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/128176
77th International Six Days Enduro pushed his bike behind a bus stop and rebuilt it, only to have it seize again later on, knocking him out once and for all. U.S. Club rider Gabriel Reos also suffered a seizure with his KTM 250, putting a premature end to his ISDE. Ken Tomeo, one of the members of the Seniors Club team, also had his bike seize just a few miles off the start, but he managed to get it going again and finish out the day. On day two, I saw Tomeo ride his bike into the impound area at the end of the day and scream in pain as he swung his leg up and over the seat as he dismounted. And then he limped heavily as he pushed his KTM into impound. "I slammed my leg [his thigh] into (Above) Lars Valin finishes up what man)' riders consider the worst part of the Six Days • changing tires, especially after a long, cold, wet and exhausting da)' on the trail. @o[0o D[0[§)§ fli}@@)&JD~g GOLD Fred Hoess (Husqvama) SILVER Jonathon Seehom (KTM) David Pearson (Kawasak) Ron Schmelzie (Yamaha) Brian Storrie (Gas Gas) Dave Wolfe (KTM) Jeff Fredette (Kawasaki) Andy Stokely (KTM) Eric Bailey (KTM) Luke McNeil (Yamaha) Mark Thompson (Yamaha) Paul Krause (KTM) Curt Wilcox (KTM) BRONZE Brett Dooley (KTM) John Wells (KTM) Morgan Crawford (KTM) Randy Mastin (KTM) Lars Valin (Honda) Derrick Merrill (KTM) Mike McCarren (Yamaha) John Yates (KTM) Chilly White (KTM) finally called it quits in the second loop. Later that night, Tomeo went to the hospital to get his leg checked out. The doctors said he had a hematoma (a severe Charlie horse with bleeding) and should take it easy. Instead of taking it easy, Tomeo spent the rest of the week helping out the rest of the riders that were still running. Tomeo rode until he just couldn't ride any longer. WHATEVER IT TAKES (Above) With the back wheel turning 8000 rpm and the front wheel zero rpm, Brian Storrles pushes up a slippery, rock)' uphill. (Left) Amanda Mastin survived some of the toughest da)'s onl)' to DNF later on with a blown clutch. (Below) Checkmarks b)' )'Our name are very good things at the Six Days. the handlebars," Tomeo told me later. "It was a stupid thing." I saw Tomeo again the following day, struggling up a small but greasy uphill. He was exhausted and in obvious pain. I helped him pick up his bike as he made another attempt up the hill. He got about halfway up when he suddenly slid off the back of the bike and threw it over the top, without him on it. I cringed when heard the back fender snap as the bike flipped over backward. Tomeo slowly got back on the bike and rode away, but not before saying, "thank you." That was the first loop, and he were stacking up. Even some of the electric-start bikes were struggling. Back in the 15-minute work area, riders were making last-minute adjustments, including Fredette, who I witnessed pull the carburetor off his KDX220 to make jetting changes, not an easy feat considering his cold fingers and the drizzle. I saw another rider install over-sized handguards on his bike, for obvious reasons. The cold weather could've been blamed for a couple of early U.S. DNFs. Not long after the start, U.S. Junior ·World rider William Radecky had his KX125 seize. He reportedly 22 OCTOBER 16.2002' cue I • n • "" os ISDE rookie Wallace Palmer, a member of this year's U.S. Junior World team, obviously knows the meaning of "never give up." On day one, Palmer was leaned over in a fast turn on his Husqvarna 125 when his front wheel hit a hidden hole. The impact was so violent, that it snapped the triple clamps in half, leaving him with a pair of handlebars connected to nothing but air. Palmer ended up duct-taping the handlebars to the triple clamps and he miraculously finished out the day. "It was kind of hard to ride the bike that way," Palmer said. "I kept crashing because the front wheel would go one way and the handlebars the other, especially when I braked." Unfortunately, Palmer was knocked out of the event on day five when his rear brake "exploded." HOLY WATER ['II just let USA's lone gold medalist Fred Hoess tell you this story: "We were way out in the country and something was wrong with my bike [a Husky 1251. It was losing water and was about to seize. I stopped, and out of nowhere comes a course marshal riding a little old scooter. He had a number one on his bib, which meant