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/128324
German to be Spoken at VMD 2004 UFO Corse Yamaha rider Stefan Merriman extended his lead in the Enduro I class of the World Enduro Championship with a 1-2 finish in the two-day event held in St-Remy Sur Duro lle, France, May 8-9. Merriman won the EI classon day one and finished a close second to KTM's Petteri Silvan (KTM) on day two. Mer riman was in a class of his ow n on the very cold and wet first day of the French Endur o Gp, the Australian winning seven out of 10 stages in front of a traditionally strong crowd . Just as at the third round of the WEC held in Italy Merriman topped the overall , "Scratch" classificationon day one. Me rriman's young teammate Bartosz Obl ucki had an equ ally strong day, coming home second in class and the overall behind Merriman. Swedish star Richard Larsson and his TM comp leted the podium. O n the second day, Silvan too k the w in on his factory KTM by a scant three- te nths of a seco nd over Merriman. O blucki finished third on day two . "Day one was rea llygood, " Me rriman said in a release from his team . "Sta rting at the front of the classes helped me to be the fastest ove rall rider, but I felt that I was also riding well. The special tests were quite challenging, but it was the mud holes that all the riders could lose a lot of time in if they got stuck. I had some good spec ial test times in the mo rning, so yeah, I was happy with the way day one went. With Pet te ri Silvan losing 8 Stefan Merriman wan the Enduro 1 class a f the Grand Prix af France. time, he did me a huge favor in te rms of the championship. Day two was really difficult. I got stuck in one rut , and it took me about 10 secon ds to push it out. I also made a mistake on the roc ks on the extreme test, which lost me about seven seconds, as well as another 10 when Icrashed later in the day, so I'm a little disappointed . In te rms of the championship, it's been a good weekend, but anythingcan still happen. I'm rea llyconfident that things will continue to go we ll, but I'm going to kee p training hard so that I will be ready for the next race In Swed en." Me rriman leads O blucki in the World Championship po int standings , 18S -149. Silvan is third with 139 points. MAY 19, 2004 • CYCLE NEWS BMW will be the featured marque at AMA Vintage Motorcycle Days 2004, a three-day event hosted by the AMA,July 16- I8 at MidOhio Sports Car Course in Lexington, Ohio . In celebrating the 8 1-year-old marque, AMA Vintage Motorcycle Days will benefit the Motorcycle Hall of Fame Museum and will feature an exhibit of classic motorcycles and memorabilia, including one of the largest displays of vintage BMW motorcycles on loan from vintage club members and indepe ndent co llectors . The weekend could be the largest and best vintage BMW event of its kind in the Western Hemisphe re , according to the AMA World Stunt Champ ion Jean-Pie rre Goy well know n for his spectacular stunts in sev- eral James Bond films - will treat spectators to daring performa nces t hro ughout the weekend event. Alternati ng among different BMW models, Goy exec utes rolling burnouts in clouds of smoke, wheel ies in tight circles with no hands - terrifying hapless volunteers from the audience, and otherwise defying the laws of physics during his stunts . Goy is the worl d-reco rd holder for the longest continuous whee lie (over 100 miles) and the sto ppie distance reco rd (383 feet ). Many U.S. riders are unawar e that BMW began manufacturing motorcycles several years befo re it prod uced autom ob iles - 40th Anniversary beginning with the R32, designed by Max Friz in 1923. As a reminder of its rich motorcycle heritage, BMW Motorrad USA also w ill offer a Mobile Tradition Exhibition. This extensive review of seminal motorcycle models and large narrative walls demonstrates BMW's rally theme of "Ove r 80 years driven by the need to ride" and includes a special exhibition catalogue. This exhibition will be supplemented by an even larger display of vintage motorcycles brought by collectors and owners, organ ized by the Vintage BM Motorcycle W Owners, Ltd. club. BMW Moto rrad USA will also offer demo rides on all current BMW motorcycle mode ls including the new R 1200 GS and K 1200 L T. There will be presentations by several guest speakers, including Fred Jakobs, the resident archivist and historian at Mobile Tradition. Jakobs has justly been called "the living repos itory" for BMW's unusual motorcycle heritage , and BMW fans will have a unique oppo rtunity to get the "right" answer to those nagging questions about arcane, yet fascinating, historical incidents and personalities. (For instance Mr. [akobs has a bill of sale for the purchase of a BMW motorcycle in 1929 by a He nry Ford - that Henry Ford.) Tom Purves, chair man BMW (U.S.) Holding Cor p., will be on hand throughout