Cycle News - Archive Issues - 2000's

.•.... • .... .... _: -1.R.I~ . . . . -1_"--- - Happenings In Motorcycling The AII:igatop Is Hatched Fight Club The single-cylinder niche motorcycle, the Gurney Alligator, was unveiled on April 24 at the Petersen Museum in Los Angeles, Califomia, with the bike cracking through a large Styrofoam egg in front of the assembled media and guests. Production on 36 "Limited Edition" Alligators has begun with the first 36 featuring the colors of the Formula One Eagle that won the Belgian Grand Prix at Spa 35 years ago the first Formula One victory for an American-built car/driver combination (with Dan Gurney at the helm). This radically different-looking motorcycle, with its low center of gravity, has been developed over two decades, according to Gumey. The Alligator features a feet-forward, single-cylinder (a modified Honda air-cooled 650cc engine) with electric start and fuel injection delivering around 70 horsepower. The bike weighs roughly 320 pounds and Gurney claims a top speed of 140 mph. Unlike other motorcycles, the rider sits below the top of the tires with his/her feet in a forward position. The fuel tank is mounted below the seat and behind the engine. Gurney originally moved in this design direction because he is tall and many bikes made him feel as if he were pitching forward when going downhill, according to the company press release. Castrol Honda's Colin Edwards joined a host of World Superbike and World Supersport stars for judo lessons at a school close to the Sugo circuit in Japan prior to the World Superbike event there on April 21. The riders visited the Murato-cho Taiikukan School in nearby Miyagiken to meet school children before being fitted out in traditional judo suits to tackle the sport. "It was great fun," said Edwards, who provided an additional demonstration by walking on his hands. "We were there to say hello to the kids and learn a bit about the sport. I'm not sure I'll be taking up judo full-time, but I don't mind having a go at anything. I ended up in a bit of a battle with Troy (Baylissl, got him in a lock and it was tempting to give him a kick!" By ALAN CATHCART - • Done Deal As exclusively foretold in these columns last month, a deal has finally been signed between the Piaggio scooter giant's president, Dante Razzano, and MV Agusta owner Claudio Castiglioni to divide the assets of the MV Agusta group which the two had jointly held since July 2001. At that time, Piaggio acquired a 20 percent shareholding In MV by recapitalizing it at a reputed cost of $13.8 million with the intention of merging the two companies together in an operation which would have seen CastigHonl ending up with about 18 percent of the combined company, making him the second Iergest shareholder after Piaggio's venture capitalist current owner, MGPE (Morgen GrenfeD Private Equity). MGPE presently owns 87 percent of P1aggio stock, with 8 percent held by TexllII Pacifl<: (rescuers and still chief shareholders of Oucati), and 5 percent by Mear Private Equity, the former owners of Spanish minibike manufacturer Derbi, which Piaggio acquired 18 months ago. Two principal factors told against this projected merger happening as intended: one, the collapse of the Italian scooter market, which has left P1aggio with a critical cash flow situation thanks to its stock of unsold PTWs reputed to exceed 100,000 units; and two, the critical llnanclal state of MV Agusta, which PIeggio only uncovered as part of their due diligence operation, and which is rumored by the italian financial press to entail an exposure of approxmatey $140 million in accumulated bank debt - or, as II sum on the back of any convenient envelope will confirm, more than the total worth of the company under the terms of its proposed deal with Piaggio. Together. with the lack of general business confidence worldwide post-September II, this was enough to make PIagglo think again. As forecast last month, the revised detd which sources within MV Agusta insist has now de&dteIy been signed (if not yet publicly lUlIVlWlCed) Is understood to eIIMI\ the outright To cast your vote. log on to ,.---tIlttp:1 I~ww;cyd ews.CQ . A. Michael Byrne B. Cirant Lllngston C. Mike LllRocco 6 MAY 8, 2002' cue • • n • _ s takeover of the entire MV Agusta Group by Piaggio, which thus adds the Husqvarna marque to its roster - so giving the group the off-road product it badly needs - plus Cagiva's entire current model range. which will henceforth be marketed under the Gilera label, powered by the company's own range of 850-1000cc V-twin engines which will replace the Suzuki TL I OOOS/ SV650 motors used to date. This will allow the Raptor models at last to be sold in countries like the USA and Canada. where the local Suzuki operations have until now vetoed their introduction. Piaggio's takeover of MV means the company's modem and well-equipped Cassinetta factory on the other side of Lake Varese from Castiglioni's ~ base has now been sold to Piaggio rather than leased, as was originally emoIsaged; an(! is also understood to embrace the acquisition of Cagiva Telaii, MV's frame-building offshoot in nearby Morazzone. Piaggio has thus acqUired the means of relaunching its Gilera marque as a motorcycle company, with the new Suzuki GSX-R600-powered Supersport model due to enter production in September this year, being built alongside the Gilera Raptor streetrods and Gilera (fonnerly Cagiva) Navigator tarmac trallie. at Cassinetta. Other new models are already under development, employing the family of Gilera V-twin engines being developed at Piaggio's Pontedera base, near Pisa, by the company's R&D team, headed by former Gilera chief engineer Lucio Masut. WIllI the 10118 .,lIelp.1led ....... the group _ go 1Nt un IIV ...... aid _ alii cI ., willi the .....Iap•• nt of _1IV 1F4 ..... ..eIlNdl_" _ of_ (Rapear plc'luNdl_ ..... TIle ............. _ .... _.p;upa....' of ....... . . - . . ."11.... c....-

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