Cycle News - Archive Issues - 1990's

• (jjID~ VOICES Ame rica's w eekly motorcycle new spap er LETTERS TO THE ED/TOR Volume XXXI V Sharon Clay ton , President Micha el Klinger, Publislzer Ed itori a l Pa ul Ca rruthers . Editur Kit Palme r, Ac;sociate FAUor Scott ROU~d U, &sodate Editor Ma rk Hoyer, Mtmilging Editor Keith Bush , Assistant Editor/Col?!' Editor Cameron Coc rncy. Assistant Editor Alan Cathcart. European Editor D3\; d R. Holther. OJpy Editor Spilled milk Graphics and Production Ree John son, Production Supermsar Ma nd y 1.00, Production Manllger Dennis Greene, Lab. Tech. Amanda Wollny, GrolJ Artist hic Robyn Light, Graphic Artist Wh o's the champ? I would like to sugges t that the two gentlemen from Peoria, Arizona (Voice>, Issue #42, October 22), review the way the poi nts are currently awarded in AMA road racing, Consistency pays... Congratu lations to Dou g Chandler, his family, his spoosors an d the entire Muzz y Kawasaki tea m for the way th e y co m bined to wi n the A MA / M BNA Su per bi ke Na tiona l Championship this season. Team Mu zz y Kawasa ki goes ho me with th e nu mber-on e pl a te agai n th is yea r beca use they consistently entered a reliable, expertly prepared, ultraco mpet itive motorcycle ridden by a gu y kn own for his consis tency . If the AMA decid es to cha nge th e rules and awa r d th e champions hip to the tea m that wins the most race>, you can be assured that the ma n w ith the handlebar mu stache, th e family man from Salinas an d the cre w fro m Bend , O regon , will make us d iehar d Kawasaki fan s pro ud by assuring the number -on e p la te b reathes m ore than its sha re of fresh ai r at the fron t of the pa ck. Tha nks to all the AMA team. for a great seaso n of raci ng . We can' t wa it for '98. Mi ke and Annette Norto n Cambell, CA Administration Judy Klinger, Coordinator Leanne Sims , Administrative Assistant riding. I've been read iog a lot of books an d am wo rking on ge tti ng o rganized for 1998, I hope to see you at the races soon. Steve Hatch Oakley, CA Thanks fro m Hatch Ad verti sin g Terry Pratt, National Accounts Manager Mark. Mitche-ll, Eastern Accounts Manager Mark Thom e, WC'Stcrn SalesMnnagf.'T Thomas Go n ler, Weslem Sales Manager Forrest Hayashi, Western SalesManager G reg Mit chell, Eastern Sales Manager Rick Matheny, Eastern SalesManager Rhon da Crawford , Wt"StmJ Ad Coordinator Bridgett Bobrofsky, As sistant Ca rla Allen, Eastern Ad Coordinator Tina Farr, Assistant Ma rketing & Promotion Mark Thome. Director Forrest Hayashi, Manager New Med ia Develop ment Mar k Mit chell, Director Rick Math en y, Wt~bmaMer Stepha nie Leamon , Assistant Cla ssified Ads Lauric Tors tensc n Accounting/Data Proc essing Donna Bryan-Di amond, AIR Coordinator Ceneva Repass, & sistant Hcrlanc Lewis, Credit Circulation Rheba Smi th, Mimaxer Alma Anguiano, Processing Coordinator Keshen a Dawso n, Billinx Coordinator Carol Maggi o, DealerCoordinator Service and S upport Doris Rice, Receptionist Michael Swed berg, Serviceand Support National Headqu arters . 2201 Cherry Ave., Long Beach, CA 90806, P.O . Ilox 4~R, Lo ng Beach, CA 90!l01-0491l (562) 427·7433; (213) 636-8844. FAX(562) 427-f>6R S Eastern O ffice 4188 First Ave ., Tu cker, GA 30084; mailing address P.O. Box 805, Tucker, GA 30085-0805. (770)934-7850. FAX (77 0)934-3112 e-ma il cdi tor@cyc1cncws.com subscribe@cyclen ews.com [ would like to personally thank my family, friends, spo nso rs and co mpetitors for being so supportive of me with phone ca ll s and card s . My a ccident occurred while racing in round 10 of the GNCC series in Mouot Morri s, Pennsylvania. t hit a tree head-on with my head after having the handlebars ripped out of my hands from hitting a bunch of hu ge braking bumps that had developed . 1 thank God that I'm okay. I crushed my tho racic #5 and #7 in my spine, but I was wry fortunate because two doctors have told me that I shou ld have broken my neck. lt ' s quite a d isap p oin tm en t si nce I have worked so hard this yea r a nd at the tim e of the accident was lead ing the Na tional Har e Scrambles Series an d wa s ti ed for fi rs t in th e GNCC Se r ies , I believe we ca n ac h ieve anyt hi ng we want to achieve in this life and that God makes everything hap pen for a reason. So I am eager to ge t back to training an d And more on Dowd I just read the letter from Chris Mistretta concerni ng Ya ma ha's pla n fo r joh n Dowd , Doug Hen ry and Kev in Windham. [ cou ldn't agree m ore... Yama ha m u s t ha ve a good reason fo r ha vin g Dowd ride a 125 and putting Henry on a fou r-strok e and Windham on a 250, but I'm still su rprised - especially after readin g ea rl ie r re p o r ts a bo u t Dowd a nd H enry not wanting tu ride th e f OU Tstroke, and Dowd and /or Hen ry talkin g to Honda . This is in no wa y mean t to slight the riders, as I feel tha t Yamaha has oneof the bes t teams, including both bikes an d riders" All thr ee arc great profession a ls, and d eserv e to wi n cha mp io ns hips in 1998. By the w ay, any news o n whal Mike LaRocco is d oing next year? Terry Dusendang Gra nd Rapids, MI No official uord on LaRocco yel, though the latest talk is thai he may ride a pri vate Honda backed by Factory Connection.,. Editor. Del Mar kudos Everyone came to Del Mar . This year we had more le gend s attend tha n ever, along with perfect (bu t windy) weather and the bes t mile race peo ple have seen in yea rs. Yo u know the ra ce is a goo d o n e when every past AMA Grand National C ha m pion there is standing up and screaming as they came out of tu rn four. My thanks to Bob Bishop of the San Diego Antique Motorcycle Cl ub for an outstanding s how, Chris Agajania n of Ch ris Agaja nia n Presents for a hea rtstopp ing race, th e past cha m pi o ns for goi ng ou t and playing d uring the "Lap o f Le gend s," and m y m om, Barbara Phillips, for being the person to ge t all the legends there in the first place, What a weeke nd , Wh at an event. See you nex t yea r o n October 10-11. Andrea Ph ill ips New po rt Beach, CA Wardy fan In rece ntly returning fro m a full weekend of r a cing a t th e n ew Las Vega s Motor Speedway, I wa n t to say tha t after 44 yea rs of being in volved (w ith) or as a fan of anyth ing tha t h as wheel> and races, I have to say that Jeff Ward's perfo r ma nce i n the IRL r a ce in La s Vegas was pheno me na l. jeff qualified and started 12th an d by lap four was leading and pulling away. Afte r the first yellow, on lap 45, Ward - was still leading but w as penalized an d had to pit, res tarting dead last. Halfway th rough the race, Ward was aga in challen ging the leaders and wa s by far the fastes t d river on the track. Unfortu na tely, an overhea ting engine took him ou t of the race on the I68th lap. I just hope that jeff Ward will be drivi ng in mo re than ju st two IRL races next yea r. Art Carter Ven tur a, CA The Harshas National number 76 Jeff Harsha and his family wish to ex tend a sincere th an k you to th e Mount St. Hel ens Mo torcycle Club and to all the riders and friends who s ho wed th eir conce rn throughout Jeff 's hospita l stay an d his conti nued recovery at home. All th e cards, visits and pho ne calls are deeply appreciated. After sufferi ng a n acute s u bd u ra l hemotoma following his acciden t in the Castle Rock Hot Shoe Na tionals on September 6, je ff is doing well and a full recovery is expected. Jeff Harsha Central Point, OR Le tt ers to the edito r sho ul d be sent to Voice s, Cy cle N e w s, P.O . Bo x 498, Lo ng Beach, CA 90806-1l498, faxed to 562/427-6685 o r e-mail, editorfscyclen ews.co m . Pu b li shed letter s do not n ecessarily reflect th e pos ition o f Cycle News, In c. Letters s ho u ld no t excee d 200 w ord s an d all letters are s u bject to editi n g. Anonymous lette rs will not b e considered fo r pu b lica li on, All letters shoul d contain th e writ er's name, address and da yti me pho ne number ... Ed it or, advcrtising@Cyclcncws.com INSIDE In tern et http:/ /www.cyclenews.com R 8 g] ~ r-, 0\ 0\ ...... u) .... ClJ ..0 E ClJ >o Z Cycl New,; (UST'S 141·340 is pcblisbed weeklyexcept the e ) .00per year by last two weeksof the calendar yedr for$50 CycleNt!w!O. lnc.•2201 Chmy Avenue.Lceg &.K:h,. CA90806. pmullK-i11.. Poo;;l"gt' Paid u mg Bo-.fCh. CA iU1J at addibo nal mailing offn . CanadaPo...t IntrmatictIl.a1Publication.<; Mdll 1>1601 5. POSTMASTER: Sf'nd liddrnt ch.angft to Cycl~ News, P.O. 8ln.448, wnS lk..-h. CA 90801.(\.1Qg. .I' To dnmnine the expirlition cU of your subsaiption. ch«k te th~ four num bft's on Ih~ fi l"!l l li n~ of your ,j(jdress Ll~L The fin;1tw o d igi t. indicale th e 1»1 Issue numbn you11eeeelve .and Ihl' lI-.t'worn.. rM"t"" indic.atr Ibe yr u of the lssue . wt Subscription rata: lQres for the Umtcd States and Its.~ sions forOfW'~a r. (SO NUl!'!i), SSO.OO; two year.; (JooISSUCS), $95 six mont~. (2.5 ~ul"!;), $16.00; trial sub (15 issues) .lXl; , $19.00. CmaJ.a and Foreign. ON: year GO is.sUl"!;), S90.oo; twc \I'M" (lro i....t_). $175 .00;..., rnt>nth!. (25 i.....~), 5-15.00; trial . ~b n5 i. qJt"l, 538.00. CycwNl!W'!I welcomes unsolicited edi torial rrt.ltl'ri3.l including !Otorit!s. cartoons, photos, etc. Such ma terial, if published, beco mestilt'exclw;iw prort'I'ty of Cyde Ne-,o,.'fj. Reprinnng in whllw {l!" p.trt only by pmni.....ionuf the publis.ht!r. Advernsj. rate" and circuLttWm infnrTlliltkm be ...."fIt ufllln k"llt. See 5.R. S.· D wm -1/SPA ~'k~'JffrION .-- P rin ted in U.S.A. Co~yri Kh tc' Cycle News, Inc. 1997. Trademark CycleNews registered U.S. Patent Office. All rigllb reserved, Issue #44 November 5, 1997 FEATURES CROSS COUNTRY Gra nd Na tional Cross Cou ntry Cha mpionship Series from Lisbon , Ohio , 8 DEPARTMENTS FIRST RIDE 1998 Kawasaki ZX-9R 19\18 Yamaha V-Star RIDINGIMPRESSION 1998 Yama ha YZI25 1998 Honda CRI25 19\18 KTM 125SX , , , 10 14 ,., 12 18 ,., ,.,.., , ,..,20 SPEEDW AY john Scott Mem orial Test Match from 22 England ..,., , , INTERVIEW AMA Na tional Har e and Hou nd Cha mpion Ty Dav is ..,.,.., 24 EURO ALE., , EVENTS ,., , CALENDAR , RESULTS ..,.., , , LEADERBOARD WANT ADS ..4 26 , , , 40 , , 44 , , INTHE PADDOCK LOOKINGBACK ,., , , 45 ONTHE FRONT COVER 46 , Ou t with the old and in wit h the new. Kawasa ki introduced its al l-new ZX·9R to the press recently a t an introduction in the so u th of Fra nce, Ph ot o by Tom Riles. 63 63

• Cover