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/128096
"I'm of the opinion the heavier V-five package should still offer better overall traction..." Kocinski Okay My god, the world has gone loony. The mere fact that one has the gonads to spend his life in pursuit of being the best on a global scale is, in itself, respectful. Noteworthy is the fact that a life is on the line every time we strap in, or throw a leg over. I am in shame that I have the same first name as the "freak" who only last week bastardized a truly great talent and dedicated human being. No, I don't think I will ever sit down with Mr. Kocinski to have dinner accompanied by stimulating conversation, but I would be more than willing to have our beloved mental health system serve soup to nuts! 3. "where off-road vehicles 'race,' the area becomes unsuitable for other uses (i.e. hiking, horses, etc.). I have hiked on singletrack trails, and when bicycles or motorcycles go by, the attitude seems to be 'get out of my way, banzai. '" Pam Faldonl VIa the IntrHnet Iron Mike Motocross Cat We see you brought back Team Smitty. Well, that's kind of a pity because as us old folks know, Motocross Cat is the way to go. Ricky Carmichael and Jeremy McGrath are great, but A-200 is the real number plate. ::JodIe MIller OjatCA MIke Helbling VIa the IntrHnet Four-Strokes Noise, Etc. wilderness areas. The wilderness designation has always precluded motorized travel. 2. "I remember the first SuperTrapp I put on a bike (a 1900s Honda XL250) ... No matter what I did, it either corked it up...or shattered windows..." I assume the "1900s XL250" would denote a 1972 - 1979 XL 250, since the designation for the 250 changed to XR250L in the 1980s. Technology has changed since then. SuperTrapp alone makes five different systems, each to meet different needs and noise requirements. The SuperTrapp rDS2 system will put out less than 95 decibels on a 400cc bike, while still offering a horsepower increase over the stock system. Pretty darned good. taxing the structural integrity of the tire. I've run into an increased number of center tire/wheel-spin problems over the past few years riding Superbike-spec slicks on 370-pound, 180-horsepower big-bore Formula Extreme bikes in AMA. But then again, these machines are much heavier than GP bikes will be and are not nearly as aerodynamic. That said, I still wouldn't be surprised to see wider slicks coming in the near future, directly because of fourstrokes in GP racing. I'd also bet when the V-five and other GP four-strokes finally compete under real-world race conditions, the number-one problem faced by engineers will not be the tire wear but how to keep the front end down under acceleration. If the rider can't change direction while exiting corners because the front wheel isn't touching the ground, drives and top speeds will suffer, killing lap times (not to mention annoying the rider and prompting physical fatigue). Higher rpm and lower torque seem to help with wheelie dilemmas. Will the manufacturers develop new computer technologies to more aggressively dictate the power output to the ground and even anticipate varying loads and conditions? Will an electronic solenoid-driven valve train be legal in GPs (and can you imagine the revs obtainable by such a system?)? It will be interesting to see it all. Nonetheless, I think there will be enough early success coming out of first-generation GP four-strokes to compete against the 500s, even if the four-strokes start largely with conventional designs and current tire technologies. Having raced powerful streetbikes the past few years, I can only imagine how lethal these new four-strokes will become, and in no time at all. It's easy to predict fourstrokes will win races in their debut GP season. With all the hype surrounding the Jeremy/Ricky battle this Supercross season, it is nice to see Mike laRocco steadily and quietly finishing on the podium. His years of persistence seem to be paying off. Congratulations to Mike, and to his sponsors for supporting him. And Jeremy and Ricky, keep an eye on your rear-view mirrors! Mk:haeI Schumacher Irvfne, CA In regards to Mr. Bell's letter to the editor (Issue #10, March 7), he brings up a few unusual points. 1. "... noise is one of the main reasons there is such a drive to kick off-road vehicles out of the wilderness." Motorized vehicles are not, nor have they ever been, allowed in walking down the middle of a highway. There's no logical explanation for their actions. The sound requirements for all public lands are 99 decibels or less. The new bikes are generating more power with less noise than ever before. Although some aftermarket exhausts are louder, there are many options which meet sound requirements and still give great power. Mike laRocco - still going strong. Why is Mr. Bell hiking on trails during a race? Although all motorized areas are multiple use, most hikers, mountain bikers and horseback riders choose to recreate in non-motorized areas. In areas that do see many different types of use, I've personally found most other users to be friendly and cooperative. Since non-motorized users can hear us before we see them, most are standing off the trail before we get there. We slow down as soon as we catch sight of them, then a friendly wave of the hand from both parties and we're on our separate ways. Only those users who seem intent on invoking a conflict are still standing in the middle of the trail when we come up on them. They obviously can hear the bike coming, why not just step off the trail? I equate this behavior to that of a crazy person Great article from Michael Scott (In The Paddock, Issue #10). I believe, however, that a solid Vfive engine design with an irregular firing order (and spaced-out pulses to the rear tire) should still deliver a GP four-stroker's 210 horsepower to a current slick better than a lighter, peakier, and "smoother" 500cc twostroke, as mentioned by Mr. Scott. With a no-compromise chassis and no doubt the most advanced fuel-delivery systems to date, I'm of the opinion the heavier V-five package should still offer better overall traction, increased feel to the rider, and an extended tire life when compared to a 500 equipped with similar rubber. Because big-bore GP pilots will need to "stand up" their bikes early out of the corners, I wouldn't be surprised if the thorn in the tire manufacturers' sides becomes tire overheating from the bikes going straight. With massive horsepower, the rear tire spins faster than the front for an extended amount of time, creating excessive heat and sometimes even cue. e Mom MIller Long Beoch, CA n e _ s • MARCH 21,2001 5