Cycle News - Archive Issues - 2000's

ill again race in the 125 division in both upercross and motocross. ormer World Enduro Champion and MA Hare Scrambles Champion Paul dmondson has been released from is contract with Kawasaki Team Green o he can compete full time closer to his ome in Great Britain. Unconfirmed eports have it that Edmondson has igned with Husqvama to compete in the 002 FIM World Enduro Championship ucati has gathered together a host of emorabilia, which they will auction off or charity at their Sotheby's Auction eing held on Saturday, October 27 for ucati Revs America at Las Vegas otor Speedway. The money raised rom the auction will go to Riders for ealth. Dozens of goods will go under e hammer, including: a brand new 1998 yellow 916, an original Ducat; orse team jacket and six racebike fairings used on the World Superbikes, ach signed by at least one of the factory racers. There will be framed black and hite photos of Ben Bostrom and nthony Gobert, Carl Fogarty, as well as Lyle Lovett, all personally signed. Each of the photos was taken exclusively for the 1999 Ducati Year Book. There will also be a photo of the late Fabio Taglioni. Other collectibles include Ducati Corse 2000 books, mounted disc brakes and a high quality team photo, all signed by Ducati racers. There will be a one-of-a-kind Ducati road-racing bicycle constructed using a titanium frame provided by Litespeed and equipped with components provided by Campagnolo. Ogio has donated an assortment of Ducati golf bags and carriers. Ana rock legend, Sammy Hagar, has given one of his personally signed guitars to be auctioned, Ducati hopes to raise at least $50,000 for Riders for Health, an organization focused on solvin9 one problem: ensuring the reliability and longevity of motorcycles and other vehicles used in child immunization and primary health operations in Africa. There will also be a separate auction - for a chance to ride passenger with Ducati's World Superbike heroes - that will raise money for the Red Cross Disaster Relief Fund. Two bidders will have the chance to do three flying laps of Las Vegas Speedway as passengers to Bostrom and new World Champion Troy Bayliss. AMA Travel & Tours has announced its 2002 lineup of Supercross racing spectator packages. These excursions allow race fans to attend top AMA EA Sports Supercross Series events across the U.S., and are available for Anaheim Edison Intemational Field on January 4 6, the New Orleans Superdome on March 16 - 18, the Pontiac Silverdome on April 13 - 15, and Las Vegas' Sam Boyd Stadium on May 3 - 5. AMA Travel & Tours' Supercross packages start with passes to watch Supercross practice the afternoon before the races, followed by exclusive, behind-the-scenes paddock tours and track walkthroughs conducted by AMA Pro Racing officials, During the paddock tour, fans can discuss technical topics with race officials, and meet AMA Supercross stars, On race day, of course, AMA Travel & Tours provides its spectators with some of the best-reserved seats in the house, accordin9 to a release from the AMA. AMA Supercross packages include quality accommodations, select meals, media guides, programs, and souvenirs of the event. AMA Travel & Tours also can assist its clients with air travel and other transportation. For more information, contact AMA Travel & Tours at 800-AMA-JOIN, extension 1196. Figures released by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSAl indicate that 2862 motorcyclists were killed on the nation's roads in 2000, up from 2483 the previous year, according the AMA. Meanwhile, overall traffic deaths rose from 41,717 to 41,821. The AMA expressed concern over the increase in motorcycle fatalities, but noted that the raw numbers don't offer any clear explanation as to why there were more motorcyclist fatalities in 2000 than in 1999. NHTSA figures indicate that motorcycle-related fatalities w~re up for the third straight year, follOWing 17 consecutive years of declines. From 1990 through 1999 alone, motorcycle-related fatalities dropped by 48 percent. The AMA noted that one significant reason for those fluctuations in motorcycle-related fatalities is that the number of Americans riding motorcycles varies considerably over time. While the number of car drivers in the United States tends to grow at a steady rate, motorcycle use is less predictable. In fact, the past several years have seen an enormous increase in motorcycling popularity. with sales of new street bikes up 76 percent since 1997, "Any death of a motorcyclist is one too many," said Edward Moreland, the AMA's vice president for government relations. "But it's clear that as motorcycling has increased in popularity. with more riders on the road. there is a greater probability of accidents involving motorcycles," The AMA has long supported motorcycle rider training, stricter licensing laws. appropriate riding gear and motorist-awareness campaigns as effective ways of reducing motorcycle accident and injury rates, The AMA recently launched a program called .. Motorcyclists Matter," which seeks to make car drivers more responsible for injuries they inflict upon motorcyclists, bicyclists, pedestrians and other vulnerable road users. In addition, the AMA wants NHTSA officials to conduct a nationwide study of motorcycle accidents that would help identify elements that can improve rider safety. Moto Christ. a motocross Christian ministry event, will be held on October 20 at Competition Park in Hemet. Califomia. The event will start and noon and will featured free admission with a chapel service led by Joel Murphy, Also scheduled to appear are Nathan Ramsey, David Pingree and Ezra Lusk. According- to a press release issued by Ducati, L&M Ducati's Ben Bostrom underwent surgery to repair his injured right shoulder last week. The surgery, performed by noted surgeon Dr, Arthur Ting, was to repair Bostrom's injury from his crash in the Monza round of the World Superbike Championship on May 13. Bostrom's total recovery period is expected to be approximately eight weeks. with the shoulder joint healing up over the next six weeks, according to Ducati. His next track appearance will be er, motorcycles, for BMW of North America, effective immediately. Plucinsky was fonmerly aftersales manager for BMW. $8899. cue I _ American Honda has announced that Erik Kehoe will be the team manager of Honda Racing's motocross program in 2002. Kehoe retired from active competition in 1995 and became Honda Of Troy's team manager. guiding the team with first Hondas and then Yamahas, On the strength of Kehoe's performance over the last six years. he was recruited to direct the efforts of the 2002 Honda Racing motocross team. according to Honda. "American Honda has been working hard in the last 18 months, defining and implementing our vision for the future of Team Honda motorsports... said American Honda senior manager Gary Christopher. "Every successful team has to have the right mix of racing machinery, technology, and - especially people. We're dedicated to creating the kind of team environment that will inspire riders, technicians, and management staff to say, 'That's where I want to be.''' "' am excited to be back working with Honda." Kehoe said. "American Honda's commitment to winning is unprecedented, and my focus is to help build a foundation that will support this commitment. .. American Honda has also announced that long-time road racing technician AI Ludington will return 10 Honda Racing's factory road racing team as the crew chief for multi-AMA Superbike and 600cc Supersport Champion Miguel DuHamel. "Honda Racing has always been my home. Most of my championship titles have been made possible thanks to Honda's tireless efforts to achieve excellence, It's good to be home," said Ludington, who worked as Eric Bostrom's crew chief in 2001. Also joining Honda Racin9's road racing squadron for 2002 is former Kawasaki wrench Danny Hull. Hull will be responsible for Kurtis Roberts' Erion Racing/Honda RC51 Superbike chassis development. Hull has worked with Roberts in the past on the Erion Racing team and is excited to be joining forces with Roberts to contest in the upcoming 2002 AMA Superbike Championship. Harley-Davidson continues to amaze with its stock prices up $3,33 to $45.92 the day after the company announced yet another record performance, posting earnings of 36 cents a share on net sales of nearly $851 million - increases of 19 and 35 percent. respectively. "For the first few days following the tragedies of September 11. many of our U.S. Harley-Davidson dealers reported a slowdown in retail activities," noted CEO Jeffrey Bleustein in Harley's earnings report, "As time progressed, however, it appears as if aggregate retail activity has returned to expected levels for this time of year... APPOINTED: Thomas J. Plucinsky, to the position of general managCORRECTION. We printed the wrong manufacturer's suggested retail price of the 2002 Suzuki DL1000 V-Strom. It should've been the scheduled Dunlop tire tests at Kyalami in South Africa, December 4-6. j d J o o o o o 8 o CJ 'I ......J 1\ '-J ..J C 1\ J J J J - - - - - - - Continued on page 112 n __ S • OCTOBER 24,2001 3 u

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