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/128155
.... . .. _:-1-. . ..,.,. ... .- • .. ....... • .... .,.,.~ Happenings In Motorcycling ~ Fun, Food & Freaks On the Wednesday before the Glen Helen National, May 8, Los Angeles FM talk radio stalion 97.1 KLSX's SpeedFreaks hosted a gel-together at Dave & Buster's in the Ontario Mills Mall, in Ontario, California, The SpeedFreaks host a radio show from 7 to 9 p.m. every Sunday, and they concentrate on racing - from NASCAR to MX/SX, Formula One to MotoGP, and N.HRA to World Superbike. Many pro motocrossers were at the event, including most of Team Shark/Plano Honda, Ben Riddle of MotoworldRacing.com Suzuki, Ivan Tedesco of Boost MobJle/Yamaha/Troy Racing, road racer Steve Rapp, privateer Zeb Armstrong, and even Pro Women Motocross Champion Tania Satchwell and her AGP Racing teammate Sarah Whitmore. The event was sponsored by 97.1 FM's SpeedFreaks, Cycle News, K&N AIr Filters and Chaparral. Here, Whitmore (foreground) trounces Billy Payne (background, in cast) and Riddle (behind Payne) on this MX video game whJI~ her teammate Satchwell (far left, partially hidden) looks on in amusement. Afterward, Riddle complained of arm-pump. By ALAN CATHCART • • Setbacks, Success for Speed Four The major fire at Triumph's Hinckley factory on March 15, which has stopped all production at the British company for an expected four months, has inevitably cut short manufacture of the new TT600-based Speed Four streetrod, which had just started full production. However, the worth of the new model in its chosen market niche was underlined by one of tbe few early-production Speed Four demo bikes, owned by the French importer, which in the hands of rider Tommy Gallet comprehensively defeated the field of Honda 600 Hornets and Yamaha 600 Fazers to win the Roadster Cup 600 support race held on Aprll13 in front of 80,000 spectators, as an hoTs d'oeuvre to the Le Mans 24-Hour race. Braf;ing for Disaster As the Cycle News editorial/testing staff gets older and slower, our fleet of test bikes gets newer and faster. That combination leads inevitably to more crashes, and it's a rare day that finds our entire staff in good health. With the 2003 MX test season just over the horizon, several of our editors recently elected to minimize the damage of inevitable crashes by getting outfitted in new Asterisk knee braces. Here, associate editor Blake Conner (still in a wrist cast from a 'motard tumble) gets fitted by Brad Freeman at Asterisk's FoothiU Ranch, California, headquarters. Triumph boss John Bloor will be hoping for a simllar result in the showrooms when manufacture recommences mid-summer, but sadly, though the race-prepared Daytona 955i triple taking part in the 24-Hour main event was the only non-four-cylinder motorcycle in the entire 56-bike field (no Ducalis, Aprilias, Voxans or Honda V-twins in a grid 40 percent of which consisted of Suzuki GSXRIOOOs). it failed to finish, with a broken gearbox. Lt was in good company, though: none of the three Hondas that started the race finished it, either... An unexpected halt of production due to • fire at the TrtumpIa plant .... plnc:hed the _ - ' of available Speed Fours In the pipeline, but the bib .... ........, _red • vIctorr In IItIrcI...- -.patltIon. I!llpect to Speed P_... after mid aum_. stert ...... _ ~16.31% ].q I'·Z ...............•...................S.3Z% 9-1 D A. All i! i! B. I B-i! I 6 MAY 22. 2002' DUD • e n e _ s " ..•.-: .•..••.-:-.~.-: : .3.66%