Cycle News - Archive Issues - 1990's

tomer satisfaction and identified the areas we need to improve for '99. The Hall of Fame VIP package will be the best dirt track spectating opportunity of the year." For more information, call 706/769-0474. Las Vegas Motor Speedway has published a list of dates for motocross practice at the LVMS track. The test-andtune sessions will be held on June 4 and 18, July 9 and 16, August 20, September 3, and November 5 and 19. Cost is $15 for the rider and bike, and $5 for crew and spectators. For more information, call the Las Vegas Motor Speedway short-track office, 702/632-8422. The new AHRMAIH&H KTM National Vintage GP Series' has grown to 10 rounds with the addition of the October 10 Ski Run Scrambles at Donner Ski Ranch ill Norden, California. For more information, caLL 530/587-6065. Motorcycle daredevil Bubba Blac~well is scheduled to attempt a new worldrecord jump astride his Harley-Davidson XR750. Blackwell plans to clear 14 semi-trucks during the Harley-Davidson/Buell of Boston-sponsored Over The Top 11 event at Suffolk Downs in East Boston, Massachusetts, on June 13. For more information, call 617/3898888. Team Obsolete will be venturing overseas once again to bring a round of its Trans-Atlantic Match Race Series to the Dutch TI at Assen, Holland, June 24-26. There will be two races held over three days on the historic Circuit van Drenthe, with the TAMR series pitting three teams of historical motorcycles and motorcycle racers against one another. In addition to the top USA and UK riders and bikes, a European team will also contest the round, making for a 30-rider field. Six-time World Champion Jim Redman will serve as the round's Grand. Marshall and will do a series of demonstration laps on an ex-works Honda multi. Fifteen-time World Champion Giacomo Agostini will be a special guest, and he is expected to take some parade laps on his MV Agusta 500/3. The Yamaha YZF-Rl has been voted as the best motorcycle in the Robb Report's 1999 "Best of the Best" awards. As such, the YZF-R1 joined the ranks of such vehicles as the Ferrari 45611, GT, Porsche 911 and Mercedes-Benz S-class sedans in the Automobile category, the Magnum performance sport boat and Pilatus PC-12 airplane in the Recreation category, and Giorgio Armani in the Style category. Excelsior-Henderson announced that it produced and shipped its 500th Super X motorcycle on May 27, 1999, marking" the first time since 1931 that this many new Excelsior-Henderson motorcycles have been available. "Passing the 500thJ;notorcycle mark demonstrates the increase our production operation is achieving in delivering bikes to our waiting dealers and customers," said Excelsior-Henderson co-founder Dan Hanlon. "It was a wonderful milestone to reach as we approached our second annual shareholders reunion and bikers barbecue on June 5." A group of disability-prevention organizations and care advocates has formed a coalition to fight legislation that would repeal a law that now requires all motorcyclists to wear helmets in New Jersey. The Save Motorcy- clists and Support Helmets (SMASH) Coalition has formed to educate government officials and the general public on the safety benefits of wearing a helmet and advocate to keep the law in place. One proposal tha-t would repeal New Jersey's madatory helmet law, Senate Bill 294, has already won Senate approval and now sits before an assembly committee, awaiting further action. It has been reported that the state's Assembly Law and Public Safety Committee will consider the bill for legisla·tion on June 7. "Motorcycle helmets save lives and prevent injuries," said Barbara Geiger-Parker, executive director of the Brain Injury Association of New Jersey Inc., the organization that spearheaded the SMASH coalition. "Helmet use should remain mandatory in New Jersey. This is the most densely populated state in the nation, and the roads are heavily traveled. Motor cyclists in this state have a greater risk of being involved in a crash, and helmets will help protect them from serious injury and death." An array of historic and restored dirt track racing motorcycles will serve as the nucleus for the New Indy Mile Bike Show, part of the scheduled activities to be held in conjunction with the New Indy Mi.le at the Indiana State Fairgrounds in Indianapolis on July 3. Many of the show machines that will be on display will make up the AMA Motor_cycle Hall of Fame Museum's upcoming "75 Years of Excitment" exhibit, which is scheduled to open at the AMA's Pickerington, Ohio, headquarters on July 9. Awards at the Indy show will be presented for Best of Show, People's Choice and Bubba's Choice - this last being awarded by New Indy Mile honoree Bubba Shobert, the three-time AMA Grand NaGPnal Champion and former Indy Mile winner. Motorcycle owners interested in displaying their machines at the show should contact the AMA Events and Entertainment Department, and ask for Hugh Fleming. The phone number is 614/856-1900. U.S. Tsubaki Inc., has developed an unsual greeting that can be sent free to friends and business acquaintances by accessing Tsuba!d at the following address: http://www.flattracknews.com/dpc/intro.htmL AUTOGRAPH SIGNING: At New England Cycle Center, Hartfort, Connecticut, June 11. Team Yama- NHRA Pro Stock Bike rider Greg Underdahl has signed on a new sponsor after having reached an agreement with George Tamasi's "TAS Racing" NHRA superteam. UnderdalU's previous major sponsor of five years, NCN Communi- ha's Jimmy Button, John Dowd and Yamaha of Troy tec>-m riders are scheduled to appear. For more information, caU860-527-D822. • CHANGED: The stock ticker symbol for Norton Motorcycles Inc. on the NASDAQ stock exchange. The new ticker symbol for Norton is now NRTN. _ 3

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