Cycle News - Archive Issues - 1990's

Will0E1J. VOICES America's weekly motorcycle newspaper LETTERS TO THE E ITOR D yo lumeXXXV Sharon Clayton, President Michael Klinger Publisher , Clever heads I' m no t sure w ho co mes u p with the titles for the "Even ts" sec tion, but I just h ad to write a nd th an k th em for the hilariou s e n t ries in th e November 4 issue of Cycle News . I u suall y find one or two in every issue that are good, but this issu e had a higher -than-usual number of fine exam p les : " Plu m b crazy ..." "Ti p p ing ove r everyone..." "Johnson comes up big..." and m y favorite, "Reed b etween th e lines.:" Thanks for making me lau gh . Kevin Smith San Jose, CA On slow weeks, we have a headline contest and the winn er gets to edit ex tra stories the next week... Editor ATKand CARB Ther e has been a lot of press recently abo u t CA RB an d th e ongoing level of restricti ons being p lac ed on off-road mo torcycling in Califo rnia . Man y of the articles, letters to the editor and updates indicate how few motorcycles are actua ll y CARB off-road legal. Lists of "approved" models have also been circulated around the indus try. For so me re a son, ATK motorcycles ha ve ne ver been mentioned as being approved . Beginning with the 1998 model yea r, a ll of ATK' s four-stroke mod els w er e CARE-approved. The 1999 mod els that are currently bei ng ship ped to d ea lers are approved as we ll. This includes the 350, 490 and 605 Cross Cou ntry and Enduro models. Th ank y ou for lett in g u s s et the record straig ht. Monty Scott Cen terv ille, UT Scott is the national sales manager for ATK A merica... Editor Rem~mbering 1996 Eric Jo hnson's "Time Re m em bered " p iece tha t focu sed in part on the 1996 Moto cros s d es Nations tripped off some pretty vivid memories. I traveled with the U.S. team that yea r and I recall that entire journey as bein g one of epic proportion s. Afer we go t past O' Ma ra's rampage w ith the fire extinguisher (wha t a mess), we go t to th e track a nd ou r Arnei rca n rid ers we re o ff th e ga uge reg ard in g mot ocross d ominance. Johnso n and Bailey were jus t plain good, running away from the pack, but it was O'Ma ra w ho was truly amazing . I knew that Johnn y was on the outs with Hon d a, and he was fired up like I hadn't seen him for a couple of seasons. I can recall a treacherous downhill that was rough, steep a nd trick y . t remember s ta n ding on that h ill and watch ing O' Mara traverse d ow n - on the gas and upshiftin g. It was magnificen t. All sa id a nd d one, th e eve n t will always hold a special place in my mem ories , as it was Da vid Bailey's last big rid e. He had bee n my frien d for years, and the next time I saw him after Italy it was in in ten sive care at the San Jose hospital, following his career-end in g crash in ea rly 1987. If you ever travel to the AMA head q u ar te rs , wa lk into th e Pro Ra cin g de pa r t me n t - I s till keep o ne of m y favo ri te phot os on display the re . Th e shot features Bailey running away with a moto a t th e 1986 MX d es Nations, pulli ng away in fluid style, with a mas- ' sive crowd in the background. Tom Mue ller Westerville,OH M ueller covered motocross for Cycle New s prior to going to work for the AMA. He now runs his own company, S ports M anagement lnc., in Westerville, Ohio... Editor Wasting ink? W hy was te in k w it h Larry Nas to n 's commen ts regarding Smyth 's and Walla ce ' s o p inio ns o f th e U. S. Open of Su perc ross in La s Vegas? Sm yt h and Wall ace told it per fectly. Of cou rse Naston is goi ng to try and d efend his part of . the show. I mu st say, being an obse rve r m y s elf, it w a s a ve ry p oor d e fen s e indeed . Ma rk Fiel ds Canyon Co untry, CA Bill Tuman You may have left a few th in gs ou t of yo ur story about Mr . Bill Tuma n. He a nd his wife, Betty, are still very mu ch the cornerstones of AMA District 17. He has my resp ect for his w or k there and my envy for his enthusiasm that he s till shows at the track. I was lucky eno ug h to be in the pit s at the Del Ma r Mile in 1997 as he and Mr . Hill came th rou gh . Both were grinning from ea r to ear. These are the people who go t us her e and ha ve co n ti n ued to stay with us . Thanks, Bill. Steve Sh af er xr12000@cciposLnet Bring back th e 500s The recent reader p o ll (C ycl e N ew s Online) regard ing whether the 400cc four- strokes should be allowed in the 250cc class deserves further discussion. While I vo ted in favo r of th e 400cc four-strokes being allowed in the 250cc cla ss, I do not t hi nk th at is the bes t o ptio n . Mo s t race rs I ta lked with believe, as I d o, that the 400s ought to b e placed in t he n on e xi st e nt 500cc class. However, until the 500cc class is . reinstated, th ey do belong in the 250cc class. Bringing ba ck the 500cc class is th e co m mo n-sense thing to d o . Th er e a re man y.priva teers w ho en d their careers be cause they ha ve pointed o u t of th e ' 12Scc class but ca n' t ge t th e su p por t necessary to ru n the 250cc class. A 500cc . class would be a great option for them . The careers of many great racers could have bee n extended had they been able to race the less competitive 500cc class. Just imagine if a SO cc class had existed O when St aten, Coo per, Kiedrow ski or Brad sh aw decided to retire. We might still see them roosting the competition. Wou ld a 500cc class put off the impending retirement o f La Rocco, Lams on, Dowd, Henry or Ward? I think so . Also, wit h the expectation that riders sho uld m ove out of the 125cc class at a certai n level of experience or ability, we have then crea ted a sys tem that allows only a few riders to excel in th e 250cc class. The 500cc class wou ld allow more riders to exp erience the thrill of bein g on to p and I suspect woul d exten d th e careers of man y. I was d isma yed wh en th e AMA d ecid ed to end the 500cc class. The factories may have rejoiced, but the fans we re cheat ed . Now, with Yam aha, Husaberg, KTM, ATK, Cannondale, Maico, a n d o the rs a ll makin g co m pe ti t ive open-class bikes, th e AMA sh ou ld d o the right thing an d bri ng the SO class Occ b a ck . A n d if Ho n d a an d Kaw a sa k i d on' t w ant to p articipa te, th ey don't have to. . Cliff Davis Los Angeles, CA Letters to the editor should be sent to Voices, Cycle News, P.O. Box 5084, Cos ta Mesa, CA 92628-5084, faxed to 7141751-6685 or e- mail, editorfscyclenews.corn. Published letters do not necessarily 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 consid- ered for publication. All letters should contain th e writers name, a ddress and da ytime phone number ... Editor. Classified Ads Teri Kerr Graph ics and Production Mandy Lao, Art Director Dennis Greene, Lab. Tech. Amanda Wollny, Graphic Artist Sandi Gettys, Graphic Artist Paul Fisher, Graphic Artist • Ad mi nistrati on Judy Klinger, Coordinator Leanne Sims , Administrative Assistant AccountingfData Processing Donna Bryan-Diamond, A/R Coordinator Geneva Repass, Assistant Theresa Milburn, Credit Circulation Alma Anguiano, Circulation Manager Carol Maggio, Processing Coordinator Pam Klein, Billing Coordinator Joy Lau, DealerCoordinator Service and Support Shannon Clark, Receptionist Jim Olson, Serviceand Support futiIllliIl HeadquIDm 3505-M Cadillac Ave., Costa Mesa, CA 92626 1'.0 . Box 5084. Costa Mesa. CA 92628-5084 (714) 751 -7433 FAX(714) 751-6685 Eastern Office 4188First Ave., Tucker, GA 30084 1'.0. Box 805, Tucker, GA 30085-0805 mO) 934-7850 FAX (770) 934-31 12 e-m ail editor@cvclenews.com subscribetecyclenews.com advertising@cyclenews.com In tern et rosTMASTER: Send addres s changes to Cycle News. r.o. Box5084,Costa Mesa. CA 92628-SOSI. .4 12 MOTOCROSS 13th ann ual Whit e Brothers World Vet Cha m pions hips 16 .22 AMA Eastern Four-Stroke Nati onal Mot ocross Series :...23 VINTAGE Vintage Iro n Master s of Motocross Banqu et New Media Development Rick Matheny, Webnraster Stephanie Leamon, Assistant Per SHOOTOUT AMA Fall Classic MX Series Marketing & Promotion Mark Thome, Director Forrest Hayashi, Manager Kory Klinger, Dealer Representative Cycle News (USPS 1 4 1 ~340) i. published weekf v except: the s .00 year by last two weeks of the calendar year for 550 Cycle News. Inc.•3505- Cadillac Avenue. Costa Mesa. CA M 92616 Periodicals Postage Paid at Costa Mesa. CA and at . add itional mailing office. Canada Post International Publica• tions Mail#546615. FEATURES FIRST RIDE 1999 Yamaha YZF-R6 Advertising Terry Pratt, National Accounts Manager Mark Thome, Western SalesManager Thomas Center, Western SalesManager Forrest Hayashi, we stern Sales Manager Greg Mitchell, EasternAccol/nts Manager Jim Clark, Eastern Sales Manager Rhonda Crawford, WesternAd Coordinator Bridgett Bobrofsky, Assistant Carla Allen, Eastern Ad Coordinator http:/ /www.cyclenews.com ·IN#45NE 18, 1998 S ovember ID Issue 1999 250cc Motocrosser s Editorial Paul Carruthers, Editor Kit Palmer, Associate Edit r o Scott Rousseau, Associate Editor Mark Hoyer, Managing Editor KeithBush, Assistant Editor/Copy Edit r o Alan Cathcart, European Editor David R. Holther, Copy Editor 18 INTERVIEW World SOOcc GP road racer Matt Wait To determine the expiration dat e of your subscription, check the four num bers on the first line of your address label. The first two digits ind icate the last Issue num ber you'1Ireceive and the last two characters indicate the ye.lr of the lollit issue. .26 '!O d 'Sand its pOS,'it'S-' Subscription rates: RaIL for the Unite StalL sions for one year (SO i........Ul'S), SSO.oo; two yt'.u'S(100i..sues), . ' $95.00; six mont hs (25 is....U l"S) , $26.00; trial sub OS iS6 Ut'S), $19.00. Canada a nd Foreig n, one yeM (50 is. ues), $90.00; two years (100 issues ), $175.00; sik months (25 is. uL $45.00; trial 'S). DRAGRACE NHRA Winston Drag Racing Series ....30 DEPARTMENTS sub (15 issues), $38.00. Cycle News welcomes unsolicited editorial m.ltl'ri.l1 includi ng NEW PRODUCTS ......................................•..24 EVENTS .31 RESULTS .42 CALENDAR 44 .52 LEADERBOARD WANT ADS 54 ; 72 INTHE PADDOCK 72 LOOKINGBACK storie cartoons, photos, etc. Such materia l, if pub lished , s, the exclusive property of Cycle News. Reprinting in whole or part only by pcrtnis....ion of thl' publisher. Adverti.... ing rates and circulation information will be sent upon request. See S.R.DS. becomes ON THE FRONT COVER Whic h 1999 2S0cc mot ocrosser is best? O u r Shooto ut will tell yo u . Pho tos by Kinn ey Jones and Fra nk Ho ppe n. Inset: the 1999 Yamaha YZF R-6 in action at Phillip Island in Australia. Photo b y David Dewhurst. W/BD'A V ..,.!"~ AUDITED CIRCULATION Printed in U .S.A. Co~yrightC CycleNews, Inc. 1998. Trademark ?,de News registered U.S. PatentOffice. All rights reserve .

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