Cycle News - Archive Issues - 2000's

_:-1..... ... 1 •. • nloI .." ... • ... Happenings In Motorcycling Former 500cc World Champion Kevin Schwantz shows off Arai's newest helmet, the versatile XD. While attending the World Superbike weekend at Laguna Seca in Monterey, California, Schwantz was a special guest at an Arai diner held to introduce the new lid to journalists. Schwantz, who has a long-standing association with the helmet company, was in Monterey to race in the inaugural Red Bull Supermoto event, among other things. The XD designation comes from "Crossover Design," a· testament to the multiuse nat.ure of the helmet. It can be used as a street helmet, a dirt helmet, and an adventuretouring helmet. And it's found a niche in the new Supermoto market. By ALAN CATHCART ... Bloor's Doing Okay The diamatic fire that devastated one of Triumph's Hinckley factories in March, 2002, didn't stop owner John 'Bloor from rising up 19 places ill the 2003 version of the annual ~ritish Rich Ust, published by a Sunday newspaper. In 2002, he was determined by the title to be the 1691h l'ichest individual in the United Kingdom, wfth an estimated fortune of $29'1 mHlioD, but this year Bloor has popped up the charts to eq\.lal 150th place - about $8 million less than Elton John, and sharing the same slot as Madonna (rjOW a British resident and qualifyipg for the Rich Ust by virtue of her marriage - During the World Superbike weekend at Laguna Seca, Ducati North America made arrangements for several journalists, Ducati dealers, and special guests to take a tour of the Fila Ducati Corse pit garages where team riders, race two winner Ruben Xaus, and championship points leader Neil Hodgson were pitted. The tour was guided by none other than Ducati's Superbike racing business unit manager Paolo Ciabatti, pictured to the right of Ducati's press officer Julian Thomas. While the team was debriefing from a Superbike practice session, the journalists were shown how the Fila Ducati team functions while attending Superbike World Championship races on the road. The impressive infrastructure includes each rider's mechanics, a computer wizard. and on-staff representatives from Ohlins Suspension and Michelin tires. In the 10 minutes the tour lasted, Xaus' mechanics managed to completely strip his bike down t6 the chassis and were preparing to swap motors for the afternoon's Superpole session. to British film director Guy Ritchie.) The 59-year-old ex-plasterer who left school at 15 paid himself $1.3 million last year,plus a $636,000 pension contribution, In a year when, according to the paper, thanks to the fire Triumph made a $483,000 loss inthe 12 months leading up to July 1 last year, compared to a profit of $13,8 million the previous year. Turnover was reduced frpm $200 million to $172..8 million thanks to the six-month shutdown while the factory was ~omprehensJvely rebuilt and re-equipped, durfng which none of the 650 workforce were laid off; But the insurance payout for the conflagra.tion, which was Britain's largest peacetime industrial fire, Is e'lpected to total just under $16 mUlion, and the booming British. property market meant that Bloor Holdings, the umbrella holding company for all tne Triumph boss' building construction and motorcycle interests, showed a steep increase in profits from $42.9 million up to July, 2001, to $58.8 million in the year ended JUfle 30, 2002, on an increased turnover of $650 milJion. What these long-awaited figures show is that Triumph Motorcycles is Indeed tumlng 'a profit and Is already repaying the cash investment of anywhere between $95.5-160 million made from John Bloor's own resources (TrJumph bas always had zero bank debt), entailed in buUding it up from zero over the past 20 years, since John aCql.!ired the company name frO!J1 the liql.!idators in December 1983. To cast your vote, log on to http://wWw.cyC:lenews.com. Aft~r 1inally loging~an-overall to1

• Cover