Cycle News - Archive Issues - 2000's

ace its new C B R- l 00 0 RR throug h t he ut c h Te n Kate t e a m. wi nn er o f th is ea r' s W orld Supersport Ch am pion ship it h Au strali an Ch ris V e rmeul en . The oggy Petron as team , wh ich is not part f the MSMA, will field Troy Corser and h ri s W alker. " The MSMA is deeply a d de n e d at ha v ing to m a k e th i s nno unce ment but has been forced int o he deci sion . A s motorcycl e manufac turrs . w e have t o tak e a resol ut e st and gain st technical rules that are likely to . e detrimental to th e int er est s of o rdia ry m ot orb ike c us to m e r s . a nd a lso gainst th e idea of restricting ti res to a ing le m ak e so th at a ti re make r can ec ome W orld Ch amp io n ju st by buying he tit le . We sin c e r e ly ho p e t ha t a ll e v ot e e s of th e Ch ampi on sh ip wi ll p pre c iat e w hy w e hav e to t a k e t his ppro ach ." In July . FGSport. t he p rooter of the W orld Superbik e Champin shi p . si g ne d Pire ll i t o a n excl us ive o -ye ar deal to supply tires fo r all three champio nships . W orld Superbi ke. W o rld Superbike . and Euro pean Su perst ock. Cl ea r Ch ann el Ente rt a inm e nt ' s Mo to r Sports divisio n has anno unce d th at t he fi r s t A n a h e i m r ound o f TH Q W orld S u p erc r os s GP / AM A S up e rc ro s s Ser ies from Ed iso n Int ernat ion al Field in Anaheim. C alifo rnia, wi ll air on "A B C ' s The fi rst blows in the 200 4 Wor ld Superbike Championship took place at Valencia in Spain, only a month after the cessation of hostilit ies in the 2003 season. The reason was the first real test for new spec tire supplier Pirelli, and its machine-made slicks and Supersport DOT tires . Some of th e leading lights had the ir first rides for their new em plo yers, and some had a harsh bapti sm. James Tosela nd , the m an with one half of the 2004 Ducati Fila plan, got knocked off on day one by Alessandro Gramigni, who was himself a faller from his Yamaha France Rl. "Other than being knocked off on the first day , everything has been going well ," said Tose land, "Th is is a massive change for me , in a new bike, new team and new tires but I came here open-minded." The real reason for the test was to acclimate the new Pirelli rubber and its new users in World Super bi ke and Supersport - i.e .: everybody . "We've been trying hard with tire testing , of new compounds, profiles and constructions, and we've got a lotto do in a small space of time," affi rmed Toseland . "As far as the product with the Pirellis is -concerned, I've been pleasantly surprised , really . They 've come on a lo ng way . Th ere are things that are lacking at the m inute, not much sidegrip feel, but as for the drive and performance I think it's going to be very good . I don't think we are going to be far away positive . There is a big difference in the overall feel, the rid ing position and so on. I can ride it pretty well now, so it 's a case of getti ng good feel from the front suspension, The front forks have a few differences from what I used to run. I think we're going in a different direction from last year, where I ran quite a lot of oil in the forks. This year's bike doesn't like too much, and I think with the geome try and the aerodynamics of it there is quite a bit more weig ht on the front. I'm running a bit stiffer spring at the moment." The Foggy Petronas team showed off their new signing, Chris Walker, for the first time today, and according to Walker, "The first day at school on the Petronas was all right, but with everything being so different, the bike, engine, everything, to be honest I have no t really noticed the Pirelli, Dunlop, Michelin thing. So far I'm enjoying it. Times-wise we are a bit off of the factory boys, but I am only half a second behin d Troy on the first day , which I don 't thi nk is too bad really , so I am happy enough ." On the subject of what the Petronas offers as a riding experience , Walk er stated , "It doesn't feel like a four or a twin - it feels like a Petronas. I've never ridd en anything quite like it. I don't mean that in a bad way, it is just different, and at the moment the engines aren't even the spec that the team finished the season with, they are just good engines to allow us to do a lot of laps. This is essentially a Pirelli tire test, so the bike s aren't over powerful at the minute. It is good fun to ride though. " When all was said and done at the two-day test, it was Ducati Fila 's Regis Laconi who set the fastest lap - a 1:35 .6 on the Ducati 999 F03 /4. "It's the first time I have ridden the 999 afte r follow ing them around all this year: Lacon i said. "Ducati have made it fast; it's so enjoyable to ride, and I' m already working very well with the team . We have a good feeling with the bike , and we did a lot of work, test ing a lot of tire s and chang ing the settings . Th e front tire is already okay and good for my style of riding . It's important to set a good lap tim e right at the start." In Supersport action, Ten Kate re-sign ing Karl Muggeridge was partnered by Bro c Park es, with new Belgarda boy Fab ien Fo ret alongside Jurgen van den Goorbergh. Lorenzo Lanzi, the rookie factory Ducati rider was also in attenda nce, on the new factory 749R. Gordon Ritc hie from last year' s times." Toseland also found the Pirellis, produced by miniature mass production instead of the more normal hand -built fashion for slicks , a whole new deal. "The good thing about them is that each tire you put on is very consistent and close to each other - ther e are no surprises to catch you out: Toseland said, "I need to grow in confidence on the tires and what they are going to do in different situations. I haven 't got a comfortable base setting on the bike yet , and once we have that, then we can get more confiden ce from the tire ." Th e reason for this steady approach is Toseland's adoption of the 999 , a whole different machine from his previous 996 . "Hard to say the biggest change from the 996 to the 999, but the bik e feels that much more precise going into the tum, and com ing off the tum it feels a lot more planted at the front. It feels a lot more Wide World of Sports " on S unday , Janua ry 4 , fro m 4 t o 5 p . m . EST . Sp orts. "Show c asing t he An aheim event " Thro ugh our excellen t relatio nship w ith ABC Spo rt s . we have c o nfirmed the fi rst Anaheim ro und as an ABC bro adc ast , " o n A BC Sp o rt s is a g reat wa y to kic k off Team o w ne r C arl Fo g art y a nno unced last we e k t hat Brit C h r i s Wa l k e r the 2004 season. " would ride fo r the Foggy Pet ro nas W orld sai d K en H ud g en s . vi ce p r e s id en t o f mar keting. C lear Ch annel Ente rt ainm ent FGSport . th e pro mo t e r s o f the W orl d Su perbike te am in 200 4 . The 3 1-year -old Superbike Championship, have announced joins Troy C orser o n the team. " This is a grea t sig ning fo r us. and C hris w ill br ing - Moto r Sport s . " W e are exc ite d abou t that the Silverstone Circuit in England a lot to the team, " Fogarty sai d . " Eve ry- th e u p co ming s upercro s s t el e v i s ion has eamed its W orld Superbike Organizer on e know s he is fast and that he always package and will co ntinue to make more announc ements o n sc hedule s, program- award . "The top management of FGS port gives 110 percent . w hich is all I can ever togeth er w ith its staff , SBK Teams. inter- as k for. I am hoping that he wil l also help ming a nd t ime - sl ot s v e ry soon . " national representa t ive s from t he mo s t Tro y by pro viding mo re co mpetitio n w ith- "Thro ugh six years o f supercross bro ad- impo rt ant media, carefully analyzed each in the team . I t hink Ch ris' sty le is more casts , o ur relat ions hip w ith Cl ear Ch annel Entertainm ent - M otor Sports co ntin- event fro m an org anization al. prom otio nal and sport ing point of view and awarded for suite d to a fo ur-cyl inde r bike, and havinq been o n o ur triple. it definitely behaves ues t o g ro w," sai d S t e v e F e r r a r a , the 2003 season: Silverstone as the best mo re li k e a fo ur than a t w in . S o I am d i recto r o f p ro gram min g fo r AB C circu it overa ll. " hoping that th e FPl will really suit him HIRED: Brian Stokes as the parts and accessories manager for Duc- shop Performance Center. The AMA Superstoc k rider and winner of the AMA Sport s Horizon Award started working at the new store on November 4. BORN: A baby girl. Dallas Akina. to Brian Kinney and his Wife, Karen, SIGNED: An public relations/ marketing agreement between OMS on November 2 in Fountain Valley, California. Kinney is Mike LaRoc- Sports and Cobra Motorcycle Manufacturing Inc.. makers of the Cobra Mi nicycle line, effec tive immediately. Ow ner of OMS Sport s Fred Bramblett said that the deal was agreed upon in an effort to help Cobra co 's Factory Co nnection Honda mechanic. .. and th at both ride rs w ill be up th ere in t he to p t hre e . An d I have alw ays said that I w ant a Brit ish ri de r in my team . and C hris is by fa r t he mo s t popu la r rider in Brit ain today ." W al ker said : "I am rea lly exc ite d about this o ppo rt unity . It is go ing to be a challe nge , but it w ill be an ins piratio n to be working with peopl e li k e C arl a nd Tro y - th e r e a re W o rld C ham pio ns everyw here in t his tea m! And it meant a lot to me to know how mu ch Ca rl wa nt ed me to joi n. Carl and c hie f e ngi nee r S t ev e Tho mp son have t o ld m e all abo ut t he po t entia l o f thi s bike. and t here is no doubt it ha s the capab il ity t o im p rov e more than a ny other bike on the grid ne xt yea r. So w ho know s w he re we m ig ht be fin ish ing by th e end o f the se ason ." S p or st e r Perf orm an c e rid er Josh Tou ngett w ill com pete in t he 2004 Pro g ressive Insuran ce Grand Na tional Flat Trac k Seri es aboa rd a G reg Crow -tu ned X R 7 5 0 s po nso re d by Gutt err id ge Harle y -D avid so n/B ue ll of D anvi ll e , Ill inoi s , and Re im an Ha rl ey -Davld so n of Kewanee. lilio nis . Toungett has cornpe ted in the Sp o rste r Performance Serie s fo r the past tw o years , fin ishing fou rt h in th e se ries in 200 3 . BORN: A baby girl, Jamison Anne. to AMA Pro Racing's webmaster elevate the brand name and develop the heritage of its minicycle line . Malt Ringlien and his wi fe. Leslie Gill. on Friday. November 14. in BORN: A baby girl. Kylee Ann. to No-Toil's production manager Brad while also serving to assist the company in promoting its highly successful competition effort s at races all around the United States . " Based on its racing results at such places as Loretta Lynn's, Ponca City. Las Vegas and the Mini O's, we see Cobra as the leader in the Jensen and his wife. Andrea. on October 23. fast-growing compe tition minicycle market." said Bramblett . ..C obra is co mbined $ 11.000 c ash payou t fo r both the A MA S upermo to and A M A Un limited Pinkerington. Ohio. Pirelli has announced tha t it w ill offe r a also in the process of what will prove to be some rapid expansion dur- c lasses f o r t h e s e r i e s fina le i n L a s CORRECTION: We reported in last week's ISDE coverage that all ing the next seve ral year s. and they 've come to us to wo rk alongside but one rider on the U.S . Trophy team are cur rent or former AM A Ch a mpions, when in fact all are current or former cham ps. We regret - them. prov iding guidance in the public relatio ns and marketi ng areas Vegas, N evad a , N o v e m b e r 2 1. If th e win ner us e s Pire lli tire s . he wil l earn during this growth period and beyond. We look forward to a long and prosperous relationship with Cobra, its hard-working employees and $ 1000 . Th e payou t go es down to $100 for a 10th-plac e finish in eit her cl ass . For the legions of young racers out there winning on the Cobra brand." more informat ion . call 7 14/305-6846 . PROMOTED: Infineon Raceway employees M ichelle Norman and MOVED : The Cycle News eas tern advertising sales office to 2775 Rachal Pollen to ticket sales manager and marketing and sponsorship O n One W h e e l . th e K e it h C o d e Cruse Road. Suite 2603. Lawrenceville. GA 30044. 770/2 79-030 4 (phone). 770/27 9-0360 (fax). effective November 1g. w heelie sc hoo l, has anno unce d two new N ovember dates in No rt he rn C aliforn ia. tably left Jason Raines off the list. He is the newly crowned AMA Hare Scrambles Champion. se rvices manage r. re spectively. effective immediately. c u e I e ne""s Continued on page 6 3 NOVEMBER 26 , 2003 o o o o n u o o o o o o o o o o o o o o CJ o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o n LJ Ii r l-J '-' " L; C C [

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