Cycle News - Archive Issues - 2000's

Fiorani: "Hayden Will Stay in MotoGR" Depsol Honda's Nicky Hayden will r\remain in MotoGP and will not return to Superbike racing, according to a senior Honda Racing Corporation official. Carlo Fiorani, Honda Racing's Corporation (HRC) Sporting team manager, said he'd seen the unsubstantiated rumors of Hayden's demotion on various Internet sites and that they weren't true. "I read this silly information about Nicky [Hayden] coming back to Superbike," Fiorani said from the Honda Racing hospitality unit in Catalunya, Spain, on June 10. "It is almost impossible. First of all, he has . an HRC contract for next year. He has a two-year contract. In any case, he cannot come back to Superbike ... because we trust in Nicky. So we are waiting in that he makes a big jump. I don't know exactly when, in one race or in two years, but we are sure he definitely will grow up. Secondly, HRC doesn't race in Superbike." Fiorani later added: "For me, it's important because yesterday I spoke to Nicky. Nicky was saying, 'Carlo, What is this?' I don't know how it happens?" Fiorani said that the Honda World Superbike team would be supported by HRC in 2006, but by Honda Europe. "I'm already working for 2006 to set up the team in Superbike as Honda Europe," he said. "In USA, it remains American Honda. So there's absolutely no meaning to it [the Hayden rumor]." Fiorani wouldn't say what level of equipment Hayen would use, which team Hayden would ride for, or who his teammates might be. ''As usual for our contract. from Valentino [Rossi] to [Max] Biaggi, there is never any technical specifications. So he's [Hayden] an HRC rider," Fiorani said. As for the team, 'l>.t the moment, frankly speaking, we are so focused on this year that we've never spoken about this. Performances are important, but at the moment, still nobody of us is thinking of what we will do in 2006. We are still focusing on this year." Among the other rumors is that Hayden will be joined by Telef6nica MoviStar Honda's 2S0cc World Champion Dani Pedrosa and Winston Ten Kate Honda's Chris Vermeulen in the Honda fold. '1>.5 [HRC president Suguru] Kanazawa said, HRC is very interested in Dani Pedrosa," Fiorani said. "We want to keep him in the Honda team. At the moment, still, we are not taking the decision. As usual, HRC is looking for new riders. Dani Pedrosa is one of these. [Andrea] Dovizioso will be another one I intend to move in MotoGP. Our intention is to keep Dani and to move him for sure to MotoGp, but at the moment still there is no contract, anything. So we are waiting." Chris Vermeulen should be moved to MotoGP as soon as possible, Fiorani believes. "I think that we make a mistake in the past with the Superbike riders," he said. "I'm speaking of Colin [Edwards] or Troy [Bayliss]. I think when they moved from Superbike to MotoGp, they were already too old. So for them it was difficult to adapt themselves to MotoGP. When you understand that you have a talent like Chris [Vermeulen] or Nicky [Hayden], it's important to move them when they are still young. Chris is 21. In my opinion, next year wjll be good if we find a solution to move Chris into MotoGP. This is my personal opinion." With the youth movement coming in, someone has to go. Fiorani wasn't willing to dismiss veterans Troy Bayliss or Alex Barros, the only rider to win on a Honda this year. "This is only the sixth race [for Bayliss]," Fiorani said. "We expect that Troy needs the time to well understand the bike. Troy's potential is very high. He's a fighter, so he still has to find the right feeling with his bike, I think. So finally, if you are a team manager, the best solution is to have a very experienced rider to get results, because you need results for your team, and a young rider for the future. This is the goal. So is absolutely stupid to say, you are 34, you are out. Still we have [loris] Capirossi, he is 32, but still he is in the first place. "The situation, in comparison with last year, is better," he continued. "Nicky [Hayden] and [Marco1Melandri, they are okay. So now we'll see for next year what we can do. Before we get to any decision, we need to see how the championship will proceed." Honda will have seven bikes on the grid in 2006, the same number as this year. HRC has commitments to sponsors and teams and to Doma: Hondas make up a third of the 21rider grid. The turnaround in Max Biaggi's fortunes his first podium came last week in Mugello is partly due to the new structure of the team. Erv Kanemoto, originally brought in to oversee the team and develop the RC-211 V for the future, now worl.t the moment, no," Fiorani said. "I spoke to my colleagues, Kanazawa and [HRC managing director Satoru] Horiike, and they say, okay, because they have nothing against Valentino. So if Valentino wants to come back to Honda, he will be more than wekome. At the moment, there is no contact." Henny Ray Abrams Star Launches the Roadliner Star Motorcycles, new spin-off cruiser brand of Yamaha Motor Corporation, announced its first new blacked-out treatment. The standard Roadliner is offered in black cherry. Additionally, Yamaha has model under the official Star brand name, the Star Roadliner, during its annual dealer show in Las Vegas, Nevada, June 12-13. According to the company, the Roadliner is the first rolling embodiment of Star Motorcycles brand's announced the Stratoliner, a hard-bagged version of the Roadliner with a removal windscreen. Sales of the new models are scheduled to begin in the fall of 200S. Pricing will be announced at a future date. unique vision to be focused on the future of riding, and it represents a unique partnership among Star's stylists, engineers and accessory designers. The Roadliner's distinctive styling features what Star calls a "neo-stream!ine" apperarance, with elements inspired by ideals of the American Art Deco movement of the 1930s. The Roadliner also features an all-new engine. The air-cooled I 13-cubic-inch (18S4cc) pushrod V-twin sports sophisticated electronic fuel injection. The frame is also advanced for a Star Roadliner Midnight cruiser of this type, being constructed of aluminum rather than steel. The Roadliner will be available in three trim levels. The Roadliner S has a chromed-out look, and is available in either pearl white or two- toned charcoal and Bronze. The Roadliner Midnight is painted in raven color with a 6 JUNE 22,2005 • CYCLE NEWS Star Roadliner

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