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/128389
letters 10 the editor should be sent to Voices, Cyde News, PO Box 5084, Costo Meso, CA 92628-5084; foxed 10 714-751-6685 or emoiled 10 edilor@cyclenews.com. Published .. Right. wrong or indifferent, I love Bubba's take-no-prisoners style." Blue Flags Likes Bubba's Style I'm an old guy who likes Bubba Stewart's (a la Bob Hannah, Danny "Magoo" Chandler and Broc Glover) style, and for Ricky Carmichael to make a few low-level comments is unbecoming of a champion. Ricky is the best and I admire him for the way he rides and even conducts his life - he's one of the best I've ever seen. But I've been waiting for someone to challenge him, and Bubba's the man to do it. I'm tired of predictable races. I love Kevin Windham, Chad Reed and all the rest, but no one takes Ricky on the way Bubba does. He's the real deal and still maturing. Right, wrong or indifferent, I love Bubba's take-no-prisoners style. George Stephenson fI via the Internet No Whiners First off, I would like to say thanks for a great weekly magazine. Both my son and I look forward to it every week and we end up playing rock, paper, scissors to see who will look at it first. Now to the point of my letter. All of us folks out here in this great country that appreciate the wonderful world of motocross need to step off of our bitching soapbox of OLN and just relax a bit. So what if we don't see the race right off the bat? Just think: What if no one sponsored the viewing of the sport on national television? At least we still get to view the show, right? Both my son and myself listen to the races on the Internet_ Now I know this is not the same as watching the race, but the buzz you get from the adrenaline is great because you have no idea what's coming up next (other than RC walking away from the common folks). And if you don't have access to the Internet, you can still read about the race in Cycle News before it even airs on TV Thanks Cycle News, and keep on publishing the greatest sport on earth. Tom Keyes Ogden, UT 6 Likes Re's Style After keeping my nose out of a Cycle News for over 20 years up until this past year and a half, I just want to let you know that I have been totally in awe of Ricky Carmichael and his total destruction of the outdoor Nationals this year. I read all the hype about James Stewart and his "write-in" for the new leader in our beloved sport, but all I see from Mr. Stewart is a bunch of DNFs and a whole lot of excuses - along with lap times that are two to three seconds slower than a rider who is seven years older. Give respect where it is due. I see Chad Reed and Kevin Windham letting this "write-in" know that he must deal with them first before he gets to Carmichael. Ricky Carmichael is the "man" to beat even after all these years_ Steve Asa via the Internet Remembering HBig Time" Count me in as one of the thousands of fans who went home happy from a three-day u.s. GP event. The combination of the AMA races and the MotoGP was a perfect format. The track workers and announcers did a great job. One voice I still heard during the weekend was that of the late Northern California track announcer Bill "Big Time" Spencer. He loved motorcycle racing and he loved working events at Laguna Seca. He could walk the pits with his remote headset and he knew everybody; he would talk to them all, big names and newcomers. He often remembered more about a rider's history than they did. I think there was no combination of rider AUGUST 3,2005 • CYCLE NEWS Volume XLII Sharon Clayton - President Michael Klinger - Publisher EDITORIAL letters do not necessarily reRect the posi~on of Cycle News, Inc. Letters should not exceed 200 words, and all ore subject to editing_ Anonymous letters will nol be considered for publication. All letters should contain the writer's name, address and daytime phone number... Editor. I agree with Ben Spies that the blue flags should be gotten rid of in road racing. I do not think it is safe for both the passer and the passed. If there were rearview mirrors, like in car racing, then it would be safe because the person avoiding the leaders would be able to see where the leaders were trying to pass. As it is now, if the person being passed tries to take a different line through the corner, chances are he will pull in front of the person passing him, creating a dangerous situation. From past experience, it was much better to pass someone who is not looking out for you and taking crazy lines, or in the other case it is much easier to have the overtaker just blitz by and you are out of the way much faster... Yes, I have been in all three of these situations (blue-flag or no blue-flag, passer/passed) when I used to road race. One thing that probably would make it easier is to make the grids in Superbike smaller and get rid of the slower riders altogether (or at least the consistently slow riders). Maybe they should not let the top riders ride in the more stock classes and that way they could be the learning classes - like the old Novice, Amateur and Expert classes were many years ago. Larry Schenk Sonora, CA CgcleNews Bill liked more than an American rider who came up from the local dirt tracks and made their way to the world stage. That, as race fans know, is a long list with some of the biggest names in the sport. This 2005 Laguna Seca race featured Eric Bostrom and Nicky Hayden on the podium. Both families Bill admired for their talent, and he always would talk about the Bostrom and Hayden "kids." His predictions were, as always, correct. And looking down on the races all weekend, I know he called it perfectly and enthusiastically with a huge smile on his face. Hey, Bill, Eric took a Superbike win and Nicky got his first GP victory - how about that? Like Bill used to say, "Be somebody_ Ride a motorcycle." Rick Stuart San Francisco, CA Nicky's Laguna Yeah Baby! How do you spell Laguna? H-A-Y-D-E-N! Wayne Fontanazza via the Internet Hooked on Supermoto I'm not sure if you guys have discovered this great company, Tuscan Mototours, based in Fivizzano Italy, but I just came back from a Tuscan holiday with my wife and kids (and 16 of my in-laws!) and managed to escape for a day to go for a ride. Dave, the owner, was my tour guide, and we proceeded to rip up a few hundred kilometers of the Tuscan hills with his KTM Supermoto bikes. I've been riding for over 20 years, but these bikes and those roads are the sickest I've ever ridden! Granted, I live in New England, but this is the first time I've ridden a Supermoto bike and found them to be far more agile and responsive than any Japanese sportbike or Ducat!. I know this because we stuffed a few of them. (That's another story altogether, as it seems all those guys think they're Valentino Ross!.) Dave is no slouch of a rider, and it was a blast trying to keep up with him. This isn't meant to be a commercial, but it's difficult to express what an awesome day I had. To motorcyclists who are not into or have no knowledge of Supermoto, I just thought I'd pass on my experience to you. I'm now a Supermoto convert. Thomas Cameron via the Internet For more information on Tuscan Mototours, visit www.tusconmototours.com... Editor Paul Carruthers - Editor Kit Palmer - Off-Rood Editor Scott Rousseau - Manoging Editor 8Ialu:' Conner - Associate Editor Brendan lutes - Off-Rood Assistant Editor Henny Ray Abrams - Contributing Editor Alan Cathcart - European Editor David R. Holther - Regional Events Editor Kimberly P('lIman - Copy Editor ADVERTISING' WESTERN STATES (7141751-74]3 Terry Pratt - Notional Accounts Manager Mark Thome. Forrest Hayashi. Dan Legere - Western Sales Managers Rhonda Crawford - Advertising Coordinator Ashleigh Klein - Assistant ADVERTISING' EASTERN STATES (7701279-0304 Carla Allen - Office Manager & Advertising Coordinator Sheri Russell. Suzzie Smith Eastern Sales Managen MARKETING' PROMOTION Mark Thome - Director Forrest Hayashi - Manager NEW MEDIA DEVELOPMENT Kory Klinger - Site Manager CLASSIFIED ADS Ashleigh Klein GRAPHICS· PRODUCTION Kathleen lawlor - Production Manager Sunju Kwon. Robert Martin. Christina Pendon - GraphiC Artists ADMINISTRATION Judy Klinger - Coordinator Pam Klein - Administrative Assistant ACCOUNTING· DATA PROCESSING Donna Bryan-Diamond -AjR Coordinator Geneva Repass - Assistant Stacy Ryan - Credit Manager CIRCULATION Alma Anguiano - Circulation Manager Carol Maggio - Processing Coordinator Megan Carmona - Dealer Coordinator SERVICE' SUPPORT Bridgett Bobrofsky - Receptionist Robert Escandon - Service and Support NATIONAL HEADQUARTERS JSOS-M Cadillac Ave.• Costa Mesa, CA 92626 p.o. Box 5084. Costa Mesa, CA 92628-5084 (714) 751-7433 • FAX (714) 751·6685 EASTERN OFFICE 2775 Cruse Road. Suite 260) Lawrenceville. GA 30044 (770) 279-0304 • FAX (770) 279·0360 E-MAIL. INTERNET www.cyclenews.com editor@cyclenews.com subscribe@cyclenews.com advertising@cyclenews.com Cyda News IUSPS 141·34iI!IS published weekly elcepllhe la~t two weeks of lhe calel'ldaf rear lor S58 00 per year by C~e tJew" 1'lC 3505·M Cadillac Avenue, Costa Mesa. 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