Cycle News - Archive Issues - 1990's

v ICES 0 INSIDE Letters to the editor PhD factor? FEATURES RIDING IMPRESSION OFF·ROAQ Hamel, Ostbo and Sweetland rage at Baja 1000 6 Railing on Kawasaki's hot new KXl25 and KX250 motocrossers ..... 14 TRIALS Dabs-a-plenty at Laugh-In Trial ..... 22 MOTOCROSS Stanton, Henry crowned Kings o~ Bercy 10 Healey hauls at Perris GFI round 20 EVENT Champs crowned at AMA awards banquet 12 DEPARTMENTS ~EW PRODUCTS LOCAL RACING POINT STANDINGS CALENDAR WANT ADS RESULTS 22 26 32 32 36 51 ON THE FRONT PAGE: Kawabunga! We ride Kawaski's new 1993 KXl25 and KX250. For our impression of the two machines, turn to page 14. Photo by Kinney Jones. Barf buckets aplenty were overflowing with your hopelessly shoddy article, "Hall, Gibbs star at Road Atlanta." The article highlighting the "clearly superior" Novice racer Brian Gibbs should more accurately have been placed in the technical section, especially since you don't have one devoted to spoiled kids.. The story should have been (about) how on earth the rider of Tom Kipps and Scott Russell's AMA championshipwinning machinery could only win three races against the hopelessly cashstrapped and season-long-fatigued bikes of the Novice competition. How many other Novices were able to grid with 102 rear wheel horsepower F-2 bikes? Despite Gibbs' PhD (parents have dough), the best finish he was able to manage in a cumulative points series, the Metzeler Future Stars, was sixth overall. As an Expert next year, without his gross advantages, look for him to finish a lot lower. Maybe his parents will finance his career as a winning novice hydroplane racer next. J ens iIaerter San Diego, CA America's weekly motorcycle newspaper Volume XXIX Michael Klinger, Publisher Caroline Gendry, Executive Secretary to the Publisher Editorial Jack Mangus, Associate Publisher/ Editor Kit Palmer, Associate Editor Paul Carruthers, Associate Editor Donn Maeda, Associate Editor Chris Jonnum, Assistant Editor Edwina Mangus, Calendar Editor Graphics and Production Ree Johnson, Production Supervisor Mandy Loo, Production Manager Dennis Greene, Lab. Tech. Stacey Guest, Graphic Artist Amy Faught, Graphic Artist Carolyn Branham, Typesetter Dealer Sales Steve Gotoski, Dealer Representative Marketing Be: Promotion Mark Thome, Manager Advertising Terry Pratt, National Accounts Manager Mark Thome, Western Sales Manager Thomas R. Gonter, Western Sales Manager Steve Gotoski, Western Sales Manager Mark Mitchell, Eastern Accounts Manager Greg Mitchell, Eastern Sales Manager Rick Matheny, Eastern Sales Manager Rhonda Crawford, Western Ad Coordinator Carla Borden Allen, Eastern Ad Coordinator Circulation Rheba Smith, Manager Sarah Taylor, Billing Coordinator Alma Anguiano, Processing Coordinator Accounting/Data Processing Donna Bryan-Diamond, A/R Coordinator Geneva Repass, Assistant Herlane Lewis, Credit Service and Support Chris Aitcheson, Headquarters Receptionist Leonard Herring, Service and Support Want Ads Toni Kerr, Want Ad Sales National Headquarters Eastern Office 2201 Cherry Ave.• Long Beach: CA 90806, P.O. Box 498, Long Beach, CA 90801·0498 4190 Fi~SI Ave., Tucker, GA, 30084; mailing address P.O. Box 805, Tucker, GA 30085·0805. (310) 427-7433; (213) 636-8844. FAX (310) 427-6685 (404) 934-7850. FAX (404) 934-3112 Cycle News (USPS 141-340) is published weekly except the last two weeks of the calendar year for $50.00 per year by Cycle News, Inc., 2201 Cherry Avenue, Long Beach, CA 90806. Second class postage paid at Long Beach, CA. Canada Post International Publications Mail #546615. POSTMASTER.: ~nd address changes to Cycle News, P.O. Box 498, Long Beach, CA 90801·0498. To determine the exp.iration date of your subscription, check the four numbers on the first line .of your address label. The first two digits indicate the last issue number you'll receive and the last two characters indicate the year of the last issue. Subscription rates: Rates for the United States and its possessions for one year, (50 issues), $50.00; two years (100 issues), $95.00; six months, (25 issues), $26.00; trial sub (15 issues), $19.00. Canada and Foreign, one year (50 issues), $90.00; two years (100 issues), $175.00; • six months (25 issues), $45.00; trial sub (15 issues), $38.00. . Cycle News welcomes unsolicited editorial material including stories, cartoons, photos, etc. Such material, if published, becomes the exclusive property of Cycle News. Such accepted material is subject to revision as is necessary in the sole discretion of Cycle News. Unsolicited material which is not used will be returned if accompanied by a self addressed stamped envelope. All unsolicited material will be handled with reasonable care, however, Cycle News assumes no responsibility for the safety, loss or damage to such material. Reprinting in whole or part only by permission of the publisher. Advertising rates and "Circulation inform;uion will be sent upon request. See S.R.D.S. W/BOA V rl'\ AUDITED CIR(::uLATION CopyrightS Cycle News, Inc. 1992. Trademark Cycle News ttgisteml U.S. Patent Office. All rights reserved. Perhaps none of the other Novice racers in the F2 class were able to grid wi.th a bike producing 102 horses, but we're sure each and everyone of them would have if they had been given the opportunity to do so. 'Fielding the best machinery possible is the name of the game in motorsports ... Editor. Won race, not title I feel obligated to set the record straight concerning Brent Plummer's WERA GNF report in your November 18 issue. Plummer indicates that Brad Morrison was the Vintage 5 National Champion. Not to take anything away from a fine competitor, but as Mr. Plummer should know, the National title in WERA Vintage competition goes to the series winner, not necessarily the person that wins the final round at the GNF. After having worked hard to give myself a commanding points lead going into the final round, I found myself in the situation where I needed to only take second to win the Vintage 5 National title. I did just that.. Mike Tiberio Arlington, VA, Post-election blues I just had to second the letter of Martin Argo in the November 18 issue, though your response wasn't·quite on target. Neither Feinstein nor Boxer carried a majority of California's counties (in the senatorial race) ... they just carried the big ones. The simple fact is that unless those of us who don't believe that the Sierra Club, animal rights terrorists, the welfare lobby and other radical fringe elements who have seized control of the Democratic party reflect our philosophy (and if you read this paper, they don't!), it's time to vote, vote every election, and ignore party affiliation. There may in the future be some good Democratic candidates for some offices, and there are certainly some bad Republicans, but unless you believe the big-city liberals should have the right to legislate your lifestyle, it's time to get serious about this. The candidates who were favored by the American Motorcycl~st Association, the National Rifle Association, tbe California State Sheriff's Association, and many other groups with a traditional "live-and-let-live" view of the world mostly lost. President-elect Clinton has heralded the about-to-be government as most notable for the diversity it will feature, so California has perhaps the two most dogmatic liberal senators in its history with residences about 20 miles apart, both women. For whatever .reason, most of the readers of this paper have been disinfranchised, pure and simple. It was said in June, by someone wiser than I, that we were one election away from a real disaster for motorcycling. It has taken place and we lost. Mike Stephenson Livermore, CA Although we can all hear the fat lady warming up, it ain't over until it's over and she starts singing· . .. Editor. Gotta have one In your October 28 issue you ran an article on the victory party HarleyDavidson held for Chris Carr. One of the photos is a shot of Chris holding up a commemorative Chris Carr Grand National Champion scarf. Could you please tell me how I can get my hands on one of these scaryes. Any help you could give me in locating one would be greatly appreciated. Ray Merkle Wilmington, OH The limited edition scarves were given to invitees at the party and there are none available to the general public. However, Ray, send us (to the attention of the editor) a check made out to the AMA Legislative Supporter Fund in the amount of $25 and we'll relay the check to the AMA and send you one of the scarves we received at the party. Sorry, folks, but we have just one available scarf and MerkLe has the first shot at it ... Editor. For she's a jolly good fellow Your report on the Turkey Creek National Enduro inadvertently left out one of the event's great sponsors, Charlie Tubbs of Lake City HondaKawasaki in Warsaw, Indiana. Charlie not only helped provide contingency prizes to all participants, she was instrumental in getting Throttle Jockey to provide numbers which helped identify the riders in 'the driving rain. She also provided a large canopy that shielded competitors and club workers from the elements during motorcycle inspection. Jan B. Warner President, Riders' M.C. Warsaw, IN Letters to the editor should be sent to: Voices, Cycle News, P.O. Box 498, Long Beach, CA 90801-0498. Pub· lished letters do not necessarily reflect the position of Cycle News, Inc. Letters should not exceed 200 words and all letters are subject to editing.

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