Cycle News - Archive Issues - 2000's

Briefly•.. 30 YEARS A60... June 10. 1975 Giacomo Agostini won the 500cc Grand Prix in Imola, Italy. There were over 140,000 spectators in attendance at the event... At the New Castle, Kentucky, round 01 the 250cc National Motocross Championship Series, Kent Howerton took the win over Bill Grossi and Tony DiStelano. With the win, Howerton also took over the points lead. DiStelano was leading the points after his victory at the previous round in Herman, Nebraska... Tom GenIried persevered at the 29th running 01 the Greenhorn Enduro. The Enduro was held over two days and was roughly 400 miles long. Seeing Double Spotted at the Grand Prix 01 Japan was this Honda CRF four-stroke motocrosser with a dual-exhaust system. Honda kept quiet about the bike's unique dual mulfier system, which we boldly assume is designed to be quieter than a single mulfier design yet to still be as light and unrestrictive. Perhaps we will see a dual-exhaust-equipped CRF on the '06 production bikes. Only time will tell. 2D YEARS A60... June 12. 1985 -""""""'';=''''I'Y-'' We rode the chal- lenging Mauna Kea 200 Two-Day Enduro in Mauna Kea, Hawaii. John DeSoto won the event. Alter 167.B miles of relentless terrain, he dropped only seven points... Jeff Ward and Johnny O'Mara split moto wins at the filth round 01 the 250cc National Championship Motocross Series. Ward won the overall, while O'Mara was runner-up. Bob Hannah completed the podium... Terry Poovey won round 12 01 the AMA Grand National Championship series. Poovey almost lost on the last lap, though. He stood up and raised his fist in the air, unaware that Ted Boody was much closer than he thought. Poovey crossed the line only a lew leet in Iront 01 Boody. to YEARSA60... June 7.1995 Doug Henry won his first AMA 2S0cc National Motocross at round three of the series at High Point Raceway in Mount Morris, Pennsylvania. Damon Bradshaw had just retumed to racing alter suddenly retiring. He raced the High Point National, where he finished 15th overall. .. At the third round 01 the Worid Superbike Championship Series in Donington Park, England, Carl Fogarty won both races, making his home country 01 England proud... Two-time World Motocross Champion Donnie Schmit won the White Brothers World FourStroke Championship race at Glen Helen Raceway. Schmit came back Irom a filth in RETAINED: Heartland Media & Events LLC has been retained by Youthstream, the promotions company that holds global marketing and broadcast rights to several motorcycling World Championships, to consult on the development and luture direction 01 those championships and provide media relations services in the United States. Under a multiyear agreement with the FIM, Youthstream promotes global championships, including the Motocross of Nations and the World Individual Motocross and Supermoto Championships. Heartland Media and Events will help to build broader awareness 01 those FIM championships in the U.S. market. "We hope that the agreement we have made with Heartland Media and Events will be an important step in the relationship between the FIM Championships and motocross in the United States," Youthstream president Giuseppe Luongo said. "Our goal is to work with the AMA and the U.S. industry to build relationships and programs that will benefit all involved." Heartland Media and Events president Bill Amick was on staff at the AMA lor 30 years before launching his company in 2004. OPENED: Kawasaki road racer Tommy Hayden'S official home page on the World Wide Web. The site can be lound at the 101lowing address: www.Tommyhayden.com. HIRED: Dawn Rogers and Ehren Klein by Advantage Performance Distributing as salespeople. Rogers is formerly 01 White Brothers, and Klein is Irom Big Gun. HIRED: John Anderson as director 01 sales and marketing lor QTM Inc., the distributor of Brembo brake systems. Anderson was lormerly 01 White Brothers. the first moto to win the second... Delending AMA Hare Scrambles National Champion Rodney Smith took the win at the inaugural Oregon National Hare Scrambles. Smith led Irom start to finish. OPENED: Driven US.A:s home page on the World Wide Web. The site can be lound at the following address: www.drivenracing.com. Continued from pa9" II State Parlks Off·Hlghway Motor Vehicle Recreation Division for the development 01 a State Vehicular Recreation Area (SYRA). The property is less than a 30-minute drive north from downtown Bakersfield. The city of Bakersfield, on behall of the state of Calilornia, has obtained an assignable option using grant lunds from the Off-Highway Vehicle Trust Fund to purchase the prospective site, which totals approximately 11,000 acres. No state or local general fund monies will be used. Bakersfield City Councilman Mike Maggard and City Manager Alan Tandy have been key in providing support for this project. "This OHV Park project is an example 01 what we can accomplish when varied groups work together lor a common goal," Maggard said. Ruth Coleman, director of Calilornia State Parks, remarked, "This project responds to the needs of the Bakersfield community for increased recreation opportunities and will provide a cornerstone for the Central Valley Strategy." The OHV Park has been in the planning stages since 200 I and is part 01 an agreement to provide a location for OHV recreation displaced from Hang Glider Hill, where OHV recreation had existed since the I920s. Daphne Greene, deputy director 01 the State Off-Highway Vehicle Recreation Division, added: "We appreciate the city of Bakersfield's commitment to improving recreational opportunities for OHV enthusiasts in the Central Valley. This new SVRA will provide OHV enthusiasts a place to enjoy their sport in a well-managed, lamily-friendly atmosphere with a variety of amenities." Dick Taylor, president 01 the Kem Oil-Highway Vehicle Association, said: "This fills a need lor lamilyoriented OHV recreation close to Bakersfield. It's a model lor similar parks statewide. It honors a covenant the city made with our community." The facility will be owned and managed by California State Parks as an SVRA. The proposed property will undergo a complete environmental analysis. There will be several public hearings to gather input Irom the community regarding the development of the park, which is expected to take approximately 12 to 18 months. In conjunction with its 50th anniversary celebration, Yamaha Motor U.S. has announced the opportunity for race-fans to bid lor a set of riding gear Irom either MotoGP World Champion Valentino Rossi or his Gauloises Yamaha teammate, Colin Edwards. The gear will be presented, in person, by the two MotoGP stars at the Red Bull U.S. Grand Prix. All monies raised will benefit Feed the Children, Yamaha Motor Corporation's charity. The Valentino Rossi package will include a brand-new set of replica #46 Dainese leathers, an AGY-replica helmet, and a pair of Dainese boots that were recently worn by the World Champion. The Colin Edwards package will include a full set of gear worn by the American during the weekend, including Spidi leathers, his Arai Helmet, and Sidi boots and gloves. Each package will also include a pair 01 weekend three-day general admission passes to the Red Bull U.S. Grand Prix, July 8-10 at Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca, and hotel room lor Thursday, July 7, through Sunday, July 10. The winning bidders will be invited on stage during Saturday cere- monies to receive their personally autographed gear directly from the Gauloises Yamaha Team duo - Rossi and Edwards. The auction started on eBay on May 25 and will run through June 10. For information on the Rossi package, visit cgi.ebay.cam/ws/eBayISAPI.dIPViewltem&category~ 2875&item ~520 1749736&rd~ l&ssPageName=WOvw. The Edwards information is at cgi.ebay.comlws/eBayI5API.dIPViewltem&catef 737&rd= f&ssPageNome = WOvw. gory~2875&item~520175 For a seventh consecutive year, Arai has ranked highest in customer satisfaction with motorcycle helmets, according to the J.D. Power and Associates 2005 Motorcycle Helmet Satislaction Study that was released last week. Arai receives an overall satisfaction index score of 811 (on a Iooo-point scale) and performs particularly well in regard to ventilation and styling/design, according to J.D. Power. Shoei lollows Arai with an index score of 795. Harley-Davidson and Nolan also perform above the industry average, according to the survey. '~ continues to produce highquality products by making innovative, stateol-the-art advances in helmet comlort and design," said Todd Markusic, director of the Powersports practice at J.D, Power and Associates. The study finds that the top two elements that most influence the decision to purchase a new helmet are comfort/fit and style/color. Overall helmet satislaction for the industry increased for the lourth consecutive year to 728 index points in 200S, compared to 72S in 2004. The study also shows that regardless 01 motorcycle make, HJC is the most commonly purchased brand of helmet, with more than 25 percent of customers surveyed indicating they purchased this brand. Based on the study, HJC, Shoei, Arai and Harley-Davidson brands constitute about onehall 01 the total helmet market. Convertible style helmets, which typically have a retractable lace plate, continue to increase in popularity,. as 13 percent of customers surveyed indicate this type of helmet Was purchased; versus only 3 percent reported in 2003, according to the survey. "We expect this trend to continue, as more manufacturers are adding the convertible helmet to their product lineups," said Markusic. Buying motorcycle helmets online is on the rise, as 25 percent 01 those surveyed who had made any type 01 motorcycle-related purchase via the Intemet report buying a helmet. Consumers who purchase their helmets online are more likely to indicate they "definitely will" purchase the same brand again. The study finds that online purchasers tend to pay up to $SO less lor the same helmet than those purchasing elsewhere. The 2005 Motorcycle Helmet Satisfaction Study is based on responses Irom more than 6000 purchasers of new 2004 model-year motorcycles who provided inlormation aQout their most recent helmet purchase experience and helmet use. Team Suzuki MotoGP has appointed clothing specialist Dread as its official team-clothing supplier - and you can view the whole range at www.suzuki-motogp.com. Dread is also offering a selection of accessories to complement the clothing range. All clothing and accessories will be used by team racers Kenny Roberts Jr. and John Hopkins. CYCLE NEWS • JUNE 8, 2005 13

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