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/128150
• 1.1_:-1.1'1 . . . . . . . •• 1- Happenings In Motorcycling .I"-'.~- Head For The Hills Last week, Fox Racing held its Dealer Appreciation Day at Hollister Hills OHV Park in Hoi· lister, California. More than 325 people attended the event that featured private use of the facility's GP track, a marked poker·run course, gourmet barbecue, as well as a raffle, with prize giveaways that included an R.C. Replica Fox helmet. Some of those in attendance included former Outdoor National and 5upercross Champion Jeff Emig (right) and World Mountain Bike Dual Champion Brian Lopes (center). On the left is Fox's own Geoff Fox. While in town for the 5t. Louis 5upercross, Jeremy McGrath's sponsor· Bud Light· arranged for him, and his team, to take a tour of the Anheuser·Busch brewery, as well as to throw out the first pitch at the 5t. Louis Cardinals' home opener (see page 36). Here, the seven-time 5upercross Champion poses next to Dale Earnhardt Jr.'s NA5CAR race car that is on display at the brewery. By ALAN CATHCART • • Voxan's New Game Plan As foretold last month, France's solitary bike marque Voxan, based at Issoire in central France, has been rescued from insolvency at the 11th hour by the Swiss-based multinational MerkerYshima. 1lIe company was confirmed in February by the bankruptcy court in nearby Clermont· Ferrand as the new owner of Voxan, subject to Voxan's manufacturing operation remaining at Issoire. Merker has paid the liquidator approximately $680,000 to buy the French company. and has promised to invest another $20.5 million in Voxan over the next three to four years, with the aim of producing more than 20,000 motorcycles annually by 2007. The company's management has already taken over day·to·day operation of Voxan. and is planning in the short term to completely overhaul both component purchasing and manufacturing strategies. aimed at reducing costs and increasing efficiency, and in the medium term to construct a new factory on the outskirts of Issoire to house all aspects of the Voxan operation. It's envisaged that production of the existing Cafe Racer and Scrambler, models powered by Voxan's own fuel·injected 72·degree V·twin, 8·valve engine, will restart by June· though only around 750 bikes in total are projected for manufacture in what remains of the 2002 model year, primarily to satisfy latent demand in the home market as well as in Germany, where the French marque enjoyed a successful debut just before it went under. But at Inter· mot in September. Voxan will be completely relaunched in a high-profile manner, with a revi· talised range including not only the Scrambler and Cafe Racer, but also a completely restyled version of the Roadster 1000 which kick· started the company's existence five years ago, and a volume production version of the Boxer VB I. which will become a Voxan model in its own right. Voxan will focus on these four modular models, sharing a common engine and chassis package, for the immediate future, expanding the company's export markets to include Great Britain in 2003, and Japan and the USA in due course after that. It seems that, out of the financial morass into which the company had sunk, founder Jacques Gardette's aim to build a world·c1ass French motorcycle marque now stands a good chance of being achieved • but, sadly, 00 longer with him at the helm. To cast your vote, lag an to /www-xyclenews.com. ,.--_~.ttp:/ Eric BOltrom MatMladln B.I% ~ Which of the fallowing do you feel makes for the best dual-sport bike? Aaron Vat••.••..••......•••••••••.•••••••3.0% ...•........................ ~.q% 6 APRIL 17, 2002' cue I e n e _ s