Cycle News - Archive Issues - 2000's

Briefly... Voxan Back To Bu§ine§§ A company pursu ing a different path back to solvency is France's Voxan, now well and truly back in business after collapsing back in 200 I. There were 165 emp loyees respo nsible for an annual peak production of just 650 motorcycles before the firm went under, but that has been pared to just 32 staffers now, presently manufacturing five motorcycles per day for the French home market and the German, Benelux and British export markets, which Voxan is already serving. Voxan's new lease on life is thanks to bike-r iding pr operty deve loper Didie r Cazeaux, who restarted operations in the Voxan factory south of Clermont-Ferrand, France, last May. New too lingand enhanced production facilities bankrolled by the substantial new investment Cazeaux poured into the company presen ted a refreshed range of bikes presented at last September's Paris Show. These are now entering pro duction . with Cazeaux and his team aiming to ram p up manufacturing levels to 1000 bikes a year for 2004, with an eventual maximum target of SOOO units built annually in the Issoire plant, all powered by the same fuel-injected 99Scc 72-degree V-tw in motor. This can be tailored to produce either 100 bhp to conform with French horsepower restrictions or else 126 bhp in forthcoming export models headed not only for European markets but also, late r this year, Japan and, in 2OOS, the USA, fitted in a modular chassis designed by French GP frame guru Alain Chevallier, with twin tubular steel spars con necting aluminum headstock and swingarmpivot castings, the latter doub ling as 011 tank fo r the dry sump motor. Heading the born-again lineup is a new version of Voxan's de but mode l, the Roadster 1000 Phase Two, originally dating from 1998, wh ich has since been revamped along mo re traditional Monster-esque lines, now with a round headlamp according to the original concept of the bike's creator Sacha Lakic(previously designe r of the con troversial Bimota Mantra). Alongside the unchanged half-faired Voxan 1000 Cafe Racer is now a third, uprated, model which replaces the distinctive 85-bhp wirewheeled Scrambler with 19-inch front created by Boxer Design's Thierry He nriette, which was the big hit of the old Voxan com pany's range. Retailing at Euro 11 ,990 ($14,919) and now fitted with cast 17-inch wheels at both ends , upside-down forks and full-power 100-bhp Cafe Racer e ngine, the new 100 bhp Street Scrambler combines the originality of the first version with the uprated performance of the Cafe Racer sportbike to provide a more potent, highe r performance, alternative to the Ducati Multistrada. And, soon to join the French marque's range is a fully faired Voxan Superbike in the form of the VBI, the exotic-looking Iimitededition Boxer Bikes model designed by Henriette and French-based British stylist Glynn Kerr, of which Henriette's Toulousebased company built just 32 customer exam ples back in 200 I. This has now been adopted by born -again Voxan itself and will begin production in April at a price of Euro 18,SOO ($23 ,021, 3S percent less than Boxer sold it for) - initially in IOO-bhp guise, but with a I26-bhp version coming on line for export markets. Cazeaux says it cou ld also form the basis of a Superbike racer, ifan outside team is interested in developing such a bike with the French factory's assistance but no direct involvement . But that's not allthat's new at the revitalized French company, for as part of Cazeaux's campaign to project the bornagain marque as consistently innovative, Voxan is readying prod uction of the Voxan 1000 Black Magic,the retro-Iooking dreambike displayed at last year's Paris Show. This is the first in what 's planned to be an annually -refreshed series of short-run, Iimitededition "haute couture" specials emp loying Voxan's modular chassis/engine package, but each styled differently by leading designers from France and further afield. A/ on Ca t hcart Brands Hatch In Trouble? Rumors fro m Britain suggest that the futu re of the Brand s Hatch World Superbik e roun d is not a guarant eed placem ent, despite its imm ense popularity, after a new com pany took over the own er- ship of Brands Hatch circuits. Being locked into a contract for this year, the new owners, headed by former F I dr ive r Jonath an Palmer, are understood to have argued the case to reduce the fee they currently pay to the FGSport organiz ation to run the race. Despite the large atten dance, pre - vious op erating costs and t he repo rted $ 1 million-p lus fee, the Former World Champion Kevin Schwantz is going back to Dainese leathers, the Italian gear he wore from his championship season through to the end of his GP career. Dainese will be supplyingSchwantz and the Kevin Schwantz Suzuki School with leathers, boots and gloves. "I'm really pleased to be back in Dainese gear; they did a great job of protecting me dur ing my career, and they still fit like nothing else I've worn," Schwantz said in a release issued by his school. "Having Dainese's latest products for students to rent at the Kevin Schwa ntz Suzuki School is just anothe r great reason to come learn w ith us at Road Atlanta. We're really proud to be a part of bringing Dainese back to the U.S. market." This year 's ed ition of the Motogiro d' italia, the historic motorcycle event , will take place in Sicily from May 25-29. Ducati Motor is once again the main sponsor of the event, organized by Dream Engine. The five-day event will explore the Isle of Sicily in southern Italy, marking the first time in the event's long history that Sicily has hosted the race . With the last three revival ed itions covering the central and northern parts of the Italian pen insula, this spr ing's itinerary will allow part icipants to see the costal and inland areas of Sicily. The Motogiro d'italia consists of five days of riding with an average of IS5 miles each day. For more information on the Sunday, March 7, will mar k the opening of the Sandia Motor Speedway trac k days in Albuquerq ue, New Mexico. Open to moto rcyclists of all levels, the day will feature a was that the management council accepted cial track sessions for first-time and supermoto track riders only. In addition, novice and expert racers can test and tune to ready their equipment and skillsfor SMRl's racing season. The rest of the SMStrack-day schedule is as follows: June 26, July 25 and August 29. For more information, call 505/281 -5216 or visit www.smri-racing.org. the Turl

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