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/128169
...._:.-1•• . . . .I'I~ • .... .I.~.~'" - Happenings In Motorcycling ·Happy Customer HalmY Customer II Eleven-year-old motocrosser Joelle Cary (pictured) and her mother, Laurie, recently attended a Women's School of Motocross session at Lake Elsinore Motocross Park in Lake Elsinore. California, and they came away impressed. "She taught us everything from bike setup to correct body positioning for standing and cornering," Laurie Cary said of lead instructor Debbie Matthews. "With a few love taps to the elbows to keep them from dropping, we went on to a unique method of attaching the bike to a truck with a tiedown, allowing the bike to lean and simulate a tum." For more information on the school, call 949/837-2206. Fonner World Superbike Champion Colin Edwards (at right - duh!) seems perfectly comfortable posing with models during a photo shoot for the 2003 Fast Dates calendar at Laguna Seca during the World Superbike round. r • •• • •• • • • • • • • • • • • •••••••••••••• J • • • • • • • •••••••••••••••••••• ••• • • • • ••• ••• • ••• • •••••••••••••••••••••••• By ALAN CATHCART • Kawasaki: The Naked Truth Revealed! As reported in these columns a month ago, 2003 Is set to be the season of the Supersport, with only the Suzuki QSX-R600 out of the existing modeI$ essentially unchanged for the comlag model year. Honcfa wi! set the pace with the advent of their hard.edged RCV-styled Sport ver.sIon of the CBR600, litled with upside-clown forks and an underseat silencer, while Yamaha will unveil the Illng-awaited fueI..~ version of their R6, similarly upnrted In the suspenslon and styling depedllaents. But the dass crowd-stealer Is likely to be the new ZX-6R Kawaaki, fitted with an uprated ver.sIon of the finn's 600cc motor I'lIther than the 636cc ver· sion launched a year ago, and already spotted in testing with much more rakish styling, To cast your vote, log on to http://ww:cyt:lenews.co)ll. A: Eric Bostrom B: Nicky Hayden 6 AUGUST 28, 2002' cue I e n __ s upside-clown forks, and tlldial brakes. But that's not aD that's coming from the Creen Meanles, for in a massive expansion of its existing range, Kawasakl Is also expected to launch both 900cc and 600c<: naked streetrods in competition with Yamaha's eld8tlng Fazer duo and Honda's rival offerings. all of which are much less aggreseively styled and less sporty in performam:e than the new Kawasakls promise to be. The bigger ZR900 version In parllcular, powered by a ll5-bhp version of the ZX·9R motor, is reportad by those who"ve seen it to be especially striking, with aggressive styling that's apparently a Japanese counterpart of the MV BrutaJe (yes, reaDy), so there's no doutlt KawaAkI ha$ set out to re-establish Il:seIf as the perfonnance king of the streetrod sector. A Supermoto-style KLR650 streetrod single is also on the cards, as weD as a straightforward piece 01 badge engineering marking the first stage In Kawasaki's strategic alliance with Suzuki, when the latter's DR·Z dirt bike is relaunched In green at Intermot, liS a KLX400 Kawasakf. Expect a retro variation on the same theme, with the rumored arrival 01 the 650 Scrambler street enduro, powered by the W650's vertical-twin engine, say industry SOUKeS, as weD as another large-c:apadty cnaser, and rebadged SuzukI Burgmams In various capaclties, allowing KawasakI to gain a foothold lit Iast.on the maxi·scooter market.