to offer a contract to 24 One year befpre the expeqed irwasipn of Japanese twins and ,. advantage go unused. We expect abeller and faster engine for riders. .contracting them 10 participate.1n every round of the cham· Hockenheim. but I am not very fond of the idea of developing an pionship and making them the only riders eligible for points, A few , other neVI! bikes on the World Superbike grids. no n",w model~ engine for a specific circuit. We w.ant engines that can be (easily) weeks priorto the opening. round. however. only 18 riders were' appeared at the season Qpener and alilhe faclory b,kes were evo, Jutions of the machines that had were ridden in 1996, At Yama· adapted to every kind of circuit. • 'on Ihe 'flxed-starters list" This means that the organizers of each event Gan appoint six other riders (not-necessarily from their own . ha·. the Japanese engineers had conc'entrated on beller accelera· tion betwe.en 8.000. and 10.000 rpm. 'We have ch'anged the' At Ducati. team manager Virginio- Ferran came up with a list of ' country), who -wiU also, qualify for Wprld Superbik", points: The intake shape and used lighter crankshafts which produce less fricother riders will qualify for the European Superbike Champipnship l)'lirior modiflcations: m;w (narrower) Cylinder sleeves. Ihanks to tion to achieve that goal,' explained Takaaki Suzuki. supervisor of in .European ,races and for no championship in' particular outs(de of the use of a new manufacturing' technique; a different combustjon the Rrst·Engineering Division at Yamaha. In addition.,a more rigid Europe. They wiU. however. receive prize money from their flnishcryamber and intake ducts in order to' get more' power, over: the. swingarm was developed' and different brake pads. and a ,wi?er' whole range;. a lighter swingarin'; a lighter Ohlins. front for:k; a her· es :wiih :their points going to the 'next' "hed" World Superbike starter, Beginning with the next race in, Misano. Italy.. the "flxeq , selectl.on of rims sizes were used, 'In Japan. we are stm wprking mlltically' s,ealed' airbox: a' different exhaust, and a gearbox with. to ,get more .horsepow",r:" tne- engineer said. "We ,think I! is'pos'riders- will use racing.numbers less than 50, 'Of cours",.,we had closer ratios. The Du'cati 99B,now develops some 150-155 bhp at Sible to gilt five or six' more horsepow.er before, the season is, hoped to. have .a list 01'2.4 'riders." .CCR-president Claude Danis 12.200 rp'1" '' " stated' in Australia... But We are quite happy wUh the current situa- . ·over,· The' obligatory. modi,fications to the exhaust - to. get,the ·tion. This j'g a necessary step towar:d a further professional,izafion. · noise prOductio~ from 105 dba back to the new limit 'of 102 dba - The second confront,ation betw"en the official Suzuki team. run b)l, had n'ot resulted in loss of.horsepo-wel, ' . of the series.' Moreove'r. this rule 'will dissuade manufacturers Lester Harris: and the.-Ansell Air Freight Suzu~i team run by fro;'n entering' severai factory riders in order to'take away points Peter' Goddard. once again. turned out to be sOme sort.of an,' On Ihe SU~ukis.. the most Visible change was .the use of Show" . ,embarrassment for the. Britain-based team. Goddard. who had from rivals to their '. own" ·title candiqates in' a decisive stage. of ~uspension cqmponenls. front and ,rear. ',We compared their' the championship. In· order to get more .private nders on the grids. been hOpin9 since :nl95 to run the official team in the World , we.wililry to.find a technical regulation wi}ich must prevent manu- · pr.oduct~ with the td been made with different' tests 'after last' years season finale al Phillip I'siand. The Euro'a ",Iher uns,uccessful seaspn in the !=,uropean $up~r;,po\1' ChampionShip. I:lavlicek dee1dep 'to invest more'in racing in 1997. He ·linkage system,s; The new suspension parts by Ohlins made the, peans urged HRC 'to ,make' sure that the sYstem 90t everybody's bike easier to handle and more comfortable·and ,the team is n.ow .attention at Phillip Island. Kocinski and Slight we.re prettY vague. iri 'kept.one of the Ducat! 748 he hac entru~ted to a'Czech,ridec in 1996.. hought,two n~w ones and tried to i:onVi~c.e Pere RiPa or · using Brembo brakes, EngirieWise'. there were ,severa! minor modi-. thllir answers ·to ,the question of how ,the. system' works ana how they,benefit from it Their standard answer ran something like this: fications: 'new' pistons. camshafts. a. revised clankshaft and it 'Bernhard Schick to ride the bikes, Both ,riders 'finally opted for "It helps us to keep the b.ike stable whEm braking. but!"m not sure ot~er, teams. which 'is where Meklau came into the pictu're. reilesigned combustion chamber. logether with a' new ignition syslem and new Skorpi.on exhausts . i~ order to po away.with the in What poSition 'the (variable) system was tu<:ned .on my bike.·' ' 'Mekla~. signed the HpB contract at the:end ,of last year. ,but Ihanks to his perso"al sponsor Remus. he got the chance to nave two new Ducati 996s to ride in the World Superbike Championship, MekJau called Havlicek on January 2 and persuaded him to change his plans and go for the World Superbike Championship instead. Havlicek still has the three completely prepared Ducati 748s- in his garage. waiting for a new owner. a

• Cover