Cycle News - Archive Issues - 2000's

Cycle News 2001 10 03

Cycle News is a weekly magazine that covers all aspects of motorcycling including Supercross, Motocross and MotoGP as well as new motorcycles

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motorcycling events or impromptu group rides. To help motorcyclists who choose to make monetary donations toward relief efforts, the AMA has published a list Qf relief agencies at www.AMADirectlink.com. In related news Harley-Davidson Motor Company has released the following information, regarding its donations toward the ongoing relief efforts in conjunction with the terrorist attacks of September 11: Harley-Davidson Motor Company is donating the use of 30 police motorcycles and $1 million to assist in the relief efforts in New York City and Washington, D.C. The motorcyoles will be used to replace police motorcycles, squad cars and other police units that were destroyed following the terrorist attack on the World Trade Center, Tuesday, September 11. The Company's $1 million donation will be made directly to the American Red Cross for use in the relief effort. "We are all moved and saddened by the events of the past week and hope our contribution of police motorcycles and funds to the American Red Cross can in some way help with the relief effort,' said Jim McCaslin, President and Chief Operating Officer of Harley-Davidson Motor Company, Ten police motorcycles will be ridden to the New York City area from Milwaukee by Harley-Davidson employees and local police officers this week and an additional 20 motorcycles will be delivered within the next two weeks to the New York area for use by the New York City Police Department and the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey in their efforts. As the international bond to support the victims and families affected by our nation's tragedies continues to grow, reigning 125cc Eastern Regional Supercross Champion Travis Pastrana has donated $5000 to the ClearChannel.com Relief Fund, In addition, ~[lj]~[lj] DJil9~ !J!]@1!i!l rP®[lj]f? ~li[J@DJ@ !1!iJJ:{@rfiJ Well, not exactly. When Italy's Milan Show - the world's largest motorcycle convention - opened early this week, word quickly spread that there was a trick new Suzuki four-stroke motocrosser on display, If this were true, it would be an amazing example of flying below the radar, as no one had even suspected Suzuki of haVing such a bike ready, a marked contrast to all of the discussion of Honda's CRF450R before the existence of that bike was even officially acknowledged by its manufacturer. As it turns out, the bike that started the rumors is not produced by Suzuki, but instead by Italian aftermarket company Valenti Racing (www.valentiracing.com). who apparently wasn't patient enough to wajt for Suzuki. Valenti starts with a DR-Z400 engine, then boosts capacity to 434cc. As for the chassis, it appears to be quite similar to that of an RM250, but while the bodywork does indeed corne from that bike, it actually has several components that are even more trick than those found on that two-stroke motocrosser. For example, the silencer Is made from titanium, the tank and filter are carbon fiber, the swingarm is modified, and there's a 47mm Showa inverted fork. Claimed dry weight is 247 pounds, and price is said to be around $9000. o Mario CandeUone Pastrana, 17, will make a public-service announcement that emphasizes the importance of supporting those affected by last week's tragedies. The announcement will be played on more than 1200 of Clear Channel Entertainment's radio stations. Scott Summers officially announced his retirement from active racing on Wednesday, September 19 at Honda's motorcycle dealer convention in Las Vegas, Nevada, During the past two years, Summers suffered two serious injuries resulting in six surgeries and a string of medical complications. The two injuries occurred while training and testing and not during competition. Summers will remain associated with longtime sponsor American Honda Motor Company. He will continue to work with American Honda, the American Honda motorcycle dealer network as well as the Honda Riders Club of America to help increase their marketing presence Racing during the 2002 season, but was recently forced to retire from professional motocross due to a series of concussions. "I want to stay in the sport and teach the most modern and advanced techniques that, unfortunately, due to my retirement, I won't be able to utilize myself this winter. Through my classes. I also want to make up-and-coming riders aware of the mistakes I made so they can avoid them as they progress through the sport." Classes, which will begin running in the next week or so, are open to riders of all ages and skill levels. "I'm excited to teach riders with skill levels ranging from 60cc beginner to 250cc professional," Hughes said. "I want eVeryone to know that my classes will not be limited to just professionals. I want all the racers I work with to benefit from the knowledge I gathered from racing on World Championship Grand Prix and AMA National and Supercross tracks." For the time being, Hughes' classes will be staged at local Southern California tracks such as Lake Elsinore, Glen Helen Raceway and Competition Park. Each individual class - which will put an emphasis on one-on-one training will be made up of five riders and run from approXimately 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Individual classes will be scheduled Monday through Friday. For more information, call 909/695-0654. and exposure at motorcycle activities of all types, both in the United States as well as on a global level. Summers' first national overall victory came in 1987 at a GNCC event in Pennsylvania on a Honda XR600R. Since that first win, Summers went on to record over 69 wins at AMA National off-road events throughout North America. The sum of Summers' past wins has resulted in nine National titles and three IS DE gold medals, Recently retired motocrosser Ryan Hughes has announced that he will soon start holding private motocross schools at various tracks in Southern California. "Since I can't do what I want to do, which is to race the AMA 250cc Nationals, I want to take everything I've learned through racing at the highest level in the world for the past 12 years and teach it to motocross racers that are willing to listen to me," says Hughes, who was slated to race for McGrath ..............................................................................••.•.•........••.......•••••........................... : OPENED, Aggressive Sports Apparel's home page on the World • Wide Web. The site can be found at the following address: htttp:!Iwww.cheaterwear.com. . HIRED, Dave Brown, to oversee the Axo rider-support department for MOVED, AC Racing, to 2273 E. Via Burton, Anaheim, CA 928061222, 714/808-8330. BORN, Austin Shane Powell, to Team Dual Dogs' Damon Powell and his wife, Catherine, in Bakersfield, California, on September 4. OPENED, Metzeler's U.S. home page on the World Wide Web. The Helmet House, Inc. According to a release issued by Motor Racing Outreach (MROl, motorcycle racing chaplain Brent Houston will not be in attendance for the balance of the remaining races in the 2001 season. Houston is undergoing care for conditions commonly associated with PostTraumatic Stress Disorder (more commonly referred to as PTSDl, according to the release, a result of the trauma experienced in 15 years of ministry. In the interim, MRO is committed to maintaining a healthy and viable ministry amongst the AMA Superlbike, Formula USA and WERA communities and a chaplain will cover all the remaining races, the release ACCEPTING, Axo is now accepting rider resumes for the 2002 season. Through October 31, Intermediate, Expert and Pro riders from all forms of off-road motorsport may send resumes to Helmet House. Inc.. 26855 Malibu Hills Rd.. Calabasas, CA 91301, fax them to 818/8804550, or e-mail themtoaxodave@helmethouse.com. site can be found at: http://www.us.metzelermoto.com. ACCEPTING: The Sprocket Center is know accepting racer resumes for the 2002 racing season. Resumes can be sent to Sprocket Center, 15581 Product Ln.. #c-l1 ,Huntington Beach, CA 92649. HIRED, Steve Bond, as road test editor for Inside Motorcycles, a • Canadian motorcycle/ATV publication, effective immediately. : ,. """ ,. RE-SIGNED, KTM Red Bull's Brock Sellards. for another year with boot sponsor Sidi and Motonation, the company's exclusive U.S. importer. BORN, Paris Loraine Campbell. to Team Honda off-road racer Johnny : Campbell and his wife, Faye, on September 13 in Mission Viejo, Cali- • fornia, ,. .. ,. ,. " • ,. .. ,. ,. ,.,.,. "" .. ,.,. ",.,...... .. . cue' • Continued OM page 80 n • _ S • OCTOBER 3, 2001 3 8 ~ 3 o J J ] J ~J o o o Cl j J J ] o j ] ~ CJ o

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