Cycle News - Archive Issues - 2000's

made steady progress each day on the unique three-cylinder 900cc machine, which remains largely unchanged from last year 's spec. The first engine update, expected at Monza, cannot come too fast for the Aussie, as things went a little too steady for his tastes. Former World Superbike hero Noriyuki Haga finished his first official test back in the fold on the Renegade 999 Ducati, and in seventh overall, using only one of his two bikes under orders from his team boss. He did not improve on his second-day time of I:36.676. and seventh was a severe disappointment to him. '" think the bike is somewhere between the Aprilia Superbike I rode in 2002 and the Yamaha I rode in 2000 chassiswise," Haga said. "I preferred the Yamaha frame. There is a difference between the Michelin and Dunlop compared to the Pirelli, but not so much on the front tire for me. But the rear tire at this moment has not quite so much grip. I did not get the chance to try a qualifying tire because we had no time. I only rode one machine here because that is what Mark Griffith [Renegade team boss] said. Unfortunately, we do not have enough parts , and that did not give me much satisfaction." Although Honda continues to body swerve the World Superbike series in any official capacity from japan, the slowly developing CBRIooORR ended up eighth overall after Ten Kate's Chris Vermeulen took his times down to 1:36.907. Vermeulen was disappointed to make slow but steady stopwatch progress, but his was still the fastest four-cylinder machine, the third Ten Kate Aussie displacing Spaniard Sergio Fuertes' MIR GSX-Rlooo Suzuki. Vermeulen looked like someone had spoiled his party, but after the machinations involved in getting the bike even some way ready, he should feel no disgrace. "Y eah, fifthwas not so bad for the first day on the bike with slicks and the WP forks and so on ," Vermeulen said. "We started blind this morning because everything was new. It has been easy to get the settings of the forks less than perfect because they are so rigid. On a Supersport bike the forks can never be made to work absolutely right because they are less stiff, and you have to learn to ride around that . But with these the fork is much stiffer, and you have to get the settings just right to make the most of them. We have only used one bike today so that we can get used to it and feel what effect the changes make. The biggest difference with the engine is not straight-line power but the extra torque you have exlting the corners. I was hoping to be a bit higher up the order than I finished the three days, but the bike is still developing." After some grim years in recent times, Chris Walker is still the chirpiest man in the paddock, but with the likes of Hodgson and Xaus gone, and despite dropping from a former Ducati factory machine to the much slower Petronas , he was well disappointed to be only just in the top 12, with a I:37.287. He only gained a 10th on the final day and explained that the chatter on the fast corners was almost uncontrolled at times . It was something of an even poorer test for PierFrancesco Chili and his PSG-I Ducati, and he ended up down in 13th overall, two seconds down on Laconi's quickest time and swapping to his old 998 for a comparison with his new machine. Grim looks and much poring over data sheets was the backdrop in the small but well-formed PSGI garage, as they struggled with a bike most others found an improvement on their 2003 tackle. Chili's dark cloud was as nothing to the lost and sullen expression of Xerox Ducati's Garry McCoy. It did not affect his mood when dealing with his fellow human beings in pit lane, but he was seriously off the pace and reckoned that too much time in the Pit Lane put paid to his chances of improving much on his 14th classification on the stopwatch . He never achieved a comfortable feeling on a bike that is a big change from the multicylinder machines he has been used to in his MotoGP career - four and two-stroke. Gordon Ritchie 2004 Husqvarna Enduro Team Husqvarna officially announced its Team CH Racing Husqvarna squad for the 2004 World Enduro Champ ionship, and the big news here is the signingof Finland's Mika Ahola. The former Vor rider and multitime Finnish Enduro Champion and ISDE overall winner w ill join legendary and long-time Husky rider Anders Eriksson in Class 3 (Soocc-plus four-stroke) . Ahola, Bergvall and Bazzurri will also campa ign the Italian Champ ionship, while Eriksson and Saarenkoski will follow the German series. The team will be managed by Fabrizio Azzalin. Eriksson is a seven-time World Enduro class Champion, and the Swede will be attempting to become the most victorious enduro ride r of all time if he can win his eighth title. In Class I (125 and 250cc four-stroke), Husqvarna will rely on three-time Italian Champ ion Robert Bazzurri two-time World and Champion Peter Bergvall. Bazzurri w ith pilot the 125cc WR two -stroke, while Bergvall will ride the TE250 four-stroke. Husqvarna has high hopes for an up-and-coming rider in Class 2 (250cc). Mika Saarenkoski of Finland will ride a WR250. Grand Prix Corporation invited me to wave the flag at the end of this year 's Formula One race ," Stephanie Sheene said in a statement released on Sunday, February 15. "Motor racing was Barry's life and passion, and he had been looking forward to this honor last year, but unfortunately he wasn't well enough to do it. "I'll feel very proud and humble to do the honors for him on March 7. It [the offer] was lovely, and when I had time to think about it. I felt a sentimental sense of duty to do it." Shawn Higbee, the 2003 AHA top Superbike privateer, has moved on to the new Superstock class in 2004 where he'll again compete against the factories on the Millennium Technologies Suzuki. The transplanted New Yorker, who now works on the development team at Buellin Wisconsin, will ride the KevinHunt-tuned KWS Motorsports Suzuki GSXRlooO in Superstock with new teammate Danny Eslick, a 17year-old Oklahoman, riding a Suzuki GSX-R6oo in Supersport and selected Formula Xtreme rounds. "We are really looking forward to the 2004 season," team owner Hunt said. "We had a great year with Shawn finishing so high in the Superbike Championship, and we want to carry that momentum into this coming season. All of our sponsors are back with us in a bigger way this year, and we 're happy to be working with an up-andcoming rider like Danny." Owen Garnett will be crew chief, while Shane Martinson will look after Shawn's GSX-RIOOOs, and Charlie Ramirez will take care of Eslick'sGSX-R6oos. Erion Honda's ja ke Zemke is going to japan for the first time to get blown around. He and teammates Miguel Duhamel and Ben Bostrom are leaving this weekend for a quick turn-around to do wind-tunnel testing on the new Honda CBRIoooRR. "We leave one day and , with the time difference, end up get ting there the next day. We're in the wind tunnel the following day and leave the day after we're done testing ," Zemke said. Part of the testing involves teaching the riders how to tuck in most efficiently, most aerodynamically. The trip is usually made by the 5uperbike riders , which Zemke just became this year. "It's a lot of plane flying," he said. "I think I'll be on the plane about the same amount of time I'm in japan." A major rule change has been announced for the 2004 Parts Canada Superbike Championship. Based on impressive early indications regarding the performance levels of the machinery due to enter the feature class this summer, the maximum horsepower in the Superbike category has been increased to 170, according to series promoters. The previously announced limit for the 2004 season was 160 horsepower. Last year maximum horsepower was set at 155. The deci sion, unprecedented in the history of Canada's premier motorcycle road racing division,was made following a meeting among series organizer Professional Motorsports Productions and representatives from Honda , Kawasaki, Suzuki and Yamaha late last month . Honda, Kawasaki and Yamahaare all introducing new motorcycles for the feature class this year. "There is no question that the pace of development of sport bikes has reached a remarkable level in recent years," said Colin Fraser of PMP. "We thought it was wise to adjust our horsepower limit now and give our 5uperbike competitors plenty of time to prepare for the new season . No further adjustments to this guideline will be made during 2004." Minimum weight in the Superb ike class remains 360 pounds . The 2004 Parts Canada Superb ike Championship opens at Shannonville Motorsport Park, May 20-23, The AMA has announced that Andy Goldfine of AerostichlRiderwearhouse Catalog in Duluth, Minnesota , has been elected to serve as a corporate member of the AMA board of d irectors. Goldfine was elected during the annual corporate member meeting, held on Saturday, February 14, in Indianapolis. He fills the seat previously held by Mike Buckley of Dunlop Tire Corporation, who stepped down from his position on the AMAboard after six years of service. The AMA board of directors consists of 12 members. Six individual directors are elected by the general membership in their respective regions and serve three-year terms . Six cor- www.cyclenews.com CYCLE NEWS . FEBRUARY 25. 2004 13

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