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/128181
1.1_:.-1• •• ... RI~ . . . . - 1 ........... • Happenings In Motorcycling While training for the upcoming Baja 1000 (which will once again run the length of the Baja Peninsula this year), Team Honda desert racer Johnny Campbell recently took part in a 115-miIe personal watercraft ride from Los Angeles to San Diego. Led by Honda's Greg Wright, the ride was also completed by pro surfer Sunny Gar· cia, Motocross Action's Mike Basher, and Cycle News' Chris Jonnum. It was Campbell's first lime on a personal watercraft, but he adapted quickly. "It was kind of like racing across a valley, scanning up ahead for things to be careful of,' Campbell said. "But by the time the waves and swells came under my boat, they were differ· ent than when I had looked at them." By ALAN CATHCART • • German Motorcycle Economy Dips Germany is Europe's largest motorcycle market. but as a result of the ongoing political and economic difficulties which the country has been experiencing, sales of bikes have dropped there by 34.000 units in the past two years. Just 119,634 motorcycles were sold in the frn six months of this year, a drop of 10.6 percent compared to the same pertod a year ago. Although BMW was reJatively unaffected by this decline - its RII OOGS model remains the country's best-selling motorcycle, ahead of Suzuki's 1200 Bandit and SV650, with the F650GS single in fourth place in the charts - the German company's strategy for the 2003 uDD@ [ffJ@@DfJDfJDDfJD@ @(J uDD@ §fJD@)f[J World Superbike racing has been rocked lately by the departure of some of its stars, most notably World Champion Colin Edwards and series runner-up Troy Bayliss. Cartoonist John Mockett has a bit of fun with the changes to the series, as teams and riders scurry off to the MotoGP World Championship. model year has seen them pull in their horns slightly, with only the four-heodlamp R1200Cl luxury custom lIS a completely new model. This comfort-focused take on the aulser market Is the Rl200C fitted with a wind-tunnel-designed t1v~quarter fairing that especially covers the rider's shouJders and has an adjustable screen avllilable In two heights. Fitted with cruise control, an e8lIier-shlftlng six-speed gearbox with overdrive top for long-legged cruising, revised geometry for the Telelever front end, and fin Integrated radio and CD player. the loaded new model is • Teutonk: take on the touring (:rWser segment. Boxer-style; the Kt200 GT launched alongside it at Intermot 2002 is a four cylinder Gran Turismo mile-eater fitted with rather ugly black plastic leg guards and a slight! y plushef seat and higher 'bars than the KI200RS It's derived from. No sign of the touted K 1300RS yet. although ~'W also launched a Boxer Cup ReplJc:a version of the RI150S, which, apart from a set of carbon valve covers. had little to distinguish it from the stock version - sorry, no race kit. no tric~ parts, just a racetrack-distinctive paint job. But with the successful Boxer Cup series now spceadlng to the USA next year, where it'll be Nn as a support class at AMA Nationals. there may well be an increased number of wannabe racers ready to stand in line for a not-a-Boxf'r-racer street bike. TD cast YDur vDte, IDg Dn tD http;/ /www.cyclenews.cDm, Toom USA ILomlDn, Sollordl. PrutDn, Woy, Ping,.., Walker. TedescD, Gallel •• r, Lanfnavlch, Hansen, Marias. Buckolow) , , ,., ..177.95%) Toam Rut-DHho-WDrld ILongstDn, AndorsDn, Rollroy, LODk, By,no, TDrrDnto,ol, RllID'i, ElpDli. Dubo, Avis, RDdriguu, ~Dncolvu) .. , .. , . ' • ' . , . , .. , ..1I 3.69%) • • Team France IM••chla, Sarby, Bethys, Banifllclt, Aubert, Based Dn the first tWD weekends' wDrth Df ArenacrDss racing, whD dD YDU thin has the tiest shD at unseating defending cliamp JDsli emutti in this year's series willi i!q main even s eft D run? A: Buddy Antunez E: TDmm HDfm t" B: Justin BraytDn F: Ru DII~:=:==*~ c: PedrD GDnzalez G: 0 anile 0: Brad Hagseth H: Evan Laughridge 6 NOVEMBER 20, 2002' cue I • n e _ SO Lourot, Thain, Marlin) ~uidotly, aomortis, Lotoillor, ao.udDuin, , , ,IB.37%1