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/128307
"I love the new full-color format. You guys rock." lelters to the editor should be senllo Voices Cycle Newt, POBo 5084, CosioMeso, , x CA92628-5084; foxed 10 714-751-6685 or emoiled to editor@cyclenews.com. Published letters do not necessarilyr eRect the positi n of Cycle News, Inc . leiters should not exceed200 o words, and all ore subject to editing . AOOflymous lett rswill not be consideredfor publication. e Allletters should cont in the writer's name address and daytmephone number... Ed a , i itor. If Only... They Like It V lf only Ricky didn't me ss up his knee . If onfy All hail Cycle News! I love the new full-color format. You guys rock . Bubba had chosen to grad uate to the 250cc class. If o nly Kevin would ride up to his potential. If only Travis wanted to race as much as we want to see him race. Then it would be a grea t Supercross season. Yawn... wake me up in January, 2005. Dan Rad/auer via the Intern et They Like It Great job on the red esign. Cycle News has always been the best, and now it is even bett er. Congratulations on the new loo k. Steve lucia via the Internet They Like It II What can we say - Wow ! When I called on dealers in 1974, the one thing I always looked for was the new Cycle News on the counter. Now each Wednesday we scramble for the mail to grab our copy of Cycle News. The new Cycle News took about three minutes to get comfortable with , and now we can get our fix in brilliant color. I am impressed - sign me up for anot her 30. Thanks, Cycle News! l ee Chapin via the fnte rn e t Chapin is the Mikuni carb man... Editor They Like It III I just received my January 14 issue and was blown away by the new look! I love the new size and paper quality, the text is crisp, and the photos are beautiful - even the ads. Also I don't get ink all over my fingers now. As a motorcyclist for over 54 years and a Cycle News reader from its inception, I congratulate you on this great step forward . It has always been a quality product, and it just got better. I wo uld like to take this opportunity to wish everyone at Cycle News a happy and prosperous new year. Ken Ragers Glendara, CA ]ahn Connelly Santa Cruz, CA fire in the wood stove. I wo uld separat e the glossy pages out and use the rest to get the kindlinggoing. Now, all the pages are glossy. I guess I will just have to save all the new issues and pass them down in my will. Chris Austin via the fnternet They Like It, Maybe My first impression of the new format whe n I got it into my gru bby hands was - "ugh!" When I flipped through the pages, my opinion was the same . Before I decided to put the whole thing down and fire o ff a derogatory missive, I tho ught, "Hang on , give it a chance ." It' s different than what you 're used to, but maybe you'll get used to th is as you did the old format. Plus, there's a lot more color in it, which is nice. Would you buy Cycle News off the shelf if it was as it was 40 years ago? Things change, times change, trends change , and tastes change, too . To those who do not like the new format, layout, and who, like me, miss getting newsprint on their finge rs, give th is a chance. Do we com plain when technology advances on ou r motorcycles, changing them to be faste r, smoother and more reliable? Perhaps in the beginning, but once we get used to that new tech, we wonder how we ever d id without it. So I'm giving this thing a chance . Good for the staff of Cycle News for taking a risk and changing. However, my theory is not that it was brought on by the Australians, but by the Brits who finally convinced the colonies to switch to a tabloid format, which is so popular in England. I wonder if they convinced the editors to run a "Page 3 Girl," with each issue as well? Mork]ones Downe y, CA The Last One Reinventing a "tried and true" formula can be risky. It didn't work for Britney, but if Volume 41, Issue # I is representative of what the readers can expect , then lower your darkest visor because the future looks very bright indeed' Wayne Bellows via the Internet They Like It IV Okay One More As a 30-year reader of Cycle News, I just wanted to let you guys know how much I enjoyed the new layout. It looks great. Keep up the good work. Mik e Geiger Huntlngt an Beach, CA What a nice surpr ise to see the new look of Cycle News. It fits into the P.O. Box better, the colo r pictures are great - and there's no ink on the fingertips when you're finished reading it. One problem, though : For years I have used myoid Cycle: News to start the It's a Gas, Gas, Gas What is the purpose of banning race fuel from AMA Pro Racing? The 250cc fourstroke is legal in the I25cc class because it is considered to be equal . It is clear the riders and teams are leaning toward the fourstrokes now as an advantage over the tw o- stro ke because of the fuel restrictions . This new rule seems to be exped iting the ext inction of the two-stroke. Is the AMAworking with the government to ban two-strokes? O r am I just paranoid? Ron Mc Coy via the Inte rnet I don't believe the AMA is working with the government an banning twa-strakes. I think they are busy enough making sure people can ride motorcycles without helmets... Editor And Some SX, Too Congratulations on the new format . The color pictures are great. and the new size is definitely more reader-friendly. Mygirlfriend even noticed the new format, so the new changes are even ap paren t to the less-thanavid fan. On the subject of changes, right on to the AMA for eliminating the Mother's Day opener and for providing a two-week break between the series in the process. Now if we can bring about some changes to the supercross/motocross races to make them more spectator-friendly, starting with the four-stroke noise. The AMAshould take the lead on this right now by announcing much strieter rules fo r 2005 as soon as poss ible so the aftermarket companies have some time to produce compliant exhaust systems. In the meantime, grab your earplugs or start attending the GPs in Europe where the FIM enforces a noise level below the mandated AMA noise level. And it's just about time for changes in the 125cc class. Before production stops, how about a two-stroke 125cc class for riders unde r the age of 21 and a 250cc four-stroke class for riders over 21? This would allow the 125cc class to finally become a proving ground for younger riders . It' s time for discussions regarding a high- www.cycl enews.com schoo l diplo ma becoming the req uire me nt for an AMA pro fessional license instead of one's 16th birt hday. Do you see any 16year-old d rive rs in NASCAR or IRL? You are only a kid once, and the re's nothing more important than an ed ucatio n. It's also way past time for the purses to go up. What abou t big, clear plastic balls stationed at various corners of the sta diums where the fans can thr ow in do llar bills to contribu te to the purse? Bett e r yet, how many fans would argue with a $ 1 per ticket increase in 2005 if Clear Channel announced that the purse at each venue would go up by $1 per ticket sold? The Anaheim op e ne r purse wou ld have increas ed by ove r $45,000 if this were in effect now. Think about Clea r Channel throwing in some rider appreciation nights where they match the dollar collected, and the purses might stop being a joke com pared to other sports. Micha el Rigdon via the Internet The Class After attending the first two Supercross races of the season, I must say that I see two major issues with the I 25cc class. First of all, you can no longer hear your friends talk (o r yell) in the stands , and you definitely can't hear the announcer any more during the 125 races! There have bee n so many 250 four-stro kes entered in th e I 25cc class that the noise in the stadium has become obnoxious! Am I the only one who fee ls that way? I'm a longtime racer and fan of the sport. I'm glad to see it becoming more popular, but I would hate to see a reduction in attendance because fans can no longer bear the noise. The second issue is around displacement. Years ago I believe there may have been a valid reason for allowing up to 250cc fourstroke machines in the 125cc class. The four-stroke bikes were heavy and not really designed around MX racing . However, times have changed. When you see more 250 four-stro kes racing than I25cc machines , how can you still call it the 125cc class?Something needs to be done to fix the 125 class. The four-stro ke rule was put in place during the last century. I believe a rule change is in order. Either increase the allowable displacement of 125s or move the 250 four-strokes into their own separate class. Either way, the 250cc four-stroke machines must be quieted down! Bill Abrigo via the Interne t CYCLE NEWS • JANUARY 21 , 2004 5