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/128142
1.1_:-1.1"1 . . . . . . . .I~"'.~~ • ..1- Happenings In Motorcycling There's Something About Supercross The sport of supercross is getting so mainstream that even the actors are coming out much like a Lakers home game. Among those in attendance at the recent Anaheim III round was none other than Ben Stiller (a.k.a. Gaylord Faulker). Here, Stiller gets interviewed by ESPN2 reporter Davey Coombs. Everyone dreams of getting their 15 minutes of fame, especially children. Imagine, then, the delight of the youngsters who get to compete in packed stadiums in the KTM Junior Sopercross Challenge events that are held in conjunction with the EA Sports Supercross Series. Rollerball IS Here The movie Rollerball, which Sports Illustrated calls a cross between in-line skating, polo and motocross, opened in theaters on Friday, February 8 across the nation. Not exactly motocross, but there are people riding motorcycles in the movie. The movie stars Jonathan Cross, LL Cool J and Rebecca Romijn-Stamos. c:--=~ By ALA CATHCART - Voxan To Be Spared The future looks brighter for France's troubled Voxan marque. which. in spite of a healthy order book, was placed in the hands of the receivers on June 29 last year. But it now appears set 10 be rescued from insolvency by MerkerYshlma. one of Europe's largest manufacturers of truck bodywork and semi-trailers. A substantial industrial engineering group capitalized at more than 590 million. whose 140 shareholders include Mercedes-Benz. MerkerYshima is controlled by a Swiss-based investment group, Tec:tagon AG. It also has a strong Italian ingredient in its management and oper· atIons, wIdJ two extensive ultra-modem factories In Italy, in Rome and Pescara, amongst its several European plants which are extensively equipped with robot manufacturing technology. This explains the creation in 1999 of MerkerVshlma out of a merger between the Merker semi-trailer operation and the Japanese Yshlma company, a leading speciaUst in robot-manufacturing techniques. The group has since expanded into France, establishing its French HQ at C1errn1)rlt-Ferrand. home of Michelin and very close to the Voxan base at lssoire. just 25 miles away. In fact, MerkerVshlma has already rescued one French company from bankruptcy, when it took over the Loire Valley-based CIR truck bodybuilders in July 2001. which had been in provisionalllquldation fodour months. This acquisition wiD have provided MerkerYshima with hands-on experience of the protracted French legal system. which means that final confirmation of the Voxan takeover. while all but assured in the absence of /Ill}' other contenders, will not take place until early February. But M.Y management headed by Christian Binot. the board member in charge of outside expansion of the group, has already established a gameplan for turning the French motorcycle company round. with the apparent support both of the Voxan workforce and trade unions. as weU as of the Issolre local government. This has encouraged the new owners to commit $26.5 mnrlOll in immediate investment for the cash-starved company, of which a substantial amount has already been forthcoming, in order to keep Voxan afloat pending judicial confirmation of the takeover. According to Binot, in Illl interview with respected French weekly Moto Journal, Merker believes Voxan has a range of excellent products and a good distribution network. both in FrlIl'lCe and abroad. but that where the company let Itself down was in the manufacturing To Cilst your vote, log on to ~--- ...nttp:// .cyclenews.co. A. Minneapolis SX B. Atlanta SX C. Daytona SX 6 FEBRUARY 20. 2002' --==e cue I • n • _ • process. with overpriced compoaentry not delivered on time, and resuitant desuhory production leading to the c:ashflow problems which brought it to Its knees. Merker therefore intends to apply its own established expertise in manufacturing techniques to Voxan, and 10 follow through with Voxan founder Jacques Gardette's plans to build an expanded, showcase new factory on the outskirts of Issoire which will be highly streamlined using MY's existing robotmanufacturing methods. Production of the V-twin model range wiD also be ramped up. while decreasing costs - thus enabling the company to offer enl)anced product quality. at a lower price. In due course, this will lead to expansion of the Voxan range, with a series of new models based at least initially on the existing 72-degree V-twin eight-valve engine, both in its existing looOcc configuration and the 1200cc version Gardette was known to have under deveiopment as the basis of custom and sports touring models. But first priorities wiD be to get the existing 1000cc Scrambler, Cafe Racer and Roadster model range back in production. as well as in all probability the Thierry Henriette-designed Boxer VB1 sportbike, presently hand-built in Toulouse by Henriette's quite separate operation. using a Voxan rolling engine/chassis package. Demand for this good-looking, well-regarded model has been substantial, and adopting it as a top end Voxan model volume-produced in Issoire wUl kickstart the marque's comeback. as well as underUne Merker's seriousness in expanding its model line-up 10 a full range of bikes. The B2 Boxer naked roadster unveiled at the Paris Show in September is also likely to enter production as a Voxan, In spite of its alloy spaceframe which would be a departure from the modular chassis concept Voxan has followed to date. This would leave Henriette focusing on his successful Boxer Design operation. which has already achieved success working not only for Voxan in designing the best-selling Scrambler. but also for third party ciients such as Aprilia, for which Boxer created the acclaimed Blue Marlin V-twin cafe racer launched at the Milan Show last September, and due to enter production this summer as a limited edition model sold by the Italian manufacturer over the internet, Boxer's role in developing future new models for a MerkerYshima-owned Voxan will not be an exclusive one, however - for Blnot and his colleagues have confirmed !:be n _ of two high·profile partners from the car world which will be involved in future R&D for the French bike manufacturer. One is noted Turin-based stylist Bertone, responsible for a succession of Italian four-wheeled dassics, which BlOot says will be involved in styling new Voxan twowheelers. while in charge of future engine development for the French marque will be former Ferrari F1 chief engineer Mauro Forghieri, whose Modena-based Oral EnglOeering is not only responsible among its many projects for final development of the BMW V-10 engine currently powering Ralf Schumacher and Juam Pablo Montoya to Fl success in their Williams. but is also prodUcing the 990cc V4 MotoGP engine set 10 power the German MZ contender when it appears later this year. It's not hard to envisage Forghleri prodUcing a power-up Voxan l000c:c V-twin engine to tum the VB1 Into the first French Superl>ike contender.