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
... .......... 1 ... _:.-1_ 1 •... . •• .1'1 . . . . • .... ~.~ I'I~ ~ Happenings In Motorcycling Hot on the heels of winning the World Superbike title in dramatic fashion in the final round of the series in Imola, Italy, Castrol .Honda's newly crowned World Superbike Champion, Colin Edwards, had the opportunity to try his hand in a powerboat. Edwards tested the 2.4·liter boat of seven·time Formula One World Champion Guido CappeJIini on Lake Como in Italy on October 1. "I've just lived another day: said Edwards after the test. "That was incredible. It was awesome and a lot of fun. I would definitely think about racing one of these." The $230,000 boat travels at 160 mph, and Edwards' tutor Cappellini believes the 28·year·old Texan is a natural. "If Colin had another three or four hours training on the water, he'd be ready to race. He definitely has the natural talent. He is very, very good: said Cappellini. The pair was brought together on a Castrol promotional day at the picturesque setting and Edwards was impressed by the 400 hp machine. "I was amazed to get the opportunity. Guido was on the radio telling me where to go. but it was a real free·for·all. I was doing anything I wanted. When I turned the boat sharp left, the G·force felt like it was going to pull my right cheek off. Being in Guido's powerboat was a real thrill. I've never experienced anything like it . the only thing that came close was a fighter plane I went up in last year. Guido might have a new teammate soon'" By ALA CATHCART • • The Hits Keep On Coming Another legatee of the financial troubles surrounding Piaggio ia the srna1I but avantgarde Bologna-based spedallst scooter manufacturer, ltal)et, whicll In June .nnouncecI a link with Piaggio under which the scooter giant would become the exclusive sole supplier cI engines to the Bologna company. as well as underwriting a 2O.perc;enl l n c _ in ltaIjet'. share capital. against the issue cI convertible bonds speclflcaBy reserved for PIaggio. Thougll presented as a strategic alliance almed at consolidating purchllslng power and reduc:I!lg development cosls, this agreement was seen as the first stepe along the road toward outright purch4se by PIaggio of italjet. whk:h it was p1alVled would focus on creating new praduc;ts for the Plaggio family of marques. with a special emphasis on innovative design and creetIve technology. as displeyed in the complmy's leading-edge Formula scooter Jntroduc;ed in 1994. wbi<:h has featured in the Guggenheim "Art clthe MotoIqde" dIlIpIay touring the world for the past four years. Suspicion that all was not going smoothly arose with a total corporate no-show by ItaJjet at Intermot, where the space which should have been occupied by the ltaIian company's stand was instead littered with seats for show visitors to rest in. "I know It looked bad. but it was a question of saving costs· we're still in business'" assured ltaljet president and company founder Leopoklo Tartarinl. who leunched the marque To cast your vote, log on to http://www.cydenews.com. A. B. C. D. E. 8 F. Mike LaRoc[Du. Kyle Lewis Michael Byrne Tim Ferry Ernesto Fonseca Damon Huffman [irant Langston OCTOBER 16. 2002' l\~~i1~ J. Chad Reed II: U II: I • n _ vw SIS back in 1959 whk:h is slID owned by the Tartarini famlly.ltaljet·s 32.000-unJt amuaJ produc. tIon is reptete with nlche-marilet novelties like the Dragster and Jet-Set. as well as Tartarinrs two latest brainwaves which debuted at last year's Milan Show, both already powered by PiaggiG motors - the 125 Amer<:ord, dubbed a "scootermoto" for its lWist··n'-go c:onvenieAcle added to the dynamic; chassis queIlties cI a proper motorcycle. and the three·wheeIer Scooop (sic), whicll gives stability in turns thanks to the twin front wheels steered by a handlebar, }« allows the rider to lean into curves on the pivoting rear sectioo of the vehicle. Whether these prototype models ever see the inside of a showroom is up in the air, says T artarinl. who dedares that the Piaggio deal is currently "suspended,' The two companies have already collaborated for some years on engine supplies. ever since 1980 when Piagglo first supplied ItaIjet with engines to power the Pack 50 foldllway runabout. which is today displayed in New York's Museum of Modem Art as an example of avantgarde transportation design. But plans to merge the two have now been put on hold, while P1aggio seeks a resoIu· tion to its financial problems. "We've pulled back on production and are now seUIng what we manufacture: Tart.arJnI said, "We resisted the temptation to increase production in pursuit of numbers, as some of our colleagues In the industry did. and our quirky model range has proved an effective counter to the drop in sales of conventional scooter products. But ....e·re in active negotiations with another partner from outside the industry. which will allow us to underwrite production unW the market recovers· as I'm sure it wiD. We've been here before a couple of times in the past, so we think we know how to ride out the ebb and flow of the market· but for all our suppliers and component manufacturers, I'm afraid it's a bad time." Development of the 900cc Grifon sports roadster po....ered by a three-cylinder Triumph engine has also been put on indefinite hold· all the more ironlcaUy because. had italjet seen the model which was launched in prototype form at the 1999 Milan Show through to production by now, its success in a buoyant motorcycle market - especially for Naked bikes Uke the Orifon . could have helped redress the collapse in scooter sales.