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/128159
• 1.1_:-1.1'1 . . . . . . . •• 1- Happenings In Motorcycling . . . . . . , _ '011'" Three-time World Champion Kenny Roberts was this year's guest of honor at the Coupes Moto-Legende at Montlhery, riding one of his former Yamaha 500s that Is now part of Chris Wilson's collection. The surprise, however, came when Roberts had the opportunity to throw his leg over an ex-Giacomo Agostini MV Agusta - thanks to Ubaldo Elli. EIIi, the owner of some 25 MV Agusta Grand Prix racers, put Roberts on a 1974 350cc MV 4 and the Califomian joined Agostini and Phil Read for a parade lap on three of the MVs - a concerto for three World Champions with 25 titles between them. It was a beautiful noise we may never hear again. Following his laps, a delighted Roberts reported that, although the clutch was slipping, the MV handled exactly how he'd expected it to. "I only wish the new four-strokes in MotoGP would sound like that," Roberts said, before joking, "With such a bike, it's no wonder Agostini won so many races." Henri-Michel Leurette r--------------------..1.-------- Kenny Roberts leads Giacomo Agostini and Phil Read on a parade lap at the recent Coupes Moto-Legende. (From left to right) Roberts, mechanic Hobby Clark and Giacomo Agostini. By ALAN CATHCART • • Like Voxan Like Boxer The collapse of Yoxan, as now seems likely, means the end too of another brave venture, Thierry Henriette's Toulouse·based Boxer Bikes operation. Boxer has manufactured only a handful of the good-looking VBI sportbikes (based on the Yoxan 72-degree Y·twin engines and rolling chassis that Boxer launched two years ago), and the 62 naked roadster unveiled at the Paris Show last yeer is now likely to be stillborn. At one stage. Henriette had outlined a deal with Aprilia to re-engineer the bikes around the Italian firm's RSYl 000 60·degree Y-twin engines, but Aprilia's own ongoing, very serious financial woes put an end to that Idea - just as it has put the brakes on even limited production of the leanlooking Blue MarlIn cafe racer that Henriette designed for the Italians and was the hit of tile Aprilia stand at the MOan Show last September. This has been deferred To cast your vote, log on to _---thttp://ww;-cgclenews.com. Which "fringe" segment of motorcycle racing is the coolest? A. IIcllmlJ B.Spee way C. Supermotard D. Trials .. JUNE 19, 2002' cue • e _ s until such time as Aprilia can afford to put what - because of its limited numbers - would not be an ultra-profitable model to manufacture, into production. "Boxer Bikes will close, and I'll lose a lot of money - 'mats c 'est la regie du jeu, ' those are the rules of the game!" said a disappointed Henriette without rancor. "I feel sorry for Jacques Gardette, who had the vision and the drive to create a French motorcycle industry from zero, only to see it collapse at great personal cost. What's so frustrating is that Yoxan had an excellent product which was welldesigned, reliable and performing • customers all liked them, and they had several months of orders even though they had only just started exporting outside France. But they were badly let down by their suppliers, and the company was under-capitalized to deal with this effectively. C'est un vral dornmage - a real pity.' Henriette himself is concentrating on his design studio, and instead of motorcycles, is working on creating new helmets, furniture, a motorcycle·powered minicar, and a range of boats for Benateau, France's leading sailboat manufacturer. But he's also working on a couple of other motorcycle projects for existing manufacturers, so the Boxer flair for innovation, that produced not only the VB] but also Yoxan's own Y·twin tarmac Scrambler, will be seen again before very long. Only, not on a bike loo-percent Made in France....