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/128154
o o o o o o o o o o c o o o Continued from page 3 bers of society to pay their medical bills. And some citizens appear willing to agree to expensive and dangerous economic trade-offs. That volatile combination could open the door for lawmakers to impose even more expensive, unfair and unwarranted requirements on motorcyclists." The AMA supports voluntary helmet use, belieVing riders should be able to choose whether to wear a helmet. according to the AMA. But the association opposes placing economic conditions in legislation in exchange for a voluntary helmet-use law. "The AMA cannot and will not support this legislation if it includes an insurance requirement," Moreland said. "When motorcyclists agree to accept higher insurance requirements in exchange for being able to ride without a helmet. they explicitly support a position that has no basis in fact. And that's bad for riders nationwide." The AMA is urging California motorcyclists to contact their state lawmakers to urge them to remove the medical insurance requirements from AB 2700. The address is State Capitol, Sacramento, CA 95814. fXJ®w@[?(1rB U® @@\!l@O®[jJ !liJ®f1®@[JJ uDDG!J[flJD@J=-~@=--.=°If:........-- The next new four-stroke - from Proton Team KR - will be a four- or a while to make it as good as the Honda_ The Yamaha is temperafive-cylinder design, according to team owner Kenny Roberts, with mental, and the Aprilia very temperamental. It's very fllst, but fast doesn't necessarily go around a racetrack. It's all about being able to testing set to begin at the end of this season, or possibly even earlier. Overall design work is now completed, said Roberts at Jerez, and use the power for acceleration, and being able to stop it again." Developing a four-stroke would be easier than a two-stroke, "even as we speak, rapid prototyping construction of engine parts is under way at Proton in Malaysia." Roberts said. "A two-stroke is a black art, and there's maybe only two or three Roberts denied persistent rumors of links with BMW, also rumored to be coming in to the new four-stroke class, confirming people in Britain who really understand them," Roberts said_ "With that the team would continue to be backed by Proton for the foresee- four-strokes, we have people walking in the door every day who know about them." able future. Michael Scott "We are a little behind, because of the time it took for Proton to decide what they wanted to do," Roberts said. "Now we're moving forward fast. We're reorganizing at our ...-----~=== Banbury headquarters, investing more in people and the equipment we need." Apart from the factories, Roberts' firm is unique in being able to design and manufacture a racing machine from the ground up. Earlier, the team had been thought to favor a threecylinder design, which gives a cylinder capacity close to that of a VIO Fl engine, giving access to existing technology and components. That view has changed, and though Roberts would not reveal the final design, it will have "more than three cylinders, and less than six. We looked at various different engine possibilities, including three cylinders," said Roberts. "It may be that in three years or so, Aprilia will prove that that a three-cylinder motor with all the pumps and whistles and blowers might be hard to beat. We need to make something that works right away, and then stick with it for three years. At the moment, that looks plenty do-able_" Asked which of the current MotoGP bikes he thought were good, he said: "There's only one. The V-five Honda - though Suzuki has a good package. It might take them 8 o c ~ 1j The Motorcycle Safety Foundation (MSF) has announced that it is conducting a satellite media tour May 3 to launch national MAY (Motorcycle, Awareness and You) Motorcycle Safety Awareness Month. Perry King, the veteran stage, film and television actor (" Riptide," "Melrose Place" and "Titans") is hosting the tour, to be taped and aired live by selected local news stations nationwide. King is an avid motorcyclist with nearly 40 years of experience, he owns over 20 bikes and is an advocate for safe, straight riding. As motorcycle sales are booming (nearing 10 straight years of consecutive sales growth) and May is the start of the riding season in many areas across the country, this is an ideal time to broadcast information about motorcycle safety, according to the MSF. "MSF's mission is to make the nation's streets and highways safer for motorcyclists through rider-training programs, operator-licensing programs and public-information campaigns," said Elisabeth Piper, director of corporate affairs at MSF. "This satellite media tour is one of our best opportunities to reach motorists so that they will become more familiar with the motorcyclist's view of the highway, and ask car drivers to share the road with riders." Piper said that NHTSA statistics reveal that more than two-thirds of car/motorcycle crashes are caused by drivers, not by motorcyclists. The car driver either doesn't see the oncoming motorcyclist or doesn't see the motorcyclist in time to avoid a collision, the MSF says. o c Georgia, May 16-19, with Benelli Motorcycles USA slated to display the new motorcycle. Benelli will also display the Tornado during the World Superbike round at Laguna Seca, July 11-14. For more information, call 229/242-0660. c c c o o o c w The FIM performed drug tests at the South African Grand Prix on April 21 with all the tests coming back negative. Those tested were 500cc World Champion Valentino Rossi, Olivier Jacque, Daijiro Kato, Marco Melandri, Randy de Puniet and Roberto Rolfo. NHRA Pro Stock Champion Angelle Savoie and her team, Star Racing, have picked up a new sponsor - CVEC Power Systems, Inc. "CVEC Racing is proud to be associated with Star Racing and Angelle Savoie," stated Gary Cornwell, president and CEO of CVEC. "Our company is embarking on a new charter with CVEC Racing, and the marketing campaign surrounding this sponsorship is its cornerstone. We are very excited to be able to share our vision and look forward to working with associate sponsors Suzuki and Snap-On Tools, as well as the NHRA. The vision of CVEC Racing and the partners we have will make for an unbeatable combination." CVEC Power Systems, with headquarters in Melbourne, Florida, is a manufacturer of performance exhaust systems for the hobby/radio-controlled (RC) industry. In five years, it has grown from an entrepreneurial endeavor to a major supplier. with their top-selling, patented product line sold in over 2500 dealers worldwide, C C [ [ r b o o o The East Coast launch of the Benelli Tornado will be held during the AMA/Chevy Trucks U.S. Superbike round at Road Atlanta in Braselton, o n 100 MAy 15, 2002' G U G • _ • nB""S according to CVEC. With riders such as the legendary John Myers and Savoie, the Star Racing entry has earned five NHRA Pro Stock Motorcycle Championships and eight runner-up finishes in the last 13 years. "First of all, I'd like to say how thankful we are to have found the right match with CVEC," said team owner George Bryce. "One of the reasons we didn't have a sponsor up to this point was because we were being very selective. It's hard to do when you don't have a deal, especially because we really wanted to defend our championship and try for three in a row. That's been the way of life here at Star Racing. trying to win races and championships. We were fortunate enough to reach our 100th final round a few weeks ago, and it's something we want to keep doing. What's really neat about our deal with CVEC Racing is that they are going to develop and distribute products that will be in perfect alignment with what Star Racing is and has been for the last 25 years. Using our team and company as the springboard to launch their new venture is a perfect fit for both of us. The way we see it. it's a match made in heaven. It makes us appreciate our not looking for the qUick fix and holding out for the right deal. We're glad it all came together." "Working with CVEC Racing is something that suits me perfectly," said Savoie. "I've always been interested in the RC hobby. and in fact I bought an RC truck several years ago. Knowing that this is the product I'll be working with and helping to sell is really exciting, especially because I'll be able to work with children as well as adults. It's been tough not being able to talk about it over the last few weeks, but now I'm ready to go out and tell everyone about it. " In addition to the sponsorship package with Star Racing, CVEC also announced the formation of Pulse Engineering, a research and development division that will work on high-performance exhaust systems for full-sized, two-stroke motorcycles. Jerry Clough, 68, died on March 18 in Bend, Oregon, from complications arising from lung cancer. Clough was an active member of the Northwest OffRoad Racers Association as well as a member of the Kiss My Grips club, which is located in Northern California. Clough's son, Jerry. is planning the Jerry Clough Memorial • Kiss My Grips" Grand Prix as a tribute to his father. The tentative date is October 19, the day prior to the Monkey Butt Hare Scrambles at the Fenner Ranch/Clarks Branch MX facility in Myrtle Creek, Oregon. For more information. call 503/649-8709. The Women's School of Motocross has the following schools scheduled: May 15 - Elsinore Raceway, Elsinore, California: May 18 - Aztec Raceway. Colorado Springs, Colorado: May 19 - Pine Ridge Raceway, Althestine, Wisconsin: May 26 - Lorranger, Louisiana: June 1 - Freelin MX, Marlett, Michigan; June 1 - Jolly Roger Motorsports, Lempster, New Hampshire: June 8 - Hollister Hills, Hollister, California: June 13 - Lincoln Trails, Casey, Illinois. For more information, call 949/837-2206. eN