Cycle News - Archive Issues - 2000's

orm G'UlffiEiITlcD o\X/ o Continued from page 3 o according to a release from the AMA. The meeting was organized in order to express the widespread concerns of motorcyclists about the danger of existing crash barriers following a demonstration held last June in Madrid, and supported by thousands of riders, in protest against these devices. In the course of the meeting, the Federation of European Motorcyclists Associations CFEMA) reminded the Commission of the crash barrier project they had undertaken with the support of the EC in 1999. The final report, "Crash Barriers and Motorcyc1ists" proposes alternatives to existing barriers. The Commission declared that a point referring to the need of improving the safety of crash barriers would be included in the EU Road Safety Program for 2002-2010. Another commitment made was that. during the Spanish Presidency of the European Union, particular attention would be given to the matter, by setting up a Working Group CWG) with all interested parties, including representatives of the EC, FEMA and the CEN CCommittee of European Standardization). One of the main objectives of this WG will be to define a crash barriers' standard in order to make them safer for motorcyclists. Campaigns are already underway in Austria, France, Germany, E c r L -- u -I X L C C r luxembourg and Portugal where FEMA's organizations are promoting and fixing protectors to make crash barriers safer for riders. California Assembly Bill 723 which was introduced by Assemblyman Juan Vargas CD-Golden Hilll to keep the state's "'Green Sticker" program law on the books until at least January 1, 2007 was signed by Governor Gray Davis on September 4, 2001, according to the AMA. The law, officially called the OffHighway Motor Vehicle Recreation Ac~ of 1988, provides for the operation and funding of the state's OHV recreation areas and trails. The law was set to expire January 1, 2003. California Senate Bill 1081, introduced by K. Maurice Johannessen CR-District 4) and signed by Governor Davis in July, meanwhile, removes the requirement that motorcycle manufacturers and manufacturers of motorcycle exhaust systems certify to the Department of the Highway Patrol that their products are in compliance with adopted standards and regulations. NHRA Pro Stock motorcycles will make their debut at Sears Point Raceway in Sonoma, California, during the 15th annual NHRA FRAM Autolite • • Bodacious Borile L L C l I r [ One company which CCM is in contact with for engine supplies is Italy's Barile, the retrobike speCialist which launched its all-new, sharply styled B500MT Superrnoto model at the Milan Show. The B500MT is powered by a revised version of the finn's aircooled sohc four-valve engine derived from the 10c"lIy-built OM speedway engine wblch took Sweden's Tony Rickardssan to his third World Speedway tltle in September. Weigblng just 235 pounds fitted with beefy 50mm Marzoccbl Magnum forks and an offset WP linkless shock, the new Borile is already in production to special order alongside its established B500CR cafe racer sister - but company boss Umberto Barile is already laying the basis for expanding his model range with the development of a family of engines all using the same basic crankcase design with chain-driven camshaft and gear primary drive, and featuring a side-loading unit-construction gearbox with extractable cluster, capable of featuring any number of ratios betWeen three and six speeds. Whereas the current Barile engines employ cylinders and heads produced for him by OM in Vicenza, Umbecto Boriie plans to manufacture the new engine himself in three different versions - either a liquid-cooled 648cc model featuring fully-mapped fuel-injection with a massive 60mm throttle body, or either air- or water-<:ooled 44lcc varlants employing Mikuni carbs and Kokkusan digital ignition. A Nationals, August 2-4, 2002. "Motorcycle racing is an enduring part of Sears Point's history and ongoing schedule, but until now, that racing has been limited tq our road course," said Steve Page, president and general manager of Sears Point Raceway. "The bike enthusiasts of Northern California have been a strong and loyal part of our fan base and we are delighted to offer them this added feature as we unveil our new drag racing facility. " This will mark the only visit to Northern California for the Pro Stock Motorcycle category. "We're pleased to have the opportunity to introduce our thrilling Pro Stock Motorcycle category to the great fans at Sears Point Raceway in 2002," said NHRA President Tom Compton. "I'm certain these 190-mph two-wheelers will add some drama and excitement to our very important West Coast swing. Northern Califomia's biker community is one of the biggest in the nation and we're glad to be able to give them some of the best motorcycle racing anywhere, NHRA style." effort to reduce impacts to sensitive resources and desert tortoise habitat, the BlM issued a decision record on October 19 to close to vehicle use specified routes of travel in the lower Chemehuevi Valley in San Bernardino County and all driveable washes in eastern San Bernardino, Riverside, and Imperial Counties. The BlM decision also closed to camping approXimately 25,600 acres of public land east of the Imperial Sand Dunes, closed approximately 3,200 acres of public lands to motorized vehicle use within the Edwards Bowl area in San Bernardino County, closed specified routes of travel to motorized use in the Newberry-Rodman, Red Mountain, Superior, and Helendale subregions within the West Mojave Planning area, and reclosed approximately 49,300 acres of the Imperial Sand Dunes to off-highway vehicle recreation. This decision replaces the BlM's previous decision issued in November 2000 that was done without proper consultation. The BlM has only allowed 30 days for appeals. The US Bureau of land Management CBlM) Desert District Office officially implemented the closure of five California Off-highway vehicle (OHV) areas, the AMA reports. Claiming an The U.S. Team may not have gone to the Motocross des Nations this year, but Cycle News is still holding our raffle for the autographed enlargement of last year's Issue #37, which featured the winning team of Ricky Carmichael, Ryan Hughes and Travis Pastrana. All proceeds will go to the MX des Nations fund for next year's team. The huge poster is mounted and features the signatures of all three riders, plus team manager Roger DeCoster and even Steve Bruhn, who shot the cover photo. There's still time to get your entry in, as the draWing will be held on November 30. Send a check in the proper amount C$5 for each ticket) to: Cycle News MX des Nations fund, 3505M Cadillac Ave., Costa Mesa, CA 92626. single trochoida! oil pump is employed on all versions, all of which will feature dry-sump lubrication with a separate oil tank, with the waterpump located in the cylinder head and driven off the camshaft, as well as a single gear-driven counterbalancer and a very small oilbath dutch, "The engine is very light and compact," says Borile, "but even on the fuel-injected version the cylinder head is conventional in fonnat for ease of instaJlatJon, not rotated like on the Cannondale. We are already in discussions about supplying CCM and other firms with engines" but we w!ll be able to tailor the detaJled package to each customer, because of their moduiar basis using a common crankcase design, But by offering both air- and liquid-cooled designs, we aim to satisfy both the more traditional as well as the modern dirtbike customer.' Oianni Marzotto, owner of OM, is said to be lending a hand in R&D of the new Borile motors, having decided to concentrate solely on producing customer versions of his world title-winning speedway engines but to offer the benefits of his years of experience to Borile in his new challenge. The advent of the Borlle engine underlined the growing focus among Italy's boutique bike-builders to develop their own very different kinds of street single - as was confirmed by the array of Supermoto models to be found on the VOR, Vertemati and TM stands at Milan, with aU three ItaUan specialist off-road manufacturers launching tarmac versions of their existing trail bikes, each powered by their own dohc four-valve rOLfr-stroke motors ranging In capacity from 400 to 580ce. Each costing around $9500 in their home market, these bikes represent the best of Latin sporting traditions in modem minimalist guise - but only Barile has yet revealed intentions to market his engine to outside customers, for them to install in their own such models. w To cast your vote>" log. 0 0 http://www.cyclenews.com. cyclenews.com reader poll question of the week or tie rollowlng would you place more raitti in 1= L} ,- American supercross seri=e::s.:.'?_----------.,---- U o ~ 92 NOVEMBER 21,2001 • co Y co I e n e _ s Kawasaki Team Green will be attending the Winter Olympics in Gainesville, Florida, November 19-24, 2001. Team Green will assist all Kawasaki racers with technical support, including emergency parts, and they'll have the latest 2002 jetting and suspension charts. L.A. Sleeve/Pro-X pistons will also provide race support at the Mini Os, helping sponsored riders with parts-and signing other racers for 2002. For more information, call 562/487-6457. cn

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