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Unfair Advantage?
Ducati North America recently announced that a 2005
Ducati 749 Biposto, customized by Argyll Motorsports of
Edmonton, Alberta (Canada), will join the Edmonton
Police Department in a unique capacity. Rather than being
outfitted as a traditional pursuit or traffic-enforcement
motorcycle, the exotic Argyll Motorsports-Ducati support
vehicle has been assigned to the Department's special Blue
Line Racing division, which conducts an innovative STREET
LEGAL Program that attempts to get youngsters and their
high-performance vehicles off the streets and onto local
drag strips.
The STREET LEGAL Program, operated by a group of
Edmonton Police Department constables, includes two
drag-racing cars and now the new Ducati 749 Superbike.
STREET LEGAL:s goal is to reduce death and injury of
youths between I5 and 25 caused by traffic-related collisions, by developing awareness for young drivers and riders to operate motor vehicles in a safe and responsible
manner. Rather than cracking down with increased traffic patrols and
tickets, Edmonton's Police Department has opted for a different tactic,
using the stylish and powerful Ducati to reach out to young riders and
drive home its "take it to the track" safety messages.
"Edmonton has seen an increase in the number of sportbike rider
deaths in the past few years, peaking with a total of eight sportbike-related deaths in 2004," says Edmonton Police Constable Ryan Sparreboom,
an avid motorcycle racer and the officer in charge of the specially prepared Ducati 749. "We'll be using our race cars and the eye-catching
2005 Ducati 749 Biposto to bring added attention to our program and,
hopefully, save some lives in the process."
The First Number One
With the 18th year of World Superbike racing about to get under way
in two weeks, take a look back to 1988 at the series' first champion,
American Fred Merkel. As a matter of fact, Merkel not only won the
championship in its inaugural season, he came back and won it the following year as well. Both of his championships were aboard factorysupplied Honda RC30s. American riders have won the championship
eight times, more than any other country, and all hope of another
American champion lays in the hands of Ben Bostrom in 2005.
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FEBRUARY 23,2005 • CYCLE NEWS
